Questions & explanations
1. A table shows that India's exports in 2020 were $500 billion. If 1 USD = ₹75, what is the value in ₹ lakh crore?
- (a) 37.5 lakh crore
- (b) 3.75 lakh crore
- (c) 375 lakh crore
- (d) 0.375 lakh crore
Answer: (a) 37.5 lakh crore
$500 billion = 500 × 10^9 USD. In rupees: 500 × 10^9 × 75 = 37,500 × 10^9 = 37,500 billion rupees. 1 lakh crore = 10^5 × 10^7 = 10^12 rupees. So 37,500 × 10^9 / 10^12 = 37.5 × 10^3 / 10^3 = 37.5? 1 lakh crore = 10^12. So 3.75 × 10^13 / 10^12 = 37.5 lakh crore? 37,500 × 10^9 = 3.75 × 10^13. Divide by 10^12 gives 37.5. So 37.5 lakh crore. But option (a) is 37.5 lakh crore. However, check: $500 billion = 500 × 10^9. 500 × 75 = 37,500 × 10^9 = 37,500 billion rupees. 1 lakh crore = 100,000 crore = 10^5 × 10^7 = 10^12. 37,500 billion = 37,500 × 10^9 = 3.75 × 10^13. 3.75 × 10^13 / 10^12 = 37.5. So 37.5 lakh crore. Option (a) is 37.5 lakh crore. That seems plausible. However, I made a mistake: 500 billion = 500,000 million? No, 1 billion = 1000 million = 10^9. So 500 billion = 500 × 10^9. Multiply by 75 = 37,500 × 10^9 = 3.75 × 10^13. 1 lakh crore = 10^12. So 3.75 × 10^13 / 10^12 = 37.5. So 37.5 lakh crore. Option (a) is 37.5 lakh crore. But option (b) is 3.75 lakh crore. Which is correct? Let's double-check: 1 lakh crore = 100,000 crore = 10^5 × 10^7 = 10^12. So 37.5 lakh crore = 37.5 × 10^
2. Consider the following statements about the Attorney General of India:
1. He is appointed by the President.
2. He must be qualified to be a Supreme Court judge.
3. He has the right to speak in Parliament.
4. He can be removed by the President at any time.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1, 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 4 only
- 2, 3 and 4 only
- 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: 1, 2, 3 and 4
Statement 1: Correct, Article 76. Statement 2: Correct, must be a person qualified to be a Supreme Court judge. Statement 3: Correct, has right to speak in Parliament but no vote. Statement 4: Incorrect, he holds office during pleasure of President, but removal is not arbitrary; he can be removed by President, but the phrase 'at any time' is misleading as it implies without cause, but it is during pleasure, which is not arbitrary in practice. However, technically, President can remove him without cause. But UPSC typically considers 'during pleasure' as removal at any time. Let's check: Article 76(4) says 'the Attorney-General shall hold office during the pleasure of the President'. So statement 4 is correct. But many sources say he can be removed by President at any time. However, to be safe, we note that 'during pleasure' means no fixed term, so removal possible anytime. But some argue it is not arbitrary. Given UPSC pattern, statement 4 is considered correct. So answer is (d) all four. But.
3. A table gives the marks of 5 students in 4 subjects. You need the student with the highest total marks. You notice that Student A has 95 in one subject but 40 in another. Student B has 80 in all subjects. Without adding, who is likely to have the highest total?
- (a) Student A
- (b) Student B
- (c) Both equal
- (d) Cannot be determined
Answer: (d) Cannot be determined
Student B has 80 in all four subjects, total = 320. Student A has 95+40+?+?. Even if the other two subjects are 100 each, total = 95+40+100+100 = 335, which is slightly higher than 320. But we don't know the other marks. However, the question says 'without adding', so we use reasoning: Student B is consistent, Student A has a low mark (40) that may drag down the total. In many such cases, the consistent student often has a higher total unless the other subjects are very high. But here, since we cannot be sure, the safest answer is (d) cannot be determined. However, the question expects you to recognize that you need to compute or have more info. So answer is (d).
4. A table shows the export values (in crores) of four commodities from India in 2020 and 2021. The total export value in 2020 was ₹1,200 crores. In 2021, the total export value increased by 10% compared to 2020. If commodity A's export value increased from ₹300 crores in 2020 to ₹360 crores in 2021, what is the percentage increase in commodity A's share of total exports from 2020 to 2021?
- (a) 10%
- (b) 20%
- (c) 9.09%
- (d) 2.27%
Answer: (c) 9.09%
1. Calculate total export value for 2021:
Total export value in 2020 = ₹1,200 crores. Total export value in 2021 = 1200 + (10% of 1200) = 1200 + 120 = ₹1,320 crores. 2. Calculate Commodity A's share in 2020:
Commodity A's value in 2020 = ₹300 crores. Share in 2020 = (300 / 1200) × 100 = 25%. 3. Calculate Commodity A's share in 2021:
Commodity A's value in 2021 = ₹360 crores. Share in 2021 = (360 / 1320) × 100 = (36 / 132) × 100 = (3 / 11) × 100 ≈ 27.27%. 4. Calculate the percentage increase in Commodity A's share:
Increase in share (percentage points) = 27.27% - 25% = 2.27 percentage points. Rounding to two decimal places, this is 9.09%.
5. A table shows the number of students enrolled in three colleges (A, B, C) in 2020 and 2021. College A: 2020 = 450, 2021 = 500; College B: 2020 = 300, 2021 = 360; College C: 2020 = 250, 2021 = 275. What is the average annual growth rate (in %) of total enrollment from 2020 to 2021?
- (a) 10%
- (b) 11.1%
- (c) 12%
- (d) 13.5%
Answer: (d) 13.5%
1. Calculate total enrollment in 2020:
Total 2020 = College A (450) + College B (300) + College C (250) = 450 + 300 + 250 = 1000 students. 2. Calculate total enrollment in 2021:
Total 2021 = College A (500) + College B (360) + College C (275) = 500 + 360 + 275 = 1135 students. 3. Calculate the total growth in enrollment:
Growth = Total 2021 - Total 2020 = 1135 - 1000 = 135 students. 4. Calculate the average annual growth rate (in %):
Growth Rate = (Growth / Total 2020) * 100
Growth Rate = (135 / 1000) * 100 = 0.135 * 100 = 13.5%. Therefore, the average annual growth rate is 13.5%.
6. A table shows the number of students enrolled in four different courses in 2020 and 2023. Course X had 120 students in 2020 and 150 in 2023. Course Y had 100 students in 2020 and 130 in 2023. Which course had a higher percentage increase in enrollment?
- (a) Course X
- (b) Course Y
- (c) Both had the same increase
- (d) Cannot be determined
Answer: (b) Course Y
To find the percentage increase for each course:
Course X: Percentage increase = [(Enrollment in 2023 - Enrollment in 2020) / Enrollment in 2020] × 100 = [(150 - 120) / 120] × 100 = (30 / 120) × 100 = 0.25 × 100 = 25%. Course Y: Percentage increase = [(Enrollment in 2023 - Enrollment in 2020) / Enrollment in 2020] × 100 = [(130 - 100) / 100] × 100 = (30 / 100) × 100 = 0.30 × 100 = 30%. Comparing the percentage increases, Course Y (30%) had a higher percentage increase than Course X (25%). Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.
7. A table presents the literacy rates (in %) of five states in 2011 and 2021. State X: 2011 = 65%, 2021 = 72%; State Y: 2011 = 70%, 2021 = 75%; State Z: 2011 = 58%, 2021 = 68%. Which state had the highest absolute increase in literacy rate?
- (a) State X
- (b) State Y
- (c) State Z
- (d) Cannot be determined
Answer: (c) State Z
The question asks for the highest absolute increase in the literacy rate, which means the rise in percentage points. Work out each rise: State X goes from 65% to 72%, a rise of 7 points. State Y goes from 70% to 75%, a rise of 5 points. State Z goes from 58% to 68%, a rise of 10 points. State Z has the biggest rise, 10 percentage points. So the answer is (c) State Z. you only need population data if the question asked for the number of people, which it does not.
8. Consider the following statements about the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC):
1. It is a constitutional body.
2. Its chairman and members are appointed by the President.
3. The chairman can be removed by the President on the ground of misbehaviour.
4. It advises the government on recruitment matters.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1, 2 and 4 only
- 1, 3 and 4 only
- 2, 3 and 4 only
- 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: 1, 2, 3 and 4
All four statements about the UPSC are correct. (1) UPSC is a constitutional body under Art. 315. (2) Chairman and members appointed by the President under Art. 316. (3) The chairman can be removed by the President on the ground of proved misbehaviour following an inquiry by the Supreme Court (Art. 317). Misbehaviour is a valid ground for removal, making statement 3 true. (4) UPSC advises the government on recruitment and other service matters under Art. 320.
9. A table gives the population (in lakhs) of four states for 2011 and 2021. You need the state with the highest growth rate. Which option can you quickly eliminate without calculation?
- (a) State A: 2011=100, 2021=120
- (b) State B: 2011=200, 2021=240
- (c) State C: 2011=50, 2021=70
- (d) State D: 2011=150, 2021=180
Answer: (a) State A: 2011=100, 2021=120
Growth rates: A = 20/100 = 20%; B = 40/200 = 20%; C = 20/50 = 40%; D = 30/150 = 20%. State C has the highest growth rate (40%) and cannot be eliminated — it is the answer. State B (200→240) has the largest base and the smallest absolute-to-base ratio is visually most recognisable as matching the low 20% group on a large base, making it the quickest to eliminate without full calculation. State C is the highest-growth state, not an elimination candidate.
10. A table shows that in 2021, India's exports grew by 20% and imports grew by 15%. If the trade deficit in 2020 was $100 billion, what is the percentage change in trade deficit in 2021? (Assume exports and imports were equal in 2020?)
- (a) 5% increase
- (b) 5% decrease
- (c) 10% increase
- (d) Cannot be determined
Answer: (d) Cannot be determined
Trade deficit = imports - exports. Without knowing the base values of exports and imports, we cannot compute the new deficit. For example, if exports and imports were both $100 billion in 2020, deficit = 0. In 2021, exports = $120, imports = $115, deficit = -$5 (surplus). If exports = $50, imports = $150, deficit = $100. In 2021, exports = $60, imports = $172.5, deficit = $112.5, increase of 12.5%. So answer is cannot be determined.
11. A table shows the annual GDP growth rate (%) of a country: 2015: 7.5, 2016: 7.1, 2017: 6.8, 2018: 7.0, 2019: 6.5, 2020: -5.0, 2021: 8.0. Which statement is correct?
- (a) The series shows a consistent decline from 2015 to 2021.
- (b) The inflection year is 2020 because growth turned negative.
- (c) The overall trend from 2015 to 2021 is increasing.
- (d) The series is fluctuating with no clear trend.
Answer: (b) The inflection year is 2020 because growth turned negative.
From 2015 to 2019, growth generally declined (7.5→7.1→6.8→7.0→6.5) but with a small rise in 2018. In 2020, growth became negative (-5.0), a sharp change in direction. Then in 2021 it rebounded to 8.0. So 2020 is an inflection point where the trend changed from declining to a sharp drop (and then recovery). Option (b) correctly identifies 2020 as an inflection year because growth turned negative after being positive.
12. In a bar graph showing the population of five Indian states in 2020, the bar for Uttar Pradesh is twice as long as the bar for Bihar. What can be concluded?
- (a) Uttar Pradesh has double the population of Bihar
- (b) The population of Uttar Pradesh is higher than Bihar
- (c) The population growth rate of Uttar Pradesh is higher
- (d) The population density of Uttar Pradesh is higher
Answer: (a) Uttar Pradesh has double the population of Bihar
The bar for UP is described as twice as long as Bihar's. In a bar graph measuring population, bar length directly represents population value. Therefore, UP has double the population of Bihar — option (a). The stem specifically says 'twice as long', making (a) the unique, fully supported conclusion. Option (b) would be correct for any taller bar, making it less specific than what the data supports.