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321. The Constitution of India does not guarantee which one of the followin

The Constitution of India does not guarantee which one of the following as a fundamental right?

[amp_mcq option1=”Right to equality” option2=”Right against exploitation” option3=”Right to property” option4=”Right to carry on trade and business” correct=”option3″]

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The Right to Property was originally included as a Fundamental Right under Article 31 and Article 19(1)(f) of the Indian Constitution. However, it was removed from the list of Fundamental Rights by the 44th Amendment Act of 1978. It was subsequently made a legal right under Article 300A, which states that “No person shall be deprived of his property save by authority of law.”

– Fundamental Rights are enshrined in Part III of the Constitution (Articles 12-35).
– Right to Equality is guaranteed under Articles 14-18.
– Right against Exploitation is guaranteed under Articles 23-24.
– Right to carry on trade and business is part of the Right to Freedom guaranteed under Article 19(1)(g).
– Fundamental Rights are enforceable against the State and are considered essential for the all-round development of individuals.

The removal of the Right to Property from the list of Fundamental Rights was a significant constitutional change, primarily aimed at facilitating land reform and social welfare legislation without extensive legal challenges based on the right to property. Although no longer a Fundamental Right, it remains a constitutional/legal right, meaning the state can only acquire or deprive a person of property based on law, not arbitrarily.

322. Which one of the following powers of the Supreme Court is also conferr

Which one of the following powers of the Supreme Court is also conferred on a High Court?

[amp_mcq option1=”Advisory power” option2=”Power of doing complete justice in any cause or matter pending before the court” option3=”Power of court of record” option4=”Power to allow/refuse Special Leave Petitions” correct=”option3″]

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Both the Supreme Court and the High Courts in India are courts of record. Article 129 of the Constitution states that the Supreme Court shall be a court of record and shall have all the powers of such a court, including the power to punish for contempt of itself. Similarly, Article 215 states that every High Court shall be a court of record and shall have all the powers of such a court including the power to punish for contempt of itself.

– Being a ‘court of record’ means that the court’s records are admitted to be of evidentiary value and they cannot be questioned when produced before any subordinate court.
– A court of record also has the power to punish for contempt of court, which includes both civil and criminal contempt.

– Advisory power (Article 143) is exclusive to the Supreme Court. The President can seek its opinion on questions of law or fact of public importance.
– The power of doing complete justice (Article 142) is exclusive to the Supreme Court to pass such decree or make such order as is necessary for doing complete justice in any cause or matter pending before it.
– The power to allow/refuse Special Leave Petitions (Article 136) is a discretionary power vested solely in the Supreme Court to grant special leave to appeal from any judgment, decree, determination, sentence, or order in any cause or matter passed or made by any court or tribunal in the territory of India (except military tribunals and court-martial).

323. The Satavahanas are identified in the Puranas by which one of the foll

The Satavahanas are identified in the Puranas by which one of the following epithets?

[amp_mcq option1=”Andhras” option2=”Shakas” option3=”Kshatrapas” option4=”Sungas” correct=”option1″]

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The Satavahana dynasty, which ruled parts of south-central India from around the 1st century BCE to the 3rd century CE, is primarily referred to as the Andhras in the Puranic literature. This identification has led to discussions among historians regarding the original homeland of the Satavahanas and the relationship between the Puranic accounts and epigraphic/numismatic evidence. However, the Puranas consistently associate the Andhra name with the dynasty that ruled from the Deccan after the fall of the Sungas and Kanvas.

– The Satavahanas were significant rulers in the Deccan region, successors to the Mauryas and patrons of Buddhism and Brahmanism.
– Key sources for Satavahana history include Puranas, inscriptions (like Nashik and Nanaghat), and coins.
– The term “Andhra” in Puranas refers to the dynasty, possibly indicating their ethnic origin or later area of rule (Andhra region).
– Shakas and Kshatrapas were contemporary rivals, particularly the Western Kshatrapas.
– Sungas were a dynasty that ruled in North India before the Satavahanas rose to prominence in the Deccan.

The capital of the Satavahanas varied over time, including places like Pratishthana (Paithan) and Amravati. Their rule is noted for promoting trade and cultural exchange.

324. The Mauryan capital of Pataliputra has been associated with the archae

The Mauryan capital of Pataliputra has been associated with the archaeological remains of

[amp_mcq option1=”Bulandibagh and Rajagriha” option2=”Kumrahar and Mocharim” option3=”Kumrahar and Bulandibagh” option4=”Kumrahar and Jalalgarh” correct=”option3″]

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Major archaeological excavations at Pataliputra (modern Patna) have uncovered remains associated with the Mauryan period at sites like Kumrahar and Bulandibagh. Kumrahar is famous for the remains of the Mauryan eighty-pillared hall, believed to be part of the royal palace or audience hall. Bulandibagh yielded impressive wooden palisades that formed part of the city’s fortifications described by Greek sources like Megasthenes, as well as the “Pataliputra capital.”

– Pataliputra was founded by Ajatashatru and became the capital of the Magadha kingdom under the Nandas and later the Mauryas.
– Megasthenes, the Greek ambassador to the court of Chandragupta Maurya, described the grandeur of Pataliputra and its wooden fortifications in his work Indica.
– Archaeological findings at Kumrahar and Bulandibagh corroborate some of these descriptions and provide valuable insights into Mauryan architecture and urban planning.

– Rajagriha (Rajgir) was an earlier capital of Magadha before Pataliputra.
– Mocharim and Jalalgarh are not prominent archaeological sites associated with Mauryan Pataliputra.
– Other sites near Pataliputra, like Agam Kuan, are also associated with the ancient city’s history, though Kumrahar and Bulandibagh are the most significant for Mauryan structures.

325. In the Mathura School of Art, Buddha’s images are largely carved in

In the Mathura School of Art, Buddha’s images are largely carved in

[amp_mcq option1=”Dhyana Mudra” option2=”Abhaya Mudra” option3=”Dharmachakra Mudra” option4=”Varada Mudra” correct=”option2″]

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In the Mathura School of Art, Buddha images are significantly characterized by the Abhaya Mudra, especially in the standing postures. This mudra, where the right hand is raised with the palm facing outwards and fingers pointing upwards, symbolizes reassurance, fearlessness, protection, and peace. Early Mathura images often depict the Buddha in this posture and mudra, representing him as a powerful, dynamic figure dispelling fear.

– The Mathura School of Art flourished in and around Mathura from the 1st to 3rd centuries CE.
– It developed indigenous Indian styles, using red sandstone.
– Mathura Buddha images often show Indian facial features, fleshy bodies, and a flowing robe draped over one shoulder.
– The standing Buddha in Abhaya Mudra is a hallmark of the Mathura school.

Other mudras:
– Dhyana Mudra: Hand pose for meditation, typically with hands resting on the lap.
– Dharmachakra Mudra: Gesture of teaching the first sermon, symbolizing the turning of the Wheel of Dharma. Often seen in seated Buddha images.
– Varada Mudra: Gesture of granting boons or charity, with the hand pointing downwards.
While other mudras are present, Abhaya Mudra is notably prominent in the early Mathura standing Buddha images.

326. Which one of the following pairs of authors and Sanskrit literary work

Which one of the following pairs of authors and Sanskrit literary works is not correctly matched?

[amp_mcq option1=”Somadeva : Kathasaritsagara” option2=”Ashvaghosa : Buddhacharita” option3=”Bilhana : Vikramankadevacharita” option4=”Kalidasa : Vasavadatta” correct=”option4″]

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The pair Kalidasa : Vasavadatta is not correctly matched. Vasavadatta is a famous Sanskrit romance written by Subandhu (around 6th-7th century CE). Kalidasa was a renowned Sanskrit poet and playwright, generally dated earlier (around 4th-5th century CE), known for works like Abhijnanasakuntalam, Meghaduta, Raghuvamsa, etc.

– Somadeva was an 11th-century CE Kashmiri writer known for Kathasaritsagara (“Ocean of the Streams of Stories”), a large collection of Indian legends, fairy tales, and folk tales.
– Ashvaghosa was a Buddhist philosopher, poet, and playwright of the 1st-2nd century CE. Buddhacharita (“Acts of the Buddha”) is his epic poem recounting the life of Gautama Buddha.
– Bilhana was an 11th-century CE Kashmiri poet. Vikramankadevacharita is his epic poem celebrating the life and achievements of the Chalukya king Vikramaditya VI.
– Kalidasa is widely regarded as the greatest poet and dramatist in the Sanskrit language of India.

The Vasavadatta by Subandhu is known for its complex prose style and elaborate wordplay. The story revolves around the romance between Prince Kandarpaketu and Princess Vasavadatta.

327. Madhyamika Karika, the basic text of Madhyamika School, was composed

Madhyamika Karika, the basic text of Madhyamika School, was composed by

[amp_mcq option1=”Nagarjuna” option2=”Asanga” option3=”Vasubandhu” option4=”Dharmakirti” correct=”option1″]

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Madhyamika Karika (Mūlamadhyamakakārikā), meaning “Fundamental Verses on the Middle Way,” is the foundational text of the Madhyamika school of Mahayana Buddhism. It was composed by the Indian Buddhist philosopher Nagarjuna (c. 150-250 CE), who is considered one of the most important figures in Mahayana philosophy.

– Nagarjuna’s philosophy is based on the concept of shunyata (emptiness), arguing that phenomena are empty of inherent existence (svabhava).
– The Madhyamika school is known as the “Middle Way” because it avoids the extremes of asserting existence or non-existence of phenomena.
– Asanga and Vasubandhu were prominent figures of the Yogacara school of Mahayana Buddhism, which focused on the nature of consciousness.
– Dharmakirti was a major Buddhist philosopher of the 7th century CE, primarily known for his work on Buddhist logic (Pramana).

Nagarjuna is revered as the second Buddha by some Mahayana traditions. His work significantly influenced the development of Buddhist thought in India and subsequent traditions in East Asia and Tibet.

328. Most of the mature Harappan sites in the region of Cholistan had been

Most of the mature Harappan sites in the region of Cholistan had been abandoned during

[amp_mcq option1=”C. 2250 BCE” option2=”C. 2000 BCE” option3=”C. 1800 BCE” option4=”C. 1700 BCE” correct=”option3″]

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Archaeological evidence from the Cholistan desert region, which contains a large number of Harappan sites, indicates a significant decline and abandonment of most mature Harappan settlements during the Late Harappan phase. Studies place the peak of the Mature Harappan period in Cholistan between 2600 and 1900 BCE, followed by a drastic reduction in sites and a shift towards smaller, less complex settlements. By around 1800 BCE, the mature urban centers in Cholistan were largely abandoned.

– Cholistan is located in Pakistan, south of Punjab and east of Sindh.
– It was a core area of the Mature Harappan civilization.
– The decline of the Harappan civilization varied regionally, but the period from around 1900 BCE onwards is generally considered the Late Harappan phase or Post-Urban Harappan.
– Factors like climatic change, changes in river courses (e.g., the Ghaggar-Hakra river), and potentially other socio-political factors contributed to the decline and abandonment of sites.

The overall decline of the Harappan civilization across its vast extent is a complex process that occurred over several centuries, typically dated from around 1900 BCE to 1300 BCE, with regional variations in timing and nature of decline or transformation. The abandonment of core regions like Cholistan by 1800 BCE is a significant event within this broader process.

329. In the course of a river, in time, which one of the following features

In the course of a river, in time, which one of the following features is formed when the old meander is closed off by deposition?

[amp_mcq option1=”Pothole” option2=”Levee” option3=”Oxbow lake” option4=”Flood plain” correct=”option3″]

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An oxbow lake is a U-shaped lake that forms when a wide meander from the main stem of a river is cut off, creating a free-standing body of water. This occurs as erosion and deposition processes narrow the neck of a meander loop. Eventually, during high flow, the river cuts across the neck, and deposition seals off the old meander channel, leaving a crescent-shaped lake.

– Meanders are bends or curves in a river channel.
– Erosion occurs on the outer bend, and deposition occurs on the inner bend.
– This process leads to the migration and accentuation of meanders.
– An oxbow lake is a relict feature of a former meander.

Other river features mentioned:
– Potholes are cylindrical or bowl-shaped depressions drilled into the rocky bed of a river by abrasive action of pebbles and sediment swirled by turbulent water.
– Levees are natural or artificial embankments along the sides of a river channel, especially in its lower course, formed by deposition of sediment during floods.
– A flood plain is a flat or nearly flat land adjacent to a stream or river that stretches from the bank of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls, and experiences flooding during periods of high discharge.

330. The speed of the wind is measured by

The speed of the wind is measured by

[amp_mcq option1=”wind vane” option2=”wind rose” option3=”barometer” option4=”anemometer” correct=”option4″]

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The speed of the wind is measured by an anemometer.

An anemometer is a meteorological instrument used to measure wind speed. Common types include cup anemometers, propeller anemometers, and sonic anemometers.

A wind vane measures wind direction, indicating the direction from which the wind is blowing. A wind rose is a graphical tool used to show the distribution of wind speed and direction at a particular location over a period of time. A barometer is used to measure atmospheric pressure.