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CGPSC ACF/FRO practice questions

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Question 1General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

Which Chhattisgarh city is known as the 'Steel City of India' and hosts the Bhilai Steel Plant, set up with Soviet collaboration in the 1950s?

  1. Korba
  2. Raigarh
  3. Bhilai Correct answer.
  4. Bilaspur

Explanation

Bhilai in Durg district hosts the Bhilai Steel Plant, established in 1955 with technical and financial assistance from the USSR, and is widely called the Steel City. Korba is known for thermal power and aluminium, Raigarh for steel and power, and Bilaspur as a railway and judicial hub.

Question 2General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

The Chhattisgarh High Court was established in which year, after the state was carved out of Madhya Pradesh?

  1. 1998
  2. 2005
  3. 2003
  4. 2000 Correct answer.

Explanation

Chhattisgarh became a state on 1 November 2000, and the High Court at Bilaspur was established in the same year under the Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act. It initially functioned from a temporary arrangement before moving to its own premises.

Question 3General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

Which river, a major tributary of the Mahanadi, flows through the Bastar region and is known for the Chitrakote waterfall formed on it?

  1. Hasdeo
  2. Arpa
  3. Sheonath
  4. Indravati Correct answer.

Explanation

The Indravati rises in the Eastern Ghats of Odisha and flows through Bastar in Chhattisgarh, plunging at Chitrakote to form a horseshoe-shaped waterfall often called the Niagara of India. Hasdeo and Arpa are tributaries in the northern part of the state, and Sheonath flows near Raipur.

Question 4General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

The 'Bastar Rebellion' of 1910 was primarily a tribal uprising against which colonial measure?

  1. Imposition of the Rowlatt Act
  2. Partition of Bengal
  3. Introduction of the forest reservation policy and revenue demands Correct answer.
  4. Introduction of the Permanent Settlement

Explanation

The Bastar Rebellion of 1910, also called the Bhumkal, was a tribal revolt against British forest reservation policies, grazing restrictions and enhanced revenue demands that threatened customary rights over forests. The Rowlatt Act came in 1919, Bengal's partition in 1905, and the Permanent Settlement in 1793.

Question 5General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

Which mineral is mined in large quantities in the Bailadila range of Dantewada district, Chhattisgarh?

  1. Manganese
  2. Coal
  3. Iron ore Correct answer.
  4. Bauxite

Explanation

The Bailadila hills in Dantewada district hold some of India's richest high-grade iron ore deposits, largely worked by NMDC and exported through Visakhapatnam. Bauxite is mined mainly in the Amarkantak and Surguja belts, manganese in Balaghat-type belts, and coal in Korba and Raigarh.

Question 6General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

Which Article of the Indian Constitution provides for the appointment of a Finance Commission every five years?

  1. Article 280 Correct answer.
  2. Article 324
  3. Article 263
  4. Article 356

Explanation

Article 280 mandates that the President constitute a Finance Commission every five years to recommend distribution of net tax proceeds between the Union and states and principles governing grants-in-aid. Article 263 concerns inter-state councils, Article 324 the Election Commission, and Article 356 President's Rule.

Question 7General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

The Tropic of Cancer passes through which of the following Indian states?

  1. Odisha
  2. Tamil Nadu
  3. Kerala
  4. Rajasthan Correct answer.

Explanation

The Tropic of Cancer at about 23.5 degrees north passes through Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tripura and Mizoram. Kerala and Tamil Nadu lie entirely south of it, and Odisha lies south of the line.

Question 8General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

Which vitamin deficiency causes night blindness in humans?

  1. Vitamin C
  2. Vitamin D
  3. Vitamin B12
  4. Vitamin A Correct answer.

Explanation

Vitamin A is required for the synthesis of rhodopsin, the pigment needed for vision in dim light, and its deficiency leads to night blindness and later xerophthalmia. Vitamin B12 deficiency causes pernicious anaemia, vitamin C deficiency scurvy, and vitamin D deficiency rickets or osteomalacia.

Question 9General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

In the context of the Indian economy, which institution regulates monetary policy and issues currency notes other than one-rupee coins and notes?

  1. Reserve Bank of India Correct answer.
  2. NITI Aayog
  3. Securities and Exchange Board of India
  4. Ministry of Finance

Explanation

The Reserve Bank of India, under the RBI Act 1934, conducts monetary policy and issues currency notes, while one-rupee coins and notes are issued by the Government of India. SEBI regulates securities markets and NITI Aayog is a policy think tank.

Question 10General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

Which of the following is the largest tribal group of Chhattisgarh by population?

  1. Birhor
  2. Kamar
  3. Baiga
  4. Gond Correct answer.

Explanation

The Gond are the largest tribal community in Chhattisgarh, spread across Bastar, Durg and Raipur divisions, and the state's tribal population is dominated by them. Baiga are a smaller particularly vulnerable tribal group, while Kamar and Birhor are among the smallest PVTGs.

Question 11General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

The 'Bhumkal' uprising in Bastar in 1910 was led by which tribal leader?

  1. Veer Surendra Sai
  2. Gend Singh Correct answer.
  3. Tantya Bhil
  4. Alluri Sitarama Raju

Explanation

Gend Singh, a Halba tribal leader of Bastar, led the 1910 Bhumkal revolt against British forest and revenue policies and was later captured and hanged. Surendra Sai led revolts in Sambalpur, Tantya Bhil in the Narmada valley, and Alluri Sitarama Raju in the Rampa region of Andhra.

Question 12General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

Which of the following statements about the Mahanadi river basin is correct?

  1. The Mahanadi rises in the Aravallis and ends in the Rann of Kutch
  2. The Mahanadi rises in the Chhattisgarh region and drains into the Bay of Bengal Correct answer.
  3. The Mahanadi rises in the Western Ghats and drains into the Arabian Sea
  4. The Mahanadi rises in the Himalayas and joins the Ganga

Explanation

The Mahanadi originates in the Sihawa hills of Dhamtari district in Chhattisgarh, flows east through Odisha and forms a delta before entering the Bay of Bengal. It is an east-flowing peninsular river, so it does not drain into the Arabian Sea, the Ganga or the Rann.

Question 13General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

Which of the following is a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) of Chhattisgarh?

  1. Bhil
  2. Baiga Correct answer.
  3. Warli
  4. Toda

Explanation

Chhattisgarh has several PVTGs, including the Baiga, Kamar, Birhor, Pahari Korwa and Abujhmaria. The Bhil and Warli are large tribes of western India, and the Toda are a pastoral tribe of the Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu.

Question 14General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

Under the Constitution, the Governor of a state can reserve a bill passed by the state legislature for the consideration of the President under which Article?

  1. Article 167
  2. Article 213
  3. Article 143
  4. Article 200 Correct answer.

Explanation

Article 200 deals with the Governor's assent to bills, allowing the Governor to withhold assent or reserve a bill for the President's consideration. Article 213 covers ordinance-making power, Article 167 concerns the Chief Minister's duty to furnish information, and Article 143 covers advisory jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.

Question 15General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

Which of the following best explains why Chhattisgarh's Korba district is called the 'power capital of India'?

  1. It has the only nuclear power plant in central India
  2. It has large coal reserves and a cluster of thermal power stations Correct answer.
  3. It has the country's largest hydroelectric dam
  4. It has the largest solar park in India

Explanation

Korba sits on the Korba coalfield and hosts major thermal power stations such as NTPC Korba, Sipat and state-run plants, giving it the nickname power capital. It has no large hydroelectric dam of national record, no record solar park, and no nuclear plant.

Question 16General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

The 'Green Revolution' in India was primarily associated with the increased production of which crops?

  1. Sugarcane and groundnut
  2. Cotton and jute
  3. Tea and coffee
  4. Wheat and rice Correct answer.

Explanation

The Green Revolution of the late 1960s introduced high-yielding varieties of wheat and rice along with irrigation, fertilisers and pesticides, transforming foodgrain output in Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh. Cotton, jute, tea, coffee and sugarcane were not its central focus.

Question 17General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

Which of the following is a correct pairing of a Chhattisgarh protected area with its location?

  1. Guru Ghasidas National Park - Dantewada district
  2. Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve - Surguja district
  3. Indravati National Park - Raipur district
  4. Kanger Valley National Park - Bastar district Correct answer.

Explanation

Kanger Valley National Park lies in Bastar district near Jagdalpur and is known for the Kutumsar caves and the hill myna. Indravati National Park is in Bijapur, Guru Ghasidas National Park in Koriya, and the Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve straddles the Chhattisgarh-Madhya Pradesh border near Bilaspur.

Question 18General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

Which fundamental duty was added to the Constitution by the 42nd Amendment Act, 1976?

  1. To pay taxes honestly
  2. To protect and improve the natural environment Correct answer.
  3. To respect the national flag only
  4. To vote in elections

Explanation

The 42nd Amendment inserted Part IVA (Article 51A) containing ten fundamental duties, one of which is to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife. Paying taxes and voting are not fundamental duties, and respect for the flag is only one element of a broader duty.

Question 19General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

Which type of soil covers the largest area of the Chhattisgarh plains and supports paddy cultivation?

  1. Alluvial soil
  2. Laterite soil
  3. Red and yellow soil Correct answer.
  4. Black cotton soil

Explanation

Most of the Chhattisgarh plains are covered by red and yellow soils derived from crystalline rocks, often mixed with sandy and clayey patches, and these support the state's rice-based agriculture. Black soil is limited in extent, laterite occurs on uplands, and true alluvium is confined to narrow river valleys.

Question 20General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

The 'Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana' primarily aims to:

  1. Guarantee a minimum support price for all crops
  2. Distribute free seeds to all farmers
  3. Provide insurance cover against crop loss due to natural calamities Correct answer.
  4. Provide free electricity to farmers

Explanation

PMFBY provides financial support to farmers suffering crop loss or damage from unforeseen natural events such as drought, flood, pest attack and disease. Minimum support prices are announced separately by the CACP, and free electricity or seeds are state-level welfare measures, not the scheme's purpose.

Question 21General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

Which of the following is the correct order of the geological time units from largest to smallest?

  1. Epoch, period, era, eon
  2. Eon, era, period, epoch Correct answer.
  3. Era, eon, epoch, period
  4. Period, eon, era, epoch

Explanation

Geological time is hierarchically divided as eon, era, period and epoch, with eon being the largest unit and epoch the smallest. For example, the Phanerozoic eon contains the Mesozoic era, which contains the Cretaceous period, which contains epochs such as the Maastrichtian.

Question 22General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

Which of the following is a key feature of the Goods and Services Tax introduced in India in 2017?

  1. It replaces corporate income tax
  2. It is levied only on imports
  3. It is a destination-based indirect tax on consumption Correct answer.
  4. It is a direct tax on individual income

Explanation

GST is a destination-based value-added tax on consumption that subsumed many central and state indirect taxes such as excise, service tax and VAT. It is not a direct tax on income, is not restricted to imports, and does not replace corporate income tax.

Question 23General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

Which Chhattisgarh tribal revolt occurred in 1825 in the Kanker region against the British and local rulers?

  1. Santhal Rebellion
  2. Rampa Rebellion
  3. Bhumkal
  4. Paralkot Rebellion Correct answer.

Explanation

The Paralkot Rebellion of 1825 was a tribal uprising in the Kanker region led by tribal chiefs against British interference and oppressive local administration. Bhumkal occurred in 1910 in Bastar, the Rampa Rebellion in Andhra in the 1920s, and the Santhal Rebellion in 1855-56 in Jharkhand-Bengal.

Question 24General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

Which of the following statements about the 'Abujhmaria' tribe of Chhattisgarh is correct?

  1. They are a fishing community of the Mahanadi delta
  2. They are a plains tribe of the Raipur region
  3. They are a PVTG inhabiting the Abujhmar hills of Bastar Correct answer.
  4. They are a pastoral tribe of the Nilgiris

Explanation

The Abujhmaria are a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group living in the Abujhmar hills of Bastar, known for practising shifting cultivation and retaining distinct cultural traditions. They are not a plains, Nilgiri or delta community.

Question 25General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

In the context of the Indian Constitution, which of the following correctly describes the 'basic structure' doctrine?

  1. The President can veto constitutional amendments
  2. The Supreme Court cannot review constitutional amendments
  3. Parliament can amend any part of the Constitution without limitation
  4. Parliament cannot amend features fundamental to the Constitution's identity Correct answer.

Explanation

The basic structure doctrine, laid down in Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973), holds that Parliament's amending power under Article 368 cannot destroy essential features such as supremacy of the Constitution, secularism and judicial review. Parliament's power is therefore not unlimited, the Supreme Court can review amendments, and the President's assent is part of the ordinary process.

Question 26General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

Which Chhattisgarh city is the administrative headquarters of the state's only Indian Institute of Technology?

  1. Durg
  2. Bhilai
  3. Raipur Correct answer.
  4. Bilaspur

Explanation

The Indian Institute of Technology Bhilai was established in 2016 under the mentorship of IIT Hyderabad, and its permanent campus is located in the Raipur district area, with Raipur serving as the administrative base for the institute's operations. The institute is named after Bhilai but is administered from Raipur, which is the state capital and the seat of most higher-education administration in Chhattisgarh.

Question 27General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

The 'Dandakaranya' region, frequently mentioned in the context of Chhattisgarh's geography, is best described as:

  1. A semi-arid plateau in western Rajasthan
  2. A coastal plain along the Bay of Bengal
  3. A hilly, forested tract spread across Bastar and adjoining states Correct answer.
  4. A fertile alluvial belt in the Mahanadi delta

Explanation

Dandakaranya is the forested, hilly expanse of central India covering the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh and adjoining parts of Odisha, Maharashtra and Telangana. It is associated with dense sal forests and tribal habitation rather than coastal or alluvial plains.

Question 28General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

In the context of Chhattisgarh's economy, the state's 'Mineral Development Fund' is used primarily for which purpose?

  1. Funding infrastructure and development works in mining-affected districts Correct answer.
  2. Providing subsidies to private mining companies for exports
  3. Purchasing mineral shares in international commodity markets
  4. Paying salaries of central mining officials posted in the state

Explanation

Chhattisgarh established a Mineral Development Fund to channel mineral royalties and related revenue into development works, particularly infrastructure and welfare in mining-affected districts. The fund is a state instrument for reinvesting extractive revenue into local development rather than subsidising private exports.

Question 29General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

Which of the following statements about the 'PESA Act, 1996' is correct in relation to Chhattisgarh?

  1. It transferred all tribal welfare subjects to the Union government
  2. It extends Panchayati Raj provisions to Scheduled Areas with special powers for Gram Sabhas Correct answer.
  3. It applies only to urban local bodies in tribal districts
  4. It abolished Gram Sabhas in Scheduled Areas

Explanation

The Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 extends Part IX of the Constitution to Fifth Schedule areas while vesting special powers in the Gram Sabha, including control over minor minerals, land alienation and local resources. Chhattisgarh, which has substantial Scheduled Areas in Bastar and Surguja divisions, implements PESA alongside its state panchayat laws.

Question 30General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

The 'Bastar Dussehra' festival is distinctive because it:

  1. Centres on the worship of the Danteshwari goddess and lasts over seventy days Correct answer.
  2. Is celebrated only by Muslim communities of Bastar
  3. Commemorates the victory of the British over tribal rulers
  4. Is a harvest festival restricted to a single village

Explanation

Bastar Dussehra is a unique tribal festival centred on the Danteshwari goddess and traditionally runs for more than seventy days, involving rituals such as the pat jatra and the rath. It is not a commemoration of colonial victory and involves multiple communities across the Bastar region.

Question 31General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

Which of the following best explains why Chhattisgarh is called the 'rice bowl of central India'?

  1. It produces surplus paddy from its fertile plains and is a major contributor to central India's rice supply Correct answer.
  2. It imports most of its rice from coastal states
  3. It has the largest area under wheat cultivation in central India
  4. It grows rice only in the hilly Bastar plateau

Explanation

Chhattisgarh's plains, particularly the Chhattisgarh basin with its fertile soils and monsoon rainfall, support extensive paddy cultivation that yields a surplus beyond local consumption. This surplus supply to other regions underpins the 'rice bowl' description.

Question 32General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

Which of the following is the correct sequence of the major dynasties that ruled parts of present-day Chhattisgarh in chronological order?

  1. Haihayas, Marathas, Kalachuris, British
  2. Kalachuris, Haihayas, Marathas, British
  3. Haihayas, Kalachuris, Marathas, British Correct answer.
  4. Marathas, Haihayas, Kalachuris, British

Explanation

The Haihaya rulers of Ratanpur and the Kalachuri (Chedi) dynasty governed large parts of Chhattisgarh in the early medieval period, with the Haihayas preceding the Kalachuri ascendancy. The Marathas took control in the eighteenth century, and the British followed in the nineteenth century.

Question 33General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

Which of the following statements about the 'Chhattisgarh Food Security Act' implementation is correct?

  1. It replaces the Public Distribution System with cash transfers
  2. It provides subsidised food grains to eligible households under the National Food Security Act framework Correct answer.
  3. It applies only to urban households in Raipur
  4. It bans all private trade in food grains in the state

Explanation

Chhattisgarh implements the National Food Security Act through its own food security legislation, supplying highly subsidised rice to eligible households via the Public Distribution System. The state's reforms in PDS digitisation and procurement are widely cited, but the scheme does not ban private grain trade or replace PDS with cash transfers.

Question 34General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

Which of the following statements about the 'Bhoramdeo' temple complex in Chhattisgarh is correct?

  1. It is a group of temples built by the Nag dynasty, known for erotic carvings and often called the 'Khajuraho of Chhattisgarh' Correct answer.
  2. It is a Buddhist monastery in the Bastar plateau
  3. It is a Jain temple built by the Marathas in the eighteenth century
  4. It is a colonial-era church in Raipur

Explanation

The Bhoramdeo temple complex in Kabirdham district was built by the Nag dynasty rulers and is noted for its intricate carvings, earning it the popular description 'Khajuraho of Chhattisgarh'. It is a Hindu temple complex, not a Buddhist, Jain or colonial structure.

Question 35General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

Which of the following is the principal reason for the high concentration of aluminium and steel industries in the Korba-Raigarh belt of Chhattisgarh?

  1. Cheap imported natural gas pipelines
  2. Proximity to coal, iron ore and power generation Correct answer.
  3. Abundant petroleum reserves
  4. Availability of sea ports for export

Explanation

The Korba-Raigarh belt hosts coal reserves, iron ore deposits and large thermal power generation capacity, making it economical to locate energy-intensive aluminium smelting and steel production there. Chhattisgarh is landlocked and lacks petroleum or gas pipeline advantages on the scale of coastal states.

Question 36General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

The 'Samta' movement in Chhattisgarh is historically associated with which of the following?

  1. A peasant and tribal movement against feudal exploitation and bonded labour Correct answer.
  2. A campaign for the separation of Vidarbha from Maharashtra
  3. An urban housing rights agitation in Delhi
  4. A movement demanding a separate state of Telangana

Explanation

The Samta movement in Chhattisgarh emerged as a peasant and tribal struggle against feudal landlords, bonded labour and exploitation, drawing on earlier tribal resistance traditions. It is a regional social movement, not a statehood agitation for Vidarbha or Telangana.

Question 37General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

Which of the following correctly describes the 'Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme' as implemented in Chhattisgarh?

  1. It offers scholarships to elderly students pursuing higher education
  2. It provides free housing to all elderly citizens
  3. It provides a monthly pension to eligible elderly persons below the poverty line, with a state top-up Correct answer.
  4. It is a health insurance scheme for children

Explanation

The scheme provides monthly pensions to elderly persons aged sixty and above who belong to below-poverty-line households, and Chhattisgarh adds a state contribution on top of the central amount. It is a cash pension transfer, not a housing, child health or scholarship scheme.

Question 38General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

Which of the following statements about the 'Kanger Valley National Park' is correct?

  1. It lies in the Bastar region and is known for limestone caves and the Kutumsar cave Correct answer.
  2. It is located in the Chhattisgarh plains and is known for desert vegetation
  3. It is a marine national park on the Bay of Bengal
  4. It lies in the Raipur plains and is famous for its tiger reserve

Explanation

Kanger Valley National Park is situated in the Bastar region near Jagdalpur and is noted for its karst limestone caves, including the Kutumsar cave, along with dense sal forests and diverse wildlife. It is not a marine park and does not lie in the Raipur plains.

Question 39General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

In the context of Indian science and technology policy, the 'National Quantum Mission' approved in 2023 aims primarily to:

  1. Build a national network of nuclear power plants
  2. Provide free smartphones to all rural households
  3. Develop quantum computing, communication, sensing and materials capabilities over eight years Correct answer.
  4. Replace all conventional computers in government offices within one year

Explanation

The National Quantum Mission, approved in 2023 with a timeline of eight years, seeks to build capabilities in quantum computing, quantum communication, quantum sensing and quantum materials through research hubs and institutional support. It is a research and development mission, not a one-year computer replacement or a nuclear or telecom subsidy programme.

Question 40General Studies (history, geography, polity, economy, science & technology, current affairs of Chhattisgarh and India)

Which of the following best explains the significance of the 'Great Nicobar Island Development Project' in recent Indian current affairs?

  1. It is a large infrastructure and transhipment port project that has raised environmental and tribal concerns Correct answer.
  2. It is a programme to construct a canal across the Isthmus of Kra
  3. It is a scheme to relocate the Andamanese to the mainland
  4. It is a project to build a new capital city for India

Explanation

The Great Nicobar project involves a transhipment port, airport, township and related infrastructure, and has drawn debate over its ecological impact on rainforests and coral reefs and its implications for indigenous tribes such as the Shompen and Nicobarese. It is not a capital-city project or a foreign canal scheme.

Question 41Forestry, Silviculture and Forest Management

In silviculture, the term 'regeneration felling' refers to a cutting operation whose primary purpose is to establish a new crop of seedlings under or after the parent stand. Which of the following is a regeneration felling rather than a tending operation?

  1. Seed tree felling Correct answer.
  2. Pruning
  3. Cleaning
  4. Thinning from below

Explanation

Regeneration fellings (seed tree, shelterwood, clear felling) are designed to create conditions for a new crop, whereas cleaning, thinning and pruning are intermediate tending operations carried out to improve the growth of the existing stand. The seed tree felling deliberately leaves scattered mother trees to seed the area, so it belongs to the regeneration class.

Question 42Forestry, Silviculture and Forest Management

Which silvicultural system is characterised by removal of the entire stand in a single operation, followed by artificial or natural regeneration of an even-aged crop?

  1. Accessory system
  2. Clear felling system Correct answer.
  3. Selection system
  4. Shelterwood system

Explanation

Clear felling removes the whole mature crop in one cut and the new even-aged stand is regenerated artificially or naturally afterwards. The selection system maintains uneven-aged structure, and the shelterwood system retains a seed-bearing overstorey in stages.

Question 43Forestry, Silviculture and Forest Management

In the shelterwood system, the felling that removes the remaining mature trees after regeneration is established is called the:

  1. Secondary felling
  2. Final felling Correct answer.
  3. Seeding felling
  4. Preparatory felling

Explanation

Shelterwood fellings proceed as preparatory, seeding, secondary and final fellings. The final felling removes the last overstorey once the regeneration is tall enough to be released safely.

Question 44Forestry, Silviculture and Forest Management

A forester marks a stand for a thinning and removes only suppressed, dying and wolf trees while leaving the dominant and co-dominant stems. This operation is best described as:

  1. Thinning from below Correct answer.
  2. Thinning from above
  3. Mechanical thinning
  4. Crown thinning

Explanation

Thinning from below removes trees from the lower crown classes (suppressed and dying stems), leaving the dominant and co-dominant trees to occupy the site. Thinning from above instead removes some dominant or co-dominant stems to favour selected elite trees.

Question 45Forestry, Silviculture and Forest Management

The 'grade' of a thinning refers to the intensity of removal and is commonly expressed in India by the number of stems removed out of every ten. A C-grade thinning removes approximately:

  1. 7 out of 10 stems
  2. 5 out of 10 stems
  3. 3 out of 10 stems Correct answer.
  4. 1 out of 10 stems

Explanation

Thinning grades are conventionally described as A, B, C and D, corresponding to removal of about 1, 3, 5 and 7 stems per ten respectively. A C-grade thinning is therefore a moderately heavy removal of about three stems in ten.

Question 46Forestry, Silviculture and Forest Management

Which of the following best describes the silvicultural objective of a 'clean felling' in an irregular or selection forest?

  1. Removal of defective and unsound trees to improve the growing stock Correct answer.
  2. Removal of the entire canopy to promote natural seeding
  3. Removal of regeneration to protect the site
  4. Removal of all mature trees to create an even-aged crop

Explanation

A clean felling removes unsound, diseased and defective stems so that the residual growing stock is healthier and better formed. It is a tending-type cut in the selection forest and does not aim to create an even-aged crop.

Question 47Forestry, Silviculture and Forest Management

In forest mensuration, the form factor of a tree is defined as the ratio of:

  1. Bark thickness to wood diameter
  2. Tree height to diameter at breast height
  3. Tree volume to the volume of a cylinder of the same height and diameter at breast height Correct answer.
  4. Basal area to total volume

Explanation

The form factor expresses actual stem volume as a fraction of the volume of a cylinder having the same diameter at breast height and the same total height. Because stems taper, the form factor is normally less than one.

Question 48Forestry, Silviculture and Forest Management

A sample plot of 0.1 hectare contains 35 trees. What is the stand density expressed as stems per hectare?

  1. 350 stems per hectare Correct answer.
  2. 3,500 stems per hectare
  3. 35 stems per hectare
  4. 70 stems per hectare

Explanation

Density per hectare is obtained by dividing the number of stems by the plot area in hectares: 35 divided by 0.1 equals 350 stems per hectare. Expanding from a tenth-hectare plot simply multiplies the count by ten.

Question 49Forestry, Silviculture and Forest Management

Which site quality classification method uses the mean height of the dominant and co-dominant trees at a specified reference age to compare sites?

  1. Basal area table
  2. Stocking percent
  3. Yield table
  4. Site index Correct answer.

Explanation

Site index uses the top height (mean height of dominant and co-dominant trees) attained at a standard reference age as a measure of site productivity. Two sites of the same species can then be ranked by comparing this height at the reference age.

Question 50Forestry, Silviculture and Forest Management

In the context of forest management, 'sustained yield' means that:

  1. The yield of forest produce is maintained continuously without diminishing the productive capacity of the forest Correct answer.
  2. Harvesting is restricted to dead and fallen trees only
  3. All trees are harvested at maturity in one rotation
  4. Annual harvest is maximised in the first rotation

Explanation

Sustained yield requires that the flow of forest produce be maintained indefinitely without reducing the capital growing stock or site productivity. It is the core principle behind the working plan and the regulation of annual cuts.