UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2014 - General Studies Paper I — question paper

What are the significances of a practical approach to sugarcane production known as ‘Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative’? 1. Seed cost is very low in this compared to the conventional method of cultivation. 2. Drip irrigation can be practiced very effectively in this. 3. There is no application of chemical/inorganic fertilizers at all in this. 4. The scope for intercropping is more in this compared to the conventional method of cultivation. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

If a wetland of international importance is brought under the ‘Montreux Record’, what does it imply?

Which one of the following pairs of islands is separated from each other by the ‘Ten Degree Channel’?

Consider the following pairs:
No. — Programme/Project — Ministry
1. 1 — Drought-Prone Area Programme — Ministry of Agriculture
2. 2 — Desert Development Programme — Ministry of Environment and Forests
3. 3 — National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas — Ministry of Rural Development
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

With reference to Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), consider the following statements: 1. It is an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Environment and Forests. 2. It strives to conserve nature through action-based research, education and public awareness. 3. It organizes and conducts nature trails and camps for the general public. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

With reference to ‘Global Environment Facility’, which of the following statements is/are correct?

With reference to technologies for solar power production, consider the following statements: 1. ‘Photovoltaics’ is a technology that generates electricity by direct conversion of light into electricity, while ‘Solar Thermal’ is a technology that utilizes the Sun’s rays to generate heat which is further used in electricity generation process. 2. Photovoltaics generates Alternating Current (AC), while Solar Thermal generates Direct Current (DC). 3. India has manufacturing base for Solar Thermal technology, but not for Photovoltaics. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following languages: 1. Gujarati 2. Kannada 3. Telugu Which of the above has/have been declared as ‘Classical Language/Languages’ by the Government?

Consider the following pairs:
No. — Place — State
1. 1 — Dampa Tiger Reserve — Mizoram
2. 2 — Gumti Wildlife Sanctuary — Sikkim
3. 3 — Saramati Peak — Nagaland
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

With reference to a conservation organization called ‘Wetlands International’, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. It is an intergovernmental organization formed by the countries which are signatories to Ramsar Convention. 2. It works at the field level to develop and mobilize knowledge, and use the practical experience to advocate for better policies. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

With reference to a grouping of countries known as BRICS, consider the following statements: 1. The First Summit of BRICS was held in Rio de Janeiro in 2009. 2. South Africa was the last to join the BRICS grouping. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following diseases: 1. Diphtheria 2. Chickenpox 3. Smallpox Which of the above diseases has/have been eradicated in India?

Which of the following phenomena might have influenced the evolution of organisms? 1. Continental drift 2. Glacial cycles Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Other than poaching, what are the possible reasons for the decline in the population of Ganges River Dolphins? 1. Construction of dams and barrages on rivers 2. Increase in the population of crocodiles in rivers 3. Getting trapped in fishing nets accidentally 4. Use of synthetic fertilizers and other agricultural chemicals in crop-fields in the vicinity of rivers Select the correct answer using the code given below.

The Radcliffe Committee was appointed to

Brominated flame retardants are used in many household products like mattresses and upholstery. Why is there some concern about their use? 1. They are highly resistant to degradation in the environment. 2. They are able to accumulate in humans and animals. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Consider the following: 1. Bats 2. Bears 3. Rodents The phenomenon of hibernation can be observed in which of the above kinds of animals?

Which one of the following is the largest Committee of the Parliament?

Which of the following adds/add carbon dioxide to the carbon cycle on the planet Earth? 1. Volcanic action 2. Respiration 3. Photosynthesis 4. Decay of organic matter Select the correct answer using the code given below.

If you walk through countryside, you are likely to see some birds stalking alongside the cattle to seize the insects disturbed by their movement through grasses. Which of the following is/are such bird/birds? 1. Painted Stork 2. Common Myna 3. Black-necked Crane Select the correct answer using the code given below.

In medieval India, the designations ‘Mahattara’ and ‘Pattakila’ were used for

Lichens, which are capable of initiating ecological succession even on a bare rock, are actually a symbiotic association of

If you travel through the Himalayas, you are likely to see which of the following plants naturally growing there? 1. Oak 2. Rhododendron 3. Sandalwood Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Which of the following are some important pollutants released by steel industry in India? 1. Oxides of sulphur 2. Oxides of nitrogen 3. Carbon monoxide 4. Carbon dioxide Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Which of the following Kingdoms were associated with the life of the Buddha? 1. Avanti 2. Gandhara 3. Kosala 4. Magadha Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Every year, a monthlong ecologically important campaign / festival is held during which certain communities/ tribes plant saplings of fruit-bearing trees. Which of the following are such communities /tribes?

The sales tax you pay while purchasing a toothpaste is a

What does venture capital mean?

The main objective of the 12th Five-Year Plan is

With reference to Balance of Payments, which of the following constitutes/constitute the Current Account? 1. Balance of trade 2. Foreign assets 3. Balance of invisibles 4. Special Drawing Rights Select the correct answer using the code given below.

The terms ‘Marginal Standing Facility Rate’ and ‘Net Demand and Time Liabilities’, sometimes appearing in news, are used in relation to

What is/are the facility/facilities the beneficiaries can get from the services of Business Correspondent (Bank Saathi) in branchless areas? 1. It enables the beneficiaries to draw their subsidies and social security benefits in their villages. 2. It enables the beneficiaries in the rural areas to make deposits and withdrawals. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

In the context of Indian economy, which of the following is/are the purpose/purposes of ‘Statutory Reserve Requirements’? 1. To enable the Central Bank to control the amount of advances the banks can create 2. To make the people’s deposits with banks safe and liquid 3. To prevent the commercial banks from making excessive profits 4. To force the banks to have sufficient vault cash to meet their day-to-day requirements Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Recently, a series of uprisings of people referred to as ‘Arab Spring’ originally started from

Consider the following countries: 1. Denmark 2. Japan 3. Russian Federation 4. United Kingdom 5. United States of America Which of the above are the members of the ‘Arctic Council’?

Consider the following pairs:
No. — Region often in news — Country
1. 1 — Chechnya — Russian Federation
2. 2 — Darfur — Mali
3. 3 — Swat Valley — Iraq
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

With reference to Agni-IV Missile, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. It is a surface-to-surface missile. 2. It is fuelled by liquid propellant only. 3. It can deliver one-tonne nuclear warheads about 7500 km away. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

With reference to two non-conventional energy sources called ‘coalbed methane’ and ‘shale gas’, consider the following statements: 1. Coalbed methane is the pure methane gas extracted from coal seams, while shale gas is a mixture of propane and butane only that can be extracted from fine-grained sedimentary rocks. 2. In India, abundant coalbed methane sources exist, but so far no shale gas sources have been found. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

With reference to ‘Changpa’ community of India, consider the following statements: 1. They live mainly in the State of Uttarakhand. 2. They rear the Pashmina goats that yield a fine wool. 3. They are kept in the category of Scheduled Tribes. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

In India, cluster bean (Guar) is traditionally used as a vegetable or animal feed, but recently the cultivation of this has assumed significance. Which one of the following statements is correct in this context?