UPSC CDS-2 Archives

21. Statement I : The Greek travellers were most impressed by the fertilit

Statement I : The Greek travellers were most impressed by the fertility of India’s soil and the energy and ability of her cultivators.
Statement II : Ancient India knew the use of manure.

Both the statements are individually true and Statement II is the correct explanation of Statement I.

Both the statements are individually true but Statement II is not the correct explanation of Statement I.

Statement I is true but Statement II is false.

Statement I is false but Statement II is true.

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Statement I is true. Greek travellers, like Megasthenes in his Indica, often commented on the fertility of the Indian soil and the advanced agricultural practices and diligence of the Indian cultivators, which resulted in high productivity. Statement II is also true. Ancient Indian texts and archaeological evidence indicate a sophisticated understanding and use of various types of manure (organic, animal, green manure) to maintain soil fertility. Statement II provides a direct explanation for why the soil was fertile and the cultivators were effective – they used advanced techniques like manuring.

Ancient India possessed advanced agricultural knowledge, including the use of manure, which contributed to high productivity noticed by foreign observers.

Texts like the Arthashastra mention different types of fertilizers. The observed prosperity and fertility were often attributed to skilled cultivation and rich soil, supported by practices like irrigation and fertilization.

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22. Which one of the following is the largest fresh water lake in India ?

Which one of the following is the largest fresh water lake in India ?

Chilika

Loktak

Dal

Wular

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Wular Lake, located in Jammu and Kashmir, is the largest freshwater lake in India. It is a significant wetland and plays a vital role in the hydrography of the region. Chilika is a brackish water lagoon, Loktak is a freshwater lake in Manipur, and Dal Lake is a freshwater lake in Kashmir, all of which are smaller than Wular Lake.

Wular Lake is the largest freshwater lake in India, situated in the Kashmir Valley.

Wular Lake was designated as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention in 1990. Its size fluctuates significantly depending on the season.

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23. Rains caused by thunderstorms during the hot weather season (mid-March

Rains caused by thunderstorms during the hot weather season (mid-March to mid-June) in Karnataka are called

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Kalbaisakhi

Mango showers

Loo

Cherry blossoms

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Rains caused by thunderstorms during the hot weather season in Karnataka are called Mango showers.

– Mango showers are pre-monsoon showers that occur in South India, particularly in Kerala, Karnataka, and Goa, during the hot weather season (April-May).
– These showers are important as they help in the ripening of mangoes and coffee blossoms in the region.
– They are caused by convective thunderstorms originating over peninsular India.

– Kalbaisakhi (also known as Nor’westers) are violent thunderstorms that occur over Assam, West Bengal, Odisha, and Bihar in the pre-monsoon season.
– Loo is a hot and dry wind that blows across the northern plains of India during the summer months (May-June).
– “Cherry blossoms” refer to the flowers of cherry trees, particularly associated with Japan, and not a type of rain in India. However, sometimes pre-monsoon showers in parts of Karnataka and Kerala are called ‘Cherry Blossom showers’ or ‘Coffee showers’ because they are beneficial for coffee plantations. Mango showers is a more common term for these pre-monsoon rains in the region, specifically referring to their benefit for mangoes.

24. Which one of the following mountains separates Black Sea and Caspian

Which one of the following mountains separates Black Sea and Caspian Sea?

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Urals

Caucasus

Carpathians

Balkan mountains

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The Caucasus mountains separate the Black Sea and Caspian Sea.

– The Caucasus Mountains are a mountain range at the intersection of Europe and Asia, between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.
– They are typically divided into the Greater Caucasus and Lesser Caucasus ranges.
– They form a significant geographical barrier and are often considered part of the boundary between Europe and Asia.

– The Urals mountains are located in Western Russia, forming part of the boundary between Europe and Asia, running roughly north-south and extending from the Arctic Ocean to the Ural River and northwestern Kazakhstan.
– The Carpathians are a range in Central and Eastern Europe, extending in an arc across several countries including Romania, Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, and Hungary.
– The Balkan mountains are a range in Southeast Europe, primarily in Bulgaria and Serbia.

25. 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 (Soil type)	List II (Major characteristic)
A. Oxisols	1. Very rich in organic matter
B. Vertisols	2. Soil lacking horizons
C. Histosols	3. Very old and highly weathered
D. Entisols	4. Rich in clay content and highly basic

Code :

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A-3, B-1, C-4, D-2

A-3, B-4, C-1, D-2

A-2, B-1, C-4, D-3

A-2, B-4, C-1, D-3

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The correct match is A-3, B-4, C-1, D-2.

– **Oxisols (A):** These are highly weathered soils, typically found in tropical and subtropical regions. They are characterized by subsurface horizons dominated by residual accumulations of iron and aluminum oxides and lack of weatherable minerals. They are indeed very old and highly weathered (matches 3).
– **Vertisols (B):** These are clay-rich soils that shrink and swell significantly upon drying and wetting, respectively. This shrink-swell action creates deep cracks. They are often rich in montmorillonite clay and can be highly basic (matches 4).
– **Histosols (C):** These are organic soils formed in wetlands, composed mainly of peat or muck. They contain a large amount of organic matter, usually more than 20% (matches 1).
– **Entisols (D):** These are young soils that have little or no morphological development of pedogenic horizons. They lack distinct layers characteristic of more developed soils (matches 2).

Soil classification systems like the USDA soil taxonomy categorize soils based on their properties, which reflect their formation processes and characteristics. Understanding these major soil orders helps in understanding global soil distribution and their suitability for different uses.

26. Which one of the following is the correct sequential phase in the succ

Which one of the following is the correct sequential phase in the successional development of vegetation community in a habitat ?

Migration, Reaction, Stabilization and Nudation

Migration, Nudation

Nudation, Migration, Reaction and Stabilization

Reaction, Migration, Stabilization and Nudation

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The correct sequential phase in the successional development of vegetation community in a habitat is Nudation, Migration, Reaction and Stabilization.

– Ecological succession is the process of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time. It is a directional process, leading to a relatively stable state called the climax community.
– The typical sequential stages of succession (sometimes presented with slightly varying terminology) are:
1. **Nudation:** Creation of a bare area, devoid of any life. This can be caused by natural events like volcanic eruptions, floods, erosion, or human activities like deforestation.
2. **Invasion (or Migration):** Arrival of propagules (seeds, spores, etc.) of plants in the bare area. This involves three steps: migration (dispersal to the area), ecesis (establishment and initial growth), and aggregation (increase in number through reproduction).
3. **Competition and Co-action:** As populations grow and species interact, competition for resources (light, water, nutrients, space) occurs. Co-actions (like facilitation or inhibition) also play a role in modifying the environment.
4. **Reaction:** The organisms living in the area modify the environment (e.g., change soil composition, light availability, temperature, humidity). These changes make the habitat less suitable for the existing community but more suitable for new species. This stage drives the succession forward.
5. **Stabilization (or Climax):** Eventually, a relatively stable community develops that is in equilibrium with the environment and can reproduce itself. This is called the climax community.
– The sequence presented in option C follows the logical progression: a bare area is formed (Nudation), species arrive and establish (Migration/Invasion), organisms interact and modify the environment (Reaction), leading towards a stable state (Stabilization/Climax).

While the stages can be further detailed (e.g., including Ecesis, Aggregation, Competition/Co-action), the sequence Nudation -> Migration -> Reaction -> Stabilization captures the major transitions in the process of ecological succession.

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27. The term soil impoverishment relates to which one of the following ?

The term soil impoverishment relates to which one of the following ?

Soil erosion

Soil deposition

Soil getting very deficient in plant nutrients

Soil getting enriched with plant nutrients

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The term soil impoverishment relates to soil getting very deficient in plant nutrients.

– Impoverishment generally means the process of making something poor or deficient.
– In the context of soil, impoverishment refers to the depletion of essential nutrients required for plant growth, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, etc.
– This can occur due to various factors including continuous cropping without replenishment, soil erosion removing fertile topsoil, leaching of nutrients by excessive rainfall, or nutrient imbalance.

Soil erosion is a process that can *cause* soil impoverishment by removing nutrient-rich topsoil, but soil impoverishment specifically refers to the lack of nutrients, not just the physical loss of soil material. Soil deposition is the accumulation of soil material. Soil getting enriched with plant nutrients is the opposite of impoverishment.

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28. Rajya Sabha has exclusive jurisdiction in

Rajya Sabha has exclusive jurisdiction in

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creation of new States

declaring a war

financial emergency

authorizing Parliament to legislate on a subject in the State List

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Rajya Sabha has exclusive jurisdiction in authorizing Parliament to legislate on a subject in the State List.

– Article 249 of the Constitution grants the Rajya Sabha the power to pass a resolution, by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting, declaring that it is necessary or expedient in the national interest that Parliament should make laws with respect to any matter enumerated in the State List specified in the resolution.
– Upon passing such a resolution, Parliament gains the power to make laws on that specific State List subject for a period not exceeding one year, which can be extended.
– This power is unique to the Rajya Sabha as the representative body of the states, allowing it to enable central legislation on state matters when deemed necessary in the national interest.

Other exclusive powers of the Rajya Sabha include initiating a resolution for the creation of new All India Services (Article 312) and approving a Proclamation of National Emergency when the Lok Sabha stands dissolved (Article 352). Creation of new states, declaration of war, and financial emergency involve the Parliament as a whole, the executive, or the President, not the exclusive jurisdiction of the Rajya Sabha.

29. Which of the following statements as per the Constitution of India are

Which of the following statements as per the Constitution of India are not correct ?

1. The President tenders his resignation to the Chief Justice of India.
2. The Vice-President tenders his resignation to the President of India.
3. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India is removed from his office in the like manner as the President of India.
4. A Judge of the Supreme Court can resign his office by writing under his hand addressed to the Chief Justice of India.

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

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1 and 2 only

3 and 4 only

1, 2 and 3

1, 3 and 4

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Statements 1, 3, and 4 are not correct as per the Constitution of India.

– Statement 1 is incorrect: The President tenders his resignation to the Vice-President of India (Article 56(1)(a)). The Vice-President then communicates this to the Speaker of the House of the People.
– Statement 2 is correct: The Vice-President tenders his resignation to the President of India (Article 67(a)).
– Statement 3 is incorrect: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) is removed from office in the like manner as a Judge of the Supreme Court (Article 148(1) and Article 124(4)). A Supreme Court Judge is removed by an order of the President passed after an address by each House of Parliament, supported by a special majority, has been presented to the President in the same session for such removal on grounds of proved misbehaviour or incapacity. This is a different process than the impeachment process for the President, although both are difficult.
– Statement 4 is incorrect: A Judge of the Supreme Court can resign his office by writing under his hand addressed to the President of India, not the Chief Justice of India (Article 124(2) Proviso (a)).

Understanding the procedures for resignation and removal of high constitutional functionaries is crucial. These procedures are specifically laid out in the Constitution to ensure the independence and proper functioning of these offices.

30. The frequency (in Hz) of a note that is one octave higher than 500 Hz

The frequency (in Hz) of a note that is one octave higher than 500 Hz is

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375

750

1000

2000

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The frequency of a note that is one octave higher than 500 Hz is 1000 Hz.

– In music and acoustics, an octave is an interval between two notes where the higher note has a frequency exactly double that of the lower note.
– Conversely, a note one octave lower than a given note has half its frequency.

This relationship between frequency and octave is fundamental to musical scales and harmony. For example, if A4 is tuned to 440 Hz, A5 (one octave higher) is 880 Hz, and A3 (one octave lower) is 220 Hz.