UPSC 2014 Prelims Questions with Answers

Explanation

Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs) are mixtures of man-made chemicals that are added to a wide variety of products, including for industrial use, to make them less flammable. They are used commonly in plastics, textiles and electrical/electronic equipment. Statements 1 is correct: Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs)don’t degrade easily in fact they are highly resistant to degradation in the environment. Statements 2 is correct: Some brominated flame retardants were identified as persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic to both humans and the environment and were suspected of causing neurobehavioral effects and endocrine disruption.

Explanation

In Medieval India, particularly during the Delhi Sultanate and the early Mughal period, the terms Mahattara and pattakila were the village headmen. Pattalika is generally identified with the modern Patel, believed to be the king’s representative in the village. Mahattara was a non-official and possibly a representative of the people. The Mahattara had significant authority within the village and was often tasked with overseeing the community’s activities and ensuring that taxes were collected and local disputes were settled.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: Continental drift is the gradual movement of Earth’s continents due to tectonic plate activity. It causes geographical isolation, leading to divergent evolution and speciation. Species adapt to new environments, creating distinct biogeographical patterns like the unique primates in Australia and South America. This process has shaped evolutionary changes over time.

Statement 2 is correct: Periodic advances and retreats of ice sheets, impacting climate and sea levels. It creates environmental pressures, pushing species to adapt. Glacial cycles result in population bottlenecks, migration, or extinction and influences evolutionary paths. The Pleistocene glaciations played a crucial role in shaping the distribution and diversity of many species observed today

Explanation

Soil erosion is the process by which soil is displaced and transported from one location to another by natural forces such as wind or water. It is a natural process that occurs over time, but human activities such as deforestation, overgrazing, and construction can accelerate the process, leading to significant environmental damage.

Statement 1 is incorrect: Terrace cultivation is a *method to * prevent soil erosion, not a factor associated with it. Terraces are leveled platforms built into hillsides to slow down the flow of water and reduce soil loss. So, this option is incorrect.

Statement 2 is correct: Deforestation is one of the major reasons for soil erosion. It includes cutting and felling of trees, removal of forest litter. Browsing and trampling by livestock, forest fires, also leads to deforestation, etc. Vegetation plays a critical role in anchoring soil, reducing the impact of rainfall, and protecting against wind erosion. When forests are cleared, the soil becomes exposed and vulnerable to erosion.

Statement 3 is incorrect: While a tropical climate can contribute to soil erosion in some cases (heavy rainfall can increase water erosion) but it isn’t a direct cause in itself. Many tropical areas with dense vegetation have relatively low erosion rates. The lack of vegetation (often due to deforestation) in a tropical climate is the real problem.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: If the global temperature increases beyond 3 “C above the pre-industrial level, the terrestrial biosphere will tend towards being a net carbon source. Taiga and temperate forests act as an important carbon sink that would turn into a carbon source.

Statement 2 is correct: As temperatures rise, mass coral bleaching events occur. If the temperature keeps on rising, widespread coral mortality will occur.

Statement 3 and 4 are incorrect: The temperate regions can still survive if the temperature increases. The temperate zones are where the widest seasonal changes occur. The vegetation can survive there. The weather should be warm and moist during the early stage of the growth of cereals. Therefore, the cultivation of cereals would still be possible if the temperature rises.

Explanation

The Radcliffe Committee was appointed by the British government in 1947 tasked with demarcating the borders between the newly independent nations of India and Pakistan. The division primarily focused on the regions of Punjab and Bengal, where large Hindu and Muslim populations coexisted. The resulting Radcliffe Line was announced on August 17, 1947, two days after India’s independence. The border division led to massive population displacement, causing widespread violence and communal riots, with millions of people migrating across the new borders, resulting in significant loss of life and property.

Explanation

Pair 1 is incorrectly matched: The Cassini-Huygens mission was a collaborative project between NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Italian Space Agency (ASI) to study Saturn and its moons, not Venus. Huygens probe landed on Titan, Saturn’s largest moon in 2005 and provided valuable data about its atmosphere and surface.

Pair 2 is correctly matched: The Messenger (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging) spacecraft was a NASA mission designed to study Mercury. It orbited Mercury and mapped its surface, studying its geology, and investigating its magnetic field and exosphere.

Pair 3 is correctly matched: The Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft were launched by NASA in 1977 to explore the outer planets of the solar system. Voyager 1 flew by Jupiter and Saturn, providing detailed images and data about these planets and their moons. Voyager 2 visited all four outer planets:

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. The spacecraft are now in interstellar space, continuing to transmit data about the heliosphere and beyond.

Explanation

A constitutional government is one that operates within the framework of a Constitution. The principle of constitutionalism emphasizes limiting the power of the state to ensure it remains fair and accountable, preventing any form of autocratic rule.

Statement 1 is incorrect: Places effective restrictions on individual liberty in the interest of State Authority" is not characteristic of a Constitutional Government. One of the fundamental principles of a constitutional government is to protect individual rights and freedoms and not to restrict them unnecessarily in favor of state authority.

Statement 2 is correct: A constitutional government limits the authority of the state to prevent it from infringing on individual rights and freedoms. This is achieved through mechanisms such as constitutional checks and balances, the separation of powers, and the judicial review of government actions.

Explanation

The executive organ of government is responsible for implementing and enforcing laws and policies enacted by the legislature. It is typically headed by the President or Prime Minister and includes various government departments and agencies.

Statement 1 is correct: India follows a Parliamentary type of Government in which the President is the constitutional head of the state. He is the Executive head of India. Article 77(3) of the Indian Constitution says that the President shall make rules for the more convenient transaction of the business of the Government of India, and for the allocation among Ministers of the said business.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Article 77(1) of the Indian Constitution lays down all executive action of the Government of India shall be expressed to be taken in the name of the President.

Explanation

Pair 1 is incorrectly matched: The Drought-Prone Area Programme (DPAP) was launched in 1973-74 to mitigate the effects of drought in drought-prone areas by promoting sustainable development. It is implemented under the Ministry of Rural Development, not the Ministry of Agriculture. The programme focuses on watershed development, soil conservation, and water harvesting to improve agricultural productivity in drought-affected regions.

Pair 2 is incorrectly matched: The Desert Development Programme aims to combat desertification and mitigate the adverse effects of drought in desert areas. This programme is also over-seen by the Department of Land Resources within the Ministry of Rural Development, not the Ministry of Environment and Forests. The DDP aims to minimize the adverse effects of drought and control desertification through the rejuvenation of the natural resource base in identified desert areas.

Pair 3 is incorrectly matched: The National Watershed Devel-opment Project for Rainfed Areas (NWDPRA) focuses on the development of rainfed regions to enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability. This project is implemented by the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, not the Ministry of Rural Development.