WBCS Main Static GK Questions and Answers (Previous Year Paper)

Answer : (D) APSARA

Explanation: Apsara was India’s first nuclear reactor and the first in Asia. It went critical on 4 August 1956 at BARC, Trombay, Mumbai. It is a swimming-pool type research reactor built under Dr. Homi J. Bhabha, with British help. It was used for research, isotope production and training, not power generation. It was shut down in 2009 and replaced by Apsara-U in 2018.

Indian Nuclear Reactors:

Answer: (A) Bimbisara

Explanation: Bimbisara (c. 544-492 BCE) is regarded as the founder of the Haryanka dynasty of Magadha, the first major dynasty of the Mahajanapada period. He made Rajagriha (Girivraja) his capital, annexed Anga, and expanded Magadha through matrimonial alliances with Kosala, Vaishali (Licchavi) and Madra. He was a contemporary of both Buddha and Mahavira. His son Ajatashatru imprisoned him and seized the throne.

Magadha Dynasties:

Answer : (A) Alam Ara

Explanation: Alam Ara (1931), directed by Ardeshir Irani, was India’s first talkie film. It was released on 14 March 1931 in Bombay and was made in Hindi-Urdu. Its song “De de khuda ke naam par” is regarded as the first song of Indian sound cinema. Raja Harishchandra (1913) was the first silent feature film.

Milestones of Indian Cinema:

Answer : (C) Gora

Explanation: Gora (1910) is a novel by Rabindranath Tagore. It deals with Hindu orthodoxy, nationalism, religious identity and the Brahmo-Hindu divide through the character Gora, who discovers he is an Irish orphan raised in a Hindu family. Jagir is not a Tagore novel. Durgeshnandini was written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and Ganadevata by Tarashankar Bandyopadhyay.

Major Novels of Rabindranath Tagore:

Answer : (C) Bordoisila

Explanation: The Nor’Wester in Assam is known locally as Bordoisila, a violent thunderstorm that occurs in the pre-monsoon months of March to May. It is caused by moist, hot air from the Bay of Bengal meeting cool dry air from the Himalayas. It brings heavy rain, hail and strong winds, and is beneficial for tea, jute and rice. In West Bengal it is called Kalbaisakhi.

Local Winds and Storms of India:

Answer : (C) Kisan Kanya

Explanation: Kisan Kanya (1937), directed by Moti B. Gidwani and produced by Imperial Film Company, was India’s first indigenously made colour film. It used the Cinecolor process and was made in Hindi. Alam Ara (1931) was the first talkie, Pather Panchali (1955) is a Satyajit Ray film in black and white, and Devdas was made in black and white in its early versions.

Milestones of Indian Cinema:

Answer : (C) Spain

Explanation: Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) was a Spanish painter and sculptor, born in Malaga, Spain. He spent most of his adult life in France. He co-founded the Cubist movement with Georges Braque and is regarded as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. His anti-war mural Guernica (1937) depicts the bombing of the Basque town of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War.

Famous World Painters:

Answer : (B) Pierre de Coubertin

Explanation: Baron Pierre de Coubertin (1863-1937), a French educator and historian, is known as the father of the modern Olympic Games. He founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894. The first modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. He also designed the Olympic rings symbol and served as the IOC’s second president from 1896 to 1925.

Modern Olympic Games:

Answer : (A) 8

Explanation: North Bengal has 8 districts: Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur and Malda. Alipurduar was carved out of Jalpaiguri in 2014, and Kalimpong out of Darjeeling in 2017. Before these changes North Bengal had 6 districts.

North Bengal Districts:

Answer : (C) Ramachandra Guha

Explanation: “India After Gandhi: The History of the World’s Largest Democracy” (2007) is written by the historian Ramachandra Guha. It covers India’s history from independence in 1947 to the early 21st century, including partition, integration of princely states, the Nehru era, the Emergency and economic liberalisation. It is widely regarded as a standard modern history of independent India.

Ramachandra Guha:

Answer : (A) Digha

Explanation: The noon sun is exactly overhead twice a year at places lying between the Equator and the Tropic of Cancer (23.5°N). Digha, at about 21.6°N, falls in this zone, so the sun is vertically overhead there twice, once during the northward movement and once during the southward movement of the sun. Patna (25.6°N), Kanpur (26.4°N) and Delhi (28.6°N) lie north of the Tropic of Cancer, where the sun is never overhead.

Overhead Sun:

Answer : (D) Arunachal Pradesh

Explanation: Arunachal Pradesh shares the longest boundary with China, about 1,126 km along the McMahon Line, which separates it from Tibet. The India-China border is about 3,488 km long and runs along Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh have much shorter stretches.

India-China Border:

Border Lines:

Answer : (A) Patna

Explanation: The National Inland Navigation Institute (NINI) is located in Patna, Bihar. It trains personnel in inland water transport, including navigation, vessel operation and river engineering. It works under the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), which falls under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.

Inland Waterways of India:

Answer : (A) 1832

Explanation: The first paper mill in India is generally recorded as the Serampore Paper Mill, set up in 1832 at Serampore (Bengal) by Dr. William Carey, a Baptist missionary. It was the first steam-driven paper mill in the country. The first mill on modern lines, the Royal Bengal Paper Mill, was set up in 1870 at Bally near Kolkata. Note that some sources also mention a hand-made paper mill at Serampore in 1816, so the answer depends on the source; 1832 is the option that matches the standard textbook account.

Paper Industry of India:

Answer : (C) Colaba

Explanation: Old Woman’s Island is the old name for Colaba (Little Colaba), one of the seven islands that originally made up Bombay. These islands were joined into a single landmass by a series of reclamation projects. The Colaba Causeway, built in 1838, linked Colaba to the main island. Today it is a southern part of Mumbai, known for the Gateway of India and the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel.

Seven Islands of Bombay:

Answer : (D) 1943

Explanation: Subhas Chandra Bose took over the leadership of the Indian National Army (Azad Hind Fauj) in Singapore in July 1943 and became its Supreme Commander. The INA had been first formed in 1942 under Mohan Singh with Japanese support, with Rash Behari Bose as head of the Indian Independence League. On 21 October 1943, Bose announced the Provisional Government of Free India (Azad Hind) in Singapore. The INA’s slogans were “Delhi Chalo” and “Jai Hind”.

Indian National Army (INA):

Answer : (A) Ministry of Home Affairs

Explanation: The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs. It was constituted under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, and is a specialised force for responding to natural and man-made disasters. It is headquartered in New Delhi and is made up of battalions drawn from the Central Armed Police Forces (BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP and SSB). The NDRF was raised in 2006, and its Foundation Day is observed on 19 January.

Disaster Management in India:

Answer : (B) Hockey

Explanation: The Sultan Azlan Shah Cup is an international men’s hockey tournament held in Ipoh, Malaysia. It was started in 1983 and is named after Sultan Azlan Shah, the former Sultan of Perak and a hockey patron. It is played annually or biennially among invited national teams. India has won it multiple times, including the 2009, 2010 (shared), 2016 and 2019 editions (2019 shared with other finalists).

Major Hockey Tournaments and Trophies:

Answer : (A) New York

Explanation: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is headquartered in New York City, USA. It is the UN’s global development network, established in 1965 by merging two earlier UN programmes. UNDP works in about 170 countries on poverty reduction, governance, climate and sustainable development. It publishes the annual Human Development Report, which includes the Human Development Index (HDI).

UN Agencies:

Answer : (C) The Elephant Whisperers

Explanation: The Elephant Whisperers (2022), directed by Kartiki Gonsalves and produced by Guneet Monga, won the Oscar for Best Documentary Short Film at the 95th Academy Awards in March 2023. It is the first Indian production to win in this category. It follows Bomman and Bellie, a couple from Tamil Nadu’s Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, who raise orphaned elephant calves Raghu and Ammu. All That Breathes (Shaunak Sen) was nominated in the Best Documentary Feature category but did not win.

Indian Films and Persons at the Oscars:

Answer : (A) Rio

Explanation: The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also called the Earth Summit, was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June 1992. It produced the Rio Declaration, Agenda 21, the Convention on Biological Diversity, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Forest Principles. It followed the 1972 Stockholm Conference and led to the creation of the Commission on Sustainable Development.

Major Global Environmental Conferences:

Answer : (B) Coffee

Explanation: Liberica excelsa (also called Excelsa coffee) is a coffee species, one of the four main types of coffee grown in the world alongside Arabica, Robusta and Liberica. It came into the news in India when Karnataka’s Chikkamagaluru region saw it being grown more widely, and it is valued for its tart, fruity flavour and resilience to heat and disease. It is grown mainly in Southeast Asia, and in India in the Western Ghats region.

Coffee in India:

Answer : (D) uranium deposits

Explanation: Jadugoda, in Singhbhum district of Jharkhand, is famous for uranium mining. It is the first uranium mine in India, started in 1967, and is operated by the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL). The uranium ore here is of low grade, and it supplies fuel for India’s nuclear power programme. Uranium is processed at the Jadugoda mill.

Uranium and Nuclear Minerals in India:

Answer : (B) National Development Council

Explanation: Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) was launched in 2007 during the 11th Five Year Plan, following a resolution of the National Development Council (NDC). Its aim was to achieve 4% annual growth in agriculture by giving states more flexibility and incentives to raise public investment in agriculture and allied sectors. It is implemented by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and was restructured as RKVY-RAFTAAR in 2017.

Agricultural Schemes of India:

Answer : (B) Norway

Explanation: The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is located on Spitsbergen island in the Svalbard archipelago, Norway, deep inside a mountain within the Arctic Circle. It opened in 2008 and acts as a backup store for the world’s crop seed collections, protecting crop diversity against war, natural disaster and climate change. It is owned by the Norwegian government and run by the Norwegian Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the Crop Trust and NordGen. Seeds are stored at about -18°C, and the permafrost keeps them frozen even if power fails. It is popularly called the “Doomsday Vault”.

Global Seed and Gene Banks:

Answer : (C) 1919

Explanation: The Rowlatt Act was passed on 18 March 1919 by the Imperial Legislative Council. Officially the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act, 1919, it was based on the recommendations of the Sedition Committee headed by Justice Sidney Rowlatt. It allowed detention without trial for up to two years and trial of political cases without a jury. It was called the “Black Act” and led to Gandhi’s first all-India Satyagraha (hartal on 6 April 1919) and, indirectly, to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre on 13 April 1919.

Rowlatt Act and Related Events:

Answer : (A) World Bank

Explanation: The Country Partnership Framework (CPF) is the World Bank Group’s strategic document that sets out its support for a member country’s development priorities over a period of about four to six years. It replaced the earlier Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) in 2014. It is prepared jointly by the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and is based on a Systematic Country Diagnostic (SCD) that identifies the main challenges and opportunities for the country.

World Bank Group:

Answer : (A) Arthur Ashe Stadium

Explanation: Arthur Ashe Stadium, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, is the largest tennis stadium in the world, with a seating capacity of about 23,000. It opened in 1997 and hosts the US Open. It is named after Arthur Ashe, the first Black man to win the US Open (1968). It has a retractable roof, added in 2016.

Major Tennis Stadiums and Grand Slams:

Answer : (D) Cricket

Explanation: The Friends Provident Trophy was an English domestic one-day cricket competition, played among the first-class counties of England and Wales. It was sponsored by the insurance company Friends Provident from 2007 to 2009, after which it was renamed. It was a limited-overs knockout and league tournament, and it replaced the earlier C&G Trophy. Hampshire won the 2009 edition.

English Domestic Cricket Competitions:

Answer : (A) Godavari

Explanation: The Paithan (Jayakwadi) project is built on the Godavari River near Paithan in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) district, Maharashtra. The Jayakwadi Dam, also called Nath Sagar, is the largest irrigation project in Marathwada. It has a hydroelectric power station of 12 MW, and the project was completed with Japanese assistance.

Major Dams and Projects on the Godavari:

Answer : (A) Assam

Explanation: Four Indian states share a boundary with Myanmar: Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram. Assam is the state that does not share a boundary with Myanmar. The India-Myanmar border is about 1,643 km long. Arunachal Pradesh has the longest stretch, followed by Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland.

India-Myanmar Border:

Answer : (B) 22

Explanation: The question text is garbled, but the options point to 22 April, which is World Earth Day. It was first observed in 1970, inspired by US Senator Gaylord Nelson. In 2009 the UN General Assembly designated 22 April as International Mother Earth Day. The day is meant to raise awareness about environmental protection.

Important Environmental Days:

Answer : (C) RH 300

Explanation: The RH-300 (Rohini-300) is an ISRO sounding rocket used for atmospheric and space research. Sounding rockets are small, suborbital rockets that carry scientific instruments to study the upper atmosphere, ionosphere and weather. ISRO’s Rohini series was developed at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram. Cartosat is an earth-observation satellite, while Agni-IV and BrahMos-II are missiles, not sounding rockets.

ISRO Sounding Rockets and Launch Sites:

Answer : (C) Dada Shaheb Phalke

Explanation: Dadasaheb Phalke (Dhundiraj Govind Phalke) made Raja Harishchandra (1913), India’s first fully indigenous silent feature film. It was released on 3 May 1913 at the Coronation Cinematograph, Bombay. Phalke wrote, produced and directed it, and it ran for about 40 minutes. He is known as the “Father of Indian Cinema”. The Lumiere Brothers held the first film screening in India in 1896 (Bombay), but did not make an Indian feature film.

Pioneers of Indian Cinema:

Answer : (A) David Butler

Explanation: Sir David Butler (1924-2022), a British political scientist at Nuffield College, Oxford, is called the “Father of Election Science” (psephology). Psephology is the statistical study of elections and voting behaviour. Butler pioneered the scientific analysis of elections through the Nuffield election studies, which began in 1945, and he popularised the “swingometer” on BBC election broadcasts. Sukumar Sen is remembered as India’s first Chief Election Commissioner, not as the father of election science.

Election Science and Election Commission:

Answer : (B) April 26

Explanation: World Intellectual Property Day is observed every year on 26 April. It was established by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in 2000, and the first celebration took place in 2001. The date marks the coming into force of the WIPO Convention on 26 April 1970. The day highlights the role of patents, copyrights, trademarks and designs in encouraging creativity and innovation.

Intellectual Property:

Answer : (A) 1947

Explanation: The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was signed in Geneva in October 1947 by 23 countries and came into effect on 1 January 1948. It was a multilateral agreement to reduce tariffs and other trade barriers, and it served as the main framework for world trade until it was replaced by the World Trade Organization (WTO) on 1 January 1995. The 1947 date is the one given as the year of its introduction.

GATT and WTO:

Answer : (B) 2011

Explanation: The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster occurred on 11 March 2011 in Japan. A magnitude 9.0 earthquake off the Tohoku coast triggered a massive tsunami that flooded the plant and disabled its cooling systems, causing meltdowns in three reactors. It was rated Level 7 on the International Nuclear Event Scale, the same level as Chernobyl (1986). It is the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl.

Major Nuclear Accidents:

Answer : (C) C. elegans

Explanation: The 2006 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Andrew Fire and Craig Mello for discovering RNA interference (RNAi), a mechanism in which double-stranded RNA silences specific genes. Their landmark work, published in 1998, was carried out on the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans. They showed that injecting double-stranded RNA into the worm switched off the matching gene far more effectively than single-stranded RNA.

Model Organisms and Nobel Prizes:

Answer : (C) Kollam beach

Explanation: Kollam Beach, in Kollam city, Kerala, is also known as Mahatma Gandhi Beach. It lies on the Arabian Sea coast near the Ashtamudi Lake region and has a park, a lighthouse view and a Gandhi memorial setting. Kollam is also called the “Cashew Capital of the World”.

Famous Beaches of Kerala:

Answer : (C) Wrestling

Explanation: Pehlwani (also called Kushti) is the traditional Indian form of wrestling, practised in akharas (training centres). It developed from the Persian-influenced Mughal-era wrestling and the older Indian form called Malla-yuddha. Wrestlers train under a guru (ustad), follow a strict diet and exercise routine, and compete on a mud pit or a mat. Hanuman is regarded as the patron deity of Indian wrestlers.

Traditional Indian Sports and Wrestling:

Answer : (C) Odisha

Explanation: Baibhav, Saurav and Gaurav are civilian awards of the Government of Odisha. They are given to recognise outstanding contributions in different fields such as art, culture, literature, sports, science, social service and public life. Odisha’s highest civilian honour is the Utkal Samman, and the Odisha Living Legend Award is also given for lifetime achievement.

Odisha State Honours:

Answer : (B) Mani Sethna

Explanation: Mani Sethna is credited with building the first film theatre of India, the Gaiety Theatre in Bombay, which opened in 1907 (some sources also mention Elphinstone Picture Palace, Calcutta, built by J. F. Madan in 1907). Dadasaheb Phalke made the first indigenous feature film, and the Lumiere Brothers held the first screening in India in 1896. Because sources differ on the earliest hall, check this against your answer key.

Early Cinema Halls and Pioneers:

Answer : (B) Toyota

Explanation: Toyota Motor Corporation, based in Japan, has been the world’s top-selling car-maker for several years in a row, ahead of Volkswagen Group. It retained the top spot for the third consecutive year in the period the question refers to. It is known for the Toyota Production System (lean manufacturing) and for popularising hybrid cars with the Prius, launched in 1997. Volkswagen, a German company, was the nearest rival.

Leading Car-Makers of the World:

Answer : (C) 1973

Explanation: The first Women’s Cricket World Cup was held in 1973 in England, two years before the first men’s World Cup in 1975. It was organised by the Women’s Cricket Association and was funded by Jack Hayward. England won the tournament, finishing top of the league table ahead of Australia. Seven teams took part, including an International XI and a Young England side.

Women’s Cricket World Cup:

Answer : (B) Bhotia

Explanation: The Bhotia are a Himalayan tribal community of Uttarakhand, living in the high-altitude districts of Chamoli, Pithoragarh and Uttarkashi. They traditionally practise sheep and goat rearing, along with trade with Tibet, and follow seasonal migration (transhumance) between high pastures in summer and lower valleys in winter. They are known for wool products such as carpets, shawls and blankets.

Tribes of Uttarakhand:

Answer : (A) Leopold

Explanation: “The Land Ethic” is an essay by Aldo Leopold, published in his book A Sand County Almanac (1949). It argues that humans should extend ethics to include land, soil, water, plants and animals, and should see themselves as members of the biotic community rather than its conquerors. It is a foundational text of environmental ethics and conservation philosophy. The question’s title “The Last Ethic” is a misprint of “The Land Ethic”.

Landmark Environmental Books and Authors:

Answer : (B) Odisha

Explanation: Toptapani (commonly spelled Taptapani) is famously known for its natural hot sulfur water spring. It is situated in the Sanakhemundi Block of the Ganjam district in the state of Odisha, India. The spring water maintains a high temperature and is rich in sulfur and minerals, which locals and tourists traditionally believe can cure various skin ailments. The area is a prominent eco-tourism spot featuring the Taptapani Deer Park, the Kanduni Devi temple, and pristine forest landscapes.

Answer : (A) Johannesburg

Explanation: The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) was held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 26 August to 4 September 2002. It is also called Rio+10 or the Earth Summit 2002, as it came ten years after the Rio Earth Summit (1992). It adopted the Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development and a Plan of Implementation, and it stressed poverty eradication, sustainable consumption and access to water and sanitation.

Major Global Environmental Summits:

Answer : (B) Ricky Kej

Explanation: Ricky Kej, a Bengaluru-based composer and environmentalist, has won the Grammy Award three times, making him the only living Indian with three Grammys. He won Best New Age Album in 2015 for Winds of Samsara (with Wouter Kellerman), in 2022 for Divine Tides (with Stewart Copeland), and again in 2023 for Divine Tides at the 65th Grammy Awards. He is also a UNESCO-India Goodwill Ambassador for Peace and an advocate for environmental causes.

Indian Grammy Award Winners:

Answer : (A) 261 BC

Explanation: Ashoka invaded Kalinga (present-day coastal Odisha) around 261 BC, in the eighth year of his reign. The war caused huge loss of life and suffering, which moved him deeply and led him to give up conquest by war (Bherighosha) and adopt Dhamma. This is described in his Rock Edict XIII. After the war he embraced Buddhism and spread it within and outside India.

Ashoka and Kalinga:

Answer : (B) UK

Explanation: Big Ben is the nickname of the Great Bell of the clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London, United Kingdom. The clock tower was renamed the Elizabeth Tower in 2012 to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee. The tower was completed in 1859 and the bell weighs about 13.7 tonnes. It is one of London’s best-known landmarks and a symbol of the UK.

Famous World Landmarks:

Answer : (D) Rajatarangini

Explanation: Rajatarangini (“River of Kings”) was written by Kalhana in Sanskrit around 1148-1150 CE. It is a chronicle of the kings of Kashmir and is regarded as the first authentic work of history writing in India. It is written in verse and has eight chapters (tarangas). Kalhana was the court poet of King Jayasimha of Kashmir.

Important Ancient Books and Authors:

Answer : (A) Sunil Khilnani

Explanation: “The Idea of India” (1997) is written by Sunil Khilnani, an Indian political theorist. The book explores how India has survived as a democratic nation despite its great diversity, looking at the roles of Nehru, Gandhi and Ambedkar, the Constitution, caste, religion and the economy. It is a widely read work on modern Indian political thought.

Important Books on India and Their Authors:

Answer : (B) Vaishali

Explanation: Vaishali was the capital of the Vajji (Vriji) Mahajanapada, a confederacy of eight clans, the most prominent being the Licchavis. It was one of the earliest republics of ancient India, governed by an assembly of chiefs. It was located in present-day Bihar, north of the Ganga. Mahavira was born near Vaishali, and the second Buddhist Council was held here. Ajatashatru of Magadha defeated the Vajji confederacy.

Mahajanapadas:

Answer : (C) Rich Like Us

Explanation: Nayantara Sahgal won the Sahitya Akademi Award for English in 1986 for her novel Rich Like Us. The novel is set during the Emergency (1975-77) and portrays the political and moral climate of that period through the stories of Rose, an Englishwoman married to an Indian businessman, and Sonali, a civil servant who is removed for opposing the regime. She is the niece of Jawaharlal Nehru and the daughter of Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit.

Nayantara Sahgal:

Answer : (D) Japan

Explanation: Minamata Bay is located in Kumamoto Prefecture on Kyushu island, Japan. It became world-famous for Minamata disease, a neurological disorder caused by mercury poisoning. From the 1930s to 1960s, the Chisso Corporation released methylmercury-laden wastewater into the bay. The mercury accumulated in fish and shellfish, which local people ate. The disease was officially identified in 1956.

Minamata Disease and Mercury Pollution:

Answer : (A) Pather Panchali

Explanation: Pather Panchali (1955), directed by Satyajit Ray, is regarded as the best Indian film of all time by the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI), which ranked it first in its 1999 poll of Indian cinema. It is based on Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay’s Bengali novel and is the first film of the Apu Trilogy. It won the Best Human Document award at Cannes in 1956 and the National Award for Best Feature Film.

Satyajit Ray and the Apu Trilogy:

Answer : (B) 1948

Explanation: The World Health Organization (WHO) was established on 7 April 1948, when its Constitution came into force, and is a specialised agency of the United Nations. Its headquarters is in Geneva, Switzerland. 7 April is observed every year as World Health Day. The first World Health Assembly met in Geneva in 1948.

World Health Organization:

Answer : (A) Seleucus Nicator

Explanation: Megasthenes was sent as ambassador to the court of Chandragupta Maurya by Seleucus I Nicator, the Greek ruler who founded the Seleucid Empire after Alexander’s death. Seleucus had fought Chandragupta around 305 BC and made peace, giving up territories in the north-west and receiving 500 war elephants. Megasthenes stayed at Pataliputra and wrote the Indica, which survives only in fragments quoted by later Greek writers.

Foreign Visitors to Ancient India:

Answer : (C) New Delhi

Explanation: The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has its headquarters in New Delhi. It was established in September 1974 under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and was given powers under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. It is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and advises the central government on pollution control, sets national air and water quality standards, and coordinates the State Pollution Control Boards.

Pollution Control Bodies and Laws of India:

Answer : (B) Uttarakhand

Explanation: The Valley of Flowers National Park is in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, in the Western Himalayas at an altitude of about 3,600 m. It is known for its meadows of alpine flowers and rare Himalayan flora and fauna, including the snow leopard and Asiatic black bear. It was declared a National Park in 1982 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005, and in 2005 it was combined with Nanda Devi National Park (inscribed 1988) as the Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks. The valley was brought to notice in 1931 by the British mountaineer Frank Smythe.

National Parks and World Heritage Sites of Uttarakhand:

Answer : (B) M S Swaminathan

Explanation: Dr. M. S. Swaminathan (1925-2023) is called the “Father of the Green Revolution in India”. He led the introduction and spread of high-yielding varieties (HYV) of wheat and rice, working with Norman Borlaug, the “Father of the Green Revolution” globally. The Green Revolution began in India in the mid-1960s, with Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh benefiting first. Swaminathan also chaired the National Commission on Farmers (2004-06) and was the first recipient of the World Food Prize (1987).

Agricultural Revolutions and Their Fathers:

Answer : (A) Madhya Pradesh

Explanation: Kuno National Park (Kuno-Palpur) is located in the Sheopur and Morena districts of Madhya Pradesh, on the Kuno River, a tributary of the Chambal. It was earlier a wildlife sanctuary and was upgraded to a national park in 2018. It is best known as the site of India’s cheetah reintroduction project, under which eight cheetahs from Namibia were released in September 2022, followed by twelve from South Africa in 2023. Cheetahs were declared extinct in India in 1952.

National Parks of Madhya Pradesh and Cheetah Project:

Answer : (A) Assam

Explanation: Assam is commonly cited as the largest producer of bamboo in India by area and production, although Madhya Pradesh has the largest bamboo-bearing forest area. India is the second-largest bamboo-growing country in the world after China. Bamboo is legally classified as grass, and the Indian Forest Act amendment of 2017 removed it from the category of trees, so felling and transport permits are no longer needed for bamboo grown on private land. The National Bamboo Mission was launched in 2018. Please verify against your answer key, since sources differ.

Bamboo in India:

Answer : (D) Duare Sarkar

Explanation: Duare Sarkar (“Government at your doorstep”) is a West Bengal Government outreach programme launched in December 2020. It brings government services and welfare schemes to people’s doorsteps through camps. It won the Digital India Award (Platinum, Digital Initiative by States) from the Government of India in 2021 for its citizen-centric delivery of services. Other WB schemes such as Swasthya Sathi and Rupashree are also widely known, but Duare Sarkar is the one linked to this award.

West Bengal Government Schemes:

Answer : (A) Turtles

Explanation: Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary, in Kendrapara district of Odisha, is the world’s largest nesting site of the Olive Ridley sea turtle. Lakhs of turtles come ashore in mass nesting (arribada) between December and March. The sanctuary lies between the Bhitarkanika mangroves and the Bay of Bengal and was declared a marine sanctuary in 1997. It is protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Wildlife Sanctuaries and Parks of Odisha:

Answer : (C) Tamil Nadu

Explanation: Tamil Nadu has the highest number of windmills in India and was the pioneer of wind power in the country. Its Muppandal wind farm near Kanyakumari is among the largest in India, and the Palghat Gap and the Aralvaimozhi pass give the state strong, steady winds during the south-west monsoon. In terms of installed capacity, Tamil Nadu has long held the top rank, with Gujarat and Karnataka following closely, so the “highest number of wind mills” in this question points to Tamil Nadu.

Wind Power in India:

Answer : (C) Disguised Unemployment

Explanation: Disguised unemployment is the most common type of unemployment in India’s agricultural sector. It occurs when more people are engaged in farm work than are actually needed, so some workers add nothing to total output. Their marginal productivity is zero, and removing them would not reduce production. It is mainly caused by population pressure on land, lack of alternative jobs and small landholdings. Seasonal unemployment is also found in agriculture, but disguised unemployment is the characteristic form.

Types of Unemployment:

Answer : (D) Dilip Kumar

Explanation: Dilip Kumar holds the record for the most Filmfare Best Actor awards, with 8 wins. He won the first ever Filmfare Best Actor award in 1954 for Daag. His other winning films include Azaad, Devdas, Naya Daur, Kohinoor, Leader, Ram Aur Shyam and Shakti. Shah Rukh Khan also has 8 Best Actor awards, equalling the record, but Dilip Kumar is the one the question’s options point to.

Filmfare Best Actor Awards:

Answer : (A) Switzerland

Explanation: Switzerland has traditionally been India’s largest source of gold imports, and it was the top supplier in the period this question refers to. Swiss refineries supply a large share of the gold bars imported by India. In some recent years the UAE has overtaken Switzerland, partly because of the India-UAE CEPA (in force since May 2022), so the ranking depends on the year of data. For this question, Switzerland is the standard answer, but please check it against your answer key.

India’s Gold Imports:

Answer : (A) Sampooran Singh Kalra

Explanation: Gulzar, the noted poet, lyricist and film director, was born Sampooran Singh Kalra on 18 August 1934 in Dina (now in Pakistan). He began his film career as a lyricist with Bimal Roy’s Bandini (1963) and later directed films such as Mere Apne, Aandhi, Mausam and Ijaazat. He has received the Padma Bhushan (2004), the Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2013), the Sahitya Akademi Award (2002) and an Oscar and a Grammy for “Jai Ho” from Slumdog Millionaire.

Gulzar:

Answer : (C) 28th February

Explanation: National Science Day is observed in India on 28 February every year. It commemorates the discovery of the Raman Effect by Sir C. V. Raman on 28 February 1928, for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930. The day has been celebrated since 1987 and is coordinated by the Department of Science and Technology. It aims to spread awareness about the importance of science in everyday life.

Important Science and Technology Days:

Answer : (D) Brahmani River

Explanation: The Rourkela Steel Plant, in Sundargarh district of Odisha, is located near the Brahmani River, which is formed by the confluence of the Sankh and South Koel rivers at Vedvyas near Rourkela. It was the first integrated steel plant in the public sector in India, built with German help (Krupp and Demag) and started in 1959. It is a unit of the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) and is known for producing flat products such as plates and sheets.

Steel Plants of India:

Answer : (D) December 9, 1946

Explanation: The Constituent Assembly of India met for the first time on 9 December 1946 in the Constitution Hall (now the Central Hall of Parliament), New Delhi. Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha, the oldest member, was elected the temporary (interim) President. On 11 December 1946, Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected its permanent President. The Assembly had been formed under the Cabinet Mission Plan (1946), and it adopted the Constitution on 26 November 1949.

Constituent Assembly of India:

Answer : (B) Indonesia

Explanation: Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world, with about 230 million Muslims, roughly 87% of its population and about 12-13% of all Muslims worldwide. Pakistan and India follow, with Pakistan ranking second in most recent estimates. Indonesia is the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, while India has the largest Muslim minority population.

Muslim Population of the World:

Answer : (C) 29

Explanation: The Eleventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution contains 29 subjects over which Panchayats may be given powers and responsibilities. It was added by the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992, which came into force on 24 April 1993 and gave constitutional status to Panchayati Raj. Article 243G empowers state legislatures to endow Panchayats with authority over these subjects. Originally, 29 items were listed, and this number remains unchanged.

Panchayati Raj and Local Government:

Answer : (D) Cochin Shipyard, Kochi

Explanation: Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), in Kochi, Kerala, is the largest shipbuilding and ship repair yard in India. It is a public sector company under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. It built INS Vikrant (IAC-1), India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, commissioned in 2022. It has the country’s largest dry dock, and it is also a major ship repair facility.

Shipbuilding Yards of India:

Answer : (B) Film and Entertainment

Explanation: The Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award is given for outstanding contribution to cinema. It is presented at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa and, separately, at the Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF), which also gives a Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award. At IFFI it has been presented to personalities such as Martin Scorsese (2021), Istvan Szabo (2021) and Oliver Stone. Satyajit Ray (1921-1992) was a filmmaker from Bengal.

Major Film Awards and Festivals:

Answer : (D) Andhra Pradesh

Explanation: The Anti-Arrack Movement of the early 1990s was a women-led movement against the sale of arrack (country liquor) in Andhra Pradesh. It began in 1992 in Dubagunta village of Nellore district, where rural women protested against alcoholism, domestic violence and household poverty caused by liquor. The movement spread across the state, forced the government to ban arrack in 1995, and is regarded as one of India’s most important women’s movements.

Important Social and Women-led Movements of India:

Answer : (C) 10 February

Explanation: World Pulses Day is observed globally on 10 February every year. The UN General Assembly designated it in 2018, and it was first celebrated in 2019. It is coordinated by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The day highlights the nutritional value of pulses and their role in food security, sustainable agriculture and soil health, as pulses fix atmospheric nitrogen. The UN also observed 2016 as the International Year of Pulses.

Pulses and Related Days:

Answer : (D) Article 29

Explanation: Article 29(2) of the Constitution states that no citizen shall be denied admission into any educational institution maintained by the State or receiving aid out of State funds on grounds only of religion, race, caste, language or any of them. Article 29 falls under the Cultural and Educational Rights (Articles 29 and 30) in Part III. Article 29(1) protects the right of any section of citizens to conserve its distinct language, script or culture.

Cultural and Educational Rights and Related Articles:

Answer : (B) Indigenous

Explanation: Indigenous peoples are communities that have lived continuously in a region since before it was invaded or colonised by other societies, and who keep distinct cultures, languages and traditions tied to their ancestral land. The UN does not adopt a single formal definition. It recognises self-identification, historical continuity with pre-colonial societies, a strong link to territory, and a distinct social and cultural system as key features. About 476 million Indigenous people live in over 90 countries.

Indigenous Peoples and Related Terms:

Answer : (D) Godavari

Explanation: The Polavaram Project (Indira Sagar Polavaram) is a multipurpose irrigation project on the Godavari River in West Godavari and East Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh. It was declared a National Project under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, so the Centre funds its irrigation component. It is meant to provide irrigation, hydroelectric power and drinking water, and to divert water to the Krishna basin through a right canal.

Major Projects on the Godavari:

Answer : (A) Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt

Explanation: The Mohan Veena is a modified archtop slide guitar developed and popularised by Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, a disciple of Pt. Ravi Shankar. It combines features of the guitar, sitar, sarod and veena, and is played in the Hindustani classical style. Bhatt won the Grammy Award in 1994 for the album A Meeting by the River, made with Ry Cooder, and received the Padma Bhushan in 2017.

Indian Classical Instruments and Exponents:

Answer : (D) 79th Amendment

Explanation: The 79th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1999, extended the reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies, and the nomination of Anglo-Indian members, by ten years, from 2000 to 2010. Article 334 governs this provision. Later amendments extended it further: the 95th (2009) to 2020 and the 104th (2019) to 2030, which also ended Anglo-Indian nomination.

Amendments on Reservation in Legislatures (Article 334):

Answer : (A) 31

Explanation: As per Census 2011, the urban population of India was about 377 million, which is 31.16% of the total population of 1.21 billion. The rural population was 68.84%. Urbanisation has risen steadily from 17.3% in 1951 and 27.8% in 2001. Goa is the most urbanised state (about 62%), while Himachal Pradesh is among the least urbanised (about 10%).

Urbanisation in India (Census 2011):

Answer : (D) 26th November

Explanation: Samvidhan Divas (Constitution Day) is celebrated every year on 26 November. It marks the adoption of the Constitution of India by the Constituent Assembly on 26 November 1949. The Government of India decided to observe it from 2015, the year of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’s 125th birth anniversary, and the day was earlier observed as Law Day. The Constitution came into force on 26 January 1950, which is celebrated as Republic Day.

Constitution Day and Related Dates:

Answer : (B) U-bomb

Explanation: “Little Boy” was the code name of the atomic bomb dropped by the United States on Hiroshima on 6 August 1945. It was a gun-type fission bomb that used uranium-235, so it is described as a uranium bomb (U-bomb). It was dropped from the B-29 bomber Enola Gay and killed an estimated 70,000 to 80,000 people instantly. Three days later, the plutonium bomb “Fat Man” was dropped on Nagasaki.

Atomic Bombs of World War II:

Answer : (C) Akbar

Explanation: The Ibadat Khana (“House of Worship”) at Fatehpur Sikri was built by the Mughal emperor Akbar in 1575. It was a hall where he held religious discussions with scholars of different faiths, including Muslim ulema, Hindu scholars, Jain monks, Zoroastrians and Jesuit priests from Goa. These debates shaped his policy of religious tolerance (Sulh-i-Kul) and led to the Din-i-Ilahi, announced in 1582. Fatehpur Sikri was Akbar’s capital from 1571 to 1585.

Akbar and Fatehpur Sikri:

Answer : (B) Saudi Arabia

Explanation: Highway 10 in Saudi Arabia holds the official Guinness World Record for the world’s longest straight stretch of road. Originally constructed as a private road for King Fahd, this remarkable 240-kilometre (149-mile) stretch of asphalt cuts completely straight through the vast Rub’ al Khali (Empty Quarter) desert without a single corner, bend, or major gradient. It dethroned the famous “90 Mile Straight” section of the Eyre Highway in Australia, which spans 146.6 kilometres.

Answer : (C) 51

Explanation: The United Nations had 51 original (founding) member states. They signed the UN Charter at the San Francisco Conference on 26 June 1945, and the UN came into existence on 24 October 1945 when the Charter was ratified by the permanent members of the Security Council and a majority of the other signatories. Poland did not attend the conference but signed later and is counted among the 51. India was a founding member, although it was still under British rule.

United Nations:

Answer : (A) Exponential

Explanation: When a population has unlimited resources (food, space, no predators or disease), it grows at its maximum biotic potential, and the growth rate depends only on the number of individuals already present. This gives a J-shaped curve, called exponential growth, described by dN/dt = rN. It is seen in bacteria in a fresh culture and in species introduced to a new area with no limits. In nature it cannot continue indefinitely, because resources eventually run short.

Population Growth Models:

Answer : (C) Kharoshthi Script

Explanation: Ashoka’s inscriptions in the north-western part of the Mauryan Empire, near Peshawar (the Shahbazgarhi and Mansehra rock edicts, now in Pakistan), were written in the Kharoshthi script, which is written from right to left. Most of Ashoka’s edicts elsewhere in India are in the Brahmi script, written from left to right, in the Prakrit language. In Afghanistan, his inscriptions at Kandahar were written in Greek and Aramaic. The Brahmi script was deciphered by James Prinsep in 1837.

Ashokan Inscriptions:

Answer : (A) The Hague

Explanation: The International Court of Justice (ICJ), also called the World Court, has its headquarters at the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands. It is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations and was established in June 1945 under the UN Charter, starting work in 1946. It settles legal disputes between states and gives advisory opinions to UN organs. It is the only principal UN organ not located in New York.

International Court of Justice:

Answer : (C) Bhangra

Explanation: Bhangra is a folk dance of Punjab, traditionally performed during the harvest festival of Baisakhi. It is not recognised as a classical dance form. India has eight classical dance forms recognised by the Sangeet Natak Akademi: Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Manipuri, Mohiniyattam and Sattriya (recognised in 2000). Kathak, Odissi and Manipuri are classical, so Bhangra is the odd one out.

Classical Dance Forms of India:

Answer : (A) Lord Bentinck

Explanation: Sati was abolished in 1829 by Lord William Bentinck, Governor-General of India from 1828 to 1835, through Bengal Sati Regulation XVII of 1829, which declared the practice illegal and punishable by the courts. The reform was strongly supported by Raja Ram Mohan Roy, who campaigned against sati. It was first applied in the Bengal Presidency and extended to Madras and Bombay in 1830. Bentinck was made the first Governor-General of India by the Charter Act of 1833.

Social Reforms and Governors-General:

Answer : (B) Minto-Morley Reforms, 1909

Explanation: The Indian Councils Act, 1909, known as the Minto-Morley Reforms, introduced separate electorates for Muslims, which provided for communal representation in British India for the first time. Muslims could vote only for Muslim candidates in reserved constituencies. Lord Minto was the Viceroy and Lord Morley the Secretary of State for India. Because of this, Lord Minto is called the “Father of Communal Electorate”. The Act also increased the size of the legislative councils and allowed members to ask supplementary questions and discuss the budget.

Constitutional Reforms and Communal Representation:

Answer : (C) Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

Explanation: “Songs from Prison: Translations of Indian Lyrics Made in Jail” is associated with Mahatma Gandhi. The translations of ancient Indian religious lyrics were made by Gandhi during his imprisonment in Yerwada Jail, Pune, in 1930, and were published in 1934 with an introduction and notes by John S. Hoyland. They include verses from the Upanishads, the Gita and the saint-poets such as Tulsidas, Kabir and Narsinh Mehta.

Gandhi’s Prison Writings and Major Works:

Answer : (D) Manu Smriti

Explanation: The Manu Smriti (Manusmriti, or Manava Dharmashastra) is regarded as the oldest and most authoritative of the Smritis. It is traditionally dated between about 200 BCE and 200 CE. It is written in Sanskrit verse in 12 chapters and has about 2,694 verses. It deals with dharma, duties of the varnas, law, kingship, marriage, inheritance and punishment. Later Smritis such as Yajnavalkya, Narada and Brihaspati came afterwards. Narada Smriti is known for its clear legal system, and Yajnavalkya Smriti was written in the Gupta period.

Major Smritis and Dharmashastras:

Answer : (B) August 29

Explanation: National Sports Day is celebrated in India on 29 August every year, the birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand (born 29 August 1905 in Prayagraj). Known as the “Wizard of Hockey”, he led India to Olympic gold medals in 1928, 1932 and 1936. The day has been observed since 2012 to promote sports and physical fitness. On this day the President gives the National Sports Awards at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Dhyan Chand and National Sports Awards:

Answer : (A) 2001

Explanation: Lata Mangeshkar (1929-2022), the “Nightingale of India”, was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2001, India’s highest civilian honour. She passed away on 6 February 2022 in Mumbai. She sang in over 30 languages and recorded thousands of songs in a career of more than seven decades. Other honours include the Dadasaheb Phalke Award (1989), the Padma Bhushan (1969) and the Padma Vibhushan (1999).

Lata Mangeshkar:

Answer : (B) 22nd April

Explanation: Earth Day is celebrated every year on 22 April. It was first observed in 1970, inspired by US Senator Gaylord Nelson, and is now marked in more than 190 countries. In 2009 the UN General Assembly designated it International Mother Earth Day. The day raises awareness about environmental protection and the need to protect the planet.

Important Environmental Days:

Answer : (B) Sarod

Explanation: Ustad Ali Akbar Khan (1922-2009) was a maestro of the sarod, a plucked string instrument of Hindustani classical music. He was born in Shibpur, Comilla (now Bangladesh), and trained under his father, Ustad Allauddin Khan, of the Maihar gharana. He was a brother-in-law of Pt. Ravi Shankar, with whom he gave famous jugalbandis. He founded the Ali Akbar College of Music in California in 1967. He received the Padma Vibhushan (1989) and was nominated for Grammy Awards several times.

Indian Classical Instruments and Exponents:

Answer : (D) Mysore

Explanation: Mysore (Mysuru) is not located on the bank of a river. It lies on the Deccan plateau in Karnataka at the foot of the Chamundi Hills. The Kaveri (Cauvery) flows near the city and Krishnaraja Sagara (KRS) Dam is close by, but the city itself is not on the riverbank. Surat is on the Tapi, Agra on the Yamuna and Cuttack on the Mahanadi, at the head of its delta.

Indian Cities and Rivers:

Answer : (B) Rajasthan

Explanation: The Dilwara Temples are a group of five Jain temples near Mount Abu in the Sirohi district of Rajasthan. They were built between the 11th and 13th centuries, and are famous for their intricate white marble carving. The Vimal Vasahi temple (1031 CE), dedicated to Adinath, was built by Vimal Shah, a minister of the Solanki (Chaulukya) ruler Bhima I. The Luna Vasahi temple (1230 CE), dedicated to Neminath, was built by the brothers Vastupala and Tejpala, ministers of the Vaghela ruler.

Famous Temples and Their Locations:

Answer : (A) Harish Chandra Mukherjee

Explanation: The Hindu Patriot was an English-language weekly newspaper of Calcutta, edited by Harish Chandra Mukherjee (Mukherji) from 1855 until his death in 1861. He used it to defend the rights of Indian peasants, and it was known for its strong support of the indigo cultivators during the Indigo Revolt (1859-60). Its editor was a fearless critic of the planters and of British policy. After his death, Kristo Das Pal edited it. The paper also helped to bring the Nil Darpan controversy to public notice.

Newspapers and Journalism in 19th Century Bengal:

Answer : (B) Debendra Nath Tagore

Explanation: The Tattwabodhini Sabha was founded by Debendranath Tagore in Calcutta on 6 October 1839, to promote the study of the Upanishads and the spread of Vedantic ideas. It was a forerunner of the Brahmo Samaj. Its journal, the Tattwabodhini Patrika (1843), was edited by Akshay Kumar Dutt. Debendranath joined the Brahmo Samaj in 1843 and became its leader, after which the Sabha merged with it. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was also associated with the Sabha.

Brahmo Movement and Related Organisations:

Answer : (C) Dong

Explanation: The currency of Vietnam is the Dong (VND, symbol ₫). It was introduced in 1946 in North Vietnam and was unified across the country after reunification in 1976. The capital is Hanoi, and the largest city is Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon). One dong was once divided into 10 hao and 100 xu, but these subunits are no longer used because of the dong’s low value.

Currencies of Asian Countries:

Answer : (A) 61st Amendment

Explanation: The 61st Constitutional Amendment Act, 1988, lowered the voting age from 21 years to 18 years by amending Article 326. It was passed during Rajiv Gandhi’s government and came into force on 28 March 1989. The change was meant to give young people a voice in politics, and it increased the size of the electorate. It applies to elections to the Lok Sabha and the State Legislative Assemblies.

Important Constitutional Amendments:

Answer : (D) Mark Tully

Explanation: “No Full Stops in India” (1991) is written by Mark Tully, the British journalist who was the BBC’s Delhi bureau chief for over two decades. Born in Calcutta in 1935, he reported on major events including the Bhopal gas tragedy, Operation Blue Star, and the demolition of the Babri Masjid. The book is a collection of essays on contemporary India, covering religion, politics, caste and social change. He was awarded the Padma Shri (1992) and the Padma Bhushan (2005).

Books by Mark Tully and Other Writers on India:

Answer : (A) Agriculture

Explanation: Dr. Mankombu Sambasivan Swaminathan (1925-2023) distinguished himself in agriculture. He is called the “Father of the Green Revolution in India” for leading the introduction and spread of high-yielding varieties of wheat and rice in the 1960s, working with Norman Borlaug. He was the first recipient of the World Food Prize (1987) and received the Padma Vibhushan (1989). He founded the M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation in Chennai in 1988 and chaired the National Commission on Farmers (2004-06), whose recommendations include the MSP formula of C2 + 50%.

M. S. Swaminathan:

Answer : (C) 1967

Explanation: Satyajit Ray received the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1967 for Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts. The award is given by the Philippines-based Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation, named after the Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay. Ray’s other honours include the Dadasaheb Phalke Award (1984), the Bharat Ratna (1992) and an Honorary Academy Award (1992), awarded shortly before his death on 23 April 1992.

Satyajit Ray:

Answer : (C) 16th March

Explanation: National Vaccination Day (National Immunization Day) is observed in India on 16 March every year. It marks the day in 1995 when the first dose of the oral polio vaccine was administered under the Pulse Polio Immunization Programme. The day aims to spread awareness about the importance of vaccination in preventing diseases. India was declared polio-free by the WHO on 27 March 2014, after no case was reported since 13 January 2011.

Vaccination and Immunisation in India:

Answer : (D) Wool

Explanation: Grey Revolution is associated with wool production in some exam sources, while others link it with fertilisers (Grey Revolution as the increased use of fertilisers) and with the cotton and wool sector. Among the options given (Orange, Sand, Almond, Wool), wool is the one that fits. The term refers to a push to raise the output of wool and woollen products. Please check this against your answer key, as the term is used differently in different books.

Agricultural and Allied “Revolutions” in India:

Answer : (B) New York

Explanation: The United Nations General Assembly meets at the UN Headquarters in New York City, USA. The Headquarters stands on the East River in Manhattan, on land donated by John D. Rockefeller Jr., and was completed in 1952. The General Assembly held its first session in London in January 1946 and moved to New York later. It is the main deliberative body of the UN, in which all 193 member states have one vote each. Its sessions begin every year in September.

United Nations General Assembly:

Answer : (B) Dadabhai Naoroji

Explanation: Dadabhai Naoroji founded the East India Association in London in 1866 to present the case of India to the British public and to Parliament. It worked to influence British opinion on Indian affairs and to push for reforms in the administration of India. Naoroji is known as the “Grand Old Man of India”. He propounded the Drain Theory in his book “Poverty and Un-British Rule in India” (1901). He was the first Indian elected to the British House of Commons (1892) and was President of the Indian National Congress three times (1886, 1893 and 1906).

Dadabhai Naoroji and Early Political Associations:

Answer : (C) Midnapore

Explanation: The Chuar Uprising (1767-1799) took place in the Midnapore district of Bengal (and nearby Bankura and Manbhum). The Chuars were local tribal and peasant communities, including Bhumij and other groups, who rose against the East India Company over heavy land revenue demands, the loss of their lands and the destruction of their traditional rights. Leaders included Durjan Singh, Raja Jagannath Singh and Rani Shiromani, the queen of Karnagarh. The revolt was suppressed with great force after prolonged fighting.

Tribal and Peasant Uprisings in Bengal and Eastern India:

Answer : (A) Civil War in England

Explanation: The Wars of the Roses (1455-1487) were a series of civil wars fought in England between two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet, the House of Lancaster and the House of York, for the English throne. The Lancastrians used a red rose as their emblem and the Yorkists a white rose, which gave the wars their name. The conflict ended when Henry Tudor (Lancaster) defeated the Yorkist king Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485. Henry became Henry VII and married Elizabeth of York, uniting the two houses and founding the Tudor dynasty. The Tudor rose combined red and white.

Wars of the Roses:

Answer : (C) Haji Begum

Explanation: Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi was commissioned by Humayun’s first wife, Bega Begum (Haji Begum), after his death in 1556. Construction began around 1565-66, and it was completed in 1572 (some sources say 1558 as the start of planning). It was designed by the Persian architect Mirak Mirza Ghiyas. It is the first garden tomb on the Indian subcontinent and was the model for later Mughal architecture, including the Taj Mahal. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1993), and it is built of red sandstone with white marble.

Mughal Monuments:

Answer : (C) Arundhati Roy

Explanation: “The God of Small Things” (1997) is the debut novel of Arundhati Roy. It won the Booker Prize in 1997, making her the first Indian woman to win the prize. The novel is set in Ayemenem, a village in Kerala, and tells the story of the twins Rahel and Estha and the tragic consequences of forbidden love across caste lines. It deals with caste, class, family and the “Love Laws”. Roy’s second novel, “The Ministry of Utmost Happiness”, was published in 2017.

Indian Writers and the Booker Prize:

Answer : (B) Telangana

Explanation: The Nagarjuna Sagar Dam is built across the Krishna River at Nandikonda, on the border of Nalgonda district (Telangana) and Palnadu district (Andhra Pradesh). The dam body is on the Telangana side, and the question’s answer is Telangana. It is a masonry dam, one of the largest in the world, and its reservoir is named Nagarjuna Sagar. It was built between 1955 and 1967, and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru laid its foundation stone in 1955. It is named after the Buddhist scholar Acharya Nagarjuna, and the nearby island of Nagarjunakonda has Buddhist remains.

Major Dams of India:

Answer : (C) 15

Explanation: The International Court of Justice has 15 judges, elected for a term of nine years by the UN General Assembly and the Security Council voting independently. One-third of the Court is renewed every three years, and judges may be re-elected. No two judges may be nationals of the same country. The Court sits at the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands, and was established in June 1945 under the UN Charter. It is the principal judicial organ of the UN, and nine judges form a quorum.

International Court of Justice:

Answer : (A) Peru

Explanation: El Niño is the periodic warming of the surface waters of the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. It is marked by the extension of a warm equatorial current along the coast of Peru and Ecuador, which replaces the cold Peruvian (Humboldt) Current. It occurs every 2 to 7 years, usually around Christmas, which is why it is named “the Christ Child”. It weakens the upwelling of cold, nutrient-rich water, reduces fish catch and causes heavy rain in Peru and drought in Australia, Indonesia and India. It is often linked to a weak Indian monsoon.

El Niño and La Niña:

Answer : (A) Pir Panjal Tunnel

Explanation: The Pir Panjal Railway Tunnel (also called the Banihal-Qazigund tunnel) in Jammu and Kashmir is the longest railway tunnel in India, at about 11.2 km. It runs through the Pir Panjal range between Banihal and Hillar (Qazigund) and was opened in June 2013. It is part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), and it replaced the Karbude tunnel of the Konkan Railway (6.5 km) as the longest. It is also the longest transportation tunnel in India, and the second longest railway tunnel in Asia at the time of opening. The Sangaldan, Rapuru and Maliguda tunnels are shorter.

Longest Tunnels of India:

Answer : (B) Venice

Explanation: The Venice Carnival (Carnevale di Venezia) in Italy is the most famous carnival among the options, and the question most likely refers to it. It is held every year in the weeks before Lent, ending on Shrove Tuesday (Martedì Grasso). It is known for its elaborate masks and costumes, and each edition has a theme. The festival dates back to the 12th century, was banned by Napoleon in 1797 and was revived in 1979. The phrase “Carnival of Hope” is not a standard name, so please check this against your answer key.

Famous Carnivals and Festivals of the World:

Answer : (D) Shravanabelagola

Explanation: The Gomateshwara (Bahubali) statue stands at Shravanabelagola in Hassan district, Karnataka. It is a monolithic statue of the Jain saint Bahubali, carved from a single block of granite and about 57 feet (17.4 m) high, and is one of the tallest free-standing monolithic statues in the world. It was built in 981 CE by Chavundaraya, a minister and commander of the Ganga dynasty king Rachamalla IV. Every 12 years Jains perform the Mahamastakabhisheka, the head-anointing ceremony, with milk, saffron, turmeric and other substances. The most recent was in February 2018.

Famous Statues and Monoliths of India:

Answer : (D) Diu

Explanation: The INS Khukri Memorial is located at Diu, in the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. INS Khukri, a Kukri-class corvette of the Indian Navy, was sunk by the Pakistani submarine PNS Hangor on 9 December 1971 during the Indo-Pak War, off the coast of Diu. Captain Mahendra Nath Mulla chose to go down with the ship after helping his crew escape. A total of 18 officers and 176 sailors were lost. The memorial at Nagoa (Nagoa Beach), Diu, is shaped like the ship and was inaugurated in 1999.

Indian Navy and 1971 War:

Answer : (C) Dharmapala

Explanation: Vikramshila Vihar (Vikramashila Mahavihara) was founded by Dharmapala, the Pala king of Bengal and Bihar (c. 770-810 CE). It stood at Antichak in Bhagalpur district, Bihar, on the bank of the Ganga. It became one of the three great Buddhist centres of learning in eastern India, along with Nalanda and Odantapuri, and specialised in Tantrism. Atisha Dipankara Srijnana was one of its most famous scholars. The university was destroyed around 1200 CE by Bakhtiyar Khalji’s forces.

Pala Dynasty and Buddhist Universities:

Answer : (C) Tshogdu

Explanation: The Parliament of Bhutan is called the Tshogdu in the Dzongkha language, with the National Council (Gyelyong Tshogde) as the upper house and the National Assembly (Tshogdu) as the lower house. Bhutan became a constitutional monarchy in 2008, when its first parliamentary elections were held and the Constitution was adopted. The National Assembly has 47 members and the National Council has 25 members. Bhutan’s capital is Thimphu, and its present king is Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.

Parliaments of Different Countries:

Answer : (D) Satinath Bhaduri

Explanation: Satinath Bhaduri (1906-1965), the Bengali novelist, wrote under the pen name “Chitragupta” in some of his early work, including the novel “Jagori” (1945), which is among his best-known works. He is best known for “Dhorai Charit Manas”, a major Bengali novel on the Tatma community of Bihar, which won the Rabindra Puraskar (1966, posthumous). He is regarded as one of the leading Bengali novelists after Tagore.

Bengali Writers and Pen Names:

Answer : (D) (c) only

Explanation: Only pair (c) is correctly matched. The Manas is a tributary of the Brahmaputra. It rises in Bhutan and joins the Brahmaputra near Jogighopa in Assam. The Chambal is a tributary of the Yamuna, not the Narmada, and joins it in Uttar Pradesh. The Son is a tributary of the Ganga, not the Yamuna, and joins it near Patna in Bihar.

Major Rivers and Their Tributaries:

Answer : (D) temperature

Explanation: The colour of a star indicates its surface temperature. The hottest stars are blue or blue-white, with surface temperatures above about 10,000 K. Medium-temperature stars like the Sun (about 5,800 K) are yellow, and the coolest stars are red, at roughly 3,000 K. Colour is explained by Wien’s law, which says the hotter an object is, the shorter the wavelength at which it emits most strongly. The colour sequence from hottest to coolest follows the spectral classes O, B, A, F, G, K, M.

Stellar Classification:

Answer : (C) Pramathanath Mitra

Explanation: The Anushilan Samiti was founded in Calcutta in 1902 (formally in March 1902) by Pramathanath Mitra, a barrister, with Jatindranath Banerjee, Barindra Kumar Ghosh and Sarala Ghoshal among its early associates. It was a revolutionary group that trained young men in physical culture, weapons and political ideas to fight British rule. Barindra Kumar Ghosh and Jatindranath Banerjee later led its violent revolutionary activity, including the Alipore Bomb Case (1908), in which Aurobindo Ghosh was also tried. It had a Dhaka branch, founded by Pulin Behari Das in 1905.

Revolutionary Organisations in Bengal:

Answer : (C) Jhansi Ki Rani

Explanation: Jhansi Ki Rani (1953), directed by Sohrab Modi and produced by Minerva Movietone, was India’s first Technicolor film. It was shot in colour with the help of Technicolor technicians from Hollywood, and it starred Mehtab as the Rani of Jhansi. It was also shown abroad as “The Tiger and the Flame”. Kisan Kanya (1937) was the first indigenous colour film, using Cinecolor, and Raja Harishchandra (1913) was the first silent feature film.

Milestones of Indian Cinema:

Answer : (D) Amaravati

Explanation: Amaravati is the capital of Andhra Pradesh, as notified by the state government after bifurcation in 2014. Hyderabad was the joint capital of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana for up to ten years, a period that ended on 2 June 2024, after which it became the sole capital of Telangana. Amaravati lies on the banks of the Krishna River in Guntur district. The foundation stone of the new capital was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in October 2015. Visakhapatnam, Kurnool and Amaravati were proposed as part of a three-capital plan in 2020, which was later withdrawn.

Capitals of South Indian States: