Q21. Which of the following best distinguishes Cooperative Farming from Collective Farming in the Indian context?
Agricultural Development: Institutional, Technological Aspects and Reforms: RAS Prelims MCQs
99 RAS Prelims MCQs on agricultural development cover institutional reforms, technology and the Green Revolution. The abolition of intermediaries, tenancy laws, consolidation of holdings, cooperative farming, the 97th Amendment and the Green Revolution’s first phase are asked as facts, sequences and statements, with the explanations linking each reform to its State or year.
Practice questions based on the RPSC RAS Prelims syllabus. They follow the exam pattern but are not past-paper questions.
Showing 21–30 of 99 questions
Q22. Read the following procedural steps for forming a Cooperative Farming Society and select the correct chronological order from the options given below:
I. Registration of the society with the Registrar of Cooperative Societies.
II. Minimum required number of farmers agreeing to pool their land and resources.
III. Election of a management committee by the general body.
IV. Drafting the bye-laws of the society.
I. Registration of the society with the Registrar of Cooperative Societies.
II. Minimum required number of farmers agreeing to pool their land and resources.
III. Election of a management committee by the general body.
IV. Drafting the bye-laws of the society.
Explanation
Forming a cooperative farming society involves a specific legal and organizational sequence. First, a group of farmers must agree to pool their land and resources. They then draft the bye-laws of the society. The next step is official registration with the Registrar of Cooperative Societies. Finally, the general body of the society elects a management committee to oversee operations.
Q23. Which Constitutional Amendment Act provided constitutional status and protection to Cooperative Societies in India, inserting Article 43B in the Directive Principles of State Policy?
Explanation
The 97th Constitutional Amendment Act of 2011 was a landmark piece of legislation that provided constitutional status and protection to cooperative societies in India. It inserted Article 43B into the Directive Principles of State Policy, mandating the state to promote voluntary formation, autonomous functioning, and democratic control of cooperatives. This amendment aimed to professionalize and strengthen the cooperative movement nationwide.
Q24. Despite government support during early Five- Year Plans, cooperative farming largely failed to take root in India. Which of the following was the most significant sociological reason for this failure?
Explanation
Despite significant government support during the early planning eras, cooperative farming failed to gain traction in India. The most prominent sociological factor was the strong sense of individualism among farmers. Many feared that pooling their plots would eventually lead to the permanent loss of their proprietary rights over ancestral land, which remains a primary source of status and security.
Q25. The following question consists of two statements, one labeled as Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R). Examine these two statements carefully and select the correct answer from the options given below:
Assertion (A): Cooperative farming achieved widespread adoption and permanent success across all states in India during the 1960s.
Reason (R): Small and marginal farmers feared that pooling land would eventually lead to the loss of their individual ownership rights.
Assertion (A): Cooperative farming achieved widespread adoption and permanent success across all states in India during the 1960s.
Reason (R): Small and marginal farmers feared that pooling land would eventually lead to the loss of their individual ownership rights.
Explanation
Cooperative farming did not achieve widespread or permanent success across India during the 1960s; instead, it largely failed to gain popularity among the rural masses. The reason for this failure was the deep-seated fear among small and marginal farmers that pooling their land would lead to the eventual loss of their individual ownership rights and control.
Q26. Who among the following is widely recognized as the Chief Architect or ‘Father’ of the Green Revolution in India?
Explanation
Dr. M.S. Swaminathan is widely celebrated as the father of the Green Revolution in India. As a renowned geneticist, he played a pivotal role in introducing and developing high-yielding varieties of wheat and rice. His vision and leadership helped transform India from a food-deficient nation to one of the world’s leading agricultural producers, ensuring national food security.
Q27. The first phase of the Green Revolution in India (mid-1960s to mid-1970s) was primarily restricted to the introduction of High Yielding Variety (HYV) seeds in which two crops?
Explanation
The initial phase of the Green Revolution, spanning the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s, focused on a few specific crops and regions. The technological package, centered around High Yielding Variety seeds, was primarily restricted to wheat and rice. These two staples saw the most significant increases in productivity, particularly in the well-irrigated regions of Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh.
Q28. Match the Crops listed in List I with their Prominent HYV Varieties introduced during the Green Revolution in List II and select the correct answer using the options given below:
| Crops | HYV Varieties |
|---|---|
| A. Wheat | i. IR-8 |
| B. Rice | ii. Kalyan Sona |
| C. Maize | iii. Ganga-101 |
| D. Bajra | iv. HB-1 |
Explanation
The Green Revolution introduced several landmark High Yielding Varieties. Kalyan Sona was a prominent variety of wheat, while IR-8 became a revolutionary variety for rice production. For coarse cereals, Ganga-101 was a significant hybrid for maize, and HB-1 was a notable variety for bajra. These developments collectively led to a massive surge in India’s total food grain output.
Q29. Read the following statements regarding the origins of the Green Revolution and select the correct answer from the options given below:
Statement I: The initial High Yielding Variety (HYV) wheat seeds imported by India were developed by Dr. Norman Borlaug in Mexico.
Statement II: Dr. Norman Borlaug was awarded the Nobel Prize in Agriculture for his contributions to developing high-yielding wheat varieties.
Statement I: The initial High Yielding Variety (HYV) wheat seeds imported by India were developed by Dr. Norman Borlaug in Mexico.
Statement II: Dr. Norman Borlaug was awarded the Nobel Prize in Agriculture for his contributions to developing high-yielding wheat varieties.
Explanation
The high-yielding wheat varieties that initiated the Green Revolution in India were originally developed by Dr. Norman Borlaug in Mexico. While Borlaug is credited with saving millions from starvation through his work, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, not a Nobel Prize in Agriculture, as the latter category does not exist. His contributions fundamentally changed global agriculture.
Q30. Consider the following elements which constituted the core technological package of the Green Revolution:
I. High Yielding Variety (HYV) seeds
II. Assured supply of artificial irrigation
III. Heavy use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
I. High Yielding Variety (HYV) seeds
II. Assured supply of artificial irrigation
III. Heavy use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
The success of the Green Revolution relied on a synchronized package of modern agricultural inputs. This core technological set included High Yielding Variety seeds, an assured and controlled supply of artificial irrigation, and the intensive application of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. These elements worked together to maximize crop yields, provided the farmer could afford the high costs of these inputs.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 21 | (c) Individual members retain land ownership in cooperative farming, unlike collective farming. |
| 22 | (a) II, IV, I, III |
| 23 | (d) 97th Amendment Act, 2011 |
| 24 | (a) Individualism and fear of losing proprietary rights over ancestral land. |
| 25 | (d) A is false but R is true. |
| 26 | (a) M.S. Swaminathan |
| 27 | (d) Wheat and Rice |
| 28 | (a) A-ii, B-i, C-iii, D-iv |
| 29 | (c) Statement I is true but Statement II is false. |
| 30 | (d) I, II and III |
Key facts from Agricultural Development: Institutional, Technological Aspects and Reforms
- Agriculture and allied sectors contribute about 18.3 per cent of India’s Gross Value Added.
- Madras was the first State in independent India to legislate for the abolition of the Zamindari system.
- The Rajasthan Tenancy Act, which gave statutory rights to tenants, was passed in 1955.
- Consolidation of holdings, which joins fragmented parcels into a compact block, has been most successful in Punjab and Haryana.
- The 97th Amendment Act, 2011 gave constitutional status to cooperative societies.
- M. S. Swaminathan is the chief architect of the Green Revolution, whose first phase was mainly confined to wheat and rice.
Frequently asked questions
How many RAS Prelims practice MCQs are there on Agricultural Development: Institutional, Technological Aspects and Reforms?
This page has 99 practice MCQs on Agricultural Development: Institutional, Technological Aspects and Reforms (Indian Economy). Each has the correct answer, and most have an explanation.
What is the objective of consolidation of landholdings?
To amalgamate fragmented parcels of land into a single compact block. It reduces the cost of cultivation, saves time and makes irrigation and mechanisation easier, and it has worked best in Punjab and Haryana.
Which amendment gave constitutional status to cooperative societies?
The 97th Amendment Act of 2011. It made the right to form cooperative societies a fundamental right under Article 19 and added a Directive Principle on promoting them.
Who is the father of the Green Revolution in India?
M. S. Swaminathan is widely regarded as the chief architect of the Green Revolution in India. The first phase, from the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s, was largely limited to wheat and rice in irrigated areas.