General Awareness PYQs

The correct answer is New Delhi.

Key Points

• The Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) established in memory of Jawaharlal Nehru in 1964.
• It is an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Culture.
• It is located in the majestic Teen Murti House, the official residence of the first Prime Minister of India.
• It has four major constituents, namely, a Memorial Museum, a library on modern India, a Centre for Contemporary Studies, and the Nehru Planetarium.
• The current Director of NMML is Shri Raghvendra Singh.

Additional Information

• Important Libraries
• Kolkata - The National Library of India, established in 1836 and is the largest library in India.
• Prayagraj - Allahabad Public Library.
• Mumbai - Asiatic Library, David Sassoon Library, British Council Library etc.

The correct answer is Muziris.

Key Points

• When Kerala established itself as a major center for spice, it was the ancient port of Muziris that emerged as its hub.
• Muziris became popular when Babylonians, Assyrians, and Egyptians came to the Malabar Coast in search of spices in 3000 BC.
• Later these Middle-East groups were joined by Arabs and Phoenicians.
• Malabar Coast is the southern part of India’s western coast, starting from south of Goa and extend up to the Western Ghats range.

Additional Information

• Barygaza is the name given to the port of Bharuch by Greek and Roman merchants before Maurya times.
• It is situated on the north bank of the Narmada river in Gujarat.
• Tamralipti was the port for trade with Southeast Asia in Southern West Bengal.
• Jains identifies Tamralipti as the capital of the kingdom of Vanga.
• Palur was an important port on the coast of ancient Odisha.
• Palur has often been identified as the Dantapura of the Buddhist Jatakas.

The correct answer is Sunil Gangopadhyay.

Key Points

• 'Those Days' was originally written as Sei Samoy.
• Sunil Gangopadhyay won the Sahitya Akademi award for Those Days in 1982.
• Important Novels: 
• Atma Prakash (1966)
• Purba Paschim (1989)
• Prothom Alo (1996)

Additional Information

• Sumitranandan Pant
• Won Jnanpith Award Winner in 1968 for Novel ​Chidambara.
• Kala Aur Bhooda Chand.
• Pallav
• Nandita Das
• ​Issac Newton - Scientists of The World.
• Colors of delight.
• Hedge Funds.
• Bhartendu Harishchandra
• ​Satya Harishchandra.
• Andher Nagari.
• Bharat Durdasha.

The correct answer is Punjab National Bank.

Key Points

• PNB was established on May 19, 1894, is India's first Swadeshi bank.
• The Bank opened for business on 12 April 1895.
• PNB is an Indian public sector bank headquartered in New Delhi.
• Atul Kumar Goel is the current CEO of PNB.

Additional Information

• State Bank of India
• SBI was established on 1 July 1955.
• It is a government-owned corporation with its headquarters in Mumbai.
• "Pure Banking, Nothing Else" is the tagline.
• Dinesh Kumar Khara is the Chairman of the State Bank of India.
• HDFC Bank
• ​HDFC Bank was established in August 1994 and commenced operations as a Scheduled Commercial Bank in January 1995.
• It is a private bank headquartered in Mumbai.
• 'We Understand Your World' is the tagline.
• Sashidhar Jagdishan is the current CEO of HDFC.
• Canara Bank
• ​Canara Bank was established in July 1906 and nationalized in 1969.
• It is headquartered in Bengaluru.
• 'Together We Can' is the tagline.
• Lingam Venkat Prabhakar is the current CEO of Canara Bank.

The correct answer is Jagjivan Ram.

Key Points

• Jagjivan Ram was popularly known as Babu Ji or Babu Jagjivan Ram.
• He was a freedom fighter, and active politician from Arrah, Bihar.
• He was a member of the Constituent Assembly of India and work for social justice in the formation of the Indian constitution.
• He was the Labour Minister and also the youngest minister in the first cabinet of Jawahar Lal Nehru Interim government.

Additional Information

• J. B. Kripalani was a freedom fighter, and active politician popularly known as Acharya Kripalani.
• He was the chairman of the Fundamental Rights Sub-Committee of the Constituent Assembly of India.
• Morarji Desai was a freedom activist and politician and served as the fourth Prime minister of India.
• K Kamraj was a freedom activist and politician.
• He was a member of the Indian National Congress and served as President of the party twice.
• He was also the founder of In Indian National Congress(organization) also know as Congress(O).
• He was also known as Kingmaker within the congress.

The correct answer is Kerala.

Key Points

• Ashtamudi wetland is an estuary, which lies in the Kollam district.
• It is the second-largest wetland in Kerala with a palm-shaped extensive water body and eight prominent arms, adjoining the Kollam town.
• This estuary is the deepest among all the estuaries of Kerala with a maximum depth of 6.4 m.
• The wetland supports 57 species of birds (6 migratory and 51 resident species) and 97 species of fish (42 typically marine, 3 estuarine, 9 estuarine-riverine, and 15 marine-estuarine).

Additional Information

List of wetlands in Kerala that are identified under a National Wetland Conservation Program

• A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded by water, either permanently or seasonally, where oxygen-free processes prevail.
• Under the National Wetlands Conservation Programme (NWCP), the Ministry has identified 115 wetlands in 24 States and 2 Union Territories of the country for conservation and management

The correct answer is Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Key Points

• Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a freedom fighter, politician, and a good orator known for his wittiness.
• He was one of the founding members of Bhartiya Janta Party.
• He served as Prime minister of India for three terms as first for a term of 13 days in 1996, then for a period of 13 months from 1998 to 1999, followed by a full term from 1999 to 2004.

Important Points

• Good Governance Day was established in 2014 to honor Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee by fostering awareness among the Indian people of accountability in government.

Additional Information

• B. R. Ambedkar was a freedom fighter, politician, popularly known as Babasaheb Ambedkar.
• He is called as "Father of Indian Constitution''.
• He was the chairman of the Drafting Committee of the constituent assembly of India.
• He was the founder of Bahiskrit Hitkarni Sabha (A depressed class welfare institute) in Bombay in 1924.
• Jai Prakash Narayan popularly known as J.P. or Loknayak was an Indian freedom fighter, activist, and political leader.
• Although known for his Gandhian ideology, he was the founder of Azaad Dsata (freedom brigade) in Nepal.
• He is well known for his mid-1970 peaceful "Total revolution" against the government of India for the cause of high inflation, unemployment, and lack of supplies and essential commodities. This movement finally culminated in the proclamation of Emergency.
• Jyoti Basu was an Indian politician and co-founder of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).
• He served as the chief minister of West Bengal from 1977 to 2000.

The correct answer is Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Goa.

Key Points

• Mizoram is a mountainous region that became the 23^rd state of the Indian Union in February 1987.
• Arunachal Pradesh became the 24^th state of India on February, 1987.
• Goa became the 25^th state of India on 30 May 1987.

Important Points

• Arunachal Pradesh became the 24^th state of India in February 1987.
• Assam and Bihar got full statehood on 26 January 1950 and became the 3^rd and 4^th states of India respectively.

The correct answer is Class.

Key Points

• The class Mammalia is worldwide in distribution.
• Mammal, (class Mammalia), any member of the group of vertebrate animals in which the young are nourished with milk from special mammary glands of the mother.
• In addition to these characteristic milk glands, mammals are distinguished by several other unique features.
• Hair is a typical mammalian feature, although in many whales it has disappeared except in the fetal stage. The mammalian lower jaw is hinged directly to the skull, instead of through a separate bone (the quadrate) as in all other vertebrates.

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The correct answer is conductance.

Key Points

• 'Mho' is the unit conductance, while siemens is the SI unit of conductance.
• Conductance - It is the measure of how freely the free electrons(charge carrier) can flow.
• It is the reciprocal of electrical resistance, given by G.
• Conductance, G = \(I \over V\)

Additional Information

• Resistivity - It is the measure of electrical resistance offered by a material. It is given by rho (ρ).
• Resistivity, ρ = \(RA\over l\), where R is resistance, A is area of cross-section, l = length of wire.
• Conductivity - The ability of a material to conduct electricity. It is the reciprocal of resistivity.
• Conductivity = \(l\over RA\)
• Resistance - Property of a material to resist the flow of charge carriers. It is given by R.
• R = \(V\over I\)(Ohm's law), also R = \(ρl\over A\)

The correct answer is geotropism.

Key Points

• Shoots are part of a plant that grows above the ground, while roots grow below the ground.
• The growth of the parts of plants in response to the force of gravity is called geotropism.
• The upward growth of plant shoots is called negative geotropism.
• The downward growth of roots is called positive geotropism.

Additional Information

• Phototropism - Growth of plants towards the direction of light. Eg. Sunflower.
• Hydrotropism - Growth of the parts of plants towards the water or moisture.
• Chemotropism - Growth of plant organs in response to certain chemical substances.

The correct answer is 1964-1966.

Key Points

• Lal Bahadur Shastri served as 2^ND PM of India from June 09, 1964, to January 11, 1966.
• He was born on October 2, 1904, at Mughalsarai, UP.
• Lal Bahadur Shastri joined the Non-Cooperation Movement at the age of 16 years on the call of Gandhi Ji.
• He gave the slogan - Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, during the 1965 War.
• He died on 11^TH Jan 1966, after signing the Tashkent agreement to end the Indo-Pak War of 1965.

Additional Information

• Prime Ministers of India in the following tenure:
• ​1966-1977 - Indira Gandhi.
• 1977-1979 - Morarji Desai.
• 1980-1984 - Indira Gandhi.

The correct answer is Gulf of Mannar.

Key Points

• Palk Strait is a strait between India(Tamil Nadu) and Sri Lanka(Jaffna).
• Gulf of Mannar is situated near Mannar Island, Sri Lanka.
• Palk strait and Gulf of Mannar are connected via Adam's Bridge(Rama Setu), which is 50 Km long.

Additional Information

• Strait is a narrow channel that joins two larger water bodies.
• Gulf is the part of the sea that is almost surrounded by land.
• Chilika Lake:
• Chilka Lake is the largest saltwater lake in India.
• It is one of the Ramsar sites in India.
• Gulf of Khambhat:
• About 190 Km long and located between Gujarat and Maharashtra.
• It is also called as Gulf of Cambay.
• Mahim Creek:
• Creek is the narrow piece of water where the sea flows into the land.
• It is located in Mumbai and the Mithi river drains in it.

The correct answer is 2017.

Key Points

• The historical meeting of the Heads of State Council of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation was held on 8-9 June 2017 in Astana. At the meeting, the status of a full member of the Organization was granted to the Republic of India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
• On 9 June 2017, at the historic summit in Astana, India, and Pakistan officially joined SCO as full-fledged members.
• India was granted Observer Status at the July 2005 Astana Summit and subsequently participated in all SCO forums open to Observers. India formally submitted an application for full membership to the then SCO Chair, Tajikistan, prior to the SCO Summit in Dushanbe in September 2014.

Important Points

• The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a permanent intergovernmental international organization.
• The creation of which was announced on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai (China) by the Republic of Kazakhstan, the People's Republic of China, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan, and the Republic of Uzbekistan.
• It was preceded by the Shanghai Five mechanism.
• The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Charter was signed during the St.Petersburg SCO Heads of State meeting in June 2002 and entered into force on 19 September 2003.
• This is the fundamental statutory document that outlines the organization's goals and principles, as well as its structure and core activities.

The correct answer is Qatar.

Key Points

• FIFA stands for Federation Internationale de Football Association.
• FIFA World Cup was started in 1930 and it conducts World Cup of football every 4 years.
• FIFA World Cup, 2022 scheduled to be held in Qatar from 21 November to 18 December 2022.
• It is the first time that FIFA World Cup is going to be organized in Arab countries.
• FIFA World Cup, 2018 was held in Russia.

The correct answer is 2004.

Key Points

• The first Star Guild Awards ceremony was held on 28 May 2004 in Mumbai.
• It is awarded for excellence in film and television by members of the Producers Guild​.
• The Lifetime achievement award for the year 2004 was given to Dilip Kumar.
• The award ceremony was discontinued after 2016.

Additional Information

• Oscar Award
• ​Academy Awards also called the Oscar Awards, is a very popular international award to recognize achievement in the film industry.
• It is awarded for artistic and technical merit in the film industry in various categories.
• Highlights of 92^nd Academy Awards 2020.
• ​​​​​Best Actor - Joaquin Phoenix for movie Joker.
• Best Actress - Renne Zelwegger for movie Judy.
• Best Movie - Parasite.

The correct answer is Annihilation of Caste.

Key Points

• Annihilation of Caste (1936) was written by Dr. BR Ambedkar, also called Babasaheb Ambedkar.
• He was the chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly and played a crucial role in framing the Indian Constitution.
• The motive behind writing this book is to draw mass attention towards the depressed class and measures to remove untouchability.

Additional Information

• Few important books of Dr. Ambedkar:
• Mook Nayak (weekly) 1920
• Janta (weekly) 1930
• The Untouchables 1948
• Buddha Or Karl Marx 1956
• The New Economic Menace of India - Written by Bipin Chandra Pal, published in 1920.
• Satyarth Prakash - Written in Hindi by Dayananda Saraswati, published in 1875.
• Savitri: A Legend and a Symbol - Written by Sri Aurobindo, published in 1940.

Important Points

• Article 17 - Abolition of Untouchability.
• Article 32 - Right to constitutional remedies, termed as 'Heart and Soul' of Indian Constitution by Dr. BR Ambedkar.

The correct answer is 1954.

Important Points

• Sahitya Akademi Award is given in the field of Literature.
• This award is given annually by Sahitya Akademi (India's National Academy of Letters), New Delhi.
• It is given in 24 languages including Hindi and English.

Key Points

• The award comprises a plaque and a cash prize of ₹ 1,00,000.
• The award's purpose is to recognize and promote excellence in Indian writing and also acknowledge new trends.
• Makhanlal Chaturvedi was the first recipient in the Hindi category in the year 1955.
• RK Narayan was the first recipient in the English category in the year1960.

Additional Information

• 2019 Sahitya Akademi recipients:
• Sashi Tharoor for 'An era of Darkness' (Non-fiction) in English.
• Nand Kishore Acharya for 'Chheelate Hue Apne Ko' (Poetry) in Hindi.
• Jnanpith Award is the highest literary award in India.

The correct answer is Alauddin Khilji.

Key Points

• Siri was built by Sultan Ala-ud-Din Khilji in 1303, to the north of Mehrauli.
• Siri was the second city to be built in Delhi and it was never conquered.
• Alauddin Khilji was the second ruler of the Khalji Dynasty ruled from 1296-1316.
• The famous monuments built by Alauddin Khilji are Alai Darwaza, the Siri Fort, Hauz Khas, and the Zamat Khana Masjid in Delhi.
• He gave himself the title of Second Alexander.

Additional Information

• Prithviraj Chauhan
• • He ruled Delhi from 1175-1192.
• He defeated Ghurids, led by Muhammad Ghori in the First Battle of Tarain(1191).
• He was defeated by Ghurids, led by Muhammad Ghori in the Second Battle of Tarain(1192).
• Firuz Shah Tughlaq
• He was from Tughluq Dynasty and ruled between 1351-1388.
• He is well known for his construction works like Firozabad, Hissar, Jaunpur, and Fatehabad.
• Sher Shah Suri
• He was the founder of the Sur Dynasty(1540-1555).
• Defeated Humayun in Battle of Chausa(1539) and in Battle of Kannauj(1540) and established Sur Dynasty.

Important Points

• Dynasties in Delhi Sultanate
• Slave Dynasty (1206-1290).
• Khalji Dynasty (1290-1320).
• Tughluq Dynasty (1320-1414).
• Sayyid Dynasty (1414-1451).
• Lodi Dynasty (1451-1526).

The correct answer is 82.5.

Key Points

• The Indian Standard Time corresponds to the longitude 82.5 degrees East.
• It passes through Mirzapur city in Uttar Pradesh.

Additional Information

• Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), the name for mean solar time of the longitude zero degree of the Royal Greenwich Observatory in England.
• The meridian at this longitude is called the prime meridian or Greenwich meridian.
• The International Date Line passes through the middle of the Pacific Ocean at 180 degrees longitude is an imaginary line which distinguishes one calendar day.