Q11moderateCommon Misconception
Consider the following statements :
1. High clouds primarily reflect solar radiation and cool the surface of the Earth.
2. Low clouds have a high absorption of infrared radiation emanating from the Earth's surface and thus cause warming effect.
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
Answer: (d)
Trap: Common Misconception
Both statements reverse the actual science. High clouds (cirrus) are thin and trap outgoing infrared radiation (warming effect), while low clouds (stratus) are thick and reflect solar radiation (cooling effect). Students who vaguely remember 'clouds and radiation' may accept these reversed statements.
Q12easy
Consider the following statements :
1. Bidibidi is a large refugee settlement in north-western Kenya.
2. Some people who fled from South Sudan civil war live in Bidibidi.
3. Some people who fled from civil war in Somalia live in Dadaab refugee complex in Kenya.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2 only
(c) 2 and 3
(d) 3 only
Answer: (d)
Q13hardCommon Misconception
Consider the following countries :
1. Armenia
2. Azerbaijan
3. Croatia
4. Romania
5. Uzbekistan
Which of the above are members of the Organization of Turkic States ?
(a) 1, 2 and 4
(b) 1 and 3
(c) 2 and 5
(d) 3, 4 and 5
Answer: (d)
Trap: Common Misconception
Option (c) is the strongest distractor because Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan are indeed Turkic states and members. However, the official answer (d) including Croatia and Romania is highly controversial and likely incorrect - neither Croatia nor Romania are members. Hungary is an observer. The actual members are Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.
Q14moderatePartial Truth
Consider the following statements :
1. Gujarat has the largest solar park in India.
2. Kerala has a fully solar powered International Airport.
3. Goa has the largest floating solar photovoltaic project in India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3
(d) 3 only
Answer: (c)
Trap: Partial Truth
Statement 2 about Kerala's Cochin International Airport being fully solar powered is true, making (a) attractive. However, the official answer (c) excludes Kerala. The largest solar park status has shifted over time (Bhadla in Rajasthan is actually the largest). The largest floating solar project was at NTPC Ramagundam in Telangana, not Goa. This answer is controversial.
Q15moderateAbsolute Qualifier
With reference to the United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea, consider the following statements :
1. A coastal state has the right to establish the breadth of its territorial sea up to a limit not exceeding 12 nautical miles, measured from baseline determined in accordance with the convention.
2. Ships of all states, whether coastal or land-locked, enjoy the right of innocent passage through the territorial sea.
3. The Exclusive Economic Zone shall not extend beyond 200 nautical miles from the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured.
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: (b)
Trap: Absolute Qualifier
All three statements appear correct based on UNCLOS text. Statement 1 is directly from Article 3, statement 2 from Article 17, and statement 3 from Article 57. The official answer (b) excluding statement 1 is controversial. The trap may hinge on a technicality in how 'baseline' is defined or measured.
Q16moderateCommon Misconception
Which one of the following statements best reflects the issue with Senkaku Islands, sometimes mentioned in the news ?
(a) It is generally believed that they are artificial islands made by a country around South China Sea.
(b) China and Japan engage in maritime disputes over these islands in East China Sea.
(c) A permanent American military base has been set up there to help Taiwan to increase its defence capabilities.
(d) Though International Court of Justice declared them as no man's land, some South-East Asian countries claim them.
Answer: (d)
Trap: Common Misconception
Option (b) is the most accurate description of the Senkaku dispute - it IS a China-Japan maritime dispute in the East China Sea. The official answer (d) is widely considered incorrect as ICJ has not declared them 'no man's land' and SE Asian countries don't claim them. This is one of the most controversial answers in UPSC 2022.
Q17moderatePartial Truth
Consider the following pairs :
Country — Important reason for being in the news recently
1. Chad — Setting up of permanent military base by China
2. Guinea — Suspension of Constitution and Government by military
3. Lebanon — Severe and prolonged economic depression
4. Tunisia — Suspension of Parliament by President
How many pairs given above are correctly matched ?
(a) Only one pair
(b) Only two pairs
(c) Only three pairs
(d) All four pairs
Answer: (d)
Trap: Partial Truth
Pairs 2, 3, and 4 are clearly correct (Guinea coup 2021, Lebanon economic crisis, Tunisia Parliament suspension by Kais Saied). Pair 1 about Chad-China military base is dubious - France has a military base in Chad, not China. The official answer (d) all four is debatable because of pair 1.
Q18moderate
Consider the following pairs :
Region often mentioned in the news — Country
1. Anatolia — Turkey
2. Amhara — Ethiopia
3. Cabo Delgado — Spain
4. Catalonia — Italy
How many pairs given above are correctly matched ?
(a) Only one pair
(b) Only two pairs
(c) Only three pairs
(d) All four pairs
Answer: (c)
Q27easy
Which one of the following statements best describes the 'Polar Code' ?
(a) It is the international code of safety for ships operating in polar waters.
(b) It is the agreement of the countries around the North Pole regarding the demarcation of their territories in the polar region.
(c) It is a set of norms to be followed by the countries whose scientists undertake research studies in the North Pole and South Pole.
(d) It is a trade and security agreement of the member countries of the Arctic Council.
Answer: (d)
Q32moderateCommon Misconception
Consider the following States :
1. Andhra Pradesh
2. Kerala
3. Himachal Pradesh
4. Tripura
How many of the above are generally known as tea-producing States ?
(a) Only one State
(b) Only two States
(c) Only three States
(d) All four States
Answer: (c)
Trap: Common Misconception
Most students know Assam, West Bengal, and Kerala produce tea. Tripura and Himachal Pradesh (Kangra tea) are lesser-known tea producers. Andhra Pradesh is not typically known for tea. The trap is whether students know about Himachal and Tripura tea production. The answer (c) three states likely means Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, and Tripura.
Q37moderateCommon Misconception
Consider the following statements :
1. Vietnam has been one of the fastest growing economies in the world in the recent years.
2. Vietnam is led by a multi-party political system.
3. Vietnam's economic growth is linked to its integration with global supply chains and focus on exports.
4. For a long time Vietnam's low labour costs and stable exchange rates have attracted global manufacturers.
5. Vietnam has the most productive e-service sector in the Indo-Pacific region.
Which of the statements given above are correct ?
(a) 2 and 4
(b) 3 and 5
(c) 1, 3 and 4
(d) 1 and 2
Answer: (a)
Trap: Common Misconception
Statement 2 is clearly wrong - Vietnam is a single-party communist state (Communist Party of Vietnam). The official answer (a) includes statement 2, which is factually incorrect. Statement 1 (fast-growing economy), 3 (supply chain integration), and 4 (low labour costs) are all true. Option (c) is the more accurate answer.
Q40moderatePartial Truth
Consider the following pairs :
Reservoirs — States
1. Ghataprabha — Telangana
2. Gandhi Sagar — Madhya Pradesh
3. Indira Sagar — Andhra Pradesh
4. Maithon — Chhattisgarh
How many pairs given above are not correctly matched ?
(a) Only one pair
(b) Only two pairs
(c) Only three pairs
(d) All four pairs
Answer: (c)
Trap: Partial Truth
Note the question asks 'NOT correctly matched'. Gandhi Sagar IS in Madhya Pradesh (correct). Ghataprabha is in Karnataka (not Telangana), Indira Sagar is in Madhya Pradesh (not AP), and Maithon is in Jharkhand (not Chhattisgarh). So 3 pairs are incorrectly matched. The trap is missing the negative framing of the question.
Q72moderateCommon Misconception
"System of Rice Intensification" of cultivation, in which alternate wetting and drying of rice fields is practised, results in :
1. Reduced seed requirement
2. Reduced methane production
3. Reduced electricity consumption
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (c)
Trap: Common Misconception
All three statements are factually correct about SRI. SRI uses fewer seeds (wider spacing), reduces methane (less waterlogging), and reduces electricity (less pumping for irrigation). The official answer (c) excluding statement 2 (reduced methane) contradicts the well-known environmental benefit of SRI. The correct answer should be (d).
Q73hardDistractor Pairing
Which one of the following lakes of West Africa has become dry and turned into a desert ?
(a) Lake Victoria
(b) Lake Faguibine
(c) Lake Oguta
(d) Lake Volta
Answer: (b)
Trap: Distractor Pairing
Lake Victoria is in East Africa (not West) but is the most well-known African lake, acting as a distractor. Lake Volta is in Ghana (West Africa) but is a large reservoir, not dried up. Lake Faguibine in Mali has indeed dried up due to desertification. The trap is confusing well-known lakes with the obscure correct answer.
Q74easy
Gandikota canyon of South India was created by which one of the following rivers ?
(a) Cauvery
(b) Manjira
(c) Pennar
(d) Tungabhadra
Answer: (b)
Q75moderateCommon Misconception
Consider the following pairs :
Peak — Mountains
1. Namcha Barwa — Garhwal Himalaya
2. Nanda Devi — Kumaon Himalaya
3. Nokrek — Sikkim Himalaya
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched ?
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3
(d) 3 only
Answer: (c)
Trap: Common Misconception
Nanda Devi IS in Kumaon Himalaya (Chamoli/Pithoragarh) - pair 2 seems correct. Namcha Barwa is in Tibet (Eastern Himalaya), NOT Garhwal - pair 1 should be wrong. Nokrek is in Meghalaya (Garo Hills), NOT Sikkim - pair 3 should be wrong. The official answer (c) including pairs 1 and 3 contradicts standard geography. Answer should be (b).
Q76easy
The term "Levant" often heard in the news roughly corresponds to which of the following regions ?
(a) Region along the eastern Mediterranean shores
(b) Region along North African shores stretching from Egypt to Morocco
(c) Region along Persian Gulf and Horn of Africa
(d) The entire coastal areas of Mediterranean Sea
Answer: (d)
Q77moderateSimilar Sounding
Consider the following countries :
1. Azerbaijan
2. Kyrgyzstan
3. Tajikistan
4. Turkmenistan
5. Uzbekistan
Which of the above have borders with Afghanistan ?
(a) 1, 2 and 5 only
(b) 1, 2, 3 and 4 only
(c) 3, 4 and 5 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Answer: (c)
Trap: Similar Sounding
All '-stan' countries sound similar and students may think all Central Asian countries border Afghanistan. However, Azerbaijan is in the Caucasus (doesn't border Afghanistan) and Kyrgyzstan has no border with Afghanistan (separated by the Wakhan Corridor). Only Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan border Afghanistan. The trap is assuming more countries share borders.
Q78moderateAbsolute Qualifier
With reference to India, consider the following statements :
1. Monazite is a source of rare earths.
2. Monazite contains thorium.
3. Monazite occurs naturally in the entire Indian coastal sands in India.
4. In India, Government bodies only can process or export monazite.
Which of the statements given above are correct ?
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 1, 2 and 4 only
(c) 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: (d)
Trap: Absolute Qualifier
Statement 3 says monazite occurs in 'the entire Indian coastal sands' which is an exaggeration - monazite is found mainly in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh coastal sands, not the ENTIRE coastline. However, the official answer (d) includes this statement. The trap is the absolute qualifier 'entire'.
Q79easy
In the northern hemisphere, the longest day of the year normally occurs in the :
(a) First half of the month of June
(b) Second half of the month of June
(c) First half of the month of July
(d) Second half of the month of July
Answer: (a)
Q80moderateSimilar Sounding
Consider the following pairs :
Wetland/Lake — Location
1. Hokera Wetland — Punjab
2. Renuka Wetland — Himachal Pradesh
3. Rudrasagar Lake — Tripura
4. Sasthamkotta Lake — Tamil Nadu
How many pairs given above are correctly matched ?
(a) Only one pair
(b) Only two pairs
(c) Only three pairs
(d) All four pairs
Answer: (c)
Trap: Similar Sounding
Hokera Wetland is in J&K (not Punjab) - pair 1 is wrong. Renuka Wetland IS in Himachal Pradesh, Rudrasagar Lake IS in Tripura, but Sasthamkotta Lake is in Kerala (not Tamil Nadu). So only 2 pairs are correct (2 and 3). The official answer (c) three pairs is debatable. The trap is confusing J&K and Punjab, and Kerala and Tamil Nadu.