DAY – 34 (InstaTest-34): Insta 75 Days Revision Plan-2023: Topic – ANCIENT & MEDIEVAL INDIA, Subject-wise Test – 1, 18, Text Book based Test – 27, 28, 30, January 2023 CA

Solution: C

What Is a Windfall Tax?

A windfall tax is a tax levied by governments against certain industries when economic conditions allow those industries to experience significantly above-average profits. Windfall taxes are primarily levied on companies in the targeted industry that have benefited the most from the economic windfall, most often commodity-based businesses.

Key Takeaways

• A windfall tax is a surtax imposed by governments on businesses or economic sectors that have benefited from economic expansion.
• The purpose is to redistribute excess profits in one area to raise funds for the greater social good; however, this can be a contentious ideal.
• Some individual taxes—such as inheritance tax or taxes on lottery or game-show winnings—can also be construed as a windfall tax.

Solution: A

Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups

PVTGs are more vulnerable among the tribal groups. Due to this factor, more developed and assertive tribal groups take a major chunk of the tribal development funds, because of which PVTGs need more funds directed for their development. In this context, in 1975, the Government of India initiated to identify the most vulnerable tribal groups as a separate category called PVTGs and declared 52 such groups, while in 1993 an additional 23 groups were added to the category, making it a total of 75 PVTGs out of 705 Scheduled Tribes, spread over 17 states and one Union Territory (UT), in the country (2011 census).

How they are identified

Government of India follows the following criteria for identifiaction of PVTGs.

• Pre-agricultural level of technology
• Low level of literacy
• Economic backwardness
• A declining or stagnant population.

In 1973, the Dhebar Commission created Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) as a separate category, who are less developed among the tribal groups. In 2006, the Government of India renamed the PTGs as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).

Solution: D

Brazil, India, and the United States, as leading biofuel producers and consumers, will work together during the next few months towards the development of a Global Biofuels Alliance along with other interested countries. This Alliance will be aimed at facilitating cooperation and intensifying the use of sustainable biofuels, including in the transportation sector. It will place emphasis on strengthening markets, facilitating global biofuels trade, development of concrete policy lesson-sharing and provision of technical support for national biofuels programs worldwide. It will also emphasize the already implemented best practices and success cases.

The Alliance shall work in collaboration with and complement the relevant existing regional and international agencies as well as initiatives in the bioenergy, bioeconomy, and energy transition fields more broadly, including the Clean Energy Ministerial Biofuture Platform, the Mission Innovation Bioenergy initiatives, and the Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP).

Solution: D

Microsoft’s Project ELLORA
To bring ‘rare’ Indian languages online, Microsoft launched project ELLORA or Enabling Low Resource Languages in 2015. Under the project, researchers are building digital resources of the languages. They say that their purpose is to preserve a language for posterity so that users of these languages “can participate and interact in the digital world.”

Project ELLORA: Microsoft is helping preserve ‘rare’ Indian languages with AI

Solution: A

What is the Paris Club?

The Paris Club (est. 1956, HQ: Paris (France)) is a group of officials from major creditor countries whose role is to find coordinated and sustainable solutions to the payment difficulties experienced by debtor countries

• Objective: To find sustainable debt-relief solutions for countries that are unable to repay their bilateral loans.
• Members: 22 permanent members (all are a member of the OECD)
• India and China are not members. India acts as an ad-hoc participant

Solution: A

Brahmanas

Belonging to the second great class of the Vedas, they are treatises relating to prayer and sacrificial ceremony. Their subject matter is ritual and language is prose. In short, they deal with the science of sacrifice. The important Brahmanas are: (1) Aitareya, (2) Kausitaki, (3) Tandyamaha, (4) Jaimin iya, (5) Taittiriya, (6) Satapatha and (7) Gopatha Brahmanas. Aitareya and Kausitaki are related to the Rig Veda, Tandyamaha and Jaiminiya to the Sama Veda, Taittiriya and Satapatha to the Yajur Veda and Gopatha to the Atharva Veda.

Upanishads

They are philosophical texts dealing with topics like the Universal Soul, the Absolute, the individual self, the origin of the world, the mysteries of nature, and so on. They mark the culmination of Indian thought in the Vedic period. They criticise the rituals and lay stress on the value of right belief and knowledge.

Solution: C

Chanhudaro: It was the only Indus city without a citadel.

Lothal: It was the only Indus site with an artificial brick dockyard. It must have served as the main seaport of the Indus people.

Dholavira: The most unique feature of the site is its division into, not two parts as in other cities, but three sections.

Kalibangan: It is one of the two Indus cities which have both proto- Harappan and Harappan cultural phases. In its proto-Harappan phase the fields were ploughed. But in the Harappan phase, they were not ploughed, but dug up.

Solution: A

Nandas (345–322 BC) Mahapadma Nanda was a powerful ruler. He enlarged his kingdom by conquest. It is said that he uprooted the Kshatriya ruling dynasties of northern India and annexed their territories to his kingdom.

An inscription found in the famous Hathigumpha of Kharavela refers to the conquest of Kalinga by a ruler of the Nanda dynasty.

According to Buddhist sources Mahapadma Nanda reigned for about ten years and was succeeded by his eight sons. However, no comprehensive account of their reign is available. In 326 BC when Alexander invaded India the last of the Nandas, Dhana Nanda, was ruling Magadha.

Solution: C

Comparison of Hinayana and Mahayana

• Hinayana held firm to the letter of Buddha’s teachings, Mahayana to the spirit;

• Hinayana developed with the Sangha as the centre, Mahayana with the individual;

• Hinayana scriptures are written mainly in Pali and are founded on the Tripitaka; Mahayana scriptures, written in Sanskrit, are the Sutras;

• Hinayana believes in salvation by works, that each man must work out his own salvation; Mahayana in salvation by faith;

• Hinayana is centred round the acts of Buddha, Mahayana round the symbolism of his life and personality;

• Hinayana stressed righteous action and the law of karma; Mahayana held that over and above the law of karma was the law of karuna or compassion;

• the Hinayana ideal is the Arhat, who strives after his own redemption; Mahayana upholds the ideal of the Bodhisattva or saviour, who is concerned with the salvation of others.

Solution: D

Main Teachings of Mahavira

Mahavira believed in dualistic philosophy (Syadvada) and held that matter and soul are the only two existing elements. The former is perishable, while the latter eternal and evolutionary. According to him, on account of karma (the accumulated effect of the actions done in the past lives), the soul is in a state of bondage created by passions and desires collected through several previous births. It is by means of continued efforts through several lives that the Karmik forces binding the soul can be counteracted and the soul itself is rendered passionless. The disintegration of the Karrnik forces constitutes the final liberation of the soul (jiva). Side by side with this decay of the karmas the intrinsic qualities of the soul get expressed more and more and the soul shines in full luminosity which represents final liberation and then the soul becomes paramatman.

Jaina Philosophy

Jainism shows a close affinity with Samkhya system of philosophy. It was called Syadvada. According to Syadvada (the theory of may be), seven modes of predication (saptabhangi) are possible. Closely related to the Syadvada is Nayavada (the doctrine of view point’s), which shows the seven ways of approaching an object of knowledge or study. The above two doctrines of Jainism are often together called the Anekantavada (the doctrine of many-sidedness).

Solution: A

Asoka’s Dhamma

Although Asoka embraced Buddhism and took efforts to spread Buddhism, his policy of Dhamma was a still broad concept. It was a way of life, a code of conduct and a set of principles to be adopted and practiced by the people at large. His principles of Dhamma were clearly stated in his Edicts.

The concept of non-violence and other similar ideas of Asoka’s Dhamma are identical with the teachings of Buddha. But he did not equate Dhamma with Buddhist teachings. Buddhism remained his personal belief. His Dhamma signifies a general code of conduct. Asoka wished that his Dhamma should spread through all social levels.

Solution: D

Sungas

The Gargi Samhita, the Mahabhashya of Patanjali, the Divyavadana, the Malavikagnimitra of Kalidasa and the Harshacharita of Bana furnish many details about the sungas. The later Sunga history is brightened by inscriptions from Ayodhya, Vidisa (modem Bhilsa) and Bharhut and the coins found at Kausambi (modern Kosam), Ayodhya, Ahichchhatra and Mathura.

Solution: B

Satavahanas

In the Deccan, the Satavahanas appeared as the successors of the Mauryas and ruled in unbroken continuity for 460 years.

The kings represented in epigraphic records are mentioned in the Puranas as Andhras, Andhrajatiyah and Andhrabhrityah. Andhra is both a tribal and a territorial name. While the Andhras as a people are mentioned as early as the 5th century BE, the Aitareya Brahmana speaks of them as the degenerate sons of Visvamitra. Pliny the Elder, refers to the Andhras as a powerful race which supplied the king with an army of 1,00,000 infantry, 2,000 cavalry and 1,000 elephants. In the Asokan inscriptions the Andhras are mentioned along with the Parindas as border people.

Solution: B

The term mansabdar refers to an individual who holds a mansab, meaning a position or rank. It was a grading system used by the Mughals to fix (1) rank, (2) salary and (3) military responsibilities. Rank and salary were determined by a numerical value called zat.

The higher the zat, the more prestigious was the noble’s position in court and the larger his salary. The mansabdar’s military responsibilities required him to maintain a specified number of sawar or cavalrymen. The mansabdar brought his cavalrymen for review, got them registered, their horses branded and then received money to pay them as salary.

Mansabdars received their salaries as revenue assignments called jagirs which were somewhat like iqtas.

But unlike muqtis, most mansabdars did not actually reside in or administer their jagirs. They only had rights to the revenue of their assignments which was collected for them by their servants while the mansabdars themselves served in some other part of the country.

Solution: B

Satrapal System and Western Satrapas

The Achaemenid conquerors of north-western India were the first to introduce the satrapal system of government in the country. The title satrap or kshatrapa is the Hellenised form of the old Persian kshathrapavan which means ‘protector of the kingdom’. The office of the strategos, a Greek word, means general; but during the Saka-Pahlava rule in India the word strategos must have signified the position of a subordinate ruler. The satrapal form of government received a fresh impetus during the Scythian rule in India, the chief feature of which was the system of joint rule of a mahakshatrapa and a satrapa, that is, the joint rule of the rajan and the yuvaraja in ancient Indian administration.

In the early centuries of the Christian era certain regions of western and central India remained under the sway of the satrapas and mahakshatrapas, though it was not until the Kushana ascendency that this system of government was well-established here.

Solution: B

• 1510 Conquest of Goa by the Portuguese

• 1526 First battle of Panipat and defeat of Ibrahim Lodhi by Babur

• 1565 Battle of Talikota and destruction of the city of Vijayanagar

• 1576 Battle of Haldighati (or Gogunda) and defeat of Rana Pratap by the Mughals under Raja Man Singh of Amber

Solution:  D

Village Assemblies under Cholas

The system of village autonomy with sabhas and their committees developed through the ages and reached its culmination during the Chola rule. Two inscriptions belonging to the period of Parantaka I found at Uttiramerur provide details of the formation and functions of village councils. That village was divided into thirty wards and each was to nominate its members to the village council.

The qualifications to become a ward member were:

1. Ownership of at least one fourth veli of land.
2. Own residence.
3. Above thirty years and below seventy years of age.
4. Knowledge of Vedas.

Solution: B

Mahmud of Ghazni (A.D. 997-1030).

Mahmud is said to have made seventeen raids into India. Alberuni stayed in Mahmud’s court and wrote the famous Kitab-i-Hind, an account on India.

Muhammad Ghori

The Battle of Tarain (1191-1192)

Realising their grave situation, the Hindu princes of north India formed a confederacy under the command of Prithiviraj Chauhan. Prithviraj rose to the occasion, and defeated Ghori in the battle of Tarain near Delhi in 1191 A.D.

In the ensuing Second Battle of Tarain in 1192, Muhammad Ghori thoroughly routed the army of Prithiviraj, who was captured and killed.

Solution: D

Muhammad bin Tughlaq (1325-1351)

Contemporary writers like Isami, Barani and Ibn Battutah were unable to give a correct picture about his personality. But, Muhammad bin Tughlaq was the only Delhi Sultan who had received a comprehensive literary, religious and philosophical education.

Token Currency

In 1329-30 Muhammad bin Tughlaq introduced a token currency.

Agricultural Reforms

He launched a scheme by which takkavi loans (loans for cultivation) were given to the farmers to buy seed and to extend cultivation. A separate department for agriculture, Diwan- i- Kohi was established.

Solution: B

Kabir

Among the disciples of Ramananda the most famous was Kabir. He was born near Banaras to a brahmin widow. But he was brought up by a Muslim couple who were weavers by profession. He possessed an inquiring mind and while in Benares learnt much about Hinduism. He became familiar with Islamic teachings also and Ramananda initiated him into the higher knowledge of Hindu and Muslim religious and philosophical ideas. Kabir’s object was to reconcile Hindus and Muslims and establish harmony between the two sects. He denounced idolatry and rituals and laid great emphasis on the equality of man before God. He emphasized the essential oneness of all religions by describing Hindus and Muslims ‘as pots of the same clay’. To him Rama and Allah, temple and mosque were the same. He regarded devotion to god as an effective means of salvation and urged that to achieve this one must have a pure heart, free from cruelty, dishonesty, hypocrisy and insincerity. He is regarded as the greatest of the mystic saints and his followers are called Kabirpanthis.

Solution: A

The Committee on Public Undertakings consists of 22 members, out of which 15 are from the Lok Sabha and 7 are from the Rajya Sabha.

The members of the Committee are not elected by the Parliament every year. Instead, they are nominated by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha for a term of one year.

The Chairman of the Committee is appointed by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha from amongst its members who are drawn from the Lok Sabha.

The Chairmanship of the Committee is not rotated among the members drawn from the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. The Chairman of the Committee is always from the Lok Sabha.

Solution: A

Employment elasticity refers to the percentage change in employment with a 1% point change in economic growth. It measures the responsiveness of employment to changes in economic growth. It is calculated by dividing the percentage change in employment by the percentage change in economic growth.

For example, if economic growth increases by 5% and employment increases by 2%, the employment elasticity would be 0.4 (2%/5%).

The creation of jobs per unit of investment is known as the employment intensity of investment. It measures the number of jobs created per unit of investment.

The creation of jobs per unit of unemployed people is not a widely used measure of employment. However, it could be used to measure the efficiency of employment policies in reducing unemployment.

Solution: C

Synlight is a facility located in Jülich, Germany, which is designed to simulate sunlight by producing an artificial sun. It was developed by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and is aimed at researching and developing solar-thermal technologies. The facility consists of a large array of high-powered xenon short-arc lamps, which can be focused on a specific point to generate intense heat and light.

The main objective of the Synlight project is to investigate and improve the production of solar fuels, such as hydrogen, by using the concentrated sunlight to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. This process, called thermochemical water splitting, requires high temperatures, which Synlight can provide. Hydrogen is considered a promising candidate for clean and sustainable energy storage and transportation, as it produces water when it reacts with oxygen, without emitting any greenhouse gases.

Solution: C

The Todas are a tribe that resides in the Nilgiri hills of Tamil Nadu. They are a pastoral community known for their unique culture and customs. They are one of the smallest and most ancient tribes in India, and they have a distinct language and religion.

The Gonds are a tribe that mainly resides in central India, particularly in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Andhra Pradesh.

The Bhils are a tribe that resides in western and central India, particularly in the states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.

The Santhals are a tribe that resides in eastern India, particularly in the states of Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Bihar.

Solution: A

Article 355 of the Indian Constitution lays down that “It shall be the duty of the Union to protect every State against external aggression and internal disturbance and to ensure that the government of every State is carried on in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.”

This article imposes a duty on the Union Government to protect the states from external aggression and internal disturbances. It is the responsibility of the Union to ensure that the government of every state functions in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.

Article 356 deals with the imposition of President’s Rule in a state in case of failure of the constitutional machinery of that state.

Article 352 deals with the proclamation of Emergency in case of external aggression or war.

Article 358 suspends the fundamental rights of citizens during the operation of Emergency.

Ans. A.

A is correct as the passage talks about the relevance of effective regulatory architecture in Beijing along with social transformation as the key to tackling the problem of air pollution. Hence A.

Ans. C.

Statement A is wrong as the passage doesn’t say that the focus of SBM is misdirected but it tries to convey that it is inadequate. Statement b is wrong as such an assessment has not been made in the passage. The focus of the passage is sustainable sanitation ecosystem and not the problems created by human waste. Hence C is the most logical and rational inference.

Solution: A) 2160              

When question is about arrangement it is permutation.

Total number of letters in the word ELEPHANT = 8

The vowels in the word ELEPHANT are two Es and one A.

Let’s group all the vowels into a group i.e (EEA) and consider it as single letter.

Now total number of letters will be 5 consonants (L, P, H, N, T) + (EEA) = 6.

Therefore, total arrangement possible = 6! .

However, EEA can be further arranged into (3!)/(2!) (as there are two Es).

Thus, total possible ways that the word ELEPHANT be arranged so that vowels always occur together = 6! * 3!/2!= 6! * 3

• 720 * 3 = 2160 ways.

Hence, option (a) is correct.

Solution: B) 12/55

Total sample size of selecting 4 people out of 12 people (3 men, 5 women and 4 children) = 12c4= 495.

Various possibilities of having exactly two men in the group of four are:

(2 men AND 2 women) OR (2 men AND 2 children) OR (2 men AND 1 woman and 1 child)

Thus, it can be written in formula:  (3c2 * 5c2) + (3c2 * 4c2) + (3c2 *5c1 *4c1)

è (3*10) + (3 * 6) + (3 *5*4) = 30+18+60 = 108.

Therefore, probability of exactly two of them being men is 108/495 = 12/55

Hence, option (b) is correct.

Solution: D) 360

To form the word we use arrangement.

The word NUMBER have 6 alphabets.

Therefore, to form 4 letter word from the word NUMBER is 6P4= 6!/2!

• 6*5*4*3* 2!/2!
• 360

Hence, option (d) is correct.