U is 30m to the south of T. R is 30m to the east of P. U is 10m to the east of S. U is 10m to the north of Q. V is 20m to the east of U. Q is 20m to the east of P. 

In which direction is point S with respect to point T?

1.  Southeast 

2. South 

3. Northwest 

4. Southwest

5. West

There are seven members in family. L is the grandson of W and son of P. C is the niece of U who is unmarried. R is the mother-in-law of T. T has two children. There are only two married couples in the family. P does not have a sister.

Question:

How many male members are there in the family?

1. 2

2. 3

3. 4

4. 5

5.  3 or 4

There are seven members in family. L is the grandson of W and son of P. C is the niece of U who is unmarried. R is the mother-in-law of T. T has two children. There are only two married couples in the family. P does not have a sister.

Question:

Which of the following is one of the married couples?

1. L and C 

2. W and P

3. R and T 

4. P and T

5. P and C 

In the given question, assuming the given statements to be true, fnd which of the given four conclusions numbered I, II, III and IV is/are defnitely true and give your answer accordingly.

Statements: M > O ≥ P, S < K = M, N > D ≤ S

Conclusions:

I) P = S

II) O < K

III) M > D

IV) N ≥ M

1.  Only II and III are true 

2. Only II, III and IV are true 

3. Only III and IV are true 

4. Only II and IV are true 

5. Only II is true

Which of the following symbols should be placed in the blank spaces respectively (in the same order from left to right) in order to complete given expression in such a manner that makes the expressions 'B>N' as well as 'D≤L' definitely true.

B_L_O_N_D

1. =,=,≥,≥

2. >,≥,=,>

3. >,<,=,≤

4. >,=,=,≤

5. ≤,=,=,>

Among fve friends A, B, C, D and E having diferent heights, who is the tallest?

I) C is taller than only one friend. Only one friend is taller than E. A is not the shortest.

II) C is shorter than three persons. Only one person is taller than E. A is neither the tallest nor the shortest in the group. B is the shortest in the group

1.  If statement I alone is sufcient but statement II alone is not sufcient 

2. If statement II alone is sufcient but statement I alone is not sufcient 

3. If either statement I or II is sufcient

4. If both statement I and II together are not sufcient 

5. If both statement I and II together are sufcient, but neither of them alone is sufcient 

How many persons are sitting around a circle (all are facing inward)?

I) G sits third to the right of F, who sits third to the right of A. Only three persons are sitting between C and G.

II) Only two persons are sitting between A and C, who sits second to the right of G. F sits third to the right of A and only three persons sit between G and F

1. If statement I alone is sufcient but statement II alone is not sufcient 

2. If statement II alone is sufcient but statement I alone is not sufcient

3. If either statement I or II is sufcient 

4. If both statement I and II together are not sufcient 

5. If both statement I and II together are sufcient, but neither of them alone is sufcient

What is the code for ‘physics’ in a code language?

I) In the code language ‘lv kp nt sp’ means ‘concept of the physics’ and ‘jl tv nt fg’ means ‘what are uses physics’.

II) In the same language ‘bd yz nt hs’ means ‘sound wave is physics’ and ‘xt om zi nt’ means ‘physics help solve problem’.

1.  If statement I alone is sufcient but statement II alone is not sufcient 

2. If statement II alone is sufcient but statement I alone is not sufcient 

3. If either statement I or II is sufcient 

4. If both statement I and II together are not sufcient 

5. If both statement I and II together are sufcient, but neither of them alone is sufcient

Q.9) What is the code for ‘week’ in a code language?

I) ‘ja in ga’ means ‘interesting week ahead’, ‘ga re sa’ means ‘song was interesting’ and ‘po ja ka’ means ‘blocks are ahead’.

II) . ‘ke in pe’ means ‘after frst week’, ‘ge in pe’ means’ week after month’ and ‘re sa ta’ means ‘song was disco’ 

1. If statement I alone is sufcient but statement II alone is not sufcient 

2. If statement II alone is sufcient but statement I alone is not sufcient

3.  If either statement I or II is sufcient

4. If both statement I and II together are not sufcient

5. If both statement I and II together are sufcient, but neither of them alone is sufcient 

There are ten college friends J, I, H, G, F, E, D, C, B and A. They are sitting in two parallel rows facing each other. Each row consists of 5 members. Members of row 1 are facing north whereas members of row 2 are facing south. D is sitting exactly opposite to G who is sitting third to the right of J. D is sitting to the immediate left of I who is facing south. I sits third to the left of C who is sitting exactly opposite to E. H is sitting between J and F and is opposite to B.

Question:

Who among the following is sitting second to the left of H?

1. D

2. G

3. C

4. E

5. J

There are ten college friends J, I, H, G, F, E, D, C, B and A. They are sitting in two parallel rows facing each other. Each row consists of 5 members. Members of row 1 are facing north whereas members of row 2 are facing south. D is sitting exactly opposite to G who is sitting third to the right of J. D is sitting to the immediate left of I who is facing south. I sits third to the left of C who is sitting exactly opposite to E. H is sitting between J and F and is opposite to B.

Question:

Which of the following group of persons are facing south?

1. I, D, F

2. A, B, D 

3. I, C, H 

4. C, D, J 

5. B, I, E

In each of these questions three statements followed by two conclusions numbered I and II have been given. You have to take the given statements to be true even if they seem to be at variance with commonly known facts and then decide which of the given conclusions logically follows: 

Question:

Statements:

All wardrobes are woods.

Some woods are tables.

No table is a chair.

Conclusions:

I) All wardrobes being chairs is a possibility.

II) All chairs being woods is a possibility

1. If only conclusion I follows

2. If only conclusion II follows 

3. If either conclusion I or II follows

4. If neither conclusion I nor II follows

5. If both conclusion I and II follow 

In each of these questions three statements followed by two conclusions numbered I and II have been given. You have to take the given statements to be true even if they seem to be at variance with commonly known facts and then decide which of the given conclusions logically follows: 

Question:

Statement:

Some fags are red.

Some black are white.

All white are red.

Conclusions:

I) All fags being white is a possibility.

II) No red is black. 

1. If only conclusion I follows

2. If only conclusion II follows 

3. If either conclusion I or II follows

4. If neither conclusion I nor II follows 

5. If both conclusion I and II follow

In each of these questions three statements followed by two conclusions numbered I and II have been given. You have to take the given statements to be true even if they seem to be at variance with commonly known facts and then decide which of the given conclusions logically follows: 

Question:

Statement:

No fruit is food.

Some fruits are vegetables.

All foods are fowers.

Conclusions:

I) All foods being vegetables is a possibility.

II) Some fowers are not fruits.

1. If only conclusion I follows

2. If only conclusion II follows 

3. If either conclusion I or II follows 

4. If neither conclusion I nor II follows 

5. If both conclusion I and II follow

In each of these questions three statements followed by two conclusions numbered I and II have been given. You have to take the given statements to be true even if they seem to be at variance with commonly known facts and then decide which of the given conclusions logically follows: 

Question:

Statements:

Only a few bonds are agreements.

No condition is a bond.

A few agreements are points.

Conclusions:

I) A few points can be bonds.

II) No bond is a point

1.  Only conclusion I follows 

2. Only conclusion II follows

3. Either conclusion I or II follows

4. Neither conclusion I nor II follows

5. Both conclusions I and II follow

Seven persons D, E, F, G, H, I and J are to attend a seminar in the months of February, March, April, May, August, October and December but not necessarily in the same order. Each of them likes a diferent colour, viz Black, Blue, Green, Orange, Red, White and Yellow but not necessarily in the same order. The one who likes Green attends the seminar immediately before D. F attends the seminar immediately after D. The one who likes Red attends the seminar in a month having less than 31 days. Only one person attends the seminar between D and the one who likes Red.

J attends the seminar in a month having less than 31 days. I attends the seminar immediately after J. Only two persons attend the seminar between F and E. Only one person attends the seminar between D and the one who likes Orange. J does not like Black. The one who likes Black attends the seminar immediately before the one who likes Yellow. H does not like Green. The one who likes Orange attends the seminar in a month having 31 days but not in August or March. The one who likes White attends the seminar in a month having less than 30 days.

Question:

How many persons attend the seminar between F and the one who likes Blue?

1. None

2. Two 

3. One 

4. Three

5. Five

Seven persons D, E, F, G, H, I and J are to attend a seminar in the months of February, March, April, May, August, October and December but not necessarily in the same order. Each of them likes a diferent colour, viz Black, Blue, Green, Orange, Red, White and Yellow but not necessarily in the same order. The one who likes Green attends the seminar immediately before D. F attends the seminar immediately after D. The one who likes Red attends the seminar in a month having less than 31 days. Only one person attends the seminar between D and the one who likes Red.

J attends the seminar in a month having less than 31 days. I attends the seminar immediately after J. Only two persons attend the seminar between F and E. Only one person attends the seminar between D and the one who likes Orange. J does not like Black. The one who likes Black attends the seminar immediately before the one who likes Yellow. H does not like Green. The one who likes Orange attends the seminar in a month having 31 days but not in August or March. The one who likes White attends the seminar in a month having less than 30 days.

Question:

Which of the following statements is not true? 

1. E likes Red and attends the seminar in the month of April.

2. H attends the seminar in December.

3. Only two persons attend the seminar between G and I. 

4. F likes Yellow. 

5. All are true.

Seven persons D, E, F, G, H, I and J are to attend a seminar in the months of February, March, April, May, August, October and December but not necessarily in the same order. Each of them likes a diferent colour, viz Black, Blue, Green, Orange, Red, White and Yellow but not necessarily in the same order. The one who likes Green attends the seminar immediately before D. F attends the seminar immediately after D. The one who likes Red attends the seminar in a month having less than 31 days. Only one person attends the seminar between D and the one who likes Red.

J attends the seminar in a month having less than 31 days. I attends the seminar immediately after J. Only two persons attend the seminar between F and E. Only one person attends the seminar between D and the one who likes Orange. J does not like Black. The one who likes Black attends the seminar immediately before the one who likes Yellow. H does not like Green. The one who likes Orange attends the seminar in a month having 31 days but not in August or March. The one who likes White attends the seminar in a month having less than 30 days.

Question:

Which of the following combinations is true? 

1. May-G-Black 

2. October-D-Yellow

3. March-I-Red 

4. April-J-Green 

5. December-H-Orange

Seven persons D, E, F, G, H, I and J are to attend a seminar in the months of February, March, April, May, August, October and December but not necessarily in the same order. Each of them likes a diferent colour, viz Black, Blue, Green, Orange, Red, White and Yellow but not necessarily in the same order. The one who likes Green attends the seminar immediately before D. F attends the seminar immediately after D. The one who likes Red attends the seminar in a month having less than 31 days. Only one person attends the seminar between D and the one who likes Red.

J attends the seminar in a month having less than 31 days. I attends the seminar immediately after J. Only two persons attend the seminar between F and E. Only one person attends the seminar between D and the one who likes Orange. J does not like Black. The one who likes Black attends the seminar immediately before the one who likes Yellow. H does not like Green. The one who likes Orange attends the seminar in a month having 31 days but not in August or March. The one who likes White attends the seminar in a month having less than 30 days.

Question:

Who among the following attends the seminar in August?

1. D

2. F

3. I

4. E

5. J

Seven persons D, E, F, G, H, I and J are to attend a seminar in the months of February, March, April, May, August, October and December but not necessarily in the same order. Each of them likes a diferent colour, viz Black, Blue, Green, Orange, Red, White and Yellow but not necessarily in the same order. The one who likes Green attends the seminar immediately before D. F attends the seminar immediately after D. The one who likes Red attends the seminar in a month having less than 31 days. Only one person attends the seminar between D and the one who likes Red.

J attends the seminar in a month having less than 31 days. I attends the seminar immediately after J. Only two persons attend the seminar between F and E. Only one person attends the seminar between D and the one who likes Orange. J does not like Black. The one who likes Black attends the seminar immediately before the one who likes Yellow. H does not like Green. The one who likes Orange attends the seminar in a month having 31 days but not in August or March. The one who likes White attends the seminar in a month having less than 30 days.

Question:

Who among the following attends the seminar immediately after the one who likes White?

1. E

2. G

3. I

4. J

5. D

In the question given below, some words are highlighted. Identify the wrongly spelt or inappropriate words in the context of the sentence. In case all the words are correct, then choose option ‘E’, i.e., none of the above as your answer.

Educating (1) people about the need to preserve (2) nature and protect (3) animal habitats (4) is a naturalist’s job.

1. 1

2. 2

3. 3

4. 4

5. None of the above 

In the question given below, some words are highlighted. Identify the wrongly spelt or inappropriate words in the context of the sentence. In case all the words are correct, then choose option ‘E’, i.e., none of the above as your answer.

The sunrise over the tranquil (1) lake, with its gentle refection (2) and the surrounding mountains, created a breathtaking (3) display of scenic (4) beauty

1. 1

2. 2

3. 3

4. 4

5. None of the above

In the question given below, some words are highlighted. Identify the wrongly spelt or inappropriate words in the context of the sentence. In case all the words are correct, then choose option ‘E’, i.e., none of the above as your answer

The concept (1) of reacting mechanically (2) to events is not a purely materialistic (3) one as it is seen at the frst cite (4)

1. 1

2. 2

3. 3

4. 4

5. None of the above

In the question given below, some words are highlighted. Identify the wrongly spelt or inappropriate words in the context of the sentence. In case all the words are correct, then choose option ‘E’, i.e., none of the above as your answer.

After receiving unprecedented (1) support from the government, the port authorities (2) have drawn up an ambitious (3) expansion (4) plan.

1. 1

2. 2

3. 3

4. 4

5.  None of the above

In the question given below, some words are highlighted. Identify the wrongly spelt or inappropriate words in the context of the sentence. In case all the words are correct, then choose option ‘E’, i.e., none of the above as your answer.

Several factories had encroached (1) upon the forests and whipped (2) out several trees that had been classifed (3) as sensitive (4) by the government

1. 1

2. 2

3. 3

4. 4

5. None of the above

Read the following group of sentences numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. Considering 6 as the last sentence, rearrange the remaining sentences in proper order to form a meaningful paragraph.

(1) When the pressure is high, the weather tends to be clear and dry, while low pressure often brings clouds and rain.

(2) Devices like barometers are used to measure and track changes in atmospheric pressure, helping us understand and predict weather conditions.

(3) Atmospheric pressure is the force exerted by the air thatsurrounds us on Earth. It’s like the weight of the air above pushing down on everything below. 

(4) People who live in high-altitude places experience lower atmospheric pressure, which can afect their breathing and require adaptation.

(5) We often don’t notice it, but it’s crucial for our daily lives. Weather patterns, like high and low-pressure systems, are caused by variations in atmospheric pressure.

(6) The atmospheric pressure also plays a role in making objects stick to the Earth’s surface rather than foating away into space

1. 351426

2. 145326 

3. 435126

4. 534216

5. 453216

Read the following group of sentences numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Rearrange the remaining sentences in proper order to form a meaningful paragraph.

(1) With urbanization, there’s greater emphasis on personal space and privacy, which nuclear families provide.

(2) Despite these changes, nuclear families still foster strong bonds among family members and are often seen as a practical and manageable way of life.

(3) This shift can be attributed to various factors. Economic independence and better career opportunities often lead couples to prefer a smaller family unit.

(4) This shift refects the evolving dynamics of modern society, where self-sufciency and personal fulfllment are becoming more important considerations

(5) In recent decades, there has been a growing trend towards nuclear families. A nuclear family typically consists of parents and their children living together in a separate household.

(6) Changing social norms and values have also infuenced this trend, as people now value individual freedom and autonomy.

(7) Additionally, the increasing cost of living has made it more challenging for extended families to cohabit in a single household.

1.  6574312

2. 5316724 

3. 3451267 

4. 7654231 

5. 4325617

Read the following group of sentences numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Rearrange the remaining sentences in proper order to form a meaningful paragraph

(1) It is imperative to underscore that proactively seeking assistance and fortifcation is emblematic of mettle, not frailty.

(2) It encompasses cognitive processes, emotional resonance, and one’s adaptive capacities in navigating the vicissitudes of existence.

(3) The conscientious cultivation and stewardship of our mental health represent an indomitable imperative in the holistic orchestration of a harmonious and fulflled existence.On occasion, individuals encounter circumstances that may precipitate perturbations in their mental well-being, ranging from distress and bereavement to pervasive anxiety.

(4) Mental health pertains to the psychoemotional equilibrium intrinsic to the human condition.

(5) Analogous to physical well-being, sound mental health is paramount for the realization of a fulflling and gratifying life

1. 453216

2. 345126

3. 526413

4. 145326

5. 246513

Read the following group of sentences numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Rearrange the remaining sentences in proper order to form a meaningful paragraph.

(1) This culture can lead to a lack of collaboration and mutual support, which may hinder the overall productivity and job satisfaction within the organization.

(2) Corporate wolf culture, often encountered in competitive workplaces, is a phenomenon where individuals prioritize their personal success and advancement over team cohesion and cooperation.

(3) While some level of competition can be motivating, fostering a more collaborative and inclusive atmosphere tends to yield better long-term results for both the employees and the company.

(4) In such environments, employees may resort to cutthroat tactics and intense rivalry to climb the corporate ladder.

(5) In sum, navigating the intricacies of corporate wolf culture calls for a delicate equilibrium between personal ambition and the broader goals of the organization.

(6) It’s essential to strike a balance between individual ambition and collective success in a corporate setting

1. 241635

2. 435126

3. 154326

4. 654312 

5. 324561

Read the following group of sentences numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Rearrange the remaining sentences in proper order to form a meaningful paragraph.

(1) One pivotal ecological niche that serves as a formidable bulwark against pollution is the wetland.

(2) The conservation of wetlands is imperative, as it stands as a cornerstone in our collective eforts to abate pollution and perpetuate an equilibrium in environmental sustainability.

(3) Wetlands assume the mantle of nature’s eminent purifers, adeptly sieving water of noxious contaminants, while concurrently acting as a reservoir for excess precipitation, thus ameliorating the peril of inundations.

(4) Pollution, a substantial environmental predicament, exerts deleterious efects on the ecological triad encompassing the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere.

(5) The pivotal role wetlands play in ameliorating water quality assumes heightened importance in view of the pivotal role of pristine water sources in human sustenance, agriculture, and multifarious industrial processes.

(6) They underpin rich and multifarious ecosystems, engendering an optimal habitat for diverse fora and fauna, which, in turn, contributes to ecological robustness.

1. 413652 

2. 341256

3. 645321 

4. 245361 

5. 356421

Fill in the blanks with suitable words given in the options. Success of a business is ____ on too many factors for one methodology to guarantee that any single business will ____ a winner.

1. Rest – Proven 

2. Built - recognized 

3. Predicted - be 

4. Grounded - sure 

5. ban – produce

Fill in the blanks with suitable words given in the options. Over the years, the ___ over the fnancial beneft of buying gold has resulted in the identifcation of several ways through which one can ____ in it, other than buying it in physical form.

1. Debate - invest

2. tension - diversify 

3. lack - trade 

4. issues – sell

5. problem – spent

Fill in the blanks with suitable words given in the options. Job ____ was lesser and transient in the second wave and was barely ____ in the third wave of the pandemic.

1. growth-larger

2. accumulation-absence

3. market-evidence

4. loss-present

5. prospects-minimum 

Q.34) Fill in the blanks with suitable words given in the options. The author ____ the characters of his novels with compassion and charm but he does not ____ away from the ordinary struggles that they face.

1. writes-cast

2. discussed- stray

3. exemplifying-step

4. illustrate-move 

5. treats-shy

Fill in the blanks with suitable words given in the options. Genetically modifed crops have been developed to enhance ______ to pests, increase crop yields, and ______ various agricultural challenges

1.  frugal- thrift

2. dally-tether 

3. aplomb-roving

4. resistance- address

5. fray-latch

IN SEPTEMBER 1995, the presidents of the fve republics which constitute the watershed of the Aral Sea - Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan - met in Nukus, the capital of Karakalpakstan, the autonomous republic of Uzbekistan (the worst-afected by the tragedy). This was the fourth meeting of the presidents within three years. The objective: to deal with the Aral Sea crisis and efectively try to contain the terrible after-efects of this gigantic ecological disaster. The meeting was preceded by an international conference where the presidents called upon the international community to help them save the Aral Sea. A resolution was taken up to formulate a regional treaty to share the waters of the rivers feeding the Aral Sea. Since these states were until recently part of the former Soviet Union, non-governmental organizations have rarely been involved in ecological work. But signifcantly, for the frst time, on paper at least, the ofcial Nukus Declaration stated government intent to provide space for NGOs to be involved in the revival of the Aral Sea. The conference laid bare all the elements of the crisis - the need for humanitarian aid, the need for plans to move towards “sustainable development” and ecological restoration. But the one question uppermost in the minds of concerned environmentalists - Will the Aral Sea ever recover its former glory? - remained unanswered!

The genesis: The quest for self-sufciency is indisputably a lofty goal, a meaningful aspiration, especially when it seeks to change the destiny of a land and its teeming millions. But sometimes when dreams run contrary to reason, failing to take cognizance of ground realities and existing truths, the outcome can be devastating. The Aral Sea crisis is one such disaster. A colossal blunder, borne of short-sighted planning, triggered by nothing but an all-consuming concern for self-sufciency. Ever since Lenin had decreed in 1919 that the USSR should become self-sufcient in cotton, the country’s central planners concentrated on cotton production. A process that sets into motion a series of chain reactions leading to a calamitous, culde-sac gateway to eventual catastrophe.

The future, as perceived by the Soviet planners, lay in the development of ambitious irrigation schemes that would milk the rivers to quench the growing, almost insatiable demands of cotton production. And if at the end of it all a sea was to be sacrifced, what of it? So, the Aral Sea was made to pay for the consequences of mega planning that paid no heed to ecological considerations.

One of the most ancient lakes on earth, the Aral Sea, which is bounded by three deserts and shared by the fve newly independent republics of Central Asia, had been the USSR’s second largest inland water body and the world’s fourth-largest inland sea. Fed mainly by two rivers - Amu Darya and Syr Darya - which collect the runofs and glacier melts from the Pamir and Tien Shan mountains of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan - it had an average depth of 16 meters and a maximum depth of 68 meters with a salt content of 1 percent only. It had abundant fsh resources and a busy shipping trade extending from its northern port of Aralsk in Kazakhstan to the river ports of Amu Darya, some as remote as Tajikistan. But all this was about to change. The Aral Sea and the adjoining tract of Central Asia were soon to feel the efects of these changes.

More than three-quarters of the territory in Central Asia is desert lowland, part of a closed basin with no open sea or ocean outlet. Its hydrological cycle is strongly afected by the prevalent climatic features. There is very little rainfall in the lowland plains as all the monsoon-bearing winds from the Indian Ocean to the south are blocked by the high Himalayan peaks. The high temperatures, low humidity, and high solar radiation combine to create very high evaporation rates.

The fertile irrigated land between the two rivers is an ancient area of human settlement and has a history of approximately 3500 years. Sophisticated water distribution systems were in operation here, especially in the regions of Khorezm and Fergana. Archaeological research has shown that millions of hectares of water were locally managed by village councils, which allocated and controlled water use and enforced water laws. According to tradition, users of irrigation water took part in the construction and maintenance of irrigation networks. When Russians conquered the Khanates of Turkestan (now Central Asia) in the late 19th century, they introduced technologies and began large-scale cotton cultivation. With the consolidation of Soviet power in the ‘20s, cotton was extensively developed in suitable areas. Sovietization led to a diminished appreciation by the inhabitants of the precious character of its water resources.

As recently as the late ‘50s, most surface water for irrigation came from smaller streams, and only about 15-17 percent of the Amu and Syr Darya fows were used for irrigation. Because of the low level of irrigation, the volume of the Aral Sea basin was more or less in equilibrium, with the evaporation from the surface being counterbalanced by the river infow, groundwater aquifers, and rainfall. The volume of water fuctuated by only 100-150 cu km, and the surface area by 4000 sq km. Sponging of a sea: When the decision to divert the waters of the two major rivers feeding the Aral Sea, the Amu Darya and Syr Darya, was implemented, the fate of the once-mighty Aral Sea and the inhabitants of the region was sadly and irrevocably sealed. These diverted waters were to irrigate the ancient steppes (grasslands) of Central Asia, which had traditionally supported shepherds and nomads. But the Soviet planners were fully aware that this diversion would eventually starve the Aral Sea and compel it to shrink. They, therefore, had a contingency plan up their sleeves - the waters of the Siberian rivers fowing into the Central Asian region would be diverted to the Aral Sea to bolster the loss of Amu Darya and Syr Darya river fow. However, while the Central Asian irrigation plan went on stream, the plan to divert the Siberian rivers encountered stif opposition from several ecologically concerned Soviet scientists. Struck down by the sheer vehemence of such overwhelming protest, the planners backed of, leaving the poor Aral Sea to face the brunt of a decision that was to recoil most tragically on its perpetrator and victims alike.

Question:

Which of the following words is same in meaning as the word ‘Resolution’, as used in the passage?

1. Conclusion

2. Choice

3. Ruling 

4. Document

5. Decision

IN SEPTEMBER 1995, the presidents of the fve republics which constitute the watershed of the Aral Sea - Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan - met in Nukus, the capital of Karakalpakstan, the autonomous republic of Uzbekistan (the worst-afected by the tragedy). This was the fourth meeting of the presidents within three years. The objective: to deal with the Aral Sea crisis and efectively try to contain the terrible after-efects of this gigantic ecological disaster. The meeting was preceded by an international conference where the presidents called upon the international community to help them save the Aral Sea. A resolution was taken up to formulate a regional treaty to share the waters of the rivers feeding the Aral Sea. Since these states were until recently part of the former Soviet Union, non-governmental organizations have rarely been involved in ecological work. But signifcantly, for the frst time, on paper at least, the ofcial Nukus Declaration stated government intent to provide space for NGOs to be involved in the revival of the Aral Sea. The conference laid bare all the elements of the crisis - the need for humanitarian aid, the need for plans to move towards “sustainable development” and ecological restoration. But the one question uppermost in the minds of concerned environmentalists - Will the Aral Sea ever recover its former glory? - remained unanswered!

The genesis: The quest for self-sufciency is indisputably a lofty goal, a meaningful aspiration, especially when it seeks to change the destiny of a land and its teeming millions. But sometimes when dreams run contrary to reason, failing to take cognizance of ground realities and existing truths, the outcome can be devastating. The Aral Sea crisis is one such disaster. A colossal blunder, borne of short-sighted planning, triggered by nothing but an all-consuming concern for self-sufciency. Ever since Lenin had decreed in 1919 that the USSR should become self-sufcient in cotton, the country’s central planners concentrated on cotton production. A process that sets into motion a series of chain reactions leading to a calamitous, culde-sac gateway to eventual catastrophe.

The future, as perceived by the Soviet planners, lay in the development of ambitious irrigation schemes that would milk the rivers to quench the growing, almost insatiable demands of cotton production. And if at the end of it all a sea was to be sacrifced, what of it? So, the Aral Sea was made to pay for the consequences of mega planning that paid no heed to ecological considerations.

One of the most ancient lakes on earth, the Aral Sea, which is bounded by three deserts and shared by the fve newly independent republics of Central Asia, had been the USSR’s second largest inland water body and the world’s fourth-largest inland sea. Fed mainly by two rivers - Amu Darya and Syr Darya - which collect the runofs and glacier melts from the Pamir and Tien Shan mountains of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan - it had an average depth of 16 meters and a maximum depth of 68 meters with a salt content of 1 percent only. It had abundant fsh resources and a busy shipping trade extending from its northern port of Aralsk in Kazakhstan to the river ports of Amu Darya, some as remote as Tajikistan. But all this was about to change. The Aral Sea and the adjoining tract of Central Asia were soon to feel the efects of these changes.

More than three-quarters of the territory in Central Asia is desert lowland, part of a closed basin with no open sea or ocean outlet. Its hydrological cycle is strongly afected by the prevalent climatic features. There is very little rainfall in the lowland plains as all the monsoon-bearing winds from the Indian Ocean to the south are blocked by the high Himalayan peaks. The high temperatures, low humidity, and high solar radiation combine to create very high evaporation rates.

The fertile irrigated land between the two rivers is an ancient area of human settlement and has a history of approximately 3500 years. Sophisticated water distribution systems were in operation here, especially in the regions of Khorezm and Fergana. Archaeological research has shown that millions of hectares of water were locally managed by village councils, which allocated and controlled water use and enforced water laws. According to tradition, users of irrigation water took part in the construction and maintenance of irrigation networks. When Russians conquered the Khanates of Turkestan (now Central Asia) in the late 19th century, they introduced technologies and began large-scale cotton cultivation. With the consolidation of Soviet power in the ‘20s, cotton was extensively developed in suitable areas. Sovietization led to a diminished appreciation by the inhabitants of the precious character of its water resources.

As recently as the late ‘50s, most surface water for irrigation came from smaller streams, and only about 15-17 percent of the Amu and Syr Darya fows were used for irrigation. Because of the low level of irrigation, the volume of the Aral Sea basin was more or less in equilibrium, with the evaporation from the surface being counterbalanced by the river infow, groundwater aquifers, and rainfall. The volume of water fuctuated by only 100-150 cu km, and the surface area by 4000 sq km. Sponging of a sea: When the decision to divert the waters of the two major rivers feeding the Aral Sea, the Amu Darya and Syr Darya, was implemented, the fate of the once-mighty Aral Sea and the inhabitants of the region was sadly and irrevocably sealed. These diverted waters were to irrigate the ancient steppes (grasslands) of Central Asia, which had traditionally supported shepherds and nomads. But the Soviet planners were fully aware that this diversion would eventually starve the Aral Sea and compel it to shrink. They, therefore, had a contingency plan up their sleeves - the waters of the Siberian rivers fowing into the Central Asian region would be diverted to the Aral Sea to bolster the loss of Amu Darya and Syr Darya river fow. However, while the Central Asian irrigation plan went on stream, the plan to divert the Siberian rivers encountered stif opposition from several ecologically concerned Soviet scientists. Struck down by the sheer vehemence of such overwhelming protest, the planners backed of, leaving the poor Aral Sea to face the brunt of a decision that was to recoil most tragically on its perpetrator and victims alike.

Question:

The Aral Sea serves as a stark reminder of the environmental consequences of unsustainable water management and has become a symbol of the urgent need for ecological restoration. It is surrounded by ___ deserts in the Central Asian region?

1. Three 

2. Four

3. Five 

4. Two 

5. Six

IN SEPTEMBER 1995, the presidents of the fve republics which constitute the watershed of the Aral Sea - Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan - met in Nukus, the capital of Karakalpakstan, the autonomous republic of Uzbekistan (the worst-afected by the tragedy). This was the fourth meeting of the presidents within three years. The objective: to deal with the Aral Sea crisis and efectively try to contain the terrible after-efects of this gigantic ecological disaster. The meeting was preceded by an international conference where the presidents called upon the international community to help them save the Aral Sea. A resolution was taken up to formulate a regional treaty to share the waters of the rivers feeding the Aral Sea. Since these states were until recently part of the former Soviet Union, non-governmental organizations have rarely been involved in ecological work. But signifcantly, for the frst time, on paper at least, the ofcial Nukus Declaration stated government intent to provide space for NGOs to be involved in the revival of the Aral Sea. The conference laid bare all the elements of the crisis - the need for humanitarian aid, the need for plans to move towards “sustainable development” and ecological restoration. But the one question uppermost in the minds of concerned environmentalists - Will the Aral Sea ever recover its former glory? - remained unanswered!

The genesis: The quest for self-sufciency is indisputably a lofty goal, a meaningful aspiration, especially when it seeks to change the destiny of a land and its teeming millions. But sometimes when dreams run contrary to reason, failing to take cognizance of ground realities and existing truths, the outcome can be devastating. The Aral Sea crisis is one such disaster. A colossal blunder, borne of short-sighted planning, triggered by nothing but an all-consuming concern for self-sufciency. Ever since Lenin had decreed in 1919 that the USSR should become self-sufcient in cotton, the country’s central planners concentrated on cotton production. A process that sets into motion a series of chain reactions leading to a calamitous, culde-sac gateway to eventual catastrophe.

The future, as perceived by the Soviet planners, lay in the development of ambitious irrigation schemes that would milk the rivers to quench the growing, almost insatiable demands of cotton production. And if at the end of it all a sea was to be sacrifced, what of it? So, the Aral Sea was made to pay for the consequences of mega planning that paid no heed to ecological considerations.

One of the most ancient lakes on earth, the Aral Sea, which is bounded by three deserts and shared by the fve newly independent republics of Central Asia, had been the USSR’s second largest inland water body and the world’s fourth-largest inland sea. Fed mainly by two rivers - Amu Darya and Syr Darya - which collect the runofs and glacier melts from the Pamir and Tien Shan mountains of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan - it had an average depth of 16 meters and a maximum depth of 68 meters with a salt content of 1 percent only. It had abundant fsh resources and a busy shipping trade extending from its northern port of Aralsk in Kazakhstan to the river ports of Amu Darya, some as remote as Tajikistan. But all this was about to change. The Aral Sea and the adjoining tract of Central Asia were soon to feel the efects of these changes.

More than three-quarters of the territory in Central Asia is desert lowland, part of a closed basin with no open sea or ocean outlet. Its hydrological cycle is strongly afected by the prevalent climatic features. There is very little rainfall in the lowland plains as all the monsoon-bearing winds from the Indian Ocean to the south are blocked by the high Himalayan peaks. The high temperatures, low humidity, and high solar radiation combine to create very high evaporation rates.

The fertile irrigated land between the two rivers is an ancient area of human settlement and has a history of approximately 3500 years. Sophisticated water distribution systems were in operation here, especially in the regions of Khorezm and Fergana. Archaeological research has shown that millions of hectares of water were locally managed by village councils, which allocated and controlled water use and enforced water laws. According to tradition, users of irrigation water took part in the construction and maintenance of irrigation networks. When Russians conquered the Khanates of Turkestan (now Central Asia) in the late 19th century, they introduced technologies and began large-scale cotton cultivation. With the consolidation of Soviet power in the ‘20s, cotton was extensively developed in suitable areas. Sovietization led to a diminished appreciation by the inhabitants of the precious character of its water resources.

As recently as the late ‘50s, most surface water for irrigation came from smaller streams, and only about 15-17 percent of the Amu and Syr Darya fows were used for irrigation. Because of the low level of irrigation, the volume of the Aral Sea basin was more or less in equilibrium, with the evaporation from the surface being counterbalanced by the river infow, groundwater aquifers, and rainfall. The volume of water fuctuated by only 100-150 cu km, and the surface area by 4000 sq km. Sponging of a sea: When the decision to divert the waters of the two major rivers feeding the Aral Sea, the Amu Darya and Syr Darya, was implemented, the fate of the once-mighty Aral Sea and the inhabitants of the region was sadly and irrevocably sealed. These diverted waters were to irrigate the ancient steppes (grasslands) of Central Asia, which had traditionally supported shepherds and nomads. But the Soviet planners were fully aware that this diversion would eventually starve the Aral Sea and compel it to shrink. They, therefore, had a contingency plan up their sleeves - the waters of the Siberian rivers fowing into the Central Asian region would be diverted to the Aral Sea to bolster the loss of Amu Darya and Syr Darya river fow. However, while the Central Asian irrigation plan went on stream, the plan to divert the Siberian rivers encountered stif opposition from several ecologically concerned Soviet scientists. Struck down by the sheer vehemence of such overwhelming protest, the planners backed of, leaving the poor Aral Sea to face the brunt of a decision that was to recoil most tragically on its perpetrator and victims alike.

Question:

Which of the following statement(s) is/are truly stating the objectives of the Nukus Declaration? 

1. The Declaration’s primary objective was to encourage private organizations to play an active role in the Aral Sea’s restoration 

2. A central focus of the Declaration was to foster collaboration between governmental bodies and community groups for the Aral Sea’s revival 

3. The Declaration was a call to action, urging environmental organizations to contribute their expertise and resources to restore the Aral Sea (

4. The Declaration aimed at inviting NGOs to be involved in the revival of the Aral Sea 

5. The Declaration sought to engage community groups in rejuvenating the Amu Darya and Syr Darya ecosystem

IN SEPTEMBER 1995, the presidents of the fve republics which constitute the watershed of the Aral Sea - Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan - met in Nukus, the capital of Karakalpakstan, the autonomous republic of Uzbekistan (the worst-afected by the tragedy). This was the fourth meeting of the presidents within three years. The objective: to deal with the Aral Sea crisis and efectively try to contain the terrible after-efects of this gigantic ecological disaster. The meeting was preceded by an international conference where the presidents called upon the international community to help them save the Aral Sea. A resolution was taken up to formulate a regional treaty to share the waters of the rivers feeding the Aral Sea. Since these states were until recently part of the former Soviet Union, non-governmental organizations have rarely been involved in ecological work. But signifcantly, for the frst time, on paper at least, the ofcial Nukus Declaration stated government intent to provide space for NGOs to be involved in the revival of the Aral Sea. The conference laid bare all the elements of the crisis - the need for humanitarian aid, the need for plans to move towards “sustainable development” and ecological restoration. But the one question uppermost in the minds of concerned environmentalists - Will the Aral Sea ever recover its former glory? - remained unanswered!

The genesis: The quest for self-sufciency is indisputably a lofty goal, a meaningful aspiration, especially when it seeks to change the destiny of a land and its teeming millions. But sometimes when dreams run contrary to reason, failing to take cognizance of ground realities and existing truths, the outcome can be devastating. The Aral Sea crisis is one such disaster. A colossal blunder, borne of short-sighted planning, triggered by nothing but an all-consuming concern for self-sufciency. Ever since Lenin had decreed in 1919 that the USSR should become self-sufcient in cotton, the country’s central planners concentrated on cotton production. A process that sets into motion a series of chain reactions leading to a calamitous, culde-sac gateway to eventual catastrophe.

The future, as perceived by the Soviet planners, lay in the development of ambitious irrigation schemes that would milk the rivers to quench the growing, almost insatiable demands of cotton production. And if at the end of it all a sea was to be sacrifced, what of it? So, the Aral Sea was made to pay for the consequences of mega planning that paid no heed to ecological considerations.

One of the most ancient lakes on earth, the Aral Sea, which is bounded by three deserts and shared by the fve newly independent republics of Central Asia, had been the USSR’s second largest inland water body and the world’s fourth-largest inland sea. Fed mainly by two rivers - Amu Darya and Syr Darya - which collect the runofs and glacier melts from the Pamir and Tien Shan mountains of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan - it had an average depth of 16 meters and a maximum depth of 68 meters with a salt content of 1 percent only. It had abundant fsh resources and a busy shipping trade extending from its northern port of Aralsk in Kazakhstan to the river ports of Amu Darya, some as remote as Tajikistan. But all this was about to change. The Aral Sea and the adjoining tract of Central Asia were soon to feel the efects of these changes.

More than three-quarters of the territory in Central Asia is desert lowland, part of a closed basin with no open sea or ocean outlet. Its hydrological cycle is strongly afected by the prevalent climatic features. There is very little rainfall in the lowland plains as all the monsoon-bearing winds from the Indian Ocean to the south are blocked by the high Himalayan peaks. The high temperatures, low humidity, and high solar radiation combine to create very high evaporation rates.

The fertile irrigated land between the two rivers is an ancient area of human settlement and has a history of approximately 3500 years. Sophisticated water distribution systems were in operation here, especially in the regions of Khorezm and Fergana. Archaeological research has shown that millions of hectares of water were locally managed by village councils, which allocated and controlled water use and enforced water laws. According to tradition, users of irrigation water took part in the construction and maintenance of irrigation networks. When Russians conquered the Khanates of Turkestan (now Central Asia) in the late 19th century, they introduced technologies and began large-scale cotton cultivation. With the consolidation of Soviet power in the ‘20s, cotton was extensively developed in suitable areas. Sovietization led to a diminished appreciation by the inhabitants of the precious character of its water resources.

As recently as the late ‘50s, most surface water for irrigation came from smaller streams, and only about 15-17 percent of the Amu and Syr Darya fows were used for irrigation. Because of the low level of irrigation, the volume of the Aral Sea basin was more or less in equilibrium, with the evaporation from the surface being counterbalanced by the river infow, groundwater aquifers, and rainfall. The volume of water fuctuated by only 100-150 cu km, and the surface area by 4000 sq km. Sponging of a sea: When the decision to divert the waters of the two major rivers feeding the Aral Sea, the Amu Darya and Syr Darya, was implemented, the fate of the once-mighty Aral Sea and the inhabitants of the region was sadly and irrevocably sealed. These diverted waters were to irrigate the ancient steppes (grasslands) of Central Asia, which had traditionally supported shepherds and nomads. But the Soviet planners were fully aware that this diversion would eventually starve the Aral Sea and compel it to shrink. They, therefore, had a contingency plan up their sleeves - the waters of the Siberian rivers fowing into the Central Asian region would be diverted to the Aral Sea to bolster the loss of Amu Darya and Syr Darya river fow. However, while the Central Asian irrigation plan went on stream, the plan to divert the Siberian rivers encountered stif opposition from several ecologically concerned Soviet scientists. Struck down by the sheer vehemence of such overwhelming protest, the planners backed of, leaving the poor Aral Sea to face the brunt of a decision that was to recoil most tragically on its perpetrator and victims alike.

Question:

Which of the following crops’ cultivation led to the deterioration of the Aral Sea?

1. Cotton 

2. Sugarcane 

3. Rice 

4. Alfalfa 

5. Maize

IN SEPTEMBER 1995, the presidents of the fve republics which constitute the watershed of the Aral Sea - Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan - met in Nukus, the capital of Karakalpakstan, the autonomous republic of Uzbekistan (the worst-afected by the tragedy). This was the fourth meeting of the presidents within three years. The objective: to deal with the Aral Sea crisis and efectively try to contain the terrible after-efects of this gigantic ecological disaster. The meeting was preceded by an international conference where the presidents called upon the international community to help them save the Aral Sea. A resolution was taken up to formulate a regional treaty to share the waters of the rivers feeding the Aral Sea. Since these states were until recently part of the former Soviet Union, non-governmental organizations have rarely been involved in ecological work. But signifcantly, for the frst time, on paper at least, the ofcial Nukus Declaration stated government intent to provide space for NGOs to be involved in the revival of the Aral Sea. The conference laid bare all the elements of the crisis - the need for humanitarian aid, the need for plans to move towards “sustainable development” and ecological restoration. But the one question uppermost in the minds of concerned environmentalists - Will the Aral Sea ever recover its former glory? - remained unanswered!

The genesis: The quest for self-sufciency is indisputably a lofty goal, a meaningful aspiration, especially when it seeks to change the destiny of a land and its teeming millions. But sometimes when dreams run contrary to reason, failing to take cognizance of ground realities and existing truths, the outcome can be devastating. The Aral Sea crisis is one such disaster. A colossal blunder, borne of short-sighted planning, triggered by nothing but an all-consuming concern for self-sufciency. Ever since Lenin had decreed in 1919 that the USSR should become self-sufcient in cotton, the country’s central planners concentrated on cotton production. A process that sets into motion a series of chain reactions leading to a calamitous, culde-sac gateway to eventual catastrophe.

The future, as perceived by the Soviet planners, lay in the development of ambitious irrigation schemes that would milk the rivers to quench the growing, almost insatiable demands of cotton production. And if at the end of it all a sea was to be sacrifced, what of it? So, the Aral Sea was made to pay for the consequences of mega planning that paid no heed to ecological considerations.

One of the most ancient lakes on earth, the Aral Sea, which is bounded by three deserts and shared by the fve newly independent republics of Central Asia, had been the USSR’s second largest inland water body and the world’s fourth-largest inland sea. Fed mainly by two rivers - Amu Darya and Syr Darya - which collect the runofs and glacier melts from the Pamir and Tien Shan mountains of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan - it had an average depth of 16 meters and a maximum depth of 68 meters with a salt content of 1 percent only. It had abundant fsh resources and a busy shipping trade extending from its northern port of Aralsk in Kazakhstan to the river ports of Amu Darya, some as remote as Tajikistan. But all this was about to change. The Aral Sea and the adjoining tract of Central Asia were soon to feel the efects of these changes.

More than three-quarters of the territory in Central Asia is desert lowland, part of a closed basin with no open sea or ocean outlet. Its hydrological cycle is strongly afected by the prevalent climatic features. There is very little rainfall in the lowland plains as all the monsoon-bearing winds from the Indian Ocean to the south are blocked by the high Himalayan peaks. The high temperatures, low humidity, and high solar radiation combine to create very high evaporation rates.

The fertile irrigated land between the two rivers is an ancient area of human settlement and has a history of approximately 3500 years. Sophisticated water distribution systems were in operation here, especially in the regions of Khorezm and Fergana. Archaeological research has shown that millions of hectares of water were locally managed by village councils, which allocated and controlled water use and enforced water laws. According to tradition, users of irrigation water took part in the construction and maintenance of irrigation networks. When Russians conquered the Khanates of Turkestan (now Central Asia) in the late 19th century, they introduced technologies and began large-scale cotton cultivation. With the consolidation of Soviet power in the ‘20s, cotton was extensively developed in suitable areas. Sovietization led to a diminished appreciation by the inhabitants of the precious character of its water resources.

As recently as the late ‘50s, most surface water for irrigation came from smaller streams, and only about 15-17 percent of the Amu and Syr Darya fows were used for irrigation. Because of the low level of irrigation, the volume of the Aral Sea basin was more or less in equilibrium, with the evaporation from the surface being counterbalanced by the river infow, groundwater aquifers, and rainfall. The volume of water fuctuated by only 100-150 cu km, and the surface area by 4000 sq km. Sponging of a sea: When the decision to divert the waters of the two major rivers feeding the Aral Sea, the Amu Darya and Syr Darya, was implemented, the fate of the once-mighty Aral Sea and the inhabitants of the region was sadly and irrevocably sealed. These diverted waters were to irrigate the ancient steppes (grasslands) of Central Asia, which had traditionally supported shepherds and nomads. But the Soviet planners were fully aware that this diversion would eventually starve the Aral Sea and compel it to shrink. They, therefore, had a contingency plan up their sleeves - the waters of the Siberian rivers fowing into the Central Asian region would be diverted to the Aral Sea to bolster the loss of Amu Darya and Syr Darya river fow. However, while the Central Asian irrigation plan went on stream, the plan to divert the Siberian rivers encountered stif opposition from several ecologically concerned Soviet scientists. Struck down by the sheer vehemence of such overwhelming protest, the planners backed of, leaving the poor Aral Sea to face the brunt of a decision that was to recoil most tragically on its perpetrator and victims alike.

Question:

Which of the following statement(s) is/are truly stating the objectives of the September 1995 meeting of the fve Central Asian countries?

1. To improve the livelihood options of nomad tribes living in the Central Asian Region 

2. To deal with the Aral Sea crisis and contain the terrible afterefects of this gigantic ecological disaster

3. To enhance the connectivity options for nomadic tribes in the Central Asian region 

4. To provide mobile healthcare clinics and training nomads in basic medical skills 

5. To promote eco-friendly practices to preserve the fragile ecosystems where nomadic tribes reside

IN SEPTEMBER 1995, the presidents of the fve republics which constitute the watershed of the Aral Sea - Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan - met in Nukus, the capital of Karakalpakstan, the autonomous republic of Uzbekistan (the worst-afected by the tragedy). This was the fourth meeting of the presidents within three years. The objective: to deal with the Aral Sea crisis and efectively try to contain the terrible after-efects of this gigantic ecological disaster. The meeting was preceded by an international conference where the presidents called upon the international community to help them save the Aral Sea. A resolution was taken up to formulate a regional treaty to share the waters of the rivers feeding the Aral Sea. Since these states were until recently part of the former Soviet Union, non-governmental organizations have rarely been involved in ecological work. But signifcantly, for the frst time, on paper at least, the ofcial Nukus Declaration stated government intent to provide space for NGOs to be involved in the revival of the Aral Sea. The conference laid bare all the elements of the crisis - the need for humanitarian aid, the need for plans to move towards “sustainable development” and ecological restoration. But the one question uppermost in the minds of concerned environmentalists - Will the Aral Sea ever recover its former glory? - remained unanswered!

The genesis: The quest for self-sufciency is indisputably a lofty goal, a meaningful aspiration, especially when it seeks to change the destiny of a land and its teeming millions. But sometimes when dreams run contrary to reason, failing to take cognizance of ground realities and existing truths, the outcome can be devastating. The Aral Sea crisis is one such disaster. A colossal blunder, borne of short-sighted planning, triggered by nothing but an all-consuming concern for self-sufciency. Ever since Lenin had decreed in 1919 that the USSR should become self-sufcient in cotton, the country’s central planners concentrated on cotton production. A process that sets into motion a series of chain reactions leading to a calamitous, culde-sac gateway to eventual catastrophe.

The future, as perceived by the Soviet planners, lay in the development of ambitious irrigation schemes that would milk the rivers to quench the growing, almost insatiable demands of cotton production. And if at the end of it all a sea was to be sacrifced, what of it? So, the Aral Sea was made to pay for the consequences of mega planning that paid no heed to ecological considerations.

One of the most ancient lakes on earth, the Aral Sea, which is bounded by three deserts and shared by the fve newly independent republics of Central Asia, had been the USSR’s second largest inland water body and the world’s fourth-largest inland sea. Fed mainly by two rivers - Amu Darya and Syr Darya - which collect the runofs and glacier melts from the Pamir and Tien Shan mountains of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan - it had an average depth of 16 meters and a maximum depth of 68 meters with a salt content of 1 percent only. It had abundant fsh resources and a busy shipping trade extending from its northern port of Aralsk in Kazakhstan to the river ports of Amu Darya, some as remote as Tajikistan. But all this was about to change. The Aral Sea and the adjoining tract of Central Asia were soon to feel the efects of these changes.

More than three-quarters of the territory in Central Asia is desert lowland, part of a closed basin with no open sea or ocean outlet. Its hydrological cycle is strongly afected by the prevalent climatic features. There is very little rainfall in the lowland plains as all the monsoon-bearing winds from the Indian Ocean to the south are blocked by the high Himalayan peaks. The high temperatures, low humidity, and high solar radiation combine to create very high evaporation rates.

The fertile irrigated land between the two rivers is an ancient area of human settlement and has a history of approximately 3500 years. Sophisticated water distribution systems were in operation here, especially in the regions of Khorezm and Fergana. Archaeological research has shown that millions of hectares of water were locally managed by village councils, which allocated and controlled water use and enforced water laws. According to tradition, users of irrigation water took part in the construction and maintenance of irrigation networks. When Russians conquered the Khanates of Turkestan (now Central Asia) in the late 19th century, they introduced technologies and began large-scale cotton cultivation. With the consolidation of Soviet power in the ‘20s, cotton was extensively developed in suitable areas. Sovietization led to a diminished appreciation by the inhabitants of the precious character of its water resources.

As recently as the late ‘50s, most surface water for irrigation came from smaller streams, and only about 15-17 percent of the Amu and Syr Darya fows were used for irrigation. Because of the low level of irrigation, the volume of the Aral Sea basin was more or less in equilibrium, with the evaporation from the surface being counterbalanced by the river infow, groundwater aquifers, and rainfall. The volume of water fuctuated by only 100-150 cu km, and the surface area by 4000 sq km. Sponging of a sea: When the decision to divert the waters of the two major rivers feeding the Aral Sea, the Amu Darya and Syr Darya, was implemented, the fate of the once-mighty Aral Sea and the inhabitants of the region was sadly and irrevocably sealed. These diverted waters were to irrigate the ancient steppes (grasslands) of Central Asia, which had traditionally supported shepherds and nomads. But the Soviet planners were fully aware that this diversion would eventually starve the Aral Sea and compel it to shrink. They, therefore, had a contingency plan up their sleeves - the waters of the Siberian rivers fowing into the Central Asian region would be diverted to the Aral Sea to bolster the loss of Amu Darya and Syr Darya river fow. However, while the Central Asian irrigation plan went on stream, the plan to divert the Siberian rivers encountered stif opposition from several ecologically concerned Soviet scientists. Struck down by the sheer vehemence of such overwhelming protest, the planners backed of, leaving the poor Aral Sea to face the brunt of a decision that was to recoil most tragically on its perpetrator and victims alike.

Question:

Which of the following statement(s) is/are incorrect about the geographical features of the Aral Sea? 

1. It was the USSR’s second largest inland water body and the world’s fourth-largest inland sea 

2. It is fed mainly by two rivers - Amu Darya and Syr DaryaThe sea is made from the runofs and glacier melts from the Pamir and Tien Shan mountains of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan 

3. It had defcient fsh resources and more than three-quarters of the territory surrounding it is desert lowland 

4. It had an average depth of 16 meters and a maximum depth of 68 meters with a salt content of 1 percent only

IN SEPTEMBER 1995, the presidents of the fve republics which constitute the watershed of the Aral Sea - Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan - met in Nukus, the capital of Karakalpakstan, the autonomous republic of Uzbekistan (the worst-afected by the tragedy). This was the fourth meeting of the presidents within three years. The objective: to deal with the Aral Sea crisis and efectively try to contain the terrible after-efects of this gigantic ecological disaster. The meeting was preceded by an international conference where the presidents called upon the international community to help them save the Aral Sea. A resolution was taken up to formulate a regional treaty to share the waters of the rivers feeding the Aral Sea. Since these states were until recently part of the former Soviet Union, non-governmental organizations have rarely been involved in ecological work. But signifcantly, for the frst time, on paper at least, the ofcial Nukus Declaration stated government intent to provide space for NGOs to be involved in the revival of the Aral Sea. The conference laid bare all the elements of the crisis - the need for humanitarian aid, the need for plans to move towards “sustainable development” and ecological restoration. But the one question uppermost in the minds of concerned environmentalists - Will the Aral Sea ever recover its former glory? - remained unanswered!

The genesis: The quest for self-sufciency is indisputably a lofty goal, a meaningful aspiration, especially when it seeks to change the destiny of a land and its teeming millions. But sometimes when dreams run contrary to reason, failing to take cognizance of ground realities and existing truths, the outcome can be devastating. The Aral Sea crisis is one such disaster. A colossal blunder, borne of short-sighted planning, triggered by nothing but an all-consuming concern for self-sufciency. Ever since Lenin had decreed in 1919 that the USSR should become self-sufcient in cotton, the country’s central planners concentrated on cotton production. A process that sets into motion a series of chain reactions leading to a calamitous, culde-sac gateway to eventual catastrophe.

The future, as perceived by the Soviet planners, lay in the development of ambitious irrigation schemes that would milk the rivers to quench the growing, almost insatiable demands of cotton production. And if at the end of it all a sea was to be sacrifced, what of it? So, the Aral Sea was made to pay for the consequences of mega planning that paid no heed to ecological considerations.

One of the most ancient lakes on earth, the Aral Sea, which is bounded by three deserts and shared by the fve newly independent republics of Central Asia, had been the USSR’s second largest inland water body and the world’s fourth-largest inland sea. Fed mainly by two rivers - Amu Darya and Syr Darya - which collect the runofs and glacier melts from the Pamir and Tien Shan mountains of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan - it had an average depth of 16 meters and a maximum depth of 68 meters with a salt content of 1 percent only. It had abundant fsh resources and a busy shipping trade extending from its northern port of Aralsk in Kazakhstan to the river ports of Amu Darya, some as remote as Tajikistan. But all this was about to change. The Aral Sea and the adjoining tract of Central Asia were soon to feel the efects of these changes.

More than three-quarters of the territory in Central Asia is desert lowland, part of a closed basin with no open sea or ocean outlet. Its hydrological cycle is strongly afected by the prevalent climatic features. There is very little rainfall in the lowland plains as all the monsoon-bearing winds from the Indian Ocean to the south are blocked by the high Himalayan peaks. The high temperatures, low humidity, and high solar radiation combine to create very high evaporation rates.

The fertile irrigated land between the two rivers is an ancient area of human settlement and has a history of approximately 3500 years. Sophisticated water distribution systems were in operation here, especially in the regions of Khorezm and Fergana. Archaeological research has shown that millions of hectares of water were locally managed by village councils, which allocated and controlled water use and enforced water laws. According to tradition, users of irrigation water took part in the construction and maintenance of irrigation networks. When Russians conquered the Khanates of Turkestan (now Central Asia) in the late 19th century, they introduced technologies and began large-scale cotton cultivation. With the consolidation of Soviet power in the ‘20s, cotton was extensively developed in suitable areas. Sovietization led to a diminished appreciation by the inhabitants of the precious character of its water resources.

As recently as the late ‘50s, most surface water for irrigation came from smaller streams, and only about 15-17 percent of the Amu and Syr Darya fows were used for irrigation. Because of the low level of irrigation, the volume of the Aral Sea basin was more or less in equilibrium, with the evaporation from the surface being counterbalanced by the river infow, groundwater aquifers, and rainfall. The volume of water fuctuated by only 100-150 cu km, and the surface area by 4000 sq km. Sponging of a sea: When the decision to divert the waters of the two major rivers feeding the Aral Sea, the Amu Darya and Syr Darya, was implemented, the fate of the once-mighty Aral Sea and the inhabitants of the region was sadly and irrevocably sealed. These diverted waters were to irrigate the ancient steppes (grasslands) of Central Asia, which had traditionally supported shepherds and nomads. But the Soviet planners were fully aware that this diversion would eventually starve the Aral Sea and compel it to shrink. They, therefore, had a contingency plan up their sleeves - the waters of the Siberian rivers fowing into the Central Asian region would be diverted to the Aral Sea to bolster the loss of Amu Darya and Syr Darya river fow. However, while the Central Asian irrigation plan went on stream, the plan to divert the Siberian rivers encountered stif opposition from several ecologically concerned Soviet scientists. Struck down by the sheer vehemence of such overwhelming protest, the planners backed of, leaving the poor Aral Sea to face the brunt of a decision that was to recoil most tragically on its perpetrator and victims alike.

Question:

Aralsk is the port in which country?

1. Uzbekistan 

2. Kazakhstan 

3. Turkmenistan 

4. Tajikistan 

5. Kyrgyzstan 

IN SEPTEMBER 1995, the presidents of the fve republics which constitute the watershed of the Aral Sea - Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan - met in Nukus, the capital of Karakalpakstan, the autonomous republic of Uzbekistan (the worst-afected by the tragedy). This was the fourth meeting of the presidents within three years. The objective: to deal with the Aral Sea crisis and efectively try to contain the terrible after-efects of this gigantic ecological disaster. The meeting was preceded by an international conference where the presidents called upon the international community to help them save the Aral Sea. A resolution was taken up to formulate a regional treaty to share the waters of the rivers feeding the Aral Sea. Since these states were until recently part of the former Soviet Union, non-governmental organizations have rarely been involved in ecological work. But signifcantly, for the frst time, on paper at least, the ofcial Nukus Declaration stated government intent to provide space for NGOs to be involved in the revival of the Aral Sea. The conference laid bare all the elements of the crisis - the need for humanitarian aid, the need for plans to move towards “sustainable development” and ecological restoration. But the one question uppermost in the minds of concerned environmentalists - Will the Aral Sea ever recover its former glory? - remained unanswered!

The genesis: The quest for self-sufciency is indisputably a lofty goal, a meaningful aspiration, especially when it seeks to change the destiny of a land and its teeming millions. But sometimes when dreams run contrary to reason, failing to take cognizance of ground realities and existing truths, the outcome can be devastating. The Aral Sea crisis is one such disaster. A colossal blunder, borne of short-sighted planning, triggered by nothing but an all-consuming concern for self-sufciency. Ever since Lenin had decreed in 1919 that the USSR should become self-sufcient in cotton, the country’s central planners concentrated on cotton production. A process that sets into motion a series of chain reactions leading to a calamitous, culde-sac gateway to eventual catastrophe.

The future, as perceived by the Soviet planners, lay in the development of ambitious irrigation schemes that would milk the rivers to quench the growing, almost insatiable demands of cotton production. And if at the end of it all a sea was to be sacrifced, what of it? So, the Aral Sea was made to pay for the consequences of mega planning that paid no heed to ecological considerations.

One of the most ancient lakes on earth, the Aral Sea, which is bounded by three deserts and shared by the fve newly independent republics of Central Asia, had been the USSR’s second largest inland water body and the world’s fourth-largest inland sea. Fed mainly by two rivers - Amu Darya and Syr Darya - which collect the runofs and glacier melts from the Pamir and Tien Shan mountains of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan - it had an average depth of 16 meters and a maximum depth of 68 meters with a salt content of 1 percent only. It had abundant fsh resources and a busy shipping trade extending from its northern port of Aralsk in Kazakhstan to the river ports of Amu Darya, some as remote as Tajikistan. But all this was about to change. The Aral Sea and the adjoining tract of Central Asia were soon to feel the efects of these changes.

More than three-quarters of the territory in Central Asia is desert lowland, part of a closed basin with no open sea or ocean outlet. Its hydrological cycle is strongly afected by the prevalent climatic features. There is very little rainfall in the lowland plains as all the monsoon-bearing winds from the Indian Ocean to the south are blocked by the high Himalayan peaks. The high temperatures, low humidity, and high solar radiation combine to create very high evaporation rates.

The fertile irrigated land between the two rivers is an ancient area of human settlement and has a history of approximately 3500 years. Sophisticated water distribution systems were in operation here, especially in the regions of Khorezm and Fergana. Archaeological research has shown that millions of hectares of water were locally managed by village councils, which allocated and controlled water use and enforced water laws. According to tradition, users of irrigation water took part in the construction and maintenance of irrigation networks. When Russians conquered the Khanates of Turkestan (now Central Asia) in the late 19th century, they introduced technologies and began large-scale cotton cultivation. With the consolidation of Soviet power in the ‘20s, cotton was extensively developed in suitable areas. Sovietization led to a diminished appreciation by the inhabitants of the precious character of its water resources.

As recently as the late ‘50s, most surface water for irrigation came from smaller streams, and only about 15-17 percent of the Amu and Syr Darya fows were used for irrigation. Because of the low level of irrigation, the volume of the Aral Sea basin was more or less in equilibrium, with the evaporation from the surface being counterbalanced by the river infow, groundwater aquifers, and rainfall. The volume of water fuctuated by only 100-150 cu km, and the surface area by 4000 sq km. Sponging of a sea: When the decision to divert the waters of the two major rivers feeding the Aral Sea, the Amu Darya and Syr Darya, was implemented, the fate of the once-mighty Aral Sea and the inhabitants of the region was sadly and irrevocably sealed. These diverted waters were to irrigate the ancient steppes (grasslands) of Central Asia, which had traditionally supported shepherds and nomads. But the Soviet planners were fully aware that this diversion would eventually starve the Aral Sea and compel it to shrink. They, therefore, had a contingency plan up their sleeves - the waters of the Siberian rivers fowing into the Central Asian region would be diverted to the Aral Sea to bolster the loss of Amu Darya and Syr Darya river fow. However, while the Central Asian irrigation plan went on stream, the plan to divert the Siberian rivers encountered stif opposition from several ecologically concerned Soviet scientists. Struck down by the sheer vehemence of such overwhelming protest, the planners backed of, leaving the poor Aral Sea to face the brunt of a decision that was to recoil most tragically on its perpetrator and victims alike.

Question:

What caused the contingency plan for Aral Sea to fail?

1. Strong opposition of the Soviet environmentalists 

2. High costs of the conservation project 

3. nsufcient funding and resources allocated to the 

4. planPolitical and bureaucratic obstacles within the Soviet government

5. Lack of international support and cooperation for the contingency plan 

IN SEPTEMBER 1995, the presidents of the fve republics which constitute the watershed of the Aral Sea - Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan - met in Nukus, the capital of Karakalpakstan, the autonomous republic of Uzbekistan (the worst-afected by the tragedy). This was the fourth meeting of the presidents within three years. The objective: to deal with the Aral Sea crisis and efectively try to contain the terrible after-efects of this gigantic ecological disaster. The meeting was preceded by an international conference where the presidents called upon the international community to help them save the Aral Sea. A resolution was taken up to formulate a regional treaty to share the waters of the rivers feeding the Aral Sea. Since these states were until recently part of the former Soviet Union, non-governmental organizations have rarely been involved in ecological work. But signifcantly, for the frst time, on paper at least, the ofcial Nukus Declaration stated government intent to provide space for NGOs to be involved in the revival of the Aral Sea. The conference laid bare all the elements of the crisis - the need for humanitarian aid, the need for plans to move towards “sustainable development” and ecological restoration. But the one question uppermost in the minds of concerned environmentalists - Will the Aral Sea ever recover its former glory? - remained unanswered!

The genesis: The quest for self-sufciency is indisputably a lofty goal, a meaningful aspiration, especially when it seeks to change the destiny of a land and its teeming millions. But sometimes when dreams run contrary to reason, failing to take cognizance of ground realities and existing truths, the outcome can be devastating. The Aral Sea crisis is one such disaster. A colossal blunder, borne of short-sighted planning, triggered by nothing but an all-consuming concern for self-sufciency. Ever since Lenin had decreed in 1919 that the USSR should become self-sufcient in cotton, the country’s central planners concentrated on cotton production. A process that sets into motion a series of chain reactions leading to a calamitous, culde-sac gateway to eventual catastrophe.

The future, as perceived by the Soviet planners, lay in the development of ambitious irrigation schemes that would milk the rivers to quench the growing, almost insatiable demands of cotton production. And if at the end of it all a sea was to be sacrifced, what of it? So, the Aral Sea was made to pay for the consequences of mega planning that paid no heed to ecological considerations.

One of the most ancient lakes on earth, the Aral Sea, which is bounded by three deserts and shared by the fve newly independent republics of Central Asia, had been the USSR’s second largest inland water body and the world’s fourth-largest inland sea. Fed mainly by two rivers - Amu Darya and Syr Darya - which collect the runofs and glacier melts from the Pamir and Tien Shan mountains of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan - it had an average depth of 16 meters and a maximum depth of 68 meters with a salt content of 1 percent only. It had abundant fsh resources and a busy shipping trade extending from its northern port of Aralsk in Kazakhstan to the river ports of Amu Darya, some as remote as Tajikistan. But all this was about to change. The Aral Sea and the adjoining tract of Central Asia were soon to feel the efects of these changes.

More than three-quarters of the territory in Central Asia is desert lowland, part of a closed basin with no open sea or ocean outlet. Its hydrological cycle is strongly afected by the prevalent climatic features. There is very little rainfall in the lowland plains as all the monsoon-bearing winds from the Indian Ocean to the south are blocked by the high Himalayan peaks. The high temperatures, low humidity, and high solar radiation combine to create very high evaporation rates.

The fertile irrigated land between the two rivers is an ancient area of human settlement and has a history of approximately 3500 years. Sophisticated water distribution systems were in operation here, especially in the regions of Khorezm and Fergana. Archaeological research has shown that millions of hectares of water were locally managed by village councils, which allocated and controlled water use and enforced water laws. According to tradition, users of irrigation water took part in the construction and maintenance of irrigation networks. When Russians conquered the Khanates of Turkestan (now Central Asia) in the late 19th century, they introduced technologies and began large-scale cotton cultivation. With the consolidation of Soviet power in the ‘20s, cotton was extensively developed in suitable areas. Sovietization led to a diminished appreciation by the inhabitants of the precious character of its water resources.

As recently as the late ‘50s, most surface water for irrigation came from smaller streams, and only about 15-17 percent of the Amu and Syr Darya fows were used for irrigation. Because of the low level of irrigation, the volume of the Aral Sea basin was more or less in equilibrium, with the evaporation from the surface being counterbalanced by the river infow, groundwater aquifers, and rainfall. The volume of water fuctuated by only 100-150 cu km, and the surface area by 4000 sq km. Sponging of a sea: When the decision to divert the waters of the two major rivers feeding the Aral Sea, the Amu Darya and Syr Darya, was implemented, the fate of the once-mighty Aral Sea and the inhabitants of the region was sadly and irrevocably sealed. These diverted waters were to irrigate the ancient steppes (grasslands) of Central Asia, which had traditionally supported shepherds and nomads. But the Soviet planners were fully aware that this diversion would eventually starve the Aral Sea and compel it to shrink. They, therefore, had a contingency plan up their sleeves - the waters of the Siberian rivers fowing into the Central Asian region would be diverted to the Aral Sea to bolster the loss of Amu Darya and Syr Darya river fow. However, while the Central Asian irrigation plan went on stream, the plan to divert the Siberian rivers encountered stif opposition from several ecologically concerned Soviet scientists. Struck down by the sheer vehemence of such overwhelming protest, the planners backed of, leaving the poor Aral Sea to face the brunt of a decision that was to recoil most tragically on its perpetrator and victims alike.

Question:

What is the meaning of cul-de-sac?

1. A complex, difcult, or problematic situation with no clear way out

2. A short road that is blocked of at one end

3. A situation where opposing forces or factors are evenly balanced 

4. A situation in which no one involved can make any further progress because all parties are equally matched, and no one can win 

5. A situation where there is no movement or activity, often due to a halt

IN SEPTEMBER 1995, the presidents of the fve republics which constitute the watershed of the Aral Sea - Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan - met in Nukus, the capital of Karakalpakstan, the autonomous republic of Uzbekistan (the worst-afected by the tragedy). This was the fourth meeting of the presidents within three years. The objective: to deal with the Aral Sea crisis and efectively try to contain the terrible after-efects of this gigantic ecological disaster. The meeting was preceded by an international conference where the presidents called upon the international community to help them save the Aral Sea. A resolution was taken up to formulate a regional treaty to share the waters of the rivers feeding the Aral Sea. Since these states were until recently part of the former Soviet Union, non-governmental organizations have rarely been involved in ecological work. But signifcantly, for the frst time, on paper at least, the ofcial Nukus Declaration stated government intent to provide space for NGOs to be involved in the revival of the Aral Sea. The conference laid bare all the elements of the crisis - the need for humanitarian aid, the need for plans to move towards “sustainable development” and ecological restoration. But the one question uppermost in the minds of concerned environmentalists - Will the Aral Sea ever recover its former glory? - remained unanswered!

The genesis: The quest for self-sufciency is indisputably a lofty goal, a meaningful aspiration, especially when it seeks to change the destiny of a land and its teeming millions. But sometimes when dreams run contrary to reason, failing to take cognizance of ground realities and existing truths, the outcome can be devastating. The Aral Sea crisis is one such disaster. A colossal blunder, borne of short-sighted planning, triggered by nothing but an all-consuming concern for self-sufciency. Ever since Lenin had decreed in 1919 that the USSR should become self-sufcient in cotton, the country’s central planners concentrated on cotton production. A process that sets into motion a series of chain reactions leading to a calamitous, culde-sac gateway to eventual catastrophe.

The future, as perceived by the Soviet planners, lay in the development of ambitious irrigation schemes that would milk the rivers to quench the growing, almost insatiable demands of cotton production. And if at the end of it all a sea was to be sacrifced, what of it? So, the Aral Sea was made to pay for the consequences of mega planning that paid no heed to ecological considerations.

One of the most ancient lakes on earth, the Aral Sea, which is bounded by three deserts and shared by the fve newly independent republics of Central Asia, had been the USSR’s second largest inland water body and the world’s fourth-largest inland sea. Fed mainly by two rivers - Amu Darya and Syr Darya - which collect the runofs and glacier melts from the Pamir and Tien Shan mountains of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan - it had an average depth of 16 meters and a maximum depth of 68 meters with a salt content of 1 percent only. It had abundant fsh resources and a busy shipping trade extending from its northern port of Aralsk in Kazakhstan to the river ports of Amu Darya, some as remote as Tajikistan. But all this was about to change. The Aral Sea and the adjoining tract of Central Asia were soon to feel the efects of these changes.

More than three-quarters of the territory in Central Asia is desert lowland, part of a closed basin with no open sea or ocean outlet. Its hydrological cycle is strongly afected by the prevalent climatic features. There is very little rainfall in the lowland plains as all the monsoon-bearing winds from the Indian Ocean to the south are blocked by the high Himalayan peaks. The high temperatures, low humidity, and high solar radiation combine to create very high evaporation rates.

The fertile irrigated land between the two rivers is an ancient area of human settlement and has a history of approximately 3500 years. Sophisticated water distribution systems were in operation here, especially in the regions of Khorezm and Fergana. Archaeological research has shown that millions of hectares of water were locally managed by village councils, which allocated and controlled water use and enforced water laws. According to tradition, users of irrigation water took part in the construction and maintenance of irrigation networks. When Russians conquered the Khanates of Turkestan (now Central Asia) in the late 19th century, they introduced technologies and began large-scale cotton cultivation. With the consolidation of Soviet power in the ‘20s, cotton was extensively developed in suitable areas. Sovietization led to a diminished appreciation by the inhabitants of the precious character of its water resources.

As recently as the late ‘50s, most surface water for irrigation came from smaller streams, and only about 15-17 percent of the Amu and Syr Darya fows were used for irrigation. Because of the low level of irrigation, the volume of the Aral Sea basin was more or less in equilibrium, with the evaporation from the surface being counterbalanced by the river infow, groundwater aquifers, and rainfall. The volume of water fuctuated by only 100-150 cu km, and the surface area by 4000 sq km. Sponging of a sea: When the decision to divert the waters of the two major rivers feeding the Aral Sea, the Amu Darya and Syr Darya, was implemented, the fate of the once-mighty Aral Sea and the inhabitants of the region was sadly and irrevocably sealed. These diverted waters were to irrigate the ancient steppes (grasslands) of Central Asia, which had traditionally supported shepherds and nomads. But the Soviet planners were fully aware that this diversion would eventually starve the Aral Sea and compel it to shrink. They, therefore, had a contingency plan up their sleeves - the waters of the Siberian rivers fowing into the Central Asian region would be diverted to the Aral Sea to bolster the loss of Amu Darya and Syr Darya river fow. However, while the Central Asian irrigation plan went on stream, the plan to divert the Siberian rivers encountered stif opposition from several ecologically concerned Soviet scientists. Struck down by the sheer vehemence of such overwhelming protest, the planners backed of, leaving the poor Aral Sea to face the brunt of a decision that was to recoil most tragically on its perpetrator and victims alike.

Question:

Which of the following words is opposite in meaning to ‘insatiable’?

1. Gratifed 

2. Voracious 

3. Ravenous

4. Gluttonous 

5. Avaricious

IN SEPTEMBER 1995, the presidents of the fve republics which constitute the watershed of the Aral Sea - Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan - met in Nukus, the capital of Karakalpakstan, the autonomous republic of Uzbekistan (the worst-afected by the tragedy). This was the fourth meeting of the presidents within three years. The objective: to deal with the Aral Sea crisis and efectively try to contain the terrible after-efects of this gigantic ecological disaster. The meeting was preceded by an international conference where the presidents called upon the international community to help them save the Aral Sea. A resolution was taken up to formulate a regional treaty to share the waters of the rivers feeding the Aral Sea. Since these states were until recently part of the former Soviet Union, non-governmental organizations have rarely been involved in ecological work. But signifcantly, for the frst time, on paper at least, the ofcial Nukus Declaration stated government intent to provide space for NGOs to be involved in the revival of the Aral Sea. The conference laid bare all the elements of the crisis - the need for humanitarian aid, the need for plans to move towards “sustainable development” and ecological restoration. But the one question uppermost in the minds of concerned environmentalists - Will the Aral Sea ever recover its former glory? - remained unanswered!

The genesis: The quest for self-sufciency is indisputably a lofty goal, a meaningful aspiration, especially when it seeks to change the destiny of a land and its teeming millions. But sometimes when dreams run contrary to reason, failing to take cognizance of ground realities and existing truths, the outcome can be devastating. The Aral Sea crisis is one such disaster. A colossal blunder, borne of short-sighted planning, triggered by nothing but an all-consuming concern for self-sufciency. Ever since Lenin had decreed in 1919 that the USSR should become self-sufcient in cotton, the country’s central planners concentrated on cotton production. A process that sets into motion a series of chain reactions leading to a calamitous, culde-sac gateway to eventual catastrophe.

The future, as perceived by the Soviet planners, lay in the development of ambitious irrigation schemes that would milk the rivers to quench the growing, almost insatiable demands of cotton production. And if at the end of it all a sea was to be sacrifced, what of it? So, the Aral Sea was made to pay for the consequences of mega planning that paid no heed to ecological considerations.

One of the most ancient lakes on earth, the Aral Sea, which is bounded by three deserts and shared by the fve newly independent republics of Central Asia, had been the USSR’s second largest inland water body and the world’s fourth-largest inland sea. Fed mainly by two rivers - Amu Darya and Syr Darya - which collect the runofs and glacier melts from the Pamir and Tien Shan mountains of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan - it had an average depth of 16 meters and a maximum depth of 68 meters with a salt content of 1 percent only. It had abundant fsh resources and a busy shipping trade extending from its northern port of Aralsk in Kazakhstan to the river ports of Amu Darya, some as remote as Tajikistan. But all this was about to change. The Aral Sea and the adjoining tract of Central Asia were soon to feel the efects of these changes.

More than three-quarters of the territory in Central Asia is desert lowland, part of a closed basin with no open sea or ocean outlet. Its hydrological cycle is strongly afected by the prevalent climatic features. There is very little rainfall in the lowland plains as all the monsoon-bearing winds from the Indian Ocean to the south are blocked by the high Himalayan peaks. The high temperatures, low humidity, and high solar radiation combine to create very high evaporation rates.

The fertile irrigated land between the two rivers is an ancient area of human settlement and has a history of approximately 3500 years. Sophisticated water distribution systems were in operation here, especially in the regions of Khorezm and Fergana. Archaeological research has shown that millions of hectares of water were locally managed by village councils, which allocated and controlled water use and enforced water laws. According to tradition, users of irrigation water took part in the construction and maintenance of irrigation networks. When Russians conquered the Khanates of Turkestan (now Central Asia) in the late 19th century, they introduced technologies and began large-scale cotton cultivation. With the consolidation of Soviet power in the ‘20s, cotton was extensively developed in suitable areas. Sovietization led to a diminished appreciation by the inhabitants of the precious character of its water resources.

As recently as the late ‘50s, most surface water for irrigation came from smaller streams, and only about 15-17 percent of the Amu and Syr Darya fows were used for irrigation. Because of the low level of irrigation, the volume of the Aral Sea basin was more or less in equilibrium, with the evaporation from the surface being counterbalanced by the river infow, groundwater aquifers, and rainfall. The volume of water fuctuated by only 100-150 cu km, and the surface area by 4000 sq km. Sponging of a sea: When the decision to divert the waters of the two major rivers feeding the Aral Sea, the Amu Darya and Syr Darya, was implemented, the fate of the once-mighty Aral Sea and the inhabitants of the region was sadly and irrevocably sealed. These diverted waters were to irrigate the ancient steppes (grasslands) of Central Asia, which had traditionally supported shepherds and nomads. But the Soviet planners were fully aware that this diversion would eventually starve the Aral Sea and compel it to shrink. They, therefore, had a contingency plan up their sleeves - the waters of the Siberian rivers fowing into the Central Asian region would be diverted to the Aral Sea to bolster the loss of Amu Darya and Syr Darya river fow. However, while the Central Asian irrigation plan went on stream, the plan to divert the Siberian rivers encountered stif opposition from several ecologically concerned Soviet scientists. Struck down by the sheer vehemence of such overwhelming protest, the planners backed of, leaving the poor Aral Sea to face the brunt of a decision that was to recoil most tragically on its perpetrator and victims alike.

Question:

What is the contingency plan to save the Aral Sea from deterioration?

1. Implementing water-saving technologies and sustainable farming practices in the region

2. Promoting international cooperation and agreements on water resource management

3. Diversion of the waters of the Siberian rivers fowing into the Central Asian region to the Aral Sea 

4. Restoring natural habitats and wetlands to improve the Aral Sea’s ecosystem

5. Establishing desalination plants to provide fresh water to the Aral Sea region

In the sentence given below, some words have been underlined, which may or may not be correctly placed (grammatically or contextually). Rearrange the words to make the sentence grammatically correct.

The dispute between the neighbors was highly tenable (1), and a placable (2) solution was reached through open communication (3) and compromise (4).

1. 2-3

2. 1-4 

3. 1-2

4. 3-4 

5. 2-4

In the sentence given below, some words have been underlined, which may or may not be correctly placed (grammatically or contextually). Rearrange the words to make the sentence grammatically correct.

The harmony (1) of various religious beliefs in the region resulted in a diverse (2) cultural landscape, where a syndicate (3) of spiritual leaders aimed to foster syncretism (4) among the faiths

1. 2-3

2. 1-3

3. 2-4 

4. 1-4

5. 3-4

In the sentence given below, some words have been underlined, which may or may not be correctly placed (grammatically or contextually). Rearrange the words to make the sentence grammatically correct.

The tenacious (1) investigative journalist trail (2) the rapacious (3) exploitation of natural resources by uncovering a exposed (4) of corruption and greed.

1. 1-3

2. 2-4

3. 2-3 

4. 1-4 

5. 1-2

In the sentence given below, some words have been underlined, which may or may not be correctly placed (grammatically or contextually). Rearrange the words to make the sentence grammatically correct.

The fratricide (1) decisions of the dictator led to widespread (2) unrest, ultimately culminating (3) in a tragic capricious (4) within the ruling family.

1. 2-4 

2. 2-3

3. 1-3

4. 1-4

5. 1-2

What does ‘R’ stand for in CD-R?

1. Rewritable

2. Recordable

3. Repository

4. Removable

5. Resource

Which of the following is the basic unit of information in quantum computing?

1. OCTABYTE 

2. QUBYTE 

3. GIGABIT 

4. QUBIT

5. BIT

What is the primary advantage of using a stylus with a touchscreen device?

1. Higher screen resolution 

2. Improved sound quality 

3. Faster internet connection

4. Extended battery life of the device

5. Enhanced precision for drawing and writing

Which of the following is an Open source operating system?

1. MS-DOS 

2. iOS 

3. Linux

4. Windows 

5. Internet explorer

Which touchscreen technology is commonly used in ATMs and Point-of-sale (POS) machines?

1. Optical 

2. Surface Acoustic Wave 

3. Infrared

4. Resistive 

5. Capacitive

Integrated Circuits (ICs) are related to which generation of computers?

1. First Generation 

2. Second Generation 

3. Third Generation 

4. Fourth Generation 

5. Fifth Generation

The dark web is part of the internet that isn’t visible to search engines. Accessing the dark web requires a special browser and the use of a VPN to keep your online activity private and secure.

What does VPN stand for?

1. Virtual Personalized Network 

2. Virtual Personal Networking 

3. Virtual Private Networking

4. Virtual Personal Network

5. Virtual Private Network

Arrange the following devices in ascending order of the speed:

A. RAM B. Hard disk C. Cache D. Floppy

1.  ABDC 

2. BDAC 

3. DBAC

4. BADC

5. DABC

Vacuum tubes were replaced by ______

1. Transistors 

2. Microchips

3. Resistor networks

4. Electromagnetic coils 

5. Diodes

What is the primary purpose of POST (Power-On-SelfTest)?

1. It performs diagnostics tests before booting the operating system.

2. It serves as a temporary storage area where information can be accessed and manipulated quickly in order to carry out complex tasks. 

3. It is the backbone that ties the computer’s components together at one spot and allows them to talk to each other. 

4. It provides battery backup when the electrical power fails or drops to an unacceptable voltage level.

5. It converts mains AC to low-voltage regulated DC power for the internal components of a computer.

Which of the following is an example of system software? 

1. Microsoft Word 

2. Windows operating system 

3. Microsoft Excel

4. Google Chrome 

5. Adobe Photoshop

Which connector is used to connect the mouse and keyboard to the CPU?

1. USB-C 

2. USB-A

3. USB-B 

4. Micro-USB 

5. Mini-USB

What is the shortcut key to switch between open windows on a Windows operating system?

1. Alt + Tab

2. Ctrl + W

3. Shift + Esc

4. Windows key + S 

5. Alt + Space

Which of the following computer was created by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in the year 1976?

1. Apple I

2. Macintosh 512k 

3. Fat Mac

4. iMac

5. Macintosh SE

Which of the following best describes “real-time protection” in antivirus software?

1. Scanning your computer only during system startup

2. Running system optimization tools 

3. Providing automatic, continuous monitoring for threats

4. Cleaning up your internet browser history

5. Defragmenting your hard drive

In which feld of an email message is the BCC option typically located?

1.  Subject 

2. To

3. From 

4. CC 

5. Attachments

Which search engine was developed by Microsoft?

1. Microsoft Explorer

2. Microsoft Edge

3. Mozilla Firefox 

4. Microsoft Bing

5. MSN Search

Which component of the CPU is responsible for fetching and decoding instructions from memory?

1. ALU 

2. Control Unit

3. Cache memory

4. RAM 

5. Registers

Which Control Panel category allows you to optimise visual display on your desktop?

1. Ease of Access

2. Hardware and Sound 

3. Network and Sharing Center 

4. System and Security 

5. Appearance and Personalization

How do you right click on the laptop trackpad?

1. Scroll with 3 fngers

2. Scroll with 2 fngers

3. Double tap with 1 fnger

4. Tap with 2 fngers 

5. Tap with 3 fngers

In the below number series, a number is wrongly placed that does not follow the number series. Find the wrong number.

19.7, 17.3, 22.1, 14.9, 24.5, 12.2, 26.9

1. 24.5

2. 22.1 

3. 17.3

4. 12.2

5. 14.9

Identify the wrong number in the below series:

11, 9, 21, 59, 243, 1199, 7201

1. 9 

2. 59

3. 243 

4. 1199

5. 21 

In the below question, a number series is given. Only one number is wrong which doesn’t ft in the series. Find out the wrong number?

Series: 19, 9, 8, 10.5, 18, 45, 132

1.  45 

2. 18 

3. 10.5 

4. 8 

5. 9

Identify the wrong term in the below given series:

6, 10, 18, 27, 54, 80, 134

1. 134 

2. 54 

3. 27

4. 18 

5. 80

What approximate value will come in place of question mark (?) in the given questions? (You are not expected to calculate the exact value)

√(? + 68.77) x 5.03 = 24.99% of 541.12

1. 680

2. 640

3. 660

4. 675 

5. 645

What approximate value will come in place of question mark (?) in the given question? (You are not expected to calculate the exact value.)

? % of 1049.96 + 74.85% of 419.7889 = 749.65% of 69.9

1. 15

2. 35

3. 64

4. 20

5. 40

What approximate value should come in place of question mark (?) in the below equation? (You are not expected to calculate the exact value.)

√(1521.28) ÷ 26.019 x 18.0032 = ? – 516.997

1. 454 

2. 464

3. 535 

4. 455 

5. 544

What approximate value should come in place of question mark (?) in the below equation? (You are not expected to calculate the exact value.)

(73425.001 – 33267.003 – 22417.99 – 17649.96) x √11024 = ?

1.  9450

2. 9660

3. 9880 

4. 8460

5. 9170

The amount on gardening the circle is Rs 3465 at the rate of Rs 10/m2 . Find the perimeter of the square whose side is equal to the diameter of the circle.

1. 80m

2. 84m 

3. 42m 

4. 64m 

5. 60m 

A sum of Rs 26,125 is invested partly in scheme A for 4 years and partly in scheme B for 2 years. Scheme A ofers 8% per annum simple interest whereas scheme B ofers 20% per annum compound interest. Both the schemes earn equal amount of interests. How much money was invested in scheme B?

1. Rs 12,500

2. Rs 15,125 

3. Rs 13,625

4. Rs 11,000 

5. Rs 10,250

The present ages of of A and B is in the ratio 9:10 respectively. Five years hence the ratio of their ages will be 10:11. What will be the age of C three years hence if he is two years elder to A.

1. 54 years 

2. 42 years 

3. 47 years

4. 45 years 

5. 50 years

A boat covers (X+60) km downstream in 5 hours, and (Y+32) km upstream distance in 8 hours. Find the time taken by the boat to travel (X + 3Y/8) km downstream distance, if the speed of the boat in still water is thrice that of the stream (12 km/h).

1. 10 hours 

2. 7.5 hours 

3. 5 hours 

4. 6 hours

5. 9 hours

A shopkeeper sold two varieties of rice, variety P and variety Q, to a customer. He sold variety P at a loss of 15% and variety Q at a proft of 25%. He earned a total proft of Rs 12 on the whole deal. Find out the selling price of variety P if variety P costs Rs 80 more than variety Q.

1.  Rs 272 

2. Rs 240

3. Rs 300

4. Rs 320

5. Rs 256

There are three friends P, Q and R. P is twice as efcient as Q. P and Q together can fnish a piece of work in 12 days whereas Q and R together can fnish a piece of work in 14 days. In how many days can R alone fnish the work?

1. 21 5/11 

2. 22 10/11

3. 23 7/11 

4. 20

5. 24 

A vessel contains 45 litres of mixture of spirit and water with 20% water content. One ninth of the mixture is withdrawn from the vessel. When x litres of water is added to the remaining mixture, the ratio of spirit and water gets reversed. How much spirit should now be added to it so that the ratio of spirit to water gets restored to its original value? (in litres)

1. 340 

2. 420 

3. 500 

4. 380 

5. 480

There are total of 80000 people (males and females) living across fve cities namely A, B, C, D and E. The pie chart below gives the distribution of people in the fve cities The table given below provides data about the percentage of males in these fve cities.

CITY         PERCENTAGE OF MALES
A                         30%
B                         40% 
C                         55%
D                         45%
E                          60%

Question:

What is the sum of the number of females from city C and the number of males from city E?

1. 12000 

2. 17400 

3. 14600 

4. 13400 

5. 18600

There are total of 80000 people (males and females) living across fve cities namely A, B, C, D and E. The pie chart below gives the distribution of people in the fve cities The table given below provides data about the percentage of males in these fve cities.

CITY         PERCENTAGE OF MALES
A                         30%
B                         40% 
C                         55%
D                         45%
E                          60%

Question:

What is the ratio of number of males in city A to the number of females in city E?

1.  8 : 9 

2. 3 : 5

3. 3 : 2 

4. 3 : 10

5. 14 : 15

There are total of 80000 people (males and females) living across fve cities namely A, B, C, D and E. The pie chart below gives the distribution of people in the fve cities The table given below provides data about the percentage of males in these fve cities.

CITY         PERCENTAGE OF MALES
A                         30%
B                         40% 
C                         55%
D                         45%
E                          60%

Question:

What angle is formed by the total number of people in city B and city D together in the pie chart?

1. 135° 

2. 150°

3. 126° 

4. 162° 

5. 144° 

There are total of 80000 people (males and females) living across fve cities namely A, B, C, D and E. The pie chart below gives the distribution of people in the fve cities The table given below provides data about the percentage of males in these fve cities.

CITY         PERCENTAGE OF MALES
A                         30%
B                         40% 
C                         55%
D                         45%
E                          60%

Question:

What will be the diference between the number of males in city C and number of females in city D if the percentage of people in city C and D is interchanged?

1. 1280 

2. 1640

3. 440 

4. 360 

5. 240

There are total of 80000 people (males and females) living across fve cities namely A, B, C, D and E. The pie chart below gives the distribution of people in the fve cities The table given below provides data about the percentage of males in these fve cities.

CITY         PERCENTAGE OF MALES
A                         30%
B                         40% 
C                         55%
D                         45%
E                          60%

Question:

What is the average of the number of males across the fve cities?

1. 7368 

2. 7240 

3. 8632 

4. 8000

5. 7560

Fill in the blank with an appropriate option below. Pareto analysis is a statistical technique that is used in decision-making for the selection of the limited number of tasks that produce the most signifcant overall efect. It uses the concept based on identifying the top _______ of causes that need to be addressed in order to resolve ________ of the problems. 

1. 20%, 80% 

2. 80%, 20% 

3. 50%, 50%

4. 30%, 70% 

5. 70%, 30%

What is the concept of “satisfcing” in the bounded rationality model of decision-making?

1. Choosing the option with the highest potential outcome

2. Accepting the frst alternative that meets the minimum criteria

3. Relying on gut feelings and emotions 

4. Conducting a thorough search for alternatives 

5. Delegating decision-making to others

Which one of the following statements is correctly associated with the primary characteristic of the intuitive decisionmaking model?

1. It involves thorough analysis and conscious reasoning. 

2. It relies on luck and chance.

3. It uses a list of well-thought-out alternatives. 

4. It arrives at decisions without conscious reasoning. 

5. It requires formal training and education.

How might confrmation bias afect decision-making and critical thinking?

1. It enhances decision-making by encouraging openmindedness.

2. It helps individuals objectively evaluate diferent perspectives.

3. It can hinder decision-making by limiting exposure to diverse viewpoints.

4. It has no impact on decision-making or critical thinking. 

5. It leads individuals to always choose the most popular option.

Which one of the following is an approach to problemsolving that focuses on cultivating creative thinking, often among small groups of individuals with diverse experience and skills? 

1. Rational Approach

2. Classical Approach 

3. Non-Synectic

4. Synectic 

5. None of the Above  

How does the Nominal Group Technique (NGT) address the issue of group decision-making problems such as groupthink?

1. By encouraging silent participation 

2. By eliminating discussions and clarifcations

3. By minimizing individual participation 

4. By ensuring full participation and avoiding groupthink

5. By prioritizing the preferences of group leaders

What does it refer to here? It is one that is routine and repetitive in nature. It usually occurs in a situation involving a limited number of decision variables where the outcomes of each alternative are known. 

Most of these decision problems are solved by habitual responses, standard operating procedures, or clerical routines

1. Illogical Decision Making 

2. Mechanistic Decision Making

3. Rational Decision Making

4. Intuitive Decision-making 

5. Step by step Decision Making

According to prospect theory, how do people typically evaluate options that involve risk and uncertainty?

1. In terms of absolute results 

2. Based on a present wealth

3. By comparing projected utility to a benchmark 

4. By minimizing losses 

5. By maximizing gains

Which of the following statements correctly describes “escalation of commitment” in decision-making?

1.  The tendency to focus solely on a desired outcome 

2. The tendency to avoid making decisions due to uncertainty

3. The tendency to invest more resources in a failing course of action based on prior investment

4. The process of generating ideas during brainstorming 

5. The tendency to rely on a single piece of information for decision-making

What does Gestalt decision-making suggest about the role of unconscious mental processes in decision-making?

1. They have no impact on decision-making.

2. They are only relevant for highly complex decisions. 

3. They may play a signifcant role in shaping decisions.

4. They are unreliable sources of information. 

5. None of the Above

mRNA is a type of single-stranded RNA involved in protein synthesis. mRNA is made from a DNA template during the process of transcription. What does letter ‘m’ in ‘mRNA’ stand for? The 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was given to Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman for the discoveries concerning nucleoside base modifcations that enabled the development of efective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19.

1. Microbial 

2. Messenger

3. Microscopic

4. Minuscule

5. Miniature

NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, is a military alliance committed to collective defense and promoting security and stability in the North Atlantic region. Founded in 1949, it remains a crucial pillar of international security cooperation. How many countries are currently members of NATO?

1. 31

2. 26 

3. 28

4. 32

5. 37

 In a frst, Central Railway’s New Amravati station becomes the frst station in Bhusaval Division and third station of Central Railway (CR) to be a Pink Station, i.e., it is fully managed by women staf. Where is the headquarters of the Central Railway Zone of India located?

1. Bilaspur

2. Mumbai

3. Jaipur 

4. Prayagraj 

5. Secunderabad

In 2002, _____ company was created by entrepreneur Elon Musk, whose stated goals were to revolutionize the aerospace industry and to make spacefight more afordable.

1. Beagle Aircraft 

2. Rocket lab

3. Blue Origin

4. SpaceX 

5. Virgin Galactic

Sounding rockets are instrumental in gathering vital data on the Earth’s atmosphere, auroras, and ionosphere, aiding our understanding of weather, climate, and communication systems. In which year was the frst sounding rocket launched from the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS), Thiruvananthapuram?

1. 1970 

2. 1974 

3. 1959 

4. 1968

5. 1963

Nirmala Sitharaman is a prominent political fgure in India, known for her roles in advocating for fscal responsibility and economic development, and for her active participation in shaping the country’s economic policies. Which of the following institutions is headed by Nirmala Sitharaman at present?

1. Financial Stability and Development Council 

2. Ministry of Corporate Afairs

3. GST Council

4. Ministry of Finance 

5. All of the above

The UNESCO World Heritage List recognizes and safeguards outstanding cultural and natural sites of global signifcance, preserving them for future generations. This designation promotes international cooperation in the protection of our shared human and environmental heritage. Which of the following places is not a part of the UNESCO World Heritage List from India?

1. Nanda Devi and Valley of Flower National Park

2. Western Ghat 

3. Great living chola temples

4. Dholavira: A Harappan city

5. All of the above are present

The Women’s Reservation Bill reserves 33% of seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies for women. The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in 2023. It became law after President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent. The beginning of women’s reservation in politics started in the year 1992, when women were provided reservation in Panchayati Raj Institutions of India. Which of the following constitutional amendment act provided reservation to SC/ST women in the Panchayati Raj Institutions of India? 

1. 91st

2. 61st 

3. 85th

4. 73rd

5. 42nd 

Identify the incorrect pairs from the options given below. 

1. Frank Walter – Chancellor of Federal Republic of Germany 

2. Ebrahim Raisi – President of Iran

3. Cyril Ramaphosa - President of South Africa

4. Srettha Thavisin – Prime Minister of Thailand

5. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva - President of Brazil

 India hosted the ICC World Cup, in partnership with other Asian countries, in which of the following years?

1. 1987

2. 1992

3. 1996

4. 1999 

5. 2011

The top 3 cities (rank-wise) in the “National Smart Cities Awards” category of the India Smart Cities Award Contest (ISAC) 2022 are from which of the following states? Choose the states in the order of the cities’ ranks.

1) Madhya Pradesh

2) Karnataka

3) Gujarat

4) Chhattisgarh

5) Uttar Pradesh 

1. Only 1, 2, and 4 

2. Only 4, 1, and 5

3. Only 1, 3, and 5

4. Only 3, 2, and 1 

5. Only 2, 4, and 3

Multiple Grand Slam winner Leander Paes emerged as the frst Asian man to be nominated for the International Tennis Hall of Fame in the player category. How many grand slam titles have been won by Leander Paes in the doubles and mixed categories during his career, which spans three decades?

1. 24

2. 18

3. 15 

4. 21 

5. 14

Antony Blinken is known for his diplomatic expertise and commitment to strengthening international relations, addressing global challenges, and upholding American foreign policy interests. Which position is held by Antony Blinken in the US Cabinet, at present?

1. Director General of National Intelligence

2. Secretary of Homeland Security

3. Secretary of Agriculture 

4. Secretary of Veterans Afairs 

5. Secretary of state

Which of the following organizations consists of India as a member? 

1. United Nations Security Council

2. Quadrilateral Security Dialogue

3. North Atlantic Treaty Organization 

4. Organization for Economic and Cooperation Development 

5. All of the above

The National Green Hydrogen Mission in India aims to promote the production of clean hydrogen from renewable sources to reduce carbon emissions and drive sustainable energy solutions. Considering this, which of the following statements is stating the beneft of the National Green Hydrogen Mission correctly?

1) Reduction in independence of imported fuels

2) Increase in renewable energy usage across all economic spheres

3) Decentralization in power generation

1. Only 1

2. Only 1 and 3

3. Only 2 and 3

4. Only 1, 2, and 3 

5. Only 3

8Russia has launched an e-visa facility for Indians from August 1, allowing travelers to the country to surpass the hassles of obtaining a regular visa. The e-visa facility, also available for travelers from 54 other countries, does not require a visit to consulates or embassies. This facility will allow travelers to stay up to ___ days in Russia. 

1. 12

2. 21 

3. 16

4. 30

5. 45

The Prime Minister announced the new name of the old parliament building which will be called “Samvidhan Sadan” (Constitution House). The new Parliament building is now the ofcial Indian parliament. The old parliament building was earlier known as ______. 

1. National Assembly of India

2. National People’s Congress of India 

3. Constituent Assembly of India

4. Magistrative Council of India

5. Imperial Legislative Council of India

Which scheme of the Government of India has won the prestigious National Award for e-Governance 2023 (Gold) for Application of Emerging Technologies for Providing Citizen Centric Services?

1. UMANG

2. SVAMITVA 

3. SAMARTH 

4. NIRVIK

5. HRIDAY

With which organization has the NCERT partnered to introduce the comic book titled “Let’s Move Forward,” aimed at instilling crucial life skills to promote responsible and health-conscious behavior among adolescents?

1. NITI Aayog 

2. UNESCO

3. World Bank

4. UNDP 

5. USAID

Recently, which railway station has achieved the top-rated Platinum certifcation from the Indian Green Building Council - Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and has been recognized as a “Green Railway Station”?

1. Chandigarh Railway Station 

2. Guwahati Railway Station 

3. Vijayawada Railway Station

4. Vadodara Railway Station

5. Mumbai Central Railway Station

Khadi Gramodyog Vikas Yojana aims to promote and develop the village industries through common facilities, technological modernisation, training, etc. What is target age group of benefciaries of this scheme?

1. 21-60 years

2. 16-30 years

3. 20-35 years 

4. 18-55 years

5. 25-40 years

Which of the following are central sector sub-schemes of umbrella scheme -Scholarships for Higher Education for Young Achievers Scheme (SHREYAS) implemented by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment?

1) Free Coaching Scheme for SCs and OBCs

2) National Overseas Scheme for SCs

3) National Fellowship for SCs

4) Top Class Education for SCs

5) Post Matric Scholarship for Scheduled Tribe Students

1. 1, 3, 4 and 5 

2. 1, 2, 3 and 4 

3. 1, 2, 3 and 5

4. 2, 3, 4 and 5 

5. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 

Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana is the largest health assurance scheme in the world which aims at providing a health cover to poor and vulnerable families for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization. What is maximum insured amount provided to eligible benefciary?

1. Rs.4,00,000

2. Rs.7,00,000 

3. Rs. 5,00,000

4. Rs. 6,00,000

5. Rs. 8,00,000

Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare (Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions) has been promoting Digital Life Certifcate to enhance ‘Ease of Living’ of Central Government pensioners. This certifcate is also called as

1. Jeevan Certifcate 

2. Jeevan Bima 

3. Jeevan Umeed

4. Jeevan Suraksha 

5. Jeevan Pramaan

Which of the following statement is incorrect about Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) - National Mission for Financial Inclusion?

1. It was launched in

2. It provides opening of basic savings bank deposit account with minimal paperwork, relaxed KYC, e-KYC, account opening in camp mode, zero balance & zero charges 

3. It provides insurance – accident cover up to Rs. 1,00,000 and life cover of Rs. 30,000 

4. It provides basic savings bank accounts with overdraft facility of Rs. 20,000/- to every eligible adult 

5. None of the above

The Index of Industrial Production (IIP) is an index which shows the growth rates in diferent industry groups of the economy in a stipulated period of time. Which of the following is not amongst the broad sectors of IIP?

1) Mining

2) Gas and Water connection

3) Manufacturing

4) Electricity 

1. 1 and 2 Only 

2. 2 and 3 Only

3. 1, 3 and 4 Only

4. 3 only 

5. All of the above

Under PM Vishwakarma scheme, a collateral free ‘Enterprise Development Loans’ of __________is given to eligible artisans/craftsman in the frst trance. Fill the gap

1. Rs. 1 lakh 

2. Rs. 2 lakhs

3. Rs. 3 lakhs

4. Rs. 4 lakhs

5. Rs. 5 lakhs

The duration of Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) is from 2022-23 to _________. Fill the gap 

1. 2025-26

2. 2026-27 

3. 2027-28 

4. 2028-29 

5. 2029-30

Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has launched ‘Skills on Wheels’ initiative of National Skill Development Cooperation and ______ to promote skilling for period of ______. Fill the gaps

1. Bank of Baroda, 2 years

2. Union Bank of India, 3 years

3. IndusInd Bank, 5 years

4. State bank of India, 10 years

5. Bank of India, 7 years

Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare has approved the continuation of the Integrated Scheme for Agricultural Marketing (ISAM) scheme up to _________. Fill the gap 

1. 31st January 2026

2. 31st March 2025 

3. 31st April 2025

4. 31st March 2026

5. 31st April 2026

The Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA) is an initiative by India as the G20 Chair. The Alliance intends to expedite the global uptake of biofuels through facilitating technology advancements, intensifying utilization of sustainable biofuels, shaping robust standard setting and certifcation through the participation of a wide spectrum of stakeholders. GBA will help to accelerate India’s existing biofuels programs such as

1) GOBARdhan Scheme

2) PM-JIVAN Yojana

3) SATAT Yojana

4) KUSUM Scheme

1. 1 and 2 Only

2.  2 and 3 Only

3. 1, 2 and 3 Only

4. 1 Only 

5. All of the above

__________ Scheme implemented by Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises aids to set up a network of technology centres and to set up incubation centres to accelerate entrepreneurship and also to promote startups for innovation in agro-industry and provides fnancial support to set up Livelihood Business Incubators or Technology Business Incubator. Fill the gap 

1. NISHTHA

2. SUGAM

3. SAKSHAM 

4. PRAGATI 

5. ASPIRE 

Government has approved new integrated food security scheme - Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana for providing free foodgrains to Antodaya Ann Yojna (AAY) & Primary Household (PHH) benefciaries. It has been rolled out from 1st January 2023. What is tenure of this scheme?

1. 1 year

2. 2 years 

3. 3 years

4. 4 years

5. 5 years 

Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has launched Unifed Portal for Agricultural Statistics (UPAg) Portal. It is an advanced agricultural data management platform designed to generate crop estimates and integrate with other systems generating Agriculture Statistics. Which is not the key feature of UPAg Portal?

1. Data Standardization Data Analysis 

2. Granular Production Estimates

3. Commodity Profle Estimates 

4. Data Circulation 

Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India Dr Michael Debabrata Patra in his speech recently mentioned trinity of

1) Jan Dhan

2) Aadhaar

3) Mobile Connections

4) PAN

1. 2 and 3 Only

2. 1 and 4 Only 

3. 1, 2 and 3 Only 

4. 1 and 2 Only 

5. All of the above

_________ is a pan-India electronic trading portal which networks the existing APMC mandis to create a unifed national market for agricultural commodities. Fill the gap

1. e NAM 

2. e NAMO

3. e APMC

4. e CONNECT

5. e FARM

Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana -National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) is the fagship program of Government for promoting poverty reduction through building strong institutions of the poor and enabling these institutions to access a range of fnancial services and livelihood services. DAY-NRLM list fnalised after Participatory Identifcation of Poor (PIP) Process is vetted by _______________. Fill the gap 

1. Block Ofce

2. Nagar Panchayat

3. Gram Parishad 

4. Nagar Nigam

5. Gram Sabha

Which of the following institutions is in last mile fnancer under Aajeevika Microfnance Yojana (Livelihood Microfnance Scheme)?

1. Commercial Banks 

2. Rural Cooperative Banks

3. Urban Cooperative Banks 

4. Non-Banking Financial 

5. None of these

Which of the following is the correct objective of Jan Shikshan Sansthan Scheme? 

1. It covers all children studying at the secondary stage in Government, local body and Government-aided schools, with one or more disabilities

2. It provides additional components for the education of girls at the elementary level

3. It will provide students with a platform to solve some of the pressing problems we face in our daily lives 

4. Its main target is to impart vocational skills to the nonliterates between age group of 15-45 years

5. None of the above

RBI recently has come out with four-tiered regulatory framework for _____________ for ease of regulation. Fill the gap

1. UCBs 

2. RCBs 

3. Commercial Banks

4. RRBs

5. All of the above  

Q.141) Stand-Up India scheme was launched in 2016 for promoting Aatmanirbhar Bharat by changing lives of SC/ST and/or Woman Entrepreneurs. Under it, eligible benefciaries are provided loans for Greenfeld enterprises in manufacturing, services or the trading sector and activities allied to agriculture between Rs. 10 Lakh to ____?

1. Rs. 25 Lakh

2. Rs. 50 Lakh

3. Rs. 1 Crore 

4. Rs. 1.5 Crore

5. Rs. 2 Crore

What is the standard time frame for supplying information to an applicant under the RTI Act 2005?

1. 15 days

2. 30 days 

3. 60 days 

4. 48 hours 

5. 70 days

Which are uses of Consumer Price Index for rural urban and combined section?

1) CPI is used as a macroeconomic indicator of infation

2) Government of India and RBI use CPI for targeting infation & for monitoring price stability

3) It is used as a defator in national accounts.

1. 1 Only

2. 1 and 3 Only

3. 1 and 2 Only

4. 2 and 3 Only 

5. All of the above

Under the MGNREGA Scheme, the work is ordinarily be provided within ____ Km radius of the village. In case work is provided beyond that, extra wages of ___ % are payable to meet additional transportation and living expenses. Fill the gaps

1. 2 km and 5% extra

2. 3 km and 5% extra

3. 4 km and 5% extra

4. 5 km and 10% extra

5. 6 km and 15% extra

 ________________ is a scheme being implemented in mission mode by Ministry of Women and Child Development aimed at strengthening interventions for women safety, security and empowerment. 

1. Mission Parvati

2. Mission Suvidha 

3. Mission Jyoti

4. Mission Jan Suraksha

5. Mission Shakti

Which of the following statements is true about National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE)?

1) All Board examinations must move towards becoming 'easier without any compromise on assessing genuine learning

2) In ten years, Boards of Examination should be prepared to ofer certifcation through modular examinations

3) All students will be allowed to take Board examinations on at least two occasions during any given school year, with only the best score being retained

4) To get a Grade 12 certifcate, the students should pass the 2 examinations in Languages

1. 1, 2, and 4 Only

2. 1, 3 and 4 Only

3. 1, 2 and 3 Only

4. 2, 3 and 4 Only 

5. All of the above

Bank loan for _______________ upto an aggregate limit of Rs. 100 crore per borrower will be eligible to be classifed as ancillary service of agriculture sector under Priority Sector Lending. Fill the gap 

1. Food and Agro-processing units

2. Higher Educational Institutions

3. Advanced Technology for SMEs 

4. Capital for Purchasing land for FPOs 

5. None of the above 

As per the Technical Gap on Population projection of July 2020, of the projected increase in population of 31.1 crores in India during 2011-36, 17 crores are likely to occur in the fve States. Which among the following is not among the Top 5 states? 

1. UP

2. Bihar 

3. Andhra Pradesh

4. West Bengal

5. Maharashtra

How many additional consumers are set to receive LPG connections through the extension of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)? 

1. 25 lakh consumers by 2025-26 

2. 50 lakh consumers by 2025-26

3. 75 lakh consumers by 2025-26 

4. 50 lakh consumers by 2024-25

5. 75 lakh consumers by 2027-28 

Which among the following are the categories of the roads constructed under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana?

1) Other District Roads

2) Village Roads

3) Major Districts Roads 

1. 1 Only

2. 1 and 3 Only

3. 2 Only 

4. 1 and 2 Only

5. All of the above 

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) is a new Central Sector Scheme to provide income support to all landholding farmers’ families in the country to supplement their fnancial needs for procuring various inputs related to agriculture and allied activities as well as domestic needs. Which of the following statement is correct about PMKISAN?

1. All institutional landholders are its benefciary

2. In this case, family comprises of father, mother, two children, grandfather and in laws, if they are old

3. Tenant farmers who work on other’s feld also eligible to avail benefts under it 

4. Under it, all landholding farmers’ families are provided the fnancial beneft of Rs.6000 per annum

5. All of the above

According to Economic Survey 2022-23, __________ percentage of population lives in rural areas and out of this population 47% is engaged in _____________. Fill the gaps 

1. 55, Agriculture 

2. 45, Manufacture

3. 35, Service 

4. 65, Agriculture 

5. 75, Agriculture

In an address delivered in August 2023 - “Building Blocks for a Sustainable Future”, the RBI Governor six thrust areas that can propel India forward over the next 25 years. They are agriculture, manufacturing, services, technology, innovation and __________. Fill the gap

1. Higher Education

2. Financial Literacy

3. Startups

4. Capital Investment

5. Women Empowerment

The National Pension Scheme (NPS) is a voluntary retirement savings scheme that allow its subscribers to make defned contribution towards planned savings thereby securing the future in the form of Pension. Who amongst the following is/are not eligible to become the benefciary of NPS? 

1. Any individual citizen of India 

2. Non-resident of India

3. OCI (Overseas Citizens of India) 

4. PIO (Person of Indian Origin) 

5. Both c and d

Gender indicators are quantitative metrics to provide information to monitor performance, measure achievement and determine accountability. Which of the following are listed by Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation under Gender Relevant Indicators?

1) Adolescent fertility rate

2) Proportion of employees who are own - account workers by sex

3) Proportion of households using clean cooking fuel 

1. 1 and 2 Only 

2. 2 and 3 Only

3. 2 Only 

4. 1 Only

5. All of the above

What is the threshold loan amount available to individuals for educational purposes under Priority Sector Lending (PSL) under recent revised RBI Guidelines? 

1. Rs. 15 lakhs

2. Rs. 20 lakhs

3. Rs. 23 lakhs

4. Rs. 25 lakhs 

5. Rs. 30 lakhs

G20 New Delhi Declaration 2023 focusses on which areas relating to Gender equality, women empowerment and women led development? 

1. Enhancing economic and social empowerment

2. Bridging the gender digital divide

3. Increasing women participation in political leadership across the globe 

4. Driving gender-inclusive climate action

5. Securing women’s food security, nutrition, and well-being

Which of the following are included in Ancillary Activities of agriculture under Public Sector Lending

1) Loans up to Rs 5 crore to co-operative societies of farmers for disposing of the produce of members

2) Loans for setting up of Agriclinics and Agribusiness Centres

3) Loans for Food and Agro-processing up to an aggregate sanctioned limit of Rs. 100 crore per borrower (

1. 1 and 2 only 

2. 2 and 3 only 

3. 1 and 3 only

4. 1 only 

5. All of the above

Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) Phase II [SBM (G) Phase II] is being implemented till 2024-25, with focus on Open Defecation Free Plus (ODF Plus), which includes ODF sustainability and Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM). The program will also work towards ensuring that no one is left behind and everyone uses a toilet. 5% of outlay of SBMG Phase II is allocated for?

1) Administrative expenses

2) Information, education & communication

3) Capacity building 4) wConstruction of Integrated System 

1. 2 Only

2. 1 and 3 Only 

3. 1,2 and 3 Only

4. 2, 3 and 4 Only 

5. None of these  

To avail beneft under small loan schemes of individuals ofered by National Backward Classes Finance & Development Corporation (NBCFDC) the annual family income of small farmers should not exceed 

1. Rs. 2.5 Lakhs

2. Rs. 3 Lakhs

3. Rs. 4 Lakhs 

4. Rs. 5 Lakhs

5. Rs. 6 Lakh

What is the scientifc name of Carnation?

1. Rosa rubiginosa

2. Bellis perennis

3. Dianthus caryophyllus 

4. Helianthus annus 

5. Tagetes erecta

Which scheme has been launched by government of India that allows all NFSA benefciaries, particularly the migrant benefciaries, to claim either full or part of their entitled food grains from any Fair Price Shop (FPS) in the country?

1. ONORC

2. PM-Gareeb Kalyan Anna Yojana

3. PM- SVANidhi 

4. DAY-NRLM 

5. DDU-GKY

The assortment of fruits and vegetables into diferent groups according to their size, shape, colour and volumes to fetch high prices in the market is known as- 

1. Gravity separator

2. Winnowing 

3. Colour sorter

4. Grading

5. None of the above

Who recommends the minimum support prices (MSP) for crops?

1.  APMCs 

2. Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) 

3. Government of India 

4. State government 

5. Niti Aayog 

When nursing is done by taking young ones away from the mother is called 

1. Culling 

2. Servicing 

3. Dehorning 

4. Disbudding 

5. Weaning

What is the period of South-west monsoon?

1. December to March

2. January to May

3. June to September 

4. October to December

5. November to April 

It is a type of cropping in which two crops, morphologically diferent grown together and they complement each other. It is _______ 

1. Synergistic cropping

2. Mixed cropping 

3. Supplementary cropping 

4. Complementary intensive farming 

5. Intercropping 

Indian cattle breed having dual purpose, characteristics intermediate between milch and draught and these are found in Nashik and Ahmednagar. Identify the cattle breed-

1. Gir

2. Amritmahal 

3. Dangi 

4. Red Sindhi

5. Deoni

Groundnut seeds contain ________of oil and ____________ protein content.

1. 20, 39

2. 45, 26

3. 35, 14 

4. 56, 30 

5. 31, 10

Irrigation project having cultural command area (CCA) more than 2000 hectares to 10000 hectares is known as_________. 

1. Major irrigation 

2. Large irrigation (

3. Minor irrigation 

4. Medium irrigation project

5. Very small irrigation

How many additional days’ work is provided under MGNREGA scheme in case of calamities like drought?

1. 100 days 

2. 75 days 

3. 20 days 

4. 25 days

5. 50 days

What is the family of Khair? 

1. Fabaceae

2. Liliaceae 

3. Gramineae 

4. Tiliaeae 

5. Caryophyllaceae 

How many Liters’ water/ person/ days is guaranteed by Government under Jal Jeevan Mission?

1. 25 Liters/day 

2. 75 Liters/day 

3. 15 Liters/day

4. 35 Liters/day

5. 55 Liters/day

Which biofertilizers are used for non-legume crops?

1. Blue green algae 

2. Azotobacter/ Azospirrilum 

3. Azolla

4. Rhizobium

5. Frankia

Cultivation of crops where rainfall lies between 750 to 1150 mm is called______. 

1. Dry farming

2. Integrated faring

3. Rainfed farming 

4. Dryland farming 

5. None of the above

Rocks that are formed by deposition and cementation of weathering products of other rocks_________.

1. Extrusive Igneous Rocks

2. Sedimentary rocks 

3. Metamorphic rocks

4. Intrusive igneous rocks 

5. All of these

A chemical decomposition process that refers to association of water molecules with minerals is called ______.

1. Oxidation

2. Hydration

3. Dissolution 

4. Chromatography

5. Hydrolysis

In which extension method in which researcher explains how production can be increased per unit area per unit time. 

1. Varietal demonstration 

2. Result demonstration 

3. Front line demonstration 

4. Method demonstration

5. None of the above

Which of the following cost is covered under operating cost of tractors?

1. Fuel Costs

2. Purchase Price

3. Building Maintenance

4. Employee Benefts 

5. Marketing Expenses

Which of the following Greenhouse gases (GHGs) released from volcanic eruptions, animal respiration, deforestation and burning of fossil fuels? 

1. Water vapours

2. Chlorofuorocarbons

3. Methane 

4. Sulphur 

5. Carbon dioxide 

The sum of lignin and polysaccharides that are not digested by digestive tract. 

1. Starch 

2. Lipid

3. Amides 

4. Polysaccharides 

5. Dietary fbres

 How much is the agriculture credit target for animal husbandry, dairying and fsheries under budget 2023-24? 

1. 20 Lakh crores 

2. 9 lakh crores 

3. 10 lakh crores 

4. 30 lakh crores

5. 5 lakh crores

Which of the following is a rainwater harvesting technique in which a long, narrow and elevated strips of ridges are crossed by earth bands within the furrow or ties constructed to enhance soil water conservation. 

1. Contour Trenching

2. Tied Ridging

3. Compartmental bunding

4. BBF 

5. Contour Bunding  

Under PMFBY, threshold yield is measured by multiplying average yield with _______.

1. Crop Area 

2. MSP 

3. Threshold Yield Factor (Indemnity Level) 

4. Rainfall Index

5. Market Value

Which water quality parameter is used to measure total quantity of dissolved salts in water and units of Deci Seimens per meter. 

1. pH 

2. Electrical conductivity

3. Sodium absorption rate 

4. Cation exchange capacity

5. Exchangeable sodium

Which device is used to change voltage without changing frequency?

1. Transistor 

2. Resistor

3. Transformer

4. Galvanometer

5. Capacitator

What is the label tag colour of quality certifed seeds?

1. Golden yellow

2. Opal green 

3. Blue 

4. White 

5. Orange

Young chicken of either sex, 8 to 10 weeks of age, having weight of 1.5 to 2 Kg that are used for tender meat are called______. 

1. Pullet 

2. Broiler 

3. Stag 

4. Rooster 

5. Layer

What is the duration of Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin (SBM-G) Phase 2? 

1. 2017-18 to 2021-23 

2. 2014-15 to 2018-19

3. 2009-10 to 2013-14

4. 2020-21 to 2024-25 

5. 2018-19 to 2022-23

A male pig that has been castrated before sexual maturity is known as- 

1. Barrow

2. Sow 

3. Stag

4. Sire

5. Gilt

Layers are economical up to average age of-

1. 12 months 

2. 36 months 

3. 18 months 

4. 15 months

5. 10 months

Which of the following is true with respect to vegetative propagation? 

1. Genetic variations arise frequently from vegetative propagation. 

2. Vegetative propagation is a faster mechanism of reproduction as compared to sexual reproduction. 

3. Layering is a type of natural vegetative propagation. 

4. Vegetative propagation is seen in animals.

5. Asexual reproduction involves the fusion of gametes. 

Which of the following is the objective of pruning?

1. To have a balance between vegetative and reproductive growth. 

2. To thin out fowers and fruit. 

3. To control fowering and fruiting. 

4. To remove diseased, damaged, insect infested and weak shoots 

5. To allow excess sunlight to old shoots.

What is the optimum level of dissolved oxygen in fshpond?

1. 5 mg/l 

2. 2 mg/l 

3. 1 mg/l

4. 2.5 mg/l 

5. 10 mg/l

The soils of _________ textured class having lowest particle density.

1. Clayey loam 

2. Fine sand 

3. Clay 

4. Loam

5. Coarse sand

Which of the following statement is true with respect to drip irrigation?

1. It reduces water use efciency. 

2. It increases wastage of water.

3. It minimizes soil erosion and water runof.

4. It increases the weed population. 

5. None of the above

What is the loan limit to SHGs under DAY-NRLM?

1. Rs.2 lakhs 

2. Rs.10 Lakhs 

3. Rs.1 Lakh 

4. Rs.0.5 Lakh

5. Rs.2.5 Lakhs

What is the target of RBI to lend Small and Marginal farmers for FY 2023-24? 

1. 17 % of ANBC

2. 5 % of ANBC

3. 20 % of ANBC 

4. 2 % of ANBC 

5. 10 % of ANBC 

Food grains and oilseeds are dried to the moisture level of-

1. 19-21%

2. 7-11% 

3. 4-6 %

4. 16-18%

5. 10-14%

What is the next stage of sheet erosion in which fnger like projections appears?

1. Gully erosion 

2. Sheet erosion

3. Splash erosion

4. Rill erosion 

5. None of the above