- CSAT-2014: IR defense Compared to other exams
- CSAT 2014: Difficulty level of IR/Defense questions
- CSAT-2015: How to approach IR/Defense?
CSAT-2014: IR defense Compared to other exams
other exams | CSAT-2014 |
---|---|
CSAT-2013, 2012, 2011- they had stopped asking international relations, events and defense related topics. | resumed asking |
CAPF, CDS exam: usually 8-10% of the MCQs come from this area | 4% |
in CDS-2014
|
|
CSAT 2014: Difficulty level of IR/Defense questions
Arab Spring |
|
Regions In News |
|
BRICS summit |
|
AGNI-4 |
|
CSAT-2015: How to approach IR/Defense?
This is UPSC’s “doubt-bluff-Back-breaking moveTM” to deter senior players and coaching classes from gaining competitive advantage over new players- because for last 3 years, UPSC did not ask IR/Defense GK so, they’d have stopped focusing in it.
Anyways, if UPSC wants to revive IR/defense then you’ve to prepare. Standard approach is following:
- Notes making from TheHindu
- Mrunal’s defense compilation– old article from 2012-13, but basics of weapons and missile development still relevant.
- Augmenting those notes, using competitive magazines like Civil service times, Pratiyogita etc. for factoids.
Q1: IR- Arab Spring
Recently, a series of uprisings of people referred to as ‘Arab Spring’ originally started from
- Egypt
- Lebanon
- Syria
- Tunisia
Arab Spring is a misnomer used by the media to describe the uprising that the self-immolation of Mohammad Bouazizi unleashed in Tunisia on December 18, 2010 in protest against police corruption and ill-treatment. (ref:Hindu)
Therefore, answer (D). Topic was in news, in May 2014, when Tunisia ended the state of emergency.
Q2: IR- BRICS summits
With reference to a grouping of countries known as BRICS, consider the following statements:
- The First Summit of BRICS was held in Rio de Janeiro in 2009.
- South Africa was the last to join the BRICS grouping.
Which of the statements given above is / are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Peu Ghosh, International Relations, 3rd Ed. Page 471-72
- Statement #1 wrong because first summit held in Yekarterinburg, Russia in 2009
- Statement #2 is right. South Africa was admitted as a BRIC nation on 24/12/2010, after being invited by China and other BRIC nations. The capital “S” in BRICS now stands for South Africa…..There can be further expansion of BRICS and there is proposed inclusion of Mexico and South Korea.
- Therefore, Answer B only 2 correct.
- Topic was in news, July 2014, because 6th BRICS summit held in Brazil.
Q3: IR- Regions in News
Region often in news | Country |
---|---|
1. Chechnya | Russian Federation |
2. Darfur | Mali |
3. Swat Valley | Iraq |
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
- 1 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Answer is (a) 1 only because
- Darfur : Sudan
- Swat Valley: Pakistan
- Therefore, 2 and 3 wrong. By elimination, Answer has to be A.
Q4: Defense- Agni-IV
Which reference to Agni-IV Missile, which of the following statements is/are correct?
- It is a surface-to-surface missile.
- It is fuelled by liquid propellant only.
- It can deliver one-tonne nuclear warheads about 7500 km away.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
- 1 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
News appeared in January 2014
1. It is a surface-to-surface missile. | Yes, correct |
2. It is fuelled by liquid propellant only. | No, it has two-stage solid propulsion. |
3. It can deliver one-tonne nuclear warheads about 7500 km away. | No, only 4000 kms |
Therefore, answer (A) only 1.