General Awareness: India: UPSC Previous Year Questions (General Knowledge)
138 previous year UPSC Prelims questions on Indian general awareness make this the largest General Knowledge chapter, from 1996 to 2009. UPSC asked about books and authors, institutions and their locations, national symbols, artists and personalities. The explanations give the fact and its context, as of the year the question was set.
Explanations state facts as of the year each question was asked; words like “recently” refer to that year.
Showing 71–80 of 138 questions
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UPSC 2005General Knowledge · General Awareness: India
Q71. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the lists:
List-I (Distinguished person)
List-II (Area of Work)
A. B.V Rao
1. Automobiles Manufacture
B. C.K. Prahald
2. Fisheries Economy
C. Johan Kurien
3. Information Technology and Software
D. Kiran Karnik
4. Poultry Farming
5. Management Science
Explanation
A-4: Dr. B.V. Rao is regarded as the father of the Indian poultry industry. He played a crucial role in modernizing poultry farming in India. B-5: C.K. Prahalad was a well-known management thinker, famous for the concept of "The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid." He specialized in corporate strategy and management science. C-2: Dr. John Kurien is an expert in fisheries economics. He played a key role in developing India’s fisheries sector and sustainable marine policies. D-3: Kiran Karnik was the former President of NASSCOM (National Association of Software and Service Companies). He contributed significantly to the IT and software industry in India.
UPSC 2005General Knowledge · General Awareness: India
Q72. Which one of the following was probed by the Liberhan Commission?
Explanation
The Liberhan Commission was set up by the Government of India on December 16, 1992, to investigate the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992. It was led by Justice M.S. Liberhan, became one of the longest-running commissions in India’s history, taking 17 years to submit its final report in 2009.
UPSC 2005General Knowledge · General Awareness: India
Q73. Whose autobiography is the book ‘My Music, My Life’?
Explanation
The book "My Music, My Life" is the autobiography of Pandit Ravi Shankar. It provides insights into his journey as a legendary sitar maestro, his experiences with Indian classical music and his collaborations with international musicians.
Additional insight:
Pandit Ravi Shankar was an Indian sitarist and composer. A sitar virtuoso, he became the world’s best-known expert of Indian classical music (in Sitar) in the second half of the 20th century. Received Bharat Ratna in 1999 and Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1992. He composed the music for the Apu Trilogy by Satyajit Ray, which became internationally acclaimed.
UPSC 2005General Knowledge · General Awareness: India
Q74. Which one of the following airports in India is the first to be owned by a public limited company?
Explanation
The Cochin International Airport in Kerala is the first airport in India to be owned by a public limited company. Established in 1999, it became India’s first greenfield airport developed under a PPP model. In 2015, it became the world’s first fully solar-powered airport.
UPSC 2005General Knowledge · General Awareness: India
Q75. Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched?
Explanation
Pair (b) is incorrectly matched: Phalcon is not a cruise missile. It is an Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AWACS) developed by Israel in collaboration with India. Pair (a), (c) and (d) are correctly matched:
Arjun MBT is India’s indigenously developed main battle tank, designed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Saras is a light civilian aircraft designed by the National Aerospace Laboratories, Bangalore. It is India’s first indigenously built civil aircraft. Operation Seabird refers to the construction of the Karwar Naval Base in Karnataka, aimed at reducing dependence on Mumbai and Visakhapatnam ports. INS Kadamba naval base in Karnataka is currently the third-largest Indian naval base, and is expected to become the largest naval base in the eastern hemisphere after completion of expansion Phase II.
UPSC 2005General Knowledge · General Awareness: India
Q76. Who among the following is not a recipient of the Bharat Ratna Award?
Explanation
Raj Kapoor is widely regarded as one of the greatest icons of Indian cinema. He was honored with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1987 for his outstanding contribution to Indian films. However, he did not receive the Bharat Ratna.
Additional insight:
Ustad Bismillah Khan received Bharat Ratna in 2001, Satyajit ray in 1992 and Lata Mangeshkar in 2001. About Bharat Ratna:
Instituted in 1954, the Bharat Ratna is India’s highest civilian award, conferred on the recommendation of the Prime Minister to the President without formal nominations. A maximum of three awards can be given annually, with exceptions in 1999 and 2024, when four and five were awarded respectively. The award consists of a peepal leaf-shaped medallion, inscribed with "Bharat Ratna" on the front and the State Emblem of India with "Satyameva Jayate" on the reverse, along with a certificate (sanad). It is minted at the Alipore Mint, Kolkata. The first recipients in 1954 were C. Rajagopalachari, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, and C. V. Raman. Initially, posthumous awards were not allowed, but this changed in 1966, with Lal Bahadur Shastri becoming the first posthumous recipient. The award is generally reserved for Indian citizens, but exceptions have been made for Mother Teresa, Abdul Ghaffar Khan, and Nelson Mandela in recognition of their contributions to humanity.
UPSC 2004General Knowledge · General Awareness: India
Q77. Match List-I (Books) with List-II (Authors) and select the correct answer using the codes given below:
List-I
List-II
A. My Presidential Years
1. S. Radhakrishnan
B. The Hindu View of Life
2. V. V. Giri
C. Voice of Conscience
3. N. Sanjiva Reddy
D. Without Fear or favour
4. R. Venkataraman
Explanation
A-4: My Presidential Years is an autobiography written by R. Venkataraman, who served as the 8th President of India (1987-1992). B-1: The Hindu View of Life is authored by Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, India’s first Vice President and second President. C-2: Voice of Conscience is a book written by V. V. Giri, the 4th President of India (1969-1974). First acting President to be later elected. First unopposed elected President. D-3: Without Fear or Favour was written by N. Sanjiva Reddy, the 6th President of India (1977-1982).
UPSC 2004General Knowledge · General Awareness: India
Q78. Match List-I (persons) with List-II (Positions) and select the correct answer using the codes given below:
List-I
List-II
A. B.P. Mishra
1. Executive Director, IMF
B. Suresh Kalamadi
2. Chairman, Steel Authority of India Limited
C. Praful Patel
3. President Indian Olympic Association
D. V. S. Jain
4. Vice-President, South Asian Region, World Bank
Explanation
A-1: B.P. Mishra served as the Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He was a prominent figure in India’s international financial relations and represented India in the IMF. B-3: Suresh Kalmadi was the President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). He played a significant role in the organization of the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. C-4: Praful Patel served as the Vice-President for the South Asian Region at the World Bank. His role focused on managing the World Bank’s engagement with countries in South Asia, particularly in the areas of infrastructure and economic development. D-2: V.S. Jain was the Chairman of the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), the largest steel producer in India.
UPSC 2004General Knowledge · General Awareness: India
Q79. Who among the following is well known as an exponent of flute?
Explanation
Option (c) is correct: Ronu Mazumdar is a renowned flute exponent in the classical music world. He is known for his mastery of the Indian bamboo flute and has performed at various prestigious platforms worldwide. Mazumdar is widely regarded as one of the leading classical flutists in India.
Option (a), (b) and (d) are incorrect:
Debu Chaudhuri: He is a sitar player and not associated with the flute. Madhup Mudgal: He is a distinguished vocalist in Hindustani classical music, not a flute player. Sahafaat Ahmad: He was one of the leading tabla maestros in the field of Hindustani classical music.
UPSC 2004General Knowledge · General Awareness: India
Q80. Which one of the following statements is not correct?
Explanation
Tawang Monastery, India’s largest and the world’s second-largest Buddhist monastery, is in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang district near the Tibet and Bhutan borders. Founded in 1680-81 by Merak Lama Lodre Gyatso under the 5th Dalai Lama’s guidance, it remains a key center of Tibetan Buddhism, preserving monastic traditions and spiritual heritage.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
71
2005
(d) A - 4; B -5; C - 2; D - 3
72
2005
(d) Demolition of the disputed structure at Ayodhya.
73
2005
(c) Pandit Ravi Shankar
74
2005
(b) Cochin airport
75
2005
(b) Phalcon: Cruise missile supplied by Russia to India.
76
2005
(d) Raj Kapoor
77
2004
(d) A-4; B-1; C-2; D-3
78
2004
(b) A-1; B-3; C-4; D-2
79
2004
(c) Ronu Mazumdar
80
2004
(a) The largest Buddhist monastery in India is in Assam
What UPSC has tested in General Awareness: India
The Dharmachakra in the National Flag of India has 24 spokes.
V. P. Menon wrote The Story of the Integration of the Indian States.
Ladakh was the largest Lok Sabha constituency by area.
Raghuram Rajan served as Chief Economist of the International Monetary Fund.
Sarojini Naidu wrote the collection of poems The Golden Threshold; the Gundecha brothers are Dhrupad vocalists.
The Palitana temples are near Bhavnagar.
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on General Awareness: India?
This page covers 138 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.
How many spokes are there in the Ashoka Chakra on the National Flag?
Twenty-four. The Dharmachakra, in navy blue on the white band, is taken from the Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath, and each spoke is said to stand for a principle or an hour of the day.
Who wrote The Story of the Integration of the Indian States?
V. P. Menon, who as Secretary of the States Department worked with Sardar Patel to integrate the princely states into India after Independence. Its account of that process remains a standard source.
Who are the Gundecha brothers?
Umakant and Ramakant Gundecha, well-known vocalists of Dhrupad, the oldest form of Hindustani classical music. They trained under the Dagar tradition, perform at festivals across the world and were awarded the Padma Shri.
