SSC GD 2026 4 May 2026 Shift 3 GK Questions – with answers & solutions

Correct Answer: President — Option (c)
The Prime Minister of India is appointed by the President of India under Article 75 of the Constitution. Conventionally, the President appoints the leader of the majority party or coalition in the Lok Sabha as the Prime Minister. The President exercises this power formally but must act in accordance with constitutional convention.
Option (a) Parliament — Incorrect: Parliament does not appoint the Prime Minister; it is the President who makes this appointment.
Option (b) Chief Justice of India — Incorrect: The Chief Justice administers the oath of office to the Prime Minister but does not appoint them.
Option (d) Vice President — Incorrect: The Vice President has no role in the appointment of the Prime Minister.

Correct Answer: Article 368 — Option (c)
Article 368 of the Indian Constitution empowers Parliament to amend the Constitution. It lays down the procedure for constitutional amendments, which may require either a simple majority, special majority (two-thirds of members present and voting plus majority of total membership), or special majority along with ratification by at least half of the state legislatures, depending on the nature of the amendment.
Option (a) Article 352 — Incorrect: Article 352 deals with the proclamation of National Emergency, not constitutional amendments.
Option (b) Article 356 — Incorrect: Article 356 deals with the imposition of President's Rule in a state.
Option (d) Article 370 — Incorrect: Article 370 was a special provision relating to Jammu & Kashmir (now largely abrogated); it does not deal with constitutional amendment procedure.

Correct Answer: Kerala Kalamandalam — Option (c)
Kerala Kalamandalam was established in 1930 by the renowned Malayalam poet Vallathol Narayana Menon to preserve, promote, and institutionalize Kathakali and other classical performing arts of Kerala. It is located at Cheruthuruthy in Thrissur district. In 2012, it was accorded the status of a Deemed University under the name ' Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University — Kerala Kalamandalam '.
Option (a) Natyashastra Foundation — Incorrect: No such institution was founded by Vallathol for Kathakali.
Option (b) Kerala Nrityam Academy — Incorrect: This is not the institution established by Vallathol Narayana Menon.
Option (d) Sangeet Kala Kendra — Incorrect: This is not associated with Vallathol or the preservation of Kathakali.

Correct Answer: A women's folk dance involving rhythmic clapping and singing — Option (b)
Giddha is a popular folk dance of Punjab performed exclusively by women. It involves energetic and expressive movements, rhythmic clapping ( talis ), and the singing of bolis (short verses). It is performed at festive occasions such as Teej , Vaisakhi, and weddings. Giddha is the female counterpart of Bhangra (which is performed by men).
Option (a) A male-dominated martial art form — Incorrect: Giddha is performed by women, not men, and is a folk dance, not a martial art.
Option (c) A classical Indian dance style — Incorrect: Giddha is a folk dance, not a classical dance form like Bharatanatyam or Kathak.
Option (d) A solo dance performed by men — Incorrect: Giddha is a group dance performed by women, not a solo male dance.

Correct Answer: Arundhati Roy — Option (b)
'The God of Small Things' is a debut novel by Arundhati Roy, published in 1997. It won the Booker Prize for Fiction in 1997, making Arundhati Roy the first Indian woman and the first non-expatriate Indian to win this prestigious award. The novel is set in Kerala and explores themes of caste, forbidden love, and family.
Option (a) Vikram Seth — Incorrect: Vikram Seth is known for 'A Suitable Boy' (1993) and 'The Golden Gate', not 'The God of Small Things'.
Option (c) Shekhar Kapur — Incorrect: Shekhar Kapur is a film director, not the author of this novel.
Option (d) Kiran Desai — Incorrect: Kiran Desai won the Booker Prize for 'The Inheritance of Loss' (2006), not for 'The God of Small Things'.

Correct Answer: Sir Edward Burne-Jones — Option (b)
Sir Edward Burne-Jones, the prominent Pre-Raphaelite and Arts and Crafts movement artist, designed the stained glass windows in the western part of St. Paul's Cathedral, London. Burne-Jones was famous for his detailed, jewel-like stained glass work created in collaboration with William Morris's firm. His windows are recognized for their rich colors and medieval-inspired figures.
Option (a) Leonardo da Vinci — Incorrect: Leonardo da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance master; he had no connection to St. Paul's Cathedral in London.
Option (c) Michelangelo — Incorrect: Michelangelo was an Italian Renaissance artist responsible for the Sistine Chapel ceiling, not St. Paul's windows.
Option (d) Rembrandt — Incorrect: Rembrandt was a Dutch Golden Age painter known for portraits and oil paintings, not stained glass design.

Correct Answer: 1992 Cricket World Cup — Option (b)
The 1992 Cricket World Cup, held in Australia and New Zealand, was officially known as the Benson & Hedges World Cup after its title sponsor, the cigarette brand Benson & Hedges. It was a landmark tournament — the first to use colored clothing, white balls, and day-night matches. Pakistan won the tournament, defeating England in the final.
Option (a) 1987 Cricket World Cup — Incorrect: The 1987 World Cup (held in India and Pakistan) was known as the Reliance Cup after its sponsor Reliance Industries.
Option (c) 1996 Cricket World Cup — Incorrect: The 1996 World Cup (held in India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka) was known as the Wills World Cup.
Option (d) 1999 Cricket World Cup — Incorrect: The 1999 World Cup (held in England) did not carry the Benson & Hedges name.

Correct Answer: Mirabai Chanu — Option (a)
Saikhom Mirabai Chanu won India's first gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games held in Birmingham, UK. She won in the Women's 49 kg weightlifting category, setting a new Commonwealth Games record. Chanu is a celebrated weightlifter who had previously won a silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Option (b) Bajrang Punia — Incorrect: Bajrang Punia won gold in wrestling at Birmingham 2022, but he was not the first Indian gold medalist; Mirabai Chanu won first.
Option (c) Jeremy Lalrinnunga — Incorrect: Jeremy Lalrinnunga won gold in the Men's 67 kg weightlifting, but Mirabai Chanu's gold came first.
Option (d) P.V. Sindhu — Incorrect: P.V. Sindhu won gold in badminton at Birmingham 2022 but was not India's first gold medal winner at those games.

Correct Answer: A.R. Rahman — Option (c)
A.R. Rahman (Allah Rakha Rahman) won two Academy Awards (Oscars) at the 81st Academy Awards ceremony in 2009 for his music in the film 'Slumdog Millionaire' (directed by Danny Boyle). He won the Oscar for Best Original Score and Best Original Song ('Jai Ho'). He was the first Indian musician to win multiple Oscars and became a global icon of Indian music.
Option (a) Pritam — Incorrect: Pritam is a popular Bollywood music composer but did not work on or win Oscars for 'Slumdog Millionaire'.
Option (b) Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy — Incorrect: This composer trio is known for films like 'Dil Chahta Hai' and 'Mission Kashmir', not for 'Slumdog Millionaire'.
Option (d) Vishal-Shekhar — Incorrect: Vishal-Shekhar is a Bollywood composer duo; they did not compose the music for 'Slumdog Millionaire'.

Correct Answer: Aravalli — Option (b)
The Aravalli Range is the oldest mountain range in India and one of the oldest fold mountains in the world. It runs approximately 800 km from Gujarat through Rajasthan to Delhi and Haryana. Geologically, the Aravallis are Pre-Cambrian in origin, making them far older than the Himalayas (which are relatively young fold mountains formed about 50 million years ago).
Option (a) Himalayas — Incorrect: The Himalayas are among the youngest mountain ranges in the world, formed during the Cenozoic era due to the collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates.
Option (c) Western Ghats — Incorrect: The Western Ghats are older than the Himalayas but younger than the Aravallis .
Option (d) Eastern Ghats — Incorrect: The Eastern Ghats are ancient but not as old as the Aravallis .

Correct Answer: Brahmaputra — Option (b)
Majuli is the world's largest river island, formed by the Brahmaputra river in Assam, India. Located in the middle of the Brahmaputra, Majuli has an area of approximately 875 sq. km and is known for its unique Neo-Vaishnavite culture and Satras (monasteries). In 2016, it became India's first island district.
Option (a) Ganga — Incorrect: The Ganga does not form Majuli. Ganga forms islands like Sagar Island in West Bengal, not Majuli.
Option (c) Godavari — Incorrect: The Godavari flows through Telangana and Andhra Pradesh; it does not form Majuli.
Option (d) Yamuna — Incorrect: The Yamuna flows through North India and does not form Majuli island.

Correct Answer: Lunar eclipse — Option (b)
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon, causing Earth's shadow to fall on the Moon. This blocks sunlight from directly reaching and illuminating the Moon. A lunar eclipse can only occur on a full moon night. The Moon may appear reddish during a total lunar eclipse (called a 'Blood Moon') due to Earth's atmosphere bending some red light onto the Moon.
Option (a) Solar eclipse — Incorrect: A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon comes between the Sun and the Earth, blocking sunlight from reaching Earth — not the other way around.
Option (c) Meteor shower — Incorrect: A meteor shower occurs when Earth passes through debris trails left by comets; it is unrelated to Earth's shadow on the Moon.
Option (d) Aurora Borealis — Incorrect: Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) is caused by charged particles from the Sun interacting with Earth's magnetic field, not by Earth blocking sunlight.

Correct Answer: Kanyakumari — Option (c)
Kanyakumari (Cape Comorin) is the southernmost point of the Indian mainland, located at the tip of the Indian Peninsula in Tamil Nadu. It is where the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and the Indian Ocean meet. It is famous for the Vivekananda Rock Memorial and is a major pilgrim and tourist destination.
Option (a) Indira Point — Incorrect: Indira Point (earlier known as Pygmalion Point) is the southernmost point of India's territory overall, located in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands — but it is NOT on the Indian mainland.
Option (b) Rameswaram — Incorrect: Rameswaram is an island in Tamil Nadu, known for the Ramanathaswamy Temple. It is not the southernmost point of the mainland.
Option (d) Kovalam — Incorrect: Kovalam is a beach town in Kerala, not the southernmost point of the Indian mainland.

Correct Answer: The rainbow will appear at the same distance — Option (c)
A rainbow is an optical phenomenon caused by the refraction, dispersion, and reflection of sunlight in water droplets. It has no fixed physical location — it appears at a specific angle (42° for red light) relative to the observer's line of sight to the sun. No matter how far the observer moves toward the rainbow, it will always appear to remain at the same apparent distance. This is because the rainbow moves with the observer as they move.
Option (a) They will reach the rainbow — Incorrect: A rainbow cannot be physically reached; it is not a fixed object in space.
Option (b) The rainbow will disappear — Incorrect: Moving toward a rainbow does not make it vanish; it stays at the same apparent distance.
Option (d) The rainbow will change colors — Incorrect: Moving toward a rainbow does not change its colors; the spectral order (VIBGYOR) remains the same.

Correct Answer: Involuntary muscles — Option (b)
Cardiac muscles (heart muscles) are classified as involuntary muscles because they work continuously without conscious control. The heart beats automatically throughout life, regulated by the heart's own electrical system (sinoatrial node) and the autonomic nervous system. Cardiac muscle cells are striated (like skeletal muscles) but function involuntarily (like smooth muscles), making them a unique type.
Option (a) Voluntary muscles — Incorrect: Voluntary muscles (skeletal muscles) are under conscious control, unlike cardiac muscles.
Option (c) Striated skeletal muscles — Incorrect: Although cardiac muscles are striated, they are not skeletal muscles. Skeletal muscles are voluntary; cardiac muscles are involuntary.
Option (d) Smooth muscles — Incorrect: Smooth muscles are non-striated involuntary muscles found in the walls of hollow organs like the stomach and intestines; cardiac muscles are striated, not smooth.

Correct Answer: Pituitary gland — Option (c)
The Pituitary gland (also called the 'master gland') secretes Growth Hormone (GH), also known as Somatotropin. GH is produced by the anterior pituitary and stimulates growth, cell reproduction, and regeneration. It promotes bone and muscle growth during childhood and adolescence. The pituitary gland also secretes many other important hormones like TSH, ACTH, FSH, and LH.
Option (a) Thyroid gland — Incorrect: The thyroid gland secretes thyroxine (T3 and T4) and calcitonin, not Growth Hormone.
Option (b) Adrenal gland — Incorrect: The adrenal glands secrete hormones like adrenaline (epinephrine), cortisol, and aldosterone, not Growth Hormone.
Option (d) Pancreas — Incorrect: The pancreas secretes insulin, glucagon, and digestive enzymes, not Growth Hormone.

Correct Answer: 4.05 crore — Option (a)
The Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) is a centrally sponsored conditional cash transfer scheme launched in 2017 to provide partial wage compensation to pregnant and lactating women. According to government data as of July 2025, the scheme has benefited more than 4.05 crore (40.5 million) women since its inception, providing direct benefit transfers to eligible beneficiaries.
Option (b) 5.05 crore — Incorrect: This figure overstates the official number of PMMVY beneficiaries reported till July 2025.
Option (c) 6.05 crore — Incorrect: This is higher than the official figure reported for PMMVY beneficiaries.
Option (d) 6.55 crore — Incorrect: This significantly overstates the reported PMMVY beneficiary count as of July 2025.

Correct Answer: Tipu Sultan — Option (a)
Tipu Sultan, the ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in the late 18th century, was popularly called 'Sher-e-Mysore' (Tiger of Mysore) or 'Tipu Sultan.' He was the son of Hyder Ali and fought bravely against the British East India Company. He introduced military innovations, used rockets in warfare, and was killed in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War at the Battle of Seringapatam in 1799.
Option (b) Hyder Ali — Incorrect: Hyder Ali was Tipu Sultan's father and also a fierce opponent of the British, but the title 'Sher-e-Mysore' belongs to Tipu Sultan, not Hyder Ali.
Option (c) Alivardi Khan — Incorrect: Alivardi Khan was the Nawab of Bengal; he is not associated with the title 'Tiger of Mysore.'
Option (d) Mahadji Shinde — Incorrect: Mahadji Shinde (Scindia) was a Maratha chieftain; the Tiger of Mysore title is not associated with him.

Correct Answer: 1916 — Option (d)
The Lucknow Pact was signed in December 1916 between the Indian National Congress (led by Bal Gangadhar Tilak) and the All India Muslim League (led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah). The Pact was a landmark agreement in which both parties agreed on a scheme of political reforms and the provision of separate electorates for Muslims. It represented a rare moment of Hindu-Muslim political unity in the independence movement.
Option (a) 1929 — Incorrect: 1929 was the year of the Lahore Session of Congress where Purna Swaraj (complete independence) was declared, not the Lucknow Pact.
Option (b) 1925 — Incorrect: No major pact between Congress and Muslim League occurred in 1925.
Option (c) 1919 — Incorrect: 1919 saw the Rowlatt Act, the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, and the Montague-Chelmsford Reforms — not the Lucknow Pact.

Correct Answer: 6.4% — Option (b)
The International Monetary Fund (IMF), in its World Economic Outlook published in 2025, projected India's GDP growth rate for 2025 to be approximately 6.4%. Despite global economic headwinds, India continued to be among the fastest-growing major economies. The IMF cited robust domestic consumption, investment, and services sector growth as key drivers.
Option (a) 4.4% — Incorrect: A 4.4% growth rate would indicate a significant slowdown well below India's recent trend; this is not the IMF's 2025 projection.
Option (c) 7.1% — Incorrect: While India has achieved above 7% growth in some years, the IMF's 2025 projection for India was 6.4%, not 7.1%.
Option (d) 8.5% — Incorrect: An 8.5% growth rate would be exceptionally high; it does not match the IMF's 2025 GDP projection for India.