Previous Year UPSC Questions

Explanation

Statement (1) is incorrect: The first woman to preside over the Congress was Annie Besant in 1917. Sarojini Naidu became President in 1925. Sarojini Naidu was a prominent leader and the first Indian woman to become the President of the Indian National Congress.

Statement (2) is correct: Chittaranjan Das (C.R. Das) was elected President of the Indian National Congress in 1922. However, he was imprisoned during the Non-Cooperation Movement and conducted his presidential duties from jail.

Statement (3) is incorrect: A.O. Hume was a founder but never served as its President. The first Britisher to preside over the Congress was George Yule in 1888.

Statement (4) is correct: Alfred Webb, an Irish nationalist, presided over the 10th session of the Congress in 1894. His election symbolized the solidarity between Indian nationalists and Irish freedom fighters.

Explanation

The Attorney General of India holds the highest legal office in the country, providing advice to the government on legal matters.

Statement 1 is correct: According to Article 76(1) of the Indian Constitution, the President appoints the Attorney General. The appointment is based on the President’s discretion.

Statement 2 is correct: As per Article 76(1), the qualifications for the Attorney General match those of a Supreme Court judge. This includes being an Indian citizen and having served as a High Court judge for at least five years, or an advocate in a High Court for at least ten years, or being an eminent jurist.

Statement 3 is incorrect: There is no constitutional requirement for the Attorney General to be a member of either House of Parliament. Unlike ministers, the Attorney General does not need parliamentary membership to hold the office.

Statement 4 is incorrect: The Attorney General serves at the pleasure of the President and can be dismissed at any time by the President. The process of impeachment, which applies to the President and judges, is not applicable to the Attorney General.

Explanation

The Finance Commission is a constitutional body established under Article 280 of the Indian Constitution. Its key role is to recommend how financial resources should be distributed between the Central Government and the State Governments. The Commission assesses several factors, including:

The financial conditions of the Centre and States Revenue needs and expenditure patterns The fiscal capacity of different states Based on this evaluation, it recommends the allocation of tax revenues, the distribution of revenue between the Centre and the States, as well as grants-in-aid and other financial resources. This helps ensure a balanced and equitable distribution of funds, promoting both fiscal autonomy and development across various states.

Explanation

Explosions in mines are often caused by the presence of methane gas, which mixes with air to form an explosive mixture. This phenomenon is known as a "firedamp explosion." Methane is highly flammable and can ignite when exposed to a spark or heat, leading to devastating consequences in mining environments.

Explanation

The first sunrise of the new millennium (1 January 2000) in India was observed at the 92°30’ E meridian in Arunachal Pradesh, the country’s easternmost region. Located near the Myanmar border, this was the first point in India to receive sun-light as the millennium began. While countries like New Zealand saw it earlier due to their proximity to the International Date Line, within India, 92°30’ E, the nation’s easternmost meridian amongst the given options, marked the dawn of the new era, highlighting its significance as the first place in the country to witness sunrise.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: Tides play a significant role in both navigation and fishing activities. Tides help ships navigate shallow waters by increasing water depth during high tide. They also influence fishing, as certain fish species move with tidal currents, making them easier to catch.

Statement 2 is correct: High tides increase the water level in harbors, which is essential for larger ships to enter or leave safely. Without the rise in water levels brought about by tides, large ships might find it difficult to dock or leave the harbor, as they need sufficient water depth to avoid grounding.

Statement 3 is correct: The ebb and flow of tidal waters help to flush out silt, sand, and other debris from the harbor area. This natural process reduces the risk of siltation, ensuring that ports and harbors remain navigable by preventing the accumulation of sediments that could otherwise block ships.

Statement 4 is correct: Both Kandla Port (in Gujarat) and Diamond Harbour (near Kolkata) are tidal ports, meaning they are influenced by tidal movements. The activities at these ports depend on the high and low tide cycles for ships to dock and undock, as well as to ensure proper water levels for smooth navigation.

Explanation

Assertion (A) is true: The frequency of floods in the north Indian plains has indeed risen in recent decades. This can be attributed to a combination of factors:

Climate Change: With global warming, the frequency and intensity of rainfall events have increased. In many parts of India, especially in the north, monsoon rains have become more unpredictable, leading to sudden heavy downpours that overwhelm the drainage systems and flood the plains. Urbanization and Poor Drainage Systems: As more urban areas are developed, the natural landscape changes. Cities with poor drainage systems cannot handle heavy rainfall, leading to waterlogging and flooding. Deforestation: Deforestation, particularly in the catchment areas of rivers, reduces the land’s ability to absorb rainfall. The lack of tree cover and vegetation increases surface runoff, which can rapidly flow into rivers and cause them to overflow. River Management Issues: Rivers like the Ganges and Brahmaputra are heavily managed with embankments, dams, and other infrastructure. However, many of these structures have not been properly maintained, or they have been poorly designed, leading to insufficient control of water flow. This poor management has exacerbated the flood situation. Reason (R) is true: Over time, rivers in flood-prone regions like the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and their tributaries have experienced significant sediment deposition, which raises the riverbed and reduces the river’s depth. Several factors contribute to this:

Sediment Transport: Rivers like the Ganges and Brahmaputra carry a large amount of sediment, the continuous accumulation of sand, silt, and clay sediment raises the riverbed, gradually reducing the depth of the river valleys. This process is particularly noticeable in the north Indian plains, where large rivers meander and deposit substantial amounts of sediment. Shallow Riverbeds: As the riverbed rises due to sedimentation, the rivers become shallower and have less capacity to hold and carry water. When heavy rainfall occurs, rivers with reduced capacity cannot contain the additional water, causing them to overflow and flood the surrounding areas. Floodplains and Siltation: Floodplains are areas adjacent to rivers that are prone to flooding during high-water events. These floodplains naturally receive silt deposits from the river during floods, but when silt deposition becomes excessive, the height of the floodplain increases, reducing the storage capacity of the river. The increased frequency of floods (Assertion A) is directly related to the siltation or sediment buildup in the river valleys (Reason R).

Explanation

A rise in SENSEX indicates an overall increase in the stock prices of a group of 30 financially strong companies listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). These companies are selected based on market capitalization, liquidity, and sectoral representation and are considered indicators of market performance. SENSEX movements reflect investor sentiment, economic conditions, corporate earnings, and global market trends. It does not mean that the prices of all companies listed on the BSE rise simultaneously. As per the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) reports, Sensex is widely used by investors and analysts to gauge India’s stock market trends and investment climate.

Explanation

Nichrome is an alloy of nickel and chromium, often used in heating elements due to its high resistance to heat and corrosion. It is ductile, allowing it to be drawn into wires for use in various applications. It is considered hard relative to other ductile materials, which is why it finds applications in industrial heating where both durability and flexibility are important. Options (a), (b) and (c) are incorrect:

Carborundum (silicon carbide) is very hard but not ductile; it is brittle. It is mainly used as an abrasive material. Cast iron is hard but brittle, and it cannot undergo significant deformation without breaking. While Tungsten is harder, it is less ductile compared to Nichrome in practical scenarios. Tungsten’s brittleness increases under certain conditions, making Nichrome a more balanced choice for being both hard and ductile.

Explanation

Aleutian Trench - North Pacific Ocean Located along the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, it is a subduction zone where the Pacific Plate sinks beneath the North American Plate. Kermadec Trench - South Pacific Ocean Found near New Zealand, it is one of the world’s deepest trenches, formed by the subduction of the Pacific Plate under the Indo-Australian Plate. Sunda Trench - Indian Ocean Also called the Java Trench, it lies off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, and is associated with frequent earthquakes and tsunamis. South Sandwich Trench - South Atlantic Ocean Located near the South Sandwich Islands, it is the deepest trench in the Atlantic Ocean, formed by the subduction of the South American Plate beneath the Scotia Plate.