RRB NTPC CBT 1 2021 General Awareness Questions with Solutions

Explanation

Indian river systems are broadly classified into two major types based on their origin, physical characteristics, and regime: Himalayan rivers and Peninsular rivers. Himalayan rivers, such as the Ganga, Indus, and Brahmaputra, are perennial in nature as they originate from glaciers and snowfields. Peninsular rivers, such as the Godavari, Krishna, Mahanadi, Narmada, and Tapi, are seasonal, receiving water primarily during the monsoon rains.

Explanation

World Hindi Day is celebrated annually on 10th January to promote the Hindi language across the globe. It commemorates the first World Hindi Conference held in Nagpur on 10th January 1975, which was inaugurated by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The day was first officially observed in 2006 under the initiative of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.

Explanation

Serena Williams was handed a 10,000 fine by the All England Club for unsportsmanlike conduct prior to the start of the 2019 Wimbledon Championships. The sanction was imposed after she damaged one of the grass practice courts by throwing her racquet during a training session on June 30, 2019.

Explanation

Hydrogen, with the chemical symbol H and atomic number 1, is the first element on the periodic table. It is the lightest and most abundant chemical element in the universe, consisting of a single proton in its nucleus and a single electron in its shell. Elements in the periodic table are arranged in order of increasing atomic number, placing hydrogen at the very beginning in Period 1 and Group 1.

Explanation

The Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) scheme was launched by the Ministry of Tourism in 2014–15. Its primary focus is the holistic development of identified pilgrimage destinations across India to enrich the religious tourism experience. The scheme funds infrastructure enhancements at key spiritual sites, including better transport connectivity, last-mile access, public amenities, lighting, drinking water facilities, and tourist facilitation centers.

Explanation

Microsoft Project is a standalone project management software developed by Microsoft to assist project managers in creating schedules, allocating resources, managing budgets, and tracking progress. It is sold and licensed as an independent product rather than being bundled into standard Microsoft Office suite packages.

Explanation

Manoj Sinha was sworn in as the second Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir on 7 August 2020, succeeding Girish Chandra Murmu. A senior political leader and former Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Communications and Minister of State for Railways, he held the office through December 2020.

Explanation

Ernest Rutherford is universally recognized as the father of nuclear physics for his pioneering work in understanding atomic structure and radioactivity. Through his landmark gold foil experiment in 1911, he discovered the atomic nucleus, demonstrating that an atom's mass is concentrated in a tiny, dense core. He also discovered alpha and beta particles, formulated the concept of radioactive half-life, and achieved the first artificial transmutation of an element in 1919.

Explanation

Bangladesh emerged as an independent nation in 1971 following the Liberation War against Pakistan. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared independence on 26 March 1971, and after a nine-month conflict supported by India, Pakistani forces surrendered on 16 December 1971, officially establishing Bangladesh as a sovereign country.

Explanation

On 25 April 1945, delegates from 50 nations gathered in San Francisco, USA, for the United Nations Conference on International Organization (UNCIO). During this historic conference, representatives from these 50 governments collaborated to draft and finalize the Charter of the United Nations, which was officially signed on 26 June 1945.

Explanation

IRDAI stands for Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India. It is a statutory body established under the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act, 1999, tasked with regulating and promoting the insurance and re-insurance industries in India. Headquartered in Hyderabad, Telangana, the authority functions as an autonomous body to protect the interests of policyholders and ensure the orderly growth of the insurance sector.

Explanation

In the fifth edition of the annual cleanliness survey, Swachh Survekshan 2020, conducted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Surat in Gujarat secured the second position among cities with a population of over 10 lakh. The survey evaluated urban areas on parameters such as waste segregation at source, processing of solid waste, direct observation, and public participation. Indore topped the overall list for the fourth consecutive year, while Surat claimed the second rank, followed by Navi Mumbai in third place.

Explanation

Oxytocin is a hormone produced by the hypothalamus and secreted by the posterior pituitary gland. During labor and childbirth, it plays a central role by stimulating contractions of the uterine smooth muscle (myometrium) and promoting the dilation of the cervix through a positive feedback mechanism that facilitates delivery.

Explanation

In computer terminology and networking, the abbreviation Mb with a lowercase b stands for Megabit. A bit is the most basic unit of binary information in computing, where one megabit is equal to 1,000,000 bits (or 1,024 kilobits). It is primarily used to specify data transmission rates and network bandwidth speeds, such as in Megabits per second (Mbps).

Explanation

During the G20 Riyadh Summit in November 2020, member nations agreed to swap hosting schedules between India and Indonesia based on mutual consultations and convenience. As per the declaration, Italy hosted the presidency in 2021, Indonesia in 2022, and India hosted the 18th G20 Heads of State and Government Summit in New Delhi in 2023.

Explanation

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) was set up under the National Highways Authority of India Act, 1988, as an autonomous agency under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. It is entrusted with the mandate of planning, developing, constructing, and maintaining the network of National Highways across the country to facilitate smooth and efficient road transportation.

Explanation

At room temperature (20 °C), the speed of sound in dry air is approximately 343 m/sec. The speed of sound in a gas is given by the formula v = √(γRT/M), where γ is the adiabatic index of air (1.4), R is the universal gas constant, T is the absolute temperature in Kelvin, and M is the mean molar mass of air. At standard atmospheric conditions near 20 °C, substituting these values yields a sound velocity of approximately 343 m/sec.

Explanation

Anthocyanins are water-soluble vacuolar pigments belonging to the class of flavonoids. They are responsible for imparting red, purple, blue, and black colors to various fruits, vegetables, and flowers. The specific color produced by anthocyanins depends on the environmental pH level, appearing red in acidic conditions, purple in neutral conditions, and blue in alkaline conditions. Common foods rich in anthocyanins include blueberries, red cabbage, grapes, cherries, and eggplants.

Explanation

Armed Forces Flag Day is observed annually in India on 7th December. First commemorated in 1949 under the direction of the Ministry of Defence, the day is dedicated to honoring the martyrs and personnel of the Indian Armed Forces. Educational institutions and colleges across the country observe this day to raise funds from citizens for the welfare, rehabilitation, and support of serving personnel, ex-servicemen, disabled soldiers, and families of martyrs.

Explanation

Kristalina Georgieva, a Bulgarian economist, assumed office as the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on October 1, 2019, succeeding Christine Lagarde. She became the 12th Managing Director in the history of the institution and the first person from an emerging market economy to lead the IMF.

Explanation

In January 2021, the Union Government appointed R. S. Sharma, former chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), as the head of a 10-member empowered committee for the administration of the Covid-19 vaccine. The panel was tasked with facilitating the procurement, logistics, and rollout of the vaccination drive, including managing the Co-WIN technology platform designed for registration and tracking.

Explanation

The trachea, commonly known as the windpipe, is a cartilaginous tube that connects the larynx to the bronchi of the lungs. It is a fundamental component of the respiratory system designed exclusively for the passage of air to and from the lungs, and is completely separate from the digestive tract.

Explanation

During his speech at the inauguration of Banaras Hindu University in February 1916, Mahatma Gandhi observed that Indian nationalism had largely remained an elite phenomenon, dominated by lawyers, doctors, and wealthy landlords. He emphasized that true self-government could not be achieved without involving the masses, particularly the peasants and laborers who formed the vast majority of the Indian population.

Explanation

Shashi Shankar served as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) from October 2017 until his retirement in March 2021. Prior to taking over as CMD, he was serving as Director (Technical and Field Services) at ONGC.

Explanation

The United States women's national soccer team won the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup by defeating the Netherlands 2–0 in the final held at Parc Olympique Lyonnais in France on July 7, 2019. This victory marked their fourth FIFA Women's World Cup title, following their previous championships in 1991, 1999, and 2015.

Explanation

The 4th India Water Impact Summit 2019 was held from December 5 to 7, 2019, at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. Organised jointly by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and the Centre for Ganga River Basin Management and Studies (cGanga), the summit focused on integrated water resource management with the theme "Valuing Water – Transforming Ganga".

Explanation

According to data from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), National Highways constitute approximately 2% of India's total road network length but carry around 40% of the country's total road traffic. These primary arterial roads connect state capitals, major ports, industrial centers, and trade corridors, serving as the backbone for long-distance freight and passenger movement across the nation.

Explanation

Sir Isaac Newton formulated the Universal Law of Gravitation in 1687, published in his landmark work Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica. The law states that every particle of matter in the universe attracts every other particle with a force directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers (F = G × m₁m₂ / r²).

Explanation

Nobel laureate Amartya Sen expanded the concept of food security beyond simple national food availability by introducing the entitlement approach in his work Poverty and Famines. He argued that hunger and starvation occur not necessarily due to a lack of food production, but because individuals lack the legal and economic means—such as land, labour, income, trade, or state welfare—to access food. This approach shifted the focus of food security from macro-level availability to micro-level access and individual purchasing power.

Explanation

Sodium is an extremely reactive alkali metal with a high affinity for oxygen. When exposed to open air, sodium rapidly reacts with atmospheric oxygen to form sodium oxide and sodium peroxide. This exothermic reaction generates a large amount of heat, which causes the metal to spontaneously ignite and burn vigorously with a characteristic yellow flame. To prevent this reaction with oxygen and air, sodium is stored submerged under kerosene oil.

Explanation

Former Indian Navy Chief Admiral Sushil Kumar authored the book A Prime Minister to Remember: Memories of a Military Chief. The book highlights key defense and national security decisions taken by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, particularly during critical events such as the 1999 Kargil conflict. Admiral Sushil Kumar served as the Chief of the Naval Staff between 1998 and 2001.

Explanation

Homologous organs share the same basic structural layout, anatomical pattern, and embryonic origin because they are inherited from a common evolutionary ancestor. Due to adaptation to different ecological niches and survival requirements, these structures evolved to perform distinct functions, a phenomenon known as divergent evolution. Classic examples include the forelimbs of humans, bats, cheetahs, and whales, which all possess the same underlying pentadactyl bone structure despite being adapted for grasping, flying, running, and swimming respectively.

Explanation

The United Nations General Assembly designated the period 1981–1990 as the International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade through Resolution 35/18, adopted in November 1980. This global initiative stemmed from recommendations of the 1977 UN Water Conference held at Mar del Plata, Argentina. Its primary objective was to accelerate global commitments and ensure universal access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation services, particularly across developing nations.

Explanation

The Assam Accord was a Memorandum of Settlement signed on 15 August 1985 in New Delhi in the presence of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The agreement was executed between the representatives of the Government of India, the Assam State Government, and the leaders of the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) alongside the All Assam Gana Sangram Parishad (AAGSP). It marked the official conclusion of the six-year-long Assam Agitation (1979–1985) against illegal immigration into Assam.

Explanation

Viticulture refers to the commercial cultivation and harvesting of grapes, primarily for winemaking. It is a defining speciality of the Mediterranean region, where the unique climate of hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters creates optimal conditions for growing high-quality grapes. Regions with Mediterranean-type agriculture produce some of the best wines in the world, with grape cultivation forming a major part of the commercial farming economy.

Explanation

Among the first 11 natural numbers, there are 6 odd numbers {1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11} and 5 even numbers {2, 4, 6, 8, 10}.

The sum of two selected integers is even if both numbers are odd or both are even.

Number of ways to choose two odd numbers = ⁶C₂ = (6 × 5) / 2 = 15. Number of ways to choose two even numbers = ⁵C₂ = (5 × 4) / 2 = 10.

Total number of ways in which the sum is even = 15 + 10 = 25.

Using conditional probability, the probability that both numbers are odd given that their sum is even is: P(Both odd | Sum is even) = 15 / 25 = 3 / 5.

Explanation

Subhash Chandra Bose was elected President of the Indian National Congress at the Haripura session in 1938. In 1939, he contested again at the Tripuri session and was re-elected as President after defeating Pattabhi Sitaramayya, who was supported by Mahatma Gandhi.

Explanation

The Trade and Economic Relations Committee (TERC) is chaired by the Prime Minister of India. Constituted as an institutional mechanism for evolving policies on foreign economic relations, the committee coordinates strategy regarding India's trade and economic engagements with major partners, regional economic groupings, and neighbouring countries. It brings together key Cabinet ministers—including those for Finance, External Affairs, and Commerce—along with senior advisors to formulate cohesive international economic and trade policies.

Explanation

In July 2019, during the 43rd session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held in Baku, Azerbaijan, the Birthplace of Jesus: Church of the Nativity and the Pilgrimage Route, Bethlehem was officially removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger. Originally inscribed on the World Heritage List and simultaneously placed on the danger list in 2012 due to severe structural deterioration, the site was removed following extensive, high-quality restoration work on the church's roof, doors, mosaics, and exterior facades, along with the adoption of an effective site management plan.

Explanation

The land revenue system introduced by the British in the Bombay Deccan during the 1820s came to be known as the Ryotwari settlement. Under this system, the revenue settlement was made directly with the individual cultivator (ryot) rather than through zamindars or intermediaries. The state assessed the average revenue-paying capacity of the ryot based on soil quality and estimated yield, fixing a proportion of it as the state's share. Unlike the Permanent Settlement, revenue demands under this system were not fixed in perpetuity and were subject to periodic reassessment, typically every 30 years following fresh land surveys.

Explanation

Change in size is a purely physical process that alters only the dimensions, shape, or surface area of a substance without affecting its underlying chemical composition. Physical actions such as cutting, grinding, crushing, or tearing alter the physical dimensions of matter, but no chemical bonds are broken or formed, and no new chemical substances are produced during the process.

Explanation

Divergent evolution is the overarching evolutionary pattern or outcome in which related populations accumulate differences and become distinct over time. It represents the result of evolutionary mechanisms rather than a direct causative factor or mechanism that initiates the speciation process.

Explanation

INS Vikrant (IAC-1) is India's first indigenously designed and constructed aircraft carrier, built by Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kochi, Kerala. Designed by the Warship Design Bureau (formerly Directorate of Naval Design) of the Indian Navy, the ship shares its name with India's iconic first aircraft carrier acquired from the United Kingdom in 1957. Its construction highlights India's achieving self-reliance in strategic warship manufacturing under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

Explanation

The "Law of Biopics" is not a biological principle or law of inheritance. A biopic is a biographical film depicting the life of a real person, which has no connection to genetics or Gregor Mendel's scientific work on heredity.

Explanation

Masatsugu Asakawa assumed office as the 10th President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on 17 January 2020, succeeding Takehiko Nakao. He previously served as the Special Advisor to Japan's Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, bringing extensive experience in international finance, development, and tax policy to the organization.

Explanation

In 1948, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru established the Atomic Energy Commission of India and appointed Homi J. Bhabha as its first chairman. Bhabha formulated India's three-stage nuclear power programme and founded the Atomic Energy Establishment at Trombay (later renamed the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre), leading the nation's nuclear research and development as the chief architect of India's nuclear programme.

Explanation

The Atomic Energy Act of 1962 regulates the development, control, and use of atomic energy in India. Under this law, the Central Government retains exclusive authority and control over the production, development, and disposal of atomic energy and nuclear power, effectively prohibiting private entities from operating nuclear power generation facilities.

Explanation

According to data from the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Singapore was the top source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) equity inflows into India during the fiscal year 2019-20. India received USD 14.67 billion in FDI equity from Singapore in FY 2019-20, which accounted for approximately 30 percent of the total FDI equity inflows received by the country during that financial year. Singapore maintained its status as the leading foreign investor in India for the second consecutive financial year, supported by its favorable business environment, simplified tax structure, and position as a major regional financial hub.

Explanation

PSD stands for Photoshop Document, which is the native file format used by Adobe Photoshop. It supports multi-layered digital images, allowing users to save and edit individual image layers, text, vector graphics, layer masks, and color channels without flattening the artwork.

Explanation

The Swadeshi Movement, launched in 1905 following the Partition of Bengal, heavily promoted the boycott of foreign goods, particularly British Manchester cotton cloth, and advocated the use of indigenous products. This led to a massive surge in demand for locally woven cloth and Indian handloom products, giving a significant impetus to domestic cotton textile mills, native enterprise, and cotton production across India.