Q&A: practice questions with answers

Concept: In May 2025 the Indian Navy and DRDO successfully carried out a combat-firing (reduced explosive) trial of the indigenous Multi-Influence Ground Mine (MIGM).

1. MIGM is an advanced underwater naval mine developed by DRDO's NSTL, Visakhapatnam, with HEMRL and TBRL.
2. It detects ships/submarines by several 'influences' – acoustic, magnetic and pressure signatures.

Trick: Multi-Influence = sound + magnetism + pressure.

Answer: (D) Multi-Influence Ground Mine

Concept: The Partition of 1947 was mainly the result of communal politics.

1. The Muslim League's two-nation theory and demand for Pakistan (1940), Direct Action Day riots (1946) and the failure of the Cabinet Mission Plan created deep communal tension.
2. Congress–League political disagreements made a united transfer of power impossible, leading to the Mountbatten Plan of 3 June 1947.
3. Language or purely economic issues were not the main cause.

Yaad rakhein: Partition = Communal tension + Political deadlock.

Answer: (A) Communal tensions and political disagreements

Concept: Indian rivers are grouped as Himalayan rivers and Peninsular (Plateau) rivers.

1. The Krishna rises at Mahabaleshwar in the Western Ghats and flows east across the Deccan Plateau to the Bay of Bengal – a Peninsular river.
2. Lohit and Dibang (Brahmaputra tributaries) and Beas (Indus system) are Himalayan rivers.

Yaad rakhein: Peninsular big four: Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Mahanadi.

Answer: (A) Krishna river

Concept: At the Doha Diamond League on 16 May 2025, Neeraj Chopra threw the javelin 90.23 m.

1. This made him the first Indian athlete ever to cross the 90-metre mark in javelin throw (his earlier best was 89.94 m).
2. It was not a world record – the world record is 98.48 m by Jan Železný.

Yaad rakhein: Neeraj – Doha 2025 – 90.23 m – first Indian beyond 90 m.

Answer: (B) He became the 1st Indian athlete to surpass the 90-metre mark in javelin throw.

Concept: RuBisCO (Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase) fixes CO₂ in the Calvin cycle of photosynthesis.

1. Because every green plant leaf contains huge amounts of it, RuBisCO is the most abundant protein in the biosphere (whole living world).
2. Collagen is the most abundant protein in the animal (human) body – the tempting trap.

Yaad rakhein: Biosphere → RuBisCO; Animal body → Collagen.

Answer: (C) RuBisCO

Concept: Lord Curzon (Viceroy 1899–1905) set up the Raleigh Commission (1902) on universities.

1. On its basis the Indian Universities Act, 1904 was passed – it increased government control over university senates, affiliation and appointments.
2. Nationalists saw it as an attempt to curb Indian education; Curzon also partitioned Bengal in 1905.

Yaad rakhein: Curzon: Universities Act 1904 → Bengal Partition 1905.

Answer: (C) 1904

Concept: Armenia and Azerbaijan fought for decades over Nagorno-Karabakh.

1. In March 2025 the two countries announced they had agreed on the full text of a peace treaty to end the conflict.
2. Georgia, Turkey and Syria were not parties to this treaty.

Yaad rakhein: Armenia ↔ Azerbaijan = Nagorno-Karabakh rivals.

Answer: (B) Azerbaijan

Concept: The Fifth Schedule (Article 244(1)) deals with the administration and control of Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes.

1. It applies to states other than Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram, and provides for Tribes Advisory Councils.
2. Official languages = Eighth Schedule; Union/State Lists = Seventh Schedule; anti-defection = Tenth Schedule.

Yaad rakhein: 5th – Scheduled Areas; 6th – NE tribal areas; 8th – languages; 10th – defection.

Answer: (A) Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes

Concept: Section 498A was added to the IPC in 1983 to protect married women.

1. It punishes a husband or his relatives for subjecting a woman to cruelty (physical/mental harm or harassment for dowry) – up to 3 years' imprisonment and fine.
2. Dowry death is Section 304B; domestic violence is covered by a separate 2005 Act; child marriage by the 2006 Act.

Yaad rakhein: 498A = cruelty; 304B = dowry death.

Answer: (C) Cruelty by husband or his relatives towards a woman

Concept: The Zojila Tunnel (about 14.2 km long) on the Srinagar–Leh route in Ladakh is being built under the Zojila pass.

1. It is described as Asia's longest bi-directional road tunnel, giving all-weather connectivity between Kashmir and Ladakh at about 11,500 ft.
2. Pir Panjal is a railway tunnel (about 11.2 km), much shorter.

Yaad rakhein: Zojila = Kashmir–Ladakh, longest bi-directional tunnel of Asia.

Answer: (B) Zojila Tunnel

Concept: Pickles spoil when bacteria and fungi grow in them.

1. Vinegar is a dilute solution of acetic acid (about 5–8%); its acidic medium (low pH) stops microbial growth, so it is a common preservative for pickles.
2. Yeast causes fermentation, baking soda is a raising agent, and sugar preserves jams rather than pickles.

Yaad rakhein: Pickle → vinegar/oil/salt; Jam → sugar.

Answer: (A) Vinegar

Concept: The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, RERA, was passed by Parliament in March 2016.

1. It came into full force on 1 May 2017, requiring each state to set up a Real Estate Regulatory Authority.
2. It mandates project registration, escrow of 70% of buyers' money and timely delivery, protecting homebuyers.

Yaad rakhein: RERA – passed 2016, fully in force 2017.

Answer: (B) 2016

Concept: Article 159 of the Constitution prescribes the oath of the Governor.

1. The Governor takes the oath before the Chief Justice of the concerned State's High Court (in his absence, the senior-most judge).
2. The President takes oath before the Chief Justice of India; the Governor administers oath to the Chief Minister.

Yaad rakhein: President ← CJI; Governor ← CJ of High Court.

Answer: (C) Chief Justice of High Court

Concept: The World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) is the annual flagship event of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), New Delhi.

1. The 24th edition, WSDS 2025, was held in New Delhi from 5 to 7 March 2025, organised by TERI.
2. It began in 2001 as the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit. NITI Aayog, CSE and RIS are not its organisers.

Yaad rakhein: WSDS = TERI's flagship summit.

Answer: (A) The Energy and Resource Institute (TERI)

Concept: VARUNA is the bilateral naval exercise between the Indian Navy and the French Navy.

1. It began in 1993 and was named VARUNA in 2001; India–France also hold Shakti (army) and Garuda (air force).
2. India–US naval exercise = Malabar (now multilateral); India–UK = Konkan.

Yaad rakhein: France: Varuna (navy), Shakti (army), Garuda (air).

Answer: (C) France

Concept: Elections to the 70-member Delhi Legislative Assembly were held in February 2025 (results on 8 February).

1. The BJP won 48 seats – a clear majority – and formed the government, with Rekha Gupta as Chief Minister.
2. AAP was reduced to 22 seats and Congress won none, so options A, C and D are wrong.

Yaad rakhein: Delhi 2025: BJP 48, AAP 22, Congress 0.

Answer: (B) BJP won a majority, forming the government.

Concept: The Community Development Programme (CDP) was India's first major rural development programme.

1. It was launched on 2 October 1952 (Gandhi Jayanti) with the help of the Ford Foundation, organised through development blocks.
2. Its review by the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957) led to Panchayati Raj.

Yaad rakhein: CDP – 2 October 1952 – Gandhi Jayanti.

Answer: (B) 2 October 1952

Concept: The Khond (Kandha) uprising of 1837–1856 took place in the Ghumsur area of Odisha.

1. Dora Bisoi led the Khonds in Ghumsur against British interference; after his surrender (1837) Chakra Bisoi continued the struggle till about 1856.
2. The revolt was against British laws, suppression of Meriah practice, new taxes and economic hardship.

Yaad rakhein: Bisoi leaders → Khonds → Ghumsur (Odisha).

Answer: (C) Ghumusar, Odisha

Concept: The Kalinga Super Cup 2025 was played in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

1. FC Goa beat Jamshedpur FC 3–0 in the final on 3 May 2025 to win the title, earning an AFC Champions League Two play-off spot.
2. Jamshedpur FC was the runner-up – the tempting wrong option.

Yaad rakhein: Super Cup 2025: Goa won, Jamshedpur lost the final.

Answer: (B) FC Goa

Concept: Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT) is located in Prayagraj (Allahabad), Uttar Pradesh.

1. Researchers there have been studying the effect of lightning strikes on aircraft and ways to protect planes.
2. Lucknow, Varanasi (IIT-BHU) and Kanpur (IIT Kanpur) host other institutes, not MNNIT.

Trick: Motilal Nehru → Anand Bhawan → Prayagraj.

Answer: (A) Prayagraj