UPSC Prelims 2018 Question Paper with Answers & Explanations – Page 2

With reference to the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), consider the following statements:

1. IRNSS has three satellites in geostationary and four satellites in geosynchronous orbits.

2. IRNSS covers entire India and about 5500 sq. km beyond its borders.

3. India will have its own satellite navigation system with full global coverage by the middle of 2019.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following statements:

1. Light is affected by gravity.
2. The Universe is constantly expanding.
3. Matter warps its surrounding space-time.

Which of the above is/are prediction/predictions of Albert Einstein's General Theory of Relativity, often discussed in media?

With reference to the Genetically Modified mustard (GM mustard) developed in India, consider the following statements:

1. GM mustard has the genes of a soil bacterium that give the plant the property of pest-resistance to a wide variety of pests.
2. GM mustard has the genes that allow the plant cross-pollination and hybridization.
3. GM mustard has been developed jointly by the IARI and Punjab Agricultural University.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following pairs: Terms sometimes seen in news Context/Topic

1. Belle II experiment - Artificial Intelligence
2. Blockchain technology - Digital/Cryptocurrency
3. CRISPR-Cas9 - Particle Physics

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

Which of the following statements best describes 'carbon fertilization'?

When the alarm of your smartphone rings in the morning, you wake up and tap it to stop the alarm which causes your geyser to be switched on automatically. The smart mirror in your bathroom shows the day's weather and also indicates the level of water in your overhead tank. After you take some groceries from your refrigerator for making breakfast, it recognises the shortage of stock in it and places an order for the supply of fresh grocery items. When you step out of your house and lock the door, all lights, fans, geysers and AC machines get switched off automatically. On your way to office, your car warns you about traffic congestion ahead and suggests an alternative route, and if you are late for a meeting, it sends a message to your office accordingly. In the context of emerging communication technologies, which one of the following terms best applies to the above scenario?

With reference to solar power production in India, consider the following statements:

1. India is the third largest in the world in the manufacture of silicon wafers used in photovoltaic units.

2. The solar power tariffs are determined by the Solar Energy Corporation of India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The staple commodities of export by the English East India Company from Bengal in the middle of the 18th century were

Which one of the following is a very significant aspect of the Champaran Satyagraha?

Who among the following were the founders of the 'Hind Mazdoor Sabha' established in 1948?

With reference to the religious practices in India, the 'Sthanakvasi' sect belongs to

Which one of the following foreign travellers elaborately discussed about diamonds and diamond mines of India?

With reference to Indian history, who among the following is a future Buddha, yet to come to save the world?

Which one of the following statements does not apply to the system of Subsidiary Alliance introduced by Lord Wellesley?

Which of the following led to the introduction of English Education in India?

1. Charter Act of 1813
2. General Committee of Public Instruction, 1823
3. Orientalist and Anglicist Controversy.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Which one of the following is an artificial lake?

With reference to Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, consider the following statements:

1. It is the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

2. It, among other things, will also impart training in soft skills, entrepreneurship, financial and digital literacy.

3. It aims to align the competencies of the unregulated workforce of the country to the National Skill Qualification Framework.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

In 1920, which of the following changed its name to 'Swarajya Sabha'?

Which among the following events happened earliest?

Which of the following is/are the possible consequence of heavy sand mining in river beds?

1. Decreased salinity in the river
2. Pollution of groundwater
3. Lowering of the water-table

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

With reference to agricultural soils, consider the following statements:

1. A high content of organic matter in soil drastically reduces its water holding capacity.

2. Soil does not play any role in the sulfur cycle.

3. Irrigation over a period of time can contribute to the salinization of some agricultural lands.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), a UN mechanism to assist countries transition towards greener and more inclusive economies, emerged at

3D printing' has applications in which of the following?

1. Preparation of confectionery items
2. Manufacture of bionic ears
3. Automotive industry
4. Reconstructive surgeries
5. Data processing technologies

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Consider the following statements:

1. The Barren Island volcano is an active volcano located in the Indian territory.

2. Barren Island is about 140 km east of Great Nicobar.

3. The last time the Barren Island volcano erupted was in 1991 and it has remained inactive since then.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Why is a plant called Prosopis juliflora often mentioned in news?

Consider the following statements:

1. Most of the world's coral reefs are in tropical waters.

2. More than one-third of the world's coral reefs are located in the territories of Australia, Indonesia and Philippines.

3. Coral reefs host far more number of animal phyla than those hosted by tropical rainforests.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Momentum for Change: Climate Neutral Now' is an initiative launched by

With reference to educational institutions during colonial rule in India, consider the following pairs:

Institution : Founder

1. Sanskrit College at Benaras : William Jones
2. Calcutta Madarsa : Warren Hastings
3. Fort William College : Arthur Wellesley

Which of the pairs given above is/are correct?

Consider the following pairs:

Regions sometimes mentioned in news : Country

1. Catalonia : Spain
2. Crimea : Hungary
3. Mindanao : Philippines
4. Oromia : Nigeria

Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

Consider the following events:

1. The first democratically elected communist party government formed in a State in India.

2. India's then largest bank, 'Imperial Bank of India', was renamed 'State Bank of India'.

3. Air India was nationalised and became the national carrier.

4. Goa became a part of independent India.

Which of the following is the correct chronological sequence of the above events?

Right to Privacy is protected as an intrinsic part of Right to Life and Personal Liberty. Which of the following in the Constitution of India correctly and appropriately imply the above statement?

Consider the following:

1. Areca nut
2. Barley
3. Coffee
4. Finger millet
5. Groundnut
6. Sesamum
7. Turmeric

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has announced the Minimum Support Price for which of the above?

In which one of the following States is Pakhui Wildlife Sanctuary located?

With reference to India's satellite launch vehicles, consider the following statements:

1. PSLVs launch the satellites useful for Earth resources monitoring whereas GSLVs are designed mainly to launch communication satellites.

2. Satellites launched by PSLV appear to remain permanently fixed in the same position in the sky, as viewed from a particular location on Earth.

3. GSLV Mk III is a four-staged launch vehicle with the first and third stages using solid rocket motors, and the second and fourth stages using liquid rocket engines.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

With reference to the governance of public sector banking in India, consider the following statements:

1. Capital infusion into public sector banks by the Government of India has steadily increased in the last decade.

2. To put the public sector banks in order, the merger of associate banks with the parent State Bank of India has been affected.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following items:

1. Cereals grains hulled
2. Chicken eggs cooked
3. Fish processed and canned
4. Newspapers containing advertising material

Which of the above items is/are exempted under GST (Goods and Services Tax)?

Consider the following statements:

1. The definition of 'Critical Wildlife Habitat' is incorporated in the Forest Rights Act, 2006.

2. For the first time in India, Baigas have been given Habitat Rights.

3. Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change officially decides and declares Habitat Rights for Primitive and Vulnerable Tribal Groups in any part of India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following:

1. Birds
2. Dust blowing
3. Rain
4. Wind blowing

Which of the above spread plant diseases?

With reference to organic farming in India, consider the following statements:

1. The National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) is operated under the guidelines and directions of the Union Ministry of Rural Development.

2. The 'Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority' (APEDA) functions as the Secretariat for the implementation of NPOP.

3. Sikkim has become India's first fully organic State.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?