SSC CHSL Tier 1 2024 General Awareness Questions with Solutions

Explanation

The Veddas, also known as the Wanniyala-Aetto, are the indigenous hunter-gatherer community of Sri Lanka. They are historically recognized as the earliest inhabitants of the island, having lived for thousands of years in the dense forests of the interior, where they traditionally relied on foraging, hunting with bows and arrows, and dwelling in natural caves.

Explanation

During the Chola reign, land gifted to Brahmins was known as Brahmadeya. These grants were typically tax-free and accompanied by various privileges. They were managed and looked after by an assembly or sabha of prominent Brahmin landholders, which operated highly efficiently. This practice led to the emergence of numerous Brahmin settlements across the Kaveri valley and other parts of South India.

Explanation

ATK Mohun Bagan won the Indian Super League 2022-23 championship by defeating Bengaluru FC in the final match held on 18 March 2023 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Margao, Goa. After the match ended in a 2-2 draw post extra time, ATK Mohun Bagan clinched their maiden ISL title by winning 4-3 in the penalty shootout.

Explanation

Akbar introduced the Mansabdari system in 1571 as the administrative and military framework of the Mughal Empire, which determined the rank, salary, and military responsibilities of his officers. Akbar also established Fatehpur Sikri as his capital in 1571, constructing grand structures like the Buland Darwaza and Jama Masjid there, and it served as the imperial capital until 1585. The annexation of the Sultanate of Bijapur was carried out by the later Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1686, rather than Akbar.

Explanation

Cassiopeia is a prominent constellation in the northern celestial hemisphere named after the queen of Aethiopia in Greek mythology. It is easily identified by its distinctive asterism of five bright stars that form a shape resembling a slightly irregular letter 'W' or 'M'. These five stars—Segin, Ruchbah, Gamma Cassiopeiae, Schedar, and Caph—are highly visible to the naked eye, making the constellation a reliable navigational landmark in the northern night sky throughout the year.

Explanation

In its landmark judgment on 2 March 2023, a five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court of India ruled that the appointments of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners shall be made by the President of India on the advice of a high-power committee. This committee consists of the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha (or the leader of the single largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha), and the Chief Justice of India. This mechanism was established to ensure the independence and neutrality of the Election Commission of India pending the enactment of a dedicated law by Parliament.

Explanation

Correct Answer: D

Article 21A of the Indian Constitution guarantees the Right to Elementary Education, which mandates that the State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children between the ages of six and fourteen years. This right is categorized under Part III of the Constitution and is available to all persons, including both Indian citizens and foreigners (except enemy aliens), reflecting its status as a fundamental human right.

Explanation

The National Human Rights Commission of India was established on 12 October 1993. It is a statutory body constituted under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, with the mandate to protect and promote human rights across the country.

Explanation

Pull factors are positive conditions in a destination country that attract migrants to move there.

Labour demand represents economic opportunities and job availability, drawing individuals seeking employment and better wages.

Protection of human and civil rights acts as a strong pull factor, particularly for individuals fleeing persecution, political instability, or lack of freedom in neighboring regions, who seek safety, stability, and legal protections.

High consumption and living standards, along with economic growth and better infrastructure, offer prospects for an improved quality of life, which acts as a major incentive for voluntary migration.

Explanation

An international field hockey match has a standard duration of 60 minutes. This play time is divided into four quarters of 15 minutes each, with a 2-minute break between the first and second quarters, and the third and fourth quarters, along with a 15-minute halftime interval between the second and third quarters. This 60-minute format was introduced by the International Hockey Federation to increase the speed and intensity of the game.

Explanation

The public healthcare infrastructure in India is organized into a three-tier system consisting of primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of care. The primary tier focuses on preventive, promotive, and basic curative healthcare, which is delivered through Sub-Centres and Primary Health Centres at the village and local community levels. The secondary tier provides more advanced diagnostic and treatment services through Community Health Centres and District Hospitals, serving as the first referral point for primary cases. The tertiary tier comprises specialized medical institutions, medical colleges, and super-specialty hospitals that offer advanced surgical, diagnostic, and intensive care services for complex health conditions. This structured framework ensures a systematic referral chain and organized distribution of health services across rural and urban populations.

Explanation

The Kamaicha is a traditional bowed string instrument played by the Manganiar community of western Rajasthan, particularly in the Jaisalmer and Barmer districts, and not Manipur. It is made from a single piece of mango wood with a large, round resonator covered in goat hide, and it serves as a primary accompaniment to their traditional folk songs.

Explanation

The Shiwaliks, also known as the Outer Himalayas, constitute the southernmost and outermost range of the Himalayan mountain system. This range is formed by the accumulation of unconsolidated sediments brought down by rivers from the main Himalayan ranges to the north. It runs parallel to the higher ranges, spanning from the Indus River in the west to the Brahmaputra River in the east, with an average altitude of 900 to 1200 meters.

Explanation

Under the National Manufacturing Policy of India, the National Investment and Manufacturing Zones (NIMZs) are conceptualized as large integrated industrial townships with state-of-the-art infrastructure. The policy prescribes a minimum land area of 5000 hectares for the establishment of an NIMZ, rather than 10000 hectares. This makes the statement regarding the 10000-hectare requirement incorrect.

Explanation

The floppy disk icon is the universally recognized symbol for saving data in computer software. In Microsoft Word, this icon is located on the Quick Access Toolbar, which typically resides above or below the ribbon or menu bar. Clicking this icon allows the user to quickly save the current progress of the document to the storage drive.

Explanation

The Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) was established in September 1928 at the ruins of Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi. Under the leadership of Chandrashekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev Thapar, and other young revolutionaries, the erstwhile Hindustan Republican Association (HRA) was reorganized. During this historic meeting, the participants decided to adopt socialistic principles as their primary goal, officially adding the word Socialist to the name of the organization to reflect their commitment to establishing a socialist republic in India.

Explanation

National defense is a classic example of a public good because it is non-rivalrous and non-excludable, meaning one person's consumption does not reduce its availability to others and no one can be effectively excluded from using it. A house, on the other hand, is a private good because it is both rivalrous and excludable.

Explanation

The Union Government constituted the Second National Judicial Pay Commission in 2017, appointing retired Supreme Court Judge Justice P.V. Reddi as its Chairman. The commission was tasked with examining and recommending improvements to the pay structure, allowances, pension, and other service conditions of judicial officers of the subordinate judiciary across the country. Justice P.V. Reddi led the commission, which submitted its final report to the Supreme Court of India in 2020, suggesting significant upward revisions and uniformity in the salary and pension structures of subordinate judges.

Explanation

West Bengal is world-famous for its grand scale celebration of Durga Puja, which is inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The festival culminates on Vijaya Dashami, the tenth day, which commemorates the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura. This day is marked by the immersion of beautifully crafted clay idols of the goddess in water bodies, accompanied by grand processions, traditional music played on the dhak, and the vibrant ritual of Sindoor Khela, where married women apply vermilion to the goddess and to each other as a symbol of goodwill and celebration.

Explanation

In Microsoft Word, navigating through a table can be efficiently done using the Tab key, which advances the cursor to the next cell in a row. If the cursor is in the last cell of a row, pressing the Tab key moves it to the first cell of the next row. Double-clicking inside a specific cell is also a standard method to immediately place the cursor inside that cell for editing.

Explanation

Correct Answer: B

The Bhatkhande Music Institute, now known as Bhatkhande Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya, is located in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Established in 1926 by the pioneering musicologist Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande, it is one of the most prestigious and historical institutions dedicated to Hindustani classical music education in India. Originally founded as the Marris College of Music, it was later renamed to honor its founder's invaluable contributions to the systematization and propagation of Indian classical music.

Explanation

Vertebrata is a major subphylum of chordates characterized by the presence of a segmented spinal column or backbone made of vertebrae. During embryonic development, all vertebrates possess a spinal precursor called the notochord, which is a flexible, rod-like structure. In advanced vertebrates, this notochord is replaced during development by a bony or cartilaginous vertebral column. However, in certain primitive vertebrate forms and ancestral lineages, the notochord persists throughout their entire life cycle, representing a primitive state where the backbone is represented solely by this structure.

Explanation

The Bhopal gas tragedy occurred on the night of 2–3 December 1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. This industrial disaster was caused by the accidental leakage of highly toxic methyl isocyanate gas, which quickly spread through the surrounding neighborhoods, resulting in thousands of immediate fatalities and chronic health issues for generations of local residents.

Explanation

The Eighty-sixth Amendment Act, 2002 inserted Article 21A into the Constitution of India to make the right to education a Fundamental Right. Under this article, the State is mandated to provide free and compulsory education to all children aged six to fourteen years in such manner as the State may, by law, determine. This landmark amendment also modified Article 45 under the Directive Principles of State Policy and added a new fundamental duty under Article 51A(k) to ensure a comprehensive approach towards education.

Explanation

Rukmini Devi Arundale was a legendary classical dancer and choreographer who played a pivotal role in the revival and global recognition of Bharatanatyam, a traditional Indian classical dance form. She founded the Kalakshetra Foundation in Chennai to preserve and promote classical dance, music, and traditional crafts. Her pioneering efforts successfully removed the social stigma previously associated with the dance form and elevated it to a highly respected classical art.

Explanation

The Sanchi Stupa is located in Sanchi Town in the Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh. Commissioned by Emperor Ashoka of the Maurya Dynasty in the 3rd century BCE, it is one of the oldest stone structures in India and a seminal monument of Buddhist art and architecture. The site was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1989.

Explanation

Amedeo Avogadro proposed the hypothesis that equal volumes of all gases, under the same conditions of temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. First published in 1811 and discussed widely in the subsequent years, this relation is known as Avogadro's law. It played a critical role in the development of molecular theory by distinguishing between atoms and molecules, allowing chemists to determine the relative molecular masses of various gases.

Explanation

National Sports Day in India is celebrated every year on August 29 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand. Born on August 29, 1905, Major Dhyan Chand is widely regarded as one of the greatest field hockey players of all time, renowned for his extraordinary ball control and goal-scoring abilities. He played a pivotal role in helping India win three consecutive Olympic gold medals in hockey at the 1928 Amsterdam, 1932 Los Angeles, and 1936 Berlin Olympic Games. The Government of India declared his birthday as National Sports Day in 2012 to honor his legacy and to promote sports, fitness, and physical activity across the nation.

Explanation

Rhamnose is a naturally occurring deoxy sugar with the chemical formula C₆H₁₂O₅. Under the traditional definition, carbohydrates were classified as hydrates of carbon conforming to the general formula Cₓ(H₂O)ᵧ, where the ratio of hydrogen to oxygen is 2:1, just like in water. Rhamnose is a carbohydrate but does not fit this general formula because its hydrogen-to-oxygen ratio is 12:5 rather than 2:1.

Explanation

Mahendragiri is located in the Gajapati district of Odisha and stands at an elevation of 1,501 metres. In standard geographical sources and academic curricula, Mahendragiri is identified as the highest peak in the Eastern Ghats.

Explanation

Fractional crystallisation is a technique used to separate a mixture of two or more soluble solids based on their different solubilities in a given solvent at different temperatures. When the mixture is dissolved in a hot solvent to form a saturated solution and then cooled slowly, the substance with lower solubility reaches its saturation limit first at the lower temperature and crystallizes out of the solution. These crystals can then be filtered off, leaving the more soluble substance in the remaining solution, thereby achieving separation.

Explanation

Indian archers made their Olympic debut at the 1988 Summer Olympics held in Seoul, South Korea. India was represented by a three-member men's archery team comprising Limba Ram, Shyam Lal Meena, and Sanjeeva Singh, who competed in both the individual and team events, marking the country's first-ever appearance in archery at the Olympic Games.

Explanation

In Microsoft Word, the alignment of text within table cells or text boxes can be controlled both horizontally and vertically. Under the Table Tools Layout tab, the Alignment group provides options for vertical positioning. Choosing Bottom Alignment (which includes Align Bottom Left, Align Bottom Center, and Align Bottom Right) positions the text vertically at the very bottom boundary of the cell or text box.

Explanation

Mercury is located extremely close to the Sun, where the intense solar wind and strong solar gravitational forces prevent the formation and retention of a ring system. Any small particles or debris that could potentially form rings are quickly swept away by solar radiation or pulled into the Sun. Furthermore, Mercury has a relatively small mass and weak gravitational pull, which limits its ability to capture and hold onto ring material.

Explanation

The Industrial Policy Resolution of 1956 formed the basis of the Second Five Year Plan (1956–1961), which was also known as the Mahalanobis Plan. This plan aimed to establish a socialistic pattern of society in India, focusing heavily on rapid industrialization and the development of public sector enterprises, rather than the Third Five Year Plan.

Explanation

Praveen Kumar Srivastava, a retired 1988-batch Indian Administrative Service officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, was sworn in as the Central Vigilance Commissioner by President Droupadi Murmu on 29 May 2023. He had been functioning as the acting Central Vigilance Commissioner since December 2022, following the retirement of Suresh N. Patel.

Explanation

In asymmetric cryptography, a digital signature is created when the sender encryptes the hash of a message using their private key. During the verification process, the recipient uses the sender's corresponding public key to decrypt this digital signature. Decrypting the signature recovers the original hash value, which is then compared to a newly computed hash of the received message to confirm that the message has not been altered and indeed originated from the sender.

Explanation

The slogan of the 15th National Census of India, which was conducted in 2011, was 'Our Census, Our Future'. This census was carried out under the Census Act 1948 and covered all states and union territories in two phases: House Listing and Housing Census, followed by Population Enumeration.

Explanation

Siddaramaiah took oath as the Chief Minister of Karnataka on May 20, 2023, at the Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru. This marked his second term as the Chief Minister of the state, having previously served in the role from 2013 to 2018. His appointment followed the Indian National Congress securing a majority in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly elections held earlier that month.

Explanation

The Dhyanchand Award, officially known as the Major Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sports and Games, was instituted in 2002 to honour sportspersons for their lifetime contributions to sports development. It specifically recognizes individuals who have not only contributed to sports through their performance during their active career but also continue to promote and contribute to sports after their retirement. The award is presented annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, and carries a statuette, a certificate, ceremonial dress, and a cash prize.

Explanation

The Citizenship Act, 1955, prescribes specific legal pathways for acquiring Indian citizenship, which include birth, descent, registration, naturalization, and the incorporation of territory. Holding or owning property in India is not recognized under Indian law as a valid ground or condition for the acquisition of citizenship. An individual cannot claim or obtain Indian citizenship simply by purchasing real estate or possessing assets within the country.

Explanation

The exit of food from the stomach into the small intestine is regulated by a ring-like circular muscle called the pyloric sphincter. This sphincter muscle acts as a valve, contracting and relaxing to control the passage of partially digested food (chyme) from the stomach into the duodenum of the small intestine, ensuring that digestion occurs in a regulated and gradual manner.

Explanation

Tamu Lochar is the traditional New Year festival celebrated by the Gurung community. The Gurung people, also known as Tamu, observe this festival to mark the transition of the year. It falls on the 15th day of the Hindu month of Pusa (Poush), which corresponds to December 30th in the Gregorian calendar. During this festival, community members gather in traditional attire, perform cultural dances, and visit monasteries to offer prayers for prosperity, health, and happiness in the new year.

Explanation

Correct Answer: B

Under Article 16 of the Constitution of Afghanistan, Dari and Pashto are the official languages of the country. Dari, a variety of the Persian language spoken in Afghanistan, serves as the primary lingua franca among the diverse ethnic groups of the nation and is widely used in administration, education, and government communications.

Explanation

In July 2021, the Government of India shifted the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) into the Ministry of Finance. This administrative reallocation was aimed at facilitating smoother coordination, speeding up the disinvestment and privatization process, and exercising greater financial control over Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs). By bringing DPE under the same umbrella as the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) and the Department of Economic Affairs, the government streamlined decisions regarding capital expenditure, performance evaluation, and asset monetization of state-run enterprises. This integration made the Department of Public Enterprises the sixth department within the Ministry of Finance.

Explanation

Saturn is the second-largest planet in our solar system, surpassed in size only by Jupiter. It is distinguished by its spectacular and extensive ring system, which is the largest, most complex, and brightest of any planet. These rings are composed primarily of billions of particles of ice, rocky debris, and dust, which reflect sunlight highly efficiently, making them exceptionally visible from Earth.

Explanation

India has hosted the ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup only once, which was the sixth edition of the tournament held in 2016. During this tournament, matches were played across seven venues in India, with the final match played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Although India held the hosting rights for the 2021 edition, the tournament was physically relocated and conducted in the United Arab Emirates and Oman due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Explanation

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) requires a user to provide two or more verification factors to gain access to a resource. These factors are typically categorized into something you know (such as a password), something you have (such as a smart card or security token), and something you are (biometrics). A fingerprint scan is a biometric verification method that represents the "something you are" category. When a fingerprint scan is combined with another factor, such as a password or a PIN, it successfully implements multi-factor authentication to secure a PC.

Explanation

Mass is an intrinsic physical property of an object that represents its inertia and the quantity of matter it contains. In classical physics, mass is a constant quantity and does not change under the influence of an applied force. While force can cause acceleration, alter velocity, change direction, or deform an object's shape, it cannot alter or increase the amount of matter within the object. Consequently, force has no impact on the mass of an object.

Explanation

The Carnatic music system is based on seven basic rhythm cycles, collectively known as the Suladi Sapta Talas. These seven fundamental talas are Dhruva, Matya, Rupaka, Jhampa, Triputa, Ata, and Eka. Each of these basic talas is defined by its unique combination of three basic components or angas, which are Laghu, Drutam, and Anudrutam. These seven fundamental talas form the bedrock of the rhythm system in Carnatic music and can be further expanded into thirty-five talas by varying the structure or jati of the Laghu component.