All 180 questions from the UPSC Prelims 2015 paper — tap an option on any question to try it, then read the detailed explanation — just like a textbook.
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Q1
Passage summary:
India's wealthier states carry a special duty to cut carbon emissions and champion clean-energy investment: having gained electricity early, grown faster, and attained higher per-capita incomes, they can shoulder more of the country's green burden. Delhi, for instance, could generate its own clean power with rooftop solar panels or help finance clean-energy projects in poorer states. The obstacle is that State Electricity Boards, which control roughly 95 percent of the distribution network, are buried deep in losses. Those losses discourage utilities from adopting renewable energy, which still costs more than fossil fuels.
Which among the following is the most logical and rational assumption that can be made from the above passage?
Which one of the following movements has contributed to a split in the Indian National Congress resulting in emergence of 'moderates' and 'extremists'?
The passage, echoing classical political philosophy, holds that government's ultimate aim is not to rule or control through fear, nor to demand obedience. It is, on the contrary, to free every person from fear so that all may live in complete security. That means strengthening each individual's natural right to exist and to work without injuring themselves or others. Government should not turn rational beings into beasts or puppets; instead it must enable people to develop their minds and bodies in safety and to use their reason unshackled.
Which among the following is the most logical and rational inference that can be made from the above passage?
India's municipal corporations are chronically understaffed, and the skills and competencies of the staff pose an even greater challenge. Planning and executing urban service delivery and infrastructure is complex work that demands a high degree of specialization and professionalism. Yet the framework for recruiting municipal employees, including senior management, does not adequately account for the technical and managerial competencies required. Cadre and recruitment rules specify only bare-minimum academic qualifications, saying nothing about managerial or technical competence or relevant work experience. Most municipal corporations share this defect, compounded by weak organisational design and structure.
Which among the following is the most logical and rational assumption that can be made from the above passage?
In the wild, flamingos gather in large flocks notable for extreme sociability and loyalty, and they perform group mating dances. Parents are devoted to their chicks, collecting the young into creches where they remain protected. Meanwhile both male and female parents fly off to search for food. The passage offers this cooperative behaviour as an illustration of social conduct among birds.
Which among the following is the most logical corollary to the above passage?
Vast numbers of rural Indians have no bank accounts, are financially and functionally illiterate, and have little experience with technology. A research study looked at an area where MGNREGS wages are paid electronically, directly to the poor. It found that recipients still assumed the village leader had to mediate the payment, just as under the earlier paper-based system. Tellingly, among households that claimed to hold at least one bank account, more than a third still received their wages in cash from the village leader.
What is the most logical, rational and crucial message that is implied in the above passage?
Individuals, groups, and leaders who promote human development operate under strong institutional, structural, and political constraints that shape their policy options. Still, decades of experience point to broad principles for a sound human-development agenda. A central lesson is that focusing exclusively on economic growth is problematic: we understand fairly well how to advance health and education, but the causes of growth are far less certain and growth itself is often elusive. An unbalanced emphasis on growth is also frequently tied to environmental damage and adverse distributional effects. China's impressive growth record reflects these wider concerns, underlining the importance of balanced approaches that invest in the non-income aspects of human development.
With reference to the above passage, consider the following statements:
1In developing countries, a strong institutional framework is the only requirement for human development and policy options
2Human development and economic growth are not always positively inter-related.
3Focusing only on human development should be the goal of economic growth
Individuals, groups, and leaders who promote human development operate under strong institutional, structural, and political constraints that shape their policy options. Still, decades of experience point to broad principles for a sound human-development agenda. A central lesson is that focusing exclusively on economic growth is problematic: we understand fairly well how to advance health and education, but the causes of growth are far less certain and growth itself is often elusive. An unbalanced emphasis on growth is also frequently tied to environmental damage and adverse distributional effects. China's impressive growth record reflects these wider concerns, underlining the importance of balanced approaches that invest in the non-income aspects of human development.
With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:
1Higher economic growth is essential to ensure reduction in economic disparity.
2Environmental degradation is sometimes a consequence of economic growth
Which of the above assumption/assumptions is/are valid?
Each of A, B, C and D has Rs. 100. A pays Rs. 20 to B, who pays Rs. 10 to C, who gets Rs. 30 from D. In this context, which one of the following statements is not correct?
In a town, 45% population read magazine A, 55% read magazine B, 40% read magazine C, 30% read magazines A and B, 15% read magazines B and C, 25% read magazines A and C; and 10% read all the three magazines. What percentage do not read any magazine?
Shahid and Rohit start from the same point in opposite directions. After each 1 km, Shahid always turns left and Rohit always turns right. Which of the following statements is correct?
Who of the following founded a new city on the south bank of a tributary to river Krishna and undertook to rule his new kingdom as the agent of a deity to whom all the land south of the river Krishna was supposed to belong?
In a 500 metres race, B starts 45 metres ahead of A, but A wins the race while B is still 35 metres behind. What is the ratio of the speeds of A to B assuming that both start at the same time?
Two equal glasses of same type are respectively 1/3 and 1/4 full of milk. They are then filled up with water and the contents are mixed in a pot. What is the ratio of milk and water in the pot?
Out of 130 students appearing in an examination, 62 failed in English, 52 failed in Mathematics, whereas 24 failed in both English and Mathematics. The number of students who passed finally is
In a group of persons travelling in a bus, 6 persons can speak Tamil, 15 can speak Hindi and 6 can speak Gujarati. In that group none can speak any other language. If 2 persons in the group can speak two languages only and one person can speak all the three languages, then how many persons are there in the group?
In a parking area, the total number of wheels of all the cars (four-wheelers) and scooters/motorbikes (two-wheelers) is 100 more than twice the number of parked vehicles. The number of cars parked is
The mangroves can shed tons of leaves per acre every year; fungi and bacteria break down this leaf litter and consume it, they then are consumed by tiny worms and crustaceans, which in turn feed small fish, which feed larger fish and birds and crocodiles.
Which among the following is the most logical inference of the above statement?
"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, then rain comes with thunder and lightning. But the rain is soon over." Which of the following regions is described in the above passage?
Human history is full of claims and theories that confine the right of governing to a few select citizens. Excluding the many is justified on the ground that human beings may rightfully be segregated for the good of society and the viability of the political process. The passage lays out this elitist case for restricting political power to a small circle.
Which one of the following statements is least essential as a part of the argument in the above passage?
By 2050, Earth's population will likely swell from seven to nine billion. Feeding all those people, while accounting for shifting consumption patterns, climate change, and finite arable land and drinking water, may require doubling food production, some experts say. Bridging the gap will need higher-yielding crop varieties, more efficient farming methods, and serious waste reduction. Experts urge cities to reclaim nutrients and water from waste streams and to preserve farmland; poor countries to improve crop storage and packaging; and rich nations to cut back on resource-intensive foods like meat.
Which one of the following statements best sums up the above passage?
Many people in India feel that cutting defence expenditure on weapon-building could create a climate of peace with neighbours, reducing conflict or even producing a no-war situation. The passage rejects this thinking outright, branding those who proclaim such ideas as either victims of war or propagators of a false argument. The underlying message is that military preparedness, not disarmament, keeps conflict at bay.
With reference to the above passage, which of the following is the most valid assumption?
India accounts for nearly a fifth of the world's child deaths, the highest absolute number anywhere: almost 16 lakh every year, with more than half dying in the first month of life. Officials blame the failure to spread basic health practices relating to breastfeeding and immunisation. A huge reproductive population of 2.6 crore remains without care during the critical phases of pregnancy and post-delivery. Child marriage, anaemia among young women, and neglect of adolescent sanitation add to the toll on child survival.
Which is the critical inference that can be made from the above passage?
Food today travels farther than the people who eat it, with grocery stores and supermarkets loaded with preserved and processed items. This long-distance food system creates environmental threats: pollution from transport, wastage of food during processing and transportation, destruction of rainforests, reduced nutritional content, and growing demand for preservation and packaging. It also deepens food insecurity, since produce is sourced from regions that are not feeding their own populations properly.
With reference to the above passage, which of the following statements is/are true?
1Consuming regionally grown food and not depending on long travelled food is a part of eco-friendly behaviour.
2Food processing industry puts a burden on our natural resources.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
In a particular region in India, the local people train the roots of living trees into robust bridges across the streams. As the time passes, these bridges become stronger. These unique 'living root bridges' are found in
Twelve people form a club. By picking lots, one of them will host a dinner for all once in a month. The number of dinners a particular member has to host in one year is
An automobile owner reduced his monthly petrol consumption when the prices went up. The price-consumption relationship is as follows: Price (in Rs. per litre) 40 50 60 75 Monthly consumption (in litres) 60 48 40 30 If the price goes up to Rs. 80 per litre, his expected consumption (in litres) will be
Consider the figures given below: [figures showing sequence with question mark] To fit the question mark, the correct answer is [four answer figures as options]
Four cardboard pieces of specific shapes are shown in the following figure: [image of rectangles and triangles] Which one of the following figures given can be formed by joining these pieces together? [four answer figures as options]
In a test, a candidate attempted only 8 questions and secured 50% marks in each of the questions. If he obtained a total of 40% in the test and all questions in the test carried equal marks, how many questions were there in the test?
A father is nine times as old as his son and the mother is eight times as old as the son. The sum of the father's and the mother's age is 51 years. What is the age of the son?
Four persons A, B, C and D consisting of two married couples are in a group. Both the women are shorter than their respective husbands. A is the tallest among the four. C is taller than B. D is B's brother. In this context, which one of the following statements is not correct?
With reference to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resource (IUCN) and the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which of the following statements is/are correct?
1IUCN is an organ of the United Nations and CITES is an international agreement between governments.
2IUCN runs thousands of field projects around the world to better manage natural environments.
3CITES is legally binding on the States that have joined it, but this Conventional does not take the place of national laws.
All good athletes want to win and all athletes who want to win eat a well-balanced diet; therefore all athletes who do not eat a well-balanced diet are bad athletes. The best conclusion from this statement is that
India has suffered persistent high inflation produced by a combination of forces: increases in administered prices, demand-supply imbalances, imported inflation aggravated by rupee depreciation, and speculation. The common thread, the passage argues, is that many of these are outcomes of economic reforms. Trade liberalisation has increased India's vulnerability to swings in international prices, while the drive to reduce subsidies has continuously pushed up the prices of administered commodities.
What is the most logical, rational and crucial message that is implied in the above passage?
No right, the passage asserts, is absolute, exclusive, or inviolable. The right of personal property must likewise be viewed in the larger context of its assumed legitimacy. Rather than standing alone, it should unite the principle of liberty with the principle of equality, and bind both to the principle of cooperation.
In the light of the argument in the above passage, which one of the following statements is the most convincing explanation?
Climate change is a complex policy issue with major financial implications, since every action to address it ultimately involves costs. Funding is vital for countries like India to design and implement adaptation and mitigation plans and projects, and the lack of funding is a large impediment. The scale and magnitude of the financial support developing countries need to strengthen domestic mitigation and adaptation is intensely debated in multilateral negotiations under the UNFCCC. The Convention squarely places the responsibility for providing financial support on developed countries, in light of their contribution to the stock of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Given the scale of the task, domestic finances will likely fall short of developing countries' current and projected needs, so global funding through the Convention's multilateral mechanism must enhance their domestic capacity to finance mitigation.
According to the passage, which of the following is/are a matter of intense debate in the multilateral negotiations under UNFCCC regarding the role of developing countries in climate change?
1The scale and size of required financial support.
2The crop loss due to climate change in the developing countries.
3To enhance the mitigation and adaptation actions in the developing countries.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Climate change is a complex policy issue with major financial implications, since every action to address it ultimately involves costs. Funding is vital for countries like India to design and implement adaptation and mitigation plans and projects, and the lack of funding is a large impediment. The scale and magnitude of the financial support developing countries need to strengthen domestic mitigation and adaptation is intensely debated in multilateral negotiations under the UNFCCC. The Convention squarely places the responsibility for providing financial support on developed countries, in light of their contribution to the stock of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Given the scale of the task, domestic finances will likely fall short of developing countries' current and projected needs, so global funding through the Convention's multilateral mechanism must enhance their domestic capacity to finance mitigation.
In this passage, the Convention puts the responsibility for the provision of financial support on the developed countries because of
1their higher level of per capita incomes.
2their large quantum of GDP.
3their large contribution to the stock of GHGs in the atmosphere.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Climate change is a complex policy issue with major financial implications, since every action to address it ultimately involves costs. Funding is vital for countries like India to design and implement adaptation and mitigation plans and projects, and the lack of funding is a large impediment. The scale and magnitude of the financial support developing countries need to strengthen domestic mitigation and adaptation is intensely debated in multilateral negotiations under the UNFCCC. The Convention squarely places the responsibility for providing financial support on developed countries, in light of their contribution to the stock of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Given the scale of the task, domestic finances will likely fall short of developing countries' current and projected needs, so global funding through the Convention's multilateral mechanism must enhance their domestic capacity to finance mitigation.
With regards to developing countries, it can be inferred from the passage that climate change is likely to have implications on their
1domestic finances.
2capacity for multilateral trade.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Climate change is a complex policy issue with major financial implications, since every action to address it ultimately involves costs. Funding is vital for countries like India to design and implement adaptation and mitigation plans and projects, and the lack of funding is a large impediment. The scale and magnitude of the financial support developing countries need to strengthen domestic mitigation and adaptation is intensely debated in multilateral negotiations under the UNFCCC. The Convention squarely places the responsibility for providing financial support on developed countries, in light of their contribution to the stock of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Given the scale of the task, domestic finances will likely fall short of developing countries' current and projected needs, so global funding through the Convention's multilateral mechanism must enhance their domestic capacity to finance mitigation.
Which one of the following is essentially discussed in the passage?
There are 5 tasks and 5 persons. Task-1 cannot be assigned to either person-1 or person-2. Task-2 must be assigned to either person-3 or person-4. Every person is to be assigned one task. In how many ways can the assignment be done?
The monthly incomes of Peter and Paul are in the ratio of 4:3. Their expenses are in the ratio of 3:2. If each saves Rs. 6,000 at the end of the month, their monthly incomes respectively are (in Rs.)
Two cities A and B are 360 km apart. A car goes from A to B with a speed of 40 km/hr and returns to A with a speed of 60 km/hr. What is the average speed of the car?
In a society it is customary for friends of the same sex to hug and for friends of opposite sex to shake hands when they meet. A group of friends met in a party and there were 24 handshakes. Which one among the following numbers indicates the possible number of hugs?
5Pakistan Which among the above are Nuclear Weapons States as recognized by the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons, commonly known as Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)?
Two men, Anil and David, and two women, Shabnam and Rekha are in a sales group. Only two speak Tamil. The other two speak Marathi. Only one man and one woman can drive a car. Shabnam speaks Marathi. Anil speaks Tamil. Both Rekha and David can drive. Which of the following statements is true?
In a plane, line X is perpendicular to line Y and parallel to line Z; line U is perpendicular to both lines V and W; line X is perpendicular to line V. Which one of the following statements is correct?
A society consists of only two types of people fighters and cowards. Two cowards are always friends. A fighter and a coward are always enemies. Fighters are indifferent to one another. If A and B are enemies, C and D are friends, E and F are indifferent to each other, A and E are not enemies, while B and F are enemies.
In a box of marbles, there are three less white marbles than the red ones and five more white marbles than the green ones. If there are a total of 10 white marbles, how many marbles are there in the box?
Candidates in a competitive examination consisted of 60% men and 40% women. 70% men and 75% women cleared the qualifying test and entered the final test where 80% men and 70% women were successful.
Climate change is already making many people hungry around the world by disrupting crop yields and pushing up prices, and it is nutrients as well as food that are becoming scarcer. The poorest communities will suffer the worst effects, facing greater hunger and malnutrition as crop production and livelihoods are threatened. The passage closes the loop by noting that poverty itself drives climate change, as desperate communities resort to unsustainable use of resources to meet their immediate needs.
Which among the following is the most logical corollary to the above passage?
The Global Financial Stability Report finds that the share of portfolio investments from advanced economies in total debt and equity investment in emerging economies has doubled over the past decade to 12 percent. The trend matters for Indian policymakers, since foreign portfolio investment in India's debt and equity markets has been rising. It is also flagged as a danger that could set off a chain reaction undermining global financial stability if the US Federal Reserve reverses its Quantitative Easing policy.
Which among the following is the most rational and critical inference that can be made from the above passage?
Open defecation is disastrous in very densely populated areas, where it is impossible to keep human faeces away from crops, wells, food, and children's hands, and where groundwater is contaminated too. Ingested germs and worms spread disease and stop the body from absorbing calories and nutrients. Nearly half of India's children remain malnourished and lakhs die from preventable conditions; diarrhoea has left Indians on average smaller than people in some poorer countries who eat fewer calories. Underweight mothers produce stunted babies prone to sickness who may never reach their full cognitive potential, and the germs released into the environment harm rich and poor alike, even those who use latrines.
Which among the following is the most critical inference that can be made from the above passage?
Indians speak of democracy in general terms, yet when it comes to any particular matter they prefer someone from their own caste, community, or religion. So long as this temptation persists, democracy will remain a phoney affair. People must learn to respect a man as a man and to extend opportunities for development to those who deserve them, not to those who happen to belong to their community or race. This favouritism, the passage concludes, has caused much discontent and ill-will in the country.
Which one of the following statements best sums up the above passage?
The existence of formal financial institutions offering safe, reliable, alternative financial instruments is fundamental to mobilising savings. To save, individuals need access to trustworthy institutions such as banks, appropriate financial instruments, and reasonable incentives, but such access is not always available in developing countries like India, especially in rural areas. Savings help poor households manage volatile cash flows, smooth consumption, and build working capital. Without access to a formal savings mechanism, poor households are instead nudged toward immediate spending temptations.
With reference to the above passage, consider the following statements:
1Indian financial institutions do not offer any financial instruments to rural households to mobilise their savings.
2Poor households tend to spend their earnings/savings due to lack of access to appropriate financial instruments.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
The existence of formal financial institutions offering safe, reliable, alternative financial instruments is fundamental to mobilising savings. To save, individuals need access to trustworthy institutions such as banks, appropriate financial instruments, and reasonable incentives, but such access is not always available in developing countries like India, especially in rural areas. Savings help poor households manage volatile cash flows, smooth consumption, and build working capital. Without access to a formal savings mechanism, poor households are instead nudged toward immediate spending temptations.
What is the crucial message conveyed in the passage?
Governments may have to take steps that would otherwise infringe individuals' Fundamental Rights, such as acquiring a person's land against his will or refusing permission for a building, but the larger public interest behind such steps must be authorised by the people through Parliament. Discretionary powers of the administration, the passage argues, can be done away with; as governments take on more and more tasks, keeping such power within limits grows increasingly difficult. Where discretion must be used, rules and safeguards have to prevent its misuse, through systems that minimise if not eliminate abuse. Government work must proceed within a framework of recognised rules and principles, so that decisions are consistent and predictable.
Which among the following is the most logical assumption that can be made from the above passage?
The terms 'Agreement on Agriculture', 'Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures' and 'Peace Clause' appear in the news frequently in the context of the affairs of the
A selection is to be made for one post of Principal and two posts of Vice-Principal. Amongst the six candidates called for the interview, only two are eligible for the post of Principal while they all are eligible for the post of Vice-Principal. The number of possible combinations of selectees is
A student has to opt for 2 subjects out of 5 subjects for a course, namely, Commerce, Economics, Statistics, Mathematics I and Mathematics II. Mathematics II can be offered only if Mathematics I is also opted. The number of different combinations of two subjects which can be opted is
A person ordered 5 pairs of black socks and some pairs of brown socks. The price of a black pair was thrice that of a brown pair. While preparing the bill, the bill clerk interchanged the number of black and brown pairs by mistake which increased the bill by 100%. What was the number of pairs of brown socks in the original order?
The number of persons who read magazine X only is thrice the number of persons who read magazine Y. The number of persons who read magazine Y only is thrice the number of persons who read magazine X. Then, which of the following conclusions can be drawn?
1The number of persons who read both the magazines is twice the number of persons who read only magazine X.
2The total number of persons who read either one magazine or both the magazines is twice the number of persons who read both the magazines.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
The graph below depicts the earnings of A and B over the period 2000 to 2010: [graph image] From the graph, which one of the following can be concluded?
Two pipes A and B can independently fill a tank completely in 20 and 30 minutes respectively. If both the pipes are opened simultaneously, how much time will they take to fill the tank completely?
Consider the following statements followed by two conclusions: Statements: Some men are great. Some men are wise. Conclusion I: Men are either great or wise. Conclusion II: Some men are neither great nor wise. Which one of the following is correct?
The proportion of expenditure on various items by two families A and B are represented in the following Bar Charts: [bar chart images] From these charts, we can conclude that
In the context of modern scientific research, consider the following statements about 'IceCube', a particle detector located at South Pole, which was recently in the news:
1It is the world's largest neutrino detector, encompassing a cubic kilometre of ice.
2It is a powerful telescope to search for dark matter.
With reference to 'Forest Carbon Partnership Facility', which of the following statements is/are correct?
1It is a global partnership of governments, businesses, civil society and indigenous peoples.
2It provides financial aid to universities, individual scientists and institutions involved in scientific forestry research to develop eco-friendly and climate adaptation technologies for sustainable forest management.
3It assists the countries in their 'REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation +)' efforts by providing them with financial and technical assistance.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding National Innovation Foundation-India (NIF)?
1NIF is an autonomous body of the Department of Science and Technology under the Central Government
2NIF is an initiative to strengthen the highly advanced scientific research in India's premier scientific institutions in collaboration with highly advanced foreign scientific institutions.
