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.201
'Hind Swaraj', written in 1909 while travelling by ship from London to South Africa, is a work of:
- A Bal Gangadhar Tilak
- B Aurobindo Ghosh
- C Mahatma Gandhi
- D Lala Lajpat Rai
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Mahatma Gandhi
Gandhi wrote Hind Swaraj in Gujarati aboard the Kildonan Castle in 1909; it criticises modern industrial civilisation and sets out his idea of self-rule.
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Q.202
Who won the Booker Prize in 1981 for the novel 'Midnight's Children'?
- A Salman Rushdie
- B Arundhati Roy
- C Kiran Desai
- D Aravind Adiga
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Salman Rushdie
Salman Rushdie won the 1981 Booker Prize for Midnight's Children, later named the Booker of Bookers. Arundhati Roy won in 1997 for The God of Small Things, Kiran Desai in 2006 and Aravind Adiga in 2008.
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Q.203
Who is known as the 'Frontier Gandhi'?
- A Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
- B Sheikh Abdullah
- C Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
- D Abdul Qayyum Khan
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (Badshah Khan) founded the Khudai Khidmatgar (Red Shirt) movement in 1929 and in 1987 became the first non-citizen to receive the Bharat Ratna. Sheikh Abdullah was called Sher-e-Kashmir.
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Q.204
'Sham No Varunah' is the motto of which Indian force?
- A Indian Army
- B Indian Air Force
- C Indian Coast Guard
- D Indian Navy
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Indian Navy
Sham No Varunah (May the Lord of the Waters be auspicious unto us) is the Navy's motto. The Army's is Seva Paramo Dharma, the Air Force's Nabhah Sprisham Diptam and the Coast Guard's Vayam Rakshamah.
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Q.205
Who is the author of 'India Wins Freedom'?
- A Jawaharlal Nehru
- B Sardar Patel
- C C. Rajagopalachari
- D Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
India Wins Freedom (1959) is the political autobiography of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, independent India's first Education Minister, whose birthday on 11 November is observed as National Education Day.
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Q.206
How many Olympic gold medals did the Indian men's hockey team win at the Games held from 1928 to 1980?
- A 6
- B 8
- C 7
- D 9
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) 8
India won hockey gold in 1928, 1932, 1936, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1964 and 1980, a total of eight. In 1960 it won silver after losing the final to Pakistan.
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Q.207
The Gol Gumbaz at Bijapur, famous for its whispering gallery, is the tomb of which ruler?
- A Ibrahim Adil Shah II
- B Muhammad Adil Shah
- C Yusuf Adil Shah
- D Ali Adil Shah I
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Muhammad Adil Shah
Gol Gumbaz (completed 1656) is the mausoleum of Muhammad Adil Shah of the Adil Shahi dynasty and has one of the largest domes in the world. Ibrahim Adil Shah II is buried in the Ibrahim Rauza.
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Q.208
'Rajatarangini', a Sanskrit history of the kings of Kashmir, was written by whom?
- A Banabhatta
- B Bilhana
- C Kalhana
- D Somadeva
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Kalhana
Kalhana wrote Rajatarangini in the 12th century. Bilhana wrote Vikramankadevacharita, Banabhatta wrote Harshacharita and Kadambari, and Somadeva wrote Kathasaritsagara.
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Q.209
National Sports Day on 29 August marks the birth anniversary of which sportsperson?
- A Milkha Singh
- B Dhyan Chand
- C K.D. Jadhav
- D Balbir Singh Senior
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Dhyan Chand
Hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand was born on 29 August 1905. He won Olympic golds in 1928, 1932 and 1936 and is called the Wizard of Hockey.
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Q.210
NH 44, the longest national highway of India, connects Srinagar with which city?
- A Chennai
- B Kanyakumari
- C Kochi
- D Mumbai
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Kanyakumari
NH 44 runs about 3,745 km from Srinagar to Kanyakumari through Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, UP, MP, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Much of it was earlier numbered NH 7.
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Q.211
Which of the following trophy–sport pairs is correctly matched?
- A Walker Cup – Hockey
- B Corbillon Cup – Badminton
- C Santosh Trophy – Football
- D Rangaswamy Cup – Cricket
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Santosh Trophy – Football
The Santosh Trophy is India's national football championship for state teams. The Walker Cup belongs to golf, the Corbillon Cup to women's table tennis and the Rangaswamy Cup to hockey.
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Q.212
Indian Navy Day on 4 December commemorates which operation of the 1971 war?
- A Operation Trident
- B Operation Vijay
- C Operation Meghdoot
- D Operation Cactus
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Operation Trident
On 4 December 1971 the Navy attacked Karachi harbour with missile boats in Operation Trident. Operation Meghdoot (1984) secured Siachen, Operation Cactus (1988) was in the Maldives and Operation Vijay refers to Goa (1961) and Kargil (1999).
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Q.213
Humayun's Tomb in Delhi was commissioned by whom?
- A Akbar
- B Jahangir
- C Nur Jahan
- D Bega Begum (Haji Begum)
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Correct answer: (D) Bega Begum (Haji Begum)
Humayun's widow Bega Begum commissioned the tomb, built 1565-72 by the Persian architect Mirak Mirza Ghiyas. It was the first garden tomb in India and a forerunner of the Taj Mahal; it became a UNESCO site in 1993.
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Q.214
Since 2015, 26 November has been observed as Constitution Day (Samvidhan Divas). Before that, the day was commonly observed as:
- A National Unity Day
- B National Voters' Day
- C Civil Services Day
- D National Law Day
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) National Law Day
26 November marks the adoption of the Constitution by the Constituent Assembly in 1949. It was observed as National Law Day until the government notified it as Constitution Day in 2015.
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Q.215
What was the name of India's first research station in Antarctica?
- A Maitri
- B Dakshin Gangotri
- C Bharati
- D Himadri
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Correct answer: (B) Dakshin Gangotri
Dakshin Gangotri was set up in 1983 during India's third expedition to Antarctica. Maitri and Bharati are later Antarctic stations, while Himadri is India's station in the Arctic.
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Q.216
Mahatma Gandhi's autobiography 'The Story of My Experiments with Truth' was originally written in which language?
- A Hindi
- B Gujarati
- C English
- D Marathi
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Gujarati
Gandhi wrote it in Gujarati as Satya na Prayogo, serialised in Navajivan between 1925 and 1929, and Mahadev Desai translated it into English. Hind Swaraj (1909) was also written in Gujarati.
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Q.217
Consider the following statements: 1. Sucheta Kripalani was the first woman Governor of an Indian state. 2. Sarojini Naidu was the first woman Chief Minister of an Indian state. 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: (D) Neither 1 nor 2
Neither is correct; the two names are swapped. Sarojini Naidu became the first woman Governor (United Provinces) in 1947, and Sucheta Kripalani the first woman Chief Minister (Uttar Pradesh) in 1963.
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Q.218
Who was the first recipient of the Jnanpith Award in 1965?
- A Tarashankar Bandyopadhyay
- B Sumitranandan Pant
- C Umashankar Joshi
- D G. Sankara Kurup
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) G. Sankara Kurup
Malayalam poet G. Sankara Kurup received the first Jnanpith Award for his collection Odakkuzhal. Sumitranandan Pant was the first Hindi writer to win it, in 1968.
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Q.219
Arrange these Indian space milestones in chronological order: Chandrayaan-1, Aryabhata, Mangalyaan, Rohini launched by SLV-3.
- A Rohini, Aryabhata, Chandrayaan-1, Mangalyaan
- B Aryabhata, Rohini, Chandrayaan-1, Mangalyaan
- C Aryabhata, Chandrayaan-1, Rohini, Mangalyaan
- D Aryabhata, Rohini, Mangalyaan, Chandrayaan-1
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Aryabhata, Rohini, Chandrayaan-1, Mangalyaan
Aryabhata, the first satellite, was launched from the Soviet Union in April 1975; Rohini was placed in orbit by India's own SLV-3 in July 1980; Chandrayaan-1 flew in October 2008 and Mangalyaan in November 2013.
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Q.220
The CSIR–National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) has its headquarters at:
- A Dona Paula, Goa
- B Kochi
- C Visakhapatnam
- D Port Blair
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Dona Paula, Goa
NIO, set up in 1966, is headquartered at Dona Paula in Goa and has regional centres at Kochi, Mumbai and Visakhapatnam.
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Q.221
Indian Air Force Day is observed on 8 October because the Air Force was officially established on that date in which year?
- A 1932
- B 1933
- C 1947
- D 1950
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) 1932
The Indian Air Force was officially established on 8 October 1932 as an auxiliary air force of British India; its first operational flight was formed on 1 April 1933.
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Q.222
India's first passenger train ran on 16 April 1853 between which two places?
- A Bombay (Bori Bunder) and Thane
- B Howrah and Hooghly
- C Madras and Arcot
- D Calcutta and Raniganj
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Bombay (Bori Bunder) and Thane
The first train ran 34 km from Bori Bunder in Bombay to Thane in 1853 under Lord Dalhousie, who is called the father of Indian Railways. The Howrah to Hooghly line opened in 1854.
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Q.223
Arrange the following civilian awards in descending order of precedence: 1. Padma Shri 2. Bharat Ratna 3. Padma Bhushan 4. Padma Vibhushan
- A 2, 3, 4, 1
- B 2, 4, 3, 1
- C 4, 2, 3, 1
- D 2, 4, 1, 3
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) 2, 4, 3, 1
The Bharat Ratna ranks highest, followed by the three Padma awards in the order Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.
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Q.224
The 'Arthashastra', an ancient treatise on statecraft and economic policy, is attributed to:
- A Kalidasa
- B Kautilya
- C Banabhatta
- D Vishakhadatta
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Kautilya
The Arthashastra is attributed to Kautilya, also known as Chanakya, by tradition the minister of Chandragupta Maurya. Vishakhadatta's play Mudrarakshasa portrays Chanakya.
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Q.225
Human Rights Day is observed on 10 December because on this day in 1948:
- A the UN Human Rights Council was created
- B the Geneva Conventions were signed
- C the International Court of Justice held its first sitting
- D the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Paris on 10 December 1948. The Human Rights Council was created only in 2006, and the four Geneva Conventions date from 1949.
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Q.226
The Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), founded in 1947 by Vikram Sarabhai and often called the cradle of space sciences in India, is located in:
- A Bengaluru
- B Ahmedabad
- C Pune
- D Thiruvananthapuram
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Ahmedabad
PRL was founded in Ahmedabad on 11 November 1947 by Vikram Sarabhai and functions as a unit of the Department of Space.
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Q.227
The Reserve Bank of India was established in 1935 on the recommendation of which commission?
- A Hunter Commission
- B Simon Commission
- C Hilton Young Commission
- D Sapru Committee
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Hilton Young Commission
The Hilton Young Commission (Royal Commission on Indian Currency and Finance, 1926) recommended a central bank; the RBI began on 1 April 1935 and was nationalised on 1 January 1949. Its office moved from Calcutta to Bombay in 1937.
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Q.228
India won its first Olympic gold medal in hockey at which Games?
- A 1920 Antwerp
- B 1928 Amsterdam
- C 1936 Berlin
- D 1948 London
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) 1928 Amsterdam
India won its first hockey gold at Amsterdam in 1928 and went on to win eight in all (1928, 1932, 1936, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1964, 1980). The 1948 London gold was the first as an independent nation.
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Q.229
In which year were the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan instituted?
- A 1950
- B 1952
- C 1954
- D 1956
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) 1954
Both awards were instituted by the President on 2 January 1954. The Bharat Ratna is India's highest civilian award.
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Q.230
The Beighton Cup, a tournament held in Kolkata, is associated with which sport?
- A Football
- B Polo
- C Hockey
- D Cricket
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Hockey
The Beighton Cup is one of India's best-known hockey tournaments and is played in Kolkata. Kolkata's IFA Shield, by contrast, is a football tournament.
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Q.231
Consider the following statements: 1. Karl Landsteiner discovered the ABO blood groups. 2. William Harvey discovered the bacterium that causes tuberculosis. 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: Landsteiner described the A, B and O groups in 1901 (his co-workers added AB in 1902) and received the 1930 Nobel Prize. The tuberculosis bacterium was discovered by Robert Koch in 1882; Harvey is known for describing the circulation of blood.
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Q.232
Who was the first Indian citizen to travel into space?
- A Kalpana Chawla
- B Ravish Malhotra
- C Rakesh Sharma
- D Sunita Williams
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Rakesh Sharma
Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma flew aboard the Soviet Soyuz T-11 to the Salyut 7 station in April 1984. Ravish Malhotra was his backup; Kalpana Chawla and Sunita Williams flew as American astronauts.
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Q.233
Which is the deepest lake in the world?
- A Lake Baikal
- B Caspian Sea
- C Lake Superior
- D Lake Victoria
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Lake Baikal
Lake Baikal in Siberia, Russia, is about 1,642 m deep and holds the largest volume of fresh water. Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake by area and the Caspian Sea is the largest lake overall.
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Q.234
The Stanley Reservoir is formed by which dam?
- A Krishna Raja Sagar Dam
- B Mullaperiyar Dam
- C Mettur Dam
- D Bhavanisagar Dam
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Mettur Dam
The Mettur Dam, completed in 1934 across the Kaveri in Salem district of Tamil Nadu, impounds the Stanley Reservoir. The Krishna Raja Sagar Dam lies upstream on the Kaveri, in Karnataka.
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Q.235
The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, ISRO's lead centre for the development of launch vehicles, is located at:
- A Thiruvananthapuram
- B Ahmedabad
- C Bengaluru
- D Sriharikota
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Thiruvananthapuram
VSSC at Thiruvananthapuram grew out of the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station, from where India's first sounding rocket was launched in 1963. Launches take place from Sriharikota, and ISRO's headquarters is in Bengaluru.
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Q.236
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations is headquartered in:
- A Geneva
- B Rome
- C Vienna
- D Paris
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Rome
FAO was founded on 16 October 1945 at Quebec City, a date now observed as World Food Day, and its headquarters is in Rome, Italy, which also hosts the World Food Programme and IFAD.
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Q.237
Which principal organ of the United Nations suspended its operations in 1994?
- A Trusteeship Council
- B Economic and Social Council
- C International Court of Justice
- D Secretariat
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Trusteeship Council
The Trusteeship Council suspended operations on 1 November 1994 after Palau, the last trust territory, became independent. The UN has six principal organs; the other five remain active.
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Q.238
The term 'lona' is associated with which game?
- A Kho-kho
- B Kabaddi
- C Wrestling
- D Volleyball
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Kabaddi
In kabaddi, a lona is scored when a team puts out all the players of the opposing side, and it earns two bonus points.
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Q.239
What is the full form of RADAR?
- A Radio Direction and Ranging
- B Radio Distance and Range
- C Radio Detection and Ranging
- D Range Detection and Radio
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Radio Detection and Ranging
RADAR stands for Radio Detection and Ranging. Similarly SONAR is Sound Navigation and Ranging and LASER is Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.
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Q.240
Who discovered radioactivity in 1896 while studying uranium salts?
- A Marie Curie
- B Henri Becquerel
- C Ernest Rutherford
- D Wilhelm Roentgen
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Henri Becquerel
Henri Becquerel found that uranium salts give off penetrating rays on their own, and shared the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics with Pierre and Marie Curie. Roentgen had discovered X-rays a year earlier, in 1895.
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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.