UPSC Prelims 2016 Question Paper with Answers & Explanations – Page 2

Banjaras during the medieval period of Indian history were generally

Who of the following had first deciphered the edicts of Emperor Ashoka?

With reference to the ‘Gram Nyayalaya Act’, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. As per the Act, Gram Nyayalayas can hear only civil cases and not criminal cases.

2. The Act allows local social activists as mediators/reconciliators.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

With reference to the ‘Trans-Pacific Partnership’, consider the following statements:

1. It is an agreement among all the Pacific Rim countries except China and Russia.

2. It is a strategic alliance for the purpose of maritime security only.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following statements: The India-Africa Summit

1. held in 2015 was the third such Summit

2. was actually initiated by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1951

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

What is/are the purpose/purposes of the ‘Marginal Cost of Funds based Lending Rate (MCLR)’ announced by RBI?

1. These guidelines help improve the transparency in the methodology followed by banks for determining the interest rates on advances.

2. These guidelines help ensure availability of bank credit at interest rates which are fair to the borrowers as well as the banks.

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What is/are unique about ‘Kharai camel’, a breed found in India?

1. It is capable of swimming up to three kilometres in seawater.

2. It survives by grazing on mangroves.

3. It lives in the wild and cannot be domesticated.

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Recently, our scientists have discovered a new and distinct species of banana plant which attains a height of about 11 metres and has orange-coloured fruit pulp. In which part of India has it been discovered?

Which one of the following is the best description of ‘INS Astradharani’, that was in the news recently?

What is ‘Greased Lightning-10 (GL-10)’, recently in the news?

With reference to ‘Initiative for Nutritional Security through Intensive Millets Promotion’, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. This initiative aims to demonstrate the improved production and post-harvest technologies, and to demonstrate value addition techniques, in an integrated manner, with cluster approach.

2. Poor, small, marginal and tribal farmers have larger stake in this scheme.

3. An important objective of the scheme is to encourage farmers of commercial crops to shift to millet cultivation by offering them free kits of critical inputs of nutrients and microirrigation equipment.

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The ‘Swadeshi’ and ‘Boycott’ were adopted as methods of struggle for the first time during the

With reference to the religious history of India, consider the following statements:

1. The concept of Bodhisattva is central to Hinayana sect of Buddhism.

2. Bodhisattva is a compassionate one on his way to enlightenment.

3. Bodhisattva delays achieving his own salvation to help all sentient beings on their path to it.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

‘Doctors Without Borders’ (Médecins Sans Frontières), often in the news, is

With reference to an initiative called ‘The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity’ (TEEB), which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. It is initiated by UNEP, IMF and World Economic Forum.

2. It is a global initiative that focuses on drawing attention to the economic benefits of biodiversity.

3. It presents an approach that can help decision-makers recognize, demonstrate and capture the value of ecosystems and biodiversity.

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With reference to ‘Red Sanders’, sometimes seen in the news, consider the following statements:

1. It is a tree species found in a part of South India.

2. It is one of the most important trees in the tropical rain forest areas of South India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Which of the following statements is/are correct?

Proper design and effective implementation of UN-REDD+ Programme can significantly contribute to

1. protection of biodiversity
2. resilience of forest ecosystems
3. poverty reduction

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What is ‘Greenhouse Gas Protocol’?

With reference to ‘Financial Stability and Development Council’, consider the following statements:

1. It is an organ of NITI Aayog.
2. It is headed by the Union Finance Minister.
3. It monitors macroprudential supervision of the economy.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

With reference to ‘Agenda 21’, sometimes seen in the news, consider the following statements:

1. It is a global action plan for sustainable development.

2. It originated in the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg in 2002.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Satya Shodhak Samaj organized

Which of the following statements is/are correct? Viruses can infect

1. bacteria
2. fungi
3. plants

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The term ‘Base Erosion and Profit Shifting’ is sometimes seen in the news in the context of

Recently, India’s first ‘National Investment and Manufacturing Zone’ was proposed to be set up in

What is/are the purpose/purposes of ‘District Mineral Foundations’ in India?

1. Promoting mineral exploration activities in mineral-rich districts

2. Protecting the interests of the persons affected by mining operations

3. Authorizing State Governments to issue licenses for mineral exploration

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‘SWAYAM’, an initiative of the Government of India, aims at

The Montague-Chelmsford Proposals were related to

What is/are common to the two historical places known as Ajanta and Mahabalipuram?

1. Both were built in the same period.

2. Both belong to the same religious denomination.

3. Both have rock-cut monuments.

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With reference to ‘Bitcoins’, sometimes seen in the news, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. Bitcoins are tracked by the Central Banks of the countries.

2. Anyone with a Bitcoin address can send and receive Bitcoins from anyone else with a Bitcoin address.

3. Online payments can be sent without either side knowing the identity of the other.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Consider the following statements:

1. New Development Bank has been set up by APEC.

2. The headquarters of New Development Bank is in Shanghai.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

‘Gadgil Committee Report’ and ‘Kasturirangan Committee Report’, sometimes seen in the news, are related to

Consider the following:

1. Calcutta Unitarian Committee

2. Tabernacle of New Dispensation

3. Indian Reform Association

Keshab Chandra Sen is associated with the establishment of which of the above?

Which of the following is not a member of ‘Gulf Cooperation Council’?

What is/are the purpose/purposes of the Government’s ‘Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme’ and ‘Gold Monetization Scheme’?

‘Belt and Road Initiative’ is sometimes mentioned in the news in the context of the affairs of

Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana is aimed at

In which of the following regions of India are shale gas resources found? 1. Cambay Basin 2. Cauvery Basin 3. Krishna-Godavari Basin

Global Financial Stability Report is prepared by the