UPSC Prelims 2015 Question Paper
Explore the complete solved question paper for UPSC Prelims 2015 featuring 100 solved questions with bilingual (English & Hindi) explanations, official answer key, and subject weightage breakdown.
Consider the following statements:
- The Executive Power of the Union of India is vested in the Prime Minister.
- The Prime Minister is the ex officio Chairman of the Civil Services Board.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Detailed Explanation:
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: The executive power of the Union is vested in the President of India under Article 53, not in the Prime Minister. The President exercises this power on the advice of the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: There is no constitutional position called the Civil Services Board at the Union level, and the Prime Minister is not its ex officio Chairman. The Cabinet Secretary is the administrative head of the civil services.
Consider the following statements:
- The Legislative Council of a state in India can be larger in size than half of the Legislative Assembly of that particular state.
- The Governor of a state nominates the Chairman of the Legislative Council of that particular state.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Detailed Explanation:
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: The Legislative Council cannot exceed one-third of the total membership of the Legislative Assembly, as per Article 171(1). The minimum strength is 40 members.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: The Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Legislative Council are elected by the Council members themselves, not nominated by the Governor, ensuring legislative independence from executive control.
Consider the following Statements regarding the DPSP/ Directive Principles of State Policy:
- The Principles spell out the socio-economic democracy in the country
- The provisions contained in these Principles are not enforceable by any court.
Which of the statements given below are correct?
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: The DPSP (Part IV, Articles 36-51) spell out the framework for socio-economic democracy, encompassing social justice, economic justice, and political justice that the State should strive to achieve.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Article 37 explicitly states that DPSPs are not enforceable by any court (non-justiciable), though they remain fundamental in governance and guide law-making and policy formulation.
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When a bill is referred to a joint sitting of both Houses of the Parliament, it has to be passed by:
Detailed Explanation:
Article 108 of the Constitution provides that when a bill is referred to a joint sitting of both Houses, it must be passed by a simple majority of members present and voting.
The joint sitting is presided over by the Speaker of Lok Sabha, and the combined vote of both Houses determines the outcome, making it easier for the Lok Sabha to prevail due to its larger numerical strength.
The Government of India has established NITI Aayog to replace the
Detailed Explanation:
NITI Aayog was established on 1 January 2015 to replace the Planning Commission (established in 1950).
The shift was made to move from a centralized planning model to a more cooperative federalism approach, making policy-making more agile, responsive, and suited to India's economic reforms.
With Reference to the Fourteenth Finance Commission, which of the following statements is/are correct?
- It has increased the share of States in the central divisible pool from 32 per cent to 42 per cent
- It has made recommendations concerning sector-specific grants
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: The 14th Finance Commission (chaired by Dr. Y.V. Reddy) increased the share of States in the central divisible pool from 32% to 42%, a historic jump aimed at enhancing fiscal federalism.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: The Commission moved away from recommending sector-specific grants to preserve state fiscal autonomy. It provided only grants for local bodies and disaster management, avoiding tied grants that restrict states' spending flexibility.
In India, in which one of the following types of forests is teak a dominant tree species?
Detailed Explanation:
Teak (Tectona grandis) is the dominant tree species in Tropical Moist Deciduous Forests, which receive 70–200 cm annual rainfall and experience a distinct dry season (November–May) causing leaf shedding.
These forests, also called Monsoon Forests, cover largest forest area in India including regions of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and support species like sal, shisham, sandalwood, and bamboo alongside teak.
In a particular region in India, the local people train the roots of the living trees into robust bridges across the streams. As time passes these bridges become stronger. These unique ‘Living Root Bridges’ are found in -
Detailed Explanation:
Living Root Bridges are found in Meghalaya, created by the Khasi and Jaintia tribes who train the aerial roots of Ficus elastica (Indian rubber tree) to form bridges across streams.
These bridges grow stronger over time, taking 10-15 years to become fully functional, and are found mainly in the Cherrapunji and Mawsynram regions of Meghalaya.
“Each day is more or less the same, the morning is clear and bright with a sea breeze; as the sun climbs high in the sky, heat mounts up, dark clouds form than rain comes with thunder and lightning. But the rain is soon over.”
Which of the following regions is described in the above passage?
Detailed Explanation:
The passage describes the Equatorial climate which experiences convectional rainfall with a predictable daily pattern.
Morning: Clear, bright weather with sea breeze due to proximity to oceans and low pressure.
Afternoon: Intense solar heating causes rapid convection currents, forming cumulonimbus clouds that produce short, intense thunderstorms with lightning.
Evening: Rain clears quickly, returning to calm conditions — this daily convectional cycle repeats year-round in regions near the Equator (between 5°N and 5°S), unlike Savannah (distinct wet/dry seasons), Monsoon (seasonal wind reversal), or Mediterranean (dry summers, wet winters).
Which of the following pairs of States of India indicates the Easternmost and Westernmost State?
Detailed Explanation:
Easternmost State: Arunachal Pradesh extends to approximately 97°25'E longitude, with Kibithu and Dong Valley marking India's eastern extremity.
Westernmost State: Gujarat extends to approximately 68°7'E longitude, with the Guhar Moti area in Kutch district marking India's western extremity.
Consider the following pairs:
| Place of Pilgrimage | Location |
|---|---|
| 1. Srisailam | Nallamala Hills |
| 2. Omkareshwar | Satmala Hills |
| 3. Pushkar | Mahadeo Hills |
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Pair 1 – Correct: Srisailam temple is located in the Nallamala Hills on the banks of Krishna River in Andhra Pradesh, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas.
❌ Pair 2 – Incorrect: Omkareshwar is situated on an island in the Narmada River in Madhya Pradesh, not in Satmala Hills (which are located in Maharashtra).
❌ Pair 3 – Incorrect: Pushkar is located in the Aravalli Range in Rajasthan, famous for Brahma Temple and Pushkar Lake, not in Mahadeo Hills (which are in Madhya Pradesh).
In the South Atlantic and South Eastern Pacific regions in tropical latitudes, cyclone does not originate. What is the reason?
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Option 2 – Correct: The Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) remains predominantly north of the equator and seldom migrates into the South Atlantic and South Eastern Pacific regions, depriving them of the necessary low-level atmospheric instability and converging trade winds required for cyclone genesis.
❌ Option 1 – Incorrect: While cold ocean currents (Benguela Current in South Atlantic, Humboldt Current in South Eastern Pacific) do lower temperatures, sea surface temperatures are not the primary limiting factor.
❌ Option 3 – Incorrect: Coriolis force is adequate at these tropical latitudes (generally above 5° latitude) for cyclone formation; it is not too weak.
❌ Option 4 – Incorrect: Presence or absence of land does not prevent cyclone origination over ocean basins; cyclones form over open waters.
Which one of the following countries of South-West Asia does not open out to the Mediterranean Sea?
Detailed Explanation:
Jordan is the only country among the four that does not have a coastline on the Mediterranean Sea.
Syria, Lebanon, and Israel all have direct access to the Mediterranean, while Jordan is bordered by Israel to the west, which separates it from the sea; Jordan's only coastline is on the Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea).
Which one of the following regions of India has a combination of mangrove forest, evergreen forest and deciduous forest?
Detailed Explanation:
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands uniquely harbor all three forest types due to their diverse microclimates and varied topography.
Mangrove forests thrive in coastal brackish water zones, evergreen forests dominate the high-rainfall interior regions, and deciduous forests occur in areas with seasonal rainfall patterns.
Consider the following statements:
- The winds that blow between 30 degrees N and 60 degrees S latitudes throughout the year are known as westerlies.
- The moist air masses that cause winter rains in the North-Western region of India are part of westerlies.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Detailed Explanation:
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: Westerlies blow between 30° and 60° latitudes in both hemispheres (i.e., 30°–60° N and 30°–60° S separately), not between 30° N and 60° S as stated.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Western disturbances originating over the Mediterranean region bring winter rains to North-Western India and are carried by westerlies.
Consider the following rivers :
- Vamsadhara
- Indravati
- Pranahita
- Pennar
Which of the above are tributaries of Godavari?
Detailed Explanation:
Indravati and Pranhita are major left-bank tributaries of the Godavari River, joining it in its middle and lower course respectively.
Vamsadhara flows independently into the Bay of Bengal along the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border, not a Godavari tributary.
Pennar River is an independent east-flowing river draining entirely within Andhra Pradesh, emptying into the Bay of Bengal south of the Godavari delta.
Consider the following States:
- Arunachal Pradesh
- Himachal Pradesh
- Mizoram
In which of the following states do ‘Tropical Wet Evergreen Forests’ occur?
Detailed Explanation:
Tropical Wet Evergreen Forests require high temperature (above 25°C) and high rainfall (above 200 cm annually) throughout the year.
✅ Arunachal Pradesh (Statement 1): Eastern parts receive high rainfall from monsoons and have tropical wet evergreen forests in lower elevations and foothills.
❌ Himachal Pradesh (Statement 2): Located in Western Himalayas with temperate and alpine climate; supports coniferous and temperate forests, not tropical evergreen forests.
✅ Mizoram (Statement 3): Receives heavy rainfall (200-300 cm) and has tropical wet evergreen forests covering significant areas of the state.
What explains the eastward flow of the equatorial counter-current?
Detailed Explanation:
The North and South Equatorial Currents flow westward due to Trade Winds, causing water to accumulate on the western sides of ocean basins and creating a higher sea level in the west.
This convergence and water pile-up generates a pressure gradient that drives the Equatorial Counter-Current to flow eastward between the two equatorial currents in the Doldrums region (where surface winds are weak), restoring oceanic equilibrium.
Tides occur in oceans and seas due to which among the following?
- Gravitational Force of the Sun
- Gravitational Force of the Moon
- Centrifugal force of the Earth
Select the correct answer using the code given below
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: The Sun's gravitational force contributes to tidal generation, producing a tidal force approximately 46% as strong as the Moon's despite its greater mass but larger distance.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: The Moon's gravitational pull is the primary cause of tides, creating a tidal bulge on the side of Earth facing the Moon due to stronger gravitational attraction on ocean water.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Centrifugal force from the Earth-Moon system's rotation around their common barycenter creates a second tidal bulge on the side of Earth opposite to the Moon.
In India the steel production industry requires the import of
Detailed Explanation:
India has abundant reserves of iron ore, the primary raw material for steel production.
However, India lacks sufficient high-quality coking coal (metallurgical coal), which is essential for the blast furnace process in steel manufacturing, making it a key import.
Saltpetre (potassium nitrate) is used in fertilizers and explosives, while rock phosphate is a fertilizer raw material—neither is directly used in steel production.
UPSC Prelims 2015 Questions Paper - Subject-wise Question Distribution
Indian Economy
18 Qs (18%)Environment & Ecology
18 Qs (18%)Indian Polity
14 Qs (14%)Science & Technology
10 Qs (10%)Modern History
8 Qs (8%)International Relations
7 Qs (7%)World Geography
7 Qs (7%)Indian Geography
6 Qs (6%)Medieval History
4 Qs (4%)Indian Art & Culture
4 Qs (4%)Current Affairs
4 Qs (4%)UPSC Prelims 2015 Question Paper - FAQs & Analysis
Q1 How many total questions were asked in UPSC Prelims 2015?
Q2 What is the subject-wise question breakdown for UPSC Prelims 2015?
- Indian Economy: 18 questions (18%)
- Environment & Ecology: 18 questions (18%)
- Indian Polity: 14 questions (14%)
- Science & Technology: 10 questions (10%)
- Modern History: 8 questions (8%)
- International Relations: 7 questions (7%)
- World Geography: 7 questions (7%)
- Indian Geography: 6 questions (6%)
- Medieval History: 4 questions (4%)
- Indian Art & Culture: 4 questions (4%)
- Current Affairs: 4 questions (4%)