I85PREP
⌘ K
APPSC AO study materials
APPSC AO study resources

APPSC AO practice questions

One question at a time. Build your APPSC AO understanding.

First 50 of 200 questions. Each one lists the choices, the correct answer, and an explanation. The checker at the top of this page saves progress in this browser when it is available.

Continue in the practice tool above to load more questions, 50 at a time.

Question 1General Studies and Current Affairs

The Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission derives its constitutional authority from which provision of the Constitution of India?

  1. Article 356
  2. Article 370
  3. Article 324
  4. Article 315 Correct answer.

Explanation

Article 315 establishes a Public Service Commission for the Union and for each State, and it is the provision under which the APPSC functions. Article 324 deals with the Election Commission, while Articles 356 and 370 concern President's Rule and the former special status of Jammu and Kashmir respectively.

Question 2General Studies and Current Affairs

The Godavari River, which forms a major delta in Andhra Pradesh, rises in which State?

  1. Telangana
  2. Karnataka
  3. Maharashtra Correct answer.
  4. Madhya Pradesh

Explanation

The Godavari originates at Trimbakeshwar in the Nashik district of Maharashtra and flows east through Telangana and Andhra Pradesh before draining into the Bay of Bengal. It is the second longest river in India after the Ganga.

Question 3General Studies and Current Affairs

Which of the following is the correct chemical formula of washing soda?

  1. NaOH
  2. Na2CO3·10H2O Correct answer.
  3. NaCl
  4. NaHCO3

Explanation

Washing soda is sodium carbonate decahydrate, written as Na2CO3·10H2O. Baking soda is NaHCO3, caustic soda is NaOH, and common salt is NaCl, so each distractor is a different well-known sodium compound.

Question 4General Studies and Current Affairs

The Fundamental Duties of citizens were inserted into the Constitution of India by which amendment?

  1. 24th Amendment
  2. 52nd Amendment
  3. 42nd Amendment Correct answer.
  4. 44th Amendment

Explanation

The 42nd Amendment Act, 1976, added Part IVA (Article 51A) listing Fundamental Duties on the recommendation of the Swaran Singh Committee. The 44th Amendment later reversed several other changes made by the 42nd Amendment but retained the Duties.

Question 5General Studies and Current Affairs

Kuchipudi, the classical dance form, is traditionally associated with which district region of Andhra Pradesh?

  1. Visakhapatnam district
  2. Chittoor district
  3. Anantapur district
  4. Krishna district Correct answer.

Explanation

Kuchipudi takes its name from the village of Kuchipudi in the Krishna district, where the dance-drama tradition developed under the Bhagavathulu. It is recognised as one of India's eight classical dance forms.

Question 6General Studies and Current Affairs

Which article of the Constitution of India guarantees the right to constitutional remedies?

  1. Article 32 Correct answer.
  2. Article 21
  3. Article 19
  4. Article 44

Explanation

Article 32 empowers a person to move the Supreme Court directly for enforcement of fundamental rights, and Dr. Ambedkar called it the heart and soul of the Constitution. Article 226 provides a parallel power to High Courts.

Question 7General Studies and Current Affairs

The primary objective of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme is best described as which of the following?

  1. Offering free residential schooling to rural children
  2. Guaranteeing at least 100 days of unskilled wage employment per rural household per year Correct answer.
  3. Providing subsidised food grain to below poverty line households
  4. Insuring farmers against crop failure due to natural calamities

Explanation

MGNREGS legally guarantees a minimum of 100 days of unskilled manual wage employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer. Wages must be paid within fifteen days, and unemployment allowance is payable otherwise.

Question 8General Studies and Current Affairs

Which of the following is the SI unit of electric resistance?

  1. Watt
  2. Ampere
  3. Ohm Correct answer.
  4. Volt

Explanation

Resistance is measured in ohms, defined as the resistance between two points when a potential difference of one volt produces a current of one ampere. Volt measures potential difference, ampere measures current, and watt measures power.

Question 9General Studies and Current Affairs

The Tropic of Cancer passes through which of the following States of India?

  1. Rajasthan Correct answer.
  2. Andhra Pradesh
  3. Kerala
  4. Tamil Nadu

Explanation

The Tropic of Cancer at roughly 23.5 degrees north passes through eight States, including Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tripura and Mizoram. Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu lie entirely south of it.

Question 10General Studies and Current Affairs

Which committee is associated with the recommendation for the establishment of the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission in its present form after the States Reorganisation?

  1. Punchhi Commission
  2. Rajamannar Committee
  3. Kothari Committee Correct answer.
  4. Sarkaria Commission

Explanation

The Kothari Committee examined recruitment agency reforms and is associated with recommendations shaping public service commission functioning. The Sarkaria and Punchhi Commissions dealt with Centre-State relations, while the Rajamannar Committee examined State autonomy in Tamil Nadu.

Question 11General Studies and Current Affairs

In the context of the Indian economy, 'fiscal deficit' is best defined as which of the following?

  1. Total revenue receipts minus total revenue expenditure
  2. The gap between money supply and reserve money
  3. Total expenditure minus total receipts excluding borrowings Correct answer.
  4. The excess of imports over exports of goods and services

Explanation

Fiscal deficit measures total expenditure minus total receipts other than borrowings, so it equals the government's borrowing requirement. It differs from revenue deficit, which concerns the revenue account alone, and from the current account deficit in external trade.

Question 12General Studies and Current Affairs

Which of the following is the correct chronological order of the founding of these Andhra-linked institutions?

  1. Andhra University, Osmania University, Sri Venkateswara University
  2. Andhra University, Sri Venkateswara University, Osmania University
  3. Osmania University, Andhra University, Sri Venkateswara University Correct answer.
  4. Sri Venkateswara University, Andhra University, Osmania University

Explanation

Osmania University was established in 1918 in Hyderabad, Andhra University in 1926 at Visakhapatnam, and Sri Venkateswara University in 1954 at Tirupati. Placing them in this order reflects the sequence of their founding years.

Question 13General Studies and Current Affairs

The Panchayati Raj system in India was given constitutional status by which amendment?

  1. 61st Amendment
  2. 86th Amendment
  3. 73rd Amendment Correct answer.
  4. 74th Amendment

Explanation

The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992, inserted Part IX and the Eleventh Schedule, giving constitutional status to rural local bodies. The 74th Amendment did the same for urban local bodies through Part IXA and the Twelfth Schedule.

Question 14General Studies and Current Affairs

Which of the following best explains why the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh is drought-prone?

  1. It is a coastal delta region with saline groundwater
  2. It receives heavy monsoon rainfall but has poor drainage
  3. It lies in the rain-shadow of the Western Ghats and has scanty, erratic rainfall Correct answer.
  4. It is a high-altitude plateau receiving snowfall in winter

Explanation

Rayalaseema lies in the leeward rain-shadow zone of the Western Ghats, so the south-west monsoon delivers little rain and the region depends heavily on uncertain north-east monsoon showers. Its semi-arid soils and hard-rock aquifers worsen water scarcity.

Question 15General Studies and Current Affairs

The 'Doctrine of Basic Structure' was propounded by the Supreme Court in which case?

  1. Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala Correct answer.
  2. Golaknath v. State of Punjab
  3. Minerva Mills v. Union of India
  4. Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India

Explanation

In Kesavananda Bharati (1973) the Supreme Court held that Parliament can amend the Constitution but cannot destroy its basic structure. The doctrine was later reinforced in Minerva Mills, which struck down provisions curtailing judicial review.

Question 16General Studies and Current Affairs

Which of the following substances is used as a coolant in most nuclear power reactors in India?

  1. Graphite
  2. Heavy water Correct answer.
  3. Liquid sodium
  4. Carbon dioxide

Explanation

Pressurised heavy water reactors, the mainstay of India's nuclear programme, use heavy water as both coolant and moderator. Graphite serves as a moderator in some reactor designs but not as the primary coolant in PHWRs.

Question 17General Studies and Current Affairs

Which of the following pairs of State and its classical dance form is correctly matched?

  1. Tamil Nadu - Kathakali
  2. Manipur - Manipuri Correct answer.
  3. Kerala - Bharatanatyam
  4. Odisha - Kuchipudi

Explanation

Manipuri is the classical dance of Manipur, characterised by gentle, rounded movements and Raslila themes. Bharatanatyam belongs to Tamil Nadu, Kuchipudi to Andhra Pradesh, and Kathakali to Kerala.

Question 18General Studies and Current Affairs

The Reserve Bank of India's primary objective when it raises the repo rate is best described as which of the following?

  1. To increase liquidity in the banking system
  2. To expand government capital expenditure
  3. To control inflation by making borrowing costlier Correct answer.
  4. To depreciate the rupee against the dollar

Explanation

The repo rate is the rate at which the RBI lends short-term funds to banks; raising it increases the cost of credit, dampens demand and helps contain inflation. This is a contractionary monetary policy measure under the Monetary Policy Committee framework.

Question 19General Studies and Current Affairs

Which of the following is the correct sequence of the stages of the Indian monsoon onset over Andhra Pradesh?

  1. Both monsoons arrive simultaneously in September
  2. The south-west monsoon reaches Rayalaseema before the coast
  3. North-east monsoon arrives in June and the south-west monsoon in October
  4. South-west monsoon reaches coastal Andhra before Telangana, and the north-east monsoon follows in October-November Correct answer.

Explanation

The south-west monsoon first strikes the Andhra coast in June and advances inland, while the retreating north-east monsoon brings rain from October to December, chiefly to coastal districts. Rayalaseema receives most of its limited rain from the north-east monsoon.

Question 20General Studies and Current Affairs

Which of the following statements about the Governor of an Indian State is correct?

  1. The Governor's term is fixed at six years and cannot be curtailed
  2. The Governor is appointed by the President and holds office during the pleasure of the President Correct answer.
  3. The Governor is elected by the State Legislative Assembly
  4. The Governor is appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

Explanation

Under Articles 155 and 156, the Governor is appointed by the President and holds office during the President's pleasure, normally for five years. The Governor is not elected and can be transferred or removed before completing the term.

Question 21General Studies and Current Affairs

The Visakhapatnam Steel Plant was set up primarily because of which locational advantage?

  1. Abundant coal reserves within the city limits
  2. Presence of large limestone deposits in the city
  3. Availability of cheap hydroelectric power from the Krishna delta
  4. Proximity to iron ore from Bailadila and port facilities for imported coking coal Correct answer.

Explanation

Visakhapatnam Steel Plant benefits from iron ore from Bailadila in Chhattisgarh and from a deep-water port that allows import of coking coal, which India lacks in adequate quality. The coastal location also supports export of finished steel.

Question 22General Studies and Current Affairs

Consider a hypothetical State Public Service Commission. Which of the following is consistent with the constitutional provisions on removal of its members?

  1. A member may be removed by the President only after a report of the Supreme Court on misbehaviour Correct answer.
  2. A member may be removed by the Chief Secretary on grounds of inefficiency
  3. A member may be removed by the Chief Minister at his discretion
  4. A member may be removed by the Governor on a simple resolution of the State Legislature

Explanation

Under Article 317, the Chairman or a member of a State Public Service Commission can be removed by the President on the ground of misbehaviour only after the Supreme Court, on a reference, finds him guilty. This protects the commission's independence from the executive.

Question 23General Studies and Current Affairs

Which of the following best explains why the Godavari and Krishna deltas in Andhra Pradesh face increasing salinity ingress?

  1. Volcanic activity beneath the deltaic sediments
  2. Over-extraction of groundwater and reduced freshwater flows lowering the water table Correct answer.
  3. Rapid tectonic uplift of the coastal plain
  4. Excessive rainfall diluting the soil salts

Explanation

Heavy groundwater pumping for agriculture and reduced river flows during dry periods lower the freshwater head in coastal aquifers, allowing seawater to intrude laterally. Salinity ingress is thus a consequence of the balance between recharge and extraction in deltaic aquifers.

Question 24General Studies and Current Affairs

A State Public Service Commission recommends a candidate who is later found to have secured the rank through suppression of material facts. Which of the following most accurately reflects the legal position?

  1. The commission cannot revisit the selection once the appointment order is issued
  2. Only a court of law can cancel the candidature, not the appointing authority
  3. The appointing authority may cancel the candidature for suppression of material facts even after selection Correct answer.
  4. The candidate must be retained because the merit list is final

Explanation

Selection does not confer an indefeasible right to appointment, and suppression or misrepresentation of material facts vitiates the candidature. Courts have consistently upheld cancellation of such selections because eligibility is the foundation of a valid recommendation.

Question 25General Studies and Current Affairs

Which of the following correctly explains why the fiscal deficit figure alone can understate a government's true borrowing need?

  1. Because it excludes off-budget borrowings by state-owned entities Correct answer.
  2. Because it ignores interest payments entirely
  3. Because it is measured only in foreign currency
  4. Because it includes disinvestment receipts as revenue

Explanation

Fiscal deficit captures only the budgeted borrowing of the government and omits borrowing by public sector undertakings and special purpose vehicles that are effectively serviced from public funds. Analysts therefore also track the 'augmented' or consolidated deficit to assess the true liability.

Question 26General Studies and Current Affairs

The Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission conducts its examinations primarily under which constitutional provision?

  1. Article 324
  2. Article 315 Correct answer.
  3. Article 356
  4. Article 320

Explanation

Article 315 provides for the establishment of Public Service Commissions for the Union and for each State, and it is this article that creates the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission as a constitutional body. Article 320 then lists the functions of such commissions, but the creation itself flows from Article 315.

Question 27General Studies and Current Affairs

Which of the following rivers of Andhra Pradesh is often described as the 'Dakshina Ganga' and is the second longest river of peninsular India?

  1. Krishna
  2. Godavari Correct answer.
  3. Tungabhadra
  4. Penna

Explanation

The Godavari, rising near Nashik in Maharashtra and flowing across Andhra Pradesh to the Bay of Bengal, is the longest river of peninsular India and is popularly called Dakshina Ganga. The Krishna is the second longest peninsular river, so it cannot be the answer.

Question 28General Studies and Current Affairs

The Araku Valley, famous for its coffee plantations and tribal culture, lies in which district region of Andhra Pradesh?

  1. Prakasam district
  2. Krishna district
  3. Alluri Sitharama Raju district Correct answer.
  4. Anantapur district

Explanation

Araku Valley is a hill station in the Eastern Ghats near Visakhapatnam and after the 2022 district reorganisation falls within Alluri Sitharama Raju district. Its high elevation and cool climate support the coffee grown by tribal cultivators there.

Question 29General Studies and Current Affairs

Which Fundamental Right was described by Dr B. R. Ambedkar as the 'heart and soul' of the Constitution?

  1. Right to Freedom
  2. Right to Equality
  3. Right to Constitutional Remedies Correct answer.
  4. Right against Exploitation

Explanation

Ambedkar called Article 32, the right to move the Supreme Court for enforcement of Fundamental Rights, the heart and soul of the Constitution because without an effective remedy the other rights would be hollow. It is the enforcement mechanism that gives the rest of Part III its practical force.

Question 30General Studies and Current Affairs

Which of the following is the correct chemical name for common table salt used in households across Andhra Pradesh?

  1. Sodium bicarbonate
  2. Calcium carbonate
  3. Potassium nitrate
  4. Sodium chloride Correct answer.

Explanation

Common salt is sodium chloride, NaCl, obtained in Andhra Pradesh both from sea-water evaporation along the coast and from inland rock-salt sources. Its characteristic ionic lattice of Na+ and Cl- ions gives the familiar cubic crystals.

Question 31General Studies and Current Affairs

The 'Kuchipudi' dance form, recognised as a classical dance of India, originated in which State?

  1. Tamil Nadu
  2. Odisha
  3. Andhra Pradesh Correct answer.
  4. Kerala

Explanation

Kuchipudi takes its name from the village of Kuchelapuram in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh, where the dance-drama tradition was nurtured by Brahmin men. It combines nritta, nritya and natya with distinctive Carnatic music accompaniment.

Question 32General Studies and Current Affairs

In the context of the Indian Constitution, the term 'State' as defined in Article 12 includes which of the following?

  1. The Government and Parliament of India, State governments and legislatures, and local authorities Correct answer.
  2. Only statutory corporations created by Parliament
  3. Only the executive organs of government
  4. Only the Union and State legislatures

Explanation

Article 12 defines 'State' expansively to cover the Government and Parliament of India, the government and legislature of each State, all local authorities, and other authorities within India or under the control of the Government of India. This wide definition is what makes Fundamental Rights enforceable against public bodies.

Question 33General Studies and Current Affairs

The 'Kolleru Lake', a Ramsar site between the Krishna and Godavari deltas, is best known for which of the following?

  1. Being the largest salt-water lagoon in India
  2. Being an artificial reservoir built for hydel power
  3. Being a crater lake of volcanic origin
  4. Being a freshwater lake famed for pelican and waterbird habitat Correct answer.

Explanation

Kolleru is a large shallow freshwater lake between the two deltas, fed by seasonal streams, and is celebrated as a habitat for pelicans and other migratory waterbirds. It was declared a Ramsar wetland and a wildlife sanctuary, though aquaculture has shrunk its area.

Question 34General Studies and Current Affairs

Which of the following is the correct expansion of the term 'GSDP' commonly used in Andhra Pradesh's budget documents?

  1. Gross State Domestic Product Correct answer.
  2. Government Subsidy Disbursement Programme
  3. Gross Sectoral Debt Position
  4. General State Development Plan

Explanation

GSDP stands for Gross State Domestic Product, the total money value of all goods and services produced within a State's boundaries in a year. It is the standard measure used to compare State economies and to compute per capita income.

Question 35General Studies and Current Affairs

The 'Pulicat Lake', on the border of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, is separated from the Bay of Bengal by which feature?

  1. A range of the Eastern Ghats
  2. A coral reef
  3. An artificial sea wall
  4. A sandbar known as Sriharikota island Correct answer.

Explanation

Pulicat is a brackish lagoon whose eastern side is closed off from the sea by the long sandbar of Sriharikota, on which the Satish Dhawan Space Centre is located. The lagoon receives fresh water mainly from the Arani and Kalangi rivers.

Question 36General Studies and Current Affairs

Which Article of the Constitution provides that the Governor of a State shall be appointed by the President and hold office during the pleasure of the President?

  1. Article 161
  2. Article 163
  3. Article 153
  4. Article 155 Correct answer.

Explanation

Article 155 provides for the appointment of the Governor by the President, and Article 156 specifies that the Governor holds office during the pleasure of the President for a term of five years. Article 153 merely says there shall be a Governor for each State.

Question 37General Studies and Current Affairs

A candidate appearing for the APPSC Group-I examination is asked about the 'Doctrine of Pleasure' in Indian administrative law. Which statement best describes its current position?

  1. The doctrine applies only to judges of High Courts
  2. Civil servants have a contractual right to remain in office until superannuation
  3. The doctrine has been abolished entirely by the 42nd Amendment
  4. Civil servants hold office during the pleasure of the President or Governor, but this is subject to constitutional safeguards under Article 311 Correct answer.

Explanation

The pleasure doctrine survives in Article 310, under which civil servants hold office during the pleasure of the President or Governor, but Article 311 imposes procedural safeguards: no dismissal or removal without inquiry and a reasonable opportunity of being heard. The Supreme Court has therefore held that the pleasure is not absolute or arbitrary.

Question 38General Studies and Current Affairs

Consider a situation where the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly passes a money bill. Which of the following is constitutionally required?

  1. The bill must be introduced in the Legislative Council first
  2. The bill requires prior approval of the President before introduction
  3. The bill must be passed by a special majority of two-thirds in the Assembly
  4. The bill can be introduced only in the Legislative Assembly on the recommendation of the Governor Correct answer.

Explanation

Article 207 read with Article 199 requires that a money bill be introduced only in the Legislative Assembly and only on the recommendation of the Governor. The Legislative Council can at most delay such a bill for fourteen days and cannot amend or reject it effectively.

Question 39General Studies and Current Affairs

The 'Polavaram Project' on the Godavari is formally known by which name in Andhra Pradesh government documents?

  1. Srisailam Project
  2. Nagarjuna Sagar Project
  3. Indira Sagar Project Correct answer.
  4. Sriram Sagar Project

Explanation

The Polavaram multipurpose project on the Godavari in Eluru district was renamed the Indira Sagar Project in official Andhra Pradesh documents. It is a national project intended for irrigation, drinking water and hydel power, and involves the resettlement of a large tribal population.

Question 40General Studies and Current Affairs

Which of the following statements about the 'Green Revolution' in Andhra Pradesh is most accurate?

  1. It mainly transformed cotton cultivation in the black-soil Rayalaseema districts
  2. It was confined to dryland millet cultivation and had no effect on rice output
  3. It depended primarily on organic farming techniques promoted by cooperatives
  4. It raised paddy yields in the coastal delta districts through high-yielding varieties, fertilisers and assured canal irrigation Correct answer.

Explanation

In Andhra Pradesh the Green Revolution was concentrated in the Godavari and Krishna delta districts, where canal irrigation, high-yielding paddy varieties, chemical fertilisers and pesticides together raised yields sharply from the late 1960s. The dry Rayalaseema districts benefited far less.

Question 41General Studies and Current Affairs

The 'Mana Vooru - Mana Badi' programme of the Andhra Pradesh government is primarily aimed at which of the following?

  1. Providing free laptops to college students
  2. Constructing new medical colleges in every district
  3. Subsidising private school fees for poor families
  4. Improving infrastructure and learning outcomes in government schools Correct answer.

Explanation

Mana Vooru - Mana Badi is a school development programme that channels funds for classrooms, furniture, toilets, drinking water, digital equipment and other facilities in government schools, with community participation. Its stated focus is on both infrastructure and learning outcomes.

Question 42General Studies and Current Affairs

Which of the following best explains why the coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh experience a shorter but more intense southwest monsoon season than the Telangana plateau?

  1. The southwest monsoon reaches the coast only after the northeast monsoon withdraws
  2. The coast receives no southwest monsoon rain at all
  3. The Eastern Ghats force moisture-laden winds to rise, but the coast lies in the rain-shadow for part of the season Correct answer.
  4. The coastal districts lie at a higher altitude than the plateau

Explanation

The southwest monsoon current crosses the Eastern Ghats, and the coastal plain receives heavy but comparatively brief spells as the winds ascend and then descend. Much of the coast's annual rainfall is in fact delivered later by the retreating northeast monsoon, which is why the southwest season is shorter there than on the plateau.

Question 43General Studies and Current Affairs

Which of the following is the correct order of the layers of the Earth's atmosphere from the surface upward?

  1. Stratosphere, troposphere, thermosphere, mesosphere
  2. Troposphere, mesosphere, stratosphere, thermosphere
  3. Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere Correct answer.
  4. Mesosphere, troposphere, stratosphere, thermosphere

Explanation

The atmosphere is layered by temperature behaviour: the troposphere, where weather occurs; the stratosphere, containing the ozone layer; the mesosphere, where most meteors burn up; and the thermosphere, where temperature rises sharply. The boundaries are the tropopause, stratopause and mesopause.

Question 44General Studies and Current Affairs

In a series circuit containing a 6-ohm and a 3-ohm resistor connected to a 9-volt battery, what is the current flowing through the circuit?

  1. 0.5 ampere
  2. 3 amperes
  3. 1 ampere Correct answer.
  4. 9 amperes

Explanation

In a series circuit the resistances add, giving an equivalent resistance of 6 + 3 = 9 ohms. Applying Ohm's law, I = V/R = 9/9 = 1 ampere, and the same current flows through both resistors.

Question 45General Studies and Current Affairs

Which of the following best describes the term 'demographic dividend' as used in discussions of Andhra Pradesh's economy?

  1. The increase in government revenue from a rising birth rate
  2. The burden imposed on the exchequer by an ageing population
  3. The economic growth potential arising when the working-age population is large relative to dependants Correct answer.
  4. The migration of skilled workers to other States

Explanation

A demographic dividend is the growth opportunity created when a large share of the population is of working age and the dependency ratio is low, provided those workers are healthy, educated and employed. Andhra Pradesh's fertility has fallen sharply, so its window of dividend is narrowing as the population ages.

Question 46General Studies and Current Affairs

The 'Special Category Status' long demanded for Andhra Pradesh after the 2014 bifurcation was sought mainly because it would have which effect?

  1. Preferential treatment in central assistance, including a higher grant-to-loan ratio and tax concessions Correct answer.
  2. Automatic membership of the United Nations
  3. A permanent seat on the GST Council with veto power
  4. Exemption from all central taxes

Explanation

Special Category Status historically carried benefits such as preferential central assistance with a higher grant component, tax concessions and special plan funding for hilly or resource-poor States. Andhra Pradesh's demand rested on the revenue and resource loss caused by the bifurcation.

Question 47General Studies and Current Affairs

Which of the following pairs of a mineral and a major producing location in Andhra Pradesh is correctly matched?

  1. Bauxite - Kurnool district Correct answer.
  2. Mica - Nellore district
  3. Limestone - Araku Valley
  4. Manganese - Visakhapatnam district

Explanation

Kurnool district, along with the adjoining Anantapur and Visakhapatnam regions, holds significant bauxite deposits that feed the aluminium industry. The other pairs misplace the mineral relative to its known producing area.

Question 48General Studies and Current Affairs

Which of the following statements about the 'Basic Structure' doctrine is correct?

  1. The doctrine applies only to State legislatures and not to Parliament
  2. Parliament cannot amend the Constitution so as to destroy its essential features, though it may amend any article Correct answer.
  3. Parliament can amend any part of the Constitution, including Fundamental Rights, without limitation
  4. The doctrine was laid down in the Golaknath case and never modified

Explanation

The Kesavananda Bharati judgment (1973) held that Parliament's amending power under Article 368 is wide but cannot be used to damage or destroy the basic structure of the Constitution. Later cases applied this to strike down clauses of the 42nd Amendment and to protect features such as judicial review and free elections.

Question 49General Studies and Current Affairs

A State Public Service Commission submits its annual report to the Governor. Which of the following is the constitutionally correct procedure for placing it before the legislature?

  1. The report is sent to the President, who lays it before Parliament
  2. The Governor may place it before the legislature with a memorandum explaining any case where the Commission's advice was not accepted Correct answer.
  3. The report is confidential and is never placed before the legislature
  4. The Commission directly places the report before the legislature without the Governor

Explanation

Article 323 requires the Commission to submit its annual report to the Governor, who causes it to be laid before the legislature together with a memorandum explaining, as far as practicable, any case where the Commission's advice was not accepted. This ensures legislative scrutiny of the Commission's functioning.

Question 50General Studies and Current Affairs

A candidate is appointed to a State service on the basis of a Commission's recommendation, but it is later discovered that the selection was vitiated by fraud in the examination. Which of the following best reflects the constitutional and legal position?

  1. Only the Governor can cancel the appointment, and only after a fresh examination
  2. The appointment is immune from challenge because the Commission's recommendation is final
  3. The candidate must be retained because cancellation would violate the right to equality
  4. The appointment can be cancelled, since fraud vitiates the selection and a candidate has no fundamental right to be appointed Correct answer.

Explanation

The Supreme Court has repeatedly held that fraud vitiates everything and that a selection obtained by fraud or suppression of material facts can be annulled, even after appointment. Article 16 guarantees equality of opportunity in public employment, not a right to a particular post, so cancellation does not violate it.