UPSC solved previous year questions

UPSC 2024 PYQ with Answers

160 solved questions from the UPSC 2024 examination, each with an answer and explanation.

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Questions
160
Exam year
2024
Subjects
24
With answers
160

Subjects in 2024

Geography25 Environment18 History16 Polity16 Indian economy13 Science and technology13 Climatology10 Polity and governance9 Society9 Governance8 International relations8 Agriculture4 Ancient india4 Constitution of india4 Economy4 Modern india4 Financial markets3 Internal security3 Parliament3 Physical geography3 Social justice3 Art and culture2 Biodiversity2 Border management2

UPSC 2024 PYQ with Answers

101–120 of 160
  1. Q101 2024 Prelims GS

    The total fertility rate in an economy is defined as:

    1. The number of children born per 1000 people in the population in a year.
    2. The number of children born to a couple in their lifetime in a given population.
    3. The birth rate minus the death rate.
    4. The average number of live births a woman would have by the end of her child-bearing age.✓
    Answer explanation

    The average number of live births a woman would have by the end of her child-bearing age. Total Fertility Rate (TFR) estimates the average number of children a woman would bear during her reproductive years if she experienced the…

    DemographyFertility and population indicatorsIndian economy
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  2. Q102 2024 Prelims GS

    Consider the following statements:
    1. In India, Non-Banking Financial Companies can access the Liquidity Adjustment Facility window of the Reserve Bank of India.
    2. In India, Foreign Institutional Investors can hold Government Securities (G-Secs).
    3. In India, Stock Exchanges can offer separate trading platforms for debts.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. 1 and 2 only
    2. 3 only
    3. 1, 2 and 3
    4. 2 and 3 only✓
    Answer explanation

    2 and 3 only Statement 1 is incorrect: NBFCs are not generally eligible to access the RBI's Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF), which is available to eligible banks and other specified institutions subject to RBI conditions.…

    Banking and financial marketsG-secs and debt trading platformsIndian economy
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  3. Q103 2024 Prelims GS

    In India, which of the following can trade in Corporate Bonds and Government Securities?
    1. Insurance Companies
    2. Pension Funds
    3. Retail Investors
    Select the correct answer using the code given below:

    1. 1 and 2 only
    2. 2 and 3 only
    3. 1 and 3 only
    4. 1, 2 and 3✓
    Answer explanation

    1, 2 and 3 All three categories can participate in these debt markets. Insurance companies invest in corporate bonds and government securities as part of their regulated investment portfolios.…

    Corporate bonds and government securitiesDebt market participantsFinancial markets
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  5. Q105 2024 Prelims GS

    With reference to the sectors of the Indian economy, consider the following pairs:
    1. Storage of agricultural produce — Secondary
    2. Dairy farm — Primary
    3. Mineral exploration — Tertiary
    4. Weaving cloth — Secondary
    How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

    1. Only one
    2. Only two✓
    3. Only three
    4. All four
    Answer explanation

    Only two Pairs 2 and 4 are correctly matched. Dairy farming belongs to the primary sector because it involves animal husbandry and the direct use of natural resources.…

    Classification of economic activitiesEconomic sectorsIndian economy
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  6. Q106 2024 Prelims GS

    Consider the following materials:
    1. Agricultural residues
    2. Corn grain
    3. Wastewater treatment sludge
    4. Wood mill waste
    Which of the above can be used as feedstock for producing Sustainable Aviation Fuel?

    1. 1 and 2 only
    2. 3 and 4 only
    3. 1, 2, 3 and 4✓
    4. 1, 3 and 4 only
    Answer explanation

    1, 2, 3 and 4 All four materials can serve as feedstocks for producing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) through suitable conversion pathways.…

    Biofuel feedstocksEnvironment and ecologySustainable aviation fuel
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  7. Q107 2024 Prelims GS

    With reference to physical capital in the Indian economy, consider the following pairs:
    1. Farmer's plough — Working capital
    2. Computer — Fixed capital
    3. Yarn used by the weaver — Fixed capital
    4. Petrol — Working capital
    How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

    1. Only one
    2. Only two✓
    3. Only three
    4. All four
    Answer explanation

    Only two Pairs 2 and 4 are correct. A computer is a durable asset used repeatedly in production and is therefore fixed capital. Petrol is consumed during production or operations and is classified as working capital.…

    Capital and investmentClassification of physical capitalFixed and working capital
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  8. Q108 2024 Prelims GS

    Which one of the following words/phrases is most appropriately used to denote “an interoperable network of 3D virtual worlds that can be accessed simultaneously by millions of users, who can exert property rights over virtual items”?

    1. Big data analytics
    2. Cryptography
    3. Metaverse✓
    4. Virtual matrix
    Answer explanation

    Metaverse The metaverse refers to interconnected, persistent 3D virtual environments in which many users can interact, often through digital avatars and with ownership or control over virtual items.…

    Digital technologiesMetaverseScience and technology
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  9. Q109 2024 Prelims GS

    With reference to the rule/rules imposed by the Reserve Bank of India while treating foreign banks, consider the following statements:
    1. There is no minimum capital requirement for wholly owned banking subsidiaries in India.
    2. For wholly owned banking subsidiaries in India, at least 50% of the board members should be Indian nationals.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only✓
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer explanation

    2 only Statement 1 is incorrect because RBI's framework prescribes a minimum capital requirement for a wholly owned subsidiary of a foreign bank in India; it is not exempt from minimum capital norms.…

    Banking regulationForeign banks in indiaIndian economy
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  10. Q110 2024 Prelims GS

    With reference to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) rules in India, consider the following statements:
    1. CSR rules specify that expenditures that benefit the company directly or its employees will not be considered as CSR activities.
    2. CSR rules do not specify minimum spending on CSR activities.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. 1 only✓
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer explanation

    1 only Statement 1 is correct: activities that benefit the company itself or its employees in ways excluded by the CSR framework are not treated as eligible CSR activities. Statement 2 is incorrect.…

    Corporate governanceCorporate social responsibilityCsr eligibility and spending rules
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  11. Q111 2024 Prelims GS

    Consider the following statements:
    Statement-I: If the United States of America (USA) were to default on its debt, holders of US Treasury Bonds will not be able to exercise their claims to receive payment.
    Statement-II: The USA Government debt is not backed by any hard assets, but only by the faith of the Government.
    Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

    1. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
    2. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
    3. Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
    4. Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct✓
    Answer explanation

    Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct Statement I is incorrect because a US default would mean failure to make payments when due; it would not automatically extinguish bondholders' legal claims to repayment.…

    Indian economyPublic financeSovereign debt and government bonds
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  12. Q112 2024 Prelims GS

    Consider the following statements:
    Statement-I: Syndicated lending spreads the risk of borrower default across multiple lenders.
    Statement-II: The syndicated loan can be a fixed amount/lump sum of funds, but cannot be a credit line.
    Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

    1. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
    2. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
    3. Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect✓
    4. Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct
    Answer explanation

    Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect Statement I is correct: syndicated lending involves multiple lenders financing a borrower under a common arrangement, allowing credit exposure and default risk to be shared.…

    Banking and creditIndian economyLoan structure and risk sharing
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  13. Q113 2024 Prelims GS

    Consider the following statements in respect of the digital rupee:
    1. It is a sovereign currency issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in alignment with its monetary policy.
    2. It appears as a liability on the RBI's balance sheet.
    3. It is insured against inflation by its very design.
    4. It is freely convertible against commercial bank money and cash.
    Which of the statements given above are correct?

    1. 1 and 2 only
    2. 1 and 3 only
    3. 2 and 4 only
    4. 1, 2 and 4✓
    Answer explanation

    1, 2 and 4 Statements 1, 2 and 4 are correct. The digital rupee (e₹) is a digital form of sovereign currency issued by the RBI; like physical currency, it is an RBI liability.…

    Central bank digital currencyDigital financeDigital rupee characteristics
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  14. Q114 2024 Prelims GS

    With reference to ancient India, Gautama Buddha was generally known by which of the following epithets?
    1. Nayaputta
    2. Shakyamuni
    3. Tathagata
    Select the correct answer using the code given below:

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 and 3 only✓
    3. 1, 2 and 3
    4. None of the above are epithets of Gautama Buddha
    Answer explanation

    2 and 3 only Shakyamuni, meaning “sage of the Shakya clan,” is a well-known epithet of Gautama Buddha. Tathagata is another title used by the Buddha for himself and in Buddhist texts.…

    Ancient indiaBuddhist epithets and terminologyGautama buddha
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  15. Q115 2024 Prelims GS

    Consider the following information:
    1. Chandraketugarh — Odisha — Trading Port town
    2. Inamgaon — Maharashtra — Chalcolithic site
    3. Mangadu — Kerala — Megalithic site
    4. Salihundam — Andhra Pradesh — Rock-cut cave shrines
    In which of the above rows is the given information correctly matched?

    1. 1 and 2
    2. 2 and 3✓
    3. 3 and 4
    4. 1 and 4
    Answer explanation

    2 and 3 Inamgaon in Maharashtra is a well-known Chalcolithic settlement, so pair 2 is correct. Mangadu in Kerala is associated with megalithic remains, making pair 3 correct.…

    Ancient indiaArchaeological sitesHistory
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  16. Q116 2024 Prelims GS

    Who of the following rulers of medieval India gave permission to the Portuguese to build a fort at Bhatkal?

    1. Krishnadevaraya✓
    2. Narasimha Saluva
    3. Muhammad Shah III
    4. Yusuf Adil Shah
    Answer explanation

    Krishnadevaraya Krishnadevaraya, the Vijayanagara ruler, permitted the Portuguese to build a fort at Bhatkal as part of the political and commercial contacts between the Vijayanagara Empire and the Portuguese on the western coast.…

    HistoryKrishnadevaraya and portuguese relationsMedieval india
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  17. Q117 2024 Prelims GS

    With reference to revenue collection by Cornwallis, consider the following statements:
    1. Under the Ryotwari Settlement of revenue collection, the peasants were exempted from revenue payment in case of bad harvests or natural calamities.
    2. Under the Permanent Settlement in Bengal, if the Zamindar failed to pay his revenues to the state, on or before the fixed date, he would be removed from his Zamindari.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only✓
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer explanation

    2 only Statement 1 is incorrect. The Ryotwari system assessed land revenue directly on cultivators, but it did not establish a general automatic exemption from revenue in every case of bad harvest or natural calamity.…

    British land revenue systemsHistoryModern india
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  18. Q118 2024 Prelims GS

    Consider the following statements:
    1. There are no parables in Upanishads.
    2. Upanishads were composed earlier than the Puranas.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only✓
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer explanation

    2 only Statement 1 is incorrect because the Upanishads do contain illustrative stories and parables used to explain philosophical ideas; examples include teaching narratives involving Uddalaka Aruni and Shvetaketu.…

    Ancient indian literatureHistoryUpanishads and puranas
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  19. Q119 2024 Prelims GS

    Consider the following statements:
    1. India is a member of the International Grains Council.
    2. A country needs to be a member of the International Grains Council for exporting or importing rice and wheat.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. 1 only✓
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer explanation

    1 only Statement 1 is correct: India is a member of the International Grains Council, an intergovernmental body concerned with cooperation and transparency in the international grains market. Statement 2 is incorrect.…

    Indian economyInternational grains councilInternational trade
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