Q&A: practice questions with answers

Concept: The Himalayas form an arc about 2,400 km long from west to east across northern India.

1. The western limit of the Himalayas is the Indus gorge (near Nanga Parbat).
2. The eastern limit is the Brahmaputra gorge (near Namcha Barwa).
3. Ganga and Yamuna rise inside the Himalayas, so they cannot be the end points.

Yaad rakhein: Indus se Brahmaputra tak – 'I to B', about 2,400 km.

Answer: (B) Brahmaputra

Concept: Indrajaal is an AI-powered autonomous anti-drone system developed by Hyderabad-based Grene Robotics.

1. In May 2025 its infrastructure version, Indrajaal Infra, was deployed at New Mangalore Port, Karnataka's largest port.
2. It detects, tracks and neutralises hostile drones over a wide area to protect critical infrastructure.
3. SkyNet, AeroGuard and DroneShield are not the system deployed there.

Trick: Indrajaal = a 'net of Indra' over the sky – a shield for ports and plants.

Answer: (C) Indrajaal Infra

Concept: The Gupta army in texts had four limbs (chaturanga): infantry, cavalry, elephants and chariots.

1. By the Gupta period, chariots had lost their importance and were rarely used in actual warfare.
2. Cavalry (especially mounted archers) and elephants became the main striking force.
3. So the division that existed in texts but was rare in battle was the chariot.

Yaad rakhein: Gupta age: horse up, chariot down.

Answer: (B) Chariot

Concept: Plantation agriculture grows a single cash crop on large estates with heavy capital and labour.

1. Kerala is India's leading producer of natural rubber, grown as a plantation crop (along with tea, coffee and spices).
2. Wheat, rice and cotton are field crops, not plantation crops.
3. Rubber needs hot, humid climate with rainfall above 200 cm – ideal in Kerala.

Yaad rakhein: Kerala = Rubber + Spices; Assam = Tea; Karnataka = Coffee.

Answer: (B) Rubber

Concept: Montane vegetation changes with altitude: tropical at the base, subtropical at mid-levels, temperate higher up.

1. In the southern Western Ghats (Nilgiris, Anaimalai, Cardamom hills) the lower hill slopes carry subtropical forests.
2. These hills lie in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
3. Higher up, temperate 'Sholas' forests are found in the same states.

Yaad rakhein: Sholas and subtropical belts = Nilgiri region = K–T–K (Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka).

Answer: (C) Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka

Concept: Ctrl-based shortcuts perform common editing actions in most software.

1. Ctrl + Z = Undo (reverses the last action).
2. Ctrl + Y = Redo; Alt + F4 / Ctrl + W = close window/tab.
3. Zoom is usually Ctrl + (+/–) or Ctrl + mouse wheel.

Trick: Z = 'Zero it' – take the last step back; Y = 'Yes, again' (Redo).

Answer: (B) Undo the last action

Concept: Alauddin Khilji kept a large standing army and introduced checks against fraud in military musters.

1. Dagh = branding of horses, so a poor horse could not be substituted.
2. Huliya (Chehra) = a descriptive roll – a written physical description of each soldier, to prevent proxy soldiers.
3. So Huliya concerns the soldier's description, not horse branding (that is Dagh).

Trick: Huliya = 'hulia' (appearance/description) of the soldier; Dagh = 'daag' (mark) on the horse.

Answer: (B) Soldier’s description

Concept: 'The Churn' is a collection of writings by Dr. Vijay Darda, former Rajya Sabha MP and chairman of the Lokmat Media Group.

1. The book was released in April 2025.
2. It brings together his columns and reflections on politics, society and public life.
3. The other names are not its authors.

Yaad rakhein: The Churn – Vijay Darda (Lokmat).

Answer: (D) Dr. Vijay Darda

Concept: At independence India was an agrarian economy.

1. In 1950–51 agriculture contributed more than half of GDP (roughly 50–55%).
2. About 70% of the workforce depended on agriculture.
3. Services became the largest sector only after the 1980s–90s; industry was small and underdeveloped.

Yaad rakhein: 1947: Agriculture first; today: Services first.

Answer: (D) Agriculture

Concept: Characters are carried by genes on chromosomes and passed on during reproduction.

1. Heredity = transmission of traits from parents to offspring.
2. Mutation = sudden change in DNA; hybridisation = crossing two varieties; linkage = genes on the same chromosome inherited together.
3. Mendel's laws explain how heredity works.

Yaad rakhein: Heredity = inheritance; Variation = differences; Genetics studies both.

Answer: (B) heredity

Concept: The British developed a hybrid style mixing Indian (Hindu and Mughal/Islamic) features with European forms.

1. This Indo-Saracenic style blends domes, chhatris, jaalis and arches with Gothic, Victorian and Neo-Classical elements.
2. Examples: Gateway of India (Mumbai), Victoria Memorial (Kolkata), Madras High Court, Mysore Palace.
3. Gothic Revival (e.g. CST station) is purely European, without the Indian blend.

Yaad rakhein: Indo (Indian) + Saracenic (Islamic) + Europe = Gateway of India.

Answer: (A) Indo-Saracenic

Concept: Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana asks each MP to develop model villages in his/her constituency.

1. SAGY was launched on 11 October 2014 (birth anniversary of Jayaprakash Narayan).
2. Its aim is to turn Gandhiji's vision of an ideal village into reality in the present context.
3. Each MP adopts and develops one Adarsh Gram at a time.

Yaad rakhein: 2014 – the year of many flagship schemes (Swachh Bharat, Jan Dhan, SAGY).

Answer: (B) 2014

Concept: The Global Vanguard Honour was introduced in 2025 by Gold House at its Gold Gala in Los Angeles.

1. The inaugural honour was given to Priyanka Chopra (Jonas).
2. It recognises her global contribution to entertainment and Asian representation in Hollywood.
3. The other actresses did not receive this honour.

Yaad rakhein: Global star of Bollywood + Hollywood = Priyanka – Global Vanguard.

Answer: (C) Priyanka Chopra

Concept: Input devices send data into the computer; output devices show or deliver results from it.

1. Input: keyboard, mouse, scanner, microphone, joystick.
2. Output: monitor, printer, speaker.
3. Only option B classifies both correctly: Microphone – input, Monitor – output.

Trick: If it 'takes in' (types, clicks, hears, scans) → input; if it 'gives out' (shows, prints, sounds) → output.

Answer: (B) Microphone – Input device, Monitor – Output device

Concept: Heavy, continuous pre-monsoon and monsoon rain in early June 2025 caused floods and landslides in the North-East.

1. The Kamrup (Metro) administration in Guwahati issued evacuation notices to residents of landslide-prone hilly localities.
2. Guwahati's hills (e.g. around the city's slopes) are highly vulnerable to landslides after intense rain.
3. Silchar, Dibrugarh and Jorhat were not the city that issued these notices.

Yaad rakhein: Guwahati = Assam's largest city, built around hills → landslide risk.

Answer: (D) Guwahati

Concept: The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 came into force on 1 April 2010.

1. For implementing RTE, the Centre estimated a total fund requirement of ₹2.31 lakh crore for 2010-11 to 2014-15.
2. The cost was to be shared between the Centre and States (initially 68 : 32 ratio).
3. RTE was implemented through the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan framework, but the estimate was for the RTE Act itself.

Yaad rakhein: RTE: in force 2010, Article 21A, ages 6–14, ₹2.31 lakh crore for five years.

Answer: (A) Right to Education Act

Concept: The Vernacular Press Act, 1878 curbed Indian-language newspapers critical of British rule.

1. It was passed under Viceroy Lord Lytton, who was criticised for it and for the Delhi Durbar during famine.
2. It was repealed in 1882 by Lord Ripon.
3. It was nicknamed the 'Gagging Act'.

Trick: Lytton made it, Ripon removed it (1878 → 1882).

Answer: (C) Lord Lytton

Concept: The Constitution has 12 Schedules, each on a specific subject.

1. The Tenth Schedule contains the anti-defection provisions, added by the 52nd Amendment, 1985.
2. Panchayati Raj = 11th Schedule; Official languages = 8th Schedule (22 languages).
3. Emergency provisions are in Part XVIII (Articles 352–360), not in a Schedule.

Yaad rakhein: 10th Schedule = Dal-badal (anti-defection), 52nd Amendment, Rajiv Gandhi govt, 1985.

Answer: (D) Provisions related to anti-defection

Concept: Two Home Rule Leagues demanded self-government for India within the British Empire.

1. Tilak founded his League in April 1916 at Belgaum; Annie Besant founded hers in September 1916 at Madras.
2. The movement spread rapidly in 1916–17, gaining huge membership and popularity.
3. 1906 = Muslim League; 1909 = Morley-Minto Reforms; 1919 = Rowlatt Act/Jallianwala.

Yaad rakhein: 1916 – Home Rule + Lucknow Pact (same year).

Answer: (B) 1916

Concept: Films must be certified before public exhibition under the Cinematograph Act, 1952.

1. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, does this, HQ Mumbai.
2. It grants U, U/A (with age sub-categories), A and S certificates.
3. FTII trains film-makers; NFDC promotes/finances films; CFSI makes children's films.

Yaad rakhein: CBFC = 'Censor Board' – U, UA, A, S.

Answer: (D) Central Board of Film Certification