The 2020 Codex
Questions 71 to 80 (Set A)
With reference to the cultural history of India, consider the following pairs:
| 1. Parivrajaka | Renunciant and Wanderer |
| 2. Shramana | Priest with a high status |
| 3. Upasaka | Lay follower of Buddhism |
Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (b) 1 and 3 only
Pair 1 is Correct: Parivrajaka literally translates to "one who wanders around". It refers to a wandering ascetic or renunciant in ancient India who left home to seek truth.
Pair 2 is False: This is a massive theological inversion. The Shramana tradition (which gave rise to Jainism, Buddhism, and Ajivikas) consisted of heterodox ascetics who completely rejected the authority of the Vedas and the Brahmanical caste system. Therefore, they were the absolute opposite of a "Priest with a high status" (which would be a Brahmana).
Pair 3 is Correct: An Upasaka (male) or Upasika (female) refers to a lay follower of Buddhism—someone who has taken refuge in the Three Jewels but has not taken the strict vows of a monk or nun.
Route: [REALM 16: Jainism & Buddhism]The Heterodox Path
The Matriarch
With reference to Indian elephants, consider the following statements:
1. The leader of an elephant group is a female.
2. The maximum gestation period can be 22 months.
3. An elephant can normally go on calving till the age of 40 years only.
4. Among the States in India, the highest elephant population is in Kerala.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (a) 1 and 2 only
Statement 1 is True: Elephant herds are strictly matriarchal, led by the oldest and largest female (the matriarch).
Statement 2 is True: Elephants have the longest gestation period of any mammal, lasting up to 22 months.
Statement 3 is False: The word "only" is the trap. Elephants live long lives (60-70 years) and females can continue calving well into their 50s or even 60s, though fertility declines.
Statement 4 is False: According to the Elephant Census, Karnataka consistently has the highest elephant population in India, followed by Assam and then Kerala.
Route: [REALM 105: Elephant Conservation]Which of the following Protected Areas are located in Cauvery basin?
1. Nagarhole National Park
2. Papikonda National Park
3. Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve
4. Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (c) 1, 3 and 4 only
This maps the tributaries of the Cauvery River across South India:
- 1. Nagarhole: Sits in Karnataka, drained by the Kabini river (a major tributary of the Cauvery).
- 4. Wayanad: In Kerala, also drained by the Kabini river flowing into the Cauvery.
- 3. Sathyamangalam: In Tamil Nadu, lies near the Moyar and Bhavani rivers, which are also major tributaries of the Cauvery.
2. Papikonda is the odd one out: It is located far up north in Andhra Pradesh, spread across the banks of the Godavari River, nowhere near the Cauvery basin.
Route: [REALM 93: Protected Areas] & [REALM 19: Peninsular Drainage]The Southern Tributaries
The Avian Canopy
With reference to India's biodiversity, Ceylon frogmouth, Coppersmith barbet, Gray-chinned minivet and White-throated redstart are
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (a) Birds
This is a pure vocabulary/taxonomy test on Indian fauna. The words "barbet" (known for their metallic calls), "minivet" (brightly colored slender birds), "redstart" (a type of flycatcher/chat), and "frogmouth" (a nocturnal bird related to nightjars) all denote specific families of Birds (Aves) found across various habitats in the Indian subcontinent.
Route: [REALM 66: Biodiversity Distribution]Which one of the following protected areas is well-known for the conservation of a sub-species of the Indian swamp deer (Barasingha) that thrives well on hard ground and is exclusively graminivorous?
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (a) Kanha National Park
The Barasingha (Swamp Deer) is generally found in wet, marshy areas (like Kaziranga or Dudhwa). However, there is a highly unique sub-species that evolved to survive on hard ground. This rare sub-species (*Rucervus duvaucelii branderi*) was brought back from the absolute brink of extinction through a spectacular conservation effort exclusively at Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh. (Kanha even introduced a mascot named 'Bhoorsingh the Barasingha' to celebrate this).
Route: [REALM 93: Protected Areas] & [REALM 107: Critically Endangered Species Recovery]The Hard Ground Survivor
The Iron Alchemy
Steel slag can be the material for which of the following?
1. Construction of base road
2. Improvement of agricultural soil
3. Production of cement
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (d) 1, 2 and 3
Steel slag is a massive industrial by-product of steelmaking. Instead of dumping it in landfills, it has brilliant circular economy applications.
1. Road Base: Its hard, crushed nature makes it an excellent aggregate for the sub-base of roads (Surat famously built a 100% steel slag road).
2. Agriculture: Slag is highly alkaline and rich in silicates, calcium, and magnesium. It is heavily used as an amendment to neutralize acidic agricultural soils.
3. Cement: Ground Granulated Blast-furnace Slag (GGBS) is a standard additive used globally to make Portland Slag Cement, reducing the carbon footprint of cement production.
Route: [REALM 142: Solid Waste Management] & [REALM 150: Waste-to-Energy & Circularity]Which of the following are the most likely places to find the musk deer in its natural habitat?
1. Askot Wildlife Sanctuary
2. Gangotri National Park
3. Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary
4. Manas National Park
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (a) 1 and 2 only
The Alpine Musk Deer is an endangered species uniquely adapted to extreme high-altitude, cold, alpine, and sub-alpine environments (usually above 2500m) in the Himalayas.
- 1. Askot: Specifically established in Uttarakhand for the conservation of the musk deer. (True)
- 2. Gangotri: High altitude national park in Uttarakhand; prime musk deer territory. (True)
- 3. Kishanpur: Located in the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve area in the Terai lowlands of Uttar Pradesh. Too low and hot for musk deer. (False)
- 4. Manas: Located in the tropical/subtropical foothills of Assam. (False)
The Alpine Scent
The Green Asphalt
In rural road construction, the use of which of the following is preferred for ensuring environmental sustainability or to reduce carbon footprint?
1. Copper slag
2. Cold mix asphalt technology
3. Geotextiles
4. Hot mix asphalt technology
5. Portland cement
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (a) 1, 2 and 3 only
The goal is to reduce the carbon footprint in initiatives like the PM Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).
1. Copper slag: Reusing industrial waste as an aggregate instead of mining fresh stone is highly sustainable.
2. Cold mix asphalt: Unlike traditional methods, this does not require heating the bitumen to extreme temperatures, saving massive amounts of fossil fuel and preventing toxic smoke.
3. Geotextiles: Using coir/jute nets prevents soil erosion and increases the road's lifespan naturally.
4 & 5 are False: Hot mix asphalt requires burning intense amounts of fuel. Portland cement manufacturing is one of the single largest industrial emitters of CO2 globally. Neither reduces the carbon footprint.
Route: [REALM 103: Road Transport] & [REALM 242: Green Transport]Consider the following statements:
1. Coal ash contains arsenic, lead and mercury.
2. Coal-fired power plants release sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen into the environment.
3. High ash content is observed in Indian coal.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (d) 1, 2 and 3
This covers the fundamental environmental hazards of thermal power.
Statement 1 is True: Fly ash (coal ash) left over after burning contains concentrated amounts of highly toxic heavy metals like arsenic, lead, mercury, and radioactive isotopes.
Statement 2 is True: The combustion of coal releases massive amounts of Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) and Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), which are the primary precursors to acid rain and severe smog.
Statement 3 is True: This is a defining geographic characteristic of Indian coal (Gondwana coal). It is notorious globally for having an exceptionally high ash content (often 30% to 45%), making it highly polluting and inefficient to burn compared to imported coal.
Route: [REALM 68: Coal] & [REALM 152: Air Pollution]The Black Plume
The Black Sponge
What is the use of biochar in farming?
1. Biochar can be used as a part of the growing medium in vertical farming.
2. When biochar is a part of the growing medium, it promotes the growth of nitrogen-fixing microorganisms.
3. When biochar is a part of the growing medium, it enables the growing medium to retain water for longer time.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (d) 1, 2 and 3
Biochar is essentially high-grade charcoal produced by the pyrolysis of biomass (like crop stubble) used as a soil amendment.
Because it is intensely porous and lightweight, it acts exactly like a sponge. This means it absorbs and retains water for a much longer time (Statement 3), preventing drought stress.
Those microscopic pores provide safe, perfect housing environments for beneficial soil bacteria, actively promoting the growth of nitrogen-fixing microorganisms (Statement 2) and trapping nutrients from washing away.
Because it is highly lightweight, retains moisture, and reduces the need for heavy soil/fertilizers, it is increasingly being used globally as a growing medium matrix in modern vertical farming and hydroponic setups (Statement 1).
Route: [REALM 27: Organic & Ecological Farming] & [REALM 328: Conservation Agriculture]