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UPSC Civil Services GK Questions 2026

Static general knowledge is six of the seven lines of the General Studies Paper-I syllabus in the UPSC CSE notice: History of India and the Indian National Movement; Indian and World Geography; Indian Polity and Governance; Economic and Social Development; Environmental Ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change; and General Science. The Commission tests understanding rather than recall, through statements to be judged correct or incorrect, pairs to be matched and assertion-reason items, and it likes the edges of a topic: a lesser-known provision of the Constitution, a river's tributary, a species' conservation status, the mandate of a statutory body. This page holds GK24's topic-wise GK notes for UPSC, written as short facts and tables, in English and Hindi, with each note linked to the current affairs and previous-year questions on the same topic. Start with Polity and Modern History, which carry the most questions, then Geography, the Economy, Environment, Ancient and Medieval culture and Science. Read a note, solve its PYQs, take its quiz, and come back to it in your monthly revision. A candidate who knows these notes and reads the daily current affairs has covered the syllabus the notice prescribes for Paper-I.

UPSC Civil Services GK Questions with Answers

Q2061.Indian HistoryAsked in: NDA · NDA-II 2018, GATMedium

Who among the following travellers was from Italy and visited Vijayanagar Kingdom in the fifteenth century?

  1. A.Nikitin
  2. B.Fa-Hien
  3. C.Bernier
  4. D.Nicolo Conti
Show answer
Correct answer: D. Nicolo Conti

The Venetian merchant Nicolo de Conti visited Vijayanagara around 1420, during the reign of Deva Raya I. Conti travelled widely in Asia and later told his story to the papal secretary Poggio Bracciolini, who wrote it down in Latin.

Q2062.Indian HistoryAsked in: NDA · NDA-I 2019, GATMedium

The Karachi resolution of Congress in 1931 advocated which one of the following issues?

  1. A.State shall not own or control key industries and services
  2. B.State shall handover the key industries and services to the Indian business groups
  3. C.State should allow the Indian business group to invest fifty per cent of the capital
  4. D.State shall own or control key industries and services
Show answer
Correct answer: D. State shall own or control key industries and services

The Karachi session of March 1931 adopted the resolution on Fundamental Rights and National Economic Programme, which gave the State this role.

Q2063.GeographyAsked in: NDA · NDA-II 2019, GATEasy

Which one of the following is a major plate ?

  1. A.Pacific Plate
  2. B.Cocos Plate
  3. C.Arabian Plate
  4. D.Philippine Plate
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Pacific Plate

The Pacific Plate is one of the seven major lithospheric plates and the largest of them all. The earth's lithosphere is broken into rigid plates that move over the softer asthenosphere.

Q2065.Indian HistoryAsked in: NDA · NDA-I 2022, GATEasy

The Satyashodhak Samaj (Truth-Seeking Society) was set up by

  1. A.Vinoba Bhave
  2. B.Jyotiba Phule
  3. C.B. R. Ambedkar
  4. D.C. Rajagopalachari
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Jyotiba Phule

Jyotirao Phule founded the Satyashodhak Samaj in Pune on 24 September 1873. The Samaj worked for the rights of the lower castes, women and peasants, and rejected the authority of priests and the caste hierarchy.

Q2066.Indian HistoryAsked in: NDA · NDA-I 2024, GATHard

Which of the following were features of the postal system of India as described by Ibn Battuta ? 1. The foot post carries a ringing bell in one hand. 2. The horse post is called uluq, stationed at a distance of every four miles. 3. The foot post or dawa has one station at every four kos of distance. 4. The foot post is quicker than horse post. Select the correct answer using the code given below:

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

Ibn Battuta, who served under Muhammad bin Tughlaq, described a two-part postal system in which statements 1, 2 and 4 hold.

Q2068.Science & TechnologyAsked in: NDA · NDA-I 2025, GATEasy

India's Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), part of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed an aero-engine which will potentially make India self-reliance in aero-engine technology. What is the name of the engine?

  1. A.Ganga
  2. B.Yamuna
  3. C.Krishna
  4. D.Kaveri
Show answer
Correct answer: D. Kaveri

Kaveri is the turbofan aero-engine developed by the Gas Turbine Research Establishment of DRDO in Bengaluru. The Kaveri project began in the late 1980s to power the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas.

Q2069.GeographyAsked in: NDA · NDA-II 2025, GATMedium

Which of the following statements with reference to crops cultivated in India is/are correct ? 1. Bajra grows well in sandy and shallow black soils, whereas red and shallow black soil is suited for Ragi 2. Bajra is predominantly grown in states like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, while Ragi is mainly cultivated in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh Select the 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

Both statements match the standard description of these two millets in Indian geography. Bajra (pearl millet) is a hardy crop of dry areas.

Q2070.Indian HistoryAsked in: NDA · NDA-I 2026, GATMedium

Consider the following statements regarding the Russian Revolution : I. The incident known as 'Bloody Sunday' started a series of events known as the 1905 Revolution. II. Lawyers, doctors, engineers and other middle-class workers established the Union of Unions and demanded a Constituent Assembly. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Both statements describe the 1905 Revolution in Russia correctly. On 22 January 1905 (9 January by the old Russian calendar), workers led by Father Gapon marched peacefully to the Winter Palace in St Petersburg with a petition to the Tsar.

Q2074.Environment & EcologyAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2021, GKMedium

Which one of the following biosphere reserves comprises islands with estuaries, beaches, coral reefs, salt marshes and mangroves ?

  1. A.Sunderban biosphere reserve
  2. B.Gulf of Mannar biosphere reserve
  3. C.Nilgiri biosphere reserve
  4. D.Nandadevi biosphere reserve
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Gulf of Mannar biosphere reserve

Lying between India and Sri Lanka off Tamil Nadu, it is built around a chain of 21 small islands with estuaries, beaches, coral reefs, salt marshes, seagrass beds and mangroves.

Q2075.Science & TechnologyAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2022, GKHard

Which one of the following statements is correct regarding LOFAR (Low Frequency Array)?

  1. A.It is the world's most powerful radio antenna.
  2. B.It is a space technology launched by NASA to discover exoplanets.
  3. C.It is an arrangement of satellites in space for the purpose of creating Satellite Navigation System.
  4. D.It is a wireless communication technology for 5G services.
Show answer
Correct answer: A. It is the world's most powerful radio antenna.

LOFAR, the Low Frequency Array, is a huge radio telescope network built by ASTRON in the Netherlands, described as the largest and most sensitive radio telescope working at low frequencies.

Q2076.Indian HistoryAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2022, GKMedium

Consider the following statements about cavalry warfare in India : 1. The iron stirrup made it possible for the armoured warrior to sit firmly on a horse without falling off. 2. The iron stirrup also allowed a cavalry charge with lances held tightly to the body, without the rider being thrown off by the shock of impact. 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 iron stirrup gave the rider a firm seat, and that firm seat made the lance charge possible, so both statements are correct.

Q2077.GeographyAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2023, GKEasy

Which of the following groups of planets is termed as 'gas planets' as they are composed primarily of lighter ices, liquids and gases?

  1. A.Mars, Jupiter, Neptune, Uranus
  2. B.Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Saturn
  3. C.Saturn, Mars, Jupiter, Neptune
  4. D.Neptune, Saturn, Mars, Uranus
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Saturn

These four outer planets are the gas planets, also called Jovian planets, made mostly of hydrogen, helium, ices and liquids rather than rock.

Q2078.Indian PolityAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2023, GKEasy

Which of the following statements about the Panchayats in India, as per the Constitution of India is/are correct ? 1. There is a provision for reservation of seats for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. 2. Panchayats are not authorised to collect taxes. 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: A. 1 only

The Constitution reserves seats in Panchayats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and it also lets Panchayats levy and collect taxes, so statement 2 is false.

Q2079.GeographyAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2024, GKMedium

Which of the following statements regarding insolation is/are correct? 1. Insolation is predominantly short-wave radiation, with wavelengths in the range of 0.39 micrometre to 0.76 micrometre. 2. Insolation is evenly distributed across the Earth because of the Earth's curved surface. 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: A. 1 only

Insolation, the incoming solar radiation, arrives mainly as short waves centred on visible light, but the Earth's curved surface spreads it unevenly, so statement 2 is false.

Q2080.GeographyAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2024, GKHard

Which of the following statements regarding Arc Volcanoes is/are correct ? 1. Arc volcanoes are found near divergent plate boundaries. 2. Some of the world's classical examples of cone-shaped stratovolcanoes, such as Mount Fuji in Japan, Mayon in the Philippines are Arc volcanoes. 3. Some of the highest volcanoes on Earth are of the Arc type, notably Nevado Ojos del Salado in the Chilean Andes. Select the answer using the code given below :

  1. A.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

Arc volcanoes form above subduction zones at convergent plate boundaries, not at divergent ones, so statement 1 is false while 2 and 3 are true.