IAS GS Test Questions (July - 15) Set - 5

1)   Arrange the following Japanese island from north to south.

1. Hokkaido
2. Kyushu
3. Okinawa
4. Honshu
5. Shikoku


a. 1,5,4,2,3
b. 1,2,3,4,5
c. 3,2,4,5,1
d. 1,4,5,2,3
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: 1,4,5,2,3

Explanation:
No explanation is available for this question!


2)   Which of the following are members of Ashgabat Agreement?

1. Uzbekistan
2. Iran
3. Turkmenistan
4. Oman
5. Qatar


a. 1,2,3
b. 1,3
c. 2,4,5
d. All of the above
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
Ashgabat Agreement which is a transit pact between Uzbekistan, Iran, Turkmenistan and Oman established in 2011.


3)   Archaeological Survey of India was formed during the reign of


a. Lord Dalhousie
b. Lord Canning
c. Lord Ripon
d. Lord Lawrence
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Lord Canning

Explanation:
The Archaeological Survey of India was eventually formed in 1861 by a statute passed into law by Lord Canning with Cunningham as the first Archaeological Surveyor.


4)   Which of the following statements is / are correct?

1. The Allahabad Pillar inscription or prashasti was composed by Harisena.
2. Harisena was court poet of Samudrgupta.


a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both 1 and 2
d. None of the above
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: Both 1 and 2

Explanation:
Achievements of different rulers of the Gupta lineage are also mentioned in the Allahabad Pillar Inscription. Harishena, who composed the Allahabad Prasasti, was the court poet and minister of Samudragupta. Parts of Allahabad Prasasti were composed in verse and other parts, in prose.


5)   Which of the following are included in the Council of Ministers?

1. Cabinet Ministers
2. Ministers of State
3. Ministers without Portfolio
4. Cabinet Secretary


a. 1,2
b. 1,2,3
c. 1,2,4
d. All of the above
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: 1,2,3

Explanation:
The Union Council of Ministers exercises executive authority in the Republic of India. It consists of senior ministers, called "Cabinet Ministers", and junior ministers, called "Ministers of State". It is led by the Prime Minister. A smaller executive body, called the Union Cabinet is the supreme decision-making body in India. Only the Prime Minister and ministers of the rank of "Cabinet Minister" are members of the Cabinet. The most senior civil servant in India, called the Cabinet Secretary, leads the Cabinet Secretariat, and provides administrative assistance to the Council of Ministers. Ministers of State are tasked with assisting Cabinet Ministers in their work.


6)   Which phenomenon explains backward falling of horse rider when a horse starts suddenly?

a. Inertia of Motion
b. Inertia of Distance
c. Inertia of Rest
d. Centifugal force
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Inertia of Rest

Explanation:
The inability of a body to change by itself its state of rest is known as Inertia of Rest. It happens to inertia of rest of upper part of the body of the rider.


7)   Which of the following are goals to be achieved under Millennium Development Goals?

1. To eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2. To achieve universal primary education
3. To promote gender equality
4. To eradicate civil war
5. To reduce child mortality


a. 1,3,5
b. 1,2,4,5
c. 1,2,3,5
d. All of the above
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: 1,2,3,5

Explanation:
Following are Millennium Development Goals by 2015:

1. To eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2. To achieve universal primary education
3. To promote gender equality
4. To reduce child mortality
5. To improve maternal health
6. To combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
7. To ensure environmental sustainability
8. To develop a global partnership for development


8)   Which of the following statements is / are correct?

1. Telangana is landlocked state
2. It shares border with Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka ,Andhra Pradesh and Orissa.


a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both 1 and 2
d. None of the above
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: Both 1 and 2

Explanation:
The state of Telangana was officially formed on 2 June 2014. Most of it was part of the princely state of Hyderabad, ruled by the Nizam of Hyderabad during the British Raj, joining the Union of India in 1948. In 1956, the Hyderabad state was dissolved as part of the linguistic reorganization of states, and the Telugu speaking part of Hyderabad state, known as Telangana, was merged with former Andhra State to form Andhra Pradesh.


9)   Which of the following statements is / are correct?

1. eSign is legally valid under Information Technology Act, 2000.
2. eMudhra Limited is a statutory licensed Certifying Authority of India which has launched eSign.


a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both 1 and 2
d. None of the above
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Both 1 and 2

Explanation:
eMudhra Limited is a statutory licensed Certifying Authority of India to issue digital signature certificates.It was established in 2008 under the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000. eMudhra offers variety of other services including Tax filing Services, Digital Signing Solutions, PAN Card Online applications. Digital Certificate Authentication System and Trusted Time Stamping etc.


10)   Which of the following is true about Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor?

1. It uses Lead-cooled fast reactor.
2. It will use plutonium-uranium oxide as fuel.
3. It is part of the three-stage nuclear power program.


a. 1,2
b. 2,3
c. 1,3
d. All of the above
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: 2,3

Explanation:
Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor is being developed at Kalpakkam will be commissioned in September. The Kalpakkam PFBR is using uranium-238 not thorium, to breed new fissile material, in a sodium-cooled fast reactor design.


11)   Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research is located at



a. Kudankulam
b. Kalpakkam
c. Kakrapar
d. Kaiga
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: Kalpakkam

Explanation:
The Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) is one of India's premier nuclear research centre. The centre is engaged in a broad-based multidisciplinary programme of scientific research and advanced engineering directed towards the development of Fast Breeder Reactor technology. The Reactor Research Centre set up at Kalpakkam in 1971 under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) was renamed Indira Gandhi Center for Atomic Research (IGCAR) in 1985.


12)   Match the following

1. First stage-------------- i. Effective utilization of plutonium in Fast Breeder Reactors.
2. Second stage--------- ii. Setting up of pressurized heavy water reactors
3. Third stage------------ iii. Use of a Thorium as fuel.


a. 1-i, 2-iii, 3-ii
b. 1-ii, 2-iii, 3-i
c. 1-i, 2-ii, 3-iii
d. 1-ii, 2-i, 3-iii
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: 1-ii, 2-i, 3-iii

Explanation:
India's three-stage nuclear power programme was formulated by Dr. Homi Bhabha in the 1950s to secure the country’s long term energy independence, through the use of uranium and thorium reserves found in the monazite sands of coastal regions of South India.


13)   Which of the following statement / s is / are correct?

1. Joha is an aromatic rice that is cultivated exclusively in Brahmaputra Vally of Assam.
2. It has got the GI tag.


a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both 1 and 2
d. None of the above
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:
The Assam Agricultural University is fighting for a geographical indications (GI) tag for a local variety of rice joha. The GI office is under the Union ministry of commerce. Assam already has four products with the GI tag - Karbi Anglong ginger, Tezpur litchi, Muga silk and Assam orthodox tea.


14)   Which of the following statements is / are correct?

1. In Gold bond scheme, investors buy the gold in physical form.
2. In gold monetization scheme, interest paid will be in form of gold.


a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both 1 and 2
d. None of the above
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:
In Gold bond scheme, investors buying gold don't get the metal in physical form. Instead, they get a paper or certificate issued by the government saying they bought a certain amount of gold.
Under the gold monetization scheme It is a scheme that facilitates the depositors of gold to earn interest on their metal accounts. Once the gold is deposited in metal account, it will start earning interest on the same.
Both principal and interest to be paid to the depositors of gold, will be ‘valued’ in gold.


15)   Consider the following statements about Mission Indradhanush

1. It aims to immunize all children against eight diseases.
2. It will achieve its goal by 2025

Which of the above statements is / are correct?


a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both 1 and 2
d. None of the above
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: None of the above

Explanation:
It aims to immunize all children against seven vaccine preventable diseases namely diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, measles and hepatitis B by 2020.


16)   Which of the following are the conditions for a political party to get recognition as a national party?


a. Won at least 2 per cent of seats in the Lok Sabha from at least three different states in the latest general election.
b. For Lok sabha polls, he party has polled 6 per cent of the total valid votes in at least four states
c. It is state party in at least four states.
d. All the above
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: All the above

Explanation:
A political party becomes eligible to be recognized as a national party if it fulfils any of the three conditions. Currently there are six national parties include BJP, Congress, CPM, CPI, BSP and NCP.


17)   Who was the president of congress Session when ' Jana gana mana ' was sung for first time?

a. Madan Mohan Malaviya
b. Dadabhai Naoroji
c. Gopal Krishna Gokhale
d. Bishan Narayan Dar
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Bishan Narayan Dar

Explanation:
' Jana Gana mana ' was first sung on the second day of the annual conference of the Indian National Congress in Calcutta on December 27, 1911. Sarala Devi Chowdhurani, Tagore's niece intoned the song, along with a few schoolstudents, in front of the gathering of the INC president Bishan Narayan Dar and other leaders such as Bupendra Nath Bose and Ambika Charan Mazumder. Soon after the Congress conference, in January 1912, the song first appeared before the public under the title Bharata-vidhata in Tottvobodhini Patrika.


18)   Which of the following are recommendation of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel?

1. Declaration of entire Western Ghats as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA).
2. It divided the area into three zones depending on ecological vulnerability
3. No new dams based on large scale storage be permitted in all Western Ghats


a. 1,2
b. 2,3
c. 1,3
d. All of the above
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: 1,2

Explanation:
No new dams based on large scale storage be permitted in Ecologically Sensitive Zone 1.


19)   Which of the following statements is / are correct?  

1. Krishnapatnam Port is an west coast port
2. Vijayanagar Emperor Sri Krishnadevaraya used to operate it.


a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both 1 and 2
d. None of the above
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:
Krishnapatnam Port is a privately built and owned all weather, deep water port on the east coast of India, located in the Nellore District of Andhra Pradesh. The port has its history back to Vijayanagar Emperor, when Sri Krishnadevaraya used to operate it. So, the name was given to it as Krishnapatnam Port. The Krishnapatnam Port is India's largest private sector port.


20)   Which of the following statements is / are correct?  

1. MAT is indirect tax.
2. MAT is applicable to all companies having business in India.


a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both
d. None
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:
It is applicable to all companies except those engaged in infrastructure and power sectors. Normally, a company is liable to pay tax on the income computed in accordance with the provisions of the Income-Tax Act, but the profit and loss account of the company is prepared as per provisions of the Companies Act.

In the past, a large number of companies showed book profits on their profit and loss account and at the same time distributed huge dividends. However, these companies didn’t pay any tax to the government as they reported either nil or negative income under provisions of the Income-Tax Act. These companies were showing book profits and declaring dividends to their shareholders but were not paying any tax. These companies are popularly known as ‘zero tax’ companies.

The Indian Income-Tax Act allows a large number of exemptions from total income. Besides exemptions, there are several deductions permitted from the gross total income. Further, depreciation allowable under the Income-Tax Act, is not the same as required under the Companies Act. The latter provides a lower rate viz-a-viz the I-T Act which computes a higher rate of depreciation.
The result of such exemptions, deductions, and other incentives under the Income-Tax Act in the form of liberal rates of depreciation is the emergence of zero tax companies, which in spite of having high book profit are able to reduce their taxable income to nil.In order to bring such companies under the I-T net, Section 115JA was introduced from assessment year 1997-98. Now, all companies having book profits under the Companies Act shall have to pay a minimum alternate tax at 18.5%.


21)   What is the name of tribe associated with production of Pashmina Wool in Ladakh region?

a. Bakarwal
b. Changpa
c. Sippi
d. Beda
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Changpa

Explanation:
The Changpa or Champa are a semi-nomadic Tibetan people found mainly in the Changtang in Ladakh and in Jammu and Kashmir. A smaller number resided in the western regions of the Tibet Autonomous Region until they suffered forced relocation by China.


22)   Which of the following statements is / are correct?  

1. Carbon sequestration is the process of capture and long-term storage of atmospheric carbon dioxide
2. Phytoplankton bloom is example of Carbon sequestration


a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both 1 and 2
d. None of the above
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Both 1 and 2

Explanation:
Carbon sequestration is the process of capture and long-term storage of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Carbon sequestration describes long-term storage of carbon dioxide or other forms of carbon to either mitigate or defer global warming and avoid dangerous climate change. It has been proposed as a way to slow the atmospheric and marine accumulation of greenhouse gases, which are released by burning fossil fuels.Carbon dioxide is naturally captured from the atmosphere through biological, chemical, or physical processes. Artificial processes have been devised to produce similar effects, including large-scale, artificial capture and sequestration of industrially produced CO using subsurface saline aquifers, reservoirs, ocean water, aging oil fields, or other carbon sinks.


23)   Which of the following statements is / are correct?

1. National Housing Bank is subsidiary of State bank of India.
2. Its headquarter is in New Delhi.


a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both 1 and 2
d. None of the above
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:
National Housing Bank is subsidiary of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), was set up on July 9, 1988 under the National Housing Bank Act, 1987. NHB is an apex financial institution for housing. NHB has been established with an objective to operate as a principal agency to promote housing finance institutions both at local and regional levels and to provide financial and other support incidental to such institutions and for matters connected therewith.


24)   Which of the following is biggest component of foreign reserve?

a. Foreign currency assets held by the RBI
b. Gold holdings of the RBI
c. SDRs
d. Reserve Position in the IMF
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: Foreign currency assets held by the RBI

Explanation:
As on on June 26, 2015 Foreign currency assets held by the RBI are $330500.8 Million, Gold holdings of the RBI is of $19340.2 million , SDRs are $ 4063.7 million and Reserve Position in the IMF is $ 1317.1 million.


25)   Which of the following statements is / are correct?

1. Member countries will initially contribute $10 billion each for Contingent Reserve Arrangement
2. BRICS could lend up to $34 billion per year.


a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both 1 and 2
d. None of the above
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:
CRA will be a $100 billion pool, with maximum $41 billion coming from China. India’s contribution of $18 billion to the Pool will be same as that of Brazil and Russia. South Africa would chip in $5 billion.


26)   Consider the following statements about BRICS bank.

1. The inaugural chairman of the Board of Directors will come from Russia.
2. The inaugural chairman of the Board of Governors will come from Brazil

Which of the above statements is / are correct?


a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both 1 and 2
d. None of the above
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:
The inaugural chairman of the Board of Directors will come from Brazil
The inaugural chairman of the Board of Governors will be Russian.


27)   Which of the following statements is / are correct?

1. Only center can declare particular area as disturbed area under AFSPA.
2. The decision of the government to declare a particular area ‘disturbed’ cannot be challenged in a court of law.


a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both 1 and 2
d. None of the above
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:
Center or state can declare particular area as disturbed area under AFSPA.


28)   Which of the following statements is / are true?

1. World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction met at Sendai, Japan in 2015.
2. The conference coincided with Cyclone Pam hitting Vanuatu.
3. The conference included an announcement of a US$4 billion dollar fund to prepare for disasters over four years.


a. 1,2
b. 2,3
c. 1,3
d. All of the above
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
The World Conference has been convened since 1994, and in 2005 the second at Kobe, Japan adopted the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015.This is the third conference of World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction


29)   Which of the following statements is / are correct?

1. Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS ) works under Ministry of Environment at Hydrabad.
2. Indian Tsunami Early Warning System (TEWS) was established in INCOIS.


a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both 1 and 2
d. None of the above
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:
Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS ) works under Ministry of Earth Sciences.


30)   Consider the following statements

1. Earthquake early warning system is deployed at Uttarkhand.
2. It will issue warnings 1-40 seconds before earthquakes of magnitude 5 occur.

Which of the above statements is / are correct?


a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both 1 and 2
d. None of the above
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: Both 1 and 2

Explanation:
Warning of earthquakes are based on the detection of P and S waves generated during an earthquake. The P wave, which is harmless and travels faster than the S wave, is detected by the sensors for advance warning. The first system has been installed in Dehradun, and the second will be established at Pithoragarh in the Kumaon region.