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2021 Prelims Official Answer Key released!

    • With reference to the casual workers employed in India, consider the following statements:

     

    1. All casual workers are entitled for employees Provident Fund Coverage

    2. All casual workers are entitled for regular working hours and overtime payment

    3. The government can by a notification specify that an establishment or industry shall pay wages only through its bank account.

     

    Which of the above statements are correct?

    a) 1 and 2 only

    b) 2 and 3 only

    c) 1 and 3 only

    d) 1, 2 and 3

     

     

    • Why is there a concern about copper smelting plants?

     

    1. They may release lethal quantities of carbon monoxide into the environment

    2. The copper slag can cause the leaching of some heavy metals into the environment

    3. They may release sulphur dioxide as a pollutant

     

    Select the correct answer using the code given below

     

    a) 1 and 2 only

    b) 2 and 3 only

    c) 1 and 3 only

    d) 1, 2 and 3

     

     

    • Magnetite particles, suspected to cause neurodegenerative problems are generated as environmental pollutants from which of the following?

     

    1. Brakes of motor vehicles

    2. Engines of motor vehicles

    3. Microwave stoves within homes

    4. Power plants

    5. Telephone lines

     

    Select the correct answer using the code given below

    a) 1, 2, 3 and 5only

    b) 1, 2 and 4 only

    c) 3, 4 and 5 only

    d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

     

     

    • Which of the following have species that can establish a symbiotic relationship with other organisms?

     

    1. Cnidarians

    2. Fungi

    3. Protozoa

     

    Select the correct answer using the code given below:

    a) 1 and 2 only

    b) 2 and 3 only

    c) 1 and 3 only

    d) 1, 2 and 3

     

     

    • With reference to Indian History, which of the following statements is/are correct?

     

    1. The Nizamat of Arcot emerged out of Hyderabad State

    2. The Mysore Kingdom emerged out of Vijayanagara Empire

    3. Rohilkhand Kingdom was formed out of the territories occupied by Ahmad Shah Durani

     

    Select the correct answer using the code given below

    a) 1 and 2

    b) 2 only

    c) 2 and 3

    d) 3 only

     

     

    • With reference to the Indus River system, of the following four rivers, three of them pour into one of the which joins the Indus direct. Among the following, which one is such river that joins the Indus direct?

    (a) Chenab

    (b) Jhelum

    (c) Ravi

    (d) Sutlej

     

     

    • In a pressure cooker, the temperature at which the food is cooked depends mainly upon which of the following?

    1. Area of the hole in the lid

    2. Temperature of the flame

    3. Weight of the lid

    Select the correct answer using the code given below.

    (a) 1 and 2 only

    (b) 2 and 3 only

    (c) 1 and 3 only

    (d) 1, 2 and 3

     

     

    • With reference to the Union Government, consider the following statements:

    1. N. Gopalaswamy Iyenger Committee suggested that a minister and a secretary be designated solely for pursuing the subject of administrative reform and promoting it.

    2. In 1970, the Department of personnel was constituted on the recommendation of the Administrative Reforms Commission, 1966, and this was placed under the Prime Minister’s charge.

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    (a) 1 only

    (b) 2 only

    (c) Both 1 and 2

    (d) Neither 1 nor 2

     

     

    • Consider the following statements:

    1. ‘Right to the City’ is an agreed human right and the UN-Habitat monitors the commitments made by each country in this regard.

    2. ‘Right to the City’ gives every occupant of the city the right to reclaim public spaces and public participation in the city.

    3. ‘Right to the City’ means that the State cannot deny any public service or facility to the unauthorised colonies in the city.

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    (a) 1 only

    (b) 3 only

    (c) 1 and 2

    (d) 2 and 3

     

     

    • Which one of the following best defines the term “State”?

    (a) A community of persons permanently occupying a definite territory independent of external control and possessing an organized government.

    (b) A politically organized people of a definite territory and possessing an authority to govern them, maintain law and order, protect their natural rights and safeguard their means of sustenance.

    (C) A number of persons who have been living in a definite territory for a very long time with their own culture, tradition and government.

    (d) A society permanently living in a definite with a central authority, an executive responsible to the central authority and an independent judiciary.

     

     

    • With reference to Indian Judiciary, consider the following statements.

    1. Any retired judge of the Supreme Court of India can be called back to sit by the Chief Justice of India with prior permission of the President of India.

    2. A High court in India has the power to review its own judgement as the Supreme Court does.

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    (a) 1 only

    (b) 2 only

    (c) Both 1 and 2

    (d) Neither 1 nor 2

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

11.3k views
@nimbus2000abc Hmmmm even I thought so. But only post-mortem analysis. Even none of the answer keys picked it up. Revise static as much as possible I guess. Currents ka toh waise bhi nahi pata kaunsi source se uthayenge


11.5k views
@nimbus2000abc Seconded!


9.9k views
@Mandalorian30 Ummm I don't think so. What has definitely changed is the depth of questions. Anyone with high-attempt and avg-accuracy strategy can still achieve good score provided your static/concepts are top-knotch, and the "out-of-the-blue" questions don't rattle you in the paper. In my experience, what has changed is the mindset in the paper. It has become 50% mindgame, 50% knowledge compared to earlier years of 80% knowledge (more or less). I think UPSC has done this because today there is no dearth of information/knowledge due to internet. Every serious aspirant will know a simple fact (mostly). To separate the wheat from the chaff UPSC now goes 2-3 steps ahead and asks the "application" of that fact. Right or wrong I am no one to comment. But you should be confident in your strategy, don't try to copy someone blindly who says "maine sirf 70 kiye, 5 galat". I always do 90-95, no matter if paper is tough or not. And for me this has worked every single time. And when I did not do it, because I fell victim to the previous 70-limit gyaan, I flunked prelims.
So, gist is-strategy for you should be your own, and stick to it. You will be more confident with it. When going to fight a war, it is always better to be comfortable with all other aspects of your ammunition (read strategy here), because UPSC will be , and has always been, highly unpredictable, trying to rattle you and make you uncomfortable. Don't add more discomfort to yourself by changing strategy, specially at this last moment! Good luck!!
10.7k views
@Mandalorian30 Yes, agreed. "Blatant" is hardly a rewarding strategy. Since last year you suffered, it would be better for you to calmly analyse your mistakes. The yardstick generally speaking is,the static/basic/easy ones must never be wrong, never ever, they should not be even left unattempted because "yaad nahi aa raha revise nai kiya".I am sure you would agree, our mindset is affected more negatively when we can't do justice to easy ones because of lack of revision. That's why revising and sticking to PYQ is the soul of this prelims paper. New content, specially in end days, is like forbidden fruit, tempting us to taste it. We all know what happens when we taste it. Pray that temptations don't take the better of us, and revise PYQ/static. Good luck! 


9.9k views
@PrelimsTeam 6 questions means a gap of 13.34 marks for someone who attempted all of these. Ahh, such sadism by UPSC. 


3.6k views
@jassikamboj16303 Correction. It is 16 marks. Much more painful. 


3.6k views
@jassikamboj16303 Not casting anything on you forum guys btw. Just a rant.


3.6k views
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