Union Public Service Commission(UPSC) Previous Years Questions and Answers

1 .

Consider the following kinds of organisms :

(1) Copepods

(2) Cyanobacteria

(3) Diatoms

(4) Foraminifera

Which of the above are primary producers in the food chains of oceans?

A)

1 and 2

B)

2 and 3

C)

3 and 4

D)

1 and 4

Correct Answer : Option (B) - 2 and 3

Note :

Only Cyanobacteria & Diatoms are capable of photosynthesis, and act as primary producer in food chains of oceans.

Copepods – Copepods are a group of small crustaceans found in nearly every freshwater and saltwater habitat. A number of species have parasitic phases, and some species may live in other wet terrestrial places.

Cyanobacteria – Cyanobacteria, also called blue-green algae, are microscopic organisms found naturally in all types of water. These single-celled organisms live in fresh, brackish (combined salt and fresh water), and marine water. These organisms use sunlight to make their own food.

Diatoms – Diatoms are photosynthesising algae, they have a siliceous skeleton (frustule) and are found in almost every aquatic environment including fresh and marine waters, soils, etc.

Foraminifera – Foraminifera are single-celled organisms, members of a phylum or class of amoeboid protists characterized by streaming granular ectoplasm for catching food and other uses; and commonly an external shell of diverse forms and materials.

Year : 2021

Category : General Studies

2 .

Consider the following animals :

(1) Hedgehog

(2) Marmot

(3) Pangolin

To reduce the change of being captured by predators, which of the above organisms rolls up/roll up and protects/protect its/their vulnerable parts?

A)

1 and 2

B)

2 only

C)

3 only

D)

1 and 3

Correct Answer : Option (D) - 1 and 3

Note :

Hedgehogs have spikes on their back, which help to deter any threat when they roll up & protect their vulnerable parts.

Marmots build elaborate burrows for denning and protection from predators. They have no rolling up mechanism like other 2.

Pangolins have hard scales on their back which help to protect its vulnerable parts when it rolls up.

Year : 2021

Category : General Studies

3 .

With reference to the ‘New York Declaration on Forests’, which of the following statements are correct?

(1) It was first endorsed at the United Nations Climate Summit in 2014.

(2) It endorses a global timeline to end the loss of forests.

(3) It is a legally binding international declaration.

(4) It is endorsed by governments, big companies and indigenous communities.

(5) India was one of the signatories at its inception.

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

A)

1, 2 and 4

B)

1, 3 and 5

C)

3 and 4

D)

2 and 5

Correct Answer : Option (A) - 1, 2 and 4

Note :

• Launched at the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Summit in September 2014, the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) outlines ten ambitious global targets to protect and restore forests and end natural forest loss by 2030. So, statements (1 &2) are correct.

• The NYDF combines goals expressed in the context of a number of individual pledges and agreements, including the Paris Agreement, the Sustainable Development Goals, the Bonn Challenge, the 2020 Strategic Plan on Biodiversity, climate and forest financing pledges, and supply chain commitments.

• The New York Declaration on Forests is a voluntary and non-legally binding political declaration which grew out of dialogue among governments, companies and civil society. So, statement (3) is not correct and Statement (4) is correct.

• India is not the signatory of NYDF. So, statement (5) is correct.

Year : 2021

Category : General Studies

4 .

Magnetite particles, suspected to cause neurodegenerative problems, are generated as environmental pollutants from which of the following?

(1) Brakes of motor vehicles

(2) Engines of motor vehicles

(3) Microwave stoves within homes

(4) Power plants

(5) Telephone lines

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

A)

1, 2, 3 and 5 only

B)

1, 2 and 4 only

C)

3, 4 and 5 only

D)

1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Correct Answer : Option (D) - 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Note :

Magnetite is an iron-oxide mineral that occurs naturally on Earth. Because it is also an important component of many anthropogenic materials (e.g., coal fly ash) and synthetic products (e.g., black toner powders), magnetite can be released to the environment through human activities

• It has been identified in diesel exhaust, as brake-abrasion particles, in the air of underground stations, along railway lines, at welding workplaces, and in the emissions from industrial combustion processes.

• The presence of magnetite in humans, however, also has other potential implications, including possible biological disorders linked to the weak magnetic fields generated by cellular phones, electric power lines, and appliances, or high-field saturation effects from exposure to strong magnetic fields during MRI procedures

• At the same time, nanoparticles of magnetite are of special interest in the biomedical sciences, because they can be used as carriers for targeted drug delivery

Year : 2021

Category : General Studies

5 .

Which one of the following is a filter feeder?

A)

Catfish

B)

Octopus

C)

Oyster

D)

Pelican

Correct Answer : Option (C) - Oyster

Note : Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for plants and animals, but too much nitrogen—often from fertilizer runoff and septic tanks—boosts the growth of algae, which overwhelm water bodies and ultimately reduce oxygen levels in them. Oysters, clams, and other shellfish are efficient filter feeders that help remove excess nitrogen from waters by incorporating it into their shells and tissue as they grow.

Year : 2021

Category : General Studies

6 .

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

A)

Carbon cycle

B)

Nitrogen cycle

C)

Phosphorus cycle

D)

Sulphur cycle

Correct Answer : Option (C) - Phosphorus cycle

Note :

The phosphorus cycle is the biogeochemical cycle that describes the movement of phosphorus through the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere. Unlike many other biogeochemical cycles, the atmosphere does not play a significant role in the movement of phosphorus, because phosphorus and phosphorus-based compounds are usually solids at the typical ranges of temperature and pressure found on Earth. The production of phosphine gas occurs in only specialized, local conditions. Therefore, the phosphorus cycle should be viewed from whole Earth system and then specifically focused on the cycle in terrestrial and aquatic systems.

The global phosphorus cycle includes four major processes :

(i) tectonic uplift and exposure of phosphorus-bearing rocks such as apatite to surface weathering;

(ii) physical erosion, and chemical and biological weathering of phosphorus-bearing rocks to provide dissolved and particulate phosphorus to soils, lakes and rivers;

(iii) riverine and subsurface transportation of phosphorus to various lakes and run-off to the ocean;

(iv) sedimentation of particulate phosphorus (e.g., phosphorus associated with organic matter and oxide/carbonate minerals) and eventually burial in marine sediments (this process can also occur in lakes and rivers)

Year : 2021

Category : General Studies

7 .

Which of the following are detritivores?

(1) Earthworms

(2) Jellyfish

(3) Millipedes

(4) Seahorses

(5) Woodlice

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

A)

1, 2 and 4 only

B)

2, 3, 4 and 5 only

C)

1, 3 and 5 only

D)

1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Correct Answer : Option (C) - 1, 3 and 5 only

Note :

• An animal that feeds on detritus. Examples of detritivores are earthworms, blowflies, maggots, millipedes, dung beetles, fiddler crabs, sea cucumbersand woodlice. Detritivores play an important role in the breakdown of organic matter from decomposing animals and plants

• A seahorse gains energy by eating other live organisms, meaning it is a carnivore. A seahorse is not a decomposer because decomposers gain energy from breaking down dead organisms.

• Jellyfish are carnivores and excellent predators. They sting with tentacles to subdue small aquatic fish, and eat the eggs and invertebrates that stick to their tentacles

Year : 2021

Category : General Studies

8 .

The 'Common Carbon Metric', supported by UNEP, has been developed for

A)

assessing the carbon footprint of building operations around the world

B)

enabling commercial farming entities around the world to enter carbon emission trading

C)

enabling governments to assess the overall carbon footprint caused by their countries

D)

assessing the overall carbon foot-print caused by the use of fossil fuels by the world in a unit time

Correct Answer : Option (A) - assessing the carbon footprint of building operations around the world

Note : Measuring Energy Use & Reporting Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Building Operations.

Year : 2021

Category : General Studies

9 .

Which of the following have species that can establish symbiotic relationship with other organisms?

(1) Cnidarians

(2) Fungi

(3) Protozoa

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

A)

1 and 2 only

B)

2 and 3 only

C)

1 and 3 only

D)

1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer : Option (D) - 1, 2 and 3

Note :

The relationship between cnidarians and dinoflagellate algae is termed as "symbiotic", because both the animal host and the algae are benefiting from the association. It is a mutualistic interaction. So, statement 1 is correct.

Many fungi are involved in symbiotic relationships. Some fungi are parasites. They are specialized to penetrate a host and break down the host's tissues.Two common mutualistic relationships involving fungi are mycorrhiza (fungi and plant roots) and lichen (fungi and either cyanobacteria or green algae). So, statement 2 is correct.

Symbiosis in protozoa mostly represents a close mutualistic association between a protozoan and unicellular symbionts (bacteria, cyanobacteria or/and unicellular algae) or protozoans and a multicellular organism (ruminants, lower termites, wood-eating cockroaches, plants). So, statement 3 is correct.

Year : 2021

Category : General Studies

10 .

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

A)

Increase in the Cash Reserve Ratio in the banks

B)

Increase in the Statutory Liquidity Ratio in the banks.

C)

Increase in the banking habit of the people.

D)

Increase in the population of the country

Correct Answer : Option (C) - Increase in the banking habit of the people.

Note :

The money created by the Central Banks is the monetary base, also known as high-powered money. Banks create money by making loans. A bank loans or invests its excess reserves (Money in excess of reserve requirements that banks have to maintain like CRR & SLR) to earn more interest.

A one-rupee increase in the monetary base causes the money supply to increase by more than one rupee. The increase in the money supply is the money multiplier.

Increase in CRR & SLR will contain the amount that banks can lend & hence create more money, thus bringing Money Multiplier down.

Increase in banking activity will lead to more money in bank’s hands in the form of Time Deposits (FD, RD), Demand Deposits (Savings Bank Account), Cash, etc, thus Increase in banking habit of the people will increase money multiplier.

Merely an increase in the population of the country will not lead to increase in money multiplier if the increased population in unbanked & is financially excuded.

Year : 2021

Category : General Studies