September 14-2024 Prelims Practice Questions (PPQs)

Correct

Explanation

Option (b) is correct

• The Kumaranallur Devi temple situated in Kottayam, Kerala.
• Dates back to the 10th century during King Cheraman Perumal’s reign.
• It features a rare ‘Sree Chakra’ style in its Naalambalam and Sreekovil.
• This ring-like structure with a handle is a rare architectural element and exemplifies a blend of devotion and artistic brilliance.
• The temple’s murals are spread across 14 distinct sections, known as Chithrakandas.
• These vivid artworks primarily depict scenes from the Indian epics Ramayana and Mahabharata.
• The mural series begins on the right side of the temple with an image of Karthyayani Devi, the main deity of the temple.

Answer: (b) In Kottayam, Kerala; Difficulty Level: Easy

Correct

Explanation

Option (c) is incorrect

• India’s Civil Aviation Industry:
  • By 2030, India will become the third-largest air passenger market (after China and the US).
  • Domestic traffic accounts for 69% of South Asia’s airline traffic.
  • India’s airport capacity is set to handle 1 billion trips annually by 2023.
• The launch of a new nationwide high-speed rail network to connect major cities is not an initiative of civil aviation industry.

Option (a) is correct

• The UDAN-RCS scheme is designed to boost regional connectivity with affordable travel.

Option (b) is correct

• The NABH Nirman initiative aims to expand airport capacity by over five times to accommodate a billion trips annually under the NextGen Airports for Bharat (NABH) program.
• 21 greenfield airports approved. Digi Yatra launched at major airports to enable contactless travel.

Option (d) is correct

• 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) approved for the Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) sector.
• Disbursement of Rs. 30 crore under the PLI Scheme for Drones and Components.
• Krishi UDAN 2.0 was launched to assist air transportation of agri-produce, benefiting farmers and airlines. It focuses on the Northeast and tribal regions.

Answer: (c) The launch of a new nationwide high-speed rail network to connect major cities; Difficulty Level: Easy

Correct

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• September 14 is observed as Hindi Diwas to commemorate the Constituent Assembly of India’s making Hindi the official language of the Union government on September 14, 1949.
• It also celebrates the birth anniversary of Beohar Rajendra Simha, who worked tirelessly towards making Hindi the official language of India.

Statement 2 is correct

• Munshi-Ayyangar formula was named after Drafting Committee members K M Munshi and N Gopalaswamy Ayyangar.
• As part of the Munshi-Ayyangar formula, Article 343 of IC, as adopted in 1950, said:
  • Hindi in Devanagari script will be the official language in India, along with English, for 15 years.
  • The form of numerals to be used for the official purposes of the Union shall be the international form of Indian numerals.
• Post 15-year period facing resistance from non-Hindi-speaking states, Centre passed Official Languages Act, which stated that English would continue to be upheld as official language along with Hindi.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• World Hindi Day (Vishwa Hindi Diwas) is celebrated on January 10 every year.
• The day commemorates the first World Hindi Conference held in Nagpur in 1975, bringing delegates from 30 countries to promote the language globally.
• The World Hindi Day was celebrated for the 1st time in 2006.

Statement 4 is correct

• Hindi is the most spoken language globally after English and Mandarin Chinese.
• In India, Hindi is the most widely spoken language, with 43.6% of the population declaring it their mother tongue. The next highest is Bengali (8%) — less than one-fifth of Hindi’s count.
  • Over 11% of the population reported Hindi as their second language.
• In 1977, former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee became the 1st leader to have addressed an international audience in Hindi.

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

Correct

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Under the Companies Act, the government has notified the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) as a ‘public financial institution’.
• It was established in 2021 as an infrastructure-focused development financial institution (DFI) under the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development Act, 2021.
• NaBFID is the nation’s 5th All India Financial Institution (AIFI) aimed at fostering long-term non-recourse infrastructure financing.

Statement 2 is correct

• NBFID has been set up as a corporate body with an authorised share capital of one lakh crore rupees.
• Regulated and supervised by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• Objectives: Address gaps in long-term non-recourse finance for infrastructure development, strengthen the development of bonds and derivatives markets in India, and sustainably boost the country’s economy.
• Initially, the central govt will own 100% shares of it, which can subsequently be reduced up to 26%.
• The central govt provided initial grants worth Rs. 5,000 crore to NBFID by the end of the first financial year.
• Its performance will be assessed by an external agency appointed by the Central govt every five years.
• The central government will appoint its Board of Directors after consulting with RBI.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• NBFID may raise money as loans or otherwise, both in Indian rupees and foreign currencies, or secure money by issuing and selling various financial instruments, including bonds and debentures.
• NBFID may borrow money from the central government, RBI, scheduled commercial banks, mutual funds, and multilateral institutions such as the World Bank and Asian Development Bank.

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

Correct

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct and Statement 2 is incorrect

• Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthiana):
  • Common Names: Kurinji, Neelakurinji in Tamil and Malayalam, and Gurige in Kannada.
  • Unique Blooming Cycle: The plant blooms once every 12 years (most recent in 2018).
  • Habitat: Thrives in the Shola forests of the Western Ghats, particularly Munnar in Kerala, where it grows at elevations between 1,300 to 2,400 meters
  • Physical Characteristics: The plant grows 30 to 60 cm tall and produces purple-blue flowers, with peak blooming from August to October.
  • Ecological Role: Key indicator of ecosystem health and biodiversity in the Western Ghats and attracts wildlife, including the endangered Nilgiri Tahr.
  • Conservation Status: VU.
  • Threats: Due to agricultural expansion, particularly tea and coffee plantations, tourism.

Answer: (a) 1 only; Difficulty Level: Medium

Correct

Explanation

Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I

• Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands renamed Sri Vijaya Puram.
• The new name represents the victory achieved in India’s freedom struggle and highlights the unique role of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the independence movement.
• It is an effort to remove colonial influences from Indian place names and it reflects a desire to reconnect with pre-colonial history and cultural heritage
• Colonial Origins of Port Blair:
  • Port Blair was originally named after Archibald Blair, a naval surveyor and lieutenant in the Bombay Marine. Blair was the first officer to comprehensively survey the Andaman Islands.
  • In 1778, during his first voyage to the Andamans, he discovered a natural harbour named Port Cornwallis. The East India Company acknowledged his findings and later renamed it Port Blair.

Answer: (a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for State-ment-I; Difficulty Level: Easy

Correct

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• OpenAI has introduced its new AI model, OpenAI o1, as part of Project Strawberry.
• Key Features of OpenAI o1:
  • Reasoning Capabilities: It excels in complex tasks across science, coding, and mathematics, using reinforcement learning to approach problems from multiple perspectives and learn from mistakes.
  • Performance Benchmarks: Demonstrated impressive performance, achieving an 83% success rate in the International Mathematics Olympiad qualifying exam, compared to 13% by GPT-4o.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• Model Variants:
  • o1-preview: The full-featured version designed for complex reasoning tasks.
  • o1-mini: A cost-effective and faster version tailored for coding tasks, priced at 80% less than the o1-preview, making it accessible to a broader range of developers.

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

Correct

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Sanchi Stupa was commissioned by Emperor Ashoka to house the relics of the Buddha.
• After embracing Buddhism following the Kalinga War, Ashoka sought to promote the faith through the construction of stupas.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• The original stupa was a simple hemispherical dome made of brick and mud mortar, estimated to be half the size of the current structure.
• It was later enlarged and renovated, particularly during the Sunga dynasty (184-72 BCE), which introduced local sandstone and decorative elements.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• Stupa features a hemispherical dome, symbolizing the cosmic mountain, and is crowned with a chhatra (umbrella), representing the Three Jewels of Buddhism: the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.
• A circular terrace surrounds the stupa for circumambulation, emphasizing the ritualistic aspect of the structure.
• Four elaborately carved Toranas (gateways) were added during the Satavahana dynasty in the 1st century BCE.
• These toranas are adorned with intricate bas-reliefs depicting scenes from the Buddha’s life and Jataka tales, showcasing the artistic excellence of the period.

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