UKPSC Prelims Paper 1 Mock Test - 2 - UKPSC (Uttarakhand) MCQ

PT Usha is set to become the first woman President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). She will also become the first Olympian and first international medallist to head the IOA in its 95-year-old history.

• The Indian Olympic Association is the governing body for the Olympic Movement and the Commonwealth Games in India.
• As an affiliated member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), the IOA administers various aspects of sports governance and athletes’ welfare in the country.
• In this regard, the IOA oversees the representation of athletes or teams participating in the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and other international multi-sport competitions of IOC, CGF, OCA and ANOC.
• The Indian Olympic Association is recognised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

History:

• The IOA was established in the year 1927 with Sir Dorabji Tata and Dr. A.G. Noehren as the Founding President and Secretary General respectively. It is registered as a Non-Profit Organisation under the Societies Registration Act of 1860.

Governance:

• The Indian Olympic Association is currently governed by a 32-member Executive Council, headed by President.
• The election for the Executive Council is held once in every 4 years.

Hence both statements are correct.

In the first phase of the Chief Minister’s Higher Education Promotion Scholarship Scheme, a total of Rs 33 lakh 52 thousand was distributed to 241 students. This initiative aims to support students entering their first year of graduation, thereby encouraging higher education among those from ordinary families.

The high-level committee recommended that in all industrial projects set up in hilly areas, a 25% share must be ensured for local villagers and an additional 25% for native residents of the district. This approach aims to involve the local population in developmental projects, ensuring they benefit from the resources and opportunities created, thus promoting local economic growth and social equity.

The recent heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand has led to multiple landslides, particularly affecting key highways and infrastructure. Landslides occur when a mass of rock and debris moves down a slope, often triggered by factors such as heavy rainfall, which saturates the soil. The mountainous terrain of Uttarakhand is particularly vulnerable, as steep slopes and heavy precipitation can lead to rapid and destructive landslides.

Vehicle owners must present valid documents, such as registration certificates, fitness certificates, insurance papers, and pollution certificates, to receive a trip card. This measure ensures that only compliant vehicles are allowed to operate within the state, thereby promoting safety and environmental responsibility.

The construction work at the NTPC's Tapovan-Vishnugad site was halted due to concerns regarding land subsidence in Joshimath. This environmental issue raised alarms about the impact of unregulated construction on the local ecosystem, prompting the need for a thorough investigation before resuming work.

The Supreme Court ruled that divorced Muslim women are entitled to claim maintenance after the Iddat period, which aligns with Section 125 of the CrPC. This ruling underscores the legal recognition of women's rights and reinforces the importance of financial support post-divorce.

An avalanche can be triggered by rapid temperature changes, in addition to heavy snowfall and human activity. These factors can destabilize snowpack, leading to a sudden flow of snow, ice, and debris down a slope, which poses risks to both people and infrastructure in mountainous regions.

The extreme heat in Uttarakhand has caused litchis to dry out and suffer from cracking. High temperatures can significantly affect the growth and maturation of fruits, leading to decreased cell elasticity and impacting their juiciness and size. This situation highlights the vulnerability of crops to climate change and extreme weather conditions.

The estimated global population of snow leopards is less than 10,000. This vulnerable species faces significant threats from habitat loss and poaching, making conservation efforts crucial for its survival. Interestingly, the snow leopard is often referred to as the "ghost of the mountains" due to its elusive nature and ability to blend into its rocky habitat.

The verification drive for outsiders in Uttarakhand is intended to maintain law and order by confirming the identity and credentials of individuals coming from other states. This initiative has been prompted by concerns over criminal activities committed by outsiders, including instances involving terrorism. By verifying identities, the government aims to enhance security and ensure the safety of its residents.

The voter turnout in Uttarakhand during the recent Lok Sabha elections was approximately 55.01%. This figure indicates a decrease of 6.3% from the previous elections in 2019, which had a turnout of 61.4%. Such fluctuations in voter participation can be influenced by various factors, including voter engagement campaigns and the political climate.

The main purpose of the newly inaugurated helicopter service in Uttarakhand is to enhance connectivity to remote areas within the state. This service aims to link Haldwani with locations like Munsiyari, Pithoragarh, and Champawat, which are challenging to access by road. Improved aerial connectivity is especially beneficial for emergency response and everyday travel in these difficult terrains.

Gangotri National Park is highlighted as a pivotal area for the conservation of snow leopards in Uttarakhand. Established in 1989, it serves as an important habitat for various endangered species, including the snow leopard, which is vital for maintaining ecological balance in the region.

The correct answer is option 3 i.e Ramon Magsaysay Prize​.

Key Points

• Chandi Prasad Bhatt is an Indian Gandhian environmentalist and social activist.
• He founded Dasholi Gram Swarajya Sangh (DGSS) in Gopeshwar in 1964.
• He was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership in 1982.
• He was awarded Padma Bhushan in 2005
• In 2013, he was awarded the Gandhi Peace Prize.

Additional Information

• The Chipko movement was a non-violent agitation in 1973 that was aimed at the protection and conservation of trees.
• Sundelal Bahuguna was the most prominent leader of this moment.

The correct answer is Bagwal.

• A stone-pelting festival named Baghwal is held every year in Uttarakhand.
• At the temple of Goddess Barahi Devi, the festival is held.

Key Points

• The festival is celebrated on the occasion of Rakshabandhan.
• In Devidhura, Goddess Barahi Devi temple is located.
• The festival celebrates Rakshabandhan in a special way.
• In Bagwal festival, the people of the area pelt stones on each other.
• Many devotees come to the temple to enjoy the festival.
• In 2019, in this stone pelting festival, more than 120 people were injured in the temple.
• The stone-pelting was done in order to please the deity.

The correct answer is Yamuna Canal.
Key Points

• Dhalipur Hydroelectric Power Plant​
  • Dhalipur Hydroelectric Power Plant India is located in Dhalipur, Uttarakhand, India.
  • This infrastructure is of a TYPE Hydro Power Plant with a design capacity of 51 MWe. It has 3 unit(s).
  • The first unit was commissioned in 1965 and the last in 1970.
  • It is operated by Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (UJVNL).
  • Type of Plant
    • ​Dam on a Canal, Yamuna water diverted at Dakpathar into Yamuna Canal.
  • The Dhalipur HEP is a Run-of-River scheme with a surface-type power station and is located downstream of the Dhakrani Power Station at a distance of 5 km from Dhakrani Power Station on the power channel which takes off from the Dakpathar Barrage.

Additional Information

• Kaliganga-I (2 x 2 MW) Small Hydro Project
  • The Kaliganga-I Small Hydro Project is located on the river Kaliganga between the bridge over Kaliganga on Jaltala to Chilan road and Kotimaheshwari temple located just downstream of the confluence with river Mandaniganga.
  • The project is located in the Ukhimath tehsil of Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand.
  • It is proposed to have an installed capacity of 4000 kW with two (02) units of 2000 kW each.
  • The project has been conceived as a run of the river project without any storage.
• Galogi Power Plant (1 x 3 = 3 MW)
  • Galogi Power Station is located 22km away from the state capital Dehradun.
  • Galogihydel power station was among the earliest hydropower plants commissioned by the British in 1907.
  • Three more plants were commissioned at the same time at Chamba in Himachal Pradesh, Darjeeling in West Bengal, and Mysore in Karnataka.
  • Galogi was the first hydel power station to generate electricity and light up houses on November 9, 1912.
• Dunao Small Hydro Project
  • The Dunao Small Hydel Project has an installed capacity of 1500 kW with two (02) units of 750 kW project.
  • The project is located near the village Dunao in Dhumakot Tehsil of District Pauri Garhwal at a distance of 150 km from Kotdwar and 100 km from Ramnagar.
  • Purvi Nayar is a hilly stream and is a tributary of the Ganga river.
    • ​Purvi Nayar is a perennial stream with a minimum flow of around 1.32 cumec.
    • At the diversion site is stream having a catchment area of 374 sq. km extending from a height of 3000 metre above MSL.

The correct answer is Nainital.

Key Points

• China Peak
  • Naina Peak, also known as China Peak, is the highest peak and a famous attraction in the town of Nainital.
  • Naina Peak is situated at an altitude of 2615 m.
  • It is one of the top things to do in Nainital and is among prime places to visit on a Nainital trip.
  • The peak was renamed from China peak to Naina peak after the 1962 war with China.
• Nainital
  • It is a district of Uttarakhand and a part of the Kumaon region.
  • It is a judicial capital of Uttarakhand as the High court of the being located here.
  • The Nainital Yacht club, situated along the, is the highest yacht club in India.
  • There are seven lakes in and around Nainital, these are Bhimtal, Sattal, Naukuchiatal, Khurpatal, Malwatal, Harishtal, and Lokhamtal, Bhimtal is the biggest one.

Additional Information

• Chamoli
  • It is a district in Uttarakhand and part of the Gharwal Division.
  • Earlier it was part of the Pauri Gharwal district till the 1960s, but on 24 February 1960 Chamoli was upgraded to a new district.
  • Administrative Headquarters: Gopeshwar.
  • The Famous Badrinath Temple, Hemkund Sahib, and Valley of Flowers are located in Chamoli.
  • Chamoli happened to be the birthplace of the Chipko movement, started by Sunderlal Bahuguna.
• Uttarkashi
  • It is a district of Uttarakhand and a part of the Gharwal region constituted in 1960.
  • This district contains the source of both the Yamuna river from Yamunotri and the Ganga river from Gangotri.
• Almora
  • It is a district of Uttarakhand and part of the Kumaon region.
  • It was founded in 1568 by King Kalyan Chand during the rule of the Chand dynasty.
  • It is considered the cultural heart of the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand.

The correct answer is June 2013 A.D.

Key Points

• Kedarnath Tragedy
  • The flash floods triggered by very heavy rainfall and cloudburst in Uttarakhand on 16-17 June 2013, affected 12 out of the 13 districts in Uttarakhand.
  • The 4 districts that were worst affected were Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Uttarkashi, and Pithoragarh.
  • The banks of the Chorabari lake in Kedarnath collapsed due to a cloudburst that had resulted in a major flash flood causing widespread destruction in Uttarakhand and led to heavy losses to infrastructure, agricultural lands, human and animal lives.
  • Kedarnath Tragedy Reasons:
    • The overflow of the Mandakini River.
    • Cloudburst and Heavy Rain in Kedarnath.
    • The overflow of Chorabari Lake.
• Kedarnath Temple
  • The temple is located at Kedarnath Town of Rudraprayag District of Uttarakhand near Mandakini River.
  • This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the four major sites in India's Chota Char Dham pilgrimage of the Northern Himalayas.
  • The head priest of the Kedarnath Temple belongs to the Veerashaiva Community from Karanataka.
  • This temple was the worst affected area during the 2013 flash floods in Uttarakhand.

The Correct Answer is Option 1 i.e. 1-c, 2-b, 3-a.

• Biosphere Reserves are areas of terrestrial and coastal ecosystems that promote the conservation of biodiversity with its sustainable use.
• Biosphere Reserves are internationally recognized within the framework of UNESCO's Man and Biosphere program and nominated by national governments.
• There are 18 notified Biosphere reserves in India.

The correct answer is Valley of Flowers.

Key Points

• Nanda Devi National Park:
  • The Nanda National Park is one of the most spectacular wilderness areas located in the Chamoli District of Uttarakhand.
  • The park was established as Sanjay Gandhi National Park in 1982 and was later renamed Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Park in 2005.
  • This park comprises the catchment area of the Rishi Ganga, and the eastern tributary of Dhauli Ganga.
  • It is the habitat of several endangered mammals, especially the snow leopard, Himalayan musk deer, and bharal.
  • Some 312 floral species that include 17 rare species have been found here. Fir, Birch, Rhododendron, and Juniper are the main flora.
  • It was made a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988.

The correct answer is Sonprayag.

Key Points

• Sonprayag is a place of religious significance located en route to Kedarnath Dham.
• Sonprayag lies at the confluence of two holy rivers Basuki and Mandakini.

Additional Information

• The Panch Prayag of Uttarakhand traces the route carved by the Alaknanda River when it leaves its Himalayan abode from the Satopanth glacier.
• First It is joined by the Dhauliganga River at Vishnuprayag, near Joshimath.
• Nandaprayag is the second confluence in cascading sequence, where Alaknanda River is joined by Nandakini River.
• The third confluence of the Alaknanda River is at Karnaprayag. Here, the Pindar River joins Alaknanda.
• Rudraprayag is the fourth confluence between Alaknanda and the Mandakini River.
• The fifth union takes place at Devprayag where the Alaknanda River joins Bhagirathi forming the river Ganges, which flows down to the plains.

The correct answer is 11 March 2014 A.D.

Key Points

• The Kedarnath valley was hit with unprecedented flash floods on 16 and 17 June 2013.
• The Uttarakhand Government handed over the reconstruction of the Kedarnath Temple to the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering(NIM) on 11 March 2014.
• Under the leadership of Colonel Ajay Kothiyal, NIM worked for a year and made the pilgrimage yatra possible from the next year.
• Kedarnath Temple
  • The temple is located at Kedarnath Town of Rudraprayag District of Uttarakhand near Mandakini River.
  • This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the four major sites in India's Chota Char Dham pilgrimage of the Northern Himalayas.
  • The head priest of the Kedarnath Temple belongs to the Veerashaiva Community from Karanataka.
  • This temple was the worst affected area during the 2013 flash floods in Uttarakhand.
• Nehru Mountaineering Institute
  • It is a premier mountaineering institute working under the aegis of the Ministry of Defence and the Government of Uttarakhand.
  • It was established at Uttarkashi on 14 November 1965 to honour the desire of Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru.
  • It is the only mountaineering institute in India certified by the International Federation for Climbing and Mountaineering- UIAA.
  • President: Rajnath Singh (Defence Minister of India), Vice-President: Tirath Singh Rawat ( Chief Minister of Uttarakhand).
  • NIM trainees and its alumni played a major role during the Kedarnath floods in 2013.

The correct answer is Rockfill. Key Points

• The Dhauliganga Dam is a Concrete Face and Rock-Fill embankment dam.
• It is built on the Dhauliganga River near Dharchula in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand.
• This dam was constructed and operated by a joint venture of Kajima Construction Corporation, Ltd, HCC, and Daewoo Engineering & Engineering & Construction with Bauer Maschinen.
• This dam generates 280 MW of hydro-power.
• The construction work of this dam began in February 2000 and was completed by 2005.

Additional Information

• About Uttarakhand
  • ​Capital: Dehradun (winter) Gairsain (summer)
  • Governor: Gurmit Singh
  • Chief minister: Pushkar Singh Dhami
  • Rajya Sabha Seats: 3
  • Lok Sabha Seats: 5
  • Flower: Bramha Kamal

The correct answer is Dudhatoli.

Key Points

• Dudhatoli is known as Pamir of Uttarakhand.
• Dudhatoli is a middle Himalayan mountain range in a north-south direction, starting near Thalisain tehsil of Pauri Gharwal district in Uttarakhand.
• Dudhatoli mountains are the source of many non-glacial perennial rivers; Nayaar-East, Nayaar-West (merging with each other at Satpuli), and Ramganga (West) being the major ones.

Additional Information

• Ranikhet
  • Ranikhet means "Queen of Fields".
  • It is a hill station in the Almora district of Uttarakhand.
  • Ranikhet Golf Course is one of the highest golf courses in Asia.
• Uttarakhand
  • Foundation Day: 9 November 2000(carved out from Uttar Pradesh on this date and became the 27th state of the Republic of India).
  • Capital: Gairsain(Summer), Dehradun( Winter).
  • State Animal: Alpine Musk Deer.
  • State Bird: Himalayan Monal.
  • State Tree: Buransh.
  • State Flower: Brahma Kamal.

The correct answer is: None of the above

Key Points

• 12th February 2001 - A new dawn in the Power Sector of Uttarakhand when Uttaranchal Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited came into existence.
• Consequent upon the change of name of the State from Uttaranchal to Uttarakhand, the company was renamed Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited on 02.07.2007.
• On 04.04.2011 the company was again renamed UJVN Ltd.
  • It diversified its operations "to establish takeover, operate and maintain power generating stations harnessing the conventional, non-conventional, nuclear and other sources of energy by what so ever name called that include sub-stations, transmission lines, other ancillaries and activities that are essential for generation, transmission, distribution, and trading of power".
• The Govt. of India issued an order dated 05-11-01 u/s 63(4)(a) of the U.P. Reorganization Act, 2000 whereby assets and liabilities between UPJVNL and UJVNL were divided.
  • By operation of this order, all the Hydro Power Assets of UPJVNL located in the State of Uttarakhand were transferred to UJVNL. Since then UJVNL is operating all these hydropower plants.

Important Points

• The State of U.P. was bifurcated by enforcement of the U.P. Reorganization Act, 2000 (In short Reorganization Act) as a result thereof the State of Uttarakhand came into existence.

The correct answer is option 4 i.e Pithoragarh

• Munisyari, Which is situated in Pithoragarh, the easternmost hill district of Uttarakhand, is known as the ‘Little Kashmir’.

Uttarakhand:

• ​​Capital: Dehradun
• CM: Pushkar Singh Dhami
• Governor: Gurmit Singh
• Famous National Park: Jim Corbett National Park, Rajaji National Park
• Famous Wildlife Sanctuary: Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, Benog Wildlife Sanctuary

The correct answer is Haridwar.

Key Points

• The Ganga enters the plains at Haridwar.
• From here, it flows first to the south, then to the south-east and east before splitting into two distributaries, namely the Bhagirathi and the Padma.

Additional Information

• Ganga is 2,525 km long and shared by Uttarakhand (110 km) and Uttar Pradesh (1,450 km), Bihar (445 km) and West Bengal (520 km).
• Son is its major right bank tributary.
• Left bank tributaries are the Ramganga, the Gomati, the Ghaghara, the Gandak, the Kosi and the Mahananda
• The river finally discharges itself into the Bay of Bengal near the Sagar Island.

The correct answer is Uttrakhand.

Key Points

• The First Forest Healing center of the country was inaugurated on 7 March 2021 at Ranikhet in Kalika, Uttarakhand.
• The forest healing centre has been developed by the Research Wing of Uttarakhand Forest Department after research on the healing properties of the forests and its revitalizing impact on overall health and well-being.
• It involves many activities like forest walking, tree-hugging, etc.

• Devprayag is one of the Panch Prayag of Alaknanda River where Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers meet and take the name Ganga or Ganges River.
• Devprayag is located in the hilly areas of Uttrakhand.
• Bhagirathi originates from Gangotri and Alaknanda originates from Badrinath, both of which are considered sacred destinations for Hindus across the world.
• Devprayag is the last prayag of River Alaknanda.
• It is believed that Lord Rama and King Dushratha did penance here.
• The Five Prayags are:

1. Devprayag
2. Karnaprayag
3. Rudraprayag
4. Vishnuprayag
5. Nandprayag