UPSC CAPF Archives

1. Khumbum monastery is situated in

Khumbum monastery is situated in

[amp_mcq option1=”India” option2=”Thailand” option3=”China” option4=”Japan” correct=”option3″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2013

Khumbum monastery is situated in China.

Kumbum Monastery (also spelled Khumbum or Ta’er Monastery in Chinese) is a prominent Tibetan Buddhist monastery located in Huangzhong County, Qinghai Province, China. It is one of the most important monasteries of the Gelug school and holds historical significance as the birthplace of Je Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelug tradition. Although culturally Tibetan, its present-day location is within the administrative boundaries of China.

The other great monasteries of the Gelug school are Ganden, Sera, and Drepung (all historically in Tibet, now within China). Khumbum is renowned for its unique butter sculptures, frescoes, and barbola embroidery.

2. The State of Sikkim is surrounded by

The State of Sikkim is surrounded by

[amp_mcq option1=”China, Nepal, Bhutan and West Bengal” option2=”Bhutan, Nepal, West Bengal and Assam” option3=”China, Nepal, West Bengal and Assam” option4=”China, Bhutan, West Bengal and Assam” correct=”option1″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2013

Download PDF Attempt Online

The State of Sikkim is surrounded by China, Nepal, Bhutan and West Bengal.

Sikkim is a landlocked state in the Eastern Himalayas. Its geographical location dictates its neighbours:
– North and Northeast: China (Tibet Autonomous Region)
– East: Bhutan
– West: Nepal
– South: West Bengal (India)

Sikkim is strategically important due to its location bordering three different countries. Assam does not share a border with Sikkim; there is a geographical gap filled by North Bengal (West Bengal).

3. Which one among the following States shares common boundaries with max

Which one among the following States shares common boundaries with maximum number of other States?

[amp_mcq option1=”Madhya Pradesh” option2=”West Bengal” option3=”Chhattisgarh” option4=”Andhra Pradesh” correct=”option3″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2013

Download PDF Attempt Online

Chhattisgarh shares common boundaries with the maximum number of other States among the given options.

Let’s list the bordering states for each option:
A) Madhya Pradesh: Shares borders with Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Rajasthan (5 states).
B) West Bengal: Shares borders with Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Sikkim, and Assam (5 states within India). It also shares international borders with Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan. The question asks for *other States*, implying Indian states.
C) Chhattisgarh: Shares borders with Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh (7 states).
D) Andhra Pradesh: Shares borders with Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu (5 states).
Comparing the numbers, Chhattisgarh shares borders with 7 states, which is the maximum among the options.

Other states known for sharing borders with a large number of states include Uttar Pradesh (9 states + 1 UT + 1 international border) and Assam (7 states + 2 international borders). However, among the options provided, Chhattisgarh has the highest count (7).

4. Which of the following pairs are correctly matched? 1. Idukki : The

Which of the following pairs are correctly matched?

1. Idukki : Thermal Power Station
2. Sabarigiri : Hydroelectric Project
3. Ghatprabha : Irrigation Project
4. Ramganga : Multipurpose Project

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

[amp_mcq option1=”2, 3 and 4″ option2=”1, 2 and 4″ option3=”3 and 4 only” option4=”2 and 3 only” correct=”option1″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2013

Download PDF Attempt Online

Pairs 2, 3, and 4 are correctly matched.

1. Idukki is famous for its large arch dam and Hydroelectric Project on the Periyar River in Kerala, not a thermal power station.
2. Sabarigiri is a major Hydroelectric Project in Kerala, located near the famous Sabarimala temple, utilizing the Pamba and Kakki rivers.
3. Ghatprabha Project in Karnataka is primarily an irrigation project built on the Ghataprabha River, a tributary of the Krishna. It includes the Hidkal dam.
4. The Ramganga Dam project at Kalagarh, Uttarakhand, on the Ramganga River, is a multipurpose project providing irrigation, hydroelectric power generation, and flood control.

Understanding the purpose of major dams and projects is important for Indian geography. Hydroelectric projects generate electricity from water, thermal power stations use fossil fuels (coal, gas, etc.), irrigation projects supply water for agriculture, and multipurpose projects serve multiple aims like power generation, irrigation, flood control, navigation, etc.

5. Which one among the following places in India is nearest to the Tropic

Which one among the following places in India is nearest to the Tropic of Cancer?

[amp_mcq option1=”Aizawl” option2=”Rajkot” option3=”Kolkata” option4=”Imphal” correct=”option1″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2013

Download PDF Attempt Online

Aizawl is the place nearest to the Tropic of Cancer among the given options.

The Tropic of Cancer is located at approximately 23°30′ North latitude (or 23.5° N). To determine which place is nearest, we need to compare their latitudes with 23.5° N.
Aizawl (Mizoram): ~23.7° N
Rajkot (Gujarat): ~22.3° N
Kolkata (West Bengal): ~22.6° N
Imphal (Manipur): ~24.8° N
Comparing the absolute differences:
|23.7 – 23.5| = 0.2°
|22.3 – 23.5| = 1.2°
|22.6 – 23.5| = 0.9°
|24.8 – 23.5| = 1.3°
Aizawl has the smallest difference (0.2°) and is therefore the nearest to the Tropic of Cancer.

The Tropic of Cancer passes through eight states in India: Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tripura, and Mizoram. Aizawl is the capital of Mizoram. Rajkot is in Gujarat, Kolkata is in West Bengal, and Imphal is the capital of Manipur.

6. Which one among the following is not correct regarding the black soi

Which one among the following is *not* correct regarding the black soils of Peninsular India?

[amp_mcq option1=”Rich in iron, lime and potash” option2=”Retentive in moisture” option3=”Fertile and well-suited for growing sugarcane” option4=”Rich in phosphorus and organic matter” correct=”option4″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2013

Download PDF Attempt Online

The statement that black soils are rich in phosphorus and organic matter is incorrect.

Black soils (Regur) are derived from weathering of basaltic rocks (Deccan Traps) and are rich in minerals like iron, lime, calcium, potash, aluminium, and magnesium. They have a high clay content, which gives them excellent moisture retention capacity. They are generally fertile and suitable for crops like cotton, sugarcane, groundnut, tobacco, and millets. However, they are typically deficient in nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic matter (humus).

The deficiency in phosphorus and organic matter means that these nutrients often need to be supplemented through fertilizers for optimal crop yield, especially for nutrient-demanding crops like sugarcane. Their characteristic black colour is attributed to the presence of titanium salts and iron oxides.

7. Which one among the following systems contains the oldest rock formati

Which one among the following systems contains the oldest rock formation of India?

[amp_mcq option1=”Aravalli System” option2=”Archean System” option3=”Cuddapah System” option4=”Vindhyan System” correct=”option2″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2013

Download PDF Attempt Online

The Archean System contains the oldest rock formations of India.

The Archean System represents the oldest geological era (approximately 4 billion to 2.5 billion years ago) and comprises the basement complex of India. It includes highly metamorphosed rocks like gneisses, schists, and charnockites, often referred to as the “Archean Gneiss Complex”. These rocks form the core of the Indian Peninsular block. Younger rock systems like Dharwar (part of Archean/Proterozoic), Cuddapah (Purana), and Vindhyan (Purana) were deposited or formed upon this ancient base.

The Dharwar System, though often grouped with Archean, represents the oldest sedimentary rocks formed during the Archean/Proterozoic transition, deposited on the Archean basement. The Cuddapah and Vindhyan systems are part of the Purana Group (Proterozoic era), which are significantly younger than the Archean formations. While the Aravalli *range* structure is formed from ancient rocks, the oldest *rock formations* themselves belong to the Archean era.

8. Which one among the following statements is not correct?

Which one among the following statements is *not* correct?

[amp_mcq option1=”Shillong Plateau is an outlier of Peninsular Plateau of India” option2=”Aravalli Mountain is the oldest mountain chain of India” option3=”Vindhyans are examples of fold mountain” option4=”Rajmahal Highlands are composed of lava deposits” correct=”option3″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2013

Download PDF Attempt Online

The incorrect statement is that Vindhyans are examples of fold mountains.

The Vindhyan Range is primarily composed of horizontally bedded sedimentary rocks like sandstones, shales, and limestones, belonging to the Vindhyan System, a younger part of the Purana group. These mountains are considered block mountains or residual mountains formed due to faulting, uplift, and subsequent erosion, rather than folding.

Statement A is correct; the Shillong Plateau (Meghalaya Plateau) is geologically an eastward extension of the Peninsular Plateau, separated by the Malda Gap. Statement B is correct; the Aravalli range is one of the oldest fold mountain systems in the world. Statement D is correct; the Rajmahal Highlands in eastern Jharkhand are composed of volcanic rocks (basalt) which are part of the Deccan Traps volcanic province.

9. Which of the following statements are correct? 1. Sediments of Gondw

Which of the following statements are correct?

1. Sediments of Gondwana System were deposited under marine condition.
2. Rocks of Gondwana System are fossiliferous.
3. Rocks of Gondwana System contain metallic mineral deposits.
4. Gondwana deposition took place in downfaulted trough.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

[amp_mcq option1=”1, 2 and 3″ option2=”1, 2 and 4″ option3=”2 and 4 only” option4=”1 and 3 only” correct=”option3″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2013

Download PDF Attempt Online

The correct statements regarding the Gondwana System are that its rocks are fossiliferous and deposition took place in downfaulted troughs. Statements 1 and 3 are incorrect.

The Gondwana System is renowned for its extensive coal deposits in India, formed from plant material accumulated in terrestrial (fluviatile and lacustrine) environments. The deposition occurred in large, elongated basins or troughs created by faulting (rift valleys). These rocks are highly fossiliferous, containing plant, fish, reptile, and amphibian fossils, crucial for understanding the palaeoclimate and palaeogeography of the supercontinent Gondwana.

Statement 1 is incorrect because Gondwana sediments in India were primarily deposited under fresh-water fluviatile and lacustrine conditions, not marine. While marine incursions occurred in some Gondwana basins globally, the dominant mode of deposition in India was terrestrial. Statement 3 is incorrect because the Gondwana System is primarily known for non-metallic mineral deposits like coal, sandstone, and clay. Metallic mineral deposits are more commonly associated with older rock systems like the Dharwar and Archean systems.

10. The continent having the largest area in the equatorial belt is

The continent having the largest area in the equatorial belt is

[amp_mcq option1=”Asia” option2=”South America” option3=”Africa” option4=”North America” correct=”option3″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2013

Download PDF Attempt Online

C) Africa

The equatorial belt is the region lying near the Earth’s equator. To determine the continent with the largest area in this belt, we need to consider which continents straddle the equator and the extent of their landmass within approximately a few degrees of the equator.
– Africa is traversed by the equator through a vast central region, including parts of the Congo Basin, East Africa, and the Gulf of Guinea coast. A large portion of the African continent lies within the tropical and equatorial zones.
– South America is also traversed by the equator, notably through the Amazon basin in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
– Asia is crossed by the equator mainly through the Indonesian archipelago, which consists of numerous islands.
– North America does not have any significant landmass on the equator.
Comparing the land area within the equatorial belt, Africa has the largest continuous landmass situated around the equator, making it the continent with the largest area in this region.

Regions near the equator typically experience a tropical climate with high temperatures and high humidity throughout the year. The equatorial belt is home to extensive rainforest ecosystems, such as the Amazon in South America and the Congo in Africa.