What are the significances of a practical approach to sugarcane production known as 'Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative'?
1. Seed cost is very low in this compared to the conventional method of cultivation.
2. Drip irrigation can be practiced very effectively in this.
3. There is no application of chemical/inorganic fertilizers at all in this.
4. The scope for intercropping is more in this compared to the conventional method of cultivation.
Purely Current Affairs: National Schemes, Bills, Policies & Portals
Consider the following pairs:
1. Drought-Prone Area Programme : Ministry of Agriculture
2. Desert Development Programme : Ministry of Environment and Forests
3. National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas : Ministry of Rural Development. Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
With reference to Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), consider the following statements:
1. It is an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
2. It strives to conserve nature through action-based research, education and public awareness.
3. It organizes and conducts nature trails and camps for the general public.
With reference to technologies for solar power production, consider the following statements:
1. 'Photovoltaics' is a technology that generates electricity by direct conversion of light into electricity, while 'Solar Thermal' is a technology that utilizes the Sun's rays to generate heat which is further used in electricity generation process.
2. Photovoltaics generates Alternating Current (AC), while Solar Thermal generates Direct Current (DC).
3. India has manufacturing base for Solar Thermal technology, but not for Photovoltaics.
Consider the following languages:
1. Gujarati
2. Kannada
3. Telugu. Which of the above has/have been declared as 'Classical Language/Languages' by the Government?
With reference to a conservation organization called 'Wetlands International', which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. It is an intergovernmental organization formed by the countries which are signatories to Ramsar Convention.
2. It works at the field level to develop and mobilize knowledge, and use the practical experience to advocate for better policies.
With reference to a grouping of countries known as BRICS, consider the following statements:
1. The First Summit of BRICS was held in Rio de Janeiro in 2009.
2. South Africa was the last to join the BRICS grouping.
Biodiversity, Keystone Species & Behavioral Ecology
Other than poaching, what are the possible reasons for the decline in the population of Ganges River Dolphins?
1. Construction of dams and barrages on rivers
2. Increase in the population of crocodiles in rivers
3. Getting trapped in fishing nets accidentally
4. Use of synthetic fertilizers and other agricultural chemicals in crop-fields in the vicinity of rivers
Brominated flame retardants are used in many household products like mattresses and upholstery. Why is there some concern about their use?
1. They are highly resistant to degradation in the environment.
2. They are able to accumulate in humans and animals.
Which of the following adds/add carbon dioxide to the carbon cycle on the planet Earth?
1. Volcanic action
2. Respiration
3. Photosynthesis
4. Decay of organic matter
If you walk through countryside, you are likely to see some birds stalking alongside the cattle to seize the insects disturbed by their movement through grasses. Which of the following is/are such bird/birds?
1. Painted Stork
2. Common Myna
3. Black-necked Crane
Which of the following are some important pollutants released by steel industry in India?
1. Oxides of sulphur
2. Oxides of nitrogen
3. Carbon monoxide
4. Carbon dioxide
UNESCO Heritage, Fairs, Festivals, Intangible Heritage & Crafts
Every year, a monthlong ecologically important campaign/festival is held during which certain communities/tribes plant saplings of fruit-bearing trees. Which of the following are such communities/tribes?
With reference to Balance of Payments, which of the following constitutes/constitute the Current Account?
1. Balance of trade
2. Foreign assets
3. Balance of invisibles
4. Special Drawing Rights
What is/are the facility/facilities the beneficiaries can get from the services of Business Correspondent (Bank Saathi) in branchless areas?
1. It enables the beneficiaries to draw their subsidies and social security benefits in their villages.
2. It enables the beneficiaries in the rural areas to make deposits and withdrawals.
In the context of Indian economy, which of the following is/are the purpose/purposes of 'Statutory Reserve Requirements'?
1. To enable the Central Bank to control the amount of advances the banks can create
2. To make the people's deposits with banks safe and liquid
3. To prevent the commercial banks from making excessive profits
4. To force the banks to have sufficient vault cash to meet their day-to-day requirements
Consider the following countries:
1. Denmark
2. Japan
3. Russian Federation
4. United Kingdom
5. United States of America Which of the above are the members of the 'Arctic Council?
World Geography, Strategic Chokepoints & Geopolitical Hotspots
Consider the following pairs:
1. Chechnya : Russian Federation
2. Darfur : Mali
3. Swat Valley : Iraq Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
Strategic Weapon Platforms, Missiles & Air Defence
With reference to Agni-IV Missile, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. It is a surface-to-surface missile.
2. It is fuelled by liquid propellant only.
3. It can deliver one-tonne nuclear warheads about 7500 km away.
With reference to two non-conventional energy sources called 'coalbed methane' and 'shale gas', consider the following statements:
1. Coalbed methane is the pure methane gas extracted from coal seams, while shale gas is a mixture of propane and butane only that can be extracted from fine-grained sedimentary rocks.
2. In India, abundant coalbed methane sources exist, but so far no shale gas sources have been found.
UNESCO Heritage, Fairs, Festivals, Intangible Heritage & Crafts
With reference to 'Changpa' community of India, consider the following statements:
1. They live mainly in the State of Uttarakhand.
2. They rear the Pashmina goats that yield a fine wool.
3. They are kept in the category of Scheduled Tribes.
In India, cluster bean (Guar) is traditionally used as a vegetable or animal feed, but recently the cultivation of this has assumed significance. Which one of the following statements is correct in this context?
Consider the following pairs:
1. Harike Wetlands : Confluence of Beas and Satluj/Sutlej
2. Keoladeo Ghana National Park : Confluence of Banas and Chambal
3. Kolleru Lake : Confluence of Musi and Krishna Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
World Geography, Strategic Chokepoints & Geopolitical Hotspots
What is the correct sequence of occurrence of the following cities in South-East Asia as one proceeds from south to north?
1. Bangkok
2. Hanoi
3. Jakarta
4. Singapore
The scientific view is that the increase in global temperature should not exceed 2 °C above pre-industrial level. If the global temperature increases beyond 3 °C above the pre-industrial level, what can be its possible impact/impacts on the world?
Consider the following statements: A Constitutional Government is one which
1. places effective restrictions on individual liberty in the interest of State Authority
2. places effective restrictions on the Authority of the State in the interest of individual liberty.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following statements:
1. The President shall make rules for the more convenient transaction of the business of the Government of India, and for the allocation among Ministers of the said business.
2. All executive actions of the Government of India shall be expressed to be taken in the name of the Prime Minister.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Union & State Legislature (Parliament & Assemblies)
Consider the following statements regarding a No-Confidence Motion in India:
1. There is no mention of a No-Confidence Motion in the Constitution of India.
2. A Motion of No-Confidence can be introduced in the Lok Sabha only.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
With reference to Neem tree, consider the following statements:
1. Neem oil can be used as a pesticide to control the proliferation of some species of insects and mites.
2. Neem seeds are used in the manufacture of biofuels and hospital detergents.
3. Neem oil has applications in pharmaceutical industry.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
In addition to fingerprint scanning, which of the following can be used in the biometric identification of a person?
1. Iris scanning
2. Retinal scanning
3. Voice recognition
Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding vegetative propagation of plants?
1. Vegetative propagation produces clonal population.
2. Vegetative propagation helps in eliminating the virus.
3. Vegetative propagation can be practiced most of the year.
Consider the following techniques/phenomena:
1. Budding and grafting in fruit plants
2. Cytoplasmic male sterility
3. Gene silencing.
Which of the above is/are used to create transgenic crops?
Consider the following statements:
1. Maize can be used for the production of starch.
2. Oil extracted from maize can be a feedstock for biodiesel.
3. Alcoholic beverages can be produced by using maize.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
UNESCO Heritage, Fairs, Festivals, Intangible Heritage & Crafts
Consider the following towns of India:
1. Bhadrachalam
2. Chanderi
3. Kancheepuram
4. Karnal. Which of the above are famous for the production of traditional sarees/fabric?
Consider the following pairs:
1. NH 4 : Chennai and Hyderabad
2. NH 6 : Mumbai and Kolkata
3. NH 15 : Ahmedabad and Jodhpur. Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
Consider the following international agreements:
1. The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
2. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
3. The World Heritage Convention. Which of the above has/have a bearing on the biodiversity?
Consider the following statements regarding 'Earth Hour':
1. It is an initiative of UNEP and UNESCO.
2. It is a movement in which the participants switch off the lights for one hour on a certain day every year.
3. It is a movement to raise the awareness about the climate change and the need to save the planet.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
With reference to the famous Sattriya dance, consider the following statements:
1. Sattriya is a combination of music, dance and drama.
2. It is a centuries-old living tradition of Vaishnavites of Assam.
3. It is based on classical Ragas and Talas of devotional songs composed by Tulsidas, Kabir and Mirabai.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
National Symbols, Ceremonials & Flag Code of India
Chaitra 1 of the national calendar based on the Saka Era corresponds to which one of the following dates of the Gregorian calendar in a normal year of 365 days?
With reference to the Indian history of art and culture, consider the following pairs:
1. A grand image of Buddha's Mahaparinirvana with numerous celestial musicians above and the sorrowful figures of his followers below : Ajanta
2. A huge image of Varaha Avatar (boar incarnation) of Vishnu, as he rescues Goddess Earth from the deep and chaotic waters, sculpted on rock : Mount Abu
3. "Arjuna's Penance"/"Descent of Ganga" sculpted on the surface of huge boulders : Mamallapuram.
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
Consider the following pairs:
1. Garba : Gujarat
2. Mohiniattam : Odisha
3. Yakshagana : Karnataka.
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
With reference to Buddhist history, tradition and culture in India, consider the following pairs:
1. Tabo monastery and temple complex : Spiti Valley
2. Lhotsava Lhakhang temple, Nako : Zanskar Valley
3. Alchi temple complex : Ladakh.
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
Consider the following statements:
1. 'Bijak' is a composition of the teachings of Saint Dadu Dayal.
2. The Philosophy of Pushti Marg was propounded by Madhvacharya.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
What was/were the object/objects of Queen Victoria's Proclamation (1858)?
1. To disclaim any intention to annex Indian States
2. To place the Indian administration under the British Crown
3. To regulate East India Company's trade with India.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
In the context of food and nutritional security of India, enhancing the 'Seed Replacement Rates' of various crops helps in achieving the food production targets of the future. But what is/are the constraint/constraints in its wider/greater implementation?
1. There is no National Seeds Policy in place.
2. There is no participation of private sector seed companies in the supply of quality seeds of vegetables and planting materials of horticultural crops.
3. There is a demand-supply gap regarding quality seeds in case of low value and high volume crops.
With reference to 'Eco-Sensitive Zones', which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. Eco-Sensitive Zones are the areas that are declared under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
2. The purpose of the declaration of Eco-Sensitive Zones is to prohibit all kinds of human activities in those zones except agriculture.
Consider the following statements:
1. Animal Welfare Board of India is established under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
2. National Tiger Conservation Authority is a statutory body.
3. National Ganga River Basin Authority is chaired by the Prime Minister.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following pairs:
1. Vitamin C : Scurvy
2. Vitamin D : Rickets
3. Vitamin E : Night blindness.
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
There is some concern regarding the nanoparticles of some chemical elements that are used by the industry in the manufacture of various products. Why?
1. They can accumulate in the environment, and contaminate water and soil.
2. They can enter the food chains.
3. They can trigger the production of free radicals.
With reference to Union Budget, which of the following is/are covered under Non-Plan Expenditure?
1. Defence expenditure
2. Interest payments
3. Salaries and pensions
4. Subsidies