1.
Which of the following contributed to the strength of the Magadha Mahajanpada?1. Rajagriha, which was a fortified settlement, remained as the permanent capital of Magadha.2. Iron minesjwere easily accessible providing the raw material to tool industries.3. Elephants,'found in nearby forests, added to the potential of the Magadhan army.4. Ganga and^ its tributaries provided a means of cheap and convenient transportation.Select the correct answer using the codes below.
Statement 1: Initially, Rajagaha {the Prakrit name for present day Rajgir in Bihar) was
the capital of Magadha. Later, in the fourth century BCE, the capital was shifted to Pataliputra, present-day
Patna, commanding routes of communication along the Ganga.
52 to 4: Between the sixth and the fourth centuries BCE, Magadha (in present-day Bihar) became the
mostpowerful mahajanapada. Modern historians explain this development in a variety of waysiMagadha
was a region where agriculture was especially productive. Besides, iron mines (in present-day Jharkhand)
were accessible and provided resources for tools and weapons. Elephants, an important component of the
army, were found in forests in the region.Also, the Ganga and its tributaries provided a means of cheap and
convenient communication. However, early Buddhist and Jaina writers who wrote about Magadha
attributed its power to thepolicies of individuals: ruthlessly ambitious kings of whom Bimbisara, Ajatasattu
and Mahapadma Nanda are the best known, and their ministers, who helped implement their policies.
2.
Phosphorus plays a central role in aquatic ecosystems and water quality. This is because1. Phosphorus cycle is largely atmospheric and easily dissolves in water from air.2. Phosphorus is responsible for excessive growth of rooted and free-floating microscopic plants in waterbodies.Which of the above is/are correct?
Statement 1: If you understand the phosphorous cycle, you can easily mark
statement 1 as incorrect.Its cycle is mainly terrestrial. The main storage for phosphorus is in the earth's
crust. On land phosphorus is usually found in the form of phosphates.lt occurs in large amounts as a
mineral in phosphate rocks and enters the cycle from erosion and mining activities.By the process of
weathering and erosion phosphates enter rivers and streams that transport them to the ocean. In the
ocean once the phosphorus accumulates on continental shelves in the form of insoluble deposits
After millions of years, the crustal plates rise from the sea floor and expose the phosphates on land. After
more time, weathering wili release them from rock and the cycle's geochemical phase begins again.
Statement 2; Being an important nutrient, phosphorous promotes eutrophication in lakes. Along with
nitrogen related compounds it leads to undesirable situations like algal bloom.
3.
With reference to the food and related habits of the Harappan culture, consider the followingstatements.1. They consumed both millets and whole grain cereals.2. There is no evidence of consumption of marine products by the Harappans.3. Cattle, sheep and pig were domesticated.Select thejcorrect answer using the codes below.
Harappan cultures (early, mature and late) shared certain common elements
including subsistence strategies.The Harappans ate a wide range of plant and animal products, including
fish. Archaeologists have been able to reconstruct dietary practices from finds of charred grains and seeds.
These are studied by archaeo-botanists, who are specialists in ancient plant remains. Grains found at
Harappan sites include wheat, barley, lentil, chickpea and sesame. Millets are foundfrom sites in Gujarat.
Finds of rice are relatively rare. Animal bones found at Harappan sites include those of cattle, sheep, goat,
buffalo and pig. Studies done by archaeo-zoologists or zooarchaeologists indicate that these animals
weredomesticated. .Bones of wild species such as boar, deer and gharial are also found. We do not
knowwhether theHarappans hunted these animals themselves or obtained meat from other hunting
communities. Bones of fish and fowl are also found.
4.
Consider the following about Bharat QR code.1. The code can be used to store information.2. It enables person to make payments to retailers without using the retailer's identification number.3. It eliminates the need of using card swiping machines making digital payments more secure.Select the correct answer using the codes below.
It works as common interface for the MasterCard/Visa/RuPay platforms and also
facilitate acceptance of Aadhaar-enabied payments and Unified Payments Interface (UPl).
Statement 1: QR code (Quick Response code) is a two-dimensional (matrix) machine-readable bar code
made up of black and white square. This code can be read by the camera of a smartphone.lt is used for storing URLs
or other information that link directly to text, emails websites phone numbers. It encodes same amount of data in
one-tenth the space of a traditional bar code. It carries information both horizontally and vertically.
Statement 2 and 3: Using, BharatQR code merchants will be required to only display one QR code-instead
of multiple ones. Users can make payment by scanning the code. So, merchant ID is not required.
5.
The postulate of Dark Matter was put forward to account for1. Large gravitational forces that the visible mass of the Universe cannot explain2. Recorded electromagnetic radiation in excess of what the solar system exhibitsWhich of the above is/are correct?
The galaxies and clusters of galaxies are observed to be rotating at extreme velocities
that the gravity generated by their observable matter alone cannot explain. At such speeds they should
have been torn apart long ago. It is believed that something thatcannot be seen directly with light
(electromagnetic radiation, in general)
6.
The share of Government (Sovereign) Debt Is reflected in which of these accounts with reference toexternal transactions?
Capital Account and Current account are two primary components of
balance of payments. Balance of Payment (BoP) of a country is the Systematic record of all economic
transactions between the residents of a foreign country. All transactions that create or release debt is
considered in the capital account. So, A is correct. So, where the current account reflects a nation's net
income, the capital accountreflects net change in ownership of national assets.
7.
Consider the following about Maize crop production in India.1. Maize is grown in India in both kharif and rabi seasons.2. It is the only crop for which no cross hybrids have been introduced for field trials or commercialproduction|.Which of the above is/are correct?
The maize is cultivated throughout the year in all states of the country.
Maize can be grown in all seasons viz; Kharif (monsoon), post monsoon, Rabi (winter) and spring. The
predominant maize growing states that contribute more than 80 % of the total maizeproduction are Andhra
Pradesh (20.9 %), Karnataka (16.5 %), Rajasthan (9.9 %) etc. Maize can he grown successfuiiv in variety of
soils ranging from loamy sand to clay loam.However, soils with good organic matter content having high
water holding capacity with neutral pH are considered good for higher productivity.
Statement 2: Giohaiiy, maize is known as queen of cereals because it has the highest genetic yield potential
among the cereals. As per a government document, "With the increasing trends of maize production, the
projected demand of maize by the end of Xith five year plan (2011-12) will he achieved through improved
maize production technologies focused on 'Single Cross Hybrids'." Thismeans statement 2 Is clearly
Incorrect. You can refer to this link for more information
8.
Which of the following regions, as a part of the Harappan civilization, is associated with the Ganeshwar-Jodhpura culture?
Located in northeast Rajasthan, the Ganeshwar-Jodhpura complex was an
early centre of agriculture and copper metallurgy in the subcontinent. More than eighty sites of this culture
have been identified In the Sikar, Jaipur and Jhunjhunu districts, with the largest concentration being in
Sikar.lt is possible that the Inhabitants of Khetri (GJs) region supplied copper to the Harappans. Among the
earliest chalcolithic cultures in India, the Ahar or Banas culture was discovered inthe Mewar region of
southeast Rajasthan.Nearly one hundred sites of the culture have been located along its principal axis. I.e.,
the valleys of river Banas and its tributaries and subtributaries in Banswara, Udaipur etc. Thetechnology at
Ahar was based mainly on copper and very few microblades and microliths have been discovered. You can
read more here
9.
Species that are endemic to India include1. Lion Tailed Macaques2. Nilgiri Tahr3. Greater One-Horned RhinocerosSelect the correct answer using the codes below:
Endemic species are those that are found in a specific ecological niche, and
not anywhere else. This is because these species have evolved and are adapted to living in theseconditions.
For e.g. Bicoipred frog is endemic to the Western Ghats of India.Some other endemic species are Nilgiri
Wood Pigeon, Malabar Parakeet, Malabar Grey Hornbill, Brown Palm Civet, namdapha flying squirrel,
Bengal Fox etc. A Google search will list all such species on the top bar itself
10.
Sufi Silsllas became a major tradition in Medieval India. The term silsila implies
Institutionally, the sufis began to organise communities around the hospice
or khanqah(Persian) controlled by a teaching master known as shaikh (in Arabic), pir or murshid (in
Persian). Sufi silsilas began to crystallise in different parts of the Islamic world around the twelfth century.
The word silsila literally means a chain, signifying a continuous link between master and disciple, stretching
as an unbroken spiritual genealogy to the Prophet