SSC CHSL 2025 PYQs

Concept: Steeplechase grew from horse racing between church steeples.

1. The foot-race version began in England around 1850 (Oxford University).
2. Modern event: 3000 m with 28 barriers and 7 water jumps.

Yaad rakhein: Avinash Sable is India's national record holder in the 3000 m steeplechase.

Answer: (A) Around 1850

Concept: Farakka Barrage is in Murshidabad district, West Bengal.

1. Built across the Ganga (completed 1975).
2. It diverts water into the Bhagirathi–Hooghly to keep Kolkata port flushed of silt.

Yaad rakhein: Ganga water sharing with Bangladesh is governed by the 1996 Ganga Water Treaty.

Answer: (A) Ganga

Concept: Recent and upcoming Summer Olympic hosts.

1. 2020 (held 2021) – Tokyo; 2024 – Paris; 2028 – Los Angeles; 2032 – Brisbane.
2. Brisbane was chosen by the IOC in 2021.

Trick: Order T-P-L-B: Tokyo, Paris, LA, Brisbane (2020 → 2032).

Answer: (A) Brisbane

Concept: Remote sensing satellites observe soil and vegetation over large areas repeatedly.

1. I: vegetation indices and soil-moisture data reveal drought stress – correct.
2. II: crop area and health data are used to forecast yields (e.g. FASAL) – correct.

Yaad rakhein: NDVI (Normalised Difference Vegetation Index) is the standard satellite measure of crop health.

Answer: (C) Both I and II

Concept: Mars Orbiter Mission was launched on 5 November 2013.

1. Launch vehicle: PSLV-C25 (XL version) from Sriharikota.
2. Entered Mars orbit on 24 September 2014 – India succeeded on its first attempt.

Yaad rakhein: Chandrayaan-1 also flew on PSLV (C11), while Chandrayaan-2 and 3 used GSLV Mk III/LVM3.

Answer: (A) PSLV

Concept: Heavy spacecraft (~3,850 kg) need ISRO's heavy-lift rocket.

1. Chandrayaan-2 was launched on 22 July 2019 by GSLV Mk III-M1 (now LVM3).
2. It had an orbiter, lander Vikram and rover Pragyan.

Yaad rakhein: Moon missions: Ch-1 → PSLV, Ch-2 and Ch-3 → GSLV Mk III/LVM3.

Answer: (A) GSLV

Concept: A hybrid aerogel to recover gold from electronic waste was reported in December 2024.

1. Developed at IISER Pune (team of Prof. Sujit K. Ghosh).
2. The aerogel captures gold ions and reduces them to metallic gold.

Yaad rakhein: Aerogels are ultralight porous solids with a very large surface area – ideal for adsorption.

Answer: (A) IISER, Pune

Concept: PUNCH studies how the Sun's corona becomes the solar wind.

1. A NASA mission launched on 11 March 2025 (with SPHEREx) on a Falcon 9.
2. Four small satellites act together as one instrument.

Yaad rakhein: India's solar observatory mission is Aditya-L1 (launched 2023).

Answer: (A) NASA

Concept: State depends on the balance between intermolecular attraction and particle energy.

1. Temperature changes kinetic energy (melting, boiling).
2. Pressure brings particles closer (e.g. LPG is liquefied under pressure).
3. So pressure and temperature decide the state.

Yaad rakhein: Dry ice (solid CO₂) sublimes directly to gas at normal pressure.

Answer: (A) Pressure and temperature

Concept: Sawai Jai Singh II built stone astronomical observatories in the 18th century.

1. He built five: Jaipur, Delhi, Ujjain, Varanasi, Mathura.
2. Mathura's no longer survives; Jaipur's is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (2010).

Trick: Cities: 'J-D-U-V-M' – Jaipur, Delhi, Ujjain, Varanasi, Mathura.

Answer: (A) Five

Concept: Robert Clive, victor of Plassey (1757), ended his life in 1774.

1. He faced a Parliamentary inquiry (1772–73) over his Bengal fortune but was not punished.
2. Ill and depressed, he committed suicide in London in 1774.
3. He was never imprisoned, exiled or executed.

Yaad rakhein: Clive introduced the Dual Government in Bengal (1765) after the Treaty of Allahabad.

Answer: (A) He committed suicide

Concept: Each House takes up an ordinary Bill in three stages called readings.

1. First reading – introduction.
2. Second reading – general discussion, committee, clause-by-clause consideration.
3. Third reading – debate only on accepting or rejecting the Bill as a whole; no major amendments.

Trick: 1st = Introduce, 2nd = Examine, 3rd = Pass or reject.

Answer: (A) Third

Concept: Bile emulsifies fats; an enzyme then breaks them down.

1. Pancreatic lipase (steapsin) converts fats into fatty acids and glycerol.
2. Amylase – starch; pepsin – proteins (stomach); maltase – maltose.

Trick: 'Lip' = lipid → lipase digests lipids (fats).

Answer: (A) Lipase

Concept: Plants store waste in tissues that are no longer active.

1. Old xylem (heartwood) stores resins and gums.
2. Other wastes are stored in vacuoles or shed with old leaves and bark.

Yaad rakhein: These deposits make heartwood dark, hard and durable – used as timber.

Answer: (A) Both I and II

Concept: 'Sangam' refers to an assembly/academy of Tamil poets.

1. Three Sangams were held under the patronage of the Pandya kings of Madurai.
2. Surviving works: Ettuthogai (8 anthologies) and Pattuppattu (10 idylls).

Yaad rakhein: Tolkappiyam (Tamil grammar) and Tirukkural (by Tiruvalluvar) are linked with the Sangam tradition.

Answer: (A) An assembly of Tamil poets

Concept: The peak of Chola power came under Rajaraja I and his son Rajendra I.

1. Rajaraja I (c. 985–1014 CE) conquered the Cheras, Pandyas and northern Sri Lanka and built a strong navy.
2. He built the Brihadeeswara temple, Thanjavur (UNESCO site).
3. Vijayalaya only founded the line; Parantaka I was defeated at Takkolam; Kulothunga I came after the peak.

Trick: Founder (Vijayalaya) ≠ greatest. Remember 'Raja-raja' = 'king of kings'.

Answer: (C) Rajaraja I

Concept: Order of Delhi Sultanate: Slave → Khilji → Tughlaq → Sayyid → Lodi.

1. After the Tughlaqs: Sayyids (1414–51), then Lodis (1451–1526).
2. Sikandar Lodi founded Agra (1504) and made it his capital.
3. Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi at Panipat (1526). Khiljis came before Tughlaqs; Surs ruled after 1540.

Trick: Mnemonic 'Sab Khao Tum Sabzi Lo' – Slave, Khilji, Tughlaq, Sayyid, Lodi.

Answer: (D) Sayyids and Lodis

Concept: Articles 29–30 form 'Cultural and Educational Rights' in Part III.

1. Art. 29: any section of citizens may conserve its distinct language, script or culture; no denial of admission in State-aided institutions on grounds of religion, race, caste, language.
2. Art. 30: minorities' right to set up and run educational institutions.
3. Art. 28 – religious instruction; Art. 34 – martial law; Art. 36 – definition of 'State' for DPSP.

Trick: 29 = protect culture, 30 = run institutions – 'conserve, then construct'.

Answer: (C) Article 29

Concept: NEP 2020 was approved by the Union Cabinet on 29 July 2020.

1. 29 July 2020 + 5 years → July 2025.
2. It replaced the National Policy on Education, 1986.
3. Key reform: 5+3+3+4 school structure.

Yaad rakhein: NEP 2020 was drafted by the committee headed by Dr. K. Kasturirangan.

Answer: (C) July

Concept: Women entered the NDA from 2022 after a 2021 Supreme Court order.

1. The first batch of women cadets passed out with the 148th course in May 2025.
2. 17 women cadets completed the training.
3. NDA is at Khadakwasla, Pune.

Yaad rakhein: NDA trains cadets of all three services together – the world's first tri-service academy.

Answer: (B) 17