Previous Year UPSC Questions

Explanation

Under British rule, Indian agriculture became increasingly commercialized. The traditional subsistence farming was replaced by large-scale cultivation of crops such as cotton, indigo, and jute for export purposes, often to meet the needs of British industries. Options (a), (b) and (d) are incorrect:

Indian handicrafts suffered during British rule due to the influx of cheap machine-made British goods, which displaced local handicrafts in domestic and international markets. The number of Indian-owned factories was very limited during the 19th century. Most of the industries, including textile mills, were controlled by the British. The urban population did not see a rapid increase during British rule. While some cities grew due to British administrative and military needs, the overall urbanization rate was low compared to European countries. Moreover, much of India’s population remained rural, engaged in agriculture.

Explanation

The East India Company was originally formed in Britain for pursuing trade with the East Indies in Southeast Asia. It ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China, where the main items of trade were cotton, silk, tea and opium. Also Bengal produced saltpeter, a key ingredient for making gunpowder, which was in high demand for both domestic use and export.

Explanation

Kodaikanal Lake, also known as Kodai Lake is a man-made lake (artificial) located in the Kodaikanal city in Dindigul district in Tamil Nadu, India. The lake was built in 1863, in the middle of Kodaikanal town. Sir Vere Henry Levinge, the then Collector of Madurai, had a key role in its construction. The lake is star-shaped, centrally located in the town of Kodaikanal and is surrounded by lush green hills of the northwestern Palani Hills range. It is fed by several small streams from the Palani Hills.

Option (b), (c) and (d) are incorrect:

Kolleru Lake is a large, natural, shallow freshwater lake located in the northeastern part of Andhra Pradesh, between the Krishna and Godavari deltas. It is designated as a Ramsar Wetland Site due to its ecological importance. It is a natural lake formed by the accumulation of river waters and is a major habitat for migratory birds. Nainital lake is a natural lake and was formed due to tectonic movements. It is a natural, kidney-shaped, tectonic lake formed due to geological movements. It is part of the Kumaon Lake Region and is a popular tourist destination. The Renuka Lake is located in Himachal Pradesh and holds cultural and spiritual significance. It is regarded as the embodiment of Renukaji, the wife of sage Jamadagini and mother of Parshuram. This placid stretch of water is fed by underground springs and the surrounding hills are padded by lush forests that support a large variety of plant and animal life.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: Barren Island is India’s only active volcano and is located in the Andaman Sea, within the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It belongs to the volcanic arc of the Sunda Trench and is part of the Andaman Subduction Zone which makes it seismically active.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Barren Island is located about 140 km northeast of Port Blair (the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands), not Great Nicobar. Great Nicobar is located far south of the Andaman Islands, whereas Barren Island is in the northern Andaman Sea.

Statement 3 is incorrect: The Barren Island volcano has erupted multiple times after 1991. Significant eruptions were recorded in 1994-1995, 2005, 2009, and most recently in 2017-2018. Thus, it has not remained inactive since 1991.

Explanation

In 2016, India introduced a 6% Equalization Levy targeting income from online advertisement services provided by non-resident entities to Indian businesses. This measure aimed to tax digital transactions and level the playing field between domestic and foreign service providers. In 2020 it was expanded to include a 2% levy on e-commerce transactions by non-resident operators.

Statement 1 is incorrect: The Equalization Levy was introduced through the Finance Act, 2016 as a separate chapter and is not part of the Income Tax Act. This distinction ensures that the levy operates independently of the existing income tax framework.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Non-resident entities cannot claim a tax credit for this levy in their home countries which can potentially lead to double taxation. It doesn’t fall within the scope of Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements (DTAAs). Its exclusion from the Income Tax Act raises challenges regarding international tax credits and potential double taxation for foreign entities.

Explanation

Wood’s Dispatch (1854) is known as the Magna Carta of English Education in India. Under this government was to take up the responsibility for the Education of masses. It provided for hierarchy of Educational Institutions i.e. three tier education system. It also emphasised on Female, Vocational Education and teachers’ training. The Dispatch proposed secular education in Government Institutions.

Statement 1 is correct: The Despatch advocated for the introduction of a Grants-in-Aid system to encourage private and missionary enterprises in education. Under this scheme, financial assistance was provided to educational institutions that met certain standards thereby promoting the expansion and improvement of education.

Statement 2 is correct: It systematised the hierarchy from vernacular primary schools in villages at bottom, followed by Anglo-Vernacular High Schools and an affiliated college at the district level and affiliating universities in the presidency towns of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras.

Statement 3 is incorrect: The Woods Dispatch recommended English as the Medium of Instruction in higher studies and vernaculars language in at school level.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: The idea of supporting educated Indians and promoting knowledge of contemporary sciences in the country was enshrined into the Charter Act of 1813. The Charter Act of 1813 permitted Christian missionaries to propagate English and preach their religion. It mandated the company to allocate one lakh rupees annually for the revival and improvement of literature and the promotion of science among the inhabitants of British India. The Act emphasized the need to educate Indians in Western sciences and literature which indirectly laid the foundation for English education.

Statement 2 is correct: A "General Committee of Public Instruction" was established by the Governor-General-in-Council in 1823 with the task of allocating one lakh rupees for educational purposes under the Presidentship of Lord Macaulay. Lord Macaulay’s Minute resolved the debate in favor of the Anglicists, directing the limited government resources toward the teaching of Western sciences and literature through the medium of the English language.

Statement 3 is correct: The Orientalist-Anglicist Controversy in the early 19th century centered on the medium and content of education in India. Orientalists led by scholars like H.T. Prinsep advocated for preserving traditional Indian knowledge through Sanskrit, Persian, and Arabic. Anglicists led by Thomas Babington Macaulay, pushed for English education to create a class of Indians who were culturally English but Indian by birth. The debate culminated in Macaulay’s Minute of 1835 which favored English education. Governor-General Lord William Bentinck endorsed this view thereby officially making English the medium of instruction in higher education.

Explanation

Pair 1 is incorrectly matched: The Sanskrit College at Benaras was founded in 1791 by Jonathan Duncan (not William Jones). The objective was to promote the study of Hindu law and philosophy among the people of Benaras., Sir William Jones was a renowned philologist and scholar who founded the Asiatic Society in 1784 in Calcutta, aiming to encourage Oriental studies.

Pair 2 is correctly matched: The Calcutta Madrasah was established by Warren Hastings in 1781 for the study of Muslim law and related subjects to promote the study of Islamic law and jurisprudence among the Muslim population.

Pair 3 is incorrectly matched: Fort William College was set up by Lord Richard Wellesley in 1800 for training of civil servants of the Company in languages and customs of Indians.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly vacates his office in three cases:

1. If he ceases to be a member of the assembly;

2. Speaker Resigns by writing to the deputy speaker and vice versa and

3. Removed by the resolution passed by a majority of all the members of the assembly.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Article 179 provided that, whenever the Assembly is dissolved, the Speaker shall not vacate his office until immediately before the first meeting of the Assembly after the dissolution.

Explanation

The Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), established in 1948, is one of the prominent trade union organizations in India. Founded by notable leaders such as Ashok Mehta, T.S. Ramanujam, and G.G. Mehta, HMS aimed to represent the interests of Indian workers and promote their rights and welfare. The organization played a vital role in advocating for labor reforms, improving working conditions, and securing fair wages for workers across various industries.