SOLVED PAPER 2020 (CDS) (I) (General Studies)

Total Questions: 120

71. Which one of the following is not a feature of the Ayushman Bharat Scheme?

Correct Answer: (d) The scheme provides a benefit cover of ₹10 lakh per family
Solution:Among the following options, only option (d) is incorrect.

Ayushman Bharat Scheme provides a benefit cover of ₹5 lakh (and not ₹10 lakh) per family per year.

Ayushman Bharat Scheme is world’s largest health insurance scheme fully financed by the Government of India.

Eligibility criteria for the scheme include 

  • No restrictions on family size, age or gender.
  • All pre-existing conditions are covered from day one.
  • Covers upto 3 days of pre-hospitalisation and 15 days of post-hospitalisation expenses.
  • Benefits of the scheme are portable across country.
  • Public hospitals are reimbursed for healthcare services at par with private hospitals.

72. Which of the following are considered to be the four pillars of human development?

Correct Answer: (b) Equity, productivity, empowerment and sustainability
Solution:Human development is defined as the process of enlarging people’s freedoms and opportunities, and improving their well-being. This concept was propounded by economist Mahbub-ul-haq in 1970s.

The four pillars of human development are

Equity It refers to creating equal access to opportunities and ensure that it is available to all.
Sustainability It means durableness in the availability of opportunities.
Productivity It means productivity in terms of human work.
Empowerment It means to have power to make choices.

73. Which one of the following was added as a Fundamental duty through the Constitution (86th Amendment) Act, 2002?

Correct Answer: (b) To provide opportunities for education to one’s child between the age of 6 and 14 years
Solution:The Fundamental Duty “To provide opportunities for education to one’s child between the age of 6 and 14 years”, was added through the Constitution (86th Amendment) Act of 2002. This was done by amending the Article-51 A of the Constitution.

This amendment further added Article-21A to the Constitution. Article-21A states that, “the State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of 6 to 14 years in such manner as the state may, by law, determine.”

Moreover, 86th Constitutional Amendment Act substituted new article for Article-45. New article states that, “The state shall endeavour to provide early childhood care and education for all children until they complete the age of 6 years.”

74. Which one of the following Articles of the Constitution of India protects a person against double jeopardy?

Correct Answer: (a) Article-20
Solution:Article-20 of the Constitution of India protects a person against double jeopardy. This means that the Constitution prohibits the prosecution and punishment for the same offence more than once.

 Other provisions of the Article-20 are

  • Protection against Ex-post Facto legislation, i.e. an individual cannot be convicted for actions that were committed before the enactment of the law.
  • Immunity from self-incrimination, i.e. no person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself.

75. Consider the following statements about Stone Age in India :

1. Different periods are identified on the basis of the type and technology of stone tools.
2. There are no regional variations in the type and technology of tools in different periods.
3. Stone Age cultures of different periods evolved uniformly in a neat unilinear fashion all over the subcontinent.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Correct Answer: (a) Only 1
Solution:Among the given statements, only statement 1 is correct about Stone Age in India.

Stone Age in India was characterised by different periods that were identified on the basis of the type and technology of store tools. For instance, during palaeolithic age, tools were made of quartzite and sharpened by chipping technique; Mesolithic age was characterised by use of ‘microlith’ store tools; while during neolithic age tools were more specialised (like knife, dagger, etc.) and were completely or partially polished.

There was large regional variations in the type and technology of tools in different periods. For example, in the foothills of Himalayas, tools were majorly made up of pebbles, while in central India basaltic rocks were main type of stone used in making tools.

Stone Age in India did not evolve uniformly in a unilinear fashion over the sub-continent. For instance, stone tools in Shivalik hills date back to about 2 to 1.2 million years, while in Bori (Maharashtra) they data back to 1 million years back.

76. From which one of the following factory sites were limestone and chert blades mass produced and sent to various Harappan settlements in Sindh?

Correct Answer: (a) Sukkur and Rohri Hills
Solution:Sukkur and Rohri hills were the factory sites from where limestone and chert blades were mass produced and sent to various Harappan settlements in Sindh. Khetri in Rajasthan was known for exploitation of copper. Chagai hills were known for availability of Lapis Lazuli stone during the period.

77. The work Siyar-ul- Mutakherin, which describes the Battle of Plassey, 1757, was written by

Correct Answer: (c) Ghulam Husain
Solution:The work Siyar-ul-Mutakherin, which describes the Battle of Plassey, 1757 was written by Ghulam Husain. This work was completed in 1781 CE and has three volumes.

78. Who believed that the Russian designs were ‘an imminent peril to the security and tranquility’ of the Indian Empire in 1836?

Correct Answer: (b) Lord Palmerston
Solution:Lord Palmerston believed that the Russian designs were ‘an imminent peril to the security and tranquility’ of the Indian empire in 1836.

Lord Palmerston was foreign secretary during the Whig Cabinet of Lord Melborne. It was this belief that guided the policy of British India towards Afghanistan. This finally led to Afghan wars.

79. The ‘Tattvabodhini Sabha’ was established by

Correct Answer: (a) Devendranath Tagore in 1839
Solution:The ‘Tattvabodhini Sabha’ was established by Devendranath Tagore in 1839. It was established as Tattvaranjini Sabha and later renamed as Tattvabodhini Sabha. This Sabha was a particular reform movement organisation, aimed to popularise Brahmodharma (or Brahmo faith). Its primary objective was to propagate the spirit of Hindu Scriptures, including the Vedas.

80. What was the code name given to the first ever tri-service military exercise between India and USA?

Correct Answer: (c) Tiger Triumph
Solution:Tiger Triumph was the code name given to the first ever tri-service military exercise between India and USA. This exercise was a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise. It was held in November, 2019 off the Visakhapatnam and Kakinada coasts in Andhra Pradesh.

Other joint exercises between India and USA are

  • Military exercise : Yudh Abhyas and Vajra Prahar
  • Air Forces Exercise : Cope India
  • Naval Exercise (includes Japan) : Malabar.