RRB NTPC CBT 1 2026 General Awareness Questions with Solutions

Explanation

Article 167 explicitly defines the duties of the Chief Minister, making it mandatory to communicate all decisions of the Council of Ministers relating to state administration and legislative proposals to the Governor. Article 163 provides for a Council of Ministers with the Chief Minister at its head to aid and advise the Governor in the exercise of state executive functions, except in matters where the Governor is required to act in discretion. Meanwhile, Article 165 deals with the Advocate-General for the State, whereas the administration of oaths of office and secrecy to ministers by the Governor falls under Article 164.

Explanation

The Arthashastra, authored by Kautilya (also known as Chanakya or Vishnugupta), who served as the chief minister to Emperor Chandragupta Maurya, is a comprehensive ancient Sanskrit treatise on statecraft, economic policy, military strategy, and public administration. It provides elaborate details regarding the centralized administrative hierarchy, taxation systems, municipal governance, espionage networks, and judicial organization of the Mauryan Empire.

Explanation

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) serves as a cornerstone of Indian rural development policy by guaranteeing at least 100 days of wage employment per financial year to rural households willing to do unskilled manual work. Beyond providing livelihood security and mitigating distress migration, MGNREGA creates durable productive assets in rural areas. Its implementation framework is actively converged with various other rural development initiatives, including water conservation, rural sanitation, housing, and agricultural infrastructure projects.

Explanation

Saina Nehwal created history at the 2012 London Olympics by winning the bronze medal in the women's singles badminton event. She secured the medal when her opponent retired due to an injury during the bronze medal match, making her the first Indian badminton player to achieve an Olympic podium finish.

Explanation

Subordinate courts function at the grassroots level across every district, serving as courts of first instance for most civil and criminal cases. By operating close to the citizens, they ensure that justice is geographically accessible, affordable, and localized, while handling the vast majority of litigation to maintain the efficiency of the entire judicial system.

Explanation

The Harappan heartland relied primarily on an agro-pastoral economy as the foundation of its subsistence and urban civilization. The fertile alluvial plains of the Indus river basin enabled intensive cultivation of staple crops such as wheat, barley, sesame, mustard, and cotton. This agricultural production was integrated with animal husbandry, including the rearing of cattle, sheep, goat, and buffalo, generating the necessary food surplus to sustain craft specialization, urban centers, and complex social organization.

Explanation

Bakshi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar Mohapatra Bhramarabar Raya was the military commander of the forces of the King of Khurda in Odisha. In March 1817, he led the Paikas—the traditional landed militia of Odisha—in a major armed uprising against the British East India Company. The rebellion was triggered by the oppressive land revenue policies, extortionate tax administration, salt monopoly, and loss of ancestral lands under British administration. Under his leadership, the Paikas captured Khurda and spread the uprising across Puri, Pipili, and neighboring areas before being suppressed.

Explanation

The Davandi (also known as Davandai) is an ancient hourglass-shaped percussion instrument primarily found and played in Tamil Nadu. Belonging to the membranophone family and closely related to the Udukkai, this two-faced drum is crafted from jackfruit wood or bronze. It is extensively used during temple rituals, divine processions, and folk performances across the state.

Explanation

In 1908, Bal Gangadhar Tilak was arrested on charges of sedition under Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code for writing articles in his Marathi newspaper 'Kesari' defending the Muzaffarpur revolutionaries, Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki. After a trial presided over by Justice Davar, Tilak was sentenced to six years of imprisonment and deported to Mandalay prison in Burma.

Explanation

Article 87 of the Constitution of India provides for the Special Address by the President. Under Article 87(1), the President addresses both Houses of Parliament assembled together at the commencement of the first session after each general election to the House of the People and at the commencement of the first session of every year, informing Parliament of the causes of its summons.

Explanation

The National Food for Work Programme (NFFWP) was launched in November 2004 across 150 of the most backward districts in India. It aims to generate supplementary wage employment for all rural poor who are in need of wage employment and willing to do manual, unskilled work. Under this scheme, wage payments are made through a combination of foodgrains and cash, ensuring food security while strengthening rural infrastructure. The programme was later integrated into the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

Explanation

Fluorine is a chemical element with atomic number 9 located in Group 17 (the halogens) of the periodic table. At room temperature (25 °C) and standard atmospheric pressure, fluorine exists as an extremely reactive, pale yellow diatomic gas (F₂).

Explanation

The keyboard shortcut Ctrl + C is the standard command used across word processors and operating systems to copy highlighted or selected text to the clipboard without deleting it from its original location.

Explanation

Maharashtra carried out the enforcement of a statewide prohibition on physical and emotional punishment in schools in accordance with Section 17 of the Right to Education Act, 2009. The state government issued strict guidelines to ensure a safe and supportive learning environment for students across all schools in the state.

Explanation

Under Article 316(1) of the Constitution of India, the Chairman and other members of a State Public Service Commission (SPSC) are appointed by the Governor of the respective State. While the Governor holds the power of appointment, their removal can only be carried out by the President of India in accordance with Article 317.

Explanation

Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed primarily of calcium carbonate (CaCO₃). Non-metallic natural resources do not contain extractable metals and lack metallic properties like malleability, ductility, and electrical conductivity. Limestone is extensively used in the construction industry, cement manufacturing, iron smelting as a flux, and as a soil conditioner in agriculture.

Explanation

Potential energy is the energy stored in an object due to its position, state, or configuration. When a rubber band is stretched, work is done against its natural elastic forces, altering its shape. This work is stored within the material as elastic potential energy, which can immediately convert into kinetic energy once released.

Explanation

According to Census 2011, Goa recorded a literacy rate of 88.70% and Tripura recorded a literacy rate of 87.22%. Both states achieved literacy levels well above the 80% mark, placing them among the top-performing states in India alongside Kerala and Mizoram.

Explanation

Weather refers to the short-term state of the atmosphere in a specific area, including daily or hourly variations in temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind, and atmospheric pressure. Climate represents the long-term patterns, averages, and variability of these weather conditions measured over an extended period, typically 30 years or more as defined by the World Meteorological Organization.

Explanation

The 3rd Council Meeting of the International Organization for Marine Aids to Navigation (IALA) was hosted from 8 to 12 December 2025 in Mumbai. The high-level international event was organized by the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL) under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. The meeting brought together delegates from over 30 countries to deliberate on global marine navigation standards, safety protocols, and digital maritime technologies. During the event, a Digital Ticketing Portal for Lighthouse Tourism was also launched to enhance access across 75 lighthouse tourism destinations in India.

Explanation

According to the Global AI Vibrancy Index 2024 published by Stanford University, the top three countries are the United States, China, and India. The United Kingdom ranks fourth overall, making it the country among the options that is not in the top three.

Explanation

Article 6 of the Indian Constitution addresses the rights of citizenship of persons who migrated from Pakistan to India prior to the commencement of the Constitution on January 26, 1950. It specifies that a person who migrated before July 19, 1948, automatically became a citizen of India at the commencement of the Constitution, provided they or either of their parents or grandparents was born in undivided India as defined in the Government of India Act, 1935, and they had been ordinarily resident in India since the date of their migration.

Explanation

Under Article 356 of the Constitution of India, a proclamation of President's Rule, once approved by both Houses of Parliament, remains in force for six months. It can be extended for six months at a time with parliamentary approval, up to a maximum total duration of three years. Beyond one year, extension requires specific constitutional conditions to be met, such as the operation of a National Emergency or certification by the Election Commission regarding difficulties in conducting general assembly elections.

Explanation

Kalamkari is a traditional Indian hand-painted or block-printed cotton textile art primarily practiced in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The name Kalamkari derives from the Persian words "kalam", meaning pen, and "kari", meaning craftsmanship. Artists draw freehand outlines of the intricate designs using a hand-carved bamboo pen or reed sliver. The bamboo sliver is sharpened at one end and wrapped with a small ball of wool or felt near the tip, which acts as a reservoir to absorb and regulate the flow of natural dye.

Explanation

Protima Gauri (Protima Bedi), a renowned Odissi dancer, established Nrityagram in May 1990 at Hesaraghatta on the outskirts of Bengaluru. Envisioned as India's first modern residential dance village (gurukul), the institution was created as a sanctuary where artists live, practice, and receive holistic training in classical Indian dance forms following the traditional Guru-shishya parampara.

Explanation

The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is the highest honour in Indian cinema, presented annually by the Government of India at the National Film Awards ceremony. Instituted in 1969 to commemorate Dadasaheb Phalke, regarded as the father of Indian cinema, the award recognizes individuals for their outstanding lifetime contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema. In September 2025, veteran actor, director, and producer Mohanlal was conferred with this award for the year 2023 at the 71st National Film Awards ceremony in New Delhi. The recipient receives a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) medallion, a shawl, and a cash prize.

Explanation

Fold mountains such as the Himalayas are formed at convergent plate boundaries where two tectonic plates collide. The immense compressional forces generated during the collision of tectonic plates—specifically the Indian Plate and the Eurasian Plate in the case of the Himalayas—cause the sedimentary rock layers of the earth's crust to buckle, fold, and uplift into massive mountain ranges.

Explanation

Article 39(d) of the Constitution of India, located within Part IV under the Directive Principles of State Policy, specifically directs the State to ensure that there is equal pay for equal work for both men and women. This constitutional principle aims to eliminate gender-based wage discrimination and secure economic justice in employment. To operationalize this directive, the Indian Parliament enacted the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976.

Explanation

For a period of 2 years, the difference between compound interest and simple interest is given by the formula:

Difference = P × (r / 100)²

Substituting Principal (P) = ₹4,000 and Rate (r) = 6%:

Difference = 4000 × (6 / 100)² = 4000 × (36 / 10000) = 4000 × 0.0036 = ₹14.40

Explanation

Profit Percentage = [(Selling Price - Cost Price) / Cost Price] × 100

Cost price per article = ₹390 / 12 = ₹32.50 Selling price per article = ₹78

Profit per article = ₹78 - ₹32.50 = ₹45.50

Profit Percentage = (45.50 / 32.50) × 100 = (7 / 5) × 100 = 140%

Explanation

The Space Summit 2026 was held on 2-3 February 2026 in Singapore. Organized alongside the Global Space and Technology Convention, the summit gathered international leaders and stakeholders from the global space industry.

Explanation

Under Article 239A of the Constitution of India, inserted by the 14th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1962, Parliament is empowered to create a Legislature and a Council of Ministers for the Union Territory of Puducherry. The Government of Union Territories Act, 1963 subsequently established a Legislative Assembly and a Council of Ministers headed by a Chief Minister to aid and advise the Lieutenant Governor in the administration of the territory.

Explanation

Selective mining, often referred to as high-grading, involves targeting and extracting only the richest and highest quality mineral deposits while leaving behind lower-grade ores. Driven by immediate commercial demand and short-term profit maximization, this practice has led to the rapid depletion of India's high-grade mineral reserves, particularly iron ore (hematite) and manganese. When only the high-grade portions are removed, the remaining lower-grade deposits frequently become economically unviable or technically difficult to extract later, causing permanent loss and sterilization of crucial national mineral assets.

Explanation

On 10 May 1857, the Indian sepoys at Meerut mutinied against their British officers and marched to Delhi. Upon reaching the Red Fort on 11 May 1857, they proclaimed the last Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, as the Emperor of India (Shahenshah-e-Hindustan) to lead the uprising against British colonial rule, providing symbolic unity and legitimacy to the rebellion.

Explanation

Perimeter of a sector = l + 2r, where l is the arc length and r is the radius of the circle.

Given perimeter = 24 cm and r = 8 cm: 24 = l + 2(8) l = 24 − 16 = 8 cm

Area of a sector = ½ × l × r Area = ½ × 8 × 8 = 32 cm²

Explanation

The Vellore Mutiny took place on 10 July 1806 at the Vellore Fort in present-day Tamil Nadu. It was the first large-scale revolt by Indian sepoys against the British East India Company, sparked by new dress code regulations introduced by Commander-in-Chief Sir John Cradock that offended the religious sentiments of both Hindu and Muslim soldiers.

Explanation

The asterisk wildcard character is used in file system searches and command-line interfaces to represent any sequence of zero or more characters. When combined with a dot and a file extension, it matches all files belonging to that specific file format regardless of their individual names.

Explanation

Sopana Sangeetham is a sacred music tradition of Kerala that developed within temple precincts as a vital part of devotional worship. The term Sopanam refers to the sacred steps leading up to the temple sanctum sanctorum (garbhagriha), beside which the vocalist stands to sing during ritual worship. Traditionally performed by specialized temple musicians accompanied by instruments like the edakka (an hourglass-shaped drum) and chengila (a bronze gong), it features a slow-paced, meditative style designed to invoke spiritual serenity.

Explanation

Under Section 9 of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, data fiduciaries are required to obtain verifiable consent from a parent or lawful guardian before processing any personal data of a child (an individual under 18 years of age). This provision ensures parental oversight over how a child's personal information is collected, stored, and processed by online platforms and data handling entities.

Explanation

According to World Population Review data, South-Central Asia has the highest population density among major global regions, averaging over 320 people per square kilometer. The region accounts for roughly a quarter of the global population while occupying less than 5% of the world's land area, driven by high population concentrations in countries like Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka along fertile river basins like the Indo-Gangetic Plain.

Explanation

Mohiniyattam literally translates to the 'Dance of the Enchantress', derived from 'Mohini' (the mythical female avatar of Lord Vishnu) and 'aattam' (dance). It is a classical dance form originating from the state of Kerala, traditionally performed as a gentle, graceful solo dance exclusively by women.

Explanation

In tabbed applications, such as modern web browsers and multi-document text or code editors, the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Tab navigates forward to the next open tab or cycles sequentially between open tabs within the active window. Adding Shift (Ctrl + Shift + Tab) moves between open tabs in reverse order.

Explanation

According to the Arrhenius theory of acids and bases, acids are substances that dissociate in aqueous solutions to release hydrogen ions (H+). The concentration of these hydrogen ions (which combine with water molecules to form hydronium ions, H₃O+) determines the degree of acidity and lowers the pH of the solution below 7.

Explanation

The Indus Valley (Harappan) Civilization is renowned for its advanced urban planning, most notably its remarkably sophisticated covered drainage system. Domestic drains from paved bathrooms in private homes connected directly to street drains. These main drains were constructed with precisely aligned bricks, covered with brick or limestone slabs that could be removed for cleaning, and equipped with soak pits at regular intervals to prevent clogging, demonstrating an unprecedented emphasis on civic sanitation and public health.

Explanation

Volatile memory requires a continuous electrical power supply to retain stored information. When the power is turned off or interrupted, the electrical charge maintaining the data bits dissipates, resulting in the immediate loss of all saved contents. Examples of volatile memory include Random Access Memory (RAM) and cache memory.

Explanation

Article 44 of the Constitution of India, located under Part IV within the Directive Principles of State Policy, directs the State to endeavour to secure for all citizens a Uniform Civil Code throughout the territory of India. It emphasizes establishing a unified set of personal laws governing matters like marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption, and succession applicable to all citizens regardless of their religion.

Explanation

Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) and Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) are long-chain polymers made up of nucleotide monomers, each composed of a nitrogenous base, a pentose sugar, and a phosphate group. Because their fundamental units are nucleotides specialized for carrying, transmitting, and expressing genetic information, both DNA and RNA belong to the class of biomolecules known as nucleic acids.

Explanation

The New Economic Policy launched in India in July 1991 aimed to overcome a severe balance-of-payments crisis and restructure the national economy. Its three primary pillars were Liberalisation, Privatisation, and Globalisation, collectively known as the LPG reforms. Liberalisation relaxed government controls and licensing requirements, Privatisation reduced state monopoly by encouraging private sector participation in public enterprises, and Globalisation integrated the domestic economy with the global market through reduced tariffs and foreign investment promotion.

Explanation

The Pallava dynasty, which ruled prominent regions of southern India between the 3rd and 9th centuries CE, established its capital at Kanchipuram (also known as Kanchi) in present-day Tamil Nadu. Under Pallava patronage, Kanchipuram grew into a major center of learning, culture, and Dravidian temple architecture, renowned for iconic structures such as the Kailasanathar and Vaikunta Perumal temples.

Explanation

Shri Uday Kotak, the founder of Kotak Mahindra Bank, was conferred the Padma Bhushan in 2026 under the Trade and Industry category. This civilian honor recognized his significant contributions over four decades in building one of India's leading private financial institutions and transforming the nation's banking and wealth creation ecosystem.