Choose the correct answer from the codes given below.
Anonymous Quiz
16%
A. 1, 2 and 3 only
16%
B. 2, 3, 4 and 5 only
22%
C. 1, 2, 3 and 4 only
46%
D. All the above.
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Answer: D
Soln:
Baobab Trees:
● Baobab trees are tall and uniquely-shaped deciduous trees.
● The trees belong to the genus Adansonia, which comprises eight distinct species (most of
them are endemic to Madagascar).
● Also known as the “mother of the forest”, Baobabs are known for their great heights, with
some extending up to 50 metres.
● These trees have exceptionally long lifespans going upto 2,000 years.
Distribution in India:
● Mandu, in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh is the only place in India where baobab trees
are found in abundance.
● Aside from Mandu, baobab trees have been recorded in some places of Uttar Pradesh,
Maharashtra,Telangana, Karnataka,Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh. Hence,
all options are correct.
Soln:
Baobab Trees:
● Baobab trees are tall and uniquely-shaped deciduous trees.
● The trees belong to the genus Adansonia, which comprises eight distinct species (most of
them are endemic to Madagascar).
● Also known as the “mother of the forest”, Baobabs are known for their great heights, with
some extending up to 50 metres.
● These trees have exceptionally long lifespans going upto 2,000 years.
Distribution in India:
● Mandu, in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh is the only place in India where baobab trees
are found in abundance.
● Aside from Mandu, baobab trees have been recorded in some places of Uttar Pradesh,
Maharashtra,Telangana, Karnataka,Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh. Hence,
all options are correct.
3. Consider the following statements.
1. Non-tariff measures (NTMs) are policy measures other than ordinary customs tariffs that
can have an economic effect on international trade in goods.
2. At the international level, NTMs are governed by the recently concluded Agreement on
Agriculture.
1. Non-tariff measures (NTMs) are policy measures other than ordinary customs tariffs that
can have an economic effect on international trade in goods.
2. At the international level, NTMs are governed by the recently concluded Agreement on
Agriculture.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
Anonymous Quiz
54%
A. 1 only
10%
B. 2 only
31%
C. Both 1 and 2
4%
D. Neither 1 nor 2
4. Consider the following statements about Genome Sequencing.
1. It is a method of finding uniform patterns of gene arrangement in different organisms.
2. In humans, the technique can help in predicting inherited diseases.
3. The technique has potential to help in developing new crop varieties.
1. It is a method of finding uniform patterns of gene arrangement in different organisms.
2. In humans, the technique can help in predicting inherited diseases.
3. The technique has potential to help in developing new crop varieties.
How many of the above statements is/are correct?
Anonymous Quiz
9%
A. Only one
31%
B. Only two
58%
C. All the three
2%
D. None of the above
Answer: A
Soln:
Non-Tariff Measures
● The UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) defines Non-tariff measures (NTMs) as policy
measures other than ordinary customs tariffs that can potentially have an economic
effect on international trade in goods, changing quantities traded, or prices or both.
Hence, statement 1 is correct.
Examples of NTMs
1. Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures
● Measures that are applied to protect human or animal life from risks arising
from: additives, contaminants, toxins or disease-causing organisms in food.
○ Eg: A sample test on imported oranges to check for the residue level of
pesticides.
2. Technical Barriers to Trade
● Measures referring to technical regulations, and procedures for assessment of
conformity with technical regulations and standards.
○ Eg: Refrigerators need to carry a label indicating their size, weight and
electricity consumption level.
3. Pre-shipment Inspection and Other Formalities
● These include mandatory inspections for quality, quantity, and price verification
before goods are shipped, and other customs-related requirements.
○ Eg: Live animals need to be cleared at a designated customs office for
inspection.
4. Contingent Trade-protective Measures
● Measures implemented to counteract particular adverse effects of imports in the
market of the importing country contingent upon the fulfilment of certain
procedural and substantive requirements.
○ Eg: Country A imposes an anti-dumping duty on imports of biodiesel
products from country B, to offset an injurious dumping by country B found
to exist via an investigation.
5. Quota, Prohibitions, Quality Control
● Control measures generally aimed at restraining the quantity of goods that are
imported.
○ Eg: A quota of 100 tons of tuna fish can be imported any time of the year.
6. Price-control Measures
● Measures implemented to control or affect the prices of imported goods.
○ Eg: A minimum import price is established for fabric and apparel.
Regulations
● At the international level, NTMs are governed by two World Trade Organization (WTO)
agreements: the Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) and the
Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT). Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.
● The SPS Agreement entered into force in 1995. The Agreement pursues two main
objectives.
○ First, it recognizes the sovereign rights of WTO members to provide the level of
health protection they deem appropriate.
○ Second, it ensures that NTMs are not used as disguised restrictions on
international trade.
● The TBT Agreement, which entered into force in 1995, is the multilateral successor to the
Standards Code, signed in 1979.
● The purposes of the TBT Agreement can be broadly described as:
○ (1) assuring that technical regulations, standards and conformity assessment
procedures, do not create unnecessary obstacles to international trade,
○ while (2) leaving Members adequate regulatory discretion to protect human,
animal and plant life and health, national security, the environment, consumers, and
other policy interests.
Soln:
Non-Tariff Measures
● The UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) defines Non-tariff measures (NTMs) as policy
measures other than ordinary customs tariffs that can potentially have an economic
effect on international trade in goods, changing quantities traded, or prices or both.
Hence, statement 1 is correct.
Examples of NTMs
1. Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures
● Measures that are applied to protect human or animal life from risks arising
from: additives, contaminants, toxins or disease-causing organisms in food.
○ Eg: A sample test on imported oranges to check for the residue level of
pesticides.
2. Technical Barriers to Trade
● Measures referring to technical regulations, and procedures for assessment of
conformity with technical regulations and standards.
○ Eg: Refrigerators need to carry a label indicating their size, weight and
electricity consumption level.
3. Pre-shipment Inspection and Other Formalities
● These include mandatory inspections for quality, quantity, and price verification
before goods are shipped, and other customs-related requirements.
○ Eg: Live animals need to be cleared at a designated customs office for
inspection.
4. Contingent Trade-protective Measures
● Measures implemented to counteract particular adverse effects of imports in the
market of the importing country contingent upon the fulfilment of certain
procedural and substantive requirements.
○ Eg: Country A imposes an anti-dumping duty on imports of biodiesel
products from country B, to offset an injurious dumping by country B found
to exist via an investigation.
5. Quota, Prohibitions, Quality Control
● Control measures generally aimed at restraining the quantity of goods that are
imported.
○ Eg: A quota of 100 tons of tuna fish can be imported any time of the year.
6. Price-control Measures
● Measures implemented to control or affect the prices of imported goods.
○ Eg: A minimum import price is established for fabric and apparel.
Regulations
● At the international level, NTMs are governed by two World Trade Organization (WTO)
agreements: the Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) and the
Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT). Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.
● The SPS Agreement entered into force in 1995. The Agreement pursues two main
objectives.
○ First, it recognizes the sovereign rights of WTO members to provide the level of
health protection they deem appropriate.
○ Second, it ensures that NTMs are not used as disguised restrictions on
international trade.
● The TBT Agreement, which entered into force in 1995, is the multilateral successor to the
Standards Code, signed in 1979.
● The purposes of the TBT Agreement can be broadly described as:
○ (1) assuring that technical regulations, standards and conformity assessment
procedures, do not create unnecessary obstacles to international trade,
○ while (2) leaving Members adequate regulatory discretion to protect human,
animal and plant life and health, national security, the environment, consumers, and
other policy interests.
Answer: B
Soln:
Genome Sequencing:
● Genome sequencing is a laboratory technique used to determine the complete DNA
sequence of an organism's genome. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
○ A genome is the complete set of an organism's genetic material, encompassing
all of its DNA sequences.
○ In humans, the genome comprises approximately 3.2 billion base pairs of DNA,
organized into 23 pairs of chromosomes within the cell nucleus.
● This process involves identifying the precise order of the four chemical building
blocks—adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T)—that make up the DNA
molecule.
● The resulting sequence provides a comprehensive map of an organism's genetic
information.
● Genomic information has been instrumental in identifying inherited disorders,
characterizing the mutations that drive cancer progression, and tracking disease
outbreaks. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
● Genome sequencing helps identify genetic markers for disease resistance and drought
tolerance in crops, accelerating the development of new varieties. It also aids in
understanding host-pathogen relationships in plants. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
Soln:
Genome Sequencing:
● Genome sequencing is a laboratory technique used to determine the complete DNA
sequence of an organism's genome. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
○ A genome is the complete set of an organism's genetic material, encompassing
all of its DNA sequences.
○ In humans, the genome comprises approximately 3.2 billion base pairs of DNA,
organized into 23 pairs of chromosomes within the cell nucleus.
● This process involves identifying the precise order of the four chemical building
blocks—adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T)—that make up the DNA
molecule.
● The resulting sequence provides a comprehensive map of an organism's genetic
information.
● Genomic information has been instrumental in identifying inherited disorders,
characterizing the mutations that drive cancer progression, and tracking disease
outbreaks. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
● Genome sequencing helps identify genetic markers for disease resistance and drought
tolerance in crops, accelerating the development of new varieties. It also aids in
understanding host-pathogen relationships in plants. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
5. Consider the following statements.
1. Chilika lake is the largest brackish water lagoon in Asia.
2. It is one of the natural habitats of Irrawaddy Dolphins.
3. Chilika lake is listed on the Montreux Record.
1. Chilika lake is the largest brackish water lagoon in Asia.
2. It is one of the natural habitats of Irrawaddy Dolphins.
3. Chilika lake is listed on the Montreux Record.
How many of the above statements is/are correct?
Anonymous Quiz
15%
A. Only one
63%
B. Only two
19%
C. All the three
3%
D. None of the above
Answer: B
Soln:
Chilika lake:
● Chilika Lake, located in Odisha, spans over 1,100 square kilometers, making it the largest
brackish water lagoon in Asia and the second-largest coastal lagoon in the world.
Hence, statement 1 is correct.
● It serves as the largest wintering ground for migratory waterfowl in the Indian
subcontinent, attracting over a million migratory birds annually.
● The lake is also one of the few places where the Irrawaddy dolphin can be observed in its
natural habitat. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
● Recognizing its ecological significance, Chilika Lake was the first Indian wetland
designated as a Ramsar site of international importance.
● It became the first Asian wetland to be removed from the Montreux Record, which lists
Ramsar sites undergoing ecological changes. Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.
● To restore the lake’s ecosystem, the Chilika Development Authority (CDA) implemented
various conservation measures, including the opening of a new mouth to the sea, which
significantly improved water exchange and salinity levels.
Soln:
Chilika lake:
● Chilika Lake, located in Odisha, spans over 1,100 square kilometers, making it the largest
brackish water lagoon in Asia and the second-largest coastal lagoon in the world.
Hence, statement 1 is correct.
● It serves as the largest wintering ground for migratory waterfowl in the Indian
subcontinent, attracting over a million migratory birds annually.
● The lake is also one of the few places where the Irrawaddy dolphin can be observed in its
natural habitat. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
● Recognizing its ecological significance, Chilika Lake was the first Indian wetland
designated as a Ramsar site of international importance.
● It became the first Asian wetland to be removed from the Montreux Record, which lists
Ramsar sites undergoing ecological changes. Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.
● To restore the lake’s ecosystem, the Chilika Development Authority (CDA) implemented
various conservation measures, including the opening of a new mouth to the sea, which
significantly improved water exchange and salinity levels.
1. Consider the following statements.
Statement 1:
The expression natural justice' is well defined in the Constitution of India.
Statement 2:
The principle of natural justice ensures that no person shall be punished without a fair hearing.
Statement 1:
The expression natural justice' is well defined in the Constitution of India.
Statement 2:
The principle of natural justice ensures that no person shall be punished without a fair hearing.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
Anonymous Quiz
15%
A. Both statements 1 and 2 are correct and statement 2 is the correct explanation of statement 1.
13%
B. Both statements 1 and 2 are correct and statement 2 is not the correct explanation of statement 1
2%
C. Statement 1 is correct but statement 2 is incorrect.
70%
D. Statement 1 is incorrect but statement 2 is correct.
Answer: D
Soln:
● As discussed in Section 14.4.4 of the Polity Simplified book, Article 21 stipulates that no
person shall be deprived of his/her life or personal liberty except according to procedure
established by the law.
A. K. Gopalan Case (1950)
● The Supreme Court literally interpreted Article 21 and held that the due process of law is
not available in India.
● Hence, it implied that the right under Article 21 only protects life and liberty of an
individual from arbitrary executive action, and not from legislative action.
● Further, it was enough if the procedure was followed and the courts could not inquire into
the reasonableness of the procedure.
Maneka Gandhi Case (1978)
● The Supreme Court overturned its decision in the A. K. Gopalan case and accepted that the
due process is inherent in procedure established by the law.
● The Supreme Court in this case applied the principle of the 'due process of law' for the first
time.
● It applied the following arguments:
○ Articles 19 and 21 can't be understood as watertight compartments and the same
criteria of reasonableness as applicable in Article 19 must be applied for Article 21
as well.
○ Merely following the procedure established by the law is not enough. The courts
have the right to review and question the reasonableness of the procedure itself.
Restrictions must be reasonable, just and fair and shouldn't be arbitrary.
● In India, traditionally we followed the principle of 'procedure established by law', as it
prevailed in Britain.
● However, since 1978 after the Maneka Gandhi case, the courts have held that the procedure
established by the law has to be reasonable and follow the principles of natural justice.
● As discussed in the Maneka Gandhi case, natural justice requires hearing the other party
before any action or punishment. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
● The various writs under Article 32 provides remedies against any wrongful action by
the State or private person that violates the Fundamental Rights and natural justice.
● Natural justice is not defined in the Constitution and hence Statement 1 is incorrect.
Soln:
● As discussed in Section 14.4.4 of the Polity Simplified book, Article 21 stipulates that no
person shall be deprived of his/her life or personal liberty except according to procedure
established by the law.
A. K. Gopalan Case (1950)
● The Supreme Court literally interpreted Article 21 and held that the due process of law is
not available in India.
● Hence, it implied that the right under Article 21 only protects life and liberty of an
individual from arbitrary executive action, and not from legislative action.
● Further, it was enough if the procedure was followed and the courts could not inquire into
the reasonableness of the procedure.
Maneka Gandhi Case (1978)
● The Supreme Court overturned its decision in the A. K. Gopalan case and accepted that the
due process is inherent in procedure established by the law.
● The Supreme Court in this case applied the principle of the 'due process of law' for the first
time.
● It applied the following arguments:
○ Articles 19 and 21 can't be understood as watertight compartments and the same
criteria of reasonableness as applicable in Article 19 must be applied for Article 21
as well.
○ Merely following the procedure established by the law is not enough. The courts
have the right to review and question the reasonableness of the procedure itself.
Restrictions must be reasonable, just and fair and shouldn't be arbitrary.
● In India, traditionally we followed the principle of 'procedure established by law', as it
prevailed in Britain.
● However, since 1978 after the Maneka Gandhi case, the courts have held that the procedure
established by the law has to be reasonable and follow the principles of natural justice.
● As discussed in the Maneka Gandhi case, natural justice requires hearing the other party
before any action or punishment. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
● The various writs under Article 32 provides remedies against any wrongful action by
the State or private person that violates the Fundamental Rights and natural justice.
● Natural justice is not defined in the Constitution and hence Statement 1 is incorrect.
2. Which of the following is/are characteristics of Quick Response code or QR code?
1. They store information in two dimensions.
2. They hold much more information than standard barcodes.
3. QR codes do not require line of sight.
1. They store information in two dimensions.
2. They hold much more information than standard barcodes.
3. QR codes do not require line of sight.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Anonymous Quiz
58%
A. 1 and 2 only
15%
B. 2 and 3 only
12%
C. 1 and 3 only
15%
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: A
Soln:
● QR codes are two-dimensional (2D) barcodes, also known as matrix codes. QR codes are a
way of storing data in the form of computer understandable format, that can be scanned by
using QR code scanner to retrieve the data. These are widely used nowadays for cashless
and UPI payment services. They can be used in case of identifications and are also used for
sharing photos, videos and other files.
● Statements 1 & 2 correct: Unlike the standard barcode which is usually one-dimensional,
QR codes can store information in two dimensions – horizontally and vertically. This
allows them to hold much more information.
● Statement 3 is incorrect: Both barcodes and QR codes require line of sight.
○ In communication, line of sight is the direct path from a transmitter to the receiver
with no physical obstruction between the two.
Soln:
● QR codes are two-dimensional (2D) barcodes, also known as matrix codes. QR codes are a
way of storing data in the form of computer understandable format, that can be scanned by
using QR code scanner to retrieve the data. These are widely used nowadays for cashless
and UPI payment services. They can be used in case of identifications and are also used for
sharing photos, videos and other files.
● Statements 1 & 2 correct: Unlike the standard barcode which is usually one-dimensional,
QR codes can store information in two dimensions – horizontally and vertically. This
allows them to hold much more information.
● Statement 3 is incorrect: Both barcodes and QR codes require line of sight.
○ In communication, line of sight is the direct path from a transmitter to the receiver
with no physical obstruction between the two.
3. The ‘G33 grouping’, sometimes seen in the news, is related to
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Master the art of answering Previous Year Questions with expert guidance and detailed explanations.
Drop your answers in the comments, and let’s learn together!
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