UPSC IAS Prelims 2018 Previous Papers

With reference to the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), consider the following statements: 

1. IRNSS has three satellites in geostationary and four satellites in geosynchronous orbits.
2. IRNSS covers entire India and about 5500 sq. km beyond its borders.
3. India will have its own satellite navigation system with full global coverage by the middle of 2019. 

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following phenomena:

1. Light is affected by gravity. 
2. The Universe is constantly expanding.
3. Matter warps its surrounding space-time.

Which of the above is/are the prediction/predictions of Albert Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity, often discussed in media?

With reference to the Genetically Modified mustard (GM mustard) developed in India, consider the following statements: 

1. GM mustard has the genes of a soil bacterium that give the plant the property of pest-resistance to a wide variety of pests.
2. GM mustard has the genes that allow the plant cross-pollination and hybridization.
3. GM mustard has been developed jointly by the IARI and Punjab Agricultural University.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following pairs: (Terms sometimes seen in news – Context/Topic)

1. Belle II experiment – Artificial Intelligence
2. Blockchain technology – Digital/Cryptocurrency
3. CRISPR-Cas9 – Particle physics

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

Which of the following statements best describes “carbon fertilization”?

When the alarm of your smartphone rings in the morning, you wake up and tap it to stop the alarm which causes your geyser to be switched on automatically. The smart minor in your bathroom shows the day’s weather and also indicates the level of water in your overhead tank. After you take some groceries from your refrigerator for making breakfast, it recognizes the shortage of stock in it and places an order for the supply of fresh grocery items. When you step out of your house and lock the door, all lights, fans, geysers and AC machines get switched off automatically. On your way to office, your car warns you about traffic congestion ahead and suggests an alternative route, and if you are late for a meeting, it sends a- message to your office accordingly. 

In the context of emerging communication technologies, which one of the following term” best applies to the above scenario?

With reference to solar power production in India, consider the following statements: 

1. India is the third largest in the world in the manufacture of silicon wafers used in photovoltaic units.
2. The solar power tariffs are determined by the Solar Energy Corporation of India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The staple commodities of export by the English East India Company from Bengal in the middle of the 18^th century were:

Which one of the following is a very significant aspect of the Champaran Satyagraha?

Who among the following were the founders of the “Hind Mazdoor Sabha” established in 1948?

With reference to the religious practices in India, the “Sthanakvasi” sect belongs to

With reference to the cultural history of India, consider the following statements: 

1. White marble was used in making Buland Darwaza and Khankah at Fatehpur Sikri.
2. Red sandstone and marble were used in making Ilara Imambara and Rumi Darwaza at Lucknow.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Which one of the following foreign travellers elaborately discussed about diamonds and diamond mines of India?

With reference to Indian history, who among the following is a future Buddha, yet to come to save the world?

Which one of the following statements does not apply to the system of Subsidiary Alliance introduced by Lord Wellesley?

Consider the following statements: 

1. In the first Lok Sabha, the single largest party in the opposition was the Swatantra Party.
2. In the Lok Sabha, a “Leader of the Opposition” was recognised for the first time in 1969.
3. In the Lok Sabha, if a party does not have a minimum of 75 members, its leader cannot be recognised as the Leader of the Opposition.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Which of the following leaf modifications occur(s) in the desert areas to inhibit water loss? 

1. Hard and waxy leaves
2. Tiny leaves
3. Thorns instead of leaves

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

As per the NSSO 70th Round “Situation Assessment Survey of Agricultural Households”, consider the following statements- 

1. Rajasthan has the highest percentage share of agricultural households among its rural households.
2. Out of the total agricultural households in the country, a little over 60 percent belong to OBCs.
3. In Kerala, a little over 60 percent of agricultural households reported to have received maximum income from sources other than agricultural activities.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

How is the National Green Tribunal (NGT) different from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) 

1. The NGT has been established by an Act whereas the CPCB has been created by an executive order of the Government.
2. The NGT provides environmental justice and helps reduce the burden of litigation in the higher courts whereas the CPCB promotes cleanliness of streams and wells and aims to improve the quality of air in the country.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following statements: 

1. The Parliament of India can place a particular law in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution of India.
2. The validity of a law placed in the Ninth Schedule cannot be examined by any court and no judgement can be made on it.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Which one of the following best describes the term “Merchant Discount Rate” sometimes seen in news?

What is/are the consequence/consequences of a country becoming the member of the `Nuclear Suppliers Group’? 

1. It will have access to the latest and most efficient nuclear technologies.
2. It automatically becomes a member of “The Treaty on the NonProliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)”.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

With reference to India’s decision to levy an equalization tax of 6% on online advertisement services offered by non- resident entities, which of the following statements is/are correct? 

1. It is introduced as a part of the Income Tax Act.
2. Non-resident entities that offer advertisement services in India can claim a tax credit in their home country under the “Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements”.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Consider the following statements 

1. The Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Review Committee Report has recommended a debt to GDP ratio of 60% for the general (combined) government by 2023, comprising 40% for the Central Government and 20% for the State Governments.
2. The Central Government has domestic liabilities of 21% of GDP as compared to that of war of GDP of the State 2 Governments.
3. As per the Constitution of India, it is mandatory for a State to take the Central Government’s consent for raising any loan if the former owes any outstanding liabilities to the latter.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following statements 

1. The quantity of imported edible oils is more than the domestic production of edible oils in the last five years.
2. The Government does not impose any customs duty on all the imported edible oils a special case.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct-?

He wrote biographies of Mazzini, Garibaldi, Shivaji and Shrikrishna; stayed in America for some time; and was also elected to the Central Assembly. He was

Consider the following statements: 

1. Aadhaar card can be used as a proof of citizenship or domicile. 
2. Once issued, Aadhaar number cannot be deactivated or omitted by the Issuing Authority.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Which of the following has/have shrunk immensely/dried up in the recent past due to human activities? 

1. Aral Sea
2. Black Sea
3. Lake Baikal

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

“Rule of Law Index” is released by which of the following?

Which one of the following links all the ATMs in India?

Which one of the following statements correctly describes the meaning of legal tender money?

If a commodity is provided free to the public by the Government, then

Increase in absolute and per capita real GNP do not connote a higher level of economic development, if

Consider the following statements:

Human capital formation as a concept is better explained in terms of a process, which enables-:

1. individuals of a country to accumulate more capital.
2. increasing the knowledge, skill levels and capacities of the people of the country.
3. accumulation of tangible wealth.
4. accumulation of intangible wealth.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Despite being a high saving economy, capital formation may not result in significant increase in output due to

After the Santhal Uprising subsided, what was/were the measure/measures taken by the colonial government? 

1. The territories called `Santhal Paraganas’ were created.
2. It became illegal for a Santhal to transfer land to a non-Santhal. Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Economically, one of the results of the British rule in India in the 19^th century was the

If the President of India exercises his power as provided under Article 356 of the Constitution in respect of a particular State, then

Consider the following pairs: 

Craft Heritage of which of the pairs given above is/are correct? 

1. Puthukkuli shawls — Tamil Nadu
2. Sujni embroidery — Maharashtra
3. Uppada Jamdani saris — Karnataka

In which of the following areas can GPS technology be used? 

1. Mobile phone operations
2. Banking operations
3. Controlling the power grids

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Consider the following statements: 

1. The Reserve Bank of India manages and services Government of India Securities but not any State Government Securities.
2. Treasury bills are issued by the Government of India and there are no treasury bills issued by the State Governments.
3. Treasury bills offer are issued at a discount from the par value. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following statements: 

1. The Earth’s magnetic field has reversed every few hundred thousand years.
2. When the Earth was created more than 4000 million years ago, there was 54% oxygen and no carbon dioxide.
3. When living organisms originated, they modified the early atmosphere of the Earth.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The terms ‘Wanna Cry, Petya and Eternal Blue’ sometimes mentioned in the news recently are related to

With reference to the circumstances in Indian agriculture, the concept of “Conservation Agriculture” assumes significance. Which of the following fall under the Conservation Agriculture? 

1. Avoiding the monoculture practices
2. Adopting minimum tillage
3. Avoiding the cultivation of plantation crops
4. Using crop residues to cover soil surface
5. Adopting spatial and temporal crop sequencing/crop rotations Select the correct answer using the code given below:

The term “sixth mass extinction/sixth extinction” is often mentioned in the news in the context of the discussion of:

Which of the following led to the introduction of English Education in India? 

1. Charter Act of 1813
2. General Committee of Public Instruction, 1823
3. Orientalist and Anglicist Controversy

Select the correct answer using the code given below

Which one of the following is an artificial lake?

With reference to Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, consider the following statements 

1. It is the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Labour and Employment. 
2. It, among other things, will also impart training in soft skills, entrepreneurship, financial and digital literacy. 
3. It aims to align the competencies of the unregulated workforce of the country to the National Skill Qualification Framework.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

In 1920, which of the following changed its name to “Swarajya Sabha”?

Which among the following events happened earliest?

Which of the following is/are the possible consequence/s of heavy sand mining in riverbeds? 

1. Decreased salinity in the river
2. Pollution of groundwater
3. Lowering of the water-table

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

With reference to agricultural soils, consider the following statements: 

1. A high content of organic matter in soil drastically reduces its water holding capacity. 
2. Soil does not play any role in the sulphur cycle.
3. Irrigation over a period of time can contribute to the salinization of some agricultural lands.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), a UN mechanism to assist countries transition towards greener and more inclusive economies, emerged at:

3D printing” has applications in which of the following? 

1. Preparation of confectionery items
2. Manufacture of bionic ears
3. Automotive industry
4. Reconstructive surgeries
5. Data processing technologies

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Consider the following statements: 

1. The Barren Island volcano is an active volcano located in the Indian territory.
2. Barren Island lies about 140 km east of Great Nicobar.
3. The last time the Barren Island volcano erupted was in 1991 and it has remained inactive since then.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Why is a plant called Prosopis juliflora often mentioned in news?

Consider the following statements 

1. Most of the world’s coral reefs are in tropical waters.
2. More than one-third of the world’s coral reefs are located in the territories of Australia, Indonesia and Philippines.
3. Coral reefs host far more number of animal phyla than those hosted by tropical rainforests.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

“Momentum for Change: Climate Neutral Now” is an initiative launched by

With reference to educational institutes during colonial rule in India, consider the following pairs: (Institution – Founder)

1. Sanskrit College William at Benaras – William Jones
2. Culcutta Madarsa – Warren Hastings
3. Fort William Arthur College – Arthur Wellesley

Which of the pairs given above is/are correct?

Consider the following pairs: (Regions mentioned in news – Country)

1. Catalonia – Spain
2. Crimea – Hungary
3. Mindanao – Philippines
4. Oromia – Nigeria

Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

Consider the following statements: 

1. Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) is the amount that banks have to maintain in the form of their own funds to offset any loss that banks incur if the account-holders fail to repay dues.
2. CAR is decided by each individual bank.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The identity platform `Aadhaar’ provides open “Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)”. What does it imply? 

1. It can be integrated into any electronic device.
2. Online authentication using iris is possible.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Very recently, in which of the following countries have lakhs of people either suffered from severe famine/acute malnutrition or died due to starvation caused by war/ethnic conflicts?

Regarding Wood’s Dispatch, which of the following statements are true? 

1. Grants-in-Aid system was introduced.
2. Establishment of universities was recommended.
3. English as a medium of instruction at all levels of education was recommended.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

With reference to the Parliament of India, which of the following Parliamentary Committees scrutinizes and reports to the house whether the powers to make regulations, rules, sub-rules, by-laws, etc. conferred by the Constitution or delegated by the Parliament are being properly exercised by the Executive within the scope of such delegation?

Consider the following statements: 

1. As per the Right to Education (RTE) Act, to be eligible for appointment as a teacher in a State, a person would be required to possess the minimum qualification laid down by the concerned State Council of Teacher Education.
2. As per the RTE Act, for teaching primary classes, a candidate is required to pass a Teacher Eligibility Test conducted in accordance with the National Council of Teacher Education guidelines.
3. In India, more than 90% of teacher -5 education institutions are directly under the State Governments.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following pairs: (Tradition – State)

1. Chapchar Kut festival – Mizoram
2. Khongjom Parba ballad – Manipur
3. Thong-To dance – Sikkim

Which of the pairs given above is/are correct?

Consider the following statements 

1. The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 replaced the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954.
2. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is under the charge of Director General of Health Services in the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The term “two-state solution” is sometimes mentioned in the news in the context of the affairs of

With reference to the provisions made under the National Food Security Act, 2013 consider the following statements: 

1. The families coming under the category of ‘below poverty line (BPL)’ only are eligible to receive subsidised grains.
2. The eldest woman in a household, of age 18 years or above, shall be the head of the household for the purpose of issuance of a ration card.
3. Pregnant women and lactating mothers are entitled to a take-home ration’ of 1600 calories per day during pregnancy and for six months thereafter. 

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

India enacted The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 in order to comply with the obligations to

Consider the following statements: 

1. In India, State Governments do not have the power to auction noncoal mines.
2. Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand do not have gold mines.
3. Rajasthan has iron ore mines.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

With reference to digital payments, consider the following statements: 

1. BHIM app allows the user to transfer money to anyone with a UPIenabled bank account. 
2. While a chip-pin debit card has four factors of authentication, BHIM app has only two factors of authentication.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Among the following cities, which one lies on a longitude closest to that of Delhi?

International Labour Organization’s Conventions 138 and 182 are related to:

Consider the following events: 

1. The first democratically elected communist party government formed in a State in India.
2. India’s then largest bank, ‘Imperial Bank of India’, was renamed ‘State Bank of India’.
3. Air India was nationalised and became the national carrier.
4. Goa became a part of independent India.

Which of the following is the correct chronological sequence of the above events?

Right to Privacy is protected as an intrinsic part of Right to Life and Personal Liberty. Which of the following in the  Constitution of India correctly and appropriately imply the above statement?

Consider the following: 

1. Areca nut
2. Barley
3. Coffee 
4. Finger millet
5. Groundnut
6. Sesamum
7. Turmeric

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affair, has announced the Minimum Support Prick for which of the above?

In which one of the following States is Pakhui Wildlife Sanctuary located?

With reference to India’s satellite launch vehicles, consider the following statements: 

1. PSLVs launch the satellites useful for Earth resources monitoring whereas GSLVs are designed mainly to launch communication satellites. 
2. Satellites launched by PSLV appear to remain permanently fixed in the same position in the sky, as viewed from a particular location on Earth. 
3. GSLV Mk III is a four-stage launch l vehicle with the first and third stages l using solid rocket motors; and the second and fourth stages using liquid rocket engines. 

Which of the statements given above is/are correct.?

With reference to the governance of public sector banking in India, consider the following statements 

1. Capital infusion into public sector banks by the Government of India has steadily increased in the last decade.
2. To put the public sector banks in order, the merger of associate banks with the parent State Bank of India has been affected.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following items: 

1. Cereal grains hulled
2. Chicken eggs cooked
3. Fish processed and canned
4. Newspapers containing advertising material

Which of the above items is/are exempted under GST (Goods and Services Tax)?

Consider the following statements: 

1. The definition of “Critical Wildlife Habitat” is incorporated in the Forest Rights Act, 2006.
2. For the first time in India, Baigas have been given Habitat Rights.
3. Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change officially decides and declares Habitat Rights for Primitive and Vulnerable Tribal Groups in any part of India. 

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following: 

1. Birds
2. Dust blowing
3. Rain
4. Wind blowing

Which of the above spread plant diseases?

With reference to organic farming in India, consider the following statements: 

1. The National Programme for Organic Production’ (NPOP) is operated under the guidelines and directions of the Union Ministry of Rural Development.
2. The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority’ (APEDA) functions as the Secretariat for the implementation of NPOP.
3. Sikkim has become India’s first fully organic State.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Regarding Money Bill, which of the following statements is not correct?

With reference to the election of the President of India, consider the following statements: 

1. The value of the vote of each MLA varies from State to State.
2. The value of the vote of MPs of the Lok Sabha is more than the value of the vote of MPs of the Rajya Sabha. 

Which of Following statements given above is/are Correct?

In the Indian context, what is the implication of ratifying the ‘Additional Protocol’ with the `International Atomic Energy  Agency’ (IAEA)?

Consider the following countries: 

1. Australia
2. Canada
3. China
4. India
5. Japan
6. USA

Which of the above are among the ‘free-trade partners’ of ASEAN?

With reference to the ‘Global Alliance for Climate-Smart Agriculture (CACSA)’, which of the following statements is/are correct.” 

1. GACSA is an outcome of the Climate Summit held in Paris in 2015. 
2. Membership of GACSA does not create any binding obligations.
3. India was instrumental in the creation of GACSA.

Select the correct answer using the code given

Which of the following is/are the aim/aims of “Digital India” Plan of the Government of India? 

1. Formation of India’s own Internet companies like China did. 
2. Establish a policy framework to encourage overseas multinational corporations that collect Big Data to build their large data centres within our national geographical boundaries. 
3. Connect many of our villages to the Internet and bring Wi-Fi to many of our school, public places and major tourist 

Select the correct answer using the code given below

Consider the following pairs: (Town sometime mentioned in news – Country)

1. Aleppo – Syria
2. Kirkuk – Yemen
3. Mosul – Palestine
4. Mazhar -i- Sharif – Afghanistan

Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

In the federation established by The Government of India Act of 1935. Residuary Power were given to the

Consider the following statements: 

1. The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly shall vacate his/her office if he/she ceases to be a member of the Assembly.
2. Whenever the Legislative Assembly is dissolved, the Speaker shall vacate his/her immediately.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Which one of the following reflects the nicest, appropriate relationship between law and liberty?

Consider the following statements: 

1. No criminal proceedings shall be instituted against the Governor of a State any court during his term of office.
2. The emoluments and allowances of the Governor of a State shall not be diminished during his term of office.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The well-known painting “Bani Thani” belongs to the

What is “Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)”, sometimes seen in the news?

With reference to cultural history of India, consider the following statements: 

1. Most of the Tyagaraja Kritis are devotional songs in praise of Lord Krishna.
2. Tyagaraja created several new ragas.
3. Annamacharya and Tyagaraja are contemporaries.
4. Annamacharya kirtanas are devotional songs in praise of Lord Venkateshwara.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Which of the following are regarded as the main features of the “Rule of Law”?

1. Limitation of powers
2. Equality before law
3. People’s responsibility to the Government
4. Liberty and civil rights

Select the correct answer using the code given below: