2015

The Fortaleza Declaration is related to the affairs of the BRICS group of countries.

BRICS stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The Fortaleza Declaration was signed during the Sixth BRICS Summit held in Fortaleza, Brazil, in July 2014.

Kalamkari painting refers to a specific type of hand-painted or block-printed textile art originating from the South Indian states, mainly Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Here's a breakdown of its key characteristics

Kalamkari paintings often depict mythological stories, scenes from nature, and religious figures. Floral and geometric patterns are also common.

Option A is incorrect: Controlling inflation is a joint responsibility of both the Government of India and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). While the government manages fiscal policy and supply-side measures (like buffer stocks), the RBI manages monetary policy.

Option B is incorrect: The RBI plays a central role in controlling inflation. Under the RBI Act, 1934, the RBI has a specific mandate to maintain price stability. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the RBI adjusts policy rates (like the Repo rate) specifically to keep inflation within a target range (4% +/- 2%).

Option C is correct: Decreased money circulation (contractionary monetary policy) is a standard tool to control inflation. By reducing the liquidity available in the economy, the central bank can reduce aggregate demand, which helps in cooling down rising prices.

Option D is incorrect: Increased money circulation generally leads to an increase in aggregate demand. If the supply of goods and services does not keep pace with this increased demand, it leads to demand-pull inflation.

Statement 1 is correct: The Rajya Sabha has no power either to reject or to amend a Money Bill. This is a provision under Article 110 of the Indian Constitution.

Statement 2 is correct. The Rajya Sabha cannot vote on the Demands for Grants. This is the exclusive privilege of the Lok Sabha.

Statement 3 is incorrect. The Rajya Sabha can discuss the Annual Financial Statement (Budget), but it does not have the power to vote on the demands for grants. This is also the exclusive privilege of the Lok Sabha.

The Easternmost and Westernmost states of India are: - Easternmost: Arunachal Pradesh - Westernmost: Gujarat


Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) is the minimum percentage of deposits that a commercial bank has to maintain in the form of liquid cash, gold, or other securities.

1. Mechanism of SLR Reduction: When the RBI reduces the SLR, banks are required to keep a smaller portion of their deposits in liquid assets. This frees up more funds for the banks to use for lending purposes. 2. Impact on Lending Rates: As the supply of loanable funds with the banks increases, they are likely to reduce their lending rates to encourage borrowing and stay competitive. This makes Option C the most likely outcome. 3. Why other options are incorrect: * Option A: While a reduction in SLR can stimulate economic activity, it is unlikely to cause a 'drastic' increase in the GDP growth rate on its own. * Option B: Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) are influenced by global market conditions, interest rate differentials, and ease of doing business, rather than domestic SLR changes. * Option D: Reducing the SLR increases the liquidity available to the banking system for lending; it does not reduce it.

Statement 1 is Incorrect: The size of the Legislative Council of a state cannot be larger than one-third of the total membership of the Legislative Assembly. The Constitution sets a limit to ensure the dominance of the lower house (Legislative Assembly) in a bicameral legislature.

Statement 2 is Incorrect: The Chairman of the Legislative Council is not nominated by the Governor. The members of the Legislative Council themselves elect the Chairman and Deputy Chairman. This ensures the independence of the Upper House from the executive branch (headed by the Governor).

Out of the listed countries, only Jordan does not have a coastline on the Mediterranean Sea.


Syria, Lebanon, and Israel all border the Mediterranean Sea. Jordan is bordered by Israel and the West Bank to the west, effectively separating it from the Mediterranean Sea.

1. Srisailam - Nallamala Hills (Correct): Srisailam, a revered Hindu pilgrimage site dedicated to Lord Shiva and Parvati, is situated in the Nallamala Hills range on the border of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

2. Omkareshwar - Satmala Hills (Incorrect): Omkareshwar, a holy island town on the Narmada River known for its 12 Shiva Jyotirlinga temples, is located in the Mandhata plateau region, not the Satmala Hills.

3. Pushkar - Mahadeo Hills (Incorrect): Pushkar, a sacred town famous for the only Brahma temple in India, is situated on the shores of Pushkar Lake in Rajasthan, not the Mahadeo Hills.

The Mahadeo Hills are located in Madhya Pradesh, a central Indian state.


Statement 1 is correct: A committee named the 'Sedition Committee' was set up in 1918 by the British Raj, led by Sir Sidney Rowlatt, a British judge. The purpose of this committee was to investigate political activities considered seditious by the British government, particularly in Bengal and Punjab.

Statement 2 is correct: Gandhi believed the Rowlatt Act, passed based on the committee's recommendations, was unjust. It gave the British authorities broad powers to arrest and detain people suspected of revolutionary activities without trial.

While not the primary tool used by Gandhi, Gandhi did attempt to leverage the support and networks of the Home Rule Leagues to mobilize people against the Rowlatt Act.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Demonstration against the Simon Commission was held in 1928, while the Rowlatt Act was passed in 1919.

The eastward flow of the Equatorial Counter-Current (ECC) is primarily driven by the accumulation of water on the western sides of ocean basins.

1. The North and South Equatorial Currents are driven westward by the Trade Winds, causing water to 'pile up' against the western shores (e.g., the western Pacific or western Atlantic). 2. This accumulation creates a higher sea level in the west compared to the east, resulting in a pressure gradient. 3. In the zone between these two westward currents (the Doldrums), where surface winds are weak, this accumulated water flows back eastward under the influence of gravity to restore the ocean's equilibrium. 4. While the convergence of the two equatorial currents leads to this 'piling up' and subsequent downwelling (sinking of water), the resulting pressure gradient is what facilitates the eastward return flow known as the Equatorial Counter-Current.

Statement 1 is incorrect: Excessive use of nitrogen fertilizers actually reduces the need for nitrogen-fixing microorganisms in the soil. Plants can readily utilize the added nitrogen, so these microbes wouldn't need to fix atmospheric nitrogen for the plants' benefit.

Statement 2 is correct: Nitrogenous fertilizers can release acidic compounds as they break down in the soil, leading to increased soil acidity.

Statement 3 is correct: When applied in excess, nitrogen fertilizers (especially nitrates) can be easily washed away by rain or irrigation water. This can contaminate groundwater sources.

Influenza (H1N1) virus is a subtype of influenza A virus that was the most common cause of human influenza (flu) in 2009 and is associated with the 1918 outbreak known as the Spanish Flu. It is an orthomyxovirus that contains the glycoproteins haemagglutinin and neuraminidase. For this reason, they are described as H1N1, H1N2 etc., depending on the type of H or N antigens they express with metabolic synergy.

- Haemagglutinin causes red blood cells to clump together and binds the virus to the infected cell. - Neuraminidase is a type of glycoside hydrolase enzyme which helps to move the virus particles through the infected cell and assist in budding from the host cells.

In June 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the new strain of swine-origin H1N1 as a pandemic. This strain is often called swine flu by the public media.

Indravati and Pranhita: These are major left-bank tributaries of the Godavari River.


Vamsadhara: This river flows independently into the Bay of Bengal and is not a tributary of Godavari.

Pennar: This river flows entirely within Andhra Pradesh and drains into the Bay of Bengal south of Chennai. It's not a tributary of Godavari.

Statement 1 is Incorrect: Bangladesh is not a member of the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) initiative. Statement 2 is Correct: Cambodia is one of the five ASEAN members that founded the MGC along with India. Statement 3 is Incorrect: China is not a participant in the MGC, although the Mekong River originates in the Tibetan Plateau. Statement 4 is Correct: Myanmar is a member country of the MGC, representing the Mekong basin region. Statement 5 is Correct: Thailand is a member country of the MGC and was part of its launch in 2000.

The Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) is an initiative by six countries: India and five ASEAN countries, namely Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. It was launched in 2000 at Vientiane, Laos, to facilitate closer contacts among people inhabiting these two major river basins. Since the question asks for those who are not participants, Bangladesh (1) and China (3) are the correct answers.

The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action is a visionary agenda for the empowerment of women.

It's a landmark document adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995.

Statement 1 is correct: The Forest Carbon Partnership Facility is a global partnership of governments, businesses, civil society, and Indigenous Peoples focused on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, forest carbon stock conservation, the sustainable management of forests, and the enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries (activities commonly referred to as REDD).

Statement 2 is incorrect: The FCPF focuses on assisting developing countries with REDD initiatives, not funding individual scientific research.

Statement 3 is correct: To assist countries in their REDD efforts by providing them with financial and technical assistance in building their capacity to benefit from possible future systems of positive incentives for REDD.

Statement 1 is Correct: China is recognized as a Nuclear Weapon State (NWS) under the NPT, as it had manufactured and exploded a nuclear weapon or other nuclear explosive device prior to January 1, 1967.

Statement 2 is Correct: France is recognized as a Nuclear Weapon State (NWS) under the NPT.

Statement 3 is Incorrect: India is not a signatory to the NPT and is not recognized as a Nuclear Weapon State under the treaty, despite possessing nuclear weapons.

Statement 4 is Incorrect: Israel has never signed the NPT and is not recognized as a Nuclear Weapon State under the treaty.

Statement 5 is Incorrect: Pakistan is not a signatory to the NPT and is not recognized as a Nuclear Weapon State under the treaty.

Under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), only five states are recognized as Nuclear Weapon States: the United States, Russia (formerly the Soviet Union), the United Kingdom, France, and China. These five states also happen to be the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (P5).

Statement 1 is incorrect: IUCN is an independent membership organization, not a UN body. Governments, NGOs, and scientific institutions can all be members.

Statement 2 is correct: IUCN runs thousands of field projects around the world to better manage natural environments.

Statement 3 is correct: CITES is a legally binding international agreement for countries that have ratified it. However, each member nation implements the regulations through its own domestic laws.

The question refers to the economic trends in India during the decade preceding 2015.

Statement 1 is incorrect: The 'rate of growth' of real GDP refers to the percentage change in GDP from one year to the next. In India, this rate has not 'steadily increased'; instead, it has fluctuated. For example, growth was high in the mid-2000s, slowed down during the 2008 global financial crisis, recovered briefly, and then slowed again around 2012-13. A steady increase would mean the percentage growth rate rose every single year, which did not happen.

Statement 2 is correct: GDP at market prices (in absolute rupee terms) has steadily increased over the last decade. Even though the *rate* of growth fluctuated, as long as the growth rate remained positive (which it did), the total size of the economy (the absolute GDP value) continued to expand year after year.

Therefore, only statement 2 is correct.

The region described in the passage is most likely experiencing an equatorial climate.

* Clear and bright mornings with sea breeze: This suggests a warm and humid environment near the ocean.

* Heat building up during the day: Equatorial regions receive strong, direct sunlight throughout the year, leading to high daytime temperatures.

* Afternoon thunderstorms: The rising heat in the afternoon creates convection currents, leading to the formation of towering cumulonimbus clouds that bring brief, intense rain showers with thunder and lightning.

* Short-lived rain: Equatorial regions experience frequent, short bursts of rain, followed by clear skies again.


Tropical cyclones require specific atmospheric and oceanic conditions to originate, including warm sea surface temperatures (above 26.5°C), the presence of the Coriolis force, and a pre-existing low-pressure disturbance.

1. Role of the ITCZ: The Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is a region where the trade winds of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres converge, creating the low-level atmospheric instability and rising moist air necessary for cyclone formation. In the South Atlantic and South Eastern Pacific, the ITCZ stays mostly north of the equator and seldom migrates into these regions, leaving them without the necessary 'trigger' for cyclones.

2. Vertical Wind Shear: These regions are also characterized by strong vertical wind shear (the change in wind speed and direction with height). High shear prevents the vertical development of thunderstorms and prevents them from organizing into a cyclonic structure.

3. Sea Surface Temperatures: While the explanation notes temperatures are generally warm enough, these specific regions are influenced by cold ocean currents (the Benguela Current in the South Atlantic and the Humboldt Current in the South Eastern Pacific), which keep the waters relatively cooler than other tropical basins, further inhibiting cyclone genesis.

Among the given options, the lack of the ITCZ is the primary reason why cyclones do not originate in these areas.

Statement 1 is Incorrect: While the Congress Socialist Party (CSP) aimed to radicalize the Congress and mobilize peasants and workers, it did not specifically advocate for the evasion of taxes as a policy; its focus was on the abolition of zamindari and the socialistic reorganization of the economy.

Statement 2 is Incorrect: The CSP was founded on the principles of democratic socialism. It explicitly rejected the 'dictatorship of the proletariat'—a concept central to Marxism-Leninism and the Communist Party—preferring to work within the democratic framework of the Indian National Congress.

Statement 3 is Incorrect: The CSP, being a faction within the Indian National Congress, adhered to the Congress's stand of opposing separate electorates. They advocated for joint electorates and believed that the problems of minorities and oppressed classes should be addressed through economic and social reforms rather than communal representation.

Tropical Wet Evergreen Forests are found in regions that have high temperatures and high rainfall throughout the year.


Arunachal Pradesh: This state is located in the eastern part of India and it receives high rainfall. It is known for its rich biodiversity and is home to Tropical Wet Evergreen Forests.

Himachal Pradesh: This state is located in the northern part of India, in the Himalayan region. The climate here is more temperate and alpine due to its high altitude, and it does not support Tropical Wet Evergreen Forests.

Mizoram: This state is located in the northeastern part of India and it also receives high rainfall. It is known for its rich biodiversity and is home to Tropical Wet Evergreen Forests.

Therefore, Tropical Wet Evergreen Forests occur in Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram.

Statement 1 is Correct: The Green Climate Fund (GCF) was established to support developing countries in limiting or reducing their greenhouse gas emissions (mitigation) and adapting to the impacts of climate change (adaptation). Statement 2 is Incorrect: The GCF was established by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) during the 2010 COP 16 in Cancun, Mexico. It is not founded under the aegis of UNEP, OECD, ADB, or the World Bank.

IndARC stands for India's first underwater observatory deployed in the Arctic region. Here's a breakdown of its key aspects:

Its location in Kongsfjorden fjord, Svalbard, Norway (situated midway between Norway and the North Pole) and deployment in the year 2014 for studies of the Arctic climate and its influence on the Indian monsoon system.

The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is an international treaty adopted in 1987 to protect the stratospheric ozone layer. It mandates the gradual phase-out of the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances (ODS), such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and halons. It operates under the framework of the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer.

- Bretton Woods Conference (1944): Led to the establishment of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. - Kyoto Protocol (1997): An international treaty aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions to combat global warming. - Nagoya Protocol (2010): A supplementary agreement to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) focusing on access to genetic resources and fair benefit-sharing.

Statement 1 is correct: Targeted drug delivery is a promising application of nanotechnology in medicine. Nanoparticles can be designed to carry drugs specifically to diseased cells, reducing side effects and improving treatment efficacy.

Statement 2 is correct: Nanotechnology is being explored for gene therapy by creating nanocarriers that can deliver genetic material (e.g., DNA or RNA) into specific cells. This holds the potential for treating various genetic disorders.

Therefore, both statements are correct.

The Fair and Remunerative Price of Sugarcane (FRP) for sugarcane in India is approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by the Prime Minister.

The proposal for FRP is determined based on the recommendation of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) in its report on the price policy for sugarcane for a particular sugar season.

Namdapha National Park is located in Arunachal Pradesh, India, in the eastern Himalayas.

Due to its significant elevation range, the park experiences a diverse range of climates.

The southern regions have a tropical to subtropical climate, while the higher elevations transition to temperate and even Arctic conditions.