Previous Year UPSC Questions

Explanation

In May 2003, Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted a grand celebration in Saint Petersburg, commemorating the city’s 300th anniversary. Over 40 world leaders, including Jacques Chirac, Gerhard Schroeder, Junichiro Koizumi, and George W. Bush, attended the event. The three-day celebration highlighted Saint Petersburg’s cultural heritage, featuring a gala at the Mariinsky Theater with performances by renowned artists like prima ballerina Uliana Lopatkina.

Explanation

In 2003, Paul Lauterbur and Peter Mansfield were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their pioneering work in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), a technology that revolutionized medical diagnostics.

Explanation

In 2003, Dame Alison Richard became the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, serving until 2010. She was the first woman to hold this position full-time in the university’s history. Committed to conservation, she has worked to protect Madagascar’s unique environment while supporting local communities.

Explanation

George W. Bush, comes from American state of Texas.

G. Bush attended Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, and later earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Yale University in 1968. Following his undergraduate studies, he served in the Texas Air National Guard from 1968 to 1973. In 1975, he obtained a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School.

Explanation

J.M. Coetzee a South African writer and scholar won the Booker Prize twice. He got his first Booker Prize in 1983 for his book "Life and times of Michael K" and got second Booker Prize in 1999 for his book "Disgrace" -a novel about life in post apartheid South Africa.

Explanation

Shirin Ebadi, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003, is from Iran. She is an Iranian lawyer, former judge, and human rights activist. Ebadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her significant efforts in promoting democracy and human rights, particularly focusing on the rights of women and children in Iran. She is the first Iranian and the first Muslim woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.

Explanation

Pair (a) is correctly matched: Pitt’s India Act (1784) was introduced during Warren Hastings’ tenure as the Governor-General of India. Pair (b) is correctly matched: The Doctrine of Lapse was introduced by Lord Dalhousie, the British Governor-General of India, as a policy to annex Indian states whose rulers died without a male heir. Pair (c) is incorrectly matched: The Vernacular Press Act (1878) was passed by Lord Lytton, not Lord Curzon. It was aimed at curbing nationalist sentiments expressed in vernacular language newspapers. Pair (d) is correctly matched: The Ilbert Bill (1883), introduced by Lord Ripon, was an attempt to allow Indian judges to try European criminals in India. It faced strong opposition from the British community in India and was later modified, but marked a significant step towards equality in the judicial system.

Explanation

Lord Curzon served as Viceroy of India from 1899 to 1905. He is known for Partition of Bengal, 1905 - divided Bengal into two provinces, igniting widespread nationalist protests and the Swadeshi Movement. Lord Hardinge served as the Viceroy from 1910 to 1916. He was responsible for the shift of the British Indian capital from Calcutta to Delhi in 1911, symbolizing British imperial authority. Lord Chelmsford was the Viceroy from 1916 to 1921. He is known for the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, 1919 happening during his tenure - British troops fired on unarmed civilians in Amritsar, leading to national outrage and intensified independence demands. Lord Irwin’s tenure as Viceroy lasted from 1926 to 1931. He is known for Gandhi-Irwin Pact(1931), which was an agreement between Gandhi and Irwin that ended the Civil Disobedience Movement’s first phase and facilitated Gandhi’s participation in the Round Table Conference.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: Adjournment sine die means the suspension of a sitting without specifying a date for the next meeting by the Speaker. It typically happens at the end of a session. Prorogation is the formal ending of a session by the President. After prorogation, the House can only be summoned again by the President.

Statement 2 is correct: According to article 83(2) of the Constitution of India, the term of the Lok Sabha is five years from the date of its first meeting, unless it is dissolved earlier. At the end of the five-year period it is automatically dissolved by efflux of time, even if no formal order of dissolution is issued by the President.

Statement 3 is correct: The Speaker of Lok Sabha continues to hold office even after the dissolution of the House. The Speaker remains in office until immediately before the first meeting of the newly constituted Lok Sabha.

Explanation

Article 75 of the constitution says that the Council of Ministers shall be collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha. Lok Sabha can remove the ministry from office by passing a no-confidence motion.

Option (a) is correct: There is no need to set out the grounds on which it is based. No confidence motion is introduced only in the Lok Sabha(Rajya Sabha not empowered entertain introduce this motion) and requires the support of at least 50 members to be admitted. The procedure is governed by Rule 198 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha. If 50 or more members support the motion, the Speaker schedules a date for debate and voting. If the motion is passed by a simple majority vote, it implies that the government has lost the confidence of the House and must resign.