UPSC 2004 Prelims Questions with Answers

Explanation

Article 257 states that the executive power of every State must be exercised in a manner that does not impede or prejudice the exercise of the executive power of the Union. This provision ensures the supremacy of Union executive power in matters where coordination or cooperation is required between Union and State governments.

Explanation

Option (b) is incorrect: Stock Exchange is incorrectly matched. It is in the Union List (Entry 48), not the Concurrent List, as it pertains to national economic regulation. Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, classifies subjects under the Union, State, and Concurrent Lists. Options (a), (c) and (d) are correct:

Forests: Correctly matched. Transferred from the State List to the Concurrent List by the 42nd Amendment Act, 1976. Post Office Savings Bank: Correctly matched. It is in the Union List (Entry 39) as postal services are a central function. Public Health: Correctly matched. It is in the State List (Entry 6), reflecting the state’s responsibility for health-related issues.

Explanation

Rabindranath Tagore, the Nobel laureate and poet was knighted by the British Crown in 1915. However, in 1919 following the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and the repressive Rowlatt Act he renounced his Knighthood in a letter to the Viceroy, Lord Chelmsford as an act of powerful protest against British atrocities. His act was widely celebrated as a bold statement of defiance.

Explanation

Maulana Hasrat Mohani, a prominent figure in the Indian freedom movement, was a strong advocate for complete independence from British rule. He was one of the key leaders who pushed for the idea that Swaraj, or self-rule, should be interpreted as absolute freedom, devoid of any foreign influence or control. His stance was a significant departure from the moderate demands for self-governance and paved the way for more radical calls for full sovereignty during the independence struggle. Hasrat Mohani started bringing out a magazine in the name of ‘Urdu-e-Mualla’ in 1903.

Explanation

Assertion (A) is true: The Central Rural Sanitation Programme (CRSP) was launched in 1986 by the Government of India. It aimed to improve the quality of life of rural people by promoting sanitation and reducing open defecation. Reason (R) is false: Rural sanitation is not under the Concurrent List but falls under the State List (Entry 6: Public Health and Sanitation). States are primarily responsible for implementing sanitation programs, though the central government can initiate schemes like CRSP to supplement state efforts.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) was established in 1948, making it India’s first multipurpose river valley project after independence. Operating in West Bengal and Jharkhand, it focuses on flood control, irrigation, hydropower generation, and industrial water supply. DVC manages four major dams (Tilaiya, Konar, Maithon, Panchet) and the Durgapur Barrage. It supports agriculture, industrial development, and electricity distribution across eight states. Inspired by the Tennessee Valley Authority (USA), DVC plays a crucial role in regional development and environmental management.

Statement 2 is correct: The DVC’s infrastructure includes both thermal and gas power stations, in addition to hydroelectric power plants. The DVC has a significant number of coal-based thermal power stations. Some of the major ones include:

Mejia Thermal Power Station (West Bengal) Bokaro Thermal Power Station (Jharkhand) Chandrapura Thermal Power Station (Jharkhand) Durgapur Steel Thermal Power Station (West Bengal) Maithon Gas Turbine Station is a gas-based thermal power plant located at Maithon in the Dhanbad district of Jharkhand. It’s owned and operated by the DVC.

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect: Andhra Pradesh does not have the longest coastline in India. Gujarat has the longest coast-line among Indian states, stretching approximately 1214 km. Andhra Pradesh ranks second among states with a coastline of around 972 km. When considering both states and Union Territories, Gujarat has the longest coastline among the states, followed by Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu (~1,076 km), and Maharashtra (~720 km). However, the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands has the longest coastline overall, spanning about 1,962 km.

Statement 2 is incorrect: As of 2004, Maharashtra had the highest number of airports in India, not Gujarat. It included major airports like Mumbai (Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport), Pune, Nagpur, and others, along with several smaller domestic airports. Even today Gujarat does not have the highest number of airports in India. While Gujarat has a good number of airports, Uttar Pradesh, has the most. The number of airports can also fluctuate with new airports being built. Currently, Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of operational airports in India, with 15 airports. This includes both domestic and international airports, such as Lucknow, Varanasi, Kushinagar, and Ayodhya. The state’s extensive aviation infrastructure supports regional connectivity and economic development.

Explanation

Option (c) is correct: Among the given options, the longest National Highway route is Kolkata-Hajira, which spans approximately 1,946 km. It connects Kolkata in West Bengal to Hajira in Gujarat, traversing multiple states and serving as a critical east-west corridor.

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

The Agra-Mumbai Highway is approximately 1,190 km long. This was a significant route, connecting major cities. Chennai-Thane Highway involves multiple highways. It’s roughly around 1,350-1,400 km. Pune-Machilipatnam Highway is likely in the range of 800-900 km. The longest highway in India is now NH 44. It runs from Srinagar to Kanyakumari, the official length of National Highway 44 is approximately 4,112 kilometers (2,555 miles).

Explanation

Option (a) is incorrect: Tidal phenomena are influenced by the shape of coastal features. A common misconception is that gulfs with narrow openings and wider interiors experience amplified tides. In reality, the opposite is true. Gulfs characterized by wide entrances and narrowing interiors, like a funnel, tend to exhibit higher tides. This occurs because the incoming tidal surge is compressed as it moves into the narrowing gulf, forcing the water level to rise. Options (b), (c) and (d) are correct:

Tidal currents, on the other hand, are generated when a gulf or bay is connected to the open sea through a narrow channel, as the water flows in and out with the tides. A tidal bore occurs when an incoming tide moves into a narrow, shallow, and funnel-shaped estuary, creating a sudden upstream surge of water. The narrowing estuary amplifies the tide’s height and velocity, while the shallow depth slows the river’s flow, allowing the tide to push upstream forcefully. This phenomenon is common in areas with a high tidal range, such as the Hooghly River in India and the Qiantang River in China. The tidal influence on the Hooghly River’s mouth is critical for the Kolkata Port as it facilitates navigation despite the river’s shallow depth. The semi-diurnal tides, with a range of up to 5 meters, help maintain water levels, enabling large vessels to access the port. Additionally, tidal currents assist in flushing out silt and sediments, which would otherwise accumulate and obstruct navigation channels. This natural tidal mechanism, combined with dredging efforts, ensures year-round operability of the port.

Explanation

The Election Commission of India (ECI) is the constitutional authority responsible for ensuring the smooth conduct of elections in the country. Its key functions include:

Statement 1 is correct: The ECI oversees, directs, and conducts free and fair elections across India.

Statement 2 is correct: The ECI prepares and maintains electoral rolls for elections to the Parliament, State Legislatures, and the offices of the President and Vice-President.

Statement 3 is correct: The ECI is responsible for recognizing political parties and assigning election symbols to both political parties and individual candidates.

Statement 4 is incorrect: The proclamation of final verdicts in election disputes falls under the jurisdiction of courts or tribunals, not the Election Commission.