APSC Prelims-2023

MCQs Set
Date: 13.03.2023
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POLITY

Q1. Which one of the following statements regarding the levying,

collecting and distribution of income tax is correct?

a. The Union levies, collects and distributes the net proceeds

of income tax between itself and the States
b. The Union levies, collects and keeps all the proceeds of
income tax to itself
c. The Union levies collects the tax but all the proceeds are
distributed among the states
d. Only the surcharges levied on income tax is shared between
the Union and the States

Answer (a)

Explanation:

The Indian Constitution has divided certain powers between the

Union and States which includes taxation powers as well. As per
article 270 of the constitution, all incomes other than agricultural
income are liable to be taxed which is to be levied and collected
by the Union and distributed between the Union and the States.

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Q2. Which one of the following is in the Concurrent List in the
Constitution of India

a. Population control and family planning

b. Public health and sanitation
c. Capitation taxes
d. Treasure trove

Answer (a)

Explanation:

Concurrent List

 It has 52 subjects enumerated under it

 42nd amendment Act 1976 shifted below mentioned five

subjects from State list to Concurrent List:

a. Education

b. Forests

c. Protection of wild animals and birds

d. Weights and measures and

e. Administration of justice, constitution and organisation of

all courts except the Supreme Court and the high courts.

 The concept of ‘Concurrent List’ in the Indian Constitution

has been borrowed from the Constitution of Australia

 Central Government and State Government both can make

laws on the subjects mentioned under the Concurrent List

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  While both Central and State Government can legislate on
subjects mentioned under Concurrent List, however, in
case of any conflict, the law made by the Central
Government prevails unless the president of India allows
the state law.

 The matters on which uniformity of legislation throughout

the country is desirable but not essential are enumerated in
the concurrent list

 There are 52 subjects in the Concurrent List on which both

Central and state governments have the power to levy taxes

HISTORY

Q3. Consider the following events

1. Permanent Settlement of Bengal

2. Europeanisation of administrative machinery and
introduction of civil services.
3. Third Mysore War (1790-92) and Treaty of Seringapatam
(1792)

The above events happened during the governor-generalship of

a. Lord William Bentinck

b. Lord Cornwallis
c. Warren Hastings
d. Lord Wellesley

Answer (b)

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Explanation:

Lord Cornwallis 1786-1793:

 Third Mysore War (1790-92) and Treaty of Seringapatam

(1792).

 Cornwallis Code (1793) incorporating several judicial

reforms, and separation of revenue administration and civil
jurisdiction.

 Permanent Settlement of Bengal, 1793.

 Europeanisation of administrative machinery and

introduction of civil services.

Q4. Who among the following established the Royal Asiatic

Society?

a. Warren Hastings
b. Jonathan Duncan
c. Sir William Jones
d. John Wilkins

Answer (c)

Explanation:

The Royal Asiatic Society was established by Sir William Jones

in Calcutta in 1784 to advance research on Indian languages and
cultures. He provided English translations of Manusmriti and
Abhijnana Shakuntalam. The Bhagavad Gita was first
translated into English by Wilkins.

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 GEOGRAPHY

Q5. Consider the following statements about Solar Corona

1. It is the outermost part of the Sun’s atmosphere.

2. The corona is hundreds of times hotter than the Sun’s
surface.

Which of the above are correct?

a. 1 only
b. 2 only
c. Both 1 and 2
d. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer (c)

Explanation:

Our Sun is surrounded by a jacket of gases called an

atmosphere. The corona is the outermost part of the Sun's
atmosphere. The corona is usually hidden by the bright light of
the Sun's surface. That makes it difficult to see without using
special instruments. However, the corona can be seen during a
total solar eclipse.

The corona reaches extremely high temperatures. However, the

corona is very dim. Why? The corona is about 10 million times
less dense than the Sun’s surface. This low density makes the
corona much less bright than the surface of the Sun.

The corona’s high temperatures are a bit of a mystery. Imagine

that you’re sitting next to a campfire. It’s nice and warm. But
when you walk away from the fire, you feel cooler. This is the
opposite of what seems to happen on the Sun. Astronomers have
been trying to solve this mystery for a long time. The corona is in

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the outer layer of the Sun’s atmosphere—far from its surface.
Yet the corona is hundreds of times hotter than the Sun’s
surface.

The corona extends far out into space. From it comes the solar
wind that travels through our solar system. The corona's
temperature causes its particles to move at very high speeds.
These speeds are so high that the particles can escape the Sun's
gravity.

Q6. Recently seen in news the proposed Etalin hydro electric will
be located in the state of

a. Arunachal Pradesh
b. Assam
c. Nagaland
d. Manipur

Answer (a)

Explanation:

Wildlife scientists and conservationists in Arunachal Pradesh

flagged threats to local biodiversity from the proposed Etalin
hydroelectric (3,097 MW) project in Dibang Valley. To raise the
issue,they approached the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC)
under the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate
Change (MoEF&CC). The Project is based on the river Dibang
and is proposed to be completed in 7 years. Dibang is a tributary
of the Brahmaputra River which flows through the states of
Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. It envisages construction of two
dams over the tributaries of Dibang: Dir and Tangon.

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 ECONOMY

Q7. Consider the following statements with respect to the

Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS)

1. PACS come under the purview of Banking Regulation Act,

1949
2. They constitute the lowest tier of three-tier Short-term
cooperative credit in the country comprising around 13 Cr.
farmers as its members

Which of the above statements is/are incorrect?

a. 1 only
b. 2 only
c. Both 1 and 2
d. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer (a)

Explanation:

Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS)

 PACS, registered as cooperative societies, provide the

following facilities to their members:

 Input facilities in the form of cash or kind

components

 Agriculture implements on hiring basis.

 Storage facility

 They constitute the lowest tier of three-tier Short-term

cooperative credit in the country comprising around 13 Cr.

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 farmers as its members. Other two tiers are State
Cooperative Banks at state level and District Central
Cooperative Banks at district level.

 PACS are outside the purview of Banking Regulation Act,

1949 and hence not regulated by RBI.

 Earlier, Cabinet Committee had approved

Computerization of PACS with the objective of increasing
efficiency of PACS, bringing transparency and
accountability in their operations.

Q8. Which of the following is the only state having industrial-

scale diamond mines in India?

a. Odisha
b. Karnataka
c. Bihar
d. Madhya Pradesh

Answer (d)

Explanation:

Madhya Pradesh is known for the only industrial-scale diamond

mine in India which is the Majhgawan mines near the town of
Panna in the Bundelkhand area. The mine has a capacity to
produce almost 84,000 carats per year and is owned by the
central National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC).

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 CURRENT AFFAIRS

Q9. Which of the following is correctly matched?

Dam/project River
1 Idukki dam Bharathappuzha
2 Mullaperiyar dam Periyar river
3 Kishanganga Hydroelectric Project Ravi

Select the correct answer from codes given below

a. 1 and 2 only
b. 1 and 3 only
c. 2 only
d. 2 and 3 only

Answer (c)

Explanation:

The Kishanganga Hydroelectric Project is a run-of-the-river

hydroelectric scheme in Jammu and Kashmir, India. Its dam
diverts water from the Kishanganga River to a power plant in
the Jhelum River basin. It is located near Dharmahama Village,
5 km (3 mi) north of Bandipora in the Kashmir valley and has an
installed capacity of 330 MW.

The important reservoirs in the Periyar basin within Kerala are

Bhoothathankettu, Idamalayar, Lower Periyar, Mattupetty,
Anayirangal, Kundala, Ponmudi, Kallarkutti, Idukki (formed by
construction of three dams—Idukki, Cheruthoni and
Kulamavu), Sengulam, Kallar, Erattayar and Mullaperiyar.

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Q10. Which of the following trees is considered an invasive in
India?

a. Sal
b. Teak
c. Neem
d. Lantana camara

Answer (d)

Explanation:

Gasifying lantana, an invasive weed, has positive spin-offs

It yields a clean and combustible fuel and a by-product, called
biochar, which can improve soil fertility and sequester carbon

The lantana camara is a dangerous weed that has taken over 40

per cent of India’s forests, displacing the native flora and
increasing human-wildlife conflict. There is increasing consensus
in the scientific community that we have to get rid of it quickly,
in an ecologically-sensitive manner and by working closely with
the communities who depend on forest resources for their
livelihoods.

Considering the scale of infestation and the cost of eradicating

lantana from over 13 million hectares of forestland, this is no
small feat. Currently, it is estimated to cost from ₹80,000 to
₹1,20,000 to clear a hectare of densely-infested land, with
repeated interventions over three years.

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 There is now increasing interest in linking restoration
programmes with uses of the weed to offset part of the costs.
Gasification is one such solution. This process involves burning
wood chips at high temperatures in a low-oxygen environment,
to yield a clean and combustible fuel called producer gas and a
by-product called biochar, a carbon-rich, charcoal-like
substance that can improve soil fertility and sequester carbon.

Weed to wealth

Gasification is the latest lantana-focused initiative launched by

the Centre for Social and Environmental Innovation (CSEI) at
the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment,
a research institute based in Bengaluru. Through the Lantana
Crafts Centre set up in 2003, ATREE has been working towards
removing the plant, restoring native forest species and
generating livelihoods for the Soliga tribal community in
southern Karnataka. Their ability to forage non-timber forest
produce (NTFPs) had been drastically impacted by the weed.

Though effective, there are challenges with scaling up this

artisanal business model. Mining and repurposing lantana is
expensive; and handicrafts and furniture are made from lantana
stems, which account for only 20 per cent of the plant.
Gasification would make use of the entire plant.

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