Upsc Prelims 2017 General Studies-I Topic-Wise Answer Key 35 Questions From Last One Years Current Affairs Coverage by A. A. Shah's IAS Institute

UPSC PRELIMS 2017
GENERAL STUDIES-I
TOPIC-WISE
ANSWER KEY
35 Questions from Last One Years Current Affairs Coverage by A. A. Shah’s IAS Institute
http://www.aashah.com/Article/daily-news-220.aspx
History Culture
1. (b)
The Sautrantika were an early Buddhist school generally believed to be descended from the Sthaviranikaya by
way of their immediate parent school, the Sarvastivadins.
Their name means literally "those who rely upon the sutras", and indicated their rejection of the Abhidharma
texts of other early Buddhist schools.
The Saṃmitiyawere one of the eighteen or twenty early Buddhist schools in India, and were an offshoot of the
Vatsiputriya sect.
Like its predecessor, it claims the person as a carrier of skandhas endures.
The Sarvastivadawere an early school of Buddhism that held to the existence of all dharmas in the past, present
and future, the "three times".
It is a Sanskrit term that can be glossed as: "the theory of all exists".
2. (a)
http://www.aashah.com/Article/Current-Events-27-March-2017-2286.aspx
3. (a)
The Chaliha Sahib festivalis an important festival celebrated by the Sindhis wherein they pray to their God,
Jhulelal. A special ‘jyot’ that is believed to have protected the Sindhi people and their culture during the ancient
times, from around 1897 AD, was brought from the PujChalihasahibMandirPeergoath in Sindh by the Sindhis to
India during partition in 1947. This Akhandjyot was then placed in the Chaliha Sahib PujJhulelalMandir in
Ulhasnagar. To this date, the jyot is kept lit in a structure similar to the one in Sindh. It is here that Sindhis from
all over the country come to worship Jhulelal and offer their prayers during the festival. It is customary to also go
on a 40 day fast during the festival.
The three-week-long Nanda Devi Raj Jat is a pilgrimage and festival of Uttarakhand. People from the entire
Garhwal division-Kumaon division primarily participate in it. The goddess Nanda Devi is worshipped.
The Gonds are the tribal community mostly found in the Gond forests of the central India
WariWarkari is an annual pilgrimage (yatra) to Pandharpur - the seat of the Hindu god Vithoba in Maharashtra.
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Palakhis (palanquin processions) carrying the paduka (foot prints) of various saints - most notably
Dnyaneshwar and Tukaram - from the Varkari (Warkari, "one who performs the Wari") sect (which venerates
Vithoba), are taken from their respective shrines to Pandharpur.
The Santhals are a tribe of people indigenous to Terai of Nepal and India, who live mainly in Nepal and the
Indian States of Jharkhand, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Assam (part of the Tea Tribes). The Santhals mostly
speak Santhali, a member of the Munda language family.
4. (a)
Arasavalli Sun Temple dedicated to the Hindu solar deity Surya, located in Srikakulam district of Andhra
Pradesh.
The original name Harshavalli means abode of joy. It is believed to have been built in the 7th Century AD by the
Kalinga rulers DevendraVarma of Orissa.
Amarkantak is a pilgrim town in Madhya Pradesh, India. It is the meeting point of the Vindhya and the Satpura
Ranges, with the Maikal Hills being the fulcrum. This is where the Narmada River, the Son River and Johila River
emerge. The ancient temples of Kalachuri period lie here.
Omkareshwar is a Hindu temple dedicated to God Shiva. It is one of the 12 revered Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva.It
is on an island called Mandhata or Shivapuri in the Narmada river in Madhya Pradesh; the shape of the island is
said to be like the Hindu ॐ symbol.
5. (b)
Manipuri Sankirtana is a form of performing art involving ritual singing, drumming and dancing performed in
the temples and domestic spaces in Manipur.
It involves the use of drum and cymbals.
Through the performances which exhibit unparalleled religious devotion and energy, the performers narrate the
many stories of Krishna often moving the spectators to tears.
It is practiced primarily by the Vaishnava community in Manipur and by the Vaishnava Manipuri population
settled in the neighbouring States of Tripura and Assam.
“Sankirtana: Ritual singing, drumming and dancing of Manipur” was inscribed on the Representative List of the
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2013.
History Ancient
6. (a)
Aryan tribes wore Varma (coats of mail) and sipra (helmets of metal) during warfare
Rigvedic Aryans were aware of iron - (Iron Age); but the Indus Valley people did not know about iron – (Bronze
Age).
The horse, which played a decisive role in the Aryan system of warfare, was not known to the Indus people.
Bones of horse and terracotta figure of a ‘horse-like animal’ have been unearthed from Surkotada (Gujarat).
History Medieval
7. (b)
Motupalliwas a famous sea port of theKakatiyas of Warangal. Marcopolo, a Portuguese navigator, visited this
place and wrote about the prosperity and power of Andhra Desa during the reign of Kakatiya kings in his
travalogue.
Motupalli inscription, issued by King Ganapati, in the mid thirteenth century, specifies the rates accessed on a
variety of items exported and imported through Motupalli port to other Indian regions along the coast, as well as
to foreign territories.
History Modern
8. (b)
British Indian Association was created by merging the ―Landholders Society‖ and ―British India Society‖ in 1851.
The President of the first committee of this organization was Raja Radhakanta Deb, while Debendranath Tagore was its
secretary.
The first organisation in the Madras Presidency to agitate for the rights of Indians was the Madras Native
Association which was established by publicist GazuluLakshminarasuChetty in 1849. This organisation did not
survive for long and was eventually disbanded.
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In May 1884., M. Veeraraghavachariar, G. SubramaniaIyer and P. Anandacharlu established the Madras
Mahajana Sabha.
Indian Associationwas the first avowed nationalist organization founded in British India by Surendranath
Banerjee and Ananda Mohan Bose in 1876.
9. (d)
Division of the central legislature into two houses – Bicameralism
Introduction of double government i.e., Central and State governments - Provincialism
Having two sets of rulers: one in London and another in Delhi – Dominion rule
Division of the subjects delegated to the provinces into two categories- Dyarchy
10. (d)
Butler Committee was a three-member committee headed by Harcourt Butler, appointed in 1927 to examine the
relations between the native states and the paramount power.
11. (c)
Ryotwari system, one of the three principal methods of revenue collection in British India. It was prevalent in
most of southern India, being the standard system of the Madras Presidency. The system was devised by Capt.
Alexander Read and Thomas (later Sir Thomas) Munro at the end of the 18th century and introduced by the
latter when he was governor (1820–27) of Madras.
The principle was the direct collection of the land revenue from each individual cultivator by government agents.
Permanent Settlement was an agreement between the East India Company and Bengali landlords to fix
revenues to be raised from land. It was concluded in 1793 by the Company administration headed by Lord
Cornwallis.
It formed one part of a larger body of legislation enacted, known as the Cornwallis Code of 1793.
12. (c)
Mutiny in Royal Indian Navy- 1946
Quit India Movement launched- 1942
Second Round Table Conference - 1931
Geography
13. (b)
Indian Ocean dipole (IOD), also known as theIndian Nino, is anirregular oscillation of sea-surface temperatures
in which the western Indian Ocean becomes alternately warmer and then colder than the eastern part of the
ocean.
Apositive phasesees greater-than-average sea-surface temperatures and greater precipitation in the western
Indian Ocean region.
Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is known to influence the Indian monsoon.
A ‘positive' IOD can counter an ominous El Nino.
http://aashah.com/Article/Current-Affairs-19-April-2017-2353.aspx
Geography Maps
14. (b)
http://www.aashah.com/Article/Current-Events-6-February-2017-2133.aspx
15. (c)
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http://www.aashah.com/Article/Current-Events-5-November-2016-1726.aspx
16. (a)
17. (a)
Sathyamangalam forest rangeis a significant wildlife corridor in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve between the
Western Ghats and the rest of the Eastern Ghats and a genetic link between the four other protected areas which
it adjoins, including the BilligirirangaSwamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary, Sigur Plateau, Mudumalai National Park
and Bandipur National Park.
18. (b)
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The Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) is the section of the Himalayas within India, spanning the states of Jammu &
Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, as well as the hill regions of two states -
Assam and West Bengal.
Western Ghats are a chain of mountains running parallel to India's western coast, approximately 30-50 km
inland.
The Western Ghats traverse the States of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Pulicat Lake formerly PralayaKaveri is the second largest brackish water lake or lagoon in India, after Chilika
Lake. It straddles the border of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu states with over 40% of it in Andhra Pradesh and
60% in Tamil Nadu situated on the Coromandal Coast in South India. The lake encompasses the Pulicat Lake Bird
Sanctuary. The barrier island of Sriharikota separates the lake from the Bay of Bengal and is home to the
SatishDhawan Space Centre.
19. (b)
20. (c)
A unique phenomenon rarely seen anywhere else, the sea recedes by as much as five kilometres every day on the
Chandipur beach in eastern India, not just enthralling the onlooker but also offering an opportunity to literally
walk into the sea.
One of nature's many wonders, the sea recedes massively from the beach during ebb and returns to fill the
emptiness during high tide. This hide-and-seek of the sea comes to play twice a day and seeing the sea disappear
and then return is an unforgettable experience.
Chandipur lies around 200 km from state capital Bhubaneswar.
The Chandipur beach is also well known for its proximity to the Defence Research and Development
Organisation's (DRDO) Integrated Test Range.
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Agriculture
21. (d)
Zero tillage is a way of growing crops or pasture from year to year without disturbing the soil through tillage.
No-till is an agricultural technique which increases the amount of water that infiltrates into the soil and increases
organic matter retention and cycling of nutrients in the soil. In many agricultural regions it can reduce or
eliminate soil erosion. The most powerful benefit of no-tillage is improvement in soil biological fertility, making
soils more resilient.
Major Benefits of applying gypsum to soil are:
1. Source of calcium and sulfur for plant nutrition.
2. Improves acid soils and treats aluminum toxicity.
3. Improves soil structure.
4. Improves water infiltration.
5. Helps reduce runoff and erosion.
Crop residue reduces evaporation from the soil and keeps the soil surface cooler.
22. (b)
Soil Health Card Scheme is a scheme launched by the Government of India in February 2015. Under the scheme,
the government plans to issue soil cards to farmers which will carry crop-wise recommendations of nutrients and
fertilisers required for the individual farms to help farmers to improve productivity through judicious use of
inputs. All soil samples are to be tested in various soil testing labs across the country. Thereafter the experts will
analyse the strength and weaknesses (micro-nutrients deficiency) of the soil and suggest measures to deal with it.
The result and suggestion will be displayed in the cards.
The scheme aims at promoting soil test based and balanced use of fertilisers to enable farmers realise higher
yields at lower cost.
23. (c)
e-NAM (National Agricultural Market) is a pan-India electronic trading portal launched by Ministry of
Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Govt of India, to facilitate farmers, traders, buyers, exporters and processors with
a common platform for trading commodities.
It currently links 250 APMCs (Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees) from across 10 states
The Portal is managed by Small Farmers’ Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) appointed by the Ministry in
association with a group of strategic partner selected for the purpose.
Through it, farmers can sell produce without the interference of any brokers or middlemen thereby making
competitive returns out of their investment.
http://www.aashah.com/Article/Current-Affairs-01-May-2017-2390.aspx
24. (d)
http://www.aashah.com/Article/Current-Events-01-January-2017-1906.aspx
Polity
25. (c)
26. (d)
In the election for Lok Sabha or State Assembly, the winning candidate is determined by first-past-the-post
system.
There is no provision laid down in the Constitution of India, that in Lok Sabha, the Speaker's post goes to the
majority party and the Deputy Speaker's to the Opposition
27. (c)
Article 326 in The Constitution Of India states:
Elections to the House of the People and to the Legislative Assemblies of States to be on the basis of adult suffrage
The elections to the House of the People and to the Legislative Assembly of every State shall be on the basis of
adult suffrage; but is to say, every person who is a citizen of India and who is not less than twenty one years of
age on such date as may be fixed in that behalf by or under any law made by the appropriate legislature and is not
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otherwise disqualified under this constitution or any law made by the appropriate Legislature on the ground of
non residence, unsoundness of mind, crime or corrupt or illegal practice, shall be entitled to be registered as a
voter at any such election
28. (d)
The Election Commission of India can have maximum 3 members.
The Election Commission of India decides the election schedule for the conduct of both general elections and
bye-elections.
29. (a)
30. (b)
31. (c)
Abolition of untouchability - Right to equality
Protection of the interests of minorities - Right to freedom of religio
32. (c)
33. (d)
34. (d)
A legislative process has been provided to enforce some of the fundamental duties.
35. (b)
36. (a)
37. (c)
38. (a)
39. (a)
40. (d)
41. (d)
A private member's bill is a bill presented by a Member of Parliament who is not a minister.
14 private members' bills have been passed by Indian Parliament since Independence
http://www.aashah.com/Article/Current-Events-20-October-2016-1673.aspx
42. (a)
43. (b)
44. (c)
45. (b)
46. (d)
Directive Principles are non-justiciable.
Governance
47. (d)
In India, section 70-B of the Information Technology Act, 2000 gives the Central Government the
power to appoint an agency of the government to be called the Indian Computer Emergency
Response Team.
In pursuance of the said provision the Central Government issued the Information Technology (The
Indian Computer Emergency Response Team and Manner of Performing Functions and Duties) Rules,
2013 (the ―CERT Rules”) which provide the location and manner of functioning of the Indian
Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In).
The CERT Rules impose an obligation on service providers, intermediaries, data centres and body
corporates to report cyber incidents within a reasonable time so that CERT-In may have scope for
timely action.
Rule 12 of the CERT Rules gives every person, company or organisation the option to report cyber
security incidents to the CERT-In. It also places an obligation on them to mandatorily report the
few kinds of incidents as early as possible.
48. (a)
A certification from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is mandatory for all types of automotive
tyres and tubes from 2010.
AGMARK is a certification mark employed on agricultural products in India, assuring that they
conform to a set of standards approved by the Directorate of Marketing and Inspection, an agency
of the Government of India.
The AGMARK is legally enforced in India by the Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking)
Act of 1937 (and amended in 1986).The present AGMARK standards cover quality guidelines for 213
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different commodities spanning a variety of pulses, cereals, essential oils, vegetable oils, fruits and
vegetables and semi-processed products like vermicelli.
49. (c)
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley released India‘s National Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Policy in
May 2016.
The Policy is in compliance with WTO's (World Trade Organisation) agreement on TRIPS (Trade
Related aspects of IPRs) and reiterates India‘s commitment to the Doha Declaration on Trade-Related
Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement and Public Health.
It makes the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), under the Union Commerce
Ministry nodal agency for regulating IP rights in the country.
http://aashah.com/Article/17-may-2016-question-bank-1199.aspx
50. (c)
Quality Council of India (QCI) was set up in 1997 jointly by the Government of India and the Indian
Industry represented by the three premier industry associations i.e. Associated Chambers of Commerce
and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Federation of Indian
Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), to establish and operate national accreditation structure
and promote quality through National Quality Campaign.
The Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, is the nodal
ministry for QCI.
The Council has an equal representation of Government, Industry and other Stakeholders. The
Chairman of the Council is nominated by Prime Minister of India on the recommendation of the
industry.
51. (b)
The Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) has launched Smart India Hackathon
2017 to reach out to all technology institutions in the country and challenge students to offer innovative
solutions to some of the daunting problems faced by our nation.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Mangalore/smart-india-hackathon-under-
way/article17759918.ece
52. (b)
Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988 has been amended by the Benami Transactions
(Prohibition) Amendment Act, 2016 (BTP Amendment Act).
The rules and all the provisions of the BTP Amendment Act shall come into force on 1 st November,
2016.
After coming into effect of the BTP Amendment Act, the existing Benami Transactions (Prohibition)
Act, 1988 shall be renamed as Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988 (PBPT
Act).
The PBPT Act defines benami transactions, prohibits them and further provides that violation of the
PBPT Act is punishable with imprisonment and fine. The PBPT Act prohibits recovery of the property
held benami from benamidar by the real owner. Properties held benami are liable for confiscation by
the Government without payment of compensation.
An appellate mechanism has been provided under the PBPT Act in the form of Adjudicating
Authority and Appellate Tribunal. The Adjudicating Authority referred to in section 6(1) of the
Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) and the Appellate Tribunal referred to in section
25 of the PMLA have been notified as the Adjudicating Authority and Appellate Tribunal,
respectively, for the purposes of the PBPT Act.
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Social (4Qs)
53. (d)
Lipsticks and glosses contain toxic metals, including lead and cadmium, though metal content varies
widely from brand to brand.
Brominated vegetable oil (BVO) is a complex mixture of plant-derived triglycerides that have been
reacted to contain atoms of the element bromine bonded to the molecules. Brominated vegetable oil is
used primarily to help emulsify citrus-flavored soft drinks, preventing them from separating during
distribution. Standards for soft drinks in India have prohibited the use of BVO since 1990.
MSG is the sodium salt of glutamate which is an amino acid made in the body. Glutamate is also a
neurotransmitter in the nervous system. Glutamate is found naturally in some protein-containing foods
like meat, peas, yeast extracts, soy sauce, mushrooms and cheese. It is called ajinomoto, widely used in
Chinese food.
http://www.aashah.com/Article/current-events-27-may-2016-1230.aspx
54. (c)
http://aashah.com/admin/aashah.com/Article/04-June-2017-Keywords-2525.aspx
55. (d)
The Trade Dispute Act, 1920 was passed providing for constituting courts of Inquiry and Conciliation
Boards and forbidding strikes in public utility services without notice.
The Act 1920 was replaced by the Trade Dispute Act 1929 incorporating provisions relating to general
strikes as well.
56. (b)
The first Factories Act was adopted in 1881. Following this act , a Factory Commission was
appointed in 1885. There was another Factories Act in 1891, and a Royal Commission on Labor was
appointed in 1892. The result of these enactments was the limitation on the factory working hours.
Narayan Meghaji Lokhande (1848-1897) was a pioneer of the labour movement in India. He is
remembered not only for ameliorating the working conditions of textile mill-hands in the 19th century
but also for his courageous initiatives on caste and communal issues. The Government of India issued a
post stamp with his photo in 2005.
Social schemes (7 Qs)
57. (b)
The National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) is a competency-based framework that
organizes all qualifications according to a series of levels of knowledge, skills and aptitude.
These levels, graded from one to ten, are defined in terms of learning outcomes which the learner must
possess regardless of whether they are obtained through formal, non-formal or informal learning.
NSQF in India was notified in December 2013.
Specific outcomes expected from implementation of NSQF are:
 Mobility between vocational and general education by alignment of degrees with NSQF
 Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), allowing transition from non-formal to organised job
market
 Standardised, consistent, nationally acceptable outcomes of training across the country through a
national quality assurance framework
 Global mobility of skilled workforce from India, through international equivalence of NSQF
 Mapping of progression pathways within sectors and cross-sectorally
 Approval of NOS/QPs as national standards for skill
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58. (a)
Skill India is a campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi on 15 July 2015
which aim to train over 40 crore (400 million) people in India in different skills by 2022.
It includes various initiatives of the government like "National Skill Development Mission",
"National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, 2015", "Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas
Yojana (PMKVY)" and the "Skill Loan scheme".
Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) is the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Skill
Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE). The objective of this Skill Certification Scheme is to
enable a large number of Indian youth to take up industry-relevant skill training that will help them in
securing a better livelihood. Individuals with prior learning experience or skills will also be assessed
and certified under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). Under this Scheme, training and
assessment fees are completely paid by the Government.
59. (b)
National Career Service (NCS) project is an initiative launched in July 2015 by the Ministry of
Labour and Employment, Government of India as a Mission Mode Project for establishing quick
and efficient career related services.
The NCS portal provides a nation-wide online platform for jobseekers and employers for job matching
in a dynamic, efficient and responsive manner.
Who will benefit from NCS?
 Unemployed candidates seeking jobs
 Students seeking career counselling
 Candidates seeking vocational / occupational guidance
 Illiterate, under-privileged sections of society, blue-collar workers seeking placements and
guidance
 Person with different abilities (PWDs), ex-servicemen, veterans / senior citizens, etc.
 Employers seeking suitable candidates
60. (a)
Vidyanjali - (School Volunteer Programme) is an initiative of the Ministry of Human Resource
Development launched in June 2016 to enhance community and private sector involvement in
Government run elementary schools across the country under the overall aegis of the Sarva Shiksha
Abhiyan. It aims to deliver volunteer teachers to government schools.
61. (b)
The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) launched ‗Unnat Bharat Abhiyan’ in
December 2014, with an aim to connect institutions of higher education, including Indian Institutes of
Technology (IITs), National Institutes of Technology (NITs) and Indian Institutes of Science
Education & Research (IISERs) etc. with local communities to address the development challenges
through appropriate technologies.
The objectives of Unnat Bharat Abhiyan are broadly two-fold:
 Building institutional capacity in Institutes of higher education in research & training relevant to
the needs of rural India.
 Provide rural India with professional resource support from institutes of higher education
,especially those which have acquired academic excellence in the field of Science, Engineering &
Technology and Management
62. (c)
National Pension System (NPS) is a voluntary defined contribution pension system administered and
regulated by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), created by an Act of
the Parliament of India. The NPS started with the decision of the Government of India to stop defined
benefit pensions for all its employees who joined after 1 January 2004. While the scheme was initially
designed for government employees only, it was opened up for all citizens of India in 2009.
NPS is mandatory to all employees joining services of Central Government (except Armed Forces) and
Central Autonomous Bodies on or after 1st January 2004.
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Almost all State Governments have adopted NPS architecture and have implemented NPS mandatorily
through Gazette Notifications for the State Government/ Autonomous body employees joining on or
after their respective cut-off dates
A citizen of India, whether resident or non-resident can join NPS, subject to the following
conditions:
 The subscriber should be between 18 and 60 years old as of the date of submission of his/her
application
 The subscribers should comply with the Know Your Customer (KYC) norms.
 Un-discharged insolvent and individuals of unsound mind cannot join NPS.
63. (a)
A National Nutrition Mission was set up in 2003 for policy direction and effective coordination of
nutrition programmes being implemented by the Government.
It aims at prevention and reduction in child under-nutrition (underweight prevalence in children under
3 years of age) and reduction in levels of anaemia among young children, adolescent girls and women,
a component launched in January 2014.
It seeks to create awareness about nutrition challenges and promote home-level feeding practices.
Economy (9 Qs)
64. (d)
National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) is a fund created by the Government of India
for enhancing infrastructure financing in the country.
The National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) Limited has been incorporated as a company
under the Companies Act, 2013,
The government will invest Rs 20,000 crore into the NIIF from the Budget, with another Rs 20,000
crore expected to come from private investors.
The government‘s share of the NIIF‘s corpus is envisaged to be under 50%.
65. (b)
Under 'Scheme for Sustainable Structuring of Stressed Assets (S4A), large ticket loans are
restructured by separating a sustainable loan from an unsustainable loan. The lenders are required to
make this classification. Sustainable level of debt is one which the banks think the stressed borrower
can service with its current cash flows. This sustainable level of debt should not be less than half the
loans or funded liabilities of the stressed entity. Banks can convert the unsustainable debt into equity or
equity related instruments, which are expected to provide upside to the lenders in case the borrower
cannot regain the glory and rework the financial structure.
The main aim of S4A:
 Strengthen the lenders‘ ability to deal with stressed assets
 Put real assets back on track of entities facing genuine difficulties by providing an avenue for
reworking financial structure.
http://aashah.com/Article/Current-Events-24-October-2016-1685.aspx
66. (b)
Share of agriculture in GDP has decreased over time.
67. (c)
National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is an umbrella organization for all retail payments
system in India. It was set up with the guidance and support of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and
Indian Banks‘ Association (IBA).
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The core objective was to consolidate and integrate the multiple systems with varying service levels
into nation-wide uniform and standard business process for all retail payment systems
NPCI had launched its debit card RuPay in April 2012.
http://www.aashah.com/admin/01-June-2017-Keywords-2510.aspx
68. (a)
http://www.aashah.com/Article/Current-Affairs-15-June-2017-2562.aspx
69. (d)
70. (a)
On 27 November 2014, RBI had released the guidelines on Small Finance Banks along with the
Payment Banks. The objective of small finance banks is to further financial inclusion by providing:
 Basic banking facilities to the unbanked and thereby boosting saving habits.
 Supply of credit to small business units, small and marginal farmers, micro and small industries
and other unorganized sector entities, through high technology-low cost operations.
As one of the largest financial inclusion initiatives so far; RBI has granted small bank licenses to 10
firms on 16 September 2015.
http://aashah.com/Admin/Article/16-may-2016-question-bank-1198.aspx
71. (a)
http://www.aashah.com/Article/Current-Affairs-01-June-2017-2507.aspx
72. (a)
The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is a 6-member committee of the Central Bank in India
(Reserve Bank of India), headed by its Governor, which is entrusted with the task of fixing the
benchmark policy interest rate (repo rate) to contain inflation within the specified target level.
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Monetary Policy Committee is defined in Section 2(iii) of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 and is
constituted under Sub-section (1) of Section 45ZB of the same Act.
The MPC replaces the current system where the RBI governor, with the aid and advice of his internal
team and a technical advisory committee, has complete control over monetary policy decisions. A
Committee-based approach will add lot of value and transparency to monetary policy decisions.
Environment – Biodiversity (7 Qs)
73. (b)
National Chambal Sanctuary, also called the National Chambal Gharial Wildlife Sanctuary, is a
5,400 km2 (2,100 sq mi) tri-state protected area in northern India for the critically
endangered gharial (small crocodiles), the red-crowned roof turtle and the endangered Ganges river
dolphin.
It is located on the Chambal River near the tripoint of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh,
co-administered by the three states.
Within the sanctuary, the pristine Chambal River cuts through mazes of ravines and hills with many
sandy beaches.
http://aashah.com/Article/Current-Events-1-December-2016-1810.aspx
74. (b)
The full form of M-STrIPES is Monitoring System for Tigers’-Intensive Protection and
Ecological Status. I
t‘s a software monitoring system launched by the Indian Government in 2010 in some tiger reserves.
The aim is to reduce vulnerability of Tigers. The system would enable field managers to assist intensity
and spatial coverage of patrols in a geographic information system (GIS) domain.
75. (a)
Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, established schedules of protected plant and animal species. By this
act, hunting or harvesting these species was largely outlawed.
There are six schedules which give varying degrees of protection.
Out of the six schedules , Schedule I and part II of Schedule II provide absolute protection and
offences under these are prescribed the highest penalties.
76. (d)
http://aashah.com/Article/17-june-2016-question-bank-1299.aspx
77. (b)
An environment ministry‘s expert committee has approved Kuno Palpur in Madhya Pradesh as the
second home for Asiatic lions found only in Gir national park, Gujarat.
Translocation of lions from Gir to Kuno Palpur has been a bitter issue between the two BJP rules states
for more than a decade with Prime Minister NarendraModi terming the big cats as ―pride of Gujarat‖
which it cannot share when he was Gujarat‘s chief minister between 2002 and 2014.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/M.P.-seeks-
%E2%80%98immediate%E2%80%99-transfer-of-Asiatic-lions-from-Gujarat/article14477032.ece
78. (b)
Trade Related Analysis of Fauna and Flora in Commerce (TRAFFIC) was established in 1976 by
IUCN and WWF to respond to the growing threats posed by illegal wildlife trade and
overexploitation.
It is a strategic alliance between WWF and IUCN, leading the delivery of key components of their
programmes through a unique partnership that combines the strengths of each of these two major
global conservation organizations.
13 | Page
79. (c)
80. (c)
Biochemical oxygen demand or Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) is a chemical procedure for
determining the amount of dissolved oxygen needed by aerobic biological organisms in a body of
water to break down organic material present in a given water sample at certain temperature over a
specific time period.
It is not a precise quantitative test, although it is widely used as an indication of the organic quality of
water.
It is most commonly expressed in milligrams of oxygen consumed per liter of sample during 5 days
(BOD5) of incubation at 20°C and is often used as a robust surrogate of the degree of organic pollution
of water.
http://aashah.com/Article/Current-Events-9-September-2016-1542.aspx
81. (b)
The Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (CCAC) was
launched by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and six countries—Bangladesh,
Canada, Ghana, Mexico, Sweden, and the United States—in February 2012.
The CCAC aims to catalyze rapid reductions in short-lived climate pollutants to protect human health,
agriculture and the environment.
The Coalition's initial focus is on methane, black carbon, and HFCs. At the same time, partners
recognize that action on short-lived climate pollutants must complement and supplement, not replace,
global action to reduce carbon dioxide, in particular efforts under the UNFCCC.
82. (c)
Bioremediation is a waste management technique that involves the use of organisms to
neutralize pollutants from a contaminated site
Bioremediation is a "treatment that uses naturally occurring organisms to break down hazardous
substances into less toxic or non toxic substances".
Heavy metals such as cadmium and lead are not readily absorbed or captured by
microorganisms.
The use of genetic engineering to create organisms specifically designed for bioremediation has great
potential. The bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans (the most radioresistant organism known) has
been modified to consume and digest toluene and ionic mercury from highly radioactive nuclear
waste.
Releasing genetically augmented organisms into the environment may be problematic as tracking
them can be difficult; bioluminescence genes from other species may be inserted to make this
easier.
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/Oil-degrading-bacteria-to-undergo-field-
trials/article14505992.ece
Environment - Climate Change
83. (a)
The 'Global Climate Change Alliance' (GCCA) was established by the European Union (EU) in
2007 to strengthen dialogue and cooperation with developing countries, in particular least
developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing States (SIDS).
The Alliance helps to ensure that poor developing countries most vulnerable to climate change increase
their capacities to adapt to the effects of climate change, in support of the achievement of the
Millenium Development Goals (MDGs).
In 2014, a new phase of the GCCA, the GCCA+ flagship initiative, began in line with the European
Commission‘s new Multiannual Financial Framework (2014-2020).
14 | Page
The GCCA+ aim is to boost the efficiency of its response to the needs of vulnerable countries and
groups.
GCCA+ acts as a source of technical and financial support for the world's most climate-vulnerable
countries, whose populations need climate finance the most.
84. (c)
A form of carbon sequestration known as geo-sequestration, involves injecting carbon dioxide,
generally in supercritical form, directly into underground geological formations. Oil fields, gas fields,
saline formations, unmineable coal seams, and saline-filled basalt formations have been suggested as
storage sites. Various physical (e.g., highly impermeable caprock) and geochemical trapping
mechanisms would prevent the CO2 from escaping to the surface.
Science & Technology
85. (c)
The plastic, organic layers of an Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) are thinner, lighter and more
flexible than the crystalline layers in an LED or LCD. OLED substrates can be plastic rather than the
glass used for LEDs and LCDs.
A flexible organic light emitting diode (FOLED) is a type of organic light-emitting diode (OLED)
incorporating a flexible plastic substrate on which the electroluminescent organic semiconductor is
deposited. This enables the device to be bent or rolled while still operating. Roll-up displays
embedded in fabrics or clothing are possible.
Transparent OLEDs use transparent or semi-transparent contacts on both sides of the device to create
displays that can be made to be both top and bottom emitting (transparent). TOLEDs can greatly
improve contrast, making it much easier to view displays in bright sunlight.
86. (c)
87. (b)
The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA), is a proposed European Space Agency mission
designed to detect and accurately measure gravitational waves — tiny ripples in the fabric
of space-time — from astronomical sources.
http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/LISA-Pathfinder-results-boost-plans-for-future-
detectors/article14391619.ece
http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/Gravitational-waves-can-explain-how-black-holes-are-
born/article14404868.ece
88. (a)
Event horizon is the boundary marking the limits of a black hole. At the event horizon, the escape
velocity is equal to the speed of light.
Gravitational singularity, a region in spacetime in which tidal gravitational forces become infinite.
In physics, string theory is a theoretical framework in which the point-like particles of particle physics
are replaced by one-dimensional objects called strings. It describes how the strings propagate through
space and interact with each other.
http://www.aashah.com/Article/Current-Events-13-November-2016-1750.aspx
89. (b)
Algae based biofuels (ABB) can grow on marginal or non-crop land, so they don‘t compete with
valuable agricultural land. They can be grown on brackish or polluted water and so don‘t require
freshwater resources either.
15 | Page
Micro algae consume carbon dioxide (CO2) and emit oxygen as they grow and thus help reduce the
total amount of CO2 in the atmosphere.
Concerns specific to developing countries:
 All ABB concepts require significant capital investment.
 Access to this technology by the poor may be difficult.
 Foreign investment could lead to revenues leaving the country.
 Large-scale facilities are more economically viable, but are also more likely tohave higher social
and ecological impacts.
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/india-can-be-a-world-leader-in-algal-
farming-says-us-expert/article9449569.ece
International Organizations (6 Qs)
90. (b)
The Global Infrastructure Facility (GIF), launched in 2014, is a partnership among governments,
multilateral development banks, private sector investors, and financiers. It is a World Bank Group
initiative to improve infrastructure development
91. (b)
UN–Habitat is the United Nations agency for human settlements and sustainable urban development.
It was established in 1978 as an outcome of the First UN Conference on Human Settlements and
Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat I) held in Vancouver, Canada in 1976.
It is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally
sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all. It
Habitat Agenda was adopted by the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) in
Istanbul, Turkey, in 1996.
UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (also known as ―Habitat III”
conference) held in Quito, Ecuador in October 2016.
The mandate of UN-Habitat is further derived from other internationally agreed development goals,
including those contained in the United Nations Millennium Declaration, in particular the target on
achieving a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum-dwellers by the year 2020;
and the target on water and sanitation of the Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on
Sustainable Development, which seeks to halve, by the year 2015, the proportion of people without
sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation
UN-Habitat has worked in India with the District Administration and Municipal Council of Cuddalore,
and with NGOs.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-elected-president-of-un-habitat/article18413884.ece
92. (b)
The ‗Indian Ocean Naval Symposium’ (IONS) is a voluntary initiative that seeks to increase
maritime co-operation among navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region by providing an
open and inclusive forum for discussion of regionally relevant maritime issues. In the process, it
endeavours to generate a flow of information between naval professionals that would lead to common
understanding and possibly cooperative solutions on the way ahead.
The inaugural IONS-2008 was held in New Delhi, India in 2008.
93. (d)
The Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) is a series of world summits, launched by U.S. President Barack
Obama, aimed at preventing nuclear terrorism around the globe.
The first summit was held in Washington, D.C., United States, in 2010.
The second summit was held in Seoul, South Korea, in 2012.
The third summit was held in The Hague, Netherlands, in 2014.
The fourth and last summit was held in Washington, D.C. in 2016
16 | Page
The International Panel on Fissile Materials (IPFM), established in 2006, is a group of
independent nuclear experts from 18 countries: Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India,
Iran, Japan, the Netherlands, Mexico, Norway, Pakistan, South Korea, Russia, South Africa, Sweden,
the United Kingdom, and the United States.
It aims to advance international initiatives to ―secure and to sharply reduce all stocks of highly
enriched uranium and separated plutonium, the key materials in nuclear weapons, and to limit any
further production‖.
http://www.aashah.com/Article.aspx?aid=1033
94. (d)
The sixth edition of Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Housing and Urban Development
(APMCHUD) held in New Delhi in December 2016.
It has adopted New Delhi declaration to adopt Urban Plus approach.
The theme of conference was ‗Emerging Urban Forms-Policy Reforms and Governance Structures in
the Context of New Urban Agenda‘.
It was attended by representatives of Asia Pacific countries that account for over 55% of global urban
population.
The next biennial APMCHUD Conference will be hosted by Iran in 2018.
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=155544
95. (c)
The Digital Single Market Strategy is part of the Digital Agenda for Europe 2020 program of the
EU.
Its three "pillars" are.
 Access to online products and services
 Conditions for digital networks and services to grow and thrive
 Growth of the European digital economy
These should address issues such as "reforming European copyright law" and "reviewing rules for
audiovisual media", geo-blocking, cross-border sales, "reforming EU telecoms rules", "digital services'
handling of personal data" and "building a data-driven economy".
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/India-EU-to-discuss-trade-%E2%80%98sensitive-
bilateral-issues%E2%80%99-at-Brussels-Summit/article14181623.ece
Current - International Affairs (5 Qs)
96. (a)
'Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA)‘ negotiated between India and EU.
97. (a)
Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) is a part of WTO's Bali Ministerial Package of 2013.
http://www.aashah.com/Article/7-February-2017-Question-bank-2132.aspx
98. (c)
Chabahar port
17 | Page
99. (a)
In September 2015, World Trade Organization (WTO) ruled that domestic content requirements
(DCR) in India's solar power development programme, Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission
(JNNSM) conflict with international rules of imports.
http://www.aashah.com/Article/28-February-2017-Question-bank-2201.aspx
100. (a)
‘Global Gender Gap Index' ranking is published annually by the World Economic Forum
http://aashah.com/Article/Current-Events-26-October-2016-1691.aspx
18 | Page

Upsc Prelims 2017 General Studies-I Topic-Wise Answer Key 35 Questions From Last One Years Current Affairs Coverage by A. A. Shah's IAS Institute

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UPSC PRELIMS 2017

Social schemes (7 Qs)

Environment – Biodiversity (7 Qs)

Environment - Climate Change

Science & Technology

International Organizations (6 Qs)

Current - International Affairs (5 Qs)

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