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

Concept: Kharif crops are sown with the onset of the south-west monsoon (June–July) and harvested in September–October.

1. Rice is the main kharif crop of the northern states (also maize, jowar, bajra, cotton, jute).
2. Mustard, gram and barley are rabi crops (sown in winter, harvested in spring).

Yaad rakhein: Kharif = monsoon crops (rice, maize, cotton); Rabi = winter crops (wheat, gram, mustard, barley).

Answer: (B) Rice

Concept: Dribbling means moving the ball forward with repeated short touches while keeping control.

1. In basketball, a player dribbles by bouncing the ball continuously with one hand.
2. The term is also used in football and hockey, but not in volleyball, baseball or cricket.

Yaad rakhein: Dribbling → basketball, football, hockey; "Smash/Spike" → volleyball; "Home run" → baseball.

Answer: (A) Basketball

Concept: As per Census 2011, India's literacy rate was 74.04%; Bihar had the lowest literacy rate among states — about 61.8%.

1. Jharkhand ≈ 66.4%, Odisha ≈ 72.9%, Tamil Nadu ≈ 80.1%.
2. Kerala had the highest literacy rate (≈ 94%).

Yaad rakhein: Census 2011 literacy: highest Kerala, lowest Bihar.

Answer: (B) Bihar

Concept: Mendeleev's Periodic Table (published in a German journal in 1872) arranged the known elements in order of increasing atomic mass into 8 vertical groups (I to VIII) and horizontal periods.

1. So the correct figure must show exactly eight groups, I to VIII.
2. Figure c shows groups I–VIII ✓; figure a has only up to VII, b only up to VI, and d goes up to IX ✗.
3. Group VIII in Mendeleev's table contained transition triads such as Fe, Co, Ni.

Yaad rakhein: Mendeleev's 1872 table: 8 groups (I–VIII); noble gases (group zero) were added later.

Answer: (A) c

Concept: Dussehra (Vijayadashami) is celebrated on the 10th day (Dashami) of the bright half (Shukla Paksha) of the month of Ashvina (Ashwin).

1. It follows the nine nights of Sharad Navratri.
2. Diwali comes about 20 days later, on Kartika Amavasya.

Yaad rakhein: Ashvina Shukla Dashami → Dussehra; Kartika Amavasya → Diwali.

Answer: (B) Ashvina

Concept: Match each dam with the river it is built on.

1. Hirakud Dam (Odisha) — Mahanadi → a-iv.
2. Nagarjuna Sagar Dam (Telangana–AP) — Krishna → b-iii.
3. Sardar Sarovar Dam (Gujarat) — Narmada → c-ii.
4. Tehri Dam (Uttarakhand) — Bhagirathi → d-v; Rana Pratap Sagar Dam (Rajasthan) — Chambal → e-i.

Yaad rakhein: Chambal dams: Gandhi Sagar (MP), Rana Pratap Sagar (Rawatbhata), Jawahar Sagar (Kota). Hirakud = longest earthen dam (Mahanadi).

Answer: (B) a-iv, b-iii, c-ii, d-v, e-i

Concept: Inertia of rest: a body at rest tends to stay at rest. Inertia of motion: a moving body tends to keep moving.

1. Dust falling when a cloth is beaten, a passenger falling backward when a vehicle suddenly starts, and fruits falling when a branch is shaken — all are inertia of rest.
2. On sudden braking, the passenger's body keeps moving forward — this is inertia of motion.
3. So the sudden application of brakes is NOT an example of inertia of rest.

Yaad rakhein: Vehicle starts → fall backward (rest); vehicle stops → fall forward (motion).

Answer: (D) The sudden application of brakes in a vehicle

Concept: 'Bad Man' (2023) is the autobiography of actor Gulshan Grover, famous for villain roles in Bollywood and Hollywood.

1. It was co-written with Roshmila Bhattacharya and released in 2023.
2. The title comes from his popular screen persona "Bad Man" in the film 'Ram Lakhan' (1989).

Yaad rakhein: "Bad Man" = Gulshan Grover (Ram Lakhan character).

Answer: (D) Gulshan Grover

Concept: Match each 19th-century movement/organisation with its founder.

1. Faraizi Movement (Bengal, 1818) — Haji Shariatullah → a-IV.
2. Mohammedan Literary Society (Calcutta, 1863) — Nawab Abdul Latif → b-III.
3. Indian Patriotic Association (1888) — Sir Syed Ahmad Khan → c-II.
4. Wahabi Movement — Sayyid Ahmad of Rae Bareli → d-I.

Yaad rakhein: Faraizi — Haji Shariatullah, later led by his son Dudu Miyan; Sir Syed — Aligarh Movement (MAO College, 1875).

Answer: (D) a - IV, b - III, c - II, d - I

Concept: Gluten is the main storage protein complex found in cereal grains such as wheat, barley and rye.

1. It is made of two proteins — gliadin and glutenin — that give dough its elasticity.
2. People with celiac disease must avoid gluten.
3. Arginine is an amino acid, not a grain protein; "gum protein" and "delta protein" are not grain proteins.

Yaad rakhein: Wheat dough stretches because of gluten (gliadin + glutenin).

Answer: (A) Gluten

Concept: Lavani is a popular folk dance-music form of Maharashtra, performed to the beat of the dholki.

1. Lavani is known for its powerful rhythm and is usually performed by women wearing a nine-yard saree (nauvari).
2. It became popular in the Peshwa period and is linked with Tamasha folk theatre of Maharashtra.
3. Other states: Uttar Pradesh – Charkula, Nautanki; Himachal – Nati; Madhya Pradesh – Matki, Gaur.

Yaad rakhein: Maharashtra: Lavani, Tamasha, Koli, Povadas.

Answer: (B) Maharashtra

Concept: In 1865 the English chemist John Newlands arranged the known elements in increasing order of atomic mass and found that every eighth element had properties similar to the first – the Law of Octaves.

1. He compared this to the eighth note in a musical scale (sa, re, ga, ma, pa, dha, ni, sa).
2. The law worked only up to calcium; it failed for heavier elements.
3. Galileo (motion, telescope), Faraday (electromagnetic induction), Marie Curie (radioactivity) are not linked to it.

Yaad rakhein: Dobereiner – Triads; Newlands – Octaves; Mendeleev – Periodic Law (atomic mass); Moseley – atomic number.

Answer: (B) John Newlands

Concept: Humayun Shah (ruled 1458–1461) of the Bahmani Sultanate was so harsh and cruel that he was called "Zalim" (the tyrant).

1. Chroniclers like Ferishta describe his brutal punishments of rebels and nobles.
2. His minister Mahmud Gawan served under him and later became prominent.
3. Firuz Shah Bahmani and Ahmad Shah (called "Wali") are remembered differently; Mujahid Shah was an earlier ruler.

Yaad rakhein: Humayun Shah = "Zalim"; Ahmad Shah I = "Wali" (saint); capital shifted from Gulbarga to Bidar under Ahmad Shah.

Answer: (A) Humayun

Concept: In Koppen's scheme for India, the type Dfc means a cold humid winter with a short summer; it is found in Arunachal Pradesh.

1. Western Rajasthan – BWhw (hot desert).
2. Northern Madhya Pradesh / Ganga plain – Cwg (dry winter).
3. South of Goa (west coast) – Amw (monsoon with short dry season); Arunachal Pradesh – Dfc.

Yaad rakhein: Dfc = Arunachal (cold humid winter, short summer); E = Ladakh-type polar; Amw = west coast south of Goa.

Answer: (D) Arunachal Pradesh

Concept: From 1950 to 1954 the Republic Day celebrations were held at different venues (Irwin Stadium, Kingsway, Red Fort, Ramlila Ground).

1. In 1955 Rajpath (now Kartavya Path) became the permanent venue of the parade.
2. The first parade at Rajpath in 1955 had Malik Ghulam Muhammad of Pakistan as chief guest.
3. Rajpath was renamed Kartavya Path in 2022.

Yaad rakhein: 1950 – first Republic Day (Irwin Stadium); 1955 – Rajpath permanent venue.

Answer: (C) 1955

Concept: Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is needed to make collagen. Its long deficiency (about 3 months or more) causes scurvy.

1. Scurvy symptoms: weakness, anaemia, swollen bleeding gums, poor wound healing and skin spots.
2. Pellagra – vitamin B3 (niacin); Rickets – vitamin D; Beriberi – vitamin B1 (thiamine).

Yaad rakhein: C – Scurvy, B1 – Beriberi, B3 – Pellagra, D – Rickets, A – Night blindness, K – poor clotting.

Answer: (D) Scurvy

Concept: The glycocalyx is the outermost layer of many bacteria. It differs in thickness and composition: a loose sheath is called the slime layer, while a thick and tough one is called the capsule.

1. Slime layer – loose, easily removed; capsule – thick, firmly attached.
2. Mesosomes are infoldings of the plasma membrane; tubules are internal membrane structures – not glycocalyx.

Yaad rakhein: Loose = Slime layer; Thick and tough = Capsule (NCERT Class 11, Cell: The Unit of Life).

Answer: (D) Slime layer

Concept: Under the FRBM Act, the Macroeconomic Framework Statement is laid with the Budget. It assesses the growth prospects of the economy – GDP growth, fiscal balance and external (current account) balance.

1. Medium-term Fiscal Policy Statement – sets rolling targets for fiscal indicators.
2. Fiscal Policy Strategy Statement – explains the government's policies on taxation, expenditure and borrowing.
3. Appropriation Bill – seeks Parliament's authority to withdraw money from the Consolidated Fund.

Yaad rakhein: GDP + external balance + fiscal balance assessment → Macroeconomic Framework Statement.

Answer: (D) Macroeconomic Framework Statement

Concept: The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was mainly a struggle between Britain and France (with their allies) for colonial and commercial supremacy.

1. It was fought in Europe, North America and India; the Third Carnatic War in India was its Indian part.
2. The Treaty of Paris (1763) ended it, and Britain emerged as the leading colonial power.

Yaad rakhein: Seven Years' War 1756–63 = Britain vs France → Third Carnatic War (Battle of Wandiwash, 1760).

Answer: (B) France

Concept: The Smart Cities Mission was launched on 25 June 2015 by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

1. It proposed to develop 100 smart cities, selected through a City Challenge competition.
2. AMRUT (for 500 cities) and PMAY-Urban were launched on the same day.

Yaad rakhein: Smart Cities – 100 cities; AMRUT – 500 cities; launched 25 June 2015.

Answer: (A) 100