SSC CHSL Tier 1 2024 General Awareness Questions with Solutions

Explanation

Muhammad Yunus, a Bangladeshi economist and social entrepreneur, is widely recognized as the founder of modern microfinance. In 1976, he initiated a research project to provide small, collateral-free loans to the rural poor in Bangladesh, which led to the establishment of the Grameen Bank in 1983. This innovative microcredit model proved that lending to impoverished individuals, particularly women, is highly sustainable and effective for poverty alleviation. For his pioneering efforts in creating economic and social development from below, Yunus and Grameen Bank were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006.

Explanation

Tennis was included as an official sport in the very first modern Olympic Games held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. Both men's singles and men's doubles events were played during these inaugural games, with John Pius Boland winning the gold medal in both events.

Explanation

Under Article 32 of the Constitution of India, the Supreme Court is empowered to issue five types of writs for the enforcement and protection of the Fundamental Rights of citizens. These five writs are Habeas Corpus, Mandamus, Prohibition, Certiorari, and Quo-Warranto. Habeas Corpus protects individual liberty against unlawful detention. Mandamus commands a public official to perform a legal duty they have failed to do. Prohibition is issued to prevent a lower court or tribunal from exceeding its jurisdiction. Certiorari is used to quash an order already passed by a lower court or quasi-judicial body. Quo-Warranto inquires into the legality of a person's claim to a public office, preventing illegal usurpation of public offices.

Explanation

The Aravidu dynasty was the fourth and final ruling dynasty of the Vijayanagara Empire. Founded by Tirumala Deva Raya around 1570, this dynasty established its rule after the Battle of Talikota in 1565, which had led to the destruction of the old capital at Hampi. The Aravidu rulers shifted the capital to Penukonda, and later to Chandragiri and Vellore, governing the remnants of the empire until its final collapse around 1646.

Explanation

Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma is a legendary Santoor player who popularized this Kashmiri folk instrument on the classical music stage. Anushka Shankar is an acclaimed Sitar player and composer, trained under her father, Pandit Ravi Shankar. Ustad Bismillah Khan is the renowned maestro who elevated the Shehnai, a traditional wind instrument, to the classical concert platform. Ustad Binda Khan was a celebrated exponent of the Sarangi belonging to the Delhi gharana.

Explanation

Subhas Chandra Bose, popularly known as Netaji, played a definitive role in the Indian National Army (INA), also known as the Azad Hind Fauj. In July 1943, he arrived in Singapore and took over the leadership of the INA, which was originally initiated by Mohan Singh and Rash Behari Bose. Under his leadership, the INA was restructured, a women's regiment named the Rani of Jhansi Regiment was formed, and the army launched military campaigns against the British forces in Northeast India in its quest to liberate India.

Explanation

Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis formulated India's Second Five-Year Plan (1956–1961), which laid the foundation for the nation's state-led industrialization and economic development. This plan was based on the Mahalanobis model, a mathematical framework that prioritized rapid industrialization with a heavy focus on capital goods and basic industries. By channeling public sector investment into core sectors such as steel, power, coal, and heavy machinery, the model aimed to achieve economic self-reliance and accelerate long-term growth.

Explanation

A nebula is an interstellar cloud of dust, hydrogen, helium, and other ionized gases located within a galaxy. These vast clouds often act as astronomical nurseries where new stars are formed when gravitational forces cause the dust and gas to coalesce and collapse.

Explanation

Gulab Chand Kataria assumed the office of the Governor of Assam on February 22, 2023. He was appointed by the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, succeeding Jagdish Mukhi as the 31st Governor of the state. Prior to this appointment, he served as the Home Minister of Rajasthan and was the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly.

Explanation

Correct Answer: B

Sonal Mansingh is an eminent Indian classical dancer and choreographer who specializes in Bharatanatyam and Odissi. She has performed globally and has been recognized with several prestigious awards, including the Padma Bhushan in 1992 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2003, becoming the youngest recipient of the Padma Vibhushan. In 2018, she was nominated by the President of India to serve as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha for her contributions to Indian classical dance and culture.

Explanation

Rabi crops are sown in the winter season, which begins after the retreat of the monsoon in October and November. These crops require a cool climate for growth and a warm climate for seed germination and harvesting, which usually takes place in spring from April to June. Wheat, barley, mustard, and green peas are key examples of crops cultivated during this cycle, relying on soil moisture left behind by the monsoon as well as winter showers.

Explanation

Vande Mataram was composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in the 1870s and later published in his 1882 novel Anandamath.

Jana Gana Mana was originally composed as Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata in Bengali by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, and its first stanza was adopted as the National Anthem of India.

Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon is a patriotic song written by the legendary lyricist Kavi Pradeep to honor the Indian soldiers who died during the Sino-Indian War of 1962.

Explanation

Saina Nehwal achieved the World No. 1 ranking in women's singles by the Badminton World Federation in April 2015. She is the first and only Indian female badminton player to reach the top spot in the world rankings.

Explanation

Nyioga is a traditional folk song genre belonging to the Adi tribe of Arunachal Pradesh, rather than Nagaland. It is performed during major festivals like Solung and other important socio-cultural gatherings to narrate ancestral history, myths, and the origin of the community.

Explanation

Correct Answer: C

The Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2003 was enacted with the primary objective of institutionalizing financial discipline, reducing the fiscal deficit, and ensuring long-term macroeconomic stability. The Act mandates the central government to take appropriate measures to reduce the fiscal deficit and revenue deficit to manageable limits relative to the Gross Domestic Product, thereby ensuring inter-generational equity in fiscal management and better coordination between monetary and fiscal policies.

Explanation

The Monuments at Mahabalipuram, also known as Mamallapuram, were constructed by the Pallava dynasty during the 7th and 8th centuries CE. The city was named Mamallapuram after the Pallava king Narasimhavarman I, who was known as Mamalla (the great wrestler). Under the patronage of Pallava rulers like Narasimhavarman I and Rajasimha, extraordinary rock-cut cave temples, monolithic rathas (chariots), and structural stone temples such as the Shore Temple were built, establishing Mahabalipuram as a major center of Pallava art and architecture.

Explanation

Chhau is a traditional semi-classical Indian dance form with deep martial, tribal, and folk origins that is widely performed in Jharkhand. Specifically, the Seraikela Chhau style originated in the Seraikela Kharsawan district of Jharkhand. The dance is characterized by its energetic movements, mock combat techniques, and the use of masks to depict characters from local folklore and Hindu epics such as the Ramayana and Mahabharata. In 2010, Chhau dance was inscribed in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, highlighting its cultural significance to Jharkhand and the surrounding eastern region of India.

Explanation

The book Ambedkar and Modi: Reformer's Ideas Performer's Implementation, published in September 2022, features a foreword written by the former President of India, Ram Nath Kovind. He also officially released the book at a function in New Delhi. The book, compiled by the Bluekraft Digital Foundation, analyzes the synergy between the reformist vision of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and the developmental policies and implementation initiatives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi across various sectors like infrastructure, education, gender equality, and self-reliance.

Explanation

On July 6, 2021, the West Bengal Legislative Assembly passed a resolution under Article 169 of the Constitution of India to establish a Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad) in the state. The resolution was tabled following the recommendation of an ad hoc committee that favoured the creation of the upper house. The motion was passed with 196 members voting in favour and 57 against, aiming to resurrect the bicameral legislature in West Bengal, which had been abolished earlier in 1969.

Explanation

Orographic rainfall, also known as relief rainfall, occurs when a moisture-laden, saturated air mass is forced to rise over a physical barrier such as a mountain range. As the air ascends the windward slope of the mountain, it expands and cools adiabatically. This cooling causes the water vapor in the air to condense, leading to cloud formation and heavy precipitation on the windward side.

Explanation

MS Excel functions are designed to perform calculations, data manipulation, and logical operations on a specific range of cells or groups of cells. In Excel, a range is a collection of two or more cells, which can be contiguous, such as A1:A10, or non-contiguous, such as A1, C3, and E5, grouped together using separators like commas. Functions like SUM, AVERAGE, and COUNT accept these cell ranges and cell groups as arguments to process data.

Explanation

The Census of India 2011 recorded a total of 640 districts across the 28 states and 7 union territories of the country. This marked an increase from the 593 districts that were recorded during the preceding Census of 2001, reflecting the creation of 47 new districts over the decade.

Explanation

In MS-Excel, selecting a range of cells within a row and clicking the Delete key or the Delete button on the keyboard clears the contents, formulas, and data of those specific selected cells. The cells themselves, along with their formatting and the row structure, remain intact in the worksheet, but the entries inside all the selected cells are completely removed.

Explanation

Tincture of iodine is prepared by dissolving solid iodine (solute) in a liquid solvent mixture of alcohol and water. Since the solute is a solid and the solvent is a liquid, it serves as a classic example of a solid-in-liquid type of solution.

Explanation

The Reserve Bank of India, which originally started as a private shareholders' bank in 1935, was nationalised on January 1, 1949. This transition was enacted through the Reserve Bank of India (Transfer to Public Ownership) Act, 1948, under which all shares in the capital of the bank were deemed to be transferred to the Central Government against payment of appropriate compensation to the private shareholders. From this date, the bank began functioning as a fully state-owned central bank of India.

Explanation

The Industrial Policy Resolution of 1948 laid the foundation for a mixed economy in India and categorized industries into four distinct segments.

The first segment comprised strategic industries kept under the exclusive monopoly of the Central Government, which included arms and ammunition, atomic energy, and railway transport.

The second segment consisted of key industries or public-cum-private sector undertakings, covering six basic industries like coal, iron and steel, aircraft manufacturing, shipbuilding, manufacture of telephone, telegraph and wireless apparatus, and mineral oils, where all new units were to be set up by the State.

The third segment included regulated industries, consisting of 18 specific industries of national importance, such as automobiles, chemicals, heavy machinery, and machine tools, which were left to the private sector but subject to state regulation and control.

The fourth segment encompassed all other remaining industries, which were left entirely open to private enterprise and cooperative sectors under the general supervision of the state.

Explanation

Ludhiana was not a venue for the 66th National School Games 2022-23. The multi-sport event, organized by the School Games Federation of India (SGFI) in June 2023 after a gap of three years, did not designate Ludhiana as one of its host cities for any of the sporting disciplines.

Explanation

The Vibrant Villages Programme is a centrally sponsored scheme launched by the Union Home Minister on April 10, 2023, from Kibithoo, which is a border village located in the Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh. Kibithoo is recognized as India's easternmost inhabited village, situated along the Line of Actual Control. This initiative aims to comprehensively develop selected border villages, enhance infrastructure, improve the quality of life for local residents, and curb migration from these strategic frontier regions.

Explanation

The Government of India launched the Bharat Nirman Programme on December 16, 2005. It was conceived as a time-bound business plan to construct and upgrade basic rural infrastructure across the country, aiming to improve the quality of life in rural areas. The scheme focused on six critical sectors of rural development: irrigation, roads, housing, water supply, electrification, and telecommunication connectivity.

Explanation

Rashtriya Ucchatar Shiksha Abhiyan is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched in 2013 by the Ministry of Education to improve the quality of state higher educational institutions. The scheme focuses on providing strategic funding to eligible state universities and colleges, facilitating reforms in academic, examination, and affiliation systems, and promoting research and innovation in the higher education sector. Because its primary objective is the development and reform of higher education in India, it is not categorized as a poverty alleviation programme.

Explanation

The Sangeeta Sudhakara is a highly influential classical treatise on music and dance written by King Haripala (also known as Haripaladeva) in the 12th century. Haripala, a ruler of the Chalukya dynasty, is widely credited in this work with first defining and distinguishing the two major systems of Indian classical music: the northern Hindustani music and the southern Carnatic music. The text provides detailed insights into various aspects of musicology, including raga, tala, and the classification of musical instruments.

Explanation

Muscle cells contain specialized contractile proteins, primarily actin and myosin, which interact with each other in response to electrochemical signals from the nervous system. When these proteins slide past one another, they cause the muscle cells to shorten, which is the process of contraction. When the signals stop, the cells return to their original length, which is relaxation. This coordinated contraction and relaxation of muscle cells generates the mechanical force required to pull on bones and tissues, resulting in movement.

Explanation

The fifth edition of the Khelo India Youth Games was hosted by Madhya Pradesh and took place from January 30 to February 11, 2023. The events were held across eight different cities in the state, with Bhopal serving as the main host city where the opening ceremony and a majority of the sporting disciplines were organized.

Explanation

Onam is the annual harvest festival of Kerala, celebrated in the Malayalam month of Chingam. The festival spans ten days, starting from Atham and ending on Thiruvonam, to commemorate the homecoming of King Mahabali. A major highlight of the Onam celebrations is the Vallam Kali (traditional snake boat races), such as the famous Nehru Trophy Boat Race held on the Punnamada Lake in Alappuzha. The festival is also celebrated with vibrant floral carpets called Pookalam, grand feasts known as Onasadya, and traditional dances.

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect because the power to proclaim the three types of emergencies under Articles 352, 356, and 360 is vested in the President of India, not the Prime Minister, though the President acts on the written recommendation of the Cabinet.

Statement 3 is incorrect because the Supreme Court of India possesses the power of judicial review, which is a basic feature of the Constitution. Under Articles 13, 32, 131 to 136, 143, and 226, the judiciary has the power to examine the constitutionality of legislative enactments and executive orders, and can declare them void if they violate the Constitution.

Explanation

Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram are located in the coastal regions of southern India. Due to their close proximity to the sea, they experience a moderate maritime climate. The presence of large water bodies helps in regulating the temperature through the action of land and sea breezes, keeping the diurnal temperature range very low. This buffering effect of the ocean ensures that the difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures remains minimal throughout the year.

Explanation

Article 20 of the Constitution of India guarantees protection in respect of conviction for offenses, which is a vital fundamental right safeguarded under Part III. This article is applicable to both Indian citizens and foreigners. It establishes three crucial safeguards against arbitrary and excessive punishment by the state. The first safeguard is protection against ex-post facto laws, which ensures that a person can only be convicted for violating a law that was in force at the time the act was committed. The second is protection against double jeopardy, which prevents a person from being prosecuted and punished more than once for the same offense. The third safeguard is protection against self-incrimination, which ensures that no accused person can be compelled to be a witness against themselves.

Explanation

Wing Commander Deepika Misra, a helicopter pilot, was awarded the Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry) in April 2023, making her the first woman officer in the Indian Air Force to receive a gallantry award. She received this prestigious award from the Chief of Air Staff for her exceptional courage, determination, and professional execution of a flood relief operation in Madhya Pradesh in August 2021, where she saved numerous lives under challenging environmental conditions.

Explanation

The Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium is located in the city of Rourkela in the state of Odisha, India. Named after the tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda, this stadium was constructed to host the 2023 Men's FIH Hockey World Cup. It holds the distinction of being recognized by the International Hockey Federation as the largest fully seated hockey stadium in the world, with a seating capacity of over twenty thousand spectators.

Explanation

The poverty line is a standard economic tool used to measure poverty by establishing a minimum monetary threshold. This threshold represents the estimated minimum level of income or consumption expenditure required to secure basic necessities, such as food, clothing, shelter, and health services. Individuals or households whose income or consumption level falls below this benchmark are identified as living in poverty, allowing governments and organizations to quantify and target aid to those in need.

Explanation

In association football, a red card is used by the referee to signify that a player has been sent off from the field of play. A player who is shown a red card must leave the pitch immediately and is not allowed to take any further part in the match, nor can they be replaced by a substitute, forcing their team to play with one fewer player. This system of using coloured cards for disciplinary actions was first introduced at the 1970 FIFA World Cup to ensure clear communication across different languages.

Explanation

Tachi-waza translates directly to standing techniques in judo, representing the phase of combat where opponents fight in an upright position. It encompasses all throwing techniques executed from a standing posture, where judokas attempt to unbalance and throw their opponent to the mat using hand, hip, or foot techniques before any transition to ground fighting occurs.

Explanation

Muharram is the first month of the Islamic Hijri calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year in Islam, during which fighting and warfare are forbidden. The Islamic New Year, also known as the Hijri New Year, begins on the first day of this month.

Explanation

Correct Answer: D

Snails, particularly certain species such as slipper snails, exhibit sequential hermaphroditism, which allows them to change their sex during their life span. They typically begin their lives as males and transition into females as they grow larger and older, a process triggered by chemical signals and social structures within their environment. This reproductive strategy maximizes their chances of successful mating and ensures the survival of the population.

Explanation

Gmail allows users to send and receive email messages with attachments up to a maximum limit of 25 MB per email. This limit applies to the total size of all attached files in a single email. If the total file size exceeds this limit, Gmail automatically uploads the files to Google Drive and inserts a link to the files in the email message instead of sending them as traditional attachments.

Explanation

Net National Product is calculated using the relation:

NNP = GNP - Depreciation

Gross National Product measures the total value of all final goods and services produced by the citizens of a country in a given period. During this production process, capital assets such as machinery, buildings, and equipment undergo wear and tear. This reduction in the value of capital assets over time is called depreciation or capital consumption allowance. Subtracting depreciation from the gross national value yields the net value, representing the true net output available to the economy.

Explanation

The Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act, 1856, also known as Act XV, 1856, was enacted on 26 July 1856 to legalize the remarriage of Hindu widows. Drafted during the tenure of Lord Dalhousie and passed under Lord Canning, this landmark legislation was the result of a sustained campaign led by the prominent social reformer Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. The law aimed to improve the status of women by removing all legal obstacles to the remarriage of Hindu widows, providing them with legal safeguards and ensuring that any issues from such marriages were deemed legitimate.

Explanation

The Citizenship Act, 1955 does not contain any provisions or legal frameworks related to the "election" of citizenship. Election of citizenship, which typically refers to a person choosing between multiple nationalities upon reaching the age of majority, is not a mechanism recognized or regulated under the provisions of this Act.

Explanation

The magnetic field B at the center of a circular coil of radius r with n turns carrying a current I is given by the formula:

B = n × (μ₀ I) / (2 r)

For a single turn (n = 1), the magnetic field B₁ is:

B₁ = (μ₀ I) / (2 r)

Substituting B₁ into the first equation yields:

B = n B₁

This demonstrates that the magnetic field produced by a coil with n turns is n times larger than that produced by a single turn. This relation holds true because the current in each turn flows in the same direction, causing the magnetic fields generated by each individual turn to add up constructively.

Explanation

The Lushai Hills are a mountain range in Mizoram and Tripura, which form part of the larger Patkai hill system. The range is predominantly inhabited by the Mizo people. The term Lushai is an older, colonial-era transliteration of Lusei, the primary clan of the region. In 1954, the Lushai Hills District was officially renamed the Mizo Hills District to reflect the local demographic identity, and this region eventually transitioned into the state of Mizoram.