IAS Prelims 2016 paper I practice set - I

Number of questions: 5
Total marks : 10
Time : 5 minutes

(Note : For each wrong answer, one-third of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted as penalty)

Q.1. Digambar Biswas and Bishnu Biswas were associated with which of the following revolt?
a. Kuka revolt
b. Santhals uprising
c. Indigo revolt
d. None of the above

Q.2. With reference to Sukanya Samruddhi account program, which of the following statement is/are correct?
1. The scheme aims to ensure a bright future for the girl children by facilitating their education and marriage expenses.
2. Under this scheme, a parent or legal guardian can open an account in the name of the girl child until she attains the age of 14 years.
a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both 1 and 2
d. Neither 1 nor 2

Q.3. Consider the following statements
1. Cabinet secretary is the ex officio chairman of the civil services board.
2. The cabinet secretariat is under the direct charge of the president.
Which of the above statement is/are correct?
a. 1 only
b. 2 only
c. Both 1 and 2
d. Neither 1 nor 2

Q.4. Who among the following took the unprecedented step of organizing the first walk out in India's legislative history?
a. Bal Gangadhar Tilak
b. Dadabhai Naoroji
c. Pherozeshah Mehta
d. Rash Behari Ghosh

Q.5. Who among the following was the author of the book "Indian Unrest" published in the year 1910?
a. Bal Gangadhar tilak
b. Valentine chirol
c. Annie Besant
d. Dadabhai Naoroji


For answers: clcik here

Indian Polity: Previous questions of IAS prelims 2011

Q.1. The constitution (seventy-third amendment) act, 1992, which aims at promoting the panchayati raj institutions in the country, Provides for which of the following?
1. Constitution of district planning committees
2. State Election commission to conduct all Panchayat elections
3. Establishment of state Finance commission
select the correct answer using the codes below.
a. 1 only
b. 1 and 2 only
c. 2 and 3 only
d. 1,2 and 3

Q.2. In India, if a religious sect/community is given the status of a national minority, what special status it is entitled to?
1. It can establish and administer exclusive educational institutions.
2. The president of India automatically nominates a representative of the community to Lok Sabha.
3. It can derive the benefits from the Prime Minister's 15 point programme.
Which of the statement is/are correct?
a. 1 only
b. 2 and 3 only
c. 1 and 3 only
d. 1,2 and 3

Q.3.The authorization for the withdrawal of funds from the consolidated fund of India must come from
a. The president of India
b. The parliament
c. The Prime Minister
d. The Union Finance minister

IAS prelims tips: Indian Polity

Q.4. All revenues received by the Union government by way of taxes and other receipts for the conduct of Government business are credited to the
a. Contingency fund of India
b. Public fund
c. Consolidated fund of India
d. Deposits and Advances fund

Q.5. Under the constitution of India, which one of the following is not a fundamental duty?
a. To vote in public elections
b. To develop the scientific temper
c. To safeguard public property
d. To abide by the constitution and respect its ideals

Q.6 With reference to finance commission of India, which of the following statements is/are correct?
a. It encourages the inflow of foreign capital for infrastructure development
b. It facilitates the proper distribution of finances among the Public sector undertakings
c. It ensures transparency in financial administration
d. None of the statements is correct

Q.7 Consider the following statements
In India a metropolitan planning committee
1. is constituted under the provisions of Indian constitution.
2. Prepares the draft development plans for metropolitan area.
3. has the sole responsibility for implementing Government sponsored schemes in the metropolitan area.
Which of the given above statement is/are correct?
a. 1 and 2 only
b. 2 only
c. 1 and 3 only
d. 1,2 and 3

History - VI NCERT chapter 7 key points

Gautama Buddha:

• Also Known as Siddhartha.
• He was a kshatriya and belongs to sakya gana.
• He attained enlightenment under peepal tree at BodhGaya in Bihar.
• He gave his first sermon at Sarnath.
• He taught life is full of sufferings because of desires which he called tanha.
• He taught in the language of common people, prakrit.
• He passed away in kusinara.

Upanishads:

• Upanishad literally means "approaching and sit near"
• These are the texts about the conversations between teachers and students.
• Most of the upanishad thinkers were men.
• Garbi was a famous woman upanishad thinker.
•  Satyakama Jabala was a slave accepted by a brahmin teacher gautama. Jabala was named after his mother Jabali. Jabala became a great thinker.
•  Panini was famous as he prepared grammar for sanskrit.

Mahavira:

•  Vardhamana Mahavira was a kshatriya prince.
•  He belongs to Vajji Sangha.
•  He also taught his teachings in Prakrit.
•  Followers of Mahavira became known as Jains.
•  The word Jaina derived from the term Jina which means Conqueror.

Sangha:

•  Those who left their homes to gain true knowledge were lived in associations known as Sangha.
•  Vinaya Pittaka prescribes the rules made for Buddhist sanghas.
•  Both Men and Women can join sangha.
•  Men were called Bhikkus while women were called bhikkunis.

Monastries or viharas:

•  Bhikkus and bhikkunis used to stay in viharas which were made of wood or bricks and caves dug in the hills.

Ashramas:

•  Brahmins developed 4 ashramas system which represents the stage of life.They were brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha and Sannyasa

Zooraster:

•  He was an Iranian Prophet.
•  His teachings were recorded in a book called Avestha.
•  The basic teachings of Zooraster contained in the maxim"Good thoughts, Good words and Good deeds".
•  Zoorastrianism was a major religion in Iran.
•  Many Zoorastrians migrated from Iran and settled in the coastal towns of Gujarat and Maharashtra.
•  They were the ancestors of today's Parsis.

India's freedom struggle - Home rule Movement

On 16 June 1914, Bal Gangadhar Tilak was released after serving a prison sentence of six years.

After releasing from jail, Tilak concentrated all his attention on seeking readmission for himself and other extremists, into the Indian National congress.

Annie Besant had come to India in 1893 to work for the Theosophical society.

Since 1907, she had been spreading the message of Theosophy from her headquarters in Adyar, a suburb of Madras.

In 1914, Annie Besant decided to enlarge the sphere of her activities to include the building of a movement for Home Rule on the lines of the Irish Home rule league.

In early 1915, Annie Besant launched a campaign through her two papers, New India and Common Weal, and organized Public meetings and conferences to demand that India be granted self government on the lines of the white colonies after the war.

At the annual session of the congress in 1915 it was decided that the extremists be allowed to rejoin the congress.

Tilak formed the home rule league at the Bombay provincial conference held at Belgaum in April 1916.

Jamnadas Dwarakadas, Shankerlal Banker and Indulal Yagnik set up a Bombay paper Young India and launched All India Propaganda fund to Publish pamphlets in regional languages and in English.

In September 1916, Annie Besant announced the formation of her Home rule league, with George Arundale, her theosophical follower, as the Organizing secretary.

Tilak’s Home Rule league was to work in Maharashtra(exclusing Bombay), Karnataka, central provinces and Berar whereas Annie besant Home rule league was to work rest of India.

Jawaharlal Nehru in Allahabad joined the Home rule league.

The Lucknow session of Indian National congress in 1916 was significant for the famous Congress League pact, popularly known as the Lucknow Pact.

In June 1917 the Government of Madras decided to arrest Annie Besant and Arundale,  B.P.Wadia. This led to a protest nation wide. In a dramatic gesture, Sir S.Subramania Aiyer renounced his Knighthood.

At a meeting of the AICC on 28 July, 1917, Tilak advocated to use passive resistance or civil disobedience if the Government refused to release the internees.

On August 20, 1917, Secretary of state for India, Montagu made a declaration after which the demand for home rule or self government could no longer be treated as seditious.

Annie Besant was released in September 1917.

Annie Besant was elected President at the annual session of the congress in December 1917.

In 1918 Tilak decided to go to England to pursue the libel case that he had filed against Valentine Chirol, the author of Indian unrest.

India's Freedom struggle: Pherozeshah Mehta & Gopalkrishna Gokhale

Pherozeshah Mehta:

-         A congress Moderate leader.

-         He came under the influence of Dadabhai Naoroji while studying law in London.

-         He was one of the founders of the Bombay presidency Association.

-         His first major intervention in the Imperial Legislative Council came in January 1895 on a Bill for the amendment of the Police act of 1861.

-         Pherozeshah Mehta along with Gokhale, Parekh, Bala Chandra Krishna and D.A.Khare took the unprecedented step of organizing the first walk out in India’s legislative history.

-         He retired from council in 1901 due to bad health.

Gopala Krishna Gokhale:

-         He had been trained in Indian economics by Justice ranade and G.V. Joshi.

-         He made his mark as the secretary of the poona Sarvajanik Sabha.

-         He was the editor of the sudharak.

-         In 1897 he stood as a witness in London before the Royal commission on expenditure in India.

-         He established himself as the greatest parliamentarian with his very first budget speech on 26 March 1902.

-         B.R.Nanda, biographer of Gokhale’s story.

-         B.G.Tilak was his political opponent. When Gokhale died Tilak said “This diamond of india, this jewel of Maharashtra, this prince of workers, is taking eternal rest on the funeral ground.

-         Mahatma Gandhi declared G.K.Gokhale as his political guru.

Source: Key points compiled from India's struggle for Independence by Bipan chandra chapter 9.

India's Freedom struggle - Civil Rebellions and Tribal Uprisings

- The series of civil rebellions were often led by deposed rajas and nawabs or their descendants, uprooted and impoverished zamindars, landlords and poligars(landed military magnates  in south India).

- The major cause of all these civil rebellions taken as a whole was the rapid changes the british introduced in the economy, administration and land revenue system.

- Another major cause of the rebellions was the very foreign character of British rule.

- From 1763 to 1856, there were more than forty major rebellions.

- Displaced peasants and demobilized soldiers of Bengal led by religious monks and dispossessed zamindars were the first to rise up in the sanyasi rebellion made famous by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in his novel Anand Math, that lasted from 1763 to 1800.

- Chuar uprising took place in five districts of Bengal and Bihar from 1766 to 1772 and then again from 1795 to 1816.

- In South India, the Raja of Vizianagaram revolted in 1794, the poligars of tamil nadu during 1790’s.

- Dewan velu Thampi of Travancore organized a heroic revolt in 1805. He was publicly hanged even after he was dead.

- Bhil uprising took place during 1818 – 1831.

- The Kittur uprising, led by Chinnava, took place in 1824.

- The sattara uprising took placein 1841.

- Among the numerous tribal revolts, the santhal uprising was the most massive.

- The santhals who live in the area between Bhagalpur and rajmahal, known as Daman-i- Koh, rose in revolt; made a determined attempt to expel the outsiders – the dikhus – and proclaimed the complete annihilation of the alien regime.

- The santhal tribal heads were called as majhis and parganites.

- The kols of chottanagpur rebelled from 1820 to 1837.

- The hill tribesmen of Rampa in coastal Andhra revolted in March 1879 against the depredations of the government – supported mansabdars and the new restrictive forest regulations.

- The rebellion of the Munda tribesmen, led by Birsa Munda, Occurred during 1899-1900.

- Birsa, born in a poor share copper household in 1874, declared himself to be a divine messenger. In 1899 he proclaimed a rebellion to establish Munda rule in the land and encouraged the killing. He was captured in 1900 and he died in jail in June 1900.

Source: Compiled from India's struggle for Independence chapter 2(Civil Rebellions and Tribal Uprisings).

sukanya samriddhi account scheme

The Government of India launched Sukanya Samriddhi Account scheme.

This scheme aims to ensure a bright future for the girl children by facilitating their education and marriage expenses.

Under the scheme, a parent or legal guardian can open an account in the name of the girl child until she attains the age of 10 years.

The account can be opened in any post office branch and designated public sector banks.

The rate of interest for the scheme is 9.2 percent which will be compounded annually.

The minimum deposit that needs to be made every year is Rs. 1000 and the maximum amount that can be deposited in a year is Rs. 1,50,000.

The account will be valid for 21 years from the date of opening.

Deposits can be made upto 14 years from the date of opening of the account.

The deposits made to the account, and also the proceeds and maturity amount would be fully exempted from tax under section 80 c of the income tax act.

The girl child in whose name the account has been opened can operate the amount on her after she attains the age of 10 years.

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Geography : X NCERT chapter 2 key points

•         Based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), we can classify as follows –
• ·        Normal Species: Species whose population levels are considered to be normal for their survival, such as cattle, sal, pine, rodents, etc.
• ·        Endangered Species: These are species which are in danger of extinction. The survival of such species is difficult if the negative factors that have led to a decline in their population continue to operate. The examples of such species are black buck, crocodile, Indian wild ass, Indian rhino, lion tailed macaque, sangai (brow anter deer in Manipur), etc.
• ·        Vulnerable Species: These are species whose population has declined to levels from where it is likely to move into the endangered category in the near future if the negative factors continue to operate. The examples of such species are blue sheep, Asiatic elephant, Gangetic dolphin, etc.
• ·        Rare Species: Species with small population may move into the endangered or vulnerable category if the negative factors affecting them continue to operate. The examples of such species are the Himalayan brown bear, wild Asiatic buffalo, desert fox and hornbill, etc.
• ·        Endemic Species: These are species which are only found in some particular areas usually isolated by natural or geographical barriers. Examples of such species are the Andaman teal, Nicobar pigeon, Andaman wild pig, mithun in Arunchal Pradesh.
• ·        Extinct Species: These are species which are not found after searches of known or likely areas where they may occur. A species may be extinct from a local area, region, country, continent or the entire earth. Examples of such species are the Asiatic cheetah, pink head duck.
• ·        The world’s fastest land mammal, the cheetah (Acinonyx jubantus), is a unique and specialised member of the cat family and can move at the speed of 112 km./hr. Today, the Asian cheetah is nearly extinct due to a decline of available habitat and prey. The species was declared extinct in India long back in 1952.
• ·        Between 1951 and 1980, according to the Forest Survey of India, over 26,200 sq. km. of forest area was converted into agricultural land all over India. Substantial parts of the tribal belts, especially in the northeastern and central India, have been deforested or degraded by shifting cultivation (jhum), a type of ‘slash and burn’ agriculture.
• ·        The Himalayan Yew (Taxus wallachiana) is a medicinal plant found in various parts of Himachal Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh. A chemical compound called ‘taxol’ is extracted from the bark, needles, twigs and roots of this tree, and it has been successfully used to treat some cancers – the drug is now the biggest selling anti-cancer drug in the world.
• ·        Habitat destruction, hunting, poaching, over-exploitation, environmental pollution, poisoning and forest fires are factors, which have led to the decline in India’s biodiversity.
• ·        The Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act was implemented in 1972, with various provisions for protecting habitats.
• ·        The central government also announced several projects for protecting specific animals, which were gravely threatened, including the tiger, the one horned rhinoceros, the Kashmir stag or hangul, three types of crocodiles – fresh water crocodile, saltwater crocodile and the Gharial, the Asiatic lion, and others. Most recently, the Indian elephant, black buck (chinkara), the great Indian bustard (godawan) and the snow leopard, etc. have been given full or partial legal protection against hunting and trade throughout India.
• ·        “Project Tiger”, one of the wellpublicised wildlife campaigns in the world, was launched in 1973.
• ·        The famous Chipko movement in the Himalayas has not only successfully resisted deforestation in several areas but has also shown that community afforestation with indigenous species can be enormously successful.
• ·        In India joint forest management (JFM) programme furnishes a good example for involving local communities in the management and restoration of degraded forests. The programme has been in formal existence since 1988 when the state of Odisha passed the first resolution for joint forest management.

IAS prelims preparation tips : Indian Polity

aspirantsclass team recommends only one book for the preparation of Indian Polity i.e. Indian Polity for civil services examination by M.Laxmikanth.
Highly recommended book. 

                                            To buy online   click here
This book has been divided into 11 parts:

Part - I - Historical background of the constitution, Making of the constitution, preamble, fundamental rights, fundamental duties, directive principles of state policy, salient features, citizenship

Part -II Parliamentary system, Federal system, Emergency provisions, center - state relations, Inter state relations

Part - III  President, Vice president, Prime Minister and central council of ministers

part - IV  Governor, Chief minister

Part - V  Panchayati Raj and Municipalities

Part - VI Union territories, Scheduled and tribal areas

Part - VII  Constitutional bodies

Part - VIII Non constitutional bodies

Part - IX  Public services, anti defection law, tribunals

Part - X National integration, foreign policy, pressure groups, political parties, elections

Part - XI National commission's plan to examine the constitution's working. 

Read - INDIAN NATIONAL MOVEMENT PREPARATION FOR IAS PRELIMS

IAS prelims preparation tips: Economic geography

In Preliminary examination , India and World Geography syllabus includes

a. Physical Geography

b. Economic Geography

c. Social Geography

Read:   Physical Geography Preparation tips

Now in this post we will see what all topics come under Economic geography. 

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Contents:

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1. Agriculture - cropping patterns, Important crops, Agricultural regions, agriculture marketing etc.

2. Land resources

3. Water resources

4. Mineral resources

5. Industries 

6. Transport - Railways, Road, Waterways, Airways

7. Foreign trade

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Sources of Preparation:

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A. NCERT Class VIII Geography - Resources and Development

B. NCERT Class X Geography  

C. NCERT class XII Geography - India People and Economy

The above three books are very important for the preparation of economic geography. Following articles and news on these topics is also important. 

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Model questions:

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Q.1. Consider the following crops of India:

1. Groundnut

2. Sesamum

3. Pearl millet

Which of the above is/are predominantly rainfed crop/crops

a. 1 and 2 only

b. 2 and 3 only

c. 3 only

d. 1,2 and 3

Q.2 Consider the following pairs:

1. Kinnaur  :    Arecanut

2. Mewat   : Mango

3. Coromondel : Soyabean

Which of the above pairs is/ are correctly matched?

a. 1 and 2 only

b. 3 only

c. 1,2 and 3

d. None

Combined Defence services examination: Scheme and syllabus

Combined Defence Services examination is conducted by Union Public Service Commission for the admission of candidates into Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy , Air Force Academy, officers training academy (Short Service Commission).

UPSC announces the notification for this examination twice in a year.

The examination consists of two stages

1. Stage I - Written examination

2. Stage II - Intelligence and Personality Test

For admission into Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy and Air force Academy, the written examination is as follows:
a. General Knowledge ........ 100 marks.......................2hours
b. English............................ 100 marks.......................2 hours
c.Elementary Mathematics....100 marks.......................2 hours

For admission into Officers Training Academy, the written examination is as follows:
a. General Knowledge...100 marks....................... 2hours
b. English......................100 marks....................... 2hours

Syllabus : 
The syllabus for English and General Knowledge is broad in nature. In English they will test the understanding of English and workmanlike use of words. In General knowledge - Current Affairs, general Science, Indian history and Geography.  For elementary mathematics, syllabus is clearly mentioned topic wise in the notification. We will publish all the topics of mathematics in a separate post along with preparation plan.

This year in the month of July UPSC will announce notification for CDS. Examination will be on October 23, 2016.

Coming soon:   Study Plan for Combined Defence Service Examination.

Download Indian History NCERT VI to VIII study material - Rs.40

NCERT VI to VIII History deals with Indian History(Ancient, Medieval and Modern). This study material contains key points from all the chapters of VI to VIII NCERT books of History. 
------------
Contents:
------------
Key Points from
VI NCERT - Our Pasts I
VII NCERT - Our Pasts II
VIII NCERT - Our pasts III (part I) 
VIII NCERT - Our pasts III (Part II)

Total number of pages - 42

Available format - PDF

Price - Rs.40 (To purchase - click here )

Note: This study material is highly useful for exams such as Railway recruitment board, Food Corporation of India, Staff selection commission combined graduate level examination, combined higher secondary level exam, Combined defence services, Indian Air Force Common Admission test and many more.

IAS Prelims Preparation tips: Economic and Social Development

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT:

 In syllabus it was given as Economic and Social Development - Sustainable development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social sector initiatives.

1. First complete NCERT books of IX, X, XI, and XII.

IX - Economics - 4 chapters
X - Understanding Economic Development - 5 chapters
XI - Indian Economic Development - 10 chapters
XII - Introductory Macroeconomics - 6 chapters

Altogether there are 25 chapters.

2. Make note of key points mentioned in the UNION BUDGET 2016-17 (all the finance/economic terms mentioned in the budget are highly important)

3. Read about Finance commission and recommendations of latest finance commission

4. Financial relations between center and state

5. There are 5 important chapters (Chapters 6,7,13,14 and 23) related to economics  in India 2016 Reference Annual.

6. Follow Finance / Economy News (The Hindu / Business standard / Live Mint )

7. Read Economic survey 2015-16 Volume 2

8. Make detailed notes on Social Sector schemes announced by the government for the welfare of Women, child, Minorities, elderly, disabled, labour, poor etc

9. Sustainable development can be covered in Environmental ecology, biodiversity and climate change part of the syllabus.

10 . Demographics can be covered under Social geography

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Previous questions:
---------------------------

Q.1. The terms Marginal standing facility Rate and Net Demand and time liabilities are used in relation to
a. banking operations
b. communications netwworking
c. Military strategies
d. supply and demand of agricultural products

Q.2. Disguised unemployment generally means 
a. Large number of people remain unemployed
b. Alternative unemployment is unavailable
c. Marginal productivity of labour is Zero
d. Productivity of workers is low.

Q.3. To obtain full benefits of  demographic dividend, what should India do?
a. Promoting skill development
b. Introducing more social security schemes
c. Reducing infant mortality rate
d. Privatization of higher education

IAS prelims preparation tips: Physical Geography

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY:

If you see the geography syllabus of preliminary examination it is mentioned as Physical, Social and Economic geography of India and the World. 

Read:  Economic geography preparation tips for IAS prelims

In this post let us see how to prepare Physical geography of India and the World.

First of all let us see some previous questions asked from physical geography,

Q.1. Climate is extreme, rainfall is scanty and the people used to be nomadic herders.
The above statement best describes which of the following regions?
a. African Savannah
b. Central Asian steppe
c. North American Prairie
d. Siberian Tundra

Q.2. Which one of the following pairs of islands is separated from each other by the "Ten degree channel"?
a. Andaman and Nicobar
b. Nicobar and Sumatra
c. Maldives and Lakshadweep
d. Sumatra and Java

Q.3 Westerlies in southern hemisphere are stronger and persistent than in northern hemisphere. Why?
1. Southern hemisphere has less landmass as compared to northern hemisphere.
2. Coriolis force is higher in southern hemisphere as compared to northern hemisphere.
which of the given above statement is/are correct?
a. 1 only
b. 2 only
c. Both 1 and 2
d. Neither 1 nor 2

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What are the topics to learn under physical geography?
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1. India - Size and Location
2. India and its neighbours
3. India's physical features
4. India's drainage
5. India's climate
6. India's soils
7. National hazards and disasters
8. The origin and evolution of earth
9. Interior of the earth
10. Continents and Ocean basins
11. Rocks
12. Earthquakes
13. Volcanic activities
14. Mountain building
15. Plateau
16. Plains
17. Weathering
18. Mass movements
19. Endogenetic movements of the Earth
20. Landforms made by running water
21. landforms of glaciation
22. Arid or desert landforms
23. Limestone and chalk landforms
24. Coastal landforms
25. Lakes
26. Ocean tides and currents
27. Atmosphere
28.Air masses
29. Cyclones and anticyclones
30.Weather and climate
31. Classification of climates and climatic types


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------What are the sources required for the preparation of physical geography?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A. NCERT IX - Contemporary India I
B. NCERT XI - India Physical Environment
C. NCERT XI - Fundamentals of Physical Geography
D. Goh Cheng Leong - Certificate physical and Human Geography (BUY ONLINE)

[ For prelims examination these 4 books are good enough to prepare. Try to gain conceptual clarity from all the chapters.]

E. Physical geography by Savindra Singh [This book is helpful for mains exam preparation] ( BUY ONLINE )


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OTHER USEFUL LINKS
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IAS PRELIMS PREPARATION TIPS: ENVIRONMENTAL ECOLOGY, BIODIVERSITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY PREPARATION TIPS FOR IAS PRELIMS