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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

Q4261.ObituariesEasy

Thiru Vummidi Ethiraj, whose death was mourned by the Prime Minister, is remembered for crafting which object?

  1. A.The Ashoka Pillar replica
  2. B.The Sengol
  3. C.The Amrit Kalash
  4. D.The Rashtrapati Bhavan mace
Show answer
Correct answer: B. The Sengol

The Prime Minister said that Thiru Vummidi Ethiraj would always be remembered for his effort in crafting the historic sceptre that was presented to former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, and that in 2023 the government had the honour of giving it a place of pride in the new Parliament building.

Q4262.DefenceMedium

The procurement of the Improved Low Level Light Weight Radar has been linked to which national vision?

  1. A.Viksit Bharat @2047
  2. B.Mission Karmayogi
  3. C.Digital India 2030
  4. D.Smart Cities Mission
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Viksit Bharat @2047

The Ministry of Defence stated that the purchase aligns with the government's vision of a developed India and is a significant step towards indigenisation of air defence platforms, giving a boost to the domestic defence manufacturing ecosystem, including micro, small and medium enterprises, and helping build a resilient, self-reliant and…

Q4264.DefenceEasy

With which company did the Ministry of Defence sign the contract for Improved Low Level Light Weight Radars?

  1. A.Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
  2. B.Bharat Electronics Limited
  3. C.Bharat Dynamics Limited
  4. D.Bharat Earth Movers Limited
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Bharat Electronics Limited

The Ministry of Defence signed the contract with BEL to procure the Improved Low Level Light Weight Radar for the Indian Army at a cost of about Rs 770 crore, in the presence of the Defence Secretary in New Delhi.

Q4265.DefenceMedium

Which awards will be conferred by the Chief of the Army Staff at the conference?

  1. A.Green Military Stations and Aviation Flight Safety
  2. B.Swachh Cantonment and Best Marching Contingent
  3. C.Unit Citation and Battle Honours
  4. D.Best Recruiting Zone and Sainik School Trophy
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Green Military Stations and Aviation Flight Safety

The Chief of the Army Staff is to confer these awards to recognise excellence in environmental sustainability, resource management and the promotion of a strong aviation safety culture within the force.

Q4267.DefenceEasy

Which document is to be released by the Raksha Mantri at the Army Commanders' Conference that began on 21 October 2026?

  1. A.Joint Doctrine for Amphibious Operations
  2. B.Land Warfare Doctrine
  3. C.Maritime Security Strategy
  4. D.Air Power Doctrine
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Land Warfare Doctrine

A key highlight of the conference is its release by the Raksha Mantri, and the document is intended to give the Indian Army an overarching framework for meeting the challenges created by the changing character of warfare and by future conflicts.

Q4268.Awards & HonoursMedium

Which of the following did the President NOT say at the award ceremony?

  1. A.Traditional artists in remote areas should be trained in new technologies
  2. B.Artists need financial support and links with art collectors
  3. C.Art should reach schools, universities and public spaces
  4. D.Art galleries should be closed down across the country
Show answer
Correct answer: D. Art galleries should be closed down across the country

Her point was the opposite in spirit: art should not be confined to galleries but should also travel to schools, universities, public spaces and wider sections of society, which makes option C a statement she did make.

Q4269.Awards & HonoursMedium

The Grand Prize winners of which event were felicitated along with the Lalit Kala Akademi awardees?

  1. A.Kala Kumbh
  2. B.Print Biennale India
  3. C.India Art Fair
  4. D.Kochi-Muziris Biennale
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Print Biennale India

Besides giving away the Lalit Kala Akademi Awards to the artists of the 65th National Exhibition of Art, the President felicitated the Grand Prize winners and the artists who received Honourable Mentions at the third edition of the Print Biennale India, which is the Akademi's platform devoted to printmaking.

Q4270.Awards & HonoursEasy

Who presented the Lalit Kala Akademi Awards to the selected artists of the 65th National Exhibition of Art?

  1. A.The President of India
  2. B.The Vice-President of India
  3. C.The Prime Minister
  4. D.The Union Minister of Culture
Show answer
Correct answer: A. The President of India

President Droupadi Murmu handed over the Lalit Kala Akademi Awards to the artists selected for the 65th National Exhibition of Art at a ceremony in New Delhi, and at the same function she felicitated the Grand Prize winners and the Honourable Mentions of the third Print Biennale India.

Q4271.Indian HistoryAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2019, GKEasy

Who were the Nayanars?

  1. A.Those who were immersed in devotion to Vishnu
  2. B.Those who were devotees of Buddha
  3. C.Leaders who were devotees of Shiva
  4. D.Leaders who were devotees of Basveshwara
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Leaders who were devotees of Shiva

The Nayanars were Tamil saint-poets of the early Bhakti movement who worshipped Shiva. Between about the 6th and 9th centuries CE, the Nayanars travelled from temple to temple in the Tamil country singing hymns in praise of Shiva.

Q4272.Indian PolityAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2020, GKEasy

Which one of the following statements with regard to the functioning of the Panchayats is not correct?

  1. A.Panchayats may levy, collect and appropriate taxes, duties, tolls, etc.
  2. B.A person who has attained the age of 25 years will be eligible to be a member of a Panchayat.
  3. C.Every Panchayat shall ordinarily continue for five years from the date of its first meeting.
  4. D.A Panchayat reconstituted after premature dissolution shall continue only for the remainder of the full period.
Show answer
Correct answer: B. A person who has attained the age of 25 years will be eligible to be a member of a Panchayat.

Under Article 243F, the minimum age to become a member of a Panchayat is 21 years, not 25. Part IX of the Constitution, added by the 73rd Amendment Act, 1992 and in force from 24 April 1993, lays down the framework of Panchayati Raj.

Q4273.GeographyAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2020, GKMedium

Buenos Aires and Montevideo are situated across the banks of

  1. A.River Plate
  2. B.Orinoco River
  3. C.Purus River
  4. D.Madeira River
Show answer
Correct answer: A. River Plate

Buenos Aires, capital of Argentina, and Montevideo, capital of Uruguay, face each other across the Río de la Plata. The River Plate is a wide funnel-shaped estuary formed where the Paraná and Uruguay rivers meet before entering the Atlantic Ocean.

Q4274.Indian HistoryAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2021, GKHard

Which of the following statements about the Sanyasi and Faqir disturbances/rebellions are correct? 1. Governor-General Warren Hastings faced the persistent Sanyasi and Faqir disturbances in Bengal and Bihar. 2. There were a number of Shaivite Naga Sanyasis who formed into armed bands. 3. Majnu Shah, who led bands into Bengal from 1771, was their prominent leader. Select the correct answer using the code given below:

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

All three statements correctly describe the Sanyasi and Faqir risings in late 18th-century Bengal and Bihar. After the Battle of Plassey and the grant of Diwani in 1765, heavy revenue demands and the terrible Bengal famine of 1770 hurt peasants and wandering ascetics alike.

Q4276.Indian PolityAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2024, GKHard

As per Article 371G of the Constitution of India, special provisions have been made with respect to the state of Mizoram. Accordingly, no Act of Parliament shall apply on certain matters unless the Legislative Assembly of Mizoram so decides by a resolution. Which one of the following matters is not covered under this Article ?

  1. A.Religious or social practices of the Mizos
  2. B.Mizo customary law and procedure
  3. C.Administration of civil and criminal justice involving decisions according to Mizo customary law
  4. D.Ownership and transfer of natural resources
Show answer
Correct answer: D. Ownership and transfer of natural resources

Article 371G protects the ownership and transfer of land in Mizoram, not of natural resources in general. Article 371G was added by the 53rd Amendment Act, 1986, when Mizoram became a state after the Mizo Peace Accord.

Q4277.Indian HistoryAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2025, GKHard

Which one of the following statements about the grammarian Katyayana is correct ?

  1. A.He was a contemporary of Panini.
  2. B.He was a contemporary of Patanjali.
  3. C.He belonged to a period between Panini and Patanjali.
  4. D.He belonged to a period later than both Panini and Patanjali.
Show answer
Correct answer: C. He belonged to a period between Panini and Patanjali.

Katyayana commented on Panini's grammar, and Patanjali in turn commented on both Panini and Katyayana. Panini wrote the Ashtadhyayi, the foundational Sanskrit grammar of about 4,000 sutras, around the 5th or 4th century BCE.

Q4278.Indian EconomyAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2025, GKMedium

Which one among the following pairs of type of firm and feature is not correctly matched ?

  1. A.Oligopoly firm : Interdependence in decision-making
  2. B.Monopolistic competitive firm : Firm is a price setter
  3. C.Monopoly firm : Produces an efficient level of output
  4. D.Perfectly competitive firm : Produces socially optimum output
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Monopoly firm : Produces an efficient level of output

A monopolist restricts output and charges a higher price, so it does not produce the efficient level of output. A monopoly is a single seller of a product with no close substitutes and strong barriers to entry.

Q4280.GeographyAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2017, GKMedium

Which one of the following is the correct sequence of occurrences of rivers from Chennai to Kolkata when travelled by road (shortest distance)?

  1. A.Krishna, Kaveri, Godavari, Mahanadi, Subarnarekha
  2. B.Krishna, Periyar, Godavari, Mahanadi, Subarnarekha
  3. C.Penneru, Krishna, Godavari, Mahanadi, Subarnarekha
  4. D.Penneru, Mahanadi, Subarnarekha, Godavari, Krishna
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Penneru, Krishna, Godavari, Mahanadi, Subarnarekha

Going north along the east coast from Chennai, these rivers are crossed in exactly this order. The shortest road from Chennai to Kolkata runs up the eastern coastal plain.