Civil Services Prep

UPSC Prelims 2014

UPSC Prelims 2014 question paper with answers

100 questions, each with its answer.

General Studies Paper I

  1. In Medieval India, the designations 'Mahattara' and 'Pattakila' were used forMedieval History
  2. Lichens, which are capable of initiating ecological succession even on a bare rock, are actually a symbiotic…Environment
  3. If you travel through the Himalayas, you are likely to see which of the following plants naturally growing…Environment
  4. Which of the following are some important pollutants released by steel industry in India? 1. Oxides of sulphur…Environment
  5. Which of the following Kingdoms were associated with the life of the Buddha? 1. Avanti 2. Gandhara 3. Kosala…Ancient History
  6. Every year, a month long ecologically important campaign/festival is held during which certain…Environment
  7. The sales tax you pay while purchasing a toothpaste is aEconomy
  8. What does venture capital mean?Economy
  9. The main objective of the 12th Five-Year Plan isEconomy
  10. With reference to Balance of Payments, which of the following constitutes/constitute the Current Account? 1.…Economy
  11. The terms 'Marginal Standing Facility Rate' and 'Net Demand and Time Liabilities', sometimes appearing in…Economy
  12. What is/are the facility/facilities the beneficiaries can get from the services of Business Correspondent…Economy
  13. In the context of Indian economy, which of the following is/are the purpose/purposes of 'Statutory Reserve…Economy
  14. Recently, a series of uprisings of people referred to as 'Arab Spring' originally started fromCurrent Affairs
  15. Consider the following countries: 1. Denmark 2. Japan 3. Russian Federation 4. United Kingdom 5. United States…Geography
  16. Consider the following pairs: Region often in news — Country: 1. Chechnya — Russian Federation 2. Darfur —…Current Affairs
  17. With reference to Agni-IV Missile, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. It is a…Science and Technology
  18. With reference to two non-conventional energy sources called 'coalbed methane' and 'shale gas', consider the…Science and Technology
  19. With reference to 'Changpa' community of India, consider the following statements: 1. They live mainly in the…Geography
  20. In India, cluster bean (Guar) is traditionally used as a vegetable or animal feed, but recently the…Agriculture
  21. The Partition of Bengal made by Lord Curzon in 1905 lasted untilModern History and the Freedom Struggle
  22. The 1929 Session of Indian National Congress is of significance in the history of the Freedom Movement because…Modern History and the Freedom Struggle
  23. With reference to the famous Sattriya dance, consider the following statements: 1. Sattriya is a combination…Art and Culture
  24. Chaitra 1 of the national calendar based on the Saka Era corresponds to which one of the following dates of…Polity and Constitution
  25. With reference to the Indian history of art and culture, consider the following pairs — Famous work of…Art and Culture
  26. The Ghadr (Ghadar) was aModern History and the Freedom Struggle
  27. With reference to India's culture and tradition, what is 'Kalaripayattu'?Art and Culture
  28. Consider the following pairs: 1. Garba : Gujarat 2. Mohiniattam : Odisha 3. Yakshagana : Karnataka. Which of…Art and Culture
  29. With reference to Buddhist history, tradition and culture in India, consider the following pairs — Famous…Art and Culture
  30. Consider the following statements: 1. 'Bijak' is a composition of the teachings of Saint Dadu Dayal. 2. The…Medieval History
  31. A community of people called Manganiyars is well-known for theirArt and Culture
  32. What was/were the object/objects of Queen Victoria's Proclamation (1858)? 1. To disclaim any intention to…Modern History and the Freedom Struggle
  33. Ibadat Khana at Fatehpur Sikri wasMedieval History
  34. In the context of food and nutritional security of India, enhancing the 'Seed Replacement Rates' of various…Agriculture
  35. With reference to 'Eco-Sensitive Zones', which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Eco-Sensitive…Environment
  36. Consider the following statements: 1. Animal Welfare Board of India is established under the Environment…Environment
  37. Consider the following pairs — Vitamin : Deficiency disease. 1. Vitamin C : Scurvy 2. Vitamin D : Rickets 3.…Science and Technology
  38. There is some concern regarding the nanoparticles of some chemical elements that are used by the industry in…Science and Technology
  39. Which of the following organizations brings out the publication known as 'World Economic Outlook'?Economy
  40. With reference to Union Budget, which of the following is/are covered under Non-Plan Expenditure? 1. Defence…Economy
  41. If the interest rate is decreased in an economy, it willEconomy
  42. Consider the following statements: 1. The President shall make rules for the more convenient transaction of…Polity and Constitution
  43. Consider the following statements regarding a No-Confidence Motion in India: 1. There is no mention of a…Polity and Constitution
  44. With reference to Neem tree, consider the following statements: 1. Neem oil can be used as a pesticide to…Environment
  45. Which one of the following is the process involved in photosynthesis?Science and Technology
  46. In addition to fingerprint scanning, which of the following can be used in the biometric identification of a…Science and Technology
  47. Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding vegetative propagation of plants? 1. Vegetative…Science and Technology
  48. Which of the following pairs is/are correctly matched? Spacecraft — Purpose: 1. Cassini-Huygens : Orbiting the…Science and Technology
  49. Consider the following pairs — Region : Well-known for the production of. 1. Kinnaur : Areca nut 2. Mewat :…Geography
  50. Which of the following is/are the example/examples of chemical change? 1. Crystallization of sodium chloride…Science and Technology
  51. The power of the Supreme Court of India to decide disputes between the Centre and the States falls under itsPolity and Constitution
  52. Consider the following techniques/phenomena: 1. Budding and grafting in fruit plants 2. Cytoplasmic male…Science and Technology
  53. Consider the following statements: 1. Maize can be used for the production of starch. 2. Oil extracted from…Science and Technology
  54. Among the following organisms, which one does not belong to the class of other three?Science and Technology
  55. The power to increase the number of judges in the Supreme Court of India is vested inPolity and Constitution
  56. Consider the following towns of India: 1. Bhadrachalam 2. Chanderi 3. Kancheepuram 4. Karnal. Which of the…Art and Culture
  57. Consider the following pairs — National Highway : Cities connected. 1. NH 4 : Chennai and Hyderabad 2. NH 6 :…Geography
  58. Consider the following international agreements: 1. The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for…Environment
  59. Consider the following statements regarding 'Earth Hour': 1. It is an initiative of UNEP and UNESCO. 2. It is…Environment
  60. Which one of the following is the correct sequence of a food chain?Environment
  61. What are the significances of a practical approach to sugarcane production known as 'Sustainable Sugarcane…Agriculture
  62. If a wetland of international importance is brought under the 'Montreux Record', what does it imply?Environment
  63. Which one of the following pairs of islands is separated from each other by the 'Ten Degree Channel'?Geography
  64. Consider the following pairs — Programme/Project : Ministry. 1. Drought-Prone Area Programme : Ministry of…Agriculture
  65. With reference to Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), consider the following statements: 1. It is an…Environment
  66. With reference to 'Global Environment Facility', which of the following statements is/are correct?Environment
  67. With reference to technology for solar power production, consider the following statements: 1. 'Photovoltaics'…Science and Technology
  68. Consider the following languages: 1. Gujarati 2. Kannada 3. Telugu. Which of the above has/have been declared…Art and Culture
  69. Consider the following pairs: 1. Dampa Tiger Reserve : Mizoram 2. Gumti Wildlife Sanctuary : Sikkim 3.…Geography
  70. With reference to a conservation organization called 'Wetlands International', which of the following…Environment
  71. With reference to a grouping of countries known as BRICS, consider the following statements: 1. The First…International Relations and Organisations
  72. Consider the following diseases: 1. Diphtheria 2. Chickenpox 3. Smallpox. Which of the above diseases has/have…Science and Technology
  73. Which of the following phenomena might have influenced the evolution of organisms? 1. Continental drift 2.…Environment
  74. Other than poaching, what are the possible reasons for the decline in the population of Ganges River Dolphins?…Environment
  75. The Radcliffe Committee was appointed toModern History and the Freedom Struggle
  76. Brominated flame retardants are used in many household products like mattresses and upholstery. Why is there…Environment
  77. Consider the following: 1. Bats 2. Bears 3. Rodents. The phenomenon of hibernation can be observed in which of…Environment
  78. Which one of the following is the largest Committee of the Parliament?Polity and Constitution
  79. Which of the following adds/add carbon dioxide to the carbon cycle on the planet Earth? 1. Volcanic action 2.…Environment
  80. If you walk through countryside, you are likely to see some birds stalking alongside the cattle to seize the…Environment
  81. Which of the following have coral reefs? 1. Andaman and Nicobar Islands 2. Gulf of Kachchh 3. Gulf of Mannar…Geography
  82. In India, the problem of soil erosion is associated with which of the following? 1. Terrace cultivation 2.…Geography
  83. The seasonal reversal of winds is the typical characteristic ofGeography
  84. With reference to the cultural history of India, the term 'Panchayatan' refers toArt and Culture
  85. Consider the following rivers: 1. Barak 2. Lohit 3. Subansiri. Which of the above flows/flow through Arunachal…Geography
  86. Consider the following pairs — Wetlands : Confluence of rivers. 1. Harike Wetlands : Confluence of Beas and…Geography
  87. Which one of the following pairs does not form part of the six systems of Indian Philosophy?Ancient History
  88. Consider the following pairs — Hills : Region. 1. Cardamom Hills : Coromandel Coast 2. Kaimur Hills : Konkan…Geography
  89. Which one of the following Schedules of the Constitution of India contains provisions regarding…Polity and Constitution
  90. The most important strategy for the conservation of biodiversity together with traditional human life is the…Environment
  91. Turkey is located betweenGeography
  92. What is the correct sequence of occurrence of the following cities in South-East Asia as one proceeds from…Geography
  93. The scientific view is that the increase in global temperature should not exceed 2 degrees Celsius above…Environment
  94. The national motto of India, 'Satyameva Jayate' inscribed below the Emblem of India is taken fromPolity and Constitution
  95. In the Constitution of India, promotion of international peace and security is included in thePolity and Constitution
  96. What are the benefits of implementing the 'Integrated Watershed Development Programme'? 1. Prevention of soil…Environment
  97. Which of the following are associated with 'Planning' in India? 1. The Finance Commission 2. The National…Polity and Constitution
  98. Which of the following is/are the function/functions of the Cabinet Secretariat? 1. Preparation of agenda for…Polity and Constitution
  99. Consider the following statements: A Constitutional Government is one which 1. Places effective restrictions…Polity and Constitution
  100. Which of the following are the discretionary powers given to the Governor of a State? 1. Sending a report to…Polity and Constitution