SSC CPO Paper I 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024 PYQs

Concept: CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) is natural gas, mostly methane, compressed to high pressure.

1. Natural gas is odourless, tasteless and non-toxic; methane forms over 90% of it, with small amounts of ethane, propane, nitrogen and carbon dioxide.
2. LPG is mainly propane and butane; an odorant is added to it.
3. Gobar gas (biogas) has only about 55–65% methane with much carbon dioxide; chlorine is a toxic, pungent gas.

Yaad rakhein: Methane above 90% = natural gas/CNG; propane + butane = LPG.

Answer: (C) CNG

Concept: Every cell is bounded by a thin, flexible, selectively permeable membrane.

1. This plasma membrane (cell membrane) separates the cytoplasm from the extracellular fluid.
2. It is made of a lipid bilayer with proteins (fluid mosaic model) and controls entry and exit of substances.
3. The nuclear envelope surrounds only the nucleus, not the whole cell.

Yaad rakhein: Cell boundary = plasma membrane; nucleus boundary = nuclear envelope.

Answer: (D) प्लाज़्मा झिल्ली (Plasma membrane)

Concept: Census 2011: India's literacy rate was 74.04%.

1. Kerala had the highest literacy rate, about 94% (93.91%).
2. Lakshadweep led the UTs; Mizoram (about 91.3%) was second among states.
3. Bihar had the lowest literacy rate (about 61.8%).

Yaad rakhein: Literacy: Kerala top, Bihar bottom (Census 2011).

Answer: (D) केरल

Concept: India is the most successful nation in Olympic men's hockey.

1. India won gold in 1928, 1932, 1936, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1964 and 1980.
2. That makes eight gold medals in total.
3. India also has bronze medals, including Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.

Trick: Six in a row (1928–1956) + 1964 + 1980 = 8.

Answer: (A) आठ

Concept: Geology (geo = Earth, logos = study) studies Earth's materials, structure, history and processes.

1. It covers rocks, minerals, fossils, plate movements and mineral/energy resources.
2. Geophysics applies physics (gravity, seismic waves, magnetism) to the Earth.
3. Geography studies places and human–environment relations; geometry is a branch of mathematics.

Yaad rakhein: Rocks, minerals, Earth's history = Geology.

Answer: (B) geology (भूविज्ञान)

Concept: The Regulating Act of 1773 provided for a Supreme Court at Fort William, Calcutta.

1. The Supreme Court of Judicature at Calcutta was set up in 1774.
2. Sir Elijah Impey was its first Chief Justice, with three other judges.
3. Madras and Bombay got Supreme Courts later (1801 and 1823).

Yaad rakhein: 1773 Act → 1774 Supreme Court, Calcutta, Elijah Impey.

Answer: (C) कलकत्ता

Concept: Gymnosperms are plants with naked seeds (no ovary or fruit wall).

1. They include medium to very tall trees such as pines, cedar and the giant redwood (Sequoia).
2. Sequoia is among the tallest tree species in the world.
3. Mosses and liverworts (bryophytes) are small; pteridophytes (ferns) are mostly small herbs.

Yaad rakhein: Gymno = naked seed; tallest tree Sequoia is a gymnosperm.

Answer: (D) gymnosperms (अनावृतबीजी)

Concept: Fundamental Rights are listed in Part III (Articles 12–35) of the Constitution of India.

1. Being part of the Constitution, they cannot be taken away by an ordinary law of the government.
2. Article 32 lets citizens move the Supreme Court directly for their enforcement (and Article 226 the High Courts).
3. Customs or panchayats cannot guarantee them; the Constitution does.

Yaad rakhein: FR = Part III; guaranteed by the Constitution, enforced by the courts.

Answer: (B) संविधान

Concept: The ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021 was held in the UAE and Oman; Australia won the title.

1. Pakistan captain Babar Azam scored the most runs: 303 runs in 6 innings.
2. England's Jos Buttler (269 runs) was second; Buttler scored a century in the tournament.
3. Australia's David Warner was Player of the Tournament.

Yaad rakhein: T20 WC 2021: most runs Babar Azam (303); champion Australia.

Answer: (D) बाबर आज़म

Concept: The Right to Property (Article 31) was removed from the list of Fundamental Rights by the 44th Amendment Act, 1978.

1. It was passed by the Janata Party government led by Prime Minister Morarji Desai.
2. Property became a legal (constitutional) right under Article 300A.
3. The same amendment undid many changes made by Indira Gandhi's 42nd Amendment.

Yaad rakhein: 44th Amendment, 1978, Morarji Desai: property out of Part III, into 300A.

Answer: (C) मोरारजी देसाई

Concept: Omega-3 fatty acids are essential polyunsaturated fats the body cannot make; they must come from food.

1. Fish (salmon, sardine, mackerel) supply EPA and DHA.
2. Nuts and seeds (walnut, flaxseed) and vegetable oils (soybean, canola) supply ALA.
3. They support heart, brain and eye health.

Yaad rakhein: Fish + nuts + oils = Omega-3 (good fats).

Answer: (A) ओमेगा-3

Concept: For uniform acceleration the equations are $v=u+at$ and $s=ut+\frac{1}{2}a{t}^2$ (both follow from the v–t graph).

1. Slope of the v–t graph $=a$, so $v-u=at$, i.e. $v=u+at$, not $\frac{u}{2}+at$. Statement I is wrong.
2. Area under the graph = rectangle $ut$ + triangle $\frac{1}{2}\times t\times at=\frac{1}{2}a{t}^2$.
3. So $s=ut+\frac{1}{2}a{t}^2$, not $2ut+a{t}^2$. Statement II is wrong.

Trick: Check at $t=0$: I gives $v=\frac{u}{2}$, but $v$ must equal $u$, so I fails at once.

Answer: (B) न तो I और न ही II

Concept: Anushilan Samiti was a revolutionary organisation of Bengal in the early 20th century.

1. It was founded in Calcutta in 1902 (Pramathanath Mitra, with Aurobindo Ghosh and Barindra Ghosh associated).
2. The Dhaka Anushilan Samiti was led by Pulin Behari Das.
3. Jugantar was an allied group; both were active in Bengal against British rule.

Yaad rakhein: Anushilan + Jugantar = Bengal revolutionaries.

Answer: (B) बंगाल

Concept: Mahmud Gawan, a Persian merchant, rose to become the most famous minister of the Bahmani kingdom.

1. Sultan Humayun Shah Bahmani honoured him with the title Malik-ut-Tujjar ('Chief of the Merchants').
2. He later served as Prime Minister (wazir) under Muhammad Shah III and founded the madrasa at Bidar.
3. Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah was the founder of the dynasty (1347), long before Gawan's time.

Yaad rakhein: Gawan: title from Humayun Shah, madrasa at Bidar, executed under Muhammad Shah III (1481).

Answer: (A) हुमायूँ शाह

Concept: Phylum Porifera (pore-bearers) includes the sponges.

1. Their body has many pores (ostia); water enters through them and leaves through the osculum (canal system).
2. They are mostly marine, sessile and have cellular-level organisation.
3. Ctenophora are comb jellies; Platyhelminthes are flatworms; Annelida are segmented worms.

Trick: Pori-fera = pore-bearing = sponges.

Answer: (A) पोरिफ़ेरा (Porifera)

Concept: The National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (NCRWC) was set up in 2000.

1. It was chaired by Justice M. N. Venkatachaliah, former Chief Justice of India; it reported in 2002.
2. It recommended steps such as sensitising citizens and making Fundamental Duties widely known for their implementation.
3. Fundamental Duties (Article 51A) were added by the 42nd Amendment, 1976, on the Swaran Singh Committee's advice.

Yaad rakhein: Duties added: Swaran Singh (1976); reviewed: Venkatachaliah (NCRWC, 2000).

Answer: (B) एम. एन. वेंकटचलैया

Concept: The broad goals of India's Five-Year Plans were growth, modernisation, self-reliance and equity.

1. High GDP growth = growth goal; self-reliance = reducing dependence on imports.
2. Equal benefits to all = equity (reducing inequality).
3. High population growth was never a goal; plans in fact tried to control population.

Trick: Plan goals: G-M-S-E (Growth, Modernisation, Self-reliance, Equity).

Answer: (A) उच्च जनसंख्या वृद्धि

Concept: Algae show three types of gamete fusion based on size and motility of gametes.

1. Isogamy: fusing gametes are similar in size (e.g. Ulothrix, Spirogyra).
2. Anisogamy: fusing gametes are dissimilar in size (e.g. Eudorina).
3. Oogamy: a large non-motile egg fuses with a small motile sperm (e.g. Volvox, Fucus).

Trick: Iso = same, Aniso = not same, Oo = egg.

Answer: (A) anisogamous (असमयुग्मकी)

Concept: Sex ratio = number of females per 1000 males.

1. Census 2011: India's sex ratio was 943.
2. Kerala had the highest sex ratio among states: 1084.
3. Haryana had the lowest among states (879); among UTs Daman and Diu was lowest (618).

Yaad rakhein: Kerala: top in both literacy and sex ratio (Census 2011).

Answer: (C) केरल

Concept: The Prime Minister heads the Council of Ministers, which is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha (Article 75(3)).

1. He is head of the government, leader of the majority in the Lok Sabha and appointed by the President (Article 75(1)) — A, B, D are true.
2. A no-confidence motion can be moved only in the Lok Sabha, not in both Houses.
3. It needs only a simple majority, not a $\frac{2}{3}$ majority; if passed, the whole ministry must resign.

Yaad rakhein: No-confidence = Lok Sabha only + simple majority.

Answer: (C) यदि संसद के दोनों सदन $\frac{2}{3}$ बहुमत से अविश्वास प्रस्ताव पारित करें तो उन्हें हटाया जा सकता है।