Economic and Social Development

291. Which one of the following is not an objective of the Pradhan Mantri K

Which one of the following is not an objective of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)?

[amp_mcq option1=”To achieve convergence of investment in irrigation at the field level” option2=”To expand cultivable area under irrigation” option3=”To improve on-farm water use efficiency to reduce wastage of water” option4=”To protect farmers against crop failure due to natural calamities” correct=”option4″]

This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-1 – 2018
Download PDFAttempt Online
Protecting farmers against crop failure due to natural calamities is not an objective of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY).
The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) is a flagship program launched in 2015 with the objective of providing assured irrigation to cultivated areas and improving water use efficiency. Its key objectives include achieving convergence of investment in irrigation at the field level, expanding the cultivable area under assured irrigation (‘Har Khet ko Pani’), improving on-farm water use efficiency (‘More Crop Per Drop’), promoting micro-irrigation, and increasing investment in irrigation. Protecting farmers against crop failure due to natural calamities is the primary objective of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).
PMKSY consolidates various schemes related to irrigation and water management under one umbrella. It is implemented by the Ministries of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, and Rural Development. PMFBY, on the other hand, is an insurance scheme specifically designed to mitigate the financial losses of farmers due to crop damage caused by natural calamities.

292. Which one of the following is the maximum age of joining National Pens

Which one of the following is the maximum age of joining National Pension System (NPS) under the NPS-Private Sector?

[amp_mcq option1=”55 years” option2=”60 years” option3=”65 years” option4=”70 years” correct=”option4″]

This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-1 – 2018
Download PDFAttempt Online
The correct answer is D) 70 years.
As per the regulations governing the National Pension System (NPS) in India, individuals can join the NPS-Private Sector (for citizens) up to the age of 70 years. The entry age for NPS is between 18 and 70 years.
The maximum age of joining NPS has been increased over time. Previously, it was 60 years and then increased to 65 years. The current upper age limit of 70 years allows a wider range of individuals, including those starting a second career or wishing to save for retirement later in life, to benefit from the NPS framework.

293. Amartya Sen was awarded the Nobel Prize for his contribution to

Amartya Sen was awarded the Nobel Prize for his contribution to

[amp_mcq option1=”Monetary Economics” option2=”Welfare Economics” option3=”Environmental Economics” option4=”Development Economics” correct=”option2″]

This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-1 – 2017
Download PDFAttempt Online
Amartya Sen was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 1998 for his contributions to welfare economics.
His significant contributions include work on social choice theory, welfare economics, poverty, famine, and the measurement of well-being. His capabilities approach is particularly influential in development economics and welfare studies.
While his work has major implications for Development Economics, the Nobel Committee explicitly cited his contributions to welfare economics as the basis for the award. He is also known for his studies on the causes of famine, arguing that they result from failures in food distribution rather than just food production.

294. Goods and Services Tax likely to be levied in India is not a

Goods and Services Tax likely to be levied in India is not a

[amp_mcq option1=”gross value tax” option2=”value-added tax” option3=”consumption tax” option4=”destination-based tax” correct=”option1″]

This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-1 – 2017
Download PDFAttempt Online
Goods and Services Tax (GST) levied in India is not a gross value tax.
GST is a Value-Added Tax (VAT). It is levied at each stage of the supply chain but the tax burden is ultimately borne by the final consumer. Businesses can claim Input Tax Credit (ITC) for the GST paid on inputs, ensuring that tax is levied only on the ‘value added’ at each stage, not on the total (gross) value.
GST is correctly described as:
– A Value-Added Tax (VAT): Taxes only the value addition at each stage.
– A Consumption Tax: Levied on the consumption of goods and services.
– A Destination-Based Tax: The tax accrues to the state where the consumption takes place.
A ‘gross value tax’ would imply a tax levied on the total turnover or sale value without allowing for input tax credits, which is not how GST functions.

295. Which one of the following intellectual property rights is protected w

Which one of the following intellectual property rights is protected without making any registration?

[amp_mcq option1=”Copyright” option2=”Patent” option3=”Industrial design” option4=”Trademark” correct=”option1″]

This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-1 – 2017
Download PDFAttempt Online
Copyright is an intellectual property right that is protected without making any registration. Protection for copyrighted works (such as literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works, and cinematograph films) arises automatically the moment the work is created and fixed in a tangible medium.
While registration of copyright is possible and provides certain advantages (like serving as prima facie evidence in court), it is not mandatory for obtaining copyright protection. The Berne Convention, to which India is a signatory, establishes that copyright protection is automatic and does not require formal registration.
Other intellectual property rights listed typically require formal registration for protection. A patent protects inventions and requires application and examination by a patent office. An industrial design protects the visual appearance of a product and requires registration. While unregistered trademarks can gain some protection through common law rights based on use, statutory protection (which is stronger and easier to enforce) requires registration.

296. Which of the following statements are correct about ‘Saakshar Bharat’

Which of the following statements are correct about ‘Saakshar Bharat’ scheme?

  • 1. It is a centrally sponsored scheme which was launched during the Eleventh Five-Year Plan.
  • 2. The scheme applies to women in particular and disadvantaged groups in general.
  • 3. The scheme applies to persons above the age of 10 years.
  • 4. The scheme is anchored with Panchayati Raj Institutions and Local Self-Government.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

[amp_mcq option1=”1, 2 and 3″ option2=”2, 3 and 4″ option3=”1, 2 and 4″ option4=”1, 3 and 4″ correct=”option3″]

This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-1 – 2017
Download PDFAttempt Online
Statements 1, 2 and 4 are correct about the ‘Saakshar Bharat’ scheme.
The Saakshar Bharat scheme was indeed a Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched in 2009, which falls within the Eleventh Five-Year Plan (2007-2012). It specifically targeted female literacy and disadvantaged groups to reduce the gender gap in literacy and cover other marginalized sections. The implementation mechanism heavily relied on Panchayati Raj Institutions and Local Self-Governments.
The target age group for the Saakshar Bharat scheme is 15 years and above, not 10 years. The scheme primarily aimed at imparting functional literacy to non-literates in this age group, particularly focusing on women in rural areas and socially disadvantaged groups. Statement 3 is therefore incorrect.

297. The 7.6% growth rate registered by Indian economy during the year 2015

The 7.6% growth rate registered by Indian economy during the year 2015-16 is based on

[amp_mcq option1=”Gross National Product at market prices” option2=”Gross Value Added at constant prices” option3=”Gross Domestic Product at market prices” option4=”Gross Domestic Product at constant prices” correct=”option4″]

This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-1 – 2017
Download PDFAttempt Online
The growth rate of an economy is typically measured by the percentage change in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from one period to another. To measure ‘real’ growth, the effect of inflation is removed by calculating GDP at constant prices (using a fixed base year). The 7.6% growth rate for 2015-16, as reported by the Central Statistics Office (CSO, now part of NSO) based on the revised methodology (base year 2011-12), specifically refers to the growth in GDP at constant (2011-12) market prices.
Real economic growth is measured using GDP or GVA at constant prices to exclude the impact of inflation.
India revised its national income series in January 2015, changing the base year from 2004-05 to 2011-12 and adopting the internationally followed practice of measuring output based on market prices rather than factor cost. The new series also incorporated GVA (Gross Value Added) as a primary measure of economic activity by sector.

298. Which one of the following is not a component of Revenue Receipts of

Which one of the following is not a component of Revenue Receipts of the Union Government?

[amp_mcq option1=”Corporate tax receipts” option2=”Dividends and profits” option3=”Disinvestment receipts” option4=”Interest receipts” correct=”option3″]

This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-1 – 2017
Download PDFAttempt Online
Revenue Receipts are receipts that do not lead to a claim on the government and do not reduce government assets. Corporate tax receipts, dividends and profits (from PSUs), and interest receipts (on loans given by the government) are all recurring receipts that fall under Revenue Receipts. Disinvestment receipts are generated from the sale of government assets (shares in Public Sector Undertakings), which is a non-recurring receipt and falls under Capital Receipts because it reduces government assets.
Government receipts are classified into Revenue Receipts and Capital Receipts. Revenue Receipts are regular and non-debt creating, while Capital Receipts are irregular and can be debt-creating or asset-reducing.
Examples of Revenue Receipts include tax revenues (income tax, corporate tax, GST, customs, excise) and non-tax revenues (interest receipts, dividends, profits, fees, fines). Examples of Capital Receipts include market borrowings, external loans, disinvestment receipts, recovery of loans, and small savings.

299. Consider the following statements about the Second Five-Year Plan:

Consider the following statements about the Second Five-Year Plan:

  • It was drafted under the leadership of K. N. Raj.
  • It proposed that industries like electricity, railways, steel, machineries and communication could be developed in the public sector.
  • The drafters found balancing industry and agriculture very difficult.
  • The drafters found balancing industry and agriculture really easy.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

[amp_mcq option1=”1 only” option2=”1 and 2″ option3=”2 and 3″ option4=”3 and 4″ correct=”option3″]

This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-1 – 2017
Download PDFAttempt Online
Statements 2 and 3 are correct. The Second Five-Year Plan (1956-1961) focused heavily on rapid industrialization, particularly the development of heavy and basic industries like steel, railways, electricity, machinery, and communication, primarily in the public sector, as stated in Statement 2. Statement 3 is also correct; the ambitious industrial targets and the relatively lower priority given to agriculture initially created difficulties in balancing the two sectors, leading to challenges like food shortages later in the plan period. Statement 1 is incorrect; the Second Plan was based on the Mahalanobis model and drafted under the guidance of P. C. Mahalanobis, not K. N. Raj (who was involved in the First Plan). Statement 4 is incorrect as balancing industry and agriculture proved difficult, not easy.
– The Second Five-Year Plan emphasized heavy industry and the public sector.
– It faced challenges in balancing industrial development with agricultural needs.
– The plan was based on the Mahalanobis model.
The Second Plan aimed at achieving a rapid increase in national income and bringing about a structural transformation of the economy through industrialization. Its focus on large-scale industries was a departure from the First Plan’s emphasis on agriculture and irrigation.

300. Which one of the following statements is correct in relation to the GS

Which one of the following statements is correct in relation to the GST Bill passed by the Rajya Sabha in August 2016?

[amp_mcq option1=”It will replace all central taxes, duties, etc., only by a single tax.” option2=”It will subsume central as well as State taxes, duties, etc.” option3=”GST will be levied on alcoholic liquor for human consumption at a uniform rate of 25 percent.” option4=”Petroleum and petroleum products shall not be subjected to the levy of GST.” correct=”option2″]

This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-1 – 2017
Download PDFAttempt Online
The correct statement in relation to the GST Bill passed by the Rajya Sabha in August 2016 is that it will subsume central as well as State taxes, duties, etc.
The Goods and Services Tax (GST) is a comprehensive indirect tax levied on the supply of goods and services. It was designed to replace multiple cascading taxes levied by the central and state governments. Option B accurately reflects this core principle of GST implementation.
Option A is incorrect as GST is a dual GST (CGST and SGST/IGST), not a single tax replacing all central taxes. Option C is incorrect as alcoholic liquor for human consumption is kept outside the purview of GST. Option D is correct that petroleum products were kept outside GST at the time, but option B describes the fundamental nature and scope of the GST subsumption, making it a more comprehensive and correct statement about the bill’s purpose.
Page 1Page 2Page 3Page 4Page 5