Q&A: practice questions with answers

Concept: Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) are the national multi-sport games for under-18 athletes.

1. The 7th KIYG was held in May 2025 in Bihar (Patna, Rajgir, Gaya, Bhagalpur, Begusarai), with some events in Delhi.
2. Maharashtra topped the medal table.
3. The 6th edition (2024) was held in Tamil Nadu.

Yaad rakhein: KIYG 2025 = Bihar (first time), mascot "Gajasimha".

Answer: (B) Bihar

Concept: Starch has two parts: amylose (unbranched) and amylopectin (branched); both are polymers of α-D-glucose.

1. In amylopectin the glucose units in each chain are joined mainly by α-1,4-glycosidic bonds.
2. At branch points (about every 24–30 units) an α-1,6 bond starts a new chain – this is the minor linkage.
3. β-1,4 bonds are found in cellulose, which humans cannot digest.

Yaad rakhein: Starch/glycogen = α; Cellulose = β. Chain 1,4 – Branch 1,6.

Answer: (A) α-1,4-glycosidic bonds

Concept: UDAY was launched by the Ministry of Power in November 2015 for the financial turnaround of state power distribution companies (DISCOMs).

1. UDAY = Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana.
2. States took over 75% of DISCOM debt (50% in 2015-16, 25% in 2016-17) and issued bonds, cutting interest costs.
3. It also aimed to reduce AT&C losses and close the gap between cost and revenue of supply.

Yaad rakhein: UDAY – "Ujwal" (bright) DISCOMs.

Answer: (C) Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana

Concept: The C-295 transport aircraft is being made under a Tata Advanced Systems–Airbus partnership – the first private-sector military aircraft line in India.

1. On 28 October 2024 PM Modi and Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez inaugurated the TATA Aircraft Complex at Vadodara, Gujarat.
2. Of 56 aircraft for the IAF, 16 come directly from Spain and 40 will be built in Vadodara.
3. Hyderabad hosts Tata's C-295 component/sub-assembly units, which makes it a tempting wrong option.

Yaad rakhein: C-295 final assembly = Vadodara (Gujarat).

Answer: (C) Vadodara

Concept: Centre–State relations are spread over three Parts of the Constitution.

1. Part XI (Articles 245–263) – legislative and administrative relations.
2. Part XII (Articles 264–300A) – finance, property, contracts and suits; it covers financial relations, Finance Commission (Art. 280), etc.
3. Part X – Scheduled and Tribal Areas; Part XIII – trade and commerce within India.

Yaad rakhein: XI = Law & Admin; XII = Money.

Answer: (D) Part XII

Concept: New Caledonia is a Pacific island territory (special collectivity) of France, about 1,200 km east of Australia.

1. It holds about 20–30% of the world's nickel reserves.
2. In 2024–25 it was in the news for unrest over electoral reforms, the nickel-mining crisis and the independence debate (Bougival agreement talks with Paris).
3. Australia and New Zealand are neighbours, but it is not their territory.

Yaad rakhein: New Caledonia → French territory, nickel-rich (capital Nouméa).

Answer: (D) France

Concept: Life expectancy at birth is a key component of the UNDP Human Development Index (HDI).

1. According to the Human Development Report 2025, India's life expectancy rose from 58.6 years in 1990 to 72 years in 2023 – the highest since the index began.
2. India ranked 130th out of 193 countries in HDI 2025 (value about 0.685).

Yaad rakhein: 1990 → 2023: 58.6 → 72 years (HDR 2025).

Answer: (A) 72 years

Concept: Check each abbreviation, its full form and its function.

1. LAN – Local Area Network – connects computers within a limited area such as an office, school or building. Correct.
2. CD = Compact Disc (not Central Disk), a removable optical storage medium.
3. ASCII = American Standard Code for Information Interchange – a character-encoding standard, not for graphics or LAN setup.

Yaad rakhein: LAN (building) < MAN (city) < WAN (country/world).

Answer: (A) LAN – Local Area Network – connects computers within a limited area

Concept: The Bharat 6G Vision document was released by PM Modi on 22 March 2023.

1. Its aim is to make India a leading global supplier of intellectual property, products and solutions in 6G – i.e. to make India a front-runner in 6G technology by 2030.
2. The Bharat 6G Alliance was formed to implement it.
3. It is not about importing infrastructure, urban-only roll-out or replacing 5G by 2025.

Yaad rakhein: Bharat 6G Vision → "lead by 2030".

Answer: (B) To establish India as a leader in 6G technology by 2030

Concept: The 97th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2011 gave constitutional status to co-operative societies.

1. It inserted Part IXB (Articles 243ZH–243ZT) on co-operative societies.
2. It also made forming co-operatives a fundamental right under Article 19(1)(c) and added DPSP Article 43B.
3. Part IXA deals with Municipalities (74th Amendment); Part IX with Panchayats.

Yaad rakhein: IX – Panchayat, IXA – Municipality, IXB – Co-operative (97th).

Answer: (A) Part IXB

Concept: Lysosomal storage disorders occur when an enzyme that breaks down a substance is missing, so the substance piles up in cells.

1. In Tay-Sachs disease, deficiency of the enzyme hexosaminidase A stops breakdown of the lipid GM2 ganglioside.
2. The lipid accumulates in nerve cells of the brain, causing progressive neuro-degeneration; it is autosomal recessive.
3. Huntington's is caused by a CAG repeat gene; Parkinson's by loss of dopamine neurons; Alzheimer's by amyloid plaques.

Yaad rakhein: Tay-Sachs = lipid storage in brain (Hex-A deficiency).

Answer: (A) Tay-Sachs disease

Concept: "AI on Trial" is a book on artificial intelligence and the law, released in April 2025.

1. It is written by Sujeet Kumar and Tauseef Alam.
2. It examines how AI is affecting the legal system, justice delivery, evidence and rights, and the need for regulation.

Yaad rakhein: AI on Trial → Sujeet Kumar & Tauseef Alam (2025).

Answer: (B) Sujeet Kumar and Tauseef Alam

Concept: The early (Moderate) Congress leaders, 1885–1905, such as Dadabhai Naoroji, Pherozeshah Mehta and G.K. Gokhale, had faith in British rule.

1. They believed in the British sense of justice and fair play and considered British rule a "providential" blessing for India – they were loyal and supportive of the British connection.
2. They used the "3P" method – prayer, petition, protest – and sought reforms within the British framework.
3. Violent uprising and immediate independence were the ideas of revolutionaries/Extremists, not Moderates.

Yaad rakhein: Moderates = loyal to British + 3P (Prayer, Petition, Protest).

Answer: (B) Support for British

Concept: The Preamble has been amended only once.

1. The 42nd Amendment Act, 1976 (Indira Gandhi government, during the Emergency) added the words "Socialist", "Secular" and "Integrity".
2. It is called the "Mini-Constitution" because of its wide changes.
3. The 44th Amendment (1978) removed property as a fundamental right; the 24th dealt with Parliament's power to amend.

Yaad rakhein: 42 → Socialist, Secular, Integrity (Preamble amended only once).

Answer: (B) 42nd

Concept: Coal reserves are estimated each year by the Ministry of Coal / Geological Survey of India.

1. As per Ministry of Coal data for 2023-24, Odisha has the largest coal reserves (about 24–25% of India's total), mainly in the Talcher and Ib Valley fields.
2. Jharkhand is second and Chhattisgarh third in reserves.
3. In production, however, Chhattisgarh and Odisha lead – do not confuse reserves with production.

Yaad rakhein: Reserves: Odisha > Jharkhand > Chhattisgarh.

Answer: (D) Odisha

Concept: Biodiversity depends largely on land area, habitat variety and forest cover.

1. Lakshadweep is a group of tiny coral atolls with total land area of only about 32 sq km and almost no natural forests (mostly coconut).
2. Andaman & Nicobar islands are large (about 8,249 sq km), hilly and covered with dense tropical rainforests – hence very rich biodiversity.
3. Lakshadweep is not volcanic or cold; the cause is small land area and lack of forests.

Yaad rakhein: Small coral atolls + no forest = low biodiversity.

Answer: (A) Smaller land area and lack of forest cover

Concept: Nepal shares its border with five Indian states.

1. From west to east: Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Sikkim.
2. Uttar Pradesh has the longest border with Nepal; Bihar is second.
3. Himachal Pradesh borders China (Tibet); Odisha and Meghalaya have no border with Nepal (Meghalaya borders Bangladesh).

Yaad rakhein: Nepal neighbours: "U-U-B-W-S" (Uttarakhand, UP, Bihar, WB, Sikkim).

Answer: (A) Bihar

Concept: Diazonium salts contain the diazonium group $-{\text{N}}_2^{+}$ (two nitrogen atoms joined by a triple bond) attached to an alkyl/aryl group, with a counter anion.

1. General formula: $\text{R}-{\text{N}}_2^{+}{\text{X}}^{-}$, e.g. benzenediazonium chloride ${\text{C}}_6{\text{H}}_5{\text{N}}_2^{+}{\text{Cl}}^{-}$.
2. $\text{R}-\text{C}\equiv \text{N}$ is a nitrile; ${\text{R}}_2\text{C}={\text{NR}}^{\prime }$ is an imine; $\text{R}-\text{CO}-{\text{NR}}^{\prime }{\text{R}}^{″}$ is an amide.

Yaad rakhein: Diazo = "two nitrogens" → ${\text{N}}_2^{+}$.

Answer: (B) $\text{R}-{\text{N}}_2^{+}{\text{X}}^{-}$

Concept: The Israel–Iran conflict escalated sharply in June 2025 (the "12-day war").

1. On 13 June 2025 Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, striking Iran's nuclear facilities (such as Natanz) and military sites, killing senior commanders and nuclear scientists.
2. Iran retaliated with missile and drone strikes on Tel Aviv and other cities – a response, not the trigger.
3. The US later struck Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan (Operation Midnight Hammer) before a ceasefire on 24 June.

Yaad rakhein: June 2025: Israel first ("Rising Lion") → Iran's reply ("True Promise III").

Answer: (A) Israel's first strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities

Concept: In 1857 Hindus and Muslims fought together (Bahadur Shah Zafar as symbolic leader), so the British changed their policy afterwards.

1. After the revolt the British adopted "divide and rule", favouring one community against the other.
2. This bred mistrust between Hindu and Muslim communities – a lasting negative consequence for Indian society.
3. The decline of handicrafts was due to British economic policy and the Industrial Revolution, not the revolt.

Yaad rakhein: 1857 = Hindu-Muslim unity in revolt → British "divide and rule" after it.

Answer: (A) Distrust developed between the Hindu and Muslim communities