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 331–340 of 505 questions
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.
In the fiscal year 2000-01, India’s GDP at factor cost (constant prices) was approximately 11,93,922 crore. The sectoral contributions were Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing (24.7%), Trade, Hotels, Transport, and Communication (18.9%), Manufacturing (15.7%), and Financing, Insurance, Real Estate, and Business Services (13.1%), reflecting the dominance of agriculture and services in the economy during that period.
According to the Provisional Estimates of Annual GDP for 2023-24 released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation in May 2024, India’s Gross Value Added (GVA) at constant prices was primarily driven by the services sector, which contributed 52.1% to the total GVA. The industrial sector accounted for 29.6%, with manufacturing alone contributing 17.4%. Agriculture, forestry, and fishing contributed 18.3%.
Assertion (A) is False: India’s exports during 2001-02 experienced a marginal growth rather than a decline. Specifically, during the period of April-November 2001-02, exports recorded a meager growth of 0.64%, amounting to $32.57 billion, compared to $32.36 billion in the corresponding period of the previous year. Reason (R) is true: The global economic slowdown, particularly the recession in the United States, adversely affected India’s export sectors, including textiles and other commodities. For Example:
In the period April-September 2001-02, textile exports were valued at $534.64 million, down from $623.71 million in the same period the previous year.
During 2000-01, India’s major imports included petroleum products, pearls and precious stones, edible oils, chemicals, and fertilizers. Pearls and precious stones were the largest import category, valued at 25,000-30,000 crore ($6.5 billion), followed by chemicals (9,000-10,000 crore) and edible oils (9,000 crore/$2 billion). Fertilizer imports were lower, at less than 7,000 crore.
Economic Survey 2023-24, the import values in billion USD for the specified commodities are:
Edible Oils: 2022-23: $20.84 billion 2023-24 (Provisional): $14.87 billion Fertilizers: 2022-23: $17.21 billion 2023-24 (Provisional): $10.46 billion Organic & Inorganic Chemicals: 2022-23: $45.64 billion 2023-24 (Provisional): $39.45 billion Pearls, Precious & Semi-Precious Stones: 2022-23: $30.70 billion 2023-24 (Provisional): $23.83 billion
Statement 1 is incorrect: As per RBI guidelines, Indian promoters were allowed to hold up to 40% in private sector banks, not 49%. This limit was subject to gradual dilution over time as per RBI regulations.
Statement 2 is correct: In 2001, the Government of India allowed FDI up to 49% in private sector banks under the automatic route. However, the total foreign investment limit, including FDI, FIIs (Foreign Institutional Investors), and NRIs (Non-Resident Indians), was capped at 74%.
| Q | UPSC year | Correct answer |
|---|---|---|
| 331 | 2003 | (c) Jharkhand |
| 332 | 2003 | (b) Kochi |
| 333 | 2003 | (d) A-5; B-4; C-2; D-3 |
| 334 | 2003 | (a) A-1; B-4; C-5; D-2 |
| 335 | 2003 | (a) literature |
| 336 | 2003 | (d) Only 1 |
| 337 | 2003 | (d) 1, 3, 2, 4 |
| 338 | 2003 | (d) A is false but R is true |
| 339 | 2003 | (d) Pearls, precious and semi-precious stones |
| 340 | 2003 | (b) 2 Only |
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.
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.
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.
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.
