Previous Year UPSC Questions

Explanation

In the 2002 US Open Men’s Doubles final, Mahesh Bhupathi (India) and Max Mirnyi (Belarus) won the title by defeating the pair of Jiri Novak and Radek Stepanek.

Explanation

In the 2002 French Open Men’s Singles final, Albert Costa of Spain won the title. He defeated Juan Carlos Ferrero, also from Spain, in the final with a score of 6-1, 6-0, 4-6, 6-2. This victory marked Costa’s first and only Grand Slam title in his career.

Explanation

In the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Ronaldo of Brazil was the top scorer of the tournament. He scored 8 goals in total and was awarded the Golden Boot for being the highest goal scorer of the tournament. His goals played a crucial role in helping Brazil win their fifth World Cup title.

Explanation

Muhammad bin Tughlaq (1325-1351) was a highly ambitious Sultan of Delhi, known for his bold and often impractical reforms. His policies like introduction of token currency and the shift of capital to Daulatabad was aimed at centralizing administration but led to economic chaos and unrest. Assertion (A) is true: Swarg Dwari was a temporary camp or encampment established by Muhammad bin Tughlaq, the Sultan of Delhi. Reason (R) is true: Muhammad bin Tughlaq left Delhi and resided in Swarg Dwari for approximately two years (1334-1335) due to the devastating effects of the bubonic plague, which had ravaged the city and killed nearly half of his army. Thus R is the correct explanation of A.

Explanation

Option (a) is correct: Earth has the highest average density among all planets in the Solar System. Earth has a metallic core rich in iron and nickel which makes it denser than gas giants like Jupiter or Saturn. Planet Density (g/cm3) Earth 5.51 Mercury 5.43 Venus 5.24 Mars 3.93 Jupiter 1.33 Saturn 0.69 Uranus 1.27 Neptune 1.64 Options (b), (c) and (d) are incorrect:

The most abundant element in Earth’s composition is iron (Fe), not silicon (Si). Earth’s elemental composition (by mass):

Iron(35%)>Oxygen(30%)>Silicon(15%) The Sun actually contains about 99.8% of the total mass of the Solar System, not just 75%. The remaining 0.2% of the mass is distributed among planets, moons, asteroids, and comets. The diameter of the Sun is 109 times and not 190 times that of Earth. Actual ratio of Sun’s diameter to Earth’s diameter:

Ratio = 1,391,000(Sun) × 12,742(Earth) 109 times

Explanation

The Indus Valley Civilization (Harappan Civilisation) flourished between 2600 BC and 1900 BC in the northern region of the Indian subcontinent. It was prominently spread over Sindh, Balochistan, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Western U.P. and Northern Maharashtra.

Explanation

Zia-ud-Din Barani (1285-1357) was a prominent historian and political thinker during the period of Tughlaq Dynasty. His most famous work, "Tarikh-i-Firoz Shahi", chronicles the history of the Delhi Sultanate and provides valuable insights into the political and social conditions of the time. He advocated a theocratic system of governance, where Islamic law would guide the state’s policies.

Option (c) is correct:

The Sultans of Delhi, frequently made decisions based on political and administrative pragmatism rather than strictly following Islamic laws. He argued that the state was not "truly Islamic" because the Sultans often supplemented or modified Sharia (Islamic law) with their own administrative and secular regulations (Zawabit).

Explanation

Statement (a) is incorrect: Balban (1266 to 1287) was the first to establish the Diwan-i-Ariz department in the Delhi Sultanate. This department was related to the military and was headed by Ariz-i-Mumalik. Statement (b) is incorrect: Alauddin Khilji (1296-1316) of the Khilji dynasty introduced the practice of branding horses in his military. Branding the horses helped in preventing the fraud of soldiers who might try to misuse government-owned horses for personal benefit. Statement (c) is incorrect: Muhammad bin Tughlaq (1325-1351 AD) was succeeded by his cousin, Firoz Shah Tughlaq, not his uncle. Muhammad bin Tughlaq’s reign was marked by several controversial decisions, such as the shifting of the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad and the introduction of token currency. Statement (d) is correct: Firoz Shah Tughlaq (1351-1388) was the first cousin of Muhammad bin Tughlaq and the most prominent ruler of the Tughlaq dynasty. He was known for his public welfare measures, including the construction of canals, hospitals, schools and implemented various administrative reforms to stabilize his empire. He (Firoz Shah Tughlaq 1351-88) established a separate department for slaves called the Diwan-i-Bandagan under the Wakil-i-dar. He increased the number of slaves by capturing the defeated soldiers and young people.

Explanation

The National Development Council (NDC), comprising the Prime Minister, Union Ministers, Chief Ministers of states, and members of the Planning Commission, had the final authority to approve India’s Five-Year Plans. This ensured that national and state priorities were aligned.

Explanation

Between 1784 and 1857, the British passed several acts to centralize control, regulate the East India Company’s administration, and address rising unrest in India. These measures ultimately led to the Indian Rebellion of 1857, marking the end of Company rule and the beginning of direct British governance.

Option (a) is correct.

The Charter Act of 1813 abolished the East India Company’s monopoly on trade with India, except for certain key areas such as the trade in tea and commerce with China. The Regulating Act of 1773 was a key piece of legislation that aimed to improve the administration of the British East India Company. It required the Company to submit correspondence and documents to the British government for scrutiny. The Government of India Act 1858 transferred the governance of India from the East India Company to the British Crown following the Indian Rebellion of 1857. The dual system introduced by the Pitt’s India Act came to an end. The Governor-general became the Viceroy. The Pitt’s India Act of 1784 established a dual system of government, where the East India Company was controlled by both a Board of Directors and a Board of Control, with the latter controlling its policy and finances.