Mains Test SERIES2020: Sample Answers & Additional Content

MAINS TEST
SERIES2020
Science and Technology
TEST NO.: MT(GS)-13
SAMPLE ANSWERS
& ADDITIONAL CONTENT
►QUESTION TAGSFOR L1 TESTS
 DEFINE - Give the precise meaning of
 ENUMERATE/ MENTION/ HIGHLIGHT - List out ALL the relevant points briefly (don’t get into
details). Note: Width is more important than depth.
 DESCRIBE/ EXPLAIN / ELUCIDATE/ SUBSTANTIATE / ELABORATE/ ILLUSTRATE / CLARIFY - Bring
clarity by giving relevant details (reasons, illustration, data, facts, examples, etc.)
 ACCOUNT FOR / GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF - Provide a detailed narrative about the subject in
question
 DISTINGUISH / DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN - Bring out the differences between the subjects in
question (or relationship if any between them)
 COMMENT– Provide view-point or opinion on the subject in question. Conclusion is necessary.
 ANALYZE/ DISCUSS – Explore the various dimensions of the subject in detail. State clearly the pros
and cons or argue for and against. Authenticate by giving examples or support your argument (or
stand point) by giving evidence or reasons. Conclusion is necessary.
Please note:
 Give examples/ data wherever required to authenticate your arguments.

 In Geography, draw diagrams wherever possible.
 Understand the subject and demand of the question and get straight to the point.
SAMPLE ANSWERS | QIP-MTS-20/MT(GS)-13
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Question The Sample Answers have been constructed to train students about how to
No. write relevant and succinct answers in exam condition.
1. What do you understand by the 4th Industrial Revolution? How is it 10

going to impact various aspects of life?(150 Words)
 Introduction:Define Industrial Revolutions with emphasis on the 4th

Industrial Revolution
 Body:4th Industrial Revolution impacting various aspects of life
 Conclusion:4th Industrial revolution is more than just a technology-driven
change
Industrial revolution refers to an era of accelerated technological

progress characterized by new innovations.
Recently introduced, 4th Industrial Revolution represents a new chapter in

human development that is built over and above the first, second and
third industrial revolutions.
It envisages fusion of technologies aimed at blurring lines between the

physical, digital, and biological spheres. As witnessed by breakthroughs
such as Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Internet of Things, Autonomous
Vehicles, 3-D Printing, Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, Quantum
Computing etc.
It aims at impacting various aspects of life, such as –
 Transportation - E.g. Self-driving cars to increase productivity and

enhance pedestrian Safety.
 Education – E.g. Alexa lectures in rural Amravati building learning gap

in government schools.
 Health – E.g. Odisha's digital dispensary to provide primary healthcare.
 Manufacturing– E.g. Smart factories using automation and analytics to

improve overall performance.
Hence, 4th Industrial revolution is more than just technology-driven

change; it is an opportunity to help everyone, including leaders, policy-
makers and people from all income groups and nations, to harness
converging technologies in order to create an inclusive, human-centred
future.
QIP-MTS-20/MT(GS)-13/RAU’S IAS TEST SERIES 1 P.T.O.

2. What do you understand by Gene Editing? Explain in the context of 10

the CRISPR CAS9 technology.(150 Words)
 Introduction:
o Define gene editing
o Write few of its applications
 Body: Briefly write about CRISPR-Cas9 and its working
 Conclusion: Advantage of CRISPR-Cas9 over other gene editing techniques
Gene editing, also known as Genome editing is a technique used to

precisely and efficiently modify DNA within a cell. It involves making cuts
at specific DNA sequences with enzymes to alter the genome.
It has various applications such as –
 Curing genetic diseases such as Haemophilia.
 Developing genetically modify crops such as BT cotton etc.
Several approaches to genome editing have been developed. A recent

one is known as CRISPR-Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short
palindromic repeats and CRISPR-associated protein 9) that is used to
undertake targeted genome editing.
CRISPR-Cas9 system consists of two key molecules –
 An enzyme called Cas9 acts as a pair of ‘molecular scissors’ that cuts of

DNA strands at specific location, so that bits of DNA can then be added
or removed.
 A piece of RNA called guide RNA (gRNA) that binds to the target
sequence so that Cas9 enzyme cuts at the right point in the genome.
Presently, CRISPR/Cas9 is preferred over other genome editing

technologies because of its precision, simplicity, efficiency and
affordability.

3. What do you understand by Polymetallic Nodules (PMN)? Highlight 10

their significance in the context of the recently launched Deep Ocean
Mission. (150 Words)
 Introduction:
o Define Polymetallic nodules (PMN)
o Provide its composition and distribution
 Body: Write briefly about Deep Ocean Mission
Significance of polymetallic nodule in context of Deep Ocean Mission
 Conclusion: Samudrayaan project
Polymetallic nodules also Known as manganese nodules are rock

concretions found on the sea bottom ranging from millimetres to tens of
centimeters in diameter.
Composition
 Concentric layers of iron and manganese hydroxides around a core.
 Nickel, copper and cobalt in commercially attractive concentrations.
 Traces of other valuable metals such as molybdenum, zirconium and
Rare Earth Elements (REE).
Distribution
 Equatorial Pacific Ocean
 Central Indian Ocean Basin
India obtained exclusive right from International Seabed Authority to
explore polymetallic nodules in the Indian Ocean. In this regard,
Government has launched Deep Ocean Mission (DOM) that aims to –
 Undertake deep-sea mining
 Provide Ocean climate change advisory services
 Develop underwater vehicles and related robotics technologies.
Significance of polymetallic nodule in context of Deep Ocean Mission
 Source of raw material for industries - electronic devices, smart-
phones, batteries, solar panels etc.
 Energy security - It is envisaged that 10% of recovery of large reserve
can meet the energy requirement of India for the next 100 years.
In this regard, India has indigenously developed 'Samudrayaan' vehicle
that shall help India join the league of developed nations in exploration of
minerals from oceans.

4. What do you understand by Artificial Intelligence? Highlight its 10

applications in the area of medical diagnosis and healthcare.
(150 Words)
 Introduction: Define Artificial Intelligence

 Body:
o Application of AI in Medical Diagnosis
o Application of AI in Healthcare
 Conclusion: Summarize
Artificial intelligence (AI) is simulation of human intelligence processes by

machines, especially computer systems. It is based on the principle that
human intelligence can be defined in a way that a machine can easily
mimic it and execute tasks, from the most simple to the most complex.
The goals of artificial intelligence include learning, reasoning, and
perception.
Applications of AI
Medical Diagnosis:
 Data-driven clinical decision support (CDS) to physicians shall help
enhance diagnosis accuracy.
 Wearable healthcare technology E.g. Fit Bits shall allow one to assess
one's own health through technology thereby easing the workload of
health professionals.
Healthcare:
 Data record - E.g. Google Cloud's Healthcare app to make it easier for
health organizations to collect, store, and access.
 Pinpoint treatments – E.g. IBM Watson's ability to provide that for
cancer patients.
 Preventative medicine and new drug discovery – via use of
sophisticated algorithms.
 Robotic surgery and therapy enhance access to quality healthcare via
timely intervention.
 Insight into a patient’s real-time needs via use of deep learning
platform that analyses unstructured patient health data.
AI holds key to faster and affordable healthcare in the near future.

5. What is Genome Sequencing? Write a note on the ‘IndiGen’ 10

Initiative.(150 Words)
 Introduction: Define Genome Sequencing and briefly highlight its

importance
 Body: Write note on ‘Indigen’ initiative
 Conclusion: ‘Indigen’ possible impact
Genome sequencing is the procedure of decoding the genetic code of an

individual. A genome of an individual is made of 4 nucleotide molecules
(Adenine, Cytosine, Thymine, Guanine) that occur as pairs and these base-
pairs are arranged in a particular sequence similar to a book which is
arranged as a sequence of alphabets. Genome sequencing is a process of
reading this sequence of base-pairs and thus decoding the ‘genetic code’
of an individual.
Genome sequencing is done in order to detect factors responsible for

genetic disorders like sickle cell anaemia, cystic fibrosis, bubble boy
syndrome, Down syndrome, Hunter’s syndrome, Thalassemia etc. and
consequent development of appropriate diagnostics, drugs and
treatment strategies.
Popular genome sequencing projects include Human Genome Project,

Genomics England, Australia’s 100,000 Genomes Project,
GenomeAsia100K etc.
‘IndiGen’ is the first of its kind whole genome sequencing of Indians.

Under the initiative, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
has sequenced the entire genomes of 1008 Indians in six months. The
mission is aimed at demonstrating capability and scalability of Indian
research institutions.
‘Indigen’ initiative will go a long way in development of precision medicine,

personalized medicine for various diseases and increase awareness of
genetic disorders in India.

6. What are autonomous vehicles? What are the challenges that the 15
autonomous vehicles need to overcome in order to become
widespread in India? (250 Words)
 Introduction: Define Autonomous vehicles with examples

 Body:
o Briefly explain working of Autonomous vehicles
o Challenges faced in wide spreading their use
 Conclusion: Way forward
Autonomous vehicles are light motor vehicles with highest level of

automation such that they can drive without a human driver and thus are
also called self-driving cars.
Autonomous vehicles primarily use sensors (cameras, radars, lidar etc.),

navigation and communication systems to collect data from the
environment including roads, other vehicles, traffic signals, sign boards
etc.
The AI-based processing systems and electronic control systems process

and send data to electro-mechanical systems that run the car based on
the data so obtained.
Challenges
• Reliability: Autonomous vehicles are effective in homogenous and

predictable driving conditions. Unpredictable driving conditions of
Indian roads characterized by narrow lanes, difficult terrains make AI-
based systems unreliable.
• Infrastructure: Autonomous vehicles sense cues from environment

via communication with objects like traffic signal, parking lots, sign
boards etc. Thus infrastructure needs to be upgraded, which is both
cost and time intensive.
• Legal and regulatory standards: Before we migrate into

autonomous vehicles, strict legal and regulatory standards should be
in place. Designing appropriate legislations is a challenge particularly
with respect to licensing, driver liability, insurance, traffic violations etc.

Besides given the use of elaborate communication technologies,

privacy and data protection risks may arise.
• Safety: Failure of any AI-system may lead to fatal accidents.
While autonomous cars are said to revolutionize sustainable mobility in

urban areas, the above challenges should be overcome for their
widespread use.

7. What do you understand by the term ‘space debris’? Do you think 15

Mission Shakti of India is against the ethos of space ethics?
(250 Words)
 Introduction: Definition of space debris/ Components of space debris

 Body:
o Implications of space debris
o Need to safeguard space assets and Mission Shakti
o International space treaties and Mission Shakti
o Safeguards taken against space debris
 Conclusion: Official stand of India/MEA statement/PMO’s stand
Space debris (space junk) refers to defunct human-made objects in space.
It encompasses
 Natural particles (meteoroid)
 Artificial (man-made particles which no longer serve useful functions

like defunct satellites, mission-related debris, etc.)
The rising amount of space debris increases the potential danger to space
vehicles like space shuttles etc.
Owing to the inevitable dependence on the satellites, their launch cannot

be surpassed.
But at the same time, it becomes equally important to safeguard such

resources. In this regard India has maintained utmost care while
launching “Mission Shakti”– India’s first anti-satellite (ASAT) missile.
This mission did not add onto the burden of space debris and
maintained proper safeguards by ensuring that the
 Test was done in lower atmosphere (<300 kilometres) and at a

particular angle to ensure that there is no space debris.
 Whatever little debris was generated would decay and fall back onto
the earth within weeks.

 ‘Kinetic kill’ technology was used to target satellites, to avoid making

use of explosives.
Thus, mission succeeded in upholding Ethos of space ethics. By adhering

to international space treaties like Outer space treaty, 1967 and Moon
Agreement, 1979 that advocate civil and peaceful use of space where
weapons of mass destruction are explicitly prohibited.
Considering US’s intention of organizing ‘space army’, it may be viewed as

generating credible deterrence for future threats.
Here, it must be noted that India's space capabilities do not threaten any
country and nor are they directed against anyone. It is purely a
“defensive” move aimed at securing its space infrastructure. It does not
change India’s strong opposition to weaponization of space.

8. What is agricultural biotechnology? What are the risks and benefits 15

associated with it? (250 Words)
 Introduction: Definition of Agricultural Biotechnology

 Body:
o Benefits of agricultural biotechnology
o Challenges associated
 Conclusion: Views of GEAC/Agriculture ministry/ any other personality
Agricultural biotechnology is a range of tools that alter living organisms,

or parts of organisms, to make or modify products; improve plants or
animals; or develop microorganisms for specific agricultural uses. It
includes both traditional breeding techniques and modern tools of
genetic engineering.
Benefits
For Producers:
• Safe and easier pest control and weed management E.g. BT Brinjal.
• Enhanced crop yields and productivity.
• Withstand weather fluctuations and extremes E.g. Flood-tolerant

“Scuba Rice”
• Enhanced quality traits E.g. Golden rice with Vitamin A
For Consumers:
• Foods with long-lasting life E.g. FlavrSavr tomato.
• Enhanced Nutrition via food fortification E.g. Iodine Salt
• Lower levels of toxicants in food.
• Low saturated fats in cooking oils etc.
For Researchers:
• Understanding the basic biology of living organisms.
• Producing newer more potent antibiotics.
• Producing new vaccines for crop diseases.

For Environment:
• Herbicide-tolerant crops, compatible with no-till/reduced tillage

systems, helps preserve topsoil from erosion E.g. HT mustard
• Phyto-remediation E.g. Use of Poplar handling heavy metallic

pollution.
Risks associated:
• Effects on human health are not well studied. It may trigger:
o Emergence of new disease
o Allergies
• Impact on other organisms and overall environment is also debatable.
• Anti-microbial resistance – E.g. BT cotton has developed resistance to

Pink ball worm.
• Patent Rights can lead to monopolization E.g. Terminator seeds.
• GM crops could push farmers to debt.
Biotechnology has all the potentials to revolutionise the agriculture but it

needs appropriate safeguards and awareness programmes to meet the
apprehensions of all stakeholders. This view is in consonance with
Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee, Agriculture ministry and
Norman Borlaug (father of the Green Revolution).

9. The DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill – 2019, will 15
go a long way in reforming the criminal justice system in India. What
is DNA profiling? How are DNA profiles established? What are the
advantages of DNA profiling in investigation procedures?(250 Words)
 Introduction: Define DNA profiling and its use in criminal investigation.

 Body: Briefly explain how DNA profiles are established.
 Conclusion: Highlight advantages of DNA profiles in crime investigations.
In order to improve the criminal investigation landscape in India, the

parliament is set to pass the DNA Technology (Use and Application)
Regulation Bill 2019 that seeks to allow DNA profiling in specific cases.
DNA profiling or DNA fingerprinting is creation of a biometric database

comprising DNA information of individuals. It is generally done in order to
establish the identity of certain categories of persons including missing
persons, offenders, under trials, unknown deceased persons, disaster
victims, crime victims etc. Besides DNA profiling also helps in determining
biological relationships to establish parentage, viability of organ
transplantation etc.
Establishing DNA Profiles
While DNA is unique to an individual’s genetic makeup, it is 99.9% similar

between all individuals within the human species. The variable regions
(0.1%) also called Variable Number of Tandem Repeats (VNTR) that are
unique to individual’s DNA constitute the DNA profile of that individual.
The DNA profile of an individual varies in some regions in terms of the
number of times a sequence of nucleotide base pairs is repeated. Thus by
counting the number of times these base-pair sequences are repeated in
these variable regions a DNA profile of an individual is established.
Advantages of DNA profiling
 More reliable and accurate -Helps in precisely establishing the

biological identity of a person.

 Various medical uses - Match tissues of organ donors with those of

people who need transplants, identify diseases and conditions.
 Unlike blood samples, DNA material remains usable for long periods
of time.
As a result of above advantages, DNA profiling can go a long way in

improving the conviction rates in crimes like rape, murder etc. which is as
low as around 30% in India, currently.

10. The success of the Electric Vehicle Revolution is said to be dependent 15

on the success of Lithium-ion batteries manufacturing in India. What
are the advantages of Lithium-ion batteries? List down some of the
challenges to the development of Lithium-ion battery manufacturing
in India.(250 Words)
 Introduction: Highlight importance of Li-ion batteries in EV revolution

 Body: Highlight the advantages of Li-ion batteries
 Conclusion: List down challenges associated with manufacturing of Li-ion
batteries
Lithium ion batteries are rechargeable, lightweight batteries that have

revolutionized safe energy-storage. Their high efficiency compared to
internal combustion engines makes them an ideal choice for Electric
Vehicles.
Given that batteries constitute the major constituent of electric vehicles,

developing manufacturing capabilities of Li-ion batteries is a must for
electric vehicle revolution in India.
Advantages of Li-ion batteries
 Light weight: Li-ion batteries are the lightest batteries because lithium
is the lightest metal available.
 High Energy Density: Lithium being a highly reactive element, it has

high energy density. Compared to a lead-acid battery, Li-ion battery
weighs 6 times less to store the same amount of energy.
 Low Maintenance: Low self-discharge capability of Li-ion batteries

enables it to be recharged before it completely discharges, making it
easily rechargeable just like any other fuel.
Challenges to Li-ion battery manufacturing
 Nascent industry: Li-ion battery manufacturing is a nascent industry

in India. Currently Li-ion batteries are imported mostly from China,
South Korea and Taiwan.

 High manufacturing cost: Li-ion batteries are around 40% more

costly to manufacture than Lead-acid batteries.
 Resource crunch: Li-ion battery use lithium, cobalt, nickel and

manganese which are in short supply in the world (restricted to
Bolivia, Chile).
 Difficult switch: Given that internal combustion engine has more

than 2000-odd moving parts, the survival of MSME landscape in India
currently depends on manufacturing of these auto part. This has
hindered the switch to EVs which have significantly less number of
auto components (20-odd) in turn hindering the growth of Li-ion
battery manufacturing in India.
In order to give a push to Li-ion battery manufacturing in India, ISRO

recently announced a technology transfer package to competent Indian
industries for setting up local production units.

ADDITIONAL
CONTENT
FOR
CONCEPTUAL
CLARITY
ADDITIONAL CONTENT | QIP-MTS-20/MT(GS)-13
ADDITIONAL CONTENT FOR CONCEPTUAL CLARITY AND RELATED INFORMATION
1. FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

The Third Industrial Revolution used electronics and information technology to automate production. Fourth
Industrial Revolution is building on the Third, the digital revolution that has been occurring since the middle of the last
century. It is characterized by a fusion of technologies that is blurring the lines between the physical, digital, and
biological spheres.
The possibilities of billions of people connected by mobile devices, with unprecedented processing power, storage
capacity, and access to knowledge, are unlimited. And these possibilities will be multiplied by emerging technology
breakthroughs in fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, the Internet of Things, autonomous vehicles, 3-D
printing, nanotechnology, biotechnology, materials science, energy storage, and quantum computing.
Already, artificial intelligence is all around us, from self-driving cars and drones to virtual assistants and software that
translate or invest. Impressive progress has been made in AI in recent years, driven by exponential increases in
computing power and by the availability of vast amounts of data, from software used to discover new drugs to
algorithms used to predict our cultural interests. Digital fabrication technologies, meanwhile, are interacting with the
biological world on a daily basis. Engineers, designers, and architects are combining computational design, additive
manufacturing, materials engineering, and synthetic biology to pioneer a symbiosis between microorganisms, our
bodies, the products we consume, and even the buildings we inhabit.
On the supply side, many industries are seeing the introduction of new technologies that create entirely new ways of
serving existing needs and significantly disrupt existing industry value chains. Disruption is also flowing from agile,
innovative competitors who, thanks to access to global digital platforms for research, development, marketing, sales,
and distribution, can oust well-established incumbents faster than ever by improving the quality, speed, or price at
which value is delivered.
Major shifts on the demand side are also occurring, as growing transparency, consumer engagement, and new
patterns of consumer behaviour (increasingly built upon access to mobile networks and data) force companies to
adapt the way they design, market, and deliver products and services.
Whether consumers or businesses, customers are increasingly at the epicentre of the economy, which is all about
improving how customers are served. Physical products and services, moreover, can now be enhanced with digital
capabilities that increase their value.
The impact on government: As the physical, digital, and biological worlds continue to converge, new technologies
and platforms will increasingly enable citizens to engage with governments, voice their opinions, coordinate their
efforts, and even circumvent the supervision of public authorities. Simultaneously, governments will gain new
technological powers to increase their control over populations, based on pervasive surveillance systems and the
ability to control digital infrastructure. On the whole, however, governments will increasingly face pressure to change
their current approach to public engagement and policymaking, as their central role of conducting policy diminishes
owing to new sources of competition and the redistribution and decentralization of power that new technologies
make possible.
The impact on people: The Fourth Industrial Revolution, finally, will change not only what we do but also who we are.
It will affect our identity and all the issues associated with it: our sense of privacy, our notions of ownership, our
consumption patterns, the time we devote to work and leisure, and how we develop our careers, cultivate our skills,
meet people, and nurture relationships. It is already changing our health and leading to a “quantified” self, and sooner
than we think it may lead to human augmentation. The list is endless because it is bound only by our imagination.
Challenge Posed: One of the greatest individual challenges posed by new information technologies is privacy. We
instinctively understand why it is so essential, yet the tracking and sharing of information about us is a crucial part of

the new connectivity. Debates about fundamental issues such as the impact on our inner lives of the loss of control
over our data will only intensify in the years ahead. Similarly, the revolutions occurring in biotechnology and AI, which
are redefining what it means to be human by pushing back the current thresholds of life span, health, cognition, and
capabilities, will compel us to redefine our moral and ethical boundaries.
2. GENE EDITING
Gene editing is the ability to make highly specific changes in the DNA sequence of a living organism.
Genome editing (also called gene editing) is a group of technologies that give scientists the ability to change an
organism's DNA. These technologies allow genetic material to be added, removed, or altered at particular locations in
the genome.
Genome editing can be used to –
 To treat disease: Single-gene disorders such as haemophilia and sickle cell disease.
 For biotechnology: E.g. use in agriculture to genetically modify crops to improve their yields and resistance to
disease and drought.
 For research: Genome editing can be used to change the DNA in cells or organisms to understand their biology
and how they work.
Several approaches to genome editing have been developed. A recent one is known as CRISPR-Cas9, which is short for
clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and CRISPR-associated protein 9. The CRISPR-Cas9 system
has generated a lot of excitement in the scientific community because it is faster, cheaper, more accurate, and more
efficient than other existing genome editing methods.
CRISPR-Cas9 was adapted from a naturally occurring genome editing system in bacteria. The bacteria capture snippets
of DNA from invading viruses and use them to create DNA segments known as CRISPR arrays. The CRISPR arrays allow
the bacteria to "remember" the viruses (or closely related ones). If the viruses attack again, the bacteria produce RNA
segments from the CRISPR arrays to target the viruses' DNA. The bacteria then use Cas9 or a similar enzyme to cut the
DNA apart, which disables the virus.
The CRISPR-Cas9 system works similarly in the lab. Researchers create a small piece of RNA with a short "guide"
sequence that attaches (binds) to a specific target sequence of DNA in a genome. The RNA also binds to the Cas9
enzyme. As in bacteria, the modified RNA is used to recognize the DNA sequence, and the Cas9 enzyme cuts the DNA
at the targeted location. Although Cas9 is the enzyme that is used most often, other enzymes (for example Cpf1) can
also be used. Once the DNA is cut, researchers use the cell's own DNA repair machinery to add or delete pieces of
genetic material, or to make changes to the DNA by replacing an existing segment with a customized DNA sequence.
Genome editing is of great interest in the prevention and treatment of human diseases. Currently, most research on
genome editing is done to understand diseases using cells and animal models. Scientists are still working to
determine whether this approach is safe and effective for use in people. It is being explored in research on a wide
variety of diseases, including single-gene disorders such as cystic fibrosis, haemophilia, and sickle cell disease. It also
holds promise for the treatment and prevention of more complex diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, mental
illness, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.
Ethical concerns arise when genome editing, using technologies such as CRISPR-Cas9, is used to alter human
genomes. Most of the changes introduced with genome editing are limited to somatic cells, which are cells other than
egg and sperm cells. These changes affect only certain tissues and are not passed from one generation to the next.
However, changes made to genes in egg or sperm cells (germline cells) or in the genes of an embryo could be passed

to future generations. Germline cell and embryo genome editing bring up a number of ethical challenges, including
whether it would be permissible to use this technology to enhance normal human traits (such as height or
intelligence). Based on concerns about ethics and safety, germline cell and embryo genome editing are currently
illegal in many countries.
3. DEEP SEA MINING

Deep Sea Mining is a relatively new mineral retrieval process that takes place on the ocean floor. It involves mining the
ocean floor for resources such as diamonds, gold, silver, metal ores (manganese nodules) and even underwater gravel
mines.
• Broad range of potential environmental problems associated.
o Greatest impacts will likely come from undersea dredge mining for various oceanic minerals.
o Dredges dig up the ocean floor, damaging animal habitats and killing fish and invertebrate species.
o If an area is subject to intense ocean floor mining it’s possible that floor-dwelling communities could be
destroyed.
o Repairing damage of this kind is nearly impossible.
o Sediment plumes are another problem.
o May cloud up the water, reducing the amount of light available for photosynthesis for marine organisms.
o May also infuse dissolved heavy metals in the water that accumulate in the food chain, further harming
marine animals.
o As land based minerals become increasingly scarce, the popularity of undersea mining stands to increase.
o While most ocean minerals remain inaccessible for now, continued technological advances suggest that
humans will soon be able to extract additional resources from the ocean floor.
Poly metallic nodules

Poly metallic nodules are rounded accretions of manganese and iron hydroxides that cover vast areas of the seafloor,
but are most abundant on abyssal plains at water depths of 4000-6500 metres. They form through the aggregation of
layers of iron and manganese hydroxides around a central particle (such as a shell or small rock fragment), and range
in size from a few millimetres to tens of centimetres.
Growth of these nodules is extremely slow, at a rate of millimetres per million years, and they remain on the seafloor
surface, often partially buried in a thin layer of sediment.
The composition of nodules varies with their environment of formation, but in addition to manganese and iron, they
can contain nickel, copper and cobalt in commercially attractive concentrations as well as traces of other valuable
metals such as molybdenum, zirconium and REEs.
 What will be mined from the deep ocean?
One of the main aims of the mission is to explore and extract poly metallic nodules. These are small potato-like
rounded accretions composed of minerals such as manganese, nickel, cobalt, copper and iron hydroxide. They lie
scattered on the Indian Ocean floor at depths of about 6,000 m and the size can vary from a few millimetres to
centimetres. These metals can be extracted and used in electronic devices, smart phones, batteries and even for solar
panels.

 Where will the team mine?
The International Seabed Authority (ISA), an autonomous international organisation established under the 1982
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, allots the ‘area’ for deep-sea mining. India was the first country to
receive the status of a ‘Pioneer Investor ‘ in 1987 and was given an area of about 1.5 lakh sq km in the Central Indian
Ocean Basin (CIOB) for nodule exploration. In 2002, India signed a contract with the ISA and after complete resource
analysis of the seabed 50% was surrendered and the country retained an area of 75,000 sq km.
According to a release from the Ministry of Earth Sciences, the estimated poly metallic nodule resource potential in
this area is 380 million tonnes (MT), containing 4.7 MT of nickel, 4.29 MT of copper, 0.55 MT of cobalt and 92.59 MT of
manganese. Further studies have helped narrow the mining area to 18,000 sq km which will be the ‘First Generation
Mine-site’.
Under Deep Ocean Mission ‘SamudrayaanProject’ will be launched by National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT)
by 2021-22 to explore the deep sea region. It is pilot project of Union.
4. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Artificial intelligence (AI) is wide-ranging branch of computer science concerned with building smart machines capable
of performing tasks the typically require human intelligence. AI is an interdisciplinary science with multiple
approaches, but advancements in machine learning and deep learning are creating a paradigm shift in virtually every
sector of the tech industry.
AI in Medicine
The advantages of AI have been extensively discussed in the medical literature. AI can use sophisticated algorithms to
‘learn’ features from a large volume of healthcare data, and then use the obtained insights to assist clinical practice. It
can also be equipped with learning and self-correcting abilities to improve its accuracy based on feedback. An AI
system can assist physicians by providing up-to-date medical information from journals, textbooks and clinical
practices to inform proper patient care. In addition, an AI system can help to reduce diagnostic and therapeutic errors
that are inevitable in the human clinical practice. Moreover, an AI system extracts useful information from a large
patient population to assist making real-time inferences for health risk alert and health outcome prediction.
Disease Diagnosis: There are many diseases out there but there also many ways that AI has been used to efficiently
and accurately diagnose them. Some of the diseases that are the most notorious such as Diabetes, and Cardiovascular
Disease (CVD) which are both in the top ten for causes of death worldwide have been the basis behind a lot of the
research/testing to help get an accurate diagnosis. Due to such a high mortality rate being associated with these
diseases there have been efforts to integrate various methods in helping get accurate diagnosis’.
Tele Health: The increase of Tele medicine has shown the rise of possible AI applications. The ability to monitor
patients using AI may allow for the communication of information to physicians if possible disease activity may have
occurred. A wearable device may allow for constant monitoring of a patient and also allow for the ability to notice
changes that may be less distinguishable by humans.
Electronic health records: Electronic health records are crucial to the digitalization and information spread of the
healthcare industry. However, logging all of this data comes with its own problems like cognitive overload and burnout
for users.

5. GENOME SEQUENCING
What is whole genome sequencing?
A genome is the DNA, or sequence of genes, in a cell. Most of the DNA is in the nucleus and intricately coiled into a
structure called the chromosome. The rest is in the mitochondria, the cell’s powerhouse. Every human cell contains a
pair of chromosomes, each of which has three billion base pairs or one of four molecules that pair in precise ways.
The order of base pairs and varying lengths of these sequences constitute the “genes”, which are responsible for
making amino acids, proteins and, thereby, everything that is necessary for the body to function. It is when these
genes are altered or mutated that proteins sometimes do not function as intended, leading to disease.
Sequencing a genome means deciphering the exact order of base pairs in an individual. This “deciphering” or reading
of the genome is what sequencing is all about. Costs of sequencing differ based on the methods employed to do the
reading or the accuracy stressed upon in decoding the genome. Since an initial rough draft of the human genome was
made available in 2000, the cost of generating a fairly accurate “draft” of any individual genome has fallen to a tenth,
or to a ball park figure of around $1,000 (70,000 approximately). It has been known that the portion of the genes
responsible for making proteins — called the exome — occupies about 1% of the actual gene. Rather than sequence
the whole gene, many geneticists rely on “exome maps” (that is the order of exomes necessary to make proteins).
However, it has been established that the non-exome portions also affect the functioning of the genes and that;
ideally, to know which genes of a person’s DNA are “mutated” the genome has to be mapped in its entirety. While
India, led by the CSIR, first sequenced an Indian genome in 2009, it is only now that the organisation’s laboratories
have been able to scale up whole-genome sequencing and offer them to the public.
Indigen: The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) recently announced the conclusion) of exercise
conducting a “whole-genome sequence” of a 1,008 Indians. The project is part of a programme called “IndiGen” and is
also seen as a precursor to a much larger exercise involving other government departments to map a larger swathe of
the population in the country. Project proponents say this will widen public understanding in India about genomes
and the information that genes hide about one’s susceptibility to disease.
How did the CSIR enterprise work?
Under “IndiGen”, the CSIR drafted about 1,000 youth from across India by organising camps in several colleges and
educating attendees on genomics and the role of genes in disease. Some students and participants donated blood
samples from where their DNA sequences were collected.
Globally, many countries have undertaken genome sequencing of a sample of their citizens to determine unique
genetic traits, susceptibility (and resilience) to disease. This is the first time that such a large sample of Indians will be
recruited for a detailed study. The project ties in with a much larger programme funded by the Department of
Biotechnology to sequence at least 10,000 Indian genomes. The CSIR’s “IndiGen” project, as it is called, selected the
1,000-odd from a pool of about 5,000 and sought to include representatives from every State and diverse ethnicities.
Every person whose genomes are sequenced would be given a report. The participants would be informed if they
carry gene variants that make them less responsive to certain classes of medicines.
6. AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE
An autonomous vehicle, or a driverless vehicle, is one that is able to operate itself and perform necessary functions
without any human intervention, through ability to sense its surroundings.
Advantages
 Autonomous vehicles may be able to provide certain advantages compared to human-driven vehicles. One such
potential advantage is that they could provide increased safety on the road – vehicle crashes cause many deaths
every year, and automated vehicles could potentially decrease the number of casualties as the software

used in them is likely to make fewer errors in comparison to humans. A decrease in the number of accidents
could also reduce traffic congestion, which is a further potential advantage posed by autonomous vehicles.
Autonomous driving can also achieve this by the removal of human behaviours that cause blockages on the road,
specifically stop-and-go traffic.
 Another possible advantage of automated driving is that people who are not able to drive – due to factors like
age and disabilities – could be able to use automated cars as more convenient transport systems.
 Additional advantages that come with an autonomous car are elimination of driving fatigue and being able to
sleep during overnight journeys.
Drawbacks
 Expensive - All this technology is currently astronomically expensive. In general, technology grows cheaper the
longer it is available to the public, so self-driving cars may eventually be something anyone can afford. For now
however, most companies have not released a price for their driverless cars.
 Potential For Technology To Go Wrong - Though successful programming lets us do incredible things, there is
always the potential for some unexpected glitch to emerge. Even if a self-driving car performs flawlessly at first, it
is possible for the programming that runs the cars to be updated by the car company with a fault string of code.
Errors like this cause annoyance on our computers and mobile devices, but could potentially cause car accidents
with self-driving cars.
 Licensing Infrastructure Not Yet In Place - Self-driving cars also present a challenge for state and federal
licensing infrastructure. The companies claim these cars are safe, yet it is up to public institutions to keep drivers
safe. Not only do our local car licensing offices need to make sure these cars perform as advertised, they need to
come up with a way to quickly and efficiently license and control them. Should our technology and hunger for
these cars outpace our ability to investigate and approve them, public safety may be at risk.
 Potential for Greater Pollution - While many companies are looking at self-driving cars that use fuel-efficient or
hybrid models, should our access to self-driving cars outpace our commitment to clean energy, we may be looking
at much more pollution. Getting out of your car at the front of the movie theatre without needing to park sounds
good in theory, but if the car you’re driving isn’t electric, emissions would be worse than leaving your car idling
while you watch the movie.
 Potential Loss of Privacy - Finally, though the companies testing self-driving cars claim all pros and no cons,
using a self-driving car means a third party would have the opportunity to track your movements. While many
companies will likely avoid this due to consumer backlash, a massive loss of privacy still exists. Because your car
would be receiving or communicating with data centers, your location would be potentially accessible to people or
organizations who could hack into the network.
All in all, self-driving cars have the potential to be an incredible new wave in the future of humanity. Increased
productivity, rest time, and possibly eliminating risk while driving, have the potential to greatly improve all of our
lives.
7. SPACE DEBRIS
Space debris encompasses both natural (meteoroid) and artificial (man-made) particles. Meteoroids are in orbit about
the sun, while most artificial debris is in orbit about the Earth. Hence, the latter is more commonly referred to as
orbital debris.

Orbital debris is any man-made object in orbit about the Earth which no longer serves a useful function. Such debris
includes nonfunctional spacecraft, abandoned launch vehicle stages, mission-related debris and fragmentation debris.
More than 500,000 pieces of debris, or “space junk,” are tracked as they orbit the Earth. They all travel at speeds up to
17,500 mph, fast enough for a relatively small piece of orbital debris to damage a satellite or a spacecraft.
The rising population of space debris increases the potential danger to all space vehicles, but especially to the
International Space Station, space shuttles and other spacecraft with humans aboard.
NASA takes the threat of collisions with space debris seriously and has a long-standing set of guidelines on how to
deal with each potential collision threat. These guidelines, part of a larger body of decision-making aids known as
flight rules, specify when the expected proximity of a piece of debris increases the probability of a collision enough
that evasive action or other precautions to ensure the safety of the crew are needed.
Mission Shakti: On March 27, 2019 India conducted Mission Shakti, an anti-satellite missile test, from the Dr. A P J
Abdul Kalam Island launch complex. This was a technological mission carried out by DRDO. The satellite used in the
mission was one of India’s existing satellites operating in lower orbit. The test was fully successful and achieved all
parameters as per plans. The test required an extremely high degree of precision and technical capability.
With this test, India joins an exclusive group of space faring nations consisting of USA, Russia and China.
Technology: ‘Hit to Kill’
• The anti- satellite test involved the ‘hit to kill’ missile technology.
• Under the ‘hit to kill’ technology, a missile is shot at the satellite in order to hit and kill the satellite.
Kill vehicle technology
• The anti-satellite missile used was an advanced version of ‘Prithvi Defence Vehicle’ of India’s Ballistic Missile
Defence system.
• This is because the target satellite was in the 300km orbit.
• The Prithvi Defence Vehicle is an interceptor missile designed to intercept targets in the exo-atmosphere at
altitudes of 50-150km.
• The A-SAT missile was based on the exo-atmospheric kill vehicle technology.
Space Debris and Mission Shakti: The test was done in the lower atmosphere to ensure that there is no space
debris. Whatever debris that is generated will decay and fall back onto the earth within weeks (MEA).
After NASA’s claim that the debris from India’s anti-satellite (ASAT) missile test has increased a collision risk to the
International Space Station (ISS) by 44 per cent, a senior advisor to ISRO chairman said that Indian scientists will not
do anything to shame India and the debris from the “Mission Shakti” experiment will burn out in the next six months.
Further, claiming that the DRDO experiment was “not an explosion”, but was more like a “bullet”, a distinguished ISRO
scientist said that the Chinese did an experiment at 800 kilometer altitude where the air pressure is not much. The
debris is still flying around. Whereas, ASAT missile test was done in the right way, with all calculations and it is in the
300 kilometer range of lower earth orbit, where the debris will dissipate much faster.
Purpose of this test: India has a long standing and rapidly growing space programme. It has expanded rapidly in the
last five years. The Mangalyaan Mission to Mars was successfully launched. Thereafter, the government has
sanctioned the Gaganyaan Mission which will take Indians to outer space.
India has undertaken 102 spacecraft missions consisting of communication satellites, earth observation satellites,
experimental satellites, navigation satellites, apart from satellites meant for scientific research and exploration,

academic studies and other small satellites. India’s space programme is a critical backbone of India’s security,
economic and social infrastructure.
The test was done to verify that India has the capability to safeguard our space assets. It is the Government of India’s
responsibility to defend the country’s interests in outer space.
Outer Space Treaty 1967
• According to this treaty, outer space shall be used only for peaceful purposes.
• It prohibits countries from placing into orbit around the Earth any objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other
kinds of weapons of mass destruction.
• It requires that celestial bodies shall be used by all parties exclusively for peaceful purposes and no weapon can
be stationed on them.
• However Outer Space Treaty by itself does not prevent arms race in space.
• India is a party to Outer Space Treaty
8. AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
Agricultural biotechnology is a range of tools, including traditional breeding techniques that alter living organisms, or
parts of organisms, to make or modify products; improve plants or animals; or develop microorganisms for specific
agricultural uses. Modern biotechnology today includes the tools of genetic engineering.
Utility/Benefits of Agricultural biotechnology: Biotechnology provides farmers with tools that can make production
cheaper and more manageable. For example, some biotechnology crops can be engineered to tolerate specific
herbicides, which make weed control simpler and more efficient. Other crops have been engineered to be resistant to
specific plant diseases and insect pests, which can make pest control more reliable and effective, and/or can decrease
the use of synthetic pesticides. These crop production options can help countries keep pace with demands for food
while reducing production costs.
Advances in biotechnology may provide consumers with foods that are nutritionally-enriched or longer-lasting, or that
contain lower levels of certain naturally occurring toxicants present in some food plants. Developers are using
biotechnology to try to reduce saturated fats in cooking oils, reduce allergens in foods, and increase disease-fighting
nutrients in foods.
Genetically engineered plants are also being developed for a purpose known as phyto-remediation in which the
plants detoxify pollutants in the soil or absorb and accumulate polluting substances out of the soil so that the plants
may be harvested and disposed of safely.
In either case the result is improved soil quality at a polluted site.
Biotechnology may also be used to conserve natural resources, enable animals to more effectively use nutrients
present in feed, decrease nutrient runoff into rivers and bays, and help meet the increasing world food and land
demands.
In addition to genetically engineered crops, biotechnology has helped make other improvements in agriculture not
involving plants. Examples of such advances include making antibiotic production more efficient through microbial
fermentation and producing new animal vaccines through genetic engineering for diseases such as foot and mouth
disease and rabies.

Concern areas: Crops produced through genetic engineering are the only ones formally reviewed to assess the
potential for transfer of novel traits to wild relatives. Where biotech crops are grown in proximity to related plants, the
potential for the two plants to exchange traits via pollen must be evaluated before release. Crop plants of all kinds can
exchange traits with their close wild relatives (which may be weeds or wildflowers) when they are in proximity.
Other potential risks considered in the assessment of genetically engineered organisms include any environmental
effects on birds, mammals, insects, worms, and other organisms, especially in the case of insect or disease resistance
traits.
With respect to food safety, when new traits introduced to biotech-derived plants are examined by the EPA and the
FDA, the proteins produced by these traits are studied for their potential toxicity and potential to cause an allergic
response.
9. DNA TECHNOLOGY (USE AND APPLICATION) REGULATION BILL - 2019

The DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill - 2019 has been formulated recognizing the need for
regulation of the use and application of Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) technology, for establishing identity of missing
persons, victims, offenders, under trials and unknown deceased persons.
The purpose of this Bill is to expand the application of DNA-based forensic technologies to support and strengthen the
justice delivery system of the country. The utility of DNA based technologies for solving crimes, and to identify missing
persons, is well recognized across the world. By providing for the mandatory accreditation and regulation of DNA
laboratories, the Bill seeks to ensure that with the proposed expanded use of this technology in this country, there is
also the assurance that the DNA test results are reliable, and furthermore that the data remain protected from misuse
or abuse in terms of the privacy rights of our citizens.
The key components of this Bill include:
 Establishment of a DNA Regulatory Board;
 Accreditation of DNA laboratories undertaking DNA testing, analyzing, etc.;
 Establishment of the National and Regional DNA Data Banks, as envisaged in the Bill, will assist in forensic
investigations.
This will aid in scientific up-gradation and streamlining of the DNA testing activities in the country with appropriate
inputs from the DNA Regulatory Board which would be set up for the purpose.
The Bill will add value in empowering the criminal justice delivery system by enabling the application of DNA evidence,
which is considered the gold standard in crime investigations.
10. LITHIUM ION BATTERY WORKING PRINCIPLE

• Like any other battery, a rechargeable lithium-ion battery is made of three components: a positive electrode
(connected to the battery's positive or + terminal), a negative electrode (connected to the negative or − terminal),
and a chemical called an electrolyte (which contains ions) in between them.
• The positive electrode is typically made from a chemical compound called lithium-cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) or, in
newer batteries, from lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4).
• The negative electrode is generally made from carbon (graphite) and the electrolyte varies from one type of
battery to another.

• All lithium-ion batteries work in broadly the same way. When the battery is charging up, positive electrode gives
up some of its lithium ions, which move through the electrolyte to the negative, graphite electrode and remain
there. The battery takes in and stores energy during this process.
• When the battery is discharging, the lithium ions move back across the electrolyte to the positive electrode,
producing the energy that powers the battery. In both cases, electrons flow in the opposite direction to the ions
around the outer circuit.
TESTS SCHEDULE
LEVEL1
RELEASE DATE
TEST SYLLABUS
(For test & test discussion videos)
MT(GS) - 1 Physical Geography of India & the World 13/10/19
MT(GS) - 2 Economic Geography of Indian & the World 20/10/19
Environment, Ecology, Biodiversity, Climate Change &
MT(GS) - 3 03/11/19
Disaster Management
MT(GS) - 4 Indian Culture 10/11/19
MT(GS) - 5 Modern History 17/11/19
MT(GS) - 6 Post – Independence History + World History 24/11/19
MT(Essay) - 1 Essay (Themes from Geography & History) 25/11/19
MT(GS) - 7 Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude -1 01/12/19
MT(GS) - 8 Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude -2 08/12/19
MT(GS) - 9 Ethics in Governance – Case Studies 15/12/19
MT(GS) - 10 Indian Polity & Governance -1 22/12/19
MT(GS) - 11 Indian Polity & Governance – 2 29/12/19
MT(Essay) - 2 Essay (Themes from Polity and Ethics) 05/01/20
MT(GS) - 12 Indian Society and Social Justice 12/01/20
MT(GS) - 13 S&T 19/01/20
MT(GS) - 14 International Relations & Internal Security 27/01/20
MT(Essay) - 3 Essay (Themes from Indian Society and IR) 02/02/20
MT(GS) - 15 Economic Development – 1 09/02/20
MT(GS) - 16 Economic Development – 2 16/02/20
MT(Essay) - 4 Essay (Themes from Economy and S & T) 23/02/20
LEVEL2
RELEASE DATE
TEST SYLLABUS
(For test & test discussion videos)
Geography + Environment, Ecology, Biodiversity + Disaster
ST(GS)-1 28/06/20
Management (GS Paper-1 + 3)
History - Culture, Modern, Post-Independence & World
ST(GS)-2 05/07/20
History(GS Paper-1)
ST(GS)-3 Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude - Theory & Case Studies(GS Paper - 4) 12/07/20
ST(GS)-4 Indian Polity & Governance(GS Paper-2) 19/07/20
ST(GS)-5 Indian Society & Social Justice + S & T(GS Paper-1 + 2) 26/07/20
ST(GS)-6 International Relations& Internal Security(GS Paper-2 + 3) 02/08/20
ST(GS)-7 Economic Development(GS Paper-3) 09/08/20

LEVEL 3
TEST DATE
TEST SYLLABUS (For test & test discussion TEST TIME
videos)
FLT (Essay) – 1 Essay 16/08/20 9 am – 12 pm
FLT(GS) – 1 GS – 1 (Full Syllabus) 23/08/20 9 am – 12 pm
FLT(GS) – 2 GS – 2 (Full Syllabus) 23/08/20 2 pm – 5 pm
FLT(GS) – 3 GS – 3 (Full Syllabus) 29/08/20 9 am – 12 pm
FLT(GS) – 4 GS – 4 (Full Syllabus) 29/08/20 2 pm – 5 pm
FLT(GS) – 5 GS – 1(Full Syllabus) 30/08/20 9 am – 12 pm
FLT(GS) – 6 GS – 2(Full Syllabus) 30/08/20 2 pm – 5 pm
FLT(GS) – 7 GS – 3(Full Syllabus) 05/09/20 9 am – 12 pm
FLT(GS) – 8 GS – 4(Full Syllabus) 05/09/20 2 pm – 5 pm
FLT (Essay) – 2 Essay 06/09/20 9 am – 12 pm

Mains Test SERIES2020: Sample Answers & Additional Content

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

You might also like

Mains Test SERIES2020: Sample Answers & Additional Content

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Mains Test SERIES2020: Sample Answers & Additional Content

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

MAINS TEST

Science and Technology

TEST NO.: MT(GS)-13

 Give examples/ data wherever required to authenticate your arguments.

1. What do you understand by the 4th Industrial Revolution? How is it 10

 Introduction:Define Industrial Revolutions with emphasis on the 4th

Industrial revolution refers to an era of accelerated technological

Recently introduced, 4th Industrial Revolution represents a new chapter in

It envisages fusion of technologies aimed at blurring lines between the

It aims at impacting various aspects of life, such as –

 Transportation - E.g. Self-driving cars to increase productivity and

 Education – E.g. Alexa lectures in rural Amravati building learning gap

 Health – E.g. Odisha's digital dispensary to provide primary healthcare.

 Manufacturing– E.g. Smart factories using automation and analytics to

Hence, 4th Industrial revolution is more than just technology-driven

QIP-MTS-20/MT(GS)-13/RAU’S IAS TEST SERIES 1 P.T.O.

2. What do you understand by Gene Editing? Explain in the context of 10

Gene editing, also known as Genome editing is a technique used to

It has various applications such as –

 Curing genetic diseases such as Haemophilia.

 Developing genetically modify crops such as BT cotton etc.

Several approaches to genome editing have been developed. A recent

CRISPR-Cas9 system consists of two key molecules –

 An enzyme called Cas9 acts as a pair of ‘molecular scissors’ that cuts of

Presently, CRISPR/Cas9 is preferred over other genome editing

QIP-MTS-20/MT(GS)-13/RAU’S IAS TEST SERIES 2 P.T.O.

3. What do you understand by Polymetallic Nodules (PMN)? Highlight 10

Polymetallic nodules also Known as manganese nodules are rock

QIP-MTS-20/MT(GS)-13/RAU’S IAS TEST SERIES 3 P.T.O.

4. What do you understand by Artificial Intelligence? Highlight its 10

 Introduction: Define Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) is simulation of human intelligence processes by

QIP-MTS-20/MT(GS)-13/RAU’S IAS TEST SERIES 4 P.T.O.

5. What is Genome Sequencing? Write a note on the ‘IndiGen’ 10

 Introduction: Define Genome Sequencing and briefly highlight its

Genome sequencing is the procedure of decoding the genetic code of an

Genome sequencing is done in order to detect factors responsible for

Popular genome sequencing projects include Human Genome Project,

‘IndiGen’ is the first of its kind whole genome sequencing of Indians.

‘Indigen’ initiative will go a long way in development of precision medicine,

QIP-MTS-20/MT(GS)-13/RAU’S IAS TEST SERIES 5 P.T.O.

 Introduction: Define Autonomous vehicles with examples

Autonomous vehicles are light motor vehicles with highest level of

Autonomous vehicles primarily use sensors (cameras, radars, lidar etc.),

The AI-based processing systems and electronic control systems process

• Reliability: Autonomous vehicles are effective in homogenous and

• Infrastructure: Autonomous vehicles sense cues from environment

• Legal and regulatory standards: Before we migrate into

QIP-MTS-20/MT(GS)-13/RAU’S IAS TEST SERIES 6 P.T.O.

Besides given the use of elaborate communication technologies,

• Safety: Failure of any AI-system may lead to fatal accidents.

While autonomous cars are said to revolutionize sustainable mobility in

QIP-MTS-20/MT(GS)-13/RAU’S IAS TEST SERIES 7 P.T.O.

7. What do you understand by the term ‘space debris’? Do you think 15

 Introduction: Definition of space debris/ Components of space debris

Space debris (space junk) refers to defunct human-made objects in space.

 Natural particles (meteoroid)