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IFS Exam, 2013 Test Series
General Knowledge
Sample Test-1
Prepared by : Develop India Group
The Develop India Test Series prepared for those serious competitors, who want
to final selection in IFS Exam. The entire Test Series will complete comprehensive
mock tests of forthcoming IFS examination. (Essay and General English papers
will give to free for GK and optional subjects Test series subscribers)
General Knowledge
Time Allowed: Three Hours
Maximum Marks: 300
INSTRUCTIONS
Candidates should attempt ALL questions. The number of marks carried by each
question indicated at the end of the question.
Answer must be written in English only.
The attached map is to used for answering question number 10. Then the map may be
detached from the question paper and attached firmly to your answer book.
1. Answer any FIVE of the following in 100 words each: 5x10=50 Marks
(a) What are the socio demographic consequences of migration?
(b) Explain about Indian Diaspora
(c) What is Human Development?
(d) What is Rain Water Harvesting?
(e) What are the differences between Command Area and Culturable command area?
(f) What is Eco-development?
(g) What is Horticulture?
2. Answer any ONE of the following in 150 words: 1x20=20 Marks
(a) What should do to stop the naxalism in India? Justify your view.
(b) What is the method of President election? Discussed the powers also.
3. Answer any TWO of the following in 150 words each: 2x20=40 Marks
(a) Government initiatives to save the natural resources.
(b) Discussed about the oil politics in India and what will its impacts on Indian economy?
(c) Why should develop Fast Track Courts in Indian Judiciary?
4. Answer any FIVE of the following in 100 words each: 5x10=50 Marks
(a) The impact of climate change on water resources in India.
(b) Measures taken by the Indian government to combat piracy in the Indian Ocean.
(c) The significance of counter-urbanisation in the improvement of metropolitan cities in
India.
(d) Problems specific to the denotified and nomadic tribes in India.
(e) Discuss the availability of water resources in the country and factors that determine its
spatial distribution?
(f) Discus about the India’s National Water Policy
(g) What the challenge come in sustainable development?
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5. Answer any THREE of the following in 100 words each: 3x10=30 Marks
(a) Trace the salient sequences of events in popular revolt that took place in February 1946
in the then Royal Indian Navy and bring out its significance in the freedom struggle. Do
you agree with the views that the sailors who took part in this revolt were some of the
unsung heroes of the freedom struggle?
(b) Evaluate the influence of three important women’s organisations of the early twentieth
century in India on country’s society and politics. To what extent do you think were the
social objectives of these organisations constrained by their political objectives?
(c) Evolution of ‘Green Benches’ in our higher judiciary.
(d) Distinction between ‘Department Related Parliament Standing committees’ and
‘Parliamentary Forum’.
6. What are the fallowing famous for? Answer in about 25 word each: 10x2=20 Marks
(a) Sanchi
(b) Bhinmal
(c) Mohenjo-daro
(d) Ajanta Caves
(e) Vallabhi
(f) Nālandā
(g) Khajuraho
(h) Konark
(i) Ellora
(j) Fatehpur Sikri
7. What are the following and why were they in the news recently: 10x2=20 Marks
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)
Dow Chemical
Hama
WikiLeaks
Shakeel Afridi
Wole Soyinka
Paolo Bosusco
Joyce Banda
Dalveer Bhandari
International Seabed Authority
Occupy Wall Street movement
8. What are the following abbreviation stand for?: 10x1=10 Marks
(a) CFSL
(b) COMSAT
(c) E-MAIL
(d) FICCI
(e) GMT
(f) GSLV
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(g)
(h)
(i)
(j)
HMI
PIL
ISBN
ISDN
9. With which game/sports are the following terms associated?: 10x1=10 Marks
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
(j)
Arcade
Gliding
Parachuting
Paragliding
Gungdo
Biribol
Footbag net
Hooverball
Jianzi
Kickball
10. On the attached outline map of India, marks the location of the following places and also
write its importance in about 25 words. Then the map may be detached from the question
paper and attached firmly to your answer book: 10x2=20 Marks
(a) Bay of Bengal
(b) Indira Point
(c) Gulf of Mannar
(d) Palk Strait
(e) Nautical mile
(f) Thar Desert
(g) Lushai hills
(h) Alpine climate
(i) Cretaceous
(j) Rann of Kutch
11. Name the Authors of the following books: 10x1=10 Marks
a) Bhagavad-gītā As It Is
b) The Official Journey to Makkah Opus
c) Glimpses of Indian Women Hockey
d) The Sense of an Ending
e) Pakistan: A Personal History
f) SEAL Target Geronimo
g) Elizabeth the Queen: The Woman Behind the Throne
h) No Higher Honor
i) Expression of Thoughts
j) Maharaja Hari Singh: The Troubled Years
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12. Explain the following in about 30 words each: 10x2=20 Marks
(a) Green Climate Fund (GCF)
(b) Yingluck Shinawatra
(c) Steve Jobs
(d) Ocean Acidification
(e) Ocean Anoxia
(f) Internat
(g) SAARC Development Goals (SDGs)
(h) Transit of Venus
(i) Hay Festival
(j) South Asia Forum
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Explanation/Answers
Test-1
1. Answer any FIVE of the following in 100 words each: 5x10=50 Marks
a) What are the socio demographic consequences of migration?
Ans : Migrants act as agents of social change. The new ideas related to new
technologies, family planning, girl’s education, etc. get diffused from urban to rural
areas through them. Migration leads to intermixing of people from diverse cultures.
It has positive contribution such as evolution of composite culture and breaking
through the narrow considerations and widens up the mental horizon of the people
at large. But it also has serious negative consequences such as anonymity, which
creates social vacuum and sense of dejection among individuals. Continued feeling
of dejection may motivate people to fall in the trap of anti-social activities like crime
and drug abuse.
b) Indian Diaspora
Ans : During colonial period (British period) millions of the indentured laborers were
sent to Mauritius, Caribbean islands (Trinidad, Tobago and Guyana), Fiji and South
Africa by British,French and Dutch and by Portuguese. All such migrations were
covered under the time-bound contract known as Girmit Act (Indian Emigration Act).
However, the living conditions of these indentured labourers were not better than
the slaves.
The second wave of migrants ventured out into the neighbouring countries in recent
times as professionals, artisans, traders and factory workers, in search of economic
opportunities to Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei and African
countries, etc. and the trend still continues.
Third wave, of migrant was comprised professionals like doctors, engineers (1960s
onwards), software engineers, managementconsultants, financial experts, media
persons (1980s onwards), and others migrated to countries such as USA, Canada,
UK, Australia, New Zealand and Germany, etc.
c) What is Human Development?
Ans : “Human development is a process of enlarging the range of people’s choices,
increasing their opportunities for education, health care, income and empowerment
and covering the full range of human choices from a sound physical environment to
economic, social and political freedom.”
Thus, enlarging the range of people’s choices is the most significant aspect of human
development. People’s choices may involve a host of other issues, but, living a long
and healthy life, to be educated and have access to resources needed for a decent
standard of living including political freedom, guaranteed human rights and personal
self-respect, etc. are considered some of the non-negotiable aspects of the human
development.
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d) Rain Water Harvesting
Ans : Rain Water Harvesting is the technique of collection and storage of rain water
at surface or in sub-surface aquifer. Rainwater harvesting is the accumulating and
storing of rainwater for reuse before it reaches the aquifer. It has been used to
provide drinking water, water for livestock, water for irrigation, as well as other
typical uses. Rainwater collected from the roofs of houses and local institutions can
make an important contribution to the availability of drinking water.
e) Command Area and Culturable command area
Ans : Command Area and Culturable command area The area served by a canal
system through supply of water for irrigation and other purposes.
Culturable command area refers to the culturable land irrigated by a canal system. It
is different from gross command area. The later includes all the area served by a
canal system including unculturatble.
f) Eco-development
Ans : The process of development of a region by means of conservation and
regeneration of degraded ecosystem and ecological sustainability. It can be achieved
partially through the use of the precautionary principle; if there are threats of
serious or irreversible environmental damage, lack of full scientific certainty should
not be used as a reason for postponing measures to prevent environmental
degradation. Also important is the principle of intergenerational equity; the present
generation should ensure that the health, diversity and productivity of the
environment is maintained or enhanced for the benefit of future generations.
g) Horticulture
Ans : Cultivation of vegetables and fruits; often on small plots, involving higher
intensiveness than in field cultivation called Horticulture. It is very diverse in its
activities, incorporating plants for food (fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, culinary
herbs) and non-food crops (flowers, trees and shrubs, turf-grass, hops, grapes,
medicinal herbs). It also includes related services in plant conservation, landscape
restoration, landscape and garden design/construction/maintenance, horticultural
therapy, and much more. This wide range of food, medicinal, environmental, and
social products and services are all fundamental to developing and maintaining
human health and well-being.
2. Answer any ONE of the following in 150 words: 1x20=20 Marks
a) What should do to stop the naxalism in India? Justify your view.
Ans : India is a developing country and internal terrorism is posing a great threat to
it. Now these naxals have emerged as one of groups having local people support.
Naxals are using local people as human protection and are able to meet any attack
from police. And the methods they follow is also too violent. Now India is using CRPF
against them .But what is the use of using force when some people are supporting
them, I think the centre must find ways to improve the condition of these people.
My opinion in this matter is that,We can not stop anything forcefully.The
Government policies are the main reasons for the naxal problem.Tell me one
thing,Which option is batter,Either fight with naxal and invest lots of money for
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fights as well as lose of number of peoples or Just try to find out the main causes or
demands of the naxal and try to solve them.Naxals are also human being,we need to
find out the solution for them peacefully.If any one not agree with me then,I can say
only one solution is what so ever do to stop naxals problem,do it strongly,not just
formality.Even Government can use the BSF also.
b) What is the method of President election? Discussed the powers also.
Ans : Method of Election – The president is indirectly elected by a body of electors
forming the electoral college which includes the elected members of both houses of
Parliament as well as the elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of the
states. He is elected in accordance with the system of proportional representation
by the method of a single transferable vote the number of voter cast by each
member of the legislative assembly and by each member of the parliament is
obtained by the following formula :
The number of votes cast by each member of L.A.
= {Total population of the state / Total elected members of the Assembly} ÷ 1000
Each member of the Parliament will have as many votes as
= Total number of votes assigned to the Assemblies ÷ Total number of elected
members of Parliament
Powers of the President
Executive Powers – The President appoints the Prime Minister, the Governors,
diplomats, judges of the Supreme Court and of the High Courts, the Chairman and
members of the Union Public Service Commission, Chief Commissioners of Union
Territories, the Attorney-General of India, the Comptroller and Auditor-General of
India, the members of Finance Commission and Election Commission. He is the
supreme commander of defence forces.
Legislative Powers – The President summons, prorogues, addresses, sends messages
to Parliament and dissolve the Lok Sabha; promulgates ordinance at any time,
except when both Houses of Parliament are in session, water recommendations for
introducing financial and money bills and gives assent to bills, grants pardons;
reprieves, respites or remission of punishment or suspends, remits or commutes
sentences in certain cases. When there is a failure of the constitutional machinery in
a State, he can assume to himself all or any of the functions of the government of
the State.
Emergency Powers – If President is satisfied that the security of the country is in
danger because of any reason, he may issue a proclamation of emergency.
Financial Powers – No Money Bill or demand for grant can be introduced or moved
in Parliament, unless it has been recommended by the President.
Judicial Powers – He has the power to grant pardon, reprieve or remit of
punishment or commute death sentences.
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3. Answer any TWO of the following in 150 words each: 2x20=40 Marks
a) ‘Essentially all that is contained in part IV- A of the Constitution is just a
codification of tasks integral to Indian way of life.’ Critically examine the
statement.
Ans : Article 51A of the part IV-A of the Indian Constitution lists the fundamental
duties of the citizens which were added to the Indian Constitution by the 42nd
Amendment Act. Fundamental duties are restrictions on the citizens, but they are
not enforceable in a court of law. They act more like a lighthouse to guide citizens’
conduct and bring it in conformity with the Indian way of life. They include abiding
the constitution and respecting its ideals and institutions such as the National Flag
and the National Anthem. Fundamental Duties also include cherishing and following
the noble ideals that inspired our freedom struggle, upholding the sovereignty and
integrity of the nation, rendering national services, promoting harmony and
brotherhood, renouncing practices derogatory to the dignity of women,
safeguarding public property, developing scientific temper etc.
Incidents like destruction of public property by violent mobs and protestors,
delivering of hate speeches to cause disharmony and rift among communities,
mounting corruption, declining child sex ratio, reports of practices like sati which still
is continuing in some parts of the country point towards the fact that the republic
has not succeeded completely in instilling the values contained in part IV-A, in the
hearts and minds of the Indian citizens.
These values should be taught from the early childhood through a free, fair, secular,
and non-discriminatory education system. The society also needs role models from
all walks of life such as politics, business, administration, judiciary, academia etc. so
that national identity becomes paramount and the values are most cherished.
b) ‘The exercise of executive clemency is not a privilege but is based on several
principles, and discretion has to be exercised in public consideration.’ Analyse this
statement in the context of judicial powers of the President of India.
Ans : Article 72 of the Indian Constitution empowers the president to pardon, remit,
commute, respite and reprieves a person of any offence. Supreme Court has held
that pardoning power of the President is subject to judicial review and it should not
be handled dishonestly in the public interest.
The question of executive clemency has come into focus due to the recent decision
of the President’s rejecting the mercy plea of those, convicted in the Rajiv Gandhi
assassination case and Tamil Nadu assembly’s passage of a resolution over it. The
Afzal Guru case has also not yet been resolved which also is giving political colour to
the whole issue.
Supreme Court in its 1989 judgement laid down several principles or ‘do’s’ and
‘don’ts’ with respect to the executive clemency. The apex court observed that the
delay in making a decision on the death penalty leads to adverse psychological
impact on the convicted and it amounts to the court’s inhuman and brutal
treatment. Thus inordinate delay can form the basis for clemency. It also observed
that the nature of crime needs to be taken into consideration before granting
executive clemency. The conduct of the convicted cannot form the basis for granting
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clemency and the time calculated should be from the date the final verdict was
given on the case if it needs to form the ground for clemency.
Constitution should be amended to provide the time limits within which mercy
petition are to be decided. Importantly, the political parties should restrain from
politicising the power of the President which is supposed to be used in the public
consideration.
c) Bring out the salient features of the PCPNDT Act, 1994, and the implication of its
amendment in 2003.
Ans. : Pre Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Technique Act, 1994 was enacted to
arrest the declining sex ration. It is a subject of discussion now because; an all-time
low child sex ratio of 914 was reported in the 2011 provisional census data.
The main purpose of enacting the act is to ban the use of sex selection techniques
before or after conception and prevent the misuse of prenatal diagnostic technique
for sex selective absorption.
Offences under this act include conducting or helping in the conduct of prenatal
diagnostic technique in the unregistered units, sex selection on a man or woman,
conducting PND test for any purpose other than the one mentioned in the act, sale,
distribution, supply, renting etc. of any ultra sound machine or any other equipment
capable of detecting sex of the foetus.
The act was amended in 2003 to improve the regulation of the technology used in
sex selection.
Implications of PCPNDT Act, 1994 amendment:
1. Amendment of the act mainly covered bringing the technique of pre conception
sex selection within the ambit of the act
2. Bringing ultrasound within its ambit
3. Empowering the central supervisory board, constitution of state level supervisory
board
4. Provision for more stringent punishments
5. Empowering appropriate authorities with the power of civil court for search,
seizure and sealing the machines and equipments of the violators
6. Regulating the sale of the ultrasound machines only to registered bodies
4. Answer any FIVE of the following in 100 words each: 5x10=50 Marks
(a) The impact of climate change on water resources in India.
Ans: The impact of climate change on water resources in India is evident through erratic
monsoon, more frequent floods and droughts, stronger cyclones and rivers changing
their course frequently. The severity is also due to the prevailing more than 7000km of
coastline.
The changed rainfall pattern has adversely affected ground water recharge, wetlands
both coastal and terrestrial. Climate change has resulted in melting of Himalayan
glaciers. It has the potential of making the Himalayan Rivers swell first and then turning
them into seasonal rivers, threatening the source of freshwater. It can also lead to salt
water intrusion and threatening aquaculture and coastal agriculture.
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The impact has been severe also because, India is still an agricultural country with its
large population being dependant on weather related livelihood through agriculture,
forestry, pisciculture etc.
(b) Measures taken by the Indian government to combat piracy in the Indian Ocean.
Ans : Indian government has used INS Talwar to foil several bids by pirates near the Gulf
of Aden. Indian government is coordinating the anti piracy measures at the international
level with China, European countries and with the Gulf countries.
Indian government has placed surveillance radars in countries like Maldives and Srilanka
to secure the sea lanes in the Indian Ocean. It has signed agreements with Madagascar,
Seychelles and Mauritius for anti piracy measures. Government has also taken measures
in strengthening the coastal security by equipping and reforming the coast guards.
However, incidents like unmanned vessel drifting in the ocean and reaching the coast of
Mumbai have highlighted the holes in our coastal security which needs to be plugged.
Supreme Court has recently asked the Central Government to formulate separate piracy
law for trying the pirates and to take care of the compensation to the victim’s family.
Currently piracy is being dealt under the provisions of Indian Penal Code.
(c) The significance of counter-urbanisation in the improvement of metropolitan cities in
India.
Ans : Counter-urbanisation is a demographic and social process where people move
from large urban areas or into rural areas, thereby leapfrogging the rural-urban fringe. It
might mean daily commuting, but could also require lifestyle changes and the increased
use of ICT (home working or teleworking). It is the process of migration of people from
major urban areas to smaller urban settlements and rural areas. Counter-urbanisation
affects the layout of rural settlements. Modern housing estates locate of the edge of
small settlements. Industrial units are sited on main roads leading into the settlement.
Counter urbanisation will reduce pressure on the metropolitan cities and its basic
amenities like drinking water supply, sewage facilities, continuous supply of electricity,
education facilities, etc as people move out due to following
(i) Increase in car ownership enabling their movement, growth in information
technology (E-mail, faxes and video conferencing) meaning more people can work from
home
(ii) Urban areas are becoming increasing unpleasant place to live. This is the result of
pollution, crime and traffic congestion.
(iii) More people tend to move when they retire.
(iv) New business parks being developed on the edge of cities (on Greenfield sites)
meaning people no longer have to travel to the city centre. People now prefer to live on
the outskirts of the city to be near where they work.
(d) Problems specific to the denotified and nomadic tribes in India.
Ans : Post Independence the Criminal Tribe Act 1871 was replaced; and criminal tribe
nomenclature was replaced with denotified tribe (DNTs) which is still considered
derogatory. They have been discriminated; British government included some of the
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tribes like Gonds, Ho and Santhals under this categorisation as they had rebelled against
the British Raj.
A major challenge in the intervention comes due dispersed nature of the tribes and
having a nomadic culture surviving on shifting cultivation. This results in health and
educational services a challenging task to deliver. It also makes the implementation of
nutritional initiative like addressing iodine deficiency a challenging task. Preservation of
their culture, script, practices also get hampered due to the same reason. Two different
opinions arise with regard to the reservation for the DNTs to raise their social and
economic conditions. One view supports providing reservation within existing group of
SCs, STs and OBCs while the other view supports creating a new group for the
reservation of DNTs.
(e) Discuss the availability of water resources in the country and factors that determine
its spatial distribution?
Ans : India accounts for about 2.45 per cent of world’s surface area, 4 per cent of the world’s
water resources and about 16 per cent of world’s population. The total water available from
precipitation in the country in a year is about 4,000 cubic km. The availability from surface
water and replenishable groundwater is 1,869 cubic km. Out of this only 60 per cent can be put
to beneficial uses. Thus, the total utilizable water resource in the country is only 1,122 cubic km.
Surface Water Resources There are four major sources of surface water. These are rivers, lakes,
ponds, and tanks. In the country, there are about 10,360 rivers and their tributaries longer than
1.6 km each. The mean annual flow in all the river basins in India is estimated to be 1,869 cubic
km.
The total replenishable groundwater resources in the country are about 432 cubic km.
Table 6.1 shows that the Ganga and the Brahamaputra basins, have about 46 percent of
the total replenishable groundwater resources. The level of groundwater utilisation is
relatively high in the river basins lying in north-western region and parts of south India.
(f) Discus about the India’s National Water Policy
Ans : The National Water Policy 2002 stipulates water allocation priorities broadly in the
following order: drinking water; irrigation, hydro-power, navigation, industrial and other
uses. The policy stipulates progressive new approaches to water management. Key
features include:
• Irrigation and multi-purpose projects should invariably include drinking water
component, wherever there is no alternative source of drinking water.
• Providing drinking water to all human beings and animals should be the first priority.
• Measures should be taken to limit and regulate the exploitation of groundwater.
• Both surface and groundwater should be regularly monitored for quality. A phased
programme should be undertaken for improving water quality.
• The efficiency of utilisation in all the diverse uses of water should be improved.
• Awareness of water as a scarce resource should be fostered.
• Conservation consciousness should be promoted through education, regulation,
incentives and disincentives.
(g) What the challenge come in sustainable development?
Ans : The challenge of sustainable development requires integration of quest for
economic development with environmental concerns. Traditional methods of resource
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use result into generating enormous quantity of waste as well as create other
environmental problems. Hence, for sustainable development calls for the protection of
resources for the future generations. There is an urgent need to conserve the resources.
The alternative energy sources like solar power, wind, wave, geothermal energy are
inexhaustible resource. These should be developed to replace the exhaustible
resources. In case of metallic minerals, use of scrap metals will enable recycling of
metals. Use of scrap is specially significant in metals like copper, lead and zinc in which
India’s reserves are meagre. Use of substitutes for scarce metals may also reduce
their consumption. Export of strategic and scarce minerals must be reduced, so that the
existing reserve may be used for a longer period.
5. Answer any THREE of the following in 100 words each: 3x10=30 Marks
a) Trace the salient sequences of events in popular revolt that took place in February
1946 in the then Royal Indian Navy and bring out its significance in the freedom
struggle. Do you agree with the views that the sailors who took part in this revolt
were some of the unsung heroes of the freedom struggle?
Answer: Royal Indian Navy revolt of February 1946 took place in the background of
Quit India Movement and Second World War. This was a very turbulent phase in
India’s freedom struggle. The popular revolt shook the very foundation of British Raj
and made it abundantly clear that their time in India was numbered. In November
1945 some students from Forward Block, Students Federation of India and Islamia
College participated in a protest march over the INA trials. They tied together
League, Congress and red flag, as a symbol of anti imperialist unity.
In February 1946, Muslim League students took a protest march in which some
Congress students also participated against the seven year sentence to INA prisoner
Rashid Ali.
In February 1946, naval ratings of HMIS Talwar went on strike to protest against
racial discrimination, unpalatable food, INA trials, and abuse by superior officers.
This was followed by city people joining in through mass strikes, hartals, meetings,
attacks on police stations, railway station etc. Other parts of the country also
expressed support in the form of strikes by Royal Indian Forces in Calcutta, Puna and
Bombay.
The upsurge showed that the fearless action by the masses, revolt in armed forces
had psychological affect on masses and it also prompted British to extend some
concessions but above all it marked the end of British rule in India.
Sailors who took part in the struggle were the unsung heroes as they did not get the
level of publicity as that of the INA trials and in the pages of history; they remain
anonymous and unknown.Discuss
b) Evaluate the influence of three important women’s organisations of the early
twentieth century in India on country’s society and politics. To what extent do you
think were the social objectives of these organisations constrained by their
political objectives?
Answer: Bharat Stree Mahamandal, All India Women’s Conference and Women’s
India Association were some of the important women’s associations of the early
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twentieth century. Bharat Stree Mahamandal was the first women's organisation in
India founded by Sarala Devi Chaudhurani in Allahabad in 1910. One of the primary
goals of the organisation was to promote female education which was not well
developed at that time. The organisation opened several offices in Lahore,
Allahabad, Delhi, Karachi, Amritsar etc. to improve the condition of women all over
India.
All India Women’s Conference was founded in 1927 by Margret cousins having
Sarojni Naidu, Lady Dorab Tata as its founding members. It worked towards
women’s education, abolition of purdah system, legislative reform, abolition of child
marriage, harijan welfare, family planning, and rural reconstruction. These women’s
organisations worked for a society based on principles of social justice, integrity,
equal rights and opportunities. They wanted security for every human being; the
essentials of life not determined by accidental births but by planned social
distribution.
Their efforts led to several legislative reforms in Sharda Act (1929), Hindu Women’s
Right to Property Act (1937), Factory Act (1947), Hindu Marriage and Divorce Act
etc. AIWC efforts also led to setting up of The All India Women’s Education Fund
Association, and Lady Irwin College of Home Science.
Social and educational reforms effort by the women’s associations helped in
preparing the Indian women to participate in the freedom struggle. With Mahatma
Gandhi women availed an opportunity to get into the scene of freedom struggle.
c) Evolution of ‘Green Benches’ in our higher judiciary.
Answer: The Supreme Court of India interpreted Article 21 which guarantees the
fundamental right to life and personal liberty, to include the right to a wholesome
environment and held that a litigant may assert his or her right to a healthy
environment against the State by a writ petition to the Supreme Court or a High
Court. Public interest litigation has been used by the higher judiciary to ensure
environment protection and safeguard public interest.
Till 1980, not much contribution was made by the courts in preserving the
environment. One of the earliest cases which came to the Supreme Court of India
was Municipal Council, Ratlam, vs Vardhichand AIR 1980 SC 1622. Thereafter, series
of cases were filed before the Supreme Court and there was a dynamic change in the
whole approach of the courts in matters concerning environment.
India has now become the third country in the world to start a National Green
Tribunal (NGT) which is a judicial body exclusively meant to judge environmental
cases. The National Green Tribunal has been established under the National Green
Tribunal Act 2010 for effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to
environmental protection and conservation of forests and other natural resources.
The Tribunal is mandated to make and endeavour for disposal of applications or
appeals finally within 6 months of filing of the same. The predecessor to the NGT,
the erstwhile National Environment Appellate Authority has been superseded by the
NGT.
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d) Distinction between ‘Department Related Parliament Standing committees’ and
‘Parliamentary Forum’.
Answer: Departmental Standing Committees were created in 1993 to exercise
control over the executive; particularly financial control. There are now 2 such
committees having 31 members each; 21 from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya
Sabha. Members from the Lok Sabha are nominated by the Speaker of the Lok
Sabha, while members from the Rajya Sabha are nominated by the Rajya Sabha
Chairman. A minister cannot be nominated as a member of the committee. These
committees consider the demand for grants of the concerned ministry. They submit
the reports based on which the discussion on budget takes place.
Parliamentary Forums on the other hand are ad hoc in nature and are constituted
for specific issues to make the Members of the Parliament aware of the seriousness
of the particular situation and to enable them to adopt a result-oriented approach
towards these issues. The Parliamentary fora do not interfere in or encroach upon
the jurisdiction of the concerned Departmentally Related Standing Committees or
the Ministry/Department concerned. Members of these fora are nominated by the
Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, as the case may be.
6. What are the following fallowing famous for? Answer in about 25 word each: 10x2=20
(a) Sanchi
Ans.: Sanchi known for its "Stupas" is a small village in Raisen District of the state of
Madhya Pradesh, India, it is located 46 km north east of Bhopal. It is the location of
several Buddhist monuments dating from the 3rd century BCE to the 12th CE.
(b) Bhinmal
Ans.: Bhinmal is a town in the Jalore District of Rajasthan, India. It is 72 km south of
Jalore town. The name Bhinmal is derived from the word Shrimal.Bhinmal was old
capital of the kingdom of the Gurjars (or Gujjars) during medieval period.
(c) Mohenjo-daro
Ans.: Mohenjo-daro is an archeological site situated in the province of Sindh, Pakistan.
Built around 2600 BC, it was one of the largest settlements of the ancient Indus Valley
Civilization, and one of the world's earliest major urban settlements, existing at the
same time as the civilizations of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Crete.
(d) Ajanta Caves
Ans.: The Ajanta Caves in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra, India are 30 rock-cut cave
monuments which date from the 2nd century BCE to the 600 CE.
(e) Vallabhi
Ans.: Vallabhi is an ancient city located in Saurashtra peninsula in Gujarat, in western
India, near Bhavnagar. Also known as Vallabhipura, it was the capital of the ancient
Maitraka dynasty.
(f) Nālandā
Ans.: Nālandā was an ancient center of higher learning in Bihar, India. The site of
Nalanda is located in the Indian state of Bihar, about 88 kilometers south east of Patna,
and was a Buddhist center of learning from the fifth or sixth century CE to 1197 CE.
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(g) Khajuraho
Ans.: Khajuraho is situated of Madhya Pradesh, is one of the most popular tourist
destinations in India. Khajuraho has the largest group of medieval Hindu and Jain
temples, famous for their erotic sculptures.
(h) Konark
Ans.: Konark is a small town in Puri district in the state of Orissa, India, on the Bay of
Bengal, sixty-five kilometers from Bhubaneswar. It is the site of the 13th-century Sun
Temple, built in black granite by King Narasimhadeva-I (AD 1236-1264) of the Eastern
Ganga Dynasty. The temple is a World Heritage Site.
(i) Ellora
Ans.: Ellora is an archaeological site in Aurangabad, Maharashtra built by the
Rashtrakuta dynasty. Well known for its monumental caves, Ellora is a World Heritage
Site. Ellora represents the epitome of Indian rock-cut architecture. The 34 "caves" –
actually structures excavated out of the vertical face of the Charanandri hills. Buddhist,
Hindu and Jain rock-cut temples and viharas and mathas were built between the 5th
century and 10th century.
(j) Fatehpur Sikri
Ans.: 'Fatehpur Sikri' is a city and a municipal board in Agra district in the state of Uttar
Pradesh, India. Built near the much older Sikri, the historical city of Bharat, as it was first
named Sikrigarh, was constructed by Sikriwal Rajput Rajas last Emperor.
7. What are the following and why were they in the news recently: 10x2=20 Marks
Dow Chemical
Ans.: Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW), commonly referred to as Dow, is an
American multinational chemical corporation headquartered in Midland, Michigan,
United States. As of 2007, it is the second-largest chemical manufacturer in the world by
revenue (after BASF)
Dow Chemical is a provider of plastics, chemicals, and agricultural products with a
presence in about 160 countries and employing about 50,000 people worldwide.
b) Hama
Ans.: Hama is a city on the banks of the in west-central Syria. It is located 213 kilometres
(132 mi) north of and 46 kilometres (29 mi) north of Homs. It is the provincial capital of
the Hama Governorate. With a population of 69 (2004 census), Hama is the fifth-largest
city in Syria after Aleppo, Damascus, Homs and Latakia.
c) WikiLeaks
Ans.: WikiLeaks is an international, online, self-described not-for-profit organisation
publishing submissions of private, secret, and classified media from anonymous news
sources, news leaks, and whistleblowers. Its website, launched in 2006 under the
Sunshine Press organisation, claimed a database of more than 1.2 million documents
within a year of its launch. Julian Assange, an Australian Internet activist, is generally
described as its founder, editor-in-chief, and director.
d) Shakeel Afridi
a)
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e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)
Ans.: Shakeel Afridi is a Pakistani physician who allegedly helped the CIA run a fake
vaccine program in Abbottabad, Pakistan, in order to confirm Osama bin Laden's
presence in the city by obtaining DNA samples. Details of the doctor's activities emerged
during the Pakistani investigation of the deadly raid on Bin Laden's residence. He was
arrested from Torkham border while trying to escape the country days after the raid. On
23 May 2012, Shakil Afridi was sentenced to 33 years imprisonment for treason, initially
believed to be in connection with the Bin Laden raid but later revealed to be due to ties
with a local Islamist warlord Mangal Bagh. Lawyers appealed against the verdict on 1
June 2012.
Wole Soyinka
Ans.: Wole Soyinka is a Nigerian writer, notable especially as a playwright and poet; he
was awarded the 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature, the first African in Africa and the
diaspora to be so honoured.
Paolo Bosusco
Ans.: Earlier this month Italian hostage Paolo Bosusco was freed by rebels in Orissa after
nearly a month in captivity. Mr Bosusco, 54 make hostage by Naxally in Odisha.
Joyce Banda
Ans.: Joyce Hilda Banda is a Malawian politician who has been the President of Malawi
since 7 April 2012. An educator and grassroots women's' rights activist, she was Minister
of Foreign Affairs from 2006 to 2009 and Vice-President of Malawi from May 2009 to
April 2012
Dalveer Bhandari
Ans.: India's nominee Justice Dalveer Bhandari of the Supreme Court was on Friday
elected to the post of Judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the elections
held in New York, United States. Justice Dalveer Bhandari defeated the 84-year-old
Justice Florentino Feliciano of the Philippines in the elections held to fill the casual
vacancy following the resignation of Awn Shawkat Al-Khasawneh from Jordan in
October 2011. He will have six-year tenure. He is eligible for re-election for a second
term of nine years at the end of the present term.
International Seabed Authority
Ans.: International Seabed Authority (ISA) is an intergovernmental body based in
Kingston, Jamaica, that was established to organize and control all mineral-related
activities in the international seabed area beyond the limits of national jurisdiction, an
area underlying most of the world’s oceans. It is an organization established by the Law
of the Sea Convention
Occupy Wall Street movement
Ans.: Occupy Wall Street (OWS) is a protest that began on September 17, 2011 in
Zuccotti Park, located in New York City's Wall Street financial district. The Canadian
activist group Adbusters initiated the protest, which has led to Occupy protests and
movements around the world. The main issues are social and economic inequality,
greed, corruption and the undue influence of corporations on government—particularly
from the financial services sector.
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8. What are the following abbreviation stand for?: 10x1=10 Marks
a) CFSL
Ans : Central Forensic Science Laboratory
b) COMSAT
Ans : Communications Satellite Corporation
c) E-MAIL
Ans : Electronic Mailing
d) FICCI
Ans : Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry
e) GMT
Ans :Greenwich Mean Time
f) GSLV
Ans : Geo-Synchronous Satellite Launch Ve-hicle
g) HMI
Ans : Himalayan Mountaineering Institute
h) PIL
Ans : Public Interest Litigation
i) ISBN
Ans :International Standard Book Number
j) ISDN
Ans : Integrated Services Digital Network
9. With which game/sports are the following terms associated?: 10x1=10 Marks
a) Arcade
Ans. : The arcade style of play is generally more unrealistic and focuses on a quicker
gameplay experience. However the competitive nature of sports and being able to
gain a high score while compete against friends for free online, has made online
sports games very popular. Examples of this include the NFL Blitz and NBA Jam
series.
b) Gliding
Ans. : Gliding is a recreational activity and competitive air sport in which pilots fly
unpowered aircraft known as gliders or sailplanes using naturally occurring currents
of rising air in the atmosphere to remain airborne. The word soaring is also used for
the sport.
c) Parachuting
Ans. : Parachuting, also known as skydiving, is the action of exiting an aircraft and
returning to earth with the aid of gravity while using a parachute to slow down
during the final part of the descent. It may or may not involve a certain amount of
free-fall, a time during which the parachute has not been deployed and the body
gradually accelerates to terminal velocity.
d) Paragliding
Ans. : Paragliding is the recreational and competitive adventure sport of flying
paragliders: lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched glider aircraft with no rigid
primary structure. The pilot sits in a harness suspended below a hollow fabric wing
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e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)
whose shape is formed by its suspension lines, the pressure of air entering vents in
the front of the wing and the aerodynamic forces of the air flowing over the outside.
Gungdo
Ans. : The Korean Bow is a water buffalo horn-based composite reflex bow,
standardized about 1900 AD from the variety of such weapons in earlier use. It is
normally used with a thumb draw.
Gungsul, also written goongsul, literally means "the Craft of the bow." It is also
called Korean traditional archery.
Biribol
Ans. : Biribol is the name of a sport, which resembles an aquatic variation of
Volleyball. It has originated in Brazil, in the city of Birigüi, in the 60's by Prof. Dario
Miguel Pedro. It showed up as a group game and as an alternative to the practice
and the learning of swimming. It's the newest sports modality in Brazil and the only
group sport genuinely Brazilian, born and instituted inside the country.
Footbag net
Ans. : Footbag net is governed by the International Footbag Players Association
(IFPA). Competitions take place all over the world, but primarily in North America
and Europe. The World Footbag Championships is an annual, week-long event held
in a different city each year. The 2012 IFPA Championships will be held in Warsaw,
Poland; recent editions were held in Helsinki, Finnland (2011), Oakland/California,
USA (2010); Berlin, Germany (2009); and Prague, Czech (2008).
Hooverball
Ans. : Hooverball is a medicine ball game invented by President Herbert Hoover's
personal physician to help keep then-President Hoover fit. The Hoover Presidential
Library Association and the city of West Branch, Iowa, co-host a national
championship each year.
Jianzi
Ans. : Jiànzi is a traditional Asian game in which players aim to keep a heavily
weighted shuttlecock in the air using their feet and other parts of the body (but not
hands, unlike the similar games peteca and indiaca). The game, which goes by many
different names, may be rules-based on a court similar to badminton and Volleyball,
or be played artistically, among a circle of players in a street or park, with the
objective to keep the shuttle 'up' and show off skills. In Vietnam, it is known as đá
cầu and is the national sport, played especially in Hanoi. In recent years, the game
has gained a formal following in Europe, the United States and elsewhere.
Kickball
Ans. : Kickball is a popular playground sport and is typically played among young,
school-age children. The lack of both specialized equipment and highly skill-based
positions (like pitcher) makes the game an accessible introduction to other sports. It
is less popular among adults, who are more commonly known to play similar games
like softball and baseball.
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10. On the attached outline map of India, marks the location of the following places and also
write its importance in about 25 words. Then the map may be detached from the question
paper and attached firmly to your answer book: 10x2=20 Marks
a) Bay of Bengal
Ans. : The Bay of Bengal, the largest bay in the world, forms the northeastern part of
the Indian Ocean. Roughly triangular in shape, it is bordered mostly by India and Sri
Lanka to the west, Bangladesh to the north, and Burma (Myanmar) and the
Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the east.
b) Indira Point
Ans. : Indira Point is the name given to the southernmost tip of Republic of India. It
is situated at 6°45’10″N and 93°49’36″E on Great Nicobar Island in the Nicobar
Islands, eastern Indian Ocean, and not on the mainland of India. It is located 540 km
and more than a day’s voyage by sea from Port Blair, the capital city and main port
of the Union
c) Gulf of Mannar
Ans. : The Gulf of Mannar is a large shallow bay forming part of the Laccadive Sea in
the Indian Ocean. It lies between the southeastern tip of India and the west coast of
Sri Lanka. A chain of low islands and reefs known as Adam's Bridge, also called
Ramsethu, which includes Mannar Island, separates the Gulf of Mannar from Palk
Bay, which lies to the north between India and Sri Lanka. The Thamirabarani River of
south India and the Aruvi Aru of Sri Lanka drain into the Gulf.
d) Palk Strait
Ans. : Palk Strait is a strait between the Tamil Nadu state of India and the Mannar
district of the Northern Province of the island nation of Sri Lanka. It connects the Bay
of Bengal in the northeast with the Palk Bay and thence with the Gulf of Mannar in
the southwest. The strait is 33 to 50 miles wide. Several rivers flow into it, including
the Vaigai River of Tamil Nadu. The strait is named after Robert Palk, who was a
governor of Madras Presidency (1755-1763) during the Company Raj period.
e) Nautical Mile
Ans. : The nautical mile is a unit of length that is about one minute of arc of latitude
measured along any meridian, or about one minute of arc of longitude at the
equator. By international agreement it is exactly 1,852 m (approximately 6,076 feet).
f) Thar Desert
Ans. : It lies mostly in the Indian State of Rajasthan, and extends into the northern
portion of Haryana and Punjab states and into southern Gujarat state.
With an area of more than 200,000 km2 (77,000 sq mi), it is the world's 9th largest
subtropical desert.
g) Lushai Hills
Ans. : Lushai Hills (or Mizo Hills) are part of the Patkai range in Mizoram and partially
in Tripura, India.The hills are for the most part covered with dense bamboo jungle
and rank undergrowth; but in the eastern portion, owing probably to a smaller
rainfall, open grass-covered slopes are found, with groves of oak and pine
interspersed with rhododendrons. Blue mountain is the highest peak in Lushai hills.
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h) Alpine climate
Ans. : Alpine climate is the average weather (climate) for a region above the tree
line. This climate is also referred to as mountain climate or highland climate.
i) Cretaceous
Ans. : The Cretaceous is a geologic period and system from circa 145.5 ± 4 to 65.5 ±
0.3 million years (Ma) ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the
Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the Cenozoic era. It is the
youngest period of the Mesozoic era, and at 80 million years long, the longest period
of the Phanerozoic Eon. The end of the Cretaceous defines the boundary between
the Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras. In many languages this period is known as "chalk
period".
j) Rann of Kutch
Ans. : Rann of Kutch is a salt marsh located in western tip of Gujarat (primarily the
Kutch district), India. It is divided into two main parts; Great Rann of Kutch and Little
Rann of Kutch. The Rann of Kutch seasonal salt marsh in India is located in the Thar
Desert bio-geographic area in the Indian state of Gujarat. The area is also spread
across the Sind province in Pakistan.
11. Name the Authors of the following books: 10x1=10 Marks
(a) Bhagavad-Gītā As It Is - Swami Prabhupada
(b) The Official Journey to Makkah Opus - Tim Viwa
(c) Glimpses of Indian Women Hockey - K. Arumugam
(d) The Sense of an Ending - Julian Patrick Barnes
(e) Pakistan: A Personal History - Imran Khan
(f) SEAL Target Geronimo - Chuck Pfarrer
(g) Elizabeth the Queen: The Woman Behind the Throne - Smith Sally Bedell
(h) No Higher Honor - Condoleezza Rice
(i) Expression of Thoughts - Rahman Khan
(j) Maharaja Hari Singh: The Troubled Years - Harbans Singh
12. Explane the following in about 30 words each: 10x2=20 Marks
(a) Green Climate Fund (GCF)
Ans : The Green Climate Fund (GCF) was founded within the framework of the UNFCCC
as a mechanism to transfer money from the developed to the developing world, in order
to assist the developing countries in adaptation and mitigation practices to counter
climate change. Its legal basis can be found in the Copenhagen Accord, that was
adopted during the 15th Conference Of the Parties (COP-15) in Copenhagen in 2009.
(b) Yingluck Shinawatra
Ans : Yingluck Shinawatra is a Thai businesswoman and politician, member of the Pheu
Thai Party, who became the 28th and current Prime Minister of Thailand following the
2011 general election. Yingluck is Thailand's first female Prime Minister and at 44 is the
youngest Prime Minister of Thailand in over 60 years
(c) Steve Jobs
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(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
(j)
Ans : Steve Jobs was an American businessman, designer and inventor. He is best known
as the co-founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Apple Inc. In 2003, Jobs was
diagnosed with a pancreas neuroendocrine tumor. Jobs resigned as Apple CEO in August
that year and was elected Chairman of the Board. He died of respiratory arrest related
to his metastatic tumor on October 5, 2011.
Ocean Acidification
Ans : Ocean acidification is the name given to the ongoing decrease in the pH of the
Earth's oceans, caused by the uptake of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) from the
atmosphere. About a quarter of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere goes into the
oceans, where it forms carbonic acid.
Ocean Anoxia
Ans : Oceanic anoxic events or anoxic events occur when the Earth's oceans become
completely depleted of oxygen (O2) below the surface levels. Although anoxic events
have not happened for millions of years, the geological record shows that they
happened many times in the past. Anoxic events may have caused mass extinctions.
Internat
Ans : Internat ist der Oberbegriff für Einrichtungen, in denen Schüler aller Altersstufen
und aller (allgemein bildenden) Schularten wohnen und betreut werden und die
(zumeist) einer Schule angegliedert sind.
SAARC Development Goals (SDGs)
Ans : The 13th SAARC Summit held in Bangladesh in January 2006, adopted the SAARC
Development Goals (SDGs) for the period of five years from 2007-12. Taking into
consideration both the South Asian context and specificities and the relevant linkages
with international goals such as the MDGs, the SDGs include 22 priority goals for the
period 2007-2012, eight of which pertain to livelihood, four to health, four to education
and six to the environment.
Transit of Venus
Ans : A transit of Venus across the Sun takes place when the planet Venus passes
directly between the Sun and Earth (or another planet), becoming visible against (and
hence obscuring a small portion of) the solar disk. During a transit, Venus can be seen
from Earth as a small black disk moving across the face of the Sun.
Hay Festival
Ans : The Hay Festival of Literature & Arts is an annual literature festival held in Hay-onWye, Powys, Wales for ten days from May to June. Devised by Norman and Peter
Florence in 1988, the festival was described by Bill Clinton in 2001 as "The Woodstock of
the mind".
South Asia Forum for Human Rights
Ans : South Asia Forum for Human Rights (SAFHR) is a South Asia-focused human rights
organization based in Kathmandu whose mission is to "promote respect for universal
standards of human rights with emphasis on universality and interdependence of
human rights. SAFHR was created in 1990 as an outcome of the December 1990.
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