(Exam Paper) UPSC IAS Mains 2011: General Studies

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(Exam Paper) UPSC IAS Mains 2011: General Studies

Paper - I

1. Answer any three of the following in about 250 words each: 20×3=60

(a) ‘Essentially all this is contained in Part IV-A of the Constitution is just a codification of tasks integral of the Indian way of life. Critically examine this statement.
(b) ‘The exercise of executive clemency is not a privilege but is based on several principles, and discretion has to be exercised in public considerations.’ Analyse this statement in the context of the judicial powers of the President of India.
(c) Discuss the extent, causes, and implications of the ‘nutrition transition’ said to be underway in India.
(d) Bring out the salient features of the PCPNDT Act, 1994, and the implications of its amendment in 2003.

2. Answer one of the following in about 250 words: 20

(a) Trace the salient sequence of events in the popular revolt that took place in February 1946 in the then ‘Royal Indian Navy’ and bring out its significance in the freedom struggle. Do you agree with the view that the sailors who took part in this revolt were some of the unsung heroes of the freedom struggle?

(b) Evaluate the influence of the three important women’s organizations of the early twentieth century in India on the country’s society and polities. To what extent do you think were the social objectives of these organizations constrained by their political objectives?

3. Answer one of the following in about 250 words: 20

(a) Critically examine the design of the Natural Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) scheme. Do you think it has a better chance of success than the Swarnajayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY) in achieving its objectives?
(b) Highlight the structure, objectives and role of the Advertising Standards Council of India. in what way has the August 2006 government notification made it more effective?

4. Comment on any five of the following in about 150 words each: 12×5=60

(a) Salient recommendations of the RBIappointed Damodaran committee on customer service in Banks
(b) Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS).
(c) Evolution of ‘Green Benches’ in our higher judiciary.
(d) Distinction between ‘Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committees’ and Parliamentary Forums’.
(e) Benefits and potential drawbacks of ‘cash-transfers’ to ‘Below Poverty Line’ (BPL) households.
(f) New initiatives during the 11th Five Year Plant in the National Programme for Control of Blindness (NPCB).

5. Examine any three of the following in about 150 words each: 12×3=36

(a) The impact of climate change on water resources in India.
(b) Measures taken by the Indian government to combat piracy in the Indian Ocean.
(c) The significance of counterurbanisation in the improvement of metropolitan cities in India.
(d) Problems specific to the denitrified and nomadic tribes in India.

6. In the context of the freedom struggle, write short notes (not exceeding 50 words each) on the following: 5×3=15

(a) ‘Benoy-Badal-Dinesh’ martyrdom
(b) Bharat Naujawan Sabha
(c) ‘Babbar Akali’ movement

7. Comment on the following in not more than 50 words each: 5×6=30

(a) Phase-IV of the tiger monitoring programme in India.
(b) Why the Central Statistic Office has notified a new series of Consumer Price Index from this year?
(c) Composition and functions of the National Executive Communities of the National Disaster Management Authority.
(d) The Bihar Special Courts Act, 2009 and why it has been in the news recently?
(e) The Telecommunications Ministry’s proposed Spectrum Management Commission.
(f) The Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) approach to sanitation.

8. Attempt the following in not more than 50 words each: 5×4=20

(a) Distinguish either between the ‘Moatsu’ and ‘Yemshe’ festivals of Nagaland or the ‘Losar’ and ‘Khan’ festivals of Arunachal Pradesh.
(b) Write a sentence each on any five of the following traditional theater forms.
(i) Bhand Pather
(ii) Swang
(iii) Maach
(iv) Bhaona
(v) Mudiyettu
(vi) Dashavatar.

(c) What are the major different styles of unglazed pottery making in India?
(d) List the classical dance forms of India as per the Sangeet Natak Akademi.

9. Comment on following in not more than 50 words each: 5×5=25

(a) Nisarga-Runa technology of BARC.
(b) The first-aid that you safely administer to a person standing next to you at the bus-stop who suddenly faints.
(c) The Kaveri K-10 aero-engine.
(d) Molecular Breast Imaging (MBI) technology.
(e) E-governance initiatives by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

10. Who are the following and why have they been in the news recently? Each answer should not exceed 20 words) 2×7=14

(a) Lieutenant Navdeep Singh
(b) Rahim Fahimuddin Dangar
(c) Lobsang Sangay
(d) P.R. Sreejesh
(e) Nileema Mishra
(f) V. Tejeswini Bai
(g) Aishwarya Narkar

Paper–II

1. Answer any two of the following in about 250 words each. 20×2=40

(a) List the Central Asian Republics and identify those of particular strategic and economic importance to India. Examine the opportunities and bottlenecks in enhancing relations with these countries.
(b) Critically examine the security and strategic implications of the so-called string of pearls theory for India.
(c) “Compared to the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA), the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multispectral Technical and Economic Cooperation Free Trade Area (BIMSTEC FTA) seems to be more promising,” Critically evaluates.

2. Answer any three of the following in about 150 words each: 12×3=36

(a) Subsequent to the Number Suppliers’ Group (NSG) waiver in 2008, what are the agreements on nuclear energy that India has signed with different countries?
(b) Trace the progress of India’s efforts for a joint counter-terrorism strategy with China. What are the likely implications of the recent Xinjiang violence on these efforts?
(c) Bring out the importance of the ‘Small and Medium Enterprises Expo and Conference’ held in Dubai last year Indian business.
(d) What are the salient features of the political and economic relationship between India and South Africa?

3. Answer either of the following in about 250 words: 20

(a) “The causes and implications of the Jasmine Revolution and its spread are as much economic in nature as they are political.”Critically evaluate.
(b) In the context of the ‘Euro-zone’ debt crisis, examine the proposed ‘six-pack’ solution. Do you think that this has a better chance of success than the earlier Stability and Growth Pact?

4. Answer any four of the following in about 150 words each: 12×4=48

(a) “As regards the increasing rates of melting of Arctic Sea ice, the interests of the Arctic Council nations may not\ coincide with those of the wider World.” Explain.
(b) It there still a role for the concept of balance of power in contemporary international politics? Discuss.
(c) “Strategic interests seem to be replacing commercial interests for the host country with regard to Cam Ranh Bay.” Amplify.
(d) To what extent has the withdrawal of al-Shabad from Mogadishu given peace a real chance in Somalia? Assess.
(e) On a Formula-one (F-1) racing car track, information to drivers is generally signaled through the standardized use of flags of different colours. Describe the meanings associate with any six of the flags listed below:

(i) White flat
(ii) Black flag
(iii) Yellow flag
(iv) Blue flag
(v) Black and white flag divided diagonally
(vi) Chequered flag
(vii) Yellow and red striped flag

5. Comment on any thirteen of the following in about 50 words each: 5×3=15

(a) International year of Chemistry
(b) The source of e-waste
(c) ‘Designer’ poultry eggs
(d) INSPIRE programme of the Department of Science and Technology
(e) The ‘Kessler syndrome’ with reference to space debris
(f) Omega-3 fatty acids in our food
(g) Difference between ‘spin-drying’ and ‘tumble-drying’ technology with reference to drying of washed clothes
(h) The diminishing population of vultures
(i) ‘Arsenic-bug’ and significance of its discovery
(j) F-22 ‘Raptor’ aircraft
(k) ‘Concentrated’ solar energy and ‘photovoltaic’ solar energy
(l) Analog, hybrid and IP systems in CCTV technology
(m) Various applications of Kevlar
(n) Difference between Compact Disc (CD), Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) and Blu-ray Disc

6. Comment of the following in about 50 words each: 5×5=25

(a) Functions of the World Customs Organisation (WCO)
(b) Success of international intervention in Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
(c) Strategies adopted by Colombia to eliminate its drug cartels
(d) World Food Programme (WEP) of the United Nations (UN)
(e) Sculpture of the broken chair in front of the UN building at Geneva

(a) Why have each of the following been in the news recently? (Each answer in a sentence or two only) 2×10=20
(a) Tiangong-1
(b) K-computer
(c) Gliese 581 g (d) MABEL robot
(e) ‘Operation Shady Rat’
(f) ‘SAGA-220’
(g) ‘Billion Acts of Green’
(h) L’Aquila earthquake
(i) OPERA detector at Gran Sasso
(j) Saturn’s Titan

(b) Draw an ogive for the following distribution. Read the median from the graph. How many students get between 60 and 72? 5
Marks        No. of students
50-55         6
55-60         10
60-65         22
65-70         30
70-75         16
75-80         12
80-100       15

No. of tablets         No. of persons cured
4-8                         11
8-12                       13
12-16                     16
16-20                     14
20-24                     ?
24-28                     9
28-32                     17
32-36                     6
36-40                     4

The average number of tables to cure fever was 19.9.

8. Why have the following been in the news recently? (Each answer in a sentence or two only) 2×5=10

(a) ‘News International’ newspaper
(b) Mustafa Abdul-Jalil
(c) Abel Kirui
(d) Natalie Portman
(e) Nawaf Salman

(a) List the requisites of a good table. Present the following in a suitable a tabular form: 5

In 1980 out of a total of 1750 workers of a factory, 1200 were members of a union. The number of women employed was 200 of which 175 did not belong to the union. In 1985 the number of union workers increased to 1580 of which 1290 were men. On the other hand the number of non-union workers fell down to 208 of which 180 were men. In 1990 there were 1800’ employees who belonged to the union and 50 who did not belong to the union. Of all the employees in 1990, 300 were women of which only 8 did not belong to the union.

(b) The mean of 200 items was 50. Later on it was found that two items were wrongly read as 92 and 8 instead of 192 and 88. Find the correct mean.
(c) Students were asked how long it took them to walk to school on a particular morning. A cumulative frequency distribution was formed.

(i) Draw a cumulative frequency curve.
(ii) Estimate how many students took less than 18 minutes.
(iii) 6% of students took x minutes or longer. Find x.

(d) An investor buys Rs. 1200 worth of shares in a company each month. During the first five months be bought the shares at a price of Rs. 10, Rs. 12, Rs. 15, Rs. 20 and Rs. 24 per share. After 5 months, what is the average price for the shares by him? 4
(d) Life-time 400 tubes tested in a company is distributed as follows:

Life-time (Hours)     No. of tubes
300-399                     14
400-499                     46
500-599                     58
600-699                     76
700-799                     68
800-899                     62
900-999                     48
1000-1099                 22
1100-1199                 6

Determine

(i) Relative frequency of sixth class.
(ii) Percentage of tubes whose life-time does not exceed 600 hours.
(iii) Percentage of tubes whose life-time greater than or equal to 900 hours.
(iv) Percentage of tubes whose life-time is at least 5000 but less than 1000 hours.

10. A car travels 25 km at 25 km at 50 kph, and 25 km at 75 kph. Find the average speed of the car of the entire journey.