46th BPSC Prelims (Held in 2004) Official paper (Previous Year Paper)

The Correct answer is Vishakhadatta

Key Points

• Chandragupta was the founder of the Mauryan dynasty and the first emperor to unite most of India under one rule (reigned c. 321–c. 297 BCE). He is credited with freeing the country from foreign dominance and protecting it from mismanagement.
• With the help of Chanakya, India's greatest mind, he built a tremendous empire.

Vishakhadatta

• Mudra Rakshasa was written by Vishakhadatta. The Mudrarakshasa is a Sanskrit historical play by Vishakhadatta that tells the storey of King Chandragupta Maurya's rise to power in India. Hence, this option is correct.

Additional Information

• Vishakhadatta was an ancient Indian poet and playwright who flourished during the Gupta dynasty. His exact date of birth is unknown, although he is thought to have lived about the fifth century AD, during the reign of King Chandragupta-II.
• After Mahakavi Kalidas, Vishakhadatta was a well-known Sanskrit poet and playwright. His basic knowledge is not widely disseminated. The Mudraraksasa and the Devichandraguptam are his major opuses. He used wonderful words to write Sanskrit in these works.

The correct answer is Indica.

Key Points

• The description of the administration of Pataliputra is available in Indica.

Indica - The book

• ​Megasthenes' Indica is a history of Mauryan India written by the Greek writer Megasthenes.
• The original work has since been lost, although pieces of it have survived in later Greek and Latin works.
• Megasthenes' Indica, according to the text reconstructed by J. W. McCrindle, depicts India as follows:

Administration

• The foreigners are adequately taken care of.
• Special officials are assigned to guarantee that no foreigners are injured, and judges penalize those who take advantage of foreigners unfairly.
• Foreigners who become ill are seen and cared for by doctors.
• In India, foreigners who die are buried, and their belongings are transferred to their families.

Additional InformationAccording to the Megasthenes' Indica:-  Geography

• India was a quadrilateral-shaped country bordered on the southern and eastern sides by the ocean.
• As far as the ocean, the Indus river constitutes the country's western and north-western borders.
• India's northern boundary reaches the Tauros' extremes. From Ariana to the Eastern Sea, it is bounded by mountains known to Macedonians as the Kaukasos.
• Paropamisus, Hemodos, and Himaos (the Himalayas) are some of the local names for these mountains.
• Scythia, inhabited by the Scythians known as Sakai, is beyond the Hemodos. Bactria and Ariana, in addition to Scythia, border India.

History

• The Indians, like the Greeks, lived off of fruits and wore animal skin clothing in their early days.
• Dionysus, according to the most renowned Indian academics, entered and conquered India.
• When his army became too tough to handle, he led them to the Meros Mountains for recuperation, which gave rise to the Greek mythology of Dionysus being nurtured in his father's thigh (meros in Greek).
• Dionysus taught the Indians how to produce plants, create wine, and worship among other things. He built numerous significant cities, as well as laws and courts.
• The Indians viewed him as a divinity as a result of this. Before dying in old age, he ruled India for 52 years.

Flora and fauna

• India features a number of mountains with various types of fruit trees and is home to a diverse range of animal species.
• Because of the amount of food on Indian land, Indian elephants are significantly stronger than Libyan elephants.
• Elephants are extensively tamed and trained for battle. Elephants have a gestation period of 16 to 18 months, and the oldest elephants can live up to 200 years.

Economy

• Indian soil is rich in gold, silver, copper, and iron.
• A variety of tools, weapons, decorations, and other things are made from tin and other metals.
• India's plains are extremely fertile, and irrigation is commonly used.
• Rice, millet, a grain called bosporum, other cereals, pulses, and other food plants are the principal crops.
• Because rain occurs in both summer and winter, there are two agricultural cycles every year.
• Rice, millet, bosporus, and sesamum are seeded around the summer solstice. Wheat is seeded in the winter.
• There have never been any famines in India.

The correct answer is ​King Udayin 

Key Points

• Udayin was the Indian ruler of Haryanka dynasty who ruled over Magadha from 460 BCE to 440 BCE.
• He was the son of Ajatashatru and grandson of king Bimbisara. King Udayin laid the foundation of the city of Pataliputra at the confluence of two rivers, the Son and the Ganges.
• He shifted his capital from Rajgriha to Pataliputra because of the latter's central location in Magadha empire.

Additional Information

• Patliputra also served as capital for the Mauryan Empire in the 3rd and 2nd Century BC.
• From the 3rd to 6th Century it was the capital of the Gupta Dynasty and in the 8th and 12th Centuries for the Pala Dynasty.
• It was only in the 16th century AD, that Sher Shah Suri changed the name of his capital Patliputra to Patna, as we know it today.

The correct answer is Prakrit

Key Points

• Inscriptions from the times of Ashoka are majorly found on Pillars, Rocks and rock slabs.
• These inscriptions were mainly the orders of Ashoka or his thoughts and sayings that he wanted his 'praja' (citizens of his estate) to follow or listen to.
• The Inscriptions found are written in Prakrit language.
• Somewhere the language used is also said to be Magadhi.
• Mostly the inscriptions found in western parts were written in Prakrit language with the use of Kharoshti script.
• Inscriptions discovered from the region of Eastern Mauryan empire were found to be written in Magadhi language using Brahmi script.
• There are fourteen major rock inscriptions are discovered from the times of Ashoka which mostly spreads the words of the ruler, what and how he wanted his 'praja' to do in respect of several occasions.

Additional Information

• Many such inscriptions proclaim Ashoka's belief in Buddhist philosophy, which is known as dharma, or "Law" in Hinduism.
• His efforts to spread the Buddhist dharma throughout his kingdom are reflected in the inscriptions.
• Although Buddhism and Gautama Buddha are mentioned, the edicts are more concerned with social and moral precepts than with specific religious practices or the philosophical dimension of Buddhism.

The correct answer is Pataliputra 

Key Points

• Buddhist Councils marked important turning points in the early Buddhism.
• These councils resulted in sectarian clashes and the eventual Great Schism that resulted in the two major schools, Theravada and Mahayana.
• In total, 4 major Buddhist councils were convened:
• First Council
• It was held soon after the Mahaparinirvan of the Buddha, around 483 BC under the patronage of King Ajatshatru and was presided by Mahakasyapa, a monk.
• The council was held in the Sattapani cave at Rajgriha.
• The council was held with the purpose of preserving Buddha’s teachings (Sutta) and rules for disciples.
• During this council, the teachings of Buddha were divided into three Pitakas.
• Second Council
• It was held in Vaishali, a village in Bihar under the patronage of the king Kalasoka in 383 BC. It was presided by Sabakami.
• Third Council
• It was held in 250 BC in Patliputra under the patronage of Ashoka and was presided by Moggaliputta Tissa.
• Forth Council
• It was held in 72 AD at Kundalvana, Kashmir. It was presided by Vasumitra, while Asvaghosa was his deputy under the patronage of King Kanishka of Kushan Empire.
  

Buddhism was divided into two sects namely Mahayan and Hinayan.

Additional Information

• Buddhism started in India over 2,600 years ago as a way life that had a potential of transforming a person.
• It is one of the important religions of South and South-Eastern Asian countries.
• The religion is based upon the teachings, life experiences of its founder Siddhartha Gautam, born in circa 563 BCE.
• He was born into royal family of Sakya clan who ruled from Kapilvastu, in Lumbini which is situated near the Indo-Nepal Border.

The correct answer is Bindusara

Key Points

• According to some scholars Bindusara have conquered the Deccan upto Mysore.
• Bindusara conquered 16 states comprising 'the land between the two seas' as confirmed by Taranatha, the Tibetan monk.

Additional Information

Bindusara (297 – 273 BCE)

• Also known as Amitrochates (destroyer of foes) by the Greek scholars while the Mahabhasya refers to him as Amitraghata (killer of enemies). The Ajivika sect mentions a fortune-teller who prophesied to Bindusara about his son Ashoka’s future greatness.
• Bindusara conquered the land between the Arabian sea and the Bay of Bengal. The Tibetan monk who wrote a 17th-century history of Buddhism, Taranatha, states that one of Bindusara’s lords, Chanakya, destroyed the nobles and kings of 16 towns and made him master of all the territory between the eastern and western seas.
• As per the Greek source, he had diplomatic ties with western kings. According to Strabo, Antiochus (Syrian king) sent Deimachus as an ambassador to Bindusara’s court.
• It is believed that Bindusara joined the Ajivika sect.
• Under his rule, almost the entire subcontinent (as far as Karnataka) was under the Mauryan empire.

The correct answer is Seven

Key Points

• Megasthenes does not refer to the fourfold Varna system which was entrenched in the Indian society from the Later Vedic period onwards.

• He refers instead to a 7-fold caste system which is based on occupations.

• Megasthenes reveals that Indian society was divided into seven classes:- 

• Philosophers

• Cultivators

• Herdsman

• Artisans and Traders

• Soldiers

• Overseers

• Councilors

• This division should be regarded as the equivalent of the caste system, because the number of castes was now far larger than seven.

The correct answer is Anguttara Nikaya

Key Points

• The Anguttara Nikaya is Buddhist sacred writing, the fourth of the five nikayas, or assortments, in the Sutta Pitaka, which is one of the "three containers" that include the Pali Tipitaka of Theravada Buddhism.
• Sixteen states or Mahajanapadas are referenced in the Buddhist Jatakas, Anguttara Nikaya. The Anguttara Nikaya is Buddhist sacred writing, the fourth of the five nikayas, or assortments, in the Sutta Pitaka, which is one of the "three containers" that include the Pali Tipitaka of Theravada Buddhism.
• Anguttara Nikaya ("Item-more Collection"; Sanskrit Ekottarikagama), a mathematical course of action, for mental aide purposes, of 9,557 brisk suttas. Its first nipata ("gathering") contains suttas managing single things, for example, the psyche or the Buddha; the suttas in the second nipata discuss sets—e.g., 2 sorts of wrongdoing; in the third, there are trios, etc up to 11. Models are the 3 excellent acts, the 4 spots of a journey, the 5 impediments, the 6-crease obligation of a priest, 7 sorts of abundance, 8 reasons for tremor, 9 kinds of individual, 10 objects of examination, and 11 sorts of joy.
• The Buddha himself would not spread his education by intriguing his crowd with supernatural occurrences. As per the Anguttara Nikaya, one of the assortments of the Buddha's expressions, there are three sorts of supernatural occurrences—the marvel of enchantment, the marvel of thought perusing, and the wonder of guidance—and of these, the latter is the most brilliant and amazing, while the other two are very little better than a conjuror's stunts.

The correct answer is 

Key Points

• Mauryan agriculture had two type of landholdings, the Rashtra type and sita type of holdings.
• Rashtra 
• Rashtra types were the direct descendants of the holdings of the former tribal oligarchies subjugated in pre-Mauryan times.
• They were to a large extent independent of the state machinery in their internal functioning and administration.
• Their only obligation was the regular payment of the Rashtra taxes to the state.
• Sita landholdings
• The Sita landholdings were formed by clearing forest lands with the help of the tribesmen whose tribal way of life had been systematically and annihilated by the Mauryan statecraft.
• The birth and passing away of Rama's wife Sita from the soil is reflected in its name or perhaps vice versa.

The correct answer is Dholavira 

Key Points Dholavira – Gujarat 

• Dholavira is one of the very few well-preserved urban settlements in South Asia, dating from the 3rd to mid-2nd millennium BCE.
• It is located on a hillock near present-day Dholavira village in Kutch district, from which it gets its name.
• It is the 6th largest of more than 1,000 Harappan sites discovered so far, and was occupied for over 1,500 years.
• Dholavira has witnessed the entire trajectory of the rise and fall of the early civilization of humankind.
• It demonstrates its multifaceted achievements in terms of urban planning, construction techniques, water management, social governance and development, art and manufacturing, trading, and belief system.
• Dholavira has two seasonal streams: Mansar in the north, and Manhar in the south.
• According to an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) note on Dholavira, excavations at the site have revealed seven cultural stages documenting the rise and fall of the Indus Civilisation.

Lothal 

• Lothal was one of the southernmost sites of the Indus Valley civilization (IVC), located in the Bhāl region of what is now the state of Gujarat.
• The port city is believed to have been built in 2,200 BC.
• Lothal was a thriving trade center in ancient times, with its trade of beads, gems and ornaments reaching West Asia and Africa.
• The meaning of Lothal (a combination of Loth and (s) thal) in Gujarati is “the mound of the dead.
• Incidentally, the name of the city of Mohenjo-daro (also part of the Indus Valley Civilisation, now in Pakistan) means the same in Sindhi.
• Lothal had the world’s earliest known dock, which connected the city to an ancient course of the Sabarmati River on the trade route between Harappan cities in Sindh and the peninsula of Saurashtra.

Kalibangan 

• The archaeological site of Kalibangan in Rajasthan has discovered evidence of the world's oldest plowed agricultural field.
• It was discovered outside the fort, southeast of the pre-Harappan village.
• All residences opened out to at least two or three roads or lanes due to the grid pattern of the town layout, which resembled a chessboard.
• A handful of seals from this period have been discovered. A cylindrical seal featuring a female figure between two masculine characters battling or menacing with spears is the most notable.
• Kalibangan - Important discovery
• A wooden furrow and seven fire altars in a row have been discovered, implying the practice of sacrifice.
• There's also a mixed-race bull watching. They have a rectangular form to them.
• Other interesting items include a cylindrical graded measuring rod and a clay ball with human figurines. Chickpeas and peas were also discovered.
• Camel bones have been discovered at Kalibangan.
• The burials were discovered in two types of pits: round and rectangular graves.
• Kalibangan's bricks were made of dirt, and the structure was not well-planned.
• A tiled floor with crossing circles has been discovered at Kalibangan.
• In Kalibangan, there was no drainage system.
• Kalibangan is also a location that has provided evidence of the first recorded earthquake.
• The earthquake, which occurred around 2600 BC, is said to have led to the demise of the Indus Valley Civilization.

Alamgirpur

• Alamgirpur is a late Harappan site that thrived along Hindon river, a tributary of Yamuna river, somewhere around 3300-1300 BCE.
• It is located near Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. It marks the easternmost boundary of Harappan civilization.
• The site of Alamgirpur was first probed by the Regional Camp Committee of the Bharat Sewak Samaj during May 1958. Later, Y. D. Sharma of Archaeological Survey of India, confirmed its linkage to Indus Valley Civilization and revealed a four-fold cultural sequence with a break in between each period.

The correct answer is Vaishali 

Key Points

• The seat of the first Republic of the world in 6th century BC was in Vaishali.
• Vaishali was established in 6th century BCE as a republic, i.e., before the birth of Gautam Buddha, thereby making it the world's first republic.
• Vaishali was an ancient metropolis and the capital city of the republic of the Vajji confederation of Mithila, which covered most of the Himalayan Gangetic region of present-day Bihar.

Additional Information The Lichchavis of Vaishali

• It was the largest and the most powerful republican state of that time. It included nine republican states of Mallas and eighteen republican states of Kasi and Kosala.
• Vaishali was the capital of the Lichchhavis, wherein lived nearly 42,000 families and was a beautiful and prosperous city. The head of the state was elected and was titled King.
• It had another 7,707 Rajans who were, probably, the chief officers of their territories. It was such a powerful state that Ajatasatru, the ruler of the powerful state of Magadha, had to make military and diplomatic preparations for years before he could succeed in annexing it and that, too, could be achieved when his diplomacy succeeded in dividing the Lichchhavis.

The correct answer is Nalanda

Key Points

• Hiuen Tsang was a Chinese Buddhist monk who came to India during the rule of Harshvardhan and studied at Nalanda.
• From his accounts, it can be said that the Nalanda University was a great center of education and was famous even in far-off countries.

Additional Information

• Hiuen Tsang's visit to India was mainly aimed at acquiring awareness of Buddhism and collecting its religious texts. He slipped away from there in 629 A.D, as he did not get the permission of the Chinese emperor to visit India. He crossed the Gobi Desert, visited a number of Central Asian locations, including Kashagar, Samarkand and Balkha, and entered Afghanistan. He met and found worshippers of the Light, a great number of monks and adherents of Buddhism, Stupas and monasteries in various locations.
• He reached Taxila from Afghanistan via Peshawar. He covered the journey from China to India in about a year. Then he lived for almost fourteen years in India. He went to Kashmir from Taxila and then visited a variety of places in India, including Mathura, Kannauj, Sravasti, Ayodhya, Kapilvastu, Kusinagara, Sarnath, Vaishali, Pataliputra, Rajagraha, Bodha-Gaya, and Nalanda.
• For around five years, he stayed at the University of Nalanda. Then he went to Bengal and even visited South India, as far as Kanchi. He was a guest of Bhaskara Varman, the Kamarupa king. From there he was called to Harsha's court. To honour him, Harsha called a religious assembly at Kannauj. The assembly was presided over by Hiuen Tsang.

The correct answer is Abdus Samad

Key Points

• Dastan-i-Amir Hamza was one of the earliest important commissions by the third Mughal emperor Akbar.
• It tells the story of the adventures of Amir Hamza, the uncle of the Prophet Muhammad. the work of preparing the illustrations was supervised initially by Mir Sayyid Ali and subsequently by Abdus Samad.

Additional Information

• Most of the Mughals were renowned as great patrons of arts.
• The first endeavour was to complete the pictures of the earliest Mughal illustrated manuscript, the Dastan-e-Amir Hamza began in the period of Humayun.
• It took 15 years to finish under the supervision of Mir Sayyid Ali and Abdus Samad more than 50 artists completed it. One side of most folios has a painting about (27 x 20) inches in size, painted in a fusion of Persian and Mughal Style Dastan-e-Amir Hamza.

The correct answer is Allauddin Khilji

Key Points

• Sultan Al-Baruni made this statement about Alauddin Khilji that, "When he attained kingship, he was quite independent of rules and orders of Shariat".

Alauddin Khilji

• He was the second sultan of the Khilji dynasty and was the most powerful king of this dynasty. He ruled for about twenty years from 1296 to 1316.
• He became the sultan of Delhi after killing his uncle and father in law Jalaluddin Khilji, the founder of Khilji
  

dynasty. He was a very ambitious person and a warmonger.

• He liked to call himself ‘The Second Alexander’. He took the title ‘Sikander-i-Sani’. During his regime, he expanded his kingdom to a large area. He conquered Gujarat, Rana thambor, Mewar, Malwa, Jalore, Warangal and Madurai. The detailed information on his conquests will be dealt with later.
• He is also famous in history for defeating the Mongols many times. He won against the Mongols in the battles of Jalandhar (1298), Kili (1299), Amroha (1305) and Ravi (1306).
• Behind the success of his war strategies was a slave called Malik Kafur. He discovered Malik Kafur during the conquest of Gujarat. Malik Kafur was a powerful Army Chief. He
  

helped Alauddin to conquer many states.

• Alauddin Khilji died in 1316. It is believed that Malik Kafur murdered him.

The correct answer is Chaudhary.

Key Points

• In the Sultanate Period, the highest rural authority for land revenue was Chowdhary.
• The revenue system of the Delhi Sultanate was founded on the Hanafi school of thought's taxation doctrine, which regulated the imposition of taxes such as Zakat, Kharaj, Khams, and Jizya. The government began collecting land revenue directly under Alauddin Khalji.
• Three types of taxes existed during the reign of the Delhi Sultans:
• Tax on cultivation was called Kharaj. This was around 50 per cent of the peasant’s produce.
• Tax on cattle and houses were the other two types of taxes.

The correct answer is Revenue free land given to learned persons

Key Points

• The Mughal administration issued grants as Madad-i-Mash to pious or otherwise worthy recipients as charity.
• The spirit of composite culture and harmony expressed in revenue-free grants (Madad-i-Mash), which the nobles extended to the support of saints, maintenance of religious institutions, religious places and upkeep of Mashaikhs etc.
• Aurangzeb's Farman of 1690 talks about making aimma lands hereditary. The aimma lands here refer to the madad – i – mash grants.
• Since most Mughal emperors consciously followed this tradition of granting some land as madad – I- maash to women, Jahangir also continued with this policy.
• category of lands were the Madad-I Mash grants:- Poor and destitute.

The correct answer is separate electorate for Muslims

Key Points

• The Muslim League formed On December 30 in 1906. Lord Minto was responsible for granting separate electorates on the basis of communal representation.

Important Points

• The promises made by Lord Minto to the deputation which met him in 1906 under the leadership of Agha Khan was that viceroy should receive the deputation and express his sympathy with their aspirations. The assurance was given that their rights and interests as a community will be safeguarded.
• Muslim deputation was made by the Indian Muslim leaders. They met the Governor General and Viceroy in Shimla. They demanded for both separate electoral constituencies for Muslims in the provincial council and imperial legislative council for them. The preference for them should be given to Muslim community while nominating the members to the Viceroy's council.
• The viceroy Minto shows his sympathy for their aspirations. Minto assured them that their political rights and interests as a community would be surely safeguarded.
• Aga Khan III (1877 – 1957) was the leader of the Nizari Ismaili sect in British India from 1885. He took interest in promoting the interests of the Muslims in British India. Aga Khan took a Muslim delegation to meet British Viceroy Lord Minto in 1906.
• The reason behind the formation of this league was, In 1871 Lord Mayo’s government adopted a resolution which made Urdu the medium of instruction for Muslims in schools and to educational institutions run by the Muslims. They also tried to create hatred among the Hindus and the Muslims by portraying Muslim rulers as plunderers, and Hindu rulers as cruel and inappropriate kings to their Muslim subjects. They tried to justify the Partition of Bengal by convincing the Muslims that Bengal was being partitioned to create a new Muslim majority province. They tried to utilise the caste structure so that they can turn the non-brahmins and the lower castes against people belonging to high castes.

The correct answer is 1853

Key Points

• ​Charter act 1853 introduced open competitive system for recruitment of civil servants.It was open for Indians also for the first time.
• In 1854, the Macaulay Committee recommended that appointment to the service based on the company’s patronage be stopped and a merit-based system be established. Post-1855, recruitment to the ICS was based on merit only through a competitive examination. It was restricted to Indians. (Macaulay Committee was formed under the provisions of Indian Charter Act 1853.)
• In 1886, the Aitchison Commission chaired by Sir Charles Umpherston Aitchison recommended that Indians also get employed in public service.
• A further prod to the inclusion of Indians in the service happened in 1912 when the Islington Commission suggested that 25 % of the higher posts be filled by Indians. It also recommended that recruitment to higher posts should be done partly in India and partly in England.
• From 1922, the ICS exam was held in India.
• The Public Service Commission of India (forerunner of the Union Public Service Commission) was established on 1st October 1926 under the chairmanship of Sir Ross Barker.
• All India Services were designated as Central Superior Services in 1924. After 1939, the number of Indians in the service increased because of non-availability of Europeans.
• After independence, the ICS became the Indian Administrative Service (IAS).​

The correct answer is Madhubani 

Key Points

• Madhubani painting has its origins in Mithila region of Bihar.
• The painting is one of the oldest and most famous Indian art forms which is also practised in Nepal.
• Traces of Madhubani art can also be noticed in the Ramayana, the Indian epic.
• It is also known as Mithila or Madhubani art.

Characteristics

• These paintings are popular because of their tribal motifs and use of bright earthy colours.
• Traditionally the women of the village drew these paintings on the walls of their dwelling, as a demonstration of their feelings, hopes, and ideas.
• Today men are also involved to meet the demand.

Style: It includes geometrical patterns, floral, animal and bird motifs.

Colours: The colours used in paintings comprise natural extracts from plants and other natural.

Themes: It is based on the mythological characters which depict the life of Hindu deities like Krishna, Rama, Lakshmi, Shiva, Durga, and Saraswati.

The correct answer is Mysore

Key Points

• ​At the time of Transfer of Power,  Mysore a states possessed a well developed Congress Party Organisation.​

Additional Information

• A resolution was passed that the Congress name should not be used for political movements in princely states. This paved the way for the birth of the Mysore Congress committee in 1938.
• The first session of the Mysore Congress was held over three days, starting on April 10, 1938. It was over the course of this meeting in Shivapura, that the first dhwaja satyagraha was held in the state. Soon after, the leaders of the Mysore Congress planned another flag-hoisting on April 25 - the event now known as the Vidurashwatha massacre. These incidents led to widespread protests across Mysore.
• After independence, demand for the formation of a 'responsible' government became more vocal. Even though Maharaja Jayachamaraja Wadiyar was the first among the princely state rulers to sign the Instrument of Accession, he stayed in power through his Dewan and council of ministers.

The Correct answer is C P Ramaswamy Aiyar

Key Points

• C P Ramaswamy Aiyar was the Dewan of Travancore State. when the congress in Travancore launched a Civil disobedience Movement against the autocratic government.
• Ramaswamy Aiyar served as a Diwan from 1930 to 1947, during his tenure many social and administrative reforms took place.

The correct answer is Faizpur 

Key Points

• The Indian National Congress was founded at Bombay in December 1885.
• The Fiftieth (50th) Session of the Indian National Congress was held on 27 and 28 December 1937 at Faizpur, a village on the outskirts of Yawal Taluka of Jalgaon District of Bombay Presidency (Maharashtra).
• The Session was presided by Jawahar Lal Nehru.
• First Session to be held in a village.

Additional Information

• he Indian National Congress was founded on the 28th of December 1885, with 72 delegates present at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College in Mumbai (then Bombay).
• It was founded by Allan Octavian Hume, a retired Indian Civil Services Officer.
• The Congress was formed with a view to create a situation where discussions between Indians and the British can take place in a civil manner

The Correct answer is Economic Power 

Key Points

• in Pre-Independent Bihar for the large landlords, Political power was a means to protect their Economic power.

The Correct answer is Barhee

Key Points

• Gandhi Ji, on 6th April 1930, by picking up a handful of salt, inaugurated the Civil Disobedience movement, a movement that was to remain unsurpassed in the history of the Indian National movement for the countrywide mass-participation it unleased.
• Movement was begun from Champaran and Saran districts and later influence the region of Patna, Bettieh, Hajipur, and Darbhanga.
• Champaran, Bhojpur, Purnia, Saran, and Muzaffarpur was an important district where the movement got flourished.
• But during 1930,the Civil Disobedience movement of the congress was so successful that for a few months, all trace of British Raj seemed to have disappeared in Barhee.

The correct answer is Kurmi 

Key Points

• Kurmi is traditionally a non-elite tiller caste in the lower Gangetic plain of India, especially southern regions of Awadh, eastern Uttar Pradesh and parts of Bihar.
• The Kurmis came to be known for their exceptional work ethic, superior tillage and manuring, and gender-neutral culture, bringing praise from Mughal and British administrators alike.
• During the pre-independent period kurmi was not a dominant caste in Bihar.

The correct answer is creative regional elite 

Key Points

• The absence of relative national activity in Bihar before Mahatma Gandhi can be traced to the lack of creative regional elite.
• when Rajkumar Shukla invited a Mahatma Gandhi to come to Bihar, there was no creative elite and people were suppressed by the landlords.

The Correct answer is March,1930

Key Points

• The Kisan Sabha movement was started in Bihar. In 1929, Sahajanand Saraswati formed Bihar Provincial Kisan Sabha (BPKS).

Objectives of All India Kisan Sabha

• All India Kisan Sabha works as the forum representing peasants and agricultural and other rural labourers. The following are the objectives of the All India Kisan Sabha:
• To abolish landlordism and to distribute the land free of cost to agricultural and other rural labourers.
• To improve the standard of living of rural masses and to develop agriculture and industry.
• To end exploitation meted out to the agricultural and other rural labourers.

History of Various State Kisan Sabhas:

• Bihar Provincial Kisan Sabha – 1929 by Sahajanand Saraswati
• UP Kisan Sabha – 1918 by Gauri Shankar Mishra and Indra Narayan Dwivedi and was supported by Madan Mohan Malaviya.
• Awadh Kisan Sabha – 1920 by Baba Ramachandra

The Correct answer is Western education of Jai Prakash Narayan and B P Sinha

Key Points

• Jayaprakash Narayan, also known as JP or Lok Nayak (Hindi for “People’s leader”), was an Indian independence activist, theorist, socialist, and political figure.
• In 1929, he joined the Indian National Congress.
• In 1932, he was imprisoned for a year for participation in the civil disobedience movement.
• In 1939, he was imprisoned again for his opposition to Indian participation in World War II on the side of Britain but escaped.
• He played a key role in the formation of the Congress Socialist Party (1934), a left-wing group within the Congress Party.

Awards

• Bharat Ratna, 1999 (Posthumous) for Public Affairs.
• Rashtrabhushan Award of FIE Foundation, Ichalkaranj
• Ramon Magsaysay Award, 1965 for Public Service.

The Correct answer is 1911 AD.

Key Points

• There was widespread political unrest in the province after Curzon announced the partition.
• The chief aim of such a partition was only to create a rift between the two communities and hamper unity and nationalism in the country.
• The Indian National Congress protested this move to separate the province on communal lines.
• The Swadeshi and Boycott movements in the national struggle started as a result of this partition.
• People started boycotting British goods which had flooded the Indian market and dealt a blow to the indigenous industry.

Partition of Bengal - Annulment

• The partition was declared unconstitutional in 1911 as a result of widespread political protests.
• On December 12, 1911, King George V announced at the Delhi Durbar that eastern Bengal would be absorbed into the Bengal Presidency.
• Districts, where Bengali was spoken, were reunited, while Assam, Bihar, and Orissa were divided.
• Despite the annulment, the partition did not create a communal divide between Bengal's Hindus and Muslims.

The correct answer is Lord Hardinge 

Key Points

Defence of India Act, 1915 

• The Defence of India Act also referred to as the Defence of India Regulations Act, was an emergency criminal law enacted in 1915 by the Governor-General of India.
• Its main intention was to curtail the nationalist and revolutionary activities of the Indian Independence Movement during and in the aftermath of World War I.

implementation of the Act

• British intelligence in North America indicated early in the war that the Ghadr Party, co-ordinating with the Berlin Committee in Germany, and the Indian revolutionary underground was attempting to transport men and arms from the United States and East Asia into India, intended for a revolution and mutiny in the British Indian Army.
• From August 1914, a large number of Sikh expatriates began leaving Canada and USA under the plans of the Ghadr leadership for fomenting a mutiny in India, whilst in Bengal nationalist crime also increased.
• Thus pressure mounted on the British authorities in India to pass an act that would stem such revolutionary activities. Thus the Defence of India Act came to pass.

The correct answer is Three fold division 

Key Points

• Agrarian classes in Bihar during British rule were placed in mainly Three-fold divisions.
• It was broadly divided into Landlords (Zamindars), tenants and agriculturist landless labourers.
• All three are highly correlated, such that the impact of one or two cannot be studied in isolation.

The correct answer is 13th April, 1919.

Key PointsJallianwala Bagh Massacre

• Jallianwala Bagh Massacre also called the Massacre of Amritsar was an incident on April 13, 1919.  Hence option 2 is correct.
• British troops fired on a large crowd of unarmed Indians in an open space known as the Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar in Punjab.
• It killed several hundred people and wounded many hundreds more.
• It marked a turning point in India’s modern history, in that it left a permanent scar on Indo-British relations and was the precursor to Mahatma Gandhi’s full commitment to the cause of Indian nationalism and independence from Britain.
• The then government of India passed what became known as the Rowlatt Acts in early 1919, which essentially extended the repressive wartime measures.
• The acts were met by widespread anger and discontent among Indians, notably in the Punjab region.
• Gandhi in early April called for a one-day general strike (Rowlatt Satyagraha) throughout the country.
• In Amritsar, the news that prominent Indian leaders (Satya Pal and Saifuddin Kitchlew) had been arrested and banished from that city sparked violent protests on April 10, in which soldiers fired upon civilians and angry mobs killed several foreign nationals.
• A force of several dozen troops commanded by Brig. Gen. Reginald Edward Harry Dyer was given the task of restoring order.
• Among the measures taken was a ban on public gatherings.
• On the afternoon April 13, a crowd of at least 10,000 men, women, and children gathered in the Jallianwala Bagh, which was nearly completely enclosed by walls and had only one exit.
• It is not clear how many people there were protesters who were defying the ban on public meetings and how many had come to the city from the surrounding region to celebrate Baisakhi, a spring festival.
• Dyer and his soldiers arrived and sealed off the exit.
• Without warning, the troops opened fire on the crowd, reportedly shooting hundreds of rounds until they ran out of ammunition.

The Correct answer is Irwin-Gandhi Pact

Key Points

Second Round Table Conference (September 1931- December 1931)

• The session started on 7 September 1931.
• The major difference between the first and the second conference was that the INC was participating in the second one. This was one of the results of the Gandhi-Irwin Pact.
• The British decided to grant a communal award for representing minorities in India by providing for separate electorates for minority communities. Gandhi was against this.
• In this conference, Gandhi and Ambedkar differed on the issue of separate electorates for the untouchables. Gandhi was against treating untouchables as separate from the Hindu community.
• This issue was resolved through the Poona Pact 1932.
• The second round table conference was deemed a failure because of the many disagreements among the participants.
• While the INC claimed to speak for the whole of the country, other participants and leaders of other parties contested this claim.

Participants of the Second Round table conference

• British delegates belonging to various political parties including the British Prime
  

Minister, James Ramsay Macdonald.

• Indian princely states represented by Maharajas, princes and divans.
• British Indians represented by:
  

Indian National Congress (INC) – Mahatma Gandhi, Rangaswami Iyengar, Madan

Mohan Malaviya

• Muslims – Md. Ali Jinnah, Aga Khan III, Muhammad Iqbal, etc.
• Hindus – M R Jayakar, etc.
• Depressed classes – Dr B R Ambedkar
• Women – Sarojini Naidu, etc.
• Liberals, Justice Party, Sikhs, Indian Christians, Parsis, Europeans, Anglo-Indians,
  

industry, labour, landlords, Burma, Sindh and other provinces.

The correct answer is  Chakravarti Rajagopalachari

Key Points

• After Mountbatten left, Chakravarti Rajagopalachari succeeded as the Governor-General of India.
• He is considered to have been the first and last Indian to hold this post.
• After 1950, it was abolished and replaced by that of the President.

The correct answer is Jawahar Lal Nehru

Key Points

Japan posed a serious threat to India.

• The Congress was greatly perturbed by the developments in South-East Asia.
• Japanese bombers raided Shanghai and their armies overran the Philippines and Malaya.
• They occupied Burma (Myanmar) also and then marched towards Assam.
• The War thus had come to the very border of India.
• Our great anxiety was - what should be done if India was attacked by Japan? Had Japanese armies attacked they could quickly occupy India without much opposition.
• There was nothing that Indians could do to resist it.
• This feeling of helplessness irritated many leaders, and in particular Jawaharlal Nehru. He even advised people to resort to guerilla warfare in the event of a Japanese invasion.
• Gandhi and other leaders were now convinced that the situation called for complete Independence — immediate and unconditional. Only then could the people realise that the defence of the country was their duty and their alone.

The correct answer is Unlawful Association Ordinance

Key Points

• The Indian National Congress was founded at Bombay in December 1885.
• A retired British official, A.O. Hume, also played a part in bringing Indians from the various regions together.
• First Session: held at Bombay in 1885. President: W.C. Banerjee
• Later, under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi it began a campaign of non-violence and non-cooperation.
• it was declared illegal between 1932-34. It led the Movement to end British rule & was the government party after independence from 1947-77

The correct answer is Reverend Charlie Andrews

Key Points

• Charles Andrews (Deenbandhu Andrews) was Professor at St. Stephan’s College Delhi.
• He had affection for Indians and also wanted to be an Indian. He was very close to Rabindranath Tagore, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, and Mahatma Gandhi.
• He lived with Gandhiji on Phoenix Farm. Gandhiji gave the title of Deen Bandhu for his love and care for the poor.
• Andrews also became President of the All India Trade Union from 1925 to 1927. He accompanied Gandhi as an associate to Round Table Conference in London.

The correct answer is Non-Violence 

Key Points

• Gandhi objects to violence because it perpetuates hatred. When it appears to do ‘good’, the good is only temporary and cannot do any good in the long run.
• According to Gandhi the use of non-violence consists of anger, selfishness, hatred and enmity. According to him violence cannot do anything good to human beings.
• He believed that human nature is good. He considered all people are capable of moral development.
• The goal of Gandhi was to change society and each individual using the values of honesty and nonviolence.
• Gandhiji developed these ideologies from various inspirational sources such as Bhagavad Geeta, Jainism, Buddhism, Bible, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Tolstoy, and John Ruskin among others.
  

Therefore according to Gandhi, the participation in the Second World War meant a violation of the principle of Non-Violence

The correct answer is Linlithgow.

Key PointsGovernment of India Act, 1935 – Background:

• The Government of India Act was passed by the British parliament in 1935 and came into effect in 1937.
• It was based on a report by a Joint Select Committee, led by Lord Linlithgow, which set up the two houses of the British parliament. Hence option 1 is correct.
• The report, in turn, was the result of the Joint Committee’s scrutiny of the ‘White Paper’ – a scheme of constitutional proposals - prepared by the British government close on the heels of the Round Table conferences.

Linlithgow:

• Lord Linlithgow was Viceroy of India from 1936 to 1944 and this eight years period was the longest reign as Viceroy of India.
• During this period, parts of the Government of India Act,1935 came into force in 1937.
• Other events included –
• Resignation of Congress Ministries to protest the involvement of Indians in world war-II
• Start of World War II (1939)
• resignation of Subhash Chandra Bose and the foundation of “Forward Block”
• Jinnah’s two nations theory
• Atlanta Charter
• August Offer (1940)
• Foundation of Indian National Army
• Cripps Mission (1942)
• Launch of Quit India Movement
• Bengal Famine of 1943.

The correct answer is Option 2

Key Points The Poona Pact:

• The Poona Pact was an agreement between M K Gandhi and B R Ambedkar signed in the Yerwada Central Jail, Poona on September 24th, 1932.
• It was signed on the behalf of the depressed class for the reservation of the electoral seats in the Legislature of the British Government. Hence option 2 is correct.
• It was signed by Ambedkar on behalf of the depressed classes and by Madan Mohan Malviya on behalf of Hindus and Gandhi.
• It meant to end the fast that Gandhi was undertaking in jail as a protest against the decision to give separate electorates to depressed classes for the election of members of provincial legislative assemblies in British India.
• In a settlement negotiated with Mahatma Gandhi, Ambedkar agreed for depressed class candidates to be elected by a joint electorate.
• Nearly twice as many seats (147) were reserved for the depressed classes in the legislature than what had been allotted under the Communal Award.
• In addition, the Poona Pact assured a fair representation of the depressed classes in the public services while earmarking a portion of the educational grant for their uplift.
• The pact made the entire country morally responsible for the uplift of the depressed classes.

The correct answer is Option 4.

Key PointsButler Committee 1927:

• Butler Committee (Indian States Committee) was appointed in Dec 1927.
• It was set up to examine the nature of the relationship between the states and the Government of India. Hence option 4 is correct.
• it consisted of three members under the chairmanship of Sir Harcourt Butler.
• The other members were Prof. W.S. Holdsworth and S.C. Peel.
• They visited sixteen Princely States and submitted their report in February 1929.
• Recommendations:
• The Butler committee recommended that the paramountcy of the British colonial government should continue to remain supreme.
• At the same time, the British colonial government was advised to Carry out its roles and obligations according to the shifting demands of the time in order to ensure the progressive development of the states.
• As these Indian states were founded by an obligation with the Crown based on a treaty, these States could not simply be handed over to an Indian government in British-controlled India without the prior approval of the crown.
• The committee recommended that the Viceroy should be the agent of the Crown while dealing with the states instead of the Governor-General in the Council.
• However, the Indian princes were not happy with the concept of paramountcy not being completely defined as noted by the Butler Committee.
• ‘Conference of the States’ People’ gave a written submission to the Butler Committee about their final goal to appoint a representative and responsible government in the Indian states

The Correct answer is ​high tariff rates on exports to Britain.

Key Points

• Bengal was probably the world’s most famous producer of cotton textiles for a long period of time. ​
• The manufacture of cotton goods was found in almost every village in Bengal. Numerous kinds of clothes were
  

manufactured by the weavers of Bengal which were differentiated by various names according to the fabrics

and places where they were manufactured.

Some Elements which led to the Decline of Indian Textile

• The industrialized textiles from Britain flooded the world markets, and the production of these textiles became cheaper and faster for the British.
• The British imposed heavy duties on Indian textiles making them much more expensive than British textiles.
• With the invention of some machines like the spinning jenny, textiles were produced in large quantities, making them cheaper.
• British cloth started to flood the domestic as well as the international markets.
• Heavy duties were imposed on Indian textiles and traders could no longer afford to buy these textiles.

The Correct answer is ​J B Kriplani

Key Points

• J B Kripalani was the Congress President at the time when India become free.
• Jivatram Bhagwandas Kripalani (11 November 1888 – 19 March 1982), popularly known as Acharya Kripalani, was an Indian politician, noted particularly for holding the presidency of the Indian National Congress during the transfer of power in 1947 and the husband of Sucheta Kripalani.
• In the election of the congress President in 1950, Kriplani was defeated by Purushottam Das Tandon.

Additional Information

• The Indian National Congress was founded at Bombay in December 1885.
• A retired British official, A.O. Hume, also played a part in bringing Indians from the various regions together.
• Dadabhai Naoroji (thrice president), Badruddin Tyabji, Pherozeshah Mehta, P.Anandacharlu, Surendranath Banerjea, Romesh Chandra Dutt, Ananda Mohan Bose, and Gopal Krishna Gokhale were some of the great Congress presidents during this early period.
• Mahadev Govind Ranade, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Sisir Kumar Ghosh, Motilal Ghosh, Madan Mohan Malaviya, G. Subramania Aiyar, C. Vijayaraghavachariar, and Dinshaw E. Wacha were among the other prominent leaders.
  

The Correct answer is Mahatma Gandhi 

Key Points

• ​Sarvodaya means ‘the rise or welfare of all’.
• Mahatma Gandhi who first used the word Sarvodaya in modern times.
• Gandhiji borrowed this concept from John Ruskin’s Unto This Last.
• For Gandhiji, Sarvodaya is the true panacea for all types of social or political problems experienced by Indian society.
• After the death of Gandhiji, Acharya Vinoba Bhave and Jayaprakash Narayan have highlighted the essentials of Sarvodaya in their own light.

Important Points

• Sarvodaya reiterates belief in God and, further, it identifies that belief with faith in the goodness of man and with services, of humanity.
• It attaches importance to the principle of trusteeship as implying the abolition of private ownership and the application of the principle of non-possession to public institutions.
• Sarvodaya visualises a simple, non-violent and decentralised society.
• The concept of Sarvodaya views work as an offering to the Lord.

The correct answer is Panchsheel.

Key Points

• Panchsheel was born fifty years ago in response to a world asking for a new set of principles for the conduct of international relations that would reflect the aspirations of all nations to co-exist and prosper together in peace and harmony.
• Panchsheel, or the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence, were first formally enunciated in the Agreement on Trade and Intercourse between the Tibet region of China and India signed on April 29,1954, which stated.
• In its preamble, that the two Governments “have resolved to enter into the present Agreement based on the following principles: -
• Mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty,
• Mutual non-aggression,
• Mutual non-interference
• Equality and mutual benefit, and
• Peaceful co-existence.”
• ​​Panchsheel as the principled core of the Non-Aligned Movement.
• Down the years, the ethos of Panchsheel continued to be reflected in world events even if there was no conscious attribution, finding expression in the position of the developing countries in the North-South dialogue, and in other groupings.​

The correct answer is The Secretary to President of India.

Key Points

• According to Article 79 of the Constitution of India, the Parliament consists of
• President of India and
• The two Houses of Parliament known as Council of States (Rajya Sabha)
• House of the People (Lok Sabha).
• The President of India is a part of the Parliament, although he/she is not a member of either House. Hence the correct answer is option 4).
• That is why all laws made in the Houses come into force only after they receive the assent of the President.
• The President appoints the Prime Minister.
• While the Prime Minister is the head of the government, the President is the head of the State.
• In our political system the head of the State exercises only nominal powers.
• The President supervises the overall functioning of all the political institutions in the country so that they operate in harmony to achieve the objectives of the State.

The correct answer is option 1.

Key Points 42^nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976:

• Added three new words (i.e., socialist, secular and integrity) in the Preamble. Hence option 1 is correct.
• Added Fundamental Duties by the citizens (new Part IV A).
• Provided for administrative tribunals and tribunals for other matters (Added Part XIV A).
• Shifted five subjects from the state list to the concurrent list:
• ​viz, education, forests, protection of wild animals and birds, weights and measures and administration of justice, constitution and organisation of all courts except the Supreme Court and the high courts.
• Added three new Directive Principles:
• equal justice and free legal aid
• the participation of workers in the management of industries
• protection of the environment, forests, and wildlife.
• Provided that the laws made for the implementation of Directive Principles cannot be declared invalid by the courts on the ground of violation of some Fundamental Rights.
• Froze the seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies on the basis of the 1971 census till 2001 - Population Controlling Measure
• Made the constitutional amendments beyond judicial scrutiny.
• Provided for the creation of the All-India Judicial Service.

The correct answer is 14th 

Key Points

• The first Manmohan Singh administration was established following the 2004 Indian general election.
• It was held in four parts between April 20 and May 10, 2004. Hence option 4) is correct.
• The 14th Lok Sabha was then constituted (17 May 2004 – 18 May 2009). (2004–2009).
• 62 more seats were gained by the Indian National Congress-led United Progressive Alliance than in the previous 13th Lok Sabha.
• The lower house of the Indian Parliament is called the Lok Sabha (House of the People).
• Following the 2004 Indian general election, 8 incumbent Rajya Sabha (the Upper House of the Indian Parliament) members were elected to the 14th Lok Sabha.
• Following the 2009 Indian general election, the 15th Lok Sabha was called.

The correct answer is The President of India.

Key Points

• Some bills must first receive the President's approval before being introduced in the Parliament.
• These invoices are a bill that aims to change the names and borders of the states.
• Finance Bill and Money Bill. Hence option 3) is correct.
• State legislation that imposes constraints on commercial freedom.
• Any legislation that the states are interested in and that has an impact on taxation.
• A finance bill is one that, as its name implies, deals with the nation's finances; examples include taxes, government spending, borrowing, revenues, etc.
• These topics are covered by the Union Budget, which is passed as a finance bill.
• According to Rule 219 of the Lok Sabha's Rules of Procedure,
• A "Finance Bill" is defined as the Bill that is typically introduced each year.
• To give effect to the Government of India's financial proposals for the upcoming fiscal year.
• Which also includes a Bill to give effect to supplementary financial proposals for any period.

The correct answer is Rajya Sabha.

Key Points

• The vice president of India is the ex-officio chairman of the Rajya Sabha, who presides over its sessions.
• The deputy chairman, who is elected from amongst the house's members, takes care of the day-to-day matters of the house in the absence of the chairman.
• The Rajya Sabha's ex-officio chairman, who preside over its sessions, India's vice president.
• In the absence of the chairman, the house's daily business is handled by the deputy chairman, who is chosen from among the members.
• The Rajya Sabha convened for the first time on May 13, 1952.
• Rajya Sabha, is the presiding officer, not a member of that house.
• The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India.
• Member ship of Rajya Sabha is limited by the Constitution to a maximum of 250 members, and current laws have provision for 245 members.

The correct answer is Panchayti Raj Act.

Key Points73rd  Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992:

• The 73rd Amendment Act was enacted by the Indian national government in 1992 to address these issues and improve local self-governance. Hence option 3 is correct.
• It became law on April 24th, 1993.
• The 11th schedule was added to the constitution through this amendment which contained 29 subject matters of the Panchayats.
• This act also added Part IX: The Panchayats to the Constitution which contained provisions from Articles 243 to 243 O.
• Its goal relates to Article 40 of the constitution, which calls for the state to set up village panchayats and give them the requisite authority and powers to function as self-governing entities.
• It envisages the Gram Sabha as the foundation of the Panchayat Raj System to perform functions and powers entrusted to it by the State Legislatures.
• A three-tier Panchayat Raj System at the village, intermediate, and district levels is provided by the amendment.
• It aims for the democratic decentralisation of power and resources from the centre to locally elected authorities in order to encourage public involvement in governance.

The correct answer is Jammu and Kashmir State.

Key Points

• Jammu and Kashmir, an area in the northern Indian subcontinent and a portion of the wider region of Kashmir that has been the subject of a dispute between India, Pakistan, and China since 1947, was granted special status under Article 370 of the Indian constitution. Hence option 1) is correct.
• From 1952 to October 31, 2019, Jammu and Kashmir was governed by India as a state, and Article 370 granted it the authority to establish a unique constitution, a state flag, and internal administrative autonomy.
• The Indian Constitution's "Temporary, Transitional and Special Provisions" Part XXI contains Article 370.
• It declared that the Jammu and Kashmir Constituent Assembly would have the authority to suggest how much of the Indian Constitution should be applied to the state.
• The entire Indian Constitution would have applied to the state had the state assembly decided to completely repeal Article 370.
• After the state constituent assembly was convened, it recommended the provisions of the Indian constitution that should apply to the state, based on which 1954 Presidential Order was issued.
• Since the state constituent assembly dissolved itself without recommending the abrogation of Article 370, the article was deemed to have become a permanent feature of the Indian Constitution.

The correct answer is Dr. Rajendra Prasad .

Key Points

• Rajendra Prasad was an Indian politician, lawyer, activist for Indian independence, journalist, and scholar.
• He was the first president of the Republic of India from 1950 to 1962.
• He died on February 28, 1963.  He joined the Indian National Congress at the height of the Indian Independence Movement and rose to prominence as a leader in the Bihar and Maharashtra regions.
• Prasad, a devotee of Mahatma Gandhi, was detained by British authorities during the Quit India campaign in 1942 and the Salt Satyagraha in 1931.
• Prasad was chosen as India's first president by the Constituent Assembly in 1950, the year the country became a republic.
• As president, Prasad retired from Congress party politics and established a tradition of non-partisanship and independence for the office-bearer.
• Even though he was only the ceremonial head of state, Prasad supported the expansion of education in India and frequently provided advice to the Nehru administration.
• Prasad became the only president to hold office for two full terms when he was re-elected in 1957. Hence option 1) is correct.

The correct answer is 13th.

Key Points

• Manmohan Singh, an Indian politician, economist, and statesman, was the nation's 13th prime minister from 2004 to 2014. Hence option 3) is correct.
• He was born on September 26, 1932. After Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, he has served as prime minister for the third-longest period of time.
• Singh, an Indian National Congress member, served as India's first Sikh prime minister.
• He was also the first prime minister to win reelection following a full five-year tenure since Jawaharlal Nehru.

Additional Information

1. ​​​Jawahar Lal Nehru (15 August 1947 to 27 May 1964)
2. Gulzarilal Nanda (Acting) (27 May 1964 to 9 June 1964)
3. Lal Bahadur Shastri ( 9 June 1964 to 11 January 1966)
4. Gulzari Lal Nanda  (Acting) (11 January 1966 to 24 January 1966)
5. Indira Gandhi (24 January 1966 to 24 March 1977)
6. Morarji Desai (24 March 1977 to  28 July 1979)
7. Charan Singh (28 July 1979 to 14 January 1980)
8. Indira Gandhi (14 January 1980 to 31 October 1984)
9. Rajiv Gandhi (31 October 1984 to 2 December 1989)
10. V. P. Singh (2 December 1989 to 10 November 1990)
11. Chandra Shekhar (10 November 1990 to 21 June 1991)
12. P. V. Narasimha Rao (21 June 1991 to 16 May 1996)
13. Atal Bihari Vajpayee (16 May 1996 to 1 June 1996)
14. H. D. Deve Gowda (1 June 1996 to 21 April 1997)
15. Inder Kumar Gujral (21 April 1997 to 19 March 1998)
16. Atal Bihari Vajpayee (19 March 1998 to 22 May 2004 )
17. Manmohan Singh (22 May 2004 to 26 May 2014 )
18. Narendra Modi (26 May 2014 - Present)

The correct answer is TS Krishnamurthy.

Key Points

• The Chief Election Commissioner of India heads the Election Commission of India, a body constitutionally empowered to conduct free and fair elections to the national and state legislatures and of President and Vice-President.
• This power of the Election Commission of India is derived from the Article 324 of the Constitution of India.
• Chief Election Commissioner of India is usually a member of the Indian Civil Service and mostly from the Indian Administrative Service.
• Taruvai Subayya Krishnamurthy (born 1941) is a former Indian Revenue Service officer who served as 13th Chief Election Commissioner (C.E.C) of India (February 2004 - May 2005). Hence option 3) is correct.
• His main assignment as C.E.C was to oversee the 2004 elections to the Lok Sabha.
• He had earlier served in the Election Commission of India as a commissioner since January 2000.

The correct answer is Both A and R are true and R is correct explanation of A.

Key Points

• On-shore Oil Production In India
• Brahmaputra valley of north-east India.
• Barmer area of Rajasthan.
• Gujarat coast in western India.
• Cauvery on-shore basin in Tamil Nadu.
• Andhra Pradesh has both on-shore and offshore oil reserves.
• ​The extent of Oil Bearing Strata in India
• Sedimentary rocks cover 1 lakh square kilometres or 42% of India.
• Marine basins from the Mesozoic and Tertiary periods cover 10 lakh square kilometres. Hence option 1) is correct.
• The total continental shelf of potentially oil-bearing rocks is 2 lakh square kilometres.
• There are 27 basins in total, including both onshore and offshore sedimentary areas.
• The most productive areas are Mumbai High, the Khambhat Gulf, and Assam.

The correct answer is Chhota Nagpur Plateau.

Key Points

• With an area of 94,163 km2 (36,357 mi2), Bihar is the twelfth-largest Indian state by land. Its average elevation is roughly 150 m above mean sea level.
• Landlocked Bihar is bordered to the north by Nepal, to the east by West Bengal, to the east by Jharkhand, and to the west by Uttar Pradesh.
• Bihar can be split into the Southern Plateau Region, the Bihar Plain, and the Shivalik Region based on its physical and structural characteristics.
• Third, the Shivalik Region, which is 32 km long and 6–8 km wide and is located in the sub-Himalayan foothills of the Shivalik range, casts a shadow over the state.
• The West Champaran district is surrounded by a border of wet deciduous woods. In addition to trees, this also includes grass, brush, and reeds.

Additional Information

• Bihar's Plain is located between the Southern Plateau and Northern Mountains which is bounded by 150m contour line in the North as well as in the South.
• The Ganga is the most dominant river of Bihar state and is joined by the rivers: Ghaghra, Gandak, Burhi Gandak, Bagmati, Kamla-Balan, Kosi and Mahananda flowing southward from Himalayas in northern part of the Gangetic Plain.
• The vast stretch of fertile Bihar Plain is divided by the Ganges River into two unequal part - the North Bihar and the South Bihar.
• Northern Bihar Plain
• It is located in East Champaran & West Champaran (Terai area with higher elevation), and plains of Samastipur, Begusarai, Saharsa and Kathihar.
• Region is drained by Saryu, Gandak, Burhi Gandak, Bagmati, Kamla-Balan, Kosi and Mahanadi and their tributaries.
• Southern Bihar Plain
• It is narrow than northern plain of Bihar and triangular in shape because many hills are located in this region such as hills of Gaya, Rajgir, Giriak, Bihar Sharif, Sheikhpura, Jamalpur and Kharagpur hills.

The correct answer is Gandak, Kamla, Bhagmati

Key Points

 ​Ganga River System

• The Ganges River originates in the Himalayan Mountains at Gomukh, the terminus of the Gangotri. When the ice of this glacier melts, it forms the clear waters of the Bhagirathi River.
• As the Bhagirathi River flows down the Himalayas, it joins the Alaknanda River, officially forming the Ganges River.
• The Ganges flows south and east from the Himalayas, forming a canyon as it leaves the mountain. It winds its way through northern India, eventually emptying into the Bay of Bengal.
• As the river empties into the Bay of Bengal, the mouth forms the Ganges River Delta, the largest river delta in the world.
• Haridwar, Kanpur, Soron, Kannauj, Allahabad, Varanasi, Patna, Ghazipur, Bhagalpur, Mirzapur, Ballia, Buxar, Saidpur, and Chunar are the important towns.
• Left Tributaries of Ganga
• Ramganga, Gomti, Ghaghra, Gandak, Koshi, and Mahananda
• Right Tributaries of Ganga
• Yamuna, Tons, Karmnasa, Punpun, Damodar, and Rupnarayan

Important Points

• Gandak
• It is formed by the union of the Kali and Trisuli rivers, which rise in the Great Himalayan Range in Nepal.
• From this junction to the Indian border the river is called the Narayani.
• It enters the Ganga river opposite Patna in a place called Sonepur after a winding course of 765 km.
• The upper catchment area of the river is bleak and desolate lying in the rain shadow area of the Himalayan range.
• The river's middle and lower courses flow through the V-shaped valleys, incised meanders, and have paired and unpaired terraces on either side.
• Kosi
• Saptakoshi for its 7 Himalayan tributaries, it is an antecedent transboundary river flowing through Nepal and India.
• Some of the rivers of the Kosi system, such as the Arun, the Sun Kosi, and the Bhote Koshi, originating in Tibet.
• This 729km long river is one of the largest tributaries of the Ganga and joins it at Kursela in the Kathiar district.
• The highest peak in the world, Mt.Everest and Kanchenjunga are in the Kosi catchment.
• Bagmati is a major tributary of the Kosi.
• Its unstable nature has been attributed to the heavy silt it carries during the monsoon season, Due to this, it is also termed as “The Sorrow of Bihar”.
• Son
• The Son, 784km long, originates near Amarkantak in MP, just east of the headwater of the Narmada River, and flows north-northwest through MP before turning sharply eastward where it encounters the southwest-northeast running Kaimur Range.
• The Son parallels the Kaimur hills, flowing east-northeast through UP, Jharkhand, and Bihar states to join the Ganga just above Patna.
• Its major tributaries are the Rihand and the North Koel.

The Correct answer is I, III and IV

Key Points

• Bihar is richly endowed with water resources and with a very healthy rainfall average of 1271.9
  

mms.

• Bihar has 45.67 lakh hectares of irrigated area against its total geographical area of 93.6 lakh
  

hectares.

• While created irrigation capacity of 45.67 lakh hectare means that around 49 per cent of total area is irrigated, distribution of irrigation capacity is not even across the State.
• This variation in irrigation capacity across the regions also extends to the sources of irrigation.
• Nearly 63 per cent of total created irrigation capacity in the State has tubewells as its source.
• Canal irrigation accounts for nearly 30 per cent of total irrigated area. Hence statement 1 is correct
• This extends from Nepal in the North to Chhotanagpur plateau in southern Bihar. It is spread in 450000 sq. Km, which is about 50% of the total geographical area of Bihar.Hence statement 2 is incorrect.
• The state received a total of 1385 mms. of rainfall during 2020, which was about 37 percent higher than the long-run average rainfall (1012 mms).
• In 2020, Kishanganj received the highest rainfall of 2765 mms., followed by Supaul (1953mms.) and West Champaran (1920mms.). The lowest rainfall was recorded in Arwal (769mms.).Hence Statement 3 is correct.
• The total length of NH in Bihar is 5301 km. which was 4554 km during 2014. The total length has been increased by adding the additional length of 747 Km new NH.
• At present, various schemes of Highway and bridges are in progress at a cost of about Rs 27270 crore for the overall development of Bihar.
• The Ministry has sanctioned more than Rs 10,000 crore to be distributed to the farmers as compensation for their land being acquired for the development of National Highways.
• but at the time of asking the question The total length of National Highways in Bihar was 2,461 km.Therefore Statement 4 is correct.

The correct answer is Purnea-Saharsa Darbhanga-Muzaffarpur area

Key Points

• There are three major types of soil in Bihar -
• Piedmont Swamp Soil - found in the northwestern part of the West Champaran district.
• Terai Soil - found in the northern part of the state along the border of Nepal.
• Gangetic Alluvium - the plain of Bihar is covered by Gangetic alluvium.
• Gangetic Plain
• The topography of Bihar can be easily described as a fertile alluvial plain occupying the Gangetic Valley.
• The plain extends from the foothills of the Himalayas in the north to a few miles south of the river Ganges as it flows through the State from the west to the east.
• Rich farmland and lush orchards extend throughout the state.
• Buxar, Bhojpur, Saran, Patna, Vaishali, Samastipur, Begusarai, and Munger are extended over the Gangetic plain.

Important Points

• Alluvial Soil
• This is the most widely spread and important soil. In fact, the entire northern plains are made of alluvial soil.
• These have been deposited by three important Himalayan river systems – the Indus, the Ganga, and the Brahmaputra.
• The alluvial soil consists of various proportions of sand, silt, and clay.
• According to their age alluvial soils can be classified as old alluvial (Bangar) and new alluvial (Khadar).
• The Bangar soil has a higher concentration of Kanker nodules than the Khadar. It has more fine particles and is more fertile than the Bangar.
• Mostly these soils contain an adequate proportion of potash, phosphoric acid, and lime which are ideal for the growth of sugarcane, paddy, wheat, and other cereal and pulse crops.
• Soils in the drier areas are more alkaline and can be productive after proper treatment and irrigation.

The Correct answer is A - 1, B - 2, C - 3, D - 4

Key Points

• Paper and Pulp-Dalmianagar
• Cigarette- Dilawarpur
• Plywood - Hajipur
• Jute - Purnea

Additional Information

Paper and Pulp

• On August 23, 2022, Union Minister of Heavy Industries Mahendra Nath Pandey inaugurated Asia's first paper mill NEPA Limited at Burhanpur. It has been revived after seven years.
• Two types of paper will be prepared here.
• The first newsprint, will be of 44-45 GSM. This waste will be prepared by making pulp from paper, while the second will be writing printing paper.
• Nepa Limited was started as a private enterprise by Nair Press Syndicate Limited on January 26, 1947.
• In October 1949, the management of the company was acquired by the then-state government of Central Provinces and Berar (present-day Madhya Pradesh).
• Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, Haryana, Bihar, and Gujarat are the producers.

Cigarette

• The only city in Bihar where the Cigarette Industry is established at Dilwarpur in Munger.
• The Cigarette industry was set up in Munger in 1910 by ITC.
• Munger is the First Smoke-Free Zone in Bihar and the 39th Smoke-free district of India.

Jute 

• The major jute-producing districts of the state are Katihar, Purnea, Saharsa, Supaul and Madhepura.
• Purnea district of Bihar is the highest producer of Jute.
• India is the largest producer of jute followed by Bangladesh and China.
• However, in terms of acreage and trade, Bangladesh takes the lead accounting for three-fourth of the global jute exports in comparison to India’s 7%.
• The Jute sector provides direct employment to 3.70 lakh workers in the country and supports the livelihood of around 40 lakh farm families.
• West Bengal, Bihar, and Assam account for almost 99% of India’s total production.

Plywood

• The only city in Bihar where the Plywood Industry is established in Hajipur.

The correct answer is A - 2, B -1, C - 4, D - 3.

Key PointsMica

• Mica is any of a collection of hydrous potassium, and aluminum silicate minerals. It is a kind of phyllosilicate, showing a -dimensional sheet or layer structure.
• Micas are located in all 3 foremost rock types -
• Igneous
• Sedimentary, and
• Metamorphic
• It is used as a pigment extender. Mica disc is used in breathing apparatus, communication devices, lenses, broadband waveplates, etc. Mica is used in microwave ovens as well. Not only this, eyeliner or lip gloss that most women use on a daily basis also contains mica.
• India is the largest producer of mica and the leading producer state is Andhra Pradesh.
• Nawada and Munger are central producer districts of Bihar.

Gold

• Gold is one of the densest of all metals. It is a good conductor of heat and electricity. It is also soft and the most malleable and ductile of the elements.
• Gold often occurs in association with copper and lead deposits, and, though the quantity is often extremely small, it is readily recovered as a by-product in refining those base metals.
• China is the largest producer of Gold.
• In terms of metal content, Karnataka has the highest reserves followed by Rajasthan, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, and Jharkhand.
• In terms of production, Karnataka is the largest producer followed by Andhra Pradesh

Dolomite

• A limestone with more than 10% of magnesium is called dolomite.
• This resource is distributed in Madhya Pradesh(29%), Andhra Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Odisha, Karnataka, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra.
• Chhattisgarh is the largest dolomite-producing state of India, and it contributes more than 30% of the total production of the country.
• The economic uses of Dolomite are chiefly Metallurgical; as refractories, and as a flux in blast furnaces.

Petroleum

• Petroleum is referred to as “Black Gold.”
• Petroleum is a liquid that occurs naturally in rock formations. This consists of a complex mixture of different molecular weights of hydrocarbons, plus other organic compounds.
• it is used to manufacture various products such as pharmaceuticals, plastics, gasoline, synthetic fabrics, etc.

The correct answer is Patna, East Champaran, Muzaffarpur, Madhubani

Key Points

• The census provides information on the size, distribution, and socio-economic, demographic, and other characteristics of the country’s population.
• The Census was first started under British Viceroy Lord Mayo in 1872. It helped in framing new policies, and government programs to uplift areas of improvement in the community.
• The first synchronous census in India was held in 1881. Since then, censuses have been undertaken uninterruptedly once every ten years.
• The responsibility of conducting the decennial Census rests with the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.

Important Points

• In 2001, the total population was 82,998,509, in which males were 43,243,795 while females were 39,754,714.
• The total population growth in this decade was 28.43%.
• In 2001, the population of Bihar was 8.07 percent of India.
• In 2001, the sex ratio of females was 919 per 1000 males in Bihar.
• ​Literacy rate in Bihar stood at 47.00 percent of which males and females were 59.68 percent and 33.12 percent literate respectively.

The correct answer is 15th November, 2000.

Key Points

• Eastern India contains the state of Jharkhand. The states of West Bengal to the east, Chhattisgarh to the west, Uttar Pradesh to the northwest, Bihar to the north, and Odisha to the south all share a boundary with the state.
• Its size is 79,716 km2 (30,779 sq mi). It is the 14th most populous and the 15th largest state in terms of area.
• The state's official language is Hindi. Its capital is Ranchi, with Dumka serving as a sub-capital.
• The state is known for its waterfalls, hills and holy places; Baidyanath Dham, Parasnath, Dewri and Rajrappa are major religious sites.
• The state was formed on 15 November 2000, after carving out what was previously the southern half of Bihar. Hence option 1) is correct.

The Correct answer is 12

Key Points

• In Bihar there are seventeen state universities, 1 IIT and other four central universities operating in Bihar while Vikramshila Central University and National Skill Central University is proposed, AMU Kishanganj is off-campus center of AMU, two deemed universities, and five private universities are currently functional.
• But at the time of asking the question 12 universities was under function.
• Newly established universities 
• Aryabhatta Knowledge University - 2008
• Bihar Agricultural University-2009
• B. R. Ambedkar Bihar University- 2016
• Patliputra University- 2018
• Purnea University- 2018

Additional Information

• The University Grants Commission provides recognition to universities in India and disburses funds to such recognised universities and colleges.
• The UGC was established in 1953 and made into a statutory organisation with the UGC Act in 1956.
• The University Grants Commission provides recognition to universities in India and disburses funds to such recognised universities and colleges.
• In 2018, the Ministry of Human Resource Development announced its plans to repeal the UGC Act, 1956.
• The bill also stipulates the formation of a new body, the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI).
• It is an autonomous body funded by the University Grants Commission and headquartered in Bangalore.

The correct answer is Jai Prakash Narayan

Key PointsJay Prakash Narayan:

• Jayaprakash Narayan, an Indian political leader and theorist, was born in Sitab Diyara on October 11, 1902.
• He was a Mohandas Gandhi disciple and the leader of India's independence movement.
• He moved to the United States in 1922 to study political science and economics at universities in California, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Ohio.
• He advocated for Gandhian-style revolutionary action, in which he attempted to change people's minds and hearts.
• He was a proponent of "saintly politics," urging Jawaharlal Nehru and other leaders to resign and live among the poor.
• In 1929, he joined the Indian National Congress.
• He played a key role in the formation of the Congress Socialist Party (1934), a left-wing group within the Congress Party.
• Post-Independence Role:
• In 1948, he left the Congress Party and initiated an anti-Congress Campaign.
• In 1952, he formed the Praja Socialist Party (PSP).
• In 1954, he devoted his life exclusively to the Bhoodan Yajna Movement of Vinoba Bhave, which demanded land redistribution to the landless.
• Total Revolution: After Indira Gandhi was found guilty of violating electoral laws by the Allahabad High Court, he advocated a program of social transformation which he termed ‘Sampoorna Kranti' (total revolution) in 1974 against corruption in public life.
• Bharat Ratna:
• ​Jayaprakash Narayan was posthumously conferred with India's highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna (1999), for his "invaluable contribution to the freedom struggle and upliftment of the poor and downtrodden".

The correct answer is Arif Mohammad Khan​.

Key Points

• Constitutional Head: The Governor is the constitutional head of Bihar and represents the President of India in the state.
• Executive Powers: Exercises executive powers over state administration as per the Constitution.
• Legislative Role: Has powers related to the state legislature, like giving assent to bills, summoning or dissolving the assembly.
• Discretionary Powers: Can act independently in certain situations, e.g., when no party has a clear majority.
• Chancellor of Universities: Serves as the ex-officio Chancellor of state universities, overseeing academic and administrative matters.
• Secretariat Support: Assisted by the Governor’s Secretariat for performing constitutional, ceremonial, and administrative duties.

The correct answer is 83 million.

Key Points

• As per details from Census 2011, Bihar has population of 10.41 Crores, an increase from figure of 8.30 Crore in 2001 census.
• Total population of Bihar as per 2011 census is 104,099,452 of which male and female are 54,278,157 and 49,821,295 respectively.
• In 2001, total population was 82,998,509 in which males were 43,243,795 while females were 39,754,714.
• The total population growth in this decade was 25.42 percent while in previous decade it was 28.43 percent.
• The population of Bihar forms 8.60 percent of India in 2011. In 2001, the figure was 8.07 percent.
• Literacy rate in Bihar has seen upward trend and is 61.80 percent as per 2011 population census. Of that, male literacy stands at 71.20 percent while female literacy is at 46.40 percent.
• In 2001, literacy rate in Bihar stood at 47.00 percent of which male and female were 59.68 percent and 33.12 percent literate respectively.
• In actual numbers, total literates in Bihar stands at 52,504,553 of which males were 31,608,023 and females were 20,896,530.

Additional Information

• Total area of Bihar is 94,163 sq. km. Density of Bihar is 1,106 per sq km which is higher than national average 382 per sq km.
• In 2001, density of Bihar was 881 per sq km, while nation average in 2001 was 324 per sq km.
• Sex Ratio in Bihar is 918 i.e. for each 1000 male, which is below national average of 940 as per census 2011.
• In 2001, the sex ratio of female was 921 per 1000 males in Bihar.

The correct answer is 243

Key Points State Legislature

• State legislature has been enshrined in PART 6 of the constitution.
• State legislature consists of Governor, Legislative Assembly, and Legislative Council(Not necessarily in every state).
• There are 6 States having legislative councils namely Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, and Karnataka.
• These states have Bicameral Legislature.
• No legislative assembly can have more than 500 members and less than 60 members.

Important Points Important Articles related to State Legislature

The Correct answer is Shyam Lal Gupta 

Key Points

• 'Jhanda Geet' is written by Shyam Lal Gupta 'Parshad'.
• His song "Vijay Vishwa Tiranga Pyara Jhanda Uncha Rahe Humara" has been accepted as the flag song of India and is sung every year during the flag hoisting ceremony at the Independence Day and Republic Day Celebrations.
• He was also honoured with third largest 'Civilian Award' Padma Shri for his immense contributions to the nation.
• The song was officially adopted by the Indian National Congress in 1924 and was sung for the first time on 13 April 1924 on the Jallianwala Bagh Saheedi Diwas.

The correct answer is Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Key PointsBal Gangadhar Tilak:

• Bal Gangadhar Tilak, commonly known as Lokamanya Tilak was a leader of the Indian independence movement and belonged to the extremist faction.
• He was born as Keshav Gangadhar Tilak in 1856 in Ratnagiri, modern-day Maharashtra.
• He was also called the ‘Father of Indian Unrest’.
• He was opposed to moderate ways and views and had a more radical and aggressive stance against British rule.
• He was one of the first advocates of Swaraj or self-rule.
• He established the All India Home rule league in Belgaum with the slogan “Swarajya is my birthright and I shall have it”. Hence option 4 is correct.
• He was a proponent of boycott and the Swadeshi movement.
• He published two papers – Kesari in Marathi and Mahratta in English.
• He was fearless in his criticism of the government in these papers.
• 1st August 1920: Tilak passed away on the day of the launching of the non-cooperation movement.
• Gandhiji started the Tilak Fund to pay respects to the contributions and sacrifices of Tilak for the freedom struggle.

The correct answer is 1

Key Points

• Mamta Banerjee is only a single woman chief Minister of West Bengal state in India.
• The first woman to hold the office.
• Banerjee is the founder of  the All India Trinamool Congress. Popularly known as ‘didi’, Mamata Banerjee created history in the 2011 elections, uprooting the 34-year-long rule of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in the state. She is also the first woman railway minister of the country
• She received the 2017 UN Public Service Award on the behalf of her government for the ‘Kanyashree Prakalpa’ initiative aimed at reducing high child marriage rates and increasing female education rate in the state of West Bengal.

Additional Information List of Women Chief Minister

• Sucheta Kriplani (Uttar Pradesh; October 1963 – March 1967)
• Nandini Satpathy (Odisha; June 1972 – March 1973, March 1974 – December 1976)
• Shashikala Kakodkar (Goa, Daman and Diu; August 1973 – April 1979)
• Syeda Anwara Taimur (Assam; December 1980 – June 1981)
• Janaki Ramachandran (Tamil Nadu; January 1988 – January 1988)
• J. Jayalalithaa (Tamil Nadu; June 1991 – May 1996; May 2001 – September 2001; March 2002 – May 2006; May 2011 – September 2014; May 2015 – December 2016)
• Mayawati (Uttar Pradesh; June 1995 – October 1995; March 1997 – September 1997; May 2002 – August 2003; May 2007 – March 2012)
• Rajinder Kaur Bhattal (Punjab; January 1996 – February 1997)
• Rabri Devi (Bihar; July 1997 – February 1999, March 1999 – March 2000, March 2000 – March 2005)
• Sushma Swaraj (Delhi; October 1998 – December 1998)
• Sheila Dikshit (Delhi; December 1998 – December 2013)
• Uma Bharti (Madhya Pradesh; December 2003 – August 2004)
• Vasundhara Raje (Rajasthan; December 2003 – December 2008; December 2013 to present)
• Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal; May 2011 – Present)
• Anandiben Patel (Gujarat; May 2014 – August 2016)
• Mehbooba Mufti (Jammu & Kashmir; April 2016 to June 2018)

The correct answer is Chauri-Chaura episode.

Key Points

• According to information provided by the Indian government, the Chauri Chaura incident occurred on February 4, 1922, in Chauri Chaura, Gorakhpur district, United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh), British India.
• The police there opened fire on a sizable crowd of non-cooperation movement demonstrators.
• The protesters attacked and set fire to a police station in retaliation, killing every person inside. Three civilians and 22 police officers died as a result of the incident.
• The incident directly led to Mahatma Gandhi ending the Non-Cooperation Movement on a national basis on February 12, 1922.
• Gandhi's decision was disregarded, and the British colonial court gave 14 life sentences and the death penalty to 19 of the demonstrators who had been detained.
• Mahatma Gandhi was the leader of the Indian people's national campaign of non-cooperation, which began in 1920.
• In order to oppose repressive government regulations like the Rowlatt Act and ultimately achieve Swaraj, the Indian National Congress organised protests using nonviolent civil disobedience tactics known as Satyagraha (home rule).

The correct answer is 43.

Key PointsFourteenth Lok Sabha-

• The term of the fourteenth Lok Sabha was from 17 May 2004 to 18 May 2009.
• In the 14th Lok Sabha, the United Progressive Alliance(UPA) led by the Indian National Congress formed the government under the leadership of Manmohan Singh.
• The speaker of the 14th Lok Sabha was Somnath Chatterjee.
• The Secretary-General of 14th Loaksabha was Shri P. D.T. Achary.

Important Points17th Loksabha-

• The term of the seventeenth Lok Sabha is 2019 to 2024.
• The speaker of the 17th Lok Sabha is Om Birala (Constituency- Kota).
• The leader of the Lok Sabha is Narendra Modi (Constituency- Varanasi).
• The Secretary General of the Lok Sabha is Utpal Kumar Singh.
• The 17th Lok Sabha has the highest number of women parliamentarians, 78 in all.
• Women’s representation has steadily increased in the Lok Sabha. In the first-ever election, only 5% of the House consisted of women. Now, that has increased to 14%.

The correct answer is ​13th December 2001.

Key PointsIndian Parliament Attack:

• On 13 December 2001, the Indian Parliament complex was attacked by terrorists affiliated to the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Hence option 2 is correct.
• The attackers came in an Ambassador car, and were able to gain entry because of a forged government sticker.
• The terrorists’ car brushed against the Vice President’s motorcade and invited an unplanned confrontation.
• Heavy gunfire ensued between the terrorists and the security personnel for about an hour.
• All five terrorists were neutralised.
• Five Delhi police personnel, a Parliament security guard and a gardener were also killed in the violent episode.
• The investigation carried out by the police showed that all the five terrorists who formed the suicide squad were Pakistani nationals.

Aftermath:

• The event prompted the government to spend crores on beefing up the security at the complex.
• Extensive investigations after the attack revealed four names in connection with the case – Afzal Guru, SAR Geelani, Shaukat Hussain and Navjot Sandhu.
• Sandhu was sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine.
• Geelani was later acquitted while Hussain’s sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.
• Afzal Guru was executed by hanging on 9 February 2013.

The correct answer is option 3.

Key Points Census 2001:

• The 2001 census was fourteenth in the line of the census in India.
• The density of the population in India as per the census in 2001 was 324 per sq km.
• West Bengal was the most densely populated state in the country with 904 persons living per sq. km. followed by Bihar with 880.
• Population density as per 2001 census-
• Punjab: 482, Tamil Nadu: 478,
• Haryana: 477, Maharashtra: 314.  Hence option 3 is correct.
• The literacy rate stood at 65.38 per cent.
• The corresponding figures for males and females were 75.85 and 54.16 per cent respectively.
• Sex ratio (the number of females per 1000 males) was 933 females per 1000 males.
• Child sex ratio in the age group 0-6 was 927.

Additional Information Population Density:

• Population density is a measurement of the number of people in an area.
• It is calculated by dividing the number of people by the area. It is usually shown as the number of people per square kilometre.

The correct answer is I and II 

Key Points

• As export and import of agricultural products depend on several factors such as international and domestic demand & supply situation, international & domestic prices, quality concerns and food security concerns no targets for exports or imports are fixed.
• India’s Agricultural and processed food products exports rose by 30 % to USD 9.6 billion during in the first four months of the current Financial Year 2022-23 in comparison to the corresponding period of FY 2021-22.
• For 2022-23, an export target of USD 23.56 billion has been fixed for the agricultural and processed food products basket.
• Exports of fruits and vegetables registered a 4 % growth during the period.
• Basmati Rice exports witnessed a growth of 29.13 %.
• Exports of non-Basmati rice rose by 9.24% during the period under review to USD 2.08 billion.
• The export of dairy products recorded a growth of 61.91% to USD 247.
• The imports of Agri and allied commodities during April, 2020 – Feb, 2021 were Rs. 141034.25 Crore as compared to Rs. 137014.39 Crore in the same period last year witnessing a slight increase of 2.93%.
• The country imports palm oil mainly from top producers Indonesia and Malaysia, while other oils, such as soy and sunflower, come from Argentina, Brazil, Ukraine and Russia.
• The overall import of vegetable oils (including edible oils and non-edible oils) increased to 144.1 lt during the oil year 2021-22 against 135.3 lt during 2020-21.

The correct answer is Option 3.

Key Points India – Size and Location:

• India lies entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and is longitudinally located in the Eastern Hemisphere.
• Latitude – between 8°4′ N & 37°6′ N, from south to north.
• Longitude – between 68°7′ E & 97°25′ E, from west to east. Hence option 3 is correct.
• The Tropic of Cancer (23°30′ N) divides India into almost two equal parts.
• It passes through eight states –
• Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tripura and Mizoram.
• To the southeast of the mainland lies the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal.
• To the southwest of the mainland lies the Lakshadweep Islands in the Arabian sea.
• The southernmost part of India called “Indira Point” (Great Nicobar Island of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands) got submerged under seawater in 2004 during the Tsunami.
• 82°30′ East longitude passes almost from the middle of the country. It is known as the Standard Meridian of India.

The correct answer is Option 2.

Key PointsTrans-Himalayan Rivers:

• The Trans-Himalayan Rivers originate beyond the Great Himalayas.
• These are the Indus(Sindhu), the Satluj and the Brahmaputra rivers. Hence option 2 is correct.
• The Trans Himalayas Mountain Region, also known as the Tibet Himalayan Region, is located to the north of the Great Himalayas.
• Himalayan rivers are those which originate in the Himalayas and flow through the Northern Plains.
• The Ganga, the Yamuna and their tributaries are part of the Himalayan Rivers.

Bramhaputra River:

• The Brahmaputra (meaning the son of Brahma) is 2,900 km in length.
• Source: Chemayungdung glacier (Kailas Range).
• Its source is very close to the sources of the Indus and Satluj.
• It enters India through Arunachal Pradesh and continues its journey through the Assam Valley and Bangladesh, where it is known as Jamuna.
• Finally, it flows into the Bay of Bengal.
• Tributaries:
• Dibang, Lohit, Siang, Burhi Dihing, Tista, and Dhansari.

Sutlej River:

• It is the longest of the five tributaries of the Indus River.
• The Satluj rises from the Manasarovar-Rakas Lakes in western Tibet at a height of 4,570 m within 80 km of the source of the Indus.
• It takes a north-westerly course up to the Shipki La on the Tibet-Himachal Pradesh boundary.
• After entering the plain at Rupnagar (Ropar), it turns westwards and is joined by the Beas at Harike.
• During its onward journey, it receives the collective drainage of the Ravi, Chenab and Jhelum rivers.
• It joins the Indus a few kilometres above Mithankot.

Indus/Sindhu River:

• It flows in the northwest direction from its source (Glaciers of Kailas Range – Kailash range in Tibet near Lake Manasarovar) till the Nanga Parbhat Range.
• Its length is about 2,900 km.
• After entering J&K it flows between the Ladakh and the Zaskar Ranges.
• It flows through the regions of Ladakh, Baltistan and Gilgit.
• The river empties into the Arabian Sea south of Karachi after forming a huge delta.

The correct answer is option 1

Key PointsFold Mountains:

• Fold mountains are created where two or more of Earth’s tectonic plates are pushed together.
• At these colliding, compressing boundaries, rocks and debris are warped and folded into rocky outcrops, hills, mountains, and entire mountain ranges.
• Fold mountains are created through a process called orogeny.
• The crust that is now the Appalachian began folding over 400 million years ago when the North American and African continental plates collided.
• It led to the formation of the Appalachians Mountain Ranges. Hence option 1 is correct.
• On the basis of the period of origin, fold mountains are divided into very old fold mountains, old fold mountains and Alpine fold mountains.
• Alpine fold mountains belonging to the Tertiary period.
• Examples are the Rockies, the Andes, the Alps, the Himalayas.
• Old fold mountains had their origin before the Tertiary period.
• The Appalachians in North America and the Ural Mountains in Russia are examples.

The correct answer is II and III.

Key PointsRing of Fire:

• The Ring of Fire is a string of volcanoes and sites of seismic activity, or earthquakes, around the edges of the Pacific Ocean.
• Roughly 90% of all earthquakes occur along the Ring of Fire, and the ring is dotted with 75% of all active volcanoes on Earth.
• It is largely a result of Plate Tectonics where the massive Pacific Plate interacts with less-dense plates surrounding it.
• Mid Continental Belt extends from Europe to Sumatra through the Himalayas, the Mediterranean, and out into the Atlantic. Hence option 1 is correct.
• This belt accounts for about 17% of the world's largest earthquakes, including some of the most destructive.
• It occurs due to an active convergent boundary between Eurasian Plate and Indo-Australian Plate.
• The Ring of Fire is stretched to approximately 40,000 kilometres (24,900 miles) tracing boundaries between several tectonic plates including:
• the Pacific, Juan de Fuca, Cocos, Indian-Australian, Nazca, North American, and Philippine Plates.
• The chain runs up along the western coast of South and North America crosses over the Aleutian Islands in Alaska and runs down the eastern coast of Asia past New Zealand and into the northern coast of Antarctica.
• Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, United States, Canada, Russia, Japan, Philippines, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, New Zealand, and Antarctica are some of the important places located in the ring of fire.

The correct answer is Congo, Columbia, Yangtze.

Key PointsWater Power Potential:

• The water power potential of a river can be gauged from the amount of hydroelectricity power generation that can be achieved from its river basin.
• Hydropower or hydroelectric power uses the natural flow of moving water to generate electricity.
• Hydropower technologies generate power by using the elevation difference, created by a dam or diversion structure, of water flowing in on one side and out, far below, on the other.
• The World's biggest dam is the Three Gorges Dam constructed on the Yangtze River, in China, the power plant has an installed capacity of 22.5GW.
• The largest hydroelectric plant in the United States is at Grand Coulee Dam.
• Its three power plants have a capacity of 6,809 MW. It is located on the Columbia River.
• The Inga Dams are two hydroelectric dams connected to the Inga Falls on the Congo river.
• The Grand Inga project, if completed, would be the largest hydroelectric power-generating facility in the world. Hence option 1 is correct.

The correct answer is South and East Asia.

Key Points

• World's largest population lives in south and east Asia because major populated country China and India belong in this region.
• According to United Nations, The global human population reached 8 billion.

Region-wise world population-

Important PointsTop-5 Populated Countries-

The correct answer is Witwatersrand.

Key PointsWitwatersrand

• South Deep gold mine is the largest gold mine in the world, by reserves.
• Located 45km southwest of Johannesburg in the Witwatersrand Basin, South Africa. Hence option 3 is correct.
• South Deep is also the seventh deepest mine in the world, with a mine depth up to 2,998m below the surface.
• Its rich gold deposits, occurring in conglomerate beds known as reefs, were discovered in 1886.
• A heavy in-migration of miners followed, and the city of Johannesburg grew near the centre of the Witwatersrand.
• The managed mineral reserve at South Deep as of December 2018 stood at 930 tonnes.
• South Deep was known by the name Western Areas Gold Mine until 2000.
• Mining operations at the site were started in 1961.
• The underground gold mine is operated through two shaft systems, known as the South Shaft complex and the Twin Shaft complex.
• South Deep produced 4.45 tonnes of gold in 2018.
• The mine life of South Deep is expected to be extended up to 2092.

The correct answer is 

Key PointsInfrastructure-

• Infrastructure is a network of physical facilities and public services and with this social infrastructure is equally important to support it.
• It is an important base for the economic development of the country.

Types of Infrastructures-

• Economic Infrastructure- 
• Economic infrastructure is directly linked with the economic development of a country or an organisation.
• This includes the basic amenities and services that directly influence and benefit the production process of economic distribution.
• Example-  Power, transportation, irrigation, and communication (So, Roads, Railways, and Power are Economic Infrastructure)
• Social Infrastrucute-
• This type of infrastructure has the basic services that improve individual productivity and achieve social objectives.
• Social infrastructure contributes indirectly to the country’s economic development.
• Example- water supply, sanitation, health, housing, and education (Thus, Education and Health are social infrastructure. So, it is the correct answer)

The correct answer is Telecommunication.

Key PointsInfrastructure:

• Infrastructure consists of two aspects - Social and Physical.
• Physical infrastructure:
• It consists of economic infrastructures like power, transportation, irrigation, communication, etc.
• Social infrastructure:
• It includes the construction and maintenance of facilities that support social services.
• These can include healthcare (medical facilities and ancillary infrastructure), education (schools, universities and student accommodation), and housing. Hence option 3 is correct.
• Social infrastructure has the basic services that improve individual productivity and achieve social objectives.
• It contributes indirectly to the country’s economic development.
• For instance, the education sector enables a quality workforce etc.
• Examples of Social Infrastructure Assets:

The correct answer is All of these.

Key PointsCore Industries:

• In India, 8 sectors are considered the Core Sectors.
• These industries have a major impact on general economic activities and also industrial activities.
• The Eight Core Industries include:
• Natural Gas, Coal, Refinery Products, Crude Oil, Cement, Electricity, Steel, and Fertilizers. Hence option 4 is correct.
• These comprise 40.27% of the weight of items included in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).
• The eight core sector industries in decreasing order of their weightage:
• Refinery Products> Electricity> Steel> Coal> Crude Oil> Natural Gas> Cement> Fertilizers.

Additional Information Index of Industrial Production:

• IIP is an indicator that measures the changes in the volume of production of industrial products during a given period.
• It is compiled and published monthly by the Central Statistical Organization (CSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
• It is a composite indicator that measures the growth rate of industry groups classified under:
• Broad sectors, namely, Mining, Manufacturing, and Electricity.
• Use-based sectors, namely Basic Goods, Capital Goods, and Intermediate Goods.
• Base Year for IIP is 2011-2012.

The Correct answer is ​Khetri-Kolar - Kudremukh-Jharia

Key Points

copper 

• ​The leading producers of copper in India are Singhbhum district of Jharkhand, Khetri mines in Rajasthan, and Balaghat mines in Madhya Pradesh.
• Copper is mainly used in chemical industries, electronics, electrical cables.
• Copper is a good conductor, ductile and malleable.​

Kolar

• Kolar Gold Fields (K.G.F.) is a mining region in K.G.F. taluk (township), Kolar district, Karnataka.
• The mines are owned by Bharat Gold Mines Limited (BGML).
• BGML is a public sector undertaking of the Government of India.
• KGF is one of deepest gold mine at a depth of 3,000 metres.

Iron 

• The Kudremukh mines lie in the Western Ghats of Karnataka.
• It is located in the Ballari-Chitradurga-Chikkamagaluru-Tumakuru belt.
• These mines are known for its large deposits of iron ore and it is one of the largest in the world.

Coal

• Jharia is famous for the production of coal. The region is located in Eastern India.
• The district is also known by the name of ‘land of bush or forest'.
• Jharkhand has immense mineral resources ranging from iron ore, mica, bauxite and several other minerals.
• Coal in Jharkhand is generally tunneled from the fields of Jharia, which is located in Jharia.
• Jharia coalfield is one of the largest coal supplies in India which not only provides coal to our country but to most parts of the world.
• Coal is a sedimentary rock of hard nature which is formed from the peat, by the pressure of rocks.
• It can be burned to generate coke and can be used in smelting of the metals.
• Coal is mainly formed from carbon but it is also composed of hydrogen, sulphur, oxygen and nitrogen.

The correct answer is 

Key PointsFishing Industry in India-

• Fisheries and aquaculture are important sources of food production, nutritional security, employment, and income in India. The fisheries sector is a direct source of livelihood for more than 20 million fishers and fish farmers.
• With a coastline of over 8,000 km, an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of over 2 million sq km (20 lakh km²), and extensive freshwater resources, fisheries play a vital role. Presently India is the second-largest fish-producing and second-largest aquaculture nation in the world after China. (Hence, a statement I and II is correct)
• The fisheries and aquaculture production contribute around 1% to India’s GDP and over 5% to the agricultural GDP. (Hence, Statement III is correct)
• The total fish production in the year 2021-22 is 161.87 lakh tons (16.1 million). and In the year 2003-04  6.3 million. (Hence, Statement IV is incorrect)

Important Points

• World Fisheries Day is observed on the 21st of November every year.
• It was started in the year 1997 when the “World Forum of Fish Harvesters & Fish Workers” met in New Delhi leading to the formation of the “World Fisheries Forum”.

The correct answer is Option 3.

Key PointsForest Types in India:

• Hence option 3 is correct.