SSC CGL2016General AwarenessPage 4 of 21

SSC CGL Tier 1 2016 General Awareness Questions with Solutions

Questions from every shift of the year, grouped by section. Questions 151–200 of 1,034, each with the correct answer and a step-by-step explanation.

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151General Awareness
The manufacturing of iron from iron-ore involves the process of
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Answer: (B) Reduction

Explanation

The extraction of iron from its principal ores, such as hematite Fe₂O₃ and magnetite Fe₃O₄, is a process of chemical reduction. In a blast furnace, the iron oxides react with a reducing agent, typically carbon monoxide CO derived from coke. During this reaction, oxygen is removed from the iron ore, and the iron ions gain electrons to form metallic iron. A representative reaction is Fe₂O₃ + 3CO → 2Fe + 3CO₂, where the iron oxide is reduced to molten pig iron. This reduction is essential because metals in nature generally exist in an oxidized state, and converting them to their elemental form requires the removal of oxygen or the addition of electrons.

152General Awareness
In a rainforest, the vegetation that grows under the shade of a canopy is known as
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Answer: (C) Understorey

Explanation

In a tropical rainforest, the vegetation is organized into distinct vertical layers based on the amount of sunlight received. The understorey refers to the layer of vegetation that grows beneath the main canopy and above the forest floor. This layer primarily consists of shade-tolerant plants, including young trees, shrubs, ferns, and epiphytes. Because the dense overhead canopy absorbs the vast majority of solar radiation, the understorey exists in a low-light environment, leading many plants here to develop large, broad leaves to capture minimal sunlight for photosynthesis. This layer remains highly humid and provides a specialized habitat for various insects, birds, and climbing animals.

153General Awareness
The term "roll-in" is used in
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Answer: (C) Hockey

Explanation

The roll-in is a historical term and technique used in field hockey to restart play after the ball has crossed the side-line. Under traditional hockey rules, when the ball went out of bounds, a player from the opposing team would roll the ball back into the field of play by hand. The player performing the roll-in was required to have both feet and the stick behind the side-line, and the ball had to be rolled in such a way that it touched the ground within a specific distance from the point of exit. Although modern rules have replaced the roll-in with the push-in or hit-in to accelerate the pace of the game, the term is still widely recognized in sports terminology as being specific to hockey.

154General Awareness
Which of the following is the busiest International sea port in India?
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Answer: (A) Mumbai

Explanation

Mumbai Port is the largest and busiest international seaport in India, acting as a major hub for the country maritime trade. It is a natural deep-water harbor located on the western coast of Maharashtra. Its strategic geographical position provides a shorter sea route to Europe, East Africa, and West Asia. The port handles a diverse range of cargo including mineral oil, petroleum products, and heavy machinery, supported by a vast hinterland that encompasses the industrial belts of North and Central India. Its historical and commercial significance as the premier gateway for foreign trade makes it the most active port in the Indian maritime sector.

155General Awareness
The word "Secular" was added to the Preamble of the Constitution of India by which Constitutional Amendment?
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Answer: (B) 42nd Constitutional Amendment

Explanation

The 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, enacted in 1976, introduced three specific words to the Preamble of the Indian Constitution: Socialist, Secular, and Integrity. Prior to this amendment, the Preamble described India as a Sovereign Democratic Republic; the amendment updated this to Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic. The addition of the word Secular formally codified the principle that the Indian state does not have an official religion and ensures equal protection and respect for all faiths, a concept that was already inherent in the Fundamental Rights but not explicitly stated in the Preamble until this legislative change.

156General Awareness
Which one of the following processes is responsible for the glittering of air bubble rising through water?
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Answer: (C) Total internal reflection of light

Explanation

The glittering of an air bubble in water is caused by the phenomenon of total internal reflection. When light travels through a denser medium like water (n ≈ 1.33) and strikes the boundary of a rarer medium like air (n ≈ 1.0) inside the bubble, it can be reflected back into the water. If the angle of incidence at the water-air interface exceeds the critical angle, which is approximately 48.6° for water, the light rays do not pass into the bubble but are entirely reflected back. This reflected light is what makes the surface of the bubble appear highly reflective and silvery, resulting in a distinct glitter or shine.

157General Awareness
"Great Barrier Reef", the world's largest Coral reef is located in
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Answer: (B) Australia

Explanation

The Great Barrier Reef is situated off the northeastern coast of Australia, stretching over 2,300 kilometers along the coastline of Queensland in the Coral Sea. As the largest coral reef system on Earth, it comprises thousands of individual reefs and hundreds of islands, providing a habitat for a vast array of marine biodiversity, including various species of fish, mollusks, and sea turtles. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1981 due to its unique ecological importance and immense natural beauty. The reef is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms known as coral polyps, making it the largest single structure made by living organisms.

158General Awareness
Decoding and interpretation of visual information in brain is associated with
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Answer: (C) Temporal lobe

Explanation

The temporal lobe is responsible for the high-level processing of visual information through the ventral stream, which is frequently referred to as the what pathway. While basic visual signals are initially received in the primary visual cortex, the temporal lobe is where the actual decoding and interpretation occur. This region allows the brain to identify and categorize visual stimuli, turning raw sensory data into recognizable objects, faces, and patterns. It integrates current visual input with stored memories to assign meaning and semantic value to what is being seen.

159General Awareness
Flemings "Left hand Rule" is associated with the effect of
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Answer: (D) Magnetic Field on current

Explanation

Fleming's Left-Hand Rule is used to determine the direction of the mechanical force experienced by a current-carrying conductor when it is placed within an external magnetic field. The rule states that if the thumb, forefinger, and middle finger of the left hand are stretched mutually perpendicular to each other, the forefinger represents the direction of the magnetic field, the middle finger represents the direction of the electric current, and the thumb points in the direction of the resulting force or motion. This principle describes the interaction between a magnetic field and an electric current, which is the operational basis for electric motors.

160General Awareness
An emulsion is a colloidal solution of
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Answer: (A) Liquid in liquid

Explanation

An emulsion is a type of colloid formed by combining two or more liquids that are generally immiscible or partially miscible. In this system, one liquid acts as the dispersed phase, which is distributed as minute droplets within another liquid that serves as the dispersion medium. Common examples of emulsions include milk, which consists of liquid fat globules dispersed in water, and mayonnaise. These systems often require an emulsifying agent or stabilizer to prevent the two liquid phases from separating into distinct layers.

161General Awareness
__________ is a byproduct of sewage treatment and can be decomposed to produce bio-gas
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Answer: (B) Sludge

Explanation

Sludge is the solid organic material that settles at the bottom of primary or secondary clarifiers during the sewage treatment process. This byproduct contains concentrated organic waste that is harvested and transferred to anaerobic digesters. In these digesters, anaerobic bacteria decompose the organic matter in the absence of oxygen, leading to the production of biogas. Biogas, which consists mainly of methane and carbon dioxide, is a valuable renewable energy source that can be used for heating, cooking, or generating electricity.

162General Awareness
The BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) is headquartered at
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Answer: (A) Shanghai

Explanation

The New Development Bank (NDB), formerly referred to as the BRICS Development Bank, is headquartered in Shanghai, China. It was established by the BRICS nations in 2014 and became operational in 2015.

163General Awareness
Which one of the following cities of Iraq is located on Tigris river?
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Answer: (A) Baghdad

Explanation

Baghdad is the capital city of Iraq and is strategically located on the banks of the Tigris River in the central part of the country. The river bisects the city into two major areas, Risafa on the eastern bank and Karkh on the western bank, which are linked by several bridges. Historically, the city was established in the 8th century by the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mansur because the Tigris provided a reliable source of water for agriculture and a primary corridor for regional trade within the fertile Mesopotamian plain. The river remains the central geographical feature and the primary source of water for the city's modern infrastructure and population.

164General Awareness
Human Development Index is prepared by
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Answer: (A) UNDP

Explanation

The Human Development Index (HDI) is a summary measure of average achievement in key dimensions of human development, published annually by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Introduced in 1990 by economists Mahbub ul Haq and Amartya Sen, the index was designed to emphasize that people and their capabilities should be the ultimate criteria for assessing the development of a country, rather than economic growth alone. The UNDP calculates the HDI based on three basic dimensions: a long and healthy life, access to knowledge, and a decent standard of living. These are quantified using indicators such as life expectancy at birth, mean and expected years of schooling, and gross national income per capita.

165General Awareness
In an optical fibre the signal is transmitted
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Answer: (C) due to total internal reflection

Explanation

Optical fibers transmit signals through the phenomenon of total internal reflection. The fiber is designed with a central core and an outer cladding, where the refractive index of the core is higher than that of the cladding. When a light signal enters the fiber and hits the interface between the core and the cladding at an angle of incidence greater than the critical angle, the light is entirely reflected back into the core rather than being refracted out. This process repeats continuously along the length of the cable, allowing the signal to travel long distances with minimal loss of energy, even when the fiber follows a curved or twisted path.

166General Awareness
In IT, the method for updating the main memory as soon as a word is removed from the cache is called
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Answer: (B) Write-back

Explanation

The write-back policy, also known as copy-back, is a cache update strategy where modifications are initially made only to the cache. When a processor performs a write operation, the data is updated in the cache, and the corresponding cache line is marked with a dirty bit to indicate that it contains data inconsistent with the main memory. The main memory is not updated immediately. Instead, the update occurs only when the modified cache line is evicted or removed from the cache to make room for new data. At this point, the cache controller detects the dirty bit and writes the modified block back to the main memory, ensuring that the latest data is preserved before the cache location is overwritten. This method significantly reduces the number of write cycles to the slower main memory and decreases bus traffic.

167General Awareness
Which one of the following is not a non-conventional source of energy?
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Answer: (B) Natural Gas

Explanation

Natural gas is categorized as a conventional source of energy because it is a fossil fuel that has been utilized extensively over many decades. It is formed from the remains of plants and animals that lived millions of years ago, which were buried under layers of sediment and subjected to intense heat and pressure. As a finite and exhaustible resource found in deep underground rock formations, it belongs to the same category as coal and petroleum. These traditional energy sources are characterized by their long-standing commercial use and the fact that they cannot be easily replenished once consumed, distinguishing them from renewable or non-conventional alternatives.

168General Awareness
The space shuttle which took Sunita Williams beyond earth was
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Answer: (C) Discovery

Explanation

Sunita Williams traveled to the International Space Station for her first mission, STS-116, aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The mission launched on December 9, 2006, and she served as a flight engineer for Expeditions 14 and 15. During this stay, she set several records for female astronauts, including the longest single spaceflight at that time and the most total extravehicular activity time. Discovery was one of the three remaining operational orbiters in the Space Shuttle fleet and was responsible for delivering the P5 truss segment to the station during her flight.

169General Awareness
Selling cost have to be incurred in case of
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Answer: (C) Monopolistic Competition

Explanation

Selling costs refer to the expenses incurred by a firm to stimulate the demand for its product and increase its sales volume, primarily through advertising, sales promotion, and branding. In a monopolistic competition market structure, products are differentiated rather than homogeneous, meaning each firm's product is a close but imperfect substitute for others. To create brand loyalty and convince consumers of the perceived superiority or unique features of their specific brand, firms must invest heavily in marketing and promotional activities. These selling costs are a fundamental feature of monopolistic competition as they allow firms to shift their demand curves to the right and gain market power over their particular product variety.

170General Awareness
The earliest reference to sati custom is made in which of the following inscriptions?
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Answer: (B) Eran inscription of Bhanugupta

Explanation

The Eran Stone Pillar inscription, dated to 510 CE during the reign of the Gupta ruler Bhanugupta, contains the first known epigraphic evidence of the sati custom in India. Located in the Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh, this Sanskrit inscription records that a general named Goparaja died in a battle against the Hunas. Following his death, his wife immolated herself on his funeral pyre. This inscription serves as a primary historical landmark, providing a definitive chronological point for the practice of widow burning in the late ancient period of Indian history.

171General Awareness
What is the maximum number of days of employment a rural poor would get under 'MGNREGA'?
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Answer: (C) 100 days

Explanation

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), enacted in 2005, provides a legal guarantee for at least 100 days of wage employment in every financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. This rights-based framework aims to enhance livelihood security in rural areas by generating wage employment on demand. While the central government can notify additional days of employment in response to natural calamities like droughts, the standard statutory limit established by the Act for eligible households across the country remains 100 days.

172General Awareness
Scheduled bank is a bank which is ....
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Answer: (D) Included in the second schedule of RBI

Explanation

Under the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, a scheduled bank is defined as a bank that is included in the Second Schedule of the Act. For a bank to be eligible for this status, it must fulfill specific criteria laid down in Section 42(6)(a). These criteria include maintaining a minimum paid-up capital and reserves of an aggregate value of not less than ₹5 lakh and demonstrating to the Reserve Bank of India that its business is conducted in a manner that protects the interests of its depositors. Being listed in the Second Schedule grants the bank access to certain privileges, such as the ability to borrow money from the RBI at the bank rate and membership in the clearinghouse for the settlement of banking transactions.

173General Awareness
Black soil is also known by which of the following name ?
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Answer: (D) Regur soil

Explanation

Black soil is extensively known as Regur soil, a name derived from the Telugu word Reguda. It is also commonly referred to as Black Cotton Soil because its high moisture-retention capacity and nutrient profile make it ideal for growing cotton. This soil type is characteristic of the Deccan Trap region, formed from the weathering of basaltic lava rocks over centuries. It is rich in clay minerals, becoming sticky when wet and developing deep cracks during the dry season, which facilitates aeration and gives it a self-ploughing quality.

174General Awareness
What is the name of the book written by Panini ?
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Answer: (D) Ashtadhyayi

Explanation

Panini was an ancient Indian Sanskrit grammarian and scholar who lived around the 4th century BCE. His most famous work is the Ashtadhyayi, a foundational text that systematically defined the rules of Sanskrit grammar. The name Ashtadhyayi translates to Eight Chapters, as the book is divided into eight sections containing approximately 4,000 concise sutras or aphorisms. This treatise established the standards for Classical Sanskrit, covering phonetics, morphology, and syntax with a level of scientific precision that remains a landmark in the history of linguistics.

175General Awareness
Which dynasty was started by Khizr Khan ?
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Answer: (A) The Sayyids

Explanation

Khizr Khan founded the Sayyid dynasty in 1414, marking the beginning of the fourth dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate. He had previously served as the governor of Multan under the Tughlaqs and was later appointed as the governor of Punjab and Upper Sindh by Timur following the Mongol invasion of 1398. After the death of Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud Shah Tughlaq and a period of political instability, Khizr Khan captured Delhi from Daulat Khan Lodi. The dynasty is known as the Sayyid dynasty because Khizr Khan claimed to be a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad. He ruled until 1421 and notably refrained from adopting the title of Sultan, instead styling himself as Rayat-i-Ala.

176General Awareness
The instrument used for measuring air pressure is called .....
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Answer: (B) Barometer

Explanation

A barometer is a scientific instrument designed specifically to measure atmospheric pressure, which is the force exerted by the weight of the air in the atmosphere. The most traditional type is the mercury barometer, where the height of a column of mercury in a glass tube rises or falls depending on the pressure of the surrounding air. Another common type is the aneroid barometer, which uses a small, flexible metal box called an aneroid cell that expands or contracts with changes in air pressure. Monitoring these pressure changes is essential for weather forecasting, as high pressure generally indicates clear weather while low pressure often precedes storms.

177General Awareness
Gustation refers to the sense of which of the following ?
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Answer: (D) Taste

Explanation

Gustation is the medical and physiological term for the sense of taste. This sensory process occurs when chemical substances, known as tastants, react with gustatory receptor cells located within taste buds on the tongue, soft palate, and upper esophagus. When these receptors are stimulated, they transmit neural impulses to the gustatory cortex in the brain via the cranial nerves. This system allows the body to distinguish between different chemical profiles, traditionally categorized into five primary tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami. Together with the olfactory system, gustation plays a critical role in flavor perception and the evaluation of food safety and nutritional content.

178General Awareness
Intensity of any wave is proportional to which of the following?
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Answer: (B) Square of amplitude

Explanation

The intensity of a wave is defined as the power transferred per unit area, where the area is measured on a plane perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the wave. In physical wave systems, the energy density of a wave is determined by the maximum displacement of the particles in the medium or the maximum field strength, known as the amplitude A. Since the energy of an oscillating system is proportional to the square of its displacement, the intensity I of the wave follows the mathematical relationship I ∝ A². This proportionality holds true for various types of waves, including sound waves and electromagnetic waves.

179General Awareness
In the following list of devices which device is used in network layer?
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Answer: (B) Router

Explanation

A router is a fundamental networking device that operates at the network layer, which is Layer 3 of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model. Its primary responsibility is to facilitate communication between different networks by routing data packets based on logical addresses, typically IP addresses. Routers maintain routing tables that contain information about network topologies and use routing protocols to determine the most efficient path for data to travel from a source to a destination. By examining the destination IP address in the header of an incoming packet, the router makes forwarding decisions to ensure the data is transmitted across various interconnected network segments toward its final target.

180General Awareness
NTPC is a Central Public Sector Enterprise in which sector?
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Answer: (C) Power

Explanation

NTPC Limited, established in 1975 as the National Thermal Power Corporation, is India's largest power utility and a Maharatna Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Power. Its core business is the generation and sale of electricity to state-owned power distribution companies and State Electricity Boards in India. NTPC operates a vast array of power plants, primarily coal-based thermal power stations, but also gas-based, hydroelectric, and renewable energy projects. By 2016, it had established itself as a leader in the energy sector, contributing significantly to the national grid and spearheading technological advancements in efficient and sustainable power production across the country.

181General Awareness
Which State government has launched the Smart Village Programme, to improve public facilities in village?
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Answer: (D) Gujarat

Explanation

The Gujarat government officially launched the Smart Village Programme in May 2016 to improve the quality of life in rural areas and reduce migration to cities. Under this initiative, the state government selected 300 villages to be developed as smart villages in the first phase. The program focused on providing urban-level amenities such as Wi-Fi connectivity, CCTV camera surveillance, solid waste management, underground drainage, and solar-powered street lights. Villages were chosen based on specific criteria, including their performance in the Swachh Bharat Mission and their ability to generate internal resources, aiming to make them self-reliant and technologically integrated hubs.

182General Awareness
Rodrigo "Digong" Duterte emerged winner in 2016 presidential elections of which country ?
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Answer: (B) The Philippines

Explanation

Rodrigo Duterte, popularly known by his nickname Digong, won the Philippine presidential election held on May 9, 2016. A member of the PDP-Laban party and the former long-time mayor of Davao City, he campaigned on a platform of significantly reducing crime and illegal drug use. Following the official canvass of votes by the Philippine Congress, he was proclaimed the president-elect on May 30, 2016. He was subsequently inaugurated as the 16th President of the Philippines on June 30, 2016, succeeding Benigno Aquino III.

183General Awareness
What is commonly known as 'white plague'?
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Answer: (C) Tuberculosis

Explanation

Tuberculosis is historically referred to as the white plague due to the characteristic extreme pallor and pale appearance of the skin in those afflicted by the disease. This term gained prominence during the 18th and 19th centuries when the disease was a leading cause of death in Europe and North America. The name was used to distinguish the devastating effects of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection from the Black Death, reflecting both the symptomatic whiteness of the patients and the epidemic scale of the mortality it caused.

184General Awareness
What are gilt-edged securities?
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Answer: (B) Securities issued by the Government

Explanation

Gilt-edged securities are high-grade investment bonds issued by the government to meet its fiscal requirements. These include Treasury bills and dated securities issued by the Central Government, as well as State Development Loans issued by various state governments. The term gilt-edged signifies that these instruments are of the highest quality and carry negligible risk of default because they are backed by the sovereign guarantee of the state. Historically, these certificates were issued with gilded or gold-leaf edges to denote their superior reliability and safety. In the financial market, they are considered risk-free assets, making them a preferred choice for institutional investors like banks and insurance companies who are required to maintain a portion of their assets in secure government-backed instruments.

185General Awareness
In whose consultation does the President convene and prorogue all sessions of Parliament ?
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Answer: (B) The Prime Minister

Explanation

Under Article 85 of the Indian Constitution, the President has the power to summon and prorogue the sessions of Parliament. As the constitutional head of the state, the President exercises these powers on the aid and advice of the executive. The Prime Minister, as the head of the government, provides the specific consultation and advice regarding the commencement and termination of these sessions. This practice ensures that the executive branch, which is responsible for the legislative agenda, can effectively manage the timing of parliamentary business. The President is bound by the conventions of the parliamentary system to act in accordance with the Prime Minister's recommendations in these matters.

186General Awareness
With which religion is Kaivalya associated?
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Answer: (B) Jainism

Explanation

Kaivalya is the ultimate spiritual goal in Jainism, representing a state of absolute freedom and liberation from the cycle of birth and death. It is often referred to as Kevala Jnana, which signifies infinite, all-encompassing knowledge or omniscience. This state is attained when an individual, through rigorous asceticism, meditation, and the following of the Three Jewels (Right Faith, Right Knowledge, and Right Conduct), completely sheds all karmic matter attached to the soul. Upon achieving Kaivalya, the Jiva (soul) is isolated from Ajiva (matter) and realizes its true, pure nature, characterized by infinite power, bliss, and perception. A person who reaches this stage is known as a Kevalin or a Jina.

187General Awareness
Bauxite is used as raw material by which industry
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Answer: (A) Aluminium

Explanation

Bauxite is the primary ore used for the commercial production of aluminium. It is a naturally occurring, heterogeneous material composed primarily of one or more aluminium hydroxide minerals, such as gibbsite, boehmite, and diaspore, along with various mixtures of silica, iron oxide, and titania. The industrial process involves two main stages: the Bayer process, which refines the bauxite ore into alumina (aluminium oxide, Al₂O₃), and the Hall-Héroult process, which uses electrolysis to reduce the alumina into pure aluminium metal. Due to its high concentration of aluminium oxides and the economic feasibility of extraction, bauxite remains the indispensable raw material for the global aluminium smelting industry.

188General Awareness
The large collection of stars, dust and gas held together by gravitational attraction between components is known as
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Answer: (C) Galaxy

Explanation

A galaxy is a massive, gravitationally bound system consisting of stars, stellar remnants, interstellar gas, dust, and dark matter. Gravity is the fundamental force that holds these diverse components together, allowing them to orbit a common center of mass. These cosmic structures range in scale from dwarf galaxies with a few hundred million stars to giant galaxies containing one hundred trillion stars. The interstellar medium within a galaxy consists of gas and cosmic dust, which serves as the raw material for the birth of new stars, all maintained within the galactic structure by the mutual gravitational pull of the system's total mass.

189General Awareness
Thermal electricity is generated by using which of these ?
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Answer: (C) Coal, Natural Gas and Petroleum

Explanation

Thermal electricity is produced by burning fossil fuels to generate heat, which is then converted into mechanical energy to drive electrical generators. The primary fossil fuels used in this process are coal, natural gas, and petroleum. Coal is the most prevalent fuel for large-scale base-load power plants. Natural gas is utilized in gas turbine and combined cycle power plants due to its efficiency and lower emission profile. Petroleum products, including diesel and heavy fuel oils, are used in internal combustion engine power plants or as secondary fuels in steam-based plants. All three fuels serve as the combustible energy sources required to heat a working fluid, typically water into steam, or to drive turbines directly through combustion gases.

190General Awareness
When iron rusts, its weight ....
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Answer: (B) increases

Explanation

Rusting is a chemical process known as oxidation. When iron is exposed to moisture and oxygen, it undergoes a reaction to form hydrated iron(III) oxide, which is chemically represented as Fe₂O₃ · nH₂O. In this reaction, iron atoms bond with oxygen molecules from the air and water molecules from the environment. According to the law of conservation of mass, the mass of the product (rust) is equal to the sum of the masses of the reactants. Therefore, the weight of the iron object increases because the final compound includes the mass of the original iron plus the mass of the added oxygen and water molecules.

191General Awareness
The driest location on Earth is in which country?
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Answer: (B) Chile

Explanation

The Atacama Desert, located in northern Chile, is the driest non-polar place on Earth. This plateau is a rain-shielded area between the Andes Mountains to the east and the Chilean Coast Range to the west. The extreme aridity is primarily due to a two-sided rain shadow effect and the cold Humboldt Current in the Pacific Ocean, which prevents the formation of rain-bearing clouds. Some weather stations in the Atacama have never recorded any rainfall, and historical records indicate that certain areas may have gone without significant precipitation for centuries. Meteorological data identifies the city of Arica in Chile as one of the driest inhabited places on the planet, with average annual rainfall measuring less than 1 millimeter.

192General Awareness
Which leader of British Labour Party was recently elected the first Muslim Mayor of London?
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Answer: (A) Sadiq Khan

Explanation

Sadiq Khan, representing the Labour Party, was elected as the Mayor of London in May 2016. He secured victory in the mayoral election by defeating the Conservative candidate Zac Goldsmith, succeeding Boris Johnson in the role. This election was historic as it made him the first Muslim to serve as the mayor of a major Western capital city. Before being elected as mayor, he served as the Member of Parliament for Tooting from 2005 and held ministerial positions under Prime Minister Gordon Brown, including Minister of State for Transport.

193General Awareness
Lady Ratan Tata Trophy' is related to which game?
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Answer: (B) Hockey

Explanation

The Lady Ratan Tata Trophy is a major national-level field hockey tournament in India specifically designated for women. It was established as part of the philanthropic efforts of the Tata family to encourage and institutionalize women's participation in sports. The trophy remains a significant event in the domestic hockey calendar, often serving as a scouting ground for the Indian national women's team. Various state and institutional teams compete for this title, reflecting the long-standing heritage of the sport in the country.

194General Awareness
Which instrument is used for measuring humidity of atmosphere?
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Answer: (D) Hygrometer

Explanation

A hygrometer is the standard meteorological instrument designed to measure the moisture content or relative humidity in the atmosphere. It functions by quantifying the amount of water vapor present in the air relative to the maximum amount the air can hold at a specific temperature. Various types of hygrometers exist, such as the hair hygrometer, which utilizes the expansion and contraction of organic fibers, and the psychrometer, which uses the temperature difference between a dry-bulb and a wet-bulb thermometer to calculate humidity levels. Accurate humidity measurement is essential for weather forecasting, climate monitoring, and maintaining optimal environmental conditions in various industrial and agricultural settings.

195General Awareness
Pankaj Advani is associated with which sport?
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Answer: (A) Billiards

Explanation

Pankaj Advani is a world-renowned Indian cueist who excels in both billiards and snooker. He achieved significant fame by winning his first world title at the IBSF World Snooker Championship in 2003 and followed it with numerous world titles in billiards. By 2016, he had become the only player to win world titles in all formats of both billiards and snooker, solidifying his status as one of India's greatest sportsmen. His dominance in the World Billiards Championships, where he has won multiple gold medals in both the timed and points formats, makes him the most prominent figure associated with the sport in India.

196General Awareness
"The General Equilibrium Analysis" was developed by
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Answer: (C) Walras

Explanation

Léon Walras is credited with the formal development of General Equilibrium Analysis, which he detailed in his 1874 work, Elements of Pure Economics. Unlike approaches that study a single market in isolation, Walrasian general equilibrium examines the economy as a whole, accounting for the complex interdependencies between all different markets for goods, services, and factors of production. He used a mathematical framework of simultaneous equations to prove that it is possible for all markets to reach a state of equilibrium at the same time, where the total quantity demanded equals the total quantity supplied across the entire economic system. This approach relies on the concept that price changes in one market inevitably influence supply and demand conditions in others, necessitating a simultaneous solution to determine the equilibrium prices and quantities for all commodities.

197General Awareness
Insider trading is related to
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Answer: (B) Share market

Explanation

Insider trading refers to the practice of buying or selling a public company's securities, such as shares or bonds, by individuals who have access to non-public, price-sensitive information about that company. This material information, if made public, would likely affect the stock price. Such activities take place within the share market and are regulated by authorities like the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to maintain market transparency and protect the interests of general investors. Engaging in insider trading is prohibited because it provides an unfair advantage to insiders, such as directors or employees, at the expense of the uninformed public.

198General Awareness
The operational period of 12th Five Year Plan is
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Answer: (B) 2012-17

Explanation

The 12th Five Year Plan was the final formal economic plan of India, covering the period from April 1, 2012, to March 31, 2017. Launched by the Planning Commission under the chairmanship of Dr. Manmohan Singh, its central theme was Faster, More Inclusive, and Sustainable Growth. The plan targeted a real GDP growth rate of 8 percent and focused significantly on infrastructure development, poverty reduction, health, and education. It followed the completion of the 11th Five Year Plan and remained operational until the Planning Commission was replaced by the NITI Aayog, which moved toward a different planning framework.

199General Awareness
A Unitary form of government is that in which all the powers are concentrated in the hands of
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Answer: (B) Central government

Explanation

In a unitary form of government, all constitutional and political powers are concentrated in a single, supreme central authority. In this system, the central government creates administrative divisions, but these sub-national units do not possess independent constitutional status or autonomous powers. Instead, they exercise only those functions and responsibilities specifically delegated to them by the national government. Because there is no constitutional division of power between the center and regional entities, the central government maintains the legal authority to expand, restrict, or withdraw the powers of any local bodies at its discretion.

200General Awareness
The school of Indian art which is also known as the Greco-Roman-Buddhist art is the ___________ school
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Answer: (C) Gandhara

Explanation

The Gandhara school of art is characterized by the unique fusion of Indian Buddhist themes with Greco-Roman stylistic elements. Flourishing primarily during the Kushana period in the northwestern regions of the Indian subcontinent, this school utilized classical Greek and Roman techniques to represent Buddhist iconography. Notable features include the depiction of the Buddha with wavy hair, muscular physique, and realistic facial features reminiscent of Greek deities like Apollo. The use of heavy, pleated drapery similar to a Roman toga and the anatomical precision of the sculptures further distinguish this style as a synthesis of Hellenistic influence and Indian religious thought.

Answer key

Tap a number to jump to that question.

  1. 151B
  2. 152C
  3. 153C
  4. 154A
  5. 155B
  6. 156C
  7. 157B
  8. 158C
  9. 159D
  10. 160A
  11. 161B
  12. 162A
  13. 163A
  14. 164A
  15. 165C
  16. 166B
  17. 167B
  18. 168C
  19. 169C
  20. 170B
  21. 171C
  22. 172D
  23. 173D
  24. 174D
  25. 175A
  26. 176B
  27. 177D
  28. 178B
  29. 179B
  30. 180C
  31. 181D
  32. 182B
  33. 183C
  34. 184B
  35. 185B
  36. 186B
  37. 187A
  38. 188C
  39. 189C
  40. 190B
  41. 191B
  42. 192A
  43. 193B
  44. 194D
  45. 195A
  46. 196C
  47. 197B
  48. 198B
  49. 199B
  50. 200C

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