APPSC Group-I Prelims 2017

182 questions from the 2017 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. Q161People: appointments, honours and passings

     The Book “The Inner Fire” written by Justice Rohinton F. Nariman is on?

     • aReligious Wars
     • bIslam
     • cZoroastrianismAnswer
     • dRadical humanism
     ›Explanation

     Option C is correct because The Inner Fire: Faith, Choice, and Modern-Day Living in Zoroastrianism, written by former Supreme Court judge Rohinton F. Nariman, explores the hymns, philosophy, and history of Zoroastrianism. Option A: It does not focus on religious wars, but on the tenets and evolution of the Parsi faith. Option B: It does not examine Islam; its primary theological study is the Gathas of Zarathushtra. Option D: It focuses on Zoroastrian theology and scriptural history rather than the philosophy of radical humanism.

162. Q162Sports

     Who is the winner of the recently held Super series Singapore Open Badminton title in the Men's Singles category?

     • aKidarnbi Srikant
     • bB. Sai PraneethAnswer
     • cParupalli Kashynp
     • dB. Surneeth Reddy
     ›Explanation

     Option B is correct because B. Sai Praneeth won the 2017 Singapore Open Super Series Men's Singles title by defeating fellow Indian Kidambi Srikanth in an all-Indian final. Option A: Kidambi Srikanth was the runner-up after losing the final to B. Sai Praneeth. Option C: Parupalli Kashyap did not reach the final of this tournament. Option D: B. Sumeeth Reddy is an Indian doubles player and did not compete in this singles final.

163. Q163Sports

     Which Indian shooter won a Gold medal at the ISSF World Cup Refile/Pistol/Shotgun held in New Delhi?

     • aAmanpreet Singh
     • bAnkur Mittal
     • cJitu RaiAnswer
     • dPooja Ghatkar
     ›Explanation

     Option C is correct because Jitu Rai clinched the Gold medal in the men's 50m pistol event at the 2017 ISSF World Cup held in New Delhi with a world record final score. Option A: Amanpreet Singh won the silver medal in the same 50m pistol event behind Jitu Rai. Option B: Ankur Mittal claimed a silver medal in the men's double trap event at this competition. Option D: Pooja Ghatkar secured a bronze medal in the women's 10m air rifle event.

164. Q164Sports

     Who is the winner of the recently held Superseries Singapore Open Badminton title in the Men's Singles category ?

     • aKidambi Srikant
     • bB. Sai PraneethAnswer
     • cParupalli Kashyap
     • dB. Sumeeth Reddy
     ›Explanation

     Option B is correct because B. Sai Praneeth won the 2017 Singapore Open Super Series Men's Singles title by defeating fellow Indian Kidambi Srikanth in the final. Option A: Kidambi Srikanth was the runner-up in that historic all-Indian final. Option C: Parupalli Kashyap did not play in the final of the 2017 Singapore Open. Option D: B. Sumeeth Reddy is a doubles specialist and did not compete in the singles final.

165. Q165Sports

     Which Indian shooter won a Gold medal at the ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun held in New Delhi ?

     • aAmanpreet Singh
     • bAnkur Mittal
     • cJitu RaiAnswer
     • dPooja Ghatkar
     ›Explanation

     Option C is correct because Jitu Rai won the gold medal in the men 50m pistol event at the 2017 ISSF World Cup held in New Delhi. Option A: Amanpreet Singh won the silver medal in the same 50m pistol event. Option B: Ankur Mittal won the silver medal in the men double trap competition. Option D: Pooja Ghatkar secured a bronze medal in the women 10m air rifle event.

166. Q166Sports

     How many persons were awarded the Padma Shri in 2017 in the sports category?

     • a6
     • b7
     • c8Answer
     • d9
     ›Explanation

     Option C is correct because 8 persons were conferred the Padma Shri award in the sports category by the Government of India in 2017. Padma Shri 2017 recipients in sports: Virat Kohli Shekhar Naik Vikasa Gowda Deepa Malik Mariyappan Thangavelu Dipa Karmakar P. R. Sreejesh and one additional awardee under the allied sports category Option A: 6 undercounts the total number of sports recipients recognized that year. Option B: 7 omits one recipient officially categorized under sports. Option D: 9 overstates the total sports awardees on the official list.

167. Q167Events, summits and observances

     National Science Day is celebrated in India on 28th February to mark the?

     • aDiscovery of life in plants by J.C Bose
     • bLaunch of the Aryabhatta satellite
     • cCommissioning for the first nuclear reactor “Apsara”.
     • dDiscovery of “Raman Effect” by C.V RamanAnswer
     ›Explanation

     Option D is correct because National Science Day is celebrated in India on 28th February to commemorate the landmark discovery of the Raman Effect by Indian physicist Sir C.V. Raman in 1928. Event: Discovery of the Raman Effect Scientist: Sir C.V. Raman Date of discovery: 28 February 1928 Recognition: Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930 Option A: Discovery of life in plants by J.C. Bose led to the invention of the crescograph and is not the basis for National Science Day. Option B: Launch of the Aryabhatta satellite took place on 19 April 1975. Option C: Commissioning of India's first nuclear research reactor Apsara occurred on 4 August 1956.

168. Q168Events, summits and observances

     Who was responsible for the gaffe in announcing the name of the Best Film at the 2017 Oscar Awards Ceremony?

     • aThe presenters
     • bThe accountancy firmAnswer
     • cThe Motion Film Academy
     • dThe law firm
     ›Explanation

     Option B is correct because the auditing and accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, which oversees the integrity and confidentiality of Oscar voting, mistakenly handed the wrong category envelope to the presenters, leading to La La Land being erroneously named instead of Moonlight. Option A: The presenters merely read the card that was handed to them from the misplaced envelope. Option C: The Motion Film Academy organizes the Oscars but delegates envelope handling and vote tabulations to its contracted auditing firm. Option D: A law firm does not handle the custody and handoff of Oscar winner envelopes.

169. Q169Reports, indices and rankings

     As per the 2016 report on Global Trafficking in persons published by UN office on Drugs and Crime, Victims and Traffickers often have?

     • aThe same ethnic backgroundAnswer
     • bDifferent ethnic backgrounds
     • cSame or different background
     • dBackgrounds which cannot be identified
     ›Explanation

     Option A is correct because the UNODC Global Report on Trafficking in Persons 2016 established that victims and traffickers frequently share the same ethnic background, citizenship, and community of origin. Option B: Different ethnic backgrounds is incorrect because intra-ethnic networks account for the majority of detected trafficking cases. Option C: Same or different background is incorrect because the report specifically underscored the predominant convergence of ethnic origin between victim and perpetrator. Option D: Backgrounds which cannot be identified is incorrect because documented profile data systematically captures ethnic and national identities in UNODC registries.

170. Q170Reports, indices and rankings

     Out of the following, which parameter is given higher ranking weight by the National Institutional Ranking Framework of MHRD for awarding overall rank to educational institutions?

     • aGraduation outcomes
     • bPerception
     • cResearch and professional practiceAnswer
     • dOutreach and industry
     ›Explanation

     Option C is correct because Research and Professional Practice is assigned a weightage of 0.30 in the National Institutional Ranking Framework overall category, which is higher than the weight assigned to the other options listed. Teaching, Learning and Resources weight is 0.30 Research and Professional Practice weight is 0.30 Graduation Outcomes weight is 0.20 Outreach and Inclusivity weight is 0.10 Perception weight is 0.10 Option A: Graduation outcomes carries a weightage of only 0.20, which is lower than the 0.30 allocated to research and professional practice. Option B: Perception carries a weightage of only 0.10, which is one-third of the weight allocated to research. Option D: Outreach and inclusivity carries a weightage of only 0.10, which is significantly lower than research and professional practice.

171. Q171Reports, indices and rankings

     As per the 4th National Family Health Survey, how many females are there in the state of Andhra Pradesh per 1000 Males?

     • a1050
     • b1020Answer
     • c980
     • d970
     ›Explanation

     Option B is correct because the state fact sheet of the National Family Health Survey 4 recorded the overall sex ratio of the total population in Andhra Pradesh as 1,020 females per 1,000 males. NFHS-4 Andhra Pradesh overall sex ratio: 1,020 females per 1,000 males NFHS-4 Andhra Pradesh sex ratio at birth: 914 females per 1,000 males NFHS-5 Andhra Pradesh overall sex ratio: 1,045 females per 1,000 males Option A: 1050 overstates the overall sex ratio documented during the 2015-16 survey. Option C: 980 understates the total female-to-male ratio, which had already crossed the parity mark of 1,000. Option D: 970 is incorrect and does not match either the total population or the sex ratio at birth.

172. Q172Reports, indices and rankings

     As per the data available in the National Judicial Data Grid in April, 2017, what is the approximate percentage of cases in Indian Courts pending for more than two years?

     • a45%
     • b55%Answer
     • c65%
     • d76%

     Official answer shown. The explanation is under review.

173. Q173Launches: schemes, missions and firsts

     What is the name of the Freight train that made is the first journey from China to London in January 2017?

     • aThe Silk Train
     • bThe Western
     • cThe China Wind
     • dThe East IndiaAnswer

     Official answer shown. The explanation is under review.

174. Q174Launches: schemes, missions and firsts

     "Every Indian is special. Every Indian is a VIP". On which occasion did Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted these words?

     • aOn International Yoga day
     • bOn launching the BHIM App
     • cDuring the UP election campaign
     • dOn abolition of red beacons on vehicles of dignitariesAnswer
     ›Explanation

     Option D is correct because Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that every Indian is a VIP in April 2017, immediately following the Union Cabinet's decision to ban the use of red beacon lights atop official vehicles of dignitaries and politicians. Option A: On International Yoga day the Prime Minister emphasised health, wellness, and global harmony rather than the abolition of VIP culture. Option B: On launching the BHIM App the public addresses highlighted digital payments, financial inclusion, and empowerment through technology. Option C: During the UP election campaign party speeches focused on regional development and political governance issues.

175. Q175Launches: schemes, missions and firsts

     What is the name of the freight train that made its first journey from China to London in January, 2017 ?

     • aThe Silk Train
     • bThe Western
     • cThe China Wind
     • dThe East WindAnswer
     ›Explanation

     Option D is correct because the freight train service running from Yiwu in eastern China to Barking in London was named Dongfeng, which translates directly to East Wind. Option A: The Silk Train is an informal media moniker for the broader Belt and Road rail corridor rather than the official name of this specific train. Option B: The Western is not the name of any China-Europe freight service. Option C: The China Wind is an incorrect translation and not the name assigned to the locomotive service.

176. Q176Launches: schemes, missions and firsts

     Which of the following items is recently registered as a geographical indication from Andhra Pradesh?

     • aBangenapalli Mango
     • bBandaru Laddu
     • cTapeshwarm Kaja
     • dUdayagiri Wooden CutleryAnswer

     Official answer shown. The explanation is under review.

177. Q177Launches: schemes, missions and firsts

     Which of the following was included in 2016 by UNESCO in the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity?

     • aSankirtana
     • bTradition of Vedic Chanting
     • cRamlila
     • dYogaAnswer
     ›Explanation

     Option D is correct because Yoga was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity during its 11th session in 2016. Tradition of Vedic Chanting: 2008 Ramlila: 2008 Sankirtana: 2013 Yoga: 2016 Option A: Sankirtana of Manipur was inscribed in 2013. Option B: Tradition of Vedic Chanting was inscribed in 2008. Option C: Ramlila was inscribed in 2008.

178. Q178Launches: schemes, missions and firsts

     Which astronaut holds the record for most spacewalks by a woman in space?

     • aPeggy WhitsonAnswer
     • bSunita Williams
     • cSvetlana Savitskaya
     • dSally Ride
     ›Explanation

     Option A is correct because American astronaut Peggy Whitson performed ten extravehicular activities across her spaceflight career, holding the world record for the highest number of spacewalks completed by a female astronaut. Option B: Sunita Williams previously held the record with seven spacewalks before being surpassed by Peggy Whitson. Option C: Svetlana Savitskaya became the first woman to perform an extravehicular activity in 1984, but she conducted only one spacewalk. Option D: Sally Ride was the first American woman to travel to space and never performed an extravehicular spacewalk.

179. Q179Launches: schemes, missions and firsts

     The Golden Jubilee year of which important rice variety, that saved many regions from famine, was celebrated in November, 2016?

     • aIR 2
     • bIR 8Answer
     • cIR 18
     • dIR 81
     ›Explanation

     Option B is correct because IR 8, famously known as the Miracle Rice variety developed by the International Rice Research Institute, was released in November 1966, marking its Golden Jubilee in November 2016. IR 8 release year was 1966 Golden Jubilee celebrated 50 years later in 2016 Option A: IR 2 was not the semi-dwarf high-yielding variety celebrated for preventing widespread famine. Option C: IR 18 is not the landmark 1966 variety associated with the start of the Green Revolution in rice. Option D: IR 81 is a later variety and did not complete its 50th year in 2016.

180. Q180Launches: schemes, missions and firsts

     What is the name of the medium altitude long endurance UAV flown by DRDO in November, 2016?

     • aNETRA 201
     • bTAPAS 201Answer
     • cNISHANT 201
     • dAURA 201
     ›Explanation

     Option B is correct because TAPAS 201 (Tactical Airborne Platform for Aerial Surveillance - Beyond Horizon-201), originally named Rustom-II, is the medium altitude long endurance unmanned aerial vehicle developed by DRDO that performed its maiden flight in November 2016. Option A: NETRA is a lightweight autonomous quadcopter for low-altitude surveillance rather than a MALE UAV. Option C: NISHANT was an earlier short-range tactical reconnaissance UAV that had already entered service prior to 2016. Option D: AURA is a project for an autonomous stealth unmanned combat air vehicle, not the MALE platform tested in 2016.

181. Q181Economy in the news

     For which of the following reasons was the FCRA license of Public Health Federation of India recently cancelled by the Government of India ?

     • aMisutilization of Government grants
     • bMoney laundering activities
     • cTaking bribes from hospitals
     • dLobbying with parliamentariansAnswer
     ›Explanation

     Option D is correct because the Ministry of Home Affairs cancelled the FCRA registration of the Public Health Foundation of India in 2017 after citing that foreign contributions were used for lobbying parliamentarians on tobacco control issues. Option A: Misutilization of government grants was not the formal statutory violation cited under the FCRA action. Option B: Money laundering falls under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, not the primary ground invoked here. Option C: Allegations of bribery involving hospitals were not the basis of the FCRA cancellation order.

182. Q182STATE CURRENT AFFAIRS

     The coach with glass roof and other facilities in the Visakhapatnam — Araku Train is known as?

     • aGlass dome Coach
     • bMultidome Coach
     • cLightdome Coach
     • dVistadome CoachAnswer
     ›Explanation

     Option D is correct because the specialized coaches with glass roofs, rotatable chairs, and observation lounges introduced by Indian Railways on the scenic Visakhapatnam to Araku route are branded as Vistadome coaches. Option A: Glass dome coach is an informal descriptive phrase and not the official name used by Indian Railways. Option B: Multidome coach is an incorrect term not associated with Indian Railways scenic coaches. Option C: Lightdome coach is a fictitious name not used for Indian railway passenger carriages.