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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

Q1521.Indian EconomyAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2024, GKHard

Which one of the following statements for a firm's equilibrium in Perfect Competition is not correct ?

  1. A.The market price must be greater or equal to average variable cost in the short run.
  2. B.The market price must be equal to marginal cost.
  3. C.The market price must be equal to average cost in the long run.
  4. D.The marginal cost decreases at the equilibrium output.
Show answer
Correct answer: D. The marginal cost decreases at the equilibrium output.

This statement is not correct, because at the equilibrium of a competitive firm marginal cost must be rising. A firm in perfect competition is a price taker, so the price it gets equals its marginal revenue.

Q1522.Indian PolityAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2025, GKMedium

Which one among the following statements about an adjournment motion in the Parliament of India is not correct ?

  1. A.Its objective is to draw attention of the House to any recent matter of urgent public importance.
  2. B.Adjournment motion is an extraordinary procedure.
  3. C.This motion can be invoked on any matter of urgent importance that may even be within the jurisdiction of a State Government.
  4. D.The Chair has absolute discretion to refuse consent.
Show answer
Correct answer: C. This motion can be invoked on any matter of urgent importance that may even be within the jurisdiction of a State Government.

The statement is not correct, because an adjournment motion can be moved only on a matter that primarily concerns the Union Government, not one within a State Government's jurisdiction.

Q1523.GeographyAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2016, GKMedium

Which one of the following statements is not correct?

  1. A.Position of the Sun, Earth and Moon in a straight line of 180° angle is known as syzygy.
  2. B.Syzygy conjunction causes solar eclipse.
  3. C.Syzygy opposition causes lunar eclipse.
  4. D.Syzygy conjunction occurs at the time of perihelion only.
Show answer
Correct answer: D. Syzygy conjunction occurs at the time of perihelion only.

This statement is not correct, because conjunction happens at every new moon, about once a month, and has nothing to do with the Earth's closest point to the Sun.

Q1524.GeographyAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2017, GKMedium

Which one of the following about sugar industry of Peninsular India is not correct?

  1. A.High yield per hectare of sugarcane
  2. B.Higher sucrose content
  3. C.Long crushing season
  4. D.Most of the mills in the Peninsula are located mainly along the east coast
Show answer
Correct answer: D. Most of the mills in the Peninsula are located mainly along the east coast

This statement is not correct, because the peninsular sugar mills are concentrated mainly in Maharashtra and Karnataka, in the west and the interior of the plateau.

Q1525.Science & TechnologyAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2022, GKHard

To study which one of the following was a spacecraft launched that would be farthest from the Sun and would run exclusively on solar power ?

  1. A.Jupiter's Trojan asteroids
  2. B.Saturn's rings and moons
  3. C.Mars' atmosphere
  4. D.Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Jupiter's Trojan asteroids

NASA's Lucy mission, launched in October 2021, is the solar-powered spacecraft that travels farthest from the Sun to study the Trojan asteroids.

Q1526.Indian PolityAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2025, GKHard

Which of the following descriptions with regard to Parliamentary Privilege for Members of the Parliament of India is/are correct ?

1. The Speaker is empowered to refer suo moto any question of privilege for investigation

2. A question of privilege is accorded priority over other items in the List of Business

3. The privilege extends to freedom from preventive arrest or detention

Select the answer using the code given below :

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

Statements 1 and 2 describe the Lok Sabha's privilege procedure correctly, while statement 3 overstates the freedom from arrest. Under the Rules of Procedure of the Lok Sabha, the Speaker may refer any question of privilege to the Committee of Privileges on his own, without a motion from a member.

Q1527.Indian HistoryAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2026, GKMedium

The Sylhet Referendum was held in ?

  1. A.1947
  2. B.1948
  3. C.1949
  4. D.1950
Show answer
Correct answer: A. 1947

The Sylhet Referendum was held in early July 1947, just before Partition, to decide whether Sylhet district of Assam would stay with India or join East Bengal, which was going to Pakistan.

Q1532.EnvironmentMedium

Under which law were the two passengers carrying the reptiles arrested?

  1. A.The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972
  2. B.The Customs Act, 1962
  3. C.The Biological Diversity Act, 2002
  4. D.The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
Show answer
Correct answer: B. The Customs Act, 1962

The reptiles were seized and the two Indian passengers were arrested by the Air Intelligence Unit at Trichy under the provisions of that Act, because the offence was the illegal import of goods, here live wildlife, across a customs frontier.

Q1535.EconomyMedium

How much FDI do the EFTA States aim to bring into India under TEPA, and over what period?

  1. A.50 billion dollars over 10 years
  2. B.75 billion dollars over 12 years
  3. C.100 billion dollars over 15 years
  4. D.150 billion dollars over 20 years
Show answer
Correct answer: C. 100 billion dollars over 15 years

That is the investment aim written into the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement, and it is paired with the facilitation of a million direct jobs in India.

Q1538.NationalMedium

Which company has confirmed its intent to be the primary strategic investor in the Thoothukudi shipyard?

  1. A.Hyundai Motor India
  2. B.HD Korea Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering
  3. C.Mitsui OSK Lines
  4. D.Cochin Shipyard Limited
Show answer
Correct answer: B. HD Korea Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering

At the Seoul meeting it repeated its strong intent to take part as the primary strategic investor, offering its global expertise in shipyard design, construction, advanced manufacturing and operations.

Q1540.Government SchemesHard

On which day was the first Tobacco-Free Youth Campaign launched?

  1. A.World Health Day, 7 April 2022
  2. B.World No Tobacco Day, 31 May 2023
  3. C.Independence Day, 15 August 2024
  4. D.Gandhi Jayanti, 2 October 2025
Show answer
Correct answer: B. World No Tobacco Day, 31 May 2023

The first Tobacco-Free Youth Campaign was launched that day, timed to coincide with the observance, and it laid the base for a focused national effort against tobacco use among young people.