SSC Steno 2022 Official Paper (Held On: 17 Nov 2022 Shift 3) (Previous Year Paper)

Given equation: 13 + 26 × 2 − 5 ÷ 4 = 6.

BODMAS Table: 

Let's check each option one by one.

Option 1) ÷ and +

Given: 13 + 26 × 2 − 5 ÷ 4 = 6

After interchanging the signs we get;

⇒ 13 ÷ 26 × 2 − 5 + 4 = 6

⇒ 0.5 × 2 − 5 + 4 = 6

⇒ 1 − 5 + 4 = 6

⇒ 5 - 5 = 6

⇒ 0 ≠ 6

⇒ LHS ≠ RHS

Option 2) + and −

Given: 13 + 26 × 2 − 5 ÷ 4 = 6

After interchanging the signs we get;

⇒ 13 - 26 × 2 + 5 ÷ 4 = 6

⇒ 13 - 26 × 2 + 1.25 = 6

⇒ 13 - 52 + 1.25 = 6

⇒ 14.25 - 52 = 6

⇒ -37.75 ≠ 6

⇒ LHS ≠ RHS

Option 3) × and −

Given: 13 + 26 × 2 − 5 ÷ 4 = 6

After interchanging the signs we get;

⇒ 13 + 26 - 2 × 5 ÷ 4 = 6

⇒ 13 + 26 - 2 × 1.25 = 6

⇒ 13 + 26 - 2.5 = 6

⇒ 39 - 2.5 = 6

⇒ 36.5 ≠ 6

⇒ LHS ≠ RHS

Option 4) × and ÷

Given: 13 + 26 × 2 − 5 ÷ 4 = 6

After interchanging the signs we get;

⇒ 13 + 26 ÷ 2 − 5 × 4 = 6

⇒ 13 + 13 − 5 × 4 = 6

⇒ 13 + 13 − 20 = 6

⇒ 26 - 20 = 6

⇒ 6 = 6

⇒ LHS = RHS

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 4".

Given equation: 6 ÷ 4 × 10 + 2 – 3 = ?

Decoding the given information :

Now, replacing the sign from left to right and using BODMAS rule, we get :

New equation : 6 × 4 - 10 ÷ 2 + 3 = ?

Calculation :

⇒ 6 × 4 - 10 ÷ 2 + 3 = ?

⇒ 6 × 4 - 5 + 3 = ?

⇒ 24 - 5 + 3 = ?

⇒ 27 - 5 = 22.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 2".

The logic followed here is:

Logic: Geographic hierarchy from larger to smaller.

3. Asia → The largest geographic entity here, a continent.
4. India → A country within the continent of Asia.
5. South India → A region within the country of India.
6. Karnataka → A state within the region of South India.
7. Belgaum → A city within the state of Karnataka.

So, the correct sequence will be '3, 1, 4, 2, 5'.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 1".

Given equation: 77 A 23 B 2 A 25 D 5 = 8 B 32 D 4 ? 64

Decoding the given information :

Now, replacing the sign from left to right and using BODMAS rule, we get :

New equation : 77 + 23 × 2 + 25 ÷ 5 = 8 × 32 ÷ 4 ? 64

Calculation :

⇒ 77 + 23 × 2 + 25 ÷ 5 = 8 × 32 ÷ 4 ? 64

⇒ 77 + 23 × 2 + 5 = 8 × 8 ? 64

⇒ 77 + 46 + 5 = 64 ? 64

⇒ 128 = 64 ? 64

Here, ? replace '+'

⇒ 128 = 64 + 64

⇒ 128 = 128.

Hence, the correct answer is "A".

The image that completes the pattern is:

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 1".

The logic followed here is:

Logic: 1st number + (3rd number × 2) = 2nd number.

Now, For, (17, 31, 7)

⇒ 17 + (7 × 2) = 31.

For, (18, 40, 11)

⇒ 18 + (11 × 2) = 40.

Using the same logic, let's evaluate the given options:

1. (15, 3, 9) ⇒ 15 + (9 × 2) = 33 ≠ 3.
2. (18, 34, 7) ⇒ 18 + (7 × 2) = 32 ≠ 34.
3. (19, 38, 9) ⇒ 19 + (9 × 2) = 37 ≠ 38.
4. (12, 34, 11) ⇒ 12 + (11 × 2) = 34.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 4".

The logic followed here is:

For, WEIGHTY ∶ GIEWHTY

For, STROLLS ∶ ORTSLLS

Similarly, for WIDGETS ∶ ?

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 1".

The logic followed here is:

Given Sequence: A B _ C C C _ D D D E F _ G G G H _ H H

Now, putting the letters in the blank spaces given in the option one by one:

Option 1) BCFH → A / B B / C C C / C D D D / E / F F / G G G / H H H H

Option 2) BDFG → A / B B / C C C / D D D D / E / F F / G G G / H G H H

Option 3) CDFH → A / B C / C C C / D D D D / E / F F / G G G / H H H H

Option 4) BDFH → A / B B / C C C / D D D D / E / F F / G G G / H H H H

Here, 'Option 4' followed a pattern.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 4".

The logic followed here is:

So, '53' will complete the series.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 2".

Family Chart:

Given: Kiran shows an old photo containing a boy to his son and says, “Your mother’s brother’s father’s brother has two children. One of them is married to a girl called Sita and the boy in this photo is her son.”

So, The boy in the photo is Cousin of Kiran’s son.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 4".

The logic followed here is:

So, '445' will complete the series.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 3".

The logic followed here is:

Logic: (Product of the place value of all numbers) + 3 = Code of the word.

'YOU’ is written as ‘7878'

⇒ (25 × 15 × 21) + 3

⇒ 7875 + 3 = 7875.

'GO’ is written as ‘108'

⇒ (7 × 15) + 3

⇒ 105 + 3 = 108.

Similarly, for 'SIT'

⇒ (19 × 9 × 20) + 3

⇒ 3420 + 3 = 3423.

So, 'SIT' will be written as '3423'.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 1".

Given: Kirti, Suman, Shubh, Kanak, Pari, Charu, Shlok and Shivi.

1. Kirti sit sat one of the corners.

2) Kirti sits third to the left of Shubh.

3. Pari is not an immediate neighbour of Kirti. 

4) Pari does not sit at any of the corners.

5) Kanak sits second to the right of Pari.

6. Suman is an immediate neighbour of Charu.

7. Suman does not sit at any of the middle of the sides.

8. Only three people sit between Suman and Shlok.

Here, 'Shlok' sits to the immediate left of Kanak.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 2".

Given equation: 23 * 12 * 36 * 2 * 9 * 285.

BODMAS Table: 

Let's check each option one by one.

Option 1) –, =, ×, ×, ÷

Given: 23 * 12 * 36 * 2 * 9 * 285 

After replacing the * signs we get;

⇒ 23 - 12 = 36 × 2 × 9 ÷ 285

⇒ 11 ≠ 2.28

⇒ LHS ≠ RHS

Option 2) ×, +, ÷, –, =

Given: 23 * 12 * 36 * 2 * 9 * 285

After replacing the * signs we get;

⇒ 23 × 12 + 36 ÷ 2 - 9 = 285

⇒ 23 × 12 + 18 - 9 = 285

⇒ 276 + 18 - 9 = 285

⇒ 294 - 9 = 285

⇒ 285 = 285

⇒ LHS = RHS

Option 3) +, +, =, ×, ×

Given: 23 * 12 * 36 * 2 * 9 * 285

After replacing the * signs we get;

⇒ 23 + 12 + 36 = 2 × 9 × 285

⇒ 71 ≠ 5130

⇒ LHS ≠ RHS

Option 4) =, +, +, ×, –

Given: 23 * 12 * 36 * 2 * 9 * 285 

After replacing the * signs we get;

⇒ 23 = 12 + 36 + 2 × 9 - 285 

⇒ 23 = 12 + 36 + 18 - 285 

⇒ 23 = 66 - 285 

⇒ 23 ≠ 219

⇒ LHS ≠ RHS

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 2".

The logic followed here is:

So, '29' will complete the series.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 3".

The logic followed here is:

'CUT’ is coded as '52322',

'CAN' is coded as '5316',

Similarly, for 'HIT'

So, 'HIT' is coded as '101122'.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 1".

The correct dictionary order for the give words are:

4. Ascending
5. Assemble
6. Assessment
7. Assumption
8. Assurance
9. Astronomy

So, the correct sequence is '4, 1, 3, 5, 6, 2'.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 4".

The logic followed here is:

Given Sequence: C _ _ D _ C _ W _ J C I _ D J C _ W D _

Now, putting the letters in the blank spaces given in the option one by one:

Option 1) I W J I D W I J → C I W D J / C I W D J / C I W D J / C I W D J

Here, 'Option 1' followed a pattern.

Option 2) W I J D D J I W → C W I D J / C D W D J / C I J D J / C I W D W

Option 3) D J I W J D I C → C D J D I / C W W J J / C I D D J / C I W D C

Option 4) C D W J D I J W → C C D D W / C J W D J / C I I D J / C J W D W

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 1".

Family Chart:

Decoding the Symbols:

 

Given: U + V ÷ W – X × Y

It means: U is the Brother of V, V is the Sister of W, W is the Mother of X, X is the Husband of Y.

Option 1) U is Y’s husband’s mother’s brother - True.

Option 2) W, X and Y are sisters - False.

Option 3) V is the father of X’s mother - False.

Option 4) Y is the wife of W - False.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 1".

Given Statements:

Some sounds are noises.

All noises are debates.

Some debates are conversations.

The least possible Venn diagram for the given statement is:

Conclusions:

I. No noise is a conversation - False (Because, No definite relation given between noise and conversation, so it can be possible only).

II. At least some conversations are sounds - False (Because, No definite relation given between conversations and sounds, so it can be possible only).

III. Some sounds are debates - True (Because, Some sounds are noises and All noises are debates gives some sounds are debates).

So, Only conclusion III follows.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 4".

According to the given Venn diagram:

The shaded area shows the "total number of men are sales executives in the insurance industry".

So, the total number of men are sales executives in the insurance industry = 31.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 3".

Given Statements:

No card is a picture.

Some pictures are frames.

No frame is a lens.

The least possible Venn diagram for the given statement is:

Conclusions:

I. No card is a frame - False (Because, No definite relation given between card and frame, so it can be possible only).

II. All pictures can never be lenses - True (Because, those part of pictures which is frames is definitely not lens, and all pictures can never be lenses will be true).

III. At least some cards are lenses - False (Because, No definite relation given between cards and lenses, so it can be possible only).

So, Only conclusion II follows.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 1".

The logic followed here is:

Step I: The 'Triangle' are getting shaded in alternate images and getting rotated.

Step II: The 'Diamond' are getting rotated one place in each box.

Step III: The 'Arrow' are getting rotated one place in each box.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 3".

The logic followed here is:

Logic: 3rd number × 2 = 2nd number;

2nd number - 12 = 1st number.

Now,

For (72, 84, 42)

→ 42 × 2 = 84

→ 84 - 12 = 72.

For (96, 108, 54)

→ 54 × 2 = 108

→ 108 - 12 = 96.

Similarly, for (88, 100, 50)

→ 50 × 2 = 100

→ 100 - 12 = 88.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 3".

The logic followed here is:

Logic: (Sum of the place values of the alphabets) + 6.

Now,

'HUT' is coded as '55'

⇒ H(8) + U(21) + T(20) + 6

⇒ 49 + 6 = 55.

'MAT' is coded as '40'

⇒ M(13) + A(1) + T(20) + 6

⇒ 34 + 6 = 40.

Similarly, for ‘BIB’

⇒ B(2) + I(9) + B(2) + 6

⇒ 13 + 6 = 19.

So, 'BIB' will be coded as '19'.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 1".

Given equation: 18 × 6 − 12 ÷ 4 + 2 = −43.

BODMAS Table: 

Let's check each option one by one.

Option 1) − and +

Given: 18 × 6 − 12 ÷ 4 + 2 = −43

After interchanging the signs we get;

⇒ 18 × 6 + 12 ÷ 4 - 2 = −43

⇒ 18 × 6 + 3 - 2 = −43

⇒ 108 + 3 - 2 = −43

⇒ 111 - 2 = -43

⇒ 109 ≠ -43

⇒ LHS ≠ RHS

Option 2) × and ÷

Given: 18 × 6 − 12 ÷ 4 + 2 = −43

After interchanging the signs we get;

⇒ 18 ÷ 6 − 12 × 4 + 2 = −43

⇒ 3 − 12 × 4 + 2 = −43

⇒ 3 − 48 + 2 = −43

⇒ 3 − 48 + 2 = −43

⇒ 5 − 48 = −43

⇒ -43 = -43

⇒ LHS = RHS

Option 3) × and +

Given: 18 × 6 − 12 ÷ 4 + 2 = −43

After interchanging the signs we get;

⇒ 18 + 6 − 12 ÷ 4 × 2 = −43

⇒ 18 + 6 − 3 × 2 = −43

⇒ 18 + 6 − 6 = −43

⇒ 24 - 6 = −43

⇒ 18 ≠ −43

⇒ LHS ≠ RHS

Option 4) × and -

Given: 18 × 6 − 12 ÷ 4 + 2 = −43

After interchanging the signs we get;

⇒ 18 - 6 × 12 ÷ 4 + 2 = −43

⇒ 18 - 6 × 3 + 2 = −43

⇒ 18 - 18 + 2 = −43

⇒ 20 - 18 = −43

⇒ 2 ≠ −43

⇒ LHS ≠ RHS

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 2".

The triangles are:

So, there are '20' triangles in the given figure.

Hence, the correct answer is "20".

Given: 

Town M is to the north of Town D.

Town A is to the north of Town B.

Town D is to the south-east of Town A.

Town A is to the south of Town C.

Town M is to the east of Town A.

So, Town C with is 'North' of Town B.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 3".

The logic followed here is:

Logic: Sum of the place values of the alphabets.

Now,

‘DOUBLE’ is coded as ‘59’

⇒ D(4) + O(15) + U(21) + B(2) + L(12) + E(5) = 59.

‘CHECK’ is coded as ‘30’

⇒ C(3) + H(8) + E(5) + C(3) + K(11) = 30.

Similarly, for ‘GLITTER’

⇒ G(7) + L(12) + I(9) + T(20) + T(20) + E(5) + R(18) = 91.

So, 'GLITTER' will be coded as '91'.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 2".

The logic followed here is:

Step I: The 'Square' are getting shaded in alternate images and getting rotated.

Step II: The 'Diamond' are getting rotated one place in each box.

Step III: The 'Arrow' are getting shaded in alternate images and getting rotated.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 2".

Given Statements:

Some deer are snakes.

All deer are tigers.

Some wolves are deer.

The least possible Venn diagram for the given statement is:

Conclusions:

I. Some tigers are not deer - False (Because, All deer are tigers gives some tigers are deer, and the remaining part can be possible only).

II. Some deer are wolves - True (Because, Some wolves are deer gives Some deer are wolves).

III. Some tigers are snakes - True (Because, Those part of Tigers which is Deer is Snakes).

So, Only conclusions II and III follow.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 2".

The logic followed here is:

Option 1) PSQR

Option 2) JLKM

Option 3) FHGI

Option 4) TVUW

Here, 'PSQR' is odd among the given options.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 1".

Given Statements:

Some pinks are black.

Some blue are pink.

The least possible Venn diagram for the given statement is:

Conclusions:

I. All blue are black - False (Because, No definite relation given between Blue and Black, so it can be possible only).

II. All pink are black - False (Because, Some pinks are black, and the remaining part will be possible only).

So, Neither conclusion I nor II follows.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 2".

Given: Seven friends A, B, C, D, E, F and G are of different weights.

1. Only two people are lighter than G. 

2. Only four people are lighter than A.

3. Only one person is lighter than B.

__ > __ > A > __ > G > B > __

4. E is heavier than C.

5) F is lighter than C.

6. D is heavier than E.

D > E > C > F

After, combining the statements,

D > E > A > C > G > B > F

Here, 'D' is the heaviest among all.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 2".

The logic followed here is:

Logic: Numbers are written in reverse order.

Now,

For, [13/17] ∶ [17/13]

⇒ [13/17] reverse [17/13]

For, [33/26] ∶ [26/33]

⇒ [33/26] reverse [26/33]

Similarly, for [23/18] ∶ ? 

⇒ [23/18] reverse [18/23]

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 4".

Given date: 05 April 1234.

Now,

Till 1234 → 1200 + 33

 

⇒ 0 + 41

⇒ 41 odd days.

And, till 5 April.

⇒ 31(Jan) + 28(Feb) + 31(March) + 5(April) = 95 odd days.

Total odd days → 41 + 95 = 136 days = 136/7 = 19 week and 3 odd days.

→ 3 represents Wednesday.

So, 05 April 1234 was Wednesday.

Hence, the correct answer is "Wednesday".

Given: Seven people A, B, C, D, E, F and G are sitting in a straight row, facing north.

1. Only two people sit to the right of E.

2. G has no neighbours on the left.

3) B sits third to the right of G.

4) D is the only neighbour of A.

5) Only two people sit between D and C.

Here, 'B' sits third to the right of G.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 2".

The correct mirror image of the given figure is:

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 2".

The logic followed here is:

So, 'PU' will replace the question mark in the given series.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 1".

The logic followed here is:

Logic: 1st number × 3 = 2nd number;

2nd number × 3 = 3rd number.

Now,

For, (21, 63, 189)

⇒ 21 × 3 = 63

⇒ 63 × 3 = 189.

For, (19, 57, 171)

⇒ 19 × 3 = 57

⇒ 57 × 3 = 171.

Using the same logic, let's evaluate the given options:

1. (34, 102, 136) ⇒ 34 × 3 = 102 but 102 × 3 ≠ 136.
2. (23, 69, 207) ⇒ 23 × 3 = 69 and 69 × 3 = 207.
3. (32, 96, 78) ⇒ 32 × 3 = 96 but 96 × 3 ≠ 78.
4. (24, 48, 96) ⇒ 24 × 3 = 72 ≠ 4.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 2".

The logic followed here is:

Logic: (1st number + 3rd number) ÷ 2 = 2nd number.

Now,

For (663, 590, 517)

→ (663 + 517) ÷ 2

→ 1180 ÷ 2 = 590.

For (499, 426, 353)

→ (499 + 353) ÷ 2

→ 852 ÷ 2 = 426.

Similarly, for (524, 451, 378)

→ (524 + 378) ÷ 2

→ 902 ÷ 2 = 451.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 3".

The correct mirror image of the given figure is:

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 1".

Given: P, Q, R, S, T, U and V are seven friends having different heights.

1. R is taller than 4 persons.

__ > __ > R > __ > __ > __ > __

2. Q is taller than R but shorter than P.

P > Q > R > __ > __ > __ > __

3. T is taller than U but shorter than S.

4. U is not the shortest.

P > Q > R > S > T > U > V

So, there are 'two' people are shorter than T.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 3".

The logic followed here is:

So, '210' will complete the series.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 2".

Mistake Points We need to find the option which is not similar to the given logic in the question.

The logic followed here is:

Logic: 1st number × (2nd number ÷ 3) = 3rd number.

For, (12, 21, 84)

→ 12 × (21 ÷ 3)

→ 12 × 7 = 84.

Now, checking the options,

Option 1) (14, 21, 98)

→ 14 × (21 ÷ 3)

→ 14 × 7 = 98 → Followed the logic.

Option 2) (14, 18, 84)

→ 14 × (18 ÷ 3)

→ 14 × 6 = 84 → Followed the logic.

Option 3) (16, 15, 80)

→ 16 × (15 ÷ 3)

→ 16 × 5 = 80 → Followed the logic.

Option 4) (24, 18, 96)

→ 24 × (18 ÷ 3)

→ 24 × 6 = 144 ≠ 96 → Does not followed the logic.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 4".

The logic followed here is:

Option 1) CDXW

Option 2) JQKP

Option 3) FUGT

 

Option 4) HSIR

Here, 'CDXW' is odd among the given options.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 1".

The logic followed here is:

For, LAMP ∶ BNMQ

For, MOON ∶ PPNO

 

Similarly, for MARS ∶ ?

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 3".

Given equation: 52 + 36 ÷ 9 × 3 − 1 = 210.

BODMAS Table: 

Let's check each option one by one.

Option 1) − and +

Given: 52 + 36 ÷ 9 × 3 − 1 = 210

After interchanging the signs we get;

⇒ 52 - 36 ÷ 9 × 3 + 1 = 210

⇒ 52 - 4 × 3 + 1 = 210

⇒ 52 - 12 + 1 = 210

⇒ 53 - 12 = 210

⇒ 41 ≠ 210

⇒ LHS ≠ RHS

Option 2) × and +

Given: 52 + 36 ÷ 9 × 3 − 1 = 210

After interchanging the signs we get;

⇒ 52 × 36 ÷ 9 + 3 − 1 = 210

⇒ 52 × 4 + 3 − 1 = 210

⇒ 208 + 3 − 1 = 210

⇒ 211 − 1 = 210

⇒ 210 = 210

⇒ LHS = RHS

Option 3) ÷ and ×

Given: 52 + 36 ÷ 9 × 3 − 1 = 210

After interchanging the signs we get;

⇒ 52 + 36 × 9 ÷ 3 − 1 = 210

⇒ 52 + 36 × 3 − 1 = 210

⇒ 52 + 108 − 1 = 210

⇒ 160 − 1 = 210

⇒ 159 ≠ 210

⇒ LHS ≠ RHS

Option 4) ÷ and -

Given: 52 + 36 ÷ 9 × 3 − 1 = 210

After interchanging the signs we get;

⇒ 52 + 36 - 9 × 3 ÷ 1 = 210

⇒ 52 + 36 - 9 × 3 = 210

⇒ 52 + 36 - 27 = 210

⇒ 88 - 27 = 210

⇒ 61 ≠ 210

⇒ LHS ≠ RHS

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 2".

Given: 

Town B is to the north of Town A.

Town C is to the east of Town B.

Town D is to the north of Town C.

Town E is to the west of Town D.

So, Town E is in 'North' direction of Town A.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 3".

The logic followed here is:

Logic: (1st number + 1)² + 1st number = 2nd  number.

Now,

For 12 ∶ 181

→ (12 + 1)² + 12

→ 132 + 12

→ 169 + 12 = 181.

For 14 ∶ 239

→ (14 + 1)2 + 14

→ 152 + 14

→ 225 + 14 = 239.

Similarly, for 17 ∶ ?

→ (17 + 1)2 + 17

→ 182 + 17

→ 324 + 17 = 341.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 4".

The correct answer is Tropical deciduous forests.

Key PointsTropical Deciduous Forests:

• These are popularly known as monsoon forests.
• The trees in these types of forests shed their leaves during the dry season and re-grow during the monsoon.
• These types of forests receive rainfall in the range of 70-200 cms.
• These types of forests are further classified as Moist Deciduous Forests and Dry Deciduous Forests.

 

Additional InformationTropical Evergreen Forests:

• These types of forests are found in the equatorial and tropical regions with more than 200 cms annual rainfall.
• The leaves of trees in such forests are very wide.
• Example: Mahogany, Redwood, Palm, etc.

 

Semi-Evergreen Forests:

• Found in the less rainy parts of the regions where moist evergreen forests are found; the Western Ghats, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and the Eastern Himalayas.
• Such forests have a mixture of moist evergreen and moist deciduous trees.
• Annual rainfall 100 to 200 cm.
• The average annual relative humidity of 60 to 75 per cent.
• The undergrowing climbers provide an evergreen character to these forests.
• The main species are white cedar, hillock and kail.

Montane Forests:

• This type of Forest is found in the Mountainous or Hilly regions.
• Montane Forests in India can be classified as Northern and Southern Montane forests.
• Northern Montane Forests
• Found in the Himalayan ranges.
• The vegetation type changes with an increase in altitude from Tropical To Tundra.
• Deciduous forests are found at the foothills of the mountains.
• Between 1000-2000m, wet-temperate type of Forests are found. Evergreen broadleaf trees such as Oak, Chestnut are commonly found in some areas at this height.
• Between 1500- 1750m. Pine and Deodar trees are found in some areas. Chinar and Walnut trees are present in Kashmir Himalayas at this altitude.
• Between 2200-3000m Blue Pine and Spruce appear.
• At an altitude of 3000 – 4000m, Silver firs, junipers, pine, birch.
• At Higher altitudes, Mosses and Lichens are present.
• Southern Montane Forests
• They are found in three major areas in Southern India – Hills of Western Ghats, Nilgiri Hills, and Vindhyas.
• As the Hills in Southern India is closer to the tropics and with an average height of 1500m, they only show two types of vegetation – Temperate in higher regions at sub-tropical in lower regions.
• The Temperate Forests of Nilgiri, Annamalai, and Panini Hills are called as Sholas.
• Main Species of Southern Montane Forests: Magnolia, Laurel, cinchona, and wattle.

The correct answer is Kirana.

Key Points

Pandit Bhimsen Joshi

• Born on 4 February 1922 in Gadak district of Karnataka.
• He was fond of music since childhood.
• He was greatly influenced by Abdul Karim Khan, the founder of Kirana Gharana.
• In 1933 he left home in search of Guru. He stayed in Bijapur, Pune and Gwalior for the next two years.
• He also took music lessons from Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan of Gwalior.
• He received his early education in classical music from Pandit Rambhau Kundgolkar, a disciple of Abdul Karim Khan.
• He visited Calcutta and Punjab before returning home.
• By 1937, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi had become a well-known khyal singer. There he also learned the nuances of khayal singing from Sawai Gandharva for many years.
• Besides singing, he has also mastered thumri and bhajan.

Additional Information

• The Bhendi bazaar Gharana was founded around 1890 by brothers Chhajju Khan, Nazir Khan, and Khadim Hussain Khan in the Bhendi bazaar area of Mumbai.
• Agra Gharana represents a unique tradition of Hindustani Classical Music. Its compositions are known to be remarkable for their lyrical beauty and also for their musical potential.
• The bandishes of the Ragas are deeply influenced by the Braj culture, i.e. Lord Krishna and his enchanting levels, making it the most fascinating part of the Agra Gharana Gayaki.
• Patiala Gharana is one of the Gharanas in Indian Classical Music, which was founded by Ustad Fateh Ali Khan, and also Ustad Ali Baksh.
• Patiala Gharana has both kinds of singing – ‘Thumri’ and ‘Khyal’.
• The most famous exponents of Patiala Gharana are Pakistani ghazal singer Gulam Ali, and also the contemporary singer Shafqat Amanat Ali.

The correct answer is Watson and Crick.

Key Points

Watson and Crick

• American biologist James Watson and English physicist Francis Crick discovered DNA in the 1950s.
• The double helix structure of DNA was first discovered by James Watson and Francis Crick, using experimental data collected by Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins.
• They determined that the structure of DNA is a double-helix polymer, the molecule containing human genes.

 

Additional InformationRobert Hook

• Cell is known to be the fundamental, structural and functional unit in all life forms, including plants, animals, bacteria, and human.
• The smallest unit of life, the cell, is often referred to as the "building block" of life.
• The cell was discovered in 1665 by English Botanist Robert Hooke, one of the first scientists to use a light microscope.

Robert Brown

• Robert Brown, a British Biologist discovered the nucleus in the year 1831.
• This cell organelle was named nucleus according to the Latin word nucleus/ nucleus meaning a seed.
• The study of the nucleus is called Karyology.
• The nucleus is a double membrane-bound dense protoplasmic body, which controls all the cellular metabolism and encloses the genetic information of the cell.
• The nucleus is considered the controller or director of the cell.

The  correct answer is Peter Debye.

Key PointsPeter Debye

• Peter Debye was the Dutch chemist who best knows his work on X-ray diffraction and dipole moments.
• Some of his notable works are the Debye model, Debye relaxation, Debye frequency, Debye–Huckel equation, Debye-Waller factor​ , etc.
• He was the recipient of the Nobel prize in the year 1936 for his work on X-ray diffraction and dipole moments.
• The magnitude of the dipole moment is given in Debye units to honor him.

Additional Information ​Arnold Sommerfeld

• Arnold Sommerfeld was a German physicst.
• He investigated the atomic spectra of the Bohrs Model and concluded that the orbits of electrons in atoms are elliptical.
• The nucleus is one of the foci of this ecliptical path.
• He also introduced the ideas of Azimuthal and magnetic quantum numbers.

Paul Hermann Scherrer 

• Paul Hermann Scherrer was a Swiss physicist.
• In 1916, while still working on his dissertation, he and his tutor, Peter Debye, developed the “Debye–Scherrer powder method”, a procedure using X-rays for the structural analysis of crystals.
• This made an important contribution to the development of the scattering techniques that are still used in the large facilities at the Paul Scherrer Institute to this day.

Erich Huckel

• Erich Armand Arthur Joseph Huckel was a German physicist and physical chemist.
• He is known for two major contributions:
• The Debye–Huckel theory of electrolytic solutions.
• The Huckel method of approximate molecular orbital calculations on π electron systems.

The correct answer is Gymnosperm.

Key Points

Gymnosperm

• The Gymnosperms are the plants in which the ovules remain exposed before and after fertilization and are not enclosed by ovary wall.
• Cycas, Pinus and Ginkgo are the examples of Gymnosperm.

Additional Information

 Pteridophytes

• Pteridophytes are the first terrestrial plants to possess vascular tissues – xylem and phloem.
• Pteridophytes have independent sporophyte.

Algae

• Algae are chlorophyll-bearing, simple, thalloid, autotrophic, and largely aquatic (both fresh water and marine) organisms. They occur in a variety of other habitats: moist stones, soils, and wood.
• The form and size of algae are highly variable, ranging from colonial forms like Volvox and the filamentous forms like Ulothrix and Spirogyra. A few of the marine forms such as kelps, form massive plant bodies.
• Algae can be classified into three major types on the basis of pigment present in them Chlorophyceae, Phaeophyceae, and Rhodophyceae.

Angiosperm

• Angiosperms are the most advanced and widely distributed plants in the plant kingdom.
• Angiosperms have seeds enclosed within their fruits, in contrast to gymnosperms which have naked seeds. Angiosperms are found in almost all types of habitats and include trees, shrubs, vines, etc. Angiosperms are flowering plants and have four whorls - two accessory whorls - calyx and corolla and two essential whorls - androecium and gynoecium. Angiosperms reproduce through sexual reproduction. The two essential whorls of the flower are involved in sexual reproduction in angiosperms.

The correct answer is 1952.

Key Points

• The Council of States also known as Rajya Sabha meet for the first time on 13 May 1952.

Additional Information

• On 23 August 1954, the Chairman of Rajya Sabha made an announcement in the House that the Council of States would now be called 'Rajya Sabha’ in Hindi.
• The Rajya Sabha was first constituted on 3 April 1952.
• Dr. S. Radhakrishnan was the first Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
• Shri S.V Krishnamoorthy Rao was the first Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha.
• At that time, Two hundred and fifty (250), out of which 238 are to be elected and 12 are to be nominated by the President of India is the maximum strength of Rajya Sabha.
• Two hundred and forty-five (245), out of which 233 are elected and 12 are nominated is now the actual strength of Rajya Sabha.

The correct answer is mid ocean ridge.

Key Points

Mid-oceanic ridge:

• A divergent boundary occurs when two tectonic plates move away from each other.
• Some of the important features associated with divergent boundaries are a mid-oceanic ridge, volcanos, etc.
• The Mid-Atlantic Ridge and Pacific Ring of Fire are two examples of divergent plate boundaries.
• Mid-oceanic ridge is an interconnected chain of mountain system within the ocean
• It is characterized by a central rift, a fractionated plateau, and flank zone.
• It is also associated with intense volcanic activity.
• Mid-oceanic ridges are comparative highlands situated in the ocean basin. Sediments are generally deposited in the depressions and lower elevated regions. So, mid-oceanic ridges are not associated with any kind of depositional activities.

Additional Information

Deep sea trench

 

• It is the deepest part of the ocean.
• It is generally called submarine trenches.
• These trenches are not always located in the middle of the ocean basins. They may be very close or parallel to the continents bordered by Fold Mountains.
• They are usually found adjacent to areas of volcanic and earthquake activity.
• Great earthquakes and tsunamis are born in them.
• The Pacific Ocean has the largest number of trenches.
• The Mariana trench in the Pacific Ocean is the deepest known part of the world.
• They are some 3-5 km deeper than the surrounding ocean floor.
• The trenches lie along the fringes of the deep-sea plain at the bases of continental slopes and along island arcs.
• The trenches run parallel to the bordering fold mountains or the island chains.

Transform fault

• In this kind of interaction, two plates slide past each other, and there is no creation or destruction of the landform but only deformation of the existing landform.
• In oceans, transform faults are the planes of separation generally perpendicular to the mid-oceanic ridges.
• The San Andreas Fault along the western coast of the USA is the best example.

 

Subduction zone

• The zone of collision may undergo crumpling and folding, and folded mountains may emerge. Himalayan Boundary Fault is one such example.
• When one of the plates is an oceanic plate, it gets embedded in the softer asthenosphere of the continental plate, and as a result, trenches are formed at the zone of subduction.

The correct answer is Odisha.

Key Points 

• The Konark Dance Festival is held at an open-air auditorium in the backdrop of the Sun Temple which is also known as the Black Pagoda.
• A UNESCO World Heritage site, Konark Sun Temple is famous for its unique architecture.
• Its geometrical patterns and carved wheels are used to serve as sundials.
• One can witness three images of the Sun God in three directions to catch the rays of the Sun at dawn, noon, and sunset.
• Konark Sun Temple is a 13th-century Hindu temple located in the state of Odisha, India.
• The temple was built by king Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty.
• Konark Sun Temple is located close to the sea and hence the European sailors used this fabulous temple as a navigational point.
• The temple’s shrine or the great tower appeared black in colour and hence it was called the Black Pagoda.
• Pagoda is a Hindu or Buddhist temple.
• The Konark Sun temple is an architectural marvel of India’s heritage built using black graphite and hence the temple appears black in colour.

The correct answer is Bhavani Devi Chadalavada Anandha Sundhararaman.

Key Points

• Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur conferred fencer Chadalavada Anandha Sundhararaman Bhavani Devi or CA Bhavani Devi with Arjuna Award 2021.
• CA Bhavani Devi was conferred with Arjuna Award for her exemplary donation to fencing and representing India at the global position.
• She was India's only entry into fencing at the Tokyo Olympics 2020.

Additional Information

• Chingakham Jetlee Singh:
• Practitioner Nanak Dev University’s Chingakham Jetlee Singh lived up to his billing in the men’s epee, beating his teammate Shubham to strike gold in the fencing competition at the Khelo India University Games (KIUG) 2021.
• Jetlee, a covers athlete, was one of four GNDU medallists the most by any – in fencing.
• Kavita Devi:
• Kavita Dalal, better known as Kavita Devi, is a professional wrestler and a former weightlifter, who had represented India in several international competitions.
• Kavita Devi became the first female Wrestler from India to compete in the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) ring.
• Jyotika Dutta:
• Rising fencing sensation Jyotika Dutta bagged the gold order in the women's individual épée competition by defeating Manipur University's Linthoi Haobam in the final. 22- time-old Dutta is an épée specialist.
• She represented India at the 2018 Asiad and managed to reach the quarterfinals in the women's individual épée at the Games in Jakarta.

The correct answer is 1895.

Key Points

• Birsa Munda was born at Ulhiatu in the erstwhile Bengal presidency, now in the Khunti district of Jharkhand.
• He was the son of “Sugna Munda” and “Karmi Hatu”.
• Due to extreme poverty, Birsa Munda left his ancestral village and went to his maternal uncle’s home at Ayubhatu where he lived for two years.
• Birsa Munda received his primary education in Salga which was run by Jaipal Nag, after that he was admitted to a German mission school where he adopted Christianity.
• From 1886 to 90 Birsa’s family resided in Chaibasa and came under the influence of Sardar’s movement, Birsa left his German membership and joined the movement.
• In the 1890s Birsa Munda started spreading awareness among the people about the laws against tribal people and to access total control of India.
• Birsa Munda revolted against the Britishers, especially against the laws which were against the agrarian structure of tribal people’s lands and their cultural identity.
• As the movement spread British officials decided to act.
• They arrested Birsa in 1895, convicted him on charges of rioting and jailed him for two years.
• In June 1900, Birsa Munda died at the mere age of 25 years while kept in Ranchi jail; he became a god-like figure among the tribal people of his state.
• A famous slogan of Birsa Munda was “Let the kingdom of King and Queen be ended and our kingdom is established” which was accepted by the whole nation.

The correct answer is Rigveda.

Key Points

• The oldest Veda is Rigveda, which was composed about 3500 years ago .
• The Rigveda contains over a thousand hymns, which are called suktas or "well-said".
• These hymns are in praise of various gods and goddesses.
• The Rig Veda is a set of ancient Indian texts comprising 1028 Sanskrit Hymns from the Vedic period and 10,600 verses devoted to the Rigvedic deities.
• It is arranged in 10 volumes, known as mandalas.

Additional Information 

• ​​Associated information with different Vedas

The correct answer is Kartik.

Key Points

• Diwali is celebrated during the Amavasya of Kartik month.
• Diwali symbolizes the spiritual victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance.
• The festival usually lasts five days and is celebrated during the Hindu lunisolar month Kartika (between mid-October and mid-November).
• Diwali is observed on Amavasya (or new moon) the 15th day of the month of Kartika, every year.

Additional Information

The correct answer is Phenols.

Key Points

• Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) is an enzyme that is widely distributed in fruits and vegetables.
• It is a copper-containing enzyme that catalyzes the hydroxylation of aminophenol to O-diphenol and the oxidation of Odihydroxyphenols to O-quinones using molecular oxygen.
• The action of polyphenol oxidase leads to the change in color and flavor of fruits and vegetables during harvest, storage, and processing, which reduces the commercial value of the fruits, vegetables, and their products.

Important Points

• How the phenolic reaction takes place :
• Apples and potatoes are rich in these polyphenols and therefore, browning takes place quickly.
• When the skin of the apple is broken, the pressure causes the cells beneath the surface to rupture and exposes all the contents inside as juice to oxygen present in the air.
• When an apple is cut, oxygen comes into contact with the injured plant tissue.
• When oxygen is present in the cells, PPO enzymes in the chloroplast rapidly oxidize phenolic compounds naturally present in the apple tissues to o-quinones.
• O-quinones then produce brown color by the reaction to form compounds with amino acids.
• Oxidation leads to enzymatic browning which changes the chemical and physical properties of the fruit.

The correct answer is 137^th Session.

Key Points

• Thomas Bach was re-elected as president of the International Olympic Committee on 10 March 2021 in the 137^th Session.
• His second term as IOC President will start immediately after and will conclude in 2025.
• The 67-year-old German received 93 yes and 1 no votes from the 94 valid votes.
• Bach was chosen as the IOC President for the first time on an eight-year term in 2013.
• He served as IOC Vice-President from 2000 to 2004, 2006 to 2010 and from 2010 until his election as IOC President in September 2013.

Additional Information

• International Olympic Committee:
• It was formed in June 1894.
• It was founded by Pierre de Coubertin and Demetrios Vikelas in 1894.
• It is Headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland.
• It has currently 105 active members.

The correct answer is Real income.

Key Points

• National income
• The total value of final goods and services produced by the normal residents during an accounting year, after adjusting depreciation.
• It is Net National Product (NNP) at Factor Cost (FC)
• It does not include taxes, depreciation and non-factor inputs (raw materials)
• Domestic Income – Total value of final goods and services produced within a domestic territory during an accounting year, after adjusting depreciation.
• It is NDP at FC
• Both NNP and NDP can be measured at constant prices (real income) or market prices (nominal income)
• Domestic Income + NFIA = National Income
• Measurement of National Income
• There are three methods to measure national income:

1. Income Method
2. Production (Value-Added) Method
3. Expenditure Method

• Measurement of National Income – Income Method
• Estimated by adding all the factors of production (rent, wages, interest, profit) and the mixed-income of self-employed.
• In India, one-third of people are self-employed
• This is the ‘domestic’ income, related to the production within the borders of the country
• Measurement of National Income – Production Method
• Estimated by adding the value added by all the firms.
• Value-added = Value of Output – Value of (non-factor) inputs

1. This gives GDP at Market Price (MP) – because it includes depreciation (therefore ‘gross’) and taxes (therefore ‘market price’)
2. To reach National Income (that is, NNP at FC)

• Add Net Factor Income from Abroad: GNP at MP = GDP at MP + NFIA
• Subtract Depreciation: NNP at MP = GNP at MP – Dep
• Subtract Net Indirect Taxes: NNP at FC = NNP at MP – NIT
• Measurement of National Income – Expenditure Method
• The expenditure method to measure national income can be understood by the equation given below: 
• Y = C + I + G + (X-M),
• where Y = GDP at MP, C = Private Sector’s Expenditure on final consumer goods, G = Govt’s expenditure on final consumer goods, I = Investment or Capital Formation, X = Exports, I = Imports, X-M = Net Exports

The correct answer is Kathakali.

Key Points

• Kathakali is a classical Indian dance form which is a story play genre of art is the folk dance form of Kerala.
• It is a combination of 5 forms of fine art which are –
• Natyam (expressions)
• Nritham (dance)
• Nrithyam (enactment)
• Sangeetam (music)
• Vadya (instruments)
• Various costumes of characters of Kathakali –
• Sathwika (Hero)
• Katti (Villain)
• Minukku (females)
• Thathi (other characters)
• Types of Drums used in Kathakali – Maddalam, Chenda, and Idakka
• Kathakali is the most difficult style of the traditional dance form in which actors speak ‘sign language’ where twenty-four hand gestures are used to dictate the word part of the character and facial and eye movements express emotions and mood.
• Kathakali is based on the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata. ​

​

The correct answer is Harivansh Rai Bachchan.

Key Points

• In the Afternoon of Time: An Autobiography, by Harivansh Rai Bachchan.
• Harivansh Rai Bachchan was an Indian poet and writer of the Nayi Kavita literary movement (romantic upsurge) of early 20th-century Hindi literature.
• He was also a poet of the Hindi Kavi Sammelan.
• He is best known for his early work Madhushala.
• With a literary career spanning 60 years, Bachchan wrote over 30 poems, each inundated with powerful imagery and reflective of the time's socio-political ethos.

 

 

Additional Information

• Rabindranath Tagore's Poetry Compilation book is titled 'Sanchayita.'
• Gora is a novel by Rabindranath Tagore set in the 1880s during the British Raj in Calcutta (now Kolkata).
• It is the fifth and longest of Tagore's twelve books in terms of writing sequence.
• Gigabit is a book that contains all 2,232 of Bengali polymath Rabindranath Tagore's songs.
• Sumitranandan Pant
• He was one of the most celebrated 20th-century poets of the Hindi language and was known for the romanticism in his poems.
• His poems were inspired by nature, people, and beauty within.
• In 1960, Pant received the Sahitya Academy award.
• In 1968, Pant became the first Hindi poet to receive the Jnanpith Award.
• The Indian Government honoured him with Padma Bhushan in 1961.
• The original name of Munshi Premchand was Dhanpat Rai Srivastava.
• Kamala Suraiyya
• ​Kamala Surayya, popularly known by her one-time pen name Madhavikutty and married name Kamala Das, was an Indian poet in English as well as an author in Malayalam from Kerala, India.

The correct answer is Duty of parent or guardian to provide opportunities for education to his child between age of six and fourteen years.

Key Points

• 86th Amendment Act
• This amended act made elementary education a fundamental right.
• The newly-added Article 21-A declares that the State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of 6 to 14 years.
• It changed the subject matter of Article 45 in Directive Principles, The State shall endeavour to provide early childhood care and education for all children until they complete the age of six years.
• Also added a new fundamental duty under Article 51-A which is It shall be the duty of every citizen of India who is a parent or guardian to provide opportunities for education to his child or ward between the age of six and fourteen years.

Additional Information

The correct answer is Kapil Moreshwar Patil.

Key Points

• After the reshuffling of the cabinet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 7, 2021, Shri Kapil Moreshwar Patil became the Minister of State in the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
• Constituency: Bhiwandi (Maharashtra)

​

Additional Information

The correct answer is Border Roads Organisation.

Key Points

• Border Roads Organisation:
• The tunnel has been named after a former Indian Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
• It is constructed by Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
• It connects Manali to Lahaul Spiti valley through the 9.02 km tunnel, located at an altitude of 3000 meters.
• It has a semi-transverse ventilation system.

Important Points

• The Atal Tunnel in Rohtang, Himachal Pradesh, India is the World’s longest highway tunnel.
• It is constructed at an altitude of 3000 meters and is about 9.02 kilometres long, connecting Solang Valley near Manali to Sissu in Lahaul and Spiti districts.
• It was inaugurated by the Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi on October 3, 2020, in the presence of Rajnath Singh (Minister of Defence), Jai Ram Thakur (CM of Himachal Pradesh), and Anurag Thakur (Minister of State for Finance).

Additional Information

• Central Public Works Department:
• The Central Public Works Department of India commonly referred to as the CPWD, is a premier Central Government authority in charge of public sector works.
• CPWD  deals with buildings, roads, bridges, flyovers, complicated structures like stadiums, auditoriums, laboratories, bunkers, border fencing, border roads (hill roads), etc.
• It is headed by the Director General (DG) who is also the Principal Technical Advisor to the Government of India.
• National Highways Authority of India:
• The National Highways Authority of India or NHAI is an autonomous agency of the Government of India.
• It was set up in 1995 and is responsible for the management of a network of over 50,000 km of National Highways out of 1,32,499 km in India.
• It is a nodal agency of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
• State Public Works Department:
• The State PWD is an agency of the State Government for Planning, Construction, maintenance, and repairs of all works and buildings financed from the Civil Works budget, Estate work at places.

The correct answer is 2020; Odisha.

Key Points

• After the resounding success of the Khelo India School Games in 2018 and the Youth Games in 2019 and 2020, for the very first time, the Khelo India University Games were held in 2020 in Odisha.
• It was held at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Odisha.
• This was the largest-ever competition held at the university level in India.
• There were a total of 17 sports being held in 11 venues in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.
• It is organized by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports along with the Association of Indian Universities, the Indian Olympic Association, and the National Sports Federation.
• It is the largest university-level sports competition in India.
• The winner of the Khelo India University Games 2020 was Punjab University while Savitribai Phule Pune University was the runner-up.

Additional Information

• The second edition of Khelo India University Games 2021 was held in Bengaluru from April 24 to May 3, 2022.
• The hosts Jain University won the Khelo India University Games 20211 title with 20 gold medals. They also won seven silvers and five bronze, taking their overall medal tally to 32.

The correct answer is Chandragupta II.

Key Points

• Chandragupta Vikramaditya:
• Chandragupta II was the third Gupta ruler after Samudragupta.
• This famous Gupta ruler was known for his title Vikramaditya or  Chandragupta Vikramaditya.
• We know about him from inscriptions and coins.
• He led an expedition to western India, where he overcame the last of the Shakas.
• According to later beliefs, his court was full of learned people, including Kalidasa the poet, and Aryabhata the astronomer.

Confusion Points

• In the official answer key, Samudragupta is mentioned as the correct answer. But as per NCERT Chandragupta II is correct. Hence we have marked Chandragupta II as the correct answer.

Additional Information

The correct answer is Kerala.

Key Points

• The global Multidimensional Poverty Index 2021 compares acute multidimensional poverty for 109 countries in developing regions.
• These countries are home to 5.9 billion people, three-quarters of the world's population. Of these people, 1.3 billion (21.7%) are identified by the 2021 global MPI as multidimensionally poor.
• Kerala has emerged as the state with the lowest poverty across India, according to Niti Aayog's-multidimensional-poverty.

Additional Information

The correct answer is Tritium.

Key Points

• Tritium
• It is a beta-emitting radioactive isotope of hydrogen.
• Its nucleus consists of one proton and two neutrons, making it three times as heavy as a hydrogen nucleus (with its one proton) and one-and-a-half times as heavy as deuterium (which contains one proton and only one neutron).
• Tritium would no longer exist in our environment if cosmic radiation produces it in the atmosphere in very small amounts.
• The half-life of the unstable tritium nucleus is of 12.3 years, which is very short on the radioactive time scale.
• This comparatively fast disappearance means that very little tritium can accumulate in any place.

Additional Information

The correct answer is Surbahar.

Key Points

• Ustad Imrat Khan was an outstanding player to have mastered the surbahar instrument.
• He was the younger brother of sitar maestro Ustad Vilayat Khan.

The correct answer is 1858.

Key Points

• Government of India Act of 1858 - 
• This act was enacted in the wake of the Revolt of 1857.
• It was also known as the First War of Independence or the 'sepoy mutiny'.
• The act is known as the Act for the Good Government of India.
• The act abolished the East India Company and transferred the powers to the British Crown.
• It changed the designation of the Governor-General to that of the Viceroy of India.
• Lord Canning became the first Viceroy of India.
• It ended the system of double government by abolishing the Board of Control and Court of Directors.
• It created a new office, the Secretary of State for India having complete authority over the Indian Administration.
• It established a 15-member Council of India to assist the secretary of state for India.

The correct answer is Education.

In News

• Ministry of Education launched a campaign ‘Bhasha Certificate Selfie to encourage cultural diversity and promote mulitlinguism and to foster the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.

Key Points

• The Bhasha Certificate Selfie initiative aims to promote the Bhasha Sangam mobile app, developed by the Ministry of Education and MyGov India.
• Using the app, people can learn 100+ sentences of daily use in as many as 22 scheduled Indian languages.
• The initiative, under the aegis of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat, will aim to ensure that people acquire basic conversational skills in Indian languages.
• To achieve this, a target of 75 lakh people acquiring basic conversational skills has been set.
• Bhasha Sangam mobile app was launched by the Minister of Education while commemorating Rashtriya Ekta Diwas which is celebrated on October 31 every year to mark the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
• The ‘Bhasha Certificate Selfie’ initiative is encouraging people to upload their selfie with the certificate from their social media accounts using the hashtag #BhashaCertificateSelfie.

The correct answer is Vajjis.

Key Points

• Vajjis
• The Licchavis were a clan amongst the Vajji Mahajanapada of ancient India.
• Vaishali, the capital and homeland of the Licchavis, was also the capital of the Vajji Mahajanapada.
• It was later occupied by Ajatashatru, who annexed the Vajji territory into his kingdom during the Magadha-Vajji war.
• The Mahājanapadas were sixteen kingdoms or oligarchic republics that existed in ancient India from the sixth to fourth centuries BCE.
• Vajji or Vrijji was a confederacy of neighboring clans including the Licchavis and one of the principal mahājanapadas of Ancient India.
• The area they ruled constituted the region of Mithila in northern Bihar and their capital was the city of Vaishali.

Additional Information

• Mallas
• Pawa and Kusinara were the capitals of Malla Mahajanapada.
• The kingdom covered the present-day districts of Siddarthnagar, Gorakhpur, Basti, and Deoria of eastern Uttar Pradesh.
• Shakyas
• Buddha was born in the Shakya clan.
• He was born as the son of Suddhodana, who was elected chief of the Shakya clan.
• The capital of the Shakya clan was Kapilavastu which is in Nepal.
• ​Koliyas​
• Gautama Buddha’s mother ‘Mahamaya’ belonged to the Koliya tribe and she married Suddhodhana, who was a king of the Sakya clan.
• The Sakya and Koliya ruled on opposite banks of the Rohini river in the current Rupendehi District of Lumbini, Nepal

The correct answer is Third.

Key Points

• The third Five Year Plan
• The third Five Year Plan was launched from 1961-1966 under the leadership of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
• The Deputy Chairman of the Planning commission at the time of the third five-year plan was D. R. Gadgil.
• The plan was also known as the Gadgil Yojana.
• The independent economy, agriculture, and improvement in the production of wheat were the major objectives of the plan.
• The third Five Year Plan was affected due to drought and two wars (The sino-India war of 1962 and the Indo-Pakistani war of 1965).

Additional Information

• The fifth Five year Plan was launched from 1974-1978.
• Eradication of poverty, employment, and justice was the major objective of the Fifth Five-Year Plan.
• The plan was successful and achieved a growth rate of 4.8%.
• Indian National Highway system was introduced.
• The newly elected Morarji Desai Government 1978 terminated the plan.
• Fourth Five-Year Plan:
• The Fourth Five-year plan was implemented from 1969 to 1974 in India.
• It was a plan based on the Ashok Rudra Menon model.
• The main objective of this scheme was to develop stability and attainment of economic self-reliance.
• During this plan period, the slogan of Garibi Hatao was given, which was the original slogan of the 1971 general election.
• Sixth Five-Year Plan​:
• ​This scheme started on 1 April 1980 and ended on 31 March 1985.
• The main objective of this plan was poverty prevention, economic development, modernization, self-reliance, and social justice.​

The correct answer is November.

Key Points

• Majuli Festival is celebrated in the northeast side of the country, in the state of Assam.
• The place to celebrate the jubilee is the bank of River Luit, which happens to have the biggest swash islet in the world.
• This jubilee starts on the 21st of November each time and continues to the 24th of the same month.
• The sub-divisional headquarters of the Majuli Island, Garmur is well known for its ethereal scenic beauty where this jubilee is observed.

Important Points

• Majuli, for a long time, has been the artistic capital of Assam, and thus, it has a number of artistic and religious traditions, running from the 16th century.
• The Majuli festival showcases the traditions through the performances of the native groups and exhibitions, where the remnants of the old traditions are displayed.

The correct answer is Minimum Support Price.

Key Points

• Minimum Support Price (MSP)
• A minimum Support Price (MSP) is recommended by the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).
• MSP is a price set by the Indian government at which it purchases crops directly from the farmer.
• It is an important part of the agricultural policy of India.
• Minimum Support Price (MSP) is a form of market intervention by the Government of India to insure agricultural producers against any sharp fall in farm prices.

Additional Information

• MSP for 2022-23
• The highest absolute increase in MSP over the previous year has been recommended for Lentil (Masur) and Rapeseed & Mustard (Rs.400 per quintal each) followed by gram (Rs.130 per quintal).
• In the case of safflower, there has been an increase of Rs.114 per quintal, in comparison to last year.

The correct answer is P.T. Usha.

Key Points

• The author of the book ‘Golden Girl’ is P.T Usha and Lokesh Sharma.
• This book is an autobiography of P.T. Usha.

Important Points

• P.T. Usha is known for her stellar performance at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
• PT Usha won 200m, 400m, 400m hurdles at the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul. She is known as ‘Payyoli Express.
• She also won five gold medals in the 1985 Asian Games in Jakarta.
• She received the Arjuna Award in 1983 and Padma Shri in 1985.
• She has been appointed as a member of the Athletes Commission of the Asian Athletics Association (AAA).
• She has been awarded the prestigious International International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) Veteran Pin Award.

Additional Information

• Autobiography of Sports personalities​

The correct answer is Article 239 AA.

Key Points

• Delhi’s current status as a Union Territory with a Legislative Assembly is an outgrowth of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991 through which Articles 239AA and 239BB were introduced in the Constitution.
• The Government of NCT of Delhi( Amendment) Act, 2021 amends the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991.
• It provides a framework for the functioning of the Government of Delhi and the Legislative Assembly.
• It entered the presidential assent on March 28, 2021.

Additional Information

• Article 368:
• Article 368 lays down the process by which the Parliament can amend the constitution.
• The process is as followed. The Bill is introduced in either house of the parliament.
• The Bill must be passed by a total majority (irrespective of vacancies or absentees) and by a majority, not less than 2/3rd of people present and voting by both houses.
• Article 55:
• ARTICLE 55 Constitution Of India Article 55 - Manner of election of President.
• As far as practicable, there shall be uniformity in the scale of representation of the different States at the election of the President.
• Article 318 B:
• Power to make regulations as to conditions of service of members and staff of the Commission make provision with respect to the number of members of the staff of the Commission and their conditions of service handed that the conditions of service of a member of a Public Service Commission shall not be varied to his disadvantage after his appointment.

The correct answer is Tungabhadra.

Key Points Tungabhadra

• The ancient name of the river Tungabhadra was Pampa.
• In the epic Ramayana, the Tungabhadra River was known by the name of Pampa.
• Tungabhadra-
• The Tungabhadra River rises from Karnataka state and flows through Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana states.
• The Tungabhadra River is formed by the confluence of the Tunga River and the Bhadra River at Koodli, Karnataka.
• The Tunga and the Bhadra rise at Gangamoola, in Varaha Parvatha in the Chikmanglur district in Karnataka.
• The Tungabhadra finally joins the Krishna River near Sangameswaram village in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh.

Additional Information

• Narmada
• The Narmada river originates from the Narmada Kund located in Amarkantak, Anuppur district in Madhya Pradesh.
• Amarkantak is located on Maikal mountain.
• The Narmada river forms the unmarked boundary between North and South India.
• The major tributaries of the Narmada are Barna, Tawa, Kanar, Kolar, Man, Hatni, Uri, Shakkar, etc.
• It flows westwards (1, 312 km) before falling into the Gulf of Khambhat.
• The Narmada river is the longest river in Madhya Pradesh and it's called "The Lifeline of Madhya Pradesh".
• Godavari 
• The Godavari River rises from Trimbakeshwar in the Nashik district of Maharashtra.
• It is the oldest River in India.
• It is also known as the Ganga of South India.
• It is the second-longest river in India.
• Dams on the Godavari river are - Polavaram Dam (Andhra Pradesh), Pochampad Dam  (Telangana).
• Krishna River-
• Krishna is the second largest peninsular river covering the area of Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Maharashtra, and Karnataka.
• It originates at Mahabaleshwar Maharashtra.
• Right bank Tributaries: the Ghatprabha, the Malprabha, and the Tungabhadra.
• Left Bank Tributaries: the Bhima, the Musi, and the Munneru.

The correct answer is Vardhamana Mahavira.

Key Points

• ​Vardhamana Mahavira
• Vardhamana Mahavira was born at Kundgrama near Vaishali in Bihar.
• His father, Siddharth was the head of the "Jantrika clan" of Kshatriyas.
• His mother, Trishala belonged to the Lichchhavi tribe.
• After getting true knowledge, he came to be known as the master of "Kevalajana".
• He was the 24th Tirthankara of the Jain religion.
• He died at Pawapuri in Bihar.
• The lion is a symbol of Mahavir.
• His discipline was known as Chandrabala.​

Additional Information

• ​Vasupujya
• Vasupujya was the twelfth Tirthankara of Jainism.
• According to Jain beliefs, he became a siddha, a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma.
• He attained moksha at Champapuri, Bhagalpur in India on the fourteenth day of the bright half of the month of Ashadh.
• Rishabhanatha
• Rishabhanatha was the first Tīrthaṅkara of Jainism.
• In paintings of the Shvetambara (“White-Robed”) sect, he is always gold in colour; in paintings of the Digambara (“Sky-Clad,” i.e., naked) sect, he is yellow.
• His symbol is the bull.
• His death is believed to have occurred on Ashtapada (also known as Mount Kailash) on the fourteenth day of Magha Krishna (Hindu Calendar).​

The correct answer is Violin.

Key Points

• Lakshminarayana
• L. Subramaniam is a famous "violin player".
• In addition to composing symphonies and Carnatic pieces, Subramaniam has composed works for orchestras, ballets, and Hollywood film scores, and composed music books – such as Euphony.
• In 1992 he began the Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival.
• In 2007, the Subramaniam Foundation, a charity managed by Subramaniam and his wife, founded a music school in Bangalore, India called the Subramaniam Academy of Performing Arts (SAPA).

Additional Information

• violin 
• The violin is a string instrument that has four strings and is played with a bow.
• The strings are usually tuned to the notes G, D, A, and E.
• A person who makes or repairs violins is called a luthier.

 

• Veena

• The veena is among the oldest Indian musical instruments.

• Temple sculptures from the 2nd century B.C. show a type of veena being played.

• The Saraswati veena is the predominant Carnatic music and the Rudra veena is the most played veena in Hindustani music.

• The Saraswati veena has seven strings strung over twenty-four fixed frets.

• The Hindu Goddess of Knowledge, Saraswathi, is said to play the Veena.

• Santoor:

• It is a trapezoid-shaped hammered dulcimer instrument.

• It is a traditional instrument of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir.

​

• Sitar -
• It is one of the famous Indian musical instruments and it was developed by Amir Khusro.
• The sitar is a complete Indian instrument because it has all the three characteristics of Indian instruments.
• The famous Indian sitar player is Pandit Ravishankar, Nishat Khan, Debu Choudhary, Shujjat, Akhan, Imrat Khan, Shamim Ahmed Khan, etc.

The correct answer is Bhor Ghat.

Key Points Bhor Ghat:

• It is a mountain pass located in Lonavala, Maharashtra in the Western Ghats.
• It connects Mumbai to Pune.
• The roadway of this pass is located between Khopoli and Khandala.
• The railway route of this pass is located between Palasdari and Khandala.

Additional Information 

The correct answer is 15 March 1877.

Key Points 

• The first Test match took place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne, Australia.
• The match was played between England and Australia. The England cricket team, led by James Lillywhite Jr., toured Australia to play a series of matches against a representative Australian side.
• The match was a four-day Test match. Each team played a single innings, and the team with the highest total runs after both innings won the match.
• The first Test match started on 15 March 1877 and concluded on 19 March 1877.
• In the first innings, Australia scored 245 runs, and England scored 196 runs. In the second innings, Australia scored 104 runs, and England scored 108 runs.
• Australia won the match by 45 runs. This historic victory marked Australia's first Test match win.
• The first Test match between England and Australia laid the foundation for what would become the pinnacle format of cricket.
• The match established the concept of international Test cricket and paved the way for the Ashes series, which commenced in 1882.

Additional Information

Cricket:

• Cricket is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of eleven players each.
• It is believed to have originated in England during the 16th century.
• The sport involves hitting a ball with a bat and scoring runs by running between two sets of wooden wickets.
• Cricket has its own set of rules, formats (such as Test cricket, One-Day Internationals, and Twenty20), and international competitions.

The correct answer is Lothal.

Key Points 

Lothal:

• The city stood beside a tributary of the Sabarmati, in Gujarat, close to the Gulf of Khambat.
• It was situated near areas where raw materials such as semi-precious stones were easily available.
• This was an important center for making objects out of stone, shell, and metal.
• There was also a storehouse in the city.
• Many seals and sealings (the impression of seals on clay) were found in this storehouse.
• A dockyard is found at Lothal.

Additional Information 

• Mohenjo-Daro:-
• Mohenjo-Daro was one of the most important sites of Harappan city.
• Mohenjo Daro signified the “Mound of the dead” and Mohenjo Daro was referred best the known Indus site.
• It is situated in Sindh, Pakistan, next to the Indus River.
• Banawali
• Banawali site was excavated by R.S.Bist in 1973 in Fatehabad, Haryana.
• The Replica of the plough was a field found in the Banawali district.
• The clay figure of the mother goddess was also found there.
• Mehrgarh
• Mehrgarh site is one of the Neolithic sites.
• This site is now situated in Pakistan.
• The site of Mehrgarh has produced evidence of early Neolithic times, dating to c. 7000 BCE.

The correct answer is Songkran.

Key Points

• The Buddhist festival Songkran' is celebrated mainly in Arunachal Pradesh.
• This Buddhist festival is observed as a spring cleaning.
• It is celebrated for several days during the middle of April, people clean their houses wash clothes, and enjoy sprinkling perfumed water on the monks.

Additional Information 

The correct answer is cyclical unemployment.

Key Points 

• Unemployment occurs when there are changes to an economy’s business cycle is termed Cyclical Unemployment.
• Cyclical unemployment is termed as demand deficiency i.e. unemployment starts to rise when demand falls.
• Causes for Cyclical Unemployment
• The decline in Demand contributes to less investment in business hence requiring fewer employees.
• Negative multiplier effects when demand falls this affects stores, farmers manufacturing workers,s and also those investing in transporting these goods and products which results in further affecting multiple areas.
• A bad Market Crash can cause a recession by instilling a loss of confidence in an economic decline in employers looking to hire and expand can be seen.

Additional Information​

• Structural unemployment occurs when there is a mismatch between available jobs and available workers' talents. Many people in India struggle to find work because they lack the necessary skills, and training them is difficult due to a lack of knowledge.
• Frictional unemployment is the result of employment transitions within an economy where workers voluntarily leaving their jobs and new workers enter the workforce.

The correct answer is Ammonotelic – cartilaginous fish.

Key PointsNitrogenous waste can be divided into three groups based on its toxicity.

• Ammonia – animals secreting ammonia are called Ammonotelic.
• Urea - animals secreting urea are called Ureotelic.
• Uric acid - animals secreting uric acid are called Uricotelic.
• ​​Aquatic animals are essentially ammonotelic.
• Fishes have an aquatic habitat suitable for excreting ammonia, as it requires plenty of water for its elimination.
• Humans and cartilaginous fishes are ureotelic.

Additional Information

• Birds & reptiles secrete Uric acid as their main excretory product because Uric acid is a very less toxic waste and it does not require a lot of water for its elimination.
• Uric acid is excreted in the form of a semiliquid paste.
• Mammals are ureotelic in nature i.e., they excrete urea as their primary excretory substance.
• Urea is moderately water-soluble nitrogenous waste that does not require a lot of water for its elimination and can easily be excreted by mammals.

The correct answer is Option 1. 

Key Points

El Nino:

• The Spanish immigrants called it El Nino, meaning “the little boy or Child Christ” in Spanish.
• El Nino refers to the unusual warming of the central and east-central equatorial Pacific Ocean which affects global weather.
• The warmer waters of the Pacific Ocean cause the winds in various regions to reverse, like the trade winds that come towards India.
• This change in wind direction leads to warmer winters and summers and a decrease in rainfall during the monsoon.
• Most of the time, it also leads to drought.
• El Nino soon came to describe irregular and intense climate changes rather than just the warming of coastal surface waters.
• When coastal waters become warmer in the eastern tropical Pacific (El Nino), the atmospheric pressure above the ocean decreases.
• El Nino during winter causes warm conditions over the Indian subcontinent and during summer, it leads to dry conditions and deficient monsoon.

Additional Information

La Nina

• There is also an opposite of an El Nino, called La Nina means 'The Little Girl in Spanish'.
• This refers to times when the waters of the tropical eastern Pacific are colder than normal and trade winds blow more strongly than usual.
• Collectively, El Nino and La Nina are parts of an oscillation in the ocean-atmosphere system called the El Nino-Southern Oscillation, or ENSO cycle.