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JSSC JE practice questions

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Question 1General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

The Fundamental Duties of citizens were added to the Constitution of India on the recommendation of which committee?

  1. Ashok Mehta Committee
  2. Swaran Singh Committee Correct answer.
  3. Kothari Commission
  4. Sarkaria Commission

Explanation

The Fundamental Duties were inserted by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976, on the recommendation of the Swaran Singh Committee appointed by the Congress party. They were placed in Part IVA as Article 51A and originally numbered ten duties.

Question 2General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

Which layer of the Earth's atmosphere contains the ozone layer that absorbs most ultraviolet radiation from the Sun?

  1. Thermosphere
  2. Mesosphere
  3. Stratosphere Correct answer.
  4. Troposphere

Explanation

The ozone layer lies mainly in the stratosphere, roughly 15 to 35 km above the surface. Ozone molecules there absorb ultraviolet radiation, shielding life on Earth and warming the stratosphere.

Question 3General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

The Battle of Plassey in 1757 was fought between the forces of the British East India Company and which Nawab of Bengal?

  1. Ali Vardi Khan
  2. Siraj-ud-Daulah Correct answer.
  3. Mir Qasim
  4. Murshid Quli Khan

Explanation

Robert Clive defeated Siraj-ud-Daulah at Plassey in 1757, largely because a large part of the Nawab's army under Mir Jafar did not fight. The victory gave the Company effective political control over Bengal.

Question 4General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

In the context of the Indian economy, 'repo rate' refers to the rate at which

  1. the Reserve Bank of India lends short-term funds to commercial banks against government securities Correct answer.
  2. commercial banks lend to their most creditworthy customers
  3. banks lend to each other in the overnight call money market
  4. the Reserve Bank of India absorbs surplus liquidity from commercial banks

Explanation

The repo rate is the policy rate at which the RBI provides short-term liquidity to banks against the collateral of government securities under a repurchase agreement. It is the principal instrument through which the Monetary Policy Committee signals its stance.

Question 5General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

Which vitamin deficiency causes the disease scurvy, marked by bleeding gums and poor wound healing?

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

Explanation

Scurvy results from a lack of ascorbic acid, that is, Vitamin C, which is needed for collagen synthesis. Without adequate collagen, connective tissues weaken, producing bleeding gums, easy bruising and delayed wound healing.

Question 6General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

Which Article of the Constitution of India provides for the establishment of an All India Services?

  1. Article 315
  2. Article 310
  3. Article 312 Correct answer.
  4. Article 320

Explanation

Article 312 empowers Parliament to create new All India Services common to the Union and the States if the Rajya Sabha passes a resolution by a special majority declaring it necessary in the national interest. The Indian Administrative Service, Indian Police Service and Indian Forest Service are such services.

Question 7General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

The Tropic of Cancer passes through how many Indian States?

  1. Six
  2. Seven
  3. Eight Correct answer.
  4. Nine

Explanation

The Tropic of Cancer crosses India through eight States: Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tripura and Mizoram. It passes roughly through the middle of the country and is often cited as a locational fact in Indian geography.

Question 8General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

Who founded the Servants of India Society in 1905 to train Indians for public work?

  1. Lala Lajpat Rai
  2. Gopal Krishna Gokhale Correct answer.
  3. Annie Besant
  4. Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Explanation

Gopal Krishna Gokhale founded the Servants of India Society in Pune in 1905 to create a body of trained, disciplined workers dedicated to social and political reform. The Society emphasised constitutional methods rather than mass agitation.

Question 9General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

The chemical name of baking soda, widely used in cooking and as an antacid, is

  1. sodium bicarbonate Correct answer.
  2. sodium carbonate
  3. sodium chloride
  4. calcium carbonate

Explanation

Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, NaHCO3, a mild base that neutralises stomach acid and releases carbon dioxide when heated or treated with acid, which makes dough rise. Sodium carbonate, Na2CO3, is washing soda and is distinctly more alkaline.

Question 10General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

Which of the following is a direct tax in the Indian fiscal system?

  1. Excise duty on petroleum products
  2. Customs duty
  3. Goods and Services Tax
  4. Income tax Correct answer.

Explanation

A direct tax is levied on income or wealth and its burden cannot be shifted to another person, so income tax is a direct tax. Indirect taxes such as GST, customs duty and excise duty are collected on goods and services and are ultimately borne by the consumer.

Question 11General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

The Preamble to the Constitution of India declares India to be a

  1. sovereign democratic monarchy
  2. socialist secular democratic republic
  3. sovereign socialist secular democratic republic Correct answer.
  4. federal secular democratic republic

Explanation

As amended by the 42nd Amendment Act, 1976, the Preamble reads that India is a Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic. The words 'socialist' and 'secular' were inserted by that amendment.

Question 12General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

Which strait separates India from Sri Lanka?

  1. Ten Degree Channel
  2. Palk Strait Correct answer.
  3. Strait of Malacca
  4. Bering Strait

Explanation

The Palk Strait, together with the Gulf of Mannar, separates the southern Indian coast from Sri Lanka. The shallow ridge of Adam's Bridge lies across it, and the Ten Degree Channel separates the Andaman and Nicobar island groups.

Question 13General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

The Rowlatt Act of 1919 was significant in the Indian freedom struggle primarily because it

  1. provided for the partition of Bengal
  2. created provincial legislatures with elected majorities
  3. introduced separate electorates for Muslims
  4. allowed detention without trial and triggered nationwide protests including the Jallianwala Bagh tragedy Correct answer.

Explanation

The Rowlatt Act empowered the government to arrest and detain persons without trial, which provoked widespread opposition led by Gandhi and culminated in the Jallianwala Bagh massacre at Amritsar in April 1919. It marked a turning point that pushed the Congress toward mass agitation.

Question 14General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

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

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

Explanation

The ampere is the SI base unit of electric current, defined as the flow of one coulomb of charge per second. The coulomb measures charge, the ohm measures resistance and the volt measures potential difference.

Question 15General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

The NITI Aayog, which replaced the Planning Commission of India, was established in which year?

  1. 2015 Correct answer.
  2. 2017
  3. 2014
  4. 2012

Explanation

NITI Aayog, the National Institution for Transforming India, was constituted by a Union Cabinet resolution on 1 January 2015. It replaced the Planning Commission and functions as a policy think tank that promotes cooperative and competitive federalism.

Question 16General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

Which schedule of the Constitution of India deals with the administration of tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram?

  1. Sixth Schedule Correct answer.
  2. Seventh Schedule
  3. Fifth Schedule
  4. Ninth Schedule

Explanation

The Sixth Schedule provides for Autonomous District Councils in the tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. The Fifth Schedule, by contrast, deals with Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes in States other than these four.

Question 17General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

The Deccan Plateau is bounded by which two mountain ranges on its western and eastern edges respectively?

  1. Karakoram and Zanskar
  2. Aravalli and Vindhya
  3. Satpura and Maikal
  4. Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats Correct answer.

Explanation

The Deccan Plateau is flanked by the Western Ghats along its western edge and the Eastern Ghats along its eastern edge, with the plateau sloping gently eastward. The two ranges meet in the Nilgiri Hills in the south.

Question 18General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

Who was the first Indian woman to become President of the Indian National Congress?

  1. Sarojini Naidu Correct answer.
  2. Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit
  3. Annie Besant
  4. Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay

Explanation

Sarojini Naidu became the first Indian woman president of the Indian National Congress, presiding over its Kanpur session in 1925. Annie Besant had presided earlier, in 1917, but she was of British origin, not Indian.

Question 19General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

In the human body, the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place in which structure?

  1. Alveoli Correct answer.
  2. Trachea
  3. Pleura
  4. Bronchi

Explanation

Gas exchange occurs across the thin walls of the alveoli, tiny air sacs at the ends of the bronchioles, which are surrounded by capillaries. Oxygen diffuses into the blood while carbon dioxide diffuses out into the alveolar air.

Question 20General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

'Operation Green' of the Government of India is chiefly concerned with

  1. stabilising prices of tomato, onion and potato Correct answer.
  2. cleaning the Ganga river
  3. providing subsidised cooking gas connections
  4. reforestation of degraded forest land

Explanation

Operation Green, announced in the Union Budget 2018-19, supports the production and price stability of tomato, onion and potato through market intervention and buffer stock schemes. It was later extended to other perishable crops under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund framework.

Question 21General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

A bill introduced in the Parliament of India to amend the Constitution under Article 368 must be passed by

  1. a two-thirds majority of the total membership of the Lok Sabha alone
  2. a special majority in each House separately Correct answer.
  3. a simple majority of members present and voting in each House
  4. a special majority in a joint sitting of both Houses

Explanation

A Constitution Amendment Bill must be passed in each House separately by a majority of the total membership of that House and by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting. There is no provision for a joint sitting to resolve disagreement on such a bill.

Question 22General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

Which gas is chiefly responsible for the greenhouse effect that raises the Earth's average surface temperature?

  1. Oxygen
  2. Argon
  3. Carbon dioxide Correct answer.
  4. Nitrogen

Explanation

Carbon dioxide absorbs outgoing infrared radiation and is the principal anthropogenic greenhouse gas, along with methane and water vapour. Nitrogen, oxygen and argon are transparent to infrared radiation and do not contribute to the greenhouse effect.

Question 23General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

The Green Revolution in India during the late 1960s was most closely associated with which crop and scientist?

  1. Sugarcane and Verghese Kurien
  2. Wheat and Norman Borlaug
  3. Rice and M. S. Swaminathan Correct answer.
  4. Cotton and C. Subramaniam

Explanation

M. S. Swaminathan led the Indian effort to adapt high-yielding semi-dwarf wheat and rice varieties, and the Green Revolution transformed Indian foodgrain output. Norman Borlaug developed the dwarf wheat varieties abroad, but the Indian programme is identified with Swaminathan.

Question 24General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

Which of the following is the correct sequence of the layers of the Earth from the surface toward the centre?

  1. Crust, inner core, mantle, outer core
  2. Mantle, crust, inner core, outer core
  3. Crust, outer core, mantle, inner core
  4. Crust, mantle, outer core, inner core Correct answer.

Explanation

The Earth is layered by composition and physical state: a thin crust, a thick silicate mantle, a liquid outer core and a solid inner core. The outer core's liquid iron alloy is responsible for the planet's magnetic field.

Question 25General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

The Reserve Bank of India was nationalised in which year?

  1. 1947
  2. 1935
  3. 1969
  4. 1949 Correct answer.

Explanation

The RBI began operations in 1935 as a private shareholders' bank and was nationalised on 1 January 1949. Its nationalisation followed shortly after independence and gave the government full ownership of the central bank.

Question 26General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

Which Indian city is located on the banks of the Musi River and is known for the Charminar?

  1. Hyderabad Correct answer.
  2. Bhopal
  3. Vijayawada
  4. Nagpur

Explanation

The Musi is a tributary of the Krishna on whose banks Hyderabad was founded in 1591 by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, who also built the Charminar. Nagpur lies on the Nag River, Bhopal beside the Upper Lake, and Vijayawada on the Krishna.

Question 27General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

Who among the following founded the Ghadar Party in the United States in 1913?

  1. Madan Lal Dhingra
  2. Lala Har Dayal Correct answer.
  3. Shyamji Krishna Varma
  4. Rash Behari Bose

Explanation

The Ghadar Party was founded at San Francisco in 1913 with Lala Har Dayal as its leading intellectual figure and Sohan Singh Bhakna as president. It published the paper Ghadar and planned an armed uprising in India during the First World War.

Question 28General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

Which of the following is the largest source of revenue receipts for the Union Government of India?

  1. Customs duties
  2. Dividends from public sector enterprises
  3. Interest receipts
  4. Corporation tax Correct answer.

Explanation

Corporation tax, levied on the profits of companies, is the single largest component of the Union Government's revenue receipts, followed by GST and income tax. Customs duties and non-tax receipts such as interest and dividends are much smaller.

Question 29General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

Which of the following is the correct order of the planets of the solar system in increasing distance from the Sun?

  1. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Earth, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus
  2. Mercury, Earth, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
  3. Venus, Mercury, Earth, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune
  4. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune Correct answer.

Explanation

The planets in order outward from the Sun are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Venus lies between Mercury and Earth, and Uranus lies beyond Saturn, which rules out the other sequences.

Question 30General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

The Bhakra Nangal Dam, one of the highest gravity dams in Asia, is built on which river?

  1. Chenab
  2. Sutlej Correct answer.
  3. Ravi
  4. Beas

Explanation

Bhakra Nangal is constructed on the Sutlej at the border of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, impounding the Gobind Sagar reservoir. The Beas, Ravi and Chenab are the other Indus tributaries, but this dam is not located on them.

Question 31General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

The 'Doctrine of Lapse', used by the East India Company to annex Indian states, is chiefly associated with which Governor-General?

  1. Lord Dalhousie Correct answer.
  2. Lord Wellesley
  3. Lord Curzon
  4. Lord Cornwallis

Explanation

Lord Dalhousie (1848-56) applied the Doctrine of Lapse, under which a dependent state without a natural heir lapsed to the Company, leading to annexations such as Satara, Jhansi and Nagpur. Wellesley used the Subsidiary Alliance, Cornwallis introduced the Permanent Settlement, and Curzon partitioned Bengal.

Question 32General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

Which of the following is the SI unit of pressure?

  1. Joule
  2. Pascal Correct answer.
  3. Newton
  4. Watt

Explanation

The pascal (Pa) is the SI unit of pressure, defined as one newton per square metre. The newton measures force, the joule measures energy, and the watt measures power.

Question 33General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

Which Article of the Constitution of India abolishes untouchability and forbids its practice in any form?

  1. Article 15
  2. Article 19
  3. Article 14
  4. Article 17 Correct answer.

Explanation

Article 17 abolishes untouchability and makes its practice in any form an offence punishable by law, giving effect to this through the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955. Articles 14 and 15 guarantee equality before law and prohibit discrimination, while Article 19 protects the six freedoms.

Question 34General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

The Tashkent Agreement of 1966 was signed between India and Pakistan after the war of 1965 by which two leaders?

  1. Lal Bahadur Shastri and Ayub Khan Correct answer.
  2. Jawaharlal Nehru and Ayub Khan
  3. Indira Gandhi and Yahya Khan
  4. Gulzarilal Nanda and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto

Explanation

The Tashkent Declaration was signed on 10 January 1966 by Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri and President Ayub Khan of Pakistan, with Soviet mediation, to restore the status quo after the 1965 war. Shastri died at Tashkent shortly after signing it.

Question 35General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

Which of the following instruments is used to measure atmospheric humidity?

  1. Seismograph
  2. Anemometer
  3. Hygrometer Correct answer.
  4. Barometer

Explanation

A hygrometer measures the moisture content of the air, commonly through wet-and-dry bulb thermometers or hair-based sensors. Barometers measure pressure, anemometers measure wind speed, and seismographs record earthquakes.

Question 36General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

The 'Kisan Credit Card' scheme was introduced in 1998 primarily to provide which facility to farmers?

  1. Guaranteed minimum support prices
  2. Crop insurance against natural calamities
  3. Free electricity for irrigation pumpsets
  4. Timely and flexible credit for agricultural needs Correct answer.

Explanation

The Kisan Credit Card, launched in 1998 on the recommendation of the R. V. Gupta Committee, gives farmers timely and flexible short-term credit for cultivation, allied activities and consumption needs. Crop insurance is handled by schemes such as PMFBY, and MSP is a separate procurement policy.

Question 37General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

Which of the following is the hardest naturally occurring substance, used as an abrasive and in cutting tools?

  1. Diamond Correct answer.
  2. Topaz
  3. Quartz
  4. Corundum

Explanation

Diamond, a crystalline allotrope of carbon, ranks 10 on the Mohs hardness scale and is the hardest natural substance, which is why it is used in cutting and drilling tools. Quartz, corundum and topaz are softer minerals.

Question 38General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

Which pass in the Himalayas connects the Lahaul valley of Himachal Pradesh with the Spiti valley and serves as a gateway to Leh?

  1. Shipki La
  2. Nathu La
  3. Rohtang Pass Correct answer.
  4. Zoji La

Explanation

Rohtang Pass, at about 3,978 metres in the Pir Panjal range, links the Kullu-Lahaul region and provides the traditional route towards Leh via Keylong. Nathu La and Shipki La lie on the borders with China, and Zoji La connects Srinagar with Kargil and Leh.

Question 39General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

Which body advises the President of India on questions of law referred to it under Article 143?

  1. Attorney General of India
  2. Supreme Court of India Correct answer.
  3. Council of Ministers
  4. Law Commission of India

Explanation

Article 143 empowers the President to refer a question of law or fact of public importance to the Supreme Court for its advisory opinion, exercised through the Court's advisory jurisdiction. The Attorney General advises the government, and the Law Commission recommends legal reforms.

Question 40General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

The 'Yellow Revolution' in Indian agriculture refers to a significant increase in the production of which crop?

  1. Cotton and jute
  2. Potato and other tubers
  3. Pulses and legumes
  4. Mustard and other oilseeds Correct answer.

Explanation

The Yellow Revolution denotes the drive to achieve self-sufficiency in edible oils through oilseeds such as mustard, groundnut and soybean. Pulses are linked to the Blue Revolution's counterpart in some usage but are commonly called the 'pulse revolution', while cotton and jute relate to the Silver Revolution.

Question 41General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

Which of the following gases is used in electric bulbs to prevent oxidation of the tungsten filament?

  1. Oxygen
  2. Carbon dioxide
  3. Argon Correct answer.
  4. Chlorine

Explanation

Inert gases such as argon, often mixed with nitrogen, fill incandescent bulbs so that the hot tungsten filament does not oxidise or burn away. Oxygen would cause rapid oxidation, carbon dioxide is not used for this purpose, and chlorine is chemically reactive.

Question 42General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

The Battle of Plassey in 1757 was fought between the forces of the East India Company and which Nawab of Bengal?

  1. Mir Qasim
  2. Alivardi Khan
  3. Shuja-ud-Daulah
  4. Siraj-ud-Daulah Correct answer.

Explanation

At Plassey, Robert Clive defeated Siraj-ud-Daulah, the Nawab of Bengal, with the help of Mir Jafar's defection, establishing Company political power in Bengal. Mir Qasim fought at Buxar in 1764, Alivardi Khan was Siraj-ud-Daulah's grandfather, and Shuja-ud-Daulah was the Nawab of Awadh.

Question 43General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

Which of the following is a characteristic feature of a 'repo rate' change by the Reserve Bank of India?

  1. It is the interest paid by the RBI on cash reserve ratio balances
  2. It is the rate at which the RBI lends short-term funds to banks against government securities Correct answer.
  3. It is the rate at which banks lend to their most creditworthy customers
  4. It is the rate at which the RBI borrows from commercial banks

Explanation

The repo rate is the policy rate at which the RBI provides short-term liquidity to banks against the collateral of government securities under the Liquidity Adjustment Facility. Raising it makes borrowing costlier and helps contain inflation, while the reverse repo is the rate at which the RBI absorbs liquidity.

Question 44General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act guarantees how many days of unskilled wage employment per rural household in a financial year?

  1. 150 days
  2. 75 days
  3. 100 days Correct answer.
  4. 50 days

Explanation

MGNREGA, enacted in 2005, guarantees at least 100 days of unskilled manual work in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to do so. It also provides for unemployment allowance if work is not given within fifteen days of demand.

Question 45General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

Which layer of the atmosphere contains the ozone layer that absorbs most of the Sun's ultraviolet radiation?

  1. Thermosphere
  2. Troposphere
  3. Stratosphere Correct answer.
  4. Mesosphere

Explanation

The ozone layer lies mainly in the stratosphere, roughly 15 to 35 kilometres above the surface, where ozone molecules absorb harmful ultraviolet radiation. Weather phenomena occur in the troposphere, meteors burn in the mesosphere, and the thermosphere contains the ionosphere.

Question 46General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

Which of the following statements about the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India is correct?

  1. The CAG is appointed by the Prime Minister and holds office for five years
  2. The CAG is elected by both Houses of Parliament by a special majority
  3. The CAG is appointed by the Chief Justice of India and holds office until the age of 62
  4. The CAG is appointed by the President and holds office for six years or until the age of 65, whichever is earlier Correct answer.

Explanation

Article 148 provides that the CAG is appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal, and holds office for six years or until attaining 65 years of age, whichever is earlier. The CAG can be removed only in the manner provided for a judge of the Supreme Court, ensuring independence.

Question 47General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

The 'Kalinga Prize' is an international award instituted by UNESCO for contributions to which field?

  1. Peace and disarmament
  2. Literature
  3. Environmental conservation
  4. Popularisation of science Correct answer.

Explanation

The Kalinga Prize, instituted in 1951 from a donation by Biju Patnaik, is awarded by UNESCO for the popularisation of science and is named after the ancient Kalinga region. It is not a literary, environmental or peace prize.

Question 48General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

Which of the following best explains why the Earth experiences seasons?

  1. The Earth's axis is tilted relative to its orbital plane, changing the angle of incidence of sunlight Correct answer.
  2. The Earth's rotation speed varies with latitude
  3. The Moon's gravitational pull shifts the Earth's orbit
  4. The distance between the Earth and the Sun changes during the year

Explanation

Seasons arise because the Earth's axis is tilted about 23.5 degrees to the plane of its orbit, so different hemispheres receive sunlight at different angles and for different durations through the year. The variation in Earth-Sun distance is small and cannot by itself explain the seasonal cycle.

Question 49General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

Which of the following is the correct sequence of the stages of the Indian monsoon as described by the onset and withdrawal pattern?

  1. Onset over Kerala, onset over West Bengal, advance to Mumbai, withdrawal from Tamil Nadu
  2. Onset over West Bengal, onset over Kerala, advance to Mumbai, withdrawal from Kerala
  3. Onset over Mumbai, onset over Kerala, onset over West Bengal, withdrawal from the northeast
  4. Onset over Kerala, advance to Mumbai and central India, onset over West Bengal, withdrawal from northwest India Correct answer.

Explanation

The southwest monsoon normally sets in over Kerala around 1 June, advances northwards to Mumbai and central India by mid-June, and reaches West Bengal by about the second week of June, while withdrawal begins from northwest India in September. The retreating monsoon then brings rain to Tamil Nadu from the northeast monsoon.

Question 50General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs)

The 'Green Revolution' in India during the late 1960s and 1970s is most closely associated with which combination of inputs and crops?

  1. Expansion of oilseed and pulse cultivation through dryland farming techniques
  2. High-yielding varieties of wheat and rice combined with assured irrigation, chemical fertilisers and pesticides Correct answer.
  3. Increased jute and cotton cultivation supported by canal irrigation and organic manure
  4. Large-scale mechanisation of sugarcane cultivation with cooperative sugar mills

Explanation

The Green Revolution in India rested on semi-dwarf high-yielding varieties of wheat and rice, introduced with the help of international research institutions, which responded well to controlled water and heavy fertiliser use. The programme was concentrated in irrigated areas such as Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, and it sharply raised foodgrain output, making the country self-sufficient in cereals. It was a package of seeds, water, fertiliser and pesticides rather than a single technological change.