Previous Year UPSC Questions

Explanation

The Old World refers to the continents of Europe, Asia, and Africa, known to Europeans before the discovery of the Americas. The New World refers to the Americas, including North and South America, which were "discovered" by Europeans after Christopher Columbus’s voyages in the late 15th century. Tobacco, cocoa, and rubber were domesticated in the ‘New World’ and introduced into the ‘Old World’ through the European explorers in the late medieval or early modern era. The Columbian exchange was the widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, diseases, and ideas between the Americas, West Africa, and the Old World in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Explanation

Article 142 of the Indian Constitution deals with the Enforcement of decrees and orders of the Supreme Court and orders as to discovery, etc. The SC Supreme Court in the exercise of its jurisdiction may pass such decree or make such order as is necessary for doing complete justice in any cause or matter pending before it. Article 142 empowers the Supreme Court to make orders that may not be bound by existing laws enacted by Parliament, enabling the Court to act in ways that ensure complete justice.

Explanation

Aliyar, Isapur and Kangsabati are geographically dispersed across different states, but they share the common characteristic of being sites of significant water reservoirs. These reservoirs are crucial for irrigation, drinking water supply, and sometimes hydroelectric power generation in their respective regions.

Explanation

The Himalayan nettle has gained attention as a sustainable source of textile fibre. The fibres extracted from the stems of this plant are strong, durable, and eco-friendly, making them suitable for producing textiles. This has significant potential for promoting sustainable livelihoods in rural and mountainous regions, especially in the Himalayas. Himalayan nettle (Girardinia diversifolia) is not known for its use as an anti-malarial drug. Anti-malarial drugs are derived from plants like Artemisia annua (source of artemisinin) or Cinchona officinalis (source of quinine). Himalayan nettle is not recognized as a source of biodiesel. Biodiesel is usually derived from oil-rich plants like Jatropha, Pongamia, or algae. While Himalayan nettle is a fibrous plant but it is not widely used as a source of pulp for the paper industry. The paper industry primarily relies on wood pulp from trees like Eucalyptus, Bamboo, or agricultural residues like wheat straw and bagasse.

Explanation

Pair 1 is correctly matched: On 30 September, 1932, Mahatma Gandhi founded the All India Anti Untouchability League, to remove untouchability in society. This league for social transformation resonated throughout the nation, including in Bihar, where enthusiastic support was seen.

Pair 2 is correctly matched: Sahajanand Saraswati, a prominent peasant leader, was the first President of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), founded in 1936 in Lucknow. The organization aimed to address the issues faced by peasants and advocate for agrarian reforms.

Pair 3 is correctly matched: The Self-Respect Movement was started by E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker in Tamil Nadu in 1925 with the aim of destroying the contemporary Hindu social order in its totality and creating a new, rational society without caste.

Explanation

Pair 1 is correctly matched: All India Liberal Federation was founded by Surendra Nath Banarjea and some of its prominent leaders were Tej Bahadur Sapru, V. S. Srinivasa Sastri and M. R. Jayakar. Tej Bahadur Sapru was one of the presidents of Indian National Liberal Federation. It advocated for gradual constitutional progress and dominion status for India.

Pair 2 is correctly matched: K.C. Neogy was a member of the Constituent Assembly of India, a member of the first Cabinet of independent India and the chairman of the first Finance Commission of India.

Pair 3 is correctly matched: Puran Chand Joshi was an early leader of the communist movement in India. He served as the first General Secretary of the Communist Party of India from 1935 to 1947, playing a crucial role in shaping the party’s direction during a formative period.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: Article 176(1) states that, through the legislative powers of the Governor, he can address the state legislature at the commencement of the first session after each general election and the first session of each year.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Article 208 of the Indian Constitution empowers State Legislatures to create rules for regulating their procedures and business. The state legislature can formulate its own ad hoc rules or rely on the Speaker’s discretion for procedural clarity. Each state’s legislative assembly has its autonomy in procedural matters, and there is no binding provision mandating the use of Lok Sabha rules unless adopted by the state legislature itself.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: As of 2023 the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) had 105 member’s. As of January 2025 the AIIB boasts 110 approved members worldwide which indicates its extensive global reach.

Statement 2 is incorrect: India is the second-largest shareholder in AIIB and holds 7.5% of the voting shares. The largest shareholder is China with 26.5% of the voting shares.

Statement 3 is incorrect: The AIIB’s membership extends beyond Asia and includes countries from Europe, Africa and the Americas. For instance nations like Canada, Egypt, and France are members and reflects the bank’s global appeal.

Explanation

A currency crisis occurs when a country’s currency faces a sudden and sharp depreciation, often due to speculative attacks or a loss of confidence in the economy. Several factors can contribute to reducing the risk of such a crisis:

Statement 1 is correct: India’s Information Technology (IT) sector is a major exporter of services, earning substantial foreign exchange. These earnings increase the supply of foreign currency in the country, strengthening the Indian rupee and mitigating the risk of a currency crisis.

Statement 2 is incorrect: While government spending is crucial for economic growth, excessive expenditure can lead to higher fiscal deficits. This may result in increased borrowing, potential inflationary pressures, and could negatively affect investor confidence, thereby increasing the risk of a currency crisis.

Statement 3 is correct: Remittances are funds sent by Indians working overseas back to India. These inflows add to the coun-try’s foreign exchange reserves, providing a buffer against currency volatility and reducing the risk of a currency crisis.

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect: While the government does hold a portion of India’s external debt, the majority of it is owed by non-governmental entities, primarily corporations. As of end-March 2023, India’s total external debt stood at approximately USD 624.7 billion. Of this, the government’s external debt was about USD 130.8 billion, accounting for roughly 20.9% of the total external debt. The remaining 79.1% is owed by non-governmental entities, including private sector corporations and financial institutions.

Statement 2 is incorrect: While a significant portion of In-dia’s external debt is indeed denominated in US dollars, it’s not all in US dollars. Indian entities also borrow in other currencies, such as Euros, Japanese Yen, and British Pounds, among others. Diversification of currency exposure is a com-mon practice in debt management. India’s external debt is de-nominated in various currencies. As of end-March 2023, 53.1% of the debt was in US dollars, 31.1% in Indian rupees, 5.7% in Japanese yen, 3.5% in Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), 2.9% in euros, and the remaining 3.7% in other currencies.