Miscellaneous

1. Matters related to which one of the following subjects are not handled

Matters related to which one of the following subjects are not handled by the Ministry of External Affairs?

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Notification regarding commencement or cessation of a state of war
World Health Organisation
Demarcation of the land frontiers of India
Indian Council of Cultural Relations
This question was previously asked in
UPSC SO-Steno – 2017
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While the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is involved in international boundary agreements and negotiations related to the demarcation of land frontiers, the physical demarcation, survey, and management of land frontiers of India are primarily handled by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) and agencies under it, such as the Survey of India (under the Department of Science & Technology) and border guarding forces. Therefore, C is the subject where MEA’s role is less primary or is shared with other ministries, compared to the others.
The operational management and physical demarcation of land borders are primarily the responsibility of the Ministry of Home Affairs and associated departments/agencies. While MEA handles the diplomatic and treaty aspects of boundaries, the day-to-day matters and physical processes fall largely outside MEA’s direct purview.
Statement A (Notification regarding commencement or cessation of a state of war) is handled by MEA as it is a matter of international relations and foreign policy. Statement B (World Health Organisation) is handled by MEA as it involves India’s participation in an international organization. Statement D (Indian Council of Cultural Relations) is an autonomous organization under the administrative control of MEA, responsible for India’s cultural diplomacy.

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2. Conservation, development, management and abatement of pollution of ri

Conservation, development, management and abatement of pollution of rivers, excluding the river Ganga and its tributaries, is the responsibility of

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Ministry of Jal Shakti
Ministry of Earth Sciences
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Ministry of Science and Technology
This question was previously asked in
UPSC SO-Steno – 2017
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Conservation, development, management, and abatement of pollution of rivers, including the river Ganga and its tributaries, is the responsibility of the Ministry of Jal Shakti. This ministry was formed by merging the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation and the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
The Ministry of Jal Shakti is the central nodal ministry for water resources, river development, and Ganga rejuvenation. While Ganga and its tributaries are a specific focus (via the Namami Gange program), the broader responsibility for conservation, management, and pollution abatement of all rivers falls under this ministry.
The Ministry of Earth Sciences deals with Earth sciences, oceanography, etc. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is responsible for environmental protection laws, pollution standards, and enforcement through bodies like the Central Pollution Control Board, which play a crucial role in river pollution abatement but are not the primary nodal ministry for overall river development and management. The Ministry of Science and Technology supports research but is not responsible for the operational management of rivers.

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3. Matters relating to Himalayan expeditions are handled by which one of

Matters relating to Himalayan expeditions are handled by which one of the following Ministries?

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Ministry of Home Affairs
Ministry of Human Resource Development
Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
Ministry of External Affairs
This question was previously asked in
UPSC SO-Steno – 2017
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Matters relating to Himalayan expeditions, which are typically adventure sports activities like mountaineering and trekking, are handled by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. This Ministry promotes adventure sports and provides support for such expeditions.
Adventure sports, including mountaineering and expeditions to the Himalayas, fall under the domain of sports promotion and youth activities, which are managed by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
The Ministry of Home Affairs deals with internal security, borders, and matters related to restricted areas, which might be involved in expeditions near borders, but it is not the nodal ministry for organizing or promoting expeditions themselves. The Ministry of Human Resource Development (now Education) deals with education. The Ministry of External Affairs deals with foreign relations; while foreign nationals or joint international expeditions would involve MEA, the primary responsibility for handling Indian expeditions is with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

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4. All matters relating to survey to map, locate and assess living and no

All matters relating to survey to map, locate and assess living and non-living marine resources fall within the purview of which of the following?

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National Institute of Oceanography
Ministry of Earth Sciences
Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries
Coast Guard Organisation
This question was previously asked in
UPSC SO-Steno – 2017
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Matters relating to survey to map, locate and assess living and non-living marine resources fall primarily within the purview of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES). MoES is responsible for ocean science and technology, including research vessels, ocean surveys, and mapping of marine resources.
The Ministry of Earth Sciences is the nodal ministry in India for all matters related to the Earth system, including oceans. Its mandate includes undertaking ocean surveys, mapping, and assessment of both living and non-living marine resources.
The National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) is a research laboratory under the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), which is under the Ministry of Science and Technology, not MoES. While NIO conducts relevant research, the overall governmental responsibility and coordination lie with MoES. The Department of Fisheries (under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying) deals with fisheries management and regulation of living resources, but not the broad survey and assessment mandate covering non-living resources and mapping. The Coast Guard is primarily concerned with maritime safety and security.

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5. Minerals and Metals Trading Corporation functions under the administra

Minerals and Metals Trading Corporation functions under the administrative control of which one of the following Ministries/Departments ?

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Ministry of Mines
Department of Commerce
Department of Heavy Industries
Ministry of Earth Sciences
This question was previously asked in
UPSC SO-Steno – 2017
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Minerals and Metals Trading Corporation (MMTC) is a Public Sector Undertaking involved in international trade, particularly in minerals, metals, and other commodities. PSUs dealing with trade fall under the administrative control of the Department of Commerce, which is part of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
– The Department of Commerce is responsible for formulating and implementing foreign trade policy and managing various aspects related to India’s international trade.
– MMTC’s primary functions align with the mandate of the Department of Commerce.
– MMTC is one of the two major trading PSUs of the Government of India, the other being State Trading Corporation of India (STC), which is also under the Department of Commerce.

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6. Which one of the following Ministries/Departments is concerned with ma

Which one of the following Ministries/Departments is concerned with matters related to the Hotel Corporation of India ?

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Ministry of Civil Aviation
Ministry of Tourism
Department of Public Enterprises
Department of Commerce
This question was previously asked in
UPSC SO-Steno – 2017
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The Hotel Corporation of India (HCI) is a public sector undertaking that was historically a subsidiary of Air India. As Air India was under the administrative control of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, matters related to HCI were also primarily concerned with the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
– HCI operates hotels like Centaur Hotels. These were primarily aimed at supporting Air India’s operations and passenger needs.
– The Ministry of Civil Aviation oversees air transport, airports, and associated services, which included Air India and its subsidiaries like HCI before privatization.
– Air India was privatized in 2022 and is now under the Tata Group. However, some assets like HCI hotels were transferred to a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) under the Ministry of Civil Aviation for eventual divestment. The question likely pertains to the traditional administrative setup before these recent changes.

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7. Which Indian received the ‘Green Oscar’ Whitley Gold Award, 2024 ?

Which Indian received the ‘Green Oscar’ Whitley Gold Award, 2024 ?

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Tulsi Gowda
Purnima Devi Barman
Alice Garg
Amrita Devi
This question was previously asked in
UPSC Combined Section Officer – 2024
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Purnima Devi Barman received the ‘Green Oscar’ Whitley Gold Award in 2024.
Dr. Purnima Devi Barman is an Indian wildlife biologist who leads the “Hargila Army” conservation initiative dedicated to protecting the Greater Adjutant Stork. She received the Whitley Award (often called the ‘Green Oscar’) in 2022 and was subsequently honoured with the Whitley Gold Award in 2024 for her continued outstanding work in conservation.
The Whitley Awards are presented annually by the UK-based charity the Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN) to recognise and celebrate conservation leaders working in the Global South. The Whitley Gold Award is given to a past Whitley Award winner for their exceptional achievement and leadership in conservation.

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8. The Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice works under wh

The Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice works under which one of the following organizations ?

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United Nations Economic and Social Council
United Nations Trusteeship Council
International Court of Justice
International Civil Defence Organization
This question was previously asked in
UPSC Combined Section Officer – 2024
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The Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice is a functional commission of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
It is the principal UN policy-making body on crime prevention and criminal justice issues.
ECOSOC is one of the six main organs of the United Nations, responsible for coordinating the economic and social fields of the organization. Functional commissions like the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice are subsidiary bodies that assist ECOSOC in its work. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) serves as the secretariat for the Commission.

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9. Miami in USA has the highest number of Art Deco buildings. Which one o

Miami in USA has the highest number of Art Deco buildings. Which one of the following Indian cities is second in this list ?

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Hyderabad
Kolkata
Chennai
Mumbai
This question was previously asked in
UPSC Combined Section Officer – 2021-22
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The correct answer is Mumbai.
Mumbai is recognized as having the second largest number of Art Deco buildings in the world, after Miami. Its collection of 19th and 20th Century Buildings, including the Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles, is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The Art Deco movement arrived in Mumbai (then Bombay) in the 1930s and became a popular architectural style. These buildings are primarily located along the Oval Maidan and Marine Drive.

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10. The Government of India, through Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves L

The Government of India, through Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Ltd. (ISPRL), has set up Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR). Which among the following are correct locations for these reserves?
1. Hyderabad
2. Visakhapatnam
3. Mangaluru
4. Padur
Select the correct answer using the code given below.

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1 and 2 only
1, 2 and 3
2, 3 and 4
1 and 4
This question was previously asked in
UPSC Combined Section Officer – 2019-20
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The Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Ltd. (ISPRL), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Oil Industry Development Board under the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, has established strategic petroleum reserves at three locations in India: Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), Mangaluru (Karnataka), and Padur (Karnataka). Hyderabad is not a location for these strategic reserves.
– The operational Strategic Petroleum Reserve locations in India are Visakhapatnam, Mangaluru, and Padur.
– These are underground rock cavern storage facilities.
– Hyderabad is an inland city and is not one of the coastal or near-coastal locations chosen for the SPR due to logistical and geological considerations suitable for underground rock caverns near ports.
– Statements 2, 3, and 4 list the correct locations. Statement 1 lists an incorrect location.
The SPR program is aimed at ensuring energy security for India by creating a reserve to address supply disruptions. Phase I involved the construction of the facilities at Visakhapatnam (1.33 MMT), Mangaluru (1.5 MMT), and Padur (2.5 MMT). Phase II is underway to build additional reserves at Chandikhol (Odisha) and Padur (additional capacity in Karnataka).

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