UPSC Prelims 2020 Previous Year Questions

If another global financial crisis happens in the near future , which of the following actions/policies are most likely to give some immunity to India?

Not depending on the short term foreign borrowing.
Opening up to more foreign banks
Maintaining full capital account convertibility
Select the correct answer using the given code below-

If you withdraw 1,00,000 from your in cash from your Demand Deposit Account at your bank, the immediate effect on aggregate money supply in the economy will be

In India, which of the following can be considered as public investment in agriculture?

1. Fixing Minimum Support Price for agricultural produce of all crops.

2. Computerization of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies.

3. Social Capital Development.

4. Free Electricity supply to farmers.

5. Waiver of agricultural loans by the banking system.

6. Setting up of cold storage facilities by the government.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

What is the importance of the term "Interest Coverage Ratio" of a firm in India?

1. It helps in understanding the present risk of a firm that a bank is going to give loan to.

2. It helps in evaluating the emerging risk of a firm that a bank is going to give loan to.

3. The higher a borrowing firm's level of Interest Coverage Ratio, the worse is its ability to service its debt.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Which of the following factors/policies were affecting the price of rice in India in the recent past?

1. Minimum Support Price

2. Government's trading

3. Government's stockpiling

4. Consumer subsidies

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Consider the following statements:

1. The value of Indo-Sri Lanka trade has consistently increased in the last decade.

2. "Textile and Textile articles" constitute an important item of trade between India and Bangladesh.

3. In the last five years, Nepal has been the largest trading partner of India in South Asia.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

With reference to the international trade of India at present, which of the following statements is/are correct ?

1. India's merchandise exports are less than its merchandise imports.

2. India's imports of iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizers and machinery have decreased in recent years.

3. India's exports of services are more than its imports of services.

4. India suffers from an overall trade/current account deficit.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

With reference to Foreign Direct Investment in India, which one of the following is considered its major characteristic ?

The term ‘West Texas Intermediate', sometimes found in news, refers to a grade of

Consider the following statements:

1. In the case of all cereals, pulses and oil-seeds, the procurement at Minimum Support Prices(MSP) is unlimited in any State/UT of India.

2. In the case of cereals and pulses, the MSP is fixed in any State/UT at a level to which the market price will never rise.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

In the context of the Indian economy, non-financial debt includes which of the following?

1. Housing loans owned by household
2. Amounts outstanding on credit cards
3. Treasury Bills

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

With reference to the Indian Economy, consider the following statements:

1.'Commercial Paper' is a short term unsecured promissory note.

2. ‘Certificate of Deposit' is a long-term instrument issued by the Reserve Bank of India to a corporation.

3. ‘Call Money' is a short term finance used for interbank transactions.

4. ‘Zero-Coupon Bonds' are the interest bearing short term bonds issued by the Scheduled Commercial Banks to corporations.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

Consider the following statements:

1. In terms of short term credit delivery to the agriculture sector, District Central Cooperative Banks(DCCBs) deliver more credit in comparison to Scheduled Commercial Banks and Regional Rural Banks.

2. One of the most important functions of DCCBs is to provide funds to the Primary Agricultural Credit Societies.

Which of the statements is/are correct ?

With reference to the Indian Economy after the 1991 economic liberalization, consider the following statements:

1. Worker productivity ( rupees per worker at 2004-05 prices) increased in urban areas while it decreased in rural areas.

2. The percentage share of rural areas in the workforce steadily increased.

3. In rural areas, the growth in the non-farm economy increased.

4. The growth rate in rural employment decreased.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

In India, under cyber insurances for individuals, which of the following benefits are generally covered, in addition to payment for the loss of funds and other benefits ?

1. Cost of restoration of the computer system in case of malware disrupting access to one's computer.
2. Cost of a new computer if some miscreant wilfully damages it, if proved so.
3. Cost of hiring a specialized consultant to minimize the loss in case of cyber extortion.
4. Cost of defence in the court of law if any third party files a suit.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

If the RBI decides to adopt an expansionist monetary policy, which of the following it would NOT do?

Cut and optimize the statutory liquidity ratio
Increase the Marginal Standing Facility Rate
Cut the Bank Rate and Repo Rate
Select the correct answer using the code given below:

With reference to Trade-Related Investment Measures (TRIMS), which of the following statements is/are correct ?

1. Quantitative restrictions on imports by foreign investors are prohibited.

2. They apply to investment measures related to trade in both goods and services.

3. They are not concerned with the regulation of foreign investment.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Along with the budget, the Finance Minister also places other documents before the parliament which include "The Macro Economic Framework Statement" The aforesaid document is presented because this mandated by

With reference to chemical fertilizers in India, consider the following statements:

At present, the retail price of chemical fertilizers is market-driven and not administered by the Government.
Ammonia, which is an input of urea, is produced from natural gas.
Sulphur, which is a raw material for phosphoric acid fertilizer, is a by-product of all oil refineries.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following statements:

1. The weightage of food in Consumer Price Index(CPI) is higher than that in Wholesale Price Index(WPI).

2. The WPI does not capture changes in the prices of services, which CPI does.

3. Reserve Bank of India has now adopted WPI as its key measure of inflation and to decide on changing the key policy rates.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

Gold tranche(Reserve tranche) refers to

Which of the following are the reasons/factors for exposure to benzene pollution?

Automobile exhaust
Tobacco smoke
Wood burning
Using varnished wooden furniture
Using products made of polyurethane
Select the correct answer using the given code below-

With reference to India's Biodiversity, Ceylon frogmouth, Coppersmith barbet, Gray-chinned minivet and White-throated redstart are

Consider the following statements:

1. 36% of India's districts are classified as "overexploited" or "critical" by the Central Ground Water Authority(CGWA).

2. CGWA was formed under the Environment (Protection) Act.

3. India has the largest area under groundwater irrigation in the world.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

If a particular plant species is placed under Schedule VI of the Wildlife Protection Act,1972, what is the implication?

What is/are the advantage/advantages of zero tillage in agriculture ?

1. Sowing of wheat is possible without burning the residue of the previous crop.

2. Without the need for nursery of rice saplings, direct planting of paddy seeds in the wet soil is possible.

3. Carbon sequestration in the soil is possible.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Which one of the following statements best describes the term ‘Social Cost of Carbon'?
It is a measure, in monetary value, of the

In the context of India, which of the following is/are considered to be practice(s) of eco-friendly agriculture?

1. Crop diversification

2. Legume intensification

3. Tensiometer use

4. Vertical farming

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

What is the use of Biochar in farming?

Biochar can be used as a part of the growing medium in the vertical farming
When biochar is a part of the growing medium, it promotes the growth of nitrogen fixing microorganisms.
When biochar is a part of the growing medium, it enables the medium to retain water for a longer time.
Which of the above given statements is/are correct?

Among the following Tiger Reserves, which one has the largest area under "Critical Tiger Habitat" ?

In rural road construction, the use of which of the following is preferred for ensuring environmental sustainability or to reduce carbon footprint?

Copper slag
Cold mix asphalt technology
Geotextiles
Hot mix asphalt technology
Portland cement
Select the correct answer using the given code below

Consider the following statements

Coal ash contains arsenic, lead and mercury.
Coal fired power plants release sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen into the environment.
High ash content is observed in Indian Coal.
Which of the above given statements is/are correct?

Steel slag can be the material for which of the following?

Construction of base road
Improvement of agriculture soil
Production of cement
Select the correct answer using the given code below

According to India's National Policy on Biofuels, which of the following can be used as raw materials for the production of biofuels?

1. Cassava

2. Damaged wheat grains

3. Groundnut seeds

4. Horse gram

5. Rotten potatoes

6. Sugar beet

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Which of the following Protected areas are located in Cauvery basin?

1. Nagarhole National Park.
2. Papikonda National Park.
3. Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve
4. Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

With reference to Indian Elephants, consider the following statements :

1. The leader of an elephant group is a female.
2. The maximum gestation period can be 22 months.
3. An elephant can normally go on calving till the age of 40 years only.
4. Among the States in India, the highest population is in Kerala.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

Consider the following pairs

International agreement/setup Subject

Alma Ata declaration Healthcare of the people
Hague convention Biological and Chemical Weapons
Talanoa dialogue Global Climate Change
Under2 Coalition Child Rights
Which of the pairs above is/are correct?

Which one of the following protected areas is well known for the conservation of a sub-species of the Indian swamp deer (Barasingha) that thrives well on hard ground and is exclusively graminivorous?

Which of the following are the most likely places to find the musk deer in its natural habitat?

Askot Wildlife Sanctuary
Gangotri national Park
Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary
Manas national Park
Select the correct answer using the given code below

With reference to India's Desert National Park, which of the following statements are correct?

1. It is spread over two districts.

2. There is no human habitation inside the Park.

3. It is one of the natural habitats of Great Indian Bustard.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

In the Indian history, The Rakhmabai case of 1884 revolved around

Women's rights to gain education
Age of consent
Restitution of conjugal rights
Select the correct answer using the given code below-

Indigo cultivation in India declined by the beginning of the 20th century because of

With references to the history of India, consider the following pairs:

Famous Place Present State
1. Bhilsa -Madhya Pradesh
2. Dwarasamudra -Maharashtra
3. Girinagar -Gujarat
4. Sthanesvara -Uttar Pradesh

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

With reference to the history of India, ‘ulgulan' or the great tumult is the description of the which of the following?

With reference to the period of Gupta dynasty in ancient India, the towns Ghantasala, kadura and Chaul were well known as

One common agreement between Gandhism and Marxism is

Wellesley established the Fort William college at Calcutta because:

With reference to the cultural history of India, consider the following pairs:
1. Parivrajaka – Renunciant and wanderer
2. Shramana – Priest with a high status
3. Upasaka – Lay follower of Buddhism

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

With reference to the history of India consider the following pairs:

Aurang in-charge Of treasury of the state
Banian Indian agent of the East India Company
Mirasidar designated revenue payer to the state
Which of the pairs above is/are correct?

With reference to the religious history of India, consider the following statements:

Sthaviravadins belong to mahayana Buddhism
Lokottaravadin sect was an offshoot of Mahasanghika sect of Buddhism
The deification of Buddha by Mahasanghikas fostered the mahayana Buddhism
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Which of the following statements correctly explains the impact of the Industrial revolution on India during the first half of the nineteenth century?

Consider the following events in the history of India:

Rise of Pratiharas under king Bhoja
Establishment of pallava power under Mahendravarman-I
Establishment of Chola power under Parantaka-I
Pala dynasty founded by Gopala
What is the correct chronological order of the above events, Starting from the earliest time?

Which of the following phrases defines the nature of the ‘Hundi' generally referred to in sources of the Post Harsha period?

With reference to the book ‘desher Katha' written by Sakharam Ganesh Deuskar during the freedom struggle, consider the following statements

It warned against the colonial states' hypnotic conquest of the mind
It inspired the performance of swadeshi street plays and folk songs
The use of ‘desh' by Deuskar was in the specific context of the region of Bengal.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The Gandhi-Irwin pact included which of the following?

Invitation to Congress to participate in the round table conference
Withdrawal of ordinances promulgated in connection with the Civil Disobedience Movement
Acceptance of Gandhiji's suggestion for enquiry into police excesses
Release of those prisoners who were not charged with violence
Select the correct answer using the code given below

The Vital Vidhvansak, the first monthly journal to have the untouchable people as its target audience was published by

With reference to the history of India, the terms Kulyavapa and dronavapa denote

Who among the following rulers advised his subjects through this inscription?

"Whosoever praises his religious sect or blames other sects out of excessive devotion to his own sect, with the view of glorifying his own sect, he rather injures his own sect very severely "

With reference to the Scholars/literatures of ancient India, consider the following statements:

Panini is associated with Pushyamitra
Amarsimha is associated with Harshavardhana
Kalidasa is associated with chandragupta-II
Which of the above given statements is/are correct-

With reference to the funds under Member of Parliament Local Area Development(MPLADS)Scheme, which of the following statements are correct?

MPLADS funds must be used to create durable assets like physical infrastructure for health, education etc.
A specified portion of each MP's fund must benefit SC/ST populations
MPLADS funds are sanctioned on an annual basis and the unused funds can not be carried forward to the next year.
The district authority must inspect at least 10% of all works under implementation
Select the correct answer using the given code below-

Which of the following categories of Fundamental Rights Incorporates protection against untouchability as a form of discrimination?

In India, separation of judiciary from executive is enjoined by

A parliamentary system of government is one which

Which part of the constitution of India declares the ideals of welfare state?

Consider the following statements

The constitution of India defines its basic structure in terms of federalism, secularism, fundamental rights and democracy
The constitution of India provides for the ‘judicial review' to safeguard the citizen's liberties and to preserve the ideals on which the constitution is based.
Which of the above given statements is/are correct?

In the context of India which one of the following is the characteristic appropriate for Bureaucracy?

A constitutional government by definition is a

Other than the fundamental rights , Which of the following parts of the Constitution of India reflect/reflects the principles and provisions of the Universal declaration of human rights(1948)?

Preamble
Directive principles of state policy
Fundamental duties
Select the correct answer using the given code below-

In India, legal service authorities provide free legal services to which of the following type of citizens?

Person with an annual income of less than Rs 1,00,000
Transgender with an annual income of less than Rs2,00,000
Member of other backward classes(OBC) with an annual income of less than Rs 3,00,000
All senior citizens
Select the correct answer using the given code below-

The preamble to the constitution of India is

With reference to the provisions contained in part IV of the Constitution of India, Which of the following statements is/are correct?

They shall be enforceable by the courts
They shall not be enforceable by any courts
The principles laid down in this part are to influence the making of laws by the state.
Select the correct answer using the given code below-

Consider the following statements

According to Constitution of India, A person who eligible to vote can be made a minister in a state for six months even if he/she is not a member of the legislature of that state
According to the representation of people act, 1951, a person convicted of a criminal offence and sentenced to imprisonment for at least five years is permanently disqualified from contesting an election even after his release from prison.
Which of the above given statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements:

The president of India can summon a session of parliament at such a place as he/she thinks fit.
The constitution of India provides for three sessions of the parliament in a year but it is not mandatory to conduct all the sessions
There is no minimum number of days that the parliament is required to meet in a year
Which of the above given statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements

Aadhar metadata can not be stored for more than three months
State can not enter into any contract with private corporations for sharing of Aadhar data
Aadhar is mandatory for obtaining insurance products
Aadhar is mandatory for getting benefits funded out of the consolidated fund of India
Which of the above given statements is/are correct?

Rajyasabha has equal power with Loksabha in

In India, The term "Public Key Infrastructure" is used in the context of?

Which of the following statements are correct regarding the general difference between plant cells and animal cells?

Plant cells have cellulose cell walls whilst animal cells do not.
Plant cells do not have plasma membrane unlike animals cells which do
Mature plant cell has one large vacuole whilst animal cell has many small vacuoles
Select the correct answer using the given code below-

Q5 What is the importance of using pneumococcal conjugate vaccines in India?

These vaccines are effective against pneumonia as well as meningitis and sepsis.
Dependence on antibiotics that are not effective against drug-resistant bacteria can be reduced.
These vaccines have no side effects and cause no allergic reactions
Select the correct answer using the given code below-

With the present state of development Artificial Intelligence can effectively do which of the following?

Bring down electricity consumption in industrial units
Create meaningful short stories and songs
Disease diagnosis
Text to speech conversation
Wireless transmission of electrical energy
Select the correct answer using the given code below-

With reference to the "Visible Light Communication" technology, Which of the following statements are correct?

VLC uses electromagnetic spectrum wavelengths 375 to 780 nm
VLC is known as long range optical wireless communication
VLC can transmit large amounts of data faster than bluetooth
VLC has no electromagnetic interference
Select the correct answer using the given code below-

With reference to the Blockchain Technology, consider the following statements:

It is a public ledger that everyone can inspect, which no single user controls
The structure and design of blockchain is such that all the data in it are about cryptocurrency only
Applications that depend on the basic features of blockchain can be developed without anybody's permission
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

In the context of the recent advances in human reproductive technology, Pronuclear transfer technology is used for:

With reference to solar water pumps, consider the following statements:

1. Solar power can be used for running surface pumps and not for submersible pumps.
2. Solar power can be used for running centrifugal pumps and not the ones with piston.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

With reference to the carbon nanotubes, consider the following statements:

They can be used as carriers of drugs and antigens in the human body.
They can be made into artificial blood capillaries for an injured part of human body.
They can be used in biochemical sensors.
Carbon nanotubes are biodegradable
Which of the statements given above are correct?

Consider the following activities :

Spraying pesticides on a crop field
Inspecting the craters of an active volcano
Collecting breath samples from spouting whales for DNA analysis
At the present level of technology, which of the above activities can be successfully carried out using drones?

The experiment will employ a trio of spacecraft flying in formation in the shape of equilateral triangle that has sides one million km long, with lasers shining between the craft." the experiment in the question refers to?

In India, why are some nuclear reactors kept under "IAEA Safeguards" while others are not?

Consider the following statements:

Genetic changes can be introduc ed in the cells that produce eggs or sperms of a prospective parent
A person's genome can be edited before birth at the early embryonic stage
Human induced pluripotent stem cells can be injected into the embryo of a pig.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following statements:

1. Jet Streams occur in the Northern Hemisphere only.

2. Only some cyclones develop an eye.

3. The temperature inside the eye of a cyclone is nearly 10 degree Celsius lesser than that of the surroundings.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

With reference to pulse production in India ,consider the following statements:

1. Black gram can be cultivated as both Kharif and rabi crop.

2. Green-gram alone accounts for nearly half of pulse production.

3. In the last three decades, while the production of kharif pulses has increased, the production of rabi pulses has decreased.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

"The crop is subtropical in nature. A hard frost is injurious to it. It requires at least 210 frost -free days and 50 to 100 centimeters of rainfall for its growth. A light well-drained soil capable of retaining moisture is ideally suited for the cultivation of the crop." Which one of the following is that crop?

With reference to the current trends in the cultivation of sugarcane in India, consider the following statements:

1. A substantial saving in seed material is made when ‘bud chip settlings are raised in a nursery and transplanted in the main field.

2. When direct planting of setts is done, the germination percentage is better with single-budded setts as compared to setts with many buds.

3. If bad weather conditions prevail when setts are directly planted, single-budded setts have better survival as compared to large setts.

4. Sugarcane can be cultivated using settlings prepared from tissue culture.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

Consider the following pairs:

River Flows into

1. Mekong – Andaman Sea

2. Thames – Irish Sea

3. Volga – Caspian Sea

4. Zambezi – Indian Ocean

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

Siachen Glacier is situated to the

What are the advantages of fertigation in agriculture?

1.Controlling the alkalinity of irrigation water is possible.
2. Efficient application of Rock Phosphate and all other phosphatic fertilizers is possible.
3. Increased availability of nutrients to plants is possible.
4. Reduction in the leaching of chemical nutrients is possible.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Consider the following minerals:

1. Bentonite

2. Chromite

3. Kyanite

4. Sillimanite

In India, which of the above is/are officially designated as major minerals?

With reference to Ocean Mean Temperature(OMT),which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. OMT is measured upto a depth of 26 degree Celsius isotherm which is 129 meters in the south-western Indian Ocean during January-March.

2. OMT collected during January-MArch can be used in assessing whether the amount of rainfall in monsoon will be less or more than a certain long-term mean.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:

In which one of the following groups are all the four countries members of G20 ?

Under the Kisan Credit Card Scheme, short-term credit support is given to farmers for which of the following purposes ?

1. Working capital for maintenance of farm assets

2. Purchase of combine harvesters, tractors and mini trucks

3. Consumption requirements of farm households

4. Construction of family house and setting up of village cold storage facility

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

With reference to the cultural history of India, which one of the following is the correct description of the term ‘paramitas'?