General Awareness PYQs

The correct answer is 1**.5%**

Key Points

• Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) is a government-sponsored crop insurance scheme that integrates multiple stakeholders on a single platform.
• It was launched in 2016 by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
• Under this scheme farmers will have to pay a uniform premium of 2% for all Kharif crops and 1.5% for all Rabi crops and 5% in the case of annual commercial and horticultural crops.
• The PMFBY offers insurance cover to farmers against post-harvest losses arising out of cyclones and unseasonal rains. .
• ​Post-Harvest Losses coverage is available only up to a maximum period of two weeks from harvesting for those crops which are allowed to dry in cut and spread condition in the field after harvesting against specific perils of the cyclone and cyclonic rains and unseasonal rains

Additional Information

The correct answer is India.

Key Points

• The country that hosted the One Day International Cricket World Cup in 2023 was India..
• The 2023 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup will be the 13^th edition of the men's Cricket World Cup, scheduled to be hosted by India during October and November 2023.
• This was the first time the competition is held entirely in India.
• The tournament featured 10 participating teams, with a total of 48 matches played.
• The format included a round-robin group stage followed by knockout stages (semi-finals and final).

Additional Information

• ODI Cricket World Cup Records
• Most Cricket World Cup wins: Australia (5 World Cups)
• Most runs scored at the Cricket World Cup: Sachin Tendulkar (2,278 runs)
• Fastest double century: Chris Gayle v Zimbabwe (2015) – 138 balls
• Most sixes scored at the Cricket World Cup: Chris Gayle (49 Sixes)
• Most Centuries at the Cricket World Cup: Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma (6 centuries Each)
• Most wickets were taken at the Cricket World Cup: Glenn McGrath (71 Wickets)
• Most wickets in consecutive balls: Lasith Malinga v South Africa (2007) – 4
• T20 Cricket World Cup Records
• Most T20 World Cup wins: West Indies (2 World Cups)
• Highest successful chase: England v South Africa (230-8)
• Fastest century: Chris Gayle (47 balls)
• Most Runs: Mahela Jayawardene (1,016 Runs)
• Highest individual score: Brendon McCullum (123 runs)
• Most wickets: Shahid Afridi – 39 wickets

The correct answer is Plant.

Key Points 

• Plants are autotrophs, which means they produce their own food.
• They use the process of photosynthesis to transform water, sunlight, and carbon dioxide into oxygen, and simple sugars that the plant uses as fuel.
• Plants use chlorophyll, a green pigment, to trap light energy from the sun.
• This energy is used to convert water and carbon dioxide into glucose and oxygen
• Most plants are autotrophs, including mosses and fir trees.

Additional Information

• Autotrophs are organisms that can produce their own food, using materials from inorganic sources by using basic energy sources such as sunlight.
• Plants are the main example of autotrophs, using photosynthesis.
• Some autotrophs, such as green plants and algae, are phototrophs, they convert electromagnetic energy from sunlight into chemical energy in the form of glucose. So, Spinach, Tomato, Banana are also examples of autotrophs.
• Heterotrophic: Animals and most other organisms take in ready-made food prepared by the plants. They are called heterotrophs (heteros = other). 
• Examples are Protozoa, viruses, fungi, dogs, birds, fish, humans, etc.

The correct answer is Kerala

Key Points

• The Malabar Coast is located in the state of Kerala and parts of Karnataka, India.
• It is a long, narrow coastline that runs along the southwestern shore of the Indian subcontinent.
• The Malabar Coast is located on the Arabian Sea.
• It stretches from the southern part of Goa to Kanyakumari in the south.
• The Malabar Coast is known for its many lagoons, which are used for fishing and inland navigation

Additional Information

• Coastline of India
• India is a country that is surrounded on three sides by large water bodies.
• The Indian peninsula is surrounded to the East by the Bay of Bengal, to the west by the Arabian Sea, and to the south by the Indian Ocean.
• The length of the Coastline of the mainland, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep Islands is 7,516.6 km and passes through 13 states and union territories (UTs).
• Indian mainland coastlines can be divided into two groups based on their location and active geomorphological processes:
• Eastern Coastal Plains of India
• Western Coastal Plains of India

Important Points

The correct answer is Argon

Key Points

• Argon (Ar) is the odd one out of the elements bromine (Br), chlorine (Cl), and fluorine (F) because it is an inert gas, also known as a noble gas.
• Argon is an inert gas with a full outermost shell, which means it has no capacity to fill more electrons.
• It has the lowest electron affinity because it doesn't want to lose or gain any electrons.
• The Atomic number of Argon is 18
• Argon was discovered in 1894 by British scientists Lord Rayleigh and Sir William Ramsay
• The name argon comes from the Greek word Argos, which means "inactive" ​

Additional InformationFluorine

• Atomic number: 9.
• Symbol: F.
• Most electronegative element.
• First isolated by Henri Moissan.

Bromine

• Atomic number: 35.
• Symbol: Br.
• It is the third-lightest halogen and is a fuming red-brown liquid at room temperature that evaporates readily to form a similarly coloured gas.
• Its properties are thus intermediate between those of chlorine and iodine.

Chlorine

• Atomic number 17.
• Symbol Cl.
• Discovered by Carl Wilhelm Scheele.
• Second-lightest of the halogens.

The correct answer is All the debts of the East India Company were taken over by the British Government of India

Key Points

• The Pitt's India Act of 1784 did not include the provision that the British government took over all the debts of the East India Company.
• While the British government did assume control over the administration of Indian territories and created a system of governance with the Board of Control and the Governor General in Council, it did not explicitly take over the East India Company's debts.
• The Act was introduced to regulate the affairs of the British East India Company in India and ensure the proper governance of Indian territories.

Additional Information

• Pitt's India Act 1784:
• It established an authority in England to supervise the company's affairs. This is known as the Board of Control having 6 members.
• Governor-General in the council has more powers over Bombay and Madras Governors in matters related to the War, Revenue and Diplomacy.
• In India, the strength of the executive council was reduced from four to three.
• The term ‘British possessions in India’ was used for the first time.

The correct answer is Mizoram and Tripura

Key Points

• According to the 2011 census, Mizoram and Tripura had the highest literacy rate among the Seven Sister states of India.
• The literacy rate in Mizoram was 91.33% in 2011, with 93.35% of males and 89.27% of females literate.
• The literacy rate in Tripura was 87.75% in 2011.
• The Seven Sister states of India are Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura

Additional Information

• Census Facts 2011:
• Thane district of Maharashtra is the most populated district of India.
• Dibang Valley of Arunachal Pradesh is the least populated.
• Kurung Kumey of Arunachal Pradesh registered the highest population growth rate of 111.01 %.
• Longleng district of Nagaland registered a negative population growth rate of -58.39%
• Mahe district of Puducherry has the highest sex ratio of 1176 females per 1000 males.
• Daman district has the lowest sex ratio of 533 females per 1000 males.
• Serchhip district of Mizoram has the highest literacy rate of 98.76 %.
• Alirajpur of MP is the least literate district of India with the figure of 37.22 % only.
• North East Delhi has the highest density with a figure of 37346 persons per 1km2.
• Dibang Valley has the least density of 1 person per km2.

The correct answer is 8.

Key Points

• According to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, eight types of soils are found in India.
• On the basis of genesis, color, composition, and location, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has classified soils into 8 categories.
• Alluvial Soil
• Black Cotton Soil
• Red Soil
• Laterite Soil
• Mountainous or Forest Soils
• Arid or Desert Soil
• Saline and Alkaline Soil
• Peaty, and Marshy Soil/Bog Soil
• The USDA Soil Taxonomy System has six levels of classification, from most general to most specific.
• The levels are: Order, Suborder, Great Group, Subgroup, Family, and Series.

Additional Information 

• Soil is the mixture of rock debris and organic materials which develop on the earth’s surface.
• The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is an autonomous body responsible for co-ordinating agricultural education and research in India.
• The Union Minister of Agriculture serves as its president.
• It is the largest network of agricultural research and education institutes in the world

The correct answer is July-August

Key Points

• Kharchi Pooja is a popular Hindu festival that is celebrated in Tripura, which is a state in the northeastern part of India.
• During this festival, 14 Hindu Gods are worshipped, including the Earth.
• The festival is celebrated to seek blessings from these deities for the well-being and prosperity of the people of Tripura.
• The festival is usually held in the month of July -August and lasts for seven days.
• The Kharchi Pooja festival is considered to be one of the most important festivals in Tripura, and people from all communities and religions participate in it.
• The festival is also known for its unique rituals and customs, such as the cleaning of the temple premises, the decoration of the deities, and the offering of various items as part of the pooja.

Additional Information

• Tripura is a state in Northeast India. At 10,491 km², it is the third-smallest state in the union and, with 3.67 million people, the seventh least populated.
• Bangladesh borders it to the north, south, and west, and Assam and Mizoram to the east.
• Eight districts and twenty-three sub-divisions make up the state of Tripura, whose capital and largest city is Agartala.
• There are nineteen distinct tribal communities in Tripura, the bulk of which are Bengali. Three languages are official in the state: Bengali, English, and Kokborok.

The correct answer is Rock Edict - XIII

Key Points

• The great Emperor Ashoka, the third monarch of the Maurya dynasty converted to Buddhism after witnessing the horrific effects of war in Kalinga.
• The Kalinga war is described in Rock Edict XIII of King Ashoka.
• The edict is written in Pali on a large rock in the Dhauli Hills, near the site of the war.
• He erected pillars and edicts all over the subcontinent and even in modern-day Afghanistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan to spread the Buddha’s word.
• James Prinsep, a British antiquary and colonial administrator was the first person to decipher Ashoka’s edicts.
• There are 33 inscriptions in total and are primarily classified into the following:
• Major rock edicts
• Minor rock edicts
• Separate rock edicts
• Major pillar edicts
• Minor pillar edicts

Additional Information

• Rock Edict - II mentions the Medical treatment of humans and animals, the planting of fruits, and medicinal herbs and the digging of wells.
• Mentions the Pandyas, Satyapuras and Keralaputras of South India.
• Rock Edict - XI mentions Dhamma is the best policy to follow, which includes respect for elders and concern for slaves and servants.
• Rock Edict - XII mentions an appeal for developing tolerance towards all religious sects.
• The direct and immediate effect of the Kalinga war was the conversion of Ashoka to Buddhism.

The correct answer is Ravi Shankar

Key Points

• Raga Mala is the title of Pandit Ravi Shankar's second autobiography.
• The book was published in 1997.
• It offers an in-depth look into the maestro's life, covering his musical journey, personal experiences, and collaborations with various artists.
• The autobiography provides insights into Indian classical music and its evolution over the years.
• Notably, the book also discusses his international collaborations, especially with The Beatles' George Harrison.
• It includes a foreword by George Harrison, which adds a unique perspective to the narrative.

 Additional Information

The correct answer is Gujarat and Rajasthan

Key Points

• The Harappan Civilization, also known as the Indus Valley Civilization, had significant archaeological sites in the present-day states of Gujarat and Rajasthan:
• Gujarat:
• Dholavira: It is Famous for its sophisticated urban planning, water conservation system, and public architecture.
• Lothal: It is Known for its dockyard and evidence of maritime trade.
• Rajasthan:
• Kalibangan: It is Known for fire altars, plowed fields, and early evidence of agricultural practices.

Additional Information

• The Indus Valley Civilization (also known as the Harappan Civilization) was a Bronze Age society extending from modern northeast Afghanistan to Pakistan and northwest India.
• The civilization developed in three phases:
• Early Harappan Phase (3300 BCE-2600 BCE),
• Mature Harappan Phase (2600 BCE-1900 BCE), and
• Late Harappan Phase (1900 BCE-1300 BCE).
• Inhabitants of the ancient Indus River valley developed new techniques in handicraft, including Carnelian products and seal carving, and metallurgy with copper, bronze, lead, and tin.
• Sir John Hubert Marshall led an excavation campaign in 1921-1922, during which he discovered the ruins of the city of Harappa.

The correct answer is Finance Commission of India

Key Points

• The Finance Commission of India does not safeguard the interests of any caste or community.
• The Finance Commissions are commissions periodically constituted by the President of India under Article 280 of the Indian Constitution to define the financial relations between the central government of India and the individual state governments.
• The First Commission was established in 1951 under The Finance Commission (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1951
• Fifteen Finance Commissions have been constituted since the promulgation of Indian Constitution in 1950

Additional Information

• National Commission for Scheduled Castes
• It Protects the social, economic, cultural, and educational interests of Scheduled Castes and Anglo Indian communities
• It Inquires into complaints about the deprivation of rights of Scheduled Castes
• Advises on the socio-economic development of Scheduled Castes
• Evaluates the progress of Scheduled Castes development
• National Commission for Scheduled Tribes 
• Investigates complaints about violations of service safeguards for Scheduled Tribes
• Summons documents and enforces attendance to conduct inquiries
• National Commission for Backward Classes 
• It Advises the Ministry on castes, sub-castes, and communities to include or remove from the central list of Other Backward Classes

The correct answer is a, b, c

Key Points

• The Mauryan Empire had a well-organized and centralized administrative system.
• Megasthenes put light on the Mauryan city administration.
• This statement is correct
• The city administration was documented by Megasthenes and Kautilya.
• Megasthenes was a Greek ambassador to the court of Chandragupta Maurya
• He lived in Pataliputra, which he called Palibothra, a Greek word meaning "city with gates"
• His book Indika provides information about the Mauryan administration ​
• The city council was divided into six committees.
• ​This statement is correct
• The city council was divided into six committees, each with five members
• Each committee was responsible for a specific area, such as industry, foreigners, trade, and manufactured goods ​
• City administration was well planned.
• ​This statement is correct
• The Mauryan city administration was highly organized and well-planned, with divisions for law, trade, military, and public welfare, as mentioned by historians and chroniclers.

Additional Information 

 Mauryan Empire

• The Maurya dynasty (321–185 BC) was a powerful dynasty in ancient India.
• The Maurya dynasty ruled India for 137 years.
• The credit for its establishment is given to Chandragupta Maurya and his minister Chanakya (Kautilya).
• This empire started from the plains of the Ganges river (today's Bihar and Bengal) in the state of Magadha in the east.
• Its capital was Pataliputra (near present-day Patna city).
• Chandragupta Maurya established this empire in 321 BC and rapidly expanded his empire towards the west.

The correct answer is CRR

Key Points

• The amount of cash reserves that commercial banks are required to keep with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is called the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR)
• The percentage of cash required to be kept in reserves as against the bank's total deposits, is called the Cash Reserve Ratio.
• The cash reserve is either stored in the bank’s vault or is sent to the RBI.
• Banks can’t lend the CRR money to corporates or individual borrowers, banks can’t use that money for investment purposes. And Banks don’t earn any interest on that money.

Additional Information 

• Repo rate
• The rate at which commercial banks borrow money from the RBI.
• The RBI changes the repo rate based on macroeconomic factors.
• Lower repo rates can help the economy grow and reduce inflation.
• SLR 
• The percentage of deposits that commercial banks must keep as liquid assets.
• Liquid assets include cash, gold, and government securities.
• The RBI sets the SLR rate.
• Bank rate 
• Bank rate is a rate at which the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) provides the loan to commercial banks without keeping any security.
• There is no agreement on repurchase that will be drawn up or agreed upon with no collateral as well.

The correct answer is White blood cells.

Key Points

• White blood cells are of an amoeboid shape with a distinctive central membrane.
• The amoeboid shape of WBCs helps them to squeeze out through the capillary wall.
• White blood cells help in defence mechanisms for our body.
• They play a major role in putting away foreign particles.
• At the site of infection, white blood cells accumulate to destroy pathogens.
• Their amoeboid shape assists them to squeeze through blood capillaries and at the same time their pseudopodia help to kill pathogens by the process of phagocytosis.
• They change their shape in order to sink bacteria and separate invaders in the body in order to protect the body against diseases and infections.

Additional Information

• Nerve cells (neurones) are 'excitable' cells which can transduce a variety of stimuli into electrical signals, continuously sending information about the external and internal environment (in the form of sequences of action potentials) to the central nervous system (CNS).
• Guard cells are pairs of epidermal cells that control gas diffusion by regulating the opening and closure of stomatal pores. Guard cells, like other types of plant cells, are surrounded by a three-dimensional, extracellular network of polysaccharide-based wall polymers.
• Red blood cells contain a protein called haemoglobin, which carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body. Checking the number of red blood cells in the blood is usually part of a complete blood cell (CBC) test. A type of blood cell that is made in the bone marrow and found in the blood.

The correct answer is Article 14.

Key Points

• Article 14
• Article 14 of the Indian Constitution is about 'Equality Before Law' and it states:
• "The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India."
• This article is a fundamental right under Part III of the Constitution of India, which talks about Rights to Equality.
• The principle of 'Equality before law' is of British origin, while 'Equal protection of the laws' is borrowed from the Constitution of the United States.

 Additional Information

The correct answer is Kamala

Key Points

• The folk dance performed by the fisherfolk of the Mithila region in Bihar is called Kamala
• The dance often depicts themes related to fishing, rivers, and daily life in the Mithila region.
• It expresses the **harmony between humans and nature, focusing on their dependence on the river for livelihood.**​
• Performers wear traditional attire, often representing the simplicity of the fisherfolk community.
• Women may wear sarees, while men wear dhoti-kurta.

Additional Information Famous Folk dance of Bihar

• Bideshiya is a form of dance-drama that is believed to have been created by Bhikhari Thakur, a barber with a passion for drama.
• It deals with social issues and conflict between traditional and modern, rich and poor.
• Domkach is performed in the bridegroom's house by women during a marriage ceremony.
• Fagua is a dance and also a type of folk song performed during Holi.
• Jat-Jatin is the most popular folk dance of North Bihar, especially in the Mithila and Koshi regions. It is performed by a man and a woman, the man is going far away to work. The dance reflects poverty and sorrow.
• Jhijhian is sung and danced during a drought as a prayer to Indra for rain. Its music is usually a singer, a harmonium and a drum.
• Jhumri is similar to Gujarat's Garba.
• Kajari is popular in Bihar's Bhojpuri-speaking region. It often describes a woman's longing for her lover as the black monsoon cloud hangs in the summer sky, and is sung during the rainy season.

The correct answer is Intermediate

Key Points

• Cotton is an intermediate good because it is used to produce another good, fabric, which is then used to make clothing.
• Intermediate goods
• ​These are goods that are used to produce other goods.
• They are also known as producer goods or semi-finished products.
• Cotton is a natural fiber that is strong and absorbent.
• It is used to make many things, including clothes, homewares, and industrial products.

Additional Information

The correct answer is Flame cells.

Key Points

• Flame cells are specialized cells that form part of the excretory system in these organisms, known as protonephridia.
• Flame cells play a primary role in osmoregulation, the process by which a balance of water and ions is maintained within the body.
• Along with osmoregulation, flame cells also help in the removal of waste products.
• This system is not only found in Platyhelminthes but also in other types of flatworms and invertebrates. However, it is most prominent in Platyhelminthes.

Additional Information

• Mesoderm
• ​Mesoderm is a germ layer in an embryo that gives rise to many tissues and structures in the body.
• It's located between the ectoderm and endoderm, the other two germ layers.
• types of mesoderm
• Paraxial mesoderm: Forms the vertebrae, dermis, and muscles of the head
• Intermediate mesoderm: Forms the urogenital system, including the kidneys and gonads
• Lateral plate mesoderm: Forms the splanchnic mesoderm, somatic mesoderm, and extraembryonic membranes
• Stem cells
• ​Stem cells are cells that can develop into many different types of cells in the body.
• They are the foundation cells for all organs and tissues, and they help repair and regenerate damaged cells.