HAS Prelim 2026 Paper -

HAS Prelim 2026 Paper

1. Who was Nana Sahib, active during the Indian Mutiny of 1857?

(a) The adopted son of Peshwa Baji Rao II

(b) A general in the Mughal army

(d) A prominent social reformer

Correct Answer: The adopted son of Peshwa Baji Rao II.

2. Who was the first President of the Indian National Congress?

(a) A. O. Hume

(b) W. C. Bannerji

(d) Surendranath Banerjea

Correct Answer: W. C. Bannerji.

3. Which Indian movement in the late 19th/early 20th century focused on mysticism (spiritual beliefs)?

(a) The Brahmo Samaj

(b) The Arya Samaj

(d) The Ramakrishna Mission

Correct Answer: The Theosophical Society.

4. Who among Surendra Nath Banerji, Gopal Krishna Gokhle, M. G. Ranade, Aurobindo Ghosh was NOT a ‘Moderate’ leader in the Indian National Congress?

(a) Surendra Nath Banerji

(b) Gopal Krishna Gokhle

(d) Aurobindo Ghosh

Correct Answer: Aurobindo Ghosh (He was an ‘Extremist’).

5. Where was the first session of the Muslim League held?

(a) Dhaka

(b) Karachi

(d) Lahore

Correct Answer: Karachi (Note: Founded in Dhaka, first session location varies in sources, Karachi is given here).

6. Who assassinated Curzon Wyllie in London?

(a) Udham Singh

(b) Madan Lal Dhingra

(d) V. D. Savarkar

Correct Answer: Madan Lal Dhingra.

7. When was the Montague Declaration made, promising responsible government for India in stages?

(a) August 20, 1917

(b) April 13, 1919

(d) December 3, 1918

Correct Answer: August 20, 1917.

8. Where was the Communist Party of India founded in 1920?

(a) Calcutta

(b) Moscow

(d) Berlin

Correct Answer: Tashkent.

9. Which month in 2017 marked 100 years since Gandhi’s arrival in Champaran?

(a) March

(b) April

(d) June

Correct Answer: April.

10. Which event earned Vallabhbhai Patel the title ‘Sardar’?

(a) The Kheda Satyagraha

(b) The Non-Cooperation Movement

(d) The Salt Satyagraha

Correct Answer: The Bardoli Satyagraha (farmers’ movement).

11. What are Stalactites and Stalagmites?

(a) Types of volcanic rock formations

(b) Erosional features created by wind

(d) Sedimentary layers found in riverbeds

Correct Answer: Landforms created by mineral deposits in Karst regions (like caves in limestone).

12. What is the local name for the Savanna region in Brazil?

(a) Pampas

(b) Llanos

(d) Selvas

Correct Answer: Cerrado.

13. Who wrote the book ‘The Unstable Earth’?

(a) W. M. Davis

(b) J. A. Steers

(d) Arthur Holmes

Correct Answer: J. A. Steers.

14. What is the Brahmaputra river called after it joins the Tista river (in Bangladesh)?

(a) Padma

(b) Meghna

(d) Dihang

Correct Answer: Jamuna.

15. Between which latitudes are coral reefs typically found?

(a) 10° North and 10° South

(b) 20° North and 20° South

(d) 40° North and 40° South

Correct Answer: 30° North and 30° South.

16. The Green Revolution helped India produce enough food but had downsides. According to the provided information, which of the given statements are correct?

1. Successful for wheat, not pulses.

2. Created differences between states.

3. Lowered water tables in some areas.

(a) 1 and 2 only (based on the note “Correct: 1, 2, 4”, implying 1 and 2 from the list are correct, and 3 is not part of this specific correct set according to that note)

(b) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2, and 3

Correct Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only (This interpretation assumes “Correct: 1, 2, 4” means only statements 1 and 2 from the explicitly listed three are correct, with statement 4 being an unlisted correct one. The note also suggests statement 3 is considered incorrect by the source of the note “Statement 3 is incorrect – it often depleted soil fertility”. Thus, from the given list of three, only 1 and 2 are validated by “Correct: 1,2,4”).

17. In which ocean is the Mindanao Trench located?

(a) Atlantic Ocean

(b) Indian Ocean

(d) Arctic Ocean

Correct Answer: Pacific Ocean.

18. Which of the following mine-mineral pairs is correctly matched?

(a) Kimberley – Coal

(b) Wankie – Gold

(d) Katanga – Diamond

Correct Answer: Witwatersrand – Gold. (Derived from the provided “Witwatersrand – Gold”)

19. Carl Sauer is associated with which field of geography?

(a) Political Geography

(b) Radical Geography

(d) Social Geography

Correct Answer: Cultural Geography. (Derived from the provided “Carl Sauer – Cultural Geography”)

20. In Burgess’s Concentric Zone Model of cities, what is in the fifth (outermost) ring?

(a) The Central Business District

(b) The Zone of Transition

(d) The Commuters’ Zone

Correct Answer: The Commuters’ Zone.

21. Which part (Schedule) of the Indian Constitution deals with disqualifying lawmakers for changing parties (defection)?

(a) Schedule VIII

(b) Schedule IX

(d) Schedule XI

Correct Answer: Schedule X.

22. On what principle does the Supreme Court exercise its power of Judicial Review (checking if laws follow the constitution)?

(a) Due Process of Law

(b) Procedure Established by Law

(d) Equity and Good Conscience

Correct Answer: Procedure Established by Law.

23. Who presides over a joint sitting of both houses of the Indian Parliament?

(a) The President of India

(b) The Vice-President of India (Chairman of Rajya Sabha)

(d) The Prime Minister of India

Correct Answer: The Speaker of the Lok Sabha.

24. Under which rule can the Speaker allow a Member of Parliament to speak in their mother tongue?

(a) Article 110

(b) Article 120 (1)

(d) Article 108

Correct Answer: Article 120 (1).

25. What issue is the Supreme Court’s judgment in Indira Sawhney vs Union of India related to?

(a) Basic Structure of the Constitution

(b) Reservation (quotas) for Other Backward Classes (OBCs)

(d) Powers of the President

Correct Answer: Reservation (quotas) for Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

26. From which source can Grants-in-Aid (financial help) be given to Panchayats (local governments) under Article 243H?

(a) Only from the Consolidated Fund of India

(b) Only from taxes collected by the Central Government

(d) Only from international financial institutions

Correct Answer: Taxes collected by the States, the Consolidated Fund of the State, and Taxes collected by the Panchayats themselves.

27. What is the correct sequence of the ideals in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution?

(a) Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic, Republic

(b) Sovereign, Secular, Socialist, Democratic, Republic

(d) Sovereign, Socialist, Democratic, Secular, Republic1

Correct Answer: Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic, Republic.

28. According to the Indian Constitution, Article 15 deals with which of the following?

(a) Prohibition of Discrimination

(b) Protection in respect of conviction for offences

(d) Right to Constitutional Remedies

Correct Answer: Prohibition of Discrimination.

29. Which statement about Emergency Provisions in the Indian Constitution is correct?

(a) National Emergency has never been imposed in India.

(b) State Emergency (President’s Rule) can be imposed for a maximum of one year.

(d) The President can declare a Financial Emergency without the cabinet’s written recommendation.

Correct Answer: Financial Emergency has never been imposed in India.

30. Which Government of India policy aims to provide cooking gas (LPG) to Below Poverty Line (BPL) households?

(a) Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana

(b) Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana

(d) Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana

Correct Answer: Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana.

31. Which statement is correct about the Finance Commission of India?

(a) It is a permanent body.

(b) It is responsible for preparing the Union Budget.

(d) Its recommendations are binding on the government.

Correct Answer: It deals with the sharing of finances between the Central government and State governments.

32. How much money was allocated for MGNREGA (rural employment scheme) in the 2017-18 budget?

(a) Rs. 38,000 Crore

(b) Rs. 48,000 Crore

(d) Rs. 68,000 Crore

Correct Answer: Rs. 48,000 Crore.

33. According to the 2011 Census, what was the approximate male literacy rate in Himachal Pradesh?

(a) 82.80%

(b) 89.53%

(d) 92.11%

Correct Answer: Male: 89.53%. (The question asks for male literacy, the source provides both Male: 89.53%, Female: 75.93%.)

34. Which of the following factors are used to measure the Human Development Index (HDI)?

(a) Life expectancy at birth, Mean years of schooling, Gross National Income (GNI) per capita

(b) Infant mortality rate, Literacy rate, GDP per capita

(d) Poverty rate, Gender equality index, CO2 emissions per capita

Correct Answer: Life expectancy at birth, Mean years of schooling, Gross National Income (GNI) per capita.

35. Which organization conducts the large-scale sample surveys for estimating poverty lines in India?

(a) NITI Aayog

(b) Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

(d) NSSO (National Sample Survey Office/Organization)

Correct Answer: NSSO (National Sample Survey Office/Organization).

36. What is the purpose of the AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) scheme launched on 25 June 2015?

(a) To provide housing for all urban poor.

(b) To develop smart cities across India.

(d) To promote digital literacy in urban areas.

Correct Answer: To improve basic urban infrastructure in 500 cities.

37. According to NSSO data for 2017-18, which state had the highest poverty ratio?

(a) Bihar

(b) Odisha

(d) Jharkhand

Correct Answer: Odisha (Note: Data year seems off for a 2017 paper, might refer to earlier NSSO rounds. Bihar/Odisha are often highest).

38. Which statement about Budget proposals for 2017-18 is NOT correct?

(a) The total allocation for rural, agriculture and allied sectors was Rs. 80,000 crore. (This is presented as the NOT correct statement, with the note clarifying the actual was higher)

(b) Fiscal deficit was targeted at 3.2% of GDP.

(d) Affordable housing was accorded infrastructure status.

Correct Answer: That the total allocation for rural, agriculture and allied sectors was Rs. 80,000 crore. (The actual figure was much higher, around Rs 1,87,223 crore).

39. What was the estimated average annual growth rate for Himachal Pradesh during the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-2017)?

(a) 6.5 percent

(b) 7.2 percent

(d) 8.1 percent

Correct Answer: 7.2 percent.

40. What was the unemployment rate in India during 2015-16 based on the Usual Principal Status?

(a) 3.5 percent

(b) 4.2 percent

(d) 5.8 percent

Correct Answer: 5.0 percent.

41. How many wetlands in India were listed under the Ramsar Convention (as of the time of the paper, likely 2017)?

(a) 20

(b) 26

(d) 42

Correct Answer: 26.

42. When did India ratify (formally agree to) the Stockholm Convention (controlling persistent organic pollutants)?

(a) 2002

(b) 2004

(d) 2008

Correct Answer: 2006.

43. What represents the major loss to humans from environmental degradation?

(a) Decrease in land availability for agriculture

(b) Loss of mineral resources

(d) Reduction in industrial output

Correct Answer: Loss of Ecosystem services (benefits nature provides like clean air, water, pollination).

44. What did the United Nations declare 2017 as the International Year of?

(a) Pulses

(b) Light and Light-based Technologies

(d) Soils

Correct Answer: Sustainable Tourism for Development.

45. What is the global agreement called that deals with controlling the movement and disposal of hazardous wastes across borders?

(a) Kyoto Protocol

(b) Montreal Protocol

(d) Ramsar Convention

Correct Answer: Basel Convention.

46. Which plant is considered one of the most promising for producing biodiesel?

(a) Sugarcane

(b) Jatropha

(d) Eucalyptus

Correct Answer: Jatropha.

47. How is the Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) of water mainly reduced in sewage treatment?

(a) By Primary treatment (physical removal of solids)

(b) By Secondary treatment (using bacteria)

(d) By adding chlorine to the water

Correct Answer: By Secondary treatment (using bacteria).

48. What is a characteristic of ‘Dead Zones’ in oceans and large lakes?

(a) High levels of dissolved oxygen

(b) Abundance of marine life

(d) Clear and pristine water quality

Correct Answer: High Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) (meaning very low oxygen).

49. Using a carbon tax has been successful in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in which country?

(a) United States

(b) China

(d) India

Correct Answer: Sweden.

50. What is a significant achievement of Kanha National Park?

(a) Successful reintroduction of the cheetah

(b) Saving the swamp deer (Barasingha) from near extinction

(d) Eradication of all invasive plant species

Correct Answer: Saving the swamp deer (Barasingha) from near extinction.

51. To prevent potato chips from getting oxidized (spoiled by air) in sealed bags, what gas do manufacturers fill the packets with?

(a) Oxygen

(b) Nitrogen

(d) Argon

Correct Answer: Nitrogen.

52. Where does litmus dye (used for pH testing) come from?

(a) A fungus

(b) An alga

(d) A bacterium

Correct Answer: A lichen (an organism formed by algae and fungi).

53. If someone has acidity after overeating, what is a common remedy?

(a) Lemon juice

(b) Vinegar

(d) Common salt solution

Correct Answer: Baking soda (an antacid).

54. Which of these (Garlic Juice, Blood, Milk of Magnesia, Sodium Chloride solution) has a pH of about 10 (alkaline)?

(a) Garlic Juice

(b) Blood

(d) Sodium Chloride solution

Correct Answer: Milk of Magnesia.

55. Which process does NOT happen during photosynthesis?

(a) Absorption of light energy by chlorophyll

(b) Conversion of light energy to chemical energy

(d) Chlorophyll degradation (breaking down of chlorophyll)

Correct Answer: Chlorophyll degradation (breaking down of chlorophyll).

56. What instrument is used to measure the depth of the ocean?

(a) Hydrometer

(b) Fathometer

(d) Lactometer

Correct Answer: Fathometer.

57. What does a ‘Light Year’ measure?

(a) Time

(b) Intensity of light

(d) Speed of light

Correct Answer: Astronomical distance.

58. What are the primary colours of light (additive primaries)?

(a) Red, Yellow, Blue

(b) Red, Green, Blue

(d) Red, Green, Yellow

Correct Answer: Red, Green, Blue.

59. What is the chemical name for nail polish remover?

(a) Ethanol

(b) Formaldehyde

(d) Benzene

Correct Answer: Acetone.

60. Which inert (unreactive) gas is most abundant in the atmosphere?

(a) Helium

(b) Neon

(d) Krypton

Correct Answer: Argon.

61. Which Chamba ruler moved the capital from Brahmapura to Chamba town?

(a) Meru Varman

(b) Sahila Varman

(d) Lakshman Varman

Correct Answer: Sahila Varman.

62. During the rule of which Nurpur prince were the forts of Maukot, Nurpur, and Taragarh captured by the Mughals?

(a) Basu Dev

(b) Suraj Mal

(d) Bhau Singh

Correct Answer: Jagat Singh.

63. Which European scholar first highlighted the history of Jalandhar and Trigarta (ancient names for areas including Kangra)?

(a) William Moorcroft

(b) Alexander Cunningham

(d) A. H. Francke

Correct Answer: Alexander Cunningham.

64. In which year did the Gurkhas capture the Sirmaur princely state?

(a) 1790 AD

(b) 1803 AD

(d) 1825 AD

Correct Answer: 1803 AD.

65. Which Raja of the Bushahr princely state was given the title ‘Chatrapati’ by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb?

(a) Ram Singh

(b) Kehri Singh

(d) Shamsher Singh

Correct Answer: Kehri Singh.

66. What name did Greek scholars use for the Satluj river?

(a) Askini

(b) Vipasa

(d) Parushni

Correct Answer: Hesidrus (also Zaradros).

67. According to legend, which God (Devta) killed Banasur, the ruler of the Sarahan area (upper Shimla)?

(a) Lord Shiva

(b) Lord Vishnu

(c) Deva Purana (The source states “Deva Purana”. This might refer to a deity as described in a Purana, or it could be a specific local name interpreted as such in the source document.)

(d) Lord Indra

Correct Answer: Deva Purana (Note: The source mentions “Deva Purana”. This may be a specific deity or a reference that needs context from the original paper for precise interpretation; commonly, Lord Krishna is associated with Banasur’s defeat.)

68. Where does the Spiti river originate?

(a) Rohtang Pass

(b) Baralacha Pass

(d) Shipki La Pass

Correct Answer: Kunzum Pass.

69. At which place in Bilaspur District, H.P., was a women’s Industrial Training Institute (ITI) made functional during 2015-16?

(a) Ghumarwin

(b) Jhandutta

(d) Naina Devi

Correct Answer: Bharari.

70. What is the approximate power generation capacity of the Sawra-Kuddu Hydro Electric Project?

(a) 100 MW

(b) 111 MW

(d) 200 MW

Correct Answer: 111 MW.

71. In which two districts of H.P. will the H.P. Forest Ecosystem Climate Proofing Project be implemented?

(a) Shimla and Kinnaur

(b) Kullu and Mandi

(d) Solan and Sirmaur

Correct Answer: Kangra and Chamba.

72. Under the ‘Mata Shabri Mahila Sashaktikaran Yojna’ in H.P., how much subsidy is given to eligible women for a gas connection?

(a) 25%, up to a maximum of Rs. 1,000

(b) 50%, up to a maximum of Rs. 1,300

(d) 100% subsidy for the connection

Correct Answer: 50%, up to a maximum of Rs. 1,300.

73. What is the building style (architecture) of the Hateshwari Temple at Hatkoti (Jubbal, Shimla)?

(a) Pagoda style

(b) Pent-roof style

(d) Dome shaped style

Correct Answer: Pyramidal shaped roof (Shikhara style).

74. Which subject matter is generally NOT found in 18th-century Kangra Kalam style paintings?

(a) Gita Govinda

(b) Bihari Satsai

(d) Scenes from the Padmavat of Malik Muhammad Jayasi

Correct Answer: Scenes from the Padmavat of Malik Muhammad Jayasi.

75. How many women members were there in the H.P. Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) at the time of this paper?

(a) One

(b) Two

(d) Four

Correct Answer: Three.

76. Where in Shimla District is the government Sheep Breeding Farm located?

(a) Mashobra

(b) Kufri

(d) Rohru

Correct Answer: Jeori.

77. According to the 2010-11 Agricultural census, what percentage of land holdings in H.P. are small (1-2 hectares)?

(a) 15.25%

(b) 18.17%

(d) 22.33%

Correct Answer: 18.17%.

78. Which cement company was licensed to study limestone deposits in the Chopal area of Shimla district?

(a) Ambuja Cement

(b) ACC Limited

(d) Ultratech Cement

Correct Answer: M/s Reliance Cementation (Typo, likely means Reliance Cement ).

79. Which Himachal Pradesh revolutionary edited the ‘Sudarshan Chakra’ magazine from Lahore before independence?

(a) Yashpal

(b) Inderpal

(d) Daulat Ram Sankhyan

Correct Answer: Inderpal.

80. Who led the first mountaineering expedition team to scale Mount Everest in 1953?

(a) Sir Edmund Hillary

(b) Tenzing Norgay

(d) Col. G. Bruce (Note: Source text says G. Bruce, but historical records widely credit Col. John Hunt as the leader of the 1953 British expedition where Hillary and Tenzing were the first to summit. Charles Granville Bruce led earlier British Everest attempts.)

Correct Answer: Col. John Hunt. (The provided text answer is “Col. G. Bruce”. However, Col. John Hunt is historically recognized as the leader of the 1953 expedition.)

81. According to the Human Development Report (around 2016), which countries had the highest human development?

(a) Norway, Australia, Switzerland

(b) Sweden, Canada, Netherlands

(d) USA, UK, France

Correct Answer: Norway, Australia, Switzerland.

82. Who received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award for 2015-16?

(a) Sania Mirza only

(b) Saina Nehwal, Virat Kohli, Rohan Bopanna

(d) Mary Kom, Vijender Singh, Leander Paes

Correct Answer: P. V. Sindhu, Sakshi Malik, Dipa Karmakar, Jitu Rai.

83. Who wrote the novel ‘Kohre Se Guzarte Huye’?

(a) Nirmal Verma

(b) Krishna Sobti

(c) Shankha Ghosh (Note: Source text answer is Shankha Ghosh. External searches may suggest different authors or similar titles by other authors.)

(d) Mahasweta Devi

Correct Answer: Shankha Ghosh.

84. Who was appointed Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) (around early 2017)?

(a) Anil Sinha

(b) Rakesh Asthana

(d) Ranjit Sinha

Correct Answer: Alok Kumar Verma.

85. Who became the first woman in Pakistan’s history to hold the position of Foreign Secretary?

(a) Hina Rabbani Khar

(b) Sherry Rehman

(d) Maleeha Lodhi

Correct Answer: Tehmina Janjua.

86. On what date is National Teacher’s Day celebrated in India?

(a) 5th October

(b) 14th November

(d) 2nd October

Correct Answer: 5th September.

87. Which two rivers were declared ‘living entities’ by the High Court of Uttarakhand?

(a) Ganga and Brahmaputra

(b) Ganga and Yamuna

(d) Narmada and Tapti

Correct Answer: Ganga and Yamuna.

88. What is the average life expectancy in India (around 2017)?

(a) 65.5 years

(b) 68.3 years

(d) 72.6 years

Correct Answer: 68.3 years.

89. In which state did a train derailment happen on Jan 22, 2017, killing 41 people?

(a) Bihar

(b) Uttar Pradesh (Note: Source text answer is Uttar Pradesh. Kuneru station, associated with the Hirakhand Express derailment on that date, is in Andhra Pradesh, near the Odisha border.)

(d) Odisha

Correct Answer: Andhra Pradesh (Kuneri station). (The provided text answer is “Uttar Pradesh”. However, historical records of the Hirakhand Express derailment on Jan 22, 2017, point to Kuneru in Andhra Pradesh.)

90. The Supreme Court issued a contempt notice to a sitting Judge of which High Court (in early 2017)?

(a) Madras High Court

(b) Bombay High Court

(d) Delhi High Court

Correct Answer: Calcutta High Court (Justice C.S. Karnan).

91. The Bhil tribe is mainly found in which states?

(a) Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat (also Rajasthan, Maharashtra)

(b) Odisha and Jharkhand

(d) Nagaland and Mizoram

Correct Answer: Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat (also Rajasthan, Maharashtra).

92. Who is the Chancellor of Nalanda University (as of early 2017)?

(a) Amartya Sen

(b) George Yeo

(d) Pranab Mukherjee

Correct Answer: Dr. Vijay Bhatkar.

93. When was the NOTA (None Of The Above) option first used in elections in India?

(a) 2009

(b) 2011

(d) 2014

Correct Answer: 2013.

94. Who among the following received the Padma Vibhushan award in 2017 according to the provided list?

(a) Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, Sharad Pawar, Sunder Lal Patwa (posthumous)

(b) Sachin Tendulkar, C.N.R. Rao, Lata Mangeshkar

(d) Viswanathan Anand, Raghuram Rajan, Azim Premji

Correct Answer: Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, Sharad Pawar, Sunder Lal Patwa (posthumous). (Note: The source text also mentions K J Yesudas, P A Sangma (posthumous), Murli Manohar Joshi as recipients, and the prompt notes the text lists only the first three prominently.)

95. The Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of which state were NOT members of the state legislature when appointed (in 2017)?

(a) Punjab

(b) Goa

(d) Manipur

Correct Answer: Uttar Pradesh (Yogi Adityanath and Keshav Prasad Maurya).

96. Which city is called the Silicon Valley of India?

(a) Hyderabad

(b) Pune

(d) Chennai

Correct Answer: Bengaluru.

97. Donald Trump is which number US President?

(a) 43rd

(b) 44th

(d) 46th

Correct Answer: 45th.

98. In which field did Juan Manuel Santos win the 2016 Nobel Prize?

(a) Literature

(b) Economics

(d) Physics

Correct Answer: Peace.

99. Which country does the UN Secretary-General António Guterres belong to?

(a) Spain

(b) Portugal

(d) Brazil

Correct Answer: Portugal.

100. Which country owns Margarita Island, where the 17th NAM (Non-Aligned Movement) Summit was held?

(a) Cuba

(b) Colombia

(d) Brazil

Correct Answer: Venezuela.

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