S&T Quiz/MCQs

With reference to carbon nanotubes, consider the following statements:
1. They can be used as carriers of drugs and antigens in the human body.
2. They can be made into artificial blood capillaries for an injured part of human body.
3. They can be used in biochemical sensors.
4. Carbon nanotubes are biodegradable.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

“The experiment will employ a trio of spacecraft flying in formation in the shape of an equilateral triangle that has sides one million kilometres long, with lasers shining between the craft. The experiment in question refers to

Consider the following statements:
1. Genetic changes can be introduced in the cells that produce eggs or sperms of a prospective parent.
2. A person’s genome can be edited before birth at the early embryonic stage.
3. Human induced pluripotent stem cells can be injected into the embryo of a pig.
Which of the statements given above is / are correct?

What is the importance of using Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines in India?
1. These vaccines are effective against pneumonia as well as meningitis and sepsis.
2. Dependence on antibiotics that are not effective against drug-resistant bacteria can be reduced.
3. These vaccines have no side effects and cause no allergic reactions.
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Which of the following statements are correct regarding the general difference between plant and animal cells?
1. Plant cells have cellulose cell walls whilst animal cells do not.
2. Plant cells do not have plasma membrane unlike animal cells which do
3. Mature plant cell has one large vacuole whilst animal cell has many small vacuoles.
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In the context of recent advances in human reproductive technology, “Pronuclear Transfer” is used for

With the present state of development, Artificial Intelligence can effectively do which of the following?
1. Bring down electricity consumption in industrial units
2. Create meaningful short stories and songs
3. Disease diagnosis
4. Text-to-Speech Conversion
5. Wireless transmission of electrical energy
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With reference to Visible Light Communication (VLC) technology, which of the following statements are correct?
1. VLC uses electromagnetic spectrum wavelengths 375 to 780 nm
2. VLC is known as long-range optical wireless communication.
3. VLC can transmit large amounts of data faster than Bluetooth.
4. VLC has no electromagnetic interference.
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With reference to “Blockchain Technology”, consider the following statements:
1. It is a public ledger that everyone can inspect, but which no single user controls.
2. The structure and design of blockchain is such that all the data in it are about cryptocurrency only.
3. Applications that depend on basic features of blockchain can be developed without anybody’s permission.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

With reference to solar water pumps consider the following statements:
1. Solar can be used for running surface pumps and not for submersible pumps.
2. Solar power can be used for running centrifugal pumps and not the ones with piston.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

In India, why are some nuclear reactors kept under “IAEA Safeguards” while other are not?

Steel slag can be the material for which of the foll0wing?
1. construction of base road
2. Improvement of agricultural soil
3. Production of cement
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For the measurement/ estimation of which of the following are satellite
images/remote sensing data used?
1. Chlorophyll content in the vegetation of a specific location
2. Greenhouse gas emissions from rice paddies of a specific location
3. Land surface temperatures of a specific location
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With reference to communications technologies, what is/are the difference/differences between LTE (Long-Term Evolution) and VoLTE (Voice over Long-Term Evolution)?
1. LTE is commonly marketed as 3G and VoLTE is commonly marketed as advanced 3G.
2. LTE is data-only technology and VoLTE is voice-only technology.
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Consider the following statements:
1. According to the Indian Patents Act, a biological process to create a seed can be patented in India.
2. In India, there is no Intellectual Property Appellate Board.
3. Plant varieties are not eligible for patents in India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

In the context of digital technologies for entertainment, consider the following statements:
1. In Augmented Reality (AR), a simulated environment is created and the physical world is completely shut out.
2. In Virtual Reality (VR), images generated from a computer are projected onto real-life objects or surroundings.
3. AR allows individuals to be present in the world and improves the experience using the camera of smart-phones or PC.
4. VR closes the world, and transposes an individual, providing complete immersion experience.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

In the context of wearable technology, which of the following tasks is/are accomplished by wearable devices?
1. Location identification of a person
2. Sleep monitoring of a person
3. Assisting the hearing-impaired person
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‘RNA interference (RNAi)’ technology has gained popularity in the last few
years. Why?
1. It is used in developing gene silencing therapies.
2. It can be used in developing therapies for the treatment of cancer.
3. It can be used to develop hormone replacement therapies.
4. It can be used to produce crop plants that are resistant to viral pathogens.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Recently, scientists observed the merger of giant ‘blackholes’ billions of lightyears away from the Earth. What is the significance of this observation?

Which of the following are the reasons for the occurrence of multi-drug resistance in microbial pathogens in India?
1. Genetic predisposition of some people
2. Taking incorrect doses of antibiotics to cure diseases
3. Using antibiotics in livestock farming
4. Multiple chronic diseases in some people
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What is Cas9 protein that is often mentioned in news?

Which one of the following statements is not correct?

With reference to the recent developments in science, which one of the following statements is not correct?

Consider the following statements:

A digital signature is

1. an electronic record that identifies the certifying authority issuing it
2. used to serve as a proof of identity of an individual to access information or serve on Internet
3. an electronic method of signing an electronic document and ensuring that the original content is unchanged

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following pairs: Commonly used/consumed materials Unwanted or controversial chemicals likely to be found in them
1. Lipstick – Lead
2. Soft drinks – Brominated vegetable oils
3. Chinese fast food – Monosodium glutamate
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) are used to create digital display in many devices. What are the advantages of OLED displays over Liquid Crystal displays?
1. OLED displays can be fabricated on flexible plastic substrates.
2. Roll-up displays embedded in clothing can be made using OLEDs.
3. Transparent displays are possible using OLEDs.
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What is the application of Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer Technology?

What is the purpose of ‘evolved Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (eLISA)’ project?

Consider the following statements:
1. In tropical regions, Zika virus disease is transmitted by the same mosquito that transmits dengue.
2. Sexual transmission of Zika virus disease is possible.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The terms ‘Event Horizon’, ‘Singularity’, ‘String Theory’ and ‘Standard Model’ are sometimes seen in the news in the context of

With reference to agriculture in India, how can the technique of ‘genome sequencing’, often seen in the news, be used in the immediate future?
1. Genome sequencing can be used to identify genetic markers for disease resistance and drought tolerance in various crop plants.
2. This technique helps in reducing the time required to develop new varieties of crop plants.
3. It can be used to decipher the hostpathogen relationships in crops.
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Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding Smart India Hackathon 2017?
1. It is a centrally sponsored scheme for developing every city of our country into Smart Cities in a decade.
2. It is an initiative to identify new digital technology innovations for solving the many problems faced by our country.
3. It is a programme aimed at making all the financial transactions in our country completely digital in a decade.
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In the context of the developments in Bioinformatics, the term transcriptome’, sometimes seen in the news, refers to

‘Project Loon’, sometimes seen in the news, is related to

Which one of the following is the best description of ‘INS Astradharini’, that was in the news recently?

What is ‘Greased Lightning-10 (GL-10)’, recently in the news?

With reference to ‘Li-Fi’, recently in the news, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. It uses light as the medium for high-speed data transmission.
2. It is a wireless technology and is several times faster than ‘WiFi’.
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Consider the following statements:
The Mangalyaan launched by ISRO
1. is also called the Mars Orbiter Mission
2. made India the second country to have a spacecraft orbit the Mars after USA
3. made India the only country to be successful in making its spacecraft orbit the Mars in its very first attempt
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

India is an important member of the ‘International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor’. If this experiment succeeds, what is the immediate advantage for India?

Which of the following statements is/are correct?
Viruses can infect
1. bacteria
2. fungi
3. plants
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On which of the following can you find the Bureau of Energy Efficiency Star Label?
1. Ceiling fans
2. Electric geysers
3. Tubular fluorescent lamps
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With reference to `Astrosat’, the astronomical observatory launched by India, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. Other than the USA and Russia, India is the only country to have launched a similar observatory into space.
2. Astrosat is a 2000 kg satellite placed in an orbit at 1650 km above the surface of the Earth.
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Among the following which were frequently mentioned in the news for the outbreak of Ebola virus recently?

With reference to the use of nanotechnology in health sector, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1.Targeted drug delivery is made possible by nanotechnology
2.Nanotechnology can largely contribute to gene therapy
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With reference to ‘Near Field Communication (NFC) Technology’, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1.It is a contactless communication technology that uses electromagnetic radio fields
2.NFC is designed for use by devices which can be at a distance of even a metre from each other
3.NFC can use encryption when sending sensitive information.
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The term ‘Goldilocks Zone’ is often seen in the news in the context of

In which of the following activities are Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites used?
1.Assessment of crop productivity
2.Locating ground water resources
3.Mineral exploration
4.Telecommunications
5.Traffic studies
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The term ‘IndARC’ sometimes seen in the news, is the name of?

H1N1 virus is sometimes mentioned in the news with reference to which one of the following diseases?

With reference to ‘fuel cells’ in which hydrogen-rich fuel and oxygen are used to generate electricity. consider the following statements :
1. If pure hydrogen is used as a fuel, the fuel cell emits heat and water as by-products.
2. Fuel cells can be used for powering buildings and not for small devices like laptop computers.
3. Fuel cells produce electricity in the form of Alternating Current (AC).
Which of the statements given above is / are correct?

With reference to bio-toilets used by the Indian Railways, consider the following statements:
1.The decomposition of human waste in the bio-toilets is initiated by a fungal inoculum.
2. Ammonia and water vapour are the only end products in this decomposition which are released into the atmosphere.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Indira Gandhi Peace Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for 2014 was given to which of the following?

In the context of modern scientific research, consider the following statements about ‘IceCube’, a particle detector located at South Pole, which was recently in the news :
1.It is the world’s largest neutrino detector, encompassing a cubic kilometre of ice.
2.It is a powerful telescope to search for dark matter
3.It is buried deep in the ice.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

With reference to technologies for solar power production, consider the following statements:
1.’Photovoltaics’ is a technology that generates electricity by direct conversion of light into electricity, while ‘Solar Thermal’ is a technology that utilizes the Sun’s rays to generate heat which is further used in electricity generation process.
2. Photovoltaics generates Alternating Current (AC), while Solar Thermal generates Direct Current (DC).
3. India has manufacturing base for Solar Thermal technology, but not for Photovoltaics.
Which of the statements given above is / are correct?

Brominated flame retardants are used in many household products like mattresses and upholstery. Why is there some concern about their use?
1. They are highly resistant to degradation in the environment.
2. They are able to accumulate in humans and animals.
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Consider the following diseases
1. Diphtheria
2. Chickenpox
3. Smallpox
Which of the above diseases has/have been eradicated in India?

Which reference to Agni-IV Missile, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. It is a surface-to-surface missile.
2. It is fuelled by liquid propellant only.
3. It can deliver one-tonne nuclear warheads about 7500 km away.
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With reference to Neem tree, consider the following statements:
1. Neem oil can be used as a pesticide to control the proliferation of some species of insects and mites.
2. Neem seeds are used in the manufacture of biofuels and hospital detergents.
3. Neem oil has applications in pharmaceutical industry.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Which one of the following is the process involved in photosynthesis?

In addition to fingerprint scanning, which of the following can be used in the biometric identification of a person?
1. Iris scanning
2. Retinal scanning
3. Voice recognition
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Which of the following statements is / are correct regarding vegetative propagation of plants?
1. Vegetative propagation produces clonal population.
2. Vegetative propagation helps in eliminating the virus.
3. Vegetative propagation can be practiced most of the year.
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Which of the following pair is/are correctly matched?
Spacecraft Purpose
1. Cassini-Huygens : Orbiting the Venus and transmitting data to the Earth
2. Messenger : Mapping and investigating the Mercury
3. Voyager 1 and 2 : Exploring the outer solar system
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Which of the following is/are the example/examples of chemical change?
1. Crystallization of sodium chloride
2. Melting of ice
3. Souring of milk
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Consider the following techniques/phenomena:
1. Budding and grafting in fruit plants
2. Cytoplasmic male sterility
3. Gene silencing
Which of the above is/are used to create transgenic crops?

Consider the following statements:
1. Maize can be used for the production of starch.
2. Oil extracted from maize can be a feedstock for biodiesel.
3. Alcoholic beverages can be produced by using maize.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Among the following organisms, which one does not belong to the class of other three?

Consider the following pairs:
Vitamin Deficiency disease
1. Vitamin C Scurvy
2. Vitamin D Rickets
3. Vitamin E Night blindness
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

There is some concern regarding the nanoparticles of some chemical elements that are used by the industry in the manufacture of various products. Why?
1. They can accumulate in the environment, and contaminate water and soil.
2. They can enter the food chains.
3. They can trigger the production of free radicals.
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Recombinant DNA technology (Genetic Engineering) allows genes to be transferred
1. across different species of plants
2. from animals to plants
3. from microorganisms to higher organisms
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Consider the following:
1. Electromagnetic radiation
2. Geothermal energy
3. Gravitational force
4. Plate movements
5. Rotation of the earth
6. Revolution of the earth
Which of the above are responsible for bringing dynamic changes on the surface of the earth?

Improper handling and storage of cereal grains and oilseeds result in the production of toxins known as aflatoxins which are not generally destroyed by normal cooking process. Aflatoxins are produced by

Which of the following diseases can be transmitted from one person to another through tattooing?
1. Chikungunya
2. Hepatitis B
3. HIV-AIDS
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.

Consider the following minerals
1. Calcium
2. Iron
3. Sodium
Which of the minerals given above is/are required by human body for the contraction of muscles?

Fruits stored in a cold chamber exhibit longer storage life because

Ball bearings are used in bicycles, cars, etc., because

Consider the following phenomena:
1. Size of the sun at dusk
2. Colour of the sun at dawn
3. Moon being visible at dawn
4. Twinkle of stars in the sky
5. Polestar being visible in the sky
Which of the above are optical illusions?

Rainbow is produced when sunlight falls on drops of rain.
Which of the following physical phenomena are responsible for this?
1. Dispersion
2. Refraction
3. Internal reflection
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Many transplanted seedlings do not grow because

Which of the following statements is / are correct?
1. Viruses lack enzymes necessary for the generation of energy.
2. Viruses can be cultured in any synthetic medium.
3. Viruses are transmitted from one organism to another by biological vectors only.
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The known forces of nature can be divided into four classes, viz, gravity electromagnetism, weak nuclear force and strong nuclear force. with reference to them, which one of the following statements is not correct?

The efforts to detect the existence of Higgs boson particle have become frequent news in the recent past. What is /are the importance/importances of discovering this particle?
1. It will enable us to understand why elementary particles have mass.
technology to transferring matter from one point to another without traversing the physical space between them.
3. It will enable us to create better fuels for nuclear fission.
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Mycorrhizal biotechnology has been used in rehabilitating degraded sites because mycorrhiza enables the plants to
1. resist drought and increase absorptive area
2. tolerate extremes of PH
3. Resist disease infestation
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Government of India encourages the cultivation of ‘sea buckthorn’. What is the importance of this plant?
1. It helps in controlling soil erosion and in preventing desertification.
2. It is a rich source of biodiesel.
3. It has nutritional value and is well-adapted to live in cold areas of high altitudes.
4. Its timber is of great commercial value.
Which of the statements given above is/ are correct?

Electrically charged particles from space travelling at speeds of several hundred km/sec can severely harm living beings if they reach the surface of the earth. What prevents them from reaching the surface of the earth?

A team of scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory including from India created the heaviest anti-matter (anti-helium nucleus). What is/are the implications of the creation of anti-matter?
1. It will make mineral prospecting and oil exploration easier and cheaper.
2. It will help probe the possibility of the existence of stars and galaxies made of anti matter.
3. It will help understand the evolution of the universe.
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With reference to ‘stem cells’, frequently in the news which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. Stem cells can be derived from mammals only.
2. Stem cells can be used for screening new drugs.
3. Stem cells can be used for medical therapies.
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Lead, ingested or inhaled, is a health hazard. After the addition of lead to petrol has been banned, what still are the sources of lead poisoning?
1. Smelting units
2. Pens pencils
3. Paints
4. Hair oils and cosmetics
select the correct answer using the codes given below:

Graphene is frequently in news recently. What is its important?
1. It is a two-dimensional material and has good electrical conductivity.
2. It is one of the thinnest but strongest materials tested so far.
3. It is entirely made of silicon and has high optical transparency.
4. It can be used as ‘conducting electrodes’ requires for touch screens, LCD’s and organic LED’s
Which of the statements given above are correct?

What is the role of ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the water purification systems?
1. It inactivates/kills the harmful microorganisms in water.
2. It removes all the undesirable odours from the water.
3. It quickens the sedimentation of solid particles, removes turbidity and improves the clarity of water.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Biomass gasification is considered to be one of the sustainable solutions to the power crisis in India. In this context which of the following statements correct?
1. Coconut shells, groundnut shells and rice husk can be used in biomass gasification
2. The combustible gases generated from biomass gasification consist of hydrogen and carbon dioxide only
3.The combustible gases generated from biomass gasification can be used for direct heat generation but not in internal combustion engines.
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Consider the following kinds of organisms:
1. Bacteria
2. fungi
3. flowering plants
some species of which of the above kinds of organisms are employed as bio pesticides?

Consider the following statements:
If there were no phenomenon of capillarity
1. it would be difficult to use a kerosene lamp
2. one would not be able to use a straw to consume a soft drink
3. the blotting paper would paper would fail to function
4. the big trees that we see around would not have grown on the earth
Which of the following statements given above are correct?

To meet its rapidly growing energy demand, some opine that India should pursue research and development on thorium as the future fuel of nuclear energy. In this context what advantage does thorium hold over uranium?
1. Thorium is far more abundant in nature than uranium.
2. On the basis per unit mass of mined mineral, thorium can generate more energy compared to natural uranium.
3. Thorium produces less harmful waste compared to uranium.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Other than resistance to pests, what are the prospects for which genetically engineered plants have been created?