70 previous year questions from the 1995 UPSC Prelims paper, organised by subject — each solved with option-by-option explanations.
A selection of 25 solved questions — sign up free to practise all 70.
Zero was invented by:
Explanation
Correct. The invention of zero as a mathematical concept evolved over centuries in India. No single individual can be definitively credited; it emerged from the broader Indian mathematical tradition, making 'an unknown Indian' the most accurate characterisation.
Which one of the following antimicrobial drugs is suitable for treatment of both tuberculosis and leprosy?
Explanation
Correct. Rifampicin is a key component of both the DOTS regimen for tuberculosis and the WHO multi-drug therapy for leprosy.
Non-plan expenditure of the Central Government includes: 1. Defence expenditure 2. Subsidies 3. Previous plan period committed expenditures 4. Interest payments Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Explanation
Correct. Non-plan expenditure encompasses defence, subsidies, interest payments and maintenance of previously created plan assets.
In Sanskrit plays written during the Gupta Period women and sudras speak:
Explanation
Correct. In Gupta-period Sanskrit dramas, the convention established by Bharata's Natyashastra required women and lower-caste characters to speak Prakrit dialects (such as Shauraseni and Maharashtri), while male upper-caste characters spoke Sanskrit.
Which of the following are the States in which the Lok Ayukta Act includes the Chief Minister in its ambit?
Explanation
Correct. Rajasthan and Karnataka were the States where the Lok Ayukta legislation expressly included the Chief Minister within its jurisdiction at the time this question was asked.
Who among the following was a Brahmavadini who composed some hymns of the Vedas?
Explanation
Correct. Lopamudra is recognised as a Brahmavadini — a woman sage who composed hymns in the Rig Veda. She is traditionally associated with hymns in the Rig Veda alongside her husband Agastya.
When the same note is played on a sitar and a flute, the two sounds are distinguishable because of a difference in their:
Explanation
Correct. The quality or timbre of sound differs between instruments because each produces a different pattern of overtones (harmonics) above the fundamental frequency. This unique harmonic signature makes a sitar sound distinct from a flute even when playing the same note.
The regulatory authority set up to prevent malpractices in the capital market and protect investors is:
Explanation
Correct. SEBI is the capital market regulator charged with investor protection and orderly development of the securities market.
The concept of Anuvrata was advocated by:
Explanation
Correct. Anuvrata (lesser or small vows) is a Jain concept prescribing five ethical rules for lay followers: non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, chastity, and non-possessiveness in a milder form than the Mahavrata of monks.
According to the Mimamsa system of philosophy, liberation is possible by means of:
Explanation
Correct. The Mimamsa (Purva Mimamsa) school of philosophy, founded by Jaimini, holds that liberation is attained through the proper performance of Vedic rituals, i.e., Karma.
Most of the desert plants bloom during night time because:
Explanation
Correct. Desert insects and herbivores consume flowers during the hot daytime; blooming at night protects flowers from being eaten and allows pollination by nocturnal pollinators like moths.
If in an election to a State Legislative Assembly the candidate who is declared elected loses his deposit, it means that:
Explanation
Correct. When a very large number of candidates contest, the votes get so fragmented that even the winning candidate's share of total valid votes may fall below one-sixth, resulting in deposit forfeiture.
Which one of the following monuments has a dome which is said to be one of the largest in the world?
Explanation
Correct. The Gol Gumbaz in Bijapur, built by Muhammad Adil Shah of the Adil Shahi dynasty, has the second largest pre-modern dome in the world after the Hagia Sophia, with an internal diameter of approximately 44 metres.
'Yellow cake', an item of__(__(__(smuggling across__(__(__(__(borders, is:
Explanation
Correct. Yellow cake is a concentrated uranium oxide (U₃O₈) powder obtained during the processing of uranium ore. It is an intermediate product in uranium processing and a concern for nuclear proliferation.
The Mughal School of Painting formed the spinal column of the various schools of Indian miniature art. Which one of the following painting styles was NOT affected by Mughal painting?
Explanation
Correct. Kalighat painting of Kolkata emerged in the 19th century as a popular urban art tradition entirely independent of the Mughal miniature lineage, rooted instead in Bengali folk traditions and later responding to colonial modernity.
The technique used to transmit audio signals in television broadcasts is:
Explanation
Correct. In analogue television broadcasting, audio signals are transmitted using Frequency Modulation (FM) because FM offers better sound quality and is less susceptible to noise and interference compared to AM.
"It begins as a single cell and grows into a merciless disease that claims millions of lives year after year. But scientists are steadily unlocking its mysteries, and the fight against it may now have reached a dramatic turning point. New discoveries promise better therapies and hope in the war against …" The disease referred to in the above quotation is:
Explanation
Correct. The phrase 'begins as a single cell' refers to the uncontrolled division of a single mutated cell, which is the hallmark of cancer.
Which of the following political parties is/are national political parties? 1. Muslim League 2. Revolutionary Socialist Party 3. All India Forward Block 4. Peasants and Workers Party of India Choose the correct answer from the codes given below:
Explanation
Correct. In the recognition framework prevailing at the time, none of the listed parties was classified as a national political party by the Election Commission.
In 1930 Mahatma Gandhi started Civil Disobedience Movement from
Explanation
Correct. Gandhi started the Civil Disobedience Movement with the Dandi March from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad on 12 March 1930, marching to the coast at Dandi to break the salt law.
The word 'Hindu' as a reference to the people of Hind (India) was first used by:
Explanation
Correct. The Arabs adapted the Persian 'Hindu' (derived from 'Sindhu') to refer to the people living beyond the Indus river. Arab geographers and travellers were among the first to use this term widely.
Ashtapradhan was a Council of Ministers
Explanation
Correct. The Ashtapradhan (council of eight ministers) was a distinctive feature of the Maratha administration under Shivaji, with officers like the Peshwa, Amatya, Sachiv, and Senapati.
The radical wing of the Congress Party, with Jawaharlal Nehru as one of its main leaders, founded the 'Independence for India League' in opposition to
Explanation
Correct. The Independence for India League was formed in 1928 by Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Bose and others who opposed the Nehru Report's demand for Dominion Status, insisting instead on complete independence.
Article 156 of the Constitution of India provides that a Governor shall hold office for a term of five years from the date on which he enters upon his office. Which of the following can be deduced from this? 1. No Governor can be removed from office till completion of his term. 2. No Governor can continue in office beyond a period of five years. Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
Explanation
Correct. A Governor holds office during the pleasure of the President and may be removed before five years. Equally, a Governor may continue beyond five years until a successor enters office. Neither conclusion can be validly drawn from Article 156.
The Barrah dacoity was the first major venture of the revolutionary terrorists of the freedom movement in:
Explanation
Correct. The Barrah dacoity (1908) in Rangpur district of East Bengal was one of the earliest major armed robberies carried out by revolutionary terrorists to fund the independence movement.
In which one of the following States of India is it legal for a Hindu male and illegal for a Muslim male to have more than one living wife?
Explanation
Correct. Goa's civil-law regime, inherited from Portuguese rule and continued as the Goa Civil Code, applies uniform personal-law rules to all communities. Under this code, polygamy is prohibited for all, but historical interpretation produced the distinctive legal position reflected in this question.
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