The 2015 Codex
Questions 41 to 50 (Set A)
Consider the following: The arrival of Babur into India led to the
1. introduction of gunpowder in the subcontinent
2. introduction of the arch and dome in the region's architecture
3. establishment of Timurid dynasty in the region
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (b) 3 only
This question relies on precise historical timelines.
- Statement 1 is False: Gunpowder was introduced in the Indian subcontinent much earlier (around the 13th/14th century) by the Mongols and was used by the Bahmani kingdom long before Babur. Babur popularized the use of cannons and field artillery (in the First Battle of Panipat, 1526), but he did not introduce gunpowder itself.
- Statement 2 is False: The true arch and dome were introduced to Indian architecture by the Delhi Sultanate (Turks/Arabs) centuries before Babur arrived (e.g., Alai Darwaza, built by Alauddin Khalji in 1311).
- Statement 3 is True: Babur was a descendant of Timur (from his father's side) and Genghis Khan (from his mother's side). Thus, his arrival definitively established the Timurid dynasty (which we call the Mughal Empire) in the region.
The Mughal Anchor
The Paradigm Shift
The Government of India has established NITI Aayog to replace the
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (d) Planning Commission
On January 1, 2015, the Government of India officially established the NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India). This modern think tank was designed to completely replace the Soviet-style, 65-year-old Planning Commission, fundamentally shifting India's development paradigm from a central "top-down" command structure to a "bottom-up" cooperative federalism model.
Route: [REALM 86: NITI Aayog vs Planning Commission]What is Rio+20 Conference, often mentioned in the news?
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (a) It is the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development
The historic Earth Summit (UN Conference on Environment and Development) was held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. Exactly twenty years later, in 2012, world leaders gathered again in the exact same city to assess global environmental progress. Because it marked the 20th anniversary, this specific United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) became universally known as Rio+20. (It was here that the transition from Millennium Development Goals to Sustainable Development Goals was birthed in a document titled "The Future We Want").
Route: [REALM 182: Earth Summits & UNCSD]The Timeline of Sustainability
The Constitutional Roles
Consider the following statements:
1. The Executive Power of the Union of India is vested in the Prime Minister.
2. The Prime Minister is the ex officio Chairman of the Civil Services Board.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (d) Neither 1 nor 2
This question tests formal constitutional definitions versus practical political realities.
Statement 1 is False: While the Prime Minister is the real head of the government, Article 53 of the Constitution explicitly states that the executive power of the Union shall be vested in the President and shall be exercised by him either directly or through officers subordinate to him.
Statement 2 is False: The Civil Services Board, which is responsible for the transfers and postings of senior officers, is headed by the topmost career bureaucrat in the country—the Cabinet Secretary—not the Prime Minister.
Route: [REALM 76: The President (Executive Powers)] & [REALM 221: Civil Services]The term 'Goldilocks Zone' is often seen in the news in the context of
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (c) search for the Earth-like planets in outer space
In astronomy and astrobiology, the Goldilocks Zone (officially the Circumstellar Habitable Zone) refers to the specific orbital band around a star where temperatures are "just right"—neither too hot nor too cold—allowing liquid water to pool on the surface of an orbiting planet. Finding exoplanets in this exact zone is the primary target in the astronomical search for Earth-like planets and extraterrestrial life.
Route: [REALM 379: Space Exploration (Exoplanets)]The Habitable Orbit
The Southern Salt
Who of the following organized a march on the Tanjore coast to break the Salt Law in April 1930?
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (b) C. Rajagopalachari
During the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930, while Mahatma Gandhi led the historic Dandi March in Gujarat, synchronized salt marches were organized across India.
In the Madras Presidency, the veteran Congress leader C. Rajagopalachari (Rajaji) led the famous Vedaranyam Salt March. He and his volunteers marched from Tiruchirappalli to the coastal town of Vedaranyam on the Tanjore (Thanjavur) coast to defiantly collect salt and break the British salt law.
Route: [REALM 38: Civil Disobedience Movement (Regional Leaders)]Who of the following founded a new city on the south bank of a tributary to river Krishna and undertook to rule his new kingdom as the agent of a deity to whom all the land south of the river Krishna was supposed to belong?
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (c) Harihara I
This beautifully describes the legendary founding of the Vijayanagara Empire.
In 1336, the Sangama brothers, Harihara I and Bukka I, founded the city of Vijayanagara on the southern banks of the Tungabhadra River (a major tributary of the Krishna River). To legitimize their rule, they claimed they were ruling the vast southern lands strictly as representatives/agents (Rantas) of the patron deity of the realm, Lord Virupaksha.
Route: [REALM 34: Vijayanagara Empire Origins]The Divine Agent
The Congress Roster
Consider the following statements:
1. The first woman President of the Indian National Congress was Sarojini Naidu.
2. The first Muslim President of the Indian National Congress was Badruddin Tyabji.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (b) 2 only
This relies on precise historical trivia regarding the INC sessions.
Statement 1 is False: This is a very common trap. Annie Besant was the first woman President of the Indian National Congress (Calcutta Session, 1917). Sarojini Naidu was the first Indian woman President (Kanpur Session, 1925).
Statement 2 is True: Badruddin Tyabji became the first Muslim President of the INC at the third session held in Madras in 1887.
Route: [REALM 26: Important INC Sessions]Which of the following statements regarding 'Green Climate Fund' is/are correct?
1. It is intended to assist the developing countries in adaptation and mitigation practices to counter climate change.
2. It is founded under the aegis of UNEP, OECD, Asian Development Bank and World Bank.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (a) 1 only
The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is the world’s largest dedicated climate fund.
Statement 1 is True: The core mandate of the GCF is to channel climate finance from developed nations to assist developing countries in their mitigation (cutting emissions) and adaptation (building resilience) practices to counter climate change.
Statement 2 is False: This is an institutional trap. The GCF was NOT founded under the aegis of UNEP, OECD, or the World Bank. It was officially established as the operating entity of the financial mechanism of the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) at COP 16 in Cancun (2010).
Route: [REALM 200: Climate Finance & UNFCCC]The Climate Vault
The Martian Medal
Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for 2014 was given to which one of the following?
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (c) Indian Space Research Organization
The prestigious Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for the year 2014 was awarded to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The award specifically recognized ISRO's historic achievement of successfully placing the Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan) in Martian orbit in its very first attempt, showcasing India's prowess in peaceful space exploration and international cooperation.
Route: [REALM 378: Indian Space Achievements]