Q1. Consider the following statements regarding the Speaker of the Lok Sabha:
- The office of the Speaker is provided under Article 93 of the Constitution of India.
- The Speaker certifies whether a bill is a Money Bill under Article 110.
- The Speaker adjudicates disqualification of Members under the Tenth Schedule.
- The Speaker is appointed by the President of India.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1, 2 and 3 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q1. (A)
Explanation:
- Statement 1 – Correct: Article 93 mandates that the Lok Sabha elect a Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
- Statement 2 – Correct: Under Article 110, the Speaker certifies whether a bill is a Money Bill, and the decision is final.
- Statement 3 – Correct: The Speaker decides disqualification cases under the Tenth Schedule (Anti-Defection Law).
- Statement 4 – Incorrect: The Speaker is elected by the Lok Sabha, not appointed by the President.
Q2. Consider the following statements regarding the “divisible pool of taxes” in India:
- The divisible pool consists of all taxes collected by the Union Government.
- Cesses and surcharges are excluded from the divisible pool.
- The share of the divisible pool in gross tax revenues has declined in recent Finance Commission periods.
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
Q2. (B)
Explanation:
- Statement 1 – Incorrect: Not all taxes form part of the divisible pool; cesses and surcharges are excluded.
- Statement 2 – Correct: Cesses and surcharges are retained fully by the Union Government.
- Statement 3 – Correct: The divisible pool declined from about 89.2% (FC13 period) to 78.3% (FC15 period).
Q3. Consider the following pairs:
| Player | Sport |
| 1. Divya Deshmukh | Chess |
| 2. Jaismine Lamboria | Boxing |
| 3. Mirabai Chanu | Weightlifting |
| 4. Tanvi Sharma | Table Tennis |
Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
A. 1, 2 and 3 only
B. 1 and 3 only
C. 2 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q3. (A)
Explanation:
- Divya Deshmukh – Chess ✔ (Winner of the FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup)
- Jaismine Lamboria – Boxing ✔
- Mirabai Chanu – Weightlifting ✔
- Tanvi Sharma – Badminton, not table tennis ✘
Q4. With reference to Near-Earth Objects (NEOs), consider the following statements:
- Near-Earth Objects are celestial bodies whose orbits bring them within 1.3 astronomical units (AU) of the Sun.
- Near-Earth Objects include both asteroids and comets.
- All Near-Earth Objects are classified as Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs).
How many of the statements given above are correct?
A. Only one
B. Only two
C. All three
D. None
Q4. (B) – Only two
Explanation:
- Statement 1 – Correct: NEOs are objects whose orbits bring them within 1.3 AU of the Sun.
- Statement 2 – Correct: NEOs include Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs) and Near-Earth Comets (NECs).
- Statement 3 – Incorrect: Only some NEOs meeting size and orbital distance criteria are classified as Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs).
Q5. Consider the following statements regarding LPG in India:
- LPG used for domestic cooking in India is mainly produced from coal gasification.
- LPG cylinders used in households contain liquefied methane.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2
Q5. (D) – Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation:
- Statement 1 – Incorrect: LPG is mainly produced as a by-product of crude oil refining and natural gas processing, not coal gasification.
- Statement 2 – Incorrect: LPG contains propane and butane, not methane.
