General Awareness — History & Polity

1. Who is known as the 'Father of the Indian Constitution'?

• A. Jawaharlal Nehru
• B. Mahatma Gandhi
• C. B.R. Ambedkar (Correct)
• D. Sardar Patel

Explanation: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar served as the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constitution and is called the Father of the Indian Constitution.

2. The Indian Parliament consists of:

• A. Lok Sabha and President
• B. Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha
• C. Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, and the President (Correct)
• D. Lok Sabha and Supreme Court

Explanation: Under Article 79, Parliament consists of the President, the Council of States (Rajya Sabha), and the House of the People (Lok Sabha).

3. The Rowlatt Act (1919) was opposed because it:

• A. Increased taxes
• B. Allowed detention without trial (Correct)
• C. Partitioned Bengal
• D. Gave voting rights to select Indians

Explanation: The Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act 1919 (Rowlatt Act) empowered British authorities to arrest and detain individuals without trial, sparking widespread protests led by Gandhi.

4. The Lok Sabha has a maximum strength of:

• A. 500
• B. 525
• C. 543
• D. 552 (Correct)

Explanation: The Lok Sabha can have a maximum of 552 members — 530 from states, 20 from Union Territories, and 2 nominated Anglo-Indians (Anglo-Indian nomination abolished in 2020; current maximum is 543 + 2 = 545, but constitutional maximum is 552).

5. The Treaty of Versailles (1919) ended:

• A. World War I (Correct)
• B. World War II
• C. The Boer War
• D. The Crimean War

Explanation: The Treaty of Versailles, signed on 28 June 1919, formally ended World War I, imposing heavy reparations on Germany.

6. The capital of Australia is:

• A. Sydney
• B. Melbourne
• C. Canberra (Correct)
• D. Brisbane

Explanation: Canberra is the capital city of Australia. Sydney and Melbourne are larger cities but not the capital.

7. The Regulating Act of 1773 was related to:

• A. Army reforms
• B. Land revenue
• C. Control over East India Company (Correct)
• D. Abolition of slavery

Explanation: The Regulating Act of 1773 was the first step by the British Parliament to regulate the affairs of the East India Company in India.

8. Which body can amend the Indian Constitution?

• A. Supreme Court alone
• B. Parliament alone
• C. Parliament and State Legislatures together (Correct)
• D. President alone

Explanation: Under Article 368, most amendments require a special majority of Parliament. Some (federally sensitive) amendments also require ratification by at least half of state legislatures.

9. The Reserve Bank of India was established in:

• A. 1930
• B. 1935 (Correct)
• C. 1947
• D. 1950

Explanation: The Reserve Bank of India was established on 1 April 1935 under the RBI Act, 1934.

10. The Shimla Convention (1914) fixed the boundary between India and Tibet, known as the:

• A. Durand Line
• B. McMahon Line (Correct)
• C. Radcliffe Line
• D. Maginot Line

Explanation: The McMahon Line was the boundary between British India and Tibet agreed to at the 1914 Shimla Convention, named after British diplomat Henry McMahon.

11. The term of a member of the Lok Sabha is:

• A. 4 years
• B. 5 years (Correct)
• C. 6 years
• D. Life term

Explanation: A Lok Sabha member serves a term of 5 years (unless dissolved earlier).

12. Which planet is closest to the Sun?

• A. Venus
• B. Earth
• C. Mercury (Correct)
• D. Mars

Explanation: Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, orbiting at an average distance of about 58 million km.

13. Who founded the Aligarh Movement?

• A. Mohammad Ali Jinnah
• B. Sir Syed Ahmad Khan (Correct)
• C. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
• D. Aga Khan

Explanation: Sir Syed Ahmad Khan founded the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College at Aligarh in 1875 (later Aligarh Muslim University), leading to the Aligarh Movement for Muslim education.

14. The Prime Minister of India is appointed by the:

• A. Lok Sabha Speaker
• B. Chief Justice of India
• C. President of India (Correct)
• D. Parliament

Explanation: The President appoints the Prime Minister — conventionally the leader of the majority party/coalition in the Lok Sabha.

15. The Swadeshi Movement was a direct response to:

• A. Massacre at Jallianwala Bagh
• B. Partition of Bengal 1905 (Correct)
• C. Simon Commission
• D. Rowlatt Act

Explanation: The Swadeshi Movement (1905) arose as a response to Lord Curzon's Partition of Bengal, emphasising the use of Indian-made goods.

16. How many players are there in each team in a game of Volleyball?

• A. 5
• B. 6 (Correct)
• C. 7
• D. 9

Explanation: A volleyball team consists of 6 players on the court at a time.

17. Directive Principles of State Policy are inspired by the Constitution of:

• A. USA
• B. USSR
• C. Ireland (Correct)
• D. Australia

Explanation: The Directive Principles of State Policy were adopted from the Irish Constitution of 1937.

18. The Indian National Army (INA) was founded by:

• A. Bhagat Singh
• B. Subhas Chandra Bose (Correct)
• C. Bal Gangadhar Tilak
• D. Lala Lajpat Rai

Explanation: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose reorganized the Indian National Army (Azad Hind Fauj) in Singapore in 1943 to fight for Indian independence.

19. India's National Income is calculated by the:

• A. Planning Commission
• B. RBI
• C. National Statistical Office (NSO) (Correct)
• D. Finance Ministry

Explanation: The National Statistical Office (NSO), under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, is responsible for estimating India's National Income (GDP).

20. The Round Table Conferences (1930–32) were held in:

• A. New Delhi
• B. Calcutta
• C. London (Correct)
• D. Simla

Explanation: Three Round Table Conferences were held in London (1930, 1931, 1932) to discuss constitutional reforms for India. Gandhi attended only the second.

21. The Emergency provisions in the Indian Constitution are modelled after the Constitution of:

• A. USA
• B. Germany (Weimar Republic) (Correct)
• C. UK
• D. France

Explanation: The Emergency provisions in Part XVIII of the Indian Constitution were inspired by the Weimar Constitution of Germany.

22. The Cabinet Mission Plan (1946) proposed:

• A. Direct partition of India
• B. A three-tier federal structure (Correct)
• C. Transfer of power to Congress alone
• D. Continuation of British rule

Explanation: The Cabinet Mission Plan (1946) proposed a three-tier structure — Centre, Group, and Province — as an alternative to partition, but it was ultimately rejected by key parties.

23. DNA stands for:

• A. Dioxyribonucleic Acid
• B. Deoxyribonucleic Acid (Correct)
• C. Diaminonucleic Acid
• D. Deoxyribonucleoside Acid

Explanation: DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) is the molecule that carries the genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth, and reproduction of all known living organisms.

24. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) was established in:

• A. 1990
• B. 1993 (Correct)
• C. 1995
• D. 1997

Explanation: NHRC was established on 12 October 1993 under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.

25. Gandhiji's first experiment with Satyagraha in India was at:

• A. Dandi
• B. Champaran (Correct)
• C. Kheda
• D. Bardoli

Explanation: Gandhi's first Satyagraha in India (1917) was at Champaran, Bihar, against the oppressive indigo cultivation system imposed by British planters.