Civil Services Prep

UPSC Prelims 2012

UPSC Prelims 2012 question paper with answers

100 questions, each with its answer.

General Studies Paper I

  1. In the areas covered under the Panchayat (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, what is the role/power…Polity and Constitution
  2. In the Parliament of India, the purpose of an adjournment motion isPolity and Constitution
  3. How does National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) help in protecting the Indian Agriculture? 1. NBA checks the…Environment
  4. The National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 was enacted in consonance with which of the following provisions of the…Polity and Constitution
  5. If National Water Mission is properly and completely implemented, how will it impact the country? 1. Part of…Environment
  6. Consider the following provisions under the Directive Principles of State Policy as enshrined in the…Polity and Constitution
  7. Consider the following statements: 1. Union Territories are not represented in the Rajya Sabha. 2. It is…Polity and Constitution
  8. With reference to consumers' rights/privileges under the provisions of law in India, which of the following…Polity and Constitution
  9. Regarding the office of the Lok Sabha Speaker, consider the following statements: 1. He/She holds the office…Polity and Constitution
  10. Which of the following are included in the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court? 1. A dispute between…Polity and Constitution
  11. Consider the following kinds of organisms: 1. Bacteria 2. Fungi 3. Flowering plants Some species of which of…Environment
  12. Biomass gasification is considered to be one of the sustainable solutions to the power crisis in India. In…Environment
  13. What is the role of ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the water purification systems? 1. It inactivates/kills the…Science and Technology
  14. Graphene is frequently in news recently. What is its importance? 1. It is a two-dimensional material and has…Science and Technology
  15. Lead, ingested or inhaled, is a health hazard. After the addition of lead to petrol has been banned, what…Science and Technology
  16. With reference to 'stem cells', frequently in the news, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1.…Science and Technology
  17. Consider the following statements: Chlorofluorocarbons, known as ozone-depleting substances, are used 1. In…Environment
  18. A team of scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory including those from India created the heaviest…Science and Technology
  19. Which of the following is/are cited by the scientists as evidence/evidences for the continued expansion of…Science and Technology
  20. Electrically charged particles from space travelling at speeds of several hundred km/sec can severely harm…Science and Technology
  21. With reference to the scientific progress of ancient India, which of the statements given below are correct?…Ancient History
  22. With reference to the history of ancient India, which of the following was/were common to both Buddhism and…Ancient History
  23. Which of the following can be said to be essentially the parts of 'Inclusive Governance'? 1. Permitting the…Polity and Constitution
  24. The Nagara, the Dravida and the Vesara are theArt and Culture
  25. The Congress ministries resigned in the seven provinces in 1939, because:Modern History and the Freedom Struggle
  26. With reference to National Rural Health Mission, which of the following are the jobs of 'ASHA', a trained…Polity and Constitution
  27. Which of the following is/are the principal feature(s) of the Government of India Act, 1919? 1. Introduction…Modern History and the Freedom Struggle
  28. During Indian freedom struggle, the National Social Conference was formed. What was the reason for its…Modern History and the Freedom Struggle
  29. Which of the following parties were established by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar? 1. The Peasants and Workers Party of…Modern History and the Freedom Struggle
  30. Which of the following special powers have been conferred on the Rajya Sabha by the Constitution of India?Polity and Constitution
  31. How does the National Rural Livelihood Mission seek to improve livelihood options of rural poor? 1. By setting…Economy
  32. The Multi-dimensional Poverty Index developed by Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative with UNDP…Economy
  33. Which of the following is/are among the noticeable features of the recommendations of the Thirteenth Finance…Polity and Constitution
  34. What is/are the recent policy initiative(s) of Government of India to promote the growth of manufacturing…Economy
  35. Which of the following are the methods of Parliamentary control over public finance in India? 1. Placing…Polity and Constitution
  36. Mahatma Gandhi undertook fast unto death in 1932, mainly becauseModern History and the Freedom Struggle
  37. With reference to Ryotwari Settlement, consider the following statements: 1. The rent was paid directly by the…Modern History and the Freedom Struggle
  38. Consider the following specific stages of demographic transition associated with economic development: 1. Low…Geography
  39. In India, in the overall index of Industrial Production, the Indices of Eight Core Industries have a combined…Economy
  40. Which of the following provisions of the Constitution of India have a bearing on Education? 1. Directive…Polity and Constitution
  41. Government of India encourages the cultivation of 'sea buckthorn'. What is the importance of this plant? 1. It…Environment
  42. Which of the following is the chief characteristic of 'mixed farming'?Geography
  43. A particular State in India has the following characteristics: 1. It is located on the same latitude which…Geography
  44. Consider the following crops of India: 1. Cowpea 2. Green gram 3. Pigeon pea Which of the above is/are used as…Geography
  45. Consider the following factors: 1. Rotation of the Earth 2. Air pressure and wind 3. Density of ocean water 4.…Geography
  46. Consider the following crops of India: 1. Groundnut 2. Sesamum 3. Pearl millet Which of the above is/are…Geography
  47. With reference to the wetlands of India, consider the following statements: 1. The country's total…Environment
  48. When you travel in Himalayas, you will see the following: 1. Deep gorges 2. U-turn river courses 3. Parallel…Geography
  49. Normally, the temperature decreases with the increase in height from the Earth's surface, because 1. The…Geography
  50. The acidification of oceans is increasing. Why is this phenomenon a cause of concern? 1. The growth and…Environment
  51. In India, other than ensuring that public funds are used efficiently and for intended purpose, what is the…Polity and Constitution
  52. The endeavour of 'Janani Suraksha Yojana' Programme is 1. To promote institutional deliveries. 2. To provide…Polity and Constitution
  53. The Prime Minister of India, at the time of his/her appointment:Polity and Constitution
  54. With reference to the Delimitation Commission, consider the following statements: 1. The orders of the…Polity and Constitution
  55. Consider the following: 1. Hotels and restaurants 2. Motor transport undertakings 3. Newspaper establishments…Polity and Constitution
  56. According to the Constitution of India, it is the duty of the President of India to cause to be laid before…Polity and Constitution
  57. A deadlock between the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha calls for a joint sitting of the Parliament during the…Polity and Constitution
  58. How do District Rural Development Agencies (DRDAs) help in the reduction of rural poverty in India? 1. DRDAs…Polity and Constitution
  59. Which of the following is/are among the Fundamental Duties of citizens laid down in the Indian Constitution?…Polity and Constitution
  60. What is the provision to safeguard the autonomy of the Supreme Court of India? 1. While appointing the Supreme…Polity and Constitution
  61. To meet its rapidly growing energy demand, some opine that India should pursue research and development on…Science and Technology
  62. The increasing amount of carbon dioxide in the air is slowly raising the temperature of the atmosphere,…Environment
  63. Which one of the following sets of elements was primarily responsible for the origin of life on the Earth?Science and Technology
  64. What are the reasons for the people's resistance to the introduction of Bt brinjal in India? 1. Bt brinjal has…Science and Technology
  65. Other than resistance to pests, what are the prospects for which genetically engineered plants have been…Science and Technology
  66. Consider the following statements: The most effective contribution made by Dadabhai Naoroji to the cause of…Modern History and the Freedom Struggle
  67. With reference to Dhrupad, one of the major traditions of India that has been kept alive for centuries, which…Art and Culture
  68. How do you distinguish between Kuchipudi and Bharatnatyam dances? 1. Dancers occasionally speaking dialogues…Art and Culture
  69. With reference to the religious history of medieval India, the Sufi mystics were known to pursue which of the…Medieval History
  70. The Rowlatt Act aimed atModern History and the Freedom Struggle
  71. The Lahore Session of the Indian National Congress (1929) is very important in history, because 1. The…Modern History and the Freedom Struggle
  72. Lord Buddha's image is sometimes shown with the hand gesture called 'Bhumisparsha Mudra'. It symbolizesArt and Culture
  73. The religion of early Vedic Aryans was primarily ofAncient History
  74. Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding Brahmo Samaj? 1. It opposed idolatry. 2. It denied…Modern History and the Freedom Struggle
  75. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) acts as a bankers' bank. This would imply which of the following? 1. Other…Economy
  76. Under which of the following circumstances may 'capital gains' arise? 1. When you sell a house. 2. When there…Economy
  77. Which of the following measures would result in an increase in the money supply in the economy? 1. Purchase of…Economy
  78. Which of the following would include Foreign Direct Investment in India? 1. Subsidiaries of foreign companies…Economy
  79. Consider the following statements: The price of any currency in international market is decided by the 1.…Economy
  80. The basic aim of Lead Bank Scheme is thatEconomy
  81. Consider the following: 1. Assessment of land revenue on the basis of nature of the soil and the quality of…Medieval History
  82. With reference to the guilds (Shreni) of ancient India that played a very important role in the country's…Ancient History
  83. The distribution of powers between the Centre and the States in the Indian Constitution is based on the scheme…Polity and Constitution
  84. Despite having large reserves of coal, why does India import millions of tonnes of coal? 1. It is the policy…Economy
  85. A person stood alone in a desert on a dark night and wanted to reach his village which was situated 5 km east…Geography
  86. Recently, there has been a concern over the short supply of a group of elements called 'rare earth metals'.…Science and Technology
  87. Consider the following protected areas: 1. Bandipur 2. Bhitarkanika 3. Manas 4. Sunderbans Which of the above…Environment
  88. Consider the following statements: 1. The duration of the monsoon decreases from southern India to northern…Geography
  89. Which one of the following is the characteristic climate of the Tropical Savannah Region?Geography
  90. In which one among the following categories of protected areas in India are local people not allowed to…Environment
  91. Consider the following kinds of organisms: 1. Bat 2. Bee 3. Bird Which of the above is/are pollinating…Environment
  92. Which one of the following groups of animals belongs to the category of endangered species?Environment
  93. Consider the following statements: If there were no phenomenon of capillarity 1. It would be difficult to use…Science and Technology
  94. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment describes the following major categories of ecosystem services --…Environment
  95. What is the difference between the antelopes Oryx and Chiru?Environment
  96. Which of the following can be threats to the biodiversity of a geographical area? 1. Global warming 2.…Environment
  97. Consider the following: 1. Black-necked crane 2. Cheetah 3. Flying squirrel 4. Snow leopard Which of the above…Environment
  98. Consider the following agricultural practices: 1. Contour bunding 2. Relay cropping 3. Zero tillage In the…Environment
  99. What would happen if phytoplankton of an ocean is completely destroyed for some reason? 1. The ocean as a…Environment
  100. Vultures which used to be very common in Indian countryside some years ago are rarely seen nowadays. This is…Environment