Paper : IAS Prelims Previous Year Paper General Studies (2003)

1. The Basque people who are frequently in the news for their separatist activity live in:
(a) France (b) Italy
(C) Portugal (d) Spain

2. Match List-I (High Officials) with List-II (Organisation) and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists:
       List-I                                     List-II
(High Officials)                      (Organisation)

A. C. P. Jain                       1. Indian Airlines
B. S. Ramadoral                 2. NTPC
C. Sunil Arora                    3. TCS
D. Vivek Paul                     4. Wipro Technologis

Codes:
A B C D
(a) 4 1 3 2
(b) 4 3 1 2
(c) 2 3 1 4
(d) 2 1 3 4

3. Which one of the following statements if correct?
(a) Liquid Sodium is employed as a coolant in nuclear reactors
(b) Calcium carbonate is an ingredient of tooth paste
(c) Bordeaux mixture consists of Sodium sulphate and lime
(d) Zinc amalgams are used as a dental filling

4. Consider the following statements:
1. The Cholas defeated Pandya and Chera rulers and established their domination over peninsular India in the early medieval times.
2. The Cholas sent an expedition against Sailendra empire of South East Asia and conquered some of the areas.
Which of these statements is/are correct?
(a) Only 1 (b) Only 2
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

5. Diffusion of light in the atmosphere takes place due to:
(a) Carbon dioxide (b) Dust particles
(c) Helium (d) Water vapours

6. In India, the fist bank of limited liability managed by Indians and founded in 1881 was:
(a) Hindustan Commercial Bank
(b) Oudh Commercial Bank
(c) Punjab National Bank
(d) Punjab and Sind Bank

7. Which one of the following statements is NOT correct?
(a) The Press Council of India is an autonomous quasijudicial body established under an Act of Parliament
(b) The Press Information Bureau provides accreditation to media persons so as to have easy access to information from government sources
(c) Among all the States of India, Maharashtra publishes the largest number of newspapers
(d) Press Trust of India is the largest news agency in the country.

8. The government holding in BPCL is:
(a) more than 70%
(b) between 60% and 70%
(c) between 50% and 60%
(d) less than 50%

9. Consider the following statements regarding the relations between India and Pakistan:
(1) During Shimla Agreement, Indira Gandhi and Zulfikar Bhutto agreed tomaintain the sanctity of LOC.
(2) Lahore Summit took place in the year 1997.
(3) Islamabad Summit was held between Rajiv Gandhi and Nawaz Sharif.
Which of these statements is/are correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 1 and 3
(c) Only 2 (d) Only 1

10. During the year 2000-01, which one of the following industries recorded highest growth rate in India?
(a) Cement (b) Coal
(c) Electricity (d) Steel

11. An oil tanker is partially filled with oil and moves forward on a level road with uniform acceleration. The free surface of oil then:
(a) remains horizontal
(b) is inclined to the horizontal with smaller depth at the rear end.
(c) Is inclined to the horizontal with larger depth at the rear end
(d) Assumes parabolic curve

12. In which one of the following countries is Rupee its currency?
(a) Bhutan (b) Malaysia
(c) Maldives (d) Seychelles

13. Which one of the following countries is land locked?
(a) Bolivia (b) Peru
(c) Suriname (d) Uruguay

14. Which one of the following countries does NOT border the Caspian Sea?
(a) Armenia (b) Peru
(c) Kazakhstan (d) Turkmenistan

15. The sportsperson Soma Biswas is associated with:
(a) Sailing (b) Hockey
(c) Golf (d) Athletic

16. Which one of the following is produced during the formation of photochemical smog?
(a) Hydrocarbons (b) Nitrogen Oxides
(c) Ozone (d) Methane

17. Consider the following statements:
1. Kitab-I-Nauras, a collection of songs in praise of Hindu deities and Muslim saints, was written by Ibrahim Adil Shah II.
2. Amir Khusrau was the originator in India of the early form of the musical style known as Qawali. Which of these statements is/are correct?
(a) Only 1 (b) Only 2
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

18. Three bells toll at intervals of 9, 12 and 15 minutes respectively. All the three begin to toil at 8 a.m. At what time will they first toll together again?
(a) 8.45 a.m. (b) 10.30 a.m.
(c) 11.00 a.m. (d) 1.30 p.m.

19. Match List-I (Distinguished Lady) with List-II (Organisation/Industry) and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists:
        List-I                                                 List-II
(Distinguished Lady)                         (Organisation/Industry)
A. Amrita Patel                                 1. National Dairy Development Board
B. Anu Aga                                       2. Park Hotels
C. Mallika Srinivasan                         3. Pfizer Limited
D. Priya Paul                                     4. Thermax Limited
                                                         5. Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited
Codes:
A B C D
(b) 2 4 1 5
(c) 1 3 5 2
(d) 2 3 1 5

20. Consider the following statements: In the Electoral College for Presidential Election in India,
1. the value of the vote of an elected Member of Legislative Assembly equals State Population Number of elected MLAs of the State x 100
2. the value of the vote of an elected Member of Parliament equals Total value of the votes of all elected MLAs Total number of elected MPs
3. there were more than 5000 members in the latest election. 
Which of these statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) Only 2
(c) 1 and 3 (d) Only 3

21. Which one of the following statements is NOT correct?
(a) Ali Mardan Khan introduced the system of revenue farming in Bengal
(b) Maharaja Ranjit Singh set up modern foundries to manufacture cannons at Lahore
(c) Sawai Jai Singh of Amber had Euclid’s ‘Elements of Geometry’ translated into Sanskrit
(d) Sultan Tipu of Mysore gave money for the construction of the idol of Goddess Sarda in the Shringeri temple

22. Which of the following Constitutional Amendments are related to raising the number of Members of Lok Sabha to be elected from the States?
(a) 6th and 22nd (b) 13th and 38th
(c) 7th and 31st (d) 11th and 42nd

23. How did Sultan Qutb-ud-din Aibak die?
(a) He was treacherously stabbed to death by one of his ambitious nobles
(b) He was killed in a battle with Taj-u-din Yildiz, the ruler of Ghazni who entered into a contest with him over the capture of Punjab
(c) He sustained injuries while besieging the fortress of Kalinjar in Bundelkhand and succumbed to them later
(d) He died after a fall from his horse while playing Chaugan

24. Among the following which planet takes maximum time for one revolution around the Sun?
(a) Earth (b) Jupiter
(c) Japanese (d) Portuguese

26. Which one of the following provisions was NOT made in the Charter Act of 1833?
(a) The trading activities of the East India Company were to be abolished
(b) (b) The designation of the supreme authority was to be changed as the Governor-General of India in Council
(c) All law-making powers to be conferred on Governor-General in Council
(d) An Indian was to be appointed as a Law Member in the Governor-General’s Council

27. With reference to normal human beings, consider the following statements:
1. In response to the presence of HCL, secretin is produced from the duodenum.
2. Enterogastrone is produced in the small intestine in response to the presence of fatty acids.
Which of these statements is/are correct?
(a) Only 1 (b) Only 2
(b) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

28. Survey of India is under the Ministry of:
(a) Defence (b) Environment and Forests
(c) Home Affairs (d) Science and Technology

29. Which among the following countries was the earliest to give women the right to vote?
(a) Iceland (b) India
(c) New Zealand (d) U.S.A.

30. Total time taken by a person in going to a place by walking and returning on cycle is 5 hours 45minutes. He would have gained 2 hours by cycling both ways. The time taken by him to walk both ways is:
(a) 6 hours 45 minutes
(b) 7 hours 45 minutes
(c) 8 hours 15 minutes
(d) 8 hours 30 minutes

31. Sandeep Pandey, the winner of Ramon Magsaysay Award is mainly an activist in:
(a) prevention of child marriages
(b) promotion of communal harmony
(c) environmental protection
(d) education and livelihood projects for Dalits

32. What was the main reason for a great civil strife in Argentina recently?
(a) Ethnic conflict between the native Red Indian tribes and others
(b) Economic crisis due to huge public debt
(c) The issue of using native languages as medium of instruction in schools
(d) Clashes between government troops and secessionist groups

33. With reference to colonial rule in India, what was sought by the Ilbert Bill in 1883?
(a) To bring Indians and Europeans on par as far as the criminal jurisdiction of courts was concerned
(b) To impose severe restrictions on the freedom of the native press as it was perceived to be hostile to colonial rulers
(c) To encourage the native Indians to appear for civil service examinations by conducting them in India
(d) To allow native Indians to possess arms by amending the Arms Act.

34. An important aspect of the Cripps Mission of 1942 was:
(a) that all Indian States should join the Indian Union as a condition to consider any degree of autonomy for India
(b) the creation of an Indian Union with Dominion status very soon after the Second World War
(c) the active participation and cooperation of the Indian people, communities and political parties in the British war effort as a condition for granting independence with full sovereign status to India after war.
(d) The framing of a constitution for the entire Indian Union, with no separate constitution for any province, and a Union Constitution to be accepted by all provinces

35. When Congress leaders condemned the Montagu-Chelmsford Report, many moderates left the party to form the:
(a) Swarajya party
(b) Indian Freedom Party
(c) Independence Federation of India
(d) Indian Liberal Federation

36. In the FIFA World Cup Football event in the year 2002, the number of goals scored by Ronaldo of Brazil were:
(a) 6 (b) 7 (c) 8 (d) 9

37. Who won the title in the finals of French Open men’s singles tennis championship in the year 2002?
(a) Albert Costa (b) Juan Carlos Ferrero
(c) Andre Agassi (d) Pete Sampras

38. Consider the following statements:
The function(s) of the Finance Commission is/are
1. to allow the withdrawal of money out of the Consolidated Fund of India.
2. to allocate between the States the shares of proceeds of taxes.
3. to consider applications for grants-in-aid from States.
4. to supervise and report on whether the Union and State governments are levying taxes in accordance with the budgetary provisions.

39. Which one among the following States has the highest female literacy rate as per the Census 2001?
(a) Chattisgarh (b) Madhya Pradesh
(c) Orissa (d) Rajasthan

40. Which one among the following countries has the lowest GDP per capita?
(a) China
(b) India(c) Indonesia
(d) Sri Lanka

41. Consider the following statements:
1. In Macedonia, ethnic Albanians are a minority.
2. 2. In Kosovo, Serbians area majority.
Which of these statements is/are correct?
(a) Only 1 (b) Only 2
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

42. Israel has common borders with:
(a) Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt
(b) Lebanon, Syria, Turkey and Jordan
(c) Cyprus, Turkey, Jordon and Egypt
(d) Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Yemen

43. What is the correct sequence of the rivers – Godavari, Mahanadi, Narmada and Tapi in the descending order of their lengths?
(a) Godavari-Mahanadi-Narmada-Tapi
(b) Godavari-Narmada-Mahanadi-Tapi
(c) Narmada-Godavari-Tapi-Mahanadi
(d) Narmada-Tapi-Godavari-Mahanadi

44. If the radius of the earth were to shrink by one percent, its mass remaining the same, the value of ‘g’ on the earth’s surface would:
(a) increase by 0.5%
(b) increase by 2%
(c) decrease by 0.5%
(d) decrease by 2%

45. With reference to the entry of European powers into India, which one of the following statements is NOT correct?
(a) The Portuguese captured Goa in 1499
(b) The English opened their first factory in South India at Masulipatam
(c) In Eastern India, the English Company opened its first factory in Orissa in 1633
(d) Under the leadership of Dupleix, the French occupied Madras in 1746

46. With reference to Indian freedom struggle, which one of the following statements is NOT correct?
(a) The Rowlatt Act aroused a wave of popular indignation and led to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre
(b) Subhas Chandra Bose formed the Forward Bloc
(c) Bhagat Singh was one of the founders of Hindustan Republican Socialist Association
(d) In 1931, the Congress Session at Karachi opposed Gandhi_Irwin Pact

47. Consider the following statements:
1. In the last five years, Indian software exports have increased at a compound annual growth rate of about 60%
2. The software and service industry in India registered an overall growth of about 28% in rupee terms during the year 2001-2002.
Which of these statements is/are correct?
(a) Only 1 (b) Only 2
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

48. Which one of the following statements is NOT correct?
(a) India is the second largest producer of nitrogenous fertilizers in the world
(b) India is the ninth largest steel producing country in the world
(c) India is the second largest producer of silk in the world
(d) India ranks third in the world in coal production

49. Which one of the following statements is correct?
(a) Only the Rajya Sabha and not the Lok Sabha can have nominated members
(b) There is a constitutional provision for nominating two members belonging to the Anglo-Indian community to the Rajya Sabha
(c) There is no constitutional bar for a nominated member to be appointed as a Union minister.
(d) A nominated member can vote both in the Presidential and Vice Presidential elections

50. With reference to Government of India’s decisions regarding Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) during the year2001-02, consider the following statements:
1. Out of the 100% FDI allowed by India in a tea sector, the foreign firm would have to disinvest 33% of the equity in favour of an Indian Partner within four years.
2. Regarding the FDI in print media in India, the single largest Indian shareholder should have a holding higher than 26%
Which of these statements is/are correct?
(a) Only 1 (b) Only 2
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

51. Alam Khan, one of those who invited Babur to invade India was:
(a) an uncle of Ibrahim Lodi and a pretender to the throne of Delhi
(b) a cousin of Ibrahim Lodi who was illtreated and expelled from the country
(c) the father of Dilawar Khan to whom cruel treatment was meted out by Ibrahim Lodi
(d) a high official in Punjab province who was very much discontented with Ibrahim Lodi’s treatment to his tribe

52. The battle of Dharmat was fought between
(a) Muhammad Ghori and Jai Chand
(b) Babur and the Afghans
(c) Aurangzeb and Dara Shikoh
(d) Ahmad Shah Durrani and the Marathas

53. Which one among the following has the largest shipyard in India?
(a) Kolkata (b) Kochi
(c) Mimbai (d) Visakhapatnam

54. Three flags, each of different colour, are available for a military exercise. Using these flags, different codes can be generated by waving
(1) single flag of different colours, or
(2) any two flags in a different sequence of colours, or
(3) three flags in a different sequence of colours The maximum number of codes that can be generated is:
(a) 6 (b) 9
(c) 15 (d) 18

55. Match List-I (Organisation) with List-II (Location) and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists:
List-I                                                            List-II
(Organisation)                                             (Location)
A. National Sugar Institute                            1. Dehradun
B. Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited                    2. Kamptee
C. Institute of Military Law                            3. Pune
D. Institute of National Integration                  4. Hyderabad
                                                                     5. Kanpur
Codes:
A B C D
(a) 3 1 4 2
(b) 5 1 4 3
(c) 3 4 5 2
(d) 5 4 2 3

56. Tim Montgomery set a new world record at the IAAF Grand Prix final in the year 2002 in:
(a) Long Jump
(b) 110 m Hurdle race
(c) 100 m Dash
(d) High Jump

57. With reference to the work of human kidney, consider the following statements:
1. After the waste is removed in the kidney, the cleaner blood is sent back through renal artery
2. From Bowman’s capsule, the filtered liquid passes through tiny tubes where much of the glucose is reabsorbed and sent back to the blood in the renal vein. 
Which of these statements is/are correct?
(a) Only 1 (b) Only 2(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

58. A hydrogen-inflated polythene balloon is released from the surface of the earth. As the balloon rises to an altitude up in the atmosphere, it will:
(a) decrease in size
(b) flatten into a disc-like shape
(c) increase in size
(d) maintain the same size and shape

59. The power to enlarge the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of India with respect to any matter included in the Union List of Legislative Powers rests with:
(a) The President of India
(b) The Chief Justice of India
(c) The Parliament
(d) The Union Ministry of Law, Justice and Company Affairs

60. Which one of the following High Courts has the Territorial Jurisdiction over Andaman and Nicobar Islands?
(a) Andhra Pradesh (b) Calcutta
(c) Madras (d) Orissa

61. Under which article of the Indian Constitution did the President make a reference to the Supreme Court to seek the Court’s opinion on the Constitutional validity of the Election Commission’s decision on deferring the Gujarat Assembly elections (in the year 2002)?
(a) Article 142
(b) Article 143
(c) Article 144
(d) Article 145

62. Consider the following statements:
1. India launched its first full-fledged meteorological satellite (METSAT) in September, 2002.
2. For the first time, the space vehicle PSLV-C4 carried a payload of more than 1000 kg into a geosynchronous orbit.
Which of these statements is/are correct?
(a) Only 1 (b) Only 2
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

63. Nanda Devi peak forms a part of:
(a) Assam Himalayas (b) Kumaon Himalayas
(c) Nepal Himalayas (d) Punjab Himalayas

64. Consider the following statements:
1. India is the original home of the cotton plant
2. India is the first country in the world to develop hybrid cotton variety leading to increased production Which of these statements is/are correct?
(a) Only 1 (b) Only 2
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

65. Who is the author of the book ‘New Dimensions of India’s Foreign Policy’?
(a) A. B. Vajpayee (b) Jaswant Singh
(c) P. C. Alexander (d) Yashwant Sinha

66. How did the Mughal Emperor Jahandar Shah’s reign come to an early end?
(a) He was deposed by his Wazir
(b) He died due to a slip while climbing down steps
(c) He was defeated by his nephew in a battle
(d) He died of sickness due to too much consumption of wine

67. In India, among the following locations, the Dutch established their earliest factor at:
(a) Surat (b) Pulicat
(c) Cochin (d) Cassimbazar

68. Consider the following statements:
1. While members of the Rajya Sabha are associated with Committees on Public Accounts and Public Undertakings, members of Committee on Estimates are drawn entirely from Lok Sabha.
2. The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs works under the overall direction of Cabinet Committee on parliamentary Affairs
3. The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs nominates Members of parliament on Committees, Councils,Boards and Commissions etc. set up by the Government of India in the various ministries.

Which of these statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3 (d) 1, 2 and 3

69. The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee, whose permission is required for cultivation of any genetically modified crop such as Bt-Cotton in India, is under the Union Ministry of:
(a) Agriculture
(b) Environment and Forests
(c) Commerce and Industry
(d) Rural Development

70. As per Indian Protocol, who among the following ranks highest in the order of precedence?
(a) Deputy Prime Minister
(b) Former President
(c) Governor of a State within his State
(d) Speaker of Lok Sabha

71. Among the following cities, which one is at the highest altitude above mean sea level?
(a) Bangalore (b) Delhi
(c) Jodhpur (d) Nagpur

72. Consider the following statements:
1. Steam at 1000C and boiling water at 1000C contain same amount of heat.
2. Latent heat of fusion of ice is equal to the latent heat of vaporization of water
3. In an air-conditioner, heat is extracted from the room-air at the evaporator coils and is rejected out at the condenser coils.
Which of these statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3
(c) Only 2 (d) Only 3

73. Consider the following statements:
1. Molasses is a by-product of sugar production process.
2. Bagasse obtained in the sugar mills is used as a fuel in the boilers to generate steam for the sugar factories.
3. Sugar can only be produced from sugarcane as the raw material. Which of these statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3 (d) 1, 2 and 3

74. Consider the following statements:
1. Longitude of jabalpur’s location is between those of Indore and Bhopal
2. Latitude of Aurangabad’s location is between those of Vadodara and Pune
3. Bangalore is situated more southward than Chennai.
Which of these statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 3 (b) Only 2
(c) 2 and 3 (d) 1, 2 and 3

75. Which one among the following States is smallest in area?
(a) Andhra Pradesh (b) Gujarat
(c) Karnataka (d) Tamil Nadu

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