PRELIMS 2017 REVISION TEST 25

Solution: d

National Waterways  – States

1. NW1                     West Bengal
2. NW2                     Assam
3. NW3                     Kerala
4. NW4                     Tamil Nadu

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/mbErel.aspx?relid=147477

Solution: b

China rejects the Shimla Accord, contending that the Tibetan government was not sovereign and therefore did not have the power to conclude treaties.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McMahon_Line

https://thewire.in/2108/how-mcmahon-drew-his-line-and-why-china-wants-it-changed/

Solution: a

Joint trial is the conduct of trial of two or more actions jointly, when a common question of law or fact exists in those actions. A court may order joint trial when separate cases can be tried together, as though brought in a single indictment, if all offenses and all defendants could be joined in a single indictment. While jointly tried, actions will not be merged. They remain separate and distinct and may result in one or more verdicts and judgments.

Solution: d

In a PWR, the primary coolant is pumped under high pressure to the reactor core where it is heated by the energy released by the fission of atoms.

Pressure in the primary coolant loop prevents the water from boiling within the reactor

All LWRs use ordinary water as both coolant and neutron moderator

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pressurized_water_reactor

Solution: a

EESL replaces the conventional street lights with LEDs at its own costs and consequent reduction in energy and maintenance cost of the municipality is used to repay EESL over a period of time.

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/backgrounders.aspx?relid=127161

Solution: d

Mongolia is a landlocked unitary sovereign state in East Asia.

Mongolia is sandwiched between China to the south and Russia to the north. While it does not share a border with Kazakhstan, Mongolia is separated from it by only 36.76 kilometers (22.84 mi).

Twelfth iteration of Indo – Mongolian Joint Military Exercise Nomadic Elephant is presently underway at Vairengte in Mizoram

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongolia

Solution: d

Ballast water is water carried in ships’ ballast tanks to improve stability, balance and trim. It is taken up or discharged when cargo is unloaded or loaded, or when a ship needs extra stability in foul weather.

When ships take on ballast water, plants and animals that live in the ocean are also picked up. Discharging this ballast water releases these organisms into new areas where they can become marine pests.

http://www.imo.org/en/About/Conventions/ListOfConventions/Pages/International-Convention-for-the-Control-and-management-of-Ships'-Ballast-Water-and-Sediments-(BWM).aspx

http://www.marineinsight.com/shipping-news/india-approves-ballast-water-management-convention-for-ships/

Solution: c

Agrotechnical textiles are used in farming, animal husbandry and horticulture to control the hazardous influences of environmental and climactic factors on crop production and cattle breeding. They are also being used extensively in the fishing industry.

Geotextiles are permeable fabrics which, when used in association with soil, have the ability to separate, filter, reinforce, protect, or drain.

They help in creating Roads with less maintenance & longer life, help in storing rain water and address water scarcity issue.

http://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/technical-textiles-use-in-govt-projects-gets-push/article18056081.ece

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geotextile

http://technotexindia.in/agro-textiles.html

Solution: b

Insights Prelims Test Series 16

All expenditures incurred by the government are either of revenue kind or current kind or compulsive kind. The basic identity of such expenditures is that they are of consumptive kind and do not involve creation of productive assets.

They are either used in running of a productive process or running a government. A broad category of things that fall under such expenditures in India are:

Interest payment by the government on the internal and external loans; Salaries, Pension and Provident Fund paid by the government to government employees; Subsidies forwarded to all sectors by the government; Defence expenditures by the government; Postal Deficits of the government; Law and order expenditures (i.e., police & paramilitary); Expenditures on social services (includes all social sector expenditures as education, health care, social security, poverty alleviation, etc.) and general services (tax collection, etc.); Grants given by the government to Indian states and foreign countries.

Solution: a

The Paik Rebellion also called the Paika Rebellion was an armed rebellion against the British East India Company’s rule in Odisha in 1817. The Paiks rose in rebellion under their leader Bakshi Jagabandhu and, projecting Lord Jagannath as the symbol of Odia unity, the rebellion quickly spread across most of Odisha before being ruthlessly put down by the company’s forces

TOI: National recognition to Paika revolt;

Solution: a)

Indian Polity, Constitutional Bodies

The Election Commission does not have powers to put a lifetime ban on convicted politicians from contesting elections. It has requested the Supreme Court for the same.

ECI administers elections to the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, state legislatures, and the offices of the President and Vice President in the country.

Solution: a)

Indian Polity, Constitutional Bodies

The Election Commission operates under the authority of Constitution per Article 324, and subsequently enacted Representation of the People Act. The Commission has the powers under the Constitution, to act in an appropriate manner when the enacted laws make insufficient provisions to deal with a given situation in the conduct of an election.

The Model Code of Conduct comes into force immediately on announcement of the election schedule by the commission for the need of ensuring free and fair elections.

Solution: a)

Indian Polity, Constitutional Bodies

With the objective of giving a structured format to the Finance Commission of India and to bring it at par with world standards, The Finance Commission (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1951 was passed. It lays down rules regarding qualification and disqualification of members of the Commission, their appointment, term, eligibility and powers.

Solution: d)

Indian Polity, Constitutional Bodies

The first Commission for SC and ST was set up in August 1978 with Shri Bhola Paswan Shastri as Chairman and other four Members. In 1990 the Commission for SCs and STs was renamed as the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in 1987 and it was set up as a National Level Advisory Body to advise the Government on broad policy issues and levels of development of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Consequent upon the Constitution (Eighty-Ninth Amendment) Act, 2003 the erstwhile National Commission for Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes has been replaced by

(1) National Commission for Scheduled Castes and

(2) National Commission for Scheduled Tribes.

It is chaired by a government appointee – former ministers and other politicians.

Solution: d)

Indian Polity, Constitutional Bodies

The Comptroller and Auditor-General of India is appointed by the President of India following a recommendation by the Prime Minister.

There is no strict selection criteria to select CAG. He is chosen by incumbent government, mostly by the PM. (http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/no-selection-criteria-for-cag-can-be-prescribed/1152654/)

Almost always, CAG is from IAS pool. Deputy CAG and other senior officers are from Indian Audit and Accounts Service.

Solution: c

Indian Polity, Constitutional Bodies

The CAG can be removed only on an address from both house of parliament on the ground of proved misbehaviour or incapacity. The CAG vacates the office on attaining the age of 65 years age.

Art 148 – There shall be a Comptroller and Auditor-General of India who shall be appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal and shall only be removed from office in like manner and on like grounds as a Judge of the Supreme Court.

Solution: c

Indian Polity, Constitutional Bodies

The Union Public Service Commission or the State Public Service Commission, as the case may be, shall be consulted—

1. on all matters relating to methods of recruitment to civil services and for civil posts;
2. on the principles to be followed in making appointments to civil services and posts and in making promotions and transfers from one service to another and on the suitability of candidates for such appointments, promotions or transfers;
3. on all disciplinary matters affecting a person serving under the Government of India or the Government of a State in a civil capacity, including memorials or petitions relating to such matters;
4. on any claim by or in respect of a person who is serving or has served under the Government of India or the Government of a State or under the Crown in India or under the Government of an Indian State, in a civil capacity, that any costs incurred by him in defending legal proceedings instituted against him in respect of acts done or purporting to be done in the execution of his duty should be paid out of the Consolidated Fund of India, or, as the case may be, out of the Consolidated Fund of the State;

5. on any claim for the award of a pension in respect of injuries sustained by a person while serving under the Government of India or the Government of a State or under the Crown in India or under the Government of an Indian State, in a civil capacity, and any question as to the amount of any such award

Solution: d)

Indian Polity, Constitutional Bodies

The Constitution has not specified the number of members. It is left to the President.

Also, at least half members should be civil servants. Other half could be from academia, defence etc.

Solution: c)

Indian Polity, Constitutional Bodies

Article 350B of the Constitution provides for the appointment by President of a Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities. This Officer is known as National Commissioner Lingusitic Minorities. It is his duty to investigate all matters relating to safeguards provided for the linguistic minorities and report to the President at such intervals as may be fixed.

Solution: c)

Indian Polity, Constitutional Bodies

The Attorney General for India is the Indian government’s chief legal advisor, and its primary lawyer in the Supreme Court of India. He is appointed by the President of India under Article 76(1) of the Constitution and holds office during the pleasure of the President. He must be a person qualified to be appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court, also must have been a judge of some high court for five years or an advocate of some high court for ten years or an eminent jurist, in the opinion of the President and must be a citizen of India. The 14th and current Attorney General is Mukul Rohatgi. He was appointed by Pranab Mukherjee, the President of India. He was formally appointed as with effect from 19 June 2014 and shall have a tenure of 5 years