47 previous year questions from the 2007 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 47.
Who was the Speaker of the first Lok Sabha?
Explanation
Correct. Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar was the first Speaker of the Lok Sabha, serving from 1952 until his death in 1956. He also served as Speaker of the Constituent Assembly (Legislative) and played a foundational role in shaping Indian parliamentary procedures.
Who among the following is considered as the inventor of the World Wide Web (WWW)?
Explanation
Correct. Tim Berners-Lee, a British computer scientist at CERN, invented the World Wide Web in 1989 by developing HTML, HTTP and the first web browser.
The correct decreasing order of sectoral contribution to India's GDP is:
Explanation
Correct. As of recent years, services contribute about 54% to India's GVA, industry about 26-28%, and agriculture about 15-18%. This services-industry-agriculture order has been stable since the early 2000s.
Who among the following Europeans were the last to come to pre-independence India as traders?
Explanation
Correct. The French East India Company (Compagnie des Indes Orientales) was established in 1664, making the French the last major European trading power to arrive in India.
What is the Galileo Project which has been in news recently?
Explanation
Correct. Galileo is the European Union's global satellite navigation system comprising 30 satellites, designed to provide an independent and more accurate alternative to GPS and GLONASS for civilian use.
How do most insects respire?
Explanation
Correct. Insects respire through a network of tracheae — tiny tubes that open at spiracles on the body surface and deliver oxygen directly to tissues.
Assertion (A): According to the Wavell Plan, the number of Hindu and Muslim members in the Executive Council were to be equal. Reason (R): Wavell thought that this arrangement would have avoided the partition of India.
Explanation
Correct. The Wavell Plan did propose equal Hindu and Muslim representation in the Executive Council (A is true). However, R is false because Wavell did not specifically believe that equal representation alone would prevent partition; it was primarily a measure to secure Muslim League cooperation.
Which one of the following is the correct sequence in the order of decreasing length of the three structural parts of the small intestine in the human body?
Explanation
Correct. The ileum (~3.5 m) is the longest, followed by the jejunum (~2.5 m), and the duodenum (~25 cm) is the shortest part of the small intestine.
Which one of the following is also known as Top Slip?
Explanation
Correct. Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park (formerly Anaimalai Wildlife Sanctuary) in Tamil Nadu has an area popularly known as Top Slip, named after the historical practice of sliding teak logs down the slopes.
Which one of the following is located in the Bastar region?
Explanation
Correct. Indravati National Park is located in the Bijapur district of the Bastar region in Chhattisgarh and is named after the Indravati River.
Which one of the following about Participatory Notes (P-Notes) is correct?
Explanation
Correct. Participatory Notes are derivative instruments issued by registered FPIs to foreign investors who wish to invest in Indian securities without directly registering with SEBI.
Which one of the following parts of human brain is the regulating centre for swallowing and vomiting?
Explanation
Correct. The medulla oblongata contains vital reflex centres including the swallowing centre, vomiting centre, and other autonomic control centres for breathing and cardiovascular function.
Which one of the following was the first fort constructed by the British in India?
Explanation
Correct. Fort St. George in Madras (now Chennai) was completed in 1644, making it the first major English fortification in India. It became the nucleus of the Madras Presidency.
At which one of the following places did Mahatma Gandhi first start his Satyagraha in India?
Explanation
Correct. The Champaran Satyagraha of 1917 was Gandhi's first satyagraha in India, where he took up the cause of indigo cultivators against the oppressive tinkathia system.
Which one of the following is the correct chronological order of the formation as full States of the Indian Union?
Explanation
Correct. Nagaland became a state in 1963, Haryana in 1966, Sikkim in 1975, and Arunachal Pradesh in 1987.
Who among the following wrote the book 'Babuvivah'? [2007]
Explanation
Correct. Babuvivah (also written as 'Bahu-Vivah') is a work by Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar that argued in favour of widow remarriage and against child marriage practices.
The song 'Amar Sonar Bangla' written during the Swadeshi Movement of India inspired the liberation struggle of Bangladesh. Who wrote this song? [2007]
Explanation
Correct. Rabindranath Tagore wrote 'Amar Sonar Bangla' in 1905 during the Swadeshi Movement. It later became the national anthem of Bangladesh.
In human body, which one of the following hormones regulates blood calcium and phosphate?
Explanation
Correct. Parathyroid hormone (PTH), secreted by the parathyroid glands, increases blood calcium by stimulating bone resorption, renal reabsorption of calcium, and activation of vitamin D.
Four wires of same material and of dimensions as under are stretched by a load of same magnitude separately. Which one of them will be elongated maximum?
Explanation
Correct. Elongation = FL/(AY). This wire has the highest ratio of length to cross-sectional area (3 m / π(0.75 mm)²), producing maximum elongation.
Consider the following: Assertion (A): There are no tea plantations in any African country. Reason (R): Tea plants need fertile soil with high humus content.
Explanation
Correct. The assertion is false because tea is grown in several African countries including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Malawi. The reason is true — tea does require fertile soil with good humus content for optimal growth.
The first factory Act restricting the working hours of women and children, and authorising local governments to make necessary rules was adopted during whose time?
Explanation
Correct. The first Indian Factories Act of 1881 was passed during Lord Ripon's viceroyalty (1880-1884). It prohibited the employment of children under seven and restricted working hours for women and children.
Which one of the following is the correct sequence in the decreasing order of production (in million tonnes) of the given foodgrains in India?
Explanation
Correct. The order of foodgrain production in India is Rice (highest), followed by Wheat, then Coarse cereals, and finally Pulses (lowest among these four).
Match List I with List II: [2007] A. Bhajan Sopori — 1. Bharatanatyam dancer B. Birju Maharaj — 2. Exponent of Santoor C. Priyadarsini Govind — 3. Mridangam maestro D. T.V. Gopalakrishnan — 4. Kathak dancer
Explanation
Correct. Bhajan Sopori is a santoor maestro from Kashmir, Birju Maharaj is the iconic Kathak dancer, Priyadarsini Govind is a Bharatanatyam exponent, and T.V. Gopalakrishnan is a mridangam maestro.
Participatory Notes are associated with which of the following?
Explanation
Correct. P-Notes have historically been associated with registered foreign institutional investors or their successor category.
Who wrote the book 'The Story of the Integration of the Indian States'?
Explanation
Correct. V. P. Menon, the civil servant who worked closely with Sardar Patel on the integration of princely states, authored this definitive account.
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