Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership

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What is RCEP?

• It is a proposed mega-regional Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between 16 Asia-Pacific countries.
• It includes the 10-member ASEAN countries plus China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.
• The RCEP negotiations were launched at the Phnom Penh at a summit between the leaders of ASEAN and its six partners on November 2012.
• The objective is to achieve a modern, comprehensive, high-quality and mutually beneficial economic partnership agreement among the ASEAN States and its FTA Partners.
• RCEP will cover trade in goods, trade in services, investment, economic and technical cooperation, intellectual property, competition, dispute settlement and other issues.

What is the importance of RCEP?

The RCEP, when realized, will become the largest trade bloc in terms of population with nearly 3.5 billion people.
It will also have an estimated 40% of world’s GDP and dominating 30% of global trade.
A unique importance is that it contains the three biggest economies of Asia viz. China, India and Japan.
Also, it has big future potential as it holds the two of the fastest growing largest economies – China and India.

What are the challenges in front of RCEP?

Formation of the RCEP is not easy because of several economic and political hurdles.
There are huge economic dissimilarities between the trading members.
China is highly industrialized and is a trade powerhouse.
India has more development objectives while connecting with trade.
Other ASEAN economies have long history of running FTAs though they are small in size.
Similarly, there is
differences about the extent of trade liberalization.
China want more commodities and higher tariff cuts.
India on the other hand, prefers some restrictions as the country’s industrial sector is at the beginning state of development.
Overall, most of the partners have a notion that China may dominate the RCEP
because of its huge size economy and well competitive industrial sector advantages.
Also, politically, there is less synergy between the RCEP members in the context of unresolved territorial disputes.
Why RCEP Is Vital for India?
The RCEP presents a decisive platform which could influence its strategic and economic status in the Asia-Pacific region and bring to fruition its “Act East Policy.”

There are three immediate benefits that its trade policymakers should note.
Complementary - The RCEP agreement would complement India’s existing FTAs with the ASEAN and some of its member countries, as it would deals with Japan and South Korea.
It can address challenges emanating from implementation concerns vis-à-vis overlapping agreements, which is now obstructing effective utilization of these FTAs.
In this respect, the RCEP would help India streamline the rules and regulations of doing trade, which will
reduce trade costs .
It will also help achieve its goal of greater economic integration with countries East and South East of India through better access to a vast regional market ranging from Japan to Australia.
Indian integration - The RCEP is expected to harmonize trade-related rules, investment and competition regimes of India with those of other countries of the group.
Through domestic policy reforms on these areas, this harmonization would help Indian companies plug into regional and global value chains and would unlock the true potential of the Indian economy.
Services - In addition to facilitating foreign direct investment, the RCEP will create opportunities for Indian companies to access new markets.
This is because the structure of manufacturing in many of these countries is becoming more and more sophisticated, resulting in a
“servicification” of manufacturing.
India is well placed to contribute to other countries in RCEP through its expertise in services.

How RCEP could threaten India?

India’s cautious approach in its FTA faces a major paradigm-shift given the current negotiations in RCEP.
It has the potential to overthrow India’s policies of rural development and industrialisation especially ‘Make in India’, and the promise of the PM to provide accessible healthcare and medicines to all.
Agriculture and allied products - the plantation sector is already reeling from the impact of the India-Asean FTA.
So, if tariff cuts cover 92 or 80% of products, the impact will be huge.
Dairy - New Zealand’s export-oriented dairy products will decimate India’s growing dairy sector, which is still largely small-scale.
Industry - If India offers to reduce/eliminate import tariffs on a larger number of industrial products than already committed to Asean, Japan and South Korea, its industrial sector could be under stress.
Even without an FTA, India faces a total trade deficit of Rs 3.45 lakh crore in 2015-16 with China.
E-commerce commitments will allow companies such as Alibaba from China to displace Indian manufacturing especially in the SME segment.
Minerals & Raw Material -
Further, India is being asked to eliminate export restrictions on minerals and raw material.
This may threaten domestic raw material availability for industrialisation and encourage over-mining.
Dispute settlement - India is under heavy pressure to agree to the investor state dispute settlement provision in RCEP without the safeguards provided in the Model BIT.
This framework will
increase India’s liability and severely limit its policy space to implement any policy reform that is seen as detrimental to investors’ profits.
Data exclusivity - Agreeing to data exclusivity, extending patent terms and unduly strong enforcement measures will weaken the entire generic medicine sector and take away several health safeguards in India’s Patent Act, notably section 3(d).

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Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme

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Why in news?
The Gold Bond scheme has attracted enough gold in the society despite handsome interest rate.

What is the Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme?

The government of India recently launched a Sovereign Gold Scheme to provide an alternate option when it comes to owning gold.
This scheme aims to reduce the demand for physical gold, thereby keeping a tab on gold imports and utilising resources effectively.
With the Reserve Bank of India issuing these gold bonds, it brings in transparency and trust, providing an avenue wherein people can own gold without having to worry about its storage or safety.

How does Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme operate?

Under the Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme, the Reserve Bank of India will issue the bonds on behalf of the Government of India.
The bonds will be sold at post offices and banks and issued in denomination of gram.
They will issue these bonds on payment of money. Later on, the bonds will be connected to the price of gold.
From one person, the Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme would accept a minimum investment of 2 gm gold and a maximum investment of 500 gm in a single fiscal year.

Why the scheme was introduced?

The gold demand rises in times of uncertainty or high inflation.
Gold demand is mostly met through imports
Years of high imports are ones of high current account deficits which, in turn, have weakened the rupee.
So, in FY12, when India imported $56.5 billion of gold, the current account deficit increased to $78.2 billion.
It peaked at $88.2 billion or 4.8% of GDP in FY13, when India imported gold worth $53.8 billion.
It is to reduce this huge import bill that, in November 2015, the government tried to introduce gold bonds.

What were the shortcomings?

Only 2% of the average gold consumption over the past five years or less than 6% of the average investment demand of gold has been substituted by gold bonds.
This is because of the bad design of the product which did not take into account the reason people bought gold, apart from the anonymity.
The bonds were bought/sold on the basis of the average price five days before the transaction.
This ensured buyers/sellers lost out on the appreciation of gold.
Similarly, there was a 5-year lock-in for the bond.
Similarly to bring in market-makers to ensure greater liquidity for the bonds, they are listed on exchanges.
It does not make sense to have a lock-in for the bonds.
A more liquid market will ensure the bonds can be sold, but the lock-in will mean the price got for a sale will be discounted.

Source: Financial Express

ANTI-PIRACY MEASURES

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What is the issue?

There is an increase in incidence of attacks on shipping passing through the Gulf of Aden and this signifies a possibility of return to large scale Somali piracy and robbery at sea in the Indian Ocean.
Government of India has recently taken serious steps to deal with piracy at sea.

✒ What are the recent measures?

★An Inter-Ministerial Group (IMGO) has been set up by the Government under the Ministry of Shipping to deal with the hostage situation arising out of hijacking at sea.

★Government had also approved the Contingency Plan for dealing with piracy and hijacking of merchant ships.

★Committee of Secretaries on Anti-Piracy and Hijacking at sea (COSAPH) under the Chairmanship of Cabinet Secretary.

★Various guidelines that provide for elaborate anti-piracy measures (Best Management Practices) to be implemented on Indian Ships are issued.
Enhanced vigil by the Indian Navy in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is instructed.

★Active participation of India in the security meetings of the International Maritime Organization, Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS) and other international fora.

★Certain specific locations (including the Gulf of Aden and a region between Oman and Maldives) are mentioned for restricted movement of Indian vessels for security concerns.

Source: PIB

Urban Solid Waste Management

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What is the issue?

Rising incomes and changing lifestyles are generating more and a different kind of waste, but we need to set up systems to deal with this huge pileup.

What was happening before 1970s? Georgia

In the past, in rural areas, food discards were returned to the soil.
Food leftovers were fed to animals and the cattle-shed wastes were thrown in a pit to decompose .
This returned both NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) nutrients as well as micronutrients to the soil.
In Portuguese Goa, bullock carts would move from bungalow to bungalow, collecting kitchen leftovers for on-farm composting.
This was the earliest Indian version of doorstep waste collection.
These age-old practices have kept Indian soils rich in carbon, up to 4%.

What is happening now?
Everything changed with the beginning of the plastic era in the 1970s.
When farmers took mixed waste of plastic and degradable items, to their farms, the fields started wearing a non-biodegradable plastic film.
It prevented rain from entering the soil and kept seeds from germinating through them (an example of negative urban-rural connectivity).
This assorted mixed waste presented a major management challenge for the municipal authorities.
City managers forced to deal with this and they began collecting and dumping the waste outside the city limits
.
What are the ill-effects?

• Heaps of waste without exposure to oxygen emit methane which is 21 times more potent as a heat trapping gas than carbon dioxide.
• It also generated ammonia and hydrogen sulphide.
• These heaps also started to produce leachate, a black liquid oozing out from the waste.
• It usually take 25-30 years to slowly decompose,
• continuously releasing methane and leachate.
• The leachate seeped down into the soil and contaminated open wells and even polluted bore wells through natural water channels.
• There is no way to treat this deep underground contamination.
• It made the wells and bore wells unfit for drinking and even for irrigation for decades.

What could be done?

• Households need to be made to stop mixing biodegradable waste with dry waste and keep hazardous domestic waste completely separate.
• The segregation of waste at source into ‘wet’, ‘dry’ and ‘sanitary’ categories is now compulsory for all citizens of India in the Solid Waste Management Rules 2016
• (SWM Rules).
• Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu is the latest of over 20 urban local bodies to achieve near zero waste to landfill.
• The correct way to manage fresh waste is to expose as much of it to air as soon as possible via windrows .
• Windrows are parallel heaps of waste, not more than two metres high, which are designed to achieve the best conditions for aerating the waste.
• Weekly turning of the waste ensures that all parts of the waste are fully decomposed.
• The process can be speeded up by the addition of
• composting bio-cultures (ex.fresh cow dung).
• This bio-stabilising of biodegradable waste would make a city fully compliant with the SWM Rules 2016.

Source: The Indian Express

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Economic Reforms And Issues 

What is the issue?

Recent economic reforms introduced by the goverment has lot of issues.

What are the important economic reforms of India?

Bankruptcy law reform – It
is expected to get rid of non-performing assets of banks and stimulate risk taking, entrepreneurship and, in turn, economic growth.
Demonetization - The plan of devaluating 500 and 1000 rupee notes is reasoned to curb black money and corruption.
GST - Goods and service tax, this has a motto of “One tax One nation”
Election finance reforms -
This reform is introduced in order to empower transparency by digitizing the campaigning process.

What are the issues with the economic reforms?

GST - It has taken a very complex form, with seven different rates.
For instance a much lower tax rate on gold (3 per cent) than on notebooks (12 per cent).
Similarly, the tax rate on shaving cream (28 per cent) is much higher than on ghee (12 per cent), as if the consumption of the latter is more essential than the use of the former for one’s well-being.
It is not clear whether the objective of the GST schedule is raising revenues or addressing inequality or both.
It is believed to affect many small business.
Demonetisation - It hassled many working class and lower level wages.
It created lot of controversies around the nation.
It was aimed to achieve multiple objectives simultaneously, violating the famous basic economic principles.
Election finance reforms -
This bill was introduced as money bill
Anonymity of political contributions cap done by corporates was fully permitted.
Tax inspectors have been empowered to conduct raids and searches, without providing any reason.

Source: Indian Express



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GOODS AND SERVICES TAX (GST) EXPECTED GK QUESTIONS FOR UPCOMING COMETITIVE EXAMS

In  India  GST  came  effective  from  July 1st,  2017. India has  chosen  _________ model  of  dual  –  GST.

a)    USA
b)    UK
c)    Canadian
d)    China
e)    Japan

Answer:  (C).

2). How  many countries  have  dual  –  GST  model?
a)    5
b)    8
c)    10
d)    14
e)    None  of  these

Answer:  (E).  Till  now  Canada  only  has  dual  GST  model  but  now  India  also started to  use  dual-GST model.

3).  Which  of the  following  country  is  the  first one  to  implement GST?

a)    USA
b)     France
c)    China
d)    Switzerland
e)    Germany

Answer:  (B).  France  implemented GST  in 1954.

4).  Around how  many  countries  adopted GST?

a)    90
b)    120
c)    140
d)    160
e)    200

Answer:  (D).

5). Which  of the  following  country  has  the  maximum GST  tax  slab?
a)    Greece
b)    China
c)    USA
d)    Australia
e)    India

Answer:  (E).  India  has  the  maximum  tax slab (28%)  compared to other  countries.

6). Which  of  the  following  country  has  the  second highest  tax  slab?

a)    Australia
b)    Netherland
c)    Argentina
d)    Ireland
e)    South Korea

Answer:  (C).  Argentina  has  the  second highest  tax slab 27%

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7).    Indian  GST  model  has  _________rate  structure.
a)    3
b)    4
c)    5
d)    6
e)    2

Answer:  (B). 
In India  GST  model  has  4 rate  structure. They are  5%, 12%,  18%  and 28%

8).  How  many  types  of  taxes  will be  in  Indian  GST?
a)    2
b)    3
c)    4
d)    5
e)    6

Answer:  (B).  Central  GST (CGST),  State  GST (SGST)  and  IGST  are three types of  taxes.

9). What  does  “I” stands  for  in  IGST?
a)    International
b)    Internal
c)    Integrated
d)    Intra 

e)    Innovation

Answer:  (C).

10). The  tax IGST  charged  by _________Government.
a)    Central
b)    State
c)    Concerned  department
d)    Both a  and b
e)    All  a, b  and c
Answer:  (A).

11). The  maximum  rate  prescribed  under  IGST  is  _________.
a)    5%
b)    12%
c)    18%
d)    28%
e)    No  such limit

Answer:  (D).

12). In  India GST  was  first  proposed  in  _________.

a)    1993
b)    1996
c)    1999
d)    2000
e)    2002

Answer:  (D).

13). GST  is  a _________ based  tax on  consumption  of  goods  and  services.

a)    Duration
b)    Destination
c)    Dividend
d)    Development
e)    Destiny

Answer:  (B).  main  objective of  GST  is eliminate  excessive taxation

14).  GST  comes  under  which amendment  bill?
a)    118
b)    120
c)    122
d)    115
e)    129

Answer:  (C).

15).  Under  which Act  GST  was  introduced?
a)    100
b)    101
c)    102
d)    103
e)    104

Answer:  (B)

16).  GST  council formation  based  on  Article  number  _________.
a)    279A
b)    289A
c)    266A
d)    255A
e)    286A

Answer:  (A)

17). The  headquarters  of  GST  council  is  _________.
a)    Mumbai
b)    New Delhi
c)    Ahmadabad
d)    Hyderabad
e)    Lucknow

Answer:  (B).

18). Who  is  the  chairman  of GST  council?
a)    President of  India
b)    Prime Minister
c)    Finance Minister
d)    RBI Governor
e)    Finance secretary

Answer:  (C).  Arun  Jaitley  is the current  chairman  of  GST  council

19). _________ is  GST  Finance  Ministers  Panel  Chairman.
a)    Amit Mishra
b)    Amit Malhodra
c)    Amit  Chandresekar
d)    Amit Sastri
e)    Amit  kohli

Answer:  (A).  Amit Mishra  (West Bengal Finance  Minister)  is  the  Finance  Ministers  Panel Chairman.

20). _________ is  the  first  state  to  ratify  GST  bill.
a)    Andhra  Pradesh
b)    Assam
c)    Arunachal  Pradesh
d)    Bihar
e)    Telangana

Answer:  (B)

21). _________ is  the  first  state  that  passed  GST  Bill.

a)    Andhra  Pradesh
b)    Gujarat
c)    Uttar  Pradesh
d)    Bihar
e)    Telangana

Answer:  (E).

22). GST  threshold  limit  of  North  Eastern  States  is  _________ lakh
a)    5
b)    10
c)    12
d)    15
e)    20

Answer:  (B).

23). GST  threshold  limit  of  Normal  States  is  _________ lakh

a)    12
b)    15
c)    20
d)    25
e)    30

Answer:  (C).

24). The  Central  Board  of  Excise  and  Customs  (CBEC)  announced  that  every year  _________ will  be considered  as GST  Day.
a)    April 1
b)    March  1
c)    June  1
d)    July 1
e)    January 1

Answer:  (D)

25). Smart  Phones  will  be  taxed  at  _________ under  GST.
a)    0%
b)    5%
c)    12%
d)    18%
e)    28%

Answer:  (C).

26). Under  GST, Insurance  is  taxed  _________ percent.
a)    0%
b)    5%
c)    12%
d)    18%
e)    28%

Answer:  (D).

27).  Which  of the  following  comes  under  sin  tax?

a)    Pan  Masala
b)    Tobacco
c)    Alcohol
d)    Both a  and c
e)    All a,  b and  c

Answer:  (E).

28).  A  special  purpose vehicle _________  has been  launched  to  cater  the needs of  GST.

a)    GSTC
b)    GSTN
c)    GSTM
d)    GSTR
e)    GSTS

Answer:  (B).  GSTN  -  Goods  and Service  Tax Network.

29).  GSTN  comes  under  which Act?

a)    Banking  Regulation  Act  1949
b)    RBI Act  1934
c)    Indian Partnership Act, 1932
d)    Limitation Act, 1963
e)    Companies  Act, 2013

Answer:  (E).

30). Combined  Stake  of  Central  and  State  Government  in  GSTN  is  _________.
a)    20%
b)    25%
c)    49%
d)    51%
e)    100%

Answer:  (C).  The  remaining 51%  stake  is  divided among  five  financial  institutions—LIC  Housing Finance with 11%  stake  and ICICI  Bank, HDFC, HDFC  Bank and NSE  Strategic  Investment  Corporation  Ltd with 10% stake each.

31). What  does N  stands for in  HSN?
a)    Network
b)    Nationalization
c)    Nominee
d)    Nomenclature
e)    Nomination

Answer:  (D).  HSN  -  Harmonized System  of  Nomenclature.  HSN  code  will  be  used for  classifying under  the GST regime.

32).  Coal  comes under  which  rate  Structure?
a)    0%
b)    5%
c)    12%
d)    18%
e)    28%

Answer:  (C).

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Weekly: Press Information Bureau – 1st July to 15th July , 2017

GS-1

DECLARATION OF HISTORIC CITY OF AHMADABAD AS A UNESCO’S WORLD HERITAGE PROPERTY

(Topic: Indian Culture will cover the salient aspects of Art forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times)

Impact: Expected to give a tremendous fillip to domestic and international tourism leading to increased employment generation, creation of world-class infrastructure and augmentation of sale of local handicrafts, handlooms and heritage memorabilia

India –
Has overall 36 World Heritage Inscriptions with 28 Cultural, 07 Natural and 01 Mixed site

Stands second largest in number after China in terms of number of world heritage properties in ASPAC (Asia and Pacific) region

Overall seventh in the world

India to host 8th Edition of Theatre Olympics ‘The Biggest Theatre Celebration of the World’

(Topic: Indian Culture will cover the salient aspects of Art forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times)

8th edition of the greatest carnival of Theatre in the World will take place in India for the first time ever from February 17 – April 08, 2018 simultaneously in various cities across the country.
there will be 500 plays & 700 ambience performances from across the world and Allied activities like exhibitions, seminars, symposia, interactive discussions and workshops with well-known academicians, authors, actors, designers and directors will be held.

Theatre Olympics:

Established in 1993 in Delphi, Greece
With the tagline ‘Crossing Millennia’, this is an initiative to connect the cultural past with the present and future, bringing the richness and diversity of theatre heritage to the experiments and research of contemporary theatre.

GS-2

Launch of JIGYASA – Student-Scientist connect programme

(Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation)

Implementation by: Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS)

Focus: Connecting school students and scientists so as to extend student’s classroom learning with that of a very well planned research laboratory based learning

Launch of a new tax payer service module ‘Aaykar Setu’

(Topic: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures)

To help in reducing physical interface between assesses and tax assessing authorities and thereby minimizing the chances of any tax harassment.
To directly communicate with the taxpayers, on a range of multiple informative and useful tax services aimed at providing tax information at their fingertips.
The module compiles various tax tools, live chat facility, dynamic updates, and important links to various processes within the Income Tax Department in a single module.
The tax payers will also be able to receive regular updates regarding important tax dates, forms and notifications on mobile numbers registered with the ITD.

National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM)

(Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation)

Importance:
Research undertaken by NCSCM will be used directly for arriving at policy decisions and for capacity building of coastal communities and other stakeholders
Will combine geospatial sciences with cutting-edge research on conservation, pollution, climate change and community interface – both in mainland and islands of the country

Objectives:
1. Promoting integrated and sustainable management of the coastal and marine areas in the country for the benefit and well-being of the traditional coastal and island communities

2. Strengthening capacity of coastal management at all levels, including stakeholders

3. Advising Union and State governments and other associated stakeholders on policy and scientific matters related to Integrated Coastal Zone Management

4. Striving to become a world class institution through cutting-edge research pertaining to understanding coastal zones, coastal processes, integrated planning and management of coastal and marine areas

5. Scientifically map the cumulative vulnerability of coastal environment to climate change and consequent threats to ecology, lives and livelihoods

6. Develop vulnerability-based environment and adaptive management plans for key sectors by- readiness into all coastal developmental projects account the threats due to natural hazards in the coastal areas and sea-level rise (fishermen, agriculturists etc.) and develop infrastructure and settlements in urban and rural areas; conserve and protect coastal stretches, its unique environment and its marine area by enhancing mitigation (blue carbon ecosystems which include mangroves, seagrass meadows and salt marsh ecosystems) and build institutional capacity – both sector-wise and for community.

10th Session of the India- Jordan Trade and Economic Joint Committee (TEJC)

(Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests)

bilateral trade and deepening their engagements for greater cooperation in investment sector discussed the roadmap for cooperation in various fields such as Fertilizer Sector, Customs, Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement, Visa and Consular issues, Health and Pharmaceuticals, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Maritime Transport, Rail Transport, and Air Transport, Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, and Smart Grid development, Information Technology, Higher Education and Vocational Training, Agriculture sector etc. Cooperation Agreement aimed at boosting and diversifying bilateral trade relations, in addition to promoting economic, trade and investment cooperation based on the principle of equity, non-discrimination discussed the roadmap for promotion of trade and investment through B2B mechanism

European Union & India establish an Investment Facilitation Mechanism

(Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests)

Aim: To promote and facilitate EU investment in India India and this initiative helps ensuring a more robust, effective and predictable business environment for the EU investors

Will pave the way for identifying and solving problems faced by EU companies and investors with regard to their operations in India those already established in India and will serve as a platform for discussing general suggestions from the point of view of EU companies and investors with regard to ease of doing business in India

GS-3

DIPP to set up India’s first TISC in Punjab

(Topic: Food processing and related industries in India- scope and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management)

TISC: India’s first Technology and Innovation Support Center at Patent Information Centre, Punjab, under the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) TISC program

Objective of the TISC: To stimulate a dynamic, vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) system in India to foster creativity and innovation, thereby promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social, economic and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India.

Services offered by TISCs include: (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications; technology information;
Training in database search;the-art and infringement);
Monitoring technology and competitors; laws, management and strategy, and technology commercialization and marketing

Foundation stone laid for First Maize Based Mega Food Park

(Topic: Food processing and related industries in India- scope and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management)

Where: Kapurthala, Punjab
Importance of Maize – (wheat) requirements that India needs contain the problem of further water depletion

Maize Based Mega Food Park: of India for containing the desertification problem of Punjab cultivation which need less water for more production for seed, starch, brewery, food additives, sweeteners, etc and it is also a basic raw material to thousands of industrial products like oil, proteins, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, beverages, film, textile, gum, value added foods, paper industries, bio-ethanol etc.

MERIT app and e-Bidding portal for utilization of domestic coal in IPP Power Stations

(Topic: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.)

MERIT app: Merit Order Despatch of Electricity for Rejuvenation of Income and Transparency

e-bidding portal: For providing e-Bidding solution to States to select Independent Power Producers (IPPs) in a transparent and fair manner, for procurement of power by transferring their domestic coal under the scheme of flexibility in utilization of domestic coal.

Aim: Optimum utilization of Coal which would save the consumer close to Rs. 20,000 crores five years down the line
Advantages of MERIT app- participative governance pertaining to marginal variable cost and source wise purchase of electricity operation its complexity costs handling of the variability and uncertainty of renewables scheme envisages transferring coal to more efficient IPPs generating stations, leading to lower generation costs and ultimately lesser cost of electricity for the consumers.

Scheme for IPR Awareness – Creative India; Innovative India

(Topic: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights)

Launched by: Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) under the aegis of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion
The Scheme aims at- youth, authors, artists, budding inventors and professionals to inspire them to create, innovate and protect their creations and inventions workshops/seminars in academic institutions (schools and colleges) and the industry, including MSMEs and Start-ups, as also IP training and sensitization programmes for enforcement agencies and the judiciary including international filing procedures, promotion of Geographical Indications and highlighting the ill effects of piracy and counterfeiting.

Successful Flight Test of QRSAM

(Topic: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights)

QRSAM: Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missile; an important milestone in the indigenous Surface to Air Missiles (SAM) development.

Developed by: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
Person in News: Babu Jagjivan Ram and national leader who fought tirelessly for the upliftment of the downtrodden key portfolios (35 years)
Brought about path-breaking reforms:
‘Green Revolution’ saw the birth of Bangladesh

Did you know?

1. Chandigarh became the first city to ensure water taps to all households

2. SWAYAM: Enables one to take courses offered by the best teachers, remaining where they are

3. Exercise Malabar: Naval co-operation between India, US and Japan to increase interoperability amongst the three navies as well as develop common understanding and procedures for maritime security operations

4. NHB RESIDEX: Captures movements in the prices of residential real estate prices

5. Science Express exhibition train – Innovative mobile science exhibition Action Special (SECAS) highlighting the global challenge of climate change Science & Technology (DST) running and the most visited mobile science exhibition and has twelve entries in the Limca Book of Records

6. PRAGATI – the ICT-based, multi-modal platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation

7. CERT-In: The national nodal agency under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, with the objective of securing Indian cyber space

8. Launch of Mission Parivar Vikas – New family planning initiative
Specific targeted initiatives shall be taken for population stabilisation through better services delivery with a strategic focus on improving access through provision of services, promotional schemes, commodity security, capacity building, enabling environment and intensive monitoring

9. Ganga Avahan:
A pioneering and historic exploratory open-water swim expedition on the Ganga River
The first ever human effort to swim down the entire stretch of the river and also the longest ever social campaign undertaken through an adventure sporting activity for the Swachh Bharat National Mission, Clean Ganga project and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiative

​

Political History- Kingdoms of South (Quiz)

Who among the following was a Satavahana ruler ?
(a) Nahapana
(b) Mahendravarman
(c) Vasisthiputra Pulumayi
(d) Rudradaman
Answer: Vasisthiputra Pulumayi

The political and cultural centre of the Pandyas was
(a) Vengi
(b) Mahabalipuram
(c) Kanchipuram
(d) Madurai
Answer: Madurai

Vijayanagara is compared to the Chola for (a) Display of land revenue
(b) System of land revenue
(c) Rural local self government
(d) Foreign conquests
Answer: Display of land revenue

Kanchi was the capital of
(a) Rashtrakutas
(b) Cholas
(c) Chalukyas
(d) Pallavas
Answer: Pallavas

Krishnadevaraya was the ruler of
(a) Bahmani
(b) Vijayanagar
(c) Pallava
(d) Chola
Answer: Chola

Who was the founder of Sunga dynasty ? (a) Bimbisara
(b) Agnimitra
(c) Pushyamitra
(d) Ajatashatru
Answer: Pushyamitra

The Chola king who conquered the northern part of Sri Lanka and made it a province of his empire, was
(a) Adhirajendra
(b) Rajaraja
(c) Parantaka I
(d) Rajendra I
Answer: Rajaraja

The Chola empire reached its zenith under
(a) Parantaka I
(b) Rajendra Chola II
(c) Rajaraja
(d) Rajendra Chola I
Answer: Rajendra Chola I

The capital of Kakatiya dynasty was
(a) Hampi
(b) Dwarasamudra
(c) Warangal
(d) Madurai
Answer: Warangal

Which of the following is the oldest dynasty ?
(a) Pallavas
(b) Cheras
(c) Chalukyas
(d) Satavahanas
Answer: Satavahanas

The Chola ruler who subdued the Ganges and obtained the title Gangai Konda Cholan was
(a) Kulottunga
(b) Rajendra Chola I
(c) Rajadhiraja Chola
(d) Rajaraja Chola
Answer: Rajendra Chola I

Which of the following statements about Krishnadevaraya is incorrect ?
(a) He founded a new city, Nagalapur in honour of his mother Nagaladevi.
(b) After his death, there were struggles for succession as successors were incompetent.
(c) He fought the Battle of Talikota.
(d) He was an accomplished writer and poet.
Answer: He fought the Battle of Talikota.

The last ruler of Sunga dynasty was
(a) Sujyeshtha
(b) Vasudeva
(c) Devabhuti
(d) Bhaga
Answer: Vasudeva

Satavahanas belonged to
(a) Konkan region
(b) Kalinga
(c) Andhra region
(d) Maharashtra
Answer: Andhra region

Which of the following was the lowest unit of Chola administration ?
(a) Mandalam
(b) Valanadu
(c) Kottam
(d) Kurram
Answer: Kurram

Bahmani Kingdom in South India extinguished in the
(a) End of 16th century
(b) Later half of 17th century
(c) Beginning of 17th century
(d) Beginning of 16th century
Answer: Beginning of 16th century

The capital of Bahmani Kingdom was
(a) Gulbarga
(b) Ellichpur
(c) Warangal
(d) Devagiri
Answer: Gulbarga

The Kingdom of Vijayanagar came into existence during the reign of
(a) Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq
(b) Balban
(c) Harshvardhana
(d) Alauddin Khilji
Answer: Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq

The earliest evidence of Jewish community settling in India is provided by a charter of a
(a) Chera King
(b) Vijayanagara King
(c) Chola King
(d) Pandya King
Answer: Vijayanagara King

Harihara and Bukka, the founders of the Vijayanagara kingdom shaped the course of their conduct on the advice of
(a) Vidyaranya
(b) Tulsidas
(c) Tukaram
(d) Ramdas
Answer: Vidyaranya

The first ruling dynasty of Vijayanagara Kingdom was
(a) Aravidu dynasty
(b) Sangama dynasty
(c) Saluva dynasty
(d) Tuluva dynasty
Answer: Sangama dynasty

The special feature of the financial system of Vijayanagara was
(a) Land tax
(b) Currency system
(c) Revenue from seaports
(d) Surplus revenue
Answer: Revenue from seaports

The Bahmani Kingdom was founded by
(a) Malik Kafur
(b) Hasan
(c) Timur
(d) Zain-ul-Abidin
Answer: Hasan

A lot of details regarding the village administration under the Cholas is provided by the inscriptions at
(a) Kanchipuram
(b) Uttaramerur
(c) Thanjavur
(d) Uraiyur
Answer: Uttaramerur

Chalukya dynasty in South India was founded by
(a) Bukka
(b) Parantaka I
(c) Pulakesin I
(d) Harihara
Answer: Pulakesin

The dynasty that excelled itself as a naval power was that of the
(a) Cholas
(b) Hoysalas
(c) Cheras
(d) Pallavas
Answer: Cholas

Pallava Kings were the devotees of
(a) Vishnu
(b) Shiva
(c) Mahavira
(d) Buddhacharita
Answer: Shiva

Bahmani Kingdom was founded by
(a) Zain-ul-Abidin
(b) Malik Kafur
(c) Timur
(d) Hason
Answer: Hason

Who amongst the following rulers of Southern India was/were the contemporaries of Harshavardhana ?
(a) Both (a) and (b)
(b) Rajendra Chola
(c) Pulakesin II of Chalukyas
(d) Narasimhavarman of Pallavas
Answer: Both (a) and (b)

The founder of Vijayanagar kingdom was (a) Krishnadeva Raya
(b) Narasimha Varman
(c) Raja Raja
(d) Harihar and Bukka
Answer: Harihar and Bukka

Which of the following kingdoms od South India was well known for its naval power ? (a) Hoysala
(b) Pandya
(c) Chola
(d) Chalukya
Answer: Chola

The power of the great Cholas was established by
(a) Rajaraja I
(b) Rajaraja
(c) Kulothunga
(d) Aditya
Answer: Aditya

Madurai was the capital of
(a) Rashtrakutas
(b) Pandyas
(c) Cholas
(d) Pallavas
Answer: Pandyas

Vijayanagar empire ruins are found in
(a) Bijapur
(b) Baroda
(c) Golconda
(d) Hampi
Answer: Hampi

Which of the following was a special feature of Chola administration ?
(a) Full powers to ministers in the rule
(b) Cheap and proper tax collecting method
(c) Autonomy for village administration
(d) Division of empire into mandalams
Answer: Autonomy for village administration

After the Mauryas the most important kingdom in the Deccan and Central India was that of the
(a) Cholas
(b) Pallavas
(c) Satavahanas
(d) Vakatakas
Answer: Satavahanas

Vikramasila University was founded by
(a) Chandragupta Maurya
(b) Pulakesin II
(c) Kanishka
(d) Dharmpala
Answer: Dharmpala

Who amongst the following Chola Kings fought against the Shailendera King of Shri Vijaya and defeated him ?
(a) Sundar Chola
(b) Rajaraja Chola I
(c) Rajendra Chola
(d) Parantaka I
Answer: Rajendra Chola

A Pala ruler who was raised to the throne by different sections of people was
(a) Mahipala
(b) Dharmapala
(c) Devapala
(d) Gopala
Answer: Gopala

In the Sangam age, Uraiyur was important for
(a) Its being a great emporium of foreign trade.
(b) Its being a great centre of indigenous trade.
(c) Its being a great centre of cotton trade.
(d) Its being a great centre of spice trade.
Answer: Its being a great centre of cotton trade.

The capital of Eastern Chalukyas was
(a) Vatapi
(b) Amravati
(c) Nagarjunakonda
(d) Vengi
Answer: Vengi

The Satavahana King who defeated the western Saka King, Nahapana was
(a) Satakarni I
(b) Vasishthiputra Pulumayi
(c) Yajna Satakarni
(d) Gautamiputra Satakarni
Answer: Gautamiputra Satakarni

In Krishnadevaraya's court, Ashtadiggajas were the
(a) Eight great poets of his court.
(b) Eight great scholars of his kingdom
(c) Eight great ministers in his court
(d) Eight elephants placed at eight corners of his capital.
Answer: Eight great poets of his court.

Nicolo Conti, the traveller who visited Vijayanagara kingdom in 1420 A.D., was (a) A Frenchman
(b) An Italian
(c) A Greek
(d) A Russian
Answer: An Italian

The Arabs were established traders on the west coast of India and had the support of the rulers of Kerala. Which one of the following rulers first conducted a naval campaign on important Arab trade centres to check their monopoly ?
(a) Mahendravarman
(b) Dantidurga
(c) Rajaraja Chola
(d) Chalukya Vikramaditya VI

Answer: Chalukya Vikramaditya VI

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Interstate Water Disputes Bill 



• Why in news?

Recently Union government introduced Inter-State River Water Disputes (Amendment) Bill 2017.

What is interstate river water disputes act?
The Interstate River Water Disputes Act, 1956 (IRWD Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted under Article 262.
IRWD Act is applicable only to interstate rivers / river valleys, the Supreme Court and other courts do not have jurisdiction over such disputes but they can interpret verdicts of tribunals.
Whenever the riparian states are not able to reach amicable agreements on their own in sharing of an interstate river waters, section 4 of IRWD Act provides dispute resolution process in the form of Tribunal.
The tribunal responsibility is not limited to adjudication of issues raised by the concerned states and also investigation of other aspects which are in public domain.
When the tribunal final verdict issued based on the deliberations on the draft verdict is accepted by the central government and notified in the official gazette.
The verdict becomes law and binding on the states for implementation.

What are the provisions included in the amendment?

Permanent body - The bill proposes a permanent Inter-State River Water Disputes Tribunal (ISRWDT).
In the current arrangement, tribunals are formed when a river water dispute arises.
The ISRWDT will be an eight-member body comprising serving Supreme Court and high court judges.
The members will retire when they are 70, there was no such limit earlier.

Time bound - The entire process is restricted to five-and-half years, taking into account all extensions, there is almost no limit on extensions in the current arrangement.

Specialized committee - The bill provides for a DRC (Disputes Resolution Committee) to enable negotiated settlements.
This is an interesting provision, evidently to avoid disputes advancing to the next stage of legal adjudication.
The bill says the Centre will set up the DRC with “members from such relevant fields, as it deems fit, for resolving the disputes amicably”.
Data repository - The other much touted provision for a data bank and information system.
There is a similar provision in the current act as well, but it mandates the Centre to create such a repository.

What are the shortcoming of the bill?

There is no clear mentioned provisions about speedy resolution of disputes.
The bill doesn’t fully recognise the need to plug holes in the interstate river water sharing, development and governance.
The benefits of the amendments will depend on the mechanism’s efficiency.
In any case of data bank, the challenge is not about gathering data and information, but more about states agreeing over a particular piece of data.
There are challenges in implementing the tribunal’s awards.
The ad-hoc mechanisms devised outside this law have not been successful.

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Quick fact

Ongoing Interstate water disputes

• Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal Dispute - States involved are Punjab & Haryana
• Cauvery River Dispute -
• States involved are Karnataka & Tamilnadu
• Krishna River Dispute -
• States involved are Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka
• Godavari River Dispute -
• States involved are Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Karnataka.
• Mullaiperiyar River Dispute - States involved are Kerala and Tamilnadu
• Mahadayi (or) Mondovi River dispute - States involved are Karnataka, Goa & Maharashtra
• Barak River Dispute - States involved are Manipur & Assam

Ongoing water disputes with neighbouring countries:

• India-China Zangmu dam issue on Brahmaputra river
• India-Pakistan on Indus river (Sutlej tributary)
• India-Bangladesh on Teesta river (originates in zemu glacier, Sikkim)

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Source: Indian Express

india History (Religious part ) Practice quiz for CSE exams part 2

History: Religious Movement

Which of the following was a saint of the Bhakti movement in Bengal ? (a) Tulsidas
(b) Vivekananda
(c) Chaitanya
(d) Kabir
Answer: Chaitanya

Shankaracharya, during Vikramaditya's period, was a very famous personality. Which of the following statements is not true of Shankaracharya ?
(a) He countered the spread of Buddhism and Jainism
(b) He established four religious centres in different parts of India.
(c) He defined Vedanta.
(d) He propounded Vishistadvaitya?
Answer: He countered the spread of Buddhism and Jainism

Who among the following was not an exponent of Bhakti movement ? (a) Nanak
(b) Shankaracharya
(c) Ramanada
(d) Kabir
Answer: Shankaracharya

Sri Perumbudur, a temple town in south, is the birthplace of
(a) Adi Shankaracharya
(b) Madhavacharya
(c) Vidyaranya
(d) Ramanuja
Answer: Ramanuja

The pioneer in preaching Nirguna Bhakti in medieval India was
(a) Vallabhacharya
(b) Sri Chaitanya
(c) Ramananda
(d) Namadeva
Answer: Ramananda

Who amongst the following Acharyas is regarded as having combated the absolute monoism of Sankara in the 12th century ? (a) Udyotaka
(b) None of these
(c) Ramanuja
(d) Hemachandra
Answer: Ramanuja

Who amongst the following was an exponent of Virashaiva ?
 (a) None of these
(b) Basavaraja
(c) Shankaracharya
(d) Ramanuja
Answer: Basavaraja

Which of the following does not belong to Nirgun cult ?
 (a) Kabir
(b) Ravidas
(c) Nanak
(d) Meera
Answer: Meera

The saint from Gujarat, who preached non-sectarianism in medieval times was
(a) Ramanand
(b) Dadu
(c) Raghunandan
(d) Tukaram
Answer: Dadu

The Bhakti literature by the Nayanmars and Alvars
 (a) Opposed the practice of image worship.
(b) Advocate the austerities preached by the Buddhist and Jains
(c) Preached personal devotion of God as a means of salvation.
(d) Stressed the rigidities of traditional rituals.
Answer: Preached personal devotion of God as a means of salvation.


The philosophy of Vishishtadvaita was preached by(a) Ramanuja
(b) Shankaracharya
(c) Kapila
(d) Madhwa
Answer: Ramanuja

Who amongst the following was a blind poet who worshipped Krishna and spread Krishna Bhakti cult ?
(a) Kabir
(b) Raskhan
(c) Bihari
(d) Surdas
Answer: Ramanuja

The earliest seeds of the Bhakti movement in India are found in
(a) Jain philosophy
(b) Sufi philosophy
(c) The Vedas
(d) Buddhist philosophy
Answer: Sufi philosophy

Who established 4 math in the four corners of India ?
 (a) Ramanujacharya
(b) Madhvacharya
(c) Shankaracharya
(d) Bhaskacharya
Answer: Shankaracharya

Banis were the hymns and poems composed by
(a) Guru Nanak
(b) Dadu
(c) Kabir
(d) Raskhan
Answer: Dadu

Sufi sect developed in the religion
 (a) Hinduism
(b) Jainism
(c) Sikhism
(d) Islam
Answer: Islam

Ramanuja preached
(a) Dvaita
(b) Gnana marga
(c) Ahimsa
(d) Bhakti
Answer: Bhakti

Who among the following was the founder of Vaishnava school ?
 (a) Shankaracharya
(b) Ramanuja
(c) Kabir
(d) Ramakrishna Paramhansa
Answer: Bhakti

What was the term used by the Sufis for the successor nominated by the teacher of a particular order or silsilah ?
 (a) Wali
(b) Murid
(c) Khanqah
(d) Pir
Answer: Wali

In which region of India was the Suharawadi order of Sufism popular ?
 (a) Around Ajmer
(b) Punjab and Sind
(c) Delhi and Bihar
(d) Delhi and Doab region
Answer: Punjab and Sind

In which region of India was the Firdausi order of Sufism popular ?
(a) Bihar and eastern U.P.
(b) Deccan
(c) Sind
(d) In and around Delhi
Answer: Bihar and eastern U.P.

The most famous and the earliest biographer of Chaitanya, who wrote Chaitanya Charitamrita, was
(a) Madhavacharya
(b) Krishnadas Kaviraj
(c) Sunderdas
(d) Kritivasa
Answer: Kritivasa

The sage who is said to have Aryanised South India was
 (a) Vasishtha
(b) Yagyavalkya
(c) Vishwamitra
(d) Agastya
Answer: Agastya

Kabir was the disciple of
(a) Ramananda
(b) Vallabhacharya
(c) Chaitanya
(d) Shankaracharya
Answer: Ramananda

The System of philosophy with which the name of Kapila is prominently associated is(a) Samkhya
(b) Purva Mimamsa
(c) Uttara Mimamsa
(d) Nyaya
Answer: Samkhya

To which Sufi did the famous saint of Bihar, Makhdum Sharfuddin Maneri belong ?
 (a) Kubrawi
(b) Suhrawardi
(c) Firdausi
(d) Chisti
Answer: Firdausi

Live well, as long as you live. Live well even by borrowing, for once cremated, there is no return This rejection of after - life is an aphorism of the
(a) Sunyavada of Nagarjuna
(b) Charvakas
(c) Ajivikas
(d) Kapalika Sect
Answer: Sunyavada of NagarjunaNagarjuna

In the systems of philosophy created by Indians, we find elements of materialistic philosophy in which of the following systems ?
(a) Yoga
(b) Vaisesika
(c) Samkhya
(d) Karm Mimamsa
Answer: Samkhya

Sudhavaita is the philosophy of
 (a) Ramanuja
(b) Chaitanya
(c) Vallabha
(d) Kabir
Answer: Vallabha

Of the following , who visited the court of Krishnadeva Raya ?
 (a) Ramananda
(b) Ramanuja
(c) Kabir
(d) Vallabha
Answer: Vallabha

Let no man ask a man's sect or caste whose dictum was this ?
 (a) Ramanuja
(b) Chaitanya
(c) Ramananda
(d) Kabir
Answer: Ramananda

During his pilgrimage, Chaitanya received enlightenment at
 (a) Rameswaram
(b) Allahabad
(c) Gaya
(d) Kanchipuram
Answer: Gaya

Devotion to Lord Krishna was preached by
(a) Madhva
(b) Ramananda
(c) Vallabha
(d) Kabir
Answer: Vallabha

The Bhakti Movement was first organised by
(a) Ramanuja
(b) Nanak
(c) Kabir
(d) Ramananda
Answer: Ramanuja

The author of Sri Bhashya is
(a) Vallabha
(b) Ramanuja
(c) Kabir
(d) Sankara
Answer: Ramanuja

In him within whose heart is truth doth God Himself abide, said
 (a) Kabir
(b) Vallabha
(c) Chaitanya
(d) Madhya
Answer: Kabir

Swami Vivekananda was well known in the religious Conference held at
(a) London
(b) Berlin
(c) Chicago
(d) Paris
Answer: Chicago

Who were the most popular Sufis ?
 (a) Hallaj
(b) None of these
(c) Ghazali
(d) Rabin
Answer: Rabin

The birthplace of Swami Vivekananda is in which of the following cities ?
(a) Balasore
(b) Kushinagar
(c) Calcutta
(d) Cuttack
Answer: Calcutta

Which of the following Bhakti saints used the medium of dance and songs (Kirtans) to make one feel the personal presence of God near him ?
(a) Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
(b) Jnanadeva
(c) Shankaradeva
(d) Chandidasa
Answer; Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

Who said, Ram and Rahim are the two different name of the Same God?
(a) Ramdas
(b) Ramanuja
(c) Chaitanya
(d) Kabir
Answer: Kabir

Ajivika sect was founded by
(a) Upali
(b) Anand
(c) Makkhli Gosala
(d) Raghulabhadra
Answer: Makkhli Gosala


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Special Status To J&K


What was the issue?
The Centre asked the Supreme Court to debate on the special status granted to the State of Jammu and Kashmir.

What was the case?

• Jammu and Kashmir High Court earlier ruled that Article 370 assumed a place of permanence in the Constitution and the feature was beyond amendment, repeal or abrogation.
• It also observed that the President under Article 370 (1) was conferred with power to extend any provision of the Constitution to the State with such “exceptions and modifications” as may be deemed fit subject to consultation or concurrence with the State government.
• It said that J&K, while acceding to the Dominion of India, retained limited sovereignty and did not merge with it.
• It also clarified that Article 35A gave “protection” to existing laws in force in the State.
• Article 35A of the Indian Constitution empowers the J&K state's legislature to define “permanent residents” of the state and provide special rights and privileges to those permanent residents.
• In this regard a PIL plea was filed contending that the J&K government was discriminatory against non-residents as far as government jobs and real estate purchases were concerned.
• The Supreme Court Bench agreed to schedule the case before a three-judge Bench after six weeks.

Why Special Status has been conferred to J&K?
In 1947, after independence, the State of Jammu and Kashmir decided not to join either Pakistan or India.
India welcomed this decision, but Pakistan attempted to annex the State militarily.
So the Maharaja of J&K sought Indian help to save his territory and people who were being killed and looted by the Pakistani militants.
Subsequently an
“Instrument of Accession” was signed which provided certain concessions for the autonomy of the State.
This special status of the State is enshrined in Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. This Article cannot be amended.

What are the provisions in ‘Special Status’?

• The State of Jammu and Kashmir has its own Constitution apart from Indian constitution.
• This state follows ‘dual citizenship’- Citizenship of Jammu and Kashmir and India.
• The residuary power of the state lies with the Legislature of the Jammu and Kashmir and not the Parliament of India.
• Except for defence, foreign affairs, finance and communications, the Parliament needs the state government’s concurrence for applying all other laws.
• The national emergency declared in the ground of war or external aggression shall have an automatic extension to the State.
• The national emergency proclaimed on the grounds of armed rebellion, shall not have an automatic extension to Jammu and Kashmir.
• The Governor of the State is to be appointed only after consultation with the Chief Minister of that State.
• Financial Emergency under Article 360 of Indian constitution cannot be imposed on the State.
• Directive Principle of Policy and Fundamental duties enshrined in the Indian constitution are not applicable to Jammu and Kashmir.
• Apart from the President‘s rule, the Governor’s rule can also be imposed on the State for a maximum period of six months.
• The preventive detention laws as mentioned in Article 22 of Indian constitution do not have an automatic extension to the State.
• The name, boundary or territory of the State of Jammu and Kashmir cannot be changed by the Parliament without the concurrence of the State Legislature.
• Article 19(i) (f) and 31 (2) of Indian constitution have not been abolished for this State and ‘Right to property’ still, stands guaranteed to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Source: The Hindu
​

Right To Privacy  (indian express)

What was the issue?

The government’s move to make AADHAR mandatory for all citizens has once again triggered a debate around Right to Privacy.

What is the present status of right to privacy?

Right to Privacy does not find any mention in the Constitution.
This right has been picked from Article 19 and 21 which deals with right to life and liberty.
In the absence of clarity, it has been defined only by a string of judgments.
As early as 1954, the apex court observed in a ruling that right to privacy is not a recognised right listed under Article 19 of the Constitution.
It also held that it would not be possible to import the right by ‘strained construction’.

What were the landmark judgements in this regard?

• Kharak Singh vs. State of UP - Extending the dimension of ‘personal liberty,’ the apex court for the first time declared right to privacy to fall under the purview of Article 21.
• The court defined the right of personal liberty in Art. 21 as a right of an individual to be free from restrictions or encroachments on his person, whether those restrictions or encroachments are directly imposed or indirectly brought about by calculated measures.
• Govind vs. State of MP - The top court held that right to privacy cannot be made an absolute right.
• Subject to reasonable restrictions, the right to privacy could be made valid.
• The right to privacy will have to go through a process of case by case development.
• Rajagopal vs. State of T.N -
• The court defined privacy as part of Article 21 and as a right to be let alone.
• A citizen has a right to safeguard the privacy of his own, his family, marriage, procreation, motherhood, childbearing and education among other matters.
• None can publish anything concerning the above matters without his consent whether truthful or otherwise and whether laudatory or critical.
• Further the court stated an exception in this case where a person voluntarily involves himself into a controversy or invites one, that person would not fall under the right to privacy.
• Naz Foundation vs. Govt. of NCT Delhi - The top court cited Article 12 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 17 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which define privacy as no arbitrary interference with home, family or honour and reputation.
• The court laid down the procedure for interference.

What is Supreme Court rationale?

The apex court laid down three categories under which the term privacy must fall for an individual to avail the said right.
Any law interfering with personal liberty of a person must satisfy a triple test.
It must prescribe a procedure;
The procedure must withstand a test of one or more of the fundamental rights conferred under Article 19 which may be applicable in a given situation;
It must also be liable to be tested with reference to Article 14.

Source: Indian Express

1. http://www.facebook.com/Aovious1
2. http://www.facebook.com/kashmir.administrative.services

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Ancient india Practice quiz for CSE exams part 1

The main Characteristic of the Indus Valley Civilization was
(a) Pucca houses
(b) Drainage system
(c) Town Planning
(d) Well laid out roads
Answer: Drainage system
The main occupation of the people of the Indus Valley civilization was
(a) Cattle rearing
(b) Trade
(c) Hunting
(d) Agriculture
Answer: Agriculture
Which one of the following archaelogists initially discovered the Mohenjodaro site of the Indus Valley Civilization ?
(a) Rakhal Das Banerji
(b) Sir Martimer Wheeler
(c) Sir John Marshall
(d) Daya Ram Sahni
Answer: Rakhal Das Banerji
Which one of the following was not an Indus Valley Civilization site ?
(a) Sukatagendor
(b) Patliputra
(c) Lothal
(d) Rangpur
Answer: Patliputra
Which one of the following elements of Hinduism were practised in the Indus Valley Civilization ?
(a) Worshipping cows
(b) Cult of Shiva
(c) Idol worship
(d) Wearing of sacred threads
Answer: Cult of Shiva
Which of the following metals was not known to Indus Valley people ?
(a) Bronze
(b) None of these
(c) Iron
(d) Copper
Answer: Iron
Nomad man started settling in
(a) Palaeolithic Age
(b) None of these
(c) Mesolithic Age
(d) Neolithic Age
Answer: Neolithic Age
The Great Bath of the Indus Valley Civilization was discovered in
(a) Mohenjodaro
(b) Ropar
(c) Harappa
(d) Lothal
Answer: Mohenjodaro
Which of the following is not a characteristic of the religion practised by Harappan people ?
(a) Faith in magic, charms and sacrifices
(b) Belief in life after death
(c) Nature worship
(d) Worship of Mother Goddess
Answer: Nature worship
Which of the following Indus Valley sites is now in Pakistan ?
(a) Alamgirpur
(b) Harappa
(c) Kalibangan
(d) Lothal
Answer: Harappa
The Harappan site showing evidence of two cultural phases, Harappan and pre-Harappan, is
(a) Kalibangan
(b) Banwali
(c) Mohenjodaro
(d) Chanhu-daro
Answer: Kalibangan
The earliest evidence of silver in India is found in the
(a) Chalcolithic cultures of Western India
(b) Silver punch - marked coins
(c) Vedic texts
(d) Harappan Culture
Answer: Harappan Culture
The period when men used both stones and copper tools is known as the(a) Chalcolithic Age
(b) Neolithic Age
(c) Metal Age
(d) Monolithic Age
Answer: Metal Age
The Indus Valley Civilization is known as Aryan Civilization because of the evidence of (a) Copper
(b) Pottery
(c) Script
(d) Art
Answer: Script
Man passed from the food gathering stage to food producing stage in the(a) Neolithic Age
(b) Chalcolithic Age
(c) Palaeolithic Age
(d) Mesolithic Age
Answer: Neolithic Age
The greatest invention of man in palaeolithic was
(a) Potter's wheel
(b) Spinning of cloth
(c) Metal implements
(d) Fire
Answer: Fire
The script of Indus Valley Civilization was (a) Undeciphered
(b) Dravidian
(c) Persian
(d) Sanskrit
Answer: Undeciphered
The Indus Valley people knew the use of (a) Gold, tin, bronze but not copper
(b) Gold, silver, copper, bronze but not iron
(c) Copper, iron, gold but not bronze
(d) Silver, lead, iron but not gold
Answer: Gold, silver, copper, bronze but not iron

Knowledge about the existence of which of the following animals is doubtful in the Indus Valley Civilization ? (a) Horses
(b) Cat
(c) Dog
(d) Bull
Answer: Cat

The Indus Valley Civilization belongs to the (a) Palaeolithic Age
(b) Mesolithic Age
(c) Chalcolithic Age
(d) Neolithic Age
Answer: Neolithic Age

Palaeolithic remains have been dicovered in(a) Calcutta
(b) Punjab
(c) Bellary
(d) Lucknow
Answer: Bellary

The script of the Harappan people consisted of
(a) None of these
(b) A family of quasi - pictographic writings.
(c) A family of geometrical shapes
(d) A combination of both picture and geometrical shapes
Answer: A family of quasi - pictographic writings.

Which of the following Harappan sites had a dock ? (a) Harappa
(b) Alamgirpur
(c) Mohenjodaro
(d) Lothal
Answer: Lothal

Which of the following statements regarding Indus Vallley Civilization is incorrect ?
(a) There was a great communal bath in Mohenjodaro.
(b) Excavations at Lothal proved that the civilization was confined to Harappa and Mohenjodaro only.
(c) The supreme god was the Pipal God.
(d) People had great artistic sense.
Answer: Excavations at Lothal proved that the civilization was confined to Harappa and Mohenjodaro only.

At which of the following places have excavations in recent years brought to light new evidence of Neolithic sites in India ?
(a) Diamabad in Ahmednagar
(b) Sringaverapur in U.P.
(c) Hulas in Saharanpur
(d) Hamren in Assam
Answer: Hamren in Assam

Which of the following presents the most significant feature of Indus Valley Civilization ?
(a) First true arches
(b) Burnt brick buildings
(c) Art and architecture
(d) Buildings of worship
Answer: Burnt brick buildings

The figure of the god that was depicted in the seal of Indus Valley people is(a) Pashupati
(b) Varuna
(c) Agni
(d) Indra
Answer: Pashupati

The remains of a wooden drain of Indus Valley Civilization have been found at (a) Lothal
(b) Kalibangan
(c) Harappa
(d) Mohenjodaro
Answer: Mohenjodaro

Of the following Harappan sites those not in India are
(a) Lothal and Kalibangan
(b) Lothal and Ropar
(c) Mohenjodaro and Harappa
(d) Bhanwali and Ropar
Answer: Mohenjodaro and Harappa

Rice cultivation is associated with Harappan site of
(a) Harappa
(b) Ropar
(c) Lothal
(d) Kalibangan
Answer: Lothal

Which of the following sites is associated with Harappan culture ?
(a) Lothal
(b) Chinsura
(c) Chandernagore
(d) Vaishali
Answer: Lothal

Which of the following is incorrect concerning Mohenjodaro ?
(a) There was no drainage system.
(b) Bathrooms were important features of most houses.
(c) It was a well planned city.
(d) Buildings were of varying sizes.
Answer: There was no drainage system.

At which Harappan site have traces of a horse been found ?
(a) Sukatagendor
(b) Surkotda
(c) Kalibangan
(d) Lothal
Answer: Surkotda

The Indus Valley people had trade relations with
(a) Greece
(b) Ceylon
(c) Mesopotamia
(d) Egypt
Answer: Mesopotamia

Indus Valley Civilization was spread over (a) Punjab, Sind, Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat
(b) Sind, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, U.P., Rajasthan, Gujarat
(c) Punjab, Sind, Baluchistan
(d) Along Indus river

Answer: Sind, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, U.P., Rajasthan, Gujarat

The Indus Valley houses were built of (a) Stone
(b) Bricks
(c) Bamboos
(d) Wood
Answer: Bricks

The God with three heads and horns, surrounded by animals, represented on a seal from Mohenjodaro is said to be (a) Vishnu
(b) Pashupati
(c) Varuna
(d) Indra
Answer: Pashupati

The Indus Valley Civilization flourished during
(a) 2500-1750 B.C.
(b) 1500-500 B.C.
(c) 3000-1500 B.C.
(d) 5000-3500 B.C.
Answer: 3000-1500 B.C.

Which of the following animals were domesticated by the Harappans ?
(a) Buffalo, sheep, dog, pig
(b) Camel, oxen, buffalo, pig
(c) Goat, oxen, pig, buffalo
(d) Oxen, elephant, horse, pig

Answer: Buffalo, sheep, dog, pig

The Indus Valley people worshipped
(a) Varuna
(b) Mitra
(c) Mother Goddess
(d) Indra
Answer: Mother Goddess

The tools and weapons of Harappan Civilization were mostly made of
(a) Copper and bronze
(b) Stone and copper
(c) Stone
(d) Copper and iron
Answer: Copper and bronze

The main channels of our knowledge about the Indus Valley Civilization are
(a) Palm and barch leaf manuscripts
(b) Archaeological excavations
(c) Inscriptions
(d) Coins
Answer: Archaeological excavations

There are similarities between the seals found at Mohenjodaro and
(a) Egypt
(b) Afghanistan
(c) China
(d) Sumeria
Answer: Sumeria

The famous figure of a dancing girl found in the excavations of Harappa was made up of (a) Steatite
(b) Red limestone
(c) Bronze
(d) Terracotta
Answer: Bronze

The Great Granary of the Indus Valley Civilization has been discovered at
(a) Mohenjodaro
(b) Lothal
(c) Kalibangan
(d) Harappa
Answer: Harappa

Which of the following statements regarding the Indus Valley Civilization is not True ?
(a) The excavations at Harappa are attributed to R.B. Daya Ram Sahni.
(b) The open courtyard was the basic feature of house planing.
(c) The Assembly Hall was discovered at Mohenjodaro
(d) The Indus Valley people were not acqainted with the art of spinning and weaving.
Answer: The Indus Valley people were not acqainted with the art of spinning and weaving.

The Stone Age people had the first domestic
(a) Dogs
(b) Horses
(c) Sheep
(d) Asses
Answer: Sheep

Near the banks of which of the following rivers, the recent excavations have brought to light that Indus Valley Civilization percolated to farsouth ?
(a) Mahanadi
(b) Cauvery
(c) Krishna
(d) Godavari
Answer: Krishna

Archaelogical excavations have revealed remains of stadium in
(a) Tanjore
(b) Sopara
(c) Broach
(d) Lothal
Answer: Lothal
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History: Religion and Philosophy
The first dicourcse of Buddha at Deer Park in Sarnath is called
(a) Mahabhiniskraman
(b) Mahamastabhisheka
(c) Mahaparinirvana
(d) Dharmachakrapravartan
Answer: Dharmachakrapravartan

Who, according to Jains, was the founder of Jainism ?
(a) Parsavanatha
(b) Arishtanemi
(c) Rishabha
(d) Mahavira
Answer: Parsavanatha

Which one of the following is a doctrine said to have been added by Mahavira to the four other doctrines propounded by previous teachers ?
(a) Observe brahmacharya
(b) Do not acquire property
(c) Do not commit violence
(d) Do not speak a lie
Answer: Observe brahmacharya

In India, Jainism spread during the reign of
(a) Harshavardhana
(b) Chandragupta Vikramaditya
(c) Samudragupta
(d) Chandragupta Maurya
Answer: Chandragupta Maurya

Who delivered his first sermon at Sarnath ?
(a) None of these
(b) Buddha
(c) Mahavira
(d) Shankaracharya
Answer: Buddha

Right belief, Right knowledge and Right action are the three jewels of
(a) Buddhists
(b) Kabir Panthis
(c) Jains
(d) Shaivites
Answer: Jains

Buddhism and Jainism both gave stress on(a) Worship of God
(b) None of these
(c) Self-mortification
(d) Non-violence
Answer: Non-violence

In which of the following languages were the original Buddhist religious texts written ?
(a) Sanskrit
(b) Magadhi
(c) Pali
(d) Brahmi
Answer: Pali

Lord Buddha was born in (a) Bodh Gaya
(b) Pataliputra
(c) Lumbini
(d) Vaishali
Answer: Lumbini

A well-known patron of the Mahayana form of Buddhism was
(a) Kanishka
(b) Ashoka
(c) Ajatashatru
(d) Bimbisara
Answer: Kanishka

Which of the following statements about Buddha and Mahavira is not correct ?
(a) Both advocated a simple, puritan and austere life.
(b) They were Kshatriyas by birth.
(c) Both had the same attitude towards the concept of Varnas.
(d) They were born in the same century.
Answer: Both had the same attitude towards the concept of Varnas.

The representation of Buddha as a human figure appeared for the first time in the sculptures found at
(a) Mathura
(b) Bodh Gaya
(c) Sanchi
(d) Bharhut
Answer: Mathura

With which religion is Kaivalya associated ?
(a) Buddhism
(b) Sikhism
(c) Hinduism
(d) Jainism
Answer: Jainism

The famous ruler of ancient India who, towards the end of his life, is said to have converted to Jainism was
(a) Samudragupta
(b) Ashoka
(c) Bindusara
(d) Chandragupta Maurya
Answer: Chandragupta Maurya

The district line of demarcation between Digambaras and Shvetambaras is about
(a) Existence of god
(b) Wearing of dress
(c) Doctrine
(d) Sacred texts
Answer: Wearing of dress

Gautama Buddha was brought up by
(a) Sangamitra
(b) Mahaprajapati
(c) Mayadevi
(d) Kundavi
Answer: Mahaprajapati

The first Buddhist Council was held in the reign of
(a) Bimbisara
(b) Kanishka
(c) Ashoka
(d) Ajatashatru
Answer: Ajatashatru

Who was the greatest Buddhist commentator of the Bhuddhist canonical literature ? (a) Vasumitra
(b) Nagarjuna
(c) Ashvaghosha
(d) Buddhaghosha
Answer: Ashvaghosha

The extreme form of Ahimsa or non-violence is practiced in
(a) Buddhism
(b) None of these
(c) Hinduism
(d) Jainism
Answer: Buddhism

The phrase The Light of Asia is applied to (a) Buddha
(b) Mahavira
(c) Alexander
(d) Chandragupta Maurya
Answer: Buddha

The Great Buddhist Council in 483 B.C. was held at
(a) Kashmir
(b) Rajagriha
(c) Ujjain
(d) Pataliputra
Answer: Rajagriha

Which of the following Buddhist texts lays down the regulations for management of Sangha and rule of conduct for the monks ?
(a) Adhibhamma-pitaka
(b) None of these
(c) Vinaya-Pitaka
(d) Sutta-Pitaka
Answer: Vinaya-Pitaka

Which of the following was not common to Jainsim and Buddhism?
(a) Both regarded rigid penance and austerity essential for salvation.
(b) Both were antagonistic to the practice of animal sacrifices.
(c) Both were started by members of Kshatriya caste.
(d) Both denied the authority of the Vedas.
Answer: Both regarded rigid penance and austerity essential for salvation.

Ambapali whose name occurs in the early Buddhist literature was
(a) None of these
(b) The author of the work Buddhacharita
(c) A num from Vaishali
(d) A courtesan of Pataliputra
Answer: None of these

Jainism had the patronage of
(a) Pushyamitra Sunga
(b) Samudragupta
(c) Kanishka
(d) Kharavela
Answer: Kharavela

Apabhramsa is a work of the
(a) Jains
(b) Ajivikas
(c) Budddhists
(d) Brahmins
Answer: Jains

gave women an important place in their cult.
(a) Kalmukhas
(b) Ajivikas
(c) Jains
(d) Buddhists
Answer: Kalmukhas

Ashoka was much influenced by a Buddhist monk called
(a) Ambhi
(b) Upagupta
(c) Vasubandhu
(d) Asvaghosha
Answer: Upagupta

Jainism was divided into two sects known as
(a) Ajivika and Nyaya Vaisesika
(b) Svetambara and Digambara
(c) Kapalika and Kalamukha
(d) Mahayana and Hinayana
Answer: Svetambara and Digambara

Which one of the following is the most fundamental difference between Mahayana Buddhism and Hinayana Buddhism ?
(a) Casteless Society
(b) Worship of Stupa
(c) Worship of gods and goddesses
(d) Emphasis on ahima
Answer: Worship of gods and goddesses

Buddha was born in the year (a) 576 B.C.
(b) 534 B.C.
(c) 567 B.C.
(d) 581 B.C.
Answer: 567 B.C.

Which of the following beliefs doesnt belong to Mahavira's Triratna ?
(a) Right conduct
(b) Right recollection
(c) Right Faith
(d) Right knowledge
Answer: Right recollection

Which of the following religions got spread in different parts of Asia ?
(a) None of these
(b) Buddhism
(c) Jainism
(d) Hinduism
Answer: Buddhism

Atman is everything and everything is Atman is the ??.doctrine.
(a) Buddhist
(b) Zoroastrain
(c) Jain
(d) Pantheistic
Answer: Pantheistic

Which of the following is known as the Jain Temple City ?
(a) Girnar
(b) Allahabad
(c) Rajagriha
(d) Varanasi
Answer: Girnar

The Fourth Buddhist Council was held at (a) Rajagriha
(b) Kundalavana
(c) Vaishali
(d) Patliputra
Answer: Kundalavana

Which of the following features is not associated with Buddhism and Jainism ?
(a) Emphasis on rituals and sacrifices
(b) Rejection of the authority of Vedas
(c) Rejection of the caste system
(d) Atheism
Answer: Rejection of the authority of Vedas

The introduction of Buddhism into China is traditionally attributed to
(a) Nagarjuna
(b) None of these
(c) Samprati
(d) Kashyapa Mantanga
Answer: Kashyapa Mantanga

Tripitakas are the sacred books of
(a) Shaivism
(b) Buddhism
(c) Jainism
(d) Hinduism
Answer: Buddhism

The last of the 24 Jain Trithankaras was (a) Parsva Nath
(b) Arishtanemi
(c) Rishabha
(d) Mahavira
Answer: Mahavira

The First Buddhist Council met at (a) Rajagriha
(b) Kanauj
(c) Kashmir
(d) Pataliputra
Answer: Rajagriha

Both Vardhaman Mahavira and Gautama Buddha preached their doctrines during the reign of
(a) Ajatashatru
(b) Harshavardhana
(c) Udayi
(d) Bimbisara
Answer: Bimbisara
The Fouth Buddhist Council was held by(a) Ashoka
(b) Harashvardhana
(c) Chandragupta
(d) Kanishka
Answer: Kanishka

Nirvana is associated with
(a) Jainism
(b) Sikhism
(c) Buddhism
(d) Hinduism
Answer: Buddhism

Who amongst the following was not sent to Sri Lanka for the propagation of Buddhism ?
(a) Bhadrasara
(b) Sona
(c) Rashtriya
(d) Uttriya
Answer: Sona

The famous Indo Greek king who embraced Buddhism was
(a) Menander
(b) Alexander
(c) Strato I
(d) Democritus
Answer: Menander

Buddhism became a world wide religion with the efforts of
(a) Kanishka
(b) Harsha
(c) Ashoka
(d) Bindusara
Answer: Ashoka

Buddha attained Nirvana at?..
(a) Sarnath
(b) Kushinagar
(c) Bodh Gaya
(d) Sanchi
Answer: Kushinagar

Which of the following rulers did not embrace Buddhism ?
(a) Kanishka
(b) Samudragupta
(c) Ashoka
(d) Harsha
Answer: Samudragupta

Which of the following is not a feature of Hinduism?
(a) Belief in God
(b) Emphasis on ritualism
(c) Doctrine of ahimsa
(d) Reverence for Veda
Answer: Doctrine of ahimsa

Mahavira was born at
(a) Sravasti
(b) Rajagriha
(c) Vaisali
(d) Pataliputra
Answer: Vaisali

Buddha's preachings were mainly in regard to
(a) Idol worship
(b) Practice of rituals
(c) Belief in one God
(d) Purity of thought and conduct
Answer: Purity of thought and conduct

Who among the following rulers held a religious assembly at Prayag every five years ?
(a) Ashoka
(b) Chandragupta Vikramaditya
(c) Kanishka
(d) Harshavardhana
Answer: Harshavardhana

During the time of Harshavardhana, a great Buddhist assembly was held at
(a) Nalanda
(b) Purushapura
(c) Pataliputra
(d) Prayag
Answer: Nalanda

The crux of early Buddhism was
(a) Rigorous penance
(b) Idol worship
(c) Belief in fatalism
(d) Renunciation of desire
Answer: Renunciation of desire

The spread of Jainism in Karnataka is attributed to(a) Ashoka
(b) Narasimavarma Pallava
(c) Kanishka
(d) Chandragupta Maurya
Answer: Chandragupta Maurya

The gifts bestowed upon the Ajivikas by Ashoka are recorded in the inscription at (a) Sanchi
(b) Sarnath
(c) Barbara
(d) Bhabru
Answer: Barbara

Buddha has been described as an ocean of wisdom and compassion in
(a) The Light of Asia
(b) Amarakosa
(c) Jataka tales
(d) Buddhacharita
Answer: Amarakosa

Mark the correct sequence of places with regard to Buddha.
(a) Kapilavastu, Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar
(b) Kapilavastu, Sarnath,Bodh Gaya, Kushinagar
(c) Sarnath, Kushinagar, Bodh Gaya, Kapilavastu
(d) Bodh Gaya, Kapilavastu, Sarnath, Kushinagar
Answer: Kapilavastu, Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar

Which one of the following places was famous as a seat of Mahayana learning ? (a) Taxila
(b) Sarnath
(c) Varanasi
(d) Nalanda
Answer: Nalanda

Who was the first king to have the image of Lord Buddha inscribed on his coins ? (a) Kanishka
(b) Harshavardhana
(c) Ashoka
(d) Dharmpala
Answer: Kanishka

Idol worship in India can be traced to the period of
(a) Kushans
(b) Pre-Aryan
(c) Vedas
(d) Mauryans
Answer: Pre-Aryan

Which of the following statements regarding Buddha and Mahavira is wrong ?
(a) Both were born in the same century.
(b) Both believed in simple and neat living.
(c) Both were Kshatriyas.
(d) Both had same views about varnas.
Answer: Both had same views about varnas.

During the period of Sangas there was a revival of (a) Zoroastrainism
(b) Brahminism
(c) Buddhism
(d) Jainism
Answer: Brahminism

Which of the following is said to be the oldest Jain scripture ?
(a) Twelve Upangas
(b) Fourteen Uparvas
(c) Fourteen Purvas
(d) Twelve Angas
Answer: Twelve Angas

In his teaching, the Buddha attacked
(a) Vedic rituals
(b) The concept of God
(c) The varna system
(d) Ascetism
Answer: The varna system
Buddhist historian Taranath belonged to (a) Tibet
(b) Japan
(c) China
(d) Mongolia
Answer: Tibet
Relics of Buddha are preserved in a(a) Vihara
(b) Monastery
(c) Chaitya
(d) Stupa
Answer: Stupa
Buddhism became the state religion during the reign of (a) Ashoka
(b) Kumaragupta-I
(c) Chandragupta Maurya
(d) Samudragupta
Answer: Ashoka
The proceeding of the Fourth Buddhist Councilled to the issue of ? Edict. (a) Kalinga
(b) Bhabra
(c) Sarnath
(d) Sanchi
Answer: Sarnath
Buddha died during the reign of (a) Udayi
(b) None of these
(c) Bimbisara
(d) Ajatashatru
Answer: Ajatashatru
Which of the following is not true of the Digambaras ? (a) They led a life of extreme ausrerity
(b) They wore white clothes
(c) They were orthodox followers of Mahavira.
(d) They kept long fasts.
Answer: They wore white clothes
The original teachings of Mahavira are contained in which of the following texts ? (a) Purvas
(b) Jatakas
(c) Angas
(d) Tripitakas
Answer: Purvas
Who among the following is referred to as Sandhu From The West ? (a) None of these
(b) St. Thomas
(c) St. Bartholomew
(d) Thomas of Canaan
Answer: St. Thomas
Which of the following was not include in the Eight Fold Path prescribed by Buddha ? (a) Right knowledge
(b) Right mediatation
(c) Right Belief
(d) Right Speech
Answer: Right knowledge

The meaning of Buddha is(a) Soul after death
(b) The ultimate Path for moksha
(c) The Enlightened one
(d) Anything beyond God
Answer: The Enlightened one

The Fourth Buddhist Council compiled an encyclopaedia of Buddhist philosophy called(a) None of these
(b) Mahavibhasha Sutra
(c) Sutralankara
(d) Madhyamika Sutra
Answer: Mahavibhasha Sutra

Which of the following is the correct chronological order of Buddhist Councils ?
(a) Vaishali, Kashmir, Rajagriha, Pataliputra
(b) Pataliputra, Vaishali, Kashmir, Rajagriha
(c) Kashmir, Vaishali, Pataliputra, Rajagriha
(d) Rajagriha, Vaishali, Pataliputra, Kashmir
Answer: Rajagriha, Vaishali, Pataliputra, Kashmir

Who among the following is said to have been born and to have passed away on the Vaishakha Purnima day ?
(a) Chaitanya
(b) Buddha
(c) Mahavira
(d) Shankaracharya
Answer: Buddha

Ashoka convened the Third Buddhist Council at
(a) Kushinagar
(b) Pataliputra
(c) Kapilavastu
(d) Rajagriha
Answer: Pataliputra

Which period is referred to as the period of Hindu revival or renaissance ?
(a) Gupta period
(b) Period of Harsha
(c) Mauryan period
(d) Kushan period
Answer: Gupta period

In which of the following fields of activity did Buddhism make the maximum contribution ? (a) Architecture
(b) Rituals
(c) Art and literature
(d) Music
Answer: Art and literature

In Buddhist teaching, nirvana meant
(a) Extinction of craving of the desire for existence in all its forms
(b) None of these
(c) Freedom from cycle of birth and death
(d) Observance of brahmacharya
Answer: Extinction of craving of the desire for existence in all its forms

The introduction of Buddhism into China is traditionally attributed to
(a) Nagarjuna
(b) None of these
(c) Samprati
(d) Kashyapa Matanga

Answer; Kashyapa Matanga

In which of the following countries was Buddhism first propagated outside India ? (a) Sri Lanka
(b) China
(c) Combodia
(d) Thailand
Answer: Sri Lanka

In which of the following edicts/inscriptions does Ashoka express his faith in the Buddhist creed ?
(a) Schism Edict
(b) Kandahar Inscription
(c) Rummindei Inscription
(d) Bhabru Edict
Answer: Bhabru Edict

Who converted Kanishka to Buddhism ? (a) Nagarjuna
(b) Parsva
(c) Asvaghosa
(d) Vasumitra
Answer: Asvaghosa

The first Council of Jainism to compile the canon was held at
(a) Rajagriha
(b) Pataliputra
(c) Valabhi
(d) Mithila
Answer: Pataliputra

The Jains did not repudiate
(a) Infallibility of the Vedas
(b) Animal sacrifice
(c) Practice of penance
(d) Concept of supreme power as the creator and sustainer of universe
Answer: Concept of supreme power as the creator and sustainer of universe

Who among the following accepted Jainism ?
(a) Bindusara
(b) Pulakesin
(c) Ajatashatru
(d) Chandragupta Maurya
Answer: Chandragupta Maurya

Buddhism split up into the Hinayana and Mahayana sects at the Buddhist Council held during the reign of
(a) Kanishka
(b) Chandragupta Maurya
(c) Ashoka
(d) Harsha
Answer: Ashoka

The cardinal point of Buddhism was
(a) Doctrine of ahimsa
(b) Eight fold Path
(c) Theory of Karma
(d) Attainment of nirvana
Answer: Doctrine of ahimsa

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History: Religious Movement

Which of the following was a saint of the Bhakti movement in Bengal ?
(a) Tulsidas
(b) Vivekananda
(c) Chaitanya
(d) Kabir
Answer: Chaitanya

Shankaracharya, during Vikramaditya's period, was a very famous personality. Which of the following statements is not true of Shankaracharya ?
(a) He countered the spread of Buddhism and Jainism
(b) He established four religious centres in different parts of India.
(c) He defined Vedanta.
(d) He propounded Vishistadvaitya?
Answer: He countered the spread of Buddhism and Jainism

Who among the following was not an exponent of Bhakti movement ?
(a) Nanak
(b) Shankaracharya
(c) Ramanada
(d) Kabir
Answer: Shankaracharya

Sri Perumbudur, a temple town in south, is the birthplace of
(a) Adi Shankaracharya
(b) Madhavacharya
(c) Vidyaranya
(d) Ramanuja
Answer: Ramanuja

The pioneer in preaching Nirguna Bhakti in medieval India was
(a) Vallabhacharya
(b) Sri Chaitanya
(c) Ramananda
(d) Namadeva
Answer: Ramananda

Who amongst the following Acharyas is regarded as having combated the absolute monoism of Sankara in the 12th century ?
(a) Udyotaka
(b) None of these
(c) Ramanuja
(d) Hemachandra
Answer: Ramanuja

Who amongst the following was an exponent of Virashaiva ?
(a) None of these
(b) Basavaraja
(c) Shankaracharya
(d) Ramanuja
Answer: Basavaraja

Which of the following does not belong to Nirgun cult ?
(a) Kabir
(b) Ravidas
(c) Nanak
(d) Meera
Answer: Meera

The saint from Gujarat, who preached non-sectarianism in medieval times was (a) Ramanand
(b) Dadu
(c) Raghunandan
(d) Tukaram
Answer: Dadu

The Bhakti literature by the Nayanmars and Alvars
(a) Opposed the practice of image worship.
(b) Advocate the austerities preached by the Buddhist and Jains
(c) Preached personal devotion of God as a means of salvation.
(d) Stressed the rigidities of traditional rituals.
Answer: Preached personal devotion of God as a means of salvation.

The philosophy of Vishishtadvaita was preached by
(a) Ramanuja
(b) Shankaracharya
(c) Kapila
(d) Madhwa
Answer: Ramanuja

Who amongst the following was a blind poet who worshipped Krishna and spread Krishna Bhakti cult ?
(a) Kabir
(b) Raskhan
(c) Bihari
(d) Surdas
Answer: Ramanuja

The earliest seeds of the Bhakti movement in India are found in
(a) Jain philosophy
(b) Sufi philosophy
(c) The Vedas
(d) Buddhist philosophy
Answer: Sufi philosophy

Who established 4 math in the four corners of India ?
(a) Ramanujacharya
(b) Madhvacharya
(c) Shankaracharya
(d) Bhaskacharya
Answer: Shankaracharya

Banis were the hymns and poems composed by
(a) Guru Nanak
(b) Dadu
(c) Kabir
(d) Raskhan
Answer: Dadu

Sufi sect developed in the religion
(a) Hinduism
(b) Jainism
(c) Sikhism
(d) Islam
Answer: Islam

Ramanuja preached
(a) Dvaita
(b) Gnana marga
(c) Ahimsa
(d) Bhakti
Answer: Bhakti
Who among the following was the founder of Vaishnava school ?
(a) Shankaracharya
(b) Ramanuja
(c) Kabir
(d) Ramakrishna Paramhansa
Answer: Bhakti

What was the term used by the Sufis for the successor nominated by the teacher of a particular order or silsilah ?
(a) Wali
(b) Murid
(c) Khanqah
(d) Pir
Answer: Wali

In which region of India was the Suharawadi order of Sufism popular ?
(a) Around Ajmer
(b) Punjab and Sind
(c) Delhi and Bihar
(d) Delhi and Doab region
Answer: Punjab and Sind

In which region of India was the Firdausi order of Sufism popular ?
(a) Bihar and eastern U.P.
(b) Deccan
(c) Sind
(d) In and around Delhi
Answer: Bihar and eastern U.P.

The most famous and the earliest biographer of Chaitanya, who wrote Chaitanya Charitamrita, was
(a) Madhavacharya
(b) Krishnadas Kaviraj
(c) Sunderdas
(d) Kritivasa
Answer: Kritivasa

The sage who is said to have Aryanised South India was
(a) Vasishtha
(b) Yagyavalkya
(c) Vishwamitra
(d) Agastya
Answer: Agastya

Kabir was the disciple of
(a) Ramananda
(b) Vallabhacharya
(c) Chaitanya
(d) Shankaracharya
Answer: Ramananda

The System of philosophy with which the name of Kapila is prominently associated is
(a) Samkhya
(b) Purva Mimamsa
(c) Uttara Mimamsa
(d) Nyaya
Answer: Samkhya

To which Sufi did the famous saint of Bihar, Makhdum Sharfuddin Maneri belong ?
(a) Kubrawi
(b) Suhrawardi
(c) Firdausi
(d) Chisti
Answer: Firdausi

Live well, as long as you live. Live well even by borrowing, for once cremated, there is no return This rejection of after - life is an aphorism of the
(a) Sunyavada of Nagarjuna
(b) Charvakas
(c) Ajivikas
(d) Kapalika Sect
Answer: Sunyavada of NagarjunaNagarjuna

In the systems of philosophy created by Indians, we find elements of materialistic philosophy in which of the following systems ?
(a) Yoga
(b) Vaisesika
(c) Samkhya
(d) Karm Mimamsa
Answer: Samkhya

Sudhavaita is the philosophy of
(a) Ramanuja
(b) Chaitanya
(c) Vallabha
(d) Kabir
Answer: Vallabha

Of the following , who visited the court of Krishnadeva Raya ?
(a) Ramananda
(b) Ramanuja
(c) Kabir
(d) Vallabha
Answer: Vallabha

Let no man ask a man's sect or caste whose dictum was this ?
(a) Ramanuja
(b) Chaitanya
(c) Ramananda
(d) Kabir
Answer: Ramananda

During his pilgrimage, Chaitanya received enlightenment at
(a) Rameswaram
(b) Allahabad
(c) Gaya
(d) Kanchipuram
Answer: Gaya

Devotion to Lord Krishna was preached by
(a) Madhva
(b) Ramananda
(c) Vallabha
(d) Kabir
Answer: Vallabha

The Bhakti Movement was first organised by
(a) Ramanuja
(b) Nanak
(c) Kabir
(d) Ramananda
Answer: Ramanuja

The author of Sri Bhashya is
(a) Vallabha
(b) Ramanuja
(c) Kabir
(d) Sankara
Answer: Ramanuja

In him within whose heart is truth doth God Himself abide, said
(a) Kabir
(b) Vallabha
(c) Chaitanya
(d) Madhya
Answer: Kabir

Swami Vivekananda was well known in the religious Conference held at
(a) London
(b) Berlin
(c) Chicago
(d) Paris
Answer: Chicago

Who were the most popular Sufis ?
(a) Hallaj
(b) None of these
(c) Ghazali
(d) Rabin
Answer: Rabin

The birthplace of Swami Vivekananda is in which of the following cities ?
(a) Balasore
(b) Kushinagar
(c) Calcutta
(d) Cuttack
Answer: Calcutta

Which of the following Bhakti saints used the medium of dance and songs (Kirtans) to make one feel the personal presence of God near him ?
(a) Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
(b) Jnanadeva
(c) Shankaradeva
(d) Chandidasa
Answer; Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

Who said, Ram and Rahim are the two different name of the Same God?
(a) Ramdas
(b) Ramanuja
(c) Chaitanya
(d) Kabir
Answer: Kabir

Ajivika sect was founded by
(a) Upali
(b) Anand
(c) Makkhli Gosala
(d) Raghulabhadra
Answer: Makkhli Gosala

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