UPSC Exam: Weekly GK and Current Affairs Quiz Apr 07 - Apr 13

Which of the following statements can be considered Ibn Battuta’s account of India:

1. Coconut fibre found in India was so strong that it was used to make ropes that pulled ships.
2. The highways were free from robbery and other crimes.

The Indian Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile series is named after

The Bundi School of painting originates from which state in India?

Metal salts presently used in firework displays in India include

1. Sodium nitrate
2. Potassium chlorate
3. Strontium carbonate

Which of the following statements about the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) is/are correct?

1. It is a statutory body providing free legal aid to poor and weaker sections of the society.
2. It organises Lok Adalats as well.

What does the term ‘Debt Restructuring’ mean?

1. Writing off debts to improve the accounts sheets of the banks.
2. Converting the debt to equity and trying to recover loans by employing sound managerial techniques in defaulter firms.

Which of the following is/are crucial for the formation of photochemical smog in the atmosphere?

Excessive generation of fly ash can lead to which of these harmful environmental side-effects?

1. Leaching of toxic heavy metals in ground water.
2. It contains crystalline silica which can cause silicosis.

The Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites can be used for which of the following applications?

1. Urban planning and forest surveys
2. Mineral prospecting
3. Telecommunications
4. Location of groundwater resources

Which of the following are members of the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN)?

1. India
2. Pakistan
3. Russia
4. United Kingdom

Geospatial technology is being used by the National Remote Sensing Centre to support the National Mission for Clean Ganga in which of the following ways?

1. Water quality monitoring
2. Urban sprawl change mapping
3. Non-point source pollution assessment
4. Comprehensive basin planning

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

Which of the following statements is/are correct as per the Washington Consensus?

1. There should be a greater role of state vis-à-vis the private sector in a growing economy.
2. Developed countries should stop deregulation measures which, in the past, have led to increased economic inequality.

Which of the following is/are participating countries in the Science and Technology Ministers conclave under the India International Science Festival 2017?

1. Bangladesh
2. Nepal
3. China
4. Myanmar

Kirti Mandir is related to which aspect of Mahatma Gandhi’s life?

An economy heats up due to

1. Demand deficit
2. Excess supply
3. High liquidity infusion

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

Which of the following with respect to Article 340 of the Indian Constitution is/are correct?

1. It provides for appointment of a Commission by the President to investigate the  conditions of women and religious minorities.
2. The action taken in pursuance to this article must be reported to the Parliament by the President.

A seller’s market is an economic situation in which

The Bay of Fundy in Canada is known for

1. Integrating largest volume of freshwater
2. Most indented coastline
3. Largest frequency of cyclones

Select the correct answer from the codes given below:

Which of the following statements with respect to the Energy Efficiency Services Ltd. is/are correct?

1. It is a joint venture of National Grid Network (NGN) and Public Energy Service Company (PESC).
2. It was established with the sole objective of providing and generating finance for energy efficiency projects.
3. It acts as the resource centre for capacity building of State DISCOMs.
4. It is owned on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis.

Consumer Price Index (CPI) in India is measured on a

Phytoplankton are generally found in the upper layers of the ocean water due to

1. Absence of nutrients in deep ocean water
2. Sunlight abundance in top layers
3. Calm top layers of water due to absence of mixing between top and bottom layers

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

The theme for the 2017 Global Entrepreneurship Summit was

Which of these forces help in the movement or generation of ocean currents?

1. Coriolis force
2. Gravitational force
3. Solar insolation
4. Movement of wind

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

Indicative planning is most likely to be used by which of the following economies?

Consider the following about Global Wildlife Program:

1. It was launched by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
2. It is a World-Bank led global partnership.
3. It promotes wildlife conservation by combating illicit trafficking in wildlife.
4. India hosted the GWP for the year 2017.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

Which of the following states has the highest cropping intensity?

Consider the following schemes of the Government of India.

1. SYPOG scheme aims at making young scientists aware of the important flagship programmes of the Government.
2. Under Science Village Scheme, each MP will adopt one village and fund its technological upgradation by way of MPLADS funds.
   Which of the above is/are correct?

Which of the following statements regarding the Saubhagya Scheme intending to provide energy access to all is/are correct?

1. The scheme applies to rural households alone because the electricity development in urban areas is managed by the municipalities.
2. The scheme would provide free connections and free electricity to all poor rural households.

Which of the following about the scheme for the “Modernisation of Police Forces” for 2017-18 to 2019-20 is/are correct?

1. It will be directed by the Centre, but financed entirely by the state governments.
2. Under the scheme, special sums are to be allotted for the internal security related expenditure of Jammu & Kashmir and Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected states.
3. The upgradation of investigation responsibilities of the police has been separated from the scheme and its financing has been handed over to private sector agencies.

The National Register 2017 launched by the Airports Authority of India contains 

1. Details of all Civil and military Airports and Airstrips in the country.
2. List of no-fly passengers and routes including those on private and joint venture airports.

In India, if a religious sect/community is given the status of a national minority, what special advantages it is entitled to?

1. It can establish and administer exclusive educational institutions.
2. The President of India automatically nominates a representative of the community to Lok Sabha.
3. It can derive benefits from the Prime Minister’s 15-Point Programme.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The authorization for the withdrawal of funds from the Consolidated Fund of India must come from

Under the Constitution of India, which one of the following is not a fundamental duty?

In India, other than ensuring that public funds are used efficiently and for the intended purpose, what is the importance of the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG)?

1. CAG exercises exchequer control on behalf of the Parliament when the President of India declares national emergency/financial emergency.
2. CAG reports on the execution of projects or programmes by the ministries are discussed by the Public Accounts Committee.
3. Information from CAG reports can be used by investigating agencies to press charges against those who have violated the law while managing public finances.
4. While dealing with the audit and accounting of government companies, CAG has certain judicial powers for prosecuting those who violate the law.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Which of the following statements is/are correct with respect to the Delimitation Commission?

1. The orders of the Delimitation Commission cannot be challenged in a Court of Law.
2. When the orders of the Delimitation Commission are laid before the LokSabha or State Legislative Assembly, they cannot effect any modifications in the orders.

Which of the following is/are correctly matched?

1. Dampa Tiger Reserve: Mizoram
2. Gumti Wildlife Sanctuary: Sikkim
3. Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary: Kerala

Biodiversity forms the basis for human existence in the following ways:

1. Soil formation
2. Prevention of soil erosion
3. Recycling of waste
4. Pollination of crops

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

A sandy and saline area is the natural habitat of an Indian animal species. The animal has no predators in that area but its existence is threatened due to the destruction of its habitat. Which one of the following could be that animal?

Which of the following statements regarding carbon credits is/are correct?

1. The carbon credit system was ratified in conjunction with the Kyoto Protocol.
2. Carbon credits are awarded to countries or groups that have reduced greenhouse gases below their emission quota.

The IUCN Red Data Books contains lists of:

1. Endemic plant and animal species present in the biodiversity hotspots,
2. Threatened plant and animal species.
3. Protected sites for conservation of nature and natural resources in various countries.

Select the correct answer based on the codes given below:

Which of these regions of India is most suitable for growing rice for all three cropping seasons –kharif, rabi and zaid?

Consider the following statements about National Agricultural Policy, 2000:

1. This was the first ever National Agricultural Policy announced in India.
2. The Policy aims at a growth rate in excess of four per cent per annum in the agriculture sector
3. It explicitly prohibits the use of contract farming and land leasing in India.

Which of the above statements are correct?

Consider the following statements. Sacred groves –

1. Are pristine stretches of forests that must be registered under National parks
2. Have been left untouched by the local tribals as any interference with them is banned by the local community

Which of the above statements are correct?

What is the impact of SAUNI Yojna?

1. The project will make the longest conventional open canal system in India which would increase groundwater recharge in nearby regions.
2. The project requires a very large land area to be acquired which would result in large-scale development displacement.

Which of the above is/are correct?

Raut Nacha is a folk dance performed mainly by the tribal communities of which state?

Ghumura is an ancient folk dance that originated in which of the following states?

Hemoglobin in humans has the highest affinity for which of the following gases?

Which of the following countries does not share its border with Black Sea?

The Nitisara of Kamandaka, also known as the Kamandakiya-Nitisara, was composed
during the period of:

The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill, seeks to

Which of the following statements regarding CERN is/are correct?

1. It is the acronym for the European Organization for Nuclear Research in the French language.
2. It was founded in 1954 and is located in Geneva.

Which of the following statements regarding LIDAR is/are correct?

1. LIDAR stands for Light Detection and Ranging.
2. LIDAR uses laser pulses to determine distant object.
3. LIDAR is also known as Laser Detection and Ranging.

Which of the following statements is/are correct about the supermoon?

1. It is a new moon or a full moon that coincides with the closest distance that the moon reaches to earth.
2. It is also called the perigee syzygy of the Earth–Moon–Sun system.

Consider the following statements about coal-bed methane:

1. It is a natural gas, and is also called ‘sweet gas’.
2. It is extracted from coal beds.

Which of the following is/are biofertilizers?

1. Urea
2. Blue-Green Algae
3. Azobacter

Which of the following countries border the Caspian Sea?

1. Russia
2. Iran
3. Turkmenistan
4. Georgia

Which of the following is/are correct about the INSAT series?

1. It is a series of geostationary satellites launched by ISRO.
2. It is the largest domestic communication system in the Asia Pacific Region. 

Which of the following are correctly matched?

1. Atlas Mountains – Northwest Africa
2. Okavango Basin – Southwest Africa
3. Guiana Highlands – South Africa

Which of the following phenomena might have influenced the evolution of organisms? 

1. Continental drift
2. Glacial cycles

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Falta Special Economic Zone is in which of these states?