Contemporary Events: India: UPSC Previous Year Questions (General Knowledge)
118 previous year UPSC Prelims questions on Indian contemporary events are listed here, from 1996 to 2010. UPSC asked about committees and their subjects, government policies and schemes, scientific missions, evacuation operations and international agreements. Each explanation describes the event as it stood in the year of the question.
Explanations state facts as of the year each question was asked; words like “recently” refer to that year.
Showing 101–110 of 118 questions
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UPSC 2001General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q101. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists:
List-I (Person)
List-II (Distinguished as)
A. Santosh Yadav
1. T.V. host
B. Oprah Winfrey
2. Journalist
C. Oscar Wilde
3. Mountaineer
D. P. Sainath
4. Dramatist and Author
Explanation
Santosh Yadav - An Indian mountaineer, she is the first woman to climb Mount Everest twice. Oprah Winfrey - A famous TV host, known for The Oprah Winfrey Show. Oscar Wilde - A renowned dramatist and author, famous for The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Earnest. P. Sainath - An Indian journalist, known for his work on rural affairs and social issues.
UPSC 2001General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q102. The largest share of Foreign Direct Investment (1997-2000) went to:
Explanation
Between 1997 and 2000, the services sector attracted the largest share of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in India. This includes telecommunications, banking, insurance, financial services, and IT.
Additional insight:
India’s services sector attracts the largest share of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), encompassing finance, banking, insurance, IT, and consultancy. Between 2000 and 2024, this sector received the highest FDI equity inflow, totalling US$ 115.18 billion.
UPSC 2000General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q103. 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
Q104. 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
Q105. 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
Q106. 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
Q107. 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
Q108. 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.
UPSC 1998General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q109. Bharat Ratna was awarded in 1997 to:
Explanation
An aerospace and defence scientist, Kalam was involved in the development of India’s first satellite launch vehicle SLV III and was the architect of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program. He also served as the eleventh President of India from 2002 till 2007. Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1997 for his contributions to science and defense technology.
UPSC 1998General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q110. Which of the following Parties were not a part of the United Front Which was in power during ‘96-97’? 1. Bahujana Samaj Party 2. Haryana Vikas Party 3. Samata Party 4. Asom Gana Parishad Select the correct answer using the codes given below: Codes:
Explanation
The United Front was a coalition of political parties that was in power from 1996 to 1997. The major parties that were part of the United Front included the Samajwadi Party, the CPI (M), the Indian National Congress (which provided support), Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and smaller regional parties. Hence among the options, Bahujan Samaj Party, Haryana Vikas Party and Samata Party were not part of United Front.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
101
2001
(a) A - 3; B - 1; C - 4; D - 2
102
2001
(d) services sector
103
2000
(a) Kuwait
104
2000
(c) 1993 - 94
105
2000
(b) sales tax
106
2000
(d) Prime Minister’s Rozgar Yojana
107
2000
(b) 1 and 2
108
2000
(b) There has been a major political change in June/July
109
1998
(d) Dr. Abdul Kalam
110
1998
(b) 1, 2 and 3
What UPSC has tested in Contemporary Events: India
The Tarapore Committee was associated with fuller capital account convertibility.
The B. K. Chaturvedi Committee dealt with price reforms in the oil sector.
Operation Sukoon was launched to evacuate Indian nationals from Lebanon.
The Prime Minister of India is Chairman of the National Water Resources Council and President of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.
The manuscripts of the Rig-Veda were included in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on Contemporary Events: India?
This page covers 118 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.
What was Operation Sukoon?
An operation launched by the Government of India in 2006 to evacuate Indian nationals from Lebanon during the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. The Navy and the Air India fleet helped to move thousands of people to safety.
What did the Tarapore Committee examine?
Fuller capital account convertibility of the rupee. The committee proposed a road map in 1997, recommending a phased move towards free movement of capital if certain conditions on inflation and fiscal deficit were met.
Who chairs the National Water Resources Council?
The Prime Minister of India. The Council, set up in 1983, has Chief Ministers and Union ministers as members and reviews the National Water Policy and water resource planning.
