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Defence GK Questions 2026

Static GK carries most of the General Knowledge marks in the defence exams, and science carries the largest share of it. In NDA & NA, Physics, Chemistry and General Science are about half of the 400 marks of Part B, and History, the freedom movement and Geography are about 20% each, as per the notice. In the CDS (II) 2026 General Knowledge paper, GK24 counted about 37 science questions, about 20 each on Polity and History, about 15 on Geography and environment and about 10 on the Economy; this count is guidance, not an official break-up. The Army's Agniveer CEE gives 15 of its 50 General Duty questions to General Knowledge and 15 to General Science, which covers cells, the human body, plants and animals and common epidemics. Its GK list names history, culture and geography of India and its neighbours, the Constitution, inventions and discoveries, books and authors, and the Indian Armed Forces. This page holds GK24's topic-wise GK notes and GK questions tagged for NDA, CDS and Agniveer, in English and Hindi: General Science, Indian History, Art and Culture, Indian Polity, Geography, Indian Economy and Static GK. Read one topic at a sitting, then solve its questions and the previous-year questions of your exam to see what stayed with you.

Defence GK Questions with Answers

Q3061.Indian PolityAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2019, GS Paper IMedium

With reference to the Constitution of India, prohibitions or limitations or provisions contained in ordinary laws cannot act as prohibitions or limitations on the constitutional powers under Article 142. It could mean which one of the following?

  1. A.The decisions taken by the Election Commission of India while discharging its duties cannot be challenged in any court of law.
  2. B.The Supreme Court of India is not constrained in the exercise of its powers by laws made by the Parliament.
  3. C.In the event of grave financial crisis in the country, the President of India can declare Financial Emergency without the counsel from the Cabinet.
  4. D.State Legislatures cannot make laws on certain matters without the concurrence of Union Legislature.
Show answer
Correct answer: B. The Supreme Court of India is not constrained in the exercise of its powers by laws made by the Parliament.

Article 142 empowers the Supreme Court, so the statement means that ordinary laws made by Parliament cannot limit the Court's power under it.

Q3062.Environment & EcologyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2020, GS Paper IHard

With reference to Indian elephants, consider the following statements:

1. The leader of an elephant group is a female.

2. The maximum gestation period can be 22 months.

3. An elephant can normally go on calving till the age of 40 years only.

4. Among the States in India, the highest elephant population is in Kerala.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Elephant herds are led by an old female, and pregnancy can last up to about 22 months; statements 3 and 4 are wrong.

Q3063.GeographyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2021, GS Paper IHard

Consider the following statements:

1. In the tropical zone, the western sections of the oceans are warmer than the eastern sections owing to the influence of trade winds.

2. In the temperate zone, westerlies make the eastern sections of oceans warmer than the western sections.

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

The prevailing winds push warm surface water west in the tropics and east in the middle latitudes. In the tropics the trade winds blow from east to west.

Q3064.Indian HistoryAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2022, GS Paper IHard

Consider the following freedom fighters:

1. Barindra Kumar Ghosh

2. Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee

3. Rash Behari Bose

Who of the above was/were actively associated with the Ghadar Party?

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

Of the three, only Rash Behari Bose worked actively with the Ghadar Party. The Ghadar Party was founded in 1913 at San Francisco by Indians in North America, with Lala Har Dayal and Sohan Singh Bhakna among its leaders.

Q3065.GeographyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2023, GS Paper IMedium

Consider the following statements:

Statement-I: The soil in tropical rain forests is rich in nutrients.

Statement-II: The high temperature and moisture of tropical rain forests cause dead organic matter in the soil to decompose quickly.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. A.Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
  2. B.Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
  3. C.Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
  4. D.Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
Show answer
Correct answer: D. Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct

Rain forest soils are poor in nutrients, even though dead matter decomposes very fast there. In the hot, wet climate of tropical rain forests, fallen leaves and wood are broken down by fungi, bacteria and insects within weeks.

Q3066.Indian PolityAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2024, GS Paper IMedium

Which of the following statements are correct about the Constitution of India?

1. Powers of the Municipalities are given in Part IX A of the Constitution.

2. Emergency provisions are given in Part XVIII of the Constitution.

3. Provisions related to the amendment of the Constitution are given in Part XX of the Constitution.

Select the answer using the code given below:

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

All three statements match the Parts of the Constitution correctly. Part IX A, Articles 243P to 243ZG, was added by the 74th Amendment Act, 1992 and deals with the Municipalities, including their powers and functions under Article 243W and the Twelfth Schedule.

Q3067.Indian HistoryAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2025, GS Paper IMedium

Subsequent to which one of the following events, Gandhiji, who consistently opposed untouchability and appealed for its eradication from all spheres, decided to include the upliftment of 'Harijans' in his political and social programme?

  1. A.The Poona Pact
  2. B.The Gandhi-Irwin Agreement (Delhi Pact)
  3. C.Arrest of Congress leadership at the time of the Quit India Movement
  4. D.Promulgation of the Government of India Act, 1935
Show answer
Correct answer: A. The Poona Pact

After the Poona Pact of September 1932, Gandhi made the upliftment of the Harijans a central part of his work.

Q3068.Static GKAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2026, GS Paper IHard

Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched?

(Indian Army Corps : Headquarters)

  1. A.3 Corps : Dimapur
  2. B.4 Corps : Tezpur
  3. C.14 Corps : Leh
  4. D.33 Corps : Srinagar
Show answer
Correct answer: D. 33 Corps : Srinagar

33 Corps has its headquarters at Sukna near Siliguri in West Bengal, not at Srinagar. 33 Corps, under the Eastern Command, guards Sikkim and the narrow Siliguri Corridor that links the North-East with the rest of India, which is why it sits at Sukna.

Q3069.GeographyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2019, GS Paper IHard

Consider the following statements about Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in India:

1. PVTGs reside in 18 States and one Union Territory.

2. A stagnant or declining population is one of the criteria for determining PVTG status.

3. There are 95 PVTGs officially notified in the country so far.

4. Irular and Konda Reddi tribes are included in the list of PVTGs.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

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

Statement 3 is wrong: 75 PVTGs have been notified in India, not 95. The category was created in 1973, following the Dhebar Commission, as 'Primitive Tribal Groups' and renamed PVTGs in 2006.

Q3070.Art & CultureAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2020, GS Paper IMedium

With reference to the cultural history of India, consider the following pairs:

1. Parivrajaka - Renunciant and Wanderer

2. Shramana - Priest with a high status

3. Upasaka - Lay follower of Buddhism

Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

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

A parivrajaka is a wandering renunciant and an upasaka is a lay follower, but a shramana is an ascetic, not a high-status priest.

Q3071.GeographyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2021, GS Paper IEasy

Among the following, which one is the least water-efficient crop?

  1. A.Sugarcane
  2. B.Sunflower
  3. C.Pearl millet
  4. D.Red gram
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Sugarcane

Sugarcane needs far more water to grow than the other three crops, so it is the least water-efficient. Sugarcane stays in the field for 12 to 18 months and needs roughly 1,500 to 2,500 mm of water over its life, often supplied by heavy irrigation.

Q3073.GeographyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2023, GS Paper IMedium

With reference to the Earth's atmosphere, which one of the following statements is correct?

  1. A.The total amount of insolation received at the equator is roughly about 10 times of that received at the poles.
  2. B.Infrared rays constitute roughly two-thirds of insolation.
  3. C.Infrared waves are largely absorbed by water vapour that is concentrated in the lower atmosphere.
  4. D.Infrared waves are a part of visible spectrum of electromagnetic waves of solar radiation.
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Infrared waves are largely absorbed by water vapour that is concentrated in the lower atmosphere.

Infrared radiation is strongly absorbed by water vapour, and most water vapour lies in the lowest few kilometres of the atmosphere.

Q3074.Indian HistoryAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2024, GS Paper IMedium

Consider the following pairs:

(Party : Its Leader)

1. Bharatiya Jana Sangh : Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee

2. Socialist Party : C. Rajagopalachari

3. Congress for Democracy : Jagjivan Ram

4. Swatantra Party : Acharya Narendra Dev

How many of the above are correctly matched?

  1. A.Only one
  2. B.Only two
  3. C.Only three
  4. D.All four
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Only two

Pairs 1 and 3 are correct; the leaders in pairs 2 and 4 have been swapped. Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh in 1951.

Q3075.Indian HistoryAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2025, GS Paper IHard

Who provided legal defence to the people arrested in the aftermath of Chauri Chaura incident?

  1. A.C. R. Das
  2. B.Madan Mohan Malaviya and Krishna Kant
  3. C.Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew and Khwaja Hasan Nizami
  4. D.M. A. Jinnah
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Madan Mohan Malaviya and Krishna Kant

Malaviya, with Krishna Kant Malaviya, defended the peasants accused in the Chauri Chaura case. On 5 February 1922, at Chauri Chaura in Gorakhpur district, a crowd of Non-Cooperation volunteers set fire to a police station after the police fired on them, and 22 policemen died.

Q3076.Environment & EcologyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2016, GS Paper IMedium

With reference to 'Red Sanders', sometimes seen in the news, consider the following statements:

1. It is a tree species found in a part of South India.

2. It is one of the most important trees in the tropical rain forest areas of South India.

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

Red Sanders grows naturally in a small part of South India, but in dry deciduous forests, not in tropical rain forests.

Q3079.GeographyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2021, GS Paper IHard

Consider the following statements:

1. The Global Ocean Commission grants licences for seabed exploration and mining in international waters.

2. India has received licences for seabed mineral exploration in international waters.

3. 'Rare earth minerals' are present on seafloor in international waters.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

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

Licences for deep-sea exploration in international waters are granted by the International Seabed Authority, not by the Global Ocean Commission.

Q3080.Environment & EcologyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2022, GS Paper IEasy

The "Miyawaki method" is well known for the:

  1. A.Promotion of commercial farming in arid and semi-arid areas
  2. B.Development of gardens using genetically modified flora
  3. C.Creation of mini forests in urban areas
  4. D.Harvesting wind energy on coastal areas and on sea surfaces
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Creation of mini forests in urban areas

The Miyawaki method grows dense, fast-growing native forests on small plots of land, which suits crowded cities. The method was developed by the Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki.

GK Questions for sub-exams