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

Total Questions: 120

1. As per the Budget Estimates of 2019-20, the following are some of the important sources of tax receipts for the Union Government:

1. Corporation Tax
2. Taxes on Income other than Corporation Tax
3. Goods and Services Tax
4. Union Excise Duties

Which one of the following is the correct descending order of the foresaid tax receipts as a percentage of GDP?

Correct Answer: (b) 1, 3, 2, 4
Solution:As per the Budget Estimates of 2019-20, the important sources of tax receipts for the Union Government are as follows-

2. As per the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Ranking, India’s rank has improved from 142 in 2014 to 63 in 2019. During this period, in which of the following parameters has India’s rank deteriorated?

Correct Answer: (c) Registering property
Solution:As per the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Report, India’s rank has improved from 142 in 2014 to 63 in 2019. During this period India’s rank has deteriorated in Registering Property.

3. Which one of the following statements with regard to the National Food Security Act is not correct ?

Correct Answer: (d) The Act is not being implemented in all the States/Union Territories.
Solution:The National Food Security (NFS) Act, 2013 aims to provide subsidised food grains to 67% of India’s population. It was rolled out in the year 2014. It is implemented in all the State/Union Territories.

Salient Features of this Act

  • Beneficiaries of the PDS are entitled to 5 kg per person per month of cereals at the following prices: Rice at ₹3 per kg, Wheat at ₹2 per kg and Coarse grains (millet) at ₹1 kg.
  • Pregnant women, lactating mothers and certain categories of children are eligible for daily free cereals.
  • It includes the Midday Meal Scheme, Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme and the Public Distribution System (PDS).

4. Which one of the following statements about Indian economy during 2019-20 is not correct?

Correct Answer: (c) Fiscal deficit as percentage of GDP has been as per the Budget Estimates.
Solution:There has been deceleration in growth rate in Indian Economy during 2019-20. There has been sluggish growth in tax revenue relative to the Budget Estimates. Fiscal deficit as percentage of GDP has been more than the Budget Estimates. The non-tax revenue registered a considerable growth.

5. As per the Budget Estimates of expenditure on major subsidies during 2019-20, the maximum expenditure was likely to be on

Correct Answer: (c) food subsidy
Solution:In 2019-20, the total expenditure on subsidies is estimated to increase to ₹ 3,38,949 crore (13.3%) over the revised estimate of 2018-19. This is owing to an increase in expenditure on petroleum, fertilizer, food and other interest subsidies.

Hence, option (c) is correct.

6. Which one of the following Indian places receives minimum rainfall in a year?

Correct Answer: (b) Leh
Solution:Leh receives minimum rainfall in a year among the given option. The average annual rainfall is only 102 mm (4.02 inches).

The annual average rainfall of the other given places are
Jodhpur – 363 mm
New Delhi – 617 mm
Bengaluru – 970 mm

7. Timber vegetation is generally not found in which of the following regions?

Correct Answer: (d) Tundra region
Solution:Timber vegetation is generally not found in Tundra region. The Tundra is a treeless polar desert found in the high latitudes in the polar regions. Tundra lands are covered with snow for much of the year. The Tundra regions are-Alaska, Canada, Russia, Greenland, Iceland. The characteristics of the Tundra Regions are:
  • Extremely cold climate
  • Low biotic diversity
  • Limitation of drainage
  • Simple vegetation structure

The Arctic Tundra’s temperature is
– 34° C to – 6° (c)

8. Decadal growth rate of population in percentage was highest in India in the year

Correct Answer: (c) 1971
Solution:The decadal growth rate of population in India in percentage was highest in India in the year 1971 which was 24.80. The decadal growth of other given year is as follows.
  • 1961-21.64%
  • 1981-24.66%
  • 1991-27.87%

The Decadal growth of 2011 is 17.64.

9. The Isotherm Line, which divides India North-South in almost two equal parts in the month of January, is

Correct Answer: (d) 20 °C
Solution:The Isotherm Line, which divides India North-South in almost two equal parts in the month of January is 20°C Isotherm is a line that connect points of equal temperature on map, so at every point along a given isotherm the temperature values are same. It is used to observe the distribution of air temperature over a vast area.

10. Which one of the following indicates the Tropical Savannah climate?

Correct Answer: (a) Aw
Solution:Aw or the tropical wet and dry climate, also known as the Savannah climate, where there is an extended dry season during the winter. During the wet season, rainfall is less than 1000 mm, occurring mainly in the summer time.

Other Climatic Types
Aw - Monsoonal Type Climate.
Dfc - Cold Humid winter with Short summer.
Cwg - Monsoon Type with Dry winters.