Previous Year UPSC Questions

Explanation

Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) is a safe motherhood intervention under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).

Statement 1 is correct: The primary goal of Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) is to reduce maternal and infant mortality by encouraging pregnant women to opt for institutional deliveries in healthcare facilities, ensuring safe childbirth under professional supervision.

Statement 2 is correct: JSY is a centrally sponsored scheme, which integrates cash assistance with delivery and post-de-livery care to help cover expenses related to childbirth, making institutional deliveries more accessible.

Statement 3 is incorrect: JSY does not compensate for wage loss during pregnancy or confinement. Its focus is on promoting safe deliveries through financial support for delivery costs, not income replacement.

Explanation

The Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) Scheme is a social security and health insurance program for Indian workers, managed by the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) under the Ministry of Labour and Employment. Launched in 1952 under the ESI Act, 1948, it provides financial protection to employees against sickness, maternity, disability, and work-related injuries. This Act applies, in the first instance, to non-seasonal factories employing 10 or more persons. Statements 1, 2, 3 and 4 are correct: The ESI Scheme initially covered factories but has expanded to include hotels and restaurants, motor transport undertakings, newspaper establishments, private medical institutions, shops, cinemas, educational institutions, and more. It applies to establishments with 10 or more employees (20 in some states) and covers employees earning up to 21,000/month (25,000 for persons with disabilities).

Explanation

National Water Mission is one of the eight missions launched under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) for combating the threats of global warming. The main objective of NWM is "conservation of water, minimising wastage and ensuring its more equitable distribution both across and within States through integrated water resources devel-opment and management". Statements 1 and 2 are correct: It seeks to ensure that a considerable share of the water needs of urban areas are met through recycling of waste water and ensuring that the water requirements of coastal cities with inadequate alternative sources of water are met through adoption of new and appropriate technologies such as low temperature desalination technologies that allow for the use of ocean water.

Statement 3 is incorrect: All the rivers of Himalayan origin will be linked to the rivers of peninsular India is part of the Interlinking of Rivers Project, not the National Water Mission.

Statement 4 is incorrect: The NWM focuses on water conservation and efficiency but does not provide reimbursements for bore-wells or pump-sets.

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect: DRDAs does not act as Panchayati Raj Institutions. They are autonomous bodies that coordinate rural development programs, while Panchayati Raj Institutions are separate local self-governance bodies.

Statement 2 is incorrect: No such provisions are there for DRDAs to undertake an area-specific scientific study of the causes of poverty and malnutrition and prepare detailed remedial measures.

Statement 3 is correct: One of the key roles of DRDAs is to coordinate efforts across sectors and departments to ensure the effective implementation of various rural development schemes.

Statement 4 is correct: DRDAs are responsible for monitoring and ensuring the proper utilization of funds allocated to anti-poverty and rural development programs.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: Consumers have the right to take food samples for testing if they suspect adulteration, under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Filing a complaint in a consumer forum requires payment of a court fee, which varies depending on the value of the claim. For instance, no fee is charged for claims up to 5 lakh, but fees are applicable for higher claims as per the prescribed structure.

Statement 3 is correct: Legal heirs can file or continue consumer complaints on behalf of a deceased consumer under the Consumer Protection Act, ensuring that grievances do not lapse upon the complainant’s death.

Explanation

The Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), developed by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is designed to measure acute poverty by evaluating multiple deprivations that individuals face across three key dimensions: health, education, and living standards.

Statement 1 is correct: The index assesses deprivations in education (such as years of schooling and school attendance), health (including child mortality and nutrition), and living standards (evaluated through indicators like access to electricity, sanitation, drinking water, housing, cooking fuel, and asset ownership).

Statement 2 is incorrect: Purchasing power parity (PPP) is an economic metric used to compare the relative value of currencies and the cost of goods across countries. The MPI focuses on non-monetary deprivations at the household level and does not incorporate national-level economic indicators like PPP.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Budget deficits and GDP growth rates are macroeconomic indicators that reflect a country’s fiscal health and economic performance. The MPI does not include these national-level metrics, as it is centered on individual and household deprivations in specific areas such as health, education, and living standards.

Explanation

NOTE: This question came in 2011 so data and facts of that period is not important. However, we can try to attempt and analyse the same question in light of recent data i.e. from 2020-2024

Statement 1 is incorrect: With respect to the five year period just before 2011, The GDP growth rate did not steadily increase during this period. It declined significantly in 2008-09 due to the global financial crisis before recovering in the subsequent years. For last few years, the growth rate of GDP in India is as follows:

Year GDP Growth Rate (%) 2016-17 8.26 2017-18 7.04 2018-19 6.12 2019-20 4.18 2020-21 -10.29 2021-22 8.2 2022-23 9.7 2023-24 8.2 2024-25 6.4 With respect to 2020-2024, we can clearly see that it has not been steadily rising for five years.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Similar to GDP growth, the per capita income growth rate did not steadily increase over these five years. There was a noticeable dip in 2008-09 due to the economic slowdown. For last few years, growth rate in per capita Income in India is as follows:

Fiscal Year Growth Rate (%) 2016-2017 7.1 2017-2018 6.8 2018-2019 6.1 2019-2020 4.2 2020-2021 -6.57 2021-2022 17.47 2022-2023 5.16 2023-2024 5.01 With respect to 2020-2024, we can clearly see that it has not been steadily rising for five years.

Explanation

Indus Valley Civilization, one of the earliest urban cultures, is notable for its advanced urban planning, trade systems, and crafts, yet it was largely secular in nature with no dominant religious structure.

Statement 1 is correct: The Indus Valley Civilization is often considered more secular compared to other ancient civilizations like Mesopotamia or Egypt, where religion played a dominant role in daily life and governance. Although evidence of religious practices exists (e.g., figurines, seals depicting deities, the Great Bath which may have had ritual significance), there is no clear evidence of a theocratic society or large, grandiose temples. The focus of the Indus civilization appears to be on urban planning, trade, and practical aspects of daily life.

Statement 2 is correct: The Indus Valley Civilization is one of the earliest known civilizations to have used cotton for textile production. Evidence of cotton cultivation has been found at several Indus sites, such as Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa, where cotton fibers have been discovered, indicating its use in making cloth. Also, cotton seeds found near Mehrgarh dated to 5000 BCE.

Explanation

Dialectical materialism is the philosophical foundation of Karl Marx’s theory of class struggle. It asserts that social and economic progress occurs through contradictions and conflicts between different economic classes, leading to revolutionary change. Marx argued that human history is shaped by material conditions rather than ideas alone, and that class struggle between the proletariat (working class) and bourgeoisie (capitalist class) would eventually lead to a socialist society.

Explanation

The concepts of Dharma and Rita were central to the Vedic civilization of India, shaping its moral, social, and cosmic order. Dharma and rita are interconnected, with rita providing the cosmic framework within which dharma operates. Together, they create a moral universe where every action aligns with the natural order. These concepts guide both personal behavior and societal norms, ensuring that individuals act in accordance with the universal laws and maintain harmony in all aspects of life.

Statement 1 is correct: In the Vedic context, dharma refers to the concept of obligations and duties. It is about the righteous conduct and the moral responsibilities one has to oneself and to society.

Statement 2 is correct: Rita is the principle of natural order which regulates and coordinates the operation of the universe and everything within it. It is the cosmic order or the fundamental moral law governing the functioning of the universe.