← Group B (Gazetted)
Past Questions
Who is the President of World Bank?
A)
Christine Lagarde
B)
Jim Yong kim
C)
David Malpass
D)
John R Bolton
David Malpass served as the 13th President of the World Bank Group, assuming office on April 9, 2019, and serving until June 2023 (he was succeeded by Ajay Banga).
- **Option b (Jim Yong Kim):** He was the 12th President of the World Bank, serving from 2012 to 2019 before resigning.
- **Option a (Christine Lagarde):** She is a French politician and lawyer who served as the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and is currently the President of the European Central Bank (ECB).
- **Option d (John R. Bolton):** He is an American diplomat and attorney who served as the U.S. National Security Advisor and Ambassador to the United Nations, and has never been the President of the World Bank.
Which of the following statements are true? 1. The Government of India Act of 1919 was also known as the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms. 2. The provincial governments were given more powers under the system of Dyarchy. 3. The legislature had virtually no control over the Governor-General and his Executive Council. 4. The right to vote was severely restricted. Choose the correct statements:
A)
1, 2 and 3
B)
1, 2 and 4
C)
1, 3 and 4
D)
All of these
All the given statements are correct regarding the Government of India Act of 1919:
1. **Statement 1 is correct**: The Act is also known as the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms, named after Edwin Montagu (the Secretary of State for India) and Lord Chelmsford (the Viceroy of India).
2. **Statement 2 is correct**: It relaxed central control over the provinces by demarcating and separating the central and provincial subjects, thereby granting more powers to the provincial governments under a dual system of administration known as 'Dyarchy' (divided into Transferred and Reserved subjects).
3. **Statement 3 is correct**: At the central level, the legislature remained virtually powerless against the Governor-General and his Executive Council, as they were not responsible to the legislature and held veto and certification powers.
4. **Statement 4 is correct**: The franchise (right to vote) was highly restricted and granted to only a limited number of people based on property, tax, or educational qualifications (roughly 1.5% of the population).
Since all statements are true, option 'd' is the correct choice.
Which of the following is the owner of the company Blue Origin LLC?
A)
Ellon Musk
B)
Vikaas
C)
Jeff Bezos
D)
Bernard Arnault
Jeff Bezos is the founder and owner of Blue Origin LLC, an American aerospace manufacturer and sub-orbital spaceflight services company established in 2000. Elon Musk (Option a) is the founder of SpaceX, Bernard Arnault (Option d) is the chairman and CEO of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, and Vikaas (Option b) is not associated with the company.
As part of the bank restructuring process, the Oriental Bank of Commerce and United Bank of India was absorbed in 2020 by-
A)
Vijaya bank
B)
Syndicate bank
C)
Punjab National Bank
D)
State Bank of India
With effect from April 1, 2020, the Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) and United Bank of India (UBI) were merged into Punjab National Bank (PNB), making it the second-largest public sector bank in India.
- Option 'a' (Vijaya Bank) is incorrect because Vijaya Bank, along with Dena Bank, was merged into Bank of Baroda in 2019.
- Option 'b' (Syndicate Bank) is incorrect because Syndicate Bank was merged into Canara Bank in 2020.
- Option 'd' (State Bank of India) is incorrect because SBI merged its five associate banks and the Bharatiya Mahila Bank with itself in 2017.
The period between 1885 and 1905 came to be known as
A)
Congress phase
B)
Moderate Phase
C)
Extremist phase
D)
Revolutionary phase
The period between 1885 (the year the Indian National Congress was founded) and 1905 is known as the 'Moderate Phase' of the Indian national movement. During this era, the Congress was dominated by moderate leaders like Dadabhai Naoroji, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, and Surendranath Banerjee, who believed in constitutional methods, petitions, and peaceful struggle to achieve their demands.
- Option 'c' (Extremist phase) is incorrect because it refers to the period from 1905 to 1919, characterized by more radical methods like Swadeshi and Boycott.
- Option 'd' (Revolutionary phase) is incorrect as it refers to the phases of armed and violent struggle against British rule, which gained momentum after 1905.
- Option 'a' (Congress phase) is incorrect because it is not a standard historical term used to classify this specific period, as the Congress remained active throughout all subsequent phases of the freedom struggle.
Who said, ‘Give me blood and I shall give you freedom’?
A)
Gandhi
B)
C. R. Das
C)
Bal Gangadhar Tilak
D)
Subhas Chandra Bose
The famous slogan 'Give me blood and I shall give you freedom' (originally spoken in Hindi as 'Tum mujhe khoon do, main tumhe azaadi doonga') was coined by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. He delivered this highly inspiring speech to the soldiers of the Indian National Army (INA) in Burma in 1944 to motivate them to fight against British colonial rule.
- Option 'c' is incorrect because Bal Gangadhar Tilak is famous for the slogan 'Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it'.
- Option 'a' is incorrect because Mahatma Gandhi is famously associated with the slogan 'Do or Die' during the Quit India Movement.
- Option 'b' is incorrect because Chittaranjan Das (C. R. Das), a prominent nationalist leader and co-founder of the Swaraj Party, did not coin this slogan.
At present, which state has the highest forest cover in India?
A)
Jharkhand
B)
Madhya Pradesh
C)
Uttar Pradesh
D)
Meghalaya
According to the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2021, Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover in the country by area, covering approximately 77,493 square kilometers.
- Option 'a' (Jharkhand) and Option 'c' (Uttar Pradesh) have significantly lower total forest cover areas compared to Madhya Pradesh.
- Option 'd' (Meghalaya) has a high percentage of forest cover relative to its total geographical area, but in terms of absolute area (square kilometers), it is much smaller than Madhya Pradesh.
‘Five Eyes’ is an intelligence network of five nations namely Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand and.
A)
USA
B)
China
C)
Germany
D)
India
The 'Five Eyes' (FVEY) is an anglophone intelligence alliance comprising Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States (USA). These countries are parties to the multilateral UKUSA Agreement, a treaty for joint cooperation in signals intelligence. The other options—China (b), Germany (c), and India (d)—are not members of this alliance, as it is historically limited to these five English-speaking nations.
With reference to the main provisions of the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, consider the below-mentioned statements: A. Trade of Farmers’ Produce B. Electronic Trading C. Market Fee Abolished D. Alternative Trading Channels Which of the provision(s) given above is/are correct?
A)
Only A
B)
Both A and B
C)
Only C
D)
All of these
The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 contains all the mentioned provisions:
1. **Trade of Farmers’ Produce (A)**: It allows intra-state and inter-state trade of farmers' produce outside the physical premises of APMC market yards.
2. **Electronic Trading (B)**: It facilitates the establishment of electronic trading platforms for seamless online buying and selling of agricultural produce.
3. **Market Fee Abolished (C)**: It prohibits state governments and APMCs from levying any market fee, cess, or levy on farmers, traders, and electronic trading platforms in an 'outside trade area'.
4. **Alternative Trading Channels (D)**: It aims to create an ecosystem that provides alternative channels and freedom of choice to farmers for selling their produce.
Since all statements are correct provisions of the Act, option 'd' (All of these) is the correct answer.
When was the Permanent Settlement introduced?
A)
1790
B)
1792
C)
1793
D)
1795
The Permanent Settlement (also known as the Permanent Settlement of Bengal) was introduced by the Governor-General Lord Cornwallis in 1793. Under this system, the land revenue was fixed permanently for the zamindars, giving them proprietary rights over the land. Option 'a' (1790) is incorrect because a decennial (10-year) settlement was introduced in 1790, which was later converted into the Permanent Settlement in 1793. Options 'b' (1792) and 'd' (1795) are incorrect as they do not mark the introduction of this land revenue system.
Author of the book “Exam Warriors” -
A)
Amit Shah
B)
Chetan Bhagat
C)
Kamal Nath
D)
NarendraModi
The book "Exam Warriors" is written by Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India. Published in 2018, it is an interactive guide aimed at helping young students cope with the stress of examinations.
- Amit Shah (Option a) is the Union Home Minister of India and has not authored this book.
- Chetan Bhagat (Option b) is a popular Indian novelist known for fiction books like "Five Point Someone" and "2 States".
- Kamal Nath (Option c) is a senior politician and former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh.
Who was popularly known as ‘Frontier Gandhi’?
A)
Lala Lajpat Rai
B)
Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
C)
Badruddin Tyabji
D)
Sayyid Ahmad Khan
Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was popularly known as 'Frontier Gandhi' due to his close association with Mahatma Gandhi, his adherence to non-violent principles, and his leadership of the nationalist movement in the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP). He also founded the 'Khudai Khidmatgar' (Servants of God) movement.
- Lala Lajpat Rai (Option a) was popularly known as 'Punjab Kesari' (Lion of Punjab).
- Badruddin Tyabji (Option c) was a prominent lawyer and the first Muslim President of the Indian National Congress.
- Sayyid Ahmad Khan (Option d) was a nineteenth-century educator and reformer who founded the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College (now Aligarh Muslim University).
Who initiated the development of railways in India?
A)
Lord Hastings
B)
Lord Canning
C)
Lord Cornwallis
D)
Lord Dalhousie
Lord Dalhousie, who served as the Governor-General of India from 1848 to 1856, is widely regarded as the 'Father of Indian Railways'. He formulated a comprehensive plan for the development of railways in India, leading to the operation of the country's first passenger train between Bombay (Bori Bunder) and Thane on April 16, 1853.
- Lord Cornwallis (Option c) is famous for introducing the Permanent Settlement of Bengal in 1793 and judicial reforms.
- Lord Canning (Option b) was the Governor-General during the Revolt of 1857 and became the first Viceroy of India under the Government of India Act 1858.
- Lord Hastings (Option a) served as Governor-General from 1813 to 1823 and is known for his expansionist policies, including the Anglo-Nepal War and the Third Anglo-Maratha War.
Under which of the following Act was Civil Service started in India?
A)
Charter Act of 1813
B)
Charter Act of 1833
C)
Charter Act of 1853
D)
Charter Act of 1893
The Charter Act of 1853 introduced an open competition system for the selection and recruitment of civil servants, effectively starting the modern Civil Service in India and throwing it open to Indian citizens. Following this, the Macaulay Committee (Committee on the Indian Civil Service) was appointed in 1854.
- **Charter Act of 1813 (Option a):** This act renewed the Company's charter but ended its trade monopoly in India (except for tea and trade with China); it did not start the civil services.
- **Charter Act of 1833 (Option b):** This act attempted to introduce an open competition for civil services, but the provision was withdrawn due to strong opposition from the Court of Directors.
- **Charter Act of 1893 (Option d):** There was no Charter Act of 1893 (the Indian Councils Act was passed in 1892).
Who gave the famous slogan, ‘Swaraj is my birth right and I shall have it’?
A)
Bal Gangadhar Tilak
B)
Bipin Chandra Pal
C)
Aurobindo Ghose
D)
Subhas Chandra Bose
The famous slogan 'Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it' was coined by Bal Gangadhar Tilak, an Indian nationalist, teacher, and social reformer who was one of the prime leaders of the Indian Independence movement.
- **Option a is correct:** Bal Gangadhar Tilak (Lokmanya Tilak) adopted this slogan to advocate for self-rule (Swaraj) and inspire the masses against British colonial rule.
- **Option b is incorrect:** Bipin Chandra Pal was a key nationalist leader and part of the Lal-Bal-Pal triumvirate, but he did not coin this slogan.
- **Option c is incorrect:** Aurobindo Ghose was an influential nationalist and philosopher who advocated for complete independence, but he is not associated with this slogan.
- **Option d is incorrect:** Subhas Chandra Bose is famous for slogans like 'Give me blood, and I shall give you freedom' and 'Jai Hind'.
Which Committee has been constituted by the Union Government to oversee the bifurcation and distribution of assets and liabilities of J&K between two Union Territories?
A)
K.Sivan Committee
B)
Akash Kumar Committee
C)
Ajit Doval Committee
D)
Sanjay Mitra Committee
The Union Government constituted a three-member advisory committee chaired by former Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra to oversee the apportionment of assets and liabilities of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir between the two successor Union Territories (Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh) under the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019. K. Sivan is the former Chairman of ISRO, Ajit Doval is the National Security Advisor of India, and there is no such 'Akash Kumar Committee' related to this bifurcation, making options a, b, and c incorrect.
Who proposed the ‘Drain of Wealth’ theory?
A)
R. P. Dutt
B)
Dadabhai Naoroji
C)
R. C. Dutt
D)
Bipan Chandra
The 'Drain of Wealth' theory was proposed by Dadabhai Naoroji, often referred to as the 'Grand Old Man of India'. He first introduced this concept in 1867 and later detailed it in his landmark book, 'Poverty and Un-British Rule in India' (1901), explaining how Britain was systematically draining India's wealth and resources without any equivalent return.
- Option 'c' (R. C. Dutt) is incorrect because, although Romesh Chunder Dutt wrote 'The Economic History of India' and supported the drain theory, he was not its original proponent.
- Option 'a' (R. P. Dutt) is incorrect as Rajani Palme Dutt was a Marxist historian who wrote 'India Today' much later, analyzing British imperialism through a Marxist lens.
- Option 'd' (Bipan Chandra) is incorrect because he was a modern nationalist historian who analyzed the economic nationalism of early leaders but did not formulate the theory himself.
In which country was the Ghadar Party established?
A)
India
B)
America
C)
Germany
D)
Japan
The Ghadar Party was an international political movement founded by expatriate Indians to overthrow British rule in India. It was established in 1913 in San Francisco, United States (America), under the leadership of Lala Har Dayal, Sohan Singh Bhakna, and others.
- Option 'a' (India) is incorrect because the party was formed by Indian immigrants living abroad, specifically in North America, to organize a rebellion from outside India.
- Option 'c' (Germany) is incorrect because, although the Ghadarites later collaborated with Germany during World War I (the Hindu-German Conspiracy), the party was not founded there.
- Option 'd' (Japan) is incorrect as Japan was not the founding location of the Ghadar Party, though some Indian revolutionaries later sought refuge and support there.
The Cripps’ Mission visited India during the regime of
A)
Lord Mountbatten
B)
Lord Wavell
C)
Lord Linlithgow
D)
Lord Wellington
The Cripps Mission visited India in March 1942. During this time, Lord Linlithgow was the Viceroy of India, serving from 1936 to 1943. The mission, headed by Sir Stafford Cripps, was sent by the British government to secure full Indian cooperation and support for World War II.
Other options are incorrect because:
- Lord Wavell served as Viceroy later, from 1943 to 1947.
- Lord Mountbatten was the last Viceroy of India, serving from March 1947 to August 1947.
- Lord Willingdon (referred to as Wellington in the options) served as Viceroy from 1931 to 1936.
Arya Samaj was founded in 1875 in
A)
Bombay
B)
Madras
C)
Calcutta
D)
Pune
Arya Samaj was founded by Swami Dayanand Saraswati on 7 April 1875 in Bombay (now Mumbai). Therefore, option 'a' is correct. The headquarters of the Samaj were later shifted to Lahore in 1877. Options 'b' (Madras), 'c' (Calcutta), and 'd' (Pune) are incorrect because, although they were prominent centers of social reform movements during the 19th century, Arya Samaj was not established in these cities.
Which of the following Viceroys was associated with the ‘Illbert Controversy’?
A)
Lord Lytton
B)
Lord Ripon
C)
Lord Hardinge
D)
Lord Curzon
The 'Ilbert Bill Controversy' occurred during the Viceroyalty of Lord Ripon in 1883. The bill, drafted by Sir Courtenay Ilbert, proposed to allow Indian magistrates and judges to try Europeans in criminal cases, which was met with fierce opposition and racial backlash from the British community in India, forcing a compromise.
- Lord Lytton (Option a) is associated with reactionary policies like the Vernacular Press Act (1878) and the Arms Act (1878).
- Lord Curzon (Option d) is best known for the Partition of Bengal in 1905.
- Lord Hardinge (Option c) is associated with the transfer of the capital from Calcutta to Delhi in 1911 and the annulment of the Partition of Bengal.
Consider the following pair: 1. Surendranath Banerjee – Indian National Association 2. W. C. Banerjee – Indian Association of Calcutta 3. Dadabhai Naoroji - East India Association in London 4. A. O. Hume – Indian National Congress Choose the correct pair:
A)
1 and 2
B)
2 and 3
C)
3 and 4
D)
2 and 4
To find the correct option, we can use the process of elimination:
1. **Pair 2 is incorrect**: W. C. Banerjee (Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee) was the first president of the Indian National Congress (INC), not the founder of the Indian Association of Calcutta. The Indian Association of Calcutta (also known as the Indian National Association) was founded by Surendranath Banerjee and Ananda Mohan Bose in 1876. Since Pair 2 is incorrect, options (a), (b), and (d) can be eliminated.
2. **Pair 3 is correct**: Dadabhai Naoroji founded the East India Association in London in 1866 to discuss the Indian question and influence British public opinion.
3. **Pair 4 is correct**: A. O. Hume (Allan Octavian Hume) was a retired Civil Service officer who played a pivotal role in the formation of the Indian National Congress in 1885.
Therefore, only pairs 3 and 4 are correct, making option **c** the correct choice.
Which company became the world’s most valuable carmaker as of January 2021?
A)
Volkswagon
B)
Hyundai
C)
Toyota
D)
Tesla
Tesla (option d) became the world's most valuable carmaker, with its market capitalization surging past $700 billion in January 2021, driven by rapid stock price appreciation and growing investor confidence in electric vehicles. Toyota (option c), which previously held the title of the world's most valuable automaker, was overtaken by Tesla in mid-2020 and remained in second place. Volkswagen (option a) and Hyundai (option b), while being major global automotive manufacturers by volume, had market capitalizations significantly lower than Tesla's during this period.
The leader of the Home Rule Movement borrowed the term ‘Home rule’ from a similar movement in
A)
Ireland
B)
Scotland
C)
United States of America
D)
Canada
The Home Rule Movement in India, launched in 1916 by Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Annie Besant, was directly inspired by the Irish Home Rule Movement. The term 'Home Rule' was borrowed from Ireland, where nationalists were demanding self-government within the British Empire. Other options are incorrect because: (b) Scotland did not have a prominent 'Home Rule' movement of this model at the time; (c) the United States of America achieved independence through a revolutionary war rather than a home rule framework; and (d) while Canada achieved Dominion Status in 1867, the specific organizational model and terminology used by Indian leaders were adopted from the Irish struggle.
Russia signed a Protocol with which country to extend their notification pact for missile launches?
A)
Israel
B)
USA
C)
Iran
D)
China
In December 2020, Russia and China signed a protocol to extend their bilateral agreement on notifications of launches of ballistic missiles and space launch vehicles for an additional 10 years (the original pact was signed in 2009). This extension reflects the growing strategic partnership and mutual trust between the two nations. The other options (USA, Iran, and Israel) are incorrect because Russia does not share this specific bilateral notification extension pact with them.