1. Who chaired the Punjab Boundary Commission during India’s 1947 Partition?
[A] Jawaharlal Nehru
[B] Lord Mountbatten
[C] Mohammad Ali Jinnah
[D] Sir Cyril Radcliffe
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Sir Cyril Radcliffe]
Notes:
Sir Cyril Radcliffe chaired the Punjab Boundary Commission in 1947, responsible for drawing the Radcliffe Line, which divided Punjab between India and Pakistan. He had no prior experience in India and completed the partition line in just five weeks.
2. Consider the following former provinces of British India and their corresponding summer or administrative capitals:
- Punjab Province – Simla
- Bombay Presidency – Panchgani
- Bengal Presidency – Darjeeling
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
[A] Only 1
[B] Only 1 & 3
[C] Only 2 & 3
[D] 1, 2 & 3
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Only 1 & 3]
Notes:
Punjab Province had Simla as its summer capital, and Bengal Presidency often used Darjeeling as its summer capital. Bombay Presidency had its summer capital at Mahabaleshwar, not Panchgani. Thus, pairs 1 and 3 are correctly matched; pair 2 is incorrect.
3. Consider the following pairs of pioneers in Indian academic and research domains:
- P.C. Mahalanobis – Father of Indian Statistics
- Meghnad Saha – Father of Indian Nuclear Physics
- Birbal Sahni – Father of Indian Paleobotany
Which of the above pairs is / are correctly matched?
[A] Only 1 & 2
[B] Only 2 & 3
[C] Only 1 & 3
[D] 1, 2 & 3
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Only 1 & 3]
Notes:
P.C. Mahalanobis is regarded as the father of Indian statistics and Birbal Sahni is considered the father of Indian paleobotany. Meghnad Saha is known for his contributions to astrophysics, not nuclear physics. Therefore, only pairs 1 and 3 are correct.
4. Consider the following pairs:
- Paris of Punjab – Pathankot
- Manchester of India – Ludhiana
- IT Hub of Punjab – Mohali
Which of the above pairs are correctly matched?
[A] Only 1 and 2
[B] Only 2 and 3
[C] 2 and 3 only
[D] All of the above
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [2 and 3 only]
Notes:
Pair 1 is incorrect as Kapurthala is known as the “Paris of Punjab” due to its French-inspired architecture from Maharaja Jagatjit Singh’s reign. Ludhiana is called the “Manchester of India” for its thriving textile industry, and Mohali is recognized as the IT hub of Punjab, especially in Sectors 82–83.
5. Which airport in Bihar was operational during World War II and the 1962 Sino-Indian war?
[A] Forbesganj Airport
[B] Darbhanga Airport
[C] Patna Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport
[D] Gaya Airport
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Forbesganj Airport]
Notes:
Forbesganj Airport in Araria District, Bihar, was active during WWII (1934-42) and the 1962 Sino-Indian war. Now non-operational, it features a 5000×500 ft runway and was maintained by AAI. It has historical significance, including a 1973 hijacking incident.
6. Who has become the first Indian to complete NASA’s Air and Space Program?
[A] Jahnavi Dangeti
[B] Shivangi Singh
[C] Bhawna Dhami
[D] Avani Chaturvedi
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Jahnavi Dangeti]
Notes:
Recently, India’s Jahnavi Dangeti was announced as the first Indian astronaut to join the Titans Space mission scheduled for 2029. She is a graduate of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)’s International Air and Space Program and has received global training. Jahnavi is also a strong promoter of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education among youth. The mission will be led by retired U.S. Army Colonel and veteran NASA astronaut William McArthur Jr., who is now Chief Astronaut at Titans Space.
7. Which airport is the first in India to deploy Runway Rubber Removal Machine (RRM)?
[A] Cochin International Airport
[B] Chennai International Airport
[C] Noida International Airport
[D] Jaipur International Airport
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Noida International Airport]
Notes:
Recently, Noida International Airport (NIA) partnered with Anlon Technology Solutions to introduce India’s first indigenously developed Runway Rubber Removal Machine (RRM) named Cleanjet RRM. This eco-friendly machine is designed to enhance runway safety by removing rubber deposits and other contaminants using ultra-high-pressure water jets without abrasive chemicals.
8. Who chaired the 1947 committee that separated the legislative and constitution-making functions of the Constituent Assembly of India?
[A] Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar
[B] Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
[C] Dr. Rajendra Prasad
[D] K.M. Munshi
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar]
Notes:
Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar led the 1947 committee to differentiate the legislative and constitution-making roles of the Constituent Assembly of India.
9. Who was the first Gujarati woman to serve as the chairperson of India’s Central Board of Film Certification?
[A] Smita Patil
[B] Dia Mirza
[C] Parveen Babi
[D] Asha Parekh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Asha Parekh]
Notes:
Asha Parekh, a Bollywood actress from Gujarat, was the first Gujarati woman to become chairperson of India’s Central Board of Film Certification (Hindi Film Censor Board).
10. Who was the founder of Amul, the dairy cooperative established in 1946 that played a pivotal role in India’s White Revolution?
[A] Verghese Kurien
[B] Morarji Desai
[C] Tribhuvandas Patel
[D] Vallabhbhai Patel
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Tribhuvandas Patel]
Notes:
Tribhuvandas Patel founded Amul in Anand, Gujarat in 1946, pioneering the cooperative movement behind India’s White Revolution and the Anand pattern of dairy cooperatives.
