Previous Year UPSC Questions

Explanation

A Writ of Prohibition is a judicial order issued by the Supreme Court or High Courts to a lower court or tribunal, directing it to stop continuing proceedings in a case that exceeds its jurisdiction or is legally improper. It is issued before a lower court delivers its judgment. It is a preventive writ, stopping a court from acting beyond its powers. The Supreme Court can issue it under Article 32, and the High Courts can issue it under Article 226 of the Constitution of India.

Explanation

King Krishnadevaraya (1509 to 1529) of Tuluva dynasty allowed the Portuguese to build a fort Bhatkal in 1510. The town was named Bhatakala after the Jain grammarian Bhattakalanka Deva, who hailed from Haduvalli, 16 km away, capital of the Saluvas of Gerusoppa. The Vitthal temples and the Hazara Rama temple were constructed during his reign.

Explanation

The Constitution of India does not specifically guarantee a right to privacy. However, through various judgments over the years, the Courts of the country have interpreted the other rights in the Constitution to give rise to a (limited) right to privacy--primarily through Article 21--the right to life and liberty. In Justice K.S. Puttaswamy vs. Union of India (2017), the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that privacy is a fundamental right protected under Article 21 and Part III of the Constitution, affirming its intrinsic link to life, personal liberty, and fundamental freedoms. The Bench also ruled that the right to privacy is not absolute but is subject to reasonable restrictions (as is every other fundamental right).

Explanation

Madhyama-vyayoga is one of the thirteen plays attributed to Bhasa. It is a one-act play (Prakarana) that revolves around a family reunion and is based on an episode from the Mahabharata. The play is notable for its dramatic structure, emotional depth, and adherence to classical Sanskrit theatrical conventions. The story unfolds with themes of valor, familial bonds, and moral dilemmas, culminating in a reunion that highlights Bhsa’s skill in dramatizing epic tales.

Explanation

Sanghabhuti was an Indian Buddhist monk from Kashmir who traveled to China towards the end of the 4th century AD. Sanghabhuti is primarily associated with the Sarvastivada Vinaya, a text that outlines the monastic rules and discipline for Buddhist monks and nuns. He traveled to China and collaborated with Chinese scholars to translate and comment on this text, which was crucial for the establishment of Buddhist monastic practices in China.

Explanation

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large, complex group of synthetic chemicals that have been used in consumer products around the world since about the 1950s.

Statement 1 is correct: People are most likely exposed to these chemicals by consuming PFAS-contaminated water or food, using products made with PFAS, or breathing air containing PFAS. Although PFOS use has been phased out, it can still be found in drinking water, groundwater, soil, and air.

Statement 2 is correct: PFAS molecules have a chain of linked carbon and fluorine atoms. Because the carbon-fluorine bond is one of the strongest, these chemicals do not degrade easily in the environment, leading to long-term contamination.

Statement 3 is correct: PFAS can accumulate in the bodies of animals, including humans, through persistent exposure. They tend to concentrate in organs like the liver and kidneys and bio-accumulate up the food chain

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect: A parable is a succinct, didactic story, in prose or verse, that illustrates one or more instructive lessons or principles. The Upanishads do contain parables (short stories with moral or philosophical lessons). Examples include:

Nachiketa and Yama in the Katha Upanishad, which explores the concept of the soul and immortality.

Statement 2 is correct: The Upanishads (1000-500 BCE) were composed during the later Vedic period, forming the philosophical core of Hinduism. The Puranas, on the other hand, were compiled much later (mostly between 3rd to 10th century CE), making Upanishads earlier than Puranas.

Explanation

Shakyamuni epithet is widely used in Buddhist texts such as the Lalitavistara Sutra and Mahayana scriptures for Gautama Buddha "Shakyamuni" means "Sage of the Shakya Clan." Gautama Buddha was born as Prince Siddhartha in the Shakya clan which ruled the region of Kapilavastu (modern Nepal-India border). Tathagata means "The One Who Has Thus Gone (Tathagata) or Thus Come (Tatha-agata)," referring to Buddha’s enlightened state and transcendence over worldly existence. It is one of the most common epithets used by Gautama Buddha himself in Pali Canon texts like the Digha Nikaya and Majjhima Nikaya. "Nayaputta" is not an epithet of Gautama Buddha; rather, it refers to Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism

Explanation

Statement I is correct: Chewing gum contributes significantly to environmental pollution due to its non-biodegrad-able nature. Most chewing gums are improperly disposed of, leading to litter on streets and microplastic pollution in water bodies.

Statement II is correct: Modern chewing gums often use synthetic polymers, such as polyethylene and polyvinyl acetate, as part of their gum base, which are essentially plastics. These materials do not biodegrade easily, causing long-lasting environmental harm. The presence of plastic in gum makes it non-biodegradable and a significant contributor to pollution when improperly disposed of. Hence, Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I

Explanation

Radar (Radio Detection And Ranging) is an electromagnetic sensor used for detecting, locating, tracking, and recognising objects of various kinds at considerable distances. It operates by transmitting electromagnetic energy toward objects, commonly referred to as targets, and observing the echoes returned from them. The targets may be aircraft, ships, spacecraft, automotive vehicles, astronomical bodies, or even birds, insects, and rain. Besides determining the presence, location, and velocity of such objects, radar can sometimes obtain their size and shape as well.

Statement 1 is incorrect: Radar technology is being used in the fight against narcotics, but they are being used for interdiction of suspicious flights/aircraft in countries like Guatemala, Brazil and Bolivia and not directly in the identification of narcotics on passengers or in the aircraft.

Statement 2 is correct: Radars, especially Doppler weather radars, are widely used to track precipitation, storm patterns, and weather conditions.

Statement 3 is correct: Radars, such as avian radars, are used to monitor the movement of birds and other animals, especially for ecological studies and aviation safety.