Contemporary Events: India: UPSC Previous Year Questions (General Knowledge)
17 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 11–17 of 17 questions
UPSC 2003General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q11. The Indira Gandhi Peace Prize 2002 was awarded to:
Explanation
The Indira Gandhi Peace Prize 2002 was awarded to Sadako Ogata, former United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, for her efforts in humanitarian work and refugee protection worldwide.
Additional insight:
The Indira Gandhi Peace Prize is an annual award presented by the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust for contributions toward peace, disarmament, and development. It was established in 1986 and recognizes individuals or organizations that promote international cooperation and a more equitable world order. The Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament, and Development for 2023 was presented to classical pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim and Palestinian peace activist Ali Abu Awwad.
UPSC 2003General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q12. Assertion (A): The new EXIM policy is liberal, market oriented and favours global trade. Reason (R): GATT has played a significant role in the liberalisation of the economy.
Explanation
The EXIM (Export-Import) Policy of India was revised to be more liberal and market-oriented to encourage global trade. This was influenced by international trade agreements and reforms under GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade), which played a major role in the liberalization of economies worldwide by reducing trade barriers and promoting free trade. Thus, GATT’s influence explains the shift in India’s EXIM policy.
UPSC 2003General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q13. Consider the following statements: 1. In the last five years, Indian software exports have increased at a compound annual growth rate of about 60% 2. The software and service industry in India registered an overall growth of about 28% in rupee terms during the year 2001-2002. Which of these statements is/are not correct?
Explanation
Statement (1) is incorrect: While India’s software exports did grow rapidly in the late 1990s and early 2000s, a 60% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over five years is an overestimation. The growth rate was high but not consistently at that level.
Statement (2) is correct: The software and service industry in India did register around 28% growth in rupee terms during 2001-2002, as reported by NASSCOM and other industry sources.
UPSC 2003General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q14. With reference to Government of India’s decision regarding Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) during the year 2001-02 consider the following statements: 1. Out of the 100% FDI allowed by India in the tea sector the foreign firm would have to disinvest 33% of the equity in favour of an Indian partner within four years 2. Regarding the FDI in print media in India, the single largest Indian shareholders should have a holding higher than 26% Which of these statements is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: In 2001-02, India allowed 100% FDI in the tea sector, but with a condition that the foreign company must disinvest 33% of its equity in favor of an Indian partner within four years. This was done to ensure Indian participation in the tea industry.
Statement 2 is correct: The Indian government allowed 26% FDI in print media (news and current affairs publications). However, the single largest Indian shareholder was required to hold more than 26%, ensuring Indian control.
UPSC 2003General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q15. The Government holding in BPCL is:
Explanation
In 2003, the Government of India held around 66% stake in Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL). This was part of its broader disinvestment and privatization strategy.
Additional insight:
Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) is a public sector oil and gas company in India, engaged in refining, distribution, and marketing of petroleum products. It was nationalized in 1976 and has since been one of India’s leading energy companies. As of January 2025, the Government of India holds 52.98% of the equity share capital in BPCL.
UPSC 2003General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q16. Which one of the following statements is correct with reference to FEMA in India?
Explanation
FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act) was enacted in 1999 and came into force in 2000. It replaced FERA (Foreign Exchange Regulation Act), which was more stringent and focused on criminalizing violations of foreign exchange laws. Under FEMA, violations are treated as civil offenses, meaning that penalties may be imposed but the violation itself is no longer a criminal offense, unlike FERA where violations could lead to imprisonment.
UPSC 2003General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q17. Consider the following statements: 1. India’s Import of crude and petroleum products during the year 2001-02 accounted for about 27% of India’s total imports. 2. During the year 2001-02, India’s exports had increased by 10% as compared to the previous year Which of these statements is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: India’s import of crude and petroleum products during 2001-02 accounted for about 27% of total imports.
Statement 2 is incorrect: India’s exports did not increase by 10% in 2001-02; instead, they grew at a lower rate.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
11
2003
(d) Sadako Ogata
12
2003
(a) Both A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A
13
2003
(a) Only 1
14
2003
(c) Both 1 and 2
15
2003
(b) between 60% and 70%
16
2003
(c) Under FEMA, violation of foreign exchange rules has ceased to be a criminal offence
17
2003
(a) Only 1
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on Contemporary Events: India?
This page covers 17 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.
