Q&A: practice questions with answers

Concept: In 2025 the Maharashtra government (MTDC) announced that a decommissioned Indian Navy ship would be scuttled off the Sindhudurg coast as an underwater museum and artificial reef.

1. The ship chosen is INS Guldar, a decommissioned landing ship (LST).
2. It will be sunk near Nivati, Sindhudurg, to create India's first underwater museum for scuba-diving tourism and marine life.
3. INS Nilgiri and INS Visakhapatnam are active warships, INS Kalvari is an active submarine.

Yaad rakhein: INS Guldar → Sindhudurg (Maharashtra) → India's first underwater museum.

Answer: (D) INS Guldar

Concept: Tribal dances are performed by Scheduled Tribe communities, while Lavani, Bhangra and Kathak are folk/classical forms.

1. Gussadi is performed by the Raj Gond tribe of Adilabad (Telangana) during the Dandari festival around Diwali, with peacock-feather headgear.
2. Lavani – folk dance of Maharashtra; Bhangra – folk dance of Punjab; Kathak – classical dance of North India.

Yaad rakhein: Gussadi = Gonds of Telangana (Kanaka Raju got Padma Shri for it).

Answer: (A) Gussadi

Concept: Lai Haraoba ("merry-making of the gods") is the ritual festival-dance of the Meitei people of Manipur.

1. It is led by priests called Maiba (male) and priestesses called Maibi (female).
2. So the specific female devotees/priestesses who perform it are the Maibis.
3. Jogin is a South Indian temple tradition; "Maiba" is the male priest – the tempting wrong option.

Yaad rakhein: Maiba = man, Maibi = woman.

Answer: (C) Maibi

Concept: In summer (April–June) intense heating of the land creates a thermal low pressure over north-west India.

1. The Thar Desert heats up the most because of its sandy surface, clear sky and scanty vegetation, so the low-pressure cell first develops over it.
2. This low draws the moist south-west monsoon winds from the Indian Ocean towards India.
3. The Aravallis, Satpuras and Ganga basin do not initiate this low; the Ganga plain only lies along the trough that extends from it.

Yaad rakhein: Hot Thar = Low pressure = pulls the monsoon.

Answer: (A) Thar Desert

Concept: Public health, trade and intellectual property (IP) meet in the long-running trilateral cooperation of three Geneva-based bodies.

1. On 26 February 2025, WHO (health), WIPO (intellectual property) and WTO (trade) jointly held a trilateral briefing for Geneva-based diplomats.
2. UNESCO, IMF, UNDP and UNICEF are not part of this health-IP-trade trilateral.

Yaad rakhein: Health–IP–Trade = WHO–WIPO–WTO (all three "W").

Answer: (C) WHO, WIPO and WTO

Concept: The MoEF&CC launched the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in January 2019 as a national strategy to cut air pollution.

1. It covers 131 cities (non-attainment and million-plus cities) in 24 States/UTs.
2. Its target is a 40% reduction in PM10 levels by 2025-26 (revised from 20–30%).
3. Swachh Vayu Survekshan is only a ranking of cities under NCAP, launched later (2022-23).

Yaad rakhein: NCAP – 2019 – 131 cities.

Answer: (D) National Clean Air Programme

Concept: Some Windows items are visual desktop elements, while others are tools for changing system settings.

1. Control Panel is used to configure hardware, software, users, network, display and other system settings.
2. Recycle Bin, Start Menu and Taskbar are direct visual elements of the desktop used for storage of deleted files, launching programs and switching windows.

Yaad rakhein: Control Panel = "control" the settings.

Answer: (C) Control Panel

Concept: Legal disputes between countries over territory are settled by the UN's principal judicial organ, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), at The Hague.

1. In 2025 Cambodia approached the ICJ over its border dispute with Thailand (temple areas such as Ta Muen Thom and Ta Krabey), following armed clashes.
2. The WTO handles trade disputes; the ASEAN Regional Forum is a security dialogue, not a court.

Yaad rakhein: Border/territorial legal dispute → ICJ (The Hague).

Answer: (C) International Court of Justice

Concept: IKEA is a furniture and home-furnishing retailer founded in 1943 by Ingvar Kamprad in Sweden.

1. In 2013 the Government of India approved IKEA's ₹10,500 crore single-brand retail FDI proposal to open 10 stores.
2. Its first Indian store opened in Hyderabad in 2018.
3. It is therefore a Swedish company.

Yaad rakhein: IKEA – Ingvar Kamprad, Elmtaryd, Agunnaryd (Sweden).

Answer: (C) Swedish company

Concept: The India Digital Summit (IDS) is the annual flagship event of the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI).

1. The 19th India Digital Summit was held in New Delhi in January 2025, focusing on India's digital ecosystem.
2. NASSCOM organises the Technology & Leadership Forum; TRAI is a regulator; CII is an industry body for all sectors.

Yaad rakhein: India Digital Summit ↔ Internet & Mobile Association (IAMAI).

Answer: (D) IAMAI

Concept: On 7 May 2025 the Ministry of Home Affairs conducted a nationwide civil defence mock drill ("Operation Abhyaas") to strengthen emergency preparedness.

1. It was held in 244 notified civil defence districts across the country.
2. Drills included air-raid sirens, blackouts, evacuation and training of civilians.
3. It coincided with Operation Sindoor, launched the same day.

Yaad rakhein: 7 May 2025 → 244 districts (both have a "4").

Answer: (B) 244

Concept: Tavasya is the second ship of the two additional Project 1135.6 (Talwar-class follow-on) frigates built by Goa Shipyard Ltd.

1. It was launched at Goa in 2025 and belongs to the stealth frigate class (sister ship: Triput).
2. These frigates have reduced radar signature and carry BrahMos missiles.
3. It is not a submarine, corvette or survey vessel.

Yaad rakhein: Triput & Tavasya = Goa-built stealth frigates (P-1135.6).

Answer: (C) Stealth frigate

Concept: Article 243F of the Constitution lays down the disqualifications for membership of a Panchayat.

1. A person qualified to be elected to the State Legislature is qualified for a Panchayat.
2. But Article 243F(1)(a) proviso says no one shall be disqualified on the ground of being less than 25 years if he has attained 21 years.
3. Hence the minimum age to contest Panchayat elections is 21 years (18 years is only for voting).

Yaad rakhein: Vote at 18, contest Panchayat at 21.

Answer: (D) 21 years

Concept: After liberalisation, several committees reviewed India's tax system; the Kelkar Task Force (2002) under Vijay Kelkar dealt with direct and indirect tax reforms.

1. It recommended simplifying direct taxes – fewer exemptions, rationalised slabs and abolition of wealth tax – and computerised tax administration (TIN).
2. Narasimham Committee – banking reforms; Tarapore Committee – capital-account convertibility; Dutt Committee – industrial licensing.

Yaad rakhein: Kelkar = Kar (tax) reforms; Narasimham = banks.

Answer: (C) Kelkar Committee

Concept: The Eran stone inscription (Sagar district, MP) of Samudragupta describes how he became king.

1. It says his father Chandragupta I chose him as successor because of his devotion (bhakti), righteous conduct (naya) and valour (parakrama).
2. The Allahabad Prashasti by Harishena also records the father embracing him and naming him successor before the court.
3. Age or birthright was not the stated reason – he was not necessarily the eldest son.

Yaad rakhein: Eran → Bhakti + Naya + Parakrama.

Answer: (C) Devotion, righteous conduct and valour

Concept: NITI Aayog released its first Fiscal Health Index (FHI) 2025 in January 2025, ranking 18 major states on fiscal parameters.

1. It used five sub-indices: quality of expenditure, revenue mobilisation, fiscal prudence, debt index and debt sustainability.
2. Odisha topped (score about 67.8), followed by Chhattisgarh, Goa and Jharkhand.
3. Gujarat and Maharashtra were "front-runners" but not at the top.

Yaad rakhein: FHI 2025 topper = Odisha; bottom = Punjab.

Answer: (C) Odisha

Concept: British Acts gradually widened the powers of Indian members in the legislative councils.

1. The Indian Councils Act, 1892 for the first time allowed members to discuss the budget (but not vote on it) and ask questions.
2. It also introduced indirect election (nomination on recommendation) of some members.
3. Act of 1861 – Indians nominated, portfolio system; Act of 1909 – members could move resolutions on the budget, separate electorate for Muslims.

Yaad rakhein: 1892 = Budget discussion; 1909 = budget resolutions.

Answer: (B) Indian Councils Act, 1892

Concept: The Servants of India Society was founded on 12 June 1905 in Pune by Gopal Krishna Gokhale.

1. It trained dedicated workers to serve the nation through education, social reform, relief work and political awareness.
2. Gokhale, a Moderate leader, was Gandhiji's political guru.
3. Tilak (Extremist) started Kesari and the Deccan Education Society; S.N. Banerjee founded the Indian Association.

Yaad rakhein: Gokhale → Servants of India (1905) → Gandhi's guru.

Answer: (C) Gopal Krishna Gokhale

Concept: The Delhi Sultanate had four main ministries (diwans), each with a specific function.

1. Diwan-i-Arz was the military department, headed by the Ariz-i-Mumalik; under Alauddin Khalji it handled recruitment, the dagh (branding horses) and huliya (descriptive roll of soldiers).
2. Diwan-i-Insha – royal correspondence; Diwan-i-Wizarat – finance (Wazir); Diwan-i-Risalat – religious affairs.

Yaad rakhein: Arz → Army (both start with "A").

Answer: (B) Diwan-i-Arz

Concept: The three Presidency Banks of British India were set up in the three presidencies under charters of the East India Company.

1. Bank of Bengal – 1806 (first, originally Bank of Calcutta); Bank of Bombay – 1840; Bank of Madras – 1843 (third).
2. In 1921 they merged to form the Imperial Bank of India, which became the State Bank of India in 1955.

Yaad rakhein: Bengal 1806 → Bombay 1840 → Madras 1843 → Imperial 1921 → SBI 1955.

Answer: (A) 1843