UPSC CDS-1 Archives

1. Under which one of the following Amendment Acts was Sikkim admitted in

Under which one of the following Amendment Acts was Sikkim admitted into the Union of India?

35th

36th

37th

38th

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Sikkim became a full-fledged State of the Union of India through the 36th Amendment Act of 1975. The 35th Amendment Act of 1974 had previously conferred the status of an ‘Associate State’ upon Sikkim, introducing Article 2A and the Tenth Schedule for this purpose. However, following a referendum in Sikkim and a subsequent resolution by the Sikkim Assembly, the 36th Amendment Act was passed, which repealed Article 2A and the Tenth Schedule and made Sikkim a full State of India.

– The 36th Amendment Act, 1975, integrated Sikkim as a full state.
– The 35th Amendment Act, 1974, granted associate state status.
– The question asks about being “admitted into the Union,” which refers to the status of a full state.

The 36th Amendment also included a new Article 371F in the Constitution, containing special provisions with respect to the State of Sikkim to address its unique circumstances and ensure its smooth integration and governance within the Indian Union.

2. Which of the following statements about Attorney General of India is/a

Which of the following statements about Attorney General of India is/are not correct?

1. He is the first Law Officer of the Government of India.
2. He is entitled to the privileges of a Member of the Parliament.
3. He is a whole-time counsel for the Government.
4. He must have the same qualifications as are required to be a judge of the Supreme Court.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1, 2 and 3

2 and 4

3 only

1 or 4 only

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The question asks for the statement(s) about the Attorney General of India that are *not* correct.
Statement 1 is correct: The Attorney General is the first Law Officer of the Government of India.
Statement 2 is correct: He is entitled to the privileges of a Member of the Parliament, as per Article 88 of the Constitution, which allows him to speak and participate in parliamentary proceedings without the right to vote.
Statement 3 is not correct: The Attorney General is not a whole-time counsel for the Government. He is allowed to engage in private legal practice, provided it does not involve advising or appearing against the Government of India.
Statement 4 is correct: As per Article 76 of the Constitution, the person appointed as Attorney General must be qualified to be appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court.
Therefore, only statement 3 is not correct.

– The Attorney General is the highest law officer in India.
– Qualifications are the same as a Supreme Court judge.
– He can participate in Parliament proceedings but cannot vote.
– He is not prohibited from private practice, making him not a ‘whole-time’ counsel in the strict sense.

The Attorney General holds office during the pleasure of the President and receives such remuneration as the President may determine. Below the Attorney General, there are other law officers like the Solicitor General and Additional Solicitor Generals to assist him.

3. Which one of the following is not a correct ascending order of commiss

Which one of the following is not a correct ascending order of commissioned ranks in the defence forces of India?

Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel, Brigadier, Major General, Lieutenant General, General

Flying Officer, Flight Lieutenant, Squadron Leader, Wing Commander, Group Captain, Air Commodore, Air Vice Marshal, Air Marshal, Air Chief Marshal

Flying Officer, Flight Lieutenant, Squadron Leader, Group Captain, Wing Commander, Air Commodore, Air Vice Marshal, Air Marshal, Air Chief Marshal

Sub Lieutenant, Lieutenant, Lieutenant Commander, Commander, Captain, Commodore, Rear Admiral, Vice Admiral, Admiral

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Option C presents an incorrect ascending order of commissioned ranks in the Indian Air Force. The correct ascending order for these ranks is Flying Officer, Flight Lieutenant, Squadron Leader, Wing Commander, Group Captain, Air Commodore, Air Vice Marshal, Air Marshal, Air Chief Marshal. Option C incorrectly places Group Captain before Wing Commander.

– The question asks for an incorrect order.
– Ranks in different branches of the Indian Defence Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force) follow specific ascending sequences.
– The provided order for the Air Force in option C is flawed.

The correct ascending orders for the ranks mentioned in the other options are:
– Army: Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel, Brigadier, Major General, Lieutenant General, General.
– Navy: Sub Lieutenant, Lieutenant, Lieutenant Commander, Commander, Captain, Commodore, Rear Admiral, Vice Admiral, Admiral.
These ranks correspond to increasing seniority and responsibility within the respective forces.

4. Who was/were the 10th century composer(s) of the Nalayira Divya

Who was/were the 10th century composer(s) of the Nalayira Divya Prabamdham?

Alvars

Nayanars

Appar

Sambandar

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The Nalayira Divya Prabamdham is a collection of 4,000 Tamil verses composed by the Alvars, Tamil saint-poets who were followers of Vaishnavism. While the main period of the Alvars spanned from the 6th to 9th centuries CE, their work was compiled and organized by Nathamuni, a Srivaishnava scholar, possibly in the late 9th or 10th century. The verses themselves are attributed to the Alvars.

– The Nalayira Divya Prabamdham is a key sacred text of Vaishnavism.
– Its composers are the Alvars.
– The compilation occurred around the 10th century.

The Nayanars were Shaivite saint-poets whose devotional works, primarily the Tevaram (composed by Appar, Sambandar, and Sundarar), are central to Shaivism. Appar and Sambandar were prominent Nayanars, not composers of the Nalayira Divya Prabamdham. The verses of the Alvars are considered equivalent to the Vedas in the Tamil tradition by Srivaishnavites.

5. What is the name of the literary genre developed by the Khojas who are

What is the name of the literary genre developed by the Khojas who are a branch of the Ismaili sect?

Ginan

Ziyarat

Raag

Shahada

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The correct answer is (A) Ginan.

The Khojas, a community primarily associated with the Nizari branch of Shia Islam in the Indian subcontinent, have a distinctive body of devotional literature known as ‘Ginan’ (knowledge). Ginans are hymns or sacred songs composed by Pirs (spiritual guides) associated with the Ismaili tradition, incorporating elements of Islamic, Gnostic, and Indic thought.

Ginans are sung communally in the Jama’at Khana (Khoja prayer hall) and serve as religious education, devotional expression, and historical narrative for the community. They are primarily in various Indo-Aryan languages like Gujarati, Sindhi, Punjabi, and Urdu.

6. Consider the following statement: “So much is wrung from the peasants,

Consider the following statement:
“So much is wrung from the peasants, that even dry bread is scarcely left to fill their stomachs.”
Who among the following European travellers had made the above statement about the condition of peasantry in the Mughal Empire?

Francisco Pelsaert

Francois Bernier

Jean-Baptiste Tavernier

Niccolao Manucci

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The correct answer is (A) Francisco Pelsaert.

The statement, “So much is wrung from the peasants, that even dry bread is scarcely left to fill their stomachs,” is a well-known quote describing the harsh condition of the peasantry in the Mughal Empire, attributed to the Dutch traveller Francisco Pelsaert. Pelsaert was associated with the Dutch East India Company and resided in Agra between 1620 and 1627.

Pelsaert’s work, ‘Remonstrantie’ (Memoirs), provides a detailed, albeit critical, account of economic and social conditions in the Mughal Empire during the reign of Jahangir. Francois Bernier also provided significant accounts of the Mughal Empire but this specific quote is from Pelsaert.

7. Which one of the following statements is not correct?

Which one of the following statements is not correct?

Al-Biruni identifies the Sufi doctrine of divine love as self-annihilation with parallel passages from Bhagavad Gita.

According to Al-Biruni, Sufi theories of Soul were similar to those in Patanjali's Yoga Sutra.

The Hatha Yogic treatise Amrita Kunda had lasting impact on Sufism.

Hujwiri's conversation with the Yogis shows that he was impressed with their theory of the division of the human body.

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The correct answer is (D) Hujwiri’s conversation with the Yogis shows that he was impressed with their theory of the division of the human body.

While Al-Biruni and Hujwiri did engage with Indian philosophical and religious systems, specifically Yoga and its practitioners:
A and B are correct. Al-Biruni in his *Kitab fi Tahqiq ma li’l-Hind* (Indica) discussed Indian philosophical concepts, finding parallels between Sufi ideas like *fana* (annihilation) and concepts from the Bhagavad Gita, and comparing Sufi theories of the soul with Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.
C is correct. The Sanskrit Hatha Yoga text *Amrita Kunda* was translated into Arabic and Persian and influenced Sufi physiological and mystical practices.
D is likely incorrect. Hujwiri, in his *Kashf al-Mahjub*, mentions encountering Yogis and discusses their practices. While he noted some similarities in asceticism and detachment with Sufism, his overall tone is generally critical from an Islamic perspective, and there is no strong evidence to suggest he was “impressed” specifically by their theory of the division of the human body (like chakras or subtle physiology) in a way that implies acceptance or admiration from his Islamic standpoint. His account is more of an observation and a comparison/contrast exercise.

The interaction between Sufism and Indian yogic traditions was complex, involving both exchange and critical evaluation. Scholars like Al-Biruni provided objective (though not always perfectly accurate) accounts, while Sufi masters like Hujwiri and later figures reflected this interaction through their writings and practices.

8. Which of the following statements about the usage of the term ‘barbari

Which of the following statements about the usage of the term ‘barbarian’ is/are correct?

1. It is derived from the Greek word ‘barbaros’ which means a non-Greek.
2. Romans used the term for the Germanic tribes, the Gauls and the Huns.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

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The correct answer is (C) Both 1 and 2.

Statement 1 is correct: The term ‘barbarian’ is derived from the ancient Greek word ‘barbaros’, which was originally used to describe non-Greek speakers, implying their language sounded like meaningless babbling (“bar bar”).
Statement 2 is correct: The Romans adopted the Greek term ‘barbaros’ (as ‘barbarus’) and applied it to peoples outside the Greco-Roman world and empire, including various tribes like the Germanic tribes, Gauls, and Huns.

The term ‘barbarian’ carried connotations of being uncivilized, primitive, or lacking culture from the perspective of the Greeks and Romans. Its meaning evolved over time but fundamentally served to differentiate ‘us’ (the civilized) from ‘them’ (the outsiders).

9. Who among the following is the winner of the National Badminton Champi

Who among the following is the winner of the National Badminton Championship (Men), 2017?

Kidambi Srikanth

H. S. Prannoy

Ajay Jayaram

Sai Praneeth

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The correct answer is (B) H. S. Prannoy.

H. S. Prannoy won the Men’s Singles title at the National Badminton Championship, 2017, defeating Kidambi Srikanth in the final. The tournament was held in Nagpur.

Saina Nehwal won the Women’s Singles title in the same championship, defeating P. V. Sindhu in the final. The 2017 National Championship finals were notable for featuring top Indian shuttlers.

10. Which one of the following is the theme of the World Soil Day, 2017?

Which one of the following is the theme of the World Soil Day, 2017?

Soils and pulses, a symbol for life

Caring for the Planet starts from the Ground

Soils, a solid ground for life

Soils, foundation for family farming

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The correct answer is (B) Caring for the Planet starts from the Ground.

World Soil Day is celebrated annually on December 5th. The theme for World Soil Day in 2017 was “Caring for the Planet starts from the Ground”, emphasizing the importance of healthy soils for overall environmental well-being.

World Soil Day was established by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in 2013 and officially recognized by the UN General Assembly in 2014. It aims to raise awareness of the importance of soil for ecosystem functions and food security.