RRB NTPC CBT 1 2021 General Awareness Questions with Solutions

Explanation

Viscosity is the measure of a fluid's resistance to flow and gradual deformation. It arises due to the internal friction between adjacent layers of a liquid or gas moving at different velocities. As these layers slide past one another, viscous forces act to oppose their relative motion, functioning as internal fluid friction.

Explanation

Delhi has officially retained its name without any alteration since India gained independence in 1947. The administrative designation of the city, including the National Capital Territory of Delhi and New Delhi, has remained constant under official constitutional and legal frameworks.

Explanation

Khyber Pass is a mountain pass located along the Spin Ghar mountain range connecting Pakistan and Afghanistan. Historically serving as an important trade route and military invasion path between Central Asia and South Asia, it is situated far from the India-China border and does not serve as a border trade check post between India and China.

Explanation

Iltutmish institutionalized the Iqta system in the Delhi Sultanate to efficiently administer territorial acquisitions and pay his civil and military officers. Under this system, the land of the empire was divided into administrative tracts called Iqtas and assigned to nobles, commanders, and administrators known as Iqtadars or Muqtis. In return, the assignees were responsible for collecting land revenue, maintaining law and order in their assigned territories, and supplying troops to the Sultan during times of war.

Explanation

Aqua regia, a freshly prepared mixture of concentrated hydrochloric acid and concentrated nitric acid in a 3:1 volume ratio, is widely used in the refining and purification of gold. It is one of the few acid mixtures capable of dissolving noble metals like gold and platinum. When gold dissolves in aqua regia, it forms chloroauric acid (HAuCl₄). Pure gold is then selectively precipitated out of the solution using a reducing agent such as sodium metabisulfite or iron(II) sulfate, leaving all impurities behind.

Explanation

National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL) is an Indian central securities depository established in August 1996 under the Depositories Act of 1996. Promoted by institutions including IDBI, UTI, and the National Stock Exchange (NSE), NSDL holds financial securities such as stocks, bonds, and debentures in electronic or dematerialized form, facilitating safe and efficient trading and settlement across Indian capital markets.

Explanation

The United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, held in Stockholm, Sweden, in June 1972, was the world's first major international conference dedicated to global environmental protection. It brought together representatives from 113 nations and led to the adoption of the Stockholm Declaration and Action Plan for the Human Environment, placing environmental issues at the forefront of international diplomacy for the first time and leading to the creation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Explanation

The Vidyanjali Project is an initiative launched by the Ministry of Education (formerly Ministry of Human Resource Development) under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan to strengthen government schools through community and private sector involvement. It enables volunteers—such as retired teachers, government officials, defense personnel, young professionals, and homemakers—to contribute their skills and services directly in government schools to support teachers and aid in scholastic and co-scholastic activities.

Explanation

The National Development Council (NDC), established on 6 August 1952, was the apex body for socio-economic planning and development in India. Headed by the Prime Minister and comprising Union Cabinet Ministers, Chief Ministers of all states, and members of the Planning Commission, the NDC was entrusted with reviewing the national development policies and according final approval to the draft Five-Year Plans before their implementation.

Explanation

On March 13, 1940, Indian revolutionary Sardar Udham Singh shot and killed Sir Michael O'Dwyer at Caxton Hall in London. Michael O'Dwyer was the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab during the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh Massacre who had endorsed the brutal firing ordered by Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer. Deeply affected by the tragedy, Udham Singh sought to avenge the atrocity inflicted upon innocent civilians. He was subsequently arrested, convicted, and hanged at Pentonville Prison on July 31, 1940.

Explanation

Hyderabad, the capital city of Telangana, is situated in the heart of the Deccan Plateau in southern India, along the banks of the Musi River. The Deccan Plateau is a vast triangular elevated region extending across southern India, bounded by the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats. Hyderabad sits on this region's undulating, rocky terrain at an average elevation of approximately 542 metres above sea level.

Explanation

The Mechi River originates in the Mahabharat Range in Nepal. It flows southward, forming a portion of the international boundary between India and Nepal, and enters the state of Bihar in India, where it merges into the Mahananda River as a major tributary.

Explanation

G. Madhavan Nair served as the Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Secretary to the Department of Space from 2003 to 2009. Under his leadership, India successfully launched its first mission to the Moon, Chandrayaan-1, on 22 October 2008 aboard a PSLV-C11 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota.

Explanation

Chiansoo (also spelled Chainsoo) is a traditional and highly nutritious food preparation popular in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand. It is prepared by roasting whole black gram (urad dal), grinding it coarsely, and simmering it slowly with spices and aromatic garlic, traditionally cooked in an iron pan (kadhai) to enrich its rich earthy flavor and nutritional content.

Explanation

In the provincial elections of 1937 held under the Government of India Act of 1935, the Unionist Party won a clear majority in the Punjab Legislative Assembly. Representing the cross-communal interests of Muslim, Hindu, and Sikh landowners and agriculturalists in the province, the Unionist Party formed the government with Sir Sikandar Hayat Khan taking oath as the first Premier of Punjab.

Explanation

The Silver Revolution in India refers to the rapid growth and development of egg and poultry production, achieved through modern farming techniques, improved high-yielding bird breeds, and enhanced disease control measures. Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi played a key role in driving this revolution to boost nutritional security and rural employment across the country.

Explanation

President Sukarno of Indonesia was the Guest of Honour for India's first Republic Day parade held on 26 January 1950. The occasion marked the coming into force of the Constitution of India and the country's official transition into a sovereign democratic republic.

Explanation

ISP stands for Internet Service Provider, an organization or company that provides individuals and businesses access to the Internet and related services, such as website hosting, domain registration, and email services. Examples of ISPs include telecommunications companies, cable providers, and mobile network operators.

Explanation

Permanent hardness of water is caused by the presence of dissolved chlorides and sulfates of calcium and magnesium. Adding washing soda (sodium carbonate, Na₂CO₃) converts these soluble calcium and magnesium salts into insoluble calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate precipitates, which can then be easily filtered out.

Reaction: CaCl₂ + Na₂CO₃ → CaCO₃↓ + 2NaCl CaSO₄ + Na₂CO₃ → CaCO₃↓ + Na₂SO₄

Explanation

Sleeping sickness, also known as Human African Trypanosomiasis, is a parasitic disease caused by protozoa belonging to the genus Trypanosoma. It is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected tsetse flies (Glossina species), which acquire the microscopic parasites from infected human or animal hosts and pass them on during blood meals.

Explanation

Under Article 76 of the Constitution of India, the Attorney-General for India is appointed by the President of India to advise the Union Government upon legal matters and perform legal duties assigned by the President. The Attorney-General serves as the chief legal advisor to the executive and is designated as the first Law Officer of the Government of India, possessing the right of audience in all courts across the territory of India.

Explanation

Article 341(2) of the Constitution of India empowers the Parliament to include in or exclude from the list of Scheduled Castes specified in a notification issued by the President any caste, race, or tribe, or part of or group within any caste, race, or tribe. While the initial notification specifying Scheduled Castes for a State or Union Territory is issued by the President under Article 341(1), any subsequent variation or amendment to this list can only be made through an Act passed by Parliament.

Explanation

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) was established as a statutory body on January 30, 1992, through the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992. It functions as the principal regulatory authority for securities and capital markets in India under the administrative jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance, protecting the interests of investors and promoting the development and regulation of the financial market.

Explanation

Dadabhai Naoroji, fondly known as the "Grand Old Man of India," was elected to the British House of Commons in 1892 as a Liberal Party candidate for the Finsbury Central constituency, becoming the first Indian member of the British Parliament. During his parliamentary tenure between 1892 and 1895, he raised critical Indian issues in the British legislature, including civil service reforms and the economic drain of wealth from India.

Explanation

The taungya system originated in Myanmar in the 19th century as a modified form of agroforestry used for forest plantation establishment. Under this system, farmers are permitted to raise temporary agricultural crops between rows of newly planted timber tree seedlings. Cultivation continues for a few years until the tree canopy closes and shades out the crops, after which farmers shift to a new plantation block. This integration allows cost-effective afforestation while simultaneously fulfilling local food production needs.

Explanation

A keyboard is a primary text-entry input device modeled after the layout of a traditional typewriter. It uses an arrangement of keys that act as electronic switches, allowing users to enter alphanumeric data, symbols, and system commands directly into a computer system.

Explanation

The Mishing (also known as Mising) tribe is an indigenous ethnic group inhabiting the riverine districts of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. They form the majority population on Majuli Island, the largest river island in the world located on the Brahmaputra River in Assam.

Explanation

The Imperial Bank of India was formed on 27 January 1921 through the amalgamation of the three Presidency banks of British India: the Bank of Calcutta (renamed Bank of Bengal in 1809), the Bank of Bombay, and the Bank of Madras. It functioned as a commercial bank as well as a quasi-central bank until the establishment of the Reserve Bank of India in 1935, and was later nationalized in 1955 to become the State Bank of India.

Explanation

Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khanan was the son of Bairam Khan, Akbar's military commander and guardian. Following Bairam Khan's death in 1561, Akbar took young Rahim under his care and raised him at court. Rahim went on to become an accomplished general, administrator, and one of the nine gems (Navratnas) in Akbar's court, best remembered for his famous Hindi couplets (dohas) and literary works.

Explanation

The Rann of Kutch in Gujarat is a unique landscape characterized by extensive saline sandy flats, salt marshes, and seasonal swamps formed by the accumulation of salts and silt. Tectonic activity in this earthquake-prone region has caused structural upliftment, giving rise to elevated ground and island-like raised landforms known locally as "bets" (such as Pachham, Khadir, and Bela) emerging above the surrounding marshy salt flats.

Explanation

Myopia is the medical term for short-sightedness or near-sightedness. It is a common refractive error of the eye where close objects appear clearly, but distant objects appear blurry. This occurs when the eyeball is too long relative to the focusing power of the cornea and lens, causing light rays entering the eye to focus in front of the retina rather than directly on its surface. It is corrected using a concave (diverging) lens.

Explanation

Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya popularized the phrase "Satyameva Jayate" (meaning "Truth alone triumphs"), taken from the Mundaka Upanishad, during the Indian independence movement. As President of the Indian National Congress in 1918, he brought this ancient mantra into public and political discourse. It was later adopted as the national motto of India upon independence in 1947 and inscribed in Devanagari script at the base of the National Emblem.

Explanation

Hotmail was founded by Sabeer Bhatia and Jack Smith and officially launched on July 4, 1996. It was one of the first webmail services on the Internet, allowing users to access their email inbox from any web browser worldwide without relying on client-based email software.

Explanation

Sriharikota is a barrier island situated in the Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh, along the Bay of Bengal. It houses the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC SHAR), which serves as the primary satellite launch center operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The site was chosen in the late 1960s due to its close proximity to the equator and its eastern coastal position, allowing rockets to launch eastward over the ocean for safety and fuel efficiency.

Explanation

M. S. Swaminathan was an eminent Indian agricultural scientist who played a central role in introducing high-yielding varieties of wheat and rice to India during the 1960s. Working alongside Norman Borlaug, his efforts led to dramatic increases in food grain production, helping India achieve food self-sufficiency and earning him the title of the "Father of the Green Revolution in India."

Explanation

Gotipua is a traditional folk dance form from Odisha performed by young boys who dress as females. It originated in the 16th century as a precursor to classical Odissi dance, featuring acrobatic postures and devotional movements performed in praise of Lord Jagannath and Lord Krishna.

Explanation

Article 371A of the Constitution of India provides special provisions for the state of Nagaland. Inserted by the 13th Constitutional Amendment Act in 1962, this article protects Naga religious and social practices, Naga customary law and procedure, administration of civil and criminal justice according to Naga customary law, and ownership and transfer of land and its resources. Acts of Parliament in these areas apply to Nagaland only if the Legislative Assembly of Nagaland decides so by a resolution.

Explanation

TranServ, a digital payments company, launched India's first social mobile wallet named Udio in January 2016. The app integrated a community-driven payment system, allowing users to perform peer-to-peer (P2P) transfers, split bills, and send social gifts seamlessly. It also partnered with RBL Bank (Ratnakar Bank) to issue a linked Visa prepaid card, enabling users to make both online and offline payment transactions.

Explanation

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is regarded as the 'Father of All India Services' for his instrumental role in establishing modern All India Services in post-independence India. In the Constituent Assembly, he strongly advocated for creating centralized civil services like the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) to ensure administrative stability and national integration, famously describing civil servants as the "steel frame of India".

Explanation

NASA's Juno spacecraft was launched on August 5, 2011, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station to study Jupiter. After traveling nearly five years across interplanetary space, Juno successfully entered Jupiter's polar orbit on July 5, 2016. Its primary mission is to investigate the planet's origin, atmospheric composition, gravitational and magnetic fields, and polar magnetosphere.

Explanation

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) was established on 22 November 1965 through General Assembly Resolution 2029 (XX). It was formed by merging two existing UN technical assistance bodies: the Expanded Programme of Technical Assistance (EPTA), established in 1949, and the United Nations Special Fund, created in 1958. Headquartered in New York City, UNDP functions as the lead UN agency for international development, working across more than 170 countries and territories to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities, and build sustainable democratic governance.

Explanation

Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of independent India, simultaneously held the portfolio of the Ministry of External Affairs, making him India's first Foreign Minister. He served in this role continuously from 15 August 1947 until 27 May 1964, shaping India's foreign policy and laying the foundation for the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

Explanation

Foxing is an age-related process of deterioration that causes reddish-brown or brownish spots and blotches to appear on the pages of old books, documents, and postage stamps. It is primarily driven by the growth of microscopic fungi in humid conditions and the oxidation of trace metal impurities, such as iron, present within the paper pulp. The term originates from the rusty, fox-like reddish-brown color of these spots.

Explanation

Dilras Banu Begum was the first wife and chief consort of the sixth Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb. Following her death in 1657, Aurangzeb conferred upon her the posthumous title Rabia-ud-Daurani, which translates to "Rabia of the Age". The famous monument Bibi Ka Maqbara in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, was commissioned by Aurangzeb as her final resting place and mausoleum.

Explanation

The Indigo Commission was appointed in November 1860 by the British colonial administration following the widespread Indigo Revolt (Nil Bidroha) of 1859 in Bengal. W.S. Seton-Karr, a British civil servant and Secretary to the Government of Bengal, served as the Chairman of this five-member commission. The commission investigated the grievances of peasant farmers against European indigo planters and concluded that the prevailing system of indigo cultivation was inherently coercive, oppressive, and financially unjust to the cultivators.

Explanation

World Tuberculosis (TB) Day is observed annually on 24 March to raise public awareness about the health, social, and economic consequences of tuberculosis and to accelerate efforts to end the global epidemic. This date commemorates 24 March 1882, when Dr. Robert Koch announced his groundbreaking discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium responsible for causing the disease.

Explanation

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) was established on 23 December 1986 under the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986. It came into existence to take over the functions, assets, and liabilities of the erstwhile Indian Standards Institution (ISI), which had been established in 1947.

Explanation

The Poona Pact was signed on 24 September 1932 between Dr. B. R. Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi (represented by Madan Mohan Malaviya) at Yerwada Central Jail in Poona. It was reached to resolve the crisis created by the British Communal Award, which had granted separate electorates to the depressed classes. The agreement abandoned separate electorates and instead provided reserved seats for the depressed classes within the general electoral system, increasing their representation in provincial assemblies from 71 to 148 seats.

Explanation

Louise Glück, an American poet and essayist, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2020 for her unmistakable poetic voice that with austere beauty makes individual existence universal. She became the 16th woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. Her acclaimed works, including collections like Averno and The Wild Iris, are celebrated for their candid exploration of trauma, family life, and mortality through sparse, lyrical verse.

Explanation

Carl Linnaeus, a renowned Swedish botanist, zoologist, and physician, wrote the famous work Systema Naturae, first published in 1735. In this milestone publication, Linnaeus established the hierarchical system of biological classification and introduced binomial nomenclature, the standard two-part naming system for organisms.