10 previous year UPSC Prelims questions on General Awareness: 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 1–10 of 10 questions
The Kelkar Committee, led by Dr. Vijay L. Kelkar, recommended tax reforms to simplify India’s tax system. It proposed reducing tax rates, eliminating exemptions, broadening the tax base, and improving tax administration. The committee also advocated for GST-like reforms and lower customs and excise duties.
Trishul, a short-range surface-to-air missile under India’s IGMDP, had a 9 km range, not 30 km. It was supersonic and later discontinued in 2008.
Option (a), (b) and (d) are correct:
Prithvi-II is a short-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile developed by DRDO. It was inducted into the Indian Air Force, making it the only air force in the world to operate ballistic missiles at the time. The Sukhoi Su-30MKI, a multi-role fighter aircraft of the IAF, is capable of launching precision-guided air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles like BrahMos, Astra, and Kh-59. INS Prabal is a missile boat of the Indian Navy, capable of launching sea-to-sea missiles like SS-N-25 ‘Switchblade’ anti-ship missiles.
| List-I (Name of the person) | List-II (Associated with) |
|---|---|
| A. Brijmohan Lal Munjal | 1. Biotechnology |
| B. Kiran Karnik | 2. Automobile industry |
| C. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw | 3. Software industry |
| D. Sunil Mittal | 4. Telecom industry |
| 5. Film Industry |
A-2: Brijmohan Lal Munjal was the founder of Hero Group, he played a key role in making Hero MotoCorp the world’s largest manufacturer of two-wheelers. B-3: Kiran Karnik was the former President of NASSCOM (National Association of Software and Service Companies), he significantly contributed to India’s IT and software industry growth. C-1: Kiran Mazumdar Shaw is the founder of Biocon. She is a pioneer in India’s biotechnology sector and has played a crucial role in pharmaceutical and bioscience innovations. D-4: Sunil Mittal is the founder and Chairman of Bharti Airtel, India’s leading telecom company. He played a significant role in revolutionizing India’s telecom sector.
Statement (b) is incorrect: The Saka calendar was adopted as India’s official calendar in 1957. Chaitra falls on 22nd March in a leap year and 21st March in a normal year, not the vice-versa. Statements (a), (c) and (d) are correct:
Vande Mataram was composed in Sanskritized Bengali by Bankimchandra Chatterji in his novel Anandamath (1882). It was later adopted as India’s National Song. The Tricolor flag was adopted on 22nd July 1947 by the Constituent Assembly as the National flag of independent India. Jana Gana Mana was originally written in Bengali by Rabindranath Tagore in 1911. It was adopted as the National Anthem in its Hindi version by the Constituent Assembly on 24th January 1950.
The Bokaro Thermal Power Plant is located in Bokaro district, Jharkhand. It is one of India’s important coal-based power plants, operated by Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) and NTPC. It is a coal-fired power plant, utilizing coal from nearby Jharia and Bokaro coalfields. It plays a crucial role in supplying electricity to Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, and Odisha.
Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), located in Kochi, Kerala. It was established in 1972 and is India’s largest shipbuilding and maintenance facility. It builds large commercial ships, naval vessels, and aircraft carriers like INS Vikrant (India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier). CSL, the first Greenfield and most modern shipbuilding yard in India, has an enviable reputation for building high quality ships.
| List-I (Organisation) | List-II (Location) |
|---|---|
| A. National Sugar Institute | 1. Dehradun |
| B. Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited | 2. Kamptee |
| C. Institute of Military Law | 3. Pune |
| D. Institute of National Integration | 4. Hyderabad |
| 5. Kanpur |
National Sugar Institute (Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh) - A premier institute in India for research, training, and education in sugar technology, engineering, and alcohol production. Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited (Hyderabad, Telangana) - A public sector enterprise specializing in the production of special metals and alloys for defense, space, and atomic energy sectors. Institute of Military Law (Kamptee, Maharashtra) - Provides legal education and training to military personnel on military law, court-martial procedures, and legal affairs in the armed forces. (Now, it has been shifted to Delhi). Institute of National Integration (Pune, Maharashtra) - Focuses on fostering national unity and integration within the Indian Army by promoting cultural and linguistic harmony among personnel.
| List-I (Distinguished Lady) | List-II (Organisation Industry) |
|---|---|
| A. Amrita Patel | 1. National Dairy Development Board |
| B. Anu Aga | 2. Park Hotels |
| C. Mallika Srinivasan | 3. Pfizer Limited |
| D. Priya Paul | 4. Thermax Limited |
| 5. Tractors and Farm Equipment |
Amrita Patel (National Dairy Development Board - NDDB) - Played a key role in India’s dairy revolution and was the chairperson of NDDB, driving initiatives for dairy development. Anu Aga (Thermax Limited) - Former chairperson of Thermax, a leading engineering company specializing in energy and environment solutions. Mallika Srinivasan (Tractors and Farm Equipment - TAFE) - Chairperson and CEO of TAFE, one of the largest manufacturers of tractors and agricultural machinery in India. Priya Paul (Park Hotels) - A prominent businesswoman and chairperson of Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels, known for the luxury hotel chain "The Park."
Dilip Kaur Tiwana was a Punjabi writer known for her novels and short stories. She made significant contributions to Punjabi literature, highlighting social and gender issues. She received Sahitya Akademi Award in 1971 for the novel Eho Hamara Jeevna (This our life, 1969).
Statement 1 is correct: Shimla Agreement (1972) was signed between Indira Gandhi (India) and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (Pakistan), it emphasized maintaining the sanctity of the Line of Control (LoC) and resolving disputes through peaceful means.
Statement 2 is incorrect: Lahore Summit took place in 1999, not 1997. It was held between Atal Bihari Vajpayee (India) and Nawaz Sharif (Pakistan).
Statement 3 is incorrect: Islamabad Summit (1989) was held between Rajiv Gandhi (India) and Benazir Bhutto (Pakistan), not Nawaz Sharif.
| Q | UPSC year | Correct answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2003 | (b) recommendations for tax reforms |
| 2 | 2003 | (c) Trishul is a supersonic surface to air missile with a range of 30 km |
| 3 | 2003 | (c) A-2; B-3; C-1; D-4 |
| 4 | 2003 | (b) The National Calendar of India based on Saka era has its 1st Chaitra on 22nd March normally and 21st March in a leap year |
| 5 | 2003 | (c) Jharkhand |
| 6 | 2003 | (b) Kochi |
| 7 | 2003 | (d) A-5; B-4; C-2; D-3 |
| 8 | 2003 | (a) A-1; B-4; C-5; D-2 |
| 9 | 2003 | (a) literature |
| 10 | 2003 | (d) Only 1 |
This page covers 10 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on General Awareness: India (General Knowledge), asked from 1996 to 2009. Each has the correct answer and an explanation.
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.
Questions on General Awareness: India (General Knowledge) are available for 14 years, from 1996 to 2009. Use the Year filter to practise a single paper.
