Test: History and Culture MCQs (June 2024 Current Affairs) - UPSC MCQ

The Neolithic Age indeed marked the widespread adoption of agriculture and animal domestication, as stated in Statement-I. Similarly, the Mesolithic Age, as mentioned in Statement-II, did witness advancements in tools and adaptations to changing environments, including the domestication of certain plants and animals. However, while both statements are factually correct, they discuss distinct aspects of different historical periods without one directly explaining the other. Hence, the correct answer is option (B).

The first statement is correct as transwomen congregate to wed on the 17th day of the ceremony. The second statement is also correct, as the festival includes rituals of widowhood marking Aravan’s death. However, the third statement is incorrect because the sacrificial ritual of Lord Aravan does not occur on the final day; it occurs the day after the transwomen wed him. Therefore, the correct answer is Option B: 1 and 2 Only.

Both statements are correct. During the Emergency, the Prime Minister did have the authority to rule by decree, and the Emergency did allow for the suspension of elections and civil liberties.

Statement-I is incorrect as the Virupaksha Temple is not specifically attributed to the Hoysala style in the provided information. Statement-II is correct, highlighting the incorporation of physics principles and mathematical concepts in the temple's construction, showcasing its architectural complexity.

The correct answer is:

4. Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Explanation:

• Statement-I: The Emergency in India was not declared under Article 356. The Emergency in 1975 was declared under Article 352 of the Indian Constitution, which deals with the proclamation of an emergency due to war, external aggression, or armed rebellion. Article 356, on the other hand, deals with the President's rule in a state due to the failure of the constitutional machinery in that state.

• Statement-II: The primary reason cited for the Emergency declared in 1975 was internal disturbance (which was later amended to "armed rebellion"). However, "external aggression" is also a valid ground for declaring an emergency under Article 352, though it was not the reason cited for the 1975 Emergency.

Since Statement-I is incorrect and Statement-II is correct, option 4 is the right answer.

Both statements are correct. The Virupaksha Temple is indeed one of the oldest functioning temples in India, dating back to the 7th century AD. Statement-II provides a historical context that supports the claim made in Statement-I, hence both statements are correct and related.

The first statement is correct as per the lore, Lord Krishna married Aravan by taking the form of Mohini. The second statement is incorrect because Aravan offered himself as a sacrifice for the Pandavas' triumph in war, not the Kauravas'. The third statement is correct as the festival emphasizes the theme of widowhood with the rituals performed by transwomen. Therefore, the correct answer is Option B: 1 and 3 Only.

Statement-I correctly mentions that the Muria tribes in the Godavari Valley employ the Deda method for seed preservation. Statement-II accurately describes the three layers involved in the Deda method, which includes wood ash, lemon leaves, and seeds encased in Siali leaves. The explanation of the process in Statement-II aligns with the practice mentioned in Statement-I, making Option A the correct choice.

The Koothandavar festival is celebrated in the Tamil month of Chithirai, which corresponds to mid-April to mid-May. This aligns with the first statement, making it correct. The festival does indeed mark the sacrificial ritual of Lord Aravan, validating the second statement. However, the festival lasts for 18 days, not 10 days, making the third statement incorrect. Therefore, the correct answer is Option B: 1 and 2 Only.

Statement-I correctly highlights the effectiveness of the Deda method in preserving pulses such as green gram, red gram, black gram, and beans. Statement-II accurately describes one of the layers of the Deda method, which involves storing seeds within lemon leaves for protection. This protection helps shield the seeds from pests and worms, aligning with the preservation process mentioned in Statement-I. Therefore, Option A is the correct choice.

The correct option is:

     4. Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect

Statement-I is correct because the Emergency in India from 1975 to 1977 was indeed declared by President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed. However, Statement-II is incorrect because the Emergency lasted for 21 months, not 24 months. The Emergency was declared on June 25, 1975, and ended on March 21, 1977.

1. Correctly matched: Ruskin Bond was indeed born in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh.

2. Incorrectly matched: The 1978 Hindi film Junoon was based on Ruskin Bond's novel "A Flight of Pigeons," not "The Room on the Roof."

3. Correctly matched: Ruskin Bond received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1992.

4. Correctly matched: Ruskin Bond was conferred the Padma Bhushan in 2019.

Thus, only three pairs are correctly matched.

1. Correctly matched: "Vagrants in the Valley" is a notable work by Ruskin Bond.

2. Incorrectly matched: "Angry River" is a children's book, not a non-fiction work.

3. Correctly matched: "A Flight of Pigeons" is a historical novel by Ruskin Bond.

4. Correctly matched: Ruskin Bond received the Sahitya Akademi Bal Sahitya Puraskar in 2012.

Thus, three pairs are correctly matched.

Statement-I is incorrect because the Virupaksha Temple is not specifically mentioned as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the provided information. However, Statement-II is correct as it accurately describes what UNESCO World Heritage Sites entail. The temple's designation as part of the Group of Monuments at Hampi does not explicitly make it a UNESCO World Heritage Site, hence Statement-I is incorrect.

Statement-I accurately states that the Muria tribes primarily cultivate maize and pulses as their main crops on small-scale plots. However, Statement-II incorrectly suggests that paddy cultivation among the Muria tribes extensively utilizes the transplanting method, which is not in line with the information provided in the context. Therefore, Option C is the correct choice.