January 28-29 2024 Prelims Practice Questions (PPQs)

Correct

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Tar sands deposits near the surface can be recovered by open pit mining techniques.
• This is a new method introduced in the 1990s considerably improved the efficiency of tar sands mining, thus reducing the cost.
• These systems use large hydraulic and electrically powered shovels to dig up tar sands and load them into enormous trucks that can carry up to 320 tons of tar sands per load.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• Oil sands (also called tar sands) are a mixture of sand, clay, water, and bitumen.
• The oil is in the form of bitumen, a very heavy liquid or sticky black solid with low melting temperature.
• Refining the oil sands produces petroleum coke, a hazardous by-product.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• The largest deposits of tar sands in the world are found in Alberta (Canada) and Venezuela.
• Much of the rest is found in various countries in the Middle East.

Statement 4 is incorrect

• Tar sands extraction emits up to three times more global warming pollution than does producing the same quantity of conventional crude.
• It depletes and pollutes freshwater resources and creates giant ponds of toxic waste.
• Oil sands operations release pollutants into the air, including greenhouse gases and other harmful pollutants like NOx and SOx.

Answer: (a) Only one; Difficulty Level: Medium

Correct

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Leh in Union Territory of Ladakh is the only place where one can see double hump camels in India.
• This species of camel known as Bactrian Camel is the only living remnant of India’s connection with famous silk route and Ladakh as the link of this ancient trade route.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• Nicknamed the “Kung Fu nuns” because they train in martial arts, the women come from the Drukpa lineage, the only female order in the Buddhist monastic system where nuns have equal status to monks.

The Drukpa nuns are community activists, promoting gender equality, environmental sustainability, and intercultural tolerance in their home villages in the Himalayas, where women’s access to educational and economic opportunities are some of the lowest in the world. Prompted by the Gyalwang Drukpa’s belief that community service is a key part of religious faith and practice, the nuns have played an active role in regional relief efforts, promoting awareness about human trafficking, and working to preach and practice environmentally sustainable lifestyles.

• In India, they are found in 3 places:
  • Druk Gawa Khilwa, Kortsa, located in a remote mountainous area in Ladakh, the main retreat centers for the nuns.
  • Druk Gawa Khilwa, Shey, Ladakh, occupying the Naropa Palace (Naro Phodrang) in the compound of the Druk White Lotus School (also known as Druk Padma Karpo Institute), one of the practice centers to support the locals and school children in their daily spiritual practice and development.
  • Druk Gawa Khilwa, Lahaul, a practice centre to support locals in their spiritual practice and development.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• It is situated in the North of Ladakh, between Karakoram and Ladakh ranges of Himalayas.
• Nubra lies at average altitude about 10,000 feet above sea level.
  

  Siachen, the glacier of the Nubra Valley which is the longest one with a length of over 72 km is called the Siachen glacier. It is the longest glacier in the Karakoram and second-longest in the world’s non-polar areas.

Answer: (a) Only one; Difficulty Level: Medium

Correct

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• PM CARES fund has been created not by a law, not by a notification, but by the mere creation of a webpage.
• It was created on 28 March 2020 to help those affected by COVID-19 Pandemic.

Statement 2 is correct

• PM CARES Fund has been registered as a Public Charitable Trust.
• The Prime Minister is the ex-officio Chairman of the PM CARES Fund, and the Minister of Defence, Minister of Home Affairs, and Minister of Finance of the Government of India are ex-officio Trustees of the Fund.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• Donations to PM CARES Fund would qualify for 80G benefits for 100% exemption under the Income Tax Act, 1961.
• Donations to the PM CARES Fund will also qualify to be counted as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) expenditure under the Companies Act, 2013.
• PM CARES Fund has also got an exemption under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), and a separate account for receiving foreign donations has been opened.
• This enables the CARES Fund to accept donations and contributions from individuals and organizations based in foreign countries.

Statement 4 is correct

• The fund consists entirely of voluntary contributions from individuals/organizations and does not receive any budgetary support.

Answer: (b) Only two; Difficulty Level: Medium

Correct

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• It is a colourless, odourless gas that makes up a significant portion of Earth’s atmosphere.
• It is inert and non-flammable, commonly used in various industrial applications, including food packaging and electronics manufacturing.
• An inert gas is a gas which does not undergo chemical reactions under a set of given conditions.
• The noble gases often do not react with many substances, and were historically referred to as the inert gases.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• Nitrogen Oxide, a poisonous, reactive Nitrogen compound, is emitted by automobiles.
• It is also an indirect greenhouse gas, promoting photochemical reactions.

Statement 3 is correct

• Execution by nitrogen gas involves the administration of pure nitrogen to the condemned person.
• The method typically includes placing a respirator-type face mask over the nose and mouth to replace breathable air with nitrogen, causing death from lack of oxygen.
• The state predicts that the gas will cause the inmate to lose consciousness within seconds and death within minutes.

Statement 4 is correct

• Nitrogen is the element found in both DNA and protein.
• Although there are other trace elements, these are the main elements in biological macromolecules.
• DNA uses nitrogen in the base portion of the nucleotide.
• Proteins use nitrogen in the amine group of the amino acid monomers.

Answer: (c) Only three; Difficulty Level: Medium

Correct

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• PM YASASVI is a scholarship scheme for Other Backward Class (OBCs), Economically Backward Class (EBC), and Denotified Nomadic Tribes (DNT) students.
• Implementing Agency: Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
• Under this scheme, students can avail of Pre-Matric Scholarships from Classes 9 to 10 and Post-Matric Scholarships for their higher education at the post-matriculation or post-secondary level.
• Additionally, hostel facilities are provided for OBC students through a construction scheme.

Statement 2 is correct

• These scholarships shall be available for studies in India only and will be awarded by the Government of State/Union Territory to which the applicant actually belongs, i.e., permanently settled.
• Entitlement: Upto Rs. 75,000 p.a. for Class 9/10, Rs. 1,25,000 p.a. for Class 11/12, covering the school tuition fee/hostel fee.
  • Parents or guardians annual income is not more than Rs. 2.50 Lakhs.

Answer: (b) 2 Only; Difficulty Level: Medium

Correct

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Surrounding Countries: Denmark, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia, Finland and Sweden.
• The Baltic Sea contains three major gulfs:
  • the Gulf of Bothnia to the north, the Gulf of Finland to the east, and the Gulf of Riga slightly to the south of that.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• The seven biggest rivers (Daugava, Gota, Nemunas, Neva, Oder, Tornio and Vistula) cover 50% of the Baltic Sea catchment area and therefore it is important to evaluate the changes in the nutrient loads of those rivers.
• Neva is the largest river that drains into the Baltic Sea.

Statement 3 is correct

• Baltic Sea is part of the North Atlantic Ocean, situated in Northern Europe.
• It extends northward from the latitude of southern Denmark almost to the Arctic Circle and separates the Scandinavian Peninsula from the rest of continental Europe.
• The Baltic sea connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the Danish Straits.

Statement 4 is incorrect

• Baltic Sea is the largest expanse of brackish water in the world.
• Its water salinity levels are lower than that of the World Oceans due to the inflow of fresh water from the surrounding land and the sea’s shallowness.

Answer: (c) 1 and 3 Only; Difficulty Level: Medium

Correct

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• It is a mosquito-borne infection caused by the Western Equine Encephalitis Virus (WEEV), which belongs to the Togaviridae family of viruses.
• The virus has an approximately 11.5 kilobases long single-stranded RNA genome.

Statement 2 is correct

• The primary mode of transmission of the infection to humans is through mosquitoes which act as vectors for the virus.
• Passerine birds are thought to be the reservoir and equine species as intermediate hosts.

Statement 3 is correct

• With no specific antiviral treatment, symptomatic care is crucial, especially for neurologic symptoms.
• An estimated 4-5% of cases may manifest as infection/inflammation of the brain, resulting in neurological symptoms and sequelae of disease.

Answer: (b) 2 and 3; Difficulty Level: Medium

Correct

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• The AISHE report has been published by the Ministry of Education since 2011.
• It aims to portray the status of higher education in the country.
• The survey covers all the institutions in the country engaged in imparting higher education.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• Data is being collected on several parameters, such as teachers, student enrolment, programmes, examination results, education finance, and infrastructure.
• Indicators of educational development such as Institution Density, Gross Enrolment Ratio, Pupil-teacher ratio, Gender Parity Index, Per Student Expenditure will also be calculated from the data collected through AISHE.

Statement 3 is correct

• In 2021-22, the overall gross enrolment ratio (GER) in higher education for the age group 18-23 years increased to 28.4%, from 27.3% in 2020- 21 and 23.7% in 2014-15, the base year.
• Female GER increased to 28.5% (2.07 crore) in 2021-22 from 27.9 (2.01 crore) in 2020-21 and 22.9 percent in 2014-15

Answer: (a) 1 and 3; Difficulty Level: Medium

Correct

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• Post-Independence, the first three gallantry awards namely Param Vir Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra, and Vir Chakra were instituted by the government of India on 26th January 1950 and were deemed to have effect from 15th August 1947.
• Thereafter, three other gallantry awards, the Ashoka Chakra Class-I, the Ashoka Chakra Class-II, and the Ashoka Chakra Class-III, were instituted in 1952 and were deemed to have effect from 15th August 1947.
  • These awards were renamed Ashoka Chakra, Kirti Chakra, and Shaurya Chakra respectively in January 1967.

Statement 2 is correct

• Order of precedence of these awards is the Param Vir Chakra, the Ashoka Chakra, the Mahavir Chakra, the Kirti Chakra, the Vir Chakra, and the Shaurya Chakra.
• The gallantry awards are announced twice in a year, first on the occasion of the Republic Day and then on the occasion of the Independence Day.

Answer: (b) 2 Only; Difficulty Level: Medium