WBCS Prelims 2022 Question Paper with Answers & Explanations

Explanation

The sentence uses the present perfect tense. The standard grammatical structure of the present perfect tense is the subject followed by the auxiliary verb has or have, and then the past participle form of the main verb. In this sentence, the subject is I, which is paired with the auxiliary verb have, followed by done, which is the past participle form of the main verb do. This tense is used to denote an action that has been completed in the past but carries relevance or consequences in the present.

Explanation

The word covert refers to something that is not openly acknowledged, displayed, or revealed, signifying a state of being hidden or disguised. It is commonly used in contexts like covert operations to describe actions performed in a stealthy or concealed manner. This makes secret the most appropriate synonym as it carries the exact same meaning of being kept hidden from knowledge or view.

Explanation

When converting an interrogative sentence starting with "Who" in the active voice into the passive voice, "Who" is replaced by "By whom". The active sentence is in the present perfect tense ("has done"), which changes to "has/have + subject + been + past participle" in the interrogative passive form. Since the object "the work" is singular, it takes the singular auxiliary verb "has". Following the standard word order of passive interrogative sentences, the auxiliary verb "has" is placed before the new subject "the work", followed by "been done". This yields the correct passive form "By whom has the work been done?".

Explanation

The word adjective is a noun because it functions as the name of a specific grammatical category or part of speech. A noun is defined as a word used to identify any of a class of people, places, things, or concepts. Since the word adjective serves as the name of a linguistic concept, it behaves as a noun.

Explanation

The word rehearsal is spelled with the letters r-e-h-e-a-r-s-a-l. It is a noun derived from the verb rehearse, which means to practice a play, piece of music, or other work before giving a public performance. The suffix -al is added to the base verb to form the noun, representing the act or process of rehearsing.

Explanation

The term philanthropist is derived from the Greek roots philos meaning loving and anthropos meaning mankind. It refers to a person who actively seeks to promote the welfare of others, especially through the generous donation of money, resources, or time to good causes. This makes them a humanitarian who works toward the betterment of human society.

Explanation

The term loquacious is derived from the Latin verb loqui, meaning to speak. It is used to describe an individual who is extremely talkative or who talks continuously and excessively.

Explanation

The phrasal verb bear with means to tolerate, endure, or be patient with someone or something. It is commonly used to describe the act of showing tolerance or patience toward a difficult situation or person.

Explanation

The sentence consists of two independent clauses, Do and Die, which are joined by the coordinating conjunction or. In imperative sentences, the subject you is implied, meaning both Do and Die function as complete independent clauses capable of standing alone as individual thoughts. A sentence that joins two or more independent clauses using a coordinating conjunction is classified as a compound sentence.

Explanation

The word atrocity refers to an extremely wicked, brutal, or cruel act, typically involving physical violence or grave injustice. Cruelty is defined as the quality of being cruel or causing pain and suffering to others. Since both terms denote behavior that causes extreme pain, distress, or suffering to others, cruelty is the direct synonym of atrocity.

Explanation

The word forgo means to voluntarily give up, relinquish, or surrender a right, privilege, or possession. Its direct antonym is claim, which means to assert a right to, demand, or state ownership over something.

Explanation

The idiomatic expression "a slap on the wrist" refers to a very mild, lenient, or nominal punishment given for an offense or misdeed, particularly when a much more severe penalty or consequence is expected or deserved. It draws from the physical act of lightly slapping someone on the wrist as a minor warning, symbolizing a corrective action that carries no real severity or lasting impact.

Explanation

The idiom "see eye to eye" means to agree with someone, have the same opinion, or reach a mutual understanding on a matter. In the context of the sentence, "agreed on the business deal" signifies that the parties reached a consensus and shared the same perspective, making this idiom the perfect replacement for the highlighted portion.

Explanation

The sequence (Q) (P) (R) (S) forms a grammatically correct and coherent sentence: "It has been established that although a great scientist, Einstein was weak in arithmetic right from his school days." In this structure, the subordinate concessive clause introduced by although (Q) is appropriately placed before the main clause Einstein was weak in arithmetic (P and R) to create a logical contrast. The adverbial phrase of time right from his school days (S) post-modifies the adjective phrase weak in arithmetic to complete the meaning.

Explanation

A hermaphrodite is an organism that possesses both male and female reproductive organs, enabling it to produce both male and female gametes. This biological condition, known as hermaphroditism, is common among invertebrates like snails and earthworms, as well as many plants and certain species of fish.

Explanation

The phrase "in number" is a standard idiomatic expression in English used to specify the precise count of a collective group of people or things. When indicating the total count of a group, the singular noun "number" is used in this prepositional phrase, making "four in number" the grammatically correct way to state that the group consisted of four individuals.

Explanation

The word adore means to feel deep love, admiration, or devotion for someone or something. The direct antonym or opposite of expressing intense love and affection is to feel intense dislike or animosity, which is the definition of the word hate.

Explanation

The noun control is followed by the preposition over when it refers to having the power, influence, or authority to direct, manage, or restrain something. In this context, the ability to regulate or restrain one's emotions or behavior is described as having control over one's temper.

Explanation

The verb worry is standardly paired with the preposition about to express anxiety, concern, or unease regarding a particular subject, person, or situation. In the interrogative sentence structure presented, the preposition about correctly completes the phrase to ask for the source of someone's anxiety.

Explanation

An obstetrician is a medical specialist who focuses on obstetrics, the branch of medicine concerned with pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. Obstetricians manage the care of women during pregnancy, oversee labor and delivery, and provide postpartum care to ensure the health and well-being of both the mother and the baby.

Explanation

A gerund is a verb form ending in -ing that functions as a noun. In this sentence, the word painting acts as a gerund, serving as the direct object of the verb like while retaining its verbal property of taking its own object pictures.

Explanation

The preposition on is standard in English when referring to using a telephone or being engaged in a phone call. The idiomatic phrase on the phone is used to describe talking to someone or spending time using the device. When indicating duration, the verb spend followed by time and on the phone is the correct grammatical structure.

Explanation

The preposition for is used with the verb work to indicate the employer or the organization that employs someone. In this sentence, an insurance company is the employing entity, making for the correct preposition to describe this employment relationship.

Explanation

Alumni is the plural form of the Latin-origin noun alumnus, which refers to a graduate or former student of a particular school, college, or university. In Latin grammar, masculine nouns ending in -us typically form their plurals by changing the ending to -i. Therefore, alumni is used to denote a group of such graduates.

Explanation

The standard preposition used with the verb "die" when the cause of death is a specific disease, illness, hunger, or thirst is "of". Since dengue is a disease, the grammatically correct construction is "died of dengue".

Explanation

Plutonium-238, an isotope of plutonium, is used in nuclear-powered cardiac pacemakers. It serves as a heat source in radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs), where the decay heat of Plutonium-238 is converted into electricity to stimulate the heart muscles. Because Plutonium-238 has a long half-life of 87.7 years, these isotopic power sources can operate reliably for decades, significantly reducing the frequency of surgical interventions required to replace conventional batteries.

Explanation

Carbon-14, represented as ¹⁴⁄₆ C, is a radioactive isotope of carbon with a half-life of approximately 5,730 years. It is widely used in radiocarbon dating to estimate the age of organic archaeological findings, such as wood, charcoal, bones, and leather. While an organism is alive, it continuously exchanges carbon with its environment, maintaining a constant ratio of Carbon-14 to stable Carbon-12. Once the organism dies, this exchange ceases, and the unstable Carbon-14 begins to decay at a predictable exponential rate. By measuring the remaining concentration of Carbon-14 in a sample, scientists can determine when the organism died, making it a crucial tool for dating archaeological discoveries up to about 50,000 years old.

Explanation

The West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation Ltd. (WBIDC) was established on December 6, 1967, under the Companies Act. It serves as the premier state-level nodal agency under the Industry, Commerce and Enterprises Department of the Government of West Bengal. WBIDC is responsible for conceptualizing, developing, facilitating, and promoting industrial growth, infrastructure, and investments in the state. It also functions as a financial institution by providing assistance to medium and large-scale industries and operationalizing the state's investment incentive policies.

Explanation

Phytophthora palmivora is an oomycete that serves as the active ingredient in the product DeVine, which was the first commercially registered mycoherbicide (and thus the first bio-herbicide of microbial origin) in the United States in 1981. Therefore, stating it is the "first bio-herbicide" accurately describes its unique historical significance in biological weed control. While it is indeed a mycoherbicide (a type of bio-herbicide), its status as the first is a more specific and distinguishing characteristic.

Explanation

By analyzing the letter rearrangement in the first pair, the word acme is converted into mace by rearranging the positions of its letters. Assigning index positions 1, 2, 3, and 4 to the letters of acme (a = 1, c = 2, m = 3, e = 4) shows that the rearranged word mace follows the position sequence 3, 1, 2, 4.

Applying the exact same positional rearrangement sequence 3, 1, 2, 4 to the letters of alga (a = 1, l = 2, g = 3, a = 4) yields the word gala.

Explanation

The pairing of Ajmer with Kubbatul Islam is incorrect because the Kubbatul Islam (also known as Quwwat-ul-Islam) Mosque is located in the Qutb Minar complex in Delhi, not in Ajmer. This historic mosque was built by Qutb-ud-din Aibak, the founder of the Slave Dynasty, around 1192 CE. In Ajmer, the famous monument constructed by Qutb-ud-din Aibak is the Adhai Din Ka Jhopra.

Explanation

Dr. Manoj Soni was appointed to perform the duties of the Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission under Article 316(A) of the Constitution of India, taking charge on April 5, 2022. Prior to this appointment, he had been serving as a Member of the Commission since June 2017. He is a scholar of political science and previously served as the Vice-Chancellor of both Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University.

Explanation

The Self-respect Movement was founded by E. V. Ramasamy Naicker, widely known as Periyar, in Tamil Nadu in 1925. This influential socio-political movement aimed at establishing a society based on equality, where backward classes and marginalized communities could achieve self-respect and equal human rights. It strongly opposed caste-based discrimination, Brahminical hegemony, and superstitious rituals, while actively promoting rationalism, social justice, and women's rights.

Explanation

Chand Bibi was born as the daughter of Hussain Nizam Shah I, the ruler of Ahmednagar. She is most renowned in Indian history for her courageous defense of her home state, Ahmednagar, against the massive Mughal forces led by Emperor Akbar's son, Prince Murad, in 1595. She ruled the Nizam Shahi kingdom of Ahmednagar as regent from 1595 to 1600.

Explanation

The temperature at which pure water freezes at standard atmospheric pressure is 0 degrees Celsius. The relationship between the Celsius and Fahrenheit temperature scales is defined by the formula:

T_F = T_C × ⁹⁄₅ + 32

By substituting the freezing point of water in Celsius, which is 0, into this conversion formula, we get:

T_F = 0 × ⁹⁄₅ + 32 = 32

This calculation shows that the freezing point of pure water on the Fahrenheit scale is exactly 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

Explanation

In 2022, Afghanistan was the largest producer of opium in the world, supplying approximately 80% of the global opiate market. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan increased by 32% in 2022 compared to the previous year, covering an estimated 233,000 hectares of land. This made the 2022 harvest one of the most profitable and expansive since systematic monitoring began, driven by soaring prices and economic instability prior to the strict enforcement of cultivation bans in subsequent years.

Explanation

Abanindranath Tagore painted the famous image of Bharat Mata in 1905 during the Swadeshi Movement. In this historic painting, Bharat Mata is depicted as an ascetic figure dressed in saffron robes. She is portrayed with four hands holding a book, sheaves of paddy, a piece of white cloth, and a rudraksha garland, representing food, clothing, education, and spiritual salvation. This depiction aimed to cultivate national identity and inspire patriotic devotion among citizens during the Indian independence movement.

Explanation

Loktak Lake is the largest freshwater lake in Northeast India, located in Manipur. It is internationally famous for its phumdis, which are floating heterogeneous masses of vegetation, soil, and organic matter. The lake is also home to the Keibul Lamjao National Park, which is the only floating national park in the world and the last natural habitat of the endangered sangai, or Manipur brow-antlered deer.

Explanation

Lord Ripon, who served as the Viceroy of India from 1880 to 1884, repealed the Vernacular Press Act in 1882. Known for his reformist and liberal policies, he sought to reverse several unpopular measures of his predecessor. By repealing this act, which had imposed strict censorship and discriminatory restrictions on non-English publications, he restored freedom of speech and expression to the Indian-language press, bringing it on par with the English-language press.

Explanation

Campbell Wilson was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD) of Air India by Tata Sons in May 2022. Prior to leading the privatized national carrier under the Tata Group, he possessed over 26 years of extensive global aviation industry experience, which included serving as the CEO of Scoot, a low-cost subsidiary of Singapore Airlines.

Explanation

The Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) is a highly sensitive biochemical technique used to detect and quantify substances such as peptides, proteins, antibodies, and hormones. In medical diagnostics, it is primarily employed as the initial screening test to detect antibodies produced by the host immune system in response to the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). The assay functions by utilizing antigen-antibody interactions, where an enzyme conjugated to a secondary antibody produces a colorimetric signal in the presence of the target HIV antibodies.

Explanation

From the given information, we can determine the gender of each family member.

A is the father of E, which means A is male. Since A and B are a married couple, B must be female.

C is the brother of A, which means C is male.

D is the only son of C, which means D is male.

E is the granddaughter of F, which means E is female.

F is a widow whose husband has died, which means F is female.

Counting the male members, we have A, C, and D, which gives a total of 3 male members.

Explanation

The Dulhasti Hydroelectric Project is a run-of-the-river power project constructed on the Chenab River in the Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir. Developed by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), the project utilizes the water of the Chenab River to generate electricity and has a total installed capacity of 390 MW, consisting of three generation units of 130 MW each.

Explanation

Since P is the wife of Q, P is female and Q is male. S is the mother of Q, which means Q is the son of S, making option c incorrect.

Because R is the grand-daughter of W, R is female, which means R cannot be the brother of T, making option b incorrect.

Since S is the grandmother of T, T can be either the child of Q or the child of any sibling of Q. Since the exact parentage of T is not specified, R and T could be siblings or cousins. Therefore, it is not certain that R is the sister of T, making option a incorrect.

Explanation

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) commenced its operations on April 1, 1935, in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. It was established on the recommendations of the Hilton Young Commission, which was also known as the Royal Commission on Indian Currency and Finance, to regulate the issue of banknotes, maintain reserves with a view to securing monetary stability, and operate the currency and credit system of the country.

Explanation

Kot Diji was excavated by G.S. Ghurye in 1935 and later systematically excavated by F.A. Khan in 1955. Harappa was first excavated by Rai Bahadur Daya Ram Sahni in 1921 under the guidance of Sir John Marshall. Kalibangan was first identified as a prehistoric site by the Italian Indologist and linguist Luigi Pio Tessitori during his search for bardic chronicles in 1914. Mohenjodaro was discovered by Rakhal Das Bandyopadhyay in 1922 while he was exploring a Buddhist stupa at the site.

Explanation

The number of matches in a round-robin tournament where each of n players plays every other player exactly once is determined by finding the number of ways to choose 2 players out of n. This is given by the combination formula:

C(n, 2) = (n(n - 1))/(2)

Substituting the number of players, n = 6, into the formula:

C(6, 2) = (6 × 5)/(2) = 15

Explanation

The natural colour of the sky is blue. According to the rules of the given coded language, Blue is called Rain. Consequently, the colour of the sky is represented as Rain.

Explanation

General Manoj Pande assumed charge as the 29th Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army on April 30, 2022. He succeeded General Manoj Mukund Naravane. Prior to taking over this appointment, he was serving as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff. He holds the distinction of being the first officer from the Corps of Engineers to be appointed to the top post of the Indian Army.

Explanation

Peaty soils in India are formed in humid regions as a result of the accumulation of large amounts of organic matter under waterlogged, anaerobic conditions. In Kerala, these organic-rich peaty and marshy soils are locally known as Kari soils, which are predominantly found in the low-lying, waterlogged tracts of Alappuzha and Kottayam districts. These soils are characterized by a deep black color, high acidity, salinity, poor drainage, and a high proportion of decomposed organic matter and wood debris.

Explanation

The total length of the cloth is 40 metres. To leave a remaining portion of 7 metres, the length of the cloth that must be excluded is: 40 - 7 = 33 metres

To find the percentage of the cloth that is excluded, we use the formula: Percentage Excluded = ( (Excluded Length)/(Total Length) ) × 100

Substituting the values into the formula: Percentage Excluded = ( ³³⁄₄₀ ) × 100 = 82.5%

Explanation

The Himalayan mountain system was formed as a result of the collision between the Indian Plate and the Eurasian Plate during the Cenozoic era. This collision caused the crust to fold and uplift in successive stages, creating parallel ranges of different geological ages. The Great Himalayan Range, also known as the Himadri, is the northernmost and highest of these ranges and was the first to uplift. It was formed primarily during the Oligocene epoch, approximately 30 to 40 million years ago, making it the oldest of the parallel fold ranges of the Himalayas.

Explanation

Satyajit Ray was born on May 2, 1921, in Calcutta (now Kolkata). Consequently, May 2, 2022, marked the celebration of his 101st birth anniversary.

Explanation

Rabindranath Tagore pioneered the Rakhi Bandhan festival on 16 October 1905 to protest the partition of Bengal implemented by Lord Curzon. He transformed the traditional ritual of tying a protective thread into a symbol of brotherhood, unity, and communal harmony between Hindus and Muslims. On the day the partition came into effect, people took a holy dip in the Ganges, marched through the streets singing patriotic songs, and tied threads on each other's wrists to display solidarity against the British divide-and-rule policy.

Explanation

Rajiv Kumar assumed charge as the 25th Chief Election Commissioner of India on May 15, 2022. He succeeded Sushil Chandra in this role. Prior to his appointment as the Chief Election Commissioner, he had been serving as an Election Commissioner since September 1, 2020. Rajiv Kumar is a retired 1984-batch Indian Administrative Service officer of the Bihar/Jharkhand cadre with over three decades of experience in public policy and administration.

Explanation

Mehrgarh, located on the Kacchi Plain of Balochistan in present-day Pakistan, is a prominent Neolithic archaeological site that provides the earliest evidence of settled agriculture and pastoralism in the Indian subcontinent. Dating back to circa 7000 BCE, excavations at the site have unearthed clear evidence of the cultivation of crops such as barley and wheat, alongside the domestication of animals like sheep, goats, and cattle. The transition from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to a food-producing economy is well-documented here through the discovery of early farming tools, mud-brick granaries, and storage structures, establishing the site as a precursor to the Indus Valley Civilization.

Explanation

The coding pattern is based on pairs of opposite letters in the alphabet, where the sum of their alphabetical positions is 27 (A corresponds to Z, B to Y, C to X, K to P, L to O, and E to V).

For the word CABLE: Replacing each letter with its opposite gives XZYOV. Swapping the second and third letters (Z and Y) results in the code XYZOV.

For the word BACK: Replacing each letter with its opposite gives YZXP. Under the same positional mapping, YZXP corresponds to the word BACK.

Explanation

Rohit Sharma became the second Indian cricketer, after Virat Kohli, to score 10,000 runs in T20 cricket. He achieved this milestone on April 13, 2022, during an Indian Premier League (IPL) match representing Mumbai Indians against Punjab Kings at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. With this feat, he also became the seventh batsman globally to cross the 10,000-run mark in T20 cricket.

Explanation

The middle position of N objects in a row is given by the formula (N + 1) / 2. For 15 chairs, the middle chair P is at position (15 + 1) / 2 = 8th from the left.

The position of an object from the left when its position from the right is known is calculated as: Total - Position from right + 1. For Q, which is 12th from the right, its position from the left is 15 - 12 + 1 = 4th.

The number of chairs between two positions A and B is given by the formula |A - B| - 1. Substituting the positions of P and Q, we get |8 - 4| - 1 = 3.

Explanation

The renowned jurist and constitutional scholar Durga Das Basu (D.D. Basu) characterized the Constitution of India by stating that it is neither purely federal nor purely unitary but is a combination of both. In his seminal work, Introduction to the Constitution of India, he explained that the Indian system is a composite state of a novel type. It establishes a unique constitutional framework that combines essential federal structures, such as a dual polity and division of powers, with strong unitary features like emergency provisions and a single unified judiciary, ensuring that national integrity and interest remain paramount.

Explanation

The series follows a specific addition pattern for each corresponding letter in the consecutive terms based on their alphabetical positions.

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

Combining the letters for the missing term yields KKK.

Explanation

During the Swadeshi and anti-partition movement in Bengal, Sri Aurobindo Ghosh worked closely with Bipin Chandra Pal, who was one of the key leaders of the extremist faction of the Indian National Congress. When Bipin Chandra Pal was released from prison after serving a six-month sentence for refusing to give evidence in the Bande Mataram sedition case, Aurobindo Ghosh paid him a glowing tribute. In his writings, Aurobindo Ghosh hailed Bipin Chandra Pal as the prophet of a great political creed, recognizing his immense contribution as a powerful orator, writer, and champion of nationalism and complete independence (Swaraj).

Explanation

Salvinia is a genus of floating, heterosporous aquatic ferns belonging to the family Salviniaceae. Commonly referred to as water moss, these free-floating plants are characterized by having a horizontal rhizome that floats just below the water surface. They do not possess true roots; instead, they have highly modified, finely-branched submerged leaves that perform the nutrient-absorbing functions of roots. They thrive in calm, freshwater habitats such as lakes, ponds, and slow-flowing rivers.

Explanation

Corporation tax is a direct tax levied on the net income or profit of corporate entities. Under Entry 85 of the Union List (List I) of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, the exclusive power to levy and collect corporation tax is vested in the Central Government. The administration and collection of this tax are managed by the Central Board of Direct Taxes, which operates under the Department of Revenue within the Ministry of Finance.

Explanation

Under Article 316 of the Constitution of India, the Chairman and other members of a State Public Service Commission are appointed by the Governor of the respective State. Although they are appointed by the Governor, they can only be removed or suspended from office by the President of India as per the provisions of Article 317 of the Constitution.

Explanation

Mizoram is geologically referred to as the Molassis basin because its terrain is primarily composed of soft, unconsolidated sedimentary deposits. These deposits, consisting of Miocene-age sandstones, shales, and siltstones, were accumulated in a foreland basin during the tectonic uplift of the surrounding mountain ranges.

Explanation

Education is included in the Concurrent List of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. This was enacted through the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1976, which transferred education from the State List to the Concurrent List. Consequently, both the central government and the state governments possess the legislative power to enact laws concerning education, allowing for national policy integration alongside state-level flexibility.

Explanation

The Loringa mangrove forest, closely associated with the Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary, is located in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Situated near the port city of Kakinada along the Godavari River delta, it constitutes one of the largest stretches of mangrove forests in India. This coastal wetland ecosystem is highly biodiverse, supporting a wide range of flora, bird species, and aquatic life, while acting as a natural barrier against storms and soil erosion.

Explanation

Gulbadan Begum, the daughter of Mughal Emperor Babur and sister of Emperor Humayun, wrote the Humayun-nama. She was commissioned by her nephew, Emperor Akbar, to record her personal memories and historical accounts of her brother's life and reign. Written in Persian, her work is highly valued by historians because it provides a rare, intimate perspective on the inner workings, domestic life, struggles, and culture of the early Mughal household.

Explanation

Indian freestyle wrestler Ravi Kumar Dahiya won the solitary gold medal for India in the men's 57kg freestyle category at the Asian Wrestling Championships 2022, held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. He defeated Kazakhstan's Rakhat Kalzhan by technical superiority in the final. This historic victory made him the first Indian freestyle wrestler to win three consecutive gold medals at the Asian Championships, having previously captured the title in both 2020 and 2021. India concluded its campaign at the tournament with 17 medals in total, consisting of one gold, five silver, and eleven bronze medals, with Dahiya securing the only gold for the nation.

Explanation

For n consecutive odd or even numbers, the greatest number can be determined directly using the formula:

Greatest number = Average + (n - 1)

Given that the average of n = 6 consecutive odd numbers is 64, substituting these values into the formula yields:

Greatest number = 64 + (6 - 1) = 64 + 5 = 69

Alternatively, since the terms are in an arithmetic progression with a common difference of 2, the average of six terms lies exactly midway between the third and fourth terms. For an average of 64, these middle two terms must be 63 and 65. Extending the sequence of consecutive odd numbers gives 59, 61, 63, 65, 67, and 69, where 69 is the greatest.

Explanation

Under Article 84 (b) of the Constitution of India, a person must be at least twenty-five years of age to be qualified for choosing as a representative in the Lok Sabha (House of the People). This constitutional provision establishes the minimum age threshold required for a citizen to contest elections and become a member of the lower house of the Parliament of India.

Explanation

The Curie (symbol Ci) is a unit of radioactivity defined as the rate of decay of a radioactive material. Specifically, one Curie is equal to 3.7 × 10¹⁰ disintegrations or nuclear transformations per second. This standard was originally based on the activity of one gram of the radium isotope Radium-226, in honor of the pioneering work of Marie and Pierre Curie in the field of radioactivity. In modern scientific applications, the SI unit for radioactivity is the Becquerel, where one Curie is equivalent to exactly 3.7 × 10¹⁰ Becquerels.

Explanation

Dr. Rajendra Prasad served as the first President of India and is the only person to have been elected to the office for two terms. After serving as the President of the Constituent Assembly, he assumed office as the President of India on January 26, 1950. He subsequently won the presidential elections in 1952 and was re-elected for a second term in 1957, holding the presidency until May 13, 1962.

Explanation

The Kumari River is the main right-bank tributary of the Kangsabati River, which is also commonly known as the Kansabati River. The Kumari River originates from the Ajodhya Hills in the Purulia district of West Bengal. It flows primarily in a south-easterly direction through the Purulia and Bankura districts. Eventually, the river merges with the Kangsabati River at Mukutmanipur in the Bankura district. The famous Mukutmanipur Dam, which is the second-largest earthen dam in India, is constructed near the confluence of the Kangsabati and Kumari rivers to regulate water for irrigation and flood control in the region.

Explanation

The given sequence represents a series of prime numbers. The numbers 53, 59, 67, and 71 are all prime numbers, meaning they have no divisors other than 1 and themselves. In contrast, 63 is a composite number as it is divisible by 3, 7, 9, and 21. To maintain the consecutive prime number sequence, 63 should be replaced by the prime number 61. Therefore, 63 is the wrong term in the series.

Explanation

The Rowlatt Act, officially known as the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act of 1919, was passed by the Imperial Legislative Council. This legislation authorized the British government to arrest and detain any person suspected of political activities or treason for up to two years without any trial. It also allowed for the search of premises without a warrant and suspended the right to habeas corpus, giving the colonial administration immense and unchecked power to repress nationalist activities and dissent in India.

Explanation

Manik Saha was appointed as the Chief Minister of Tripura on 15 May 2022. He took the oath of office after succeeding Biplab Kumar Deb, who had resigned from the position. Prior to his appointment as the Chief Minister, Saha was a member of the Rajya Sabha and served as the state president of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Tripura. He has also represented the Town Bordowali constituency in the Tripura Legislative Assembly.

Explanation

Chakraborty Rajagopalachari, popularly known as Rajaji, served as the Governor-General of India from 21 June 1948 to 26 January 1950. He was the first and only Indian national to hold this office, succeeding Lord Mountbatten. Upon the adoption of the Constitution of India in 1950, the office of Governor-General was abolished and replaced by the office of the President of India.

Explanation

Pramathanath Mitra, a prominent barrister and nationalist from Bengal, founded the Anushilan Samiti in Calcutta on 24 March 1902. Initially established as a fitness and physical culture club, it quickly evolved into one of the most influential secret revolutionary societies in Bengal, dedicated to overthrowing British colonial rule in India through revolutionary nationalist activities and armed struggle.

Explanation

Peripatus is a genus of velvet worms belonging to the phylum Onychophora. It is widely recognized as a living fossil because its modern species have remained morphologically unchanged for over 500 million years, closely resembling fossils from the Cambrian period. Additionally, Peripatus acts as an evolutionary connecting link between Annelida and Arthropoda. It retains a combination of primitive features shared by both groups, such as a thin, non-chitinous cuticle, segmented excretory organs (nephridia), tracheal breathing tubes, and simple, unsegmented walking legs.

Explanation

The Delhi Sultanate was ruled by five successive dynasties from 1206 to 1526 AD. The sequence began with the Slave Dynasty, predominantly comprising the Ilbari Turks, who ruled from 1206 to 1290 AD. They were followed by the Khilji Dynasty, which held power from 1290 to 1320 AD. Next was the Tughluq Dynasty, ruling from 1320 to 1414 AD. After the brief reign of the Sayyids, the Lodi Dynasty established the final phase of the Sultanate, ruling from 1451 until its defeat in the first Battle of Panipat in 1526 AD.

Explanation

The Public Accounts Committee is a standing parliamentary committee of India. Since 1967, a well-established convention is followed in the Lok Sabha where the Speaker appoints the Chairman of the committee from among the members of the Opposition Party. This convention ensures impartial scrutiny of the government's public expenditures, financial accounts, and the reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.

Explanation

Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays an essential role in blood coagulation. It acts as a cofactor for the enzyme gamma-glutamyl carboxylase, which is responsible for the post-translational modification of specific glutamic acid residues in clotting factors. This process, known as carboxylation, is crucial for the activation of coagulation factors II (prothrombin), VII, IX, and X. Activated clotting factors can bind to calcium ions, enabling the biochemical cascade that results in blood clot formation and prevents excessive bleeding.

Explanation

The North Koel River originates on the Ranchi Plateau within the Chota Nagpur region of Jharkhand. It flows in a northerly direction through the state before merging into the Son River, which is a major southern tributary of the Ganga. The river basin is highly significant for the agricultural landscape of Jharkhand and Bihar, particularly through major irrigation projects like the North Koel reservoir.

Explanation

In humans, somatic cells are diploid (2n) and contain 46 chromosomes. During gametogenesis, meiosis reduces the chromosome number by half to produce haploid (n) gametes. Consequently, the human ovum, which is the female gamete, contains exactly 23 chromosomes. Since 23 is not listed among the choices, the correct option is none of the above.

Explanation

A seahorse is a small marine fish belonging to the genus Hippocampus within the family Syngnathidae. They are classified as bony fish under the class Actinopterygii because they possess the defining anatomical and physiological characteristics of fish, such as breathing through gills, utilizing a swim bladder for buoyancy control, and employing fins for propulsion and steering in water.

Explanation

The earliest fossil remains of a hominin in India, widely classified as archaic Homo sapiens or late Homo erectus, were discovered in the Narmada valley at Hathnora, Madhya Pradesh. Found by geologist Arun Sonakia of the Geological Survey of India in 1982, the fossil consists of a partial skull cap (calvarium) and is popularly referred to as the Narmada Man. This discovery provides the oldest direct physical evidence of human ancestors inhabiting the Indian subcontinent, dating back to the Middle Pleistocene epoch.

Explanation

On 10 May 2022, the United Nations General Assembly elected the Czech Republic to the UN Human Rights Council to fill the seat vacated by Russia. Russia had been suspended from the 47-member Geneva-based body on 7 April 2022 due to grave violations of human rights during its invasion of Ukraine, after which Russia announced its resignation from the council. In the subsequent election, the Czech Republic ran unopposed for the vacant seat allocated to the Eastern European Group and secured 180 out of 193 votes, enabling it to serve out the remainder of the term ending on 31 December 2023.

Explanation

The film 'The Kashmir Files' is a 2022 Indian Hindi-language drama film written and directed by Vivek Agnihotri. The movie depicts the exodus of Kashmiri Hindus from Jammu and Kashmir during the peak of the insurgency in the early 1990s.

Explanation

C.R. Das famously enunciated the formula that 'Swaraj' must be for the 'masses' and not for the 'classes' alone during his presidential address at the Gaya session of the Indian National Congress in 1922. While Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy also championed Swaraj for all, this specific articulation is directly attributed to Das.

Explanation

Under Article 117(1) of the Constitution of India, a Money Bill can only be introduced in the Lok Sabha on the prior recommendation and consent of the President of India. Since a Money Bill deals with public finances, taxation, and expenditures from the Consolidated Fund of India as outlined in Article 110, the Constitution mandates this executive approval before the legislature can deliberate on the bill.

Explanation

Xiomara Castro was sworn in as the first female President of Honduras on January 27, 2022. She secured a landslide victory in the November 2021 presidential election, representing the left-wing Liberty and Refounding Party, and succeeded Juan Orlando Hernandez to assume office.

Explanation

The World Trade Organization (WTO) was officially established on January 1, 1995, following the Marrakesh Agreement signed in April 1994. It replaced the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which had been created in 1947 and entered into force in 1948 as a multilateral agreement to reduce tariffs and other barriers to international trade. While GATT focused almost exclusively on trade in goods, the WTO was established as a formal, permanent international organization with a broader scope that includes trade in services and intellectual property rights.

Explanation

The Eran stone pillar inscription of the Gupta ruler Bhanugupta, dating back to 510 AD, provides the earliest epigraphical evidence of the practice of Sati in India. Located in the Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh, this inscription records that a general named Goparaja died in a battle against the Hunas, and his wife cremated herself on his funeral pyre.

Explanation

The energy of electromagnetic radiation is given by Planck's equation E = hc/λ, where h is Planck's constant, c is the speed of light, and λ is the wavelength of the radiation. This relationship shows that energy is inversely proportional to the wavelength. Among the options, gamma rays have the shortest wavelength and the highest frequency in the electromagnetic spectrum, meaning they carry the maximum energy.

Explanation

The Carlyle Circular was issued on October 10, 1905, by R.W. Carlyle, the officiating Chief Secretary of the Government of Bengal. This repressive decree was promulgated in response to the active involvement of students in the Swadeshi and anti-partition demonstrations following the Partition of Bengal. The circular aimed to crush the student-led nationalist protests by threatening to withdraw financial grants, scholarships, and official recognition from educational institutions whose students participated in political activities, picketing, or the boycott of British goods.

Explanation

The highway connecting Sevak (Sevoke) to Gangtok is National Highway 10 (NH-10), which was previously designated as NH-31A. National Highway 34 (NH-34), under the older numbering system, is a major route within West Bengal that connects Kolkata (from Dum Dum/Barasat) to Dalkhola.

Explanation

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, appointed under Article 148 of the Constitution of India, is designated as the guardian of the public purse. The CAG is the head of the Indian Audit and Accounts Department and controls the entire financial system of the country at both the Union and State levels. It is the duty of the CAG to audit all expenditures from the Consolidated Fund of India, the Consolidated Fund of each State, and the Consolidated Fund of each Union Territory having a Legislative Assembly, ensuring that money is spent in accordance with legislative sanctions and upholding democratic financial accountability.

Explanation

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is the regulatory body for the securities and commodity market in India under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance, Government of India. It was established on 12 April 1988 as an administrative body and was given statutory status on 30 January 1992 through the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992. The primary objective of SEBI is to protect the interests of investors in securities, promote the development of the securities market, and regulate its functioning to ensure transparency and prevent malpractices.

Explanation

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, also known as Chaitanyadeva, was an influential saint and the founder of Gaudiya Vaishnavism who lived from 1486 to 1534. During this period, Alauddin Husain Shah was the independent Sultan of Bengal, reigning from 1494 to 1519. His reign was characterized by administrative stability and religious tolerance, which allowed the Bhakti movement led by Chaitanyadeva to flourish in Bengal. High-ranking royal officials in Husain Shah's administration, such as the brothers Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami, were deeply influenced by Chaitanyadeva and subsequently became his prominent disciples.

Explanation

The 5th BIMSTEC Summit was hosted by Sri Lanka in a hybrid format from Colombo on March 30, 2022. Sri Lanka was the chair country of BIMSTEC at that time. The theme of the summit was "Towards a Resilient Region, Prosperous Economies, Healthy People", and its most significant outcome was the adoption and signing of the BIMSTEC Charter, which formalized the grouping into a structured international organization with a distinct legal identity.

Explanation

Hind Swaraj, also known as Indian Home Rule, was written by Mahatma Gandhi in 1909. Gandhi penned this influential book in his native language, Gujarati, during his voyage from London to South Africa aboard the ship SS Kildonan Castle. In this work, he outlines his views on self-rule (Swaraj), his critique of modern western civilization, industrialization, and his philosophy of non-violent resistance (Satyagraha).

Explanation

Winston Churchill famously ridiculed Mahatma Gandhi as a seditious Middle Temple lawyer posing as a half-naked fakir in February 1931. This remark was made during a speech expressing Churchill's intense disapproval of Gandhi negotiating on equal terms with the British Viceroy of India, Lord Irwin, during the parleys that led to the Gandhi-Irwin Pact. Churchill strongly opposed Indian self-determination and saw Mahatma Gandhi's non-violent civil disobedience movement as a direct threat to the authority of the British Empire.

Explanation

Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) is a mixture of flammable hydrocarbon gases used widely as a fuel for domestic cooking and heating. Butane (C₄H₁₀) is the chief and most abundant constituent present in LPG, typically making up over 60 percent of the domestic gas mixture. It is highly favored because it liquefies easily under moderate pressure, allowing large volumes of gas to be stored compactly in household cylinders.

Explanation

The former Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe (spelled as Shinjo Abe in the options), was conferred with the Netaji Award 2022 by the Netaji Research Bureau on January 23, 2022. This prestigious award was presented on the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The Consul General of Japan in Kolkata, Nakamura Yutaka, received the honour on behalf of Abe at a ceremony held at Netaji's ancestral residence, Netaji Bhawan, in Kolkata. Abe was honored for his outstanding contributions to fostering strong bilateral relations and a strategic partnership between India and Japan.

Explanation

The Jawahar Rozgar Yojana was launched on April 1, 1989, by merging the National Rural Employment Programme and the Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Programme. This centrally sponsored scheme was introduced during the administration of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi with the primary objective of providing wage employment to the unemployed and underemployed in rural areas, while simultaneously creating community assets to strengthen the rural infrastructure.

Explanation

The Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms, which formed the basis of the Government of India Act 1919, were introduced to implement constitutional reforms in British India. Formulated by Edwin Montagu, the Secretary of State for India, and Lord Chelmsford, the Viceroy of India, these reforms introduced the system of dyarchy in the provinces and established a bicameral legislature at the central level. The reforms were officially enacted and implemented in the year 1919.

Explanation

To find the next term in the series, each component of the term is analyzed separately.

The first letters follow the pattern of adding two to the alphabetical position of the previous letter: B (2nd letter) + 2 positions = D (4th letter) D (4th letter) + 2 positions = F (6th letter) F (6th letter) + 2 positions = H (8th letter) H (8th letter) + 2 positions = J (10th letter)

The middle numbers follow a recursive pattern where the previous number is multiplied by 2, and then successive integers starting from 1 are added: 2 × 2 + 1 = 5 5 × 2 + 2 = 12 12 × 2 + 3 = 27 27 × 2 + 4 = 58

The last letters follow the pattern of adding three to the alphabetical position of the previous letter: E (5th letter) + 3 positions = H (8th letter) H (8th letter) + 3 positions = K (11th letter) K (11th letter) + 3 positions = N (14th letter) N (14th letter) + 3 positions = Q (17th letter)

Combining the three results yields J58Q.

Explanation

Dadabhai Naoroji was a pioneering leader of the Indian nationalist movement and is widely remembered as the Grand Old Man of India. He was an eminent scholar, merchant, and politician who co-founded the Indian National Congress and served as its President three times, in 1886, 1893, and 1906. He is famous for formulating the Drain of Wealth theory, which explained how British rule systematically drained economic resources from India, a concept he detailed in his landmark book Poverty and Un-British Rule in India. He also became the first Indian to be elected as a Member of Parliament in the British House of Commons, representing Finsbury Central from 1892 to 1895.

Explanation

Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on May 12, 2022. He assumed office during a period of severe economic and political instability in the country, succeeding Mahinda Rajapaksa who resigned from the position on May 9, 2022, following widespread public protests. This appointment marked Ranil Wickremesinghe's sixth term as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.

Explanation

Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma was a legendary Indian classical musician and composer who single-handedly elevated the santoor, a traditional folk instrument from Jammu and Kashmir, to the status of a premier classical instrument on the global stage. He modified the instrument to make it suitable for playing classical ragas, introducing a chromatic tuning system and perfecting the technique of playing it with mallets. For his outstanding contributions to Indian classical music, he was honored with prestigious national awards including the Padma Shri in 1991 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2001.

Explanation

Mitochondria are known as the powerhouses of the cell because they are the primary sites of cellular respiration, where nutrients are converted into adenosine triphosphate (ATP). This molecule serves as the energy currency of the cell, powering various biochemical reactions and physiological processes essential for survival.

Explanation

Taranjit Singh Sandhu, a 1988-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, was appointed as the Ambassador of India to the United States in February 2020. He played a pivotal role in strengthening the bilateral relations and comprehensive global strategic partnership between India and the United States. In late 2022, his tenure in Washington, D.C., was extended to continue until January 2024.

Explanation

Buland Darwaza, which translates to the Gate of Victory, was built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1601 AD. It was constructed at Fatehpur Sikri to commemorate Akbar's successful military campaign and victory over Gujarat in 1573. The grand structure serves as the main entrance to the Jama Masjid complex and is celebrated as one of the tallest and most magnificent gateways in the world, blending Persian and Indian architectural elements.

Explanation

Babur introduced the Tulghumah military tactic to the Indian subcontinent during the First Battle of Panipat on 21 April 1526, in which he defeated the army of Ibrahim Lodi.

The Tulghumah refers to a highly organized flanking maneuver of Central Asian origin. Under this strategy, the army was divided into distinct divisions comprising the Center, the Right, and the Left wings. The Left and Right divisions were further subdivided into Forward and Rear mobile units. During the battle, these highly mobile flank parties wheeled around to encircle the enemy forces from both sides and attack them from the rear. This coordinated pincer movement was combined with the Araba system, where a defensive barrier of carts was used to shelter field artillery and matchlockmen, allowing Babur's smaller force to completely trap and defeat the massive Lodi army.

Explanation

Devprayag is the sacred confluence of the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers in the Tehri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand. After this confluence, the combined water body flows onward as the Ganga River. The Bhagirathi River originates from the Gangotri glacier at Gaumukh, while the Alaknanda River flows down from the Satopanth and Bhagirath Kharak glaciers. Devprayag is celebrated as the final of the five holy confluences, or Panch Prayag, along the Alaknanda River system.

Explanation

Pongal is a major multi-day harvest festival celebrated by the Tamil community, predominantly in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is dedicated to the Sun God, Surya, and marks the beginning of the Tamil month of Thai, signifying the northward journey of the sun. The celebration spans four days, namely Bhogi Pongal, Surya Pongal, Mattu Pongal, and Kaanum Pongal, during which people express gratitude to nature, the sun, and farm animals for a bountiful harvest.

Explanation

According to Article 107 of the Constitution of India, a bill other than a Money Bill or certain types of Financial Bills can originate in either House of Parliament. This means that ordinary bills and constitutional amendment bills can be introduced in either the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha, requiring the approval of both houses to be passed.

Explanation

The position of a letter in the reversed alphabetical sequence can be determined using the relation:

Position_fₒᵣ_wₐᵣ_d = 27 - Positionᵣₑᵥₑᵣₛₑ_d

To find the 14th letter in the reversed sequence, substitute Positionᵣₑᵥₑᵣₛₑ_d = 14 into the formula:

Position_fₒᵣ_wₐᵣ_d = 27 - 14 = 13

The 13th letter in the standard alphabetical order from A to Z is M.

Explanation

Under Article 64 and Article 89(1) of the Constitution of India, the Vice-President of India is the ex-officio Chairman of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha). This constitutional provision means that whoever holds the office of the Vice-President automatically assumes the role of the presiding officer of the Upper House of Parliament and conducts its legislative business.

Explanation

Let c represent the number of cows and h represent the number of hens.

Since each cow has 4 legs and 1 head, and each hen has 2 legs and 1 head, we can express the total number of heads H and total legs L as: H = c + h L = 4c + 2h

According to the given condition, the number of legs is 14 more than twice the number of heads: L = 2H + 14

Substituting the expressions for L and H into this relation: 4c + 2h = 2(c + h) + 14

Expanding the right side of the equation: 4c + 2h = 2c + 2h + 14

Subtracting 2h from both sides simplifies the equation to: 4c = 2c + 14

Subtracting 2c from both sides gives: 2c = 14

Solving for c: c = 7

Explanation

Let the age of the father be F, the age of the elder son be S_1, and the age of the younger son be S_2.

From the first condition, the age of the father is twice that of the elder son: S_1 = F / 2

From the third condition, the difference of ages of the two sons is 15 years: S_2 = S_1 - 15 = F / 2 - 15

From the second condition, ten years hence, the father's age will be three times that of the younger son: F + 10 = 3(S_2 + 10)

Substituting the expression for S_2 into this equation: F + 10 = 3(F / 2 - 15 + 10) F + 10 = 3(F / 2 - 5) F + 10 = 1.5F - 15 25 = 0.5F F = 50

Explanation

The given sequence follows the recurrence relation where each term is obtained by multiplying the preceding term by 2 and then adding 2.

The recurrence formula is: aₙ = 2 aₙ₋₁ + 2

Given the terms of the sequence: a₁ = 4 a₂ = 2 × 4 + 2 = 10 a₃ = 2 × 10 + 2 = 22 a₄ = 2 × 22 + 2 = 46

Applying this relation to find the fifth term: a₅ = 2 × 46 + 2 = 94

Alternatively, the difference between consecutive terms doubles at each step: 10 - 4 = 6 22 - 10 = 12 46 - 22 = 24

The next difference must be 24 × 2 = 48. Adding this difference to the fourth term gives: 46 + 48 = 94

Explanation

The Gandhi-Irwin Pact was a political agreement signed on March 5, 1931, between Mahatma Gandhi, representing the Indian National Congress, and Lord Irwin, the Viceroy of India. Signed prior to the Second Round Table Conference in London, this historic agreement led to the suspension of the Civil Disobedience Movement, the release of political prisoners who had not been convicted of violence, and the concession allowing coastal residents to collect and make salt.

Explanation

The All India Kisan Sabha was established in April 1936 at the Lucknow session of the Indian National Congress to represent the interests of the peasantry on a national platform. Swami Sahajanand Saraswati, who was a prominent leader of the peasant movement in Bihar and had founded the Bihar Provincial Kisan Sabha in 1929, was elected as its first President. His leadership was pivotal in mobilizing rural masses and raising demands for the abolition of the zamindari system and the reduction of land revenue.

Explanation

The Teesta River originates in the Himalayas and flows southwards through Sikkim and West Bengal. In northern West Bengal, the Teesta River physiographically bisects the sub-Himalayan foothills. The region situated directly to the west of this river is known as the Terai. This area consists of a marshy, low-lying plain composed of moist alluvial soils and dense forest cover, created where the mountain streams exit the hills and slow down.

Explanation

The Haldi River is formed by the confluence of the Kangsabati, also known as the Kasai River, and the Keleghai River. These two rivers join near Tengrakhali in the Purba Medinipur district of West Bengal. From this confluence, the river flows as the Haldi River for about 24 kilometers before discharging its water into the Hooghly River near the industrial town of Haldia.

Explanation

Sariska Tiger Reserve is located in the Alwar district of Rajasthan. Nestled in the Aravali Hills, it was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1955 and later designated as a tiger reserve under Project Tiger in 1978. The reserve is characterized by hilly terrain, dry deciduous forests, and rocky landscapes, and it is notable for being the first reserve in the world to successfully relocate tigers after its local tiger population became extinct.

Explanation

The Ten Degree Channel is a wide channel of water that separates the Andaman Islands to the north from the Nicobar Islands to the south in the Bay of Bengal. It is located approximately on the 10-degree N latitude line, measuring about 150 kilometers in width from east to west.

Explanation

The given sequence is an alternating series composed of two distinct arithmetic progressions interwoven together.

The first progression comprises the numbers at the odd positions: the first, third, and fifth terms. This sequence is 3, 6, and the missing term. The pattern is an addition of 3 to each consecutive term: 3 + 3 = 6 6 + 3 = 9

The second progression comprises the numbers at the even positions: the second, fourth, and sixth terms. This sequence is 8, 14, and 20. The pattern is an addition of 6 to each consecutive term: 8 + 6 = 14 14 + 6 = 20

Following the established pattern of the first progression, the missing fifth term is 9.

Explanation

Under the Constitution of India, the judiciary is designated as the protector and guarantor of the Fundamental Rights of citizens. Article 32 empowers citizens to directly approach the Supreme Court of India for the enforcement of their Fundamental Rights, a provision which Dr. B.R. Ambedkar termed as the heart and soul of the Constitution. Similarly, Article 226 grants the High Courts the power to issue writs for the enforcement of these rights. Through the power of judicial review and the issuance of writs like Habeas Corpus, Mandamus, Prohibition, Certiorari, and Quo Warranto, the courts ensure that any law or executive action that violates fundamental rights is declared null and void.

Explanation

The Yamuna, Son, and Damodar are primary right-bank tributaries of the Ganga river system, all of which join the river from the southern side.

The Yamuna originates from the Yamunotri Glacier in the Himalayas and joins the Ganga at Prayagraj. It is the longest and most important right-bank tributary.

The Son originates from the Amarkantak Plateau in Madhya Pradesh, flowing north-northeastward to join the Ganga directly on its right bank near Patna in Bihar.

The Damodar originates from the Chota Nagpur Plateau in Jharkhand and flows eastward into West Bengal, where it joins the Bhagirathi-Hooghly river, which functions as the major distributary of the lower Ganga river system, on its right bank.

Explanation

Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis, a pioneering Indian statistician and the founder of the Indian Statistical Institute, formulated the economic planning model that served as the blueprint for India's Second Five-Year Plan (1956–1961). Commonly referred to as the Nehru-Mahalanobis model, it shifted the focus of economic development toward rapid industrialization. The model emphasized the development of basic and heavy industries, such as iron and steel, coal, and heavy engineering, to build a strong industrial foundation and achieve long-term self-reliance.

Explanation

To compare the fractions easily, we can find a common denominator for the boundary fractions ¾ and ⅚, and the fraction ⅘.

The least common multiple of the denominators 4, 6, and 5 is 60.

Converting each fraction to have a denominator of 60:

¾ = (3 × 15)/(4 × 15) = ⁴⁵⁄₆₀

⅚ = (5 × 10)/(6 × 10) = ⁵⁰⁄₆₀

⅘ = (4 × 12)/(5 × 12) = ⁴⁸⁄₆₀

Comparing the numerators, we see that 45 < 48 < 50. Therefore, the fraction ⅘ is greater than ¾ and less than ⅚.

Explanation

Vishti, often transliterated as Bisthi, refers to a system of forced or unpaid labour that existed in ancient and medieval India. It was a compulsory service extracted by the state, rulers, or local landlords from commoners, peasants, and artisans without any financial compensation or wages. Vishti functioned as a form of tax paid through physical toil rather than money or agricultural produce, and it was primarily utilized for public utility works, state infrastructure development, military logistics, and the construction of fortifications. This practice of extracting unpaid labour is documented in various ancient texts, epigraphs, and land grant inscriptions, notably during the Mauryan, Gupta, and post-Gupta eras.

Explanation

Bhagwati Charan Vohra was a prominent Indian revolutionary and an active member of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association. He wrote the influential manifesto titled The Philosophy of the Bomb in late 1929. This document was drafted in response to Mahatma Gandhi's article The Cult of the Bomb, which had criticized the revolutionary actions of the association, specifically the attempt to blow up the train of Viceroy Lord Irwin. Vohra's text explained the ideological foundation of the revolutionary struggle, emphasizing that their actions were not driven by mindless violence but were a necessary means to achieve complete independence and establish a socialist society.

Explanation

Haemoglobin is an iron-containing oxygen-transport metalloprotein found in the red blood cells of almost all vertebrates. Each haemoglobin molecule is a tetrameric protein composed of four polypeptide chains, each of which is associated with a non-protein prosthetic group known as heme. At the center of each heme group is a divalent iron ion (Fe²⁺) which binds reversibly to one molecule of oxygen, allowing the protein to transport oxygen from the lungs to tissues throughout the body.

Explanation

Viktor Orban, the leader of the national-conservative Fidesz party, won a fourth consecutive term as the Prime Minister of Hungary in the country's general election held on April 3, 2022. Having served as Prime Minister continuously since 2010, and previously from 1998 to 2002, his victory in the 2022 election solidified his position as one of the longest-serving heads of government in the European Union.

Explanation

The coding scheme uses the opposite letters of the English alphabet, where the sum of the positions of a letter and its coded letter from the left (A = 1, B = 2, ..., Z = 26) is always 27.

For EGG: The positional value of E is 5, so its coded letter is 27 - 5 = 22, which is V. The positional value of G is 7, so its coded letter is 27 - 7 = 20, which is T. The positional value of the second G is also 7, which gives T.

Applying this rule, EGG is coded as VTT.

Explanation

The crystalline lens of the human eye possesses the highest refractive index among all the ocular components. It has a gradient refractive index that varies from approximately 1.386 in its outer cortical layers to about 1.406 in its central core. This high refractive index is primarily due to the dense concentration of specialized, water-soluble proteins called crystallins packed within the lens fibers. The elevated refractive index, combined with the adjustable curvature of the lens, enables it to dynamically refract and focus incoming light rays directly onto the retina.

Explanation

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), commonly known under trade names such as Freon, have been widely utilized as refrigerants in domestic refrigerators and air conditioning systems. They are highly suited for this purpose because of their excellent thermodynamic properties, including low boiling points, high stability, non-flammability, and low toxicity, which allow them to undergo the vapor-compression refrigeration cycle efficiently to produce cooling.

Explanation

The Radcliffe Line was declared as the international boundary between India and Pakistan on 17 August 1947. It was named after its architect, Sir Cyril Radcliffe, who served as the chairman of the Boundary Commissions appointed to partition the Punjab and Bengal provinces of British India into two independent nations.

Explanation

The Arab travellers and geographers, including Suleiman and Al-Masudi, referred to the Rashtrakuta rulers as Balhara. This designation is a corruption of the Sanskrit imperial title Vallabharaja, which translates to beloved king. The Rashtrakuta monarchs frequently adopted this title. In their writings, Arab merchants praised the Rashtrakutas for their tolerant administration, powerful army, and patronage of trade, placing the Balhara among the four greatest sovereigns of the world during that era.

Explanation

Gorgaburu is the highest peak in the southern part of West Bengal. It is located in the Ajodhya Hills range within the Purulia district, situated in the Western plateau and highlands region. Gorgaburu stands at an elevation of approximately 677 meters (2,221 feet) and is part of the Chota Nagpur Plateau's eastern extension. This region is characterized by an undulating peneplain structure composed of ancient igneous rocks like granite and gneiss.

Explanation

Bronze is a metal alloy composed primarily of copper, combined with tin as the main alloying element. The addition of tin significantly increases the hardness, strength, and structural integrity of the material compared to pure copper, while also providing excellent resistance to corrosion.

Explanation

Isoelectronic species are atoms, molecules, or ions that have the same number of electrons. The atomic number of oxygen is 8, which means a neutral oxygen atom has 8 electrons. The oxide ion O²⁻ has gained 2 electrons, giving it a total of 8 + 2 = 10 electrons. Similarly, the atomic number of fluorine is 9, meaning a neutral fluorine atom has 9 electrons. The fluoride ion F⁻ has gained 1 electron, giving it a total of 9 + 1 = 10 electrons. Since both O²⁻ and F⁻ possess 10 electrons, they are isoelectronic with each other.

Explanation

Gopal Krishna Gokhale founded the Servants of India Society in Pune, Maharashtra, on June 12, 1905. The primary objective of the society was to train national missionaries for the service of India and to promote, by all constitutional means, the true interests of the Indian people. The society focused on promoting education, sanitation, healthcare, and fighting social evils such as untouchability, poverty, and the oppression of women.

Explanation

Ornithology is the branch of zoology that deals with the scientific study of birds. This field of study encompasses their physiology, evolution, classification, behavior, flight mechanics, migration patterns, and conservation, tracing its linguistic roots back to the Greek words ornis meaning bird and logos meaning study.

Explanation

The six individuals are divided into three husbands (A, C, and E) and three wives (B, D, and F).

Because B, C, and D are cousins, C cannot be married to either B or D. This leaves only F to be the wife of C.

With C and F married, the remaining husbands are A and E, and the remaining wives are B and D.

Since we are given that B is not the wife of A, B must be married to the only other available husband, which is E. Therefore, the husband of B is E.

Explanation

The Gadar Party was an international political movement founded by expatriate Indians in 1913 to overthrow British rule in India. The party was established in San Francisco, United States of America, with its headquarters known as the Yugantar Ashram. Lala Hardayal was one of the key founding leaders and the main intellectual force behind the party, serving as its general secretary and mobilizing the Indian diaspora through the revolutionary weekly journal named Gadar.

Explanation

Mettur Dam is one of the largest dams in India and the largest in Tamil Nadu, constructed across the Cauvery River where it enters the plains. Completed in 1934, the dam creates the Stanley Reservoir and serves as a vital source of irrigation and hydroelectric power for the agricultural lands of the Cauvery delta.

Explanation

Toads are amphibians, which are cold-blooded (ectothermic) animals. Their internal body temperature is not self-regulated and instead fluctuates according to the temperature of their surrounding environment. To survive in extreme climates, they rely on behavioral adaptations such as burrowing, seeking shade, or entering states of dormancy like hibernation during winter and aestivation during dry summer periods.

Explanation

Ram Prasad Bismil was a prominent Indian revolutionary who co-founded the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA). He was one of the chief masterminds behind the historic Kakori Train Robbery, which took place on August 9, 1925, near Lucknow. The operation aimed to secure funds for the revolutionary activities of the HRA by looting British government treasury from a train. Following the incident, Bismil was arrested, tried in the Kakori Conspiracy Case, and subsequently sentenced to death. He was executed by hanging at the Gorakhpur Jail on December 19, 1927.

Explanation

The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992 added a new Part IX to the Constitution of India, titled The Panchayats, along with the Eleventh Schedule containing 29 functional items. This landmark legislation institutionalized a three-tier Panchayati Raj system at the village, intermediate, and district levels, establishing constitutional status and protection for rural local self-government bodies across the country.

Explanation

Article 356 of the Constitution of India provides for the imposition of President's Rule in a State. Under this article, if the President is satisfied, on receipt of a report from the Governor of a State or otherwise, that a situation has arisen in which the government of the State cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, the President can assume to himself all or any of the functions of the government of the State and all or any of the powers vested in or exercisable by the Governor or any body or authority in the State other than the State Legislature.

Explanation

Chandra Gupta II, also known as Chandragupta Vikramaditya, successfully defeated the Western Kshatrapas, the last of the Saka rulers in western India. This decisive victory occurred during the late fourth and early fifth centuries CE, culminating in the defeat and death of the Saka ruler Rudrasimha III. With this conquest, the fertile regions of Gujarat, Saurashtra, and western Malwa were annexed into the Gupta Empire, granting the empire direct access to the western coast and lucrative trade routes with the Mediterranean world. To commemorate this monumental achievement, Chandra Gupta II assumed the title of Sakari, meaning the destroyer of Sakas, and issued unique silver coins modeled after the Saka coinage.

Explanation

Each letter of the word is coded by its corresponding numerical position in the English alphabet, where single-digit positions are represented as two-digit numbers by prefixing a zero.

In the word KOLKATA: The alphabet position of K is 11, O is 15, L is 12, K is 11, A is 01, T is 20, and A is 01. Concatenating these values yields the code 11151211012001.

Applying this same logic to BENGAL: The alphabet position of B is 02, E is 05, N is 14, G is 07, A is 01, and L is 12. Concatenating these numerical positions results in 020514070112.

Explanation

The first transgenic crop was tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), which was successfully developed in 1983. Scientists engineered the plant to express a chimeric gene that conferred resistance to the antibiotic kanamycin. This pioneering experiment marked the first successful genetic transformation of a plant using recombinant DNA technology, establishing a foundational method for modern plant biotechnology and transgenic crop development.

Explanation

Lata Mangeshkar, widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential playback singers in India, was bestowed with the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, in the year 2001. She received this prestigious honour alongside classical shehnai virtuoso Ustad Bismillah Khan in recognition of her unparalleled multi-decade contribution to the Indian music industry and her iconic status in national culture.

Explanation

Mahatma Gandhi edited the weekly newspaper Navjivan, which was published in Gujarati and Hindi from Ahmedabad starting in September 1919. He utilized this journal, alongside Young India, as a powerful medium to propagate his philosophies of truth, non-violence, and satyagraha, while expressing his views on social reforms, rural development, and the Indian national movement.

Explanation

The given alphabet series follows a constant positional shift pattern where each term is obtained by subtracting 4 from the numerical position of the corresponding letter of the preceding term.

Using the standard alphabetical positions where A = 1, B = 2, and so on, we can analyze the transition:

First term: Z (26), X (24), Y (25), W (23) Second term: V (22), T (20), U (21), S (19) Third term: R (18), P (16), Q (17), O (15)

Subtracting 4 from each letter of the third term to find the fourth term:

First letter: 18 - 4 = 14, which corresponds to N Second letter: 16 - 4 = 12, which corresponds to L Third letter: 17 - 4 = 13, which corresponds to M Fourth letter: 15 - 4 = 11, which corresponds to K

This yields the sequence NLMK. Performing the same operation on NLMK gives J (10), H (8), I (9), G (7), which perfectly matches the fifth term JHIG.

Explanation

The Notuburu iron ore mines are located in the Singhbhum district of Jharkhand. This region belongs to the rich iron-ore belt of eastern India, characterized by high-quality hematite deposits from the Precambrian Dharwar system. Along with Notuburu, other major iron-ore mining areas in this district include Noamundi, Gua, Kiriburu, Buduburu, and Sasangda.

Explanation

According to Article 66(1) of the Constitution of India, the Vice-President is elected by the members of an electoral college consisting of the members of both Houses of Parliament. This electoral college includes both the elected and nominated members of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. The election is conducted in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote, and the voting is held by secret ballot.

Explanation

For an ideal transformer, the principle of conservation of energy dictates that the input power equals the output power, which is expressed by the formula:

P = Vₚ Iₚ = Vₛ Iₛ

where Vₚ and Vₛ are the primary and secondary voltages, and Iₚ and Iₛ are the primary and secondary currents.

In a step-down transformer, the secondary voltage is lower than the primary voltage (Vₛ < Vₚ). According to the power relation:

(Iₛ)/(Iₚ) = (Vₚ)/(Vₛ)

Since Vₚ > Vₛ, it follows that Iₛ > Iₚ. This shows that as the voltage is stepped down, the current is stepped up, resulting in an increase in the output current.

Explanation

Jane Campion won the Academy Award for Best Director at the 94th Academy Awards, held in March 2022, for directing the psychological drama film The Power of the Dog. This victory made her only the third woman in history to win the Best Director Oscar, following Kathryn Bigelow and Chloé Zhao.

Explanation

Namita Gokhale won the Sahitya Akademi Award 2021 in the English language category for her acclaimed novel Things to Leave Behind. The novel is a historical fiction set in the Kumaon region during the British Raj.

Explanation

The quantity of food remaining after 30 days is sufficient to feed the initial 4000 men for 160 days (since 190 - 30 = 160).

After 800 men leave, the remaining number of men is 4000 - 800 = 3200.

Using the work equivalence formula: M₁ D₁ = M₂ D₂

Substitute the values into the formula: 4000 × 160 = 3200 × D₂

Solving for D₂: D₂ = (4000 × 160)/(3200) D₂ = ⁶⁴⁰⁰⁄₃₂ D₂ = 200 days

Explanation

Under Article 100(3) of the Constitution of India, the quorum required to constitute a meeting of either House of Parliament is one-tenth of the total number of members of that House. Since the maximum sanctioned strength of the Rajya Sabha is 250 members, its quorum is calculated as 250 × ⅒ = 25 members. This minimum number of members, which includes the presiding officer, must be present for the House to conduct its proceedings.

Explanation

The cost price of the basket of mangoes can be calculated directly using the relationship between cost price, selling price, and loss percentage:

CP = SP * 100 / (100 - Loss Percentage)

Given that the selling price SP is 2,280 and the loss percentage is 5%, substituting these values into the formula gives:

CP = 2280 * 100 / (100 - 5)

CP = 2280 * 100 / 95

CP = 2400

Explanation

This verbal analogy is based on the relationship between a specific physical impairment and the functional ability it affects. Stammering is a speech disorder that impedes the ability to speak. In the exact same manner, deafness is a sensory impairment that deprives or impedes the ability to hear. Therefore, hearing is the correct analogue.

Explanation

According to the 2011 Census, Darjeeling district of West Bengal had a child sex ratio (0-6 years) of 964, which was the highest among the given options. Malda had 957, Howrah had 953, and Kolkata had 928.

Explanation

Shamsuddin Iltutmish, who ruled from 1211 to 1236 AD, is considered the real consolidator of the Delhi Sultanate. He systematically structured the administration by institutionalizing the Iqta system, which divided the empire into administrative and revenue-generating units assigned to nobles and military officers to maintain regional control and fund the state. He organized a strong, loyal central army and created the elite corps of forty Turkish slaves (Turkan-i-Chahalgani). Additionally, he reformed the monetary system by introducing the standard silver Tanka and copper Jital, thereby establishing the key political, economic, and military organs of the Sultanate.

Explanation

The Constituent Assembly of India adopted the Constitution of India on November 26, 1949. This historic event is explicitly recorded in the Preamble of the Constitution, which states that the people of India, in their Constituent Assembly, adopted, enacted, and gave to themselves the Constitution on this specific day. Upon its adoption, the Constitution contained a Preamble, 395 Articles, and 8 Schedules. Certain provisions, such as those concerning citizenship, elections, provisional parliament, and temporary and transitional provisions, became active immediately on this date. To commemorate this landmark achievement, November 26 is celebrated across India as Constitution Day or Samvidhan Divas.

Explanation

The Mallas were an ancient kshatriya ruling clan of India with their dual capitals situated at Kusinara and Pava. Kapilavastu was the capital of the Shakya republic. Consequently, pairing Mallas with Kapilavastu is incorrect.

Explanation

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel led the Bardoli Satyagraha of 1928 in Gujarat, which was a major non-violent nationalist movement against the unjust 30 percent increase in land revenue taxes imposed by the British colonial administration during a period of financial distress. Following the successful resolution of the agitation, where the tax hike was reduced to about six percent, the women of Bardoli conferred the title of Sardar upon him for his leadership.

Explanation

Chauri Chaura is a town situated in the Gorakhpur district of Uttar Pradesh. It is highly significant in Indian history due to the Chauri Chaura incident that occurred on 4 February 1922 during the Non-Cooperation Movement. A large crowd of demonstrators clashed with the police and set fire to the local police station, leading to the deaths of 22 police officers. Deeply hurt by this violence, Mahatma Gandhi called off the nationwide Non-Cooperation Movement on 12 February 1922, asserting that the country was not yet ready for a non-violent struggle.

Explanation

West Bengal comprises 23 administrative districts. When India gained independence in 1947, the state was formed with 14 districts. Over the years, several larger districts were bifurcated to streamline administration, leading to the creation of new districts such as Alipurduar in 2014, and Kalimpong, Jhargram, Paschim Bardhaman, and Purba Bardhaman in 2017, bringing the total count to 23. While the state cabinet announced plans to create seven new districts in August 2022, the officially functioning number of districts at that time remained 23.

Explanation

Prince Salim, who later became Emperor Jahangir, instigated the assassination of Abul Fazl in 1602. Salim perceived Abul Fazl as a major obstacle to his path to the throne and believed he was poisoning Emperor Akbar's mind against him. Salim conspired with the Bundela chief, Vir Singh Deo of Orchha, who ambushed and killed Abul Fazl near Narwar while he was returning from the Deccan.