Practise by the UPSC syllabus

With reference to SEBI regulations in India, which of the following is/are treated as Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs)? 1. Hedge funds 2. Mutual funds 3. Private equity funds 4. Pension funds Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Consider the following as potential sources of income for the Reserve Bank of India: 1. Returns on its holdings of government securities 2. Returns on foreign currency assets 3. Lending directly to private companies How many of the above are genuine sources of RBI income?

Consider the following pairs of central government agencies and the ministry/department they function under: Agency : Ministry/Department 1. Directorate of Enforcement : Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance 2. Directorate General of Revenue Intelligence : Ministry of Home Affairs 3. Directorate General of Systems and Data Management : Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

With reference to the Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR), consider the following statements: 1. It is mandated by SEBI for the top listed companies by market capitalisation. 2. It requires purely qualitative, narrative disclosure with no quantifiable metrics. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following statements: 1. Income from allied agricultural activities, such as dairy and poultry farming, is treated the same as agricultural income and is fully exempt under the Income Tax Act, 1961. 2. Rural agricultural land is, in general, excluded from the definition of a 'capital asset' under the Income Tax Act, 1961. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

With reference to India's critical minerals strategy, consider the following statements: 1. India joined the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP), a multi-country initiative to secure critical mineral supply chains. 2. The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023 empowers the central government to auction mining licences for specified critical and deep-seated minerals. 3. There are 30 minerals notified as 'critical minerals' for India. How many of the above statements are correct?

Consider the following statements comparing bondholders and stockholders (shareholders) of a company: 1. Bondholders are creditors of the company, while stockholders are owners. 2. In the event of liquidation, bondholders are repaid before stockholders. 3. Bondholders generally bear lower risk than stockholders. Which of the statements given above are correct?

With reference to India's equity derivatives market in recent years, consider the following statements: 1. India's exchanges have, by number of contracts traded, overtaken exchanges in Hong Kong in equity index options volume. 2. SEBI is the regulator responsible for equity options trading in India. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following statements about a circular economy: 1. It aims to reduce reliance on virgin raw materials by keeping products and materials in use for longer. 2. It reduces overall waste generation compared to a linear 'take-make-dispose' economy. 3. It contributes to lowering greenhouse gas emissions associated with extraction and manufacturing. Which of the statements given above are correct?

Consider the following statements about capital receipts in the government Budget: 1. All capital receipts either create a liability or reduce an asset of the government. 2. Borrowings and disinvestment proceeds are both examples of capital receipts. 3. Interest received by the government on loans it has given is a capital receipt. Which of the statements given above are correct?

With reference to Raja Ram Mohan Roy, consider the following statements: 1. He had a deep interest in and respect for Eastern (Indian) philosophy and scriptures. 2. He championed a rational and scientific approach to social and religious questions. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following as part of the Non-Cooperation programme adopted by the Indian National Congress in 1920: 1. Boycott of government courts and foreign cloth 2. Adherence to non-violence 3. Retention of British-conferred titles and honours 4. Establishment of panchayats for settling private disputes How many of the above were part of the Non-Cooperation programme?

The medieval-era term 'Araghatta', found in inscriptions and travellers' accounts of India, refers to which of the following?

The Pallava ruler who held the titles 'Mattavilasa', 'Vichitrachitta', and 'Gunabhara', reflecting his interests in the arts, including as a noted playwright, was:

The Chinese Buddhist pilgrim Fa-hien (Faxian), who left a valuable account of Indian society and Buddhism, travelled to India during the reign of:

Which Chola ruler led a successful naval military campaign against the Srivijaya kingdom, which controlled parts of the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Java?

Consider the following pairs of ancient territorial regions (Mahajanapadas) and the rivers associated with them: Region : River 1. Asmaka : Godavari 2. Kamboja : Vipas (Beas) 3. Avanti : Mahanadi 4. Kosala : Sarayu How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

The first Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, a music school set up by Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar in 1901 to systematise and popularise Hindustani classical music education, was established in which city?

In the Ashokan inscriptions, officers designated as 'Pradeshika', 'Rajuka', and 'Yukta' functioned primarily at which administrative level of the Mauryan empire?

With reference to the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-22), consider the following statements: 1. The Indian National Congress, at its Nagpur session, adopted the attainment of 'Swaraj' as its explicit objective. 2. The movement was conceived as a staged programme, with more assertive civil disobedience steps to follow if the initial phase did not succeed. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following countries: 1. Austria 2. Cyprus 3. Finland 4. Ireland 5. Malta 6. North Macedonia How many of the above are members of NATO?

Consider the following South American countries: 1. Argentina 2. Bolivia 3. Brazil 4. Chile 5. Colombia 6. Ecuador Through how many of the above does the Andes mountain range pass?

Consider the following water bodies: 1. Lake Tanganyika 2. Tonle Sap 3. Patos Lagoon Through how many of the above does the Equator pass?

With reference to turmeric cultivation in India (2022-23), consider the following statements: 1. India accounts for the majority of global turmeric production. 2. The area under turmeric cultivation in India has generally been expanding in recent years. 3. Telangana and Maharashtra are among the top turmeric-producing states. Which of the statements given above are correct?

Consider the following as pieces of evidence historically cited in support of the theory of continental drift: 1. Matching rock formations on the coasts of Brazil and West Africa 2. Similar gold-bearing rock strata in Ghana and Brazil 3. Identical Gondwana-age glacial sediments found on continents now widely separated How many of the above are genuine pieces of evidence for continental drift?