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(Exam Paper) UPSC IAS Mains 2007: General Studies

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(Exam Paper) UPSC IAS Mains 2007: General Studies

Paper - I

1. Answer anyone of the following questions (in about 250 words): 30

(a) What was the character of socioreligious reforms in the 19th Century and how did they contribute to the national awakening in India ?
(b) The crisis of the colonial order during 1919 and 1939 was directly linked to the constitutional reforms, disillusionment and militant anti-colonial struggles. Elucidate.

2. Answer any two of the following questions (in about 150 words each): 15 × 2 = 30

(a) What are the salient features of the Government of India Acts of 1858 and 1909 ?
(b) Do you think Mahatma Gandhi’s support to Khilafat Movement had diluted his secular credentials? Give your argument based on the assessment of events.
(c) Evaluate the contribution of revolutionary terrorism represented by Bhagat Singh to the cause of India’s struggle for independence.

3. Write about the following (not exceeding 20 words each):

(a) Age of Sangam Literature
(b) Bhakti
(c) Ashtadhyayi of Panini
(d) Charvakas
(e) Ajivikas
(f) Gandhara Art
(g) Mlechchhas
(h) Lingayats
(i) Megasthenes
(j) R. C. Dutt
(k) Nagarjunakonda
(I) Pastoralism
(m) Rudramadevi
(n) Sati
(o) ‘Ramanuja 2 × 15 = 30

4. Answer any two of the following questions (in about 125 words each) : 10 × 2 = 20

(a) Explain how the Himalayan and the Tibetan highlands play an important role in the development of the South - West monsoon.
(b) Technological changes have brought in a major shift in the use of roads as transport corridors in India. How far do you agree with this view ?
(c) Explain the nature and causes of growing slum problems in the metropolitan cities of India.

5. Write notes on the following (in about 20 words each):

(a) Special Economic Zone (SEZ)
(b) Inceptisol (c) Jarawas
(d) Indira Point
(e) Causes of Chambal Ravines 2 × 5 = 10

6. Answer any one of the following questions (in about 250 words): 30

(a) What is a Constitution ? What are the main sources of the Indian Constitution?
(b) Bring out the differences between the Fundamental Rights and the Directive Principles of State Policy. Discuss some of the measures taken by the Union and State Governments for the
implementation of the Directive Principles of State Policy.

7. Answer any one of the following questions (in about 250 words): 30

(a) What is Regionalism? In which way regionalism has affected the Indian polity?
(b) What are the main determinants of voting behaviour in India ?

8. Answer any two of the following questions (in about 150 words each): 15 × 2 = 30

(a) What are the exceptions when the President of India is not bound by the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers?
(b) What is pro tem Speaker ?
(c) Under what circumstances, Parliament may legislate on State subjects ?

9. Answer the following questions (in about 20 words each): 2 × 5 = 10

(a) What is criminalization of politics ?
(b) How is the President of India elected ?
(c) What is casting vote ?
(d) What is the difference between Council of Ministers and Cabinet ?
(e) What is the importance of Right to Constitutional Remedies ?

10. Answer any one of the following questions (in about 250 words): 30

(a) What were the main recommendations of the Platform for Action (PFA) adopted at the Beijing Women Conference, 1995?
(b) Discuss the steps to get rid of child labour in India.

11. Answer any two of the following questions (in about 125 words each): 10 × 2 = 20

(a) What is stealth technology ?
(b) Differentiate between Natural and Cultural heritage.
(c) What is value-based politics ?

12. Write notes on any two of the following (in about 125 words each) : 10 × 2 = 20

\(a) Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)
(b) Prime Minister’s 5-point agenda for India’s development as a knowledge society
(c) The Lokpal Bill

13. Write short notes on the following (in about 20 words each): 2 × 5 = 10

(a) Yakshagana
(b) PACE
(c) Footloose Industries
(d) The Statue of Liberty
(e) Genome

Paper - II

1. Answer any two of the following (answer to each question should be in about 150 words): 15 × 2 = 30

(a) Indo-Russian Defence Co-operation
(b) India’s response to political crisis in Bangladesh
(c) Elaborate on India’s Nuclear Doctrine.

2. Write about the following (answer to each question should be in about 20 words) : 2 × 5 = 10

(a) SAFTA
(b) India and East Asia Summit (EAS)
(c) Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (S.C.O.)
(d) Panchsheel in India’s Foreign Policy
(e) Relevance of NAM

3. Write about the following (answer to each question should be in about 20 words) : 2 × 5 = 10

(a) Pravasi Bhartiya Bima Yojana, 2006
(b) Indian All-Women Contingent to Liberia
(c) Madheshis in Nepal
(d) Know India Programme (KIP)
(e) Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs

4. Answer any one of the following (in about 250 words) : 30

(a) What is Dumping ? Evaluate the remedial measures taken by Government of India vis-a-vis WTOs provisions regarding dumping.
(b) Comment on the relationship between credit availability and agricultural growth in India.

5. Answer any two of the following (answer to each question should be in about 150 words): 15 × 2 = 30

(a) What is the meaning and aim of Social Forestry ? What are the main weaknesses noticed in Social Forestry Programme ?
(b) Bring out the main objectives of Rashtriya Krishi Bima Yojana. The scheme is being implemented by which agency?
(c) Explain Mega Food Park Scheme of Government, of India.

6. Write about the following (answer to each question should in about 20 words) : 2 × 15 = 30

(a) Explain the term Merit Goods.
(b) What is Cheap Money ?
(c) What is Countervailing Duty ?
(d) What is Hot Money ?
(e) Explain the Concept Trickle Down Theory.
(f) What is Stagflation ?
(g) What is Engel’s Law ?
(h) Meaning of CCI L.
(i) What is Administered Price ?
(j) What is Venture Capital ?
(k) Explain the term Balance on Current Account.
(l) What is Consolidated Fund ?
(m) What is Budget Deficit ?
(n) Explain the term Most Favoured Nations.
(o) Meaning of Capital-Output Ratio.

7. Write about any two of the following (in about 150 words each): 15 × 2 = 30

(a) Impact of globalization on state system and its institutions.
(b) SAARC Summit 2007.
(c) The UN conference on Environment and Development (The Earth Summit)

8. Write about the following (in about 20 words each): 2 × 5 = 10

(a) G-8 Summit 2007
(b) Hyde Act of 2006
(c) Global Governance
(d) Operation Silence
(e) SAARC Human Rights Report 2006

9. Write about the following by expanding and explaining the objectives (in about 20 words each) : 2 × 5 = 10

(a) ICT4D
(b) BEMs
(c) IAEA
(d) BIMSTEC
(e) ECJ

10. Answer any one of the following in about 250 words: 30

(a) Explain the phenomenon of ozone depletion, its causes and effects. What effects are needed to reduce it ?
(b) What do you understand by the term ‘biodiversity’? Examine the causes and consequences of degeneration of biodiversity.

11. Answer any two of the following (answer for each question should be in about 150 words): 15 × 2 = 30

(a) What are the alternative fuels available for the transport sector? Discuss their characteristics, advantages and disadvantages in their utilization.
(b) Explain the objectives and the current achievements of human genome project.
(c) Discuss the missile technology initiatives undertaken by India.

12. Answer all the five (in about 20 words each): 2 × 5 = 10

(a) What is firewall ?
(b) What is malware ?
(c) What do the following stand for ?

(i) MPEG
(ii) ISP
(iii) HTML
(iv) ASCII

(d) What is Root kit ?
(e) What is computer architecture ?

13.

(a) In the year 2000 out of a total 1750workers of a factory 1200 workers were members of a union. The number of women employed was 200 of which 175 did not belong to the union. In 2005, the number of union workers increased to 1510 of which 1290 were men. On the other hand the number of non union workers fell down to 208 of which 180 were men. 8

(i) Put the above information in a proper table with title.
(ii) Calculate the increase in the percentage of the female workersbelonging to the union in that five year period.
(b) The marks obtained by 20 students in a subject are given : 8

32, 62, 72, 46, 52, 74, 53, 42, 58,.61, 59,
46, 36, 76, 58, 77, 62, 48, 36, 39

Form a frequency distribution table with class interval 10. Also draw the histogram.

14.

(a) For the following distribution of statistics test grades, construct a frequency polygon and answer the following: 8

(i) How many test grades are greater than 87 ?
(ii) What percentage of test grades are greater than 83 ?
(iii) What percentage of test grades are lower than 72 ?
(iv) What percentage of test grades are between 72 and 79 (inclusive) ?

Test Grades:

73, 92, 57, 89, 70, 95, 75, 80, 47, 88, 47, 48,
64, 86, 79, 72, 71, 77, 93, 55, 75, 50, 53, 75,
85, 50, 82, 45, 40, 82, 60, 55, 60, 89, 79, 65,
54, 93, 60, 83, 59.

(b) Construct an appropriate diagram to show the following data of a University: 8

Course             No. of students
Engineering         440
Arts                    220
Agriculture          120
Home Science     80
Economic            60
Total                    920

15.

(a)What do you understand by : 2

(i) Primary and Secondary Data
(ii) Data classification
(iii) Measures of central tendency
(iv) Characteristics of good average

(b) The mean wage of 100 labourers working in a factory running two shifts of 60 and 40 workers respectively is Rs. 38. The mean wage of 60 labourers working in the morning shift is Rs. 40. Find the mean wage of 40 labourers working in the evening shift. 2

(c) The mean age of a group of 5 boys is 16 years. Another boy joins the group and then the mean age of the group becomes 18 years. How old is the newcomer ? 2
(d) Arithmetic means of two completely different sets of values may be the same. When extreme values are taken into consideration, the arithmetic mean is largely affected. Is it merit or demerit of arithmetic mean and give reasons for your statement. 2