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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

Q2901.Indian HistoryAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2022, GKMedium

Who among the following belonged to Serampore Mission ?

1. William Carey

2. Joshua Marshman

3. William Ward

4. David Hare

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

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

William Carey, Joshua Marshman and William Ward, the 'Serampore Trio', ran the Baptist mission at Serampore. Carey reached Bengal in 1793, and Marshman and Ward joined him in 1799.

Q2903.General ScienceAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2024, GKEasy

The causal organism of dengue fever is a mosquito-borne virus which belongs to which one among the following categories?

  1. A.Flavi-ribo virus
  2. B.Adenovirus
  3. C.Vaccinia virus
  4. D.Nipah virus
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Flavi-ribo virus

Dengue virus is a flavivirus, an RNA (ribonucleic acid) virus of the family Flaviviridae. Dengue is spread mainly by the bite of the female Aedes aegypti mosquito, which breeds in clean, stagnant water and bites during the day.

Q2905.GeographyAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2025, GKHard

Consider the following statements with reference to Mid-latitude deciduous forests :

1. Mid-latitude deciduous forests consist largely of trees that drop their leaves during the summer season.

2. Mid-latitude deciduous forests are native to eastern North America and Western Europe.

3. In Asia, the Mid-latitude deciduous forests occur as a belt between the boreal forest to the north and steppe lands to the south.

4. Beech, Hickory and Walnut are common examples of trees found in Mid-latitude deciduous forests.

Which of the statements given above are correct ?

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

Only statement 1 is wrong: these trees shed their leaves in winter, not in summer. Mid-latitude (temperate) deciduous forests grow where summers are warm and moist and winters are cold.

Q2906.GeographyAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2026, GKMedium

Which of the following pairs of theories about origin of the Earth and their propounders is/are correctly matched?

1. Gaseous Hypothesis : Kant

2. Binary Star Hypothesis : Russell

3. Planetesimal Hypothesis : Chamberlin

Select the answer using the codes given below :

  1. A.1 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

Each theory is paired with the scientist who put it forward. Immanuel Kant proposed the Gaseous Hypothesis in 1755: a slowly rotating cloud of hot gas condensed to form the Sun and the planets.

Q2907.General ScienceAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2026, GKEasy

Which one among the following is the primary reason for asking persons undergoing X-ray imaging to remove metallic objects?

  1. A.Metallic objects can absorb/reflect X-ray resulting in dark/bright spot
  2. B.Metallic objects can melt causing serious skin damage
  3. C.X-ray can create sparks on hitting the metallic objects
  4. D.X-ray can damage the metallic objects by altering their composition
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Metallic objects can absorb/reflect X-ray resulting in dark/bright spot

Metal blocks X-rays far more strongly than body tissue, so it spoils the picture. An X-ray image is a shadow picture.

Q2908.Science & TechnologyMedium

Shrutlekh, demonstrated live by the Digital India BHASHINI Division at ETD-2026, performs which function?

  1. A.Digitising manuscripts and oral histories
  2. B.Real-time speech transcription with simultaneous translation
  3. C.Managing technical terminology across languages
  4. D.Collecting language contributions from citizens
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Real-time speech transcription with simultaneous translation

The live demonstration of Shrutlekh at the symposium showed speech being written down as it was spoken and translated at the same moment, a capability intended for lecture halls, research seminars, conferences and academic discussions.

Q2909.Science & TechnologyMedium

According to the figures presented at ETD-2026, how many Indian languages does BHASHINI support for text?

  1. A.22
  2. B.23
  3. C.36
  4. D.35
Show answer
Correct answer: C. 36

The figures placed before the symposium were that BHASHINI supports 36 Indian languages for text, 23 Indian languages for voice and 35 international languages, that it has recorded over 10 billion cumulative AI inferences, and that its website translation plugin works on more than 800 government websites.

Q2910.Science & TechnologyMedium

BHASHINI Pragati, the document translation workbench presented at ETD-2026, was developed for which body?

  1. A.Comptroller and Auditor General of India
  2. B.Election Commission of India
  3. C.NITI Aayog
  4. D.Reserve Bank of India
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Comptroller and Auditor General of India

BHASHINI Pragati is a document translation workbench that the Digital India BHASHINI Division built for the CAG, and it was put before the symposium as an example of translating structured documents, including files that run from 100 to 500 pages, with quality checks and data-security safeguards.

Q2911.Science & TechnologyEasy

The 29th International Symposium on Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETD-2026), where BHASHINI showed its multilingual AI tools, was hosted by which institution?

  1. A.IIT Bombay
  2. B.IIT Delhi
  3. C.IIT Kanpur
  4. D.IISc Bengaluru
Show answer
Correct answer: B. IIT Delhi

The 29th International Symposium on Electronic Theses and Dissertations, shortened to ETD-2026, was held at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi from 23 to 25 October 2026, and the Digital India BHASHINI Division took part in it with a session on its multilingual artificial intelligence tools.

Q2913.Indian HistoryAsked in: NDA · NDA-I 2021, GATEasy

Which of the following statements about Saguna bhakti traditions is/are correct ? 1. Saguna bhakti traditions focus on the worship of specific deities such as Vishnu or his avatars. 2. In Saguna bhakti traditions, Gods and Goddesses are conceptualised in anthropomorphic forms. 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

Saguna bhakti is devotion to God with attributes, so it centres on particular deities and imagines them in human-like forms.

Q2914.GeographyAsked in: NDA · NDA-I 2022, GATEasy

In a group discussion on shape and size of the Earth, three students stated the following points : 1. Student 1 : The shape of the Earth is basically an oblate spheroid. 2. Student 2 : The polar diameter of the Earth is more than the equatorial diameter. 3. Student 3 : Bulge along the equatorial region is due to revolution of the Earth. Who among the above students is/are correct?

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

The Earth is an oblate spheroid, slightly flattened at the poles and bulging at the equator, but the bulge comes from its rotation, and its polar diameter is the shorter one.

Q2915.GeographyAsked in: NDA · NDA-I 2024, GATHard

Identify the sea-port in India on the basis of the given characteristics : 1. It is more than a century old port on the west coast of India. 2. It is a natural harbour protected by a breakwater and also by a mole. 3. A deep draft channel of about 14 metres depth permits large vessels to enter the harbour. Select the correct sea-port from the options given below :

  1. A.Mormugao Port
  2. B.Deendayal Port
  3. C.Cochin Port
  4. D.Jawaharlal Nehru Port
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Mormugao Port

Mormugao in Goa, a natural harbour at the mouth of the Zuari estuary, was opened in the late nineteenth century and is sheltered by a breakwater-cum-mole, which fits every clue.

Q2917.Indian PolityAsked in: NDA · NDA-I 2017, GATHard

By fulfilling which of the following conditions can a political party claim the status of a national party ? 1. It secures at least six per cent (6%) of the valid votes polled in any four or more states, at a general election to the House of the People or, to the State Legislative Assembly 2. It wins at least four seats in the House of the People from any State or States or wins at least two per cent (2%) seats in the House of the People (i.e., 11 seats in the existing House having 543 members), and these members are elected from at least three different States 3. The party in question has got recognition as a state party in at least two states 4. It must have its headquarters in New Delhi Select the correct answer using the code given below :

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

The Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 sets the conditions in statements 1 and 2, while statements 3 and 4 misstate or invent conditions.

Q2919.Indian HistoryAsked in: NDA · NDA-II 2019, GATMedium

Consider the following statements related to the Virashaiva tradition in Karnataka : 1. The Virashaiva movement was led by a Brahmana named Basavanna, a minister in the court of the Kalachuri ruler in the twelfth century. 2. The Virashaivas encouraged practices, approved by the Dharmashastras, like post-puberty marriages and remarriage of widows. Which of the statement/s 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

Basavanna did lead the Virashaiva movement, but the Virashaivas encouraged post-puberty marriage and widow remarriage precisely because the Dharmashastras disapproved of them.

Q2920.GeographyAsked in: NDA · NDA-I 2020, GATHard

For an area to be excluded from the drought-prone category, what percentage of its gross cropped area should be under irrigation?

  1. A.10 per cent or more
  2. B.20 per cent or more
  3. C.25 per cent or more
  4. D.30 per cent or more
Show answer
Correct answer: D. 30 per cent or more

The Irrigation Commission of 1972 treated an area as drought-prone when less than 30 per cent of its gross cropped area was irrigated, so an area with 30 per cent or more is left out.