UPSC Prelims 2021 Previous Year Questions

How is permaculture farming different from conventional chemical farming?(1) Permaculture farming discourages monocultural practices but in conventional chemical farming, monoculture practices are pre-dominant. (2) Conventional chemical farming can cause an increase in soil salinity but the occurrence of such a phenomenon is not observed in permaculture farming.(3) Conventional chemical farming is easily possible in semi-arid regions but permaculture farming is not so easily possible in such regions. (4) Practice of mulching is very important in permaculture farming but not necessarily so in conventional chemical farming.
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With reference to ‘palm oil', consider the following statements: (1) The palm oil tree is native to Southeast Asia. (2) Palm oil is a raw material for some industries producing lipstick and perfumes. (3) Palm oil can be used to produce biodiesel.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

Bisphenol A (BPA), a cause of concern, is a structural/key component in the manufacture of which of the following kinds of plastic?

At the national level, which ministry is the nodal agency to ensure effective implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006?

Consider the following statements: (1) The Global Ocean Commission grants licenses for seabed exploration and mining in international waters. (2) India has received licenses for seabed mineral exploration in international waters. (3) ‘Rare earth minerals are present on the seafloor in international waters.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

In the context of India's preparation for Climate-Smart Agriculture, consider the following statements: (1) The ‘Climate-Smart Village' approach in India is a part of a project led by the Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), an international research program. (2) The project of CCAFS is carried out under the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) headquartered in France. (3) The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in India is one of the CGIAR's research centres.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

"Leaf litter decomposes faster than in any other biome and as a result, the soil surface is often almost bare. Apart from trees, the vegetation is largely composed of plant forms that reach up into the canopy vicariously, by climbing the trees or growing as epiphytes, rooted on the upper branches of trees." This is the most likely description of

In the case of which one of the following biogeochemical cycles, the weathering of rocks is the main source of release of nutrients to enter the cycle?

Consider the following statements: (1) Moringa (drumstick tree) is a leguminous evergreen tree (2) Tamarind tree is endemic to South Asia (3) In India, most of the tamarind is collected as minor forest produce (4) India exports tamarind and seeds of moringa (5) Seeds of moringa and tamarind can be used in the production of biofuels
Which of the statements given above are correct?

Consider the following statements: Statement 1: The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and the Arbor Day Foundation have recently recognized Hyderabad as the 2020 Tree City of the World. Statement 2: Hyderabad was selected for recognition for a year following its commitment to grow and maintain the urban forests.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements:?

Which of the following have species that can establish symbiotic relationships with other organisms? (1) Cnidarians (2) Fungi (3) Protozoa
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The ‘Common Carbon Metric', supported by UNEP, has been developed for

Which of the following are detritivores? (1) Earthworms (2) Jellyfish (3) Millipedes (4) Seahorses (5) Woodlice
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Consider the following kinds of organisms: (1) Copepods (2) Cyanobacteria (3) Diatoms (4) Foraminifera
Which of the above are primary producers in the food chains of oceans?

Consider the following animals: (1) Hedgehog (2) Marmot (3) Pangolin
To reduce the chance of being captured by predators, which of the above organisms rolls up/roll up and protects/protect its/their vulnerable parts?

With reference to the ‘New York Declaration on Forests', which of the following statements are correct? (1) It was first endorsed at the United Nations Climate Summit in 2014. (2) It endorses a global timeline to end the loss of forests. (3) It is a legally binding international declaration. (4) It is endorsed by governments, big companies, and indigenous communities. (5) India was one of the signatories at its inception.
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Which one of the following is used in preparing a natural mosquito repellent?

Magnetite particles, suspected to cause neurodegenerative problems, are generated as environmental pollutants from which of the following? (1) Brakes of motor vehicles (2) Engines of motor vehicles (3) Microwave stoves within homes (4) Power plants (5) Telephone lines
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What is blue carbon?

In nature, which of the following is/are most likely to be found surviving on a surface without soil? (1) Fern (2) Lichen (3) Moss (4) Mushroom
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With reference to furnace oil, consider the following statements: (1) It is a product of oil refineries. (2) Some industries use it to generate power. (3) Its use causes sulphur emissions into the environment.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

Which one of the following is a filter feeder?

‘R2 Code of Practices' constitutes a tool available for promoting the adoption of

Why is there a concern about copper smelting plants? (1) They may release lethal quantities of carbon monoxide into the environment. (2) The copper slag can cause the leaching of some heavy metals into the environment. (3) They may release sulphur dioxide as a pollutant.
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Which one of the following in Indian policy is an essential feature that indicates that it is federal in character?

Which of the following best defines the term ‘State'?

With reference to the Indian judiciary, consider the following statements: (1) Any retired judge of the Supreme Court of India can be called back to sit and act as a Supreme Court judge by the Chief Justice of India with the prior permission of the President of India. (2) A High Court in India has the power to review its own judgment as the Supreme Court does.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

With reference to India, consider the following statements: (1) There is only one citizenship and one domicile. (2) A citizen by birth only can become the Head of State. (3) A foreigner once granted citizenship cannot be deprived of it under any circumstances.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Which one of the following factors constitutes the best safeguard of liberty in a liberal democracy?

We adopted parliamentary democracy based on the British model, but how does our model differ from that model? (1) As regards legislation, the British Parliament is supreme or sovereign but in India, the power of the Parliament to legislate is limited. (2) In India, matters related to the constitutionality of the Amendment of an Act of the Parliament are referred to the Constitution Bench by the Supreme Court.
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With reference to the Union Government, consider the following statements: (1) N. Gopalaswamy Iyengar Committee suggested that a minister and a secretary be designated solely for pursuing the subject of administrative reform and promoting it. (2) In 1970, the Department of Personnel was constituted on the recommendation of the Administrative Reforms Commission, 1966, and this was placed under the Prime Minister's charge.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

‘Right to Privacy' is protected under which Article of the constitution of India?

Consider the following statements: (1) In India, there is no law restricting the candidates from contesting in one Lok Sabha election from three constituencies. (2) In the 1991 Lok Sabha Election, Shri Devi Lal contested from three Lok Sabha constituencies. (3) As per the existing rules, if a candidate contests in one Lok Sabha election from many constituencies, his/her party should bear the cost of bye-elections to the constituencies vacated by him/her in the event of him/her winning in all the constituencies.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following statements: (1) ‘Right to the City' is an agreed human right and the UN-Habitat monitors the commitments made by each country in this regard. (2) ‘Right to the City' gives every occupant of the city the right to reclaim public spaces and public participation in the city. (3) ‘Right to the City' means that the State cannot deny any public service or facility to the unauthorized colonies in the City.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

With reference to India, consider the following statements: (1) Judicial custody means an accused is in the custody of the concerned magistrate and such accused is locked up in a police station, not in jail. (2) During judicial custody, the police officer in charge of the case is not allowed to interrogate the suspect without the approval of the court.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

With reference to India, consider the following statements: (1) When a prisoner makes out a sufficient case, parole cannot be denied to such prisoner because it becomes a matter of his/her right. (2) State Governments have their own Prisoners Release on Parole Rules.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A legislation which confers on the executive or administrative authority an unguided and uncontrolled discretionary power in the matter of the application of law violates which one of the following Articles of the Constitution of India?

Under the Indian Constitution, the concentration of wealth violates

What is the position of the Right to Property in India?

What was the exact constitutional status of India on 26th January 1950?

Constitutional government means

Consider the following statements in respect of Barat Ratna and Padma Awards: (1) Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards are titled under Article 18(1) of the Constitution of India. (2) Padma Awards, which were instituted in the year 1954, were suspended only once. (3) The number of Bharat Ratna Awards is restricted to a maximum of five in a particular year.
Which of the above statements are not correct?

With reference to Chausath Yogini Temple situated near Morena, consider the following statements: (1) It is a circular temple built during the reign of the Kachchhapaghata Dynasty. (2) It is the only circular temple built in India. (3) It was meant to promote the Vaishnava cult in the region. (4) Its design has given rise to a popular belief that it was the inspiration behind the Indian Parliament building.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

With reference to medieval India, which one of the following is the correct sequence in ascending order in terms of size?

Who among the following was associated as Secretary with Hindu Female School which later came to be known as Bethune Female School?

In the context of Colonial India, Shah Nawaz Khan, Prem Kumar Sehgal, and Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon are remembered as

In the first quarter of the seventeenth century, in which of the following was/were the factory/factories of the English East India Company located? (1) Broach (2) Chicacole (3) Trichinopoly
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With reference to Indian history, which of the following statements is/are correct? (1) The Nizamat of Arcot emerged out of Hyderabad State (2) The Mysore Kingdom emerged out of Vijayanagara Empire. (3) The Rohilkhand Kingdom was formed out of the territories occupied by Ahmad Shah Durrani.
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Which one of the following ancient towns is well-known for its elaborate system of water harvesting and management by building a series of dams and channelizing water into connected reservoirs?

With reference to India, the terms ‘Halbi, Ho, and Kui' pertain to

From the decline of Guptas until the rise of Harshavardhana in the early seventh century, which of the following kingdoms were holding power in Northern India? (1) The Guptas of Magadha (2) The Paramaras of Malwa (3) The Pushyabhutis of Thanesar (4) The Maukharis of Kannauj (5) The Yadavas of Devagiri (6) The Maitrakas of Valabhi
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With reference to Madanapalle of Andhra Pradesh, which one of the following statements is correct?

Who among the following is associated with ‘Songs from Prison', a translation of ancient Indian religious lyrics in English?

Consider the following statements: (1) The Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms of 1919 recommended granting voting rights to all women above the age of 21. (2) The Government of India Act of 1935 gave women reserved seats in the legislature.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

With reference to the history of ancient India, which of the following statements is/are correct? (1) Mitakshara was the civil law for upper castes and Dayabhaga was the civil law for lower castes. (2) In the Mitakshara system, the sons can claim the right to the property during the lifetime of the father, whereas in the Dayabhaga system, it is only after the death of the father that the sons can claim the right to the property. (3) The Mitakshara system deals with the matters related to the property held by male members only of a family, whereas the Dayabhaga system deals with the matters related to the property held by both male and female members of a family.
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Consider the following statements: (1) It was during the reign of Iltutmish that Chengiz Khan reached the Indus in pursuit of the fugitive Khwarezm prince. (2) It was during the reign of Muhammad bin Tughluq that Taimur occupied Multan and crossed the Indus. (3) It was during the reign of Deva Raya II of the Vijayanagara Empire that Vasco da Gama reached the coast of Kerala. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

According to Portuguese writer Nuniz, the women in Vijayanagara Empire were experts in which of the following areas? (1) Wrestling (2) Astrology (3) Accounting (4) Soothsaying
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Consider the following pairs :
(Historical place)(Well-known for)
1. Burzahom: Rock-cut shrines
2. Chandra-Ketugarh: Terracotta art
3. Ganeshwar : Copper artefacts

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

Consider the following statements: (1) St. Francis Xavier was one of the founding members of the Jesuit Order. (2) St. Francis Xavier died in Goa and a church is dedicated to him there. (3) The Feast of St. Francis Xavier is celebrated in Goa each year.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

With reference to 8th August 1942 in Indian history, which one of the following statements is correct?

Indian Government Bond Yields are influenced by which of the following? (1) Actions of the United States Federal Reserve (2) Actions of the Reserve Bank of India (3) Inflation and short-term interest rates
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Consider the following: (1) Foreign currency convertible bonds (2) Foreign institutional investment with certain conditions (3) Global depository receipts (4) Non-resident external deposits 
Which of the above can be included in Foreign Direct Investments?

Consider the following statements: The effect of the devaluation of a currency is that it necessarily (1) improves the competitiveness of the domestic exports in the foreign markets (2) increases the foreign value of the domestic currency (3) improves the trade balance
Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Which one of the following effects of the creation of black money in India has been the main cause of worry to the Government of India?

Consider the following statements: (1) The Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is appointed by the Central Government.(2) Certain provisions in the Constitution of India give the Central Government the right to issue directions to the RBI in the public interest.(3) The Governor of the RBI draws his power from the RBI Act.
Which of the above statements are correct?

With reference to casual workers employed in India, consider the following statements: (1) All causal workers are entitled to Employees Provident Fund coverage. (2) All casual workers are entitled to regular working hours and overtime payment. (3) The government can by notification specify that an establishment or industry shall pay wages only through its bank account.
Which of the above statements are correct?

Which of the following steps is most likely to be taken at the time of an economic recession?

Consider the following statements: Other things remaining unchanged, market demand for a good might increase if (1) price of its substitute increases (2) price of its complement increases (3) the good is an inferior good and the income of the consumer increases (4) its price falls
Which of the above statements are correct?

With reference to ‘Urban Cooperative Banks in India, consider the following statements: (1) They are supervised and regulated by local boards set up by the State Governments. (2) They can issue equity shares and preference shares. (3) They were brought under the purview of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 through an Amendment in 1966.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

In India, the central bank's function as the ‘lender of last resort' usually refers to which of the following? (1) Lending to trade and industry bodies when they fail to borrow from other sources. (2) Providing liquidity to the banks having a temporary crisis. (3) Lending to governments to finance budgetary deficits.
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With reference to ‘Water Credit', consider the following statements: (1) It puts microfinance tools to work in the water and sanitation sector. (2) It is a global initiative launched under the aegis of the World Health Organization and the World Bank. (3) It aims to enable the poor people to meet their water needs without depending on subsidies.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

The money multiplier in an economy increases with which one of the following?

With reference to the Indian economy, demand-pull inflation can be caused/increased by which of the following? (1) Expansionary policies (2) Fiscal stimulus (3) Inflation-indexing wages (4) Higher purchasing power (5) Rising interest rates
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With reference to India, consider the following statements: (1) Retail investors through Demat account can invest in ‘Treasury Bills' and ‘Government of India Debt Bonds' in the primary market. (2) The ‘Negotiated Dealing System Order Matching' is a government securities trading platform of the Reserve Bank of India. (3) The ‘Central Depository Services Ltd.' Is jointly promoted by the Reserve Bank of India and the Bombay Stock Exchange. 
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Which one of the following is likely to be the most inflationary in its effects?

Water can dissolve more substances than any other liquid because

With reference to street lighting, how do sodium lamps differ from LED lamps? 
(1) Sodium Lamps produce light in 360 degrees but it is not so in the case of LED lamps. 
(2) As street lights, sodium lamps have a longer lifespan than LED lamps. 
(3) The spectrum of visible light from sodium lamps is almost monochromatic while LED lamps offer significant color advantages in street lighting.
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The term ‘ACE2' is talked about in the context of

‘Triclosan', considered harmful when exposed to high levels for a long time, is most likely present in which of the following?

Which one of the following is a reason why astronomical distances are measured in light-years?

With reference to recent developments regarding ‘Recombinant Vector Vaccines', consider the following statements: (1) Genetic engineering is applied in the development of these vaccines (2) Bacteria and viruses are used as vectors
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

In the context of hereditary diseases, consider the following statements: (1) Passing on mitochondrial diseases from parent to child can be prevented by mitochondrial replacement therapy either before or after in vitro fertilization of the egg. (2) A child inherits mitochondrial diseases entirely from the mother and not from the father.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Bollgard I and Bollgard II technologies are mentioned in the context of

In a pressure cooker, the temperature at which the food is cooked depends mainly upon which of the following?(1) Area of the hole in the lid (2) Temperature of the flame (3) Weight of the lid
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Consider the following: (1) Bacteria (2) Fungi (3) Virus 
Which of the above can be cultured in an artificial/synthetic medium?

Consider the following statements: (1) Adenoviruses have single-stranded DNA genomes whereas retroviruses have double-stranded DNA genomes. (2) Common cold is sometimes caused by an adenovirus whereas AIDS is caused by a retrovirus.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

With reference to the Indus river system of the following four rivers, three of them pour into one of them, which joins the Indus direct. Among the following, which one is such river that joins the Indus direct?

With reference to India, Didwana, Kuchaman, Sargol, and Khatu are the names of

Consider the following rivers: (1) Brahmani (2) Nagavali (3) Subarnarekha (4) Vamsadhara
Which of the above rise from the Eastern Ghats?

The vegetation of the savannah consists of grassland with scattered small trees, but extensive areas have no trees. The forest development in such areas is generally kept in check by one or more or a combination of some conditions. Which of the following are such conditions?(1) Burrowing animals and termites(2) Fire(3) Grazing herbivores(4) Seasonal rainfall(5) Soil properties
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With reference to the water on the planet Earth, consider the following statements: (1) The amount of water in the rivers and lakes is more than the amount of groundwater. (2) The amount of water in polar ice caps and glaciers is more than the amount of groundwater.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The black cotton soil of India has been formed due to the weathering of

Among the following which one is the least water-efficient crop?

Consider the following statements: (1) In the tropical zone, the western sections of the oceans are warmer than the eastern sections owing to the influence of trade winds. (2) In the temperate zone, westerlies make the eastern sections of oceans warmer than the western sections.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following statements: (1) 21st February is declared to be the International Mother Language Day by UNICEF. (2) The demand that Bangla has to be one of the national languages was raised in the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements in respect of the Laureus World Sports Award which was instituted in the year 2000: (1) American golfer Tiger Woods was the first winner of this award. (2) The award was received mostly by ‘Formula One' players so far. (3) Roger Federer received this award the maximum number of times compared to others.
Which of the above statements are correct?

Consider the following statements in respect of the 32nd Summer Olympics: (1) The official motto for this Olympics is "A New World". (2) Sport Climbing, Surfing, Skateboarding, Karate, and Baseball are included in this Olympics.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements in respect of the ICC World Test Championship: (1) The finalists were decided by the number of matches they won. (2) New Zealand has ranked ahead of England because it won more matches than England.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Which one of the following statements is correct?

With reference to the history of ancient India, Bhavabhuti, Hastimalla, and Kshemeshvara were famous