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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

Q12522.Indian HistoryAsked in: SSC CHSL · 13 Oct 2020, Shift 2Medium

Which Chola ruler was popularly called 'Victor of the Ganges'?

  1. A.Vijayalaya Chola
  2. B.Gandaraditya Chola
  3. C.Parantaka Chola I
  4. D.Rajendra Chola I
Show answer
Correct answer: D. Rajendra Chola I

He took the title Gangaikonda Chola, the one who won the Ganga, after his army marched north about 1022 CE, defeated the Pala ruler Mahipala and carried Ganga water back to the Tamil country.

Q12523.Environment & EcologyAsked in: SSC CHSL · 5 Aug 2021, Shift 2Medium

Which of the following watershed development projects is sponsored by the Central Government and aims at enabling the rural population to conserve water?

  1. A.Arvary Pani Sansad
  2. B.Haryali
  3. C.Jal Kranti Abhiyan
  4. D.Neeru-Meeru
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Haryali

Haryali is a centrally sponsored watershed development project launched in 2003 by the Ministry of Rural Development, and its whole point is that the village panchayat plans and carries out the work itself.

Q12524.NationalMedium

Foundation stones for which of the following were laid along with the dedication of Barapullah Elevated Road Phase-3?

  1. A.A metro corridor and a ring road
  2. B.The Modi Mill-Savitri Cinema Flyover and the Loni Underpass
  3. C.Two pedestrian skywalks
  4. D.A bus rapid transit corridor
Show answer
Correct answer: B. The Modi Mill-Savitri Cinema Flyover and the Loni Underpass

Along with dedicating the completed elevated road, the Union Home Minister laid the foundation stones of these two works, which together with the road make up the package of projects worth more than Rs 1,941 crore.

Q12525.NationalMedium

Barapullah Elevated Road Phase-3 provides signal-free connectivity between which two parts of Delhi?

  1. A.North Delhi and West Delhi
  2. B.East Delhi and South Delhi
  3. C.Central Delhi and North Delhi
  4. D.West Delhi and South Delhi
Show answer
Correct answer: B. East Delhi and South Delhi

The Home Minister stated that the newly dedicated phase of the Barapullah corridor would give signal-free connectivity between the eastern and the southern parts of the capital, so that commuting becomes smoother, motorists get relief from traffic jams and travel time is saved.

Q12527.InternationalMedium

The two sides discussed tourism cooperation in the context of which proposed bilateral observance?

  1. A.India-Italy Year of Trade and Investment 2026
  2. B.India-Italy Year of Culture and Tourism 2027
  3. C.India-Italy Year of Science and Innovation 2028
  4. D.India-Italy Year of Youth Exchange 2030
Show answer
Correct answer: B. India-Italy Year of Culture and Tourism 2027

At the meeting the two delegations examined the opportunities that this proposed observance would open for tourism cooperation, with the aim of further strengthening cultural and tourism exchanges between the two countries.

Q12528.InternationalMedium

Which of the following was agreed as the key outcome of the second India-Italy Joint Working Group on Tourism?

  1. A.A visa-free travel arrangement between the two countries
  2. B.Setting up focused technical groups and designating points of contact
  3. C.A joint tourism promotion fund of fixed size
  4. D.Merging the two national tourism boards
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Setting up focused technical groups and designating points of contact

This was described as the key outcome of the meeting, and its purpose is to carry forward the areas of cooperation that were identified, namely exchange of tourism data, promotion of lesser-known destinations, cine-tourism, destination twinning, skilling and capacity building, and business-to-business engagement, and to keep stakeholders talking between formal…

Q12529.InternationalMedium

ENIT, which took part in the India-Italy Joint Working Group on Tourism, is which organisation?

  1. A.Italy's national railway operator
  2. B.The Italian National Tourism Board
  3. C.Italy's civil aviation regulator
  4. D.An Italian hotel industry association
Show answer
Correct answer: B. The Italian National Tourism Board

ENIT was part of the Italian delegation, which also included senior officials of Italy's Ministry of Tourism, its Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and the Embassy of Italy in New Delhi.

Q12531.Science & TechnologyMedium

What is the targeted response time of the multi-gas sensor platform being developed with TDB support?

  1. A.Less than 20 milliseconds
  2. B.Less than 200 milliseconds
  3. C.Less than 2 seconds
  4. D.Less than 20 seconds
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Less than 200 milliseconds

The platform is being designed around high sensitivity, low power consumption, a miniaturised form and intelligent signal processing, and among its stated design targets is a response time below 200 milliseconds so that it suits applications requiring rapid detection and monitoring, such as leak detection in refineries and piped natural…

Q12533.Science & TechnologyHard

The TDB-supported project aims to take the multi-gas sensor technology between which technology readiness levels?

  1. A.TRL-1 to TRL-5
  2. B.TRL-2 to TRL-7
  3. C.TRL-4 to TRL-9
  4. D.TRL-6 to TRL-9
Show answer
Correct answer: C. TRL-4 to TRL-9

The stated objective of the project is to advance the Platform MEMS and AFE SoC Multi-Gas Sensor from TRL-4, where the design has been validated in a laboratory environment, all the way to TRL-9, where the technology is proven in its actual operating environment and ready for deployment.

Q12534.Science & TechnologyMedium

How much financial support has the Technology Development Board extended to Multi Nano Sense Technologies for the multi-gas sensing platform?

  1. A.Rs 18.75 crore
  2. B.Rs 37.51 crore
  3. C.Rs 75.02 crore
  4. D.Rs 150 crore
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Rs 37.51 crore

The Technology Development Board, which works under the Department of Science and Technology, signed the agreement extending that amount as financial support under the Research Development and Innovation Fund, and the money will be routed through Optionally Convertible Debt.

Q12535.Government SchemesHard

The Reduce, Reuse and Recycle Centre inaugurated in New Delhi is notable because it is the first such centre set up where?

  1. A.In a railway station
  2. B.In a Union Ministry office
  3. C.In a municipal corporation building
  4. D.In a central university campus
Show answer
Correct answer: B. In a Union Ministry office

As part of Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 the Union Minister inaugurated a Reduce, Reuse and Recycle Centre at Sankalp Bhawan in New Delhi, and it has been described as the first such centre in a Union Ministry office.

Q12537.Government SchemesMedium

The Swachh Bharat Test Bed and Innovation Centre launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs is located at which place?

  1. A.Durgapur
  2. B.Kanpur
  3. C.Indore
  4. D.Pune
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Durgapur

The Ministry set up the Swachh Bharat Test Bed and Innovation Centre at Durgapur in collaboration with CSIR-CMERI, and it is meant to serve as a national facility for research, product development, testing, validation, certification and capacity building in sanitation technologies.

Q12538.Government SchemesEasy

Under the PRAGATI-50 initiative, how many model cities have been identified and across how many states?

  1. A.25 cities across 18 states
  2. B.50 cities across 24 states
  3. C.75 cities across 28 states
  4. D.100 cities across 24 states
Show answer
Correct answer: B. 50 cities across 24 states

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has identified 50 model cities under PRAGATI-50 to demonstrate a higher benchmark of Swachhata, and the Union Minister stated at the launch that these cities are spread across 24 states.

Q12539.EnvironmentMedium

What plot area threshold continues to apply for web portal registration and monitoring of dust control at construction and demolition sites in the NCR?

  1. A.100 square metres
  2. B.250 square metres
  3. C.500 square metres
  4. D.1000 square metres
Show answer
Correct answer: C. 500 square metres

While approving the amendment that widens web portal based registration and monitoring of dust control measures to construction and demolition projects lying beyond municipal limits, in controlled areas, development and industrial development areas, industrial zones and highway corridor zones, the Commission specifically kept the existing plot area threshold of 500…

Q12540.EnvironmentHard

In the revised GRAP schedule, restrictions on diesel generator sets and entry of BS-IV and older buses have been moved to which stage?

  1. A.Stage-I
  2. B.Stage-II
  3. C.Stage-III
  4. D.Stage-IV
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Stage-I

The Commission shifted the actions dealing with diesel generator sets and with the entry of buses of BS-IV standard and below coming from the National Capital Region and the adjoining states out of Stage-II and into Stage-I. Because GRAP stages are triggered in ascending order as air quality worsens, moving…