UPSC 2018 Prelims Questions with Answers

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect: India does not rank third in silicon wafer manufacturing. The top three manufacturers are China, Taiwan, and South Korea. India still imports most of its solar photovoltaic (PV) wafers.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Solar tariffs in India are not determined by the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), but by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) and state electricity regulatory commissions (SERCs) through competitive bidding.

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect:The National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 aims to provide food and nutritional security to the population through subsidized food grains. The NFSA covers up to 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population, not just BPL families. It includes Priority House-holds and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) beneficiaries.

Statement 2 is correct: As per Section 13 of the NFSA, the eldest woman (18 years or above) is mandated to be the head of the household for the purpose of ration card issuance.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Pregnant women and lactating mothers receive free meals under the Integrated Child Devel-opment Services (ICDS) scheme, but no fixed calorie intake of 1600 kcal per day is prescribed in the NFSA.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: Aadhaar APIs can be integrated into multiple electronic devices such as biometric scanners, mobile phones, and ATMs to enable identity verification and digital transactions.

Statement 2 is correct: Aadhaar authentication supports irisbased verification, which is more secure and accurate than fingerprint-based authentication, especially for elderly individuals and those engaged in manual labor. The Aadhaar identity platform enables seamless authentication and integration with various applications through open Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), facilitating secure digital identity verification.

Explanation

Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) is a direct response to the Rio+20 Declaration, The Future We Want i.e. The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development 2012, Rio de Janeiro. PAGE serves as a framework to coordinate UN efforts in the green economy and to help nations meet and track the upcoming Sustainable Development Goals. The partnership aims to place sustainability at the core of economic policies and practices, thereby advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It supports countries in reshaping their economic policies around sustainability to foster growth, create jobs, reduce poverty and inequality, and strength-en ecological foundations.

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect: Aadhaar is a 12-digit unique identification number issued by UIDAI to Indian residents based on biometric and demographic data. However, it does not serve as proof of citizenship or domicile, as it is issued to all residents, including foreign nationals residing in India.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Aadhaar numbers can be deactivated or omitted by UIDAI in cases of fraud, duplication, or non-use for an extended period, as per Section 23 of the Aadhaar Act, 2016.

Explanation

The UNFCCC Secretariat introduced the "Climate Neutral Now" initiative in 2015 to promote voluntary action towards climate neutrality. In 2016, during the UN Climate Change Conference in Marrakech (COP22), the UNFCCC Secretariat combined its "Climate Neutral Now" initiative with the "Momentum for Change" initiative, creating a new pillar focused on climate neutrality. The initiative aims to achieve a climate-neutral world by 2050, as outlined in the Paris Agreement. It provides a platform for recognizing and showcasing successful climate actions by non-Party stakeholders, including businesses, investors, cities, regions, and civil society.

Explanation

The NSSO 70th Round (2012-13) "Situation Assessment Survey of Agricultural Households" provides crucial data on the socio-economic conditions of Indian farmers.

Statement 1 is correct: Rajasthan had the highest percent-age of agricultural households (78.4 percent) among its rural households followed by Uttar Pradesh (74.8 percent) and Madhya Pradesh (70.8 percent).

Statement 2 is incorrect: As per the survey, about 45 percent out of the total agricultural households in the country belonged to Other Backward Classes (OBC). About 16% of agricultural households were from Scheduled Castes (SC) and 13 percent were from Scheduled Tribes (ST).

Statement 3 is correct: In Kerala, over 60% of agricultural households derive their main income from non-agricultur-al sources such as services, remittances, and trade due to the state’s economic structure.

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect: The Communist Party of India (CPI) was the single largest opposition party in the First General Election. CPI won in 16 seats. The Indian National Congress (INC) won a landslide victory, winning 364 of the 489 seats and nearly 45% of the total votes polled.

Statement 2 is correct: In 1969, an official leader of the opposition was recognized for the first time. However, it was given statutory recognition in 1977. They are also entitled to the salary, allowances and other facilities equivalent to that of a cabinet minister.

Statement 3 is incorrect: In order to receive the status of opposition party and Consequent Leader of Opposition in Loksabha tag a party should secure 10% of the total strength of the House i.e. 55 seats in the Lok Sabha.

Explanation

Committee on Subordinate Legislation scrutinizes and reports to the House whether the powers to make regulations, rules, sub-rules, by-laws etc. conferred by the Constitution or delegated by Parliament are being properly exercised by the executive within the scope of such delegation. It ensures that the Executive properly exercises powers to make regulations, rules, and by-laws within the scope of delegation from Parliament. It scrutinizes subordinate legislation to ensure it aligns with the intent of the parent legislation and does not exceed the authority granted.

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

The Committee on Government Assurances examines the assurances, promises, and undertakings given by ministers in the Parliament and reports on their implementation. The committee in the Lok Sabha comprises 15 members, while in the Rajya Sabha, it consists of 10 members. It was constituted in 1953. Rules Committee assists in the framing and amendment of the rules of procedure for the conduct of business in Parliament. The Lok Sabha committee comprises 15 members, with the Speaker serving as the ex-officio chairman. In the Rajya Sabha, the committee consists of 16 members, including the Chairman as the ex-officio chairman. The Business Advisory Committee allocates time for the consideration of bills and other business in the Parliament and decides the schedule for parliamentary sessions. The Lok Sabha committee comprises 15 members, with the Speaker serving as the chairman. In the Rajya Sabha, it consists of 11 members, with the Chairman acting as the ex-officio chairman.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: The BHIM (Bharat Interface for Money) app allows users to transfer money to anyone with a UPI (Unified Payments Interface)-enabled bank account. This is achieved through a UPI ID, mobile number, or QR code which makes it a seamless and widely accessible digital payment solution. It is a government-backed app designed to facilitate digital payments which promoting interoperability among various banks.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Both systems adhere to the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) mandate for two-factor authentication to enhance the security of digital transactions. Chip-PIN Debit Card typically employs two-factor authentication (2FA) not four-factor:

Possession Factor: The physical debit card.

Knowledge Factor: The Personal Identification Number (PIN) known to the user. BHIM App also utilizes two-factor authentication:

Possession Factor: The mobile device registered with the user’s bank account. Knowledge Factor: The UPI PIN set by the user.