Explanation: A. The above provision has been added by 91st constitutional Amendment Act, 2003.

Explanation: D. Assertion is false, because the Council of Ministers in the Union of India is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha only.

1. Jawaharlal Nehru was in his fourth term as the Prime Minister of India at the time of his death.
2. Jawaharlal Nehru represented Rae Bareilly constituency as a Member of Parliament.
3. The first non-Congress Prime Minister of India assumed the office in the year 1977.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Explanation: D. Terms of Jawahar Lal Nehru (1947-52; 1952-57; 1957-62; 1962-64). He died in 1964 during his 4th Prime-ministerial term. He represented Phulpur constituency in UP. The first non-congress PM of India was Morarji Desai (Janta Party) from 1977-1979.

Explanation: B. GV Mavalankar (1952-56), Hukum Singh (1962-67); K.M. Munshi and U.N. Dhebar were never the Speakers of the Lok Sabha.

1. A proclamation of financial emergency issued shall cease to operate at the expiration of two months, unless before the expiration of that period it has been approved by the resolutions of both Houses of Parliament.
2. If any proclamation of financial emergency is in operation, it is competent for the President of India to issue directions for the reduction of salaries and allowances of all or any class of persons serving in connection with the affairs of the Union but excluding the Judges of Supreme Court and the High Courts.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Explanation: A. Statement 1 is correct as under Article 360, any Proclamation of Financial Emergency issued shall cease to operate at the expiration of two months, unless before the expiration of that period it has been approved by the resolutions Passed by both Houses of Parliament. If approved by both Houses, then it operates for 6 months. During the proclamation of financial emergency. President of India can issue directions for the reduction of salaries and allowances of all or any class of persons serving in connection with the affairs of the union including the judges of supreme court and the High warts.

1. The Chairman of the Committee on Public Accounts is appointed by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
2. The Committee on Public Accounts comprises Members of Lok Sabha, Members of Rajya Sabha and few eminent persons of industry and trade.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Explanation: A. Statement 2 is incorrect as Public Accounts Committee consists of 22 members: 15 from Lok Sabha and 7 from Rajya Sabha.

1. The nation-wide scheme of the National Child Labour Projects (NCLP) is run by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
2. Gurupadswamy Committee dealt with the issues of child labour.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Explanation: B. Correct option is B.

1. The mode of removal of a Judge of a High Court in India is same as that of removal of a Judge of the Supreme Court.
2. After retirement from the office, a permanent judge of a High Court cannot plead or act in any court or before any authority in India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Explanation: A. Statement 2 is incorrect. After retirement a permanent judge of High Court shall not plead or act in a Court or before any authority in India, except the SC and a HC other than the HC in which he had held his office (Art 220).

Explanation: B. Dantidurga, a feudatory of Chalukyas, founded the Rastrakuta empire in 753 C E (AD) with their capital at Manyakhet.

Explanation: A. Sindhu was the old name of river Indus and Vitasta was the old name of River Jhelum. In persent time Takshashila situated in Pakistan.

Explanation: A. Alexander (Greek, 326 B.C.E.); Sakas (90 B.C.E.); Kushanas (45 C.E.)

1. The Ikshvaku rulers of Southern India were antagonistic towards Buddhism.
2. The Pala rulers of Eastern India were patrons of Buddhism.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/ are correct?

Explanation: B. Statement 1 is incorrect as most of the inscriptions of the Andhra Ikshvaku period record either the construction of the Buddhist viharas or the gifts made to them which shows that the Ikshvaku rulers of Southern India were supporters of Buddhism.

Explanation: D. It was written by Samudragupta's court poet Harisena.

Explanation: C. Vijaya Vittala temple is located at Hampi, the capital of Vijayanagar kingdom during the reign of Krishnadev Raya.

Explanation: B. It was started by Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar.

Explanation: A. Other three states were annexed under the Doctrine of Lapse by Lord Dalhousie. But doctrine of Lapse was not applicable on Awadh as Nawab Wazid Ali Shah had many children. Therefore, Dalhousie annexed Awadh on the pretext of misgovernance in 1856. Jhansi (1853), Nagpur (1854) and Satara (1848).

Explanation: C. The First Factory Act was passed in 1881 during the time of Lord Ripon. It was passed to improve the service condition of the factory workers in India. It fixed the working hours for women and children above the age of seven years.

Explanation: C. Portuguese (1498); Dutch (1602); English (1599); French (1664).

1. Robert Clive was the first Governor-General of Bengal.
2. William Bentinck was the first Governor-General of India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Explanation: B. Statement 1 is incorrect as Warren Hastings was the first governor-general of Bengal.

Explanation: B. Fort William, Calcutta (1781); Fort St George, Chennai (1644); Fort St David, Madras(1670); Fort St Angelo, Kerala (1505) but by the Portuguese.

Explanation: B. It was written in protest of the evil of polygamy. Bahu (many or more than one)- bivah (marriage) meaning more than one marriage.

Explanation: C. Wavell Plan was proposed in Simla Conference in June 1945.

Explanation: C. Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place on 13 April, 1919 during anti-Rowlatt agitation in Amritsar. Rowlatt Act was passed in March 1919 which authorized the government to imprison any person without trial and conviction in a court of law. Tagore renounced his Knighthood in protest against Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

Explanation: C. Mahatma Gandhi first started his Satyagraha in India at Champaran in Bihar in 1917. He was requested by Rajkumar Shukla to look into the problems of poor peasants caused by the indigo planters of Chamaparan.

Explanation: D. The song was written in 1905 in Bangla. Rabindranath Tagore was the only person to write National Anthem of two countries, i.e. India and Bangladesh.

Explanation: D. The actual average distance between the sun and the earth is 152

1. Either of the two belts over the oceans at about 30
2. Horse latitudes are low pressure belts.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Explanation: A. The horse latitudes are located between latitude 30

1. Annual range of temperature is greater in the Pacific Ocean than that in the Atlantic Ocean.
2. Annual range of temperature is greater in the Northern Hemisphere than that in the Southern Hemisphere.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Explanation: B. The maximum and minimum annual temperatures of Ocean water are recorded in August and February respectively in the northern hemisphere. The annual range of temperature is higher in the enclosed seas than in the open sea. The Atlantic Ocean records relatively higher annual range of temperature than the Pacific Ocean. Since the Northern hemisphere has more landmass as compared to the Southern hemisphere, the annual range of temperature will be greater in northern hemisphere.

Explanation: C. Copacabana Beach is located in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

Explanation: D. London, Lisbon and Accra in Ghana are close to Greenwich Meridian. But, Addis Ababa is Situated on the eastern part of Africa (i.e., longitude 38.74 E). So, Addis Ababa has a different clock time than that of London, Lisbon and Accra.

1. A. Bangkok 1. Irrawaddy
2. B. Phnom-Penh 2. Mekong
3. C. Hanoi 3. Menam (Chao Phraya)
4. D. Yangon 4. Red River

Code:

Explanation: A. A-3; B-2; C-4; D-1.

Explanation: A. Amazon is the longest river in the world. It originates from Andes mountain in Peru.

Explanation: C. Strait of Dover connects United Kingdom and France. It is about 32 km in length.

Explanation: A. The largest coral reef is the Great Barrier Reef, located just off the north-eastern coast of Australia. The 1200 mile (1900 km) long reef is protected as a Marine Park.

Explanation: B. Payali and Behradein in Raipur, Chhattisgarh has large reserves of diamond bearing kimberlite. It has 28% of the total diamond reserve of India.

1. Vizag Steel Plant (RINL) has been declared a Mini Ratna.
2. Merger of IISCO with SAIL has been completed.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Explanation: C. Vizag Steel Plant was declared as a Mini Ratna company on 11th Feb 2006. Merger of IISCO with SAIL has been completed on 29th September 2004.

Explanation: B. The Stilwell Road built in 1940s by Americans to connect Ledo in India and Kunming in China via Myanmar during Second World War.

Explanation: D. Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park is known as top slip. It is a part of Western Ghats is located above 300 metres from the sea level on the Anamalai mountain ranges.

Explanation: D. Shevaroy hill is situated near Salem of Tamil Nadu. This hill range covers an area of fifty square kilometers.

Explanation: D. River Kalinadi is a west flowing river in the southern part of India. So, the assertion is wrong. Deccan Plateau has elevation ranging from 1,500 to 2,500 ft and gently slopes towards the Bay of Bengal in the east. So, the reason is correct.

Explanation: C. National Highways passes through Gujarat, Maharashtra, Chhatisgarh, Orissa, Jharkhand and West Bengal. This road is 1,949 km long.

1. Balaghat is known for its diamond mines.
2. Majhgawan is known for its manganese deposits.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Explanation: D. Balaghat of Madhya Pradesh is known for its manganese mines. Majhgawan is famous for diamond.

Explanation: C. The Narmada river originates from a tank 1057 m high west of Amarkantak plateau in Madhya Pradesh. River Damodar originates from Chhota Nagpur plateau, Mahanadi originates from Bastar plateau and Tapti originates from Satpura hills.

Explanation: C. Lucknow is the city most east in the list.

Explanation: C. Both Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka shares boundaries with maximum number of Indian states.

1. A. BALCO 1. Hirakud
2. B. HINDALCO 2. Korba
3. C. Indian Aluminium Company 3. Koraput
4. D. NALCO 4. Renukoot

Code:

Explanation: B. A-2; B-4; C-1; D-3

Explanation: D. Indravati National Park is located in the Bastar region. The park is situated at the distance of 97.4 km Bastar.

Explanation: A. Guru Shikhar Peak is the highest point in Rajasthan. The altitude of peak 5676 feet (1722 mt).

1. A. Betul 1. Indravati
2. B. Jagdalpur 2. Narmada
3. C. Jabalpur 3. Shipra
4. D. Ujjain 4. Tapti

Code:

Explanation: B. A-4; B-1; C-2; D-3.

1. In India, Red Panda is naturally found in the Western Himalayas only.
2. In India, Slow Loris lives in the dense forests of the North East.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Explanation: B. Red Panda is found in mountains of Nepal, northeastern India, China, Bhutan and Slow Loris lives in dense forest of north-east, dense forest of Assam. Red Panda is found in Eastern Himalayas, China, Bhuan and slow loris in the dense forest of north-east Assam.

Explanation: C. Population density of Arunachal Pradesh is 13, Himachal Pradesh is 109, Meghalaya is 103, and Sikkim is 76.

Explanation: D. Production of rice is 96.43 MT, wheat is 78.4 MT, pulses is 15.11 MT and coarse cereals are 40.73 MT in India. So, the correct sequence in decreasing order is Rice

Explanation: D. In the 20th century tea was being grown in 3 African countries like Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. So, the assertion is wrong. But the reason is correct because tea plants need highly organic or loamy soils.

Explanation: D. Rosewood is associated with Dalbergia species. Dalbergia species are used as food plants and fragnant wood in aromatic oils.

Explanation: C. Bhoodan Movement was a voluntary land reform movement in India started by Acharya Vinoba Bhave on April 18, 1951 started at Pochampalli village, in Telangana (Andhra Pardesh).

Explanation: A. Contribution of different sectors to national income. Services

Explanation: B. Participatory Notes (PNs / P-Notes) are instruments used by investors or hedge funds that are not registered with the SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) to invest in Indian securities. Participatory notes are instruments that derive their value from an underlying financial instrument such as an equity share and, hence, the word, 'derivative instruments'. SEBI permitted FIIs to register and participate in the Indian stock market in 1992.

1. The repo rate is the rate at which other banks borrow from the Reserve Bank of India.
2. A value of 1 for Gini Coefficient in a country implies that there is perfectly equal income for everyone in its population.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Explanation: A. Repo Rate is the rate at which commercial banks borrow funds from RBI. A reduction in the repo rate will help banks to get money from the central bank at a cheaper rate. When the repo rate increases borrowing from RBI becomes more expensive. A value of (0) for Gini Coefficient in a country implies that there is perfect equality in the system. If the value is 1 then there is complete inequality in the country.

Explanation: B. National Housing Bank has been set up under the National Housing Bank Act of 1987, which was passed on 9th July, 1988. It is wholly owned by the Reserve bank of India and was created to encourage housing, finance institutions and provide them with financial support.

Explanation: C. Correct option is C.

Explanation: D. Viscocity of Kerosene is least among all, so it will emptied first.

1. If magenta and yellow coloured circles intersect, the intersected area will have red colour.
2. If cyan and magenta coloured circles intersect, the intersected area will have blue colour.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Explanation: C. Combination of red and blue colour results into formation of magenta colour. Whereas combination of red and green colour results in to formation of yellow colour. Thus on combination of magenta and yellow colour red colour will be highlighted. On the other side combination of blue and green results into formation of cyan colour. Combination of red and blue colour produce magenta colour. Therefore, on combination of cyan and magenta colours blue colour will be more highlighted.

1. A flute of smaller length produces waves of lower frequency.
2. Sound travels in rocks in the form of longitudinal elastic waves only.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Explanation: D. The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. A flute of smaller length produces waves of higher frequency. Sound waves travels through medium rocks in the form of longitudinal as well as transverse waves.

Explanation: D. Mach number, a useful quantity in aerodynamics, is the ratio of air speed to the local speed of sound. The speed of sound varies with temperature. Since temperature and sound velocity normally decrease with increasing altitude, sound is refracted upward. Mach number is a function of temperature at altitude. With decrease in sound velocity Mach number increases.

Explanation: D. Crookes glass is a type of glass that contains cerium and other rare earths and has a high absorption of ultraviolet radiation used in sunglasses.

Explanation: B. Selenium.

Explanation: C. Philosopher's wool is a oxide of zinc a white powder used as a pigment, cosmetics, glass, inks and in zinc ointment.

Explanation: B. German silver has a color resembling silver, but is an alloy of primarily copper, nickel and zinc. Chlorargyrite is the mineral form of silver chloride (AgCl). It is also known as horn silver. Proustite is a sulfosalt mineral consisting of silver sulfarsenide, Ag3AsS3, known also as light red silver or ruby silver ore, and an important source of the metal. Silver nitrate is an inorganic compound with chemical formula AgNO3. It was once called lunar caustic because silver was called luna by the ancient alchemists.

Explanation: D. RDX, an initialism for Research Department Explosive, is an explosive nitroamine widely used in military and industrial applications. It is also known less commonly as cyclonite. Its chemical name is cyclotrimethylene trinitramine.

Explanation: B. In pitcher plant, the lamina of leaf is modified into pitcher and the leaf apex gives rise to a coloured lid for attracting the insects.

Explanation: B. Photosynthesis occurs between wavelengths of about 400 nm and 750 nm. Red and blue colour wavelength is categories in this wavelength. So, plants absorb these colours. Photosynthesis does not occur in the infra-red or in ultraviolet light.

Explanation: B. Robert Webster is a scientist, his interests include the structure and function of influenza virus proteins and development of new vaccines and antivirals.

Explanation: A. Appendix is attached to the first portion of large intestine. The appendix has no function in modern human.

Explanation: C. Parathyroid hormone secrets from parathyroid gland. This hormone regulates calcium and phosphate level in blood. Parathyroid hormone raises the level of calcium in the blood and decreases the level of phosphorous in the blood.

Explanation: D. Most insects respire through tracheal system that lies on a network of small tubes that channel O2 directly to the different part of the body. The tracheal system is composed of chitin-ringed tubes called trachea that connect directly to the air through opening in the body wall called spiracles.

Explanation: B. Fallopian tube is a tube like structure that carries egg from the ovary to uterus. In this tube the sperm meets to ovum and fertilization occurs.

Explanation: C. The bottom part of the brain stem is called the Medulla oblongata. The medulla oblongata has nerve centres to control many vital body processes like swallowing, vomiting, breathing and heart beat etc.

Explanation: B. Urea is the main nitrogenous excretory product of Ureotelic animals, produced by liver cells from de-aminated excess amino-acids via the urea cycle.

Explanation: B. Gastrin is a hormone, which stimulates secretion of digestive enzyme in stomach. Trypsin, Pepsin and Ptyalin are the digestive enzymes of human system.

Explanation: D. The correct sequence in the order of decreasing length of the three structural parts are Ileum

1. V P Singh
2. R Venkataraman
3. Y B Chavan
4. Pranab Mukherjee

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Explanation: D. VP Singh (1985-87), R Venkataraman (1980-82), YB Chavan (1971-75), Pranab Mukherjee (1982-85 ;Feb 2009-present).

1. North Atlantic Co-operation Council (NACC) is the name of the new organization which has replaced the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
2. The United States of America and the United Kingdom became the members of the NATO when it was formed in the year 1949.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Explanation: B. Twelve countries were part of the founding of NATO: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on 4 April 1949.

1. A. Nancy Pelosi 1. WTO
2. B. Margaret Chan 2. Speaker, US House of Representatives
3. C. Pascal Lamy 3. WHO
4. D. Steve Ballmer 4. Microsoft

Codes:

Explanation: C. A-2; B-3; C-1; D-4.

1. NAM Summit : Havana
2. APEC Meeting : Bangkok
3. EU - India Summit : Helsinki
4. UN Climate Change : Geneva Conference

Codes:

Explanation: B. 14th Nam Summit was held in Havana(Cuba) from 15-16 September 2006.The 17th EU India summit was held in Helsinkion 13 October 2006. 14th APEC Summit was held on 18-19 November 2006 in Hanoi(Vietnam). The 2006 United Nations Climate Change Conference took place between November 6 and 17, 2006 in Nairobi, Kenya.

Explanation: B. Michelle Bachelet was the first female president of Chile from 2006 to 2014.In December 2013, Bachelet was re-elected as President of Chile with over 62% of the vote. She is the first person since 1932 to win the presidency of Chile twice in competitive elections.

1. A. Chevron 1. Wind energy
2. B. AT & T 2. Oil
3. C. AMD 3. Telephone, Internet
4. D. Enercon GmbH 4. Microprocessor

Codes:

Explanation: C. Chevron Corporation is an American multinational energy corporationand one of the successor companies of Standard Oil headquartered in California. AT and T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation, headquartered at Whitacre Tower in downtown Dallas, Texas. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. is an American worldwide semiconductor company based in Sunnyvale, California, United States, that develops computer processors. Enercon GmbH is the fourth-largest wind turbine manufacturer in the world based in Germany.

Explanation: C. Nick was appointed as a lecturer in Bioengineering at Southampton University in January 2011.

Explanation: C. The Yom Kippur War, also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, was a war fought by the coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria against Israel from October 6 to 25, 1973.

Explanation: C. "Tim" Berners-Lee is best known as the inventor of the World Wide Web.

Explanation: B. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is the second largest inter-governmental organization after the United Nations. Its headquarters is situated in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Explanation: C. Gabriel Garcia Marquez was a Colombian novelist, short-story writer, screenwriter and journalist. He was awarded with Nobel Prize in Literature in 1982.

Explanation: C. The Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs is an international organization that brings together scholars and public figures to work toward reducing the danger of armed conflict and to seek solutions to global security threats. It was founded in 1957 by Joseph Rotblat and Bertrand Russell in Pugwash, Nova Scotia, Canada.

1. The series of the International Paper Sizes is based on A0 size whose area is 0.5 m2 (approximately).
2. The area of A4 size paper is 1/8th of that of the A0 size paper.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Explanation: D. Correct option is D.

Explanation: C. A.M. Khusro was Chairman of eleventh Finance Commission of India.

Explanation: B. Nagaland-1962, Haryana-1966, Sikkim-1975, Arunachal Pradesh-1986.

Explanation: A. The Global Automotive Research Center (GARC), Chennai, is situated in the SIPCOT Industrial Growth Center at Orgadam near Chennai in the close proximity of manufacturing facility of Indian and Global automotive giants.

Explanation: D. Raghuram Govind Rajan is currently the Eric J. Gleacher Distinguished Service Professor of Finance at the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago. He is also an honorary economic adviser to Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh (appointed 2008). He previously was the chief economist of the International Monetary Fund and headed a committee appointed by the Planning Commission on financial reforms in India.

1. A. Bhajan Sopori l. Bharatnatyam dancer
2. B. Birju Maharaj 2. Exponent of Santoor
3. C. Priyadarsini 3. Mridangam maestro
4. D. TV Gopalakrishnan 4. Kathak dancer

Codes:

Explanation: C. A-2; B-4; C-1; D-3.

Explanation: B. P V Narasimha Rao.

Explanation: C. The Pulitzer Prize is an award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature, and musical composition in the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of American (Hungarian-born) publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City.