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41. With reference to the history of India, consider the following pairs :
1. Aurang – In-charge of treasury of the State
2. Banian – Indian agent of the East India Company
3. Mirasidar – Designated revenue payer to the State
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched ?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
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Explanation –
Aurang – is Persian term for a warehouse i.e. a workshop where goods are collected before being sold
Banians – acted as intermediaries for European merchants in Bengal. They were highly influential in the 18th century but viewed as of waning importance thereafter.
Mirasidar – Under the ryotwari settlement system, the government recognized mirasidars as the sole proprietors of land, dismissing tenants’ rights completely.
42. With reference to the religious history of India, consider the following statements :
1. Sthaviravadins belong to Mahayana Buddhism.
2. Lokottaravadin sect was an offshoot of Mahasanghika sect of Buddhism.
3. The deification of Buddha by Mahasanghikas fostered the Mahayana Buddhism.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
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43. Which of the following statements correctly explains the impact of Industrial Revolution on India during the first half of the nineteenth century ?
(a) Indian handicrafts were ruined.
(b) Machines were introduced in the Indian textile industry in large numbers.
(c) Railway lines were laid in many parts of the country.
(d) Heavy duties were imposed on the imports of British manufactures.
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Explanation –
Industrial revolution during the first half of 19th Century led to ruining of Indian handicraft. Traditional handicraft industries started declining in the 18th century and proceeded rapidly almost to the beginning of the 19th century. This process is called de-industrialisation.
44. Consider the following events in the history of India :
1. Rise of Pratiharas under King Bhoja
2. Establishment of Pallava power under Mahendravarman -I
3. Establishment of Chola power by Parantaka – I
4. Pala dynasty founded by Gopala
What is the correct chronological order of the above events, starting from the earliest time?
(a) 2-1-4-3
(b) 3-1-4-2
(c) 2-4-1-3
(d) 3-4-1- 2
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Explanation –
2. Mahendravarman I was a Pallava king who ruled the Southern portion of present day Andhra region and Northern regions of what forms present-day Tamil Nadu in India in the early 7th century from 600-630CE.
4. Gopala (ruled c. 750s–770s CE) was the founder of the Pala Dynasty of Bengal region of the Indian Subcontinent.
1. Mihira Bhoja ( 836-885 CE) or Bhoja I was a ruler of the Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty of India. He succeeded his father Ramabhadra.
3. Parantaka Chola I (c. 907–955) ruled the Chola kingdom in Tamil Nadu southern India for forty-eight years, annexing Pandya. The best part of his reign was marked by increasing success and prosperity.
45. Which of the following phrases defines the nature of the ‘Hundi’ generally referred to in the sources of the post-Harsha period ? :
(a) An advisory issued by the king to his subordinates
(b) A diary to be maintained for daily accounts
(c) A bill of exchange
(d) An order from the feudal lord to his subordinates
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Explanation –
Hundi/Hundee is a financial instrument that developed in Medieval India for use in trade and credit transactions. Hundis are used as a form of remittance instrument to transfer money from place to place, as a form of credit instrument.
46. With reference to the book “Desher Katha” written by Sakharam Ganesh Deuskar during dom struggle, consider the following statements :
1. It warned against the Colonial State’s hypnotic conquest of the mind.
2. It inspired the performance of swadeshi street plays and folk songs.
3. The use of desh by Deuskar was in the specific context of the region of Bengal.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
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Explanation –
Sakharam Ganesh Deuskar (1869-1912) a close associate of Sri Aurobindo. A Marathi Brahmin who had settled in Bengal, Sakharam was born in Deoghar. He published a book entitled Desher Katha describing in exhaustive detail the British commercial and industrial exploitation of India. This book had an immense repercussion in Bengal, captured the mind of young Bengal and assisted more than anything else in the preparation of the Swadeshi movement.
47. The Gandhi-Irwin Pact included which of the following? Features of Gandhi-Irwin Pact
1. Invitation to Congress to participate in the Round Table Conference
2. Withdrawal of Ordinances promulgated in connection with the Civil Disobedience Movement
3. Acceptance of Gandhiji’s suggestion for enquiry into police excesses
4. Release of only those prisoners who were not charged with violence
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 1, 2 and 4 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 2, 3 and 4 only
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Explanation –
48. The Vital-Vidhvansak, the first monthly journal to have the untouchable people as its target audience was published by
(a) Gopal Baba Walangkar
(b) Jyotiba Phule
(c) Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
(d) Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar
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Explanation –
Gopal Baba Walangkar, also known as Gopal Krishna, (1840-1900) is an early example of an activist working to release the untouchable people of India.
49. With reference to the history of India, the terms “kulyavapa” and “dronavapa” denote
(a) measurement of land
(b) coins of different monetary value
(c) classification of urban land
(d) religious rituals
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50. 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.”
(a) Ashoka
(b) Samudragupta
(c) Harshavardhana
(d) Krishnadeva Raya
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Explanation –
The quote is taken from Ashoka’s Dhamma.
51. 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:
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 1, 2 and 4 only
(c) 1, 3 and 4 only
(d) 2, 3 and 4 only
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52. 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 ?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 4 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 2, 3 and 4 only
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53. With reference to Ocean Mean Temperature (OMT), which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. OMT is measured up to a depth of 26°C 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 :
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
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Explanation –
1 is incorrect – Ocean Mean Temprature , which is measured up to a depth of 26 degree C isotherm, is more stable and consistent, and the spatial spread is also less. The 26 degree C isotherm is seen at depths varying from 50-100 metres. During January-March, the mean 26 degree C isotherm depth in the Southwestern Indian Ocean is 59 metres.
2 is correct – The researchers analysed 25-year OMT data from 1993 to 2017. They found that unlike Sea Surface Temperature, OMT was able to correctly predict 20 out of 25 years (80% success rate) if the amount of rainfall during the summer monsoon was more or less than the long-term mean.
54. With reference to chemical fertilizers in India, consider the following statements :
1. At present, the retail price of chemical fertilizers is market-driven and not administered by the Government.
2. Ammonia, which is an input of urea, is produced from natural gas.
3. Sulphur, which is a raw material for phosphoric acid fertilizer, is a by-product of oil refineries.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 2 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
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55. 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 :
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
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Explanation –
Statement 1 is correct – The Desert National Park (DNP) covers an area of 3162 km² of which 1900 km² is in Jaisalmer district and remaining 1262 km² is in Barmer district of Rajasthan State.
Statement 2 is incorrect – However, the human population within the DNP is low (4-5 persons per km²). There are 73 villages and also settlements or Dhanis existing within the Park. These communities have inhabited this area for hundreds of years and with their rich culture and tradition they are an integral part of this ecosystem.
Statement 3 is correct – More than 100 bird species have been listed from DNP including a good population of the Great Indian Bustard (locally called Godawan) (Kalra et al. 2006) and is a home for migrant Houbara Bustard.
56. Siachen Glacier is situated to the
(a) East of Aksai Chin
(b) East of Leh
(c) North of Gilgit
(d) North of Nubra Valley
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57. With reference 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 are correctly matched ?
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 1 and 4 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 2 and 4 only
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58. 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?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 2 only
(d) 1 and 3 only
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59. 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°C lesser than that of the surroundings.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 2 only
(d) 1 and 3 only
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60. Among the following Tiger Reserves, which one has the largest area under “Critical Tiger Habitat” ?
(a) Corbett
(b) Ranthambore
(c) Nagarjungagar-Srisailam
(d) Sunderbans
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Nagarjunsagar, Andhra Pradesh – 2595 sq km
