General Knowledge (Mixed Bag)

 The state of inactivity adopted by desert animals during the hottest and driest season is known as aestivation .

In a folded mountain region, the typical pattern is anticlinal ridges and synclinal valleys. However, when erosion is more rapid on the ridges than valleys, the relief can invert - creating synclinal ridges and anticlinal valleys. This is known as Ridge and Valley Landscape or Inversion of Relief, commonly seen in the Appalachians. The other terms describe different coastal or erosional features.

Glaciated regions are characterized by deranged drainage patterns - irregular, chaotic stream networks with no clear direction or pattern. This occurs because glacial deposition creates irregular topography with numerous kettle lakes, moraines, and other features that disrupt normal drainage. The other options describe different soil and environmental conditions (swamps, slow decomposition due to cold, acidic soils) but not glaciation specifically.

Statement 1 is incorrect because shocks originate at the hypocenter (focus), not the epicenter. The epicenter is the point on the surface directly above the hypocenter. Statement 2 is correct - earthquake foci can be in the crust or upper mantle. Statement 3 is correct - plate margins are indeed more earthquake-prone.

The Planning Commission is an institution in the Government of India, which formulates India's Five Year Plans, among other functions.

Cracking is the process of breaking large hydrocarbon molecules into smaller ones by heating with a catalyst. Fission is nuclear splitting, centrifugation separates by density, and fusion combines nuclei - all incorrect for this context.

Under Article 324(5) of the Constitution, Parliament has the power to make laws regarding the conditions of service and tenure of office of Election Commissioners and Regional Election Commissioners. This includes matters like salary, allowances, leave, and removal procedures. State Legislatures do not have this power.

Parliament determines salaries and allowances for the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha and the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha by law. This is done through legislation as specified in the Constitution. This ensures independence of the legislature from executive influence in financial matters.

All statements are correct regarding the minority scholarship scheme. The Planning Commission did approve a Rs. 1,800 crore scheme for the 11th Plan. It was indeed the first pre-matric scholarship specifically for minority communities. And students from classes VI to X belonging to minority communities were eligible. This was a significant initiative for educational support to minorities.

BIG TV is a direct-to-home (DTH) satellite television service that was launched by the Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group.

Ghazi Malik, who served as a general under Alauddin Khilji, assumed the title Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq and founded the Tughlaq dynasty after the fall of the Khiljis. Malik Kafur was a famous general but did not found the dynasty.

The early excavations at Harappa and Mohenjodaro were led by John Marshall, R.D. Banerji (Mohenjodaro), and Dayaram Sahni (Harappa). S.R. Rao is associated with later excavations like Lothal.

Bajra (pearl millet) is a major foodgrain in India, and Rajasthan is indeed the leading producer. However, India is not a major exporter of bajra, as it is primarily consumed domestically.

The Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers was responsible for the implementation and coordination of the Value Added Tax (VAT) in India, including setting deadlines.

Iltutmish is associated with the Qutub Minar (completion), Quli Qutbshah with the Charminar, Sher Shah with his mausoleum at Sasaram, and Akbar with the Agra Fort.

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

Buddhism spread due to the simplicity of Buddha's teachings, the use of the vernacular Pali language, and the strong monastic organization (Sangha). Dislike for Brahmanas was a factor, but the core reasons were the accessibility and organization of the faith.

Correct Answer: A is true but R is false.

The Earth's topmost layer (crust) has a specific gravity of about 2.7 and transverse earthquake waves (S-waves) travel through it at approximately 3.5 km/s. It is thickest under continents and thinnest under oceans, making statement 3 incorrect.

India's foreign trade has seen growth, and currency devaluation can influence trade, but the growth is driven by multiple factors like global demand and policy changes, not solely devaluation. Both statements are generally considered true in economic contexts, but the reason is not the sole explanation.

Bindusara, the son of Chandragupta Maurya, is credited with expanding the Mauryan Empire and conquering the land between the two seas (the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal).

Rivers form natural levees, wind creates zeugen, glaciers form roche moutonnee, and underground water creates blind valleys.

The Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) conferred the Sir M. Visvesvaraya Memorial Award 2010 to Nandan Nilakeni, Chairman, Unique Identification Authority of India on September 15, 2010. September 15 is the birthday of FKCCI founder and Nobel Laureate Sir M. Visvesvaraya.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank was on August 21, 2010 selected for the Rahul Sankrityayan Tourism Award of the Union Tourism Ministry for 2008-09 for his book “Himalaya Ka Mahakumbh - Nanda Raj Jat”. The award, which is given for best book written in Hindi on tourism, carries a citation and Rs. 20,000. The book is about the royal pilgrimage of goddess Nanda Devi that takes place every 12 years mainly in Chamoli district.

With the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee being mired in charges of corruption, the Lead Sponsor, the Indian Railways decided against giving sponsorship worth Rs. 100 crore. It allocated the sum to the Sports Ministry instead.

Francis Ford Coppola, director of cult classic films such as the 'Godfather series', will be awarded a lifetime achievement Oscar by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on November 13, 2010. The Academy said that Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award would be presented to him on November 13. Awards will also be presented to historian and preservationist Kevin Brownlow, director Jean-Luc Godard and actor Eli Wallach.

Former Law Secretary, T.K. Viswanathan, Adviser to the Union Minister for Law and Justice M. Veerappa Moily, was appointed new Secretary-General of the Lok Sabha with effect from October 1, 2010. Viswanathan, 62, succeeded P.D.T. Achary, who relinquished office on September 30. Achary served as Secretary-General for six years and was given a year's extension in 2009.

Ranchi is known for heavy engineering (HEC), Perambur for the Integral Coach Factory, Narora for its atomic power station, and Bhopal for heavy electricals (BHEL).

Badminton player Saina Nehwal was on August 19, 2010 announced as the brand ambassador for Andhra Pradesh Tourism. Though hailing from Haryana, Saina has made Hyderabad her home now.

The Special Bench of the Allahabad High Court in its judgment on September 30 ruled that one-third each of the disputed land in Ayodhya would be given to the Sunni Central Waqf Board Waqf Board, Nirmohi Akhara and the representatives of “Ram Lalla Virajman”.

“National Amity Award” was conferred posthumously on Sunil Dutt: The Vice President of India, M. Hamid Ansari conferred the “National Amity Award” posthumously for the year 2010 to late actor and parliamentarian Sunil Dutt on July 30, 2010. The award was received by his daughter Priya Dutt, Member of Parliament and it comprises of a Citation and a cash award of Rs 1 lakh.

Former Union minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi (2007), senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi (2008) and senior SP leader Mohan Singh (2009) were conferred the Outstanding Parliamentarian award by President Pratibha Patil on August 18, 2010.

Parliament has approved voting rights for non-resident Indians in elections with the Lok Sabha adopting the Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill, 2010 on September 1, 2010. The Rajya Sabha had passed the Bill earlier.
The Bill aims at providing rights to Indians who had gone abroad for employment or education, but had not obtained citizenship of the country where they were residing now, to get registered in the electoral rolls and vote in elections to legislatures and Parliament. The voting rights are available for Indian passport holders only.
The Bill does not confer on the NRIs the right to contest elections. The NRIs would be allowed to register as voters in the constituency from where they obtained their passports.
Internet voting was one option the government would consider.

Kudremukh is famous for iron ore, Mosabani for copper, Birmitrapur for dolomite, and Lohardaga for bauxite.