UPSC has released Civil Services Preliminary Exam 2016 Answer Key 11 months after the exam. Preliminary Exam 2016 was conducted on August 7, 2016. ClearIAS Team is proud to say that our 2016 Prelims Answer Key released soon after the exam has matched in full with the UPSC key – with no differences.
Download UPSC CSE 2016 Prelims Answer Key
- Download UPSC CSE Prelims Answer Key (2016): General Studies Paper -1: Version A, B, C, and D
- Download UPSC CSE Prelims Answer Key (2016) : General Studies Paper -1: Version A, B, C, and D
Looking for ClearIAS Answer Key for UPSC CSE Prelims 2017?
ClearIAS Team has come up with a detailed answer key for UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Exam 2017.
Compared to Prelims 2016, Prelims 2017 has more ambiguous questions/close answer choices. To get a perfect picture, candidates may need to wait for the official UPSC key, but among the unofficial keys, ClearIAS answer key has a reputation for its accuracy and deep background research.
Also, our platform offers the unique opportunity to compare performance among other aspirants who took the test on the same day, and hence a relative analysis can be easily performed.
UPSC’s answers to the ambiguous or controversial questions in Prelims 2016
Qn 1: Consider the following statements:
- The Chief Secretary in a State is appointed by the Governor of that State.
- The Chief Secretary in a State has a fixed tenure
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
UPSC’s Answer: D = ClearIAS Answer: D
Our explanation from our Key: The post of Chief Secretary is the most senior position held in the civil services of the states and union territories of India. Chief Secretaries are appointed by each states Chief Minister and the Ministers. It may be necessary for [the] Chief Minister of a State to appoint a ‘suitable’ person as a Chief Secretary or the Director General of Police because both the State Government or the Chief Minister and the appointee share a similar vision of the administrative goals and requirements of the State. The underlying premise also is that the State Government or the Chief Minister has confidence that the appointee will deliver the goods, as it were, and both are administratively quite compatible with each other.
The office of chief secretary has been excluded from the operation of the tenure system. There is no fixed tenure for this post.
Qn 2: With reference to ‘IFC Masala Bonds’, sometimes given below is/are correct?
- The International Financed Corporation, which offers these bonds, is an arm of the World Bank.
- They are the rupee-denominated bonds and are a source of debt financing for the public and private sector.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
- A. 1 only
- B. 2 Only
- C. Both 1 and 2
- D. Neither 1 nor 2
UPSC’s Answer: C = ClearIAS Answer: C
Our Explanation as from our Key: Masala bonds are bonds issued outside India but denominated in Indian Rupees, rather than the local currency. They are named after Masala Spice, a mix of spices used India. Unlike dollar bonds where the borrower takes the currency risk, masala bond investors will bear the risk. The first Masala bond was issued by the World Bank backed International Finance Corporation in November 2014 when it raised 1,000 crore bond to fund infrastructure projects in India. Later in August 2015 International Financial Corporation for the first time issued green masala bonds and raised Rupees 3.15 Billion to be used for private sector investments that address climate change in India.
In July 2016 HDFC raised 3,000 crore rupees Masala bonds and thereby became the first Indian company to issue masala bonds. In the month of August 2016 public sector unit NTPC issued first corporate green masala bonds worth 2,000 crore rupees.
ClearIAS current affairs mock test 2016 had questions on ‘Masala Bonds’. We are happy that our intuition on masala bonds turned right. For reference regarding IFC as an arm of Word Bank and the lending to public and private sectors, please read the Indian Express article.
Do you want fully solved UPSC CSE Previous Year Question Papers?
If you want a fully solved UPSC Civil Service Preliminary Exam question papers with based on UPSC Keys, check ClearIAS Mock Test Platform. We offer UPSC CSE Previous Year Re-Take Tests from 2011-2016. As UPSC key for 2017 is not available, 2017 Prelims Key is based on the ClearIAS Key.
what is the difference between Mock test and test series? i have to join test series
A Test Series will have many mock tests. In the case of ClearIAS Prelims Test Series 2018, there will be more than 33 mock tests.