100 Questions • 120 Minutes • PYQ Mock Test in Hindi and English
Key Fact: The Sarayu River is another name for the lower/middle course of the Ghaghara River, particularly as it flows past the holy city of Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh. Additional Info: Originating near Lake Manasarovar in Tibet from the Mapchachungo glacier, the river is known as the Karnali in Nepal. After descending into the northern plains of India, it is referred to as the Ghaghara and Sarayu. It is a major left-bank tributary of the Ganga, joining it near Revelganj in Chhapra, Bihar. Why the other options are wrong: The Son is a major right-bank tributary originating from the Amarkantak plateau; the Kosi originates in Tibet/Nepal and is known as the 'Sorrow of Bihar'; the Kali (Sharda) forms the western boundary between India and Nepal before joining the Ghaghara. Exam Trick: Sarayu = Ghaghara (Ayodhya sits right on its banks). Final Answer: Ghaghara
Key Fact: The 14th-century Moroccan traveller Ibn Battuta dedicated specific passages in his travelogue 'Rihla' to describe the coconut (which he compared to a human head) and the betel leaf (paan), items completely novel to his Mediterranean and North African readers. Additional Info: Ibn Battuta visited India during the reign of Sultan Muhammad bin Tughlaq, who appointed him as the Qazi (judge) of Delhi for several years. Why the other options are wrong: François Bernier was a 17th-century French physician at the Mughal court of Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb; Abdur Razzaq visited the Vijayanagara Empire from Persia in the 15th century; Al-Biruni wrote 'Kitab-ul-Hind' in the 11th century focusing on astronomy, philosophy, and religion. Exam Trick: Unusual medieval botanical descriptions (coconut & paan) = Ibn Battuta's 'Rihla'. Final Answer: Ibn Battuta
Key Fact: The magnificent Rajarajeshwara Temple (popularly known as the Brihadisvara Temple) at Thanjavur (Tanjore) was constructed by the great Chola emperor Rajaraja I between 1003 and 1010 CE. Additional Info: Dedicated to Lord Shiva, it is one of the grandest examples of Dravidian temple architecture. Its towering vimana (sanctum tower) stands at 216 feet and is crowned by a monolithic 80-tonne granite cupola. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site 'Great Living Chola Temples'. Why the other options are wrong: Rajendra I (his son) built the Brihadisvara Temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram; Kulottunga I and Rajendra II built other shrines and expanded Chola influence. Exam Trick: Rajarajeshwara = named after its founder, Rajaraja I. Final Answer: Rajaraja I
Key Fact: Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (also revered as 'Badshah Khan') is famously known as the 'Frontier Gandhi' due to his steadfast commitment to Gandhian non-violence in the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP). Additional Info: In 1929, he founded the non-violent volunteer organization known as the 'Khudai Khidmatgar' (Servants of God), also known as the 'Red Shirts' (Surkh Posh). In 1987, he became the first non-Indian citizen to be conferred India's highest civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna. Why the other options are wrong: Subhas Chandra Bose was addressed as 'Netaji'; Lala Lajpat Rai was hailed as 'Punjab Kesari'; Bhagat Singh was known as 'Shaheed-e-Azam'. Exam Trick: Frontier (NWFP boundary) + Gandhian principles = Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan. Final Answer: Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
Key Fact: The United Nations General Assembly adopted a total of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) accompanied by 169 specific targets in September 2015. Additional Info: These goals are part of the '2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development' titled 'Transforming our world'. They succeeded the 8 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and address global challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace, and justice. Why the other options are wrong: 16, 18, and 19 are incorrect numbers; the globally agreed framework consists precisely of 17 goals. Exam Trick: Remember: 8 MDGs (2000–2015) were replaced by 17 SDGs (2015–2030). Final Answer: 17
Key Fact: SEZ stands for 'Special Economic Zone'. Additional Info: An SEZ is a specially demarcated duty-free enclave deemed to be foreign territory for trade operations and duties. Governed by the Special Economic Zones Act, 2005 in India, SEZs offer tax holidays, single-window clearances, and relaxed labor and customs regulations to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and boost exports. Why the other options are wrong: None of the other terms are recognized statutory acronyms for SEZ. Exam Trick: SEZ focuses on business and industrial growth → Special Economic Zone. Final Answer: Special Economic Zone
Key Fact: Under Articles 32 (Supreme Court) and 226 (High Court), 5 types of prerogative writs are issued:
• Habeas Corpus: Literally 'To have the body' → Produce the detained person (1-D).
• Mandamus: Literally 'We command' → Order a public official to perform statutory duties (2-C).
• Quo-Warranto: Literally 'By what authority' → Challenge unlawful usurpation of a public office (3-A).
• Certiorari: Literally 'To be certified' → Quash orders of an inferior court/tribunal acting without jurisdiction (4-B).
Additional Info: The fifth writ is Prohibition, issued to prevent a lower court from exceeding jurisdiction before an order is passed.
Why the other options are wrong: All other combinations jumble the Latin meanings and directives.
Exam Trick: 'Habeas Corpus' = Produce body (D); 'Quo-Warranto' = What authority (A). Matching 1-D and 3-A leads directly to Option A.
Final Answer: 1-D, 2-C, 3-A, 4-B
Key Fact: The correct chronological order of the presidential terms is: Additional Info: Neelam Sanjiva Reddy is the only President of India elected unopposed after the Janata Party came to power in 1977. Why the other options are wrong: Giani Zail Singh (1982-87) preceded R. Venkataraman (1987-92); options placing Venkataraman before Zail Singh are incorrect. Exam Trick: Remember: Ahmed (1974) → Reddy (1977) → Zail Singh (1982) → Venkataraman (1987) → Sharma (1992). Final Answer: a, e, c, d, b
1. (a) Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed: 1974 – 1977 (died in office)
2. (e) Neelam Sanjiva Reddy: 1977 – 1982 (elected unopposed)
3. (c) Giani Zail Singh: 1982 – 1987 (first Sikh President; used pocket veto on Postal Bill)
4. (d) R. Venkataraman: 1987 – 1992
5. (b) Shankar Dayal Sharma: 1992 – 1997
Key Fact: The Sarkaria Commission was appointed in June 1983 by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the chairmanship of retired Supreme Court Justice Ranjit Singh Sarkaria to examine and review the working of the existing arrangements between the Union and the States. Additional Info: The Commission submitted its final report in 1988 with 247 recommendations, notably advising against the frequent misuse of Article 356 (President's Rule) and strongly recommending the establishment of a permanent Inter-State Council under Article 263 (which was subsequently established in 1990). Why the other options are wrong: The Srikrishna Commission investigated the 1992–93 Bombay riots and later bifurcated Andhra Pradesh; the Rajamannar Committee was set up by the Tamil Nadu government in 1969; the B.G. Kher Commission was the Official Language Commission (1955). Exam Trick: Centre-State Relations = Sarkaria Commission (1983) and Punchhi Commission (2007). Final Answer: Sarkaria Commission
Key Fact: Under Article 75(5) of the Indian Constitution, a Minister (including the Prime Minister) who for any period of six consecutive months is not a member of either House of Parliament ceases to be a Minister at the expiration of that period. Additional Info: Historical precedents in India include P. V. Narasimha Rao (1991), H. D. Deve Gowda (1996), and Dr. Manmohan Singh (2004), who were not members of the Lok Sabha at the time of taking oath and later got elected to either the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha within six months. Why the other options are wrong: The Constitution permits a 6-month grace period; therefore immediate resignation is not required, nor is indefinite continuation permitted without election. Exam Trick: Article 75(5) / Article 164(4) = Strict 6-month rule for legislative membership. Final Answer: He must become a member of either House of Parliament within six months.
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