SSC 2019 Previous Year GK Questions with Answers

The correct answer is Article 75. Article 75(1) says the Prime Minister shall be appointed by the President and the other ministers shall be appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister. The rest of Article 75 contains the other key rules: the 15% cap on the size of the ministry (clause 1A), collective responsibility to the Lok Sabha (clause 3), the oath (clause 4), the six-month rule for non-members (clause 5) and salaries (clause 6).

The wrong options are Articles from other parts of Chapter I and II of Part V. Article 70 deals with the discharge of the President's functions in other contingencies. Article 79 says Parliament consists of the President and the two Houses. Article 85 deals with the sessions of Parliament and its prorogation and dissolution. Since Article 75 packs so many rules into one Article, questions from it come up again and again; learn its clauses rather than just the number.

The correct answer is A, Taj Mahal. Pietra dura, an Italian term meaning hard stone, is the craft of cutting coloured semi-precious stones and setting them into marble to form flowers and creepers. Its finest Indian example is the Taj Mahal at Agra, built by Shah Jahan between 1632 and 1648 in memory of Mumtaz Mahal; the Indian name for the technique is parchin kari. Stones such as jasper, carnelian, lapis lazuli, jade and turquoise were used, and the same work appears in the Itmad-ud-Daulah tomb and the Red Fort. The Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. Option B is wrong because India Gate in Delhi, designed by Edwin Lutyens, is a sandstone war memorial. Option C is wrong because the Charminar of Hyderabad, built by Quli Qutb Shah in 1591, is of granite and lime stucco. Option D is wrong because the Gateway of India in Mumbai, finished in 1924, is in the Indo-Saracenic style. Exam tip: pietra dura or parchin kari is Shah Jahan's marble inlay, at its best in the Taj Mahal.

The correct answer is B, Rupiya. Sher Shah Suri, who ruled from 1540 to 1545 after defeating Humayun at Chausa and Kannauj, issued a silver coin of about 178 grains called the rupiya, along with a copper coin called the dam. The Mughals kept this coinage, and the word rupiya is the ancestor of today's rupee. Sher Shah is remembered for a strong administration: he rebuilt the Grand Trunk Road with sarais and shady trees, ran a postal service of horse riders, measured land to fix revenue at one third of the produce and gave each peasant a patta stating his holding and a qabuliyat stating his dues. He also built the Rohtas fort and Purana Qila in Delhi. Option A is wrong because the tankah was the silver coin of the Delhi Sultanate, introduced by Iltutmish. Option C is wrong because the mohur was the gold coin of the Mughals. Option D is wrong because the dinar was a West Asian gold coin. Exam tip: Iltutmish gave the tankah and jital, Sher Shah the rupiya and dam.

The correct answer is C, Vice President of India. Article 64 of the Constitution makes the Vice President the ex officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, and Article 89 repeats it. He presides over the House but is not a member of it, and he votes only in the case of a tie, that is he has a casting vote. He draws the salary of the Chairman, not a separate salary as Vice President. When he acts as President, he does not perform the duties of Chairman, and the Deputy Chairman, who is elected by the members of the Rajya Sabha from among themselves, presides. A resolution to remove him can be moved only in the Rajya Sabha, with fourteen days notice, and must be agreed to by the Lok Sabha. Option A is wrong because the Leader of the Opposition leads the largest opposition party. Option B is wrong because the Speaker presides over the Lok Sabha. Option D is wrong because the Prime Minister heads the Council of Ministers. Exam tip: Speaker for the Lok Sabha and the Vice President as Chairman for the Rajya Sabha.

The correct answer is A, Dhamma-mahamatta. Ashoka created a new class of officers called Dhamma Mahamattas, mentioned in his fifth Rock Edict, in about the thirteenth year of his reign. Their work was to spread his Dhamma, look after the welfare of women, of prisoners, of the aged and of border peoples, and to see that different sects were treated fairly. Ashoka turned to Dhamma after the Kalinga war of 261 BCE, described in the thirteenth Rock Edict, and had his message carved on rocks and pillars in Prakrit using the Brahmi script. His edicts were first deciphered by James Prinsep in 1837. Options B, C and D are wrong because Dhammadhiraja, Dhammadhikari and Dhammadhyaksha are not titles used in Ashokan inscriptions; Ashoka calls himself Devanampiya, the beloved of the gods, and Piyadassi. Exam tip: Dhamma Mahamatta for spreading Dhamma, Rajukas for justice in the districts and Yuktas as revenue officers.

The correct answer is C, USSR. The Fundamental Duties were taken from the constitution of the erstwhile Soviet Union, the only major constitution of the time that listed the duties of citizens. They were added by the 42nd Amendment in 1976 on the recommendation of the Swaran Singh Committee, and are placed in Part IVA as Article 51A. Ten duties were listed at first; the 86th Amendment of 2002 added the eleventh, that a parent or guardian shall provide opportunities for education to a child between six and fourteen years. They apply only to citizens and cannot be enforced in a court. Option A is wrong because France gave the ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity. Option B is wrong because Canada gave a federation with a strong centre, residuary powers with the Union and the appointment of Governors by the Centre. Option D is wrong because Britain gave the parliamentary system and single citizenship. Exam tip: Fundamental Duties came from the Soviet constitution, through the 42nd Amendment of 1976, as Article 51A in Part IVA.

The correct answer is B, Kapil Dev. Straight from the Heart is the autobiography of Kapil Dev, the fast bowler who captained India to its first World Cup win in 1983 at Lord's. The book came out in 2004 and describes his rise from Chandigarh, the 175 not out against Zimbabwe at Tunbridge Wells and his years as captain and coach. Kapil Dev was the first bowler to take 400 wickets in Test cricket and was named Indian Cricketer of the Century by Wisden in 2002. Option A is wrong because Sachin Tendulkar wrote Playing It My Way. Option C is wrong because M.S. Dhoni has not written an autobiography; his life was told in a film and in books by other authors. Option D is wrong because Sourav Ganguly wrote A Century Is Not Enough. Exam tip: Straight from the Heart is Kapil Dev, Playing It My Way is Sachin Tendulkar, A Century Is Not Enough is Sourav Ganguly.

The correct answer is D, price stability. The Reserve Bank Of India Act, as amended in 2016, states that the primary objective of monetary policy is to maintain price stability while keeping in mind the objective of growth. Under the inflation targeting framework the government, in consultation with the RBI, sets the target for consumer price inflation at four per cent with a band of two per cent on either side. A six member Monetary Policy Committee, three from the RBI including the Governor, who has the casting vote, and three appointed by the government, decides the policy repo rate, usually every two months. Option A is wrong because creating wealth is not a task of monetary policy. Option B is wrong because the RBI manages the exchange rate under FEMA, but only to curb sharp volatility, not as its main aim. Option C is wrong because growth is an objective the RBI must keep in mind, yet it comes after price stability in the law. Exam tip: price stability first, growth kept in mind, four per cent inflation target with a two per cent band.

The correct answer is A, Zanskar Range. Zoji La, or the Zojila pass, lies in the Zanskar range of the Himalayas at a height of about 3,528 metres. It is on the Srinagar to Leh highway between Sonamarg in the Kashmir valley and Drass in the Kargil district, and it is the gateway to Ladakh. Heavy snow closes it in winter, which is why the Zojila tunnel is being built to keep the route open through the year and give the armed forces year-round access to Ladakh. Option B is wrong because the Ladakh range holds the Khardung La and Chang La passes. Option C is wrong because the eastern Karakoram range holds the Karakoram pass and Saser La on the old trade route to Central Asia. Option D is wrong because the Dhauladhar range runs through Himachal Pradesh above Dharamshala and Kangra. Exam tip: Zoji La in the Zanskar range for Kashmir to Ladakh, Khardung La in the Ladakh range beyond Leh.

The correct answer is C, Lal Bahadur Shastri. Lal Bahadur Shastri was Prime Minister from 1964 to 1966 and led the country through the war with Pakistan in 1965. He gave the slogan Jai Jawan Jai Kisan, which linked the soldier at the border with the farmer in the field, and his years saw the beginning of the Green Revolution and the setting up of the Food Corporation of India. The war ended with the Tashkent Agreement, signed with Ayub Khan on 10 January 1966; Shastri died in Tashkent the same night. He was given the Bharat Ratna after his death, and 2 October is remembered as his birthday as well as Gandhi Jayanti. Option A is wrong because Morarji Desai became Prime Minister in 1977. Option B is wrong because Indira Gandhi took office in 1966 and led India in the 1971 war. Option D is wrong because Jawaharlal Nehru died in May 1964, before this war. Exam tip: 1962 China under Nehru, 1965 Pakistan under Shastri, 1971 Bangladesh war under Indira Gandhi.

The correct answer is B, Bogibeel. The Bogibeel bridge crosses the Brahmaputra near Dibrugarh in Assam and links the south bank to the north bank on the way to Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh. It was opened on 25 December 2018 and is India's longest rail and road bridge, about 4.94 km long, with a double line railway track below and a three-lane road above. Built to withstand earthquakes, it cuts the journey between Dibrugarh and the eastern part of Arunachal Pradesh by several hours and also serves the armed forces near the border. Option A is wrong because the Naini or New Yamuna bridge is a cable-stayed bridge at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh. Option C is wrong because the Coronation bridge spans the Teesta near Siliguri in West Bengal. Option D is wrong because the Pamban bridge joins Rameswaram island to the Tamil Nadu mainland. Exam tip: Bogibeel is the longest rail and road bridge, while Dhola-Sadiya, also called Bhupen Hazarika Setu, is the longest road bridge.

The correct answer is B, sedimentary rock. Sandstone forms when grains of sand carried by rivers, wind or waves settle in layers and are cemented together over long periods, which makes it a sedimentary rock. Rocks are of three kinds. Igneous rocks form from cooling magma or lava, sedimentary rocks from the deposition and compaction of sediments, and metamorphic rocks when heat and pressure change an existing rock. Sedimentary rocks often show layers and may hold fossils, and coal and limestone belong to this group. Under heat and pressure sandstone turns into quartzite, limestone into marble and shale into slate. Option A is wrong because non-foliated is a description of texture used for metamorphic rocks such as marble and quartzite, not a class of its own. Option C is wrong because basalt and granite are igneous rocks. Option D is wrong because slate, marble and gneiss are metamorphic rocks. Exam tip: sandstone becomes quartzite, limestone becomes marble, shale becomes slate and granite becomes gneiss.

The correct answer is B, French Revolution. The storming of the Bastille in Paris on 14 July 1789 marks the beginning of the French Revolution. French society then had three estates: the clergy first, the nobility second and everyone else, from peasants to merchants, in the third, which paid the taxes but had no privileges. The Bastille was a royal fortress prison and a symbol of the despotic power of Louis XVI, so the crowd attacked it for arms and gunpowder. The revolution gave the world the slogan of liberty, equality and fraternity and the Declaration of the Rights of Man, and 14 July is still the national day of France. Option A is wrong because the Russian Revolution of 1917 began with strikes in Petrograd. Option C is wrong because the Soviet Union broke up in 1991. Option D is wrong because the Tsar, Nicholas II, abdicated in the February Revolution of 1917. Exam tip: 14 July 1789 Bastille, 1917 Russian Revolution, 1991 end of the Soviet Union.

The correct answer is A, Rajasthan. Dabu is a mud resist hand block printing craft of Rajasthan, practised mainly at Akola in Chittorgarh and at Bagru and Sanganer near Jaipur. A paste of clay, gum, lime and wheat chaff is stamped on the cloth with wooden blocks; the covered portions resist the dye, usually indigo, and stay pale while the rest takes colour. The cloth is washed and the mud falls away, leaving the pattern, and the steps are repeated for more colours. Rajasthan is also home to Bandhani tie and dye, Bagru and Sanganeri prints and Kota Doria weaving. Option B is wrong because Odisha is known for Ikat or Bandha tie and dye and Pattachitra painting. Option C is wrong because Andhra Pradesh is known for Kalamkari, printed and painted with a bamboo pen. Option D is wrong because Assam is known for Muga and Eri silk weaving. Exam tip: Dabu means mud resist, Bandhani means tie and dye, Kalamkari means pen work.

The correct answer is A, Russia. India took the idea of five-year plans from the erstwhile Soviet Union, which began its first plan in 1928 under Stalin. Along with it India borrowed Fundamental Duties and the ideal of justice, social, economic and political, in the Preamble, all from the Soviet constitution. India's own First Five Year Plan ran from 1951 to 1956 and focused on agriculture and irrigation; the Planning Commission set up in 1950 prepared the plans, and the Prime Minister was its chairman. The Twelfth Plan, which ended in 2017, was the last, and NITI Aayog replaced the Planning Commission in 2015. Option B is wrong because England gave the parliamentary system, rule of law and single citizenship. Option C is wrong because the United States gave Fundamental Rights and judicial review. Option D is wrong because Germany, that is the Weimar constitution, gave the suspension of Fundamental Rights during an emergency. Exam tip: from the Soviet Union came Fundamental Duties, five-year plans and the ideal of justice in the Preamble.

The correct answer is A, Maharashtra. Lavani is the best known folk dance of Maharashtra, performed by women in a nine-yard sari to the beat of the dholki. The name comes from the Marathi word lavanya, meaning beauty. It grew in the eighteenth century in the Peshwa period, when it entertained soldiers, and it is danced in the Tamasha theatre tradition with quick footwork and expressive lyrics. Other folk forms of Maharashtra are Tamasha, Povada, Dhangari Gaja and Koli. Option B is wrong because Rajasthan is known for Ghoomar, Kalbeliya, Chari and Bhavai. Option C is wrong because Gujarat is known for Garba, Dandiya Raas and Bhavai. Option D is wrong because Bihar is known for Jat-Jatin, Bidesia, Jhijhiya and Paika. Exam tip: link each dance to its state, Lavani with Maharashtra, Ghoomar with Rajasthan, Garba with Gujarat and Bidesia with Bihar.

The correct answer is C, Mehrgarh. Mehrgarh was a Neolithic farming village, not a city of the Harappan civilisation. It lies on the Kachi plain of Balochistan and goes back to about 7000 BCE, thousands of years before the mature Harappan phase of 2600 to 1900 BCE. Mehrgarh gives the earliest evidence in the subcontinent of settled farming, wheat and barley cultivation and the herding of sheep, goats and cattle, so it is studied as a pre-Harappan site. Option A is wrong because Lothal in Gujarat was a Harappan port with a brick dockyard and a bead-making workshop. Option B is wrong because Dholavira in the Rann of Kachchh is a Harappan city known for its water reservoirs and its signboard, and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Option D is wrong because Sokhta Koh was a Harappan coastal settlement near Pasni on the Makran coast. Exam tip: Mehrgarh stands for Neolithic beginnings, while Lothal, Dholavira, Kalibangan and Rakhigarhi are Harappan cities.

The correct answer is D, UK. India took the idea of a single citizenship for the whole country from the British constitution. Part II of the Constitution, Articles 5 to 11, deals with citizenship. Every person here is a citizen of India alone; there is no separate citizenship of a state, just as the United Kingdom has one common citizenship. Article 11 lets Parliament make law on the subject, and it did so through the Citizenship Act, 1955. Other features taken from Britain are the parliamentary system, the rule of law, the office of Speaker, the cabinet system and the writ procedure. Option A is wrong because France gave the ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity in the Preamble. Option B is wrong because the USA gave Fundamental Rights, judicial review, the independent judiciary and the impeachment procedure. Option C is wrong because Australia gave the Concurrent List and freedom of trade and commerce. Exam tip: single citizenship, rule of law and the Speaker come from Britain; dual citizenship is the American feature India did not take.

The correct answer is the Vice President. Article 56(1)(a) says the President may resign by writing under his or her hand addressed to the Vice-President. The Vice-President must then communicate the resignation to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha without delay. In the same way, the Vice-President resigns by writing to the President. Article 56 also provides that a President whose five-year term has ended continues in office until the successor takes over, so the office is never left empty merely because a term expires.

The Prime Minister, who heads the government, is appointed by the President and so cannot receive the President's resignation. The Chief Election Commissioner conducts the election of the President but has no role in a resignation, and the Speaker of the Lok Sabha only receives information about it from the Vice-President. Resignation questions come in sets, so learn the pairs together: the President writes to the Vice-President, the Vice-President to the President, the Prime Minister and a Governor to the President, and the Speaker of the Lok Sabha to the Deputy Speaker.

The correct answer is Nominated Member of Parliament. Under Article 54, the President is elected by an electoral college made up only of elected members: the elected members of both Houses of Parliament and the elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of the States, and, since the 70th Amendment of 1992, of the Union Territories of Delhi and Puducherry. The 12 members the President nominates to the Rajya Sabha therefore have no vote, and neither do nominated members of the Assemblies or any member of a State Legislative Council.

The three other options, elected members of the Rajya Sabha, the Lok Sabha and a State Assembly, are exactly the people who do vote. The exception to remember is impeachment: nominated members of Parliament do take part in impeaching the President under Article 61, while elected MLAs, who helped elect the President, have no part in removing him or her. Examiners like to swap these two facts.