Contemporary Events: India: UPSC Previous Year Questions (General Knowledge)
6 previous year UPSC Prelims questions on Contemporary Events: India (General Knowledge). Choose an option to see the answer and explanation.
Explanations state facts as of the year each question was asked; words like “recently” refer to that year.
Showing 1–6 of 6 questions
UPSC 2000General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q1. The following news item appeared in a National daily dated 1-12-1999: "...Parliament today rejected a Bill to grant women the right to vote and stand for office in parliamentary elections, by a margin of 32 to 30. The National Assembly was split between liberal pro-government and Shiite Muslim deputies who were in favour of women’s rights, while the opposition camp grouped Sunni Muslim fundamentalists and tribal MPs. A total of 64 MPs and Ministers were present, of whom two abstained." The Parliament referred to in this quotation is that of:
Explanation
In 1999, Kuwait’s Parliament rejected a bill that would have granted women the right to vote and run for office. This decision reflected the division between liberal and conservative factions within the National Assembly. Women in Kuwait were eventually granted voting rights in 2005.
Additional insight:
On May 17, 2005, the Kuwaiti Parliament passed a bill granting women the right to vote and run for elected office. The measure was approved with 37 votes in favor and 21 against.
UPSC 2000General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q2. The new GDP series released by the CSO in February, 1999 is with reference to base price of:
Explanation
The Central Statistical Office (CSO) revises the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) series periodically to update the base year, ensuring that GDP calculations reflect current economic conditions. In February 1999, the CSO released a new GDP series with the base year changed to 1993-94. The previous GDP series was based on 1990-91 prices, and this update aligned the GDP estimates with more recent economic data.
Additional insight:
India revises the base year for GDP calculations periodically to align with economic changes. In 2015, it was updated from 2004-05 to 2011-12. The government now plans to shift the base year to 2022-23 by February 2026 for a more accurate economic assessment.
UPSC 2000General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q3. The Standing Committee of State Finance Ministers recommended in January, 2000 uniform rates across the states in respect of:
Explanation
In January 2000, the Standing Committee of State Finance Ministers recommended uniform Sales Tax rates across states to reduce disparities and harmonize taxation. This paved the way for Value-Added Tax (VAT), which replaced the sales tax system in many states from April 2005.
UPSC 2000General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q4. The Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana which came into operation from 1-12-1997 aims to provide gainful employment to the urban unemployed or underemployed poor but does not include:
Explanation
The Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY) was launched on December 1, 1997, to provide self-employment and wage employment to urban unemployed and underemployed poor. It was formed by merging various urban poverty alleviation schemes, including Nehru Rozgar Yojana (NRY), Urban Basic Services for the Poor (UBSP), and Prime Minister’s Integrated Urban Poverty Eradication Programme (PMIUPEP). However, the Prime Minister’s Rozgar Yojana (PMRY) was not merged with SJSRY, as it remained a separate program focusing on self-employment for educated unemployed youth in both urban and rural areas.
UPSC 2000General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q5. Consider the following statements: The Ministerial Meeting of WTO held in December 1999 was unsuccessful because in attempted to link trade with: 1. Labour related issues 2. Environment related issues 3. Terrorism related issues 4. Debt related issues Which of these statements are correct?
Explanation
The World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference, held in December 1999 in Seattle, USA, failed due to disagreements among member countries on key issues. Developed nations, particularly the United States and the European Union, pushed for including labour standards in trade negotiations, which developing countries opposed, fearing protectionist measures against their exports. Similarly, environmental concerns became contentious as some nations and environmental groups demanded trade policies incorporating environmental protection, while developing nations resisted, citing unfair trade restrictions However, terrorism-related issues were not a major focus at the time, as global economic discussions on terrorism gained prominence only after 9/11. Likewise, while debt-related issues were a concern for developing countries, the conference primarily focused on trade negotiations rather than debt relief.
UPSC 2000General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q6. The upper part of the given graph is a hypothetical movement in the BSE Sensex over a few months and the lower part is the fluctuation in the average value of automobile shares in the same period (actual values not given). Which one of the following inferences can be drawn from the graphs?
Explanation
This inference could be drawn if the fluctuations in the Sensex are particularly sharp in that specific period (June/July), which often happens during political changes or events. If the Sensex reacts to such changes while the automobile market stays steady, it suggests that political instability might have contributed to the broader market fluctuations, but it did not affect the automobile sector in the same way.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
1
2000
(a) Kuwait
2
2000
(c) 1993 - 94
3
2000
(b) sales tax
4
2000
(d) Prime Minister’s Rozgar Yojana
5
2000
(b) 1 and 2
6
2000
(b) There has been a major political change in June/July
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on Contemporary Events: India?
This page covers 6 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on Contemporary Events: India (General Knowledge), asked from 1996 to 2010. Each has the correct answer and an explanation.
How should I use previous year UPSC questions for Prelims?
Attempt each question first, then open the answer and read the explanation for every option. Repeat by chapter, and track which statements UPSC reuses across years. Previous year questions show the exam pattern and difficulty level.
Which years are covered for Contemporary Events: India?
Questions on Contemporary Events: India (General Knowledge) are available for 14 years, from 1996 to 2010. Use the Year filter to practise a single paper.
