All Prelims papers

UPSC Prelims 1995

General Studies Paper I

148 questions, 2 hours. Open a question for its answer and why.

Sit it against the clock, marked with UPSC’s key
  1. Question 1 · Science and Technology

    A meteor is

    aa rapidly moving star
    ba piece of matter which has entered the earth’s atmosphere from outer space
    cpart of a constellation
    da comet without a tail
  2. Question 2 · History and Culture

    The word ‘Hindu’ as reference to the people of Hind (India) was first used by

    athe Greeks
    bthe Romans
    cthe Chinese
    dthe Arabs
  3. Question 3 · Geography

    Given below is a map of some countries which were parts of the erstwhile Soviet Union, with water bodies shown by shaded areas: The countries marked 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are respectively

    aTajikistan, Turkmenia, Uzbekistan, Kirgizia, Kazakhstan
    bTurkmenia, Kirgizia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan
    cKazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kirgizia, Turkmenia
    dKazakhstan, Turkmenia, Uzbekistan, Kirgizia, Tajikistan
  4. Question 4 · Economy and Social Development

    To prevent recurrence of scams in Indian Capital Market, the Government of India has assigned regulatory powers to

    aSEBI
    bRBI
    cSBI
    dIDBI
  5. Question 5 · Polity and Governance

    Consider the table given below providing some details of the results of the election to the Karnataka State Legislative Assembly held in December, 1994. In terms of electoral analysis, the voter-seat distortion is to be explained as the result of the adoption of the

    aHare system
    bCumulative vote system
    cFirst-past-the-post system
    dPlural vote system
  6. Question 6 · History and Culture

    Who among the following was a Brahmavadini who composed some hymns of the Vedas?

    aLopamudra
    bGargi
    cLeelavati
    dSavitri
  7. Question 7 · Geography

    The Alpine vegetation in the western Himalayas is found only up to a height of 3000 metres, while in the eastern Himalayas it is found up to a height of 4000 metres. The reason for this variation in the same mountain range is that

    aeastern Himalayas are higher than western Himalayas
    beastern Himalayas are nearer to the Equator and sea coast than western Himalayas
    ceastern Himalayas get more monsoon rainfall than the western Himalayas
    deastern Himalayan rocks are more fertile than the western Himalayan rocks
  8. Question 8 · Economy and Social Development

    According to the 1991 Census, the highest percentage of population in India is to be found in the age group of

    a60 years and above
    b35 to 55 years
    c25 to 34 years
    d5 to 14 years
  9. Question 9 · Polity and Governance

    Which one of the following is correct in respect of the commencement of the election process in India?

    aThe recommendation for election is made by the government and the notification for election is issued by the Election Commission
    bThe recommendation for election is made by the Election Commission and the notification for election is issued by the Home Ministry at the Centre and Home Departments in the States
    cThe recommendation for election is made by the Election Commission and the notification for election is issued by the President and Governors of the States concerned
    dBoth the exercises of making a recommendation for election and that of issuing a notification in respect of it are done by the Election Commission
  10. Question 10 · History and Culture

    Match List I with List II and select the correct answer by using the codes given below the lists: List I (Eras) I. Vikrama era II. Saka era III. Gupta era IV. Kali era List II (Reckoned from) A) 3102 B.C. B) 320 A.D. C) 78 A.D. D) 58 B.C. E) 248 A.D.

    aI-B, II-D, III-E, IV-A
    bI-A, II-C, III-B, IV-D
    cI-D, II-E, III-B, IV-C
    dI-D, II-C, III-B, IV-A
  11. Question 11 · Geography

    The standard time of the following countries is ahead or behind Greenwich Mean Time depending on whether they are east or west of the longitude passing through Greenwich: I. Cuba II. Greece III. Iraq IV. Costa Rica V. Japan Which one of the following sequential orders gives the correct arrangement of the countries according to their standard time from ahead to behind GMT?

    aV, III, II, I, IV
    bII, IV, I, III, V
    cIV, I, III, II, V
    dIII, V, IV, I, II
  12. Question 12 · Economy and Social Development

    Which one of the following Five-Year Plans recognised human development as the core of all developmental efforts?

    aThe Third Five-Year Plan
    bThe Fifth Five-Year Plan
    cThe Sixth Five-Year Plan
    dThe Eighth Five-Year Plan
  13. Question 13 · Polity and Governance

    Which of the following is/are extra-constitutional and extra-legal device(s) for securing cooperation and coordination between the States in India? I. The National Development Council II. The Governors’ Conference III. Zonal Councils IV. The Interstate Council Choose the correct answer from the codes given below:

    aI, II and III
    bI, III and IV
    cIII and IV
    dIV only
  14. Question 14 · History and Culture

    The original home of the gypsies was

    aEgypt
    bRussia
    cIndia
    dPersia
  15. Question 15 · Geography

    Which one of the following is the continent with the highest mean elevation in the world?

    aAntarctica
    bNorth America
    cAsia
    dSouth America
  16. Question 16 · Economy and Social Development

    Which of the following are the objectives of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP)? I. To stabilise agricultural prices. II. To ensure meaningful real income levels to the farmers. III. To protect the interest of the consumers by providing essential agricultural commodities at reasonable rates through public distribution system. IV. To ensure maximum price for the farmer. Select the correct answer from the codes given below:

    aI, II and III
    bI, II and IV
    cI, III and IV
    dII, III and IV
  17. Question 17 · Polity and Governance

    Which of the following are matters on which a constitutional amendment is possible only with the ratification of the legislatures of not less than one-half of the States? I. Election of the President II. Representation of States in Parliament III. Any of the Lists in the 7th Schedule IV. Abolition of the Legislative Council of a State Choose the correct answer from the codes given below:

    aI, II and III
    bI, II and IV
    cI, III and IV
    dII, III and IV
  18. Question 18 · History and Culture

    In Sanskrit plays written during the Gupta Period women and sudras speak

    aSanskrit
    bPrakrit
    cPali
    dSauraseni
  19. Question 20 · Polity and Governance

    Consider the table given below: Parliament of India (extract shown) Which one of the following will fit in the place marked ‘X’?

    aMinisters who are not Members of Parliament but who have to get themselves elected to either House of Parliament within six months after assuming office
    bNot more than 20 nominated members
    cNot more than 20 representatives of Union Territories
    dThe Attorney General who has the right to speak and take part in the proceedings of either House of Parliament
  20. Question 21 · History and Culture

    The name by which Asoka is generally referred to in his inscriptions is

    aChakravarti
    bDharmadeva
    cDharmakirti
    dPriyadarshini
  21. Question 22 · Geography

    Consider the map given below: The divisions along India’s coastal region indicate

    acoastal pollution zones
    bsalinity density isopleths
    cthe areas up to which sovereignty extends
    dunderwater relief contours
  22. Question 23 · Polity and Governance

    Who among the following have the right to vote in the elections to both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha?

    aElected members of the Lower House of the Parliament
    bElected members of the Upper House of the Parliament
    cElected members of the Upper House of the State Legislature
    dElected members of the Lower House of the State Legislature
  23. Question 24 · History and Culture

    The Nagara, the Dravida and the Vesara are

    athe three main racial groups of the Indian subcontinent
    bthe three main linguistic divisions into which the languages of India can be classified
    cthe three main styles of Indian temple architecture
    dthe three main musical gharanas of Indian classical music
  24. Question 25 · Geography

    In the map given below, three out of the four places marked indicate places where a thermal power station is located. The place where there is no thermal power station is marked

    a1
    b2
    c3
    d4
  25. Question 26 · Geography

    Match List I with List II and select the correct answer by using the codes given below the lists: List I List II I. European transcontinental railway A) Paris to Istanbul II. Trans Andean railway B) Leningrad to Vladivostok III. Trans-Siberian railway C) Leningrad to Volgograd IV. Orient Express D) Buenos Aires to Valparaiso E) Paris to Warsaw

    aI-E, II-D, III-B, IV-A
    bI-A, II-D, III-C, IV-B
    cI-E, II-A, III-B, IV-C
    dI-A, II-B, III-C, IV-D
  26. Question 27 · Economy and Social Development

    As part of the liberalisation programme and with a view to attracting foreign exchange, the Government and the RBI have devised two schemes known as FCNR-‘A’ and FCNR-‘B’. Which of the following is/are true regarding these two schemes? I. Under scheme ‘A’ RBI bears exchange rate fluctuations. II. Under scheme ‘B’, other banks are to meet out the difference in exchange rate fluctuations. III. Both the schemes stand withdrawn now. IV. Only scheme ‘A’ has been withdrawn. Select the correct answer from the codes given below:

    aIII only
    bI and II
    cI, II and III
    dI, II and IV
  27. Question 28 · Polity and Governance

    Which one of the following States of India does not have a Legislative Council so far even though the Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956 provides for it?

    aMaharashtra
    bBihar
    cKarnataka
    dMadhya Pradesh
  28. Question 30 · History and Culture

    In the interim government formed in 1946, the Vice-President of the Executive Council was

    aJawaharlal Nehru
    bDr. S. Radhakrishnan
    cC. Rajagopalachari
    dDr. Rajendra Prasad
  29. Question 31 · Economy and Social Development

    Which of the following are among the non-plan expenditures of the Government of India? I. Defence expenditure II. Subsidies III. All expenditures linked with the previous plan periods IV. Interest payment Choose the correct answer from the codes given below:

    aI and II
    bI and III
    cII and IV
    dI, II, III and IV
  30. Question 32 · Environment and Ecology

    “Monoculture of commercially viable trees is destroying the unique natural profile of ……… Thoughtless exploitation of timber, deforesting vast tracts for palm cultivation, destruction of mangroves, illegal logging by tribals and poaching only compound the problem. Fresh water pockets are fast drying up due to deforestation and destruction of mangroves.” The place referred to in this quotation is

    aSundarbans
    bKerala Coast
    cOrissa Coast
    dAndaman and Nicobar Islands
  31. Question 33 · History and Culture

    The Mughal School of Painting formed the spinal column of the various schools of Indian miniature art. Which one of the following painting styles was not affected by Mughal painting?

    aPahari
    bRajasthani
    cKangra
    dKalighata
  32. Question 34 · History and Culture

    Who among the following were famous jurists of medieval India? I. Vijnanesvara II. Hemadri III. Rajasekhara IV. Jimutavahana Choose the correct answer from the codes given below:

    aI, II and III
    bII, III and IV
    cI, II and IV
    dI and IV
  33. Question 35 · Economy and Social Development

    Which of the following pairs are correctly matched? I. Increase in foreign exchange reserves ................. Monetary expansion II. Low import growth rate in India ...................... Recession in Indian Industry III. Euro issues ................ Shares held by Indian companies in European countries IV. Portfolio investment ............... Foreign institutional investors Select the correct answer by using the following codes:

    aI, II and IV
    bIII and IV
    cI, II and III
    dI, II, III and IV
  34. Question 36 · Polity and Governance

    Article 156 of the Constitution of India provides that a Governor shall hold office for a term of five years from the date on which he enters upon his office. Which of the following can be deduced from this? I. No Governor can be removed from office till completion of his term. II. No Governor can continue in office beyond a period of five years. Select the correct answer from the codes given below:

    aI only
    bII only
    cBoth I and II
    dNeither I nor II
  35. Question 37 · Geography

    Coffee cultivation in Sri Lanka was abandoned because of the disease

    aleaf blight
    bleaf spot
    cleaf rust
    drot
  36. Question 38 · Economy and Social Development

    What is the annual growth rate aimed at in the Eighth Five-Year Plan?

    a5.6%
    b6%
    c6.5%
    d7%
  37. Question 39 · Polity and Governance

    Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, etc. (Article 15 of the Constitution of India) is a Fundamental Right classifiable under

    athe Right to Freedom of Religion
    bthe Right against Exploitation
    cthe Cultural and Educational Rights
    dthe Right to Equality
  38. Question 40 · International Relations and Current Affairs

    Match List I with List II and select the correct answer by using the codes given below the lists: List I List II I. Ernesto Zedillo A) Uruguay II. Alberto Fujimori B) Brazil III. Julio Maria Sanguinetti C) Mexico IV. Fernando H. Cardoso D) Bolivia E) Peru

    aI-C, II-E, III-A, IV-B
    bI-D, II-E, III-C, IV-A
    cI-C, II-D, III-V, IV-B
    dI-E, II-C, III-A, IV-D
  39. Question 41 · Economy and Social Development

    Which one of the following is the largest mutual fund organisation in India?

    aSBI Mutual Fund
    bGIC Mutual Fund
    cIndustrial Bank Mutual Fund
    dUnit Trust of India
  40. Question 42 · History and Culture

    According to the Mimamsa system of philosophy, liberation is possible by means of

    aJnana
    bBhakti
    cYoga
    dKarma
  41. Question 43 · History and Culture

    The lead character in the film The Bandit Queen has been played by

    aPratibha Sinha
    bRupa Ganguly
    cSeema Biswas
    dShabana Azmi
  42. Question 44 · Science and Technology

    The Nobel Prize for deciphering the language of bees was awarded to

    aH. G. Khurana
    bK. V. Frisch
    cJulian Huxley
    dDorothy Hodgkins
  43. Question 45 · Geography

    The palaeomagnetic results obtained from India indicate that in the past, the Indian land mass has moved

    anorthward
    bsouthward
    ceastward
    dwestward
  44. Question 46 · Economy and Social Development

    Corporation tax

    ais levied and appropriated by the States
    bis levied by the Union and collected and appropriated by the States
    cis levied by the Union and shared by the Union and the States
    dis levied by the Union and belongs to it exclusively
  45. Question 47 · Polity and Governance

    In which one of the following States of India is it legal for a Hindu male and illegal for a Muslim male to have more than one living wife?

    aNagaland
    bMizoram
    cGoa
    dArunachal Pradesh
  46. Question 48 · International Relations and Current Affairs

    Which of the following constitute the World Bank? I. International Bank for Reconstruction and Development II. International Finance Corporation III. International Development Association IV. International Monetary Fund Choose the correct answer from the codes given below:

    aI, II and III
    bI and II
    cIII and IV
    dI, II, III and IV
  47. Question 49 · Geography

    Of the four places marked 1, 2, 3 and 4 on the map, the one indicating a tidal port is

    a1
    b2
    c3
    d4
  48. Question 50 · History and Culture

    The radical wing of the Congress Party, with Jawaharlal Nehru as one of its main leaders, founded the ‘Independence for India League’ in opposition to

    athe Gandhi Irwin Pact
    bthe Home Rule Movement
    cthe Nehru Report
    dthe Montford Reforms
  49. Question 51 · Economy and Social Development

    Agricultural income tax is assigned to the State Governments by

    athe Finance Commission
    bthe National Development Council
    cthe Inter-State Council
    dthe Constitution of India
  50. Question 52 · History and Culture

    Bronze icons of Nataraja cast during the Chola period invariably show the deity with

    aeight hands
    bsix hands
    cfour hands
    dtwo hands
  51. Question 53 · Geography

    Willy Willy is

    aa type of tree grown in temperate regions
    ba wind that blows in a desert
    ca tropical cyclone of north-west Australia
    da kind of common fish found near Lakshadweep islands
  52. Question 54 · Geography

    Consider the map given below indicating four places frequently figuring in the news: Which one of them is Chechenya? Choose the correct answer from the codes given below:

    a1
    b2
    c3
    d4
  53. Question 55 · Economy and Social Development

    Which one of the following is not an instrument of selective credit control in India?

    aRegulation of consumer credit
    bRationing of credit
    cMargin requirements
    dVariable reserve ratios
  54. Question 56 · History and Culture

    The term Yavanapriya, mentioned in ancient Sanskrit texts, denoted

    aa fine variety of Indian muslin
    bivory
    cdamsels sent to the Greek court for dance performance
    dpepper
  55. Question 57 · Polity and Governance

    The Dinesh Goswami Committee was concerned with

    ade-nationalisation of banks
    belectoral reforms
    csteps to put down insurgency in the North-east
    dthe problem of the Chakmas
  56. Question 58 · History and Culture

    Which one of the following monuments has a dome which is said to be one of the largest in the world?

    aTomb of Sher Shah, Sasaram
    bJama Masjid, Delhi
    cTomb of Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq, Delhi
    dGol Gumbaz, Bijapur
  57. Question 59 · Economy and Social Development

    Which one of the following is true regarding the Jawahar Rozgar Yojana (JRY)?

    aIt was launched during the Prime Ministership of Indira Gandhi
    bIt aims at creating one million jobs annually
    cThe target group of JRY are the urban poor living below the poverty line
    dUnder the scheme 30% of the employment generated is reserved for women
  58. Question 60 · Economy and Social Development

    Bank Rate implies the rate of interest

    apaid by the Reserve Bank of India on the deposits of Commercial Banks
    bcharged by Banks on loans and advances
    cpayable on Bonds
    dat which the Reserve Bank of India discounts the Bills of Exchange
  59. Question 61 · Polity and Governance

    Which one of the following is not explicitly stated in the Constitution of India but followed as a convention?

    aThe Finance Minister is to be a member of the Lower House
    bThe Prime Minister has to resign if he loses majority in the Lower House
    cAll the parts of India are to be represented in the Council of Ministers
    dIn the event of both the President and the Vice-President demitting office simultaneously before the end of their tenure, the Speaker of the Lower House of Parliament will officiate as the President
  60. Question 62 · History and Culture

    Which one of the following was an émigré Communist Journal of M. N. Roy?

    aKisan Sabha
    bThe Worker
    cVanguard
    dAnushilan
  61. Question 63 · Geography

    In which one of the following crops international trade is low in the context of total produce?

    aRice
    bCoffee
    cRubber
    dWheat
  62. Question 64 · Economy and Social Development

    The Narasimham Committee for Financial Sector Reforms has suggested reduction in

    aSLR and CRR
    bSLR, CRR and Priority Sector Financing
    cSLR and financing to capital goods sector
    dCRR, Priority Sector Financing and financing to capital goods sector
  63. Question 65 · Polity and Governance

    Which of the following are the States in which the Lok Ayukta Act includes the Chief Minister in its ambit?

    aWest Bengal and Kerala
    bGujarat and Maharashtra
    cMadhya Pradesh and Orissa
    dRajasthan and Karnataka
  64. Question 66 · History and Culture

    Ashtapradhan was a Council of Ministers

    ain the Gupta Administration
    bin the Chola Administration
    cin the Vijayanagar Administration
    din the Maratha Administration
  65. Question 67 · Geography

    The Indian subcontinent was originally part of a huge land mass called

    aJurassic Land Mass
    bAryavarta
    cIndiana
    dGondwana Continent
  66. Question 68 · International Relations and Current Affairs

    Which of the following are correctly matched? I. Hamas — Palestinian extremist group II. Sinn Fein — IRA’s political wing III. True Path Party — A major constituent of the ruling coalition in Turkey Choose the correct answer from the codes given below:

    aI and II
    bI and III
    cI, II and III
    dII and III
  67. Question 69 · Environment and Ecology

    Which one of the following does not belong to biosphere reserves set up so far?

    aGreat Nicobar
    bSunderbans
    cNanda Devi
    dGulf of Kachchh
  68. Question 70 · History and Culture

    Consider the map given below: The route indicated in the map was followed, during the course of his military exploits, by

    aChandragupta II
    bHarshavardhana
    cRajendra Chola
    dMalik Kafur
  69. Question 71 · Geography

    The clouds float in the atmosphere because of their low

    atemperature
    bvelocity
    cpressure
    ddensity
  70. Question 72 · Geography

    Which one of the following mountain ranges is spread over only one State in India?

    aAravalli
    bSatpura
    cAjanta
    dSahyadri
  71. Question 73 · History and Culture

    Hugly was used as a base for piracy in the Bay of Bengal by

    athe Portuguese
    bthe French
    cthe Danish
    dthe British
  72. Question 74 · Science and Technology

    In the field of space technology, India has demonstrated during 1994 her capability to

    adesign advanced inter-continental ballistic missile warning systems
    bbuild satellites
    cbuild stealth missiles
    dlaunch geo-stationary satellites
  73. Question 75 · History and Culture

    The ‘Modi script’ was employed in the documents of the

    aWodeyars
    bZamorins
    cHoysalas
    dMarathas
  74. Question 76 · Economy and Social Development

    One of the reasons for India’s occupational structure remaining more or less the same over the years has been that

    ainvestment pattern has been directed towards capital-intensive industries
    bproductivity in agriculture has been high enough to induce people to stay with agriculture
    cceilings on land holdings have enabled more people to own land and hence their preference to stay with agriculture
    dpeople are largely unaware of the significance of transition from agriculture to industry for economic development
  75. Question 77 · International Relations and Current Affairs

    Which one of the following countries had in 1994 voted against joining the European Union?

    aNorway
    bSweden
    cFinland
    dAustria
  76. Question 78 · History and Culture

    Examine the map given below: The places marked 1, 2, 3 and 4 were respectively the seats of powers of the

    aScindias, Holkars, Gaekwads and Bhonsles
    bHolkars, Scindias, Gaekwads and Bhonsles
    cGaekwads, Bhonsles, Scindias and Holkars
    dScindias, Holkars, Bhonsles and Gaekwads
  77. Question 79 · Economy and Social Development

    Which of the following benefits are likely to accrue to India from the World Trade Organisation? I. India’s share in the world trade is to go up from the present 600 million US dollars to 5 billion US dollars by 2000 A.D. II. It will help boost exports of agricultural commodities from India. III. India’s share in the world trade is likely to triple by the year 2000 A.D. Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

    aI, II and III
    bI and II
    cI and III
    dII and III
  78. Question 80 · Science and Technology

    Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 hit the planet

    aPluto
    bMars
    cJupiter
    dSaturn
  79. Question 81 · History and Culture

    Which one of the following pairs is correctly matched?

    aBattle of Buxar — Mir Jafar vs. Clive
    bBattle of Wandiwash — French vs. East India Company
    cBattle of Chilianwala — Dalhousie vs. Marathas
    dBattle of Kharda — Nizam vs. East India Company
  80. Question 82 · Logical Reasoning and Mental Ability

    Examine the following statements: I. All children are inquisitive. II. Some children are inquisitive. III. No children are inquisitive. IV. Some children are not inquisitive. Among these statements, the two statements which cannot both be true simultaneously but can both be false would be

    aI and III
    bI and IV
    cII and III
    dIII and IV
  81. Question 83 · Geography

    Arakan Yoma is the extension of the Himalayas located in

    aBaluchistan
    bMyanmar
    cNepal
    dKashmir
  82. Question 84 · International Relations and Current Affairs

    The signatories to the treaty banning chemical weapons include

    aUSA, Russia, India, Iran and Israel
    bIraq, Libya, India, Russia and China
    cBrazil, Angola, North Korea, Pakistan and USA
    dSyria, Sri Lanka, Japan, Singapore and France
  83. Question 85 · History and Culture

    What is the correct sequence of the following events? I. The Lucknow Pact II. The Introduction of Dyarchy III. The Rowlatt Act IV. The Partition of Bengal Choose the correct answer from the codes given below:

    aI, II, III, IV
    bIV, I, III, II
    cI, III, II, IV
    dIV, III, II, I
  84. Question 86 · Geography

    The national highway from Delhi to Calcutta via Mathura and Varanasi is numbered

    a1
    b2
    c4
    d8
  85. Question 87 · History and Culture

    The word Adivasi was used for the first time to refer to the tribal people by

    aMahatma Gandhi
    bThakkar Bappa
    cJyotiba Phule
    dB.R. Ambedkar
  86. Question 88 · History and Culture

    The concept of Anuvrata was advocated by

    aMahayana Buddhism
    bHinayana Buddhism
    cJainism
    dthe Lokayata school
  87. Question 89 · Polity and Governance

    Which one of the following is incorrect in respect of Local Government in India?

    aAccording to the Indian Constitution, local government is not an independent tier in the federal system
    b30% of the seats in local bodies are reserved for women
    cLocal government finances are to be provided by a Commission
    dElections to local bodies are to be determined by a Commission
  88. Question 90 · History and Culture

    The Barrah dacoity was the first major venture of the revolutionary terrorist of the freedom movement in

    aBombay Karnataka
    bPunjab
    cEast Bengal
    dThe Madras Presidency
  89. Question 91 · History and Culture

    Which one of the following pairs is correctly matched?

    aBattle of Buxar .............. Mir Jafar vs. Clive
    bBattle of Wandiwash .............. French vs. East India Company
    cBattle of Chilianwala .............. Dalhousie vs. Marathas
    dBattle of Kharda .............. Nizam vs. East India Company
  90. Question 92 · Polity and Governance

    Which of the following political parties is/are national political parties? I. Muslim League II. Revolutionary Socialist Party III. All India Forward Block IV. Peasants and Workers Party of India Choose the correct answer from the codes given below:

    aI, II and III
    bII and IV
    cIII only
    dNone of the above
  91. Question 93 · Economy and Social Development

    The main reason for low growth rate in India, in spite of high rate of savings and capital formation is

    ahigh birth rate
    blow level of foreign aid
    clow capital / output ratio
    dhigh capital / output ratio
  92. Question 94 · Geography

    Examine the map of Jammu and Kashmir given below: The mountain ranges marked 1, 2, 3 and 4 are respectively

    aLadakh, Zanskar, Karakoram and Pir Panjal
    bKarakoram, Ladakh, Zanskar and Pir Panjal
    cKarakoram, Zanskar, Pir Panjal and Ladakh
    dLadakh, Pir Panjal, Karakoram and Zanskar
  93. Question 95 · Economy and Social Development

    The largest source of financing the public sector outlay of the Eighth Five-Year Plan comes from

    abalance from current revenue
    bcontribution of public enterprises
    cgovernment borrowings
    ddeficit financing
  94. Question 96 · Economy and Social Development

    The new Exim Policy announced in 1992 is for a period of

    a3 years
    b4 years
    c7 years
    d5 years
  95. Question 97 · Economy and Social Development

    Consider the following: I. Industrial Finance Corporation of India II. Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India III. Industrial Development Bank of India IV. Unit Trust of India The correct sequence in which the above was established is

    aI, II, IV, III
    bI, III, II, IV
    cIV, III, II, I
    dI, IV, III, II
  96. Question 98 · History and Culture

    In 1930 Mahatma Gandhi started Civil Disobedience Movement from

    aSevagram
    bDandi
    cSabarmati
    dWardha
  97. Question 99 · Polity and Governance

    If in an election to a State Legislative Assembly the candidate who is declared elected loses his deposit, it means that

    athe polling was very poor
    bthe election was for a multi-member constituency
    cthe elected candidate’s victory over his nearest rival was very marginal
    da very large number of candidates contested the election
  98. Question 100 · History and Culture

    Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched?

    aJamnalal Bajaj — Satyagraha Ashram at Wardha
    bDadabhai Naoroji — Bombay Association
    cLala Lajpat Rai — National School at Lahore
    dBal Gangadhar Tilak — Satya Shodhak Sabha
  99. Question 101 · Science and Technology

    Which one of the following is a mixed fertilizer?

    aCAM
    bUrea
    cAmmonium Sulphate
    dNPK
  100. Question 102 · Science and Technology

    Which one of the following polymers is widely used for making bullet-proof material?

    aPolyvinyl chloride
    bPolyamides
    cPolyethylene
    dPolycarbonates
  101. Question 103 · Science and Technology

    The chemical used as a ‘fixer’ in photography is

    asodium sulphate
    bsodium thiosulphate
    cammonium persulphate
    dborax
  102. Question 104 · Science and Technology

    The technique used to transmit audio signals in television broadcasts is

    aAmplitude Modulation
    bFrequency Modulation
    cPulse Code Modulation
    dTime Division Multiplexing
  103. Question 105 · Science and Technology

    A parachutist jumps from a height of 5000 metres. The relationship between his falling speed ‘v’ and the distance fallen through ‘d’ is best represented as (four graphs labelled a, b, c, d).

    aGraph (a)
    bGraph (b)
    cGraph (c)
    dGraph (d)
  104. Question 106 · Science and Technology

    Which one of the following can be used to confirm whether drinking water contains a gamma-emitting isotope or not?

    aMicroscope
    bLead plate
    cScintillation counter
    dSpectrophotometer
  105. Question 107 · Science and Technology

    The normal temperature of human body on the Kelvin scale is

    a280
    b290
    c300
    d310
  106. Question 108 · Science and Technology

    When the same note is played on a sitar and a flute, the sound produced can be distinguished from each other because of the difference in

    apitch, loudness and quality
    bpitch and loudness
    cquality only
    dloudness only
  107. Question 109 · Science and Technology

    Assertion (A): A diamond sparkles more than a glass imitation cut to the same shape. Reason (R): The refractive index of diamond is less than that of glass. In the context of the above two statements, which one of the following is correct?

    aBoth A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
    bBoth A and R are true, but R is not a correct explanation of A
    cA is true, but R is false
    dA is false, but R is true
  108. Question 110 · History and Culture

    Who among the following anticipated Newton by declaring that all things gravitate to the earth?

    aAryabhata
    bVarahamihira
    cBuddha Gupta
    dBrahmagupta
  109. Question 111 · Science and Technology

    Optical fibre works on the principle of

    atotal internal reflection
    brefraction
    cscattering
    dinterference
  110. Question 112 · Science and Technology

    Suppose a rocketship is receding from the earth at a speed of 2⁄10th the velocity of light. A light in the rocketship appears blue to the passengers on the ship. What colour would it appear to an observer on the earth?

    aBlue
    bOrange
    cYellow
    dYellow-orange
  111. Question 113 · Science and Technology

    Which one of the following pairs of materials serves as electrodes in chargeable batteries commonly used in devices such as torchlights, electric shavers, etc.?

    aNickel and cadmium
    bZinc and carbon
    cLead peroxide and lead
    dIron and cadmium
  112. Question 114 · Science and Technology

    Cryogenic engines find applications in

    asub-marine propulsion
    bfrost-free refrigerators
    crocket technology
    dresearches in superconductivity
  113. Question 115 · Science and Technology

    An air bubble in water will act like a

    aconvex mirror
    bconvex lens
    cconcave mirror
    dconcave lens
  114. Question 116 · Science and Technology

    The difference between a nuclear reactor and an atomic bomb is that

    ano chain reaction takes place in nuclear reactor while in the atomic bomb there is a chain reaction
    bthe chain reaction in nuclear reactor is controlled
    cthe chain reaction in nuclear reactor is not controlled
    dno chain reaction takes place in atomic bomb while it takes place in nuclear reactor
  115. Question 117 · Environment and Ecology

    Which one of the following fuels causes minimum environmental pollution?

    aDiesel
    bCoal
    cHydrogen
    dKerosene
  116. Question 118 · History and Culture

    Zero was invented by

    aAryabhata
    bVarahamihira
    cBhaskara I
    dan unknown Indian
  117. Question 119 · Science and Technology

    Which one of the following sets is correctly matched?

    aDiphtheria, Pneumonia and Leprosy: Hereditary
    bAIDS, Syphilis and Gonorrhoea: Bacterial
    cColour blindness, Haemophilia and Sickle cell anaemia: Sex linked
    dPolio, Japanese B encephalitis and plague: Viral
  118. Question 120 · Science and Technology

    A person with ‘AB’ blood group is sometimes called a universal recipient because of the

    alack of antigen in his blood
    black of antibodies in his blood
    clack of both antigens and antibodies in his blood
    dpresence of antibodies in his blood
  119. Question 121 · Science and Technology

    Which one of the following is a membrane that protects the developing embryo from desiccation?

    aAmnion
    bAllantois
    cChorion
    dYolk sac
  120. Question 122 · Science and Technology

    Which one of the following antimicrobial drugs is suitable for treatment of both tuberculosis and leprosy?

    aIsoniazid
    bp-aminosalicylic acid
    cStreptomycin
    dRifampicin
  121. Question 123 · Environment and Ecology

    Most of the desert plants bloom during night time because

    atheir blooming is controlled by low temperature
    bthey are sensitive to the phases of moon
    cthe desert insects eat away flowers during day time
    dthe desert insects are active during night time
  122. Question 124 · Environment and Ecology

    The only snake that builds a nest is

    aChain viper
    bKing Cobra
    cKrait
    dSaw scaled viper
  123. Question 125 · Science and Technology

    Which of the following elements are present in all proteins? I. Carbon II. Hydrogen III. Oxygen IV. Nitrogen Select the correct answer from the codes given below:

    aI and II
    bI, II and IV
    cI, III and IV
    dI, II, III and IV
  124. Question 126 · Science and Technology

    Which one of the following hormones contains iodine?

    aThyroxine
    bTestosterone
    cInsulin
    dAdrenaline
  125. Question 127 · Science and Technology

    “By weaving threads of physics, chemistry and biology into a rich tapestry, this remarkable scientist provided a unifying molecular view of the world... He touted the wonderful properties of Vitamin C first as a cure of common cold and later as a preventive agent against cancer.” One of science’s major figures of all time referred to above is

    aG.N. Lewis
    bLinus Carl Pauling
    cFritz London
    dWalter Heitler
  126. Question 128 · Environment and Ecology

    “The final Agent Orange raid in Vietnam took place in 1970…. areas have begun to bloom again. But 19 years after the war’s end, it seems plain that Agent Orange is killing and maiming human beings, something it never intended to do. The apparent toxic fall-out from those clouds ... is a crop of human miseries including cancers, miscarriages and birth defects — that may persist for decades.” The offensive substance referred to in the above quotation is

    aDDT used as insecticide
    ba complex mixture of herbicides and weedicides used to increase agricultural output in the then South Vietnam under the US aid programme
    ca complex mixture of DDT and other insecticides used as aerial sprays for protection against malaria and other tropical diseases
    ddioxin used as defoliants
  127. Question 129 · Science and Technology

    “It begins as a single cell and grows into a merciless disease that claims millions of lives year after year. But scientists are steadily unlocking its mysteries, and the fight against it may now have reached a dramatic turning point. New discoveries promise better therapies and hope in the war against ...” The disease referred to in the above quotation is

    aCancer
    bAIDS
    cTuberculosis
    dAlzheimer’s disease
  128. Question 130 · Science and Technology

    ‘Yellow cake’, an item of smuggling across borders is

    aa crude form of heroin
    ba crude form of cocaine
    curanium oxide
    dunrefined gold
  129. Question 131 · Logical Reasoning and Mental Ability

    Consider the series given below: 4/12/95, 1/1/96, 29/1/96, 26/2/96... The next term of the series is

    a24/3/96
    b25/3/96
    c26/3/96
    d27/3/96
  130. Question 132 · Basic Numeracy

    In track meets both 100 yards and 100 metres are used as distances. By how many metres is 100 metres longer than 100 yards?

    a0.856 m
    b8.56 m
    c0.0856 m
    d1.0 m
  131. Question 133 · Logical Reasoning and Mental Ability

    Examine the following statements: I watch TV only if I am bored. I am never bored when I have my brother’s company. Whenever I go to the theatre, I take my brother along. Which one of the following conclusions is valid in the context of the above statements?

    aIf I am bored, I watch TV
    bIf I am bored, I seek my brother’s company
    cIf I am not with my brother, then I watch TV
    dIf I am not bored, I do not watch TV
  132. Question 134 · Logical Reasoning and Mental Ability

    In the given diagram, circle A represents teachers who can teach Physics, circle B represents teachers who can teach Chemistry and circle C represents those who can teach Mathematics. Among the regions marked p, q, r, s, t, u and v, the one which represents teachers who can teach Physics and Mathematics but not Chemistry, is

    av
    bu
    cs
    dt
  133. Question 135 · Logical Reasoning and Mental Ability

    Seven men, A, B, C, D, E, F and G are standing in a queue in that order. Each one is wearing a cap of a different colour like violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and red. D is able to see in front of him green and blue but not violet. E can see violet and yellow, but not red. G can see caps of all colours other than orange. If E is wearing an indigo-coloured cap, then the colour of the cap worn by F is

    ablue
    bviolet
    cred
    dorange
  134. Question 136 · Basic Numeracy

    A person travelled from one place to another at an average speed of 40 kilometres/hour and back to the original place at an average speed of 50 kilometres/hour. What is his average speed in kilometres/hour during the entire roundtrip?

    a45
    b20
    c400/9
    dImpossible to find out unless the distance between the two places is known
  135. Question 137 · Basic Numeracy

    The value of (a – m)(b – m) … (y – m)(z – m) is

    am26 + am25 + abm24 + … + a.b.c … z
    bm26 – am25 + abm24 + … – a.b.c … z
    c0
    dIndeterminate
  136. Question 138 · Basic Numeracy

    A rectangular sump of dimensions 6 m × 5 m × 4 m is to be built by using bricks to make the outer dimension 6.2 m × 5.2 m × 4.2 m. Approximately how many bricks of size 20 cm × 10 cm × 5 cm are required to build the sump for storing water?

    a1500
    b3000
    c15000
    d30000
  137. Question 139 · Basic Numeracy

    Consider the figure given below: PQRS is a square of side 1 unit and Q, S are the centres of the two circles. The area of the shaded portion is

    aπ/2
    b1/2
    cπ/4 – 1/2
    dπ/2 – 1
  138. Question 140 · Basic Numeracy

    A thief running at 8 km/hr is chased by a policeman whose speed is 10 km/hr. If the thief is 100 metres ahead of the policeman, then the time required for the policeman to catch the thief will be

    a2 minutes
    b6 minutes
    c10 minutes
    d3 minutes
  139. Question 141 · Basic Numeracy

    A student has 60% chance of passing in English and 54% chance of passing in both English and Mathematics. What is the percentage probability that he will fail in Mathematics?

    a12
    b36
    c4
    d10
  140. Question 142 · Basic Numeracy

    One of the drawers is opened at random and a coin is drawn. It is found to be a silver coin. What is the probability that the other coin in the drawer is a gold coin?

    a0.25
    b1.00
    c0.50
    d0.60
  141. Question 143 · Basic Numeracy

    In the Cartesian plane four points P, Q, R, S have coordinates (1, 1), (4, 2), (4, 4) and (1, 4). The area of the quadrilateral PQRS is

    a9
    b7.5
    c4.5
    dImpossible to find unless the lengths of the diagonals are known
  142. Question 144 · Data Interpretation

    Consider the diagram given below: (Pie-chart showing family expenditure with segments labelled T: Transport, Ec: Education of children, H: Housing, C: Clothing, F: Food, S: Savings, O: Others.) From the diagram shown it would be right to conclude that

    athe family spent more than half the income on food and clothing
    bthe amount saved by the family was too little
    cthe family had no health problems
    dthe family managed to meet all the essential expenses out of the income earned
  143. Question 145 · Data Interpretation

    Consider the table given below providing details of traffic volume per hour for four locations (showing total traffic volume, % of heavy vehicles, average noise level in dB(A) and noise-pollution level in dB(A)). When the total traffic volume is the same, the factor(s) which affect(s) the noise-pollution level is/are

    a% of heavy vehicles
    bnoise-pollution level and average noise level
    caverage noise level and % of heavy vehicles
    dindeterminable on the basis of details given
  144. Question 146 · Data Interpretation

    The price fluctuations of 4 scrips in a stock market in the four quarters of a year are shown in the table below. Four different investors had the following portfolios of investment in the four companies throughout the year: Investor 1: 10 of A, 20 of B, 30 of C and 40 of D Investor 2: 40 of A, 10 of B, 20 of C and 30 of D Investor 3: 30 of A, 40 of B, 10 of C and 20 of D Investor 4: 20 of A, 30 of B, 40 of C and 10 of D In the light of the above, which one of the following statements is correct?

    aInvestor 2 has made the best investment
    bInvestor 1 has made the best investment
    cInvestor 2 suffered a net loss during the year
    dInvestor 3 suffered a net loss during the year
  145. Question 147 · Data Interpretation

    X and Y are two variables whose values at any time are related to each other as shown in Fig. (i). X is known to vary periodically with reference to time as shown in Fig. (ii). Which of the following curves depicts correctly the dependence of Y on time?

    acurve (a) shown in the figure
    bcurve (b) shown in the figure
    ccurve (c) shown in the figure
    dcurve (d) shown in the figure
  146. Question 148 · Basic Numeracy

    Out of a total of 120 musicians in a club, 5 % can play all the three instruments—guitar, violin and flute. It so happens that the number of musicians who can play any two and only two of the above instruments is 30. The number of musicians who can play the guitar alone is 40. What is the total number of those who can play violin alone or flute alone?

    a45
    b44
    c38
    d30
  147. Question 149 · Logical Reasoning and Mental Ability

    Which of the following can be inferred from the statement that “Either John is stupid or John is lazy”? I. John is lazy / therefore, John is not stupid. II. John is not lazy / therefore, John is stupid. III. John is not stupid / therefore, John is lazy. IV. John is stupid / therefore, John is not lazy. Choose the correct answer from the codes given below:

    aI and II
    bII and III
    cIII and IV
    dI and IV
  148. Question 150 · Basic Numeracy

    A person earns Rs 2000 per month over and above his salary as additional charge allowance. However, 30 % of this additional income will be deducted as additional income tax at source. If the person would deposit Rs 1000 per month in a long-term saving fetching 12 % interest, his tax liability on the additional allowance would reduce to 10 %. What is the effective interest for this person for money invested in the long-term savings scheme?

    a12 %
    b18 %
    c19 %
    d20 %

Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 1995, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.