Prepare comprehensively for the UPSC Prelims with targeted topic-wise questions on Current Affairs, specifically centered on National Affairs. This specialized resource is curated to offer a detailed exploration of domestic events, policies, and developments crucial for the exam. Delve into a curated selection of questions meticulously designed to deepen your understanding of key national issues, government initiatives, and socio-economic trends. From legislative updates to socio-cultural shifts and economic reforms, these questions provide valuable insights and practice to enhance your preparation. With clear explanations and relevance to contemporary contexts, this resource empowers aspirants to navigate the intricacies of National Affairs confidently. Whether you’re revisiting recent happenings or analyzing emerging trends, these questions serve as a valuable tool to strengthen your grasp on domestic affairs and excel in the UPSC Prelims exam. Elevate your preparation and maximize your success with UPSC Prelims Topic Wise Questions in Current Affairs – National Affairs.
Q1. The film “The Making of the Mahatama’ has been directed by (1997)
(a) Peter Ustinov
(b) Richard Attenborough
(c) Shyam Benegal
(d) Mira Nair
Ans. (c)
The movie “The Making of Mahatma” was helmed by Shyam Benegal, serving as a collaborative effort between Indian and South African production teams. It delves into the formative years of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi during his two-decade stay in South Africa. Adapted from Fatima Meer’s book “The Apprenticeship of Mahatma,” the film garnered acclaim, securing two national awards: Best Actor, clinched by Rajit Kapoor, and Best Feature Film. Its release date was October 4th, 1990.
Q2. The Standing Committee of State Finance Ministers recommended in January, 2000 uniform rates across the rates in respect of (2000)
(a) value-added tax
(b) sales tax
(c) stamp duty and registration fees
(d) agricultural income tax
Ans. (b)
In 2000, the Standing Committee of State Finance Ministries proposed standardizing sales tax rates. Sales tax, a levy on the sale of goods and services, is collected by retailers at the point of sale and remitted to the government. Liability for sales tax falls on businesses operating within a jurisdiction, whether they are physical stores, online enterprises, affiliates, or have any other form of presence, contingent upon the prevailing laws of that jurisdiction.
Q3. In India, who is the Chairman of the National Water Resources Council? (2009)
(a) Prime Minister
(b) Minister of Water Resources
(c) Minister of Environment and Forests
(d) Minister of Science and Technology
Ans. (a)
The National Water Resources Council was established by the Government of India in March 1983. Chaired by the Prime Minister, it comprises the Union Minister of Water Resources as the Vice-Chairman. Additionally, the council includes relevant Union Ministers, Ministers of State, Chief Ministers of all states, and Lieutenant Governors/Administrators of Union Territories as members. The Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources serves as the Council’s Secretary.
Q4. Consider the following statements. (2009)
1. The Baglihar Power Project had been constructed within the parameters of the Indus Water Treaty.
2. The project was completely built by the Union Government with loans from Japan and the World Bank.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
(a) Only 1
(b) Only 2
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans (a)
Statement (1) is accurate, as the Baglihar Hydropower Project is indeed located on the Chenab River in the Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir. This project falls within the parameters outlined by the Indus Water Treaty.
Statement (2) is incorrect, as the project was not solely constructed by the Government of India. Baglihar was completed in 2008, and it was a collaborative effort between the Government of India and the Government of Jammu and Kashmir.
Q5. India has recently landed its Moon Impact Probe on the Moon. Among the following countries, which one landed such probe on the Moon earlier? (2009)
(a) Australia
(b) Canada
(c) China
(d) Japan
Ans. (d)
Before India, it was Japan that dispatched probes to the Moon. Recently, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced plans to send an unmanned spacecraft to the Moon in 2024. To date, 20 Moon missions have been successful, including those exploring the dark side. India could have been the fourth country to achieve this feat if the Chandrayaan-2 mission hadn’t encountered partial failure. The first successful Moon mission was Luna 2, launched by Russia (then USSR) on September 12th, 1959. The first manned mission, Apollo 11, was launched by the USA on July 22nd, 1969. India’s Chandrayaan-2 lunar exploration mission was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
Q6. Among other things, which one of the following was the purpose for which the Deepak Parekh Committee was constituted? (2009)
(a) To study the current socio-economic condition of certain minority communities.
(b) To suggest measures for financing the development of infrastructure.
(c) To frame a policy on the production of genetically modified organisms.
(d) to suggest measures to reduce the fiscal deficit in the Union Budget.
Ans. (b)
The Deepak Parekh Committee was established to propose strategies for financing infrastructure development. Constituted under the chairmanship of Deepak Parekh, the committee commenced its work in November 2010, with Rakesh Mohan, former Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, leading the efforts. Its primary objectives included reviewing existing infrastructure policies and recommending necessary alterations to enhance the investment framework for high-priority infrastructure sectors.
More recently, in November 2021, SEBI formed a panel to bolster governance in stock exchanges, chaired by G. Melsingam. This decision came in light of alleged corporate governance lapses at the NSE. SEBI disclosed the involvement of a Himalayan yogi in influencing decisions made by Chitra Ramkrishna, the former MD and CEO of the organization.
Q7. Consider the following famous names. (2009)
1. Amrita Sher-Gil
2. Bikash Bhattacharjee
3. NS Bendre
4. Subodh Gupta
Who of the above is/are well known as artists?
(a) Only 1
(b) 1 and 4
(c) 2,3 and 4
(d) 1,2,3 and 4
Ans. (d)
Amrita Sher-Gil was a renowned Indian painter, while Bikash Bhattacharjee hailed from Kolkata, West Bengal, and gained prominence as an Indian artist. Narayan Shridhar Bendre was among the celebrated artists of 20th-century India. Subodh Gupta is a well-known contemporary Indian artist based in Delhi.
Q8. In which one of the following states has India’s largest private sector sea port been commissioned recently? (2009)
(a) Andhra Pradesh
(b) Karnataka
(c) Kerala
(d) Tamil Nadu
Ans. (a)
India’s largest private sector sea port, inaugurated in South India, serves as a new gateway to the country through Krishnapatnam in Nellore District of Andhra Pradesh. This new port on the east coast is a significant addition to India’s maritime infrastructure.
On the west coast, Mundra Port, located near Mundra in the Kutch region of Gujarat, stands as one of India’s highest-earning ports. Initially under the control of Adani Group’s Mundra Port and Special Economic Zone Limited, it was later expanded into Adani Ports and SEZ Limited, which now oversees multiple ports.
Among them, Nhava Sheva in Maharashtra, now known as Jawaharlal Nehru Port, stands out as the largest container port in India. Situated across Navi Mumbai on the mainland of Konkan, it plays a vital role in India’s maritime trade.
Q9. Match items in List-I with those in the List-II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists (2005)
| List I (Location) | List II (Known for/in News for) |
| A. Kakinada | 1. Sky Bus Metro rail test-run |
| B. Dundigal | 2. ITC paper board unit |
| C. Margao | 3. Bio – Diesel plant |
| D. Bhadrachalan | 4. Indian Air Force Academy |
Code
A B C D
(a) 2 1 4 3
(b) 3 4 1 2
(c) 2 4 1 3
(d) 3 1 4 2
Ans. (b)
The correct matching is A-3,B-4, C-1, D-2
The test track for Sky Bus Metro is currently under construction near Madgaon Station in Margao, Goa. The Centre for Science and Environment has recognized ITC’s paperboard unit in Bhadrachalam, Andhra Pradesh. The Bio-Diesel plant is situated in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, while the Indian Air Force Academy is located in Dundigal.
Q10. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists. (2005)
| List I (Person) | List II (Organisation) |
| A. VRS Natrajan | 1. Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited |
| B. AK Puri | 2. Air India |
| C. V. Thulasidas | 3. Maruti Udyog Limited |
| D. Jagdish Khattar | 4. Bharat Earth Movers Limited |
| 5. Indian Space Research Organisation |
Codes
A B C D
(a) 3 1 2 4
(b) 4 2 1 3
(c) 3 2 1 4
(d) 4 1 2 3
Ans (d)
The accurate pairing is A-4, B-1, C-2, D-3.
VRS Natarajan was linked with Bharat Earth Movers Limited, while AK Puri was connected with Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited. V. Thulasidas was affiliated with Air India, and Jagdish Khattar was involved with Maruti Udyog Limited.
Q11. Who among the following was selected for the 2001 Dada Saheb Phalke Award? (2003)
(a) Dev Anand
(b) Lata Mangeshkar
(c) Ramanand Sagar
(d) Yash Chopra
Ans. (d)
Recognized for his remarkable contributions to the film industry, the esteemed Dada Saheb Phalke National Film Festival Awards 2022 took place in February. The prestigious event unfolded in Mumbai, showcasing the finest performances and honoring outstanding achievements. This year’s edition of the Dada Saheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards 2022 celebrated the grandeur of Indian Cinema and commemorated the 75 years of Independence, known as Azadi ka Mahotsav. Asha Parekh was bestowed with the award in recognition of her significant contributions.
Q12. Match List – I with List – II and select the correct answer. (2003)
| List – I (High Officials) | List – II (Organisation) |
| A. CP Jain | 1. Indian Airlines |
| B. S Ramadorai | 2. NTPC |
| C. Sunil Arora | 3. TCS |
| D. Vivek Paul | 4. Wipro Technologies |
Codes
A B C D
(a) 4 1 3 2
(b) 4 3 1 2
(c) 2 3 1 4
(d) 2 1 3 4
Ans. (c)
The correct matching is A-2, B-3, C-1, D-4.
CP Jain served as the former Chairman and Managing Director of IPC from 2000 to 2006. Ramadoral was the CEO and MD of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) from 1996 to 2009. Sunil Arora was associated with Indian Airlines from 2002 to 2005. Vivek Paul held the position of Vice Chairman of outsourcing from 1990 to 2006. Currently, Rishad Premji is the Chairman of Wipro Limited, while Gurdeep Singh is the Executive Chairman of NTPC. Chandrasekaran serves as the Chairman of Tata Consultancy Services, and Rajesh Gopinathan is the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the same company.
Q13. Which one of the following was the largest IT software and services exporter in India during the year 2002-03? (2004)
(a) Birlasoft
(b) Infosys Technologies
(c) Tata Consultancy Services
(d) Wipro Technologies
Ans. (c)
During 2002-08, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) emerged as the second-largest exporter in the field of IT consultancy services in India. Renowned for its leading position in the industry, TCS stands as one of the biggest software and IT conglomerates globally. According to the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM), as of April 16th, TCS accounted for $1.19 billion in software services exports out of the total $8.5 billion provided by Indian companies. Following TCS in export revenue rankings were Infosys Technologies with $1.02 billion and Wipro’s software division with $854 million.
Q14. Match List – I with List – II and select the correct answer using the code given below the lists. (2004)
| List I (Person) | List II (Position) |
| A. Anil Kakodkar | 1. Chief of the Integrated Defence Staff |
| B. Raman Puri | 2. Chairman, 17th Law Commission |
| C. M. Jagannatha Rao | 3. Chairman, ISRO |
| D. G. Madhavan Nair | 4. Chairman Atomic Energy |
Codes
A B C D
(a) 3 1 2 4
(b) 4 2 1 3
(c) 3 2 1 4
(d) 4 1 2 3
Ans. (d)
The correct matching is A-4, B-1, C-2, D-3.
Anil Kakodkar served as the chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) from 1996 to 2000. Raman Puri held the position of Chief of Integrated Defence Staff in 2006. M. Jagannatha Rao chaired the 17th Law Commission of India from 2003 to 2006. G. Madhavan Nair was the Chairman of ISRO from 2003 to 2009. As of 2022, Shri Kamlesh Nilkanth Vyas holds the position of Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission. Balabhadra Radha Krishna serves as the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff. Justice BS Chauhan was the last Chairman of the Commission, retiring in August 2018, and since then, it has not been reconstituted. Shri S. Somanath is the current Chairman of ISRO.
Q15. Which one of the following statements is correct? Deccan Odyseey is (2004)
(a) a book on Chhatrapati Shivaji.
(b) a warship recently acquired by the Indian Navy.
(c) a recently started air service between Mumbai and Colombo.
(d) a luxury train which travels through Maharashtra and includes Goa in its journey.
Ans. (d)
The Deccan Odyssey is a deluxe train that traverses through Maharashtra and includes Goa in its itinerary. It was conceptualized by Indian Railways and the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation in 2001 to boost tourism in Maharashtra. Its inaugural journey commenced on 16th January 2004 for a week-long maiden voyage, inaugurated by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The Deccan Odyssey has been honored with the title of Asia’s premier luxury train experience.
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