UPSC Prelims 2017 Question Paper with Answers & Explanations – Page 2

Which of the following statements is/are true of the Fundamental Duties of an Indian citizen?

1. A legislative process has been provided to enforce these duties.
2. They are correlative to legal duties.

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Consider the following pairs:

1. Radhakanta Deb — First President of the British Indian Association

2. Gazulu Lakshminarasu Chetty — Founder of the Madras Mahajana Sabha

3. Surendranath Banerjee — Founder of the Indian Association

Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

Which one of the following objectives is not embodied in the Preamble to the Constitution of India?

With reference to the ‘Quality Council of India (QCI)’, consider the following statements:

1. QCI was set up jointly by the Government of India and the Indian Industry.
2. Chairman of QCI is appointed by the Prime Minister on the recommendations of the industry to the Government.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

What is the purpose of setting up of Small Finance Banks (SFBs) in India?

1. To supply credit to small business units
2. To supply credit to small and marginal farmers
3. To encourage young entrepreneurs to set up business particularly in rural areas

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Democracy’s superior virtue lies in the fact that it calls into activity

Which of the following is a most likely consequence of implementing the ‘Unified Payments Interface (UPI)’?

The terms ‘Event Horizon’, ‘Singularity’, ‘String Theory’ and ‘Standard Model’ are sometimes seen in the news in the context of

With reference to agriculture in India, how can the technique of ‘genome sequencing’, often seen in the news, be used in the immediate future?

1. Genome sequencing can be used to identify genetic markers for disease resistance and drought tolerance in various crop plants.

2. This technique helps in reducing the time required to develop new varieties of crop plants.

3. It can be used to decipher the host-pathogen relationships in crops.

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The main advantage of the parliamentary form of government is that

In the context of India, which one of the following is the correct relationship between Rights and Duties?

The mind of the makers of the Constitution of India is reflected in which of the following?

If you travel by road from Kohima to Kottayam, what is the minimum number of States within India through which you can travel, including the origin and the destination?

The Parliament of India exercises control over the functions of the Council of Ministers through

1. Adjournment motion
2. Questions hour
3. Supplementary questions

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With reference to the Parliament of India, consider the following statements:

1. A private member’s bill is a bill presented by a Member of Parliament who is not elected but only nominated by the President of India.

2. Recently, a private member’s bill has been passed in the Parliament of India for the first time in its history.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

With reference to the difference between the culture of Rigvedic Aryans and Indus Valley people, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. Rigvedic Aryans used the coat of mail and helmet in warfare whereas the people of Indus Valley Civilization did not leave any evidence of using them.

2. Rigvedic Aryans knew gold, silver and copper whereas Indus Valley people knew only copper and iron.

3. Rigvedic Aryans had domesticated the horse whereas there is no evidence of Indus Valley people having awareness of this animal.

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‘Recognition of Prior Learning Scheme’ is sometimes mentioned in the news with reference to

From the ecological point of view, which one of the following assumes importance in being a good link between the Eastern Ghats and the Western Ghats?

One of the implications of equality in society is the absence of

Consider the following statements in respect of Trade Related Analysis of Fauna and Flora in Commerce (TRAFFIC):

1. TRAFFIC is a bureau under United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

2. The mission of TRAFFIC is to ensure that trade in wild plants and animals is not a threat to the conservation of nature.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Which principle among the following was added to the Directive Principles of State Policy by the 42nd Amendment to the Constitution?

Which one of the following statements is correct?

Which of the following gives ‘Global Gender Gap Index’ ranking to the countries of the world?

Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding Smart India Hackathon 2017?

1. It is a centrally sponsored scheme for developing every city of our country into Smart Cities in a decade.

2. It is an initiative to identify new digital technology innovations for solving the many problems faced by our country.

3. It is a programme aimed at making all the financial transactions in our country completely digital in a decade.

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Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding the ‘Monetary Policy Committee (MPC)’?

1. It decides the RBI’s benchmark interest rates.

2. It is a 12-member body including the Governor of RBI and is reconstituted every year.

3. It functions under the chairmanship of the Union Finance Minister.

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With reference to Manipuri Sankirtana, consider the following statements:

1. It is a song and dance performance.

2. Cymbals are the only musical instruments used in the performance.

3. It is performed to narrate the life and deeds of Lord Krishna.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Who among the following was/were associated with the introduction of Ryotwari Settlement in India during the British Rule?

1. Lord Cornwallis
2. Alexander Read
3. Thomas Munro

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In the context of solving pollution problems, what is/are the advantage/advantages of bioremediation technique?

1. It is a technique for cleaning up pollution by enhancing the same biodegradation process that occurs in nature.

2. Any contaminant with heavy metals such as cadmium and lead can be readily and completely treated by bioremediation using microorganisms.

3. Genetic engineering can be used to create microorganisms specifically designed for bioremediation.

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The Trade Disputes Act of 1929 provided for

Local self-government can be best explained as an exercise in

Consider the following statements: With reference to the Constitution of India, the Directive Principles of State Policy constitute limitations upon

1. legislative function
2. executive function

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

The term ‘Digital Single Market Strategy’ seen in the news refers to

At one of the places in India, if you stand on the seashore and watch the sea, you will find that the seawater recedes from the shore line a few kilometres and comes back to the shore, twice a day, and you can actually walk on the sea floor when the water recedes. This unique phenomenon is seen at

With reference to the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988 (PBPT Act), consider the following statements:

1. A property transaction is not treated as a benami transaction if the owner of the property is not aware of the transaction.

2. Properties held benami are liable for confiscation by the Government.

3. The Act provides for three authorities for investigations but does not provide for any appellate mechanism.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Due to some reasons, if there is a huge fall in the population of butterflies, what could be its likely consequence/consequences?

1. Pollination of some plants could be adversely affected.

2. There could be a drastic increase in the fungal infections of some cultivated plants.

3. It could lead to a fall in the population of some species of wasps, spiders and birds.

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It is possible to produce algae based biofuels, but what is/are the likely limitation(s) of developing countries in promoting this industry?

1. Production of algae based biofuels is possible in seas only and not on continents.

2. Setting up and engineering the algae based biofuels production requires high level of expertise/technology until the construction is complete.

3. Economically viable production necessitates the setting up of large scale facilities which may raise ecological and social concerns.

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Which of the following are the objectives of the ‘National Nutrition Mission’?

1. To create awareness relating to malnutrition among pregnant women and lactating mothers.

2. To reduce the incidence of anaemia among young children, adolescent girls and women.

3. To promote the consumption of millets, coarse cereals and unpolished rice.

4. To promote the consumption of poultry eggs.

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Consider the following statements:

1. The Factories Act, 1881 was passed with a view to fix the wages of industrial workers and to allow the workers to form trade unions.

2. N. M. Lokhande was a pioneer in organizing the labour movement in British India.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

In the context of mitigating the impending global warming due to anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide, which of the following can be potential sites for carbon sequestration?

1. Abandoned and uneconomic coal seams
2. Depleted oil and gas reservoirs
3. Subterranean deep saline formations

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