Search Previous Year Questions

The correct answer is 7.

Key Points

• pH stands for the power of hydrogen.
• It is a measurement of the hydrogen ion concentration in the body.
• The pH scale measures how acidic or basic a substance is.
• The total pH scale ranges from 1 to 14, with 7 considered to be neutral.
• A pH less than 7 is said to be acidic and solutions with a pH greater than 7 are basic or alkaline.

Additional Information

• | pH VALUE | H+ CONCENTRATION | EXAMPLES | | --- | --- | --- | | 0 | 10000000 | battery acid | | 1 | 1000000 | gastric acid | | 2 | 100000 | lemon juice, vinegar | | 3 | 10000 | orange juice, soda | | 4 | 1000 | tomato juice, acid rain | | 5 | 100 | black coffee, bananas | | 6 | 10 | urine, milk | | 7 | 1 | pure water, neutral solution | | 8 | 0.1 | seawater, eggs | | 9 | 0.01 | baking soda | | 10 | 0.001 | milk of magnesia | | 11 | 0.0001 | ammonia solution | | 12 | 0.00001 | soapy water | | 13 | 0.000001 | bleach, oven cleaner | | 14 | 0.0000001 | liquid drain cleaner |

• Water with a pH of five is ten times more acidic than water having a pH of six.

The Correct answer is Romesh Bhattacharji.

Key Points

• Romesh Bhattacharji is the author of the book "Kashmir: Travels in Paradise on Earth".
• The book provides a detailed account of the author's travels and experiences in Kashmir.
• It offers insights into the culture, landscapes, and people of the region.
• The book is well-regarded for its vivid descriptions and the author's deep understanding of Kashmir.
• Romesh Bhattacharji is known for his expertise in travel writing and has authored several other notable travel books.

 Additional Information

• Vikram Seth
• Vikram Seth is an Indian author and poet, best known for his novel "A Suitable Boy".
• He has also written other notable works such as "An Equal Music" and "The Golden Gate".
• Jhumpa Lahiri
• Jhumpa Lahiri is an acclaimed author known for her works on the Indian diaspora.
• She is the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning collection "Interpreter of Maladies".
• Other notable works include "The Namesake" and "The Lowland".
• Shamas Faqir
• Shamas Faqir was a Kashmiri Sufi poet known for his mystical poetry.
• His works are significant in the context of Kashmiri literature and Sufi traditions.

The correct answer is 2) Lizard

Key Points

• Lizard is not a mammal; it is a reptile.
• Mammals are warm-blooded vertebrates that have hair or fur and whose females have mammary glands for feeding milk to their young.
• Examples of mammals include dolphins, bats, and elephants, all of which give birth to live young and have body hair at some stage of their life.
• Reptiles, like lizards, are cold-blooded and lay eggs. They have scales and do not possess mammary glands.

Additional Information

• Dolphins are aquatic mammals known for their intelligence and social behavior.
• Bats are the only mammals capable of sustained flight and are found in almost every part of the world.
• Elephants are the largest land mammals, known for their intelligence, social structure, and long trunks.
• Lizards belong to the order Squamata and are commonly found in various habitats around the world.
• Mammals and reptiles are both classes of vertebrates but differ significantly in their physiology and reproductive methods.

The correct answer is option 4 i.e Ireland.

• Indian Constitution borrowed the idea of directive principles of state policy from Ireland.
• The makers of the Constitution of India were influenced by the Irish Home Rule Movement and other national movements of Ireland.
• Part IV of the Indian constitution deals with the directive principles of state policy.
• Directive principles of state policy(DPSP) deal with economic and cultural rights.
• Directive Principles of state policy(DPSP) are non-justiciable.
• Directive principles of state policy aims at the establishment of the welfare state.
• Important features in the Indian constitution borrowed from Ireland are:
• The nomination of members to Rajya Sabha
• Presidetnial election.
• Directive principles of state policy
• Important features in the Indian constitution borrow from Germany is:
• Suspension of Fundamental Rights during the emergency.
• Important features in the Indian constitution borrow from South Africa are:
• Amendment to the Constitution.
• Election of members of Rajya Sabha.
• Important features in the Indian constitution borrow from Britain are:
• Parliamentary form of government.
• Office of Comptroller and Auditor General.
• Rule of Law.
• Legislative procedure.
• Single Citizenship.
• Cabinet system.
• Writs.

The correct answer is 1908.

• Kaziranga National Park is located in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of Assam.
• The popular national park is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Two-thirds of the world's Great One-horned Rhinoceroses live in the park.
• The national park is also recognized as an Important Bird Area (IBA) making it not only an ideal wildlife sighting destination in India.
• In 1908, Kaziranga was designated a "Reserve Forest".

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National Park

• There are 106 National parks in India.
• First national park in India-  Jim Corbett National Park (previously known as Hailey National Park).
• No human activity/rights allowed except for the ones permitted by the Chief Wildlife Warden of the State.
• It covered a 1.23 percent geographical area of India.
• Recently in July Assam government decided to upgrade the Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary into National Park.

The correct answer is Cultivation of Indigo on the 3/20 area of land.

Key Points

• Tinkathia System:
• The European planters had been forcing the peasants to grow indigo on 3/20 part of the total land (called the tinkathia system).
• As the name suggests Tinkathia means teen kattha.
• When the British introduced the Indigo plantation in Bengal( Bihar was part of it ) in the 1820s.
• Under this system, those farmers who had 1 bigha land(1bigha=20 kattha) had to plant Indigo over 3 kattha.
• If you have 2 bigha land you must have to plant Indigo over 6 kattha land.
• The price of Indigo initially was high in the market but planters who were European usually paid very low prices to farmers.
• Moreover, the seed and initial cost used to provided by European only.
• It means farmers had to pay more in return they get less.
• They were all finally debt-ridden with less fertile land.
• This gave birth to several revolts and movements.
• Indigo revolt(1859) and Champaran Satyagraha(1917) are the famous ones.

Additional Information

• Significance of Champaran movement:
• The Champaran Satyagraha of 1917 was the first Satyagraha movement led by Gandhi in India and is considered a historically important revolt in the Indian Independence Movement.
• Gandhi traveled across the district to different villages, meeting farmers and taking note of their sufferings and complaints against the forced indigo cultivation.
• He was given an ultimatum by the British government to leave Champaran.
• Gandhi refused to leave and responded that he was ready to bear "the penalty of civil disobedience".
• During the 31^st session of the Congress in Lucknow in 1916, Gandhiji met Raj Kumar Shukla, a representative of farmers from Champaran, who requested him to come and see for himself the miseries of the indigo ryots (tenant farmers) there.
• Gandhi Ji arrived in Champaran on 10 April 1917 with a team of eminent lawyers i.e.Brajkishore Prasad, Rajendra Prasad, Anugrah Narayan Sinha, and  Acharya Kripalani.
• As Gandhi was arrested scores of Champaran tenants turned up in protest outside the jail, police stations, and courts.
• Troubled by this unusual form of resistance that spilled no violence, the government was forced to let go of Gandhi.
• Gandhiji here remarked, "The country, thus, had its first direct object-lesson in Civil Disobedience,".
• Indigo Revolt:
• The indigo farmers revolted in the Nadia district of Bengal by refusing to grow indigo during 1859.
• In response to this, the planters increased the rents and evicted the farmers, which led to more agitations.
• In April 1860, all the farmers in the Barasat division of the districts Nadia and Pabna went on a strike and refused to grow indigo.
• The revolt was backed by the Bengali intelligentsia, Muslims, and missionaries.
• The whole of the rural population supported the revolt.
• The press also supported the revolt and played its part in portraying the plight of the farmers and fighting for their cause.
• The play Nil Darpan (The Mirror of Indigo) by Dinabandhu Mitra written in 1858 - 59 portrayed the farmers’ situation accurately.
• It showed how farmers were coerced into planting indigo without adequate payment.
• The play became a talking point and it urged the Bengali intelligentsia to lend support to the indigo revolt.
• Reverend James Long translated the play into English on the authority of the Secretary to the Governor of Bengal, W S Seton-Karr.
• The planters who were treated as villains in the play sued Rev. Long for libel. Rev. Long was pronounced guilty and had to pay Rs.1000 as compensation and serve a month in prison.

The correct answer is Option 4.

Key Points

• Barauni Refinery
• Location: Barauni, Bihar
• Details: Established in 1966, the Barauni Refinery is operated by the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL). It plays a significant role in the oil refining industry in eastern India.
• Bongaigaon Refinery
• Location: Bongaigaon, Assam
• Details: This refinery, also operated by Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), began operations in 1974. It is an important refinery in the northeastern region of India, contributing to the region’s economic development.
• Bina Refinery
• Location: Bina, Madhya Pradesh
• Details: The Bina Refinery, which began operations in 2011, is a joint venture between Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and Mittal Energy Limited. It is a major refinery in central India and plays a key role in refining and distributing petroleum products in the region.
• Koyali Refinery
• Location: Koyali, Gujarat
• Details: The Koyali Refinery is operated by Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and was established in 1965. It is one of the largest refineries in western India, crucial for the production and distribution of petroleum products in the region.
• So, the correct answer is Option 4: A - 2, B - 1, C - 4, D - 3.

The correct answer is 1 April 1949.

• The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) came into existence from April 1, 1949, after its separation from the commission for the state of Orissa and Madhya Pradesh in accordance with the sub-section (1) of 261 of the Government of India Act 1935.
• its constitutional status was pronounced with the promulgation of the constitution of India on January 26, 1950.
• It is a Constitutional body under Article 315 of the Constitution of India.
• Initially, the headquarters of BPSC was at Ranchi, but it shifted to Patna on March 1, 1951, at the instance of the State Government.
• The first Chairman of the BPSC was Sri Rajandhari Sinha.
• Sri Radha Krishna Choudhary was the first secretary to the commission.

Important Points

• The Bihar Public service Commission (Condition of Service) Regulations, 1960 was framed by the Bihar Government in the exercise of the powers conferred by Article 318 of the Constitution of India.
• Under Rule 3 of the Regulations, 1960, the commission was constituted with a chairman and 10 other members.
• But the strength of members was reduced to 6 after the bifurcation of the state of Bihar.
• The current Chairman of BPSC is Sri R.K. Mahajan.

The correct answer is None of the above.

Key Points

• Sex Ratio:
• In the Population Census of 2011, it was revealed that the population ratio in India in 2011 is 943 females per 1000 males.
• The sex ratio is used to describe the number of females per 1000 males.
• Sex ratio is a valuable source for finding the population of women in India and what is the ratio of women to that of men in India.
• The Sex Ratio 2011 shows an upward trend from the census 2001 data.
• Census 2001 revealed that there were 933 females to that of 1000 males.
• For decades India has seen a decrease in the sex ratio, but since the last two decades, there has been a slight increase in the sex ratio.
• Over the last five decades, the sex ratio has been moving from around 930 females to that of 1000 males.

Additional Information

• Sex Ratio of Different Indian States:
• Kerala - 1084
• Puducherry - 1037
• Tamil Nadu - 996
• Andhra Pradesh - 993
• Chhattisgarh - 991
• Andaman and Nicobar Island - 876
• Delhi - 868
• Chandigarh - 818
• Dadra and Nagar Haveli - 774
• Daman and Diu - 618

The correct answer is Discovery of transistor effect.

Key Points

• In 1956, William Bradford Shockley, John Bardeen, and Walter Houser Brattain jointly received the Nobel Prize in Physics for their research on semiconductors and their discovery of the transistor effect.
• The transistor effect they discovered is a fundamental principle that forms the basis for the functioning of transistors, pivotal components in virtually all modern electronic devices.
• The development of the transistor, a semiconductor device capable of amplifying electrical signals, was instrumental in paving the path for the electronic age.
• Their work has had profound impacts on technology, including the development of computers, smartphones, audio and video devices, medical equipment, and much more.

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Additional Information

Noble Prize:

• The Nobel Prize was established in the will of Alfred Nobel, a Swedish inventor, engineer, and industrialist. He signed his last will and testament on 27 November 1895, giving the largest share of his fortune to a series of prizes in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace - the Nobel Prizes.
• The prizes were first awarded in 1901. Each prize consists of a medal, a diploma, and a cash award, which varies each year.
• The Nobel Prizes are internationally recognized as the most prestigious awards available in their respective fields.
• They are awarded yearly by various committees and organizations. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences selects the Physics and Chemistry laureates, the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute selects Medicine laureates, the Swedish Academy chooses Literature, and the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by the Norwegian Nobel Committee.
• In 1968, Sveriges Riksbank (Sweden's central bank) established The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. Although not one of the prizes established in Alfred Nobel's will, it is widely considered to be a "Nobel Prize" in Economics.
• A Nobel Prize can be shared by up to three persons. They can either divide it equally or two together can receive a one-half share.