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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

Q8722.Science & TechnologyEasy

The 2008 white paper that introduced bitcoin was published under which name?

  1. A.Vitalik Buterin
  2. B.Satoshi Nakamoto
  3. C.Nick Szabo
  4. D.Ralph Merkle
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Satoshi Nakamoto

The paper titled Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System was circulated in 2008 under the name Satoshi Nakamoto, a pseudonym whose owner has never been established, and it set out how a chain of hashed blocks and proof of work could prevent double spending without any trusted third party.

Q8723.Indian States & UTsHard

Which statement about a state Legislative Council is correct?

  1. A.It is dissolved along with the Legislative Assembly every five years
  2. B.It is a permanent house whose members serve six years, with one-third retiring every two years
  3. C.All its members are nominated by the Governor
  4. D.Its strength must be at least half that of the Legislative Assembly
Show answer
Correct answer: B. It is a permanent house whose members serve six years, with one-third retiring every two years

Like the Rajya Sabha, a Legislative Council is a continuing body: it is not subject to dissolution, each member holds office for six years, and one-third of the members retire every second year, so the house is renewed in stages.

Q8724.Indian States & UTsMedium

Under Article 170 of the Constitution, the Legislative Assembly of a state shall consist of not more than

  1. A.250 members
  2. B.400 members
  3. C.500 members
  4. D.550 members
Show answer
Correct answer: C. 500 members

Article 170 provides that the Legislative Assembly of a state shall consist of not more than five hundred and not fewer than sixty members chosen by direct election from territorial constituencies, with lower minimums permitted by law for small states such as Goa, Sikkim and Mizoram.

Q8727.Indian States & UTsHard

Nagpur holds a special position as

  1. A.The capital of Maharashtra
  2. B.The second capital of Maharashtra, where a session of the legislature is held
  3. C.The seat of the Bombay High Court
  4. D.The summer capital of Madhya Pradesh
Show answer
Correct answer: B. The second capital of Maharashtra, where a session of the legislature is held

Under the Nagpur Pact of 1953, agreed when the Vidarbha region joined the new bilingual Bombay State and later Maharashtra, Nagpur was made the second capital of the state and at least one session of the legislature each year, the winter session, is held there.

Q8730.Indian States & UTsHard

Under which Article may Parliament create or abolish a Legislative Council in a state?

  1. A.Article 168
  2. B.Article 169
  3. C.Article 171
  4. D.Article 172
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Article 169

It empowers Parliament by law to abolish an existing Legislative Council or to create one where none exists, but only if the Legislative Assembly of the state first passes a resolution supported by a majority of the total membership of the House and by not less than two-thirds of the…

Q8732.Indian States & UTsMedium

Which Article of the Constitution provides that there shall be a High Court for each state?

  1. A.Article 124
  2. B.Article 214
  3. C.Article 226
  4. D.Article 239
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Article 214

It states plainly that there shall be a High Court for each state, and the following articles complete the scheme: Article 215 makes every High Court a court of record, Article 216 leaves the number of judges to the President, Article 217 provides for their appointment, and Article 231 allows…

Q8734.Indian States & UTsEasy

Which is the oldest High Court in India?

  1. A.Bombay High Court
  2. B.Calcutta High Court
  3. C.Madras High Court
  4. D.Allahabad High Court
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Calcutta High Court

It was established in July 1862 under the Indian High Courts Act of 1861, which allowed the Crown to replace the old supreme courts and sadar courts of the Presidency towns with High Courts.

Q8735.Banking & Financial AwarenessMedium

Under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, a person may be declared a fugitive economic offender where the scheduled offence involves an amount of at least

  1. A.One crore rupees
  2. B.Ten crore rupees
  3. C.One hundred crore rupees
  4. D.One thousand crore rupees
Show answer
Correct answer: C. One hundred crore rupees

The Fugitive Economic Offenders Act of 2018 applies where a warrant of arrest has been issued for a scheduled offence involving a value of one hundred crore rupees or more and the person has left India to avoid prosecution, or refuses to return to face it.

Q8736.Banking & Financial AwarenessHard

The Financial Intelligence Unit India reports to which body?

  1. A.The Economic Intelligence Council chaired by the Union Finance Minister
  2. B.The Central Board of Direct Taxes
  3. C.The Monetary Policy Committee of the Reserve Bank of India
  4. D.The Financial Stability and Development Council chaired by the Prime Minister
Show answer
Correct answer: A. The Economic Intelligence Council chaired by the Union Finance Minister

The Financial Intelligence Unit India works under the Department of Revenue in the Ministry of Finance and reports to the Economic Intelligence Council, the apex body on economic offences, which is chaired by the Union Finance Minister.

Q8738.Banking & Financial AwarenessHard

Under the PMLA, how long must a reporting entity preserve records of the transactions it is required to report?

  1. A.Three years from the date of the transaction
  2. B.Five years from the date of the transaction
  3. C.Eight years from the date of the transaction
  4. D.Fifteen years from the date of the transaction
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Five years from the date of the transaction

Section 12 requires every reporting entity to maintain a record of all transactions of the prescribed nature and value for a period of five years from the date of the transaction between the client and the entity, and to maintain records of the identity of its clients for five years…

Q8739.Banking & Financial AwarenessHard

For how long is a provisional attachment of property by the Director under Section 5 of the PMLA valid?

  1. A.Thirty days
  2. B.Ninety days
  3. C.One hundred and eighty days
  4. D.One year
Show answer
Correct answer: C. One hundred and eighty days

Section 5 allows the Director or an authorised officer, on reasons to be recorded in writing, to attach property believed to be the proceeds of crime provisionally for a period of one hundred and eighty days.

Q8740.Banking & Financial AwarenessMedium

Under Section 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, the punishment for money laundering is rigorous imprisonment of

  1. A.One to three years
  2. B.Three to seven years
  3. C.Five to ten years
  4. D.Seven to fourteen years
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Three to seven years

Section 4 provides that whoever commits the offence of money laundering shall be punishable with rigorous imprisonment for a term of not less than three years, which may extend to seven years, and with a fine.