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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

Q4301.Indian PolityMedium

Who is the Patron-in-Chief of the National Legal Services Authority?

  1. A.The President of India
  2. B.The Chief Justice of India
  3. C.The Union Minister of Law and Justice
  4. D.The Attorney General for India
Show answer
Correct answer: B. The Chief Justice of India

Under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 the National Legal Services Authority has the Chief Justice of India as its Patron-in-Chief, while a serving or retired judge of the Supreme Court, nominated by the President in consultation with the Chief Justice, is its Executive Chairman.

Q4303.Indian PolityMedium

In which case did the Supreme Court hold that the decisions of tribunals are subject to the writ jurisdiction of the High Courts?

  1. A.S. P. Sampath Kumar v. Union of India
  2. B.L. Chandra Kumar v. Union of India
  3. C.Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala
  4. D.S. R. Bommai v. Union of India
Show answer
Correct answer: B. L. Chandra Kumar v. Union of India

A seven-judge bench struck down Article 323A(2)(d) and Article 323B(3)(d) to the extent that they excluded the jurisdiction of the High Courts under Articles 226 and 227, held that judicial review by the High Courts and the Supreme Court is part of the basic structure, and ruled that tribunals are…

Q4305.Indian PolityHard

Which statement about Article 323A is correct?

  1. A.Both Parliament and the State legislatures may set up tribunals under it
  2. B.Only Parliament may set up tribunals under it, and only for public service matters
  3. C.It permits a hierarchy of tribunals for taxation and land reforms
  4. D.It bars the Supreme Court from hearing appeals from tribunals
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Only Parliament may set up tribunals under it, and only for public service matters

Article 323A empowers only Parliament to provide for the adjudication of disputes relating to recruitment and conditions of service of persons appointed to public services, and the tribunals it allows are limited to such service matters, with one tribunal for the Union and one for each State or for two…

Q4306.Indian PolityMedium

Part XIV-A of the Constitution, containing Articles 323A and 323B on tribunals, was inserted by which amendment?

  1. A.The 42nd Amendment Act, 1976
  2. B.The 44th Amendment Act, 1978
  3. C.The 52nd Amendment Act, 1985
  4. D.The 73rd Amendment Act, 1992
Show answer
Correct answer: A. The 42nd Amendment Act, 1976

Acting on the recommendation of the Swaran Singh Committee, this amendment added a new Part XIV-A titled Tribunals, with Article 323A for administrative tribunals and Article 323B for tribunals on other matters.

Q4307.Indian PolityMedium

Control over the subordinate courts of a State, including the posting, promotion and leave of judicial officers, is vested in which authority?

  1. A.The Governor of the State
  2. B.The High Court of the State
  3. C.The State Public Service Commission
  4. D.The Law Department of the State Government
Show answer
Correct answer: B. The High Court of the State

Article 235 says that the control over district courts and courts subordinate to them, including the posting and promotion of, and the grant of leave to, persons belonging to the judicial service of a State, shall vest in the High Court.

Q4308.Indian PolityEasy

Under which Article of the Constitution are district judges in a State appointed by the Governor in consultation with the High Court?

  1. A.Article 124
  2. B.Article 217
  3. C.Article 233
  4. D.Article 243
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Article 233

It provides that appointments of persons to be, and the posting and promotion of, district judges in any State shall be made by the Governor of the State in consultation with the High Court exercising jurisdiction in relation to that State.

Q4309.Indian PolityAsked in: Delhi · 13 Nov 2019, Shift 2Easy

How many levels of courts are there in India?

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

India has a single integrated judiciary arranged in three levels: the Supreme Court at the apex, the High Courts at the level of the States, and the subordinate or district courts below them.

Q4310.Indian PolityHard

Article 244A, inserted by the Twenty-second Amendment Act of 1969, empowers Parliament to create an autonomous State within which State?

  1. A.Nagaland
  2. B.Assam
  3. C.Manipur
  4. D.Tripura
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Assam

Article 244A, added by the Twenty-second Amendment Act of 1969, allows Parliament by law to form an autonomous State within Assam comprising all or any of the tribal areas specified in the Sixth Schedule, and to give it a legislature or a council of ministers, or both, with powers it…

Q4311.Indian PolityHard

Grants-in-aid from the Union to a State for promoting the welfare of Scheduled Tribes and for raising the level of administration of Scheduled Areas are provided under which Article?

  1. A.Article 270
  2. B.Article 275(1)
  3. C.Article 280
  4. D.Article 282
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Article 275(1)

Its proviso directs that sums be charged on the Consolidated Fund of India as grants-in-aid to States for schemes of development approved by the Union for promoting the welfare of Scheduled Tribes and for raising the level of administration of Scheduled Areas, and it names Assam specially for the administration…

Q4312.Indian PolityEasy

The Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, known as PESA, was enacted in which year?

  1. A.1992
  2. B.1993
  3. C.1996
  4. D.2006
Show answer
Correct answer: C. 1996

Because Part IX of the Constitution does not extend of its own force to Scheduled Areas, Parliament enacted PESA in December 1996 on the recommendations of the Bhuria Committee, and made the Gram Sabha the pivot of village government in those areas, with powers over minor forest produce, minor water…

Q4314.Indian PolityMedium

Under the Fifth Schedule, the Tribes Advisory Council of a State consists of not more than how many members?

  1. A.15
  2. B.20
  3. C.25
  4. D.30
Show answer
Correct answer: B. 20

Paragraph 4 of the Fifth Schedule requires every State with Scheduled Areas, and if the President so directs a State with Scheduled Tribes but no Scheduled Areas, to set up a Tribes Advisory Council of not more than twenty members, of whom roughly three-fourths must be representatives of Scheduled Tribes…

Q4315.Indian PolityEasy

Who has the power to declare an area as a Scheduled Area under the Fifth Schedule?

  1. A.The Governor of the State
  2. B.The President of India
  3. C.Parliament by a simple majority
  4. D.The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes
Show answer
Correct answer: B. The President of India

Paragraph 6 of the Fifth Schedule says that the President may by order declare an area to be a Scheduled Area, and may increase or decrease its area, alter its boundaries, rescind the declaration or make a fresh order after consulting the Governor of the State concerned.

Q4316.Indian PolityEasy

The administration and control of Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes in States other than Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram is governed by which Article of the Constitution?

  1. A.Article 243
  2. B.Article 244(1)
  3. C.Article 245
  4. D.Article 246
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Article 244(1)

It states that the provisions of the Fifth Schedule shall apply to the administration and control of the Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes in any State other than Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram, while Article 244(2) applies the Sixth Schedule to the tribal areas of those four States.

Q4318.Indian PolityAsked in: Uttar Pradesh · 4 Jan 2020, Shift 2Medium

How many states with Fifth Schedule Areas are covered under the Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996?

  1. A.7
  2. B.9
  3. C.10
  4. D.13
Show answer
Correct answer: C. 10

PESA applies to the Scheduled Areas of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Rajasthan, and these ten States must bring their Panchayati Raj laws in line with it.

Q4319.Indian PolityAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2019Medium

Under which Schedule of the Constitution of India can the transfer of tribal land to private parties for mining be declared null and void?

  1. A.Third Schedule
  2. B.Fifth Schedule
  3. C.Ninth Schedule
  4. D.Twelfth Schedule
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Fifth Schedule

Regulations made by the Governor under paragraph 5(2) of the Fifth Schedule can prohibit or restrict the transfer of land by or among members of Scheduled Tribes, and a transfer made in breach of such a regulation is void.

Q4320.Indian PolityAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2022, 5 JuneMedium

If a particular area is brought under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of India, which one of the following statements best reflects the consequence of it?

  1. A.This would prevent the transfer of land of tribal people to non-tribal people.
  2. B.This would create a local self-governing body in that area.
  3. C.This would convert that area into a Union Territory.
  4. D.The State having such areas would be declared a Special Category State.
Show answer
Correct answer: A. This would prevent the transfer of land of tribal people to non-tribal people.

Paragraph 5(2) of the Fifth Schedule allows the Governor of a State to make regulations for the peace and good government of a Scheduled Area, and expressly permits regulations that prohibit or restrict the transfer of land by or among members of Scheduled Tribes.