Explore topic-wise InterviewSolutions in Current Affairs.

The introduction of cycling in the Pudukkottai district has brought about a tremendous change in the lives of rural women. Cycling has offered a way out of enforced routines around male imposed barriers. The rural women, in particular, have gained a great deal of confidence on account of their learning cycling. Earlier, they used to be burdened with economic as well as social or familial obligations. Many young mothers had to help the menfolk in earning the family income as well as do domestic chores like tending to children and fetching water from remote places. Even to sell their agricultural produce in nearby villages, they had to carry their produce to the bus stop with the help of their menfolk.

Secondly, they had to come back within a fixed time to tend to little kids at home and to store or fetch water from remote places. Naturally, though they were capable of doing all these duties on their own, their ‘immobility’ created a big hurdle. They had to walk long distances to fetch water and sell their produce. After learning cycling, such women became free and independent. This gave them a lot of confidence. Moreover, the ability to ride a bicycle gave them a lot of self-respect.

The idea of empowering women giving them ‘mobility’ came from Sheela Rani Chunkath, the District Collector of Pudukkottai in 1991. She included ‘mobility’ as a part of the literacy drive so as to facilitate female literacy activists to reach rural women in the interior. Once the literacy activists learned cycling, they taught the neo-literates cycling. Once the neo-literates learned cycling, every other woman in the district volunteered to learn cycling. Later, the Arivoli activists organized a ‘Cycling Training Camp’ and created ‘Master trainers’ who in turn conducted several cycling training camps. This way, in a short period of time, over 100,000 rural women in the Pudukkottai district learned cycling.

The author opines that ‘cycling’ gave these women freedom, mobility, and independence. Consequently, these women stopped depending on the menfolk to transport their agricultural produce to bus stops. They themselves carried the produce and sold them in the neighbouring villages and this way covered a larger area. Secondly, they also took care of the young ones at home and completed household chores in time as a result of the proper utilization of time. They could also fetch water from far off places and cart provisions on their bicycle. Thus, ‘cycling’ empowered rural women in many ways. Furthermore, the ability to carry on all the duties and responsibilities on their own gave the women a sense of achievement and self-respect. Thus, the author who witnessed this silent revolution concludes that the humble vehicle – the bicycle – has become a metaphor for freedom, in Pudukkottai.

Correct answer is (D) infinity

Universities at Nalanda, Taxila, Ujjaini, Kashi, Vikramashila, etc. were the universities of ancient India.

Correct answer is (A) 1 tesla = 1 NA^-1m^-1

1. Controlling the runoff of rain water and make it to perculate to increase ground water table for future purpose.

2. It involves collection and storage of rainwater at surface or in sub-surface aquifier, before it is lost as surface runoff. It not only increases water availability but also checks the declining water table.

Objectives :

The following are the main objectives of rain water harvesting.

• It checks runoff water & avoid flooding. 
• It replenishes the ground water table and enables the wells. 
• It helps to overcome the adequancy of surface water to meet demand of water. 
• If the ground water is blackish, it will reduce the salinity. 
• It also reduces ground water contamination and improve water quality. 
• It helps to increase agricultural product and improves ecology of an area.

Methods of Rain Water Harvesting :

1. In-situ method The method of percolating the rain at the point of its fall itself is called In-situ rainwater harvesting. 

For example –

• Infilteration pits : The rain water can be collected and stored in pits, dug in farm lands and used for irrigation.
• Contour bunds and trenches : The Construction of bunds, trenches or check dams. 
• Roof top water harvesting : The Rain water that falls on the roofs of buildings or in courtyards is collected and stored in underground. Sumps, or wells or in drums and used for domestic purpose such as cleaning, washing etc.

2. Ex-situ method : This method of rainwater harvesting involves storing of running water. It is collected in check dams, huge percolation tanks etc. It is an expensive method.

Correct answer is (A) 1 kwh = 3.6 x 10⁶ J

Target area planning means making schmes for the development of particular group or area such as backward regions.

• This type of planning is necessary in india because region imbalances in Economic development are getting serious. 
• Some of the examples of programmes directed towards the development of target areas are command Area Development Programme. 
• Drought prone area development programme. 
• Desert Development Programme. 
• Hill area development programme. 
• The small farmers development agency and margins farmers development agency which are the examples of target group programme.

Mark Cubbon shifted the capital from Mysuru to Bangaluru.

Basaveshwara was born at Ingaleshwar in Bijapur district of Karnataka.

Correct answer is (A) \(\frac{\mu oI}{2R}\)

Correct answer is (B) charge

Tanks are natural or man hollows or depressions into which rain water is collected.

• Usually they are built by individuals or groups of farmers by raising bunds across sea-sonal stream. 
• Tank irrigation is widely practiced in Andhra Pradesh (29.8%), TamilNadu and Karnataka states. 
• Tank irrigation is an ancient method of irrigation in the country. But the area under tank irrigation has decreased in recent years due to some draw backs. 
• The area under tank irrigation decreased from 4.6 million hectare in 1960 – 61 to 1.56 . million hectre in 2007 – 08. 
• It accounts for only 3.2% of the total irrigated area in India. Tank irrigation is suffering from certain inherent drawbacks 
• Tanks get silted up soon.
• Most of the tanks are non-perennial’and become dry during winter and summer seasons. 
• They occupy large fertile areas which could have been used for cultivation.

To check the conversion of Hindus to other religions and to bring the converted Hindus back to Hinduism is Suddhi movement.

Radio has played an important means of communication in the field of advertising, information, broadcasting local, regional, public opinions, national and international news, sports, cricket etc.

• Radio is more powerful than the press because it gives immediate information throughout the world without loss of time. Radio broadcasting was started in India in the early 1920’s. 
• The first programme was broad casted in 1923 by radio club of Mumbai. The broadcasting service was setup in 1927.
• It was changed to all India Radio (AIR) in 1936. It also came to be known as “Akashvani” from 1957. 
• The All India radio has at present 213 Radio stations these includes 114 regional stations,

Advantages:

• Radio reaches both to the literate and illiterate as well as to people of all ages. 
• It creates awakening among the people about the worls. 
• It provides educated values. 
• The productions costs are lower. 
• Radio is the only mass media that people use while driving, cleaning, moving etc. ‘ Disadvantages: 
• Radio is brief, It cannot be very descriptive. 
• Its scope is limited. 
• It is one way commuication. 
• It is confined to the control of government.

1. Inland water transport. 

2. Ocean water transport.

Agriculture is the most important Primary activity and the oldest occupation of human beings in India.

• Main source of livelihood : About 70% of the people directly and indirectly depend on agriculture for their Livelihood.
• Food supply : Agriculture provides food grains, fruits, vegetables, spices etc to the people and fodder for the animals. 
• Provides employment facilities : Agriculture is largest sector providing highest employment. 
• Source of National income : It contributes to the national income of the country. 
• Source of raw materials for Agro-based-industries ex: Raw cotton, sugar cane and Jute. 
• Source of large amount of revenue to the government. 
• Support to tertiary sector like transport, communication, banking, insurance etc. 
• Help to internal trade like Agricultural products are transported from the area of surplus production to the area scarcity. 
• Support to export, many agricutlural products produced in the country are exported i.e. tea, coffee, Jute, Tobacco etc. 
• Political & Social situation in the country is determined by the agricultural production.

• They are available for low cost. 
• They provide all types of information regarding science and technology, news, articles etc. 
• Large number of people can read them. 
• They provide a accurate information from different sources.

Conditions for Cultivation of cotton:

• Cotton is a tropical & Sub-tropical crop. It requires high temperature. At the time of growing it requires 21°C to 24°C temperature. 
• It requires moderate rainfall of 50 cm to 100 cm. However it can cultivate in areas of lesser rainfall with the help of irrigation. 
• Deep black soil is well suitable to cotton crop. This soil is commonly known as Black cotton soil. This is capable of retaining moisture. 
• Cotton requires the use of Manures & fertilizers crop rotation helps to maintain fertility of the soil & improve the yield. 
• Cotton cultivation requires large amount of cheap labours for planting, thinning, seeding, picking of cotton. 
• Frosting, Moist weather & heavy rainfall are harmful to the crop. 
• Cotton plant is susecptible to disease & pests. It requires the use of insecticides & pesticides. 
• The Sunny weather is necessary at the time of harvesting the cotton.

Varieties of Cotton:-

(i) Long Staple Cotton : 

• It is the best variety . 
• It has over 3.8 cm in length. 
• Because of its length of fibre, fine & shining it is used for making fine & superfine quality of cloth. 
• It is largely grown in Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, TamilNadu & MadhyaPradesh etc.

(ii) Medium Staple Cotton : 

• The length of cotton fibre is between 2.5 cm to 3.8 cm is known as medium staple cotton. 
• It is used for making Medium cloth. 
• This is grown in Rajasthan, Punjab, TamilNadu, MadhyaPradesh, UttarPradesh, Karnataka etc.

(iii) Short Staple Cotton : 

• This is inferior variety with fiber length less than 2.5 cm. 
• It is used for making inferior quality of cloth, stuffing purpose, blending with synthetic, fibre etc. 
• This type of cotton production is reduced in India. 
• Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh & Rajasthan etc are growing this type of cotton.

1. Barren and uncultivable waste land. 

2. Natural degraded cultivable waste land

3. Natural and man made degraded CWL

4. Man made degraded . CWL [Cultivable waste land]

India has one of the largest canal systems of the world. Canals are the second largest source of irrigation in the country. 

Canals are of two types :

1. Inundation canals : taken out directly from rivers, without making any barrage or dam. 

2. Perennial canals : which are taken out from the reservoirs by constructing barrage or weir to regulate the flow of water.

• Canal irrigation is widely practiced in the Sutlej Gangas plains and the deltas of the peninsular rivers. 
• Nearly 79% of India’s canals irrigated area lies in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh,Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh etc. 
• Uttar Pradesh ranks first in India where canal irrigation is most extensive. 
• Canal irrigation suffers from a number of draw-backs such as water logging, increase in water table, alkalinity of soils due to capillary action etc.

The Effects of Migration can be classified into two namely:- 

1. Positive effects. 

2. Negative effects.

1. Positive effects of Migration :

• Migration controls the high density of population. 
• It helps the people to get employment. 
• It reduces the problem of scarcity of Labour. 
• Migration leads to the change in the demographic structure of a region. 
• It helps to reduce the inequality of the society.

2. Negative effects of Migration :

• It affects on density and distribution of population. 
• Large-scale migration from rural to urban centres results in creation of slums. 
• It also leads to many social problems such as debauchery and immoral activities. 
• Their will be pressure on civic amenties, like electricity etc. 
• Migration causes ethnics, religious and language problems. 
• It will effects on the job opportunities of local people.

• Semi-arid and arid tract of Rajasthan, Gujarath. 
• Western Madhya Pradesh. 
• Maratha wada region of Maharastra. 
• Rayalaseema and telegana pleatus of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka pleatus.

Importance :

• It is an ambitious multipurpose river valley project in Odisha, planned for harnessing the waters of Mahanadi river.
• There dams are constructed across the Mahanadi at different places. 
• The 4801 mt long dam has been built across the Mahanadi at Hirakud, 9.7 kms up stream of Sambalpur. 
• The height of the dam above the river bed is 61 metres. 
• It is the longest dam in India and forms 650 km² reservoir. 
• It has a gross storage capacity of 810 crore cubic meters of water. 
• They irrigate 2.54 lakh hectares. 
• The project has two hydro-electric power stations with an installed capacity of 270 m. 
• The second and third dams are constructed at Tikarapara and Naraj respectively. 
• The Mahanadhi Delta Irrigation scheme can provide irrigation for 6.84 lakh hectares. 
• The third one comprises of 1353 km and 386.2 km long canals with irrigation potential of 5.4 lakh hectares. 
• Chief Aims of this projects are :
• Flood control 
• Irrigation development 
• Generation of hydro-electric power 
• Provides navigation, recreational facilities and afforestation.

• Communication plays a significant role in the Modem World. They create awareness about the policies, programme of developments, learning. 
• Adopt new technological innovations in agriculture and industry as well as transportation. 
• People can acquire information of day’s affairs of the world. 
• It brings out the unity, integrity and stability of the country.
• It helps in the development of cultural, political and social aspects as well as trade and commerce. 
• They have laid a base for modem business. Thus, communication plays a vital role in the development of a nation. 
• Speed with messages could be sent across the world with in a second. 
• The Telephone or Radio are linked the people Worldwide and they can speak each other directly. 
• Even today newspaper touch every part of the country as it coves international, national and local news as well as entertainments with other information. 
• The radio has its own name by broadcasting news and information which will reach all comers of country and abroad.
• Television allows the audio and video facilities to gain information for public. 
• It has a profound role to play in the forecasting of weather, the direction of aircraft, shipping and warning of usual events such as Hirricanes, snow fall and rainfalls as well as floods. 
• Rapid communication have great political implication for leaders can speak to people all over the country.

1. Human Geography is a recent sprout from the main, trunk of geography. During 18th & 19th century a new systematic approach of studying man & nature relationship was introduced into the field of Georaphy. 

2. Friedrich Ratzel, a German geography was greatly influenced by Darwin’s theory (1859). He wrote a book ‘Anthropo Geography” in 1882. 

3. Anthropo means ‘Human’ so he coined the term “Human Geography”. Hence, Ratzel is known as the Father of ‘Human Geography’, he developed man & his relationship with environment as described in two schools – 

• The German school or the Deterministic school – Describes . The control of environment on man and his activities. 
• French school or possibilistic school – It advocates that environment provides possibilities for man to persue variuos activities.
• Later Griffith Taylor an Australian Geography introduced ‘Neo-determinism’ or ‘Stop and Go determinism’ which balances between environment determinism and possibilism approach. . .

4. Many Geographers & new approaches, methods tools were introduced to develop Human Geography into systematic science.

Effects of over population:

• Increased levels of air pollution, water pollution, soil contamination and noise pollution. 
• Deforestation and loss of ecosystem. 
• Increasing temperature in the atmosphere which results of Global Warming. 
• Starvation, Malnutrition. 
• Unhygienic living condition for many due to water scarcity, discharge of sewage water & solid waste disposal. 
• Depletion of natural resources. 
• Political instability. 
• Increasing of unemployment. 
• Lack of civic amentities (Food, Clothing & Shelter).

Measurements to Control the population:

• Adoption and Propoganda of Family planning methods. 
• Practice of celibacy. 
• Self control. 
• Remaining unmarried.
• Improving women’s status and health. 
• Provide education. 
• Increasing the food production.

1. High Birth Rate – High birth rate is the dominate factor in rapid growth of population in India. It was 49.2 in 1901 and has declined to 22.22 per thousand in 2011.

• Causes for high birth rate : There are several causes for high birth rate in India. For example: Early marriage, Universal marriage, religious and superstitions, joint family system, illiteracy, polygamy, predominance of agriculture, poverty, slow urbanization process, tropical climate etc. All these factors have been caused directly or indirectly for high birth rate.

2. Low Birth rate : Death rate was very high (42.6) in 1901, but it was sharply declined to 6.4 per thousand persons) in 2011.

• Causes for low death rate: There are many causes for declining trend of deathrate they are control of epidemics, decline in the incidence of Malaria and tuberculosis expansion of medical facilities, control of infant mortality, spread of education, improvement in the nutrition level etc, due to all of these programs and activities, death fate has been declining from one decade to another.

1. Cotton textile industries 

2. Sugar industries 

3. Jute industries.

Imports of India : Imports trade of India refers to buying goods from foreign countries and bringing them to home country. 

The main items of Imports of India are:

1. Petroleum crude and products :

• It is the most important materials of Indian, Imports. 
• In 2006-2007 India imported rupees 2,58,572 crores worth of crude oil and other petroleum products. 
• It contributed 23% of our total imports.

2. Pearls precious and semi-precious stones : India imported rupees 33,881 crores worth of precious stone.

3. Capital goods : In 2006-2007 India imported rupees 2,51,136 crores worth of capital goods.

4. Fertilizers : India is a major importer of chemical Fertilizers. It is because the country is agrarian and the Internal production of fertilizers is insufficient. Potash fertilizers are largely imported.

Exports of India : Export trade of India refers to the sale of goods and services by India to other countries of the world.

The main items of our exports are as follows:

• Agricultural and Allied products: Products such as cereals, pulses tobacco, spices, nuts and seeds, oil meals, caster oil etc. During 2011-2012 exports income is about US dollar 13300.63 million. 
• Ores and minerals: Export of ores and minerals like Iron ore, Manganese, Micca was estimated at US dollar 4700.29 million during 2011-12. 
• Gems and Jewellery: India imports gems and precious stones in their raw form and exports them after proper cutting and polishing. 
• Electronic goods: Items under this group. of consists of machinery, iron, steel and other engineering items. 
• Petroleum products: Export of petroleum products increased to US dollar 34667.02 million.

• They provide employment to a lot of people. 
• They help to modernize the agricultural sector by providing tractors, fertilisers, manures and scientific technology.

The population of the world is unevenly distributed. The distribution of population is expressed in terms of density. The density is the ratio between the numbers of people in to the size of land.

Distribution of population of the world has been divided into three regions.

I. Area of high density: 

The three principal high density zones are: 

• Eastern, Southern and South – Eastern part of Asia. 
• North – Western part of Europe. 
• North – Eastern part of USA and South Eastern part of Canada.

II. Area of high density: 

The population moderately dense in tropical regions of the world and moist temperature cold desertes and high rain fall zones near the equator have very low density of population.

• Asia is the most populous continent. It accounts about ‘61 percent’ of the world population.
• Africa is second most populated continent with 13 percent. 
• Europe has 12 percent. 
• South America 8.5 percent. 
• Northern America 5 percent. 
• Oceania is the least – populated region which has 0.5 percent.
• Antarctica is uninhabited permanently.

(a) Ahwaz – Iran 

(b) Quetta – Pakistan 

(c) Ludhiana – India and 

(d) Yasouj – Iran

For understanding the nature of human geography we can look into a few well known definitions.

• According to Friedrich Ratzel (1844 – 1904): It is the synthetic study of relationship between human societies and earth’s surface. 
• Ellen C. Semple (1863 – 1932): It is the study of the changing relationship between the unresting man and unstable earth. 
• Paul Vidal-dc-la-Blache (1845 – 1918): The study of knowledge of physical laws on the earth surface in relation between the liking beings which inhabit it. 
• Elles worth Huntington (1876 – 1947): It is the study of nature and distribution of the relationship between geographical environment & human activities & qualities.

From elementary chemistry, it is known that the atomic structure of any element is made up of a positively charged nucleus surrounded by electrons revolving around it. An element's atomic number indicates the number of positively charged protons in the nucleus. All chemical bonds involve electrons.

1975 Integrated child development Scheme (I.C.D.S) implemented.

Enzyme is responsible for ripening of fruits and vegetables.

Yeast participates in fermentation.

The main focus of management is to complete the task efficiently (within cost) and effectively (within specific time).

Sugar, salt and vinegar is used as preservative.  

The correct answer is Sisir Kumar Ghosh.

• Amrita Bazar Patrika was started in 1868 by two brothers, Sisir Kumar Ghosh and Moti Lal Ghosh.
• The newspaper was accused of sedition and in an attempt to crackdown on the media, Lord Lytton, the then Viceroy of India, promulgated the Vernacular Press Act, in 1878.
• The newspaper continued with its intrepid reporting and vehemently opposed the partition of Bengal in 1905.
• It described Lord Curzon, the Viceroy of India at the time of the partition of Bengal, as 'Young and a little foppish, and without previous training but invested with unlimited powers.' 

​Notes:

Hippocrates is considered to be the father of modern medicine because in his books, which are more than 70. He described in a scientific manner, many diseases and their treatment after detailed observation. He lived about 2400 years ago.

(a) Renewable resources include solar energy, wind, falling water, the heat of the earth (geothermal), plant materials (biomass), waves, ocean currents, temperature differences in the oceans and the energy of the tides.

(b) Coal is classified into four main types, or ranks: anthracite, bituminous, subbituminous, and lignite.

The dynasty which gave the name Karnataka is The Chalukyas.

As the atomic size increases down the group, the bond length increases and the bond strength decreases and the cleavage of E-H bond becomes easier thus, more r.ill be the acidity. Thus, the correct order is 

H₂S < H₂Se < H₂Te.

Foreign policy, general objectives that guide the activities and relationships of one state in its interactions with other states. The development of foreign policy is influenced by domestic considerations, the policies or behaviour of other states, or plans to advance specific geopolitical designs.

Apart from the Central Government and State Governments, it is the local self-governments that manage the developmental activities of district, urban centers, and rural areas. According to Gandhiji, the Father of our Nation, India’s soul lives in the villages. His dream was self-sufficient villages. The Makers of the Constitution included this idea in the Constitution. Later through the 73 and 74 Amendments the Local Self-Government Institutions acquired their present shape and status. 

The necessity for local governments:

• Local governments are close to people and they are able to solve the problems of the people quickly and cheaply. They can protect local interests. 
• They are necessary to make use of local knowledge and the energy of the local community. 
• They are the pillars of democracy. 
• They ensure the participation of the people in the administration. 
• It is through them decentralization and decentralized planning are done.

Correct option is 

1 (d) the British soldiers.

2 (c) Kale Saheb’s house

A vote by which the people of an entire country or district express an opinion for or against a proposal especially on a choice of government or ruler.

Correct option is 

(a) For Rajah’s diamond

(a) Thomas Vandeleur