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 431–440 of 505 questions
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UPSC 2000General Knowledge · General Awareness: India
Q431. The Raga which is sung early in the morning is:
Explanation
Option (a) is correct Raga Todi is a morning raga, usually sung in the late morning (around 9 AM to noon). It is known for its deep, meditative, and serious mood. Options (b), (c), and (d) are incorrect Raga Darbari is a late-night raga, often associated with serenity and pathos. Raga Bhopali is an early evening raga, known for its light and uplifting nature. Raga Bhimpalasi is a late afternoon raga, conveying a romantic and devotional mood.
UPSC 2000General Knowledge · General Awareness: India
Q432. Match List I (Books) with List II (Authors) and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists:
List-I (Books)
List-II (Authors)
A. My Music My Life
1. Laxman Gaikwad
B. Adha Gaon
2. Rahi Masoom Raza
C. Radha
3. Ramakanta Rath
D. The Pilferer
4. Ravi Shankar
Explanation
"My Music My Life" is an autobiography of sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar, detailing his musical journey. "Adha Gaon" is a famous novel by Rahi Masoom Raza depicting the socio-political changes in rural India. "Radha" is a poetic work composed by Ramakanta Rath exploring the philosophical aspects of Radha-Krishna’s love. "The Pilferer" is a Marathi novel written by Laxman Gaikwad, it is based on the struggles of a nomadic tribe in India.
UPSC 2000General Knowledge · General Awareness: India
Q433. Consider the following statements regarding the Chakiarkoothu form of dance: 1. It is performed by Chakiar caste 2. It cannot be traditionally witnessed by the higher caste Hindus 3. Mizhavu is the accompanying instrument 4. Its theatre form is called Koothambalam Which of these statements are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: Chakiarkoothu is a traditional Sanskrit theatre art form of Kerala, performed exclusively by the Chakiar caste.
Statement 2 is incorrect: Traditionally, it was restricted to upper-caste Hindus, while others were not allowed.
Statement 3 is correct: Mizhavu, a large copper drum, is the primary percussion instrument used in the performance.
Statement 4 is correct: The performance is staged in a Koothambalam, a sacred temple theatre.
Additional insight:
Chakiarkoothu is performed in the Koothambalam; a place inside Hindu temples specifically designed for performing Kutiyattam and Chakyar Koothu. It is a solo performance, by a narrator in a distinctive headgear and black moustache with his torso smeared with sandalwood paste and red dots all over the body. Two instruments accompany the performance - a mizhavu and a pair of ilathalam.
UPSC 2000General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q434. The following news item appeared in a National daily dated 1-12-1999: "...Parliament today rejected a Bill to grant women the right to vote and stand for office in parliamentary elections, by a margin of 32 to 30. The National Assembly was split between liberal pro-government and Shiite Muslim deputies who were in favour of women’s rights, while the opposition camp grouped Sunni Muslim fundamentalists and tribal MPs. A total of 64 MPs and Ministers were present, of whom two abstained." The Parliament referred to in this quotation is that of:
Explanation
In 1999, Kuwait’s Parliament rejected a bill that would have granted women the right to vote and run for office. This decision reflected the division between liberal and conservative factions within the National Assembly. Women in Kuwait were eventually granted voting rights in 2005.
Additional insight:
On May 17, 2005, the Kuwaiti Parliament passed a bill granting women the right to vote and run for elected office. The measure was approved with 37 votes in favor and 21 against.
UPSC 2000General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q435. The new GDP series released by the CSO in February, 1999 is with reference to base price of:
Explanation
The Central Statistical Office (CSO) revises the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) series periodically to update the base year, ensuring that GDP calculations reflect current economic conditions. In February 1999, the CSO released a new GDP series with the base year changed to 1993-94. The previous GDP series was based on 1990-91 prices, and this update aligned the GDP estimates with more recent economic data.
Additional insight:
India revises the base year for GDP calculations periodically to align with economic changes. In 2015, it was updated from 2004-05 to 2011-12. The government now plans to shift the base year to 2022-23 by February 2026 for a more accurate economic assessment.
UPSC 2000General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q436. The Standing Committee of State Finance Ministers recommended in January, 2000 uniform rates across the states in respect of:
Explanation
In January 2000, the Standing Committee of State Finance Ministers recommended uniform Sales Tax rates across states to reduce disparities and harmonize taxation. This paved the way for Value-Added Tax (VAT), which replaced the sales tax system in many states from April 2005.
UPSC 2000General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q437. The Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana which came into operation from 1-12-1997 aims to provide gainful employment to the urban unemployed or underemployed poor but does not include:
Explanation
The Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY) was launched on December 1, 1997, to provide self-employment and wage employment to urban unemployed and underemployed poor. It was formed by merging various urban poverty alleviation schemes, including Nehru Rozgar Yojana (NRY), Urban Basic Services for the Poor (UBSP), and Prime Minister’s Integrated Urban Poverty Eradication Programme (PMIUPEP). However, the Prime Minister’s Rozgar Yojana (PMRY) was not merged with SJSRY, as it remained a separate program focusing on self-employment for educated unemployed youth in both urban and rural areas.
UPSC 2000General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q438. Consider the following statements: The Ministerial Meeting of WTO held in December 1999 was unsuccessful because in attempted to link trade with: 1. Labour related issues 2. Environment related issues 3. Terrorism related issues 4. Debt related issues Which of these statements are correct?
Explanation
The World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference, held in December 1999 in Seattle, USA, failed due to disagreements among member countries on key issues. Developed nations, particularly the United States and the European Union, pushed for including labour standards in trade negotiations, which developing countries opposed, fearing protectionist measures against their exports. Similarly, environmental concerns became contentious as some nations and environmental groups demanded trade policies incorporating environmental protection, while developing nations resisted, citing unfair trade restrictions However, terrorism-related issues were not a major focus at the time, as global economic discussions on terrorism gained prominence only after 9/11. Likewise, while debt-related issues were a concern for developing countries, the conference primarily focused on trade negotiations rather than debt relief.
UPSC 2000General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q439. The upper part of the given graph is a hypothetical movement in the BSE Sensex over a few months and the lower part is the fluctuation in the average value of automobile shares in the same period (actual values not given). Which one of the following inferences can be drawn from the graphs?
Explanation
This inference could be drawn if the fluctuations in the Sensex are particularly sharp in that specific period (June/July), which often happens during political changes or events. If the Sensex reacts to such changes while the automobile market stays steady, it suggests that political instability might have contributed to the broader market fluctuations, but it did not affect the automobile sector in the same way.
UPSC 2000General Knowledge · Sports and Games
Q440. To reach the final of first grand slam of the year 2000, Martina Hingis defeated:
Explanation
To reach the final of the Australian Open, the first grand slam of the year 2000, Martina Hingis defeated Conchita Martinez 6-3,6-2.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
431
2000
(a) Todi
432
2000
(b) A-4; B-2; C-3; D-1
433
2000
(a) 1, 3 and 4
434
2000
(a) Kuwait
435
2000
(c) 1993 - 94
436
2000
(b) sales tax
437
2000
(d) Prime Minister’s Rozgar Yojana
438
2000
(b) 1 and 2
439
2000
(b) There has been a major political change in June/July
440
2000
(d) Conchita Martinez
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.
