Q&A: practice questions with answers

Concept: Government schemes for traditional artisans.

1. PM Vishwakarma (launched 17 Sept 2023, Ministry of MSME) covers 18 traditional trades like carpenters, potters, blacksmiths.
2. Benefits: skill training with ₹500/day stipend, toolkit support, and collateral-free loans up to ₹3 lakh at 5% interest.
3. PM Garib Kalyan = food grains; DAY = livelihoods via SHGs; Stand-Up India = loans to SC/ST and women entrepreneurs.

Yaad rakhein: Launched on Vishwakarma Jayanti (17 September) — the name itself points to craftsmen.

Answer: (B) PM Vishwakarma Scheme

Concept: NITI Aayog's first Fiscal Health Index (released January 2025) ranks 18 major states.

1. Odisha ranked 1st, helped by low debt and strong own revenue (mining).
2. Chhattisgarh and Goa followed at 2nd and 3rd.
3. Kerala was among the low-scoring 'aspirational' states.

Yaad rakhein: FHI is a NITI Aayog index — Odisha 1st, Chhattisgarh 2nd, Goa 3rd.

Answer: (D) Odisha

Concept: Geography/environment: protected grasslands of India.

1. Hesaraghatta grasslands lie on the north-western edge of Bengaluru, Karnataka, around Hesaraghatta lake.
2. They are home to many birds, the Indian grey wolf and the lesser florican.
3. Karnataka notified the area as the Greater Hesaraghatta Grassland Conservation Reserve.

Yaad rakhein: Hesaraghatta is a Kannada name — think Karnataka → Bengaluru.

Answer: (A) Bengaluru

Concept: MoSPI's EnviStats India 2024 (Environment Accounts) introduced Ocean Accounts.

1. In these ocean accounts, mangroves are treated as a part of the ocean ecosystem.
2. The report notes mangrove cover grew about 8% between 2013 and 2021.
3. 'Forest ecosystem' is the trap — forest surveys include mangroves, but this report places them under ocean.

Trick: Question names the source (EnviStats 2024) — its new feature was Ocean Accounts, where mangroves sit.

Answer: (C) Ocean ecosystem

Concept: Natya Shastra groups instruments into Tata, Sushira, Avanaddha and Ghana.

1. Ghana = solid instruments that sound by striking (cymbals, bells, ghatam).
2. Jhanjh (metal cymbals) → Ghana.
3. Pakhawaj and Nagara are skin drums → Avanaddha; Pava is a flute → Sushira.

Trick: Tata = strings, Sushira = blown, Avanaddha = skin-covered, Ghana = solid — 'TSAG'.

Answer: (C) Jhanjh

Concept: Chaitya = prayer/assembly hall; Vihara = monks' residence.

1. A chaitya is a long hall with a stupa at the apsidal end, used by monks for collective worship and teaching.
2. Hence its purpose: congregational halls.
3. Residential cells (option A) describe a vihara, not a chaitya.

Trick: Chaitya = Congregation, Vihara = Village of monks (living). Examples: Karle chaitya, Ajanta.

Answer: (C) Congregational halls for teaching and interaction

Concept: State-wise folk dances.

1. Dekhni is a women's semi-classical folk dance of Goa.
2. It mixes Indian rhythm with Western-style tunes, reflecting Goa's Indo-Portuguese culture.
3. Other Goan dances: Fugdi, Dhalo, Corredinho.

Yaad rakhein: Goa set: Dekhni, Fugdi, Dhalo, Corredinho, Ghodemodni.

Answer: (B) Goa

Concept: Science & tech current affairs: Indian observatories.

1. The MACE (Major Atmospheric Cherenkov Experiment) gamma-ray telescope was inaugurated in October 2024 at Hanle, Ladakh.
2. At about 4,270 m it is the world's highest imaging Cherenkov telescope; built by BARC.
3. Leh is the district HQ, not the site.

Yaad rakhein: Hanle (Ladakh) also hosts the Indian Astronomical Observatory and India's first Dark Sky Reserve.

Answer: (B) Hanle

Concept: Space current affairs: temporary natural satellites of Earth.

1. Asteroid 2024 PT5 (about 10 m wide) was held by Earth's gravity from late September to late November 2024.
2. It was called a 'mini-moon', though it did not complete a full orbit.
3. Afterwards it returned to its orbit around the Sun.

Trick: Asteroid names start with the discovery year — a 2024 event must have a '2024' name; between 2024 PT5 and 2024 XR12, PT5 is the mini-moon.

Answer: (B) 2024 PT5

Concept: Committees on Indian taxation.

1. In 2002, the Finance Ministry set up task forces on direct and indirect taxes, both headed by Vijay Kelkar.
2. They recommended a wider tax base, fewer exemptions, and first proposed a national GST.
3. GST finally came into force on 1 July 2017.

Yaad rakhein: Kelkar = tax reforms + 13th Finance Commission; Y. V. Reddy = 14th Finance Commission; Nilekani = Aadhaar.

Answer: (D) Vijay Kelkar

Concept: British policies of annexation in India.

1. Lord Dalhousie (Governor-General 1848–56) used the Doctrine of Lapse: a state whose ruler died without a natural heir passed to the Company; adopted heirs were not recognised.
2. Annexed: Satara (first), Jhansi, Nagpur, Sambalpur and others.
3. Subsidiary Alliance = Wellesley; Ring Fence = Warren Hastings.

Trick: Policy → person: Ring Fence – Warren Hastings, Subsidiary Alliance – Wellesley, Lapse – Dalhousie.

Answer: (C) Doctrine of Lapse

Concept: Indian financial institutions – key dates.

1. NSE was incorporated in 1992 but started trading in 1994 (debt market in June, equities in November).
2. It was India's first fully automated screen-based exchange.
3. 1992 is the incorporation year — the trap option.

Yaad rakhein: NSE: set up 1992, trading 1994, NIFTY launched 1996. BSE: 1875, Asia's oldest.

Answer: (B) 1994

Concept: India's mineral belts: North-Eastern Plateau, South-Western Plateau, North-Western, and others.

1. South-Western Plateau covers Karnataka, Goa and adjoining Tamil Nadu uplands and Kerala → 1 correct.
2. Rich in ferrous minerals and bauxite; high-grade iron ore at Kudremukh, Bababudan, Goa → 2 and 3 correct.
3. It has very little coal (only Neyveli lignite in the south) → 4 wrong.

Trick: Coal belongs to the North-Eastern Plateau (Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh) — any 'coal' statement for the south-west is false.

Answer: (C) 1,2 and 3 only

Concept: Third Plan (1961–66) failed to meet its 5.6% growth target.

1. Wars: China (1962) and Pakistan (1965) diverted resources to defence → statement 1 correct.
2. Back-to-back droughts (1965–66) hit farm output and caused inflation → statement 2 correct.
3. Result: Plan Holiday (1966–69) with three annual plans.

Yaad rakhein: Third Plan = 'failure plan' — remember 2 wars + droughts → Plan Holiday.

Answer: (C) Both statements 1 and 2

Concept: Five Year Plan targets.

1. 12th Plan (2012–17) theme: 'Faster, More Inclusive and Sustainable Growth'.
2. Approach paper proposed 9%, but the final approved target was 8% a year.
3. It was the last Five Year Plan; NITI Aayog replaced the Planning Commission in 2015.

Yaad rakhein: 11th Plan target 9% ('Faster and More Inclusive'); 12th Plan target 8% (adds 'Sustainable').

Answer: (B) 8%

Concept: Current affairs: overseas Indians (MEA data).

1. About 32 million (≈ 3.2 crore) people of Indian origin, including NRIs, PIOs and OCIs, live abroad.
2. India has the world's largest diaspora and is the top receiver of remittances (over $120 billion a year).

Yaad rakhein: Overseas Indians ≈ 3.2 crore → 32 million (1 crore = 10 million).

Answer: (A) 32 million

Concept: Health schemes – family planning.

1. Launched in 2016 by the Health Ministry, it initially covered seven high-focus states.
2. States: UP, Bihar, Rajasthan, MP, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Assam — 146 districts with TFR ≥ 3.
3. Goal: bring fertility down to replacement level (TFR 2.1).

Yaad rakhein: Later extended to all districts of these states and to the six North-Eastern states.

Answer: (B) Seven

Concept: Blood cells and their roles.

1. Haemoglobin, the iron-containing oxygen carrier, is found in erythrocytes (RBCs).
2. Lymphocytes (WBCs) fight infection; thrombocytes (platelets) help clotting; neurons carry nerve impulses.

Yaad rakhein: Erythro = red → erythrocytes = red cells = haemoglobin. Mature human RBCs have no nucleus; lifespan ≈ 120 days.

Answer: (D) Erythrocytes

Concept: Plants lack nerves but pass messages by electrical and chemical signals.

1. A touch causes ion movement across cell membranes, creating an electrical change that spreads from cell to cell.
2. In Mimosa pudica (touch-me-not), the signal reaches the pulvinus; cells lose water and the leaves fold.
3. Plants have no nerve fibres, so option (B) is wrong.

Yaad rakhein: Plants: electro-chemical signals + hormones; animals: nervous + endocrine systems.

Answer: (D) Through electro-chemical signals

Concept: Sixteen Mahajanapadas and their capitals.

1. Taxila (Takshashila) was the capital of Gandhara in the north-west.
2. It was a famous centre of learning linked with Chanakya and Panini.
3. Magadha – Rajagriha/Pataliputra; Vajji – Vaishali; Kashi – Varanasi.

Yaad rakhein: Gandhara had two key cities: Taxila (capital) and Purushapura (Peshawar).

Answer: (A) Gandhara