RRB NTPC CBT 1 2021 General Awareness Questions with Solutions

Explanation

Eleanor Roosevelt was an American figure who served as First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945. Appointed as a delegate to the United Nations General Assembly by President Harry S. Truman in 1945, she became the first chairperson of the UN Commission on Human Rights and played a pivotal role in drafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which was adopted in 1948.

Explanation

In economics and inflation tracking, CPI stands for Consumer Price Index. It measures the average change over time in the prices paid by consumers for a representative basket of goods and services, such as food, clothing, housing, medical care, and transportation. It is a key macro-economic indicator used by central banks and governments to track retail-level inflation and changes in the cost of living.

Explanation

Emperor Akbar's tomb is located at Sikandra, a suburb of Agra in Uttar Pradesh. Akbar himself planned and initiated the construction of his mausoleum in 1605, which was later completed by his son, Emperor Jahangir, in 1613. The five-story tomb is built primarily of red sandstone decorated with white marble, renowned for its architectural blend of Hindu, Islamic, Buddhist, and Jain elements.

Explanation

The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) were established during the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference, popularly known as the Bretton Woods Conference, held in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, United States, in July 1944. Delegates from 44 Allied nations gathered to design a new international monetary system to ensure financial stability and rebuild post-World War II economies, leading to the creation of these twin institutions.

Explanation

The Government of India launched the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme on 1 January 2013. It was initiated to reform the government delivery system by re-engineering welfare processes, eliminating intermediaries, and transferring subsidies, scholarships, and financial benefits directly into the Aadhaar-linked bank accounts of eligible beneficiaries.

Explanation

'Manimekalai' is one of the Five Great Epics (Aimperumkappiyam) of Tamil literature, composed by the Buddhist poet Chithalai Chathanar (also known as Sattanar) during the post-Sangam period. The epic serves as a continuation of 'Silappatikaram' and details the life, spiritual awakening, and charitable acts of Manimekalai, the daughter of Kovalan and Madhavi, who ultimately embraces a life of asceticism and Buddhist philosophy.

Explanation

IBM Corporation originated in 1911 as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (CTR) through a merger of four companies. In 1924, under the leadership of Thomas J. Watson Sr., the company was renamed International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation to reflect its expanding international operations and broader range of business equipment and technology products.

Explanation

Tanjore (Thanjavur) paintings originated in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, under the patronage of the Chola dynasty around the 11th century. The Chola rulers were prolific patrons of classical South Indian arts, architecture, and temple mural paintings, establishing the visual vocabulary, devotional iconography, and artistic foundation that led to the development of this traditional art form.

Explanation

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation. It refers to the process and set of techniques used to improve a website's visibility and ranking on search engine result pages. By optimising content, technical performance, and site architecture, websites can attract more organic (unpaid) traffic from search engines.

Explanation

A computer virus is a malicious software program or piece of code designed to load onto a computer system without the user's knowledge or consent and run against their wishes. Once executed, it can attach itself to other files or programs, replicate across the system, corrupt or alter data, consume system memory, and disrupt normal computer operations.

Explanation

SONAR stands for Sound Navigation and Ranging. It is a technique that uses sound propagation, typically underwater, to navigate, communicate, or detect objects on or under the surface of the water. It functions by emitting ultrasonic sound pulses into the water and measuring the time taken for the echo to return after reflecting off underwater objects, allowing precise determination of distance and direction.

Explanation

The Palk Strait is a narrow body of water located between the Tamil Nadu state of India and the Mannar district of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. It connects the Bay of Bengal in the northeast with Palk Bay in the southwest, serving as the geographical water boundary between India and Sri Lanka.

Explanation

The Union Budget for 1973–74, presented by Finance Minister Yashwantrao B. Chavan, is famously referred to as the "Black Budget" of India. It earned this moniker because it had a massive budget deficit of ₹550 crore, which was extraordinarily high for that time. The deficit was primarily driven by severe economic stress caused by the 1971 India-Pakistan War, widespread agricultural drought across the country, and the global oil crisis of 1973.

Explanation

The Inga Dam project, located on the Congo River in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, includes the Grand Inga hydroelectric power scheme. Due to the massive water volume and significant elevation drop of the Inga Falls along the Congo River, the Grand Inga project is designed to have a potential generating capacity of around 40,000 MW, making it one of the largest proposed hydroelectric power installations in the world.

Explanation

The Akash 1S (or Akash Mk1S) is an upgraded variant of the Akash surface-to-air missile defence system developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The primary feature of this variant is the integration of an indigenously-developed active Radio Frequency (RF) seeker. While the original Akash missile relied exclusively on ground-based radar command guidance, the addition of an active terminal seeker significantly enhances guidance accuracy and single-shot kill probability against agile, high-speed aerial targets.

Explanation

The Heavy Water Plant at Thal-Vaishet in Raigad district, Maharashtra, was commissioned in 1987. Operated by the Heavy Water Board under the Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India, it is India's first second-generation heavy water plant built completely through indigenous efforts. The facility uses a monothermal ammonia-hydrogen exchange process to produce heavy water (D₂O), which serves as a moderator and coolant in Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors.

Explanation

France was part of Laurasia, the northern supercontinent formed during the Mesozoic Era after the breakup of Pangaea. Laurasia comprised the landmasses that today make up North America, Europe, and most of Asia, whereas Gondwanaland constituted the southern supercontinent.

Explanation

The Indian Official Secrets Act was passed in 1904 during the viceroyalty of Lord Curzon (Act XIV of 1904). This legislation amended the earlier Official Secrets Act of 1889 by extending its purview beyond military matters to cover civil affairs and public administration. Its primary objective was to suppress nationalist sentiments and severely restrict the freedom of the press by making the publication of government information a punishable offense.

Explanation

Villi are tiny, finger-like projections lining the inner surface of the small intestine. They dramatically increase the surface area available for the absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream during the digestive process.

Explanation

Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) are atmospheric gases that absorb and emit infrared radiation, trapping heat within the Earth's atmosphere through the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), water vapor, and fluorinated gases, which are the main drivers of global warming and human-induced climate change.

Explanation

In July 2019, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju presented the Arjuna Award for 2018 to Indian tennis player Rohan Bopanna. Although selected for the honor in 2018 following his men's doubles gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games and his 2017 French Open mixed doubles victory, Bopanna was unable to attend the main Rashtrapati Bhavan award ceremony in September 2018 due to prior commitments in international tournaments, leading to the special award conferment.

Explanation

At the time of Independence in 1947, the Indian subcontinent contained 565 princely states that were not directly governed by the British Crown but were subject to its paramountcy. These states covered roughly 40% of the total land area of pre-independence India and accounted for nearly a quarter of its population. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, along with V. P. Menon, led the diplomatic integration of these 565 princely states into the Indian Union.

Explanation

Frying Pan Lake, also known as Waimangu Cauldron, is located in the Waimangu Volcanic Valley on the North Island of New Zealand. Formed following the massive 1886 Mount Tarawera eruption, it covers an area of approximately 38,000 square meters, making it the largest natural hot spring in the world by surface area. Its acidic waters maintain a surface temperature typically between 50°C and 60°C due to geothermal heating from the volcanic system beneath.

Explanation

The cytoplasm is the jelly-like fluid that fills the space inside a cell between the cell membrane and the nuclear membrane. It consists mainly of water, salts, and proteins, and contains a fluid portion known as cytosol along with various cellular organelles. It acts as a site for many vital biochemical processes and helps maintain the cell's shape and structure.

Explanation

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) was enacted in 2005 to enhance livelihood security in rural areas. It provides a legal guarantee of at least 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. If the government fails to provide employment within 15 days of application, the applicant is entitled to receive a daily unemployment allowance.

Explanation

Constitution Day, also known as Samvidhan Divas, is celebrated in India on 26th November every year. On this day in 1949, the Constituent Assembly of India formally adopted the Constitution of India, which later came into effect on 26th January 1950. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment notified the decision of the Government of India to celebrate 26th November as Constitution Day in 2015 to promote constitutional values among citizens.

Explanation

The National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) was launched by the Government of India on 15 August 1995 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme. It represents a significant step towards the fulfillment of the Directive Principles of State Policy enshrined in Article 41 of the Indian Constitution. The programme aims to provide social security and financial assistance to the elderly, widows, and persons with disabilities belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) households.

Explanation

The Dandi March, led by Mahatma Gandhi, was a historic 240-mile (approximately 385 km) journey on foot from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad to the coastal village of Dandi in Gujarat. The salt satyagraha spanned 24 days, from 12 March to 6 April 1930, with marchers covering roughly 10 miles per day to break the salt law and protest the British monopoly on salt production.

Explanation

Iodine is an essential trace element required by the thyroid gland to synthesize thyroid hormones, namely triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). These hormones regulate body metabolism, growth, and neurological development. A deficiency of iodine impairs the gland's ability to produce these crucial hormones, which can lead to conditions such as goitre and hypothyroidism.

Explanation

The British colonial administration enacted the Inland Emigration Act in 1859 to regulate internal labor migration, specifically to secure a controlled workforce for the tea plantations in Assam. Under this legislation, plantation workers were strictly prohibited from leaving the tea gardens without official permission from the estate managers, effectively binding them to the plantations under severe restrictions on their mobility.

Explanation

Geotropism, also known as gravitropism, is the growth or movement of a plant in response to gravity. Plant roots demonstrate positive geotropism by growing downwards in the direction of gravity's pull to anchor the plant and seek water and minerals, while shoots demonstrate negative geotropism by growing upwards away from gravity to capture light for photosynthesis.

Explanation

Devendra V. Darda, Managing Director of Lokmat Media Group, was elected as the Chairman of the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) for the year 2020-2021 in September 2020. ABC is a non-profit circulation-auditing organization in India responsible for certifying and auditing the circulations of major publications, including newspapers and magazines. Darda has also actively contributed to several other media industry bodies, such as the Indian Newspaper Society (INS) and IFRA.

Explanation

Swami Vivekananda emphasized that the true strength and awakening of India lay in its common people and poor masses rather than the privileged elite. He believed the upper classes had become stagnant, selfish, and detached from social realities, rendering them incapable of leading the nation's spiritual and social regeneration. He strongly advocated for uplifting the masses through education, social reform, and self-reliance, identifying them as the real force that would restore India's vitality.

Explanation

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) was launched in 2001 as India's flagship programme for achieving the Universalisation of Elementary Education (UEE). Implemented in partnership with state governments, it aims to provide useful and relevant elementary education to all children in the 6 to 14 age group. This initiative aligns with the 86th Constitutional Amendment Act of 2002, which inserted Article 21A into the Constitution to make free and compulsory education a Fundamental Right for children aged 6 to 14 years.

Explanation

The standard near point, or the least distance of distinct vision, for a human eye with normal vision is 25 cm. Hypermetropia (far-sightedness) is a refractive defect where light rays from nearby objects focus behind the retina, either because the focal length of the eye lens is too long or the eyeball is too short. Consequently, the near point for an affected individual recedes beyond the normal near point of 25 cm, making close objects appear blurry unless kept at a greater distance.

Explanation

Banasura Sagar Dam, located in the Wayanad district of Kerala across the Karamanathodu River (a tributary of the Kabini River), is the largest earthen dam in India and the second largest in Asia. The dam is named after Banasura, an Asura king who was the eldest son of Mahabali, the mythical king of Kerala.

Explanation

Memorandum expelling grants is a non-existent term and is not a component or document presented during the budgetary process in Parliament. The official budget documents presented under Article 112 of the Indian Constitution include specific statutory and explanatory papers such as the Annual Financial Statement, Demands for Grants, Finance Bill, Appropriation Bill, Receipts Budget, and Expenditure Profile, among which no such document or concept of expelling grants exists.

Explanation

Rail Bandhu is an official on-board monthly magazine launched by Indian Railways in April 2011. It is distributed to passengers traveling on premier trains such as the Rajdhani Express, Shatabdi Express, and Duronto Express, offering articles on travel, culture, heritage, lifestyle, and developments in the railway network to enrich the passenger travel experience.

Explanation

Article 41 of the Constitution of India, contained within Part IV under the Directive Principles of State Policy, directs the State to make effective provision for securing the right to work, to education, and to public assistance in cases of unemployment, old age, sickness, disablement, and other cases of undeserved want, within the limits of its economic capacity and development.

Explanation

India's first bullet train project, officially designated as the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor (MAHSR), is designed to connect Mumbai in Maharashtra with Ahmedabad in Gujarat. Spanning approximately 508 kilometers, the high-speed rail corridor utilizes Japan's renowned Shinkansen technology and is being constructed with financial and technical support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Explanation

According to the Guinness World Records 2020 edition, which analyzed global air pollution data released by the World Health Organization (WHO), Kanpur recorded the highest average annual PM2.5 level in the world at 173 micrograms per cubic meter. This concentration was more than 17 times higher than the WHO's recommended safety limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter.

Explanation

Article 280 of the Constitution of India provides for the establishment of the Finance Commission as a quasi-judicial body. It is constituted by the President of India every five years, or at such earlier time as considered necessary, to make recommendations on the distribution of tax revenues between the Union and the States and the allocation among the States of the respective shares of such proceeds.

Explanation

Kathi is a traditional folk dance performed in West Bengal, particularly in districts like Midnapore, Purulia, and Nadia, as well as in the Nimar region of Madhya Pradesh. Performed predominantly by men using bamboo sticks to create rhythmic beats accompanied by traditional drums, it is not a folk dance of Assam.

Explanation

Chandra's Atmospheric Composition Explorer-2 (CHACE-2) payload aboard the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter detected Argon-40 (Ar-40) in the lunar exosphere in October 2019. Argon-40 is a noble gas isotope formed by the radioactive decay of Potassium-40 (K-40) present within the lunar subsurface, which diffuses through the regolith and escapes into the fragile lunar exosphere.

Explanation

Rolling friction is the force that opposes motion when an object rolls over a surface. When a body rolls, the region of contact between the surfaces at any given moment is extremely small, which drastically minimizes deformation and the interlocking of surface micro-irregularities. As a result, rolling motion encounters the smallest resistance among all types of frictional forces, making rolling friction the least frictional force.

Explanation

Kaiga Atomic Power Station is a nuclear power generating station operated by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL). It is located at Kaiga along the Kali River in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka and consists of pressurized heavy water reactor (PHWR) units that began commercial operations in 2000.

Explanation

Asphalt is a heavy, semi-solid petroleum residue used primarily in road paving and waterproofing. Unlike halogenated hydrocarbons, asphalt does not release volatile chlorofluorocarbons or hydrochlorofluorocarbons into the atmosphere, so it does not contribute to the destruction of stratospheric ozone molecules.

Explanation

According to the 2011 Census of India, Arunachal Pradesh recorded the lowest population density among all Indian states, with just 17 persons per square kilometer. This low density is primarily due to its rugged mountainous terrain, extensive forest cover, and hilly topography, which make large areas difficult for dense human settlement.

Explanation

Sri Aurobindo (Aurobindo Ghose) wrote this famous statement in April 1907 in a series of articles on passive resistance published in the nationalist newspaper Bande Mataram. He argued that complete political independence was an essential prerequisite for any meaningful national growth, including social, educational, and economic reforms. In his philosophy, a nation deprived of self-rule could not achieve true self-development, making the struggle for political liberation the primary duty of every citizen.

Explanation

Radio broadcasting in India commenced in June 1923 when the Radio Club of Bombay transmitted the first radio program in the country. This landmark event was followed shortly after by the establishment of the Calcutta Radio Club in November 1923, laying the foundation for organized broadcasting in India.