UPSC CDS-1 Archives

1. Consider the following statements : 1. The International Covenant on

Consider the following statements :

1. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) provides that everyone shall have the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.
2. Although India agrees in principle with the ethos of ICCPR, it has not yet ratified it fully.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CDS-1 – 2024

Download PDF Attempt Online

The correct answer is C. Both statements 1 and 2 are correct.

Statement 1 correctly quotes Article 16 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR): “Everyone shall have the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.”
Statement 2 is also correct. India ratified the ICCPR in 1979 but did so with certain reservations to specific articles, meaning it has not accepted the obligations under these specific articles without qualification. Thus, it has not “fully ratified” it in the sense of ratifying without any reservations.

Ratification with reservations is a common practice in international law, allowing states to become parties to a treaty while excluding or modifying the legal effect of specific provisions in their application to that state. India’s reservations pertain to articles concerning self-determination, preventive detention, rights of aliens, and political rights.

2. Consider the following statements : 1. Under Part III of the Constit

Consider the following statements :

1. Under Part III of the Constitution of India, individuals can enforce rights guaranteed by this Part when they are violated by the action of a government authority.
2. Under Part III of the Constitution of India, individuals can enforce rights guaranteed by this Part when they are violated by not only the action of a government authority, but also by its inaction.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CDS-1 – 2024

Download PDF Attempt Online

The correct answer is C. Both statements 1 and 2 are correct.

Fundamental Rights under Part III of the Constitution are enforceable against the ‘State’ (defined broadly under Article 12). This enforcement can be sought when the State’s *actions* violate these rights. Furthermore, judicial interpretation has established that the State’s *inaction* or failure to perform a legal duty that results in the violation of fundamental rights is also challengeable.

The Supreme Court and High Courts, using powers under Articles 32 and 226, can issue writs like Mandamus to compel public authorities to perform their duties, thereby addressing violations arising from state inaction. For example, the state’s failure to prevent environmental pollution or provide adequate security can be challenged if it leads to a violation of the right to life or personal liberty.

3. Which of the following statements are not correct? 1. In world polit

Which of the following statements are not correct?

1. In world politics, ‘hard power’ can be exercised by both States and other actors involving use of threat or coercion.
2. Globalisation is necessarily economic, not cultural.
3. The term ‘Washington Consensus’ refers to a policy that seeks intervention in the market.
4. ‘Autarky’ is generally understood as economic ‘self-sufficiency’.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1 and 4 only

2 and 3 only

2, 3 and 4 only

1, 2, 3 and 4

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CDS-1 – 2024

Download PDF Attempt Online

The correct answer is B. Statements 2 and 3 are not correct.

Statement 1: ‘Hard power’ (military, economic coercion) can be exercised by both states and powerful non-state actors. This is generally correct.
Statement 2: Globalisation is multi-dimensional, encompassing economic, cultural, political, technological, etc., aspects. It is not necessarily only economic and not cultural; cultural globalisation is a significant dimension. Thus, statement 2 is incorrect.
Statement 3: The ‘Washington Consensus’ refers to a set of free-market policy recommendations that advocate for *less* state intervention in the market (e.g., privatization, deregulation, fiscal discipline). Thus, statement 3 is incorrect.
Statement 4: ‘Autarky’ means economic self-sufficiency, typically achieved through protectionism or isolation. This statement is correct.

The incorrect statements are 2 and 3. Hard power exercised by non-state actors includes economic leverage by multinational corporations or coercive actions by non-state armed groups. The Washington Consensus policies were promoted in the 1980s and 1990s, primarily towards developing countries experiencing economic crises.

4. Which one amongst the following cannot be a feature of a ‘totalitarian

Which one amongst the following cannot be a feature of a ‘totalitarian regime’?

State control of the political and often personal realms of individual life

A monopoly of the means of mass communication

One-party State

Autonomy of civil society

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CDS-1 – 2024

Download PDF Attempt Online

The correct answer is D. Autonomy of civil society cannot be a feature of a ‘totalitarian regime’.

A totalitarian regime is characterized by the state exercising absolute control over all aspects of public and private life. Features include state control, monopoly over communication, a single ruling party, and the suppression or co-option of all independent organizations, including civil society.

Totalitarianism seeks to eliminate any independent centers of power or association, ensuring the state’s monopoly on power. Therefore, the existence of an autonomous civil society (independent associations, groups, etc.) is fundamentally incompatible with the principles of a totalitarian regime.

5. Political analysis involves both normative and empirical approaches. W

Political analysis involves both normative and empirical approaches. Which of the following statements is/are correct about the two approaches?

1. Knowledge acquired through the empirical approach is value-loaded.
2. Knowledge acquired through the normative approach is objectively neutral.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CDS-1 – 2024

Download PDF Attempt Online

The correct answer is D. Neither statement is correct regarding normative and empirical approaches in political analysis.

The empirical approach in political analysis seeks to understand and explain political phenomena based on observable facts, data, and evidence, aiming for value-neutrality. The normative approach, in contrast, deals with values, ethics, and what ‘ought’ to be in politics, making it inherently value-laden.

Statement 1 is incorrect because knowledge acquired through the empirical approach aims to be value-neutral, focusing on ‘what is’. Statement 2 is incorrect because knowledge acquired through the normative approach is inherently value-laden, focusing on ‘what ought to be’.

6. Which one of the following correctly describes the principle of the wo

Which one of the following correctly describes the principle of the working of an atomic clock?

Vibration of a small quartz crystal

Simple harmonic motion of atoms inside a crystal

Resonant frequency in cesium (or rubidium) atom

Excitation and de-excitation of hydrogen atoms

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CDS-1 – 2024

Download PDF Attempt Online

The correct answer is C. An atomic clock works based on the precise and stable resonant frequency of atoms, typically Cesium or Rubidium.

The principle of an atomic clock relies on the natural, constant frequency associated with transitions between different energy levels of atoms, which are independent of external conditions and thus provide a highly stable frequency standard.

Modern atomic clocks define the second based on the radiation frequency corresponding to the transition between two specific hyperfine levels of the ground state of the Cesium-133 atom. Rubidium clocks are also used, offering portability at slightly lower accuracy than Cesium primary standards. Quartz crystal vibrations are used in quartz clocks, which are less accurate than atomic clocks.

7. The rest mass of Higgs boson is estimated to be close to

The rest mass of Higgs boson is estimated to be close to

0.5 MeV

900 MeV

100 GeV

1000 GeV

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CDS-1 – 2024

Download PDF Attempt Online

The rest mass of the Higgs boson is estimated to be close to 100 GeV.

The Higgs boson was discovered at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in 2012. Experimental measurements determined its mass to be approximately 125 GeV/c². Of the given options, 100 GeV is the closest value.

MeV (Mega-electronvolt) and GeV (Giga-electronvolt) are units of energy commonly used in particle physics, where mass is often expressed using the mass-energy equivalence E=mc². 1 GeV = 1000 MeV. The given options represent masses in the range of MeV and GeV. 0.5 MeV is too small (closer to the mass of an electron), 900 MeV is closer to the mass of a proton or neutron, 100 GeV is in the correct ballpark for the Higgs boson, and 1000 GeV (1 TeV) is much higher.

8. Photo 51 refers to an image of

Photo 51 refers to an image of

a crater on the Moon

DNA molecules

the virus responsible for COVID-19

the virus responsible for common cold

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CDS-1 – 2024

Download PDF Attempt Online

Photo 51 refers to a famous X-ray diffraction image of DNA molecules.

Photo 51 was an X-ray diffraction pattern of DNA, obtained by Rosalind Franklin and Raymond Gosling in 1952 at King’s College London. This image was crucial in determining the double helix structure of DNA by James Watson and Francis Crick.

The clarity of Photo 51 provided key information, including the helical nature of DNA, its diameter, and the spacing between the base pairs, which were essential clues for building the correct molecular model.

9. Qubit refers to a two-valued quantity used in

Qubit refers to a two-valued quantity used in

classical computers

classical cryptography

quantum computers

lasers

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CDS-1 – 2024

Download PDF Attempt Online

Qubit refers to a two-valued quantity used in quantum computers.

A qubit, or quantum bit, is the basic unit of information in quantum computing. Unlike a classical bit, which can only be 0 or 1, a qubit can be 0, 1, or a superposition of both 0 and 1 simultaneously.

The ability of qubits to exist in superposition and become entangled is what gives quantum computers their potential power to solve certain problems much faster than classical computers. Classical computers use classical bits (either 0 or 1). Classical cryptography relies on mathematical algorithms solvable by classical computers, though potentially requiring immense computational power. Lasers are devices that emit coherent light; while based on quantum mechanics, the term “qubit” is specific to quantum information processing.

10. Which of the following particles are subatomic particles? 1. Electron

Which of the following particles are subatomic particles?
1. Electron
2. Proton
3. Neutron
4. Muon
Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1 and 4 only

1, 2, 3 and 4

2 and 3 only

1, 2 and 3 only

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CDS-1 – 2024

Download PDF Attempt Online

All the listed particles – Electron, Proton, Neutron, and Muon – are considered subatomic particles.

Subatomic particles are particles that are smaller than an atom.
– Electrons are fundamental particles (leptons) that orbit the nucleus of an atom.
– Protons and Neutrons are found in the nucleus of an atom. They are composite particles, each made up of three quarks (protons are two up quarks and one down quark, neutrons are one up quark and two down quarks). Despite being composite, they are typically classified as subatomic particles.
– Muons are fundamental particles (leptons), similar to electrons but much more massive. They are not constituents of ordinary atoms but are produced in high-energy interactions.

Subatomic particles can be fundamental (like electrons, muons, quarks, neutrinos, photons) or composite (like protons, neutrons, which are made of quarks). All particles smaller than an atom fall under the broad category of subatomic particles.