UPSC Prelims 2014 Question Paper

With reference to Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), consider the following statements :

1. It is an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
2. It strives to conserve nature through action-based research, education and public awareness.
3. It organizes and conducts nature trails and camps for the general public.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

With reference to a conservation organization called Wetlands International, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. It is an intergovernmental organization formed by the countries which are signatories to the Ramsar Convention.
2. It works at the field level to develop and mobilize knowledge, and use the practical experience to advocate for better policies.

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What are the benefits of implementing the ‘Integrated Watershed Development Programme’?

1. Prevention of soil runoff
2. Linking the country’s perennial rivers with seasonal rivers
3. Rainwater harvesting and recharge of the groundwater table
4. Regeneration of natural vegetation

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With reference to the Neem tree, consider the following statements:

1. Neem oil can be used as a pesticide to control the proliferation of some species of insects and mites.
2. Neem seeds are used in the manufacture of biofuels and hospital detergents.
3. Neem oil has applications in the pharmaceutical industry.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following statements:

1. Maize can be used for the production of starch.
2. Oil extracted from maize can be a feedstock for biodiesel.
3. Alcoholic beverages can be produced by using maize.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

In India, the problem of soil erosion is associated with which of the following?

1. Terrace cultivation
2. Deforestation
3. Tropical climate

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Consider the following statements regarding ‘Earth Hour’:

1. It is an initiative of UNEP and UNESCO.
2. It is a movement in which the participants switch off the lights for one hour on a certain day every year.
3. It is a movement to raise awareness about climate change and the need to save the planet.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Which one of the following is the correct sequence of a food chain?

Consider the following international agreements:

1. The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
2. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
3. The World Heritage Convention

Which of the above has/have a bearing on the biodiversity?

The most important strategy for the conservation of biodiversity together with traditional human life is the establishment of

Which of the following are some important pollutants released by the steel industry in India?

1. Oxides of sulphur
2. Oxides of nitrogen
3. Carbon monoxide
4. Carbon dioxide

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Programme/ Project Ministry

1. Drought-Prone Area Programme: Ministry of Agriculture
2. Desert Development Programme: Ministry of Environment and Forests
3. National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas: Ministry of Rural Development

Which of the above pairs are correctly matched?

The main objective of the 12th Five-Year Plan is

In India, cluster bean (Guar) is traditionally used as a vegetable or animal feed, but recently the cultivation of this has assumed significance. Which one of the following statements is correct in this context?

Which of the following are associated with ‘Planning’ in India?

1. The Finance Commission
2. The National Development Council
3. The Union Ministry of Rural Development
4. The Union Ministry of Urban Development
5. The Parliament

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With reference to Union Budget, which of the following is/are covered under Non-Plan Expenditure?

1. Defence expenditure
2. Interest payments
3. Salaries and pensions
4. Subsidies

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In the context of Indian economy which of the following is/are the purpose/purposes of ‘Statutory Reserve Requirements’?

1. To enable the Central Bank to control the amount of advances the banks can create
2. To make the people’s deposits with banks safe and liquid
3. To prevent commercial banks from making excessive profits
4. To force the banks to have sufficient vault cash to meet their day-to-day requirements

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With reference to Balance of Payments, which of the following constitutes/constitute the Current Account?

1. Balance of trade
2. Foreign assets
3. Balance of invisibles
4. Special Drawing Right

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If the interest rate is decreased in an economy, it will

In the context of food and nutritional security of India, enhancing the ‘Seed Replacement Rates’ of various crops helps in achieving the food production targets of the future. But what is/are the constraint/ constraints in its wider / greater implementation?

1. There is no National Seeds Policy in place.
2. There is no participation of private sector seed companies in the supply of quality seeds of vegetables and planting materials of horticultural crops.
3. There is a demand-supply gap regarding quality seeds in case of low value and high volume crops.

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