UPSC IAS Archives

21. On 21st June, the Sun

On 21st June, the Sun

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does not set below the horizon at the Arctic Circle

does not set below the horizon at the Antarctic Circle

shines vertically overhead at noon on the Equator

shines vertically overhead at the Tropic of Capricorn

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Option A is correct. On June 21st, which is the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, the Sun is directly overhead at the Tropic of Cancer (23.5° N). As a result, areas north of the Arctic Circle (66.5° N) experience 24 hours of daylight, meaning the sun does not set below the horizon.

– June 21st is the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere.
– The Sun’s rays are vertical over the Tropic of Cancer (23.5° N) on this day.
– Regions north of the Arctic Circle (66.5° N) experience the “midnight sun” (24 hours of daylight).

– On the same day, the Antarctic Circle (66.5° S) experiences 24 hours of darkness because it is winter in the Southern Hemisphere.
– The Sun is directly overhead at the Equator only during the equinoxes (around March 20/21 and September 22/23).
– The Sun is directly overhead at the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5° S) during the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere (around December 21/22).

23. Which one of the following National Parks lies completely in the tempe

Which one of the following National Parks lies completely in the temperate alpine zone?

Manas National Park

Namdapha National Park

Neora Valley National Park

Valley of Flowers National Park

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The Valley of Flowers National Park is located in the upper reaches of Uttarakhand and is situated at altitudes ranging from about 3352 to 3658 meters above sea level. This altitude range falls squarely within the temperate alpine zone of the Himalayas, characterized by alpine meadows above the tree line. Among the given options, it is the park that lies predominantly, if not completely, within this ecological zone, known for its vast diversity of alpine flora. The other parks are located at lower altitudes or span a wider range of ecological zones.

Valley of Flowers is famous for its alpine meadows and high-altitude location in the temperate alpine zone.

Manas National Park is in Assam, largely subtropical. Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh has a range from tropical to alpine, but it’s not *completely* alpine. Neora Valley National Park in West Bengal covers subtropical to temperate forests but does not primarily lie in the high alpine zone. The Valley of Flowers, along with the adjacent Nanda Devi National Park, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognized for its unique alpine flora and fauna.

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24. Who among the following Mughal Emperors shifted emphasis from illustra

Who among the following Mughal Emperors shifted emphasis from illustrated manuscripts to album and individual portrait?

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Humayun

Akbar

Jahangir

Shah Jahan

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Emperor Jahangir (reigned 1605-1627) is widely considered the emperor who shifted the emphasis in Mughal painting from large-scale illustrated manuscripts (popular under Akbar) to individual portraits, album painting, and naturalistic studies of birds, animals, and plants. Jahangir was a keen connoisseur of art and favored realistic portraiture and detailed observation.

Jahangir’s reign marked a shift towards individual portraits and album painting in Mughal art.

Humayun brought Persian artists, laying the foundation. Akbar commissioned massive manuscript projects like the Hamzanama, employing a large number of artists and developing a distinct Mughal style blending Persian and Indian elements. While portraiture existed under Akbar, it gained unprecedented prominence and naturalism under Jahangir. Shah Jahan’s era saw refinement and formality, particularly in architectural illustration and court scenes.

25. With reference to Mian Tansen, which one of the following statements i

With reference to Mian Tansen, which one of the following statements is not correct?

Tansen was the title given to him by Emperor Akbar.

Tansen composed Dhrupads on Hindu gods and goddesses.

Tansen composed songs on his patrons.

Tansen invented many Ragas.

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Statement A is not correct. The title ‘Tansen’ was not given to him by Emperor Akbar. His original name was Ramtanu Pandey. The title ‘Tansen’ is believed to have been conferred upon him earlier, possibly by Raja Vikramajit of Gwalior or by his guru Swami Haridas’s disciples, before he joined the court of Raja Ram Singh of Rewa and subsequently Akbar’s court. Statements B, C, and D are correct. Tansen, a Hindu musician, composed many Dhrupads on Hindu deities. He also composed songs praising his patrons, such as Raja Ram Singh and Emperor Akbar. Tansen is credited with inventing several new ragas (like Miyan Ki Malhar, Miyan Ki Todi, Darbari Kanada) and refining existing ones.

The title ‘Tansen’ predates his entry into Akbar’s court.

Tansen was one of the ‘Navaratnas’ (nine gems) of Emperor Akbar’s court and is considered one of the greatest figures in Hindustani classical music. His musical lineage continues through various gharanas. His compositions are primarily in the Dhrupad style.

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26. With reference to Indian National Movement, consider the following pai

With reference to Indian National Movement, consider the following pairs :

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Person	Position held
1. Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru	: President, All India Liberal Federation
2. K. C. Neogy	: Member, The Constituent Assembly
3. P. C. Joshi	: General Secretary, Communist Party of India

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

1 only

1 and 2 only

3 only

1, 2 and 3

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All three pairs are correctly matched. Pair 1: Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru was a prominent leader of the Liberal Party and served as the President of the All India Liberal Federation. Pair 2: K. C. Neogy was a distinguished Indian politician who served as a member of the Constituent Assembly and later as a Union Minister. Pair 3: P. C. Joshi (Puran Chand Joshi) was a key figure in the early history of the Communist Party of India and served as its first General Secretary from 1935 to 1947.

Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru – Liberal leader; K. C. Neogy – Constituent Assembly member; P. C. Joshi – CPI General Secretary. All are correctly matched.

Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru was an important moderate voice in Indian politics and participated in the Round Table Conferences. K. C. Neogy was part of the Drafting Committee of the Constitution and served in independent India’s first cabinet. P. C. Joshi played a crucial role in organizing and leading the CPI during a critical period before India’s independence.

27. With reference to the British colonial rule in India, consider the fol

With reference to the British colonial rule in India, consider the following statements :

Mahatma Gandhi was instrumental in the abolition of the system of ‘indentured labour’.
In Lord Chelmsford’s ‘War Conference’, Mahatma Gandhi did not support the resolution on recruiting Indians for World War.
Consequent upon the breaking of Salt Law by Indian people, the Indian National Congress was declared illegal by the colonial rulers.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only

1 and 3 only

2 and 3 only

1, 2 and 3

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Statement 1 is correct. Mahatma Gandhi was deeply involved in the campaign against the indentured labour system, having witnessed its harsh realities firsthand with Indian labourers in South Africa. His efforts contributed significantly to its abolition by the British government in 1917. Statement 2 is incorrect. In the Delhi War Conference of 1918, Mahatma Gandhi actually supported the resolution to recruit Indians for World War I, hoping that this cooperation would lead to political concessions from the British. Statement 3 is correct. Following the Dandi March and the breaking of the Salt Law in 1930, which marked the beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement, the Indian National Congress was declared an illegal organization by the colonial authorities. Therefore, statements 1 and 3 are correct.

Gandhi opposed indentured labour, supported WWI recruitment initially, and INC was banned after the Salt Satyagraha.

The indentured labour system, often called the ‘new system of slavery’, saw Indian labourers transported to various British colonies (like Fiji, Mauritius, Caribbean) under coercive contracts. Gandhi’s support for WWI recruitment was a strategic move based on the principle of “cooperation to secure cooperation,” a strategy he later abandoned as British promises of self-rule proved elusive. The declaration of INC as illegal led to widespread arrests of leaders and members during the Civil Disobedience Movement.

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28. Consider the following statements: Saint Nimbarka was a contem- pora

Consider the following statements:

Saint Nimbarka was a contem- porary of Akbar.
Saint Kabir was greatly influenced by Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi.

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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Statement 1 is incorrect. Saint Nimbarka, a philosopher and theologian, lived around the 11th or 12th century AD, significantly earlier than Emperor Akbar who reigned in the 16th century (1556-1605). Statement 2 is incorrect. Saint Kabir, a prominent Bhakti movement poet and mystic, lived in the 15th century (roughly 1440-1518). Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi was a major figure of the Naqshbandi Sufi order who lived from 1564 to 1624, primarily during the reigns of Akbar and Jahangir. Kabir predates Sirhindi, so Kabir could not have been influenced by him. Therefore, neither statement is correct.

Nimbarka and Kabir belonged to earlier centuries than Akbar and Sirhindi.

Nimbarka is associated with the Dvaitadvaita (dualistic non-dualistic) philosophy. Kabir was a syncretic saint whose verses are found in the Guru Granth Sahib. Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi was known for advocating for a strict adherence to Sharia and is sometimes referred to as a ‘Mujaddid’ or reviver of the second millennium of Islam.

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29. Consider the following statements: In the revenue administration of

Consider the following statements:

In the revenue administration of Delhi Sultanate, the in-charge of revenue collection was known as ‘Amil’.
The Iqta system of Sultans of Delhi was an ancient indigenous institution.
The office of ‘Mir Bakshi’ came into existence during the reign of Khalji Sultans of Delhi.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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1 only

1 and 2 only

3 only

1, 2 and 3

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Answer is Wrong!

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Statement 1 is correct. ‘Amil’ or ‘Amalguzar’ was indeed an official responsible for revenue collection in the revenue administration of the Delhi Sultanate, a position that continued into the Mughal period. Statement 2 is incorrect; the Iqta system was not an ancient indigenous Indian institution but was introduced by the Delhi Sultans, derived from similar practices in the Islamic world. Statement 3 is incorrect; the office of ‘Mir Bakshi’ was the head of the military department and existed during the Mughal Empire, not the Delhi Sultanate. The equivalent during the Sultanate was Ariz-i-Mumalik. Therefore, only statement 1 is correct.

‘Amil’ was a revenue collector. The Iqta system was a land distribution system introduced by the Sultans. ‘Mir Bakshi’ was a Mughal office.

The Iqta system involved assigning territories (iqtas) to military commanders or nobles in lieu of cash salaries. The Iqta holder (Iqta’dar or Muqti) was responsible for collecting revenue from the Iqta and maintaining troops for the Sultan. Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi (Statement 2’s incorrect influence) was a prominent figure of the Naqshbandi Sufi order during the reigns of Akbar and Jahangir.

30. Building ‘Kalyaana Mandapas’ was a notable feature in the temple const

Building ‘Kalyaana Mandapas’ was a notable feature in the temple construction in the kingdom of

Chalukya

Chandela

Rashtrakuta

Vijayanagara

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Building ‘Kalyaana Mandapas’ (ceremonial halls, often used for divine marriages) within temple complexes was a particularly notable and distinctive feature of temple architecture that flourished under the Vijayanagara Empire (14th-16th centuries) in South India.

The Kalyaana Mandapa is a characteristic architectural element of Vijayanagara temples, showcasing elaborate pillars and sculptures.

While mandapas were part of temple architecture in various periods, the scale, prominence, and decorative richness of Kalyaana Mandapas reached their zenith during the Vijayanagara period. Dynasties like the Chalukyas, Chandelas, and Rashtrakutas had their own distinct architectural styles, but the Kalyaana Mandapa as a central, elaborate feature is most strongly associated with Vijayanagara.

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