RRB NTPC Graduate CBT 1 2024 PYQs

Concept: Privatisation means transferring ownership or management of public-sector assets to private hands.

1. Disinvestment = selling part of the government's equity in PSUs to private investors.
2. Strategic sale = selling a controlling stake (with management control) to a private buyer.
3. Asset monetisation = leasing public assets to private players for revenue.
4. Sovereign borrowing is the government raising loans (bonds) — ownership does not change, so it is not privatisation.

Yaad rakhein: Privatisation = ownership/control shifts to private; borrowing only creates debt.

Answer: (C) Sovereign borrowing

Concept: Before the Green Revolution (mid-1960s) India imported large quantities of wheat as food aid from the USA.

1. The aid came under US Public Law 480 (PL-480), the 'Food for Peace' programme signed in 1954.
2. The Marshall Plan was US aid for rebuilding Western Europe after World War II, not India.
3. High-yielding wheat varieties after 1966 ended this 'ship-to-mouth' dependence.

Yaad rakhein: PL-480 = Food for Peace = wheat 'ship-to-mouth' years.

Answer: (A) PL-480

Concept: CITI-CDRA is a city-level climate and disaster-resilience project in India.

1. As of March 2025 the project covers cities in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
2. The other groups of states listed are not the ones covered under this project.

Yaad rakhein: CITI-CDRA states — 'R-M-M': Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra.

Answer: (D) Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra

Concept: In March 2025 the Union Cabinet approved an incentive scheme to promote low-value BHIM-UPI person-to-merchant transactions.

1. Outlay: ₹1,500 crore for FY 2024-25.
2. Incentive is for UPI P2M transactions up to ₹2,000 for small merchants (0.15% per transaction).

Yaad rakhein: UPI small-value incentive 2024-25 = ₹1,500 crore.

Answer: (A) ₹1,500 crore

Concept: The Film Federation of India selects India's entry for the Best International Feature Film category of the Academy Awards.

1. For the 97th Academy Awards (Oscar 2025), it selected 'Laapataa Ladies', directed by Kiran Rao.
2. Animal, Jawan and 12th Fail were not chosen as the entry.

Yaad rakhein: Laapataa Ladies — Kiran Rao, produced by Aamir Khan Productions.

Answer: (B) Laapataa Ladies

Concept: Telecom liberalisation needed an independent regulator for tariffs and service quality.

1. TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) was established on 20 February 1997 under the TRAI Act, 1997.
2. SEBI regulates securities markets, NABARD rural credit, and IRDAI insurance.

Yaad rakhein: TRAI – 1997; SEBI statutory – 1992; IRDAI – 1999.

Answer: (A) TRAI

Concept: The Northern Plains show belts from the hills southward: Bhabar → Terai → Bhangar/Khadar → Delta.

1. Bhabar: narrow pebble belt at the foothills where streams disappear underground.
2. Terai: south of Bhabar, streams re-emerge, so the area is wet, humid, marshy and densely forested.
3. Bhangar is older dry alluvium; Delta is at the river mouth.

Yaad rakhein: Bhabar = streams vanish; Terai = streams reappear → marshy.

Answer: (D) Terai

Concept: Metallic character = tendency to lose electrons; it depends on atomic size and nuclear attraction.

1. Across a period (left → right) nuclear charge rises, size falls, so metallic character decreases — statement (B) saying it increases is wrong.
2. Down a group size increases, electrons are lost easily → metallic character increases.
3. The change from metals → metalloids → non-metals is gradual.

Yaad rakhein: Metals sit on the left and bottom of the periodic table.

Answer: (B) Metallic character increases across a period from left to right.

Concept: The Director General, Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) heads medical services of the Army, Navy and Air Force.

1. Lt Gen (Surgeon Vice Admiral) Arti Sarin took over as DGAFMS on 1 October 2024 — the first woman in this post.
2. Vijaya Rahatkar became chairperson of the National Commission for Women (Oct 2024); Deena Mehta was the first woman president of the BSE.

Yaad rakhein: Arti Sarin — Army, Navy and Air Force ranks held; first woman DGAFMS.

Answer: (C) Arti Sarin

Concept: PCB is the board on which electronic components are mounted and connected.

1. PCB = Printed Circuit Board.
2. Copper tracks printed (etched) on an insulating board replace loose wires and connect components like resistors, capacitors and ICs.

Yaad rakhein: Every phone, computer and TV has a green 'printed' circuit board inside.

Answer: (A) Printed Circuit Board

Concept: MR (Mixed Reality) systems need large sets of realistic images; IISc researchers worked on generating synthetic images for this.

1. The 2025 research on synthetic image generation for MR applications was led by IISc's Department of Design and Manufacturing (DM).
2. This department works on product design, human–computer interaction and AR/VR/MR.

Yaad rakhein: MR + design research at IISc → Department of Design and Manufacturing.

Answer: (C) Department of Design and Manufacturing

Concept: Cardiomyocytes (heart muscle cells) are excitable cells; their membrane potential depends on ion movement.

1. Voltage-gated ${\text{Na}}^{+}$, ${\text{Ca}}^{2+}$ and ${\text{K}}^{+}$ channels open and close to produce the action potential and trigger contraction.
2. Active pumps such as the ${\text{Na}}^{+}/{\text{K}}^{+}$-ATPase and ${\text{Ca}}^{2+}$ pumps (using ATP) restore ion gradients after each beat.
3. Gap junctions only pass the signal between cells; they cannot maintain the potential alone.

Yaad rakhein: Heartbeat = ion channels (fire) + ion pumps (reset).

Answer: (D) A combination of voltage-gated ion channels and active ion pumps

Concept: Article 74(1) requires a Council of Ministers to aid and advise the President at all times.

1. In U.N.R. Rao vs Indira Gandhi (1971) the Supreme Court held that the Council of Ministers does not cease to hold office on dissolution of the Lok Sabha.
2. Golaknath (1967) and Kesavananda Bharati (1973) dealt with amending Fundamental Rights / basic structure; S.R. Bommai (1994) with President's Rule.

Yaad rakhein: Lok Sabha dissolved, but PM and ministers continue — U.N.R. Rao, 1971.

Answer: (C) UNR Rao vs. Indira Gandhi, 1971

Concept: Nana Saheb, the adopted son of the last Peshwa Baji Rao II, lived at Bithoor near Kanpur.

1. In early 1857 he travelled to Kalpi, Delhi and Lucknow to win support of native rulers against the British.
2. He later led the revolt at Kanpur; Tantia Tope was his commander and Bahadur Shah Zafar was in Delhi.

Yaad rakhein: Bithoor → Nana Saheb (Peshwa's heir) → Kanpur revolt.

Answer: (B) Nana Saheb

Concept: The Seventh Five-Year Plan (1985–90) under Rajiv Gandhi stressed "Food, Work and Productivity".

1. It focused on modernisation of industry, technology upgradation and higher productivity.
2. Liberalisation, privatisation and structural reforms came later with the 1991 New Economic Policy (Eighth Plan period).

Yaad rakhein: Rajiv Gandhi = computers, telecom, technology – so modernisation.

Answer: (C) Modernisation and technology upgrade

Concept: A new folder is created from the context (right-click) menu of the desktop or a folder window.

1. Right-click on an empty area of the desktop → New → Folder creates "New folder".
2. Alt + Tab switches between open windows; Ctrl + F opens Find/Search; the Recycle Bin holds deleted files.

Trick: Shortcut too: Ctrl + Shift + N creates a new folder in File Explorer.

Answer: (D) Right-clicking on the desktop and selecting 'New' → 'Folder'

Concept: Gaddi Nati is a folk dance of the Gaddi (shepherd) tribe of Himachal Pradesh.

1. "Nati" is the signature group dance of Himachal; Kullu Nati and Gaddi Nati are well-known forms.
2. It is performed in traditional woollen dress at fairs and festivals in Chamba and Kangra.

Yaad rakhein: Nati = Himachal; Kullu Nati even entered the Guinness Book as the largest folk dance.

Answer: (D) Himachal Pradesh

Concept: In winter the Sub-Tropical Westerly Jet Stream blows over north India at high altitude.

1. Westerly jets move from west to east; the Himalayas split them into two branches.
2. They bring western disturbances (winter rain/snow) to north-west India.
3. In summer the jet shifts north and an easterly (east to west) tropical jet appears over peninsular India.

Yaad rakhein: Winter → Westerly (west to east); Summer → Easterly jet.

Answer: (A) West to east

Concept: A conjugate acid-base pair differs by exactly one proton (${\text{H}}^{+}$) (Brønsted–Lowry theory).

1. ${\text{NH}}_4^{+}\to {\text{NH}}_3+{\text{H}}^{+}$: the two differ by one ${\text{H}}^{+}$, so they are a conjugate pair.
2. $\text{HCl}$/${\text{Cl}}_2$ and ${\text{H}}_2\text{O}$/${\text{H}}_2{\text{O}}_2$ are different substances, not proton-transfer partners.

Trick: Remove one ${\text{H}}^{+}$ from the acid → you must get the base exactly.

Answer: (C) ${\text{NH}}_4^{+}$ and ${\text{NH}}_3$

Concept: Under Article 108 the President can summon a joint sitting to resolve a deadlock between the two Houses.

1. It applies only to ordinary bills (and financial bills other than money bills).
2. Money Bill: Lok Sabha has the final say, Rajya Sabha can only delay 14 days – no joint sitting.
3. Constitutional Amendment Bill must be passed by each House separately – no joint sitting.

Yaad rakhein: Joint sitting – only for Ordinary Bills; presided over by the Lok Sabha Speaker.

Answer: (C) 1 only