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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

Q3821.Art & CultureAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2018, GS Paper IMedium

Consider the following pairs :

Tradition — State

1. Chapchar Kut festival — Mizoram

2. Khongjom Parba ballad — Manipur

3. Thang-Ta dance — Sikkim

Which of the pairs given above is/are correct ?

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

Chapchar Kut belongs to Mizoram and Khongjom Parba to Manipur, but Thang-Ta is from Manipur, not Sikkim. Chapchar Kut is the spring festival of the Mizos, held in March after the bamboo and forest are cut and left to dry for jhum cultivation; Cheraw, the bamboo dance, is its highlight.

Q3822.GeographyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2019, GS Paper IMedium

Which one of the following groups of plants was domesticated in the 'New World' and introduced into the 'Old World'?

  1. A.Tobacco, cocoa and rubber
  2. B.Tobacco, cotton and rubber
  3. C.Cotton, coffee and sugarcane
  4. D.Rubber, coffee and wheat
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Tobacco, cocoa and rubber

Tobacco, cocoa and rubber all come from the Americas and spread to Asia, Africa and Europe after Columbus. The exchange of plants and animals between the Americas (New World) and Afro-Eurasia (Old World) after 1492 is called the Columbian Exchange.

Q3823.Science & TechnologyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2020, GS Paper IMedium

In the context of recent advances in human reproductive technology, "Pronuclear Transfer" is used for

  1. A.fertilization of egg in vitro by the donor sperm
  2. B.genetic modification of sperm producing cells
  3. C.development of stem cells into functional embryos
  4. D.prevention of mitochondrial diseases in offspring
Show answer
Correct answer: D. prevention of mitochondrial diseases in offspring

Pronuclear transfer is a mitochondrial replacement technique that stops a mother from passing faulty mitochondria to her child. Mitochondria have their own small DNA, inherited only from the mother; defects in it cause serious muscle, heart and brain diseases.

Q3824.Environment & EcologyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2021, GS Paper IHard

Magnetite particles, suspected to cause neurodegenerative problems, are generated as environmental pollutants from which of the following?

1. Brakes of motor vehicles

2. Engines of motor vehicles

3. Microwave stoves within homes

4. Power plants

5. Telephone lines

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

  1. A.1, 2, 3 and 5 only
  2. B.1, 2 and 4 only
  3. C.3, 4 and 5 only
  4. D.1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Show answer
Correct answer: B. 1, 2 and 4 only

Magnetite nanoparticles in polluted air come from high-temperature combustion and friction: vehicle engines, brake wear and power plants. Magnetite is an iron oxide (Fe3O4).

Q3825.General ScienceAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2024, GS Paper IMedium

Consider the following :

1. Cashew

2. Papaya

3. Red sanders

How many of the above trees are actually native to India ?

  1. A.Only one
  2. B.Only two
  3. C.All three
  4. D.None
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Only one

Of the three, only red sanders is native to India; cashew and papaya were brought from the Americas. Red sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus) is endemic to the southern Eastern Ghats, mainly the Seshachalam and nearby hills of Andhra Pradesh.

Q3826.Science & TechnologyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2017, GS Paper IMedium

It is possible to produce algae based biofuels, but what is/are the likely limitation(s) of developing countries in promoting this industry?

1. Production of algae based biofuels is possible in seas only and not on continents.

2. Setting up and engineering the algae based biofuel production requires high level of expertise/technology until the construction is completed.

3. Economically viable production necessitates the setting up of large scale facilities which may raise ecological and social concerns.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

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

The real hurdles are the high technology needed to build algae plants and the very large scale they need to pay off; algae can be grown on land.

Q3827.GeographyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2019, GS Paper IEasy

On 21st June, the Sun

  1. A.does not set below the horizon at the Arctic Circle
  2. B.does not set below the horizon at Antarctic Circle
  3. C.shines vertically overhead at noon on the Equator
  4. D.shines vertically overhead at the Tropic of Capricorn
Show answer
Correct answer: A. does not set below the horizon at the Arctic Circle

21 June is the summer solstice of the Northern Hemisphere, when the North Pole is tilted towards the Sun and the whole Arctic Circle gets 24 hours of daylight.

Q3828.Indian HistoryAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2020, GS Paper IMedium

With reference to the scholars/litterateurs of ancient India, consider the following statements:

1. Panini is associated with Pushyamitra Shunga.

2. Amarasimha is associated with Harshavardhana.

3. Kalidasa is associated with Chandra Gupta - II.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Only the third pairing is right: Kalidasa is traditionally placed at the court of Chandragupta II Vikramaditya. Tradition counts Kalidasa, author of Abhijnanashakuntalam, Meghaduta and Raghuvamsha, among the nine gems (navaratnas) of King Vikramaditya, identified with the Gupta ruler Chandragupta II of the late fourth and early fifth century CE.

Q3829.Environment & EcologyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2021, GS Paper IHard

With reference to the 'New York Declaration on Forests', which of the following statements are correct?

1. It was first endorsed at the United Nations Climate Summit in 2014.

2. It endorses a global timeline to end the loss of forests.

3. It is a legally binding international declaration.

4. It is endorsed by governments, big companies and indigenous communities.

5. India was one of the signatories at its inception.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

  1. A.1, 2 and 4
  2. B.1, 3 and 5
  3. C.3 and 4
  4. D.2 and 5
Show answer
Correct answer: A. 1, 2 and 4

The declaration was launched at the 2014 UN Climate Summit, sets a timeline to end forest loss and has a mixed set of endorsers, but it is voluntary and India did not sign it.

Q3831.General ScienceAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2024, GS Paper IMedium

Consider the following :

1. Butterflies

2. Fish

3. Frogs

How many of the above have poisonous species among them ?

  1. A.Only one
  2. B.Only two
  3. C.All three
  4. D.None
Show answer
Correct answer: C. All three

Each of the three groups includes species that carry toxins in their bodies to deter predators. Butterflies: the Monarch butterfly feeds as a caterpillar on milkweed and stores its bitter cardiac glycosides, so birds that eat it fall sick; its bright orange colour is a warning.

Q3832.Environment & EcologyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2026, GS Paper IEasy

Which of the following statements with regard to the arrival of Amur Falcons at Doyang Lake in Nagaland each year from Mongolia is/are correct ?

1. It showcases how sustained local conservation efforts can contribute to the arrival and protection of international migratory birds.

2. It reflects the global success of advanced tracking technologies that guide migratory birds back to their stopover sites.

3. It confirms that Amur Falcons have adapted to permanent residency in India due to favourable habitat changes.

Select the answer using the code given below :

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

The yearly return of the falcons to Doyang is a story of community conservation, not of technology or of the birds settling in India.

Q3834.GeographyAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2023, Paper IEasy

Using the code given below identify the type of farming on the basis of given characteristics : 1. The produce is consumed entirely or mainly by the family who work the land or tend the livestock. 2. If a small surplus is produced, it may be sold or bartered. 3. It is generally small scale and labour intensive with little or no technological input. Code :

  1. A.Extensive farming
  2. B.Intensive farming
  3. C.Subsistence farming
  4. D.Commercial farming
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Subsistence farming

All three features describe farming done mainly to feed the farmer's own family, with only a small surplus for sale or barter.

Q3836.Indian HistoryAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2026, Paper IHard

Which one of the following inscriptions refers to a confederacy of Tamil States?

  1. A.The Second Major Rock Edict of Ashoka
  2. B.Hathigumpha Inscription of Kharavela
  3. C.Allahabad Pillar Inscription of Samudragupta
  4. D.Junagadh Inscription of Rudradaman
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Hathigumpha Inscription of Kharavela

It records that Kharavela of Kalinga broke up a confederacy of Tamil states that had been a threat to his kingdom for 113 years.

Q3837.Indian HistoryAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2017, Paper IHard

Which one of the following statements about the Colonial economy is NOT correct ?

  1. A.The British presence inhibited indigenous capitalism
  2. B.Laissez-faire actively promoted indigenous capitalism
  3. C.The 'white collective monopoly' came earliest and remained most pronounced in Eastern India
  4. D.The Bombay hinterland was difficult to penetrate before the construction of railways
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Laissez-faire actively promoted indigenous capitalism

Under colonial rule laissez-faire meant that the state left the economy open to British goods and capital; it did nothing to promote Indian capitalism and in practice left Indian enterprise unprotected.

Q3838.General ScienceAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2019, Paper IEasy

Brilliance of diamond is due to

  1. A.interference of light
  2. B.diffraction of light
  3. C.polarization of light
  4. D.total internal reflection of light
Show answer
Correct answer: D. total internal reflection of light

Light that enters a cut diamond is reflected again and again inside it before it escapes, which makes the stone sparkle.

Q3839.GeographyAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2021, Paper IEasy

In order to find out the absolute location of a place on the map, which of the following will be required?

  1. A.Latitude of the place alone
  2. B.Longitude of the place alone
  3. C.Both latitude and longitude of the place
  4. D.Neither latitude nor longitude of the place
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Both latitude and longitude of the place

The exact, absolute position of any point on Earth is fixed only where its line of latitude crosses its line of longitude.

Q3840.GeographyAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2023, Paper IEasy

Which one of the following is the busiest sea route and links two industrially developed regions of the world ?

  1. A.Mediterranean - Indian Ocean sea route
  2. B.The Northern Atlantic sea route
  3. C.Cape of Good Hope sea route
  4. D.The North Pacific sea route
Show answer
Correct answer: B. The Northern Atlantic sea route

It joins north-eastern North America with Western Europe, two of the most industrialised regions on Earth, and carries the heaviest traffic of any ocean route.