A selection of 25 solved questions — sign up free to practise all 57.
Q1Geography·Indian Resources and AgriculturePYQ 2003
Consider the following:
Assertion (A): The eastern coast of India produces more rice than the western coast.
Reason (R): The eastern coast receives more rainfall than the western coast.
- ABoth A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A
- BBoth A and R are individually true but R is not the correct explanation of A
- CA is true but R is falseCorrect
- DA is false but R is true
Explanation
Correct. The eastern coast does produce more rice because it has extensive deltaic plains with alluvial soils suitable for paddy cultivation (deltas of Godavari, Krishna, Mahanadi, Cauvery). However, the reason is false — the western coast actually receives more rainfall than the eastern coast.
Q2History & Culture·Gandhian Era (1919-1939)PYQ 2003
When Congress leaders condemned the Montagu-Chelmsford Report, many moderates left the party to form the
- ASwarajya Party
- BIndian Freedom Party
- CIndependence Federation of India
- DIndian Liberal FederationCorrect
Explanation
Correct. When the Congress rejected the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms as inadequate, moderate leaders formed the Indian Liberal Federation (also known as the National Liberal Federation) in 1919 to pursue a path of constitutional cooperation.
Q3Polity & Governance·Emergency Provisions and Amendment ProcessPYQ 2003
Which one of the following Articles of the Indian Constitution provides that 'It shall be the duty of the Union to protect every State against external aggression and internal disturbance'?
- AArticle 215
- BArticle 275
- CArticle 325
- DArticle 355Correct
Explanation
Correct. Article 355 imposes on the Union the duty to protect every State against external aggression and internal disturbance and to ensure that the government of every State is carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.
Q4History & Culture·Mauryas and Post-Mauryan IndiaPYQ 2003
Consider the following statements:
1. The last Mauryan ruler, Brihadratha, was assassinated by his commander-in-chief, Pushyamitra Sunga.
2. The last Sunga king, Devabhuti, was assassinated by his Brahmana minister Vasudeva Kanva who usurped the throne.
3. The last ruler of the Kanva dynasty was deposed by the Andhras.
Which of these statements is/are correct?
- A1 and 2 only
- B2 only
- C3 only
- D1, 2 and 3Correct
Explanation
Correct. Pushyamitra Sunga killed Brihadratha (the last Mauryan) during a military review around 185 BCE. Vasudeva Kanva assassinated Devabhuti (the last Sunga) around 73 BCE. The Satavahanas (Andhras) overthrew the last Kanva ruler Susharman around 30 BCE.
Q5Science·Physics in Everyday LifePYQ 2003
An oil tanker is partially filled with oil and moves on a level road with uniform acceleration. The free surface of oil then:
- ARemains horizontal
- BIs inclined to the horizontal with the smaller depth at the rear end
- CIs inclined to the horizontal with the larger depth at the middle
- DIs inclined to the horizontal with the larger depth at the rear endCorrect
Explanation
Correct. When the tanker accelerates forward, the oil inside experiences a backward pseudo-force (in the non-inertial frame), causing it to pile up at the rear. The free surface tilts with greater depth at the rear end.
Q6History & Culture·Advent of Europeans and Company RulePYQ 2003
Which one of the following statements is NOT correct?
- AAli Mardan Khan introduced the system of revenue farming in BengalCorrect
- BMaharaja Ranjit Singh set up modern foundries to manufacture cannons at Lahore
- CSawai Jai Singh of Amber had Euclid's 'Elements of Geometry' translated into Sanskrit
- DSultan Tipu of Mysore gave money for the construction of the idol of Goddess Sarda in the Shringeri temple
Explanation
Correct — this is the incorrect statement. Ali Mardan Khan was a Mughal governor of Bengal but is not correctly credited with introducing revenue farming in Bengal. The revenue farming system evolved through other administrative developments.
Q7Geography·Climatology and Atmospheric CirculationPYQ 2003
Assertion (A): Unlike temperate forests, the tropical rain forests, if cleared, can yield productive farm land that can support intensive agriculture for several years even without chemical fertilizers.
Reason (R): The primary productivity of the tropical rain forest is very high when compared to that of the temperate forests.
- ABoth A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A
- BBoth A and R are individually true but R is NOT the correct explanation of A
- CA is true but R is false
- DA is false but R is trueCorrect
Explanation
Correct. The assertion is false because tropical rainforest soils are nutrient-poor and rapidly degrade after clearing. The reason is true — tropical rainforests do have very high primary productivity, but this productivity depends on rapid nutrient cycling in the living biomass, not soil fertility.
Q8History & Culture·Advent of Europeans and Company RulePYQ 2003
Which one of the following provisions was NOT made in the Charter Act of 1833?
- AThe trading activities of the East India Company were to be abolished
- BThe designation of the supreme authority was to be changed as the Governor General of India in Council
- CAll law-making powers to be conferred on Governor General in Council
- DAn Indian was to be appointed as a Law Member in the Governor General's CouncilCorrect
Explanation
Correct — this was NOT a provision of the 1833 Act. While a Law Member (T.B. Macaulay) was added to the Governor-General's Council, the Act did not mandate the appointment of an Indian. The first Indian Law Member was appointed much later.
Q9Geography·Climatology and Atmospheric CirculationPYQ 2003
Assertion (A): Areas lying within five to eight degrees latitude on either side of the equator receive rainfall throughout the year.
Reason (R): High temperatures and high humidity cause convectional rain to fall mostly in the afternoons near the equator.
- ABoth A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of ACorrect
- BBoth A and R are individually true but R is NOT the correct explanation of A
- CA is true but R is false
- DA is false but R is true
Explanation
Correct. Equatorial regions within 5-8° of the equator receive year-round rainfall because persistent high temperatures lead to high evaporation and humidity, driving daily convectional rainfall, typically in the afternoon.
Q10Polity & Governance·JudiciaryPYQ 2003
Which one of the following High Courts has the territorial jurisdiction over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands?
- AAndhra Pradesh
- BCalcuttaCorrect
- CMadras
- DOrissa
Explanation
Correct. The Calcutta High Court exercises jurisdiction over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. This has long been part of its territorial remit.
Q11History & Culture·Music, Dance, Literature and PhilosophyPYQ 2003
Which one of the following statements is incorrect? [2003]
a) The National Song Vande Mataram was composed by Bankimchandra Chatterji originally in Bengali
b) The National Calendar of India based on Saka era has its 1st Chaitra on 22nd March normally
c) The design of the National Flag of India was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 22nd July 1947
d) The song Jana Gana Mana, composed originally in Bengali by Rabindranath Tagore, was adopted in its Hindi version by the Constituent Assembly on 24th January 1950 as the National Anthem
- AThe National Song Vande Mataram was composed by Bankimchandra Chatterji originally in BengaliCorrect
- BThe National Calendar of India based on Saka era has its 1st Chaitra on 22nd March normally
- CThe design of the National Flag of India was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 22nd July 1947
- DThe song Jana Gana Mana was adopted in its Hindi version by the Constituent Assembly on 24th January 1950
Explanation
Correct (this is the incorrect statement). Vande Mataram was originally composed by Bankimchandra Chatterji in Sanskrit, not Bengali, though it was embedded in his Bengali novel Anand Math.
Q12Indian Economy·Monetary Policy & BankingPYQ 2003
One major difference between FEMA and the earlier FERA regime was that under FEMA:
- AAll foreign exchange transactions were fully prohibited
- BViolations ceased to be treated largely as criminal offences and were handled in a civil frameworkCorrect
- CCapital account transactions became fully free without restriction
- DThe RBI stopped regulating foreign exchange entirely
Explanation
Correct. FEMA replaced the more stringent criminal orientation of FERA with a more civil and management-based approach.
Q13Science·General Science Mixed ConceptsPYQ 2003
Octopus is:
- AAn arthropod
- BAn echinoderm
- CA hemichordate
- DA molluscCorrect
Explanation
Correct. The octopus belongs to phylum Mollusca, class Cephalopoda. It is a soft-bodied invertebrate with eight arms.
Q14History & Culture·Early Medieval IndiaPYQ 2003
Assertion (A): Saluva Narasimha put an end to the old dynasty and assumed the royal title.
Reason (R): He wanted to save the kingdom from further degeneration and disintegration.
- ABoth A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A
- BBoth A and R are individually true but R is NOT the correct explanation of A
- CA is true but R is falseCorrect
- DA is false but R is true
Explanation
Correct. Saluva Narasimha did end the Sangama dynasty around 1485 CE and founded the Saluva dynasty of Vijayanagara. However, R is considered false because the characterisation of his motivation as saving the kingdom from degeneration is not historically substantiated.
Q15Geography·World Physical GeographyPYQ 2003
The waterfall 'Victoria' is associated with the river:
- AAmazon
- BMissouri
- CSt Lawrence
- DZambeziCorrect
Explanation
Correct. Victoria Falls (Mosi-oa-Tunya) is located on the Zambezi River at the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. It is one of the largest waterfalls in the world.
Q16Science·Physics in Everyday LifePYQ 2003
Assertion (A): The weight of a body decreases on going below the surface of the Earth.
Reason (R): The value of acceleration due to gravity increases on going below the surface of the Earth.
- ABoth A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A
- BBoth A and R are individually true but R is not the correct explanation of A
- CA is true but R is falseCorrect
- DA is false but R is true
Explanation
Correct. Weight does decrease below Earth's surface because only the mass enclosed within the smaller radius contributes to gravity (by the shell theorem). However, the reason is false — acceleration due to gravity decreases, not increases, below the surface.
Q17History & Culture·Advent of Europeans and Company RulePYQ 2003
In India, among the following locations, the Dutch established their earliest factory at:
- ASurat
- BPulicatCorrect
- CCochin
- DCassimbazar
Explanation
Correct. The Dutch established their earliest factory in India at Pulicat (Masulipatnam region) on the Coromandel Coast in 1610, which became the headquarters of Dutch operations in India.
Q18Geography·Regional Geography of IndiaPYQ 2003
Which one among the following States is smallest in area? [2003]
- AAndhra Pradesh
- BGujarat
- CKarnataka
- DTamil NaduCorrect
Explanation
Correct. Tamil Nadu, with an area of about 1.30 lakh sq km, is the smallest in area among the given options.
Q19Geography·Indian Drainage SystemsPYQ 2003
What is the correct sequence of the rivers Godavari, Mahanadi, Narmada and Tapi in the descending order of their lengths?
- AGodavari - Mahanadi - Narmada - Tapi
- BGodavari - Narmada - Mahanadi - TapiCorrect
- CNarmada - Godavari - Tapi - Mahanadi
- DNarmada - Tapi - Godavari - Mahanadi
Explanation
Correct. Godavari (~1,465 km) is the longest, followed by Narmada (~1,312 km), then Mahanadi (~860 km), and Tapi (~724 km) is the shortest among these four.
Q20History & Culture·Late Freedom Struggle (1939-1947)PYQ 2003
An important aspect of the Cripps Mission of 1942 was:
- AThat all Indian States should join the Indian Union as a condition to consider any degree of autonomy for India
- BThe creation of an Indian Union with Dominion Status very soon after the Second World WarCorrect
- CThe active participation and cooperation of the Indian people in the British war effort as a condition for granting independence with full sovereign status to India after the war
- DThe framing of a constitution for the entire Indian Union, with no separate constitution for any province
Explanation
Correct. The Cripps Mission proposed the creation of an Indian Union with Dominion Status after the war. A constitution-making body would be set up, and any province unwilling to join could opt out and form a separate union.
Q21History & Culture·South India and Sangam AgePYQ 2003
Consider the following statements:
1. The Cholas defeated Pandya and Chera rulers and established their domination over peninsular India in early medieval times.
2. The Cholas sent an expedition against the Sailendra empire of South-East Asia and conquered some of the areas.
Which of these statements is/are correct?
- A1 only
- B2 only
- CBoth 1 and 2Correct
- DNeither 1 nor 2
Explanation
Correct. The Cholas under Rajaraja I and Rajendra I defeated the Pandyas and Cheras to dominate peninsular India. Rajendra I also sent a famous naval expedition against the Sailendra (Srivijaya) empire around 1025 CE, conquering parts of Southeast Asia.
Q22Current Affairs·Defence, Space and Security in NewsPYQ 2003
With reference to Indian defence, which one of the following statements is not correct?
- AWith the induction of Prithvi II, the IAF is the only air force in the world with surface-to-surface ballistic missiles under its command
- BSukhoi-30 MKI jet fighters can launch air-to-air and air-to-surface precision missiles
- CTrishul is a supersonic surface-to-air missile with a range of 30 kmCorrect
- DThe indigenously built INS Prabal can launch surface-to-surface missiles
Explanation
Correct. Trishul was a short-range surface-to-air missile with a range of about 9 km, not 30 km. The 30 km range attribution is incorrect.
Q23Geography·Climatology and Atmospheric CirculationPYQ 2003
Assertion (A): The amount of moisture in the atmosphere is related to latitude.
Reason (R): The capacity to hold moisture in the form of water vapour is related to temperature.
- ABoth A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of ACorrect
- BBoth A and R are individually true but R is NOT the correct explanation of A
- CA is true but R is false
- DA is false but R is true
Explanation
Correct. Atmospheric moisture varies with latitude because temperature varies with latitude. Warmer air at lower latitudes can hold more water vapour (as per the Clausius-Clapeyron relation), so moisture content decreases toward the poles.
Q24History & Culture·Buddhism, Jainism and Heterodox TraditionsPYQ 2003
In ancient Indian Buddhist monasteries, a ceremony called Pavarana used to be held. It was the:
- AOccasion to elect the Sanghaparinayaka and two speakers, one on Dhamma and the other on Vinaya
- BConfession by monks of their offences committed during their stay in the monasteries during the rainy seasonCorrect
- CCeremony of initiation of new persons into the Buddhist Sangha in which the head is shaved and yellow robes are offered
- DGathering of Buddhist monks on the next day to the full moon day of Ashadha when they take up a fixed abode for the next four months of rainy season
Explanation
Correct. Pavarana was held at the end of the Vassa (rainy season retreat). Monks invited fellow monks to point out any transgressions they may have committed during their period of communal residence, functioning as a confession and self-examination ritual.
Q25Indian Economy·Money & Capital MarketsPYQ 2003
Debenture holders of a company are best described as:
- AOwners
- BCreditorsCorrect
- CEmployees
- DPromoters
Explanation
Correct. Debenture holders lend money to the company and therefore stand as creditors.