Daily Quiz: UPSC Prelims Marathon – August 20, 2018

The Labour Party, which had come to power in Britain after the War, was in a hurry to settle the Indian problem. As a result the ban on the Congress was lifted and elections declared. The Indian National Army was an armed force formed by Indian nationalists in 1942 in Southeast Asia during World War II. Its aim was to secure Indian independence from British rule. RIN revolt occurred after the elections. Hence, it was not responsible for the declaration of elections by British government.

The Indian National Congress, along with Indian business leaders, kept away from the conference. Many of them were in jail for their participation in Civil Disobedience Movement. In 1930, the FICCI (in sharp contrast to the Liberals) advised its members to boycott the RoundTable Conference (RTC) stating that  no conference, convened for the purpose of discussing the problem of Indian constitutional advance can come to a solution, unless such a conference is attended by Mahatma Gandhi, as a free man, or has at least his aproval. This was partially because the capitalists did not want India to present a divided front at the RTC and because they knew only the Congress could actually deliver the goods. As Ambalal Sarabhai put it in November 1929, ‘Minus the support of the Congress, the government will not listen to you.’ Muslim League, Hindu Mahasabha, Indian Liberal Party among others attended the conference.

Statement 1 is incorrect. Hereditary monarchy was the form of government during the Sangam period.

Statement 2 is correct. The Tamil heroic poems are popularly called the Sangam literature, constitute the-major evidence for the old Tamil literary tradition.

Statement 3 is incorrect. There sharp social inequalities in the age of the Sangam. The rich lived in houses of brick and mortar, and the poor in huts and humbler structures In the cities the rich merchants lived in the upper storey of their houses. There was dominance of the brahmanas and the ruling caste.

All the above given religions believe in monotheism. Judaism teaches belief in one god. The basic law and teaching of Judaism comes from the Torah. Zoroastrian believe in one eternal god, Ahura Mazda, wholly wise, just and good. God in Sikhism is known as Ik Onkar, the One Supreme Reality. It is also Akaal Purkh (beyond time and space) and Nirankar (without form).

Statement 1 is correct. Gupta rulers made Sanskrit as their official language and used it in their inscriptions and coins.

Statement 2 is correct. Even the Buddhist writers of this period started writing Sanskrit. The old Shastras, the Puranas, and other standard works were given final shape during the Gupta period. For example, the Puranas which were originally composed by the bards were re-complied by the Brahminical priests.

Statement 3 is correct. Various philosophical literature was produced during the Gupta period. The Hindu, Buddhist and Jain scholars produced works to explain the principles of their respective religions. The notable philosophical works produced by Hindu scholars included a commentary on Sankhya philosophy as well as Mimansa Sutra, and Vatsyana‘s commentary on the philosophy of law etc. The Buddhist scholars who produced outstanding philosophical works include Buddhaghosa, Mahanaman, Asanga, Vasubandhu etc.

In India, varada mudra is used in images of Avalokiteśvara from the Gupta Empire (4th and 5th centuries). Varada mudrā is extensively used in the statues of Southeast Asia.

Statement 1 is correct. The filtration systems of the mangroves isolate and concentrate marine salt. It protects the inlands from encroachment of saltwater.

Statement 2 is correct. Planting mangrove species into another region where they do not grow natively can produce trouble for the native species. The imported, exotic mangrove becomes an invasive species and takes over the nutrients of the natural plants. This disrupts the local ecology.

Statement 3 is correct. Mangroves are coastal forests that grow in the tidewater of tropical and semitropical regions. Relevance- Drones are turning into a savior for the fast-dwindling mangroves in Myanmar‘s low-lying Ayeyarwady Delta.