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31. Which one among the following is a temple of the Vaishnavite tradition

Which one among the following is a temple of the Vaishnavite tradition ?

Srirangam

Chidambaram

Gangaikonda Cholapuram

Thanjavur

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Srirangam is a temple of the Vaishnavite tradition.

– The Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam, Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to Ranganatha, a reclining form of Vishnu.
– It is considered one of the most important shrines in the Sri Vaishnava tradition (a denomination of Vaishnavism) and is the first among the 108 Divya Desams (holy abodes of Vishnu).

– Chidambaram is famous for the Thillai Nataraja Temple, dedicated to Nataraja (Shiva in his dancing form).
– Gangaikonda Cholapuram and Thanjavur (Brihadisvara Temple) are renowned for their grand Shiva temples built by the Chola dynasty.
– Vaishnavism is one of the major traditions of Hinduism, focused on the worship of Vishnu and his ten primary avatars.

32. The painted illustration of the moving of the Ashoka Pillar at Topra i

The painted illustration of the moving of the Ashoka Pillar at Topra is found in

Tarikh-i-Firuz Shahi

Tarikh-i-Shahi

Sirat-i-Firuz Shahi

Akbar Nama

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The painted illustration of the moving of the Ashoka Pillar at Topra is found in Sirat-i-Firuz Shahi.

– Sirat-i-Firuz Shahi is an anonymous contemporary account of the reign of Firuz Shah Tughlaq (1351-1388).
– This text describes Firuz Shah’s various activities, including his passion for public works and his interest in historical monuments.
– It specifically mentions and illustrates the process by which Firuz Shah had two Ashoka pillars transported to Delhi – one from Topra (near Ambala) and the other from Meerut.

Tarikh-i-Firuz Shahi is a historical work written by Ziauddin Barani and Shams-i-Siraj Afif, covering periods up to Firuz Shah’s reign. While it describes events of his reign, Sirat-i-Firuz Shahi is specifically known for details including the movement of the pillars and containing illustrations. Akbar Nama is the official chronicle of Emperor Akbar’s reign written by Abul Fazl. Tarikh-i-Shahi is likely a general term or refers to other specific histories, but Sirat-i-Firuz Shahi is the known source for this specific illustrated event.

33. Under which Article of the Constitution of India has provision been ma

Under which Article of the Constitution of India has provision been made for reservation of seats for women in Panchayats ?

Article 243 B

Article 243 C

Article 243 D

Article 243 E

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Article 243D of the Constitution of India makes provision for the reservation of seats in Panchayats.

– Article 243D mandates reservation for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in proportion to their population in the Panchayat area.
– It also mandates that not less than one-third of the total number of seats to be filled by direct election in every Panchayat shall be reserved for women. This includes the seats reserved for SCs and STs for women.
– Furthermore, not less than one-third of the total number of offices of Chairpersons in the Panchayats at each level shall be reserved for women.

The provisions related to Panchayats were introduced by the 73rd Amendment Act, 1992, adding Part IX to the Constitution. Articles 243 to 243-O cover these provisions. Article 243B deals with the Constitution of Panchayats. Article 243C deals with the Composition of Panchayats. Article 243E deals with the duration of Panchayats.

34. Which one among the following is the largest State in terms of seats i

Which one among the following is the largest State in terms of seats in the Rajya Sabha ?

Andhra Pradesh

Bihar

Rajasthan

Karnataka

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The allocation of seats in the Rajya Sabha is based on the population of each state. Among the given options, Bihar has the largest number of Rajya Sabha seats. The distribution of seats for these states is:
– Andhra Pradesh: 11
– Bihar: 16
– Rajasthan: 10
– Karnataka: 12
Comparing these numbers, Bihar has the highest number of seats among the listed states.

Rajya Sabha seats are allocated based on state population. Among the options, Bihar has the most seats.

Uttar Pradesh has the largest number of Rajya Sabha seats overall (31), followed by Maharashtra (19), Tamil Nadu (18), and then Bihar (16) and West Bengal (16). Rajasthan has 10 seats, Andhra Pradesh has 11, and Karnataka has 12.

35. Which one of the following is the correct meaning of the term ‘State’,

Which one of the following is the correct meaning of the term ‘State’, as defined in Article 12 of the Constitution of India ?

It refers only to the Government of India.

It refers only to the Government of India and the Parliament of India.

It refers only to the Government of India, Parliament of India, Governments and Legislatures of each State.

It refers to the Government of India, Parliament of India, Governments and Legislatures of each State, and all local or other authorities within the territory of India.

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Article 12 of the Constitution defines the term ‘State’ for the purpose of Part III (Fundamental Rights). According to Article 12, “the State” includes:
1. The Government and Parliament of India.
2. The Government and the Legislature of each State.
3. All local and other authorities within the territory of India.
4. All local and other authorities under the control of the Government of India.
Option D accurately encompasses all these components, providing the comprehensive definition of ‘State’ as given in Article 12.

Article 12 defines ‘State’ broadly to include Union and State governments and legislatures, as well as local and other authorities within India’s territory or under its control.

The definition of ‘State’ is crucial for the enforceability of Fundamental Rights, as these rights are primarily enforceable against ‘the State’. The term ‘other authorities’ has been interpreted broadly by the Supreme Court over time to include various entities that have governmental functions or are deeply controlled by the government, such as public sector undertakings, universities, etc.

36. Which of the following statements are correct ? 1. Speaker may permit

Which of the following statements are correct ?

1. Speaker may permit any Member to address the House in his/her mother tongue, if he/she cannot adequately express in either Hindi or English.

2. Business of the Parliamentary Committees is transacted either in Hindi or in English.

3. The minutes of the Parliamentary Committees are prepared invariably in Hindi or English.

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

1, 2 and 3

1 and 2 only

2 and 3 only

1 and 3 only

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All three statements are correct regarding the rules and procedures of the Indian Parliament and its Committees.
1. Rule 222 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha (and corresponding rules in Rajya Sabha) allows a member unable to express adequately in Hindi or English to address the House in their mother tongue with the Speaker’s permission.
2. Parliamentary Committees conduct their business primarily in Hindi or English, as per the general practice for parliamentary proceedings.
3. Consequently, the official minutes and records of the Parliamentary Committees are also prepared in both Hindi and English.

Members can speak in mother tongue with permission; Committee business and minutes are in Hindi or English.

Simultaneous interpretation facilities are often available in Parliament to enable members to speak in various recognized Indian languages. This supports the provision allowing members to use their mother tongue when needed. The official languages of Parliament are Hindi and English.

37. The provision, ‘the State shall take steps to separate the Judiciary f

The provision, ‘the State shall take steps to separate the Judiciary from the Executive in the public services of the State’ is incorporated in which part of the Constitution of India ?

Part-IV

Part-V

Part-VI

Part-VII

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The principle of separating the Judiciary from the Executive is a directive principle aimed at ensuring the independence of the judiciary. This provision is explicitly mentioned in Article 50 of the Constitution of India, which falls under Part IV of the Constitution, dealing with the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP).

Article 50, which mandates the separation of the Judiciary from the Executive, is located in Part IV (Directive Principles of State Policy) of the Indian Constitution.

Directive Principles of State Policy are guidelines for the central and state governments to be kept in mind while framing laws and policies. They are non-justiciable, meaning they cannot be enforced by courts, but they are considered fundamental in the governance of the country.

38. Which one of the following is true of a pure voluntary exchange betwee

Which one of the following is true of a pure voluntary exchange between two parties A and B ?

A can exploit B or vice versa

Both gain; it is a win-win situation

If A makes profit, it must be at the cost of B

Both can lose

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A pure voluntary exchange between two parties, A and B, occurs because both parties expect to benefit from it. If either party did not believe they would be better off (or at least not worse off) by exchanging, they would not voluntarily agree to the trade. Therefore, in a pure voluntary exchange, both parties gain; it is considered a win-win situation based on their subjective valuations of the goods or services being exchanged.

Pure voluntary exchange implies mutual benefit and is a win-win situation for the participants.

This principle is fundamental to market economics. Voluntary trade allows resources to move to higher-valued uses according to the preferences of individuals, increasing overall welfare. The concept assumes rationality and perfect information, though real-world exchanges may involve asymmetric information or coercion, deviating from the “pure voluntary” ideal.

39. According to UNDP’s Human Development Report – 2020, in which of the H

According to UNDP’s Human Development Report – 2020, in which of the HDI components has India improved in recent years ?

1. Life expectancy at birth

2. Expected years of schooling

3. GNI per capita

4. Mean years of schooling

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

1 and 2 only

2 and 3 only

1 and 3 only

1, 2, 3 and 4

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According to the UNDP Human Development Report 2020, India’s Human Development Index (HDI) value showed improvement over the preceding years, leading to a rise in rank (though marginally). The HDI is a composite index measuring average achievement in three basic dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life (Life Expectancy at Birth), knowledge (Expected Years of Schooling and Mean Years of Schooling), and a decent standard of living (GNI per capita). India demonstrated improvements in all these components over time, contributing to its higher HDI score. While the pace of improvement varies across components, the trend leading up to 2020 showed gains in all four listed indicators.

India’s HDI is composed of Life Expectancy at Birth, Expected Years of Schooling, Mean Years of Schooling, and GNI per capita, all of which showed improvement in recent years according to the UNDP HDR 2020 report data for India.

The UNDP HDR 2020 focused on the next frontier: human development and the Anthropocene. India’s HDI value increased from 0.642 in 2018 to 0.645 in 2019 (data reflected in the 2020 report), placing it in the medium human development category. This improvement was due to increases in life expectancy, mean years of schooling, expected years of schooling, and GNI per capita.

40. Which one of the following statements in the context of social sector

Which one of the following statements in the context of social sector spending in India during 2014 – 19 (both States and the Union Government together) is true ?

Expenditure on education was 5% of GDP.

Expenditure on health was 4% of the social services expenditure.

There was a stagnation in the spending on education as a percent of GDP.

Health sector spending amounted to 10% of the total expenditure.

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Based on data and reports regarding social sector spending in India during the 2014-19 period, expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP remained relatively stagnant, hovering around 3% to 3.5%, well below targets like 6%. While nominal spending increased, the share relative to the growing GDP did not show significant upward movement or showed stagnation. Options A, B, and D present figures that do not accurately reflect the typical levels or proportions of spending on education and health in India during that period. For example, education spending was below 5% of GDP, and health spending was significantly less than 10% of total expenditure and more than 4% of social services expenditure.

Expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP in India during 2014-19 was generally considered stagnant or grew very slowly.

Social sector expenditure includes spending on education, health, social security, nutrition, rural development, etc. India’s spending on education and health, as a percentage of GDP, has historically been lower compared to many other developing and developed countries.