29TH AUGUST,2020 : DAILY 10.30 A.M UPSC PRELIMS(25 QUESTIONS) MCQs

1. Which of the following is the most desirable scenario for a struggling economy to come back to the path of

2.  Which of the following are correctly matched?

1. L-shaped Recovery: The economy fails to regain the level of GDP even after years go by.
2. W-shaped Recovery: The GDP actually overshoots the trend path.
3. V-shaped Recovery: The economic disruption lasts longer resulting in several activities being forgone instead of being deferred.

• Select the correct answer using the code given below:

3. Recently, a major rating agency downgraded India from Baa2 to Baa3. Which of the following can be the negative consequences of a rating downgrade?

1. Foreign institutional investors can flee in droves.
2. The stock and bond markets can take a severe beating.
3. The rupee can depreciate hugely.
4. A foreign exchange crisis can occur.

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4. Consider the following statements:

1. ‘Discretionary fiscal stimulus’ refers to an increase in the fiscal deficit caused by government policy as distinct from an increase caused by slowing growth.
2. Open Market Operations (OMO) is a ‘temporary’ expansion in the central bank’s balance sheet whereas direct monetization is ‘permanent’.

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

5. India’s foreign exchange reserves are rising and are slated to hit the $500 billion mark soon. Why are forex reserves rising despite the slowdown in the economy?

1. There is a rise in investment in foreign portfolio investors in Indian stocks and foreign direct investments (FDIs).
2. The prices of crude oil are falling.
3. Growth in India’s exports was much more than that in the imports.
4. Overseas remittances and foreign travels have fallen steeply.

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6. What is the significance of rising forex reserves for a country like India?

1. It demonstrates the backing of domestic currency by external assets.
2. It assists the government in meeting its external debt obligations.
3. It acts as a reserve for national disasters or emergencies.
4. It helps the rupee to strengthen against the dollar.

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7. Recently, in which State/UT ‘insurgency’ has ended formally, as per the announcement by Govt of India?

8.  Indian Parliament performs which of the following functions:

1. Subordinate Legislation
2. Passage of Budget
3. Overseeing of administration
4. Ventilation of Public Grievances

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9. Indian Constitution gives Parliament the power to remove:

1. Judges of Supreme Court and High Courts
2. Chief Election Commissioner
3. Attorney General of India
4. Comptroller and Auditor General

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10. Consider the following statement about ‘Kendriya Hindi Samiti’:

1. It is chaired by Prime Minister.
2. It formulates policies regarding the progressive use of Hindi as the official language of the Union.

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11. Which of the following was the most important reason for the United Nations to create the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) in 2006?

12. The members of the Election Commission of India can be removed from office in like manner and on the like ground as a:

13. Consider the following statements about the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT):

1. It is a quasi-judicial institution.
2. Appeals against its orders lie to the Supreme Court only if a substantial question of law arises for determination.
3. It functions under the Department of Legal Affairs in the Ministry of Law and Justice.

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14. ‘Mekedatu’ dam is disputed between:

15. Consider the following statements about the Reserve Bank of India’s directive to upgrade the debit and credit cards:

1. The chip-based cards use higher standards of data encryption and have improved storage technology.
2. The RBI directive is applicable to not only all domestic but also the international debit and credit cards.
3. The new EMV cards have static information stored in the black strip that we see on the back of the card.

• Select the correct answer using the code given below:

16. The numeral – 19 in ‘COVID-19’ refers to:

17. Consider the following statements about the term ‘R0 — R-Naught’ used in the context of COVID-19 epidemic:

1. It represents the average number of new infections generated by each infected person.
2. If R0 is 2, then one individual will infect others for up to two weeks.
3. For the epidemic to begin to end, the reproduction rate has to drop below 1.

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

18. The term ‘Positivity Rate’ is often used in the context of the COVID-19 epidemic. Consider the following statements in this regard:

1. It is the percentage of people who test positive among all those who are tested.
2. If the positivity rate is high, it is possible that only high-risk groups are being tested.
3. A low positivity rate can also indicate that not enough testing is being done.

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

19. Recently, French forces killed the leader of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, in a blow to the group behind a string of deadly attacks across the troubled Sahel region. Which of the following are among the countries that form the Sahel region?

1. Burkina Faso
2. Libya
3. Niger
4. Mali

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20. An immune reaction triggered by the body to fight an infection is known by which of the following when it turns severe?

21. Consider the following statements:

1. The prevalence of diabetes— in 2016 was highest in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, according to the Global Burden of Disease Study, 2018.
2. The higher levels of diabetes in the southern and eastern parts of India as being linked to diets of “rice-meat-and-fish” and a higher intake of “sweets and snacks” that were rich in trans-fats.

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

22. Consider the following statements about the Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Antyodaya Krishi Puruskar:

1. The awards have been instituted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.
2. The award is to recognize the contributions of marginal, small and large farmers for developing integrated and sustainable models of agricultural farming.
3. The award covers women farmers but not landless farmers.

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23. Which of the following items are considered essential under the ‘Essential Commodities Act, 1955’?

1. Hank yarn made wholly from cotton
2. Newspaper
3. Raw jute and jute textiles
4. Face masks and hand sanitizers

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24. The ‘Dampier Hodges Line’ is referred to in the context of:

25. Solar power is insufficient for space probes sent to the outer planets of the solar system or into interstellar space because: