[Answers with Explanation] UPSC prelims GS1 paper 2023

Q51. Consider the following statements in relation to Janani Suraksha Yojana:

1. It is a safe motherhood intervention of the state health departments.
2. Its objective is to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality among poor pregnant women.
3. It aims to promote institutional delivery among poor pregnant women.
4. Its objective includes providing public health facilities to sick infants up to one year of age.

How many of the above statements are correct?

(a) Only one
(b)Only Two
(c) All Three
(d)All Four

Answers: (b)

Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) is a safe motherhood intervention under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). Hence statement 1 is wrong.
It is being implemented with the objective of reducing maternal and neonatal mortality by promoting institutional delivery among poor pregnant women. Hence statements 2 and 3 are correct.
Entitlements for Sick infants under JSSK till one year after birth is under Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram. Hence statement 4 is wrong.

Q52. Consider the following statements in the context of interventions being undertaken under Anaemia Mukt Bharat strategy:

1. Provides prophylactic calcium supplementation for pre school children, adolescents and pregnant women.
2. It runs a campaign for delayed cord clamping at the time of childbirth.
3. It provides for periodic deworming to children and adolescents.
4. It addresses non nutritional causes of anaemia in endemic pockets with special focus on malaria hemoglobinopathies and fluorosis.

How many of the above statements are correct?

(a) Only one
(b)Only Two
(c) All Three
(d)All Four

 Answer: (c)

Prophylactic Iron Folic Acid supplementation given to children, adolescents, women of reproductive age and pregnant women, irrespective of anemia is a key continued intervention under Anemia Mukt Bharat.
Promotion and monitoring of delayed clamping of the umbilical cord for at least 3 minutes (or until cord pulsations cease) for newborns across all health facilities will be carried out for improving the infant’s iron reserves up to 6 months after birth.
Deworming of Children and school going and out of school going adolescents.
The strategy attempts to intensify awareness and integrate screening and treatment for following non nutritional causes of anaemia with special focus on malaria, haemoglobinopathies and fluorosis.

Q53. Consider the following statements:

1. Carbon Fibres are used in the manufacture of components used in automobiles and aircrafts.
2. Carbon fibres once used cannot be recycled.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (a)

Carbon fibres can be defined as fibres with a carbon content of 90% or above.
Carbon fibres are used to manufacture components used in automobiles and aircrafts.
Carbon fibres can be recycled by the process of pyrolysis and Solvolysis.

Q54. Consider the following actions:

1. Detection of car crash/collision which results in a deployment of airbags almost instantaneously.
2. Detection of accidental freefall of a laptop towards the ground which results in the immediate turning off of the hard drive.
3. Detection of the tilt of the smartphone which results in the rotation of display between portrait and landscape mode.

How many of the above actions is the function of the accelerometer required?

(a) Only one
(b)Only Two
(c) All Three
(d)None

 Answer: (c)

An accelerometer is an electronic sensor that measures the acceleration forces acting on an object, in order to determine the object’s position in space and monitor the object’s movement.
In the case of a car crash/collision, the accelerometer is used to detect the sudden deceleration of the vehicle and trigger the deployment of the airbags.
In the case of a laptop falling, the accelerometer is used to detect the sudden change in motion and trigger the immediate turning off of the hard drive to prevent damage to the data.
Also used for the detection of the tilt of the smartphone which results in the rotation of the display between portrait and landscape mode.

Q55. With reference to the role of biofilters in Recirculating Aquaculture System, consider the following statements:

1. Biofilters provide waste treatment by removing uneaten fish feed.
2. Biofilters convert ammonia present in fish waste to nitrate.
3. Biofilters increase phosphorus as a nutrient for fish in water.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one
(b)Only Two
(c) All Three
(d)None

Answer: (b)

Biofilters use microorganisms, which are capable of degrading many compounds. They also provide waste treatment by removing uneaten fish feed.
Biofilters convert ammonia nitrogen to nitrite nitrogen and then to the less toxic nitrate nitrogen for the fish.
Biofilters do not increase phosphorus as nutrient for fish in water. Phosphorus (P) is in fact removed to reduce the potential for eutrophication in waters.

Q56. Consider the following pairs:

Objects in space	description
1.      Cepheids	Giant clouds of dust and gas in space
2.      Nebulae	Stars which Brighton and dimpy periodically
3.      Pulsars	Neutron stars that are formed when massive stars run out of fuel and collapse

How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

(a) Only one
(b)Only Two
(c) All Three
(d)None

Answer (a)

Cepheids– Stars which Brighton and dimpy periodically.
Nebulae- Giant clouds of dust and gas in space.
Pulsars- Neutron stars that are formed when massive stars run out of fuel and collapse.

Q57. Which one of the following countries has its own satellite navigation system?

(a) Australia
(b) Canada
(c) Israel
(d)  Japan

Answer: (d)

There are 5 countries that operate through their indigenous GPS systems.
BeiDou / BDS (China)
Galileo (Europe)
GLONASS (Russia)
IRNSS / NavIC (India)
QZSS (Japan)

Q58. Consider the following statements:

1. Ballistic missiles are jet propelled at subsonic speeds throughout their flights, while cruise missiles are rocket powered only in the initial phase of the flight.
2. Agni-V is a medium range supersonic cruise missile, while BrahMos is a solid fuelled intercontinental ballistic missile.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer (d)

The definitions are interchanged in both the statements.
Cruise missiles are jet propelled at subsonic speeds throughout their flights, while Ballistic missiles are rocket powered only in the initial phase of the flight.
BrahMos is a medium range supersonic cruise missile, while Agni-V is a solid fuelled intercontinental ballistic missile.

Q59. Consider the following statements regarding mercury pollution:

1. Gold mining activity is a source of mercury pollution in the world.
2. Coal based thermal power plants cause mercury pollution.
3. There is no safe level of exposure to mercury.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one
(b)Only Two
(c) All Three
(d)None

Answer (c)

Artisanal gold mining currently contributes more than 35 %of all global mercury emissions created by people.
When coal is burned to generate electricity, trace amounts of mercury present in coal can be released into the atmosphere as emissions. These emissions contribute to mercury pollution.
Mercury is a highly toxic element; there is no known safe level of exposure.

Q60. With reference to green hydrogen, consider the following statements:

1. It can be used directly as a fuel for internal combustion.
2. It can be blended with natural gas and used as fuel for heat or power generation.
3. It can be used in the hydrogen fuel cell to run vehicles.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one
(b)Only Two
(c) All Three
(d)None

Answer (c)

Green hydrogen can be used directly as a fuel for internal combustion by a hydrogen engine (HCE). It is a modified gasoline-powered engine but doesn’t emit any carbon-based pollution. .
HCEs operate similarly to 4-stroke gasoline engines (ICEs).
It can be blended with natural gas and used as fuel for heat or power generation.
It can be used in the hydrogen fuel cell to run vehicles.