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 481–490 of 505 questions
As of 1997, the Basque separatist organization ETA (Euskadi Ta Askatasuna) was still active in Spain, conducting violent attacks to push for an independent Basque state. The group, founded in 1959, intensified its activities in the 1980s and 1990s, targeting Spanish government officials, security forces, and civilians.
The film "The Making of the Mahatma" was directed by Shyam Benegal. Released in 1996, the film is based on the book "The Apprenticeship of a Mahatma" by Fatima Meer and focuses on Mahatma Gandhi’s 21 years in South Africa (1893-1914), a crucial period that shaped his philosophy of non-violence (Satyagraha) and resistance against racial discrimination.
In 1996, the Government of India launched the Pulse Polio Immunization (PPI) campaign as part of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. The program aimed to immunize all children under five years against polio through mass vaccination drives. It involved:
National Immunization Days (NIDs) to administer oral polio vaccine (OPV). Large-scale awareness campaigns and door-to-door vaccination efforts. Collaboration between the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and Rotary International.
Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo and Jos Remos Horta were awarded the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts in bringing peace and advocating self-determination for East Timor. They played a crucial role in the non-violent struggle against Indonesian occupation, raising international awareness about human rights violations in East Timor and advocating for its independence, which was eventually achieved in 2002.
In Germany, the constructive vote of no confidence ("Konstruktives Misstrauensvotum") is a unique parliamentary mechanism under Article 67 of the German Basic Law (Grundgesetz). It allows the Bundestag (the federal parliament) to pass a no-confidence motion against the Chancellor only if a successor with majority support is elected simultaneously. This system ensures government stability by preventing leadership vacuums and political deadlocks.
In proportional representation (PR), a candidate needs 50% + 1 vote to win. In a two-party system, this majority is often secured automatically. PR ensures that the number of seats a party or group wins aligns with its share of votes.
In Russia, the electoral system for the State Duma (Lower House of Parliament) in the 1990s followed a mixed electoral system. This mixed electoral system was in place from 1993 to 2003. 75% of the seats were filled using the first-past-the-post (FPTP) system, where candidates with the most votes in single-member constituencies won. 25% of the seats were filled using proportional representation (PR), where parties received seats based on their percentage of the national vote.
Belgium and Luxembourg had a monetary agreement allowing their equal-valued francs (BEF & LUF) to circulate freely. This prefigured the 1999 Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and the Euro ().
| List-I | List-II |
|---|---|
| A. Empowerment of women | 1. Indira Mahila Yojana |
| B. Education for women’s equality | 2. Rashtriya Mahila Kosh |
| C. Promotion of savings among rural women | 3. Mahila Samakhya Programme |
| D. Meeting credit needs of the poor women | 4. Mahila Samridhi Yojana |
Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (RMK): It is an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Women & Child Development (MWCD), registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860. RMK’s main objective is to provide micro-credit to poor women for livelihood support and income-generating activities at concessional terms, promoting their socio-economic development. Mahila Samridhi Yojana: It launched on October 2, 1993, aims to provide economic security to rural women, encouraging savings habits. Eligible women (18+ years) can open a savings account with a minimum deposit of Rs. 4 at their local rural post office. They receive a 25% encouragement amount on deposits not withdrawn for 1 year, and a 25% bonus, up to Rs. 300, every year. Indira Mahila Yojana: Launched in 1997, Indira Mahila Yojana aimed to empower poor women by promoting self-help groups (SHGs) at the village level for financial inclusion and skill development. Mahila Samakhya Programme: It began in 1988 as a direct initiative of the New Education Policy (1986) and its subsequent Programme of Action, with the objective of educating and empowering women in rural regions.
In 1990, Dinesh Goswami headed the committee for electoral reforms recommendation in the electoral process. The Recommendations of Dinesh Goswami Committee Electoral Reforms: Proposed state funding for political parties, fresh delimitation (1981 census), and lowering the candidate age from 25 to 21 for assembly elections. Stricter Regulations: Limited candidates to contest in only two constituencies, increased security deposit to discourage non-serious candidates, and Anti-Defection Law amendments to restrict disqualification. Decision-Making: Disqualification of members to be decided by the President/Governor based on Election Commission advice.
Other Key Committees Related to Electoral Reforms Committee Year Focus Area Vohra Committee 1993 Examined the link between criminals and politicians in India. Indrajit Gupta Committee 1998 Recommended partial state funding for elections to ensure fair competition. 2nd ARC Report (headed by Veerappa Moily) 2007 Suggested measures for transparency, accountability, and ethics in public administration. Tankha Committee 2010 Reviewed and proposed reforms in election laws and processes.
| Q | UPSC year | Correct answer |
|---|---|---|
| 481 | 1997 | (d) Spain |
| 482 | 1997 | (c) Shyam Benegal |
| 483 | 1997 | (c) pulse polio immunization |
| 484 | 1997 | (a) East Timor |
| 485 | 1997 | (b) Germany |
| 486 | 1997 | (b) a two-party system has developed |
| 487 | 1997 | (d) Russia |
| 488 | 1997 | (c) Luxemburg and Belgium |
| 489 | 1997 | (b) A - 1; B - 3; C - 4; D - 2 |
| 490 | 1997 | (c) Governmental funding of parliament elections |
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.
