SSC CHSL Tier-1 2025 21 November 2025 Shift 2 GK Questions – with answers & solutions

Correct Answer: Todar Mal (Option 4)
Todar Mal was the revenue minister (Diwan) of Mughal Emperor Akbar. He is best known for introducing the 'Todar Mal's Bandobast' (also called Zabti or Ain-i-Dahsala system), a land revenue system that standardized measurement of cultivated land and fixed revenue rates based on average produce over 10 years. This system became the model for future revenue settlements in India. He was one of the Navaratnas (nine gems) of Akbar's court.
Raja Bharmal was the Rajput king of Amer who gave his daughter in marriage to Akbar. Birbal was the court jester and advisor, famous for his wit. Raja Man Singh was Akbar's trusted general and Governor of Bengal.

Correct Answer: Only I (Option 1)
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) has two official working languages: Russian and Chinese (Mandarin). Russian was one of the founding official languages of SCO since its establishment in 2001.
Statement I is CORRECT: Russian IS an official language of SCO.
Statement II is INCORRECT: Hindi is NOT an official language of SCO. Although India joined the SCO as a full member in 2017, Hindi has not been granted official language status by the SCO. India uses Hindi in its diplomatic communications but it is not an official SCO language.
Hence Only I is correct.

Correct Answer: 2005 (Option 4)
The East Asia Summit (EAS) process was initiated in 2005 with the first EAS held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 14 December 2005. The inaugural EAS had 16 participating nations — 10 ASEAN members + India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. The EAS is a premier forum for strategic dialogue and cooperation among the leaders of the region.
1999, 2002, and 2003 are incorrect years. The conceptual discussions began earlier, but the formal initiation was in 2005.

Correct Answer: Rudyard Kipling (Option 1)
'The Jungle Book' was written by Rudyard Kipling and published in 1894. It is a collection of stories set in the Indian jungle, featuring the famous character Mowgli, a boy raised by wolves. Other well-known characters include Baloo the bear, Bagheera the black panther, and Shere Khan the tiger. Kipling was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1907.
William Shakespeare was an English playwright (16th-17th century). Stephen Alter is a contemporary American-Indian author. Edgar Allan Poe was an American writer known for gothic and horror stories.

Correct Answer: 2020 (Option 2)
Neeraj Chopra won the gold medal in Javelin Throw at the Tokyo Summer Olympics 2020 (held in 2021 due to COVID-19 postponement) with a throw of 87.58 metres. This was India's first-ever Olympic gold medal in athletics. He became only the second Indian (after Abhinav Bindra in 2008) to win an individual Olympic gold medal.
At the 2016 Rio Olympics, India did not win athletics gold. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Neeraj Chopra won a Silver medal (not gold) with a throw of 89.45 metres. 2008 is incorrect. Hence 2020 is the correct answer.

Correct Answer: Swimming (Option 1)
In competitive swimming, the three core technical areas that all swimmers must master are Strokes (the method of moving through water — freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly), Starts (the technique of entering the water from the starting block at the beginning of a race), and Turns (the technique of turning at the pool wall to continue the race). These are fundamental skills assessed in swimming coaching and competitions.
Baseball uses pitching, batting, and fielding techniques. Golf uses driving, chipping, and putting. Badminton uses smashes, drops, and clears. None of them use 'Strokes, Starts, and Turns' as their core technical framework.

Correct Answer: Chhattisgarh (Option 4)
'Dewar Geet' are traditional folk songs associated with Chhattisgarh. These are entertainment songs typically sung at social gatherings, festivals, and celebrations. Chhattisgarh has a rich folk music tradition including Karma, Sua, Panthi, and Dewar Geet. The Dewar community in Chhattisgarh is particularly associated with these musical traditions.
Goa is known for Dekhnni and Fugdi folk songs. Maharashtra is associated with Lavani and Powada. Haryana is known for Ragini and Saang. Dewar Geet is specifically from Chhattisgarh.

Correct Answer: 1.9 (Option 1)
The diameter of a standard bamboo flute (bansuri) is usually about 1.9 cm (approximately 19 mm). The bansuri is a transverse bamboo flute used extensively in Indian classical and folk music. The bore diameter affects the tone and pitch of the flute. Smaller diameter flutes produce higher pitches while larger diameter flutes produce lower, deeper tones. 1.9 cm is the standard diameter for a typical concert bansuri.
Diameters of 4.1 cm, 4.8 cm, and 3.8 cm are too large for standard bamboo flutes.

Correct Answer: Tripura (Option 1)
The 'Hai-Hak' (also written as Haihak) is a traditional folk dance of Tripura, performed by the Reang (Bru) tribal community. It is one of the most prominent folk dances of this indigenous community and is performed during festivals and celebrations. Tripura has diverse tribal communities each with their own unique folk dance traditions.
Gujarat is known for Garba and Dandiya Raas. Bihar is known for Jat-Jatin and Bidesia. Kerala is known for Theyyam, Mohiniyattam, and Kathakali. Hai-Hak is not associated with these states.

Correct Answer: 16 (Option 3)
The International Space Station (ISS) orbits Earth approximately 16 times per day (once every 90 minutes). It travels at a speed of about 28,000 km/h (17,500 mph) at an altitude of approximately 408 km above Earth's surface. This means astronauts aboard the ISS experience about 16 sunrises and 16 sunsets every 24 hours. The ISS completes one full orbit in approximately 92 minutes.
36 times is too fast. 8 times would mean a much higher orbit. 24 times would mean about one orbit per hour. The correct answer is approximately 16 times per day.

Correct Answer: Shailendra Nath Gupta (Option 2)
Shailendra Nath Gupta assumed the office of Director General of Defence Estates on May 31, 2025. The Directorate General of Defence Estates (DGDE) is a department under the Ministry of Defence, Government of India, responsible for the administration and management of defence estates and cantonments across India.
Alok Joshi, Mayank Sharma, and Justice Arun Palli did not assume this position on the stated date.

Correct Answer: 50 (Option 2)
Under PM-YUVA 3.0 (Pradhan Mantri Yuva Utthan Avam Utsah Abhiyan 3.0), 50 young authors are to be selected for mentorship and development. PM-YUVA is a scheme by the Ministry of Education aimed at developing young authors under 30 years of age to write on Indian culture, heritage, and knowledge system. It provides mentorship from experienced authors and aims to promote reading and writing culture among youth.
Options 30, 60, and 65 are incorrect numbers for PM-YUVA 3.0.

Correct Answer: 4th (Option 4)
Harvard University was ranked 4th in the Global University Employability Ranking 2025. The Global University Employability Ranking is published annually by Times Higher Education (THE) in partnership with Emerging. It ranks universities based on employers' perceptions of how well universities prepare graduates for the job market. MIT, Stanford, and Cambridge ranked above Harvard in the 2025 edition.
1st, 2nd, and 3rd ranks are incorrect positions for Harvard in the Global University Employability Ranking 2025.

Correct Answer: Assam (Option 1)
Assam launched 'Operation Falcon' in August 2025 to protect the Indian One-Horned Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) from poachers. Assam is home to Kaziranga National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) which hosts the world's largest population of the Indian one-horned rhino (over 2,600 rhinos). Poaching for rhino horns (used in traditional medicine) has been a major threat. Operation Falcon involved intensified surveillance and anti-poaching patrols.
Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka do not have significant one-horned rhino populations and did not launch this operation.

Correct Answer: New Delhi (Option 1)
The National Marathon in February 2025 was held in New Delhi. The New Delhi Marathon is one of India's premier long-distance running events, regularly attracting thousands of runners from across the country. New Delhi has been a consistent venue for major national and international marathon events.
Chennai, Chandigarh, and Kolkata did not host the National Marathon in February 2025.

Correct Answer: Amgen (Option 2)
Amgen, one of the world's leading biotechnology companies, announced a $200 million investment in its technology center in Hyderabad (Amgen India) in February 2025, focusing on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data science capabilities. Hyderabad is a major hub for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in India, and this investment further strengthened the city's position as a global technology and life sciences destination.
Pfizer, Merck, and Johnson & Johnson did not make this specific announcement regarding a $200 million AI-focused investment in Hyderabad in February 2025.

Correct Answer: 358 (Option 1)
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 contains 358 sections. It replaced the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860 (which had 511 sections) and came into effect on July 1, 2024. BNS is one of three new criminal laws introduced to replace the colonial-era criminal justice system. The other two are Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 (replacing CrPC) and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), 2023 (replacing Indian Evidence Act).
558, 258, and 458 are incorrect section counts for BNS.

Correct Answer: 18-40 years (Option 1)
The Atal Pension Yojana (APY) was launched on 9 May 2015 by PM Narendra Modi, thus completing 10 years in May 2025. The eligibility criteria for enrollment in APY is age 18 to 40 years. The scheme is administered by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA). It provides a guaranteed minimum pension of Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 5,000 per month after age 60. It is primarily aimed at workers in the unorganised sector.
Age groups 21-50, 18-60, and 25-65 years are incorrect eligibility criteria for APY.

Correct Answer: Maharashtra (Option 1)
The Umred-Pauni-Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Nagpur district, Maharashtra. It is a Tiger Reserve and wildlife sanctuary famous for tigers (particularly a tigress named 'Jai'), leopards, wild dogs (dholes), and other wildlife. It is part of the larger Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve landscape. The sanctuary covers an area of about 188 sq km.
Gujarat, Uttarakhand, and Punjab do not have the Umred-Pauni-Karhandla Sanctuary.

Correct Answer: Punjab (Option 1)
The Indira Gandhi Canal (originally called the Rajasthan Canal, renamed in 1984) originates at the Harike Barrage in Punjab, located at the confluence of the Sutlej and Beas rivers near Harike village in Ferozepur district, Punjab. The canal runs through Rajasthan and has transformed the Thar Desert region, bringing irrigation water to vast arid areas of Rajasthan. It is the longest canal in India (total length about 9,060 km including distributaries).
The canal originates in Punjab (at Harike), NOT in Rajasthan (where it flows). Uttarakhand and Haryana are incorrect.

Correct Answer: Muslim (Option 3)
As per the 2011 Census of India, the religious population breakdown is:
1. Hindu: 79.8% (966.3 million) — largest
2. Muslim: 14.2% (172.2 million) — second largest
3. Christian: 2.3% (27.8 million)
4. Sikh: 1.7% (20.8 million)
5. Buddhist: 0.7% (8.4 million)
Thus, Muslims form the second-largest religious community in India as per 2011 Census. Options Christian, Sikh, and Buddhist are smaller religious communities.

Correct Answer: Fortified walls with gateways (Option 2)
The cities of the Indus Valley Civilization (Harappan Civilization) were generally enclosed with massive fortified walls made of burnt bricks, with well-defined gateways. Archaeological evidence from sites like Mohenjo-daro, Harappa, and Dholavira shows thick defensive walls surrounding the citadel (upper town) areas. The gateways were strategically placed for control of entry and exit.
Wooden fences would not survive the archaeological record and were not characteristic of IVC cities. Stone barricades were not the primary enclosure. Moats and drawbridges are associated with medieval European and some Asian fortifications, not the Indus Valley Civilization.

Correct Answer: Brahman (Option 4)
In Hindu philosophy, 'Brahman' is the philosophical concept that everything in the universe is one divine, ultimate, and universal essence or reality. It represents the cosmic principle, the absolute truth, and the source of all existence. This is the central concept of Advaita Vedanta (non-dual philosophy) propounded by Adi Shankaracharya, which holds that Brahman is the only ultimate reality and that the individual self (Atman) is identical with Brahman.
Samiti was an ancient Indian assembly (Sabha and Samiti were the two assemblies of the Vedic period). Yajna refers to a sacrificial ritual or fire ceremony. Purandar means 'destroyer of forts' — an epithet of Indra. None of these represent the concept of one divine essence of the universe.

Correct Answer: Because friction produces heat (Option 2)
When a matchstick is struck against a rough surface, the friction between the match head and the rough surface generates heat. This heat ignites the chemicals in the match head — typically red phosphorus (on the striking surface) and potassium chlorate (in the match head). The heat causes a rapid exothermic chemical reaction, producing a flame. This is a practical application of the conversion of mechanical energy (friction) into heat energy.
Matchsticks do not contain petrol. The match stick is not hollow — it is a solid wooden stick. Absorbing moisture would actually prevent ignition. The correct scientific reason is friction producing heat.

Correct Answer: Tea (Option 2)
The British colonial authorities forced the peasants and tribal people of Assam to work on tea plantations and produce tea. After discovering wild tea plants in Assam in 1823 (by Robert Bruce), the British established large-scale tea plantations in the Brahmaputra Valley. They used the Inland Emigration Act (1863) and similar coercive laws to force local tribals and migrant labourers to work on these estates under exploitative conditions. Assam today accounts for over 50% of India's total tea production.
Cotton cultivation was forced in Maharashtra and other regions. Indigo was forced in Bengal (Neel Darpan). Wheat and rice were not the crops specifically forced in Assam under British rule.