UPSC CAPF Archives

11. Which one of the following countries has officially recognized Bitcoin

Which one of the following countries has officially recognized Bitcoin as a legal payment method since 1st April 2017 ?

Japan

China

USA

India

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Japan officially recognized Bitcoin as a legal payment method under its Payment Services Act, with the amendment taking effect on April 1, 2017. This made Japan one of the first major economies to regulate cryptocurrencies positively.

Legal recognition of cryptocurrencies varies significantly across countries, ranging from outright bans to full legal tender status.

China has largely banned cryptocurrency trading and mining. The USA has a complex regulatory environment where Bitcoin is treated as property or commodity by different agencies. India has seen regulatory shifts, but Bitcoin is not recognized as legal tender. El Salvador became the first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender in September 2021, much later than the date mentioned in the question.

12. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the code

Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the code given below the Lists :

List I	List II
(Book)	(Author)
A. The World As I See It	1. APJ Abdul Kalam
B. How to Live Longer and Feel Better	2. Stephen Hawking
C. The Theory of Everything	3. Albert Einstein
D. Indomitable Spirit	4. Linus Pauling

Code :

</p> <table> <tr> <td></td> <td>A</td> <td>B</td> <td>C</td> <td>D</td> </tr> <tr> <td>(a)</td> <td>3</td> <td>4</td> <td>2</td> <td>1</td> </tr> </table> <p>

</p> <table> <tr> <td></td> <td>A</td> <td>B</td> <td>C</td> <td>D</td> </tr> <tr> <td>(b)</td> <td>1</td> <td>2</td> <td>4</td> <td>3</td> </tr> </table> <p>

</p> <table> <tr> <td></td> <td>A</td> <td>B</td> <td>C</td> <td>D</td> </tr> <tr> <td>(c)</td> <td>3</td> <td>2</td> <td>4</td> <td>1</td> </tr> </table> <p>

</p> <table> <tr> <td></td> <td>A</td> <td>B</td> <td>C</td> <td>D</td> </tr> <tr> <td>(d)</td> <td>1</td> <td>4</td> <td>2</td> <td>3</td> </tr> </table> <p>

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Matching the books with their authors:
A. The World As I See It is a collection of essays, speeches, and reflections by Albert Einstein (3).
B. How to Live Longer and Feel Better is a book by Linus Pauling (4).
C. The Theory of Everything is a popular science book by Stephen Hawking (2).
D. Indomitable Spirit is a book by APJ Abdul Kalam (1).
The correct sequence is A-3, B-4, C-2, D-1. This matches option (a).

Identifying famous books and authors across different fields is a common type of general knowledge question.

Albert Einstein was a theoretical physicist famous for relativity. Linus Pauling was a chemist and peace activist, Nobel laureate. Stephen Hawking was a theoretical physicist and cosmologist. APJ Abdul Kalam was a scientist and former President of India.

13. Which one of the following statements is NOT correct ?

Which one of the following statements is NOT correct ?

Sharaf Qai was a minister of Allauddin Khalji

Under Giyasuddin Tughluq Muqtis were warned not to ill-treat any of their officials for small amounts taken over and above their salaries

The Arabic work masalik-i-Absar gives description of the functioning of Iqta system under Muhammad bin Tughluq

Marco Polo has not mentioned about Pearl Fishery of Tuticorin in South India

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Marco Polo, the famous Venetian traveler, visited South India in the late 13th century and in his travelogue, *The Travels of Marco Polo*, he explicitly mentioned and described the vibrant pearl fisheries in the region, which is widely believed to refer to the fishery in the Gulf of Mannar, near Tuticorin. Therefore, the statement that he has *not* mentioned it is incorrect.

Marco Polo’s account is a valuable primary source for understanding the economic activities and geography of parts of India during the late 13th century.

Sharaf Qai (or Qazi Sharaf Qai) was indeed associated with Alauddin Khalji’s administration, particularly noted for his role in revenue administration and curbing corruption. Ghiyasuddin Tughluq implemented policies aimed at reforming the iqta system and preventing the exploitation of officials and peasants by muqtis. The Arabic work *Masalik al-Absar fi Mamalik al-Amsar* by Shihab al-Din al-Umari is a significant source for the administrative details of the Tughluq period, including aspects of the iqta system under Muhammad bin Tughluq.

14. In which one of the following buildings the first extant true arch is

In which one of the following buildings the first extant true arch is found ?

Arhai din ka Jhonpra

Quwwat ul Islam Mosque

Tomb of Sultan Balban

Alai Darwaza

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The Tomb of Sultan Balban (completed around 1287 AD) in Delhi is considered to contain the earliest known examples of true arches in Indo-Islamic architecture that are still standing. While earlier structures used corbelling techniques, Balban’s tomb featured rudimentary true arches.

True arches, unlike corbelled arches, distribute weight sideways to the piers or abutments, allowing for wider spans and greater structural stability. Their introduction marked a significant architectural development.

The Quwwat ul Islam Mosque (late 12th century) and the Arhai din ka Jhonpra (late 12th century) primarily utilized corbelled arches. The Alai Darwaza (built by Alauddin Khalji in the early 14th century) is a later structure that showcases perfected true arches and a dome, representing a mature phase of Delhi Sultanate architecture.

15. Which one of the following pairs of term and meaning is NOT correctly

Which one of the following pairs of term and meaning is NOT correctly matched ?

Khalisa : Villages whose income went directly to the State Treasury

Mauza : Rebellious territory

Inam : Land allotted to learned and religious man

Jagir : Territorial assignment given to Mansabdars in lieu of salary

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The pair “Mauza : Rebellious territory” is NOT correctly matched.

In the context of land revenue administration, particularly during the Mughal and British periods, a ‘Mauza’ (or mouza/mouza) referred to a revenue village or a cluster of villages treated as a revenue unit. It was not related to rebellious territory.

A) **Khalisa:** Correctly matched. These were lands whose revenue was reserved for the imperial treasury.
C) **Inam:** Correctly matched. These were usually grants of revenue-free land given to learned or religious persons, or for charitable institutions.
D) **Jagir:** Correctly matched. These were assignments of land revenue (not necessarily land itself, but the right to collect revenue from a specific area) given to Mansabdars (military and civil officials) in lieu of cash salaries. The jagir was the territorial unit from which the Mansabdar collected revenue.

16. Which one of the following was the mandate of the Dhar Commission (194

Which one of the following was the mandate of the Dhar Commission (1948) ?

To study the classification of States

To recommend whether the States can be re-organized on linguistic basis

To study the Centre-State relations

To examine whether Madras city can be transferred to Andhra

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The mandate of the Dhar Commission (1948) was primarily to recommend whether the States can be re-organized on a linguistic basis.

The Linguistic Provinces Commission, headed by S.K. Dhar (hence known as the Dhar Commission), was appointed by the Constituent Assembly in June 1948. Its purpose was to examine the feasibility of reorganizing the states of India on linguistic lines. The Commission, however, recommended against linguistic reorganization and favoured reorganization on the basis of administrative convenience.

The recommendations of the Dhar Commission led to popular discontent, particularly in South India. This prompted the Congress to appoint another committee, the JVP Committee (Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and Pattabhi Sitaramayya), which also opposed linguistic reorganization initially but later accepted it after the fast unto death by Potti Sriramulu for a separate Andhra state. This ultimately led to the formation of Andhra state in 1953 and the States Reorganisation Act of 1956.

17. Government of which one of the following States has appointed the Raja

Government of which one of the following States has appointed the Rajamannar Committee to study the Centre-State relations ?

Government of Andhra Pradesh

Government of Karnataka

Government of Maharashtra

Government of Tamil Nadu

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The Government of Tamil Nadu appointed the Rajamannar Committee to study the Centre-State relations.

The Tamil Nadu government, under the Chief Ministership of M. Karunanidhi (DMK party), constituted a three-member committee in 1969 under the chairmanship of Dr. P.V. Rajamannar to examine the entire question of Centre-State relations and suggest amendments to the Constitution for securing ‘full autonomy’ to the States. The Committee submitted its report in 1971.

The Rajamannar Committee made several recommendations aimed at strengthening the autonomy of the states, including the abolition of the IAS, IPS, and IFS as All India Services, placing residuary powers with the states, and establishing an Inter-State Council. While many recommendations were not accepted by the Central Government, the report significantly contributed to the debate on Centre-State relations in India.

18. Which one of the following is the correct sequence of different stages

Which one of the following is the correct sequence of different stages a budget has to go through in the Parliament ?

1. Presentation of the Budget
2. Scrutiny by Departmental Commit- tees
3. Passing of Finance Bill
4. Passing of Appropriation Bill

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

1 - 2 - 4 - 3

1 - 3 - 2 - 4

2 - 1 - 3 - 4

4 - 3 - 2 - 1

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The correct sequence of different stages a budget has to go through in the Parliament is Presentation of the Budget, Scrutiny by Departmental Committees, Passing of Appropriation Bill, and Passing of Finance Bill.

The typical stages of the budget in Parliament are:
1. **Presentation of the Budget:** The budget is presented by the Finance Minister, followed by a general discussion on its overall proposals.
2. **Scrutiny by Departmental Committees:** After the general discussion, the Houses adjourn, and standing committees scrutinise the demands for grants of respective ministries and prepare reports.
3. **Voting on Demands for Grants:** Based on the committee reports, the Lok Sabha discusses and votes on the demands for grants of various ministries.
4. **Passing of Appropriation Bill:** This Bill is introduced after the grants are voted. It authorizes the government to withdraw money from the Consolidated Fund of India to meet the expenditure sanctioned in the voted grants and charged expenditures.
5. **Passing of Finance Bill:** This Bill gives effect to the financial proposals of the government for the next financial year (primarily concerning taxes). It is usually passed after the Appropriation Bill, but both must be passed before the new financial year begins (April 1st).
Based on the options provided, the sequence 1-2-4-3 corresponds to Presentation – Scrutiny – Appropriation Bill – Finance Bill, which is the correct procedural order where the Appropriation Bill is passed before the Finance Bill.

The Constitution requires that no money can be withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund of India except under appropriation made by law (Article 114). The Finance Bill is considered a Money Bill and must be passed by the Lok Sabha.

19. Padma Shri Sudarsan Pattnaik is well known as a

Padma Shri Sudarsan Pattnaik is well known as a

novelist

golfer

classical dancer

sand artist

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Padma Shri Sudarsan Pattnaik is well known as a sand artist.

Sudarsan Pattnaik is an internationally acclaimed Indian sand artist from Puri, Odisha. He is known for his intricate and thematic sand sculptures on Puri beach and at various international sand art festivals. He was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in India, in 2014.

Sudarsan Pattnaik has represented India in numerous international sand sculpture championships and festivals worldwide, winning many awards. He often creates sand sculptures based on social issues, environmental themes, and current events.

20. Which one of the following had created the office of the Secretary of

Which one of the following had created the office of the Secretary of State for India?

The Councils Act 1861

The Government of India Act 1858

The Morley Minto Reforms

Montague Chelmsford reforms

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The Government of India Act 1858 created the office of the Secretary of State for India.

Following the Indian Mutiny of 1857, the British Crown took direct control of India from the East India Company. The Government of India Act 1858 abolished the Board of Control and the Court of Directors and replaced them with the office of the Secretary of State for India, who was a member of the British cabinet and was assisted by a Council of India.

This Act marked a significant shift in the governance of India, establishing a direct link between the British Parliament and the Indian administration. The Secretary of State for India exercised the powers of the Crown relating to the government of India. The India Councils Act 1861, Morley-Minto Reforms (1909), and Montague-Chelmsford Reforms (1919) were subsequent constitutional reforms that further developed the legislative and administrative structure but did not create the office of the Secretary of State for India.