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CDS GK Questions 2026

Static GK carries most of the 100 marks of the CDS General Knowledge paper. Of the 120 questions in the CDS (II) 2026 paper, about 20 were on Indian Polity, about 20 on the History of India, about 15 on Geography and the environment, about 10 on the Indian Economy and about 37 on Physics, Chemistry and Biology, which makes CDS the most science-heavy General Knowledge paper among the major recruitment exams. Polity questions test writs, the NHRC, electoral systems, disqualification of legislators, GST and delimitation. History runs from the Upanishads and the Shunga dynasty to Vijayanagara, temple architecture, the Sylhet referendum and the SNDP Yogam. Geography asks about the atmosphere, earthquakes and tsunamis, Ramsar sites, mangroves and World Heritage sites. Science stays at school level but expects reasoning: a lens problem, a magnetic field direction, molarity versus molality, what cooking soda is, how enzymes act. This page holds GK24's topic-wise GK notes for CDS, written as short facts and tables so that a topic can be revised in one sitting. Read a topic, then solve its previous-year questions and quiz on this site to check what stayed with you.

CDS GK Questions with Answers

Q2841.Indian PolityAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2019, Paper IMedium

Which one of the following does NOT fall under the definition of the Money Bill ?

  1. A.Amendment of law with respect to any financial obligations undertaken by the Government of India
  2. B.The payment of money into the Consolidated Fund of India
  3. C.Any financial bill as per requirements of Article 117
  4. D.Appropriation of money out of the Consolidated Fund of India
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Any financial bill as per requirements of Article 117

Article 117 deals with financial bills, which are a separate class and are not Money Bills under Article 110.

Q2842.Indian PolityAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2020, Paper IMedium

Which of the following statement(s) regarding passing a law under the State List is/are correct ?

1. Even in the sphere (State List) exclusively reserved for the States, Parliament can legislate under certain circumstances.

2. Parliament cannot legislate a subject under the State List under any circumstances.

3. A resolution supported by two-thirds of the members present and voting is required to be passed by Rajya Sabha to pass a law under the State List.

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

  1. A.1, 2 and 3
  2. B.2 and 3 only
  3. C.1 and 3 only
  4. D.1 only
Show answer
Correct answer: C. 1 and 3 only

Parliament can make laws on State List subjects in certain situations, and one of them is a Rajya Sabha resolution passed by a two-thirds majority.

Q2843.Indian HistoryAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2021, Paper IEasy

Which of the following pairs is/are correctly matched?

1. Permanent Settlement : Lord Cornwallis

2. Ryotwari Settlement : Thomas Munro

3. Mahalwari Settlement : Holt Mackenzie

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

  1. A.1 only
  2. B.1 and 2 only
  3. C.2 and 3 only
  4. D.1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Correct answer: D. 1, 2 and 3

Each of the three British land revenue systems is matched with the official most closely linked to it. The Permanent Settlement was introduced by Lord Cornwallis in Bengal, Bihar and Odisha in 1793.

Q2844.Indian PolityAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2024, Paper IMedium

Under which one among the following Articles of the Constitution of India, a member of a Civil Service, whether of the Union or of a State, seeks protection from unlawful dismissal from service ?

  1. A.Article 309
  2. B.Article 311
  3. C.Article 315
  4. D.Article 320
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Article 311

Article 311 protects civil servants of the Union and the states against arbitrary dismissal, removal or reduction in rank. Article 310 says civil servants hold office during the pleasure of the President or the Governor, and Article 311 limits that pleasure.

Q2845.GeographyAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2025, Paper IMedium

The cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are situated on which of the following islands?

  1. A.Kyushu and Shikoku respectively
  2. B.Kyushu and Honshu respectively
  3. C.Honshu and Kyushu respectively
  4. D.Honshu and Shikoku respectively
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Honshu and Kyushu respectively

Hiroshima lies in western Honshu, and Nagasaki lies on the west coast of Kyushu. Japan has four main islands: Hokkaido in the north, Honshu, the largest, in the middle, and Shikoku and Kyushu in the south-west.

Q2846.General ScienceAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2017, Paper IEasy

Liquid water is denser than ice due to

  1. A.higher surface tension
  2. B.hydrogen bonding
  3. C.van der Waals forces
  4. D.covalent bonding
Show answer
Correct answer: B. hydrogen bonding

Hydrogen bonds lock the molecules of ice into an open cage, so ice takes up more space than the same mass of liquid water.

Q2847.Indian PolityAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2019, Paper IMedium

Which one among the following is NOT the central feature of Polyarchy ?

  1. A.Government is in the hands of elected officials
  2. B.Right to run for office is restricted
  3. C.Practically all adults have the right to vote
  4. D.There is free expression and a right to criticize and protest
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Right to run for office is restricted

In a polyarchy practically every adult may stand for office, so a restricted right to contest is the opposite of its central features.

Q2848.Indian PolityAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2020, Paper IEasy

As per provisions of the Constitution of India, which one of the following is correct?

  1. A.Only Parliament has the power to legislate over a subject under the Concurrent List
  2. B.Both Parliament and State Legislatures have the power to legislate over a subject under the Concurrent List
  3. C.A legislation made under the Concurrent List by Parliament should be ratified by half of the State Legislatures so as to become a law of the country
  4. D.Only State Legislatures are empowered to make laws under Concurrent List
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Both Parliament and State Legislatures have the power to legislate over a subject under the Concurrent List

Article 246(2) gives both of them the power to make laws on Concurrent List subjects. The Seventh Schedule divides law-making subjects into three lists: the Union List for Parliament, the State List for the states, and the Concurrent List shared by both.

Q2849.Indian HistoryAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2021, Paper IMedium

Which of the following statements about Amaranayakas of Vijayanagara are correct?

1. The Amaranayakas were military commanders who were given territories to govern by the Raya.

2. In lieu of their service and also to maintain their contingents, they were paid in cash.

3. They maintained stipulated contingents and elephants.

4. They used to send tribute to the king annually and personally appeared in the royal court with gifts to express their loyalty.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

  1. A.1, 2 and 3 only
  2. B.1, 3 and 4 only
  3. C.2 and 4 only
  4. D.1, 2, 3 and 4
Show answer
Correct answer: B. 1, 3 and 4 only

The amara-nayakas were paid with territory to govern, not with cash, so statement 2 is the one that is wrong.

Q2850.Indian HistoryAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2023, Paper IHard

Consider the following statements about the practice of Vedic sacrifices :

1. The shrauta (Vedic sacrifices) involved the use of three fires - the garhapatya (householder's fire), ahavaniya (offeratorial fire) and dakshinagni (southern fire).

2. These fires were supposed to be placed in pits of different shapes, i.e., the garhapatya to be square, ahavaniya to be round and that of the dakshinagni, rectangle-shaped.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A.1 only
  2. B.2 only
  3. C.Both 1 and 2
  4. D.Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Correct answer: A. 1 only

The shrauta rites did use three sacred fires, but statement 2 gets their shapes the wrong way round. Shrauta sacrifices are the grand rituals laid down in the Shrauta Sutras and the Brahmanas.

Q2851.GeographyAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2024, Paper IEasy

Which one among the following statements with regard to India's maritime initiative, SAGAR, is correct?

  1. A.It is a platform for conducting joint naval exercises under QUAD
  2. B.It aimed at promoting maritime cooperation with countries of the Indian Ocean Region
  3. C.It is an alliance of India, USA and Japan to provide safety to merchant ships passing through the Indian Ocean Region
  4. D.It is the name given to India's participation in the Contact Group on Piracy set up by the UN Security Council
Show answer
Correct answer: B. It aimed at promoting maritime cooperation with countries of the Indian Ocean Region

SAGAR stands for Security and Growth for All in the Region, India's vision for working with its ocean neighbours. Prime Minister Narendra Modi set out SAGAR in Mauritius in March 2015.

Q2852.Indian EconomyAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2025, Paper IMedium

Which one of the following statements with reference to Jal Jeevan Mission is not correct?

  1. A.It was established in the year 2016.
  2. B.It aims to improve quality of life in rural areas.
  3. C.It is to provide functional tap water connections to every rural household.
  4. D.It is a centrally sponsored scheme.
Show answer
Correct answer: A. It was established in the year 2016.

Jal Jeevan Mission was announced on 15 August 2019, not in 2016, so this is the statement that is not correct.

Q2853.GeographyAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2026, Paper IMedium

Consider the following statements :

1. A great circle is the largest possible circle that can be drawn on the surface of the sphere.

2. Every great circle divides the Earth into equal halves.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A.1 only
  2. B.2 only
  3. C.Both 1 and 2
  4. D.Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Both 1 and 2

A great circle is a circle on a sphere whose centre is the centre of the sphere itself, so both statements describe it correctly.

Q2854.GeographyAsked in: NDA · NDA-I 2018, GATMedium

Consider the following statements about Roaring Forties : 1. They are strong Westerly winds found in the oceans of Southern Hemisphere. 2. The strong east to west air currents are caused by the combination of air being displaced from the Equator towards the South Pole and the earth's rotation and abundance of landmasses to serve as wind breaks. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A.1 only
  2. B.2 only
  3. C.Both 1 and 2
  4. D.Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Correct answer: A. 1 only

The Roaring Forties are strong westerly winds of the Southern Hemisphere, but statement 2 is wrong on two counts: they blow from west to east, and they are strong because there is very little land to slow them down.

Q2855.General ScienceAsked in: NDA · NDA-I 2019, GATEasy

Which one of the following can charge an insulator?

  1. A.Current electricity
  2. B.Static electricity
  3. C.Magnetic field
  4. D.Gravitational field
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Static electricity

An insulator is charged by friction: rubbing transfers electrons from one surface to another, and because electrons cannot move through an insulator, the charge stays where it is as static electricity.

Q2857.General ScienceAsked in: NDA · NDA-I 2021, GATEasy

A glass prism splits white light into different colours. This phenomenon is called dispersion of light by prism. Which one of the following statements is correct?

  1. A.Red light will deviate the most and it is because of the reflection of light.
  2. B.Violet light will deviate the most and it is because of the refraction of light.
  3. C.Red light will deviate the most and it is because of the refraction of light.
  4. D.Violet light will deviate the most and it is because of the reflection of light.
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Violet light will deviate the most and it is because of the refraction of light.

In glass, violet light has the shortest wavelength and the highest refractive index, so it bends the most; dispersion is a result of refraction.

Q2858.Indian HistoryAsked in: NDA · NDA-II 2021, GATMedium

Which of the following statements about Mahatma Gandhi's anti-untouchability campaign is/are correct? 1. The All India Harijan Sevak Sangh was founded for this purpose. 2. The campaign was to root out untouchability, since it did not enjoy the sanction of the Hindu shastras. Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. A.1 only
  2. B.2 only
  3. C.Both 1 and 2
  4. D.Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Both 1 and 2

Gandhi set up the All India Harijan Sevak Sangh in 1932 to fight untouchability, and he argued that untouchability had no sanction in the Hindu shastras.