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

1 .

Which one of the following ancient towns is well-known for its elaborate system of water harvesting and management by building a series of dams and channelizing water into connected reservoirs?

A)

Dholavira

B)

Kalibangan

C)

Rakhigarhi

D)

Ropar

Correct Answer : Dholavira

Note :

Located in the arid Rann of Kutch, Dholavira stands out among all the Indus Valley sites for its water management system. Underground structures have revealed an intricate system of interconnected water reservoirs, checkdams , bunds for diverting the water of Manhar river to a reservoir. So option A is correct.

At rest of the sites mentioned in the options such elaborate water harvesting structures have not been found. So 2, 3 and 4 are incorrect.

Year : 2021

Category : General Studies

2 .

In the first quarter of seventeenth century, in which of the following was/were the factory/factories of the English East India Company located?

1. Broach

2. Chicacole

3. Trichinopoly

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

A)

1 only

B)

1 and 2

C)

3 only

D)

2 and 3

Correct Answer : Option (A) - 1 only

Note :

During the first quarter of seventeenth century, factories were setup by the East India Company at Surat, Broach, Ahmedabad, Agra and Masulipatnam. So, Item 1 is correct.

Kalingapatnam (part of current day Srikakulam and British era Chicacole) was one of the harbour villages and was a minor port during East India Company regime. So, Item 2 is not correct.

Year : 2021

Category : General Studies

3 .

From the decline of Guptas until the rise of Harshavardhana in the early seventh century, which of the following kingdoms were holding power in Northern India?

1. The Guptas of Magadha

2. The Paramaras of Malwa

3. The Pushyabhutis of Thanesar

4. The Maukharis of Kanauj

5. The Yadavas of Devagiri

6. The Maitrakas of Valabhi

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

A)

1, 2 and 5

B)

1, 3, 4 and 6

C)

2, 3 and 4

D)

5 and 6

Correct Answer : Option (B) - 1, 3, 4 and 6

Note :

After the decline of the Guptas, the Later Guptas succeeded as the rulers of Magadha during early seventh century. They ruled parts of northern Including Magadha (current day Bihar). So, Item 1 is correct.

The Paramara dynasty ruled the western and central parts of India including Malwa, between 9th and14th century AD, before being captured by Delhi Sultanate rulers. So, Item 2 is not correct.

The Pushyabhutis of Thanesar (current day Haryana) ruled various parts of Northern India during 6th and 7th century AD. So, Item 3 is correct.

The Maukharis dynasty ruled over parts of Uttar Pradesh and Magadha including Kannauj. The dynasty ruled till around 606 AD, when it was reconquered by the Later Guptas. So, Item 4 is correct.

The Yadavas of Devagiri ruled from around 1187 to 1317 AD in western parts of India. So, Item 5 is not correct.

The Maitrakas of Valabhi ruled western and northern parts of current day Gujarat during late 5th century to late 8th century AD. So, Item 6 is correct.

Year : 2021

Category : General Studies

4 .

According to Portuguese writer Nuniz, the women in Vijayanagara Empire were expert in which of the following areas?

1. Wrestling

2. Astrology

3. Accounting

4. Soothsaying

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

A)

1, 2 and 3 only

B)

1, 3 and 4 only

C)

2 and 4 only

D)

1, 2, 3 and 4

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

Note : During Vijayanagar, Women worked in different occupations. According to Nuniz, “The king of Vijayanagara has also women who wrestle, and others who are astrologers and soothsayers; and has women who write all the accounts of expenses that are incurred insides the gates of the palace and others whose duty is to write all the affairs of the kingdom and compare their books with those of writers outside; he has women also for music, who play instruments and sing. Even the wives of the kings are well-versed in music… He has judges as well as a watchman who every night guards the palace, and these are women.”

Year : 2021

Category : General Studies

5 .

With reference to Madanapalle of Andhra Pradesh, which one of the following statements is correct?

A)

Pingali Venkayya designed the tricolour Indian National Flag here.

B)

Pattabhi Sitaramaiah led the Quit India Movement of Andhra region from here.

C)

Rabindranath Tagore translated the National Anthem from Bengali to English here.

D)

Madame Blavatsky and Colonel Olcott set up headquarters of Theosophical Society fi rst here.

Correct Answer : Rabindranath Tagore translated the National Anthem from Bengali to English here.

Note :

Rabindranath Tagore translated “Jana Gana Mana” from Bengali to English and also set it to music in Madanapalle. The National Anthem was written by Rabindranath Tagore as early as in 1911 and was sung at the annual session of the Indian National Congress at Calcutta on 27 December that year. But it was actually done in Besant Theosophical College, Madanapalle, where Tagore stayed for a few days in February 1919 that the now familiar tune was set. It was Margaret Cousins, wife of educationist Dr. James Henry Cousins, who composed the tune for “Jana Gana Mana”. Dr.J H Cousins was then the Principal of the Madanapalle College that was established by Dr. Annie Besant.

Year : 2021

Category : General Studies

6 .

Consider the following pairs :

Historical place		Well-known for
Burzahom	:	Rock-cut shrines
Chandraketugarh	:	Terracotta art
Ganeshwar	:	Global climate change

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

A)

1 only

B)

1 and 2

C)

3 only

D)

2 and 3

Correct Answer : Option (D) - 2 and 3

Note :

* The Ganeshwar-Jodhpura Chalcolithic culture was fi rst discovered in the 1970’s post the excavation at Jodhpura and Ganeshwar respectively. The site of Ganeshwar yielded a lot of copper objects such as arrowheads, spearheads, chisels, fi sh hooks, razor blades; ornaments like rings, hairpins, bangles, antimony rods, double spiral headed pin amongst others.

* Around 50 km north-east of Kolkata, near the tiny village of Berachampa in West Bengal, lies the 2,300-year-old site of Chandraketugarh, fi lled with the most amazing terracotta sculptures. Two years later, archaeologist Rakhaldas Banerji – the man who discovered the ruins of Mohenjodaro – visited Chandraketugarh and found a vast crop of terracotta artefacts.

Source : Livehistoryindia

Year : 2021

Category : General Studies

7 .

Consider the following statements :

1. It was during the reign of Iltutmish that Chengiz Khan reached the Indus in pursuit of the fugitive Khwarezm prince.

2. It was during the reign of Muhammad bin Tughluq that Taimur occupied Multan and crossed the Indus.

3. It was during the reign of Deva Raya II of Vijayanagara Empire that Vasco da Gama reached the coast of Kerala.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A)

1 only

B)

1 and 2

C)

3 only

D)

2 and 3

Correct Answer : Option (A) - 1 only

Note :

During the rule of Iltutmish, Chenghiz Khan defeated Jalal al-Din near the banks of Indus. So, Statement 1 is correct.

Muhammad Bin Tughluq was the sultan of Delhi from 1325 to 1351 AD. In 1398 AD, Timur invaded India. He crossed the Indus and ravaged Multan and Punjab. So, Statement 2 is not correct.

Deva Raya II of Vijayanagara empire ruled between 1422 and 1446 AD. Vasco Da Gama reached the coast of Kerala in 1498. So, Statement 3 is not correct.

Year : 2021

Category : General Studies

8 .

Consider the following statements :

1. St. Francis Xavier was one of the founding members of the Jesuit Order.

2. St. Francis Xavier died in Goa and a church is dedicated to him there.

3. The Feast of St. Francis Xavier is celebrated in Goa each year.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

A)

1 and 2 only

B)

2 and 3 only

C)

1 and 3 only

D)

1, 2 and 3

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

Note :

In Paris in 1534, St. Francis Xavier pronounced vows as one of the first seven members of the Society of Jesus, or Jesuits, under the leadership of St. Ignatius of Loyola. So, Statement 1 is correct.

On December 3, 1552, Francis died of fever on the island of Sancian (Shangchuan, off the Chinese coast). So, Statement 2 is not correct.

Each year, on 3rd December, marks the anniversary of St Francis Xavier’s death, when thousands gather at the Basilica of Bom Jesus. This annual festival, known as the Feast of St Francis Xavier or Goinchea Saibache Fest, (Lord of Goa Festival), is the biggest of all the Christian festivals in Goa. So, Statement 3 is correct.

Year : 2021

Category : General Studies

9 .

With reference to the history of ancient India, which of the following statements is/ are correct?

1. Mitakshara was the civil law for upper castes and Dayabhaga was the civil law for lower castes.

2. In the Mitakshara system, the sons can claim right to the property during the lifetime of the father, whereas in the dayabhaga system, it is only after the death of the father that the sons can claim right to the property.

3. The Mitakshara system deals with the matters related to the property held by male members only

of a family, whereas the Dayabhaga system deals with the matters related to the property held by both male and female members of a family.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

A)

1 and 2

B)

2 only

C)

1 and 3

D)

3 only

Correct Answer : Option (B) - 2 only

Note :

* The Dayabhaga and The Mitakshara are the two schools of law that govern the law of succession of the Hindu Undivided Family Under Indian Law.

* According to the Mitakshara law school a joint family refers only to the male member of a family and extends to include his son, grandson and great-grandson. They collectively have co-ownership/ Coparcenary in the Joint Family. Thus, a son by birth acquires an interest in the ancestral property of the joint family. Under the Dayabhaga law school, the son has no automatic ownership right by birth but acquires it on the demise of his father.

* In the Mitakshara system the wife cannot demand partition. She, however, has the right to a share in any partition effected between her husband and her sons. Under the Dayabhaga this right does not exist for the women because the sons cannot demand partition as the father is the absolute owner. In both the systems, in any partition among the sons, the mother is entitled to a share equal to that of a son. Similarly, when a son dies before partition leaving the mother as his heir, the mother is entitled to a share of her deceased son as well as share in her own right when there is a partition between the remaining sons.

Year : 2021

Category : General Studies

10 .

Consider the following statements :

1. Aadhaar metadata cannot be stored for more than three months.

2. State cannot enter into any contract with private corporations for sharing of Aadhaar data.

3. Aadhaar is mandatory for obtaining insurance products.

4. Aadhaar is mandatory for getting benefits funded out of the Consolidated Fund of India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A)

1 and 4 only

B)

2 and 4 only

C)

3 only

D)

1, 2 and3 only

Correct Answer : Option (B) - 2 and 4 only

Note :

Supreme Court had ruled that Aadhaar metadata can not be stored for more than six months. This nullified the provision in the Act, which allowed storage of such data for five years. Therefore, statement 1 is not correct.

The Supreme court in the Aadhaar verdict had defined the welfare schemes as those funded from the consolidated fund of India. And it upheld the validity of Section 7 of the Aadhaar Act which states that Central or State Governments can make possession of an Aadhaar number or Aadhaar authentication mandatory for receipt of subsidies, benefits or services funded out of the Consolidated Fund of India. Therefore, statement 4 is correct.

The same 2018 judgement also held making that Aadhaar mandatory for other services apart from welfare schemes as unconstitutional. This includes availing financial services, including insurance or even to prevent money laundering in such services. Subsequently, IRDAI issued an advisory in January 2019 that clarified that aadhaar is not mandatory for obtaining insurance and withdrew its earlier policy of 2017 to make Aadhaar mandatory in insurance for preventing money laundering. Therefore, statement 3 is not correct.

Further, many sections of the Aadhaar Act were struck down. This includes the part of section 57 which allowed providing private corporations to verify Aadhaar data which was held unconstitutional. Therefore, statement 2 is correct.

Year : 2020

Category : General Studies