OPSC OAS Prelims Paper 1 Practice Test - 2 - OPSC OCS (Odisha) MCQ

U.U. Lalit joined K.R. Mangalam University as an Eminent Jurist and Distinguished Professor, contributing his extensive legal expertise to the School of Legal Studies. His appointment highlights the institution's commitment to enhancing its academic stature in legal education.

The underwater canyon named Eratosthenes was discovered near Cyprus by Israeli scientists. This geological feature is significant as it sheds light on ancient geological events, providing insights into the history of the Mediterranean Sea during the Messinian Event.

The International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation focuses on raising awareness and combating violence against women and girls. This UN-sponsored day emphasizes the need for actions to eradicate FGM and promote gender equality by 2030.

REC Limited secured the Best Green Bond - Corporate Award, recognizing its commitment to sustainable finance through the issuance of $750 million in Green Bonds. This achievement marks a significant milestone for India in the global green finance landscape.

On February 6, 1819, Singapore was discovered by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, marking the beginning of its development as a significant trading port and eventually a major global city.

Ishwari Prasad Namboodiri was honored with the 'Shankar Smriti Award', recognizing his contributions in a specific field. This award is a testament to the impact of individuals who promote cultural and social values.

The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Bill, 2024 aims to amend existing legislation to enhance regulations for the prevention and control of water pollution, reflecting a proactive approach to environmental protection.

Alan Shepard became the first person to hit a golf ball on the Moon during the Apollo 14 mission in 1971. This event is a fascinating intersection of sports and space exploration, showcasing human ingenuity and the spirit of adventure.

The ULLAS Mela is organized to spotlight various National and State-level activities under the ULLAS-Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram, highlighting initiatives aimed at improving education and literacy across India.

Justice Ritu Bahri was appointed as the first woman Chief Justice of Uttarakhand High Court. Her appointment represents a significant milestone for gender representation in the judiciary in India.

Oleg Kononenko set the world record for the most time spent in space, surpassing 878 days. This achievement underscores the advancements in human spaceflight and the endurance required for long-term missions.

The International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation was first introduced in 2003 as part of international efforts to raise awareness and combat this harmful practice, highlighting the ongoing struggle for women's rights worldwide.

The Eratosthenes canyon is significant because it provides valuable insights into ancient geological events that occurred around 5.5 million years ago, helping scientists understand historical changes in sea levels and salinity in the Mediterranean.

K.R. Mangalam University secured the second position in Haryana according to the BW Legal World Law School Rankings 2022, which reflects its reputation and quality in legal education.

Statement 1 is incorrect. Jagannatha cult is located at Puri, Orissa. Jagannatha literally means Lord of the world, which is a name for Vishnu. So, this cult is associated with Lord Vishnu. Jagannatha is considered to be a part of a triad along with his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra. Jagannatha temple is considered as one of the Char Dham pilgrimage sites in India, the other three being- Badrinath (Uttarakhand), Dwarka and Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu). It is believed by Vaishnavite Hinduism that visiting these sites will help achieve Moksha.

Statement 2 is correct. In the 12th century, one of the most important rulers of the Ganga dynasty, Anantavarman, decided to erect a temple for Purushottama Jagannatha at Puri. Subsequently, in 1230, king Anangabhima III dedicated his kingdom to the deity and proclaimed himself as the ‘deputy’ of the god.

Ibn Battuta was a Moroccan explorer and scholar who is known for his extensive travels and accounts of his journeys. He was born in 1304 in the city of Tangier and began traveling at a young age, eventually visiting over 44 modern countries on three different continents. During his travels, he served as a judge, lawyer, and diplomat, and wrote detailed accounts of the places he visited and the people he met. He is known for his extensive travels, accounts of which were published in the Rihla. Battuta is considered one of the greatest travelers of all time. He came to India during the regime of Muhammad bin Tughlaq.

Mirabai (c. fifteenth-sixteenth centuries) is perhaps the best-known woman poet within the bhakti tradition. Biographies have been reconstructed primarily from the bhajans attributed to her, which were transmitted orally for centuries.

Statement 1 is correct. According to sources, she was a Rajput princess from Merta in Marwar who was married against her wishes to a prince of the Sisodia clan of Mewar, Rajasthan. She defied her husband and did not submit to the traditional role of wife and mother, instead recognising Krishna, an avatar of Vishnu, as her lover.

Statement 2 is incorrect. Although Mirabai did not attract a sect or group of followers, she has been recognised as a source of inspiration for centuries. Statement 3 is correct. Her songs continue to be sung by women and men, especially those who are poor and considered “low caste” in Gujarat and Rajasthan.

Statement 1 is incorrect: Though, majorly food crops were grown, the rulers encouraged production of commercial crops like cotton, sugarcane and oilseeds.

Statement 2 is correct: The agriculture remained largely rain-fed, though many nahrs were also built.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Cultivation was based on the principle of individual ownership. Peasant lands were bought and sold in the same way as the lands of other property owners.

Statement 3 is correct. Under the Charter Act of 1833, no Indian citizen was to be denied employment under the Company on the basis of religion, colour, birth, descent, etc. Although the reality was different, this declaration formed the sheet-anchor of political agitation in India. KB) Other provisions of Charter Act of 1813: In England, local businessmen were pressuring the British government to end the Company’s monopoly over trade in India in spirit of laissez-faire and the continental system by Napoleon by which the European ports were closed for Britain.

The 1813 Act sought to redress these grievances—

● The Company’s monopoly over trade in India ended, but the Company retained the trade with China and the trade in tea.

● The Company was to retain the possession of territories and the revenue for 20 years, without prejudice to the sovereignty of the Crown. (Thus, the constitutional position of the British territories in India was defined explicitly for the first time.)

● Powers of the Board of Control were further enlarged. Charter act of 1833: Governor-General of Bengal was made Governor-General of India. William Bentinck was the first Governor- General of India.

● The lease of 20 years to the Company was further extended. Territories of India were to be governed in the name of the Crown.

● The Company’s monopoly over trade with China and in tea also ended.

● A law member was added to the governor-general’s council for professional advice on law-making.

● The administration was urged to take steps to ameliorate the conditions of slaves and to ultimately abolish slavery. (Slavery was abolished in 1843.)

Statement 2 is correct. Bacha Khan's goal came to be the formulation of a united, independent, secular India. To achieve this end, he founded the Khudai Khidmatgar ("Servants of God"), commonly known as the "Red Shirts" (Surkh Pōsh), during the 1920s. The Khudai Khidmatgar was founded on a belief in the power of Gandhi's notion of Satyagraha, a form of active non-violence as captured in an oath.

Statement 3 is correct. Bacha Khan strongly opposed the proposal for the partition of India, siding with the Indian National Congress. When the Indian National Congress declared its acceptance of the partition plan without consulting the Khudai Khidmatgar leaders, he felt deeply betrayed and hurt by this, telling the Congress, "you have thrown us to the wolves." In June 1947, Khan and other Khudai Khidmatgars declared the Bannu Resolution, demanding that the Pashtuns be given a choice to have an independent state of Pashtunistan, composing all Pashtun territories of British India, instead of being made to join Pakistan. However, the British Raj refused to comply with the demand of this resolution.

The Government of India Act, 1935:

● The Act provided for the establishment of an All India Federation and a new system of government for the provinces on the basis of provincial autonomy.

● The federation was to be based on the union of the provinces of British India and the Princely States (States).

● There was to be a bicameral federal legislature in which the States were given disproportionate weightage.

● The representatives of the States were not to be elected by the people, but Appointed directly by the rulers.

● Only 14 percent of the total population in British India was given the right to vote.

● The Governor-General and the Governors were to be appointed by the British Government and were to be responsible to it.

The Act could not satisfy the nationalist aspiration for both political and economic power to continue to be concentrated in the hands of the British Government, foreign rule was to continue as before, only a few popularly elected ministers were to be added to the structure of British administration in India. The Congress condemned the Act as “totally disappointing,”

Many other nationalists such as Abul Kalam Azad had also been kept behind bars. The Government now decided to arm itself with more far-reaching powers, which went against the accepted principles of rule of law, to be able to suppress those nationalists who would refuse to be satisfied with the official reforms. For this reason, in March 1919, the Government passed the Rowlatt Act even though every single Indian member of the Central Legislative Council opposed it.

Three of them, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, Madan Mohan Malaviya and Mazhar-ul-Huq resigned from their membership of the Council. This Act authorised the Government to imprison any person without trial and conviction in a court of law. The Act would thus also enable the Government to suspend the right of Habeas Corpus which had been the foundation of civil liberties in Britain.

• Basic Needs Approach: This approach was initially proposed by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Six basic needs i.e.: health, education, food, water supply, sanitation, and housing were identified. The question of human choices is ignored and the emphasis is on the provision of basic needs of defined sections. Hence statement 2 is correct.

• Capability Approach: This approach is associated with Prof. Amartya Sen. Building human capabilities in the areas of health, education, and access to resources is the key to increasing human development. Hence statement 3 is correct.

• Income Approach: This is one of the oldest approaches to human development. Human development is seen as being linked to income. The idea is that the level of income reflects the level of freedom an individual enjoys. The higher the level of income, the higher is the level of human development. Hence statement 1 is not correct.

• Welfare Approach: This approach looks at human beings as beneficiaries or targets of all development activities. The approach argues for higher government expenditure on education, health, social secondary, and amenities. People are not participants in development but only passive recipients. The government is responsible for increasing levels of human development by maximizing expenditure on welfare.

• General Motors, Ford Motor Company, and Chrysler Stellantis North America are often referred to as the "Big Three", being the largest automakers in the United States of America. All three have their headquarters in the Detroit area.

• Chennai is nicknamed "The Detroit of India", with more than one-third of India's automobile industry being based in the city. Chennai is also referred to as the ‘Detroit of India’ with the Indian operations of Ford, Hyundai, Renault, and Nissan headquartered in the city and BMW having an assembly plant on the outskirts. Chennai accounts for 35% of the country’s automobile component industry and 60 percent of the country’s automotive exports.

Hence option (b) is the correct answer.

• Industrial towns: Industries constitute the prime motive force of these cities such as Mumbai, Salem, Coimbatore, Modinagar, Jamshedpur, Hugli, Bhilai, etc.

• Commercial towns: Towns and cities specializing in trade and commerce are kept in this class. Kolkata, Saharanpur, Satna, etc. are some examples.

• Garrison Cantonment towns: These towns emerged as garrison towns such as Ambala, Jalandhar, Mhow, Babina, Udhampur, etc.

  • Ambala: It is a city and a municipal corporation in the Ambala district in Haryana. It has a large Indian Army and Indian Air Force presence within its cantonment area. Ambala separates the Ganges River network from the Indus River network and is surrounded by two rivers – Ghaggar and Tangri – to the north and to the south.

  • Mhow: Mhow, officially Dr. Ambedkar Nagar, is a cantonment in the Indore district in the Madhya Pradesh state of India.

  • Babina: Babina is a cantonment town in Jhansi district in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

  • Udhampur: Udhampur is a city and a municipal committee in the Udhampur district in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Named after Raja Udham Singh, it serves as the district capital and the Northern Command headquarters of the Indian Army. Hence option (c) is the correct answer

• Administrative towns and cities: Towns supporting administrative headquarters of higher order are administrative towns, such as Chandigarh, New Delhi, Bhopal, Shillong, Guwahati, Imphal, Srinagar, Gandhinagar, Jaipur Chennai, etc.

• The Human Poverty Index (HPI) was an indication of the poverty of a community in a country, developed by the United Nations to complement the Human Development Index (HDI) and was first reported as part of the Human Deprivation Report in 1997. In 2010, it was supplanted by the UN's Multidimensional Poverty Index.

• The Human Poverty Index measures shortfalls in Human Development. It is a non-income measure. Hence option 1 is not correct.

• Parameters that are taken into account while calculating HPI are:

  • The probability of not surviving till the age of 40

  • The adult illiteracy rate

  • The number of people who do not have access to clean water

  • The number of small children who are underweight. Hence option 2 and option 3 are correct.

• Since 1990, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been publishing the Human Development Report every year. This report provides a rank-wise list of all member countries according to the level of human development. The Human Development Index and the Human Poverty index are two important indices to measure human development used by the UNDP.