[DAY 43] 60 DAY RAPID REVISION (RaRe) SERIES for UPSC Prelims 2024 – GEOGRAPHY, CURRENT AFFAIRS & CSAT TEST SERIES!

Solution (d)

Solution (b)

Solution (b)

RUBBER

• It is an equatorial crop, but under special conditions, it is also grown in tropical and sub-tropical areas. It requires a moist and humid climate with rainfall of more than 200 cm and temperature above 25°C. The rainfall should be well distributed throughout the year.
• Rubber is an important industrial raw material that is mainly grown in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andaman, Nicobar Islands, and the Garo hills of Meghalaya.
• Rubber tree (Heveabrasiliensis) is a quick-growing tall tree acquiring 20-30 meters in height. It begins to yield latex in 5-7 years after planting.
• Dry Spell and low temperatures are harmful. Deep well-drained loamy soils on the hill slopes at elevations ranging from 300 to 450 meters above sea level provide the best conditions for its growth.
• Top Rubber Producing States: Kerala > Tamil Nadu > Karnataka

Solution (b)

Solution (d)

• The term plantation crop refers to those crops which are cultivated on an extensive scale
• Plantations are a type of commercial farming where a single crop of tea, coffee, sugarcane, cashew, rubber, banana, or cotton is grown. The term plantation crop refers to those crops which are cultivated on an extensive scale
• Large amounts of labour and capital are required.
• The produce may be processed on the farm itself or in nearby factories. The development of a transport network is thus essential for such farming.
• Major plantations are found in the tropical regions of the world. Rubber in Malaysia, coffee in Brazil, and tea in India and Sri Lanka are some examples.
• These are high-value commercial crops of greater economic importance and play a vital role in improving the Indian economy, especially given their export potential and employment generation.

Solution (a)

Shifting cultivation is known by different names in different parts of the world Shifting cultivation is practised in the thickly forested areas of the Amazon basin, tropical Africa, parts of Southeast Asia, and Northeast India.

• These are the areas of heavy rainfall and quick regeneration of vegetation.
• A plot of land is cleared by felling the trees and burning them. The ashes are then mixed with the soil and crops like maize, yam, potatoes, and cassava are grown.
• After the soil loses its fertility, the land is abandoned and the cultivator moves to a new plot.
• Shifting cultivation is also known as ‘slash-and-burn agriculture.

Statement Analysis:

Solution (d)

Solution (b)

Solution (b)

Solution (c)

Solution (b)

Solution (d)

Contour bunding is a method of soil conservation used in employed in hilly areas.

Earthen embankments are built across the slope of the land, following the contour as close as possible.

This helps in reducing the flow of water down the slope.

Solution (a)

Solution (c)

The kharif cropping season is from July –October during the south-west monsoon. The kharif crops include rice, maize, sorghum, pearl millet/bajra, finger millet/ragi (cereals), arhar (pulses), soyabean, groundnut (oilseeds), cotton etc.

Solution (a)

The footloose industry is a general term for an industry that can be placed and located at any location without effect from factors such as resources or transport.

Solution (d)

The process of taking out minerals from rocks buried under the Earth’s surface is called mining.

Solution (c)

Solution (d)

Solution (c)

• A naturally occurring substance that has a definite chemical composition is a mineral.
• Minerals are not evenly distributed over space. They are concentrated in a particular area or rock formations. Some minerals are found in areas that are not easily accessible such as the Arctic Ocean bed and Antarctica.

Statement Analysis

Solution (b)

Mica has been declared a minor mineral by Government of India.

Solution (d)

• Payments Bank was set up based on the recommendations of the Nachiket Mor Committee. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• It is like any other bank but operates on a smaller scale without involving any credit risk.
• Its objective is to advance financial inclusion by offering banking and financial services to the unbanked and underbanked areas, helping the migrant labour force, low-income households, small entrepreneurs, etc.
• It is registered as a public limited company under the Companies Act 2013 and licensed under the Banking Regulation Act 1949. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• It is governed by a host of legislation, such as the Banking Regulation Act, 1949; RBI Act, 1934; Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999, etc.
• The minimum paid-up equity capital for payments banks shall be Rs. 100 crores. Hence statement 3 is correct.
• They are differentiated, and not universal banks. They operate on a smaller scale.
• The minimum initial contribution of the promoter to the Payment Bank to the paid-up equity capital shall be at least 40% for the first five years from the commencement of its business.
• It can take deposits up to Rs. 2,00,000. It can accept demand deposits in the form of savings and current accounts.
• It cannot issue loans, or credit cards and cannot accept time deposits or NRI deposits. Hence statement 4 is correct.
• It cannot set up subsidiaries to undertake non-banking financial activities.

Solution (b)

• Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve is a human-made village irrigation tank in Karnataka. Hence statement 1 is incorrect.
• It supports more than 1% of the biogeographic population of Painted Stork and Black-headed Ibis.
• Aghanashini Estuary is formed at the confluence of the Aghanashini River with the Arabian Sea. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• The brackish water of the estuary provides diverse ecosystem services including flood and erosion risk mitigation, biodiversity conservation, and livelihood support.
• The wetland helps in traditional fish farming in the estuarine rice fields (locally known as Gazni rice fields), bivalve shell collection, and salt production.
• Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary is one of the largest inland wetlands of Tamil Nadu. Hence statement 3 is correct.
• It is a significant source of groundwater recharge for the area.

Note: Recently, five wetlands were added to the Ramsar list. They are Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve, Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve, Aghanashini Estuary from Karnataka Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary, and Longwood Shola Reserve Forest from Tamil Nadu.

Solution (c)

• The One Stop Centre Scheme is a centrally sponsored scheme under the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD). Hence statement 1 is correct.
• It will be funded through the Nirbhaya Fund. The Central Government will provide 100% financial assistance under the scheme.
• The day-to-day implementation and administrative matters would be the responsibility of the District Collector/District Magistrate.
• It supports all women including girls below 18 years of age affected by violence, irrespective of caste, class, religion, region, sexual orientation, or marital status.
• It aims to facilitate immediate, emergency, and non-emergency access to a range of services including medical, legal, psychological, and counselling support under one roof to fight against any forms of violence against women.
• It provides integrated support and assistance to women affected by violence, both in private and public spaces under one roof. Hence statement 2 is correct.

Solution (b)

• The Martand Sun Temple is a Hindu temple located in the Kashmir Valley of Jammu and Kashmir. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• It is located on top of a plateau and has been constructed entirely out of stone.
• It stands in the middle of a large courtyard with 86 fluted columns. The courtyard is connected to the main shrine, where Sun God’s idol was installed.
• It is dedicated to the Sun and was built by King Lalitaditya Muktapida around the 8th Century CE. Hence statement 2 is incorrect.
• Lalitaditya Muktapida was the third ruler of the Karkota Dynasty.
• The construction of the main shrine was such that during most of the days’ time, especially during sunrise and sunset, the rays would directly fall on the idol.
• Its architecture is a blend of the local Kashmiri style with the architectural styles of Gupta, Chinese, Gandhara, Roman, and Greek. Hence statement 3 is correct.
• There are 84 smaller shrines around the main Sun Temple. They are lined along the perimeter of the complex.

Solution (c)

The recent analysis of radioactive discharges carried out by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) reveals the following:

• The radioactive discharges from nuclear plants were found to have a minimal impact on the environment. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• The concentrations of fission products beyond a 5 km radius have been below the minimum detectable activity of the instruments used, implying that the monitored values are “insignificant”.
• Gaseous waste released into the atmosphere includes Argon 41, radioiodine, and particulate radionuclides. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• Liquid discharge consists of fission product radionuclides, radioiodine, tritium, strontium -90, caesium-137 — and activation products like cobalt-60.
• The average gross alpha activity in air particulates at all seven nuclear plants was less than 0.1 megabecquerel (mBq) per cubic meter.
• The Narora Atomic Power Station, Uttar Pradesh, exhibited higher maximum values, attributed to a higher atmospheric dust load.
• The concentrations of caesium-137 and strontium-90 in sediments were within the statistical variation of values observed in natural sediments. Hence statement 3 is correct.
• Tritium was detectable above the minimum detectable activity at all sites except the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Station.

Solution (b)

• The Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR) is a specialised identification system designed for all students in India. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• It aims to streamline and enhance the academic experience for students throughout India by assigning a unique and permanent 12-digit ID to each student, consolidating their academic records into a single accessible platform.
• It is not mandatory but voluntary for all students in India of all ages to register with APAAR. Hence statement 2 is incorrect.
• It is emphasised as not only a vital tool for tracking the educational progress of 260 million students in India but also as an aspirational and globally recognized document for students.
• It is introduced in accordance with the National Education Policy (NEP) of 2020 and the National Credit and Qualifications Framework (NCrF). Hence statement 3 is correct.
• It ensures accountability and transparency in education by tracking student progress and streamlining academic records. It enhances efficiency, combats fraud, and includes co-curricular achievements for holistic student development.

Solution (b)

• India Stack is a government-led initiative that focuses on building a robust digital infrastructure. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• It aims to streamline and enhance identity verification, data exchange, and digital payment processes to make them more accessible and efficient for citizens.
• Its key components include Aadhaar, Unified Payments Interface, and Digital Locker. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• It includes digital public goods, which are digital resources and tools made available to the public to support various digital services and initiatives.
• It is a set of APIs (Application Programming Interface) used by governments, businesses, start-ups, and developers to utilize a unique digital Infrastructure to solve India’s hard problems towards presence-less, paperless, and cashless service delivery.
• The vision of India Stack is not limited to one country (India); it can be applied to any nation, be it a developed one or an emerging one. Hence statement 3 is incorrect.

Solution (c)

• Fungus includes eukaryotic microorganisms and macroorganisms. Hence statement 1 is correct.

• Like plants, animals, and protists, fungi have complex, membrane-bound cell organelles and a true nucleus. So they are called eukaryotic.
• They are primarily decomposers as they obtain nutrients by absorbing organic matter from their surroundings. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• Hence, they are called heterotrophic.
• Fungi secrete enzymes to break down complex organic compounds into simpler substances, which they can then absorb.
• Fungi play a vital role in soil carbon storage by participating in the carbon cycle. They decompose organic matter, cycle carbon from dead plants, and form symbiotic relationships with plant roots.
• Mycorrhizal fungi form symbiotic relationships with plant roots. Hence statement 3 is correct.
• Fungi have been found to help degrade various pollutants from the environment,  such as plastic and other petroleum-based products, pharmaceuticals and personal care products, and oil.

Solution (c)

• The Sahel Region forms a transitional zone between the arid Sahara desert to the north and the belt of humid savannas to the south. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• It is a semiarid region of western and north-central Africa extending from Senegal eastward to Sudan.
• It is one of the world’s richest, gifted with vast energy and mineral resources such as oil, gold, and uranium. However, political instability hinders development progress.
• The United Nations limits the Sahel region to 10 countries. It includes Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, and Chad. Hence statement 2 is correct.

Solution (b)

• The Bharat Ratna Award is the highest civilian award in India. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• It was instituted on 2 January 1954, and the award is conferred in recognition of “exceptional service/performance of the highest order”.
• It is bestowed upon individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the nation in various fields, such as arts, literature, science, and public service.
• However, the Government, in 2011, expanded the criteria to include “any field of human endeavour”.
• The recommendations for the award are made by the Prime Minister to the President.
• Its recipients rank seventh in the Indian order of precedence. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• The Order of Precedence of the Republic of India is a protocol list under which the authorities and the functionaries of the Union and State Government are recorded by rank and office.
• The recipients receive a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President and a peepal leaf-shaped medallion with no monetary grant associated with the award.
• There is no formal provision that recipients of the Bharat Ratna should be Indian citizens.
• It has been conferred on one naturalized citizen, Mother Teresa, and two non-Indians: Abdul Ghaffar Khan (born in British India and later a citizen of Pakistan) and Nelson Mandela, a citizen of South Africa.
• The rule of a maximum of three awards in a year is a guideline for the Bharat Ratna. Hence statement 3 is incorrect.
• The rule was broken for the first time in 1999, when four recipients were conferred the award: Jayaprakash Narayan, Amartya Sen, Gopinath Bordoloi, and Ravi Shankar.
• The rule was broken again in 2024 when five recipients were conferred the award: Karpoori Thakur, Mankombu Sambasivan (MS) Swaminathan, Pamulaparthi Venkata (P. V.) Narasimha Rao, Lal Krishna Advani, and Chaudhary Charan Singh.

Solution (a)

We know that,

1 days = 24 hours = 24 * 60 * 60 seconds

So, 300 days = 300 * 24 * 60 * 60 seconds

Number of drops in 300 days = 300 * 24 * 60 * 60

600 drops = 100 ml

i.e. 1 drop = 1/6 ml

and 1000 ml = 1L

1/6 ml = 1/ (6*1000)L

So, the number of litres wasted in 300 days is,

(300*24*60*60)*1/(6*1000) L

= 4320 litres

Hence, the correct answer is 4320 litres

Solution (c)

Let the three integers be x, x + 2 and x + 4

Then, 3x = 2(x + 4) + 3    ⇔    x = 11

∴ Third integer = x + 4 = 15

Solution (c)

Time taken in walking both the ways = 7 hours 45 minutes ——– (i)

Time taken in walking one way and riding back = 6 hours 15 minutes ———– (ii)

By the equation (ii) × 2 – (i), we have,

Time taken by the man in riding both ways,

= 12 hours 30 minutes – 7 hours 45 minutes

= 4 hours 45 minutes.

Solution (b)

Since the number is greater than the number obtained on reversing the digits, so the ten’s digit is greater than the unit’s digit.

Let ten’s and unit’s digits be 2x and x respectively.

Then, (10 × 2x + x) – (10x + 2x) = 36

⇒ 9x = 36

⇒ x = 4

∴ Required difference

= (2x + x) – (2x – x)

= 2x

= 8

Solution (d)

The term of the series are (1^2 + 1)(2^2 + 1)(3^2 + 1)(4^2 + 1)(5^2 + 1)(6^2 + 1)(7^2 + 1),…………..

So, 64 is wrong and must be replaced by (8^2 + 1) i.e., 65