UPSC CSE Prelims Paper 1 Practice Test - 4 - UPSC MCQ

INS Vikramaditya is Russian in origin. It is a former USSR carrier vessel and entered into service with the Indian Navy in 2013. Launched in the early 1980s. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

The Rooppur project is the first initiative under an Indo-Russian deal to undertake atomic energy projects in Bangladesh. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

India and Russia have two Inter-Governmental Commissions – one on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC), and another on Military-Technical Cooperation (IRIGC- MTC). Hence, statement 4 is not correct.

Therefore, (D) is the answer.

Based on light penetration and plant distribution, aquatic ecosystems are classified as photic and aphotic zones

Photic zone: Photic zone (euphotic zone, epipelagic zone) is the uppermost layer of the ocean that receives sunlight, enabling it to perform photosynthesis. It undergoes a series of physical, chemical, and biological processes that supply nutrients into the upper water column. So, statement 1 is not correct.

The photic zone is home to the majority of marine life, due to its location. Ninety per cent of marine life lives in the photic zone, which is approximately two hundred meters deep. This includes phytoplankton (plants), including dinoflagellates, diatoms, cyanobacteria, and zooplankton, which are known as the consumers in the photic zone. Both photosynthesis and respiration activities take place in this zone. So, statement 2 is correct.

Aphotic zone is the portion of a lake or ocean where there is little or no sunlight. It is formally defined as the depths beyond which less than 1% of sunlight penetrates. The aphotic zone is positioned below the littoral and photic zones to the bottom of the lake, where light levels are too low for photosynthesis. Respiration occurs at all depths, so the aphotic zone is a region of oxygen consumption. Only respiration activities take place this

deep, the unlit region is also known as the profundal zone.

Therefore, the correct answer is (b).

Ozone, or trioxygen, is an inorganic molecule with the chemical formula O₃. It is a pale blue gas with a distinctively pungent smell. It is an allotrope of oxygen that is much less stable than the diatomic allotrope O₂, breaking down in the lower atmosphere to O₂. So, statement 1 is not correct.

Ozone is found mainly in the upper atmosphere, an area called the stratosphere, between 10 and 50 km from the Earth’s surface. Though it is talked of as a layer, ozone is present in the atmosphere in rather low concentrations. Even at places where this layer is thickest, there are not more than a few molecules of ozone for every million air molecules. So, statement 2 is not correct.

Ozone molecules perform a vital function. By absorbing the harmful ultraviolet radiations from the Sun, the ozone molecules eliminate a big threat to life forms on Earth. UV rays can cause skin cancer and other diseases and deformities in plants and animals both. As UV rays interact with cells, they interact with surfaces of both animals and plants. So, statement 3 is not correct.

Therefore, the correct answer is (d).

important and desired role in the protection and development of the Constitution. It has helped the Supreme Court of India in exercising its constitutional duties as the final interpreter of the Constitution.

• Judicial Review is essential for maintaining the supremacy of the Constitution (and not Judicial Supremacy). So, statement 1 is not correct.

• It is essential for checking the possible misuse of power by the Legislature and the Executive. So, statement 2 is correct.

• Judicial Review is a device for protecting the rights of the people and hence strengthens democracy. So, statement 3 is correct.

• It is essential for securing the independence of the Judiciary by strengthening its own position vis-a-vis the Executive and the Legislature.

Therefore, the correct answer is (b).

statement 1 is not correct.

The Euro-zone is to issue debt through its bailout fund jointly. It has done so in the past through the European Stability Mechanism, which borrows on the market against the security of its capital provided by Euro-zone governments. It is about pooling liabilities and not channelling funds from one country to another. So, statement 2 is not correct.

Therefore, the correct answer is (d)

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) is a statutory body formed under the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas, Act 2021.

The CAQM has replaced the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) which was appointed by the Supreme Court.

We use the CAPTCHA, to limit technology access to humans and keep the bots at bay. A CAPTCHA ("Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart") is a type of challenge–response test used in computing to determine whether the user is human.

A neural network is an AI tech that attempts to mimic the web of neurons in the brain to learn and behave like humans. Early efforts in building neural networks targeted image recognition.

Provisions relating to the rights and welfare of persons with disabilities and the elderly are found in Part III (Fundamental Rights) and Part IV (Directive Principles of State Policy) of the Constitution. Article 21 of the Constitution guarantees the right to life and personal liberty, and this right extends to the protection of the life and dignity of persons with disabilities and the elderly. The Directive Principles of State Policy, which are contained in Part IV of the Constitution, also contain provisions that require the state to take measures to ensure the welfare of persons with disabilities and the elderly, and to protect and improve the environment for the benefit of future generations.

Provisions relating to the prevention of substance abuse are not found in Part III (Fundamental Rights) or Part IV (Directive Principles of State Policy) of the Constitution. Instead, these provisions are found in various laws that have been enacted by the Indian Parliament, such as the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, and the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988.

1. Acid in the stomach: The stomach produces hydrochloric acid, which helps to kill bacteria and other pathogens that enter the body through the digestive system.

2. Eye tears: Tears contain enzymes and antibodies that help to kill bacteria and other pathogens that come into contact with the eyes.

3. Mucus coating lining the respiratory tract: The respiratory tract is lined with mucus, which helps to trap and remove particles, including pathogens, from the air we breathe.

Together, these barriers form a vital part of the body's immune system and help to protect against infections and other external threats.

Sex chromosomes determine our biological sex. Men typically have one X and one Y chromosome, while women have two Xs. However, some men also have XXY or XYY.

Men with either XXY or XYY had higher risks of several other health conditions. They were three times more likely to have type 2 diabetes, six times more likely to develop venous thrombosis, three times as likely to experience pulmonary embolism, and four times more likely to suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

According to the guidelines of the ministry, NGOs that are eligible to receive assistance include bodies that are registered under the Society's Registration Act, 1860, and the Indian Red Cross Society or its branches. For-profit bodies are not eligible to receive assistance from the ministry. The ministry provides assistance to NGOs based on their experience in social welfare and the extent to which they are able to contribute to the welfare of disadvantaged groups in society.

It is performed with percussion instruments like chenda, maddalam, jagatta or chengila (cymbals) and chakratala or elathalam (small cymbals).

More than 900 Yakshagana scripts, including the ones printed in 1905 and 1907, have now been digitised and made available online for free, thanks to the voluntary community effort by some Yakshagana lovers who did it under the banner Yakshavahini, a registered trust.

covered by composite economic development programmes in the State Plan to enable them to crossthe poverty line, etc.

It is an umbrella strategy to ensure flow of targeted financial and physical benefits from all the general sectors of development for the benefit of Scheduled Castes. Under this Scheme, the States/UTs are required to formulate and implement Special Component Plan (SCP) for Scheduled Castes as part of their annual plans by earmarking resources.

Learning: Scheme of Assistance to Scheduled Castes Development Corporations (SCDCs): Share Capital contribution is released to the State Scheduled Castes Development Corporations (SCDCs) under a Centrally Sponsored Scheme in the ratio of 49:51 between Central Government and State Governments.

There are in total 27 such State-level Corporations which are working for the economic development of Scheduled Castes, although some of these Corporations are also catering to the requirements of other weaker sections of the Society, e.g. Scheduled Tribes, OBCs, Minorities etc.

The main functions of SCDCs include identification of eligible SC families and motivating them to undertake economic development schemes, sponsoring the schemes to financial institutions for credit support, providing financial assistance in the form of the margin money at a low rate of interest, providing subsidy out of the funds made available to the States under the Scheme of Special Central Assistance to Scheduled Castes Sub Plan of the States to reduce the repayment liability and providing necessary tie up with other poverty alleviation programmes.

The SCDCs are playing an important role in providing credit and missing inputs by way of margin money loans and subsidy to the target group. The SCDCs finance the employment oriented schemes covering diverse areas of economic activities which inter-alia include (i) agriculture and allied activities including minor irrigation (ii) small scale industry (iii) transport and (iv) trade and service sector.

Statement 2 and 3: India in July 2019 ratified the international agreement to curb base erosion and profits shifting (BEPS)– Multilateral Convention to Implement Tax Treaty Related Measures.

The Convention is an outcome of the OECD / G20 BEPS Project to tackle base erosion and profit shifting through tax planning strategies that exploit gaps and mismatches in tax rules to artificially shift profits to low or no-tax locations where there is little or no economic activity, resulting in little or no overall corporate tax being paid.

Learning: Under BEPS Action 13, all large multinational enterprises (MNEs) are required to prepare a country-by-country (CbC) report with aggregate data on the global allocation of income, profit, taxes paid and economic activity among tax jurisdictions in which it operates. This CbC report is shared with tax administrations in these jurisdictions, for use in high level transfer pricing and BEPS risk assessments.

The Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) Action 13 report (Transfer Pricing Documentation and Country-by-Country Reporting) provides a template for multinational enterprises (MNEs) to report annually and for each tax jurisdiction in which they do business the information set out therein. This report is called the Country-by-Country (CbC) Report.

What CBC contains?

Aggregated country-by-country information relating to the global allocation of income, the taxes paid, and certain other indicators of a multi-national company.

A list of all the constituent entities of the multi-national company operating in a particular jurisdiction and the nature of the main business activity of each constituent entity.

Hence statement 1 is correct.

Researchers gathered samples of snow from 19 different sites in the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica and discovered plastic particles in all of them.

There were 13 different types of plastic found, with the most common being PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate), commonly used to make soft drink bottles and clothing.

The possible sources of microplastics were examined. Hence statement 2 is correct. Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) indicates the amount of oxygen demand for both organic and inorganic substances in the water body. So, COD is the true indication of pollution in any water body. Hence statement 3 is not correct.

Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) is the amount of dissolved oxygen (DO) needed to break down organic material present in a given water or water body.

JJM looks to create a jan andolan for water, thereby making it everyone’s priority. It comes under Jal Shakti Ministry. Hence, statement 1 is not correct. The mission ensures functionality of existing water supply systems and water connections, water quality monitoring and testing as well as sustainable agriculture. It also ensures conjunctive use of conserved water, drinking water source augmentation, drinking water supply system, grey water treatment and its reuse.

Hence, statement 2 is not correct

The framework covers services under G2B (Government to Businesses) and G2C (Government to Citizens) segments under six sectors viz. Finance, Labour & Employment, Education, Local Government & Utilities, Social Welfare (including Agriculture & Health) and Environment (including Fire) sectors.

Therefore, option C is correct.

As per Census 2011, the total population of Senior Citizens (people aged 60 years and above) is 10.38 crore, of which population of males and females are 5.11 crore and 5.27 crore respectively.

The share of senior citizens in the total population as per Census 2011 is 8.57%. As per the May 2006 Report of the “Technical Group on Population Projections” constituted by the National Commission on Population published by the Office of the Registrar General of India this share is expected to increase to 10.70 % in 2021 and to 12.40% in 2026.

Justification: S1: No such policy was released in 2017.

The following Policies, Act, and Programmes which aim at welfare and maintenance of Senior Citizens, especially for indigent senior citizens, are being dealt with in the Ageing Division:-

1. National Policy on Older Persons (NPOP) –The existing National Policy on Older Persons (NPOP) was announced in January 1999 to reaffirm the commitment to ensure the well-being of the Older Persons. The Policy envisaged State support to ensure financial and food security, health care, shelter and other needs of Older Persons, equitable share in development, protection against abuse and exploitation, and availability of services to improve the quality of their lives. Keeping in view the changing demographic pattern, socio-economic needs of the Senior Citizens, social value system and advancement in the field of science and technology over the last decade, a new National Policy for Senior Citizens is under finalization to replace the NPOP, 1999.

2. Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 (MWPSC Act) - The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens (MWPSC) Act, 2007 was enacted in December 2007 to ensure need based maintenance for Parents and Senior Citizens and their welfare.

3. Central Sector Scheme of “Integrated Programme for Older Persons”(IPOP) - Under the Scheme, financial assistance is provided to Government/ Non-Governmental Organizations/Panchayati Raj Institutions/ local bodies etc. for running and maintenance of various projects for the welfare of indigent Senior Citizens under the Scheme of IPOP.

Statement 1: For e.g. CIKS is developing methods for organic vegetable cultivation using recipes found in Vrkshayurveda, for e.g. treating with milk and ghee will help latex yielding verities give a bumper harvest

The understanding and knowledge gained by CIKS is then leveraged to develop solutions that are practical and feasible in today's context.

Its community seed bank project is aimed at identifying important traditional seed varieties and orienting the agricultural community towards conserving and cultivating them.

Learning: CIKS initiatives in biodiversity conservation have helped farmers in Tamil Nadu conserve over 180 indigenous seed varieties - hence protecting the dwindling genetic base and giving farmers a way to beat stress situations.

To further his work on social justice and equality, Phule formed the Satyashodhak Samaj, an organization that focused on the rights of the depressed classes and the issue of women empowerment. Through his work with the Satyashodhak Samaj and other organizations, Phule made significant contributions to the social and political landscape of India, and he is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of social reform in the country.

Its scientific name is Gavialis Gangetic. As compared to alligators and crocodiles, a gharial has a very long and narrow snout (instead of a broad snout). They are a fresh-water crocodile. Gharial prefers deep fast flowing rivers, however adult gharial has also been observed in still water branches (jheel) of rivers and in comparatively velocity-free aquatic environments of deep holes (kunds) at river bends and confluences.

Globally Gharial is found only in India and Nepal. In India too, the major ‘breeding’ populations are confined to two rivers only:

• River Girwa: It originates in Nepal and runs through Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary.

• River Chambal: It supports the largest population of Gharials in the wild.

So, statement 1 is correct.

The three species of crocodilians found in India are:

(1) Gharial (Or freshwater crocodile),

(2) Saltwater crocodile; and

(3) Mugger crocodile.

It has been listed as critically endangered in the IUCN Red List since 2007. So, statement 2 is not correct.

Odisha is the only state in India having all three species — Gharial, Mugger, and Saltwater crocodile. So, statement 3 is correct.

Therefore, the correct answer is (b).

Statement 1 is correct. Minor forest produce plays an important role in the livelihoods of people who live in or near forests. It provides both subsistence and cash income for these communities, as they use these products for their own consumption or sell them in local markets.

Statement 2 is also correct. Minor forest produce is strongly linked to women's financial empowerment, as many of these products are collected and used/sold by women. Women often play a significant role in the collection, processing, and marketing of MFP in many communities, and the income generated from the sale of these products can contribute to their economic independence and empowerment.