SSC Selection Post 2025 25 July 2025 Shift 1 GK Questions – with answers & solutions

Correct Answer: Option 2 – Venus
Venus is called both the 'Morning Star' (when visible in the eastern sky before sunrise) and the 'Evening Star' (when visible in the western sky after sunset), depending on its position in its orbit relative to Earth. Venus is the brightest natural object in the night sky after the Moon, making it easily visible to the naked eye at these times.
Option 1 (Mars): Known as the Red Planet; not called Morning/Evening Star.
Option 3 (Mercury): Though Mercury is also an inner planet (visible near the horizon), it is much fainter than Venus and is not traditionally called the Morning/Evening Star.
Option 4 (Jupiter): An outer planet; does not appear close to the Sun like Venus and is not known as the Morning or Evening Star.

Correct Answer: Option 2 – Temperate forests
The Himalayan region of India (at altitudes of roughly 1,500–3,500 m) is characterized by temperate forests (also called montane forests), featuring coniferous trees such as pine, deodar, fir, spruce, and cedar, along with broad-leaved temperate trees like oak and rhododendron. These forests thrive in cooler, moist conditions.
Option 1 (Tropical evergreen forests): Found in high-rainfall coastal areas like the Western Ghats and northeastern India at lower altitudes; not the Himalayan coniferous zone.
Option 3 (Tundra vegetation): Found at very high altitudes (above 4,500 m) and in the Alpine zone; characterized by mosses, lichens, and no trees — not coniferous forests.
Option 4 (Desert vegetation): Found in arid zones like Rajasthan (Thar Desert); not in the Himalayan region.

Correct Answer: Option 2 – Uttar Pradesh
As per the 2011 Census of India, Uttar Pradesh (UP) is the most populous state with a population of approximately 199.8 million (about 20 crore), making it the most populous state in India and the most populous subnational unit in the world at that time. UP accounts for about 16.5% of India's total population.
Option 1 (Maharashtra): 2nd most populous state (about 112 million in 2011).
Option 3 (Bihar): 3rd most populous state (about 104 million in 2011).
Option 4 (West Bengal): 4th most populous state (about 91 million in 2011).

Correct Answer: Option 3 – RLV-TD
RLV-TD (Reusable Launch Vehicle – Technology Demonstrator) is ISRO's programme to develop a reusable space launch vehicle (space plane). It is a scaled-down prototype of a future fully reusable two- stage-to-orbit (TSTO) launch vehicle. ISRO has successfully conducted multiple RLV landing experiments (LEX) including LEX-01 (April 2023) and LEX-02 (March 2024) in Chitradurga, Karnataka.
Option 1 (PSLV-R): Not a real ISRO designation; PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) is ISRO's workhorse rocket, not a reusable vehicle.
Option 2 (GSLV-X): Not a real designation; GSLV is ISRO's heavier launch vehicle, not categorized as a reusable vehicle under this name.
Option 4 (MLV-1): Not an ISRO launch vehicle designation.

Correct Answer: Option 1 – India, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel, European Union, USA
The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), announced at the G20 Summit in New Delhi (September 2023), involves: India, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel, Greece, Italy, and the European Union, with the USA as a key supporter/facilitator. The corridor creates a railway and shipping route connecting India to Europe through the Middle East, providing an alternative to the Suez Canal.
Option 2 (China): China is NOT part of IMEC; IMEC is seen partly as a counter to China's Belt and Road Initiative.
Option 3 (Pakistan, Iran): Neither Pakistan nor Iran is part of IMEC.
Option 4 (Qatar, Turkey): Qatar and Turkey are not core members of the IMEC corridor.

Correct Answer: Option 1 – Jawaharlal Nehru
'The Discovery of India' was written by Jawaharlal Nehru while imprisoned at Ahmednagar Fort during 1942–1946. The book traces India's history, philosophy, and culture from ancient civilizations to the independence movement. It was later adapted into the popular television series 'Bharat Ek Khoj' directed by Shyam Benegal.
Option 2 (Mahatma Gandhi): Gandhi's major works include 'My Experiments with Truth' (autobiography) and 'Hind Swaraj'; not 'Discovery of India.'
Option 3 (B.R. Ambedkar): Known for works like 'Annihilation of Caste' and 'The Buddha and His Dhamma'; not 'Discovery of India.'
Option 4 (Subhash Chandra Bose): His autobiography is 'An Indian Pilgrim'; he did not write 'Discovery of India.'

Correct Answer: Option 2 – Sitar
The Sitar is one of the most iconic and widely recognized instruments of Indian classical music (Hindustani tradition). It is a plucked string instrument with a long neck, resonating gourd, and multiple sympathetic strings. Legendary sitarists include Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Vilayat Khan. The sitar is synonymous with Hindustani classical music worldwide.
Option 1 (Guitar): A Western string instrument; while used in Indian fusion music, it is not traditionally associated with Indian classical music.
Option 3 (Piano): A Western keyboard instrument; not part of the traditional Indian classical music repertoire.
Option 4 (Violin): Used in Carnatic classical music (South India) as an accompaniment, but the Sitar is more universally recognized as the quintessential Indian classical instrument.

Correct Answer: Option 3 – 4
The Asian Games (Asiad) are held every four years, organized by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). They are multi-sport events for athletes from all across Asia. The first Asian Games were held in New Delhi in 1951. Recent editions include Jakarta-Palembang 2018 and Hangzhou 2023 (postponed from 2022). India has hosted the Asian Games in 1951 (New Delhi) and 1982 (New Delhi).
Option 1 (2 years): Not correct; the Asian Games follow a 4-year cycle similar to the Olympics.
Option 2 (3 years): Not correct.
Option 4 (5 years): Not correct; the 4-year cycle aligns with the Olympic Games schedule.

Correct Answer: Option 1 – R.K. Narayan
'The Guide' (1958) is a celebrated novel by R.K. Narayan, set in the fictional town of Malgudi. It won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1960, making Narayan the first Indian to receive it for an English-language work. The novel was also adapted into a successful Hindi film (1965) starring Dev Anand and Waheeda Rehman, directed by Vijay Anand.
Option 2 (Salman Rushdie): Known for 'Midnight's Children' and 'The Satanic Verses'; not the author of 'The Guide.'
Option 3 (Ruskin Bond): Known for 'The Room on the Roof' and numerous short stories; not the author of 'The Guide.'
Option 4 (Amitav Ghosh): Known for the Ibis Trilogy ('Sea of Poppies') and 'The Shadow Lines'; not the author of 'The Guide.'

Correct Answer: Option 3 – Decomposers
Decomposers are organisms (primarily bacteria and fungi) that break down dead organic matter (dead plants, animals, and waste) into simpler inorganic substances, returning nutrients to the soil. They play a critical role in nutrient cycling in ecosystems. Examples include fungi (Aspergillus, Rhizopus) and bacteria (Pseudomonas, Bacillus).
Option 1 (Producers): Autotrophs (plants, algae) that produce food through photosynthesis; do not break down dead matter.
Option 2 (Consumers): Heterotrophs (animals) that eat other organisms; do not specialize in breaking down dead matter.
Option 4 (Parasites): Organisms that live on/in a host and derive nutrition at the host's expense; not the same as decomposers.

Correct Answer: Option 2 – Health insurance coverage
Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), launched in 2018, provides health insurance coverage of up to ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary hospitalization to economically vulnerable families (approximately bottom 40% of the population). It is the world's largest government-funded health insurance scheme.
Option 1 (Free education): Addressed by Samagra Shiksha, Mid-Day Meal scheme, and RTE Act; not Ayushman Bharat.
Option 3 (Subsidized housing): Addressed by Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).
Option 4 (Agricultural subsidies): Addressed by various agricultural schemes like PM-KISAN, MSP, fertilizer subsidies.

Correct Answer: Option 1 – Carrying capacity
Carrying capacity (K) is the maximum population size of a species that an environment can sustainably support indefinitely, given the food, water, habitat, and other resources available. It is a key concept in population ecology and conservation biology. When a population exceeds carrying capacity, resources become scarce, leading to increased mortality and reduced reproduction.
Option 2 (Population density): The number of individuals per unit area; not the maximum sustainable population size.
Option 3 (Fertility rate): The average number of children born per woman; a demographic measure, not an environmental limit.
Option 4 (Dependency ratio): The ratio of dependent population (children/elderly) to the working-age population; an economic/demographic measure, not an ecological concept.

Correct Answer: Option 2 – Women from BPL households
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), launched on May 1, 2016, provides free LPG connections to women belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) households. The scheme aims to replace unclean cooking fuels (wood, coal, cow dung) with clean LPG, improving health outcomes and reducing indoor air pollution. The connection is given in the name of the adult woman of the household.
Option 1 (All households): PMUY specifically targets BPL/economically deprived households; not all households.
Option 3 (Senior citizens): Senior citizens are not the target group; adult women from BPL families are.
Option 4 (Farmers): Farmers are not specifically targeted; BPL women regardless of occupation are eligible.

Correct Answer: Option 2 – Economic cooperation and development
BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) is a multilateral grouping whose main purpose is to foster economic cooperation, development, and reform of international financial institutions. Key outcomes include the New Development Bank (NDB) and the Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA) to provide financial support to member nations. BRICS also cooperates on trade, investment, agriculture, energy, and technology.
Option 1 (Military alliance): BRICS is not a military alliance; defense cooperation is not its core mandate.
Option 3 (Cultural exchange): While cultural exchange occurs within BRICS, it is not the primary purpose.
Option 4 (Space exploration): Not the primary mandate of BRICS, though science and technology cooperation exists.

Correct Answer: Option 3 – Pollution
Psychological Well-Being (PWB), as defined by Carol Ryff's model and in well-being frameworks, includes dimensions such as: Sense of purpose (purposefulness in life), Optimism (positive outlook), Feeling of accomplishment (personal growth and mastery), self-acceptance, positive relations, autonomy, and environmental mastery.
Pollution is an environmental/physical factor — it affects physical health and quality of life but is NOT a domain of psychological well-being itself. It is an external environmental condition, not an internal psychological state.
Option 1 (Sense of purpose): A core dimension of PWB.
Option 2 (Optimism): Part of positive psychology and PWB frameworks.
Option 4 (Feeling of accomplishment): Related to self-efficacy and personal mastery in PWB models.

Correct Answer: Option 2 – Government spending on infrastructure
Fiscal policy refers to the government's use of taxation and public expenditure (spending) to influence the economy. Government spending on infrastructure (roads, railways, bridges) is a classic example of expansionary fiscal policy — it directly injects money into the economy, creates jobs, and stimulates demand.
Option 1 (Adjusting repo rates): The repo rate is set by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) — this is monetary policy, not fiscal policy.
Option 3 (Regulating foreign exchange rates): Foreign exchange management is handled by RBI under monetary/exchange rate policy; not fiscal policy.
Option 4 (Controlling money supply): Money supply management (through CRR, SLR, open market operations) is RBI's monetary policy tool, not fiscal policy.

Correct Answer: Option 2 – ₹6,000
Under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme, launched in February 2019, eligible farmer families receive ₹6,000 per year in three equal instalments of ₹2,000 each (every four months), directly transferred to their bank accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). The scheme covers all landholder farmer families subject to certain exclusion criteria.
Option 1 (₹3,000): Incorrect; ₹3,000 would be the total of only half the annual amount.
Option 3 (₹10,000): Incorrect; this exceeds the actual PM-KISAN annual amount.
Option 4 (₹15,000): Incorrect; this is the annual amount under some state-level farmer support schemes, not PM-KISAN.

Correct Answer: Option 1 – Article 29
Article 29 of the Indian Constitution protects the cultural and educational rights of minorities. Article 29(1) states that any section of citizens with a distinct language, script, or culture has the right to conserve it. Article 29(2) prevents denial of admission to any educational institution maintained by the state on grounds only of religion, race, caste, language, or any of them. Article 30 further gives minorities the right to establish and administer educational institutions.
Option 2 (Article 32): Guarantees the right to constitutional remedies (right to approach the Supreme Court for enforcement of FRs); not minority cultural rights.
Option 3 (Article 15): Prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth; not specifically minority cultural/educational rights.
Option 4 (Article 25): Guarantees freedom of conscience and free profession, practice, and propagation of religion; not specifically cultural/educational rights of minorities.

Correct Answer: Option 4 – President
Under Article 85(2)(b) of the Indian Constitution, the President of India has the power to dissolve the Lok Sabha on the advice of the Council of Ministers (Cabinet) headed by the Prime Minister. While the Prime Minister recommends dissolution, the constitutional authority to formally dissolve the Lok Sabha vests in the President.
Option 1 (Prime Minister): The PM can recommend dissolution to the President, but cannot dissolve the Lok Sabha directly.
Option 2 (Rajya Sabha): The Rajya Sabha (Upper House) has no power to dissolve the Lok Sabha; moreover, the Rajya Sabha itself is a permanent house that cannot be dissolved.
Option 3 (Speaker of Lok Sabha): The Speaker presides over the Lok Sabha's proceedings but has no power to dissolve it.

Correct Answer: Option 1 – Gandhara art
The Mathura and Gandhara schools of art developed simultaneously during the Kushan period (1st–3rd century CE) and mutually influenced each other. The Mathura school's depiction of the Buddha in human form (with Indian artistic conventions — thin drapery, ushnisha, lotus seat) influenced the Gandhara school's representation of Buddhist iconography. The two schools share common iconographic conventions for depicting the Buddha and Bodhisattvas.
Option 2 (Mughal art): Mughal art (16th–17th century) developed over a thousand years after Mathura school; its primary influences were Persian, Central Asian, and European miniature traditions.
Option 3 (Chola art): The Chola school (9th–13th century) of South India developed independently; it is most famous for its bronze castings (Nataraja). Its influences came from the Pallava tradition, not directly from Mathura.
Option 4 (Rajput art): A medieval school of miniature painting (16th–18th century); derived from Mughal and indigenous folk traditions, not from the ancient Mathura school.