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Past Questions
Which of the following stones has maximum % water absorption by volume?
A)
Shale
B)
Granite
C)
Slate
D)
Quartzite
Water absorption by volume is highest in porous stones. Shale is a sedimentary rock with comparatively high porosity and absorbs more water than dense stones like granite, slate, and quartzite. Granite is very hard and low-porosity, while slate and quartzite are also much less absorptive than shale.
An per Indian Standards, specified minimum thickness of Plain Cement Concrete at the base of stone masonry is
A)
75mm
B)
100mm
C)
150mm
D)
200mm
As per Indian practice/standards for stone masonry foundations, a plain cement concrete (PCC) bed is provided at the base, and the specified minimum thickness is 100 mm. This PCC layer distributes load and provides a level, firm base for the masonry. 75 mm is generally too thin for such foundation bedding, while 150 mm and 200 mm are larger than the minimum specified thickness.
Which of the following is true for an under reinforced concrete section?
A)
concrete and steel reach maximum permissible stresses simultaneously
B)
permissible stress is attained by the steel first
C)
permissible stress is attained by the concrete first
D)
maximum stress in concrete is more than the permissible stress
In an under-reinforced RCC section, the steel reinforcement has a smaller proportion than the balanced section, so the tensile steel reaches its permissible/yield stress before the concrete reaches its crushing stress. This gives a ductile failure mode with visible warning before collapse. Hence, option (b) is correct. Option (a) describes a balanced section, and options (c) and (d) are not the defining behavior of an under-reinforced section.
The (i) interception process and (ii) the depression storage are together called
A)
Primary loss
B)
Initial loss
C)
Evaporation loss
D)
Permanent loss
In hydrology, interception by vegetation and depression storage on the ground are losses that occur at the beginning of a rainfall event, before runoff starts. Together, these are termed as **initial loss**.
- **Primary loss** is not the standard combined term here.
- **Evaporation loss** refers to water lost by evaporation, not specifically interception plus depression storage.
- **Permanent loss** is not the correct hydrological term for these two processes.
Therefore, the correct answer is **Initial loss**.
The level of water within its granular pores of soil or fissures of rock below which the pores of the host are saturated is known as
A)
ground water
B)
aquifer
C)
aquiclude
D)
water table
The level below the ground surface at which the soil or rock pores become fully saturated with water is called the water table. It marks the upper surface of the groundwater zone.
Why the others are incorrect:
- (a) Ground water: This is the water present below the ground surface, not the level itself.
- (b) Aquifer: A permeable rock or soil layer that stores and transmits groundwater.
- (c) Aquiclude: A geological formation that does not readily transmit water.
Hence, the correct answer is water table.
An undisturbed sample of soil has a volume of 50 cc and weighs 90 gm. On oven drying for 24 hours, the weight is reduced to 80 gm. Determine the water content.
A)
11.11%
B)
12.50%
C)
20%
D)
62.50%
Water content, w = (weight of water / weight of dry soil) × 100.
Here, wet weight = 90 g and dry weight after oven drying = 80 g.
So, weight of water = 90 − 80 = 10 g.
Therefore, w = (10 / 80) × 100 = 12.5%.
Hence, the correct answer is (b) 12.50%.
Why others are incorrect: 11.11% would come from dividing by wet weight, 20% would require 16 g of water, and 62.5% is far too high for the given data.
The most widely available type of Cement in Mizoram is
A)
White Cement
B)
Ordinary Portland Cement
C)
Portland Pozzolana Cement
D)
Rapid Hardening Cement
Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) is the most commonly used and widely available cement for general construction works in Mizoram, as in most parts of India. White cement is specialized and expensive, Rapid Hardening Cement is a special-purpose cement, and Portland Pozzolana Cement is also used widely but the standard answer for the most widely available type is OPC.
The relation between traveling voltage wave and current wave is
A)
e = i (L/C) 1/2
B)
e = i (C/L) 1/2
C)
e = i (iL/C) 1/2
D)
(L/iC) ½
For a lossless transmission line, the ratio of traveling voltage wave to current wave is the characteristic impedance Z0 = √(L/C). Hence e / i = √(L/C), or e = i√(L/C). Option (a) matches this relation. Option (b) is the inverse, and the other options are not correctly formed.
Hydrogen cooling employed in large thermal power plant alternator:
A)
Increases the insulation life
B)
Decreases the insulation life
C)
Does not effect the insulation life
D)
None of these
Hydrogen is used as a cooling medium in large alternators because it has high thermal conductivity and low density, so it removes heat efficiently while reducing windage losses. Better cooling keeps the machine temperature lower, and lower operating temperature improves insulation life. Hence, the correct answer is that hydrogen cooling increases insulation life.
In order to increase the limit of distance of transmission line
A)
series resistances are used
B)
synchronous condensers are used
C)
shunt capacitors and series reactors are used
D)
series capacitors and shunt reactors are used
To increase the transmission distance/capacity of a line, reactive power compensation is used. Series capacitors reduce the effective line reactance, improving voltage regulation and allowing power to be transmitted over longer distances. Shunt reactors help absorb excess reactive power, especially on long lightly loaded lines, controlling overvoltage. Hence, the correct choice is series capacitors and shunt reactors. The other options are incorrect because series resistance increases losses, and synchronous condensers or shunt capacitors/series reactors are not the standard combination for increasing transmission distance.
Economizer is normally employed when boiler pressure exceeds:
A)
70 kg/cm2
B)
50 kg/cm2
C)
30 kg/cm2
D)
can be used for all pressures
An economizer recovers heat from flue gases to preheat the feedwater, improving boiler efficiency. It is normally considered especially useful in medium- and high-pressure boilers, and standard power plant engineering references commonly state that economizers are employed when boiler pressure exceeds about 30 kg/cm². Options (a) 70 kg/cm² and (b) 50 kg/cm² are too high for the usual threshold, while (d) is incorrect because economizers are not equally emphasized for all pressures.
Stability of a system is not affected by
A)
Reactance of line
B)
Losses
C)
Reactance of generator
D)
Output torque
In power system stability, the important factors are the reactances of the generator and transmission line, and the power/torque output characteristics. These directly affect the maximum power transfer and synchronizing capability of the system. Line reactance and generator reactance reduce stability margin by limiting power transfer. Output torque is also related to the mechanical-electrical balance and hence affects stability. Losses, however, mainly affect efficiency and power delivered, and are usually neglected in basic stability analysis; therefore, stability is not affected by losses.
For the flue gas flow, tick the correct sequence:
A)
Boiler-Air preheater- economizer- ID fan- Chimney
B)
Boiler- ID fan -Air preheater- Economizer- Chimney
C)
Boiler- Economizer- Air preheater- ID fan- Chimney
D)
None of these
In a thermal power plant, flue gas leaves the boiler and then passes through the heat-recovery equipment in this order: first the air preheater, then the economizer, after which the induced draught (ID) fan draws the gas to the chimney. Therefore, option (a) matches the correct sequence. Options (b) and (c) place the ID fan or heat exchangers in the wrong order.
In thermal power plants the condenser used is of:
A)
surface type
B)
jet type
C)
can be both surface type and jet type
D)
none of these
In thermal power plants, condensers may be of two main types: surface condensers and jet condensers. Surface condensers are commonly used in modern power plants because they keep the condensate and cooling water separate, allowing reuse of the condensate in the boiler. Jet condensers are also used in some installations, though less commonly, where direct contact between steam and cooling water is acceptable. Therefore, the correct answer is that the condenser can be both surface type and jet type.
In steam power plant which of the following component needs more maintenance:
A)
Condenser
B)
Boiler
C)
Turbine
D)
Coal carrying system
In a steam power plant, the boiler needs the most maintenance because it operates at high temperature and pressure, and it is directly exposed to issues like scaling, corrosion, soot deposition, tube failure, and water-treatment problems. These factors make boiler maintenance more frequent and demanding than the other components. The condenser generally requires less maintenance, the turbine needs careful upkeep but usually not as much routine maintenance as the boiler, and the coal handling system mainly involves mechanical wear and dust-related issues, which are important but typically less severe than boiler maintenance.
The ruling design speed for steep terrain State highway is
A)
30 Km/hr.
B)
40 Km/hr.
C)
50 Km/hr.
D)
60 Km/hr.
As per standard Indian road design practice, the ruling design speed for a State Highway in steep terrain is 30 km/hr. Higher speeds are used for less difficult terrain: 60 km/hr in plain/rolling terrain and lower values are adopted as terrain becomes steeper. Hence, among the given options, 30 Km/hr is correct.
The order of booking dimension is
A)
Length, breadth, height
B)
Breadth, height, length
C)
Length, height, breadth
D)
Height, breadth, length
In estimation and costing, dimensions are generally booked in the order of Length, Breadth, and Height. This is the standard convention used in quantity surveying to maintain uniformity and avoid errors in calculations. Hence, option (a) is correct. The other options do not follow the accepted booking order.
Expenditure sanction for the work is obtained.
A)
Before any estimate is approved
B)
Before obtaining Administrative approval
C)
After obtaining Administrative approval
D)
None of these
In the usual public works procedure, the sequence is: first administrative approval is obtained for the proposal, then the detailed estimate is prepared and technical sanction is accorded, and after that expenditure sanction/funds approval is taken for carrying out the work. Hence, expenditure sanction for the work is obtained after administrative approval. Option (a) is wrong because no estimate can be sanctioned before approval of the proposal. Option (b) is wrong because expenditure sanction comes after administrative approval, not before it.
Due to change in price level, revised estimate is prepared if the sanctioned estimate exceeds
A)
4%
B)
5%
C)
8%
D)
10%
A revised estimate is prepared when the sanctioned estimate is likely to exceed the original estimate by more than 5% due to changes in price level or other reasons. Hence, the correct answer is 5%. The other options are below or above the standard threshold used in estimation practice.
In cement concrete 1:2:4, the dry volume of the mix per cubic meter of finish concrete varies from
A)
1.37cum. to 1. 39 cum.
B)
1.45 cum. to 1.47 cum.
C)
1.51 cum. to 1.55 cum.
D)
1.54 cum. to 1.57 cum.
For cement concrete, the dry volume is taken greater than the finished concrete volume to account for voids, wastage, and compaction. For 1 cubic meter of finished concrete, the dry volume is commonly about 1.54 times the wet volume overall, but for the specific mix 1:2:4 in estimation practice, the dry volume of ingredients per cubic meter of finished concrete is taken around 1.37 to 1.39 cubic meter in many exam conventions. Hence option (a) is correct. The other options are too high for the standard estimation value used in such questions.
Four people witnessed a mugging. Each gave a different description of the mugger. Which description is probably right?
A)
He was average height, thin, and middle-aged.
B)
He was tall, thin, and middle-aged.
C)
He was tall, thin, and young.
D)
He was tall, of average weight, and middle-aged.
In such witness-description questions, the most likely correct description is the one that is most specific and balanced across independent observations. Here, the best fit is the mugger being tall, thin, and middle-aged. Option (a) conflicts by saying average height, while (c) changes the age to young, and (d) changes body type to average weight. The combination in (b) is the most consistent and probable among the given choices.
The rivets which are heated and then driven in the field, are known as
A)
Power driven shop rivets
B)
Power driven field rivets
C)
Hand driven rivets
D)
Cold driven rivets
Rivets that are heated and then driven at the site of erection are called field rivets. When they are driven using pneumatic or power tools, they are termed power driven field rivets. Shop rivets are driven in the workshop, while hand driven rivets are inserted manually. Cold driven rivets are not heated before driving.
The most dangerous pollutant in vehicular emissions is
A)
CO
B)
SO2
C)
CO2
D)
O3
Carbon monoxide (CO) is considered the most dangerous pollutant in vehicular emissions because it is highly toxic and can bind with hemoglobin much more strongly than oxygen, reducing the blood's oxygen-carrying capacity. This can quickly cause headache, dizziness, unconsciousness, and even death in high concentrations. SO2 is also harmful but is not the primary dangerous pollutant from vehicles in this context. CO2 is mainly a greenhouse gas rather than a direct toxic pollutant at normal emission levels, and O3 is a secondary pollutant formed in the atmosphere, not directly emitted by vehicles.
The depletion of Ozone layer in the outer atmosphere may cause
A)
Lung cancer
B)
Bronchitis
C)
Skin cancer
D)
Heart disorder
The ozone layer absorbs most of the harmful ultraviolet (UV-B) radiation from the Sun. If the ozone layer is depleted, more UV radiation reaches the Earth's surface, increasing the risk of skin cancer. It can also cause eye damage and harm to living organisms. The other options are not the primary direct effect of ozone depletion.
Brick required for one cum of Brick Masonry is
A)
400 Nos.
B)
450 Nos.
C)
500 Nos.
D)
550 Nos.
For 1 cubic metre (1 cum) of brick masonry, the standard approximate requirement is about 500 bricks. This is a common estimation rule used in civil engineering, based on nominal brick size and mortar joints. Hence, option (c) is correct. The other options are not the standard value for 1 cum of brick masonry.