Q1. Rat-hole mining is primarily associated with which of the following characteristics?
- Very thick coal seams
- Manual extraction through narrow tunnels
- High level of mechanisation
- Low capital investment
Select the correct answer using the code below:
A. 1 and 3 only
B. 2 and 4 only
C. 2, 3 and 4 only
D. 1, 2 and 4 only
Answer: (B)
Explanation:
- Statement 1 — Incorrect: Rat-hole mining is practised in thin and fragmented coal seams, not thick ones. Thick seams favour mechanised mining.
- Statement 2 — Correct: It involves narrow horizontal tunnels (often <1 m) where miners crawl to extract coal manually.
- Statement 3 — Incorrect: It is the least mechanised form of mining.
- Statement 4 — Correct: Popular because of low initial capital requirement and quick returns.
Q2. With reference to cyberchondria, consider the following statements:
- It refers to anxiety caused by excessive online health-related searches.
- It is officially classified as a separate psychiatric disorder in DSM-5.
- It is conceptually linked to illness-anxiety and obsessive behaviours.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
A. Only one
B. Only two
C. All three
D. None
Answer: (B)
Explanation:
- Statement 1 — Correct: Cyberchondria = anxiety driven by repetitive online symptom searches.
- Statement 2 — Incorrect: It is not a separate DSM-5 diagnosis; it is a behavioural pattern.
- Statement 3 — Correct: Strongly linked to health anxiety, OCD spectrum, reassurance-seeking.
Q3. Consider the following regarding current collectors in batteries:
- Lithium-ion batteries commonly use copper on the anode side.
- Sodium-ion batteries can use aluminium on both electrodes.
- Aluminium is costlier than copper.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (A)
Explanation:
- Statement 1 — Correct: Li-ion anodes typically use copper collectors due to stability.
- Statement 2 — Correct: Na-ion can use aluminium on both sides because sodium does not alloy dangerously with Al.
- Statement 3 — Incorrect: Aluminium is generally cheaper and lighter than copper.
Q4.
Assertion (A): The President’s Address under Article 87 is an executive policy statement to Parliament.
Reason (R): The content of the Address is prepared by the Council of Ministers.
A. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
B. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation
C. A is true but R is false
D. A is false but R is true
Answer: (A)
Explanation:
- The Address reflects the government’s legislative and policy agenda.
- Drafted by the Council of Ministers, not the President personally.
- Therefore, it is an executive policy statement.
Q5. Which of the following are core subfields of AI?
- Machine Learning
- Natural Language Processing
- Computer Vision
- Quantum Cryptography
A. 1, 2 and 3 only
B. 1 and 4 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: (A)
Explanation:
- ML, NLP, Computer Vision = foundational AI domains.
- Quantum cryptography = quantum communication field.
