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Insights Mock Tests – 2015: Test – 10 Solutions

http://insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS

1. Solution: d)

Phase III (of demography of India):The decades 1951-1981 are referred to as the period of

population explosion in India, which was caused by a rapid fall in the mortality rate but a

high fertility rate of population in the country. The average annual growth rate was as high

as 2.2 per cent. It is in this period, after the Independence, that developmental activities were

introduced through a centralised planning process and economy started showing up

ensuring the improvement of living condition of people at large.

Consequently, there was a high natural increase and higher growth rate. Besides, increased

international migration bringing inTibetans, Bangladeshis, Nepalies and even people from

Pakistan contributed to the high growth rate.

Phase IV : In the post 1981 till present, the growth rate of country‘s population though

remained high, has started slowing down gradually.

A downward trend of crude birth rate is held responsible for such a population growth. This

was, in turn, affected by an increase in the mean age at marriage, improved quality of life

particularly education of females in the country.

2. Solution: d)

A thorough examination of the pattern of distribution of rural population of India reveals

that both at intra-State and inter- State levels, the relative degree of urbanisation and extent

of rural-urban migration regulate the concentration of rural population.

Contrary to rural population, the proportion of urban population (27.8 per cent) in India is

quite low but it is showing a much faster rate of growth over the decades. In fact since 1931,

the growth rate of urban population has accelerated due to enhanced economic

development and improvement in health and hygienic conditions.

3. Solution: d)

Jains and Buddhists, the smallest religious groups in India have their concentration only in

selected areas of the country.

Jains have major concentration in the urban areas of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra,

while the Buddhists are concentrated mostly in Maharashtra. The other areas of Buddhist

majority are Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh in Jammu & Kashmir, Tripura, and Lahul

and Spiti in Himachal Pradesh.

4. Solution: a)

Suggestions by the UNDP report

The report makes a strong push for universal social protections, noting that countries

like Costa Rice, Ghana and South Korea as well as Scandinavian nations enacted

social security legislation at lower levels of income per capita than India is at right

now.



Moreover, the report cites ILO estimates that a ―basic social floor - universal basic old

age and disability pensions, basic childcare benefits, universal access to essential

health care, social assistance and a 100-day employment scheme‖ would cost India

less than 4 per cent of its GDP. At this stage, universal schemes make more sense for

India than targeted ones.

It says that, ―Evidence from around the world shows that universal delivery

mechanisms are the most efficient, pragmatic way of providing social services.

Targeting can also be effective, but really only makes sense when there are systems

in place that are advanced and performing optimally‖.

The UNDP‘s push for universalism applies to jobs too. It is advocating for countries to

return to the goal of ―full employment‖, a goal that it notes has disappeared from the global

agenda since the 1970s.

5. Solution: b)

6. Solution – d)

Major gender pointers in UNHDR, 2014



Worst gender inequality in South Asia -127th place with Pakistan

India lags far behind BRICS nations too.

Lower HDI than most neighbours. It was higher before 1990s - Since 1990s when

India has liberalised,. Countries like Nepal and Bangaldesh have improved their

social indicators at a faster pace than India.

The UNDP report argues - while progress has been made, it is on shaky grounds on

account of economic crises, social unrest, conflict and climate change.

7. Solution: c)

Migration of females is explained by marriage in the patriarchal setup of india. This is

further proved by evidence and migration patterns.

Migration of males from rural-urban is mostly due to economic reasons – in search of

employment to feed their family.

8. Solution: d)

Consequences of Migration

Migration is a response to the uneven distribution of opportunities over space. People tend

to move from place of low opportunity and low safety to the place of higher opportunity

and better safety. This, in turn, creates both benefits and problems for the areas, people

migrate from and migrate to. Consequences can be observed in economic, social, cultural,

political and demographic terms.

Economic Consequences

A major benefit for the source region is the remittance sent by migrants. Remittances from

the international migrants are one of the major sources of foreign exchange. In 2002, India

received US$ 11 billion as remittances from international migrants. Punjab, Kerala and Tamil

Nadu receive very significant amount from their international migrants. The amount of

remittances sent by the internal migrants is very meagre as compared to international

migrants, but it plays an important role in the growth of economy of the source area.

Demographic Consequences

Migration leads to the redistribution of the population within a country. Rural urban

migration is one of the important factors contributing to the population growth of cities.

Age and skill selective out migration from the rural area have adverse effect on the rural

demographic structure. However, high out migration from Uttaranchal, Rajasthan, Madhya

Pradesh and Eastern Maharashtra have brought serious imbalances in age and sex

composition in these states.



9. Solution: d)

The disaggregated data of poverty for the states show that there are States like Orissa and

Bihar which have recorded more than 40 per cent of their population living below the

poverty line. The States of Madhya Pradesh, Sikkim, Assam, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh,

Meghalaya, Nagaland have more than 30 per cent of their population below poverty line.

―Poverty is a state of deprivation. In absolute terms it reflects the inability of an individual

to satisfy certain basic needs for a sustained, healthy and reasonably productive living.‖

Employment rate for educated youth is 25 per cent. Jobless growth and rampant

unemployment are some of the important reasons for higher incidences of poverty in

India.Availability of pre and post natal health care facilities in order to reduce infant

mortality and post delivery deaths among mothers, old age health care, adequate nutrition

and safety of individual are some important measures of a healthy and reasonably long life.

Their lack results in malnutrition; disability etc. leading to poverty.

10. Solution: b)

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Major-highlights-of-the-Census-

2011/articleshow/7833854.cms

11. Solution: d)

Non-metallic minerals are either organic in origin such as fossil fuels also known as mineral

fuels which are derived from the buried animal and plant life such as coal and petroleum.

Other type of non-metallic minerals are inorganic in origin such as mica, limestone and

graphite, etc.Minerals have certain characteristics. These are unevenly distributed over

space. There is inverse relationship in quality and quantity of minerals i.e. good quality

minerals are less in quantity as compared to low quality minerals. The third main

characteristic is that all minerals are exhaustible over time. These take long to develop

geologically and they cannot be replenished immediately at the time of need. Thus, they

have to be conserved and not misused as they do not have the second crop.

12. Solution: a)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal-mining_region#India

India has some of the largest reserves of coal in the world (approx. 267 billion tonnes). The

energy derived from coal in India is about twice that of energy derived from oil, whereas

worldwide, energy derived from coal is about 30% less than energy derived from oil. Over

97 per cent of coal reserves occur in the valleys of Damodar, Sone, Mahanadi and Godavari.

13. Solution: d)

Most of the metallic minerals in India occur in the peninsular plateau region in the old

rystalline rocks. Petroleum reserves are located in the sedimentary basins of Assam, Gujarat

and Mumbai High i.e. off-shore region in the Arabian Sea. New reserves have been located

in the Krishna-Godavari and Kaveri basins. Most of the major mineral resources occur to the

east of a line linking Mangalore and Kanpur.



Minerals are generally concentrated in three broad belts in India. There may be some

sporadic occurrences here and there in isolated pockets. These belts are – NE plateau region;

South-western plateau region; North-western region.

14. Solution: b)

Forests (land use category): It is important to note that area under actual forest cover is

different from area classified as forest.

The latter is the area which the Government has identified and demarcated for forest

growth. The land revenue records are consistent with the latter definition. Thus, there may

be an increase in this category without any increase in the actual forest cover.

15. Solution: a)

Culturable Waste-Land : Any land which is left fallow (uncultivated) for more than five

years is ncluded in this category. It can be brought under cultivation after improving it

through reclamation practices.

Barren and Wastelands : The land which may be classified as a wasteland such as barren

hilly terrains, desert lands, ravines, etc. normally cannot be brought under cultivation with

the available technology .

Current Fallow : This is the land which is left without cultivation for one or less than one

agricultural year. Fallowing is a cultural practice adopted for giving the land rest. The land

recoups the lost fertility through natural processes.

Fallow other than Current Fallow : This is also a cultivable land which is left uncultivated

for more than a year but less than five years. If the land is left uncultivated for more than

five years, it would be categorised as culturable wasteland.

16. Solution: d)

Land-use in a region, to a large extent, is influenced by the nature of economic activities

carried out in that region. However, while economic activities change over time, land, like

many other natural resources, is fixed in terms of its area. At this stage, one needs to

appreciate three types of changes that an economy undergoes, which affect land-use.

(i) The size of the economy (measured in terms of value for all the goods and services

produced in the economy) grows over time as a result of increasing population, change in

income levels, available technology and associated factors. As a result, the pressure on land

will increase with time and marginal lands would come under use.

(ii) Secondly, the composition of the economy would undergo a change over time. In other

words, the secondary and the tertiary sectors usually grow much faster than the primary

sector, specifically the agricultural sector. This type of change is common in developing

countries like India. This process would result in a gradual shift of land from agricultural

uses to non-agricultural uses.



17. Solution: d)

Common Property Resources

Land, according to its ownership can broadly be classified under two broad heads – private

land and common property resources (CPRs). While the former is owned by an individual

or a group of individuals, the latter is owned by the state meant for the use of the

community.

CPRs provide fodder for the livestock and fuel for the households along with other minor

forest products like fruits, nuts, fibre, medicinal plants, etc. In rural areas, such land is of

particular relevance for the livelihood of the landless and marginal farmers and other

weaker sections since many of them depend on income from their livestock due to the fact

that they have limited access to land. CPRs also are important for women as most of the

fodder and fuel collection is done by them in rural areas. They have to devote long hours in

collecting fuel and fodder from a degraded area of CPR.

CPRs can be defined as community‘s natural resource, where every member has the right of

access and usage with specified obligations, without anybody having property rights over

them. Community forests, pasture lands, village water bodies and other public spaces where

a group larger than a household or family unit exercises rights of use and carries

responsibility of management are examples of CPRs.

18. Solution: d)

Land resource is more crucial to the livelihood of the people depending on agriculture:

(i) Agriculture is a purely land based activity unlike secondary and tertiary activities. In

other words, contribution of land in agricultural output is more compared to its contribution

in the outputs in the other sectors. Thus, lack of access to land is directly correlated with

incidence of poverty in rural areas.

(ii) Quality of land has a direct bearing on the productivity of agriculture, which is not true

for other activities.

(iii) In rural areas, aside from its value as a productive factor, land ownership has a social

value and serves as a security for credit, natural hazards or life contingencies, and also adds

to the social status.

19. Solution: d)



20. Solution: d)

Cotton is grown more in Maharashtra. The yield in MH is lower as compared to Kahiwawad

Gujarat. The climatic conditions in Kathiawad Gujarat will yield more cotton.

The groundnut croplands in Gujarat have lower productivity than that in AP (which has

better agroclimatic conditions).

Similarly, Sugarcane is grown more in Bihar, UP; but better agroc-climatic conditions are

better present in MH, TN etc.

21. Solution: a)

Bajra is sown in hot and dry climatic conditions in northwestern and western parts of the

country. It is a hardy crop which resists frequent dry spells and drought in this region. It is

cultivated alone as well as part of mixed cropping. This coarse cereal occupies about 5.2 per

cent of total cropped area in the country.

Leading producers of bajra are the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan

and Haryana. Being a rainfed crop, the yield level of this crop is low in Rajasthan and

fluctuates a lot from year to year. Yield of this crop has increased during recent years in

Haryana and Gujarat due to introduction of drought resistant varieties and expansion of

irrigation under it.

22. Solution: d)

Maize is a food as well as fodder crop grown under semi-arid climatic conditions and over

inferior soils. This crop occupies only about 3.6 per cent of total cropped area. Maize

cultivation is not concentrated in any specific region. It is sown all over India except eastern

and north-eastern regions. The leading producers of maize are the states of Madhya

Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Yield level of maize is

higher than other coarse cereals. It is high in southern states and declines towards central

parts.

23. Solution: c)

Cotton is a tropical crop grown in kharif season in semi-arid areas of the country. India lost a

large proportion of cotton growing area to Pakistan during partition. Per hectare output of

cotton is high under irrigated conditions in north-western region of the country. Its yield is

very low in Maharashtra where it is grown under rainfed conditions.

India lost large jute growing areas to East Pakistan (Bangladesh) during partition. At

present, India produces about three-fifth of jute production of the world.

Sugarcane is a crop of tropical areas. Under rainfed conditions, it is cultivated in sub-humid

and humid climates. But it is largely an irrigated crop in India.



24. Solution: c)

Tea is a plantation crop used as beverage. Black tea leaves are fermented whereas green tea

leaves are unfermented. Tea leaves have rich content of caffeine and tannin. It is an

indigenous crop of hills in northern China.

Coffee is a tropical plantation crop. Its seeds are roasted, ground and are used for preparing

a beverage. There are three varieties of coffee i.e. arabica, robusta and liberica. India mostly

grows superior quality coffee, arabica, which is in great demand in International market. But

India produces only about 4.3 per cent coffee of the world and ranks sixth after Brazil,

Vietnam, Colombia, Indonesia and Mexico. Coffee is cultivated in the highlands of Western

Ghats in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Karnataka alone accounts for more than twothird of total production of coffee in the

country.

25. Solution: c)

Per hectare output of most of the crops such as rice, wheat, cotton and oilseeds in India is

much lower than that of U.S.A., Russia and Japan. Because of the very high pressure on the

land resources, the labour productivity in Indian agriculture is also very low in comparison

to international level.

Irrigation covers only about 45 per cent of the cultivated area in India. The crop production

in rest of the cultivated land directly depends on rainfall.The vast rainfed areas of the

country, particularly drylands which mostly grow coarse cereals, pulses and oilseeds have

very low yields.

26. Solution: c)

The nature of problems faced by Indian agriculture varies according to agro-ecological and

historical experiences of its different regions.

Hence, most of the agricultural problems in the country are region specific. Yet, there are

some problems which are common and range from physical constraints to institutional

hindrances.

Refer to the section on ‗Problems in Indian agriculture‘ in NCERT 12th geography – Chapter

5.

27. Solution: c)

Moreover, as per the Annual Forest survey report, MoEF, an increase in plantation area

resulted in the addition of total forest area in India. Platation crops includes tea, coffee,

rubber etc.

Therefore, the above clearly shows that the actual forest cover and reported cover are

different



28. Solution: c)

India has a vast coastline and the coast is very indented in some states. Due to this, a

number of lagoons and lakes have formed. The States like Kerala, Orissa and West Bengal

have vast surface water resources in these lagoons and lakes. Although, water is generally

brackish in these water-bodies, it is used for fishing and irrigating certain varieties of paddy

crops, coconut, etc.

29. Solution: b)

30. Solution: a)

Some states utilise large proportion of their ground water potential which has resulted in

ground water depletion in these states. The over-use of ground water resources has led to

decline in ground water table in these states. In fact, over withdrawals in some states like

Rajasthan, and Maharashtra has increased fluoride concentration in ground-water, and this

practice has led to increase in concentration of arsenic in parts of West Bengal and Bihar.

31. Solution: b)

The legislative provisions such as the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974,

and Environment Protection Act 1986 have not been implemented effectively. The result is

that in 1997, 251 polluting industries were located along the rivers and lakes. The Water Cess

Act, 1977, meant to reduce pollution has also made marginal impacts. There is a strong need

to generate public awareness about importance of water and impacts of water pollution. The

public awareness and action can be very effective in reducing the pollutants from

agricultural activities, domestic and industrial discharges.

32. Solution: d)

The concept of watershed development is an all encompassing one. Refer to:

http://chirag.org/what-we-do/natural-resource-management/conservation

33. Solution: d)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltwater_intrusion



34. Solution: d)

Rainwater harvesting increases water availability, checks the declining ground water table,

improves the quality of groundwater through dilution of contaminants like fluoride and

nitrates, prevents soil erosion, and flooding and arrests salt water intrusion in coastal areas if

used to recharge aquifers.

35. Solution: b)

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=90775

36. Solution: a)

The Water Footprint of a product is the volume of freshwater appropriated to produce the

product, taking into account the volumes of water consumed and polluted in the different

steps of the supply chain.

The NWP, 2012 calls for a system to evolve benchmarks for water uses for different

purposes, i.e., water footprints, and water auditing be developed to ensure efficient use of

water. Project financing has been suggested as a tool to incentivize efficient & economic use

of water.

37. Solution: a)

http://www.unisdr.org/we/coordinate/hfa

38. Solution: c)

Situation in India

India vulnerable to regular natural hazards due to unique geo-climatic conditions.

85% to single or multiple disasters and

About 57% of its area lies in high seismic zones.

Approximately 40 million hectares (10%) of the country‘s land area is prone to flood,

About 8% of the total land mass is vulnerable to cyclone

68% of the area is susceptible to drought

World Bank- 2.25% of the GDP and 12.15% of the revenue of the country were lost due to

natural disasters during 1996-2000.

39. Solution: d)

National Geophysical Laboratory, Geological Survey of India, Department of Meteorology,

Government of India, along with the recently formed National Institute of Disaster Management,

have made an intensive analysis of more than 1,200 earthquakes that have occurred in India



in different years in the past, and based on these, they divided India into the following five

earthquake zones:

40. Solution: a)

Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that cause the sea-floor to move abruptly resulting in

sudden displacement of ocean water in the form of high vertical waves are called tsunamis

(harbour waves) or seismic sea waves.

Normally, the seismic waves cause only one instantaneous vertical wave; but, after the

initial disturbance, a series of afterwaves are created in the water that oscillate between high

crest and low trough in order to restore the water level.

41. Solution: a)

The speed of wave in the ocean depends upon the depth of water. It is more in the shallow

water than in the ocean deep. As a result of this, the impact of tsunami is less over the ocean

and more near the coast where they cause large-scale devastations. Therefore, a ship at sea is

not much affected by tsunami and it is difficult to detect a tsunami in the deeper parts of sea.

It is so because over deep water the tsunami has very long wave-length and limited wave-

height. Thus, a tsunami wave raises the ship only a metre or two and each rise and fall takes

several minutes. As opposed to this, when a tsunami enters shallow water, its wave-length

gets reduced and the period remains unchanged, which increases the waveheight.

Sometimes, this height can be up to 15m or more, which causes large-scale destructions

along the shores. Thus, these are also called Shallow Water Waves.

42. Solution: a)



Tropical cyclones are intense low-pressur areas confined to the area lying between 30° N

and 30° S latitudes, in the atmosphere around which high velocity winds blow.

Horizontally, it extends up to 500-1,000 km and vertically from surface to 12-14 km. A

tropical cyclone or hurricane is like a heat engine that is energised by the release of latent

heat on account of the condensation of moisture that the wind gathers after moving over the

oceans and seas.

43. Solution: c)

Some initial conditions for the emergence of a tropical cyclone are:

(i) Large and continuous supply of warm and moist air that can release enormous latent

heat.

(ii) Strong Coriolis force that can prevent filling of low pressure at the centre (absence of

Coriolis force near the equator prohibits the formation of tropical cyclone between 0°-5°

latitude).

(iii) Unstable condition through the troposphere that creates local disturbances around

which a cyclone develops.

(iv) Finally, absence of strong vertical wind wedge, which disturbs the vertical transport of

latent heat.

44. Solution: d)

More cyclones in Bay of Bengal occur due to:

Narrow bay of Bengal

Difference in salinity

Cyclones move east to west

Arabian sea is colder

Phallin came from Indo-pacific – so frequency on east coast is greater

45. Solution: d)

Unlike other natural disasters, human beings play an important role in the genesis as well as

spread of floods.

Indiscriminate deforestation, unscientific agricultural practices, disturbances along the

natural drainage channels and colonisation of flood-plains and river-beds are some of the

human activities that play an important role in increasing the intensity, magnitude and

gravity of floods.



46. Solution: a)

Types of Droughts

Meteorological Drought: It is a situation when there is a prolonged period of inadequate

rainfall marked with mal-distribution of the same over time and space.

Agricultural Drought: It is also known as soil moisture drought, characterised by low soil

moisture that is necessary to support the crops, thereby resulting in crop failures. Moreover,

if an area has more than 30 per cent of its gross cropped area under irrigation, the area is

excluded from the drought-prone category.

Hydrological Drought: It results when the availability of water in different storages and

reservoirs like aquifers, lakes, reservoirs, etc. falls below what the precipitation can

replenish.

47. Solution: a)

NDMA 2005 was adopted

The Act provides for establishment of:

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) - lays down broad policies,

guidelines etc.

Under it NEC(Secy heads) - coordinating, monitoring, assistance as well as

implementation of emergency relief and disaster response

State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA)

District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA)

The Act also provides for –

Constitution of Disaster Response Fund and Disaster Mitigation Fund at National,

State and District levels.

Establishment of NIDM and NDRF.

Provides penalties for obstruction, false claims, misappropriation etc.

48. Solution: a)

High Rocky coast

The west coast of our country is a high rocky retreating coast. Erosional forms dominate in

the west coast. Whereas, the east coast of India is a low sedimentary coast. Depositional

forms dominate in the east coast.



Features:

Highly indented

Formation of wave-cut platforms in front of the sea cliff due to constant water

erosional action

Material eroded in such manner, deposits along the off-shore forming wave terraces.

Several depositions like this results in the formation of barrier bars and spits that

break block the sea water forming a lagoon.

Low Sedimentary coast

Features:

Lagoons, deltas etc. found

Lagoons eventually turn into swamps which turn into coastal plains

Storm and tsunami waves cause darastic changes in the supply of depositional

material

Therefore, it is easy to construct seaports on western coasts.

49. Solution: a)

Delhi Police have launched ‗Operation Milap‘ scheme. This noble scheme aims at uniting

missing children with their parents.

Under the scheme

This scheme has been launched by the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) of the

Crime Branch of Delhi Police.

Under this scheme, AHTU will carry out special drive to check all the Children

Homes in the national capital. They will try to match the children‘s record with the

available data of missing/kidnapped children with the police.

During this special drive, Crime Branch officials will try to make all out efforts to get

any clue about their parents/home so that they can be restored properly.

They will also take help of local police who have being asked to screen and

document all the children residing in the shelter homes, railway platforms, bus

stands, roads, religious places, etc.

Photographic database of these children will be undertaken by the concerned police

officials to link them properly.



50. Solution: d)

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO‘s) first sub-orbital flight and India‘s latest

generation launch vehicle- GSLV Mark-III X was successfully lifted off from Satish Dhawan

Space Centre, Sriharikota,Andhra Pradesh.

About GSLV-Mark III

The GSLV-Mark III is a three stage/engine launch vehicle.

Its first stage comprises two identical S-200 large solid boosters with 200 tonne solid

propellant that are strapped on to the second stage, the L110 re-startable liquid stage.

The third stage/engine is the cryogenic which is more efficient as it provides more thrust for

every kilogram of propellant burnt.

Thus, this successful launch will help India in perfecting the cryogenic engine technology

and help to become self-reliant in launching communication satellites.

51. Solution: d)

This award is given by President of India to the heads of panchayats that did well in

maintaining hygiene in their respective villages by operating women sanitary

complexes well, preventing open area defecation, maintaining school hygiene etc.

It was first given in 2005 as a component of its flagship scheme- Total Sanitation

Campaign (TSC).

Till 2011, it was given by Union Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation

(MoDWS). But since 2012, it was taken up by the States, while selection of the Blocks

and District Panchayats continued with the Centre.

Gram Panchayat‘s winning NGP usually functions as training centers for people

from other panchayat raj institutions aspiring to achieve full sanitation coverage.

52. Solution: d)

India‘s first indigenously developed nuclear powered ballistic missile submarine- INS

Arihant was flagged off by the Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar from Vizag for sea trials.

In maiden sea trial, Arihant‘s light water reactor will undergo comprehensive validation

before it is commissioned into the Navy.

Its successful implementation will help India to secure a seaborne nuclear deterrent.

Once it is inducted in navy will help India to complete its nuclear triad of delivering

nuclear weapons from land, sea and air.

A nuclear triad refers to a nuclear arsenal which consists of three components, traditionally

strategic bombers, intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), and submarine-launched



ballistic missiles (SLBMs). The purpose of having a three-branched nuclear capability is to

significantly reduce the possibility that an enemy could destroy all of a nation's nuclear

forces in a first-strike attack; this, in turn, ensures a credible threat of a second strike, and

thus increases a nation's nuclear deterrence

53. Solution: a)

Rajasthan Government has started distribution of the ‗Bhamashah‘ cards among women

belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) category in Ajmer. The cards were distributed under

the Bhamashah scheme which was relaunched in August 2014.

This scheme aims to financially empower BPL women by providing them with monetary

benefits of various government schemes, as money will be transferred directly to their bank

accounts.

This scheme will provide woman head of the family with a bank account. Monetary

benefits from various schemes will be channelized in this account.

Beneficiaries will be provided with a card under this scheme. This card will also be

used as an identity card for the people of Rajasthan.

Rajasthan government aims to open around 1.5 crore bank accounts under this

scheme.

Earlier Bhamashah scheme

Previously it was launched in 2008, by Vasundhara Raje Government.

Under this scheme 8000 cards were issued and 29.07 lakh bank accounts were opened.

Government also had deposited 160 crore rupees in the banks for its implementation.

However, in 2009, it was discontinued by then Ashok Gehlot government.

54. Solution: a)

Sundrban has world‘s largest mangrove forest which is home to wide range of fauna,

including 260 bird species, the Bengal tiger and other threatened species such as the

estuarine crocodile and the Indian python. It is also home to the rare Irrawaddy dolphin.

The oil spills has already blackened the shoreline and started degrading the water quality,

threatening trees, plankton, vast populations of small fishes.

Rare Irrawaddy dolphin may be the first victim of this oil spill as the thick layer of oil on the

surface of the river may cut down the dissolved oxygen, leading to suffocation of these

dolphins due to lack of oxygen.

It may even threaten Sunderban tigers as there feed on herbivores animals like deer and

other are going to suffer from oil spill as their vegetation may be covered by a thick layer of

oil and rinse into the soil once the water recedes during the tides.



55. Solution: d)

It was approved by The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime

Minister after it was proposed by the Union ministry of commerce & industry.

This scheme aims at

Supporting development of improved varieties and technologies for increasing

production, productivity and quality of tea.

Promote Indian tea in the overseas and domestic markets.

As per the scheme, the proposed fund will be spent on plantation development, quality up-

gradation and product diversification, market promotion and research and development.

56. Solution: a)

UN has adopted this resolution under the agenda of ‗Global Health and Foreign Policy‘.

UN recognised that Yoga provides a holistic approach to health and well-being and its

wider dissemination of information about benefits of practising Yoga will be beneficial for

the health of the world population.

Resolution in this regard was introduced by India‘s Ambassador to the United Nations

Asoke Mukerji and 175 nations as co-sponsors for it. It was the highest number ever for any

resolution in the 193-member UN General Assembly

Passing of this resolution also made history as it was for the first time that such an initiative

has been proposed and implemented by any country in the UN body in less than 90 days.

Background

Earlier in September 2014, Prime Minister had proposed this idea during his speech at UN-

GA. He had suggested 21st June because it represents one of the two solstices, is the longest

day in the Northern Hemisphere and has special significance in many parts of the world.

Significance

The main significance of the UN declaring an International Day is to focus the attention of

the international community on the topic and to encourage activities among the

member states to commemorate the day.

Till date, UN in its annual calendar has listed nearly 118 international days, years and

anniversaries for observance.



57. Solution: a)

The Various measures taken for quality improvement and availability of essential factors

like fertilizers, seeds, electricity and irrigation facilities for agriculture in order to make it a

profitable business include the following:

The Government is implementing various Missions, Schemes and Projects which facilitate

production, availability & distribution of quality seeds and fertilizers to farmers. The

Government of India has launched a new schemes viz. Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti

Yojana (DDUGJY) which aims to provide reliable and adequate power supply to farmers by

separation of agriculture and non-agriculture feeders and strengthening of sub-transmission

and distribution infrastructure in rural areas, among others. Rajiv Gandhi Grameen

Vidyutikaran Yojana for rural electrification will get subsumed in DDUGJY.

From PIB features.

58. Solution: a)

Water is a State subject; water resources/ irrigation projects are planned, executed and

maintained by State Governments from their own resources and as per their own priorities.

Government of India provides financial and technical assistance to the States under

Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme, Repair, Renovation and Restoration of Water

Bodies Scheme and CADWM Programme, to enhance the irrigation potential of the country

as well as to ensure its effective utilization. Financial assistance is also being provided to

farmers for micro irrigation and protected cultivation under various schemes viz., Mission

for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), On-Farm Water Management (OFWM)

under National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas

Yojana (RKVY).

From PIB features.

59. Solution: d)

The Government is implementing many Missions/ Schemes such as Rashtriya Krishi Vikas

Yojana (RKVY), National Food Security Mission (NFSM), Mission for Integrated

Development of Horticulture (MIDH), National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm

(NMOOP) and Grameen Bhandaran Yojana etc. for raising investments in agriculture. In

addition, Government has issued a framework for Public Private Partnership for Integrated

Agriculture Development (PPPIAD) for using RKVY allocation for bringing greater

association of private sector in agricultural development projects in the States.

The Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) also organise quality seed production and distribution to

farmers .During the last one year 1.57 lakh quintal seeds of improved varieties and hybrids

of cereals. Oilseeds, pulses, commercial crops, vegetables, flowers, fruits, spices, fodder,



forest species, medicinal plants and fibre crops were produced and provided to 2.61 lakh

farmers by KVKs.

Fertilizer (Control) Order, 1985 has been promulgated for regulation of quality of fertilisers.

No person shall manufacture/import for sale, sell, offer for sale, stock or exhibit for sale or

distribute any fertiliser which is not notified in the said Order or not of standard prescribed

in the said Order. Samples of fertilizers are drawn periodically by notified fertiliser

inspectors of State Governments to check their quality whereas in case of imported

fertilisers, the fertiliser inspectors of the Central Government draw samples from

ships/containers for checking their quality.

PIB features.

60. Solution: d)

The IPDS announced in the Union Budget 2014-15 envisages strengthening of sub-

transmission network, Metering, IT application, Customer Care Services, provisioning of

solar panels and the completion of the ongoing works of Restructured Accelerated Power

Development and completion of the Reforms Programme (RAPDRP). The scheme will help

in reduction in AT&C losses, establishment of IT enabled energy accounting / auditing

system, improvement in billed energy based on metered consumption and improvement in

collection efficiency.

61. Solution: a)

http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/estimate-world-s-oldest-water

62. Solution: d)

http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/unep-launches-coalition-promote-renewable-

energy

63. Solution: c)

Read the full page. This topic is a favourite of the UPSC.

http://www.forestrightsact.com/what-is-this-act-about

http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/claims-forest-rights-act-holding-growth-are-

bogus

64. Solution: d)

http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/economic-potential-carbon-rich-mangroves-

untapped-report



65. Solution: d)

http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/2145.aspx?CategoryID=51

http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/fssai-notifies-draft-regulations-limit-trans-fats-5-

cent-2016

66. Solution: d)

http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/antibiotics-chicken-mps-question-government-

action-taken-after-cse-study

67. Solution: a)

http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/chemicals-used-oil-and-gas-extraction-harmful-

reproductive-health

68. Solution: d)

Preamble clearly says that the Indian constitution promotes the ideal of social justice.

DPSP Article 46 provides for the welfare of the backward classes.

Fundamental Rights Article 14-17 provide for non-discrimination against any particular

caste.

69. Solution: d)

Development and Extremism in tribals

1st phase

Failure of land reforms

Mineral bowl of India coincides with poverty and tribal bowl of India

Spread in 9 states

o Political neglect

o Mining -eco unsustainable and sociologically devastating

o Insensitive forest administration and non implementation of PESA and FRA

Tribal displamcnemt, disconnect, deprivation and discontent

Leading to alienation

Why displacement

Wildlife sanctuaries

Mining



Normal development projects like dams

70. Solution: c)

Because of the obvious biological and physical differences between men and women, gender

inequality is often treated as natural. However, despite appearances, scholars have shown

that the inequalities between men and women are social rather than natural. For example,

there are no biological reasons that can explain why so few women are found in positions of

public power. Nor can nature explain why women generally receive a smaller or no share in

family property in most societies. But the strongest argument comes from the societies that

were different from the ‗normal‘ or common pattern. If women were biologically unfit to be

inheritors and heads of families, how did matrilineal societies (as the Nairs of Kerala used to

be, and as the Khasis of Meghalaya still are) work for centuries? How have women managed

to be successful farmers and traders in so many African societies? There is, in short, nothing

biological about the inequalities that mark the relations between and men.

71. Solution: c)

Refer to the section 5.3 STRUGGLE FOR WOMEN‘S EQUALITY AND RIGHTS Chapter 5-

12th Indian society NCERT.

72. Solution: d)

Assimilationist and integrationist strategies try to establish singular national identities

through various interventions like:

Centralising all power to forums where the dominant group constitutes a majority,

and eliminating the autonomy of local or minority groups;

Imposing a unified legal and judicial system based on the dominant group‘s

traditions and abolishing alternative systems used by other groups;

Adopting the dominant group‘s language as the only official ‗national‘ language and

making its use mandatory in all public institutions;

Promotion of the dominant group‘s language and culture through nationa

linstitutions including state-controlled media and educational institutions;

Adoption of state symbols celebrating the dominant group‘s history, heroes and

culture, reflected in such things as choice of national holidays or naming of streets

etc.;

Seizure of lands, forests and fisheries from minority groups and indigenous people

and declaring them ‗national resources‘

73. Solution: c)

Article 14-18 talk about non-discrimination and social and economic justice.

Articles 25-28 give religious rights.



Articles 29-30 give the minorities a right to safeguard their cultural heritage- the forest in

this case. The Odisha Niyamgiri tribals also saved their sacred hills using this provision of

the constitution.

74. Solution: d)

All are communal ideologies.

In everyday language, the word ‗communalism‘ refers to aggressive chauvinism based on

religious identity. Chauvinism itself is an attitude that sees one‘s own group as the only

legitimate or worthy group, with other groups being seen– by definition – as inferior,

illegitimate and opposed. Thus, to simplify further, communalism is an aggressive political

ideology linked to religion. This is a peculiarly Indian, or perhaps South Asian, meaning that

is different from the sense of the ordinary English word. In the English language,

―communal‖ means something related to a community or collectivity as different from an

individual.

75. Solution: d)

One kind of difficulty is created by the tension between the western sense of the state

maintaining a distance from all religions and the Indian sense of the state giving equal

respect to all religions. Supporters of each sense are upset by whatever the state does to

uphold the other sense. Should a secular state provide subsidies for the Haj pilgrimage, or

manage the Tirupati-Tirumala temple complex, or support pilgrimages to Himalayan holy

places? Should all religious holidays be abolished, leaving only Independence Day, Republic

Day, Gandhi Jayanti and Ambedkar Jayanti for example? Should a secular state ban cow

slaughter because cows are holy for a particular religion? If it does so, should it also ban pig

slaughter because another religion prohibits the eating of pork?If Sikh soldiers in the army

are allowed to have long hair and wear turbans, should Hindu soldiers also be allowed to

shave their heads or Muslim soldiers allowed to have long beards? Questions of this sort

lead to passionate disagreements that are hard to settle.

Some of the above mentioned dilemmas are solved by the Indian model of Secularism by

positive discrimination and maintaining a ‗principled distance from religion‘.

76. Solution: d)

The President of India has sanctioned (18 December 2014) the Scheme for Development of

Solar Parks and Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects in the country. The scheme envisages at

least 25 solar parks, each with a minimum capacity of 500 MW between 2014 and 2019. The

estimated financial support for the scheme—Rs 4,050 crore—was also approved.

Apart from solar parks, ultra mega solar power projects (UMSPPs) are also encouraged in

the scheme. A UMSPP is a single power project with capacity of over 500 MW. These

projects may be set up in some of these solar parks. In some cases, the full park may be one

UMSPP.



MNRE wanted to set up four UMSPPs of 4,000 MW using solar photovoltaic (PV)

technology near Sambhar lake in Rajasthan, Kargil and Leh in Jammu and Kashmir and

Gujarat. The plant in Rajasthan was opposed by the state government itself (see ‗Solar threat

to Sambhar‘). In January 2014, the state chief minister, Vasundhara Raje, wrote to the then

Union heavy industries minister, Praful Patel, expressing her reservations about the project

on the largest inland saline wetland in Asia.

http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/scheme-large-scale-solar-projects-gets-

presidential-sanction

77. Solution: a)

http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/obesity-can-be-counted-disability-says-eu-court

78. Solution: b)

Out of all the water on Earth, saline water in oceans, seas and saline groundwater make up

about 97% of it. Only 2.5–2.75% is fresh water, including 1.75–2% frozen

in glaciers, ice and snow, 0.7–0.8% as fresh groundwater and soil moisture, and less than

0.01% of it as surface water in lakes, swamps and rivers.[3][4] Freshwater lakes contain about

87% of this fresh surface water, including 29% in the African Great Lakes, 20% in Lake

Baikal in Russia, 21% in the North American Great Lakes, and 14% in other

lakes. Swamps have most of the balance with only a small amount in rivers, most notably

the Amazon River. The atmosphere contains 0.04% water. In areas with no fresh water on

the ground surface, fresh water derived from precipitationmay, because of its lower density,

overlie saline ground water in lenses or layers. Most of the world's fresh water is frozen

inice sheets. Many areas suffer from lack of distribution of fresh water, such as deserts.

http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/estimate-world-s-oldest-water

79. Solution: c)

http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/hatching-superbugs (Very important for Mains

too. See this year‘s GS-3 question paper)

80. Solution: c)

Van Allen radiation belt, doughnut-shaped zones of highly energetic charged particles

trapped at high altitudes in the magnetic field of Earth. The zones were named for James A.

Van Allen, the American physicist who discovered them in 1958, using data transmitted by

the U.S. Explorer satellite.

The Van Allen belts are most intense over the Equator and are effectively absent above the

poles. No real gap exists between the two zones; they actually merge gradually, with the

flux of charged particles showing two regions of maximum density. The inner region is

centred approximately 3,000 km (1,860 miles) above the terrestrial surface. The outer region



of maximum density is centred at an altitude of about 15,000 to 20,000 km (9,300 to 12,400

miles), though some estimates place it as far above the surface as six Earth radii (about

38,000 km [23,700 miles]).

The inner Van Allen belt consists largely of highly energetic protons, with energyexceeding

30,000,000 electron volts. The peak intensity of these protons is approximately 20,000

particles per second crossing a spherical area of one square cm in all directions. It is believed

that the protons of the inner belt originate from the decay of neutrons produced when high-

energy cosmic rays from outside thesolar system collide with atoms and molecules of

Earth‘s atmosphere. Some of the neutrons are ejected back from the atmosphere; as they

travel through the region of the belt, a small percentage of them decay into protons

and electrons. These particles move in spiral paths along the lines of force of Earth‘s

magnetic field. As the particles approach either of the magnetic poles, the increase in the

strength of the field causes them to be reflected. Because of this so-called magnetic

mirroreffect, the particles bounce back and forth between the magnetic poles. Over time,

they collide with atoms in the thin atmosphere, resulting in their removal from the belt.

The outer Van Allen belt contains charged particles of both atmospheric and solar origin, the

latter consisting largely of helium ions from the solar wind (steady stream of particles

emanating from the Sun). The protons of the outer belt have much lower energies than those

of the inner belt, and their fluxes are much higher. The most energetic particles of the outer

belt are electrons, whose energies reach up to several hundred million electron volts.

Studies show that intense solar activity, such as a coronal mass ejection, may sometimes

diminish the outer region and produce a third fleeting zone of charged particles between the

outer and inner regions. Intense solar activity also causes other disruptions of the Van Allen

belts, which in turn are linked with such phenomena as auroras and magnetic storms

insights mock tests – 2015: test – 10 solutions · majority are sikkim, arunachal pradesh,...

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