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UPSC Prelims 2014 question paper

UPSC held the 2014 Preliminary examination on 24 August 2014 — GS Paper I from 9:30 to 11:30 am and CSAT from 2:30 to 4:30 pm. 163 questions from that day are below, each with the Commission's official answer and our explanation of why the other three options fail.

General Studies Paper I

100 questions

Environment & Ecology 23 · History 21 · General Science 16 · Economy 15 · Geography 11 · Polity & Governance 10 · Current Events 4

  1. Q1 What are the significances of a practical approach to sugarcane production known as ‘Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative’? 1. Seed cost is very low in this compared to the…
  2. Q2 If a wetland of international importance is brought under the ‘Montreux Record’, what does it imply?
  3. Q3 Which one of the following pairs of islands is separated from each other by the ‘Ten Degree Channel’?
  4. Q4 Consider the following pairs : Programme/Project : Ministry 1. Drought-Prone Area Programme : Ministry of Agriculture 2. Desert Development Programme : Ministry of Environment and…
  5. Q5 With reference to Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), consider the following statements : 1. It is an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Environment and Forests. 2…
  6. Q6 With reference to ‘Global Environment Facility’, which of the following statements is/are correct?
  7. Q7 With reference to technologies for solar power production, consider the following statements : 1. ‘Photovoltaics’ is a technology that generates electricity by direct conversion…
  8. Q8 Consider the following languages : 1. Gujarati 2. Kannada 3. Telugu Which of the above has/have been declared as ‘Classical Language/Languages’ by the Government?
  9. Q9 Consider the following pairs : 1. Dampa Tiger Reserve : Mizoram 2. Gumti Wildlife Sanctuary : Sikkim 3. Saramati Peak : Nagaland Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
  10. Q10 With reference to a conservation organization called ‘Wetlands International’, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. It is an intergovernmental organization formed…
  11. Q11 With reference to a grouping of countries known as BRICS, consider the following statements : 1. The First Summit of BRICS was held in Rio de Janeiro in 2009. 2. South Africa was…
  12. Q12 Consider the following diseases : 1. Diphtheria 2. Chickenpox 3. Smallpox Which of the above diseases has/have been eradicated in India?
  13. Q13 Which of the following phenomena might have influenced the evolution of organisms? 1. Continental drift 2. Glacial cycles Select the correct answer using the code given below.
  14. Q14 Other than poaching, what are the possible reasons for the decline in the population of Ganges River Dolphins? 1. Construction of dams and barrages on rivers 2. Increase in the…
  15. Q15 The Radcliffe Committee was appointed to
  16. Q16 Brominated flame retardants are used in many household products like mattresses and upholstery. Why is there some concern about their use? 1. They are highly resistant to…
  17. Q17 Consider the following : 1. Bats 2. Bears 3. Rodents The phenomenon of hibernation can be observed in which of the above kinds of animals?
  18. Q18 Which one of the following is the largest Committee of the Parliament?
  19. Q19 Which of the following adds/add carbon dioxide to the carbon cycle on the planet Earth? 1. Volcanic action 2. Respiration 3. Photosynthesis 4. Decay of organic matter Select the…
  20. Q20 If you walk through countryside, you are likely to see some birds stalking alongside the cattle to seize the insects disturbed by their movement through grasses. Which of the…
  21. Q21 In medieval India, the designations ‘Mahattara’ and ‘Pattakila’ were used for
  22. Q22 Lichens, which are capable of initiating ecological succession even on a bare rock, are actually a symbiotic association of
  23. Q23 If you travel through the Himalayas, you are likely to see which of the following plants naturally growing there? 1. Oak 2. Rhododendron 3. Sandalwood Select the correct answer…
  24. Q24 Which of the following are some important pollutants released by steel industry in India? 1. Oxides of sulphur 2. Oxides of nitrogen 3. Carbon monoxide 4. Carbon dioxide Select…
  25. Q25 Which of the following Kingdoms were associated with the life of the Buddha? 1. Avanti 2. Gandhara 3. Kosala 4. Magadha Select the correct answer using the code given below.
  26. Q26 Every year, a monthlong ecologically important campaign/festival is held during which certain communities/tribes plant saplings of fruit-bearing trees. Which of the following are…
  27. Q27 The sales tax you pay while purchasing a toothpaste is a
  28. Q28 What does venture capital mean?
  29. Q29 The main objective of the 12th Five-Year Plan is
  30. Q30 With reference to Balance of Payments, which of the following constitutes/constitute the Current Account? 1. Balance of trade 2. Foreign assets 3. Balance of invisibles 4. Special…
  31. Q31 The terms ‘Marginal Standing Facility Rate’ and ‘Net Demand and Time Liabilities’, sometimes appearing in news, are used in relation to
  32. Q32 What is/are the facility/facilities the beneficiaries can get from the services of Business Correspondent (Bank Saathi) in branchless areas? 1. It enables the beneficiaries to…
  33. Q33 In the context of Indian economy, which of the following is/are the purpose/purposes of ‘Statutory Reserve Requirements’? 1. To enable the Central Bank to control the amount of…
  34. Q34 Recently, a series of uprisings of people referred to as ‘Arab Spring’ originally started from
  35. Q35 Consider the following countries : 1. Denmark 2. Japan 3. Russian Federation 4. United Kingdom 5. United States of America Which of the above are the members of the ‘Arctic…
  36. Q36 Consider the following pairs : Region often in news : Country 1. Chechnya : Russian Federation 2. Darfur : Mali 3. Swat Valley : Iraq Which of the above pairs is/are correctly…
  37. Q37 With reference to Agni-IV Missile, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. It is a surface-to-surface missile. 2. It is fuelled by liquid propellant only. 3. It can…
  38. Q38 With reference to two non-conventional energy sources called ‘coalbed methane’ and ‘shale gas’, consider the following statements : 1. Coalbed methane is the pure methane gas…
  39. Q39 With reference to ‘Changpa’ community of India, consider the following statements : 1. They live mainly in the State of Uttarakhand. 2. They rear the Pashmina goats that yield a…
  40. Q40 In India, cluster bean (Guar) is traditionally used as a vegetable or animal feed, but recently the cultivation of this has assumed significance. Which one of the following…
  41. Q41 Which of the following have coral reefs? 1. Andaman and Nicobar Islands 2. Gulf of Kachchh 3. Gulf of Mannar 4. Sunderbans Select the correct answer using the code given below.
  42. Q42 In India, the problem of soil erosion is associated with which of the following? 1. Terrace cultivation 2. Deforestation 3. Tropical climate Select the correct answer using the…
  43. Q43 The seasonal reversal of winds is the typical characteristic of
  44. Q44 With reference to the cultural history of India, the term ‘Panchayatan’ refers to
  45. Q45 Consider the following rivers : 1. Barak 2. Lohit 3. Subansiri Which of the above flows/flow through Arunachal Pradesh?
  46. Q46 Consider the following pairs : Wetlands : Confluence of rivers 1. Harike Wetlands : Confluence of Beas and Satluj/Sutlej 2. Keoladeo Ghana National Park : Confluence of Banas and…
  47. Q47 Which one of the following pairs does not form part of the six systems of Indian Philosophy?
  48. Q48 Consider the following pairs : Hills : Region 1. Cardamom Hills : Coromandel Coast 2. Kaimur Hills : Konkan Coast 3. Mahadeo Hills : Central India 4. Mikir Hills : North-East…
  49. Q49 Which one of the following Schedules of the Constitution of India contains provisions regarding anti-defection?
  50. Q50 The most important strategy for the conservation of biodiversity together with traditional human life is the establishment of
  51. Q51 Turkey is located between
  52. Q52 What is the correct sequence of occurrence of the following cities in South-East Asia as one proceeds from south to north? 1. Bangkok 2. Hanoi 3. Jakarta 4. Singapore Select the…
  53. Q53 The scientific view is that the increase in global temperature should not exceed 2 °C above pre-industrial level. If the global temperature increases beyond 3 °C above the…
  54. Q54 The national motto of India, ‘Satyameva Jayate’ inscribed below the Emblem of India is taken from
  55. Q55 In the Constitution of India, promotion of international peace and security is included in the
  56. Q56 What are the benefits of implementing the ‘Integrated Watershed Development Programme’? 1. Prevention of soil runoff 2. Linking the country's perennial rivers with seasonal rivers…
  57. Q57 Which of the following are associated with ‘Planning’ in India? 1. The Finance Commission 2. The National Development Council 3. The Union Ministry of Rural Development 4. The…
  58. Q58 Which of the following is/are the function/functions of the Cabinet Secretariat? 1. Preparation of agenda for Cabinet Meetings 2. Secretarial assistance to Cabinet Committees 3…
  59. Q59 Consider the following statements : A Constitutional Government is one which 1. places effective restrictions on individual liberty in the interest of State Authority 2. places…
  60. Q60 Which of the following are the discretionary powers given to the Governor of a State? 1. Sending a report to the President of India for imposing the President's rule 2. Appointing…
  61. Q61 If the interest rate is decreased in an economy, it will
  62. Q62 Consider the following statements : 1. The President shall make rules for the more convenient transaction of the business of the Government of India, and for the allocation among…
  63. Q63 Consider the following statements regarding a No-Confidence Motion in India : 1. There is no mention of a No-Confidence Motion in the Constitution of India. 2. A Motion of…
  64. Q64 With reference to Neem tree, consider the following statements : 1. Neem oil can be used as a pesticide to control the proliferation of some species of insects and mites. 2. Neem…
  65. Q65 Which one of the following is the process involved in photosynthesis?
  66. Q66 In addition to fingerprint scanning, which of the following can be used in the biometric identification of a person? 1. Iris scanning 2. Retinal scanning 3. Voice recognition…
  67. Q67 Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding vegetative propagation of plants? 1. Vegetative propagation produces clonal population. 2. Vegetative propagation helps…
  68. Q68 Which of the following pairs is/are correctly matched? Spacecraft : Purpose 1. Cassini-Huygens : Orbiting the Venus and transmitting data to the Earth 2. Messenger : Mapping and…
  69. Q69 Consider the following pairs : Region : Well-known for the production of 1. Kinnaur : Areca nut 2. Mewat : Mango 3. Coromandel : Soya bean Which of the above pairs is/are…
  70. Q70 Which of the following is/are the example/examples of chemical change? 1. Crystallization of sodium chloride 2. Melting of ice 3. Souring of milk Select the correct answer using…
  71. Q71 The power of the Supreme Court of India to decide disputes between the Centre and the States falls under its
  72. Q72 Consider the following techniques/phenomena : 1. Budding and grafting in fruit plants 2. Cytoplasmic male sterility 3. Gene silencing Which of the above is/are used to create…
  73. Q73 Consider the following statements : 1. Maize can be used for the production of starch. 2. Oil extracted from maize can be a feedstock for biodiesel. 3. Alcoholic beverages can be…
  74. Q74 Among the following organisms, which one does not belong to the class of other three?
  75. Q75 The power to increase the number of judges in the Supreme Court of India is vested in
  76. Q76 Consider the following towns of India : 1. Bhadrachalam 2. Chanderi 3. Kancheepuram 4. Karnal Which of the above are famous for the production of traditional sarees/fabric?
  77. Q77 Consider the following pairs : National Highway : Cities connected 1. NH 4 : Chennai and Hyderabad 2. NH 6 : Mumbai and Kolkata 3. NH 15 : Ahmedabad and Jodhpur Which of the above…
  78. Q78 Consider the following international agreements : 1. The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture 2. The United Nations Convention to Combat…
  79. Q79 Consider the following statements regarding ‘Earth Hour’ : 1. It is an initiative of UNEP and UNESCO. 2. It is a movement in which the participants switch off the lights for one…
  80. Q80 Which one of the following is the correct sequence of a food chain?
  81. Q81 The Partition of Bengal made by Lord Curzon in 1905 lasted until
  82. Q82 The 1929 Session of Indian National Congress is of significance in the history of the Freedom Movement because the
  83. Q83 With reference to the famous Sattriya dance, consider the following statements : 1. Sattriya is a combination of music, dance and drama. 2. It is a centuries-old living tradition…
  84. Q84 Chaitra 1 of the national calendar based on the Saka Era corresponds to which one of the following dates of the Gregorian calendar in a normal year of 365 days?
  85. Q85 With reference to the Indian history of art and culture, consider the following pairs : Famous work of sculpture : Site 1. A grand image of Buddha's Mahaparinirvana with numerous…
  86. Q86 The Ghadr (Ghadar) was a
  87. Q87 With reference to India's culture and tradition, what is ‘Kalaripayattu’?
  88. Q88 Consider the following pairs : 1. Garba : Gujarat 2. Mohiniattam : Odisha 3. Yakshagana : Karnataka Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
  89. Q89 With reference to Buddhist history, tradition and culture in India, consider the following pairs : Famous shrine : Location 1. Tabo monastery and temple complex : Spiti Valley 2…
  90. Q90 Consider the following statements : 1. ‘Bijak’ is a composition of the teachings of Saint Dadu Dayal. 2. The Philosophy of Pushti Marg was propounded by Madhvacharya. Which of the…
  91. Q91 A community of people called Manganiyars is well-known for their
  92. Q92 What was/were the object/objects of Queen Victoria's Proclamation (1858)? 1. To disclaim any intention to annex Indian States 2. To place the Indian administration under the…
  93. Q93 Ibadat Khana at Fatehpur Sikri was
  94. Q94 In the context of food and nutritional security of India, enhancing the ‘Seed Replacement Rates’ of various crops helps in achieving the food production targets of the future. But…
  95. Q95 With reference to ‘Eco-Sensitive Zones’, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Eco-Sensitive Zones are the areas that are declared under the Wildlife (Protection)…
  96. Q96 Consider the following statements : 1. Animal Welfare Board of India is established under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. 2. National Tiger Conservation Authority is a…
  97. Q97 Consider the following pairs : Vitamin : Deficiency disease 1. Vitamin C : Scurvy 2. Vitamin D : Rickets 3. Vitamin E : Night blindness Which of the pairs given above is/are…
  98. Q98 There is some concern regarding the nanoparticles of some chemical elements that are used by the industry in the manufacture of various products. Why? 1. They can accumulate in…
  99. Q99 Which of the following organizations brings out the publication known as ‘World Economic Outlook’?
  100. Q100 With reference to Union Budget, which of the following is/are covered under Non-Plan Expenditure? 1. Defence expenditure 2. Interest payments 3. Salaries and pensions 4. Subsidies…

CSAT Paper II

63 questions

Comprehension 29 · Logical Reasoning 16 · Basic Numeracy 14 · Mental Ability 2 · Data Interpretation 2

  1. Q1 The author's central focus is on
  2. Q2 The author supports policies which will help
  3. Q3 Consider the following statements : According to the author, India's economy has grown but there is no room for complacency as 1. growth eradicates poverty. 2. growth has resulted…
  4. Q4 Consider the following statements : According to the passage, an oil company can make greater profits, if a transparent formula for petrol pricing is announced every fortnight or…
  5. Q5 Consider the following statements : According to the passage, private oil companies re-enter the oil producing market if 1. a transparent rule-based petrol pricing exists. 2…
  6. Q7 A group of 630 children is seated in rows for a group photo session. Each row contains three less children than the row in front of it. Which one of the following number of rows…
  7. Q8 There are seven persons up on a ladder, A, B, C, D, E, F and G (not in that order). A is further up than E but is lower than C. B is in the middle. G is between A and B. E is…
  8. Q9 Consider that : 1. A is taller than B. 2. C is taller than A. 3. D is taller than C. 4. E is the tallest of all. If they are made to sit in the above order of their height, who…
  9. Q10 Consider the following statements : There are six villages A, B, C, D, E and F. F is 1 km to the west of D. B is 1 km to the east of E. A is 2 km to the north of E. C is 1 km to…
  10. Q11 Four children are sitting in a row. A is occupying the seat next to B but not next to C. If C is not sitting next to D, who is/are occupying seat/seats adjacent to D ?
  11. Q12 Assume that 1. the hour and minute hands of a clock move without jerking. 2. the clock shows a time between 8 o'clock and 9 o'clock. 3. the two hands of the clock are one above…
  12. Q13 Consider the following statements : Climate change may force the shifting of locations of the existing crops due to 1. melting of glaciers. 2. water availability and temperature…
  13. Q14 According to the passage, why is it important to promote agricultural research in India ?
  14. Q15 According to the passage, which of the following would help in the mitigation of greenhouse gases ? 1. Reducing the consumption of meat 2. Rapid economic liberalization 3…
  15. Q16 Why do we continue to depend on the fossil fuels heavily ? 1. Inadequate technological development 2. Inadequate funds for research and development 3. Inadequate availability of…
  16. Q17 According to the passage, how does the mitigation of greenhouse gases help us ? 1. Reduces expenditure on public health 2. Reduces dependence on livestock 3. Reduces energy…
  17. Q18 What is the essential message of the passage ?
  18. Q19 There are 50 students admitted to a nursery class. Some students can speak only English and some can speak only Hindi. 10 students can speak both English and Hindi. If the number…
  19. Q20 A gardener increased the area of his rectangular garden by increasing its length by 40% and decreasing its width by 20%. The area of the new garden
  20. Q21 Six books are labelled A, B, C, D, E and F and are placed side by side. Books B, C, E and F have green covers while others have yellow covers. Books A, B and D are new while the…
  21. Q22 A straight line segment is 36 cm long. Points are to be marked on the line from both the end points. From each end, the first point is at a distance of 1 cm from the end, the…
  22. Q23 If Sohan, while selling two goats at the same price, makes a profit of 10% on one goat and suffers a loss of 10% on the other
  23. Q24 Out of a total of 120 musicians in a club, 5% can play all the three instruments, guitar, violin and flute. It so happens that the number of musicians who can play any two and…
  24. Q25 Six identical cards are placed on a table. Each card has number ‘1’ marked on one side and number ‘2’ marked on its other side. All the six cards are placed in such a manner that…
  25. Q26 Consider the following statements : According to the passage, the adverse impact of climate change on an ecosystem can be a 1. permanent disappearance of some of its flora and…
  26. Q27 Which one of the following statements best implies the need to shift toward contemporary conservation approach ?
  27. Q28 What is the most important message conveyed by the passage ?
  28. Q29 With reference to the passage, the following assumptions have been made : 1. To maintain natural ecosystems, exploitation of natural resources should be completely avoided. 2. Not…
  29. Q30 According to the passage, under the globalization, government interventions are viewed as processes leading to
  30. Q31 According to the passage, the basic philosophy of globalization is to
  31. Q32 According to the passage, which of the following is/are necessary for ensuring globalization ? 1. Privatization of public enterprises 2. Expansionary policy of public expenditure…
  32. Q33 According to the passage, in the process of globalization the State should have
  33. Q38 The following table shows the marks obtained by two students in different subjects : | Subject | Student A | Maximum Marks | Student B | Maximum Marks | | :--- | :---: | :---: |…
  34. Q41 The following table gives population and total income of a city for four years : | Year | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | | :--- | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | | Population in…
  35. Q46 A bell rings every 18 minutes. A second bell rings every 24 minutes. A third bell rings every 32 minutes. If all the three bells ring at the same time at 8 o'clock in the morning…
  36. Q47 “Price is not the same thing as value. Suppose that on a day the price of everything viz., coal, bread, postage stamps, a day's labour, the rent of houses, etc. were to double…
  37. Q48 A and B decide to travel from place X to place Y by bus. A has ₹ 10 with him and he finds that it is 80% of the bus fare for two persons. B finds that he has ₹ 3 with him and…
  38. Q49 As per agreement with a bank, a businessman had to refund a loan in some equal instalments without interest. After paying 18 instalments he found that 60 percent of his loan was…
  39. Q50 A worker reaches his factory 3 minutes late if his speed from his house to the factory is 5 km/hr. If he walks at a speed of 6 km/hr, then he reaches the factory 7 minutes early…
  40. Q51 “Liberty, therefore, is never real unless the Government can be called to account when it invades rights.” Which one of the following is the best justification of the above…
  41. Q52 The apologists of the “Free Market System”, according to the passage, believe in
  42. Q53 With reference to “ideological bias”, the passage implies that
  43. Q54 “The exercise of private greed will be in the larger public interest” from the passage 1. refers to the false ideology of capitalism. 2. underlies the righteous claims of the free…
  44. Q55 According to the passage, what is/are the reason/reasons for saying that the time has come to review the role of public sector ? 1. Now public sector has lost its relevance in the…
  45. Q56 According to the passage, rural roads should be in the domain of public sector only. Why ?
  46. Q57 The portfolio composition of the government refers to
  47. Q58 The author prefers government as the umpire and private sector as players because
  48. Q59 A question paper must have a question on one of the eight poets : A, B, C, D, E, F, G or H. The first four belong to the medieval period while the rest are considered modern…
  49. Q60 In a group of six women there are four dancers, four vocal musicians, one actress and three violinists. Girija and Vanaja are among the violinists while Jalaja and Shailaja do not…
  50. Q61 The letters L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S and T in their order are substituted by nine integers 1 to 9 but not in that order. 4 is assigned to P. The difference between P and T is 5. The…
  51. Q62 The number of deaths among the army personnel is 8 in 1000, but among the civilian population it is 20 per 1000. Which one of the following inferences can be drawn from this…
  52. Q63 Given the statement : “Buses are the cause of more accidents than cars, and trucks cause fewer accidents than buses”, which of the following conclusions can we draw ?
  53. Q64 “If political leadership fails to emerge, there is likelihood of military taking over power in developing countries. Radical student groups or labour may try to raise revolution…
  54. Q65 Four persons, Alok, Bhupesh, Chander and Dinesh have a total of ₹ 100 among themselves. Alok and Bhupesh between them have as much money as Chander and Dinesh between them, but…
  55. Q66 Examine the following statements : 1. George attends Music classes on Monday. 2. He attends Mathematics classes on Wednesday. 3. His Literature classes are not on Friday. 4. He…
  56. Q67 In a row ‘A’ is in the 11th position from the left and ‘B’ is in the 10th position from the right. If ‘A’ and ‘B’ interchange, then ‘A’ becomes 18th from the left. How many…
  57. Q68 Location of B is north of A and location of C is east of A. The distances AB and AC are 5 km and 12 km respectively. The shortest distance (in km) between the locations B and C is
  58. Q69 Two cars start towards each other, from two places A and B which are at a distance of 160 km. They start at the same time 08 : 10 AM. If the speeds of the cars are 50 km and 30 km…
  59. Q76 If the 3rd day of a month is Monday, which one of the following will be the fifth day from 21st of this month ?
  60. Q77 For a charity show, the total tickets sold were 420. Half of these tickets were sold at the rate of ₹ 5 each, one-third at the rate of ₹ 3 each and the rest for ₹ 2 each. What was…
  61. Q78 What is the profession of B ?
  62. Q79 Which of the following is/are a couple/couples ?
  63. Q80 What is the profession of D ?

Question papers and answer keys: Union Public Service Commission. Explanations: UPSC Answer Check.

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