General Knowledge: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Prelims)

Explanation

In 2005, during Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s visit to India, both nations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to construct an Indian-style Buddhist temple in Luoyang, Henan Province, China. This initiative aimed to strengthen cultural ties and highlight the shared Buddhist heritage between the two countries.

Explanation

In September 2004, Tropical Storm Jeanne unleashed torrential rains over Haiti, triggering catastrophic flooding and mudslides that devastated the nation. The storm’s impact was particularly severe in Gonaïves, Haiti’s third-largest city, where a 9-foot wall of water inundated the area, leading to widespread destruction.

Explanation

The Sahariya tribe, recognized as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), primarily inhabits the Baran district of Rajasthan, especially in the Shahabad and Kishanganj tehsils. They also reside in parts of Madhya Pradesh, including Morena, Sheopur, Bhind, Gwalior, Datia, Shivpuri, Vidisha, and Guna districts.

Explanation

A. Guenter Grass - 2. Nobel Prize Winner for Literature (1999) for his exceptional literary contributions. B. Trevor Huddleston - 3. Anti-apartheid activist, dedicated to opposing apartheid in South Africa. C. Dicky Dolma - 4. Youngest woman to climb Mount Everest at 19 years old. D. Kim Campbell - 1. First female Prime Minister of Canada (June-November 1993).

Explanation

Pair 1 is incorrectly matched: VSNL was originally a government-owned telecom company and was later acquired by the Tata Group (not Bharti Group) in 2002. It was later renamed Tata Communications in 2008.

Pair 2 is correctly matched: Mundra SEZ (Special Economic Zone) is developed by the Adani Group in Gujarat. It is one of India’s largest commercial and industrial hubs.

Pair 3 is correctly matched: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) acquired a majority stake in CMC Ltd in 2001 and fully merged it into TCS in 2015.

Pair 4 is correctly matched: IPCL was originally a public sector company but was acquired by Reliance Industries in 2002. Later, in 2007 it was merged with Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL).

Explanation

A-2: Zia Mody is a prominent corporate lawyer in India and the founder of AZB & Partners, one of India’s leading law firms specializing in corporate law, mergers, acquisitions, and financial advisory. B-1: Anuradha J. Desai is the Chairperson of Venkateshwara Hatcheries (VH Group), one of India’s largest poultry businesses. The company is well known for "Venky’s" poultry products. C-4: Villoo Morawala Patel is the founder of Avesthagen Limited, a biotechnology company working in the fields of genetics, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals. D-3: Meena Kaushik is a leading expert in market research and the founder of Quantum Market Research, which specializes in consumer insights and brand strategies.

Explanation

The Armoured Corps Centre and School (ACC&S) is located in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, not Jabalpur. It is the primary training institute for the Indian Army’s armored corps and tank operations.

Option (a), (b) and (d) are correct:

The Southern Air Command of the Indian Air Force is headquartered in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. It was established in 1984 to enhance air defense capabilities over peninsular India. The Eastern Naval Command of the Indian Navy is headquartered in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. It is responsible for naval operations in the Bay of Bengal and the eastern seaboard. The Army Medical Corps Centre and School is located in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

Explanation

Satara in Maharashtra is renowned for its wind energy plants, particularly the Chalkewadi Wind Energy Project. Its hilly terrain and strong wind currents make it an ideal location for wind power generation, contributing significantly to renewable energy production.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: India has the largest postal network in the world, with more than 1.5 lakh post offices. A majority of these are in rural areas, providing essential postal and banking services.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL) was incorporated in September, 2000 under the Indian Companies Act, 1956 with the objective to take over the business of providing telecom services and network of the erstwhile Department of Communications with effect from 1st October, 2000. Before that, telecom services were directly managed by the Department of Telecommunications.

Statement 3 is incorrect: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) was, thus, established with effect from 20th February 1997 by an Act of Parliament, called the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997, to regulate telecom services, including fixation/revision of tariffs for telecom services which were earlier vested in the Central Government.

Explanation

Pair 1 is correctly matched: Champadevi Shukla along with Rashida Bee, won the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2004 for their activism related to the Bhopal Gas Tragedy.

Pair 2 is correctly matched: Dr. P. Sri Ramach-andrudu received the Vachaspati Puraskar which is awarded for outstanding contributions to Sanskrit literature.

Pair 3 is correctly matched: Ela Bhatt, founder of SEWA was honored with the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award for Excellence in Public Administration, Academics, and Management.

Pair 4 is incorrectly matched: Upamanyu Chatterjee is a well-known Indian author and civil servant. In 2004, he was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award for "The Mammaries of the Welfare State". However, he was never awarded the Lalit Kala Ratna Award, which is given for excellence in visual arts.