UPSC Prelims 2011 Question Paper with Answers & Explanations

The 2004 Tsunami made people realize that mangroves can serve as a reliable safety hedge against coastal calamities. How do mangroves function as a safety hedge?

The Jain philosophy holds that the world is created and maintained by

Salinization occurs when the irrigation water accumulated in the soil evaporates, leaving behind salts and minerals. What are the effects of salinization on the irrigated land?

The ‘Red Data Books’ published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) contain lists of

1. Endemic plant and animal species present in the biodiversity hotspots.

2. Threatened plant and animal species.

3. Protected sites for conservation of nature and natural resources in various countries.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

Why is the offering of ‘teaser loans’ by commercial banks a cause of economic concern?

1. The teaser loans are considered to be an aspect of sub-prime lending and banks may be exposed to the risk of defaults in future.

2. In India, the teaser loans are mostly given to inexperienced entrepreneurs to set up manufacturing or export units.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

An artificial satellite orbiting around the Earth does not fall down. This is so because the attraction of Earth

In the context of Indian economy, consider the following statements:

1. The growth rate of GDP has steadily increased in the last five years.

2. The growth rate in per capita income has steadily increased in the last five years.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

In India, which of the following have the highest share in the disbursement of credit to agriculture and allied activities?

Which of the following can aid in furthering the Government’s objective of inclusive growth?

1. Promoting Self-Help Groups

2. Promoting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises

3. Implementing the Right to Education Act

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

Why is the Government of India disinvesting its equity in the Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs)?

1. The Government intends to use the revenue earned from the disinvestment mainly to pay back the external debt.

2. The Government no longer intends to retain the management control of the CPSEs.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Which is the difference between asteroids and comets?

1. Asteroids are small rocky planetoids, while comets are formed of frozen gases held together by rocky and metallic material.

2. Asteroids are found mostly between the orbits of Jupiter and Mars, while comets are found mostly between Venus and Mercury.

3. Comets show a perceptible glowing tail, while asteroids do not.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Economic growth is usually coupled with

The lowering of Bank Rate by the Reserve Bank of India leads to

Westerlies in southern hemisphere are stronger and persistent than in northern hemisphere. Why?

1. Southern hemisphere has less landmass as compared to northern hemisphere.

2. Coriolis force is higher in southern hemisphere as compared to northern hemisphere.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Between India and East Asia, the navigation time and distance can be greatly reduced by which of the following?

1. Deepening the Malacca Straits between Malaysia and Indonesia.

2. Opening a new canal across the Kra Isthmus between the Gulf of Siam and Andaman Sea.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following:

1. Right to education.

2. Right to equal access to public service.

3. Right to food.

Which of the above is/are Human Right/Human Rights under “Universal Declaration of Human Rights”?

There is a concern over the increase in harmful algal blooms in the seawaters of India. What could be the causative factors for this phenomenon?

1. Discharge of nutrients from the estuaries.

2. Run-off from the land during the monsoon.

3. Upwelling in the seas.

Select the correct answer from the codes given below:

Consider the following:

1. Photosynthesis

2. Respiration

3. Decay of organic matter

4. Volcanic action

Which of the above add carbon dioxide to the carbon cycle on Earth?

Recently, the USA decided to support India’s membership in multi-lateral export control regimes called the “Australia Group” and the “Wassenaar Arrangement”. What is the difference between them?

1. The Australia Group is an informal arrangement which aims to minimize the risk of assisting chemical and biological weapons proliferation, whereas the Wassenaar Arrangement is a formal group under the OECD holding identical objectives.

2. The Australia Group comprises predominantly of Asian, African and North American countries, whereas the member countries of Wassenaar Arrangement are predominantly from the European Union and American continents.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The surface of a lake is frozen in severe winter, but the water at its bottom is still liquid. What is the reason?

A sandy and saline area is the natural habitat of an Indian animal species. The animal has no predators in that area but its existence is threatened due to the destruction of its habitat. Which one of the following could be that animal?

La Nina is suspected to have caused recent floods in Australia. How is La Nina different from El Nino?

1. La Nina is characterised by unusually cold ocean temperature in equatorial Indian Ocean whereas El Nino is characterised by unusually warm ocean temperature in the equatorial Pacific Ocean.

2. El Nino has adverse effect on south-west monsoon of India, but La Nina has no effect on monsoon climate.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The tendency for increased litigation was visible after the introduction of the land settlement system of Lord Cornwallis in 1793. The reason for this is normally traced to which of the following provisions?

Which one of the following observations is not true about the Quit India Movement of 1942?

Which amongst the following provided a common factor for tribal insurrection in India in the 19th century?

India maintained its early cultural contacts and trade links with Southeast Asia across the Bay of Bengal. For this pre-eminence of early maritime history of Bay of Bengal, which of the following could be the most convincing explanation/explanations?

What is the difference between Bluetooth and Wi-Fi devices?

With reference to micro-irrigation, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. Fertilizer/nutrient loss can be reduced.

2. It is the only means of irrigation in dry land farming.

3. In some areas of farming, receding of ground water table can be checked.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

With reference to the period of colonial rule in India, “Home Charges” formed an important part of drain of wealth from India. Which of the following funds constituted “Home Charges”?

1. Funds used to support the India Office in London.

2. Funds used to pay salaries and pensions of British personnel engaged in India.

3. Funds used for waging wars outside India by the British.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

What was the reason for Mahatma Gandhi to organize a satyagraha on behalf of the peasants of Kheda?

1. The Administration did not suspend the land revenue collection in spite of a drought.

2. The Administration proposed to introduce Permanent Settlement in Gujarat.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Regular intake of fresh fruits and vegetables is recommended in the diet since they are a good source of antioxidants. How do antioxidants help a person maintain health and promote longevity?

Regarding the Indus Valley Civilization, consider the following statements:

1. It was predominantly a secular civilization and the religious element, though present, did not dominate the scene.

2. During this period, cotton was used for manufacturing textiles in India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The lower Gangetic plain is characterized by humid climate with high temperature throughout the year. Which one among the following pairs of crops is most suitable for this region?

What could be the main reason/reasons of the formation of African and Eurasian desert belt?

1. It is located in the sub-tropical high pressure cells.

2. It is under the influence of warm ocean currents.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct in this context?

The jet aircrafts fly very easily and smoothly in the lower stratosphere. What could be the appropriate explanation?

1. There are no clouds or water vapour in the lower stratosphere.

2. There are no vertical winds in the lower stratosphere.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct in this context?

Consider the following statements:

1. Biodiversity is normally greater in the lower latitudes as compared to the higher latitudes.

2. Along the mountain gradients, biodiversity is normally greater in the lower altitudes as compared to the higher altitudes.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The Brahmaputra, Irrawaddy and Mekong rivers originate in Tibet and flow through narrow and parallel mountain ranges in their upper reaches. Of these rivers, Brahmaputra makes a ‘U’ turn in its course to flow into India. This ‘U’ turn is due to

A state in India has the following characteristics:

1. Its northern part is arid and semi-arid.

2. Its central part produces cotton.

3. Cultivation of cash crops is predominant over food crops.

Which one of the following states has all of the above characteristics?

What is “Virtual Private Network”?

The “dharma” and “rita” depict a central idea of ancient Vedic civilization of India. In this context, consider the following statements:

1. Dharma was a conception of obligations and of the discharge of one’s duties to oneself and to others.

2. Rita was the fundamental moral law governing the functioning of the universe and all it contained.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

In the Union Budget 2011-12, a full exemption from the basic customs duty was extended to the bio-based asphalt (bioasphalt). What is the importance of this material?

1. Unlike traditional asphalt, bio-asphalt is not based on fossil fuels.

2. Bioasphalt can be made from non-renewable resources.

3. Bioasphalt can be made from organic waste materials.

4. It is eco-friendly to use bioasphalt for surfacing of the roads.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Consider the following:

1. Carbon dioxide

2. Oxides of Nitrogen

3. Oxides of Sulphur

Which of the above is/are the emission/emissions from coal combustion at thermal power plants?

Satellites used for telecommunication relay are kept in a geostationary orbit. A satellite is said to be in such an orbit when:

1. The orbit is geosynchronous.

2. The orbit is circular.

3. The orbit lies in the plane of the Earth’s equator.

4. The orbit is at an altitude of 22,236 km.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

India has experienced persistent and high food inflation in the recent past. What could be the reasons?

1. Due to a gradual switchover to the cultivation of commercial crops, the area under the cultivation of food grains has steadily decreased in the last five years by about 30%.

2. As a consequence of increasing incomes, the consumption patterns of the people have undergone a significant change.

3. The food supply chain has structural constraints.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

At present, scientists can determine the arrangement or relative positions of genes or DNA sequences on a chromosome. How does this knowledge benefit us?

1. It is possible to know the pedigree of livestock.

2. It is possible to understand the causes of all human diseases.

3. It is possible to develop disease-resistant animal breeds.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

In terms of economy, the visit by foreign nationals to witness the XIX common Wealth Games in India amounted to

Microbial fuel cells are considered a source of sustainable energy. Why?

1. They use living organisms as catalysts to generate electricity from certain substrates.

2. They use a variety of inorganic materials as substrates.

3. They can be installed in waste water treatment plants to cleanse water and produce electricity.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Which one of the following statements appropriately describes the “fiscal stimulus”?

The formation of ozone hole in the Antarctic region has been a cause of concern. What could be the reason for the formation of this hole?

Consider the following actions which the government can take:

1. Devaluing the domestic currency.

2. Reduction in the export subsidy.

3. Adopting suitable policies which attract greater FDI and more funds from FIIs.

Which of the above action/actions can help in reducing the current account deficit?

The Constitution (Seventy-Third Amendment) Act, 1992, which aims at promoting the Panchayati Raj Institutions in the country, provides for which of the following?

1. Constitution of District Planning Committees.

2. State Election Commissions to conduct all panchayat elections.

3. Establishment of state Finance Commissions.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

Two important rivers- one with its source in Jharkhand (and known by a different name in Odisha), and another, with its source in Odisha- merge at a place only a short distance from the coast of Bay of Bengal before flowing into the sea. This is an important site of wildlife and biodiversity and a protected area. Which one of the following could be this?

A rapid increase in the rate of inflation is sometimes attributed to the “base effect”. What is “base effect”?

India is regarded as a country with “Demographic Dividend”. This is due to

Regarding “carbon credits”, which one of the following statements is not correct?

In the context of global oil prices, “Brent crude oil” is frequently referred to in the news. What does this term imply?

1. It is a major classification of crude oil.

2. Its is sourced from North Sea.

3. It does not contain sulphur.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The function of heavy water in a nuclear reactor is to

In India, if a religious sect/community is given the status of a national minority, what special advantages is it entitled to?

1. It can establish and administer exclusive educational institutions.

2. The President of India automatically nominates a representative of the community to Lok Sabha.

3. It can derive benefits from the Prime Minister’s 15-Point Programme.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

India is home to lakhs of persons with disabilities. What are the benefits available to them under the law?

1. Free schooling till the age of 18 years in government-run schools.

2. Preferential allotment of land for setting up business.

3. Ramps in public buildings.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

With what purpose is the Government of India promoting the concept of “Mega Food Parks”?

1. To provide good infrastructure facilities for the food processing industry.

2. To increase the processing of perishable items and reduce wastage.

3. To provide emerging and eco-friendly food processing technologies to entrepreneurs.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below: