Which Indian city is known as 'The City of Palaces'?

The correct answer is C, Aditya Nath Jha. He became the first Lieutenant Governor of Delhi in 1966 and held the post until January 1972. Before 1966, Delhi was run by a Chief Commissioner. The Delhi Administration Act, 1966 created an elected Metropolitan Council and raised the head of the administration to the rank of Lieutenant Governor. A. N. Jha, an ICS officer, had in fact been Delhi's last Chief Commissioner for a short while before taking up the new post. Today the Lieutenant Governor is the administrator of the National Capital Territory under Article 239AA and is appointed by the President. Option A is wrong because Krishan Chand held the post later, from 1974 to 1978, including the Emergency years. Option B is wrong because Baleshwar Prasad served from 1972 to 1974. Option D is wrong because M. C. Pimputkar came after Jha and served for only a few months in 1972. Exam tip: Delhi had Chief Commissioners until 1966; its first Lieutenant Governor was A. N. Jha.

The correct answer is A, Black Francolin. The black francolin, known locally as kala teetar, is the state bird of Haryana. It belongs to the pheasant family, and the male is easy to recognise by its black face and breast, white cheek patch and chestnut collar, while the female is mostly brown. It lives in grassland, scrub and farmland with tall crops such as sugarcane, and its loud, repeated call is heard mostly at dawn and dusk. Haryana's other state symbols are the blackbuck as the state animal, the peepal as the state tree and the lotus as the state flower. Option B is wrong because the house sparrow is the state bird of Delhi and Bihar, not Haryana. Option C is wrong because the great egret is a large white wading bird of wetlands and is not Haryana's symbol. Option D is wrong because hummingbirds are found only in the Americas and do not live in India at all. Exam tip: Haryana's symbols are black francolin (bird), blackbuck (animal), peepal (tree) and lotus (flower).

The correct answer is C, 24 January. On 24 January 1950, two days before the Constitution came into force, the United Provinces was officially renamed Uttar Pradesh. The state government began celebrating this date as Uttar Pradesh Diwas, or UP Foundation Day, in 2018, with events across the state showing its culture, crafts and achievements. The One District One Product (ODOP) scheme, which promotes a special product from each district, was launched on the first UP Diwas in 2018. Conveniently, the short form ‘U.P.’ stayed the same, since both names begin with the same letters. Option A is wrong because 26 January is Republic Day, when the Constitution came into force in 1950. Option B is wrong because 25 January is National Voters’ Day, marking the founding of the Election Commission in 1950, and also Himachal Pradesh’s statehood day. Option D is wrong because 23 January is the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, observed as Parakram Diwas. Exam tip: on 24 January 1950 the United Provinces became Uttar Pradesh; the day has been celebrated as UP Diwas since 2018.

The correct answer is A, Venezuela. Angel Falls, in the Canaima National Park of Venezuela, is the highest uninterrupted waterfall in the world, with a total height of about 979 metres and a single unbroken drop of about 807 metres. It pours off the edge of Auyan-tepui, a flat-topped table mountain, and the local Pemon people call it Kerepakupai Meru. It is named after Jimmie Angel, an American pilot who flew over it in 1933. The falls are so remote that most visitors reach them by small plane and then by boat along jungle rivers. B is wrong because Brazil shares the wide Iguazu Falls with Argentina, which are famous for their width, not height. C is wrong because the USA shares Niagara Falls with Canada, which are wide but only about 50 metres high. D is wrong because China is known for the Huangguoshu Falls, which are far lower. Exam tip: highest waterfall = Angel Falls (Venezuela); Iguazu = Brazil and Argentina; Victoria Falls = Zambia and Zimbabwe; Niagara = USA and Canada.

The correct answer is B, New Delhi. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj is a Union ministry, and like every ministry of the Government of India it works from the national capital, New Delhi. It was set up as a separate ministry in May 2004 to look after the three-tier system of village, block and district panchayats. That system got constitutional status through the 73rd Amendment Act, 1992, which came into force on 24 April 1993; this is why 24 April is observed as National Panchayati Raj Day. Part IX of the Constitution and the Eleventh Schedule, with 29 subjects, deal with panchayats. A is wrong because Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan; Rajasthan was the first state to start Panchayati Raj, at Nagaur on 2 October 1959, but the ministry is not there. C is wrong because Chennai is the capital of Tamil Nadu. D is wrong because Pune is a city of Maharashtra, not a seat of Union ministries. Exam tip: Union ministries = New Delhi; 73rd Amendment = panchayats; first Panchayati Raj = Nagaur, Rajasthan, 2 October 1959.