UPSC CSE Prelims
Personalities in News Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
Showing solved Previous Year Questions for Chapter: Personalities in News
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Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: Recently, Venezuela has achieved a rapid recovery from its economic crisis and succeeded in preventing its people from fleeing/emigrating to other countries.
Statement-II: Venezuela has the world's largest oil reserves.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
Detailed Explanation:
Correct Answer: ✅ Option 4 — Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct
Venezuela continues to face economic and social challenges despite some periods of stabilization. Millions of Venezuelans have migrated abroad due to economic hardship, inflation, and political instability. On the other hand, Venezuela possesses the world’s largest proven oil reserves, yet it has struggled to convert this resource wealth into sustained economic prosperity.
❌ Statement-I is Incorrect: Venezuela has not fully recovered from its economic crisis, and large-scale emigration of its population has been a major consequence of the crisis.
✅ Statement-II is Correct: Venezuela holds the world's largest proven oil reserves, estimated at about 300 billion barrels.
Consider the following statements :
Statement-I : There is instability and worsening security situation in the Sahel region.
Statement-II: There have been military takeovers/coups d'état in several countries of the Sahel region in the recent past.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
Detailed Explanation:
Correct Answer: ✅ Option 1
The Sahel region of Africa has witnessed increasing instability due to terrorism, ethnic conflicts, weak governance, and repeated military coups. In recent years, countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Chad have experienced military takeovers, which have further weakened democratic institutions and worsened the security situation.
✅ Statement-I is Correct: The Sahel region is facing severe instability, terrorism, armed conflicts, and humanitarian crises.
✅ Statement-II is Correct: Several Sahel countries have witnessed military coups in the recent past.
✅ Statement-II explains Statement-I: Frequent coups disrupt governance, weaken state institutions, and aggravate security challenges, leading to greater instability.
Short Notes: Sahel Region
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The Sahel is a semi-arid belt located between the Sahara Desert and the savanna region of Africa.
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It stretches from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Red Sea in the east.
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Major Sahel countries include Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mauritania, and Sudan.
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The region faces threats from terrorist groups such as ISIS affiliates and Al-Qaeda-linked organizations.
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Several military coups occurred in Mali (2020, 2021), Burkina Faso (2022), and Niger (2023).
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Climate change, desertification, and food insecurity worsen regional instability.
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The G5 Sahel was formed to enhance regional security cooperation.
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The Sahel is frequently in news due to security, migration, and humanitarian concerns.
Who of the following is the author of the books "The India Way" and "Why Bharat Matters"?
Detailed Explanation:
Subrahmanyam Jaishankar is an Indian diplomat and politician serving as the Minister of External Affairs of India since 2019. He has authored two prominent books:
'The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World' (2020) which provides insights into India's foreign policy approach.
'Why Bharat Matters' is a compilation of his articles and speeches that delve into India's global significance.
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Consider the following countries:
- Bulgaria
- Czech Republic
- Hungary
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Romania
How many of the above-mentioned countries share a land border with Ukraine?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 1 — Only two
Among the six countries listed, only Hungary and Romania share a land border with Ukraine. Hungary borders Ukraine to the southwest, while Romania shares a border to the south. The other four countries—Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Latvia, and Lithuania—do not share direct land borders with Ukraine.
Country-wise Analysis:
✅ Hungary – Shares border: Located to the southwest of Ukraine with a common land boundary.
✅ Romania – Shares border: Located to the south/southwest of Ukraine with a significant land boundary.
❌ Bulgaria – No border: Located south of Romania; separated from Ukraine by Romania.
❌ Czech Republic – No border: Located in Central Europe, west of Ukraine, with no direct boundary.
❌ Latvia – No border: Located in the Baltic region, north of Ukraine, separated by Belarus.
❌ Lithuania – No border: Located in the Baltic region, northwest of Ukraine, separated by Belarus.
📝 Short Notes: Ukraine's Land Borders
| Neighboring Country | Direction | Border Length (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Russia | East & Northeast | ~2,295 km (longest) |
| Belarus | North | ~1,084 km |
| Poland | West | ~535 km |
| Slovakia | West | ~97 km (shortest) |
| Hungary | Southwest | ~128 km |
| Romania | South/Southwest | ~601 km |
| Moldova | South | ~1,202 km |
- Ukraine shares land borders with seven countries in total.
- Among the given list, only Hungary and Romania are Ukraine's neighbors.
- The Czech Republic is close but separated by Slovakia.
- Baltic states (Latvia, Lithuania) are separated by Belarus.
- Bulgaria lies south of Romania and has no direct access to Ukraine.
The word ‘Denisovan’ is sometimes mentioned in the media in reference to -
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 2 — an early human species
Denisovans refer to an extinct species or subspecies of archaic humans that lived in Asia tens of thousands of years ago. They were first identified through DNA analysis of fossil remains found in the Denisova Cave in Siberia, making them a significant discovery in human evolutionary studies. Unlike other ancient human groups, Denisovans are known primarily through genetic evidence rather than complete skeletal fossils.
📝 Short Notes: Denisovans and Human Evolution
- Discovery: Denisovans were first identified in 2010 from a finger bone and teeth found in Denisova Cave in the Altai Mountains of Siberia.
- Classification: They are an extinct group of archaic humans closely related to Neanderthals, who diverged from modern humans around 500,000-600,000 years ago.
- Geographic Range: Evidence suggests Denisovans lived across a wide area of Asia, from Siberia to Southeast Asia and possibly the Pacific islands.
- Genetic Legacy: Modern humans, particularly Melanesians, Southeast Asians, and Aboriginal Australians, carry 3-5% Denisovan DNA, indicating interbreeding occurred.
- Physical Features: Limited fossil evidence suggests they had larger teeth and jaws than modern humans, adapted to harsh environments.
- Significance: Their discovery revealed that human evolution was more complex than previously thought, with multiple hominin species coexisting and interbreeding.
As per the NSSO 70th Round “Situation Assessment Survey of Agricultural Households”, consider the following statements
- Rajasthan has the highest percentage share of agricultural households among its rural households.
- Out of the total agricultural households in the country, a little over 60 per cent belong to OBCs.
- In Kerala, a little over 60 per cent of agricultural households reported to have received maximum income from sources other than agricultural activities.
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 4 — 1 and 3 only
The NSSO 70th Round (Situation Assessment Survey of Agricultural Households, 2013) provides detailed information on the social and economic conditions of agricultural households in India. Statements I and III match the survey findings, while Statement II overstates the share of OBC agricultural households.
✅ Statement I – Correct: Rajasthan had the highest share of agricultural households (78.4%) among rural households, according to the NSSO 70th Round survey.
❌ Statement II – Incorrect: OBC agricultural households accounted for about 45%, not over 60%, of the total agricultural households in India.
✅ Statement III – Correct: In Kerala, over 60% of agricultural households reported that their main source of income was non-agricultural activities, unlike most other states.