#1. Economic liberalization in India was shaped largely by the economic problems of the government than by the economic priorities of the people or by the long-term development objectives. Thus, there were limitations in conception and design which have been subsequently validated by experience. Jobless growth, persistent poverty and rising inequality have mounted as problems since economic liberalization began. And all these years later, four quiet crises confront the economy; agriculture, infrastructure, industrialization and education as constraints on the country’s future prospects. These problems must be resolved if economic growth has to be sustained and transformed into meaningful development. [2020]. With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. India’s economy needs to be greatly integrated with global economy so as to create large number of jobs and to sustain its growth momentum. 2. Economic liberalization would cause large economic growth which would reduce poverty and create sufficient employment in the long run. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

#2. Economic liberalization in India was shaped largely by the economic problems of the government than by the economic priorities of the people or by the long-term development objectives. Thus, there were limitations in conception and design which have been subsequently validated by experience. Jobless growth, persistent poverty and rising inequality have mounted as problems since economic liberalization began. And all these years later, four quiet crises confront the economy; agriculture, infrastructure, industrialization and education as constraints on the country’s future prospects. These problems must be resolved if economic growth has to be sustained and transformed into meaningful development. [2020] Which of the following is/are the most rational and logical inference/inferences that can be made from the passage? 1. It is essential to rethink and redefine the economic role of the State in the quest for development. 2. India has not made effective implementation of its policies in social sectors nor made sufficient investments in them. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

#3. In India, authorities always look to store the maximum amount of water in reservoirs during the monsoon season, which is then used for irrigation and generation of electricity during the summermonths. It is an internationally accepted practice that the water level of a reservoir should be kept below a certain level before the onset of monsoon season. This is so that when monsoon rains come, there is space to store the excess rain water and also so that water can be released in a regulated manner. But the authorities store the maximum amount of water in reservoirs even before the close of the monsoon, only to ensure greater electricity generation and irrigation: [2020] With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. High risks involved in holding maximum water in reservoirs are due to our over-dependence on hydropower projects. 2. Storage capacity of dams should not be fully used before or during monsoon season. 3. Role of dams in flood control is underestimated in India. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

1 and 2 only

2 only

3 only

1, 2 and 3

#4. The pulse variety ‘Pusa Arhar 16’ has the potential to be grown in the paddy-growing regions of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and eventually in all of India. Its yield (about 2000 kg/hectare) will be significantly greater than those of the existing varieties and because its size will be uniform, it will be amenable to mechanical harvesting, an attractive feature for farmers in northern. India who currently use this technology for paddy. Most important, Arhar straw, unlike paddy straw, is green and can be ploughed back into the soil. In paddy straw, the problem is the high silica content, which does not allow for easy decomposition. In the case of Arhar, the farmer, even after combine harvesting, just needs to run a rotovator to cut the leftover straw into pieces, which can be ploughed back and will decompose very fast. All this is difficult with leftover paddy stalks that cannot be easily salvaged or ploughed back. Farmers, therefore, choose the easiest option of simply burning it. [2020]. Which of the following are the most rational inferences that can be made from the passage? 1. Farmers’ income will be higher with pulse cultivation than with paddy cultivation. 2. Pulse cultivation causes less pollution as compared to paddy cultivation. 3. Pulse straw can be used to improve soil quality. 4. In the context of northern Indian agriculture, paddy straw has no usefulness. 5. Mechanized agriculture is the main cause for stubble burning. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

2, 3 and 5

1, 4 and 5

2 and 3 only

1 and 4 only

#5. India is at once among the fastest growing global economies and home to the largest number of malnourished children in the world. There are regions where malnutrition is not the exception but the norm. And across the country, malnutrition is the cause of death for roughly half the 1.3 million children who die before their fifth birthday each year. Even those children who survive sufferpermanently from the damage that has already been done to their bodies and minds from not getting enough of the right foods and nutrients. Around 44 million children under 5 are stunted. That makes it harder for them to learn in school and subsequently earn a living as adults. Their lifetime earnings potential is almost a quarter less than that of their healthy peers. [2020] With reference to the above passage, which of the following is/are the most rational and practical implication/ implications? 1. India’s Public Distribution System should be monitored by the Union Government. 2. Girls should be encouraged to delay marriage and first pregnancy. 3. Mothers should be encouraged to breast feed their children immediately after birth. 4. The supply of safe drinking water and proper sanitation facilities to all should be ensured. 5. Authorities should ensure the vaccination as prescribed. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1, 2, 3 and 4

2, 3, 4 and 5

1 only

3 and 5 only

#6. Spanish ships in the late 16th century first brought the potato tuber from South America to Europe whereby in the early 19th century, it had become a reliable backup to cereal crops, particularly in the cold, rain-soaked soils of Ireland. The Irish were soon almost wholly dependent on the potato as their staple food. And they were planting primarily one prodigious variety, the ‘Lumper’ potato, whose genetic frailty would be cruelly exposed by the fungus ‘Phytophthora infestans’. In 1845, spores of the deadly fungus began spreading across the country, destroying nearly all the Lumpers in its path. The resulting famine killed or displaced millions. [2020] Which one of the following statements best reflects the critical message of the passage?

For introducing any foreign plant into a country, the soil and climate conditions of that country should be suitable.

As a staple food of a country, tuber crops like potato connot replace cereal crops.

Some of the fungal infections of plants cannot be prevented or stopped from spreading across large areas.

Relying on a homogeneous food source is not desirable.

#7. In Part III of the Constitution, which assures people certain fundamental rights, Article 25 proclaims that “all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practise and propagate religion”. What people fail to notice is that this proclamation is prefixed with the words “subject to public order, morality, health and to the other provisions of this Part”, which set conditions precedent for the legal protection of religious practices of any community. The closing words of this prefatory rider in Article 25 virtually constitute a subordination clause placing other fundamental rights mentioned in Part III over and above the right to religious freedom. Among those other fundamental rights is the right to equality before law and equal protection of laws–assured at the outset and elaborated in later articles to mean, inter alia, that the State shall not deny equal protection of laws to any person or group of persons on the basis of religion alone. [2020] What is the most logical inference from the above passage?

State shall not interfere with the religious affairs of the citizens.

Religious freedom under the Constitution is open to State intervention.

Religious freedom of the citizens is not covered under fundamental rights.

Religious practices of any community are immune to State laws.

#8. Many people understand the connection between solid waste management and health in terms of the consequences of unattended heaps of dry garbage which become home for flies and other vermin. However, there is another aspect that is not well-understood, that is, what happens when unscientific solid waste management combines with poor drainage and dumping of untreated sewage into drain which are meant to carry storm water during rains. The result is choked drains which are full of stagnant water breeding mosquitoes, resulting in the spread of water-borne diseases. [2020] In the context of India, which one of the following statements best reflects the critical message of the passage?

In India, the drainage networks are not separate for sewerage and storm water.

Urban local bodies do not have enough resources and legislative authority to deal with the problems of waste management.

Solid waste management should be integrated with the maintenance of drainage and sewerage networks.

Bad management of solid waste and sewerage systems by our municipalities is the reason for drinking water shortages in our cities.

#9. Genome editing is different from genome modification. Genome editing typically involves finding the part of a plant genome that could be changed to render it less vulnerable to disease, or resistant to certain herbicides, or to increase yields, Researchers use ‘molecular scissors’ to dissect the genome and repair it, which is a process that occurs naturally when plants are under attack from diseases and can throw up new mutations that enable the plant to survive future attacks. This evolutionary process can effectively be speeded up now that it is possible to examine plant genomes in detail in laboratories, and create mechanisms through which the relevant genes can be altered very precisely. [2020]With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. Genome editing does not require the transfer of genes from one plant to another. 2. Through genome editing, the chosen genes can be altered precisely in a manner akin to the natural process that helps plants to adapt to the environmental factors. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

#10. India has tremendous potential for solar energy. We all realize that we have to stop burning fossil fuels to meet our energy needs. But certain renewable resources are still going through their cost curves and learning curves to get required amount of output. The Indian Government has strongly committed to its targets of reducing emissions by 33 percent by 2030, and towards this it has initiated a strong push towards a gas-based economy and has also invested heavily in renewable energy. However, business housed are wary of investing too heavily in renewable energy at a time when the technology is not yet ready. [2020] Which one the following is the most logical and rational inference that can be made from the above passage?

India’s commitment to reduce emissions by 33% is unlikely to achieved.

India should import gas rather than invest in renewable resources.

Getting renewable resources to market too soon may be costly.

India should put in more efforts in the exploration of natural gas.

#11. With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. Governments often provide inefficient and costly subsidies for technologies that may not be ready in the near future. 2. India’s commitment of reducing emissions by 33% by 2030 shall be on the basis of gas-based economy. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

#12. Bank credit to the industrial sector has started shrinking. Its decline has been a serious concern as credit growth is essential to revive investment. The problem’s origins lie in the incomplete reforms of the last 25 years. An institutional change that should have followed the 1991 reforms should have been setting up of a resolution corporation for banks. In a market economy with booms and busts, banks should be allowed to be set up and to fall. Today, we cannot shut down banks because there is no proper system to shut them down. Weak loss-making banks continue to need more capital. [2020]Which one of the following is the most logical and rational inference that can be made from the above passage?

Indian banking system is not able to help the country in its economic growth.

Economic reforms that started in 1991 have not helped in improving the economy to expected levels.

India lacks the institutional mechanism to deal with the failure of banks.

Encouraging the foreign investments in our industrial sector is a good alternative to this sector’s dependence on banks for credit.

#13. Although most of the Genetically Modified (GM) crops cultivated now are genetically engineered for a single trait, in future, crops genetically engineered for more than one trait will be the norm. Thus, biotechnology’s role in agriculture and the regulation of the same cannot be understood solely in the context of the current generation of GM crops. Instead, there is a need to take a comprehensive look, taking into account various aspects, including socio-economic impacts, so that the potential of the technology can be harnessed while minimizing negative impacts. Given the importance of biotechnology in developing varieties that can help in climate change mitigation and adaptation, not using biotechnology as a part of the climate change action plan. Domestic regulation of biotechnology cannot be viewed in isolation of trade policy and obligations under various international treaties and conventions. [2020]With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. Biotechnology regulation is an evolving process. 2. Participation of people is needed in policy decisions regarding biotechnology regulation. 3. Biotechnology regulation should take into account socio-economic aspects in decision-making. 4. Wider involvement of political executive in biotechnology regulation improves its effectiveness in dealing with the country’s trade policies and international obligations. With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. Biotechnology regulation is an evolving process. 2. Participation of people is needed in policy decisions regarding biotechnology regulation. 3. Biotechnology regulation should take into account socio-economic aspects in decision-making. 4. Wider involvement of political executive in biotechnology regulation improves its effectiveness in dealing with the country’s trade policies and international obligations.

1, 2 and 4 only

1 and 3 only

2, 3 and 4 only

1, 2, 3 and 4

#14. Although most of the Genetically Modified (GM) crops cultivated now are genetically engineered for a single trait, in future, crops genetically engineered for more than one trait will be the norm. Thus, biotechnology’s role in agriculture and the regulation of the same cannot be understood solely in the context of the current generation of GM crops. Instead, there is a need to take a comprehensive look, taking into account various aspects, including socio-economic impacts, so that the potential of the technology can be harnessed while minimizing negative impacts. Given the importance of biotechnology in developing varieties that can help in climate change mitigation and adaptation, not using biotechnology as a part of the climate change action plan. Domestic regulation of biotechnology cannot be viewed in isolation of trade policy and obligations under various international treaties and conventions. [2020]. Which one of following statements best implies the crux of the passage?

Precautionary principle is not given importance in current debate on developing GM crops.

Biotechnology is not currently used in climate change mitigation and adaptation mechanisms.

Biotechnology’s role is not confined to the current priorities of developing GM crops.

The negative impacts of biotechnology are not properly understood.

#15. Asset allocation is the most important investment decision we will ever make, and sadly, most of us do not give that decision the importance it deserves. We are adamant about seeking predictability with our future. We tend to thing of investing in risky assets as extremely volatile and value cording. We also dislike fluctuating returns and the loss of control of investment. We think our money is best left idle, unproductive but safe. There is no asset that is risk-free. We could lose our jobs, our homes can lose value, our banks can go bankrupt, our bonds can default, the government can collapse and companies we chose fondly may cease to exist. But we cannot live life assuming that all these extreme events are waiting to happen, and all at the same time. All these extreme forms of risks we know will not manifest at the same time. [2020]Which one of the following statements best implies the suggestion given by the author of the passage?

Distribute your wealth across different kinds of assets so that your risks would be minimized.

Risk-taking behaviour should be a necessary component of you personality if you want to generate wealth.

While making investments, find a trustworthy asset management organisation which would manage your wealth for you.

You should know that investing your money is a risky business.

#16. One of the biggest ironics around water is that it comes from rivers and other wetlands. Yet it is seen as divorced from them. While water is used as a resource, public policy does not always grasp that it is a part of the natural ecosystem. Efforts at engineering water systems are thus efforts at augmenting water supply rather than strengthening the capacities of ecological systems. [2020] Which one the following is the most logical and rational inference that can be made from the above passage?

Rivers and other wetlands should be protected under Ramsar Convention.

Engineering water systems should be modernized and further augmented.

Wetlands need to be reinforced as more than just open sources of water.

Water supply should not be free of cost so as to prevent its misuse or overuse.

#17. In India, the current focus on the right to privacy is based on some new realities of the digital age. A right is a substantive right only if it works in all situations, and for everyone. A right to free expression for an individual about her exploitation, for instance, is meaningless without actual availability of security that guarantees that private force cannot be used to thwart this right. The role of the State, therefore, is not just to abstain from preventing rightful free expression, but also to actively ensure that private parties are not able to block it. [2020] On the basis of the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. State should have some institutions to ensure its appropriate role in a digital society. 2. State should ensure that private parties do not violate the citizens’ right to privacy. 3. Digital economy is not compatible with the idea of not violating the citizens’ privacy. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

1 and 2

3 only

1 and 3

2 only

#18. In India, over the last decade or so, labour has been departing agriculture, but is only going to construction and unregistered manufacturing which are not markedly better jobs. Services, where labour tends to be most productive, are not generating the additional jobs the country needs. India will need 24 million or so jobs over the next decade. The new sector, e-commerce, can at best close only half the jobs gap. Only those sectors that drive domestic demand such as health and education can comfortably fill the other half. [2020]Which one the following is best implied in the passage?

Strong measures need to be taken to reduce the rural to urban migration of labour.

The working condition in construction and unregistered manufacturing needs to be improved.

Service sector has been reducing the problem of unemployment.

Increased social sector spending is imperative for large-scale job creation.

#19. In India, agriculture still engages about half of its workforce, and about 85 percent of its farms are small and marginal. Compared to China and Vietnam, which have experienced fast structural and rural transformation, India’s story is of slow transformation. As a result, poverty reduction in India was at a much slower pace during 1988–2014, compared to China and Vietnam. India’s poverty reduction was slow during 1988–2005, but during 2005–2012, it accelerated dramatically–almost three times faster than during the earlier period. What did India do during this period? Research reveals that the relative price scenario changed significantly (by more than 50%) in favour of agriculture in the wake of rising global prices. This boosted private investments in agriculture by more than 50%. As a result, agri-GDP growth touched 4.1% during 2007–2012 as against 2.4% during 2002–2007. The net surplus of agri-trade touched $25 billion in 2013–2014; real farm wages rose by 7% per annum. All this led to unprecedented fall in poverty. [2020] Which one of the following statements best reflects the critical message of the passage?

India should created large-scale off-farm rural employment to reduce poverty in the near future.

India should create a large number of farmer producer companies.

Private investment in agriculture should be given priority over public investment.

Inclusive agricultural growth is key to reduce poverty in the near future.

#20. In India, agriculture still engages about half of its workforce, and about 85 percent of its farms are small and marginal. Compared to China and Vietnam, which have experienced fast structural and rural transformation, India’s story is of slow transformation. As a result, poverty reduction in India was at a much slower pace during 1988–2014, compared to China and Vietnam. India’s poverty reduction was slow during 1988–2005, but during 2005–2012, it accelerated dramatically–almost three times faster than during the earlier period. What did India do during this period? Research reveals that the relative price scenario changed significantly (by more than 50%) in favour of agriculture in the wake of rising global prices. This boosted private investments in agriculture by more than 50%. As a result, agri-GDP growth touched 4.1% during 2007–2012 as against 2.4% during 2002–2007. The net surplus of agri-trade touched $25 billion in 2013–2014; real farm wages rose by 7% per annum. All this led to unprecedented fall in poverty. [2020] With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. Structural and rural transformation is impossible when farms are mainly small and marginal. 2. A good price incentive can trigger investments in agriculture. 3. India needs to build value chains for high-value agri- products like livestock and horticulture. 4. Higher global prices of agricultural commodities are essential for India’s poverty reduction. Which of the above assumptions are valid?

1 and 3

2 and 4

2 and 3

3 and 4

#21. Our urban bodies cannot possibly ensure sustainable delivery of water in our cities unless financing mechanisms are put in place. Water delivery requires heavy investment in collecting it from a natural source, treating it to make it potable, and laying a distribution network of pipes for delivery to the users. It also requires investments in sewerage infrastructure and sewage treatment plants so that the sewers can carry the wastewater to these plants to ensure that no untreated sewage is discharged back into natural water bodies. If our cities were rich enough to meet the entire cost, water could be delivered free. They are not.Withe reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. Rich cities only can ensure sustainable delivery of water. 2. Sustainable delivery of water in cities means much more than supplying water to household. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?Withe reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. Rich cities only can ensure sustainable delivery of water. 2. Sustainable delivery of water in cities means much more than supplying water to household. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

#22. Our urban bodies cannot possibly ensure sustainable delivery of water in our cities unless financing mechanisms are put in place. Water delivery requires heavy investment in collecting it from a natural source, treating it to make it potable, and laying a distribution network of pipes for delivery to the users. It also requires investments in sewerage infrastructure and sewage treatment plants so that the sewers can carry the wastewater to these plants to ensure that no untreated sewage is discharged back into natural water bodies. If our cities were rich enough to meet the entire cost, water could be delivered free. They are not. What is the most logical and crucial message conveyed by the passage?

Urban local bodies must recover costs through user charges.

Urban local bodies are not efficient enough to meet the water requirements of our cities.

Water shortage in our cities is a perennial problem that cannot be solved.

In view of the water crises in our cities, there is an urgent need to limit the population of cities by adopting an upper limit of population size.

#23. People will invest in education whenever they are granted the economic freedom to fully enjoy its benefits. Again, this is for the obvious reason that the return on education increases as the level of economic freedom rises. When people, thanks to lower tax rates, are allowed to retain most of the higher income that they gain from each incremental level of education, it makes eminent sense to invest in education. On the other hand, when the government decides to tax the higher income of educated individuals at even higher rates, it makes very little sense to invest in educating oneself further. The same incentives apply to parents who decide on whether to invest in their children’s education. With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. Lower tax rates in a country invariably translate into greater investments in higher education. 2. Investment in the education of children ensures their economic freedom. 3. Economic freedom has a positive impact on building up human capital. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

1 only

2 only

3 only

1, 2 and 3

#24. Many opportunities to harness the highly skewed, seasonal and spatial distribution of monsoon flows, which occur in a four- month period from June to September annually, have been lost. Since these few months account for most of the rainfall and consequent freshwater availability, the need for holding rainwater in reservoirs, for subsequently releasing it for use over the year, is a necessity nobody can afford to overlook. Climate change will continue to affect weather conditions and create water shortages and excesses. While millions suffer from droughts and floods, waters in the country’s many rivers flow unutilized, and are discharged into the sea every year. [2020-] With reference to the above passage, which of the following could be the most rational and practical implications for India? 1. Inter-linking of rivers should be undertaken. 2. A network of dams and canals should be built across the country for proper distribution of water. 3. Farmers should be provided easy loans for digging borewells. 4. Usage of water for agriculture should be regulated by law. 5. Distribution of river water among regions should be regulated by the Union Government. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1 and 2

2, 4 and 5

1, 3 and 4

2, 3 and 5

#25. Private investment in general is volatile. Foreign private investment is more volatile because the available investment avenues are significantly greater (i.e., the entire world). Therefore, the responsibility of providing employment cannot be left to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). The current FDI inflows are volatile over time and across sectors and regions, which is a necessary consequence of their search for the highest returns. The adverse consequences are unstable employment and an accentuation of income and regional inequalities. A probable positive consequence of foreign investment is the inflow of new technology and its subsequent diffusion. However, the technology diffusion is not at all certain because the existing state of physical and human capital in India may prove inadequate for the diffusion. [2020-] With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. Relying on foreign investment in the long run is not an economically sound policy. 2. Policies must be undertaken to reduce volatility in foreign private investment. 3. Policies must be undertaken to strengthen domestic private investment. 4. Public investment should be given priority over private investment. 5. Substantial public investment in education and health should be undertaken. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

1, 2 and 4

1, 3 and 5

2, 4 and 5

3 only

#26. A majority of the TB infected in India are poor and lack sufficient nutrition, suitable housing and have little understanding of prevention. TB then devastates families, makes the poor poorer, particularly affects women and children, and leads to ostracisation and loss of employment. The truth is that even if TB does not kill them, hunger and poverty will. Another truth is that deep-seated stigma, lack of counselling, expensive treatment and lack of adequate support from provider and family, coupled with torturous side-effects demotivate patients to continue treatment — with disastrous health consequences. [2019] Which one of the following is the most logical, rational and crucial message conveyed by the above passage?

TB is not a curable disease in Indian circumstances.

Curing TB required more than diagnosis and medical treatment.

Government’s surveillance mechanism is deficient; and poor people have no access to treatment.

India will be free diseases like TB only when its poverty alleviation programmes are effectively and successfully implemented.

#27. Access to schooling for those coming of school age is close to universal, but access to quality exhibits a sharp gradient with socio-economic status Quotas for the weaker sections in private schools is a provision introduced by the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009. The quotas have imposed a debate on issues of social integration and equity in education that private actors had escaped by and large. The idea of egalitarian education system with equality of opportunity as its primary goal appears to be outside the space that private school principals inhabit. Therefore, the imposition of the quotas has led to resistance, sometimes justified.With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made : [2019-II] 1. Making equality of opportunity a reality is the fundamental goal of the Indian education system.2. The present Indian school system is unable to provide egalitarian education. 3. Abolition of private schools and establishment of more government schools is the only way to ensure egalitarian education. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

1 and 2 only

2 only

2 and 3 only

3 only

#28. A changing climate, and the eventual efforts of governments (however reluctant) to deal with it, could have a big impact on investors’ returns. Companies that produce or use large amounts of fossil fuels will face higher taxes and regulatory burdens. Some energy producers may find it impossible to exploit their known reserves, and be left with “stranded assets” — deposits of oil and coal that have to be left in the ground. Other industries could be affected by the economic damage caused by more extreme weather — storms, floods, heat waves and droughts.On the basis of the above passage, the following assumptions have been made : [2019] 1. Governments and companies need to be adequately prepared to face the climate change. 2. Extreme weather events will reduce the economic growth of governments and companies in future. 3. Ignoring climate change is a huge risk for investors. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

1 and 2 only

3 only

1 and 3 only

1, 2 and 3

#29. The rural poor across the world, including India, have contributed little to human-induced climate change, yet they are on the frontline in coping with its effects. Farmers can no longer rely on historical averages for rainfall and temperature, and the more frequent and extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods, can spell disaster. And there are new threats, such as sea level rise and the impact of melting glaciers on water supply. How significant are small farms? As many as two billion people worldwide depend on them for their food and livelihood. Small- holder farmers in India produce 41 percent of the country’s food grains, and other food items that contribute to local and national food security.The above passage implies that [2019] 1. There is a potential problem of food insecurity in India. 2. India will have to strengthen its disaster management capabilities. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

#30. The rural poor across the world, including India, have contributed little to human-induced climate change, yet they are on the frontline in coping with its effects. Farmers can no longer rely on historical averages for rainfall and temperature, and the more frequent and extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods, can spell disaster. And there are new threats, such as sea level rise and the impact of melting glaciers on water supply. How significant are small farms? As many as two billion people worldwide depend on them for their food and livelihood. Small- holder farmers in India produce 41 percent of the country’s food grains, and other food items that contribute to local and national food security. What is the most logical and rational corollary to the above passage? [2019]

Supporting small farmers is an important part of any agenda regarding environmentally sustainable development.

Poor countries have little role to play in the mitigation of global warming.

Due to a large number of farmer households, India will not have food security problem in the foreseeable future.

Only small-holder farmers in India can ensure food security.

#31. With the digital phenomenon restructuring most social sectors, it is little surprise that global trade negotiations are now eyeing the digital area in an attempt to pre-emptively colonise it. Big Data is freely collected or mined from developing countries, and converted into digital intelligence in developed countries. This intelligence begins to control different sectors and extract monopoly rents. A large foreign company providing cab service, for instance is not a network of cars and drivers; it is digital intelligence about commuting, public transport, roads, traffic, city events, personal behavioural characteristics of commuters and drivers and so on.Which of the following is most definitively implied by the above passage? [2019]

Big Data is the key resource in the digital space.

Big economies create Big Data.

Access to Big Data is the prerogative of developed countries.

Access to and possession of Big Data is a characteristic of developed countries.

#32. With the digital phenomenon restructuring most social sectors, it is little surprise that global trade negotiations are now eyeing the digital area in an attempt to pre-emptively colonise it. Big Data is freely collected or mined from developing countries, and converted into digital intelligence in developed countries. This intelligence begins to control different sectors and extract monopoly rents. A large foreign company providing cab service, for instance is not a network of cars and drivers; it is digital intelligence about commuting, public transport, roads, traffic, city events, personal behavioural characteristics of commuters and drivers and so on.Which one of the following is the most logical and rational corollary to the above passage? [2019]

Globalization is not in the interests of India as it undermines its socio-economic structures.

India should be careful to protect its digital sovereignty in global trade talks.

The loss of Big Data from India is proportional to the degree/value of its foreign trade.

#33. Read the following six passages and answer the items that follow each passage. Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only. Low-end IoT (Internet of Things) devices are cheap commodity items : addressing security would add to the cost. This class of items is proliferating with new applications; many home appliances, thermostats, security and monitoring devices and personal convenience devices are part of the IoT. So are fitness trackers, certain medical implants and computer-like devices in automobiles. The IoT is expected to expand exponentially — but new security challenges are daunting.Which one of the following statements is the most logical and rational inference that can be made from the above passage?[2019]

Development of enabling technologies in India can be a big boost to its manufacturing sector.

India is not yet fully ready to adopt IoT in view of the imminent security challenges.

Life becomes more comfortable with the development of cheap low-end IoT devices.

As we go digital, we must recognise the huge threat to Internet security from some IoT devices.

#34. Around 56 million years ago, the Atlantic Ocean had not fully opened and animals, perhaps including our primate ancestors, could walk from Asia to North America through Europe and across Greenland. Earth was warmer than it is today, but as the Palaeocene epoch gave way to Eocene, it was about to get much warmer still – rapidly and radically. The cause was a massive geologically sudden release of carbon. During this period called Palaeocene – Eocene Thermal Maximum or PETM, the carbon injected into the atmosphere was roughly the amount that would be injected today if humans burned all the Earth’s reserves of coal, oil and natural gas. The PETM lasted for about 1,50,000 years, until the excess carbon was reabsorbed. It brought on drought, floods, insect plagues and a few extinctions. Life on Earth survived – indeed, it prospered – but it was drastically different. Based on the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: [2019] 1. Global warming has a bearing on the planet’s biological evolution. 2. Separation of land masses causes the release of huge quantities of carbon into the atmosphere. 3. Increased warming of Earth’s atmosphere can change the composition of its flora and fauna. 4. The present man-made global warming will finally lead to conditions similar to those which happened 56 million years ago. Which of the assumptions given above are valid?

1 and 2

3 and 4

1 and 3

2 and 4

#35. A bat’s wings may look like sheets of skin. But underneath, a bat has the same five fingers as an orangutan or a human, as well as a wrist connected to the same cluster of wrist bones connected to the same long bones of the arm. What can be more curious than that the hand of a man, formed for grasping, that of a mole for digging, the leg of the horse, the paddle of the porpoise, and the wing of the bat, should all be constructed on the same pattern? Which one of the following is the most logical, scientific and rational inference that can be made from the above passage?[2019]

Different species having similar structure of hands is an example of biodiversity.

Limbs being used by different species for different kinds of work is an example of biodiversity.

Man and the aforementioned animals having similar structure of limbs is an example of coincidence in evolution.

Man and the aforementioned animals have a shared evolutionary history.

#36. Climate change may actually benefit some plants by lengthening growing seasons and increasing carbon dioxide. Yet other effects of a warmer world, such as more pests, droughts, and flooding, will be less benign. How will the world adapt? Researchers project that by 2050, suitable croplands for four commodities — maize, potatoes, rice and wheat — will shift, in some cases pushing farmers to plant new crops. Some farmlands may benefit from warming, but others won’t. Climate alone does not dictate yields; political shifts, global demand, and agricultural practices will influence how farms fare in the future. Which one of the following is the most logical and rational inference that can be made from the above passage?[2019]

Farmers who modernize their methods and diversify their fields will be in an advantageous position in future.

Climate change will adversely affect the crop diversity.

Shifting major crops to new croplands will lead to a great increase in the total area under cultivation and thus an increase in overall agricultural production.

Climate change is the most important factor affecting the agricultural economy in the future.

#37. Inequality is visible, even statistically measurable in many instances, but the economic power that drives it is invisible and not measurable. Like the force of gravity, power is the organising principle of inequality, be it of income, or wealth, gender, race, religion and region. Its effects are seen in a pervasive manner in all spheres, but the ways in which economic power pulls and tilts visible economic variables remain invisibly obscure.On the basis of the above passage, the following assumptions have been made :[2019] 1. Economic power is the only reason for the existence of inequality in a society. 2. Inequality of different kinds, income, wealth, etc. reinforces power. 3. Economic power can be analysed more through its effects than by direct empirical methods. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

1 and 2 only

3 only

1 and 3 only

1, 2 and 3

#38. Soil, in which nearly all our food grows, is a living resource that takes years to form. Yet it can vanish in minutes. Each year 75 billion tonnes of fertile soil is lost to erosion. That is alarming — and not just for food producers. Soil can trap huge quantities of carbon dioxide in the form of organic carbon and prevent it from escaping into the atmosphere.On the basis of the above passage, the following assumptions have been made : [2019] 1. Large scale soil erosion is a major reason for widespread food insecurity in the world. 2. Soil erosion is mainly anthropogenic. 3. Sustainable management of soils helps in combating climate change. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid ?

1 and 2 only

3 only

2 and 3 only

1, 2 and 3

#39. Education plays a great transformatory role in life, particularly so in this rapidly changing and globalizing world. Universities are the custodians of the intellectual capital and promoters of culture and specialized knowledge. Culture is an activity of thought, and receptiveness to beauty and human feelings. A merely well informed man is only a bore on God’s earth. What we should aim at is producing men who possess both culture and expert knowledge. Their expert knowledge will give them a firm ground to start from and their culture will lead them as deep as philosophy and as high as art. Together it will impart meaning to human existence. On the basis of the above passage, the following assumptions have been made :[2019] 1. A society without well educated people cannot be transformed into a modern society. 2. Without acquiring culture, a person’s education is not complete. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

#40. Political theorists no doubt have to take history of injustice, for example, untouchability, seriously. The concept of historical injustice takes note of a variety of historical wrongs that continue into the present in some form or the other and tend to resist repair. Two reasons might account for resistance to repair. One, not only are the roots of injustice buried deep in history, injustice itself constitutes economic structures of exploitation, ideologies of discrimination and modes of representation. Two, the category of historical injustice generally extends across a number of wrongs such as economic deprivation, social discrimination and lack of recognition. The category is complex, not only because of the overlap between a number of wrongs, but because one or the other wrong, generally discrimination, tends to acquire partial autonomy from others. This is borne out by the history of repair in India. On the basis of the above passage, the following assumptions have been made :[2019]1. Removal of economic discrimination leads to removal of social discrimination. 2. Democratic polity is the best way to repair historical wrongs. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

#41. Political theorists no doubt have to take history of injustice, for example, untouchability, seriously. The concept of historical injustice takes note of a variety of historical wrongs that continue into the present in some form or the other and tend to resist repair. Two reasons might account for resistance to repair. One, not only are the roots of injustice buried deep in history, injustice itself constitutes economic structures of exploitation, ideologies of discrimination and modes of representation. Two, the category of historical injustice generally extends across a number of wrongs such as economic deprivation, social discrimination and lack of recognition. The category is complex, not only because of the overlap between a number of wrongs, but because one or the other wrong, generally discrimination, tends to acquire partial autonomy from others. This is borne out by the history of repair in India.What is the main idea that we can infer from the passage? [2019]

Untouchability in India has not been taken seriously by political theorists.

Historical injustice is inevitable in any society and is always beyond repair.

Social discrimination and deprivation have their roots in bad economies.

It is difficult, if not impossible, to repair every manifestation of historical injustice.

#42. India has banking correspondents, who help bring people in the hinterland into the banking fold. For them to succeed, banks cannot crimp on costs. They also cannot afford to ignore investing in financial education and literacy. Banking correspondents are way too small to be viewed as a systemic risk. Yet India’s banking regulator has restricted them to serving only one bank, perhaps to prevent arbitrage. Efforts at banking outreach may succeed only if there are better incentives at work for such last-mile workers and also those providers who ensure not just basic bank accounts but also products such as accident and life insurance and micro pension schemes.Which one of the following is the most logical, rational and crucial inference that can be derived from the above passage?[2019]

Efforts to bring people in India’s hinterland into the banking system are not successful.

For meaningful financial inclusion, India’s banking system needs more number of banking correspondents and other such last-mile workers.

Meaningful financial inclusion in India requires that banking correspondents have diverse skills.

Better banking outreach would be impossible unless each banking correspondent is allowed to serve a number of banks.

#43. A vast majority of Indians are poor, with barely 10 percent employed in the organised sector. We are being convinced that vigorous economic growth is generating substantial employment. But this is not so. When our economy was growing at 3 percent per year, employment in the organised sector was growing at 2 percent per year. As the economy began to grow at 7 – 8 percent per year, the rate of growth of employment in the organised sector actually declined to 1 percent per year. The above passage seems to imply that [2019] 1. most of modern economic growth is based on technological progress. 2. much of modern Indian economy does not nurture sufficient symbiotic relationship with labour-intensive, natural resource-based livelihoods. 3. service sector in India is not very labour-intensive. 4. literate rural population is not willing to enter organised sector. Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only

3 and 4 only

1, 2 and 3 only

1, 2, 3 and 4

#44. The interests of working and poor people have historically been neglected in the planning of our cities. Our cities are increasingly intolerant, unsafe and unlivable places for large numbers of citizens and yet we continue to plan via the old ways – the static Development Plant – that draws exclusively from technical expertise, distanced from people’s live experiences and needs, and actively excluding large number of people, places, activities and practices that are an integral part of the city.The passage seems to argue [2019]

against the monopoly of builders and the interests of elite groups.

against the need for global and smart cities.

in favour of planning cities mainly for working class and poor people.

in favour of participation of peoples’ groups in city planning.

#45. Diarrhoeal deaths among Indian children are mostly due to food and water contamination. Use of contaminated groundwater and unsafe chemicals in agriculture, poor hygiene in storage and handling of food items to food cooked and distributed in unhygienic surroundings; there are myriad factors that need regulation and monitoring. People need to have awareness of adulteration and ways of complaining to the relevant authorities. Surveillance of food-borne diseases involves a number of government agencies and entails a good training of inspection staff. Considering the proportion of the urban population that depends on street food for its daily meals, investing in training and education of street vendors is of great significance.On the basis of the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: [2019] 1. Food safety is a complex issue that calls for a multipronged solution. 2. Great investments need to be made in developing the manpower for surveillance and training. 3. India needs to make sufficient legislation for governing food processing industry. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

1 and 2 only

3 only

1 and 3 only

1, 2 and 3

#46. Most invasive species are neither terribly successful nor very harmful. Britain’s invasive plants are not widespread, not spreading especially quickly, and often less of a nuisance than vigorous natives such as bracken. The arrival of new species almost always increases biological diversity in a region; in many cases, a flood of newcomers drives no native species to extinction. One reason is that invaders tend to colonise disturbed habitats like polluted lakes and post-industrial wasteland, where little else lives. They are nature’s opportunists.Which one of the following is the most logical and rational inference that can be made from the above passage?[2019]

Invasive species should be used to rehabilitate desert areas and wastelands of a country.

Laws against the introduction of foreign plants are unneccessary.

Sometimes, the campaigns against foreign plants are pointless.

Foreign plants should be used to increase the biodiversity of a country.

#47. What stands in the way of the widespread and careful adoption of ‘Genetic Modification (GM)’ technology is an ‘Intellectual Property Rights’ regime that seeks to create private monopolies for such technologies. If GM technology is largely corporate driven, it seeks to maximize profits and that too in the short run. That is why corporations make major investments for herbicide- tolerant and pest-resistant crops. Such properties have only a short window, as soon enough, pests and weeds will evolve to overcome such resistance. This suits the corporations. The National Farmers Commission pointed out that priority must be given in genetic modification to the incorporation of genes that can help impart resistance to drought, salinity and other stresses. On the basis of the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: [2019]1. The issue of effects of natural calamities on agriculture is not given due consideration by GM technology companies. 2. In the long run, GM technology will not be able to solve agricultural problems arising due to global warming. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

#48. What stands in the way of the widespread and careful adoption of ‘Genetic Modification (GM)’ technology is an ‘Intellectual Property Rights’ regime that seeks to create private monopolies for such technologies. If GM technology is largely corporate driven, it seeks to maximize profits and that too in the short run. That is why corporations make major investments for herbicide- tolerant and pest-resistant crops. Such properties have only a short window, as soon enough, pests and weeds will evolve to overcome such resistance. This suits the corporations. The National Farmers Commission pointed out that priority must be given in genetic modification to the incorporation of genes that can help impart resistance to drought, salinity and other stresses.Which one of the following is the most logical, rational and crucial message conveyed by the above passage? [2019]

Public research institutions should take the lead in GM technology and prioritise the technology agenda.

Developing countries should raise this issue in WTO and ensure the abolition of Intellectual Property Rights.

Private corporations should not be allowed to do agribusiness in India, particularly the seed business.

Present Indian circumstances do not favour the cultivation of genetically modified crops.

#49. Food varieties extinction is happening all over the world – and it s happening fast. For example, of the 7,000 apple varieties that were grown during the nineteenth century. fewer than a hundred remain. In the Philippines, thousands of varieties of rice once thrived; now only up to a hundred are grown there. In China, 90 percent of the wheat varieties cultivated just a century ago have disappeared. Farmers in the past painstakingly bred and developed crops well suited to the peculiarities of their local climate and environment. In the recent past, our heavy dependence on a few high yielding varieties and technology-driven production and distribution of food is causing the dwindling of diversity in food crops. If some mutating crop disease or future climate change decimates the few crop plants we have come to depend on to feed our growing population, we might desperately need some of those varieties we have let go extinct.On the basis of the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:[2019] 1. Humans have been the main reason for the large scale extinction of plant species. 2. Consumption of food mainly from locally cultivated crops ensures crop diversity. 3. The present style of production and distribution of food will finally lead to the problem of food scarcity in the near future. 4. Our food security may depend on our ability to preserve the locally cultivated varieties of crops. Which of the above assumptions are valid?

1 and 3

2 and 4

2 and 3

1 and 4

#50. A research team examined a long-term owl roost. Owls prey on small mammals and the excreted remains of those meals that accumulated over the time, provide us an insight into the composition and structure of small mammals over the past millennia. The research suggested that when the Earth went through a period of rapid warming about 13,000 years ago, the small mammal community was stable and resilient. But, from the last quarter of the nineteenth century, human-made changes to the environment had caused an enormous drop in biomass and energy flow. This dramatic decline in energy flow means modern ecosystems are not adapting as easily as they did in the past.On the basis of the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:[2019] 1. Global warming is a frequently occurring natural phenomenon. 2. The impending global warming will not adversely affect small mammals.3. Humans are responsible for the loss of the Earth’s natural resilience. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

1 and 2 only

3 only

2 and 3 only

1, 2 and 3

#51. Temperatures have risen nearly five times as rapidly on the Western Antarctic Peninsula than the global average over the past five decades. Researchers have now found that melting glaciers are causing a loss of species diversity among benthos in the coastal waters off the Antarctic Peninsula, impacting an entire seafloor ecosystem. They believe increased levels of suspended sediment in water to be the cause of the dwindling biodiversity in the coastal region.On the basis of the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:[2019]1. Regions of glaciers warm faster than other regions due to global warming. 2. Global warming can lead to seafloor sedimentation in some areas. 3. Melting glaciers can reduce marine biodiversity in some areas. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

1 and 2 only

3 only

2 and 3 only

1, 2 and 3

#52. In a study, scientists compared the microbiomes of poorly nourished and well nourished infants and young children. Gut microbes were isolated from faecal samples of malnourished and healthy children. The microbiome was “immature” and less diverse in malnourished children compared to the better developed “mature” microbiome found in healthy children of the same age. According to some studies, the chemical composition of mother’s milk has shown the presence of a modified sugar (sialylated oligosaccharides). This is not utilized by the baby for its own nutrition. However, the bacteria constituting the infant’s microbiome thrive on this sugar which serves as their food. Malnourished mothers have low levels of this sugar in their milk. Consequently, the microbiomes of their infants fail to mature. That in turn, leads to malnourished babies. On the basis of the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:[2019]1. Processed probiotic foods are a solution to treat the children suffering from malnutrition due to immature gut bacteria composition. 2. The babies of malnourished mothers gererally tend to be malnourished. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

#53. In a study, scientists compared the microbiomes of poorly nourished and well nourished infants and young children. Gut microbes were isolated from faecal samples of malnourished and healthy children. The microbiome was “immature” and less diverse in malnourished children compared to the better developed “mature” microbiome found in healthy children of the same age. According to some studies, the chemical composition of mother’s milk has shown the presence of a modified sugar (sialylated oligosaccharides). This is not utilized by the baby for its own nutrition. However, the bacteria constituting the infant’s microbiome thrive on this sugar which serves as their food. Malnourished mothers have low levels of this sugar in their milk. Consequently, the microbiomes of their infants fail to mature. That in turn, leads to malnourished babies. Which one of the following is the most logical, rational and crucial inference that can be derived from the above passage?[2019]

If malnourished condition in children is caused by gut bacteria, it cannot be treated.

The guts of malnourished babies should be inoculated with mature microbiomes.

Babies of malnourished mothers should be fed with dairy milk fortified with sialylated oligosaccharides instead of mother’s milk.

Research on benign effects of gut bacteria on nutrition has policy implications.

#54. India’s economic footprint, given its population, still remains small compared to the US, the European Union or China. It has much to learn from other economies, yet must implement solutions that fit its unique circumstances. India especially needs an effective long- term regulatory system based on collaboration rather than the current top-down approach. Regulations seek desirable outcomes yet are repeatedly used as political tools to push one agenda or another. Often, regulations fail to consider impacts on jobs and economic growth – or less restrictive alternatives. Regulations may be used to protect local markets at the expense of more widely shared prosperity in the future. Additionally, regulations inevitably result in numerous unintended consequences. In today’s hyper competitive global economy, regulations need to be viewed as “weapons” that seek cost-justified social and environmental benefits while improving the economic well-being of most citizens. Which one of the following is the most logical, rational and crucial inference that can be derived from the above passage?[2019]

A better regulatory system will help India achieve the size of economy appropriate to its population.

In a competitive global economy, India must use regulations strategically.

Regulations in India do not favour its integration with today’s hyper competitive global economy.

Job creation and economic growth should be dominant considerations in developing India’s regulatory system.

#55. India’s economic footprint, given its population, still remains small compared to the US, the European Union or China. It has much to learn from other economies, yet must implement solutions that fit its unique circumstances. India especially needs an effective long- term regulatory system based on collaboration rather than the current top-down approach. Regulations seek desirable outcomes yet are repeatedly used as political tools to push one agenda or another. Often, regulations fail to consider impacts on jobs and economic growth – or less restrictive alternatives. Regulations may be used to protect local markets at the expense of more widely shared prosperity in the future. Additionally, regulations inevitably result in numerous unintended consequences. In today’s hyper competitive global economy, regulations need to be viewed as “weapons” that seek cost-justified social and environmental benefits while improving the economic well-being of most citizens. On the basis of the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: [2019] In today’s global economy, 1. regulations are not effectively used to protect local markets. 2. social and environmental concerns are generally ignored by the governments across the world while implementing the regulations. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

#56. Some people belive that leadership is a quality which you have at birth or not at all. This theory is false, for the art of leadership can be acquired and can indeed be taught. This discovery is made in time of war and the results achieved can surprise even the instructors. Faced with the alternatives of going left or right, every soldier soon grasps that a prompt decision either way is better than an endless discussion. A firm choice for direction has an even chance of being right while to do nothing will be almost certainly wrong.The author of the passage holds the view that[2018]

leadership can be taught through war experience only

leadership can be acquired as well as taught

the results of training show that more people acquire leadership than are expected

despite rigorous instruction few leaders are produced

#57. Today, the top environmental challenge is a combination of people and their aspirations. If the aspirations are more like the frugal ones we had after the Second World War, a lot more is possible than if we view the planet as a giant shopping mall. We need to get beyond the fascination with glitter and understand that the planet works as a biological system. Which of the following is the most crucial and logical Inference that can be made from the above passage? [2018]

The Earth can meet only the basic needs of humans for food, clothing and shelter.

The only way to meet environmental challenge is to limit human population.

Reducing our consumerism is very much in our own interest.

Knowledge of biological systems can only help us save this planet.

#58. A diversity of natural assets will be needed to cope with climate change and ensure productive agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. For example, crop varieties are needed that perform well under drought, heat, and enhanced CO2 , But the private- sector and farmer-led process of choosing crops favours homogeneity adapted to past or current conditions, not varieties capable of producing consistently high yields in warmer, wetter, or drier conditions. Accelerated breeding programmes are needed to conserve a wider pool of genetic resources of existing crops, breeds and their wild relatives. Relatively intact ecosystems, such as forested catchments, mangroves, wetlands, can buffer the Impacts of climate change. Under a changing climate, these ecosystems are themselves at risk, and management approaches will need to be more proactive and adaptive. Connections between natural areas, such as migration corridors, may be needed to facilitate species movements to keep up with the change in climate. With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made :[2018]1. Diversification of livelihoods acts as a Coping strategy for climate change. 2. Adoption of monocropping practice leads to the extinction of plant varieties and their wild relatives. Which of the above assumptions is/ are valid?

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

#59. A diversity of natural assets will be needed to cope with climate change and ensure productive agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. For example, crop varieties are needed that perform well under drought, heat, and enhanced CO2 , But the private- sector and farmer-led process of choosing crops favours homogeneity adapted to past or current conditions, not varieties capable of producing consistently high yields in warmer, wetter, or drier conditions. Accelerated breeding programmes are needed to conserve a wider pool of genetic resources of existing crops, breeds and their wild relatives. Relatively intact ecosystems, such as forested catchments, mangroves, wetlands, can buffer the Impacts of climate change. Under a changing climate, these ecosystems are themselves at risk, and management approaches will need to be more proactive and adaptive. Connections between natural areas, such as migration corridors, may be needed to facilitate species movements to keep up with the change in climate.With reference to the above passage, which of the following would assist us in coping with the climate change? [2018] 1. Conservation of natural water sources 2. Conservation of wider gene pool 3. Existing crop management practices 4. Migration corridors Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1, 2 and 3 only

1, 2 and 4 only

3 and 4 only

1, 2, 3 and 4

#60. ‘Desertification’ is a term used to explain a process of decline in the biological productivity of an ecosystem, leading to total loss of productivity. While this phenomenon is often linked to the arid, semi-arid and sub-humid ecosystems, even in the humid tropics, the impact could be most dramatic. Impoverishment of human-impacted terrestrial ecosystems may exhibit itself in a variety of ways : accelerated erosion as in the mountain regions of the country, salinization of land as in the semi-arid and arid ‘green revolution’ areas of the country, e.g., Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, and site quality decline-a common phenomenon due to general decline in tree cover and monotonous monoculture of rice/wheat across the Indian plains. A major consequence of deforestation is that it relates to adverse alterations in the hydrology and related soil and nutrient losses. The consequences of deforestation invariably arise out of site degradation through erosive losses. Tropical Asia, Africa and South America have the highest levels of erosion. The already high rates for the tropics are increasing at an alarming rate (e.g., through the major river systems-Ganga and Brahmaputra, in the Indian context). due to deforestation and ill-suited land management practices subsequent to forest clearing. In the mountain context, the declining moisture retention of the mountain soils, drying up of the underground springs and smaller rivers in the Himalayan region could be attributed to drastic changes in the forest cover. An indirect consequence is drastic alteration in the upland-lowland interaction, mediated through water. The current concern the tea planter of Assam has is about the damage to tea plantations due to frequent inundation along the flood -plains of Brahmaputra, and the damage to tea plantation and the consequent loss in tea productivity is due to rising level of the river bottom because of siltation and the changing course of the river system. The ultimate consequences of site desertification are soil degradation, alteration in available water and its quality, and the consequent decline in food, fodder and fuelwood yields essential for the economic well-being of rural communities. With reference to ‘desertification’, as described in the passage, the following assumptions have been made:[2018]1. Desertification is a phenomenon in tropical areas only. 2. Deforestation invariably leads to floods and desertification. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

#61. ‘Desertification’ is a term used to explain a process of decline in the biological productivity of an ecosystem, leading to total loss of productivity. While this phenomenon is often linked to the arid, semi-arid and sub-humid ecosystems, even in the humid tropics, the impact could be most dramatic. Impoverishment of human-impacted terrestrial ecosystems may exhibit itself in a variety of ways : accelerated erosion as in the mountain regions of the country, salinization of land as in the semi-arid and arid ‘green revolution’ areas of the country, e.g., Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, and site quality decline-a common phenomenon due to general decline in tree cover and monotonous monoculture of rice/wheat across the Indian plains. A major consequence of deforestation is that it relates to adverse alterations in the hydrology and related soil and nutrient losses. The consequences of deforestation invariably arise out of site degradation through erosive losses. Tropical Asia, Africa and South America have the highest levels of erosion. The already high rates for the tropics are increasing at an alarming rate (e.g., through the major river systems-Ganga and Brahmaputra, in the Indian context). due to deforestation and ill-suited land management practices subsequent to forest clearing. In the mountain context, the declining moisture retention of the mountain soils, drying up of the underground springs and smaller rivers in the Himalayan region could be attributed to drastic changes in the forest cover. An indirect consequence is drastic alteration in the upland-lowland interaction, mediated through water. The current concern the tea planter of Assam has is about the damage to tea plantations due to frequent inundation along the flood -plains of Brahmaputra, and the damage to tea plantation and the consequent loss in tea productivity is due to rising level of the river bottom because of siltation and the changing course of the river system. The ultimate consequences of site desertification are soil degradation, alteration in available water and its quality, and the consequent decline in food, fodder and fuelwood yields essential for the economic well-being of rural communities. Which of the following is/are the correct inference/ inferences that can be made from the passage?[2018] 1. Deforestation can cause changes in the course of rivers. 2. Salinization of land takes place due to human activities only. 3. Intense monoculture practice in plains is a major reason for desertification in Tropical Asia, Africa and South America. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1 only

1 and 2 only

2 and 3 only

None of the above is a correct inference

#62. ‘Desertification’ is a term used to explain a process of decline in the biological productivity of an ecosystem, leading to total loss of productivity. While this phenomenon is often linked to the arid, semi-arid and sub-humid ecosystems, even in the humid tropics, the impact could be most dramatic. Impoverishment of human-impacted terrestrial ecosystems may exhibit itself in a variety of ways : accelerated erosion as in the mountain regions of the country, salinization of land as in the semi-arid and arid ‘green revolution’ areas of the country, e.g., Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, and site quality decline-a common phenomenon due to general decline in tree cover and monotonous monoculture of rice/wheat across the Indian plains. A major consequence of deforestation is that it relates to adverse alterations in the hydrology and related soil and nutrient losses. The consequences of deforestation invariably arise out of site degradation through erosive losses. Tropical Asia, Africa and South America have the highest levels of erosion. The already high rates for the tropics are increasing at an alarming rate (e.g., through the major river systems-Ganga and Brahmaputra, in the Indian context). due to deforestation and ill-suited land management practices subsequent to forest clearing. In the mountain context, the declining moisture retention of the mountain soils, drying up of the underground springs and smaller rivers in the Himalayan region could be attributed to drastic changes in the forest cover. An indirect consequence is drastic alteration in the upland-lowland interaction, mediated through water. The current concern the tea planter of Assam has is about the damage to tea plantations due to frequent inundation along the flood -plains of Brahmaputra, and the damage to tea plantation and the consequent loss in tea productivity is due to rising level of the river bottom because of siltation and the changing course of the river system. The ultimate consequences of site desertification are soil degradation, alteration in available water and its quality, and the consequent decline in food, fodder and fuelwood yields essential for the economic well-being of rural communities. According to the passage, which of the following are the consequences of decline in forest cover?[2018] 1. Loss of topsoil 2. Loss of smaller rivers 3. Adverse effect on agricultural production 4. Declining of groundwater Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1, 2 and 3 only

2, 3 and 4 only

1 and 4 only

1, 2, 3 and 4

#63. Though I have discarded much of past tradition and custom, and am anxious that India should rid herself of all shackles that bind and contain her and divide her people, and suppress vast numbers of them, and prevent the free development of the body and the spirit; though I seek all this, yet I do not wish to cut myself off from that past completely. I am proud of that great inheritance that has been and is, ours and I am conscious that I too, like all of us, am a link in that unbroken chain which goes back to the dawn of history in the immemorial past of India. The author wants India to rid herself of certain past bonds because [2018]

he is not able to see the relevance of the past

there is not much to be proud of

he is not interested in the history of India

they obstruct her physical and spiritual growth

#64. I am a scientist, privileged to be some body who tries to understand nature using the tools of science. But it is also clear that there are some really important questions that science cannot really answer, such as : Why is there something instead of nothing? Why are we here? In those domains, I have found that faith provides a better path to answers. I find it oddly anachronistic that in today’s culture there seems to be a widespread presumption that scientific and spiritual views are incompatible.Which of the following is the most logical and rational inference that can be made from the above passage? [2018]

It is the faith and not science that can finally solve all the problems of mankind.

Science and faith can be mutually complementary if their proper domains are understood.

There are some very fundamental questions which cannot be answered by either science or faith.

In today’s culture, scientific views are given more importance than spiritual views.

#65. Many pathogens that cause food borne illnesses are unknown. Food contamination can occur at any stage from farm to plate. Since most cases of food poisoning go unreported, the true extent of global foodborne illnesses is unknown. Improvements in internaonal monitoring have led to greater public awareness, yet the rapid globalization of food production increases consumers’ vulnerability by making food harder to regulate and trace. “We have the world on Our plates”, says an official of WHO.Which of the following is the most logical corollary to the above passage? [2018]

With more options for food come more risks.

Food processing is the source of all foodborne illnesses.

We should depend on locally produced food only.

Globalization of food production should be curtailed.

#66. Global population was around 1.6 billion in 1990—today it is around 7.2 billion and growing. Recent estimates on population growth predict a global population of 9.6 billion in 2050 and 10.9 billion in 2100. Unlike Europe and North America, where only three to four percent of population is engaged in agriculture, around 47 percent of India’s population is dependent upon agriculture. Even if India continues to do well in the service sector and the manufacturing sector picks up, it is expected that around 2030 when India overtakes China as the world ‘s most populous country, nearly 42 per cent of India’s population will still be predominantly dependent on agriculture.Which of the following is the most logical and rational inference that can be made from the above passage? [2018]

Prosperity of agriculture sector is of critical importance to India.

Indian economy greatly depends on its agriculture.

India should take strict measures to control its rapid population growth.

India‘s farming communities should switch over to other occupations to improve their economic conditions.

#67. It is no longer enough for us to talk about providing for universal access to education. Making available schooling facilities is an essential prerequisite, but is insufficient to ensure that all children attend school and participate in the learning process. The school may be there, but children may not attend or they may drop out after a few months. Through school and social mapping, we must address the entire gamut of social, economic, cultural and indeed linguistic and pedagogic issues, factors that prevent children from weaker sections and disadvantaged groups, as also girls, from regularly attending and complementing elementary education. The focus must be on the poorest and most vulnerable since these groups are the most disempowered and at the greatest risk of violation or denial of their right to education. The right to education goes beyond free and compulsory education to include quality education for all. Quality is an integral part of the right to education. If the education process lacks quality, children are being denied their right. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act lays down that the curriculum should provide for learning through activities, exploration and discovery. This places an obligation on us to change our perception of children as passive receivers of knowledge, and to move beyond the convention of using textbooks as the basis of examinations. The teaching-learning process must become stress-free; and a massive programme for curricular reform should be initiated to provide for a child- friendly learning system, that is more relevant and empowering. Teacher accountability systems and processes must ensure that children are learning, and that their right to learn in a child- friendly environment is not violated. Testing and assessment systems must be reexamined and redesigned to ensure that these do not force children to struggle between school and tuition centres, and bypass childhood. What is the essential message in this passage?[2018]]

The Right to Education now is a Fundamental Right.

The Right to Education enables the children of poor and weaker sections of the society to attend schools.

The Right to Free and Compulsory Education should include quality education for all.

The Government as well a parents should ensure that all children attend schools.

#68. It is no longer enough for us to talk about providing for universal access to education. Making available schooling facilities is an essential prerequisite, but is insufficient to ensure that all children attend school and participate in the learning process. The school may be there, but children may not attend or they may drop out after a few months. Through school and social mapping, we must address the entire gamut of social, economic, cultural and indeed linguistic and pedagogic issues, factors that prevent children from weaker sections and disadvantaged groups, as also girls, from regularly attending and complementing elementary education. The focus must be on the poorest and most vulnerable since these groups are the most disempowered and at the greatest risk of violation or denial of their right to education. The right to education goes beyond free and compulsory education to include quality education for all. Quality is an integral part of the right to education. If the education process lacks quality, children are being denied their right. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act lays down that the curriculum should provide for learning through activities, exploration and discovery. This places an obligation on us to change our perception of children as passive receivers of knowledge, and to move beyond the convention of using textbooks as the basis of examinations. The teaching-learning process must become stress-free; and a massive programme for curricular reform should be initiated to provide for a child- friendly learning system, that is more relevant and empowering. Teacher accountability systems and processes must ensure that children are learning, and that their right to learn in a child- friendly environment is not violated. Testing and assessment systems must be reexamined and redesigned to ensure that these do not force children to struggle between school and tuition centres, and bypass childhood. According to the passage, which one of the following is critical in bringing quality in education? [2018]

Ensuring regular attendance of children as well as teachers in school

Giving pecuniary benefits to teachers to motivation them

Understanding the socio-cultural background of children

Inculcating learning through activities and discovery

#69. It is no longer enough for us to talk about providing for universal access to education. Making available schooling facilities is an essential prerequisite, but is insufficient to ensure that all children attend school and participate in the learning process. The school may be there, but children may not attend or they may drop out after a few months. Through school and social mapping, we must address the entire gamut of social, economic, cultural and indeed linguistic and pedagogic issues, factors that prevent children from weaker sections and disadvantaged groups, as also girls, from regularly attending and complementing elementary education. The focus must be on the poorest and most vulnerable since these groups are the most disempowered and at the greatest risk of violation or denial of their right to education. The right to education goes beyond free and compulsory education to include quality education for all. Quality is an integral part of the right to education. If the education process lacks quality, children are being denied their right. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act lays down that the curriculum should provide for learning through activities, exploration and discovery. This places an obligation on us to change our perception of children as passive receivers of knowledge, and to move beyond the convention of using textbooks as the basis of examinations. The teaching-learning process must become stress-free; and a massive programme for curricular reform should be initiated to provide for a child- friendly learning system, that is more relevant and empowering. Teacher accountability systems and processes must ensure that children are learning, and that their right to learn in a child- friendly environment is not violated. Testing and assessment systems must be reexamined and redesigned to ensure that these do not force children to struggle between school and tuition centres, and bypass childhood. With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:[2018] 1. The Right to Education guarantees teachers’ accountability for the learning process of children. 2. The Right to Education guarantees 100% enrolment of children in the schools. 3. The Right to Education intends to take full advantage of demographic dividend. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

1 only

2 and 3 only

3 only

1, 2 and 3

#70. It is no longer enough for us to talk about providing for universal access to education. Making available schooling facilities is an essential prerequisite, but is insufficient to ensure that all children attend school and participate in the learning process. The school may be there, but children may not attend or they may drop out after a few months. Through school and social mapping, we must address the entire gamut of social, economic, cultural and indeed linguistic and pedagogic issues, factors that prevent children from weaker sections and disadvantaged groups, as also girls, from regularly attending and complementing elementary education. The focus must be on the poorest and most vulnerable since these groups are the most disempowered and at the greatest risk of violation or denial of their right to education. The right to education goes beyond free and compulsory education to include quality education for all. Quality is an integral part of the right to education. If the education process lacks quality, children are being denied their right. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act lays down that the curriculum should provide for learning through activities, exploration and discovery. This places an obligation on us to change our perception of children as passive receivers of knowledge, and to move beyond the convention of using textbooks as the basis of examinations. The teaching-learning process must become stress-free; and a massive programme for curricular reform should be initiated to provide for a child- friendly learning system, that is more relevant and empowering. Teacher accountability systems and processes must ensure that children are learning, and that their right to learn in a child- friendly environment is not violated. Testing and assessment systems must be reexamined and redesigned to ensure that these do not force children to struggle between school and tuition centres, and bypass childhood. According to the passage, which of the following is/are of paramount importance under the Right to education? [2018] 1. Sending of children to school by all parents 2. Provision of adequate physical infrastructure in schools 3. Curricular reforms for developing child-friendly learning system Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1 only

1 and 2 only

3 only

None of the above

#71. Monoculture carries great risks. A single disease or pest can wipe out swathes of the world’s food production, an alarming prospect given that its growing and wealthier population will eat 70% more by 2050. The risks are magnified by the changing climate. As the planet warms and monsoon rains intensify, farmlands in Asia will flood. North America will suffer more intense droughts, and crop diseases will spread to new latitudes. Which of the following is the most logical, rational and crucial message given by the passage?[2018]

Preserving crop genetic diversity is an insurance against the effects of climate change.

Despite great risks, monoculture is the only way to ensure food security in the world.

More and more genetically modified crops only can save the world from impending shortages of food.

Asia and North America will be worst sufferers from climate change and the consequent shortage of food.

#72. The practice of dieting has become an epidemic; everyone is looking out for a way to attain that perfect body. We are all different with respect to our ethnicity, genetics, family history, gender, age, physical and mental and spiritual health status, lifestyles and preferences. Thereby we also differ in what foods we tolerate or are sensitive to. So we really cannot reduce so many complexities into one diet or diet book. This explains the failure of diets across the world in curbing obesity. Unless the reasons for weight gain are well understood and addressed and unless habits are changed permanently, no diet is likely to succeed. What is the most logical and rational inference that can be made from the above passage?[2018]

Obesity has become an epidemic all over the world.

A lot of people are obsessed with attaining a perfect body.

Obesity is essentially an incurable disease.

There is no perfect diet or one solution for obesity.

#73. India’s educat ional system is modelled on the mass education system that developed in the 19th century in Europe and later spread around the world. The goal of the system is to condition children as ‘good’ citizens and productive workers. This suited the industrial age that needed the constant supply of a compliant workforce with a narrow set of capabilities. Our educational institutes resemble factories with bells, uniforms and batch- processing of learners, designed to get learners to conform. But, from an economic point of view, the environment today is very different. It is a complex, volatile and globally interconnected world.With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: [2018] 1. India continues to be a developing country essentially due to its faulty education system. 2. Today’s learners need to acquire new-age skill-sets. 3. A good number of Indians go to some developed countries for education because the educational systems there are a perfect reflection of the societies in which they function. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

1 and 3 only

2 only

2 and 3 only

1, 2 and 3

#74. Being a member of the WTO, India is bound by the agreements that have been signed and ratified by its members, including itself. According to Articlc 6 of the Agriculture Agreement, providing minimum support prices for agricultural products is considered distorting and is subject to limits. The subsidy arising from ‘minimal supports’ cannot exceed 10 per cent of the value of agricultural production for developing countries. PDS in India entails minimum support prices and public stockholding of food grains. It is possible that, in some years, the subsidy to producers will exceed 10 per cent of the value of agricultural production. What is the crucial message conveyed by the above passage?[2018]

India should revise its PDS.

India should not be a member of WTO.

For India, food security collides with trade.

India provides food security to its poor.

#75. The Arctic’s vast reserves of fossil fuel, fish and minerals are now accessible for a longer period in a year. But unlike Antarctica, which is protected from exploitation by the Antarctic Treaty framed during the Cold War and is not subject to territorial claims by any country, there is no legal regime protecting the Arctic from industrialization, especially at a time when the world craves for more and more resources. The distinct possibility of ice-free summer has prompted countries with Arctic coastline to scramble for great chunks of the melting ocean. Which one of the following is the most important implication of the passage?[2018]

India can have territorial claims in the Arctic territory and free access to its resources.

Melting of summer ice in the Arctic leads to changes in the geopolitics.

The Arctic region will solve the world’s future problem of resource crunch.

The Arctic region has more resources than Antarctica.

#76. Scientific knowledge has its dangers but so has every great thing. Over and beyond the dangers with which it threatens the present, it opens up as nothing else can, the vision of a possible happy world; a world without poverty, without war, with little illness. Science, whatever unpleasant consequences it may have by the way, is in its very nature a liberator. Which one of the following is the most important implication of the passage? [2018]

A happy world is a dream of science.

Science only can build a happy world, but it is also the only major threat.

A happy world is not possible without science.

A happy world is not at all possible with or without science.

#77. Cooking with biomass and coal in India is now recognized to cause major health problems, with women and children in poor populations facing the greatest risk. There are more than 10 lakh premature deaths each year from household air pollution due to polluting cooking fuels with another 1.5 lakh due to their contribution to general outdoor air pollution in the country. Although the fraction of the Indian population using clean cooking fuels, such as LPG natural gas and electricity, is slowly rising, the number using polluting solid fuels as their primary cooking fuel has remained static for nearly 30 years at about 70 crore. Which of the following is the most crucial and logical inference that can be made from the above passage?[2018]

Rural people are giving up the use of polluting solid fuels due to their increasing awareness of health hazards.

Subsidizing the use of clean cooking fuels will solve the problem of India’s indoor air pollution.

India should increase its import of natural gas and produce more electricity.

Access to cooking gas can reduce premature deaths in poor households.

#78. All actions to address climate change ultimately involve costs. Funding is vital in order for countries like India to design and implement adaptation and mitigation plans and projects. The problem is more severe for developing countries like India, which would be one of the hardest hit by climate change, given its need to finance development. Most countries do indeed treat climate change as real threat and are striving to address it in a more comprehensive and integrated manner with the limited resources at their disposal. With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made : [2018] 1. Climate change is not a challenge for developed countries. 2. Climate change is a complex policy issue and also a development issue for many countries. 3. Ways and means of finance must be found to enable developing countries to enhance their adaptive capacity. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

1 and 2 only

3 only

2 and 3 only

1, 2 and 3

#79. A male tiger was removed from Pench Tiger Reserve and was relocated in Panna National Park. Later, this tiger trekked toward his home 250 miles away. The trek of this solitary tiger highlights a crisis. Many wildlife reserves exist as islands of fragile habitat in a vast sea of humanity, yet tigers can range over a hundred miles, seeking prey, mates and territory. Nearly a third of India’s tigers live outside tiger reserves, a situation that is dangerous for both human and animal. Prey and tigers can only disperse if there are recognized corridors of land between protected areas to allow unmolested passage. With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: [2018] 1. The strategy of conservation of wildlife by relocating them from one protected area to another is not often successful. 2. India does not have suitable legislation to save the tigers, and its conservation efforts have failed which forced the tigers to live outside protected areas. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

#80. A male tiger was removed from Pench Tiger Reserve and was relocated in Panna National Park. Later, this tiger trekked toward his home 250 miles away. The trek of this solitary tiger highlights a crisis. Many wildlife reserves exist as islands of fragile habitat in a vast sea of humanity, yet tigers can range over a hundred miles, seeking prey, mates and territory. Nearly a third of India’s tigers live outside tiger reserves, a situation that is dangerous for both human and animal. Prey and tigers can only disperse if there are recognized corridors of land between protected areas to allow unmolested passage. Which of the following is the most rational and crucial message given by the passage?[2018]

The conflict between man and wildlife cannot be resolved, no matter what efforts we make.

Safe wildlife corridors between protected areas is an essential aspect of conservation efforts.

India needs to declare more protected areas and set up more tiger reserves.

India’s National Parks and Tiger Reserves need to be professionally managed.

#81. The quest for cheap and plentiful meat has resulted in factory farms where more and more animals are squeezed into smaller lots in cruel and shocking conditions. Such practices have resulted in many of the world’s health pandemics such as the avian flu. Worldwide, livestock are increasingly raised in cruel, cramped conditions, where animals spend their short lives under artificial light, pumped full of antibiotics and growth hormones, until the day they are slaughtered. Meat production is water- intensive. 15000 litres of water is needed for every kilogram of meat compared with 3400 litres for rice, 3300 litres for eggs and 255 litres for a kilogram of potatoes. What is the most rational and crucial message given by the passage? [2018]

Mass production of meat through industrial farming is cheap and is suitable for providing protein nutrition to poor countries.

Meat-producing industry violates the laws against cruelty to animals.

Mass production of meat through industrial farming is undesirable and should be stopped immediately.

Environmental cost of meat production is unsustainable when it is produced through industrial farming.

#82. Really I think that the poorest he that is in England has a life to live, as the greatest he, and therefore truly, I think it is clear that every man that is to live under a government ought first by his own consent to put himself under the government, and I do think that the poorest man in England is not at all bound in a strict sense to that government that he has not had a voice to put himself under. The above statement argues for [2017]

distribution of wealth equally to all

rule according to the consent of the governed

rule of the poor

expropriation of the rich

#83. The States are like pearls and the Centre is the thread which turns them into a necklace; if the thread snaps, the pearls are scattered. Which one of the following views corroborates the above statement?[2017]

A strong Centre and strong States make the federation strong.

A strong Centre is a binding force for national integrity.

A strong Centre is a hindrance to State autonomy.

State autonomy is a prerequisite for a federation.

#84. Over the last decade, Indian agriculture has become more robust with record production of food grains and oilseeds. Increased procurement, consequently, has added huge stocks of food grains in the granaries. India is one of the world’s top producers of rice, wheat, milk, fruits and vegetables. India is still home to a quarter of all undernourished people in the world. On an average, almost half of the total expenditure of nearly half of the households is on food. Which among the following is the most logical corollary to the above passage? [2017]

Increasing the efficiency of farm-to-fork value chain is necessary to reduce the poverty and malnutrition.

increasing the agricultural productivity will automatically eliminate the poverty and malnutrition in India.

India’s agricultural productivity is already great and it is not necessary to increase it further.

Allocation of more funds for social welfare and poverty alleviation programmes will ultimately eliminate the poverty and malnutrition in India.

#85. The medium term challenge for Indian manufacturing is to move from lower to higher tech sectors, from lower to higher value- added sectors, and from lower to higher productivity sectors. Medium tech industries are primarily capital intensive and resource processing; and high tech industries are mainly capital and technoloy intensive. In order to push the share of manufacturing in overall GDP to the projected 25 per cent, Indian manufacturing needs to capture the global market in sectors showing a rising trend in demand. These sectors are largely high technology and capital intensive. Which among the following is the most logical and rational inference that can be made from the above passage? [2017]

India’s GDP displays high value added and high productivity levels in medium tech and resource processing industries.

Promotion of capital and technology intensive manufacturing is not possible in India.

India should push up the public investments and encourage the private investments in research and development, technoloy upgradation and skill development.

India has already gained a great share in global markets in sectors showing a rising trend in demand.

#86. A landscape-scale approach to land use can encourage greater biodiversity outside protected areas. During hurricane ‘Mitch’ in 1998, farms using ecoagricultural practices suffered 58 per cent, 70 per cent and 99 per cent less damage in Honduras, Nicaragua and Guatemala, respectively, than farms using conventional techniques. In Costa Rica, vegetative windbreaks and fencerows boosted farmers’ income from pasture and coffee while also increasing bird diversity. Bee pollination is more effective when agricultural fields are closer to natural or seminatural habitat, a finding that matters because 87 per cent of the world’s 107 leading crops depend on animal pollinators. In Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Colombia silvopastoral systems that integrate trees with pastureland are improving the sustainability of cattle production, and diversifying and increasing farmers’ income. Which among the following is the most logical and rational inference that can be made from the above passage? [2017]

Agricultural practices that enhance biodiversity can often increase farm output and reduce the Vulnerability to disasters.

All the countries of the world should be encouraged to replace ecoagriculturc with conventional agriculture.

Ecoagriculture should be permitted in protected areas without destroying the biodiversity there.

The yield of food crops will be very high if ecoagricultural practices are adopted to cultivate them.

#87. Productive jobs are vital for growth and a good job is the best form of inclusion. More than half of our population depends on agriculture, but the experience of other countries suggests that the number of people dependent on agriculture will have to shrink if per capita incomes in agieulture are to go up substantially. While industry is creating jobs, too many such jobs are low-productivity non-contractual jobs in the unorganized sector, offering low incomes, little protection, and no benefits. Service jobs are relatively of high productivity, but employment growth in services has been slow in recent years. Which among the following is the most logical and rational inference that can be made from the above passage?

We must create conditions for the faster growth of highly productive service jobs to ensure employment growth and inclusion.”

We must shift the farm workers to the highly productive manufacturing and service sectors to ensure the economic growth and inclusion.

We must create conditions for the faster growth of productive jobs outside of agriculture even while improving the productivity of agriculture.

We must emphasize the cultivation of high-yielding hybrid varieties and genetically modified crops to increase the per capita income in agriculture.

#88. An air quality index (AQI) is a way to combine measurements of multiple air pollutants into a single number or rating. This index is ideally kept constantly updated and available in different places The AQI is most useful when lots of pollution data are being gathered and when pollution levels are normally, but not always, low. In such cases, if pollution levels spike for a few days, the public can quickly take preventive action (like staying indoors) in response to an air quality warning. Unfortunately, that is not urban India. Pollution levels in many large Indian cities are so high that they remain well above any health or regulatory standard for large part of the year. If our index stays in the ‘Red/Dangerous’ region day after day, there is not much any one can do, other than getting used to ignoring it. Which among the following is the most logical and rational inference that can be made from the above passage?

Our governments are not respensible enough to keep our cities pollution free.

There is absolutely no need for air quality indices in our country.

Air quality index is not helpful to the residents of many of our large cities.

In every city, public awareness about pollution problems should increase.

#89. Many farmers use synthetic pesticides to kill infesting insects. The consumption of pesticides in some of the developed countries is touching 3000 grams/hectare. Unfortunately, there are reports that these compounds possess inherent toxicities that endanger the health of the farm operators, consumers and the environment. Synthetic pesticides are generally persistent in environment. Entering in food chain they destroy the microbial diversity and cause ecologcal imbalance. Their indiscriminate use has resulted in development of resistance among insects to insecticides, upsetting of balance in nature and resurgence of treated populations. Natural pest control using the botanical pesticides is safer to the user and the environment because they break down into harmless compounds within hours or days in the presence of sunlight Plants with pesticidal properties have been in nature for millions of years without any ill or adverse effects on the ecosystem. They are easily decomposed by many microbes common in most soils. They help in the maintenance of biological diversity of predators and the reduction of environmental contamination and human health hazards. Botanical pesticides formulated from plants are biodegradable and their use in crop protection is a practical sustainable alternative.Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding biopesticides?1. They are not hazardous to human health. 2. They are persistent in environment. 3. They are essential to maintain the biodiversity of any ecosystem.

1 only

1 and 2 only

1 and 3 only

1, 2 and 3

#90. Many farmers use synthetic pesticides to kill infesting insects. The consumption of pesticides in some of the developed countries is touching 3000 grams/hectare. Unfortunately, there are reports that these compounds possess inherent toxicities that endanger the health of the farm operators, consumers and the environment. Synthetic pesticides are generally persistent in environment. Entering in food chain they destroy the microbial diversity and cause ecologcal imbalance. Their indiscriminate use has resulted in development of resistance among insects to insecticides, upsetting of balance in nature and resurgence of treated populations. Natural pest control using the botanical pesticides is safer to the user and the environment because they break down into harmless compounds within hours or days in the presence of sunlight Plants with pesticidal properties have been in nature for millions of years without any ill or adverse effects on the ecosystem. They are easily decomposed by many microbes common in most soils. They help in the maintenance of biological diversity of predators and the reduction of environmental contamination and human health hazards. Botanical pesticides formulated from plants are biodegradable and their use in crop protection is a practical sustainable alternative.On the basis of the above passage, the following assumptions have been made : [2017]1. Synthetic pesticides should never be used in modern agriculture. 2. One of the aims of sustainable agriculture is to ensure minimal ecological imbalance. 3. Botanical pesticides are more effective as compared to synthetic pesticides. Which of the assumptions given above is/are correct?

1 and 2 only

2 only

1 and 3 only

1, 2 and 3

#91. Climate change is likely to expose a large number of people to increasing environmental risks forcing them to migrate. The international community is yet to recognize this new category of migrants. There is no consensus on the definition and status of climate refugees owing to the distinct meaning the term refugees carry under international laws. There are still gaps in understanding how climate change will work as the root cause of migration. Even if there is recognition of climate refugees, who is going to provide protection? More emphasis has been given to international migration due to climate change. But there is a need to recognize the migration of such people within the countries also so that their problems can be addressed properly. Which of the following is the most rational inference from the above passage? [2017]

The world will not be able to cope with large-scale migration of climate refugees.

We must find the ways and means to stop further climate change.

Climate change will be the most important reason for the migration of people in the future.

Relation between climate change and migration is not yet properly understood.

#92. An innovative India will be inclusive as tell as technologically advanced, improving it lives of all Indians. Innovation and R&D can mitigate increases in social inequality and relieve the pressures created by rapid urbanization. The growing divergence in productivity between agriculture and knowledge-intensive manufacturing and services threatens to increase income inequality. By encouraging India’s R&D labs and universities to focus on the needs of poor people and by improving the ability of informal firms to absorb knowledge, an innovation and research agenda can counter this effect. Inclusive innovation can lower the costs of goods and services and create income-earning opportunities for the poor people. Which among the following is the most logical and rational assumption that can be made from the above passage? [2017]

Innovation and R&.D is the only way to reduce rural to urban migration.

Every rapidly growing country needs to minimize the divergence between productivity in agriculture and other sectors.

Inclusive innovation and R&D can help create an egalitarian society.

Rapid urbanization takes place only when a country’s economic growth is rapid.

#93. The IMF has pointed out that the fast growing economies of Asia face the risk of falling into ‘middle-income trap’. It means that average incomes in these countries, which till now have been growing rapidly, will stop growing beyond a point-a point that is well short of incomes in the developed West. The IMF identifies a number of causes of middle-income trap-none of which is surprising-from infrastructure to weak institutions, to less than favourable macroeconomic conditions. But the broad, overall cause, says IMF, is a collapse in the growth of productivity. Which among the following is the most logical, rational and critical inference that can be made from the above passage?[2017]

Once a country reaches middle-income stage, it runs the risk of falling productivity which leads to stagnant incomes.

Falling into middle-income trap is a general characteristic of fast growing economies.

There is no hope at all for emerging Asian economies to sustain the growth momentum.

As regards growth of productivity, the performance of Asian economies is not satisfactory.

#94. We live in digital times. The digital is not just something we use strategically and specifically to do a few tasks. Our very perception of who we are, how we connect to the world around us, and the ways in which we define our domains of life, labour and language are hugely structured by the digital technologies. The digital is everywhere and, like air, invisible. We live within digital systems, we live with intimate gadgets, we interact through digital media, and the very presence and imagination of the digital has dramatically restructured our lives. The digital, far from being a tool, is a condition and context that defines the shapes and boundaries of our understanding of the self, the society, and the structure of governance.Which among the following is the most logical and essential message conveyed by the above passage? [2017]

All problems of governance can be solved by using digital technologies.

Speaking of digital technologies is speaking of our life and living.

Our creativity and imagination cannot be expressed without digital media.

Use of digital systems is imperative for the existence of mankind in future.

#95. There has been a significant trend worldwide towards regionalism in government, resulting in a widespread transfer of powers downwards towards regions and communities since 1990s. This process, which involves the creation of new political entities and bodies at a sub-national level and an increase in their content and powers, is known as devolution. Devolution has been characterized as being made up of three factors– political legitimacy, decentralization of authority and decentralization of resources. Political legitimacy here means a mass demand from below for the decentralization process, which is able to create a political force for it to take place. In many cases, decentralization is initiated by the upper tier of government without sufficient political mobilization for it at the grassroots level, and in such cases the decentralization process often does not fulfil its objectives. Which among the following is the most logical, rational and critical inference that can be made from the above passage? [2017]

Emergence of powerful mass leaders is essential to create sub-national political entities and thus ensure successful devolution and decentralization.

The upper tier of government should impose devolution and decentralization on the regional communities by law or otherwise.

Devolution, to be successful, requires a democracy in which there is free expression of the will of the people at lower level and their active participation at the grass roots level.

For devolution to take place, a strong feeling of regionalism in the masses is essential.

#96. Disruption of traditional institutions, identifications and loyalties is likely to lead to ambivalent situations. It is possible that some people may renew their identification with traditional groups whereas others align themselves with new groups and symbols emergent from processes of political development. In addition, political development tends to foster group awareness of a variety of class, tribe, region, clan, language, religion, occupation and others. Which one of the following is the best explanation of the above passage? [2017]

Political development is not a unilinear process for it involves both growth and decay.

Traditional societies succeed in resisting positive aspects of political development.

It is impossible for traditional societies to break away from lingering loyalties.

Sustenance of traditional loyalties is conducive to political development.

#97. There is more than a modicum of truth in the assertion that ‘a working knowledge of ancient history is necessary to the intelligent interpretation of current events”. But the sage who uttered these words of wisdom might well have added something on the benefits of studying particularly the famous battles of history for the lessons they contain for those of as who lead or aspire to leadership. Such a study will reveal certain qualities and attributes which enabled the winners to win-and certain deficiencies which caused the losers to lose. And the student will see that the same pattern recurs consistently, again and again, throughout the centuries. With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made : [2017 ] 1. A study of the famous battles of history would help us understand the modern warfare. 2. Studying the history is essential for anyone who aspires to be a leader. Which of these assumptions is/are valid?

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

#98. The greatest blessing that technological progress has in store for mankind is not, of course, an accumulation of material possessions. The amount of these that can be effectively enjoyed by one individual in one lifetime is not great. But there is not the same narrow limit to the possibilities of the enjoyment of leisure. The gift of leisure may be abused by people who have had no experience of making use of it. Yet the creative use of leisure by a minority in societies has been the mainspring of all human progress beyond the primitive level. With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: [2017]1. People always see the leisure time as a gift and use it for acquiring more material possessions. 2. Use of leisure by some people to produce new and original things has been the chief source of human progress. Which of these assumptions is/are valid?

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

#99. In a free country, the man who reaches the position of leader is usually one of outstanding character and ability. Moreover, it is usually possible to foresee that he will reach such a position, since early in life one can see his qualities of character. But this is not always true in the case of a dictator, often he reaches his position of power through chance, very often through the unhappy state of his country. The passage seems to suggest that [2017]

a leader foresees his future position

a leader is chosen only by a free country

a leader must see that his country is free from despair

despair in a country sometimes leads to dictatorship

#100. A successful democracy depends upon widespread interest and participation in politics, in which voting is an essential part. To deliberately refrain from taking such an interest, and from voting, is a kind of implied anarchy; it is to refuse one’s political responsibility while enjoying the benefits of a free political society. This passage relates to [2017]

duty to vote

right to vote

freedom to vote

right to participate in politics

#101. In a democratic State, where a high degree of political maturity of the people obtains, the conflict between the will of the sovereign law- making body and the organized will of the people seldom occurs. What does the above passage imply? [2017]

In a democracy, force is the main phenomenon in the actual exercise of sovereignty.

In a mature democracy, force to a great extent is the main phenomenon in the actual exercise of sovereignty.

In a mature democracy, use of force is irrelevant in the actual exercise of sovereignty.

In a mature democracy, force is narrowed down to a marginal phenomenon in the actual exercise of sovereignty.

#102. “The individual, according to Rousseau, parts his person and all his power in common under the supreme direction “The individual, according to Rousseau, parts his person and all his power in common under the supreme direction of the General will and in our corporate capacity we receive each member as an indivisible part of the whole.”In the light of the above passage, the nature of General Will is best described as [2017]

the sum total of the private wills of the individuals

what is articulated by the elected representatives of the individuals

the collective good as distinct from private wills of the individuals

the material interests of the community

#103. We have hard work ahead. There is no resting for any of us till we redeem our pledge in full, till we make all the people of India what destiny intends them to be. We are citizens of a great country, on the verge of bold advance, and we have to live up to that high standard. All of us, to whatever religion we may belong are equally the children of India with equal rights, privileges and obligations. We cannot encourage communalism or narrowmindedness, for no nation can be great whose people are narrow in thought or action. The challenge the author of the above passage throws to the public is to achieve.[2017]

a high standard of living, progress and privileges

equal privileges, fulfilment of destiny and political tolerance

spirit of adventure and economic parity

hard work, brotherhood and national unity

#104. There is no harm in cultivating habits so long as they are not injurious. Indeed, most of us are little more than bundle of habits. Take away our habits and the residuum would hardly be worth bothering about. We could not get on without them. They simplify the mechanism of life. They enable us to do a multitude of things automatically, which, if we had to give fresh and original thought to them each time, would make existence an impossible confusion. The author suggests that habits [2017]

tend to make our lives difficult

add precision to our lives

make it easier for us to live

tend to mechanize our lives

#105. The very first lesson that should be taught to us when we are of enough to understand it, is that complete freedom from the obligation to work is unnatural, and ought to be illegal, as we can escape our share of the burden of work only by throwing it on someone else’s shoulders. Nature ordains that the human race shall perish of famine if it stops working. We cannot escape from this tyranny. The question we have to settle is how much leisure we can afford to allow ourselves. The main idea of the passage is that[2017]

it is essential for human beings to work

there should be a balance between work and leisure

working is a tyranny which we have to face

human’s understanding of the nature of work is essential

#106. By 2020, when the global economy is expected to run short of 56 million young people, India, with its youth surplus of 47 million, could fill the gap. It is in this context that labour reforms are often cited as the way to unlock double-digit growth in India. In 2014, India’s labour force was estimated to be about 40 per cent of the population, but 93 per cent of this force was in unorganized sector. Over the last decade, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of employment has slowed to 0.5 percent, with about 14 million jobs created during last year when the labour force increased by about 15 million. Which of the following is the most rational inference from the above passage? [2017]

India must control its population growth so as to reduce in unemployment rate.

Labour reforms are required in India to make optimum use of its vast labour force productively.

India is poised to achieve the double-digit growth very soon.

India is capable of supplying the skilled young people to other countries.

#107. In the last two decades, the world’s gross domestic product (GDP) has increased by 50 per cent, whereas inclusive wealth has increased by a mere 6 per cent. In recent decades, GDP- driven economic performance has only harmed inclusive wealth like human capital; and natural capital like forests, land and water. While the world’s human capital which stands at 57 per cent of total inclusive wealth grew by only 8 per cent, the natural capital which is 23 per cent of total inclusive wealth declined by 30 per cent worldwide in the last two decades.Which of the following is the most crucial inference from the above passage? [2017]

More emphasis should be laid on the development of natural capital.

The growth driven by GDP only is neither desirable nor sustainable.

The economic performance of the countries of the world is not satisfactory.

The world needs more human capital under the present circumstances.

#108. Why do people prefer open defecation and not want toilets or, if they have them, only use them so metimes? Recent research has shown two critical elements : ideas of purity and pollution, and not wanting pits or septic tanks to fill because they have to be emptied. These are the issues that nobody wants to talk about, but if we want to eradicate the practice of open defecation, they have to be confronted and dealt properly. Which among the following is the most crucial message conveyed by the above passage?[2017]

The ideas of purity and pollution are so deep-rooted that they cannot be removed from the minds of the people.

People have to perceive toilet use and pit-emptying as clean and not polluting.

People cannot change their old habits.

People have neither civic sense nor sense of privacy.

#109. During the summer in the Arctic Ocean, sea ice has been melting earlier and faster. and the Winter freeze has been coming later. In the last three decades, the extent of summer ice has declined by about 30 per cent. The lengthening period of summer melt threatens to undermine the whole Arctic food web, atop which stand polar bears. Which among the following is the most crucial message conveyed by the above passage?[2017]

Climate change has caused Arctic summer to be short but temperature to be high

Polar bears can be shifted to South Pole to ensure their survival.

Without the presence of polar bears, the food chains in Arctic region will disappear.

Climate change poses a threat to the survival of polar bears.

#110. The man who is perpetually hesitating which of the two things he will do first, will do neither. The man who resolves, but suffers his resolution to be changed by the first counter- suggestion of a friend-who fluctuates from opinion to opinion and veers from plan to plan-can never accomplish anything. He will at best be stationary and probably retrograde in all. It is only the man who first consults wisely, then resolves firmly and then executes his purpose with inflexible perseverance, undismayed by those petty difficulties which daunt a weaker spirit-that can advance to eminence in any line.The keynote that seems to be emerging from the passage is that[2017]

we should first consult wisely and then resolve firmly

we should reject suggestions of friends and remain unchanged

we should always remain broad-minded

we should be resolute and achievement-oriented

#111. What climate change will undeniably do is cause or amplify events that hasten the reduction of resources. Competition over these diminishing resources would ensue in the form of political or even violent conflict. Resource- based conflicts have rarely been overt and are thus difficult to isolate. Instead they take on veneers that appear more politically palatable. Conflicts over resources like water are often cloaked in the guise of identity or ideology. What does the above passage imply? [2017]

Resource-based conflicts are always politically motivated.

There are no political solutions to resolve environmental and resource based conflicts.

Environmental issues contribute to resource stresses and political conflicts.

Political conflicts based on identity or ideology cannot be resolved.

#112. We are witnessing a dangerous dwindling of biodiversity in our food supply. The green revolution is a mixed blessing. Over time farmers have come to rely heavily on broadly adapted, high yield crops to the exclusion of varieties adapted to the local conditions. Monocropping vast fields with the same genetically uniform seeds helps boost yield and meet immediate hunger needs. Yet high-yield varieties are also genetically weaker crops that require expensive chemical fertilizers and toxic pesticides. In our focus on increasing the amount of food we produce today, we have accidentally put ourselves at risk for food shortages in future.Which among the following is the most logical and critical inference that can be made from the above passage?[2016]

In our agricultural practices, we have become heavily dependent on expensive chemical fertilizers and toxic pesticides only due to green revolution

Monocropping vast fields with high-yield varieties is possible due to green revolution

Monocropping with high-yield varieties is the only way to ensure food security to millions

Green revolution can pose a threat to biodiversity in food supply and food security in the long run

#113. Biomass as fuel for power, heat, and transport has the highest mitigation potential of all renewable sources. It comes from agriculture and forest residues as well as from energy crops. The biggest challenge in using biomass residues is a long-term reliable supply delivered to the power plant at reasonable costs; the key problems are logistical constraints and the costs of fuel collection. Energy crops, if not managed properly, compete with food production and may have undesirable impacts on food prices. Biomass production is also sensitive to the physical impacts of a changing climate.Projections of the future role of biomass are probably overestimated, given the limits to the sustainable biomass supply, unless breakthrough technologies substantially increase productivity. Climate -energy models project that biomass use could increase nearly four-fold to around 150 – 200 exajoules, almost a quarter of world primary energy in 2050. However the maximum sustainable technical potential of biomass resources (both residues and energy crops) without disruption of food and forest resources ranges from 80 – 170 exajoules a year by 2050, and only part of this is realistically and economically feasible. In addition, some climate models rely on biomass-based carbon capture and storage, an unproven technology, to achieve negative emissions and to buy some time during the first half of the century. Some liquid biofuels such as corn-based ethanol, mainly for transport, may aggravate rather than ameliorate carbon emissions on a life-cycle basis. Second generation biofuels, based on ligno-cellulosic feedstocks – such as straw, bagasse, grass and wood – hold the promise of sustainable production that is high-yielding and emit low levels of greenhouse gases, but these are still in the R & D stage.With reference to the passage, following assumptions have been mad :[2016] 1. Some climate-energy models suggest that the use of biomass as a fuel for power generation helps in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions 2. It is not possible to use biomass as a fuel for power generation without disrupting food and forest resources Which of these assumptions is/are valid?

1 only

2 only

both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

#114. Biomass as fuel for power, heat, and transport has the highest mitigation potential of all renewable sources. It comes from agriculture and forest residues as well as from energy crops. The biggest challenge in using biomass residues is a long-term reliable supply delivered to the power plant at reasonable costs; the key problems are logistical constraints and the costs of fuel collection. Energy crops, if not managed properly, compete with food production and may have undesirable impacts on food prices. Biomass production is also sensitive to the physical impacts of a changing climate.Projections of the future role of biomass are probably overestimated, given the limits to the sustainable biomass supply, unless breakthrough technologies substantially increase productivity. Climate -energy models project that biomass use could increase nearly four-fold to around 150 – 200 exajoules, almost a quarter of world primary energy in 2050. However the maximum sustainable technical potential of biomass resources (both residues and energy crops) without disruption of food and forest resources ranges from 80 – 170 exajoules a year by 2050, and only part of this is realistically and economically feasible. In addition, some climate models rely on biomass-based carbon capture and storage, an unproven technology, to achieve negative emissions and to buy some time during the first half of the century.Some liquid biofuels such as corn-based ethanol, mainly for transport, may aggravate rather than ameliorate carbon emissions on a life-cycle basis. Second generation biofuels, based on ligno-cellulosic feedstocks – such as straw, bagasse, grass and wood – hold the promise of sustainable production that is high-yielding and emit low levels of greenhouse gases, but these are still in the R & D stage. In the context of using biomass, which of the following is/ are the characteristic/characteristics of the sustainable production of biofuel?[2016] 1. Biomass as a fuel for power generation could meet all the primary energy requirements of the world by 2050 2. Biomass as a fuel for power generation does not necessarily disrupt food and forest resources 3. Biomass as a fuel for power generation could help in achieving negative emissions, given certain nascent technologies Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1 and 2 only

3 only

2 and 3 only

1, 2 and 3

#115. Biomass as fuel for power, heat, and transport has th e highest mitigation potential of all renewable sources. It comes from agriculture and forest residues as well as from energy crops. The biggest challenge in using biomass residues is a long-term reliable supply delivered to the power plant at reasonable costs; the key problems are logistical constraints and the costs of fuel collection. Energy crops, if not managed properly, compete with food production and may have undesirable impacts on food prices. Biomass production is also sensitive to the physical impacts of a changing climate. Projections of the future role of biomass are probably overestimated, given the limits to the sustainable biomass supply, unless breakthrough technologies substantially increase productivity. Climate -energy models project that biomass use could increase nearly four-fold to around 150 – 200 exajoules, almost a quarter of world primary energy in 2050. However the maximum sustainable technical potential of biomass resources (both residues and energy crops) without disruption of food and forest resources ranges from 80 – 170 exajoules a year by 2050, and only part of this is realistically and economically feasible. In addition, some climate models rely on biomass-based carbon capture and storage, an unproven technology, to achieve negative emissions and to buy some time during the first half of the century.Some liquid biofuels such as corn-based ethanol, mainly for transport, may aggravate rather than ameliorate carbon emissions on a life-cycle basis. Second generation biofuels, based on ligno-cellulosic feedstocks – such as straw, bagasse, grass and wood – hold the promise of sustainable production that is high-yielding and emit low levels of greenhouse gases, but these are still in the R & D stage. Which of the following can lead to food security problem? [2016] 1. Using agricultural and forest residues as feedstock for power generation 2. Using biomass for carbon capture and storage 3. Promoting the cultivation of energy crops Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1 and 2 only

3 only

2 and 3 only

1, 2 and 3

#116. Biomass as fuel for power, heat, and transport has the highest mitigation potential of all renewable sources. It comes from agriculture and forest residues as well as from energy crops. The biggest challenge in using biomass residues is a long-term reliable supply delivered to the power plant at reasonable costs; the key problems are logistical constraints and the costs of fuel collection. Energy crops, if not managed properly, compete with food production and may have undesirable impacts on food prices. Biomass production is also sensitive to the physical impacts of a changing climate. Projections of the future role of biomass are probably overestimated, given the limits to the sustainable biomass supply, unless breakthrough technologies substantially increase productivity. Climate -energy models project that biomass use could increase nearly four-fold to around 150 – 200 exajoules, almost a quarter of world primary energy in 2050. However the maximum sustainable technical potential of biomass resources (both residues and energy crops) without disruption of food and forest resources ranges from 80 – 170 exajoules a year by 2050, and only part of this is realistically and economically feasible. In addition, some climate models rely on biomass-based carbon capture and storage, an unproven technology, to achieve negative emissions and to buy some time during the first half of the century. Some liquid biofuels such as corn-based ethanol, mainly for transport, may aggravate rather than ameliorate carbon emissions on a life-cycle basis. Second generation biofuels, based on ligno-cellulosic feedstocks – such as straw, bagasse, grass and wood – hold the promise of sustainable production that is high-yielding and emit low levels of greenhouse gases, but these are still in the R & D stage.What is/are the present constraint/constraints in using biomass as fuel for power generation? [2016] 1. Lack of sustainable supply of biomass 2. Biomass production competes with food production 3. Bio-energy may not always be low carbon on a life- cycle basis Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1 and 2 only

3 only

2 and 3 only

1, 2 and 3

#117. In general, religious traditions stress our duty to god, or to some universal ethical principle. Our duties to one another derive from these. The religious concept of rights is primarily derived from our relationship to this divinity or principle and the implication it has on our other relationships. This correspondence between rights and duties is critical to any further understanding of justice. But, for justice to be practiced; viture, rights and duties cannot remain formal abstractions. They must be grounded in a community (common unity) bound together by a sense of common union (communion). Even as a personal virtue, this solidarity is essential to the practice and understanding of justice. Which one of the following is the crux of this passage? [2016]

Our duties to one another are derived from our religious traditions

Having relationship to the divine principle is a great virtue

Balance between rights and duties is crucial to the delivery of justice in a society

Religious concept of rights is primarily derived from our relationship to god

#118. In general, religious traditions stress our duty to god, or to some universal ethical principle. Our duties to one another derive from these. The religious concept of rights is primarily derived from our relationship to this divinity or principle and the implication it has on our other relationships. This correspondence between rights and duties is critical to any further understanding of justice. But, for justice to be practiced; viture, rights and duties cannot remain formal abstractions. They must be grounded in a community (common unity) bound together by a sense of common union (communion). Even as a personal virtue, this solidarity is essential to the practice and understanding of justice. With reference to the passage, the following assumptions have been made : [2016] 1. Human relationships are derived from their religious traditions 2. Human beings can be duty bound only if they believe in god 3. Religious traditions are essential to practice and understand justice Which of these assumption(s) is/are valid?

1 only

2 and 3 only

1 and 3 only

1,2 and 3

#119. Accountability, or the lack of it, in governance generally, and civil services, in particular, is a major factor underlying the deficiencies in governance and public administration. Designing an effective framework for accountability has been a key element of the reform agenda. A fundamental issue is whether civil services should be accountable to the political executive of the day or to society at large. In other words, how should internal and external accountability be reconciled? Internal accountability is sought to be achieved by internal performance monitoring, official supervision by bodies like the–Central– Vigilance Commission–and–Comptroller and Auditor– General, and judicial review of executive decisions. Articles 311 and 312 of the Indian Constitution provide job security and safeguards to the civil services, especially the All India Services. The framers of the Constitution had envisaged that provision of these safeguards would result in a civil service that is not totally subservient to the political executive but will have the strength to function in larger public interest. The need to balance internal and external accountability is thus built into the Constitution. The issue is where to draw the line. Over the years, the emphasis seems to have tilted in favour of greater internal accountability of the civil services to the political leaders of the day who in turn are expected to be externally accountable to the society at large through the election process. This system for seeking accountability to society has not worked out, and has led to several adverse consequences for governance. Some special measures can be considered for improving accountability in civil services. Provisions of articles 311 and 312 should be reviewed and laws and regulations framed to ensure external accountability of civil services. The proposed Civil Services Bill seeks to address some of these requirements. The respective roles of professional civil services and the political executive should be defined so that professional managerial functions and management of civil services are depoliticized. For this purpose, effective statutory civil service boards should be created at the centre and in the states. Decentralization and devolution of authority to bring government and decision making closer to the people also helps to enhance accountability. According to the passage, which one of the following is not a means of enhancing internal accountability of civil services? [2016]

Better job security and safeguards

Supervision by Central Vigilance Commission

Judicial review of executive decisions

Seeking accountability through enhanced participation by people in decision making process

#120. Accountability, or the lack of it, in governance generally, and civil services, in particular, is a major factor underlying the deficiencies in governance and public administration. Designing an effective framework for accountability has been a key element of the reform agenda. A fundamental issue is whether civil services should be accountable to the political executive of the day or to society at large. In other words, how should internal and external accountability be reconciled? Internal accountability is sought to be achieved by internal performance monitoring, official supervision by bodies like the–Central– Vigilance Commission–and–Comptroller and Auditor– General, and judicial review of executive decisions. Articles 311 and 312 of the Indian Constitution provide job security and safeguards to the civil services, especially the All India Services. The framers of the Constitution had envisaged that provision of these safeguards would result in a civil service that is not totally subservient to the political executive but will have the strength to function in larger public interest. The need to balance internal and external accountability is thus built into the Constitution. The issue is where to draw the line. Over the years, the emphasis seems to have tilted in favour of greater internal accountability of the civil services to the political leaders of the day who in turn are expected to be externally accountable to the society at large through the election process. This system for seeking accountability to society has not worked out, and has led to several adverse consequences for governance. Some special measures can be considered for improving accountability in civil services. Provisions of articles 311 and 312 should be reviewed and laws and regulations framed to ensure external accountability of civil services. The proposed Civil Services Bill seeks to address some of these requirements. The respective roles of professional civil services and the political executive should be defined so that professional managerial functions and management of civil services are depoliticized. For this purpose, effective statutory civil service boards should be created at the centre and in the states. Decentralization and devolution of authority to bring government and decision making closer to the people also helps to enhance accountability. With reference to the passage, the following assumptions have been made : [2016] 1. Political executive is an obstacle to the accountability of the civil services to the society 2. In the present framework of Indian polity, the political executive is no longer accountable to the society Which of these assumptions is/are valid?

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

#121. Accountability, or the lack of it, in governance generally, and civil services, in particular, is a major factor underlying the deficiencies in governance and public administration. Designing an effective framework for accountability has been a key element of the reform agenda. A fundamental issue is whether civil services should be accountable to the political executive of the day or to society at large. In other words, how should internal and external accountability be reconciled? Internal accountability is sought to be achieved by internal performance monitoring, official supervision by bodies like the–Central– Vigilance Commission–and–Comptroller and Auditor– General, and judicial review of executive decisions. Articles 311 and 312 of the Indian Constitution provide job security and safeguards to the civil services, especially the All India Services. The framers of the Constitution had envisaged that provision of these safeguards would result in a civil service that is not totally subservient to the political executive but will have the strength to function in larger public interest. The need to balance internal and external accountability is thus built into the Constitution. The issue is where to draw the line. Over the years, the emphasis seems to have tilted in favour of greater internal accountability of the civil services to the political leaders of the day who in turn are expected to be externally accountable to the society at large through the election process. This system for seeking accountability to society has not worked out, and has led to several adverse consequences for governance. Some special measures can be considered for improving accountability in civil services. Provisions of articles 311 and 312 should be reviewed and laws and regulations framed to ensure external accountability of civil services. The proposed Civil Services Bill seeks to address some of these requirements. The respective roles of professional civil services and the political executive should be defined so that professional managerial functions and management of civil services are depoliticized. For this purpose, effective statutory civil service boards should be created at the centre and in the states. Decentralization and devolution of authority to bring government and decision making closer to the people also helps to enhance accountability.According to the passage, which of the following factor/ factors led to the adverse consequences for governance/ public administration? [2016] 1. Inability of civil services to strike a balance between internal and external accountabilities 2. Lack of sufficient professional training to the officers of All India Services 3. Lack of proper service benefits in civil services 4. Lack of Constitutional provisions to define the respective roles of professional civil services vis-a- vis political executive in this context Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1 only

2 and 3 only

1 and 4 only

2, 3 and 4

#122. Historically, the biggest challenge to world agriculture has been to achieve a balance between demand for and supply of food. At the level of individual countries, the demand-supply balance can be a critical issue for a closed economy, especially if it is a populous economy and its domestic agriculture is not growing sufficiently enough to ensure food supplies, on an enduring basis; it is not so much and not always, of a constraint for an open, and growing economy, which has adequate exchange surplus to buy food abroad. For the world as a whole, Supply- demand balance is always an inescapable prerequisite for warding off hunger and starvation. However, global availability of adequate supply does not necessarily mean that food would automatically move from countries of surplus to countries of deficit if the latter lack in purchasing power. The uneven distribution of Hunger, starvation, under or malnourishment, etc., at the world-level, thus owes itself to the presence of empty- pock hungry mouths, overwhelmingly confined to the underdeveloped economies. In as much as ‘a two-square meal’ is of elemental significance to basic human existence, the issue of worldwide supply` of food has been gaining significance, in recent times, both because the quantum and the composition of demand has been undergoing big changes, and because, in recent years, the capabilities individual countries to generate uninterrupted chain of food supplies have come under strain. Food production, marketing and prices, especially price- affordability by the poor in the developing world, have become global issues that need global thinking and global solutions.The issue of worldwide supply of food has gained importance mainly because of: [2016] 1. overgrowth of the population worldwide 2. sharp decline in the area of food production 3. limitation in the capabilities for sustained supply of food Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1 and 2 only

3 only

2 and 3 only

1,2 and 3

#123. Historically, the biggest challenge to world agriculture has been to achieve a balance between demand for and supply of food. At the level of individual countries, the demand-supply balance can be a critical issue for a closed economy, especially if it is a populous economy and its domestic agriculture is not growing sufficiently enough to ensure food supplies, on an enduring basis; it is not so much and not always, of a constraint for an open, and growing economy, which has adequate exchange surplus to buy food abroad. For the world as a whole, Supply- demand balance is always an inescapable prerequisite for warding off hunger and starvation. However, global availability of adequate supply does not necessarily mean that food would automatically move from countries of surplus to countries of deficit if the latter lack in purchasing power. The uneven distribution of Hunger, starvation, under or malnourishment, etc., at the world-level, thus owes itself to the presence of empty- pock hungry mouths, overwhelmingly confined to the underdeveloped economies. In as much as ‘a two-square meal’ is of elemental significance to basic human existence, the issue of worldwide supply` of food has been gaining significance, in recent times, both because the quantum and the composition of demand has been undergoing big changes, and because, in recent years, the capabilities individual countries to generate uninterrupted chain of food supplies have come under strain. Food production, marketing and prices, especially price- affordability by the poor in the developing world, have become global issues that need global thinking and global solutions. According to the above passage, which of the following helps/help in reducing hunger and starvation in the developing economies ? [2016] 1. Balancing demand and supply of food 2. Increasing imports of food 3. Increasing purchasing power of the poor 4. Changing the food consumption patterns and practices Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1 only

2, 3 and 4 only

1 and 3 only

1,2,3 and 4

#124. Historically, the biggest challenge to world agriculture has been to achieve a balance between demand for and supply of food. At the level of individual countries, the demand-supply balance can be a critical issue for a closed economy, especially if it is a populous economy and its domestic agriculture is not growing sufficiently enough to ensure food supplies, on an enduring basis; it is not so much and not always, of a constraint for an open, and growing economy, which has adequate exchange surplus to buy food abroad. For the world as a whole, Supply- demand balance is always an inescapable prerequisite for warding off hunger and starvation. However, global availability of adequate supply does not necessarily mean that food would automatically move from countries of surplus to countries of deficit if the latter lack in purchasing power. The uneven distribution of Hunger, starvation, under or malnourishment, etc., at the world-level, thus owes itself to the presence of empty- pock hungry mouths, overwhelmingly confined to the underdeveloped economies. In as much as ‘a two-square meal’ is of elemental significance to basic human existence, the issue of worldwide supply` of food has been gaining significance, in recent times, both because the quantum and the composition of demand has been undergoing big changes, and because, in recent years, the capabilities individual countries to generate uninterrupted chain of food supplies have come under strain. Food production, marketing and prices, especially price- affordability by the poor in the developing world, have become global issues that need global thinking and global solutions.According to the above passage, the biggest challenge to world agriculture is: [2016]

to find sufficient land for agriculture and to expand food processing industries

to eradicate hunger in underdeveloped countries

to achieve a balance between the production of food and non-food items

to achieve a balance between demand for and supply of food

#125. Historically, the biggest challenge to world agriculture has been to achieve a balance between demand for and supply of food. At the level of individual countries, the demand-supply balance can be a critical issue for a closed economy, especially if it is a populous economy and its domestic agriculture is not growing sufficiently enough to ensure food supplies, on an enduring basis; it is not so much and not always, of a constraint for an open, and growing economy, which has adequate exchange surplus to buy food abroad. For the world as a whole, Supply- demand balance is always an inescapable prerequisite for warding off hunger and starvation. However, global availability of adequate supply does not necessarily mean that food would automatically move from countries of surplus to countries of deficit if the latter lack in purchasing power. The uneven distribution of Hunger, starvation, under or malnourishment, etc., at the world-level, thus owes itself to the presence of empty- pock hungry mouths, overwhelmingly confined to the underdeveloped economies. In as much as ‘a two-square meal’ is of elemental significance to basic human existence, the issue of worldwide supply` of food has been gaining significance, in recent times, both because the quantum and the composition of demand has been undergoing big changes, and because, in recent years, the capabilities individual countries to generate uninterrupted chain of food supplies have come under strain. Food production, marketing and prices, especially price- affordability by the poor in the developing world, have become global issues that need global thinking and global solutions. According to the above passage, which of, the following are the fundamental solutions for the world food security problem? [2016] 1. Setting up more agro-based industries 2. Improving the price affordability by the poor 3. Regulating the conditions of marketing 4. Providing food subsidy to one and all Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1 and 2

2 and 3 only

1, 3 and 4 only

1, 2, and 4

#126. An increase in human-made carbon dioxide in the atmosphere could initiate a chain reaction between plants and microorganisms that would unsettle one of the largest carbon reservoirs on the planet–soil. In a study, it was found that the soil, which contains twice the amount of carbon present in all plants and Earth’s atmosphere combined, could become increasingly volatile as people add more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. This is largely because of increased plant growth. Although a greenhouse gas and a pollutant, carbon dioxide also supports plant growth. As trees and other vegetation flourish in a carbon dioxide-rich future, their roots could stimulate microbial activity in soil that may in turn accelerate the decomposition of soil carbon and its release into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.Which among the following is the most logical corollary to the above passage ? [2016]

Carbon dioxide is essential for the survival of microorganisms and plants

Humans are solely responsible for the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere

Microorganisms and soil carbon are mainly responsible for the increased plant growth

Increasing green cover could trigger the release of carbon trapped in soil

#127. “The conceptual difficulties in National Income comparisons between underdeveloped and industrialised countries are particularly serious because a part of the national output in various underdeveloped countries is produced without passing through the commercial channels.” In the above statement, the author implies that: [2016]

the entire national output produced and consumed in industrialized countries passes through commercial channels

the existence of a non-commercialized sector in different underdeveloped countries renders the national income comparisons over countries difficult

no part of national output should be produced and consumed without passing through commercial channels

a part of the national output being produced and consumed without passing through commercial channels is a sign of underdevelopment

#128. All humans digest mother’s milk as infants, but until cattle began being domesticated 10,000 years ago, children once weaned no longer needed to digest milk. As a result, they stopped making the enzyme lactase, which breaks down the sugar lactose into simple sugars. After humans began herding cattle, it became tremendously advantageous to digest milk, and lactose tolerance evolved independently among cattle herders in Europe, the middle East and Africa. Groups not dependant on cattle, such as the Chinese and Thai, remain lactose intolerant. Which among the following is the most logical assumption that can be made from the above passage? [2016]

About 10,000 years ago, the domestication of animals took place in some parts of the world

A permanent change in the food habits of a community can bring about a genetic change in its members

Lactose tolerant people only are capable of getting simple sugars in their bodies

People who are not lactose tolerant cannot digest any dairy product

#129. As we look to 2050, when we will need to feed two billion more people, the question of which diet is best has taken on new urgency. The foods we choose to eat in the coming decades will have dramatic ramifications for the planet. Simply put, a diet that revolves around meat and dairy a way of eating that is on the rise throughout the developing world, will take a greater toll on the world’s resources than one that revolves around unrefined grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables. What is the critical message conveyed by the above passage? [2016]

Our increasing demand for foods sourced from animals puts a greater burden on our natural resources

Diets based on grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables are best suited for health in developing countries

Human beings change their food habits from time to time irrespective of the health concerns

From a global perspective, we still do not know which type of diet is best for us

#130. About 15 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions come from agricultural practices. This includes nitrous oxide from fertilizers; methane from livestock, rice production, and manure storage; and carbon dioxide (CO2 ) from burning biomass, but this excludes CO2 emissions from soil management practices, sayannah burning and deforestation. Foresty and use, and land- use change account for another 17 percent of greenhouse gas emissions each year, three quarters of which come from tropical deforestation. The remainder is largely from draining and burning tropical peatland. About the same amount of carbon is stored in the world’s peatlands as is stored in the Amazon rainforest. Which among the following is the most logical and rational inference that can be made from the above passage? [2016]

Organic farming should immediately replace mechanised and chemical dependant agricultural practices all over the worldIt

It is imperative for us to modify our land use practices in order to mitigate climate change.

There are no technological solutions to the problem of greenhouse gas emissions

Tropical areas are the chief sites of carbon sequestration.

#131. The nature of the legal imperatives in any given state corresponds to the effective demands that state encounters, and that these, in their turn, depend, in a general way, upon the manner in which economic power is distributed in the society which the state controls.The statement refers to: [2016]

the antithesis of Politics and Economics

the interrelationship of Politics and Economics

the predominance of Economics over Politics

the predominance of Politics over Economics

#132. To understand the nature and quantity of Government proper for man, it is necessary to attend to his character. As nature created him for social life, she fitted him for the station she intended. In all cases she made his natural wants greater than his individual powers. No one man is capable, without the aid of society, of supplying his own wants; and those wants, acting upon every individual, impel the whole of them into society. Which among the following is the most logical and rational inference that can be made from the above passage ? [2016]

Nature has created a great diversity in human society

Any given human society is always short of its wants

Social life is a specific characteristic of man

Diverse natural wants forced man towards social system

#133. Safe and sustainable sanitation in slums has immeasurable benefits to women and girls in terms of their health, safety, privacy and dignity. However, women do not feature in most of the schemes and policies on urban sanitation. The fact that even now the manual scavenging exists, only goes to show that not enough has been done to promote pour-flush toilets and discontinue the use of dry latrines. A more sustained and rigorous campaign needs to be launched towards the right to sanitation on a very large scale. This should primarily focus on the abolition of manual scavenging.With reference to the above passage, consider the following statements: [2016] 1. Urban sanitation problems can be fully solved by the abolition of manual scavenging only 2. There is a need to promote greater awareness on safe sanitation practices in urban areas. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

#134. In the last decade, the banking sector has been restructured with a high degree of automation and products that mainly serve middle-class and upper middle-class society. Today there is need for a new agenda for the banking and non-banking financial services that does not exclude the common man. Which one of the following is the message that is essentially implied in the above passage? [2016]

Need for more automation and more products of bank

Need for a radical restructuring of our entire public finance system

Need to integrate banking and non-banking institutions

Need to promote financial inclusion

#135. Understanding of the role of biodiversity in the hydrological cycle enables better policy-making. The term biodiversity refers to the variety of plants, animals, microorganisms, and the ecosystems in which they occur. Water and biodiversity are interdependent. In reality, the hydrological cycle decides how biodiversity functions. In turn, vegetation and soil drive the movement of water. Every glass of water we drink has, at least in part, passed through fish, trees, bacteria, soil and other organisms. Passing through these ecosystems, it is cleansed and made fit for consumption. The supply of water is a critical service that the environment provides. Which among the following is the most critical inference that can be made from the above passage ?[2016]

Biodiversity sustains the ability of nature to recycle water

We cannot get potable water without the existence of living organisms

Plants, animals and microorganisms continuously interact among themselves

Living organisms could not have come into existence without hydrological cycle

#136. Climate adaptation may be rendered ineffective if policies are not designed in the context of other development concerns. For instance, a comprehensive strategy that seeks to improve food security in the context of climate change may include a set of coordinated measures related to agricultural extension, crop diversification, integrated water and pest management and agricultural information series. Some of these measures may have to do with climate changes and others with economic development. What is the most logical and rational inference that can be made from the above passage? [2016]

It is difficult to pursue climate adaptation in the developing countries

Every developmental activity is directly or indirectly linked to climate adaptation

#137. By killing transparency and competition, crony capitalism is harmful to free enterprise, opportunity and economic growth. Crony capitalism, where rich and the influential are alleged to have received land and natural resources and various licences in return for payoffs to venal politicians, is now a major issue to be tackled. One of the greatest dangers to growth of developing economies like India is the middle-income trap where crony capitalism creates oligarchies that slow down the growth.Which among the following is the most logical corollary to the above passage ? [2016]

Launching more welfare schemes and allocating more finances for the current schemes are urgently needed

Efforts should be made to push up economic growth by other means and provide licences to the poor

Greater transparency in the functioning of the government and promoting the financial inclusion are needed at present

We should concentrate more on developing manufacturing sector than service sector

+917649911100

UPSC question paper – 2016-2020 – General Comprehension

Results

#83. The States are like pearls and the Centre is the thread which turns them into a necklace; if the thread snaps, the pearls are scattered. Which one of the following views corroborates the above statement?[2017]

#101. In a democratic State, where a high degree of political maturity of the people obtains, the conflict between the will of the sovereign law- making body and the organized will of the people seldom occurs. What does the above passage imply? [2017]

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