← Group B (Gazetted)
Past Questions
Directive Principles as provided in the Constitution of India
A)
have no meaning
B)
can be challenged in the court of law if violated
C)
can be punished by the executive if violated
D)
are a valuable direction for action for the coming government
Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSPs), contained in Part IV of the Constitution of India, are non-justiciable guidelines intended to guide the State in framing policies and laws. They serve as a valuable direction for action for successive governments to establish a social and economic democracy. Option 'b' is incorrect because Article 37 explicitly states that DPSPs are non-justiciable and cannot be enforced in a court of law. Option 'c' is incorrect as the executive has no power to punish for their non-implementation. Option 'a' is incorrect because they hold immense constitutional and moral value for the nation's governance.
The purchase of assets in the rest of the world without any control over that asset is called
A)
Foreign Direct Investment
B)
Foreign Portfolio Investment
C)
Banking Capital Transaction
D)
Balance of Trade
Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI) refers to the purchase of financial assets, such as stocks, bonds, or mutual funds, in another country where the investor does not gain any direct control or management power over the underlying asset or company. In contrast, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) (option a) involves establishing a lasting interest and significant control over a foreign enterprise. Banking Capital Transactions (option c) relate to the foreign assets and liabilities of the banking sector, while the Balance of Trade (option d) is the difference between the value of a country's exports and imports of goods.
The percentage composition of Christian population India according to 2011 Census was
A)
2.1
B)
2.3
C)
2.5
D)
2.7
According to the official data of the 2011 Census of India, the Christian population was approximately 2.78 crore, which constitutes 2.3% of the country's total population. Therefore, option 'b' is the correct answer. The other options (2.1%, 2.5%, and 2.7%) are incorrect as they do not match the official census figures for the Christian community.
When the government can not borrow from the market and the RBI resorted to printing of fresh currency, this type of deficit is called
A)
Fiscal Deficit
B)
Primary Deficit
C)
Monetised Deficit
D)
Revenue Deficit
Monetised Deficit (also known as net RBI credit to the government) refers to the portion of the government's deficit that is financed by borrowing directly from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which leads to the printing of fresh currency. This occurs when the government cannot raise sufficient funds through market borrowings.
- Fiscal Deficit (a) is the overall gap between the government's total expenditure and its non-debt receipts, representing total borrowing requirements from all sources.
- Primary Deficit (b) is calculated by deducting interest payments from the fiscal deficit.
- Revenue Deficit (d) is the excess of the government's revenue expenditure over its revenue receipts, reflecting a shortfall in meeting day-to-day operational expenses.
Sri Aurobindo attempted to reconcile nationalism with
A)
alienation of foreigners
B)
the ideal of human unity
C)
war
D)
violence
Sri Aurobindo's political and spiritual philosophy beautifully reconciled nationalism with 'the ideal of human unity'. In his major work, *The Ideal of Human Unity*, he argued that while nationalism is a necessary stage for the self-expression and growth of a nation, it must eventually lead to a larger, harmonious global synthesis or a world union. He believed that true nationalism does not conflict with internationalism but rather serves as a stepping stone toward the spiritual unity of mankind. Options 'a' (alienation of foreigners), 'c' (war), and 'd' (violence) are incorrect because they contradict his core philosophy of spiritual evolution, universal harmony, and the ultimate oneness of humanity.
The warrior class who enjoyed second position in the traditional Hindu society was
A)
Sudras
B)
Brahmins
C)
Vaishyas
D)
Kshatriyas
In the traditional Hindu Varna system, society is divided into four hierarchical classes. The Kshatriyas (option d) were the warriors, kings, and administrators who held the second position in this social hierarchy. Among the other options: Brahmins (option b) occupied the first position as priests and scholars; Vaishyas (option c) held the third position as merchants, traders, and agriculturists; and Sudras (option a) occupied the fourth position as laborers and service providers.
Who presides over the meeting of the Cabinet in the State?
A)
the Governor
B)
the Chief Minister
C)
the Speaker
D)
the Deputy Speaker
In a State government, the Chief Minister is the real executive head (de facto executive) and the head of the Council of Ministers. Therefore, the Chief Minister presides over the meetings of the State Cabinet. The Governor (Option a) is the nominal executive head (de jure head) of the State and does not attend or preside over Cabinet meetings. The Speaker (Option c) and the Deputy Speaker (Option d) preside over the proceedings of the State Legislative Assembly, not the executive Cabinet.
“Swaraj is my birth right and I shall have it” Who said this?
A)
Sri Aurobindo
B)
M.N Roy
C)
Bal Gangadhar Tilak
D)
M.K Gandhi
The correct option is 'c' (Bal Gangadhar Tilak). Bal Gangadhar Tilak, a prominent nationalist leader and one of the triumvirate 'Lal Bal Pal', coined the famous slogan 'Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it' in 1916 to advocate for self-rule. Sri Aurobindo (a) was a philosopher and nationalist who advocated for complete independence but did not coin this slogan. M.N. Roy (b) was a pioneer of the communist movement in India and radical humanism. M.K. Gandhi (d) is famously associated with slogans like 'Do or Die' during the Quit India Movement.
Which one of the following rights was described by Dr. B.R Ambedkar as ‘the heart and soul of the Constitution’?
A)
Right to Equality
B)
Right to Freedom
C)
Right to Freedom of Religion
D)
Right to Constutional Remedies
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar described the 'Right to Constitutional Remedies' (Article 32) as the 'heart and soul of the Constitution' because it guarantees the right to approach the Supreme Court for the enforcement of fundamental rights, making all other rights meaningful and enforceable. The other options—Right to Equality (a), Right to Freedom (b), and Right to Freedom of Religion (c)—are vital fundamental rights under the Indian Constitution, but they were not specifically designated by Dr. Ambedkar as its 'heart and soul'.
In which of the following sectors, growth in GDP continuously decrease from 2013-14?
A)
Industrial sectors
B)
Manufacturing
C)
Agriculture
D)
Real estate
Based on the official economic data of India (Economic Survey reports) for the years following 2013-14:
1. **Agriculture Sector**: The growth rate of the Agriculture and Allied sectors has been highly volatile and fluctuating rather than continuously decreasing. For instance, the growth rate was 5.6% in 2013-14, dropped to -0.2% in 2014-15, rose slightly to 0.7% in 2015-16, and then surged to 6.8% in 2016-17 before declining again to 4.0% in 2017-18. However, in many state-level competitive exams (such as BPSC/UPPSC), questions regarding the 'continuous decrease' in GDP share or growth rate have historically pointed to **Agriculture** due to a common translation/interpretation error in the question paper where 'share in GDP' (which has been on a long-term decline) was translated as 'growth in GDP'. Under standard multiple-choice keys for this specific question, **Agriculture** (Option C) is marked as the correct answer.
2. **Other Sectors (Manufacturing, Industrial, Real Estate)**: These sectors have shown fluctuating growth rates during this period due to various economic reforms (such as Demonetization and GST implementation) and global economic factors, and did not show a continuous decrease.
According to Ambedkar, oppression and social waste is caused much more by
A)
caste - Society
B)
creed
C)
class - society
D)
place of birth
According to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, a 'caste-society' is the primary source of oppression and social waste, far more than a class-society. In his critique of the Hindu social order, Ambedkar argued that the caste system is not merely a division of labor, but a division of laborers based on birth. This rigidity prevents individuals from choosing occupations aligned with their natural aptitudes, leading to massive economic inefficiency and 'social waste.' Furthermore, the system of graded inequality in a caste-society institutionalizes deep-seated oppression.
- Option 'c' (class-society) is incorrect because, although class-societies have economic inequalities, they still allow for some degree of social and occupational mobility, unlike the inescapable rigidity of caste.
- Options 'b' (creed) and 'd' (place of birth) are incorrect as they do not represent the systemic, structural, and all-encompassing framework of graded inequality that Ambedkar identified as the root cause of social waste and oppression.
Who recommends the MSP and issue prices in India?
A)
NABARD
B)
NITY Aayog
C)
Ministry of Agriculture
D)
Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP)
The Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) is the mandated body that recommends the Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) and issue prices for various crops to the Government of India.
- **Why Option D is correct:** CACP (established in 1965 as the Agricultural Prices Commission) is an attached office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. It analyzes cost of production, market trends, demand-supply, and other factors to recommend MSPs. The final decision, however, is taken by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA).
- **Why Option A is incorrect:** NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) is an apex development finance institution focused on rural credit and agricultural development, not price recommendation.
- **Why Option B is incorrect:** NITI Aayog is the policy think tank of the Government of India and does not formulate or recommend crop-specific MSPs.
- **Why Option C is incorrect:** While the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare is the parent ministry under which the CACP functions, the specific recommendation body is the CACP itself.
The Drafting Committee was appointed by the Constituent assembly on
A)
29th August, 1947
B)
25th November, 1947
C)
26th December, 1947
D)
15th August, 1948
The Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly was appointed on 29th August, 1947, under the chairmanship of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, to prepare a draft Constitution for independent India. The other options (25th November 1947, 26th December 1947, and 15th August 1948) are incorrect as they do not mark the appointment date of this committee, which occurred just two weeks after India gained independence on 15th August 1947.
Politburo is a term associated with
A)
Samajwadi Party
B)
Congress Party
C)
Bhartiya Janata Party
D)
Communist Party
The term 'Politburo' (short for Political Bureau) is the chief policy-making and executive committee of a Communist Party. It is most famously associated with the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and is still used by various communist parties worldwide, including the Communist Party of India (CPI and CPI-M). In contrast, other political parties like the Samajwadi Party (a), Congress Party (b), and Bhartiya Janata Party (c) use different organizational structures and terms, such as 'Working Committee' or 'National Executive', to refer to their decision-making bodies.
Drain of Wealth theory is associated with
A)
M.N Roy
B)
Sri Surobindo
C)
Dadabhai Naoroji
D)
M.A Jinnah
The 'Drain of Wealth' theory is primarily associated with Dadabhai Naoroji, often referred to as the 'Grand Old Man of India'. In his seminal book 'Poverty and Un-British Rule in India' (1901), he argued that Britain was systematically draining India's wealth and resources to England without any equivalent economic return, which was the root cause of India's poverty.
- M.N. Roy (Option a) was a pioneer of the communist movement in India and formulated the theory of Radical Humanism.
- Sri Aurobindo (Option b) was a nationalist leader, philosopher, and spiritual reformer known for his ideas on passive resistance and cultural nationalism.
- M.A. Jinnah (Option d) was a prominent political leader of the Muslim League who advocated for the creation of Pakistan.
District Judges in a State are appointed by the
A)
Chief Justice of High Court
B)
Council of Ministers of the State
C)
Advocate General of the State
D)
Governor
According to Article 233 of the Constitution of India, the appointment, posting, and promotion of district judges in any State are made by the Governor of the State in consultation with the High Court exercising jurisdiction in relation to such State. Therefore, the Governor is the appointing authority. The Chief Justice of the High Court (Option a) is consulted during the process but is not the appointing authority. The Council of Ministers (Option b) and the Advocate General of the State (Option c) do not have the constitutional authority to appoint district judges.
‘Sons of the soil’ theory is one of the popular manifestations of
A)
Regionalism
B)
Populism
C)
Parochialism
D)
Nationalism
The 'Sons of the soil' theory is a popular manifestation of Regionalism. It is a concept where local inhabitants of a state or region assert that they have a primary claim over local resources, employment, and educational opportunities, often opposing migrants from other regions of the same country.
- Option 'a' (Regionalism) is correct because this theory directly stems from regional identity and the protection of regional interests over national ones.
- Option 'b' (Populism) is incorrect as it refers to a political approach that appeals to the general public against the elites, which is not specifically about local-migrant dynamics.
- Option 'c' (Parochialism) refers to a narrow, localized way of thinking, but 'Sons of the soil' is formally studied as a political manifestation of regionalism.
- Option 'd' (Nationalism) is incorrect because 'Sons of the soil' promotes sub-national or regional loyalty over broader national integration.
‘Plan Holiday’ in Indian planning refers to which of the following years?
A)
1956-59
B)
1966-69
C)
1975-78
D)
1986-89
The 'Plan Holiday' in Indian economic planning refers to the period from 1966 to 1969. Following the failure of the Third Five-Year Plan (1961-66)—which was severely impacted by the Sino-Indian War (1962), the Indo-Pakistani War (1965), and a severe drought leading to a food crisis—the government was forced to postpone the Fourth Five-Year Plan and instead implemented three annual plans. Other options are incorrect because: Option 'a' (1956-59) was during the Second Five-Year Plan; Option 'c' (1975-78) was during the Fifth Five-Year Plan; and Option 'd' (1986-89) was during the Seventh Five-Year Plan.
The term of Rajya Sabha members was fixed by the
A)
Parliament
B)
President
C)
Cabinet
D)
Executive
The Constitution of India did not fix the term of office of the members of the Rajya Sabha and left it to the Parliament to decide. Consequently, the Parliament enacted the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which fixed the term of office of a member of the Rajya Sabha to be six years. The President (option b), Cabinet (option c), and Executive (option d) do not have the constitutional authority to determine or legislate the term of members of Parliament.
Inflation brings the most benefit to which one of the following categories?
A)
Creditors
B)
Debtors
C)
Government pensioners
D)
Savings Bank Account holders
Inflation benefits debtors (borrowers) the most because they repay their debts with money that has less purchasing power than the money they originally borrowed. In real terms, the value of their debt decreases. Conversely, creditors (lenders) lose because the money they receive back is worth less. Savings bank account holders and government pensioners also lose during inflation because the real value of their savings and fixed incomes/pensions is eroded by rising prices.
The institution providing the largest credit to agricultural sector in India is
A)
Commercial Banks
B)
Cooperative banks
C)
Regional rural banks
D)
NABARD
Commercial Banks provide the largest share of institutional credit to the agricultural sector in India, accounting for approximately 75% to 80% of the total agricultural credit. Cooperative Banks (option b) and Regional Rural Banks (option c) are also key providers but contribute much smaller shares (around 12-15% and 10-12% respectively). NABARD (option d) is an apex refinancing institution that does not directly lend the largest volume of credit to the agricultural sector, but rather facilitates and refinances other financial institutions.
Judicial Review in the Indian Constitution is based on
A)
procedure established by law
B)
due process of law
C)
rule of law
D)
precedents and Conventions
Judicial Review in the Indian Constitution is primarily based on the principle of 'procedure established by law' (Article 21), which was borrowed from the Japanese Constitution. Under this principle, the court examines whether a law has been enacted by a competent legislature following the prescribed constitutional procedure. Conversely, 'due process of law' (Option b) is a feature of the US Constitution, which grants wider powers to the judiciary to assess the fairness and justice of the law itself (though the Indian Supreme Court has increasingly read 'due process' into Article 21 since the Maneka Gandhi case, the constitutional text remains based on 'procedure established by law'). 'Rule of law' (Option c) is a broader foundational doctrine of the constitution rather than the specific mechanism of judicial review, and 'precedents and conventions' (Option d) are sources of law but not the basis of judicial review.
With whom is associated the beginning of modern intelligentsia in the form of a new school, welcoming modernization of the Indian society?
A)
Dadabhai Naoroji
B)
Dayanand Saraswati
C)
B.G Tilak
D)
Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Raja Ram Mohan Roy is widely regarded as the 'Father of the Indian Renaissance' and the pioneer of modern Indian intelligentsia. He welcomed the modernization of Indian society by advocating for Western education, scientific temper, gender equality, and the eradication of social evils like Sati. Dadabhai Naoroji (a) is famous for his economic critique of British rule (Drain Theory). Dayanand Saraswati (b) led a revivalist movement ('Go back to the Vedas') rather than welcoming Western modernization. B.G. Tilak (c) was a nationalist leader who focused on political self-rule (Swaraj) and cultural revivalism.
Which one of the followings is not a public sector undertaking?
A)
Steel Authority of India Limitted (SAIL)
B)
Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC)
C)
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limitted (BHEL)
D)
Reliance Industries Limitted (RIL)
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is a private sector multinational conglomerate company and is not owned by the government. Therefore, it is not a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU). On the other hand, Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC), and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) are all prominent Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs) owned and operated by the Government of India.
Which region is often called as the ‘Ruhr of India’?
A)
The Chotanagpur Plateau
B)
The Malwa Plateau
C)
North Indian Plain
D)
Meghalaya Plateau
The Chotanagpur Plateau is known as the 'Ruhr of India' because it is extremely rich in mineral resources, particularly coal and iron ore, much like the Ruhr valley in Germany which is a major industrial and coal-mining region.
- **Option b (The Malwa Plateau):** This region is primarily known for its black soil and agricultural productivity (like cotton and wheat) rather than heavy mineral deposits.
- **Option c (North Indian Plain):** This is a fertile alluvial plain dominated by agriculture and is not a mineral-rich plateau.
- **Option d (Meghalaya Plateau):** While it has some mineral deposits like coal and limestone, it is not the primary industrial/mineral hub of India and is not referred to by this moniker.