Test 13 Solutions1

Insights Mock Tests 2015: Test 13 Solutions

http:www.insightsonindia.com Insights Page 1

1. Solution: a)

Microorganisms break down detritus into smaller particles. This process is called

fragmentation. By the process of leaching, watersoluble inorganic nutrients go down

into the soil horizon and get precipitated as unavailable salts. Bacterial and fungal

enzymes degrade detritus into simpler inorganic substances. This process is called as

catabolism. It is important to note that all the above steps in decomposition operate

simultaneously on the detritus. Humification and mineralisation occur during

decomposition in the soil.

2. Solution: d)

When breeding is between animals of the same breed it is called inbreeding, while

crosses between different breeds are called outbreeding. Out-breeding is the

breeding of the unrelated animals, which may be between individuals of the same

breed but having no common ancestors for 4-6 generations (out-crossing) or between

different breeds (cross-breeding) or different species (inter-specific hybridisation).

Controlled breeding experiments are carried out using artificial insemination. The

semen is collected from the male that is chosen as a parent and injected into the

reproductive tract of the selected female by the breeder.

3. Solution: d)

More than 840 million people in the world do not have adequate food to meet their

daily food and nutritional requirements. A far greater number three billion people

suffer from micronutrient, protein and vitamin deficiencies or hidden hunger

because they cannot afford to buy enough fruits, vegetables, legumes, fish and meat.

Diets lacking essential micronutrients particularly iron, vitamin A, iodine and zinc

increase the risk for disease, reduce lifespan and reduce mental abilities.

4. Solution: d)

Ecologists and evolutionary biologists have proposed various hypotheses; some

important ones are

(a) Speciation is generally a function of time, unlike temperate regions subjected to

frequent glaciations in the past, tropical latitudes have remained relatively



undisturbed for millions of years and thus, had a long evolutionary time for species

diversification,

(b) Tropical environments, unlike temperate ones, are less seasonal, relatively more

constant and predictable. Such constant environments promote niche specialisation

and lead to a greater species diversity and

(c) There is more solar energy available in the tropics, which contributes to higher

productivity; this in turn might contribute indirectly to greater diversity.

5. Solution: d)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_pest_control#Micro-organisms

This method of controlling pests that relies on natural predation rather than

introduced chemicals. A key belief of the organic farmer is that biodiversity furthers

health. The more variety a landscape has, the more sustainable it is. The organic

farmer, therefore, works to create a system where the insects that are sometimes

called pests are not eradicated, but instead are kept at manageable levels by a

complex system of checks and balances within a living and vibrant ecosystem.

6. Solution: d)

A constitution is not a frozen and unalterable document. It is a document made by

human beings and may need revisions, changes and re-examination.

It is true that the constitution reflects the dreams and aspirations of the concerned

society. It must also be kept in mind that the constitution is a framework for the

democratic governance of the society. In this sense, it is an instrument that societies

create for themselves.

For e.g. Fundamental rights clearly establish a secular, equitable, just and non-

exploitative social fabric in India.

Fundamental duties provide a secular, fraternistic and a patriotic aspect to the

Indian citizens by making them respect the constitution, national flag, asking them

to render service to the nation and mankind etc.

DPSP does so by providing for a more equitable work culture in men and women;

minimizing inequalities in social and economic status; establishing the ideal of a

welfare society etc.



7. Solution: d)

http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/india-s-move-curb-antibiotic-use-

livestock-poultry-may-hit-imports-us

8. Solution: a)

http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/nasa-launches-earthobserving-soil-

moisture-active-passive-satellite/article6844993.ece

9. Solution: d)

Citizenship clauses need a simple majority only in the Parliament.

The same is true for changing the boundary of states under Article 3; and for

changing the number of judges in the SC.

10. Solution: c)



11. Solution: b)

The Constitution of India vests the executive power of the Union formally in the

President. In reality, the President exercises these powers through the Council of

Ministers headed by the Prime Minister. The President is elected for a period of five

years. But there is no direct election by the people for the office of President. The

President is elected indirectly. This means that the president is elected not by the

ordinary citizens but by the elected MLAs and MPs. This election takes place in

accordance with the principle of proportional representation with single transferable

vote.

The President can be removed from office only by Parliament by following the

procedure for impeachment. This procedure requires a special majority as explained

in the last chapter. The only ground for impeachment is violation of the

Constitution.

As per Article 74 (1): There shall be a Council of Ministers with the Prime Minister at

the head to aid and advise the President who shall in the exercise of his functions,

act in accordance with such advice. Provided that the President may require the

Council of Ministers to reconsider such advice.., and the President shall act in

accordance with the advice tendered after such reconsideration.

So he need not accept the advice if placed before him for the first time.

12. Solution: d)

Here again Article 74(1) comes in the picture. In view of the controversy about the

scope of the Presidents powers, a specific mention was made in the Constitution by

an amendment that the advice of the Council of Ministers will be binding on the

President. By another amendment made later, it was decided that the President can

ask the Council of Ministers to reconsider its advice but, has to accept the

reconsidered advice of the Council of Ministers (the PM representing them in this

case).

13. Solution: a)

In the North Western Provinces of the Bengal Presidency (most of this area is now in

Uttar Pradesh), an Englishman called Holt Mackenzie devised the new system which

came into effect in 1822. He felt that the village was an important social institution in

north Indian society and needed to be preserved. Under his directions, collectors

went from village to village, inspecting the land, measuring the fields, and recording



the customs and rights of different groups. The estimated revenue of each plot

within a village was added up to calculate the revenue that each village (mahal) had

to pay. This demand was to be revised periodically, not permanently fixed. The

charge of collecting the revenue and paying it to the Company was given to the

village headman, rather than the zamindar. This system came to be known as the

mahalwari settlement.

14. Solution: a)

15. Solution: a)

A body like a ring or a sphere rolling without slipping over a horizontal plane will

suffer no friction, in principle. At every instant, there is just one point of contact

between the body and the plane and this point has no motion relative to the plane. In

this ideal situation, kinetic or static friction is zero and the body should continue to

roll with constant velocity. We know, in practice, this will not happen and some

resistance to motion (rolling friction) does occur, i.e. to keep the body rolling, some

applied force is needed. For the same weight, rolling friction is much smaller (even

by 2 or 3 orders of magnitude) than static or sliding friction.

16. Solution: a)



A high court can not go against previous rulings of the SC which set a precedent. But

the SC and HCs can go against their own respective precedents. For e.g. the SC

changed its stance on constitutional amendment in Kesavananda Bharati case from

what it was in the Golaknath case.

But the same could not be done by the HC against an SC ruling.

The executive can not issue any instruction to the courts in India.

17. Solution: a)

http://apslsa.ap.nic.in/local_adalat_mechanism.html

18. Solution: c)

Besides the concern for unity, the makers of the Constitution also believed that the

socio-economic problems of the country needed to be handled by a strong central

government in cooperation with the States. Poverty, illiteracy and inequalities of

wealth were some of the problems that required planning and coordination. Thus,

the concerns for unity and development prompted the makers of the Constitution to

create a strong central government.

The central government has very effective financial powers and responsibilities. In

the first place, items generating revenue are under the control of the central

government. Thus, the central government has many revenue sources and the States

are mostly dependent on the grants and financial assistance from the centre.

Secondly, India adopted planning as the instrument of rapid economic progress and

development after independence. Planning led to considerable centralisation of

economic decision making.

But as the needs of states grow, a central control will become obsolete. Instead

Indian federalism will have to give more space and autonomy for the states.

19. Solution: d)



In addition to original and appellate jurisdiction, the Supreme Court of India

possesses advisory jurisdiction also. This means that the President of India can refer

any matter that is of public importance or that which involves interpretation of

Constitution to Supreme Court for advice. However, the Supreme Court is not

bound to give advice on such matters and the President is not bound to accept such

an advice.

What then is the utility of the advisory powers of the Supreme Court? The utility is

two-fold. In the first place, it allows the government to seek legal opinion on a

matter of importance before taking action on it. This may prevent unnecessary

litigations later. Secondly, in the light of the advice of the Supreme Court, the

government can make suitable changes in its action or legislations.

20. Solution: b)

Lingayats continue to be an important community in the region to date. They

worship Shiva in his manifestation as a linga, and men usually wear a small linga in a

silver case on a loop strung over the left shoulder. Those who are revered include the

jangama or wandering monks. Lingayats believe that on death the devotee will be

united with Shiva and will not return to this world. Therefore they do not practise

funerary rites such as cremation, prescribed in the Dharmashastras. Instead, they

ceremonially bury their dead.

21. Solution: d)

The twelfth century witnessed the emergence of a new movement in Karnataka, led

by a Brahmana named Basavanna (1106-68) who was initially a Jaina and a minister

in the court of a Chalukya king. His followers were known as Virashaivas (heroes of

Shiva) or Lingayats (wearers of the linga).

The Lingayats challenged the idea of caste and the pollution attributed to certain

groups by Brahmanas. They also questioned the theory of rebirth. These won them

followers amongst those who were marginalised within the Brahmanical social

order. The Lingayats also encouraged certain practices disapproved in the

Dharmashastras, such as post-puberty marriage and the remarriage of widows. Our

understanding of the Virashaiva tradition is derived from vachanas (literally, sayings)

composed in Kannada by women and men who joined the movement.

22. Solution: d)



Chairperson of Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) Leela Samson has

resigned.

She resigned after Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) cleared the

controversial film Messenger of God featuring Dera Saccha Sauda chief Gurmeet

Ram Rahim Singh in lead role.

The Censor Board headed by Ms. Samson had earlier denied the clearance certificate

to the film saying that the movie depicts Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh as a God.

Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT)

FCAT is a statutory body. It has been constituted under the provisions of the

Cinematograph Act, 1952.

It comes under the aegis of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Function: It hears the appeals filed as per provisions of Cinematograph Act.

Any applicant can file an appeal before the tribunal for a certificate in respect

of a film who is aggrieved by an order of the Central Board of Film

Certification (CBFC).

23. Solution: b)

There are three types of mountains- Fold Mountains, Block Mountains and the

Volcanic Mountains.

Block Mountains are created when large areas are broken and displaced vertically.

The uplifted blocks are termed as horsts and the lowered blocks are called graben.

The Rhine valley and the Vosges mountain in Europe are examples of such

mountain systems. Locate them on the world map in the atlas and find out some

more examples of this type of landforms.

Volcanic mountains are formed due to volcanic activity. Mt.Kilimanjaro in Africa

and Mt.Fujiyama in Japan are examples of such mountains.

24. Solution: d)



Climate is made up of the essentially two elements temperature and moisture. Both

will chang if the duration of summers and winters will change.

Based on the above, the species which can not successfully adapt will become

extinct.

And finally higher temperatures, greater or lesser rainfall will also affect the land

features, river systems, erosion etc. leading to a change in geomorphological

features.

25. Solution: d)

Just like an onion, the earth is made up of several concentric layers with one inside

another. The uppermost layer over the earths surface is called the crust. It is the

thinnest of all the layers. It is about 35 km. on the continental masses and only 5 km

on the ocean floors.

The main mineral constituents of the continental mass are silica and alumina. It is

thus called sial (si-silica and al-alumina). The oceanic crust mainly consists of silica

and magnesium; it is therefore called sima (si-silica and ma-magnesium).

Just beneath the crust is the mantle which extends up to a depth of 2900 km. below

the crust.

The innermost layer is the core with a radius of about 3500 km. It is mainly made up

of nickel and iron and is called nife (ni nickel and fe ferrous i.e. iron). The central

core has very high temperature and pressure.

26. Solution: d)

With the change in height, the climate changes and that changes natural vegetation.

The growth of vegetation depends on temperature and moisture. It also depends on

factors like slope and thickness of soil.

The type and thickness of natural vegetation varies from place to place because of

the variation in these factors.

The competition for sunlight, water and other nutrients from soil affects the growth

of plants in the surrounding region. The more plants there are with limited

resources, the limited growth there will be unless there is some symbiotic relation

between those plants.



27. Solution: a)

The temperate evergreen forests are located in the midlatitudinal coastal region.

They are commonly found along the eastern margin of the continents, e.g., In south

east USA, South China and in South East Brazil. They comprise both hard and soft

wood trees like oak, pine, eucalyptus, etc.

Tropical deciduous are the monsoon forests found in the large part of India,northern

Australia and in central America. These regions experience seasonal changes.

28. Solution: a)

Atmosphere has a sufficient capacity to keep small solid particles, which may

originate from different sources and include sea salts, fine soil, smoke-soot, ash,

pollen, dust and disintegrated particles of meteors. Dust particles are generally

concentrated in the lower layers of the atmosphere; yet, convectional air currents

may transport them to great heights. The higher concentration of dust particles is

found in subtropical and temperate regions due to dry winds in comparison to

equatorial and polar regions. Dust and salt particles act as hygroscopic nuclei

around which water vapour condenses to produce clouds.

29. Solution: a)

The Yamuna, the western most and the longest tributary of the Ganga, has its source

in the Yamunotri glacier on the western slopes of Banderpunch range (6,316 km). It

joins the Ganga at Prayag (Allahabad). It is joined by the Chambal, the Sind, the

Betwa and the Ken on its right bank which originates from the Peninsular plateau

while the Hindan, the Rind, the Sengar, the Varuna, etc. join it on its left bank.

The Chambal rises near Mhow in the Malwa plateau of Madhya Pradesh and flows

northwards through a gorge up wards of Kotain Rajasthan, where the Gandhisagar

dam has been constructed. From Kota, it traverses down to Bundi, Sawai Madhopur

and Dholpur, and finally joins the Yamuna. The Chambal is famous for its badland

topography called the Chambal ravines.

30. Solution: a)



31. Solution: d)

Section 15.1.4 explains the case elaborately with many examples. Refer to the 12 th

Biology Chapter 15 NCERT.

32. Solution: a)

Catalytic converters, having expensive metals namely platinum-palladium and

rhodium as the catalysts, are fitted into automobiles for reducing emission of

poisonous gases. As the exhaust passes through the catalytic converter, unburnt

hydrocarbons are converted into carbon dioxide and water, and carbon monoxide

and nitric oxide are changed to carbon dioxide and nitrogen gas, respectively. Motor

vehicles equipped with catalytic converter should use unleaded petrol because lead

in the petrol inactivates the catalyst.

33. Solution: a)

Pilgrimage, called ziyarat, to tombs of sufi saints is prevalent all over the Muslim

world. This practice is an occasion for seeking the sufis spiritual grace (barakat). For

more than seven centuries people of various creeds, classes and social backgrounds

have expressed their devotion at the dargahs of the five great Chishti saints. Amongst

these, the most revered shrine is that of Khwaja Muinuddin, popularly known as

Gharib Nawaz (comforter of the poor).

34. Solution: d)



Kabirs poems have survived in several languages and dialects; and some are

composed in the special language of nirguna poets, the sant bhasha.

These hint at the difficulties of capturing the nature of the Ultimate Reality in words:

expressions such as the lotus which blooms without flower or the fire raging in

the ocean convey a sense of Kabirs mystical experiences.

Also striking is the range of traditions Kabir drew on to describe the Ultimate

Reality. These include Islam: he described the Ultimate Reality as Allah, Khuda,

Hazrat and Pir. He also used terms drawn from Vedantic traditions, alakh (the

unseen), nirakar (formless), Brahman, Atman, etc. Other terms with mystical

connotations such as shabda (sound) or shunya (emptiness) were drawn from yogic

traditions.

Diverse and sometimes conflicting ideas are expressed in these poems. Some poems

draw on Islamic ideas and use monotheism and iconoclasm to attack Hindu

polytheism and idol worship; others use the sufi concept of zikr and ishq (love) to

express the Hindu practice of nam-simaran (remembrance of Gods name).

35. Solution: a)

Strain began to show within the imperial structure following Krishnadeva Rayas

death in 1529. His successors were troubled by rebellious nayakas or military chiefs.

By 1542 control at the centre had shifted to another ruling lineage, that of the

Aravidu, which remained in power till the end of the seventeenth century. During

this period, as indeed earlier, the military ambitions of the rulers of Vijayanagara as

well as those of the Deccan Sultanates resulted in shifting alignments.

Eventually this led to an alliance of the Sultanates against Vijayanagara. In 1565

Rama Raya, the chief minister of Vijayanagara, led the army into battle at Rakshasi-

Tangadi (also known as Talikota), where his forces were routed by the combined

armies of Bijapur, Ahmadnagar and Golconda. The victorious armies sacked the city

of Vijayanagara. The city was totally abandoned within a few years.

36. Solution: a)

Some important devices and their respective principles are listed below.



37. Solution: c)

A few toxic substances, often present in industrial waste waters, can undergo

biological magnification (Biomagnification) in the aquatic food chain.

Biomagnification refers to increase in concentration of the toxicant at successive

trophic levels. This happens because a toxic substance accumulated by an organism

cannot be metabolised or excreted, and is thus passed on to the next higher trophic

level. This phenomenon is well-known for mercury and DDT.

38. Solution: a)

Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) is the amount of dissolved oxygen needed by

aerobic biological organisms in a body of water to break down organic material

present in a given water sample at certain temperature over a specific time period. It

is possible to estimate the amount of biodegradable organic matter in sewage water

by measuring Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD). Higher the BOD will be, higher

the biodegradable material will be there in the water.

39. Solution: a)

Ambedkar clashed with Mahatma Gandhi at the second Round Table Conference by

demanding separate electorates for dalits. When the British government conceded

Ambedkars demand, Gandhiji began a fast unto death. He believed that separate

electorates for dalits would slow down the process of their integration into society.

Ambedkar ultimately accepted Gandhijis position and the result was the Poona Pact

of September 1932. It gave the Depressed Classes (later to be known as the Schedule



Castes) reserved seats in provincial and central legislative councils, but they were to

be voted in by the general electorate. The dalit movement, however, continued to be

apprehensive of the Congress-led national movement.

40. Solution: c)

The governments response was negative. Instead the government said that these

demands may be a part of some future arrangement. It only decided to setup to a

consultative committee to discuss the issue.

41. Solution: d)

According to Buddhist philosophy, the world is transient (anicca) and constantly

changing; it is also soulless (anatta) as there is nothing permanent or eternal in it.

Within this transient world, sorrow (dukkha) is intrinsic to human existence. It is by

following the path of moderation between severe penance and self-indulgence that

human beings can rise above these worldly troubles. In the earliest forms of

Buddhism, whether or not god existed was irrelevant.

42. Solution: d)

Micro-organisms involved in biodegradation of organic matter in the receiving

water body consume a lot of oxygen, and as a result there is a sharp decline in

dissolved oxygen downstream from the point of sewage discharge. This causes

mortality of fish and other aquatic creatures.

Presence of large amounts of nutrients in waters also causes excessive growth of

planktonic (free-floating) algae, called an algal bloom which imparts a distinct colour

to the water bodies. Algal blooms cause deterioration of the water quality and fish

mortality. Some bloom-forming algae are extremely toxic to human beings and

animals.

43. Solution: a)

Gravity is always attractive, while electromagnetic force can be attractive or

repulsive. Another way of putting it is that mass comes only in one variety (there is

no negative mass), but charge comes in two varieties : positive and negative charge.

This is what makes all the difference. Matter is mostly electrically neutral (net charge



is zero). Thus, electric force is largely zero and gravitational force dominates

terrestrial phenomena. Electric force manifests itself in atmosphere where the atoms

are ionised and that leads to lightning.

44. Solution: b)

You already know the features of Terrace farming as mentioned in the question.

Others are:

Contour barriers: Stones, grass, soil are used to build barriers along contours.

Trenches are made in front of the barriers to collect water.

Contour ploughing: Ploughing parallel to the contours of a hill slope to form a natural

barrier for water to flow down the slope.

Shelter belts: In the coastal and dry regions, rows of trees are planted to check the

wind movement to protect soil cover.

45. Solution: d)

The mineral deposits in North America are located in three zones: the Canadian

region north of the Great Lakes, the Appalachian region and the mountain ranges of

the west. Iron ore, nickel, gold, uranium and copper are mined in the Canadian

Shield Region, coal in the Appalachians region. Western Cordilleras have vast

deposits of copper, lead, zinc, gold and silver.

46. Solution: b)

Jute was also known as the Golden Fibre. It grows well on alluvial soil and requires

high temperature, heavy rainfall and humid climate. This crop is grown in the

tropical areas. India and Bangladesh are the leading producers of jute.

For cotton, bright sunshine is needed. For tea, a well-distributed rainfall is needed.

47. Solution: c)

The movement was confined to the Northern and Central India.



The revolt was patronised by Mughal king Bahadurshah Jafar. Immediately after the

revolt, to curb such tendencies later on, the British government enacted the GoI Act,

1935.

48. Solution: d)

The most important idea in Jainism is that the entire world is animated: even stones,

rocks and water have life. Non-injury to living beings, especially to humans,

animals, plants and insects, is central to Jaina philosophy. In fact the principle of

ahimsa, emphasised within Jainism, has left its mark on Indian thinking as a whole.

According to Jaina teachings, the cycle of birth and rebirth is shaped through karma.

Asceticism and penance are required to free oneself from the cycle of karma. This

can be achieved only by renouncing the world; therefore, monastic existence is a

necessary condition of salvation. Jaina monks and nuns took five vows: to abstain

from killing, stealing and lying; to observe celibacy; and to abstain from possessing

property.

49. Solution: d)

The energy emanating from within the earth is the main force behind endogenic

geomorphic processes. This energy is mostly generated by radioactivity, rotational

and tidal friction and primordial heat from the origin of the earth.

This energy due to geothermal gradients and heat flow from within induces

diastrophism and volcanism in the lithosphere. Due to variations in geothermal

gradients and heat flow from within, crustal thickness and strength, the action of

endogenic forces are not uniform and hence the tectonically controlled original

crustal surface is uneven.

50. Solution: d)

EI-Nino is a complex weather system that appears once every three to seven years,

bringing drought, floods and other weather extremes to different parts of the world.

The system involves oceanic and atmospheric phenomena with the appearance of

warm currents off the coast of Peru in the Eastern Pacific and affects weather in

many places including India. EI-Nino is merely an extension of the warm equatorial

current which gets replaced temporarily by cold Peruvian current or Humbolt

current (locate these currents in your atlas). This current increases the temperature of

water on the Peruvian coast by 10C. This results in: (i) the distortion of equatorial



atmospheric circulation; (ii) irregularities in the evaporation of sea water; (iii)

reduction in the amount of planktons which further reduces the number of fish in

the sea.

EI-Nino is used in India for forecasting long range monsoon rainfall. In 1990-91,

there was a wild EI-Nino event and the onset of southwest monsoon was delayed

over most parts of the country ranging from five to twelve days.

51. Solution: b)

Policies like RKVY, Seed missions, technology missions have been launched without

the consent of states. However, any major legal change will require the consent of

states.

Recently, Maharashtra government has given nod to confined genetically modified

(GM) food trails in state.

In this regard, state government has granted no-objection certificates (NOC) for open

field trials of 5 genetically modified (GM) crops. They are rice, chana (chickpeas),

maize, brinjal and cotton.

52. Solution: d)

Article 13 gives Judiciary the power to review legislative acts and administrative

rules.

Article 19 gives citizens the freedom of free speech, expression etc. which can be

used to expose the wrongdoings of the government.

Article 21 safeguards the lives of the citizens against arbitrary executive action.

Article 32 gives judiciary the power to correct excesses that have led to the violation

of the fundamental rights of a citizen by the state.

53. Solution: c)

First statement can be seen in cases like Kesavananda Bharati case Basic structure

Doctrine; in other cases which enhanced the scope of Article 21 etc.



In all other cases of constitutional amendment, it is the Parliament and the state

legislatures that are involved in constitutional amendment via Article 368 of the

constitution.

54. Solution: a)

The following explains the essential differences between both systems.

55. Solution: d)

All the above functions can be devolved to the PRIs as per the 73rd amendment to the

constitution.

Social audits, financial scrutiny, taking care of local matters etc. are the major works

being done by Gram Sabhas in the country. They hold the Gram Panchayat

accountable till their 5 year term.

In fact, finalising BPL list has become very effective with participation from Gram

Sabha. It ensures that no undeserving candidate is declared BPL.



56. Solution: d)

India will provide fund of Rs 1500 crore to Nepals Pancheshwar multi-purpose

project on Mahakali river for countering the Kheri floods in Uttar Pradesh.

Pancheshwar multi-purpose project

It is located at Narayan Ghat of Dharchula on Mahakali River( also known

as Kali Ganga in Uttarakhand ) in Nepal.

After completion dam will be the second largest dam in the world with a

capacity of 6720 Mega Watt (MW) power production.

In case of power sharing, India has reached into an agreement with Nepal to

procure additional electricity produced by project.

This project will regulate and control the free flow of Karnali and Mohana

rivers which cause floods in Kheri, Pilibhit of Uttar Pradesh and other Terai

districts of northern India.

57. Solution: d)

In the initial phase, 12 heritage cities have been identified which will be rejuvenated

and developed under HRIDAY.

The 12 cities are: Amritsar, Varanasi, Gaya, Puri, Ajmer, Mathura, Dwarka, Badami,

Velankanni, Kanchipuram, Warangal and Amaravati.

HRIDAY- Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana

It aims to bring urban planning, economic growth and heritage conservation

together for heritage cities.

It also seeks beautification in an inclusive and integrated manner with focus

on cleanliness, livelihoods, skills, safety, security, accessibility and faster

service delivery of heritage cities.

Heritage management plan (HMP) will be prepared for the identified cities

which will outline heritage resources and develop policies to guide their

conservation, restoration, future use and development.

It will seek to improve last-mile connectivity heritage sites by documentation,

conservation of areas, providing more facilities for women, senior citizens

and differently abled citizens.



HRIDAY will be dovetailed with the Tourism Ministrys Pilgrimage

Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) scheme which has an

outlay of Rs 100 crore for augmentation of infrastructure at pilgrimage sites

across the country.

58. Solution: a)

When the Simon Commission arrived in India in 1928, it was greeted with the slogan

Go back Simon. All parties, including the Congress and the Muslim League,

participated in the demonstrations.

In an effort to win them over, the viceroy, Lord Irwin, announced in October 1929, a

vague offer of dominion status for India in an unspecified future, and a Round

Table Conference to discuss a future constitution. This did not satisfy the Congress

leaders. The radicals within the Congress, led by Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas

Chandra Bose, became more assertive. The liberals and moderates, who were

proposing a constitutional system within the framework of British dominion,

gradually lost their influence.

59. Solution: a)

Mahatma Gandhi found in salt a powerful symbol that could unite the nation. On 31

January 1930, he sent a letter to Viceroy Irwin stating eleven demands. Some of these

were of general interest; others were specific demands of different classes, from

industrialists to peasants. The idea was to make the demands wide-ranging, so that

all classes within Indian society could identify with them and everyone could be

brought together in a united campaign. The most stirring of all was the demand to

abolish the salt tax. Salt was something consumed by the rich and the poor alike, and

it was one of the most essential items of food. The tax on salt and the government

monopoly over its production, Mahatma Gandhi declared, revealed the most

oppressive face of British rule.

60. Solution: a)

First indigenously-built Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas was handed over to the

Indian Air Force (IAF) by Defence Minister.

It was handed over after it was granted Initial Operational Clearance (IOC)-II, which

signifies that aircraft is airworthy to fly in different conditions.



About Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas

Tejas is outcome of Indias LCA programme, which began in the 1983 to

replace countrys aging MiG-21 fighters.

It is a lightweight multi-role jet fighter indigenously-built by state-owned

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

It is a tailless and having compound delta wing design. It is powered by a

single engine.

It is mounted with inbuilt MultiMode Radar (MMR), Radar Warning Receiver

(RWR) systems.

As part of LCA programme, 20 aircraft will be built by 2017-2018, to make the

first squadron of the aircraft.

IOC-I was granted to the aircraft in January 2011 after it was built by HAL.

While, IOC- II was granted in September 2014, after the aircraft successfully

completed its maiden flight.

It is yet to receive the Final Operational Clearance (FOC) and excepted to

receive it by the year-end which includes testing mid-air refuelling and

its long-range missiles capabilities.

61. Solution: d)

According to Article 370, the concurrence of the State is required for making any

laws in matters mentioned in the Union and Concurrent lists.

The remaining differences between the other States and the State of J&K are that no

emergency due to internal disturbances can be declared in J&K without the

concurrence of the State. The union government cannot impose a financial

emergency in the State and the Directive Principles do not apply in J&K. Finally,

amendments to the Indian Constitution (under Art. 368) can only apply in

concurrence with the government of J&K.

62. Solution: b)

http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/modi-obama-seal-nuclear-agreement-

deal



63. Solution: d)

Some economists believe that once the technology is found profitable and is widely

adopted, subsidies should be phased out since their purpose has been served.

Further, subsidies are meant to benefit the farmers but a substantial amount of

fertiliser subsidy also benefits the fertiliser industry; and among farmers, the subsidy

largely benefits the farmers in the more prosperous regions. Therefore, it is argued

that there is no case for continuing with fertiliser subsidies; it does not benefit the

target group and it is a huge burden on the governments finances.

On the other hand, some believe that the government should continue with

agricultural subsidies because farming in India continues to be a risky business.

Most farmers are very poor and they will not be able to afford the required inputs

without subsidies. Eliminating subsidies will increase the inequality between rich

and poor farmers and violate the goal of equity. These experts argue that if subsidies

are largely benefiting the fertiliser industry and big farmers, the correct policy is not

to abolish subsidies but to take steps to ensure that only the poor farmers enjoy the

benefits.

64. Solution: d)

Some economists point out that subsidies do not allow prices to indicate the supply

of a good. When electricity and water are provided at a subsidised rate or free, they

will be used wastefully without any concern for their scarcity.

Farmers will cultivate water intensive crops if water is supplied free, although the

water resources in that region may be scarce and such crops will further deplete the

already scarce resources. If water is priced to reflect scarcity, farmers will cultivate

crops suitable to the region. Fertiliser and pesticide subsidies result in overuse of

resources which can be harmful to the environment. Subsidies provide an incentive

for wasteful use of resources. Think about subsidies in terms of incentives and ask

yourself whether it is wise from the economic viewpoint to provide free electricity to

farmers.

65. Solution: d)

In India, regulatory mechanisms were enforced in various ways (i) industrial

licensing under which every entrepreneur had to get permission from government

officials to start a firm, close a firm or to decide the amount of goods that could be

produced (ii) private sector was not allowed in many industries (iii) some goods



could be produced only in small scale industries and (iv) controls on price fixation

and distribution of selected industrial products. The reform policies introduced in

and after 1991 removed many of these restrictions. Industrial licensing was

abolished for almost all but product categories alcohol, cigarettes, hazardous

chemicals, industrial explosives, electronics, aerospace and drugs and

pharmaceuticals.

The only industries which are now reserved for the public sector are defence

equipments, atomic energy generation and railway transport. Many goods produced

by small scale industries have now been dereserved. In many industries, the market

has been allowed to determine the prices.

66. Solution: d)

It aims to spread awareness about the declining trend of Child Sex Ratio in

the country.

Objective: To prevent gender biased sex selective elimination by strict

enforcement of laws with stringent punishment to violators.

The Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD), is the nodal agency

for the implementation of the scheme. While, Centre has provided initial

corpus of 100 crore rupees for it.

It will be implemented in 100 districts of the country, including 12 districts of

Haryana.

In this regard, union government will try to ensure access and availability of

essential requirements related to nutrition, health-care, education, protection

and elimination of discrimination of girl child.

This scheme will also generate awareness and improve the efficiency of

delivery of welfare services meant for women.

67. Solution: d)

India has the largest area under cotton cultivation in the world covering 8,300

hectares in 200203. The low yield of 300 kg per hectare pushes it into third position

in production. High production costs, low and unstable yields, decline in world

prices, global glut in production due to subsidies by the U.S.A. and other countries,

and opening up of the domestic market due to globalisation have increased the



exposure of farmers and led to agrarian distress and suicides especially in the cotton

belt of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. The issue is not one of profits and higher

returns but that of the livelihood and survival of millions of small and marginal

farmers who are dependent on agriculture.

68. Solution: a)

Kudumbashree is a women-oriented community-based poverty reduction

programme being implemented in Kerala. In 1995, a thrift and credit society was

started as a small savings bank for poor women with the objective to encourage

savings. The thrift and credit society mobilised Rs 1 crore as thrift savings. These

societies have been acclaimed as the largest informal banks in Asia in terms of

participation and savings mobilised.

69. Solution: d)

Organic agriculture offers a means to substitute costlier agricultural inputs (such as

HYV seeds, chemical fertilisers, pesticides etc.) with locally produced organic inputs

that are cheaper and thereby generate good returns on investment. Organic

agriculture also generates income through exports as the demand for organically

grown crops is on a rise. Studies across countries have shown that organically grown

food has more nutritional value than chemical farming thus providing us with

healthy foods. Since organic farming requires more labour input than conventional

farming, India will find organic farming an attractive proposition. Finally, the

produce is pesticide-free and produced in an environmentally sustainable way.

70. Solution: a)

Self-explanatory. Moreover, women are generally discouraged from taking up

regular salaried jobs that involve a stay out of the home in the Indian patriarchal

society.

71. Solution: d)

Some of the challenges that Indias power sector faces today are

(i) Indias installed capacity to generate electricity is not sufficient to feed an annual

economic growth of 9 per cent. In order to meet the growing demand for electricity,



Indias commercial energy supply needs to grow at about 7 per cent. At present,

India is able to add only 20,000 MW a year. Even the installed capacity is under-

utilised because plants are not run properly

(ii) State Electricity Boards (SEBs), which distribute electricity, incur losses which

exceed Rs 500 billion. This is due to transmission and distribution losses, wrong

pricing of electricity and other inefficiencies. Some scholars also say that distribution

of electricity to farmers is the main reason for the losses; electricity is also stolen in

different areas which also adds to the woes of SEBs

(iii) private sector power generators are yet to play their role in a major way; same is

the case with foreign investors

(iv) there is general public unrest due to high power tariffs and prolonged power

cuts in different parts of the country

(v) thermal power plants which are the mainstay of Indias power sector are facing

shortage of raw material and coal supplies.

72. Solution: a)

Every currency notes bears on its face a promise from the Governor of RBI that if

someone produces the note to RBI, or any other commercial bank, RBI will be

responsible for giving the person purchasing power equal to the value printed on the

note. The same is also true of coins. Currency notes and coins are therefore called fiat

money. They do not have intrinsic value like a gold or silver coin. They are also

called legal tenders as they cannot be refused by any citizen of the country for

settlement of any kind of transaction. Cheques drawn on savings or current

accounts, however, can be refused by anyone as a mode of payment. Hence, demand

deposits are not legal tenders.

73. Solution: d)

Keeping reserves is costly for banks, as, otherwise, they could lend this balance to

interest earning investment projects. However, RBI requires commercial banks to

keep reserves in order to ensure that banks have a safe cushion of assets to draw on

when account holders want to be paid. SLR requires that a given fraction of their

total demand and time deposits in the form of specified liquid assets. Once its made

zero, they will have more to lend. But since SLR is generally held in form of

government issues bonds, government may face a scarcity of funds.



74. Solution: a)

Look up at the long discussion in Section 3.3.2 of 12th Macroeconomics NCERT.

From this you will understand that the total amount of money stock in the economy

is much greater than the volume of high powered money. Commercial banks create

this extra amount of money by giving out a part of their deposits as loans or

investment credits. The total amount of deposits held by all commercial banks in the

country is much larger than the total size of their reserves. If all the account-holders

of all commercial banks in the country want their deposits back at the same time, the

banks will not have enough means to satisfy the need of every accountholder and

there will be bank failures.

75. Solution: a)

RBI can affect the reserve deposit ratio of commercial banks by adjusting the value of

the bank rate which is the rate of interest commercial banks have to pay RBI if

they borrow money from it in case of shortage of reserves. A low (or high) bank rate

encourages banks to keep smaller (or greater) proportion of their deposits as

reserves, since borrowing from RBI is now less (or more) costly than before. As a

result banks use a greater (or smaller) proportion of their resources for giving out

loans to borrowers or investors, thereby enhancing (or depressing) the multiplier

process via assisting (or resisting) secondary money creation. In short, a low (or

high) bank rate reduces (or increases) rdr and hence increases (or decreases) the

value of the money multiplier, which is (1 + cdr)/(cdr + rdr). Thus, for any given

amount of high powered money, H, total money supply goes up.

76. Solution: c)

Weathering processes are conditioned by many complex geological, climatic,

topographic and vegetative factors. Climate is of particular importance. Not only

weathering processes differ from climate to climate, but also the depth of the

weathering mantle.



77. Solution: a)

The IVRS based application called Kilkari is being piloted under which audio

messages on maternal and child health care are being sent to pregnant women and

parents of children. A series of 18 health promotion and awareness generation

messages for pregnant women and parents of infants which have been specially

customised for each stage of pregnancy and the age of infant have been

professionally recorded in simple Hindi dialect and would be disseminated as audio

messages through mobiles to lakhs of pregnant women and parents of infants

particularly those residing in high priority districts of high focus States.

Another IVRS based application called Mobile Academy had been tested for training

of ASHAs and ANMs. These applications are proposed to be nationally rolled out by

15th August, 2015 to increase awareness and improve the health-seeking behavior of

pregnant women, parents of infants and to provide training to the health workers.

78. Solution: b)

Its very simple to understand. Article 74(1) clearly prescribes that the President is

bound by the advice of the council of Ministers. Whereas in the case of Governor, the

respective provision does not make the advice of the council of ministers in state

binding on him.

79. Solution: b)



80. Solution: c)

In winter months, the weather conditions over India are generally influenced by the

distribution of pressure in Central and Western Asia. A high pressure centre in the

region lying to the north of the Himalayas develops during winter. This centre of

high pressure gives rise to the flow of air at the low level from the north towards the

Indian subcontinent, south of the mountain range. The surface winds blowing out of

the high pressure centre over Central Asia reach India in the form of a dry

continental air mass. These continental winds come in contact with trade winds over

northwestern India. The position of this contact zone is not, however, stable.

Occasionally, it may shift its position as far east as the middle Ganga valley with the

result that the whole of the northwestern and northern India up to the middle Ganga

valley comes under the influence of dry northwestern winds. The variations in the

atmospheric pressure closer to the surface of the earth have no role to play in the

making of upper air circulation. All of Western and Central Asia remains under the



influence of westerly winds along the altitude of 9-13 km from west to east. These

winds blow across the Asian continent at latitudes north of the Himalayas roughly

parallel to the Tibetan highlands. These are known as jet streams. Tibetan highlands

act as a barrier in the path of these jet streams. As a result, jet streams get bifurcated.

81. Solution: d)

Interest payments come under revenue receipts since they are regular payments that

the government received on loans forwarded.

Borrowing from RBI creates debt on government.

82. Solution: a)

The borrowing requirement of the government includes interest obligations on

accumulated debt. The goal of measuring primary deficit is to focus on present fiscal

imbalances. To obtain an estimate of borrowing on account of current expenditures

exceeding revenues, we need to calculate what has been called the primary deficit. It

is simply the fiscal deficit minus the interest payments

Gross primary deficit = Gross fiscal deficit Net interest liabilities

Net interest liabilities consist of interest payments minus interest receipts by the

government on net domestic lending.

83. Solution: a)

Foreign exchange market is the market in which national currencies are traded for

one another. The major participants in this market are commercial banks, foreign

exchange brokers and other authorised dealers and the monetary authorities. It is

important to note that, although the participants themselves may have their own

trading centres, the market itself is world-wide. There is close and continuous

contact between the trading centres and the participants deal in more than one

market.

84. Solution: d)

While the prevalence of agriculture is indicated by finds of grain, it is more difficult

to reconstruct actual agricultural practices.



Most Harappan sites are located in semi-arid lands, where irrigation was probably

required for agriculture. Traces of canals have been found at the Harappan site of

Shortughai in Afghanistan, but not in Punjab or Sind. It is also likely that water

drawn from wells was used for irrigation. Besides, water reservoirs found in

Dholavira (Gujarat) may have been used to store water for agriculture.

85. Solution: d)

The basic philosophy of the Jainas was already in existence in north India before the

birth of Vardhamana, who came to be known as Mahavira, in the sixth century BCE.

According to Jaina tradition, Mahavira was preceded by 23 other teachers or

tirthankaras literally, those who guide men and women across the river of existence.

The Buddha (and other teachers) taught orally through discussion and debate. Men

and women (perhaps children as well) attended these discourses and discussed what

they heard. None of the Buddhas speeches were written down during his lifetime.

After his death (c. fifth-fourth century BCE) his teachings were compiled by his

disciples at a council of elders or senior monks at Vesali (Pali for Vaishali in

present-day Bihar). These compilations were known as Tipitaka literally, three

baskets to hold different types of texts.

86. Solution: d)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiversity_hotspot#Distribution_by_region

87. Solution: d)

The existing mechanism for determining the Poverty Line also does not take into

consideration social factors that trigger and perpetuate poverty such as illiteracy, ill

health, lack of access to resources, discrimination or lack of civil and political

freedoms. The aim of poverty alleviation schemes should be to improve human lives

by expanding the range of things that a person could be and could do, such as to be

healthy and well-nourished, to be knowledgeable and participate in the life of a

community.

There are many factors, other than income and assets, which are associated with

poverty; for instance, the accessibility to basic education, health care, drinking water

and sanitation. They need to be considered to develop Poverty Line.



88. Solution: d)

Some Recommendations of Shanta Kumar Committee

On procurement related issues:

FCI should hand over all procurement operations of wheat, paddy and rice to

Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and

Punjab as they have sufficient experience and reasonable infrastructure for

procurement.

FCI procurement should focus on eastern belt, where farmers do not get

minimum support price.

On stocking and movement related issues:

FCI should outsource its stocking operations to various agencies such as

Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC), State Warehousing Corporation

(SWC), Private Sector under Private Entrepreneur Guarantee (PEG) scheme.

It should be done on competitive bidding basis, inviting various stakeholders

and creating competition to bring down costs of storage.

Movement of grains should be containerized in order to reduce transit losses.

While, railways should have faster turn-around-time by having more

mechanized facilities.

NFSA and PDS related issues

Restructuring the National Food Security Act (NFSA) by virtually diluting its

scope and coverage from 67 per cent of population to about 40 per cent

population.

In order to curtail leakages in PDS, government should defer implementation

of NFSA in states that have not done end to end computerization.

End to end computerization:

It recommends end to end computerization of the entire food management

system, starting from procurement from farmers, to stocking, movement and

finally distribution through PDS.

It will help for real time basis monitoring in order to curb leakages



89. Solution: b)

In 1860, Julius von Sachs, a prominent German botanist, demonstrated, for the first

time, that plants could be grown to maturity in a defined nutrient solution in

complete absence of soil. This technique of growing plants in a nutrient solution is

known as hydroponics. It has been successfully employed as a technique for the

commercial production of vegetables such as tomato, seedless cucumber and lettuce.

It must be emphasised that the nutrient solutions must be adequately aerated to

obtain the optimum growth.

90. Solution: d)

The plant growth regulators (PGRs) are small, simple molecules of diverse chemical

composition. They could be indole compounds (indole-3-acetic acid, IAA); adenine

derivatives (N6-furfurylamino purine, kinetin), derivatives of carotenoids (abscisic

acid, ABA); terpenes (gibberellic acid, GA3) or gases (ethylene, C2H4). Plant growth

regulators are variously described as plant growth substances, plant hormones or

phytohormones in literature.

The PGRs can be broadly divided into two groups based on their functions in a

living plant body. One group of PGRs are involved in growth promoting activities,

such as cell division, cell enlargement, pattern formation, tropic growth, flowering,

fruiting and seed formation. These are also called plant growth promoters, e.g.,

auxins, gibberellins and cytokinins. The PGRs of the other group play an important

role in plant responses to wounds and stresses of biotic and abiotic origin. They are

also involved in various growth inhibiting activities such as dormancy and

abscission. The PGR abscisic acid belongs to this group. The gaseous PGR, ethylene,

could fit either of the groups, but it is largely an inhibitor of growth activities.



91. Solution: c)

Innate immunity is non-specific type of defence, that is present at the time of birth.

This is accomplished by providing different types of barriers to the entry of the

foreign agents into our body. Innate immunity consist of four types of barriers.

These are

(i) Physical barriers : Skin on our body is the main barrier which prevents entry of

the micro-organisms. Mucus coating of the epithelium lining the respiratory,

gastrointestinal and urogenital tracts also help in trapping microbes entering our

body.

(ii) Physiological barriers : Acid in the stomach, saliva in the mouth, tears from

eyesall prevent microbial growth.

(iii) Cellular barriers : Certain types of leukocytes (WBC) of our body like

polymorpho-nuclear leukocytes (PMNL-neutrophils) and monocytes and natural

killer (type of lymphocytes) in the blood as well as macrophages in tissues can

phagocytose and destroy microbes.

(iv) Cytokine barriers : Virus-infected cells secrete proteins called interferons which

protect non-infected cells from further viral infection.

92. Solution: d)

He was particularly fascinated with the trading conditions in India, and compared

India to Iran and the Ottoman empire.

Bernier travelled to several parts of the country, and wrote accounts of what he saw,

frequently comparing what he saw in India with the situation in Europe. He

dedicated his major writing to Louis XIV, the king of France, and many of his other

works were written in the form of letters to influential officials and ministers. In

virtually every instance Bernier described what he saw in India as a bleak situation

in comparison to developments in Europe. This assessment was not always accurate.

However, when his works were published, Berniers writings became extremely

popular.

93. Solution: a)

Some of the earliest bhakti movements (c. Sixth century) were led by the Alvars

(literally, those who are immersed in devotion to Vishnu) and Nayanars (literally,



leaders who were devotees of Shiva). They travelled from place to place singing

hymns in Tamil in praise of their gods.

During their travels the Alvars and Nayanars identified certain shrines as abodes of

their chosen deities. Very often large temples were later built at these sacred places.

These developed as centres of pilgrimage. Singing compositions of these poet-saints

became part of temple rituals in these shrines, as did worship of the saints images.

Some historians suggest that the Alvars and Nayanars initiated a movement of

protest against the caste system and the dominance of Brahmanas or at least

attempted to reform the system. To some extent this is corroborated by the fact that

bhaktas hailed from diverse social backgrounds ranging from Brahmanas to artisans

and cultivators and even from castes considered untouchable.

94. Solution: a)

The Health Ministry has introduced web-based name based tracking system called

Mother & Child Tracking System (MCTS) across all the States and UTs in 2010 to

facilitate timely delivery of antenatal and postnatal care services to all the pregnant

women and immunization to all the children. The system captures personal details

such as name, address, mobile number etc., of every pregnant woman and child up

to five years of age.

A total of over 14 crore pregnant women and children, besides 2.24 lakh Auxiliary

Nurse Midwives (ANMs) and 9.31 Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) have

been registered in MCTS till now. The MCTS aims to ensure that every pregnant

woman gets complete and quality antenatal and postnatal care, and every child

receives the full range of immunization services. Under MCTS, appropriate health

promotion messages to beneficiaries that are relevant according to the month of

pregnancy or date of birth of the child are being sent on mobiles of beneficiaries.

95. Solution: a)

Objectives of the Home Rule League movement

To establish self- government

To build up an agitation for home rule by promoting political education and

discussion.

To build the confidence of the Indians against the suppression of the British

government and to create an alternative movement to break the existing state

of stagnation and the inertia.



To revive the political activity on their own while maintaining the principles

of congress.

To demand for greater political representation from the British government.

96. Solution: d)

http://www.facts-about-india.com/surat-split.php

97. Solution: d)

After arriving in India, Mahatma Gandhi successfully organised satyagraha

movements in various places. In 1916 he travelled to Champaran in Bihar to inspire

the peasants to struggle against the oppressive plantation system. Then in 1917, he

organised a satyagraha to support the peasants of the Kheda district of Gujarat.

Affected by crop failure and a plague epidemic, the peasants of Kheda could not pay

the revenue, and were demanding that revenue collection be relaxed. In 1918,

Mahatma Gandhi went to Ahmedabad to organise a satyagraha movement amongst

cotton mill workers.

98. Solution: a)

Gandhiji in 1919 decided to launch a nationwide satyagraha against the proposed

Rowlatt Act (1919). This Act had been hurriedly passed through the Imperial

Legislative Council despite the united opposition of the Indian members. It gave the

government enormous powers to repress political activities, and allowed detention

of political prisoners without trial for two years. Mahatma Gandhi wanted non-

violent civil disobedience against such unjust laws, which would start with a hartal

on 6 April.

99. Solution: d)



Not all social groups were moved by the abstract concept of swaraj. One such group

was the nations untouchables, who from around the 1930s had begun to call

themselves dalit or oppressed. For long the Congress had ignored the dalits, for fear

of offending the sanatanis, the conservative high-caste Hindus. But Mahatma Gandhi

declared that swaraj would not come for a hundred years if untouchability was not

eliminated. He called the untouchables harijan, or the children of God, organised

satyagraha to secure them entry into temples, and access to public wells, tanks,

roads and schools.

He himself cleaned toilets to dignify the work of the bhangi (the sweepers), and

persuaded upper castes to change their heart and give up the sin of untouchability.

But many dalit leaders were keen on a different political solution to the problems of

the community.

They began organising themselves, demanding reserved seats in educational

institutions, and a separate electorate that would choose dalit members for

legislative councils. Political empowerment, they believed, would resolve the

problems of their social disabilities. Dalit participation in the Civil Disobedience

Movement was therefore limited, particularly in the Maharashtra and Nagpur

region where their organisation was quite strong.

Dr B.R. Ambedkar, who organised the dalits into the Depressed Classes Association

in 1930, clashed with Mahatma Gandhi at the second Round Table Conference by

demanding separate electorates for dalits.

100. Solution: c)

Early Buddhist teachings had given great importance to self-effort in achieving

nibbana. Besides, the Buddha was regarded as a human being who attained

enlightenment and nibbana through his own efforts. However, gradually the idea of a

saviour emerged. It was believed that he was the one who could ensure salvation.

Simultaneously, the concept of the Bodhisatta also developed. Bodhisattas were

perceived as deeply compassionate beings who accumulated merit through their

efforts but used this not to attain nibbana and thereby abandon the world, but to help

others. The worship of images of the Buddha and Bodhisattas became an important

part of this tradition.

This new way of thinking was called Mahayana literally, the great vehicle.

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Test 13 Solutions1