Sunday, December 5, 2010

IAS Preliminary 2009 Solved Paper

1. With reference to Union Government, consider the following statements :
1. The number of Ministries at the Centre on 15th August 1947 was 18.
2. The number of Ministries at the Centre at present is 36.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: (A)

2. Which one of the following Constitutional Amendments states that the total number of Ministers, including the Prime Minister, in the Council of Ministers shall not exceed fifteen percent of the total number of
(a) 90th
(b) 91st
(c) 92nd
(d) 93rd
Ans: (B)

3. With reference to Lok Adalats, consider the following statements:
1. An award made by a Lok Adalat is deemed to be a degree of a civil court and no appeal lies against thereto before any court.
2. Matrimonial/Family disputes are not covered under Lok Adalat.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: (A)

4. Consider the following statements :
1. The Advocate General of a State in India is appointed by the President ot India upon the recommendation of the Governor of the concerned State.
2. As provided in Civil Procedure Code, High Courts have original, appellate and advisory jurisdiction at the State level.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: (D)

5. Consider the following pairs:
Organization Location of Headquarters
1. Asian Development Bank : Tokyo
2. Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation : Singapore
3. Association of South East Asian Nations : Bangkok
Which of the above pairs is/are correct matchd?

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 3 only
Ans: (B)

6. If a Panchayat is dissolved, elections are to be held within:
(a) 1 month
(b) 3 months
(c) 6 months
(d) 1 year
Ans: (C)

7. In the context of the Indian freedom struggle, 16 October 1905 is well known for which one of the following reasons ?
(a) The formal proclamation of Swadeshi Movement was made in Calcutta town hall
(b) Partition of Bengal took effect
(c) Dadabhai Naoroji declared that the goal of Indian National Congress was Swaraj
(d) Lokmanya Tilak started Swadeshi Movement in Poona
Ans: (B)

8. With which one of the following movements is the slogan "Do or die" associated?
(a) Swadeshi Movement
(b) Non-Cooperation Movement
(c) Civil Disobedience Movement
(d) Quit India Movement
Ans: (D)

9. Which one of the following began with the Dandi March ?
(a) Home Rule Movement
(b) Non-Cooperation Movement
(c) Civil Disobedience Movement
(d) Quit India Movement
Ans: (C)

10. Who of the following is the author of a collection of poems called "Golden Threshold" ?
(a) Aruna Asaf Ali
(b) Annie Besant
(c) Sarojini Naidu
(d) Vijayalakshmi Pandit
Ans: (C)

11. In collaboration with David Hare and Alexander Duff, who of the following established Hindu College at Calcutta ?
(a) Henry Louis Vivian Derozio
(b) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
(c) Kcshab Chandra Sen
(d) Raja Rammohan Roy
Ans: (D)

12. In India, who is the Chairman of the National Water Resources Council ?
(a) Prime Minister
(b) Minister of Water Resources
(c) Minister of Environment and Forests
(d) Minister of Science and Technology
Ans: (A)

13. Consider the following statements :
1. The discussions in the Third Round Table Conference eventually led to the passing of the Government of India Act of 1935.
2. The Government of India Act of 1935 provided for the establishment of an All India Federation to be based on a Union of the provinces of British India and the Princely States.
Which of the statements given above is/arc correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: (C)

14. The Government of India Act of 1935 provided for the establishment of an All India Federation to be based on a Union of the provinces of British India and the Princely States.
Which of the statements given above is/arc correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: (C)

15. With reference to the evolution of living organisms, which one of the following sequences is correct ?
(a) Octopus - Dolphin - Shark
(b) Pangolin — Tortoise — Hawk
(c) Salamander - Python — Kangaroo
(d) Frog - Crab - Prawn
Ans: (C)

IAS Preliminary 2009 Solved Paper

1. In which State is the Buddhist site Tabo Monastery located?
(a) Arunachal Pradesh
(b) Himachal Pradesh
(c) Sikkim
(d) Uttarakhand
Ans: (B)
2. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the code given below the lists:
List I (Famous person) List II (Well-known for)
A. Mandakini Amte 1. Theatre direction
B. Neelam Mansingh Chowdhry 2. Social service and community leadership
C. Romila Thapar 3. Dance
D. Vanashree Rao 4. History writing
Codes:
A B C D
(a) 2 1 4 3
(b) 2 4 1 3
(c) 3 1 4 2
(d) 3 4 1 2
Ans: (A)

3. Among other things, which one of the following was the purpose for which the Deepak Parekh Committee was constituted ?
(a) To study the current socio-economic conditions of certain minority communities
(b) To suggest measures for financing the development of infrastructure
(c) To frame a policy on the production of genetically modified organisms
(d) To suggest measures to reduce the fiscal deficit in the Union Budget
Ans: (B)

4. Consider the following statements :
1. INS Sindhughosh is an aircraft carrier.
2. INS Viraat is a submarine.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: (D)

5. In which one of the following States has India's largest private sector sea port been commissioned recently ?
(a) Andhra Pradesh
(b) Karnataka
(c) Kerala
(d) Tamil Nadu
Ans: (A)

6. In India, which one of the following States has the largest inland saline wetland?
(a) Gujarat
(b) Haryana
(c) Madhya Pradesh
(d) Rajasthan
Ans: (D)

7. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the code given below the lists :
List I (Person) List II (Organization)
A. Anil Agarwal 1. Gujarat Heavy Chemicals Ltd.
B. Gautam H. Singhania 2. Raymond Ltd.
C. Sanjay Dalmia 3. Vedanta Resources
D. Venugopal Dhoot 4. Videocon Group
Code :
A B C D
(a) 3 1 2 4
(b) 4 1 2 3
(c) 3 2 1 4
(d) 4 2 1 3
Ans: (C)

8. In the context of independent India's economy, which one of the following was the earliest event to take place ?
(a) Nationalisation of Insurance companies
(b) Nationalisation of State Bank of India
(c) Enactment of Banking Regulation Act
(d) Introduction of First Five-Year Plan
Ans: (C)

9. In the middle of the year 2008 the Parliament of which one of the following countries became the first in the world to enact a Climate Act by passing "The Climate Change Accountability Bill"? (a) Australia
(b) Canada
(c) Germany
(d) Japan
Ans: (B)

10. From which one of the following did Kosovo declare its independence ?
(a) Bulgaria
(b) Croatia
(c) Macedonia
(d) Serbia
Ans: (D)

11. Who among the following is the founder of World Economic Forum ?
(a) Klaus Schwab
(b) John Kenneth Galbraith
(c) Robert Zoellick
(d) Paul Krugman
Ans: (A)

12. In the context of C02 emission and Global Warming, what is the name of a market driven device under the UNFCC that allows developing countries to get funds/incentives from the developed countries to adopt, better technologies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions ?
(a) Carbon Footprint
(b) Carbon Credit Rating
(c) Clean Development Mechanism
(d) Emission Reduction Norm
Ans: (C)

13. In the context of global economy, which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched ?
(a) JP Morgan : Financial Services Chase
(b) Roche Holding : Financial Services AG
(c) WL Ross & : Private Equity Co. Firm
(d) Warburg Pincus : Private Equity Firm
Ans: (B)

14. There are three cans A, B and C. The capacities of A, B and C are 6 litres, 10 litres and 16 litres respectively. The can C contains 16 litres of milk. The milk has to be divided in them using these three cans only.
Consider the following statements :
1. It is possible to have 6 litres of milk each in can A and can B.
2. It is possible to have 8 litres of milk each in can B and can C.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: (C)

15. Which one of the following Union Ministries implements the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety ?
(a) Ministry of Science and Technology
(b) Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
(c) Ministry of Environment and Forests
(d) Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers
Ans: (C)

IAS Preliminary 2009 Solved Paper

1. Among the following, which one is not a football club ?
(a) Arsenal
(b) Aston Villa
(c) Chelsea
(d) Monte Carlo
Ans: (D)

2. The Dul Hasti Power Station is based on which one of the following rivers ?
(a) Beas
(b) Chenab
(c) Ravi
(d) Sutlej
Ans: (B)

3. Elephant Pass, which is frequently in the news, is mentioned in the context of the affairs of which one of the following ?
(a) Bangladesh
(b) India
(c) Nepal
(d) Sri Lanka
Ans: (D)

4. Consider the following countries :
1. Switzerland
2. Malta
3. Bulgaria
Which of the above are members of European Union?

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans: (B)

5. In the structure of planet Earth, below the mantle, the core is mainly made up of which one of the following ?
(a) Aluminium
(b) Chromium
(c) Iron
(d) Silicon
Ans: (C)

6. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the code given below the lists :
List I List II
(Famous Temple) (State)
A. Vidyashankara temple 1. Andhra Pradesh
B. Rajarani temple 2. Karnataka
C. Kandariya Mahadeo 3. Madhya Pradesh
D. Bhimesvara Temple 4. Orissa
Codes:
A B C D
(a) 2 4 3 1
(b) 2 3 4 1
(c) 1 4 3 2
(d) 1 3 4 2
Ans: (A)

7. Which one of the following brings out the publication called "Energy Statistics" from time to time?
(a) Central Power Research Institute
(b) Planning Commission
(c) Power Finance Corporation Ltd.
(d) Central Statistical Organization
Ans: (D)

8. With reference to Union Government, consider the following statements :
1. The Ministries/Departments of the Government of India are created by the Prime Minister on the advice of the Cabinet Secretary.
2. Each of the Ministries is assigned to a Minister by the President of India on the advice of the Prime Minister.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: (B)

9. How many three-digit numbers can be generated from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 such that the digits are1 in ascending order ?
(a) 80
(b) 81
(c) 83
(d) 84
Ans: (D)

10. While adding the first few continuous natural numbers, a candidate missed one of the numbers and wrote the answer as 177. What was the number missed ?
(a) 11
(b) 12
(c) 13
(d). 14
Ans: (C)

11. In an examination, there are three subjects A, B and C. A student has to pass in each subject. 20% students failed iv A, 22% students failed in B and 16% failed in C. The total number of students passing the whole examination lies between
(a) 42% and 84%
(b) 42% and 78%
(c) 58% and 78%
(d) 58% and 84%
Ans: (B)

12. There are 240 balls and n number of boxes B1, B2, B3, ... , Bn. The balls are to be placed in the boxes such that should contain 4 balls more than B2, B2 should contain: 4 balls more than B3, and so on. Which one of the following cannot be the possible value of n ?
(a) 4
(b) 5
(c) 6
(d) 7
Ans: (D)

13. WiMAX is related to which one of the following ?
(a) Biotechnology
(b) Space technology
(c) Missile technology
(d) Communication technology
Ans: (D)

14. In making the saffron spice, which one of the following parts of the plant is used ?
(a) Loaf
(b) Petal
(c) Sepal
(d) Stigma
Ans: (D)

15. A very big refugee camp called Dadaab, recently in the news, is located in
(a) Ethiopia
(b) Kenya
(c) Somalia
(d) Sudan
Ans: (B)

IAS Preliminary 2009 Solved Paper

1. Mahamastakabhisheka, a great religious event, is associated with and done for who of the following?
(a) Bahubali
(b) Buddha
(c) Mahavir
(d) Nataraja
Ans: (A)

2. . Match List I and List II and select the correct answer using the code given below the lists:
List I List II
(Famous Person) (Well-Known as)
A. Anna Hazare 1. Lawyer
B. Deepak Parekh 2. Banker
C. GVK Reddy 3. Gandhian and Social activist
D. Harish Salve 4. Industrialist
Code:
A B C D
(a) 1 2 4 3
(b) 1 4 2 3
(c) 3 2 4 1
(d) 3 4 2 1
Ans: (C)

3. With reference to the scheme launched by the Union Government, consider the following statements:
1. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana
2. Ministry of Textiles launched the Rajiv Gandhi Shilpi Swasthya Bima Yojana
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ams: (B)

4.Match List I and List II and select the correct answer using the code given below the lists:
List I List II
(Book) (Author))
A. In custody 1. Amartya Sen
B. Sea of Poppies 2. Amitav Ghosh
C. The Argumentative Indian 3. Anita Desai
D. Unaccustomed Earth 4. Jhumpa Lahiri
Code:
A B C D
(a) 4 1 2 3
(b) 4 2 1 3
(c) 3 2 1 4
(d) 3 1 2 4
Ans: (C)

5. Where is the famous Virupaksha temple located?
(a) Bhadrachalam
(b) Chidambaram
(c) Hampi
(d) Srikalahasti
Ans: (C)

6. Consider the following pairs :
Large Bank Country of origin
1. ABN Amro Bank : USA
2. Barclays Bank : UK
3. Kookmin Bank : Japan
Which ..of the above .pairs is/are correctly matched ?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) and 2
(d) and 3
Ans: (B)

7. Consider the following statements :
The for Cripps Proposals include the provision
1. Full independence for India.
2. Creation of Constitution-making body.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: (B)

8.In a dry cell (battery), which of the following are used as electrolytes ?
(a) Ammonium chloride and Zinc chloride
(b) Sodium chloride and Calcium chloride
(c) Magnesium chloride and Zinc chloride
(d) Ammonium chloride and Calcium chloride
Ans: (A)

9. Which one of the following types of waves are used in a night vision apparatus ?
(a) Radio waves
(b) Microwaves
(c) Infra-red waves
(d) None of the above
Ans: (C)

10.A person travels 12 km due North, then 15 km duo East, after that 15 km due West and then 18 km due South. How far is he from the starting point"?
(a) 6 km
(b) 12 km
(c) 33 kin
(d) 60 km
Ans: (A)

11.Consider the following :
1. Camphor
2. Chicory
3. Vanilla
Which of the above is/are plant product(s) ?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1,2 and 3
Ans: (D)

12.Which one of the following is not a drug/pharma company ?
(a) Chevron
(b) Nicholas Piramal
(c) Pfizer
(d) Zydus Cadila
Ans: (A)

13. When Leander Paes won the "mixed doubles" at the US Open in the year 2008, who of the following was his partner ?
(a) Ana Ivanovic
(b) Cara Black
(c) Dinara Safina
(d) Jelena Jankovic
Ans: (B)

14. Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched ?
(a) Barbora Spotakova : Javelin throw
(b) Pamela Jelimo : Weightligting
(c) Sanya Richards : Sprint
(d) Yelena Isinbayeva : Pole Vault
Ans: (B)

15. Who of the following is a football player ?
(a) Fernando Alonso
(b) Kimi Raikkonen
(c) Lewis Hamilton
(d) Nicolas Anelka
Ans: (D)

IAS Preliminary 2010 Solved Paper

1. Which one of the following processes in the bodies of living organisms is a digestive process?
(a) Breakdown of proteins into amino acids
(b) Breakdown of glucose into CO2 and H2O.
(c) Conversion of glucose into glycogen.
(d) Conversion of amino acids into proteins.
Ans: (a)

2. Excessive release of the pollutant carbon monoxide (CO), into the air may produce a condition in which oxygen supply in the human body decreases. What causes this condition?
(a) When inhaled into the human body, CO is converted into CO2.
(b) The inhaled CO has much higher affinity for haemoglobin as compared to oxygen.
(c) The inhaled CO destroys the chemical structure of haemoglobin.
(d) The inhaled CO adversely affects the respiratory centre in the brain.
Ans: (b)

3. Examine the following statements:
1. All colours are pleasant.
2. Some colours are pleasant.
3. No colour is pleasant.
4. Some colours are not pleasant.
Given that the statement 4 is true, what can be definitely concluded?

(a) 1 and 2 are true
(b) 1 is false
(c) 2 is false
(d) 3 is true
Ans: (b)

4. The approximate representations of land use classification in India is -
(a) Net area sown 25%; forests 33%; other areas 42%.
(b) Net area sown 58%; forests 17%; other areas 25%.
(c) Net area sown 43%; forests 29%; other areas 28%.
(d) Net area sown 47%; forests 23%; other areas 30%.
Ans: (d)

5. What was the immediate reason for Ahmad Shah Abdali to invade India and fight the Third Battle of Panipat?
(a) He wanted to avenge the expulsion by Marathas of his victory Timur Shah from Lahore.
(b) The frustrated governor of Jullundhar Adina Beg Khan invited him to invade Punjab.
(c) He wanted to punish Mughal administration for non – payment of the revenues of the Chahar Mahal (Gujarat, Aurangabad, Sialkot and Pasrur).
(d) He wanted to annex all the fertile plains of Punjab up to the borders of Delhi to his kingdom.
Ans: (a)

6. In India, the tax proceeds of which one of the following as a percentage of gross tax revenue has significantly declined in the last five years?
(a) Service tax
(b) Personal income tax
(c) Excise duty
(d) Corporation tax
Ans: (c)

7. Which one of the following is the appropriate reason for considering the Gondwana rocks as most important of rock systems of India?
(a) More than 90% of limestone reserves of India are found in them.
(b) More than 90% of India’s coal reserves are found in them.
(c) More than 90% of fertile black cotton soils are spread over them.
(d) None of the reasons given above is appropriate in this context.
Ans: (b)

8. With reference to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, consider the following:
1. The Right to Development.
2. The Right to Expression.
3. The Right to Recreation.
Which of the above is/are the Rights of the child?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans: (d)

9. P, Q, R and S are four men. P is the oldest but not the poorest. R is the richest but not the oldest. Q is older than S but not than P or R. P is richer than Q but not than S. The four men can be ordered (descending) in respect of age and richness, respectively, as:
(a) PQRS, RPSQ
(b) PRQS, RSPQ
(c) PRQS, RSQP
(d) PRSQ, RSPQ
Ans: (b)

10. In the context of space technology, what is “Bhuvan”, recently in the news?
(a) A mini satellite launched by ISRO for promoting the distance education in India.
(b) The name given to the next moon Impact Probe, for Chandrayan – II.
(c) A geoportal of ISRO with 3D imaging capabilities of India.
(d) A space telescope developed by India.
Ans: (c)

11. The diameters of two circular coins are in the ratio of 1 : 3. The smaller coin is made to roll around the bigger coin till it returns to the position from where the process of rolling started. How many times the smaller coin rolled around the bigger coin?
(a) 9
(b) 6
(c) 3
(d) 1.5
Ans: (c)

12. Among the following, who was not a proponent of bhakti cult?
(a) Nagarjuna
(b) Tukaram
(c) Tyagraja
(d) Vallabhacharya
Ans: (a)

13. As per the UN – Habitat’s Global Report on Human Settlement 2009, which one among the following regions has shown the fastest growth rate of urbanization in the last three decades?
(a) Asia
(b) Europe
(c) Latin America and Caribbean
(d) North America
Ans: (a)

14. Who of the following shall cause every recommendations made by the Finance Commission to be laid before each House of Parliament?
(a) The President of India
(b) The Speaker of Lok Sabha
(c) The Prime Minister of India
(d) The Union Finance Minister
Ans: (a)

15. By a regulation in 1793, the District Collector was deprived of his judicial powers and made the collecting agent only. What was the reason for such regulation?
(a) Lord Cornwallis felt that the District Collector’s efficiency of revenue collection would enormously increase without the burden of other work.
(b) Lord Cornwallis felt that Judicial power should compulsorily be in the hands of
Europeans while Indians can be given the job of revenue collection in the districts.
(c) Lord Cornwallis was alarmed at the extent of power concentrated in the
District Collector and felt that such absolute power was undesirable in one person.
(d) The judicial work demanded a deep knowledge of India and a good training in
law and Lord Cornwallis felt that District Collector should be only a revenue collector?
Ans: (c)

IAS Preliminary 2009 Solved Paper

1. The marine animal called dugong which is vulnerable to extinction is a/an:
(a) Amphibian
(b) Bony fish
(c) Shark
(d) Mammal
Ans: (D)

2. Which one of the following is the country's administrative capital/new federal administrative centre of Malaysia ?
(a) Kota Bharu
(b) Kuala Terongganu
(c) Putrajaya
(d) Taiping
Ans: (C)

3. Consider the following countries :
1. Brunei Darussalam
2. East Timor
3. Laos
Which of the above is/are member/members of ASEAN ?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans: (C)

4. Consider the following countries :
1. Australia
2. Namibia
3. Brazil
4. Chile
Through which of the above does the Tropic of Capricorn pass ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1, 2 and 3
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans: (D)

5. Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched ?
City River

(a) Berlin Rhine
(b) London Thames
(c) New York Hudson
(d) Vienna Danube
Ans: (A)

6. Consider the following statements :
1. In the world, the tropical deserts occur along the western margins of continents within the trade wind belt.
2. In India, the East Himalayan region gets high rainfall from north-east winds.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: (A)

7. Which one of the following rivers does not originate in India ?
(a) Beas
(b) Chenab
(c) Ravi
(d) Sutlej
Ans: (D)

8. At which one of the following places do two important rivers of India originate; while one of them flows towards north and merges with another important river flowing towards Bay of Bengal, the other one flows towards Arabian Sea ?
(a) Amarkantak
(b) Badrinath
(c) Mahabaleshwar
(d) Nasik
Ans: (A)

9. Where is the headquarters of Animal Welfare Board of India located ?
(a) Ahmedabad
(b) Chennai
(c) Hyderabad
(d) Kolkata
Ans: (B)

10. Consider the following statements :
1. The National' School of Drama was set up by Sangeet Natak Akademi in 1959.
2. The highest honour conferred by the Sahitya Akademi on a writer is by electing him its Fellow.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: (C)

11. A person has 4 coins each of different denomination. What is the number of different sums of money the person can form (using one or more coins at a time) ?
(a) 16
(b) 15
(c) 12
(d) 11
Ans: (B)

12. How many letters of the English alphabet (capitals) appear same when looked at in a mirror ? (a) 9
(b) 10
(c) 11
(d) 12
Ans: (C)

13. Consider the following statements regarding Indian Planning :
1. The Second Five-Year Plan emphasised on the establishment of heavy industries.
2. The Third Five-Year Plan introduced the concept of import substitution as a strategy for industrialisation.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: (C)

14. Who of the following scientists proved that the stars with mass less than 1.44 times the mass of the Sun end up as White Dwarfs when they die ?
(a) Edwin Hubble
(b) S. Chandrashekhar
(c) Stephen Hawking
(d) Steven Weinberg
Ans: (B)

15. Consider the following statements :
1. Between Census 1951 and Census 2001, the density of the population of India has increased more than three times.
2. Between Census 1951 and Census 2001, the annual growth rate (exponential) of the population of India has doubled.
Which of the statements given abova is/are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: (D)

IAS Preliminary 2009 Solved Paper

1. With which one of the following has the B.K. Chaturvedi Committee dealt?
(a) Review of Centres-States relations
(b) Review of Delimitation Act
(c) Tax reforms and measures to increase revenues
(d) Price-reforms in the oil sector
Ans : (D)

2. Consider the following pairs:
Persons Sports
1. Anand Pawar : Chess
2. Akhil Kumar : Boxing
3. Shiv Shanker : Gold
Prasad Chowrasia
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans: (B)

3. Recently, which one of the following was included in the UNESCO’s World Heritage list?
(a) Dilwara Temple
(b) Kalka-Shimla Railway
(c) Bhiterkanika Mangrove Area
(d) Vishkhapatnam to Araku valley railway line
Ans: (B)

4. Under the administration of which- one of the following is the Department of Atomic Energy ?
(a) Prime Minister's Office
(b) Cabinet Secretariat
(c) Ministry of Power
(d) Ministry of Science and Technology
Ans: (A)

5. In the 'Individual Satyagraha', Vinoba Bhave was chosen as the first Satyagrahi. Who was the second ?
(a) Dr. Rajendra Prasad
(b) Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
(c) C. Rajagopal.achari
(d) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Ans: (B)

6.With whose permission did the English set up their first factory in Surat ?
(a) Akbar
(b) Jahangir
(c) Shahjahan
(d) Aurangzeb
Ans: (B)

7.Which one of the following planets has largest number of natural satellites or moons ?
(a) Jupiter
(b) Mars
(c) Saturn
(d) Venus
Ans: (A)

8.In the context of genetic disorders, consider the following :
A woman suffers from colour blindness while her husband does not suffer from it. They have a son and a daughter. In this context, which one of the following statements is most probabl) correct ?

(a) Both children suffer from colour blindness.
(b) Daughter .suffers from colour blindness while son does not suffer from it.
(c) Both children do not suffer from colour blindness.
(d) Son suffers from colour blrndness while daughter does not suffer from it.
Ans: (D)

9. Which one of the following is used as an explosive ?
(a) Phosphorus Trichloride
(b) Mercuric oxide
(c) Graphite
(d) Nitroglycerine
Ans: (D)

10. In the context of Indian wild life, the flying fox is a
(a) Bat
(b) Kite
(c) Stork
(d) Vulture
Ans: (A)

11.Who of the following is the author of the book "The Audacity of Hope" ?
(a) Al Gore
(b) Barack Obama
(c) Bill Clinton
(d) Hillary Clinton
Ans: (B)

12.Consider the following statements :
1. The Baglihar. Power Project had been constructed within the parameters of the Indus Water Treaty.
2. The project was completely built by the Union Government with loans from Japan and the World Bank.
Which of the statements given above is/arc; correct, ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: (A)

13.In the context of Indian news in recent times; . what is MCX-SX ?
(a) A kind of supercomputer
(b) Title of Moon Impact Probe
(c) Stock exchange
(d) Nuclear-powered submarine
Ans: (C)

14.India has recently landed its Moon Impact Probe on the Moon. Among the following countries, which one landed such probe on the Moon earlier ?
(a) Australia
(b) Canada
(c) China
(d) Japan
Ans: (C)

15.Consider the following pairs :
Famous place Country
1. Cannes : France
2. Davos : Denmark
3. Roland Garros : The Netherlands
Which of the pairs given above is/arc correctly matched ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans: (A)

Indian Overseas Bank Probationary Officers Solved 2009 Paper

1. Castro Sibling is the new President of—
(A) Romania
(B) Cuba
(C) Israel
(D) Venezuela
(E) None of these
Ans : E

2. A meeting of the European Leaders was held in January 2008 at which of the following places to discuss ‘Global Economic Turmoil’ ?
(A) London
(B) New Delhi
(C) New York
(D) Tokyo
(E) Milan
Ans : A

3. Who amongst the following is the winner of Padma Vibhushan Awards given away recently ?
(A) Rahul Gandhi
(B) Priya Dutt
(C) Vinod Dua
(D) Ratan Tata
(E) None of these
Ans : D

4. Which of the following countries is trying to launch a Satellite to study the sun ?
(A) USA
(B) India
(C) Russia
(D) China
(E) None of these
Ans : A

5. Jang Hyun Jong who was adjudged as the ‘Asian Hockey Player of the year’ is from—
(A) China
(B) Singapore
(C) South Korea
(D) India
(E) None of these
Ans : C

6. As per the targets for 11th plan educated unemployment is to be reduced to which of the following levels ?
(A) 5%
(B) 6%
(C) 7%
(D) 8%
(E) 9%
Ans : A

7. Very often we read about the Doha Ministerial Conference 2001 in reference to WTO negotiations. What were the major issues over which nations were of different opinions ?
1. Providing subsidy to agriculture.
2. Export of patented drugs/medicines by developed nations.
3. Restriction on natural movement of people from one nation to other.
(A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Only 3
(D) Both 1 and 3
(E) None of these
Ans : A

8. The Global Employment Trends Report 2008 published by the International Labour Organization has indicated that there may be increase in global unemployment. What according to them is/are the major reasons of this possibility ?
1. Turmoil in Credit Markets all over the world.
2. Rise in oil prices in international market.
3. Civil unrest in some under and undeveloped nations.
(A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Only 3
(D) Only 1 and 2
(E) None of these
Ans : D

9. Which of the following is the name of very violent and serious types of winds which bring lot of disaster ?
(A) Trade winds
(B) Hurricane
(C) Cirrus
(D) Stratus
(E) None of these
Ans : B

10. As per the news published in some newspapers magazines two PSUs National Thermal Power Corporation and Coal India Ltd. are going to float a joint venture ‘SPV’. What is the full form of ‘SPV’ ?
(A) Small Power Venture
(B) Special Purpose Vehicle
(C) Special Power Venture
(D) Small Purpose Vehicle
(E) None of these
Ans : B

11. Indra K. Nooyi who was elected as the Chairperson of the US-India Business Council is the CEO of which of the following Companies ?
(A) Pepsi Co.
(B) Infosys
(C) Tata Consultancy Services
(D) NIIT
(E) None of these
Ans : A

12. What is meant by ‘Underwriting’ the term frequently used in financial sector ?
(A) Under valuation of the assets
(B) The Act of taking on a risk for a fee
(C) Giving a Guarantee that a loan will not become a bad loan
(D) The act of permission to float an IPO
(E) None of these
Ans : A

13. As per the reports published in various journals and newspapers the ‘small borrowers’ in rural areas still prefer to take informal route for their credit needs. Which of the following is the ‘informal route’ of credit in financial sector ?
(A) Credit cards
(B) Loan against gold from financial institute
(C) Debit cards
(D) Money lender
(E) None of these
Ans : D

14. As per the Economic Survey 2007-08 presented in the Lok Sabha in February 2008, what has been the percentage growth in Bank credit ? About—
(A) 10%
(B) 15%
(C) 18%
(D) 21%
(E) 26%
Ans : D

15. Which of the following is not a major highlight of the Union Budget 2008-09 ?
1. A target of Rs. 2•80 lakhs crore is fixed for providing credit to agriculture sector.
2. Limit of the Banking Cash Transaction Tax is raised from present 1% to 1•5%.
3. PAN requirement is not mandatory for financial transactions. Other Ids are also acceptable.
(A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Only 3
(D) Both 2 and 3
(E) All 1, 2 and 3
Ans : A

Haryana Gramin Bank Officer Solved 2008 Paper

1. Food For Oil programme running in which of the following countries was in news recently ?
(A) Kuwait
(B) Iran
(C) Iraq
(D) Lebanon
(E) None of these
Ans : E

2. Which of the following is true about the recent discussion on the tariff reduction formulae proposed at the WTO ?
(A) India accepted the formulae presented by South Africa as it more or less matches with the formulae presented by it. South Africa was given the responsibility to find an amicably acceptable solution to the same
(B) India along with several others presented a formulae which was accepted by the USA but the EU refused to accept it
(C) USA, Australia and EU presented a formulae which is not acceptable to India
(D) India wishes to resign from the membership of the WTO as it is not ready sacrifice the interests of the agriculturists of India
(E) None of these
Ans : B

3. India, recently decided to conduct a joint air exercise with which of the following countries ?
(The exercise was in news recently as a group of people was not in favour of such joint ventures)
(A) Britain
(B) Sri Lanka
(C) China
(D) France
(E) USA
Ans : C

4. Which of the following companies is not an IT/Software company ?
(A) Infosys
(B) Wipro
(C) NIIT
(D) Rolex
(E) All are IT/Software Companies
Ans : D

5. Which of the following is not a banking/finance related term ?
(A) NPA
(B) NAV
(C) Liquidity
(D) NAFTA
(E) IPO
Ans : D

6. Who amongst the following is the Chairman of the Central Information Commission (CIC) set up recently under the Right to Information Act ?
(A) Sam Pitroda
(B) M. S. Swaminathan
(C) Rakesh Mohan
(D) Wajahat Habibullah
(E) None of these
Ans : D

7. Anju Bobby George won Gold Medal in 16th Asian Atheletics Meet held recently. The meet was organized in -
(A) South Korea
(B) India
(C) China
(D) Pakistan
(E) None of these
Ans : A

8. Who amongst the following is the author of the book The Mathematical Theory of Black Holes? (The author is regarded a great astrophysicists of the modern times)
(A) Dr. C. V. Raman
(B) Dr. J. V. Narlikar
(C) Dr. S. Chandrashekhar
(D) Dr. Homi Jehangir Bhabha
(E) Dr. Vikram Sarabhai
Ans : C

9. Which of the following countries had emerged as World’s largest Cell phone maker ? (As per the figures available upto April 2005)
(A) India
(B) USA
(C) Japan
(D) China
(E) None of these
Ans : D

10. Who amongst the following is the author of the book Doctor Zhivago?
(A) Maxim Gorky
(B) Boris Pasternak
(C) Aldous Huxley
(D) George Eliot
(E) None of these
Ans : B

11. Justice Yogesh Kumar Sabharwal was the new Chief Justice of -
(A) Allahabad High Court
(B) Mumbai High Court
(C) Delhi High Court
(D) Kolkata High Court
(E) Supreme Court of India
Ans : E

12. Harold Pinter, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature, is a citizen of -
(A) China
(B) Britain
(C) USA
(D) Russia
(E) Canada
Ans : B

13. Veselin Tapolev who became the World Champion recently, is associated with which of the following games/sports ?
(A) Chess
(B) Golf
(C) Snooker
(D) Badminton
(E) None of these
Ans : A

14. Kyat is the monetary unit of -
(A) North Korea
(B) Israel
(C) Indonesia
(D) Mongolia
(E) Myanmar
Ans : E

15. Who amongst the following is not a member of G-8 ?
(A) Australia
(B) Canada
(C) Japan
(D) France
(E) USA
Ans : A

Andhra Bank Solved 2008 Paper

1. Sujat and Balsara villages were in news recently as breach in main Narmada Canal made them flooded. Both these villages are in which of the following States?
(A) Maharashtra
(B) Madhya Pradesh
(C) Gujarat
(D) Rajasthan
(E) None of these
Ans : C

2. Which of the following is NOT one of the recommendations of the committee setup on Financial Sector Reforms under the Chairmanship of Raghuram G.Rajan ?
(1) Give more freedoms to banks to setup branches and ATMS anywhere
(2) Setup an office of financial ombudsmen
(3) All deposits taking institutions should be free from the supervision of the RBI
(A) Only 1
(B) only 2
(C) Only 3
(D) All 1,2 & 3
(E) Only 2 & 3
Ans : A

3. Which of the following was the issue over which one section of the UPA withdrew its support and Union Govt. headed by Dr. Man Mohan Singh was required to prove its majority in the Lok Sabha ?
(1) Inflation , which was on a rise consistently for some time
(2) Reservations of Gurjarrs in Govt. jobs
(3) Nuclear deal with USA
(A) Only 1
(B) only 2
(C) Only 3
(D) Both 1 & 2
(E) Only 2 & 3
Ans : C

4. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) keeps on modifying various rates / ratios to keep the flow of liquidity in the market in a balanced situation. Which of the following rates/ratios/indexes is NOT directly controlled by the RBI?
(A) Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR)
(B) Bank Rate
(C) Repo Rate
(D) Reserve Repo Rate
(E) Wholesale Price Index (WPI)
Ans : E

5. Michel Sleiman has taken over as the president of ____
(A) Lebanon
(B) Cuba
(C) Yemen
(D) Zambia
(E) Turkey
Ans : A

6. Which of the following countries had decided to come out of the membership of OPEC ?
(A) Iran
(B) Indonesia
(C) Kuwait
(D) Saudi Arabia
(E) None Of these
Ans : B

7. As per the figure released recently what was the per capita income at Current Price in the year 2007-08 in India? About ____
(A) Rs. 20,000/-
(B) Rs. 25,000/-
(C) Rs. 23,000/-
(D) Rs. 33,000/-
(E) Rs. 48,000/-
Ans : D

8. Which of the following cannot be called as a value Added service offered by a Bank?
(A) Special accounts for poor sections of the society
(B) Accident insurance cover
(C) Instant Credits of Outstation Cheques
(D) Free cheque book
(E) All are value Added services
Ans : D

9. Which of the following airlines became the first Indian Based Airlines to operate flight to China?
(A) Indian
(B) Air India
(C) Kingfisher
(D) Jet Airways
(E) None of these
Ans : D

10. Opening the Saving Bank Account of a minor girl will be called as which of the following in Banking terminology?
(A) Retail Banking
(B) Merchant Banking
(C) Institutional Banking
(D) Social Banking
(E) Corporate Banking
Ans : A

11. Which of the following is NOT a measure of the Risk Management in Banks ?
(A) CRR
(B) RTGS
(C) SLR
(D) Deposit Insurance
(E) All are the measures of risk management
Ans : B

12. Which of the following test is conducted to know if a sportsman has taken any performance enhancing drugs ?
(A) EEG
(B) Narco Test
(C) ELISA Test
(D) Mind mapping
(E) DOPE Test
Ans : E

13. Which of the following awards is given in the field of cinema?
(A) Kalidas Samman
(B) Dronacharya Award
(C) Arjun Award
(D) Kalinga Award
(E) Dada Sahab Phalke Award
Ans : E

14. What is India's rating in the "Doing Business Report" prepared by the World Bank ?
(A) 55th
(B) 80th
(C) 100th
(D) 120th
(E) None of these
Ans : D

15. Which of the following Programmes / Schemes of the Govt. of India is NOT directly related with agriculture activities?
(A) Drought Prone Areas Programmes (DPAP)
(B) Promotion of Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
(C) Integrated West lands Development Programme (IWDP)
(D) ANNAPURNA
(E) Desert Development Programme (DDP)
Ans : D

Canara Bank PO Solved 2009 Paper

1. Who amongst the following economists gave the concept of 'economies of scale', which says 'many goods and services can be produced more cheaply in long series?
(A) Edward C. Prescott
(B) Amartya Sen
(C) Gary S. Becker
(D) Edmund S. Phelps
(E) Paul Krugman
Ans : E

2. In its mid term review of the economy the Reserve Bank of India pegged the country's economic growth for fiscal year 2008-09 at which of the following levels?
(A) 6%
(B) 6.5%
(C) 7%
(D) 7.7%
(E) 8.7%
Ans : D

3. The Govt. of India has decided to declare which of the following rivers a National River?
(A) Brahmaputra
(B) Yamuna
(C) Ganga
(D) Kaveri
(E) None of these
Ans : C

4. The White Tiger is a book written by-
(A) Arnitav Ghosh
(B) Arundhati Roy
(C) V. S. Naipaul
(D) Kiran Desai
(E) Aravind Adiga
Ans : E

5. The Govt. of India in order to provide some relief to the exporters announced a relief package of Rs.-
(A) 1000 crores
(B) 2500 crores
(C) 4000 crores
(D) 5000 crores
(E) 7000 crores
Ans : D

6. Who amongst the following players recently became the first ever Indian to win a World Championship in Badminton?
(A) P. Gopichand
(B) Saina Nehwal
(C) Aparna Popat
(D) Nandu M. Natekar
(E) None of these
Ans : B

7. The availability of Cash and other cash like marketable instruments that are useful in purchases and investments are commonly known as-
(A) Cash crunch
(B) Liquidity
(C) Credit
(D) Marketability
(E) None of these
Ans : B

8. The World Development Report 2009 was released recently. Who publishes the World Development Report every year?
(A) Asian Development Bank
(B) World Bank
(C) International Monetary Fund
(D) United Nations Organizations
(E) None of these
Ans : B

9. Mr. Kgalema Motlanthe who was on a visit to India in October 2008 is the-
(A) President of South Africa
(B) Prime Minister of South Africa
(C) President of Kenya
(D) Prime Minister of Kenya
(E) Deputy Director General of UNO
Ans : A

10. Mr. Mohammed Anni Nasheed's name was in news in recent past as he has taken over as President of-
(A) Bangladesh
(B) Maldives
(C) Malaysia
(D) Indonesia
(E) None of these
Ans : B

11. 'Jnanpith Award' is given for excellence in the field of-
(A) Music
(B) Literature
(C) Sports
(D) Films
(E) Social Services
Ans : B

12. Besides USA and France, India has also a Civil Nuclear Deal with-
(A) Britain
(B) Russia
(C) Germany
(D) Canada
(E) Australia
Ans : B

13. Miss Karla Paula Henry won which of the following titles 'when she participated in an event in November 2008 in Philippines?
(A) Miss Earth
(B) Miss World
(C) Miss Universe
(D) Miss Asia Pacific
(E) None of these
Ans : A

14. Who amongst the following cine star of India became the first upon whom Malaysian title 'Datuk' was conferred recently?
(A) Arnitabh Bachchan
(B) Akshay Khanna
(C) Salman Khan
(D) Shah Rukh Khan
(E) None of these
Ans : D

15. Ms. Kiran Desai is the author of which of the following books ?
(A) God of small things
(B) The inheritance of loss
(C) Midnight's children
(D) A House for Mr. Biswas
(E) None of these
Ans : B

Indian Overseas Bank PO Solved 2009 Paper

1. As per the reports published in the newspapers/journals how much amount the Govt. of India is planning to infuse in Public Sector Banks to make them competitive and strong globally ?
About—
(A) Rs. 10,000 crore
(B) Rs. 15,000 crore
(C) Rs. 20,000 crore
(D) Rs. 25,000 crore
(E) Rs. 30,000 crore
Ans : C

2. As per the news in major financial newspapers a ‘Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana’ is launched in Delhi and Haryana States for members of unorganized sectors. Under the scheme each family is likely to get the benefit of Rs.………
(A) 15,000
(B) 20,000
(C) 25,000
(D) 30,000
(E) 50,000
Ans : D

3. The government of India has launched a new scheme for the ‘Girl Child’. What is the name of the scheme ?
(A) Raj Lakshmi
(B) Rani Bitia
(C) Dhan Lakshmi
(D) Aanandita
(E) None of these
Ans : C

4. As per the new policy the number of Judges in the Supreme Court would be now—
(A) 21
(B) 25
(C) 26
(D) 30
(E) 31
Ans : E

5. ‘Sub Prime Lending’ is a term applied to the loans made to—
(A) Those borrowers who do not have a good credit history
(B) Those who wish to take loan against the mortgage of tangible assets
(C) Those who have a good credit history and are known to bank since 10 years
(D) Those borrowers who are most preferred customers of the Bank
(E) None of these
Ans : A

6. Basel-II norms are associated with which of the following aspects of the banking industry ?
(A) Risk management
(B) Manpower planning
(C) Retirement benefits for the employees
(D) Corporate Governance
(E) None of these
Ans : A

7. The government of India recently constituted the New Finance Commission (13th). What are its major functions ? To decide—
1. The salary structure of the employees of the Central Government.
2. The distribution of the net proceeds of taxes between states and Central Govt.
3. Rate of Income Tax and other taxes collected by the Union Govt.
(A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Only 3
(D) All 1, 2 and 3
(E) None of these
Ans : B

8. Who amongst the following has taken over as the President of Serbia after the General elections held there in February 2008 ?
(A) Boris Tadic
(B) Tomislav Nicolic
(C) Samak Sundaravej
(D) Novak Djokovic
(E) None of these
Ans : A

9. Saina Nehwal won the Seniors’ Championship match of which of the following games held in Goa in January 2008 ?
(A) Golf
(B) Tennis
(C) Table tennis
(D) Archery
(E) Badminton
Ans : E

10. As per the performance assessment data released by the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) in January 2008. Which of the following sectors registered a growth of 3•6 per cent ?
(A) Agriculture Sector
(B) Banking Sector
(C) Tourism Sector
(D) Aviation Services Sector
(E) None of these
Ans : A

11. As we have noticed many banks of Indian origin are opening offices/branches in foreign countries. Why is this trend emerging at a very fast pace ?
1. These Banks wish to provide banking facilities to foreigners as banking facilities are not plenty in many foreign countries. India wants to take an advantage of the situation.
2. These banks wish to help Indian firms to acquire funds at internationally competitive rates.
3. These banks wish to promote trade and investment between India and other countries.
(A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Only 3
(D) All 1, 2 and 3
(E) Only 2 and 3
Ans : E

12. The Technology Mission on Cotton was launched during Xth plan. The scheme was designed to get increase in production of cotton by which of the following levels by the end of the plan ?
(A) 100 lakh bales
(B) 150 lakh bales
(C) 175 lakh bales
(D) 200 lakh bales
(E) None of these
Ans : D

13. The general elections took place in which of the following countries in March 2008 ?
(A) Iran
(B) Iraq
(C) Afghanistan
(D) Myanmar
(E) Sri Lanka
Ans : A

14. Olympic 2008 are scheduled to be held in—
(A) Paris
(B) Tokyo
(C) London
(D) Moscow
(E) None of these
Ans : E

15. ‘Long Walk’ to Freedom’ is a book written by—
(A) Sonia Gandhi
(B) L. K. Advani
(C) Nelson Mandela
(D) Benazir Bhutto
(E) Nawaz Sheriff
Ans : C