SSC Selection Post 2025 28 July 2025 Shift 2 GK Questions – with answers & solutions

Correct Answer: Option 2 – Plate tectonics
Plate tectonics is the scientific theory describing the movement of large segments of Earth's lithosphere (tectonic plates) over the asthenosphere. Earthquakes occur primarily at plate boundaries where plates converge (collision/subduction), diverge (rifting), or slide past each other (transform faults). The friction and stress built up at these boundaries is suddenly released as seismic energy — causing earthquakes.
Option 1 (Erosion): Erosion is the wearing away of Earth's surface by wind, water, or ice; not a cause of earthquakes.
Option 3 (Sedimentation): The process of sediment deposition; geological but unrelated to earthquake generation.
Option 4 (Convection): Convection currents in the mantle drive plate movement but are not the direct term for the movement of tectonic plates — plate tectonics is the correct term.

Correct Answer: Option 1 – Assam
Assam is historically known as the 'Oil Bowl of India.' The Digboi oil field in Assam, discovered in 1889, is Asia's oldest producing oil field and the world's oldest oil refinery ( Digboi Refinery, est. 1901) still in operation. Assam's Brahmaputra Valley has been India's primary petroleum production region for over a century. Major oil fields include Digboi , Naharkatiya , Moran, and Hugrijan .
Option 2 (Gujarat): Gujarat is now India's largest crude oil producer (Cambay basin, offshore fields) and could be called the current 'Oil Capital,' but the traditional 'Oil Bowl' title belongs to Assam based on historical significance.
Option 3 (Rajasthan): Rajasthan (Barmer basin — Mangala, Aishwariya fields, operated by Cairn India/Vedanta) is a significant recent producer but not historically the 'Oil Bowl.'
Option 4 (Andhra Pradesh): Has oil and gas production (Krishna-Godavari basin) but is not designated the 'Oil Bowl of India.'

Correct Answer: Option 2 – Endotherms
Endotherms (warm-blooded animals) are animals that generate and regulate their own body temperature internally through metabolic processes, regardless of external environmental temperature. Birds and mammals are endotherms. They maintain a constant internal temperature (homeothermy) through mechanisms like sweating, shivering, panting, and adjusting metabolic rate.
Option 1 (Ectotherms): Ectotherms (cold-blooded animals — reptiles, fish, amphibians, insects) rely on external heat sources to regulate body temperature.
Option 3 (Amphibians): Amphibians are ectotherms, not endotherms; they are a taxonomic class, not a temperature-regulation category.
Option 4 (Invertebrates): Invertebrates are animals without a vertebral column — a structural classification, not related to temperature regulation. Most invertebrates are ectotherms.

Correct Answer: Option 3 – In one-dimensional motion, velocity and acceleration lie along the same line, either in the same or opposite direction
In one-dimensional (1D) motion, all quantities are confined to a single straight line. Therefore, velocity and acceleration must lie along this same line — they are either parallel (same direction, causing speeding up) or anti-parallel (opposite directions, causing slowing down). They cannot be perpendicular in 1D. This is a fundamental constraint of one-dimensional kinematics.
Option 1 (Perpendicular in 1D): Impossible in 1D — there is only one direction. Perpendicular vectors require at least 2D.
Option 2 (Acceleration always opposite to velocity in 2D): False — in 2D, acceleration can be in any direction relative to velocity (e.g., circular motion has centripetal acceleration perpendicular to velocity).
Option 4 (Must act in same direction in 3D): False — in 3D, acceleration can be in any direction relative to velocity (e.g., projectile motion, circular motion).

Correct Answer: Option 3 – Interest rates are near zero, but people prefer holding cash instead of investing
A liquidity trap (concept by Keynes) occurs when interest rates are at or near zero and monetary policy becomes ineffective — people hoard cash rather than invest or spend, even when the central bank injects money into the economy. Since interest rates cannot fall below zero (in conventional policy), further cuts have no stimulative effect. Consumers and businesses expect deflation or economic stagnation, preferring to hold liquid cash. Japan experienced this in the 1990s–2000s ('Lost Decade').
Option 1 (Central bank raises rates): This is contractionary monetary policy to fight inflation — the opposite scenario of a liquidity trap.
Option 2 (Banks stop lending due to default risk): This describes a credit crunch — a supply-side banking constraint, not a liquidity trap (which is a demand-side preference for cash).
Option 4 (Government increases taxes): This is contractionary fiscal policy; unrelated to the concept of a liquidity trap.

Correct Answer: Option 2 – Politics and security, economy and finance, and people-to-people engagement
BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa — expanded to BRICS+ in 2024) cooperation is structured around three official pillars: (1) Politics and Security — peace, counter-terrorism, UN reform, multilateralism; (2) Economy and Finance — trade, investment, New Development Bank, BRICS Currency discussions, digital economy; (3) People-to-People Engagement — education, culture, youth, academia, sports. These three pillars are formally recognized in BRICS summit declarations.
Option 1 (Regional military defense): BRICS does not have a military defense component — members have divergent security alliances (Russia-China vs. India-Western partnerships).
Option 3 (Free trade agreements and military alliances): BRICS does not have a free trade agreement or military alliance; it is a consultative forum.
Option 4 (Monetary policy, green energy, space): While BRICS discusses finance and sustainability, this is not the official structural characterization of BRICS' three cooperation pillars.

Correct Answer: Option 1 – To promote women in agriculture
Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP) is a sub-component of the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM/DAY-NRLM). Its primary goal is to empower women in agriculture by improving their participation, productivity, and income. It focuses on: recognizing and strengthening women's role as farmers, promoting sustainable agricultural practices, building skills in natural/organic farming (Zero Budget Natural Farming), improving food security, and building women's collectives (SHGs) for agricultural activities.
Option 2 (Free seeds): Providing free seeds is not the primary goal; MKSP focuses on empowerment and capacity building, not direct input provision.
Option 3 (Build irrigation): Irrigation infrastructure is handled by other schemes (PMKSY, AIBP); not MKSP's primary focus.
Option 4 (Promote organic farming): While MKSP encourages sustainable farming practices including organic methods, this is one component — the overarching primary goal is women's empowerment in agriculture.

Correct Answer: Option 3 – Bhutan
Bhutan was the first country to formally introduce the concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH) as an alternative to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as a measure of national progress. The concept was introduced by the 4th King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, in the 1970s. GNH measures wellbeing across nine domains: psychological wellbeing, health, education, culture, governance, ecology, time use, living standards, and community vitality. Bhutan's GNH Commission oversees all national policies through this lens.
Option 1 (India): India follows GDP-based growth measurements; has not formally adopted GNH as national policy framework.
Option 2 (USA): GDP-centric economic framework; no national happiness-first policy.
Option 4 (China): Measures success through GDP, industrial output, and development targets; not a pioneer of happiness-first economics.

Correct Answer: Option 1 – Formation of Self-Help Groups (SHGs)
The National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), launched in 2011 (renamed DAY-NRLM — Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana-NRLM in 2015), aims to reduce rural poverty through social mobilization of the rural poor, primarily through the formation and strengthening of Self-Help Groups (SHGs). SHGs are small groups of 10–20 rural women who pool savings, access credit, and build livelihoods collectively. NRLM has mobilized over 10 crore women into ~90 lakh SHGs across India.
Option 2 (Free food grains): The Public Distribution System (PDS) and PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana provide food grains; not NRLM's focus.
Option 3 (Building rural roads): PMGSY (Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana) handles rural road construction; not NRLM.
Option 4 (Urban employment): NRLM is specifically for rural areas; urban livelihoods are addressed by DAY-NULM (National Urban Livelihoods Mission).

Correct Answer: Option 1 – Expansionary monetary policy
Expansionary monetary policy (also called 'easy money' or 'accommodative' policy) refers to actions taken by a central bank (like RBI) to stimulate economic growth by reducing interest rates, which makes borrowing cheaper, encourages investment and consumption, and boosts aggregate demand. Tools include: reducing repo rate, reverse repo rate, CRR, and SLR. It is used during economic slowdowns or recessions.
Option 2 (Contractionary monetary policy): This involves raising interest rates to reduce money supply and control inflation — the opposite of what the question describes.
Option 3 (Fiscal stimulus): Fiscal stimulus involves government spending increases or tax cuts — a fiscal (not monetary) policy tool; the central bank does not conduct fiscal policy.
Option 4 (Quantitative easing): QE is a specific unconventional monetary tool where the central bank purchases government securities to inject liquidity when interest rates are already near zero — it is a subset of expansionary policy, not the general term.

Correct Answer: Option 2 – Europe
Europe has the highest elderly dependency ratio in the world — the proportion of people aged 65+ relative to the working-age population (15–64). This is due to: very low birth rates, high life expectancy, and an aging population. Countries like Japan and South Korea also have very high ratios, but as a region, Europe (particularly Southern and Eastern Europe — Italy, Germany, Greece, Spain) leads globally. The UN Population Division consistently ranks Europe as the most aged region.
Option 1 (Africa): Africa has the youngest population in the world — highest youth dependency ratio, not elderly.
Option 3 (Asia): Asia is diverse; East Asia (Japan, South Korea, China) has high aging rates, but the region as a whole is younger than Europe.
Option 4 (South America): South America has a younger demographic profile than Europe; its aging is projected to accelerate but currently lower.

Correct Answer: Option 3 – A is false, but R is true
Assertion (A) is FALSE: The people associated with copper hoards in the upper Gangetic basin (Ochre Coloured Pottery/OCP culture, c. 2000–1500 BCE) were NOT nomadic hunters. Archaeological evidence suggests they were semi-sedentary people engaged in farming and pastoralism. Their settlements, pottery (ochre- coloured ), and stored copper objects indicate settled or semi-settled communities, not pure nomadic hunters.
Reason (R) is TRUE: Copper hoards in the upper Gangetic plain have indeed been found associated with Ochre Coloured Pottery (OCP) and mud structures at various sites ( Bisauli , Saipai , Fatehgarh ), which is archaeologically documented. The association of copper hoards with OCP and structural remains is a well-established finding.
Since A is false but R is accurately describes the archaeological context — Option 3 (C) is correct.

Correct Answer: Option 1 – It provides direct access to Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan
Chabahar Port (located in Sistan-Baluchestan province, Iran) is India's strategic gateway to landlocked Afghanistan and Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, etc.) without having to transit through Pakistan, which blocks direct land access. Via Chabahar → International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) → Afghanistan → Central Asia, India can access markets and resources. India signed a 10-year operational contract in 2024 to manage the Shahid Beheshti terminal.
Option 2 (India's largest domestic port): Chabahar is in Iran — a foreign port, not a domestic Indian port. India's major ports include JNPT, Mundra, Paradip, etc.
Option 3 (Hub for oil imports): India imports oil via multiple routes; Chabahar's strategic value is as a trade/connectivity hub, not specifically an oil import terminal.
Option 4 (Connects to Mediterranean): Chabahar connects to Central Asia and Europe via the INSTC; the Mediterranean connection is indirect and not its primary strategic value for India.

Correct Answer: Option 3 – Diwali
Diwali (Deepavali — Festival of Lights) is celebrated to mark the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile and his victory over Ravana. According to the Ramayana, the people of Ayodhya lit rows of clay lamps (diyas) to welcome Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana — the origin of the tradition of lighting diyas during Diwali. It falls on Amavasya of Kartika month (October-November) in the Hindu calendar.
Option 1 (Holi): The festival of colours celebrating the victory of Prahlad over Holika, and the arrival of spring; not related to Rama's return.
Option 2 (Navratri): Nine-night festival worshipping Goddess Durga in her nine forms; not directly related to Rama's return.
Option 4 (Dussehra/Vijayadashami): Celebrates Rama's victory over Ravana (the killing of Ravana) — 20 days before Diwali. Dussehra marks the victory; Diwali marks the return to Ayodhya.

Correct Answer: Option 3 – Arundhati Roy
Arundhati Roy is the author of 'The God of Small Things' (1997), a novel set in Kerala that explores caste, forbidden love, and family dynamics through the story of fraternal twins. The novel won the Booker Prize for Fiction in 1997, making Roy the first Indian woman and the first Indian resident to win the prize. It was an international bestseller translated into over 40 languages.
Option 1 (Salman Rushdie): Renowned for 'Midnight's Children' (Booker Prize 1981), 'The Satanic Verses'; not the author of The God of Small Things.
Option 2 (Chetan Bhagat): Popular Indian English author (Five Point Someone, 2 States, etc.); writes commercial fiction, not The God of Small Things.
Option 4 (Jhumpa Lahiri): Pulitzer Prize-winning author (The Namesake, Interpreter of Maladies); Indian-American writer, not the author of The God of Small Things.

Correct Answer: Option 3 – Europe
Gothic architecture originated in medieval Europe, specifically in the Île-de-France region of northern France in the 12th century. The Abbey Church of Saint-Denis (1137–1144) near Paris is considered the first Gothic structure. Gothic style is characterized by pointed arches, ribbed vaults, flying buttresses, large stained-glass windows, and soaring vertical lines. It spread across Western Europe (England, Germany, Spain, Italy) during the 12th–16th centuries, seen in cathedrals like Notre-Dame de Paris, Chartres, and Canterbury.
Option 1 (Asia): Asia has its own rich architectural traditions (Indian temple architecture, Chinese/Japanese styles, Islamic architecture); Gothic originated in Europe.
Option 2 (Africa): African architectural traditions (Egyptian, Nubian, Swahili, etc.) are distinct; Gothic architecture did not originate there.
Option 4 (Australia): Australia was not significantly inhabited by Europeans until the 18th century; Gothic architecture originated centuries earlier in Europe.

Correct Answer: Option 3 – Cuttack, Odisha
The National Institute for Rehabilitation Training and Research (NIRTAR) is located at Olatpur , Cuttack, Odisha. It is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India. NIRTAR provides rehabilitation services, training, and research for persons with locomotor disabilities. It offers prosthetics, orthotics, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and vocational training.
Option 1 (New Delhi): NIRTAR is not located in Delhi; several other national institutes are in Delhi.
Option 2 (Bhubaneswar, Odisha): Bhubaneswar is Odisha's capital and has AIIMS Bhubaneswar and other institutes, but NIRTAR is specifically at Cuttack.
Option 4 (Mumbai, Maharashtra): NIRTAR is not in Mumbai.

Correct Answer: Option 3 – Kabaddi
In Kabaddi, a 'Raid' is the core offensive action where a raider (from the attacking team) crosses the midline into the opponents' half, tags as many defenders as possible, and returns to their own half — all in a single breath while chanting 'Kabaddi.' The raider scores points for each defender touched. If the raider is tackled before returning, the defending team scores. The Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) has made raid statistics a key metric in the game.
Option 1 (Cricket): Cricket uses terms like 'over,' 'wicket,' 'innings,' 'boundary,' 'run'; 'raid' is not a cricket term.
Option 2 (Football): Football uses 'goal,' 'offside,' 'penalty,' 'corner'; 'raid' is not a standard football term.
Option 4 (Hockey): Hockey uses 'penalty corner,' 'bully,' 'goal,' 'drag flick'; 'raid' is not a hockey term.

Correct Answer: Option 2 – To ensure continuity of government operations until the budget is passed
A Vote on Account is a constitutional provision (Article 116) that allows the government to withdraw funds from the Consolidated Fund of India for essential government expenditure for a limited period (typically 2 months), when the regular Union Budget cannot be passed before April 1 (the start of the financial year). It is especially used in election years when a full budget cannot be presented. It covers only expenditure, not revenues or new policies.
Option 1 (Introduce new taxation): New taxation requires a full Finance Bill; a Vote on Account cannot introduce new taxes.
Option 3 (Reduce fiscal deficit): Fiscal deficit management is part of the full Budget; not the purpose of a Vote on Account.
Option 4 (Approve supplementary grants): Supplementary grants are approved through Supplementary Demands for Grants, a separate parliamentary procedure.

Correct Answer: Option 2 – 12
The Indian Constitution currently has 12 Schedules. The original Constitution (1950) had 8 schedules. Four more were added by amendments: 9th Schedule (1951, 1st Amendment — protects certain laws from judicial review), 10th Schedule (1985, 52nd Amendment — Anti-Defection Law), 11th Schedule (1992, 73rd Amendment — Panchayati Raj powers), 12th Schedule (1992, 74th Amendment — Municipal bodies powers).
Option 1 (10): The Constitution had 8 original schedules and now has 12; 10 is incorrect.
Option 3 (11): Incorrect count; the 12th Schedule was added in 1992.
Option 4 (9): The original Constitution had 8 schedules; 9 is also incorrect.

Correct Answer: Option 1 – Resolve disputes between states
The Inter-State Council, established under Article 263 of the Constitution (set up in 1990 by Presidential Order on the recommendation of the Sarkaria Commission), serves primarily to: inquire into and advise on disputes between states, investigate and discuss subjects of common interest between the Union and states, and make recommendations for better coordination of policy and action. It is chaired by the Prime Minister with Chief Ministers of all states and union territories as members.
Option 2 (Control inter-state trade): Inter-state trade is regulated by Parliament under Entry 42 of List I; the Inter-State Council does not control trade.
Option 3 (Allocate central funds): Finance Commission and Central government ministries allocate central funds; not the Inter-State Council.
Option 4 (Elect the President): The President is elected by an Electoral College (elected MPs and MLAs) under Article 54; the Inter-State Council has no role in presidential elections.

Correct Answer: Option 2 – Mongols
Alauddin Khilji (reigned 1296–1316) is credited with successfully repelling multiple Mongol invasions of India. The Mongols (Chagatai Khanate) launched at least 6 major invasions during his reign. Key victories: Battle of Kili (1299) under General Zafar Khan, Battle of Amroha (1305), and Battle of Ravi (1306). Alauddin's military reforms — a large permanent standing army, new cavalry tactics, and intelligence networks — enabled these decisive victories.
Option 1 (Timur): Timur (Tamerlane) invaded India in 1398 — nearly 80 years after Alauddin Khilji's death (1316). Timur's invasion occurred during the reign of Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah Tughluq.
Option 3 (Babur): Babur invaded India in 1526 (Battle of Panipat), over 200 years after Alauddin's time.
Option 4 (Mahmud of Ghazni ): Mahmud of Ghazni's raids occurred 1000–1027 CE — nearly 270 years before Alauddin's reign.