UPSC 2003 General Knowledge Questions with Answers

Explanation

East Timor (Timor-Leste), a Southeast Asian nation with Dili as its capital, was a Portuguese colony for over 400 years before Indonesia occupied it in 1975. Following a UN-sponsored referendum in 1999, where the majority voted for independence, violent clashes erupted. The UN Transitional Administration (UNTAET) took control to restore peace and oversee governance, leading to East Timor’s full independence in 2002. Portugal did not "hand over" the territory to Indonesia in 1975 - instead, Indonesia invaded and annexed East Timor following a power vacuum created by the impending withdrawal of Portugal, leading to a civil war within East Timor between political factions. East Timor declared its independence on May 20, 2002.

Explanation

Seychelles is the country where Rupee is used as its currency. Bhutan uses the Ngulturn, Malaysia uses the Malaysian Ringgit and Maldives uses the Maldivian Rufiyaa.

Explanation

With respect to the year when this was asked, Bengali has largest number of speakers in the world i.e. 207 million, French - 79 million speakers, Japanese - 125 million speakers, Portuguese - 176 milion speakers.

Explanation

New Zealand was the first country in the world to grant women the right to vote in 1893. The USA gave women full voting rights at the federal level in 1920 with the 19th Amendment. India granted women voting rights in 1950 when India adopted its constitution. Iceland gave women full voting rights in 1915, though initially limited to women over 40.

Explanation

In 2003, among the given countries, India had the lowest GDP per capita. Here’s a comparison of estimated GDP per capita (in USD) around that time:

China - Higher due to rapid industrialization and economic reforms. Indonesia - Had a stronger economy than India, despite the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Sri Lanka - Had a smaller but more stable economy with a relatively higher GDP per capita than India. India - Despite economic growth, per capita income remained the lowest among these countries due to its large population and slower per capita income growth.

Explanation

The Basque people primarily inhabit the Basque Country, which is located in northern Spain and southwestern France. However, their separatist movement has been more prominent in Spain, where the group ETA (Euskadi Ta Askatasuna) historically fought for an independent Basque state. Though ETA officially disbanded in 2018, Basque nationalism remains an important political issue in Spain.

Explanation

Argentina was plunged into a devastating economic crisis in December 2001/January 2002, when a partial deposit freeze, a partial default on public debt, and an abandonment of the fixed exchange rate led to a collapse in output, high levels of unemployment, and political and social turmoil. This also caused mass protests, social unrest, and frequent changes in government, bank freezes (Corralito), and a sharp decline in living standards, fueling widespread discontent.

Explanation

The Human Development Report 2003 by UNDP ranked South Asian countries based on the Human Development Index (HDI). Maldives led the region with strong health, literacy, and income levels, followed by Sri Lanka, which excelled in education and healthcare but lagged slightly in economic growth. India showed steady progress in literacy and life expectancy but faced challenges due to its large population and income inequality. Pakistan ranked the lowest among these nations, struggling with lower literacy rates, weaker healthcare, and slower economic growth.

Explanation

The Kelkar Committee, led by Dr. Vijay L. Kelkar, recommended tax reforms to simplify India’s tax system. It proposed reducing tax rates, eliminating exemptions, broadening the tax base, and improving tax administration. The committee also advocated for GST-like reforms and lower customs and excise duties.

Explanation

Trishul, a short-range surface-to-air missile under India’s IGMDP, had a 9 km range, not 30 km. It was supersonic and later discontinued in 2008.

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

Prithvi-II is a short-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile developed by DRDO. It was inducted into the Indian Air Force, making it the only air force in the world to operate ballistic missiles at the time. The Sukhoi Su-30MKI, a multi-role fighter aircraft of the IAF, is capable of launching precision-guided air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles like BrahMos, Astra, and Kh-59. INS Prabal is a missile boat of the Indian Navy, capable of launching sea-to-sea missiles like SS-N-25 ‘Switchblade’ anti-ship missiles.