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21. Consider the following statements about anticyclones : 1. Anticyclon

Consider the following statements about anticyclones :

1. Anticyclones are high pressure systems.
2. Air in the centre of the system must be subsiding.
3. Anticyclones are characterized by converging winds.

How many of the above statements is/are correct?

None

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Let’s evaluate each statement:
1. Anticyclones are high pressure systems: This is correct. Anticyclones are defined as areas of high atmospheric pressure, relative to their surroundings.
2. Air in the centre of the system must be subsiding: This is correct. High pressure at the surface is associated with descending air (subsidence) from aloft. As air descends, it warms and dries, leading to stable atmospheric conditions and often clear skies.
3. Anticyclones are characterized by converging winds: This is incorrect. Anticyclones are characterized by diverging winds at the surface, flowing outwards from the high-pressure center. In the Northern Hemisphere, these winds diverge clockwise, and in the Southern Hemisphere, they diverge counter-clockwise due to the Coriolis effect. Convergence occurs aloft above the anticyclone.

Anticyclones are stable weather systems associated with sinking air, high pressure, and diverging winds near the surface, typically bringing fair weather.

In contrast to anticyclones, cyclones (low-pressure systems) are characterized by converging winds at the surface, rising air, and often bring cloudy skies, precipitation, and unstable weather.

22. The formation of ‘tors’ on small rocky hills is associated with which

The formation of ‘tors’ on small rocky hills is associated with which among the following?

Granite

Limestone

Alluvial

Dolomite

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Tors are distinctive rock landforms that consist of outcrops of bedrock weathered into piles of rounded boulders. They are typically formed in areas underlain by igneous rocks, most commonly granite. The formation process involves the intersection of joint patterns in the granite bedrock, followed by subsurface weathering (like hydrolysis) along these joints and subsequent erosion of the weathered material, leaving the unweathered core stones exposed as tors.

Granite, being susceptible to weathering along its natural joint systems and through chemical processes like hydrolysis, provides the ideal conditions for the development of tors.

While tors are most characteristic of granite, similar landforms can occasionally develop on other jointed rock types like dolerite, but they are overwhelmingly associated with granitic landscapes. Limestone and dolomite typically form karst topography through dissolution, and alluvial deposits are unconsolidated sediments, neither of which forms tors.

23. Consider the following statements on computation of density: 1. Phys

Consider the following statements on computation of density:

1. Physiological density can be computed by dividing the total population by the net cultivable area.
2. Agricultural density can be computed by dividing the total agricultural population by the net cultivable area.
3. Population density can be computed by dividing the total population by the total area.

How many of the above statements is/are correct?

None

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All three statements correctly define different types of population density computations.
1. Physiological density is indeed calculated by dividing the total population by the net cultivable area. This gives an idea of the pressure on arable land for food production.
2. Agricultural density is calculated by dividing the total agricultural population (farmers, farm workers, and their dependents) by the net cultivable area. This measures the number of people engaged in agriculture per unit area of arable land.
3. Population density (or Arithmetic density) is the most basic measure, computed by dividing the total population by the total land area. This indicates the average number of people per unit area.

Different measures of density provide varying insights into the relationship between population and land, highlighting aspects like resource pressure, agricultural efficiency, or simple spatial distribution.

While population density gives a general sense of crowding, physiological and agricultural densities are more specific measures related to agricultural capacity and rural population dynamics. Other density measures exist, such as urban density, which considers only urban areas.

24. At which among the following Harappan sites are fire altars found?

At which among the following Harappan sites are fire altars found?

Kalibangan

Harappa

Mohenjo-daro

Rakhi Garhi

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Excavations at the Harappan site of Kalibangan, located in Rajasthan, India, have revealed the presence of fire altars. These fire altars were found in clusters both within residential areas and in what appears to be a public ceremonial area, suggesting the practice of some form of ritual involving fire.

The discovery of fire altars at sites like Kalibangan and Lothal provides crucial evidence about the religious beliefs and practices of the Harappan civilization, suggesting possible Vedic or pre-Vedic rituals.

While other major Harappan sites like Mohenjo-daro and Harappa are famous for features like the Great Bath, the Citadel, and granaries, the evidence of fire altars is particularly prominent at Kalibangan and Lothal.

25. Who among the following has described the medieval Indian postal syste

Who among the following has described the medieval Indian postal system as of two kinds-the horse-post called ‘Uluq’ and the foot-post called ‘Dawa’?

Al-Biruni

Duarte Barbosa

Ibn Battuta

Seydi Ali Reis

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The Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta, who visited India during the reign of Sultan Muhammad bin Tughluq in the 14th century, is well-known for his detailed descriptions of the Delhi Sultanate. In his travelogue, the ‘Rihla’, he specifically described the postal system employed by the Sultanate as being of two kinds: the horse-post called ‘Uluq’ and the foot-post called ‘Dawa’ or ‘Da’wa’.

Ibn Battuta’s ‘Rihla’ is a primary source for understanding the administrative systems, social life, and geography of the regions he visited, including the intricate postal system of the Delhi Sultanate.

The ‘Uluq’ system used horses and could deliver letters rapidly, while the ‘Dawa’ system relied on runners stationed at short intervals along the routes, allowing for faster delivery of urgent messages or goods over short distances. Both systems facilitated efficient communication and movement within the vast empire.

26. Which one of the following rivers in India was not crossed by Alexande

Which one of the following rivers in India was not crossed by Alexander and his army?

Hyphasis

Acesines

Hydraotes

Hydaspes

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Based on standard historical accounts, Alexander and his army crossed all four rivers listed: Hyphasis (Beas), Acesines (Chenab), Hydraotes (Ravi), and Hydaspes (Jhelum) during his eastward campaign in the Punjab region. Therefore, the question as stated appears to be factually incorrect or flawed, as all options represent rivers that *were* crossed. However, assuming there is an intended correct answer among the options, and lacking access to the original source or intended interpretation, selecting any single river as “not crossed” contradicts historical evidence. Without further clarification or context, providing a definitive answer is not possible based on historical facts. Given the constraints, and assuming a potential error in the question’s premise, this answer choice is selected arbitrarily as an example of how one *might* be chosen in a flawed question context, not based on historical accuracy. *Please note: Standard historical records indicate that Alexander and his army crossed all rivers mentioned in the options.*

Historical accounts of Alexander’s invasion of India detail his army crossing the Indus River, and subsequently the major tributaries of the Indus in Punjab, moving from west to east:
1. Hydaspes (Jhelum) – Site of the Battle of the Hydaspes against King Porus.
2. Acesines (Chenab) – A large river, crossed after the Jhelum.
3. Hydraotes (Ravi) – Crossed after the Chenab.
4. Hyphasis (Beas) – Reached as the easternmost point of his conquest where his troops mutinied and refused to proceed further east across this river towards the Ganges.
All four rivers listed were therefore crossed by Alexander’s army during their eastward advance.

Alexander the Great’s campaign in India took place between 327 and 325 BCE. His advance was halted at the Hyphasis (Beas) River due to the exhaustion and unwillingness of his troops to face potential further powerful kingdoms to the east (like the Nanda Empire). After turning back, he moved his army south along the Jhelum and Indus rivers towards the Arabian Sea. The Satluj River, another major tributary of the Indus, is located east of the Beas and was not reached or crossed by Alexander’s main army.

27. Who among the following initiated the Bhoodan Movement?

Who among the following initiated the Bhoodan Movement?

Ram Prasad Bismil

Vinoba Bhave

Mahatma Gandhi

Kanhu Murmu

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The correct answer is B) Vinoba Bhave.

Acharya Vinoba Bhave initiated the Bhoodan Movement (Land Gift Movement) in 1951 in Pochampally, Telangana. This voluntary movement aimed to persuade wealthy landowners to voluntarily donate a part of their land to landless people.

Vinoba Bhave was a disciple of Mahatma Gandhi and continued Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence and social reform. The Bhoodan movement later evolved into the Gramdan movement, where entire villages were donated. While inspired by Gandhian ideals, the movement was directly initiated and led by Vinoba Bhave.

28. The book, Kalila wa Dimna is an Arabic translation of the

The book, Kalila wa Dimna is an Arabic translation of the

Hitopadesha

Panchatantra

Suryasiddhanta

Kathasaritsagar

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The correct answer is B) Panchatantra.

Kalila wa Dimna (also known as Kalīlah wa Dimnah) is an Arabic collection of fables. It is an Arabic translation of the Sanskrit work Panchatantra, done by the Persian scholar Abdullah Ibn al-Muqaffa in the 8th century CE. The book features animal characters who tell stories, often with moral lessons.

The Panchatantra is an ancient Indian collection of interconnected animal fables in Sanskrit verse and prose, arranged within a frame story. It was originally composed sometime between 200 BCE and 300 CE. Ibn al-Muqaffa’s translation was highly influential and served as the basis for many subsequent translations of the Panchatantra into various languages around the world.

29. Who among the following laid the foundation of the Vijayanagara

Who among the following laid the foundation of the Vijayanagara Empire?

Harihara and Bukka

Krishnadeva Raya

Rama Raya

Virupaksha Raya

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The correct answer is A) Harihara and Bukka.

The Vijayanagara Empire was founded in 1336 CE by Harihara I and Bukka Raya I, two brothers from the Sangama dynasty. They served under the Kakatiya rulers of Warangal and later shifted allegiance to the Kampili kingdom before establishing their own kingdom.

The empire was founded on the southern bank of the Tungabhadra River. Harihara I was the first ruler of the empire. Krishnadeva Raya was a famous later ruler, considered one of the greatest emperors of Vijayanagara (Tuluva dynasty). Rama Raya was involved in the Battle of Talikota which led to the decline of the empire.

30. With reference to India’s defence, the terms ‘Surat’ and ‘Udaygiri’ re

With reference to India’s defence, the terms ‘Surat’ and ‘Udaygiri’ refer to

coast guard patrol boats

cargo helicopters

maritime patrol aircrafts

warships

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The correct answer is D) warships.

‘Surat’ and ‘Udaygiri’ are names given to recently launched major warships for the Indian Navy. INS Surat is the fourth and last stealth destroyer of Project 15B (Visakhapatnam class), launched in May 2022. INS Udaygiri is the second stealth frigate of Project 17A (Nilgiri class), launched in May 2022.

These vessels represent significant advancements in India’s indigenous warship design and construction capabilities. Project 15B destroyers are follow-on ships to the Kolkata class, while Project 17A frigates are follow-on ships to the Shivalik class.