← MES Jr. Grade
Past Questions
The largest desert in the world is
A)
Kalahari
B)
Thar
C)
Sahara
D)
Atacama
Among the given options, the Sahara is the largest desert. Kalahari, Thar, and Atacama are all much smaller. Although Antarctica is the largest desert in the world overall (as a polar desert), it is not among the options, so the correct answer here is Sahara.
White coal is
A)
Uranium
B)
Hydroelectricity
C)
Diamond
D)
Aluminium
White coal is a common term used for hydroelectricity because it is a clean, non-polluting source of energy and was historically seen as an alternative to black coal. Uranium is used as nuclear fuel, diamond is a gemstone, and aluminium is a metal, so they are not correct.
A person stood alone in a desert on a dark night and wanted to reach his village which was situated 5 km east of the point where he was standing. He had no instruments to find the direction but he located a polestar. The most convenient way now to reach his village is to walk in the
A)
direction facing the polestar
B)
direction opposite to the polestar
C)
direction keeping the polestar to his left
D)
direction keeping the polestar to his right
The Pole Star indicates the north direction. If the village is 5 km east of his current position, he must walk towards the east. When a person faces east, the north direction lies to his left; equivalently, while walking east, the Pole Star will be on his left. However, among the given options, the standard directional relation used is: to move east using the Pole Star (north), he should keep north on his left. Therefore the correct choice should logically be 'keeping the polestar to his left'. Since the options require one answer, the correct option is (c), not (d).
Plaster of Paris is made from
A)
Calcium Chloride
B)
Sodium Carbonate
C)
Gypsum
D)
Calcium Trisilicate
Plaster of Paris is prepared by heating gypsum (calcium sulphate dihydrate, CaSO4·2H2O) to remove part of its water content, forming calcium sulphate hemihydrate. Therefore, the correct answer is gypsum. The other options are incorrect because calcium chloride is a salt used for drying and de-icing, sodium carbonate is washing soda, and calcium trisilicate is related to cement chemistry, not Plaster of Paris.
To obtain full benefits of demographic dividend, what should India do?
A)
Promoting skill development
B)
Introducing more social security schemes
C)
Reducing infant mortality rate
D)
Privatisation of Higher education
Demographic dividend means economic benefit arising from a large working-age population. India can obtain the full benefit only if this population is productive and employable. Therefore, promoting skill development is the most important step. It improves employability, productivity, and income generation.
Why others are less appropriate: (b) Social security schemes are helpful for welfare but do not directly convert the young population into productive human capital. (c) Reducing infant mortality is important for public health, but demographic dividend mainly depends on effectively using the working-age population. (d) Privatisation of higher education is not a necessary condition for demographic dividend and may even reduce access.
A joint sitting of both houses of Parliament is presided over by the
A)
President
B)
Vice President
C)
Prime Minister
D)
Speaker
Under Article 108 of the Indian Constitution, a joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament is presided over by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. If the Speaker is absent, the Deputy Speaker presides; if both are absent, then the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha presides. Therefore, option (d) Speaker is correct. The President summons the joint sitting but does not preside over it; the Vice President is the ex officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, not the presiding officer of a joint sitting; the Prime Minister has no such role.
Name the first country to adopt Christianity as its religion
A)
Armenia
B)
UK
C)
Italy
D)
Germany
Armenia is widely recognized as the first country to adopt Christianity as its state religion, traditionally in AD 301 during the reign of King Tiridates III, influenced by St. Gregory the Illuminator. The UK, Italy, and Germany adopted Christianity much later and were not the first states to do so.
Ball bearings are used in bicycles, cars, etc., because
A)
The actual area of contact between the wheel and axle is increased
B)
The effective area of contact between the wheel and axle is increased
C)
The effective area of contact between the wheel and axle is reduced
D)
None of the above statements is correct
Ball bearings reduce friction by replacing sliding friction between the wheel and axle with rolling friction. Since the balls touch the surfaces over a very small effective area, the effective area of contact is reduced, and the wheel rotates more easily. Hence option (c) is correct. Options (a) and (b) are incorrect because increasing contact area would generally increase friction, not reduce it. Option (d) is incorrect because option (c) is correct.
Which of the following Grand Slam Events is held in the month of January every year?
A)
Australian Open
B)
US Open
C)
Wimbledon
D)
French Open
The Australian Open is the Grand Slam tennis tournament traditionally held every year in January, in Melbourne, Australia.
Why others are incorrect:
- US Open: held around August–September.
- Wimbledon: held around June–July.
- French Open: held around May–June.
Therefore, the correct answer is Australian Open.
In which year was the first Laptop Computer introduced?
A)
1979
B)
1981
C)
1980
D)
1982
The first commercially introduced laptop computer is generally identified as the Osborne 1, released in 1981. Therefore, the correct answer is 1981.
Why others are incorrect:
- 1979: No widely recognized first laptop was introduced in this year.
- 1980: Still before the commercial launch of the first accepted laptop.
- 1982: This is later than the Osborne 1 release.
The increasing amount of carbon dioxide in the air is slowly raising the temperature of the atmosphere, because it absorbs
A)
The water vapour of the air and retains its heat
B)
The ultraviolet part of the solar radiation
C)
All the solar radiations
D)
The infrared part of the solar radiation
Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas. It allows most incoming shortwave solar radiation to pass through the atmosphere, but it absorbs and re-emits outgoing longwave infrared radiation emitted by the Earth's surface. This traps heat and raises atmospheric temperature. इसलिए option (d) is correct. Option (a) is incorrect because CO2 does not absorb water vapour itself to retain heat. Option (b) is incorrect because ultraviolet radiation is mainly absorbed by ozone. Option (c) is incorrect because CO2 does not absorb all solar radiations.
As per 2011 census, Mizoram stands third in literacy behind
A)
Kerala, Lakshadweep
B)
Kerala, Delhi
C)
Tripura, Kerala
D)
Delhi, Tripura
As per Census 2011, the highest literacy rates in India were Kerala (about 94.0%), Lakshadweep (about 91.8%), and Mizoram (about 91.3%). Therefore, Mizoram stood third in literacy behind Kerala and Lakshadweep. The other options are incorrect because Delhi and Tripura had lower literacy rates than Mizoram in Census 2011.
Secularism means
A)
supression of all religions
B)
separation of religion from state
C)
freedom of worship to minorities
D)
a political system that does not favour any particular religious faith
Secularism means the state has no official religion and does not favour or discriminate against any particular religion. Therefore, option (d) is the best answer. Option (a) is incorrect because secularism does not suppress religion. Option (b) is partly related to one model of secularism, but in the Indian context the core idea is equal respect for all religions rather than strict separation alone. Option (c) is too narrow, because secularism guarantees religious freedom to everyone, not only minorities.
Which of the following Anti Corruption institutions is common for all states?
A)
Anti Corruption Bureau
B)
Central Vigilance Commission
C)
Lok Ayukta
D)
CBI
The anti-corruption institution that is commonly established at the state level across Indian states is the Lok Ayukta. It is the state counterpart of the Lokpal and is meant to investigate allegations of corruption against public functionaries in the state.
Why others are incorrect:
(a) Anti Corruption Bureau — This is not a uniform constitutional/statutory institution common to all states in the same sense; structure and existence may vary.
(b) Central Vigilance Commission — This is a central body, not a state institution.
(d) CBI — This is also a central investigating agency, not a common state-level anti-corruption institution.
Therefore, the correct answer is Lok Ayukta.
Acid rain is caused by the pollution of environment by
A)
Carbon dioxide and nitrogen
B)
Carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide
C)
Ozone and carbon dioxide
D)
Nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide
Acid rain is mainly caused by the release of sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) into the atmosphere. These gases react with water vapour and oxygen to form sulphuric acid and nitric acid, which fall with rain. The other options mention gases that do not primarily cause acid rain.
Which of the following is responsible for the changes in weather (seasons) on the earth’s atmosphere?
A)
Rotation of the earth
B)
Tilting of the earth
C)
Revolution of the earth
D)
Solar & Lunar eclipses
Seasons are mainly caused by the tilt of the Earth’s axis (about 23.5°) in relation to its orbit around the Sun. Because of this tilt, different parts of the Earth receive varying amounts of sunlight during the year, leading to seasonal changes. Revolution of the Earth around the Sun helps produce the yearly cycle, but without the tilt, seasons would not occur in the same way. Rotation causes day and night, and eclipses do not cause seasons.
Which of the following statements is correct?
A)
In India, the same person cannot be appointed as Governor for two or more States at the same time
B)
The judges of the High Court of the states in India are appointed by the Governor of the State just as the judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the President
C)
No procedure has been laid down in the Constitution of India for the removal of a Governor from his/her post
D)
In the case of a Union Territory having legislative setup, the Chief Minister is appointed by the Lt. Governor on the basis of majority support
Option (c) is correct. Under Article 156 of the Constitution, the Governor holds office during the pleasure of the President, and the Constitution does not prescribe any specific removal procedure such as impeachment.
Why the others are incorrect:
(a) Incorrect: The same person can be appointed as Governor of two or more States at the same time.
(b) Incorrect: High Court judges are appointed by the President, not by the Governor.
(d) Incorrect: In Union Territories with a legislative setup, the Chief Minister is appointed by the President (generally through the Administrator/Lt. Governor), so the statement as framed is not constitutionally accurate.
Supply of money remaining the same, when there is an increase in demand for money, there will be
A)
A fall in the level of prices
B)
An increase in the rate of interest
C)
A decrease in the rate of interest
D)
An increase in the level of income and employment
When the supply of money is fixed but the demand for money increases, people want to hold more cash than is available. In liquidity preference theory, this excess demand for money is balanced by a rise in the rate of interest. Higher interest discourages holding money and restores equilibrium. इसलिए option (b) is correct. Option (c) is the opposite. Option (a) may happen in some broader contexts but is not the direct and standard result here. Option (d) is also not the immediate outcome of increased money demand with unchanged money supply.
The Nobel Peace Prize 2014 is won by
A)
Malala Yousafzai and school friend
B)
Imran khan and Malala Yousafzai
C)
Malala Yousafzai and Mother Teresa
D)
Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzai
The Nobel Peace Prize 2014 was jointly awarded to Kailash Satyarthi of India and Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan for their struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education. Hence option (d) is correct. The other options are incorrect because Imran Khan, Mother Teresa, and Malala’s school friend were not co-recipients of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize.
Which of the following countries does not have a border with China?
A)
Afghanistan
B)
Kazakhstan
C)
Myanmar
D)
Thailand
China shares borders with Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, and Myanmar. Thailand does not border China; it borders Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, and Malaysia. Therefore, the correct answer is Thailand.
Civilian Awards in the order of priority is
A)
Padma Shri, Padma Vibhusan, Padma Bhusan
B)
Bharat Ratna, Padma Bhusan, Padma Vibhusan
C)
Padma Shri, Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhusan
D)
Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhusan, Padma Bhusan
The order of precedence among India’s top civilian awards is: 1) Bharat Ratna, 2) Padma Vibhushan, 3) Padma Bhushan, 4) Padma Shri. Therefore, the correct order asked in the question is Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhusan, Padma Bhusan.
Why others are incorrect:
(a) starts with Padma Shri, which is the lowest among these three.
(b) places Padma Bhushan before Padma Vibhushan, which is wrong.
(c) again puts Padma Shri before Bharat Ratna, which is incorrect.
Which treaty did India refuse to sign in the year 1996?
A)
NPT
B)
SALT
C)
CTBT
D)
FMCT
India refused to sign the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) in 1996. India argued that the treaty was discriminatory because it did not provide a time-bound framework for complete nuclear disarmament.
Why others are incorrect:
- NPT: India had already refused to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty earlier, not specifically in 1996.
- SALT: These were Strategic Arms Limitation Talks between the USA and USSR, not a treaty India was asked to sign in 1996.
- FMCT: The Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty was only a proposed treaty and was not the one India refused in 1996.
The chief constituent of the natural gas is
A)
Ethane
B)
Propane
C)
Methane
D)
Butane
Natural gas consists mainly of methane (CH4), usually as its largest component. Ethane, propane, and butane may also be present, but only in smaller amounts. Therefore, the chief constituent of natural gas is methane. Hence, option (c) is correct.
What is the official name of India?
A)
Hindustan
B)
Bhatatvarsha
C)
Bharat
D)
Mother India
Article 1 of the Constitution of India states: 'India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States.' Therefore, the official name is Bharat. The other options are incorrect because 'Hindustan' and 'Mother India' are popular or cultural terms, not the constitutional official name, and 'Bhatatvarsha' is not the correct constitutional form.
Quit India Movement was launched in response to
A)
Cabinet Mission Plan
B)
Cripps Proposals
C)
Simon Commission Report
D)
Wavell Plan
The Quit India Movement was launched in August 1942 in response to the failure of the Cripps Mission/Proposals. The British government had offered limited self-government after the war, but it did not provide immediate transfer of power, so the Indian National Congress rejected it and started the Quit India Movement. The other options are incorrect because the Cabinet Mission Plan came later in 1946, the Simon Commission Report was from 1930, and the Wavell Plan was announced in 1945.