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UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2023 - General Studies Paper II (CSAT) — question paper

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UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2023 - General Studies Paper II (CSAT)

Paper #3239 · 2023 · General Studies Paper II (CSAT) · 80 reviewed questions · Showing 1–40 of 80

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2023 General Studies Paper II (CSAT), Series A: 80 questions with 80 final-key answers and concise KSLC explanations. Reading-comprehension answers are based on the accompanying passages. Original questions and applicable copyright belong to UPSC and the respective rights holders. KSLC explanations are independent educational commentary; KSLC is not affiliated with or endorsed by UPSC. Official original: https://www.upsc.gov.in/sites/default/files/QP_CS_Pre_Exam_2023_GENERAL_STUDIES_PAPER_II_280523.pdf

  1. Reading passage

    Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only. Passage - 1 We often hear about conflicts among different States in India over river waters. Of the 20 major river systems, 14 are already water-stressed; 75% of the population lives in water-stressed regions, a third of whom live in water-scarce areas. Climate change, the demands of rising population and the need for agriculture to keep pace, and increased rate of urbanization and industrialization will exacerbate water stress. According to the Constitution of India, water is a State subject and not that of the Union, except for regulation of inter-State rivers. Key to ensuring balance between competing demands of various stakeholders is a basin-based approach to allocate water amongst constituent regions and States. Allocating fair share of water to them requires assessments based on objective criteria, such as specificities of the river basin, size of dependent population, existing water use and demand, efficiency of use, projected future use, etc. while ensuring the environmental needs of the river and aquifers.
    Which one of the following statements best reflects the most rational, practical and immediate action required to ensure fair and equitable allocation of water to different stakeholders?
    1. A national, pragmatic, legal and policy framework for water allocation should be made.
    2. All river systems of the country should be linked and huge aquifers created.
    3. Water channels between regions of water surplus and regions of water deficit should be created.
    4. To mitigate water crisis, water demand of sectors such as agriculture and industry should be reduced.

  2. Reading passage

    Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only. Passage - 2 More than half of Indian women and almost a quarter of Indian men of working age suffer from anaemia. According to studies, they are anywhere from 5 - 15% less productive than they could be, as a result thereof. India also has the largest tuberculosis burden in the world, costing 170 million workdays to the country annually. But what is just as important as lost productivity now is lost potential in the future. It is becoming increasingly clear that on many measures of cognitive ability, malnourished Indian children perform two or three times worse than their adequately nourished peers. For an economy that will be more dependent on highly skilled workers, this poses a significant challenge. And it is one that really should be addressed given India’s demographic outlook.
    Which one of the following statements best reflects what is implied by the passage?
    1. Education system must be strengthened in rural areas.
    2. Large scale and effective implementation of skill development programme is the need of the hour.
    3. For economic development, health and nutrition of only skilled workers needs special attention.
    4. For rapid economic growth as envisaged by us, attention should be paid to health and nutrition of the people.

  3. Reading passage

    Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only. Passage - 3 In India, a majority of farmers are marginal and small, less educated and possess low adaptive capabilities to climate change, perhaps because of credit and other constraints. So, one cannot expect autonomous adaptation to climate change. Even if it was possible, it would not be sufficient to offset losses from climate change. To deal with this, adaptation to climate change is paramount, alongside a fast mitigation response. Another solution is to have a planned or policy-driven adaptation, which would require the government to come up with policy recommendations. Perception is a necessary pre-requisite for adaptation. Whether farmers are adapting agricultural practices to climate change depends on whether they perceive it or not. However, this is not always enough for adaptation. It is important how a farmer perceives the risks associated with climate change.
    Which one of the following statements best reflects the most logical and rational message conveyed by the author of the passage?
    1. Adaptation to climate change and mitigation response are basically the responsibilities of the government.
    2. Climate change causes a change in government policies regarding land use patterns in the country.
    3. Risk perceptions of farmers are important for motivating them for taking adaptation decisions.
    4. Since mitigation is not possible, governments should come up with policies for quick response to climate change.
  4. Raj has ten pairs of red, nine pairs of white and eight pairs of black shoes in a box. If he randomly picks shoes one by one (without replacement) from the box to get a red pair of shoes to wear, what is the maximum number of attempts he has to make?
    1. 27
    2. 36
    3. 44
    4. 45
  5. In how many ways can a batsman score exactly 25 runs by scoring single runs, fours and sixes only, irrespective of the sequence of scoring shots?
    1. 18
    2. 19
    3. 20
    4. 21
  6. There are four letters and four envelopes and exactly one letter is to be put in exactly one envelope with the correct address. If the letters are randomly inserted into the envelopes, then consider the following statements:
    1. It is possible that exactly one letter goes into an incorrect envelope.
    2. There are only six ways in which only two letters can go into the correct envelopes.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
  7. What is the remainder when 85 x 87 x 89 x 91 x 95 x 96 is divided by 100?
    1. 0
    2. 1
    3. 2
    4. 4
  8. What is the unit digit in the expansion of (57242)^(9 × 7 × 5 × 3 × 1)?
    1. 2
    2. 4
    3. 6
    4. 8
  9. If ABC and DEF are both 3-digit numbers such that A, B, C, D, E and F are distinct non-zero digits such that ABC + DEF = 1111, then what is the value of A+B+C+D+E+F?
    1. 28
    2. 29
    3. 30
    4. 31
  10. D is a 3-digit number such that the ratio of the number to the sum of its digits is least. What is the difference between the digit at the hundred’s place and the digit at the unit’s place of D?
    1. 0
    2. 7
    3. 8
    4. 9

  11. Reading passage

    Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only. Passage - 1 The emissions humans put into the atmosphere now will affect the climate in the middle of the century and onwards. Technological change, meanwhile, could make a future transition away from fossil fuels cheap or it might not, leaving the world with a terrible choice between sharply reducing emissions at huge cost or suffering through the effects of unabated warming. Businesses that do not hedge against the threat of uncertain outcomes fail. The world cannot afford such recklessness on climate change.
    Which one of the following statements best reflects the crucial message conveyed by the author of the passage?
    1. Businesses that cause emissions may need to close down or pay for pollution in future.
    2. The only solution is technological development related to the issues of climate change.
    3. Waiting to deal with carbon emissions until technology improves is not a wise strategy.
    4. Since future technological change is uncertain, new industries should be based on renewable energy sources.

  12. Reading passage

    Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only. Passage - 2 Environmental problems cause health problems. Substantial changes in lifestyle can reduce environmental or health problems, but this idea appears almost impossible to adopt. With environmental problems, individual efforts can be perceived as having a negligible effect and therefore lead to inertia. With health, on the other hand, individual choices can make the difference between life and death, literally. And yet, barring a few, there seems to be the same collective lethargy towards making their choices.
    Which one of the following statements best implies the most rational assumption that can be made from the passage?
    1. We are likely to spend more money on cure than prevention.
    2. It is the job of the government to solve our environmental and public health problems.
    3. Health can be protected even if environmental problems go on unattended.
    4. Loss of traditional lifestyle and the influence of western values led to some unhealthy ways of living.

  13. Reading passage

    Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only. Passage - 3 Many people are not eating the right food. For some, it is simply a decision to stick with food they enjoy but which is not too healthy. This is leading to an increase in non-communicable diseases. This in turn leads to major burden on our health-care systems that have the potential to derail the economic progress which is essential for the poor to improve their lives. For others, it is about limited access to nutritious food or a lack of affordability, leading to monotonous diets that do not provide the daily nutrients for them to develop fully. Part of the reason nutrition is under threat worldwide is that our food systems are not properly responding to nutritional needs. Somewhere along that long road from farm to fork, there are serious detours taking place.
    Which one of the following statements best reflects the crux of the passage?
    1. The scheme of Universal Basic Income should be implemented worldwide as a way of poverty alleviation.
    2. We must place food-based nutrition at the centre of our policy debate.
    3. Nutritional status of food should be improved by creating appropriate genetically modified crops.
    4. Using modern food processing technologies, we must fortify food items with required nutrient elements.
  14. Three of the five positive integers p, q, r, s, t are even and two of them are odd (not necessarily in order). Consider the following:
    1. p + q + r − s − t is definitely even.
    2. 2p + q + 2r − 2s + t is definitely odd.
    Which of the above statements is/are correct?
    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
  15. Consider the following in respect of prime number p and composite number c.
    1. (p + c)/(p − c) can be even.
    2. 2p + c can be odd.
    3. pc can be odd.
    Which of the statements given above are correct?
    1. 1 and 2 only
    2. 2 and 3 only
    3. 1 and 3 only
    4. 1, 2 and 3
  16. A 3-digit number ABC, on multiplication with D gives 37DD where A, B, C and D are different non-zero digits. What is the value of A+B+C?
    1. 18
    2. 16
    3. 15
    4. Cannot be determined due to insufficient data
  17. For any choices of values of X, Y and Z, the 6-digit number of the form XYZXYZ is divisible by:
    1. 7 and 11 only
    2. 11 and 13 only
    3. 7 and 13 only
    4. 7, 11 and 13
  18. 125 identical cubes are arranged in the form of a cubical block. How many cubes are surrounded by other cubes from each side?
    1. 27
    2. 25
    3. 21
    4. 18
  19. How many distinct 8-digit numbers can be formed by rearranging the digits of the number 11223344 such that odd digits occupy odd positions and even digits occupy even positions?
    1. 12
    2. 18
    3. 36
    4. 72
  20. A, B, C working independently can do a piece of work in 8, 16 and 12 days respectively. A alone works on Monday, B alone works on Tuesday, C alone works on Wednesday; A alone, again works on Thursday and so on. Consider the following statements:
    1. The work will be finished on Thursday.
    2. The work will be finished in 10 days.
    Which of the above statements is/are correct?
    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2

  21. Reading passage

    Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only. Passage - 1 To tackle the problem of pollution in cities, policy makers think that drastic actions like temporary use of odd-even number scheme for vehicles, closing schools, factories, construction activities, and banning the use of certain type of vehicles are a way forward. Even then the air is not clean. Vehicles more than 15 years old comprise one percent of the total; and taking them off the road will not make any difference. Banning certain fuels and car types arbitrarily is not proper. Diesel engines produce more PM 2.5 and less CO₂ than petrol or CNG engines. On the other hand, both diesel and CNG engines produce more NOₓ than petrol engines. No one has measured the amount of NOₓ that CNG engines are emitting. Arbitrary bans on vehicles that have passed mandated fitness tests and periodic pollution tests are unfair. What is needed is the scientific and reliable information about the source of pollutants on a continuing basis and the technologies that will work to reduce pollution from them.
    Which one of the following statements best reflects the most logical and rational implication conveyed by the passage?
    1. Arbitrary curbs on vehicles to reduce pollution are difficult to implement.
    2. Knee-jerk reactions cannot solve the problem of pollution but an evidence-based approach will be more effective.
    3. A heavy penalty should be enforced on those driving without periodic pollution tests.
    4. In the absence of laws to deal with the problems of pollution, the administration tends to make arbitrary decisions.

  22. Reading passage

    Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only. Passage - 2 Good corporate governance structures encourage companies to provide accountability and control. A fundamental reason why corporate governance has moved onto the economic and political agenda worldwide has been the rapid growth in international capital markets. Effective corporate governance enhances access to external financing by firms, leading to greater investment, higher growth and employment. Investors look to place their funds where the standards of disclosure, of timely and accurate financial reporting, and of equal treatment to all stakeholders are met.
    Which of the following statements best reflects the logical inference from the passage given above?
    1. It is an important agenda of the countries around the world to ensure access to good external financing.
    2. Good corporate governance improves the credibility of the firms.
    3. International capital markets ensure that the firms maintain good corporate governance.
    4. Good corporate governance paves the way for robust supply chains.

  23. Reading passage

    Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only. Passage - 3 Elephants are landscape architects, creating clearings in the forest, preventing overgrowth of certain plant species and allowing space for the regeneration of others, which in turn provide sustenance to other herbivorous animals. Elephants eat plants, fruits and seeds, propagating the seeds when they defecate in other places as they travel. Elephant dung provides nourishment to plants and animals and acts as a breeding ground for insects. In times of drought, they access water by digging holes which benefits other wildlife.
    Which one of the following statements best reflects the most logical and rational inference that can be drawn from the passage?
    1. The home range of elephants needs to be a vast area of rich biodiversity.
    2. Elephants are the keystone species and they benefit the biodiversity.
    3. Rich biodiversity cannot be maintained in the forests without the presence of elephants.
    4. Elephants are capable of regenerating forests with species as per their requirement.
  24. If 7 ⊕ 9 ⊕ 10 = 8, 9 ⊕ 11 ⊕ 30 = 5, 11 ⊕ 17 ⊕ 21 = 13, what is the value of 23 ⊕ 4 ⊕ 15?
    1. 6
    2. 8
    3. 13
    4. 15
  25. Let x be a positive integer such that 7x + 96 is divisible by x. How many values of x are possible?
    1. 10
    2. 11
    3. 12
    4. Infinitely many
  26. If p, q, r and s are distinct single digit positive numbers, then what is the greatest value of (p+q)(r+s)?
    1. 230
    2. 225
    3. 224
    4. 221
  27. A number N is formed by writing 9 for 99 times. What is the remainder if N is divided by 13?
    1. 11
    2. 9
    3. 7
    4. 1
  28. Each digit of a 9-digit number is
    1. It is multiplied by itself. What is the sum of the digits of the resulting number?
    1. 64
    2. 80
    3. 81
    4. 100
  29. What is the sum of all digits which appear in all the integers from 10 to 100?
    1. 855
    2. 856
    3. 910
    4. 911
  30. ABCD is a square. One point on each of AB and CD; and two distinct points on each of BC and DA are chosen. How many distinct triangles can be drawn using any three points as vertices out of these six points?
    1. 16
    2. 18
    3. 20
    4. 24

  31. Reading passage

    Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only. Passage - 1 In India, the segregation of municipal waste at source is rare. Recycling is mostly with the informal sector. More than three-fourths of the municipal budget goes into collection and transportation, which leaves very little for processing/resource recovery and disposal. Where does waste-to-energy fit into all this? Ideally it fits in the chain after segregation (between wet waste and the rest), collection, recycling, and before getting to the landfill. Which technology is most appropriate in converting waste to energy depends on what is in the waste (that is biodegradable versus non-biodegradable component) and its calorific value. The biodegradable component of India’s municipal solid waste is a little over 50 per cent, and biomethanation offers a major solution for processing this.
    Based on the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:
    1. Collection, processing and segregation of municipal waste should be with government agencies.
    2. Resource recovery and recycling require technological inputs that can be best handled by private sector enterprises.
    Which of the assumptions given above is/are correct?
    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2

  32. Reading passage

    Which one of the following statements best reflects the crux of the passage?
    1. Generation of energy from municipal solid waste is inexpensive.
    2. Biomethanation is the most ideal way of generating energy from municipal solid waste.
    3. Segregation of municipal solid waste is the first step in ensuring the success of waste-to-energy plants.
    4. The biodegradable component of India’s municipal solid waste is not adequate to provide energy from waste efficiently/effectively.

  33. Reading passage

    Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only. Passage - 2 There is a claim that organic farming is inherently safer and healthier. The reality is that because the organic farming industry is still young and not well-regulated in India, farmers and consumers, alike, are not only confused about what products are best for them, but sometimes use products in ways that could harm them as well. For example, since organic fertilizers are difficult to obtain on a large scale in India, farmers often use farmyard manure, which may contain toxic chemicals and heavy metals. Certain plant sprays, such as Datura flower and leaf spray, have an element called atropine. If it is not applied in the right dose, it can act on the nervous system of the consumer. Unfortunately, how much and when to use it are not well-researched or regulated issues.
    Based on the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:
    1. Organic farming is inherently unsafe for both farmers and consumers.
    2. Farmers and consumers need to be educated about eco-friendly food.
    Which of the assumptions given above is/are correct?
    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2

  34. Reading passage

    Which one of the following statements best reflects the most logical, rational and practical message conveyed by the author of the passage?
    1. In India, organic farming should not be promoted as a substitute for conventional farming.
    2. There are no safe organic alternatives to chemical fertilizers.
    3. In India, farmers need to be guided and helped to make their organic farming sustainable.
    4. The aim of organic farming should not be to generate huge profits as there is still no global market for its products.

  35. Reading passage

    Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only. Passage - 3 Food consumption patterns have changed substantially in India over the past few decades. This has resulted in the disappearance of many nutritious foods such as millets. While food grain production has increased over five times since independence, it has not sufficiently addressed the issue of malnutrition. For long, the agriculture sector focussed on increasing food production particularly staples, which led to lower production and consumption of indigenous traditional crops/grains, fruits and other vegetables, impacting food and nutrition security in the process. Further, intensive, monoculture agriculture practices can perpetuate the food and nutrition security problem by degrading the quality of land, water and food derived through them.
    Based on the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:
    1. To implement the Sustainable Development Goals and to achieve zero-hunger goal, monoculture agriculture practices are inevitable even if they do not address malnutrition.
    2. Dependence on a few crops has negative consequences for human health and the ecosystem.
    3. Government policies regarding food planning need to incorporate nutritional security.
    4. For the present monoculture agriculture practices, farmers receive subsidies in various ways and government offers remunerative prices for grains and therefore they do not tend to consider crop diversity.
    Which of the above assumptions are valid?
    1. 1, 2 and 4 only
    2. 2 and 3 only
    3. 3 and 4 only
    4. 1, 2, 3 and 4
  36. A box contains 14 black balls, 20 blue balls, 26 green balls, 28 yellow balls, 38 red balls and 54 white balls. Consider the following statements:
    1. The smallest number n such that any n balls drawn from the box randomly must contain one full group of at least one colour is 175.
    2. The smallest number m such that any m balls drawn from the box randomly must contain at least one ball of each colour is 167.
    Which of the above statements is/are correct?
    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
  37. If ‘ZERO’ is written as ‘CHUR’, then how is ‘PLAYER’ written?
    1. SOCAGT
    2. SODBGT
    3. SODBHT
    4. SODBHU
  38. Consider the following statements:
    1. A is older than B.
    2. C and D are of the same age.
    3. E is the youngest.
    4. F is younger than D.
    5. F is older than A.
    How many statements given above are required to determine the oldest person/persons?
    1. Only two
    2. Only three
    3. Only four
    4. All five
  39. Consider the following including the Question and the Statements: There are 5 members A, B, C, D, E in a family.
    Question: What is the relation of E to B?
    Statement-1: A and B are a married couple.
    Statement-2: D is the father of C.
    Statement-3: E is D’s son.
    Statement-4: A and C are sisters.
    Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above Question and Statements?
    1. Statement-1, Statement-2 and Statement-3 are sufficient to answer the Question.
    2. Statement-1, Statement-3 and Statement-4 are sufficient to answer the Question.
    3. All four statements together are sufficient to answer the Question.
    4. All four statements are not sufficient to answer the Question.
  40. Choose the group which is different from the others:
    1. 17,37, 47,97
    2. 31, 41, 53, 67
    3. 71, 73, 79, 83
    4. 83, 89, 91, 97

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