1.

Munshi-Ayyangar formula was in news in connection with

(a) Language issue

(b) Tribal Development

(c) North East Develeopment  

(d) Secularisation of society

Note:

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-history/hindi-diwas-constituent-assembly-official-language-8940309/

A

2.

1. There is more carbon stored in soil than in the atmosphere and in vegetation combined.

2. Peat soils contain huge amounts of carbon.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Note:

There is more carbon stored in soil than in the atmosphere (760 billion tonnes) and in vegetation (560 billion tonnes) combined.

Under normal circumstances, all plant residues are broken down by micro-organisms.

However, very wet and anaerobic conditions in soils may hamper this breakdown, leading

to a large accumulation of partially decomposed plant material and the formation of peat soils.

Compared to mineral soils, peat soils contain huge amounts of organic matter – and thus huge amounts of carbon.

Whilst an average grassland soil contains some 100 tonnes of carbon per hectare in its top 30cm, for a peat soil the

figure can be much higher than that, and this to a depth of metres rather than centimetres.

However, once exposed to oxygen, the carbon in peat soil is quickly lost to the atmosphere. Most peatlands were

formed in lowlands collecting water from catchments, but large and frequent amounts of precipitation in humid areas

can lead to the formation of bogs on hills and slopes. Peat soils represent the highest concentrations of organic matter

in all soils. Currently, the area of peatland in the EU is more than 318 000 km2 , mainly in the northern areas.

At the global level, peatlands hold at least one-fi fth of the total soil carbon pool, which is equivalent to approximately

half the amount of CO2  in the atmosphere.

C

3.

Black Sea is bordered by

1. Ukraine

2. Russia

3. Georgia

4. Turkey

5. Bulgaria

6. Romania

(a) 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 only

(b) 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 only

(c) 1, 2, 3 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6

Note:

Russia recently warned that ships sailing to Ukraine''s Black Sea ports will be seen as potential military targets.

Black Sea 

• It is a large inland sea located in southeastern Europe.
• Bordering countries: It is bordered by six countries, Ukraine to the north, Russia to the northeast, Georgia to the east, Turkey to the south, Bulgaria to the southwest, and Romania to the west.
• It is connected to the Mediterranean Sea through the Bosporus Strait, the Sea of Marmara, and the Dardanelles Strait.
• It covers an area of approximately 436,000 square kilometers (168,000 square miles).
• The Black Sea receives freshwater inflows all around the basin, but the important ones (Danube, Dniepr and Dniestr) discharge into the north-western coastal waters. 
• Limited Oxygen Levels:
• The Black Sea''s deeper waters have lower levels of oxygen due to its unique geological and hydrological conditions.
• The lack of oxygen in the lower layers creates a distinct environment, and it is one of the world''s largest anoxic basins, meaning it has areas with very little dissolved oxygen.
• Islands: It contains several islands, with the largest ones being Snake Island (Ukraine), Giresun Island (Turkey) and St. Ivan Island (Bulgaria).

D  

4.

The EU’s Carbon Border Tax (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)) is a policy measure that aims to put a fair price on the carbon emissions generated during the production of certain goods imported into the EU. What are its impact on India?.

1. increase the costs of Indian exports to the EU

2. reduce the competitiveness of Indian exports to the EU

3. tariff barrier that undermines zero duty FTAs.

4. incentivize cleaner production.

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1, 2 and 3 only

(c) 1, 2 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3, 4

Note:

It is a non-tariff barrier that undermines zero duty FTAs.

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/editorial/india-must-strategise-against-eu-carbon-tax/article67449523.ece

A  

5.

Consider the following statements regarding “Adi Shankaracharya”: 

(i) He propounded Advaita Vedanta, challenging Buddhism and Jainism. 

(ii) He authored the Brahmasutra.

Select the correct answer using the code given below: 

(a) (i) only

(b) (ii) only

(c) Both (i) & (ii)

(d) Neither (i) nor (ii)

Note:

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-culture/madhya-pradesh-cm-adi-shankaracharya-omkareshwar-significance-8951323/

C

6.

Consider the following statements w.r.t. Cloud seeding:

1. It can wash away deadly smog.

2. It enhances winter snowfall and increases mountain snowpack.

3. The chemicals used in the process like the silver iodide or potassium iodide carry the risk of bioaccumulation.

4.  It can contribute to global warming.

How many of the above statements is/are true?.

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

Note:

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/india-hopes-cloud-seeding-can-wash-away-deadly-smog/article67582567.ece

https://iasgoogle.com/editorial_detail/artificial-rain-by-cloud-seeding

D  

7.

Consider the following statements about incremental cash reserve ratio:

1. It is additional CRR that banks have to maintain over and above the CRR.

2. It reduces the surplus liquidity in the banking system.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Note:

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blexplainer/how-incremental-cash-reserve-ratio-icrr-will-impact-liquidity/article67183500.ece

B

8.

Otoliths in news refer to

(a) Petrofossils

(b) Atavistic remains in perma fossils

(c) Stony lump in the fish ear

(d) Meteoritic stones in Mars

Note:

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/what-stones-inside-fish-ears-are-telling-us-about-climate-change/article67621163.ece

C

9.

Which of the below statements is/are correct w.r.t. “International Solar Alliance” ?

1. It was conceived as a joint effort by India and Israel to mobilize efforts against climate change through deployment of solar energy solutions.

2. It is a coalition of solar resource-rich countries lying fully or partially between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Note:

It was conceived as a joint effort by India and France to mobilize efforts against climate change through deployment of solar energy solutions.

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/international-solar-alliance-to-release-solar-stocktake-report/article67458458.ece

https://isolaralliance.org/about/background#:~:text=The%20ISA%20was%20conceived%20as,deployment%20of%20solar%20energy%20solutions.

B

10.

Members of the BRICS include

(a) India, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia

(b) India, Argentina, Russia, Brazil and China

(c) India, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Argentina

(d) India, Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia

Note:

https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/infographics-explaining-the-brics-expansion/article67248395.ece

B

11.

Which of the following statements does not reflect the benefits of inclusion of the Indian Government Bonds in global indices ?

(i) Help India build a large forex reserve base.

(ii) Reduction of interest rates in the domestic market.

(iii) Promote internationalisation of Indian rupee.

(iv) Appreciation of Indian currency.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) (i) & (iv) only 

(b) (ii) & (iv) only

(c) (i) (ii) & (iv) only  

(d) (i), (ii), (iii) & (iv)

Note:

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/markets/indias-inclusion-in-global-bond-indices-to-boost-flows-and-lower-borrowing-cost/article67334682.ece

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/india-in-global-bond-indices-pros-and-cons/article67335385.ece

C  

12.

Foot-flagging'' behaviour as a method of communication is noticed in

(a) Frogs

(b) Birds

(c) Lizards

(d) Turtles

Note:

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/wildlife-biodiversity/dancing-frogs-of-western-ghats-among-most-threatened-amphibians-globally-92226

A

13.

Where is the Jabaliya refugee camp?.

(a) Gaza

(b) Egypt

(c) Myanmar

(d) Kenya

Note:

https://indianexpress.com/article/world/israels-strikes-jabalia-refugee-camp-death-toll-un-war-crimes-9009988/

B  

14.

1.  It focuses on the happiness, preferences, or resources that people have.

2. Utilitarianism is a better way of assessing human welfare.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct w.r.t. Amartya Sen''s Capability Approach?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Note:

 It focuses on the real opportunities or freedoms that people have to achieve the kind of lives they value, rather than on their happiness, preferences, or resources.

Sen argues that the capability approach is a better way of assessing human welfare than other approaches, such as utilitarianism and resourcism. He claims that these approaches are either too narrow or too insensitive to the diversity and complexity of human lives.

Utilitarianism is about making choices that lead to the greatest happiness or satisfaction of desires.

While resourcism is about how resources like income, wealth, or goods are distributed in society.

For Sen, the ultimate goal of development is to expand people’s capabilities, not just their incomes or utilities. Sen’s capability approach has inspired the creation of the Human Development Index.

https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/multidimensional-poverty-index-reduction-under-the-nda-is-flawed/article67611818.ece

D  

15.

South Lhonak Glacier is located in  

(a) Sikkim

(b) Uttarakhand

(c) Arunachal Pradesh

(d) Ladakh

Note:

https://iasgoogle.com/editorial/does-india-need-to-relook-the-dam-safety-act

A

16.

Consider the following statements about Dollar-Rupee sell/buy swap auction:

1. Under this RBI, first buys dollars from banks and then sells these dollars to the banks on predetermined dates.

2. Issuance of these bonds can boost inflation in the economy.

Which of the statements given above is/are incorrect?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Note:

https://indianexpress.com/article/business/banking-and-finance/forex-swap-maturity-banks-get-ready-to-return-5-billion-to-rbi-8995297/

 Dollar–Rupee Swap Auction

o It’s a forex tool whereby the central bank uses its currency to buy another currency or vice versa.

o In a Dollar-Rupee buy/sell swap, the central bank buys dollars (US dollars or USD) from banks in exchange for Indian Rupees (INR) and immediately gets into an opposite deal with banks promising to sell dollars at a later date.

Why do Central Banks Engage in it?

o Surplus liquidity in the system was pegged at Rs 7.5 lakh crore, which needs to be curbed to keep a tab on inflation.

o Usually, the central bank will resort to traditional tools such as increasing the repo rate or increasing the cash reserve ratio (CRR), but this can have a negative implication on the economy.

o Therefore, the RBI used a different toolkit - variable rate reverse repo auction (VRRR) last year.

o However, the recent VRRR auctions were undersubscribed by banks, as the cash market offered instant and better yields.

o This forced the RBI to consider a longer-term liquidity adjustment tool such as forex auctions.

o Forex swaps help in liquidity management and (in a limited way) helps in keeping the currency rates in check.

o A dollar-rupee buy/sell swap injects INR into the banking system while sucking out the dollars, and the reverse happens in a sell/buy swap.

What is the RBI’s Intent and Impact of Dollar-Rupee Swap Auction?

o The intent here is that the central bank acquires dollars from the seller, charging the lowest premium possible for the tenor.

o As the forex swaps are intended for liquidity management, their impact on currency is only incidental.

o Amidst global tension and hardening crude oil prices, it’s important to keep INR under control. The RBI resorting to selling USD will keep a check on Rupee’s volatility and help curb its depreciation to some extent.

o For the bond market, the exercise may have a pronounced impact. This tool leaves room for the central bank to buy bonds when needed. Consequently, the strategy will contain bond yields.

o Will the government gain from the swaps? Usually, RBI makes its dividend payment to the government for the previous fiscal. The surplus from these swaps could be used to supplement the payouts.

RBI’s Forex Swap:

o The RBI had announced the forex swap last year to elongate the maturity profile of forward book and smoothen the receivables relating to forward assets.

o This also supported the rupee which came under pressure due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

o In the immediate aftermath of the war, global commodity prices increased led by oil, and global financial markets too saw heightened volatility.

o A flight to safety occurred, putting pressure on emerging market currencies such as India.

o Hence, while the announcement for the auction was said to be to adjust the maturity profile of RBI’s forward book, it also had an impact on the exchange rate.

o With the maturity of the swap approaching this week, it is almost ironic that the world has once again found itself in the midst of another unforeseen crisis in the form of the Israel-Hamas war.

C

17.

Consider the following statements w.r.t. Bagmati river.

1. It is a transboundary river between Bangladesh and India.

2. It joins the Narayani River, located in West Bengal.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Note:

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/bihar-boat-capsized-several-including-many-children-go-missing/article67307188.ece

Bagmati River:

·    It is a transboundary river between Nepal and India.

·    Origin: It rises in the Shivapuri Hills to the north of Kathmandu and flows southward through the city.

·    It passes across the Kathmandu Valley, which is situated in Nepal.

·    It gets divided from Kathmandu through Patan, passing via Province No. 2 of the Southern region of Nepal that eventually seeps into the Bihar state of India.

·    This river is assumed to be sacred by a pair of religions, Hindus as well as Buddhists.

·    Major tributaries – Bishnumati, Hanumante, Dhobikhola and Tukucha, Origin

·    The River ultimately joins the Narayani River, located in southern Nepal.

·    The merged waters of the Bagmati and Narayani eventually make their way southward and into the Ganges.

D  

18.

The Indian investor’s brush with the ‘impossible trinity’. What are the components of ‘impossible trinity’?.

1. Free capital flow

2. A fixed exchange rate

3. Independent monetary policy

4. Capital Account Convertibility

(a) 1, 2 and 3

(b) 1, 3 and 4

(c) 1, 2 and 4

(d) 2, 3 and 4

Note:

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/portfolio/personal-finance/the-indian-investors-brush-with-the-impossible-trinity/article67266427.ece  

A   

19.

Consider the following statements regarding 106th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2023:

1. It has provided reservation of seats for women in Lok Sabha or House of the People.

2. It has provided reservation of seats for women in the Legislative Assembly of every State.

3. The Act will expire after a period of 15 years from the date of commencement.

How many of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Note:

https://iasgoogle.com/editorial_detail/106th-amendment-act-women-rsquo-s-reservation-bill

C

20.

Consider the following statements w.r.t. e CALIPSO mission:  

1. It is a joint project between NASA and CNES.

2. It has the ability to detect volcanic ash clouds.

3. It operates in a Sun-synchronous orbit.

How many of the statements given above are incorrect?.

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Note:

https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/science/nasa-calipso-mission-blasting-lasers-earth-8959943/

https://iasgoogle.com/editorial_detail/calipso

D  

21.

Zero Primary Deficit in an economy indicates

(a) Entire borrowings of the Government are used to make interest payments. 

(b) Zero interest payments by the Government. 

(c) The Government is not borrowing money to make interest payments. 

(d) The Government is not borrowing money to bridge the deficit.

Note:

Zero primary deficit means the government resorts to borrowing only to clear the existing backlog of interest payments. It is not adding to the existing loans for any purpose other than meeting its existing obligations of interest payment. It is a sign of fiscal discipline or fiscal responsibility on the part of the government. High primary deficit, on the other hand, reflects fiscal irresponsibility of the government.

A

22.

Consider the following statements with reference to the red sand boa:

1. It is is classified as ‘Near Threatened’ by the IUCN.

2. It is ovoviviparous.

3. It is the largest of the sand boa in the world.

How many of the above statements are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Note:

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/172-incidents-of-seizures-of-red-sand-boa-recorded-from-2016-to-2021-wcs-india-report/article67249299.ece
https://www.wwfindia.org/about_wwf/enablers/traffic/red_sand_boa/#:~:text=Red%20Sand%20Boa%20Eryx%20johnii,average%20length%20of%2075%20cm.

C

23.

What is “Pressmud” that is seen in news sometimes?.

(a) Unethical Press Personalities 

(b) A type of soil in urban areas

(c) A petro fossil in montane regions

(d) A residual byproduct in the sugar industry

Note:

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/renewable-energy/sugarcane-byproduct-pressmud-can-be-a-sweet-spot-for-india-s-compressed-biogas-sector-93022#:~:text=The%20use%20of%20pressmud%20as,required%20for%20harvesting%20and%20aggregation.

d

24.

GCES Web Portal and Mobile Application is used to

(a) get updates on cyclone alerts

(b) estimate crop yields

(c) get updates on soil health

(d) estimate nitrogen requirement of soils to fix fertilizer uptake capacity

Note:

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1959476

B  

25.

Which of the following are correct w.r.t. “Tropical cyclones”?  

(i) Warm, moist air rises up and away from the ocean surface, creating an area of low pressure.

(ii) They form close to the equator but seldom at the equator itself because the spinning force, called the Coriolis force, is lowest there.

(iii) Its intensification is lesser if the cyclone spends more time over the water before landfall.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) (i) only 

(b) (ii) only

(c) (i) & (ii) only

(d) (i), (ii) & (iii)

Note:

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/michaung-cyclone-chennai-andhra-floods-intensification-climate-change-explained/article67609875.ece

• Tropical Cyclone is a weather phenomenon.
• A tropical cyclone is formed only over warm ocean waters near the equator.
• Warm, moist air rises up and away from the ocean surface, creating an area of low pressure.
• It causes the air from surrounding areas with higher pressure to move towards the low-pressure area.
• This leads to warming up of air and causes it to rise above.
• As the air rises & cools, the water in the air forms clouds.
• This complete system of clouds and wind spins & grows, along with the ocean’s heat.
• As the wind rotation speed increases, an eye gets formed in the middle.

Characteristics of a Tropical Cyclone

• The centre of a cyclone is very calm and clear with very low air pressure.
• The average speed is 120 kmph.
• They have closed isobars which leads to greater velocity.
• Isobars are imaginary lines on a weather map that connect locations with equal atmospheric pressure.
• They develop over oceans and sea only.
• They move from east to west under the influence of trade winds.
• They are seasonal in nature.

C