UPSC 1999 Prelims Questions with Answers

Explanation

A is matched correctly with 2: Cotton cultivation needs 1500-2000 mm of rainfall and the suitable temperature range required for cotton growth is 25° - 35°C. Cotton is a tropical and subtropical crop that needs a long growing season with plenty of sunshine. Excessive rainfall can damage the crop, so moderate rainfall is ideal. The states of India with significant cotton production are Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh. B is matched correctly with 3: Flax cultivation needs 600-800 mm of rainfall and temperature requirement varies from 5° - 18°C. The major flax growing states in India are Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Nagaland and Assam accounting for about 97 percent of total area of the country. Flax prefers cooler temperatures and moderate rainfall. It is commonly grown in regions with mild summers and well-distributed rainfall. C is matched correctly with 5: The suitable climatic condition for sugar beet requires 500-600 mm and temperature 18°-22°C. D is matched correctly with 4: Jute cultivation needs 500-1000 mm rainfall and temperature between 18°-22°C. The jute industry is among the oldest and most prominent industries in India. It is primarily grown in the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta region of India and Bangladesh. The major jute-producing states in India are West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Orissa, and Andhra Pradesh.

Explanation

The Union Government levies and collects income tax and shares its proceeds with the states based on the recommendations of the Finance Commission. This ensures a balanced revenue-sharing mechanism between the Union and State Governments to promote equitable development. The Constitution of India, under Article 270, mandates the sharing of income tax between the Union and States, excluding specific surcharges which are retained by the Union. As per Finance Commission recommendations, the distribution formula considers parameters such as population, area, and fiscal discipline to ensure fair allocation. This practice is pivotal for fostering fiscal federalism in India.

Explanation

The British colonial economic model transformed India into a supplier of raw materials like cotton, indigo, and iron ore, which were sent to Britain for processing. India was forced to sell these materials at low prices and buy British-made goods at higher prices. Industrial development in India was discouraged to prevent competition with British industries, keeping India dependent on Britain for finished goods and limiting its own industrial growth. The lack of heavy industries discouraged independent industrial development.

Explanation

Imperial Preference was a British colonial trade policy that granted preferential treatment to British goods in its colonies, including India. British goods were sold at lower tariffs or duty-free, while colonies like India were required to sell raw materials to Britain at favorable prices. This system subordinated the economic interests of colonies, prevented the development of Indian industries, and ensured Britain’s economic dominance. It also reinforced political control, making colonies dependent on Britain for both manufactured goods and trade.

Explanation

Both the bullet and the monkey experience the same downward acceleration due to gravity provided the air resistance is negligible. When the hunter fires the bullet, the bullet starts moving along a curved trajectory due to the combined effects of its horizontal velocity and the vertical acceleration caused by gravity. When the monkey jumps, it also begins to fall freely under gravity with an initial vertical velocity of zero. Since the hunter aims directly at the monkey at the moment of firing, the bullet and the monkey will both fall the same vertical distance due to gravity at the same time. Therefore, the bullet will hit the monkey at the point aimed.

Explanation

Capillarity, also known as capillary action, is the ability of a liquid to flow in narrow spaces without the assistance of, or even in opposition to, external forces like gravity. Capillarity is crucial in various natural and artificial processes, where the balance of forces drives the liquid into confined spaces.

Option (a) is correct: The tiny pores in the blotting paper act as capillaries and draw the ink through them.

Option (b) is incorrect: This is primarily due to hydrostatic pressure and not capillary action. Water moves through soil and rock layers due to pressure gradients rather than the effects of surface tension.

Option (c) is correct: This is due to capillarity. The fine fibers in the cloth act as capillaries, drawing water into them.

Option (d) is correct: Capillary action, along with transpiration pull and root pressure, helps move water through the tiny xylem vessels in plants.

Explanation

Assertion (A) is true: The fiscal deficit is the difference between the government’s total expenditure and its total non-debt receipts (revenue receipts plus non-debt capital receipts). It represents the total borrowing requirement of the government. Budgetary Deficit can be termed as the excess of the total government expenditure over the total revenue generated in a financial year. The fiscal deficit is always greater than or equal to the budgetary deficit. This is because the fiscal deficit includes all borrowings, while the budgetary deficit only looks at the gap in the revenue account. The fiscal deficit includes borrowing to finance capital expenditure (investments in infrastructure, etc.), which is not part of the revenue account. Reason (R) is false: This is because the fiscal deficit is not solely borrowing from the Reserve Bank of India. It includes borrowing from the public, financial institutions, and external sources, as well as other liabilities like market loans and securities.

Explanation

Cryogenics is a branch of physics that focuses on the production and study of materials and phenomena at extremely low temperatures, typically below -150 degree celsius. At these temperatures, materials exhibit unique physical properties that are not observed under normal conditions.

Option (a) is correct: Cryogenics has three major applications:

Space Travel: Used in rocket propulsion with cryogenic fuels like liquid hydrogen (LH2) and liquid oxygen (LOX) for efficient and high-energy space missions. Surgery: Applied in cryosurgery to destroy diseased tissue using extremely low temperatures, benefiting fields like dermatology and oncology. Magnetic Levitation: Enables superconducting magnets in Maglev trains and devices by cooling materials to achieve zero electrical resistance, allowing frictionless transportation.

Explanation

Surendranath Banerji was among the earliest Indians to join the Indian Civil Service (ICS). He successfully passed the ICS exam in 1869 in England and was appointed as an assistant magistrate. Later he was dismissed by the British government on the pretext of a minor procedural issue related to his handling of a case. Many believed that racial discrimination was the real reason behind his dismissal, as British officers were uncomfortable with Indians holding powerful administrative positions. This injustice fueled Banerji’s nationalist spirit, and he dedicated himself to the cause of Indian self-rule. He became a key political leader and co-founded the Indian National Association in 1876 which later merged with the Indian National Congress (INC).

Explanation

When light passes from one medium to another, its speed and direction change due to differences in the refractive indices of the two media. This phenomenon is known as refraction.

Statement 1 is correct: In a denser medium (with a higher refractive index), light travels slower. When light moves into a less dense medium (with a lower refractive index), it speeds up. As a result, the light bends away from the normal (the imaginary line perpendicular to the surface at the point of incidence). The object appears to be closer from the surface than it actually is, as seen in the case of a coin in water when viewed from above.

Statement 2 is correct: If a person is underwater looking at a coin above the surface, the coin appears higher than its actual position, not lower. This is because light bends away from the normal when moving from water (denser) to air (rarer).