The UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Exam is the first hurdle for aspirants aiming to become IAS, IPS, IFS, and other civil servants. The General Knowledge (GK) and Current Affairs section plays a crucial role in the General Studies (GS) Paper 1, covering topics like history, geography, polity, economy, environment, and science.
To help you prepare, here’s a set of must-know UPSC Prelims GK questions and answers that will test your knowledge and improve your preparation.
History GK Questions for UPSC Prelims
Q1: Who was the first Indian Governor-General of independent India?
A: C. Rajagopalachari
Q2: In which year did the Battle of Buxar take place?
A: 1764
Q3: Who introduced the “Doctrine of Lapse” policy?
A: Lord Dalhousie
Q4: Who was the first Indian woman to become the President of the Indian National Congress?
A: Annie Besant
Q5: What was the main objective of the Simon Commission (1927)?
A: To review the working of the Government of India Act 1919
Q6: Who was the viceroy during the partition of Bengal in 1905?
A: Lord Curzon
Q7: Who wrote the book Discovery of India?
A: Jawaharlal Nehru
Q8: The First War of Indian Independence (1857) started from which city?
A: Meerut
Geography GK Questions for UPSC Prelims
Q9: Which is the longest river in India?
A: Ganga River
Q10: The Tropic of Cancer does not pass through which of the following states?
A: Odisha
Q11: Which state has the highest population in India as per Census 2011?
A: Uttar Pradesh
Q12: Which mountain pass connects India and China in Arunachal Pradesh?
A: Bum La Pass
Q13: What is the largest saltwater lake in India?
A: Chilika Lake (Odisha)
Q14: Which Indian state has the largest forest cover?
A: Madhya Pradesh
Q15: What is the largest freshwater lake in India?
A: Wular Lake (Jammu & Kashmir)
Indian Polity GK Questions for UPSC Prelims
Q16: How many articles were there originally in the Indian Constitution?
A: 395
Q17: What is the tenure of the Rajya Sabha members?
A: 6 years (one-third retire every two years)
Q18: Who appoints the Chief Justice of India?
A: The President of India
Q19: Under which Article is the President’s Rule imposed in a state?
A: Article 356
Q20: The concept of Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) is borrowed from which country?
A: Ireland
Q21: How many types of emergency provisions are there in the Indian Constitution?
A: Three (National Emergency, State Emergency, and Financial Emergency)
Q22: Which Constitutional Amendment lowered the voting age from 21 to 18 years?
A: 61st Amendment (1988)
Indian Economy GK Questions for UPSC Prelims
Q23: Who is known as the “Father of Indian Economic Reforms”?
A: Dr. Manmohan Singh
Q24: What is the largest source of revenue for the Indian government?
A: Goods and Services Tax (GST)
Q25: What is the full form of FRBM Act?
A: Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act
Q26: Which institution releases the “Economic Survey of India”?
A: Ministry of Finance
Q27: What does the term “Repo Rate” mean?
A: The interest rate at which RBI lends money to commercial banks
Q28: What is the name of India’s first digital currency launched by RBI?
A: Digital Rupee (CBDC – Central Bank Digital Currency)
Environment & Ecology GK Questions for UPSC Prelims
Q29: What is the largest biosphere reserve in India?
A: Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve
Q30: The Chipko Movement was started in which state?
A: Uttarakhand (then part of Uttar Pradesh)
Q31: The Sundarbans forest is famous for which animal?
A: Royal Bengal Tiger
Q32: What does the term “Greenhouse Effect” refer to?
A: The trapping of heat by greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere
Q33: Which is the only floating national park in the world?
A: Keibul Lamjao National Park (Manipur)
Science & Technology GK Questions for UPSC Prelims
Q34: Who is known as the “Missile Man of India”?
A: Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
Q35: What is the chemical symbol for Silver?
A: Ag
Q36: What is the SI unit of electric current?
A: Ampere
Q37: Which gas is responsible for the depletion of the ozone layer?
A: Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
Q38: Who was the first Indian in space?
A: Rakesh Sharma
Q39: What is India’s fastest supercomputer?
A: PARAM Siddhi-AI (as of 2024, check for updates)
Current Affairs & General Awareness GK Questions for UPSC Prelims
Q40: Who is the current President of India?
A: Droupadi Murmu (As of 2024, check for updates)
Q41: Which country hosted the G20 Summit in 2023?
A: India
Q42: Who won the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2023?
A: (Check the latest update for the current winner)
Q43: What is the capital of Sri Lanka?
A: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
Q44: What is the name of the recently launched Indian lunar mission?
A: Chandrayaan-3
Q45: Who is the Secretary-General of the United Nations?
A: António Guterres
UPSC Prelims GK Preparation Tips
- Read Newspapers Daily: Focus on The Hindu, The Indian Express, and PIB reports.
- Follow Government Reports: Refer to Economic Survey, Union Budget, and NITI Aayog reports.
- Use Standard Books: NCERTs, Laxmikanth (Polity), Spectrum (History), and Ramesh Singh (Economy) are highly recommended.
- Attempt Mock Tests: Regularly practice UPSC previous year papers and quizzes.
- Revise Regularly: Make concise notes and revise frequently.
Conclusion
The UPSC Prelims requires strong GK and current affairs knowledge. Regularly practicing MCQs, mock tests, and staying updated with news will help you score well in General Studies Paper 1.
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