SSC CHSL Tier 1 2024 General Awareness Questions with Solutions

Explanation

Article 37 of the Constitution of India explicitly declares that the Directive Principles of State Policy are non-justiciable in nature. This means that they are not legally enforceable by any court of law, and the government cannot be compelled by judicial action to implement them. In contrast, Fundamental Rights are justiciable, meaning citizens can directly petition the Supreme Court or High Courts under Articles 32 and 226 for their enforcement if they are violated. This fundamental difference in legal enforceability is the primary characteristic that distinguishes the Directive Principles of State Policy from Fundamental Rights.

Explanation

Bharatanatyam is an ancient Indian classical dance form that originated in the temples of Tamil Nadu. It traces its origins to the Natya Shastra, a Sanskrit text on performing arts, and was historically performed by temple dancers known as Devadasis, under the name Sadir Attam. This expressive dance style is renowned for its structured footwork, hand gestures known as mudras, and dramatic facial expressions.

Explanation

The Gulf of Kutch, located on the western coast of India in Gujarat, has a high tidal range with spring tides reaching up to 8 meters. This geographical feature gives it an estimated tidal energy potential of approximately 1200 MW. Due to these favorable conditions, it stands as the leading site for tidal energy resource potential and planned generation projects among the choices provided.

Explanation

Balanced Growth Theory was popularized by Ragnar Nurkse, who argued that synchronized investment in a wide range of industries is essential to create mutually supporting domestic markets.

Big Push Theory was formulated by Paul Rosenstein-Rodan, who proposed that a massive, coordinated investment program in basic infrastructure and industries is necessary to overcome the inertia of an underdeveloped economy.

Secular Deterioration of terms of trade is the core of the Prebisch-Singer hypothesis, which asserts that the price of primary commodities declines relative to manufactured goods over the long run.

Capital Goods and Heavy Industry development is the central feature of the Feldman-Mahalanobis strategy, which guided India's Second Five-Year Plan by prioritizing the domestic capacity to produce capital goods.

Explanation

The Paramhans Mandali was founded in Bombay in 1849 by Dadoba Pandurang, Ram Balkrishna Jayakar, and their associates as a secret socio-religious society. It emerged from the reformist efforts of the 1840s and was closely linked to the earlier Manav Dharma Sabha. The primary objective of the Mandali was the annihilation of the caste system, the promotion of monotheism, and the encouragement of widow remarriage. Members of the Mandali took a pledge to disregard caste distinctions, and they actively demonstrated this by consuming food prepared by lower-caste cooks at their meetings, working to destroy orthodox caste barriers.

Explanation

According to Law 3 of the Laws of the Game established by the International Football Association Board, a match cannot start or continue if either team has fewer than seven players. This requirement ensures the competitive integrity and viability of the game, making seven the absolute minimum number of players a team must field to begin play.

Explanation

Article 21, which guarantees the Protection of Life and Personal Liberty, is a Fundamental Right under Part III of the Constitution of India. Any amendment to the provisions of Part III requires a special majority of Parliament under Article 368. This means the amendment bill must be passed in each House of Parliament by a majority of the total membership of that House and by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members of that House present and voting. Therefore, Article 21 cannot be amended by a simple majority.

Explanation

Pandit Rattan Mohan Sharma is a distinguished classical vocalist belonging to the Mewati Gharana. He received his training in Hindustani classical music from his mother, Chandra Sarang, and his uncle, the legendary maestro Pandit Jasraj, who was one of the foremost exponents of the Mewati Gharana. Pandit Rattan Mohan Sharma is widely acclaimed for his mastery over the Tarana genre, as well as Khayal and Haveli Sangeet, carrying forward the rich lineage and unique stylistic nuances of the Mewati tradition.

Explanation

Gopala established the Pala dynasty in Bengal around 750 CE. He was elected as king by the local chieftains and leading citizens to end a long period of political chaos, anarchy, and civil strife known as Matsyanyaya, which literally translates to the law of the fishes, where the strong devour the weak. His ascension to the throne brought stability to the region and laid the foundation for the Pala Empire, which went on to rule Bengal and Bihar for nearly four centuries.

Explanation

Competitive behaviour and competitive market structure are inversely related. In microeconomics, competitive market structure refers to the number of firms in a market, which determines the degree of market power, while competitive behaviour refers to the active rivalry and strategic actions (like price wars, advertising, and product differentiation) that firms employ to outperform their rivals.

In a perfectly competitive market structure where there are a large number of firms, the market is highly competitive in structure, but individual firms exhibit no active competitive behaviour because they are price-takers and can sell any quantity at the prevailing market price. Conversely, in an oligopoly where the market structure is less competitive due to the presence of only a few firms, there is intense active competitive behaviour as firms constantly react to each other's pricing and marketing strategies to capture market share. This trade-off establishes an inverse relationship between the two concepts.

Explanation

The Gulf of Khambhat and the Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat on the western coast, along with the Gangetic delta in the Sunderbans region of West Bengal on the eastern coast, experience high tidal ranges and strong tidal currents. These geographical locations provide a naturally high tidal amplitude, which is the most critical requirement for the commercially viable generation of tidal energy. By channeling the high volume of water that enters these estuaries during high tide and releases during low tide, these regions offer immense potential for setting up tidal power plants to generate clean and renewable electricity.

Explanation

Article 16(4A) of the Constitution of India empowers the State to provide reservation in matters of promotion, with consequential seniority, to any class or classes of posts in the services under the State in favour of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes which, in the opinion of the State, are not adequately represented in the services under the State. This provision was inserted by the Constitution (Seventy-seventh Amendment) Act, 1995, to protect and continue reservation for these communities in promotions, overriding the restriction on promotional reservations previously established by the Supreme Court in the Indra Sawhney case.

Explanation

In a monopoly, there is a single seller of a unique product with no close substitutes. Because consumers have no alternative products to turn to if the monopolist raises prices, their purchasing decisions are relatively unresponsive to price changes. This lack of substitution options makes the demand curve faced by a monopoly steeper and less price elastic. In monopolistic competition, many firms sell differentiated products that are close substitutes, which gives consumers numerous alternative choices and makes their demand highly sensitive to price changes. Consequently, the demand curve in a monopoly is less elastic.

Explanation

Article 51A(i) of the Constitution of India prescribes the fundamental duty to safeguard public property and to abjure violence. Historical monuments and archaeological sites are national public properties maintained by the state for the benefit of the public. Signages instructing people not to write on or deface the walls of these monuments are regulatory measures directly aimed at preventing damage and vandalism, thereby reinforcing the civic obligation of every citizen to protect and preserve public property from defacement.

Explanation

Tyrosine is synthesized in the body through the hydroxylation of the essential amino acid phenylalanine. This reaction is catalyzed by the hepatic enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase, which adds a hydroxyl group to the aromatic ring of phenylalanine to form tyrosine. This pathway represents the primary metabolic route for phenylalanine disposal and provides the tyrosine required for protein synthesis and the production of neurotransmitters like dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine.

Explanation

In July 2021, the Assam Cabinet approved the creation of an independent department specifically dedicated to protecting and preserving the faith, culture, and traditions of the state's tribes and indigenous communities. This department, named the Department of Indigenous Faith and Culture, was established to provide institutional support and financial resources for safeguarding the unique heritage, customary laws, and ancient rituals of the diverse tribal and indigenous populations of Assam.

Explanation

The hydronium ion, H₃O⁺, is formed when a proton (H⁺) bonds to one of the lone pairs on the oxygen atom of a water molecule. In the resulting H₃O⁺ ion, the central oxygen atom is surrounded by three bonding pairs of electrons (O-H bonds) and one non-bonding lone pair. According to Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion (VSEPR) theory, these four electron groups arrange themselves in a tetrahedral orientation to minimize repulsion, resulting in sp³ hybridization of the oxygen atom. Because one of these positions is occupied by a lone pair, the spatial arrangement of the atoms alone produces a trigonal pyramidal molecular geometry. The strong repulsion from the lone pair compresses the H-O-H bond angles from the ideal tetrahedral angle of 109.5° to approximately 113°.

Explanation

Pluto has a highly eccentric and inclined orbit compared to the major planets. Its elliptical path is so elongated (oblong) that at its closest approach to the Sun (perihelion), Pluto lies at a distance of about 29.7 astronomical units (AU), which is closer to the Sun than Neptune's average orbital distance of approximately 30.1 AU. As a result of this high eccentricity, Pluto's orbit overlaps with Neptune's orbit, causing Pluto to spend 20 years of its 248-year orbital period closer to the Sun than Neptune. This overlap last occurred between January 21, 1979, and February 11, 1999. Despite this orbital intersection, a 3:2 orbital resonance prevents the two celestial bodies from ever colliding.

Explanation

Lai-Phi and Chin-Phi are traditional handwoven ceremonial costumes worn by the women of the Meitei community in Manipur. These garments are highly significant in Manipuri culture, featuring intricate embroidery and traditional designs that are specifically worn during religious festivals, marriages, and other auspicious cultural ceremonies.

Explanation

The Cut command in Microsoft Word removes the selected text or object from its original position in the document and places it onto the system Clipboard. This temporary storage allows the user to relocate the content to another position or document using the paste function.

Explanation

The National Statistical Office survey on education, widely cited in national reports up to 2022, estimated India's overall literacy rate to be 77.7%. This data highlights that the male literacy rate in the country is 84.7% and the female literacy rate is 70.3%. Furthermore, the survey indicates a gap between rural and urban areas, with rural literacy at 73.5% and urban literacy at 87.7%.

Explanation

Tallapaka Annamacharya, a 15th-century Hindu saint and composer, is widely revered as the Pada-kavita Pitamaha of Telugu literature. He composed around 32,000 sankirtanas, which are devotional song-compositions written in Telugu and Sanskrit, dedicated almost exclusively to Lord Venkateshwara, the presiding deity of the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple.

Explanation

The Preamble to the Constitution of India declares the nation to be a Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic, Republic. Initially, the Preamble described India as a Sovereign Democratic Republic. The words Socialist and Secular were inserted between Sovereign and Democratic by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1976, establishing this specific chronological sequence to define the character of the Indian State.

Explanation

The autonomous expenditure multiplier in an economy with proportional taxes is expressed by the formula:

m = 1 / (1 - c(1 - t))

Here, c represents the marginal propensity to consume and t represents the proportional tax rate.

When a proportional tax is introduced or increased, the disposable income of households decreases because a fraction t of any additional income is paid as tax. This reduces the effective marginal propensity to consume out of national income to c(1 - t). As a result, the denominator 1 - c(1 - t) becomes larger than it would be without taxes (1 - c), which reduces the overall value of the autonomous expenditure multiplier.

Explanation

The Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management is an autonomous body established in 1983 under the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. It serves as a premier institution offering education, training, research, and consultancy in the sustainable management of tourism, travel, and other allied sectors. The headquarters and main campus of the institute are located in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.

Explanation

The general slope and elevation of the peninsular plateau of India is from west to east. This eastward tilt is clearly indicated by the direction of flow of its major rivers, such as the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri. These rivers originate in the Western Ghats on the western side of the plateau and flow eastwards to drain into the Bay of Bengal.

Explanation

The Lakshmibai National College of Physical Education is located at Kariavattom in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Established in 1989 under the aegis of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, the college operates as the academic wing of the Sports Authority of India in the southern region. It is dedicated to providing high-quality teacher education, research, and training in physical education and sports sciences.

Explanation

The National Manufacturing Policy was approved by the Cabinet in October 2011 to scale up the share of manufacturing in India's gross domestic product to 25% and generate 100 million jobs.

The Make in India initiative was launched by the Prime Minister in September 2014 to transform India into a global design and manufacturing hub.

The Startup India scheme was launched in January 2016 to build a strong ecosystem for nurturing innovation and startup enterprises, driving sustainable economic growth and generating large-scale employment opportunities.

The Smart Cities Mission was launched in June 2015 to promote cities that provide core infrastructure, clean and sustainable environment, and application of smart solutions to improve the quality of life of citizens.

Explanation

LinkedIn is a social networking platform specifically designed for professional networking, career development, and job recruitment. Launched in 2003, it allows users to create professional profiles, upload resumes, connect with colleagues and industry peers, search for employment opportunities, and share business-related content, making it the premier digital network for professionals globally.

Explanation

Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, commonly known as Salt Lake Stadium, is the largest football stadium in India and is located in Kolkata, West Bengal. With a seating capacity of approximately 85,000 spectators following its renovation for the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup, it stands as one of the most iconic football venues in Asia. It serves as the home ground for legendary Indian football clubs such as Mohun Bagan SG and East Bengal FC, regularly hosting the historic Kolkata Derby and various international matches.

Explanation

Correct Answer: B

Prabhu Deva is a highly celebrated Indian dance choreographer, actor, director, and producer who has worked extensively across Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam, and Kannada cinema. Often referred to as the Michael Jackson of India for his distinct and fast-paced dancing style, he has choreographed numerous iconic songs and won two National Film Awards for Best Choreography.

Explanation

According to the Laws of Cricket, specifically Law 7, the standard dimensions of a cricket pitch are 22 yards in length and 10 feet in width. The length of 22 yards, which is equivalent to 66 feet or 20.12 meters, is the distance measured from the base of the stumps at one end to the base of the stumps at the opposite end. The width of 10 feet, or 3.05 meters, is defined as the area extending 5 feet on either side of the imaginary center line joining the wickets.

Explanation

Guru Nanak Dev Ji was the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. Born in 1469 in Rai Bhoi Ki Talwandi, which is now Nankana Sahib in Pakistan, his spiritual teachings laid the entire foundation of the Sikh faith. His birth anniversary is celebrated globally with great devotion as Guru Nanak Gurpurab, or Prakash Utsav, to honor the life and legacy of the first Guru.

Explanation

During the 19th DP Kohli Memorial Lecture in April 2022, Chief Justice of India NV Ramana proposed the creation of an independent umbrella investigative body to bring central agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation, Serious Fraud Investigation Office, and National Investigation Agency under one roof. He suggested this to prevent multiplicity of proceedings, overlap of jurisdiction, and to ensure the independence of these investigative organizations.

Explanation

The Constituent Assembly of India officially adopted the Hindi version of Jana Gana Mana as the National Anthem of India on 24 January 1950. Originally composed in Bengali by Rabindranath Tagore, the song was first sung on 27 December 1911 at the Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress. The declaration of its adoption as the National Anthem was made by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, who was the President of the Constituent Assembly, during its final session just two days before India became a Republic.

Explanation

The Salt Satyagraha, also known as the Dandi March, was launched by Mahatma Gandhi on March 12, 1930, as a direct action campaign of tax resistance and nonviolent protest against the British salt monopoly. By choosing salt—a basic commodity essential to every Indian household—Gandhi successfully united and mobilized diverse sections of the Indian population, including women, peasants, and youth, in the civil disobedience movement for independence.

Explanation

Mulayam Singh Yadav, the founder-patron of the Samajwadi Party and former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, was posthumously awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 2023 for his distinguished service in the field of public affairs. Over his political career spanning more than five decades, he served as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister three times and as the Union Defence Minister of India from 1996 to 1998.

Explanation

The Kailasa temple, also known as Cave 16, is located in the Ellora Caves complex in Maharashtra. This architectural marvel was built in the 8th century under the patronage of the Rashtrakuta king Krishna I. It is renowned as the largest monolithic rock-cut structure in the world, carved vertically downward from a single basalt cliff face. The temple showcases exceptional engineering skill, elaborate sculptural ornamentation, and reflects Dravidian architectural style combined with Rashtrakuta artistic traditions.

Explanation

The Salal Hydroelectric Power Station, also known as the Salal Project, is built on the Chenab River in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir. Commissioned in 1987, it is a major run-of-the-river power project with a total installed capacity of 690 MW, constructed under the bilateral terms of the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960.

Explanation

The 36th National Games of India was hosted by the state of Gujarat in 2022. The multi-sport event took place from September 29 to October 12, 2022, across six cities in the state, namely Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, and Bhavnagar. This marked the first time Gujarat hosted the National Games, featuring competitions in 36 different sports disciplines. The official mascot for this edition of the games was Savaj, which represents an Asiatic lion cub.

Explanation

In the sport of Kabaddi, the offensive player who enters the opponent's half of the court is called the raider. The main objective of the raider is to tag as many defending players as possible and safely return to their own half of the court within a designated time, typically 30 seconds, without being tackled by the defenders.

Explanation

Sohar is a traditional Indian folk music genre widely sung in regions like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh to celebrate the birth of a child. It is classified under sanskar geet, which are songs associated with various life-cycle rituals. Typically performed by women during childbirth ceremonies, Sohar songs express joy, offer blessings for the health and longevity of the newborn, and often narrate stories related to the births of divine figures like Rama and Krishna.

Explanation

Correct Answer: A

Kalbelia is a traditional folk dance of Rajasthan, closely associated with the nomadic Kalbelia tribe, whose historic occupation was catching snakes and trading snake venom. Because of this heritage, the dance is also popularly known as the Sapera Dance or Snake Charmer Dance. Female dancers dressed in heavily embroidered black skirts perform swirling movements that mimic the flexibility and grace of a serpent, while male members provide musical accompaniment using traditional instruments like the pungi, khanri, and dufli. This unique cultural expression of Rajasthan was recognized globally when it was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010.

Explanation

The National Infrastructure Pipeline is a first-of-its-kind, whole-of-government exercise aimed at providing world-class infrastructure across India. Launched for the period spanning FY 2019-20 to FY 2024-25, this initiative targets an estimated investment of over ₹111 lakh crore to improve the quality of life for citizens and attract robust investments into various social and economic infrastructure sectors.

Explanation

According to the report on Household Social Consumption: Education in India published by the National Statistical Office (NSO), the literacy rate of males in India is 84.7%. The survey provides state-wise and gender-wise data on education, indicating an overall national literacy rate of 77.7%, with male literacy standing at 84.7% and female literacy at 70.3%.

Explanation

Kutiyattam is a traditional performing art form from Kerala that represents India's oldest living theatrical tradition, dating back over two thousand years. It is performed in specialized temple theatres called Koothambalams and is the only surviving specimen of ancient Sanskrit theatre. The performance strictly follows the classical Sanskrit drama principles outlined in Bharata Muni's Natya Shastra, blending stylized hand gestures, facial expressions, and vocal chanting. Recognizing its unique cultural value and the need for preservation, UNESCO proclaimed Kutiyattam as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2001, making it the first Indian art form to receive this prestigious recognition.

Explanation

Under Article 51A of the Constitution of India, which outlines the Fundamental Duties of Indian citizens, there is no provision that mandates citizens to join the defence forces. Although Article 51A(d) states that it is the duty of every citizen to defend the country and render national service when called upon to do so, this does not translate to a requirement or duty to enlist in or join the military or defence forces.

Explanation

In some plants, such as Monstera, grass, and the banyan tree, roots develop from parts of the plant other than the radicle. These roots are known as adventitious roots. In Monstera, these roots help in providing mechanical support and absorbing moisture and nutrients from the surroundings, arising directly from the aerial stems or nodes rather than the embryonic radicle.

Explanation

Justus von Liebig, a German chemist, invented the modern silvered-glass mirror in 1835. He developed a chemical process of applying a thin layer of metallic silver to one side of a pane of clear glass through the chemical reduction of silver nitrate. This technique, known as silvering, allowed for the mass production of high-quality, affordable, and highly reflective mirrors, replacing the older and highly toxic mercury-amalgam method.

Explanation

The International Kite Festival, also known as Uttarayan, is celebrated annually in Gujarat, with its main hub in Ahmedabad. This vibrant festival marks the day when winter begins to turn into summer, coinciding with the festival of Makar Sankranti. The event attracts kite flying enthusiasts and professional kite makers from across the globe who gather to showcase uniquely designed kites, filling the sky with diverse colors and patterns.