UPSC CDS-1 Archives

1. Reflex arcs are evolved in animals for quick and efficient responses.

Reflex arcs are evolved in animals for quick and efficient responses. Which one of the following sequences correctly represents a reflex arc?

Receptor—Sensory neuron—Relay neuron in spinal cord—Brain—Motor neuron—Effector

Receptor—Sensory neuron—Brain—Relay neuron in spinal cord—Motor neuron—Effector

Receptor—Motor neuron—Relay neuron in spinal cord—Sensory neuron—Effector

Receptor—Motor neuron—Brain—Sensory neuron—Effector

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A reflex arc is the pathway followed by nerve impulses during a reflex action. The typical sequence involves a Receptor detecting the stimulus, a Sensory neuron transmitting the signal to the central nervous system (spinal cord), an interneuron (Relay neuron) in the spinal cord processing the signal and synapsing with a Motor neuron, which carries the command to an Effector (muscle or gland) to produce a response. While simple spinal reflexes occur without conscious brain processing for the motor response, the sensory information is often simultaneously transmitted to the brain. Option A, despite including ‘Brain’ in the serial path (which is not how a simple spinal reflex motor command originates), is the only option that correctly orders the initial steps (Receptor -> Sensory neuron) and subsequent components (Relay neuron in spinal cord, Motor neuron, Effector) in a biologically plausible sequence among the given choices, relative to the flow of information and action.

The fundamental components of a reflex arc are Receptor, Sensory neuron, Integration center (often involving interneurons in the spinal cord), Motor neuron, and Effector. The speed of reflex action is due to the short pathway, often bypassing higher brain centers for the rapid motor command.

Reflex arcs can be monosynaptic (one synapse between sensory and motor neuron) or polysynaptic (involving one or more interneurons).

2. Who among the following is not a recipient of the Nobel Prize in Phy

Who among the following is not a recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2022?

Alain Aspect

John F. Clauser

Klaus Hasselmann

Anton Zeilinger

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Klaus Hasselmann was a recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2021, shared with Syukuro Manabe and Giorgio Parisi. The Nobel Prize in Physics in 2022 was awarded jointly to Alain Aspect, John F. Clauser, and Anton Zeilinger.

Alain Aspect, John F. Clauser, and Anton Zeilinger received the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics for their experiments with entangled photons, establishing the violation of Bell inequalities and pioneering quantum information science.

Klaus Hasselmann’s Nobel Prize in 2021 was recognized for “for the physical modelling of Earth’s climate, quantifying variability and reliably predicting global warming”.

3. Cheetahs, brought from Namibia, were introduced in India to which one

Cheetahs, brought from Namibia, were introduced in India to which one of the following National Parks?

Kaziranga National Park

Keoladeo Ghana National Park

Keibul Lamjao National Park

Kuno National Park

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Cheetahs brought from Namibia in September 2022, and later from South Africa, were successfully introduced into Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, India, as part of a reintroduction project.

This project aims to re-establish a cheetah population in India, where the Asiatic cheetah was declared extinct in 1952.

Kaziranga National Park is famous for its Rhinoceros population. Keoladeo Ghana National Park is a renowned bird sanctuary. Keibul Lamjao National Park is famous for the Sangai deer and its floating phumdis.

4. The Chevrons is the name of the cricket team of which one of the follo

The Chevrons is the name of the cricket team of which one of the following countries?

Australia

The Netherlands

Ireland

Zimbabwe

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‘The Chevrons’ is the widely recognized nickname for the Zimbabwe national cricket team.

Nicknames are common for national sports teams and help in easy identification and branding.

The Zimbabwe national cricket team is a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

5. Which one of the following is an ethnic community of Assam?

Which one of the following is an ethnic community of Assam?

Bhil

Gond

Ahom

Adi

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The Ahom are a major ethnic group found primarily in the state of Assam, India. They are descendants of the Tai-Ahom people who migrated from present-day Yunnan, China, in the 13th century and established the Ahom Kingdom in the Brahmaputra Valley.

The Ahom language is a Tai language, although over time the Ahom people largely adopted the Assamese language. They played a significant role in the history and culture of Assam.

Bhil and Gond are large tribal communities found primarily in central and western India. Adi is a major tribal community of Arunachal Pradesh.

6. Which of the following is the only paramilitary force with a dual cont

Which of the following is the only paramilitary force with a dual control structure?

Central Reserve Police Force

Assam Rifles

Indo-Tibetan Border Police

Central Industrial Security Force

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The Assam Rifles is unique among India’s paramilitary forces in having a dual control structure. Its administrative control falls under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), while its operational control is under the Ministry of Defence (specifically, the Indian Army).

This dual control structure differentiates the Assam Rifles from other paramilitary forces like the CRPF, BSF, ITBP, and CISF, which are solely under the administrative and operational control of the MHA.

The Assam Rifles is one of the oldest paramilitary forces in India, established in 1835. It is primarily tasked with border security, counter-insurgency operations, and maintaining law and order in the North-Eastern states of India.

7. Which two rivers flow in the region between Gulbarga and Vijayanagara

Which two rivers flow in the region between Gulbarga and Vijayanagara Hampi?

Narmada and Godavari

Mahanadi and Godavari

Kaveri and Periyar

Krishna and Tungabhadra

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The two rivers that flow in the region between Gulbarga and Vijayanagara Hampi are the Krishna and Tungabhadra.

– Gulbarga (Kalaburagi) is located in the northern part of Karnataka.
– Vijayanagara (Hampi) is located in the central part of Karnataka, situated on the banks of the Tungabhadra River.
– The Tungabhadra River is a major tributary of the Krishna River. The Krishna River flows to the north of the Tungabhadra.
– The fertile land between the Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers is known as the Raichur Doab. Gulbarga is north of the Krishna, and Hampi is south of the Krishna on the Tungabhadra. The region connecting them involves crossing or traversing the area defined by these two major river systems.

– The Vijayanagara Empire was strategically located on the banks of the Tungabhadra River, utilizing its resources and defensive advantages.
– The Krishna-Tungabhadra doab was historically a contested region between powerful kingdoms like the Vijayanagara Empire and the Bahmani Sultanate/Deccan Sultanates due to its agricultural richness.
– The other pairs of rivers listed are located in different geographical regions of India (Narmada/Godavari in Central/Western India, Mahanadi/Godavari in Eastern/Central India, Kaveri/Periyar in Southern India, further south).

8. Which one of the following pairs denoting various forms of ‘Bhakti’ is

Which one of the following pairs denoting various forms of ‘Bhakti’ is not correctly matched?

Saguna : Belief in Gods with attributes

Nirguna : Belief in Gods without attributes

Alvars : Believed in devotion of Shakti

Nayanars : Believed in devotion of Shiva

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The pair that is not correctly matched is Alvars : Believed in devotion of Shakti. Alvars were devotees of Vishnu.

– Saguna Bhakti refers to devotion towards a personal God with form and attributes, such as Shiva, Vishnu, or their various incarnations and consorts. This is correctly matched.
– Nirguna Bhakti refers to devotion towards a formless, attributeless, ultimate reality, often referred to as Brahman. This is correctly matched.
– Alvars were a group of Tamil saints (primarily between the 6th and 9th centuries CE) who were staunch devotees of Vishnu (Vaishnavism). Their hymns are compiled in the Divya Prabandha.
– Nayanars were a group of Tamil saints (primarily between the 6th and 10th centuries CE) who were staunch devotees of Shiva (Shaivism). Their hymns are compiled in the Tirumurai.

– The Bhakti movement in South India saw the rise of these two parallel streams of devotional saints, promoting intense personal devotion as a path to salvation.
– Shakti refers to the divine feminine power, worshipped in various forms like Durga, Kali, etc. Devotion to Shakti is known as Shaktism, which is distinct from Vaishnavism (Alvars) and Shaivism (Nayanars).

9. Consider the following statements: After forming the Indian National A

Consider the following statements:
After forming the Indian National Army, Subhas Chandra Bose

1. recruited a large number of soldiers from the Indian Prisoners of War in Japanese camp
2. introduced a women’s detachment named after the Rani of Jhansi

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

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Both statements are correct regarding Subhas Chandra Bose and the Indian National Army (INA).

– Statement 1: After taking command of the INA in 1943, Subhas Chandra Bose did recruit a large number of soldiers from the Indian Prisoners of War (POWs) captured by the Japanese forces, primarily from the British Indian Army soldiers captured in Malaya and Singapore.
– Statement 2: Subhas Chandra Bose introduced a women’s regiment within the INA, named the Rani of Jhansi Regiment, to encourage women’s participation in the freedom struggle. It was led by Captain Lakshmi Sehgal (then Lakshmi Swaminathan).

– Subhas Chandra Bose revived and reorganized the INA, which was initially formed by Mohan Singh with Indian POWs under Japanese support.
– Bose’s famous call “Give me blood, and I shall give you freedom!” was directed at mobilizing Indians for the INA’s fight against the British.
– The INA, under Bose’s leadership, fought alongside the Japanese army in parts of Northeast India.

10. In the election held in 1937, in which two provinces was the Indian Na

In the election held in 1937, in which two provinces was the Indian National Congress not able to emerge as the single largest party?

Punjab and Sind

Assam and North-West Frontier Province

Punjab and Assam

Assam and Madras

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In the provincial elections held in 1937, the Indian National Congress was not able to emerge as the single largest party in Punjab and Sind.

– The 1937 elections were held in 11 provinces of British India under the Government of India Act, 1935.
– Congress won a clear majority in 5 provinces (Madras, Bihar, Orissa, Central Provinces, and United Provinces) and emerged as the single largest party in 4 others (Bombay, Bengal, Assam, and North-West Frontier Province), where it later formed coalition governments.
– In Punjab, the Unionist Party secured a clear majority.
– In Sind, no single party obtained a majority, and a coalition government was formed where Congress was not the dominant partner.

– Congress ministries were formed in a total of eight provinces initially.
– The elections demonstrated the widespread popularity of the Congress across large parts of India, though Muslim League’s performance was poor in Muslim majority provinces as well.
– The Congress ministries resigned in 1939 in protest against the British government involving India in World War II without consulting Indian leaders.