Page Three: General Studies Preliminary Paper 2006

As on page 6 series B
General Studies Preliminary Paper May 14, 2006
Time Allowed: Two Hours
MM: 150
Total Questions: 150

17. Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched?

(a)	States Reorganization Act	:	Andhara Pardesh
(b)	Treaty of Yandabdu	:	Assam
(c)	State of Bilaspur	:	Himanchal Pardesh
(d)	Year 1966	:	Gujarat becomes a State

Ans. d.Year 1966 : Gujarat becomes a State.

Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration
Andhara Pardesh: “On the 1st of October, 1953, Andhra State came into existence. It consisted of the districts of Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Nellore, Chittoor, Cuddapah, Anantapur and Kurnool, and the taluks of Rayadurg, Adoni and Alur of the Bellary district. On the question of Bellary taluk, it was included in the Mysore State on the recommendation of L.S.Mishra Commission. Kurnool became the capital of the new State, under the terms of the Sri Bagh Pact of 1937 between the leaders of the Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema. T.Prakasam became the first Chief Minister of the Andhra State and C.M.Trivedi was appointed Governor of this new State. The creation of Andhra State in October, 1953 strengthened the general demand for linguistic States. Andhras had also long cherished demand for the formation of Visalandhra, since the people of Hyderabad State were unanimous in their demand for the trifurcation of their State. Andhras hoped that the outlying Telugu areas in Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Mysore and Madras be incorporated in the greater Andhra.


The States Reorganisation Commission, with Syed Fazl Ali as the Chairman, set up by the Government of India in December 1953, who heard the views of different organisations and individuals, was though convinced of the advantages of Visalandhra, however, favoured the formation of separate State for Telangana. This report of the S.R.C. led to an intensive lobbying both by the advocates of Telangana and Visalandhra. The Communists reacted sharply and announced that they would resign their seats in the Hyderabad Legislative Assembly and contest elections on the issue. In the Hyderabad Legislative Assembly, a majority of the Legislators supported Visalandhra.


The Congress High Command favoured Visalandhra and prevailed upon the leaders of the Andhra State and Telangana to sort out their differences, who, thereupon, entered into a `Gentlemen's Agreement'. One of the main provisions of the Agreement was the creation of a `Regional Council' for Telangana for its all round development. The enlarged State by merging nine Telugu speaking districts of Adilabad, Nizamabad, Medak, Karimnagar, Warangal, Khammam, Nalgonda, MahabubNagar and Hyderabad, into Andhra State with its eleven districts of Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Nellore, Chittoor, Cuddapah, Anantapur and Kurnool, totalling 20 districts* was named `Andhra Pradesh' with its capital at Hyderabad. It was inaugurated on the 1st of November, 1956 by Jawaharlal Nehru. Neelam Sanjiva Reddy became the first Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. ” Quoted from Post Independence History of Andhara Pardesh. Thus the Andhara Pardesh came into existance as a result of the States Reorganization Commission.


Quoted from Post Independence History of Andhara Pardesh. Thus the Andhara Pardesh came into existance as a result of the States Reorganization Commission.


State of Bilaspur was made a district of Himanchal Pardesh July 1, 1954. Earlier, it was under a Chief Commissioner as the 31st State of India. Read the history of State of Bilaspur on the Himanchal Pardesh Official Website.


Treaty of Yandabdu was signed by victorious British forces with the vanquished Burmese forces in 1826. Under this treaty, the Assam was seceded to British Indian Empire. The Burmese had earlier invaded the Assam around 1780 and brought it under there control. After the Treaty of Yandabdu, it returned back to India. For official version of history of Assam, check HERE.


Gujarat: Gujarat became a state on May 1, 1960. It is surprising that the official web site of Gujarat do not have any thing to say on the history of Gujarat. However, a write is available at Wikipedia on Gujarat. However, the Wikipedia article is bit biased. One check Gujarat history on the National Portal of India.

Category: History post Independence


18. Consider the following statements with reference to human body:

1. The common bile duct releases its contents into stomach.
2. The pancreatic duct releases its contents into duodenum.

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


Ans. d. Neither 1 nor 2.

Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration
The Bile Duct and pancreatic duct join together before entering the duodenum. The new duct is called hepatopancreatic duct and it releases the juices into the duodenum.

Category: Human Anatomy, (Biology), Human Nutrition.


19. A watch showed a time of fourteen minutes past nine (9 hrs and 14 minutes). The positions of the hour-hand and the minute-hand of the watch are exactly interchanged. The new time shown by the watch is closest to which of the following?
(a) Twelve minutes to three
(b) Thirteen minutes to three
(c) Fourteen minutes to three
(d) Fifteen minutes to three


Ans. c. Fourteen minutes to three.

Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration
None. The blogger will be obliged if someone provide some scientific explanation.

Category: General Mental Ability

20. Consider the following statements:
1. The agreement on South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) came into effect from 1st December 2005.
2. As per SAFTA agreement terms, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have to decrease their custom duties to the level of 0 to 5 percent by the year 2013.

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


Ans. b, 2 only.

Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration

SAFTA Stands for South Asian Free Trade Area.

As per the report of PTI Dated December 31, 2005, India, Pakistan and Srilanka will bring their customs duties 0-5 percent by 2013. The least developed members (As specified in the SAFTA agreement signed on January 6, 2004) Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives. It will be fully operational by 2016 and in case of LDCs by 2018.

For Web site of SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation under which SAPTA (South Asian Preferential Trade Agreement) then SAFTA was signed), click here.

The Agreement comes into effect on January 1, 2006. For the Cabinet Decision news given by PIB Check HERE. For more information from the PIB (Press Information Bureau) on Ministry of Commerce and Industry click HERE.
For Reference Check this report HERE.

Category: Political Science: International Relations.

21. Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched?

	Recent Scientific Achivements		Country
(a)	Creating the world’s first mouse with a full human chromosome	:	United Kingdom
(b)	Cloning a human embryo for the first time	:	Germany
(c)	Guiding a spacecraft for collision with a comet	:	United States of America
(d)	Landing a spacecraft on an asteroid	:	Japan

Ans. b. Cloning a human embryo for the first time: Germany

Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration
Pending

Category: Science; General Knowledge.

21. Which one among the following is not a good source of nutritional calcium?
(a) Rice
(b) Ragi
(c) Skimmed milk
(d) Egg

Ans. a. Rice

Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration
Pending

Category: Human Nutrition. (Biology)