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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

Q5101.Static GKAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2026, GS Paper IHard

Consider the following statements about platforms for multilateral co-operation:

1. The 'Colombo Process' is a regional consultative process in which member states take binding decisions by consensus.

2. The 'Abu Dhabi Dialogue' is a voluntary non-binding consultative process among Asian countries of labour origin and destination to facilitate regional cooperation on contractual labour mobility.

3. The 'Global Forum for Migration and Development', created upon the proposal of a former UN Secretary General, is a voluntary forum whose decisions are non-binding in nature.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

All three are voluntary migration forums whose outcomes are non-binding, so statement 1 is wrong in calling the Colombo Process's decisions binding.

Q5102.Environment & EcologyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2016, GS Paper IMedium

With reference to 'Red Sanders', sometimes seen in the news, consider the following statements:

1. It is a tree species found in a part of South India.

2. It is one of the most important trees in the tropical rain forest areas of South India.

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: A. 1 only

Red Sanders grows naturally in a small part of South India, but in dry deciduous forests, not in tropical rain forests.

Q5104.Indian EconomyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2018, GS Paper IMedium

Despite being a high saving economy, capital formation may not result in significant increase in output due to

  1. A.weak administrative machinery
  2. B.illiteracy
  3. C.high population density
  4. D.high capital-output ratio
Show answer
Correct answer: D. high capital-output ratio

When the capital-output ratio is high, a large amount of investment produces only a small rise in output. The capital-output ratio, or incremental capital-output ratio (ICOR), tells how many units of capital are needed to produce one extra unit of output.

Q5106.Indian EconomyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2020, GS Paper IMedium

With reference to the Indian economy, consider the following statements:

1. 'Commercial Paper' is a short-term unsecured promissory note.

2. 'Certificate of Deposit' is a long-term instrument issued by the Reserve Bank of India to a corporation.

3. 'Call Money' is a short-term finance used for interbank transactions.

4. 'Zero-Coupon Bonds' are the interest bearing short-term bonds issued by the Scheduled Commercial Banks to corporations.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Commercial paper and call money are correctly described; the statements on certificates of deposit and zero-coupon bonds are wrong. Commercial paper is an unsecured promissory note issued by companies to raise short-term funds, usually for 7 days to one year.

Q5107.GeographyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2021, GS Paper IHard

Consider the following statements:

1. The Global Ocean Commission grants licences for seabed exploration and mining in international waters.

2. India has received licences for seabed mineral exploration in international waters.

3. 'Rare earth minerals' are present on seafloor in international waters.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. A.1 and 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

Licences for deep-sea exploration in international waters are granted by the International Seabed Authority, not by the Global Ocean Commission.

Q5108.Environment & EcologyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2022, GS Paper IEasy

The "Miyawaki method" is well known for the:

  1. A.Promotion of commercial farming in arid and semi-arid areas
  2. B.Development of gardens using genetically modified flora
  3. C.Creation of mini forests in urban areas
  4. D.Harvesting wind energy on coastal areas and on sea surfaces
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Creation of mini forests in urban areas

The Miyawaki method grows dense, fast-growing native forests on small plots of land, which suits crowded cities. The method was developed by the Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki.

Q5109.GeographyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2023, GS Paper IMedium

Consider the following countries:

1. Bulgaria

2. Czech Republic

3. Hungary

4. Latvia

5. Lithuania

6. Romania

How many of the above-mentioned countries share a land border with Ukraine?

  1. A.Only two
  2. B.Only three
  3. C.Only four
  4. D.Only five
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Only two

Of the six countries listed, only Hungary and Romania share a land border with Ukraine. Ukraine has land borders with seven countries: Russia to the east and north-east, Belarus to the north, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary to the west, and Romania and Moldova to the south-west.

Q5110.Indian PolityAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2024, GS Paper IMedium

The Constitution (71st Amendment) Act, 1992 amends the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution to include which of the following languages?

1. Konkani

2. Manipuri

3. Nepali

4. Maithili

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  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: A. 1, 2 and 3

The 71st Amendment of 1992 added Konkani, Manipuri and Nepali to the Eighth Schedule. The Eighth Schedule lists the languages recognised by the Constitution.

Q5113.NationalMedium

During which period was the Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 campaign of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas held?

  1. A.2 September to 17 October 2026
  2. B.17 September to 2 October 2026
  3. C.1 September to 30 September 2026
  4. D.2 October to 31 October 2026
Show answer
Correct answer: B. 17 September to 2 October 2026

The ministry, its central public sector enterprises and its attached offices took part in the campaign across this fortnight, which began with a pledge-taking ceremony administered by the Secretary (Petroleum and Natural Gas) at Kartavya Bhawan-3 in New Delhi on the opening day and closed on Swachh Bharat Diwas.

Q5115.Government SchemesHard

How much investment has been made in the hilly states under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana for coldwater fisheries infrastructure?

  1. A.Over Rs 299 crore
  2. B.Over Rs 1,299 crore
  3. C.Over Rs 2,299 crore
  4. D.Over Rs 3,299 crore
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Over Rs 2,299 crore

That is the investment made in the hilly states under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana to strengthen raceways, hatcheries, feed systems, cold storages and post-harvest infrastructure for coldwater fisheries.

Q5119.Government SchemesMedium

Through which institutions will the special training campaign for farmers on the new Agri Welfare Portal be run?

  1. A.Krishi Vigyan Kendras
  2. B.Primary agricultural credit societies
  3. C.State agricultural marketing boards
  4. D.Common service centres
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Krishi Vigyan Kendras

The minister said a dedicated training drive would be run through the Krishi Vigyan Kendras across the country so that farmers become skilled in using the portal and other digital tools, and he asked that the language and the process be kept simple enough for small and marginal farmers with…

Q5120.Government SchemesMedium

The Agri Welfare Portal has been developed in line with the DBIM 3.0 and GIGW 3.0 standards of which ministry?

  1. A.Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
  2. B.Ministry of Rural Development
  3. C.Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
  4. D.Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology

The DBIM and GIGW standards, in their 3.0 versions, are the government’s norms for the look, the security and the accessibility of official websites, and the new portal has been built to follow them.