MCSCCE • 2025 • Paper-I (Series A)
Consider the following cities in Iran:
(i) Tehran
(ii) Bushehr
(iii) Natanz
(iv) Isfahan
The nuclear facilities of which of the above cities were bombed by the US in June 2025?
A)
(i) and (iii) only
B)
(ii) and (iv) only
C)
(iii) and (iv) only
D)
(ii), (iii) and (iv) only
The key Iranian nuclear installations targeted in the strategic strikes were the uranium enrichment facilities located at Natanz (iii) and the nuclear technology center / conversion plant at Isfahan (iv).
MCSCCE • 2025 • Paper-I (Series A)
Consider the following points with reference to August Offer, 1940.
(i) Dominion status to India.
(ii) Establishment of linguistic provinces.
(iii) Expansion of the Viceroy’s Executive Council.
(iv) Institution of joint electorates with reserved seats for minorities.
Which of the above features are correct?
A)
(i) and (ii) only
B)
(i) and (iii) only
C)
(i) and (iv) only
D)
(ii) and (iv) only
The August Offer of 1940 announced by Viceroy Linlithgow proposed: (i) Dominion status as the ultimate goal for India, and (iii) immediate expansion of the Governor-General's Executive Council with more Indian representatives. It did not propose linguistic provinces or joint electorates.
MCSCCE • 2025 • Paper-I (Series A)
The Indian monsoon is fundamentally characterized by:
A)
Constant easterly winds
B)
Seasonal reversal of winds
C)
Permanent high-pressure systems
D)
Continuous rainfall throughout the year
The defining characteristic of the Indian monsoon (derived from Arabic 'mausim') is the complete seasonal reversal of prevailing wind patterns: southwest winds during the summer/rainy season and northeast winds during the winter.
MCSCCE • 2025 • Paper-I (Series A)
The Durg-Bastar-Chandrapur Belt is a major region for the production of which type of Iron Ore?
A)
Siderite
B)
Limonite
C)
Hematite
D)
Magnetite
The Durg-Bastar-Chandrapur belt is one of the most significant iron ore mining regions in India, spanning across Chhattisgarh (Durg and Bastar districts) and Maharashtra (Chandrapur district). This region is predominantly known for its high-grade Hematite iron ore deposits. Hematite is the most important industrial iron ore due to its high iron content and relative ease of extraction.
Breakdown of options:
- Hematite (Correct): The primary ore found in the Bastar and Durg regions of Chhattisgarh, characterized by its reddish color.
- Magnetite: While found in India (especially in Karnataka and Rajasthan), it is not the dominant ore of the Durg-Bastar-Chandrapur belt.
- Limonite and Siderite: These are lower-grade iron ores (hydrated iron oxide and iron carbonate, respectively) and are not the primary commercial products of this specific geological belt.
MCSCCE • 2025 • Paper-I (Series A)
What is the regional name for the section of the Eastern Coastal Plains between the Mahanadi and Krishna rivers?
A)
Malabar Coast
B)
Konkan Coast
C)
Carnatic
D)
Northern Circars
The Eastern Coastal Plains of India are divided into two main regional sections: the Northern Circars and the Coromandel Coast.
1. **Northern Circars**: This is the northern part of the Eastern Coastal Plains, stretching between the Mahanadi river in the north and the Krishna river in the south. It covers parts of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.
2. **Coromandel Coast**: This is the southern part, extending from the Krishna river southwards to Kanyakumari.
Evaluating the other options:
- **Malabar Coast**: This is located on the Western Coastal Plains (primarily Kerala).
- **Konkan Coast**: This is located on the Western Coastal Plains (primarily Maharashtra and Goa).
- **Carnatic**: This is a historical region in southern India, not the specific geographical name for the coastal strip between the Mahanadi and Krishna rivers.
MCSCCE • 2025 • Paper-I (Series A)
Which metal was not known to the people of Indus Valley Civilization?
A)
Copper
B)
Bronze
C)
Iron
D)
Gold
The Indus Valley Civilization belonged to the Bronze Age. Iron was not known to the Harappans and was introduced in India during the later Vedic period (Iron Age).
MCSCCE • 2025 • Paper-I (Series A)
Which of the following is not a part of Article 20 of the Constitution of India?
A)
Prohibition against Torture
B)
Prohibition against Self Incrimination
C)
Ex-post Facto Law
D)
Double Jeopardy Clause
Article 20 contains protections against Ex-post Facto laws [20(1)], Double Jeopardy [20(2)], and Self-Incrimination [20(3)]. Prohibition against torture is read into the right to life under Article 21, not Article 20.
MCSCCE • 2025 • Paper-I (Series A)
What are the correct statements with reference to the Swadeshi Movement?
(i) The famous Boycott Resolution was passed even before the formal proclamation of the Swadeshi Movement.
(ii) Students, women and a large section of the urban and rural population participated.
(iii) Indian National Congress supported the Boycott movement.
Select the answer using the code given below.
A)
(i) and (ii) only
B)
(i) and (iii) only
C)
(ii) and (iii) only
D)
(i), (ii) and (iii)
The Boycott Resolution was Indeed passed before the formal proclamation. The movement saw broad participation, and the INC officially supported it.
MCSCCE • 2025 • Paper-I (Series A)
With reference to literary works during the Sultanate period, consider the following.
Author : Book
(i) Al Biruni : Kitab-ul-Hind
(ii) Firoz Shah : Taj-ul-Maathir
(iii) Ibn Battuta : Kitab-ul-Rehla
Which of the above pairs are correct?
A)
(i) and (ii) only
B)
(ii) and (iii) only
C)
(i) and (iii) only
D)
(i), (ii) and and (iii)
Al-Biruni wrote Kitab-ul-Hind and Ibn Battuta wrote Kitab-ul-Rehla. Taj-ul-Maathir was written by Hasan Nizami (not Firoz Shah).
MCSCCE • 2025 • Paper-I (Series A)
Consider the following government schemes in India:
(i) UNNATI
(ii) PM-DevINE
(iii) NESIDS
(iv) PMEGP
Which of the above schemes specifically target the North-East?
A)
(i) and (ii) only
B)
(ii) and (iii) only
C)
(i), (ii) and (iii) only
D)
(i), (ii), (iii) and (iv)
UNNATI (Uttar Poorva Transformative Industrialization Scheme), PM-DevINE (Prime Minister's Development Initiative for North-East Region), and NESIDS (North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme) are targeted specifically at the North-Eastern Region. PMEGP is an all-India national scheme.
MCSCCE • 2025 • Paper-I (Series A)
Consider the following statements regarding NHIDCL.
(i) It stands for National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited.
(ii) It is a Public Sector Undertaking.
(iii) It is under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
(iv) NHIDCL also provides consultancy services for highway and bridge construction in Nepal.
Which of the above statements are correct?
A)
(i) and (iii) only
B)
(i), (ii) and (iii) only
C)
(i), (iii) and (iv) only
D)
(i), (ii), (iii) and (iv)
Let's evaluate each statement regarding NHIDCL:
(i) **Correct**: NHIDCL stands for National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited. It was incorporated in 2013 to expedite the development of highways in challenging terrains and strategic areas.
(ii) **Correct**: It is a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) of the Government of India, specifically registered as a company under the Companies Act.
(iii) **Correct**: It functions under the administrative control of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), Government of India.
(iv) **Correct**: NHIDCL has a mandate for international projects as well. It is actively involved in providing consultancy and implementation services for highway and bridge construction in neighboring countries, including Nepal (e.g., projects under the Lines of Credit provided by the Government of India).
Since all four statements are correct, the correct option is (d).
MCSCCE • 2025 • Paper-I (Series A)
Who among the following Britishers was associated with the introduction of the Mahalwari system?
A)
Robert Reid
B)
R.M. Bird
C)
John Lawrence
D)
William Carey
R.M. Bird (Robert Merttins Bird), known as the 'Father of Land Revenue Settlement in Northern India', played a central role in implementing and reforming the Mahalwari system under Regulation IX of 1833.
MCSCCE • 2025 • Paper-I (Series A)
Which of the following statements are correct in respect of the three Round Table Conferences held during 1930-1932?
(i) Indian National Congress boycotted two of the three Round Table Conferences.
(ii) Mahatma Gandhi attended the First Round Table Conference.
(iii) Sarojini Naidu participated in the Second Round Table Conference.
Select the answer using the code given below.
A)
(i) and (ii) only
B)
(ii) and (iii) only
C)
(i) and (iii) only
D)
(i), (ii) and (iii)
INC boycotted two Round Table Conferences (1st and 3rd) (i is true). Mahatma Gandhi did not attend the First RTC (ii is false). Sarojini Naidu participated in the Second RTC (iii is true). Therefore, (i) and (iii) only are correct.
MCSCCE • 2025 • Paper-I (Series A)
Which is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia?
A)
Thailand
B)
Laos
C)
Malaysia
D)
Vietnam
Laos is completely enclosed by neighboring land borders without direct access to the sea, making it the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia.
MCSCCE • 2025 • Paper-I (Series A)
Which of the following statements regarding DeepSeek is not correct?
A)
It is a Japanese Artificial Intelligence start up that has rivalled global leaders like OpenAI, Google, and Meta.
B)
DeepSeek is a free AI-powered chatbot similar to ChatGPT, providing text-based assistance via web, mobile, and API.
C)
DeepSeek (AI firm) was founded by Liang Wenfeng in May 2023.
D)
Its cost of development is much lower than that of US models.
DeepSeek is a Chinese AI research company, not Japanese.
MCSCCE • 2025 • Paper-I (Series A)
Given below are two statements, one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R).
Assertion (A) : According to the Constitution of India, the same person cannot function as the Governor of two or more States at the same time.
Reason (R) : Article 153 of the Indian Constitution states that there shall be a Governor for each State.
Select the correct answer from the options given below:
A)
Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
B)
(A) is false, but (R) is true.
C)
Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
D)
(A) is true, but (R) is false.
Reason (R) is true as Article 153 states there shall be a Governor for each state. However, the 7th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1956 added a proviso permitting the same person to serve as Governor for two or more states, making Assertion (A) false.
MCSCCE • 2025 • Paper-I (Series A)
Consider the following pairs:
River : Source
(i) Sutlej : Gangotri Glacier
(ii) Jhelum : Verinag
(iii) Beas : Near Rohtang Pass
(iv) Chenab : Bara Lacha Pass
Which of the above pairs is/ are incorrectly matched?
A)
Only (i)
B)
Only (ii)
C)
(ii) and (iii) only
D)
Only (i) and (iv)
Pair (i) is incorrect because River Sutlej originates from Rakshastal near Lake Mansarovar in Tibet, not Gangotri Glacier (which is the source of the Bhagirathi). Pairs (ii), (iii), and (iv) are all correctly matched.
MCSCCE • 2025 • Paper-I (Series A)
Consider the following pairs:
(i) Mundas : Arunachal Pradesh
(ii) Bhils : Rajasthan
(iii) Khas : Uttarakhand
(iv) Irula : Bihar
Which of the above is/ are correctly matched?
A)
(ii) and (iii) only
B)
(i) and (iv) only
C)
(ii), (iii) and (iv) only
D)
All of the above
Bhils are an indigenous community primarily inhabiting Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh (pair ii is correct). Khas (Jaunsari Khas) are indigenous to the hill regions of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh (pair iii is correct). Mundas belong to the Chota Nagpur plateau (Jharkhand/Odisha), not Arunachal Pradesh. Irulas inhabit the Nilgiri hills of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, not Bihar. Thus, only (ii) and (iii) are correctly matched.
MCSCCE • 2025 • Paper-I (Series A)
Which of the following best describes Operation Black Forest carried out in 2025?
A)
A high-intensity counterinsurgency mission targeting Maoist strongholds in forested hilly terrains of Chhattisgarh and Telangana.
B)
A long distance bombing of nuclear sites in Iran by the US using stealth bombers.
C)
A clandestine bombing mission by Ukraine using M-52 dones, targeting various Russian military airports and aircrafts.
D)
A night-time operation carried out by the Principal Chief Controller of Forests, Assam where poachers of one horned rhinoceros in the Garbhanga Forest Reserve were traced, tracked and arrested using infra-red cameras.
Operation Black Forest was a joint counter-insurgency operation launched in April–May 2025 by Indian security forces (CRPF, CoBRA, and state police) targeting Maoist strongholds in the dense Karreguttalu forested hills along the Chhattisgarh–Telangana border.
MCSCCE • 2025 • Paper-I (Series A)
Which of the following statements is/ are correct?
(i) The magnitude of earthquakes is measured on Richter scale.
(ii) The longest mountain range in the world is Himalayas.
(iii) The Himalayas are formed due to folding of a geo-syncline called Tethys.
A)
(i) and (ii) are correct
B)
(i) and (iii) are correct
C)
(ii) and (iii) are correct
D)
All are correct
Statement (i) is true (Richter scale measures earthquake magnitude) and statement (iii) is true (Himalayas arose from folding of Tethys geosynclinal sediments). Statement (ii) is false because the Andes is the longest mountain chain.
MCSCCE • 2025 • Paper-I (Series A)
The earliest composition among the four Vedas is:
A)
Sama Veda
B)
Rig Veda
C)
Yajur Veda
D)
Atharva Veda
The Rig Veda is the oldest and earliest composition among the four canonical sacred Vedas of Hinduism, dating back to c. 1500–1200 BCE.
MCSCCE • 2025 • Paper-I (Series A)
Consider the following descriptions:
(i) Annual rainfall is more than 100 cm.
(ii) Average temperate is about 22° C.
(iii) They are generally found in Western Ghats and Northeast India.
(iv) Mahagony, Bamboo, canes, ironwood, rubber are the major species.
What is this type of forest in India?
A)
Tropical Moist Deciduous Forest
B)
Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest
C)
Tropical Evergreen Forest
D)
Mountainous Forest
Tropical Evergreen forests in India are found in warm and humid areas (Western Ghats, Northeast India) with high rainfall, mean annual temperatures around 22°C, and characteristic species including mahogany, bamboo, canes, ironwood, ebony, and rubber.
MCSCCE • 2025 • Paper-I (Series A)
Which district in Mizoram ranked highest in NITI Aayog second edition of the North Eastern Region District SDG Index 2023-24?
A)
Champhai
B)
Serchhip
C)
Hnahthial
D)
Aizawl
In NITI Aayog's second edition of the North Eastern Region District SDG Index 2023-24, Hnahthial district in Mizoram achieved the highest composite score (81.43) across the entire North Eastern Region.
MCSCCE • 2025 • Paper-I (Series A)
Who was appointed as the new Chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) by the Government of India on June 28, 2025, and what is one of his notable achievements?
A)
Ajit Doval; executed Operation Sindoor in Kashmir.
B)
Parag Jain; led Operation Sindoor targeting terror camps.
C)
Arvind Kumar; launched HUMINT surveillance across borders.
D)
Ravi Sinha; initiated hybrid intelligence operations.
Parag Jain (1989-batch IPS officer) was appointed as Chief of R&AW in June 2025, succeeding Ravi Sinha, with his leadership during Operation Sindoor against cross-border terror infrastructure being one of his notable achievements.
MCSCCE • 2025 • Paper-I (Series A)
Consider the following statements regarding the Mizoram Universal HealthCare Scheme (MUHCS):
(i) For Contributory Beneficiaries under the Standard Plan, a Premium of Rs. 5000 per family per year allows family to get benefit of 8,00,000/- per family per year in Semi-Private (shared) Ward.
(ii) No contribution from AB PM-JAY beneficiaries is required.
(iii) Provisional Employees under the Government of Mizoram will have to pay monthly contribution of Rs. 100 for General Ward.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
A)
Only (ii)
B)
Only (iii)
C)
Only (i) and (ii)
D)
(i), (ii) and (iii)
Under the Mizoram Universal HealthCare Scheme (MUHCS): Statement (i) is incorrect because the annual coverage limit is ₹5,00,000 (not ₹8,00,000). Statement (ii) is correct because beneficiaries enrolled under AB PM-JAY do not pay premium contributions. Statement (iii) is incorrect because the prescribed monthly contribution for provisional employees is ₹200 (not ₹100). Thus, only (ii) is correct.
