a) Name the technology that has helped the scientists to propogate on large scale the desired crops in short duration, List the steps carried out to propogate the crops by the said technique.
b) How are somatic hybrids obtained?

(a) What is plant breeding? List the two steps the classical plant breeding involves. (b) How has the mutation breeding helped in improving crop varieties? Give one example where this technique has helped. (c) How has the breeding programme helped in improving the public nutritional health? State two examples in support of your answer.

Read the passage carefully and answer the question that follow. Certain words are printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the question: Technology can be most broadly defined as the entities, both material and immaterial, created by the application of mental and physical effort in order to achieve some value. In this usage, technology refers to tools and machines that may be used to solve realworld problems. It is a far-reaching term that may include simple tools, such as a crowbar or wooden spoon, or more complex machines, such as a space station or particle accelerator. Tools and machines need not be material, virtual technology, such as computer software and business methods, fall under this definition of technology. The word "technology" can also be used to refer to a collection of techniques. In this context, it is the current state of humanity's knowledge of how to combine resources to produce desired products, to solve problems, fulfill needs, or satisfies wants, it includes technical methods, skills, processes, techniques, tools and raw materials. When combined with another term, such as "medical technology" or "space technology," it refers to the state of the respective field's knowledge and tools. "State-of-the-art technology" refers to the high technology available to humanity in any field. Technology can be viewed as an activity that forms or changes culture. Additionally, technology is the application of math, science, and the arts for the benefit of life as it is known. A modern example is the rise of communication technology, which has lessened barriers to human interaction and, as a result, has helped spawn new subcultures, the rise of cyber culture has, at its basis, the development of the Internet and the computer. Not all technology enhances culture in a creative way, technology can also help facilitate political oppression and war via tools such as guns. As a cultural activity, technology predates both science and engineering, each of which formalizes some aspects of technological endeavour. How do developments of technology bring out cultural changes?

There are three passges in this section. Each passage is followed by five questions. Red each passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. For each question four probable answers bearing letters (A), (B) , (C ) and (D) are given. Only one out of these is correct. You have to choose the correct answer and write the letter in the given box. Passage-III Two diseases of banana, spreading fast in Africa, are becoming danger to about 3 crore people who bank upon this fruit for their food and earning as well. To check this fast spreading disease, the scientists had an emergency meeting with policy makers. They found the disease incurable, therefore they suggested powerful scheme, such as ploughing the large banana fields, spray the insecticide or burn the plants. They felt, if steps were not taken in time, the discase would turn into epidemic and 90% of the crop would be destroyed. Why did the writer say that the banana disease is becoming danger to the people ?

The rupee, which is currently the worst-performing currency in Asia, is finally receiving some help from the authorities. The Union government, after a meeting with Reserve Bank of lndia Governor, announced a list of measures to (A) the sharp declme in the currency, which has lost about 12% of its value since the beginning of the year. (B) These include steps to curb the import of non-essential goods and encourage the export of domestic goods, which will help in addressing the country's burgeoning current account deficit that hit a five-year high in July. (C) Other steps such as removing restrictions on foreign portfolio investments and encouraging (1) Indian borrowers to facilitate (2) rupee-denominated 'masala bonds' were also announced (3) to issue (4) the inflow of dollars and de-risk the economy from fluctuations in the exchange rate. Further, the term limit imposed on borrowings of manufacturing companies is to be shortened further (D) _____ . The response to the move from the markets will need to be carefully tracked. Even before the official announcement on Friday, the rupee witnessed some recovery against the dollar (E) hopes of favourable government intervention, while stocks and bonds also recovered. These steps to strengthen the rupee in the short term are welcome, given the large-scale outflow of capital from emerging markets to the West. These ad hoc steps to avoid an immediate (F) crisis in the external sector, however, should not deflect attention from the more fundamental reasons behind the decline of the rupee. India has been unable to boost exports over the years for various reasons. (G) This has meant that the rise in the price of oil has traditionally exerted tremendous stress on the current account deficit and the currency, as is happening now. (H) The government needs to think of a long-term plan ( 1) to boost (2) exports, preferably through growth (3) that remove policy barriers that are impeding the steps (4) of export-oriented sectors, in order to find a sustainable solution to the problem of the weakening rupee. The depreciating rupee is also a symptom of persistently higher domestic inflation in India over many decades. For example, in line with vastly different inflation rates in India and the U.S., the rupee has lost about 60% of its value in the last 10 years against the dollar. (I) So this problem cannot be addressed without drastic changes in the style in monetary policy conducted by the RBI, which is an unlikely proposition. Until then, the best that can be (J) __ for is a steady drop in the value of the rupee without any drastic shocks to the economy. A word is given in bold in (F). Choose the word which should replace the word given in bold to make the sentence correct and meaningful. If no change is required, choose option ( e) as your answer.

The rupee, which is currently the worst-performing currency in Asia, is finally receiving some help from the authorities. The Union government, after a meeting with Reserve Bank of lndia Governor, announced a list of measures to (A) the sharp declme in the currency, which has lost about 12% of its value since the beginning of the year. (B) These include steps to curb the import of non-essential goods and encourage the export of domestic goods, which will help in addressing the country's burgeoning current account deficit that hit a five-year high in July. (C) Other steps such as removing restrictions on foreign portfolio investments and encouraging (1) Indian borrowers to facilitate (2) rupee-denominated 'masala bonds' were also announced (3) to issue (4) the inflow of dollars and de-risk the economy from fluctuations in the exchange rate. Further, the term limit imposed on borrowings of manufacturing companies is to be shortened further (D) _____ . The response to the move from the markets will need to be carefully tracked. Even before the official announcement on Friday, the rupee witnessed some recovery against the dollar (E) hopes of favourable government intervention, while stocks and bonds also recovered. These steps to strengthen the rupee in the short term are welcome, given the large-scale outflow of capital from emerging markets to the West. These ad hoc steps to avoid an immediate (F) crisis in the external sector, however, should not deflect attention from the more fundamental reasons behind the decline of the rupee. India has been unable to boost exports over the years for various reasons. (G) This has meant that the rise in the price of oil has traditionally exerted tremendous stress on the current account deficit and the currency, as is happening now. (H) The government needs to think of a long-term plan ( 1) to boost (2) exports, preferably through growth (3) that remove policy barriers that are impeding the steps (4) of export-oriented sectors, in order to find a sustainable solution to the problem of the weakening rupee. The depreciating rupee is also a symptom of persistently higher domestic inflation in India over many decades. For example, in line with vastly different inflation rates in India and the U.S., the rupee has lost about 60% of its value in the last 10 years against the dollar. (I) So this problem cannot be addressed without drastic changes in the style in monetary policy conducted by the RBI, which is an unlikely proposition. Until then, the best that can be (J) __ for is a steady drop in the value of the rupee without any drastic shocks to the economy. Two sentences are given in italics on both sides of (G). Which of the following statements can come in between the two sentences in place of (G) and maintain the continuity of the paragraph?

The rupee, which is currently the worst-performing currency in Asia, is finally receiving some help from the authorities. The Union government, after a meeting with Reserve Bank of lndia Governor, announced a list of measures to (A) the sharp declme in the currency, which has lost about 12% of its value since the beginning of the year. (B) These include steps to curb the import of non-essential goods and encourage the export of domestic goods, which will help in addressing the country's burgeoning current account deficit that hit a five-year high in July. (C) Other steps such as removing restrictions on foreign portfolio investments and encouraging (1) Indian borrowers to facilitate (2) rupee-denominated 'masala bonds' were also announced (3) to issue (4) the inflow of dollars and de-risk the economy from fluctuations in the exchange rate. Further, the term limit imposed on borrowings of manufacturing companies is to be shortened further (D) _____ . The response to the move from the markets will need to be carefully tracked. Even before the official announcement on Friday, the rupee witnessed some recovery against the dollar (E) hopes of favourable government intervention, while stocks and bonds also recovered. These steps to strengthen the rupee in the short term are welcome, given the large-scale outflow of capital from emerging markets to the West. These ad hoc steps to avoid an immediate (F) crisis in the external sector, however, should not deflect attention from the more fundamental reasons behind the decline of the rupee. India has been unable to boost exports over the years for various reasons. (G) This has meant that the rise in the price of oil has traditionally exerted tremendous stress on the current account deficit and the currency, as is happening now. (H) The government needs to think of a long-term plan ( 1) to boost (2) exports, preferably through growth (3) that remove policy barriers that are impeding the steps (4) of export-oriented sectors, in order to find a sustainable solution to the problem of the weakening rupee. The depreciating rupee is also a symptom of persistently higher domestic inflation in India over many decades. For example, in line with vastly different inflation rates in India and the U.S., the rupee has lost about 60% of its value in the last 10 years against the dollar. (I) So this problem cannot be addressed without drastic changes in the style in monetary policy conducted by the RBI, which is an unlikely proposition. Until then, the best that can be (J) __ for is a steady drop in the value of the rupee without any drastic shocks to the economy. The sentence given in (H) has four words printed in bold. Amongst the given bold words, which of the following must replace each other to make the sentence contextually correct and meaningful?

The rupee, which is currently the worst-performing currency in Asia, is finally receiving some help from the authorities. The Union government, after a meeting with Reserve Bank of lndia Governor, announced a list of measures to (A) the sharp declme in the currency, which has lost about 12% of its value since the beginning of the year. (B) These include steps to curb the import of non-essential goods and encourage the export of domestic goods, which will help in addressing the country's burgeoning current account deficit that hit a five-year high in July. (C) Other steps such as removing restrictions on foreign portfolio investments and encouraging (1) Indian borrowers to facilitate (2) rupee-denominated 'masala bonds' were also announced (3) to issue (4) the inflow of dollars and de-risk the economy from fluctuations in the exchange rate. Further, the term limit imposed on borrowings of manufacturing companies is to be shortened further (D) _____ . The response to the move from the markets will need to be carefully tracked. Even before the official announcement on Friday, the rupee witnessed some recovery against the dollar (E) hopes of favourable government intervention, while stocks and bonds also recovered. These steps to strengthen the rupee in the short term are welcome, given the large-scale outflow of capital from emerging markets to the West. These ad hoc steps to avoid an immediate (F) crisis in the external sector, however, should not deflect attention from the more fundamental reasons behind the decline of the rupee. India has been unable to boost exports over the years for various reasons. (G) This has meant that the rise in the price of oil has traditionally exerted tremendous stress on the current account deficit and the currency, as is happening now. (H) The government needs to think of a long-term plan ( 1) to boost (2) exports, preferably through growth (3) that remove policy barriers that are impeding the steps (4) of export-oriented sectors, in order to find a sustainable solution to the problem of the weakening rupee. The depreciating rupee is also a symptom of persistently higher domestic inflation in India over many decades. For example, in line with vastly different inflation rates in India and the U.S., the rupee has lost about 60% of its value in the last 10 years against the dollar. (I) So this problem cannot be addressed without drastic changes in the style in monetary policy conducted by the RBI, which is an unlikely proposition. Until then, the best that can be (J) __ for is a steady drop in the value of the rupee without any drastic shocks to the economy. In the passage given, a sentence (I) is given in italics, There may or may not be an error in one part of the sentence. Choose the part which has an error in it as your answer. If there is no error then choose option ( e) as your answer.