UPSC Prelims 2012 Question Paper & Official Answer Key

In the areas covered under the Panchayat (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, what is the role/power of Gram Sabha?

In the Parliament of India, the purpose of an adjournment motion is

How does National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) help in protecting the Indian agriculture?

The National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 was enacted in consonance with which of the following provisions of the Constitution of India?

If National Water Mission is properly and completely implemented, how will it impact the country?

Consider the following provisions under the Directive Principles of State Policy as enshrined in the Constitution of India. Which of the above are the Gandhian Principles that are reflected in the Directive Principles of State Policy?

Consider the following statements: 1. Union Territories are not represented in the Rajya Sabha. 2. It is within the purview of the Chief Election Commissioner to adjudicate the election disputes. 3. According to the Constitution of India, the Parliament consists of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha only. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

With reference to consumers' rights/privileges under the provisions of law in India, which of the following statements is/are correct?

Regarding the office of the Lok Sabha Speaker, consider the following statements. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Which of the following are included in the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court?

Consider the following kinds of organisms: 1. Bacteria, 2. Fungi, 3. Flowering plants. Some species of which of the above kinds of organisms are employed as biopesticides?

Biomass gasification is considered to be one of the sustainable solutions to the power crisis in India. In this context, which of the following statements is/are correct?

What is the role of ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the water purification systems?

Graphene is frequently in news recently. What is its importance?

Lead, ingested or inhaled, is a health hazard. After the addition of lead to petrol has been banned, what still are the sources of lead poisoning?

With reference to: 'stem cells', frequently in the news, which of the following statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements: Chlorofluorocarbons, known as ozone-depleting substances, are used. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A team of scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory including those from India created the heaviest anti-matter (anti-helium nucleus). What is/are the implication/implications of the creation of anti-matter?

Which of the following is/are cited by the scientists as evidence/evidences for the continued expansion of universe?

Electrically charged particles from space travelling at speeds of several hundred km/sec can severely harm living beings if they reach the surface of the Earth. What prevents them from reaching the surface of the Earth?

With reference to the scientific progress of ancient India, which of the statements given below are correct?

With reference to the history of ancient India, which of the following was/were common to both Buddhism and Jainism?

Which of the following can be said to be essentially the parts of Inclusive Governance?

The Nagara, the Dravida and the Vesara are the

The Congress ministries resigned in the seven provinces in 1939, because

With reference to National Rural Health Mission, which of the following are the jobs of 'ASHA', a trained community health worker?

Which of the following is/are the principal feature(s) of the Government of India Act, 1919?

During Indian freedom struggle, the National Social Conference was formed. What was the reason for its formation?

Which of the following parties were established by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar?

Which of the following special powers have been conferred on the Rajya Sabha by the Constitution of India?

How does the National Rural Livelihood Mission seek to improve livelihood options of rural poor?

The Multi-dimensional Poverty Index developed by Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative with UNDP support covers which of the following?

Which of the following is/are among the noticeable features of the recommendations of the Thirteenth Finance Commission?

What is/are the recent policy initiative(s) of Government of India to promote the growth of manufacturing sector?

Which of the following are the methods of Parliamentary control over public finance in India?

Mahatma Gandhi undertook fast unto death in 1932, mainly because

With reference to Ryotwari Settlement, consider the following statements:

Consider the following specific stages of demographic transition associated with economic development:

In India, in the overall Index of Industrial Production, the Indices of Eight Core Industries have a combined weight of 37.90%. Which of the following are among those Eight Core Industries?

Which of the following provisions of the Constitution of India have a bearing on Education?

Government of India encourages the cultivation of 'sea buckthorn'. What is the importance of this plant?

Which of the following is the chief characteristic of mixed farming?

A particular State in India has the following characteristics: 1. It is located on the same latitude which passes through northern Rajasthan. 2. It has over 80% of its area under forest cover. 3. Over 12% of forest cover constitutes Protected Area Network in this State. Which one among the following States has all the above characteristics?

Consider the following crops of India: 1. Cowpea 2. Green gram 3. Pigeon pea. Which of the above is/are used as pulse, fodder and green manure?

Consider the following factors: 1. Rotation of the Earth 2. Air pressure and wind 3. Density of ocean water 4. Revolution of the Earth. Which of the above factors influence the ocean currents?

With reference to the wetlands of India, consider the following statements: 1. The country's total geographical area under the category of wetlands is recorded more in Gujarat as compared to other States. 2. In India, the total geographical area of coastal wetlands is larger than that of inland wetlands. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following crops of India: 1. Groundnut 2. Sesamum 3. Pearl millet. Which of the above is/are predominantly rainfed crop/crops?

When you travel in Himalayas, you will see the following: 1. Deep gorges 2. U-turn river courses 3. Parallel mountain ranges 4. Steep gradients causing land-sliding. Which of the above can be said to be the evidences for Himalayas being young fold mountains?

Normally, the temperature decreases with the increase in height from the Earth's surface, because 1. the atmosphere can be heated upwards only from the Earth's surface 2. there is more moisture in the upper atmosphere 3. the air is less dense in the upper atmosphere. Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

The acidification of oceans is increasing. Why is this phenomenon a cause of concern? 1. The growth and survival of calcareous phytoplankton will be adversely affected. 2. The growth and survival of coral reefs will be adversely affected. 3. The survival of some animals that have phytoplanktonic larvae will be adversely affected. 4. The cloud seeding and formation of clouds will be adversely affected. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

In India, other than ensuring that public funds are used efficiently and for intended purpose, what is the importance of the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG)? 1. CAG exercises exchequer control on behalf of the Parliament when the President of India declares national emergency/financial emergency. 2. CAG reports on the execution of projects or programmes by the ministries are discussed by the Public Accounts Committee. 3. Information from CAG reports can be used by investigating agencies to press charges against those who have violated the law while managing public finances. 4. While dealing with the audit and accounting of government companies, CAG has certain judicial powers for prosecuting those who violate the law. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The endeavour of Janani Suraksha Yojana Programme is 1. to promote institutional deliveries 2. to provide monetary assistance to the mother to meet the cost of delivery 3. to provide for wage loss due to pregnancy and confinement. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The Prime Minister of India, at the time of his/her appointment

With reference to the Delimitation Commission, consider the following statements: 1. The orders of the Delimitation Commission cannot be challenged in a Court of Law. 2. When the orders of the Delimitation Commission are laid before the Lok Sabha or State Legislative Assembly, they cannot effect any modifications in the orders. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following: 1. Hotels and restaurants 2. Motor transport undertakings 3. Newspaper establishments 4. Private medical institutions. The employees of which of the above can have the 'Social Security coverage under Employees' State Insurance Scheme?

According to the Constitution of India, it is the duty of the President of India to cause to be laid before the Parliament which of the following? 1. The Recommendations of the Union Finance Commission 2. The Report of the Public Accounts Committee 3. The Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General 4. The Report of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes. Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

A deadlock between the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha calls for a joint sitting of the Parliament during the passage of 1. Ordinary Legislation 2. Money Bill 3. Constitution Amendment Bill. Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

How do District Rural Development Agencies (DRDAs) help in the reduction of rural poverty in India? 1. DRDAs act as Panchayati Raj Institutions in certain specified backward regions of the country. 2. DRDAs undertake area-specific scientific study of the causes of poverty and malnutrition and prepare detailed remedial measures. 3. DRDAs secure inter-sectoral and inter-departmental coordination and cooperation for effective implementation of anti-poverty programmes. 4. DRDAs watch over and ensure effective utilization of the funds intended for anti-poverty programmes. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Which of the following is/are among the Fundamental Duties of citizens laid down in the Indian Constitution?

What is the provision to safeguard the autonomy of the Supreme Court of India?

To meet its rapidly growing energy demand, some opine that India should pursue research and development on thorium as the future fuel of nuclear energy. In this context, what advantage does thorium held over uranium?

The increasing amount of carbon dioxide in the air is slowly raising the temperature of the atmosphere, because it absorbs

Which one of the following sets of elements was primarily responsible for the origin of life on the Earth?

What are the reasons for the people's resistance to the introduction of Bt brinjal in India?

Other than resistance to pests, what are the prospects for which genetically engineered plants have been created?

Consider the following statements: The most effective contribution made by Dadabhai Naoroji to the cause of Indian National Movement was that he...

With reference to Dhrupad, one of the major traditions of India that has been kept alive for centuries; which of the following statements are correct?

How do you distinguish between Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam dances?

With reference to the religious history of medieval India, the Sufi mystics were known to pursue which of the following practices?

The Rowlatt Act aimed at

The Lahore Session of the Indian National Congress (1929) is very important in history, because

Lord Buddha's image is sometimes shown with the hand gesture called Bhumisparsha Mudra. It symbolizes

The religion of early Vedic Aryans was primarily of

Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding Brahmo Samaj?

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) acts as a bankers' bank. This would imply which of the following?

Under which of the following circumstances may 'capital gains' arise?

Which of the following measures would result in an increase in the money supply in the economy?

Which of the following would include Foreign Direct Investment in India?

Consider the following statements: The price of any currency in international market is decided by the

The basic aim of Lead Bank Scheme is that

Consider the following: 1. Assessment of land revenue on the basis of nature of the soil and the quality of crops 2. Use of mobile cannons in warfare 3. Cultivation of tobacco and red chillies. Which of the above was/were introduced into India by the English?

With reference to the guilds (Shreni) of ancient India that played a very important role in the country's economy, which of the following statements is/are correct?

The distribution of powers between the Centre and the States in the Indian Constitution is based on the scheme provided in the

Despite having large reserves of coal, why does India import millions of tonnes of coal?

A person stood alone in a desert on a dark night and wanted to reach his village which was situated 5 km east of the point where he was standing. He had no instruments to find the direction but he located the polestar. The most convenient way now to reach his village is to walk in the

Recently, there has been a concern over the short supply of a group of elements called 'rare earth metals'. Why?

Consider the following protected areas: 1. Bandipur 2. Bhitarkanika 3. Manas 4. Sunderbans. Which of the above are declared Tiger Reserves?

Consider the following statements: 1. The duration of the monsoon decreases from southern India to northern India. 2. The amount of annual rainfall in the northern plains of India decreases from east to west. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Which one of the following is the characteristic climate of the Tropical Savannah Region?

In which one among the following categories of protected areas in India are local people not allowed to collect and use the biomass?

Consider the following kinds of organisms: 1. Bat 2. Bee 3. Bird. Which of the above is/are pollinating agent/agents?

Which one of the following groups of animals belongs to the category of endangered species?

Consider the following statements: If there were no phenomenon of capillarity 1. it would be difficult to use a kerosene lamp 2. one would not be able to use a straw to consume a soft drink 3. the blotting paper would fail to function 4. the big trees that we see around would not have grown on the Earth. Which of the statements given above are correct?

The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment describes the following major categories of ecosystem services-provisioning, supporting, regulating, preserving and cultural. Which one of the following is supporting service?

What is the difference between the antelopes Oryx and Chiru?

Which of the following can be threats to the biodiversity of a geographical area? 1. Global warming 2. Fragmentation of habitat 3. Invasion of alien species 4. Promotion of vegetarianism. Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

Consider the following: 1. Black-necked crane 2. Cheetah 3. Flying squirrel 4. Snow leopard. Which of the above are naturally found in India?

Consider the following agricultural practices: 1. Contour bunding 2. Relay cropping 3. Zero tillage. In the context of global climate change, which of the above helps/help in carbon sequestration/storage in the soil?

What would happen if phytoplankton of an ocean is completely destroyed for some reason? 1. The ocean as a carbon sink would be adversely affected. 2. The food chains in the ocean would be adversely affected. 3. The density of ocean water would drastically decrease. Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

Vultures which used to be very common in Indian countryside some years ago are rarely seen nowadays. This is attributed to