SSC CGL Tier 1 2023 General Awareness Questions with Solutions

Explanation

The Union Cabinet approved the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) on May 1, 2013, as a sub-mission under the overarching National Health Mission (NHM). It was launched to specifically address the healthcare needs of the urban population, with a primary focus on the urban poor, including slum dwellers and other marginalized groups like rickshaw pullers, construction workers, and street vendors. The mission works by strengthening the existing public health delivery system in urban areas through the creation of Urban Primary Health Centres (U-PHCs) and Urban Community Health Centres (U-CHCs), aiming to provide equitable and quality healthcare while reducing out-of-pocket expenses for the vulnerable urban population.

Explanation

According to the 2011 Census of India, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra are the two most populous states in the country. Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest population with approximately 19.98 crore people, accounting for roughly 16.5 percent of India's total population. Maharashtra follows as the second most populous state with a population of approximately 11.24 crore, representing about 9.3 percent of the national total. These two states represent the highest demographic concentration in the country as they occupy the first and second ranks respectively in terms of total population size.

Explanation

Hurricane Julia was a tropical cyclone that formed in the North Atlantic Ocean in October 2022. It originated from a tropical wave in the southern Caribbean Sea and made landfall in Nicaragua as a Category 1 hurricane. Its path and impact were entirely confined to Central America and the Caribbean, causing significant damage and flooding in countries such as Venezuela, Colombia, Nicaragua, and El Salvador. It did not enter the North Indian Ocean basin and therefore did not affect the Indian subcontinent.

Explanation

Lipase is the primary enzyme responsible for the chemical digestion of lipids in the human body. It is primarily secreted by the pancreas into the small intestine, although smaller amounts are also produced by the gastric and lingual glands. Because fats are hydrophobic and tend to aggregate into large globules, they must first undergo emulsification by bile salts in the duodenum. This process increases the surface area of the lipids, allowing lipase to efficiently catalyze the hydrolysis of triglycerides into smaller, absorbable molecules such as free fatty acids and monoglycerides. These end products are then incorporated into micelles to be absorbed across the intestinal mucosa.

Explanation

Kumudini Lakhia is a pioneering Kathak dancer and choreographer who is widely credited with modernizing the traditional dance form. She established the KADAMB Centre for Dance in Ahmedabad in 1964 with the aim of providing a professional platform for training and experimental choreography. Her work at Kadamb is significant for transitioning Kathak from a purely solo narrative art to a sophisticated group performance medium, incorporating contemporary stagecraft and innovative spatial arrangements. Under her leadership, the institution became a premier center for classical dance, emphasizing both technical precision and creative expression in Kathak.

Explanation

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurological disorder that causes the brain to shrink and brain cells to die, leading to cognitive decline. Diphtheria is a bacterial infection caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae that typically affects the mucous membranes of the nose and throat. Gonorrhoea is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae which primarily targets the mucous membranes of the reproductive tract. Mumps is a viral infection that primarily affects the parotid glands, which are the salivary glands located near the ears.

Explanation

Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana is a National Mission for Financial Inclusion launched to ensure that every household in India has access to basic financial services, such as savings and deposit accounts, remittance, credit, insurance, and pension. While it facilitates access to finance, its primary focus is on universal banking coverage for individuals rather than the institutional development or refinancing of the microfinance sector. In contrast, initiatives like E-Shakti, Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, and the India Micro Finance Equity Fund are specifically designed to strengthen the microfinance ecosystem by digitizing Self-Help Groups, providing dedicated micro-credit to small enterprises, and offering equity support to Micro Finance Institutions.

Explanation

The standard distance for a marathon is officially set at 42.195 kilometers, which equals 26 miles and 385 yards. This specific measurement was standardized by the International Amateur Athletic Federation in 1921. The distance originates from the 1908 Olympic Games held in London, where the course was specifically designed to run from Windsor Castle to the Olympic Stadium, with the finish line situated directly in front of the Royal Box. Before this standardization, marathon distances varied across different Olympic Games, typically ranging around 40 kilometers. Since the 1921 ruling, this precise length has been the mandatory requirement for all official competitive marathons and world record recognition.

Explanation

Mountstuart Elphinstone served as the Governor of the Bombay Presidency from 1819 to 1827. His tenure was significant for the administrative consolidation of the territories newly acquired after the defeat of the Maratha Peshwa in 1818. He is particularly remembered for his pioneering efforts in education and judicial reforms, advocating for the instruction of Indians in their own languages as well as English. The Elphinstone College in Mumbai was established in his honor to commemorate his contributions to the province. Additionally, he played a crucial role in codifying the laws of the presidency, a project known as the Elphinstone Code, which aimed to simplify the legal system for the local population.

Explanation

India secured its first-ever Thomas Cup title in May 2022 by defeating Indonesia 3-0 in the final held in Bangkok, Thailand. This historic victory was anchored by Lakshya Sen, who won the opening singles match, followed by a crucial win from the doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty. Kidambi Srikanth sealed the championship for India by winning the second singles match. The Thomas Cup is the premier international men's team badminton competition, and India's triumph in 2022 ended decades of dominance by traditional powerhouses like Indonesia, China, and Malaysia, making India only the sixth nation to win the trophy since the tournament began in 1949.

Explanation

Dadabhai Naoroji, known as the Grand Old Man of India, presided over the second session of the Indian National Congress held in Calcutta in 1886. This session was a pivotal moment for the organization as it saw the number of delegates increase significantly to 434, reflecting the growing reach of the nationalist movement across different provinces. During this session, the Indian National Congress and the Indian National Conference merged, strengthening the unified front against colonial policies. Naoroji went on to serve as the Congress president three times in total, specifically in 1886, 1893, and 1906.

Explanation

Rukmini Devi Arundale was a pioneering figure who led the revival of Bharatnatyam from its traditional form known as Sadhir, elevating its status to a respected classical art form. In 1936, she established the Kalakshetra Foundation in Chennai, an institution that became a global center for the study of Indian classical dance and music. As a dedicated member of the Theosophical Society, her work was deeply influenced by theosophical principles and the guidance of mentors like Annie Besant and George Arundale. For her immense contributions to Indian culture, she was honored with the Padma Bhushan in 1956 and later received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship. She also held the distinction of being the first woman in Indian history to be nominated as a member of the Rajya Sabha.

Explanation

M.S. Subbulakshmi was a legendary Indian vocalist and one of the most prominent exponents of Carnatic music, the classical music tradition of South India. Often referred to as the Nightingale of India, she played a pivotal role in bringing Carnatic music to a global stage, notably performing at the United Nations General Assembly in 1966. Her immense contribution to the art form earned her the Bharat Ratna in 1998, making her the first musician to receive India's highest civilian honor. She was also the first Indian musician to be awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1974, recognized for her mastery of traditional compositions and her deep spiritual influence through music.

Explanation

The Green Revolution in India, while significantly increasing food grain production, led to several long-term negative consequences. The intensive cultivation of High Yielding Variety (HYV) seeds necessitated massive amounts of water, leading to the over-extraction of groundwater through tube wells and a subsequent depletion of the groundwater table in regions like Punjab and Haryana. Soil quality deteriorated due to the excessive and imbalanced use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, which caused soil acidification, loss of essential micronutrients, and increased salinity. Additionally, the shift from traditional farming to technology-intensive agriculture resulted in increased input costs, as farmers became dependent on expensive commercial seeds, chemical inputs, and mechanized irrigation systems, making agriculture more capital-intensive.

Explanation

The Rail Kaushal Vikas Yojana (RKVY) was launched in September 2021 as a sub-scheme under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) to empower youth by providing entry-level technical training in industry-relevant skills. The initiative is spearheaded by the Ministry of Railways and aims to impart training to 50,000 candidates over a period of three years. The program focuses on technical trades such as Electrician, Welder, Machinist, and Fitter to enhance the employability of youth aged between 18 and 35 years. Training is conducted across various Railway Training Institutes located throughout the country, ensuring standardized skill development aligned with the requirements of the industrial sector.

Explanation

Friction is a resistive force that opposes the relative motion or the tendency of such motion between two surfaces in contact. At a microscopic level, every surface has irregularities consisting of peaks and valleys. When two surfaces are in contact, these irregularities interlock, creating a resistance to sliding. A rough surface possesses a significantly higher number of these microscopic irregularities compared to a smooth surface, which leads to a higher coefficient of friction μ.

The magnitude of the frictional force f is defined by the relation f = μ N, where N is the normal force. Because a rough surface has a higher coefficient of friction, the frictional force generated is much greater. This increased force provides a stronger opposition to the applied force, thereby making it more difficult for the object to overcome static friction and begin slipping. Consequently, objects exhibit less slipping on rough surfaces because the enhanced frictional force directly counteracts the motion more effectively than on smooth surfaces. Therefore, the increase in frictional force due to surface roughness is the fundamental physical reason why slipping is reduced.

Explanation

During the Union Budget 2021-22, the Finance Minister announced the launch of Mission POSHAN 2.0 to improve nutritional outcomes by strengthening content, delivery, outreach, and outcomes. This initiative was formed by merging the Supplementary Nutrition Programme, which provides nutritional support to children and women through Anganwadi centers, and the National Nutrition Mission (POSHAN Abhiyaan). The primary objective of this umbrella scheme is to develop practices that nurture health, wellness, and immunity to disease, with a specific focus on 112 aspirational districts to tackle the challenges of malnutrition effectively.

Explanation

Justice Rituraj Awasthi, a former Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, was appointed as the Chairperson of the 22nd Law Commission of India in November 2022. The Law Commission of India is a non-statutory body constituted by the Union Government for a fixed tenure to act as an advisory body to the Ministry of Law and Justice. The 22nd Law Commission was tasked with identifying laws that are no longer relevant, suggesting new legislations to implement the Directive Principles of State Policy, and reviewing the existing legal framework to ensure it remains effective in the current socio-economic environment. Justice Awasthi's appointment filled the vacancy in the commission's leadership that had existed since the previous commission's term ended in 2018.

Explanation

Article 15(2) of the Constitution of India explicitly states that no citizen shall, on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them, be subject to any disability, liability, restriction or condition with regard to access to shops, public restaurants, hotels and places of public entertainment. A cinema hall is a primary example of a place of public entertainment. This specific provision is unique because it offers protection against discrimination by both the State and private individuals. In this scenario, the maid has a constitutional right to access and remain in the cinema hall, and any attempt to exclude her based on social status or identity violates the principle of non-discrimination in public spaces as guaranteed under Article 15.

Explanation

Sukumar Sen, a seasoned Indian Civil Service officer, was appointed as the first Chief Election Commissioner of India on March 21, 1950. He played a pivotal role in designing the electoral machinery of the country and successfully supervised the first two Lok Sabha elections held in 1951-52 and 1957. His tenure was marked by the monumental challenge of enrolling millions of voters and ensuring a smooth democratic transition for the newly independent republic. His expertise was so highly regarded that he also assisted in organizing the first elections in Sudan in 1953.

Explanation

Losar is the traditional Tibetan New Year, celebrated by the Buddhist community in Ladakh to mark the end of the harvest season and welcome the coming year. The term is derived from the Tibetan words Lo, meaning year, and Sar, meaning new. The festival traces its roots back to the pre-Buddhist Bön period, where it was originally a winter ceremony involving incense offerings. In Ladakh, the celebration typically involves the cleaning of houses, lighting oil lamps to symbolize the victory of light over darkness, and performing traditional music and dance. The timing of the festival in Ladakh was historically adjusted by King Jamyang Namgyal in the 17th century, who decided to celebrate it two months earlier than the traditional Tibetan date to ensure the festivities occurred before he led his army on a winter military expedition.

Explanation

The Chola dynasty is renowned for its highly efficient and sophisticated system of local self-government at the village level. Historical records and inscriptions, most notably the Uttaramerur inscriptions of Parantaka I, describe three types of village assemblies: the Ur, the Sabha, and the Nagaram. The Ur was a general assembly of the tax-paying residents in common villages, responsible for local issues such as land management and tax collection. The Sabha (or Mahasabha) was an exclusive assembly of Brahmin landholders in Brahmadeya villages, which functioned through various committees called variyams to oversee specialized tasks like irrigation, gardens, and justice. These assemblies possessed significant autonomy, managing local affairs and resources with minimal interference from the central administration.

Explanation

Chandragupta Maurya defeated Seleucus I Nicator, one of the leading generals of Alexander the Great and founder of the Seleucid Empire, during the Seleucid-Mauryan War around 305 BCE. Seleucus had crossed the Indus River in an attempt to recover Alexander's Indian territories, but he was successfully repelled by Chandragupta's massive army. The war concluded with a peace treaty in which Seleucus ceded the territories of Arachosia, Gedrosia, and Paropanisadae to the Mauryan Empire. In exchange, Chandragupta presented Seleucus with 500 war elephants, which later proved decisive in the Battle of Ipsus. The settlement also involved a matrimonial alliance and the dispatch of the Greek ambassador Megasthenes to the Mauryan capital, Pataliputra.

Explanation

Ethers are organic compounds characterized by the presence of an oxygen atom bonded to two alkyl or aryl groups. The general structural formula for this class is R-O-R', where R and R' represent the alkyl or aryl substituents. This specific arrangement is known as the ether linkage. Ethers are often formed through processes such as the dehydration of alcohols or the Williamson ether synthesis. Because the oxygen atom is connected to two carbon atoms and lacks a polar O-H bond, ethers generally exhibit lower reactivity and lower boiling points than alcohols of similar molecular weight, and they are frequently used as solvents in organic synthesis.

Explanation

The Donate-a-Pension campaign is an initiative launched under the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan (PM-SYM) scheme during the Iconic Week celebrations of the Ministry of Labour and Employment in March 2022. This initiative allows any citizen to contribute the premium amount on behalf of their immediate support staff, such as domestic workers, drivers, or helpers, to help them secure a pension. PM-SYM is a voluntary and contributory pension scheme meant for unorganised workers aged 18 to 40 years with a monthly income of up to ₹15,000. By donating the premium, a citizen ensures that the beneficiary receives a minimum assured pension of ₹3,000 per month after attaining the age of 60 years. The campaign was designed to encourage people to take responsibility for the social security of the informal workforce that provides daily essential services to them.

Explanation

During the reign of Aurangzeb, the highest number of Persian-language books and treatises on Indian classical music were written. Despite the common historical narrative regarding Aurangzeb's personal disapproval and eventual ban of music in the imperial court, his era saw a significant intellectual effort to document and preserve musical traditions. This period was marked by the translation of older Sanskrit texts into Persian and the composition of original works to codify musical theory and practice. A notable example is the Rag Darpan, authored by Faqirullah in 1666, which served as a Persian adaptation of the Man-Kautuhal. The proliferation of such literature suggests that musical scholarship flourished independently of court performance, leading to a quantitative peak in musical bibliography during this time.

Explanation

Following the first general elections held between October 1951 and February 1952, the first Lok Sabha was formally constituted on April 17, 1952. The inaugural session of the first Lok Sabha of independent India commenced on May 13, 1952. This session marked the beginning of the functioning of the lower house of the Indian Parliament under the Constitution of India, with G.V. Mavalankar serving as its first Speaker.

Explanation

The Cabinet Mission reached India in March 1946 under the initiative of the British Prime Minister, Clement Attlee. It was composed of three high-ranking British officials: Lord Pethick-Lawrence, Sir Stafford Cripps, and A.V. Alexander. The mission was sent to facilitate the peaceful transfer of power by discussing a constitutional framework with Indian political leaders. It recommended the formation of an Interim Government and the creation of a Constituent Assembly to formulate India's future constitution. The plan envisioned a three-tier structure that aimed to preserve the unity of India while providing significant autonomy to the provinces. These deliberations were a crucial step toward India gaining independence the following year.

Explanation

Kambala is a traditional annual buffalo race held in the coastal districts of Karnataka, particularly in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, a region collectively known as Tulu Nadu. This folk sport is organized by the local farming communities and takes place in slushy paddy fields. The event involves a pair of buffaloes tied to a plow and driven by a whip-wielding farmer racing against another pair or against the clock. Historically, the festival was dedicated to Lord Kadri Manjunatha, an incarnation of Lord Shiva, to seek blessings for a good harvest and to protect the livestock from diseases. It is a major cultural event for the Tuluva people and typically occurs between the months of November and March.

Explanation

The Southwest monsoon enters the Indian subcontinent in two distinct streams known as the Arabian Sea branch and the Bay of Bengal branch. The Arabian Sea branch moves northward across the Western Ghats and the Saurashtra-Kutch region into the northern plains. Simultaneously, the Bay of Bengal branch, after being deflected by the Himalayas, moves westward through the Ganga Valley. These two branches eventually meet and merge over the North Western part of the Ganga Plains, specifically around the Punjab and Haryana region. This convergence zone is characterized by significant meteorological activity and serves as a primary source of rainfall for the northern regions of India during the monsoon season.

Explanation

The Khelo India Winter Games were inaugurated in 2020 as a specialized component of the Khelo India initiative to promote winter sports across India. The first edition was organized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in collaboration with the local administrations of the union territories. The competition was held in two legs, beginning with events in Leh, Ladakh, followed by the main series of events in Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir. The games were designed to identify and nurture athletic talent in disciplines such as alpine skiing, nordic skiing, ice hockey, and snowshoeing, providing a national platform for athletes from the Himalayan regions and across the country to compete in winter-specific sporting categories.

Explanation

Giddha and Bhangra are traditional folk dances originating from the Punjab region of India. Bhangra is a high-energy dance performed primarily by men to celebrate the harvest season, particularly during the festival of Vaisakhi, and is characterized by rhythmic movements accompanied by the beat of the dhol. Giddha is the female counterpart, a graceful and energetic dance performed by women during social gatherings and festivals. It features the singing of traditional couplets known as boliyan and rhythmic clapping, reflecting the vibrant cultural life and agrarian traditions of the Punjabi people.

Explanation

Seaborgium is a synthetic chemical element with the symbol Sg and atomic number 106. It is positioned in group 6 and period 7 of the periodic table as a member of the d-block transuranium elements. The element was named in honor of the American nuclear chemist Glenn T. Seaborg, who played a crucial role in the discovery of numerous transuranium elements. Under the systematic IUPAC nomenclature for elements that have not yet received a permanent name, an element with atomic number 106 is assigned the temporary name unnilhexium, derived from the roots un for 1, nil for 0, and hex for 6, followed by the suffix ium. The official name seaborgium was formally adopted by IUPAC in 1997.

Explanation

The National Waterways Act, 2016, which came into effect on April 12, 2016, declared a total of 111 inland waterways as National Waterways across the country. Prior to this legislation, only five waterways had been recognized as National Waterways under individual acts. The 2016 Act integrated these five existing waterways and designated an additional 106 new waterways to facilitate organized shipping and navigation by the Central Government. This expansion was intended to promote inland water transport as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to road and rail, covering approximately 20,275 kilometers across 24 states. The Inland Waterways Authority of India is the statutory body responsible for the development and regulation of these designated routes for shipping and navigation.

Explanation

According to Law 7 of the Laws of the Game established by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), a standard professional association football match consists of two equal halves of 45 minutes each. This results in a total regulation playing time of 90 minutes. While the referee may add time at the end of each half to compensate for stoppages such as injuries or substitutions, the base duration for each of the two periods is fixed at 45 minutes.

Explanation

Ricky Kej secured his third Grammy Award at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards held in February 2023. He won this accolade for his album Divine Tides, a collaborative project with Stewart Copeland, the legendary drummer of the band The Police. The award was specifically conferred in the Best Immersive Audio Album category, which they shared with immersive mix engineer Herbert Waltl and immersive producers Eric Schilling and Herbert Waltl. This achievement made Ricky Kej the first Indian to win three Grammy Awards, following his previous wins in 2015 for Best New Age Album and in 2022 for Best New Age Album.

Explanation

Rudradaman I (130–150 AD) was the most illustrious ruler of the Kardamaka branch of the Shakas, or Western Kshatrapas. His achievements are documented in the celebrated Junagadh Rock Inscription, which is the first long inscription written in chaste Sanskrit. This record states that when the Sudarshana Lake in the semi-arid Kathiawar region was severely damaged by a massive storm and heavy floods, Rudradaman I commissioned its complete renovation. Although the lake was originally an artificial reservoir built during the reign of Chandragupta Maurya and later enhanced by Ashoka, Rudradaman I is specifically credited with rebuilding the dam and making it three times stronger. Significantly, the inscription highlights that he funded this massive public work from his personal treasury without imposing any additional taxes or forced labor on the local population.

Explanation

The primary sector comprises all economic activities that involve the direct extraction, harvesting, or production of natural resources from the Earth. Agriculture is categorized as a primary sector activity because it relies on natural processes and the use of natural elements such as land, water, and sunlight to produce crops and livestock. Since these products are harvested directly from nature and serve as the raw materials for other sectors of the economy, agriculture forms the foundational base of the primary sector. In many economies, this sector also includes related activities like forestry, fishing, and mining, all of which provide the essential inputs needed for industrial manufacturing and services.

Explanation

The demand for money is inversely related to the prevailing interest rate in the economy. According to the liquidity preference theory, the interest rate represents the opportunity cost of holding cash, which typically yields no interest. When the interest rate rises, the cost of holding liquid money increases because individuals forego the higher returns available from interest-bearing assets like bonds or savings accounts. Consequently, people reduce their cash holdings and increase their investment in financial assets, leading to a decrease in the overall demand for money. This relationship results in a downward-sloping money demand curve, where higher interest rates correspond to a lower quantity of money demanded for speculative and transaction purposes.

Explanation

The Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan was launched in June 2020 as a massive employment-cum-rural public works campaign to provide livelihood opportunities to returnee migrant workers and rural citizens impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative targeted 116 districts across six specific states that received a high volume of returning migrants. These states are Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and Odisha. Since both Bihar and Madhya Pradesh are included in this list of six beneficiary states, they are part of the scheme. The mission focused on 25 types of public works, including the construction of community centers, rural housing, and water conservation projects, to boost the rural economy and infrastructure in these regions.

Explanation

Guru Bipin Singh was a renowned director, choreographer, and scholar who played a foundational role in the revival and modernization of Manipuri dance. In 1958, the Maharaja of Manipur conferred the title of Hanjaba upon him in recognition of his deep research into the traditional dance form and his success in presenting it on professional stages. He was instrumental in systematizing the Manipuri dance style, particularly the Raslila, by studying ancient manuscripts and collaborating with traditional gurus and Maibis. His efforts helped transform the dance from a localized religious ritual into a globally recognized classical performance art, leading to the establishment of institutions like the Manipuri Nartanalaya for its formal training and preservation.

Explanation

Priyanka Nutakki, hailing from Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, officially became India's 23rd Woman Grandmaster in March 2022. She achieved this milestone by securing her third and final WGM norm at the MPL 47th National Women's Chess Championship held in Bhubaneswar. At the age of 19, she successfully crossed the required Elo rating threshold of 2300 and fulfilled all technical requirements set by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) to earn the title.

Explanation

Mechanical leavening involves the use of physical force or manual agitation to incorporate air into a mixture. When creaming fat and sugar, the friction and beating action trap air bubbles within the fat, which later expand during the baking process to provide lift. In the case of whipping egg whites or heavy cream, the rapid movement of a whisk or beater denatures proteins or organizes fat globules to encapsulate air, creating a stable foam. This method relies entirely on the mechanical energy applied to the ingredients to increase the volume and lighten the texture of the food product, distinguishing it from processes that rely on biological agents or chemical reactions.

Explanation

The Poona Pact was an agreement signed on September 24, 1932, between B.R. Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi (with Madan Mohan Malaviya signing on behalf of the caste Hindus) at the Yerwada Central Jail in Pune. The pact was a response to the Communal Award announced by British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald, which granted separate electorates to the Depressed Classes. Gandhi opposed the creation of separate electorates for Dalits, viewing it as a measure that would permanently divide Hindu society, and consequently began a fast unto death. To save Gandhi's life and reach a compromise, Ambedkar signed the pact, which replaced separate electorates with reserved seats for the Depressed Classes within the general electorate. This agreement significantly increased the number of seats reserved for the Depressed Classes in provincial legislatures from 71 to 147 and provided 18 percent reservation in the Central Legislature.

Explanation

Ascaris is a genus of parasitic nematode worms belonging to the phylum Aschelminthes, commonly known as roundworms. A defining anatomical characteristic of this phylum is a complete alimentary canal featuring a well-developed muscular pharynx. In Ascaris, the pharynx is a highly specialized, thick-walled structure that functions as a powerful suction pump. This muscularity is essential for the organism to ingest food particles and fluids from the host's intestine and push them into the worm's own digestive tract against the high hydrostatic pressure of its pseudocoelomic fluid. The efficiency of this feeding mechanism is a key adaptation for its parasitic lifestyle.

Explanation

The Magna Carta, also known as the Great Charter, was issued by King John of England in June 1215 at Runnymede. It was a revolutionary document that established the principle that the monarch was not absolute and was subject to the law of the land. By guaranteeing certain rights to the king's subjects and limiting the powers of the crown, it became the earliest written document to define civil liberties. The charter included protections such as the right to a fair trial and the concept of due process, which directly influenced the development of constitutional law and the modern framework of fundamental rights.

Explanation

The asthenosphere is a ductile and mechanically weak layer of the upper mantle located directly beneath the rigid lithosphere, extending from approximately 80 km to about 200 km depth. High temperatures in this region cause a small fraction of the mantle rock to exist in a state of partial melt, which reduces the rigidity of the material. This physical state creates a Low Velocity Zone (LVZ) where seismic waves, particularly S-waves, slow down significantly and undergo high attenuation as their energy is absorbed by the plastic-like material. This characteristic mechanical vulnerability allows the asthenosphere to flow plastically over geologic timescales, facilitating the movement of the overlying tectonic plates.

Explanation

Nitesh Kumar achieved a double gold medal victory at the 4th Para Badminton National Championship held in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, in December 2021. Representing Haryana, he secured the first gold in the Men's Singles SL3 category. He followed this success by winning a second gold medal in the Men's Doubles SL3-SL4 category, where he competed alongside his partner Tarun Dhillon. His performance at this national championship was a significant milestone in his career, showcasing his dominance in both individual and team formats within the SL3 classification.

Explanation

Marchantia is a genus of liverworts characterized by specialized stalked structures called archegoniophores and antheridiophores that elevate the gametangia above the thallus. The sporophytes develop on the underside of the umbrella-like archegoniophores, whereas the other options listed are all types of mosses.

Explanation

The Plan Holiday occurred between 1966 and 1969 following the completion of the Third Five Year Plan. During this three-year period, the government implemented three annual plans instead of a comprehensive five-year plan due to economic crises, wars, and severe drought.