15 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 1–10 of 15 questions
The Kalka-Shimla Railway was included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2008 as part of the Mountain Railways of India. This recognition was given due to its historical significance and outstanding engineering achievement in a difficult mountainous terrain.
Amrita Sher-Gil: A pioneering modern Indian painter who blended Indian and Western styles. Notable works: Bride’s Toilet, Self Portrait, Village Scene. Bikash Bhattacharjee: A Bengali painter known for realistic, figurative works with social commentary. Notable works:
The Red Door, The Prodigal Son.
N.S. Bendre: A modern Indian art pioneer who fused Indian folk traditions with Western abstraction. Notable works:
Figures in Landscape, Rural Scene.
Subodh Gupta: A contemporary artist known for sculptures and installations using everyday objects. Notable works:
Very Hungry God, What Does the Mirror Reflect?.
Mahamastakabhisheka is a grand religious event that is associated with Lord Bahubali (Gommateshwara), a revered figure in Jainism. The event is celebrated once in every 12 years at the Shravanabelagola temple in Karnataka, India.
| List-I (Person) | List-II (Organization) |
|---|---|
| A. Anil Agarwal | 1. Gujarat Heavy Chemicals Ltd. |
| B. Gautam H. Singhania | 2. Raymond Ltd. |
| C. Sanjay Dalmia | 3. Vedanta Resources |
| D. Venugopal Dhoot | 4. Videocon Group |
A-3, Anil Agarwal: Founder of Vedanta Resources, a global natural resources company in metals, mining, and oil & gas. B-2, Gautam H. Singhania: Chairman & MD of Raymond Ltd., known for fabric manufacturing and apparel. C-1, Sanjay Dalmia: Associated with Gujarat Heavy Chemicals Ltd. (GHCL), a key player in chemicals and textiles. D-4, Venugopal Dhoot: Founder of Videocon Group, a major consumer electronics and home appliances company.
India’s largest private sector sea port, called the Krishnapatnam Port, was commissioned in Andhra Pradesh. Krishnapatnam Port, located in Nellore district was developed by Navayuga Engineering Company, it handles diverse cargo. Strategically significant for both domestic and international trade, the port plays a crucial role in boosting regional economic activity.
The National Water Resources Council (NWRC) oversees water management, distribution, and conservation in India. Chaired by the Prime Minister, it plays a crucial role in policy-making, addressing water scarcity and inter-state river disputes. The National Water Resources Council (NWRC) adopted the National Water Policy in September 1987.
Statement 1 is correct: The Baglihar Power Project, a hydroelectric facility on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir, was developed under the Indus Water Treaty (1960) between India and Pakistan. While Pakistan raised concerns over treaty violations, a World Bank-mediated resolution confirmed India’s compliance, allowing the project to proceed.
Statement 2 is incorrect: The Baglihar Power Project was built by the Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC), with funding from Indian financial institutions and the state government, not solely from Japan or the World Bank. Their involvement was not central to its completion.
India’s Moon Impact Probe (MIP) was a part of the Chandrayaan-1 mission by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), and it was successfully launched and landed on the Moon on October 22, 2008. However, China was the first among the listed countries to land a lunar probe.
Chandrayaan-1, India’s first interplanetary mission, was launched by ISRO on October 22, 2008, using PSLV-C11. Though planned for two years, it operated until August 2009. A key milestone in India’s space exploration, it mapped the Moon’s surface and identified elemental distribution. One of the most significant results from Chandrayaan-1 was the discovery of water molecules on the Moon, confirming the presence of water ice in permanently shadowed lunar craters.
The V.K. Krishna Menon Foundation is based in London. Chief Justice of India K. G. Balakrishnan has received the first V K Krishna Menon Award for his fearless fight against corruption in the Judicial system and for espousing social causes. Vengalil Krishnan Krishna Menon was India’s first High Commissioner to London, known for defending India’s sovereignty, notably in Kashmir at the UN in 1957.
| List-I (Famous Person) | List-II (Well known as) |
|---|---|
| A. Anna Hazare | 1. Lawyer |
| B. Deepak Parekh | 2. Banker |
| C. GVK Reddy | 3. Gandhian and social activist |
| D. Harish Salve | 4. Industrialist |
A-3, Anna Hazare (Gandhian & Social Activist) - Led anti-corruption campaigns and rural development initiatives, notably the India Against Corruption movement and Jan Lokpal Bill advocacy. B-2, Deepak Parekh (Banker) - Chairman of HDFC Ltd., instrumental in shaping India’s housing finance sector. C-4, GVK Reddy (Industrialist) - Chairman of GVK Group, engaged in energy, transportation, hospitality, and infrastructure. A-1, Harish Salve (Lawyer) - Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India, known for high-profile legal cases.
| Q | UPSC year | Correct answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2009 | (b) Kalka-Shimla Railway |
| 2 | 2009 | (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4 |
| 3 | 2009 | (a) Bahubali |
| 4 | 2009 | (c) A-3; B-2; C-1; D-4 |
| 5 | 2009 | (a) Andhra Pradesh |
| 6 | 2009 | (a) Prime Minister |
| 7 | 2009 | (a) 1 only |
| 8 | 2009 | (c) China |
| 9 | 2009 | (b) 2 only |
| 10 | 2009 | (c) A-3; B-2; C-4; D-1 |
This page covers 15 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.
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.
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.
