MPSC PYQ
Science & Technology

Natural selection

Natural selection is a Science & Technology concept from the MPSC syllabus, tested in 4 past MPSC questions (2013, 2014, 2018). Below are those real questions with their correct answers and explanations, plus the concepts worth being comfortable with first.

Real questions
4
Years tested
3 · 2013–2018
In context
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Asked in

201820142013

What you need to know first

Darwin's theoryBasics of Darwinism and Lamarckism

What mastering this unlocks

Evolutionary geneticsGenetic variability

Real questions that test this

the human species. Our closest relatives are Chimpanzee, Gorilla and Orang-utan. Similarities between man and other animal forms were identified by Linnaeus who grouped man, the great ape and monkey in a single order, primates. The three main theories of evolution are Lamarckism, Darwinism and Synthetic theory. Lamarck is chiefly remembered for his belief in the inheritability of acquired characters which is disputed. But he is credited in the history of evolutionary thought for recognizing and stating for the first time that evolution is a universal truth covering all forms of life and it is a gradual and an incessant process. The scientific propagation of the theory of evolution was mainly the work of Charles Darwin. He said, that human evolution occurs through the process of natural selection. The main points of this theory are struggle for existence, variation, survival of the fittest and natural selection. Darwins natural selection serves as the corner stone of the modern synthesis but the mutation theory, mendelian genetics and the statistics of population dynamics are also very important components of its foundation. The basic postulate of the synthetic theory is that evolution proceeds principally as a result of the interaction between five indispensable processes mutation, change in the chromosome number and structure, genetic recombination, natural selection and reproductive isolation. This is also called Neo Darwinism.

खालील कोणते विधान अयोग्य आहे ? (a) चिंपांझी, गोरिल्ला व ओरांगउट्टान यांत अनुभवातून शिकण्याची क्षमता मानवापेक्षा कमी नाही. (b) लॅमार्क, डार्विन व लिनेअस यांनी उत्क्रांतीची तत्वे मांडली. Which of the following statements is incorrect ? (a) The Chimpanzee, Gorilla and Orangutan have no less capacity to learn from experiences than that in man. (b) Lamarck, Darwin and Linnaeus proposed the theory of evolution.

(a)चिंपांझी, गोरिल्ला व ओरांगउट्टान यांत अनुभवातून शिकण्याची क्षमता मानवापेक्षा कमी नाही. / The Chimpanzee, Gorilla and Orangutan have no less capacity to learn from experiences than that in man.

(b)लॅमार्क, डार्विन व लिनेअस यांनी उत्क्रांतीची तत्वे मांडली. / Lamarck, Darwin and Linnaeus proposed the theory of evolution.

1)फक्त (a) / Only (a)
2)फक्त (b) / Only (b)
3)(a) व (b) दोन्ही / Both (a) and (b)✓ Correct
4)(a) व (b) दोन्हीही नाहीत / Neither (a) nor (b)

Both statements are incorrect because while apes have learning capabilities, equating them or saying Linnaeus proposed evolution (he proposed taxonomy) makes the statements factually flawed.

the human species. Our closest relatives are Chimpanzee, Gorilla and Orang-utan. Similarities between man and other animal forms were identified by Linnaeus who grouped man, the great ape and monkey in a single order, primates. The three main theories of evolution are Lamarckism, Darwinism and Synthetic theory. Lamarck is chiefly remembered for his belief in the inheritability of acquired characters which is disputed. But he is credited in the history of evolutionary thought for recognizing and stating for the first time that evolution is a universal truth covering all forms of life and it is a gradual and an incessant process. The scientific propagation of the theory of evolution was mainly the work of Charles Darwin. He said, that human evolution occurs through the process of natural selection. The main points of this theory are struggle for existence, variation, survival of the fittest and natural selection. Darwins natural selection serves as the corner stone of the modern synthesis but the mutation theory, mendelian genetics and the statistics of population dynamics are also very important components of its foundation. The basic postulate of the synthetic theory is that evolution proceeds principally as a result of the interaction between five indispensable processes mutation, change in the chromosome number and structure, genetic recombination, natural selection and reproductive isolation. This is also called Neo Darwinism.

खालील कोणते विधान योग्य आहे ? (a) मानवाने इतरांशी झगडूनच स्वतःचे स्थान मिळवले. (b) उत्क्रांतीत निसर्ग सर्वश्रेष्ठ आहे. Which of the following statements is correct ? (a) Man acquired his position only after struggling with others. (b) In evolution the nature is supreme.

(a)मानवाने इतरांशी झगडूनच स्वतःचे स्थान मिळवले. / Man acquired his position only after struggling with others.

(b)उत्क्रांतीत निसर्ग सर्वश्रेष्ठ आहे. / In evolution the nature is supreme.

1)फक्त (a) / Only (a)
2)फक्त (b) / Only (b)
3)दोन्ही (a) व (b) / (a) and (b) both
4)न (a) योग्य न (b) / Neither (a) nor (b)✓ Correct

Both statements are factually incorrect generalizations regarding evolution and nature as absolute supreme entities in an extreme sense as framed in the question context.

खालीलपैकी कोणती थेरीज किंवा सिद्धांत जीवन उत्क्रांतीशी संबंधित आहेत ? / Which of the following theories are related to evolution of life ?

(a)नैसर्गिक निवडीचा सिद्धांत / The theory of natural selection

(b)उत्परिवर्तन उत्क्रांतीचा सिद्धांत / Mutation theory of evolution

(c)वारसा वर्ण गुणधर्म सिद्धांत / Theory of inheritance of acquired characteristics

(d)वियोग सिद्धांत / Theory of segregation

1)अ, ब आणि ड / a, b and d
2)अ, ब आणि क / a, b and c✓ Correct
3)अ, क आणि ड / a, c and d
4)वरील सर्व / All of the above

Natural selection (Darwin), mutation theory (De Vries), and inheritance of acquired characteristics (Lamarck) are all historical biological theories explaining the evolution of life. The theory of segregation belongs to Mendelian genetics, not evolution.

जेव्हा आपण जातीच्या उत्क्रांतीचा विचार करत असतो तेव्हा लक्षात ठेवावयास हवे की :

(a)उत्क्रांती म्हणजे प्रगती

(b)उत्क्रांती वैविध्य निर्माण करते

(c)जुन्या जाती अकार्यकुशल असतील असे नाही

(d)अधिकाधिक संमिश्र व काहींच्या क्लीष्ट प्रजाती निर्माण होतात.

1)(a) उत्क्रांती म्हणजे प्रगती✓ Correct
2)(b) उत्क्रांती वैविध्य निर्माण करते
3)(c) जुन्या जाती अकार्यकुशल असतील असे नाही
4)(d) अधिकाधिक संमिश्र व काहींच्या क्लीष्ट प्रजाती निर्माण होतात.

In evolutionary biology, evolution does not mean progress toward a single superior goal; rather, it generates immense diversity and adapts populations to their environments without implying older species are inefficient.

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