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UPSC Prelims 2022 Analysis

Subject-Wise Weightage

  • Environment & Ecology (18 questions): The highest representation, emphasizing topics like biodiversity, climate change, and maps for environmental hotspots.
  • Economy (16 questions): Focused on fiscal policies, budget trends, and government schemes.
  • Science & Technology (15 questions): Covered emerging technologies, space missions, and their applications.
  • Indian Polity (12 questions): Standard focus on constitutional principles, assertion-based questions, and governance issues.
  • Other Notable Areas: International Relations (11), Art & Culture (7), and Geography (10 combined), with many match the following type questions.
Subject-Wise Weightage
Subject-Wise Weightage in UPSC Prelims 2022

Difficulty Analysis

  • Easy (25 questions): Covered fundamental NCERT concepts and basic factual recall.
  • Medium (48 questions): Required analytical abilities, conceptual clarity, and deeper reasoning.
  • Hard (27 questions): Tested multi-dimensional application and assertion-reasoning skills.
Difficulty Distribution
Difficulty Distribution in UPSC Prelims 2022

Variations in Question Framing

  • Multi-Statement (72 questions): Most questions were assertion-reason or "how many of the above are correct?" formats.
  • Direct (28 questions): Fact-based, often sourced from NCERT and standard books.
  • Match the Following: Commonly seen in Geography, Environment, and Economy questions.
Question Variations
Question Variations in UPSC Prelims 2022

Key Learnings for Future Preparation

  • Leverage Easy Questions (25): Build a strong NCERT foundation to secure these marks.
  • Prepare for Medium-Difficulty Questions (48): Strengthen analytical abilities to handle the majority of the paper effectively.
  • Strategize for Hard Questions (27): Tackle assertion-based and multi-concept questions using elimination techniques.
  • Practice Multi-Statement Questions: Since they dominate the paper, mastering them is essential.
  • Focus on High-Weightage Subjects: Prioritize Environment, Economy, and Science, given their significant share in the exam.
  • Stay Updated with Current Affairs: Particularly for Economy (budget, fiscal policies), Environment, and International Relations, integrate recent developments into your preparation.
The UPSC Prelims 2022 exam balanced factual recall with analytical reasoning, focusing on Environment, Economy, and Science & Technology. It included, multi-statement questions, and interlinking static and current affairs. Strong preparation in these subjects, alongside map skills and staying updated on global developments, is essential for success

QUESTION 1

MediumInternational RelationsPrelims 2022

Consider the following statements:

  1. Bidibidi is a large refugee settlement in north -western Kenya.
  2. Some people who fled from South Sudan civil war live in Bidibidi.
  3. Some people who fled from civil war in Somalia live in Dadaab refugee complex in Kenya.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A. 1 and 2

B. 2 only

C. 3 only

D. 2 and 3

Answer: D

Explanation

Statement 1 is Incorrect: Bidibidi is a large refugee settlement in northwestern Uganda, not Kenya.

Statement 2 is Correct: People fleeing the civil war in South Sudan have been hosted in the Bidibidi settlement.

Statement 3 is Correct: The Dadaab refugee complex is located in Kenya and houses refugees, including those who fled the civil war in Somalia.

Therefore, the correct statements are 2 and 3 only.


QUESTION 2

MediumInternational RelationsPrelims 2022

With reference to the “United Nations Credentials Committee”, consider the following statements:

  1. It is a committee set up by the UN Security Council and works under its supervision.
  2. It traditionally meets in March, June and September every year.
  3. It assesses the credentials of all UN members before submitting a report to the General Assembly for approval.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A. 3 only

B. 1 and 3

C. 2 and 3

D. 1 and 2

Answer: A

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect The United Nations Credentials Committee is a committee of the United Nations General Assembly.

Statement 2 is incorrect A Credentials Committee is appointed at the beginning of each regular session of the General Assembly. It consists of nine members, who are appointed by the General Assembly on the proposal of the President.

Statement 3 is correctThe Committee reports to the Assembly on the credentials of representatives. The Committee is mandated to examine the credentials of representatives of Member States and to report to the General Assembly thereon (Rule 28 of the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly).

The credentials of representatives and the names of members of the delegation of each Member State are submitted to the Secretary-General and are issued either by the Head of the State or Government or by the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Rule 27 of the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly).


QUESTION 3

MediumInternational RelationsPrelims 2022

With reference to the "G20 Common Framework", consider the following statements:

  1. It is an initiative endorsed by the G20 together with the Paris Club.
  2. It is an initiative to support Low Income Countries with unsustainable debt.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

A. 1 only

B. 2 only

C. Both 1 and 2

D. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: C

Explanation

The G20 Common Framework is an initiative endorsed by the G20 together with the Paris Club. It was created in November 2020 to help Low Income Countries (LICs) facing unsustainable debt burdens.

The G20 Common Framework specifically targets Low Income Countries with unsustainable debt. It provides a mechanism for these countries to restructure their debts in a coordinated manner with participation from various creditors, including official bilateral creditors, private creditors, and multilateral institutions. Hence, both statements about the G20 Common Framework are correct.


QUESTION 4

MediumInternational RelationsPrelims 2022

Consider the following countries

  1. Armenia
  2. Azerbaijan
  3. Croatia
  4. Romania
  5. Uzbekistan

Which of the above are members of the Organization of Turkic States?

A. 1, 2 and 4

B. 1 and 3

C. 2 and 5

D. 3, 4 and 5

Answer: C

Explanation

The Organization of Turkic States, formerly called the Turkic Council or the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States, is an international organization comprising prominent independent Turkic countries

  • Azerbaijan
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Turkey
  • Uzbekistan

Organization of Turkic States


QUESTION 5

MediumInternational RelationsPrelims 2022

With reference to the United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea, consider the following statements:

  1. A coastal state has the right to establish the breadth of its territorial sea up to a limit not exceeding 12 nautical miles, measured from baseline determined in accordance with the convention.
  2. Ships of all states, whether coastal or land-locked, enjoy the right of innocent passage through the territorial sea.
  3. The Exclusive Economic Zone shall not extend beyond 200 nautical miles from the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea in measure.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

A. 1 and 2 only

B. 2 and 3 only

C. 1 and 3 only

D. 1, 2 and 3

Answer: D

Explanation

UNCLOS allows coastal states to define the breadth of their territorial sea up to a limit of 12 nautical miles, measured from a baseline established according to the Convention.

UNCLOS guarantees the right of innocent passage for ships of all states, including coastal and land-locked nations, through the territorial sea of another state. Innocent passage refers to non-threatening travel that doesn't harm the coastal state's security or interests.

UNCLOS sets the limit of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) at 200 nautical miles from the baseline used to measure the territorial sea. The EEZ grants the coastal state exclusive rights to explore, exploit, conserve and manage resources (living and non-living) within the zone.

UNCLOS Maritime Zones

Hence, all three statements about the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) are correct.


QUESTION 6

MediumInternational RelationsPrelims 2022

Consider the following statements:

  1. Vietnam has been one of the fastest growing economies in the world in recent years.
  2. Vietnam is led by a multi-party political system.
  3. Vietnam's economic growth is linked to its integration with global supply chains and focus on exports.
  4. For a long time, Vietnam's low labor costs and stable exchange rates have attracted global manufacturers.
  5. Vietnam has the most productive e-service sector in the Indo-Pacific region.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

A. 2 and 4

B. 3 and 5

C. 1, 3 and 4

D. 1 and 2

Answer: C

Explanation

Vietnam’s open economic policy of recent years integrating into global supply chains has made the growth success story possible. Vietnam's export-led growth strategy and global integration are among the key factors behind the country's remarkable achievements in growth and poverty. Vietnam was one among the few countries to post GDP growth rate figures in 2020 when the pandemic hit. Vietnam is projected to be the fastest-growing internet economy in Southeast Asia in the next 10 years. Hence, statements 1 and 3 are correct.

Vietnam is a one-party communist state, not a multi-party parliamentary democracy. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Vietnam

Thanks to an abundance of low-wage labour, Vietnam's manufacturing sector grew at a compound annual growth in the last decade. As the rest of East Asia developed and wages there rose, global manufacturers were lured by Vietnam's low labour costs and stable exchange rate. Hence, statement 4 is correct.

According to the Asian Development Bank Report, e-services including digital financial services are at a very nascent stage in Vietnam. Hence, statement 5 is not correct.


QUESTION 7

EasyInternational RelationsPrelims 2022

Which one of the following statements best reflects the issue which Senkaku Islands, sometimes mentioned in the news?

A. It is generally believed that they are artifi cial islands made by a country around South China Sea.

B. China and Japan engage in maritime disputes over these islands in East China Sea

C. A permanent American military base has been set up there to help Taiwan to increase its defence capabilities.

D. Through International Courts of Justice declared them as no man’s land, some South-East Asian countries claim them.

Answer: B

Explanation

Senkaku Islands are a group of uninhabited islands in the East China Sea.

Senkaku Islands

Japan and China claim the uninhabited islands, known as the Senkaku in Japan and Tiaoyu in China, as their own, but Japan has administered them since 1972.


QUESTION 8

MediumInternational RelationsPrelims 2022

Which one of the following statements best describes the ‘Polar Code’?

A. It is the international code of safety for ships operating in polar waters.

B. It is the agreement of the countries around the North Pole regarding the demarcation of their territories in the polar region.

C. It is a set of norms to be followed by the countries whose scientists undertake research studies in the North Pole and South Pole.

D. It is a trade and security agreement of the member countries of the Arctic Council.

Answer: A

Explanation

The Polar Code is an international maritime regulation that sets safety and environmental standards for shipping in polar waters.

International maritime regulation, the Polar Code, is adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for the safety and security of shipping.

The code specifically addresses the unique challenges and risks associated with navigation in the Arctic and Antarctic regions.

The code establishes mandatory requirements for aspects like ship design, construction, equipment, operational procedures, crew training, and pollution prevention to ensure safe and environmentally sound navigation in polar waters.


QUESTION 9

EasyInternational RelationsPrelims 2022

Consider the following:

  1. Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
  2. Missile Technology Control Regime
  3. Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

India is a member of which of the above?

A. 1 and 2 only

B. 3 only

C. 2 and 3 only

D. 1, 2 and 3

Answer: D

Explanation

India is the member of all the Organizations. The SCO currently comprises nine Member States (China, Iran, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan).

Missile Technology Control Regime On 27 June, India became a full member of the MTCR after a deal was struck with Italy. This marks the first entry into any multilateral export control regime for India.

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank On 24 October 2014, twenty-one countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding the AIIB in Beijing, China Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, India, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Mongolia, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.


QUESTION 10

HardInternational RelationsPrelims 2022

Consider the following pairs:

Country - Important reason for being in the news recently

  1. Chad – Setting up of permanent military base by China.
  2. Guinea – Suspension of Constitution and Government by military
  3. Lebanon – Severe and prolonged economic depression
  4. Tunisia – Suspension of Parliament by President

How many pairs given above are correctly matched?

A. Only one pair

B. Only two pairs

C. Only three pairs

D. All four pairs

Answer: C

Explanation

Pair 1 is incorrectly matched. China has not established any permanent military base in Chad.

Pair 2 is correctly matched. Guinean special forces staged a coup, captured President Alpha Conde, replaced governors with the military, and dissolved the constitution and National Assembly.

Pair 3 is correctly matched. Lebanon has been experiencing a severe and prolonged economic depression since 2019, driven by political instability, inadequate reforms, and systemic corruption. The economic crisis has affected approximately 74% of the population.

Pair 4 is correctly matched. Tunisian President Kais Saied dissolved the suspended parliament after lawmakers held an online meeting and voted to repeal presidential decrees. He called it a failed coup attempt.

Countries


QUESTION 11

MediumInternational RelationsPrelims 2022

With reference to the United Nations General Assembly, consider the following statements:

  1. The UN General Assembly can grant observer status to the non-member States.
  2. Inter-governmental organisations can seek observer status in the UN General Assembly.
  3. Permanent Observers in the UN General Assembly can maintain missions at the UN headquarters.

Which of the statements given above are correct ?

A. 1 and 2 only

B. 2 and 3 only

C. 1 and 3 only

D. 1, 2 and 3

Answer: D

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct. The United Nations General Assembly may grant non-member states, international organizations, and other entities Permanent Observer Status.

Statement 2 is correct. The General Assembly decided that observer status would be confined to States and intergovernmental organizations whose activities cover matters of interest to the Assembly.

Statement 3 is correct. Permanent Observers may participate in the sessions and workings of the General Assembly and maintain missions at the UN Headquarters.

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