The 2015 Codex
Questions 11 to 20 (Set A)
What can be the impact of excessive/inappropriate use of nitrogenous fertilizers in agriculture?
1. Proliferation of nitrogen-fixing microorganisms in soil can occur.
2. Increase in the acidity of soil can take place.
3. Leaching of nitrate to the groundwater can occur.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (c) 2 and 3 only
Overuse of synthetic nitrogenous fertilizers (like urea) leads to severe environmental consequences.
- Statement 1 is False: When nitrogen is artificially flooded into the soil, natural symbiotic nitrogen-fixing microorganisms (like Rhizobium) actually suppress their activity because they no longer need to work hard to extract nitrogen from the air. Thus, there is no proliferation.
- Statement 2 is True: Chemical nitrification of excess ammonium from fertilizers releases hydrogen ions, which steadily increases the acidity of the agricultural soil over time.
- Statement 3 is True: Excess nitrates are highly soluble in water and easily wash past the root zone, resulting in the leaching of nitrates into groundwater (causing hazards like Blue Baby Syndrome).
The Chemical Leach
The Conservation Twins
With reference to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. IUCN is an organ of the United Nations and CITES is an international agreement between governments.
2. IUCN runs thousands of field projects around the world to better manage natural environments.
3. CITES is legally binding on the States that have joined it, but this Convention does not take the place of national laws.
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (b) 2 and 3 only
This contrasts two major global conservation entities.
- Statement 1 is False: While CITES is an international treaty between governments, the IUCN is NOT an organ of the United Nations. It is an international NGO composed of both government and civil society organizations.
- Statement 2 is True: The IUCN operates thousands of field projects globally, alongside compiling the famous IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
- Statement 3 is True: CITES is legally binding on state parties, but it acts as an international framework; it does not replace national laws, meaning each member country must enact its own domestic legislation to penalize wildlife trafficking.
The Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane is approved by the
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (a) Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs
A classic institutional governance trap. Many aspirants mistakenly think CACP approves prices because CACP *recommends* them.
The Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) only formulates and recommends the pricing policy. However, the final statutory approval and official announcement of the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for sugarcane is done by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by the Prime Minister of India.
Route: [REALM 121: Minimum Support Price & FRP]The Cabinet Seal
The Ocean Accumulation
What explains the eastward flow of the equatorial counter-current?
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (b) Convergence of the two equatorial currents
The Equatorial Counter-Current flows from west to east, directly in between the westward-flowing North Equatorial Current and South Equatorial Current.
Because the trade winds push vast amounts of surface water continuously westward, water piles up (accumulates) higher on the western side of ocean basins (like near the Philippines/Indonesia). Due to this slope/pressure gradient, a return flow of water rushes eastward between the two currents, functioning like water seeking its level. Thus, it is explained by the convergence and accumulation of water by the two equatorial currents.
Route: [REALM 10: Ocean Currents]Consider the following pairs: Place of Pilgrimage : Location
| 1. Srisailam | Nallamala Hills |
| 2. Omkareshwar | Satmala Hills |
| 3. Pushkar | Mahadeo Hills |
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (a) 1 only
This maps sacred pilgrimage sites to their correct geographic hill ranges:
- 1. Srisailam (True): Famous for the Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga, located directly amidst the dense, picturesque Nallamala Hills in Andhra Pradesh.
- 2. Omkareshwar (False): Famous Jyotirlinga on an island in the Narmada River, located in the Mandhata / Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh. Satmala Hills are located much further south in Maharashtra.
- 3. Pushkar (False): Famous for its Brahma temple and camel fair, located near Ajmer in Rajasthan, cradled by the Aravalli Range. Mahadeo Hills are part of the Satpura range in central MP.
The Sacred Ranges
The Black Act Protest
With reference to Rowlatt Satyagraha, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. The Rowlatt Act was based on the recommendations of the 'Sedition Committee'.
2. In Rowlatt Satyagraha, Gandhiji tried to utilize the Home Rule League.
3. Demonstrations against the arrival of Simon Commission coincided with Rowlatt Satyagraha.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (b) 1 and 2 only
The Rowlatt Satyagraha of 1919 was Mahatma Gandhi's first pan-Indian mass political struggle.
- Statement 1 is True: The Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act (popularly known as the Rowlatt Act) was officially formulated based on the recommendations of the Sedition Committee, chaired by Sir Sidney Rowlatt.
- Statement 2 is True: Recognizing the existing organizational strength of the All-India Home Rule League (previously led by Tilak and Annie Besant), Gandhi actively utilized its local networks, branches, and activists to organize the nationwide hartals and protests.
- Statement 3 is False: This is a massive chronological timeline trap. The Rowlatt Satyagraha happened in 1919, whereas the arrival of the Simon Commission in India occurred nearly a decade later, in 1928.
Among the following, which were frequently mentioned in the news for the outbreak of Ebola virus recently?
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (b) Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia
The 2014–2016 West African Ebola epidemic was the most devastating outbreak of the Ebola virus in history. It originated in West Africa, with the epicenter centered primarily across three neighboring countries: Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, causing widespread international emergency and thousands of fatalities before being successfully contained.
Route: [REALM 191: Global Health Emergencies (Ebola)]The West African Epicenter
The Toxic Powder
With reference to 'fly ash' produced by the power plants using coal as fuel, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. Fly ash can be used in the production of bricks for building construction.
2. Fly ash can be used as a replacement for some of the Portland cement contents of concrete.
3. Fly ash is made up of silicon dioxide and calcium oxide only, and does not contain any toxic elements.
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (a) 1 and 2
Fly ash is a fine powder byproduct resulting from the combustion of pulverized coal in thermal power plants.
Statements 1 and 2 are True: Because fly ash is rich in silica and alumina, it possesses pozzolanic properties. It is widely and effectively used to manufacture lightweight bricks and as a partial replacement for Portland cement in concrete, reducing construction costs and lowering carbon emissions.
Statement 3 is False: The word "only" and the claim that it "does not contain any toxic elements" is an absolute trap. Fly ash concentrates heavy metals from coal, containing dangerous and toxic elements like arsenic, lead, mercury, and chromium.
Route: [REALM 142: Solid Waste Management (Fly Ash)]With reference to 'dugong', a mammal found in India, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. It is a herbivorous marine animal.
2. It is found along the entire coast of India.
3. It is given legal protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (c) 1 and 3
The Dugong (Sea Cow) is a rare marine mammal.
Statement 1 is True: It is indeed a strictly herbivorous marine mammal that grazes on sea grass meadows in shallow coastal waters.
Statement 2 is False: The phrase "entire coast of India" is a sweeping trap. Dugongs are restricted to very specific, isolated pockets in India where seagrass beds thrive, primarily the Gulf of Mannar, Palk Bay, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands—not the entire Indian coastline.
Statement 3 is True: To prevent its extinction from poaching and habitat loss, it enjoys the highest level of absolute legal protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
Route: [REALM 105: Marine Wildlife Conservation]The Gentle Sea Cow
The Drain Theorists
Who of the following was/were economic critic/critics of colonialism in India?
1. Dadabhai Naoroji
2. G. Subramania Iyer
3. R. C. Dutt
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (d) 1, 2 and 3
The early nationalist leaders meticulously exposed the economic mechanisms of British imperialism through the famous "Drain of Wealth" theory.
- 1. Dadabhai Naoroji: The "Grand Old Man of India," author of Poverty and Un-British Rule in India, who first systematically quantified how wealth was being drained to Britain.
- 2. G. Subramania Iyer: Founder of The Hindu and the Madras Mahajana Sabha, who heavily analyzed and critiqued colonial taxation and budget policies.
- 3. R. C. Dutt: A brilliant economic historian, author of The Economic History of India, detailing the destruction of Indian handicrafts and land revenue extortion.