Q&A: practice questions with answers

Concept: Bachendri Pal – first Indian woman to summit Everest (23 May 1984).

1. Santosh Yadav – first woman to climb Everest twice.
2. Arunima Sinha – first female amputee to climb Everest.
3. Premlata Agarwal – oldest Indian woman (at the time) to climb Everest.

Yaad rakhein: Each option is an Everest record-holder – match the exact 'first'.

Answer: (C) Bachendri Pal

Concept: Kiran Bedi joined the IPS in 1972 – India's first woman IPS officer.

1. Sucheta Kriplani – first woman Chief Minister (UP).
2. Sarojini Naidu – first woman Governor (UP).
3. Aruna Asaf Ali – Quit India heroine; Bharat Ratna (posthumous).

Yaad rakhein: Kiran Bedi also won the Ramon Magsaysay Award (1994) and was Lt. Governor of Puducherry.

Answer: (B) Kiran Bedi

Concept: In January 2025, IFS officer Jitender Pal Singh (J.P. Singh) was named India's Ambassador to Israel.

1. He replaced Sanjeev Singla.
2. Earlier he headed the Pakistan–Afghanistan–Iran desk in the MEA.

Yaad rakhein: For appointment questions note: person + post + country + month/year.

Answer: (B) Jitender Pal Singh

Concept: President Droupadi Murmu received Timor-Leste's highest civilian honour in August 2024.

1. Conferred in Dili by President José Ramos-Horta.
2. It was the first-ever State visit by an Indian President to Timor-Leste.

Yaad rakhein: Same tour: Fiji (Companion of the Order of Fiji) and New Zealand – Aug 2024.

Answer: (C) Droupadi Murmu

Concept: In January 2025, NITI Aayog's Women Entrepreneurship Platform launched 'EmpowHER Biz – Sapno Ki Udaan'.

1. It supports women in retail business through training, mentoring and franchise help.
2. Stand-Up India, Mission Shakti and Startup India Seed Fund are older schemes of other ministries.

Trick: Programme name has 'HER' in it – a direct clue for a women's platform.

Answer: (B) EmpowHER Biz - Sapno Ki Udaan

Concept: In January 2025 the SC banned manual scavenging and hazardous sewer cleaning in six metro cities.

1. Cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad.
2. City heads had to file affidavits on when and how the practice was stopped.

Yaad rakhein: Manual scavenging is banned nationally by the Manual Scavengers Act of 2013.

Answer: (B) Manual scavenging and dangerous sewer cleaning

Concept: PMIS aims at 12-month paid internships for 1 crore youth in the top 500 companies over 5 years.

1. Announced in Union Budget 2024-25; run by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
2. Monthly support ₹5,000 (₹4,500 govt + ₹500 company) plus one-time grant ₹6,000.

Yaad rakhein: PMIS: 1 crore – 500 companies – 5 years – ₹5,000 per month.

Answer: (A) 1

Concept: PMKVY was launched on 15 July 2015 (World Youth Skills Day).

1. 2025 − 2015 = 10 years completed by July 2025.
2. Run by MSDE (skill ministry); currently in its 4.0 phase.

Yaad rakhein: Skill India Mission and PMKVY share the same launch date – 15 July 2015.

Answer: (D) 10

Concept: The part of a relay run by one athlete is called a 'leg'.

1. 4×100 m relay = 4 legs of 100 m; baton exchanged in a 20 m (now 30 m) zone.
2. A lap is one full round of the track (400 m) – not the same as a leg.

Yaad rakhein: Relay team = 4 'legs'; the last runner is the 'anchor'.

Answer: (B) Leg

Concept: Track races of 3000 m and above are long-distance.

1. Sprints: up to 400 m; middle distance: 800 m and 1500 m.
2. Long distance: 3000 m (incl. steeplechase), 5000 m, 10,000 m.

Yaad rakhein: Remember the ladder: 400 → sprint | 800–1500 → middle | 3000+ → long.

Answer: (C) 3000 metres

Concept: India's first Vistadome jungle safari train began in Uttar Pradesh (May 2025).

1. Route: Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary (Bahraich) to Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (Lakhimpur Kheri), about 107 km.
2. Glass-roof coach for a panoramic forest view – an eco-tourism initiative.

Yaad rakhein: Dudhwa Tiger Reserve lies on the Indo-Nepal border in Lakhimpur Kheri, UP.

Answer: (C) Uttar Pradesh

Concept: 'Status of Tigers in Kaziranga, 2024' recorded 148 tigers.

1. Up from 104 in 2022 (+44).
2. About 18.65 tigers per 100 sq km – among the highest densities in the world.

Yaad rakhein: Kaziranga (Assam) is famous for the one-horned rhino and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1985).

Answer: (C) 148

Concept: Harappans were a Bronze Age people – iron was unknown to them.

1. Grid streets, baked bricks and covered drains are classic Harappan features ✔.
2. Iron came into use around 1000 BCE (later Vedic period), long after the Harappan decline ✘.

Trick: Harappa = copper/bronze, not iron. 'Iron' in a Harappan question is almost always the wrong feature.

Answer: (B) Widespread use of iron tools

Concept: Nautanki is the folk theatre form of Uttar Pradesh.

1. It blends song, dialogue and drama, with the nagara drum.
2. Main styles: Hathras (music-focused) and Kanpur (acting-focused).

Yaad rakhein: State folk theatres: Khyal – Rajasthan, Tamasha – Maharashtra, Jatra – Bengal, Bhavai – Gujarat, Nautanki – UP.

Answer: (C) Uttar Pradesh

Concept: Tapu belongs to the Adi community of Arunachal Pradesh – it is a warrior (war) dance.

1. Performed by men with war cries and mock fighting, wearing warrior dress.
2. Mizoram – Cheraw (bamboo dance); Tripura – Hojagiri; Nagaland – Chang Lo.

Yaad rakhein: Arunachal dances: Tapu, Ponung (Adi), Buiya, Wancho.

Answer: (C) Arunachal Pradesh

Concept: In the 18th century the Sarbat Khalsa met at Amritsar on Baisakhi and Diwali.

1. Resolutions passed there (before the Guru Granth Sahib) were called Gurmatas.
2. Anandpur Sahib – Khalsa founded (1699); Kartarpur – Guru Nanak's last years; Tarn Taran – founded by Guru Arjan Dev.

Yaad rakhein: Sarbat Khalsa = collective assembly; Gurmata = its resolution; Misl = Sikh confederacy.

Answer: (B) Amritsar

Concept: The Finance Bill gives effect to the tax proposals of the Budget.

1. It covers imposing, abolishing, changing or regulating taxes ✔.
2. Appropriation Bill only allows withdrawal of money from the Consolidated Fund; supplementary grants cover extra spending.

Trick: Finance Bill = tax (income side); Appropriation Bill = spending (expenditure side).

Answer: (B) Finance Bill

Concept: The FRBM escape clause allows the fiscal deficit target to be exceeded in exceptional cases.

1. Grounds include national security, war, national calamity, collapse of agriculture and sharp fall in growth.
2. So both I (national security) and II (national disaster) are valid ✔.

Yaad rakhein: FRBM Act passed in 2003; based on the 2000 bill; reviewed by the N.K. Singh Committee (2017).

Answer: (C) Both I and II

Concept: Rajagriha (modern Rajgir, Bihar) was Magadha's first capital.

1. Capital under Bimbisara and Ajatashatru (Haryanka dynasty); ringed by five hills.
2. Udayin later shifted the capital to Pataliputra.
3. Champa – Anga's capital; Vaishali – Vajji (Licchavi) centre; Nalanda – later a university.

Yaad rakhein: Magadha capitals in order: Rajagriha → Pataliputra (Udayin); Vaishali briefly under Shishunaga.

Answer: (B) Rajagriha

Concept: Samaveda is the Veda of chants – Rigvedic verses set to melody.

1. Almost all its verses come from the Rigveda; sung by the Udgatri priest.
2. Rigveda itself is a collection of hymns recited by the Hotri – not a musical compilation.
3. So only statement I is correct.

Trick: Sama = song: Samaveda is the root of Indian classical music.

Answer: (A) Only I