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Past Questions — 2024
The Three Gorges Dam on the is the largest hydro-electric power station in the world.
A)
Jinsha River
B)
Parana River
C)
Yangtze River
D)
Mekong River
The Three Gorges Dam is located on the Yangtze River in Hubei province, China, and is the world's largest hydroelectric power generation station by installed capacity.
According to the Commerce Department data, Government of India, the largest trading partner of India in descending order for 2023-24 financial year is :
A)
China>UAE> USA
B)
China> US > UAE
C)
US>China>UAE
D)
US >UAE> China
Based on the official trade data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, for the financial year 2023-24, the ranking of India's top trading partners (combined exports and imports) is as follows: 1. United States (USA), 2. United Arab Emirates (UAE), and 3. China. The USA has consistently remained India's largest trading partner in recent years. The UAE has climbed to the second position, while China, despite being a massive source of imports, ranks third in total bilateral trade volume for this specific period. Therefore, the descending order is US > UAE > China.
Which of the following Constitutional Amendments has been described as a “Mini Revision of the Constitution’?
A)
Forty-Second Ammendment Act, 1976
B)
Forty-Fourth Ammendment Act, 1978
C)
Fifty-Second Ammendment Act, 1985
D)
Forty-Eighth Ammendment Act, 1987
The 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1976 enacted during the Emergency brought extensive changes across the Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles, and judicial powers, earning it the title 'Mini-Constitution' or 'Mini Revision of the Constitution'.
Which one of the following approach to the study of Public Administration is related with Max Weber?
A)
Classical Approach
B)
Human Relation Approach
C)
Scientific Approach
D)
Bureaucratic Approach
Max Weber is renowned as the pioneer of the Bureaucratic Approach in Public Administration and sociology. He formulated the ideal-type model of rational-legal bureaucracy characterized by hierarchy, written rules, specialized division of labor, and impersonality.
The world’s first conversational AI with emotional intelligence is :
A)
Al Robot
B)
Gemini AI
C)
Hume Al
D)
Humanoid Robot
Hume AI launched the 'Empathic AI Voice Interface' (EVI), which is recognized as the world's first conversational AI designed with emotional intelligence. Unlike standard LLMs that primarily process text, Hume AI uses a 'semantic space model' to analyze vocal prosody (tone, pitch, and rhythm) to detect human emotions in real-time and adjust its own responses to be empathic.
Why other options are incorrect:
- a. AI Robot: This is a general category of hardware, not a specific conversational AI model.
- b. Gemini AI: Developed by Google, Gemini is a powerful multimodal LLM, but its primary focus is on reasoning, coding, and general knowledge rather than being specifically marketed as the first 'emotional intelligence' conversational AI.
- d. Humanoid Robot: This refers to the physical form (robotics) rather than the specific software/AI model responsible for emotional conversation.
Constituent Assembly of India was formulated on the recommendation of which of the following?
A)
Wavel Plan
B)
Cripps Mission
C)
August Offer
D)
Cabinet Mission
The Constituent Assembly of India was constituted in November 1946 pursuant to the scheme and recommendations formulated by the Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946.
Player of the Season in the recently concluded UEFA Champions League 2023-24 is :
A)
Jude Belligham
B)
Kylian Mbappe
C)
Vinicius Junior
D)
Erling Haaland
Real Madrid winger Vinícius Júnior was officially named the 2023–24 UEFA Champions League Player of the Season after leading his club to their 15th European title.
At present, which age group contributes the highest in Indian population?
A)
Working age population
B)
Dependent population of children
C)
Dependent population of senior citizens
D)
None of these
India is currently in a demographic dividend phase, with the working-age population (ages 15–64) making up over 65% of the total population, the largest demographic cohort.
Minimum Support Price (MSP) is the guaranteed amount paid to the farmers based on the recommendations of :
A)
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
B)
Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs
C)
Agricultural Price Commission
D)
Commission of Agriculture Costs and Prices
Minimum Support Price (MSP) is fixed by the Government of India on the basis of recommendations submitted by the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).
The Khilafat movement was launched by :
A)
Asaf Ali and Muhammad Ali Jinnah
B)
Mohammad Ali and Shaukat Ali
C)
Abbas Ali and Abul Kalam Azad
D)
Badruddin Tyabji and Ashfaquila Khan
The Khilafat Movement was a pan-Islamic protest launched in India in 1919. Its primary objective was to pressure the British government to preserve the authority of the Ottoman Sultan (the Caliph or 'Khalifa'), who was considered the spiritual leader of the Muslim world, following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in World War I. The movement was spearheaded by two brothers, Mohammad Ali and Shaukat Ali, who are widely known as the 'Ali Brothers'. Mahatma Gandhi supported the movement to foster Hindu-Muslim unity, leading to the integration of the Khilafat cause with the Non-Cooperation Movement.
Analysis of other options:
- Option (a): Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a prominent leader of the Muslim League but was not a founder of the Khilafat movement; in fact, he was skeptical of its mass-mobilization approach.
- Option (c): While Abul Kalam Azad was a supporter of the movement and a great scholar, he was not one of the primary launchers/founders.
- Option (d): Badruddin Tyabji was a leader of the early Indian National Congress (late 19th century), and Ashfaqulla Khan was a revolutionary associated with the Kakori conspiracy, not the founders of the Khilafat movement.
The largest fishing ground of the world is the :
A)
North West Pacific Region
B)
North West Atlantic Region
C)
North East Atlantic Region
D)
South Western Arctic Region
The North West Pacific region is the largest fishing ground in the world. This is primarily due to the meeting of warm currents (like the Kuroshio Current) and cold currents (like the Oyashio Current) off the coast of Japan. This convergence creates an ideal environment for the growth of plankton, which serves as the primary food source for a vast variety of fish species, leading to extremely high fish productivity.
Comparing the options:
- North West Pacific (Option a): The most productive region globally, dominated by East Asian fisheries.
- North West Atlantic (Option b): A major fishing ground (e.g., Grand Banks), but smaller in total yield compared to the NW Pacific.
- North East Atlantic (Option c): Significant for European fisheries, but not the largest.
- South Western Arctic (Option d): Not a primary global fishing hub compared to the temperate convergence zones.
The sufis used to organize communities around the hospice called :
A)
Pir
B)
Khalifa
C)
Murshid
D)
Khangah
The correct answer is 'Khangah'. In Sufism, a Khangah (also known as a Tekke or Zawiya in other regions) was a building designed for spiritual retreat and the residence of a Sufi master (Pir/Sheikh). It served as a community center where disciples (Murids) gathered for meditation, prayer, and spiritual guidance, effectively organizing the Sufi community around this hospice.
Why other options are incorrect:
- a. Pir: This refers to the spiritual guide or master, not the physical building/hospice.
- b. Khalifa: This refers to a successor or a deputy appointed by the Pir to lead a group of disciples.
- c. Murshid: This is another term for a spiritual teacher or guide (similar to Pir), referring to a person rather than a place.
Who was formally recognised as the king of Manipur under the Treaty of Yandaboo?
A)
Nara Singh
B)
Gambhir Singh
C)
Bodh Chandra
D)
Chandrakirti
The Treaty of Yandabo was signed on February 24, 1826, between the British Empire and the Konbaung Dynasty of Burma, ending the First Anglo-Burmese War. One of the key outcomes of this treaty was the restoration of the independence of Manipur. Maharaja Bodh Chandra, who had been displaced by the Burmese invasions, was formally recognized as the legitimate King of Manipur under the terms of the treaty.
Analysis of other options:
- Nara Singh: He was a general and later became the Raja, but he was not the primary sovereign recognized at the signing of the Treaty of Yandabo.
- Gambhir Singh: He was the brother of Bodh Chandra and the military leader who led the Manipur Levy to reclaim the territory from the Burmese. While he did the fighting, the formal recognition of the throne went to Bodh Chandra.
- Chandrakirti: He belonged to a later period of Manipuri history and was not the ruler during the 1826 treaty.
Consider the following statements regarding the ongoing Israeli-Hamas conflict. 1. Hama’s surprise attack on the state of Israel was on October 7, 2023. 2. Hamas campaign was dubbed “Operation al-Agsa Flood”. 3. Israel has declared war on Hamas and launched “Operation Swords of Iron”. 4. Inresponse to both the developments, the government of India launched an operation to retrieve Indians from Israel known as ‘Operation Dost’. Which of the above statements are correct?
A)
1&2only
B)
1,2 &3 only
C)
1,2 & 4 only
D)
1,2,3&4
Statements 1, 2, and 3 are correct: Hamas launched 'Operation al-Aqsa Flood' on October 7, 2023, and Israel responded with 'Operation Swords of Iron'. Statement 4 is incorrect because India launched 'Operation Ajay' to evacuate Indian nationals from Israel ('Operation Dost' was India's humanitarian relief mission following the Turkey–Syria earthquake).
The growth rate of India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) according to the provisional estimate of the National Statistic Organisation (NSO) in the financial year 2023-24 is :
A)
7.2 per cent
B)
7.5 per cent
C)
8 percent
D)
8.2 per cent
According to the provisional estimates released on May 31, 2024 by the National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, India's real GDP growth rate for FY 2023-24 was estimated at 8.2%.
A warm and dry wind blowing on the northern side of the Alps Mountain ranges is :
A)
Blizzards
B)
Foehn
C)
Sirocco
D)
Mistral
The correct answer is Foehn. A Foehn wind is a type of rain-shadow wind (adiabatic warming) that occurs when moist air is forced up a mountain range (the Alps), loses its moisture as precipitation on the windward side, and then descends rapidly on the leeward side. As the air descends, it compresses and warms up, resulting in a warm, dry wind blowing on the northern side of the Alps.
Why other options are incorrect:
- a. Blizzards: These are severe snowstorms characterized by strong winds and low visibility, not specific warm/dry mountain winds.
- c. Sirocco: This is a Mediterranean wind that originates in the Sahara Desert and blows towards Southern Europe; it is not specific to the Alps mountain range.
- d. Mistral: This is a cold, strong northwesterly wind that blows from southern France into the Gulf of Lion in the Mediterranean Sea.
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan-Dhan Yojana (PM-KMY) isa:
A)
Pension scheme for small and marginal farmers.
B)
Direct money transfer scheme to the farmers according to the size of landholding.
C)
Crop insurance scheme for the farmers.
D)
Subsidy scheme for farmers cultivating cash crops.
PM-KMY is a voluntary and contributory pension scheme for small and marginal farmers.
In 1878 the Famine Commission of India was established under the Chairmanship of :
A)
Sir Richard Strachey
B)
James Lyall
C)
Sir John Woodhead
D)
Anthony MacDonnell
The Famine Commission of 1878-80 was appointed by the British Government of India following the devastating Great Famine of 1876–1878. The commission was chaired by Sir Richard Strachey. The primary objective of the Strachey Commission was to investigate the causes of the famine and suggest measures to prevent future occurrences. Its key recommendations included the development of irrigation works and the creation of a 'Famine Code' to standardize relief operations.
Regarding the other options:
- James Lyall was a prominent irrigation engineer but not the chairman of this commission.
- Sir John Woodhead and Anthony MacDonnell are not associated with the leadership of the 1878 Famine Commission.
In the Mizoram budget 2024-25, the amount of money set aside for the flagship programme of the ZPM government’s ‘Hand-holding Policy/Bana kaih’ is :
A)
~150 crores
B)
%200 crores
C)
%3000 crores
D)
%500 crores
In the 2024-25 Mizoram state budget, the government allocated ₹200 crore for its flagship Hand-holding Policy (Bana Kaih) scheme to support agriculture, entrepreneurship, and youth employment.
The Salt March also known as Dandi March, 1930 started on which river banks?
A)
River Ganga
B)
River Kaveri
C)
River Godavari
D)
River Sabarmati
Mahatma Gandhi launched the historic Salt March (Dandi March) on March 12, 1930 from the Sabarmati Ashram, located on the banks of the Sabarmati River in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
The Alkire-Foster methodology of the multidimensional poverty index has three equally weighted dimensions as follows :
A)
Health, education, and standard of living
B)
Income, literacy, and absolute poverty
C)
Income, health, and standard of living
D)
Health, income, and education
The Alkire-Foster methodology underlying the Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) assesses acute multidimensional poverty across three equally weighted dimensions (1/3 each): Health, Education, and Standard of Living.
Which language family has the largest number of speakers in India?
A)
Dravidian family
B)
Indo-European family
C)
Sino-Tibetan family
D)
Austric family
The Indo-European family, which includes languages like Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, etc., has the largest number of speakers in India.
The largest physiographical unit of India is :
A)
The Himalayan region
B)
The Gangetic plains
C)
The Peninsular plateau
D)
The Coastal plain
The Peninsular plateau is the oldest and largest physiographic division of India, covering a vast area.
What are the two basic principles of promotion in civil service?
A)
Principles of seniority and examination for promotion to the next higher post.
B)
Principles of seniority and merit.
C)
Principles of merit only.
D)
Principles of seniority and higher qualification.
In public administration and civil service systems, the two fundamental and universally recognized principles governing promotions are seniority (length of service) and merit (demonstrated competence and performance).
Which biome is characterised by the presence of mosses, lichens and herbs with underlying permafrost?
A)
Taiga
B)
Desert
C)
Tundra
D)
Savanna
The Tundra biome is characterized by extreme cold temperatures, low-growing vegetation consisting primarily of mosses, lichens, and dwarf shrubs, and permanently frozen subsoil known as permafrost.