SSC Selection Post 2025 1 August 2025 Shift 1 GK Questions – with answers & solutions

Correct Answer: Option 3 – 34
The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 2019 increased the sanctioned strength of SC judges (including CJI) to 34.
Option 1 (25): Incorrect – this was an earlier lower strength.
Option 2 (30): Incorrect – not the current sanctioned strength.
Option 4 (40): Incorrect – exceeds the current sanctioned strength.

Correct Answer: Option 4 – Police and public order
As per the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, the State List (List II) contains subjects under exclusive state jurisdiction. 'Public order' (Entry 1) and 'Police' (Entry 2) are both in the State List.
Option 1 ( Defense and Armed Forces): Entry 1 of the Union List.
Option 2 (Foreign affairs and international treaties): Entry 10 of the Union List.
Option 3 (Currency, coinage, and legal tender): Entry 36 of the Union List.

Correct Answer: Option 4 – General Anil Chauhan
General Anil Chauhan was appointed as India's second Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) in September 2022, after the death of India's first CDS, General Bipin Rawat, in a helicopter crash in December 2021.
Option 1 (Air Marshal Padma Bandopadhyay): She was the first woman Air Marshal of the IAF, not CDS.
Option 2 (Lt. Gen. Madhuri Kanitkar): She is a senior military medical officer.
Option 3 (Admiral Sunil Lanba): Former Chief of Naval Staff, not CDS.

Correct Answer: Option 2 – Cartosat-3
Cartosat-3 , launched by ISRO, is a high-resolution Earth observation satellite used for agriculture monitoring, urban planning, forestry assessment, and coastal resource management.
Option 1 (RISAT-2): A radar imaging satellite primarily used for defence and disaster monitoring; not for agriculture/forestry.
Option 3 (GSAT-6): A communication satellite; not used for Earth imaging.
Option 4 (INSAT-4B): Used for communication and weather monitoring; not for high-resolution Earth imaging.

Correct Answer: Option 1 – Promote science education
INSPIRE (Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research) is a flagship programme by the Department of Science and Technology (DST). It attracts talented youth to study science and pursue careers in research and innovation.
Option 2 (Develop nuclear reactors): Related to BARC/NPCIL, not INSPIRE.
Option 3 (Advance space technology): Related to ISRO, not INSPIRE.
Option 4 (Strengthen cybersecurity): Related to CERT-In/NCSC, not INSPIRE.

Correct Answer: Option 3 – Swaras
In Indian classical music, the seven basic musical notes are called Swaras : Sa ( Shadja ), Re (Rishabha), Ga (Gandhara), Ma (Madhyama), Pa (Panchama), Dha ( Dhaivata ), and Ni ( Nishada ).
Option 1 (Ragas): A raga is a melodic framework built using combinations of swaras to evoke specific emotions or moods.
Option 2 (Talas): Talas are rhythmic cycles (time measures) used in Indian classical music.
Option 4 ( Alankars ): Alankars are ornamentations or musical exercises used to practice swaras .

Correct Answer: Option 2 – Arundhati Roy
Arundhati Roy won the Booker Prize in 1997 for her debut novel 'The God of Small Things,' a story set in Kerala exploring themes of caste, forbidden love, and colonial legacy.
Option 1 (Ruskin Bond): A celebrated Indian author known for works like 'The Blue Umbrella'; never won the Booker Prize.
Option 3 (R.K. Narayan): Famous for the Malgudi series; never won the Booker Prize.
Option 4 (Anita Desai): Shortlisted for the Booker Prize three times (1980, 1984, 1999) but never won.

Correct Answer: Option 1 – 1928
India won its first Olympic gold medal in field hockey at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics, defeating the Netherlands 3-0 in the final. India went on to win 6 consecutive Olympic gold medals in hockey from 1928 to 1956.
Option 2 (1932): India also won gold at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, but it was the second gold, not the first.
Option 3 (1948) and Option 4 (1952): India won gold at both these Olympics as well, but these were subsequent victories.

TheKnightis the piece that moves in an 'L' shape in chess. It moves two squares in one direction (vertically or horizontally) and then one square perpendicular to that direction.
Here is a quick summary of how the other pieces move:
Rook:Moves in straight lines (horizontally or vertically).
Bishop:Moves diagonally.
Queen:Combines the movements of both the Rook and the Bishop.

Correct Answer: Option 3 – China and Russia
The five permanent members (P5) of the UN Security Council are: USA, UK, France, China, and Russia. Among the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa), only China and Russia hold permanent UNSC membership.
Option 1 (Russia and Brazil): Brazil is not a permanent UNSC member.
Option 2 (India and China): India is not a permanent UNSC member.
Option 4 (India and South Africa): Neither India nor South Africa is a permanent UNSC member.

Correct Answer: Option 3 – Khajuraho Temples
The Khajuraho Group of Monuments in Madhya Pradesh, built by the Chandela dynasty (950–1050 CE), is famous worldwide for its extensive erotic sculptures alongside divine figures. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.
Option 1 ( Brihadeshwara Temple): A UNESCO World Heritage Site (part of 'Great Living Chola Temples') in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu; not known for erotic sculptures.
Option 2 (Sun Temple, Konark): A UNESCO World Heritage Site in Odisha, known primarily for its chariot-shaped architecture; not primarily associated with erotic sculptures.
Option 4 (Meenakshi Temple): A prominent temple in Madurai, Tamil Nadu; not a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Correct Answer: Option 4 – Interpreter of Maladies
'Interpreter of Maladies' is a short story collection by Jhumpa Lahiri, published in 1999. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2000, making Lahiri one of the first South Asian-American writers to receive this prestigious award.
Option 1 (The Namesake): Jhumpa Lahiri's first novel (2003); did not win the Pulitzer Prize.
Option 2 (Unaccustomed Earth): Her second short story collection (2008); critically acclaimed but not a Pulitzer winner.
Option 3 (The Lowland): Her second novel (2013); shortlisted for the Booker Prize and the National Book Award, but not the Pulitzer winner.

Correct Answer: Option 2 – Map genetic diversity of Indians
The Genome India Project (2020), under the Department of Biotechnology, aims to sequence 10,000 Indian genomes to understand the genetic diversity of India's population and aid in development of personalized medicine.
Option 1 (Study endangered species): Related to wildlife conservation genomics, not this project.
Option 3 (Develop new vaccines): Not the primary goal; it is a population genomics study.
Option 4 (Improve crop yield): Relates to agricultural genomics, not human genetics.

The correct answer isIndividuals and companies.
Individuals and companies: Direct taxes are levied directly on an entity's income, salary, or corporate profit. Examples include Personal Income Tax and Corporate Income Tax. The burden of this tax cannot be shifted to anyone else.
Importers: Taxes on importers are usually Custom Duties, which fall under indirect taxes.
Consumers: Consumers typically pay indirect taxes, like Goods and Services Tax (GST) or Sales Tax, which are included in the price of goods and services.
Traders: Traders collect indirect taxes from consumers and remit them to the government, rather than paying direct income taxes on behalf of the customer

Correct Answer: Option 2 – World Bank
The Ease of Doing Business (EODB) index was published annually by the World Bank until 2021, ranking countries based on their regulatory environment for businesses.
Option 1 (IMF): Publishes the World Economic Outlook (WEO) and Financial Stability Reports.
Option 3 (WTO): Publishes World Trade Reports and global trade statistics.
Option 4 (UNDP): Publishes the Human Development Report (HDR).

Correct Answer: Option 3 – Lonar Lake, Maharashtra
Lonar Lake in Buldhana district, Maharashtra, is a saline soda lake formed approximately 50,000 years ago due to a meteorite impact. It is the only known hyper-velocity impact crater in basaltic rock in the world.
Option 1 (Wular Lake): A natural freshwater lake of tectonic/fluvial origin in J&K; not a crater lake.
Option 2 ( Vembanad Lake): A coastal lagoon/backwater lake in Kerala; not a crater lake.
Option 4 ( Kolleru Lake): A natural freshwater lake in Andhra Pradesh; not a crater lake.

Correct Answer: Option 2 – 10
India conducts its national census every 10 years (decennial census) under the Census Act, 1948. The last completed census was in 2011; the 2021 census was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Option 1 (5 years): Incorrect. A 5-year interval applies to some economic surveys, not the census.
Option 3 (15 years) and Option 4 (20 years): Incorrect intervals with no legal basis.

Correct Answer: Option 2 – Arunachal Pradesh
As per Census 2011, Arunachal Pradesh has the lowest population density among all Indian states at approximately 17 persons per sq. km, due to its mountainous terrain and vast forested area.
Option 1 (Sikkim): Higher density (~86 persons/sq. km).
Option 3 (Nagaland): Density of ~119 persons/sq. km.
Option 4 (Manipur): Density of ~122 persons/sq. km.

Correct Answer: Option 1 – United Kingdom and Mauritius
The Chagos Archipelago (British Indian Ocean Territory) has been a long-standing dispute between the UK and Mauritius. The UK separated the archipelago from Mauritius in 1965 before Mauritius's independence. The International Court of Justice and UN General Assembly have ruled in favour of Mauritius, and in 2024 the UK agreed in principle to transfer sovereignty.
Option 2 (India and Pakistan): Their disputes involve Kashmir, not the Chagos Archipelago.
Option 3 (United States and Cuba): The US-Cuba territorial dispute relates to Guantanamo Bay.
Option 4 (UK and France): France has no claim over the Chagos Archipelago.

Correct Answer: Option 2 – The lowest layer of the atmosphere
The troposphere is the lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere, extending from the surface to about 12 km altitude. It contains approximately 75% of the atmosphere's total mass. All weather phenomena such as clouds, rain, and storms occur in the troposphere.
Option 1 (Highest layer): Incorrect. The layers from lowest to highest are: Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere, Exosphere.
Option 3 (Middle layer): Incorrect. The Mesosphere is the middle layer.
Option 4 (Outermost layer): Incorrect. The outermost (highest) layer is the Exosphere.

Correct Answer: Option 3 – Ganga
The Ganga (Ganges) has received the most national policy attention and media coverage for ecological damage due to illegal sand mining, pollution, and encroachment – particularly in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The government's Namami Gange programme was launched specifically to address the river's deteriorating health.
Option 1 (Krishna): Flows through Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh; not primarily associated with sand mining issues in UP and Bihar.
Option 2 (Palar): A river in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh; not associated with UP or Bihar.
Option 4 (Narmada): Flows through Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat; not associated with ecological damage in UP or Bihar.

Correct Answer: Option 3 – Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms 1919
The Government of India Act 1919, based on the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms, introduced the system of 'Dyarchy' in the provinces. Under Dyarchy, certain subjects ('transferred subjects') were handed over to elected Indian ministers, giving Indians limited participation in governance for the first time.
Option 1 (Indian Councils Act 1892): Only expanded legislative councils; did not grant self-governance.
Option 2 (Government of India Act 1858): Transferred power from the East India Company to the British Crown; did not grant any self-governance to Indians.
Option 4 (Regulating Act 1773): The first step to regulate the East India Company; had nothing to do with Indian self-governance.

Correct Answer: Option 2 – Thomas Munro
The Ryotwari System was introduced by Thomas Munro (and also by Sir John Read) in the Madras Presidency. Under this system, the government settled land revenue directly with individual cultivators (ryots) without any intermediary landlords.
Option 1 (Lord Cornwallis): Introduced the Permanent Settlement (Zamindari System) in Bengal in 1793.
Option 3 (Warren Hastings): Associated with early administrative and judicial reforms; not linked to the Ryotwari system.
Option 4 (Robert Clive): Known for the Battle of Plassey (1757) and establishing British dominance; not associated with land revenue systems.

Correct Answer: Option 1 – Babur
Babur , the founder of the Mughal Empire, introduced the Charbagh (four-garden) style from Central Asia to India. The garden is divided into four equal quadrants by intersecting water channels. Ram Bagh in Agra is considered one of the earliest Mughal gardens.
Option 2 (Akbar): Known for the architecture of Fatehpur Sikri; not associated with introducing Charbagh.
Option 3 (Jahangir): Known for his love of nature, paintings, and memoirs; did not introduce Charbagh.
Option 4 (Aurangzeb): Known for his austere reign; not associated with garden architecture.