The 2014 Codex
Questions 41 to 50 (Set A)
Which of the following have coral reefs?
1. Andaman and Nicobar Islands
2. Gulf of Kachchh
3. Gulf of Mannar
4. Sunderbans
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (a) 1, 2 and 3 only
Coral reefs require very specific conditions to thrive: shallow, warm, clear, and salt-rich marine waters free from heavy silt or sediment.
- 1, 2, and 3 are True: India has four major coral reef regions: The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep Islands, Gulf of Mannar, and the Gulf of Kachchh.
- 4 is False: The Sunderbans is the world's largest delta formed by the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers. It brings down massive amounts of silt, mud, and freshwater, which makes the water highly turbid. Corals absolutely cannot survive in muddy, silt-heavy, or brackish deltaic waters because the silt blocks the sunlight necessary for their symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) to photosynthesize.
The Coral Habitat
The Root Anchor
In India, the problem of soil erosion is associated with which of the following?
1. Terrace cultivation
2. Deforestation
3. Tropical climate
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (b) 2 only
This question tests your ability to distinguish between causes, solutions, and natural background states.
- 1. Terrace Cultivation: False. Terrace farming (cutting steps into a mountain) is an agricultural conservation technique specifically designed to prevent and reduce soil erosion, not cause it.
- 2. Deforestation: True. Removing tree cover destroys the intricate root systems that anchor the topsoil, directly exposing it to massive wind and water erosion. This is the primary human-driven cause of soil erosion in India.
- 3. Tropical Climate: False. A tropical climate (with heavy monsoons) is just a natural geographical condition. Heavy rain causes erosion only if the land has been deforested or mismanaged. Intact tropical rainforests experience almost zero soil erosion. Therefore, the climate itself is not the "problem" associated with erosion.
The seasonal reversal of winds is the typical characteristic of
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (c) Monsoon climate
The very word "Monsoon" is derived from the Arabic word mausim, which literally translates to "season".
The absolute defining feature of a Monsoon Climate is the complete 180-degree seasonal reversal of wind direction. In the summer, intense heating of the Asian landmass creates a low-pressure zone, drawing moisture-laden winds from the southwest (South-West Monsoon). In the winter, the land cools, creating high pressure, and the winds reverse, blowing from the northeast towards the sea (North-East Monsoon).
Note: Equatorial climates have consistent heat and rain year-round without seasonal wind shifts. Mediterranean climates have wet winters and dry summers due to the shifting of wind belts, but not a total 180-degree reversal.
Route: [REALM 11: World Climates (Monsoon Dynamics)]The Great Reversal
The Sacred Quincunx
With reference to the cultural history of India, the term 'Panchayatan' refers to
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (c) a style of temple construction
In ancient Indian Hindu architecture, Panchayatan is a specific layout or style of temple construction (from 'Pancha' meaning five, and 'Ayatana' meaning abode).
In a Panchayatan layout, the main temple honoring the primary deity (like Shiva or Vishnu) is built on a rectangular plinth in the center, and it is surrounded by four smaller subsidiary shrines (housing associated deities like Ganesha, Surya, etc.) at the four corners of the plinth. Famous examples include the Dashavatara Temple at Deogarh and the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple at Khajuraho.
Note: Do not confuse 'Panchayatan' with 'Panchayat' (an assembly of village elders).
Route: [REALM 28: Temple Architecture Styles]Consider the following rivers:
1. Barak
2. Lohit
3. Subansiri
Which of the above flows/flow through Arunachal Pradesh?
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (b) 2 and 3 only
This maps the incredibly diverse river systems of North-East India.
- 2. Lohit & 3. Subansiri: Both are massive, powerful tributaries of the Brahmaputra River. Subansiri (the largest tributary) originates in Tibet and flows south through Arunachal Pradesh. Lohit originates in eastern Tibet and flows through the Mishmi Hills in Arunachal Pradesh before meeting the Brahmaputra.
- 1. Barak: The Barak River is a major river in southern North-East India. It originates in the Manipur Hills, flows through Manipur, Mizoram, and Assam, and eventually enters Bangladesh (as the Surma/Kushiyara). It does not flow anywhere near Arunachal Pradesh, which lies far to the north.
The Eastern Drainage
The Avian Deltas
Consider the following pairs: Wetlands : Confluence of rivers
| 1. Harike Wetlands | Confluence of Beas and Satluj/Sutlej |
| 2. Keoladeo Ghana National Park | Confluence of Banas and Chambal |
| 3. Kolleru Lake | Confluence of Musi and Krishna |
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (a) 1 only
This deeply tests the hydrology of India's most famous Ramsar wetlands.
- 1. Harike Wetlands: True. This is a massive man-made riverine wetland in Punjab, formed precisely at the confluence of the Beas and Sutlej rivers.
- 2. Keoladeo Ghana: False. This famous bird sanctuary in Bharatpur, Rajasthan is a man-made wetland situated at the confluence of the Gambhir and Banganga rivers, not the Banas and Chambal.
- 3. Kolleru Lake: False. Kolleru is one of the largest shallow freshwater lakes in Asia. It is located between the deltas of the Godavari and Krishna rivers. It is not situated at the confluence of the Musi and Krishna rivers (which happens far away near Wazirabad in Telangana).
Which one of the following pairs does not form part of the six systems of Indian Philosophy?
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (c) Lokayata and Kapalika
Indian philosophy is broadly divided into Orthodox (Astika, which accept the authority of the Vedas) and Heterodox (Nastika, which reject the Vedas).
The "Six Systems of Indian Philosophy" (Shad Darshana) strictly refer to the six orthodox schools: Sankhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Purva Mimamsa, and Uttara Mimamsa (Vedanta).
Lokayata (also known as Charvaka) is an ancient school of absolute materialist atheism, completely rejecting the Vedas (a Nastika school). Kapalika was an obscure, heterodox, tantric Shaivite ascetic sect. Therefore, they are not part of the six orthodox systems.
Route: [REALM 17: Schools of Indian Philosophy]The Shad Darshana
The Topographic Mismatch
Consider the following pairs: Hills : Region
| 1. Cardamom Hills | Coromandel Coast |
| 2. Kaimur Hills | Konkan Coast |
| 3. Mahadeo Hills | Central India |
| 4. Mikir Hills | North-East India |
Which of the above pairs are correctly matched?
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (c) 3 and 4
This maps famous hill ranges to their broader geographic regions.
- 3. Mahadeo Hills (True): Located in Madhya Pradesh, forming a critical part of the Satpura Range in Central India.
- 4. Mikir Hills (True): A group of hills located to the south of the Kaziranga National Park in Assam, definitively making them part of North-East India.
- 1. Cardamom Hills (False): Located in the deep south of Kerala/Tamil Nadu along the Western Ghats (Malabar Coast side), absolutely not the Coromandel Coast (which is the eastern coast of Tamil Nadu/AP).
- 2. Kaimur Hills (False): The eastern portion of the Vindhya Range, running through Madhya Pradesh, UP, and Bihar. They are deep inland and have absolutely nothing to do with the Konkan Coast (which is the western coastline of Maharashtra/Goa).
Which one of the following Schedules of the Constitution of India contains provisions regarding anti-defection?
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (d) Tenth Schedule
The "Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram" politics of the 1960s and 70s saw politicians constantly switching parties for bribes and ministerial posts.
To combat this, the Rajiv Gandhi government passed the 52nd Constitutional Amendment Act in 1985. This amendment specifically added the Tenth Schedule to the Constitution, which lays down the strict legal provisions and mechanisms for the disqualification of Members of Parliament and State Legislatures on the grounds of political defection.
Note: 2nd = Salaries, 5th = Tribal Areas, 8th = Recognized Languages.
Route: [REALM 129: Anti-Defection Law (10th Schedule)]The Party Shield
The Coexistence Circles
The most important strategy for the conservation of biodiversity together with traditional human life is the establishment of
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (a) biosphere reserves
The core conceptual difference between a National Park and a Biosphere Reserve lies in human coexistence.
National Parks are strictly protected areas designed to completely eliminate human interference (no grazing, no settlements). However, Biosphere Reserves (conceptualized under UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere programme) are specifically designed to balance ecological conservation with sustainable development. They feature a multi-zone structure (Core, Buffer, Transition), where the outermost Transition zone actively promotes and protects traditional human life, tribal settlements, and sustainable agriculture harmoniously alongside nature.
Route: [REALM 93: In-Situ Conservation (Biosphere Reserves)]