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 51–60 of 505 questions
Browse General Knowledge chaptersBrowse by year
UPSC 2009General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q51. Consider the following famous names: 1. Amrita Sher-Gil 2. Bikash Bhattacharjee 3. N.S. Bendre 4. Subodh Gupta Who of the above is/are well known as artist(s)?
Explanation
Amrita Sher-Gil: A pioneering modern Indian painter who blended Indian and Western styles. Notable works: Bride’s Toilet, Self Portrait, Village Scene. Bikash Bhattacharjee: A Bengali painter known for realistic, figurative works with social commentary. Notable works:
The Red Door, The Prodigal Son.
N.S. Bendre: A modern Indian art pioneer who fused Indian folk traditions with Western abstraction. Notable works:
Figures in Landscape, Rural Scene.
Subodh Gupta: A contemporary artist known for sculptures and installations using everyday objects. Notable works:
Very Hungry God, What Does the Mirror Reflect?.
UPSC 2009General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q52. Mahamastakabhisheka, a great religious event, is associated with and done for who of the following?
Explanation
Mahamastakabhisheka is a grand religious event that is associated with Lord Bahubali (Gommateshwara), a revered figure in Jainism. The event is celebrated once in every 12 years at the Shravanabelagola temple in Karnataka, India.
UPSC 2009General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q53. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the lists:
List-I (Person)
List-II (Organization)
A. Anil Agarwal
1. Gujarat Heavy Chemicals Ltd.
B. Gautam H. Singhania
2. Raymond Ltd.
C. Sanjay Dalmia
3. Vedanta Resources
D. Venugopal Dhoot
4. Videocon Group
Explanation
A-3, Anil Agarwal: Founder of Vedanta Resources, a global natural resources company in metals, mining, and oil & gas. B-2, Gautam H. Singhania: Chairman & MD of Raymond Ltd., known for fabric manufacturing and apparel. C-1, Sanjay Dalmia: Associated with Gujarat Heavy Chemicals Ltd. (GHCL), a key player in chemicals and textiles. D-4, Venugopal Dhoot: Founder of Videocon Group, a major consumer electronics and home appliances company.
UPSC 2009General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q54. In which one of the following States has India’s largest private sector sea port been commissioned recently?
Explanation
India’s largest private sector sea port, called the Krishnapatnam Port, was commissioned in Andhra Pradesh. Krishnapatnam Port, located in Nellore district was developed by Navayuga Engineering Company, it handles diverse cargo. Strategically significant for both domestic and international trade, the port plays a crucial role in boosting regional economic activity.
UPSC 2009General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q55. In India, who is the Chairman of the National Water Resources Council?
Explanation
The National Water Resources Council (NWRC) oversees water management, distribution, and conservation in India. Chaired by the Prime Minister, it plays a crucial role in policy-making, addressing water scarcity and inter-state river disputes. The National Water Resources Council (NWRC) adopted the National Water Policy in September 1987.
UPSC 2009General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q56. Consider the following statements: 1. The Baglihar Power Project had been constructed within the parameters of the Indus Water Treaty. 2. The project was completely built by the Union government with loans from Japan and the World Bank. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: The Baglihar Power Project, a hydroelectric facility on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir, was developed under the Indus Water Treaty (1960) between India and Pakistan. While Pakistan raised concerns over treaty violations, a World Bank-mediated resolution confirmed India’s compliance, allowing the project to proceed.
Statement 2 is incorrect: The Baglihar Power Project was built by the Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC), with funding from Indian financial institutions and the state government, not solely from Japan or the World Bank. Their involvement was not central to its completion.
UPSC 2009General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q57. India has recently landed its Moon Impact Probe on the Moon. Among the following countries, which one landed such a probe on the Moon earlier?
Explanation
India’s Moon Impact Probe (MIP) was a part of the Chandrayaan-1 mission by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), and it was successfully launched and landed on the Moon on October 22, 2008. However, China was the first among the listed countries to land a lunar probe.
Additional insight:
Chandrayaan-1, India’s first interplanetary mission, was launched by ISRO on October 22, 2008, using PSLV-C11. Though planned for two years, it operated until August 2009. A key milestone in India’s space exploration, it mapped the Moon’s surface and identified elemental distribution. One of the most significant results from Chandrayaan-1 was the discovery of water molecules on the Moon, confirming the presence of water ice in permanently shadowed lunar craters.
UPSC 2009General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q58. Consider the following statements: 1. V.K. Krishna Menon’ foundation is based in New Delhi. 2. The first recipient of the V.K. Krishna Menon Award is the Chief Justice of India, K.G Balakrishnan. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
The V.K. Krishna Menon Foundation is based in London. Chief Justice of India K. G. Balakrishnan has received the first V K Krishna Menon Award for his fearless fight against corruption in the Judicial system and for espousing social causes. Vengalil Krishnan Krishna Menon was India’s first High Commissioner to London, known for defending India’s sovereignty, notably in Kashmir at the UN in 1957.
UPSC 2009General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q59. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the lists:
List-I (Famous Person)
List-II (Well known as)
A. Anna Hazare
1. Lawyer
B. Deepak Parekh
2. Banker
C. GVK Reddy
3. Gandhian and social activist
D. Harish Salve
4. Industrialist
Explanation
A-3, Anna Hazare (Gandhian & Social Activist) - Led anti-corruption campaigns and rural development initiatives, notably the India Against Corruption movement and Jan Lokpal Bill advocacy. B-2, Deepak Parekh (Banker) - Chairman of HDFC Ltd., instrumental in shaping India’s housing finance sector. C-4, GVK Reddy (Industrialist) - Chairman of GVK Group, engaged in energy, transportation, hospitality, and infrastructure. A-1, Harish Salve (Lawyer) - Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India, known for high-profile legal cases.
UPSC 2009General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: India
Q60. Consider the following statements: 1. The Governor of Punjab is concurrently the Administrator of Chandigarh. 2. The Governor of Kerala is concurrently the Administrator of Lakshadweep. Which of the above statements is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: Haryana was carved out of Punjab in 1966, after which Chandigarh was administered by a Chief Commissioner reporting to the Union government. This system ended on June 1, 1984, just before Operation Bluestar, and the Punjab Governor took additional charge of Chandigarh UT.
Statement 2 is incorrect: Lakshadweep has a separate administrator and its administrative headquarters is in Kavaratti.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
51
2009
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
52
2009
(a) Bahubali
53
2009
(c) A-3; B-2; C-1; D-4
54
2009
(a) Andhra Pradesh
55
2009
(a) Prime Minister
56
2009
(a) 1 only
57
2009
(c) China
58
2009
(b) 2 only
59
2009
(c) A-3; B-2; C-4; D-1
60
2009
(a) 1 only
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.
