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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................. 11
Need for a constitution ............................................................................................................................................. 12
Types of constitutions ............................................................................................................................................... 12
Written and Unwritten constitutions ..................................................................................................................... 12
federal and unitary constitutions ............................................................................................................................. 13
confederation ............................................................................................................................................................ 13
constitutionalism ...................................................................................................................................................... 13
indian constitution: milestones in history ................................................................................................................ 14
legislature of various countries ................................................................................................................................. 24
bicameral countries .................................................................................................................................................. 25
SALIENT FEATURES OF THE INDIAN CONSTITUTION ................................................................ 27
Power resides with the people .................................................................................................................................. 27
rule of law prevails .................................................................................................................................................. 27
social document ........................................................................................................................................................ 27
written constitution .................................................................................................................................................. 27
preamble ................................................................................................................................................................... 28
federal structure ........................................................................................................................................................ 28
parliamentary government ....................................................................................................................................... 29
separation of powers ................................................................................................................................................. 30
secular state .............................................................................................................................................................. 31
independent judiciary ............................................................................................................................................... 31
judicial review .......................................................................................................................................................... 32
fundamental rights ................................................................................................................................................... 32
directive principles of state policy ............................................................................................................................ 32
fundamental duties .................................................................................................................................................. 32
flexibility of constitution and its basic structure ..................................................................................................... 33
universal adult suffrage ........................................................................................................................................... 33
emergency provisions................................................................................................................................................. 33
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independent agencies ................................................................................................................................................ 34
PREAMBLE .............................................................................................................................................................. 35
Purpose ..................................................................................................................................................................... 35
nature and scope ....................................................................................................................................................... 35
preamble: an aid to interpretation........................................................................................................................... 40
limitations of preamble as an internal aid to construction .................................................................................... 41
CITIZENSHIP ......................................................................................................................................................... 42
Parliament’s power to regulate right of Citizenship by law and the Citizenship Act, 1955 ................................ 43
Idea of Justice I- Fundamental Rights ................................................................................................................ 45
What is Justice? ....................................................................................................................................................... 45
Nature of Fundamental Rights ............................................................................................................................... 45
The constitution of india ......................................................................................................................................... 47
contents ..................................................................................................................................................................... 47
Fundamental Rights-Contents ................................................................................................................................. 62
Right to Equality ..................................................................................................................................................... 62
Right to Freedom ..................................................................................................................................................... 63
Right against Exploitation ...................................................................................................................................... 67
Right to Freedom of Religion .................................................................................................................................. 67
Cultural and Educational Rights ........................................................................................................................... 68
Right to Constitutional Remedies ........................................................................................................................... 68
Idea of Justice II-Directive Principles of State Policy ..................................................................................... 70
Features of Directive Principles of State Policy ...................................................................................................... 70
Directive Principles of State Policy: Contents ......................................................................................................... 71
Directive Principles of State Policy and Fundamental Rights- Inter-Relationship ............................................... 73
Parliamentary Democracy ..................................................................................................................................... 75
Characteristics of the Parliamentary Form of Government ................................................................................... 75
Constitutional or Nominal and Real Executive ..................................................................................................... 75
Plural Executive....................................................................................................................................................... 76
Ministerial Responsibility and Collective Responsibility ........................................................................................ 76
Parliamentary Sovereignty ...................................................................................................................................... 77
Parliamentary Control over Administration .......................................................................................................... 78
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INDIAN FEDERALISM: NATURE AND PROBLEMS ............................................................................ 79
Written Constitution................................................................................................................................................ 79
Supremacy of the Constitution................................................................................................................................. 79
Rigid Constitution ................................................................................................................................................... 79
Division of Powers ................................................................................................................................................... 80
Independent Judiciary .............................................................................................................................................. 80
Bicameral Legislature .............................................................................................................................................. 80
Unitary features of the Indian Constitution ........................................................................................................... 80
A Strong Centre........................................................................................................................................................ 80
Single Citizenship .................................................................................................................................................... 81
Single Constitution for Union and State ................................................................................................................ 81
Centre Can Change the Name and Boundaries of States ...................................................................................... 81
Single Unified Judiciary .......................................................................................................................................... 81
Unequal Representation of States in the Rajya Sabha .......................................................................................... 81
Common All-India Services ..................................................................................................................................... 82
Emergency Provisions............................................................................................................................................... 82
Political Executive at the Union Level ................................................................................................................... 82
THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA............................................................................................................................ 83
Powers of the President ............................................................................................................................................ 83
Executive Powers ..................................................................................................................................................... 83
Legislative Powers ................................................................................................................................................... 84
Financial Powers ..................................................................................................................................................... 85
Judicial Powers ........................................................................................................................................................ 86
Emergency Powers.................................................................................................................................................... 86
Consequence of the Proclamation ............................................................................................................................ 87
Financial Emergency ............................................................................................................................................... 88
Position of the President .......................................................................................................................................... 88
Steps to Curb President’s Power-Amendment of Article 74 ................................................................................... 88
Working of the Constitution .................................................................................................................................... 89
VICE-PRESIDENT ................................................................................................................................................ 93
Functions .................................................................................................................................................................. 93
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The Council of Ministers ....................................................................................................................................... 94
Composition.............................................................................................................................................................. 94
THE CONSTITUTION (NINETY-FIRST AMENDMENT) ACT, 2003......................................... 94
Council of Ministers and Cabinet ........................................................................................................................... 95
Functions of the Cabinet.......................................................................................................................................... 96
Executive Functions ................................................................................................................................................. 96
Legislative functions ................................................................................................................................................ 96
Financial powers ..................................................................................................................................................... 96
Cabinet Committees ................................................................................................................................................. 97
N. Gopalaswamy Ayyangar Committee’s Report ................................................................................................... 98
Recommendations of the Administrative Reforms Commission .......................................................................... 100
Ministries and Departments ................................................................................................................................. 101
Working of the Ministries/Departments .............................................................................................................. 101
The Secretariat ...................................................................................................................................................... 102
Executive Organization of the Department .......................................................................................................... 102
MINISTRIES/DEPARTMENTS OF THE GOVERNMENT ............................................................... 103
THE PRIME MINISTER .................................................................................................................................. 106
Appointment of the Prime Minister ..................................................................................................................... 106
The Prime Minister as the Head of the Council of Ministers ............................................................................. 107
The Prime Minister and the Parliament ............................................................................................................. 108
The Link Between the President and Cabinet..................................................................................................... 108
Spokesman of the Government on Foreign Policy................................................................................................ 109
The Prime Minister’s Control over Intelligence Agencies .................................................................................... 109
Administrative and Executive Functions of the Prime Minister ........................................................................ 109
Position of the Prime Minister ............................................................................................................................. 110
PMO ...................................................................................................................................................................... 110
THE PARLIAMENT .......................................................................................................................................... 112
The Lok Sabha ..................................................................................................................................................... 112
Speaker of the Lok Sabha ..................................................................................................................................... 114
Power and Functions of the Speaker ................................................................................................................... 114
The Rajya Sabha .................................................................................................................................................. 116
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Rajya Sabha: Its Composition ............................................................................................................................. 116
Leader of the House .......................................................................................................................................... 118
Power and Functions of the Rajya Sabha ........................................................................................................... 120
Legislative Powers ................................................................................................................................................ 121
Constitutional Amendments ................................................................................................................................. 121
The Role of the Rajya Sabha ............................................................................................................................... 122
Power of the Parliament ...................................................................................................................................... 122
Financial Powers .................................................................................................................................................. 123
The Finance Commission ..................................................................................................................................... 124
Appointment .......................................................................................................................................................... 124
Composition........................................................................................................................................................... 124
Functions of Finance Commission .............................................................................................................. 125
Finance Commission ........................................................................................................................................ 125
Year of Establishment ...................................................................................................................................... 125
Chairman ......................................................................................................................................................... 125
Operational Duration ...................................................................................................................................... 125
Finance Commission And Planning Commission ............................................................................................... 126
Judicial Powers ..................................................................................................................................................... 127
Parliamentary Committees ................................................................................................................................... 128
PARLIAMENTARY TERMS .......................................................................................................................... 131
ANTI-DEFECTION LAW ................................................................................................................................ 138
Provisions of the Act ............................................................................................................................................. 138
Disqualification .................................................................................................................................................... 138
THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA ........................................................................................................... 148
The Appointment Of Judges ................................................................................................................................. 148
Qualification of Judges ......................................................................................................................................... 149
Tenure ................................................................................................................................................................... 149
Removal................................................................................................................................................................. 149
Salary of the Judges .............................................................................................................................................. 149
Prohibition of Practice after Retirement .............................................................................................................. 150
The seat of the supreme court ................................................................................................................................ 150
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Supreme court: a court of record ........................................................................................................................... 150
Jurisdiction and powers of the supreme court....................................................................................................... 151
Original Jurisdiction ............................................................................................................................................. 151
Appellate Jurisdiction ........................................................................................................................................... 152
Advisory Jurisdiction ............................................................................................................................................. 153
Writ Jurisdiction ................................................................................................................................................... 153
Supreme Court And Judicial Review ................................................................................................................... 154
Judicial Review of the Constitutional Amendments ............................................................................................ 155
Judicial Review of Legislative Enactments and Ordinances .............................................................................. 155
HIGH COURT ..................................................................................................................................................... 157
Organisation Of High Court ................................................................................................................................ 157
Appointment of Judges .......................................................................................................................................... 157
Qualifications of Judges ........................................................................................................................................ 158
Oath or Affirmation ............................................................................................................................................. 158
Tenure of Judges .................................................................................................................................................... 158
Removal of Judges ................................................................................................................................................. 158
Salaries and Allowances ....................................................................................................................................... 159
Transfer of Judges ................................................................................................................................................. 159
Acting Chief Justice ............................................................................................................................................... 159
Additional and Acting Judges .............................................................................................................................. 160
Retired Judges ....................................................................................................................................................... 160
Independence of High court .................................................................................................................................. 160
Jurisdiction and Powers of high court .................................................................................................................. 161
Control over Subordinate Courts .......................................................................................................................... 164
A Court of Record ................................................................................................................................................. 164
Power of Judicial Review ..................................................................................................................................... 165
GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTS ....................................................................................................................... 167
Structure of accounts and flow of funds ............................................................................................................... 167
Consolidated fund of india ................................................................................................................................... 167
Contingency fund of india .................................................................................................................................... 168
Public account ....................................................................................................................................................... 168
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COMPTROLLER AND AUDITOR GENERAL OF INDIA ................................................................ 169
Audit Jurisdiction ................................................................................................................................................. 169
Nature of Audit ..................................................................................................................................................... 169
ELECTION COMMISSION ............................................................................................................................ 171
Composition........................................................................................................................................................... 171
Independence ......................................................................................................................................................... 172
Powers and functions ............................................................................................................................................ 172
UNION PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION.............................................................................................. 174
Historical background .......................................................................................................................................... 174
Provisions for independent working of the upsc ................................................................................................... 174
Composition........................................................................................................................................................... 175
Functions ............................................................................................................................................................... 175
ATTORNEY GENERAL AND SOLICITOR GENERAL OF INDIA ............................................... 177
Appointment and term .......................................................................................................................................... 177
Duties and functions ............................................................................................................................................. 177
Rights and limitations .......................................................................................................................................... 177
SOLICITOR GENERAL OF INDIA ............................................................................................................. 179
CENTRAL INFORMATION COMMISSION .......................................................................................... 180
Composition........................................................................................................................................................... 180
Tenure and service conditions ............................................................................................................................... 180
Powers and functions ............................................................................................................................................ 181
CENTRAL VIGILANCE COMMISSION .................................................................................................. 182
Composition........................................................................................................................................................... 182
Functions ............................................................................................................................................................... 182
Jurisdiction ............................................................................................................................................................ 183
Constitutional Protection to Civil Servants ......................................................................................................... 183
Constitutional Safeguards .................................................................................................................................... 184
ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS IN INDIA .............................................................................................. 185
Reports on Indian Administration, 1946-1997.................................................................................................. 185
Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) .............................................................................................. 186
Administrative Reforms Commission (1966-1970) ............................................................................................ 186
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FIFTH PAY COMMISSION AND ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS ....................................................... 187
Second Administrative Reforms Commission (2005) ......................................................................................... 188
NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR SCs ................................................................................................... 190
Evolution of the commission ................................................................................................................................. 190
Functions of the commission ................................................................................................................................. 190
Report of the commission ...................................................................................................................................... 191
Powers of the commission ..................................................................................................................................... 191
NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR STs ................................................................................................... 192
Functions of the commission ................................................................................................................................. 192
Report of the commission ...................................................................................................................................... 192
Powers of the commission ..................................................................................................................................... 193
National Human Rights Commission ............................................................................................................. 194
Preamble To The Universal Declaration Of Human Rights, 1948 .................................................................. 194
Constitution of National Human Rights Commission........................................................................................ 194
Removal of a Member of the Commission ........................................................................................................... 195
Term of Office of Members ................................................................................................................................... 195
Officers and Staff of the Commission .................................................................................................................. 195
Functions and Powers of the Commission ........................................................................................................... 195
Powers Relating to Enquiries ............................................................................................................................... 196
STATE ADMINISTRATION ......................................................................................................................... 198
THE GOVERNOR ............................................................................................................................................. 198
Appointment of the Governor ............................................................................................................................... 198
Selection of Type of Persons as Governor ............................................................................................................. 198
Term ...................................................................................................................................................................... 199
Transfer of the Governor....................................................................................................................................... 199
Emoluments........................................................................................................................................................... 199
Immunities ............................................................................................................................................................ 199
Power of the Governor .......................................................................................................................................... 200
Position of the Governor ....................................................................................................................................... 202
Position of the Governor After 1967 ................................................................................................................... 204
THE CHIEF MINISTER................................................................................................................................... 206
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Appointment of the Chief Minister....................................................................................................................... 206
Powers and Functions .......................................................................................................................................... 206
Allocation of Portfolios ......................................................................................................................................... 206
COUNCIL OF MINISTERS ............................................................................................................................. 208
Chief Secretary ...................................................................................................................................................... 209
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS/DIRECTORATES ................................................................................... 211
ADVOCATE GENERAL OF THE STATE ............................................................................................... 213
Appointment and term .......................................................................................................................................... 213
Duties and functions ............................................................................................................................................. 213
CENTRE-STATE RELATIONS ..................................................................................................................... 214
Legislative relations ......................................................................................................................................... 214
Administrative relations ................................................................................................................................. 216
Financial relations ............................................................................................................................................ 219
STATE INFORMATION COMMISSION ................................................................................................. 221
Composition ...................................................................................................................................................... 221
Tenure and service conditions ...................................................................................................................... 221
Powers and functions ...................................................................................................................................... 222
STATE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION .............................................................................................. 223
Composition........................................................................................................................................................... 223
Removal................................................................................................................................................................. 223
Independence ......................................................................................................................................................... 224
Functions ............................................................................................................................................................... 224
Joint state public service commission .................................................................................................................... 225
SPECIAL STATUS OF JAMMU & KASHMIR ......................................................................................... 227
Features Of J&K Constitution............................................................................................................................. 227
Panchayati Raj ....................................................................................................................................................... 229
The Concept Of Panchayati Raj .................................................................................................................. 229
G.V.K. Rao Committee (1985) ................................................................................................................. 230
L.M.Singhvi Committee (1986) ................................................................................................................ 230
THE CONSTITUTION (SEVENTY-THIRD AMENDMENT) ACT, 1992 ................................ 230
Urban Local Government ................................................................................................................................... 238
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The Constitution (74th Amendment) Act, 1992 ...................................................................................... 238
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Table of Contents RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT 2005 ........................................................................................................................ 2
Overview of the RTI Act 2005 ........................................................................................................................................ 2
How the RTI Act has Helped: Success Stories ................................................................................................................ 6
Issues in Implementation of the RTI Act 2005 .............................................................................................................. 7
Large Pendency of Cases before Information Commissions ....................................................................................... 7
Who is Eligible to Seek Information? ............................................................................................................................. 9
Rights Conferred on Citizens under the Act .................................................................................................................... 9
Process for Making a Request for Information and Appeal ......................................................................................... 10
Obligations of Public Authorities under the Act............................................................................................................ 12
Maintenance of Records ................................................................................................................................................. 13
Procedure to be followed by PIO for Disposal of Request for Information .................................................................. 14
Fee for Seeking Information........................................................................................................................................... 14
Time Limit for Supply of Information .......................................................................................................................... 17
Table summarizes the time limit for disposal of applications in different situations: ................................................. 17
Third Party Information................................................................................................................................................ 18
CYBER LAWS IN INDIA ............................................................................................................................................... 19
Governing Laws ............................................................................................................................................................. 19
Scope and applicability .................................................................................................................................................. 19
The major acts, which got amended after enactment of ITA ....................................................................................... 20
CONSUMER PROTECTION AND NATIONAL CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL COMMISSION ... 22
CONFONET Project ..................................................................................................................................................... 23
Consumer Rights............................................................................................................................................................. 23
Department of Consumer Affairs ................................................................................................................................... 24
Bureau of Indian Standards.......................................................................................................................................... 24
BIS Hallmark ................................................................................................................................................................ 25
ISI Mark ........................................................................................................................................................................ 25
EXPORTS AND IMPORT LAWS ................................................................................................................................. 26
COMPETITION PROTECTION LAWS ....................................................................................................................... 31
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Table of Contents
WHAT IS ECONOMICS .................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
Economic Systems ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 10
Microeconomics and Macroeconomics .......................................................................................................................................................... 10
Positive and Normative Economics ................................................................................................................................................................ 11
Normative economics .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 11
Supply and Demand ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 11
Perfect Competition ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 13
Monopoly ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 13
The Sources of Monopoly .................................................................................................................................................................................. 14
The Concept of Imperfect Competition ........................................................................................................................................................ 14
Monopolistic Competition ................................................................................................................................................................................. 14
Non price Competition ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 14
Oligopoly ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 15
Income Inequality ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 15
Why do wages differ? ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 15
Measuring Income Inequality ........................................................................................................................................................................... 16
The Lorenz Curve ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 16
What is Free Trade .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 18
Freer Trade and World Trade Organization ............................................................................................................................................... 18
The Working of WTO ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 21
Implementation Issues and the Future........................................................................................................................................................... 22
Customs Duties ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 23
Subsidies.................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 23
Domestic support: the boxes ............................................................................................................................................................................. 23
Market Access ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 24
Export subsidies .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 24
Criticism .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 24
Mechanisms for developing countries ............................................................................................................................................................ 25
Special Safeguard Mechanism .......................................................................................................................................................................... 25
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Ministerial conferences ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 25
Doha Round ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 25
PRODUCTION, INCOME, AND EMPLOYMENT ............................................................................................................................... 27
GDP .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 28
The Expenditure Approach to GDP ............................................................................................................................................................... 28
Other Approaches To GDP ............................................................................................................................................................................... 29
The Value-Added Approach ............................................................................................................................................................................. 29
The Factor Payments Approach ...................................................................................................................................................................... 29
Measuring GDP: A Summary ........................................................................................................................................................................... 30
Real versus Nominal GDP ................................................................................................................................................................................. 30
Purchasing Power Parity .................................................................................................................................................................................... 31
EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT ............................................................................................................................................. 31
Types of Unemployment .................................................................................................................................................................................... 32
THE BUSINESS CYCLE .................................................................................................................................................................................. 34
INJECTIONS AND LEAKAGES .................................................................................................................................................................. 35
ANATOMY OF INFLATION ........................................................................................................................................................................ 36
What is inflation? .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 36
Laspeyres Price Index :An Easy Formula to Calculate Price Level ....................................................................................................... 37
WHY DOES INFLATION OCCUR? ............................................................................................................................................................ 37
Supply Shock/Cost-Push Inflation ................................................................................................................................................................... 38
Demand-Pull Inflation ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 38
German Hyperinflation: Too Much Money Chasing Too Few Goods! ................................................................................................ 40
Why worry about inflation? ............................................................................................................................................................................... 40
Getting the Inflation Rate Right ...................................................................................................................................................................... 42
Consumer Price Indices (CPIs) ........................................................................................................................................................................ 42
Headline Inflation ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 43
Core Inflation ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 43
Policies For Controlling Inflation .................................................................................................................................................................... 44
FISCAL POLICY ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 54
Classical Economics ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 54
Keynesian Economics .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 54
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Expansionary Fiscal Policy ................................................................................................................................................................................ 54
Increased Government Spending .................................................................................................................................................................... 54
Contractionary Fiscal Policy ............................................................................................................................................................................. 55
The Effects of Government Spending ............................................................................................................................................................ 55
Built-In Stabilizers ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 56
Difference between revenue and capital flows ............................................................................................................................................. 56
India’s fiscal policy architecture ....................................................................................................................................................................... 56
MONETARY POLICY ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 58
The Three Functions of Money ....................................................................................................................................................................... 58
The Money Supply ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 59
BUDGET, DEFICITS, AND TAXATION ................................................................................................................................................. 61
Origin of the Budget ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 61
What is the size of the budget? ......................................................................................................................................................................... 62
EXPENDITURE, REVENUE, & DEFICIT ................................................................................................................................................ 62
Types of Expenditure and Revenue ................................................................................................................................................................ 62
Types of Deficit ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 63
Size and Composition of Deficits ..................................................................................................................................................................... 64
PRINCIPLES OF TAXATION ...................................................................................................................................................................... 67
Types of Taxes ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 67
Composition of Taxes ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 68
Goods and Services Tax ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 69
RESERVE BANK OF INDIA .......................................................................................................................................................................... 70
Functions of RBI ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 71
Organisation .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 71
Monetary Management ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 73
Monetary Policy in India .................................................................................................................................................................................... 73
Monetary Policy Framework ............................................................................................................................................................................. 74
Institutional Mechanism for Monetary Policy-making .............................................................................................................................. 75
Issuer of Currency ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 76
Currency Management ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 77
Currency Distribution ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 77
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Coin Distribution.................................................................................................................................................................................................. 78
Special Type of Notes .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 78
Exchange of Notes ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 78
Combating Counterfeiting ................................................................................................................................................................................. 79
Banker and Debt Management to Government .......................................................................................................................................... 79
Banker to the central Government .................................................................................................................................................................. 79
Banker to the State Government ...................................................................................................................................................................... 80
Management of Public Debt ............................................................................................................................................................................. 80
Banker to Banks .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 80
Reserve Bank as Banker to Banks .................................................................................................................................................................... 81
Lender of Last Resort .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 81
Financial Regulation and Supervision ........................................................................................................................................................... 82
Regulatory and Supervisory Functions .......................................................................................................................................................... 82
Foreign Exchange Reserves Management .................................................................................................................................................... 91
Deployment of Reserves ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 92
Foreign Exchange Management ...................................................................................................................................................................... 92
Evolution ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 92
Liberalised Approach .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 93
Exchange Rate Policy .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 94
Market Operations ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 95
Monetary Operations .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 95
Domestic Foreign Exchange Market Operations ........................................................................................................................................ 96
Money Market ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 96
Payment and Settlement Systems .................................................................................................................................................................... 97
Developmental Role............................................................................................................................................................................................. 98
Rural credit ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 98
Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development ............................................................................................................................. 101
Export Credit ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 102
Financial Inclusion ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 102
Customer Service ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 103
THE FINANCIAL SYSTEM ......................................................................................................................................................................... 105
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Financial intermediation and the flow of funds......................................................................................................................................... 105
Lenders and borrowers ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 105
Financial intermediaries ................................................................................................................................................................................... 106
Financial instruments ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 106
Financial markets ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 106
Cash and derivatives markets ......................................................................................................................................................................... 107
Spot and forward markets ................................................................................................................................................................................ 108
Primary and secondary markets ..................................................................................................................................................................... 108
Exchanges and over-the-counter markets .................................................................................................................................................... 108
Major stock exchanges (top 21 by market capitalization), as at 31 December 2012 ....................................................................... 108
International Stock Indexes ............................................................................................................................................................................ 110
Functions of the financial system ................................................................................................................................................................... 113
THE FOREIGN EXCHANGE MARKET ................................................................................................................................................ 115
The market defined ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 115
Characteristics ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 116
Instruments .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 116
Exchange rates .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 116
Swaps ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 117
Futures contracts ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 117
Options .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 117
Participants ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 118
Commercial banks ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 118
Non-bank financial institutions ...................................................................................................................................................................... 118
Firms and corporations ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 118
Central banks ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 118
THE MONEY MARKET ................................................................................................................................................................................ 119
Definition ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 119
Everything You Need to know about Money Market .............................................................................................................................. 119
THE EQUITY MARKET ............................................................................................................................................................................... 139
Characteristics ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 139
Instruments .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 140
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Ordinary shares ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 140
Preference shares ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 140
Depository receipts ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 141
Exchange traded funds ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 141
ETFs in India ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 142
Schemes ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 142
Asset Size .............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 142
Investment banks ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 143
Venture capitalists .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 143
Market cap of Top Indian Companies ......................................................................................................................................................... 144
Financial Times Global 500 ............................................................................................................................................................................ 144
Fortune Global 500 ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 145
Fortune 2013 list ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 145
Indian Companies in Fortune 500 ................................................................................................................................................................ 146
List of Indian businesswomen ........................................................................................................................................................................ 148
The Derivatives Market .................................................................................................................................................................................... 150
All about Derivatives (Question and Answer Format)............................................................................................................................. 150
SECTORS OF THE ECONOMY ................................................................................................................................................................ 151
Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, Quaternary, and Quinary ...................................................................................................................... 151
ECONOMIC PLANNING ............................................................................................................................................................................. 153
Essentials of Economic Planning ................................................................................................................................................................... 153
Importance of Economic Planning with respect to Mixed Economy & Under-Developed Countries ....................................... 154
Stages of Economic Development ................................................................................................................................................................. 156
State vs. Market ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 156
Types of Economic Planning .......................................................................................................................................................................... 157
Planning by Inducements ................................................................................................................................................................................ 157
Planning by Directions...................................................................................................................................................................................... 157
Physical and Financial Planning .................................................................................................................................................................... 158
Centralised Planning and Decentralised Planning ................................................................................................................................... 159
Structural and Functional Planning .............................................................................................................................................................. 159
Indicative and Imperative Planning .............................................................................................................................................................. 159
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Democratic and Totalitarian Planning ........................................................................................................................................................ 160
Fixed Plan and Rolling Plan Fixed Plan ..................................................................................................................................................... 160
Merits of Fixed Planning: ................................................................................................................................................................................. 160
Demerits of Fixed Planning: ............................................................................................................................................................................ 160
Rolling Plan .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 161
Merits of Rolling Plan: ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 161
Demerits of Rolling Plan: ................................................................................................................................................................................. 161
Short-term, Medium and Long-term Planning .......................................................................................................................................... 161
Corrective and Developmental Planning .................................................................................................................................................... 161
Capitalist and Socialist Planning ................................................................................................................................................................... 162
Planning under Mixed Economy ................................................................................................................................................................... 162
Neo-classical counterrevolution ...................................................................................................................................................................... 163
REFERENCE ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 163
BANKING SECTOR IN INDIA .................................................................................................................................................................. 164
History of Indian Banking System ................................................................................................................................................................ 165
Classification ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 165
Basel III ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 166
MICROFINANCE ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 166
Salient Features of Microfinance ................................................................................................................................................................... 167
Gaps In Financial System and Need For Microfinance .......................................................................................................................... 167
Channels of Micro Finance ............................................................................................................................................................................. 167
Controversy on MFI .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 168
BANKING SECTOR REFORMS ................................................................................................................................................................ 170
Asset Classification ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 172
Regulations for Asset Classification .............................................................................................................................................................. 172
Weak Public Sector Banks ............................................................................................................................................................................... 173
PLANNING OVER THE YEARS ............................................................................................................................................................... 175
TWELFTH FIVE-YEAR PLAN (2012-2017) ............................................................................................................................................ 178
Difference Between Growth and Development ......................................................................................................................................... 179
BALANCE OF TRADE ................................................................................................................................................................................... 179
The Balance Of Payments Sub-Division ...................................................................................................................................................... 180
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Fundamentals of Economics 2014
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COMPOSITION OF FOREIGN TRADE ................................................................................................................................................ 181
IMPORT POLICY: THE PRE-REFORM PERIOD............................................................................................................................... 185
Export Policy: The Pre-Reform Period ........................................................................................................................................................ 185
The Three Phases of Export Policy ............................................................................................................................................................... 185
Export Promotion Policies: An Overall View ............................................................................................................................................ 185
FOREIGN TRADE POLICY (2009-14) ...................................................................................................................................................... 187
TYPES OF UNEMPLOYMENT .................................................................................................................................................................. 187
Disguised Unemployment ................................................................................................................................................................................ 188
The Phillips Curve ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 188
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Ecology & Environment 2014
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STRUCTURE AND TYPES OF ENVIRONMENT ..................................................................................................... 4
Ecology : Meaning And Definitions ................................................................................................................................. 4
Ecological Niche ................................................................................................................................................................ 4
Ecosystem ........................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Meaning And Concept ...................................................................................................................................................... 5
Properties of Ecosystems .................................................................................................................................................... 5
Types of Ecosystems ........................................................................................................................................................... 7
BIOSPHERE AS AN ECOSYSTEM................................................................................................................................ 8
System ................................................................................................................................................................................ 8
The Biosphere .................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Biogeochemical Cycles ....................................................................................................................................................... 9
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS—THE BIOMES ....................................................................................................... 10
Natural vegetation of the world ..................................................................................................................................... 11
Climatic Gradients And Vegetation Types .................................................................................................................... 12
Forest Biome ................................................................................................................................................................... 12
Low-Latitude Rainforest ................................................................................................................................................ 13
Monsoon Forest ............................................................................................................................................................... 14
Subtropical Evergreen Forest .......................................................................................................................................... 15
Mid-latitude Deciduous Forest ....................................................................................................................................... 17
Needle Leaf Forest .......................................................................................................................................................... 18
Sclerophyll Forest ............................................................................................................................................................ 19
Savanna and Grassland Biomes .................................................................................................................................... 21
Grassland Biome ............................................................................................................................................................ 23
Desert and Tundra Biomes ............................................................................................................................................ 24
Desert Biome ................................................................................................................................................................... 24
Tundra Biome................................................................................................................................................................. 26
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MARINE BIOMES ........................................................................................................................................................... 29
Main Characteristic Features ......................................................................................................................................... 29
Types of Marine Biomes ................................................................................................................................................. 30
Marine Biological Communities .................................................................................................................................... 31
Plantkton Community .................................................................................................................................................... 32
(1) Phytoplanktons .............................................................................................................................................. 32
Nekton Community ......................................................................................................................................................... 34
Benthos Community ........................................................................................................................................................ 34
Ecological Productivity ................................................................................................................................................... 35
Food Chains in Marine Biome ...................................................................................................................................... 35
HUMAN INFLUENCE ON RADIATION ................................................................................................................... 36
Heat Balance .................................................................................................................................................................. 36
CORAL BLEACHING ..................................................................................................................................................... 39
URBANIZATION AND CLIMATE .............................................................................................................................. 41
Urbanization and Heat Island ...................................................................................................................................... 41
BIO-DIVERSITY, BIO-SPHERE RESERVE AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION............................................. 42
Biodiversity: Meaning and Definitions .......................................................................................................................... 42
BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOTS ........................................................................................................................................ 44
CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY ....................................................................................................................... 45
List of Biosphere Reserves ............................................................................................................................................... 46
Coral Gardening ............................................................................................................................................................. 50
Biosphere Reserve ............................................................................................................................................................ 50
Evolution of the Concept ................................................................................................................................................. 50
Zoning of Biosphere Reserve ........................................................................................................................................... 51
Functional Pattern of Biosphere Reserve ....................................................................................................................... 52
Core Area......................................................................................................................................................................... 52
Buffer Zone ..................................................................................................................................................................... 53
Transition Area............................................................................................................................................................... 53
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Clustered Biosphere Reserve ............................................................................................................................................ 54
BIODIVERSITY (WILDLIFE) CONSERVATION IN INDIA ................................................................................. 55
Wildlife Status in India ................................................................................................................................................. 55
National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) Project ............................................................................ 56
Biodiversity (Biological Diversity) Act ........................................................................................................................... 57
Bio-safety Protocol ........................................................................................................................................................... 57
WETLANDS & MANGROVES ..................................................................................................................................... 59
NATIONAL PARKS ......................................................................................................................................................... 60
Protected areas of India for an overview of all Indian protected areas ........................................................................ 60
DISASTER MANAGEMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS IN INDIA ........................................................ 66
Earthquake-Prone Areas ................................................................................................................................................. 66
Cyclone-Prone Areas ........................................................................................................................................................ 68
Tidal Surge-prone Areas ................................................................................................................................................. 69
Flood-Prone Areas ........................................................................................................................................................... 70
Drought-Prone Areas ....................................................................................................................................................... 70
Zone 1 ............................................................................................................................................................................. 71
Zone 2 ............................................................................................................................................................................. 71
Zone 3 ............................................................................................................................................................................. 73
NATIONAL POLICY ON DISASTER MANAGEMENT .......................................................................................... 74
Responsibilities of NDMA .............................................................................................................................................. 75
ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS ........................................................................................................................................... 76
Union List-I Entries ....................................................................................................................................................... 77
Environmental Protection Act (EPA), 1986 ................................................................................................................ 77
Definitions under Section 2 of EPA .............................................................................................................................. 77
General Powers of Central Govt. Under EPA, 1986 ................................................................................................... 78
General Environmental Laws ........................................................................................................................................ 78
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General Geography 2014
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Table of Contents
THE SCOPE OF GEOGRAPHY ........................................................................................................................................................... 5
The Earth’s Four Spheres ...................................................................................................................................................................... 6
THE GEOGRAPHER’S TOOLS ........................................................................................................................................................... 9
Latitude ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 10
Longitude ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 12
Map Scale ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 13
Isolines .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 14
Digital Technology in Geography ....................................................................................................................................................... 16
Remote Sensing .................................................................................................................................................................................... 17
Global Positioning Systems ................................................................................................................................................................. 18
Geographic Information Systems ........................................................................................................................................................ 19
EARTH–SUN GEOMETRY AND THE SEASONS ....................................................................................................................... 21
Our Place in Space .............................................................................................................................................................................. 21
The Shape of Earth ............................................................................................................................................................................. 21
Earth’s Orbit Around the Sun ............................................................................................................................................................ 22
The Earth’s Rotation and Axial Tilt ................................................................................................................................................. 23
The Seasons .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 25
Solstice and Equinox ........................................................................................................................................................................... 26
THE GLOBAL ENERGY SYSTEM................................................................................................................................................... 29
The Electromagnetic Spectrum............................................................................................................................................................ 29
Composition of the Atmosphere ........................................................................................................................................................... 30
Constant Gases..................................................................................................................................................................................... 30
Variable Gases ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 30
Particulates .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 34
Heat Transfer ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 35
Flow of Solar Radiation in the Atmosphere ...................................................................................................................................... 36
Interaction of Solar Radiation and the Earth’s Surface ................................................................................................................... 38
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The Global Radiation Budget ............................................................................................................................................................ 40
GLOBAL TEMPERATURE PATTERNS ......................................................................................................................................... 44
The Troposphere ................................................................................................................................................................................... 44
The Stratosphere .................................................................................................................................................................................. 44
The Mesosphere .................................................................................................................................................................................... 46
The Thermosphere ................................................................................................................................................................................ 46
Large-Scale Geographic Factors That Influence Air Temperature ................................................................................................... 46
Local Factors That Influence Air Temperature ................................................................................................................................. 48
Human Interactions: The Urban Effect on Temperature ................................................................................................................. 49
Other Local Factors That Influence Temperature ............................................................................................................................. 50
The Annual Range of Surface Temperature (A Holistic Assessment) ............................................................................................... 50
ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE, WIND, AND GLOBAL CIRCULATION .................................................................................. 53
Factors That Influence Air Pressure ................................................................................................................................................... 53
Atmospheric Pressure Systems ............................................................................................................................................................. 54
Low-Pressure Systems .......................................................................................................................................................................... 54
High-Pressure Systems ......................................................................................................................................................................... 55
The Direction of Airflow ..................................................................................................................................................................... 57
Unequal Heating of Land Surfaces.................................................................................................................................................... 57
Coriolis Force ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 57
Global Pressure and Atmospheric Circulation ................................................................................................................................... 59
Midlatitude Circulation ...................................................................................................................................................................... 61
Polar Circulation ................................................................................................................................................................................. 63
Seasonal Migration of Pressure Systems ............................................................................................................................................. 65
Local Wind Systems ............................................................................................................................................................................ 66
Land–Sea Breezes................................................................................................................................................................................ 67
Topographic Winds ............................................................................................................................................................................. 67
Oceanic Circulation Gyres and Thermo-haline Circulation .............................................................................................................. 68
El Niño ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 70
Key Concepts To Remember About Oceanic Circulation ................................................................................................................... 71
ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE AND PRECIPITATION ................................................................................................................ 72
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The Hydrosphere and the Hydrologic Cycle........................................................................................................................................ 72
Humidity .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 73
Maximum, Specific, and Relative Humidity ..................................................................................................................................... 74
Dew-Point Temperature ...................................................................................................................................................................... 76
Key Concepts To Remember about Atmospheric Humidity ............................................................................................................... 78
Adiabatic Processes .............................................................................................................................................................................. 78
The Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate ........................................................................................................................................................... 79
The Wet Adiabatic Lapse Rate .......................................................................................................................................................... 80
Cloud Classification ............................................................................................................................................................................ 80
Fog ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 84
Precipitation......................................................................................................................................................................................... 84
Types of Precipitation .......................................................................................................................................................................... 85
Precipitation Processes ......................................................................................................................................................................... 86
Air Masses and Fronts ........................................................................................................................................................................ 91
Air Masses ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 91
Fronts ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 93
Key Concepts To Remember About Air Masses And Fronts .............................................................................................................. 94
Evolution and Character of Midlatitude Cyclones ............................................................................................................................ 94
Upper Airflow and the 500-mb Pressure Surface .............................................................................................................................. 96
Interaction of Upper Airflow and Surface Airflow ........................................................................................................................... 97
Cyclogenesis .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 98
Key Concepts To Remember About The Formation Of Midlatitude Cyclones .............................................................................. 100
GLOBAL CLIMATES AND GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE .................................................................................................... 101
Climate and the Factors That Affect It........................................................................................................................................... 101
Köppen Climate Classification ........................................................................................................................................................ 102
THE GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION AND CHARACTER OF SOILS ........................................................................................... 106
Soil-Forming (Pedogenic) Processes .................................................................................................................................................. 106
Soil-Forming Factors ........................................................................................................................................................................ 107
Key Concepts to Remember about Pedogenic Processes And Soil-Forming Factors ....................................................................... 111
Soil Profiles (Reading the Soil) ....................................................................................................................................................... 111
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Soil horizons. ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 111
PLATE TECTONICS ......................................................................................................................................................................... 116
Continental and Oceanic Crust........................................................................................................................................................ 117
Plate Boundaries .............................................................................................................................................................................. 118
Divergent Margins ............................................................................................................................................................................ 118
Continental Rifting .......................................................................................................................................................................... 118
Seafloor Spreading ............................................................................................................................................................................ 118
Convergent Margins .......................................................................................................................................................................... 119
Subduction Zone Trenches ............................................................................................................................................................... 120
Back-Arc Basins ................................................................................................................................................................................ 120
Continental Collision ........................................................................................................................................................................ 121
Accretion and Subduction ................................................................................................................................................................ 121
Mountain Building .......................................................................................................................................................................... 122
Transform Faults .............................................................................................................................................................................. 122
Hot Spots ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 122
Volcanoes And Volcanism ................................................................................................................................................................ 123
Six Types of Eruptions ..................................................................................................................................................................... 125
The Major Types of Volcanic Landforms ....................................................................................................................................... 126
Stratovolcanoes ................................................................................................................................................................................. 126
Shield Volcanoes ............................................................................................................................................................................... 128
Submarine Volcanoes ........................................................................................................................................................................ 128
Calderas ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 128
Complex Volcanoes ........................................................................................................................................................................... 128
Pyroclastic Cones............................................................................................................................................................................... 129
Volcanic Fields .................................................................................................................................................................................. 129
Fissure Vents ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 129
Volcanoes Related to Plate Boundaries ........................................................................................................................................... 131
Rift Volcanoes ................................................................................................................................................................................... 132
Intra plate Volcanism ....................................................................................................................................................................... 133
EARTHQUAKES ................................................................................................................................................................................ 134
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The Causes of Earthquakes .............................................................................................................................................................. 134
Natural Forces .................................................................................................................................................................................. 134
Tectonics ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 134
Volcanism .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 135
Artificial Induction........................................................................................................................................................................... 136
Reservoir Induction ........................................................................................................................................................................... 136
Seismology and Nuclear Explosions ................................................................................................................................................. 136
The Effects of Earthquakes .............................................................................................................................................................. 137
Surface Phenomena .......................................................................................................................................................................... 137
Tsunamis ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 137
Seiches................................................................................................................................................................................................ 139
WEATHERING AND MASS MOVEMENT .................................................................................................................................. 139
Mechanical Weathering ................................................................................................................................................................... 141
Chemical Weathering ....................................................................................................................................................................... 143
Human Interactions: Acid Rain ...................................................................................................................................................... 144
Key Concepts To Remember About Weathering .............................................................................................................................. 145
Mass Wasting ................................................................................................................................................................................... 146
Rockfall ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 147
Soil Creep .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 147
Landslides ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 148
Avalanches ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 149
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Indian Geography 2014
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Table of Contents INDIA—LOCATION, EXTENT AND PHYSICAL FEATURES ..................................................................................................... 9
Location and Extent ............................................................................................................................................................................. 9
India at a Glance .................................................................................................................................................................................. 9
India’s Neighbours .............................................................................................................................................................................. 10
Political Divisions ............................................................................................................................................................................... 11
THE PHYSICAL FEATURES ............................................................................................................................................................ 12
THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS ...................................................................................................................................................... 13
Origin of the Himalayan Mountain System ...................................................................................................................................... 13
The Himalaya Mountains .................................................................................................................................................................. 15
The Himalaya Ranges ........................................................................................................................................................................ 15
The Trans-Himalayan Ranges ........................................................................................................................................................... 18
The Eastern Hills ................................................................................................................................................................................ 18
Significance of the Northern Mountains ............................................................................................................................................ 19
THE NORTHERN PLAINS ................................................................................................................................................................ 21
The Rajasthan Plain .......................................................................................................................................................................... 22
The Punjab-Haryana Plains .............................................................................................................................................................. 23
The Ganga Plain ................................................................................................................................................................................ 23
The Brahmaputra Plain ..................................................................................................................................................................... 24
Significance of the Northern Plains ................................................................................................................................................... 24
The Peninsular Plateaus..................................................................................................................................................................... 24
Plateaus of Peninsular India ............................................................................................................................................................. 25
Hill Ranges of Peninsular India ........................................................................................................................................................ 27
The Western Ghats or Sahyadris ....................................................................................................................................................... 27
The Eastern Ghats .............................................................................................................................................................................. 29
Significance of Peninsular Plateau .................................................................................................................................................... 29
Comparison between the Himalayan & the Peninsular Rivers ....................................................................................................... 30
The Coastal Plains and the Islands ................................................................................................................................................... 30
The Western Coastal Plain ................................................................................................................................................................ 31
The Eastern Coastal Plain ................................................................................................................................................................. 32
Significance of Coastal Plains ............................................................................................................................................................ 33
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Indian Geography 2014
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The Indian Islands .............................................................................................................................................................................. 33
INDIA—THE CLIMATIC CONDITIONS .......................................................................................................................................... 34
Factors Affecting the Climate of India .............................................................................................................................................. 34
Salient Features of the Climate of India ........................................................................................................................................... 36
MECHANISM OF MONSOONS ......................................................................................................................................................... 37
CYCLE OF SEASONS ........................................................................................................................................................................... 39
The Cold Weather Season................................................................................................................................................................... 39
The Hot Weather Season .................................................................................................................................................................... 40
The Southwest Monsoon Season ......................................................................................................................................................... 41
The Retreating Monsoon Season ........................................................................................................................................................ 44
Distribution of Annual Rainfall ........................................................................................................................................................ 44
India—Withdrawal of Monsoon ......................................................................................................................................................... 46
Areas of Very Heavy Rainfall............................................................................................................................................................. 46
Characteristics of Rainfall in India ................................................................................................................................................... 47
El- NINO AND THE INDIAN MONSOON ....................................................................................................................................... 48
Somalian Current................................................................................................................................................................................ 50
Burst of Monsoon ................................................................................................................................................................................ 50
DROUGHTS ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 51
FLOODS................................................................................................................................................................................................... 53
Flood Prone Areas of India ................................................................................................................................................................ 53
RIVER BASINS OF INDIA ................................................................................................................................................................. 54
TYPES OF LAKES ................................................................................................................................................................................ 57
Main Lakes of India ........................................................................................................................................................................... 59
WATER RESOURCES OF INDIA ..................................................................................................................................................... 64
Water Harvesting in India ................................................................................................................................................................. 66
Rain-water Harvesting ........................................................................................................................................................................ 67
The Inter-State Water Disputes .......................................................................................................................................................... 71
International Agreements for Surface Water Resources .................................................................................................................... 72
The Indus Water Treaty ..................................................................................................................................................................... 72
National Water Grid .......................................................................................................................................................................... 73
The Ganga-Kaveri Link Canal .......................................................................................................................................................... 73
The Brahmaputra-Ganga Link Canal .............................................................................................................................................. 75
The Narmada Link Canal to Gujarat and Rajasthan .................................................................................................................... 75
The Chambal Link Canal .................................................................................................................................................................. 75
Links between the Rivers of the Western Ghats to the East ............................................................................................................. 75
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The National Water Policy ................................................................................................................................................................ 76
MAIN WATERFALLS OF INDIA ...................................................................................................................................................... 77
SOILS OF INDIA ................................................................................................................................................................................... 81
Types of Soils in India ........................................................................................................................................................................ 81
Alluvial Soil ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 81
Black Soil ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 82
Red Soil ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 83
Laterite Soil ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 84
Mountain Soil ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 84
Desert Soil ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 85
Soil Erosion ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 86
Land Use Planning ............................................................................................................................................................................ 88
NATURAL VEGETATION OF INDIA .............................................................................................................................................. 89
Tropical Evergreen Forests .................................................................................................................................................................. 92
Tropical Deciduous Forests ................................................................................................................................................................. 92
Tropical Thorn Forests ....................................................................................................................................................................... 93
The Littoral or Tidal Forests ............................................................................................................................................................. 93
The Mountain Forests ......................................................................................................................................................................... 94
Forest Cover in India .......................................................................................................................................................................... 94
National Forest Policy ........................................................................................................................................................................ 96
Classification of Forests ...................................................................................................................................................................... 98
INDIAN IRRIGATION ...................................................................................................................................................................... 100
Geographical Factors Favouring Irrigation in India .................................................................................................................... 101
Means of Irrigation .......................................................................................................................................................................... 101
Tank Irrigation ................................................................................................................................................................................ 102
Merits of Tank Irrigation ................................................................................................................................................................ 102
Demerits of Tank Irrigation ............................................................................................................................................................ 102
Well and Tube-Well Irrigation........................................................................................................................................................ 103
Merits of Well and Tube well Irrigation ........................................................................................................................................ 103
Demerits of Well and Tube Well Irrigation ................................................................................................................................... 104
Canal Irrigation ............................................................................................................................................................................... 104
Merits of Canals Irrigation ............................................................................................................................................................. 105
Demerits of Canal Irrigation ........................................................................................................................................................... 105
MINERALS IN INDIA-I .................................................................................................................................................................... 106
Iron ore, Manganese, Bauxite and Limestone ................................................................................................................................ 106
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Types of Minerals ............................................................................................................................................................................. 106
Distribution of Minerals .................................................................................................................................................................. 107
IRON ORE ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 107
Types of Iron Ore .............................................................................................................................................................................. 107
Reserves of Iron Ore .......................................................................................................................................................................... 108
MANGANESE ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 111
Areas of Manganese Production In India ....................................................................................................................................... 112
BAUXITE ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 113
Reserves of Bauxite in India ............................................................................................................................................................ 114
Areas of Bauxite Production ........................................................................................................................................................... 116
Consumption and Trade .................................................................................................................................................................. 117
LIMESTONE ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 117
Areas of Limestone Production ........................................................................................................................................................ 117
MINERALS IN INDIA-II................................................................................................................................................................... 119
Coal and Petroleum ......................................................................................................................................................................... 119
Types of Coal .................................................................................................................................................................................... 119
Occurrence of Coal In India ............................................................................................................................................................ 120
The Gondwana Coalfields ............................................................................................................................................................... 120
The Tertiary Coalfields .................................................................................................................................................................... 121
Inventory of Geological Resources of Coal In India ....................................................................................................................... 121
Areas of Coal Production in India .................................................................................................................................................. 122
Consumption of Coal In India ........................................................................................................................................................ 123
Problems of Coal Mining In India ................................................................................................................................................. 124
PETROLEUM ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 124
Reserves of Petroleum in India ........................................................................................................................................................ 125
Areas of Petroleum Production ........................................................................................................................................................ 125
AGRICULTURE IN INDIA ............................................................................................................................................................. 131
Types of Farming in India .............................................................................................................................................................. 131
Agricultural Seasons......................................................................................................................................................................... 133
Kharif Season ................................................................................................................................................................................... 133
Rabi Season ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 133
Zaid Season ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 134
Green Revolution in India ............................................................................................................................................................... 134
Merits of the High Yielding Varieties ............................................................................................................................................. 134
Geographical Constraints in the Adoption of New Seeds .............................................................................................................. 136
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RAINBOW REVOLUTION............................................................................................................................................................... 139
DRY FARMING .................................................................................................................................................................................. 140
Significant Features of Dry Farming ................................................................................................................................................... 140
Crops ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 141
Main Problems of Dry Farming...................................................................................................................................................... 142
AGRICULTURE IN INDIA-MAJOR CROPS-1 ............................................................................................................................. 143
Rice, Wheat, Millets and Pulses ..................................................................................................................................................... 143
Rice ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 143
Conditions for Growth of Rice ........................................................................................................................................................ 143
Methods of Rice Cultivation in India ............................................................................................................................................. 144
Areas of Rice Production ................................................................................................................................................................. 144
WHEAT ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 145
Conditions for Growth of Wheat .................................................................................................................................................... 145
Methods of Wheat Cultivation in India ......................................................................................................................................... 145
Millets ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 146
Jowar................................................................................................................................................................................................. 146
Bajra ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 147
Conditions for Growth of Bajra ...................................................................................................................................................... 147
Areas of Bajra Production ............................................................................................................................................................... 147
Ragi .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 147
Conditions for Growth of Ragi ....................................................................................................................................................... 147
Areas of Ragi Production ................................................................................................................................................................ 147
Pulses ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 148
Gram ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 148
Arhar or Tur ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 148
Masur or Lentil ................................................................................................................................................................................ 148
AGRICULTURE IN INDIA-MAJOR CROPS-II ............................................................................................................................ 149
Sugar Cane, Oilseeds, Cotton and Jute ........................................................................................................................................... 149
Sugar Cane ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 149
Conditions for Growth of Sugar cane ............................................................................................................................................. 149
Sugar Cane Cultivation in India .................................................................................................................................................... 150
Areas of Sugar Cane Production ..................................................................................................................................................... 150
Comparison Between North India and South India for Sugar Cane Cultivation ....................................................................... 151
Problems of Sugar Cane Cultivation in India ............................................................................................................................... 151
Oilseeds.............................................................................................................................................................................................. 152
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Groundnut ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 152
Conditions for growth of Groundnuts ............................................................................................................................................. 152
Areas of Groundnut Production ...................................................................................................................................................... 153
Sesamum (Til) .................................................................................................................................................................................. 153
Conditions for growth of Sesamum (Til) ........................................................................................................................................ 153
Areas of Sesamum (Til) Production ................................................................................................................................................ 154
Rapeseed and Mustard .................................................................................................................................................................... 154
Conditions for Growth of Rapeseed and Mustard ......................................................................................................................... 154
Areas of Rapeseed and Mustard Production .................................................................................................................................. 154
Linseed .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 154
Conditions for Growth of Linseed ................................................................................................................................................... 155
Areas of Linseed Production ............................................................................................................................................................ 155
Castor Seed ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 155
Conditions for Growth of Castor Seed ............................................................................................................................................ 155
Areas of Castor Seed Production ..................................................................................................................................................... 155
Sunflower Seed ................................................................................................................................................................................. 156
Conditions for Growth of Sunflower Seed ...................................................................................................................................... 156
Areas of Sunflower Seed Production ............................................................................................................................................... 156
Cotton Seed ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 156
Soyabean ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 156
Conditions for Growth of Soyabean ................................................................................................................................................ 156
Areas of Soyabean Production ......................................................................................................................................................... 157
COCONUT ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 157
Conditions for Growth of Coconut .................................................................................................................................................. 157
Cultivation ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 157
Areas ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 157
COTTON ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 157
Conditions for Growth of Cotton .................................................................................................................................................... 158
Types of Cotton ................................................................................................................................................................................. 158
Methods of Cultivation .................................................................................................................................................................... 158
Areas of Cotton Production ............................................................................................................................................................. 159
JUTE ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 160
Conditions for Growth of Jute ......................................................................................................................................................... 160
Method of Cultivation and Processing ............................................................................................................................................ 160
Areas of Jute Production .................................................................................................................................................................. 161
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Indian Geography 2014
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AGRICULTURE IN INDIA-MAJOR CROPS-III .......................................................................................................................... 162
Tea, Coffee and Rubber ................................................................................................................................................................... 162
Tea .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 162
Types of Tea...................................................................................................................................................................................... 162
Conditions for Growth of Tea ......................................................................................................................................................... 162
Methods of Cultivation .................................................................................................................................................................... 163
Areas of Tea Production .................................................................................................................................................................. 164
COFFEE ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 164
Types of Coffee .................................................................................................................................................................................. 164
Conditions for Growth of Coffee ..................................................................................................................................................... 165
Methods of Cultivation and Processing........................................................................................................................................... 165
Areas of Coffee Production .............................................................................................................................................................. 166
RUBBER .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 166
Conditions for Growth of Rubber .................................................................................................................................................... 167
Methods of Cultivation .................................................................................................................................................................... 167
Areas of Rubber Production ............................................................................................................................................................. 168
INDIA-INDUSTRIES ......................................................................................................................................................................... 169
Growth of Industries In India ......................................................................................................................................................... 169
Liberalisation ................................................................................................................................................................................... 170
Location of Industries ...................................................................................................................................................................... 170
Classification of Industries .............................................................................................................................................................. 172
Major Industrial Regions of India .................................................................................................................................................. 173
SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE (SEZ) .............................................................................................................................................. 175
Defining Feature .............................................................................................................................................................................. 175
Objectives of Special Economic Zone .............................................................................................................................................. 175
Historical Perspective ....................................................................................................................................................................... 175
Conditions for Ideal SEZ ................................................................................................................................................................ 176
Special Economic Zones of India .................................................................................................................................................... 176
INDIA-AGRO–BASED INDUTSRIES............................................................................................................................................ 177
Sugar Industry .................................................................................................................................................................................. 177
Location of Sugar Industry .............................................................................................................................................................. 177
Distribution of Sugar Industry ........................................................................................................................................................ 177
Difference between Sugar Industry Of Northern And Southern India .......................................................................................... 178
THE TEXTILE INDUSTRIES ........................................................................................................................................................ 179
Cotton Textiles .................................................................................................................................................................................. 179
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Growth and Development ................................................................................................................................................................ 179
Location of Cotton Textile Industry ................................................................................................................................................ 179
Distribution of Cotton Textile Industry In India ........................................................................................................................... 180
Silk Textiles ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 182
Distribution of Silk Textile Mills In India .................................................................................................................................... 182
Jute Textiles ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 183
Growth and Development ................................................................................................................................................................ 183
Location of Jute Industry In India .................................................................................................................................................. 184
Distribution of Jute Mills In India ................................................................................................................................................. 184
Woollen Textiles ............................................................................................................................................................................... 185
Distribution of Woollen Mills In India .......................................................................................................................................... 185
INDIA-MINERAL-BASED INDUSTRIES ..................................................................................................................................... 186
The Iron and Steel Industry ............................................................................................................................................................ 186
Growth and Development ................................................................................................................................................................ 186
Locational Factors ........................................................................................................................................................................... 187
Distribution of Iron and Steel Industry .......................................................................................................................................... 187
Problems of Iron And Steel Industry In India................................................................................................................................ 192
Heavy Engineering ........................................................................................................................................................................... 193
Industrial Machinery ....................................................................................................................................................................... 193
Machine Tools .................................................................................................................................................................................. 194
Railway Equipment ......................................................................................................................................................................... 194
Automobile Industry ......................................................................................................................................................................... 195
Shipbuilding Industry ...................................................................................................................................................................... 195
Aircraft Industry .............................................................................................................................................................................. 196
Petrochemicals .................................................................................................................................................................................. 196
Electronics Industry .......................................................................................................................................................................... 197
Means of Transport .......................................................................................................................................................................... 198
Waterways ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 199
REFRENCE ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 201
International Airports of India ....................................................................................................................................................... 201
Major Ports in India ....................................................................................................................................................................... 202
Important National Highways ........................................................................................................................................................ 202
The Konkan Railway ...................................................................................................................................................................... 205
The Railway Zones .......................................................................................................................................................................... 205
The Main Scheduled Tribes of India .............................................................................................................................................. 206
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General Science 2014
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Table of Contents
GENERAL SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, AND TECHNOLOGY……………………………………………………………… 32
What is the difference between science and technology? ..................................................................................................... 34
How does an independent variable differ from a dependent variable? ............................................................................. 34
What is high technology or high tech? ................................................................................................................................ 34
What is nanotechnology? .................................................................................................................................................... 34
How large is a nanometer? ................................................................................................................................................. 35
What is the oldest continuously published scientific journal? ............................................................................................ 35
When was the first Nobel Prize awarded? ......................................................................................................................... 35
Who are the youngest and oldest Nobel Laureates in the areas of physics, chemistry, and physiology or medicine? ....... 35
Are there any multiple Nobel Prize winners? ..................................................................................................................... 35
Who was the first woman to receive the Nobel Prize? ....................................................................................................... 36
How many women have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Physics, or Physiology or Medicine? .................. 36
When was the first time two women shared the Nobel Prize in the same field? .............................................................. 36
Is there a Nobel Prize in mathematics? .............................................................................................................................. 37
What is the Turing Award? ............................................................................................................................................... 37
NUMBERS ........................................................................................................................................................................ 38
What are Roman numerals? .............................................................................................................................................. 38
What are Fibonacci numbers? ............................................................................................................................................ 38
What is a perfect number? .................................................................................................................................................. 38
How large is a googol? ........................................................................................................................................................ 38
COMPUTERS ................................................................................................................................................................... 40
What is an algorithm? ........................................................................................................................................................ 40
What was the name of the personal computer introduced by Apple in the early 1980s? ................................................. 40
What’s the difference between a “bit” and a “byte”? ......................................................................................................... 40
What is a silicon chip? ........................................................................................................................................................ 40
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What are the sizes of silicon chips? ..................................................................................................................................... 41
What is the central processing unit of a computer? ............................................................................................................ 41
How is the speed of a CPU measured? .............................................................................................................................. 41
What is the difference between RAM and ROM? ............................................................................................................. 41
What are some newer forms of portable storage media? .................................................................................................... 41
What is a USB port? .......................................................................................................................................................... 42
Is assembly language the same thing as machine language? ............................................................................................. 42
Who invented the COBOL computer language? ................................................................................................................ 43
Which was the first widely used high-level programming language? ................................................................................ 43
How did the Linux operating system get its name? ........................................................................................................... 43
Open-source software (OSS) ................................................................................................................................................ 43
What is a pixel? .................................................................................................................................................................. 43
INTERNET ........................................................................................................................................................................ 44
What is the Internet? .......................................................................................................................................................... 44
Who coined the term “information superhighway”? .......................................................................................................... 44
Who invented the World Wide Web? ................................................................................................................................ 44
What is the client/server principle and how does it apply to the Internet? ....................................................................... 45
What is a Uniform Resource Locator, or URL? ............................................................................................................... 45
What are some common top level domain (TLD) suffixes? ............................................................................................... 45
What is the most popular search engine? ........................................................................................................................... 45
When was Google founded? ................................................................................................................................................ 46
What is spam? ..................................................................................................................................................................... 46
What is Wi-Fi? ................................................................................................................................................................... 46
When was the term Web 2.0 first used? ............................................................................................................................ 46
What is Web 2.0? ............................................................................................................................................................... 46
Web 3.0 ............................................................................................................................................................................... 47
What is inertia? .................................................................................................................................................................. 49
What is superconductivity? ................................................................................................................................................. 49
What are some practical applications of superconductivity? ............................................................................................. 49
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What is string theory? ......................................................................................................................................................... 49
What is the role of friction in striking a match? ............................................................................................................... 50
What is friction? ................................................................................................................................................................. 50
Why is a lubricant, such as oil, often used to counter the force of friction? ...................................................................... 50
Why do golf balls have dimples? ......................................................................................................................................... 50
Does water running down a drain rotate in a different direction in the Northern versus the Southern Hemisphere? .... 50
What is the speed of light? .................................................................................................................................................. 51
What are the primary colors in light? ................................................................................................................................ 51
How do polarized sunglasses reduce glare? ........................................................................................................................ 51
Why does the color of clothing appear different in sunlight than it does in a store under fluorescent light? ................... 51
What is the difference between special and general relativity? .......................................................................................... 51
How do sound waves differ from light waves? .................................................................................................................. 52
Does sound travel faster in air or water? ........................................................................................................................... 52
Who was the first person to break the sound barrier? ........................................................................................................ 52
When is a sonic boom heard?.............................................................................................................................................. 52
What is the Doppler Effect? ............................................................................................................................................... 53
What is a decibel? ............................................................................................................................................................... 53
What are the characteristics of alpha, beta, and gamma radiation? ................................................................................ 53
ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM ............................................................................................................................ 54
How does an electromagnet work? ..................................................................................................................................... 54
If a magnetic bar is cut in two, will it yield a north pole and a South Pole magnet? ..................................................... 54
How do permanent magnets differ from temporary magnets? ........................................................................................... 54
What materials are used to make the most powerful permanent magnets? ...................................................................... 54
Why is static electricity greater in winter than summer? ................................................................................................... 54
How do dryer sheets and hair conditioner reduce or prevent static electricity? ................................................................. 55
How did the electrical term ampere originate? .................................................................................................................. 55
How did the electrical unit volt originate? ........................................................................................................................ 55
How did the electrical unit watt originate? ....................................................................................................................... 55
What materials are the best and worst conductors of electricity? ...................................................................................... 55
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How do lead-acid batteries work? ...................................................................................................................................... 56
MATTER ............................................................................................................................................................................ 56
What is an atom? ............................................................................................................................................................... 56
Who is generally regarded as the discoverer of the electron, the proton, and the neutron? ............................................... 56
What is a chemical bond? ................................................................................................................................................... 56
What are the major types of bonds?.................................................................................................................................... 56
When was the first atomic theory proposed? ...................................................................................................................... 57
Who proposed the modern theory of the atom? ................................................................................................................... 57
Who invented the cyclotron? ............................................................................................................................................... 57
What is the fourth state of matter?..................................................................................................................................... 57
What is the difference between nuclear fission and nuclear fusion?.................................................................................. 58
How did the quark get its name? ....................................................................................................................................... 58
What are subatomic particles? ............................................................................................................................................ 58
Why is liquid water denser than ice? ................................................................................................................................. 59
What substance, other than water, is less dense as a solid than as a liquid? ................................................................... 59
CHEMICAL ELEMENTS ............................................................................................................................................... 59
Who are some of the founders of modern chemistry? .......................................................................................................... 59
Who developed the periodic table? ...................................................................................................................................... 59
What are the alkali metals? ............................................................................................................................................... 60
What are the alkaline Earth metals? ................................................................................................................................. 61
What are the transition elements? ...................................................................................................................................... 61
What are the transuranic chemical elements and the names for elements 102 to 109? .................................................. 61
Which are the only two elements in the periodic table named after women?.................................................................... 62
Which elements are the “noble metals”? ............................................................................................................................. 62
What distinguishes gold and silver as elements? ................................................................................................................ 62
What is Harkin’s rule? ....................................................................................................................................................... 63
What are some chemical elements whose symbols are not derived from their English names? ......................................... 63
Which elements are liquid at room temperature? ............................................................................................................... 63
Which chemical elements are the most abundant on Earth? ............................................................................................. 63
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Why are the rare gases and rare Earth elements called “rare”? ........................................................................................ 63
What is an isotope? ............................................................................................................................................................. 64
Which elements have the most isotopes? ............................................................................................................................. 64
What is heavy water? .......................................................................................................................................................... 64
What does half-life mean?................................................................................................................................................... 64
Which elements have the highest and lowest boiling points? ............................................................................................. 64
Which element has the highest density? .............................................................................................................................. 65
What is the density of air? .................................................................................................................................................. 65
Which elements are the hardest and softest? ...................................................................................................................... 65
What are isomers? ............................................................................................................................................................... 65
What are the gas laws? ....................................................................................................................................................... 66
What is a Lewis acid? ........................................................................................................................................................ 66
Alloys List ............................................................................................................................................................................ 66
What is the Kelvin temperature scale? ............................................................................................................................... 74
How are Celsius temperatures converted into Fahrenheit temperatures? .......................................................................... 74
How is “absolute zero” defined? ......................................................................................................................................... 75
Does hot water freeze faster than cold? .............................................................................................................................. 75
What is STP? ..................................................................................................................................................................... 75
What is the pH scale? ......................................................................................................................................................... 75
What is nuclear magnetic resonance? ................................................................................................................................. 76
What is a mole in chemistry? .............................................................................................................................................. 76
ASTRONOMY AND SPACE ........................................................................................................................................... 77
What was the Big Bang? ................................................................................................................................................... 77
What is the Big Crunch theory? ......................................................................................................................................... 77
How old is the universe? ..................................................................................................................................................... 77
How old is the solar system? ............................................................................................................................................... 77
What are quasars? .............................................................................................................................................................. 78
STARS ................................................................................................................................................................................ 78
What is a supernova? .......................................................................................................................................................... 78
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What are the four types of nebulae? ................................................................................................................................... 78
Why do stars twinkle? ......................................................................................................................................................... 79
What is a binary star? ........................................................................................................................................................ 79
What is a black hole? .......................................................................................................................................................... 79
What is a pulsar? ................................................................................................................................................................ 79
What is the most massive star? ........................................................................................................................................... 80
Which stars are the brightest? ............................................................................................................................................. 80
What is the Milky Way? .................................................................................................................................................... 80
What is the Big Dipper? ..................................................................................................................................................... 80
Where is the North Star? .................................................................................................................................................... 81
Which star is the closest to Earth? ..................................................................................................................................... 81
What is the ecliptic? ............................................................................................................................................................ 81
Why does the color of the sun vary? .................................................................................................................................... 81
How long does it take light from the sun to reach Earth? ................................................................................................. 81
How long is a solar cycle? ................................................................................................................................................... 81
What is a solar flare? ......................................................................................................................................................... 82
What is the sunspot cycle? ................................................................................................................................................... 82
What is solar wind? ............................................................................................................................................................ 82
When do solar eclipses happen? .......................................................................................................................................... 82
PLANETS AND MOONS ................................................................................................................................................ 83
How far are the planets from the sun? ............................................................................................................................... 83
Which are the hottest and coldest planets? ......................................................................................................................... 83
Which planets have rings? .................................................................................................................................................. 84
What are the colors of the planets? ..................................................................................................................................... 85
What is the gravitational force on each of the planets, the moon, and the sun relative to Earth? .................................. 85
Which planets are visible to the naked eye? ........................................................................................................................ 85
Which planets are called “inferior” planets and which are “superior” planets? ............................................................... 85
Is a day the same on all the planets? .................................................................................................................................. 86
What are the Jovian and terrestrial planets? ..................................................................................................................... 86
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What is unique about the rotation of the planet Venus? ................................................................................................... 86
Is it true that the rotation speed of Earth varies? .............................................................................................................. 86
Is Earth closer to the sun in winter than in summer in the Northern Hemisphere? ......................................................... 87
What is the precession of the equinoxes? ............................................................................................................................. 87
How many dwarf planets are in the solar system? ............................................................................................................ 87
What is a small Solar System body? .................................................................................................................................. 87
What are Kuiper Belt Objects? ........................................................................................................................................... 87
How far is the moon from Earth? ...................................................................................................................................... 88
How many moons does each planet have? .......................................................................................................................... 88
What are the phases of the moon? ...................................................................................................................................... 88
What are moonquakes? ....................................................................................................................................................... 89
Why does the moon always keep the same face toward Earth? ......................................................................................... 89
What are the names of the full moon during each month?................................................................................................ 89
Is the moon really blue during a blue moon? ...................................................................................................................... 89
Why do lunar eclipses happen? ........................................................................................................................................... 90
What is the difference between a hunter’s moon and a harvest moon? ............................................................................. 91
What is the largest crater on the moon? ............................................................................................................................. 91
What is the Genesis rock? ................................................................................................................................................... 91
COMETS AND METEORITES ..................................................................................................................................... 91
Where are asteroids found? ................................................................................................................................................. 91
From where do comets originate? ....................................................................................................................................... 92
How does a meteorite differ from a meteoroid? .................................................................................................................. 92
When do meteor showers occur? .......................................................................................................................................... 92
OBSERVATION AND MEASUREMENT ................................................................................................................... 93
Who was the first Astronomer Royal? ................................................................................................................................ 93
What is a light year? ........................................................................................................................................................... 93
Besides the light year, what other units are used to measure distances in astronomy? ..................................................... 93
What are the differences between reflecting and refracting telescopes? .............................................................................. 93
For whom is the Hubble Space Telescope named? ............................................................................................................. 94
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EXPLORATION ............................................................................................................................................................... 94
What is the difference between zero-gravity and microgravity? ......................................................................................... 94
What is meant by the phrase “greening of the galaxy”? .................................................................................................... 94
When was the Outer Space Treaty signed? ........................................................................................................................ 94
Who was the first man in space? ........................................................................................................................................ 95
Who was the first woman in space? ................................................................................................................................... 95
Who was the first space tourist? ......................................................................................................................................... 96
What are the liquid fuels used by the space shuttles? ......................................................................................................... 96
What was the cause of the Columbia space shuttle disaster? ............................................................................................ 96
What is the purpose of the International Space Station (ISS)? ........................................................................................ 96
When was the first module of the International Space Station launched? ....................................................................... 96
Which nations contribute to the International Space Station? ......................................................................................... 97
What are the Van Allen belts?............................................................................................................................................ 98
Why is the sky blue? ............................................................................................................................................................ 98
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS ................................................................................................................................ 98
What is the interior of the earth like? ................................................................................................................................ 98
What causes sinkholes? ....................................................................................................................................................... 99
What is at the center of Earth? .......................................................................................................................................... 99
How does the temperature of the earth change as one goes deeper underground? .......................................................... 100
What is the tallest mountain? ......................................................................................................................................... 100
Which elements are contained in Earth’s crust? ............................................................................................................. 100
WATER ........................................................................................................................................................................... 100
Does ocean water circulate? ............................................................................................................................................. 100
How much of Earth’s surface is land and how much is water? .................................................................................... 101
If Earth were a uniform sphere, how much water would cover the surface? ................................................................. 101
If you melted all the ice in the world, how high would the oceans rise? ........................................................................ 101
What fraction of an iceberg shows above water? ............................................................................................................ 101
What color is an iceberg? ................................................................................................................................................. 101
What is an aquifer? ......................................................................................................................................................... 102
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What is the chemical composition of the ocean? ............................................................................................................. 102
Why is the sea blue? ......................................................................................................................................................... 102
What causes waves in the ocean? .................................................................................................................................... 103
What is a tidal bore? ....................................................................................................................................................... 103
What are rip tides and why are they so dangerous? ....................................................................................................... 103
Where are the world’s highest tides? ................................................................................................................................ 103
Is there one numerical value for sea level? ....................................................................................................................... 103
What is the difference between an ocean and a sea? ...................................................................................................... 104
How much salt is in brackish water? .............................................................................................................................. 104
How salty is seawater?..................................................................................................................................................... 104
What is the bearing capacity of ice on a lake? ................................................................................................................ 104
Where is the world’s deepest lake? ................................................................................................................................... 105
Where are the five largest lakes in the world located? .................................................................................................... 105
What is a Yazoo? ............................................................................................................................................................. 105
Which of the Great Lakes is the largest? ......................................................................................................................... 105
Which lake is no longer one of the five largest lakes in the world? ................................................................................ 106
What are the longest rivers in the world? ........................................................................................................................ 106
What is the world’s highest waterfall? ............................................................................................................................ 106
LAND ............................................................................................................................................................................... 106
Are there tides in the solid part of the earth as well as in its waters? ............................................................................ 106
How much of Earth’s surface is covered with ice? .......................................................................................................... 107
Which is purer: glacier ice or regular ice?........................................................................................................................ 107
How much of Earth’s surface is permanently frozen? ..................................................................................................... 107
Do loud noises cause avalanches? .................................................................................................................................... 108
Which are the world’s largest deserts? ............................................................................................................................. 108
What is quicksand? .......................................................................................................................................................... 108
How is speleothem defined? ............................................................................................................................................. 108
What is a tufa? ................................................................................................................................................................ 109
Where is the deepest cave in the world? ........................................................................................................................... 109
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Where is the longest cave system in the world? ................................................................................................................ 109
How does a stalactite differ from a stalagmite? ............................................................................................................. 109
VOLCANOES AND EARTHQUAKES ....................................................................................................................... 109
How many kinds of volcanoes are there?......................................................................................................................... 109
Where is the Circle of Fire? ............................................................................................................................................. 110
How many different kinds of faults have been identified? ............................................................................................. 110
Where is the San Andreas Fault? .................................................................................................................................... 110
How does a seismograph work? ....................................................................................................................................... 110
What is the Richter scale? ............................................................................................................................................... 111
What is the modified Mercalli Scale? ............................................................................................................................. 111
The Modified Mercalli Scale ........................................................................................................................................... 111
What is a tsunami? .......................................................................................................................................................... 112
Where do most tsunamis occur? ....................................................................................................................................... 113
OBSERVATION AND MEASUREMENT ................................................................................................................ 113
What is magnetic declination? ........................................................................................................................................ 113
Which direction does a compass needle point at the North Pole? ................................................................................... 113
What are the major eras, periods, and epochs in geologic time? ..................................................................................... 113
What is the prime meridian? ........................................................................................................................................... 114
What is Mercator’s projection for maps? ......................................................................................................................... 114
What are Landsat maps? ................................................................................................................................................ 115
What do the 7.5 minute quadrangle maps represent? .................................................................................................... 115
What is Global Positioning System (GPS) and how does it work?............................................................................... 115
CLIMATE AND WEATHER....................................................................................................................................... 116
Which is colder—the North Pole or the South Pole? ........................................................................................................ 116
What is a heat wave? ...................................................................................................................................................... 116
What is the heat index? ................................................................................................................................................... 116
Why are the hot, humid days of summer called “dog days”? .......................................................................................... 117
AIR PHENOMENA ....................................................................................................................................................... 117
What is a bishop’s ring?................................................................................................................................................... 117
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When does the green flash phenomenon occur? ............................................................................................................... 117
How often does an aurora appear? ................................................................................................................................. 117
What is cloud seeding? ..................................................................................................................................................... 117
What is lightning? ........................................................................................................................................................... 118
What is the color of lightning? ........................................................................................................................................ 118
How long is a lightning stroke? ....................................................................................................................................... 118
Does lightning ever strike twice in the same place? ......................................................................................................... 119
Why are lightning rods important? ................................................................................................................................. 119
What is Saint Elmo’s fire? .............................................................................................................................................. 119
What are fulgurites? ........................................................................................................................................................ 119
How do rainbows occur? .................................................................................................................................................. 119
What conditions must be met in order to see a rainbow? ............................................................................................... 120
Is there such a thing as a completely circular rainbow? ................................................................................................. 120
What is the order of colors in a rainbow? ....................................................................................................................... 120
WIND ............................................................................................................................................................................... 120
Where do haboobs occur? ................................................................................................................................................. 120
What is the Coriolis Effect? ............................................................................................................................................. 120
When was jet stream discovered? ..................................................................................................................................... 121
What is a Siberian express? ............................................................................................................................................. 121
Why are the horse latitudes called by that name? ........................................................................................................... 121
What are halcyon days? ................................................................................................................................................... 121
What is an Alberta clipper? ............................................................................................................................................. 122
What is a Chinook? ......................................................................................................................................................... 122
What is the Beaufort scale? ............................................................................................................................................. 122
What is meant by the wind chill factor? ......................................................................................................................... 122
How does a cyclone differ from a hurricane or a tornado? ............................................................................................. 123
Who are storm chasers? .................................................................................................................................................... 123
How are hurricanes classified? ........................................................................................................................................ 123
PRECIPITATION .......................................................................................................................................................... 124
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What is a “white-out”? .................................................................................................................................................... 124
What is the dew point? .................................................................................................................................................... 125
What is the greatest amount of rainfall ever measured?................................................................................................. 125
What is the difference between freezing rain and sleet? .................................................................................................. 125
How does snow form? ...................................................................................................................................................... 125
Is it ever too cold to snow? ............................................................................................................................................... 126
Are all snowflakes shaped alike? ..................................................................................................................................... 126
When does frost form? ...................................................................................................................................................... 126
WEATHER PREDICTION .......................................................................................................................................... 126
What is the difference between weather and climate? .................................................................................................... 126
Who prepared the first weather map? ............................................................................................................................. 126
What is Doppler radar? ................................................................................................................................................... 127
When did modern weather forecasting begin? ................................................................................................................. 127
What is barometric pressure and what does it mean? .................................................................................................... 127
MINERALS, METALS, AND OTHER MATERIALS ............................................................................................ 127
What are the three main groups of rocks? ....................................................................................................................... 127
What is petrology and what does a petrologist do? ......................................................................................................... 128
How does a rock differ from a mineral? ......................................................................................................................... 128
What is the Mohs scale? .................................................................................................................................................. 128
What is pitchblende? ........................................................................................................................................................ 129
What is galena? ............................................................................................................................................................... 129
What is stibnite? .............................................................................................................................................................. 129
What are Cape May diamonds? ...................................................................................................................................... 129
What are the four “C”s of diamonds? ............................................................................................................................. 129
What is cubic zirconium? ................................................................................................................................................. 129
How does the emerald get its color? ................................................................................................................................. 130
Which two gems contain the mineral corundum? ........................................................................................................... 130
What is a tiger’s eye? ........................................................................................................................................................ 130
METALS ......................................................................................................................................................................... 130
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What are the precious metals? ......................................................................................................................................... 130
What is 24 karat gold? ................................................................................................................................................... 130
Is white gold really gold? ................................................................................................................................................. 131
What is fool’s gold? .......................................................................................................................................................... 131
What is sterling silver? ..................................................................................................................................................... 131
What is German silver? ................................................................................................................................................... 131
Which metal is the main component of pewter? ............................................................................................................. 131
What is high speed steel? .................................................................................................................................................. 132
What is technetium? ........................................................................................................................................................ 132
NATURAL SUBSTANCES .......................................................................................................................................... 132
What is obsidian? ............................................................................................................................................................ 132
What is red dog? .............................................................................................................................................................. 132
What is diatomite? ........................................................................................................................................................... 132
What is fly ash? ............................................................................................................................................................... 133
In coal mining what is meant by damp? ........................................................................................................................ 133
What is fuller’s earth? ...................................................................................................................................................... 133
Why are essential oils called “essential”? ........................................................................................................................ 133
What is gutta percha? ...................................................................................................................................................... 133
What is ambergris? .......................................................................................................................................................... 134
What are natural fibers? ................................................................................................................................................. 134
How is silk made? ............................................................................................................................................................ 134
What is cashmere? ............................................................................................................................................................ 135
MAN-MADE PRODUCTS ............................................................................................................................................ 135
What are the major distinguishing characteristics of ceramics? ..................................................................................... 135
What are composite materials? ........................................................................................................................................ 135
Why is Styrofoam a good insulator? ............................................................................................................................... 135
How is dry ice made? ....................................................................................................................................................... 135
Why is sulfuric acid important? ...................................................................................................................................... 136
What is aqua regia? ......................................................................................................................................................... 136
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Who developed the process for making ammonia? .......................................................................................................... 136
What is buckminsterfullerene? ......................................................................................................................................... 136
What is the lightest known solid?.................................................................................................................................... 137
Is glass a solid or a liquid? .............................................................................................................................................. 137
What is crown glass? ....................................................................................................................................................... 138
What are the advantages of tempered glass? ................................................................................................................... 138
How is bulletproof glass made? ....................................................................................................................................... 138
What is the float glass process? ........................................................................................................................................ 138
What is Belgian block? .................................................................................................................................................... 138
What is solder? ................................................................................................................................................................. 139
What is slag? .................................................................................................................................................................... 139
What is creosote? .............................................................................................................................................................. 139
What is carbon black? ..................................................................................................................................................... 139
What is the chemical used in watches to make them glow in the dark? ........................................................................ 140
How is parchment paper made? ...................................................................................................................................... 140
How is sandpaper made? ................................................................................................................................................. 140
Why is acid-free paper important? ................................................................................................................................... 140
Why is titanium dioxide the most widely used white pigment? ..................................................................................... 140
When and where was gunpowder invented? ................................................................................................................... 141
How are colored fireworks made? ................................................................................................................................... 141
What is the chemical formula for TNT? ........................................................................................................................ 141
Why can’t metal objects be placed in a microwave? ....................................................................................................... 141
What are man-made fibers? ............................................................................................................................................. 141
What is Kevlar? ............................................................................................................................................................... 142
Who invented Teflon? ...................................................................................................................................................... 142
What type of high-technology material is used in space vehicles for its heat-resistant properties? .................................. 142
ENERGY ......................................................................................................................................................................... 143
Why are coal, oil, and natural gas called fossil fuels? .................................................................................................... 143
How and when was coal formed? ................................................................................................................................... 143
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What is cannel coal? ........................................................................................................................................................ 143
What is a miner’s canary? ............................................................................................................................................... 143
What is the process known as hydrocarbon cracking? .................................................................................................... 143
Why was lead added to gasoline and why is lead-free gasoline used in cars? ................................................................ 144
What is a reformulated gasoline? .................................................................................................................................... 144
What kinds of additives are in gasoline and why? ......................................................................................................... 144
What do the octane numbers of gasoline mean? ............................................................................................................. 145
How is gasohol made? ..................................................................................................................................................... 145
How does ethanol differ from gasohol? ........................................................................................................................... 145
What are the main components found in motor vehicle exhaust? .................................................................................. 145
What is the cleanest fossil fuel? ....................................................................................................................................... 145
What are synthetic fuels? ................................................................................................................................................. 146
What is cogeneration? ...................................................................................................................................................... 146
What is biomass energy? .................................................................................................................................................. 146
Which woods have the best heating quality in a wood-burning stove? ........................................................................... 147
What are the advantages and disadvantages of geothermal power? .............................................................................. 147
NUCLEAR ENERGY ................................................................................................................................................... 147
Which countries produce the most commercial nuclear power? ...................................................................................... 147
What actually happened at Three Mile Island? ............................................................................................................. 148
What caused the Chernobyl accident? ............................................................................................................................. 148
Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster................................................................................................................................ 149
What is vitrification? ....................................................................................................................................................... 149
MEASURES AND MEASUREMENT ....................................................................................................................... 149
What is the weight per gallon of common fuels? ............................................................................................................. 149
How much does a barrel of oil weigh? ............................................................................................................................ 149
How many gallons are in a barrel of oil? ....................................................................................................................... 149
How many gallons of gasoline are in one barrel of oil? .................................................................................................. 149
How do various energy sources compare? ........................................................................................................................ 150
What are the approximate heating values of fuels? ........................................................................................................ 151
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What are the fuel equivalents to produce one quad of energy? ....................................................................................... 151
How much heat will 100 cubic feet of natural gas provide? ......................................................................................... 151
How is a heating degree day defined? ............................................................................................................................. 151
What does the term cooling degree day mean? ................................................................................................................ 152
CONSUMPTION AND CONSERVATION................................................................................................................ 152
How does the Energy Star program promote energy efficiency? ...................................................................................... 152
What are the advantages of compact fluorescent light bulbs over incandescent light bulbs? ......................................... 152
Is it more economical to run an automobile with its windows open rather than using its air conditioner? ................ 152
When is it more economical to restart an automobile rather than let it idle?................................................................ 153
How much gasoline is wasted by underinflated tires? .................................................................................................... 153
What is the ecological footprint? ..................................................................................................................................... 154
What percentage of Earth’s surface is forest area? .......................................................................................................... 154
What percentage of Earth’s surface is tropical rain forest? ............................................................................................ 154
What is the largest rain forest? ........................................................................................................................................ 154
What is the importance of the rain forest? ...................................................................................................................... 154
What is limnology? .......................................................................................................................................................... 154
What is an estuary? ......................................................................................................................................................... 155
What is eutrophication? ................................................................................................................................................... 155
What does it mean when a lake is brown or blue? ......................................................................................................... 155
What is red tide and what causes it? .............................................................................................................................. 155
What are cyanobacterial blooms? .................................................................................................................................... 155
What is a trophic level? ................................................................................................................................................... 156
How does a food chain function? .................................................................................................................................... 156
What is a food web? ........................................................................................................................................................ 156
Why do ecosystems need decomposers? ............................................................................................................................. 156
What is air pollution? ...................................................................................................................................................... 157
What are the health effects of the major air pollutants? ................................................................................................ 157
What is the Pollutant Standard Index? ......................................................................................................................... 158
What are the greenhouse gases? ....................................................................................................................................... 158
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What is the greenhouse effect? .......................................................................................................................................... 159
How do chlorofluorocarbons affect Earth’s ozone layer? ................................................................................................ 159
How large is the Antarctic ozone hole? ........................................................................................................................... 160
What are the components of smog? .................................................................................................................................. 160
What is the Kyoto Protocol? ............................................................................................................................................ 160
What is acid rain? ........................................................................................................................................................... 160
How acidic is acid rain? .................................................................................................................................................. 161
Which pollutants lead to indoor air pollution? ............................................................................................................... 161
Why is radon a health hazard? ....................................................................................................................................... 162
How are hazardous waste materials classified? .............................................................................................................. 163
What chemicals were initially banned by the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants?.................... 163
What are PCBs? .............................................................................................................................................................. 164
What are Operation Ranch Hand and Agent Orange? ................................................................................................. 164
Agenda 21 ........................................................................................................................................................................ 165
Durban III ........................................................................................................................................................................ 165
Green Economy ................................................................................................................................................................. 165
Planetary boundaries ........................................................................................................................................................ 165
ISO 14000 ....................................................................................................................................................................... 166
ISO 9000 ......................................................................................................................................................................... 166
United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) ............................................................................ 167
What are Brown fields? ................................................................................................................................................... 167
What are the sources of oil pollution in the oceans? ....................................................................................................... 167
What do the numbers inside the recycling symbol on plastic containers mean? ............................................................. 168
What is e-Cycling? ............................................................................................................................................................ 169
Which parts of the world have the largest protected areas? ............................................................................................ 169
How did the dodo become extinct? .................................................................................................................................. 170
What is the difference between an “endangered” species and a “threatened” species? ................................................... 170
How is it determined that a species is “endangered”?..................................................................................................... 170
What is a dolphin-safe tuna? ........................................................................................................................................... 171
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CELLS ............................................................................................................................................................................. 172
What is the origin of the term “cell”? .............................................................................................................................. 172
What are the differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells? .............................................................................. 172
What groups of organisms have prokaryotic cells and which ones have eukaryotic cells? ............................................. 172
What are organelles? ........................................................................................................................................................ 173
What are the largest and smallest organelles in a cell? .................................................................................................. 173
What cell structures are unique to plant cells and which ones are unique to animal cells? .......................................... 173
What are the major components of the eukaryotic cell? .................................................................................................. 173
How do the cells of bacteria, plants, and animals compare to each other? .................................................................... 174
What is the major function of the nucleus? ..................................................................................................................... 175
When was the nucleus first described? ............................................................................................................................. 175
Do all cells have a nucleus? ............................................................................................................................................. 175
How thick is the plasma membrane? .............................................................................................................................. 175
What are the main components of the plasma membrane? ............................................................................................ 175
What are the main functions of the plasma membrane? ................................................................................................ 175
What are stem cells and what are some potential uses of such cells? ............................................................................. 175
What is mitosis and what are the stages of this process? ................................................................................................ 176
What is cell cloning and how is it used in scientific research? ....................................................................................... 176
VIRUSES, BACTERIA, PROTISTS, AND FUNGI ................................................................................................. 176
What is the average size of a virus? ................................................................................................................................. 176
Do viruses contain both DNA and RNA? ....................................................................................................................... 177
What is the difference between a virus and a retrovirus? ............................................................................................... 177
What is a bacteriophage? ................................................................................................................................................. 177
What is the difference between a virus and a viroid? ..................................................................................................... 177
Who first used the term “prion”? ..................................................................................................................................... 178
How do prions work and what diseases have been linked to prions? ............................................................................. 178
What is the difference between a plasmid and a prion? ................................................................................................. 178
When were bacteria discovered?....................................................................................................................................... 178
How many groups are identified in the domain Bacteria? ............................................................................................ 178
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What are Archaebacteria? ............................................................................................................................................... 179
What is the most abundant group of organisms? ............................................................................................................ 179
How did the discovery of bacteria impact the theory of spontaneous generation? .......................................................... 179
Which criteria were used to form what is referred to as the classical approach of bacterial taxonomy? ...................... 180
What period of time has come to be known as the golden age of microbiology? ............................................................ 180
What are the main components of a bacterial cell? ........................................................................................................ 181
How do viruses compare to bacteria? .............................................................................................................................. 182
How many genes are in a typical bacterial cell? ............................................................................................................. 182
Do bacteria all have the same shape? .............................................................................................................................. 182
How do bacteria reproduce?............................................................................................................................................. 182
How quickly do bacteria reproduce? ................................................................................................................................ 182
Where are bacteria found? ............................................................................................................................................... 183
Are any bacteria visible to the naked eye? ....................................................................................................................... 183
What are Koch’s postulates? ............................................................................................................................................ 183
How dangerous is Clostridium botulinum? .................................................................................................................... 183
How are bacteria cultured?.............................................................................................................................................. 184
Who first proposed the kingdom Protista? ...................................................................................................................... 184
What are the characteristics of the protists? .................................................................................................................... 184
What are the major groups of organisms in the kingdom Protista? ............................................................................... 184
Which protist is an indicator of polluted water? ............................................................................................................ 185
What slime mold serves as a model organism in developmental biology? ...................................................................... 185
What characteristics do all fungi share? ......................................................................................................................... 185
What organisms are included in the kingdom Fungi? ................................................................................................... 185
Where are fungi found? ................................................................................................................................................... 186
Since fungi lack chlorophyll necessary to produce their own food how do they obtain food?......................................... 186
How many kinds of mushrooms are edible? .................................................................................................................... 186
What is unusual about Amanita mushrooms?................................................................................................................ 186
What antidote is available for mushroom poisoning? .................................................................................................... 186
What are truffles? ............................................................................................................................................................ 186
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What do truffles look like?............................................................................................................................................... 187
What are lichens? ............................................................................................................................................................. 187
What is the relationship between lichens and pollution? ................................................................................................ 187
What is the role of yeast in beer production? ................................................................................................................... 188
Is the same strain of yeast used to make lager beers and ales?........................................................................................ 188
What cheeses are associated with fungi? ......................................................................................................................... 188
DNA, RNA, AND CHROMOSOMES.......................................................................................................................... 189
What is DNA? ................................................................................................................................................................. 189
What are the component molecules of DNA? .................................................................................................................. 189
How is a DNA molecule held together?........................................................................................................................... 189
What are the nitrogenous bases of DNA? ....................................................................................................................... 189
What term was originally used for DNA? ...................................................................................................................... 190
What is the law of complementary base pairing? ........................................................................................................... 190
How is DNA unzipped? ................................................................................................................................................... 190
What is needed for DNA replication? ............................................................................................................................. 190
Is DNA always copied exactly?........................................................................................................................................ 190
What is a mutation? ........................................................................................................................................................ 191
How fast is DNA copied? ................................................................................................................................................ 191
What is polymerase chain reaction? ................................................................................................................................ 191
How is DNA organized in the nucleus? .......................................................................................................................... 191
Is all DNA found in the nucleus? .................................................................................................................................... 191
How much DNA is in a typical human cell? .................................................................................................................. 192
What is the difference between DNA and RNA? ........................................................................................................... 192
When was RNA discovered? ............................................................................................................................................ 192
Where is RNA formed? .................................................................................................................................................... 192
How many types of RNA are found in eukaryotic cells? ................................................................................................ 192
How are chromosomes assembled? ................................................................................................................................... 193
When were chromosomes first observed? .......................................................................................................................... 193
Which organism has the largest number of chromosomes? ............................................................................................. 193
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How many chromosomes are in a human body cell? ...................................................................................................... 193
What are the components of a gene? ................................................................................................................................ 193
What is the average size of a gene? .................................................................................................................................. 194
What is the difference between a gene and a chromosome? ............................................................................................ 194
How are genes controlled? ................................................................................................................................................ 194
Do both sides of DNA contain genes? .............................................................................................................................. 194
What is the p53 gene? ...................................................................................................................................................... 194
How can the entire genome fit into the nucleus of a cell? ............................................................................................... 195
GENETICS AND EVOLUTION ................................................................................................................................. 195
Who is generally known as the founder of genetics? ....................................................................................................... 195
What is a pedigree? .......................................................................................................................................................... 195
What is meant by the modern era of genetics? ................................................................................................................ 195
What was the Human Genome Project (HGP), and what were its goals? ................................................................... 195
What is a genome? ........................................................................................................................................................... 196
How are genes physically found in a specific genome? .................................................................................................... 196
What is genetic engineering? ............................................................................................................................................ 196
What was the first commercial use of genetic engineering? ............................................................................................ 197
What are some examples of genetic engineering in animals and microbes? ................................................................... 198
What was the first animal to be successfully cloned? ..................................................................................................... 198
What was the first mammal to be successfully cloned? ................................................................................................... 198
What is evolution? ........................................................................................................................................................... 198
What is Lamarckian evolution? ...................................................................................................................................... 199
Who was Charles Darwin? ............................................................................................................................................. 199
What were the Beagle voyages? ....................................................................................................................................... 199
What is the significance of Darwin’s finches? ................................................................................................................ 199
Who was Alfred Russel Wallace? ................................................................................................................................... 200
Who coined the phrase “survival of the fittest”? ............................................................................................................. 200
Why is evolution a theory? ............................................................................................................................................... 200
What is Müllerian mimicry? ........................................................................................................................................... 200
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What is Batesian mimicry? ............................................................................................................................................. 200
What is the Oparin-Haldane hypothesis? ........................................................................................................................ 200
Who verified the Oparin-Haldane hypothesis? ................................................................................................................ 201
What is the Red Queen hypothesis? ................................................................................................................................. 201
CLASSIFICATION, LABORATORY TOOLS, AND TECHNIQUES ................................................................... 201
Who devised one of the earliest systems for animal and plant classification?................................................................ 201
What is the difference between a domain and a kingdom? ............................................................................................ 202
What is cell culture? ......................................................................................................................................................... 202
How does an in vivo study differ from an in vitro study? .............................................................................................. 202
What distinguishes the different types of microscopes? .................................................................................................... 202
Who invented the compound microscope? ........................................................................................................................ 202
Who invented the electron microscope? ............................................................................................................................ 203
Which radioisotope is most commonly used for biological specimens? ............................................................................ 203
What is electrophoresis? ................................................................................................................................................... 203
How has centrifugation been used in biological applications? ....................................................................................... 203
What are the uses for chromatography? .......................................................................................................................... 204
How is chromatography used to identify individual compounds? .................................................................................. 204
What is spectroscopy? ....................................................................................................................................................... 204
What is bioinformatics? ................................................................................................................................................... 204
What are the major subdivisions of botany? ................................................................................................................... 206
Who is known as the founder of botany? ........................................................................................................................ 206
What contributions did John and William Bartram make to botany? ......................................................................... 207
Which plants have been used to create dyes? ................................................................................................................... 207
What plants are commonly used in the perfume industry? ............................................................................................. 207
What parts of plants are used for spices? ........................................................................................................................ 208
What are some common culinary herbs? ......................................................................................................................... 208
What plants produce essential oils that are commonly used in aromatherapy? ............................................................. 209
When was the first plant patent issued? ......................................................................................................................... 209
PLANT DIVERSITY ..................................................................................................................................................... 209
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What are the four major groups of plants? ..................................................................................................................... 209
What are bryophytes and where are they found? ............................................................................................................ 210
Why are mosses important? ............................................................................................................................................. 210
How can bryophytes be used as bio indicators? ............................................................................................................... 210
What are the uses of peat moss? ...................................................................................................................................... 210
What are the four groups of seedless, vascular plants?.................................................................................................... 210
What are gymnosperms and which plants are included in this group? .......................................................................... 211
What are some economically important angiosperms? .................................................................................................... 211
Among angiosperms what is the most important family? ............................................................................................... 211
What is a weed? ............................................................................................................................................................... 211
How do hardwoods differ from softwoods? ..................................................................................................................... 212
PLANT STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION ................................................................................................................ 212
What are the major parts of vascular plants? ................................................................................................................. 212
Is there a relationship between the size of the root system and the size of the shoot system? .......................................... 212
What are the specialized cells in plants? ......................................................................................................................... 212
What conditions are necessary for seed germination? ..................................................................................................... 213
What is a seed?................................................................................................................................................................. 213
What are the functions of stems? ..................................................................................................................................... 214
What are the parts of a leaf and the major functions of leaves? .................................................................................... 214
Why do tree leaves change color in the fall? .................................................................................................................... 214
How does water move up a tree? ..................................................................................................................................... 214
What are the functions of the root system? ...................................................................................................................... 214
How deep does the root system penetrate the soil? ........................................................................................................... 215
What are effective types of pollination? ........................................................................................................................... 215
What is tropism? .............................................................................................................................................................. 215
What are the major classes of plant hormones? .............................................................................................................. 216
What are the parts of a flower? ....................................................................................................................................... 218
What is meant by an “imperfect” flower? ....................................................................................................................... 218
What flowers are designated as symbolic of each month of the year? ............................................................................ 218
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What are the symbolic meanings of flowers, herbs, and other plants? ........................................................................... 218
What are carnivorous plants? .......................................................................................................................................... 219
What plants can be used to determine blood type? .......................................................................................................... 219
What is wormwood? ........................................................................................................................................................ 219
What is locoweed? ............................................................................................................................................................ 220
What are the distinguishing characteristics of pine, spruce, and fir trees? ..................................................................... 221
What is the composition of synthetic soil? ....................................................................................................................... 222
What are the macronutrients and micronutrients of plants? .......................................................................................... 222
What is the function of various plant nutrients? ............................................................................................................ 222
What do the numbers on a bag of fertilizer indicate? ..................................................................................................... 223
What does “pH” mean when applied to soil? ................................................................................................................. 223
What is the best soil pH for growing plants? .................................................................................................................. 223
What is hydroponics? ....................................................................................................................................................... 223
What is Ikebana? ............................................................................................................................................................. 224
What is the secret of bonsai, the Japanese art of growing dwarf trees?.......................................................................... 224
What is meant by xeriscaping? ........................................................................................................................................ 224
Who is the “father of zoology”? ........................................................................................................................................ 225
Who is the “father of modern zoology”? .......................................................................................................................... 225
What is the largest invertebrate? ..................................................................................................................................... 225
How are animals classified? ............................................................................................................................................ 225
ANIMAL CHARACTERISTICS AND ACTIVITIES ............................................................................................... 225
What is the difference between an invertebrate and a vertebrate? ................................................................................. 225
What invertebrate lives in both marine and freshwaters and is one of the most important of all animals? ................ 226
What are the major characteristics of all chordates? ...................................................................................................... 226
What are the three major groups of chordates? ............................................................................................................... 226
What are the major features shown by all vertebrates? .................................................................................................. 226
What group of animals was the first to make a partial transition from water to land? .............................................. 227
What are the largest and smallest vertebrates? ............................................................................................................... 227
What is the largest group of vertebrates? ......................................................................................................................... 228
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Besides humans, which animals are the most intelligent? .............................................................................................. 228
Do animals have color vision? ......................................................................................................................................... 228
What is the frequency that separates animal hearing from human? .............................................................................. 228
What is the basic composition of a sponge? ..................................................................................................................... 230
What are the most common tapeworm infections in humans? ....................................................................................... 230
In what ways are earthworms beneficial? ....................................................................................................................... 230
What are the major groups of mollusks? ......................................................................................................................... 231
How are pearls created? ................................................................................................................................................... 231
Which mollusks produce the most cultured pearls? ......................................................................................................... 231
Why are arthropods considered the most biologically successful phylum of animals? .................................................... 232
Do male mosquitoes bite humans? ................................................................................................................................... 232
Which is stronger—steel or the silk from a spider’s web? ................................................................................................. 232
What is the largest group of insects that has been identified and classified? ................................................................. 232
How does a butterfly differ from a moth? ....................................................................................................................... 232
What are chondrichthyes? ................................................................................................................................................ 233
How many kinds of sharks are there and how many are dangerous? ............................................................................ 233
What is a mermaid’s purse? ............................................................................................................................................ 233
How far from shore do shark attacks occur? ................................................................................................................... 233
Is the whale shark a mammal or a fish? ......................................................................................................................... 233
What general characteristics do all fishes have in common? .......................................................................................... 234
How is the age of a fish determined? ............................................................................................................................... 234
What does the word “amphibian” mean? ....................................................................................................................... 234
What are the major groups of amphibians? .................................................................................................................... 234
What is the fastest snake on land? .................................................................................................................................. 234
Do all birds fly? ................................................................................................................................................................ 235
How fast do birds fly? ...................................................................................................................................................... 235
Why do birds migrate annually? ..................................................................................................................................... 235
Which bird migrates the greatest distance? ..................................................................................................................... 235
What is unusual about the way the emperor penguin’s eggs are incubated? .................................................................. 236
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Which birds lay the largest and smallest eggs? ............................................................................................................... 236
Why don’t birds get electrocuted when they sit on wires? ............................................................................................... 236
What names are used for groups or companies of mammals? ........................................................................................ 237
Do any mammals fly? ...................................................................................................................................................... 237
What are some animals that have pouches? .................................................................................................................... 238
Do camels store water in their humps? ............................................................................................................................ 238
What is the difference between an African elephant and an Indian elephant? ............................................................. 239
Why do cows have four stomachs? ................................................................................................................................... 239
Which scientific disciplines study the human body?........................................................................................................ 240
What were Aristotle’s contributions to anatomy? ........................................................................................................... 240
Who is considered the founder of physiology? .................................................................................................................. 240
Who coined the term homeostasis? ................................................................................................................................... 240
Which chemicals constitute the human body? ................................................................................................................. 240
What is the average life span of cells in the human body? ............................................................................................. 241
What percent of human body weight is water? ............................................................................................................... 241
TISSUES, ORGANS, AND GLANDS ........................................................................................................................ 242
What are the levels of structural organization in vertebrate animals, including humans? ........................................... 242
What are the four major types of tissue? ......................................................................................................................... 242
What is the matrix in blood? ........................................................................................................................................... 243
What is the hardest substance in the body? ..................................................................................................................... 243
What are the three types of muscle tissue? ....................................................................................................................... 243
What type of cell is found in nerve tissue? ....................................................................................................................... 243
What is the largest nerve in the body? ............................................................................................................................. 244
How many different types of neurons are found in nerve tissue? .................................................................................... 244
What is the size and location of the heart? ..................................................................................................................... 244
What is the largest organ in the human body? ............................................................................................................... 244
Are both of the lungs identical? ....................................................................................................................................... 244
What are the major divisions of the brain?..................................................................................................................... 244
What regulates body temperature in humans? ................................................................................................................ 245
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What is an organ system? ................................................................................................................................................ 246
What is a gland? .............................................................................................................................................................. 246
Which gland is the largest? .............................................................................................................................................. 246
How many sweat glands are present in the body? .......................................................................................................... 247
What are the seven endocrine glands? ............................................................................................................................. 247
BONES AND MUSCLES ............................................................................................................................................. 247
How many bones are in the human body? ...................................................................................................................... 247
What are the major divisions of the human skeleton? .................................................................................................... 248
What is the smallest bone in the body? ............................................................................................................................ 248
How does exercise affect bone tissue? ............................................................................................................................... 248
What are the functions of the muscular system? ............................................................................................................. 248
How many muscles are in the human body? ................................................................................................................... 249
Which are the largest and smallest muscles in the human body? ................................................................................... 249
What is the longest muscle in the human body?.............................................................................................................. 249
What are the hamstring muscles? .................................................................................................................................... 249
Which muscle is the most variable among humans? ....................................................................................................... 249
How many muscles does it take to produce a smile and a frown? ................................................................................. 249
Why does excessive exercise cause muscles to become stiff and sore? ............................................................................... 250
SKIN, HAIR, AND NAILS ........................................................................................................................................... 250
What organs are included in the integumentary system? ................................................................................................ 250
What is the purpose of goose bumps? ............................................................................................................................... 251
What are the various layers of the skin? ......................................................................................................................... 251
What is dermatoglyphics? ................................................................................................................................................ 251
Who first used fingerprints as a means of identification? .............................................................................................. 251
Do identical twins have the same fingerprints? .............................................................................................................. 251
Why does hair turn gray as part of the aging process? .................................................................................................... 251
BLOOD AND CIRCULATION .................................................................................................................................... 252
What are the functions of the circulatory system? ........................................................................................................... 252
What is the difference between the cardiovascular system and the circulatory system? ................................................. 252
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Which structures and organs constitute the cardiovascular system? ............................................................................... 252
How hard does the heart work? ....................................................................................................................................... 252
Does your heart stop beating when you sneeze? ............................................................................................................... 253
What are the functions of blood? ..................................................................................................................................... 253
What is the normal pH of blood? .................................................................................................................................... 254
What is the amount of carbon dioxide found in normal blood? .................................................................................... 254
How much blood does the average-sized adult human have?.......................................................................................... 254
Why is blood sticky? ......................................................................................................................................................... 254
What is the largest artery in the human body? ............................................................................................................... 254
What is the largest vein in the human body? .................................................................................................................. 254
Why does blood in the veins look blue? ............................................................................................................................ 254
How big are capillaries? .................................................................................................................................................. 255
Who discovered the ABO system of typing blood? ........................................................................................................... 255
What are the preferred and permissible blood types for transfusions? ............................................................................ 255
Which blood type is the universal donor and which is the universal recipient? ............................................................. 255
What is the Rh factor? ..................................................................................................................................................... 255
How often can a person donate blood? ............................................................................................................................ 255
What are the blood group combinations that can normally be used to prove that a man is not the father of a particular child? ................................................................................................................................................................................ 256
What are the primary functions of the lymphatic system? .............................................................................................. 256
Which blood type is the rarest? ........................................................................................................................................ 256
What are the functions of the spleen? .............................................................................................................................. 256
How do T cells differ from B lymphocytes? ..................................................................................................................... 257
How much lymph is in the body? .................................................................................................................................... 258
How does the immune system work? ............................................................................................................................... 258
What is the composition of lymph? .................................................................................................................................. 258
What is the route the fluid travels in the body? .............................................................................................................. 258
What are the major functions of the respiratory system? ................................................................................................ 258
What are the two types of cells found in the peripheral nervous system? ....................................................................... 260
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How do neurons transmit information to other neurons? ............................................................................................... 260
Where is the spinal cord located? ..................................................................................................................................... 260
How many types of sensory receptors have been identified? ............................................................................................ 260
Which organ is most sensitive to touch, temperature, and pain? .................................................................................... 260
Are certain areas of the tongue associated with a particular taste sensation? ............................................................... 260
What two functions are performed by the ear? ............................................................................................................... 261
What are the major parts of the ear? .............................................................................................................................. 261
What are the three bones in the middle ear? ................................................................................................................... 261
What is sound and what unit measures it? .................................................................................................................... 261
What are some common levels of sound and how do they affect hearing? ..................................................................... 262
Where are the organs of equilibrium located? ................................................................................................................. 263
What are the parts of the eye and their functions? ......................................................................................................... 263
What determines eye color? .............................................................................................................................................. 265
What is the difference in the functions of the rods and cones found in the eyes? ........................................................... 265
What is nearsightedness? ................................................................................................................................................. 265
What is farsightedness? .................................................................................................................................................... 265
What does it mean to have 20/20 vision? ...................................................................................................................... 265
What are the similarities and differences between the nervous system and the endocrine system? ................................ 266
What are the organs of the endocrine system? ................................................................................................................. 266
What are hormones? ........................................................................................................................................................ 266
Which endocrine glands produce which hormones? ........................................................................................................ 266
What are endorphins? ...................................................................................................................................................... 267
DIGESTION ................................................................................................................................................................... 267
What are the steps in the digestive process? ..................................................................................................................... 267
What are the major organs of the digestive system? ........................................................................................................ 268
What was the likely purpose of the human appendix? ................................................................................................... 268
What is the purpose of primary teeth? ............................................................................................................................. 269
What is the role of the small intestine in nutrient processing? ....................................................................................... 270
What are the major parts of the urinary system? ............................................................................................................ 270
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What is urea and where is it produced? .......................................................................................................................... 270
How much fluid do the kidneys remove from the blood? ................................................................................................ 270
HEALTH AND MEDICINE ........................................................................................................................................ 270
What is the composition of cigarette smoke? ................................................................................................................... 270
What is the effect of radiation on humans? .................................................................................................................... 270
How much radiation does the average dental X ray emit? ............................................................................................ 271
How does the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classify carcinogens? ..................................................... 271
How is body mass index (BMI) calculated? ................................................................................................................... 272
What is “good” and “bad” cholesterol? ........................................................................................................................... 277
DISEASES, DISORDERS, AND OTHER HEALTH PROBLEMS ...................................................................... 277
What is the difference between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and AIDS? ..................................................... 277
What are the symptoms and signs of AIDS? .................................................................................................................. 277
How is the term zoonosis defined? ................................................................................................................................... 278
What is meant by vectors in medicine? ............................................................................................................................ 278
Which species of mosquito causes malaria and yellow fever in humans? ....................................................................... 278
What is “mad cow disease” and how does it affect humans? ........................................................................................ 278
How is Lyme disease carried? .......................................................................................................................................... 278
Why is Legionnaire’s disease known by that name? ....................................................................................................... 279
Which name is now used as a synonym for leprosy? ....................................................................................................... 279
How many types of herpes virus are there? ...................................................................................................................... 279
How are warts caused? .................................................................................................................................................... 280
What is the difference between Type I and Type II diabetes? ........................................................................................ 280
What causes a stomach ulcer?.......................................................................................................................................... 280
How serious is osteoporosis? ............................................................................................................................................. 280
What is carpal tunnel syndrome? .................................................................................................................................... 281
Which is the most common type of arthritis? .................................................................................................................. 281
How does tennis elbow differ from golfer’s elbow? ......................................................................................................... 281
What are the symptoms of Guillain-Barré syndrome? .................................................................................................... 281
How serious is Bell’s palsy? ............................................................................................................................................. 282
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What is Lou Gehrig’s disease? ......................................................................................................................................... 282
What are the causes of epilepsy? ...................................................................................................................................... 282
What is a concussion? ...................................................................................................................................................... 282
What are the two forms of stroke? ................................................................................................................................... 283
What are two of the most common forms of dementia? .................................................................................................. 283
What are the seven warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease? ............................................................................................. 284
What is meningitis? ......................................................................................................................................................... 284
What is presbycusis? ......................................................................................................................................................... 284
How does jet lag affect one’s body? .................................................................................................................................. 285
What is the “Christmas factor”? ..................................................................................................................................... 285
What is the medical term for a heart attack? ................................................................................................................. 285
How are the forms of cancer classified? ........................................................................................................................... 285
What are dust mites? ....................................................................................................................................................... 285
What is dyslexia and what causes it? ............................................................................................................................. 286
What are vitamins and minerals? ................................................................................................................................... 286
Which foods contain trans fats? ...................................................................................................................................... 287
What is lactose intolerance? ............................................................................................................................................. 287
What is anorexia? ............................................................................................................................................................ 287
What is progeria? ............................................................................................................................................................. 288
What is pelvic inflammatory disease? ............................................................................................................................. 288
HEALTH CARE ............................................................................................................................................................ 288
Which symbol is used to represent medicine? ................................................................................................................... 288
Who is generally regarded as the father of medicine? ..................................................................................................... 289
What is the Hippocratic Oath? ....................................................................................................................................... 289
Who was the founder of modern medicine? ..................................................................................................................... 289
What is the difference between osteopathic medicine, homeopathy, naturopathy, and chiropractic medicine?............. 290
What are the different domains of complementary and alternative medicine? .............................................................. 290
What are some examples of bio-field therapies? .............................................................................................................. 290
What is reflexology? ......................................................................................................................................................... 291
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What is aromatherapy? .................................................................................................................................................... 291
What is the difference between an ophthalmologist, optometrist, and optician? ........................................................... 291
DIAGNOSTIC EQUIPMENT, TESTS, AND TECHNIQUES .............................................................................. 292
How is blood pressure measured?..................................................................................................................................... 292
What is the meaning of the numbers in a blood pressure reading? ................................................................................ 292
Is there a name for the heart-monitoring machine that people sometimes wear for a day or two while carrying on their normal activities? ............................................................................................................................................................. 292
What are the normal test ranges for total cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins (LDL), and high-density lipoproteins (HDL)? ............................................................................................................................................................................. 292
Who invented the pacemaker? ......................................................................................................................................... 292
What are X rays? ............................................................................................................................................................. 293
What is nuclear magnetic resonance imaging? ............................................................................................................... 293
What is ultrasound? ......................................................................................................................................................... 294
What is the instrument a doctor uses to check reflexes? .................................................................................................. 294
How are CAT or CT scans used to study the human body? ........................................................................................... 294
When were hearing aids invented? .................................................................................................................................. 294
DRUGS AND MEDICINES ........................................................................................................................................ 295
What is pharmacognosy? ................................................................................................................................................. 295
Why do physicians use the symbol Rx when they write their prescriptions? ................................................................... 295
What is a controlled substance? ....................................................................................................................................... 295
SURGERY AND OTHER TREATMENTS .............................................................................................................. 296
How does minimally invasive surgery differ from traditional, major, open surgery? .................................................... 296
How does a cardiac pacemaker differ from an implantable defibrillator? .................................................................... 296
Who was the first test-tube baby?..................................................................................................................................... 296
What is lithotripsy? .......................................................................................................................................................... 296
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Table of Contents ANCIENT HISTORY ....................................................................................................................................................... 12
The sources of Indian History ............................................................................................................................................. 12
Indigenous literary sources ................................................................................................................................................... 15
Brahamanical Literature .................................................................................................................................................... 15
The Upanishads .................................................................................................................................................................. 16
The Epics ............................................................................................................................................................................. 16
The Puranas ........................................................................................................................................................................ 16
Buddhist Literature ............................................................................................................................................................. 16
Jain Literature ..................................................................................................................................................................... 17
Secular Literature ................................................................................................................................................................ 17
Biographical works ............................................................................................................................................................. 17
Grammatical works ............................................................................................................................................................ 17
Dramas and Poetical Works ............................................................................................................................................... 17
Scientific Works................................................................................................................................................................... 17
Foreign Accounts ................................................................................................................................................................. 18
BRIEF CHRONOLOGY OF ANCIENT INDIA .......................................................................................................... 20
EARLY CIVILISATIONS OF THE NORTHWEST ................................................................................................... 21
A Lost Civilization .............................................................................................................................................................. 21
The Investigation of Past .................................................................................................................................................... 22
Indus Valley Civilisation or the Harappan Civilisation ................................................................................................... 22
Chief Characteristics ............................................................................................................................................................ 23
Extent ................................................................................................................................................................................... 25
The Saraswati River ........................................................................................................................................................... 25
Cultural Development ......................................................................................................................................................... 26
New Research and Writing................................................................................................................................................. 26
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Anatomy of various sites ...................................................................................................................................................... 28
Smaller Settlements ............................................................................................................................................................. 29
Hariyupia in the Rig Veda ................................................................................................................................................. 30
Aryan Invasion of India? .................................................................................................................................................... 30
Recent Research ................................................................................................................................................................... 31
THE VEDIC AGE............................................................................................................................................................. 38
Continuing Debate about original home of Aryans ............................................................................................................ 38
The Early Vedic period ....................................................................................................................................................... 39
The Vedas as a mirror of historical experience ................................................................................................................... 39
Four Vedas ........................................................................................................................................................................... 41
Vedangas (Limbs of Vedas)................................................................................................................................................. 41
Upvedas ............................................................................................................................................................................... 42
Brahamanas ........................................................................................................................................................................ 42
Upanishads .......................................................................................................................................................................... 42
Six Systems of Philosophy (Darshan) ................................................................................................................................. 43
The expansion of Aryan settlements .................................................................................................................................... 43
Later Vedic Age ................................................................................................................................................................... 43
The role of the king .............................................................................................................................................................. 44
THE RISE OF THE GANGETIC CULTURE AND THE GREAT EMPIRES OF THE EAST ........................ 46
The penetration of the east .................................................................................................................................................. 46
Urbanisation in the Ganges valley ..................................................................................................................................... 47
THE RISE OF BUDDHISM .......................................................................................................................................... 49
Brief History of Buddhist Councils .................................................................................................................................... 50
JAINISM ............................................................................................................................................................................. 53
Branches in Jainism ............................................................................................................................................................ 55
THE WEST UNDER PERSIAN DOMINATION ....................................................................................................... 56
THE ORIGINS OF THE EARLY STATE ................................................................................................................... 57
THE IMPACT OF ALEXANDER’S INDIAN CAMPAIGN ...................................................................................... 59
THE FOUNDATION OF THE MAURYA EMPIRE ................................................................................................. 60
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The political system of the Arthashastra ............................................................................................................................. 60
Books of Arthashastra ......................................................................................................................................................... 60
ASHOKA, THE BELOVED OF THE GODS ............................................................................................................... 63
Detailed account of the inscriptions of Ashoka................................................................................................................... 68
Art and architecture during the Mauryan period ............................................................................................................... 69
Taxila University ................................................................................................................................................................ 70
Jivaka ................................................................................................................................................................................... 71
Panini (Between 4th and 7th Century B.C.) ....................................................................................................................... 71
Patanjali (Second Century B.C.) ........................................................................................................................................ 71
THE END OF THE MAURYA EMPIRE AND THE NORTHERN INVADERS ................................................ 72
Greek rulers of the northwest............................................................................................................................................... 73
The Shakas: new invaders from central Asia ..................................................................................................................... 75
THE KUSHANA EMPIRE: A SHORT-LIVED ASIAN SYNTHESIS ..................................................................... 78
THE SPLENDOUR OF THE ‘DARK PERIOD .......................................................................................................... 82
THE SATAVAHANAS OF THE DECCAN: THEIR PROSPERITY AND PIETY ............................................... 83
The Amaravati sculptures ................................................................................................................................................... 84
THE CLASSICAL AGE OF THE GUPTAS ................................................................................................................ 85
The structure of the Gupta empire ...................................................................................................................................... 86
SUBJECTION AND ALLIANCE: SHAKAS AND VAKATAKAS............................................................................. 88
Kalidasa and classical Sanskrit literature ......................................................................................................................... 89
An age of religious tolerance and political consolidation ................................................................................................... 90
Internal and external challenges: Pushyamitras and Huns ............................................................................................... 91
The ‘flowering’ of Gupta Classical culture ......................................................................................................................... 93
Mathematics and technology ............................................................................................................................................... 93
Dissemination of knowledge: the Nalanda monastic college ............................................................................................. 94
The Vakataka achievement at Ajanta ............................................................................................................................... 95
HISTORY OF SOUTH INDIA ....................................................................................................................................... 96
Cholas, Pandyas and Cheras .............................................................................................................................................. 96
Cholas .................................................................................................................................................................................. 96
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Pandyas ............................................................................................................................................................................... 97
Cheras .................................................................................................................................................................................. 97
SANGAM LITERATURE ............................................................................................................................................... 98
International trade and the Roman connection ................................................................................................................. 98
THE RISE AND CONFLICTS OF REGIONAL KINGDOMS .............................................................................. 100
Harsha .............................................................................................................................................................................. 100
The rise of regional centres ............................................................................................................................................... 102
The Pala dynasty of east India ........................................................................................................................................ 105
The Chalukya dynasty of Badami ................................................................................................................................... 106
The Pallava dynasty of Kanchipuram ............................................................................................................................ 107
The resurgence of the Chola dynasty ................................................................................................................................ 108
The great merchants of south India ................................................................................................................................. 110
MEDIEVAL INDIA ....................................................................................................................................................... 111
THE DELHI SULTANATE ........................................................................................................................................ 111
Qutb-ud-din Aibak and Aram Shah ................................................................................................................................ 111
Early Career ..................................................................................................................................................................... 111
His Difficulties ................................................................................................................................................................. 112
His Efforts and Achievements .......................................................................................................................................... 112
Aram Shah ....................................................................................................................................................................... 113
SULTAN ILTUTMISH (1211-1236 A.D.) ................................................................................................................ 114
Organisation of the group of forty slaves, viz. Turkan-i-Chihalgani ............................................................................... 114
Defeat of Yildiz ................................................................................................................................................................ 114
The Impending Mongol Invasion .................................................................................................................................... 114
The Defeat of Qabacha .................................................................................................................................................... 115
Investiture from the Caliph .............................................................................................................................................. 115
An Estimate ...................................................................................................................................................................... 115
The Struggle for Power between Sultans and the Group of Forty Slaves (Turkan-i-Chihalgani) ................................. 116
Rukn-Ud-Din Firoz Shah (1236 A.D.) .......................................................................................................................... 117
SULTANA RAZIYYA (1236-1240 A.D.) ................................................................................................................... 118
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Muizzudin Bahram Shah (1240-1242 A.D.) ................................................................................................................ 119
Ala-Ud-Din Masud Shah (1242-1246 A.D.) ................................................................................................................. 119
Nasir-Ud-Din Mahmud Shah (1246-1265 A.D.) .......................................................................................................... 120
GHIYAS-UD-DIN BALBAN ........................................................................................................................................ 121
Kaiqubad and Kayumars (Ghiyas-ud-din Balban (1265-1287 A.D.) .......................................................................... 121
Early Career ..................................................................................................................................................................... 121
His Difficulties ................................................................................................................................................................. 121
Balban's Achievements ..................................................................................................................................................... 121
Balban’s theory of kingship and restoration of the prestige of the Sultan ...................................................................... 122
The destruction of ‘the forty’............................................................................................................................................. 122
The suppression of revoIts ................................................................................................................................................. 123
The Mongols ..................................................................................................................................................................... 123
Death of Balban ............................................................................................................................................................... 123
Kaiqubad and Shams-Ud-Din Kayumars (1287-1290 A.D.) ....................................................................................... 123
THE KHALJI DYNASTY ............................................................................................................................................ 125
Jalal-ud-din Firozshah Khalji (1290-1296 A.D.) .......................................................................................................... 125
Murder of Jalal-ud-din ..................................................................................................................................................... 126
ALA-UD-DIN KHALJI (1296-1316 A.D.) .................................................................................................................. 128
Early career ....................................................................................................................................................................... 128
Theory of Kingship ........................................................................................................................................................... 128
The invasion of south India and the defence against the Mongols ................................................................................. 128
Fixing up prices of everything .......................................................................................................................................... 129
Administrative Reforms ................................................................................................................................................... 131
The episode of Padmini .................................................................................................................................................... 132
Downfall of the Khalji Empire........................................................................................................................................ 132
THE SO-CALLED TUGHLUQ DYNASTY .............................................................................................................. 134
Ghiyas-ud-din Tughluq Shah (1320-1325 A.D.) ........................................................................................................... 134
Muhammad Bin Tughluq (1325-1351 A.D.) ............................................................................................................... 134
Muhammad Tughluq’s ambitious plans ......................................................................................................................... 134
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Domestic Policy................................................................................................................................................................. 135
The Introduction of Token Currency (1329-1330 A.D.) ............................................................................................... 136
The Mongol Invasion ....................................................................................................................................................... 136
Extension of The Empire (Foreign Policy) ...................................................................................................................... 136
Death of Muhammad Tughluq ....................................................................................................................................... 137
FIRUZ SHAH TUGHLUQ (1351-1388 A.D.) .......................................................................................................... 137
THE SAYYID DYNASTY ............................................................................................................................................ 138
Khizr Khan (1414-1421 A.D.) ....................................................................................................................................... 138
Mubarak Shah (1421-1434 A.D.) ................................................................................................................................. 138
Ala-Ud-Din Alam Shah (1445-1450 A.D.) ................................................................................................................... 139
THE STATES OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN INDIA IN THE PERIOD OF THE SULTANATE OF DELHI ............................................................................................................................................................................. 140
The Bahmani sultanate of the Deccan ............................................................................................................................ 140
The Gajapatis of Orissa ................................................................................................................................................... 141
THE FOUNDATION OF THE VIJAYANAGAR EMPIRE.................................................................................... 143
Vijayanagar’s glory and doom ......................................................................................................................................... 144
CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN INDIA (FROM THE 13TH TO THE 15TH CENTURY) ...................... 147
Architecture ....................................................................................................................................................................... 147
The Sufi Movement .......................................................................................................................................................... 148
The Chishti and Suharwardi Silsilahs ........................................................................................................................... 149
The Bhakti Movement ..................................................................................................................................................... 150
The Vaishnavite Movement ............................................................................................................................................. 152
Literature and Fine Arts .................................................................................................................................................. 153
Fine Arts ........................................................................................................................................................................... 155
THE RISE AND FALL OF THE MUGHAL EMPIRE .......................................................................................... 157
The First Battle of Panipat (20 April 1526) ................................................................................................................. 159
The Battle of Khanwa ..................................................................................................................................................... 160
Significance of Babur’s Advent into India ...................................................................................................................... 161
HUMAYUN .................................................................................................................................................................... 162
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SHER KHAN .................................................................................................................................................................. 163
Sher Shah and the Sur Empire (1540-55) ..................................................................................................................... 164
Battle of Sammel .............................................................................................................................................................. 165
Administration ................................................................................................................................................................. 165
AGE OF AKBAR ............................................................................................................................................................ 166
Second Battle of Panipat ................................................................................................................................................. 166
Bairam Khan ................................................................................................................................................................... 166
Consolidation .................................................................................................................................................................... 167
Revenue System ................................................................................................................................................................. 167
Mansabdari System .......................................................................................................................................................... 169
FOREIGN RELATIONS OF MUGHALS ................................................................................................................. 170
Relations with the Portuguese .......................................................................................................................................... 170
Relations with the Ottoman Empire ............................................................................................................................... 171
Din-i-Ilahi ......................................................................................................................................................................... 171
Akbar Namah ................................................................................................................................................................... 172
Death ................................................................................................................................................................................ 172
THE DECCAN AND SOUTH INDIA (UP TO 1656) ............................................................................................. 173
Cultural Contribution of the Deccan States .................................................................................................................... 174
INDIA IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY ............................................................. 175
Nur Jahan ......................................................................................................................................................................... 175
Shah Jahan’s Rebellion .................................................................................................................................................... 176
SHAH JAHAN ................................................................................................................................................................ 177
Administration ................................................................................................................................................................. 177
CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS DEVELOPMENTS ............................................................................................. 179
Religious Ideas and Beliefs, and Problems of Integration .............................................................................................. 179
CLIMAX AND DISINTEGRATION OF THE MUGHAL EMPIRE ................................................................... 181
Aurangzeb ......................................................................................................................................................................... 181
Aurangzeb’s Reign — His Religious Policy ...................................................................................................................... 182
Architecture ....................................................................................................................................................................... 183
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CHRONOLOGY ............................................................................................................................................................. 185
WHO IS WHO IN MEDIEVAL INDIA ..................................................................................................................... 188
MUGHAL TWILIGHT ................................................................................................................................................ 199
The emergence of regional states and the East India Company ..................................................................................... 199
The ‘Fault Lines’ Of Mughal Control ............................................................................................................................. 199
Mughals Post Aurangzeb ................................................................................................................................................. 200
REGIONAL POWERS .................................................................................................................................................. 205
Hyderabad ........................................................................................................................................................................ 205
Awadh .............................................................................................................................................................................. 205
Bengal ............................................................................................................................................................................... 206
Emergence of the Nawab of Murshidabad ...................................................................................................................... 207
Mysore ............................................................................................................................................................................... 207
Anglo Mysore Wars .......................................................................................................................................................... 208
Rajputs .............................................................................................................................................................................. 209
Sikhs .................................................................................................................................................................................. 209
The Punjab under Ranjit Singh ...................................................................................................................................... 209
Anglo Sikh Wars .............................................................................................................................................................. 210
Marathas .......................................................................................................................................................................... 210
EUROPEANS IN INDIA .............................................................................................................................................. 212
The Portuguese.................................................................................................................................................................. 212
The Dutch ......................................................................................................................................................................... 213
The British East India Company .................................................................................................................................... 213
The French ........................................................................................................................................................................ 215
Anglo-French Conflicts ..................................................................................................................................................... 216
Robert Clive and the Diwani of Bengal .......................................................................................................................... 219
Warren Hastings: architect of an empire ........................................................................................................................ 220
Absconding peasants and the permanent settlement ........................................................................................................ 225
Permanent Settlement ...................................................................................................................................................... 226
Subsidiary Alliance .......................................................................................................................................................... 229
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The uses of education ........................................................................................................................................................ 230
Dalhousie and the Policy of Annexation (1848-1856) .................................................................................................. 233
REVOLT OF 1857 ......................................................................................................................................................... 234
THE COLONIAL ECONOMY ..................................................................................................................................... 239
The spread of the railway network .................................................................................................................................. 239
FOUNDATION OF THE CONGRESS ...................................................................................................................... 240
Ilbert Bill Controversy ...................................................................................................................................................... 243
CONGRESS SESSIONS................................................................................................................................................ 244
CHRONOLOGY (1877-1942) ...................................................................................................................................... 249
INDIA AFTER CURZON ............................................................................................................................................ 250
Administrative Reforms ................................................................................................................................................... 250
THE PARTITION OF BENGAL, 1905 ..................................................................................................................... 251
THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE INDIAN NATIONAL MOVEMENT ................................ 253
FIRST PHASE, 1885-1905 .......................................................................................................................................... 254
Period of Moderate Politics or Tea-Party Politics........................................................................................................... 254
Official attitude towards the Congress ............................................................................................................................ 255
SECOND PHASE, 1905—1919 .................................................................................................................................... 257
Rise of Extremism or Radical Politics ............................................................................................................................ 257
Causes for the Rise of Extremism..................................................................................................................................... 257
The Extremist Programme of Action ............................................................................................................................... 259
INDIAN NATIONALISTS AND WORLD WAR I ................................................................................................... 261
Home Rule Movement ...................................................................................................................................................... 261
The Lucknow Session, 1916 ............................................................................................................................................ 261
ANNIE BESANT ........................................................................................................................................................... 262
THE REVOLUTIONARY TERRORIST MOVEMENT ......................................................................................... 264
THE THIRD PHASE OR THE GANDHIAN ERA, 1919-1947 ............................................................................ 268
Aim of Swaraj through Non-Violence & Non-Cooperation ........................................................................................... 268
The Non-Cooperation Movement, 1920-22 ..................................................................................................................... 268
The Civil Disobedience Movement, 1930-34 .................................................................................................................. 269
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The Great War and the Constitutional Deadlock .......................................................................................................... 270
Assessment of Gandhi’s Role in India’s Struggle for Independence ................................................................................ 271
Gandhi Timeline before 1920’s ....................................................................................................................................... 272
Gandhiji in Champaran Ahmedabad and Kheda .......................................................................................................... 273
Rowlatt Act ...................................................................................................................................................................... 275
Jallianwala Bagh Massacre ............................................................................................................................................ 275
Home Rule League ........................................................................................................................................................... 275
Lucknow Pact................................................................................................................................................................... 275
Indian Liberal Party ........................................................................................................................................................ 276
Tej Bahadur Sapru .......................................................................................................................................................... 277
Nehru Report .................................................................................................................................................................... 278
Lahore Conspiracy Case ................................................................................................................................................... 279
Meerut Conspiracy Case ................................................................................................................................................... 279
Karachi Session ................................................................................................................................................................ 280
Round Table Conferences, 1930-1932 ............................................................................................................................ 280
Communal Award ............................................................................................................................................................ 283
Lucknow Session 1936 .................................................................................................................................................... 284
The Faizpur Congress Session (December 1936) ............................................................................................................ 285
Demand for Pakistan ....................................................................................................................................................... 285
C.R.Formula .................................................................................................................................................................... 285
Desai-Liaquat pact ........................................................................................................................................................... 286
INDIAN NATIONAL ARMY ....................................................................................................................................... 287
Royal Indian Navy Mutiny ............................................................................................................................................. 288
SUBHASH CHANDRA BOSE .................................................................................................................................... 288
Cellular Jail ...................................................................................................................................................................... 290
THE PATTERN OF CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM ............................................................................................ 291
The Morley–Minto reform and separate electorates ........................................................................................................ 291
The Montagu–Chelmsford reform and responsible government ...................................................................................... 292
Federalism and the Government of India Act of 1935 .................................................................................................. 293
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The Second World War, the Cripps mission and ‘Quit India’ ....................................................................................... 294
The Simla Conference and its aftermath ......................................................................................................................... 296
The cabinet mission scheme and the advent of partition ................................................................................................. 298
Operation Mountbatten and ‘Plan Balkan’ ................................................................................................................... 299
INTEGRATION OF STATES ...................................................................................................................................... 302
FOREIGN POLICY OF NON-ALIGNMENT............................................................................................................ 303
INDO-CHINA RELATIONS ........................................................................................................................................ 304
The Chinese Attack, 1962 ............................................................................................................................................... 305
CHRONOLOGY 1858-1964 ......................................................................................................................................... 308
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India Fact Book 2014
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Table of Contents NATIONAL SYMBOLS ..................................................................................................................................................... 9
National Flag .................................................................................................................................................................. 9
State Emblem .................................................................................................................................................................. 9
National Anthem ............................................................................................................................................................. 9
National Song ............................................................................................................................................................... 10
National Calendar ........................................................................................................................................................ 10
AGRICULTURE SCHEMES ......................................................................................................................................... 11
Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana .................................................................................................................................... 11
Horticulture Sector ........................................................................................................................................................ 12
National Horticulture Mission ..................................................................................................................................... 12
National Bamboo Mission ............................................................................................................................................ 12
Central Institute for Horticulture (CIH) Nagaland .................................................................................................... 12
THE NATIONAL COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (NCDC) AMENDMENT ACT, 2002 ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 13
Constitution (111TH Amendment Bill) 2009 ............................................................................................................ 13
National Seed Research and Training Centre (NSRTC) ............................................................................................ 13
National Agricultural Insurance Scheme ..................................................................................................................... 14
Rain fed Farming System ............................................................................................................................................. 14
National Watershed Development Project For Rain fed Areas ................................................................................... 14
NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY ACT, 2013 ................................................................................................................ 15
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Scheme of Sustainable Development of Sugarcane Based cropping Systems Areas (SUBACS) ................................. 17
Farm Machinery Training and Testing Institutes ....................................................................................................... 17
Animal Husbandry ........................................................................................................................................................ 17
Animal Quarantine and Certification Service ............................................................................................................. 17
National Veterinary Biological Products Quality Control Centre............................................................................... 17
FISHERIES ....................................................................................................................................................................... 18
Development of Inland Fisheries And Aquaculture ..................................................................................................... 18
Specialised Institutes ..................................................................................................................................................... 19
National Fisheries Development Board ........................................................................................................................ 19
INDIAN COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH ......................................................................................... 20
ICAR Institutions .......................................................................................................................................................... 20
COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY .............................................................................. 28
Department of Telecommunications ............................................................................................................................. 28
National Telecom Policy 1994 ..................................................................................................................................... 29
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) .......................................................................................................... 30
Telecom Dispute Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) ................................................................................. 31
New Telecom Policy 1999 ............................................................................................................................................ 31
Universal Service Obligation Fund .............................................................................................................................. 32
Unified Access Services .................................................................................................................................................. 33
National Telecom Policy – 2012 ................................................................................................................................. 33
Twelfth Plan Targets for the Telecommunication Sector ............................................................................................ 35
C-DOT ........................................................................................................................................................................... 36
Department of Electronics and Information Technology ............................................................................................. 36
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National e-Governance Plan ......................................................................................................................................... 37
Implementation Strategy, Approach and Methodology of NeGP ................................................................................ 37
National Knowledge Network ...................................................................................................................................... 39
Department of Posts ...................................................................................................................................................... 39
Project Arrow ................................................................................................................................................................. 40
Financial Services Post Office Savings Bank .............................................................................................................. 41
ITI LIMITED .............................................................................................................................................................. 43
Cyber Appellate Tribunal (CAT) .................................................................................................................................. 43
National Knowledge Network (NKN) ......................................................................................................................... 43
National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) .............................................................................................................. 43
DOEACC SOCIETY ................................................................................................................................................... 43
Society for Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering and Research (SAMEER) .................................................. 44
National Informatics Centre (NIC) .............................................................................................................................. 44
Centre for Development of advanced Computing (C-DAC) ......................................................................................... 44
EDUCATION .................................................................................................................................................................... 45
National Policy on Education (NPE) .......................................................................................................................... 45
Elementary Education ................................................................................................................................................... 45
Right to Education ........................................................................................................................................................ 45
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan................................................................................................................................................. 48
Mid-Day Meal Scheme .................................................................................................................................................. 48
Mahila Samakhya Programme .................................................................................................................................... 49
Education Guarantee Scheme and Alternative and Innovative Education ................................................................ 50
The NPEGEL Scheme .................................................................................................................................................. 50
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Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya Scheme ............................................................................................................... 50
Secondary Education ..................................................................................................................................................... 50
Inclusive Education of the Disabled at Secondary Stage (IEDSS) ............................................................................. 51
Incentives to Girls for Secondary Education ................................................................................................................ 51
Adult Education ............................................................................................................................................................ 52
INSTITUTES OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE ......................................................................................................... 52
National Council of Educational Research And Training (NCERT) ....................................................................... 57
Launch of Saakshar Bharat ......................................................................................................................................... 57
Promotion of Languages ............................................................................................................................................... 57
University Grants Commission ..................................................................................................................................... 58
Autonomous Research Organisations ............................................................................................................................ 58
Indira Gandhi National Open University ................................................................................................................... 59
Book Promotion ............................................................................................................................................................. 59
ENERGY ............................................................................................................................................................................ 60
Power ............................................................................................................................................................................. 60
The Electricity Act, 2003.............................................................................................................................................. 60
Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme ......................................................................................... 61
PUBLIC SECTOR UNDERTAKINGS AND OTHER ORGANISATIONS ............................................................ 62
NATIONAL HYDROELECTRIC POWER CORPORATION LTD. .................................................................. 62
NATIONAL THERMAL POWER CORPORATION LIMITED ........................................................................ 62
RAJIV GANDHI GRAMEEN VIDYUTIKARAN YOJANA ................................................................................ 62
RURAL ELECTRIFICATION CORPORATION LIMITED............................................................................... 62
POWER GRID CORPORATION OF INDIA LIMITED ..................................................................................... 63
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National Grid ................................................................................................................................................................ 63
POWER FINANCE CORPORATION LIMITED (PFC) ...................................................................................... 63
SATLUJ JAL VIDYUT NIGAM LTD ..................................................................................................................... 63
NAVRATNA COMPANY ........................................................................................................................................... 64
National Power Training Institute .............................................................................................................................. 69
Central Power Research Institute ................................................................................................................................. 69
NORTH-EASTERN ELECTRIC POWER CORPORATION LIMITED ........................................................... 69
Bureau of Energy Efficiency ......................................................................................................................................... 69
PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS .......................................................................................................................... 70
Crude Oil and Natural Gas Production ...................................................................................................................... 70
Coal Bed Methane ......................................................................................................................................................... 70
OIL AND NATURAL GAS CORPORATION LIMITED ..................................................................................... 70
ONGC VIDESH LIMITED ....................................................................................................................................... 71
OIL INDIA LIMITED ............................................................................................................................................... 71
GAIL INDIA LIMITED ............................................................................................................................................ 71
REFINING......................................................................................................................................................................... 72
Implementation of Bs-III/IV Fuels In The Country .................................................................................................... 73
Jawaharalal Nehru National Solar Mission ............................................................................................................... 73
POPULATION IN INDIA ............................................................................................................................................... 74
Important facts: ............................................................................................................................................................. 74
Why Census is important? ............................................................................................................................................ 74
Registrar General and Census Commissioners, India .................................................................................................. 75
Decadal Growth Rate in Descending Order ................................................................................................................. 76
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Decadal Growth in Ascending Order ........................................................................................................................... 76
Census 2011 (Final Data) ........................................................................................................................................... 77
Population ..................................................................................................................................................................... 78
Literacy .......................................................................................................................................................................... 80
Comparative demographics ........................................................................................................................................... 82
List of States and Union territories by demographics .................................................................................................. 83
Religious demographics ................................................................................................................................................. 88
Neonatal and infant demographics .............................................................................................................................. 88
Population within the age group of 0-6 ........................................................................................................................ 89
Indian states and territories ranking by sex ratio......................................................................................................... 91
Density of India ............................................................................................................................................................. 93
Disabled Population ...................................................................................................................................................... 95
Scheduled castes and scheduled tribes ........................................................................................................................... 96
Urban and Rural Population of India 2011 .............................................................................................................. 97
Literacy rate in India ..................................................................................................................................................101
Linguistic demographics ..............................................................................................................................................103
Largest cities of India ..................................................................................................................................................104
UN estimate of Vital Statistics ...................................................................................................................................105
Population projections .................................................................................................................................................107
METROPOLITAN AREA .............................................................................................................................................108
National Commission on Population .........................................................................................................................110
Mandate.......................................................................................................................................................................110
Non-resident Indian and person of Indian origin ......................................................................................................110
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Regions with significant populations ..........................................................................................................................110
Legal definitions ..........................................................................................................................................................112
Overseas Indians' Day .................................................................................................................................................113
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX ...........................................................................................................................114
What is the Human Development Index (HDI)? ......................................................................................................116
How many countries are included in the 2012 HDI? ..............................................................................................116
Why are ties being introduced in this year’s HDI ranking? ......................................................................................116
What does the HDI tell us? ........................................................................................................................................117
Did the HDI rankings change for many countries in 2012? ....................................................................................117
Where there any significant revisions of the component indicators for 2012? ......................................................... 117
Can HDI indicators be adapted at the country level? ...............................................................................................118
Where does data from the HDI come from?...............................................................................................................118
Why is it important to express per capita GNI in Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) US dollars? ......................... 118
What is an “imputed” indicator – and for what countries were these imputed statistics used? ............................. 119
Can the GNI per capita be used to measure human development instead of the HDI? .......................................... 119
The 2012 Human Development Index is divided into four quartiles, from “Very High” to “Low” human development achievement, as introduced in the 2010 HDI. Why? .......................................................................... 119
Can the HDI alone measure a country’s level of development? .................................................................................119
The original HDI methodology was revised in 2010 for the 20th anniversary edition of the Human Development Report. How is it different? ....................................................................................................................................... 120
Why did the Report change the indicators for measuring education and income? .................................................. 120
The calculation of the HDI now is “geometric” rather than “arithmetic” and the goalposts have changed – what does that mean? .......................................................................................................................................................... 120
Why is geometric mean better suited for the HDI than the arithmetic mean? ......................................................... 121
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Why was the “cap” on income in the HDI lifted and what was the effect? .............................................................121
What is the rationale behind changing the minimum value for life expectancy at birth from 25 years to 20? ..... 121
What is the justification for the minimum values for other indicators? ...................................................................122
Does using “observed maximums” mean changing them on a yearly basis? ..............................................................122
Does year-to-year variation of maximum values make it harder to monitor progress? ............................................. 122
Why has the principle of “diminishing returns” not been applied to other indicators?............................................ 122
Are the HDI dimensions weighted equally? ...............................................................................................................122
Why does the HDI not include dimensions of participation, gender and equality? ................................................. 122
What is the effect of the changes in HDI indicators and geometric aggregation? ................................................... 123
What are the criteria for a country to be included in the HDI? ...............................................................................123
List of Indian states and territories by Human Development Index .........................................................................123
Top 15 cities by GDP .................................................................................................................................................125
List of Indian states and territories by highest point ..................................................................................................126
Indian states by transport network .............................................................................................................................128
STATES OF INDIA BY INSTALLED POWER CAPACITY .................................................................................133
SOLAR POWER IN INDIA ..........................................................................................................................................135
ENERGY SOURCES IN INDIA ..................................................................................................................................138
Private Sector ...............................................................................................................................................................138
NUCLEAR POWER IN INDIA ...................................................................................................................................139
Nuclear power plants ...................................................................................................................................................139
The projects under construction ...................................................................................................................................140
Planned projects ...........................................................................................................................................................140
Nuclear power plant accidents and incidents .............................................................................................................141
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Page 86
Table of Contents
Math Notes ............................................................................................................................. 1 Substitution ............................................................................................................................ 5
Number Theory ................................................................................................................... 15
Squares and Square Roots ................................................................................................. 34
Playing with Numbers ....................................................................................................... 55
Quadratic Equations ........................................................................................................... 59
Cubes and Cube Roots ....................................................................................................... 81
Geometry .............................................................................................................................. 89
Elimination Strategies....................................................................................................... 156
Inequalities ......................................................................................................................... 166
Fractions & Decimals ........................................................................................................ 174
Equations ............................................................................................................................ 183
Averages ............................................................................................................................. 194
Ratio & Proportion ............................................................................................................ 202
Exponents & Roots ............................................................................................................ 215
Factoring ............................................................................................................................. 227
Algebraic Expressions ...................................................................................................... 232
Percents ............................................................................................................................... 237
Graphs ................................................................................................................................ 249
Word Problems .................................................................................................................. 278
Sequences & Series ............................................................................................................ 294
Counting ............................................................................................................................. 301
Permutations & Combinations ........................................................................................ 308
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Table of Contents
PRETEST ............................................................................................................................................... 1
Building a Strong Foundation ......................................................................................................... 15
Getting the Essential Information ................................................................................................... 16
Finding the Main Idea ...................................................................................................................... 23
Defining Vocabulary in Context ..................................................................................................... 27
The Difference between Fact and Opinion .................................................................................... 32
Putting It All Together ..................................................................................................................... 37
Start from the Beginning: Chronological Order ........................................................................... 43
Similarities and Differences: Compare and Contrast .................................................................. 55
Why Do Things Happen? A Look at Cause and Effect ............................................................... 61
Being structurally sound putting it all together ........................................................................... 67
A Matter of Perspective: Point of View ......................................................................................... 73
Diction: What’s in a Word? .............................................................................................................. 79
Style it's not what they say but how they say it ........................................................................... 84
How they say it part two;tone ......................................................................................................... 90
Word Power: Putting It All Together ............................................................................................. 94
Finding the Implied Main Idea ....................................................................................................... 99
Assuming Causes and Predicting Effects .................................................................................... 103
Emotional Versus Logical Appeals .............................................................................................. 107
Finding Meaning in Literature ...................................................................................................... 113
Drawing Conclusions: Putting It All Together ........................................................................... 118
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Social Movements in India 2014
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Table of Contents
SOCIAL MOVEMENTS.......................................................................................................................................................................... 2
Features and Causes of Social Movements .......................................................................................................................................... 2
SOCIAL MOVEMENTS IN INDIA ...................................................................................................................................................... 4
Sufism: Concept and Orders ................................................................................................................................................................. 4
Chisti ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Suhrawardi ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Sufi Movement: Impact ........................................................................................................................................................................ 6
BHAKTI MOVEMENT .......................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Philosophy .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 7
Bhakti Cult ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Bhakti Saints in North India .............................................................................................................................................................. 8
Kabir (1425-1518 AD) ........................................................................................................................................................................ 8
Ramananda........................................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Shri Madhvacharya (1199–1278) ..................................................................................................................................................... 8
Srimanta Sankardeva's (1449–1568) ................................................................................................................................................ 9
Vallabhacharya (1479–1531) ............................................................................................................................................................ 9
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1534) .............................................................................................................................................. 9
Vaishnava Bhakti ................................................................................................................................................................................. 9
Impact of Reform .................................................................................................................................................................................. 9
CIVIL REBELLIONS AND TRIBAL UPRISINGS ........................................................................................................................ 11
Peasant movements and uprisings after 1857 ................................................................................................................................... 13
Socio-religious reforms and the national awakening ......................................................................................................................... 15
The fight to secure press freedom ......................................................................................................................................................... 19
Peasant movements and nationalism in the1920s ............................................................................................................................ 25
The indian working class and the national movement ..................................................................................................................... 31
Peasant movements in the 1930s and ‘40s ....................................................................................................................................... 37
ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENTS ................................................................................................................................................. 44
Chipko Movement ............................................................................................................................................................................... 44
Appiko Movement ............................................................................................................................................................................... 46
Narmada Bachao Movement ............................................................................................................................................................. 47
Vana Mahotsav ................................................................................................................................................................................... 47
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Role of Non-Governmental Organizations in Environment Protection ............................................................................................ 48
Greenpeace ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 49
Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF)—India .................................................................................................................................... 51
Some Other Environmental Organizations in India ......................................................................................................................... 52
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Page 90
Table of Contents
The Speed Mathematics Method .............................................. 2
Multiplying numbers just below 100 ....................................... 5
Reference numbers ..................................................................... 8
Why use a reference number? ................................................... 9
Using 100 as a reference number ............................................ 11
Number Above The Reference Number ................................ 15
Multiply Above & Below The Reference Number ............... 22
Checking Your Answers .......................................................... 27
Substitute numbers ................................................................... 27
Why does the method work? .................................................. 32
Multiplication Using Any Reference Number ...................... 35
Multiplication Using Two Reference Number .................... 56
Addition ..................................................................................... 73
Subtraction ................................................................................. 81
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