UPSC CSE Prelims Paper 1 Practice Test - 2 - UPSC MCQ

• Statement 1 is incorrect: It is not necessary that since the Constitution was framed before the Parliament then it will command more authority than Parliament.

• Statement 2 is incorrect: Only Parliament has power to amend the Constitution as per the provisions of Art 368.

• Statement 3 is correct: Parliament derives its power from the Constitution.

The eBkray platform provides navigational links to all Public Sector Banks (PSB) e-auction sites, property search feature and presents single-window access to information on properties up for e-auction, comparison of similar properties, and also contains videos and photographs of the uploaded properties.

The e-auction platform has also now been linked to the Indian Banks Auctions Mortgaged Properties Information (IB API) portal and guidelines have been made available.

According to the Jaina philosophy the soul exists as every being. Buddhist Philosophy does not believe in the concept of soul.

Swadeshi movement was not exclusively a political movement but also had a significant cultural aspect. The movement aimed at reviving Indian industries and promoting Indian goods and products. It also emphasized the promotion of Indian culture and the use of Indian languages. The movement encouraged the use of swadeshi (indigenous) goods and boycotting of British goods as a means of economic protest against British rule.

During a bank run, banks are at risk of defaulting on their obligations, as they may not have enough reserves to meet the demand for withdrawals. In such cases, the central bank of the country may act as a lender of last resort, providing financial support to the banks to help them meet their obligations and stabilise the financial system. Therefore, all of the statements (1, 2, and 3) are features of a bank run.

This involves netting the positive and negative exposures of the parties under the various swap agreements and reducing the overall credit risk between them. Bilateral netting can be used to reduce the collateral required to be posted by the parties, as well as to reduce the operational and administrative costs associated with managing multiple swap agreements.

Bilateral netting is commonly used in the financial sector, particularly in the context of over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives such as interest rate swaps, currency swaps, and credit default swaps. It has been in the news recently due to the increasing use of bilateral netting in the context of central clearing of OTC derivatives, as well as the potential impact of regulatory changes on the use of bilateral netting.

This results in high air pressure in the western Pacific and low air pressure in the eastern Pacific. Option b is correct. During El Nino, severe droughts occur in Australia, Indonesia, India and southern Africa. High air pressure in the western Pacific is the cause behind Australian droughts in El Nino conditions. Option c is correct. Increased concentration of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere has caused global warming and impending climate change.

IPCC in its multiple reports has found increased frequency and intensity of El Nino phenomena caused by Global warming. Option d is incorrect. The warmer waters during El Nino, have a devastating effect on marine life existing off the coast of Peru and Ecuador. Fish catches off the coast of South America are lower than in the normal year as the upwelling stops, reducing the supply of fresh nutrients to marine life.

• Statement 1 is incorrect: Article 20 provides protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person. It provides that no person shall be convicted of any offence except for violation of a law in force at the time of commission of act. A person cannot be punished for ex-post-facto laws. An ex-post- facto law is one that imposes penalties retrospectively. However, this protection is only made for criminal offences. This does not apply for any offence done under civil domain for ex: taxation laws.

• Statement 2 is incorrect: The 44th Amendment of the Constitution amended the provisions of Article 22. Article 22 after amendment provides that a person arrested under preventive detention cannot be detained for more than two months unless there is a threat to internal security of any state. The Original Constitution provided a time period of three months in place of two months. Presently, the provision of the Original Constitution is under effect and not that of the 44th Amendment.

ZBB starts with a "zero base" and requires that every activity and expense be justified in terms of its contribution to the organisation's goals and objectives. This means that every activity needs to be justified, regardless of whether it has been funded in the past or not. Therefore, statement 2 is correct, while statement 1 is incorrect.

The Red Sea is a body of water located between the Arabian Peninsula and northeastern Africa. It is connected to the Gulf of Aden through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. The Gulf of Aden is a body of water located to the southwest of the Arabian Peninsula, between the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea. It is connected to the Arabian Sea through the Gulf of Oman. The Malaya Peninsula is a peninsula located in Southeast Asia and is not connected to the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait.

The Sumatran Island is an island located in Indonesia and is also not connected to the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. The Persian Gulf is a body of water located in Western Asia, between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran, and is not connected to the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait.

The Gulf of Oman is a body of water located to the east of the Arabian Peninsula and is not connected to the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. The Java Sea is a body of water located in Southeast Asia and is not connected to the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. The Indian Ocean is a vast body of water located to the south of the Arabian Peninsula and is not connected to the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait.

On March 31, 2021, the Central Government retained the inflation target and the tolerance band for the next 5-year period – April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2026. The amended RBI Act explicitly provides the legislative mandate to the Reserve Bank to operate the monetary policy framework of the country. The Monetary Policy Framework aims at setting the policy (repo) rate based on an assessment of the current and evolving macroeconomic situation; and modulation of liquidity conditions to anchor money market rates at or around the repo rate.

Repo rate changes transmit through the money market to the entire financial system, which, in turn, influences aggregate demand – a key determinant of inflation and growth.

Explanation ‘Green jobs’ refer to a class of jobs that directly have a positive impact on the planet, and contribute to the overall environmental welfare. Jobs involving renewable energy, conservation of resources, ensuring energy efficient means are categorised under the same. In all, they’re aimed at reducing the negative environmental impact of economic sectors and furthering the process of creating a low-carbon economy. The Skill Council for Green Jobs was launched by the Union government on October 1, 2015.

Aligned to the National Skill Development Missions, it was set up to be a not-for-profit, independent, industry-led initiative. Promoted by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the council aims to help manufacturers and other service providers in India’s ‘green business’ sector to implement industry-led, collaborative skills push the country on the path to truly realising the real potential and significance of ‘green jobs’.

• The country, so far, has stayed away from joining such alliances as it always wanted to maintain cordial relations with its Neighbour Russia.
• For a long time, the idea of not joining NATO or getting too close to the West was a matter of survival for the Finns.
• However, the change in perception and overwhelming support to join NATO came about following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
• NATO membership would strengthen the country’s security and defence system.

Fortification is the addition of key vitamins and minerals such as iron, iodine, zinc, Vitamin A & D to staple foods such as rice, milk and salt to improve their nutritional content. Hence, statement 1 is correct. These nutrients may or may not have been originally present in the food before processing.

According to the Food Ministry, fortification of rice is a cost-effective and complementary strategy to increase vitamin and mineral content in diets. According to FSSAI norms, 1 kg fortified rice will contain iron (28 mg-42.5 mg), folic acid (75-125 microgram) and Vitamin B-12 (0.75-1.25 microgram).

In addition, rice may also be fortified with micronutrients, singly or in combination, with zinc, Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3 and Vitamin B6. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Asani remains a Severe Cyclonic Storm over the Bay of Bengal, with wind speeds of 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph. Both were formed in the Indian Ocean region and originated in the same longitude and are now drifting apart. Cyclone Karim has created a path in the open seas west of Australia. The name Karim was given by the South African country Seychelles. The name Cyclone Asani was suggested by Sri Lanka. Hence, option D is correct.

It was designated as a Ramsar site in 1981, which is an international designation for wetlands of international importance, and it was placed on the Montreux Record in 1990. The Montreux Record is a list of wetlands that are at risk due to human activities, and it is maintained by the Ramsar Convention. Harike Wetland, Bhoj Wetland, and Renuka Lake are not man-made and managed wetlands and are not included in the list of Ramsar sites or placed on the Montreux Record.

Harike Wetland is a natural wetland located in the Indian state of Punjab, Bhoj Wetland is a natural wetland located in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, and Renuka Lake is a natural lake located in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.

• Statement 1 is incorrect: Biomagnification has no role in the desertification process. Desertification is mainly caused due to overgrazing. Other factors that cause desertification include urbanisation, climate change, overdrafting of groundwater, deforestation, natural disasters and tillage practices in agriculture that place soils more vulnerable to wind.

• Statement 2 is correct: The coral reefs are destroyed by biomagnification of cyanide, which is used in leaching gold and in fishing. The reefs provide for spawning, feeding, and dwelling grounds for numerous sea creatures. When destroyed, the survival of aquatic creatures is highly compromised.

• Statement 3 is correct: Biomagnification can also lead to the accumulation of various toxic chemicals and elements in the vital organs of the various aquatic creatures affecting their reproduction and development. For instance, seabird eggs are laid with thinner shells than normal, and can result in the birds crushing their eggs instead of incubating them. Selenium and heavy metals such as mercury also affect the reproduction of aquatic creatures such as fish as it destroys their reproductive organs.

Frictional unemployment is unemployment that arises from the normal process of workers and employers searching for the best match between their skills and job opportunities. It includes unemployment that results from people transitioning between jobs, such as recent graduates looking for their first job or workers who are changing careers.

Structural unemployment is unemployment that arises from a mismatch between the skills and characteristics of the workers and the needs and demands of the job market. It can be caused by technological change, globalisation, or other structural changes in the economy. Therefore, the natural rate of unemployment is the sum of frictional unemployment and structural unemployment. It does not include cyclical unemployment, which is unemployment that arises from the ups and downs of the business cycle, or seasonal unemployment, which is unemployment that arises from the seasonal nature of certain industries.

The main objective of the Dastak Campaign is to eradicate AES and JE disease in India by strengthening the prevention, diagnosis, and management of these diseases. The campaign focuses on improving awareness about the causes and prevention of AES and JE, strengthening surveillance and laboratory systems, and improving the quality of care for affected individuals.

Dastak Campaign is not related to promoting toilet use and freedom from open defecation, promoting the use of sanitary pads in adolescent girls in Odisha, or creating awareness about the misuse of single-use plastics. These are separate issues that are addressed by different public health campaigns in India.

5G is the 5th generation mobile network. It is a new global wireless standard after 4G networks. It enables a new kind of network that is designed to connect virtually everyone and everything together including machines, objects, and devices. Internet speeds in the high-band spectrum of 5G have been tested to be as high as 20 gigabits per second. Hence statement 2 is correct. The maximum internet data speed recorded in 4G is 1 Gbps.

• Statement 1 is incorrect: Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants is an international environmental treaty, signed in 2001 and effective from May 2004. The Minamata Convention on Mercury is an international treaty, signed in 2013 and entered into force on 16 August, 2017.

• Statement 2 is correct: The Global Environment Facility (GEF) serves as a financial mechanism to five conventions: Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), and Minamata Convention on Mercury.

• Statement 3 is correct: Stockholm Convention aims to eliminate or restrict the production and use of persistent organic pollutants whereas Minamata Convention was designed to protect human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds.

Wave cyclones form when a cold air mass pushes beneath a warm air mass, creating a front. The interaction between the two air masses can cause the development of thunderstorms and other types of weather, such as rain, snow, or sleet. Wave cyclones can also generate strong winds and large waves in the oceans.

Very high Sea Surface Temperatures, the formation of Polar Stratospheric clouds, and the creation of thunderstorms due to sudden air up draught are not directly related to the formation of wave cyclones.

• Statement 1 is correct: The demand for temple entry was first started in Vaikom, Kerala. This Vaikom Satyagraha gave inspiration to Tamils to fight against Caste Hindus. In South India Nadars were among the first people to fight for temple entry.

• Statement 2 is correct: K Kelappan was the lead figure of congress in Kerala and popularly called Kerala Gandhi. He fought against untouchability and caste-based discrimination.

  He was also the leader of the Guruvayur Satyagraha in 1932

• Statement 3 is incorrect: The movement got support from many nationalist leaders including Gandhi and agitation against untouchability spread in other states of South India also.

The correct answer is 1 and 2 only.

Colistin is a last-resort antibiotic used to treat highly drug-resistant bacterial infections in humans. This statement is correct because colistin is considered a last line of defense against certain multidrug-resistant bacterial infections, particularly those caused by Gram-negative bacteria.

Colistin has been used in veterinary medicine for the prevention and treatment of bacterial infections. This statement is also correct because colistin has been used in both human and veterinary medicine to treat various bacterial infections. In veterinary medicine, it has been used for the prevention and treatment of infections in animals, particularly livestock.

The statement "Its use in livestock has been permitted only for food-producing animals" is incorrect. While colistin has been used in food-producing animals, its use is not limited to them. It can also be used in non-food-producing animals to treat bacterial infections. However, due to concerns about antibiotic resistance, some countries have restricted or banned the use of colistin in animal feed and veterinary medicine.

• Statement 1 is incorrect: Black-necked cranes are found in the states of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim as well as the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

• Statement 2 is incorrect: It is classified as vulnerable in the IUCN red list.

• Statement 3 is correct: The major threat to the successful breeding of black-necked cranes is the damage to the eggs and chicks, caused by feral dogs. These dogs are owned both by armed forces as well as by the local nomads. Another threat to the bird is the loss of habitat. The human pressure on the wetlands, the primary habitat of cranes, has increased tremendously over the last decade. The increased grazing pressure on the limited pastures near the wetlands is also leading to the degradation of the wetland habitat.

Inflation is the rate at which the general level of prices for goods and services is rising, and it is measured as an annual percentage increase. The Repo Rate is one of the tools used by the RBI to control inflation, but it is not the only factor that affects inflation. A reduction in the Repo Rate may not lower the reserve to be kept with the RBI by banks. The reserve requirement is the percentage of deposits that commercial banks are required to hold in reserve with the RBI. It is set by the RBI and is not directly affected by changes in the Repo Rate.

A reduction in the Repo Rate may not necessarily result in an increase in the cost of borrowing. The cost of borrowing is the interest rate charged by lenders on loans. As mentioned earlier, a reduction in the Repo Rate may lead to a decline in the interest rates on loans offered by commercial banks, which could result in a lower cost of borrowing for customers. Therefore, the correct answer is b) a decline in the interest rates on loans offered.

• Statement 1 is incorrect: The congress neither rejected nor approved the proposal of Anni Besant to start the movement

• Statement 2 is correct: The India league was based in Britain. Its objective was to achieve full independence and self-government for India. VK Krishna Menon was an important figure in it. It evolved from the Commonwealth of India League (1922) which was inspired by the Home Rule League. VK Menon after becoming joint secretary radicalised the organisation and started demanding complete independence. The organisation opened up its branches in other cities of Britain like Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Southampton and Wolverhampton. The league sought to raise consciousness among British people of the injustice of British rule in India.

• Statement 3 is correct: After Tilak left for England the movement was left leaderless. Annie Besant was satisfied by the promise of the reforms proposed by the 1917 August Declaration. After the Montagu declaration the League agreed to put a halt on their movement and all the moderate members gave up their membership of the league. The league believed in the promises of the British government that it would gradually reform the administration. The rise of Gandhi and his Satyagraha also provided for the dissolution of the league.

• Statement 1 is correct: Article 342 of the Constitution provides the Supreme Court the power to President to provide the list of tribal communities to be listed under Scheduled Tribes of the Constitution.

• Statement 2 is incorrect: The President in consultation with the Governor prepares the initial list of tribes to be listed under Scheduled Tribes. (Article 342 (1).

• Statement 3 is correct: Parliament is empowered to make amendments to the list only through law. Only Parliament has the power to amend. (Article 342 (2).

This was the first instance of a portfolio system in India. The act also provided for the establishment of new Legislative Councils for Bengal, NWFP and Punjab. Before the 1861 act, the Executive council had little or no representation of the people and there was demand for representation. Therefore, a fifth finance member was added, and provision was made for addition of 6 to 12 members to the Executive council.

The 1858 Act made Governor General the Viceroy. Now onwards India was to be governed by and in the name of the crown through secretary of state and council of 15 members. Indian Council Act 1892 enlarged the Legislative council of Governor General.

A principle of representation was introduced along with elements of indirect election. The Indian Council Act 1909 or Morley Minto reforms provided first time entry of an Indian in the Executive Council of the Governor General. It also introduced a separate electorate for the Muslims.