UPSC Prelims 2020 GS Paper 1 Answer Key
Questions from different sections/subjects Prelims 2020
Sl.No | Subject | Number of Questions |
---|---|---|
1 | Ancient History | 4 |
2 | Art and Culture | 4 |
3 | Indian National Movement | 8 |
4 | Indian Polity | 13 |
5 | Indian Economy | 10 |
6 | Geography | 14 |
7 | Environment | 8 |
8 | General Science | 6 |
9 | Miscellaneous | 8 |
10 | Current Affairs | 25 |
Total | 100 |

Question 1: What are the advantages of fertigation in agriculture ?
1. Controlling the alkalinity of irrigation water is possible.
2 Efficient application of Rock Phosphate and all other phosphatic fertilizers is possible.
3. Increased availability of nutrients to plants is possible. 4. Reduction in the leaching of chemical
nutrients is possible.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 1, 2 and 4 only
(c) 1,3 and 4 only
(d) 2, 3 and 4 only
Answer: (c)
Question 2. Consider the following minerals:
1. Bentonite
2. Chromite
3. Kyanite
4. Sillimanite
In India, which of the above is/are officially designated as major minerals?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 4 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 2, 3 and 4 only
Answer:
(b)
Question 3. With reference to Ocean Mean Temperature (OMT), which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. OMT is measured up to a depth of 26°C isotherm which is 129 meters in the south-western Indian Ocean during January – March
2. OMT collected during January – March can be used in assessing whether the amount of rainfall in monsoon will be less or more than a certain long-term mean. Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer:
(d)
Question 4. With reference to chemical fertilizers in India, consider the following statements :
1. At present, the retail price of chemical fertilizers is market-driven and not administered by the Government.
2. Ammonia, which is an input of urea, is produced from natural gas. 3. Sulphur, which is a raw material for phosphoric acid fertilizer, is a by-product of oil refineries. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 2 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer:
(b)
Question 5: With reference to India’s Desert National Park, which of the following statements are correct?
1. It is spread over two districts.
2. There is no human habitation inside the
Park
3. It is one of the natural habitats of Great Indian Bustard.
Select the correct answer using the code given
below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: c
Question: 6. Siachen Glacier is situated to the
(a) East of Aksai Chin
(b) East of Leh
(c) North of Gilgit
(d) North of Nubra Valley
Answer: d
Question 7: With reference to the history of India, consider the following pairs :
Famous Place Present State
1. Bhilsa – Madhya Pradesh
2. Dwarasamudra – Maharashtra
3. Girinagar – Gujarat
4. Sthanesvara – Uttar Pradesh
Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched ?
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 1 and 4 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 2 and 4 only
Answer: a
Question 8: Consider the following statements :
1. 36% of India 36% of India’s districts are classified as “overexploited” or “critical” by the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA).
2. CGWA was formed under the Environment (Protection) Act.
3. India has the largest area under groundwater irrigation in the world.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 2 only
(d) 1 and 3 only
Answer: b
Question 9: Consider the following statements :
1. Jetstreams occur in the Northern Hemisphere only.
2. Only some cyclones develop an eye.
3. The temperature inside the eye of a cyclone is nearly 10°C lesser than that of the surroundings.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 2 only
(d) 1 and 3 only
Answer: c
Question 10: Among the following Tiger Reserves, which
one has the largest area under “Critical Tiger Habitat” ?
(a) Corbett
(b) Ranthambore
(c) Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam
(d) Sunderbans
Answer: c
Question 11: If a particular plant species is placed under Schedule VI of The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, what is the implication ?
(a) A licence is required to cultivate that plant.
(b) Such a plant cannot be cultivated under any circumstances.
(c) It is a Genetically Modified crop plant.
(d) Such a plant is invasive and harmful to the ecosystem
Answer: b
Question 12: With reference to the period of Gupta dynasty in ancient India, the towns Ghantasala, Kadura and Chaul were well known as
(a) ports handling foreign trade
(b) capitals of powerful kingdoms
(c) places of exquisite stone art and architecture
(d) important Buddhist pilgrimage centres
Answer: a
Question 13: What is/are the advantage/advantages of zero tillage in agriculture ? 1. Sowing of wheat is possible without burning the residue of previous crop.
2. Without the need for nursery of rice saplings, direct planting of paddy seeds in the wet soil is possible.
3. Carbon sequestration in the soil is possible. Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: d
Question 14: According to India’s National Policy on Biofuels, which of the following can be used as raw materials for the production of biofuels ?
1. Cassava
2. Damaged wheat grains
3. Groundnut seeds
4. Horse gram
5.Rotten potatoes
6. Sugar beet
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1, 2, 5 and 6 only
(b) 1, 3, 4 and 6 only
(c) 2, 3, 4 and 5 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6
Answer: a
SERIES: B ANSWER KEY
Q1/carbonnanotube | D | Q26/Preamble | C | Q51/Fertigation | C | Q76/Kisan Credit | B |
Q2/Using drones | D | Q27/Gold Tranche | D | Q52/Major Minerals | A | Q77/Consumer Price Index | A |
Q3/Trio of spacecraft | D | Q28/Part IV | D | Q53/Ocean Mean Temp | B | Q78/River flows into | C |
Q4/Genetic Changes | D | Q29/RP Act, 1951 | A | Q54/Chemical Fertilizers | B | Q79/MSP | D |
Q5/Pneumoccococcal | B | Q30/President of India | A | Q55/Desert NP | C | Q80/Commercial Paper | C |
Q6/Public Key Infra | A | Q31/Aadhaar | B | Q56/Siachen | D | Q81/FDI | B |
Q7/PlantvsAnimal Cell | C | Q32/Rajya Sabha | B | Q57/Famous Place | A | Q82/Trade of India | D |
Q8/Benzen Pollution | D | Q33/MPLADS | A | Q58/Ground Water | B | Q83/West Texas | A |
Q9/Global Financial Crisis | A | Q34/Untouchability | D | Q59/Jet Stream | C | Q84/Non-finacail debt | D |
Q10/Withdraw 1 lakh | C | Q35/Separation of Judiciary | B | Q60/Tiger Habitat | C | Q85/IAEA safeguards | B |
Q11/Paramitas | C | Q36/Macro Economic Framework | D | Q61/Wildlife Protection Act | B | Q86/TRIMS | B |
Q12/Rakhmabia case | B | Q37/Constitutional Govt | D | Q62/Ghantasala | A | Q87/Expansionist Policy | B |
Q13/Indigo | B | Q38/Universal Dec of HR | D | Q63/Zero Tillage | D | Q88/LPG 1991 | B |
Q14/Fort William Collge | D | Q39/Legal Service Authorites | A | Q64/Biofuel Policy | A | Q89/DCCBs | B |
Q15/Ulgulan | D | Q40/Alma-ata | C | Q65/Social Cost of Carbon | A | Q90/Cyber Insurance | B |
Q16/Panini | C | Q41/Aurang | B | Q66/Black gram | A | Q91/Parivrajaka | B |
Q17/Pronuclear Transfer | D | Q42/Sthaviravadins | B | Q67/Subtropical crop | A | Q92/Indian Elephant | A |
Q18/Artificial Intelligence | D | Q43/Industrial Revolution | A | Q68/Solar Water | D | Q93/Cauvery Basin | C |
Q19/VLC | C | Q44/Pratiharas | C | Q69/Sugar cane | C | Q94/Ceylon Frogmouth | A |
Q20/Blockchain | A | Q45/Hundi | C | Q70/Eco friendly agri | D | Q95/Indian Swamp Deer | A |
Q21/Parliamentary System | B | Q46/Desher Katha | D | Q71/Public Investment | D | Q96/Steel Slag | D |
Q22/Welfare state | A | Q47/Gandhi-Irwin | B | Q72/Interest Coverage Ratio | A | Q97/Musk Deer | A |
Q23/Basic structure | B | Q48/Vital-vidhvansak | A | Q73/Price of Rice | D | Q98/Rural Road | A |
Q24/Gandhism/Marxism | B | Q49/Kulyavapa | A | Q74/Indo-Sri Lanka | A | Q99/Coal Ash | B |
Q25/Bureaucracy | D | Q50/Whosover praises – inscription | A | Q75/G20 | A | Q100/Biochar | D |
