UPSC Prelims 2014
Science & Technology Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
Explore 9 solved UPSC Prelims 2014 Science & Technology questions with detailed step-by-step bilingual solutions, option analysis, and answer keys.
Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding vegetative propagation of plants?
- Vegetative propagation produces clonal population.
- Vegetative propagation helps in eliminating the virus.
- Vegetative propagation can be practised most of the year.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Vegetative propagation is an asexual reproduction method where new plants grow from vegetative parts (roots, stems, leaves) without gamete fusion, producing genetically identical offspring—a clonal population.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: Vegetative propagation does not eliminate viruses; instead, it propagates them. If the parent plant is virus-infected, the pathogen transmits to offspring through infected tissues.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Unlike sexual reproduction dependent on seasonal flowering cycles, vegetative propagation can be practiced year-round as it relies on mature vegetative organs available regardless of reproductive phase.
Which of the following pair is/are correctly matched?
| Spacecraft | Purpose |
|---|---|
| 1. Cassini-Huygens | Orbiting Venus and transmitting data to the Earth |
| 2. Messenger | Mapping and investigating the Mercury |
| 3. Voyager 1 and 2 | Exploring the outer solar system |
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Detailed Explanation:
❌ Pair 1 – Incorrect: Cassini-Huygens was a mission to study Saturn and its moons (not Venus). The Huygens probe landed on Titan (Saturn's largest moon) in 2005.
✅ Pair 2 – Correct: MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging) orbited Mercury from 2011 to 2015, mapping and studying its surface, composition, and magnetic field.
✅ Pair 3 – Correct: Voyager 1 and 2 were launched by NASA in 1977 to explore the outer solar system, providing data on Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune before entering interstellar space.
Which of the following is/are the example/examples of chemical change?
- Crystallization of sodium chloride
- Melting of ice
- Souring of milk
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 1 – Incorrect: Crystallization of sodium chloride is a physical change; NaCl changes from dissolved to solid state without altering its chemical composition.
✅ Statement 2 – Incorrect: Melting of ice is a physical change; H₂O molecules transition from solid to liquid state while maintaining the same chemical structure.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Souring of milk is a chemical change; bacteria convert lactose into lactic acid, creating new substances and irreversibly altering the chemical composition.
🧐 Not Sure What to Study Next?
Get a personalised study plan based on your goals, time and revision needs.
In addition to fingerprint scanning, which of the following can be used in the biometric identification of a person?
- Iris scanning
- Retinal scanning
- Voice recognition
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Iris scanning captures unique patterns in the colored ring around the pupil, which remain stable throughout life and are highly distinctive for each individual.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Retinal scanning maps the unique pattern of blood vessels at the back of the eye, providing one of the most accurate biometric identification methods.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Voice recognition analyzes unique vocal characteristics including pitch, tone, cadence, and physical features of the vocal tract for identification.
Which one of the following is the process involved in photosynthesis?
Detailed Explanation:
Photosynthesis converts light energy (free energy) from the sun into chemical energy (potential energy) and stores it in the bonds of glucose molecules.
The process uses carbon dioxide and water as raw materials and releases oxygen as a byproduct, while the stored energy in glucose can later be used by plants and other organisms.
Consider the following pairs :
| Vitamin | Deficiency disease |
|---|---|
| 1. Vitamin C | Scurvy |
| 2. Vitamin D | Rickets |
| 3. Vitamin E | Night blindness |
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Pair 1 – Correct: Vitamin C deficiency causes Scurvy, characterized by bleeding gums, weakness, and poor wound healing.
✅ Pair 2 – Correct: Vitamin D deficiency causes Rickets in children, leading to soft and weak bones.
❌ Pair 3 – Incorrect: Vitamin E deficiency causes neurological problems and muscle weakness, not Night blindness. Night blindness is caused by Vitamin A deficiency.
Consider the following techniques/phenomena:
- Budding and grafting in fruit plants
- Cytoplasmic male sterility
- Gene silencing
Which of the above is/are used to create transgenic crops?
Detailed Explanation:
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: Budding and grafting are traditional vegetative propagation techniques that multiply plants asexually without altering DNA; no recombinant DNA technology is used, so they do not create transgenic crops.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) can be manipulated through genetic engineering to introduce or transfer sterility genes into crops, creating transgenic lines for hybrid seed production.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Gene silencing (RNA interference/RNAi) uses engineered genetic constructs to suppress specific gene expression in plants, making it a key technique for developing transgenic crops with desired traits.
Consider the following diseases
- Diphtheria
- Chickenpox
- Smallpox
Which of the above diseases has/have been eradicated in India?
Detailed Explanation:
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: Diphtheria has not been eradicated; India still administers the Pentavalent vaccine (introduced in 2011–12) which includes DPT (Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus) component, indicating ongoing disease burden.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: Chickenpox (Varicella) remains endemic in India; the Varicella vaccine is available but not part of the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP), and cases occur regularly across the country.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Smallpox was declared eradicated from India in 1975 (last case in 1975), and WHO certified global eradication in 1980; India played a key role in the worldwide eradication campaign.
With reference to Agni-IV Missile, which of the following statements is/are correct?
- It is a surface-to-surface missile.
- It is fuelled by liquid propellant only.
- It can deliver one-tonne nuclear warheads about 7500 km away.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Agni-IV is a surface-to-surface ballistic missile designed to be launched from mobile land-based platforms and strike ground targets.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: Agni-IV uses two-stage solid-fuel propulsion, not liquid propellant. Solid propellants provide better storage stability and quick launch capability.
❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: Agni-IV has a range of approximately 4,000 km, not 7,500 km. While it can carry a one-tonne payload, the 7,500 km range figure is incorrect.
UPSC Prelims 2014 - Science & Technology Chapter-wise Distribution
Biotechnology
3 Qs (33.3%)Human Health & Disease
2 Qs (22.2%)Space Technology
1 Qs (11.1%)Defence Technology
1 Qs (11.1%)Information & Communication Technology
1 Qs (11.1%)Chemistry and Material Science
1 Qs (11.1%)UPSC Prelims 2014 - Science & Technology Questions FAQs
Q1 How many Science & Technology questions were asked in UPSC Prelims 2014?
Q2 What is the chapter-wise question distribution for Science & Technology in UPSC Prelims 2014?
- Biotechnology: 3 questions (33.3%)
- Human Health & Disease: 2 questions (22.2%)
- Space Technology: 1 questions (11.1%)
- Defence Technology: 1 questions (11.1%)
- Information & Communication Technology: 1 questions (11.1%)
- Chemistry and Material Science: 1 questions (11.1%)