UPSC IAS

21. With reference to the Parliament of India, which of the following Parl

With reference to the Parliament of India, which of the following Parliamentary Committees scrutinizes and reports to the House whether the powers to make regulations, rules, sub-rules, by-laws, etc. conferred by the Constitution or delegated by the Parliament are being properly exercised by the Executive within the scope of such delegation?

[amp_mcq option1=”Committee on Government Assurances” option2=”Committee on Subordinate Legislation” option3=”Rules Committee” option4=”Business Advisory Committee” correct=”option2″]

This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2018
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The correct answer is B) Committee on Subordinate Legislation.
– The question asks about the Parliamentary Committee that scrutinizes rules, regulations, sub-rules, by-laws, etc., made by the Executive under the powers delegated by the Constitution or Parliament.
– The Committee on Subordinate Legislation is specifically constituted in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha for this purpose. It examines whether these delegated legislative powers are being properly exercised within the scope of the delegation.
– The Committee on Government Assurances scrutinizes the assurances, promises, and undertakings given by Ministers in the House.
– The Rules Committee considers matters of procedure and conduct of business in the House and recommends necessary amendments to the Rules.
– The Business Advisory Committee allocates time for the discussion of legislative and other government business.
The Committee on Subordinate Legislation consists of 15 members in Lok Sabha and 15 members in Rajya Sabha. It plays a crucial role in ensuring parliamentary control over the executive’s power to make rules under delegated legislation, preventing potential abuse of power and ensuring that the rules align with the parent law.

22. Regarding Wood’s Despatch, which of the following statements are true?

Regarding Wood’s Despatch, which of the following statements are true?

  • 1. Grants-in-Aid system was introduced.
  • 2. Establishment of universities was recommended.
  • 3. English as a medium of instruction at all levels of education was recommended.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

[amp_mcq option1=”1 and 2 only” option2=”2 and 3 only” option3=”1 and 3 only” option4=”1, 2 and 3″ correct=”option1″]

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The correct option is A because statements 1 and 2 are true regarding Wood’s Despatch, while statement 3 is false.
Wood’s Despatch of 1854 was a significant document outlining the British government’s policy on education in India. It proposed a comprehensive system from primary to university level.
Statement 1 is true: The Despatch recommended the introduction of a system of grants-in-aid to encourage private educational institutions. Statement 2 is true: It recommended the establishment of universities in Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras, modeled on the University of London. Statement 3 is false: While it recommended English as the medium of instruction for higher education and for secondary education alongside vernaculars, it specifically recommended vernacular languages at the primary level. It did not recommend English as the medium of instruction at *all* levels.

23. Very recently, in which of the following countries have lakhs of peopl

Very recently, in which of the following countries have lakhs of people either suffered from severe famine/acute malnutrition or died due to starvation caused by war/ethnic conflicts ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Angola and Zambia” option2=”Morocco and Tunisia” option3=”Venezuela and Colombia” option4=”Yemen and South Sudan” correct=”option4″]

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The correct option is D. Yemen and South Sudan have been severely affected by widespread famine, acute malnutrition, and deaths caused directly by ongoing wars and ethnic conflicts in recent years (relative to the typical timeframe for UPSC questions).
Identifying major humanitarian crises linked directly to conflict requires knowledge of recent global events and reports from international organizations.
As of the late 2010s and early 2020s, the civil war in Yemen and the conflict in South Sudan have caused devastating humanitarian crises, including widespread food insecurity, malnutrition, and famine-like conditions for millions of people. These crises are direct consequences of the conflicts disrupting agriculture, aid delivery, and infrastructure, leading to mass displacement and starvation. The other pairs of countries listed did not face humanitarian crises of this specific nature and scale, directly caused by war/ethnic conflict, during the same period.

24. The identity platform ‘Aadhaar’ provides open “Application Programming

The identity platform ‘Aadhaar’ provides open “Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)”. What does it imply ?

  • 1. It can be integrated into any electronic device.
  • 2. Online authentication using iris is possible.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

[amp_mcq option1=”1 only” option2=”2 only” option3=”Both 1 and 2″ option4=”Neither 1 nor 2″ correct=”option3″]

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The correct option is C as both statements are plausible implications of Aadhaar providing open Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).
Open APIs facilitate integration of a system’s functionality into various applications and platforms. Aadhaar APIs allow authorized entities to perform authentication and eKYC processes programmatically.
Statement 1: Open APIs allow developers to integrate Aadhaar’s functionality (like authentication and eKYC) into their software applications. These applications can then run on various electronic devices like smartphones, computers, kiosks, etc., enabling seamless use of Aadhaar services. While the API isn’t integrated into the *hardware* device, the software on the device *uses* the API to interact with the Aadhaar system. This is a common implication of providing open APIs for a platform. Statement 2: Aadhaar authentication methods include demographic, OTP, fingerprint, and iris scans. Open APIs enable applications to access and utilize these authentication methods online. Therefore, online authentication using iris (one of the supported methods) is indeed possible through the Aadhaar APIs. Both statements reflect potential uses and capabilities enabled by the open APIs.

25. Consider the following statements : 1. Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR)

Consider the following statements :

  • 1. Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) is the amount that banks have to maintain in the form of their own funds to offset any loss that banks incur if the account-holders fail to repay dues.
  • 2. CAR is decided by each individual bank.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

[amp_mcq option1=”1 only” option2=”2 only” option3=”Both 1 and 2″ option4=”Neither 1 nor 2″ correct=”option1″]

This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2018
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The correct option is A because statement 1 provides a largely accurate description of Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR), while statement 2 is incorrect.
CAR is a crucial prudential regulation for banks, ensuring they have sufficient capital to absorb potential losses from risks like loan defaults (credit risk). This minimum ratio is set by the banking regulator, not individual banks.
Statement 1 correctly describes CAR as the ratio of a bank’s capital to its risk-weighted assets, maintained to absorb potential losses, including those from account holders failing to repay dues (Non-Performing Assets or NPAs). It ensures the bank remains solvent. Statement 2 is incorrect. The minimum Capital Adequacy Ratio that banks must maintain is mandated by the central bank (like the RBI in India) based on guidelines such as the Basel norms. Individual banks may choose to maintain a higher ratio for safety, but the minimum is externally determined by the regulator.

26. Which one of the following links all the ATMs in India ?

Which one of the following links all the ATMs in India ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Indian Banks’ Association” option2=”National Securities Depository Limited” option3=”National Payments Corporation of India” option4=”Reserve Bank of India” correct=”option3″]

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The correct option is C. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) links all the ATMs in India through its National Financial Switch (NFS).
NPCI is the umbrella organization for retail payments and settlement systems in India, responsible for operating various critical payment infrastructures including the network that connects ATMs.
The National Financial Switch (NFS) is the largest network of shared automated teller machines (ATMs) in India, operated by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). It connects the ATMs of various banks, enabling interoperability for cash withdrawal and other services. The other options are incorrect: Indian Banks’ Association is an industry body; National Securities Depository Limited is related to the stock market; and RBI is the regulator but does not operate the physical network connecting ATMs.

27. “Rule of Law Index” is released by which of the following ?

“Rule of Law Index” is released by which of the following ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Amnesty International” option2=”International Court of Justice” option3=”The Office of UN Commissioner for Human Rights” option4=”World Justice Project” correct=”option4″]

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The correct option is D. The “Rule of Law Index” is released by the World Justice Project.
The Rule of Law Index is an annual report that measures how the rule of law is experienced and perceived by the general public in different countries, based on various factors.
The World Justice Project (WJP) is an independent, multidisciplinary organization working to advance the rule of law around the world. Their annual Rule of Law Index is a leading source of original data on the rule of law, covering factors like constraints on government powers, absence of corruption, open government, fundamental rights, order and security, regulatory enforcement, civil justice, and criminal justice.

28. Which of the following has/have shrunk immensely/dried up in the recen

Which of the following has/have shrunk immensely/dried up in the recent past due to human activities ?

  • 1. Aral Sea
  • 2. Black Sea
  • 3. Lake Baikal

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

[amp_mcq option1=”1 only” option2=”2 and 3″ option3=”2 only” option4=”1 and 3″ correct=”option1″]

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UPSC IAS – 2018
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The correct option is A because only the Aral Sea has shrunk immensely/dried up in the recent past primarily due to human activities.
The Aral Sea is a well-documented case of an ecological disaster caused by the large-scale diversion of its feeder rivers for irrigation projects, leading to its dramatic shrinkage and salinization.
The Aral Sea, located between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, began shrinking in the 1960s due to the diversion of the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers. The Black Sea faces environmental issues like pollution but has not shrunk or dried up. Lake Baikal in Russia, the world’s largest freshwater lake by volume, faces pollution threats but has not shrunk; it remains immense. Therefore, only the Aral Sea fits the description of significant human-induced shrinkage.

29. Consider the following statements : 1. Aadhaar card can be used as a

Consider the following statements :

  • 1. Aadhaar card can be used as a proof of citizenship or domicile.
  • 2. Once issued, Aadhaar number cannot be deactivated or omitted by the Issuing Authority.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

[amp_mcq option1=”1 only” option2=”2 only” option3=”Both 1 and 2″ option4=”Neither 1 nor 2″ correct=”option4″]

This question was previously asked in
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The correct option is D because both statement 1 and statement 2 are incorrect regarding Aadhaar.
Aadhaar is intended as a proof of *identity* based on residency, not proof of citizenship or domicile. The issuing authority (UIDAI) does have provisions under certain circumstances to deactivate or omit an Aadhaar number.
Statement 1 is false. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) explicitly states that Aadhaar is a proof of identity for residents of India, not a proof of citizenship or domicile. Statement 2 is also false. While an Aadhaar number is meant to be permanent, UIDAI has the authority to deactivate or omit an Aadhaar number in specific cases, such as finding a duplicate Aadhaar number, detection of fraud, or if the resident requests deactivation under certain conditions (though complete deletion is complex).

30. He wrote biographies of Mazzini, Garibaldi, Shivaji and Shrikrishna; s

He wrote biographies of Mazzini, Garibaldi, Shivaji and Shrikrishna; stayed in America for some time; and was also elected to the Central Assembly. He was

[amp_mcq option1=”Aurobindo Ghosh” option2=”Bipin Chandra Pal” option3=”Lala Lajpat Rai” option4=”Motilal Nehru” correct=”option3″]

This question was previously asked in
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The correct option is C, Lala Lajpat Rai. The description accurately matches the historical figure Lala Lajpat Rai, also known as ‘Punjab Kesari’.
Lala Lajpat Rai was a prominent Indian nationalist leader, part of the ‘Lal-Bal-Pal’ trio. He was known for his intellectual and political activities, including writing biographies of inspirational figures and engaging in political advocacy both in India and abroad.
Lala Lajpat Rai authored biographies of Giuseppe Mazzini, Giuseppe Garibaldi, Shivaji, and Shrikrishna. He spent a significant period in the United States from 1914 to 1920, during which he founded the Indian Home Rule League of America in New York. After returning to India, he was elected to the Central Legislative Assembly. These details align perfectly with the description provided in the question.
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