General Awareness: World: UPSC Previous Year Questions (General Knowledge)
4 previous year UPSC Prelims questions on General Awareness: World (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 1–4 of 4 questions
UPSC 1996General Knowledge · General Awareness: World
Q1. Which one of the following had legalised Euthanasia?
Explanation
Legalization of Euthanasia in the Northern Territory, Australia (1996):
The Northern Territory of Australia became the first place in the world to legalize euthanasia through the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act (1995), allowing voluntary euthanasia for terminally ill patients under strict conditions. The first legal euthanasia occurred in 1996, but the Australian Federal Parliament overturned the law in 1997, making it illegal again in the territory. Currently, Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) laws are in effect in all six Australian states--Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania, South Australia, Queensland, and New South Wales. Additionally, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) passed a VAD law on June 5, 2024, which will come into effect on November 3, 2025.
UPSC 1996General Knowledge · General Awareness: World
Q2. Which of the following were the aims behind the setting up of the World Trade Organization (WTO)? 1. Promotion of free trade and resource flows across countries 2. Protection of intellectual property rights 3. Managing balanced trade between different countries 4. Promotion of trade between the former East Bloc countries and the western world Select the correct answer by using the codes given below: Codes:
Explanation
The World Trade Organization (WTO), established on January 1, 1995, succeeded GATT to regulate global trade. It promotes free trade by reducing barriers like tariffs and quotas, ensuring smooth resource flows. The WTO also protects intellectual property rights through the TRIPS agreement, safeguarding patents, copyrights, and trademarks from unauthorized use. The WTO does not manage trade balances, which depend on domestic policies and market forces. It ensures fair trade and dispute resolution. It also promotes global trade universally, not just between the former Eastern and Western blocs, as this is not a specific WTO objective.
UPSC 1996General Knowledge · General Awareness: World
Q3. The emerging trading blocs in the world, such as NAFTA, ASEAN and the like, are expected to:
Explanation
Trading Blocs like NAFTA (now USMCA), ASEAN, EU, MERCOSUR, etc. are regional groups that promote economic cooperation and trade liberalization among member nations. The purpose of such blocs aligns with WTO’s (World Trade Organization) principles of reducing trade barriers and promoting free trade.
Option (a) is incorrect: While some critics see trading blocs as restricting global free trade, their main goal is to enhance trade among member nations. Unlike the WTO, which promotes global trade liberalization, blocs like NAFTA and ASEAN focus on regional trade. However, they still operate within WTO guidelines, ensuring they do not entirely hinder global trade.
Option (c) is incorrect: While some trade agreements facilitate technology transfer, it is not the primary function of trading blocs. Such transfers depend on separate agreements like TRIPS under the WTO rather than being a core objective of regional trade groups.
Option (d) is incorrect: While some trading blocs include agriculture, their primary aim is broader trade liberalization across multiple sectors. North-South trade is a wider economic concept, not exclusive to regional trade blocs, which generally align with WTO principles of reducing trade barriers and fostering economic cooperation.
UPSC 1996General Knowledge · General Awareness: World
Q4. "They are fantastically diverse. They speak hundred of language and dialects. They comprise scores of ethnic groups. They include highly industrialised economics and up and coming economies. They span half the surface of the earth and are home to two-fifths of the world’s population." The group of countries referred to here belongs to:
Explanation
APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) is a 21-member regional economic forum (est. 1989) focused on trade and economic integration through non-binding, consensus-based cooperation. It has been operating on the basis of non-binding commitments with decisions taken through commitments and consensus undertaken on a voluntary basis. The grouping’s current members are Australia; Brunei Darussalam; Canada; Chile; People’s Republic of China; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Japan; Republic of Korea; Malaysia; Mexico; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; Peru; The Philippines; The Russian Federation; Singapore; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; United States of America; and Vietnam. Secretariat: Singapore.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
1
1996
(b) Northern Territory in Australia
2
1996
(b) 1 and 2
3
1996
(b) promote free trade on the lines laid down by the WTO
4
1996
(b) APEC
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on General Awareness: World?
This page covers 4 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on General Awareness: World (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 General Awareness: World?
Questions on General Awareness: World (General Knowledge) are available for 14 years, from 1996 to 2010. Use the Year filter to practise a single paper.
