UPSC 2005 Prelims Questions with Answers

Explanation

The book "My Music, My Life" is the autobiography of Pandit Ravi Shankar. It provides insights into his journey as a legendary sitar maestro, his experiences with Indian classical music and his collaborations with international musicians.

Explanation

The Cochin International Airport in Kerala is the first airport in India to be owned by a public limited company. Established in 1999, it became India’s first greenfield airport developed under a PPP model. In 2015, it became the world’s first fully solar-powered airport.

Explanation

Pair (b) is incorrectly matched: Phalcon is not a cruise missile. It is an Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AWACS) developed by Israel in collaboration with India. Pair (a), (c) and (d) are correctly matched:

Arjun MBT is India’s indigenously developed main battle tank, designed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Saras is a light civilian aircraft designed by the National Aerospace Laboratories, Bangalore. It is India’s first indigenously built civil aircraft. Operation Seabird refers to the construction of the Karwar Naval Base in Karnataka, aimed at reducing dependence on Mumbai and Visakhapatnam ports. INS Kadamba naval base in Karnataka is currently the third-largest Indian naval base, and is expected to become the largest naval base in the eastern hemisphere after completion of expansion Phase II.

Explanation

Raj Kapoor is widely regarded as one of the greatest icons of Indian cinema. He was honored with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1987 for his outstanding contribution to Indian films. However, he did not receive the Bharat Ratna.

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect: The BSE Sensex (S&P BSE Sensex) is based on 30 of the most actively traded and financially strong stocks on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), not 50.

Statement 2 is incorrect: In Sensex calculation, stocks are as-signed weightage based on free-float market capitalization, not proportional weightage. This means stocks with higher market capitalization and more freely tradable shares have a greater impact on the index.

Statement 3 is incorrect: The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is one of the largest stock exchanges but not the oldest. The Amsterdam Stock Exchange (Netherlands), established in 1602, is considered the world’s oldest stock exchange. As per Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) reports, the Sensex is widely used as a benchmark index for tracking the performance of the Indian equity market.

Explanation

In India, female literacy is defined as the percent-age of females aged 7 years and above who can read, write, and understand a simple message in any language. As per the 2001 Census of India, the correct sequence of the descending order of female literacy rates for the states mentioned is:

Kerala (87.86%) Mizoram (86.75%) Goa (75.51%) Nagaland (61.46%)

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect: The Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility(PRGF) was actually established by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), not the International Development Association (IDA). The PRGF was the IMF’s concessional lending facility for low-income countries, aimed at supporting programs that foster durable growth and poverty reduction.The PRGF focuses on promoting sustainable economic growth and reducing poverty through concessional loans with low interest rates. It has been replaced by the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust (PRGT).

Statement 2 is correct: The Singapore Regional Training Institute (STI) is the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) regional training center for the Asia-Pacific region. Established in 1998, the STI aimed at enhancing the capacity of officials from the region in areas by providing training in macroeconomic analysis and policy and related subjects as a part of a programme of the IMF institute.

Explanation

Articles 371A to 371I were added through various amendments to preserve the cultural, social, and economic interests of specific regions, addressing their unique needs.

Statement 1 is correct: Articles 371A to 371I were added to meet regional demands of states like Nagaland, Assam, Manipur, Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, and Goa.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Although both constitutions allow a dual system of governance, the United States permits dual citizenship, while India adheres to single citizenship.

Statement 3 is also incorrect: In India, a naturalized citizen can lose citizenship if acquired through fraud or disloyalty to the Constitution.

Explanation

The Food and Nutrition Board is primarily responsible for implementing various programs related to nutrition, food security, and the health of children and mothers. Currently. It works under the Ministry of Women and Child Development in the Government of India. However, in the year the question was asked, the body was under the purview of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Explanation

LNG is natural gas that has been cooled to a liquid form, making it easier to transport across long distances where pipelines are not feasible. Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) play crucial roles in the global energy market, facilitating the storage, transportation, and consumption of natural gas.

Statement 1 is correct: LNG is natural gas cooled to approximately -162°C at normal atmospheric pressure, making it a liquid for ease of storage and transportation in specialized cryogenic tanks.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The first LNG terminal in India was built at Dahej, Gujarat, not Hassan.

Statement 3 is correct: Natural Gas Liquids (NGLs), such as ethane, propane, butane, and natural gasoline, are extracted from natural gas and can be separated from LPG.