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 111–118 of 118 questions
The damage to the Spektr Module of the Russian Space Station Mir occurred due to a collision with a Soyuz cargo ship in 1997 during a routine docking maneuver. The collision caused a significant breach in the module, leading to a loss of oxygen and other technical issues.
The venue for the preliminary talks between the Sri Lankan Government and representatives of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) and other militant groups was Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan. These talks took place in 1985 and were an attempt to resolve the ongoing ethnic conflict between the Tamil population and the Sri Lankan government.
As of the period around 1997, India’s gross domestic savings rate was estimated to be in the range of 20 to 25 percent of GDP. The savings rate has been an important indicator of economic health, influencing investment capacity and overall growth potential.
The 1996 WTO Ministerial Conference in Singapore marked a significant milestone in Commerce in Information Technology with the adoption of the Information Technology Agreement (ITA). This agreement, signed by multiple WTO members, aimed to eliminate tariffs on IT products like computers, semiconductors, and telecom equipment, fostering global trade. By reducing trade barriers, the ITA became a key achievement for the WTO, enhancing the technology sector’s integration into the global economy.
In 1996, Himachal Pradesh became the first state in India to pass a legislation making the maintenance of one’s parents mandatory. The Himachal Pradesh Maintenance of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 1996 was enacted to ensure that children provide financial and physical support to their elderly parents, particularly those who are unable to support themselves.
In 1996, India launched IRS-P3, an experimental earth observation mission undertaken by ISRO. The mission’s objectives were to process and interpret data generated by its two payloads, the Wide-Field sensor and Modular Optoelectric Sensor, developed by the German Aerospace Center. The mission was completed in January 2006 after serving for nine years and ten months.
Between 2023 and December 2024, the ISRO conducted several notable satellite launches:
Launched the EOS-07 Earth observation satellite.
One Web India-2 Mission deployed OneWeb Gen-1 satellites, enhancing global broadband connectivity. NVS-01 Mission launched NVS-01, the first of the second-generation navigation satellites. Chandrayaan-3 Mission successfully sent the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft to the Moon. Aditya-L1 Mission launched Aditya-L1, India’s first solar observatory. XPoSat Mission placed the XPoSat satellite into orbit to study cosmic X-ray sources. The INSAT-3DS Mission launched the INSAT-3DS satellite for meteorological purposes. SpaDeX Mission successfully conducted the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX), demonstrating India’s first satellite docking in space.
The Arjun is a modern Indian-made battle tank, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in India. It is a third-generation main battle tank and was designed to enhance the Indian Army’s armored warfare capabilities. The tank features advanced firepower, protection, and mobility systems, and has been inducted into the Indian Army.
Option (d) is correct: Upamanyu Chatterjee’s English, August: English, August: An Indian Story was adapted into a full-length feature film in 1994, directed by Dev Benegal. This was one of the earliest Indian English-language films to gain international recognition.
Option (a) is incorrect: R.K. Narayan’s Malgudi Days: Malgudi Days was not made into a full-length feature film, but it was adapted into a popular TV series in the 1980s, directed by Shankar Nag.
Option (b) is incorrect: Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children:
Midnight’s Children was adapted into a film much later, in 2012, directed by Deepa Mehta.
Option (c) is incorrect:Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy: A Suitable Boy was not made into a film in 1996, but in 2020, it was adapted into a BBC TV series directed by Mira Nair.
| Q | UPSC year | Correct answer |
|---|---|---|
| 111 | 1998 | (a) collision with a Soyuz cargo ship |
| 112 | 1998 | (c) Thimpu |
| 113 | 1997 | (b) 20 to 25 percent |
| 114 | 1997 | (a) Commerce in Information Technology |
| 115 | 1997 | (d) Himachal Pradesh |
| 116 | 1996 | (b) IRS-P3 |
| 117 | 1996 | (c) Arjun |
| 118 | 1996 | (d) Upamanyu Chatterjee’s English August |
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.
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.
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.
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.
