Pariksha SaathiGeneral Studies
Static General Knowledge: Practice Questions with Answers
240 practice questions on Static General Knowledge, with answers; most also have an explanation or a worked solution. Try each one before you open its answer.
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Q.101
'Nil Darpan' (1860), a Bengali play depicting the oppression of indigo cultivators by European planters, was written by:
- A Dinabandhu Mitra
- B Girish Chandra Ghosh
- C Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
- D Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Dinabandhu Mitra
Dinabandhu Mitra's 'Nil Darpan' exposed the cruelty of indigo planters at the time of the indigo revolt of 1859-60 in Bengal. Reverend James Long, who published its English translation, was prosecuted for it.
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Q.102
National Press Day is observed in India on 16 November to mark the day on which:
- A Hicky's Bengal Gazette was first published
- B the Press Trust of India began operations
- C the Vernacular Press Act was repealed
- D the Press Council of India began functioning
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) the Press Council of India began functioning
The Press Council of India, set up as a watchdog of press freedom and standards, started functioning on 16 November 1966. Hicky's Bengal Gazette first appeared in January 1780.
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Q.103
The final of the 1983 Cricket World Cup, which India won under Kapil Dev, was played at which ground?
- A The Oval
- B Old Trafford
- C Lord's
- D Edgbaston
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Lord's
India beat the West Indies by 43 runs at Lord's, London, on 25 June 1983. India's second World Cup win came in 2011 under M.S. Dhoni at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, against Sri Lanka.
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Q.104
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was founded in September 1960 at a conference held in which city?
- A Riyadh
- B Baghdad
- C Tehran
- D Kuwait City
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Baghdad
OPEC was created at the Baghdad Conference of September 1960 by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. Its headquarters has been in Vienna since 1965.
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Q.105
The novel 'Untouchable' (1935), which follows a day in the life of a young sweeper named Bakha, was written by:
- A R.K. Narayan
- B Raja Rao
- C Mulk Raj Anand
- D Khushwant Singh
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Mulk Raj Anand
Mulk Raj Anand's first novel, 'Untouchable', depicts caste discrimination through its sweeper protagonist Bakha. Raja Rao wrote 'Kanthapura'.
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Q.106
Who among the following was NOT among the first recipients of the Bharat Ratna in 1954?
- A C. Rajagopalachari
- B S. Radhakrishnan
- C C.V. Raman
- D Jawaharlal Nehru
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Jawaharlal Nehru
The first three Bharat Ratna awardees in 1954 were C. Rajagopalachari, S. Radhakrishnan and C.V. Raman. Jawaharlal Nehru received the award in 1955.
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Q.107
Which was the first newspaper published in India, in 1780?
- A Bombay Samachar
- B Samachar Darpan
- C The Times of India
- D Hicky's Bengal Gazette
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Hicky's Bengal Gazette
Hicky's Bengal Gazette, started by James Augustus Hicky in Calcutta in 1780, was the first newspaper in India. Bombay Samachar (1822) is the oldest newspaper still in circulation.
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Q.108
Before the tiger was declared the National Animal in 1972, which animal held that status?
- A Indian elephant
- B Asiatic lion
- C One-horned rhinoceros
- D Blackbuck
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Asiatic lion
The lion was replaced by the tiger (Panthera tigris) in 1972, a year before Project Tiger was launched in 1973. The elephant was declared the National Heritage Animal in 2010.
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Q.109
The Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, ISRO's launch site, is in which state?
- A Tamil Nadu
- B Karnataka
- C Andhra Pradesh
- D Kerala
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Andhra Pradesh
Sriharikota is a barrier island on the Andhra Pradesh coast. ISRO's headquarters is at Bengaluru, the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre at Thiruvananthapuram and the Space Applications Centre at Ahmedabad.
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Q.110
Which of the following scientist–invention pairs is correctly matched?
- A Evangelista Torricelli – Thermometer
- B Benjamin Franklin – Miners' safety lamp
- C Alessandro Volta – Electric battery (voltaic pile)
- D Humphry Davy – Vulcanised rubber
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Alessandro Volta – Electric battery (voltaic pile)
Volta built the first electric battery, the voltaic pile, in 1800. Torricelli invented the mercury barometer, Franklin the lightning conductor, Davy the miners' safety lamp, and Charles Goodyear developed vulcanised rubber.
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Q.111
World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day, 8 May, marks the birth anniversary of the founder of the Red Cross movement. Who was he?
- A Florence Nightingale
- B Henry Dunant
- C Clara Barton
- D Alfred Nobel
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Henry Dunant
Henry Dunant, born in Geneva on 8 May 1828, was moved by the suffering he saw after the Battle of Solferino; this led to the founding of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva in 1863. Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross.
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Q.112
The ASEAN Secretariat is located in which city?
- A Bangkok
- B Jakarta
- C Singapore
- D Kuala Lumpur
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Jakarta
ASEAN was founded on 8 August 1967 through the Bangkok Declaration, but its Secretariat is in Jakarta, Indonesia.
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Q.113
Which of the following stadium–city pairs is correctly matched?
- A Barabati Stadium – Bhubaneswar
- B Keenan Stadium – Ranchi
- C Holkar Stadium – Gwalior
- D Green Park – Kanpur
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Green Park – Kanpur
Green Park, a Test cricket venue, is in Kanpur. The Barabati Stadium is in Cuttack, the Keenan Stadium in Jamshedpur and the Holkar Stadium in Indore.
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Q.114
Firozabad in Uttar Pradesh is famous for the manufacture of which product?
- A Locks
- B Brassware
- C Glass bangles
- D Carpets
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Glass bangles
Firozabad is the glass and bangle city of India. Aligarh is famous for locks, Moradabad for brassware and Bhadohi-Mirzapur for carpets.
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Q.115
What is the scientific name of the Indian peafowl, the National Bird of India?
- A Pavo cristatus
- B Pavo muticus
- C Ardeotis nigriceps
- D Gallus gallus
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Pavo cristatus
The Indian peafowl is Pavo cristatus. Pavo muticus is the green peafowl of South-East Asia, and Ardeotis nigriceps is the Great Indian Bustard.
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Q.116
Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day), observed on 31 October since 2014, marks the birth anniversary of whom?
- A Lal Bahadur Shastri
- B B.R. Ambedkar
- C Rajendra Prasad
- D Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Sardar Patel, who led the integration of the princely states, was born on 31 October 1875. Lal Bahadur Shastri was born on 2 October and B.R. Ambedkar on 14 April.
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Q.117
What is the full form of SAARC?
- A South Asian Alliance for Regional Cooperation
- B South Asian Association for Resource Conservation
- C Southern Asia Agreement for Regional Commerce
- D South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
SAARC is the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, a regional grouping of South Asian countries.
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Q.118
The Ranji Trophy, named after K.S. Ranjitsinhji, is a domestic championship in which sport?
- A Football
- B Hockey
- C Kabaddi
- D Cricket
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Cricket
The Ranji Trophy is India's premier domestic first-class cricket championship, first played in the 1934-35 season between teams of states and regional associations.
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Q.119
'Wings of Fire' (1999), written with Arun Tiwari, is the autobiography of:
- A A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
- B Vikram Sarabhai
- C Homi J. Bhabha
- D Satish Dhawan
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
Wings of Fire traces A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's journey from Rameswaram to his work on India's space and missile programmes; it was co-written with Arun Tiwari.
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Q.120
Who was the first woman citizen of India to receive a Nobel Prize?
- A Amrita Pritam
- B Sarojini Naidu
- C Mother Teresa
- D Kiran Bedi
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa, Albanian-born and an Indian citizen since 1951, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and the Bharat Ratna in 1980. No other woman from India has won a Nobel Prize.
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Q.121
Consider the following statements: 1. The Nobel Peace Prize is presented in Oslo, while the other Nobel Prizes are presented in Stockholm. 2. The Ramon Magsaysay Award is given by a foundation based in Indonesia. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- A Only 1
- B Only 2
- C Both 1 and 2
- D Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Only 1
Only statement 1 is correct. The Ramon Magsaysay Award, named after a President of the Philippines, is given by a foundation in Manila, not Indonesia.
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Q.122
Who is popularly called the 'Missile Man of India'?
- A Homi J. Bhabha
- B Vikram Sarabhai
- C Satish Dhawan
- D A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam led the development of launch vehicles and guided missiles such as Agni and Prithvi, and later served as the 11th President of India (2002-07).
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Q.123
Where is the secretariat of SAARC located?
- A Dhaka
- B Kathmandu
- C New Delhi
- D Colombo
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Kathmandu
SAARC was founded in Dhaka on 8 December 1985 but its secretariat is at Kathmandu, Nepal. It has eight members after Afghanistan joined in 2007.
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Q.124
Consider the following statements: 1. The Arjuna Award recognises outstanding performance by sportspersons. 2. The Dronacharya Award recognises excellence in coaching sportspersons. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- A Only 1
- B Only 2
- C Both 1 and 2
- D Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Both 1 and 2
Both statements are correct. The Arjuna Award honours players, while the Dronacharya Award, named after the teacher of the Pandavas and Kauravas in the Mahabharata, honours coaches.
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Q.125
Majuli, the largest river island in India, lies in which river?
- A Ganga
- B Godavari
- C Brahmaputra
- D Kaveri
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Brahmaputra
Majuli lies in the Brahmaputra in Assam and became India's first island district in 2016. It is known for its Vaishnavite satras. Srirangam island is in the Kaveri.
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Q.126
Which of the following pairs of a day and the person whose birth anniversary it marks is NOT correctly matched?
- A National Mathematics Day (22 December) – Aryabhata
- B Engineers' Day (15 September) – M. Visvesvaraya
- C National Statistics Day (29 June) – P.C. Mahalanobis
- D National Doctors' Day (1 July) – Bidhan Chandra Roy
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) National Mathematics Day (22 December) – Aryabhata
National Mathematics Day on 22 December marks the birth anniversary of Srinivasa Ramanujan, not Aryabhata. The other three pairs are correct; 1 July is both the birth and death anniversary of Dr B.C. Roy.
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Q.127
Mahatma Gandhi's Gujarati paraphrase titled 'Sarvodaya' (1908) was based on which book?
- A Unto This Last by John Ruskin
- B The Kingdom of God Is Within You by Leo Tolstoy
- C Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau
- D Utopia by Thomas More
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Unto This Last by John Ruskin
Gandhi read Ruskin's 'Unto This Last' in 1904 and said it transformed his life; he paraphrased it in Gujarati as 'Sarvodaya'. Tolstoy's 'The Kingdom of God Is Within You' also influenced him deeply.
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Q.128
The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) was established in which year?
- A 1935
- B 1942
- C 1950
- D 1958
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) 1942
CSIR was set up in September 1942 and runs a countrywide network of national laboratories. 1958 is the year DRDO was formed.
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Q.129
The double-helix structure of DNA was proposed in 1953 by whom?
- A Hargobind Khorana and Marshall Nirenberg
- B Pierre and Marie Curie
- C Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin
- D James Watson and Francis Crick
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) James Watson and Francis Crick
Watson and Crick published the double-helix model in 1953, drawing on X-ray work by Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins. Khorana and Nirenberg are known for their work on the genetic code.
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Q.130
What makes the structure of the International Labour Organization (ILO) unique among UN agencies?
- A Its decisions are binding on all UN member states
- B It is tripartite, giving governments, employers and workers a voice
- C It is funded entirely by trade unions
- D It has no permanent secretariat
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) It is tripartite, giving governments, employers and workers a voice
The ILO, headquartered in Geneva, is the only tripartite UN agency: representatives of governments, employers and workers together set labour standards and policies.
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Q.131
Arrange the following awards in the order in which they were instituted, earliest first: 1. Dronacharya Award 2. Bharat Ratna 3. Khel Ratna 4. Arjuna Award
- A 2, 4, 1, 3
- B 4, 2, 1, 3
- C 2, 1, 4, 3
- D 2, 4, 3, 1
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) 2, 4, 1, 3
The Bharat Ratna dates from 1954, the Arjuna Award from 1961, the Dronacharya Award from 1985 and the Khel Ratna from 1991-92.
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Q.132
Arrange the following Olympic medals won by Indians in chronological order, earliest first: 1. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore's silver in shooting 2. Leander Paes's bronze in tennis 3. K.D. Jadhav's bronze in wrestling 4. P.V. Sindhu's silver in badminton
- A 3, 1, 2, 4
- B 3, 2, 1, 4
- C 2, 3, 1, 4
- D 3, 2, 4, 1
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) 3, 2, 1, 4
Jadhav won his medal at Helsinki in 1952, Paes at Atlanta in 1996, Rathore at Athens in 2004 and Sindhu at Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
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Q.133
World Health Day is observed on 7 April to mark the coming into force of the Constitution of the World Health Organization in which year?
- A 1945
- B 1946
- C 1948
- D 1950
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) 1948
The WHO Constitution, signed in 1946, came into force on 7 April 1948, the date now marked as World Health Day.
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Q.134
'Castling' and 'en passant' are terms used in which game?
- A Bridge
- B Billiards
- C Carrom
- D Chess
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Chess
Castling is a special move of the king and a rook, and en passant is a special pawn capture; both belong to chess. Terms such as 'trump' and 'rubber' belong to bridge.
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Q.135
What is the colour of the Ashoka Chakra at the centre of the white band of the National Flag?
- A Black
- B Sky blue
- C Golden yellow
- D Navy blue
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Navy blue
The wheel at the centre of the white band is navy blue. Its design is that of the wheel on the abacus of the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka.
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Q.136
Who is regarded as the father of the Indian space programme?
- A Homi J. Bhabha
- B Satish Dhawan
- C U.R. Rao
- D Vikram Sarabhai
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Vikram Sarabhai
Vikram Sarabhai founded the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR), from which ISRO grew in 1969. Homi J. Bhabha is called the father of India's nuclear programme.
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Q.137
Who was the first Chief Election Commissioner of India?
- A Sukumar Sen
- B K.V.K. Sundaram
- C S.P. Sen Verma
- D T.N. Seshan
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Sukumar Sen
Sukumar Sen, appointed in 1950, conducted the first two general elections, of 1951-52 and 1957. K.V.K. Sundaram succeeded him.
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Q.138
The Bhakra Dam on the Sutlej, whose reservoir is the Gobind Sagar, is located in which state?
- A Punjab
- B Haryana
- C Himachal Pradesh
- D Uttarakhand
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Himachal Pradesh
The Bhakra Dam stands in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh, close to the Punjab border. The smaller Nangal Dam, a short way downstream, lies in Punjab.
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Q.139
The Bogibeel Bridge, a rail-cum-road bridge opened in 2018 near Dibrugarh in Assam, spans which river?
- A Teesta
- B Barak
- C Subansiri
- D Brahmaputra
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Brahmaputra
The Bogibeel Bridge crosses the Brahmaputra, linking Dibrugarh district on the south bank with Dhemaji district on the north bank.
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Q.140
Who was the first woman judge of the Supreme Court of India?
- A M. Fathima Beevi
- B Leila Seth
- C Anna Chandy
- D Sujata Manohar
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) M. Fathima Beevi
Justice M. Fathima Beevi was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1989. Anna Chandy was the first woman judge of a High Court, and Leila Seth the first woman Chief Justice of a High Court.
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Q.141
Consider the following statements: 1. Sam Manekshaw was the first Indian Army officer to be promoted to the rank of Field Marshal. 2. K.M. Cariappa became the second Indian Army officer to hold the rank of Field Marshal, in 1986. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- A Only 1
- B Only 2
- C Both 1 and 2
- D Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Both 1 and 2
Both statements are correct. Manekshaw was made Field Marshal in January 1973 and Cariappa received the rank in 1986; they are the only two Indian Army officers to have held this five-star rank.
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Q.142
Arrange the following in chronological order:
1. The Ganga declared the National River
2. The Flag Code of India, 2002 comes into effect
3. The rupee symbol (₹) adopted
4. The National Calendar adopted for official use
- A 2, 4, 1, 3
- B 4, 1, 2, 3
- C 4, 2, 3, 1
- D 4, 2, 1, 3
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) 4, 2, 1, 3
The National Calendar was adopted from 22 March 1957, the Flag Code took effect on 26 January 2002, the Ganga was declared the National River in 2008 and the rupee symbol was approved in July 2010.
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Q.143
The Durand Cup, the oldest tournament of its kind in Asia, is played in which sport?
- A Football
- B Hockey
- C Cricket
- D Polo
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Football
The Durand Cup football tournament was started in Shimla in 1888 by Mortimer Durand and is the oldest football tournament in Asia. The Santosh Trophy is also football, Ranji Trophy cricket and Beighton Cup hockey.
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Q.144
SAARC was established on 8 December 1985, when its Charter was adopted at the first summit held in which city?
- A Kathmandu
- B Dhaka
- C New Delhi
- D Colombo
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Dhaka
Leaders of the founding member states adopted the SAARC Charter at the Dhaka summit on 8 December 1985. The permanent secretariat was set up later, in Kathmandu in 1987.
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Q.145
The National Emblem of India is adapted from the Lion Capital of Ashoka located at which place?
- A Sanchi
- B Rampurva
- C Lauriya Nandangarh
- D Sarnath
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Sarnath
The Lion Capital at Sarnath (near Varanasi) was adopted as the emblem on 26 January 1950. Its abacus shows a bull, a horse, an elephant and a lion separated by Dharma Chakras, and the motto Satyameva Jayate is from the Mundaka Upanishad.
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Q.146
On which date did the Constituent Assembly adopt 'Jana Gana Mana' as the National Anthem of India?
- A 26 January 1950
- B 26 November 1949
- C 15 August 1947
- D 24 January 1950
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) 24 January 1950
The Constituent Assembly adopted Jana Gana Mana as the National Anthem on 24 January 1950, two days before the Constitution came into force on 26 January 1950. The Constitution itself had been adopted on 26 November 1949.
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Q.147
The IBRD, the original institution of the World Bank Group, stands for:
- A International Bank for Rural Development
- B International Board for Reconstruction and Development
- C International Bank for Regional Development
- D International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development was created at the Bretton Woods Conference of 1944 along with the IMF; its early loans helped rebuild post-war Europe.
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Q.148
Under the Flag Code of India, 2002, which part deals with the display of the National Flag by the Union and State Governments and their organisations and agencies?
- A Part I
- B Part II
- C Part III
- D Part IV
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Part III
The Code has three parts: Part I gives a general description of the flag, Part II covers display by members of the public, private organisations and educational institutions, and Part III covers display by governments and their agencies.
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Q.149
The term 'chukker' (or chukka), meaning a period of play, is associated with which sport?
- A Golf
- B Polo
- C Hockey
- D Billiards
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Polo
A polo match is divided into short periods of play called chukkers. Golf, by contrast, is played hole by hole.
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Q.150
The crescograph, an instrument for measuring the growth of plants, was invented by whom?
- A Satyendra Nath Bose
- B Jagadish Chandra Bose
- C Prafulla Chandra Ray
- D Birbal Sahni
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Jagadish Chandra Bose
Jagadish Chandra Bose devised the crescograph to record very small movements and growth in plants. Satyendra Nath Bose is known for Bose-Einstein statistics.
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How these questions were made
Authored by an AI assistant (Claude) from its own general knowledge of stable, well-established facts (no live lookup) - not reviewed by a subject-matter expert; verify against an official source before relying on any fact.