Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Important Parliamentary Terms



(1) "Act"--A Bill passed by both  Houses of Parliament and assented to by the President.

(2) “Ad hoc Committee”- A Committee constituted by the House or by the Chairman or by the presiding officers of both the Houses jointly to consider and report on specific matter and becomes functus officio as soon as the task is completed.

(3) "Adjournment of Debate"--Adjournment on a motion adopted by the House, of the debate on a Motion/Resolution/Bill on which the House is then engaged until a future day or sine die as specified in the motion.
(4) "Adjournment of the sitting of the House"- Termination of the sitting of the House which meets again at the time appointed for the next sitting.

(5) "Adjournment sine die"-Termination of a sitting of the House without any definite date being fixed for the next sitting.

(6) "Appropriation Bill"-  A Money Bill passed annually (or at various times of the year) providing for the withdrawal or appropriation from and out of the Consolidated Fund of India, of moneys, voted by  Lok Sabha and moneys charged on the Consolidated Fund for the services of a financial year or a part of a financial year.

(7) “Ballot”- A process to determine inter se priority of more than one notice through a draw of lot.

(8) "Bill"--The draft of a legislative proposal put in the proper form which, when passed by both Houses of Parliament and assented to by the President becomes an Act.

(9) "Budget"-Annual financial statement of the estimated receipts and expenditure of the Government of India in respect of a financial year. The Budget is laid in Rajya Sabha in two parts viz., the Railway Budget and the General Budget.

(10) "Bulletin"-Bulletin means the Bulletin of  Rajya Sabha. It is published in two parts. Part I contains a brief record of the proceedings of the House at each of its sittings; and Part II contains information on any matter relating to or connected with the business of the House or Committees or other matter which in the opinion of the Chairman may be included therein.

(11) "Calendar of Sittings"- A calendar showing the provisional days on which Rajya Sabha is to sit and the nature of business to be transacted by it on those days.

(12)  “Calling Attention” –  A procedure whereby a Member calls the attention of a Minister to a matter of urgent public importance , the  Minister makes a brief statement thereon and thereafter the Members seek clarifications.

(13) "Casting Vote"-The vote cast by the Chairman, or a Member acting as such in the House and by the Chairman or a Member acting as such in a Committee, in the case of an equality of votes on a matter.

(14) "Crossing the floor"--Passing between the member addressing the House and the Chair which is considered breach of Parliamentary etiquette.

(15) “Demand for Grants”-Earmarking of budgetary allocation for meeting the plan and non-plan expenditure of a Ministry/Department.

 (16) "Division"-The mode of arriving at a decision on a proposed measure or question before the House by recording votes for or against it.

(17) "Draw of lot" - A method applied to determine the relative precedence of private members' Bills and Resolutions, notices of questions, half-an-hour discussions or any other notice given by more than one member simultaneously for being taken up on the same day.

(18) "Expunction"-Deletion of words, phrases or expressions from the proceedings or records of  Rajya Sabha by an order of the Chairman for being defamatory or indecent or unparliamentary or undignified.

(19) "Finance Bill"-A Bill ordinarily introduced every year to give effect to the financial proposals of the Government of India for the following financial year and includes a Bill to give effect to supplementary financial proposals for any period.

 (20) "Financial Business" – The financial business of the House consists of the laying of the Railway and General Budgets and statements of supplementary Demands for Grants on the Table after they are presented to the Lok Sabha, general discussion on the General and Railway Budgets, consideration and return of connected Appropriate Bills and Finance Bills, laying of Budges, etc. of States which are under the President’s Rule.

(21) "Gazette"-The Gazette of India.

(22) “Half-an-Hour Discussion”-A Member with the permission of the Chairman may raise a discussion on a matter of sufficient public importance which has been the subject of a recent oral or written question and the answer to which needs elucidation on a matter of fact.

 (23) "Leader of the Council"-The Prime Minister, if he is a member of the Council or a Minister who is a member of the Council  and is nominated by the Prime Minister to function as the Leader of the Council.
(24) "Leader of the Opposition"-A Member of the House, who is, for the time being, the leader in that House of the Party in opposition to the Government having the greatest numerical strength and recognised as such by the Chairman.

(25) “Leave of absence”-A member wishing to obtain permission of the House for remaining absent from its sittings is required to make an application stating the reasons and the  period for which he may be permitted to be absent from the sittings of the House.

(26) "Legislative Business" – Introduction, consideration and passing of a bill, piloted by a Minister or a Private Member, in the House.

(27) "List of Business"- A list of items of business scheduled to be taken up in Rajya Sabha on a particular day of the sittings in the order in which they stand on it.
 
(28) "Lobby"-The covered corridor immediately adjoining the Chamber and co-terminus with it.

 (29) "Maiden Speech"-The first speech of a member after his election/nomination to the Rajya Sabha in the House.

(30) “Matters raised with permission”- Immediately after the Question Hour and laying of papers, a Member may raise an issue of urgent public importance with the prior permission of the Chairman.

(31) "Member in charge of the Bill"-The Minister/Private Member who has introduced the government/Private Members’ Bill.

(32) "Memorandum of business" – It is meant for the use of the Chair to help him while calling the items listed in the Agenda paper of the day.

(33) "Message"-A communication from the President to a House or Houses of Parliament under articles 86(2) and 111 of the Constitution and a communication sent from one House of Parliament to the other House.

 (34) "Motion"-A  formal proposal made to the House by a Minister or a member that the House do something, order something to be done or express an opinion with regard to some matter, and is so phrased that, if  adopted, it will purport to express the judgment or will of the House.

(35) "Motion of Thanks"-A formal motion moved in the House, expressing its gratitude to the President for the Address delivered by him/her under article 87(1) of the Constitution to both Houses of Parliament assembled together.

(36) "Naming a Member"-The drawing of attention of the House by the Chairman to the conduct of a member who disregards the authority of the Chair or abuses the Rules of the House by persistently and willfully obstructing the business thereof, with a view to action being taken to suspend him from the service of the House for a period not exceeding the remainder of the session.

 (37) "Ordinance"-A law made by the President in exercise of the powers vested in him under article 123 of the Constitution.

(38) "Panel of Vice-Chairmen"- A panel of six members of  Rajya Sabha nominated by the Chairman, any one of whom may preside over the House in the absence of the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman when so requested by the Chairman, or in his absence, by the Deputy Chairman.

(39) "Papers laid on the Table"-The papers or documents laid on the Table of the House for purpose of bringing them on the record of the House by a Minister or by a private member or by the Secretary-General with the permission of the Chairman in pursuance of the provisions of the Constitution or the Rules of Procedure of Rajya Sabha or an Act of Parliament and the Rules and Regulations made thereunder.

(40) "Personal explanation" -  A Member or a Minister against whom comments or criticism of a personal nature are made on the floor of the House is entitled to make, with the consent of the Chairman, personal explanation in his defence.

(41) "Point of Order"- A point relating to the interpretation or enforcement of the Rules of Procedure or such articles of the Constitution as regulate the business of the House raised in the House and submitted for the decision of the Chair.

(42) "Precincts of Rajya Sabha"-This includes the Chamber, the Lobbies, the Galleries and such other places as the Chairman may from time to time specify.

(43) “Private Members’ Resolution”- A resolution, on a matter of general public interest, a Member, other than a Minister, on a day allotted for Private Members Resolutions which is in the form of a declaration of opinion by the House or in such other form as the Chairman may consider appropriate.

(44) "Prorogation"-The termination of a session of  Rajya Sabha by an order made by the President under article 85(2)(a) of the Constitution.

(45) "Putting the Question"-When debate on a question is closed, the Chairman, rising from the Chair, states or reads the question to the House, beginning with "The question is, that".

(46) "Question Chart"-A chart circulated to members, along with the Summons for a Session, which indicates the dates for answering questions and the last date for receiving notices of questions pertaining to various Ministries/ Departments.

(47) "Question Hour"-The first hour of a sitting of the House allotted for asking and answering of questions.

(48) "Question of Privilege"-A question involving a breach of privilege either of a member or of the House or of a Committee thereof or a contempt of the House.

(49) "Quorum"-The minimum number of members required to be present at a sitting of the House or a Committee for valid transaction of its business, which is one-tenth of the total number of members of the House, as provided under article 100(3) of the Constitution.

(50) "Rajya Sabha debate" – A verbatim record of everything said in the House is reported by the official Reporter for each of the sittings of the Rajya Sabha, except certain words, phrases and expression, if any, ordered by the Chair to be expunged or ordered by the Chairman not to be recorded, when Members speak without his permissions.

(51) "Roll of Members"-A register in which newly elected members sign, after making and subscribing the oath or affirmation and before taking their seats for the first time in the House.

(52) "Session"-A session of  Rajya Sabha comprises the period commencing from the date and time mentioned in the order of the President summoning  Rajya Sabha and ending with the day on which the President prorogues Rajya Sabha.

(53) “Short Duration Discussion”-For raising a discussion on a matter of urgent public importance for which a notice has to be given by a Member supported by two other Members specifying clearly and precisely the matter to be raised.

(54) "Short Notice Question"-A question relating to a matter of urgent public importance asked for oral answer by a Member with shorter notice than fifteen clear days by giving the reasons for asking the question with short notice.

(55) "Sitting of the House"-A sitting of the House is duly constituted when it is presided over by the Chairman or a member competent to preside over a sitting of the House  under the Constitution or the Rules of Procedure of  Rajya Sabha.

(56) “Special Mention”-A procedure available to a Member who wishes  to mention a matter of public importance in the House by reading out from the text not exceeding 250 words.

(57) “Standing Committee”- Committee constituted by election  by the House or nomination by the Chairman every year or from time to time which are permanent in nature.

(58) "Starred Question"-A question to which a member wishes to have an oral answer on the floor of the House and which is distinguished by an asterisk.

(59) "Statutory Resolution"-A resolution in pursuance of a provision in the Constitution or an Act of Parliament.

(60) "Subordinate Legislation"--Rules, regulations, orders, schemes, bye-laws,  etc. having the force of law, framed by the Executive or other subordinate authority in pursuance of the power conferred on it by the Constitution or delegated to it by an Act of Parliament.

(61) "Summons"--An official communication issued by the Secretary-General of  Rajya Sabha under the orders of the President to the Members of Rajya Sabha informing them of the place, date and time of the commencement of a session of Rajya Sabha.

(62) "Supplementary question" – A Question asked by any member when called by the Chairman for the purpose of further elucidating any matter of fact regarding which an answer has been given during the question hour.

(63) "Table of the House"--The Table just in front of the desk of the Secretary-General below the Chairman's Chair, on which papers which are required to be laid on the Table of the House, are deemed to be placed.

(64) "Unstarred Question"--A question which is not called for oral answer in the House and the  written answer to such a question is deemed to have been laid on the Table.

(65) “Valedictory remarks”-It is customary in every Session for the Chair to make the  Valedictory remarks at the end of Session thanking Members and leaders of parties and groups for their cooperation in the conduct of business of the House.

 (66) "Whips" – Members drawn from the party in power and the parties/groups in opposition to perform specified functions and form vital links in the internal organization of a party inside Parliament.

PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES

The work done by the Parliament in modern times is not only varied in nature, but considerable in volume. The time at its disposal is limited. It cannot, therefore, give close consideration to all the legislative and other matters that come up before it. A good deal of its business is, therefore, transacted by what are called the Parliamentary Committees.
Ad hoc and Standing Committees
Parliamentary Committees are of two kinds: Ad hoc Committees and the Standing Committees. Ad hoc Committees are appointed for a specific purpose and they cease to exist when they finish the task assigned to them and submit a report. The principal Ad hoc Committees are the Select and Joint Committees on Bills. Others like the Railway Convention Committee, the Committees on the Draft Five Year Plans and the Hindi Equivalents Committee were appointed for specific purposes. Apart from the Ad hoc Committees, each House of Parliament has Standing Committees like the Business Advisory Committee, the Committee on Petitions, the Committee of Privileges and the Rules Committee, etc.
Other Committees
Of special importance is yet another class of Committees which act as Parliament’s ‘Watch Dogs’ over the executive. These are the Committees on Subordinate Legislation, the Committee on Government Assurances, the Committee on Estimates, the Committee on Public Accounts and the Committee on Public Undertakings and Departmentally Related Standing Committees (DRSCs). The Committee on Estimates, the Committee on Public Accounts, the Committee on Public Undertakings and DRSCs play an important role in exercising a check over governmental expenditure and Policy formulation.
COMPOSITION AND FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMITTEES
Select and Joint Committees
When a Bill comes up before a House for general discussion,it is open to that House to refer it to a Select Committee of the House or a Joint Committee of the two Houses. A motion has to be moved and adopted to this effect in the House in which the Bill comes up for consideration. In case the motion adopted is for reference of the Bill to a Joint Committee, the decision is conveyed to the other House requesting them to nominate members of the other House to serve on the Committee. The Select or Joint Committee considers the Bill clause by clause just as the two Houses do. Amendments can be moved to various clauses by members of the Committee. The Committee can also take evidence of  associations,  public bodies or experts who are interested in the Bill. After the Bill has thus been considered the Committee submits its report to the House. Members who do not agree with the majority report may append their minutes of dissent to the report.
This Committee consists of 30 members who are elected by the Lok Sabha every year from amongst its members. A Minister is not eligible for election to this Committee. The term of the Committee is one year. The main function of the Committee on Estimates is to report what economies, improvements in organisation, efficiency, or administrative reform, consistent with the policy underlying the estimates may be effected and to suggest alternative policies in order to bring about efficiency and economy in administration. From time to time the Committee selects such of the estimates pertaining to a Ministry or a group of Ministries or the statutory and other Government bodies as may seem fit to the Committee. The Committee also examines matters of special interest which may arise or come to light in the course of its work or which are  specifically referred to it by the House or the Speaker.
The Committee on Public Undertakings consists of 15 members elected by the Lok Sabha and 7 members of Rajya Sabha are associated with it. A Minister is not eligible for election to this Committee. The term of the Committee is one year.
The functions of the Committee on Public Undertakings are—(a) to examine the reports and accounts of Public Undertakings; (b) to examine the reports, if any, of the Comptroller and Auditor General on the Public Undertakings; (c) to examine in the context of the autonomy and efficiency of the Public Undertakings whether the affairs of the Public Undertakings are being managed in accordance with sound business principles and prudent commercial practices; and (d) such other functions vested in the Committee on Public Accounts and the Committee on Estimates in relation to the Public Undertakings as are not covered by clauses (a), (b) and (c) above and as may be allotted to the Committee by the Speaker from time to time. The Committee does not, however, examine matters of major Government policy and matters of day-to-day administration of the Undertakings.
This Committee consists of 15 members elected by the Lok Sabha and 7 members of the Rajya Sabha are associated with it. A Minister is not  eligible for election to this Committee. The term of the Committee is one year.
The main duty of the Committee is to ascertain whether the money granted by Parliament has been spent by Government "within the scope of the Demand". The Appropriation Accounts of the Government of India and the Audit Reports presented by the Comptroller and Auditor General mainly form the basis for the examination of the Committee. Cases involving losses, nugatory expenditure and financial irregularities come in for severe criticism by the Committee. The Committee is not concerned with questions of policy. It is concerned only with the execution of the policy laid down by Parliament and its results.
Business Advisory Committee (Lok Sabha)
The Business Advisory Committee of Lok Sabha consists of 15 members including the Speaker who is the ex-officio Chairman. The members are nominated by the Speaker. Almost all sections of the House are represented on the Committee as per the respective strength of parties in the House. The function of the Committee is to recommend the time that should be allotted for the discussion of such Government legislative and other business as the Speaker, in consultation with the Leader of the House, may direct to be referred to the Committee. The Committee, on its own initiative, may also recommend to the Government to bring forward particular subjects for discussion in the House and recommend  allocation of time for such discussions. The decisions reached by the Committee are always unanimous in character and representative of the collective view of the House. The Committee generally meets at the beginning of each Session and thereafter as and when necessary.
Committee on Private Members’ Bills and Resolutions (Lok Sabha)
This Committee consists of 15 members and the Deputy Speaker is its Chairman when nominated as a member of  he Committee. The Committee is nominated by the Speaker. The functions of the Committee are to allot time to Private Members’ Bills and Resolutions, to examine Private Members’ Bills seeking to amend the Constitution before their introduction in Lok Sabha, to examine all Private Members’ Bills after they are introduced and before they are taken up for consideration in the House and to classify them according to their nature,  urgency and importance into two categories namely, category A and category B and also to examine such Private Members’ Bills where the legislative competence of the House is challenged. The Committee, thus, performs the same function in relation to Private Members’ Bills and Resolutions as the Business Advisory Committee does in regard to Government Business. The Committee holds office for a term not exceeding one year.
Rules Committee (Lok Sabha)
The Rules Committee consists of 15 members including the Speaker who is the ex-officio Chairman of the Committee. The members are nominated by the Speaker. The Committee considers matters of procedure and conduct of business in the House and recommends any amendments or additions to the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha that are considered necessary.
Committee of Privileges (Lok Sabha)
This Committee consists of 15 members nominated by the Speaker. The function is to examine every question involving breach of privilege of the House or of the members of any Committee thereof referred to it by the House or by the Speaker. It determines with reference to the facts of each case whether a breach of privilege is involved and makes suitable recommendations in its report.
Committee on Papers Laid on the Table (Lok Sabha)
This Committee consists of 15 members nominated by the Speaker. Its function is to examine all papers laid on the Table of the House by Ministers (other than those which fall within the purview of the Committee on Subordinate Legislation or any other Parliamentary Committee) and to report to the House—(a) whether there has been compliance of the provisions of the Constitution, Act, rule or regulation under which the paper has been laid, (b) whether there has been any unreasonable delay in laying the paper, (c) if there has been such delay, whether a  statement explaining the reasons for delay has been laid on the Table of the House and whether those reasons are satisfactory, (d) whether both the Hindi and English versions of the paper have been laid on the Table, (e) whether a statement explaining the reasons for not laying the  Hindi version has been given and whether such reasons are satisfactory, (f) such other functions in respect of the papers laid on the Table as may be assigned to it by the Speaker from time to time.
Committee on Petitions (Lok Sabha)
The Committee consists of 15 members nominated by the Speaker. A Minister is not nominated to this Committee. The function of the Committee is to consider and report on petitions presented to the House. Besides, it also considers representations from individuals and associations, etc. on subjects which are not covered by the rules relating to petitions and gives directions for their disposal.
Committee on Subordinate Legislation (Lok Sabha)
The Committee consists of 15 members nominated by the Speaker. A Minister is not nominated to this Committee. The Committee scrutinizes  and reports to the House whether the powers to make regulations, rules, sub-rules, by-laws etc. conferred by the Constitution or  delegated by Parliament are being properly exercised by the executive within the scope of such delegation.
Committee on Government Assurances (Lok Sabha)
This Committee consists of 15 members nominated by the Speaker. A Minister is not nominated to this Committee. While replying to questions in the House or during discussions on Bills, Resolutions, Motions etc., Ministers at times give assurances or undertakings either to consider a matter or to take action or to furnish the House further information later. The functions of this Committee are to scrutinize the assurances, promises, undertakings etc. given by Ministers from time to time and to report to Lok Sabha on the extent to which such assurances etc. have been implemented and to see whether such implementation has taken place within the minimum time necessary for the purpose.
 Committee on Absence of Members from the Sittings of the House (Lok Sabha)
The Committee consists of 15 members who hold office for one year. The members are nominated by the Speaker. This Committee considers all applications from members for leave of absence from the sittings of the House and examines every case where a member has been absent for a period of 60 days or more, without permission, from the sittings of the House. In its report it makes recommendations with respect to each case as to whether the absence should be condoned or leave applied granted or whether the circumstances of the case justify that the House should declare the seat of the member vacant.
Joint Committee on Offices of Profit
This Committee consists of 15 members. Ten members are elected from Lok Sabha and five from Rajya Sabha. The Committee is constituted for the duration of each Lok Sabha.
The main functions of the Committee are to examine the composition and character of the Committees appointed by the Central and State  Governments and to recommend what offices should disqualify and what offices should not disqualify a person for being chosen as, and for being, a member of either House of Parliament under article 102 of the Constitution.
The Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes consists of 20 members elected by the Lok Sabha and 10  members of Rajya Sabha are associated with it. The term of the Committee is one year. A Minister is not eligible for election to this Committee. The main functions of the Committee are to consider all matters concerning the welfare of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, falling within the purview of the Union Government and the Union Territories, to consider the reports submitted by the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and to examine the measures taken by the Union Government to secure due representation of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in services and posts under its control.
The Railway Convention Committee is an ad-hoc Committee. It consists of 18 members. Out of these, 12 members are from Lok Sabha nominated by the Speaker and 6 members are from Rajya Sabha nominated by the Chairman. By convention the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Railways are members of the Committee. Besides this, Ministers of State in the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Railways respectively are also its members.
The main function of the Committee is to review the Rate of Dividend payable by the Railways undertaking to General Revenues as well as   other ancillary matters in connection with the Railway Finance vis-a-vis the General Finance and make recommendations thereon. The Railway Convention Committee, 1949 was the first Committee after independence. This Committee and subsequent Committees confined themselves to determining the rate of dividend payable by Railways to General Revenues. Since 1971 the Railway Convention Committees have been taking up subjects for examination and report which have a bearing on the working of Railways.
This Committee came into being on 29th April, 1997, as a consequence of identical Resolutions adopted by both the Houses of Parliament on the occasion of International Womens’ Day on 8th March, 1996. The Committee consists of 30 members, 20 nominated by the Speaker from amongst the members of Lok Sabha and 10 nominated by the Chairman, Rajya Sabha from amongst the members of the Rajya Sabha. The term of the Committee is of one year. The Committee have been primarily mandated with the task of reviewing and monitoring the measures  taken by the Union Government in the direction of securing for women equality, status and dignity in all matters. The Committee would also suggest necessary correctives for improving the status/condition of women in respect of matters within the purview of the Union Government. Besides, another important function of the Committee is to examine the measures taken by the Union Government for comprehensive education and adequate representation of women in Legislative bodies/services and other fields. The Committee would also consider the report of the National Commission for Women. The Committee may also examine such other matters as may seem fit to them or are specifically referred to them by the Lok Sabha or the Speaker and the Rajya Sabha or the Chairman, Rajya Sabha.
Departmentally Related Standing Committees
A full-fledged system of 17 Departmentally Related Standing Committees came into being in April, 1993. These Committees cover under their  jurisdiction all the Ministries/ Departments of the Government of India. These Committees are as under :
Name of the Committee
1. Committee on Commerce
2. Committee on Home Affairs
3. Committee on Human Resource Development
4. Committee on Industry
5. Committee on Science & Technology,
Environment & Forests
6. Committee on Transport, Culture and Tourism
7. Committee on Agriculture
8. Committee on Information Technology
9. Committee on Defence
10. Committee on Energy
11. Committee on External Affairs
12. Committee on Finance
13. Committee on Food, Civil Supplies and
Public Distribution
14. Committee on Labour and Welfare
15. Committee on Petroleum & Chemicals
16. Committee on Railways
17. Committee on Urban and Rural Development
Out of the 17 Committees, 6 Committees (Sl. No. 1 to 6) are serviced by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat and 11 Committees (Sl. No. 7 to 17) by the Lok Sabha Secretariat.
Each of these Standing Committees consists of not more than 45 members—30 to be nominated by the Speaker from amongst the members of Lok Sabha and 15 to be nominated by the Chairman, Rajya Sabha from amongst the members of Rajya Sabha. A Minister is not eligible to  be nominated to these Committees.
The term of members of these Committees is one year. With reference to the Ministries/Departments under their purview, the functions of these committees are:
(a) Consideration of Demands for Grants.
(b) Examination of Bills referred to by the Chairman, Rajya Sabha or the Speaker, Lok Sabha as the case may be.
(c) Consideration of Annual Reports.
(d) Consideration of national basic long term policy documents presented to the House and referred to the Committee by the Chairman, Rajya Sabha or the Speaker, Lok Sabha, as the case may be. These Committees do not consider matters of day-to-day administration of the concerned Ministries/Departments.
The newly constituted departmentally related Standing Committee System is a path-breaking endeavour of the Parliamentary surveillance over administration. With the emphasis of their functioning to concentrate on long-term plans, policies and the philosophies guiding the working of the Executive, these Committees will be in a very privileged position to provide necessary direction, guidance and inputs for broad policy formulations and in achievement of the long-term national perspective by the Executive.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

CIVIL SERVICES TIMES SEPTEMBER 2011 MAGAZINE

CLICK HERE

APPSC Group-I Mains Model Papers

                                                           

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Geographical Epithets

    World's Loneliest Island                Tristanda Cuntra
    World's Bread Basket                   Prairies of N.America
    Windy City                                   Chicago, U.S.A.
    White Man's Grave                       Guinea Coast
    White City                                    Belgrade, Yugoslavia
    Venice of the North                       Stockholm, Sweden
    Venice of the East                          Alappuzha, India
    Sugar Bowl of the World              Cuba
    Spice Garden of India                  Kerala
    Sickman of Europe                      Turkey
    Saint of the Gutters                      Mother Teresa
    Roof of the World                        Pamirs, Central Asia
    Queen of the Adriatic                  Venice, Italy
    Queen of Arabian Sea                 Kochi
    Quaker City                               Philadelphia, U.S.A.
    Playground of India                    Kashmir
    Playground of Europe                 Switzerland
    Pink City                                    Jaipur
    Pillar of Hercules                        Gibraltar
    Pearl of the Pacific                     Guayaquil Port of Ecuador
    Pearl of the Antilles                    Cuba
    Never Never Land                    Prairies of N. Australia
    Manchester of Tamil Nadu         Coimbatore
    Manchester of India                    Mumbai
    Land of White Elephant             Thailand
    Land of Thunderbolt                  Bhutan
    Land of Thousand Lakes           Finland
    Land of Rising Sun                     Japan 
    Land of Morning Calm              Korea
    Land of Midnight Sun                Norway
    Land of Maples                        Canada
    Land of Lilies                           Canada          
    Land of Lakes                          Scotland         
    Land of Kangaroo                    Australia         
    Land of Golden Pagoda            Myanmar        
    Land of Golden Fleece              Australia         
    Land of Five Rivers                   Punjab, India  
    Lady with a lamp                      Florence Nightingale   
    Key to Mediterranean               Gibraltar         
    Island of Pearls                         Bahrain
    Island of Cloves                       Zanzibar         
    Island Continent                       Australia         
    Holy Land                               Palestine         
    Hermit Kingdom                      Korea
    Hearing Pond                         Atlantic Ocean
    Great Whiteway                     Broadway, New York
    Granite City                           Aberdeen, Scotland    
    Granary of South India           Tanjore          
    Gift of the Nile                        Egypt 
    Gateway of India                     Mumbai          
    Gate of Tears                         Bab - el - mandeb, Jerusalem  
    Garden of England                  Kent, England 
    Garden City                            Chicago          
    Forbidden City                        Lhasa, Tibet   
    Eternal City                             Rome 
    Empire City                            New York, U.S.A.     
    Emerald Island                        Ireland
    Dark Continent                       Africa
    Cockpit of Europe                   Belgium
    City of the Golden Gate           San Francisco (USA)
    City of Sky - Scrapers             New York
    Big Apple                               New York
    City of Seven Hills                  Rome
    City of Palaces                        Kolkata
    City of Magnificent Distance    Washington, DC, USA
    China's Sorrow                       Howang - Ho
    Britain of the South                 New Zealand
    Blue Mountains                        Nilgiri Hills
    Bengal's Sorrow                      Damodar River
   Mosquito Coast                        Nicargua
   City of Kings                             Lima

Friday, September 9, 2011

APPSC GROUP-II GEOGRAPHY QUESTIONS

1. Which of the following rocks is different from the remaining three on the basis of its mode of origin?
(A) Limestone
(B) Sandstone
(C) Shale
(D) Marble
Ans : (D)

2. Which of the following land forms is not associated with river erosion?
(A) Waterfall
(B) V-shaped valley
(C) Moraines
(D) Ox-bow lake
Ans : (C)

3. Which of the following latitudes is the longest?
(A) 23°N
(B) 66°N
(C) 0°
(D) 80°N
Ans : (C)

4. Two places on the same meridian must have the same—
(A) Length of summer
(B) Length of winter
(C) Latitude
(D) Solar time
Ans : (D)

5. When it is 6.00 AM on 0° meridian, at the same time what time would be there in India?
(A) 6.30 AM
(B) 9.30 AM
(C) 11.30 AM
(D) 5.30 AM
Ans : (C)

6. Which of the following processes helps in the formation of rift valley?
(A) Seismism
(B) Faulting
(C) Folding
(D) Volcanism
Ans : (B)

7. Which of the following names is given to the planetary winds blowing between the tropics?
(A) Monsoon
(B) Polar winds
(C) Westerlies
(D) Trade winds
Ans : (D)

8. Which of the following cities is not located on Varanasi-Chennai rail-route?
(A) Hyderabad
(B) Nagpur
(C) Jabalpur
(D) Allahabad
Ans : (D)

9. Where is Dead Sea situated in the following continents?
(A) Europe
(B) Australia
(C) Asia
(D) Africa
Ans : (C)

10. Which of the following industries is most developed in the Great Lakes region of North America?
(A) Cement and Paper
(B) Steel and Engineering
(C) Film industry
(D) Textile and Chemicals
Ans : (B)

11. Which of the following group of countries is most famous for exporting wool and meat?
(A) Australia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia
(B) Argentina, France, Chile
(C) Australia, Argentina, New Zealand
(D) New Zealand, Argentina, Italy
Ans : (C)

12. Which of the following soils is most suitable for the cultivation of cotton in India?
(A) Red soil
(B) Laterite soil
(C) Alluvial soil
(D) Regur soil
Ans : (D)

13. Which of the following state groups is the largest producer of iron-ore in India?
(A) Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar
(B) Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab
(C) Maharashtra, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh
(D) Bihar, W. Bengal, Orissa
Ans : (A)

14. Which of the following landforms is different from other three on the basis of the mode of origin?
(A) Fold
(B) Anticline
(C) Nappes
(D) Rift Valley
Ans : (D)

15. Which of the following landform is not associated with glaciation?
(A) Hanging valley
(B) Moraines
(C) Inselberg
(D) Drumlin
Ans : (C)

16. Which of the following order is given to the planets of solar system on the basis of their size?
(A) Saturn, Jupitar, Mercury, Neptune
(B) Jupitar, Saturn, Neptune, Mercury
(C) Jupitar, Mercury, Neptune, Saturn
(D) Neptune, Mercury, Saturn, Jupitar
Ans : (B)

17. As we go higher into the atmosphere, the air becomes—
(A) Thinner
(B) Denser
(C) Warmer
(D) Visible
Ans : (A)

18. From which of the following longitude the Indian standard time is determined?
(A) 82° 30' East
(B) 80° West
(C) 90° East
(D) 81° 30' East
Ans : (A)

19. Which of the following oceans are connected by Panama Canal?
(A) Pacific and Atlantic
(B) Atlantic and Indian Ocean
(C) Indian Ocean and Pacific
(D) Atlantic and North Ocean
Ans : (A)

20. For which crop production is 'Saopalo' famous?
(A) Cotton
(B) Maize
(C) Coffee
(D) Tea
Ans : (C)

21. Which of the following State group is largest producer of mineral oil in India?
(A) Gujarat, U. P., Maharashtra
(B) Maharashtra, W. Bengal, Assam
(C) Assam, U. P., Bihar
(D) Assam, Gujarat, Maharashtra
Ans : (D)

22. Which of the following water-ways does not pass through the Panama Canal?
(A) London-Honolulu.
(B) New York-San francisco
(C) New York-Buenos Aires
(D) New York-Sydney
Ans : (C)

23. Which of the following latitudes is a great circle?
(A) Equator
(B) 66°N
(C) 20°S
(D) 23°S
Ans : (A)

24. Which of the following city is not located on Delhi-Kolkata rail route?
(A) Kanpur
(B) Allahabad
(C) Gaya
(D) Varanasi
Ans : (D)

25. Which of the following industries is famous in the Ruhr industrial region of Europe?
(A) Textile and Chemicals
(B) Steel and Engineering
(C) Cement and Paper
(D) Ship building
Ans : (B)

26. If the direction of the earth's rotation on its axis is east-west, what would be the direction of Trade wind blowing in Southern hemisphere?
(A) South-West
(B) South-East
(C) North-East
(D) North-West
Ans : (B)

27. The coldest hour of the day is approximately—
(A) 5 a.m.
(B) 9 p.m.
(C) 3 a.m.
(D) 10 a.m.
Ans : (C)

28. Which of the followings is fibre mineral?
(A) Zinc
(B) Asbestos
(C) Coal
(D) Asphalt
Ans : (B)

29. What are asteroids?
(A) Minor planets revolving round the Sun between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter
(B) Luminous celestial bodies moving round the Sun
(C) A group of fixed stars arranged naturally
(D) Small pieces of solid matter which appear in the earth's atmosphere as shooting stars from out spaces and become visible through incandescence caused by the resistance of the air to their passage,
Ans : (A)

30. What is Isthmus?
(A) The mouth of a river where it joins the sea
(B) A narrow strip of sea dividing two oceans
(C) A narrow strip of land joining two seas or oceans
(D) A piece of projected land
Ans : (C)

31. Which of the following phenomena causes the shape of the Earth ?
(A) Internal structure
(B) Atmospheric pressure
(C) Rotation
(D) Revolution
Ans : (C)

32. Which of the following is the location of a point on the globe that is antipodal to 65° North Latitude and 30° East Longitude?
(A) 65° North Lat., 30° West Long
(B) 30° South Lat., 65° East Long
(C) 65° South Lat., 150° West Long
(D) 30° North Lat., 65° West Long
Ans : (C)

33. The surface of the earth is still irregular inspite of millions of years of gradation, because—
(A) Gradation is a slow process
(B) Gradation does not reduce irregularities
(C) Deposition of material re-elevates the land
(D) Parts of the crust have been uplifted
Ans : (D)

34. What would result if the sedimentary deposit of the Ganga Plain is compressed between the Himalayas and the Deccan Plateau and then uplifted?
(A) Block mountain
(B) Fold mountain
(C) Rift valley
(D) Volcanic plateau
Ans : (B)

35. What would happen to ocean water if the moon comes nearer to the earth ?
(A) Fall of temperature
(B) Stopping of ocean currents
(C) Rise of sea level
(D) Increase in height of oceanic tides
Ans : (D)

36. The line joining places of equal atmospheric pressure is termed—
(A) Contour
(B) Isohyet
(C) Isotherm
(D) Isobar
Ans : (D)

37. What would happen to types of rainfall if the earth's surface becomes all plain?
(A) No cyclonic rainfall
(B) No orographic rainfall
(C) No convectional rainfall
(D) No frontal rainfall
Ans : (B)

38. The maximum risk to air travel is from—
(A) Clouds
(B) Rainfall
(C) Fogs
(D) Strong winds
Ans : (C)

39. Which one of the following countries is the largest producer of rice in the world?
(A) China
(B) Japan
(C) Philippines
(D) Bangladesh
Ans : (A)

40. Which of the following countries possesses a strong natural resource base for iron and steel industry ?
(A) Russia
(B) Pakistan
(C) Japan
(D) Bangladesh
Ans : (A)

41. The present day search for fuels alternative to petroleum, is due mainly to—
(A) Iran-Iraq war
(B) Strained relations between Israel and Middle East countries
(C) Highly increased cost of petroleum
(D) Increase in the consumption of petroleum
Ans : (D)

42. What is the population density of a District which has 50 Lakh people and 25 thousand square kilometres area?
(A) 50 persons per sq. km.
(B) 100 persons per sq. km.
(C) 150 persons per sq. km.
(D) 200 persons per sq. km.
Ans : (D)

43. The Savana type of climate is characterized by—
(A) Humid summers and humid winters
(B) Humid summers and dry winters
(C) Humid winters and dry summers
(D) Humid throughout the year
Ans : (B)

44. Given below are the climate data of a particular station. In which of the following natural regions is the station located
Temperature——Rainfall
(Degrees Centigrade)——(Centimetres)
January——23.3——1.8
February——23.3——1.8
March——21.1——2.5
April——17.8——4.6
May——14.4——7.1
June——12.2——7.9
July——11.1——6.9
August——12.3——6.3
September——13.9——5.1
October——16.7——4.3
November——19.4——3.0
December——27.7——2.5
(A) Warm temperate East coast type
(B) Warm temperate West coast type
(C) Warm temperate Continent type
(D) Hot deserts
Ans : (B)

45. Which of the following groups of countries is arranged in descending order of area?
(A) Russia, Canada, China, U.S.A.
(B) Russia, U.S.A. Canada, China
(C) Russia, Canada, U.S.A., China
(D) Russia, China, U.S.A., Canada
Ans : (A)

46. Which of the following Industrial Regions of USA is located mainly on the basis of hydroelectric power?
(A) The New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore region
(B) The Southern New England Region
(C) The Southern Lake Michigan Region
(D) The Detroit Region
Ans : (B)

47. What should India increase in order to become one of the most prosperous countries of the world?
(A) Food production
(B) Industrial production
(C) Population
(D) Trade
Ans : (B)

48. Water power potential of India is great, but it has not been developed to its full extent. The major deterrant being that—
(A) Coal is available in plenty therefore it is not necessary to develop water power
(B) Raw materials required for the production of electric transformers are not available in India
(C) Rainfall is seasonal and as such requires costly storage resevoirs
(D) Lack of technical skill hinders the development of water power
Ans : (C)

49. Which of the following regions has almost prevalent types of natural vegetation in India?
(A) The Himalaya mountain
(B) The Deccan Plateau
(C) The Ganga plain
(D) The Coastal plains
Ans : (C)

50. For which of the following manufacturing industries does India have the most natural resources?
(A) Glass Synthetic rubber
(B) Synthetic rubber
(C) Iron and Steel
(D) Aluminium
Ans : (C)

51. One of the characteristics of India's population is lesser number of women compared to men. Which one of the following explains this phenomenon?
(A) Excess males at birth
(B) Lower social status of women
(C) Neglect of females in childhood
(D) High maternity mortality
Ans : (C)

52. The basic unit of settlement recurring throughout India is the village. Which of the following criteria is largely responsible for the selection of village sites?
(A) Behavioural patterns of the community
(B) Availability of flat land
(C) Essential resources like water and fuel
(D) Fuel resources and building materials
Ans : (C)

53. Which one of the following factors accounts largely for the dispersal of cotton textile industry from its original location around Bombay?
(A) The development of transportation, especially railways
(B) Extreme congestion in Mumbai and lack of space
(C) The development of hydro-electric power
(D) Improved technology
Ans : (B)

54. The main cause for Uttar Pradesh becoming the most important agricultural state of India is—
(A) Good cultivators
(B) Good climate
(C) Large market
(D) Extensive fertile plain
Ans : (D)

55. What locational advantage does India possess for International trade?
(A) Central location in the Eastern hemisphere
(B) Location in the middle of the developing countries
(C) Location at the sourthern end of Asia
(D) Location on the east-west oceanic route through the Suez Canal
Ans : (D)

56. The longest dam is—
(A) Aswan
(B) Hirakud
(C) Gorky
(D) Mangla
Ans : (B)

57. Which state in India is the largest producer of Saffron?
(A) Jammu and Kashmir
(B) Sikkim
(C) Himachal Pradesh
(D) Gujarat
Ans : (A)

58. Which is the largest man-made lake in India?
(A) Chilka
(B) Dal
(C) Sambhar
(D) Bhakra
Ans : (D)

59. Where is the Gol Dumoaz located?
(A) Andhra Pradesh
(B) Maharashtra
(C) Kamataka
(D) Gujarat
Ans : (C)

60. Gulmarg is a hill station in—
(A) Himachal Pradesh
(B) Jammu and Kashmir
(C) Maharashtra
(D) Tamil Nadu
Ans : (B)

61. The largest producer of cashewnut in India is—
(A) Kerala
(B) Gujarat
(C) Orissa
(D) Tamil Nadu
Ans : (A)

62. Lal Bahadur National Academy of Administration is situated in—
(A) Pune
(B) Kolkata
(C) Dehradun
(D) Mussoorie
Ans : (D)

63. In what state is 'Rana Pratap Sagar' atomic power plant located?
(A) Haryana
(B) Gujarat
(C) Rajasthan
(D) Karnataka
Ans : (C)

64. Where is oil and Natural Gas Commission located?
(A) Haldia
(B) Dehradun
(C) Ankleshwar
(D) Cambay
Ans : (B)

65. Which of the following is situated at Agra ?
(A) Paratroopers Training College
(B) National Police Academy
(C) Central Tractor Organisation
(D) Air Force Flying College
Ans : (A)

66. The prevailing winds blowing from 30° S and 30° N towards the equator are termed as—
(A) Monsoon winds
(B) Antitrade winds
(C) Trade winds
(D) Polar winds
Ans : (C)

67. Irrigation is necessary for areas receiving rainfall—
(A) Less than 200 cm.
(B) Less than 75 cm.
(C) Less than 125 cm.
(D) At uncertain times
Ans : (B)

68. The reason for the necessity of irrigation in India is that—
(A) There is no rainfall at the time of need
(B) Indian crops require much water
(C) Indian farmers are in habit of watering the fields
(D) India is a hot country so water is easily evaporated
Ans : (A)

69. Which one of the following sources of irrigation in India is not suitable?
(A) Canals
(B) Karez
(C) Wells
(D) Tanks
Ans : (B)

70. In which of the following states of India, tank irrigation is most suitable?
(A) Tamil Nadu
(B) Punjab
(C) Uttar Pradesh
(D) Bihar
Ans : (A)
71. The canals of Kerala state are—
(A) Canals of Nagarjunasagar irrigation works
(B) Canals of Rampadsagar irrigation works
(C) Canals of Mangalam irrigation scheme
(D) Canals of the Mettur irrigation scheme
Ans : (C)

72. In which of the following state is Tungabhadra project of irrigation?
(A) Bihar
(B) Andhra Pradesh
(C) Tamil Nadu
(D) Maharashtra
Ans : (B)

73. How much part of India is irrigated by canals?
(A) 42%
(B) 60%
(C) 80%
(D) 25%
Ans : (A)

74. From where the Sirhind canal takes off?
(A) At Okhla near Delhi
(B) From Fire-lake at Khadakwesla
(C) From Gomati at Banbansa
(D) From the SutIej at Rupar
Ans : (D)

75. Where is Krishnaraja Sagar?
(A) In Kota
(B) In Udaipur
(C) In Mysore
(D) In Hyderabad
Ans : (C)

76. The number of wells in South India is very low because—
(A) The people of South India do not like to take water from wells
(B) Wells are difficult to dig because of hard rock underneath the thin layer of the soil
(C) There is too much rainfall therefore wells are not needed
(D) The people of South India do not know how to dig wells
Ans : (B)

77. For the production of wheat there should be—
(A) Cool and wet climate during its growing period but hot climate during the ripening period
(B) Sufficient heat but very little rainfall
(C) Sufficient heat and heavy rainfall
(D) Hot climate during the growing period but cool climate during the ripening period
Ans : (A)

78. During the summer monsoon the Himalayas have rains on their—
(A) Southern and western slopes
(B) Northern and eastern slopes
(C) Northern and western slopes
(D) Southern and eastern slopes
Ans : (D)

79. Which one of the following rivers originates from Amarkantak ?
(A) Son river
(B) Mahanadi
(C) Godavari river
(D) Sutlej river
Ans : (A)

80. The rivers of South India are—
(A) Suitable for hydro electricity
(B) Suitable sources of canals
(C) Full of water throughout the year
(D) Suitable for nevigation
Ans : (A)

81. Raining in Mumbai is—
(A) Mostly in summer
(B) Mostly in winter
(C) Throughout the year evenly
(D) Very rare
Ans : (A)

82. The Climate of India is—
(A) Mediterrian type
(B) Equatorial type
(C) Desert type
(D) Monsoon type
Ans : (D)

83. If Aravalli ranges were from east to west—
(A) There would be no difference at all
(B) Bengal would have been the dry area
(C) The western Rajasthan would never have been a desert
(D) Uttar Pradesh wold have been a desert
Ans : (C)

84. The range of temperature of Mathura in comparison of Kolkata is—
(A) Too much
(B) Too little
(C) Zero
(D) Uniform
Ans : (A)

85. The moist air masses that cause winter rains in the north-western region of India are part of—
(A) Trade winds
(B ) Westerlies
(C) Local disturbances
(D) Retreating monsoons
Ans : (B)

86. The chief production in region having black soil is—
(A) Cotton
(B) Rice
(C) Wheat
(D) Tea
Ans : (A)

87. Which one of the following soils found in India is the most useful for agriculture?
(A) Black or regur soil
(B) Alluvial soil
(C) Red and yellow soil
(D) Marshy soil
Ans : (B)

88. Kaziranga, the famous sanctuary of Assam is famous for—
(A) Rhinoes
(B) Tigers
(C) Lions
(D) Elephants
Ans : (A)

89. Sindri manufactures—
(A) Silk
(B) Paper
(C) Steel
(D) Fertilizers
Ans : (D)

90. Which one of the following forests is found in Sundarbans ?
(A) Evergreen forests
(B) Coniferous forests
(C) Coastal forests
(D) Deciduous forests
Ans : (C)

91. The leaves of the plants of desert forests are—
(A) Pointed in shape
(B) Small sized and thorny
(C) Long
(D) Broad
Ans : (B)

92. Railway coaches are made from—
(A) Shisham
(B) Deodar
(C) Teak
(D) Pine
Ans : (B)

93. Which one of the following is the biggest producer of rice?
(A) West Bengal
(B) Punjab
(C) Madhya Pradesh
(D) Rajasthan
Ans : (A)

94. What type of trees are found in the monsoon region?
(A) Broad leaf deciduous trees
(B) Evergreen trees
(C) Conifers
(D) Thorny bushes
Ans : (A)

95. What type of climate is required for sugarcane?
(A) Dry and hot
(B) Hot and wet
(C) Cold and dry
(D) Cold and wet
Ans : (B)

96. Sri Harikota situated in Andhra Pradesh is famous for—
(A) National Remote Sensing Agency
(B) Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre
(C) Satellite Control Centre
(D) Satellite Trackings and Ranging Station
Ans : (C)

97. A high ratio of non-workers to workers, as we have in India indicates—
(A) High degree of cultural development
(B) A State of self-sufficiency
(C) The rich natural resources of the country
(D) A rapid growth of population
Ans : (D)

98. What is Kolar ?
(A) Oil field in Assam
(B) A hydro-electric scheme in Bihar
(C) Gold fields in Karnataka
(D) A salt factory in Sambhal
Ans : (C)

99. Koderma, a place in Jharkhand is famous for—
(A) Mica mining centre
(B) Photogoods
(C) Cement factory
(D) Leather goods
Ans : (A)

100. Which one of the following states produces silver in abundance?
(A) Orissa
(B) Rajasthan
(C) Kerala
(D) West Bengal
Ans : (B)

101. What is the number of India among the producers of manganese ore in the world?
(A) Second
(B) First
(C) Third
(D) None
Ans : (C)

102. Which of the following is an igneous rocks?
(A) Limestone
(B) Slate
(C) Marble
(D) Basalt
Ans : (D)

103. Blue mountains are—
(A) The Vindyas
(B) The Nilgiri hills
(C) The Himalayas
(D) The Aravali ranges
Ans : (B)

104. The new name of Calicut, a famous city of Kerala is—
(A) Kozhikode
(B) Trivendrum
(C) Kalighat
(D) Koderma
Ans : (A)

105. The largest producer of Coco in Africa is—
(A) Ghana
(B) Sudan
(C) Nigeria
(D) Ivory Coast
Ans : (A)

106. Which state in India has highest population?
(A) Maharashtra
(B) Uttar Pradesh
(C) West Bengal
(D) Bihar
Ans : (B)

107. According to the census of 2001 which of the following cities in India has the maximum population?
(A) Mumbai
(B) Kolkata
(C) New Delhi
(D) Chennai
Ans : (A)

108. The only state in India that shows an excess of females over males is—
(A) Kerala
(B) Punjab
(C) Andhra Pradesh
(D) Assam
Ans : (A)

109. The Farakka Barrage has been constructed on the river—
(A) Hugli
(B) Brahmaputra
(C) Bhagirathi
(D) Padmini
Ans : (A)

110. The Gandhi Sagar dam has been constructed on the boundary of Rajasthan and—
(A) Orissa
(B) Madhya Pradesh
(C) Haryana
(D) Himachal Pradesh
Ans : (B)

111. Name the river whose water is utilized by Kakrapara project—
(A) Mahanadi
(B) Tunghbhadra
(C) Damodar
(D) Tapti
Ans : (D)

112. Which state in India occupies the first place in literacy—
(A) Uttar Pradesh
(B) Tamil Nadu
(C) Kerala
(D) Karnatak
Ans : (C)

113. Which State or Union Territory of India has the lowest literacy?
(A) Bihar
(B) Arunachal Pradesh
(C) Manipur
(D) Nagaland
Ans : (A)

114. Where is the headquarter of the Centre Board of Film censors?
(A) Mumbai
(B) Pune
(C) Chandigarh
(D) Kolkata
Ans : (A)

115. The highest number of cotton mills in India is —
(A) Ahmedabad
(B) Mumbai
(C) Coimbatore
(D) Kolkata
Ans : (A)

116. Churk is famous for—
(A) Cement factory
(B) Paper factory
(C) Sugar factory
(D) Carpet
Ans : (A)

117. The biggest newsprint paper mill of India is at—
(A) Titagarh
(B) Ballarpur
(C) Nepanagar
(D) Saharanpur
Ans : (C)

118. Bhilai Steel works has been built with the foreign collaboration of the—
(A) British
(B) Russians
(C) Germans
(D) Americans
Ans : (B)

119. The biggest number of sugar mills in India is in the state—
(A) Bihar
(B) Maharashtra
(C) Tamil Nadu
(D) Uttar Pradesh
Ans : (D)

120. The biggest number of jute mills in India is on the bank of the river—
(A) Hooghly
(B) Mahandi
(C) Brahmputra
(D) Cauvery
Ans : (A)

121. The biggest number of jute mills in India is in West Bengal because—
(A) This is the region of raw materials for jute products
(B) The climate is suitable
(C) It is near the consuming area
(D) Cheap supply of labour is available here
Ans : (A)

122. Which one of the following is the centre for cycle industry ?
(A) Firozabad
(B) Sonipat
(C) Allahabad
(D) Nagpur
Ans : (B)

123. Wet climate is suitable for cotton textile Industry because—
(A) Cotton yarn cannot be spun successfully under dry conditions
(B) The efficiency of the workers increases
(C) The rate of damage of machinery is decreased
(D) The rate of consumption electric power is decreased
Ans : (A)

124. 'Lalimli Mill' is in the town—
(A) Amritsar
(B) Faridabad
(C) Kanpur
(D) Ludhiana
Ans : (C)

125. Which one of the following cities in India is famous for gold wire embroidery on silken sarees even in foreign countries?
(A) Agra
(B) Varanasi
(C) Srinagar
(D) Tatanagar
Ans : (B)

126. Dalda brand vegetable Product is manufactured in—
(A) Mumbai
(B) Kanpur
(C) Modinagar
(D) Ghaziabad
Ans : (A)

127. Which one of the following towns in famous for glass bangles all over India?
(A) Sirampur
(B) Naini
(C) Mumbai
(D) Firozabad
Ans : (D)

128. Which is the longest road of India?
(A) Pathankot Jammu Road
(B) Great Deccan Road
(C) Grand Trunk Road
(D) Mahatma Gandhi Road
Ans : (C)

129. Dum Dum airport is in—
(A) Mumbai
(B) Kolkata
(C) Delhi
(D) Chennai
Ans : (B)

130. At present what is the length of Western Railway line?
(A) 6,475 kms
(B) 10,973 kms
(C) 7,051 kms
(D) 7,160 kms
Ans : (A)

131. The 'Head Quarters' of North East Railway is at—
(A) Delhi
(B) Gorakhpur
(C) Lucknow
(D) Kanpur
Ans : (B)

132. For going to Kashmir, the railway route is—
(A) Northern Railway
(B) North-East Railway
(C) Eastern Railway
(D) Western Railway
Ans : (A)

133. The Golden Temple Express runs between—
(A) New Delhi and Madurai
(B) Delhi and Howrah
(C) Amritsar and C.S.T.
(D) Ferozpur and Bombay V.T.
Ans : (C)

134. Where is the Railway Staff College situated?
(A) Ahmedabad
(B) Vadodara
(C) Chandausi
(D) Varanasi
Ans : (B)

135. The Diesel Locomotive Works is situated at—
(A) Varanasi
(B) Kolkata
(C) Chitranjan
(D) Jamshedpur
Ans : (A)

136. Which of the following trains runs between C. S. T. to Pune ?
(A) Rajdhani Express
(B) Deccan Queen
(C) Avadh Express
(D) Jayanti Janta
Ans : (B)

137. Chitranjan is famous for—
(A) Airport
(B) Ship building
(C) Production of electric and diesel locomotives
(D) Air craft factory
Ans : (C)

138. Inland Air services in India are run by the—
(A) Air India
(B) Air services of India
(C) Indian Air lines
(D) Air Bharat
Ans : (C)

139. Which of the states of India ranks first in tribal population?
(A) Assam
(B) Bihar
(C) Chhatisgarh
(D) Tamil Nadu
Ans : (C)

140. What is the rank of India in the world with respect to the population?
(A) Second
(B) First
(C) Third
(D) None
Ans : (A)
141. Which one of the following is used for measuring the speed of wind?
(A) Hygrometer
(B) Barometer
(C) Anemometer
(D) Thermometer
Ans : (C)

142. The maximum density of population of India is in the state—
(A) West Bengal
(B) Uttar Pradesh
(C) Kerala
(D) Haryana
Ans : (A)

143. What do you mean by the term density of population of a country ?
(A) The average number of deaths per annum
(B) The average number of births per annum
(C) The average number of people living in one hectare
(D) The average number of people living in one square kilometre
Ans : (D)

144. Chandigarh is the capital of—
(A) Punjab
(B) Haryana
(C) Punjab and Haryana
(D) Himachal Pradesh
Ans : (C)

145. The Capital of Karnatak state is—
(A) Hyderabad
(B) Bangalore
(C) Warangal
(D) Tiruvanantpuram
Ans : (B)

146. The biggest meteorological laboratory of India is in—
(A) Pune
(B) Jaipur
(C) Patna
(D) Kanpur
Ans : (A)

147. Which one of the following is the centre of Higher Technical education?
(A) Bhilai
(B) Kharagpur
(C) Srinagar
(D) Mathura
Ans : (B)

148. Which one of the following ports has replaced Karachi ?
(A) Kandla
(B) Mumbai
(C) Surat
(D) Cochin
Ans : (A)

149. Which is the best natural port of India?
(A) Kolkata
(B) Chennai
(C) Mumbai
(D) Kandla
Ans : (C)

150. Kakrapara Project is an irrigation project on the river of—
(A) Mahi
(B) Tapti
(C) Narmada
(D) Godavari
Ans : (B)

151. Bidi is manufactured in—
(A) Jabalpur
(B) Ajmer
(C) Gwalior
(D) Indore
Ans : (A)

152. The natural sea port from where spices, tea, coffee, sugar and coconut oil are exported, is—
(A) Kandla
(B) Chennai
(C) Vishakhapatnam
(D) Cochin
Ans : (D)

153. Which one of the following is known as 'Pittsburg of India' ?
(A) Baroda
(B) Rourkela
(C) Jamshedpur
(D) Durgapur
Ans : (C)

154. India imports chiefly from—
(A) Iran
(B) Russia
(C) Britain
(D) United State of America
Ans : (D)

155. The maximum export of India is to—
(A) United States of America
(B) Germany
(C) Russia
(D) Britain
Ans : (A)

156. The most leading port of India for import is—
(A) Mumbai
(B) Kandla
(C) Kolkata
(D) Chennai
Ans : (A)

157. Which of the following states produces asbestos in abundance?
(A) Bihar
(B) Rajasthan
(C) Andhra Pradesh
(D) Gujarat
Ans : (B)

158. Which is the richest state of India from the point of view of minerals?
(A) Kerala
(B) Bihar
(C) Maharashtra
(D) Madhya Pradesh
Ans : (D)

159. Which one of the following states is such whose inhabitants are mostly Christians?
(A) Nagaland
(B) Manipur
(C) Tamil Nadu
(D) Tripura
Ans : (A)

160. Which one of the following languages is used in Tripura ?
(A) Hindi
(B) Mizo
(C) Khasi
(D) Bengali
Ans : (D)

161. Which one of the following states is famous for sandal wood?
(A) Andhra Pradesh
(B) Kerala
(C) Karnataka
(D) Tamil Nadu
Ans : (C)

162. Which state of India is known as land of paradise?
(A) Uttar Pradesh
(B) Jammu and Kashmir
(C) Haryana
(D) Assam
Ans : (B)

163. In India, which coast receives rainfall from North East monsoon—
(A) Konkan Coast
(B) Malabar Coast
(C) Coromandal Coast
(D) Gujarat Coast
Ans : (C)

164. Which country is called the Sugar Bowl of the World ?
(A) India
(B) Cuba
(C) U.S.A.
(D) Indonesia
Ans : (B)

165. The Islands of Cloves is—
(A) Zanzibar
(B) New Zealand
(C) Sri Lanka
(D) Cuba
Ans : (A)

166. Croydon is an international air port of—
(A) U. S. A.
(B) France
(C) U. K.
(D) India
Ans : (C)

167. Which country is associated with 'kiwis' ?
(A) Phillippines
(B) New Zealand
(C) Malaysia
(D) Indonesia
Ans : (B)

168. What is the new name of Siam ?
(A) Thailand
(B) Canton
(C) Taiwan
(D) Timor
Ans : (A)

169. The capital of Norway is—
(A) Copenhagan
(B) Oslo
(C) Beirut
(D) Canton
Ans : (B)

170. Kalahari deert is in—
(A) North Africa
(B) South Africa
(C) South America
(D) Australia
Ans : (B)

171. Dead sea a salt water lake, is locatted between—
(A) Israel and Jordan
(B) Egypt and Libya
(C) Israel and Lebanon
(D) Morocco and Spain
Ans : (A)

172. Which river forms the boundary line between Uttar Pradesh and Haryana ?
(A) Sutlej
(B) Yamuna
(C) Ganga
(D) Parvati
Ans : (B)

173. Britain and France and divided by the natural boundary of—
(A) The Alps
(B) The English Channel
(C) The river Thames
(D) The river Seine
Ans : (B)

174. The coldest place of the world is in—
(A) Verkhoyansk
(B) Nr. Vostok
(C) Ust' Shchugor
(D) Snag
Ans : (B)

175. Which is the hottest place of the word?
(A) A Aziziyah
(B) Seville
(C) Death Valley
(D) Jacobabad
Ans : (A)

176. Which country is the biggest producer of tea in the world?
(A) India
(B) Russia
(C) China
(D) Brazil
Ans : (A)

177. Which country is the biggest producer of rubber in the world?
(A) Malaysia
(B) Sri Lanka
(C) Thailand
(D) Brazil
Ans : (A)

178. The Capital of Iran is—
(A) Bagdad
(B) Tehran
(C) Adan
(D) Basra
Ans : (B)

179. Which of the following rivers is known as the 'Sorrow of China' ?
(A) Hwang Ho
(B) Amur
(C) Mekong
(D) Yangteesi-Kiang
Ans : (A)

180. What is the main industrial production in Switzerland?
(A) Cotton textile
(B) Motor-cars
(C) Watch and clocks
(D) Cement
Ans : (C)

181. Paris is famous for—
(A) Museum and library
(B) Fashion and decoration
(C) Healthy climate
(D) Dairy industry
Ans : (B)

182. Which country of Europe is famous for dairy industry?
(A) Denmark
(B) Norway
(C) Sweden
(D) Switzerland
Ans : (A)

183. Which is the river that originates from Black Forest and falls in Black sea?
(A) Rhine
(B) Oder
(C) Danube
(D) Don
Ans : (C)

184. Which is the longest river of Europe ?
(A) Danube
(B) Volga
(C) Rhine
(D) Seine
Ans : (B)

185. Which country of Europe is known as the 'Country of Lakes' ?
(A) Finland
(B) Italy
(C) France
(D) Spain
Ans : (A)

186. Which is the mountain between the Black sea and Caspian sea?
(A) Ural
(B) Caucasus
(C) Alps
(D) Balkan
Ans : (B)

187. In which country of Europe is the active volcano of Vesuvius?
(A) Italy
(B) Norway
(C) France
(D) Germany
Ans : (A)

188. Which of the two Seas are linked by the strait of Gibraltar ?
(A) Black Sea and Caspian Sea
(B) North Sea and Baltic Sea
(C) Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea
(D) Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea
Ans : (C)

189. The Kiel canal links—
(A) Mediterranean and Black Sea
(B) Pacific and Atlantic oceans
(C) Mediterranean and Red Sea
(D) North Sea and Baltic Sea
Ans : (D)

190. The chief wine producer of the world is—
(A) Great Britain
(B) Norway
(C) France
(D) Germany
Ans : (C)

191. Which of the following has the greatest importance in commercial fisheries?
(A) Spain
(B) Dogger Banks
(C) Italy
(D) Portugal
Ans : (B)

192. What is the chief import of U.K. ?
(A) Food stuffs and raw material
(B) Machines and rubber
(C) Wine and biscuits
(D) Iron and coal
Ans : (A)

193. What is the chief mineral of Russia?
(A) Iron
(B) Coal
(C) Copper
(D) Tin
Ans : (B)

194. Edinburgh is famous for—
(A) Higher education
(B) Iron industry
(C) Dairy industry
(D) Fish industry
Ans : (A)

195. The longest railway line of the world is—
(A) Canadian Pacific Railway
(B) Cape-Cairo Railway
(C) Trans-Siberian Railway
(D) Paris-Constantinople Railway
Ans : (C)

196. In which one of the following places the population is very low?
(A) Interior part of Spain
(B) North plain of Italy
(C) Southern part of Holland
(D) Plain of Douro in Portugal
Ans : (A)

197. Chief Industry of Canada is—
(A) Wine
(B) Dairy
(C) Iron
(D) Wood pulp and paper
Ans : (D)

198. The Capital of U.S.A. is—
(A) St. Louis
(B) San Francisco
(C) Washington D.C.
(D) Newyork
Ans : (C)

199. Winnipeg is famous in the world for—
(A) Natural scenery
(B) Wheat centre
(C) High buildings
(D) Film industry
Ans : (B)

200. The name of the canal which links Pacific and Atlantic Ocean, is—
(A) Panama
(B) Suez
(C) Kiel
(D) None of these
Ans : (A)

201. The biggest lake of fresh water in the world is—
(A) Baikal lake
(B) Superior lake
(C) Nyasa lake
(D) Victoria lake
Ans : (B)

202. Which one of the following towns is not the railway station of Canadian Pacific Railway?
(A) Regina
(B) Winning
(C) San Francisco
(D) Vancouver
Ans : (C)

203. The river Mississipi falls in—
(A) The Gulf of Mexico
(B) Atlantic Ocean
(C) Pacific Ocean
(D) Superior lake
Ans : (A)

204. Sierra Nevada is the name of—
(A) An animal of America
(B) A disease found in America
(C) A fruit found in America
(D) A mountain in America
Ans : (D)

205. The biggest meat market of the world is in—
(A) London
(B) Boston
(C) Chicago
(D) Winnipeg
Ans : (C)

206. Red Indians are the original inhabitants of—
(A) Africa
(B) North America
(C) Asia
(D) Europe
Ans : (B)

207. Which part of North America is the most thinly populated?
(A) Alaska
(B) California
(C) Eastern Part of U.S.A.
(D) The region of great lakes
Ans : (A)

208. What is exported from Halifax?
(A) Wood and its articles
(B) Fish and Fruits
(C) Petroleum
(D) Wheat
Ans : (B)

209. What is the chief agricultural product of the U.S.A. ?
(A) Maize
(B) Cotton
(C) Barley
(D) Rice
Ans : (A)

210. What is the chief occupation of Brazilians?
(A) Sugar Production
(B) Mining
(C) Producing Coffee
(D) Sheep rearing
Ans : (C)
211. When does it rains in the Central valley of Chile?
(A) In summer
(B) In winter
(C) Throughout the year
(D) Never
Ans : (B)

212. Which is the biggest river of South America?
(A) Amazon
(B) Peru
(C) Orinico
(D) Parana-Paraguay
Ans : (A)

213. Where does the river Uruguay fall ?
(A) In Pacific ocean
(B) Titicaca lake
(C) In Carribean sea
(D) In Atlantic Ocean
Ans : (D)

214. What is Uspallata in South America?
(A) An animal
(B) A lake
(C) A pass
(D) None of these
Ans : (C)

215. Which one of the following regions, comes under the equatorial climate?
(A) Desert of Chile
(B) Amaion-basin
(C) Plain of Brazil
(D) Pampass
Ans : (B)

216. Which one of the following countries is famous for the production of nitre?
(A) Chile
(B) Brazil
(C) Peru
(D) Columbia
Ans : (A)

217. Which is the biggest port of Argentina?
(A) Bahia Blanca
(B) Buenos Aires
(C) La Plato
(D) Mar Del Plato
Ans : (B)

218. The capital of Brazil is—
(A) Bahia Blanca
(B) Buenos Aires
(C) La Plato
(D) Brasilia
Ans : (D)

219. The largest units of coir industry are located at—
(A) Kerala
(B) Andhra Pradesh
(C) Gujarat
(D) Haryana
Ans : (A)

220. Which country of the South America is known as 'Granary of Europe' ?
(A) Argentina
(B) Chile
(C) Brazil
(D) Bolivia
Ans : (A)

221. Atacama desert is in—
(A) Australia
(B) Asia
(C) Africa
(D) South America
Ans : (D)

222. The main region of the South America which produces wheat, is—
(A) Peru
(B) Pampas
(C) Brazil
(D) Columbia
Ans : (B)

223. Which country of the South America, is the biggest producer of Petroleum?
(A) Venezuela
(B) Peru
(C) Chile
(D) Brazil
Ans : (A)

224. Which one of the following animals is found in South America?
(A) Lama
(B) Kangaroo
(C) Giraffe
(D) Gorilla
Ans : (A)

225. The highest mountain peak in Africa is—
(A) Kenya
(B) Atlas
(C) Nyasa
(D) Kilimanjaro
Ans : (D)

226. Which one of the following countries is not in Africa?
(A) Kenya
(B) Nigeria
(C) Bolivia
(D) Ethiopia
Ans : (C)

227. What is the new name of the island of Madagascar ?
(A) Haitti
(B) Malagasy
(C) Mozambique
(D) Maputo
Ans : (B)

228. Kimberley, a town of South Africa is famous for—
(A) Diamonds
(B) Goldmines
(C) Poisoneous Snakes
(D) Seaport
Ans : (A)

229. In which part of Africa, Sahara desert is situated?
(A) Northern part
(B) Southern part
(C) Western part
(D) Eastern part
Ans : (A)

230. Africa is a hot continent, because—
(A) There are many volcanoes
(B) There is a great Sahara desert
(C) The greater part of the continent lies within the equatorial type of climate
(D) This is a big producer of spices
Ans : (C)

231. Which part of Africa has the highest population ?
(A) Valley of the river Niger
(B) Valley of the river Nile
(C) Valley of the river Congo
(D) Valley of the river Zambezi
Ans : (B)

232. Which is the largest lake in Africa?
(A) Tanganyika
(B) Nyasa
(C) Edward
(D) Victoria
Ans : (D)

233. What is said 'veld' in Africa?
(A) Savanna forest
(B) Equatorial forest
(C) Grass lands
(D) Tropical forest
Ans : (C)

234. The river Zambezi originates from—
(A) Victoria lake
(B) Western Plateau
(C) Tanganyika lake
(D) Mt. Atlas
Ans : (B)

235. Which one of the following is not in good number at the sea coasts of Africa?
(A) Rivers
(B) Islands
(C) Lakes
(D) Mountains
Ans : (B)

236. The ore for aluminium is—
(A) Hematite
(B) Bauxite
(C) Laterite
(D) Pyrolusite
Ans : (B)

237. Which one of the following is the largest lake in Rajasthan?
(A) Anasagar
(B) Pichhola
(C) Sambhar
(D) Udaisagar
Ans : (C)

238. In which part of Africa, Uranium is found?
(A) Sahara
(B) Congo basin
(C) Sudan
(D) Rhodesia
Ans : (B)

239. What is the most typical Australian tree?
(A) Oak
(B) Pine
(C) Eucalyptus
(D) Rubber
Ans : (C)

240. What is the main mineral of Australia?
(A) Gold
(B) Silver
(C) Lead
(D) Diamond
Ans : (A)

241. Kalgoorlie and coolgradie mines are in—
(A) Africa
(B) Australia
(C) North America
(D) Europe
Ans : (B)

242. Murray and Darling rivers fall in—
(A) The gulf of Carpentaria
(B) Pacific ocean
(C) Encounter Bay
(D) Indian ocean
Ans : (C)

243. The capital of Tasmania is—
(A) New castle
(B) Hobart
(C) Launceston
(D) Perth
Ans : (B)

244. What is the chief export from New Zealand?
(A) Wool
(B) Oil
(C) Motor car
(D) Cigarette
Ans : (A)

245. Which part of Australia receives rain throughout the year?
(A) Western part
(B) Eastern part
(C) Southern part
(D) Northern part
Ans : (D)

246. Which of the following is the chief crop of Australia?
(A) Rice
(B) Maize
(C) Wheat
(D) Potato
Ans : (C)

247. The chief imports of Australia is—
(A) Gold, cotton, iron and rice
(B) Cigarettes, motorcars, cotton clothes, machines and Petroleum
(C) Coal, iron and wool
(D) Meat, wheat, silver and woolen clothes
Ans : (B)

248. The original inhabitants of New Zealand are known as—
(A) Maoris
(B) Bedouins
(C) Magyars
(D) Tartars
Ans : (A)

249. To which side of Australia, Fiji island is situated?
(A) North-west side
(B) North-east side
(C) In South
(D) In West
Ans : (B)

250. In which of the foIlowing countries, the Christmas festival is celebrated in summer season?
(A) New Zealand
(B) Germany
(C) Japan
(D) New Foundland
Ans : (A)

251. Which one of the following food grains is grown in China in the largest quantity?
(A) Rye
(B) Barley
(C) Rice
(D) Maize
Ans : (C)

252. The climate of South East Australia is cold because—
(A) It is very near to the equator
(B) It is a hilly highland
(C) It is very near to sea
(D) It is in the region of cold winds
Ans : (B)

253. What is Great Barrier Reef?
(A) A belt of Coral along the east coasts of Australia
(B) A cave between Sydney and Malbourne
(C) A fish found area in the sea near New Zealand
(D) A mine situated in the Great Victoria Valley
Ans : (A)

254. Paradeep port lies in—
(A) Kerala
(B) Orissa
(C) Andhra Pradesh
(D) Tamil Nadu
Ans : (B)

255. A radio broadcast from Tokyo on Saturday at 12 noon should be heard at Vancouver—
(A) The same morning
(B) The same evening
(C) On Friday
(D) On Sunday
Ans : (C)

256. Lines joining places receiving equal amount of rainfall are called—
(A) Isohalines
(B) Isobars
(C) Isotherms
(D) Isohyets
Ans : (D)

257. Which State is the largest producer of manganese in India?
(A) Assam
(B) Rajasthan
(C) Madhya Pradesh
(D) Orissa
Ans : (D)

258. Which is the largest cotton producing country in the world?
(A) Russia
(B) U.S.A.
(C) India
(D) Egypt
Ans : (B)

259. The capital of Western Australia is—
(A) Sydney
(B) Canberra
(C) Malbourne
(D) Perth
Ans : (D)

260. Which of the following has the smallest population ?
(A) Myanmar
(B) Canada
(C) Romania
(D) Australia
Ans : (D)

261. The biggest island in the world is—
(A) New Guinea
(B) Borneo
(C) Greenland
(D) Sumatra
Ans : (C)

262. They Sea port which does not have a petroleum refinery?
(A) Kandla
(B) Mangalore
(C) Chennai
(D) Cochin
Ans : (A)

263. The largest lake in India is—
(A) Wular
(B) Sambhar
(C) Chika
(D) Dal
Ans : (A)

264. Which of the following rivers occupies a riftvalley?
(A) Narmada
(B) Cauvery
(C) Mahanadi
(D) Sutlej
Ans : (A)

265. Sindri is famous for—
(A) Oil refining
(B) Aluminium manufacture
(C) Machine-tool industry
(D) Fertilizer production
Ans : (D)

266. The solar eclipse occurs when—
(A) The sun comes in between the moon and the earth
(B) The earth comes in between the sum and the moon
(C) The moon comes in between the sun and the earth
(D) The moon, the sun and the earth are in a straight line
Ans : (C)

267. The spring tide occurs when the moon, the sun and the earth make in angle of—
(A) 180°
(B) 90°
(C) 45°
(D) 33°
Ans : (A)

268. Atacama is—
(A) A desert region of North Chile
(B) The grassland of Argentina
(C) The peninsular portion of Eastern Mexico
(D) A desert region in Southern California
Ans : (A)

269. The Panama Canal shorterns the distance between—
(A) The Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean sea
(B) The Red sea and the Arabian sea
(C) The Pacific and the Atlantic oceans
(D) The Atlantic ocean and the Indian ocean
Ans : (C)

270. The inclination of the earth's axis to plane of the orbit is—
(A) 90°
(B) 23½°
(D) 66½°
(C) 0°
Ans : (B)

271. Which of the following towns is a modern planned town?
(A) Kolkata
(B) Varanasi
(C) Chennai
(D) Chandigarh
Ans : (D)

272. Some one travels from Kolkata to Delhi through the Gangetic plain, he would notice that the cultivation of wheat—
(A) Decreases
(B) Increases
(C) First decreases and then increases
(D) First increases and then decreases
Ans : (B)

273. Nuclear power station in Uttar Pradesh is at—
(A) Mathura
(B) Narora
(C) Lucknow
(D) Kanpur
Ans : (B)

274. The scandinavian countries are located in high latitudes. Parts of countries located in the same latitudes freeze during winter, but the ports located on the Norwegian coast do not freeze.
This is the mainly due to the fact that—
(A) Many small rivers drain to the sea
(B) There is a chain of volcanoes
(C) The North Atlantic Drift flows past the coast
(D) The Westerlies blow from the South West
Ans : (C)

275. Temperature varies from place to place with latitude and altitude. It may increase or decrease depending upon the factors that affect temperature. Certain anomalies may also develop on account of tmique combination of factors. The inversion of temperature would mean that the—
(A) Temperature decreases with elevation
(B) Temperature is constant at different eleations
(C) Temperature decreases and then increases with elevation
(D) Temperature changes along the same latitude
Ans : (C)

276. Natural vegetation of a region depends mainly on climate and hence there are distinctive areas of different types of vegetation. The governing factors in general are temperature, and precipitation. Accordingly, pine forests in India are found in—
(A) The Sunderbans
(B) The Thar desert
(C) The Himalayas
(D) The Ganga plain
Ans : (C)

277. India is an agricultural country and possesses fertile plains and numerous perennial rivers. About 72 per cent of its population resides in the rural areas. Nearly 70 per cent of the people are dependent on agriculture. About three-fourths of the cultivated land of India is used for food production because—
(A) The soil is suitable for food crops
(B) India is an exporter of food grains
(C) India has to feed a large population
(D) Per capita consumption of food in India is the highest in the world
Ans : (A)

278. A considerable part of our cotton, woollen and silk goods is produced on handlooms and powerlooms. Khaddar cloth is made out of handspun yarn. The Indian sarees which have become popular in the western world are produced in the decentralised sector. As many as five million people are employed in this sector. The number is bigger than the total number of persons employed in the organized industries and mining put together. The handloom and Khadi industry is located—
(A) In the urban areas of India
(B) In the capital towns of the states
(C) Largely in the rural areas of India
(D) Only on the urban fringes
Ans : (C)

279. The youngest folded mountain in India is—
(A) Vindhyas
(B) Aravallis
(C) Nilgiris
(D) Siwaliks
Ans : (D)

280. Which of the followings is the shortest day in the southern hemisphere ?
(A) March 21
(B) June 21
(C) September 22
(D) December 23
Ans : (B)
281. Which of the following ports does not have an oil refinery?
(A) Cochin
(B) Chennai
(C) Tuticoran
(D) Mumbai
Ans : (C)

282. In which of the following minerals in India not self sufficient?
(A) Copper
(B) Iron ore
(C) Coal
(D) Mica
Ans : (A)

283. The Mathura refinery gets its crude supply from—
(A) Assam oil fields
(B) Gujarat oil fields
(C) Bombay High
(D) Imported stock
Ans : (C)

284. The highest peak of Peninsular India is ?
(A) Anaimudi
(B) Kalsubai
(C) Ooty
(D) Mahabaleswar
Ans : (A)

285. Nearly half of the total production of sugarcane in India comes from Uttar Pradesh alone, because—
(A) The yield per hectare is the highest in U.P.
(B) The prevailing climate of U.P. is best suited for sugarcane cultivation
(C) Thick variety of sugarcane is cultivated in U.P.
(D) Area under sugarcane cultivation is the highest in U.P.
Ans : (D)

286. The Tigris river flows mainly through—
(A) Turkey
(B) Syria
(C) Iraq
(D) Iran
Ans : (C)

287. Which of the following is the largest producer of mineral oil in the world?
(A) Russia
(B) U.S.A.
(C) Saudi Arabia
(D) Kuwait
Ans : (B)

288. The mediterranean climate is characterized by—
(A) Humid summers and humid winters
(B) Humid summers and dry winters
(C) Dry summers and dry winters
(D) Dry summers and humid winters
Ans : (D)

289. Which of the following plants is used for making Kaththa ?
(A) Accacia arabica
(B) Accacia Catechu
(C) Accacia senegal
(D) Laccifer lacca
Ans : (B)

290. The lower layer of the atmosphere is known as—
(A) Mesosphere
(B) Ionosphere
(C) Troposphere
(D) Stratosphere
Ans : (C)

291. The line joining places which have the same height above mean sea level is called—
(A) Isohyte
(B) Isobar
(C) Contour line
(D) Isohaline
Ans : (C)

292. The cold northern island of Japan is—
(A) Kyushu
(B) Konshu
(C) Kokkaido
(D) Shikoku
Ans : (C)

293. Dandakaranya is located in—
(A) Northern India
(B) Central India
(C) Norther-Eastern India
(D) Southern India
Ans : (B)

294. Which of the following is NOT a coal field?
(A) Raniganj
(B) Jharia
(C) Mosabani
(D) Korba
Ans : (C)

295. The summer solstice in northern hemisphere occurs when the sun is directly overhead at noon on—
(A) The Tropic of Capricorn
(B) The Tropic of Cancer
(C) The equator
(D) None of the above
Ans : (B)

296. Cactus is a plant usually found in—
(A) Flood plains
(B) Semiarid regions
(C) Deltaic regions
(D) Fresh water lakes
Ans : (B)

297. Which of the following is a land locked country ?
(A) Afghanistan
(B) Myanmar (Burma)
(C) Philippines
(D) Israel
Ans : (A)

298. The Bhakra Nangal dam is the largest producer of raw silk?
(A) Ravi
(B) Beas
(C) Sutlej
(D) Yamuna
Ans : (C)

299. Which of the following is the largest producer of raw silk?
(A) Tamil Nadu
(B) Karnataka
(C) Andhra Pradesh
(D) Jammu and Kashmir
Ans : (B)

300. The moon revolve round the earth in—
(A) 30 days
(B) 29 days
(C) 28½ days
(D) 27⅓ days
Ans : (D)

301. The Tapti river rises from the—
(A) Vindhyan range
(B) Satpura range
(C) Maikal range
(D) Mahadev hills
Ans : (D)

302. States with long coastal boundaries are producers of salt in India. However half of the country's sea salt production comes from Saurashtra-Gujarat. This is due to—
(A) Its longest coast line
(B) High salinity of sea water
(C) A large number of medium sized ports
(D) Well developed industrial market in the State
Ans : (B)

303. The greatest deposits of loess are found in—
(A) New Zealand
(B) Central Europe
(C) China
(D) Argentina
Ans : (C)

304. The general trend of Isotherms on the globe is—
(A) East-West
(B) North-South
(C) North-East
(D) South-West
Ans : (A)

305. The rate of cooling of ascending air is—
(A) 1°C for every 300 metres
(B) 2°C for every 300 metres
(C) 2.5°C for every 300 metres
(D) 3°C for every 300 metres
Ans : (B)

306. The diameter of moon is—
(A) 3475 km
(B) 3250 km
(C) 3500 km
(D) 3258 km
Ans : (A)

307. A column of air 1 sq. cm. in cross-sectional area extending from sea-level to the top of the atmosphere weights approximately—
(A) 933 g wt
(B) 1033 g wt
(C) 1136 g wt
(D) 1360 g wt
Ans : (B)

308. Drowned glaciated valleys in high latitude regions are known as—
(A) Fiords
(B) Ocean ridges
(C) Sub-marine canyons
(D) Glaciated valleys
Ans : (A)

309. The doldrum area comes into the trade winds In—
(A) Autumn
(B) Summer
(C) Spring
(D) Winter
Ans : (B)

310. Plant cover of Deserts in the world is—
(A) Tall grasses
(B) Perennial Xerophytic shrubs
(C) Dwarf trees
(D) Water storing plants
Ans : (B)

311. Barchan dunes will tend to form in—
(A) Hot deserts
(B) Humid tropical areas
(C) Coastal areas
(D) Polar deserts
Ans : (A)

312. The earth while orbitting makes various angles with the sun's rays. On 22nd December, the rays are vertical on earth at—
(A) 23½°
(B) 30° North
(C) 23½° South
(D) 30° South
Ans : (C)

313. In which period people visit Hammerfest (about 71° N 24°E) to see the beauty of the Midnight Sun?
(A) March to May
(B) June to August
(C) September to November
(D) December to February
Ans : (B)

314. Which one of the following has been formed differently from the other three?
(A) Peat
(B) Bituminus
(C) Lignite
(D) Graphite
Ans : (D)

315. If the locations of two places on the map are 60°N 90°E and 40°S 90°E, what is the direct distance in kilometres between these places?
(A) 11100
(B) 10000
(C) 11000
(D) 11200
Ans : (A)

316. North-Western parts of India get winter rainfall mainly due to—
(A) North-West monsoon
(B) Western disturbances
(C) North-East monsoon
(D) Retreating monsoon
Ans : (B)

317. Which valley is formed as a result of tectonic forces?
(A) 'V' -shaped valley
(B) 'U' -shaped valley
(C) Hanging valley
(D) Rift valley
Ans : (D)

318. Which forest is known for large scale lumbering ?
(A) Equatorial forests
(B) Mixed forests
(C) Coniferous forests
(D) Monsoon forests
Ans : (C)

319. What is the chief characteristics of monsoon climate?
(A) Daily range of temperature very high
(B) Complete reversal of wind direction with the change of season
(C) Annual range of temperature very high
(D) Heavy rainfall mainly during winter
Ans : (B)

320. Soils are usually formed by the process of—
(A) Erosion
(B) Deposition
(C) Denudation
(D) Weathering
Ans : (D)

321. Which group of maps are the large scale maps?
(A) Atlas and wall maps
(B) Themetic and political maps
(C) Physical and weather maps
(D) Cadastral and Tourist Guide maps
Ans : (D)

322. If the R.F. of a map is 1 : 10,00,000 what could be its statement of scale?
(A) 1 cm-l0 km
(B) 1 cm-l km
(C) 1 cm-100 km
(D) 1 cm-l000 km
Ans : (A)

323. Sugar industry in India has a tendency to migrate towards south because—
(A) The soils of South India are highly suitable for cultivation of sugarcane
(B) The climate of South India is more suitable for the production of sugarcane
(C) The per capita consumption of sugar in the South is more than the North
(D) The winds coming from the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea increase the sugar content in the sugarcane
Ans : (B)

324. Which of the following two rivers are navigable for big distances—
(A) Godavari and Tungbhadra
(B) Narmada and Tapti
(C) Ganga and Brahamputra
(D) Damodar and Kosi
Ans : (C)

325. Gujarat is the largest producer of salt in India because—
(A) Its coastal waters are very saline
(B) It has extensive dry coast
(C) It has extensive shallow seas
(D) Its inhabitants are expert in preparing salt
Ans : (A)

326. Which soil is formed differently from the other three soils?
(A) Regur
(B) Bhabar
(C) Bangar
(D) Khadar
Ans : (A)

327. Amongst the cereals, this has the largest production in India—
(A) Wheat
(B) Maize
(C) Ric
(D) Barley
Ans : (C)

328. The largest desert in the World is—
(A) Gobi
(B) Kalahari
(C) Patagonia
(D) Sahara
Ans : (D)

329. Ruhr region is situated in—
(A) Poland
(B) Russia
(C) Germany
(D) France
Ans : (C)

330. Earthquake waves are recorded in—
(A) Barograph
(B) Hydrograph
(C) Seismograph
(D) Pantagraph
Ans : (C)

331. Which of these is young folded mountain?
(A) The Himalayas
(B) The Vindhyas
(C) The Nilgiris
(D) The Western Ghats
Ans : (A)

332. Ankaleshwar is famous for—
(A) Gold mining
(B) Petrochemical Industry
(C) Manufacturing Industry
(D) Wheat producton
Ans : (B)

333. Which country imports iron most?
(A) Germany
(B) France
(C) Sweden
(D) Japan
Ans : (D)

334. Chittaranjan is famous for—
(A) Cotton manufacturing Industry
(B) Sugar Industry
(C) Fertilizer Industry
(D) Locomotive Industry
Ans : (D)

335. Which of the following is not a mineral ?
(A) Slate
(B) Limestone
(C) Coal
(D) Calcite
Ans : (A)

336. Which one is the biggest planet of the Solar system?
(A) Mercury
(B) Earth
(C) Pluto
(D) Jupiter
Ans : (D)

337. Rourkela Steel Plant of Orissa gets its iron ore from—
(A) Noamundi
(B) Bonai
(C) Barsua
(D) All above
Ans : (D)

338. 'Meghalaya' is the name given to the region corresponding to—
(A) Lushai Hill Region
(B) Garo-Khasi Hill Region
(C) Nefa Region
(D) Nagaland
Ans : (B)

339. Which of the following is a port in Persian Gulf?
(A) Port Said
(B) Suez Port
(C) Eden Port
(D) Bandar Abbas
Ans : (D)

340. The strait of Hormuz joins which of the following water bodies—
(A) Red sea and Mediterranean sea
(B) Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman
(C) Caspian sea and Black sea
(D) Gulf of Oman and Arabian sea
Ans : (B)

341. Which of the following lies on the left bank of the Ganga?
(A) Kanpur
(B) Patna
(C) Allahabad
(D) Varanasi
Ans : (D)

342. Bhor Ghat gap gives access to the railway link between—
(A) Mumbai and Jalgaon
(B) Mumbai and Pune
(C) Cochin and Coimbatore
(D) Trivandrum and Kanyakumari
Ans : (B)

343. We generally measure the depth of the Sea in—
(A) Feet
(B) Fathoms
(C) Metres
(D) Nautical miles
Ans : (B)

344. Hanging valleys are formed due to the action of—
(A) River
(B) Glacier
(C) Waves of the ocean
(D) Volcanic eruption
Ans : (B)

345. In the northern hemisphere, due to Ferrel's law the wind is deflected—
(A) Towards its right
(B) Towards its left
(C) Towards its north
(D) Towards its south
Ans : (A)

346. The largest number of jute mills are located along—
(A) Ganga Valley
(B) Brahmaputra Valley
(C) Godavari basin
(D) Hooghly basin
Ans : (D)

347. Mettur dam is built on the—
(A) Godavari river
(B) Krishna river
(C) Kaveri (Cauvery) river
(D) Tungabhadra river
Ans : (C)

348. The phases of moon are caused by—
(A) The rotation of the earth
(B) The rotation of the moon
(C) The revolution of the earth
(D) The revolution of the moon
Ans : (B)

349. The average time interval between successive high tide and low tide is—
(A) 12 hours and 26 minutes
(B) 6 hours and 12 minutes
(C) 24 hours and 52 minutes
(D) 50 minutes
Ans : (C)

350. The planet with the shortest year is—
(A) Earth
(B) Mercury
(C) Mars
(D) Pluto
Ans : (B)