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Civil Services Prelims Examination National Events - GS Paper I

Civil Services Examination 2019


1. Consider the following statements:

  1. Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) is the first regulatory body set up by the Government of India.
  2. One of the tasks of PNGRB is to ensure competitive markets for gas.
  3. Appeals against the decisions of PNGRB go before the Appellate Tribunals for Electricity.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


2. Consider the following statements:

  1. As per law, the Compensatory Affores-tation Fund Management and Planning Authority exists at both National and State levels.
  2. People’s participation is mandatory in the compensatory afforestation programmes carried out under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2


3. Atal Innovation Mission is set up under the:

  1. Department of Science and Technology
  2. Ministry of Labour and Employment
  3. NITI Aayog
  4. Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship


Civil Services Examination 2018


1. With reference to Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, consider the following statements:

  1. It is the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
  2. It among other things, will also impart training in soft skills, entrepreneurship, financial and digital literacy.
  3. It aims to align the competencies of the unregulated workforce of the country to the National Skill Qualification Framework.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 and 3 only
  2. 2 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


2. With reference to solar power production in India, consider the following statements:

  1. India is the third largest in the world in the manufacture of silicon wafers used in photovoltaic units.
  2. The solar power tariffs are determined by the Solar Energy Corporation of India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2


3. Which of the following is/are the aim/aims of “Digital India” Plan of the Government of India?

  1. Formation of India’s own Internet companies like China did.
  2. Establish a policy framework to encourage overseas multinational corporations that collect Big Data to build their large data centers within our national geographical boundaries.
  3. Connect many of our villages to the Internet and bring Wi-Fi to many of our schools, public places and major tourist centers.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 3 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


4. The identity platform ‘Aadhaar’ provides open “Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)”. What does it imply?

  1. It can be integrated into any electronic device.
  2. Online authentication using iris is possible.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2


5. Consider the following statements:

  1. Aadhaar card can be used as a proof of citizenship or domicile.
  2. Once issued, Aadhaar number cannot be deactivated or omitted by the Issuing Authority.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2


6. As per the NSSO 70th Round “Situation Assessment Survey of Agriculture House-holds”, consider the following statements:

  1. Rajasthan has the highest percentage share of agriculture households among its rural households.
  2. Out of the total households in the country, a little over 60 percent belong to OBCs.
  3. In Kerala, a little over 60 percent of agricultural households reported to have received maximum income from sources other than agriculture activities.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct?

  1. 2 and 3 only
  2. 2 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


Civil Services Examination 2017


1. What is the purpose of ‘Vidyanjali Yojana’?

  1. To enable the famous foreign educational institutions to open their campuses in India.
  2. To increase the quality of education provided in government schools by taking help from the private sector and the community.
  3. To encourage voluntary monetary contributions from private individuals and organizations so as to improve the infrastructure facilities for primary and secondary schools.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. 2 only
  2. 3 only
  3. 1 and 2 only
  4. 2 and 3 only


2. What is the aim of the programme ‘Unnat Bharat Abhiyan’?

  1. Achieving 100% literacy by promoting collaboration between voluntary organizations and government’s education system and local communities.
  2. Connecting institutions of higher education with local communities to address development challenges through appropriate technologies.
  3. Strengthening India’s scientific research institutions in order to make India a scientific and technological power.
  4. Developing human capital by allocating special funds for health care and education of rural and urban poor, and organizing skill development progra-mmes and vocational training for them.


3. In India, it is legally mandatory for which of the following to report on cyber security incidents?

  1. Service providers
  2. Data centres
  3. Body corporate

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 2 only
  3. 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


4. Consider the following statements:

The nation-wide ‘Soil Health Card Scheme’ aims at

  1. expanding the cultivable area under irrigation.
  2. enabling the banks to assess the quantum of loans to be granted to farmers on the basis of soil quality.
  3. checking the overuse of fertilizers in farmlands.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 3 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


5. Consider the following in respect of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS):

  1. Inaugural IONS was held in India in 2015 under the chairmanship of the Indian Navy.
  2. IONS is a voluntary initiative that seeks to increase maritime co-operation among navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2


6. With reference to ‘Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD)’ sometimes mentioned in the news while forecasting Indian monsoon, which of the following statements is / are correct?

  1. IOD phenomenon is characterized by a difference in sea surface temperature between tropical Western Indian Ocean and tropical Eastern Pacific Ocean.
  2. An IOD phenomenon can influence an El Nino’s impact on the monsoon.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2


7. Which of the following is a most likely consequence of implementing the ‘Unified Payments Interface (UPI)’?

  1. Mobile wallets will not be necessary for online payments.
  2. Digital currency will totally replace the physical currency in about two decades.
  3. FDI inflows will drastically increase.
  4. Direct transfer of subsidies to poor people will become very effective.


8. Which of the following are the objectives of ‘National Nutrition Mission’?

  1. To create awareness relating to malnutrition among pregnant women and lactating mothers.
  2. To reduce the incidence of anaemia among young children, adolescent girls and women.
  3. To promote the consumption of millets, coarse cereals and unpolished rice.
  4. To promote the consumption of poultry eggs.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 1, 2 and 3 only
  3. 1, 2 and 4 only
  4. 3 and 4 only


9. Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding Smart India Hackathon 2017?

  1. It is a centrally sponsored scheme for developing every city of our country into Smart Cities in a decade.
  2. It is an initiative to identify new digital technology innovations for solving the many problems faced by our country.
  3. It is a programme aimed at making all the financial transactions in our country completely digital in a decade.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. 1 and 3 only
  2. 2 only
  3. 3 only
  4. 2 and 3 only


10. Recognition of ‘Prior Learning Scheme’ is sometimes mentioned in the news with reference to

  1. Certifying the skills acquired by construction workers through traditional channels.
  2. Enrolling the persons in Universities for distance learning programmes.
  3. Reserving some skilled jobs to rural and urban poor in some public-sector undertakings.
  4. Certifying the skills acquired by trainees under the National Skill Development Programme.


11. The term ‘Domestic Content Requirement’ is sometimes seen in the news with reference to

  1. Developing solar power production in our country
  2. Granting licences to foreign T.V. channels in our country
  3. Exporting our food products to other countries
  4. Permitting foreign educational institutions to set up their campuses in our country


Civil Services Examination 2016


1. Which one of the following is a purpose of ‘UDAY’, a scheme of the Government?

  1. Providing technical and financial assistance to start-up entrepreneurs in the field or renewable source of energy.
  2. Providing electricity to every household in the country by 2018
  3. Replacing the coal-based power plants with natural gas, nuclear, solar, wind and tidal power plants over a period of time.
  4. Providing for financial turnaround and revival of power distribution companies.


2. A recent movie titled The Man Who Knew Infinity is based on the biography of

  1. S. Ramanujan
  2. S. Chandrasekhar
  3. S. N. Bose
  4. C. V. Raman


3. “Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana” is aimed at:

  1. Bringing the small entrepreneurs into formal financial system
  2. Providing loans to poor farmers for cultivating particular crops
  3. Providing pensions to old and destitute persons
  4. Funding the voluntary organization involved in the promotion of skill development and employment generation


4. ‘Rashtriya Garima Abhiyaan’ is a national campaign to:

  1. rehabilitate the homeless and destitute persons and provide them with suitable sources of livelihood
  2. release the sex workers from the practice and provide them with alternative sources of livelihood
  3. eradicate the practice of manual scavenging and rehabilitate the manual scavengers
  4. release the bonded labourers from their bondage and rehabilitate them


5. With reference to ‘Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana’, consider the following statements:

  1. Under this scheme, farmers will have to pay a uniform premium of two percent for any crop they cultivate in any season of the year.
  2. This scheme covers post-harvest losses arising out of cyclones and unseasonal rains.

Which of the statements given about is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2


6. With reference to ‘Stand Up India Scheme’, which of the following statements is/are correct?

  1. Its purpose is to promote entrepreneurship among SC/ST and women entrepreneurs.
  2. It provides for refinance through SIDBI.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2


7. “Mission Indradhanush” launched by the Government of India pertains to

  1. Immunization of children and pregnant women
  2. Construction of smart cities across the country
  3. India’ own search for the Earth-like planets in outer space
  4. New Educational Policy


8. Which one of the following is the best description of ‘INS Astradharini’, that was in the news recently?

  1. Amphibious warfare ship
  2. Nuclear-powered submarine
  3. Torpedo launch and recovery vessel
  4. Nuclear-powered aircraft carrier


9. Which of the following best describes/describe the aim of ‘Green India Mission’ of the Government of India?

  1. Incorporating environmental benefits and costs into the Union and State Budgets thereby implementing the ‘green accounting’.
  2. Launching the second green revolution to enhance agricultural output so as to ensure food security to one and all in the future.
  3. Restoring and enhancing forest cover and responding to climate change by a combination of adaptation and mitigation measures.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


10. With reference to “Initiative for Nutritional Security through intensive Millets Promotion”, which of the following statements is/are correct?

  1. This initiative aims to demonstrate the improved production and post-harvest technologies, and to demonstrate value addition techniques, in an integrated manner, with cluster approach.
  2. Poor, small, marginal and tribal farmers have larger stake in this scheme.
  3. An important objective of the scheme is to encourage farmers of commercial crops to shift to millet cultivation by offering them free kits of critical inputs of nutrients and micro-irrigation equipment.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 2 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


11. Recently, India’s first ‘National Investment and Manufacturing Zone’ was proposed to be set up in:

  1. Andhra Pradesh
  2. Gujarat
  3. Maharashtra
  4. Uttar Pradesh


12. Regarding ‘Atal Pension Yojana’, which of the following statements is/are correct?

  1. It is a minimum guaranteed pension scheme mainly targeted at unorganized sector workers
  2. Only one member of a family can join the scheme
  3. Same amount of pension is guaranteed for the spouse for life after subscriber’s death

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


13. On which of the following can you find the Bureau of Energy Efficiency Star Label?

  1. Ceiling Fans
  2. Electric Geysers
  3. Tubular Fluorescent Lamps

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 3 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


14. Recently, for the first time in our country, which of the following States has declared a particular butterfly as ‘State Butterfly’?

  1. Arunachal Pradesh
  2. Himachal Pradesh
  3. Karnataka
  4. Maharashtra


15. Consider the following statements:

The Mangalyaan launched by ISRO

  1. is also called the Mars Orbiter Mission
  2. made India the second country to have a spacecraft orbit the Mars after USA
  3. made India the only country to be successful in making its spacecraft orbits the Mars in its very first attempt.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


Civil Services Examination 2015


1. The Government of India has established NITI Aayog to replace the

  1. Human Rights Commission
  2. Finance Commission
  3. Law Commission
  4. Planning Commission


2. “Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana’ has been launched for:

  1. Providing housing loan to poor people at cheaper interest rates
  2. Promoting women’s Self-Help Groups in backward areas
  3. Promoting financial inclusion in the country
  4. Providing financial help to the marginalized communities


3. Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for 2014 was given to which one of the following?

  1. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
  2. Indian Institute of Science
  3. Indian Space Research Organization
  4. Tata Institute of Fundamental Research


4. The term ‘Ind-ARC’, sometimes seen in the news, is the name of

  1. an indigenously developed radar system inducted into Indian Defence
  2. India’s satellite to provide services to the countries of Indian Ocean Rim
  3. a scientific establishment set up by India in Antarctic region
  4. India’s underwater observatory to scientifically study the Arctic region


Civil Services Examination 2014


1. Consider the following pairs:

Programme / Project Ministry
1. Drought-Prone Area Programme Ministry of Agriculture
2. Desert Development Programme Ministry of Environment and Forests
3. National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas Ministry of Rural Development

Which of the above pairs is / are correctly matched?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 3 only
  3. 1, 2 and 3
  4. None

Civil Services Examination 2012


1. With reference to National Rural Health Mission, which of the following are the jobs of ‘ASHA’, a trained community health worker?

  1. Accompanying women to the health facility for antenatal care checkup
  2. Using pregnancy test kits for early detection of pregnancy
  3. Providing information on nutrition and immunization
  4. Conducting the delivery of baby

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

  1. 1, 2 and 3 only
  2. 2 and 4 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2, 3 and 4


2. How does the National Rural Livelihood Mission seek to improve livelihood options of rural poor?

  1. By setting up a large number of new manufacturing industries and agribusiness centers in rural areas
  2. By strengthening ‘self-help groups’ and providing skill development
  3. By supplying seeds, fertilizers, diesel pump-sets and micro-irrigation equipment free of cost to farmers

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 2 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


3. The endeavour of 'Janani Suraksha Yojana' Programme is:

  1. to promote institutional deliveries
  2. to provide monetary assistance to the mother to meet the cost of delivery
  3. to provide for wage loss due to pregnancy and confinement

Which of the statements given above is / are correct?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 2 only
  3. 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


Civil Services Examination 2011


1. In the Union Budget 2011-12, a full exemption from the basic customs duty was extended to the bio-based asphalt (bioasphalt). What is the importance of this material?

  1. Unlike traditional asphalt, bio-asphalt is not based on fossil fuels.
  2. Bioasphalt can be made from non-renewable resources.
  3. Bioasphalt can be made from organic waste materials.
  4. It is eco-friendly to use bioasphalt for surfacing of the roads.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. 1, 2 and 3 only
  2. 1, 3 and 4 only
  3. 2 and 4 only
  4. 1, 2, 3 and 4


2. With reference to “Aam Admi Bima Yojana”, consider the following statements:

  1. The member insured under the scheme must be the head of the family or an earning member of the family in a rural landless household.
  2. The Member insured must be in the age group of 30 to 65 years.
  3. There is a provision for free scholarship for up to two children of the insured who are studying between classes 9 and 12.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


3. With what purpose is the Government of India promoting the concept of "Mega Food Parks”?

  1. To provide good infrastructure facilities for the food processing industry.
  2. To increase the processing of perishable items and reduce wastage.
  3. To provide emerging and eco-friendly food processing technologies to entrepreneurs.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 2 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


4. Recently, “oil zapper” was in the news. What is it?

  1. It is an eco-friendly technology for the remediation of oily sludge and oil spills
  2. It is the latest technology developed for under-sea oil exploration
  3. It is a genetically engineered high biofuel-yielding maize variety
  4. It is the latest technology to control the accidentally caused flames from oil wells


5. In terms of economy, the visit by foreign nationals to witness the XIX Common Wealth Games in India amounted to:

  1. Exports
  2. Imports
  3. Production
  4. Consumption