HAS Pre 2011
I. Indian Polity, Governance & Law
- The Law Commission & Second Administrative Reforms Commission recommended that various institutions be declared as Public Authorities under the RTI Act. Such recommendations aim to enhance:
a) Secrecy in governance
b) Transparency and accountability
c) Governmental control over information
d) Exclusion of bodies from public scrutiny
Answer: b) Transparency and accountability - Which Article of the Indian Constitution states that Parliament may make laws for the whole or any part of the territory of India?
a) Article 245
b) Article 111
c) Article 79
d) Article 52
Answer: a) Article 245 - Among the following, which organization is NOT generally considered to be a mass organization front of the CPI(M)?
a) All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA)
b) All India Agricultural Workers Union (AIAWU)
c) All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC)
d) Students’ Federation of India (SFI)
Answer: c) All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) - The Indian Constitution refers to minorities based on:
a) Religion or language
b) Caste or economic status
c) Race or ethnicity
d) Region or political affiliation
Answer: a) Religion or language - Which of the following is a Constitutional body, not a statutory body?
a) National Human Rights Commission
b) Union Public Service Commission
c) National Commission for Women
d) National Commission for Minorities
Answer: b) Union Public Service Commission - The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments, pertaining to Panchayati Raj and Municipalities respectively, were enacted during the Prime Ministership of:
a) Rajiv Gandhi
b) V. P. Singh
c) P. V. Narasimha Rao
d) Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Answer: c) P. V. Narasimha Rao - As per recent Census data (e.g., 2011), which Indian state has the highest percentage of Scheduled Castes (SC) population in relation to its total state population?
a) Uttar Pradesh
b) West Bengal
c) Punjab
d) Bihar
Answer: c) Punjab - The government headed by which Prime Minister was the first in India to lose a vote of confidence in the Lok Sabha, leading to its resignation in 1990?
a) Chandra Shekhar
b) V. P. Singh
c) H. D. Deve Gowda
d) Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Answer: b) V. P. Singh - In the proceedings of the Lok Sabha (House of the People), the Question Hour is usually immediately followed by:
a) Adjournment of the House
b) Consideration of a Bill
c) Zero Hour
d) Calling Attention Motion
Answer: c) Zero Hour - The members of which of these Parliamentary Committees in India are elected by the respective Houses from amongst their members according to the principle of proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote?1
a) Public Accounts Committee
b) Estimates Committee
c) Committee on Public Undertakings
d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above - In 2013, separate High Courts were established for three North-Eastern states. These states are:
a) Mizoram, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh
b) Assam, Sikkim, and Mizoram
c) Meghalaya, Manipur, and Tripura
d) Nagaland, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh
Answer: c) Meghalaya, Manipur, and Tripura - In the context of appointments to sensitive posts, the Supreme Court of India (e.g., in the Vineet Narain case) directed the Central Government that for posts like the Central Vigilance Commissioner, consideration should be given not only to civil servants but also to other persons of:
a) Significant political experience
b) Impeccable integrity and a sound track record
c) Strong business acumen
d) Judicial background only
Answer: b) Impeccable integrity and a sound track record - If the office of the President of India falls vacant due to death or resignation, and the Vice-President is also not available or unable to discharge the functions, who assumes the office of the President temporarily?
a) The Prime Minister
b) The Speaker of the Lok Sabha
c) The Chief Justice of India
d) The seniormost Governor of a state
Answer: c) The Chief Justice of India
II. Indian Economy & Schemes
- CENVAT (Central Value Added Tax) was associated with:
a) Direct taxes
b) Indirect taxes (specifically Central Excise duty)
c) Income tax on corporates
d) Agricultural income tax
Answer: b) Indirect taxes (specifically Central Excise duty) - Which sector was projected to achieve the highest growth rate during the 11th Five Year Plan period (2007-2012) in India?
a) Agriculture
b) Industry
c) Services
d) Manufacturing
Answer: c) Services - The first organized stock exchange (share market) in India was established in:
a) Kolkata
b) Delhi
c) Chennai
d) Mumbai (Bombay)
Answer: d) Mumbai (Bombay) - Who headed the expert committee constituted by the Government of India on the pricing and taxation of petroleum products, which submitted its report in 2006?
a) C. Rangarajan
b) Vijay Kelkar
c) Y. V. Reddy
d) Montek Singh Ahluwalia
Answer: a) C. Rangarajan - Which statement is generally true for Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in India?
a) They are primarily focused on domestic production.
b) They offer a range of fiscal incentives and simplified procedures for export-oriented businesses.
c) They are subject to higher taxation rates than domestic tariff areas.
d) They are exclusively managed by central government agencies.
Answer: b) They offer a range of fiscal incentives and simplified procedures for export-oriented businesses. - Historically, to which economic bloc or country has India often directed a significant portion of its goods exports?
a) African Union
b) European Union
c) South American Common Market (MERCOSUR)
d) Russia
Answer: b) European Union - The UNDP introduced the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI). This index assesses poverty based on deprivations in:
a) Income, consumption, and wealth
b) Health, education, and living standards
c) Employment, housing, and sanitation
d) Political freedom, social security, and environmental quality
Answer: b) Health, education, and living standards - Project ‘Sankalp’ in India is primarily associated with the elimination/control of:
a) Polio
b) Tuberculosis
c) HIV/AIDS
d) Malaria
Answer: c) HIV/AIDS - Which Indian company was the first to be listed on the NASDAQ-100 index in the U.S.A.?
a) Wipro
b) Infosys
c) Tata Consultancy Services
d) Reliance Industries
Answer: b) Infosys - The terms ‘NEER’ (Nominal Effective Exchange Rate) and ‘REER’ (Real Effective Exchange Rate) are primarily related to:
a) Interest rate fluctuations
b) International trade and currency valuation
c) Domestic inflation measurement
d) Stock market indices
Answer: b) International trade and currency valuation - The World Trade Organisation (WTO) was established on January 1, 1995, to promote and regulate international trade. It succeeded which agreement?
a) Bretton Woods Agreement
b) General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)
c) Maastricht Treaty
d) North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
Answer: b) General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) - In what key capacity was P.C. Mahalanobis associated with the formulation of India’s economic policy in the post-independence era?
a) As the first Finance Minister
b) As the principal architect of the Second Five-Year Plan
c) As the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India
d) As the Chairman of the first Law Commission
Answer: b) As the principal architect of the Second Five-Year Plan - A key condition for identifying areas for the implementation of the National Programme for Education of Girls at Elementary Level (NPEGEL) was often:
a) Presence of only private schools
b) High population density
c) Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs) with lower than national average female literacy and high gender gap
d) Urban slums with over 10,000 population
Answer: c) Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs) with lower than national average female literacy and high gender gap - Which scheme for adolescent girls was introduced by the Government of India, effectively replacing the earlier Kishori Shakti Yojana in many districts, including those in Himachal Pradesh?
a) Janani Suraksha Yojana
b) Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG) – SABLA
c) Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao
d) National Nutrition Mission
Answer: b) Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG) – SABLA - Koderma in Jharkhand, India, is renowned for being a major center for the mining of:
a) Coal
b) Iron Ore
c) Mica
d) Bauxite
Answer: c) Mica - The most ideal region for the large-scale cultivation of cotton in India, known for its black soil (regur soil), is the:
a) Indo-Gangetic Plain
b) Brahmaputra Valley
c) Deccan Plateau
d) Coastal regions of Odisha
Answer: c) Deccan Plateau - Which of the following is considered a key factor for the comparatively higher recovery rate and longer crushing season for sugarcane in South India compared to North India?
a) Lower cost of labor in the South
b) Tropical climate leading to higher sucrose content and less frost incidence
c) Greater availability of irrigation facilities in the South
d) Larger land holdings in the South
Answer: b) Tropical climate leading to higher sucrose content and less frost incidence - Which group of states is collectively the largest producer of iron ore in India?
a) Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra
b) Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh
c) Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka
d) Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal
Answer: c) Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka - Agriculture, including crop cultivation, is typically most concentrated and productive in:
a) High alpine meadows
b) Arid desert interiors
c) Fertile river valleys and floodplains
d) Dense equatorial rainforests
Answer: c) Fertile river valleys and floodplains
III. Environmental Science & General Science
- Two-wheelers, especially older models, are significant contributors to which type of environmental pollution in urban areas?
a) Water pollution
b) Soil contamination
c) Air and noise pollution
d) Radioactive pollution
Answer: c) Air and noise pollution - The most hazardous metal pollutant from automobile exhaust, particularly from vehicles using leaded petrol, is:
a) Mercury
b) Cadmium
c) Lead
d) Chromium
Answer: c) Lead - The excessive release of nitrate and phosphate fertilizers into water bodies can lead to a phenomenon known as:
a) Biomagnification
b) Eutrophication
c) Acid rain
d) Water hardening
Answer: b) Eutrophication - Minamata disease, a neurological syndrome, is caused by severe poisoning from which heavy metal?
a) Arsenic
b) Lead
c) Mercury
d) Cadmium
Answer: c) Mercury - The Chernobyl disaster in 1986 was a catastrophic event caused by:
a) A massive earthquake
b) A chemical plant explosion
c) A nuclear reactor accident
d) A volcanic eruption
Answer: c) A nuclear reactor accident - Which of the following radioactive isotopes, a product of nuclear fission, is particularly dangerous as it can accumulate in bones and cause cancer or tissue degeneration?
a) Cobalt-60
b) Strontium-90
c) Carbon-14
d) Iodine-131
Answer: b) Strontium-90 - A common anti-knock agent added to unleaded petrol to improve octane rating is:
a) Tetraethyl lead
b) Methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) or Ethanol
c) Sulphur
d) Benzene
Answer: b) Methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) or Ethanol - The generally accepted range of normal human hearing is between:
a) 10 Hz to 10,000 Hz
b) 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz
c) 100 Hz to 30,000 Hz
d) 5 Hz to 5,000 Hz
Answer: b) 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz - Prolonged exposure to Benzene, a volatile organic compound, is a known risk factor for causing:
a) Asthma
b) Leukemia (a type of blood cancer)
c) Kidney stones
d) Malaria
Answer: b) Leukemia (a type of blood cancer) - According to many scientists and environmental organizations, the world is primarily threatened by long-term, large-scale issues such as:
a) Local noise pollution
b) Global climate change and biodiversity loss
c) Seasonal flu outbreaks
d) Soil erosion in specific farmlands
Answer: b) Global climate change and biodiversity loss - In the coming years, skin-related disorders, including skin cancer, are expected to become more common due to the:
a) Increase in air pollution from industries
b) Depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer
c) Contamination of drinking water sources
d) Use of chemical food preservatives
Answer: b) Depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer - Natural silk, produced by silkworms, is a type of:
a) Carbohydrate polymer
b) Protein fiber
c) Lipid compound
d) Cellulose fiber
Answer: b) Protein fiber - Which type of polymer can be repeatedly softened by heating and hardened by cooling, allowing it to be remolded?
a) Thermosetting plastic
b) Elastomer
c) Thermoplastic
d) Natural rubber
Answer: c) Thermoplastic - Drugs that are primarily used to alleviate or get relief from pain are called:
a) Antipyretics
b) Antibiotics
c) Analgesics
d) Antiseptics
Answer: c) Analgesics - Many commonly used tranquilizers, which act on the central nervous system to reduce anxiety and tension, are derivatives of:
a) Salicylic acid
b) Acetic acid
c) Formic acid
d) Barbituric acid
Answer: d) Barbituric acid - India’s early satellite launch vehicles, SLV-3 and ASLV (Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle), predominantly used:
a) Liquid propellants
b) Cryogenic propellants
c) Solid propellants
d) Hybrid propellants
Answer: c) Solid propellants - A transformer is an electrical device primarily used for:
a) Converting alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC)
b) Storing electrical energy
c) Changing the voltage of alternating current
d) Generating direct current
Answer: c) Changing the voltage of alternating current - Convex lenses are commonly used in eyeglasses for the correction of:
a) Myopia (nearsightedness)
b) Hypermetropia (farsightedness)
c) Astigmatism
d) Cataracts
Answer: b) Hypermetropia (farsightedness) - One litre of pure water at standard temperature is equivalent to:
a) 100 cubic centimeters
b) 1000 cubic centimeters
c) 10 cubic meters
d) 1 kilogram per square centimeter
Answer: b) 1000 cubic centimeters - Metals are generally good conductors of electricity due to the presence of:
a) A rigid lattice structure
b) High density
c) Many free electrons
d) High melting points
Answer: c) Many free electrons - In the process of galvanization, an iron sheet is coated with a layer of which metal to prevent rusting?
a) Tin
b) Copper
c) Zinc
d) Aluminum
Answer: c) Zinc - Which of the following factors has the LEAST direct influence on the fundamental process of soil formation (pedogenesis)?
a) Parent material (rock type)
b) Climate (temperature and precipitation)
c) Topography (relief and slope)
d) Daily atmospheric pressure changes
Answer: d) Daily atmospheric pressure changes
IV. Himachal Pradesh Specific
- The book “The Abode of Snow”, an account of a journey in the Himalayas, was written by:
a) Andrew Wilson
b) Norah Richards
c) Nicholas Roerich
d) Rahul Sankrityayan
Answer: a) Andrew Wilson - Among the following rivers, which one is NOT a primary tributary of the Beas River in Himachal Pradesh?
a) Suketi
b) Banganga
c) Ali Khad
d) Swan
Answer: d) Swan - The Lossar festival, celebrated in various parts of Himachal Pradesh and other Himalayan regions, marks the:
a) Harvest season
b) Beginning of the Tibetan New Year
c) Onset of monsoon
d) Birth of Guru Padmasambhava
Answer: b) Beginning of the Tibetan New Year - The famous Key Monastery (Kye Gompa), a prominent Tibetan Buddhist monastery, is located in:
a) Kinnaur district, Himachal Pradesh
b) Lahaul Valley, Himachal Pradesh
c) Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh
d) Kangra Valley, Himachal Pradesh
Answer: c) Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh - The Bhunda festival of Nirmand in Himachal Pradesh, known for its unique rituals, is traditionally held at an interval of:
a) 5 years
b) 10 years
c) 12 years
d) Every year
Answer: c) 12 years - The ‘Shibba-ka-Ras’ or Shibba ballet, a traditional folk dance-drama form, is associated with which region of Himachal Pradesh?
a) Kullu
b) Sirmaur
c) Chamba
d) Mandi
Answer: b) Sirmaur - Which Sultan of Delhi is said to have helped Raja Megh Chand of Bilaspur (Kahlur) regain his lost kingdom in the 13th century?
a) Alauddin Khilji
b) Qutb-ud-din Aibak
c) Iltutmish
d) Balban
Answer: c) Iltutmish - Which Raja of Mandi state built the Darbar Hall, a prominent historical building, in 1906?
a) Joginder Sen
b) Bhawani Sen
c) Sidh Sen
d) Suraj Sen
Answer: b) Bhawani Sen - In which year was Shimla (then Simla) officially declared the summer capital of the British Raj in India?
a) 1857
b) 1864
c) 1885
d) 1901
Answer: b) 1864 - Amrita Sher-Gil, who had a connection to Shimla, was a renowned:
a) Classical dancer
b) Freedom fighter
c) Modern Indian painter
d) Hindi poet
Answer: c) Modern Indian painter - Who among the following prominent Himachal Pradesh political figures was known for significant electoral victories, potentially including a high margin in elections around 2012?
a) Prem Kumar Dhumal
b) Virbhadra Singh
c) Shanta Kumar
d) J.P. Nadda
Answer: b) Virbhadra Singh - The skill development allowance announced by the Himachal Pradesh Government in its 2013-14 budget was generally targeted at unemployed youths within which approximate age group?
a) 16-35 years (with certain conditions)
b) 14-25 years
c) 25-45 years
d) 18-40 years
Answer: a) 16-35 years (with certain conditions) - A significant proposed ropeway project in Himachal Pradesh aims to connect Palchan to which high-altitude destination?
a) Hatu Peak
b) Triund
c) Rohtang Pass
d) Shikari Devi
Answer: c) Rohtang Pass - Which district in Himachal Pradesh is known for a significant percentage share in the state’s production of pulses?
a) Kinnaur
b) Lahaul-Spiti
c) Shimla
d) Kullu
Answer: c) Shimla - A notable Herbal Garden in Shimla District of Himachal Pradesh is located at:
a) Kufri
b) Naldehra
c) Dumreda (near Rohru/Chirgaon)
d) Tara Devi
Answer: c) Dumreda (near Rohru/Chirgaon) - In the Himachal Pradesh Annual Plan for 2011-12, which sector typically received a very high outlay in percentage terms?
a) Agriculture and Allied Activities
b) Transport and Communications
c) Social Services (including education, health)
d) Energy
Answer: c) Social Services (including education, health) - Besides Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti, which other district of Himachal Pradesh generally recorded a very low percentage of urban population in the 2011 census?
a) Kangra
b) Una
c) Chamba
d) Solan
Answer: c) Chamba - What was the approximate percentage of female literacy in Himachal Pradesh around the time of the 1951 census?
a) Around 4-5%
b) Around 10-12%
c) Around 15-18%
d) Below 2%
Answer: a) Around 4-5% (Actual was 4.02%, though some sources say ~2%) - The Nathpa Jhakri Hydel Power Project, one of India’s largest hydroelectric projects, is located on the Sutlej River in which state?
a) Uttarakhand
b) Himachal Pradesh
c) Jammu and Kashmir
d) Sikkim
Answer: b) Himachal Pradesh
V. Indian History & Culture (General)
- According to Hindu mythology, the vehicle (vahana) of Kamadeva, the god of love and desire, is often depicted as a:
a) Bull
b) Elephant
c) Parrot (often Suka)
d) Horse
Answer: c) Parrot (often Suka) - Emperor Ashoka sent his son Mahendra and daughter Sanghamitta to Lanka (Sri Lanka) primarily to:
a) Establish trade relations
b) Negotiate a peace treaty
c) Promote and propagate Buddhism
d) Learn about their system of governance
Answer: c) Promote and propagate Buddhism - Who is the author of ‘Indica’, an ancient Greek account providing valuable information about Mauryan India?
a) Ptolemy
b) Herodotus
c) Megasthenes
d) Strabo
Answer: c) Megasthenes - ‘Tarikh-al-Hind’ (History of India), a scholarly work describing the religion, science, and social customs of India in the 11th century, was written by:
a) Ibn Batuta
b) Al-Biruni
c) Amir Khusrau
d) Ziauddin Barani
Answer: b) Al-Biruni - Ayurveda (science of life/medicine), Dhanurveda (science of archery/warfare), and Sthapatyaveda (science of architecture) are three Upavedas. Which of the following is traditionally considered the fourth Upaveda?
a) Shilpaveda (arts and crafts)
b) Gandharvaveda (music and dance)
c) Arthaveda (economics and polity)
d) Natyaveda (dramaturgy)
Answer: b) Gandharvaveda (music and dance) - Which of the following women scholars is prominently associated with the philosophical debates of the later Vedic period (Upanishadic period)?
a) Ghosha
b) Apala
c) Lopamudra
d) Gargi Vachaknavi
Answer: d) Gargi Vachaknavi - The Hunas (Huns), a nomadic group from Central Asia, significantly contributed to the decline and fall of which Indian empire by their invasions in the 5th and 6th centuries CE?
a) Maurya Empire
b) Kushan Empire
c) Gupta Empire
d) Chalukya Empire
Answer: c) Gupta Empire - Rani Padmini of Mewar is famed for committing Jauhar. Which other queen of Mewar is historically known for committing Jauhar with many women when Chittorgarh was attacked by Bahadur Shah of Gujarat?
a) Rani Durgavati
b) Rani Karnavati
c) Rani Tarabai
d) Rani Ahilyabai
Answer: b) Rani Karnavati - The decisive Battle of Khanwa, where the Mughal forces of Babur defeated the Rajput confederacy, was fought against Rana Sanga of Mewar in the year:
a) 1526 AD
b) 1527 AD
c) 1528 AD
d) 1529 AD
Answer: b) 1527 AD - In the war of succession among Shah Jahan’s sons, Aurangzeb defeated his elder brother Dara Shikoh in the crucial Battle of:
a) Dharmat
b) Samugarh
c) Khajwa
d) Deorai
Answer: b) Samugarh - The ‘Red Shirts Movement’, also known as Khudai Khidmatgar, a non-violent Pashtun movement against British rule, was organized by:
a) Muhammad Ali Jinnah
b) Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
c) Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
d) Sheikh Abdullah
Answer: c) Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan - The revolutionary secret society ‘Abhinava Bharat’ was founded in 1904 by:
a) Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt
b) Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and Ganesh Savarkar
c) Subhas Chandra Bose
d) Lala Hardayal
Answer: b) Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and Ganesh Savarkar - Which of the following leaders associated with the Khilafat Movement (1919-1924) was known for his efforts to maintain Hindu-Muslim unity and also had a somewhat more moderate approach within the broader movement?
a) Mohammad Ali Jauhar
b) Shaukat Ali
c) Hakim Ajmal Khan
d) Maulana Hasrat Mohani
Answer: c) Hakim Ajmal Khan - The historical novel ‘Anandmath’, written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and the source of India’s national song ‘Vande Mataram’, is set in the backdrop of the:
a) Sepoy Mutiny of 1857
b) Sannyasi Rebellion (late 18th century)
c) Indigo Revolt
d) Wahabi Movement
Answer: b) Sannyasi Rebellion (late 18th century) - Which of the following British legislations was notoriously known as the “Gagging Act” for its stringent measures to curb the freedom of the Indian vernacular press?
a) Rowlatt Act, 1919
b) Indian Press Act, 1910
c) Vernacular Press Act, 1878
d) Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867
Answer: c) Vernacular Press Act, 1878 - Who among the following historical figures is LEAST directly associated with the patronage or practice of Buddhism?
a) Emperor Ashoka
b) Kanishka
c) Harshavardhana
d) Samudragupta
Answer: d) Samudragupta - Which of these significant events did NOT occur in the year 1919?
a) The Jallianwala Bagh massacre
b) The enactment of the Rowlatt Act
c) The announcement of the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms (Government of India Act, 1919)
d) The Chauri Chaura incident
Answer: d) The Chauri Chaura incident (occurred in 1922) - Who is recognized as the first Caliph in Islam, succeeding Prophet Muhammad?
a) Umar ibn al-Khattab
b) Ali ibn Abi Talib
c) Uthman ibn Affan
d) Abu Bakr As-Siddiq
Answer: d) Abu Bakr As-Siddiq - Arrange the following historical events in their correct chronological sequence:
A. Establishment of Arya Samaj (1875)
B. Partition of Bengal (1905)
C. Lucknow Pact (1916)
D. Promulgation of Vernacular Press Act (1878)
a) A, B, D, C
b) D, A, B, C
c) A, D, B, C
d) D, B, A, C
Answer: c) A, D, B, C
VI. World Geography & Organizations
- The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was established in which year to promote, coordinate, and monitor the fight against doping in sport?
a) 1995
b) 1999
c) 2003
d) 2007
Answer: b) 1999 - The Mars Science Laboratory mission’s rover, ‘Curiosity’, which landed on Mars in 2012, is operated by which space agency?
a) European Space Agency (ESA)
b) Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
c) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)2
d) Roscosmos (Russian Federal Space Agency)
Answer: c) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) - Which nation is historically referred to as the “Sugar Bowl of the World” due to its large-scale sugar production?
a) Brazil
b) India
c) Thailand
d) Cuba
Answer: d) Cuba - Which of the following landforms is NOT primarily formed by glacial erosion or deposition?
a) Moraine
b) Cirque (Corrie)
c) Stalactite
d) Drumlin
Answer: c) Stalactite - The headquarters of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), a specialized agency of the United Nations, is located in:
a) New York, USA
b) Paris, France
c) Geneva, Switzerland
d) Rome, Italy
Answer: c) Geneva, Switzerland - The theory of Continental Drift, which proposed that continents have moved over geological time, was first comprehensively propounded by:
a) Charles Lyell
b) Alfred Wegener
c) James Hutton
d) Harry Hess
Answer: b) Alfred Wegener - Stalagmites are depositional cave features (speleothems) that:
a) Hang downwards from the ceiling of a cave
b) Grow upwards from the floor of a cave
c) Are found embedded in glacial ice
d) Are formed by wind erosion in deserts
Answer: b) Grow upwards from the floor of a cave
VII. Miscellaneous (Sports)
- Surya Shekhar Ganguly is a prominent Indian personality associated with which sport?
a) Tennis
b) Badminton
c) Shooting
d) Chess
Answer: d) Chess