BPSC Prelims (Combined Competitive Exam)
63rd BPSC Prelims 2017: Previous-Year Questions
80 questions from this paper, sorted by subject, with their options. Each one opens to its answer and explanation.
Modern History 20 questions
When was the Punjab Land Alienation Act passed?
- A1850
- B1895
- C1900
- D1905
- ENone of the above/ More than one of the above
Who declared ‘Sati Pratha’ illegal?
- AWarren Hastings
- BWilliam Bentinck
- CCornwallis
- DCurzon
- ENone of the above/More than one of the above
Which Viceroy adopted an aggressive policy towards Afghanistan?
- ALord Mayo
- BLord Lytton
- CLord Dufferin
- DLord Canning
- ENone of the above/More than one of the above
Which of the following Princely States was not annexed by the British?
- ASind
- BGwalior
- CAwadh
- DSatara
- ENone of the above/ More than one of the above
Who established Imperial Cadet Corps?
- ALord Minto
- BLord Curzon
- CLord Lytton
- DLord Ripon
- ENone of the above/More than one of the above
The Moplah Rebellion of 1921 broke out in -
- AAssam
- BKerala
- CPunjab
- DBengal
- ENone of the above/More than one of the above
Who declared “Sati” illegal?
- AWarren Hastings
- BWilliam Bentinck
- CCornwallis
- DCurzon
- ENone of the above/More than one of the above
Bombay Presidency Association was established by -
- APherozeshah Mehta
- BK. T. Telang
- CW.C. Banerjee
- DTyabji
- ENone of the above/More than one of the above
Mahatma Gandhi presided over which session of the Indian National Congress?
- A1922
- B1924
- C1928
- D1930
- ENone of the above/More than one of the above
Who was given life punishment for the murder of Curzon Wyllie?
- AMadan Lal Dhingra
- BUdham Singh
- CBhagat Singh
- DManmathanath
- ENone of the above/More than one of the above
The Declaration of Partition of Bengal was done on -:
- A19th July, 1905
- B7th August, 1905
- C15th August, 1905
- D16th October, 1905
- ENone of the above/More than one of the above
During which period did the Swadeshi Movement take place in India?
- AGandhi’s Champaran Satyagraha
- BMovement against the Partition of Bengal
- CMovement against the Rowlatt Act
- DNon-Cooperation Movement
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
Where did Mahatma Gandhi start the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930?
- AWardha
- BDandi
- CSevagram
- DSabarmati
- ENone of the above
What was the ultimate goal of Gandhiji's Salt Satyagraha?
- ARepeal of Salt laws
- BCurtailment of the government's power
- CEconomic relief to the common people
- D'Purna Swaraj' for India
- ENone of the above/More than one of the above
The Indian National Congress did not take part in which of the following Round Table Conferences?
- AFirst
- BSecond
- CThird
- DParticipated in all
- ENone of the above/More than one of the above
Who wrote the ‘Now or Never’ pamphlet?
- AMuhammad Jinnah
- BMuhammad Iqbal
- CRahmat Ali
- DKhafi Khan
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
Whom did Rajendra Prasad consider as the father of Pakistan?
- AMd. Jinnah
- BLord Mountbatten
- CLord Minto
- DLiaquat Ali Khan
- ENone of the above/More than one of the above
Who was not the member of the Cabinet Mission?
- APethick Lawrence
- BWavell
- CStafford Cripps
- DA.V. Alexander
- ENone of the above/More than one of the above
The Department of State was established under whose headship?
- AMahatma Gandhi
- BJ.L. Nehru
- CG.B. Pant
- DSardar Patel
- ENone of the above/ More than one of the above
The post of the Indian High Commission was created by which Act?
- AThe Indian Councils Act, 1909
- BThe Government of India Act, 1919
- CThe Government of India Act, 1935
- DThe Indian Independence Act, 1947
- ENone of the above/More than one of the above
Ancient History 9 questions
What is the most significant feature of the Indus Valley Civilization?
- ABurnt brick buildings
- BFirst true arches
- CBuildings of worship
- DArt and architecture
- ENone of the above/More than one of the above
Tripitakas are the sacred books of the:
- AJains
- BHindus
- CParsees
- DBuddhists
- ENone of the above/More than one of the above
The salvation place of Mahavira, the Propounder of Jain religion, is located at -:
- AManer
- BRajgir
- CPavapuri
- DJalan Port
- ENone of the above/More than one of the above
Megasthenes was the ambassador of -
- ASeleucus
- BAlexander
- CDarius
- DGreeks
- ENone of the above/ More than one of the above
The central point in Ashoka's Dhamma is -
- ALoyalty to the king
- BPeace and non-violence
- CRespect for elders
- DReligious tolerance
- ENone of the above/More than one of the above
The famous Chinese pilgrim Fa-Hien visited India during the reign of:
- AChandragupta I
- BChandragupta II
- CRamagupta
- DSrigupta
- ENone of the above/More than one of the above
The Chola age was most famous for:
- AVillage assemblies
- BWar with the Rashtrakutas
- CTrade with Ceylon
- DAdvancement of Tamil culture
- ENone of the above/More than one of the above
The attractive doors of the temples of South India are called-
- AShikhar (Peak)
- BGopuram
- CDevalay
- DMandapam
- ENone of the above/ More than one of the above
Kautilya's Arthashastra is a book based on -
- AEconomic relations
- BPrinciples and practice of statecraft
- CForeign policy
- DWealth accumulation
- ENone of the above/More than one of the above
Medieval History 4 questions
Who was the first Muslim ruler to formulate the 'Theory of Kingship' similar to the 'Theory of divine right of the kings'?
- AAibak
- BIltutmish
- CBalban
- DAlauddin
- ENone of the above/ More than one of the above
The remains of the Vijayanagara Empire are found in?
- ABijapur
- BGolconda
- CHampi
- DBaroda
- ENone of the above/ More than one of the above
Paper came to be used in India in the -:
- A12th century
- B13th century
- C14th century
- D15th century
- ENone of the above/ More than one of the above
European paintings were introduced in the court of :
- AHumayun
- BAkbar
- CJahangir
- DShah Jahan
- ENone of the above/ More than one of the above
Bihar Special GK 23 questions
By which Act, Bihar became a separate province?
- AThe Government of India Act of 1935
- BThe Government of India Act of 1919
- CThe Indian Councils Act of 1909
- DThe Indian Independence Act of 1947
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
When was Patna Lawn renamed as Gandhi Maidan?
- ADuring Quit India Movement
- BDuring Anti-Simon Commission Rally
- CDuring Champaran Satyagraha
- DOn the eve of Independence of India
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
Who organized Kisan Sabha at Munger in 1922-23?
- ASwami Sahajanand Saraswati
- BShri Krishna Singh
- CMohammad Jubair
- DK. N. Singh
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
Bihar Provincial Kisan Sabha was formed in
- A1929
- B1930
- C1931
- D1932
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
Bihar Socialist party was born in 1934 with its secretary
- AAcharya Narendra Dev
- BJayaprakash Narayan
- CRambriksh Benipuri
- DKarpoori Thakur
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
The first Indian Ministry in Bihar in 1937 came into existence under whose leadership?
- AShri Krishna Singh
- BMd. Yunus
- CG. S. Lal
- DWahab Ali
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
Who was a member of the Constituent Assembly of India from Bihar?
- AA. N. Sinha
- BRajendra Prasad
- CJagjivan Ram
- DShyam Nandan Prasad Mishra
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
According to Köppen's climate classification, the climate of North Bihar can be represented by which of the following?
- ACwg
- BAw
- CCA’w
- DCB’w
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
Which soil is mostly found in Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga and Champaran districts?
- ABlack soil
- BNew alluvium
- COld alluvium
- DRed soil
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
Kaimur Plateau is famous for –
- ACopper
- BLimestone
- CLithium
- DBauxite
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
Which of the following districts of Bihar does not share border with Nepal?
- AMadhubani
- BKishanganj
- CSitamarhi
- DPurnia
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
The average size of landholdings in Bihar in comparison with other states is –
- ALowest
- BSecond lowest
- CHighest
- DSecond highest
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
The district with the highest jute production in Bihar is -
- ASiwan
- BGaya
- CVaishali
- DPurnia
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
According to the Indian Census, 2011, in which state is the literacy percentage for both males and females the lowest?
- AArunachal Pradesh
- BAndhra Pradesh
- CBihar
- DJammu and Kashmir
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
Triveni Canal has been constructed on the river
- AKosi
- BSon
- CGandak
- DKamla
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
Which of the following rivers joins the Ganges near Fatuha?
- ASon
- BPunpun
- CSakri
- DBalan
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
Which of the following is the only UNESCO World Heritage Site present in Bihar State of India?
- AMahabodhi Temple
- BBuddhist Monastery in Nalanda
- CAncient site of Vikramashila Monastery
- DTomb of Sher Shah Suri
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
The road length per lakh of population in Bihar is
- Alowest
- Bsecond lowest
- Chighest
- Dsecond highest
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
Swami Sahajanand Saraswati published a magazine named-
- AJankranti
- BHunkar
- CKrishak Samachar
- DVidrohi
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
The latest annual per capita consumption of electricity in Bihar is –
- ALowest
- BSecond lowest
- CHighest
- DSecond highest
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
The Barh Super Thermal Power Station (BSTPS) is located in which state?
- ABihar
- BKarnataka
- CRajasthan
- DPunjab
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
Where is the 'Gullak Bachcha Bank'?
- ADelhi
- BPatna
- CBhopal
- DJaipur
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
What is the significance of ‘Bihar Day’, which is celebrated every year on 22 March?
- AOn this day, the State Reorganisation Commission created Bihar
- BOn this day in 1873 CE, Bihar was taken out of the United Provinces
- CTo commemorate the separation of Bihar from the Bengal Presidency in 1912
- DTo celebrate the naming of Bihar by Muslim rulers in the 12th century
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
Indian Polity 13 questions
What is the nature of the Indian Constitution?
- AFederal
- BUnitary
- CParliamentary
- DFederal in nature but unitary in spirit
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
Who is the Ex-Officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha?
- AThe President
- BThe Vice President
- CThe Prime Minister
- DNone of the above
- EMore than one of the above
The Prime Minister of India is responsible to
- AThe Cabinet
- BThe President
- CThe Lok Sabha
- DThe Rajya Sabha
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
Who is the highest Civil Services Officers of the Central Government?
- AThe Attorney General of India
- BThe Cabinet Secretary
- CThe Home Secretary
- DThe Finance Secretary
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
What is the minimum age for a Member of the Parliament?
- A18 years
- B21 years
- C25 years
- D30 years
- ENone of the above / more than one of the above
Money Bill can be presented -
- AOnly in the Lok Sabha
- BOnly in the Rajya Sabha
- CIn both the Houses
- DIn joint meeting of both the Houses
- ENone of the above / more than one of the above
Who appoints the Judges of the Supreme Court of India?
- AThe Prime Minister
- BThe President
- CThe Chief Justice of India
- DThe Ombudsman
- ENone of the above / more than one of the above
What is the retirement age of the Judges of the Supreme Court?
- A60 years
- B62 years
- C65 years
- D70 years
- ENone of the above / more than one of the above
When did NITI Aayog come into existence?
- A1 January 2014
- B1 June 2014
- C1 January 2015
- D1 June 2015
- ENone of the above/More than one of the above
The subject of Panchayati Raj is in –
- AConcurrent List
- BUnion List
- CState List
- DResidual List
Which one of the following Committees/Commissions recommended the creation of Nyaya Panchayats?
- ABalwant Rai Mehta Committee
- BAshok Mehta Committee
- CG.V.K. Rao Committee
- DSarkaria Commission
- ENone of the above / more than one of the above
50% reservation for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions is legalized in certain States such as:
- I. Bihar
- II. Uttarakhand
- III. Madhya Pradesh
- IV. Himachal Pradesh
- AOnly III
- BOnly II and III
- CII, III and IV
- DI, II, III and IV
- ENone of the above / more than one of the above
Which of the following functions does not fall under the jurisdiction of local self-government?
- APublic health
- BSanitation
- CPublic utility service
- DMaintaining public discipline
- ENone of the above
Geography 11 questions
Which one of the following soils is deposited by rivers?
- ARed soil
- BBlack soil
- CAlluvial soil
- DLateritic soil
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
Which one of the following States has the highest percentage of area under forests?
- AHimachal Pradesh
- BAssam
- CAndhra Pradesh
- DArunachal Pradesh
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
Which state in India has the highest average production of cotton?
- AWest Bengal
- BBihar
- CAssam
- DAndhra Pradesh
- ENone of the above/More than one of the above
Which one of the following States is the leading producer of rubber in India?
- ATamil Nadu
- BKerala
- CKarnataka
- DAndhra Pradesh
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
Khetri Belt of Rajasthan State is famous for:
- ACopper mining
- BGold mining
- CMica mining
- DIron ore mining
- ENone of the above/More than one of the above
What is the share of hydroelectric power in the total electricity produced in India?
- A10 percent
- B12 percent
- C20 percent
- D22 percent
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
The largest number of cotton mills in Tamil Nadu are found in :
- AChennai
- BCoimbatore
- CMadurai
- DSalem
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
National Waterway-1 connects -
- AKottapuram to Kollam
- BSadiya to Dhubri
- CHaldia to Allahabad
- DHaldia to Kolkata
- ENone of the above/More than one of the above
Cocos Plate lies between:
- ACentral America and Pacific Plate
- BSouth America and Pacific Plate
- CRed Sea and Persian Gulf
- DAsiatic Plate and Pacific Plate
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above
The ‘Rust Bowl’ of the United States is related to which of the following regions?
- AGreat Lakes region
- BAlabama region
- CCalifornia Region
- DPittsburgh Region
- ENone of the above/More than one of the above
Which one of the following is known as the ‘Coffee Port’ of the world?
- ASao Paulo
- BSantos
- CRio de Janeiro
- DBuenos Aires
- ENone of the above / More than one of the above