UPSC Declares Cutoffs & Official answerkey for 2014 Prelims, some debatable Qs finally settled, Min.passing marks in GS1 also

1. 2014 Cutoffs for Prelims, Mains & final
2. 2014 Official Answerkey to Debatable Questions
3. Buddha Visit Avanti or not?
4. SLR utility
5. Walk through Himalaya
6. GEF
7. Budding and grafting
8. Veg. Propogation
9. Seed Replacement

2014 Cutoffs for Prelims, Mains & final

On 4^th July 2015, UPSC declared the final result of civil services examination 2014. Since the “entire” exam process is now over, finally they have stopped RTI stonewalling and uploaded information about cutoffs and Answerkey on official website of UPSC.
Cutoffs are given under Examination => Cutoff Marks

2014 Official Answerkey to Debatable Questions

• Those who’re new to this game- UPSC conducts prelims in August b ut doesn’t give official answerkey in RTI until the entire process is over i.e. mains and interview.
• They’ve now uploaded the official answerkey to UPSC prelims 2014 Paper 1 and Paper 2
• Some of its questions generated too much debate and comment wars. Here are few of them now with official Answerkey. I’m referring to UPSC 2014 Prelims GS Paper 1: Testbook #A, and its Answerkey now uploaded on UPSC website under examination=>answerkeys
• Other than that, my own topicwise answerkey with explaination and future strategy, is available here: Mrunal.org/UPSC

Buddha Visit Avanti or not?

Q25. Which of the following Kingdoms were associated with the life of the Buddha?

1. Avanti
2. Gandhara
3. Kosala
4. Magadha

Select the correct nswer using the code given below.

1. 1, 2 and 3
2. 2 and 4
3. 3 and 4 only
4. 1, 3 and 4

SLR utility

Q33. In the context of Indian economy; which of the following is/are the purpose/purposes of ‘Statutory Reserve Requirements’?

1. To enable the Central Bank to control the amount of advances the banks can create
2. To make the people’s deposits with banks safe and liquid
3. To prevent the commercial banks from making excessive profits
4. To force the banks to have sufficient vault cash to meet their day-to-day requirements

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1. 1 only
2. 1 and 2 only
3. 2 and 3 only
4. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Walk through Himalaya

Q23. If you travel through the Himalayas, you are Likely to see which of the following plants naturally growing there?

1. Oak
2. Rhododendron
3. Sandalwood

Select the correct answer using the code given below

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

GEF

Q6. With reference to ‘Global Environment Facility’, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. It serves as financial mechanism for ‘Convention on Biological Diversity’ and ‘United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’.
2. It undertakes scientific research on environmental issues at global level
3. It is an agency under OECD to facilitate the transfer of technology and funds to underdeveloped countries with specific aim to protect their environment.
4. Both (a) and (b)

Budding and grafting

Q72. Consider the following techniques/phenomena:

1. Budding and grafting in fruit plants
2. Cytoplasmic male sterility
3. Gene silencing

Which of the above is/are used to create transgenic crops?

1. 1 only
2. 2 and 3
3. 1 and 3
4. None

Veg. Propogation

Q67. Which of the following statements is / are correct regarding vegetative propagation of plants?

1. Vegetative propagation produces clonal population.
2. Vegetative propagation helps in eliminating the virus.
3. Vegetative propagation can be practiced most of the year.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1. 1 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Seed Replacement

Q94. In the context of food and nutritional security of India, enhancing the ‘Seed Replacement Rates’ of various crops helps in achieving the food production targets of the future. But what is/are the constraint/ constraints in its wider / greater implementation?

1. There is no National Seeds Policy in place.
2. There is no participation of private sector seed companies in the supply of quality seeds of vegetables and planting materials of horticultural crops.
3. There is a demand-supply gap regarding quality seeds in case of low value and high volume crops.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1. 1 and 2
2. 3 only
3. 2 and 3
4. None