UPSC IAS Archives

1. What is the purpose of setting up of Small Finance Banks (SFBs) in Ind

What is the purpose of setting up of Small Finance Banks (SFBs) in India ?

To supply credit to small business units
To supply credit to small and marginal farmers
To encourage young entrepreneurs to set up business particularly in rural areas.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

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1 and 2 only

2 and 3 only

1 and 3 only

1, 2 and 3

Answer is Right!

Answer is Wrong!

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2017

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The correct answer is A) 1 and 2 only.

Small Finance Banks (SFBs) are a category of banks introduced by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) with the primary objective of furthering financial inclusion by providing access to financial services to unserved and underserved sections of the society. The target segments for SFBs specifically include small business units, small and marginal farmers, micro and small industries, and entities in the unorganized sector. Statement 1 and Statement 2 directly align with these objectives. Statement 3, while potentially a positive outcome, is not listed as a core or explicit purpose of setting up SFBs compared to the focus on specific segments like small businesses and farmers.

SFBs are regulated by the RBI and are subject to prudential norms and regulations similar to scheduled commercial banks, with some specific adjustments to reflect their focus on small-scale lending. They are required to extend 75% of their Adjusted Net Bank Credit (ANBC) to the sectors categorized as priority sector lending by the RBI.

2. With reference to ‘Quality Council of India (QCI)’, consider the follo

With reference to ‘Quality Council of India (QCI)’, consider the following statements:

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QCI was set up jointly by the Government of India and the Indian Industry.
Chairman of QCI is appointed by the Prime Minister on the recommendations of the industry to the Government.

Which of the above statements is/are correct ?

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

Answer is Right!

Answer is Wrong!

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2017

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Both statements 1 and 2 are correct.

– Statement 1 is correct. Quality Council of India (QCI) was established in 1997 as an autonomous body, a non-profit organization jointly by the Government of India and the Indian Industry, represented by ASSOCHAM, CII, and FICCI.
– Statement 2 is correct. As per the mechanism for appointing the Chairman of QCI, the Chairman is appointed by the Prime Minister of India on the recommendations of the industry to the government.

QCI is the national accreditation body for quality, environmental, and other management systems. It plays a crucial role in promoting quality standards across various sectors in India.

3. Which one of the following objectives is not embodied in the Preamble

Which one of the following objectives is not embodied in the Preamble to the Constitution of India ?

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Liberty of thought

Economic liberty

Liberty of expression

Liberty of belief

Answer is Right!

Answer is Wrong!

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2017

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Economic liberty is not an objective explicitly embodied in the Preamble to the Constitution of India.

– The Preamble outlines the objectives of the Indian state. It explicitly mentions:
– JUSTICE, social, economic and political;
– LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;
– EQUALITY of status and of opportunity;
– FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation;
– While “Economic justice” is mentioned, “Economic liberty” is not among the forms of liberty listed.

The term ‘Liberty’ in the Preamble refers to the absence of restraints on the activities of individuals and also provides opportunities for the development of individual personalities. It covers thought, expression, belief, faith, and worship.

4. Consider the following pairs : 1. Radhakanta Deb — First Preside

Consider the following pairs :

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1. Radhakanta Deb	—	First President of the British Indian Association
2. Gazulu Lakshminarasu Chetty	—	Founder of the Madras Mahajana Sabha
3. Surendranath Banerjee	—	Founder of the Indian Association

Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched ?

1 only

1 and 3 only

2 and 3 only

1, 2 and 3

Answer is Right!

Answer is Wrong!

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2017

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Pairs 1 and 3 are correctly matched, while pair 2 is incorrectly matched.

– Pair 1: Radhakanta Deb was the first President of the British Indian Association, which was formed in 1851 by the merger of the Landholders’ Society and the British India Society. This is correctly matched.
– Pair 2: Gazulu Lakshminarasu Chetty founded the Madras Native Association in 1849. The Madras Mahajana Sabha was founded later in 1884 by M. Veeraraghavachariar, G. Subramania Iyer, and P. Anandacharlu. This is incorrectly matched.
– Pair 3: Surendranath Banerjee, along with Anand Mohan Bose, founded the Indian Association in 1876 in Calcutta. This is correctly matched.

These associations were important early political organizations that played a role in articulating Indian grievances and demands against British rule.

5. Which of the following statements is/are true of the Fundamental Dutie

Which of the following statements is/are true of the Fundamental Duties of an Indian citizen ?

A legislative process has been provided to enforce these duties.
They are correlative to legal duties.

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

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1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

Answer is Right!

Answer is Wrong!

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2017

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Neither statement 1 nor statement 2 is correct.

– Statement 1 is incorrect. The Fundamental Duties, as listed in Article 51A of the Constitution, are not directly enforceable by a legislative process. While the state can enact laws to give effect to certain duties (e.g., environmental protection), there is no general provision in the Constitution for their direct enforcement through a legislative process against individuals.
– Statement 2 is incorrect. Fundamental Duties are moral and civic obligations and are not correlative to legal duties. A legal duty implies a corresponding legal right, which is not the case with Fundamental Duties. For instance, the duty to develop scientific temper does not create a legal right for someone else. They are non-justiciable in the sense that a person cannot be dragged to court for not performing a Fundamental Duty, unless specifically mandated by a corresponding law.

Fundamental Duties were added to the Constitution by the 42nd Amendment Act, 1976, based on the recommendations of the Swaran Singh Committee.

6. According to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which of the followi

According to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which of the following animals cannot be hunted by any person except under some provisions provided by law ?

Gharial
Indian wild ass
Wild buffalo

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

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1 only

2 and 3 only

1 and 3 only

1, 2 and 3

Answer is Right!

Answer is Wrong!

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2017

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All three animals (Gharial, Indian wild ass, and Wild buffalo) cannot be hunted except under some provisions provided by law.

– The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, prohibits the hunting of animals listed in Schedule I and Part II of Schedule II.
– Hunting of animals in Schedule I is completely prohibited unless it falls under very specific exceptions defined in Section 11 (like animals dangerous to human life or property, or disabled/diseased beyond recovery), which require permission from the Chief Wild Life Warden.
– Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) is listed in Schedule I.
– Indian wild ass (Equus hemionus khur) is listed in Schedule I.
– Wild buffalo (Bubalus arnee) is listed in Schedule I.

Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 provides absolute protection to listed species and offenses under this schedule attract the highest penalties.

7. With reference to the ‘National Intellectual Property Rights Policy’,

With reference to the ‘National Intellectual Property Rights Policy’, consider the following statements :

It reiterates India’s commitment to the Doha Development Agenda and the TRIPS Agreement.
Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion is the nodal agency for regulating intellectual property rights in India.

Which of the above statements is/are correct ?

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

Answer is Right!

Answer is Wrong!

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2017

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Both statements 1 and 2 are correct.

– Statement 1 is correct. India’s National Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Policy 2016 explicitly states that India will continue to be fully compliant with the TRIPS Agreement and reaffirms its commitment to the Doha Development Agenda.
– Statement 2 is correct. The Policy designates the erstwhile Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP), now known as the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, as the nodal department for the overall coordination and implementation of the National IPR Policy.

The National IPR Policy 2016 aims to create a future-ready IP system in India by fostering innovation and creativity, promoting IP awareness, administration, enforcement, and commercialization.

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8. What is/are the advantage/advantages of implementing the ‘National Agr

What is/are the advantage/advantages of implementing the ‘National Agriculture Market’ scheme ?

It is a pan-India electronic trading portal for agricultural commodities.
It provides the farmers access to nationwide market commensurate with the quality of their produce.

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

Answer is Right!

Answer is Wrong!

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2017

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Both statements 1 and 2 are correct.

– Statement 1 is correct. The National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) is designed as a pan-India electronic trading portal that integrates the existing APMC mandis to create a unified national market for agricultural commodities.
– Statement 2 is correct. A key objective of e-NAM is to provide farmers with access to a wider market beyond their local mandi, allowing them to sell their produce to bidders across the nation and potentially receive better prices commensurate with the quality of their produce.

e-NAM aims to bring transparency to agricultural trade by facilitating online trading, promoting better price discovery, and streamlining procedures at the mandis.

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9. Consider the following statements: The Standard Mark of Bureau of In

Consider the following statements:

The Standard Mark of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is mandatory for automotive tyres and tubes.
AGMARK is a quality Certification Mark issued by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

Answer is Right!

Answer is Wrong!

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2017

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Statement 1 is correct, while statement 2 is incorrect.

– Statement 1 is correct. Under the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Act, 2016 and relevant orders, the BIS Standard Mark is mandatory for automotive tyres and tubes to ensure quality and safety.
– Statement 2 is incorrect. AGMARK (Agricultural Mark) is a certification mark for agricultural products in India, assuring quality. It is administered by the Directorate of Marketing and Inspection (DMI) under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India, not by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

BIS prescribes standards for various products and services and provides a certification mark, while AGMARK is specific to agricultural commodities.

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10. Consider the following statements: 1. In tropical regions, Zika viru

Consider the following statements:

1. In tropical regions, Zika virus disease is transmitted by the same mosquito that transmits dengue.
2. Sexual transmission of Zika virus disease is possible.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

Answer is Right!

Answer is Wrong!

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2017

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Both statements 1 and 2 are correct.

– Statement 1 is correct. Zika virus is primarily transmitted to people through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito (Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus), which are the same types of mosquitoes that spread dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever.
– Statement 2 is correct. Zika virus can be transmitted through sexual contact, from an infected person to their partner.

Other modes of Zika virus transmission include transmission from mother to fetus during pregnancy, through blood transfusion (though less common), and potentially through organ transplantation.