2014

Statement 1 is correct: The Constitution does not mention No-Confidence Motion. Rather, Rule 198 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Lok Sabha specifies the procedure for moving a no-confidence motion.

Statement 2 is correct: A no-confidence motion can be moved by any member of the House. It can be moved only in the Lok Sabha and not the Rajya Sabha. The member has to give a written notice of the motion before 10 am, which will be read out by the Speaker in the House. A minimum of 50 members have to accept the motion, and accordingly, the Speaker will announce the date for discussion of the motion.

Statement 1 is Incorrect: Bhadrachalam, located in Telangana, is primarily known as a major pilgrimage site for the Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy Temple and is not a recognized hub for traditional saree or fabric production.

Statement 2 is Correct: Chanderi in Madhya Pradesh is world-famous for its traditional Chanderi sarees and fabrics, which are characterized by their lightweight feel, sheer texture, and fine zari work on silk and cotton.

Statement 3 is Correct: Kancheepuram in Tamil Nadu is renowned for its hand-woven Kancheepuram silk sarees, distinguished by their heavy silk, contrasting borders, and traditional temple-inspired motifs.

Statement 4 is Incorrect: Karnal in Haryana is known for its agricultural importance, particularly rice production, and as the home of the National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), rather than for traditional textile manufacturing.


Pair 1 is correctly matched: Dampa Tiger Reserve or Dampha Tiger Reserve, the largest wildlife sanctuary in Mizoram, India, was notified in 1985 and declared a Tiger Reserve in 1994.

Pair 2 is incorrectly matched: Gumti Wildlife Sanctuary is in Tripura.

Pair 3 correctly matched: Mt. Saramati is the highest peak in Nagaland.

Statement 1 is Incorrect: Earth Hour is an initiative organized by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Statement 2 is Correct: Earth Hour is a global movement encouraging individuals, businesses, and landmarks to switch off non-essential lights for one hour every year, typically on the last Saturday of March.

Statement 3 is Correct: This symbolic act aims to raise awareness about climate change, the need for sustainable practices, and the importance of energy conservation.

The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), a pan-India wildlife research organization, has been promoting the cause of nature conservation since 1883.

Statement 1 is incorrect. BNHS Vision: Premier independent scientific organization with a broad-based constituency, excelling in the conservation of threatened species and habitats.

Statement 2 is correct. BNHS Mission: Conservation of nature, primarily biological diversity through action based on research, education, and public awareness.

Statement 3 is correct. It organizes and conducts nature trails and camps for the general public.

Statement 1 is correct: Oak trees are a common sight in the temperate forests of the Himalayas, particularly at mid-altitudes.

Statement 2 is correct: Rhododendrons are a diverse group of flowering shrubs that thrive in the cool, moist conditions of the Himalayas. They are known for their vibrant blooms and are a characteristic feature of the Himalayan landscape.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Sandalwood is not typically found in the Himalayas. It prefers drier climates and is more commonly associated with tropical regions like southern India.

Statement 1 is Correct: Vegetative propagation is a form of asexual reproduction where new plants are grown from the vegetative parts (roots, stems, or leaves) of a single parent. Since there is no fusion of gametes, the offspring are genetically identical to the parent, forming a clonal population.

Statement 2 is Incorrect: This method does not eliminate viruses; rather, it tends to propagate them. If the parent plant is infected with a virus, the pathogen is typically transmitted to the new plant because the offspring is developed directly from the infected parent's tissues.

Statement 3 is Correct: Unlike sexual reproduction, which is dependent on specific seasonal cycles of flowering, pollination, and seed formation, vegetative propagation can be practiced throughout most of the year as it relies on mature vegetative organs that are often available regardless of the plant's reproductive phase.

The answer is (D) tax imposed and collected by the State Government is correct.

In India, sales tax has been replaced by the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

However, before the implementation of GST, sales tax was levied by individual states in India. While there might have been some central guidelines, the power to impose and collect sales tax primarily rested with the state governments.

In organisms called lichens, a chlorophyll-containing partner, which is an algae, and a fungus live together. Fungus provides shelter, water, and minerals to the algae. In return, the algae provides food which it prepares by photosynthesis.

Diatoms: These are microscopic, single-celled algae that are primary producers in aquatic ecosystems. They use photosynthesis to convert sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into organic matter (food).

Crustaceans: These are small aquatic animals like shrimp, crabs, and krill. They are primary consumers in the food chain and feed on diatoms and other phytoplankton (microscopic plants).

Herrings: These are small schooling fish that are secondary consumers in the food chain. They feed on crustaceans and other zooplankton (microscopic animals).

So, the energy flow starts with diatoms (producers) being eaten by crustaceans (consumers), which are then eaten by herrings (higher-level consumers).


During photosynthesis, solar energy is converted into chemical energy and stored in sugar molecule bonds. This chemical bond energy is potential (stored) energy.


Statement 1 is correct: Agni-IV is indeed a surface-to-surface missile. It is designed to launch from land-based mobile platforms and strike targets on the ground.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Agni-IV is a two-stage, solid-fueled missile. It does not rely on liquid propellants.

Statement 3 is also incorrect: The reported range of Agni-IV is around 4,000 km, not 7,500 km. Additionally, its payload capacity is estimated to be around 1,000 kg (one tonne), but its specific warhead capabilities are not publicly disclosed.


1. Finance Commission: Deals with the distribution of tax revenue between the central government and states, not overall national planning.

2. National Development Council (NDC): This was the apex body for planning at the national level. It is used to formulate and review India's five-year plans.

3. Union Ministry of Rural Development: Implements specific development schemes related to rural areas, not national-level planning.

4. Union Ministry of Urban Development: Implements specific development schemes related to urban areas, not national-level planning.

5. Parliament: While not directly involved in day-to-day planning, the Parliament is used to approve the five-year plans formulated by the NDC. Additionally, Members of Parliament (MPs) can utilize funds allocated for their constituencies through MPLADS (Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme), which contributes to local-level planning.

The Gond and Korku tribes, primarily residing in the Betul and Harda districts of Madhya Pradesh, observe a month-long ecological campaign during the monsoon season. This tradition involves the large-scale planting of saplings of fruit-bearing trees and is locally known as the 'Hari Jiroti' festival. This practice highlights the deep-rooted connection between these indigenous communities and their environment, showcasing a traditional model of biodiversity conservation and sustainable resource management.

1. Painted Stork: These are wading birds and typically feed on fish, frogs, and insects in shallow water. They are not known for following cattle. 2. Common Myna: These are insectivores and often follow cattle or other grazing animals to catch insects flushed out by their movement. 3. Black-necked Crane: These are primarily herbivores and feed on grains, plants, and aquatic vegetation. They are not known for following cattle for insects.

Thus, the correct answer is 2 only.

Pair 1 is correct: The Harike Wetland is formed at the confluence of the Beas and Sutlej rivers in Punjab, India.

Pair 2 is incorrect: Keoladeo Ghana National Park, also known as Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, is not located at the confluence of these rivers. It's a man-made wetland in Rajasthan, located on the confluence of River Gambhir and River Banganga.

Pair 3 is incorrect: Kolleru Lake is a freshwater lake in Andhra Pradesh and is not located where the Musi and Krishna rivers meet. It lies between the Krishna and Godavari deltas.


Thus, only pair one is correctly matched.

Business Correspondents (BCs) or Bank Saathis are agents appointed by banks to provide basic banking services in rural and unbanked areas where setting up a full-fledged branch might not be feasible.

They act as a bridge between the bank and the local population, offering essential financial services

Statement 1 is correct: BCs can help villagers access government subsidies and social security benefits electronically deposited into their accounts. This eliminates the need to travel long distances to banks and reduces the risk of cash handling. Statement 2 is correct: Villagers can deposit their savings or withdraw cash through BCs, promoting financial inclusion and facilitating small transactions without requiring them to visit a bank branch.

Therefore, both options (1 and 2) are the facilities that beneficiaries can avail through Business Correspondent services.

Kalaripayattu is an ancient Indian martial art that originated in Kerala, a state on the southwestern coast of India. It's considered one of the oldest and most scientific martial arts in the world, with a rich history and tradition.

Statement 1 is incorrect: The Animal Welfare Board of India is established under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, not the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

Statement 2 is correct: The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is a statutory body constituted under the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2006. Thus, NTCA is a statutory body. It is responsible for the implementation of Project Tiger.

Statement 3 is correct: The National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) was constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and was chaired by the Prime Minister. It aimed to plan and coordinate measures for the conservation and management of the Ganga River. (It was later replaced by the National Ganga Council in 2016.)

Pair 1 is incorrectly matched: The Cassini-Huygens mission was a joint NASA/ESA/ASI mission to study the planet Saturn and its system of rings and moons. The Huygens probe successfully landed on Saturn's largest moon, Titan.

Pair 2 is correctly matched: The MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging) was a NASA spacecraft that orbited the planet Mercury from 2011 to 2015, studying its chemical composition, geology, and magnetic field.

Pair 3 is correctly matched: These twin NASA spacecraft were launched in 1977 to conduct a "Grand Tour" of the outer planets. They provided detailed images and data on Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune and are now continuing their journey into interstellar space.

Statement 1 is correct: Statutory Reserve Requirements, which include the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) and the Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR), are the primary quantitative tools used by the RBI to regulate the money supply and control the credit-creation capacity (advances) of commercial banks.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Although maintaining reserves helps manage bank liquidity, the specific "safety" of people's deposits is the mandate of the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) and the implementation of Capital Adequacy Ratios (Basel norms), rather than being the primary policy purpose of statutory reserves.

Statement 3 is incorrect: These requirements are instruments of monetary policy and are not designed to regulate or prevent the profits made by commercial banks.

Statement 4 is incorrect: Statutory reserves like CRR must be kept with the RBI, and SLR is kept in liquid assets like government securities. Banks maintain their own "vault cash" separately to meet day-to-day operational requirements.

* 'Satyameva Jayate' (Truth alone triumphs ) is a mantra from the ancient Indian scripture Mundaka Upanishad.

* Following the independence of India, it was adopted as the national motto of India on 26 January 1950. It is inscribed in the script at the base of the national emblem. The emblem and the words 'Satyameva Jayate' are inscribed on one side of all Indian currency.

* The emblem is an adaptation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka which was erected around 250 BCE at Sarnath, near Varanasi in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is inscribed on all currency notes and national documents.

Maize (corn) is a versatile crop with numerous uses.

Statement 1 is correct: Maize is a major source of starch, a carbohydrate used in various food and industrial applications. Cornstarch is a common thickening agent in cooking and is also used in bioplastics and pharmaceuticals.

Statement 2 is correct: Biodiesel Feedstock Corn oil, extracted from the maize germ, can be processed into biodiesel, a renewable fuel alternative to traditional diesel.

Statement 3 is correct: Alcoholic Beverage Production Maize is a key ingredient in various alcoholic beverages, including bourbon whiskey and corn-based ethanol for alcoholic drinks or fuel.

The Ibadat Khana (House of Worship) was a meeting house built in 1575 AD by the Mughal Emperor Akbar at his capital, Fatehpur Sikri.

* Initial Purpose: It was originally intended as a place for Sunni Muslim scholars to gather and discuss theological matters. * Universal Discussions: In 1578 AD, Akbar opened the doors of the Ibadat Khana to scholars of all religions—including Hindus, Jains, Christians (Jesuits), and Zoroastrians—after becoming disillusioned with the narrow-mindedness and conflicts among the orthodox Muslim clergy. * Significance: These debates took place on Thursday evenings. The interactions with various religious leaders led Akbar to believe that truth could be found in all religions, eventually leading to the formulation of Din-i-Ilahi (a syncretic ethical code).

The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture focuses on ensuring the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. This directly impacts biodiversity as it aims to protect the variety of plant species crucial for food security and ecosystem health.

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification addresses land degradation in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas. Desertification can significantly reduce biodiversity by destroying habitats and reducing plant and animal life. By working to combat desertification, this convention indirectly protects biodiversity.

The World Heritage Convention focuses on preserving cultural and natural heritage sites. Conservation natural heritage sites may contribute to biodiversity conservation. Thus 'D' is the correct answer.

Mimamsa and Vedanta: These are both orthodox schools of Hindu philosophy within the six systems. Nyaya and Vaisheshika: These are also part of the six orthodox systems, known for their focus on logic and epistemology. Sankhya and Yoga: These are considered two of the six orthodox systems, with Sankhya focusing on dualism and Yoga on achieving liberation through practices like meditation.

Lokayata: This was a materialistic philosophy that is not considered part of the six orthodox systems of Hindu philosophy. It emphasized materialism and scepticism towards spiritual concepts. Kapalika: While the exact nature and origin of Kapalika are debated, it's generally not considered among the six orthodox systems. It's associated with tantric practices and rituals that deviate from the mainstream Hindu philosophy.

Therefore, Lokayata and Kapalika are not part of the six established systems of Indian philosophy.

Statement 1 is Correct: Denmark is one of the eight member states of the Arctic Council, representing the Kingdom of Denmark, which includes Greenland and the Faroe Islands.

Statement 2 is Incorrect: Japan is not a member state; it holds observer status within the Arctic Council.

Statement 3 is Correct: The Russian Federation is a member state of the Arctic Council as it is one of the eight nations with sovereignty over lands within the Arctic Circle.

Statement 4 is Incorrect: The United Kingdom is an observer state, not a member state of the Arctic Council.

Statement 5 is Correct: The United States of America is a member state of the Arctic Council due to its territory in Alaska.

The Arctic Council consists of eight member states: Canada, the Kingdom of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, Sweden, and the United States.

Statement 1 is incorrect: The Government introduced the Pentavalent vaccine, which also fights against Diphtheria. This implies that Diphtheria is still prevalent.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Chickenpox is still widespread among the population.

Statement 3 is correct: Smallpox has been eradicated from India. India declared itself free of smallpox in 1979.

Queen Victoria's Proclamation aimed to appease Indian rulers following the Sepoy Mutiny (Rebellion of 1857).

Statement 1 is correct: Disclaiming annexation assured them their territories wouldn't be taken over.

Statement 2 is correct: The proclamation did indeed transfer power from the East India Company to the British Crown by appointing a Viceroy to oversee administration in India and to report to the Queen directly.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Regulating trade wasn't a primary focus of the proclamation, as the East India Company was free to trade in India under the Free Trade Policy, but without a monopoly.

* The Arab Spring uprisings originally started in Tunisia.

* In December 2010, a young Tunisian street vendor named Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire in protest of police harassment. This act of desperation sparked widespread demonstrations throughout Tunisia, demanding an end to corruption, unemployment, and political repression.

* The success of the Tunisian revolution, which eventually led to the overthrow of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, inspired similar protests across the Arab world, becoming known as the Arab Spring.