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APSC Prelim 2018 GS Paper – Analysis of Economy Section Questions

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APSC Prelim 2018 GS Paper – Analysis of Economy Section Questions

 

Economy is an important sections in any General Studies papers, including APSC Prelims GS Paper. but the number of Qs are gradually decreasing. Analyzing the previous years Qs from these section can be very helpful to understand Focus Areas to study more extensively.

 

Q1. Which of the following is the major contributor to the national income of India within the primary sector?

  1. Agriculture
  2. Fishery
  3. Forestry
  4. Mining

Focus Area: Economic Sectors

 

Q4. In terms of nominal GDP, India economy is the world’s

  1. 2nd largest economy
  2. 4th largest economy
  3. 5th largest economy
  4. 6th largest economy

Focus Area: GDP – Ranking

Q5. The second Five-Year Plan of India advocated substantial investment in

  1. Small industries
  2. Cottage industries
  3. Heavy industries
  4. Sick industries

Focus Area: Five year plan

 

Q6. The aggregate growth model followed by First Five-Year plan in India was the growth model developed by

  1. Harrod-Domar
  2. R Solow
  3. J Robinson
  4. None of them

Focus Area: Five year plan

 

Q7. Which of the following was never an objective of the Five-Year Plans in India?

  1. To attain growth
  2. To bring justice with equality
  3. To modernise the agricultural sector
  4. To reduce immigration

Focus Area: Five year plan

 

Q8. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists:

List-I                                               List-II

    1. Urjit Patel                 1. Chairman, SBI

    2. Viral Acharya            2. Governor, RBI

    3. Bibek Debroy          3. Member, Monetary Policy Committee, India

    4. Rajnish Kumar          4. Chairman, Economic Advisory Council

  1. a 2 b 3 c 4 d 1
  2. a 2 b 3 c 1 d 4
  3. a 2 b 4 c 3 d 1
  4. a 4 b 2 c 1 d 3

Focus Area: Economic body – personality

 

Q9. Pick the odd one out

  1. SEBI
  2. IRDA
  3. PFRDA
  4. MUDRA

Focus Area: Regulators

 

Q10. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists:

List-I List-II

a. PMMY 1. Self-employment scheme

b. PMRY 2. Scheme for funding non-corporate, non-farm sector

c. PMGSY 3. Credit-link subsidy scheme for housing

d. PMAY 4. Scheme for all-weather road connectivity for rural India

  1. a 1 b 3 c 4 d 2
  2. a 2 b 1 c 4 d 3
  3. a 2 b 1 c 3 d 4
  4. a 3 b 4 c 1 d 2

Focus Area: Yojana

 

Q11. Which of the following is responsible for the preparation of National Accounts that includes GDP in India?

  1. National Accounts Division of Central Statistical Office
  2. NITI Aayog
  3. Ministry of Finance
  4. RBI

Focus Area: Economic body – personality

 

Q12. Choose the correct statement

  1. The last Chairperson of the Planning Commission of India was Dr. Monomohan Singh
  2. At present, Arvind Subramanian is the chied economic adviser to the Govt of India
  3. Amitabh Kant is the current CEO of NITI aayog
  4. V K Sinha is the present Chairman of SEBI

Focus Area: Economic body – personality

 

Q13. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists:

List-I                                         List-II

a. Saubhagya Yojana           1. Free LPG connection to the poor

b. Ujjwala Yojana                   2. Universal household electrification

c. Bharatmala Pariyojana   3. Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik

d. UDAN                                  4. Umbrella Programme for Highways

  1. a 4 b 3 c 1 d 2
  2. a 2 b 1 c 4 d 3
  3. a 2 b 4 c 1 d 3
  4. a 2 b 1 c 3 d 4

Focus Area: Yojana

 

Q15. In India, “any tax on supply of goods or services or both except taxes on supply of the alcoholic liquor for human consumption” is called

  1. An indirect tax
  2. Goods and services tax
  3. Non-excise duties
  4. General sales tax

Focus Area: Tax

 

Q16. Who used to give the final approval to the Five-Year Plans in India?

  1. The Planning Commission
  2. The President of India
  3. The Prime minister of India
  4. National Development Council

Focus Area: Five year plan

 

Q17. Choose the correct duration of the 12th Five-Year Plan.

  1. 2010-2015
  2. 2011-2016
  3. 2012-2017
  4. 2013-2018

Focus Area: Five year plan

 

Q18.Who was the Deputy Chairperson of the First Five-Year Plan”

  1. Gulzarilal Nanda
  2. V T Krishnamachari
  3. CD Deshmukh
  4. NR Pillai

Focus Area: Five year plan

 

Q19. NITI Aayog has prepared the First Three-Year Action Agenda for the period of

  1. 2015-16 to 2018-19
  2. 2016-17 to 2019-20
  3. 2017-18 to 2019-20
  4. 2017-18 to 2020-21

Focus Area: Economic Policy

 

Q20. Which of the following is not a component of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) being coordinated by the NITI Aayog?

  1. No poverty
  2. Zero Hunger
  3. Life Below Water
  4. Nuclear Non-Proliferation

Focus Area: Economic Policy

 

Q21. During which Five-Year Plan, the Green Revolution was introduced in India?

  1. Second Five-Year Plan
  2. Third Five-Year Plan
  3. Fourth Five-Year Plan
  4. Fifth Five-Year Plan

Focus Area: Five year plan

Q100. Identify the power project which is managed by NEEPCO?

  1. Bongaigaon TPC
  2. Lawka Gas nautical miles
  3. Namrup nautical miles
  4. Kathalguri nautical miles

Focus Areas : Economy of Assam/NE – industries

Census of India 2011 – Highlights of Population, literacy, Sex ratio & Demographic Facts – APSC Exam Notes

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Census of India 2011 – Highlights of Population Growth, literacy, Sex ratio & Demographic Facts – APSC Exam Notes

Geography Notes APSC, UPSC and State Exam Notes

 

Geography Notes

Census is a process of collecting, compiling, analyzing, evaluating, publishing and disseminating statistical data regarding the population. It covers demographic, social and economic data.

Population trend in India can be classified into 4 major periods:

  1. 1891-1921 : Period of stagnant population.
  2. 1921-1951 : Period of steady growth.
  3. 1951-1981 : Period of high growth.
  4. 1981-2011 : Period of declining rate.

First census in India

  • Census operations started in India long back during the period of the Maurya dynasty. Modern systematic census was first conducted during 1865 to 1872.
  • First synchronized census in India took place in 1881. Since 1901, it has been taking place after every decade.
  • Census 2011 is the 15th Census, and 7th after Independence of India.

The slogan of census 2011 is “Our Census, Our Future”.

CENSUS OF INDIA 2011

  • Total Population : 1,21,08,54,977
  • Male : 62,32,70,258
  • Females : 58,75,84, 719
  • Density : 382 per sq km
  • Adult Sex Ratio : 943
  • Child Sex Ratio : 919
  • Literacy rate : 73.0 %
Highlights & Important findings of Census 2011
Population
  • Total population of India has reached to 121 crores. 17.7 per cent more than the figure in census 2011.
  • There was an increase of 90.97 million males and increase of 90.99 million females. 
  • India’s population decadal growth is 17.7 per cent during 2001-11, against 21.5 per cent in the previous decade’s growth rate.
  • Male population 62.31 crores and Female population 58.74 crores. The growth rate of females was 18.3 per cent which is higher than males (17.1 per cent).
  • 14 states and Union Territories have recorded population growth above 20 per cent.
  • Among the major states, highest decadal growth in population has been recorded in Bihar (25.4%).

Largest States/UTs (in terms of population)

  • Uttar Pradesh > Maharashtra > Bihar > West Bengal > Andhra Pradesh

Smallest States/UTs (in population)

  • Sikkim > Daman and Diu > Dadra and Nagar Haveli > Andaman and Nicobar Islands >

District with most population

  • Thane (Maharashtra) and North Twenty Four Paraganas ( Pashchim Banga)

District with least population

  • Dibang Valley (Arunachal Pradesh) and Anjaw (Arunachal Pradesh)

 

Literacy
  • As per the census 2011, the literacy rate in India in 2011 has increased by 8 per cent to 73 per cent, which was 64.8 per cent in 2001.
  • Male literacy rate stands at 80.9 per cent, a 5.6 per cent growth in last decade.
  • Female literacy rate stands at 64.6 per cent, a 10.9 per cent increase in the last decade.
  • Top five states and UTs, where literacy rate is the highest, are Kerala (94 per cent), Lakshadweep (91.8 per cent), Mizoram (91.3 per cent), Goa (88.7 per cent) and Tripura (87.2).
  • The bottom five states and UTs are Bihar (61.8 per cent), Arunachal Pradesh (65.4 per cent), Rajasthan (66.1 per cent), Jharkhand (66.4 per cent) and Andhra Pradesh (67 per cent).
  • The highest increase took place in Dadra and Nagar Haveli by 18.6 points (from 57.6 per cent to 76.2 per cent), Bihar by 14.8 points (from 47.0 per cent to 61.8 per cent), Tripura by 14.0 points (from 73.2 per cent to 87.2 per cent)
  • All the states and UTs recorded higher improvement in female literacy as compare to males literacy rate growth, except Mizoram (where it is same in both males and females) during 2001-11.

 

Density
  • The density of population has also increased to 382 per sq km in 2011 from 325 per sq km in 2001.
  • Among the major states, Bihar occupies the first position with a density of 1106. West Bengal occupied the first position in Census 2001.
  • Delhi (11,320) turns out to be the most densely inhabited followed by Chandigarh (9,258), among all states and UT’s, both in 2001 and 2011 Census.
  • The minimum population density works out in Arunachal Pradesh (17) for both 2001 and 2011 Census.

 

Sex ratio
  • India’s sex ratio in 2011 is 940 female against 1000 males, a marginal increase from 933 in 2001 census.
  • Kerala with sex ratio of 1,084 is the best state.
  • Haryana with sex ratio of 879 is the worst male-female ratio among all states.

Top performing states in terms of sex ratio are

  • Kerala (1,084)
  • Tamil Nadu (996)
  • Andhra Pradesh (993)
  • Chhattisgarh (991)
  • Odisha (979).

Among UT – Puducherry (1037)

Worst performers states are

  • Haryana (879)
  • Jammu and Kashmir (889 female)
  • Punjab (895 females)
  • Uttar Pradesh (912 females)
  • Bihar (918 females).

Among UT – Daman & Diu (618) and Dadra and Nagar Haveli (774)

 

District with highest sex ratio

  • Mahe, Puducherry (1176) and Almora, Uttarakhand (1142)

District with lowest sex ratio

  • Daman, Daman & Diu (533) and Leh, Ladakh in J&K (583)

 

Child population

Child population in the age of 0 to 6 years has seen an slight increase of 0.4 per cent to 164.5 million in 2011 from 163.8 million in 2001. While in 17 states and UTs, the child population has declined in 2011 compared to data of census 2001.

In 2011, the child sex ratio (0-6) stands at 919 female against 1000 male in comparison to 927 females in 2001. This is an worrying 8 per cent decline in the sex ratio of 0-6 age group.

Male child (0-6) population has increased whereas female child population has decreased during 2001-11.

The best performing states in sex ratio of age group of 0 to 6 years are

  • Chhattisgarh (969)
  • Kerala (964)
  • Assam (962)
  • West Bengal (956)
  • Jharkhand (948) and Karnataka (948).

Worst performing states in sex ratio of age group of 0 to 6 years are

  • Haryana (834)
  • Punjab (846)
  • Jammu and Kashmir (862)
  • Rajasthan (888) and
  • Gujarat (890)

Eight states have proportion of child population more than 15 per cent – Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, and Meghalaya.

 

Religious Data

The religious data on India Census 2011 was released by the Government of India on 25 August 2015. For the first time, a “No religion” category was added in the 2011 census. 

HINDU
Population – 96.63 crore
Percentage Growth – 79.8%
Decadal Growth – 16.8%

MUSLIM
Population – 17.22 crore
Percentage Growth – 14.2%
Decadal Growth – 24.6%


CHRISTIAN
Population – 2.78 crore
Percentage Growth – 2.3%
Decadal Growth – 15.5%


SIKH
Population – 2.08 crore
Percentage Growth – 1.7%
Decadal Growth – 8.4%

BUDDHIST
Population – 0.84 crore
Percentage Growth – 0.7%
Decadal Growth – 6.1%

JAIN
Population – 0.45 crore
Percentage Growth – 0.4%
Decadal Growth – 5.4%

No Religion 2.87 million

“National Minority” status  – Six religions – Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists and Parsis.



Scheduled Castes (SC) / Scheduled Tribes (ST) data

Scheduled Castes are notified in 31 states and UTs and Scheduled Tribes in 30 states. There are altogether 1,241 individual ethnic groups, etc. notified as SC’s in different states and UT’s. The number of individual ethnic groups, etc. notified as ST’s is 705.

The SC population in India now stands at 201.4 million, which is 20 per cent more than the 2001 census.

The ST population stands at 104.3 million in 2011 – 23.7 per cent more than 2001 census.

Rural and urban population
  • As per Census 2011, 83..35 crore persons live in rural area as compare to 37.71 crore persons live in urban areas.
  • Urban population percentage reached 31.2 per cent in 2011 up from 17.3 per cent in 1951.
  • Top five states in share of urban population are Goa (62.2 per cent), Mizoram (52.1 per cent), Tamil Nadu (48.4 per cent), Kerala (47.7 per cent) and Maharashtra (45.2 per cent).
  • Highest proportion of urban population is in NCT Delhi (97.5 per cent).
 
 
 Highest Density State/UT
# State Density / Km2
1 Delhi 11,320
2 Chandigarh 9,258
3 Puducherry 2,547
4 Daman and Diu 2,191
5 Lakshadweep 2,149
 
 

Highest Sex Ratio

# State Sex Ratio
1 Kerala 1084
2 Puducherry 1037
3 Tamil Nadu 996
4 Andhra Pradesh 993
5 Chhattisgarh 991
 
 

Highest Population

# State Population
1 Uttar Pradesh 199,812,341
2 Maharashtra 112,374,333
3 Bihar 104,099,452
4 West Bengal 91,276,115
5 Andhra Pradesh 84,580,777
 
 

Highest Growth Rate

# State Pop Growth
1 Dadra and Nagar Haveli 55.88 %
2 Daman and Diu 53.76 %
3 Puducherry 28.08 %
4 Meghalaya 27.95 %
5 Arunachal Pradesh 26.03 %
 
 

High Literacy States

# State Literacy
1 Kerala 94.00 %
2 Lakshadweep 91.85 %
3 Mizoram 91.33 %
4 Goa 88.70 %
5 Tripura 87.22 %
 
 

Ekasarana Dharma (Assam Art & Culture) – APSC Exam Notes

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Ekasarana Dharma (Assam Art & Culture) Notes for APSC, UPSC and State Exams

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Assam Art, Culture & Crafts - Assam Exam

 

Ekasarana Dharma is a neo-Vaishanavite religion propagated by Srimanta Sankardeva in the 15th-16th century in the Indian state of Assam. It is focused on devotion (bhakti) to Sril Krishna in the form of congregational listening and singing his name and deeds.

The simple and accessible religion attracted already Hinduized as well as non-Hindu populations into its egalitarian fold. The neophytes continue to be inducted into the faith via an initiation ceremony called xoron-lowa, usually conducted by Mahantas who were heads of monastic institutions called Sattras who generally draw apostolic lineage from Sankardev.

Institutions propagating Eka Sarana like sattra (monasteries) and village Namghar (prayer houses), had profound influence in the evolution of the social makeup of Assam. The artistic creations emanating from this movement led to engendering of new forms of literature, music (Borgeets), theatre (Ankia Naat) and dance (Sattriya dance).

The central religious text of this religion is Bhagavat of Sankardeva, which was rendered from the Sanskrit Bhagavata Purana by Srimanta Sankardeva and other luminaries of the Eka Sarana school. This book is supplemented by the books of songs for congregational singing: Kirtan Ghoxa by Sankardeva and Naam Ghoxa and Ratnavali by Madhabdev, written in the Assamese language.

The religion is also called Mahapuruxiya because it is based on the worship of the Mahapurux, an epithet of the supreme spiritual personality in the Bhagavata and its adherents are often called Mahapuruxia, Sankari etc. Sankardeva and Madhabdev are the principal preceptors of the religion.

Though Ekasarana acknowledges the impersonal (nirguna) god, it identifies the personal (saguna) one as worshipful which it identifies in the Bhagavad-Puranic Narayana.

The cari vastu or the Four Principles defined this religious system are

  1. Naam — the chanting and singing the name and the qualities of God. In general, only four names are most important: rama-krishna-narayana-hari
  2. Deva — worship of a single God, that is Krishna.
  3. Guru — reverence of a Guru, or Spiritual Preceptor.
  4. Bhakat — the association or the congregation of devotees

Sankardev defined the first, second and fourth of these, whereas Madhavdev introduced the third while accepting Sankardev as the guru for himself and for all others who accepted his faith. The four principles are revealed and their meaning explained at the time of xonron-lowa.

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Mathura, Sarnath and Gandhara Schools (Ancient History of India) – APSC Exam Notes

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Mathura, Sarnath and Gandhara Schools – APSC, UPSC and state Exam Notes

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The first century CE onwards, Gandhara, Mathura in northern India and Vengi in Andhra Pradesh emerged as important centres of art production. Buddha in the symbolic form got a human form in Mathura and Gandhara. The sculptural tradition in Gandhara had the confluence of Bactria, Parthia and the local Gandhara tradition. 

The local sculptural tradition at Mathura became so strong that the tradition spread to other parts of northern India. The best example in this regard is the stupa sculptures found at Sanghol in the Punjab. The Buddha image at Mathura is modelled on the lines of earlier Yaksha images whereas in Gandhara it has Hellenistic features. Images of Vaishnava and Shaiva faiths are also found at Mathura but Buddhist images are found in large numbers. It may be noted that the images of Vishnu and Shiva are represented by their ayudhas/weapons. There is boldness in carving the large images, the volume of the images is projected out of the picture plane, the faces are round and smiling, heaviness in the sculptural volume is reduced to relaxed flesh. The garments of the body are clearly visible and they cover the left shoulder.

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Images of the Buddha, Yakshas, Yakshinis, Shaivite and Vaishnavite deities and portrait statues are profusely sculpted. In the second century CE, images in Mathura get sensual, rotundity increases, they become fleshier. In the third century CE, treatment of sculptural volume changes by reducing the extreme fleshiness, movement in the posture is shown by increasing distance between the two legs as well as by using bents in the body posture. Softness in the surface continues to get refined. The trend continues in the fourth century CE but in the late fourth century CE, the massiveness and fleshiness is reduced further and the flesh becomes more tightened, the volume of the drapery also gets reduced and in the fifth and sixth centuries CE, the drapery is integrated into the sculptural mass. Transparent quality in the robes of the Buddha images is evident. In this period, two important schools of sculptures in northern India are worth noting. The traditional centre, Mathura, remained the main art production site whereas Sarnath and Kosambi also emerged as important centres of art production. 

Many Buddha images in Sarnath have plain transparent drapery covering both shoulders, and the halo around the head has very little ornamentation whereas the Mathura Buddha images continue to depict folds of the drapery in the Buddha images and the halo around the head is profusely decorated.

List of Indus Valley sites in India (Ancient History of India) – APSC Exam Notes

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List of Indus Valley Civilization sites in India – APSC, UPSC and state Exam Notes

 

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List of Indus Valley Civilization sites in India

Alamgirpur in Meerut District of Uttar Pradesh, India

Babar Kot, Saurashtra – A stone fortification wall, plant remains of millets & gram.

Balu, Haryana – Earliest evidence of garlic. Several plant remains were found here include various types of barley, wheat, rice, horse gram, green gram, various types of a pea, sesamum, melon, watermelon, grapes, dates, garlic, etc. which is comparable to a nearby IVC site Kunal, Haryana revealed remains of rice.

Banawali, Fatehabad District of Haryana – Barley, terracotta figure of plough

Baror, Sri Ganganagar district of Rajasthan- Human skeleton, ornaments, 5 meter long and 3 meter clay oven, a pitcher filled with 8000 pearls

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Bet Dwarka in Dwarka district, Gujarat- Late Harappan seal, inscribed jar, the mould of coppersmith, a copper fishhook

Bhirrana, Fatehabad District of Haryana – Graffiti of a dancing girl on pottery, which resembles a dancing girl statue found at Mohenjo-Daro

Daimabad, Ahmadnagar District of Maharashtra – A sculpture of a bronze chariot, 45 cm long and 16 cm wide, yoked to two oxen, driven by a man 16 cm high standing in it; and three other bronze sculptures. Southernmost IVC site

Desalpur in Nakhtrana Taluka, Kutch District of Gujarat – Massive stone fortification, Harappan pottery, three script bearing seals; one of steatite, one of copper and one of terracotta.

Dholavira, Kutch District of Gujarat – Water reservoir, Dholavira Figure of chariot tied to a pair of bullocks and driven by a nude human, Water harvesting and number of reservoirs, use of rocks for constructions

Farmana, Rohtak District of Haryana – Largest burial site of IVC, with 65 burials, found in India

Gola Dhoro, kutch district of Gujarat – Production of shell bangles, semi-precious beads, etc.

Hisar mound inside Firoz Shah Palace of Hisar District, Haryana – Unexcavated site

Juni Kuran, Kutch District of Gujarat – fortified citadel, lower town, public gathering area

Jognakhera, Kurukshetra of Haryana – Copper smelting furnaces with copper slag and pot shards

Kaj, Gir Somnath District of Gujarat – Ceramic artifacts, including bowls. Ancient port.

Kanjetar, Gir Somnath District of Gujarat – Single phase Harapppan site.

Kalibangan, Hanumangarh District of Rajasthan- Baked/burnt bangles, fire altars, Shiva Lingam, small circular pits containing large urns and accompanied by pottery, bones of camel

Karanpura near Bhadra city, Hanumangarh district            of Rajasthan – Western mound called citadel           Skeleton of child, terracotta like pottery, bangles, seals similar to other Harappan sites

Khirasara, Kutch district of Gujarat – Ware House, Industrial area, gold, copper, semi-precious stone, shell objects, and weight hoards

Kerala-no-dhoro or Padri in Saurashtra, Gujarat – Salt production centre, by evaporating sea water

Kunal, Fatehabad District      in Haryana      India – Earliest Pre-Harappan site, Copper smelting.

Kuntasi in Rajkot District of Gujarat – Small port

Loteshwar in  Patan District of Gujarat – Ancient archaeological site

Lothal, Ahmedabad District of Gujarat – Bead making factory, dockyard, button seal, fire altars, painted jar, earliest cultivation of rice (1800 BC)

Manda in Jammu & Kashmir            India- northernmost Harappan site in Himalayan foothills

Malwan in Surat District, Gujarat – Southernmost Harappan site in India

Mandi, Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh

Mitathal of Bhiwani District in Haryana

Pabumath in Kutch District in Gujarat – A large building complex, unicorn seal, shell bangles, beads, copper bangles, needles, antimony rods, steatite micro beads; pottery include large and medium size jars, beaker, dishes, dish-on-stand, perforated jars etc.; fine red pottery with black painted designs etc.

Rakhigarhi in Hisar District of Haryana – Terrecotta wheels, toys, figurines, pottery. Large site, partially excavated.

Rangpur in Ahmedabad District of Gujarat – Seaport

Sanauli in Baghpat District, Uttar Pradesh – Burial site with 125 burials found

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Shikarpur, Gujarat – Food habit details of Harappans

Surkotada in Kutch District of Gujarat – only site where Bones of a horse were found

Kotada, Kutch District of Gujarat – Fortification bastion few houses foundations

Nageshwar, Kutch District of Gujarat – Shell working site

Cave Architecture in Ancient India (Art & Culture of India) – APSC Exam Notes

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Cave Architecture in Ancient India – Art & Culture Notes for APSC, UPSC & State Exams

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The cave architecture in India begun during the ancient time. These caves were used by Buddhist and Jain monks as places of worship and dwelling. In the beginning, the caves were unearthed in the western India.

 

Ajanta Caves

  • Ajanta Caves are located in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra.
  • It comprises about 30 rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments
  • Since 1983, the Ajanta Caves have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site
  • All three kinds of art sculpture, architecture, and paintings(mural paintings) are found here.
  • Famous fresco paintings of Ajanta are dying princess, flying apsara and preaching Buddha

 

Ellora Cave

  • Locally known as ‘Verul Leni’, is located in Maharashtra. The caves are carved forms part of the Sahyadri ranges of the Deccan.
  • This is a rock-cut monastery by the Buddhist.
  • It is famous for the largest monolithic excavation in the world – the great Kailasa.
  • It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

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Elephanta Cave

  • It is located on Elephanta Islands in Mumbai
  • There is Trimurti of Shiva
  • The caves are carved from solid basalt rock.

Sudama / Nyagodh Cave

  • It is located in Barabar hills
  • It represents the earliest example of rock-cut architecture in India
  • It belongs to belong Maurya period
  • The cave was dedicated by emperor Ashoka in 261 BC

Lomasa Rishi Cave

  • It is located in Nagarjuni hills
  • It represents the earliest example of rock-cut architecture in India. It belongs to belong Maurya period
  • This cave was carved out of a gigantic rounded granite rock. It has an arch-like shape frontage copying the contemporary timber architecture

Bhaja Cave

  • This is the oldest Deccan rock-cut cave dated on 2nd century BC.
  • It is located in Maharashtra.
  • It is famous for its decorative frontages
  • It belongs to the Hinayana Buddhism sect

 

Karle cave

  • Ancient India Buddhist early rock-cut architecture. It is located in Maharashtra
  • Related with the Mahasaṃghika sect of Buddhism
  • It has a great chaitya hall.

 

Pancha Pandava cave

  • It is located in Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu

Cave temple of Mandagapattu

  • Mandagapattu is built by Mahendravarman I
  • It is a shrine which holds a significant position in the history of architecture of the Pallavas
  • It is the oldest stone shrine in Tamil Nadu

Udayagiri and Kandhagiri caves of Odisha

  • Earliest groups of Jain rock-cut shelters.
  • The caves of Udayagiri and Khandagiri called lena or leṇa in the inscriptions
  • Hathigumpha and Ganeshagumpha are particularly well known due to art reserves of their sculptures and reliefs
  • Khandagiri offers a fine view back over Bhubaneswar from its summit.

Mandapeshwar Caves

  • It is located in on the banks of the Dahisar River in Borivali
  • 8th Century rock-cut shrine dedicated to Shiva
  • This is the only Brahmanical cave to be transformed into Christian cave

Junagadh Caves groups

  • Located at Junagadh district in Gujarat
  • Caves were engraved from Emperor Ashoka’s period up to 1st-4th century AD.
  • These caves are three distinct sites of rooms carved out of stone to be used as monks’ quarters

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Nashik Caves

  • It is called as Pandavleni Caves/ Trirashmi Buddhist Caves
  • Located near Nashik in Maharashtra
  • It is a cluster of 24 caves carved between the 2nd century BCE and the 2nd century CE
  • It is representing the Hinayana Buddhist caves

Famous Temples in India (Art & Culture of India) – APSC Exam Notes

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Famous Temples in India – Art & Culture Notes for APSC, UPSC & State Exams

Go To Assam Art, Culture & Crafts Study Materials Page                                                                  Go To Art & Culture Notes

 

Famous Temples in India

Temples in India

State

Features/facts

Lord Venkateswara Temple

Andhra Pradesh

The temple on Tirumala hills is also known as Tirupathi Balaji. It is the richest Hindu temple in the world.

The temple is in Dravidian Architecture style.

Mahabodhi Temple

Bihar

It is a Buddhist Stupa, discovered in 260 BC situated in Bodhgaya.

The Central Tower Of Mahabodhi is 180 feet tall i.e. 54 metres.

The brickwork depicts the life of Buddha.

Somnath Temple

Gujarat

Also known as Prabhas Patan and Deo Patan.

It is one of the 12 jyotirlinga shrines of Lord Shiva.

There is no land in between seashores from Somnath temple to Antarctica.

1947 – Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel renovated the temple.

Constructed in Chalukya style

Dwarkadhish Temple

Gujarat

Also known as Jagat Mandir. It is one of the four Hindu pilgrimages (Char Dham). 

The original structure was destroyed by Mahmud Brgada in 1472. 

Presently, in the Chalukya architecture style.

Vaishno Devi Temple

Jammu & Kashmir

5200 feet above sea level atop Trikuta Hills.

It is a Cave temple.

Amarnath Temple

Jammu & Kashmir

A cave temple situated at an altitude of 3888 metres.

One of the 51 Shakti Peeth and Bhrigu Muni was the first to have discovered Amarnath.

Virupaksha Temple

Karnataka

It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Hampi, Bellari district.

Built by Lakkana Dandesha, a chieftain under the ruler Deva Raya II of the Vijayanagara Empire.

Gomateshwara Temple

Karnataka

The tallest monolithic statue in the world carved out of a single block of granite.

It is a Jain temple that is 57 feet high.

One of the largest free-standing statues in the world depicting the prolonged meditation of Bahubali.

Padmanabhaswamy Temple

Kerala

Build in the fusion of Chera and Dravidian style of architecture.

Khajuraho Temple

Madhya Pradesh

They are a group of temples built by the rulers of Chandela Dynasty.

There were 85 temples scattered over an area of 9 square miles, of which only 25 temples are remaining.

Famous for nagara style architecture and known for extensive erotic sculptures.

Sanchi Stupa

Madhya Pradesh

Commissioned by emperor Ashoka, it is the finest example of Mauryan sculpture.

It is the oldest stone structure in India.

The famous Ashoka Pillar i.e. four lions like that of Sarnath is found in Sanchi as well and are constructed in a Greco-Buddhist style.

Symbolises Buddha, i.e. a symbol of his final release from the cycle of birth and rebirth called the Parinirvana or ‘Final Dying.

Siddhivinayak Temple

Maharashtra

The richest Temple in India was constructed by Laxman Vithu & Dubai Patil in 1801.

Konark Sun Temple

Odisha

Build in the 13th century by King Narasimhadeva I (AD 1238-1264) during the Ganga Empire. 

It is conceived as a gigantic chariot of the Sun God built in Kalinga architecture.

 

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Jagannath Temple

Odisha

Called Yamanika Tirtha.

This temple in Puri is famous for its annual chariot festival, Ratha Yatra. 

The first Jagannath temple was commissioned by King Indradyumna.

Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are a trio of deities worshipped at the temple.

Golden Temple

Punjab

Build in the 15th century the temple is also known as Harmindar Sahib.

Temple was plated in Gold in 1980 from the wealth and material donated by Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

Ramanathaswamy Temple

Tamil Nadu

One of the twelve Jyotirlinga temples build in the 12th Century.

It has the longest corridor among all Hindu temples in India.

Built in Dravidian Architecture

Creators – Pandyas and Jaffna Kings

There are 64 Tīrthas i.e. holy water bodies in and around the island of Rameswaram.

One of the Char Dhams.

Meenakshi Temple

Tamil Nadu

Built by King Kulasekara Pandya -12-13 Century.

Dravidian Architecture and have over 40 inscriptions.

There are 985 richly carved pillars that depict scenes from the wedding of Meenakshi (Parvati) and Sundareswarar (Shiva).

It is famous for its 3 storied Gopuram at the main entrance. 

Ranganathaswamy Temple

Tamil Nadu

One of the most important of 108 (Divya Desam )Vishnu Temple.

Build in Dravidian Style, constructed in Vijayanagar Period. 

Located on the island formed by twin river- Cauvery & Coleroon

1st temple to be awarded by the UN Body for protecting and conserving cultural heritage.

Its Gopuram is the biggest Gopuram in Asia.

Brihadeeswara Temple

Tamil Nadu

Also known as Raja Rajeswara Temple located at Thanjavur.

This Dravidian style temple was built by the Chola emperor Raja Raja Chola I.

One of the tallest temples in India that is completely made of Granite.

It is one of the Great Living Chola Temples, along with Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple and Airavatesvara temple.

It is also called Dakshin Meru and is situated on the bank of Cauvery river.

Rajagopalaswamy Temple

Tamil Nadu

Created in Dravidian style, it is also called Dakshina Dwaraka.

It has one of the largest Temple tanks in India called Haridra Nadhi.

Nataraja Temple

Tamil Nadu

The temple wall carvings display all the 108 karanas from the Natya Shastra by Bharata Muni; these postures form the foundation of Bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance.

Build in the 10th century when Chidambaram was the capital of the Chola dynasty.

It is one of the oldest surviving active temple complexes in South India

Vishwanath Temple

Uttar Pradesh

The original Vishwanath temple was destroyed by the army of Qutb-Uddin Aibak in 1194 CE when he defeated the Raja of Kannauj.

There is a small well in the temple called the Jnana Vapi also spelt as Gyaan Vapi

In 1669 CE, Emperor Aurangzeb destroyed the temple and built the Gyanvapi Mosque in its place.

In 1780, Malhar Rao’s daughter-in-law Ahilyabai Holkar constructed the present temple adjacent to the mosque

One of the 12 Jyotirlingas.

Badrinath Temple

Uttarakhand

Located in Garhwal hill along the banks of Alaknanda River, it is at an elevation of 3,133 metres i.e. 10,279 ft above the mean sea level.

The temple is mentioned in ancient religious texts like Vishnu Purana and Skanda Purana.

Yamunotri Temple

Uttarakhand

Situated at an altitude of 3,291 metres i.e. 10,797 ft.

It is located on the backdrop of Bandarpunch

Dedicated to goddess Yamuna

Pahari Paintings in India (Art & Culture of India) – APSC Notes

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Pahari Paintings in India – Art & Culture Notes for APSC, UPSC & State Exams

 

Pahari painting is a common term used for a form of Indian painting, done mostly in miniature forms, originating from Himalayan hill kingdoms of North India, during 17th-19th century. Nainsukh was a famous master of the mid-18th century, followed by his family workshop for another two generations.

The Pahari school developed and flourished during 17th-19th centuries stretching from Jammu to Almora and Garhwal, through Himachal Pradesh. Each created stark variations within the genre. The Kangra style reached its pinnacle with paintings of Radha and Krishna, inspired by Jayadev’s Gita Govinda. Pahari painting grew out of the Mughal painting, though this was patronized mostly by the Rajput kings who ruled many parts of these Himalayan region.

 

Types of Pahari Paintings of Himachal Pradesh

Basohli Paintings

The Basohli town in Himachal Pradesh is known for Basohli Paintings. This town has created wonderful Devi series, magnificent series of the manifestations of the Supreme Goddess. It is also known for the magnificent depiction of the Rasamanjari text. Geometrical patterns, bright colors and lustrous enamel depict Basohli paintings.

Chamba Paintings 

The appearance of Chamba paintings is similar to the Mughal style of paintings. It has the strong influences of Deccan and Gujarat style of paintings. The late 17th century seen Chamba paintings being dominated by Basohli style, which eventually paved the way to Guler painting tradition.

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Bilaspur Paintings 

Bilaspur town is located in Himachal Pradesh. This town has witnessed the growth of the Pahari paintings around the mid-17th century. Apart from the artworks of the Bhagavata Purana, Ramayana and Ragamala sequence, painters also made paintings on coverlets for sacraments and rituals.

Guler-Kangra Style Paintings 

The Guler Kangra painting style was developed somewhere around the year 1800. It was naturalized version of the painting, with an evident difference in the treatment of eyes and modeling of the face. Landscapes were also generally used as themes in Guler-Kangra style paintings. This style also emphasized the grace and refinement of the Indian women.

Garhwal Paintings 

Garhwal Paintings started in Himachal Pradesh. It was initially dominated by the Mughal style. Later, it began reflecting the simpler version of Kangra traditions.

Kulu Paintings 

The paintings of Kulu style comprise two Madhumalati manuscripts, Bhagavata Purana, etc.

Mandi Paintings 

Mandi has witnessed the evolution of a new style of painting under Raja Sidh Sen from 1684 to 1727. The paintings portrayed the ruler as a colossal figure with exaggerated huge heads, hands, and feet. Geometric configurations and subtle, realistic details characterized other works.

Nurpur Paintings

Nurpur paintings are found in Himachal Pradesh. Nurpur paintings generally employ bright colors and flat backgrounds. Later periods, the dazzling colors were substituted by subdued ones.

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Jammu & Kashmir style of Pahari Paintings 

Some forms of Pahari paintings from the Jammu and Kashmir regions are as follows:

Jammu Paintings 

Jammu paintings bear a remarkable resemblance to the Kangra style. Shangri Ramayana of the late 17th and early 18th century was produced in Jammu itself.

Jasrota Paintings 

Jasrota paintings are mainly found in Jammu and Kashmir. It orbits around events from the life of the kings, court scenes, symbolic scenes, etc.

Mankot Paintings 

Mankot paintings are found in Jammu and Kashmir. It bears a similarity to the Basohli type. It uses vivid colors and bold subjects. In the mid-17th century, portraitures became a general theme. Later, the emphasis drifted to naturalism and muted colors.

APSC Combined Competitive Exam (CCE) 2020 – Timeline of events of Assam Civil Services exam

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APSC Combined Competitive Exam (CCE) 2020 – Timeline of events of ACS, APS, other Assam Govt officers posts

 

The Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) conducts Combined Competitive Examination, almost every year for recruitment to various services of Assam Govt. One of the toughest exams in the state, the CC Exam comprises mainly two stages:

(A) Preliminary examination – a written test of screening nature.

(B) Mains examination, which consists of Written Examinations and Interview Test.

 

Timeline of APSC Combined Competitive Exam 2020

  APSC PRELIMS 2020

  Notification of APSC CCE (Prelims) 2020 released – See Advertisement

Last Date Extended to 25 Oct, 2020 (on 11-10-2020)

   8th September 2020
  APSC Combined Competition Examination (Amendment) Rules, 2019   5th August 2019 
 

APSC CC Exam 2020 - Know Your Competition
 Total posts = 331

 

Competition has been gradually increasing in APSC CCE and it has increased substantially in recent years.

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APSC CC (Prelim) Exam                                   |                                APSC CC (Main) Exam

Nobel Prize Winners 2020 in Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Economics, Peace and Literature

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Nobel Prize 2020 – List of Winners

in Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Economics, Peace and Literature

Nobel Prize winners Assamexam Adhikary Education

The Nobel Foundation is declaring the list of eminent personalities as the winners for 2020, for their individual contributions in the fields of Physics, Chemistry, Physiology (or Medicine), Economics, Peace and Literature.

 

 

List of the 2020 Nobel Prize winners

 
2020 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

The Nobel Committee awarded the prize for physiology and medicine to Americans Harvey J. Alter and Charles M. Rice and British-born scientist Michael Houghton for discovering the liver-ravaging hepatitis C virus.

 

2020 Nobel Prize in Physics

The 2020 Nobel Prize in physics went to Roger Penrose of Britain, Reinhard Genzel of Germany and Andrea Ghez of the United States for their breakthroughs in understanding the mysteries of cosmic black holes.

 

2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry

2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded to Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A. Doudna for development of a method for genome editing known as CRISPR.

 

2020 Nobel Prizes in Literature

American poet Louise Gluck has been awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Literature. The 10 million Swedish crown ($1.1m) prize is named after dynamite inventor and businessman Alfred Nobel and has been awarded since 1901 for achievements in science, literature and peace in accordance with his will. The Swedish Academy said Gluck was honoured “for her unmistakable poetic voice that with austere beauty makes individual existence universal”. Gluck previously won the Pulitzer Prize in 1993 for her collection The Wild Iris, and the National Book Award in 2014. A professor of English at Yale University, she “seeks the universal, and in this she takes inspiration from myths and classical motifs, present in most of her works”, the Academy said. It said her 2006 collection Averno was a “masterly” and “a visionary interpretation of the myth of Persephone’s descent into Hell in the captivity of Hades, the god of death”.

 

2020 Prize in Economic Sciences

2020 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences awarded to Paul Milgrom and Robert Wilson. They have improved auction theory and invented new auction formats, benefitting sellers, buyers and taxpayers around the world. The auction formats developed by the winners have been used to sell radio frequencies, fishing quotas and airport landing slots. Both economists are based at Stanford University in California.

 

2020 Nobel Peace Prize

The Nobel Peace Prize 2020 has been awarded to the World Food Programme (WFP) for its efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict. The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organisation addressing hunger and promoting food security. In 2015, eradicating hunger was adopted as one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The WFP is the UN’s primary instrument for realising this goal.

 

Indians Nobel laureates
  • 12 Indians (5 Indian citizens and 7 overseas persons of Indian origin) have been awarded Nobel Prize in various categories.
  • The first person of Indian origin and also first Asian to be awarded the Nobel Prize was Rabindranath Tagore for his works “Gitanjali” in 1913.
  • First Indian recipient of Nobel Prize in Physics was C. V. Raman for his work on the scattering of light and for the discovery of the effect named after him” in 1930.
  • First Indian recipient of Nobel Prize for Peace was Mother Teresa in 1979.
  • First Indian recipient of Nobel Prize in Economics was Amartya Sen in 1998.
  • First Indian recipient of Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was Har Gobind Khorana for their interpretation of the genetic code and its function in protein synthesis in 1968.
  • First Indian recipient of Nobel Prize in Chemistry was Venkatraman Ramakrishnan for studies of the structure and function of the ribosome in 2009.
  • The only woman from India in the list of Nobel Prize recipient is Mother Teresa.

 

All About the Nobel Prize

  • Nobel winners are given a medal, a certificate and a cash award of about $900,000 (when multiple people win a single Nobel, they typically split the cash award.)
  • The awards are instituted by the Nobel Foundation based on the recommendations from The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for the Nobel Prize in Economics, Physics and Chemistry, Karolinska Institute for the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, the Swedish Academy for Literature, and a Committee of five persons elected by the Norwegian Parliament (Storting) for the Peace Prize.
  • First established in 1895 at the will of the Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel. Annual awards are given in the fields of Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, Peace, and Economics.
  • From 1901 till 2018, 908 laureates and 27 organisations have received the Nobel Prize.
  • All the Prize except Peace Prize awarded in Stockholm, Sweden. Peace Prize awarded in Oslo, Norway.
  • Youngest Nobel Laureate (17-years): Malala Yousafzai for Peace in 2014.
  • Oldest Nobel Laureate (97-years): John B. Goodenough for Chemistry in 2019.

See All Nobel Prizes

 

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