Q.14167·Miscellaneous·2012·EasyThe need for Competition Law becomes more evident when foreign direct investment (FDI) is liberalised. The impact of FDI is not always pro-competitive. Very often FDI takes the form of a foreign corporation acquiring a domestic enterprise or establishing a joint venture with one. By making such an acquisition the foreign investor may substantially lessen competition and gain a dominant position in the relevant market, thus charging higher prices. Another scenario is where the affiliates of two separate multinational companies (MNCs) have been established in competition with one another in a particular developing economy, following the liberalisation of FDI. Subsequently, the parent companies overseas merge. With the affiliates no longer remaining independent, competition in the host country may be virtually eliminated and the prices of the products may be artificially inflated. Most of these adverse consequences of mergers and acquisitions by MNCs can be avoided if an effective competition law is in place. Also, an economy that has implemented an effective competition law is in a better position to attract FDI than one that has not. This is not just because most MNCs are expected to be accustomed to the operation of such a law in their home countries and know how to deal with such concerns but also that MNCs expect competition authorities to ensure a level playing field between domestic and foreign firms. Six squares are coloured, front and back, red (R), blue (B), yellow (Y), green (G), white (W) and orange (O) and are hinged together as shown in the figure given below. If they are folded to form a cube, what would be the face opposite the white face?View question
Q.14168·Miscellaneous·2012·EasyToday’s developing economies use much less energy per capita than developed countries such as the United States did at similar incomes, showing the potential for lower-carbon growth. Adaptation and mitigation need to be integrated into a climate-smart development strategy that increases resilience, reduces the threat of further global warming, and improves development outcomes. Adaptation and mitigation measures can advance development, and prosperity can raise incomes and foster better institutions. A healthier population, living in better-built houses and with access to bank loans and social security is better equipped to deal with a changing climate and its consequences. Advancing robust, resilient development policies that promote adaptation is needed today because changes in the climate, already begun, will increase even in the short term. The spread of economic prosperity has always been intertwined with adaptation to changing ecological conditions. But as growth has altered the environment and as environmental change has accelerated, sustaining growth and adaptability demands greater capacity to understand our environment, generate new adaptive technologies and practices, and diffuse them widely. As economic historians have explained, much of humankind’s creative potential has been directed at adapting to the changing world. But adaptation cannot cope with all the impacts related to climate change, especially as larger changes unfold in the long term. Countries cannot grow out of harm’s way fast enough to match the changing climate. And some growth strategies, whether driven by the government or the market, can also add to vulnerability — particularly if they overexploit natural resources. Under the Soviet development plan, irrigated cotton cultivation expanded in water-stressed Central Asia and led to the near disappearance of the Aral Sea, threatening the livelihoods of fishermen, herders and farmers. And ‘clearing mangroves — the natural coastal buffers against storm surges — to make way for intensive farming or housing development, increases the physical vulnerability of coastal settlements, whether in Guinea or in Louisiana. What does low-carbon growth imply in the present context? 1. More emphasis on the use of renewable sources of energy. 2. Less emphasis on manufacturing sector and more emphasis on agriculture sector. 3. Switching over from monoculture practices to mixed farming. 4. Less demand for goods and services. Select the correct answer using the codes given below :
Q.14169·Miscellaneous·2012·EasyToday’s developing economies use much less energy per capita than developed countries such as the United States did at similar incomes, showing the potential for lower-carbon growth. Adaptation and mitigation need to be integrated into a climate-smart development strategy that increases resilience, reduces the threat of further global warming, and improves development outcomes. Adaptation and mitigation measures can advance development, and prosperity can raise incomes and foster better institutions. A healthier population, living in better-built houses and with access to bank loans and social security is better equipped to deal with a changing climate and its consequences. Advancing robust, resilient development policies that promote adaptation is needed today because changes in the climate, already begun, will increase even in the short term. The spread of economic prosperity has always been intertwined with adaptation to changing ecological conditions. But as growth has altered the environment and as environmental change has accelerated, sustaining growth and adaptability demands greater capacity to understand our environment, generate new adaptive technologies and practices, and diffuse them widely. As economic historians have explained, much of humankind’s creative potential has been directed at adapting to the changing world. But adaptation cannot cope with all the impacts related to climate change, especially as larger changes unfold in the long term. Countries cannot grow out of harm’s way fast enough to match the changing climate. And some growth strategies, whether driven by the government or the market, can also add to vulnerability — particularly if they overexploit natural resources. Under the Soviet development plan, irrigated cotton cultivation expanded in water-stressed Central Asia and led to the near disappearance of the Aral Sea, threatening the livelihoods of fishermen, herders and farmers. And ‘clearing mangroves — the natural coastal buffers against storm surges — to make way for intensive farming or housing development, increases the physical vulnerability of coastal settlements, whether in Guinea or in Louisiana. Which of the following conditions is/are necessary for sustainable economic growth? 1. Spreading of economic prosperity more. 2. Popularising/spreading of adaptive technologies widely. 3. Investing on research in adaptation and mitigation technologies. Select the correct answer using the codes given below :
Q.14170·Miscellaneous·2012·EasyToday’s developing economies use much less energy per capita than developed countries such as the United States did at similar incomes, showing the potential for lower-carbon growth. Adaptation and mitigation need to be integrated into a climate-smart development strategy that increases resilience, reduces the threat of further global warming, and improves development outcomes. Adaptation and mitigation measures can advance development, and prosperity can raise incomes and foster better institutions. A healthier population, living in better-built houses and with access to bank loans and social security is better equipped to deal with a changing climate and its consequences. Advancing robust, resilient development policies that promote adaptation is needed today because changes in the climate, already begun, will increase even in the short term. The spread of economic prosperity has always been intertwined with adaptation to changing ecological conditions. But as growth has altered the environment and as environmental change has accelerated, sustaining growth and adaptability demands greater capacity to understand our environment, generate new adaptive technologies and practices, and diffuse them widely. As economic historians have explained, much of humankind’s creative potential has been directed at adapting to the changing world. But adaptation cannot cope with all the impacts related to climate change, especially as larger changes unfold in the long term. Countries cannot grow out of harm’s way fast enough to match the changing climate. And some growth strategies, whether driven by the government or the market, can also add to vulnerability — particularly if they overexploit natural resources. Under the Soviet development plan, irrigated cotton cultivation expanded in water-stressed Central Asia and led to the near disappearance of the Aral Sea, threatening the livelihoods of fishermen, herders and farmers. And ‘clearing mangroves — the natural coastal buffers against storm surges — to make way for intensive farming or housing development, increases the physical vulnerability of coastal settlements, whether in Guinea or in Louisiana. Which of the following inferences can be made from the passage? 1. Rainfed crops should not be cultivated in irrigated areas. 2. Farming under water-deficient areas should not be a part of development strategy. Select the correct answer using the codes given below :
Q.14171·Miscellaneous·2012·EasyYou are the chairperson of a state sports committee. You have received a complaint and later it was found that an athlete in the junior age category who has won a medal has crossed the age criteria by 5 days. You would...View question
Q.14172·Miscellaneous·2012·EasyThe need for Competition Law becomes more evident when foreign direct investment (FDI) is liberalised. The impact of FDI is not always pro-competitive. Very often FDI takes the form of a foreign corporation acquiring a domestic enterprise or establishing a joint venture with one. By making such an acquisition the foreign investor may substantially lessen competition and gain a dominant position in the relevant market, thus charging higher prices. Another scenario is where the affiliates of two separate multinational companies (MNCs) have been established in competition with one another in a particular developing economy, following the liberalisation of FDI. Subsequently, the parent companies overseas merge. With the affiliates no longer remaining independent, competition in the host country may be virtually eliminated and the prices of the products may be artificially inflated. Most of these adverse consequences of mergers and acquisitions by MNCs can be avoided if an effective competition law is in place. Also, an economy that has implemented an effective competition law is in a better position to attract FDI than one that has not. This is not just because most MNCs are expected to be accustomed to the operation of such a law in their home countries and know how to deal with such concerns but also that MNCs expect competition authorities to ensure a level playing field between domestic and foreign firms. The elements of the problem figures given below are changing with a certain rule as we observe them from left to right: According to this rule, which of the following would be the next figure if the changes were continued with the same rule?View question
Q.14173·Miscellaneous·2012·EasyThe need for Competition Law becomes more evident when foreign direct investment (FDI) is liberalised. The impact of FDI is not always pro-competitive. Very often FDI takes the form of a foreign corporation acquiring a domestic enterprise or establishing a joint venture with one. By making such an acquisition the foreign investor may substantially lessen competition and gain a dominant position in the relevant market, thus charging higher prices. Another scenario is where the affiliates of two separate multinational companies (MNCs) have been established in competition with one another in a particular developing economy, following the liberalisation of FDI. Subsequently, the parent companies overseas merge. With the affiliates no longer remaining independent, competition in the host country may be virtually eliminated and the prices of the products may be artificially inflated. Most of these adverse consequences of mergers and acquisitions by MNCs can be avoided if an effective competition law is in place. Also, an economy that has implemented an effective competition law is in a better position to attract FDI than one that has not. This is not just because most MNCs are expected to be accustomed to the operation of such a law in their home countries and know how to deal with such concerns but also that MNCs expect competition authorities to ensure a level playing field between domestic and foreign firms. Consider the following statement: The Third World War, if it ever starts, will end very quickly with the possible end of civilization. It is only the misuse of nuclear power which will trigger it. Based on the above statement, which one of the following inferences is correct?View question
Q.14174·Miscellaneous·2012·EasyGuest lectures on five subjects viz., Economics, History, Statistics, English and Mathematics have to be arranged in a week from Monday to Friday. Only one lecture can be arranged on each day. Economics cannot be scheduled on Tuesday. Guest faculty for History is available only on Tuesday. Mathematics lecture has to be scheduled immediately after the day of Economics lecture. English lecture has to be scheduled immediately before the day of Economics lecture. Which lecture is scheduled on Monday?View question
Q.14175·Miscellaneous·2012·EasyFor fourteen and a half months I lived in my little cell or room in the Dehradun jail, and I began to feel as if I was almost a part of it. I was familiar with every bit of it. I knew every mark and dent on the whitewashed walls and on the uneven floor and the ceiling with its moth-eaten rafters. In the little yard outside I greeted little tufts of grass and odd bits of stone as old friends. I was not alone in my cell, for several colonies of wasp and hornets lived there, and many lizards found a home behind the rafters, emerging in the evenings in search of prey. The author of the passage seems to suggest thatView question
Q.14176·Miscellaneous·2012·EasyWe started pitching the highest camp that has ever been made. Everything took five times as long as it would have taken in a place where there was enough air to breathe; but at last we got the tent up, and when we crawled in, it was not too bad. There was only a light wind, and inside it was not too cold for us to take off our gloves. At night most climbers take off their boots; but I prefer to keep them on. Hillary, on the other hand, took his off and laid them next to his sleeping bag. What does the expression “pitching the highest camp” imply?View question
Q.14177·Miscellaneous·2012·EasyWith the advent of genetic engineering, the gene pool of wild species is seen not as a repository of diversity that serves the evolutionary process, but as a crop improvement toolkit. The new understanding is that genes from any organism, including human genes, can be inserted into other organisms through genetic engineering. A single gene or a set of genes may be transferred to crops to increase their productivity, nutrition value, tolerance to drought or resistance to insects and pests. With the growth of biotechnology industry and the use of intellectual property rights (IPRs) to own and protect biological resources and knowledge, living organisms, including animals and plants, and their genes have become commodities. Patents on life and life processes are being granted on the assumption that genetic engineering produces new organisms which do not exist in nature and are therefore patentable. As a result, all living organisms and biological products are considered to be man-made and hence patentable. With patenting, farmers lose their freedom to use seeds from their crops to plant the next season. They become dependent on corporations that own the patents for obtaining seeds and are prevented from using their traditional knowledge. Biopiracy refers to the use of intellectual property systems to legitimize the exclusive ownership and control over biological resources and knowledge, which belong collectively to a community. The implication of genetic engineering is thus not only that seeds can be genetically modified, but that they can also be patented and owned as intellectual property. This transformation of seeds from being a common resource to a corporate monopoly is a threat to biodiversity as well as to the freedom of farmers. With reference to the passage, consider the following statements: 1. Genetic engineering can improve the productivity of crops. 2. Patent regime permits ownership over biological resources and life forms. 3. Genetic engineering is used to create new species which do not exist in nature. Which of the statements given above are correct?
Q.14178·Miscellaneous·2012·EasyWith the advent of genetic engineering, the gene pool of wild species is seen not as a repository of diversity that serves the evolutionary process, but as a crop improvement toolkit. The new understanding is that genes from any organism, including human genes, can be inserted into other organisms through genetic engineering. A single gene or a set of genes may be transferred to crops to increase their productivity, nutrition value, tolerance to drought or resistance to insects and pests. With the growth of biotechnology industry and the use of intellectual property rights (IPRs) to own and protect biological resources and knowledge, living organisms, including animals and plants, and their genes have become commodities. Patents on life and life processes are being granted on the assumption that genetic engineering produces new organisms which do not exist in nature and are therefore patentable. As a result, all living organisms and biological products are considered to be man-made and hence patentable. With patenting, farmers lose their freedom to use seeds from their crops to plant the next season. They become dependent on corporations that own the patents for obtaining seeds and are prevented from using their traditional knowledge. Biopiracy refers to the use of intellectual property systems to legitimize the exclusive ownership and control over biological resources and knowledge, which belong collectively to a community. The implication of genetic engineering is thus not only that seeds can be genetically modified, but that they can also be patented and owned as intellectual property. This transformation of seeds from being a common resource to a corporate monopoly is a threat to biodiversity as well as to the freedom of farmers. What is the implication of genetic engineering for farmers?View question
Q.14179·Miscellaneous·2012·EasyGuest lectures on five subjects viz, Economics, History, Statistics, English and Mathematics have to be arranged in a week from Monday to Friday. Only one lecture can be arranged on each day. Economics cannot be scheduled on Tuesday. Guest faculty for History is available only on Tuesday. Mathematics lecture has to be scheduled immediately after the day of Economics lecture. English lecture has to be scheduled immediately before the day of Economics lecture. Which lecture is the last one in the week?View question
Q.14180·Miscellaneous·2012·EasyThe need for Competition Law becomes more evident when foreign direct investment (FDI) is liberalised. The impact of FDI is not always pro-competitive. Very often FDI takes the form of a foreign corporation acquiring a domestic enterprise or establishing a joint venture with one. By making such an acquisition the foreign investor may substantially lessen competition and gain a dominant position in the relevant market, thus charging higher prices. Another scenario is where the affiliates of two separate multinational companies (MNCs) have been established in competition with one another in a particular developing economy, following the liberalisation of FDI. Subsequently, the parent companies overseas merge. With the affiliates no longer remaining independent, competition in the host country may be virtually eliminated and the prices of the products may be artificially inflated. Most of these adverse consequences of mergers and acquisitions by MNCs can be avoided if an effective competition law is in place. Also, an economy that has implemented an effective competition law is in a better position to attract FDI than one that has not. This is not just because most MNCs are expected to be accustomed to the operation of such a law in their home countries and know how to deal with such concerns but also that MNCs expect competition authorities to ensure a level playing field between domestic and foreign firms. Examine the following statements : 1. I watch TV only if I am bored. 2. I am never bored when I have my brother's company. 3. Whenever I go to the theatre I take my brother along. Which one of the following conclusions is valid in the context of the above statements ?View question
Q.14181·Miscellaneous·2012·EasyYou are handling a priority project and have been meeting all the deadlines and are therefore planning your leave during the project. Your immediate boss does not grant your leave citing the urgency of the project. You would...View question
Q.14182·Miscellaneous·2012·EasyWe started pitching the highest camp that has ever been made. Everything took five times as long as it would have taken in a place where there was enough air to breathe; but at last we got the tent up, and when we crawled in, it was not too bad. There was only a light wind, and inside it was not too cold for us to take off our gloves. At night most climbers take off their boots; but I prefer to keep them on. Hillary, on the other hand, took his off and laid them next to his sleeping bag. They took a long time to finish the work becauseView question
Q.14183·Miscellaneous·2012·EasyYou are involved in setting up a water supply project in a remote area. Full recovery of cost is impossible in any case. The income levels in the area are low and 25% of the population is below poverty line (BPL). When a decision has to be taken on pricing you would...View question
Q.14184·Miscellaneous·2012·EasyChemical pesticides lose their role in sustainable agriculture if the pests evolve resistance. The evolution of pesticide resistance is simply natural selection in action. It is almost certain to occur when vast numbers of a genetically variable population are killed. One or a few individuals may be unusually resistant (perhaps because they possess an enzyme that can detoxify the pesticide). If the pesticide is applied repeatedly, each successive generation of the pest will contain a larger proportion of resistant individuals. Pests typically have a high intrinsic rate of reproduction, and so a few individuals in one generation may give rise to hundreds or thousands in the next, and resistance spreads very rapidly in a population. This problem was often ignored in the past, even though the first case of DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) resistance was reported as early as 1946. There is exponential increase in the numbers of invertebrates that have evolved resistance and in the number of pesticides against which resistance has evolved. Resistance has been recorded in every family of arthropod pests (including dipterans such as mosquitoes and house flies, as well as beetles, moths, wasps, fleas, lice and mites) as well as in weeds and plant pathogens. Take the Alabama leafworm, a moth pest of cotton, as an example. It has developed resistance in one or more regions of the world to aldrin, DDT, dieldrin, endrin, lindane and toxaphene. If chemical pesticides brought nothing but problems, --- if their use was intrinsically and acutely unsustainable --- then they would already have fallen out of use. In general, production with pesticides has increased rapidly. The ratio of cost to benefit for the individual agricultural producer has remained in favour of pesticide use. In the USA, insecticides have been estimated to benefit the agricultural products to the tune of around $5 for every $1 spent. Moreover, in many poorer countries, the prospect of imminent mass starvation, or of an epidemic disease, are so frightening that the social and health costs of using pesticides have to be ignored. In general the use of pesticides is justified by objective measures such as 'lives saved', 'economic efficiency of food production' and 'total food produced'. In these very fundamental senses, their use may be described as sustainable. In practice, sustainability depends on continually developing new pesticides that keep at least one step ahead of the pests — pesticides that are less persistent, biodegradable and more accurately targeted at the pests. Though the problems associated with the use of chemical pesticides is known for a long time, their widespread use has not waned. Why?