General Knowledge: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Prelims)
505 previous year UPSC Prelims General Knowledge questions are on this page, from 1996 to 2010, in 5 chapters. In those years UPSC tested general awareness directly: people, books, institutions, places and events of the time. General Awareness: India is the largest chapter, followed by Contemporary Events: India and General Awareness: World. Every explanation states facts as they 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 301–310 of 505 questions
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UPSC 2004General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q301. Which one of the following statements is not correct?
Explanation
Option (a) is incorrect: Under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), Below Poverty Line (BPL) families were initially provided 10 kg of foodgrains per family per month, which was later increased to 35 kg per family per month. However, there is no record of 50 kg per family per month being allocated.
Option (b) is correct: Under the Annapurna Scheme, elderly senior citizens aged 65 years or above, who qualify for the National Old Age Pension but do not receive it, are entitled to 10 kg of food grains per month, free of cost.
Option (c) is correct:: The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment runs a scheme that provides 15 kg of foodgrains per person per month at BPL rates to indigent individuals residing in welfare institutions such as orphanages.
Option (d) is correct: The Ministry of Human Resource Development provides financial support to the Mid-day Meal Scheme, which benefits Class I to V students in Government and Government-aided schools.
UPSC 2004General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q302. Which one of the following was the largest IT software and services exporter in India during the year 2002-03?
Explanation
Largest IT Software & Services Exporter in India (2002-03): During the financial year 2002-03, India’s IT industry was dominated by a few major players, with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) emerging as the largest IT software and services exporter.
Additional insight:
India’s software services exports (excluding overseas commercial presence) rose 2.8% to $190.7 billion in 2023-24, as per RBI’s annual survey on software and IT-enabled services (ITES) exports. The US was the major software export destination (54 % share), followed by Europe (31% share)
UPSC 2004General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q303. Consider the following statements: 1. The Oil Pool Account of Government of India was dismantled with effect from 1-4-2002 2. Subsidies on PDS kerosene and domestic LPG are borne by Consolidated Fund of India 3. An expert committee headed by Dr. R. A. Mashelkar to formulate a national auto fuel policy recommended that Bharat Stage - II Emission Norms should be applied throughout the country by 1 April, 2004 Which of the statements given above are correct?
Explanation
Statement (1) is correct: The Oil Pool Account, which regulated petroleum pricing, was dismantled on April 1, 2002, enabling market-driven prices.
Statement (2) is correct: Post-dismantling, subsidies on PDS kerosene and LPG shifted to the Consolidated Fund of India.
Statement (3) is incorrect: The Mashelkar Committee recommended nationwide BS-II norms from April 1, 2005, not 2004.
Additional insight:
Bharat Stage (BS) Emission Norms regulate vehicle emissions in India, aligning with Euro standards. BS-VI, implemented on April 1, 2020, skipped BS-V to curb pollution. The Mashelkar Committee, formed in 2001, recommended India’s Auto Fuel Policy, emphasizing phased emission norm upgrades. It proposed Bharat Stage-II (BS-II) nationwide by April 1, 2005, aligning with Euro standards. The committee also stressed cleaner fuels, technology adoption, and pollution reduction for sustainable mobility.
UPSC 2004General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q304. Consider the following Assertion (A): For the first time, India had no trade deficit in the year 2002-03. Reason (R): For the first time, India’s exports crossed worth $ 50 billion in the year 2002-03. Which of the following is correct with respect to the above statements?
Explanation
Assertion (A) is false: In the fiscal year 2002-03, India continued to experience a trade deficit. According to data, India’s exports were valued at $51.7 billion, while imports stood at $59.3 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of approximately $7.6 billion. Reason (R) is true: For the first time, India’s exports surpassed the $50 billion mark in 2002-03, reaching $51.7 billion, which was an 18.05% increase over the previous year’s exports of $43.8 billion.
Additional insight:
Trade deficit occurs when imports exceed exports, leading to a negative trade balance. Factors like rising crude oil imports, fluctuating global demand, and currency depreciation contribute to the deficit, impacting foreign exchange reserves and economic stability. India’s merchandise trade deficit widened to $21.94 billion in December 2024, up from $19.8 billion in December 2023. Cumulatively, the deficit for April-December 2024 reached $210.77 billion.
UPSC 2004General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q305. Which one of the following is the correct decreasing sequence in terms of the value (in rupees) of the minerals produced in India in the year 2002-03?
Explanation
The correct decreasing sequence in terms of the value (in rupees) of minerals produced in India during the year 2002-03 is: Fuel minerals > Metallic minerals > Non-metallic minerals
Additional insight:
Current Scenario (as of 2023-24): In the Ministry of Mines in India (excluding atomic, fuel, and minor minerals) reached 1,41,239 crore, marking a 14.83% increase from the previous year. The composition of this production value is as follows:
Metallic Minerals: Contributed approximately 90.3% of the total value. Non-Metallic Minerals: Accounted for the remaining 9.7%. The current decreasing sequence, within the considered categories, in terms of the value of minerals produced is:
UPSC 2004General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q306. What was the reason for 5 lakh people of Hong Kong to make a demonstration around the middle of 2003?
Explanation
In mid-2003, 500,000 Hong Kong residents protested against Article 23 national security legislation, fearing restrictions on free speech, press, and assembly. The proposed law sought to criminalize treason, secession, sedition, and subversion. Massive opposition on July 1, 2003, forced the government to withdraw the bill.
UPSC 2004General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q307. The Ramon Magsaysay Award winner Shanta Sinha is known as:
Explanation
Shanta Sinha, an anti-child labour activist, founded the MV (Mamidipudi Venkatarangaiya) Foundation to eliminate child labour and promote education. She won the 2003 Ramon Magsaysay Award and served as NCPCR Chairperson, advocating children’s rights.
UPSC 2004General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q308. Which of the following institutes have been recognised as the Institutes of National Importance (by an Act of Parliament)? 1. Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha, Chennai 2. National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Mohali 3. Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Services and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram 4. Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education Gwalior Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Explanation
Statement (1) is correct: Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha, Chennai: Recognized for its significant role in promoting Hindi language in southern India.
Statement (2) is correct: National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali: Established to provide leadership in pharmaceutical sciences and related areas.
Statement (3) is correct: Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram:
Known for advanced medical research and technology development. Statement (4) is incorrect: However, the Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education, Gwalior, was not designated as an Institute of National Importance by an Act of Parliament as of 2004.
UPSC 2004General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q309. In the well-known Lawn Tennis doubles team; Max Mirnyi - the partner of Mahesh Bhupati, comes from which of the following countries?
Explanation
Max Mirnyi, the doubles partner of Mahesh Bhupathi, is from Belarus. He won multiple Grand Slam doubles titles and was a former world No. 1 in doubles.
UPSC 2004General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q310. INS Trishul acquired by the Indian Navy in 2003 has been built by:
Explanation
Guided missile frigate (F43), acquired by the Indian Navy in 2003, was built by Russia. It is a Talwar-class stealth frigate, which is a modified version of the Russian Krivak III-class frigates. It is equipped with advanced stealth features and modern weaponry, including the Club-N missile system. It has a displacement capacity of 4,000 tons and can achieve a speed of 30 knots, making it capable of undertaking a wide range of naval missions with efficiency.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
301
2004
(a) Under the Targeted Public Distribution System, the families Below Poverty Line are provided 50 kg of foodgrains per month per family at subsidised price
(b) They were against the Hong Kong Government’s plan to impose an internal security law
307
2004
(b) an anti-child labour activist
308
2004
(a) 1, 2 and 3
309
2004
(c) Belarus
310
2004
(c) Russia
What UPSC has tested in General Knowledge
These are single-fact questions: who wrote a book, where an organisation is headquartered, which country hosted an event.
Contemporary-events questions refer to the news of their year, so answers describe the position then, not today.
The chapters split by world and India, and by general awareness and current events, plus sports and games.
Later years’ questions sit under the other subjects on this site and lean toward analytical, statement-based formats.
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on General Knowledge?
This page covers 505 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on General Knowledge, asked from 1996 to 2010. Each has the correct answer and an explanation.
Which General Knowledge chapters have the most questions?
General Awareness: India has the most with 138 questions, followed by Contemporary Events: India with 118, General Awareness: World with 110, Contemporary Events: World with 99 and Sports and Games with 40.
Are General Knowledge facts still current?
Many remain true, such as authorship and headquarters, but contemporary-events answers describe the position in the year each question was asked. Always check a recent source for the present position before relying on an item.
Why practise these older questions?
They show the style of general-awareness questions UPSC used and the breadth of topics it covered, from literature and institutions to sports. The explanations also build a base of facts that still helps with current affairs.
