Previous Year UPSC Questions

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 arrangement of these hill ranges in India, from north to south, follows a specific order. Beginning in the north are the Nallamalai Hills, located primarily in Andhra Pradesh. Moving southward, the Javadi Hills, situated in Tamil Nadu, come next. Further south lies the prominent Nilgiri Hills, also in Tamil Nadu, known for their biodiversity and hill stations. Finally, the southernmost range in this sequence is the Anamalai Hills, straddling the border of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and home to the highest peak in the Western Ghats, Anamudi. Therefore, the correct north-to-south sequence is Nallamalai Hills, followed by the Javadi Hills, then the Nilgiri Hills, and finally the Anamalai Hills.

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

Biosphere Reserves are areas of terrestrial and coastal ecosystems promoting solutions to reconcile the conservation of biodiversity with its sustainable use. They are designated by UNESCO under its Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme. Currently, India has 18 Biosphere Reserves, designated to con-serve biodiversity, ecosystems, and traditional lifestyles.

Option (b) is correct: Agasthyamalai, Nilgiri, and Panchmarhi are all recognized Biosphere Reserves in India. The Nallamalai Hills, while a significant geographical feature, are not currently designated as a Biosphere Reserve.

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

Kochi receives the highest rainfall (~3000 mm) due to the Southwest Monsoon and its proximity to the Western Ghats, making it one of the wettest cities in India. Kolkata follows with around 1600 mm of rainfall, heavily influenced by the Bay of Bengal branch of the monsoon, with most rain occurring between June and September. Patna, with approximately 1200 mm of annual rainfall, experiences moderate monsoon rains, though lesser than Kolkata. Delhi, receiving around 800 mm of rainfall, has a semi-arid climate, with monsoon rains but significantly lower precipitation than the other cities. Thus, the correct sequence in decreasing order of rainfall is Kochi-Kolkata-Patna-Delhi.

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

Statement 1 is incorrect: Silent Valley National Park is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and is located in Kerala’s Western Ghats. It is not situated in the Nallamalai range. The park is known for its untouched tropical rainforest, rich bio-diversity, and ecological importance. It is home to rare species like the lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri langur, and Malabar giant squirrel. The park also has 960 plant species and 170 bird species. In the 1970s, the "Save Silent Valley" movement helped protect it. This movement stopped a hydroelectric project that threatened the park’s ecosystem. Silent Valley was declared a na-tional park in 1984.

Statement 2 is correct: The Pathrakkadavu Hydro Electric Project was proposed near the Silent Valley National Park. This proposal sparked significant environmental concerns and debate due to the potential impact on the park’s fragile ecosystem.

Statement 3 is correct: The Kunthi River, originating from the Anginda peak in the Silent Valley National Park, Kerala, is a tributary of the Bharathapuzha River. Known for its perennial flow due to its source in dense tropical rainforests, the river supports biodiversity and local communities. The river is undammed so far, preserving its natural ecosystem.

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.

Explanation

A is matched with 4: Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary (Goa) is the smallest wildlife sanctuary in Goa, making it easy to visit and popular with tourists. Despite its small size, it has a good variety of animals like leopards, deer, wild boars, and many birds. B is matched with 3: Kanger Valley National Park is also known as Kangerghat National Park, this park is located in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh. The park is named after the Kanger River that flows through it. C is matched with 2: Orang National Park (Assam) is known as the "Mini Kaziranga" because it has a similar landscape and wildlife. It lies on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra River and is home to one-horned rhinoceroses, tigers, elephants, and deer. D is matched with 1: Ushakothi Wildlife Sanctuary (Odisha) is covered with dry deciduous forests and is an important home for Indian elephants, along with other animals.