2015

Q1. Amnesty International is

(a) an agency of the United Nations to help

refugees of civil wars
(b) a global Human Rights Movement
(c) a non-governmental organization to help poor
people voluntary
(d) an inter-governmental agency to cater to
medical emergencies in war-ravaged regions
Q2. 'BioCarbon Fund Initiative for Sustainable
Forest Landscapes' is managed by the

(a) Asian Development Bank

(b) International Monetary Fund
(c) United Nations Environment Programme
(d) World Bank
 Q3. India is a member of which among the
following?

1.Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation

2.Association of South-East Asian Nations
3.East Asia Summit

Select the correct answer using the code given

below.

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 3 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3
(d) India is a member of none of them
Q4. 'Basel III Accord' or simply 'Basel III', often
seen in the news, seeks to

(a) develop national strategies for the conservation

and sustainable use of biological diversity
(b) improve the banking sector's ability to deal with
financial and economic stress and improve risk
management
(c) reduce the greenhouse gas emissions but places
a heavier burden on developed countries
(d) transfer technology from developed countries to
poor countries to enable them to replace the use of
chlorofluorocarbons in refrigeration with harmless
chemicals
 Q5. With reference to 'Indian Ocean Rim
Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-
ARC)', consider the following statements:

1.It was established very recently in response to

incidents of piracy and accidents of oil spills.
2.It is an alliance meant for maritime security only.
Which of the statements given above is/are
correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Q6. The term 'IndARC', sometimes seen in the
news, is the name of

(a) an indigenously developed radar system

inducted into Indian Defence
(b) India's satellite to provide services to the
countries of Indian Ocean Rim
(c) a scientific establishment set up by India in
Antarctic region
(d) India’s underwater observatory to scientifically
study the Arctic region
 Q7. With reference to 'Forest Carbon
Partnership Facility', which of the following
statements is/are correct?

1.It is a global partnership of governments,

businesses, civil society and indigenous peoples.
2.It provides financial aid to universities, individual
scientists and institutions involved in scientific
forestry research to develop eco-friendly and
climate adaptation technologies for sustainable
forest management.
3.It assists the countries in their 'REDD+ (Reducing
Emissions from Deforestation and Forest
Degradation+)' efforts by providing them with
financial and technical assistance.
Select the correct answer using the code given
below.

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
 Q8. With reference to an organization known as
‘Birdlife International’, which of the following
statements is/are correct?

1.It is a Global Partnership of Conservation

Organizations.
2.The concept of ‘biodiversity hotspots’ originated
from this organization.
3.It identifies the sites known/referred to as
‘Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas’.
Select the correct answer using the code given
below.

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Q9- The 'Fortaleza Declaration', recently in the
news, is related to the affairs of

(a) ASEAN
(b) BRICS
(c) OECD
(d) WTO
 Q10. With reference to the International Union
for Conservation of Nature and Natural
Resources (IUCN) and the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species of
Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which of the
following statements is/are correct?

1.IUCN is an organ of the United Nations and CITES

is an international agreement between
governments.
2.IUCN runs thousands of field projects around the
world to better manage natural environments.
3.CITES is legally binding on the States that have
joined it, but this Convention does not take the
place of national laws.
Select the correct answer using the code given
below.

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Q11. Which one of the following issues the
'Global Economic Prospects' report
periodically?

(a) The Asian Development Bank

(b) The European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development
(c) The US Federal Reserve Bank
(d) The World Bank
Q12. The terms 'Agreement on Agriculture',
'Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and
Phytosanitary Measures' and 'Peace Clause'
appear in the news frequently in the context of
the affairs of the

(a) Food and Agriculture Organization

(b) United Nations Framework Conference on
Climate Change
(c) World Trade Organization
(d) United Nations Environment Programme
Q13. What is Rio+20 Conference, often
mentioned in the news?

(a) It is the United Nations Conference on

Sustainable Development
(b) It is a Ministerial Meeting of the World Trade
Organization
(c) It is a Conference of the Inter-governmental
Panel on Climate Change
(d) It is a Conference of the Member Countries of
the Convention on Biological Diversity
Q14. In the Mekong- Ganga Cooperation, an
initiative of 6 countries, which of the following
is/are NOT a participant/participants ?

1. Bangladesh
2. Cambodia
3. China
4. Myanmar
5. Thailand

Select the correct answer using the code

given below.

(a) 1 only
(b) 2, 3, 4
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 5
Q15. Beijing Declaration and Platform for
Action’, often seen in the news is

(a) A strategy to tackle the regional terrorism,

an outcome of a meeting of the SCO
(b) a Plan of action for sustainable economic
growth in the Asia-Pacific Region, an
outcome of the deliberations of the Asia-
Pacific Economic Forum
(c) an agenda for women’s empowerment, an
outcome of a World Conference convened by
the united Nations
(d) a strategy to combat wildlife trafficking, a
declaration of the East Asia Summit
Q16. Consider the following countries :

1.China

2. France

3. India

4. Israel

5. Pakistan

Which among the above are Nuclear Weapon

States as recognized by the Treaty on the Non-
Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, commonly
known as the NPT Treaty ?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1, 3, 4 and 5
(c) 2, 4 and 5 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
 2016
Q1- The FAO accords the status of ‘Globally
Important Agricultural Heritage System
(GIAHS)’ to traditional agricultural systems.
What is the overall goal of this initiative?

1.To provide modern technology, training in modern

farming methods and financial support to local
communities of identified GIAHS so as to greatly
enhance their agricultural productivity
2.To identify and safeguard eco-friendly traditional
farm practices and their associated landscapers,
agricultural biodiversity and knowledge systems of
the local communities
3.To provide Geographical Indication status to all
the varieties of agricultural produce in such
identified GIAHS
Select the correct answer using the code given
below.
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Q2. India's ranking in the 'Ease of Doing
Business Index' is sometimes seen in the news.
Which of the following has declared that
ranking?

(a) Organization for Economic Cooperation and

Development (OECD)
(b) World Economic Forum
(c) World Bank
(d) World Trade Organization (WTO)
Q3. 'Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans
Frontieres)', often in the news, is

(a) a division of World Health Organization

(b) a non-governmental international organization
(c) an inter-governmental agency sponsored by
European Union
(d) a specialized agency of the United Nations
 Q4. With reference to an initiative called ‘The
Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity
(TEEB)’, which of the following statements
is/are correct?

1.It is an initiative hosted by UNEP, IMF and World

Economic Forum.
2.It is a global initiative that focuses on drawing
attention to the economic benefits of biodiversity.
3.It presents an approach that can help decision-
makers recognize, demonstrate and capture the
value of ecosystems and biodiversity.
Select the correct answer using the code given
below.

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
 Q5. Consider the following statements:
1.New Development Bank has been set up by APEC.
2.The headquarters of New Development Bank is in
Shanghai.
Which of the statements given above is/are
correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Q6. Which of the following is not a member of
`Gulf Cooperation Council'?

(a) Iran
(b) Saudi Arabia
(c) Oman
(d) Kuwait
Q7. 'Global Financial Stability Report' is
prepared by the

(a) European Central Bank

(b) International Monetary Fund
(c) International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development
(d) Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development
Q8. The term ‘Regional Comprehensive
Economic Partnership’ often appears in the
news in the context of the affairs of a group of
countries known as

(a) G20
(b) ASEAN
(c) SCO
(d) SAARC
Q9. Consider the following statements:

(1) The International Solar Alliance was launched

at the United Nations Climate Change Conference
in 2015.
(2) The Alliance includes all the member countries
of the United Nations.
Which of the statements given above is/are
correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Q10. 'European Stability Mechanism',
sometimes seen in the news, is an

(a) the agency created by EU to deal with the

impact of millions of refugees arriving from the
Middle East
(b) agency of EU that provides financial assistance
to eurozone countries
(c) agency of EU to deal with all the bilateral and
multilateral agreements on trade
(d) agency of EU to deal with the conflicts arising
among the member countries
 Q11. With reference to the Agreement at the
UNFCCC Meeting in Paris in 2015, which of the
following statements is/are correct?

1.The Agreement was signed by all the member

countries of the UN and it will go into effect in
2017.
2.The Agreement aims to limit greenhouse gas
emissions so that the rise in average global
temperature by the end of this century does not
exceed 2 °C or even 1.5 °C above pre-industrial
levels.
3.Developed countries acknowledged their historical
responsibility in global warming and committed to
donate $ 1000 billion a year from 2020 to help
developing countries to cope with climate change.
Select the correct answer using the code given
below.

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
 Q12. Which of the following is/are the
indicator/indicators used by IFPRI to compute
the Global Hunger Index Report?
1.Undernourishment
2.Child stunting
3.Child mortality
Select the correct answer using the code given
below.

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 , 2 and 3
(d) 1 and 3 only
 Q13. With reference to `IFC Masala Bonds',
sometimes seen in the news, which of the
statements given below is/are correct?

1.The International Finance Corporation, which

offers these bonds, is an arm of the World Bank.
2.They are the rupee-denominated bonds and are a
source of debt financing for the public and private
sector.
Select the correct answer using the code given
below.
(a) 1 only
(h) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Q14. In the context of which of the following
do you sometimes find the terms `amber box,
blue box and green box' in the news?

(a) WTO affairs

(b) SAARC affairs
(c) UNFCCC affairs
(d) India-EU negotiations on FTA
 Q15. What is/are the importance/importances
of the 'United Nations Convention to Combat
Desertification'?

1.It aims to promote effective action through

innovative national programmes and supportive
inter-national partnerships.
2.It has a special/particular focus on South Asia
and North Africa regions, and its Secretariat
facilitates the allocation of major portion of
financial resources to these regions.
3.It is committed to bottom-up approach,
encouraging the participation of local people in
combating the desertification.

Select the correct answer using the code given

below.
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Q16. Recently, which one of the following
currencies has been proposed to be added to
the basket of IMF's SDR?

(a) Rouble
(b) Rand
(c) Indian Rupee
(d) Renminbi
 Q17. With reference to the International
Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC),
consider the following statements:
1.IMFC discusses matters of concern affecting the
global economy, and advises the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) on the direction of its work.
2.The World Bank participates as observer in IMFC's
meetings.
Which of the statements given above is/are
correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
 Q18. With reference to 'Organization for the
Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)',
consider the following statements:

1.It is an organization of European Union in working

relation with NATO and WHO.
2.It monitors chemical industry to prevent new
weapons from emerging.
3.It provides assistance and protection to States
(Parties) against chemical weapons threats.
Which of the statements given above is/are
correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Q19. With reference to the ‘Trans-Pacific
Partnerships’, consider the following
statements:
1. It is an agreement among all the Pacific
Rim countries except China and Russia
2. It is a strategic alliance for the
purposes of maritime security only
Which of the statements given above is/are
correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Q20. Consider the following statements:

The India – Africa Summit

1. held in 2015 was the third such summit

2. was actually initiated by Jawaharlal
Nehru in 1951

Which of the statements given above is/are

correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Q21. Consider the following statements :

1. The Sustainable Development Goals

were first proposed in 1972 by a global
think tank called the ‘Club of Rome’.
2. The SDG have to be achieved by 2030.

Which of the statements given above is/are

correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
 2017
Q1. With reference to 'Global Climate Change
Alliance', which of the following statements
is/are correct?

1.It is an initiative of the European Union.

2.It provides technical and financial support to
targeted developing countries to integrate climate
change into their development policies and
budgets.
3.It is coordinated by World Resources Institute
(WRI) and World Business Council for Sustainable
Development (WBCSD).
Select the correct answer using the code given
below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3
Q2. The Global Infrastructure Facility is a/an

(a) ASEAN initiative to upgrade infrastructure in

Asia and financed by credit from the Asian
Development Bank.

(b) World Bank collaboration that facilitates the

preparation and structuring of complex
infrastructure Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs)
to enable mobilization of private sector and
institutional investor capital.

(c) Collaboration among the major banks of the

world working with the OECD and focused on
expanding the set of infrastructure projects that
have the potential to mobilize private investment.

(d) UNCTAD funded initiative that seeks to finance

and facilitate infrastructure development in the
world.
 Q3. With reference to the role of UN-Habitat in
the United Nations programme working towards
a better urban future, which of the statements
is/are correct?
1.UN-Habitat has been mandated by the United
Nations General Assembly to promote socially and
environmentally sustainable towns and cities to
provide adequate shelter for all.
2.Its partners are either governments or local urban
authorities only.
3.UN-Habitat contributes to the overall objective of
the United Nations system to reduce poverty and
to promote access to safe drinking water and basic
sanitation.

Select the correct answer using the code given

below:
(a) 1, 2 and 3

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1 only
Q4. 'Broad-based Trade and Investment
Agreement (BTIA)' is sometimes seen in the
news in the context of negotiations held
between India and

(a) European Union

(b) Gulf Cooperation Council

(c) Organization for Economic Cooperation and

Development

(d) Shanghai Cooperation Organization

 Q5. Consider the following statements:

1.India has ratified the Trade Facilitation Agreement

(TFA) of WTO.
2.TFA is a part of WTO's Bali Ministerial Package of
2013.
3.TFA came into force in January 2016.

Which of the statements given above is/are

correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3
 Q6. With reference to 'Asia Pacific Ministerial
Conference on Housing and Urban Development
(APMCHUD)', consider the following statements:

1.The first APMCHUD was held in India in 2006 on

the theme 'Emerging Urban Forms — Policy
Responses and Governance Structure'.
2.India hosts all the Annual Ministerial Conferences
in partnership with ADB, APEC and ASEAN.
Which of the statements given above is/are
correct?
(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Q7- Which of the following gives 'Global Gender
Gap Index' ranking to the countries of the
world?

(a) World Economic Forum

(b) UN Human Rights Council

(c) UN Women

(d) World Health Organization

Q8. The term ‘Digital Single Market Strategy’
seen in the news refers to

(a) ASEAN
(b) BRICS
(c) EU
(d) G20
Q9. Consider the following statements :

1. The Nuclear Security Summits are

periodically held under the aegis of the
United Nations
2. The International Panel on Fissile
materials is an organ of International
Atomic Energy Agency

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Q10. With reference to the ‘National

Intellectual Property Rights Policy’, consider
the following statements :

1.It reiterates India’s commitment to the

Doha Development Agenda and the TRIPS
agreement
 2.Department of Industrial Policy and
Promotion is the nodal agency for
regulating intellectual property rights in
India

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

 2018
Q1. The Partnership for Action on Green
Economy (PAGE), a UN mechanism to assist
countries transition towards greener and more
inclusive economies, emerged at

(a) The Earth Summit on Sustainable Development

2002, Johannesburg
(b) The United Nations Conference on Sustainable
Development 2012, Rio de Janeiro
(c) The United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change 2015, Paris
(d) The World Sustainable Development Summit
2016, New Delhi
Q2. "Momentum for Change : Climate Neutral
Now" is an initiative launched by

(a) The Intergovernmentai Panel on Climate

Change
(b) The UNEP Secretariat
(c) The UNFCCC Secretariat
(d) The World Meteorological Organisation
Q3. International Labour Organization's
Conventions 138 and 182 are related to
(a) Child labour
(b) Adaptation of agricultural practices to global
climate change
(c) Regulation of food prices and food security
(d) Gender parity at the workplace
Q4. What is/are the consequence /
consequences of a country becoming the
member of ‘Nuclear Suppliers Group’?

1. It will have access to the latest and

most efficient nuclear technologies
2. It automatically becomes a member of
‘The treaty on the Non – Proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons (NPT)”.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Q5. “Rule of Law Index” is released by which of
the following ?

(a) Amnesty International

(b) International Court of Justice
(c) The office of the UN Commissioner for
Human Rights
(d) World Justice Project
Q6. India enacted The Geographical Indication
of Goods ( Registration and Protection) Act ,
1999 in order to comply with the obligations to

(a) ILO
(b) IMF
(c) UNCTAD
(d) WTO
Q7. Consider the following countries :

1. Australia
2. Canada
3. China
4. India
5. Japan
6. USA

Which of the above are among the ‘free trade

partners’ of ASEAN ?

(a) 1, 2, 4 and 5
(b) 3, 4, 5 and 6
(c) 1, 3, 4 and 5
(d) 2, 3, 4 and 5
 2020
Q1- Consider the following statements :

1. The value of Indo- Sri Lanka trade has

consistently increased in the last decade.
2. “Textile and textile articles” constitute
an important item of trade between India
and Bangladesh.
3. In the last five years , Nepal has been the
largest trading partner of India in South
Asia.

Which of the statements given above is/are

correct ?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1 , 2 and 3
Q2. In which of the following groups are all the
four countries members of G20 ?

(a) Argentine , Mexico , South Africa and Turkey

(b) Australia , Canada , Malaysia and New
Zealand
(c) Brazil , Iran , Saudi Arabia and Vietnam
(d) Indonesia , Japan , Singapore and South
Korea

Q3. The term ‘West Texas Intermediate’

sometimes found in news, refer to a grade of

(a) Crude Oil

(b) Bullion
(c) Rare Earth Elements
(d) Uranium
Q4. In India, why are some nuclear reactors
kept under “IAEA Safeguards” while others are
not ?

(a) Some use Uranium and others use Thorium

(b) Some use imported uranium and others use
domestic supplies
(c) Some are operated by foreign enterprises
and others are operated by domestic
enterprises
(d) Some are State owned and others are
privately owned
Q5. With reference to Trade-Related
Investment Measure (TRIMS), which of the
following statements is/are correct ?

1. Quantitative restrictions on imports by

foreign investors are prohibited.
2. They apply to investment measures
related to trade in both goods and
services.
3. They are not concerned with the
regulation of foreign investment.

Select the correct answer using the code given

below :

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Q6. Consider the following pairs :

International Subject

agreement /

setup

1. Alma-Ata Declaration - Healthcare of

People
2. Hague Convention - Biological &
Chemical Weapons
3. Talanoa Dialogue - Global climate
change
4. Under2 Coalition - Child Rights

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly

matched ?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 4 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 2, 3 and 4 only
Q7. “Gold Tranche”(Reserve Tranche) refers to

(a) a loan system of the World Bank

(b) one of the operations of a central bank
(c) a credit system granted by WTO to its
members
(d) a credit system granted by IMF to its
members