BPSC Prelims (Combined Competitive Exam)
45th BPSC Prelims 2001: Previous-Year Questions
93 questions from this paper, sorted by subject, with their options. Each one opens to its answer and explanation.
Modern History 18 questions
Who was the first Portuguese Viceroy in India?
- ADiaz
- BVasco da Gama
- CAlmeida
- DAlbuquerque
Who was appointed Deputy Diwan of Murshidabad by Robert Clive after the Allahabad Treaty?
- AMohd. Raza Khan
- BShitab Rai
- CRai Durlabh
- DSyed Ghulam Hussain
Who among the following was the bitterest enemy of the British during the Revolt of 1857?
- AMaulavi Ahmadullah Shah
- BMaulavi Imdadullah
- CMaulana Fazil-i-Haq Khairabadi
- DNawab Liaquat Ali
The Revolt of 1857 was witnessed by the poet –
- AMir Taqi Mir
- BZauq
- CGhalib
- DIqbal
Which one of the following commissions is associated with the Army Reorganization after the suppression of the Revolt of 1857?
- APublic Service Commission
- BPeel Commission
- CHunter Commission
- DSimon Commission
Kuka Movement was organized by –
- AGuru Ram Das
- BGuru Nanak
- CGuru Ram Singh
- DGuru Gobind Singh
Who was the founder of the Indian Association?
- ADadabhai Naoroji
- BBal Gangadhar Tilak
- CA.O. Hume
- DSurendra Nath Banerjee
The second session of the Indian National Congress was presided over by-
- AGanesh Agarkar
- BSurendra Nath Banerjee
- CDadabhai Naoroji
- DPherozeshah Mehta
Which one of the following leaders belonged to the Extremist wing of the Congress?
- AAurobindo Ghosh
- BDadabhai Naoroji
- CG.K. Gokhale
- DS.N. Banerjee
Who among the following was not known as a moderate in the National Movement?
- ABal Gangadhar Tilak
- BDadabhai Naoroji
- CM.G. Ranade
- DGopal Krishna Gokhale
Who gave the ‘Inquilab Zindabad’ slogan?
- AIqbal
- BM.K. Gandhi
- CBhagat Singh
- DS.C. Bose
Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev were executed on–
- A23 March, 1931
- B23 March, 1932
- C23 March, 1933
- D23 March, 1934
Who from the following killed Michael O'Dwyer responsible for Jallianwala Bagh massacre?
- APrithvi Singh Azad
- BSardar Kishan Singh
- CUdham Singh
- DSohan Singh Josh
The suppression of the crowd at Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar, took place on—
- A1 June, 1918
- B13 April, 1919
- C13 April, 1920
- D6 July, 1921
Which party was Jayaprakash Narayan associated with?
- ACongress
- BKisan Sabha
- CCongress Socialist
- DCommunist
Where was Azad Hind Fauj set up in 1943?
- AJapan
- BBurma
- CSingapore
- DMalaya
Cabinet Mission was presided over by:
- ALord Attlee
- BStafford Cripps
- CClement Attlee
- DSir P. Lawrence
Who is Anita Roddick the author of?
- AThe Untold Story
- BBusiness as usual
- CBusiness as Unusual
- DTears and Smiles
Ancient History 2 questions
A Buddhist Council during the reign of Ashoka was held at –
- AMagadha
- BPataliputra
- CSamastipur
- DRajgriha
Kautilya’s Arthashastra deals with the aspects of –
- AEconomic life
- BPolitical policies
- CReligious life
- DSocial life
Medieval History 3 questions
Which one of the following Sultans provided employment to the unemployed?
- AAlauddin Khilji
- BMuhammad-Bin-Tughluq
- CFiroz Tughluq
- DSher Shah Suri
Which of the following Sultan had the most number of slaves in his court?
- ABalban
- BAlauddin Khilji
- CMuhammad-Bin-Tughluq
- DFiroz Tughluq
Which one of the following dynasties ruled over India after the invasion of Timur?
- ALodi Dynasty
- BSayyid dynasty
- CTughluq dynasty
- DKhilji dynasty
Bihar Special GK 21 questions
Jagat Narayan Lal was sent to :
- ABankipur Jail
- BCamp Jail
- CBhagalpur Jail
- DHazaribagh Jail
Which village was Ramchandra Sharma from?
- AGogri
- BIndrapur
- CPema
- DAmhara
Which city of Bihar became the capital of the Jharkhand state?
- ABuxar
- BDhanbad
- CRanchi
- DHazaribagh
Who is Bihar State Election Commissioner?
- AM.L. Majumdar
- BRenuka Bajaj
- CL.M. Singhvi
- DNone of them
Who among the following is the common Governor of Bihar and Jharkhand?
- AVinod Kumar Pandey
- BVimal Kumar Dubey
- CVishnu Kant Shastri
- DGirish Chaubey
Identify the number of wards in the Patna Municipal Corporation-
- A57
- B67
- C64
- D59
Recently, which new state was formed from Bihar?
- AVananchal
- BVidarbha
- CJharkhand
- DChhattisgarh
After the formation of Jharkhand how many districts were left with Bihar? (Nearest figure)
- A37
- B65
- C60
- D62
Which of the following districts of Bihar transferred some of its areas to West Bengal?
- AJamshedpur
- BBhagalpur and Samastipur
- CPurnea and Manbhum
- DRajgir
The outstanding liability of the State of Bihar is-
- ARs. 37,653 crores
- BRs. 67,653 crores
- CRs. 87,663 crores
- DRs. 90,000 crores
The principal foodgrain crops of Bihar are-
- Arice, wheat and maize
- Bsugarcane, tea and barley
- Cgroundnut, coffee and wheat
- DNone of these
Which is the most important district of Jharkhand in iron ore production?
- ADaltonganj
- BHazaribagh
- CDhanbad
- DSinghbhum
What is the percentage of Bihar's population in the total population of India?
- A9.33%
- B10.21%
- C16.44%
- D8.04%
Which of the following places is famous for its wildlife in Bihar?
- ABhagalpur
- BBodh Gaya
- CPatna
- DHazaribagh
Water comes into the Triveni Canal from which river?
- ASon
- BKosi
- CGandak
- DMayurakshi
The original meaning of the word 'Vihar' is -
- ABuddhist monastery
- BLand of Angels
- CArya Pradesh
- DThe Land of Greenery
Mahabodhi Temple has been built at Bodh Gaya where-
- AGautama Buddha was born
- BGautama Buddha received enlightenment
- CGautama Buddha gave his first sermon
- DGautama Buddha passed away
The total length of National Highways in Bihar is –
- A1913 km
- B1988 km
- C1313 km
- D1371 km
Which of the following newspapers was published from Patna?
- AIndian Nation
- BPunjab Kesari
- CPrabhakar
- DDawn
Who among the following was elected to the Rajya Sabha from the Bihar Legislative Assembly?
- ASunil Dutt
- BRabri Devi
- CSahib Singh Verma
- DNone of these
Which of these is true?
- ABihar has been a major producer of coal and mica
- BBihar was separated from Orissa in the year 1911
- CBihar borders Odisha after the formation of the state of Jharkhand
- DBihar has a unicameral legislature
Indian Polity 17 questions
Which Article of the Constitution gives precedence to Constitutional provisions over the laws made by the Union Parliament/State Legislatures?
- A13
- B32
- C245
- D326
In Indian political system which one is supreme?
- AThe Supreme Court
- BThe Constitution
- CThe Parliament
- DReligion
Under which of the following is the Panchayati Raj system established for in India?
- AFundamental Rights
- BFundamental Duties
- CDirective Principles of State Policy
- DElection Commission Act
The 10 commandments, which were added by 42nd Amendment Act in Constitution of India, are called as–
- AFundamental Rights
- BFundamental Duties
- CPanchayati Raj Principles
- DDirective Principles of State Policy
Which one of the following is a Fundamental Duty in India?
- ASeparation of judiciary from executive
- BTo value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture
- CFree and compulsory education
- DAbolition of Untouchability
Who is the Chairman of Rajya Sabha?
- AThe President
- BThe Vice-President
- CThe Prime Minister
- DThe Speaker of Lok Sabha
In Indian Polity, the executive is subordinate to the-
- AJudiciary
- BLegislature
- CElection Commission
- DUnion Public Service Commission
What is the minimum age laid down for a person to seek election to the Lok Sabha?
- A18 years
- B21 years
- C25 years
- DNone of these
Zero Hour in political jargon refers to-
- ADay when no business in Parliament is done
- BSuspended motion
- CAdjourned time
- DQuestion-answer session
Who is the Constitutional Head of the State Governments?
- AChief Minister
- BGovernor
- CSpeaker
- DHigh Court Judge
What is the nature of the dispute of Babri Mosque/ Ramjanmabhoomi Case before Allahabad High Court?
- AWrit petition
- BTitle suit
- CClaim for compensation
- DJudicial review petition
Mainly on whose advice the President’s Rule is imposed in the State?
- AChief Minister
- BLegislative Assembly
- CGovernor
- DChief Justice of High Court
Who was the Chairman of the 12th Finance Commission?
- AProfessor D. T. Lakdawala
- BDr. C. Rangarajan
- CShri Digvijay Singh
- DShri K. C. Pant
Consider the following statements regarding the political parties in India:
1. The Representation of the People Act, 1951 provides for the registration of political parties.
2. Registration of political parties is carried out by the Election Commission.
3. A National level political party is one which is recognized in four or more states.
4. During 1999 general elections, there were six National and 48 State level parties recognized by the Election Commission. Which of the statement above are correct?- A1, 2 and 4
- B1 and 3
- C2 and 4
- D1, 2, 3 and 4
73rd Amendment of the Constitution is related to -
- AImpeachment of the president
- BThe appointment of the election commission
- CReservation of seats in educational institutions
- DPanchayati Raj System
Which of the following is the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission?
- AJ. S. Verma
- BP. N. Bhagwati
- CAhmadi
- DKrishnamurthy
The Chairman of the Constitutional Review Commission set up in February, 2000 is-
- AM.N. Venkatachaliah
- BR.S. Sarkaria
- CKrishna Iyer
- DFatima Beevi
Geography 16 questions
How much is the difference between Indian Standard Time (I.S.T.) and Greenwich Mean Time (G.M.T.)?
- A+ 4½ hours
- B+ 5½ hours
- C– 5½ hours
- D– 4½ hours
Lakshadweep consists of how many islands?
- A17
- B27
- C36
- D47
How many States and Union Territories surround the state of Assam?
- A6
- B7
- C8
- D9
Capital of Gujarat is –
- AGodhra
- BBaroda
- CGandhinagar
- DAhmedabad
Capital of Rajasthan is-
- AJaipur
- BUdaipur
- CJodhpur
- DAjmer
Jamshedpur is situated on the banks of which river?
- ADamodar
- BBrahmani
- CSubarnarekha
- DAjay
Asia’s largest waterfall ‘Hundru’ is near which place?
- ARanchi
- BHazaribagh
- CJamshedpur
- DBodh Gaya
What is the percentage of forest area in the total geographical area of India?
- A20.7%
- B21.7%
- C22.7%
- D23.7%
On which river is the Bhakra Nangal dam built?
- ARavi
- BIndus
- CChenab
- DSutlej
Maithon, Belpahari and Tilaya dams are constructed on the river-
- ADamodar
- BBarakar
- CKonar
- DBokaro
Which is the most suitable crop for dryland farming?
- ASugarcane
- BJute
- CWheat
- DGroundnut
Which major industry is established in Muri?
- AAluminium industry
- BCopper industry
- CSteel industry
- DChemical industry
How many National Highways are there in India and approximately what is their total length?
- A34 and 16,000 kms
- B44 and 24,000 kms
- C54 and 32,000 kms
- D64 and 40,000 kms
Highest peaks of the world are mostly found in which type of mountains?
- AOld folded mountains
- BYoung folded mountains
- CResidual mountains
- DBlock mountains
Which country of the world is the largest producer and exporter of soft timber and wood pulp?
- AU.S.A
- BNorway
- CSweden
- DCanada
The native African tribe ‘Pygmies’ is found in which of the following river basins –
- ANiger
- BCongo
- CNile
- DZambezi
Biology 4 questions
How many pairs of nerves arise from the spinal cord?
- A13
- B31
- C33
- D12
Where is the governing centre of reflex action located?
- AIn cerebrum
- BIn cerebellum
- CIn spinal cord
- DIn nerve cells
Which hormone stimulates the thyroid gland to secrete thyroxine?
- ATSH
- BFSH
- CLTH
- DACTH
Where does fertilisation occur?
- AIn uterus
- BIn oviduct
- CIn ovary
- DIn vagina
Chemistry 5 questions
Which of the following is the electronic configuration of a metallic element?
- A2, 8
- B2, 8, 7
- C2, 8, 8
- D2, 8, 8, 2
What is the mass number of an element, the atom of which contains two protons, two neutrons and two electrons?
- A2
- B4
- C6
- D8
What is the usual property of oxides of Group III and IV?
- ABasic and Acidic (i.e., Amphoteric)
- BBasic
- CAcidic
- DNeutral
An element X has four electrons in its outermost orbit. What will be the formula of its compounds with hydrogen?
- AX4H
- BX4H4
- CXH3
- DXH4
What is the shape of sulphur hexafluoride molecule?
- ATrigonal pyramid
- BOctahedral
- CPlanar
- DTetrahedral
Physics 7 questions
Who invented aeroplane?
- AWright Brothers
- BJames Watt
- CHumphrey Davy
- DVon Braun
Which physical quantity is represented by the ratio of momentum and velocity of the body?
- AVelocity
- BAcceleration
- CMass
- DForce
Which of the following quantities is not a vector?
- ADisplacement
- BVelocity
- CForce
- DVolume
A distance of 1 km means
- A100 m
- B1000 cm
- C1000 m
- D100 cm
What is the correct equation for finding the acceleration?
- Aa = (v − u)/t
- Ba = u + vt
- Ca = (v + u)/t
- Da = (v + u)/2
What is the distance between two successive crests or successive troughs called?
- AAmplitude
- BWavelength
- CFrequency
- DNone of the above
Which of the following carries a negative charge?
- AX-rays
- BAlpha particles
- CBeta particles
- DGamma rays