TGPSC Group-I Prelims 2010

367 questions from the 2010 papers, each with the official answer and an explanation.

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

321. Q321People: appointments, honours and passings

     Shyam Saran from Kalga village, Kinnaur district, was honored by Naveen Chawla, Chief Election Commissioner of India, in Himachal Pradesh on June 12, 2010. Why?

     • aBecause he is one of the oldest senior citizens in India
     • bBecause he is one of those who voted in all elections
     • cBecause he was one of the first voters in India before independence
     • dBecause he was one of the first few voters in independent IndiaAnswer
     ›Explanation

     Option D is correct because Shyam Saran Negi of Kalpa village in Himachal Pradesh was honoured as the first voter of independent India, having cast his ballot on October 25, 1951, ahead of the rest of the nation. Option A: The honour was bestowed specifically for his distinction as independent India's first voter, not simply for being an elderly citizen. Option B: While he participated in subsequent elections, the nationwide recognition by the Election Commission was anchored to his status as the very first voter. Option C: His historic ballot was cast in the first general elections after independence in 1951, not prior to independence.

322. Q322People: appointments, honours and passings

     The winner of the Spelling Bee Trust 2010 held in Washington on June 4, 2010 is:

     • aSameer Mishra
     • bKavya Shivashankar
     • cAnamika VeeramaniAnswer
     • dShankal Srivastava
     ›Explanation

     Option C is correct because Anamika Veeramani won the 83rd Scripps National Spelling Bee held in Washington, D.C., in June 2010 by correctly spelling the word stromuhr. Option A: Sameer Mishra won the Scripps National Spelling Bee title earlier in 2008. Option B: Kavya Shivashankar was the champion of the previous edition in 2009. Option D: Shankal Srivastava was not the winner of the 2010 championship.

323. Q323People: appointments, honours and passings

     Oscar Kateriyu, 2000 was awarded to which of the following?

     • aThe Hurt Locker
     • bAvatar
     • cPressAnswer
     • dGandhi My Father

     Explanation coming soon.

324. Q324People: appointments, honours and passings

     The winner of 'Scripting the Prize 2010' held in Washington on June 4, 2010:

     • aAnamika VeeramoniAnswer
     • bSantanu Srivastava
     • cKavya Shivashankar
     • dSameer Mitra
     ›Explanation

     Option A is correct because Anamika Veeramani won the 83rd Scripps National Spelling Bee held near Washington on June 4, 2010, after correctly spelling the word stromuhr. Option B: Santanu Srivastava was a contestant in the competition but did not win the championship title. Option C: Kavya Shivashankar won the Scripps National Spelling Bee in the preceding year, 2009. Option D: Sameer Mitra was not the winner of this national spelling competition.

325. Q325People: appointments, honours and passings

     The Nobel Peace Prize 2009 was awarded to:

     • aHerta Müller
     • bThomas Steitz
     • cElinor Ostrom
     • dBarack ObamaAnswer
     ›Explanation

     Option D is correct because Barack Obama received the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples. Option A: Herta Müller was awarded the 2009 Nobel Prize in Literature, not the Peace Prize. Option B: Thomas Steitz shared the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for studies of the structure and function of the ribosome. Option C: Elinor Ostrom shared the 2009 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel.

326. Q326People: appointments, honours and passings

     The recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature in the year 2009 is:

     • aOliver Williamson
     • bHerta MüllerAnswer
     • cElinor Ostrom
     • dThomas Steitz
     ›Explanation

     Option B is correct because the Romanian-born German author Herta Müller was awarded the 2009 Nobel Prize in Literature for depicting the landscape of the dispossessed with the concentration of poetry and the frankness of prose. Herta Müller: 2009 Nobel Prize in Literature Oliver Williamson: 2009 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences Elinor Ostrom: 2009 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences Thomas Steitz: 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry Option A: Oliver Williamson was a co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 2009. Option C: Elinor Ostrom was a co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 2009. Option D: Thomas Steitz was a co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2009.

327. Q327People: appointments, honours and passings

     Who won the gold medal in the Second World Sand Sculpture (2010) Championship?

     • aHarish Chandra Mukherjee
     • bSudarsan PattnaikAnswer
     • cSomeshwara Pathak
     • dGautam Prasad
     ›Explanation

     Option B is correct because internationally acclaimed Indian sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik won the gold medal at the 2nd World Sand Sculpture Championship held in 2010. Option A: Harish Chandra Mukherjee was a nineteenth-century journalist and social reformer, not a sand artist. Option C: Someshwara Pathak is an incorrect distractor unconnected with international sand sculpture. Option D: Gautam Prasad is not an award-winning international sand sculptor.

328. Q328People: appointments, honours and passings

     The documentary film 'Smile Pinki' won the:

     • aOscar AwardAnswer
     • bNobel Prize
     • cDadasaheb Phalke Award
     • dBhatnagar Award
     ›Explanation

     Option A is correct because the documentary film Smile Pinki, directed by Megan Mylan, won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject at the 81st Academy Awards in 2009. Option B: Nobel Prize is an international award recognizing academic, cultural, or scientific advances and is not given to documentary films. Option C: Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India's highest award in cinema presented for lifetime contribution, not an award given to individual short documentary films. Option D: Bhatnagar Award is an Indian science award given for notable and outstanding research in scientific disciplines.

329. Q329People: appointments, honours and passings

     Who is the author of the book 'The Universe in a Single Atom'?

     • aDalai LamaAnswer
     • bNora Roberts
     • cChris Goodball
     • dNarendra Prasad
     ›Explanation

     Option A is correct because The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality is a 2005 book written by Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, exploring the relationship between Buddhist philosophy and modern scientific discovery. Option B: Nora Roberts is a popular American romance and thriller novelist. Option C: Chris Goodall is an author on green technology and carbon reduction. Option D: Narendra Prasad was an Indian actor and writer with no association with this work.

330. Q330Sports

     England won the ICC World 'Twenty-20, 2010' by:

     • aa series of five wickets
     • ba series of seven wicketsAnswer
     • ca series of five runs
     • da series of seven runs
     ›Explanation

     Option B is correct because England won the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 final against Australia by seven wickets at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on May 16, 2010. Australia innings: 147 for 6 in 20 overs England innings: 148 for 3 in 17 overs Victory margin: 7 wickets with 18 balls remaining Option A: A series of five wickets is incorrect because England lost only three wickets during the chase. Option C: A series of five runs is incorrect because England batted second and therefore won the match by wickets, not runs. Option D: A series of seven runs is incorrect because margin in runs applies only when defending a target.

331. Q331Sports

     Winner of ICC Women's 'Twenty-20' World Cup 2010:

     • aIndia
     • bSri Lanka
     • cAustraliaAnswer
     • dNew Zealand
     ›Explanation

     Option C is correct because the Australian women's cricket team won the 2010 ICC Women's World Twenty20 by defeating New Zealand by 3 runs in the final at Bridgetown, Barbados. Option A: India reached the semifinals but was eliminated by Australia. Option B: Sri Lanka failed to advance beyond the group stage. Option D: New Zealand finished as the runner-up after falling short of Australia's total.

332. Q332Sports

     Mention the sport/game with which the term Raider is most closely associated?

     • aKabaddiAnswer
     • bChess
     • cBasketball
     • dCricket
     ›Explanation

     Option A is correct because in Kabaddi, the attacking player who enters the opponent's court chanting the continuous cant to touch opponents and return safely is designated as the raider. Option B: Chess uses playing pieces such as king, queen, rook, bishop, knight, and pawn. Option C: Basketball uses designations like point guard, shooting guard, forward, and center. Option D: Cricket uses roles such as batter, bowler, wicketkeeper, and fielder.

333. Q333Sports

     Mention the term with which the game baseball is closely associated:

     • aCastle
     • bHome RunAnswer
     • cMashie
     • dRaider
     ›Explanation

     Option B is correct because a home run is a primary scoring play in baseball, achieved when a batter hits the ball fair and circles all bases to score a run without an error by the fielding team. Option A: Castle refers to castling, which is a defensive and developmental move in chess. Option C: Mashie is an archaic term for a specific type of iron club used in golf. Option D: Raider is the attacking player who enters the opponent's half in the sport of kabaddi.

334. Q334Sports

     Identify the sport/game most closely related to the word 'Diver':

     • aKabaddiAnswer
     • bChess
     • cBasketball
     • dCricket
     ›Explanation

     Option A is correct because in Kabaddi, an attacking or defending manoeuvre involving a sudden lunge or dive at an opponent's legs or waist is executed by a player termed a diver. Option B: Chess has pieces named pawn, knight, bishop, rook, queen, and king, with no term called diver. Option C: Basketball uses positions and roles such as point guard, shooting guard, forward, and centre. Option D: Cricket terminology includes bowlers, batters, fielders, and wicketkeepers, but not diver.

335. Q335Sports

     Identify the term most closely related to Baseball:

     • aCastle
     • bGolf
     • cMashie
     • dHome RunAnswer
     ›Explanation

     Option D is correct because a Home Run is a scoring achievement in baseball where the batter hits the ball out of the field of play in fair territory and completes a circuit of all four bases. Option A: Castle is a defensive move executed between a king and a rook in chess. Option B: Golf is an independent sport rather than a baseball term. Option C: Mashie is an archaic designation for a golf club.

336. Q336Sports

     The opening match of the 'FIFA 2010 World Cup' was played between which countries?

     • aSouth Africa and Greece
     • bSouth Africa and MexicoAnswer
     • cSouth Africa and England
     • dSouth Africa and South Korea
     ›Explanation

     Option B is correct because the opening fixture of the 2010 FIFA World Cup took place between host nation South Africa and Mexico on 11 June 2010 at the Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg. Tournament opening match date: 11 June 2010 Host team: South Africa Visiting team: Mexico Match result: 1-1 draw Option A: Greece played their first match of the tournament against South Korea, not South Africa. Option C: England played their opening group fixture against the United States. Option D: South Korea faced Greece in their opening group game.

337. Q337Sports

     Identify the sport or game most closely related to the word 'Mashie' from the following:

     • aHigh Jump
     • bGolfAnswer
     • cVolleyball
     • dKho-kho
     ›Explanation

     Option B is correct because a mashie is a traditional, historic golf club with a loft roughly equivalent to a modern 5-iron. Option A: High Jump terminology includes terms like the Fosbury Flop, crossbar, and uprights, not mashie. Option C: Volleyball terminology includes spike, libero, dig, and setter, not mashie. Option D: Kho-kho terminology includes chaser, runner, cross lane, and pole turn, not mashie.

338. Q338Sports

     Identify the word most closely related to the game 'Chess' from the following:

     • aCastileAnswer
     • bHome Run
     • cMashie
     • dRaider
     ›Explanation

     Option A is correct because 'Castile' is an exam typo or alternate form of 'Castle' or 'Castling', a unique defensive move involving the king and the rook in chess. Option B: Home Run is a scoring term used in baseball and softball, not chess. Option C: Mashie is an archaic golf club term, not a chess term. Option D: Raider is an offensive player term from Kabaddi.

339. Q339Sports

     Viswanathan Anand won the 'Ephedrine' World Best Championships by defeating whom among the following?

     • aBrek Borinis
     • bVeselin TopalovAnswer
     • cDinara Safina
     • dAna Ivanovic
     ›Explanation

     Option B is correct because Viswanathan Anand defeated Bulgarian Grandmaster Veselin Topalov in the 2010 World Chess Championship match (often mistranslated or garbled as 'Ephedrine' from the sponsor/source text referring to the Sofia match/event) to retain his world title. Option A: Brek Borinis is not a known chess grandmaster or competitor in this championship. Option C: Dinara Safina is a former world number one professional tennis player, not a chess player. Option D: Ana Ivanovic is a former Grand Slam-winning professional tennis player from Serbia.

340. Q340Sports

     The winner of the gold medal in the Second World Cycle Race Championship (2010) is:

     • aSudarsan PattnaikAnswer
     • bSomeshwar Pathak
     • cGautam Prasad
     • dHarishchandra Mukherjee

     Official answer shown. The explanation is under review.

341. Q341Sports

     The opening match of the 'FIFA 2010' World Cup was played between which of the following countries?

     • aSouth Africa and MexicoAnswer
     • bSouth Africa and Nigeria
     • cSouth Africa and America
     • dSouth Africa and England
     ›Explanation

     Option A is correct because the opening fixture of the 2010 FIFA World Cup was contested between the host country South Africa and Mexico at the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg, ending in a 1-1 draw. Option B: Nigeria was drawn in Group B and played its opening match against Argentina. Option C: The United States was in Group C and opened its tournament against England. Option D: England played against the United States in its opening group match.

342. Q342Events, summits and observances

     The Fifteenth 'ASEAN' Summit was held in:

     • aThailandAnswer
     • bMalaysia
     • cJapan
     • dSouth Korea
     ›Explanation

     Option A is correct because the 15th ASEAN Summit took place in Cha-am and Hua Hin, Thailand, in October 2009 under the chairmanship of Thailand. Option B: Malaysia hosted the 11th ASEAN Summit in 2005 and the 26th and 27th summits in 2015, not the 15th. Option C: Japan is a dialogue partner of the association rather than a member state, so it cannot host the ASEAN Summit. Option D: South Korea is an ASEAN dialogue partner and non-member, making it ineligible to chair or host the summit.

343. Q343Events, summits and observances

     The sixteenth SAARC Summit was held on:

     • a28-29 April, 2010Answer
     • b18-19 April, 2010
     • c16-17 March, 2010
     • d25-26 March, 2010
     ›Explanation

     Option A is correct because the 16th SAARC Summit was officially held on 28-29 April 2010 in Thimphu, Bhutan, marking the silver jubilee of the regional association. Summit: 16th SAARC Summit Host: Thimphu, Bhutan Dates: 28-29 April 2010 Theme: Towards a Green and Happy South Asia Option B: 18-19 April 2010 is incorrect as the summit occurred ten days later. Option C: 16-17 March 2010 places the summit more than a month before the actual event. Option D: 25-26 March 2010 is an incorrect set of dates.

344. Q344Events, summits and observances

     How often are the World Telecommunication Development Conferences held?

     • athree years
     • bfour yearsAnswer
     • cfive years
     • dsix years
     ›Explanation

     Option B is correct because the World Telecommunication Development Conferences are convened every four years by the International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication Development Sector. Option A: A three-year interval does not conform to the statutory four-year cycle set by the ITU. Option C: A five-year cycle is incorrect as the conferences follow a quadrennial schedule. Option D: A six-year interval is incorrect as the events take place every four years.

345. Q345Events, summits and observances

     Who is the Indian girl who received the rare honor of addressing world leaders at the United Nations Summit regarding climate change?

     • aSoumya Bhattacharjee
     • bPratiksha Chakraborty
     • cYugratna SrivastavaAnswer
     • dAnjana Sharma
     ›Explanation

     Option C is correct because Yugratna Srivastava, a 13-year-old student from Lucknow, addressed world leaders on climate change at the United Nations Summit on Climate Change in New York in September 2009. Option A: Soumya Bhattacharjee is not the student activist who addressed the UN summit. Option B: Pratiksha Chakraborty did not address the United Nations Summit on Climate Change. Option D: Anjana Sharma was not the young Indian speaker at the UN event.

346. Q346Events, summits and observances

     The fifteenth summit of the Non-Aligned Movement was held in:

     • aCuba
     • bEgyptAnswer
     • cSri Lanka
     • dIndia
     ›Explanation

     Option B is correct because Egypt hosted the 15th Non-Aligned Movement Summit at Sharm El Sheikh in July 2009 under the theme International Solidarity for Peace and Development. 14th NAM Summit: Havana, Cuba (2006) 15th NAM Summit: Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt (2009) 16th NAM Summit: Tehran, Iran (2012) Option A: Cuba hosted the 14th summit in 2006, not the 15th. Option C: Sri Lanka hosted the 5th summit in Colombo in 1976. Option D: India hosted the 7th summit in New Delhi in 1983.

347. Q347Events, summits and observances

     Where did the United Nations conference on climate change held in 2009 conclude?

     • aPoland
     • bDenmarkAnswer
     • cChina
     • dJapan
     ›Explanation

     Option B is correct because the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference, formally known as COP 15, concluded in Copenhagen, Denmark, producing the Copenhagen Accord. Option A: Poland hosted the climate conference COP 14 in Poznan in 2008 and COP 19 in Warsaw in 2013, not the 2009 session. Option C: China hosted preparatory meetings in Tianjin in 2010, but not the 2009 conference. Option D: Japan hosted COP 3 in Kyoto in 1997, where the Kyoto Protocol was adopted, not the 2009 conference.

348. Q348Events, summits and observances

     Which of the following organizes 'Earth Hour' worldwide?

     • aBureau of Energy Efficiency
     • bUnited Nations
     • cEuropean Union
     • dWorld Wide Fund for Nature/ World Wildlife FundAnswer
     ›Explanation

     Option D is correct because Earth Hour is organized globally by the World Wide Fund for Nature as an annual event to encourage individuals and organizations to turn off non-essential lights for one hour to demonstrate environmental commitment. Option A: Bureau of Energy Efficiency is an Indian statutory body under the Ministry of Power that promotes domestic energy efficiency, not global events. Option B: United Nations is an intergovernmental organization that supports environmental goals but does not organize Earth Hour. Option C: European Union is a regional political and economic union of European nations, not an environmental non-governmental organization.

349. Q349Events, summits and observances

     The worldwide campaign '350' observed as International Day of Environmental Struggle on:

     • aOctober 2009
     • b30 October 2009
     • c14 October, 2009
     • d24 October, 2009Answer
     ›Explanation

     Option D is correct because the global grassroots climate campaign organized by 350.org held the International Day of Climate Action on 24 October 2009 to call for reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide to 350 parts per million. Foundation of 350.org: 2008 by Bill McKibben Global Day of Climate Action: 24 October 2009 Option A: October 2009 merely names the month rather than the specific designated day. Option B: 30 October 2009 was six days after the scheduled day of action. Option C: 14 October, 2009 was ten days prior to the international mobilization date.

350. Q350Events, summits and observances

     Earth Hour is a global event organised by:

     • aBureau of Energy Efficiency
     • bUnited Nations
     • cEuropean Union
     • dWorld Wide Fund for Nature/World Wildlife FundAnswer
     ›Explanation

     Option D is correct because Earth Hour is an annual global grassroots movement organised by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to encourage individuals and communities to turn off non-essential lights for one hour. First Earth Hour event: March 2007 (Sydney, Australia) Organising body: World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Option A: Bureau of Energy Efficiency is an Indian statutory body under the Ministry of Power, not the global organiser of Earth Hour. Option B: United Nations supports environmental awareness but is not the founding or organising agency of Earth Hour. Option C: European Union is a regional political and economic union, not the organiser of this worldwide campaign.

351. Q351Events, summits and observances

     British Prime Minister David Cameron belonged to which of the following?

     • aLabour Party
     • bLiberal Democratic Party
     • cConservative PartyAnswer
     • dDemocratic Party
     ›Explanation

     Option C is correct because David Cameron served as the leader of the Conservative Party from 2005 to 2016 and led a coalition government as Prime Minister starting in 2010. Option A: Labour Party was the primary political opponent of David Cameron's party during his tenure. Option B: Liberal Democratic Party was the junior coalition partner from 2010 to 2015, led by Nick Clegg. Option D: Democratic Party is a major political party in the United States, not the United Kingdom.

352. Q352Events, summits and observances

     Date of general elections held in Britain:

     • a5 May, 2010
     • b6 May, 2010Answer
     • c7 May, 2010
     • d8 May, 2010
     ›Explanation

     Option B is correct because the 2010 United Kingdom general election took place on Thursday, 6 May 2010, resulting in a hung parliament and the formation of the Cameron-Clegg coalition government. Date of 2010 UK general election: 6 May 2010 Option A: 5 May, 2010 is incorrect as this was the day before polling day. Option C: 7 May, 2010 is incorrect as it was the day election results were declared. Option D: 8 May, 2010 is incorrect because voting had already concluded two days earlier.

353. Q353Reports, indices and rankings

     India's rank in the Global Hunger Index 2008 was

     • a66Answer
     • b44
     • c32
     • d88
     ›Explanation

     Option A is correct because India was ranked 66th out of 88 developing and transitioning countries assessed in the Global Hunger Index 2008 published by the International Food Policy Research Institute. Total countries ranked in 2008: 88 India rank: 66 India classification: Alarming hunger category Option B: 44 is significantly higher than India actual position in the 2008 report. Option C: 32 was a rank held by countries experiencing much lower levels of hunger. Option D: 88 was the total number of evaluated countries and the bottom-most position, not India specific rank.

354. Q354Reports, indices and rankings

     Date of commencement of India's Census 2011

     • a1 January, 2010
     • b1 February, 2010
     • c1 March, 2010
     • d1 April, 2010Answer
     ›Explanation

     Option D is correct because the 15th National Census of India officially began on 1 April, 2010 with the start of the first phase, the Houselisting and Housing Census. First phase commencement: 1 April, 2010 Second phase (Population Enumeration): 9 February to 28 February, 2011 Option A: 1 January, 2010 is three months before the official rollout of the houselisting operations. Option B: 1 February, 2010 was prior to the notified launch date of the first phase. Option C: 1 March, 2010 was a month ahead of the actual national start date.

355. Q355Launches: schemes, missions and firsts

     Until when will the Sarvatrika Bharat Scheme introduced by the Government of India be in effect?

     • aMarch, 2011
     • bMarch, 2012Answer
     • cMarch, 2015
     • dMarch, 2020
     ›Explanation

     Option B is correct because the Sarvatrika Bharat Scheme, aligned with the telecommunication rollout targets under the Eleventh Five-Year Plan, was scheduled to conclude in March 2012. Option A: March, 2011 was one year prior to the terminal year of the Eleventh Five-Year Plan. Option C: March, 2015 marked the midpoint of the Twelfth Five-Year Plan rather than this scheme's operational deadline. Option D: March, 2020 refers to the timeline associated with later infrastructure initiatives such as BharatNet phase targets.

356. Q356Launches: schemes, missions and firsts

     From when did the 'Unique Identification Authority of India' announce that the first prepared identification numbers would be issued?

     • aFrom February, 2011Answer
     • bFrom July, 2011
     • cFrom January, 2012
     • dFrom June, 2012
     ›Explanation

     Option A is correct because the Unique Identification Authority of India initially notified and planned that the first batch of 12-digit unique identification numbers would be rolled out by February 2011. Option B: July 2011 was not the projected timeframe announced by UIDAI for the initial issuance. Option C: January 2012 fell well after the targeted initial launch phase. Option D: June 2012 was much later than the planned first rollout timeline.

357. Q357Launches: schemes, missions and firsts

     In India, the 'Model e-Court' was launched for the first time on February 8, 2009 by:

     • aKarnataka High Court
     • bRajasthan High Court
     • cGujarat High CourtAnswer
     • dAndhra Pradesh High Court
     ›Explanation

     Option C is correct because Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan inaugurated India's first Model e-Court at the City Civil Court campus under the High Court of Gujarat on February 8, 2009. Option A: Karnataka High Court introduced several electronic registry systems later and did not inaugurate the model e-court on that date. Option B: Rajasthan High Court was not the institution where the initial model e-court was launched. Option D: Andhra Pradesh High Court did not host the inaugural model e-court launch on February 8, 2009.

358. Q358Launches: schemes, missions and firsts

     Which is the first Panchayat in India to achieve computer literacy?

     • aPalai, Kerala
     • bNilamber, Kerala
     • cPakkam, Kerala
     • dVelland, KeralaAnswer
     ›Explanation

     Option D is correct because Vellanad (spelled Velland in the question) Grama Panchayat in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala became India's first fully computer-literate panchayat through an intensive grassroots literacy campaign. Option A: Palai is a municipality in Kottayam, not the first computer-literate village panchayat. Option B: Nilambur is a municipality in Malappuram and was not the first panchayat to hold this distinction. Option C: Pakkam in Kasaragod did not claim this specific administrative first.

359. Q359Launches: schemes, missions and firsts

     The country that held a cabinet meeting underwater for the first time in the world:

     • aMalaysia
     • bSri Lanka
     • cMaldivesAnswer
     • dThailand
     ›Explanation

     Option C is correct because the Maldives conducted the world's first underwater cabinet meeting in October 2009 off Girifushi island, chaired by President Mohamed Nasheed, to highlight the danger of rising sea levels to low-lying island nations. Option A: Malaysia has never conducted a cabinet meeting underwater. Option B: Sri Lanka has not held any ministerial cabinet meetings underwater. Option D: Thailand has never convened its cabinet underwater.

360. Q360Launches: schemes, missions and firsts

     The first 'Model e-Court' in India was launched in February 2009 by:

     • aGujarat High CourtAnswer
     • bTamil Nadu High Court
     • cHimachal Pradesh High Court
     • dAndhra Pradesh High Court
     ›Explanation

     Option A is correct because the Gujarat High Court inaugurated India's first Model e-Court at the City Civil and Sessions Court in Ahmedabad in February 2009 to facilitate digital case management and paperless functioning. Option B: Tamil Nadu High Court was not the high court that established the first Model e-Court in February 2009. Option C: Himachal Pradesh High Court did not set up the first Model e-Court. Option D: Andhra Pradesh High Court launched its first e-court much later, in July 2016 at Hyderabad.