Q.1: Who among the following founded the ‘Self-Respect Movement’?
a) Jyotiba Phule
b) Swami Vivekananda
c) E. V. Ramaswami Naicker
d) Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
Ans: c) E. V. Ramaswami Naicker (also known as Periyar).
Imp Facts:
The Self-Respect Movement (Swayam Mariyathai Iyakkam) was a dynamic social movement started in 1925 in Tamil Nadu. Its primary goal was to create a society where backward castes had equal human rights and to encourage those from marginalized communities to have self-respect in the face of a caste-based hierarchy.
Q.2: Which one of the following statements about Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar is NOT correct?
a) He was the Principal of Sanskrit College, Calcutta
b) He was a Government Inspector of Schools
c) He was a Secretary to the Bethune School
d) He was the founder of Widow Remarriage Association
Ans: a)
Imp Facts:
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was the most prominent advocate for widow remarriage in India and his tireless efforts led to the passage of the Hindu Widows’ Remarriage Act, 1856, he was not the founder of the “Widow Remarriage Association.”
Q.3: Which one among the following plans is also known as Mahalanobis Plan?
a) First Five Year Plan
b) Second Five Year Plan
c) Third Five Year Plan
d) Sixth Five Year Plan
Ans: b)
Imp Facts: It was named after the celebrated Indian statistician Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis, who formulated the mathematical blueprint for the plan.
Q.4: Who among the following Sikh Gurus laid the foundation of the Khalsa Panth?
a) Guru Nanak
b) Guru Arjan
c) Guru Hargobind
d) Guru Gobind Singh
Ans: d)
Imp Facts:
The foundation took place on the day of Vaisakhi in 1699 at Anandpur Sahib. This event transformed the Sikh community into a disciplined order of “Saint-Soldiers” dedicated to justice, equality, and the protection of the oppressed.
Q.5: Placing the earliest first, arrange the following international events in the chronological order:
- Introduction of www (World Wide Web)
- Advent of Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles
- Launch of first communication satellite
Select the answer using the code given below:
a) 2-1-3
b) 1-2-3
c) 3-2 – 1
d) 2-3-1
Ans: d)
Q.6: Which of the following rights under the Constitution of India is/are Fundamental Right(s)?
- Right to work
- Right to privacy
- Right to free and compulsory education in the age bracket of six to eighteen years
Select the answer using the code given below:
a) 1 and 2
b) 2 and 3
c) 2 only
d) 3 only
Ans: b)
In India, the Right to Work is not a Fundamental Right, but a Directive Principle of State Policy (DPSP) under Article 41 of the Constitution. It directs the State to ensure the right to work, to education, and to public assistance in cases of unemployment, old age, or sickness, within the limits of its economic capacity. The MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) is a statutory manifestation of this principle, providing a legal guarantee for 100 days of employment in rural areas.
Q.7: Which one of the following committees is NOT associated with decentralization of Panchayati Raj institutions in India?
a) Balwant Rai Mehta Committee
b) Ashok Mehta Committee
c) L. M. Singhvi Committee
d) Abhijit Sen Committee
Ans: d)
Q.8: Which one of the following type of medicines is used for treating indigestion?
a) Analgesic
b) Antiseptic
c) Antibiotic
d) Antacid
Ans: d)
Q.9: Which one of the following is considered to be the purest source of water?
a) River water
b) Sea water
c) Well water
d) Rain water
Ans: d)
Imp Facts:
Rain is formed through the natural process of distillation. When solar energy causes water from the Earth’s surface to evaporate, it leaves behind dissolved salts, minerals, and impurities. The water vapor then condenses into clouds and falls back to Earth as rain.
Q.10: Which of the following factors influence the ocean currents?
- Coriolis force
- Gravity
- Heating by solar energy
- Wind
Select the answer using the code given below:
a) 1 and 4 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1, 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans: d)
Imp Facts:
Coriolis Force: Due to the Earth’s rotation, the Coriolis force intervenes and deflects the path of the water. In the Northern Hemisphere, currents are deflected to the right (clockwise). In the Southern Hemisphere, currents are deflected to the left (counter-clockwise). These large circular loops are known as Gyres.
Gravity: It plays a role in two ways:
Vertical Movement: It pulls denser (colder or saltier) water downward, which pushes lighter water upward, creating thermohaline circulation (the “Global Conveyor Belt”).
Horizontal Movement: As mentioned with solar heating, gravity pulls water down the slight “slopes” created by variations in sea surface height.
Heating by Solar Energy: Solar energy causes water to expand. Near the equator, the ocean water is about 8 centimeters higher in level than in the middle latitudes. This creates a very slight gradient, causing water to flow “downhill” away from the equator. Additionally, solar heating affects water density, which is a key driver of deep-sea circulation.
Wind: Wind is the primary driver of surface ocean currents. As wind blows over the ocean, it pulls the top layers of water along with it through friction. This creates the large, circular patterns of currents we see in the major ocean basins.