MPSC Rajyaseva Prelims Paper 1 Mock Test - 5 - MPSC (Maharastra) MCQ

List of Neolithic Sites;

• Koldihwa

• Mahagara

• Mehrgarh

• Paiyampalli

• Hallui

• Burzahom

• Chirand

• Daojali Hading

Megalithic Sites;

• Adichamallur

• Brahmagiri

Paleolithic Sites;

• Kurnool caves

• Hunsgi

The SOSA enables both India and the USA to request priority delivery of defense supplies from each other during emergencies. While it facilitates defense cooperation, it is non-binding, meaning either nation can decline requests. This agreement is seen as a foundational step towards greater military collaboration and trust between the two countries.

Rajnath Singh met with Lloyd Austin, the US Secretary of Defense, at the Pentagon. This meeting was part of a series of discussions aimed at strengthening defense ties between India and the United States, highlighting the importance of bilateral relations in the context of global security.

The agreement allows Indian armed forces personnel to be assigned to important strategic US commands, thereby enhancing communication and cooperation between the two nations' military forces. This initiative is expected to improve interoperability in defense strategies.

The MoUs signed by C-DAC focus on developing domestic technologies and infrastructure for electric vehicle (EV) charging. This aligns with global trends towards sustainable transportation solutions and supports India's commitment to electric mobility.

Aheesa Digital Innovations Private Limited is partnering with C-DAC to develop network security solutions, such as CDAC Rakshak and Darpan Virtual Network Solutions. This collaboration aims to enhance cybersecurity measures and support efforts in cyber forensics.

The Hybrid Power Conditioning Systems developed by Hykon India Ltd. are designed for industrial microgrids, focusing on energy distribution and management. This technology ensures redundancy and fault tolerance, which are crucial for maintaining power supply stability in industrial applications.

The SOSA is expected to enhance confidence and collaboration in defense procurement between India and the USA. It represents an initial step towards more robust defense ties, paving the way for future legally binding agreements like the Reciprocal Defence Procurement Agreement (RDP).

The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore collaborated with Reliamotive Labs to transfer high voltage, high-frequency planar magnetics technology. This partnership aims to advance research and development in power electronics, contributing to various technological innovations.

The 'Mukhya Mantri Sukh Shiksha Yojana' is designed specifically to help widows, impoverished women, divorced women, and parents with disabilities by providing financial assistance for their children's education. This initiative focuses on ensuring that these vulnerable groups can afford educational expenses, thereby promoting educational equity and child welfare.

Families eligible under the 'Mukhya Mantri Sukh Shiksha Yojana' receive a monthly stipend of Rs. 1000 for each child under the age of 18. This financial support helps cover education, healthcare, and nutritional needs, emphasizing the program's role in supporting vulnerable families.

Maharashtra is the first state to approve the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS), following the central government's announcement. This scheme aims to provide pensions to a wide range of employees, enhancing financial security for many workers across various sectors.

The Unified Pension Scheme guarantees a minimum pension of Rs. 10,000 per month, which is adjusted for inflation. This provision is designed to ensure that pensioners have a basic level of financial support, reflecting the scheme's commitment to providing security in retirement.

Piramal Finance established a strategic partnership with the Central Bank of India to expand their co-lending operations. This collaboration aims to leverage both organizations' strengths to provide accessible loans, particularly targeting underserved segments in semi-urban and rural areas.

Jana Small Finance Bank won a total of four awards at the ICC Emerging Asia Banking Conclave in 2024. These awards recognized the bank's exemplary performance in various categories, underscoring its commitment to providing innovative financial solutions and maintaining high standards in banking services.

At the U17 World Wrestling Championships in 2024, Indian women wrestlers achieved a historic milestone by winning the team title. This victory marked the first time Indian women clinched the team championship, highlighting their growing dominance in international wrestling competitions.

The avian influenza outbreak reported in Odisha was caused by the H5N1 strain of the virus. This strain is known for affecting birds primarily but can also pose a risk to humans, necessitating urgent measures such as culling to prevent its spread and protect public health.

The autobiography titled "The Scientist Entrepreneur: Empowering Millions of Women" highlights Dr. Kalpana Sankar's journey as an activist and entrepreneur. This title reflects her commitment to women's empowerment and community development, key themes throughout her work and life. An interesting fact is that Dr. Sankar's father, Soumya Swaminathan, was a prominent figure in global health as the Chief Scientist of the WHO.

The autobiography was launched in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. This city is known for its vibrant culture and history, as well as being a hub for social entrepreneurship and activism in India. The event emphasized the importance of community and women's empowerment, aligning with the book's central themes.

Soumya Swaminathan served as the Chief Scientist of the World Health Organization (WHO). His role was pivotal in shaping global health policies and research initiatives. The WHO is recognized worldwide for its efforts to improve health systems and combat diseases, making this position highly influential in public health.

Uran Gas Turbine Power Station is a gas based thermal power plant located at Uran in Raigad district, Maharashtra. The power plant is operated by the Maharashtra State Power Generation Company (Mahagenco).

Fission, in biology, is the division of a single entity into two or more parts and the regeneration of those parts to separate entities resembling the original.For unicellular organisms, cell division is the only method used to produce new individuals. In both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, the outcome of cell reproduction is a pair of daughter cells that are genetically identical to the parent cell. In unicellular organisms, daughter cells are individuals.

Introducing a Direct Tax code can be a prudent way to increase the Tax to GDP ratio. A Direct Tax code can simplify the tax laws, widen the tax base, and reduce the tax evasion, which can lead to an increase in tax collection and Tax to GDP ratio.

Lowering of the income tax exemption limit may increase the tax collection in the short term, but it can adversely impact the disposable income and demand, which can impact the economic growth.

Increasing excise duty on crude oil may increase the tax collection in the short term, but it can lead to an increase in inflation, which can negatively impact the economic growth.

Formalization of the labor market may increase the tax collection in the long term, but it can take time to implement, and it may not have an immediate impact on the Tax to GDP ratio.

Approximately 65% of Indian’s cotton is produced on rainfed areas and 35% on irrigated lands. Cotton is produced in India in three zones viz., Northern zone comprising the States of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, Central zone comprising the States of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat and Southern zone comprising the States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Besides these nine States, cotton cultivation has gained momentum in the eastern State of Orissa.

● Calcutta Madrasah (1781) was established by Warren Hastings in 1781 for the study of Muslim law and related subjects.

● Foundation of the Asiatic Society of Bengal (1784): was founded by civil servant Sir William Jones in 1784 to enhance and further the cause of Oriental research

● The Sanskrit College (1791) was established by Jonathan Duncan, the resident, at Benaras in 1791 for study of Hindu law and philosophy. Censorship of the Press Act, 1799: Lord Wellesley enacted this, anticipating French invasion of India. It imposed almost wartime press restrictions including pre-censorship. These restrictions were relaxed under Lord Hastings, who had progressive views, and in 1818, pre censorship was dispensed with

The Indian Constitution originally had 10 Fundamental Duties. However, with the 86th Amendment in 2002, a new duty was added, making the total count of Fundamental Duties 11.

Purushottam Laxman Deshpande was the first recipient of the Maharashtra Bhushan Award. The Maharashtra Bhushan is a highest and prestigious award presented annually by the government of Maharashtra. Maharashtra Bhushan Award was started in 1996. Late writer Purushottam Laxman Deshpande was the first recipient of the honour.

Ellora Caves are a series of rock-cut cave monuments that are associated with Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism. The caves were constructed between the 6th and 10th centuries CE and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The caves are renowned for their beautiful sculptures and carvings, including depictions of the Buddha, Shiva and Vishnu. Elephanta Caves are a series of rock-cut temples that are located on an island in the Arabian Sea.

The caves were originally a Buddhist site, but were later dominated by the Shaivite faith. The caves are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and are known for their sculptures and carvings depicting Hindu deities, stories from the Puranas and various scenes from Hindu mythology. Bagh Caves are a series of rock-cut cave monuments that are associated with Jainism. The caves were built between the 5th and 8th centuries CE and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The caves are renowned for their sculptures and carvings, including depictions of popular Jain figures and various scenes from Jain mythology. Hence, statements 1 and 2 are correct.

• In News: PM paid tributes to Gopal Krishna Gokhale on his birth anniversary.

• Gokhale founded the Servants of India Society(SIS) in Maharashtra’s Pune on June 12, 1905. The SIS launched campaigns for the promotion of education, health care and sanitation. It also made efforts to eradicate social evils such as untouchability and oppression of women. He started an English weekly newspaper, The Hitavada (The people's paper). He was a mentor to both Mahatma Gandhi and Mohammed Ali Jinnah. Gandhi Ji, in his autobiography, described Gokhale as “pure as crystal, gentle as a lamb, brave as a lion and chivalrous to a fault and the most perfect man in the political field.”

• Similarly, Jinnah was so inspired by Gokhle that his aspiration, during the early years of his political life, was to become a “Muslim Gokhle”.

• Bureaucracy is the executive arm of the government. In traditional classical literature on organs of government, one studied the legislature, the executive and the judiciary with bureaucracy being subsumed under the executive (which comprises the political establishment and the bureaucracy). Now, one finds that bureaucracy is being treated separately and this is indicative of its growing importance.

• Bureaucracy refers to an administrative policy-implementation group, which is a body of non-elected government officials. The major objective of bureaucracy in India has not been Parliamentary democracy’s expansion but rather the implementation of the decisions taken by the executive. With All India Services at the helm of major bureaucratic structure, it cannot be said that strengthening of federal structure is its main characteristic.

• India’s bureaucratic system’s most important function since independence has been implementation of public policy, making the decisions of the government reach a conclusion on the ground level. Parliamentary democracy results often in change at the helm of executive, the static and permanent bureaucracy provides continuity of policies and execution rather than political stability.