UPSC-CSE Prelims General Studies 2001 Paper — Kerala PSC PYQ Practice with Answers

Correct answer (Option B):\nParliamentary committees are specialized instruments through which the legislature keeps tabs on executive action and administrative accountability. These committees (such as the Public Accounts Committee, Estimates Committee, and Committee on Public Undertakings) scrutinize administrative working, expenditures, and policies in detail.\nOption B is correct.\n\nWhy others are wrong:\nOption A describes consultative committees, which are attached to ministries but are advisory and chaired by ministers themselves, making them less a tool of direct legislative control. Option C is wrong because administrative reports are submitted via the executive rather than directly to lawmakers as an active control mechanism. Option D is an error because courts, not Parliament, issue writs.\n\nStudy tip:\nKeep a checklist of Standing Committees vs Ad-hoc Committees for legislative oversight. The Public Accounts Committee is often called the twin sister of the Estimates Committee.

Correct answer (Option B):\nSurya Sen, popularly known as Masterda, was a revolutionary nationalist who spearheaded the historic Chittagong Armoury Raid on April 18, 1930. He organized a band of revolutionaries under the banner of the Indian Republican Army to capture state armouries and disrupt communication lines.\nOption B is correct.\n\nWhy others are wrong:\nOption A is wrong as Captain Lakshmi Sehgal was an officer of the Indian National Army (INA) formed much later. Option C is wrong because Batukeshwar Datta was famously associated with Bhagat Singh in the 1929 Central Legislative Assembly bombing. Option D, J.M. Sengupta, was a prominent Congress politician in Bengal but not the organizer of this armed raid.\n\nStudy tip:\nRemember key revolutionary associations: Surya Sen is tied to Chittagong, Bhagat Singh and BK Datta to the HSRA, and Sachin Sanyal to the HRA.

Correct answer (Option D):\nThe Narasimham Committee (Committee on the Financial System) was set up in 1991 and 1998 to analyze and recommend structural reforms for India's banking system and financial sector. Its recommendations catalyzed changes in capital adequacy ratios, bank mergers, deregulation of interest rates, and the setting up of asset reconstruction companies.\nOption D is correct.\n\nWhy others are wrong:\nOption A is wrong because the Abid Hussain Committee focused on small-scale industries and trade policy reforms. Option B is wrong as the Bhagwati Committee dealt with unemployment and public welfare initiatives. Option C is wrong because the Raja Chelliah Committee was appointed to recommend sweeping tax structure reforms.\n\nStudy tip:\nAssociate Narasimham with banking and financial reforms, Chelliah with tax reforms, and Abid Hussain with small-scale industries (SSI) for structural economics questions.

Correct answer (Option A):\nThe Lingaraja Temple, built in the 11th century by the Somavamsi dynasty rulers (with additions by the Ganga rulers), is located in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. It is a masterpiece of the Kalinga style of architecture and is dedicated to Lord Shiva.\nOption A is correct.\n\nWhy others are wrong:\nOption B is wrong as Bijapur is famous for Islamic monuments like the Gol Gumbaz. Option C is incorrect since Kolkata does not host ancient Kalinga structural stone temples. Option D is an error because Shravanabelagola is a renowned Jain pilgrimage site in Karnataka housing the monolithic statue of Gommateshwara.\n\nStudy tip:\nBhubaneswar is often called the Temple City of India. Study the distinct architectural variations among the Lingaraja, Jagannath, and Konark Sun temples.

Correct answer (Option B):\nThe London branch of the All-India Muslim League was set up in May 1908 by Syed Ameer Ali. He was a distinguished jurist, author, and political leader who established this branch to actively lobby the British administration for Muslim political interests during the discussions on constitutional changes.\nOption B is correct.\n\nWhy others are wrong:\nOption A is incorrect because the Aga Khan III was the overall president of the main organization in India, not the specialized London branch head. Options C and D are wrong because Liaquat Ali Khan and Muhammad Ali Jinnah became prominent central league figures years later and did not establish this branch in 1908.\n\nStudy tip:\nSyed Ameer Ali is also known for writing the famous historical books 'The Spirit of Islam' and 'A Short History of the Saracens'.