RAS 2016 Prelims — Previous Year Questions with Answers

Madhyamika (Nagari) is the ancient city associated with references in both the Mahabharata and Patanjali's Mahabhashya. ASI's account of Nagari identifies Madhyamika as the old name of Nagari and notes that Patanjali refers to Madhyamika being besieged by a Yavana king; it also records the Mahabharata reference in connection with Nakula's western expedition. Therefore option (b), Madhyamika (Nagari), is correct.

The Ghosundi Inscription, found near Nagari in Chittorgarh district of Rajasthan and dated to the second century BCE, is the earliest epigraphic record establishing the influence of the Bhagavata cult in ancient Rajasthan. It mentions the construction of a stone enclosure, the Narayana-vatika, in honour of the deities Sankarshana and Vasudeva, who are central to Vaishnava Bhagavatism. The Besnagar pillar inscription of Heliodorus is significant for the Bhagavata cult but is located in Madhya Pradesh, not Rajasthan, making Ghosundi the appropriate Rajasthan-specific answer.

The official RPSC final key for RAS Prelims 2016 marks this question as response 4. In the listed code set, response 4 includes all four temples: Adivarah temple of Ahad, Harshat Mata temple of Abhaneri, Neelkanth temple of Rajorgarh and Harihar temple of Osian. Therefore, for this PYQ, the accepted combination is (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv), matching option (d).

Maharana Kumbha of Mewar (1433-1468) maintained a celebrated court of scholars including Tilla Bhatt, Muni Sundar Suri and the musician-scholar Natha, all of whom contributed to texts and music associated with his reign. Muni Jin Vijay Suri, however, is a twentieth-century Jain scholar and historian famed for editing medieval Rajasthani manuscripts; he is not associated with Kumbha's fifteenth-century court. Hence Muni Jin Vijay Suri is the figure who was not present in Kumbha's assembly.

The Alibakshi Khayal is a folk theatrical form of singing-dance-drama developed by the nineteenth-century poet-composer Ali Bakhsh of Mundawar. It is associated with the Alwar region of Rajasthan, where the tradition continues to be performed during festivals and fairs. The form is distinguished from the Kuchamani, Shekhawati, Jaipuri and Turra-Kalangi Khayals which belong to other regions. Therefore Alwar is the correct geographical association for the Alibakshi Khayal style.

The official RPSC final answer key for RAS Prelims 2016 marks this question as response 1. In the displayed option set, response 1 corresponds to Kalbeliya. Therefore Shankariya dance is to be associated with the Kalbeliya community in this PYQ, while Bhil, Sahariya and Terahtali are distractors. The correct answer is option A.

Pandit Bhavbhatt, a court musician of Maharao Anirudh Singh of Bundi in the late seventeenth century, is the recognised author of Sangeetraj along with companion treatises such as Sangeet-Anupankush. Maharana Kumbha of Mewar wrote Sangeet-Raj and Sangeet-Mimansa, not Ragakalpadrum. Pundrik Vitthal authored Ragmala but the spelling and pairing in option (a) is mismatched with established attribution. Therefore the correct pairing among those listed is Pandit Bhavbhatt with Sangeetraj.

The Bikaner Praja Parishad and the associated peasant agitation in the princely state were led by Magharam Vaidya and later by Raghuvar Dayal Goyal, not by Narottam Lal Joshi, who was active in Jaipur affairs. The other pairings are correct: Ram Narayan Chaudhary led the Begun movement, Naynu Ram Sharma led the Bundi peasants, and Vijay Singh Pathik led the famous Bijoliya Kisan Andolan. Therefore the Bikaner-Narottam Lal Joshi pairing is incorrectly matched.

In Rajasthan's medieval revenue terminology, Patta Rekh referred to the expected or assessed revenue recorded in the patta (lease deed) issued to a jagirdar or cultivator. It represented the anticipated income from a land grant rather than the actual collection. The term was distinct from military taxes, customs duties or forced labour (begar). Therefore expected revenue is the correct meaning of Patta Rekh in the historical revenue system of Rajasthan.

The Shekhawati Brigade was a paramilitary force raised by the British East India Company in 1835 under Major Henry Forster to maintain order in the Shekhawati region. Its headquarters was established at Jhunjhunu, which served as the central base for operations across the thakurates of Shekhawati. The brigade was later involved in suppressing local resistance and played a role during the 1857 uprising in the area. Hence Jhunjhunu is the correct headquarter location.

Desh Hiteshi, Janhitkarak and Paropkarak were all pre-independence newspapers published in Rajasthan that actively propagated Arya Samaj ideals such as social reform, anti-untouchability and Vedic education. The Rajputana Gazette, by contrast, was an official English-language colonial publication that did not promote Arya Samaj ideology. Therefore Rajputana Gazette is the newspaper that did not serve as a promoter of the Arya Samaj movement among the listed options.

Gulabi Gangaur, distinct from the regular Gangaur festival, is celebrated at Nathdwara in Rajsamand district on Chaitra Shukla Panchami. The festival is associated with the Shrinathji temple tradition and features the deity adorned with pink (gulabi) attire and decorations, accompanied by processions and devotional singing. Other Gangaur traditions in Udaipur, Bundi and Jodhpur fall on different tithis or take different forms. Therefore Nathdwara is the correct location for the Gulabi Gangaur celebration.

The correct pairings are: Rajasthan Seva Sangh was founded in 1919 at Wardha by Vijay Singh Pathik; Desh Hiteshi Sabha was established in 1877 in Ajmer; the All India States Peoples Conference was constituted in 1927 at Bombay; and the Chamber of Princes was inaugurated in 1921 by the Duke of Connaught. This yields A-4, B-3, C-2, D-1, matching option (a) exactly when the list-2 numbering 1=1921, 2=1927, 3=1877, 4=1919 is applied.

Lt. Col. F.K.M. Walter first proposed a separate school for the well-rounded education of India's young rulers and nobles. Lord Mayo later supported the idea at Ajmer and the college was founded in 1875, but the originating recommendation belongs to Walter. Therefore option (c), Captain Walter, is correct.

Hansavali, regarded as one of the earliest works of Rajasthani literature, was composed by the poet Asayit (also spelt Asaita) around the fourteenth century. It is a narrative work with strong popular and devotional elements that became influential in early Rajasthani-Gujarati literary tradition. Hemchandra is associated with Apabhramsha grammar, Sridhar Vyas with later texts, and Isardas with bardic compositions. Hence Asayit is the correct author of Hansavali.

Mount Kosciuszko is the highest peak of Australia; Mount McKinley (Denali) is the highest peak of North America; Mount Elbrus is the highest peak of Europe in the Caucasus range; and Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest peak of Africa. Mapping to the codes therefore gives A-iii (Australia), B-iv (North America), C-i (Europe), D-ii (Africa), which corresponds to option (b) exactly.

Acid rain is principally caused by sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides emitted from fossil fuel combustion and industrial processes. These gases react with atmospheric water vapour to produce sulphuric and nitric acids that lower the pH of rain and snow. Carbon dioxide produces only weak carbonic acid and is not a major cause of acid rain, while methane is a greenhouse gas not implicated in acid precipitation. Therefore only (A) sulphur dioxide and (B) nitrogen oxide are the correct contaminants.

Global warming alters habitats and shifts species ranges, fragmentation of habitat isolates populations and reduces genetic exchange, and invasion by alien species disrupts native ecosystems through competition and predation. All three are recognised drivers of biodiversity loss. Promotion of vegetarianism, by reducing demand for animal-based agriculture, generally reduces ecological pressure rather than threatening biodiversity. Therefore only (A), (B) and (C) qualify as threats to biodiversity, matching option (a).

Lancashire is the historic textile region of the United Kingdom, the Ruhr is the heavy industrial region of Germany, Keihin (Tokyo-Yokohama belt) is Japan's principal industrial region, and the Southern Appalachian region is a coal and steel belt of the United States. Mapping these gives A-iii (UK), B-ii (Germany), C-iv (Japan), D-i (USA), which corresponds exactly to option (c).

Shipki La is a high-altitude mountain pass located in Himachal Pradesh on the India-Tibet border, not in Jammu and Kashmir, making the first pairing incorrect. Jelep La is correctly placed in Sikkim, Bom Di La in Arunachal Pradesh, and the Mana and Niti passes in Uttarakhand. Therefore the only mismatched pair is Shipki La with Jammu and Kashmir, corresponding to option (a).

The Green Revolution undeniably increased Indian foodgrain production, particularly wheat and rice from the late 1960s onwards, so assertion (A) is true. It also intensified regional disparities because its benefits concentrated in irrigated, well-endowed regions like Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, leaving rainfed and eastern regions behind, so reason (R) is also true. However, regional disparity is a side-effect rather than the cause of overall growth, so (R) does not correctly explain (A). Hence option (b) is correct.

The North-South Corridor under the National Highways Development Project runs from Srinagar to Kanyakumari. Among the listed cities, the geographical sequence from north to south is Agra (Uttar Pradesh) first, then Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh) just south of Agra, then Nagpur (Maharashtra), and finally Krishnagiri (Tamil Nadu) farthest south. This produces the order B, D, A, C, which matches option (b).

Among Aravalli peaks, Guru Shikhar is highest but not listed; the next prominent peaks are Ser at about 1597 metres, Jarga at about 1431 metres, Sajjangarh at about 938 metres, and Taragarh at about 873 metres. Arranging the four named peaks in descending order of altitude gives Ser, Jarga, Sajjangarh and Taragarh, which is exactly the sequence shown in option (b).

Sambhar Lake, India's largest inland salt lake located in Jaipur, Nagaur and Ajmer districts of Rajasthan, was designated a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance in 1990. It supports large populations of flamingos and other migratory waterfowl. Jaisamand, Anasagar and Rajsamand are significant Rajasthan lakes but were not on the Ramsar list at the time of this examination. Therefore Sambhar Lake is the correct answer.

The Government of Rajasthan approved its first State Forest Policy in February 2010. The policy framework set targets for increasing forest and tree cover, conserving biodiversity, encouraging joint forest management and addressing the needs of local communities and forest-dependent groups. It was the first dedicated state-level forest policy of Rajasthan and predates several subsequent biodiversity and wildlife notifications. Hence February 2010 is the correct date.

The Government of Rajasthan notified the Rajasthan Biological Diversity Rules and constituted the Rajasthan State Biodiversity Board in 2010, under the framework of the central Biological Diversity Act, 2002. The board is responsible for advising the state government, regulating access to biological resources, and supporting Biodiversity Management Committees at local levels. Therefore 2010 is the correct year of establishment.

The Choudhary Kumbha Ram Lift Canal, drawing water from the Indira Gandhi Canal system, was designed to supply drinking water to the arid districts of north-eastern Rajasthan. It principally benefits Hanumangarh and Jhunjhunu, while also serving parts of Churu and Sikar in later phases. Among the option pairings, Hanumangarh-Jhunjhunu correctly identifies the two key beneficiary districts of the project.

Gypsum - Palana is the wrong pair. Rajasthan Mines and Geology material associates Palana-Barsinghsar in Bikaner with lignite, not gypsum. Therefore the incorrect mineral-mine pairing is option (a). The other listed pairs are not the wrong pair for this question.

According to Census 2011 data for Rajasthan, Jaipur was the most populous district with about 6.6 million people, followed by Jodhpur with about 3.7 million, Alwar with about 3.67 million and Nagaur with about 3.3 million. Kota, Bikaner and Udaipur ranked lower in absolute population. Therefore the correct descending order among the listed options is Jaipur, Jodhpur, Alwar and Nagaur.

Official Census 2011 PCA district data show that Bikaner had a total population of 2,363,937 and an ST population of 7,779, while Nagaur had a total population of 3,307,743 and an ST population of 10,418. Their ST shares, about 0.329% and 0.315%, are lower than the other listed districts: Ganganagar 0.684%, Hanumangarh 0.805%, Churu 0.551%, Sikar 2.814%, Bharatpur 2.122% and Dhaulpur 4.856%. Therefore the pair with the lowest ST percentage among the options is Bikaner and Nagaur, option (C).

The mines of Janakpura and Sarwar in Rajasthan are known for garnet, not emerald. Indian Bureau of Mines records a garnet prospecting licence at Janakpura in Tonk district, while the Ajmer District Survey Report records garnet occurrences in the Sarwar area. Emerald, pyrite and barytes belong to other mineral associations in this option set, so the correct mineral association for Janakpura and Sarwar is garnet.

Jorbeed Gadhewal Conservation Reserve is in Bikaner (4), Gudha Vishnoi is in Jodhpur (3), Gogelav is in Nagaur (2) and Beed Conservation Reserve is in Jhunjhunu (1). Pairing these gives A-4, B-3, C-2, D-1, which corresponds exactly to option (b).

Statement A is correct because the Aravalli range acts as a barrier preventing eastward expansion of the Thar Desert. Statement D is correct because the Aravalli region is rich in metallic minerals such as copper, lead, zinc and silver. Statement B is wrong since not all Rajasthan rivers originate from the Aravalli; rivers like the Ghaggar arise outside it. Statement C is wrong because the Aravalli does affect rainfall distribution by acting as a partial orographic barrier. Hence only A and D are correct.

The Government of India Act 1919 is known as the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms, named after Edwin Montagu, Secretary of State for India, and Lord Chelmsford, the Viceroy. The Morley-Minto Reforms refer to the earlier Government of India Act 1909. Statement (b) wrongly equates the 1919 Act with the Morley-Minto reforms. The other statements about its 1921 enforcement, the Montagu-Chelmsford team and separation of central and provincial subjects are correct. Hence (b) is the incorrect statement.

Mysore state was renamed Karnataka in 1973, not Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu was the renamed name of Madras state in 1969. The other statements are factually correct: Bombay was bifurcated into Maharashtra and Gujarat in 1960, Himachal Pradesh was a Union Territory before becoming a full state in 1971, and Goa was separated from the Daman and Diu Union Territory when it attained statehood in 1987. Hence option (b) is the incorrect statement.

The Fundamental Duties were not part of the original Constitution. They were inserted into the Constitution as Article 51A under Part IVA by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, enacted in 1976 during the Emergency, on the recommendations of the Sardar Swaran Singh Committee. Initially ten duties were listed; an eleventh was added by the 86th Amendment in 2002. Hence 1976 is the correct year of incorporation.

Under the Right to Information Act, 2005, the Central Information Commissioner held office for a term of five years from the date of assumption or until the age of sixty-five years, whichever was earlier. This was the position prevailing in 2016 when the question was set; subsequent amendments in 2019 empowered the central government to fix the term separately. Therefore at the time of this examination the correct tenure was five years or 65 years of age.

Under Article 169 of the Constitution, the Vidhan Parishad (State Legislative Council) of a state can be created or abolished by Parliament on the basis of a special-majority resolution passed by the concerned state legislative assembly. The Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and state Vidhan Sabhas are permanent constitutional bodies that cannot be abolished. Therefore the Vidhan Parishad is the only legislative house among the options that can be abolished.

PESA, 1996 extends Part IX of the Constitution to Fifth Schedule areas in states with notified scheduled areas. As of 2016, the act applied to Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Rajasthan. It does not apply to states with Sixth Schedule areas like Assam and Meghalaya, nor to Tamil Nadu, which has no scheduled areas. Therefore PESA is not enforceable in the Assam-Meghalaya-Tamil Nadu group.

Among the listed options, Chandigarh, Sikkim and Mizoram each return only one member to the Lok Sabha, making option (c) the correct answer. Goa returns two, Manipur two, Puducherry one, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli only one but Manipur and Goa break that group. Arunachal Pradesh has two, so the only group where every entity has exactly one Lok Sabha seat is Chandigarh, Sikkim and Mizoram.

Article 18 abolishes titles, Article 26 secures freedom to manage religious affairs, Article 29 protects the language, script and culture of minorities, and Article 21A guarantees the right to education. Mapping yields (a)-iii, (b)-iv, (c)-i and (d)-ii, which exactly matches option (c) where ii corresponds to Article 21A. Therefore option (c) is the correct sequence of pairings.

The Government of India Act, 1935 introduced provincial autonomy, provided for an All India Federation that never came into being, abolished diarchy at the provincial level and introduced it at the centre, and divided subjects into Federal, Provincial and Concurrent lists. Residuary powers were vested in the Governor-General, not in provincial legislatures. Therefore the statement in option (d) regarding allocation of residuary subjects to provincial legislatures is the incorrect feature.

Under Articles 56 and 61 of the Constitution, the President of India can be removed only through impeachment by Parliament for violation of the Constitution. The process involves a charge being preferred and investigated by either House and resolved by a two-thirds majority of total membership. Because Parliament conducts both the investigation and the trial, the procedure combines legislative and judicial elements and is therefore characterised as a quasi-judicial procedure rather than purely judicial or legislative.

President's Rule has been imposed 4 times in Rajasthan (1967, 1977, 1980, and 1992).

The official Rajasthan Legislative Assembly overview states that the Assembly strength determined by the Delimitation Commission was 160 in 1952 and presently stands at 200. Therefore the correct figure for the 1952 delimitation exercise was 160 seats, matching option (b), not 188.

As District Magistrate, the Collector is empowered to maintain law and order, exercise overall control over police forces and administer the Foreigners Act including verification of passports of foreigners residing in the district. Control of land revenue is exercised in the separate capacity of Collector under the Land Revenue Act and not in his capacity as District Magistrate. Therefore the District Magistrate's powers among those listed cover A, B and C, matching option (a).

Under the Rajasthan University Acts, the Governor of Rajasthan acts as Chancellor only of state universities established by acts of the state legislature. Central universities have the President of India or another constitutional authority as visitor or chancellor, while private universities have their own chancellors as per their parent acts. Therefore the Governor's chancellorship in Rajasthan extends to all state universities and not to central or private universities.

The institution of Lokayukta at the state level was first recommended by the First Administrative Reforms Commission (1966-70) chaired initially by Morarji Desai and later by K. Hanumanthaiah, in its interim report on the Problems of Redress of Citizens' Grievances submitted in 1966. The Commission proposed a two-tier system of Lokpal at the centre and Lokayukta in each state. Hence option (b) is the correct answer.

Under Article 315(2) of the Constitution, a Joint Public Service Commission for two or more states can be established by Parliament on a request from the legislatures of those states. The Chairman and members of such a Joint State Public Service Commission are appointed by the President of India under Article 316. Therefore the correct appointing authority is the President of India.

The Rajasthan Legislative Assembly's official Confidence Motion table lists four confidence motions moved and discussed before 30 June 2016: two under Bhairon Singh Shekhawat in the 9th House on 23-03-1990 and 08-11-1990, one under Bhairon Singh Shekhawat in the 10th House on 31-12-1993, and one under Ashok Gehlot in the 13th House on 03-01-2009. The later 15th House motion on 14-08-2020 is after the cutoff. Therefore, till 30 June 2016 the count is four, so option (d) is correct.

Under the Bhamashah Yojana, statement (i) is correct because the scheme placed the Bhamashah card and the linked bank account around the woman or head of the household for targeted benefit delivery. Statement (ii) is not correct: official enrolment-agency instructions say Bhamashah data is uploaded only after verification in camp mode by Gram Sevaks, Patwari or another authorised local-body officer, not by the Sarpanch of the Gram Panchayat. Therefore only statement (i) is correct.

The State Election Commission of Rajasthan derives its authority directly from Article 243K and Article 243ZA of the Constitution of India, which provide for an independent commission to superintend, direct and control elections to Panchayats and Municipalities. Because it is established under provisions of the Constitution itself, the State Election Commission is a constitutional authority rather than a statutory or executive body or a unit of the Election Commission of India.

Inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index rises when monetary conditions become more expansionary. A reduction in the bank rate lowers the cost at which the Reserve Bank lends to commercial banks, encouraging credit creation, increasing money supply and pushing up demand and prices. A decrease in the reverse repo rate, by contrast, would discourage banks from parking funds with the RBI but is generally a less direct trigger; an increase in SLR or repo rate is contractionary. Therefore option (a) is correct.

According to the Human Development Report 2015, India was ranked 130 out of 188 countries on the Human Development Index, so statement A is correct. The HDI is constructed from indices of life expectancy, education and per capita income (gross national income), so statement B is correct. Among the BRICS nations, India had the lowest HDI rank that year, with Russia, Brazil, China and South Africa all ranked higher, so statement C is also correct. Hence all three statements are correct.

Poverty estimates in India use household consumption expenditure data; MoSPI states that HCES data is used to measure poverty, inequality and social exclusion. Employment and unemployment data are collected separately through the Periodic Labour Force Survey, launched in 2017 after the earlier quinquennial NSSO employment-unemployment survey framework. In the 2016 RAS question, option (a) remains the best answer because it identifies NSSO's household survey base rather than CSO, the Planning Commission or an income survey.

In gross tax revenue of the central government around 2015-16, corporation tax was the largest single source, followed by personal income tax, then union excise duty, with service tax fourth. This gives the descending order II, III, I, IV, matching option (c). The order changed in subsequent years after GST subsumed many of these heads, but at the time of this examination corporation tax was unambiguously the leading source.

India's merchandise trade balance has been negative for almost the entire post-independence period from 1949-50 to 2015-16, reflecting persistent import dependence on oil, capital goods and gold. The only two financial years in which India recorded a positive trade balance were 1972-73 and 1976-77, when exports temporarily exceeded imports. This pattern is captured exactly by option (c).

PAHAL (Pratyaksh Hanstantarit Labh) was launched as the first major implementation of the Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) trinity, transferring LPG subsidies through the Direct Benefit Transfer mechanism directly into the bank accounts of consumers. All three descriptions in options (a), (b) and (c) accurately describe distinct features of the scheme, so the comprehensive correct answer is option (d), which states that all of these are true.

According to Census 2011, Rajasthan's total sex ratio was 928 females per 1000 males, below the all-India figure of 943, so statement (i) is correct. District data show that all Rajasthan districts had total sex ratio below 1000, so statement (ii) is also correct. Pali district was the rural exception with a rural sex ratio of 1003, making statement (iii) correct. Dhaulpur was not an urban exception: its urban sex ratio was 864, below 1000. Therefore statement (iv) is false and the correct answer is option (c): (i), (ii) and (iii) only.

The Jalipa-Kapurdi thermal power project in Barmer district uses lignite extracted from local Barmer-Sanchore basin reserves as its primary fuel, so statement I is correct. The plant was implemented as a public-private partnership through Raj West Power Limited, a subsidiary in the JSW group, making it a privately developed project, so statement II is also correct. Hence both statements are correct, matching option (a).

The Rajasthan Renewable Energy Transmission Investment Program is being financed by the Asian Development Bank through a multi-tranche financing facility intended to evacuate solar and wind power from generation hubs in western Rajasthan to load centres. The programme supports development of green-energy corridors and associated transmission infrastructure. Therefore the Asian Development Bank is the correct external financing agency for the project.

Naya Savera is a state-level de-addiction and rehabilitation programme launched in Rajasthan to support registered Doda Post (opium husk) addicts after the central government banned doda post sale. The scheme provides medical de-addiction support, counselling and rehabilitation specifically for those previously dependent on doda post, distinguishing it from general tobacco or alcohol de-addiction efforts. Therefore option (a) is correct.

The Mukhya Mantri Nishulk Dava Yojana, providing free essential medicines to patients at all government health facilities in Rajasthan, was launched on 2 October 2011 by the then Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. The scheme was timed with Gandhi Jayanti to symbolise universal access to healthcare. Therefore the correct launch date is 2 October 2011.

Statements (i), (ii) and (iii) are correct. Under Rajasthan's Bhamashah Yojana, each family is issued a Bhamashah card in the name of the woman head, the card is linked to her bank account, and multiple cash benefits are directly transferred to beneficiary bank accounts. Non-cash benefits are given directly to entitled beneficiaries through the scheme mechanism; they are not transferred to bank accounts. Therefore statement (iv) is incorrect and option (c) is correct.

Anuprati Yojana is the Rajasthan government scheme that provides cash incentives to scheduled caste, scheduled tribe, special backward class and BPL students of OBC and general category who are selected in All India Civil Services, the Rajasthan State Civil Services Examinations and similar competitive examinations, or who secure admission to IITs, IIMs and recognised national medical colleges. The scheme aims to encourage and support these candidates financially. Hence option (a) is correct.

The Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Limited, a state public-sector undertaking, is the designated nodal agency for development of renewable energy projects from solar, wind, biomass and other non-conventional sources within the state. It coordinates project allocation, policy implementation and incentives. The other options refer to central or generic bodies that do not act as the state-level nodal agency. Therefore option (a) is correct.

The Mukhya Mantri Shubh Laxmi Yojana of Rajasthan was launched to promote the birth of girl children, encourage formal birth registration of girls, and prevent child marriage by linking benefits to age-related milestones in the girl's life. The scheme does not provide assistance specifically to pregnant girls, since that would conflict with the prevention of child marriage objective. Hence option (d) is not an objective of the scheme.

Baking soda is the common name of sodium hydrogen carbonate, with the chemical formula NaHCO3. It is a weak base widely used in baking, antacid preparations and fire extinguishers. CaCO3 represents calcium carbonate (limestone), Ca(OH)2 is slaked lime, and Na2CO3 is washing soda or sodium carbonate, all of which are different compounds with distinct properties. Therefore NaHCO3 is the correct chemical formula of baking soda.

A photovoltaic cell is a semiconductor device that converts incident sunlight directly into electrical energy through the photovoltaic effect, in which photons liberate charge carriers across a p-n junction. Photovoltaic cells form the building blocks of solar panels used in residential, commercial and grid-scale solar power applications. They are not associated with nuclear, wind or geothermal energy conversion, which use entirely different physical mechanisms. Hence option (a) is correct.

Android version 6.0, released by Google in October 2015, was given the dessert-themed codename Marshmallow. It introduced features such as runtime permissions, Doze mode for battery saving, Google Now on Tap and native fingerprint support. KitKat was version 4.4, Lollipop was version 5.0/5.1 and Jelly Bean was version 4.1 to 4.3. Therefore option (b) Marshmallow is the correct codename for Android 6.0.

Idukki district in Kerala became the first district in India to be connected with the NOFN high-speed rural broadband network on 12 January 2015. The achievement marked the completion of optical-fibre connectivity to all gram panchayats in the district under the National Optical Fibre Network programme of the Department of Telecommunications. Therefore option (c) Idukki district of Kerala is the correct answer.

Lukoskin is a herbal-mineral formulation developed by the Defence Institute of Bio-Energy Research, a DRDO laboratory in Uttarakhand, for the treatment of leucoderma (vitiligo), the depigmenting skin disorder. It was commercialised in collaboration with AIMIL Pharmaceuticals. The drug is not used for leukaemia, lung cancer or leucorrhoea, which are entirely different medical conditions. Therefore option (b) leucoderma is the correct disease association.

The SLV-3 launched the Rohini satellite series in 1980, making it match B. The ASLV launched the SROSS series including SROSS-C, matching it with C. The PSLV launched Chandrayaan-1 in October 2008, matching it with A. The GSLV launched EDUSAT in 2004, matching it with D. The combination is therefore (i)-B, (ii)-C, (iii)-A, (iv)-D, which corresponds exactly to option (a).

INS Chakra is the nuclear-powered attack submarine of the Indian Navy, leased from Russia and commissioned into service in 2012. It is the only nuclear-powered submarine among the options listed. INS Shishumar and INS Shalki are conventional diesel-electric submarines of the Shishumar class, while INS Sindhuvir is a conventional Kilo-class submarine. Therefore INS Chakra is the correct nuclear-powered submarine.

The Indian Air Force operates the Ilyushin Il-78MKI as its dedicated air-to-air refuelling tanker, providing in-flight refuelling capability to fighter aircraft like the Su-30MKI and Mirage 2000. The C-17 Globemaster III and C-130J Super Hercules are heavy and tactical transport aircraft, while the Il-76 is the strategic airlift transport variant. Therefore option (c) Ilyushin Il-78 is the correct refueller aircraft.

Statement A is correct because vinegar can be produced by fermentation of sugarcane juice. Statement B is correct because the active acid in vinegar is acetic acid (ethanoic acid), typically present at 4 to 8 percent. Statement D is correct because vinegar's acidic nature inhibits microbial growth and is widely used as a food preservative in pickling. Statement C is wrong since benzoic acid is not the principal acid of vinegar. Hence A, B and D are correct, matching option (b).

The four generations of nanotechnology proposed by Mihail Roco are: passive nanostructures (e.g. aerosols, coatings), active nanostructures (e.g. targeted drugs and adaptive structures), systems of nanosystems (e.g. three-dimensional networking and robotics), and molecular nanosystems (e.g. molecular manufacturing). Arranging the listed examples accordingly gives Aerosol first, Targeted drugs second, 3D networking third and Molecular manufacturing fourth, which corresponds to option (c) A, D, B, C.

Flaxseed (linseed) is the richest plant-based source of alpha-linolenic acid, an eighteen-carbon omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, with content typically exceeding fifty percent of total fatty acids. Mung bean, moth bean and oats contain only minor amounts of alpha-linolenic acid in their lipid fraction. Therefore flaxseed is the correct answer among the options listed.

Statements A and B are correct. The Flavr Savr tomato was marketed in 1994 as the first commercially sold genetically engineered whole food, and its delayed-softening trait came from suppressing polygalacturonase, reducing pectin breakdown. This helped ripe tomatoes stay firm after harvest and allowed longer vine ripening before transport. The official answer key for this question accepts only statements A and B, so statement C should not be treated as correct. Hence option (a) is correct.

Calcium carbide reacts with atmospheric moisture to liberate acetylene gas (C2H2), which mimics the action of the natural plant ripening hormone ethylene. Acetylene triggers metabolic changes that hasten ripening of green fruits such as bananas and mangoes. Although the practice is banned under Indian food safety rules due to contamination by arsenic and phosphorus impurities, the chemical principle remains accurate. Therefore acetylene is the correct gas produced.

For this RAS Prelims 2016 PYQ, the official RPSC final answer key marks response 3. In the option set attached to this row, response 3 is the sequence carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and chlorofluorocarbons. Therefore the explanation must support option (c) in this row, not option (a) or option (b).

Dolly, the first mammal cloned from an adult somatic cell, was actually born on 5 July 1996 at the Roslin Institute in Scotland and her birth was publicly announced in February 1997, not 1998. She died in 2003 from progressive lung disease, and the cloning was carried out in Scotland. Therefore the statement in option (a) that she was born in 1998 is incorrect, while the others are factually accurate.

Jim Corbett National Park, established in 1936 as Hailey National Park in present-day Uttarakhand, is the first national park established in India. It was renamed after the conservationist Jim Corbett in 1957 and serves as the launch site of Project Tiger in 1973. Kaziranga, Gir and Kanha are renowned national parks but were established later. Therefore Jim Corbett is the correct answer.

Azolla, a free-floating aquatic fern, lives in symbiotic association with the nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium Anabaena azollae and is widely used as a green-manure biofertiliser in paddy cultivation. Azolla biomass is also rich in protein, vitamins and minerals and is fed as a supplementary feed to dairy cattle, especially milking bovines, to improve milk yield. Therefore Azolla is the correct biofertiliser used as a cattle feed supplement.

The Central Institute for Arid Horticulture, an institution under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, is located at Bichhwal in Bikaner district of Rajasthan. It conducts research on horticultural crops suited to arid and semi-arid conditions, including ber, pomegranate, date palm and seed-spice cultivation. The institute is distinct from the Central Arid Zone Research Institute located in Jodhpur. Hence Bikaner is the correct location for the Central Institute of Arid Horticulture.

The Government of India, in line with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, switched from Trivalent Oral Polio Vaccine to Bivalent Oral Polio Vaccine in 2016. The bivalent vaccine contains attenuated polio virus types 1 and 3 only, after the certified eradication of wild type 2 poliovirus, which had been replaced because the type 2 component in the trivalent vaccine had become a major cause of vaccine-derived polio cases. Hence option (c) polio is correct.

The statement asserts that nothing lies beyond the reach of a hard-working person, which directly implies that a hard-working person can achieve everything; assumption I is therefore implicit in the statement. Assumption II, however, makes a separate negative claim about people who do not work hard, which is not necessarily implied by the original positive proposition about hard workers. Therefore only assumption I is implicit, corresponding to option (a).

Argument I directly addresses the safety implication of using a mobile phone while driving, citing accidents as a strong public-interest reason for a ban; this is a strong argument grounded in evidence and policy rationale. Argument II refers only to inconvenience to mobile users in emergencies, which is weak because emergencies arise rarely and drivers can pull over to attend to calls. Therefore only argument I is strong, corresponding to option (a).

From the premise that all fruits are trees and no flower is a tree, it follows that no flower can be a fruit, since any flower that were a fruit would also have to be a tree, contradicting the second premise. Conclusion II that some trees are fruits also follows because all fruits are trees, so the set of fruits is a non-empty subset of trees, making at least some trees fruits. Hence both conclusions follow.

The conditional statement says that if he is intelligent, he will pass the NET exam. Assumption I claims that being intelligent is necessary for passing, but the original statement asserts only sufficiency, not necessity, so I is not implicit. Assumption II asserts categorically that he will pass, which the conditional does not establish without the antecedent being known to hold. Therefore neither assumption is implicit in the statement, matching option (a).

The given sequence has a constant first difference: 2247 minus 1039 equals 1208, 3455 minus 2247 equals 1208, and 4663 minus 3455 equals 1208. Continuing the arithmetic progression, the next term equals 4663 plus 1208, which is 5871. Hence option (b) 5871 is the correct next term in the sequence.

Among the four animals listed, cow, goat and pig are commonly reared as livestock for milk, meat or other agricultural purposes, while a cat is generally kept as a domestic pet rather than as livestock. Therefore the cat does not belong to the same category as the others and is the odd one out, corresponding to option (a).

In the coding, GYPSUM (positions 1-2-3-4-5-6) becomes MGSPYU, which corresponds to taking letters in the order 6,1,4,3,2,5. Applying the same rearrangement to BEYOND (positions 1-2-3-4-5-6 = B,E,Y,O,N,D), letter 6 is D, letter 1 is B, letter 4 is O, letter 3 is Y, letter 2 is E and letter 5 is N, giving DBOYEN. This matches option (d).

F has two sons A and E, with A elder. D is the wife of A and is mother of two children, one boy (B) and one girl (C). Therefore B is A and D's son and C is their daughter. From E's standpoint, A is his elder brother and C is the daughter of his elder brother, which makes C the niece of E. Hence the niece of E is C, matching option (a).

In the given table the rows show the pattern: row 2 entries are double row 1 (5*2=10, 4*2=8, 3*2=6), and row 3 entries follow another arithmetic relation. Examining columns: column 1 is 5,10,13 (differences 5,3); column 2 is 4,8,12 (differences 4,4); column 3 should follow a similar progression. Differences in column 3 are 3 then ?, with the third entry expected at 6 plus 3 = 9. Therefore the missing number is 9, corresponding to option (c).

The unit digit of 5 raised to any positive power is always 5. The unit digit of 7 to a positive power follows a 4-cycle of 7,9,3,1; 69 mod 4 = 1, so 7^69 ends in 7. The unit digit of 3 to a positive power follows a 4-cycle of 3,9,7,1; 57 mod 4 = 1, so 3^57 ends in 3. Multiplying the unit digits: 5 times 7 = 35 (unit 5), 5 times 3 = 15 (unit 5). Therefore the final unit digit is 5, matching option (b).

Total bulb-hours initially are 200 bulbs times 4 hours/day times 6 days = 4800 bulb-hours costing Rs. 40, so cost per bulb-hour is 40/4800. For new scenario at Rs. 48 in 15 days at 3 hours/day: required bulb-hours = 48 * 4800 / 40 = 5760. Therefore number of bulbs = 5760 / (15*3) = 5760/45 = 128. Hence the answer is 128 bulbs, matching option (c).

Let X's marks equal x and Y's marks equal y. Given x = y + 9 and x = 0.56(x + y). From the second equation, x = 0.56x + 0.56y, so 0.44x = 0.56y, giving x = (14/11)y. Substituting into x = y + 9: (14/11)y = y + 9, so (3/11)y = 9, y = 33. Therefore x = 42 and y = 33. The pair is X=42 and Y=33, matching option (c). Re-examining option (a) shows 39 and 30 which doesn't satisfy the 56% rule. Correct answer is option (c) 42, 33.

For two years on principal P at rate r%, the difference between compound interest (annual compounding) and simple interest equals P times (r/100) squared. Substituting P = 15000 and the difference = 96 gives 15000 * (r/100)^2 = 96, so (r/100)^2 = 96/15000 = 0.0064, giving r/100 = 0.08, so r = 8%. Therefore the rate of interest per annum is 8 percent, matching option (a).

Let the amount deposited for the younger son (age 17) be y and for the elder son (age 18) be (16400 - y). At age 20, both should yield equal amounts. Younger son's term is 3 years and elder son's term is 2 years. So y*(1.05)^3 = (16400 - y)*(1.05)^2. Dividing both sides by (1.05)^2: y*1.05 = 16400 - y, so 2.05y = 16400, y = 8000. Therefore the younger son receives Rs. 8000, matching option (a).

At the 12th South Asian Games held in Guwahati and Shillong in February 2016, India dominated the medal tally and won 188 gold medals overall, by far the highest among the participating nations. India's total medal count of 308 was also the highest. Therefore India's gold medal tally was 188, corresponding to option (b).

The campaign for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union, popularly known as Brexit, in the run-up to the June 2016 referendum was prominently led by figures such as Boris Johnson, then Mayor of London, alongside Michael Gove and Nigel Farage. Mark Carney was Governor of the Bank of England, George Osborne was Chancellor and broadly pro-Remain, and Jean-Claude Juncker was European Commission President. Hence Boris Johnson is the correct leader of the Leave movement, matching option (a).

Mumbai won the 2015-16 Ranji Trophy, defeating Saurashtra in the final, under the captaincy of wicketkeeper-batsman Aditya Tare. It was Mumbai's 41st Ranji Trophy title. Surya Kumar Yadav and Shreyas Iyer were prominent players but not the captains, while Rohit Sharma was largely playing international cricket and not leading Mumbai's domestic side that season. Therefore option (d) Aditya Tare is correct.

Kerala was officially declared the first Digital State of India in February 2016, in recognition of comprehensive digital governance, fibre-optic connectivity, e-services delivery and the IT@school initiative. The declaration was made by the President of India after assessment by the central government. Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa, while digitally advanced, were not awarded this specific designation. Hence Kerala is the correct answer.

Rajasthan, with a geographical area of 342239 square kilometres, accounts for approximately 10.4 percent of India's total land area of about 3.287 million square kilometres, making it the largest state of India by area. The other percentages listed do not correspond to Rajasthan's share of national land area. Therefore option (a) 10.4 percent is the correct figure.

Approximately 60 percent of the Thar Desert (Great Indian Desert) within India lies in Rajasthan, primarily covering the western districts of Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bikaner, Jodhpur and parts of Sikar, Churu, Nagaur and Pali. The remaining portions extend into Gujarat, Punjab and Haryana. Therefore the correct share of the Thar Desert in India that falls within Rajasthan is about 60 percent, matching option (b).

Afghanistan conferred its highest civilian honour, the Amir Amanullah Khan Award, on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June 2016 during his visit to Herat for the inauguration of the Afghan-India Friendship Dam (Salma Dam). The award recognised his contribution to strengthening bilateral relations and supporting development cooperation. Therefore Afghanistan is the correct conferring country, matching option (d).

The first Annapurna Bhandar in Rajasthan was inaugurated by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje at Bhambori village in Jhalawar district on 31 October 2015. The Annapurna Bhandar Yojana was an arrangement to convert existing fair price shops in rural areas into multi-utility outlets selling subsidised foodgrains as well as branded grocery items at competitive prices in collaboration with Future Group. Hence Bhambori is the correct location.

The correct option is the Right to Hearing Act. The Rajasthan Right to Hearing Act, 2012 gives people the right to a hearing on grievances within stipulated time limits, including information about the decision made on the complaint. The other options relate to procurement, service delivery or general governance, not this specific grievance-hearing mechanism.

The Rajasthan Government, in collaboration with the Norwegian Government and the Norway India Partnership Initiative, set up the Jeevan Dhara human milk bank to collect, screen, pasteurise and store breast milk for infants who are unable to receive their own mother's milk, particularly orphaned, premature or sick neonates. The bank operates in association with Sir Padampat Mother and Child Health Institute, Jaipur. Hence option (d) mother's milk to infants is correct.

The official motto of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games was "A New World", reflecting the inclusive and transformative spirit of the Paralympic movement and the host city's aspirations for the games. The motto was used in the games' branding, ceremonies and communications. Therefore option (a) is the correct motto.

The official tagline incorporated in the Rajasthan Tourism logo at the time of this examination was "Jaane Kya Dikh Jaye" (loosely translated as "who knows what you might see"), used in promotional campaigns to highlight the unexpected variety of experiences across the state. "Padharo Mhare Desh" was the older traditional tagline. Therefore option (b) is correct.

The Rio 2016 Paralympic Games featured 22 sports. The International Paralympic Committee's Rio 2016 sports page describes the programme as 22 sports being contested in Rio. The earlier statement of 23 sports is therefore incorrect; the factual figure to learn is 22 sports.

The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, launched on 1 May 2016 from Ballia, provides free LPG connections to women of below poverty line households (statement A correct), an outlay of Rs. 8000 crore was earmarked over three years (statement B correct), and the scheme aims to benefit 5 crore BPL households over the period (statement D correct). Statement C, claiming financial support of Rs. 2800 per connection, is incorrect; the actual financial support for each LPG connection was Rs. 1600. Therefore A, B and D are correct, matching option (d).

The Asian Cup Table Tennis Championship 2015 was hosted at the Sawai Mansingh Indoor Stadium in Jaipur, Rajasthan, marking a major international table tennis event held in the state. The other listed venues are prominent multi-sport stadia but did not host the 2015 Asian Cup Table Tennis. Therefore option (a) is correct.

The Rio 2016 Olympic Games featured 306 medal events spread across 28 sports, including the newly added rugby sevens and golf. The total medal-event count made Rio one of the largest Olympic editions to that date. Therefore option (c) 306 events is the correct answer.

Solar Impulse 2, the Swiss-built single-seat experimental aircraft powered exclusively by photovoltaic cells, became the first solar-powered aircraft to circumnavigate the globe when it completed its round-the-world journey in July 2016 after a 17-leg flight that began in Abu Dhabi in March 2015. Solar Impulse 1 was an earlier prototype, while Solar Impulse 3 and 4 do not exist as completed circumnavigation aircraft. Hence option (c) is correct.

The list of the sixteen Mahajanapadas of ancient India is preserved most completely in the Buddhist Anguttara Nikaya and the Jain Bhagavati Sutra. While the Digha Nikaya mentions some janapadas, it does not provide the complete list of sixteen, and the Arthashastra of Kautilya focuses on contemporary administrative material rather than the historic Mahajanapada list. Hence options (ii) and (iv) - Anguttara Nikaya and Bhagavati Sutra - correctly identify the texts, matching option (b).

The legend of Satyakama Jabala, the boy who is admitted as a student by the sage Gautama after his mother Jabala honestly states that she does not know who his father is, appears in the Chhandogya Upanishad (Book IV). The story celebrates truthfulness as the highest qualification for spiritual learning and indirectly challenges social stigma. The Jabala, Katha and Prashna Upanishads contain different content. Therefore option (a) Chhandogya Upanishad is correct.

Among the listed Sanskrit works, Sriharsha's Naishadhiyacharita is based on the Nala-Damayanti story associated with the Mahabharata tradition. Bharavi's Kiratarjuniyam draws on Arjuna's encounter with Shiva in the guise of a Kirata, and Magha's Sisupalavadha uses the Sabha Parva episode of Krishna slaying Shishupala. Dandin's Dasakumaracharita is independent prose fiction. Therefore statements (i), (ii) and (iii) are connected with Mahabharata themes, so option (c) is correct.

The Modhera Sun Temple, dedicated to Surya, is located at Modhera village in Mehsana district of Gujarat, and was built by King Bhima I of the Chalukya (Solanki) dynasty around 1026 CE. The Konark temple is in Odisha, the Martand temple in Jammu and Kashmir, and the Dakshinark temple at Gaya in Bihar. Therefore option (b) Modhera is the correct answer for the Sun temple in Gujarat.

Razia Sultan ruled Delhi as Sultan from 1236 to 1240 CE, Bahadur Shah ruled Gujarat in the 16th century, and Baz Bahadur ruled Malwa with his consort Roopmati. Chand Bibi, however, is associated with the kingdoms of Ahmednagar and Bijapur, where she defended Ahmednagar against Mughal forces; she has no historical connection with Awadh. Therefore the incorrectly matched pair is Chand Bibi with Awadh, corresponding to option (d).

Vijayalaya Chola, who recaptured Tanjore from the Muttaraiyars around 850 CE, founded the Imperial Chola dynasty in the ninth century CE and made Tanjore his capital. His successors Aditya I, Parantaka I and later Rajaraja I and Rajendra I expanded the empire significantly, but the foundation belongs to Vijayalaya. Krishna I was a Rashtrakuta ruler. Therefore option (a) Vijayalaya is the correct answer.

The Razmnama (Persian for "Book of War") is the Persian translation of the Mahabharata commissioned by Mughal emperor Akbar in 1582 and completed by a team of scholars and translators including Naqib Khan, Mulla Sheri, Faizi and Abdul Qadir Badauni at the Maktabkhana of Fatehpur Sikri. It exemplifies Akbar's effort to bridge Hindu and Muslim literary traditions. Hamzanama, Alamgirnama and Badshahnama are different Persian works. Hence option (d) Razmnama is correct.

Sheikh Moinuddin Chishti, Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki and Sheikh Nizamuddin Auliya are central figures of the Chishti silsila in India, beginning from Ajmer and extending through Delhi. Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani, however, is the founder of the Qadiri silsila in Baghdad and does not belong to the Chishti order. Therefore option (d) Sheikh Abdul Jilani is the figure who does not belong to the Chishti tradition.

The Ring Fence Policy was indeed framed by Warren Hastings to safeguard the Company's frontiers, and the suppression of Thuggee was carried out under William Bentinck through Colonel William Sleeman, while the Ilbert Bill controversy occurred during Lord Ripon's viceroyalty. The Vernacular Press Act, however, was promulgated in 1878 by Lord Lytton, not Lord Curzon. Therefore the incorrect pair is Vernacular Press Act with Curzon, matching option (c).

Nineteenth-century socio-religious reform movements such as the Brahmo Samaj, Arya Samaj, Aligarh Movement and Prarthana Samaj propagated rationalism, scientific temper, social equality and questioning of orthodox practices, all of which constitute foundational elements of modernity. These ideas drove modernisation of education, gender relations and social institutions. Therefore both the assertion and the reason are true, and the reason is the correct explanation of the assertion, matching option (d).