RRB NTPC CBT 1 2021 General Awareness Questions with Solutions

Explanation

Former Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, was conferred the Padma Vibhushan in 2021 in the field of Public Affairs. He was recognized for his outstanding contribution to strengthening strategic and economic relations between India and Japan during his tenure.

Explanation

India Gate, originally called the All India War Memorial, located in New Delhi, was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens. Its foundation stone was laid in February 1921, and it was inaugurated in 1931. It was built to commemorate over 80,000 soldiers of the undivided Indian Army who lost their lives fighting during the First World War (1914–1918) and the Third Anglo-Afghan War. The walls of the monument bear the inscribed names of thousands of soldiers who served and died in those conflicts.

Explanation

The Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (BIFR) was established in 1987 under the Sick Industrial Companies (Special Provisions) Act, 1985 (SICA). Its primary objective was to address industrial sickness in India by determining the status of sick companies, preparing and approving revival or rehabilitation schemes for viable units, and recommending the liquidation of non-viable enterprises to prevent unproductive lock-up of capital.

Explanation

In India, the agricultural sector is the largest consumer of water, accounting for nearly 85 to 90 percent of the total water demand and consumption. This massive demand is primarily driven by extensive canal irrigation and groundwater extraction required to sustain water-intensive crops such as paddy, sugarcane, and wheat across the country.

Explanation

Teejan Bai is an internationally acclaimed exponent of Pandavani, a traditional folk singing style from Chhattisgarh that enacts stories from the Indian epic Mahabharata. Performing primarily in the Kapalik style, she dynamically narrates the tales while playing the tambura, using it as a prop to visually represent various characters and weapons. Her major contributions to preserving and promoting this performing art form earned her prestigious national honors, including the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan.

Explanation

Pawan Hans Limited is a public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Civil Aviation that provides helicopter transport services for off-shore operations, charter flights, and passenger connectivity to remote, hilly, and inaccessible tourist destinations across India, including Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and the North-Eastern states.

Explanation

The Vitthala Temple, built during the 16th century under the Vijayanagara Empire, is an architectural landmark situated in Hampi, Karnataka. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu as Vitthala, the temple complex is renowned for its iconic stone chariot, ornate pillared halls, and 56 musical pillars that produce musical notes when struck. It is one of the most prominent structures within the UNESCO World Heritage Site designated as the Group of Monuments at Hampi.

Explanation

According to Census 2011, Arunachal Pradesh recorded a population density of 17 persons per square kilometre, which is the lowest among all states in India. Population density represents the total number of individuals residing per square kilometre of land area. Arunachal Pradesh's extremely sparse population distribution is primarily attributed to its rugged mountainous terrain, expansive forest cover, and hilly landscape.

Explanation

The Champaran Satyagraha of 1917 in Bihar was Mahatma Gandhi's first civil disobedience movement in India. It was launched to support local peasant farmers who were bound under the Tinkathia system, which legally obliged them to cultivate indigo on 3/20th of their total landholding for European planters, causing severe economic exploitation and land degradation.

Explanation

The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) was established on August 3, 1954, and operates directly under the executive charge of the Prime Minister of India. The Department is tasked with nuclear power generation, peaceful applications of radioisotopes in agriculture, medicine, and industry, as well as advancing basic and applied research in nuclear science. Because nuclear technology is a matter of strategic national importance, its administration and governance are retained directly under the Office of the Prime Minister.

Explanation

A writ of Mandamus, which literally translates from Latin as "we command", is an order issued by a court to a public officer, government department, lower court, or public tribunal directing them to perform a statutory or public duty that they have failed or refused to perform. It serves as a legal command to ensure that public authorities execute their obligatory functions under the law.

Explanation

Public school education for all is a general educational objective addressed through national educational frameworks like Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, rather than being one of the designated pillars or growth areas under the Digital India programme. The Digital India initiative specifically targets nine focused digital growth areas encompassing broadband infrastructure, mobile connectivity, electronic service delivery, and digital governance.

Explanation

Lord Irwin served as the Viceroy and Governor-General of India from April 1926 to April 1931. Mahatma Gandhi initiated the historic Dandi March, also known as the Salt Satyagraha, from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi between 12 March and 6 April 1930 to protest the British salt monopoly, falling directly within Lord Irwin's tenure. During his term, Lord Irwin also represented the British government in negotiations with Gandhi, culminating in the signing of the Gandhi-Irwin Pact in March 1931.

Explanation

Article 348(1)(a) of the Constitution of India explicitly mandates that until Parliament by law otherwise provides, all proceedings in the Supreme Court and in every High Court shall be conducted in the English language. Although Article 348(2) allows the Governor of a State, with the prior consent of the President, to authorize the use of Hindi or another official language for certain High Court proceedings, English remains the language prescribed under Clause (1).

Explanation

The Ministry of AYUSH was formed on 9 November 2014 by upgrading the Department of Indian Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy. Its core mission is to ensure the optimal development, education, and research in alternative healthcare systems, specifically Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa, and Homoeopathy.

Explanation

A plotter is a specialized output device that interprets vector graphics commands from a computer to draw continuous, high-precision lines on paper using pens, markers, or inkjets. Unlike conventional printers that create images using a grid of dots, plotters produce crisp, perfectly scalable vector drawings, making them the primary hardware used in Computer Aided Design (CAD) applications to produce large-format architectural blueprints, engineering schematics, and mechanical designs.

Explanation

P. V. Sindhu was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian award, in 2020 for her distinguished contributions to badminton. She became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics and also became the first Indian to win a gold medal at the BWF World Championships in 2019.

Explanation

Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) is a public-funded research institution and a National Centre of the Government of India under the administrative control of the Department of Atomic Energy. Although established in 1945 with financial support from the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, it functions as an autonomous deemed university funded by the Central Government, and is not a private sector institute.

Explanation

Saint Kabir, the 15th-century Indian mystic poet, philosopher, and saint, was born in Varanasi (Kashi), Uttar Pradesh. According to traditional accounts, he was found near the Lahartara pond in Varanasi and raised by a family of Muslim weavers, Niru and Nima. Kabir went on to spend most of his life in Varanasi composing couplets (dohas) that promoted unity, spiritual devotion, and social harmony.

Explanation

After being sworn in for his second term as Prime Minister on 30 May 2019, Narendra Modi undertook his first foreign visit to the Maldives on 8-9 June 2019. During this state visit aimed at strengthening India's 'Neighborhood First' policy, he addressed the Maldivian Parliament, the People's Majlis, and was conferred with the Maldives' highest honor for foreign dignitaries, the Order of the Distinguished Rule of Nishan Izzuddin.

Explanation

Major James Rennell was appointed as the first Surveyor General of Bengal in 1767 by Robert Clive. He initiated and conducted the first systematic topographical and geographical survey of Bengal and large parts of the Indian subcontinent. Widely recognized as the Father of Indian Geography and Cartography, his extensive field measurements led to the creation of the Bengal Atlas in 1779 and the first accurate map of India in 1783.

Explanation

Atmospheric density decreases continuously with increasing altitude as gravity's pull weakens and gas molecules become widely dispersed. The exosphere is the outermost layer of Earth's atmosphere, extending from the top of the thermosphere up to approximately 10,000 km into space. At this extreme altitude, atmospheric particles are extremely sparse, composed mainly of trace amounts of light gases such as hydrogen and helium, making it the layer with the lowest density.

Explanation

Macroratna is not a recognized classification or status for Central Public Sector Enterprises in India. The Department of Public Enterprises under the Ministry of Heavy Industries categorizes eligible public enterprises based on financial performance, autonomy, and net worth, but no tier or designation named Macroratna exists within the Indian corporate or public sector framework.

Explanation

SEAC (Standards Eastern Automatic Computer) was built in 1950 by the US National Bureau of Standards. It is classified as a first-generation computer because it utilized vacuum tubes and germanium diode logic, which was the core technology defining first-generation computing systems developed between 1940 and 1956.

Explanation

On 1 April 2019, Dena Bank along with Vijaya Bank was merged into Bank of Baroda. This landmark three-way merger created India's third-largest lender at the time, behind State Bank of India and HDFC Bank. It was the first-ever three-way consolidation in the Indian public sector banking sector, initiated by the Government of India to build stronger, globally competitive banks.

Explanation

Diffusion is the spontaneous intermixing of particles of two different types of matter on their own. It occurs due to the continuous kinetic motion of particles, which causes them to move from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration until they are evenly distributed.

Explanation

Ozone is an inorganic molecule and an allotrope of oxygen consisting of three oxygen atoms bound together, chemically designated as O₃ or tri-oxygen. The ozone layer, located in the Earth's stratosphere, contains high concentrations of this gas, which plays a vital role in protecting life on Earth by absorbing harmful solar ultraviolet radiation.

Explanation

During the historic Lahore session of the Indian National Congress in December 1929, presided over by Jawaharlal Nehru, the Congress passed the landmark 'Purna Swaraj' resolution, declaring complete independence from British rule as its primary goal instead of dominion status. Following this proclamation, the tricolor flag was hoisted on the banks of the Ravi River on 31 December 1929, and 26 January 1930 was designated to be celebrated as Independence Day across the nation.

Explanation

The Java Trench, also known as the Sunda Trench, is an oceanic trench located in the eastern Indian Ocean along the southern Indonesian archipelago. Formed by the subduction of the Indo-Australian Plate beneath the Sunda Plate, it stretches over 3,200 kilometres and reaches a maximum depth of approximately 7,290 metres, making it the deepest point in the Indian Ocean.

Explanation

Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, India hosted the 2021 Republic Day celebrations without any foreign Chief Guest. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had initially accepted the invitation but was forced to cancel his visit owing to a surge in coronavirus cases in the UK. This marked the first time in 55 years—since 1966—that the Republic Day parade took place without a foreign head of state or government present as Chief Guest.

Explanation

The Earth revolves around the Sun at an average orbital speed of approximately 29.78 kilometers per second (about 30 km/s). Converting this speed to imperial units yields about 107,000 kilometers per hour, which equals approximately 67,000 miles per hour (or 66,616 mph). At this speed, Earth covers a path of nearly 584 million miles during its annual journey around the Sun.

Explanation

The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations and the only one of the six principal UN organs located outside New York City. Its seat is established at the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands.

Explanation

The Second Round Table Conference was held in London from September 7 to December 1, 1931, following the signing of the Gandhi-Irwin Pact. Mahatma Gandhi attended the conference as the sole official representative of the Indian National Congress, while Sarojini Naidu accompanied him to represent the women of India.

Explanation

ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) comprises ten Southeast Asian countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. India maintains a strategic partnership and summit-level dialogue partner status with the bloc, but it is not a full member of ASEAN.

Explanation

During the Maurya period, the ancient trade route that corresponds to the modern Grand Trunk Road was known as Uttarapatha (or Uttarpath), meaning "Northern Route". Mentioned in ancient texts like Megasthenes' Indica, it connected Taxila in the northwest to Pataliputra (modern Patna) and Tamralipti in the east, serving as a major artery for trade, military movement, and administration across northern India.

Explanation

The concept of Five-Year Plans in India was borrowed from the former Soviet Union (USSR). Under the leadership of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, India adopted centralized socio-economic planning to achieve rapid economic development, equitable distribution of resources, and industrial growth. To implement this Soviet-inspired planning model, India established the Planning Commission in 1950 and launched its First Five-Year Plan in 1951.

Explanation

Airports Authority of India (AAI) is a Miniratna Category-I Central Public Sector Enterprise under the administrative control of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Created by the Airports Authority of India Act, 1994, AAI is responsible for creating, upgrading, maintaining, and managing civil aviation infrastructure on the ground and in air space across India, holding Miniratna Category-I status rather than Navratna status.

Explanation

The Central AGMARK Laboratory is located in Nagpur, Maharashtra. It functions as the apex central laboratory under the Directorate of Marketing and Inspection, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. Established under the Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act, 1937, the laboratory is responsible for setting standard specifications, conducting physical and chemical testing, and carrying out research on agricultural commodities to ensure quality control across the country.

Explanation

Combustion is a chemical process that requires a continuous supply of oxygen to sustain the flame. When a burning candle is covered with a glass jar, the flame consumes the limited amount of oxygen trapped inside the jar while producing carbon dioxide and water vapor. Once the available oxygen is depleted, the chemical reaction of burning can no longer continue, causing the flame to extinguish and the candle to stop burning.

Explanation

India hosts four out of the 36 globally recognized biodiversity hotspots. These regions are characterized by exceptional levels of endemic species and severe habitat loss. The four biodiversity hotspots present in India are the Himalaya, Indo-Burma, Western Ghats and Sri Lanka, and Sundaland (which includes the Nicobar group of islands).

Explanation

India shares an international border of approximately 4,096 kilometers with Bangladesh, which is India's longest border with any neighboring country. A total of five Indian states touch the Bangladesh border: West Bengal, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura, and Assam. Among these, West Bengal shares the longest portion of the border.

Explanation

Meghalaya shares its land border with only one Indian state, Assam, to its north and east, and the country of Bangladesh to its south and west. It is completely separated from Mizoram by Assam, and therefore does not share any boundary with Mizoram.

Explanation

The Ministry of Mines is responsible for the survey, exploration, mining, and metallurgy of non-ferrous metals such as copper, aluminium, zinc, lead, nickel, and gold. Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL), a Miniratna Category-I Central Public Sector Enterprise involved in copper mining and production, functions directly under the administrative control of the Ministry of Mines.

Explanation

Intel is an American multinational corporation and technology company primarily known for designing and manufacturing hardware components, such as microprocessors, semiconductor chips, motherboard chipsets, and integrated circuits, rather than operating system software.

Explanation

South Indian Bank is a major private sector bank headquartered in Thrissur, Kerala. Established in 1929 as a private limited company, it was the first private sector bank in Kerala to become a scheduled commercial bank in 1946 under the Reserve Bank of India Act. The bank operates as a private financial institution and is not owned by the Government of India.

Explanation

The UN General Assembly adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in September 2015 as part of Resolution 70/1, titled "Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development". Designed to succeed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), they established a global framework of 169 targets aimed at addressing poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace, and justice by 2030.

Explanation

Pandit Birju Maharaj was a legendary exponent of the Lucknow "Kalka-Bindadin" gharana of Kathak dance. A recipient of the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian honor, he was an accomplished dancer, composer, singer, and choreographer who brought global recognition to Kathak.

Explanation

Pandit Birju Maharaj was an Indian master and leading exponent of the Lucknow Kalka-Bindadin gharana of Kathak dance. Belonging to a distinguished family of Kathak dancers that included his uncles Shambhu Maharaj and Lachhu Maharaj, he played a key role in bringing Kathak to global prominence. He was honored with the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian award, for his exceptional contributions to classical dance.

Explanation

Tim Berners-Lee invented HyperText Markup Language (HTML) in 1990 while working at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research). He designed HTML to enable researchers to share and link documents across different computer systems, laying the foundation for the World Wide Web alongside HTTP and the first web browser.

Explanation

Pat Cummins was awarded the Player of the Series in the four-match Test series (Border-Gavaskar Trophy) between India and Australia concluded in January 2021. He finished as the highest wicket-taker of the series, taking 21 wickets at an average of 20.04.