UPSC Prep

CDSE 1 - 2012 GK PAPER SOLUTIONS

2012-02-20T02:31:00.000+05:30

Here are the solutions for GK paper of CDSE (I) 2012. Sequence of questions is according to SET A.

These are still not complete so keep checking this place for more additions.

Lack of atmosphere around moon is due to- low escape velocity of air molecule and low gravitational attraction.
G.arboreum, g.herbaceum etc are - species of cotton.
Soil formed by wind – sandy soil.
Rising air pressure indicate – fine and settled weather.
Team 9 - West Africa.
Comoros Islands - volcanic
Fundamental duty - to defend the country and render national service when called upon to do so.
pH of human blood is - 7.35 to 7.45 (none of the options match)
Wimbeldon 2011 - Novak Djokovic
Nalanda university 1 million US $(not billion) grant- China
Indian Super computer - SAGA 20
International Year of chemistry - Both 1 and 2 are correct
Mr. Thein Sein - Myanmar
Blood Clotting - Vitamin K
Lesser jobs - disguised unemployment
Fiscal policy In India - Finance ministry
Not a clause of World Trade Organisation- Providing financial support to countries having deficit balance of payments
Special Drawing Rights relate to - International Monetary Fund
Not a landlocked country of Africa - Nigeria
180 Meridian - international date line
Longest border with india - Bangladesh
Distance between longitudes at pole - 0 KM
News from London at 10.30 AM - 1.30PM
Site of Harappa - Ravi
Bal Gangadhar Tilak - He supported Age of consent Bill
Triple Alliance - Lord Wellesley
Yudh Abhyas - Indian military exercise with US
C-5M Super Galaxy - large military transport aircraft
Environ management Award 2011 - SAIL

BOOK FOR DSC PRIZE AND AUTHOR -

Bharathupura – U.R. Ananthamurthy
A street in Srinagar - Chandrakanta
Chinaman - Shehan Karunatilaka

Latin American woman presidential- Argentina
Cause of water movement in plants - Transpiration
Vermicompost - Bio Organic fertilizer
Endemic Species - species confined to particular region and not found anywhere else

Tiger Reserve

Indravati - Chattisgarh
Periyar - Kerala
Simplipal - Orrissa
Bandipur - Karnataka

Duncan Passage - south and little Andaman
Ozone Layer -

Found in stratosphere
Absorbs ultraviolet radiation from sun

Battle and Treaty -

Third Carnatic War - Treaty of Paris
Third Mysore War - Treaty of Srirangapatam
First Maratha - salbai
First anglo sikh - Lahore

Operation Polo - Hyderabad
Ram Prasad Bismil - Kakori Conspiracy case
Prarthana Samaj - raising age of marriage for boys and girls
Permanent Settlement -
- Conferred proprietary rights to peasants
- Zamindars acted as middlemen between peasants and govt

Gas helps in ripening fruits - Acetylene
Ageof fossil using isotopes - C 12 and C 14
- All enzymens are proteins
-All alkalis are bases but all bases are not alkalis

NATO - US is ex-officio member of NATO
Reaction in SUN - Fusion Reaction
SONAR - ultrasonic waves
Pendulum bob, wight increasd - 2 s (independent of mass)

Space Based Augmentation Satellite - GAGAN
Gold Plus Car - Tata Motors

Indus cities, water management - Mohen jo Daro

Contemporary of Ashoka

Ashvaghosha

Nagarjuna

Vasumitra

Sabin Award - Amphibians

Indian research station Himadri - Arctic region

2011 was centenary year for - ICMR

BISIN - natural preservative and can extend food’s life for several years

PRAHAR - short range surface to surface missile

Advantages and disadvantages of MNC

2012-01-23T23:53:00.000+05:30

MULTI-NATIONALS A MNC is a business which owns or controls production or service facilities outside the country in which it is based. This means that they do not just export their products, but make them abroad. Usually have interests in at least 4 countries , but most operate in more than this.

Multinational Corporations no doubt, carryout business with the ultimate object of profit making like any other domestic company but MNC's directly and indirectly help both the home country and the host country.

Advantages of MNC's for the host country

1. MNCs give rise to employment in the country leading to economic development
2. The latest technology is transferred from home country to host country through MNC's.
3. Set of various other skills is transferred to host country.

4.There is a significant increment in the business for the traders and intermediaries of the host country.
5. MNC's break protectionalism, create competition in the market and curb local monopolies which directly leads to fall in costs and better quality products.
6. Research done by MNC can be used by host country.
7. The host country can reduce imports and increase exports due to goods produced by MNC's in the host country. This helps to improve balance of payment.
8. Level of industrial and economic development increases due to the growth of MNC's in the host country.

Disadvantages of MNC's for the host country

1. MNC's may transfer outdated technology from their hom country and reserve the latest one.
2. They do not operate under the purview of local govt. and they also make a lot of profit so they may pose a threat to economic sovereignty of nation.
3. There is always a threat of monpolising the host country's market.
4. In order to make profit, MNC's may use natural resources of the home country indiscriminately and cause depletion of the resources.
5. A large sums of money flows to foreign countries in terms of payments towards profits, dividends and royalty.

Advantages of MNC's for the home country

MNC's home country has the following advantages.
1. MNC's create opportunities for marketing the products produced in the home country throughout the world.
2. They create employment opportunities to the people of home country both at home and abroad.
3. It gives a boost to the industrial activities of home country.
4. MNC's help to maintain favourable balance of payment of the home country in the long run.
5. Home country can also get the benefit of foreign culture brought by MNC's.

Disadvantages of MNC's for the home country

1. MNC's transfer the capital from the home country to various host countries causing unfavourable balance of payment.
2. MNC's may not create employment opportunities to the people of home country if it adopts geocentric approach.
3. As investments in foreign countries is more profitable, MNC's may neglect the home countries industrial and economic development.

Related : Necessity of Globalisation

Is Globalisation Really Necessary?

2012-01-15T23:40:00.000+05:30

Yes Globalisation is necessary, for an economy to grow, and specially for developing countries like India. There are plenty of evidences and records to support it.

Firstly, there is a lot of unemployment in our country. This is mainly because of lack of jobs that even resourceful and skilled people do not get a suitable job. In order to increase the number of jobs, we certainly have to invite foreign companies and there is no shame in doing so because in the long run, we are the ones who will get benefit out of it.

Secondly, investment from foreign companies will give rise to infrastructure development. We will be able to get world-class infrastructure easily with the involvement of foreign companies.

Thirdly, Tourism and foreign exchange will develop more rapidly and in both the cases, it is good for the economy of country. Moreover, exchange will make it easier for students to interact with foreign students and develop better technologies.

For instance, if America doesn’t follow the Globalisation, it would be nowhere compared to its present position. More than half of the countries would have been facing depression if the concept of Globalisation had not aroused.

As an example, today lot of countries are on the verge of depleting their petroleum resources and some countries do not have them at all. If Globalisation was not known then every day will be a dry day in those countries.

In order to promote Globalisation, govt. must reduce the barriers to trade and investment. In addition to it, even the domestic policies must be corrected.

Related : How to deal with rising oil prices

WiMAX : How it works ?

2012-01-14T23:07:00.001+05:30

We have seen various wireless technologies like mobile phones, Bluetooth, Infrared and most importantly WLAN (commonly known as Wi-fi). As the technology is evolving everyday, there is a new term in this field, WiMAX, abbreviation of Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access.

This technology is based on IEEE 802.16 standard and is also known as wireless MAN. The name was created by WiMAX forum, which was formed in June 2001 to promote conformity and interoperability of this standard.

Currently, Pakistan has the largest fully functional WiMAX network around the world. Wateen telecom installed the network throughout Pakistan using Motorola hardware. Initially the company launched services in 17 cities around Pakistan.

How the Technology works ?

This technology works little different than Wi-Fi technology. In Wi-Fi, computers are connected through WLAN card to nearby access point, wireless router or any hotspot whereas WiMAX network connectivity constitutes of two parts - Base station & receiver.

WiMAX Base Station : Signals are broadcasted from a tower at base station exactly like mobile network towers broadcast radio signals. One base station tower can cover upto 10km radius. In theory, it is said to cover about 50km but certain geographical conditions restrict its coverage area.

WiMAX Receiver : It is device which receives signals from WiMAX base station and connects to the network. These devices are usually antenna or PCMCIA slot card for laptop or computers. Connection is similar to Wi-Fi except the fact that the former covers more area.

One WiMAX base station can be connected to several other base stations using high speed microwave link, this link is usually known as backhaul. This way roaming can be achieved and connections can be maintained on move.

Protocols supported over this technology are ATM, IPv4 Ethernet, VLAN etc. which make this technology a rich choice full of services from data to voice.

How to Deal with high oil prices ?

2012-01-13T22:59:00.000+05:30

We are very much familiar with the way oil prices are soaring these days. Central as well as State govt. levy taxes on petroleum products due to certain reasons.

1. Oil is non-renewable source of energy and what we consume is gone forever. In addition to it, there is an increment in consumption : production ratio. More of demand of any commodity leads to increment in the costs.

2. More usage of private vehicles and avoiding public transport leads to more traffic. This leads to more demand and hence rise in the prices, as well as increase in pollution level of any particular area.

3. There are very limited sources of oil in India and hence, we have to import most of it which ultimately affects the prices as we have to pay for buying, import as well as transport between two nations. This is surely not an easy or cheap task to handle.

4. Rise and fall in currency also leads to varying exchange rates which increases the import cost and ultimately increase in cost of commodity (here petroleum products).

There are several measures which need to be taken in order to control price hike of petrol :

1. India being a tropical country is blessed with ample sunlight and rainfall in different regions. Measures should be taken to utilize full geographical benifits. Wind energy power station plants must be developed on western and eastern ghats, vindhyachals and aravali. The central part of India is well exposed to heavy sunlight hence solar energy power stations must be setup in these zones.

2. We have good network of rivers and dams hence hydroelectric power stations can be set up in various river basins. Being an agricultural based economy, we have lots of crop waste which can be used for biomass production. Though it is true that we cannot replace petrol completely but efforts must be taken to minimize its utilization which would ultimately result in reducing pricehikes of petrol.

3. Merging with major Oil Corporations and explore more sources of Oil within the country so that we have to import less. Also exploration of alternatives like CNG will reduce the consumption of petroleum products.

4. Its not correct to blame govt. for everything and put all the burden on them. We must make more use of public transport and cycles, rather than kicking a bike. An evening walk or cycling would be much better for health.

Lastly, we need to understand that we can only continue with limited resources for limited time. So, we certainly need to find alternate sources and our engineers are already working on new and better alternatives for petroleum products.

Share your valuable views through comments.

Why Anna Hazare is wrong?

2012-01-01T23:32:00.000+05:30

Corruption has been a long term phenomenon and Lokpal Bill is also 40 years old phenomenon now. Anna Hazare has stood up once again in support of Lokpal bill and I do not support him personally. Here are my viewpoints and reasons for disagreement with him.

1) The existing institutions such as CBI, CVC and CAG can serve the purpose if they are made more independent.

2) Anna Hazare is not the only one fighting for Lokpal/anti-corruption bill, there are so many other members of civil society who need their share, so a final bill is still a dream.

3) Anna Hazare can not be compared to Gandhi, who fought against outsiders for his countrymen as opposite to Anna who is encouraging a fight between countrymen.

4) There are many other issues like Price rise, Poverty, Casteism, Electoral reforms, we can not get behind one issue and leave all others for a shot. We certainly need to carry all of them along.

5) You have the fundamental right to express your views but you should use them wisely. (You don't start shouting at midnight in in middle of street even when you have right to freedom of speech.) or Do you ??

6) Anna Hazare has the right to protest peacefully. However to the extent that his actions amount to an attempt to commit suicide, they are illegal. The government can legitimately prevent him from killing himself whatsoever the reason he might have to attempt suicide.

7) Strong law will not end corruption, we need stronger people to implement it. I think target of next hunger strike is going to be - search stronger people.

8) Just because you live in 10x10 room, uplifted an entire village, fought for 40 years against corruption does not make you an expert. So what if Shanthi Bushan Law Minister, who first introduced the Lokpal bill in 1977 is part of your team, even a child can google and get all the answers today.

9) Anti-corruption bill is certainly not the final solution. Corruption arises because of complexity of laws, terms and ambiguity within them so Lokpal is certainly an addition to the complexity. We may feel the need of Super-Lokpal soon.

10) Instead of quitting work and supporting Anna, people should take a lesson and vote in more number in the elections. If they think well and decide before voting then such a problem can surely be avoided in future.