Search Previous Year Questions

The correct answer is Onam.

Key Points

• Onam is related to Kerala state.
• Onam is the largest and official festival in Kerala, an Indian state known as God’s Own Country.
• Malayali people celebrate the Onam festivals as annual harvesting.
• The Onam festival is celebrated in Kerala between August and September. ​

Additional Information

The Correct Answer is Australia.

In News

• WTC Final 2025: South Africa beat Australia by 5-wickets; end 27-year ICC trophy drought.

Key Points

• South Africa won the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2025, beating Australia by five wickets.
• This is South Africa’s first ICC title in 27 years, and second overall, after the 1998 ICC Knockout Trophy.
• Aiden Markram was named Player of the Match for his century.
• Kagiso Rabada took 9 wickets in the match, starring with the ball.
• Temba Bavuma became the second South African captain to lift an ICC Trophy, and the first to win a World Championship.
• Bavuma remains unbeaten as Test captain, with 9 wins and 1 draw.
• South Africa is now the third team to win the WTC mace, after New Zealand and Australia.
• Both Markram and Rabada were part of the 2014 U-19 World Cup-winning team.

The correct answer is 448

• As of January 2019, there were 448 articles in the Indian Constitution.

Key Points 

• The original text of the Constitution contained 395 articles in 22 parts and eight schedules. It came into effect on January 26, 1950, the day that India celebrates each year as the Republic Day. The number of articles has since increased to 448 due to 100 amendments.
• The constitution is the topmost law of India.
• It is a document that provides laws for political structures, powers, and duties of the government.
• It includes fundamental rights, directive principles, and duties of a citizen.
• India's constitution is the largest constitution in the world.
• It was adopted on 26 November 1949 by the Constituent Assembly of India and became effective on 26 January 1950.

The correct answer is Vijayanagara.

Key Points

• The Mahanavami Dibba was the King’s palace in Vijayanagara Empire though there is no definite evidence.
• Mahanavami Dibba is a massive platform rising from a base of about 11,000 sq. ft to a height of 40 ft.
• The Mahanavami Dibba was located on one of the highest points in the city.
• There is evidence that it supported a wooden structure.
• The base of the platform is covered with relief carvings
• Many rituals were associated with the Mahanavami Dibba.
• Here the Hindu Festival Mahanavami or Navaratri was celebrated with great pomp and show in the months of September-October.
• This festival continued for 9 days.
• On this occasion several ceremonies were performed this including:
• Worship of the different gods and goddesses.
• Worship of the state horse.
• The sacrifice of buffaloes and other animals.
• The main attraction of this occasion were dance, Wrestling matches processions of horses, elephants, chariots, and soldiers.

Additional Information​ 

• In the Vijayanagara Empire The “king’s palace” is the largest of the enclosures.
• It has two of the most impressive platforms, usually called the Audience hall and the Mahanavami Dibba.
• The Audience Hall is a high platform with slots for wooden pillars at close and regular intervals.
• It had a staircase going up to the second floor, which rested on these pillars.
• The pillars being closely spaced would have left little free space, and thus it is not clear what the hall was used for.

The correct answer is Only II.

Key Points 

• I. Mars – 2 moons:
• Mars has two known moons: Phobos and Deimos.
• These moons were discovered in 1877 and have been the subject of much scientific study and interest.

Hence statement I is correct. 

• II. Venus – 1 moon:
• Venus is known to have no moons.
• There is no known natural satellite orbiting Venus.
• This lack of moons is one of the distinguishing characteristics of Venus in our solar system.

Hence statement II is incorrect. 

Shortcut Trick

• My Very Excited Mother Just Served Us Nachos
• M →  Mercury, V → Venus, E → Earth, M → Mars, J → Jupiter, S → Saturn, U → Uranus, N → Neptune
• The Solar System contains 8 planets:

The correct answer is Fa-Hien.

Key Points

• Fa-Hien:
• He was a Chinese Buddhist monk, who visited India in around 405 A.D.
• He visited India during the region of Chandragupta II.
• Fa-Hein travelled to many cities associated with the life of the Buddha such as Sravasti, Sarnath, Bodh Gaya, Vaishali, Rajgir, etc.
• The Fa-Hien account suggests that during Guptas there was peace and security within the empire.
• Hiuen-Tsang:
• He visited India in 630 A.D during the reign of Harsha Vardhana.
• He was a Chinese traveller.
• Hiuen-Tsang was impressed by King Harsha’s patronage of both scholarship and Buddhism.
• Harsha Vardhana invited Hiuen Tsang to Kumbh Mela in Prayag.
• As per Hiuen-Tsang, the burden of taxation in Harsha's reign was less and the main source of income was land revenue.
• Al-Masudi :
• He was an Arab traveller.
• He visited India in 957 A.D.
• He explained his journey in his book Muruj-ul-Zehab.
• Ibn Battuta :
• He was a Moroccan traveller, who visited India in around 1333 A.D, during the rule of Mohammed Bin Tughlaq.
• He wrote a book called Rihla.

The Correct Answer is ​Talisman Sabre.

In News

• India joins bilateral military exercise in Australia.

Key Points

• India has participated for the first time in Exercise Talisman Sabre, Australia’s largest bilateral military drill.
• The exercise was launched in 2005 as a biennial joint military exercise between the United States and Australia.
• In 2025, it involves over 35,000 personnel from 19 countries.
• Participating nations include: United States, Australia, India, Canada, Fiji, France, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, and the United Kingdom.
• Malaysia and Vietnam are attending as observers.
• The exercise will be held over three weeks, covering joint operations across land, sea, and air domains.
• India’s participation marks a step forward in strengthening Indo-Pacific defence ties and interoperability.

The correct answer is Option 2. 

Key Points

• The Industrial Policy Resolution of 1956 was an important policy document in India's economic history and played a key role in shaping the country's economic development trajectory.
• It was adopted by the Indian government under the leadership of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru with the aim of promoting industrialization and economic growth in the country.
• The policy was closely linked to India's Second Five Year Plan (1956-61), which was the country's second major economic development plan after independence.
• The Second Five Year Plan was heavily influenced by the principles laid out in the Industrial Policy Resolution of 1956, which emphasized the importance of state-led development and the establishment of a mixed economy in which the private sector and public sector would both have a role to play.
• The Second Five Year Plan focused on promoting industrialization, particularly in key sectors such as steel, power, and heavy engineering, and on developing the country's infrastructure.
• The plan was also aimed at promoting social welfare and reducing poverty by creating employment opportunities and improving access to essential goods and services for the people of India.

Additional Information

• A Five Year Plan is a strategic planning framework used by organizations, governments, and individuals to set long-term goals and objectives over a five-year period. The plan typically includes specific targets and timelines for achieving those goals.
• The Fifth Five Year Plan was a period of economic planning in India that covered the period from 1974 to 1979.
• The plan was introduced during a period of economic crisis, marked by high inflation and slow economic growth.
• The main focus of the Fifth Five Year Plan was on increasing agricultural production, promoting rural development, and reducing poverty.
• The plan also emphasized the need to increase industrial production and promote exports to earn foreign exchange.
• The Fourth Five-Year Plan was a period of economic planning in India that covered the period from 1969 to 1974.
• The main focus of the Fourth Five-Year Plan was on achieving self-sufficiency in food production and reducing poverty.
• The plan also emphasized the need to increase industrial production and to promote exports to earn foreign exchange.
• The Third Five-Year Plan was a period of economic planning in India that covered the period from 1961 to 1966.
• The main objective of the Third Five-Year Plan was to achieve self-sustaining growth and to reduce poverty.
• This plan was introduced after a brief period of stability following the Indo-China war in 1962.

The correct answer is Cold desert​.

Key Points 

• Cold Desert is one of India's most fascinating biosphere reserves, known for its snow leopard conservation efforts.
• It stretches over the Western Himalayas from Ladakh to Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh.
• It was declared a biosphere reserve in 2009 and includes the Pin Valley National Park and its surrounds, as well as the Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary, Sarchu, and Chandratal.
• Some of the common wildlife found here are the Himalayan black bear, Himalayan blue sheep, Himalayan ibex, snow pigeon, Tibetan gazelle, woolly hare, red fox, and others.
• Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, located in the Himalayan Mountains in the northern part of the country(Uttarakhand, CM: Pushkar Singh Dhami), includes as core areas the Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks, which are one World Heritage site.
• The Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve is famous for its being a habitat for many rare species of animals and plants. Animals such as Himalayan Musk Deer, Himalayan Tahr, Snow leopard Himalayan Black Bear,  Himalayan Brown Bear, and Langurs are commonly spotted in the area.
• Fir, Birch, Rhododendron, and Juniper consist of the flora in this region.

Additional Information 

The correct answer is Babur.

Key Points

• Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi at Panipat in 1526.
• Babur was the founder of the Mughal Empire.
• He was the first Emperor of the Mughal dynasty who ruled between 1526 to 1530.
• He defeated Ibrahim Lodhi in the first battle of Panipat in 1526.
• He defeated Mahmud Lodi in the battle of Ghaghra in 1529. Babur died in 1530 in Agra.
• He was first buried in Agra, later his mortal remains were moved to Kabul and reburied in Bagh-e Babur in Kabul.
• Autobiography of Babur: Baburnama.

Additional Information

• Jahangir was born in 1569 at Fatehpur Sikri, present Uttar Pradesh.
• In 1605, Prince Salim succeeded with the title Jahangir (Conqueror of World) after the death of Akbar.
• Jahangir issued coins jointly in Nurjahan's name and his own.
• Jahangir also married Manbai in 1585 AD and Jodhbai in 1587 AD.
• He defeated and imprisoned his son, Khusrau Mirza.
• He also beheaded Guru Arjun, the 5^th Sikh Guru and one of the supporters of Khusrau Mirza.
• Captain Hawkins (1608-1611) and Sir Thomas Roe (1615-1616) visited Jahangir's court.
• Humayun (1530 to 1540 and again from 1555 to 1556)
• He was Babur's son.
• He ascended the throne of India three days after Babur's death in 1530.
• Six months after his accession, Humayun besieged the fortress of Kalinjar in Bundelkhand.
• Humayun forces were defeated by Afghan ruler Sher Shah Suri at Chausa near Buxar in June 1539.
• On May 17, 1540, the Mughals and the Afghans met again opposite Kannauj.
• His hopelessly demoralised army was defeated at the battle commonly known as the Battle of Kannauj.
• In February 1555, he captured Lahore, and after a few months captured also.
• Akbar (1556 AD-1605 AD)
• He undertook the title of Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar Badshah Ghazi at the young age of 14.
• The Second Battle of Panipat,1556 was fought between Hemu, the Hindu General of Muhammad Adil Shah and Bairam Khan, the regent of Akbar.
• He divided his empire into 12 subbas. The word 'subba' means the province.
• He built Buland Darwaza at Fatehpur Sikri.
• He also built Fatehpur Sikri, Agra Fort, Lahore Fort, Allahabad Fort and Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi.
• He proclaimed a new religion, Din‑i‑Ilahi, in 1581 AD.
• Birbal was the only Hindu who followed Din-i-Ilahi.