APPSC Group-I Prelims 2004

378 questions from the 2004 papers, each with the official answer and an explanation.

A question repeated across years is listed once, under one of the years it appeared.

161. Q161Natural hazards, disasters and their management

     In August 2004, as a result of landslides in the Tibetan region of China, the flow of which river stopped, forming an artificial lake and creating a flood risk in the Indian territory across the border?

     • aIndus
     • bSumado
     • cParechuAnswer
     • dSutlej
     ›Explanation

     Option C is correct because a massive landslide in Tibet in August 2004 blocked the Parechu River, creating an artificial dammed lake that threatened downstream areas in Himachal Pradesh, India. River involved: Parechu, a tributary of the Spiti River Origin and blockage site: Tibet Autonomous Region, China Downstream Indian state affected: Himachal Pradesh Date of crisis: August 2004 Option A: the Indus flows in a different catchment and was not blocked by this particular landslide. Option B: Sumado is a border outpost and river confluence point, not the river that was dammed. Option D: the Sutlej received the overflow waters later via the Spiti River, but the blocked river forming the lake was the Parechu.

162. Q162World regional geography

     Where is the world's largest necropolis, with more than a million graves spread over an area of 15 sq.km, located?

     • aKandahar in Afghanistan
     • bMakli in PakistanAnswer
     • cBangkok in Indonesia
     • dMohenjodaro in Pakistan
     ›Explanation

     Option B is correct because the Makli Necropolis, located near Thatta in Sindh, Pakistan, is one of the largest funerary sites in the world, spanning around 10 to 15 square kilometers and containing an estimated 500,000 to over a million graves. Option A: Kandahar in Afghanistan is known for historic shrines such as the Shrine of the Cloak, not this massive funerary necropolis. Option C: Bangkok is the capital of Thailand, not Indonesia, and does not house this necropolis. Option D: Mohenjodaro is an ancient Indus Valley Civilization urban archaeological settlement, not a medieval necropolis.

163. Q163World regional geography

     Where is the world's largest ancient cemetery, spread over 15 sq. km. and containing more than a million graves, located?

     • aIn Kandahar, Afghanistan
     • bIn Makli, PakistanAnswer
     • cIn Bangkok, Indonesia
     • dIn Mohenjo-Daro, Pakistan
     ›Explanation

     Option B is correct because the Makli Necropolis, situated near Thatta in the Sindh province of Pakistan, is one of the largest funerary sites in the world, covering an area of roughly 10 to 15 square kilometres with hundreds of thousands of graves. Option A: Kandahar, Afghanistan does not host this vast medieval necropolis. Option C: Bangkok is the capital of Thailand, not Indonesia, and does not contain this ancient cemetery. Option D: Mohenjo-Daro is an ancient Bronze Age urban settlement of the Indus Valley Civilisation, not a vast medieval necropolis.

164. Q164World regional geography

     Which group of states among the following are the coastal states of the Strait of Malacca?

     • aMalaysia, Indonesia, SingaporeAnswer
     • bMalaysia, Philippines, Lagos
     • cIndia, Indonesia, Thailand
     • dMyanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia
     ›Explanation

     Option A is correct because the Strait of Malacca is a narrow maritime passage running between the Malay Peninsula and the Indonesian island of Sumatra, bordered directly by Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore. Option B: The Philippines is separated by the South China Sea, and Lagos is a city in Nigeria. Option C: India and Thailand lie farther north along the Andaman Sea and Strait of Malacca approaches, but they do not form the primary tripartite littoral states of the strait itself. Option D: Myanmar borders the Andaman Sea further north and does not border the Strait of Malacca.

165. Q165World regional geography

     Which country in Asia is a peninsular country and has 236 islands?

     • aHong KongAnswer
     • bPhilippines
     • cSingapore
     • dMaldives
     ›Explanation

     Option A is correct because Hong Kong consists of the Kowloon Peninsula along with the New Territories and comprises 236 outlying islands within its territory. Option B: The Philippines is an archipelago composed of over 7,000 islands, not 236. Option C: Singapore consists of one main island and roughly 63 smaller surrounding islands. Option D: Maldives is an archipelago of roughly 1,192 coral islands, not 236.

166. Q166World regional geography

     Which country in the world has the longest coastline?

     • aCanadaAnswer
     • bUnited States of America
     • cChile
     • dArgentina
     ›Explanation

     Option A is correct because Canada has the longest coastline of any nation in the world, spanning over 202,080 kilometres along the Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic Oceans. Canada: 202,080 kilometres United States of America: 19,924 kilometres Chile: 6,435 kilometres Argentina: 4,989 kilometres Option B: United States of America has a coastline that is less than one-tenth the length of Canada's coast. Option C: Chile possesses a long and narrow Pacific coast, but its total length is far below that of Canada. Option D: Argentina has an extensive Atlantic coast, but its total length is very small compared to Canada.

167. Q167World regional geography

     Which of the following countries has a border with the most countries?

     • aRussiaAnswer
     • bFrance
     • cKenya
     • dZimbabwe
     ›Explanation

     Option A is correct because Russia shares direct land borders with 14 sovereign countries, which is tied with China for the highest number of bordering nations globally among the given choices. Option B: France borders 8 countries in metropolitan Europe, fewer than Russia. Option C: Kenya borders only 5 nations in East Africa. Option D: Zimbabwe borders only 4 neighboring African countries.

168. Q168World regional geography

     Which countries are separated by the 49th parallel latitude?

     • aFrance and Germany.
     • bUnited States of America and Mexico
     • cUnited States of America and CanadaAnswer
     • dSoviet Russia and China
     ›Explanation

     Option C is correct because the 49th parallel north latitude was established as the official boundary between the United States of America and Canada westward from the Lake of the Woods to the Strait of Georgia under the Treaty of 1818 and the Oregon Treaty of 1846. Option A: France and Germany are separated partly by the Rhine river and historic treaties, not the 49th parallel. Option B: United States of America and Mexico are largely bounded by the Rio Grande and surveyed land borders, not the 49th parallel. Option D: Soviet Russia and China were delimited by river courses such as the Amur and land agreements, not the 49th parallel.

169. Q169World regional geography

     The Great Barrier Reef, the earth's large living structure, which became the world's biggest protected marine sanctuary in first week of July 2004, with the banning fishing and shipping, is located off the of:

     • aNew Zealand
     • bFinland
     • cAustraliaAnswer
     • dGreenland
     ›Explanation

     Option C is correct because the Great Barrier Reef is located off the north-eastern coast of Queensland, Australia, in the Coral Sea. Option A: New Zealand is situated to the south-east of Australia and does not contain the Great Barrier Reef. Option B: Finland is a northern European country with cold sub-Arctic waters unsuitable for coral reefs. Option D: Greenland is an Arctic island where freezing sea temperatures cannot sustain coral reef systems.

170. Q170World regional geography

     Which of the following groups of countries constitute the littoral states of the Strait Malacca?

     • aMalasiya, Indonesia and SingaporeAnswer
     • bMalasiya, Philippines and Lavos
     • cIndia, Indonesia and Thailand
     • dMyanmar, Indonesia and Malaysia
     ›Explanation

     Option A is correct because the Strait of Malacca is bordered directly by Peninsular Malaysia to the northeast, the Indonesian island of Sumatra to the southwest, and Singapore at its southeastern choke point. Option B: The Philippines lies across the South China Sea, and Laos is a landlocked nation with no maritime borders. Option C: India borders the Andaman Sea rather than the narrow corridor of the Strait of Malacca. Option D: Myanmar lies to the north on the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal, not directly on the Strait of Malacca.

171. Q171World regional geography

     In the first week of July 2004, due to the cancellation of fishing and navigation, the world's largest Great Barrier Reef, which became the world's largest marine life conservation area, is located a short distance from the coast of which country?

     • aNew Zealand
     • bFinland
     • cAustraliaAnswer
     • dGreenland
     ›Explanation

     Option C is correct because the Great Barrier Reef is situated off the northeastern coast of Queensland, Australia. Option A: New Zealand is located further southeast in the southwestern Pacific Ocean and does not host the Great Barrier Reef. Option B: Finland is a northern European country situated on the Baltic Sea, far from coral reef ecosystems. Option D: Greenland is an Arctic island covered largely by an ice sheet, completely unrelated to tropical coral reefs.

172. Q172World regional geography

     The 'Ma' river is in Bhutan. Where is the 'Po' river?

     • aHungary
     • bNepal
     • cMyanmar
     • dItalyAnswer
     ›Explanation

     Option D is correct because the Po River is the longest river in Italy, flowing eastward across the northern part of the country into the Adriatic Sea. Option A: Hungary is drained primarily by the Danube and Tisza rivers, not the Po. Option B: Nepal is drained by Himalayan river networks including the Koshi, Gandaki, and Karnali. Option C: Myanmar's principal drainage system is formed by the Irrawaddy and Salween rivers.

173. Q173World regional geography

     Into which does the great Mississippi River flow?

     • aInto the Gulf of MexicoAnswer
     • bInto the Strait of Panama
     • cInto the Caribbean Sea
     • dInto the Pacific Ocean
     ›Explanation

     Option A is correct because the Mississippi River flows southwards across the United States and drains into the Gulf of Mexico through an extensive delta south of New Orleans. Option B: The Strait of Panama is not a water body that drains North American rivers; the Isthmus of Panama connects North and South America. Option C: The Caribbean Sea lies to the south of the Greater Antilles and does not receive the Mississippi River. Option D: The Pacific Ocean receives western rivers such as the Columbia and Colorado, while the Continental Divide separates it from the Mississippi basin.

174. Q174World regional geography

     Which of the following seas is said to be drying up and perishing?

     • aCaspian Sea
     • bRed Sea
     • cDead SeaAnswer
     • dNorth China Sea
     ›Explanation

     Option C is correct because the Dead Sea has been shrinking and desiccating rapidly at an alarming rate due to massive diversion of water from the Jordan River and extensive mineral extraction. Option A: The Caspian Sea has fluctuations in water level, but the term perishing and rapidly drying up among the options specifically characterizes the Dead Sea in contemporary environmental discussions. Option B: The Red Sea is a stable, open inlet of the Indian Ocean that is not drying up. Option D: The East and South China Seas are marginal seas of the Pacific Ocean with no threat of desiccation.

175. Q175World regional geography

     Which of the following is the place in the Western Atlantic Ocean where a large number of ships and airplanes have been strangely disappearing without a trace since 1945?

     • aBering Strait
     • bBermuda TriangleAnswer
     • cCanary Passage
     • dSao Miguel Bay
     ›Explanation

     Option B is correct because the Bermuda Triangle is an infamous region in the western Atlantic Ocean roughly bounded by Florida, Bermuda, and Puerto Rico, popularized for unexplained disappearances of aircraft and sea vessels. Option A: Bering Strait is a narrow marine channel between Alaska and Siberia in the northern Pacific and Arctic waters. Option C: Canary Passage is located in the eastern Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of Africa. Option D: Sao Miguel Bay refers to coastal waters surrounding Sao Miguel in the Azores archipelago in the mid-Atlantic.

176. Q176World regional geography

     Which of the following is the deepest lake?

     • aBaikalAnswer
     • bManasarovar
     • cSuperior
     • dVictoria
     ›Explanation

     Option A is correct because Lake Baikal in Siberia, Russia, is the deepest lake in the world, with a maximum depth of approximately 1,642 meters. Option B: Lake Manasarovar is a high-altitude freshwater lake in Tibet with a maximum depth of around 90 meters. Option C: Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake by surface area in the world, but its maximum depth reaches only about 406 meters. Option D: Lake Victoria is Africa's largest lake by area, but it is relatively shallow with a maximum depth of around 84 meters.

177. Q177Mapping India: the Survey of India, remote sensing and applied geography

     Which of the following chemicals was used for cloud seeding in the 'Megha Mathanam' program conducted in Andhra Pradesh in July 2004?

     • aSilver Iodide - Sodium ChlorideAnswer
     • bPure Sodium Chloride
     • cCamfast Chlorofluoride
     • dPure Indium Aluminum
     ›Explanation

     Option A is correct because the Andhra Pradesh government Megha Mathanam cloud seeding experiment conducted in 2004 used both sodium chloride flares for warm cloud seeding and silver iodide flares for cold cloud seeding to stimulate rainfall in drought-affected districts. Option B: Incorrect because sodium chloride was not used alone; silver iodide was also actively deployed for glaciogenic seeding. Option C: Incorrect because Camfast Chlorofluoride is a fictitious chemical formulation that plays no role in atmospheric seeding. Option D: Incorrect because pure indium aluminum is an industrial alloy that is not utilized as a cloud condensation or ice nucleus.

178. Q178STATE GEOGRAPHY: the ground both states stand on

     What was the sex ratio in Andhra Pradesh during the decade 1991-2001?

     • a983
     • b933
     • c960
     • d978Answer
     ›Explanation

     Option D is correct because as per Census 2001, the sex ratio of undivided Andhra Pradesh was recorded at 978 females per 1000 males. Census 1991 sex ratio of Andhra Pradesh: 972 Census 2001 sex ratio of Andhra Pradesh: 978 Census 2001 sex ratio of India: 933 Option A: 983 represents the sex ratio of Andhra Pradesh recorded during the 1981 Census. Option B: 933 was the national sex ratio of India in Census 2001, not that of Andhra Pradesh. Option C: 960 was the sex ratio of Andhra Pradesh recorded during the 1971 Census.

179. Q179ANDHRA PRADESH ONLY: the coast and what bifurcation left it

     What is the second largest district in Andhra Pradesh by area after Anantapur district?

     • aKrishna
     • bGuntur
     • cMahabubnagarAnswer
     • dPrakasam

     Official answer shown. The explanation is under review.

180. Q180Ecology and ecosystems

     What is the natural habitat of the powerful Jaguar of the Shilli species?

     • aNigeria
     • bSiberia
     • cGhana
     • dCentral AmericaAnswer
     ›Explanation

     Option D is correct because the jaguar is native to the Americas, with its natural geographical distribution stretching from the southwestern United States and Mexico through Central America into South America. Option A: Nigeria is an African nation and lies outside the native range of jaguars. Option B: Siberia is a subarctic Asian region home to the Siberian tiger, not the jaguar. Option C: Ghana is located in West Africa, where jaguars do not naturally occur.

181. Q181Ecology and ecosystems

     What is the natural habitat of the walrus, a seal-like marine animal with two tusks?

     • aAntarctica
     • bPacific Ocean
     • cBering Strait
     • dArctic RegionAnswer
     ›Explanation

     Option D is correct because the walrus is a large flippered marine mammal native exclusively to the cold, circumpolar waters and ice floes of the Arctic Region and sub-Arctic seas. Option A: Antarctica is situated at the South Pole, where walruses do not naturally occur. Option B: The Pacific Ocean as a whole spans vast tropical and temperate waters, whereas the walrus is restricted strictly to high-latitude polar fringes. Option C: The Bering Strait is merely one narrow geographic passageway where they occur, whereas the entire Arctic Region represents their comprehensive natural habitat.

182. Q182Biodiversity and its loss

     Which of the following fruits is expected to be wiped out from the world as per the recent findings because of its narrow genetic base?

     • aApple
     • bMango
     • cBananaAnswer
     • dCherry
     ›Explanation

     Option C is correct because commercial banana production relies almost entirely on the Cavendish clone, whose narrow genetic base leaves it highly susceptible to catastrophic fungal pathogens like Panama disease. Option A: Apple retains substantial genetic diversity with thousands of cultivated and wild varieties grown globally. Option B: Mango possesses a vast genetic pool with hundreds of distinct landraces and cultivars. Option D: Cherry maintains broad genetic variation among cultivated and wild species.

183. Q183Wildlife and forest conservation

     Simon Butler of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in Britain recently recorded six individuals of Jerdon's Courser, one of the world's rarest birds. What is the habitat of this bird?

     • aMeghalaya
     • bAndhra PradeshAnswer
     • cNigeria
     • dGhana
     ›Explanation

     Option B is correct because Jerdon's Courser is an extremely rare, nocturnal, cursorial bird endemic to the scrub jungles of the Eastern Ghats in Andhra Pradesh, notably rediscovered in the Kadapa district. Option A: Meghalaya is incorrect because its wet, evergreen subtropical hill forests do not provide the open, thorny scrub habitat required by this species. Option C: Nigeria is an African nation outside the geographic distribution of this Indian endemic bird. Option D: Ghana is an African country where the species does not occur.

184. Q184Wildlife and forest conservation

     The Great Indian Hornbill bird, considered to be endangered, is the state bird of which of the following states?

     • aMeghalaya
     • bArunachal PradeshAnswer
     • cNagaland
     • dManipur
     ›Explanation

     Option B is correct because the Great Indian Hornbill is designated as the official state bird of Arunachal Pradesh as well as Kerala. Option A: The state bird of Meghalaya is the Hill Myna, not the Great Indian Hornbill. Option C: The state bird of Nagaland is Blyth's Tragopan, not the Great Indian Hornbill. Option D: The state bird of Manipur is Mrs. Hume's Pheasant, not the Great Indian Hornbill.

185. Q185Climate change: policy and response

     The Government of India has initiated a study to determine the extent of responsibility of various countries in the formation of the “Asian Brown Cloud” in view of the United Nations Environment Programme. Where was the Asian Brown Cloud observed?

     • aOver South AsiaAnswer
     • bOver Southeast Asia
     • cOver the South Indian Peninsula
     • dOver the Central Asia region
     ›Explanation

     Option A is correct because the Asian Brown Cloud was first extensively identified and documented during the Indian Ocean Experiment (INDOEX) as a recurring layer of air pollution covering large parts of South Asia and the northern Indian Ocean. Option B: While regional haze extends elsewhere, the UNEP study specifically identified and named the phenomenon centered over South Asia. Option C: The phenomenon extends over the entire subcontinent and northern Indian Ocean, not just the South Indian Peninsula. Option D: Central Asia is not the geographic locus of the Asian Brown Cloud identified by UNEP studies.

186. Q186Sustainable development goals

     What is "Virtual Water"?

     • aWater consumed by a product in the process of becoming a product.Answer
     • bDrinking water obtained from seawater.
     • cWater obtained from a borewell.
     • dThe amount of water in the body of a human or animal.
     ›Explanation

     Option A is correct because virtual water refers to the hidden volume of freshwater consumed or utilized during the entire supply chain and production process of an agricultural or industrial good. Option B: Desalinated seawater is an actual physical water resource, whereas virtual water is an accounting concept for embedded water. Option C: Borewell water refers directly to physical groundwater extraction, not the concept of water embedded in manufactured goods. Option D: Moisture content in biological tissue is physiological water mass, distinct from the virtual water consumed during production.

187. Q187Environment in the news: named projects, missions, reports and rankings

     Greenpeace India's environmental protection vessel, Rainbow Warrior, belonging to the Greenpeace group, recently arrived at Mumbai port to conduct a campaign protesting against Alang, an environmentally polluting ship-breaking yard. Which of the following are not true regarding the Rainbow Warrior? a. The chief officer of this ship is Leslie Simkin. b. Its medical officer is Moritz Kulobis Bruer. c. This ship is not the original Rainbow Warrior. d. Previously, this ship was in Mumbai port for some time in December 1999. e. The original Rainbow Warrior was sunk by French agents in 1985. f. The former name of Rainbow Warrior is 'Grampian Fighter'.

     • aa, d, f
     • bb, e, d
     • ca, b, c
     • da, b, fAnswer
     ›Explanation

     Option D is correct because statements a, b, and f are incorrect regarding Rainbow Warrior II. Leslie Simkin was the second mate (not chief officer), Moritz Kulobis Bruer was the second engineer (not medical officer), and the vessel's original name was Grampian Fame (not Grampian Fighter). Option A: It includes statement d, which is factually true as the vessel visited Mumbai in December 1999. Option B: It includes statements d and e, both of which are true facts regarding the ship and the bombing of its predecessor in 1985. Option C: It includes statement c, which is true because the ship visiting Mumbai was Rainbow Warrior II, not the original 1955 trawler.

188. Q188STATE ENVIRONMENT: what the two states actually protect and pollute

     Where is Kambala Reserve Forest, declared as a wildlife sanctuary by the Central Government, located in Andhra Pradesh?

     • aIn Visakhapatnam districtAnswer
     • bIn Khammam district
     • cIn Warangal district
     • dIn Adilabad district
     ›Explanation

     Option A is correct because Kambala Reserve Forest, notified as Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary, is situated near the city of Visakhapatnam in Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh. Option B: Khammam is a district located in the state of Telangana, not Andhra Pradesh. Option C: Warangal is a district located in the state of Telangana, not Andhra Pradesh. Option D: Adilabad is a northern district located in the state of Telangana, not Andhra Pradesh.

189. Q189STATE ENVIRONMENT: what the two states actually protect and pollute

     Which of the following is not true regarding Chilika Lake in Odisha?

     • aIt is a saltwater lake
     • bIt is a freshwater lakeAnswer
     • cIt is spread across Khurda, Ganjam, Puri districts
     • dIt is spread over 1200 sq. km.
     ›Explanation

     Option B is correct because Chilika Lake is a brackish water coastal lagoon, not a freshwater lake. Option A: It is a true statement because Chilika Lake is a saline/brackish water lagoon connected to the Bay of Bengal. Option C: It is a true statement because the lake spreads across Puri, Khurda, and Ganjam districts in Odisha. Option D: It is a true statement because Chilika Lake expands over an area of more than 1100 to 1200 square kilometers during the monsoon season.

190. Q190Welfare mechanism

     Which of the following statements regarding the National Social Security Number Card (NSSNC) released in the country in June 2001 are not true? a. The Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India introduced it. b. Employees working in private and public sector undertakings are eligible to get this card. c. It is a photo identity card with a 14-digit number. d. This card does not provide the opportunity to withdraw money from the Provident Fund account without the employer's knowledge. e. Even if the job changes, the card continues with the same number. f. The first Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) to obtain this card was Hindustan Shipyard.

     • aa, d, fAnswer
     • ba, c, e
     • cb, e, f
     • da, b, e
     ›Explanation

     Option A is correct because statements a, d, and f are false: the card was launched by the Ministry of Labour and Employment through EPFO rather than the Ministry of Home Affairs, it was designed to empower workers to access and withdraw their PF balances independently of employer interference, and the first organisation to receive it was not Hindustan Shipyard. Administrative authority: Ministry of Labour and Employment through EPFO Identifier length: 14-digit unique social security number Benefit: direct account portability and online withdrawals independent of employers Option B: a, c, e is incorrect because statements c and e are factually true. Option C: b, e, f is incorrect because statements b and e are true while the question specifically requires the identification of statements that are not true. Option D: a, b, e is incorrect because statement b and statement e accurately describe the eligibility and continuity features of the card.

191. Q191Science, technology and society

     Who is the scientist in whose honour the 'Chandra' X-ray telescope has been named?

     • aChandrasekhar Venkat Raman
     • bJagdish Chandra Bose
     • cPrafulla Chandra Roy
     • dSubramanyam ChandrasekharAnswer
     ›Explanation

     Option D is correct because NASA named the Chandra X-ray Observatory in honour of Indian-American astrophysicist and Nobel laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, renowned for determining the Chandrasekhar limit of white dwarf stars. Option A: Chandrasekhar Venkat Raman received the Nobel Prize in Physics for his discovery of the Raman Effect in light scattering, not for astrophysical X-ray research. Option B: Jagdish Chandra Bose was a pioneer in plant physiology and microwave optics, not the namesake of this space telescope. Option C: Prafulla Chandra Roy was an eminent chemist who founded Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals, with no connection to space astronomy.

192. Q192Policy, missions and institutions

     The central Rice Research Institute of India is located at

     • aCuttackAnswer
     • bKolkata
     • cMysore
     • dBangalore
     ›Explanation

     Option A is correct because the Central Rice Research Institute, now known as the ICAR-National Rice Research Institute, was founded in 1946 and is situated at Bidyadharpur in Cuttack, Odisha. Option B: Kolkata hosts the Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute in Barrackpore, not the premier rice institute. Option C: Mysore is home to the Central Food Technological Research Institute, not rice cultivation research. Option D: Bangalore houses the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research rather than the Central Rice Research Institute.

193. Q193Policy, missions and institutions

     Match List-I (Institute) with List-II (Located At) and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists: List-I (Institute) A. Indian Institute of Geo-magnetism B. International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and new materials C. Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History D. Tropical Forestry Research Institute List-II (Located At) 1. Coimbatore 2. Mumbai 3. Jabalpur 4. Hyderabad Codes: A B C D

     • a2 3 1 4
     • b1 4 2 3
     • c2 4 1 3Answer
     • d1 3 2 4
     ›Explanation

     Option C is correct because matching each specialized institute with its respective headquarters gives the sequence 2, 4, 1, 3. Indian Institute of Geo-magnetism is in Mumbai International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials is in Hyderabad Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History is in Coimbatore Tropical Forestry Research Institute is in Jabalpur Option A: Misplaces the locations by pairing the powder metallurgy centre with Jabalpur and the tropical forestry institute with Hyderabad. Option B: Inaccurately links the geomagnetism institute to Coimbatore and SACON to Mumbai. Option D: Incorrectly assigns the geomagnetism institute to Coimbatore and powder metallurgy to Jabalpur.

194. Q194Policy, missions and institutions

     The Indian institution that has filed more patents than all the individual patents put togeter in India is

     • aCSIRAnswer
     • bICAR
     • cAIIM
     • dDRDO
     ›Explanation

     Option A is correct because the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research consistently leads among publicly funded scientific bodies in India in securing and filing national and international patents. Option B: ICAR primarily focuses on agricultural research and holds substantially fewer patents across technology domains compared to CSIR. Option C: AIIMS is a premier medical education and healthcare institution with an emphasis on clinical practice and clinical research rather than mass patent generation. Option D: DRDO files patents strictly within defence and strategic technologies, falling behind CSIR's extensive multi-sector industrial patent portfolio.

195. Q195Policy, missions and institutions

     The Central Rice Institute of India is located in

     • aKolkata
     • bCuttakAnswer
     • cBangalore
     • dGuwahati
     ›Explanation

     Option B is correct because the Central Rice Research Institute, established in 1946 and now known as the National Rice Research Institute, is headquartered at Cuttack in Odisha. Option A: Kolkata hosts the Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute at Barrackpore, not the central rice institute. Option C: Bangalore hosts institutions such as the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, not the rice institute. Option D: Guwahati does not host the national-level rice research institute of India.

196. Q196Space technology

     The main objective of the Indian Space Research Programme is

     • aDefence
     • bSatellite - based communications
     • cPoverty alleviation
     • dSocio - economic developmentAnswer
     ›Explanation

     Option D is correct because the foundational vision of the Indian space programme, outlined by Vikram Sarabhai, focuses on harnessing space technology for the socio-economic development of the nation. Option A: Defence is an area supported by specific satellite missions, but it is not the primary overarching objective of the civilian space programme. Option B: Satellite-based communications is one of the technical tools used by ISRO, not the ultimate overarching goal. Option C: Poverty alleviation is an indirect socio-economic benefit rather than the formally defined mandate of the space programme.

197. Q197Space technology

     The Department of Space was set up in India in

     • a1972Answer
     • b1982
     • c1987
     • d1978
     ›Explanation

     Option A is correct because the Government of India established the Space Commission and the Department of Space (DOS) in 1972, subsequently bringing ISRO under the administration of the DOS. Government of India set up the Space Commission in June 1972. Department of Space was established in June 1972. ISRO was brought under the Department of Space in September 1972. Option B: 1982 is incorrect because the Department of Space had already been operational for a decade. Option C: 1987 is incorrect as DOS was established fifteen years earlier. Option D: 1978 is incorrect because the administrative framework under DOS was formalized in 1972.

198. Q198Defence technology

     Which of the following statements regarding BrahMos, which was launched successfully on June 13,2004, are true '? a. Essentially an anti-ship missile. b. Essentially an anti-aircraft missile. c. Produced at BrahMos Integration complex at Mumbai. d. Flies at 2.8 times the speed of sound. e. 8 metres in height and 10 tons in weight. f. Can search for and locate an enemy ship 290 km away. g. The June 13 launch is the 7th launch from a mobile launcher.

     • ab, d, e, f
     • ba, b, c, f
     • ca, d, f, gAnswer
     • da, c, e, g
     ›Explanation

     Option C is correct because the BrahMos missile is designed as an anti-ship/land-attack cruise missile that flies at Mach 2.8, has an initial range of 290 km, and the June 13, 2004 test was its 7th successful launch conducted from a mobile land-based launcher. Statement a is true as it is essentially an anti-ship missile. Statement b is false because BrahMos is not an anti-aircraft missile. Statement c is false because the integration facility was established in Hyderabad, not Mumbai. Statement d is true as it cruises at Mach 2.8. Statement e is false because BrahMos weighs about 3 tons, not 10 tons. Statement f is true as its range was capped at 290 km under MTCR provisions. Statement g is true as the June 13, 2004 flight was the 7th test launch. Option A: Statement b is incorrect because BrahMos is not an anti-aircraft missile, and statement e incorrectly states the missile weight. Option B: Statement b and statement c are incorrect. Option D: Statement c and statement e are incorrect.

199. Q199Defence technology

     The name of the world's fastest cruise missile Brah Mos has been coined by taking

     • aBrahma, the God of creation in Indian mythology and Moses, the Biblical prophet
     • bThe Indian river, Brahmaputra and the Russian river, MoskvaAnswer
     • cBrahma, the Indian god and the Russian river, Moskva
     • dThe river, Brahmaputra and Moses, the Biblical prophet
     ›Explanation

     Option B is correct because the name BrahMos is a portmanteau formed from the names of two major rivers: the Brahmaputra in India and the Moskva in Russia. Option A: It mistakenly relates the name to religious figures instead of rivers. Option C: It incorrectly attributes the Indian component to the deity Brahma rather than the Brahmaputra river. Option D: It pairs the river Brahmaputra with the biblical prophet Moses instead of the river Moskva.

200. Q200Defence technology

     Which of the following is a supersonic cruise missile?

     • aAgni-I
     • bPrithvi-II
     • cBrahmosAnswer
     • dAgni -III
     ›Explanation

     Option C is correct because BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile developed jointly by India and Russia that travels at speeds around Mach 2.8 to 3.0. Option A: Agni-I is a medium-range ballistic missile, not a cruise missile. Option B: Prithvi-II is a short-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile, not a supersonic cruise missile. Option D: Agni-III is an intermediate-range ballistic missile, not a cruise missile.