1. Which one of the following is a tributary of the Brahmaputra River?

Which one of the following is a tributary of the Brahmaputra River?

Ghaggar
Mahi
Kosi
Manas
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2022
The Manas River is a major transboundary river that flows through Bhutan and India and is a tributary of the Brahmaputra River.
The Brahmaputra is a major river flowing through Tibet, India, and Bangladesh. It has numerous tributaries joining it from the north and south.
The Ghaggar is an intermittent river in India and Pakistan. The Mahi River flows through Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat into the Arabian Sea. The Kosi River is a major tributary of the Ganges (Ganga) River. Other important tributaries of the Brahmaputra include Dibang, Lohit, Subansiri, Buri Dihing, Dhansiri, Kolong (right bank) and Dibru, Buri Dihing, Desang, Dikhow, Dhansiri, Kopili (south bank). Manas is a prominent right-bank tributary.

2. Which one of the following statements is correct with reference to nor

Which one of the following statements is correct with reference to normal lapse rate?

Temperature is highest at ground level and decreases with increasing altitude.
Temperature is lowest at ground level and increases with increasing altitude.
Temperature remains stable with increasing altitude.
Temperature first increases with increasing altitude and gradually starts decreasing.
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2022
The normal lapse rate refers to the rate at which atmospheric temperature decreases with an increase in altitude. In the troposphere, temperature is generally highest at or near the ground level and decreases as you move higher.
The normal lapse rate is approximately 6.5°C per kilometer (or 3.5°F per 1000 feet) in the troposphere. This decrease occurs because the atmosphere is primarily heated by the Earth’s surface.
There are instances where temperature increases with altitude, known as temperature inversion. These inversions occur under specific atmospheric conditions but are not the normal lapse rate.

3. Which one of the following statements about ‘great circle’ is not corr

Which one of the following statements about ‘great circle’ is not correct?

Every great circle divides the Earth into equal halves.
Every great circle is a circumference of the Earth.
Great circles mark the longest travel routes between locations on the Earth's surface.
Great circle is the largest circle that can be drawn around the Earth through two particular points.
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2022
Great circles represent the shortest travel routes between two points on the surface of a sphere (like Earth). Statement C says they mark the *longest* routes, which is incorrect.
A great circle is the intersection of a sphere and a plane that passes through the center of the sphere. It is the largest possible circle that can be drawn on a sphere.
Every great circle divides the Earth into two equal hemispheres. The equator and all lines of longitude are examples of great circles. Lines of latitude, except for the equator, are not great circles. The shortest distance between two points on the surface of a sphere lies along the arc of the great circle passing through them.

4. Which of the following statements about maps are correct? 1. Maps t

Which of the following statements about maps are correct?

  • 1. Maps that maintain the true shapes of areas are known as conformal maps.
  • 2. Maps are used to show spatial relationships.
  • 3. Maps cannot show route from one place to another.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

2 and 3 only
1 and 3 only
1 and 2 only
1, 2 and 3
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2022
Statements 1 and 2 are correct, while statement 3 is incorrect. Conformal maps (like Mercator projection) are designed to maintain the true shapes of small areas, though they distort area and distance, particularly at higher latitudes. Maps are fundamental tools used to represent spatial relationships between features on the Earth’s surface. Statement 3 is incorrect because maps are commonly used to show routes, paths, and directions from one place to another.
– Conformal maps preserve angles and shapes locally.
– Maps depict the spatial arrangement, distribution, and relationships of geographic phenomena.
– Maps are essential for navigation and showing routes.
Different types of map projections exist, each distorting some properties (shape, area, distance, direction) while preserving others. Maps serve various purposes, including navigation, planning, analysis, and communication of spatial information.

5. Which one of the following is not correct?

Which one of the following is not correct?

The Gulf Stream is a warm ocean current.
The North Atlantic Drift is a warm ocean current.
The Labrador Current is a cold ocean current.
The California Current is a warm ocean current.
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2022
The California Current is a cold ocean current, not warm. It flows southward along the west coast of North America, bringing cooler water from higher latitudes towards the equator.
Ocean currents are classified as warm or cold based on their temperature relative to the surrounding water and the region they flow through. Warm currents typically flow from equatorial regions towards the poles, while cold currents flow from polar regions towards the equator.
The Gulf Stream and North Atlantic Drift are warm currents transporting heat towards Europe. The Labrador Current is a cold current flowing from the Arctic south along the coast of Labrador and Newfoundland. The California Current is a cold current influencing the climate of the North American west coast.

6. When was the Kothari Commission appointed by the Government of India t

When was the Kothari Commission appointed by the Government of India to look into the education sector of India?

1967
1966
1965
1964
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2022
The correct answer is D) 1964.
The Kothari Commission, officially known as the Education Commission, was appointed by the Government of India on July 14, 1964.
The commission was chaired by Dr. D. S. Kothari, then Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC). It was the fifth commission in India since independence and the first to deal with education in a comprehensive manner at all levels. The commission submitted its report in June 1966. Its recommendations significantly influenced India’s education policy for decades.

7. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code

Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the Lists :

List-I
(Vedic name of river)
List-II
(Modern name)
A. Drishadvati 1. Chenab
B. Askini 2. Chautang
C. Vitasta 3. Ravi
D. Purushni 4. Jhelum

Code :

A-2, B-4, C-1, D-3
A-2, B-1, C-4, D-3
A-3, B-1, C-4, D-2
A-3, B-4, C-1, D-2
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2022
The correct answer is B) A-2, B-1, C-4, D-3.
The correct matches between the Vedic names of rivers and their modern names are:
– Drishadvati: Chautang (Often identified with the Chautang river, a tributary of the Ghaggar-Hakra system)
– Askini: Chenab
– Vitasta: Jhelum
– Purushni: Ravi
These rivers are mentioned in the Rigveda, particularly in the hymns related to the geography of the Sapta Sindhu region. Knowing these ancient names and their modern counterparts is important for understanding the geography and history of the Vedic period.

8. Which one of the following statements about coins struck during 200 BC

Which one of the following statements about coins struck during 200 BCE to 300 CE in the Indian subcontinent is not correct?

The Indo-Greeks introduced bilingual and biscript legends on their coins.
The Kushanas minted large quantities of gold coins as well as copper coins of low denomination.
The Satavahanas issued coins of silver, copper, lead and potin.
Absence of Negama coins suggests the declining power and authority of merchant guilds.
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2022
The correct answer is D) Absence of Negama coins suggests the declining power and authority of merchant guilds.
While Negama (or Nigama) coins issued by merchant guilds or towns were prominent in the pre-200 BCE period, their prevalence declined significantly during the period 200 BCE to 300 CE with the rise of powerful centralized kingdoms (Indo-Greeks, Kushanas, Satavahanas) that issued their own standardized coinage. However, stating that their “absence” (implying complete disappearance) occurred and *definitively* suggests a general “declining power and authority of merchant guilds” is likely incorrect or an oversimplification. Merchant guilds continued to be important economic actors during this period, even if their role in currency issuance changed or diminished. The decline in guild-issued coinage might reflect the state asserting greater control over currency rather than a complete collapse of guild power.
A) The Indo-Greeks were among the first to introduce bilingual (Greek and Prakrit) and biscriptal (Greek and Kharoshthi) legends on their coins, which is historically accurate.
B) The Kushanas are well-known for issuing a large volume of gold coins, especially under rulers like Kanishka, and also produced various denominations of copper coinage. This statement is correct.
C) The Satavahanas issued coins in various metals. Lead was a commonly used metal for their coinage, along with potin (an alloy), copper, and silver. This statement is correct.

9. Ashokan inscriptions in Afghanistan are written in which one of the fo

Ashokan inscriptions in Afghanistan are written in which one of the following scripts?

Brahmi
Sharada
Kharoshthi
Greek-Aramaic
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2022
The correct answer is D) Greek-Aramaic.
Ashokan inscriptions found in Afghanistan are notably different from those found in other parts of India. Due to the presence of Hellenistic and Achaemenid influences in the region, Ashoka’s edicts in Afghanistan are often found in Greek and Aramaic scripts and languages, sometimes in bilingual or even trilingual formats (though Brahmi is generally absent).
The most famous example is the Kandahar Bilingual Rock Inscription, which is written in Greek and Aramaic. Other inscriptions in Afghanistan, like the Laghman inscriptions, are in Aramaic. While Kharoshthi script was used for Ashokan inscriptions in the wider North-Western region (parts of modern Pakistan), the use of Greek and Aramaic is particularly characteristic of inscriptions found within modern Afghanistan, reflecting the linguistic landscape of the region at that time. Brahmi was the primary script used for Ashokan inscriptions throughout most of the rest of the Indian subcontinent. Sharada script developed much later.

10. The Battle of Rakshasi-Tangadi is popularly known as the

The Battle of Rakshasi-Tangadi is popularly known as the

Battle of Talikota
Battle of Khanwa
Battle of Panipat
Battle of Dharmat
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2022
The correct answer is A) Battle of Talikota.
The Battle of Rakshasi-Tangadi, fought on January 26, 1565, is popularly known as the Battle of Talikota. The battle was fought near the villages of Rakshasi and Tangadi, situated on the banks of the Krishna River, and is named after the plain between them, or after the town of Talikota which was the Sultanates’ base.
The Battle of Talikota was fought between the Vijayanagara Empire and the alliance of the Deccan Sultanates (Ahmednagar, Bijapur, Golconda, and Bidar). The battle resulted in a decisive defeat for the Vijayanagara Empire, leading to its eventual decline. The city of Vijayanagara (Hampi) was subsequently sacked and destroyed.