← SI (Excise)
Past Questions — 2014
What was the work of the Shudhi movement started by the Arya Samaj?
A)
To protect Hindus from Islam and Christianity
B)
To convert non-Hindus to Hinduism
C)
To promote patriotism
D)
To spread the practice of Yoga
The Shuddhi movement was launched by the Arya Samaj to reconvert people who had left Hinduism or to bring non-Hindus into the Hindu fold. Hence, its main work was conversion to Hinduism. Option (a) is related more to defensive religious reform, while (c) and (d) are unrelated to the Shuddhi movement.
Which sector constitutes the maximum share in National Income of India?
A)
Primary
B)
Secondary
C)
Tertiary
D)
All of these have equal share
India’s National Income is now dominated by the tertiary sector (services). Over time, the share of agriculture (primary sector) has declined, while services have become the largest contributor to GDP/National Income. The secondary sector is also significant, but it is smaller than the tertiary sector. Hence, the correct answer is Tertiary.
What was the name of the movement started by M.A.Jinnah?
A)
Muslim League
B)
Red Shirt Movement
C)
Khilafat Movement
D)
Aligarh Movement
M.A. Jinnah was a leading figure in the All-India Muslim League, and the question is asking for the movement/organization associated with him. Among the given options, Muslim League is the correct answer. The other options are associated with different leaders or causes: Red Shirt Movement with Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Khilafat Movement with the protection of the Ottoman Caliphate, and Aligarh Movement with Sir Syed Ahmad Khan.
The Moplah Rebellion which took place in Malabar during 1921, was-
A)
Hindu movement
B)
Dalit movement
C)
Fundamental Islamic movement
D)
Christian movement
The Moplah (Mappila) Rebellion of 1921 in Malabar was mainly an uprising of Muslim tenants against British authority and Hindu landlords, influenced by the Khilafat and anti-colonial sentiments. In many exam contexts, it is described as a fundamental Islamic or Muslim movement. The other options are incorrect because it was not a Hindu, Dalit, or Christian movement.
Which among the following report was regarded as “Magna Carta of English Education in India”?
A)
Hunter Education Commission
B)
Macaulay’s minute
C)
Thomson’s policy
D)
Wood’s despatch
Wood’s Despatch (1854) is regarded as the ‘Magna Carta of English Education in India’ because it laid down the first comprehensive plan for education in British India, including the structure of education departments, universities, teacher training, vernacular education, and grants-in-aid. Macaulay’s Minute promoted English education, but it was not called the Magna Carta. Hunter Education Commission dealt mainly with primary and secondary education later, while Thomson’s policy is not associated with this title.
Communalism in Indian context means:
A)
serving the communal identity for political gains
B)
using communal identity for political gains
C)
a group of people bound by ethic feelings
D)
creating friendly relations with other communities
In Indian polity, communalism refers to the use of religious or communal identity to achieve political objectives or gains. It involves mobilizing people on the basis of religion/community rather than common citizenship. Option (a) is awkwardly phrased, while (c) describes a community and (d) is the opposite of communalism.
‘Sons of the soil’ theory is one of the popular manifestations of
A)
Regionalism
B)
Populism
C)
Parochialism
D)
Nationalism
The ‘sons of the soil’ theory means preference for local people in jobs, opportunities, and political rights over outsiders. This reflects a narrow local loyalty and hostility toward non-locals, which is a form of parochialism. It is not nationalism, which is broader and inclusive of the whole nation. It is also not simply populism, and while it can be linked to regionalism, the most accurate term here is parochialism.
Crops planted just before winter season and harvested before the beginning of summer season in India are called
A)
WRC crops
B)
Kharif crops
C)
Rabi crops
D)
Plantation crops
Crops sown just before winter and harvested before the onset of summer are called Rabi crops. They are generally sown in October-November and harvested in March-April. Kharif crops are grown in the rainy season, while plantation crops are long-duration commercial crops. WRC crops is not the standard category here.
Which among the following is not the result of de-industrialisation in India?
A)
India became the exporter of raw-materials
B)
Destruction of traditional industries
C)
Over crowding in the agrarian sector
D)
Self-sufficient village economy
De-industrialisation in colonial India led to the destruction of traditional industries, forcing artisans and workers into agriculture, which caused overcrowding in the agrarian sector. It also turned India into an exporter of raw materials and importer of manufactured goods. However, it did not create a self-sufficient village economy; rather, it weakened the traditional economic structure.
Which of the following is in private sector?
A)
HSL Rourkela
B)
HSL Durgapur
C)
TISCO Jamshedpur
D)
BSL Bokaro
TISCO (Tata Iron and Steel Company), Jamshedpur is a private sector company. The other options—HSL Rourkela, HSL Durgapur, and BSL Bokaro—are public sector steel plants/undertakings. Hence, the correct answer is TISCO Jamshedpur.
The wind blowing from Indian Ocean to Indian sub-continent during the month of June to September is known as
A)
South-West Monsoon
B)
North-East Monsoon
C)
Westerly Depression
D)
Shower
From June to September, the Indian sub-continent receives moisture-laden winds from the Indian Ocean. These winds blow from the south-west direction and are called the South-West Monsoon. The North-East Monsoon occurs mainly from October to December, while Westerly Depression and Shower are not the correct seasonal wind system here.
The President of India is elected by the ‘Electoral College’ consisting of
A)
all members of Parliament
B)
elected members of Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies
C)
members of Parliament, State Legislative Assemblies and Legislative Councils
D)
all the members of Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies
The President of India is elected by an Electoral College consisting of the elected members of both Houses of Parliament and the elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of the States. Nominated members are not included. Legislative Councils are also not part of the Electoral College. Therefore, option (b) is correct.
The Supreme Court of India tenders advice to the President on a matter of law or fact
A)
on its own initiative
B)
only if he seeks such advice
C)
only if the matter relates to the Fundamental Rights of citizens
D)
only if the issue poses a threat to the unity and integrity of the country
Under Article 143 of the Indian Constitution, the Supreme Court gives advisory opinion to the President only when the President refers a question of law or fact to it. It does not act on its own initiative. Therefore, option (b) is correct. Options (c) and (d) are not constitutional conditions for advisory jurisdiction.
Indian planning is
A)
totalitarian in nature
B)
democratic in nature
C)
totally centralized
D)
none of these
Indian planning is considered democratic in nature because it operates within a democratic political framework, with plans formulated and implemented by elected governments and institutions. It is not totalitarian, and although planning involves central coordination, it is not totally centralized. Hence, the correct answer is 'democratic in nature'.
The tribal leader who was regarded as an incarnation of God and father of the world was—
A)
Nanak Bhil
B)
Jagia Bhagat
C)
Birsa Munda
D)
Siddhu Santha
Birsa Munda was a famous tribal leader of the Munda tribe in the Chotanagpur region. He was revered by his followers as a divine figure, often described as an incarnation of God and the father of the world. The other options do not match this description: Nanak Bhil and Jagia Bhagat are not associated with this title, and Siddhu Santha refers to Sidhu and Kanhu of the Santhal rebellion, not this particular epithet.
The Khilafat movement was organised chiefly by
A)
Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali
B)
Maulana Azad and Ajmal Khan
C)
Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Fazlul Hug
D)
B.G.Tilak and Surendranath Bannerjee
The Khilafat Movement was chiefly organised and led by the Ali brothers, Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali, to protest against the treatment of the Ottoman Caliph after World War I. Maulana Azad and Hakim Ajmal Khan were important supporters, but not the chief organisers. Jinnah and Fazlul Huq were not the main leaders of this movement, and Tilak and Surendranath Banerjee were associated with earlier nationalist politics, not Khilafat.
According to 1991, the proportion of Scheduled Tribes (ST) in total population was highest in
A)
Meghalaya
B)
Mizoram
C)
Nagaland
D)
Arunachal Pradesh
According to the 1991 Census, Nagaland had the highest proportion of Scheduled Tribes in its total population among the given states. Nagaland's population is overwhelmingly tribal, so its ST share is higher than Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Arunachal Pradesh. Hence, the correct option is (c) Nagaland.
When was the Indian Planning Commission set up?
A)
1948
B)
1949
C)
1950
D)
1951
The Planning Commission of India was set up in 1950 by a Government of India resolution, on 15 March 1950. Hence, option (c) 1950 is correct. The other years are incorrect because the Commission did not exist in 1948, 1949, or 1951.
What was the resolution passed in the Lahore Session, which gave a new objective to Congress in 1929?
A)
Second Civil Disobedience Movement
B)
Red Shirt Movement
C)
Poorna Swaraj
D)
Formation of separate electorate
The Lahore Session of the Indian National Congress was held in 1929 under Jawaharlal Nehru’s अध्यक्षता. In this session, the Congress passed the historic resolution demanding "Poorna Swaraj" (Complete Independence) as its new objective. This marked a shift from Dominion Status to full independence. The other options are incorrect: the Second Civil Disobedience Movement began later, the Red Shirt Movement was unrelated to this Congress resolution, and separate electorate was not the Lahore resolution.
The area covered by Peninsular India is about
A)
18 lakh sq km
B)
16 lakh sq km
C)
14 lakh sq km
D)
12 lakh sq km
Peninsular India is generally described in geography texts as covering about 16 lakh square kilometres. This is the commonly accepted approximate area used in standard Indian geography. Hence, option (b) is correct. The other figures are not the usual accepted estimate for Peninsular India.
Which state has the highest population as in 2011 census?
A)
Bihar
B)
West Bengal
C)
Uttar Pradesh
D)
Maharastra
As per the 2011 Census of India, Uttar Pradesh had the highest population among all Indian states. Bihar, West Bengal, and Maharashtra had lower populations than Uttar Pradesh. Therefore, the correct answer is Uttar Pradesh.
Originally the ‘State List’ had
A)
61 subjects
B)
67 subjects
C)
54 subjects
D)
66 subjects
Under the original Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution, the State List contained 66 subjects. Later, the number was reduced by constitutional amendments, but the original count was 66. Hence, option (d) is correct.
What is the correct Chronological sequence of the following? 1) Wood’s Education Despatch 2) Macaulay’s Minute of Education 3) The Sargent Education Report 4) Hunter Education Commission
A)
2, 1, 4, 3
B)
2, 1, 3, 4
C)
1, 2, 4, 3
D)
4, 3, 1, 2
The correct chronological order is:
2) Macaulay’s Minute of Education — 1835
1) Wood’s Education Despatch — 1854
4) Hunter Education Commission — 1882
3) The Sargent Education Report — 1944
So the sequence is 2, 1, 4, 3.
Why others are wrong:
- Option (b) places Sargent Report before Hunter Commission, which is incorrect.
- Option (c) puts Wood’s Despatch before Macaulay’s Minute, which is incorrect.
- Option (d) is completely out of order chronologically.
What was the main feature of the Montague-Chemsford reform?
A)
Self Government
B)
System of dyarchy
C)
Communal electorate
D)
None of these
The Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms (Government of India Act, 1919) introduced the system of dyarchy in the provinces. Under dyarchy, subjects were divided into 'reserved' and 'transferred' categories, with Indian ministers handling transferred subjects and the governor retaining control over reserved subjects. Self-government was not fully granted, and communal electorate was introduced earlier and expanded separately, not as the main feature of these reforms.
India has the maximum foreign trade with
A)
Japan
B)
Germany
C)
USA
D)
UK
India has had the maximum foreign trade with the USA among the given options. In standard GK/economy questions, the USA is identified as India’s largest trading partner among these countries. Japan, Germany, and the UK have significant trade ties with India, but they are not the top among the choices listed.