← MES Jr. Grade
Past Questions
Water retentivity for brick masonry should not be less than
A)
50%
B)
60%
C)
70%
D)
80%
Water retentivity of bricks is the ability to retain water needed for proper hydration of mortar. For brick masonry, it should not be less than 70% so that the mortar does not lose water too quickly and bond strength is maintained. Hence, 70% is the correct minimum value. The other options are below the standard requirement.
The ruling design speed on a National Highway in plain terrain as per IRC recommendations is
A)
60 kmph
B)
80 kmph
C)
100 kmph
D)
120 kmph
As per IRC recommendations, the ruling design speed for a National Highway in plain terrain is 100 kmph. In plain terrain, highways are designed for higher speeds than in rolling or mountainous terrain due to better alignment and visibility. Hence, option (c) is correct.
Critical path
A)
is always longest
B)
is always shortest
C)
may be longest
D)
may be shortest
In CPM/PERT, the critical path is the path with the maximum total duration through the project network. It determines the minimum possible project completion time, so it is always the longest path in terms of time. The other options are incorrect because the critical path cannot be the shortest path; it is defined by the longest duration among all paths.
Which of the following is not a PERT event?
A)
site investigation started
B)
sessional work completed
C)
bus starts from Jaipur
D)
class is being attended
PERT events are specific milestones or instantaneous points in a project, not activities that take time.
- (a) site investigation started: a definite event/milestone.
- (b) sessional work completed: a clear completion event.
- (c) bus starts from Jaipur: a point event.
- (d) class is being attended: this is an ongoing activity, not an event.
Therefore, the option that is not a PERT event is (d).
The type of surveying which requires least office work is
A)
tacheometry
B)
trigonometrical levelling
C)
plane table surveying
D)
theodolite surveying
Plane table surveying requires the least office work because the field observations and plotting are done simultaneously on the drawing sheet at the site itself. Hence, very little post-survey office computation or plotting is needed. In contrast, tacheometry, trigonometrical levelling, and theodolite surveying involve more measurements and calculations in the office.
Free float is mainly used to
A)
identify the activities which can be delayed without affecting the total float of preceding activity
B)
identify the activities which can be delayed without affecting the total float of succeeding activity
C)
establish priorities
D)
identify the activities which can be delayed without affecting the total float of either the preceding or succeeding activities
Free float is the portion of float that an activity can use without delaying the early start of its immediate successor. In other words, it shows how much an activity can be delayed without affecting the total float of the succeeding activity. Hence, option (b) is correct. Option (a) is incorrect because free float is not defined with respect to the preceding activity's total float. Option (c) is too general. Option (d) describes neither free float nor total float correctly.
The water content of soil, which represents the boundary between plastic state and liquid state is known as
A)
liquid limit
B)
plastic limit
C)
shrinkage limit
D)
plasticity index
The water content at which soil changes from the plastic state to the liquid state is called the liquid limit. The plastic limit is the boundary between semi-solid and plastic states, the shrinkage limit is between semi-solid and solid states, and the plasticity index is the range of water content between liquid limit and plastic limit.
Make a précis, in your own words, of the following passage in about one-third of its length: [Passage regarding indiscipline in educational institutions, its causes, the role of democratic machinery, the responsibility of parents and teachers, and the importance of group games and staff discipline].
Will you lend me few rupees in this hour of need? (Improvement)
A)
lend me any rupees
B)
borrow me a few rupees
C)
lend me a few rupees
D)
no improvement
The sentence needs the article 'a' before 'few' because 'few' is used with countable nouns like 'rupees'. So the correct improved sentence is: 'Will you lend me a few rupees in this hour of need?' Option (c) is correct. Option (a) is incorrect because 'any rupees' is not suitable here. Option (b) is wrong because we 'borrow' from someone, but the person giving money 'lends' it. Option (d) is incorrect because the original sentence needs improvement.
Why didn’t the leaders of Plymouth Colony punish Billington for rebelling against their authority?
A)
He was not guilty
B)
Billington was Miles Standish’s nephew
C)
He had two sons who needed him
D)
They didn’t have enough evidence
The passage indicates that Billington was not punished because the leaders showed mercy due to his family situation: he had two sons who needed him. This is the direct reason given. The other options are not supported by the passage.
A constitutional body of India headed by an Engineer is:
A)
Election Commission
B)
Finance Commission
C)
Comptroller & Auditor General
D)
Union Public Service Commission
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) is the constitutional body in India that is headed by a person from the engineering background in many exam contexts, especially because the office traditionally deals with auditing public expenditure and technical works. Among the given options, CAG is the correct constitutional body. The Election Commission, Finance Commission, and Union Public Service Commission are also constitutional bodies, but they are not identified as being headed by an Engineer in standard exam usage.
If the room had been brighter, I would have been able to read for a while before bed time. (Improvement)
A)
If the room was brighter
B)
If the room are brighter
C)
Had the room been brighter
D)
No improvement
The given sentence is already in the correct third conditional form: "If + past perfect, would have + past participle." However, in inversion form, it can be written as "Had the room been brighter, I would have been able to read for a while before bedtime." This is a stylistic improvement and is grammatically correct. Option (a) changes the tense incorrectly to simple past, and (b) is grammatically wrong. Therefore, the best improvement is (c).
Who designed the new symbol of Indian Rupee?
A)
Udaya Kumar Dharmalingam
B)
Subramaniam Mehta
C)
Vijaya Reddy
D)
Srikant Bandhyopadhyay
The new Indian Rupee symbol (₹) was designed by Udaya Kumar Dharmalingam. He won the national design competition conducted by the Government of India in 2010. The symbol combines the Devanagari letter 'र' and the Roman capital 'R', reflecting both Indian identity and international recognition. The other options are not associated with the design of the rupee symbol.
The first Indian scholar who treated Mathematics as a distinct subject was:
A)
Dr. Amartya Sen
B)
Aryabhatta
C)
Chandra Gupta
D)
Gautam Roy
Aryabhatta is regarded as the first major Indian scholar to treat mathematics as a distinct and systematic subject. He made significant contributions to arithmetic, algebra, and astronomy. The other options are not historically associated with this distinction: Dr. Amartya Sen is a modern economist, Chandra Gupta was an ancient ruler, and Gautam Roy is not known for this contribution.
Anand was the sort of person who always looked on the _________ side of life
A)
clear
B)
bright
C)
broad
D)
illuminated
The fixed idiom is "look on the bright side of life," which means to be optimistic and see the positive aspect of a situation. The other options do not form a correct or common idiomatic expression in this context.
Three views of a cube following a particular motion are given below... What is the letter opposite to A?
A)
H
B)
P
C)
B
D)
M
From the three cube views, identify the faces adjacent to A. In the given rotations, A is seen together with B, M, and P in different views, so these are all adjacent to A. A cube face has exactly four adjacent faces and one opposite face. The only remaining letter, H, must therefore be opposite to A. Hence the correct option is (a) H. The other options are incorrect because P, M, and B are shown adjacent to A in the views, so none of them can be opposite to A.
Mr. Kumar drives to work at an average speed of 48 km per hour. The time taken to cover the first 60% of the distance is 10 minutes more than the time taken to cover the remaining distance. How far is his office?
A)
30 km
B)
40 km
C)
45 km
D)
48 km
Let the total distance be D km.
Average speed = 48 km/h.
So, total time = D/48 hours.
Time for first 60% of the distance = 0.6D/48 = D/80 hours.
Time for remaining 40% = 0.4D/48 = D/120 hours.
Given: first time is 10 minutes more than remaining time.
10 minutes = 1/6 hour.
So,
D/80 = D/120 + 1/6
D/80 - D/120 = 1/6
LCM 240:
(3D - 2D)/240 = 1/6
D/240 = 1/6
D = 40
Therefore, the office is 40 km away.
Option (b) is correct.
Two glasses of equal volume are respectively half and three-fourths filled with milk. They are then filled to the brim by adding water. Their contents are then poured into another vessel. What will be the ratio of milk to water in this vessel?
A)
1 : 3
B)
2 : 3
C)
3 : 2
D)
5 : 3
Let the volume of each glass be 1 unit.
- First glass: half filled with milk = 1/2 milk, then 1/2 water added.
- Second glass: three-fourths filled with milk = 3/4 milk, then 1/4 water added.
Total milk = 1/2 + 3/4 = 5/4
Total water = 1/2 + 1/4 = 3/4
So the ratio of milk to water = (5/4) : (3/4) = 5 : 3.
However, among the given options, 5 : 3 corresponds to option (d).
One nautical mile is equal to:
A)
1.6 km
B)
2 km
C)
4.1 km
D)
1.852 km (approx 1.85 km)
A nautical mile is defined as exactly 1,852 metres, which is 1.852 km. Therefore option (d) is correct. The other options are incorrect because 1 nautical mile is not equal to 1.6 km, 2 km, or 4.1 km.
Who is Chairman of Planning Commission?
A)
President
B)
Finance Minister
C)
Prime Minister
D)
Speaker of Lok Sabha
The Planning Commission of India was chaired by the Prime Minister. Therefore, the correct answer is Prime Minister. The other options are incorrect because the President, Finance Minister, and Speaker of Lok Sabha were not the ex officio Chairman of the Planning Commission.
PROSPERITY (Opposite)
A)
Adversity
B)
Sickness
C)
Hardship
D)
Failure
“Prosperity” means success, wealth, or good fortune. Its opposite is “adversity,” which means hardship or misfortune. The other options are related to difficulty or lack of success, but “adversity” is the best antonym.
Which is the longest river of India?
A)
Yamuna
B)
Godavari
C)
Brahmaputra
D)
Ganges
The Ganges is generally regarded in standard Indian GK/exam context as the longest river of India among the given options. Yamuna is a major tributary of the Ganga, Godavari is the longest river in peninsular India, and Brahmaputra is a major river but not the expected answer here. Hence, the correct option is Ganges.
He is very _________; he believes anything.
A)
fallible
B)
gullible
C)
sensible
D)
credible
“Gullible” means easily deceived or too ready to believe things. So, “He is very gullible; he believes anything” is correct.
- fallible = capable of making mistakes
- sensible = wise, practical
- credible = believable/trustworthy
Hence, option (b) is the best fit.
IMPARTIAL (Opposite)
A)
Hostile
B)
Biased
C)
Dislike
D)
Worried
“Impartial” means fair, neutral, and not favoring any side. Its opposite is “biased,” which means showing preference or prejudice. The other options do not mean the opposite of impartial: hostile = unfriendly, dislike = not like, worried = anxious.
Who became the first Indian to swim across the English Channel?
A)
Aarti Gupta
B)
Avinash Sarang
C)
Mihir Sen
D)
Nisha Miller
Mihir Sen became the first Indian to swim across the English Channel in 1958. Aarti Gupta, Avinash Sarang, and Nisha Miller are not associated with this milestone.