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UPSC CAPF GK Questions 2026

Static general knowledge fills most of Paper-I in UPSC CAPF. Of the six areas the CAPF (ACs) 2026 notice lists for General Ability and Intelligence, four are static: General Science; Indian Polity and Economy; History of India; and Indian and World Geography. The notice's wording shows the depth expected. Polity covers the political system and the Constitution of India, social systems, public administration, security issues and human rights with their indicators. Economy covers economic development in India. History covers social, economic and political aspects, including the growth of nationalism and the freedom movement. Geography covers physical, social and economic aspects of India and the world. General Science asks about everyday scientific phenomena and new areas such as Information Technology, Biotechnology and Environmental Science. This page holds GK24's topic-wise GK notes for UPSC CAPF, in English and Hindi, written as short facts and tables so that a topic can be revised in one sitting: Indian Polity, Indian History, Geography, Indian Economy, General Science, Environment and Ecology, Computer, and Art and Culture. The same notes serve Paper-II, whose essay part suggests modern Indian history, the freedom struggle, geography, polity and economy as topics. Read one topic at a time, then solve its quiz and the CAPF previous-year questions on this site to check what you have retained. General Mental Ability, the sixth area, is reasoning and arithmetic, and needs separate practice.

UPSC CAPF GK Questions with Answers

Q1902.General ScienceAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2020, GKEasy

If x is the temperature of a system in Kelvin and y is the temperature of the system in °C, then the correct relation between them is

  1. A.x = 273 - y
  2. B.x = 273 + y
  3. C.x = 173 + y
  4. D.x = 173 - y
Show answer
Correct answer: B. x = 273 + y

A temperature in kelvin is the Celsius temperature plus 273 (more exactly 273.15). The Kelvin and Celsius scales have degrees of the same size, so a change of 1 °C equals a change of 1 K; only their zero points differ.

Q1904.General ScienceAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2021, GKMedium

Fertilizers are used to obtain higher yields of crops. However, all nutrients are usually not available in fertilizers. Which one of the following nutrients is usually not available in fertilizers ?

  1. A.Iron
  2. B.Potassium
  3. C.Nitrogen
  4. D.Phosphorus
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Iron

Common fertilisers supply nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK); iron is a micronutrient that is usually not part of them. Plants need nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in large amounts, so these are called primary macronutrients, and fertilisers such as urea, DAP, MOP and NPK mixtures are made to supply them.

Q1905.General ScienceAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2022, GKEasy

Which one of the following living organisms gives litmus ?

  1. A.Protozoa
  2. B.Virus
  3. C.Lichen
  4. D.Saccharomyces
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Lichen

Litmus is a natural dye extracted from certain lichens, especially species of Roccella. A lichen is a partnership between a fungus and an alga (or a cyanobacterium): the alga makes food by photosynthesis, while the fungus gives shelter and absorbs water and minerals.

Q1907.Indian EconomyAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2023, GKMedium

Which of the following strategies is/are adopted for implementing the POSHAN Abhiyaan? 1. Inter-sectoral convergence for better service delivery 2. Use of technology (ICT) for real-time growth monitoring of women and children Select the correct answer using the code given below.

  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

Convergence of different schemes and the use of ICT for real-time monitoring are both core strategies of POSHAN Abhiyaan. POSHAN Abhiyaan (Prime Minister's Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment), also called the National Nutrition Mission, was launched on 8 March 2018 at Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan.

Q1908.GeographyAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2023, GKEasy

How can resources be classified on the basis of their origin ?

  1. A.Biotic and abiotic
  2. B.Renewable and non-renewable
  3. C.Individual and community
  4. D.Potential and reserve
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Biotic and abiotic

By origin, resources are either biotic, which come from living things, or abiotic, which come from non-living things. Biotic resources are obtained from the biosphere and have life: plants, animals, fish, livestock and human beings.

Q1909.Environment & EcologyAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2024, GKEasy

Ozone hole is a region over :

  1. A.the Antarctic caused mainly by CFC gases.
  2. B.the Antarctic caused mainly by carbon dioxide gas.
  3. C.the Arctic caused mainly by CFC gases.
  4. D.the Arctic caused mainly by carbon dioxide gas.
Show answer
Correct answer: A. the Antarctic caused mainly by CFC gases.

The ozone hole is a sharp seasonal thinning of the stratospheric ozone layer over Antarctica, caused mainly by chlorine from chlorofluorocarbons.

Q1910.General ScienceAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2025, GKEasy

The rule that determines the direction of a magnetic field produced around a straight conductor carrying current is :

  1. A.Right-hand thumb rule
  2. B.Fleming's left-hand rule
  3. C.Fleming's right-hand rule
  4. D.Hund's rule
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Right-hand thumb rule

If you hold a current-carrying straight wire in your right hand with the thumb pointing along the current, your curled fingers show the direction of the magnetic field lines around it.

Q1911.General ScienceAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2025, GKEasy

The chemical reaction K2SO4 (aq.) + BaCl2 (aq.) → 2KCl (aq.) + BaSO4 (solid) is an example of :

  1. A.Addition reaction
  2. B.Displacement reaction
  3. C.Decomposition reaction
  4. D.Double displacement reaction
Show answer
Correct answer: D. Double displacement reaction

Potassium and barium exchange their partner ions: K₂SO₄ and BaCl₂ swap ions to give KCl and BaSO₄. In a double displacement reaction two compounds exchange ions.

Q1912.General ScienceAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2026, GKMedium

Consider the following statements : 1. Packaged foods are purged with nitrogen gas in order to prevent their oxidation. 2. Tooth decay starts when pH of the mouth is lower than 5.5. 3. The reactivity of metals decreases in the order : Mg > Fe > Zn. Which of the statements given above is/are not correct ?

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

Statements 1 and 2 are correct; statement 3 is wrong because zinc is more reactive than iron.

Q1914.General ScienceAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2017, GKEasy

Which one of the following is not a semiconductor?

  1. A.Silicon
  2. B.Germanium
  3. C.Quartz
  4. D.Gallium arsenide
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Quartz

Quartz is crystalline silicon dioxide (SiO₂), an electrical insulator, not a semiconductor. A semiconductor has a conductivity between that of a conductor and an insulator, and its conductivity rises with temperature or when impurities are added (doping).

Q1915.General ScienceAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2017, GKMedium

Two wires are made having same length l and area of cross-section A. Wire 1 is made of copper and wire 2 is made of aluminium. It is given that the electrical conductivity of copper is more than that of aluminium. In this context, which one of the following statements is correct?

  1. A.The resistance of wire 1 will be higher than that of wire 2.
  2. B.The resistance of wire 2 will be higher than that of wire 1.
  3. C.The resistance of both the wires will be the same.
  4. D.If same current is flown through both the wires, the power dissipated in both the wires will be the same.
Show answer
Correct answer: B. The resistance of wire 2 will be higher than that of wire 1.

With equal length and area, the wire of lower conductivity, aluminium, has the higher resistance. Resistance is R = ρl/A, where ρ is resistivity, and resistivity is the reciprocal of conductivity (ρ = 1/σ).

Q1916.General ScienceAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2018, GKEasy

Which one of the following does not convert electrical energy into light energy?

  1. A.A candle
  2. B.A light-emitting diode
  3. C.A laser
  4. D.A television set
Show answer
Correct answer: A. A candle

A candle gives light by burning wax, so it converts chemical energy, not electrical energy, into light and heat. In a burning candle the wax vapour combines with oxygen in the air; the chemical energy stored in the wax is released as heat and light.

Q1918.Indian EconomyAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2019, GKEasy

Which of the following statements with regard to the 'Make in India' initiative is/are correct ? 1. It was launched in the year 2018. 2. Its objective is to foster innovation. Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. A.1 only
  2. B.2 only
  3. C.Both 1 and 2
  4. D.Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Correct answer: B. 2 only

Make in India was launched in 2014, not 2018, and fostering innovation is one of its stated objectives. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Make in India on 25 September 2014 to turn India into a global hub for design and manufacturing.

Q1919.General ScienceAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2020, GKMedium

Silver articles become black after some time when exposed to air because

  1. A.silver gets oxidized to silver oxide
  2. B.silver reacts with moist carbon dioxide in the air to form silver carbonate
  3. C.silver reacts with sulphur in the air to form a coating of silver sulphide
  4. D.silver reacts with nitrogen oxides in the air to form silver nitrate
Show answer
Correct answer: C. silver reacts with sulphur in the air to form a coating of silver sulphide

The black layer on old silver is silver sulphide (Ag₂S). Air contains traces of sulphur compounds, mainly hydrogen sulphide (H₂S) from burning fuels and decaying matter.

Q1920.General ScienceAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2021, GKEasy

Aluminium is manufactured from

  1. A.Copper ore
  2. B.Bauxite ore
  3. C.Mica ore
  4. D.Manganese ore
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Bauxite ore

Bauxite, a hydrated aluminium oxide (Al₂O₃·2H₂O), is the main ore from which aluminium is extracted. Bauxite is first purified into alumina (aluminium oxide) by the Bayer process.