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

Concept: The Supreme Court has had very few women judges; the highest number sitting together was four.

1. In 2021, Justices Hima Kohli, B.V. Nagarathna and Bela M. Trivedi were appointed together, joining Justice Indira Banerjee.
2. This made four sitting women judges at once – a record for the Court.
3. Earlier women judges: Fathima Beevi (first, 1989), Sujata Manohar, Ruma Pal, Gyan Sudha Misra, Ranjana Desai, R. Banumathi, Indu Malhotra.

Yaad rakhein: Record 4 women judges (2021): Indira Banerjee, Hima Kohli, B.V. Nagarathna, Bela Trivedi.

Answer: (C) 4

Concept: Ustad Allauddin Khan (Baba Allauddin) was the court musician of the Maharaja of Maihar (Madhya Pradesh) and the founder of the Maihar gharana.

1. His disciples include Ravi Shankar (sitar), Ali Akbar Khan (sarod), Annapurna Devi (surbahar) and Nikhil Banerjee.
2. He also formed the Maihar Band (orchestra). Kasur-Patiala is a vocal gharana.

Yaad rakhein: Allauddin Khan → Maihar → Ravi Shankar & Ali Akbar Khan.

Answer: (C) Maihar

Concept: The lithosphere has seven major plates (NCERT Class 11): Antarctica, North American, South American, Pacific, India-Australia-New Zealand, Africa with the eastern Atlantic floor, and Eurasia.

1. The Nazca plate (off western South America) is a minor plate.
2. Other minor plates: Cocos, Arabian, Philippine, Caroline and Fuji.

Yaad rakhein: Minor plates: Cocos, Nazca, Arabian, Philippine, Caroline, Fuji.

Answer: (A) Nazca plate

Concept: The Election Commission recognises national parties based on vote share/seats in Lok Sabha or state elections across states.

1. BJP, BSP and NCP were recognised national parties (in 2022).
2. The Jammu & Kashmir National Conference is only a state party of Jammu & Kashmir despite 'National' in its name.
3. (NCP later lost national status in 2023.)

Yaad rakhein: 'National' in the name does not make a national party – National Conference is a state party.

Answer: (B) National Conference

Concept: After the Battle of Buxar (1764), the Treaty of Allahabad was signed in 1765.

1. Mughal emperor Shah Alam II granted the East India Company the Diwani (right to collect revenue) of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.
2. This began the dual government in Bengal under Robert Clive (1765–72). 1770 is the year of the great Bengal famine.

Yaad rakhein: Buxar 1764 → Allahabad & Diwani 1765.

Answer: (D) 1765

Concept: The first World Para Table Tennis Championships were held in 1990 at Assen, Netherlands.

1. Later editions include Beijing (2006), Gwangju, Lasko (Slovenia, 2018) and Granada (Spain, 2022).
2. So Lasko and Granada hosted much later editions, not the first one.

Yaad rakhein: First Para TT World Championships: 1990, Assen.

Answer: (A) Assen, Netherlands

Concept: Each plan had a target growth rate and an achieved (actual) growth rate.

1. Ninth Plan (1997–2002): target $6.5\%$, actual about $5.4\%$.
2. Tenth Plan (2002–07): target $8\%$, actual about $7.6\%$.
3. Option (C) mixes in the ninth plan target ($6.5\%$) and the eleventh plan ($8.1\%$ approx. achieved).

Yaad rakhein: 9th: 6.5 target → 5.4 actual; 10th: 8 target → 7.6 actual.

Answer: (A) $5.4\%$, $7.6\%$

Concept: The vertical distribution of different species occupying different levels in an ecosystem is called stratification (NCERT Class 12 Biology).

1. Example: in a forest, tall trees occupy the top layer, shrubs the middle and herbs/grasses the bottom layer.
2. Species composition and stratification are the two main structural features of an ecosystem.

Yaad rakhein: Strata = layers → stratification.

Answer: (D) stratification

Concept: Alkali metals burn in air to form different oxides: Li gives monoxide, Na peroxide, K/Rb/Cs superoxides.

1. Statement I: lithium burnt in excess air forms mainly the oxide ${\text{Li}}_2\text{O}$ – correct.
2. Statement II: alkali metal halides are high-melting, colourless crystalline solids, not liquids – incorrect.
3. So only I is correct.

Yaad rakhein: Li → ${\text{Li}}_2\text{O}$, Na → ${\text{Na}}_2{\text{O}}_2$, K → ${\text{KO}}_2$.

Answer: (C) Only I

Concept: Between the Lesser Himalaya (Himachal) and the Shiwaliks lie longitudinal valleys called Duns (Doons).

1. Examples: Dehra Dun, Kotli Dun, Patli Dun.
2. Margs are meadows in Kashmir (Gulmarg, Sonamarg); Tarai is the marshy belt south of the Bhabar; Bet lands are floodplains in Punjab.

Yaad rakhein: Shiwalik + Himachal ke beech = Dun (Dehra Dun).

Answer: (C) Duns

Concept: Sports autobiographies are frequently asked in SSC GK.

1. ‘Playing It My Way’ (2014) is the autobiography of Sachin Tendulkar, written with Boria Majumdar.
2. Yuvraj Singh wrote ‘The Test of My Life’; Sunil Gavaskar wrote ‘Sunny Days’; Saina Nehwal’s autobiography is ‘Playing to Win’.

Yaad rakhein: Playing It My Way – Sachin; Sunny Days – Gavaskar; Test of My Life – Yuvraj.

Answer: (A) Sachin Tendulkar

Concept: Part III (Articles 12–35) of the Constitution contains the Fundamental Rights.

1. Because it guarantees basic civil liberties to every citizen, Part III is called the ‘Magna Carta of India’.
2. Part IV contains DPSP, Part II deals with Citizenship and Part VI with the States.

Yaad rakhein: Magna Carta (England, 1215) limited royal power – likewise Part III limits the State.

Answer: (A) Part III

Concept: Plant diseases are caused by bacteria, fungi or viruses; each must be matched with its causal organism.

1. Citrus canker is caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas citri, not a virus – so pair I is wrong.
2. Rust of wheat is caused by the fungus Puccinia – pair II is correct.

Yaad rakhein: Canker – bacterium (Xanthomonas); Rust and Smut – fungi; Mosaic – virus.

Answer: (A) Only II

Concept: Self-reliance, a goal of the Five-Year Plans, means depending on domestic production instead of foreign supply.

1. A self-reliant economy avoids importing goods that it can produce itself (import substitution).
2. Increasing such imports shows dependence, and restricting exports is not a measure of self-reliance.

Yaad rakhein: Self-reliance = import substitution – make at home what you can.

Answer: (B) Avoiding imports of the goods which could be produced in the country.

Concept: A city that hosts both Summer and Winter Olympics is very rare.

1. Beijing hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2022 Winter Olympics, becoming the first city to host both.
2. Tokyo hosted Summer Games (1964, 2020) but its Winter Games went to Sapporo/Nagano, not Tokyo city.

Yaad rakhein: Beijing – 2008 Summer + 2022 Winter = first ‘dual Olympic city’.

Answer: (D) Beijing

Concept: Article 39A (added by the 42nd Amendment, 1976) directs the State to provide equal justice and free legal aid.

1. Article 39A lies in Part IV – Directive Principles of State Policy (Articles 36–51).
2. Part V deals with the Union, Part VI with the States and Part VII has been repealed.

Yaad rakhein: 39A – ‘A’ for Aid (free legal aid), in Part IV.

Answer: (D) Part IV of the Indian Constitution

Concept: Mohiniyattam is the classical dance of Kerala, performed with Carnatic music.

1. Its main percussion instrument is the Edakka (an hourglass-shaped drum of Kerala), along with mridangam.
2. Sitar is a string instrument; Dhumsa and Nagada are folk drums of eastern and north India.

Yaad rakhein: Kerala dances (Mohiniyattam, Kathakali) – Edakka and Chenda.

Answer: (B) Edakka

Concept: In human nutrition, macronutrients are carbohydrates, proteins and fats (needed in large amounts); micronutrients are vitamins and minerals.

1. Iron is a mineral required in traces, so it is a micronutrient – pair I is wrong.
2. Calcium, being a mineral, falls in the micronutrient group (vitamins and minerals) – pair II is taken as correct.

Yaad rakhein: Macro = carbs, proteins, fats; Micro = vitamins and minerals.

Answer: (D) Only II

Concept: The Communist Party of India was first formed abroad, in Soviet Central Asia.

1. It was founded at Tashkent on 17 October 1920 by M.N. Roy, Abani Mukherji and others.
2. A party conference was later held at Kanpur in December 1925.

Yaad rakhein: CPI – Tashkent 1920 (M.N. Roy); Kanpur 1925.

Answer: (D) Tashkent

Concept: Ashfaqulla Khan was a member of the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA).

1. He took part in the Kakori Train Robbery (9 August 1925) with Ram Prasad Bismil.
2. He was hanged on 19 December 1927 at Faizabad jail; Saunders’ murder was by Bhagat Singh’s group.

Yaad rakhein: Kakori – Bismil, Ashfaqulla, Rajendra Lahiri, Roshan Singh (hanged 1927).

Answer: (C) the Kakori Train Robbery