Q&A: practice questions with answers

Concept: Both letters of each pair advance by one place.

1. First letters N, O, P, Q → R.
2. Second letters R, S, T, U → V ⇒ RV.

Trick: Gap inside each pair stays 4 (N→R, O→S…). R + 4 = V.

Answer: (C) RV

Concept: A word appearing in two sentences takes the code common to both.

1. Sentences 2 & 3 share only 'fish' and only 'yz' ⇒ fish = yz.
2. Sentences 1 & 3 share 'banana' and 'stu' ⇒ banana = stu.
3. Sentences 1 & 2 share apple, bird ↔ pqr, vwx; option codes show apple = pqr.
4. apple fish banana = pqr, yz, stu.

Trick: Options B, C, D contain codes (xc, zu, ub…) that never appear in the data — eliminate them at once.

Answer: (A) pqr, yz, stu

Concept: An administrator's decision must be rule-based, evidence-based and equal for everyone.

1. Rules and evidence give an objective basis for action.
2. Fear of influence (A) or emotion (B) would mean special treatment; mere consultation (D) is not a basis for the decision.

Trick: In ethics questions, pick the option that treats everyone equally under the rules.

Answer: (C) School rules, evidence and ensuring fairness for all students

Concept: $1+3+5+\dots$ (n terms) $=n^2$.

1. $n=25\Rightarrow$ sum $={25}^2=625$.
2. His answer matches, so he is correct.

Trick: Check small cases: $1=1^2$, $1+3=2^2$, $1+3+5=3^2$ — the pattern always holds.

Answer: (A) Yes

Concept: Each letter is replaced by the letter just before it.

1. J→I, U→T, N→M, G→F, L→K, E→D (−1 each).
2. FISH: F→E, I→H, S→R, H→G ⇒ EHRG.

Trick: First letter alone decides it: F − 1 = E, and only option A starts with E.

Answer: (A) EHRG

Concept: Snob effect: a buyer's demand for a good falls when more and more people start buying it.

1. The snob buyer values exclusiveness, so wider use makes the good less attractive.
2. Bandwagon effect is the reverse (demand rises because others buy); Veblen effect links demand to a high price as status; demonstration effect is copying others' consumption.

Trick: Snob = 'I want to be different'; Bandwagon = 'I want to join the crowd' — they are opposites.

Answer: (D) Snob effect

Concept: Earth-observation satellites give quick, wide-area data used for disaster warning and relief.

1. Satellite images track cyclone movement, map flood-hit areas and monitor drought/crop stress.
2. This helps in early warning, evacuation and relief planning. Other options (birds, movies, mobile signals) are not disaster-management uses.

Yaad rakhein: India's disaster-support satellites include RISAT (radar, sees through clouds) and INSAT/Oceansat series; NRSC Hyderabad processes the data.

Answer: (A) By offering real-time information on floods, cyclones and droughts

Concept: Babur's victory over Ibrahim Lodi at Panipat laid the foundation of Mughal rule.

1. First Battle of Panipat: 21 April 1526 – Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi, ending the Lodi dynasty.
2. 1556 (option B) is the Second Battle – Akbar's forces defeated Hemu.

Trick: Panipat battles: 1526 (Babur), 1556 (Akbar–Hemu), 1761 (Abdali–Marathas). Gap 30, then 205 years.

Answer: (C) 1526 CE

Concept: APY is a pension-based social security scheme for unorganised-sector workers.

1. Launched in 2015 for citizens aged 18–40 years.
2. After 60, the subscriber gets a fixed monthly pension of ₹1,000–₹5,000 depending on contribution; regulated by PFRDA.

Trick: APY = 'A' for Aged-income: it is about pension after 60, not banking, jobs or health cover.

Answer: (A) Social security for workers in the unorganized sector

Concept: At the top, velocity becomes zero, so H = u²/2g.

1. u = 20 m/s, g = 9.8 m/s².
2. H = 20² / (2 × 9.8) = 400 / 19.6 ≈ 20.4 m.

Trick: With g ≈ 10, H = 400/20 = 20 m; the answer must be slightly more than 20 because g is a bit below 10 → 20.4 m.

Answer: (D) 20.4 m

Concept: Portuguese builders gave Old Goa's churches European architectural styles.

1. Built mainly in the 16th–17th centuries; Basilica of Bom Jesus (holds St. Francis Xavier's remains) and Se Cathedral are famous examples.
2. They show Baroque and Portuguese Manueline styles; Mughal and Dravidian are Indian styles.

Yaad rakhein: 'Churches and Convents of Goa' became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.

Answer: (D) Baroque and Manueline

Concept: Pigment molecules arranged as an antenna (light-harvesting complex) capture light for the photosystems.

1. Chlorophylls and carotenoids in the thylakoid absorb light and pass the energy to the reaction-centre chlorophyll a.
2. ATPase (ATP synthase) makes ATP; polymerase and ligase work on DNA/RNA — not light collection.

Trick: Antenna = receives signals; in plants it 'receives' light — the name itself gives the answer.

Answer: (B) Antenna complex

Concept: India has hosted the Asian Games two times, both in New Delhi.

1. 1951 – the very first Asian Games, New Delhi.
2. 1982 – 9th Asian Games, New Delhi (Appu was the mascot; colour TV came to India for it).

Yaad rakhein: First Asian Games: Delhi 1951; India's two hostings are 31 years apart (1951, 1982).

Answer: (A) Twice

Concept: UCC means one common set of personal laws for all citizens, irrespective of religion.

1. Article 44 (DPSP): the State shall endeavour to secure a UCC.
2. It covers civil matters – marriage, divorce, adoption, inheritance; criminal law (BNS) is already common to all.

Yaad rakhein: Uttarakhand became the first state to implement a UCC after Independence (2025); Goa has had a common civil code since Portuguese times.

Answer: (D) To establish uniform laws on civil matters like marriage, divorce and inheritance

Concept: NCM is a statutory body; its chairperson is appointed by the Centre.

1. Iqbal Singh Lalpura, a former IPS officer from Punjab, was named NCM chairperson in 2021.
2. NCM was given statutory status by the NCM Act, 1992; six communities are notified minorities (Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis, Jains).

Yaad rakhein: Jains were the last to be notified as a minority community (2014).

Answer: (A) Iqbal Singh Lalpura

Concept: Pandwani is a narrative folk singing style of Chhattisgarh.

1. It tells episodes of the Mahabharata centred on the Pandavas (hence the name).
2. Teejan Bai, its most famous performer, has received the Padma Vibhushan.

Trick: Pandwani → Pandavas → Chhattisgarh (Teejan Bai). Link the name to the epic.

Answer: (D) Chhattisgarh

Concept: India's onshore oil comes mainly from Assam, Gujarat (Cambay basin) and the east-coast basins.

1. Statement 1: Ankleshwar, Kalol, Mehsana, Kosamba are Gujarat oilfields — correct.
2. Statement 2: Krishna-Godavari and Kaveri basins hold oil and gas — correct.

Yaad rakhein: Oldest oilfield: Digboi (Assam); largest offshore: Mumbai High.

Answer: (C) Both 1 and 2

Concept: Villages and towns depend on each other through a two-way exchange.

1. 1 ✓: villages give food, raw material, labour; towns give goods, services, jobs, markets.
2. 2 ✓: this exchange of goods, services, people and money is continuous.
3. 3 ✗: 'always in competition' is an overstatement; the link is mainly complementary.

Trick: Statements with absolute words like 'always' or 'never' are usually the wrong ones.

Answer: (C) 1 and 2 only

Concept: Volcanoes mostly form at plate boundaries; India has one active volcano.

1. Statement 1 ✗: Barren Island (Andaman & Nicobar) is an active volcano; it has erupted in recent years.
2. Statement 2 ✓: plate movements and mountain-building (orogenic) zones control where eruptions occur.

Yaad rakhein: Barren Island = India's only active volcano; Narcondam (also Andaman) is dormant.

Answer: (A) Only 2

Concept: The Rigveda is organised as Mandala → Sukta → Richa.

1. A sukta is a hymn/collection of verses addressed to a deity; there are 1,028 suktas in 10 mandalas.
2. Brahmanas are later prose texts explaining rituals; Puranas are much later texts.

Yaad rakhein: Order to remember: 10 Mandalas → 1,028 Suktas → about 10,600 Richas (verses).

Answer: (D) Suktas