Q&A: practice questions with answers

Concept: For a substituted cycloalkane, number the ring so substituents get the lowest locants; if tied, the group first in alphabetical order gets 1.

1. Ring of 6 carbons → cyclohexane; substituents: methyl (${\text{CH}}_3$) and propyl (${\text{C}}_3{\text{H}}_7$).
2. Counting from the methyl carbon, the propyl carbon comes after one ring carbon → positions 1 and 3.
3. Methyl comes before propyl alphabetically, so methyl gets 1.
4. Name: 1-Methyl-3-propylcyclohexane.

Trick: Substituents separated by one ring carbon = 1,3; opposite = 1,4; adjacent = 1,2.

Answer: (D) 1-Methyl-3-Propylcyclohexane

Concept: Ionisation energy (IE) is the energy needed to remove an electron from gaseous atoms; it depends on atomic size and nuclear charge.

1. Statement A gives the correct definition (energy to remove an electron from a mole of gaseous atoms) – correct.
2. Down a group, atomic size increases, so the outer electron is held loosely → IE decreases.
3. Across a period, nuclear charge increases and size decreases → IE increases. Statement B states the reverse – incorrect.

Yaad rakhein: IE: increases → across a period, decreases ↓ down a group (opposite of atomic size).

Answer: (B) Only Statement A is correct

Concept: Most national sports federations of India have their headquarters in New Delhi.

1. Athletics Federation of India, Badminton Association of India and Hockey India are headquartered in New Delhi.
2. The Volleyball Federation of India has been based outside Delhi (its office has been in Chennai).
3. Hence VFI is the odd one out.

Yaad rakhein: AFI, BAI, Hockey India – New Delhi; VFI – Chennai.

Answer: (C) Volleyball Federation of India

Concept: Early women's autobiographies in Indian languages.

1. Amar Jiban (1876) by Rassundari Devi is considered the first full-fledged autobiography in Bengali.
2. She secretly taught herself to read so that she could read the Chaitanya Bhagavata.
3. Ente Katha – Kamala Das (Malayalam); Jina Amucha – Baby Kamble (Marathi Dalit memoir); Smritichitre – Lakshmibai Tilak (Marathi).

Yaad rakhein: Rassundari Devi – Amar Jiban – Bengali – self-taught reading.

Answer: (B) Amar Jiban by Rassundari Devi

Concept: Congress–League cooperation during the First World War.

1. The Lucknow Pact was signed in December 1916 at the Lucknow sessions of the Congress and the Muslim League.
2. Congress accepted separate electorates; both jointly demanded self-government.
3. Tilak and Jinnah were key architects; the 1916 Congress session was presided over by A.C. Mazumdar, which also reunited moderates and extremists.

Yaad rakhein: 1916 – Lucknow Pact + Home Rule Leagues + Congress reunion.

Answer: (C) 1916

Concept: Vitamin D (calciferol) controls calcium and phosphorus absorption.

1. Vitamin D helps the intestine absorb calcium and phosphate, so it is essential for strong bones, teeth and muscles.
2. Its deficiency causes rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults.
3. It is made in the skin with sunlight – the 'sunshine vitamin'.

Yaad rakhein: Vitamin D → bones; deficiency → rickets.

Answer: (A) Strengthening of bones and muscles

Concept: INSAT series – India's multipurpose geostationary satellites.

1. INSAT-1B was launched in August 1983 by the US Space Shuttle Challenger and became operational in the geostationary orbit.
2. It provided telecommunication, direct TV broadcasting and meteorological services with national coverage.
3. Bhaskara-I (1979) was an earth-observation satellite; GSAT-7 (2013) is a naval satellite; RISAT-1 (2012) a radar imaging satellite.

Yaad rakhein: INSAT-1B (1983) – first successful INSAT.

Answer: (B) Insat-1B

Concept: Articles 14–18 form the Right to Equality.

1. Article 16 guarantees equality of opportunity for all citizens in matters of public employment under the State.
2. Article 15 – no discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth.
3. Article 17 – abolition of untouchability; Article 18 – abolition of titles.

Yaad rakhein: 14 equality before law, 15 no discrimination, 16 jobs, 17 untouchability, 18 titles.

Answer: (B) Article 16

Concept: Women saints of the Bhakti movement.

1. Mirabai (16th century) was a Rajput princess of Merta, married into the Sisodia family of Mewar.
2. Her bhajans express devotion to Lord Krishna, whom she regarded as her husband; her guru is said to be Ravidas.
3. Lal Ded – Kashmiri Shaiva saint; Akka Mahadevi – Virashaiva (Shiva) saint of Karnataka; Muddupalani – Telugu poetess of Thanjavur court.

Yaad rakhein: Mira – Rajput – Krishna; Akka Mahadevi – Shiva.

Answer: (A) Mirabai

Concept: The Cabinet Mission Plan (1946) provided for an Interim Government.

1. The Interim Government was formed on 2 September 1946 with Jawaharlal Nehru as Vice-President of the Executive Council.
2. Lord Wavell (Viceroy) was its President; the Muslim League joined in October 1946.
3. It functioned until India became independent on 15 August 1947.

Yaad rakhein: Interim Govt – 2 Sept 1946; Constituent Assembly first met – 9 Dec 1946.

Answer: (A) 2 September 1946

Concept: The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 dealt with Panchayati Raj.

1. It gave constitutional status to PRIs and added Part IX (Articles 243 to 243-O).
2. It added the Eleventh Schedule with 29 functional items.
3. Part III deals with Fundamental Rights, so statement (D) is incorrect – the Act corresponds to Part IX.

Yaad rakhein: 73rd – Part IX – 11th Schedule – 29 items; 74th – Part IX-A – 12th Schedule – 18 items.

Answer: (D) The Act corresponds to Part III of the Constitution of India.

Concept: Group 13 (boron family): B, Al, Ga, In, Tl.

1. Gallium melts at about ${29.8}^{\circ }\text{C}$ but boils at about ${2400}^{\circ }\text{C}$ – one of the widest liquid ranges of any element.
2. So it stays liquid at temperatures that would vaporise mercury; it is used in high-temperature thermometers.
3. Gallium can even melt in the palm of the hand.

Yaad rakhein: Gallium – low melting point, very high boiling point → high-temperature thermometers.

Answer: (C) Gallium

Concept: World Athletics Championships 2022, Eugene (USA).

1. India won only one medal: Neeraj Chopra's silver in men's javelin throw ($88.13\text{m}$).
2. It was India's first World Championship medal in javelin and second overall after Anju Bobby George's bronze (2003).
3. So the medal tally was 1.

Yaad rakhein: 2022 Eugene – Neeraj silver (1 medal); 2023 Budapest – Neeraj gold.

Answer: (D) 1

Concept: Diamond League is a top annual series of athletics meets.

1. On 8 September 2022 Neeraj Chopra won the Diamond League Final in Zurich with a throw of $88.44\text{m}$ in javelin.
2. He became the first Indian to win the Diamond League trophy.
3. Praggnanandhaa – chess; Mary Kom – boxing; PV Sindhu – badminton.

Yaad rakhein: Neeraj Chopra – Olympic gold 2020, Diamond League trophy 2022.

Answer: (C) Neeraj Chopra

Concept: Departments of the Ministry of Finance.

1. The Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance, has an Infrastructure Policy and Finance division that handles infrastructure development, PPP policy and financing.
2. DEA also prepares the Union Budget and the Economic Survey.
3. The other options are not actual government departments.

Yaad rakhein: DEA – Budget, Economic Survey, infrastructure & PPP policy.

Answer: (D) Department of Economic Affairs

Concept: Anomalous position of hydrogen in the periodic table.

1. Hydrogen ($1s^1$) has one valence electron and forms ${\text{H}}^{+}$ like alkali metals (group 1).
2. It also needs one electron to complete its shell and forms ${\text{H}}^{-}$ and diatomic ${\text{H}}_2$ like halogens (group 17).
3. Hence it resembles both groups – its position is anomalous.

Yaad rakhein: H: like group 1 (loses $e^{-}$) and like group 17 (gains $e^{-}$).

Answer: (B) Hydrogen

Concept: Vijayanagara empire (1336–1646), capital Hampi on the Tungabhadra.

1. It was founded in 1336 by the brothers Harihara I and Bukka Raya I of the Sangama dynasty, inspired by sage Vidyaranya.
2. Devaraya II (Sangama) and Krishnadevaraya (Tuluva) were later rulers; Venkata II belonged to the Aravidu dynasty.
3. Dynasties: Sangama → Saluva → Tuluva → Aravidu.

Yaad rakhein: 1336 – Harihara & Bukka; 1565 – Battle of Talikota.

Answer: (D) Harihara and Bukka

Concept: Alluvium of the Ganga plain is of two types: old (Bhangar) and new (Khadar).

1. Khadar is the newer, younger alluvium on the flood plains, renewed almost every year by floods – very fertile.
2. Bhangar is older alluvium lying above flood level, containing calcareous kankar nodules.
3. Regur is black cotton soil of the Deccan, not a Ganga-plain alluvium.

Yaad rakhein: Khadar = new + low + flood; Bhangar = old + high + kankar.

Answer: (B) Khadar

Concept: Articles 163–167 deal with the State Council of Ministers.

1. Article 164: the Chief Minister is appointed by the Governor, and other ministers are appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister.
2. Article 163 – Council of Ministers to aid and advise the Governor; Article 165 – Advocate General; Article 167 – duties of the CM to inform the Governor.
3. Union counterpart of Article 164 is Article 75.

Yaad rakhein: Union 74–75–76–78 ≈ State 163–164–165–167.

Answer: (C) Article 164

Concept: Census 2011 literacy rates (population aged 7 and above).

1. Overall literacy: 72.98% (final figures; provisional 74.04%).
2. Urban literacy: 84.11%; Rural literacy: 67.77%.
3. So the rural literacy rate is 67.77%.

Yaad rakhein: 2011: Total ≈ 73%, Urban ≈ 84%, Rural ≈ 68% (67.77%).

Answer: (C) 67.77%