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 31–40 of 118 questions
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UPSC 2007General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q31. Consider the following statements: 1. China has the observer’s status at the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. 2. India has the observer’s status at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: China was granted observer status at the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) during the 13th SAARC Summit in Dhaka in 2005. This allowed China to participate in SAARC meetings and contribute as an observer without full membership.
Statement 2 is correct: India was granted observer status in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in 2005. As of 2007, India actively participated in SCO meetings as an observer but was not yet a full member. India later became a full member in 2017.
UPSC 2007General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q32. MCA-21 is a major initiative taken up by the Government of India in which one of the following areas?
Explanation
MCA-21 is an e-governance initiative launched by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), Government of India. It aims to simplify and automate corporate filings, improve transparency, and facilitate online compliance for businesses. The initiative allows companies to electronically file their documents and statutory requirements, making corporate governance more efficient and accessible.
UPSC 2007General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q33. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the lists:
List-I (Person)
List-II (Known As)
A. John C Mather
1. Co-founder of Microsoft
B. Michael Griffin
2. Space Walker
C. Paul G Allen
3. Administrator of NASA
D. Piers Sellers
4. Nobel Prize Winner, 2006 in Physics
Explanation
John C. Mather is an American astrophysicist who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2006 for his work on the Cosmic Background Explorer Satellite (COBE), which provided significant insights into the Big Bang theory. Michael Griffin served as the 11th Administrator of NASA, beginning his tenure on April 14, 2005. Paul G. Allen was an American business magnate best known as the co-founder of Microsoft alongside Bill Gates. Piers Sellers was a British-American NASA astronaut who participated in multiple space-walks during his missions to the International Space Station.
UPSC 2007General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q34. Basel II relates to which one of the following?
Explanation
Basel II is an international banking regulatory framework developed by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision. It focuses on establishing international standards for measuring the adequacy of a bank’s capital, ensuring that financial institutions have sufficient capital to cover the risks they are exposed to. The framework is built upon three pillars, minimum capital requirements, supervisory review process and market discipline.
UPSC 2007General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q35. Tarapore Committee was associated with which one of the following?
Explanation
The Tarapore Committee was set up by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) under the chairmanship of S.S. Tarapore to examine the feasibility of full capital account convertibility in India. First Tarapore Committee (1997) - Recommended a phased approach to full capital account convertibility and identified macroeconomic preconditions such as fiscal consolidation, low inflation, and strengthening of the financial sector. Second Tarapore Committee (2006) - Reviewed the progress and suggested further steps for a gradual transition towards capital account liberalization while maintaining economic stability.
Additional insight:
Capital account convertibility refers to the freedom to convert domestic currency into foreign currency for capital transactions, such as investments and loans, without restrictions.
UPSC 2006General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q36. Which one among the following was awarded the CSIR. Diamond Jubilee Technology Award-2004 in September, 2005 by the Prime Minister of India?
Explanation
In September 2005, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) awarded the CSIR Diamond Jubilee Technology Award for 2004 to Midas Communication Technologies Pvt. Ltd. This recognition was bestowed for their innovative work in designing, developing, and commercializing the corDECT Wireless in Local Loop (WLL) access system and optiMA Fiber-in-Local Loop (FLL) access system.
UPSC 2006General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q37. Who is the President of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research?
Explanation
The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is an autonomous research and development organization in India. As per its organizational structure, the Prime Minister of India serves as the President of CSIR. This role includes overseeing the council’s activities and providing guidance on scientific and industrial research policies.
UPSC 2006General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q38. Indian Airlines have redesigned their logo which is a graphic wheel. This logo has been inspired from which one of the following?
Explanation
In 2005, Indian Airlines introduced a new logo inspired by the Sun Temple at Konark in Odisha. The logo featured a stylized representation of the temple’s iconic wheel, known as the Konark Chakra, symbolizing movement and progress. The temple was built in the 13th century by King Narasimha Deva I of the Eastern Ganga dynasty and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Additional insight:
Hampi Temple (Karnataka): Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for the ruins of the Vijayanagara Empire. The Stone Chariot in the Vittala Temple Complex is an iconic structure resembling a ratha (chariot) and is a major attraction of Hampi. Mamallapuram Temple (Tamil Nadu): Mamallapuram (also called Mahabalipuram) is famous for its rock-cut temples built by the Pallava dynasty in the 7th-8th century. The site is also known for Pancha Rathas, monolithic rock-cut temples named after the Pandavas from the Mahabharata. Khajuraho Temple (Madhya Pradesh): The Khajuraho Group of Monuments, built by the Chandela dynasty between the 9th and 12th centuries, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The temples are known for their intricate carvings and sculptures.
UPSC 2006General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q39. Recently Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh governments signed a Memorandum of Under-standing for the linking of two rivers as a link project. Which are these two rivers?
Explanation
In 2005, the governments of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the Ken-Betwa Link Project, aiming to transfer surplus water from the Ken River in Madhya Pradesh to the Betwa River in Uttar Pradesh. This initiative is part of India’s National Perspective Plan for interlinking rivers to address water scarcity and enhance irrigation in drought-prone regions.
UPSC 2006General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q40. Who among the following was presented with the Sangeet Natak Academic Ratna Award, 2005 for her lifetime achievement in dance?
Explanation
Chandralekha, the renowned Bharatanatyam dancer and choreographer, was honored with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Ratna Award (Fellowship) in 2005 for her lifetime achievement in dance. She was known for her unique approach to Bharatanatyam, blending it with elements of martial arts and yoga.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
31
2007
(c) Both 1 and 2
32
2007
(c) E-governance
33
2007
(c) A-4; B-3; C-1; D-2
34
2007
(d) International standards for measuring the adequacy of a bank’s capital
35
2007
(b) Fuller capital account convertibility
36
2006
(b) Midas Communication Technologies
37
2006
(c) Prime Minister of India
38
2006
(c) Sun Temple of Konark
39
2006
(b) Betwa and Ken
40
2006
(a) Chandralekha
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.
