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 21–30 of 118 questions
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UPSC 2008General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q21. For which one of the following reforms was a Commission set up under the Chairmanship of Veerappa Moily by the Government of India?
Explanation
The Veerappa Moily Committee was set up by the Government of India for Administrative Reforms. This committee’s main focus was to recommend measures for improving the efficiency and accountability of the Indian administrative system. The committee’s report, known as the Moily Committee Report, primarily dealt with reforms in the administrative processes of the government, addressing issues like the modernization of the administrative machinery and better governance.
UPSC 2007General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q22. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the lists:
List-I (Person)
List-II (Company)
A. Vishwapati Trivedi
1. Essar Group
B. Tulsi R Tanti
2. Info Edge India (which runs naukri.com)
C. Shashi Ruia
3. Indian Airlines
D. D S Bikhchandani
4. Suzlon Energy
Explanation
A-3, Vishwapati Trivedi served as the Chairman and Managing Director of Indian Airlines. B-4, Tulsi R. Tanti, founder and chairman of Suzlon Energy, played a key role in the wind energy sector. C-1, Shashi Ruia is a prominent figure in the Essar Group, a multinational conglomerate. D-2, D.S. Bikhchandani, founder of Info Edge India, is known for establishing Naukri.com, a leading online job portal.
UPSC 2007General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q23. Consider the following statements: 1. The Judges (Inquiry) Bill 2006 contemplates to establish a Judicial Council which will receive complaints against Judges of the Supreme Court including the Chief Justice of India, High Court Chief Justices and Judges. 2. Under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, a woman can file a petition before a 1st Class Judicial Magistrate. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect: The Judges (Inquiry) Bill, 2006 establishes a National Judicial Council (NJC) t o investigate allegations of incapacity or misconduct against High Court and Supreme Court judges. It can act on complaints from individuals, MPs (50 from Rajya Sabha or 100 from Lok Sabha), or other sources. If allegations are proven, the NJC may impose minor penalties or recommend removal, which requires parliamentary impeachment.
Statement 2 is correct: The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 enables a woman to petition a First Class Judicial Magistrate for relief, including protection, maintenance, and other remedies.
UPSC 2007General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q24. Shahgarh area in Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan was in news in the year 2006 because of which one of the following?
Explanation
In 2006, Rajasthan’s Shahgarh area in Jaisalmer gained attention for the discovery of high-quality natural gas reserves. This find was a key step in India’s hydrocarbon exploration efforts in the Thar Desert, boosting domestic gas production and reducing dependence on imports. Options (b), (c) and (d) are incorrect Uranium deposits - Major uranium reserves in India are found in Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Meghalaya. Zinc deposits - Rajasthan is known for zinc reserves, particularly in Rampura-Agucha mines (Bhilwara district) and Zawar mines (Udaipur district), but Shahgarh is not associated with zinc mining. Wind power units (d) - Rajasthan has many wind power projects, but Shahgarh’s 2006 news coverage was about gas reserves, not wind energy.
UPSC 2007General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q25. Who among the following have been the Union Finance Ministers of India? 1. V P Singh 2. R Venkataraman 3. Y B Chavan 4. Pranab Mukherjee Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Explanation
V. P. Singh (1984-1987 under Rajiv Gandhi), R.
Venkataraman (1980-1982 under Indira Gandhi), Y. B. Chavan (1970-1974 under Indira Gandhi), and Pranab Mukherjee (1982-
1984 under Indira Gandhi, 2009-2012 under Manmohan Singh) have all served as Union Finance Ministers of India, playing crucial roles in shaping the nation’s economic policies.
UPSC 2007General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q26. Which one of the following Himalayan Passes was reopened around in the middle of the year 2006 to facilitate trade between India and China?
Explanation
Nathu La Pass, located in Sikkim, was reopened on July 6, 2006, for trade between India and China after being closed for 44 years following the 1962 Sino-Indian War. It connects India’s Sikkim state with China’s Tibet Autonomous Region. The reopening was part of efforts to improve bilateral relations and cross-border trade between the two countries.
UPSC 2007General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q27. Consider the following statements: 1. In the year 2006, India successfully tested a full fledged cryogenic stage in rocketry. 2. After the USA, Russia and China, India is the only country to have acquired the capability for use of the cryogenic stage in rocketry. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: On October 28, 2006, ISRO conducted the first successful test of an indigenously developed cryogenic engine at the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu. The test lasted 50 seconds and was a crucial milestone in India’s space program.
Statement 2 is incorrect: The claim that India was the only country after the USA, Russia, and China to develop cryogenic technology is not true. By 2006, other countries like France and Japan had already developed and operationalized cryogenic rocket engine technology.
UPSC 2007General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q28. For which one of the following books did Kiran Desai win the Man Booker prize 2006?
Explanation
Kiran Desai won the 2006 Man Booker Prize for her novel The Inheritance of Loss, making her the youngest female winner at that time.
UPSC 2007General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q29. What was the purpose of the Operation Sukoon launched by the Government of India?
Explanation
Operation Sukoon was launched by the Indian Navy in July 2006 to evacuate Indian nationals and other foreign nationals stranded in Lebanon during the Israel-Hezbollah conflict in the Middle East. This was a large-scale humanitarian evacuation mission, also involving the Indian embassy and other government bodies. The operation showcased India’s capability to undertake swift and effective rescue missions in conflict zones abroad.
UPSC 2007General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q30. Which one of the following organizations won the CSIR Award for Science and Technology (S&T) Innovations for Rural Development, 2006?
Explanation
In 2006, the Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI) won the CSIR Award for S&T Innovations for Rural Development for its impactful contributions to rural livelihoods. CLRI’s sustainable leather technologies enhanced skill development and supported small-scale entrepreneurs, promoting growth in the sector.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
21
2008
(d) Administrative Reforms
22
2007
(d) A-3; B-4; C-1; D-2
23
2007
(b) 2 only
24
2007
(a) Finding high quality gas reserves
25
2007
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
26
2007
(c) Nathu La
27
2007
(a) 1 only
28
2007
(c) The Inheritance of Loss
29
2007
(b) Evacuating the Indian Nationals from Lebanon during the conflict in the Middle East
30
2007
(a) CLRI
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.
