Previous Year UPSC Questions

Explanation

Option (b) is correct: The Rowlatt Satyagraha was a non-violent civil disobedience movement led by Mahatma Gandhi against the Rowlatt Act. It was the first venture of Gandhi ji in all-India politics. Mahatma Gandhi started a campaign and formed a Satyagraha Sabha against the Rowlatt Act. The Rowlatt Act, also known as the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act, was a repressive law that gave the British government the power to detain and imprison people without trial. Options (a), (c) and (d) are incorrect:

Champaran Satyagraha of 1917 predates Rowlatt Satyagraha but it did not have an all India character. Non-cooperation Movement (1920) and Dandi March (1930) happened after the Rowlatt Satyagraha.

Explanation

Option (a) is incorrect: Terminator Seed Technology does not cause poor germination in the first generation of seeds. The first-generation seeds are high-quality and viable, but the sterility issue affects future generations, not the initial germination.

Option (b) is incorrect: Terminator Seed Technology based genetically modified (GM) crops are often engineered for high productivity, pest resistance, or drought tolerance, so they are not necessarily low-yielding.

Option (c) is correct: Terminator Seed Technology refers to genetic use restriction technology (GURT), which involves genetically engineering seeds to produce sterile plants in the next generation. This ensures that farmers cannot save and re-use seeds for the next planting season, forcing them to purchase new seeds from the manufacturer every year. This is the primary reason Indian farmers are unhappy with this technology.

Option (d) is incorrect: This statement is technically correct because terminator plants do not produce viable seeds. However, since the question asks why farmers are unhappy, option (c) is a better fit because it highlights the sterility issue affecting the plants’ reproduction.

Explanation

Certain rights under the Indian Constitution are available only to Indian citizens and are not extended to foreign nationals or non-citizens. These rights are provided under Article 15,16,19,29 and 30. Article 19(1)(g) gives Indian citizens the right to practice any profession, or to carry on any occupation, trade, or business. However, foreign nationals (including a British citizen) do not have this right under the Indian Constitution.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: The concentration of investment in select locations has caused regional economic imbalances, with some states thriving while others remain underdeveloped. States like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka attract more investment due to their strong indus-trial bases, better infrastructure, and higher growth rates. This uneven distribution has led to regional disparity, where favored states experience rapid growth and development, while others such as Bihar, Jharkhand etc. lag behind with slower economic progress, limited employment, and underdeveloped infrastructure.

Statement 2 is correct: Regions with unfavorable climatic conditions struggle with lower agricultural productivity, which hampers overall development. Arid regions like Rajasthan and Gujarat, as well as hilly regions like Uttarakhand and the Northeastern states, face geographical constraints like water scarcity, soil erosion, and difficulty in agricultural mechani-zation, which limit their agricultural potential.

Statement 3 is correct: Lack of modernization in agriculture, coupled with poor infrastructure and limited industrial growth, results in lower development levels in some areas. For instance, Bihar, despite having a significant rural population, faces low agricultural productivity because of lack of modern farming techniques, poor irrigation facilities, and minimal infrastructure development. This results in lower social and economic opportunities. On the other hand, Punjab and Haryana have undergone significant agrarian transformations like green revolution practices, which has led to higher income levels and better economic prospects for their farmers.

Statement 4 is incorrect: While political instability can contribute to underdevelopment, it’s not as consistently or directly linked to regional disparities as the other factors.

Explanation

Option (d) is correct: The Mediterranean climate is characterized by mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. In this climate type, the rainfall is concentrated in the winter months (typically from November to March), while the summer months experience little to no rainfall. The temperatures remain mild throughout the year, with warm, dry summers and cooler, wetter winters. The temperature in the data is warmer than typical St. Lawrence climates, and the rainfall pattern (with dry summers) doesn’t match the consistent rainfall this type usually has. The data doesn’t show the monsoon pattern with heavy summer rains and dry winters typical of the China type. The rainfall distribution in the data is more seasonal, with a distinct wet winter, unlike the West European climate, which usually has year-round moderate rainfall. Options (a), (b) and (c) are incorrect:

St. Lawrence Type: This climate has colder winters and more consistent rainfall throughout the year, unlike the distinct seasonal rainfall in the data. China Type: This climate features significant summer monsoon rainfall and drier winters, which is the opposite of the given data. West European Type: The West European climate has moderate rainfall distributed fairly evenly across the year, unlike the dry summer and wet winter pattern shown here.

Explanation

Travel accounts Megasthenes, Fa-Hien, Xuanzang and I-Tsing provide invaluable insight into ancient India.

Option (b) is correct:

Megasthenes was an ancient Greek traveler and diplomat sent from Hellenistic king Seleucus I. He visited India during the Mauryan era (321-185 BC). He compiled his account on India in the famous book called ‘Indica’. Fa-Hien was a Chinese Buddhist monk and explorer who traveled through India in search of Buddhist Scriptures during the Gupta period (4th Century CE to 6th Century CE). Hiuen Tsang (629-645 C.E) or Xuanzang was a Chinese Buddhist monk who traveled to India during the reign of King Harsha Vardhana to obtain the Buddhist scriptures, He is also known as the "Prince of Pilgrims,". I-Tsing was a Chinese Buddhist monk and traveler who journeyed to India. After visiting the important Buddhist sites in Magadha, he spent ten years (676-685) at the renowned Nalanda monastery

Explanation

The Mughal Empire began in 1526 and lasted for over 200 years. At its peak it covered modern day India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The empire was founded by Babur, a Muslim warrior prince from Central Asia, who descended from the Mongols. Several European travelers, including Ralph Fitch, William Hakins, Sir Thomas Roe, Francois Bernier, and Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, documented the Mughal Empire’s wealth, administration, society, and culture.

Pair 1 is correctly matched: William Hawkins visited Jahangir’s court as a representative of the East India Company. He gained favor with Jahangir and was granted trading privileges.

Pair 2 is incorrectly matched: Sir Thomas Roe (1615-1619), an English ambassador sent by King James I to Jahangir’s court to negotiate trade rights for the East India Company.

Pair 3 is correctly matched: Jean-Baptiste Tavernier was a French gem (particularly diamond) trader and traveler in the 17th century Tavernier visited India six times between 1630 and 1668 and provided invaluable accounts of trade, society, and the Mughal court, particularly during the reign of Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb. He also provided descriptions of the Peacock Throne commissioned by Shah Jahan.

Pair 4 is correctly matched: Niccolao Manucci (1639-1717) was an Italian traveler who spent over fifty years in India during the Mughal period, primarily under the reign of Aurangzeb.

Explanation

Assertion is true: During Akbar’s reign, the Mansabdari system was an essential part of his military and administrative structure. The Mansabdar was a title given to officials who held military or civil offices. The Mansabdars were required to maintain a specific number of cavalrymen, and the ratio was set at 10 cavalrymen for every 20 horses. Reason is true: Horses needed rest during long marches, especially in difficult terrain or extended campaigns. Additionally, during war, horses might get injured or exhausted, and replacements were essential to ensure that the cavalry remained effective. Having extra horses provided the necessary logistical support for the Mansabdars to keep their cavalry functional during both long marches and active combat situations.

Explanation

Assertion A is true: By the late 1990s, India’s information technology (IT) sector had experienced significant growth, establishing the country as a key player in the global IT industry. The rapid expansion of software services and exports contributed to the increasing importance of IT in India’s economic landscape. Reason R is false: While software is indeed a major export for India, the country has traditionally been stronger in software services rather than hardware manufacturing. The hardware sector in India has not been as prominent or well-developed compared to the software industry.

Explanation

The moderate phase of the Indian National Congress, characterized by the policy of prayer and petition, ended as Bal Gangadhar Tilak and other Extremist leaders like Lala Lajpat Rai and Bipin Chandra Pal advocated for Swaraj (self-rule) and direct action. Extremists under Tilak’s leadership adopted a more assertive stance, focusing on mobilizing the masses and boycotting British institutions through the Swadeshi Movement.