Test 8 Solutions
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INSIGHTS MOCK TESTS – 2015 TEST 8 SOLUTIONS
1. Solution: a)
http://www.popsci.com/article/technology/why-blue-led-worth-nobel-prize
2. Solution: d)
ITER is an experimental Fusion Reactor being constructed presently in France for future
production of electricity from fusion energy. ITER is expected to produce at least ten times
more energy than the energy required to operate it. In future demo or commercial reactors
based on fusion, this energy can be converted to electricity. Nuclear energy based on fusion
may end energy crisis of the world and would revolutionize the energy scenario.
3. Solution: b)
MAVEN is the first spacecraft that will focus primarily on the state of the upper atmosphere,
the processes that control it, and the overall atmospheric loss that is currently occurring.
Specifically, MAVEN will explore the processes through which the top of the Martian
atmosphere can be lost to space. Scientists think that this loss could be important in
explaining the changes in the climate of Mars that have occurred over the last four billion
years.
MAVEN's data is specialized and of interest to smaller groups of researchers, but the project
fits one of NASA's "Big Questions" - specifically understanding how life developed on Earth.
Studying the atmosphere of Mars should provide insights to researchers interested in the
evolution of Earth's atmosphere.
4. Solution: d)
Compulsory licensing is when a government allows someone else to produce the
patented product or process without the consent of the patent owner. It is one of the
flexibilities on patent protection included in the WTO‘s agreement on intellectual
property — the TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights)
Agreement.
The mechanism of CL is essentially about balancing patent rights with access to
medicine. The words ―social and economic welfare,‖ ―public health,‖ ―national
emergency‖ and ―public health problems/crises‖ used in the Act are all pointers to
the CL provisions being centred around access to medicine.
5. Solution: d)
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an ecosystem approach to crop production and
protection that combines different management strategies and practices to grow
healthy crops and minimize the use of pesticides.
Integrated pest management (IPM) is a broad based approach that integrates a range
of practices for control of pests.
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Significance
IPM programs use current, comprehensive information on the life cycles of pests and
their interaction with the environment.
This information, in combination with available pest control methods, is used to
manage pest damage by the most economical means, and with the least possible
hazard to people, property, and the environment.
IPM is used in agriculture, horticulture, human habitations, and preventive
conservation.
Globalization and increased mobility open allow increasing numbers of invasive
species to cross national borders.IPM poses the least risks while maximizing benefits
and reducing costs.
6. Solution: a)
Primate, in zoology, any mammal of the group that includes
the lemurs, lorises, tarsiers, monkeys, apes, and humans. The order Primates, with its 300 or
more species, is the third most diverse order of mammals, after rodents (Rodentia)
and bats (Chiroptera). Although there are some notable variations between some primate
groups, they share several anatomic and functional characteristics reflective of their common
ancestry. When compared with body weight, the primate brain is larger than that of other
terrestrial mammals, and it has a fissure unique to primates (the Calcarine sulcus) that
separates the first and second visual areas on each side of the brain. Whereas all other
mammals have claws or hooves on their digits, only primates have flat nails. Some primates
do have claws, but even among these there is a flat nailon the big toe (hallux). In all primates
except humans, the hallux diverges from the other toes and together with them forms a
pincer capable of grasping objects such as branches. Not all primates have similarly dextrous
hands; only the catarrhines (Old World monkeys, apes, and humans) and a few of the
lemurs and lorises have an opposable thumb.
7. Solution: a)
Trap crops are grown to attract insects or other organisms to protect main crops from pest
attack. Protection may be achieved either by preventing the pests from reaching the crop or
by concentrating them in certain parts of the field where they can be destroyed.
The principle of trap cropping rests on the fact that virtually all pests show a distinct
preference to a certain crop stage.
They are used in Integrated Pest Management.
8. Solution: d)
Pentavalent vaccine was launched recently under the National Immunisation Programme.
This one single vaccine shot will provide protection to infants from five life-threatening
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ailments, including Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus (DPT), Hepatitis B and Hib (Haemophilus
influenza type b).
This is the most significant step in entire vaccination history in India.
It would ensure that all children are being provided with immunization for all five
lethal diseases in single vaccination and that too more conveniently.
9. Solution: d)
Digital India is a Programme to prepare India for a knowledge future.
It is an Umbrella Programme – covering many departments.
It weaves together a large number of ideas and thoughts into a single,
comprehensive vision so that each of them is seen as part of a larger goal.
Each individual element stands on its own. But is also part of the larger
picture.
It is coordinated by DeitY, implemented by the entire government.
The weaving together makes the Mission transformative in totality
10. Solution: d)
What is green shield?
Mangroves are called green shield as they buffer the coastline against sea erosion
and devastating effects of cyclones and tsunami.
Since estuarine areas are highly populated areas, the slightest ecological imbalance
will take a heavy toll. They play a vital role in stabilizing these areas.
Importance of Mangroves:
Mangroves are buffers between the land and the sea. Coastlines throughout the
world are facing serious problems of coastal erosion and threat of rising sea levels
due to global warming has increased the threats by several folds. To control such
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assault of the sea on land the nature has provided what is called as Mangroves, a
tropical littoral ecosystem which is more dynamic than the sea itself.
Mangroves not only help in preventing soil erosion but also act as a catalyst in
reclaiming land from seas. This is a very unique phenomenon, since there is a
general tendency of water to engulf land.
Mangrove forests and estuaries are the breeding and nursery grounds for a number
of marine organisms including the commercially important shrimp, crab and fish
species. Hence, loss of mangroves not only affects us indirectly but there are direct
economic repercussions through loss of fishing industry.
In many coastal areas including Gulf of Kutch, mangroves are a substitute for fodder.
Thus mangroves reduce pressures from the scarce pasturelands.
Above all, Mangroves are now looked after by scientists as saviors in the today's
scenario of global warming. We all know that most of the coastal areas throughout
the world are going to be affected by sea level rise due to global warming. The effects
of which are already visible. Therefore, when most of the coastal areas will be
flooded, mangroves can possibly provide a gene bank for cultivating salt tolerant
species of crops that could be our future resource.
11. Solution: a)
Drought declaration has various socio-economic impacts in India. Indian
Meteorological Department (IMD) is entrusted with the task of drought declaration.
Despite of having a number of socio-economic fallouts, however, it is still a purely
geo-technical decision in India and IMD is the only authority in this regard.
IMD defines a drought year as one with more than 10% deficient rainfall for a long
period average and more than 20% of agricultural area being hit.
Meteorological Drought: Occurs when the seasonal rainfall is deficient more than
10% for long period average.
Moderate Drought: Rainfall deficit is in the range 25-50 %
Severe Drought: Rainfall deficit exceeds 50% of the normal rainfall.
However, for policy making purposes, only following two types of droughts are
concerned.
Agricultural Drought: Agricultural drought is the most significant drought category
about which policymakers and farmers concerned most. When a period of four
consecutive weeks with rainfall deficiency more than 50% or weekly rainfall less
than 5mm from mid-May to mid-October, a period when more than 80% of Kharif
crops are sown, are occurred, ‗agricultural drought‘ year is declared by IMD.
Hydrological Drought: it is defined as deficiencies in surface and sub-surface water
supplies leading to lack of water for normal and specific water needs.
12. Solution: d)
Wi-Fi backsetter technology is a novel invention in the field of Information Technology
(IT) that enables battery free devices to connect a network through existing wi-fi signals.
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It essentially solves the power problem for battery less devices regarding to connecting a
network.
Backsetter Wi-Fi technique has been seen as the first revolutionary step towards
realization of ‘Internet of Things (IoT)’. This technique will not only be helpful to take
off the network of things but will broaden the base of such networks, as the billions
battery-less devices could also be connected to a network through a optional source of
power. This is indeed very first of its kind.
13. Solution: c)
Two lines of evidence suggest an African origin for hominids. First, it is the group of African
apes that are most closely related to hominids. Second, the earliest hominid fossils, which
belong to the genus Australopithecus, have been found in East Africa and date back to about
5.6 mya. In contrast, fossils found outside Africa are no older than 1.8 million years.
14. Solution: d)
A supercomputer is a computer with great speed and memory. This kind of computer can
do jobs faster than any other computer of its generation. They are usually thousands of times
faster than ordinary personal computers made at that time. Supercomputers can
do arithmetic jobs very fast, so they are used for weather forecasting, code-breaking, genetic
analysis and other jobs that need many calculations.
India has always strived to be technologically advanced in all aspects. Building of
supercomputers is no exception. PARAM, PARAMYUVA-2 etc are some of the
examples of supercomputers built by India for various purposes, like -
Precise weather forecasting, especially in times where frequent occurrence of natural
hazards is devastating.
Tapping of natural resources, like the KG basin sea fields.
Designing of complicated drugs.
Quantum mechanics and modeling etc
15. Solution: c)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intercontinental_ballistic_missile
See introduction Only.
About India’s ICBM Programme
The Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme is an initiative to develop and
deploy a multi-layered ballistic missile defense system to protect India from ballistic
missile attacks.
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Introduced in light of the ballistic missile threat from Pakistan and China, it is a
double-tiered system consisting of two interceptor missiles, namely the Prithvi Air
Defence (PAD) missile for high altitude interception, and the Advanced Air Defence
(AAD) Missile for lower altitude interception.
16. Solution: d)
RFID (radio frequency identification) has likewise been around for decades. However, RFID
tends to require more technological hand-holding. RFID involves applying RFID tags to
items or boxes or pallets. Tags vary greatly in size, shape and capabilities, but one example
is pictured below. The tag with its small antenna emits a radio frequency signal that is
picked up and read by a special wireless RFID reader, conveying information from the tag
about the item it is affixed to.
Uses
RFID is adaptable to many of the same uses that barcodes are good for. But RFID is
especially useful in situations where vast quantities of goods must be moved or
tracked, or where tracking of item-specific information is necessary.
RFID has been mandated by some customers, such as Wal-Mart and the Department
of Defense, to track the vast quantities of items they require in their supply chains
and to supply much more detailed information. In such situations, RFID may be able
to do it more quickly, effectively and efficiently than barcodes.
RFID tags will enable the Motor Vehicles Department and the other law-enforcers to
easily trace the location of a vehicle, its expected time of arrival, locate vehicles
during incidents like theft and to enable hassle-free movement through the check
posts.
17. Solution: a)
A hologram is a physical structure that diffracts light into an image. The term ‗hologram‘
can refer to both the encoded material and the resulting image.
A holographic image can be seen by looking into an illuminated holographic print or by
shining a laser through a hologram and projecting the image onto a screen.
Holography is a two stage process. The first stage is recording of hologram in the form of
interference pattern and in the second stage, the hologram acts as a diffraction grating for
the reconstruction beam and the image of the object is reconstructed for the hologram.
To understand the process check the sub-heading ―How holography works‖
http://holocenter.org/what-is-holography
18. Solution: d)
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Meghraj is the name given to the initiative of Government of India for its new program
which is going to take advantage of the Cloud Computing. Meghraj is just a name coined for
the purpose (Megh=Cloud, Raj=Rule i.e. Rule of Cloud Computing)
Another name for Meghraj is the GI Cloud Initiative.
It will enable the government to leverage cloud computing for effective delivery of eservices.
Components of Governments Cloud Computing:
Five essential characteristics (viz. on-demand self service, ubiquitous network access,
metered use, elasticity and resource pooling)
Three service models (infrastructure as a service, platform as a service and software
as a service)
Four deployment models (public cloud, private cloud, community cloud and hybrid
cloud)
19. Solution: b)
Olduvai Gorge or Oldupai Gorge in Tanzania is one of the most important
paleoanthropological sites in the world and has been instrumental in furthering the
understanding of early human evolution. This site was occupied by Homo habilis
approximately 1.9 million years ago, Paranthropus boisei 1.8 million years ago, and Homo
erectus 1.2 million years ago. Homo sapiens is dated to have occupied the site 17,000 years
ago. Olduvai Gorge is a steep-sided ravine in the Great Rift Valley that stretches through
eastern Africa. It is in the eastern Serengeti Plains in Arusha Region, Tanzania and is about
48 km (30 mi) long. It is located 45 km (28 mi) from the Laetoli archaeological site.
This site is significant in showing increased developmental and social complexities in
hominins. Evidence of this is shown in the production and use of stone tools, which
indicates the increase in cognitive capacities. Evidence also indicates the practices of both
scavenging and hunting, which are highlighted by the evidence of gnaw marks predating
cut marks, and comparisons on percentages of meat versus plant in the early hominid diet.
Furthermore, the collection of tools and animal remains in a central area is evidence of
increases in social interaction and communal activity.
20. Solution: d)
Near Field Communications (NFC) is a short-range wireless connectivity technology
that provides intuitive, simple and safe communication between electronic devices.
Communication occurs when two NFC-compatible devices are brought within four
centimetres of each other.
NFC operates at 13.56 Mhz and transfers data at up to 424 Kbits/ second. Because
the transmission range is short, the transactions are inherently secure.
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NFC is an upgrade of the existing proximity card standard (RFID) that combines the
interface of a smartcard and a reader into a single device. It allows users to
seamlessly share content between digital devices, pay bills wirelessly or even use
their cellphone as an electronic traveling ticket on existing contactless infrastructure
already in use for public transportation.
In India too, an NFC-enabled payment App was announced at the launch of
Blackberry‘s new Z10 mobile phone in February. PVR Cinemas launched what is
arguably the first commercial NFC-enabled payment App for the Blackberry10
platform that enables Z10 users to pay for their tickets across 15 of its theatre
complexes after topping up their Apps with their credit card accounts
Recently SBI and Mother Dairy launched ‗SmartChange Card‘ that works on Near
Field Communication.
E-commerce and E-payment systems in India are gaining ground with the
proliferation of NFC networks.
21. Solution: a)
Pusa Hydrogel is a product for increasing agricultural productivity primarily
through improvement in use efficiency of water. The technology includes bench scale
process for its production along with the concomitant use package under diverse
agricultural situations.
It is a granular product developed by IARI Delhi currently promoted by Ministry of
Agriculture. During irrigation the gel absorbs water like a sponge and during dry
periods releases it to the soil for plants.
Significance
Effective in soil for a minimum period of one crop season
Improves physical properties of soils and the soil less media
Improves seed germination and the rate of seedling emergence
Reduces leaching of agro-inputs such as herbicides and fertilizers
Reduces irrigation and fertigation requirements of crops
Reduces nursery establishment period
Helps plants withstand extended moisture stress
22. Solution: a)
A bioreactor may refer to any manufactured or engineered device or system that
supports a biologically active environment. In one case, a bioreactor is a vessel in
which a chemical process is carried out which
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involves organisms or biochemically active substances derived from such organisms.
This process can either be aerobic or anaerobic. These bioreactors are commonly
cylindrical, ranging in size from litres to cubic metres, and are often made of stainless
steel.
There are a number of types of bioreactors, and they are used for a variety of
purposes, from processing solid waste to manufacturing pharmaceuticals.
Advantages
Bioreactors are also used to promote growth, as for example in the production of
tissue cultures, or the cultivation of specific fungi utilized in pharmaceuticals.
Bioreactors could potentially be used to produce energy, or to grow tissue and bone
grafts.
Conversion of organic waste such as compost or solid waste is a common application
for bioreactors.
Chemical production can rely heavily on bioreactors, depending on the compounds
being manufactured, as can large-scale processing of compost and yard waste for
municipalities.
Recently scientists have developed a new kind of photobioreactor called as
Environmental Photobioreactor [ePBR]
The system produces oil [alternative energy source] by using algae.
23. Solution: b)
Homo is a Latin word, meaning ‗man‘, although there were women as well! Scientists
distinguish amongst several types of Homo. The names assigned to these species are derived
from what are regarded as their typical characteristics. So fossils are classified as Homo
habilis (the tool maker), Homo erectus (the upright man), and Homo sapiens (the wise or
thinking man). Fossils of Homo habilis have been discovered at Omo in Ethiopia and at
Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania.
The earliest fossils of Homo erectus have been found both in Africa and Asia: Koobi Fora,
and west Turkana, Kenya, Modjokerto and Sangiran, Java. As the finds in Asia belong to a
later date than those in Africa, it is likely that hominids migrated from East Africa to
southern and northern Africa, to southern and north-eastern Asia, and perhaps to Europe,
some time between 2 and 1.5 mya. This species survived for nearly a million years.
24. Solution: c)
As many as 12 women died because of rat poisoning when state run sterilization program
failed in Chattisgarh. This raises a social issue where, as part of family planning program,
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India is resorting to forced sterilization method that is mostly targeted against poor women
barring men, because sterilization of men is a socially unacceptable thing in India.
Read the Gist only http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sterilization_%28medicine%29
25. Solution: d)
There are five criteria’s for the Special Category States
Terrain = Difficult/Hilly
Population density = Low or tribal population= High
National Security due to strategic concern Like J& K / bordering strategic
international borders
Economic & Infrastructural Backwardness
Financial Situation= Non viable
Till now, eleven states have been awarded SCS and six are demanding it as Bihar.
Granted by National Development Council
Why given?
The main reason behind this categorization is the development of that particular
state where there are many problems due to hilly terrains, international borders and
strategic interests. Overall social and economic development cannot be done just as
other states.
What are the benefits?
Tax benefits, Corporate Tax Waiver, Excise Duty Waiver
90% funding for all Centrally sponsored schemes
Devolved funds under National Central assistance
26. Solution: b)
Developing the oil and gas sector needs huge investment. Therefore, the government invites
private companies under PPP to invest in oil and gas blocks along with providing
technology; and reap benefits.
There are two models that are followed worldwide a. Production-sharing model
b. Revenue Sharing Model
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India has recently shifted from a to b model on the recommendations of the
Rangarajan panel in New gas and exploration policy.
Production Sharing model
As per the model, OEGCs will first develop oil and gas fields. They will then first
recover their investment and operating expenditure. Then they will share profits
with the government.
Revenue Sharing model
OGECs will develop the oil and gas fields.
But the revenue will be shared between the government and OGECs from the first
batch of production of the oil and gas itself (irrespective of cost recovery or not). It
will be on the basis of level of output in the block, not on the level of investment.
Positives of the model
More transparent and less intervention of CAG and the government.
OEGCs will not be able to hoard or tamper with the production of oil and gas. So
cost recovery will be easier.
If the price of oil or gas increases, it will lead to a gain for both the OEGCs and the
government.
Therefore, Kelkar committee was of the view that the RSC should be followed only
for shallow and on-land blocks which have less risk. For deep-sea explorations, PSC
should be followed.
27. Solution: a)
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=112034
28. Solution: a)
India‘s leading hydro power generator National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) is
planning to set up a 50 MW solar photovoltaic project over the water bodies in the southern
state of Kerala.
Beneficial due to:
Saves land
More yield
Saves water
The ecology of the water body is not likely to be affected much and it will also reduce
evaporation, thus helping preserve water levels during extreme summer. Solar panels
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installed on land, face reduction of yield as the ground heats up. When such panels are
installed on a floating platform, the heating problem is solved to a great extent.
29. Solution: d)
GreenSeeker
is a handheld gadget that works as a crop sensor.
The sensor emits brief bursts of red and infrared light.
By measuring the amount of each type of light that is reflected back from the plant,
the device can calculate and display the health of the crop.
Also, the farmer can use it to assess how much nitrogen the soil needs in each section
of land.
30. Solution: c)
The Hadza, or Hadzabe, are an ethnic group in north-central Tanzania, living around Lake
Eyasi in the central Rift Valley and in the neighboring Serengeti Plateau. The Hadza number
just under 1,000. Some 300–400 Hadza live as hunter-gatherers, much as their ancestors have
for thousands or even tens of thousands of years; they are the last full-time hunter-gatherers
in Africa.
31. Solution: a)
IndARC
Scientists predict that melting of the Arctic glaciers will trigger changes in weather
patterns and ocean currents that could affect other parts of the world. The interaction
between the Arctic ice shelf and the deep sea and its influence on climate shift requires
detailed studies over an annual seasonal cycle.
Therefore, IndARC, the country‘s first underwater moored observatory, has been
deployed in the Kongsfjorden fjord, half way between Norway and the North Pole.
It will collect real- time data on seawater temperature, salinity, ocean currents and other
vital parameters of the fjord.
So, it is expected that it will help scientists understand the Arctic climate process and its
influence on the Indian monsoon system.
It represents a major milestone in India‘s scientific endeavours in the Arctic region.
32. Solution: a)
IISc has developed a molecular "sniffer dog" to detect explosives.
They have created a highly sensitive fluorescent polymer that scouts out a class of
commonly used explosives.
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TNT and other nitroaromatic compounds, which are used in a cocktail of chemicals in
landmines and plastic explosive devices, release vapours that ‗quench‘ the polymers,
reducing their glow.
While the drop in fluorescence is not visible to the naked eye, it is visually sensed and
interpreted by a high resolution spectrometer.
33. Solution: a)
Cosmic inflation refers to the idea that the cosmos experienced an exponential growth spurt
in its first trillionth, of a trillionth of a trillionth of a second. This theory holds that this
would have taken the infant universe from something unimaginably small to something
about the size of a marble. Space has continued to expand for the nearly 14 billion years
since.
Inflation was first proposed in the early 1980s to explain some aspects of the Big Bang
Theory that appeared to not quite add up, such as why deep space looks broadly the same
on all sides of the sky.
The theory came with a very specific prediction - that it would be associated with waves of
gravitational energy, and that these ripples in the fabric of space would leave an indelible
mark on the oldest light in the sky - the famous Cosmic Microwave Background.
The theory is in news because of the recent findings of BICEP2, which announced the
detection of a distinct signature of cosmic gravitational waves, possibly originating during
an explosive phase of expansion dubbed inflation, occurring at the earliest moments after
the big bang.
Discovery of gravitational waves, it is significant for two reasons.
First, this opens up a whole new way of studying the Universe, allowing scientists to infer
the processes at work that produced the waves.
Second, it proves a hypothesis called inflation. This can be used to give us information
about the origin of the universe, known as the big bang.
Gravitation waves are nothing but the waves that carry energy across the Universe.
34. Solution: d)
REITS:
Just as mutual funds do with equity and debt, REITs will pool money from investors
and invest them in income-generating (rental assets) and infrastructure offering them
a way to diversify their portfolios by investing in property.
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This will help establish a new asset class, and being a quasi debt-equity instrument,
be attractive for risk-averse investors get the twin benefits of yield as well as capital
appreciation.
For developers, it would improve property market transparency, smoothen volatile
property cycles, and potentially lower the cost of capital.
For small investors and institutions, REITs provides an opportunity to invest in
largescale commercial real estate projects which would have otherwise been only
possible for HNIs and wealthy individuals.
Further, tax concessions ensure that dividend payouts are healthy and less impacted
by changes in central tax laws.
35. Solution: b)
The Dutch East India Company was a chartered company established in 1602, when
the States General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out trade
activities in Asia. It is often considered to have been the first multinational corporation in the
world and it was the first company to issue stock. It was a powerful company, possessing
quasi-governmental powers, including the ability to wage war, imprison and execute
convicts, negotiate treaties, strike its own coins, and establish colonies.
36. Solution: d)
Regulation of E-waste in India
Under the "Hazardous waste management rules 1989."
Article 243W - allows state legislatures to make laws on waste management - based
on this Municipal Solid Waste rules framed.
E-waste management rules 2011 - extended producer responsibility; registration of ewaste recyclers - checking parameters; technology; safe handling
Introduced "take back" mechanism for companies to collect e-waste from consumers.
The rationale is the recycling of e-waste.
37. Solution: d)
E-waste related Issues
Some studies estimate that annually 4 lakh tonnes of e-waste is generated in india.
The issue is not just the volume of wastes, but more their toxicity as they contain
mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium and a blend of plastics that are difficult to remove
from the environment. Plus handling them. - nontoxic; carcinogenic; mutogenic;
corrosive; genotoxic effects.
Problem increased due to improper recycling
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The present capacity in India can handle only 10% of the e-waste produced today.
Mostly done by unorganised sector. e.g. Mayapuri incident Delhi - Cobalt 60
radiation
SPCBs do not have mechanisms and capacity to tackle the problem of increasing ewaste. Lack of Integration among agencies.
Leads to Groundwater pollution; esterification of soil; steriles the soil - impotent; biodiversity; damage to heart liver and splee; astahmtic bronchtis by bio-accumulation
38. Solution: b)
The earliest cities in Mesopotamia date back to the bronze age, c.3000 BCE. Bronze is an
alloy of copper and tin. Using bronze meant procuring these metals, often from great
distances. Metal tools were necessary for accurate carpentry, drilling beads, carving stone
seals, cutting shell for inlaid furniture, etc. Mesopotamian weapons were also of bronze.
39. Solution: c)
Reverse SEZs
The proposed reverse SEZs basically involve setting up industries in places where feedstock
(like for chemical industries) is available rather than importing it to India for e.g. Iran and
Myanmar.
It is based on the idea of SEZs only. But the difference is that it will be located abroad.
Benefits to India
As of now, it will be limited to the chemicals and fertilizers sector only.
Already, India is a leading player in the chemicals and fertiliser sector. The vision is
to make it amongst the largest and best to create employment and boost GDP growth
in India.
The industries located in reverse SEZs will be able to source their raw material
without import duty etc. and process it there itself. So, from this the Indian chemical
industry can source its material in a cost-effective manner.
The government has already set up specially delineated investment regions in the
form of PCPIRs (petroleum, chemicals & petrochemicals investment regions) at
Dahej, Gujarat, Visakhapatnam and Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh, Paradip in Orissa
and Cuddalore and Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu.
It will also reduce pollution in India.
It will strengthen economic and diplomatic ties with the nations where reverse SEZs
will be established.
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40. Solution: a)
Following are some of the findings and recommendations contained in the Report of the
National Transport Development Policy Committee
Integrated development of ports, roads, rails etc - Integrated Transport Strategy Road, rail, port, aviation, NE transport, Urban transport
Optimal Model Mix
Develop Small ports - with 5-6 mega ports
Corporatization of Mega port authorities
Focus deep Inland waterways development, especially in NE
Expand PMGSY universally
Provide safety and traffic management as recommended by Sundar committee (road
committee)
International transport communication for NE region
Increase investment in railways 0.8% of GDP in the 12th Plan
Capacity expansion for both freight and passenger traffic
Present thinking is project centric - it should be integrated, developing human
resources; people-centric; with emphasis on NE region.
National level office for transport strategy
With respect to the movement of liquids and gases via pipeline, a National Pipeline
Grid could be established along the lines of the National Electricity Grid
Statutorily and financially empowered Metropolitan Urban Transport Authorities
(MUTAs) to be established at the metropolitan city level.
Bharat IV fuel quality standard should be implemented nationwide by the middle of
this decade, with a target to reach Bharat VI by 2020.
Single unified Ministry to deliver multi-modal transport
Independent regulatory authority with functional and financial autonomy
Legal structure in transport sector must be simplified
41. Solution: d)
FPOs cover organizations from lower tiers of formal cooperative structures in credit,
marketing, dairy and fishery, extending to self-help groups (SHGs), farmer clubs, joint
liability groups (JLGs) and, more recently, to producer companies.
Role in agriculture and poverty alleviation
Small and marginal farmers face several problems:
shrinking land holdings
Getting formal credit;
Difficulty in accessing critical inputs for agriculture such as quality seeds and timely
technical assistance.
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FPOs can help them in the following way:
It is a congregation of small and marginal farmers willing to pool resources and
share risks.
FPOs leave land titles with individual producers and use the strength of collective
planning for production, procurement and marketing.
It adds value to members‘ produce through pooled resources of land and labour,
shared storage space, transportation and marketing facilities.
These improve bargaining power of small farmers.
Most importantly, transacting with a bank in a group like FPO can reduce
transactions costs of banks and buyers to deal them. Moreover, the group acts like
collateral for its members. So it‘s easier to get a loan.
42. Solution: c)
43. Solution: d)
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is an international financial
institution proposed by China. The purpose of the multilateral development bank is to
provide finance to infrastructure projects in the Asia Pacific region. AIIB is regarded by
some as a rival for the IMF, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which
the AIIB says are dominated by developed countries like the United States and Japan.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_Infrastructure_Investment_Bank#Member_countries
Recently the US pressurized its close allies like Japan, Indonesia and Australia not to join the
AIIB. Owing to it, these nations stayed out of the membership.
44. Solution: c)
Bachpan Bachao Andolan
Success
The organization has rescued more than 80,000 children from bondage, trafficking
and exploitative labour
The BBA's Child Friendly Village program (in Hindi, Bal Mitra Gram, or BMG), has
been accepted as a best practice model for development and elimination of child
labour and trafficking.
It has established a immediate rehabilitation centre for rescued children - Mukti
Ashram in Delhi.
It has fought successfully several PILs in the SC.
Recent Campaigns
Child Labour Free India Campaign for total abolition on child labour till the age of 14
yrs
Right to Education Campaign in 2001
Child Domestic Labour campaign
Mukti Caravan (campaign against child trafficking for forced labour)
Missing Children Campaign: biggest ever research undertaken on missing children,
resulting in Supreme Court issuing notice to all states and union territories on
missing children
45. Solution: c)
In Islamic jurisprudence, qiyās is the process of deductive analogy in which the teachings of
the Hadith are compared and contrasted with those of the Qur'an, in order to apply a
known injunction (nass) to a new circumstance and create a new injunction. Here the ruling
of the Sunnah and the Qur'an may be used as a means to solve or provide a response to a
new problem that may arise.
Hadith in Muslim religious use is often translated as prophetic 'traditions', meaning the
corpus of the reports of the teachings, deeds and sayings of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.
The hadith literature was compiled from oral reports that were in circulation in society
around the time of their compilation long after the death of Muhammad. Bukhari's
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collection is considered the most reliable by many traditional religious scholars who are
Sunnis. The Shi'as believe in an entirely separate body of Hadith.
46. Solution: d)
The Newton-Bhabha Fund is a programme which aims to build up strong interdisciplinary
dimension that will further strategise the science, research and innovation cooperation
between the UK and India. For this programme UK will provide 50 million pounds over 5
year‘s period and India will provide similar matched efforts.
Key Features: Newton-Bhabha programme
Joint PhD student mobility programme: It aims to pave the way for the next
generation of researchers in the UK and India to interact with each other and build
long-term R&D linkages and collaborations. This mobility programme will be
administered by British Council India and the Department of Science and
Technology. It will start from March 2015 to sponsor UK and Indian PhD students to
spend a period of their study (3 to 6 months) in Premier Indian and UK
higher education institutions.
New research projects in Mental Health and Substance Abuse: These new projects
will be joint initiative of Medical Research Council (MRC) of UK and Indian Council
of Medical Research (ICMR). ICMR will fund the Indian component for this project
while UK will provide up to 2 million pounds.
Setting up Centres for research in Renewable Energy: These centres will be jointly
co-funded by RCUK Energy programme and Department of Science and Technology
(DST) of India. UK and the Department of Science & Technology of India will
provide support to business-led research and development aimed at tackling societal
challenges.
Centre Partnerships in Cancer Biology, Translational Regenerative Medicines in
Neuroscience and Antimicrobial Resistance: It will be funded jointly up to 7 million
pounds by Medical Research Council (MRC) of UK and Department
of Biotechnology (DBT), India.
47. Solution: d)
The previous KVP was discontinued in 2011. The scheme was very popular among the
investors and the percentage share of gross collections secured in KVP after its launch in
1988 was in the range of 9-29 per cent against the total collections received under
all National Savings Schemes in the country.
Key Features of KVP
Liquidity: Kisan Vikas Patra scheme has unique liquidity feature, where an investor
can encash his certificates after the lock-in period of 2 years and 6 months and
thereafter in any block of six months on pre-determined maturity value.
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Investment feature: The KVP will be available to the investors in the denomination
of 1000, 5000, 10000 and 50000 rupees with no upper ceiling on investment. The
scheme will provide facility of unlimited investment by way of purchase of
certificate from post office in various denominations.
KVP certificates: The certificates can also be issued in single or joint names and can
be transferred from one person to any other person. The investment made in the
certificate will double in 100 months. The facility of transfer from one post office to
another anywhere in India and of nomination will also be available under the
scheme.
Maturity period: With a maturity period of 8 years 4 months, the collections under
the scheme will be available with the Union Government for a fairly long period to
be utilized in financing developmental plans of the Centre and State Governments.
48. Solution: d)
Finance Ministry has declared States of Kerala and Goa, union territories of Chandigarh,
Puducherry and Lakshadweep and three districts of Gujarat- Porbandar, Mehasana,
Gandhinagar as 100 per cent saturated in terms of coverage of all households with at least
one bank account.
According to Finance Ministry
PMJDY so far managed to bring over 5000 crore rupees into the
normal banking system as account holders have started depositing cash. A large
chunk of this money would have been kept at home in the absence of accounts, with
little or no productive use.
According to the initial results, on an average about 80% of the households surveyed
have now got at least one bank account.
49. Solution: d)
In 2000, the process of regional cooperation in energy sector began between SAARC Member
States with the establishment of a Technical Committee on Energy.
Key facts of SAARC Framework Agreement for Energy Cooperation (Electricity)
It will enable greater cooperation in the power sector among SAARC countries.
It is expected to improve the power availability in the entire SAARC region.
It would facilitate integrated operation of the regional power grid among member
States.
Implications of this framework
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This agreement will boost the implementation of common power grid between
SAARC members. Thus help them to share the hydroelectric power generated in
North East India to Bangladesh, Nepal and other countries.
Excess electricity from India and Pakistan can be supplied to electricity
deficient Afghanistan.
Offshore wind projects could be set up in Sri Lanka‘s coastal borders to power
southern part of India and Sri Lanka.
50. Solution: d)
LRSAM is called Barak 8 missile in Israel. Barak is the Hebrew word for Lightning.
It is designed to counter a wide variety of air-borne threats such as anti-ship missiles,
aircraft, UAVs and drones as well as supersonic cruise missiles.
Barak 8 is an advanced, long-range missile defence and air defence system with main
features being:
Long Range
Active Radar Seeker Missile
Vertical Launch
Multiple Simultaneous Engagements.
Importance of LRSAM
LRSAM will be deployed on the newly commissioned INS Kolkata, which had to be
inducted without the weapon system due to delays in testing.
It would also be deployed on other naval ships including recently commissioned INS
Kamrota.
The successful test marked a milestone in bilateral cooperation of the two countries in
developing advanced weapon systems.
51. Solution: a)
Argument 1
India, Pakistan and China have many similarities in their developmental strategies. All the
three nations have started towards their developmental path at the same time.
While India and Pakistan became independent nations in 1947, People‘s Republic of China
was established in 1949.
So Argument 1 is NOT valid.
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Argument 2
India and Pakistan adopted similar strategies such as creating a large public sector and
raising public expenditure on social development.
Till the 1980s, all the three countries had similar growth rates and per capita incomes.
However, china liberalised in 1979 and India did in 1991. From the data in the Economic
survey, it is found that presently India is at the same positions as China was two decades
ago. So the lag correlates with the liberalisation gap. So Argument 2 can possibly explain the
disparity.
52. Solution: a)
After the establishment of People‘s Republic of China under one party rule, all the critical
sectors of the economy, enterprises and lands owned and operated by individuals were
brought under government control.
The Great Leap Forward (GLF) campaign initiated in 1958 aimed at industrialising the
country on a massive scale. People were encouraged to set up industries in their backyards.
In rural areas, communes were started. Under the Commune system, people collectively
cultivated lands. In 1958, there were 26,000 communes covering almost all the farm
population.
53. Solution: d)
The present-day fast industrial growth in China can be traced back to the reforms
introduced in 1978.
China introduced reforms in phases. In the initial phase, reforms were initiated in
agriculture, foreign trade and investment sectors.
In agriculture, for instance, commune lands were divided into small plots which were
allocated (for use not ownership) to individual households. They were allowed to keep all
income from the land after paying stipulated taxes. In the later phase, reforms were initiated
in the industrial sector. Private sector firms, in general, and township and village
enterprises, i.e. those enterprises which were owned and operated by local collectives, in
particular, were allowed to produce goods. At this stage, enterprises owned by government
(known as State Owned Enterprises—SOEs), which we, in India, call public sector
enterprises, were made to face competition.
The reform process also involved dual pricing. This means fixing the prices in two ways;
farmers and industrial units were required to buy and sell fixed quantities of inputs and
outputs on the basis of prices fixed by the government and the rest were purchased and sold
at market prices. Over the years, as production increased, the proportion of goods or inputs
transacted in the market also increased. In order to attract foreign investors, special
economic zones were set up.
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54. Solution: a)
The proportion of workforce engaged in manufacturing in India and Pakistan were low at 19
and 20 per cent respectively. The contribution of industries to GDP is also just equal to or
marginally higher than the output from agriculture. In India and Pakistan, the shift is taking
place directly to the service sector.
Thus, in both India and Pakistan, the service sector is emerging as a major player of
development. It contributes more to GDP and, at the same time, emerges as a prospective
employer.
55. Solution: d)
Balance of Payments (BOP) : It is a statistical statement summarising all the external
transactions (receipts and payments) on current and capital account in which a country is
involved over a period of time, say, a year. As the BOP shows the total assets and
obligations over a time-period, it always balances.
56. Solution: b)
The fiscal deficit is the difference between the government's total expenditure and its total
receipts (excluding borrowing).
The elements of the fiscal deficit are (a) the revenue deficit, which is the difference between
the government‘s current (or revenue) expenditure and total current receipts (that is,
excluding borrowing) and (b) capital expenditure. The fiscal deficit can be financed by
borrowing from the Reserve Bank of India (which is also called deficit financing or money
creation) and market borrowing (from the money market, that is mainly from banks).
Budget deficit: A financial situation that occurs when an entity has more money going out
than coming in. The term "budget deficit" is most commonly used to refer to government
spending rather than business or individual spending. When it refers to federal government
spending, a budget deficit is also known as the "national debt." The opposite of a budget
deficit is a budget surplus, and when inflows are equal to outflows, the budget is said to be
balanced.
57. Solution: a)
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Cascading Effect : When tax imposition leads to a disproportionate rise in prices, i.e. by an
extent more than the rise in the tax, it is known as cascading effect.
http://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2012/03/the-cascading-effect-of-taxation-what-weunderstand-by-it/
http://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/gst-will-remove-cascading-effect-of-leviespranab/article3446952.ece
58. Solution: d)
Invisibles : Various items enter in the current account of the balance of payments, some of
which are not visible goods. Invisibles are mainly services, like tourism, transport by
shipping or by airways, and financial services such as insurance and banking. They also
include gifts sent abroad or received from abroad and private transfer of funds, government
grants and interests, profits and dividends.
59. Solution: a)
Merchant Bankers : Banks or financial institutions, also known as investment bankers, that
specialise in advising the companies and managing their equity and debt requirement (often
referred to as portfolio management) through floatation and sale/purchase of stocks and
bonds.
60. Solution: d)
A macroeconomic strategy enacted by governments and central banks to keep economic
growth stable, along with price levels and unemployment. Ongoing stabilization policy
includes monitoring the business cycle and adjusting benchmark interest rates to control
aggregate demand in the economy. The goal is to avoid erratic changes in total output, as
measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and large changes in inflation; stabilization of
these factors generally leads to moderate changes in the employment rate as well.
In essence, Fiscal and monetary measures adopted to control fluctuations in the balance of
payments and high rate of inflation come under stabilization meaasures.
61. Solution: a)
Long-term measures like liberalisation, deregulation and privatisation aimed to improve the
efficiency and competitiveness of the economy are termed as ‗Structural Reform Policies‘.
For e.g. the 1991 reforms were one of the largest such measures undertaken in the economy.
Even the new government is taking a large number of structural reform measures like
opening up sectors e.g. FDI in defence; FDI in insurance to 49% etc.
62. Solution: a)
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http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=110870
63. Solution: a)
In a market economy, also called capitalism, only those consumer goods will be produced
that are in demand, i.e., goods that can be sold profitably either in the domestic or in the
foreign markets. If cars are in demand, cars will be produced and if bicycles are in demand,
bicycles will be produced. If labour is cheaper than capital, more labour-intensive methods
of production will be used and vice-versa In a capitalist society the goods produced are
distributed among people not on the basis of what people need but on the basis of
Purchasing Power—the ability to buy goods and services.
64. Solution: d)
In a socialist society the government decides what goods are to be produced in accordance
with the needs of society. It is assumed that the government knows what is good for the
people of the country and so the desires of individual consumers are not given much
importance. The government decides how goods are to be produced and how they should
be distributed. In principle, distribution under socialism is supposed to be based on what
people need and not on what they can afford to purchase.
Unlike under capitalism, for example, a socialist nation provides free health care to all its
citizens. Strictly, a socialist society has no private property since everything is owned by the
state. In Cuba and China, for example, most of the economic activities are governed by the
socialistic principles.
65. Solution: a)
At the time of independence ownership of land was concentrated in the hands of a few. This
led to the exploitation of the farmers and was a major hindrance towards the socio-economic
development of the rural population. Equal distribution of land was therefore an area of
focus of Independent India's government, and land reforms were seen as an important pillar
of a strong and prosperous country.
It did not include state purchase and distribution of land. Instead, the surplus land (above
ceiling) was taken from the big landlords and distributed to the poor. It has a limited
success.
Also refer to http://js2012.wordpress.com/why-jansatyagraha-2012/land-reforms-in-india/
66. Solution: d)
Agriculture is a state subject.
APMC act is implemented by the state governments.
http://www.niticentral.com/2014/09/06/apmc-act-amendment-freedom-frommiddlemen-for-farmers-237442.html
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67. Solution: d)
Some economists point out that subsidies do not allow prices to indicate the supply of a
good. When electricity and water are provided at a subsidised rate or free, they will be used
wastefully without any concern for their scarcity. Farmers will cultivate water intensive
crops if water is supplied free, although the water resources in that region may be scarce and
such crops will further deplete the already scarce resources. If water is priced to reflect
scarcity, farmers will cultivate crops suitable to the region. Fertiliser and pesticide subsidies
result in overuse of resources which can be harmful to the environment.
68. Solution: d)
Import substitution is aimed at replacing or substituting imports with domestic production.
For example, instead of importing vehicles made in a foreign country, industries would be
encouraged to produce them in India itself. In this policy the government protected the
domestic industries from foreign competition. Protection from imports took two forms:
tariffs and quotas. Tariffs are a tax on imported goods; they make imported goods more
expensive and discourage their use. Quotas specify the quantity of goods which can be
imported. The effect of tariffs and quotas is that they restrict imports and, therefore, protect
the domestic firms from foreign competition.
The policy of protection is based on the notion that industries of developing countries are
not in a position to compete against the goods produced by more developed economies. It is
assumed that if the domestic industries are protected they will learn to compete in the
course of time. Our planners also feared the possibility of foreign exchange being spent on
import of luxury goods if no restrictions were placed on imports. Nor was any serious
thought given to promote exports until the mid-1980s.
69. Solution: d)
In 1991, India met with an economic crisis relating to its external debt — the government
was not able to make repayments on its borrowings from abroad; foreign exchange
reserves, which we generally maintain to import petrol and other important items, dropped
to levels that were not sufficient for even a fortnight.
Check the BACKGROUND section in Chapter 3 – Indian Economy NCERT 11th.
70. Solution: d)
These reforms were part of the Liberalisation policy undertaken in 1991. For a detailed
discussion on these reforms, refer to Section 3.3 Liberalisation 11th NCERT Indian Economy
71. Solution: d)
Reforms in Agriculture: Reforms have not been able to benefit agriculture, where the
growth rate has been decelerating (till the 10th FYP).
Public investment in agriculture sector especially in infrastructure, which includes
irrigation, power, roads, market linkages and research and extension (which played a crucial
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role in the Green Revolution), has been reduced in the reform period. Further, the removal
of fertiliser subsidy has led to increase in the cost of production, which has severely affected
the small and marginal farmers.
This sector has been experiencing a number of policy changes such as reduction in import
duties on agricultural products, removal of minimum support price and lifting of
quantitative restrictions on agricultural products; these have adversely affected Indian
farmers as they now have to face increased international competition.
Moreover, because of exportoriented policy strategies in agriculture, there has been a shift
from production for the domestic market towards production for the export market focusing
on cash crops in lieu of production of food grains. This puts pressure on prices of food
grains.
72. Solution: d)
Financial Sector Reforms
Financial sector includes financial institutions such as commercial banks, investment banks,
stock exchange operations and foreign exchange market. The financial sector in India is
controlled by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). All the banks and other financial institutions
in India are controlled through various norms and regulations of the RBI. The RBI decides
the amount of money that the banks can keep with themselves, fixes interest rates, nature of
lending to various sectors etc.
One of the major aims of financial sector reforms is to reduce the role of RBI from regulator
to facilitator of financial sector. This means that the financial sector may be allowed to take
decisions on many matters without consulting the RBI.
The reform policies led to the establishment of private sector banks, Indian as well as
foreign.
Foreign investment limit in banks was raised to around 50 per cent.
Those banks which fulfil certain conditions have been given freedom to set up new branches
without the approval of the RBI and rationalise their existing branch networks.
Though banks have been given permission to generate resources from India and abroad,
certain managerial aspects have been retained with the RBI to safeguard the interests of the
accountholders and the nation. Foreign Institutional Investors (FII) such as merchant
bankers, mutual funds and pension funds are now allowed to invest in Indian financial
markets.
73. Solution: c)
Migration is a consequence, not a reason.
Underemployment is a problem of urban areas. This results in getting underpaid – not
causing poverty.
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Seasonal unemployment in agriculture threatens livelihood security.
74. Solution: d)
Problems in determining a uniform poverty line:
Poverty is a state of mind, a situation that people want to escape.
1. Seasonality of poverty
2. Non-distinction b/w antyodaya (poorest of the poor) and the just-above poor. In other
aspects, differentiating between chronic and transient poverty.
3. Many other factors like drinking water, sanitation etc also need to be taken into account
and their prices vary across states and regions
4. Factoring social indicators which lead to poverty
5. Change in the consumption basket over time and increase in prices beyond the levels of
inflation suggest
75. Solution: d)
Basis of methodology of Rangarajan panel on poverty
It adopted different yardsticks to measure poverty to reflect the changes in the Indian
economy
o
Consumption expenditure - food (calorie based); essential non-food like
education, health, clothing, conveyance, house rent etc.
o
Household's ability to save
o
Behaviorally determined expenditure for non-food items
It also introduced the concept of "relative poverty" by picking up for e.g. the bottom
quintile of population or using media consumption expenditure.
Difference from Tendulkar Committee
Stated that poverty in India was greater than suggested by Tendulkar Committee
(22.5%) in 2011-12 from 29.8% in 2009-10
Included fats and proteins too in food items to reflect present dietary habits.
Tendulkar - only calorie
Minimum basket separate for urban and rural areas. Tendulkar had only one basket.
Non-food consumption items were also included for the first time.
76. Solution: a)
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A very detailed and very useful discussion is given in Chapter 4 – Poverty – 11th NCERT –
Economy under the section 4.6 - POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES TOWARDS POVERTY
ALLEVIATION. Please refer to it for a detailed understanding of the evolution of these
approaches.
77. Solution: d)
Just as a country can turn physical resources like land into physical capital like factories,
similarly, it can also turn human resources like students into human capital like engineers
and doctors.
Investment in education is considered as one of the main sources of human capital. There
are several other sources as well. Investments in health, on- thejob training, migration and
information are the other sources of human capital formation.
Freedom of thought and expression is one of the most fundamental factors in quality human
capital creation. It is the foundation of a nation‘s intellect.
78. Solution: d)
The Indian software industry has been showing an impressive record over the past decade.
Entrepreneurs, bureaucrats and politicians are now advancing views about how India can
transform itself into a knowledge-based economy by using information technology (IT).
There have been some instances of villagers using e-mail which are cited as examples of
such transformation. Likewise, e-governance is being projected as the way of the future. The
value of IT depends greatly on the existing level of economic development.
Also refer to basics here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knowledge_economy
79. Solution: c)
Elementary education takes a major share of total education expenditure and the share of
the higher/tertiary education (institutions of higher learning like colleges, polytechnics and
universities) is the least. Though, on an average, the government spends less on tertiary
education, ‗expenditure per student‘ in tertiary education is higher than that of elementary.
This does not mean that financial resources should be transferred from tertiary education to
elementary education. As we expand school education, we need more teachers who are
trained in the higher educational institutions; therefore, expenditure on all levels of
education should be increased.
80. Solution: d)
The Green Revolution was a harbinger of major changes in the credit system as it led to the
diversification of the portfolio of rural credit towards production oriented lending. The
institutional structure of rural banking today consists of a set of multi-agency institutions,
namely, commercial banks, regional rural banks (RRBs), cooperatives and land development
banks. They are expected to dispense adequate credit at cheaperrates. Recently, Self-Help
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Groups (henceforth SHGs) have emerged to fill the gap in the formal credit system because
the formal credit delivery mechanism has not only proven inadequate but has also not been
fully integrated into the overall rural social and community development.
81. Solution: a)
Recently, Self-Help Groups (henceforth SHGs) have emerged to fill the gap in the formal
credit system because the formal credit delivery mechanism has not only proven inadequate
but has also not been fully integrated into the overall rural social and community
development. Since some kind of collateral is required, vast proportion of poor rural
households were automatically out of the credit network. The SHGs promote thrift in small
proportions by a minimum contribution from each member. From the pooled money, credit
is given to the needy members to be repayable in small instalments at reasonable interest
rates.
Such credit provisions are generally referred to as micro-credit programmes. SHGs have
helped in the empowerment of women. It is alleged that the borrowings are mainly confined
to consumption purposes.
82. Solution: a)
In India, after progressive increase in budgetary allocations and introduction of new
technologies in fisheries and aquaculture, the development of fisheries has come a long way.
Presently, fish production from inland sources contributes about 61 per cent to the total fish
production and the balance 39 per cent comes from the marine sector (sea and oceans).
Today total fish production accounts for 0.7 per cent of the total GDP. Among states, Kerala,
Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu are the major producers of marine products.
A large share of fishworker families are poor. Rampant underemployment, low per capita
earnings, absence of mobility of labour to other sectors and a high rate of illiteracy and
indebtedness are some of the major problems fishing community face today.
83. Solution: d)
Organic agriculture offers a means to substitute costlier agricultural inputs (such as HYV
seeds, chemical fertilisers, pesticides etc.) with locally produced organic inputs that are
cheaper and thereby generate good returns on investment.
Organic agriculture also generates income through exports as the demand for organically
grown crops is on a rise. Studies across countries have shown that organically grown food
has more nutritional value than chemical farming thus providing us with healthy foods.
Since organic farming requires more labour input than conventional farming, India will find
organic farming an attractive proposition. Finally, the produce is pesticide-free and
produced in an environmentally sustainable way.
84. Solution: c)
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Blessed with a varying climate and soil conditions, India has adopted growing of diverse
horticultural crops such as fruits, vegetables, tuber crops, flowers, medicinal and aromatic
plants, spices and plantation crops.
These crops play a vital role in providing food and nutrition, besides addressing
employment concerns. The period between 1991-2003 is also called an effort to heralding a
‗Golden Revolution‘ because during this period, the planned investment in horticulture
became highly productive and the sector emerged as a sustainable livelihood option. India
has emerged as a world leader in producing a variety of fruits like mangoes, bananas,
coconuts, cashew nuts and a number of spices and is the second largest producer of fruits
and vegetables.
Flower harvesting, nursery maintenance, hybrid seed production and tissue culture,
propagation of fruits and flowers and food processing are highly remunerative employment
options for women in rural areas.
85. Solution: d)
Casualization of the workforce occurs whenever workers are employed in a casual,
temporary, or otherwise non-permanent and non-full-time capacity. In recent years,
casualization has become an increasingly visible problem, and those workers affected are
often subject to lower pay, barred from their right to join a union, and denied medical and
other benefits. Companies will often hire several part-time workers instead of one or two
full-time workers to avoid their obligation to provide benefits, to divide the workforce, and
to dissuade unionizing efforts.
In India the unorganised sector accounts for 90% of the total workforce and economic
activity.
86. Solution: d)
We classify workforce into two categories: workers in formal and informal sectors, which are
also referred to as organised and unorganised sectors.
All the public sector establishments and those private sector establishments which employ
10 hired workers or more are called formal sector establishments and those who work in
such establishments are formal sector workers.
All other enterprises and workers working in those enterprises form the informal sector.
Thus, informal sector includes millions of farmers, agricultural labourers, owners of small
enterprises and people working in those enterprises as also the self-employed who do not
have any hired workers. It also includes all non-farm casual wage labourers who work for
more than one employer such as construction workers and headload workers.
87. Solution: a)
Disguised unemployment is a situation where more labourers are working in a particular
economic activity than would be normally required.
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High population can be understood as excess of labour supply. More labour will be unable
to find jobs from rural area. So they shift to family or other farms.
Seasonal nature of agricultural work means even the well-off farmers can not employ full tie
labourers. This may contribute to unemployment, not disguised unemployment.
Small land holding size means the farmer can not deploy adequate technology. So labourers
have to be deployed (either from the family or outside). An incorrect estimation of work
based on scientific principles may result in more labourers than what may be required.
88. Solution: d)
A group of religious-minded people in medieval Islam, known as Sufis, sought a deeper and
more personal knowledge of God through asceticism (rahbaniya) and mysticism. The more
society gave itself up to material pursuits and pleasures, the more the Sufis sought to
renounce the world (zuhd) and rely on God alone (tawakkul). In the eighth and ninth
centuries, ascetic inclinations were elevated to the higher stage of mysticism (tasawwuf) by
the ideas of pantheism and love. Pantheism is the idea of oneness of God and His creation
which implies that the human soul must be united with its Maker. Unity with God can be
achieved through an intense love for God (ishq), which the woman-saint Rabia of Basra (d.
891) preached in her poems. Bayazid Bistami (d. 874), an Iranian Sufi, was the first to teach
the importance of submerging the self (fana) in God. Sufis used musical concerts (sama) to
induce ecstasy and stimulate emotions of love and passion.
89. Solution: a)
Faxian visited India in the early fifth century AD. He is said to have walked all the way from
China across icy desert and rugged mountain passes. He entered India from the north-west
and reached Pataliputra. He took back with him Buddhist texts and images sacred to
Buddhism.
Faxian's visit to India occurred during the reign of Chandragupta II. He is also renowned for
his pilgrimage to Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautama Buddha in modern Nepal. Faxian
claimed that demons and dragons were the original inhabitants of Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
90. Solution: d)
Nalanda was an acclaimed Mahāvihāra, a large Buddhist monastery in
ancient Magadha (modern-day Bihar), India. The site is located about 95 kilometres
southeast of Patna, and was a religious centre of learning from the fifth century CE to c. 1197
CE.[3][4] Historians often characterize Nalanda as a university.
Nalanda flourished under the patronage of the Gupta Empire as well as emperors
like Harsha and later, the rulers of the Pala Empire. At its peak, the school attracted scholars
and students from as far away as Tibet, China, Korea, and Central Asia. It was ransacked
and destroyed by an army of the Muslim Mamluk Dynasty under Bakhtiyar Khilji in c. 1197
CE.
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The Tang Dynasty Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang left detailed accounts of the school in the 7th
century. He described how the regularly laid-out towers, forest of pavilions, harmikas and
temples seemed to "soar above the mists in the sky" so that from their cells the monks "might
witness the birth of the winds and clouds." The pilgrim states: "An azure pool winds around
the monasteries, adorned with the full-blown cups of the blue lotus; the dazzling red flowers
of the lovely kanaka hang here and there, and outside groves of mango trees offer the
inhabitants their dense and protective shade."
91. Solution: b)
92. Solution: c)
Zahir-ud-din Muhammad Babur was a conqueror from Central Asia who, following a
series of setbacks, finally succeeded in laying the basis for the Mughal dynasty in the Indian
Subcontinent and became the first Mughal emperor. He was a direct descendant of Timur,
from the Barlas clan, through his father, and also a descendant of Genghis Khan through his
mother. Culturally, he was greatly influenced by the Persian culture and this affected both
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his own actions and those of his successors, giving rise to a significant expansion of
the Persianate ethos in the Indian subcontinent.
93. Solution: b)
Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) was a self-taught man who sought adventure and glory.
Believing in prophecies, he was convinced that his destiny lay in discovering a route to the
East (the ‗Indies‘) by sailing westwards. He was inspired by reading Imago Mundi (a work
on astronomy and geography) by Cardinal Pierre d‘Ailly written in 1410. He submitted his
plans to the Portuguese Crown, only to have them turned down. He had better luck with the
Spanish authorities who sanctioned a modest expedition that set sail from the port of Palos
on 3 August 1492. Nothing, however, prepared Columbus and his crew for the long Atlantic
crossing that they embarked upon, or for the destination that awaited them.
The fleet was small, consisting of a small nao called Santa Maria, and two caravels (small
light ships) named Pinta and Nina. Columbus himself commanded the Santa Maria along
with 40 capable sailors. The outward journey enjoyed fair trade winds but was long. For 33
days, the fleet sailed without sight of anything but sea and sky. By this time, the crew
became restive and some of them demanded that they turn back.
On 12 October 1492, they sighted land; they had reached what Columbus thought was
India, but which was the island of Guanahani in the Bahamas. (It is said that this name was
given by Columbus, who described the Islands as surrounded by shallow seas, baja mar in
Spanish.) They were welcomed by the Arawaks, who were happy to share their food and
provisions; in fact, their generosity made a deep impression upon Columbus. As he wrote in
his log-book, ‗They are so ingenuous and free with all they have, that no one would believe
it who has not seen of it, anything they possess, if it be asked of them, they never say no, on
the contrary, they invite you to share it and show as much love as if their hearts went with
it‘.
94. Solution: d)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aryabhata#Astronomy
95. Solution: b)
The Portuguese occupation of Brazil occurred by accident. In 1500, a grand procession of
ships set out from Portugal for India, headed by Pedro Alvares Cabral. To avoid stormy
seas, he made a wide loop around West Africa, and found to his surprise that he had
reached the coast of present-day Brazil. As it happened, this eastern part of South America
was within the section assigned on the map to Portugal by the Pope, so they regarded it as
indisputably theirs.
The Portuguese were more eager to increase their trade with western India than with Brazil,
which did not promise any gold. But there was one natural resource there which they
exploited: timber. The brazilwood tree, after which the Europeans named the region,
produced a beautiful red dye. The natives readily agreed to cut the trees and carry the logs
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to the ships in exchange for iron knives and saws, which they regarded as marvels. (‘For one
sickle, knife or comb [they] would bring loads of hens, monkeys, parrots, honey, wax, cotton
thread and whatever else these poor people had‘.)
96. Solution: c)
The Meiji Restoration also known as the Meiji Ishin, Renovation, Revolution, Reform,
or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868
under Emperor Meiji. Although there were emperors of Japan before the Meiji Restoration,
the restoration established the practical abilities and consolidated the political system under
the Emperor of Japan. The goals of the restored government were expressed by the new
emperor in the Charter Oath. The Restoration led to enormous changes in Japan's political
and social structure, and spanned both the late Edo period (often called Late Tokugawa
shogunate) and the beginning of the Meiji period. The period spanned from 1868 to 1912 and
was responsible for the emergence of Japan as a modernized nation in the early twentieth
century.
97. Solution: c)
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-develops-new-tactical-missilePragati/articleshow/24882453.cms
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prahaar_(missile)
98. Solution: a)
The Government has revived the Varishta Pension Bima Yojana (VPBY) scheme for the
benefit of senior citizens aged 60 years and above. The scheme is being administered
through Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and will remain open for a period of one
year from 15th August, 2014 to 14th August, 2015.
Under the scheme, all those who will subscribe to the VPBY during this period, will
receive a pension linked to an assured guaranteed return of 9% on the lump sum
contribution under the Yojana. The Salient features of the scheme are as under:
·
The scheme provides pension in the form of immediate annuity during the lifetime of
the pensioner with return of purchase price to the family/nominee on his/her death.
·
The mode of payment of pension can be monthly, quarterly, half-yearly or yearly.
·
The pension payment shall be through ECS or NEFT.
·
The minimum pension that can be subscribed to will be Rs. 500/- per month, Rs.
1500/- per quarter, Rs. 3000/- per half-year or Rs. 6000/- per year.
·
The maximum pension that can be subscribed to will be Rs. 5,000/- per month, Rs.
15,000/- per quarter, Rs. 30,000/- per half-year or Rs. 60,000/- per year.
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·
A lump sum purchase price for the desired pension shall be paid by the subscriber
under the scheme. The minimum and maximum purchase price for different modes of
pension corresponding to the maximum/minimum pensions given above will be a under:
99. Solution: c)
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=111998
100.
Solution: a)
Opium was first introduced to China by Turkish and Arab traders in the late 6th or early 7th
century. Taken orally to relieve tension and pain, the drug was used in limited quantities
until the 17th century, when the practice of smoking tobacco spread from North America to
China. The smoking of opium soon became popular throughout China; opium addiction
increased, and opium importations grew rapidly. By 1729 it had become such a problem that
the Yung-cheng emperor (ruled 1722–35) prohibited the sale and smoking of opium. This
failed to hamper thetrade, and in 1796 the Chia-ch‘ing emperor outlawed opium
importation and cultivation. In spite of such decrees, however, the opium trade continued to
flourish.
Early in the 18th century the Portuguese found that they could import opium from India
and sell it in China at a considerable profit. By 1773 the British had discovered the trade, and
that year they became the leading suppliers of the Chinese market. The British East India
Companyestablished a monopoly on opium cultivation in the Indian province of Bengal,
where they developed a method of growing opium poppies cheaply and abundantly. Other
Western nations also joined in the trade, including the United States, which dealt in Turkish
as well as Indian opium.
Britain and other European nations undertook the opium trade because of their chronic
trade imbalance with China. There was tremendous demand in Europe for Chinese tea,
silks, and porcelain pottery, but there was correspondingly little demand in China for
Europe‘s manufactured goods and other trade items. Consequently, Europeans had to pay
for Chinese products with gold or silver. The opium trade, which created a steady demand
among Chinese addicts for opium imported by the West, solved this chronic trade
imbalance.
The East India Company did not carry the opium itself but, because of the Chinese ban,
farmed it out to ―country traders‖—i.e., private traders licensed by the company to take
goods from India to China. The country traders sold the opium to smugglers along the
Chinese coast. The gold and silver the traders received from these sales were then turned
over to the East India Company. In China the company used the gold and silver it received
to purchase goods that could be sold profitably in England.
The amount of opium imported into China increased from around 200 chests a year in 1729
to about 1,000 chests in 1767 and to around 10,000 a year between 1820 and 1830. By 1838 the
amount had grown to some 40,000 chests imported into China annually. The balance of
payments for the first time began to run against China and in favour of Britain.
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1. Solution: a)
http://www.popsci.com/article/technology/why-blue-led-worth-nobel-prize
2. Solution: d)
ITER is an experimental Fusion Reactor being constructed presently in France for future
production of electricity from fusion energy. ITER is expected to produce at least ten times
more energy than the energy required to operate it. In future demo or commercial reactors
based on fusion, this energy can be converted to electricity. Nuclear energy based on fusion
may end energy crisis of the world and would revolutionize the energy scenario.
3. Solution: b)
MAVEN is the first spacecraft that will focus primarily on the state of the upper atmosphere,
the processes that control it, and the overall atmospheric loss that is currently occurring.
Specifically, MAVEN will explore the processes through which the top of the Martian
atmosphere can be lost to space. Scientists think that this loss could be important in
explaining the changes in the climate of Mars that have occurred over the last four billion
years.
MAVEN's data is specialized and of interest to smaller groups of researchers, but the project
fits one of NASA's "Big Questions" - specifically understanding how life developed on Earth.
Studying the atmosphere of Mars should provide insights to researchers interested in the
evolution of Earth's atmosphere.
4. Solution: d)
Compulsory licensing is when a government allows someone else to produce the
patented product or process without the consent of the patent owner. It is one of the
flexibilities on patent protection included in the WTO‘s agreement on intellectual
property — the TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights)
Agreement.
The mechanism of CL is essentially about balancing patent rights with access to
medicine. The words ―social and economic welfare,‖ ―public health,‖ ―national
emergency‖ and ―public health problems/crises‖ used in the Act are all pointers to
the CL provisions being centred around access to medicine.
5. Solution: d)
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an ecosystem approach to crop production and
protection that combines different management strategies and practices to grow
healthy crops and minimize the use of pesticides.
Integrated pest management (IPM) is a broad based approach that integrates a range
of practices for control of pests.
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Significance
IPM programs use current, comprehensive information on the life cycles of pests and
their interaction with the environment.
This information, in combination with available pest control methods, is used to
manage pest damage by the most economical means, and with the least possible
hazard to people, property, and the environment.
IPM is used in agriculture, horticulture, human habitations, and preventive
conservation.
Globalization and increased mobility open allow increasing numbers of invasive
species to cross national borders.IPM poses the least risks while maximizing benefits
and reducing costs.
6. Solution: a)
Primate, in zoology, any mammal of the group that includes
the lemurs, lorises, tarsiers, monkeys, apes, and humans. The order Primates, with its 300 or
more species, is the third most diverse order of mammals, after rodents (Rodentia)
and bats (Chiroptera). Although there are some notable variations between some primate
groups, they share several anatomic and functional characteristics reflective of their common
ancestry. When compared with body weight, the primate brain is larger than that of other
terrestrial mammals, and it has a fissure unique to primates (the Calcarine sulcus) that
separates the first and second visual areas on each side of the brain. Whereas all other
mammals have claws or hooves on their digits, only primates have flat nails. Some primates
do have claws, but even among these there is a flat nailon the big toe (hallux). In all primates
except humans, the hallux diverges from the other toes and together with them forms a
pincer capable of grasping objects such as branches. Not all primates have similarly dextrous
hands; only the catarrhines (Old World monkeys, apes, and humans) and a few of the
lemurs and lorises have an opposable thumb.
7. Solution: a)
Trap crops are grown to attract insects or other organisms to protect main crops from pest
attack. Protection may be achieved either by preventing the pests from reaching the crop or
by concentrating them in certain parts of the field where they can be destroyed.
The principle of trap cropping rests on the fact that virtually all pests show a distinct
preference to a certain crop stage.
They are used in Integrated Pest Management.
8. Solution: d)
Pentavalent vaccine was launched recently under the National Immunisation Programme.
This one single vaccine shot will provide protection to infants from five life-threatening
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ailments, including Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus (DPT), Hepatitis B and Hib (Haemophilus
influenza type b).
This is the most significant step in entire vaccination history in India.
It would ensure that all children are being provided with immunization for all five
lethal diseases in single vaccination and that too more conveniently.
9. Solution: d)
Digital India is a Programme to prepare India for a knowledge future.
It is an Umbrella Programme – covering many departments.
It weaves together a large number of ideas and thoughts into a single,
comprehensive vision so that each of them is seen as part of a larger goal.
Each individual element stands on its own. But is also part of the larger
picture.
It is coordinated by DeitY, implemented by the entire government.
The weaving together makes the Mission transformative in totality
10. Solution: d)
What is green shield?
Mangroves are called green shield as they buffer the coastline against sea erosion
and devastating effects of cyclones and tsunami.
Since estuarine areas are highly populated areas, the slightest ecological imbalance
will take a heavy toll. They play a vital role in stabilizing these areas.
Importance of Mangroves:
Mangroves are buffers between the land and the sea. Coastlines throughout the
world are facing serious problems of coastal erosion and threat of rising sea levels
due to global warming has increased the threats by several folds. To control such
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assault of the sea on land the nature has provided what is called as Mangroves, a
tropical littoral ecosystem which is more dynamic than the sea itself.
Mangroves not only help in preventing soil erosion but also act as a catalyst in
reclaiming land from seas. This is a very unique phenomenon, since there is a
general tendency of water to engulf land.
Mangrove forests and estuaries are the breeding and nursery grounds for a number
of marine organisms including the commercially important shrimp, crab and fish
species. Hence, loss of mangroves not only affects us indirectly but there are direct
economic repercussions through loss of fishing industry.
In many coastal areas including Gulf of Kutch, mangroves are a substitute for fodder.
Thus mangroves reduce pressures from the scarce pasturelands.
Above all, Mangroves are now looked after by scientists as saviors in the today's
scenario of global warming. We all know that most of the coastal areas throughout
the world are going to be affected by sea level rise due to global warming. The effects
of which are already visible. Therefore, when most of the coastal areas will be
flooded, mangroves can possibly provide a gene bank for cultivating salt tolerant
species of crops that could be our future resource.
11. Solution: a)
Drought declaration has various socio-economic impacts in India. Indian
Meteorological Department (IMD) is entrusted with the task of drought declaration.
Despite of having a number of socio-economic fallouts, however, it is still a purely
geo-technical decision in India and IMD is the only authority in this regard.
IMD defines a drought year as one with more than 10% deficient rainfall for a long
period average and more than 20% of agricultural area being hit.
Meteorological Drought: Occurs when the seasonal rainfall is deficient more than
10% for long period average.
Moderate Drought: Rainfall deficit is in the range 25-50 %
Severe Drought: Rainfall deficit exceeds 50% of the normal rainfall.
However, for policy making purposes, only following two types of droughts are
concerned.
Agricultural Drought: Agricultural drought is the most significant drought category
about which policymakers and farmers concerned most. When a period of four
consecutive weeks with rainfall deficiency more than 50% or weekly rainfall less
than 5mm from mid-May to mid-October, a period when more than 80% of Kharif
crops are sown, are occurred, ‗agricultural drought‘ year is declared by IMD.
Hydrological Drought: it is defined as deficiencies in surface and sub-surface water
supplies leading to lack of water for normal and specific water needs.
12. Solution: d)
Wi-Fi backsetter technology is a novel invention in the field of Information Technology
(IT) that enables battery free devices to connect a network through existing wi-fi signals.
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It essentially solves the power problem for battery less devices regarding to connecting a
network.
Backsetter Wi-Fi technique has been seen as the first revolutionary step towards
realization of ‘Internet of Things (IoT)’. This technique will not only be helpful to take
off the network of things but will broaden the base of such networks, as the billions
battery-less devices could also be connected to a network through a optional source of
power. This is indeed very first of its kind.
13. Solution: c)
Two lines of evidence suggest an African origin for hominids. First, it is the group of African
apes that are most closely related to hominids. Second, the earliest hominid fossils, which
belong to the genus Australopithecus, have been found in East Africa and date back to about
5.6 mya. In contrast, fossils found outside Africa are no older than 1.8 million years.
14. Solution: d)
A supercomputer is a computer with great speed and memory. This kind of computer can
do jobs faster than any other computer of its generation. They are usually thousands of times
faster than ordinary personal computers made at that time. Supercomputers can
do arithmetic jobs very fast, so they are used for weather forecasting, code-breaking, genetic
analysis and other jobs that need many calculations.
India has always strived to be technologically advanced in all aspects. Building of
supercomputers is no exception. PARAM, PARAMYUVA-2 etc are some of the
examples of supercomputers built by India for various purposes, like -
Precise weather forecasting, especially in times where frequent occurrence of natural
hazards is devastating.
Tapping of natural resources, like the KG basin sea fields.
Designing of complicated drugs.
Quantum mechanics and modeling etc
15. Solution: c)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intercontinental_ballistic_missile
See introduction Only.
About India’s ICBM Programme
The Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme is an initiative to develop and
deploy a multi-layered ballistic missile defense system to protect India from ballistic
missile attacks.
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Introduced in light of the ballistic missile threat from Pakistan and China, it is a
double-tiered system consisting of two interceptor missiles, namely the Prithvi Air
Defence (PAD) missile for high altitude interception, and the Advanced Air Defence
(AAD) Missile for lower altitude interception.
16. Solution: d)
RFID (radio frequency identification) has likewise been around for decades. However, RFID
tends to require more technological hand-holding. RFID involves applying RFID tags to
items or boxes or pallets. Tags vary greatly in size, shape and capabilities, but one example
is pictured below. The tag with its small antenna emits a radio frequency signal that is
picked up and read by a special wireless RFID reader, conveying information from the tag
about the item it is affixed to.
Uses
RFID is adaptable to many of the same uses that barcodes are good for. But RFID is
especially useful in situations where vast quantities of goods must be moved or
tracked, or where tracking of item-specific information is necessary.
RFID has been mandated by some customers, such as Wal-Mart and the Department
of Defense, to track the vast quantities of items they require in their supply chains
and to supply much more detailed information. In such situations, RFID may be able
to do it more quickly, effectively and efficiently than barcodes.
RFID tags will enable the Motor Vehicles Department and the other law-enforcers to
easily trace the location of a vehicle, its expected time of arrival, locate vehicles
during incidents like theft and to enable hassle-free movement through the check
posts.
17. Solution: a)
A hologram is a physical structure that diffracts light into an image. The term ‗hologram‘
can refer to both the encoded material and the resulting image.
A holographic image can be seen by looking into an illuminated holographic print or by
shining a laser through a hologram and projecting the image onto a screen.
Holography is a two stage process. The first stage is recording of hologram in the form of
interference pattern and in the second stage, the hologram acts as a diffraction grating for
the reconstruction beam and the image of the object is reconstructed for the hologram.
To understand the process check the sub-heading ―How holography works‖
http://holocenter.org/what-is-holography
18. Solution: d)
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Meghraj is the name given to the initiative of Government of India for its new program
which is going to take advantage of the Cloud Computing. Meghraj is just a name coined for
the purpose (Megh=Cloud, Raj=Rule i.e. Rule of Cloud Computing)
Another name for Meghraj is the GI Cloud Initiative.
It will enable the government to leverage cloud computing for effective delivery of eservices.
Components of Governments Cloud Computing:
Five essential characteristics (viz. on-demand self service, ubiquitous network access,
metered use, elasticity and resource pooling)
Three service models (infrastructure as a service, platform as a service and software
as a service)
Four deployment models (public cloud, private cloud, community cloud and hybrid
cloud)
19. Solution: b)
Olduvai Gorge or Oldupai Gorge in Tanzania is one of the most important
paleoanthropological sites in the world and has been instrumental in furthering the
understanding of early human evolution. This site was occupied by Homo habilis
approximately 1.9 million years ago, Paranthropus boisei 1.8 million years ago, and Homo
erectus 1.2 million years ago. Homo sapiens is dated to have occupied the site 17,000 years
ago. Olduvai Gorge is a steep-sided ravine in the Great Rift Valley that stretches through
eastern Africa. It is in the eastern Serengeti Plains in Arusha Region, Tanzania and is about
48 km (30 mi) long. It is located 45 km (28 mi) from the Laetoli archaeological site.
This site is significant in showing increased developmental and social complexities in
hominins. Evidence of this is shown in the production and use of stone tools, which
indicates the increase in cognitive capacities. Evidence also indicates the practices of both
scavenging and hunting, which are highlighted by the evidence of gnaw marks predating
cut marks, and comparisons on percentages of meat versus plant in the early hominid diet.
Furthermore, the collection of tools and animal remains in a central area is evidence of
increases in social interaction and communal activity.
20. Solution: d)
Near Field Communications (NFC) is a short-range wireless connectivity technology
that provides intuitive, simple and safe communication between electronic devices.
Communication occurs when two NFC-compatible devices are brought within four
centimetres of each other.
NFC operates at 13.56 Mhz and transfers data at up to 424 Kbits/ second. Because
the transmission range is short, the transactions are inherently secure.
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NFC is an upgrade of the existing proximity card standard (RFID) that combines the
interface of a smartcard and a reader into a single device. It allows users to
seamlessly share content between digital devices, pay bills wirelessly or even use
their cellphone as an electronic traveling ticket on existing contactless infrastructure
already in use for public transportation.
In India too, an NFC-enabled payment App was announced at the launch of
Blackberry‘s new Z10 mobile phone in February. PVR Cinemas launched what is
arguably the first commercial NFC-enabled payment App for the Blackberry10
platform that enables Z10 users to pay for their tickets across 15 of its theatre
complexes after topping up their Apps with their credit card accounts
Recently SBI and Mother Dairy launched ‗SmartChange Card‘ that works on Near
Field Communication.
E-commerce and E-payment systems in India are gaining ground with the
proliferation of NFC networks.
21. Solution: a)
Pusa Hydrogel is a product for increasing agricultural productivity primarily
through improvement in use efficiency of water. The technology includes bench scale
process for its production along with the concomitant use package under diverse
agricultural situations.
It is a granular product developed by IARI Delhi currently promoted by Ministry of
Agriculture. During irrigation the gel absorbs water like a sponge and during dry
periods releases it to the soil for plants.
Significance
Effective in soil for a minimum period of one crop season
Improves physical properties of soils and the soil less media
Improves seed germination and the rate of seedling emergence
Reduces leaching of agro-inputs such as herbicides and fertilizers
Reduces irrigation and fertigation requirements of crops
Reduces nursery establishment period
Helps plants withstand extended moisture stress
22. Solution: a)
A bioreactor may refer to any manufactured or engineered device or system that
supports a biologically active environment. In one case, a bioreactor is a vessel in
which a chemical process is carried out which
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involves organisms or biochemically active substances derived from such organisms.
This process can either be aerobic or anaerobic. These bioreactors are commonly
cylindrical, ranging in size from litres to cubic metres, and are often made of stainless
steel.
There are a number of types of bioreactors, and they are used for a variety of
purposes, from processing solid waste to manufacturing pharmaceuticals.
Advantages
Bioreactors are also used to promote growth, as for example in the production of
tissue cultures, or the cultivation of specific fungi utilized in pharmaceuticals.
Bioreactors could potentially be used to produce energy, or to grow tissue and bone
grafts.
Conversion of organic waste such as compost or solid waste is a common application
for bioreactors.
Chemical production can rely heavily on bioreactors, depending on the compounds
being manufactured, as can large-scale processing of compost and yard waste for
municipalities.
Recently scientists have developed a new kind of photobioreactor called as
Environmental Photobioreactor [ePBR]
The system produces oil [alternative energy source] by using algae.
23. Solution: b)
Homo is a Latin word, meaning ‗man‘, although there were women as well! Scientists
distinguish amongst several types of Homo. The names assigned to these species are derived
from what are regarded as their typical characteristics. So fossils are classified as Homo
habilis (the tool maker), Homo erectus (the upright man), and Homo sapiens (the wise or
thinking man). Fossils of Homo habilis have been discovered at Omo in Ethiopia and at
Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania.
The earliest fossils of Homo erectus have been found both in Africa and Asia: Koobi Fora,
and west Turkana, Kenya, Modjokerto and Sangiran, Java. As the finds in Asia belong to a
later date than those in Africa, it is likely that hominids migrated from East Africa to
southern and northern Africa, to southern and north-eastern Asia, and perhaps to Europe,
some time between 2 and 1.5 mya. This species survived for nearly a million years.
24. Solution: c)
As many as 12 women died because of rat poisoning when state run sterilization program
failed in Chattisgarh. This raises a social issue where, as part of family planning program,
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India is resorting to forced sterilization method that is mostly targeted against poor women
barring men, because sterilization of men is a socially unacceptable thing in India.
Read the Gist only http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sterilization_%28medicine%29
25. Solution: d)
There are five criteria’s for the Special Category States
Terrain = Difficult/Hilly
Population density = Low or tribal population= High
National Security due to strategic concern Like J& K / bordering strategic
international borders
Economic & Infrastructural Backwardness
Financial Situation= Non viable
Till now, eleven states have been awarded SCS and six are demanding it as Bihar.
Granted by National Development Council
Why given?
The main reason behind this categorization is the development of that particular
state where there are many problems due to hilly terrains, international borders and
strategic interests. Overall social and economic development cannot be done just as
other states.
What are the benefits?
Tax benefits, Corporate Tax Waiver, Excise Duty Waiver
90% funding for all Centrally sponsored schemes
Devolved funds under National Central assistance
26. Solution: b)
Developing the oil and gas sector needs huge investment. Therefore, the government invites
private companies under PPP to invest in oil and gas blocks along with providing
technology; and reap benefits.
There are two models that are followed worldwide a. Production-sharing model
b. Revenue Sharing Model
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India has recently shifted from a to b model on the recommendations of the
Rangarajan panel in New gas and exploration policy.
Production Sharing model
As per the model, OEGCs will first develop oil and gas fields. They will then first
recover their investment and operating expenditure. Then they will share profits
with the government.
Revenue Sharing model
OGECs will develop the oil and gas fields.
But the revenue will be shared between the government and OGECs from the first
batch of production of the oil and gas itself (irrespective of cost recovery or not). It
will be on the basis of level of output in the block, not on the level of investment.
Positives of the model
More transparent and less intervention of CAG and the government.
OEGCs will not be able to hoard or tamper with the production of oil and gas. So
cost recovery will be easier.
If the price of oil or gas increases, it will lead to a gain for both the OEGCs and the
government.
Therefore, Kelkar committee was of the view that the RSC should be followed only
for shallow and on-land blocks which have less risk. For deep-sea explorations, PSC
should be followed.
27. Solution: a)
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=112034
28. Solution: a)
India‘s leading hydro power generator National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) is
planning to set up a 50 MW solar photovoltaic project over the water bodies in the southern
state of Kerala.
Beneficial due to:
Saves land
More yield
Saves water
The ecology of the water body is not likely to be affected much and it will also reduce
evaporation, thus helping preserve water levels during extreme summer. Solar panels
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installed on land, face reduction of yield as the ground heats up. When such panels are
installed on a floating platform, the heating problem is solved to a great extent.
29. Solution: d)
GreenSeeker
is a handheld gadget that works as a crop sensor.
The sensor emits brief bursts of red and infrared light.
By measuring the amount of each type of light that is reflected back from the plant,
the device can calculate and display the health of the crop.
Also, the farmer can use it to assess how much nitrogen the soil needs in each section
of land.
30. Solution: c)
The Hadza, or Hadzabe, are an ethnic group in north-central Tanzania, living around Lake
Eyasi in the central Rift Valley and in the neighboring Serengeti Plateau. The Hadza number
just under 1,000. Some 300–400 Hadza live as hunter-gatherers, much as their ancestors have
for thousands or even tens of thousands of years; they are the last full-time hunter-gatherers
in Africa.
31. Solution: a)
IndARC
Scientists predict that melting of the Arctic glaciers will trigger changes in weather
patterns and ocean currents that could affect other parts of the world. The interaction
between the Arctic ice shelf and the deep sea and its influence on climate shift requires
detailed studies over an annual seasonal cycle.
Therefore, IndARC, the country‘s first underwater moored observatory, has been
deployed in the Kongsfjorden fjord, half way between Norway and the North Pole.
It will collect real- time data on seawater temperature, salinity, ocean currents and other
vital parameters of the fjord.
So, it is expected that it will help scientists understand the Arctic climate process and its
influence on the Indian monsoon system.
It represents a major milestone in India‘s scientific endeavours in the Arctic region.
32. Solution: a)
IISc has developed a molecular "sniffer dog" to detect explosives.
They have created a highly sensitive fluorescent polymer that scouts out a class of
commonly used explosives.
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TNT and other nitroaromatic compounds, which are used in a cocktail of chemicals in
landmines and plastic explosive devices, release vapours that ‗quench‘ the polymers,
reducing their glow.
While the drop in fluorescence is not visible to the naked eye, it is visually sensed and
interpreted by a high resolution spectrometer.
33. Solution: a)
Cosmic inflation refers to the idea that the cosmos experienced an exponential growth spurt
in its first trillionth, of a trillionth of a trillionth of a second. This theory holds that this
would have taken the infant universe from something unimaginably small to something
about the size of a marble. Space has continued to expand for the nearly 14 billion years
since.
Inflation was first proposed in the early 1980s to explain some aspects of the Big Bang
Theory that appeared to not quite add up, such as why deep space looks broadly the same
on all sides of the sky.
The theory came with a very specific prediction - that it would be associated with waves of
gravitational energy, and that these ripples in the fabric of space would leave an indelible
mark on the oldest light in the sky - the famous Cosmic Microwave Background.
The theory is in news because of the recent findings of BICEP2, which announced the
detection of a distinct signature of cosmic gravitational waves, possibly originating during
an explosive phase of expansion dubbed inflation, occurring at the earliest moments after
the big bang.
Discovery of gravitational waves, it is significant for two reasons.
First, this opens up a whole new way of studying the Universe, allowing scientists to infer
the processes at work that produced the waves.
Second, it proves a hypothesis called inflation. This can be used to give us information
about the origin of the universe, known as the big bang.
Gravitation waves are nothing but the waves that carry energy across the Universe.
34. Solution: d)
REITS:
Just as mutual funds do with equity and debt, REITs will pool money from investors
and invest them in income-generating (rental assets) and infrastructure offering them
a way to diversify their portfolios by investing in property.
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This will help establish a new asset class, and being a quasi debt-equity instrument,
be attractive for risk-averse investors get the twin benefits of yield as well as capital
appreciation.
For developers, it would improve property market transparency, smoothen volatile
property cycles, and potentially lower the cost of capital.
For small investors and institutions, REITs provides an opportunity to invest in
largescale commercial real estate projects which would have otherwise been only
possible for HNIs and wealthy individuals.
Further, tax concessions ensure that dividend payouts are healthy and less impacted
by changes in central tax laws.
35. Solution: b)
The Dutch East India Company was a chartered company established in 1602, when
the States General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out trade
activities in Asia. It is often considered to have been the first multinational corporation in the
world and it was the first company to issue stock. It was a powerful company, possessing
quasi-governmental powers, including the ability to wage war, imprison and execute
convicts, negotiate treaties, strike its own coins, and establish colonies.
36. Solution: d)
Regulation of E-waste in India
Under the "Hazardous waste management rules 1989."
Article 243W - allows state legislatures to make laws on waste management - based
on this Municipal Solid Waste rules framed.
E-waste management rules 2011 - extended producer responsibility; registration of ewaste recyclers - checking parameters; technology; safe handling
Introduced "take back" mechanism for companies to collect e-waste from consumers.
The rationale is the recycling of e-waste.
37. Solution: d)
E-waste related Issues
Some studies estimate that annually 4 lakh tonnes of e-waste is generated in india.
The issue is not just the volume of wastes, but more their toxicity as they contain
mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium and a blend of plastics that are difficult to remove
from the environment. Plus handling them. - nontoxic; carcinogenic; mutogenic;
corrosive; genotoxic effects.
Problem increased due to improper recycling
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The present capacity in India can handle only 10% of the e-waste produced today.
Mostly done by unorganised sector. e.g. Mayapuri incident Delhi - Cobalt 60
radiation
SPCBs do not have mechanisms and capacity to tackle the problem of increasing ewaste. Lack of Integration among agencies.
Leads to Groundwater pollution; esterification of soil; steriles the soil - impotent; biodiversity; damage to heart liver and splee; astahmtic bronchtis by bio-accumulation
38. Solution: b)
The earliest cities in Mesopotamia date back to the bronze age, c.3000 BCE. Bronze is an
alloy of copper and tin. Using bronze meant procuring these metals, often from great
distances. Metal tools were necessary for accurate carpentry, drilling beads, carving stone
seals, cutting shell for inlaid furniture, etc. Mesopotamian weapons were also of bronze.
39. Solution: c)
Reverse SEZs
The proposed reverse SEZs basically involve setting up industries in places where feedstock
(like for chemical industries) is available rather than importing it to India for e.g. Iran and
Myanmar.
It is based on the idea of SEZs only. But the difference is that it will be located abroad.
Benefits to India
As of now, it will be limited to the chemicals and fertilizers sector only.
Already, India is a leading player in the chemicals and fertiliser sector. The vision is
to make it amongst the largest and best to create employment and boost GDP growth
in India.
The industries located in reverse SEZs will be able to source their raw material
without import duty etc. and process it there itself. So, from this the Indian chemical
industry can source its material in a cost-effective manner.
The government has already set up specially delineated investment regions in the
form of PCPIRs (petroleum, chemicals & petrochemicals investment regions) at
Dahej, Gujarat, Visakhapatnam and Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh, Paradip in Orissa
and Cuddalore and Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu.
It will also reduce pollution in India.
It will strengthen economic and diplomatic ties with the nations where reverse SEZs
will be established.
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40. Solution: a)
Following are some of the findings and recommendations contained in the Report of the
National Transport Development Policy Committee
Integrated development of ports, roads, rails etc - Integrated Transport Strategy Road, rail, port, aviation, NE transport, Urban transport
Optimal Model Mix
Develop Small ports - with 5-6 mega ports
Corporatization of Mega port authorities
Focus deep Inland waterways development, especially in NE
Expand PMGSY universally
Provide safety and traffic management as recommended by Sundar committee (road
committee)
International transport communication for NE region
Increase investment in railways 0.8% of GDP in the 12th Plan
Capacity expansion for both freight and passenger traffic
Present thinking is project centric - it should be integrated, developing human
resources; people-centric; with emphasis on NE region.
National level office for transport strategy
With respect to the movement of liquids and gases via pipeline, a National Pipeline
Grid could be established along the lines of the National Electricity Grid
Statutorily and financially empowered Metropolitan Urban Transport Authorities
(MUTAs) to be established at the metropolitan city level.
Bharat IV fuel quality standard should be implemented nationwide by the middle of
this decade, with a target to reach Bharat VI by 2020.
Single unified Ministry to deliver multi-modal transport
Independent regulatory authority with functional and financial autonomy
Legal structure in transport sector must be simplified
41. Solution: d)
FPOs cover organizations from lower tiers of formal cooperative structures in credit,
marketing, dairy and fishery, extending to self-help groups (SHGs), farmer clubs, joint
liability groups (JLGs) and, more recently, to producer companies.
Role in agriculture and poverty alleviation
Small and marginal farmers face several problems:
shrinking land holdings
Getting formal credit;
Difficulty in accessing critical inputs for agriculture such as quality seeds and timely
technical assistance.
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FPOs can help them in the following way:
It is a congregation of small and marginal farmers willing to pool resources and
share risks.
FPOs leave land titles with individual producers and use the strength of collective
planning for production, procurement and marketing.
It adds value to members‘ produce through pooled resources of land and labour,
shared storage space, transportation and marketing facilities.
These improve bargaining power of small farmers.
Most importantly, transacting with a bank in a group like FPO can reduce
transactions costs of banks and buyers to deal them. Moreover, the group acts like
collateral for its members. So it‘s easier to get a loan.
42. Solution: c)
43. Solution: d)
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is an international financial
institution proposed by China. The purpose of the multilateral development bank is to
provide finance to infrastructure projects in the Asia Pacific region. AIIB is regarded by
some as a rival for the IMF, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which
the AIIB says are dominated by developed countries like the United States and Japan.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_Infrastructure_Investment_Bank#Member_countries
Recently the US pressurized its close allies like Japan, Indonesia and Australia not to join the
AIIB. Owing to it, these nations stayed out of the membership.
44. Solution: c)
Bachpan Bachao Andolan
Success
The organization has rescued more than 80,000 children from bondage, trafficking
and exploitative labour
The BBA's Child Friendly Village program (in Hindi, Bal Mitra Gram, or BMG), has
been accepted as a best practice model for development and elimination of child
labour and trafficking.
It has established a immediate rehabilitation centre for rescued children - Mukti
Ashram in Delhi.
It has fought successfully several PILs in the SC.
Recent Campaigns
Child Labour Free India Campaign for total abolition on child labour till the age of 14
yrs
Right to Education Campaign in 2001
Child Domestic Labour campaign
Mukti Caravan (campaign against child trafficking for forced labour)
Missing Children Campaign: biggest ever research undertaken on missing children,
resulting in Supreme Court issuing notice to all states and union territories on
missing children
45. Solution: c)
In Islamic jurisprudence, qiyās is the process of deductive analogy in which the teachings of
the Hadith are compared and contrasted with those of the Qur'an, in order to apply a
known injunction (nass) to a new circumstance and create a new injunction. Here the ruling
of the Sunnah and the Qur'an may be used as a means to solve or provide a response to a
new problem that may arise.
Hadith in Muslim religious use is often translated as prophetic 'traditions', meaning the
corpus of the reports of the teachings, deeds and sayings of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.
The hadith literature was compiled from oral reports that were in circulation in society
around the time of their compilation long after the death of Muhammad. Bukhari's
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collection is considered the most reliable by many traditional religious scholars who are
Sunnis. The Shi'as believe in an entirely separate body of Hadith.
46. Solution: d)
The Newton-Bhabha Fund is a programme which aims to build up strong interdisciplinary
dimension that will further strategise the science, research and innovation cooperation
between the UK and India. For this programme UK will provide 50 million pounds over 5
year‘s period and India will provide similar matched efforts.
Key Features: Newton-Bhabha programme
Joint PhD student mobility programme: It aims to pave the way for the next
generation of researchers in the UK and India to interact with each other and build
long-term R&D linkages and collaborations. This mobility programme will be
administered by British Council India and the Department of Science and
Technology. It will start from March 2015 to sponsor UK and Indian PhD students to
spend a period of their study (3 to 6 months) in Premier Indian and UK
higher education institutions.
New research projects in Mental Health and Substance Abuse: These new projects
will be joint initiative of Medical Research Council (MRC) of UK and Indian Council
of Medical Research (ICMR). ICMR will fund the Indian component for this project
while UK will provide up to 2 million pounds.
Setting up Centres for research in Renewable Energy: These centres will be jointly
co-funded by RCUK Energy programme and Department of Science and Technology
(DST) of India. UK and the Department of Science & Technology of India will
provide support to business-led research and development aimed at tackling societal
challenges.
Centre Partnerships in Cancer Biology, Translational Regenerative Medicines in
Neuroscience and Antimicrobial Resistance: It will be funded jointly up to 7 million
pounds by Medical Research Council (MRC) of UK and Department
of Biotechnology (DBT), India.
47. Solution: d)
The previous KVP was discontinued in 2011. The scheme was very popular among the
investors and the percentage share of gross collections secured in KVP after its launch in
1988 was in the range of 9-29 per cent against the total collections received under
all National Savings Schemes in the country.
Key Features of KVP
Liquidity: Kisan Vikas Patra scheme has unique liquidity feature, where an investor
can encash his certificates after the lock-in period of 2 years and 6 months and
thereafter in any block of six months on pre-determined maturity value.
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Investment feature: The KVP will be available to the investors in the denomination
of 1000, 5000, 10000 and 50000 rupees with no upper ceiling on investment. The
scheme will provide facility of unlimited investment by way of purchase of
certificate from post office in various denominations.
KVP certificates: The certificates can also be issued in single or joint names and can
be transferred from one person to any other person. The investment made in the
certificate will double in 100 months. The facility of transfer from one post office to
another anywhere in India and of nomination will also be available under the
scheme.
Maturity period: With a maturity period of 8 years 4 months, the collections under
the scheme will be available with the Union Government for a fairly long period to
be utilized in financing developmental plans of the Centre and State Governments.
48. Solution: d)
Finance Ministry has declared States of Kerala and Goa, union territories of Chandigarh,
Puducherry and Lakshadweep and three districts of Gujarat- Porbandar, Mehasana,
Gandhinagar as 100 per cent saturated in terms of coverage of all households with at least
one bank account.
According to Finance Ministry
PMJDY so far managed to bring over 5000 crore rupees into the
normal banking system as account holders have started depositing cash. A large
chunk of this money would have been kept at home in the absence of accounts, with
little or no productive use.
According to the initial results, on an average about 80% of the households surveyed
have now got at least one bank account.
49. Solution: d)
In 2000, the process of regional cooperation in energy sector began between SAARC Member
States with the establishment of a Technical Committee on Energy.
Key facts of SAARC Framework Agreement for Energy Cooperation (Electricity)
It will enable greater cooperation in the power sector among SAARC countries.
It is expected to improve the power availability in the entire SAARC region.
It would facilitate integrated operation of the regional power grid among member
States.
Implications of this framework
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This agreement will boost the implementation of common power grid between
SAARC members. Thus help them to share the hydroelectric power generated in
North East India to Bangladesh, Nepal and other countries.
Excess electricity from India and Pakistan can be supplied to electricity
deficient Afghanistan.
Offshore wind projects could be set up in Sri Lanka‘s coastal borders to power
southern part of India and Sri Lanka.
50. Solution: d)
LRSAM is called Barak 8 missile in Israel. Barak is the Hebrew word for Lightning.
It is designed to counter a wide variety of air-borne threats such as anti-ship missiles,
aircraft, UAVs and drones as well as supersonic cruise missiles.
Barak 8 is an advanced, long-range missile defence and air defence system with main
features being:
Long Range
Active Radar Seeker Missile
Vertical Launch
Multiple Simultaneous Engagements.
Importance of LRSAM
LRSAM will be deployed on the newly commissioned INS Kolkata, which had to be
inducted without the weapon system due to delays in testing.
It would also be deployed on other naval ships including recently commissioned INS
Kamrota.
The successful test marked a milestone in bilateral cooperation of the two countries in
developing advanced weapon systems.
51. Solution: a)
Argument 1
India, Pakistan and China have many similarities in their developmental strategies. All the
three nations have started towards their developmental path at the same time.
While India and Pakistan became independent nations in 1947, People‘s Republic of China
was established in 1949.
So Argument 1 is NOT valid.
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Argument 2
India and Pakistan adopted similar strategies such as creating a large public sector and
raising public expenditure on social development.
Till the 1980s, all the three countries had similar growth rates and per capita incomes.
However, china liberalised in 1979 and India did in 1991. From the data in the Economic
survey, it is found that presently India is at the same positions as China was two decades
ago. So the lag correlates with the liberalisation gap. So Argument 2 can possibly explain the
disparity.
52. Solution: a)
After the establishment of People‘s Republic of China under one party rule, all the critical
sectors of the economy, enterprises and lands owned and operated by individuals were
brought under government control.
The Great Leap Forward (GLF) campaign initiated in 1958 aimed at industrialising the
country on a massive scale. People were encouraged to set up industries in their backyards.
In rural areas, communes were started. Under the Commune system, people collectively
cultivated lands. In 1958, there were 26,000 communes covering almost all the farm
population.
53. Solution: d)
The present-day fast industrial growth in China can be traced back to the reforms
introduced in 1978.
China introduced reforms in phases. In the initial phase, reforms were initiated in
agriculture, foreign trade and investment sectors.
In agriculture, for instance, commune lands were divided into small plots which were
allocated (for use not ownership) to individual households. They were allowed to keep all
income from the land after paying stipulated taxes. In the later phase, reforms were initiated
in the industrial sector. Private sector firms, in general, and township and village
enterprises, i.e. those enterprises which were owned and operated by local collectives, in
particular, were allowed to produce goods. At this stage, enterprises owned by government
(known as State Owned Enterprises—SOEs), which we, in India, call public sector
enterprises, were made to face competition.
The reform process also involved dual pricing. This means fixing the prices in two ways;
farmers and industrial units were required to buy and sell fixed quantities of inputs and
outputs on the basis of prices fixed by the government and the rest were purchased and sold
at market prices. Over the years, as production increased, the proportion of goods or inputs
transacted in the market also increased. In order to attract foreign investors, special
economic zones were set up.
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54. Solution: a)
The proportion of workforce engaged in manufacturing in India and Pakistan were low at 19
and 20 per cent respectively. The contribution of industries to GDP is also just equal to or
marginally higher than the output from agriculture. In India and Pakistan, the shift is taking
place directly to the service sector.
Thus, in both India and Pakistan, the service sector is emerging as a major player of
development. It contributes more to GDP and, at the same time, emerges as a prospective
employer.
55. Solution: d)
Balance of Payments (BOP) : It is a statistical statement summarising all the external
transactions (receipts and payments) on current and capital account in which a country is
involved over a period of time, say, a year. As the BOP shows the total assets and
obligations over a time-period, it always balances.
56. Solution: b)
The fiscal deficit is the difference between the government's total expenditure and its total
receipts (excluding borrowing).
The elements of the fiscal deficit are (a) the revenue deficit, which is the difference between
the government‘s current (or revenue) expenditure and total current receipts (that is,
excluding borrowing) and (b) capital expenditure. The fiscal deficit can be financed by
borrowing from the Reserve Bank of India (which is also called deficit financing or money
creation) and market borrowing (from the money market, that is mainly from banks).
Budget deficit: A financial situation that occurs when an entity has more money going out
than coming in. The term "budget deficit" is most commonly used to refer to government
spending rather than business or individual spending. When it refers to federal government
spending, a budget deficit is also known as the "national debt." The opposite of a budget
deficit is a budget surplus, and when inflows are equal to outflows, the budget is said to be
balanced.
57. Solution: a)
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Cascading Effect : When tax imposition leads to a disproportionate rise in prices, i.e. by an
extent more than the rise in the tax, it is known as cascading effect.
http://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2012/03/the-cascading-effect-of-taxation-what-weunderstand-by-it/
http://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/gst-will-remove-cascading-effect-of-leviespranab/article3446952.ece
58. Solution: d)
Invisibles : Various items enter in the current account of the balance of payments, some of
which are not visible goods. Invisibles are mainly services, like tourism, transport by
shipping or by airways, and financial services such as insurance and banking. They also
include gifts sent abroad or received from abroad and private transfer of funds, government
grants and interests, profits and dividends.
59. Solution: a)
Merchant Bankers : Banks or financial institutions, also known as investment bankers, that
specialise in advising the companies and managing their equity and debt requirement (often
referred to as portfolio management) through floatation and sale/purchase of stocks and
bonds.
60. Solution: d)
A macroeconomic strategy enacted by governments and central banks to keep economic
growth stable, along with price levels and unemployment. Ongoing stabilization policy
includes monitoring the business cycle and adjusting benchmark interest rates to control
aggregate demand in the economy. The goal is to avoid erratic changes in total output, as
measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and large changes in inflation; stabilization of
these factors generally leads to moderate changes in the employment rate as well.
In essence, Fiscal and monetary measures adopted to control fluctuations in the balance of
payments and high rate of inflation come under stabilization meaasures.
61. Solution: a)
Long-term measures like liberalisation, deregulation and privatisation aimed to improve the
efficiency and competitiveness of the economy are termed as ‗Structural Reform Policies‘.
For e.g. the 1991 reforms were one of the largest such measures undertaken in the economy.
Even the new government is taking a large number of structural reform measures like
opening up sectors e.g. FDI in defence; FDI in insurance to 49% etc.
62. Solution: a)
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http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=110870
63. Solution: a)
In a market economy, also called capitalism, only those consumer goods will be produced
that are in demand, i.e., goods that can be sold profitably either in the domestic or in the
foreign markets. If cars are in demand, cars will be produced and if bicycles are in demand,
bicycles will be produced. If labour is cheaper than capital, more labour-intensive methods
of production will be used and vice-versa In a capitalist society the goods produced are
distributed among people not on the basis of what people need but on the basis of
Purchasing Power—the ability to buy goods and services.
64. Solution: d)
In a socialist society the government decides what goods are to be produced in accordance
with the needs of society. It is assumed that the government knows what is good for the
people of the country and so the desires of individual consumers are not given much
importance. The government decides how goods are to be produced and how they should
be distributed. In principle, distribution under socialism is supposed to be based on what
people need and not on what they can afford to purchase.
Unlike under capitalism, for example, a socialist nation provides free health care to all its
citizens. Strictly, a socialist society has no private property since everything is owned by the
state. In Cuba and China, for example, most of the economic activities are governed by the
socialistic principles.
65. Solution: a)
At the time of independence ownership of land was concentrated in the hands of a few. This
led to the exploitation of the farmers and was a major hindrance towards the socio-economic
development of the rural population. Equal distribution of land was therefore an area of
focus of Independent India's government, and land reforms were seen as an important pillar
of a strong and prosperous country.
It did not include state purchase and distribution of land. Instead, the surplus land (above
ceiling) was taken from the big landlords and distributed to the poor. It has a limited
success.
Also refer to http://js2012.wordpress.com/why-jansatyagraha-2012/land-reforms-in-india/
66. Solution: d)
Agriculture is a state subject.
APMC act is implemented by the state governments.
http://www.niticentral.com/2014/09/06/apmc-act-amendment-freedom-frommiddlemen-for-farmers-237442.html
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67. Solution: d)
Some economists point out that subsidies do not allow prices to indicate the supply of a
good. When electricity and water are provided at a subsidised rate or free, they will be used
wastefully without any concern for their scarcity. Farmers will cultivate water intensive
crops if water is supplied free, although the water resources in that region may be scarce and
such crops will further deplete the already scarce resources. If water is priced to reflect
scarcity, farmers will cultivate crops suitable to the region. Fertiliser and pesticide subsidies
result in overuse of resources which can be harmful to the environment.
68. Solution: d)
Import substitution is aimed at replacing or substituting imports with domestic production.
For example, instead of importing vehicles made in a foreign country, industries would be
encouraged to produce them in India itself. In this policy the government protected the
domestic industries from foreign competition. Protection from imports took two forms:
tariffs and quotas. Tariffs are a tax on imported goods; they make imported goods more
expensive and discourage their use. Quotas specify the quantity of goods which can be
imported. The effect of tariffs and quotas is that they restrict imports and, therefore, protect
the domestic firms from foreign competition.
The policy of protection is based on the notion that industries of developing countries are
not in a position to compete against the goods produced by more developed economies. It is
assumed that if the domestic industries are protected they will learn to compete in the
course of time. Our planners also feared the possibility of foreign exchange being spent on
import of luxury goods if no restrictions were placed on imports. Nor was any serious
thought given to promote exports until the mid-1980s.
69. Solution: d)
In 1991, India met with an economic crisis relating to its external debt — the government
was not able to make repayments on its borrowings from abroad; foreign exchange
reserves, which we generally maintain to import petrol and other important items, dropped
to levels that were not sufficient for even a fortnight.
Check the BACKGROUND section in Chapter 3 – Indian Economy NCERT 11th.
70. Solution: d)
These reforms were part of the Liberalisation policy undertaken in 1991. For a detailed
discussion on these reforms, refer to Section 3.3 Liberalisation 11th NCERT Indian Economy
71. Solution: d)
Reforms in Agriculture: Reforms have not been able to benefit agriculture, where the
growth rate has been decelerating (till the 10th FYP).
Public investment in agriculture sector especially in infrastructure, which includes
irrigation, power, roads, market linkages and research and extension (which played a crucial
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role in the Green Revolution), has been reduced in the reform period. Further, the removal
of fertiliser subsidy has led to increase in the cost of production, which has severely affected
the small and marginal farmers.
This sector has been experiencing a number of policy changes such as reduction in import
duties on agricultural products, removal of minimum support price and lifting of
quantitative restrictions on agricultural products; these have adversely affected Indian
farmers as they now have to face increased international competition.
Moreover, because of exportoriented policy strategies in agriculture, there has been a shift
from production for the domestic market towards production for the export market focusing
on cash crops in lieu of production of food grains. This puts pressure on prices of food
grains.
72. Solution: d)
Financial Sector Reforms
Financial sector includes financial institutions such as commercial banks, investment banks,
stock exchange operations and foreign exchange market. The financial sector in India is
controlled by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). All the banks and other financial institutions
in India are controlled through various norms and regulations of the RBI. The RBI decides
the amount of money that the banks can keep with themselves, fixes interest rates, nature of
lending to various sectors etc.
One of the major aims of financial sector reforms is to reduce the role of RBI from regulator
to facilitator of financial sector. This means that the financial sector may be allowed to take
decisions on many matters without consulting the RBI.
The reform policies led to the establishment of private sector banks, Indian as well as
foreign.
Foreign investment limit in banks was raised to around 50 per cent.
Those banks which fulfil certain conditions have been given freedom to set up new branches
without the approval of the RBI and rationalise their existing branch networks.
Though banks have been given permission to generate resources from India and abroad,
certain managerial aspects have been retained with the RBI to safeguard the interests of the
accountholders and the nation. Foreign Institutional Investors (FII) such as merchant
bankers, mutual funds and pension funds are now allowed to invest in Indian financial
markets.
73. Solution: c)
Migration is a consequence, not a reason.
Underemployment is a problem of urban areas. This results in getting underpaid – not
causing poverty.
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Seasonal unemployment in agriculture threatens livelihood security.
74. Solution: d)
Problems in determining a uniform poverty line:
Poverty is a state of mind, a situation that people want to escape.
1. Seasonality of poverty
2. Non-distinction b/w antyodaya (poorest of the poor) and the just-above poor. In other
aspects, differentiating between chronic and transient poverty.
3. Many other factors like drinking water, sanitation etc also need to be taken into account
and their prices vary across states and regions
4. Factoring social indicators which lead to poverty
5. Change in the consumption basket over time and increase in prices beyond the levels of
inflation suggest
75. Solution: d)
Basis of methodology of Rangarajan panel on poverty
It adopted different yardsticks to measure poverty to reflect the changes in the Indian
economy
o
Consumption expenditure - food (calorie based); essential non-food like
education, health, clothing, conveyance, house rent etc.
o
Household's ability to save
o
Behaviorally determined expenditure for non-food items
It also introduced the concept of "relative poverty" by picking up for e.g. the bottom
quintile of population or using media consumption expenditure.
Difference from Tendulkar Committee
Stated that poverty in India was greater than suggested by Tendulkar Committee
(22.5%) in 2011-12 from 29.8% in 2009-10
Included fats and proteins too in food items to reflect present dietary habits.
Tendulkar - only calorie
Minimum basket separate for urban and rural areas. Tendulkar had only one basket.
Non-food consumption items were also included for the first time.
76. Solution: a)
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A very detailed and very useful discussion is given in Chapter 4 – Poverty – 11th NCERT –
Economy under the section 4.6 - POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES TOWARDS POVERTY
ALLEVIATION. Please refer to it for a detailed understanding of the evolution of these
approaches.
77. Solution: d)
Just as a country can turn physical resources like land into physical capital like factories,
similarly, it can also turn human resources like students into human capital like engineers
and doctors.
Investment in education is considered as one of the main sources of human capital. There
are several other sources as well. Investments in health, on- thejob training, migration and
information are the other sources of human capital formation.
Freedom of thought and expression is one of the most fundamental factors in quality human
capital creation. It is the foundation of a nation‘s intellect.
78. Solution: d)
The Indian software industry has been showing an impressive record over the past decade.
Entrepreneurs, bureaucrats and politicians are now advancing views about how India can
transform itself into a knowledge-based economy by using information technology (IT).
There have been some instances of villagers using e-mail which are cited as examples of
such transformation. Likewise, e-governance is being projected as the way of the future. The
value of IT depends greatly on the existing level of economic development.
Also refer to basics here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knowledge_economy
79. Solution: c)
Elementary education takes a major share of total education expenditure and the share of
the higher/tertiary education (institutions of higher learning like colleges, polytechnics and
universities) is the least. Though, on an average, the government spends less on tertiary
education, ‗expenditure per student‘ in tertiary education is higher than that of elementary.
This does not mean that financial resources should be transferred from tertiary education to
elementary education. As we expand school education, we need more teachers who are
trained in the higher educational institutions; therefore, expenditure on all levels of
education should be increased.
80. Solution: d)
The Green Revolution was a harbinger of major changes in the credit system as it led to the
diversification of the portfolio of rural credit towards production oriented lending. The
institutional structure of rural banking today consists of a set of multi-agency institutions,
namely, commercial banks, regional rural banks (RRBs), cooperatives and land development
banks. They are expected to dispense adequate credit at cheaperrates. Recently, Self-Help
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Groups (henceforth SHGs) have emerged to fill the gap in the formal credit system because
the formal credit delivery mechanism has not only proven inadequate but has also not been
fully integrated into the overall rural social and community development.
81. Solution: a)
Recently, Self-Help Groups (henceforth SHGs) have emerged to fill the gap in the formal
credit system because the formal credit delivery mechanism has not only proven inadequate
but has also not been fully integrated into the overall rural social and community
development. Since some kind of collateral is required, vast proportion of poor rural
households were automatically out of the credit network. The SHGs promote thrift in small
proportions by a minimum contribution from each member. From the pooled money, credit
is given to the needy members to be repayable in small instalments at reasonable interest
rates.
Such credit provisions are generally referred to as micro-credit programmes. SHGs have
helped in the empowerment of women. It is alleged that the borrowings are mainly confined
to consumption purposes.
82. Solution: a)
In India, after progressive increase in budgetary allocations and introduction of new
technologies in fisheries and aquaculture, the development of fisheries has come a long way.
Presently, fish production from inland sources contributes about 61 per cent to the total fish
production and the balance 39 per cent comes from the marine sector (sea and oceans).
Today total fish production accounts for 0.7 per cent of the total GDP. Among states, Kerala,
Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu are the major producers of marine products.
A large share of fishworker families are poor. Rampant underemployment, low per capita
earnings, absence of mobility of labour to other sectors and a high rate of illiteracy and
indebtedness are some of the major problems fishing community face today.
83. Solution: d)
Organic agriculture offers a means to substitute costlier agricultural inputs (such as HYV
seeds, chemical fertilisers, pesticides etc.) with locally produced organic inputs that are
cheaper and thereby generate good returns on investment.
Organic agriculture also generates income through exports as the demand for organically
grown crops is on a rise. Studies across countries have shown that organically grown food
has more nutritional value than chemical farming thus providing us with healthy foods.
Since organic farming requires more labour input than conventional farming, India will find
organic farming an attractive proposition. Finally, the produce is pesticide-free and
produced in an environmentally sustainable way.
84. Solution: c)
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Blessed with a varying climate and soil conditions, India has adopted growing of diverse
horticultural crops such as fruits, vegetables, tuber crops, flowers, medicinal and aromatic
plants, spices and plantation crops.
These crops play a vital role in providing food and nutrition, besides addressing
employment concerns. The period between 1991-2003 is also called an effort to heralding a
‗Golden Revolution‘ because during this period, the planned investment in horticulture
became highly productive and the sector emerged as a sustainable livelihood option. India
has emerged as a world leader in producing a variety of fruits like mangoes, bananas,
coconuts, cashew nuts and a number of spices and is the second largest producer of fruits
and vegetables.
Flower harvesting, nursery maintenance, hybrid seed production and tissue culture,
propagation of fruits and flowers and food processing are highly remunerative employment
options for women in rural areas.
85. Solution: d)
Casualization of the workforce occurs whenever workers are employed in a casual,
temporary, or otherwise non-permanent and non-full-time capacity. In recent years,
casualization has become an increasingly visible problem, and those workers affected are
often subject to lower pay, barred from their right to join a union, and denied medical and
other benefits. Companies will often hire several part-time workers instead of one or two
full-time workers to avoid their obligation to provide benefits, to divide the workforce, and
to dissuade unionizing efforts.
In India the unorganised sector accounts for 90% of the total workforce and economic
activity.
86. Solution: d)
We classify workforce into two categories: workers in formal and informal sectors, which are
also referred to as organised and unorganised sectors.
All the public sector establishments and those private sector establishments which employ
10 hired workers or more are called formal sector establishments and those who work in
such establishments are formal sector workers.
All other enterprises and workers working in those enterprises form the informal sector.
Thus, informal sector includes millions of farmers, agricultural labourers, owners of small
enterprises and people working in those enterprises as also the self-employed who do not
have any hired workers. It also includes all non-farm casual wage labourers who work for
more than one employer such as construction workers and headload workers.
87. Solution: a)
Disguised unemployment is a situation where more labourers are working in a particular
economic activity than would be normally required.
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High population can be understood as excess of labour supply. More labour will be unable
to find jobs from rural area. So they shift to family or other farms.
Seasonal nature of agricultural work means even the well-off farmers can not employ full tie
labourers. This may contribute to unemployment, not disguised unemployment.
Small land holding size means the farmer can not deploy adequate technology. So labourers
have to be deployed (either from the family or outside). An incorrect estimation of work
based on scientific principles may result in more labourers than what may be required.
88. Solution: d)
A group of religious-minded people in medieval Islam, known as Sufis, sought a deeper and
more personal knowledge of God through asceticism (rahbaniya) and mysticism. The more
society gave itself up to material pursuits and pleasures, the more the Sufis sought to
renounce the world (zuhd) and rely on God alone (tawakkul). In the eighth and ninth
centuries, ascetic inclinations were elevated to the higher stage of mysticism (tasawwuf) by
the ideas of pantheism and love. Pantheism is the idea of oneness of God and His creation
which implies that the human soul must be united with its Maker. Unity with God can be
achieved through an intense love for God (ishq), which the woman-saint Rabia of Basra (d.
891) preached in her poems. Bayazid Bistami (d. 874), an Iranian Sufi, was the first to teach
the importance of submerging the self (fana) in God. Sufis used musical concerts (sama) to
induce ecstasy and stimulate emotions of love and passion.
89. Solution: a)
Faxian visited India in the early fifth century AD. He is said to have walked all the way from
China across icy desert and rugged mountain passes. He entered India from the north-west
and reached Pataliputra. He took back with him Buddhist texts and images sacred to
Buddhism.
Faxian's visit to India occurred during the reign of Chandragupta II. He is also renowned for
his pilgrimage to Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautama Buddha in modern Nepal. Faxian
claimed that demons and dragons were the original inhabitants of Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
90. Solution: d)
Nalanda was an acclaimed Mahāvihāra, a large Buddhist monastery in
ancient Magadha (modern-day Bihar), India. The site is located about 95 kilometres
southeast of Patna, and was a religious centre of learning from the fifth century CE to c. 1197
CE.[3][4] Historians often characterize Nalanda as a university.
Nalanda flourished under the patronage of the Gupta Empire as well as emperors
like Harsha and later, the rulers of the Pala Empire. At its peak, the school attracted scholars
and students from as far away as Tibet, China, Korea, and Central Asia. It was ransacked
and destroyed by an army of the Muslim Mamluk Dynasty under Bakhtiyar Khilji in c. 1197
CE.
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The Tang Dynasty Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang left detailed accounts of the school in the 7th
century. He described how the regularly laid-out towers, forest of pavilions, harmikas and
temples seemed to "soar above the mists in the sky" so that from their cells the monks "might
witness the birth of the winds and clouds." The pilgrim states: "An azure pool winds around
the monasteries, adorned with the full-blown cups of the blue lotus; the dazzling red flowers
of the lovely kanaka hang here and there, and outside groves of mango trees offer the
inhabitants their dense and protective shade."
91. Solution: b)
92. Solution: c)
Zahir-ud-din Muhammad Babur was a conqueror from Central Asia who, following a
series of setbacks, finally succeeded in laying the basis for the Mughal dynasty in the Indian
Subcontinent and became the first Mughal emperor. He was a direct descendant of Timur,
from the Barlas clan, through his father, and also a descendant of Genghis Khan through his
mother. Culturally, he was greatly influenced by the Persian culture and this affected both
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his own actions and those of his successors, giving rise to a significant expansion of
the Persianate ethos in the Indian subcontinent.
93. Solution: b)
Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) was a self-taught man who sought adventure and glory.
Believing in prophecies, he was convinced that his destiny lay in discovering a route to the
East (the ‗Indies‘) by sailing westwards. He was inspired by reading Imago Mundi (a work
on astronomy and geography) by Cardinal Pierre d‘Ailly written in 1410. He submitted his
plans to the Portuguese Crown, only to have them turned down. He had better luck with the
Spanish authorities who sanctioned a modest expedition that set sail from the port of Palos
on 3 August 1492. Nothing, however, prepared Columbus and his crew for the long Atlantic
crossing that they embarked upon, or for the destination that awaited them.
The fleet was small, consisting of a small nao called Santa Maria, and two caravels (small
light ships) named Pinta and Nina. Columbus himself commanded the Santa Maria along
with 40 capable sailors. The outward journey enjoyed fair trade winds but was long. For 33
days, the fleet sailed without sight of anything but sea and sky. By this time, the crew
became restive and some of them demanded that they turn back.
On 12 October 1492, they sighted land; they had reached what Columbus thought was
India, but which was the island of Guanahani in the Bahamas. (It is said that this name was
given by Columbus, who described the Islands as surrounded by shallow seas, baja mar in
Spanish.) They were welcomed by the Arawaks, who were happy to share their food and
provisions; in fact, their generosity made a deep impression upon Columbus. As he wrote in
his log-book, ‗They are so ingenuous and free with all they have, that no one would believe
it who has not seen of it, anything they possess, if it be asked of them, they never say no, on
the contrary, they invite you to share it and show as much love as if their hearts went with
it‘.
94. Solution: d)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aryabhata#Astronomy
95. Solution: b)
The Portuguese occupation of Brazil occurred by accident. In 1500, a grand procession of
ships set out from Portugal for India, headed by Pedro Alvares Cabral. To avoid stormy
seas, he made a wide loop around West Africa, and found to his surprise that he had
reached the coast of present-day Brazil. As it happened, this eastern part of South America
was within the section assigned on the map to Portugal by the Pope, so they regarded it as
indisputably theirs.
The Portuguese were more eager to increase their trade with western India than with Brazil,
which did not promise any gold. But there was one natural resource there which they
exploited: timber. The brazilwood tree, after which the Europeans named the region,
produced a beautiful red dye. The natives readily agreed to cut the trees and carry the logs
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to the ships in exchange for iron knives and saws, which they regarded as marvels. (‘For one
sickle, knife or comb [they] would bring loads of hens, monkeys, parrots, honey, wax, cotton
thread and whatever else these poor people had‘.)
96. Solution: c)
The Meiji Restoration also known as the Meiji Ishin, Renovation, Revolution, Reform,
or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868
under Emperor Meiji. Although there were emperors of Japan before the Meiji Restoration,
the restoration established the practical abilities and consolidated the political system under
the Emperor of Japan. The goals of the restored government were expressed by the new
emperor in the Charter Oath. The Restoration led to enormous changes in Japan's political
and social structure, and spanned both the late Edo period (often called Late Tokugawa
shogunate) and the beginning of the Meiji period. The period spanned from 1868 to 1912 and
was responsible for the emergence of Japan as a modernized nation in the early twentieth
century.
97. Solution: c)
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-develops-new-tactical-missilePragati/articleshow/24882453.cms
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prahaar_(missile)
98. Solution: a)
The Government has revived the Varishta Pension Bima Yojana (VPBY) scheme for the
benefit of senior citizens aged 60 years and above. The scheme is being administered
through Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and will remain open for a period of one
year from 15th August, 2014 to 14th August, 2015.
Under the scheme, all those who will subscribe to the VPBY during this period, will
receive a pension linked to an assured guaranteed return of 9% on the lump sum
contribution under the Yojana. The Salient features of the scheme are as under:
·
The scheme provides pension in the form of immediate annuity during the lifetime of
the pensioner with return of purchase price to the family/nominee on his/her death.
·
The mode of payment of pension can be monthly, quarterly, half-yearly or yearly.
·
The pension payment shall be through ECS or NEFT.
·
The minimum pension that can be subscribed to will be Rs. 500/- per month, Rs.
1500/- per quarter, Rs. 3000/- per half-year or Rs. 6000/- per year.
·
The maximum pension that can be subscribed to will be Rs. 5,000/- per month, Rs.
15,000/- per quarter, Rs. 30,000/- per half-year or Rs. 60,000/- per year.
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·
A lump sum purchase price for the desired pension shall be paid by the subscriber
under the scheme. The minimum and maximum purchase price for different modes of
pension corresponding to the maximum/minimum pensions given above will be a under:
99. Solution: c)
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=111998
100.
Solution: a)
Opium was first introduced to China by Turkish and Arab traders in the late 6th or early 7th
century. Taken orally to relieve tension and pain, the drug was used in limited quantities
until the 17th century, when the practice of smoking tobacco spread from North America to
China. The smoking of opium soon became popular throughout China; opium addiction
increased, and opium importations grew rapidly. By 1729 it had become such a problem that
the Yung-cheng emperor (ruled 1722–35) prohibited the sale and smoking of opium. This
failed to hamper thetrade, and in 1796 the Chia-ch‘ing emperor outlawed opium
importation and cultivation. In spite of such decrees, however, the opium trade continued to
flourish.
Early in the 18th century the Portuguese found that they could import opium from India
and sell it in China at a considerable profit. By 1773 the British had discovered the trade, and
that year they became the leading suppliers of the Chinese market. The British East India
Companyestablished a monopoly on opium cultivation in the Indian province of Bengal,
where they developed a method of growing opium poppies cheaply and abundantly. Other
Western nations also joined in the trade, including the United States, which dealt in Turkish
as well as Indian opium.
Britain and other European nations undertook the opium trade because of their chronic
trade imbalance with China. There was tremendous demand in Europe for Chinese tea,
silks, and porcelain pottery, but there was correspondingly little demand in China for
Europe‘s manufactured goods and other trade items. Consequently, Europeans had to pay
for Chinese products with gold or silver. The opium trade, which created a steady demand
among Chinese addicts for opium imported by the West, solved this chronic trade
imbalance.
The East India Company did not carry the opium itself but, because of the Chinese ban,
farmed it out to ―country traders‖—i.e., private traders licensed by the company to take
goods from India to China. The country traders sold the opium to smugglers along the
Chinese coast. The gold and silver the traders received from these sales were then turned
over to the East India Company. In China the company used the gold and silver it received
to purchase goods that could be sold profitably in England.
The amount of opium imported into China increased from around 200 chests a year in 1729
to about 1,000 chests in 1767 and to around 10,000 a year between 1820 and 1830. By 1838 the
amount had grown to some 40,000 chests imported into China annually. The balance of
payments for the first time began to run against China and in favour of Britain.
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INSIGHTS MOCK TESTS – 2015 TEST 8 SOLUTIONS
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