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Past Questions — 2026
Which of the following scholars accompanied Mahmud of Ghazni during his invasions on India?
A)
Firdausi
B)
Firistha
C)
Al Biruni
D)
Omar Khayyam
Step-by-step reasoning:
1. Analysis of the Question: The question asks for the scholar who accompanied Mahmud of Ghazni during his military expeditions into India between 1000 and 1027 CE.
2. Evaluating Al Biruni: Al Biruni was a polymath and scholar who accompanied Mahmud of Ghazni. He spent significant time in India, studying the culture, religion, and philosophy of the people. He authored the famous work 'Kitab-ul-Hind' (The Book of India), which serves as a primary historical source for the socio-cultural conditions of India during that period.
3. Evaluating other options:
- Firdausi: He was the court poet of Mahmud of Ghazni and wrote the 'Shahnameh' (Book of Kings), but he did not accompany the Sultan on his invasions to India.
- Firistha: He was a much later historian (16th century) who wrote 'Tarikh-i-Firishta', long after the time of Mahmud of Ghazni.
- Omar Khayyam: He was a renowned mathematician and poet of the Seljuk period, not a companion of Mahmud of Ghazni's Indian campaigns.
4. Conclusion: Al Biruni is the only scholar among the options who traveled to India with Mahmud of Ghazni.
Which of the following crop types are affected generally positively by western disturbances in India?
A)
Rabi Crop
B)
Kharif Crop
C)
Zaid Crop
D)
None of them
Option A is correct: Rabi Crop.
Mizoram’s declaration as India’s first fully literate state is significant because it:
A)
Is based on Census 2011 literacy criteria
B)
Includes only adult literacy
C)
Measures functional literacy beyond mere reading and writing
D)
Is linked with National Education Policy targets
Option C is correct: Measures functional literacy beyond mere reading and writing.
Which of the following Indian states has the highest forest cover?
A)
Rajasthan
B)
Gujarat
C)
Madhya Pradesh
D)
Punjab
Option C is correct: Madhya Pradesh.
Who among the early nationalists worked to mobilize public opinion in England in favour of the Indian National movement?
A)
Gopal Krishna Gokhale
B)
Lala Lajpat Rai
C)
Dadabhai Naoroji
D)
DE Wacha
Dadabhai Naoroji, known as the 'Grand Old Man of India', was a pioneer in taking the Indian cause to the British public and Parliament. He spent significant time in England, where he worked tirelessly to mobilize British public opinion in favor of Indian self-governance. He founded the Indian Society in London and was the first Indian to be elected to the British House of Commons as a member of the Liberal Party in 1892. His primary goal was to educate the British people about the economic exploitation of India (the 'Drain Theory') and to advocate for political reforms.
Why other options are incorrect:
- Gopal Krishna Gokhale: While a brilliant leader and mentor to Gandhi, his focus was primarily on constitutional agitation and administrative reforms within India.
- Lala Lajpat Rai: He was a leader of the 'Extremist' wing (Lal-Bal-Pal) and focused more on mass mobilization and boycott within India, though he did travel abroad later, he is not the primary figure associated with early mobilization of British public opinion in the same capacity as Naoroji.
- DE Wacha: While he was a contemporary and associate of Naoroji, he did not lead the effort to mobilize British public opinion to the extent or in the official capacity (MP) that Naoroji did.
With reference to the Bhakti movement, which of the following statements is correct?
A)
It originated in North India
B)
It rejected temple worship entirely
C)
It emphasized personal devotion over ritualism
D)
It was confined to Vaishnavism
The Bhakti movement was a significant religious revolution in medieval India that shifted the focus of spirituality from external rituals to internal devotion.
1. Why Option (c) is correct: The core philosophy of the Bhakti movement was 'Bhakti' (devotion), which advocated for a direct, personal, and emotional bond between the devotee and God. It challenged the dominance of complex priestly rituals and the rigid caste-based access to salvation, arguing that love and faith were the primary means to achieve liberation (moksha).
2. Why Option (a) is incorrect: The Bhakti movement did not originate in North India; it began in South India (approximately between the 7th and 9th centuries CE) with the Alvars (devotees of Vishnu) and Nayanars (devotees of Shiva) before spreading to the North.
3. Why Option (b) is incorrect: While some radical sects within the movement criticized idol worship, the movement as a whole did not reject temple worship entirely. Many Bhakti saints continued to use temples as centers for congregational singing and worship.
4. Why Option (d) is incorrect: The movement was not confined to Vaishnavism. It included Saguna Bhakti (with attributes, including both Vishnu and Shiva) and Nirguna Bhakti (without attributes, as seen in the teachings of Kabir and Guru Nanak).
Which of the following is not correct regarding the pardoning power of the President?
A)
He is bound to give reasons for acceptance or denial of the mercy petition
B)
He is not mandated to consult the Council of Ministers
C)
The petitioner has no right for oral hearing
D)
His pardoning power is within the scope of judicial review
Option B is correct: He is not mandated to consult the Council of Ministers.
With reference to BRICS expansion, consider the following statements: 1. Expansion dilutes China’s influence within BRICS. 2. New members enhance the group’s energy security profile. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A)
1 only
B)
2 only
C)
Both 1 and 2
D)
Neither 1 nor 2
Option C is correct: Both 1 and 2.
“Carbon footprint” refers to:
A)
Amount of carbon in soil
B)
Carbon content in food
C)
Total greenhouse gas emissions caused directly or indirectly by an individual or organization
D)
Forest carbon storage
Option C is correct: Total greenhouse gas emissions caused directly or indirectly by an individual or organization.
Which of the following are major greenhouse gases? 1. Carbon dioxide 2. Methane 3. Nitrous oxide
A)
1 and 2 only
B)
2 and 3 only
C)
1, 2 and 3
D)
1 and 3 only
Option C is correct: 1, 2 and 3.
Sacrificial rites performed for good crops was known as
A)
Hnuaipui
B)
Hnuaite
C)
Fano dawi
D)
Ching
In traditional Mizo culture and ancestral beliefs, 'Hnuaite' refers to the sacrificial rites or offerings performed to appease the spirits of the earth and ensure a bountiful harvest (good crops). The Mizo people historically practiced jhum cultivation and believed that specific rituals were necessary to prevent crop failure and ensure agricultural prosperity.
Analysis of other options:
- a. Hnuaipui: This does not refer to a specific crop-related sacrificial rite.
- c. Fano dawi: This refers to traditional healing or medicinal practices (dawi means medicine/cure).
- d. Ching: This simply means 'jhum field' or 'hill slope' where cultivation takes place, not the rite itself.
Where was the 23rd India–Russia Annual Summit held in December 2025?
A)
New Delhi
B)
Chennai
C)
Bengaluru
D)
Kolkata
Option A is correct: New Delhi.
Which of the following metals is liquid at room temperature?
A)
Iron
B)
Copper
C)
Mercury
D)
Aluminium
Option C is correct: Mercury.
Who among the following was popularly known as the ‘Frontier Gandhi’?
A)
Hasrat Mohani
B)
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
C)
Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
D)
Iqbal Khan
Option C is correct: Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan.
At what temperature (in Fahrenheit) does pure water freeze?
A)
32
B)
0
C)
48
D)
37
Option A is correct: 32.
Which of the following statements about India’s population policy is correct?
A)
India has a one-child policy
B)
India focuses on family planning, health care, and reproductive health
C)
India encourages population growth to boost labor supply
D)
India has abolished family planning programs
Option B is correct: India focuses on family planning, health care, and reproductive health.
Land settlement in the Lushai Hills was introduced by
A)
Mac Donald
B)
AG McCall
C)
J Shakespear
D)
LL Peters
Option C is correct: J Shakespear.
The Mizo alphabet ‘A, Aw, B’ was introduced by the missionaries in which year
A)
1874
B)
1880
C)
1886
D)
1894
The Mizo language was originally an oral language without a written script. The introduction of the Roman script (the Mizo alphabet) was carried out by Christian missionaries. Specifically, James Herbert Lorrain and Frederick William Savidge arrived in the Lushai Hills in 1894. Upon their arrival, they began the monumental task of reducing the Mizo language to writing using the Roman alphabet. By 1894, they had developed the basic orthography and alphabet (including characters like A, Aw, B) to facilitate the translation of the Bible and the education of the local population. Options a, b, and c are incorrect as they precede the arrival and the systematic linguistic work of Lorrain and Savidge in the region.
Which sector of the economy involves activities like farming and fishing?
A)
Secondary sector
B)
Tertiary sector
C)
Quaternary sector
D)
Primary sector
Option D is correct: Primary sector.
Which country won its fourth Davis Cup title 2025?
A)
Italy
B)
Spain
C)
Australia
D)
Brazil
Option A is correct: Italy.
The Chin-Lushai Conference of 1892 was held in which city?
A)
Calcutta
B)
Dacca
C)
Bombay
D)
Delhi
The Chin-Lushai Conference of 1892 was a significant historical gathering held in Dacca (now Dhaka, Bangladesh). The conference was organized to discuss the ethnographic, linguistic, and administrative aspects of the Chin and Lushai (Mizo) peoples. It brought together colonial officers, scholars, and experts to better understand the tribal structures of the region during the British administration of the frontier areas. Calcutta, Bombay, and Delhi were major administrative centers of the British Raj, but the specific academic and administrative focus of this particular conference was centered in Dacca.
“Awkpaka” in Mizo traditional society was related to
A)
Thlam
B)
Pum
C)
Lal In
D)
Zawlbuk
In traditional Mizo society, the 'Zawlbuk' was the bachelor's dormitory and the center of social and educational life for young men. 'Awkpaka' refers to the specific duty or the role of the guard/watchman appointed to keep watch at the Zawlbuk. The Awkpaka was responsible for security, alerting the village to danger, and ensuring that the rules of the dormitory were followed.
Analysis of other options:
- a. Thlam: Refers to a jhum field or cultivated land.
- b. Pum: Generally refers to the stomach or a specific area/division, not related to a traditional social office.
- c. Lal In: The Chief's house, which served as the administrative center, but the specific role of 'Awkpaka' is intrinsically linked to the communal life of the Zawlbuk.
The final phase of clearance of weeds in Mizo jhuming cultivation is called
A)
Hnunpui lak
B)
Hnuhhram lak
C)
Pawhchhiat
D)
None of the above
In the traditional Mizo jhuming (shifting cultivation) system, weeding is a critical process carried out in multiple stages to ensure the crops have sufficient nutrients and space to grow. The process of weeding is generally referred to as 'pawh'. The final phase of clearing weeds, which is the last weeding operation before the crops mature, is specifically termed 'Pawhchhiat'. This final cleaning ensures that the crops are free from competing weeds during the final growth stage. 'Hnunpui lak' and 'Hnuhhram lak' are not standard terms for the final phase of weeding in the Mizo agricultural cycle.
Which of the following is an effect of global warming?
A)
Ozone layer depletion
B)
Acid rain
C)
Melting of glaciers and rising sea levels
D)
Increase in soil fertility
Option C is correct: Melting of glaciers and rising sea levels.
Consider the following statements regarding poverty measurement in India: 1. Poverty can be measured using income-based approach. 2. Poverty can be measured using consumption-based approach. Which of the statements is/are correct?
A)
1 only
B)
2 only
C)
1 and 2
D)
Neither 1 nor 2
Option C is correct: 1 and 2.