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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

Q4182.Science & TechnologyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2018, GS Paper IHard

With reference to the Genetically Modified mustard (GM mustard) developed in India, consider the following statements : 1. GM mustard has the genes of a soil bacterium that give the plant the property of pest-resistance to a wide variety of pests. 2. GM mustard has the genes that allow the plant cross-pollination and hybridization. 3. GM mustard has been developed jointly by the IARI and Punjab Agricultural University. Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

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

India's GM mustard, Dhara Mustard Hybrid-11 (DMH-11), is built for hybrid seed production, not pest resistance. It carries the barnase and barstar genes taken from the soil bacterium Bacillus amyloliquefaciens.

Q4183.Indian EconomyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2019, GS Paper IHard

Consider the following statements : 1. Most of India's external debt is owed by governmental entities. 2. All of India's external debt is denominated in US dollars. 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: D. Neither 1 nor 2

Both statements misread the make-up of India's external debt. Statement 1 is wrong because most of India's external debt is owed by non-government borrowers: companies through external commercial borrowings, banks through non-resident Indian deposits, and short-term trade credit.

Q4184.Indian HistoryAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2020, GS Paper IHard

With reference to the history of India, consider the following pairs : Famous Place — Present State 1. Bhilsa — Madhya Pradesh 2. Dwarasamudra — Maharashtra 3. Girinagar — Gujarat 4. Sthanesvara — Uttar Pradesh Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

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

Bhilsa and Girinagar are matched correctly; Dwarasamudra and Sthanesvara are not. Bhilsa is the old name of Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh, near Sanchi, where the Heliodorus pillar stands.

Q4185.General ScienceAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2021, GS Paper IHard

Consider the following statements : 1. Adenoviruses have single-stranded DNA genomes whereas retroviruses have double-stranded DNA genomes. 2. Common cold is sometime caused by an adenovirus whereas AIDS is caused by a retrovirus. 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: B. 2 only

Statement 1 has both genomes wrong, while statement 2 is a correct fact. Adenoviruses carry a double-stranded DNA genome.

Q4186.Static GKAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2022, GS Paper IMedium

Consider the following : 1. Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank 2. Missile Technology Control Regime 3. Shanghai Cooperation Organisation India is a member of which of the above ?

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

India is a member of all three groupings. India is a founding member of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, which began work in 2016 with its headquarters in Beijing; India is its second-largest shareholder after China.

Q4187.Indian EconomyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2023, GS Paper IMedium

In the context of finance, the term 'beta' refers to

  1. A.the process of simultaneous buying and selling of an asset from different platforms
  2. B.an investment strategy of a portfolio manager to balance risk versus reward
  3. C.a type of systemic risk that arises where perfect hedging is not possible
  4. D.a numeric value that measures the fluctuations of a stock to changes in the overall stock market
Show answer
Correct answer: D. a numeric value that measures the fluctuations of a stock to changes in the overall stock market

Beta tells how strongly a share's price moves when the whole market moves. The market itself has a beta of 1.

Q4188.Environment & EcologyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2025, GS Paper IMedium

Which organization has enacted the Nature Restoration Law (NRL) to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss?

  1. A.The European Union
  2. B.The World Bank
  3. C.The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
  4. D.The Food and Agriculture Organization
Show answer
Correct answer: A. The European Union

The Nature Restoration Law is a regulation of the European Union, adopted by its Parliament and Council in 2024. It is part of the European Green Deal and the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.

Q4189.InternationalEasy

What is the subject of the Memorandum of Cooperation signed between India and New Zealand?

  1. A.Electronic exchange of origin data on trade in goods
  2. B.Mutual recognition of academic degrees
  3. C.Removal of all tariffs on dairy products
  4. D.Joint naval exercises in the Indian Ocean
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Electronic exchange of origin data on trade in goods

The memorandum deals with how the two customs administrations will share, in advance and in electronic form, the data that establishes where goods were produced, since a certificate of origin is what decides whether a consignment can claim the lower duties available under a trade agreement.

Q4191.InternationalMedium

Which Indian body signed the Memorandum of Cooperation on electronic origin data exchange with the New Zealand Customs Service?

  1. A.Directorate General of Foreign Trade
  2. B.Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs
  3. C.NITI Aayog
  4. D.Reserve Bank of India
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs

The memorandum concerning the electronic exchange of origin data on trade in goods was signed by the CBIC on behalf of India and by the New Zealand Customs Service on the other side, with CBIC Chairman Vivek Chaturvedi and NZCS Comptroller and Chief Executive Christine Stevenson putting their names to…

Q4196.SportsMedium

Which statement about Anubhav Choudhary's bronze at the Asian Para Games 2026 is correct?

  1. A.He won it in the Men's 100m T35 on his debut at the Games, with a personal best
  2. B.He won it in the Men's 100m T37 while defending an earlier title
  3. C.He won it in the women's compound doubles with Payal Nag
  4. D.He won it in the high jump after breaking a Games Record
Show answer
Correct answer: A. He won it in the Men's 100m T35 on his debut at the Games, with a personal best

Anubhav Choudhary took the bronze medal in the men's 100 metres in the T35 class with an impressive timing, and the Prime Minister's message called it a memorable debut and a personal best that made an impressive start to his Asian Para Games journey.

Q4197.SportsMedium

Rakeshbhai Bhatt won the bronze medal at the Asian Para Games 2026 in which event?

  1. A.Men's 100m T35
  2. B.Men's 200m T37
  3. C.Men's 100m T37
  4. D.Men's High Jump T64
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Men's 100m T37

Rakeshbhai Bhatt won the bronze medal in the men's 100 metres sprint in the T37 class at the Asian Para Games 2026 and set a personal best in the process, a run the Prime Minister described as a brilliant sprint in which speed, focus and dedication earned a well-deserved place…

Q4198.SportsEasy

Which Indian pair won the silver medal in the Women's Para Compound Doubles event at the Asian Para Games 2026?

  1. A.Sheetal Devi and Payal Nag
  2. B.Sheetal Devi and Banti
  3. C.Payal Nag and Rakeshbhai Bhatt
  4. D.Sheetal Devi and Anubhav Choudhary
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Sheetal Devi and Payal Nag

The pair secured the silver medal in the Women's Para Compound Doubles event at the Asian Para Games 2026, and the Prime Minister's message on the result called it a fine display of teamwork and sporting excellence that had made the nation proud, with best wishes for the pair's upcoming…

Q4200.SportsMedium

How many medals did Ayush Verma win at his debut Asian Para Games, and of which kinds?

  1. A.One gold only
  2. B.Two: a gold and a bronze
  3. C.Two: a gold and a silver
  4. D.Three: a gold, a silver and a bronze
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Two: a gold and a bronze

Ayush Verma concluded his debut Asian Para Games campaign with two medals, the gold in the Men's Shot Put F53 event and the bronze in the javelin throw, and it was this pair that the Prime Minister's congratulatory message described as a wonderful demonstration of talent, versatility and determination.