WBCS Prelims 2015 Question Paper with Answers & Explanations

Explanation

The idiom in voice refers to being in a proper condition to sing or speak well. Consequently, to be not in voice means that a person is unable to sing properly or has temporarily lost their singing ability, often due to illness or vocal strain. This expression is commonly used when a vocalist is unable to perform at their usual standard due to temporary voice impairment.

Explanation

The preposition despite is used to introduce a contrast, meaning in spite of or regardless of, and is followed directly by a noun phrase such as his illness to show that the main action occurred regardless of the obstacle. It functions as a complete preposition on its own and fits the grammatical structure of the sentence perfectly to convey the intended contrast.

Explanation

The verb feed, in its past participle form fed, is standardly used to describe a body of water being supplied or replenished by another water source. In this context, the waterfall acts as the continuous source of water that flows into and maintains the stream, making fed the grammatically and contextually correct word to complete the sentence.

Explanation

The term shooting star is a widely used common English idiom that refers to a meteor passing through Earth's atmosphere and vaporizing, which leaves a visible streak of light across the night sky. Combining the word shooting with star forms this standard compound noun to describe this astronomical event.

Explanation

The idiom put one in mind of something or someone means to make someone remember or think of that thing or person because of a similarity. It is a traditional English phrase used to denote remembrance or association, making reminds the precise equivalent.

Explanation

The word book is commonly used as a verb in conjunction with ticket to form the collocation book a ticket, which means to reserve a seat, berth, or passage in advance for a journey, show, or performance. Alternatively, as a noun, it forms the compound noun ticket book, which refers to a booklet containing tickets or vouchers.

Explanation

The word genre refers to a specific category, class, or style of artistic, musical, or literary work characterized by a particular form, style, or content. It is derived from the French word meaning kind or gender, and it is commonly used to group similar types of creative works, such as science fiction, mystery, drama, or classical music.

Explanation

The sentence uses a nominative absolute construction, where a noun (Mary) is combined with a participle to form an independent adverbial phrase that modifies the main clause. The perfect active participle having arrived is the grammatically correct choice to show that the action of Mary arriving was fully completed before the action in the main clause, we were freed from anxiety, took place.

Explanation

The word stupefied means to be made unable to think or feel properly, or to be bored into a state of lethargy, dullness, or mental numbness. The opposite of feeling mentally dull and unresponsive is to feel energized, highly interested, and excited. Enthused means to be filled with enthusiasm, eagerness, and active interest, making it the precise antonym of stupefied in the context of reacting to a lecture.

Explanation

The word silence denotes a state of complete quietness or the absence of any sound. Its opposite is cacophony, which means a harsh, loud, and discordant mixture of sounds, representing a state of noise.

Explanation

The idiom hand and glove, also frequently expressed as hand in glove, refers to two or more parties working in close association, collusion, or sharing a very close relationship. It denotes being on highly familiar or intimate terms with someone, just as a glove fits closely and works in unison with a hand.

Explanation

The auxiliary verb are is used here in the be + to-infinitive structure (are to go) to express a command, instruction, or obligation. In this context, the mother is giving a direct instruction or order that the person must carry out immediately, which is grammatically denoted by are to.

Explanation

The proverb to find fault is easy means that it is very simple to criticize others or point out their mistakes. In this sentence, the infinitive phrase to find fault acts as the subject. The idiom to find fault is a standard English collocation meaning to seek out and complain about flaws or errors. Therefore, the infinitive to find is the grammatically and idiomatically appropriate choice to complete the sentence.

Explanation

The phrasal verb hold up means to delay or obstruct progress. When used in the context of transportation, it indicates that the midnight train experienced a delay or stoppage. Additionally, as a noun, a hold-up can refer to an armed robbery, which is also a contextually appropriate situation for a midnight train.

Explanation

The phrase in a swift manner functions as an adverbial phrase meaning quickly or rapidly. The adjective swift describes something moving or happening at high speed or within a short period of time, which perfectly corresponds to the directive of doing the task in a short time.

Explanation

The verb hint is transitively followed by the preposition at when it means to suggest or refer to something indirectly. Thus, hinted at is the grammatically correct and idiomatic construction for the sentence.

Explanation

The expression "had better" is used to give strong advice or recommendations and is always followed by the bare infinitive, which is the base form of the verb without "to." In English usage, the verb "ask" collocates naturally with the noun "permission" to form the common idiomatic phrase "ask permission," which means to seek authorization or consent to do something.

Explanation

According to standard English grammar, the relative pronoun "that" is used in preference to "who" or "which" immediately after interrogative pronouns like "who" or "what" to avoid awkward repetition. Applying this rule to the sentence yields "Who that saw her did not pity her?".

Explanation

The relative pronoun whose is used to show possession or association, functioning as the possessive form of who or which. It can refer to both animate beings and inanimate entities, including celestial bodies like the sun. In this sentence, whose correctly indicates that the rays belong to or originate from the sun, establishing the possessive relationship between the sun and its rays.

Explanation

The idiom call in question means to express doubt about something, to dispute its truth, or to challenge its validity. In the context of the sentence, it means that no one would dare to challenge or cast doubt upon his honesty.

Explanation

The interjection bravo is used to express approval, appreciation, and praise, particularly when someone has performed well or achieved success. It functions as an exclamation of acclaim to congratulate or applaud an action, signifying admiration and endorsement of an outstanding accomplishment.

Explanation

A terminally ill person is someone suffering from an active, progressive, and incurable illness that cannot be adequately treated and is reasonably expected to result in death in the near future. In medical and legal contexts, this term specifically describes individuals who are on the verge of death because their disease has advanced beyond the possibility of a cure, meaning the focus of care shifts from recovery to maximizing comfort.

Explanation

An endocrinologist is a medical specialist who diagnoses and treats diseases related to the endocrine system. The endocrine system consists of various glands that secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream to regulate vital bodily functions, including metabolism, growth, development, and reproduction. Common endocrine glands include the thyroid, pituitary, adrenal glands, pancreas, and ovaries or testes.

Explanation

A stoic person is someone who can endure pain, hardship, or adversity without showing their feelings or complaining. The word is derived from the ancient Greek philosophy of Stoicism, which emphasizes the cultivation of self-control, fortitude, and mental resilience as a way to remain unaffected by external circumstances and emotions.

Explanation

According to standard English grammar rules, when the relative pronoun that is used to introduce a defining relative clause referring to an inanimate object, any preposition governing it is placed at the end of the clause.

In this sentence, that is the relative pronoun referring to the watch, and the phrasal verb ask for is used to express the request. Since the relative pronoun that is used, the preposition for must be placed at the end of the sentence.

This completes the sentence as: Here is the watch that you asked for.

Explanation

Ustad Mansur was a highly celebrated painter of the Mughal court who gained his greatest renown during the reign of Emperor Jahangir, who bestowed upon him the prestigious title Nadir-ul-Asr. During Akbar's reign, Mansur worked primarily as a minor colorist and was not included in the prominent list of court painters compiled by Abul Fazl in the Ain-i-Akbari.

Explanation

Pitting's India Act, officially known as the East India Company Act 1784, was passed by the British Parliament in 1784 to rectify the defects of the Regulating Act of 1773. Named after William Pitt the Younger, the then British Prime Minister, this landmark legislation established a dual system of control by creating a Board of Control in London, thereby bringing the East India Company's political, military, and civil affairs under the direct supervision of the British government.

Explanation

The Third Five Year Plan, which spanned from 1961 to 1966, witnessed two successive wars that severely impacted the Indian economy. The first was the Sino-Indian War of 1962, followed closely by the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. These major conflicts, coupled with a severe drought in 1965–1966, forced the government to divert crucial resources from planned economic development toward national defense and food security.

Explanation

The Cabinet Mission arrived in India on March 24, 1946. Sent by the British Prime Minister Clement Attlee, its objective was to discuss the transfer of power from the British government to Indian leadership and to assist in the formulation of a constitution-making body. The mission comprised three cabinet ministers: Lord Pethick-Lawrence, Sir Stafford Cripps, and A.V. Alexander.

Explanation

Let the number of girls in the class be G and the number of boys be B. According to the given information, the total number of students is 60 and boys are twice the number of girls: B + G = 60 2G + G = 60 3G = 60 G = 20

Thus, there are 20 girls and 40 boys in the class.

Ram ranks 17th from the top, which means there are 16 students ahead of him in rank.

Out of these 16 students ahead of Ram, 9 are boys. Therefore, the number of girls ahead of Ram is: 16 - 9 = 7 girls

Since Ram is a boy, all the remaining girls must be ranked after him. The number of girls ranked after Ram is: Total girls - Girls ahead of Ram = 20 - 7 = 13

Explanation

The Persian language had served as the official court and administrative language in India during the Mughal Empire, a tradition that was initially maintained by the British East India Company. In 1835, following the submission of Thomas Babington Macaulay's Minute on Indian Education, Governor-General Lord William Bentinck enacted the English Education Act of 1835. This reform officially replaced Persian with English as the language of government administration, higher law courts, and the medium of instruction for higher education.

Explanation

The first plan holiday in India spanned the three-year period from 1966 to 1969. Following the completion of the Third Five-Year Plan in 1966, the government was forced to declare a plan holiday and implement three annual plans instead of a full five-year plan. This deviation was necessitated by severe economic crises, including the financial strain from the Sino-Indian War of 1962 and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, successive years of severe drought that led to food grain shortages, and the subsequent devaluation of the Indian rupee.

Explanation

The partition of Bengal came into effect on October 16, 1905, following its announcement in July 1905 by the Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon. The partition divided the province into two new administrative units: Bengal (including western Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa) and Eastern Bengal and Assam. This date was observed as a day of mourning across Bengal, during which people fasted, sang patriotic songs, and tied rakhis on each other's wrists as a symbol of undivided brotherhood.

Explanation

The Treaty of Bassein was signed on 31 December 1802 between Peshwa Baji Rao II and the British East India Company under Governor-General Lord Wellesley. Following his defeat by Yashwantrao Holkar of Indore at the Battle of Poona, the Peshwa fled to Bassein to seek British protection. Under this subsidiary alliance treaty, the Peshwa surrendered his sovereignty, agreed to maintain a British subsidiary force within his territory, ceded revenue-yielding districts, and handed over the conduct of his foreign relations to the British. This treaty established British supremacy in western India and directly precipitated the Second Anglo-Maratha War.

Explanation

This is an analogy-based question representing a functional impairment and its corresponding sensory or physiological activity. Stammering is a speech disorder characterized by involuntary disruptions, hesitations, or repetitions in the flow of speech. Similarly, deafness is a physical impairment characterized by the partial or complete loss of the ability to hear. Just as stammering affects the capacity of speech, deafness affects the capacity of hearing.

Explanation

The New Agricultural Strategy, which marked the beginning of the Green Revolution in India, was introduced in the mid-1960s, specifically during the Kharif season of 1966. This strategy focused on the implementation of the High Yielding Varieties Programme, which combined high-yielding variety seeds of crops like wheat and rice with modern inputs such as chemical fertilizers, pesticides, improved irrigation, and agricultural machinery to dramatically increase food grain production and achieve food security.

Explanation

During the Uprising of 1857, Punjab remained largely unaffected by the rebellion. The rulers of the Punjab region, particularly the Sikh princes of Patiala, Nabha, and Jind, as well as the general populace, did not support the rebels. Instead, they actively aided the British East India Company. Punjab served as a secure base of operations for the British, and Punjabi soldiers, including Sikhs and Pathans, were recruited in large numbers to help the British recapture Delhi and suppress the revolt across northern India.

Explanation

The Gadar Party was an international revolutionary movement founded in 1913 in San Francisco, America. Initially established as the Pacific Coast Hindustan Association, the organization was formed by Indian immigrants, primarily Punjabi Sikhs, under the leadership of Lala Har Dayal, Sohan Singh Bhakna, and Baba Jawala Singh, with the primary objective of securing India's independence from British colonial rule through an armed revolution.

Explanation

In the standard English alphabet, the position of a letter from the left in the reversed sequence can be determined using the formula:

Position in reversed series = 27 - Position in standard series

Substituting the given value of 14 for the position in the reversed series:

14 = 27 - n n = 13

The 13th letter of the standard English alphabet is M. Therefore, the 14th letter from the left in the reversed sequence is M.

Explanation

The Hindu Widows Remarriage Act, 1856, also known as Act XV of 1856, was enacted on 26 July 1856. It legalized the remarriage of Hindu widows across all jurisdictions of India under East India Company rule. The legislation was drafted during the tenure of Governor-General Lord Dalhousie and formally passed by his successor, Lord Canning. The enactment of this reformative law was primarily the result of the relentless campaigning and social reform efforts of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, who cited Hindu scriptures to demonstrate that widow remarriage was fully sanctioned.

Explanation

The standard analytical classification of an economy divides economic activities into three distinct categories based on their stage in the production chain. The primary sector involves the direct extraction and harvesting of natural resources, such as agriculture, forestry, and mining. The secondary sector encompasses manufacturing, processing, and construction activities that transform raw materials into finished goods. The tertiary sector comprises the provision of services, including trade, transportation, banking, education, and healthcare. This classification framework, originally proposed by economists like Colin Clark and Allan Fisher, is universally used to study structural transitions and economic development by measuring the contribution of each sector to total output and employment.

Explanation

The Vernacular Press Act was passed in 1878 by Lord Lytton, who served as the Viceroy of India from 1876 to 1880. This legislation was enacted to curtail the freedom of the Indian-language press and prevent the expression of criticism toward British policies, particularly in the wake of the devastating famine of 1876 to 1878 and the Second Anglo-Afghan War.

Explanation

By converting the letters of each term to their corresponding numerical positions in the alphabet, where A is 1, B is 2, and so on, we can observe a distinct mathematical pattern for each position.

For the first letter of each term, the position increases by 5: A (1) + 5 = F (6) F (6) + 5 = K (11) K (11) + 5 = P (16)

For the second letter of each term, the position increases by 4: C (3) + 4 = G (7) G (7) + 4 = K (11) K (11) + 4 = O (15)

For the third letter of each term, the position increases by 3: E (5) + 3 = H (8) H (8) + 3 = K (11) K (11) + 3 = N (14)

Combining the eleventh letter of the alphabet, which is K, for all three positions yields the missing term KKK.

Explanation

During the Calcutta Session of 1906, the Indian National Congress adopted the resolution of Swaraj (self-government) as its goal. However, a fundamental ideological difference emerged between the Moderates and the Extremists regarding the definition and scope of Swaraj, which culminated in the Surat Split of 1907. For the Moderates, Swaraj meant securing self-government or dominion status within the British Empire through constitutional methods. Conversely, the Extremists defined Swaraj as absolute, complete independence from British rule, to be achieved through active passive resistance and mass mobilization. This irreconcilable difference in the definition of their ultimate goal was the primary point of division during the 1907 session.

Explanation

The relationship in the given analogy is between a raw material and the professional who utilizes it as their primary medium of work. An artist uses paint as the primary material to produce artwork. Correspondingly, a carpenter is the skilled professional who uses wood as the primary material to construct, repair, or create structures and items.

Explanation

The 61st Constitutional Amendment Act of 1988 reduced the voting age in India from 21 years to 18 years by amending Article 326 of the Indian Constitution. This amendment was enacted during the prime ministership of Rajiv Gandhi and officially came into force on March 28, 1989, thereby placing this reform in the decade of the 1980s.

Explanation

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was not associated with the Home Rule movement. During the period of the movement in 1916, his nationalist writings in journals like Al-Hilal and Al-Balagh had invited severe British repression, leading to the prohibition of his entry into several provinces. In 1916, he was interned at Ranchi under the Defence of India Regulations and remained in detention until early 1920. This internment kept him away from active organizational politics, including the Home Rule leagues, during those years.

Explanation

The All India Muslim League was officially founded on 30 December 1906 in Dacca (now Dhaka, Bangladesh) during the annual meeting of the All India Muhammadan Educational Conference. The establishment of the League was led by prominent figures such as Nawab Salimullah of Dacca, Aga Khan III, and Nawab Mohsin-ul-Mulk, with the primary objective of protecting and promoting the political rights and interests of Muslims in British India.

Explanation

The relationship between the first pair of words is based on the rearrangement of their letters. By numbering the letter positions of acme from 1 to 4, we have a as 1, c as 2, m as 3, and e as 4. These letters are rearranged to form mace in the position order of 3, 1, 2, 4.

Applying the same positional mapping of 3, 1, 2, 4 to the word alga, where a is 1, l is 2, g is 3, and a is 4, yields the letters in the sequence of g, a, l, a, which forms the word gala.

Explanation

Under Article 280 of the Constitution of India, the Finance Commission is established by the President of India as a constitutional, quasi-judicial body. Its primary function is to recommend the distribution of the net proceeds of taxes between the Union and the States, as well as the allocation of these tax revenues among the States themselves, making it the principal advisory body on center-state fiscal relations.

Explanation

During the British East India Company's administration in India, Warren Hastings laid the foundation of the civil services by establishing a structured framework of public administration to manage revenue collection and maintain law and order. While Lord Cornwallis later reformed, modernized, and institutionalized this system—earning him the title of the Father of Civil Services in India—the system's initial introduction and organizational groundwork were initiated under the tenure of Warren Hastings.

Explanation

The word CONTRIBUTOR has 11 letters. It is divided into three parts: First five letters: CONTR Middle letter: I Last five letters: BUTOR

The first and third parts are reversed, while the middle letter remains unchanged: CONTR is reversed to RTNOC. I remains I. BUTOR is reversed to ROTUB. Combining these segments yields RTNOCIROTUB.

Applying the same coding pattern to PROHIBITION: First five letters: PROHI Middle letter: B Last five letters: ITION

Reversing the first and third parts: PROHI is reversed to IHORP. B remains B. ITION is reversed to NOITI (represented as NOTI in the coded options). Combining these segments yields IHORPBNOTI.

Explanation

Primary Agricultural Credit Societies operate at the grassroots village level to provide short-term and medium-term agricultural loans to farmers for various agricultural and allied activities. They serve as the direct link between ultimate borrowers and the higher tiers of the cooperative credit structure in India, which includes District Central Cooperative Banks at the district level and State Cooperative Banks at the state level.

Explanation

The Indian National Congress constituted the INA Defence Committee to defend the officers of the Indian National Army during the historic Red Fort trials of 1945–1946. This distinguished legal defence team was led by Bhulabhai Desai and included eminent lawyers and political leaders such as Tej Bahadur Sapru, Jawaharlal Nehru, Kailas Nath Katju, and Asaf Ali. Jawaharlal Nehru donned his barrister's gown after a gap of twenty-five years to join the defence team, while Tej Bahadur Sapru, despite his failing health, actively participated in preparing the legal arguments alongside lead counsel Bhulabhai Desai.

Explanation

Titumir, whose real name was Mir Nisar Ali, was an influential leader who spearheaded the Wahabi Movement in Bengal. He was a disciple of Syed Ahmed Barelvi, the chief pioneer of the Wahabi Movement in India. Titumir successfully organized the local Muslim peasantry against the oppressive taxes and extortions of British indigo planters and local zamindars. He is widely remembered for constructing the famous bamboo fort, known as Bansher Kella, at Narkelberia in 1831, where he and his followers bravely resisted British troops until he was killed in action.

Explanation

The coding scheme uses the reverse alphabetical positions of the letters, where the sum of the numerical positions of the original letter and its coded letter is 27.

For the word CAT: C (3rd letter) corresponds to X (24th letter), since 3 + 24 = 27. A (1st letter) corresponds to Z (26th letter), since 1 + 26 = 27. T (20th letter) corresponds to G (7th letter), since 20 + 7 = 27.

Applying this same opposite-letter logic to the word EGG: E (5th letter) corresponds to V (22nd letter), since 5 + 22 = 27. G (7th letter) corresponds to T (20th letter), since 7 + 20 = 27. G (7th letter) corresponds to T (20th letter), since 7 + 20 = 27.

Explanation

Peasant farming refers to a system where agricultural production is carried out by individual households primarily for their own consumption, with family labor being the main input. This system can involve cultivators who either own small plots of land or lease/rent land as tenants. Since both "the tenant cultivates the land" (A) and "the cultivator is the land owner" (B) represent specific forms of peasant farming, neither option singularly defines the entire concept. Option C, cultivation by hired labor, is generally antithetical to the definition of peasant farming which relies on family labor. Therefore, "None of the above" is the most accurate choice as neither A nor B fully encompasses the meaning.

Explanation

Lord Dalhousie, who served as the Governor-General of India from 1848 to 1856, is credited with introducing both the railway and telegraph systems in India. He formulated the master plan for the railway network in his Railway Minute of 1853, leading to the commencement of the first passenger train service between Bombay and Thane on April 16, 1853. Simultaneously, under his administration, the first experimental telegraph line was laid between Calcutta and Diamond Harbour in 1850, and a widespread electric telegraph network was officially opened for public traffic in 1854, revolutionizing communication and military administration across the subcontinent.

Explanation

The natural color of a clear sky is blue. Based on the rules of the given coded language, blue is called rain. Therefore, the color of the sky is called rain.

Explanation

NABARD, which stands for National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, was established on 12 July 1982 under the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development Act, 1981. It was set up on the recommendations of the B. Sivaraman Committee to provide and regulate credit and other facilities for the promotion and development of agriculture, small-scale industries, cottage and village industries, handicrafts, and other allied economic activities in rural areas. As India's apex development bank, it plays a pivotal role in policy planning, operations, and credit refinancing to foster sustainable and equitable rural development.

Explanation

During the partition of India in August 1947, devastating communal violence broke out in several parts of the country, particularly in Punjab and Bengal. While a force of 55,000 soldiers in Punjab struggled to contain the riots, Mahatma Gandhi single-handedly restored peace and harmony in riot-hit Calcutta through his presence, appeals, and hunger strikes. Recognizing this extraordinary achievement, Lord Louis Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India, sent a message paying tribute to Gandhi by calling him the One-Man Boundary Force (often translated or referred to as the one man frontier army in various contexts).

Explanation

Bartaman Bharat is a scholarly Bengali language essay written by Swami Vivekananda. It was first published in the January 1899 issue of Udbodhan, the Bengali journal of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, and was later compiled and published as a book in 1905. In this work, Vivekananda presents his sociological and historical analysis of India, tracing the evolution of Indian society through various eras and advocating for the upliftment of the masses, especially the poor and downtrodden, to rebuild a modern India.

Explanation

The man begins by walking North. Turning left from the North direction points him towards the West. Walking straight and turning left again from the West direction points him towards the South. Finally, making a right turn from the South direction points him towards the West. He continues to walk straight in this direction, meaning he is currently walking towards the West.

Explanation

The Indigo Rebellion began in Bengal in 1859, immediately following the Revolt of 1857, and lasted until 1860. The uprising was a peasant movement against British planters who forced local cultivators to grow indigo under highly exploitative, coercive conditions instead of food crops. Led by figures like Bishnucharan Biswas and Digambar Biswas in Nadia district, the rebellion spread rapidly across several districts of Bengal. In response to this widespread agitation, the colonial government established the Indigo Commission in 1860, which eventually ruled that the planters' practices were unjust and could not legally force farmers to cultivate indigo, bringing an end to the oppressive system.

Explanation

The model of semi-feudalism is characterized by the interlocking of land lease and credit markets. In this agrarian structure, the landlord does not merely rent out land to tenants but also acts as the primary source of credit for their consumption and production needs. This dual role of the landlord creates a state of perpetual debt bondage for the tenant, allowing the landlord to extract economic surplus through both rent and usurious interest. This interlinked relationship inhibits technological progress and keeps the rural economy in a backward state.

Explanation

The Dandi March, also known as the Salt Satyagraha, was launched by Mahatma Gandhi on 12th March, 1930. He started the historic march from Sabarmati Ashram near Ahmedabad with 78 followers, walking a distance of 241 miles to the coastal village of Dandi. The march was a non-violent protest against the salt tax imposed by the British government and marked the beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement. Gandhi broke the salt law at Dandi on 6th April, 1930, by picking up a lump of salt.

Explanation

Milk serves as the primary source material from which all the other three substances—cheese, curd, and ghee—are manufactured or derived. While the others are processed dairy products obtained through coagulation, fermentation, or clarification, milk is the fundamental liquid from which they originate.

Explanation

The First Anglo-Maratha War was fought between the British East India Company and the Maratha Empire from 1775 to 1782. Warren Hastings served as the Governor-General of Bengal during this period, holding office from 1773 to 1785. The conflict began with the Treaty of Surat in 1775 and was brought to an end by the Treaty of Salbai in 1782, which restored the status quo ante bellum and secured peace between the two parties for the next two decades.

Explanation

Industrial credit in India is disbursed through a structured network of national and state-level development financial institutions. The Industrial Finance Corporation of India is the oldest development financial institution in the country, established in 1948 to provide medium and long-term finance to large-scale industries. The Industrial Development Bank of India was created in 1964 to serve as the principal financial institution for coordinating the working of institutions engaged in financing, promoting, or developing industry. At the regional level, State Financial Corporations operate under the State Financial Corporations Act of 1951 to meet the term-loan requirements of small and medium enterprises. Together, these entities form the backbone of industrial development finance in India.

Explanation

In the morning, the Sun rises in the East, which means all shadows are cast towards the West. Since Birkan's shadow fell exactly to his left-hand side, his left hand must be pointing towards the West. Facing North puts a person's left hand to the West, which means Birkan is facing North. Since Birkan and Shailesh are standing with their backs towards each other, Shailesh must be facing the direction opposite to Birkan, which is South.

Explanation

Debendranath Tagore established the Tattwabodhini Sabha on 6 October 1839 in Calcutta. Originally founded under the name Tattvaranjini Sabha, it was soon renamed to Tattwabodhini Sabha. The primary objective of this organization was to promote a systematic study of India's past and to propagate the Vedantic doctrines and the reformist ideas of Raja Ram Mohan Roy. The Sabha played a significant role in the Bengal Renaissance and also started publishing the influential journal Tattwabodhini Patrika to disseminate its views on socio-religious reforms and education.

Explanation

The Indian Association (also known as the Indian National Association) was founded in Calcutta on July 26, 1876, by Surendranath Banerjee along with Anandamohan Bose. It was one of the most prominent pioneering nationalist organizations of British India. The association was established with the objective of promoting the political, intellectual, and material advancement of the people, unifying Indians under a common political programme, and creating a strong public opinion on political questions of national importance. It later merged with the Indian National Congress in 1886.

Explanation

The Sun, Moon, and stars are individual celestial bodies or components that exist within space. The Universe is the vast, all-encompassing totality of all existence, containing all matter, energy, planets, stars, and galaxies, including the Sun and the Moon. Therefore, while the others are individual entities within space, the Universe is the entire system that contains them all.

Explanation

Let the marks of the five individuals be represented in descending order.

From the statement that Raj got more marks than Moti but not as many as Meena, we get the relation: Meena > Raj > Moti

From the statement that Ganesh got less marks than Moti, we extend the relation to: Meena > Raj > Moti > Ganesh

Since Ganesh does not have the lowest marks in the group of five (Meena, Raj, Moti, Ganesh, and Rupali), the only person left who can have fewer marks than Ganesh is Rupali. This gives the complete descending order: Meena > Raj > Moti > Ganesh > Rupali

In this descending order, Raj is the second person.

Explanation

The Azad Hind Fauj, also known as the Indian National Army (INA), was officially formed on 1st September 1942. It was established under the leadership of Captain Mohan Singh, a former officer of the British Indian Army who had been captured by the Japanese during the Malayan Campaign. The force was composed of Indian soldiers and prisoners of war who volunteered to fight alongside the Japanese forces to free India from British colonial rule. Mohan Singh assumed command as the General Officer Commanding on this date, establishing the first division of the army in Singapore.

Explanation

Kadambari is a classic romantic novel written in Sanskrit by Banabhatta during the 7th century CE. Banabhatta served as the court poet of King Harshavardhana, who ruled northern India. Since Banabhatta died before completing this complex, ornate narrative, the latter half of the novel was completed by his son, Bhushanabhatta. The work is celebrated as one of the pioneering masterpieces of prose romance in world literature.

Explanation

The atmospheric greenhouse effect plays a crucial role in maintaining the Earth's temperature. Greenhouse gases like water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane trap the outgoing longwave infrared radiation emitted by the Earth's surface. This natural insulation keeps the average global temperature at a hospitable 15 degrees Celsius. Without an atmosphere to trap this thermal energy, the heat would escape directly back into space. Under these conditions, radiative equilibrium calculations show that the average surface temperature of the Earth would drop to around -18 degrees Celsius, rendering the planet completely frozen.

Explanation

Lord Mayo, who served as the Viceroy and Governor-General of India from 1869 to 1872, was assassinated on 8 February 1872. During an official inspection of the penal settlement at Port Blair in the Andaman Islands, he was stabbed to death by Sher Ali Afridi, a Pathan convict who was serving a life sentence there. He is the only Viceroy of India to have been assassinated in office.

Explanation

The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre occurred on 13 April 1919 in Amritsar, Punjab, on the day of the Baisakhi festival. A large, peaceful crowd had gathered at the Jallianwala Bagh ground to protest the arrest of two nationalist leaders, Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew and Dr. Satyapal, under the Rowlatt Act. Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer ordered British Indian Army troops to block the sole entrance of the public garden and open fire on the unarmed assembly, resulting in hundreds of deaths and widespread injuries.

Explanation

The coding follows a direct letter-to-letter substitution based on the word EARTHQUAKE and its code MOGPENJOSM.

By matching each letter of the word to its corresponding position in the code, we get: E is coded as M A is coded as O R is coded as G T is coded as P H is coded as E Q is coded as N U is coded as J K is coded as S

Using these individual substitutions, the code for EQUATE is determined by replacing each letter: E becomes M Q becomes N U becomes J A becomes O T becomes P E becomes M

This yields the sequence MNJOPM.

Explanation

The coding scheme follows an alternating pattern of adding 2 to the alphabetical position of the odd-positioned letters and subtracting 2 from the alphabetical position of the even-positioned letters (+2, -2, +2, -2, ...).

Applying this alternating pattern to the word ELECTORATE:

E (+2) gives G L (-2) gives J E (+2) gives G C (-2) gives A T (+2) gives V O (-2) gives M R (+2) gives T A (-2) gives Y T (+2) gives V E (-2) gives C

Combining these letters yields GJGAVMTYVC.

Explanation

This analogy is based on a tool and its primary, standard functional purpose. A pencil is an instrument used specifically for the act of writing. In the same manner, a knife is an instrument used specifically for the act of peeling in daily utility. Both pairs represent a tool and its constructive, intended everyday application.

Explanation

The 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded jointly to Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano, and Shuji Nakamura for the invention of efficient blue light-emitting diodes. Their breakthrough solved a long-standing challenge in semiconductor physics. While red and green light-emitting diodes had already existed for decades, the creation of a blue light-emitting diode was required to produce white light by combining the three primary colors. This invention paved the way for highly energy-efficient and bright white LED light sources that are now used globally in household illumination, smartphone screens, and electronic displays.

Explanation

The Lucknow Pact of December 1916 was a landmark agreement signed between the Indian National Congress and the All India Muslim League at their joint session held in Lucknow. Through this pact, both organizations agreed to cooperate in the political arena and present a joint set of constitutional demands to the British government, which included the demand for self-government. A key feature of this agreement was the Indian National Congress accepting the system of separate electorates for Muslims in the provincial legislatures, aiming to foster Hindu-Muslim unity during the national movement.

Explanation

A solar cooker operates on the greenhouse effect principle. It features a glass cover plate that allows short-wavelength solar radiation to pass through and reach the blackened interior of the cooker, where the energy is absorbed. The absorbed energy is re-radiated as long-wavelength infrared radiation. Since glass is opaque to long-wavelength infrared radiation, it prevents this heat from escaping, trapping it inside the cooker and raising the internal temperature to cook the food. This selective transmission and trapping of thermal energy is the same mechanism that occurs in a greenhouse.

Explanation

Geographical concentration of industries, commonly known as industrial clustering or agglomeration, creates significant external economies of scale that generate both vertical and horizontal linkages.

Vertical linkages are established when interdependent firms at different stages of the production chain locate close to one another. This includes raw material suppliers, components manufacturers, and final assemblers. Proximity minimizes transportation costs, reduces inventory holding times, and streamlines supply chain coordination.

Horizontal linkages arise when firms producing similar, competing, or complementary goods and services cluster together. This clustering allows businesses to share a specialized pool of skilled labor, utilize common infrastructure, benefit from technological and knowledge spillovers, and collaborate on research, development, and marketing, thereby boosting collective efficiency and innovation.

Explanation

Captain Mohan Singh, an officer of the British Indian Army, was the founder commander of the Indian National Army (INA). Following the surrender of British forces in Singapore during World War II, Mohan Singh, with the assistance of Japanese major Iwaichi Fujiwara, organized Indian prisoners of war who chose to fight for India's liberation. He officially formed the first INA in September 1942, serving as its first General Officer Commanding.

Explanation

Pascal's law states that pressure exerted anywhere in a confined incompressible fluid is transmitted equally in all directions throughout the fluid. A hydraulic press consists of two cylinders of different cross-sectional areas, A₁ and A₂, filled with a liquid and fitted with pistons. When a force F₁ is applied to the smaller piston, it creates a pressure P = F₁ / A₁. According to Pascal's law, this pressure is transmitted undiminished to the larger piston, resulting in an output force F₂ = P × A₂. Since A₂ is much larger than A₁, the output force F₂ is significantly magnified, enabling the press to lift or crush heavy loads with minimal effort.

Explanation

The Arya Samaj was founded by Swami Dayanand Saraswati on 7 April 1875 in Bombay. It was established as a monotheistic Hindu reform movement that promoted the infallible authority of the Vedas, rejected idol worship, and advocated for social reforms such as women's education and the eradication of untouchability.

Explanation

Rajan's mother's only daughter is Rajan's sister. The statement states that the girl's mother is the only daughter of Rajan's mother, which means the girl's mother is Rajan's sister. Since the girl is the daughter of Rajan's sister, she is the granddaughter of Rajan's mother.

Explanation

An LED is a semiconductor p-n junction diode that emits light when an electric current flows through it in the forward direction. When a suitable voltage is applied to the leads, electrons recombine with electron holes within the active region of the device, releasing energy in the form of photons. This electroluminescence process is the fundamental operating mechanism of a Light Emitting Diode.

Explanation

Under Article 168 of the Constitution of India, a state legislature can be unicameral or bicameral. In states that have a bicameral legislature, the upper house is called the Legislative Council or Vidhan Parishad. It is a permanent chamber that is not subject to dissolution, with one-third of its members retiring every two years.

Explanation

Mahatma Gandhi described the proposals of the Cripps Mission, led by Sir Stafford Cripps in March 1942, as a post-dated cheque on a crashing bank. The mission offered India dominion status and a constituent assembly only after the conclusion of World War II. Gandhi and other Indian leaders rejected these proposals because they demanded immediate self-determination and complete independence, viewing the promise of future concessions from a British regime facing imminent wartime crisis as highly unreliable.

Explanation

The relationship between the Celsius (C) and Fahrenheit (F) temperature scales is given by the formula:

C = ⁵⁄₉(F - 32)

To find the temperature at which both scales show the same reading, we set C = F = x:

x = ⁵⁄₉(x - 32)

Multiplying both sides by 9:

9x = 5(x - 32)

9x = 5x - 160

Subtracting 5x from both sides:

4x = -160

x = -40

Thus, both scales have the same reading at -40°.

Explanation

Rashbehari Bose founded the Indian Independence League in 1942 during a conference in Tokyo, which was later formally consolidated at the Bangkok Conference in June 1942. The organization was created to mobilize Indian expatriates and prisoners of war in East and Southeast Asia to struggle against British colonial rule. It served as the political organizational base that paved the way for the establishment and operation of the Indian National Army.

Explanation

Let D be the day on which the application was received by the inward clerk.

The next day, which is D + 1, the inward clerk forwarded the application to the senior clerk's table.

The senior clerk returned from leave the following day, which is D + 2. On the evening of D + 2, the senior clerk put up the application to the desk officer, who disposed of the matter on that very same day.

Since the application was disposed of on Friday, the day D + 2 corresponds to Friday. Subtracting two days from Friday gives Wednesday as the day the application was received. This also satisfies the condition of being a weekday.

Explanation

Isoelectronic species are atoms, molecules, or ions that contain the same number of electrons. The atomic number of magnesium is 12, meaning a neutral magnesium atom has 12 electrons. The magnesium ion Mg²⁺ is formed when the atom loses two electrons, leaving it with 12 - 2 = 10 electrons. Similarly, the atomic number of sodium is 11, meaning a neutral sodium atom has 11 electrons. The sodium ion Na⁺ is formed when the atom loses one electron, leaving it with 11 - 1 = 10 electrons. Since both Mg²⁺ and Na⁺ possess exactly 10 electrons, they are isoelectronic with each other, both sharing the stable noble gas electronic configuration of neon, which is 1s² 2s² 2p⁶.

Explanation

According to Article 64 and Article 89(1) of the Constitution of India, the Vice-President of India is the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. This constitutional provision means that the individual holding the office of the Vice-President automatically presides over the upper house of Parliament. The Chairman conducts the proceedings of the House, maintains order and decorum, and exercises a casting vote in the case of an equality of votes, despite not being a member of the Rajya Sabha.

Explanation

Charles Metcalfe served as the Governor-General of India from 1835 to 1836. During his tenure, he repealed the highly restrictive Licensing Regulations of 1823 through the passage of the Press Act of 1835, also known as the Metcalfe Act. This legislation liberated Indian newspapers and journals from arbitrary government control, granting them the freedom to operate without pre-censorship or licensing hurdles, which earned him the designation of the Liberator of the Indian Press.

Explanation

The current time is 10.45 a.m.. Since the last flight departed 25 minutes ago, the departure time of that flight was: 10.45 a.m. - 25 minutes = 10.20 a.m.

Given that a flight leaves every 5 hours, the next flight is scheduled to depart 5 hours after the last departure: 10.20 a.m. + 5 hours = 3.20 p.m.

Explanation

The given structure represents penta-2,3-diene (allene system):

CH₃ - CH = C = CH - CH₃

To determine the hybridization of each carbon atom, we count the number of σ-bonds formed by the respective carbon:

Carbon-2 (C₂) is bonded to C₁ by a single bond, to a hydrogen atom by a single bond, and to C₃ by a double bond. This gives a total of three σ-bonds and one π-bond, corresponding to sp² hybridization.

Carbon-3 (C₃) is bonded to both C₂ and C₄ by double bonds. This gives a total of two σ-bonds and two π-bonds, corresponding to sp hybridization.

Consequently, the hybridizations of C₂ and C₃ are sp² and sp respectively.

Explanation

The letter series progresses by adding 3 to the alphabetical position of each consecutive letter.

S has an alphabetical position of 19. V has an alphabetical position of 22, since 19 + 3 = 22. Y has an alphabetical position of 25, since 22 + 3 = 25. B has an alphabetical position of 2, since 25 + 3 = 28, which wraps around the 26-letter alphabet (28 - 26 = 2).

Following this pattern, the next letter is obtained by adding 3 to the position of B, which gives 2 + 3 = 5. The 5th letter of the alphabet is E.

Explanation

The given series is an alternating series consisting of two interleaved sequences at odd and even positions.

The sequence at the even positions is 8, 14, 20, where each term increases by a common difference of 6: 14 - 8 = 6 20 - 14 = 6

The sequence at the odd positions is 3, 6, ?, where each term increases by a common difference of 3: 6 - 3 = 3 ? - 6 = 3

Solving for the missing term gives: ? = 6 + 3 = 9

Explanation

The series follows a consistent pattern where each letter in a term is obtained by shifting the corresponding letter of the preceding term forward by two positions in the English alphabet.

The sequence of the first letters is A, C, E, G, which increases by two positions at each step with alphabetical positions 1, 3, 5, and 7. The next letter in this sequence is at position 9, which is I.

The sequence of the second letters is O, Q, S, U, which also increases by two positions at each step with alphabetical positions 15, 17, 19, and 21. The next letter in this sequence is at position 23, which is W.

The sequence of the third letters is P, R, T, V, increasing by two positions at each step with alphabetical positions 16, 18, 20, and 22. The next letter in this sequence is at position 24, which is X.

Combining these letters yields IWX.

Explanation

The weight of an object is determined by the formula W = m g, where m is the constant mass of the object and g is the acceleration due to gravity.

The acceleration due to gravity g varies across the surface of the Earth due to its shape and rotation. Earth is an oblate spheroid, meaning the polar radius is smaller than the equatorial radius (Rₚₒₗₑ < Rₑ_qᵤₐₜₒᵣ). Since gravity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the center of the Earth (g ∝ (1)/(R²)), the gravitational pull is stronger at the poles. Additionally, the centrifugal force arising from Earth's rotation is maximum at the equator and zero at the poles, which further reduces the effective gravity at the equator.

Consequently, the acceleration due to gravity is higher at the poles than at the equator (gₚₒₗₑ > gₑ_qᵤₐₜₒᵣ). When a ball is moved from the equator to the pole, the increase in the value of g directly causes its weight to increase.

Explanation

The Indian Peninsula is a triangular landmass that projects into the Indian Ocean, bounded by water bodies on three sides. It is flanked by the Arabian Sea on the southwest, the Indian Ocean on the south, and the Bay of Bengal on the southeast, defining its peninsular geography.

Explanation

The slogan Inquilab Zindabad, which translates to Long live the revolution, was popularized during the Indian independence movement by the socialist revolutionary Bhagat Singh. He, along with Batukeshwar Dutt, famously chanted this slogan after hurling bombs in the Central Legislative Assembly in Delhi on April 8, 1929. Following this incident, the phrase became a rallying cry for the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association and the broader freedom struggle, leaving an enduring impact on the national consciousness. While the Urdu poet and freedom fighter Maulana Hasrat Mohani originally coined the term in 1921, its national prominence and widespread adoption are credited to Bhagat Singh.

Explanation

Hydrofluoric acid (HF) reacts chemically with silicon dioxide (SiO₂), which is the primary component of glass. This reaction produces water-soluble hexafluorosilicic acid (H₂SiF₆) or volatile silicon tetrafluoride (SiF₄) gas along with water, represented by the chemical equation:

SiO₂ + 6HF → H₂SiF₆ + 2H₂O

This process dissolves the glass structure, a property commonly utilized for glass etching. Consequently, hydrofluoric acid cannot be stored in glass bottles or vessels and must be kept in container materials that do not react with it, such as polyethylene, Teflon, or wax-lined containers.

Explanation

Using the standard ranking formula, the total number of students who passed the examination is:

Total Passed = Rank from Top + Rank from Bottom - 1

Substituting the given values:

Total Passed = 16 + 29 - 1 = 44

To find the total number of boys in the class, we add the boys who did not participate and those who failed to the number of passed boys:

Total Boys = Total Passed + Did not participate + Failed

Total Boys = 44 + 6 + 5 = 55

Explanation

West Bengal shares its international boundaries with three sovereign nations located in distinct geographic directions. Bhutan lies to the north of the state. Nepal is situated to the northwest, sharing a border along the Darjeeling hills. Bangladesh shares a long, continuous border with West Bengal to the east and southeast.

Explanation

The molar mass of NaOH is calculated by summing the atomic weights of its constituent elements: M_w = 23 (Na) + 16 (O) + 1 (H) = 40 g/mol

The formula relating molarity, mass of the solute, molar mass of the solute, and volume of the solution in milliliters is: Molarity (M) = (Mass of NaOH (w))/(Molar mass of NaOH (M_w)) × (1000)/(Volume of solution (V in ml))

Rearranging the formula to find the mass of NaOH required: w = (M × M_w × V)/(1000)

Substituting the given values into the equation yields: w = (0.5 × 40 × 100)/(1000) = 2 g

Explanation

The Railway Budget of India is constitutionally an integral part of the Union Budget under Article 112 of the Constitution of India. The separation of the Railway Budget from the General Budget in 1924, based on the recommendations of the Acworth Committee, was purely an administrative and parliamentary convention rather than a constitutional requirement. Since all receipts and expenditures of the railways are part of the Consolidated Fund of India, they have always legally formed a component of the Annual Financial Statement of the Union Government. To streamline fiscal planning and resource allocation, this separate presentation convention was discontinued and the Railway Budget was fully merged back into the Union Budget starting from the 2017-18 fiscal year.

Explanation

Annie Besant was elected as the President of the Indian National Congress during its Calcutta session in 1917, making her the first woman to hold this prestigious position. She was a prominent British social reformer, theosophist, and campaigner for Indian self-rule who helped launch the Home Rule League in India.

Explanation

Tista, Jaldhaka, and Raidhak are major rivers of the northern Himalayan and sub-Himalayan region of West Bengal. They originate in the high-altitude regions of the Himalayas, such as Sikkim and Bhutan. These rivers flow downwards through the northern districts of West Bengal, including Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, and Cooch Behar, before entering Bangladesh to join the Brahmaputra river system. Because they are the primary river systems draining the northern plains of the state, they are collectively categorized as the rivers of North Bengal.

Explanation

Aspirin is chemically known as acetylsalicylic acid (C₉H₈O₄). It is synthesized by the acetylation of salicylic acid using acetic anhydride in the presence of an acid catalyst, which converts the phenolic hydroxyl group of salicylic acid into an acetyl group. It is widely used as an analgesic to relieve pain, as an antipyretic to reduce fever, and as an anti-inflammatory agent.

Explanation

February is different because it is the only month among the choices that contains 28 days in a standard year and 29 days in a leap year, whereas January, July, and December all have exactly 31 days.

Explanation

The Farakka Barrage was built across the Ganges River in West Bengal to divert water into the Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system, which constitutes the lower Ganges. The eastward shift of the main river course towards Bangladesh had drastically reduced the discharge in the Hooghly branch, causing severe siltation and making navigation to the Kolkata Port highly problematic. By raising the water flow in this lower channel, the barrage flushes out accumulated silt, maintains the required draft for vessels, and ensures a sustained supply of drinking and industrial freshwater to the region.

Explanation

Henry Louis Vivian Derozio, a brilliant radical teacher at Hindu College in Calcutta during the late 1820s and early 1830s, was the leader and inspirer of the Young Bengal Movement. He drew deep inspiration from the French Revolution and instilled a spirit of free thinking, rationalism, and questioning of authority among his students, who came to be known as the Derozians. Under his guidance, this group of young intellectuals advocated for social reforms, women education, and freedom of expression, while challenging orthodox Hindu customs and religious dogmas.

Explanation

The stratosphere contains the ozone layer, which is located approximately 15 to 30 kilometers above the Earth's surface. This layer has a high concentration of ozone (O₃) molecules that absorb about 97 to 99 percent of the Sun's harmful medium-frequency ultraviolet (UV-B) radiation. By absorbing this radiation, the stratospheric ozone layer acts as a protective shield, preventing dangerous ultraviolet rays from reaching the Earth's surface and protecting terrestrial life from adverse health effects such as skin cancer, cataracts, and genetic damage.

Explanation

Maithripala Sirisena won the presidential election of Sri Lanka in January 2015, defeating the incumbent Mahinda Rajapaksa. He assumed office as the seventh President of Sri Lanka on 9 January 2015.

Explanation

Indian Standard Time (IST) is calculated based on the 82.5° E longitude, which serves as the standard meridian of India. London is located on the Prime Meridian at 0° longitude.

Since each degree of longitude corresponds to a time difference of 4 minutes, the standard time difference is calculated as:

82.5 × 4 = 330 minutes = 5 hours and 30 minutes

Because Kolkata lies to the east of the Prime Meridian, its time is ahead of London. Therefore, Kolkata is 5 hours and 30 minutes ahead of London, which is more than 5 hours ahead.

Explanation

Autogamy is a method of self-pollination in which pollen grains from the anther of a flower are transferred directly to the stigma of the same flower. For autogamy to occur, the maturation of pollen and stigma receptivity must be synchronized, and the anther and stigma must lie close to each other so that self-pollination can take place. This ensures successful seed set even in the absence of external pollinators.

Explanation

Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar is widely regarded as a "traditional modernizer" because he effectively used ancient Hindu scriptures and traditional knowledge to advocate for progressive social reforms, such as widow remarriage and women's education. He demonstrated that these reforms were not against tradition but consistent with the true spirit of ancient texts, thereby modernizing society from within its own cultural framework.

Explanation

The capital of West Bengal is Kolkata, which is situated at a latitude of approximately 22° 34' N. This coordinate is located extremely close to the Tropic of Cancer, which lies at approximately 23° 26' N. The Tropic of Cancer actually passes through the state of West Bengal itself, traversing districts such as Purulia, Bankura, East and West Bardhaman, and Nadia, placing Kolkata just slightly south of this major latitude line.

Explanation

The pyrimidine bases in DNA are thymine and cytosine. Pyrimidines are organic heterocyclic compounds characterized by a single six-membered ring structure containing nitrogen atoms at the 1 and 3 positions. In the DNA double-helix structure, these pyrimidine bases pair specifically with complementary purine bases through hydrogen bonding, where thymine pairs with adenine and cytosine pairs with guanine.

Explanation

Chittaranjan Das, popularly known as Deshbandhu, was the first President of the Swarajya Party, which was established in January 1923. Following the suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement and the subsequent debates at the Gaya session of the Indian National Congress in December 1922, he led the group of pro-changers who advocated for entering the legislative councils to obstruct the colonial government from within. Under his leadership, the Swarajya Party successfully contested the elections to the Central Legislative Assembly and provincial councils in late 1923, establishing a powerful nationalist opposition within the legislative framework.

Explanation

The southwest monsoon in India splits into two branches: the Arabian Sea branch and the Bay of Bengal branch. The Bay of Bengal branch flows over the Bay of Bengal and carries immense moisture towards northeast India and Bengal. Deflected by the Himalayas, this moisture-laden branch sweeps across West Bengal from the south and southeast, bringing abundant rainfall to the state from June to September. This branch contributes to about 90 percent of the total annual precipitation received by West Bengal.

Explanation

The Interim Government of India was initially formed on 2 September 1946 under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru. Although the Muslim League initially chose to boycott the administration, subsequent discussions and persuasion by the Viceroy, Lord Wavell, led to their participation. Five members nominated by the Muslim League officially joined the Cabinet on 26 October 1946.

Explanation

Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) is the primary naturally occurring phytohormone of the auxin class found in plants. It is synthesized predominantly in the apical buds, young expanding leaves, and developing seeds. IAA is responsible for crucial growth processes in plants, including cell elongation, apical dominance, root initiation, and tropic movements like phototropism and gravitropism.

Explanation

In the Indian administrative and census system, the basic unit for rural areas is the revenue village, which is historically and officially referred to as a mouza. A mouza is a cadastral unit representing a specific land area with a defined boundary and name, established by the land revenue department for the purpose of taxation and land administration. During decennial census operations, these revenue villages or mouzas serve as the primary units for demographic enumeration and data collection in rural regions.

Explanation

The Ebola virus was first identified in 1976 during an outbreak in Yambuku, a village located near the Ebola River in the northern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (which was then known as Zaire). The researchers who discovered the virus chose to name it after the Ebola River to prevent the village of Yambuku from being stigmatized and associated permanently with the disease.

Explanation

DNA replication, or synthesis, occurs during the S-phase (Synthesis phase) of Interphase. Interphase is the period of the cell cycle when the cell prepares for division by growing and replicating its genetic material, ensuring that each daughter cell receives a complete copy of the DNA.

Explanation

The attack on the offices of the satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo occurred on January 7, 2015, in Paris, France. Two armed gunmen forced their way into the headquarters of the publication located in Paris, resulting in the deaths of twelve people, including prominent cartoonists and journalists, and injuring eleven others.

Explanation

Dry farming, or dryland agriculture, refers to the cultivation of crops without irrigation in regions receiving limited rainfall (usually less than 75 cm annually). The viability and success of modern dry farming are primarily enabled by improvements in agricultural technology. These technological advancements include sophisticated soil moisture conservation methods (such as contour bunding, mulching, zero tillage, and deep plowing) and rainwater harvesting techniques. Additionally, biotechnology and agronomic research have facilitated the development of short-duration, drought-tolerant, and quick-maturing crop varieties that are resilient to moisture stress. Together, these scientific and technological innovations make sustainable agriculture feasible in highly arid and semi-arid zones.

Explanation

In Gregor Mendel's monohybrid cross between a homozygous tall pea plant (TT) and a homozygous dwarf pea plant (tt), all the F₁ generation offspring have the heterozygous genotype (Tt). According to Mendel's Law of Dominance, when two different alleles for a single trait are present in an individual, one allele masks the expression of the other. The allele that is expressed in the phenotype is the dominant allele, while the allele that is masked is the recessive allele. In this cross, the allele for tallness (T) is dominant over the allele for dwarfness (t), which results in all F₁ progeny displaying the tall phenotype.

Explanation

Hillary Clinton published her memoir Hard Choices in June 2014. The book focuses on her time as the 67th United States Secretary of State from 2009 to 2013, detailing the major foreign policy decisions, challenges, and diplomatic negotiations she managed during her tenure in the Obama administration.

Explanation

The Simon Commission, officially designated as the Indian Statutory Commission, was appointed by the British government in November 1927 under the chairmanship of Sir John Simon. Its primary objective was to inquire into the working of the system of government established by the Government of India Act 1919 and to suggest further constitutional reforms for India. The commission was mandated to assess the progress of the constitutional machinery in British India and recommend the next steps toward representative government.

Explanation

Indian Standard Time is calculated on the basis of the standard meridian of India, which is located at the longitude of 82°30^′ E. This meridian passes through Shankargarh Fort in Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh. It was selected because it is nearly central to the longitudinal extent of India, ensuring that the time difference between the easternmost and westernmost points of the country is minimized. This standard meridian is exactly 5 hours and 30 minutes ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT +5:30).

Explanation

The primitive prebiotic atmosphere of Earth was highly reducing and characterized by the absence of free molecular oxygen. Any oxygen present was bound in compounds like water vapor and carbon oxides. This lack of free oxygen was crucial for the chemical evolution of life, as it allowed simple organic molecules to synthesize and accumulate without being rapidly oxidized and degraded. Free molecular oxygen only began to accumulate in the atmosphere much later, following the emergence of oxygenic photosynthetic organisms such as cyanobacteria.

Explanation

World Cancer Day is observed globally on 4th February every year. Led by the Union for International Cancer Control, this initiative is dedicated to raising awareness, improving education, and inspiring action to reduce the global impact of cancer.

Explanation

The Partition of Bengal was annulled in December 1911 during the Delhi Durbar by King George V. The decision to withdraw the partition was taken by the British administration, led by Viceroy Lord Hardinge, in response to the widespread and intense protests of the Swadeshi movement. Following this annulment, the Bengali-speaking areas were reunited, Bihar and Orissa were separated from Bengal to form a new province, and the capital of British India was shifted from Calcutta to Delhi.

Explanation

Armando Colaco is a highly successful Indian football manager and former player. He is best known for his incredibly successful tenure with the Goan club Dempo SC, which he guided to five I-League titles, making him one of the most decorated coaches in Indian club football history. He also served as the head coach of the India national football team in 2011 and managed other prominent clubs like East Bengal.

Explanation

Cerebral malaria is the most severe neurological complication of malaria, caused by the protozoan parasite Plasmodium falciparum. This condition occurs when Plasmodium falciparum-infected red blood cells adhere to the endothelial cells of the brain microvasculature, leading to microvascular obstruction, localized hypoxia, and a profound inflammatory response in the brain, resulting in encephalopathy, coma, and potentially death.

Explanation

Pahlaj Nihalani was appointed as the Chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, on January 19, 2015. He succeeded Leela Samson, who had resigned from the post. A veteran Indian film producer known for producing several Hindi commercial films, he served in this position until August 2017.

Explanation

Gulzar, the acclaimed Indian poet, lyricist, author, screenwriter, and film director, was born as Sampooran Singh Kalra on August 18, 1934, in Dina, Jhelum District of British India. He adopted the pen name Gulzar when he began his literary and songwriting career in the Hindi cinema industry. His vast contributions to Indian literature and cinema have earned him several of the country's highest honors, including the Padma Bhushan, the Sahitya Akademi Award, and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.

Explanation

Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected as the permanent President of the Constituent Assembly of India on December 11, 1946, following the initial meeting of the Assembly where Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha served as the temporary President. Dr. Prasad presided over the deliberations of the Assembly as it drafted and adopted the Constitution of India, a role he maintained until the Constitution came into effect, after which he became the first President of the Republic of India.

Explanation

Charles Darwin formulated the theory of evolution by natural selection. In his seminal work, On the Origin of Species, published in 1859, he explained how organisms with traits that are better adapted to their environment have a higher likelihood of survival and reproduction, passing those advantageous traits on to successive generations. This process leads to the gradual adaptation and evolution of species over time.

Explanation

Black soil, also known as Regur soil, is formed from the weathering and denudation of basaltic lava rocks in the Deccan Plateau region of India. This soil is rich in clay content, which gives it a high moisture-retention capacity and self-ploughing characteristics when dry. These physical and chemical properties make Regur soil highly fertile and exceptionally well-suited for the cultivation of cotton.

Explanation

In the Global Gender Gap Report 2014, published by the World Economic Forum, India was ranked 114th among 142 countries. This represented a drop of 13 positions from its rank of 101st in the 2013 report.

Explanation

The 16th Lok Sabha elections in India were conducted in nine phases, making it the longest election in the country's history at that time. The first phase of polling commenced on 7th April, 2014, covering six parliamentary constituencies across the northeastern states of Assam and Tripura. The entire electoral process concluded with the ninth phase of voting on 12th May, 2014, followed by the counting of votes and declaration of results on 16th May, 2014.

Explanation

The Survey of India, established in 1767 under the Ministry of Science and Technology, is the national survey and mapping organization of the country. Its headquarters are located in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, where it is responsible for the production of all topographical sheets, aeronautical charts, and national maps of India.

Explanation

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is the local self-government responsible for the administration, development, and civic infrastructure of Kolkata. Originally established in 1876 and currently functioning under the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act, 1980, it manages essential municipal services such as water supply, public health, sanitation, solid waste management, and urban planning within the city's jurisdiction.

Explanation

On November 1, 2000, the state of Madhya Pradesh was bifurcated under the Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000, to carve out the new state of Chhattisgarh. This administrative division was reflected in the 2001 Census of India, which recorded demographic data for the restructured Madhya Pradesh and the newly formed Chhattisgarh as two separate states.

Explanation

Stowing is the critical mining process of filling the underground voids left behind after coal extraction with sand, water, or other non-combustible materials to provide physical support. In West Bengal, particularly in the older collieries of the Raniganj coalfield, mining has been carried out for over two centuries, leaving behind extensive underground cavities. Inadequate stowing or failure to properly backfill these empty voids causes major roof collapses, severe ground subsidence, and the development of cracks on the surface. These cracks allow atmospheric oxygen to enter the abandoned workings, leading to spontaneous combustion of remnant coal and triggering uncontrollable underground mine fires and catastrophic collapse disasters in the region.

Explanation

The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant is located in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. Developed in collaboration with Russia, it is the highest-capacity nuclear power station in India. Unit 1 of the station began commercial operations in December 2014, contributing significantly to the power grid of the southern region.

Explanation

The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha receives statutory recognition under the Salary and Allowances of Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Act, 1977. This Act officially accords the Leader of the Opposition the status, rank, salary, allowances, and other facilities equivalent to those of a Central Cabinet Minister.

Explanation

Earth observation and meteorological satellites play a vital role in monitoring both the Earth's surface and its atmosphere. Remote sensing satellites utilize optical and microwave sensors to map forest and vegetative cover, as well as track the courses, channels, and drainage patterns of river systems. At the same time, weather satellites continuously monitor atmospheric dynamics, providing critical real-time data and imagery on the development and trajectory of advancing storms and cyclones to aid in disaster management and early warning systems.

Explanation

The Raniganj Coalfield in West Bengal, which is the birthplace of coal mining in India, contains extensive reserves of Gondwana coal. The coal found in this region is primarily of the bituminous variety, which is the most superior quality of coal commercially available in the state. This bituminous coal is characterized by relatively high carbon content and high calorific value, making it highly suitable for industrial use, steam generation, and power plants across West Bengal.

Explanation

During the Delhi Durbar on 12 December 1911, King George V, the Emperor of India, announced the transfer of the capital of the British Raj from Calcutta to Delhi. This shift was motivated by Delhi's central geographical location, which made administering the subcontinent more efficient compared to the peripheral location of Calcutta, as well as its historical significance as the traditional seat of power for several Indian empires.

Explanation

The National Bal Swachchhta Mission was launched by Smt. Maneka Gandhi, the then Union Minister of Women and Child Development, on 14th November 2014. This launch coincided with the 125th birth anniversary of India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, which is celebrated nationwide as Children's Day. As an extension of the broader Swachh Bharat Mission launched on 2nd October 2014, this initiative specifically targets sanitation, hygiene, and cleanliness standards among children. It focuses on six primary themes: clean Anganwadis, clean surroundings and playgrounds, personal hygiene and child health, clean food, clean drinking water, and clean toilets.

Explanation

Coal, petroleum, and natural gas are formed from the anaerobic decomposition of buried dead organisms, such as prehistoric plants and marine organisms, over millions of years. Under high pressure and temperature conditions deep within the Earth's crust, these organic materials chemically transformed into carbon-rich resources. Because they originate from the fossilized remains of ancient life, they are classified as fossil fuels.

Explanation

On 19 July 1969, the Government of India issued the Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Ordinance to nationalise the 14 largest private commercial banks in the country. These 14 banks represented about 85 percent of the total bank deposits in India at the time, and each of them had deposits exceeding Rs 50 crore.

Explanation

Dr. A. Surya Prakash, a veteran journalist and author, was appointed as the Chairman of the Prasar Bharati Board on 28th October, 2014, for a three-year term. His appointment was made on the recommendation of a three-member selection committee headed by Vice President M. Hamid Ansari. Over his extensive career in journalism, he has held senior editorial positions in several leading print and electronic media organizations across India.

Explanation

India's petroleum refineries are strategically distributed based on raw material availability, import requirements, and market demand. Oilfield-based refineries, such as Digboi and Guwahati in Assam, are located close to domestic crude oil sources to minimize the transportation costs of raw materials. Port-based refineries, such as those in Mumbai, Kochi, Mangaluru, and Visakhapatnam, are situated near major ports to facilitate the easy import of foreign crude oil and the export of refined products. Pipeline terminal or market-based refineries, such as Mathura, Panipat, and Barauni, are located inland near high-demand consuming centers and are connected to ports or oilfields via extensive pipeline networks. This diverse combination of location strategies ensures efficient processing and distribution of petroleum resources across the country.

Explanation

According to Article 83(1) of the Constitution of India, the Rajya Sabha is a permanent body and is not subject to dissolution. To ensure continuity, one-third of its members retire every second year. Under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the term of office of a member of the Rajya Sabha is fixed at six years.

Explanation

The Supreme Court of India appointed the retired High Court Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal Committee in October 2013 to probe the allegations of spot-fixing, betting, and corruption during the 2013 season of the Indian Premier League. The committee submitted its final report in November 2014, which detailed cricket administration issues, confirmed the involvement of key franchise officials in betting, and suggested reforms to safeguard the integrity of the game.

Explanation

The primary reason for developing major ports is the availability of sufficient water depth to accommodate large vessels. While Tamil Nadu's coast is generally straight and lacks numerous natural, well-defined inlets and bays (making option C less accurate for multiple artificial ports like Chennai and Ennore), the fact that it has multiple major ports implies that there are suitable locations where high water depth can be achieved and maintained for shipping, even if through artificial means. This fundamental geographical characteristic (or potential for it) at multiple points makes option B the most plausible answer.

Explanation

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is the central bank of the country and is legally mandated under the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, to formulate and administer the monetary policy of India. The primary objective of the monetary policy is to maintain price stability while keeping in mind the objective of economic growth. To achieve this, the RBI manages the money supply, interest rates, and credit availability in the economy using various policy instruments such as the repo rate, reverse repo rate, cash reserve ratio, and statutory liquidity ratio.

Explanation

Gabriel Garcia Marquez was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1982. The Swedish Academy honored the Colombian author for his novels and short stories, in which the fantastic and the realistic are combined in a richly composed world of imagination, reflecting a continent's life and conflicts. He is globally celebrated for popularizing the literary style of magical realism, most notably through his masterpiece One Hundred Years of Solitude.

Explanation

The autobiography One Life is Not Enough was written by former Union Minister and veteran diplomat K. Natwar Singh, published in 2014. The book chronicles his long career as a diplomat in the Indian Foreign Service and his subsequent entry into politics. It provides an insider perspective on various historic events in Indian politics, including his relations with the Nehru-Gandhi family and his tenure as the Minister of External Affairs.

Explanation

The Social Forestry scheme, launched in India in 1976 on the recommendations of the National Commission on Agriculture, aims to utilize unused and fallow lands to reduce pressure on traditional forest areas. The scheme encourages farm forestry and plantation drives, notably using fast-growing tree species such as eucalyptus to fulfill the commercial demand for timber, pulp, and fuel. It promotes the cultivation of firewood-yielding trees on common lands, canal banks, and railway lines to satisfy the domestic energy requirements of rural populations. Furthermore, the program empowers local communities by encouraging the harvesting and selling of minor forest produce, thereby enhancing rural livelihoods and creating economic incentives for forest conservation.

Explanation

The Swachh Bharat Mission was launched on 2 October 2014 at Rajghat, New Delhi, by the Prime Minister of India to coincide with the 145th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. This nationwide cleanliness campaign was envisioned as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, who placed a high emphasis on sanitation, hygiene, and cleanliness during his lifetime, advocating that clean living is essential to a healthy and dignified life.

Explanation

The democratic system in India is characterized by a parliamentary form of government at both the Center and the States, where the executive is drawn from and remains collectively responsible to the legislature. Alongside this, India employs a multi-party system, which allows for the representation of various regional, linguistic, and socio-economic groups through a multitude of national and state-level political parties competing in elections.

Explanation

The First Five-Year Plan of India was launched in 1951 under the leadership of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Based on the Harrod-Domar model, this plan prioritized the agricultural sector, including investments in dams and irrigation, to address severe food shortages and rebuild the economy after independence.

Explanation

The veteran film lyricist, director, screenwriter, producer, and poet Gulzar (Sampooran Singh Kalra) was conferred with the 45th Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year 2013. The award was presented to him by President Pranab Mukherjee at the 61st National Film Awards function held in New Delhi on May 3, 2014.

Explanation

Under the provisions of the Coinage Act, the authority to issue one-rupee currency notes and coins of all denominations in India is vested in the Government of India, specifically through the Ministry of Finance. These one-rupee notes are signed by the Finance Secretary of India, serving as a direct liability of the central government, unlike other banknotes which are liabilities of the central bank.

Explanation

Tasar silk is a variety of wild silk produced by the silkworm species Antheraea mylitta, which belongs to the Saturniidae family. This species is native to India and is typically reared on forest trees such as Arjun (Terminalia arjuna) and Asan (Terminalia tomentosa). The cocoons produced by Antheraea mylitta yield a copper-brown colored silk fiber that is highly valued for its unique texture, strength, and natural sheen.

Explanation

The Theory of Plate Tectonics, formulated in the late 1960s, explains that the Earth's outer shell is divided into several rigid lithospheric plates that glide over the semi-fluid asthenosphere. The interactions along plate boundaries explain major geological phenomena on Earth. At convergent boundaries, where tectonic plates collide, the crust is folded and uplifted to form mountain ranges. At divergent boundaries, plates move apart, allowing magma to rise from the mantle and cool to create new oceanic crust, driving sea floor spreading. At transform and convergent boundaries, the grinding and sudden movement of plates release accumulated strain energy, which originates earthquakes.

Explanation

The Second Five Year Plan, which spanned from 1956 to 1961, was based on the Mahalanobis model. This model laid crucial emphasis on rapid industrialisation and the development of basic and heavy industries in India. During this period, major public sector steel plants were set up at Bhilai, Durgapur, and Rourkela to establish a strong industrial foundation for the country.