Q&A: practice questions with answers

Concept: Application software performs user tasks; system software (OS, firmware) runs and manages the hardware.

1. MS Excel is a spreadsheet program used directly by the user – application software.
2. Windows and Linux are operating systems; BIOS is firmware – all system software.

Trick: If you open it to “do work” (type, calculate, browse) it is an application; if the computer needs it just to start and run, it is system software.

Answer: (A) MS Excel

Concept: Complete combustion gives a clean blue flame and CO₂; incomplete combustion (less oxygen) gives a yellow sooty flame with unburnt carbon.

1. The black deposit on the vessel is soot – fine carbon particles from fuel that did not burn fully.
2. So the fuel is undergoing incomplete combustion, often because the burner holes are blocked or air supply is poor.
3. Fully burnt fuel (option B) would leave no soot.

Yaad rakhein: Blue flame = complete, hottest; yellow sooty flame = incomplete, blackens vessels.

Answer: (C) The combustion of the fuel is incomplete.

Concept: When two identical waves (same frequency and amplitude) travel in opposite directions and superpose, the resulting pattern does not travel – it is a stationary or standing wave.

1. Fixed points of zero displacement are called nodes; points of maximum displacement are antinodes.
2. Examples: vibrating strings of a sitar, air columns in flutes and organ pipes.
3. Longitudinal/transverse describe the direction of vibration, not the result of interference.

Yaad rakhein: Opposite directions + identical waves = standing wave (nodes and antinodes).

Answer: (B) Standing Waves

Concept: Excel follows the usual operator precedence: $*$ and $/$ before $+$ and $-$.

1. $A1\times A2=2\times 3=6$.
2. $A2÷A3=3÷2=1.5$.
3. Sum $=6+1.5=7.5$.

Yaad rakhein: Excel precedence: brackets, then percent, then exponent, then $\times$ and $÷$, then $+$ and $-$.

Answer: (C) 7.5

Concept: A tributary is a smaller river or stream that joins (flows into) a larger river.

1. Example: Yamuna is a tributary of the Ganga; Chambal is a tributary of the Yamuna.
2. A river branching away from the main river is a distributary (e.g. Hooghly from the Ganga); salty water mixing with river water describes an estuary.

Yaad rakhein: Tributary joins in (contributes); distributary goes out (distributes).

Answer: (A) A river flowing into a larger river

Concept: In 2025 Parliament replaced the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010 with a single consolidated law.

1. The Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, 2025 was passed in the Winter Session and received the President's assent in December 2025.
2. It opens nuclear power generation to private companies under licence and reworks supplier liability, supporting the 100 GW nuclear target by 2047.
3. The other three names are not actual Bills.

Yaad rakhein: SHANTI Bill 2025 = nuclear sector opened to private players; Budget 2025 announced the Nuclear Energy Mission (100 GW by 2047).

Answer: (D) Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill

Concept: The Paris Agreement (2015, under UNFCCC) is the global pact to keep warming well below 2°C; India's climate pledges (NDCs, net zero by 2070) are made under it.

1. At the 2025 UN climate summit (COP30, Belém, Brazil, November 2025) India reaffirmed its commitment to the Paris Agreement and its NDC targets.
2. Kyoto Protocol (1997) is the older emissions treaty; Montreal Protocol concerns ozone-depleting substances; Basel Convention deals with hazardous waste.

Yaad rakhein: Climate pledges today = Paris Agreement; ozone = Montreal; hazardous waste = Basel.

Answer: (A) Paris Agreement

Concept: Project Cheetah (2022) reintroduced African cheetahs in Madhya Pradesh – first at Kuno National Park, then Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary (April 2025).

1. In October 2025 the state announced that Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary (part of Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve, Sagar–Damoh–Narsinghpur) would be developed as the third cheetah habitat.
2. Kuno and Gandhi Sagar are already the first and second sites, so they cannot be the “third”.

Yaad rakhein: Cheetah sites in MP: 1 Kuno → 2 Gandhi Sagar → 3 Nauradehi.

Answer: (C) Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary

Concept: Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) provides all-weather road connectivity to unconnected villages.

1. Launched on 25 December 2000 by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government as a centrally sponsored scheme.
2. Administered by the Ministry of Rural Development; PMGSY-IV was approved in 2024.
3. 1991 = economic reforms; 2008 = NREGA extended nationwide; 2014 = Swachh Bharat / PMJDY.

Yaad rakhein: PMGSY – 25 Dec 2000 (Vajpayee's birthday, Good Governance Day).

Answer: (D) 2000

Concept: The Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024 replaced the colonial-era Aircraft Act, 1934 to regulate design, manufacture, maintenance and operation of aircraft.

1. Passed by Parliament in December 2024; it came into force from 1 January 2025.
2. It keeps DGCA, BCAS and AAIB as regulators, adds provisions for the Radio Telephone Operator licence and aligns with ICAO standards.
3. The Protection of Interests in Aircraft Objects Act, 2023 implements the Cape Town Convention – a different purpose.

Yaad rakhein: Aircraft Act 1934 → Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam 2024 (in force 1 Jan 2025).

Answer: (B) Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024

Concept: The International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council has three categories: A (largest shipping nations), B (largest seaborne trade interest) and C (regional representation).

1. At the IMO Assembly in London (November–December 2025) India was re-elected to the Council under Category B for the 2026–27 biennium.
2. India has been continuously on the IMO Council since 1959 and is pushing its maritime vision (Sagarmala, Maritime India Vision 2030).
3. ICAO and ISA councils have different structures; WTO has no elected “Council” in categories.

Yaad rakhein: IMO (London, 1948) – India in Category B; ICAO (Montreal) – India in Part II.

Answer: (D) International Maritime Organization (IMO)

Concept: Section 3 of the Citizenship Act, 1955 gives citizenship by birth in three time-bands depending on the parents' status.

1. Born in India on/after 26 January 1950 but before 1 July 1987 → citizen by birth irrespective of the parents' nationality.
2. Born 1 July 1987 to 2 December 2004 → at least one parent must be an Indian citizen; after 3 December 2004 → both parents citizens, or one citizen and the other not an illegal migrant.
3. Descent applies to those born outside India; registration and naturalisation are acquired later by application.

Yaad rakhein: 1950–1987: birth alone is enough; 1987 (Citizenship Amendment Act 1986) tightened it.

Answer: (D) birth

Concept: Articles 163–167 deal with the State Council of Ministers; Article 165 is about the Advocate-General of the State.

1. Statement 1 ✓ – Art. 167(a): the Chief Minister must communicate all decisions of the Council of Ministers to the Governor.
2. Statement 3 ✓ – Art. 163(1): Council of Ministers headed by the CM aids and advises the Governor except in his discretionary functions.
3. Statement 2 ✗ – the Governor administers the oath of office and secrecy to ministers under Art. 164(3), not Art. 165. Art. 165 provides for the Advocate-General.
4. Hence only statements 1 and 3 are correct.

Yaad rakhein: 163 CoM aids Governor; 164 appointment & oath of ministers; 165 Advocate-General; 166 conduct of business; 167 CM's duties.

Answer: (D) 1 and 3 only

Concept: Kautilya's (Chanakya's) Arthashastra is the classic treatise on statecraft, economy and administration of the Mauryan period.

1. It describes the king, ministers (amatyas), departments (adhyakshas), espionage, taxation and the saptanga theory of the state.
2. Megasthenes' Indica is the other main source on Mauryan administration.
3. Rigveda is the earliest Vedic text; Manusmriti is a law book; Mahabharata is an epic.

Yaad rakhein: Mauryan administration = Arthashastra (Kautilya) + Indica (Megasthenes) + Ashokan edicts.

Answer: (A) Arthashastra

Concept: Saina Nehwal won the bronze medal in women's singles badminton at the London 2012 Olympics – the first Olympic badminton medal for India.

1. PV Sindhu followed with silver (Rio 2016) and bronze (Tokyo 2020).
2. PT Usha is an athlete (4th in 1984 400 m hurdles) and Sania Mirza a tennis player – neither a badminton medallist.

Yaad rakhein: Badminton Olympic medals: Saina 2012 bronze → Sindhu 2016 silver, 2020 bronze.

Answer: (C) Saina Nehwal

Concept: Subordinate (district and lower) courts under Articles 233–237 are the first point of contact for most litigants.

1. They decide the bulk of civil and criminal cases at the district/taluka level, making justice accessible, quick and local.
2. They do not make laws (Parliament/legislatures do), do not handle appeals exclusively (High Courts/Supreme Court do), and decentralise rather than centralise judicial power.

Yaad rakhein: District Judge is appointed by the Governor in consultation with the High Court (Art. 233).

Answer: (A) By providing accessible, prompt, and localized justice

Concept: The Harappan heartland (Indus–Ghaggar plains) had a settled economy based on farming of wheat, barley, cotton and the rearing of cattle, sheep and goats.

1. Evidence: ploughed field at Kalibangan, granaries at Harappa and Mohenjo-daro, large numbers of cattle bones and bull seals.
2. Trade with Mesopotamia existed but was a supplement; hunting-gathering belongs to the pre-Neolithic phase.

Yaad rakhein: Harappans = agro-pastoral farmers + craft and trade; first to grow cotton (“sindon”).

Answer: (B) Agro-pastoral

Concept: The Paika Rebellion (1817) was an armed uprising of the Paikas – the traditional militia of the Khurda kingdom in Odisha – against the East India Company's land-revenue and salt policies.

1. It was led by Bakshi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar, the former commander (Bakshi) of the Khurda king's forces.
2. Sidhu Murmu led the Santhal Rebellion (1855), Chittu Singh the Barrackpore mutiny (1824) and Alluri Sitarama Raju the Rampa Rebellion (1922–24).

Yaad rakhein: Paika 1817 – Bakshi Jagabandhu – Khurda, Odisha; sometimes called the “first war of independence” by Odisha.

Answer: (A) Bakshi Jagabandhu

Concept: The Davandai (Damaru-shaped double-headed drum) is a traditional percussion instrument of Tamil Nadu.

1. It is played with a curved stick in temple processions and folk performances, often along with the nadaswaram and thavil.
2. Kerala's typical drums are the chenda and mizhavu; Punjab's is the dhol; Odisha's is the mardala.

Yaad rakhein: Tamil Nadu percussion: thavil, davandai, urumi, parai; Kerala: chenda, idakka, mizhavu.

Answer: (C) Tamil Nadu

Concept: Tilak was tried twice for sedition for his Kesari writings; the famous second trial was in 1908.

1. In 1908, after the Muzaffarpur bomb incident, Tilak wrote articles in Kesari defending the revolutionaries.
2. He was tried for sedition, defended by M.A. Jinnah, and sentenced to six years in Mandalay jail (1908–14).
3. His first sedition case (18 months) was in 1897 – not an option here.

Yaad rakhein: 1908 – Tilak to Mandalay; Bombay mill workers struck for 6 days, one for each year of his sentence.

Answer: (B) 1908