UPSC CDS-2 Archives

31. Which one of the following Schedules of the Constitution of India has

Which one of the following Schedules of the Constitution of India has fixed the number of Members of the Rajya Sabha to be elected from each State?

Fifth Schedule

Third Schedule

Sixth Schedule

Fourth Schedule

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The Fourth Schedule of the Constitution of India deals with the allocation of seats in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) among the States and Union Territories.

The number of representatives from each State in the Rajya Sabha is fixed based on its population, as enumerated in this schedule.

The Fifth Schedule pertains to the administration and control of Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes. The Third Schedule contains the forms of oaths or affirmations. The Sixth Schedule deals with the administration of tribal areas in the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram.

32. Which of the following features were borrowed by the Constitution of I

Which of the following features were borrowed by the Constitution of India from the British Constitution?

1. Rule of Law
2. Law-making Procedure
3. Independence of Judiciary
4. Parliamentary System

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1 and 2 only

2, 3 and 4

1 and 4 only

1, 2 and 4

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The correct option is D) 1, 2 and 4.

The Constitution of India borrowed features from various sources. From the British Constitution, India adopted the Rule of Law, the Law-making Procedure (based on the parliamentary system), and the Parliamentary System of government itself. The concept of the Independence of Judiciary, however, was primarily borrowed from the Constitution of the United States of America.

Key features borrowed from the British Constitution include nominal head (President), Cabinet system, Parliamentary type of government, Bicameral Parliament, Rule of Law, Legislative Procedure, Single Citizenship, and Speaker of Lok Sabha. The US Constitution contributed features like the Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Federal structure of government, Electoral College, Independence of Judiciary, Judicial Review, Impeachment of the President, and removal of Supreme Court and High Court judges.

33. Which of the following statements about ‘delegation’ is/are correct?

Which of the following statements about ‘delegation’ is/are correct?

1. It is the abdication of responsibility.
2. It means conferring of specified authority by a lower authority to a higher one.
3. It is subject to supervision and review.
4. It is a method of dividing authority in the organization.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

3 only

2 and 4 only

3 and 4

1, 2 and 4

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The correct option is C) 3 and 4.

Delegation is the process of entrusting responsibility and authority to another person (usually a subordinate) to perform specific tasks.
Statement 1 is incorrect: Delegation is not abdication of responsibility. The person delegating still retains overall responsibility and accountability for the outcome.
Statement 2 is incorrect: Delegation is typically the conferring of authority by a higher authority to a lower one.
Statement 3 is correct: Delegation is subject to supervision and review by the delegating authority to ensure the task is performed correctly and efficiently.
Statement 4 is correct: Delegation is a fundamental method for dividing authority within an organization, allowing managers to focus on strategic tasks while subordinates handle operational ones.

Effective delegation is a key management skill that promotes efficiency, develops subordinates’ skills, and improves decision-making by bringing it closer to the point of action. It involves assigning tasks, granting authority, and creating accountability, while the ultimate responsibility remains with the delegator.

34. In which two Indian States of the four mentioned below, it is necessar

In which two Indian States of the four mentioned below, it is necessary to hold certain minimum educational qualifications to be eligible to contest Panchayat Elections?

1. Punjab

2. Haryana

3. Karnataka

4. Rajasthan

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1 and 2

2 and 4

2 and 3

1 and 4

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The correct option is B) 2 and 4.

As of 2015, states like Haryana and Rajasthan enacted laws requiring minimum educational qualifications for candidates contesting Panchayat elections. Haryana required matriculation for general category candidates and class 8th pass for women and Schedule Caste candidates contesting Sarpanch elections. Rajasthan required secondary school (Class 10) for Sarpanch candidates and middle school (Class 8) for Ward Panch candidates. Punjab and Karnataka did not have such state-wide mandatory educational requirements for Panchayat elections during that period.

These laws sparked debate regarding the right to contest elections and the value of formal education in local governance. The Supreme Court of India upheld the validity of the Haryana law in 2015, stating that prescribing minimum educational qualifications is not unreasonable.

35. What are the main constituents of biogas?

What are the main constituents of biogas?

Methane and sulphur dioxide

Methane and carbon dioxide

Methane, hydrogen and nitric oxide

Methane and nitric oxide

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The correct option is B) Methane and carbon dioxide.

Biogas is produced through the anaerobic digestion of organic matter by microorganisms. Its primary constituents are methane (CH₄), typically making up 50-75% of the volume, and carbon dioxide (CO₂), making up 25-50%. Methane is the main combustible component that gives biogas its value as a fuel.

Other gases present in biogas in smaller quantities may include hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), nitrogen (N₂), and hydrogen (H₂). Sulphur dioxide and nitric oxide are not typical main constituents of biogas; they are more associated with combustion processes or air pollution.

36. Most ozone gas (about 90%) is located in the atmospheric layer of

Most ozone gas (about 90%) is located in the atmospheric layer of

ionosphere

troposphere

stratosphere

mesosphere

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The correct option is C) stratosphere.

The vast majority of ozone gas (approximately 90%) is concentrated in the stratosphere, forming the ozone layer. This layer is crucial for absorbing most of the Sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. A smaller amount of ozone exists in the troposphere, where it acts as a pollutant and a greenhouse gas.

The atmosphere is divided into several layers: troposphere (lowest), stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere. The ionosphere is a region within the thermosphere and exosphere where gases are ionized by solar radiation. Ozone formation and destruction primarily occur in the stratosphere.

37. Which one of the following types of glasses is used for making optical

Which one of the following types of glasses is used for making optical instruments?

Pyrex glass

Soft glass

Hard glass

Flint glass

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The correct option is D) Flint glass.

Flint glass is a type of optical glass characterized by a high refractive index and relatively high dispersion. It is often used in combination with crown glass (lower refractive index, lower dispersion) to make achromatic lenses that reduce chromatic aberration (the distortion caused by the different wavelengths of light being refracted at slightly different angles). These properties are crucial for the performance of optical instruments like cameras, telescopes, and microscopes.

Pyrex glass is a borosilicate glass known for its thermal shock resistance and is used for laboratory glassware and cookware. Soft glass (soda-lime glass) is common glass used for windows and containers. Hard glass generally refers to types like borosilicate glass with high softening points but isn’t a specific category used for optical purposes like flint glass.

38. The paste of a white material in water is used to maintain a fractured

The paste of a white material in water is used to maintain a fractured bone fixed in place. The white material used is called

bleaching powder

plaster of Paris

powder of zinc oxide

lime powder

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The correct option is B) plaster of Paris.

Plaster of Paris is calcium sulfate hemihydrate (CaSO₄·½H₂O). When mixed with water, it forms calcium sulfate dihydrate (gypsum, CaSO₄·2H₂O), which is a hard solid. This property makes it ideal for creating casts to immobilize fractured bones, allowing them to heal properly.

Bleaching powder is primarily used for disinfection and bleaching. Zinc oxide is used in various applications including cosmetics, paints, and as a mild antiseptic. Lime powder (calcium oxide or hydroxide) is used in construction, agriculture, and chemical industries. Only plaster of Paris has the specific property of setting into a hard mass upon mixing with water which is used for medical casts.

39. How many hydrogen atoms are contained in 1.50 g of glucose

How many hydrogen atoms are contained in 1.50 g of glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆)?

3.01 × 10²²

1.20 × 10²³

2.40 × 10²³

6.02 × 10²²

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The correct option is D) 6.02 × 10²² .

To find the number of hydrogen atoms, we first need to calculate the number of moles of glucose in 1.50 g. The molar mass of glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆) is (6 × 12.01) + (12 × 1.008) + (6 × 16.00) ≈ 180.16 g/mol (using rounded values C=12, H=1, O=16 gives 180 g/mol).
Number of moles of glucose = mass / molar mass = 1.50 g / 180 g/mol ≈ 0.00833 moles.
One molecule of glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆) contains 12 hydrogen atoms. Therefore, one mole of glucose contains 12 moles of hydrogen atoms.
Number of moles of hydrogen atoms = 0.00833 mol glucose × 12 mol H atoms/mol glucose = 0.1 moles of hydrogen atoms.
Number of hydrogen atoms = moles of H atoms × Avogadro’s number (6.022 × 10²³ atoms/mol) = 0.1 mol × 6.022 × 10²³ atoms/mol ≈ 0.6022 × 10²³ atoms = 6.022 × 10²² atoms.

Avogadro’s number is the number of constituent particles (atoms, molecules, ions, etc.) that are contained in one mole of a substance, approximately 6.022 × 10²³. The formula weight calculation needs to consider the number of atoms of each element in the molecular formula.

40. In the reaction between hydrogen sulphate ion and water HSO₄⁻ + H₂O →

In the reaction between hydrogen sulphate ion and water
HSO₄⁻ + H₂O → H₃O⁺ + SO₄²⁻
the water acts as

an acid

a base

a salt

an inert medium

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The correct option is B) a base.

In the given reaction, HSO₄⁻ + H₂O → H₃O⁺ + SO₄²⁻, the hydrogen sulphate ion (HSO₄⁻) donates a proton (H⁺) to water (H₂O). According to the Brønsted-Lowry acid-base theory, an acid is a proton donor and a base is a proton acceptor. Since water accepts a proton from HSO₄⁻ to form H₃O⁺, water is acting as a base in this specific reaction.

Water is an amphoteric substance, meaning it can act as both an acid and a base depending on the substance it reacts with. When reacting with a stronger acid (like HCl), water acts as a base. When reacting with a base (like NH₃), water acts as an acid. In this reaction with HSO₄⁻, which can act as either an acid or a base but is acting as an acid here (donating H⁺), water acts as a base.