RRB NTPC — Set 26

Correct Answer: A. Lord Mountbatten

• **Lord Mountbatten** was the **first Governor-General of independent India** (August 1947 – June 1948), continuing in the role after transferring power. • He was succeeded by **C. Rajagopalachari (Rajaji)**, who became the **last Governor-General** of India (1948–1950) and the **only Indian** to hold that post. • After the Constitution came into force on 26 January 1950, Dr. **Rajendra Prasad** became the **first President** of India. • 💡 Rajagopalachari was the last (not first) Governor-General; Nehru was the first Prime Minister; Rajendra Prasad was the first President — Mountbatten was the first Governor-General.

Correct Answer: B. Arabian Sea

• The **Lakshadweep Islands** are located in the **Arabian Sea**, off the southwestern coast of India (Kerala coast). • The group consists of **36 islands** (only 10 are inhabited) and is the smallest Union Territory of India by area. • The islands are of **coral origin** (atolls) and are known for their pristine lagoons and biodiversity. • 💡 Bay of Bengal contains the Andaman & Nicobar Islands; the Indian Ocean south of India does not contain the Lakshadweep; Andaman Sea is in the northeast — Lakshadweep is specifically in the Arabian Sea.

Correct Answer: A. Established the Supreme Court of India

• The **Regulating Act of 1773** was the first step taken by the British Parliament to regulate the **East India Company's affairs in India**; significantly it established a **Supreme Court at Calcutta (Fort William)** in 1774. • It also created the post of **Governor-General of Bengal** (Warren Hastings was the first) to coordinate authority among the three presidencies. • This Act was the beginning of **Parliamentary control over the Company**. • 💡 The Company already had trading rights; Indians joining civil services was a later colonial-era provision; transfer to Crown happened via the Government of India Act 1858 — only the establishment of the Supreme Court is a key outcome of the 1773 Act.

Correct Answer: C. Biogas (methane + CO₂)

• **Anaerobic digestion** is the breakdown of organic matter by microorganisms in the **absence of oxygen**, producing **biogas** — a mixture primarily of **methane (CH₄, ~60–70%) and carbon dioxide (CO₂, ~30–40%)**. • Biogas is used as a **renewable energy source** for cooking and electricity generation. • The process also produces **digestate**, a nutrient-rich slurry used as fertiliser. • 💡 Oxygen is a product of photosynthesis, not anaerobic digestion; CO₂ alone or H₂S alone are not the primary products — biogas (CH₄ + CO₂ mixture) is the correct answer.

Correct Answer: B. Lord Wellesley

• The **Subsidiary Alliance System** was introduced by **Lord Wellesley** (Governor-General 1798–1805) to extend British control over Indian princely states without direct annexation. • Under this system, Indian rulers had to **maintain British troops** at their own expense; in return, the British protected them from external threats. • The first to accept was **Nizam of Hyderabad (1798)**, followed by the Maratha chiefs, Mysore, and others. • 💡 Lord Cornwallis introduced the Permanent Settlement; Lord Clive established early British power (Plassey); Lord Hastings fought the Pindari War — the Subsidiary Alliance was specifically Wellesley's creation.

Correct Answer: C. Odisha

• **Chilika Lake** is the largest **coastal lagoon in India** (and the second largest in the world), located in the state of **Odisha**, on the eastern coast. • It is a **Ramsar Wetland** (designated in 1981) and is home to the **Irrawaddy dolphin** and a large number of migratory birds. • Chilika Lake is connected to the **Bay of Bengal** and spans the districts of Puri, Khurda, and Ganjam. • 💡 Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu do not contain Chilika Lake — it is specifically located in Odisha.

Correct Answer: C. Sarojini Naidu

• **Sarojini Naidu** is known as the **'Nightingale of India'** for her melodious and lyrical poetry in English. • She was a freedom fighter, the **first woman to become President of the Indian National Congress** (1925) and the **first woman Governor** of an Indian state (Uttar Pradesh). • Her poetry collections include 'The Golden Threshold' (1905), 'The Bird of Time' (1912), and 'The Broken Wing' (1917). • 💡 Indira Gandhi was the first woman PM; Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit was Nehru's sister and a diplomat; Lata Mangeshkar was the 'Melody Queen' or 'Voice of India' — the 'Nightingale' title belongs specifically to Sarojini Naidu.

Correct Answer: C. Au

• The chemical symbol for **gold is Au**, derived from the Latin word **'Aurum'** meaning gold. • Gold has **atomic number 79** and is a dense, soft, shiny, and malleable metal found in Period 6 of the periodic table. • Gold does not rust or corrode, which is why it has been used for **jewellery, coins, and electronics** throughout history. • 💡 'Go' and 'Gd' are not valid element symbols (Gd is Gadolinium); 'Ag' is the symbol for Silver (from Latin Argentum) — only Au represents gold.

Correct Answer: C. 1942

• The **Quit India Movement** (also called the **August Movement**) was launched by Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian National Congress on **8 August 1942** at the Bombay session. • Gandhi gave the famous slogan **'Do or Die' (Karo ya Maro)** urging Indians to fight for complete independence. • The British arrested Gandhi and all major Congress leaders immediately, but the movement saw **mass protests, strikes, and sabotage** across India. • 💡 1939 is when WWII began; 1940 saw the Lahore Resolution (Pakistan demand); 1944 was near the end of WWII — the Quit India Movement was specifically in August 1942.

Correct Answer: B. The process of increasing nutritional value of crops through plant breeding or biotechnology

• **Biofortification** is the process of **increasing the nutritional value (vitamins, minerals, protein) of crops through conventional plant breeding, agronomic practices, or biotechnology**. • Examples include **Golden Rice** (enriched with Vitamin A) and **iron-fortified pearl millet** developed for areas with micronutrient deficiencies. • It is a cost-effective, sustainable strategy to combat **hidden hunger** (micronutrient deficiency) in developing nations. • 💡 Adding vitamins to packaged food is food fortification; spraying fertilisers is agronomic practice; removing soil toxins is remediation — biofortification specifically modifies the crop plant itself.

Correct Answer: B. Northern plains and Deccan plateau

• The **Vindhya Range** serves as the major physiographic divide separating the **Northern Plains (Indo-Gangetic Plain)** to the north and the **Deccan Plateau** to the south. • It runs roughly east-west across **Madhya Pradesh** and forms a cultural and geographical boundary in India. • The Vindhya Range is one of the **oldest fold mountains** in India, composed mainly of sedimentary rocks. • 💡 It does not separate east-west India or the two Ghats or Rajasthan-Punjab — its primary role is the north-south divide between the plains and the plateau.

Correct Answer: B. Is free from external control and manages its own affairs

• **'Sovereign'** in the Preamble means India is a **completely independent nation**, free from **external control**, and has the **exclusive right to govern its own affairs** without interference from any foreign power. • India can frame its own policies, make laws, and decide foreign relations independently. • Although India is a member of the **Commonwealth of Nations**, it is not bound by any obligations to the British Crown. • 💡 Having a written constitution is a structural feature; a welfare state is described by 'Socialist'; UN membership is irrelevant to sovereignty — 'Sovereign' specifically means freedom from external control.

Correct Answer: C. Sambhar Lake

• **Sambhar Lake** in Rajasthan is **India's largest inland saltwater lake** and is also a **Ramsar Wetland**. • It is the primary source of **salt production in Rajasthan** and one of the main producers of lake salt in India. • The lake gets its water from rivers Mendha, Rupangarh, and Kharain, and the water evaporates leaving behind salt deposits. • 💡 Dal Lake (Jammu & Kashmir), Wular Lake (the largest freshwater lake in India, also in J&K), and Bhimtal Lake (Uttarakhand) are all freshwater lakes — only Sambhar is a saltwater lake.

Correct Answer: D. Rajendra Prasad

• The **Constituent Assembly** that drafted the Indian Constitution was presided over by **Dr. Rajendra Prasad** as its **permanent Chairman (President)**. • Dr. **B.R. Ambedkar** chaired the **Drafting Committee** and is known as the **'Father of the Indian Constitution'** for his pivotal role in drafting the document. • The Constituent Assembly first met on **9 December 1946** and completed the Constitution on 26 November 1949. • 💡 Nehru moved the Objectives Resolution; Patel headed the Advisory Committee; Ambedkar chaired the Drafting Committee (not the full Assembly) — Rajendra Prasad chaired the full Constituent Assembly.

Correct Answer: C. Mercury

• **Mercury (Hg)** is the only **metal that is liquid at room temperature** (around 25°C); its melting point is **−38.83°C**. • Mercury has **atomic number 80** and is a dense, silvery-white metal found in the d-block of the periodic table. • It is used in **thermometers, barometers, fluorescent lamps**, and dental amalgams, though its use is declining due to **toxicity**. • 💡 Aluminium, zinc, and tin are all solid metals at room temperature with melting points well above 25°C — only mercury is liquid at room temperature.

Correct Answer: B. Indo-Australian Plate and Eurasian Plate

• The **Himalayas** were formed approximately **40–50 million years ago** when the **Indo-Australian Plate** collided with the **Eurasian Plate** as the ancient Tethys Sea closed. • The collision caused the Earth's crust to buckle and fold, forming the **world's highest mountain system**. • The Himalayas continue to **rise at a rate of a few millimetres per year** due to ongoing tectonic pressure. • 💡 Eurasian-African collision formed the Alps; Pacific-North American interaction creates the Rocky Mountains; Arabian-Indian Plate are part of the same larger plate — the Himalayas are specifically from Indo-Australian plate colliding with Eurasian.

Correct Answer: C. Ireland

• The **Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP)**, contained in **Part IV (Articles 36–51)** of the Indian Constitution, were **borrowed from the Constitution of Ireland**. • Ireland's constitution (Bunreacht na hÉireann, 1937) contained similar non-justiciable guidelines for the state. • DPSPs are guidelines for the government to **frame policies for the welfare of citizens** but are not enforceable by courts. • 💡 The US Constitution influenced Fundamental Rights and judicial review; UK influenced Parliamentary system; Canada influenced the federal structure — DPSPs are specifically borrowed from Ireland.

Correct Answer: B. NaHCO₃

• **Baking soda** is **sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃)** — a mild alkali that releases **carbon dioxide gas** when heated or mixed with an acid, causing dough to rise. • It is commonly used in **baking, as an antacid** (to neutralise stomach acid), and as a cleaning agent. • **Na₂CO₃** is washing soda (sodium carbonate), which is different from baking soda. • 💡 Na₂CO₃ is washing soda; NaOH is caustic soda (sodium hydroxide); Na₂SO₄ is sodium sulphate — only NaHCO₃ is baking soda.

Correct Answer: C. 1885

• The **Indian National Congress (INC)** was founded in **1885** by **Allan Octavian Hume**, a retired British civil servant, along with Dadabhai Naoroji and Dinshaw Wacha. • The first session was held on **28 December 1885** in Bombay (Mumbai), with **W.C. Bonnerji** as the first President. • The INC went on to lead the **Indian independence movement** and became India's oldest political party. • 💡 1857 was the First War of Independence; 1877 was the Imperial Assembly of India (Delhi Durbar); 1906 saw the founding of the Muslim League — only 1885 is the year the INC was founded.

Correct Answer: C. Africa

• The **Nile river** flows through **Africa**, passing through **11 countries** including Uganda, Sudan, and Egypt, before draining into the **Mediterranean Sea**. • It is approximately **6,650 km long** and has two main tributaries: the **White Nile** (from Lake Victoria, Uganda) and the **Blue Nile** (from Lake Tana, Ethiopia). • The Nile delta in Egypt was home to one of the **world's earliest civilisations**. • 💡 The Amazon (South America) and Yangtze (Asia) are other long rivers, but in different continents; the Rhine and Danube are Europe's major rivers — the Nile is specifically in Africa.

Correct Answer: B. Lord Cornwallis

• The **Permanent Settlement of 1793** was introduced in Bengal by **Lord Cornwallis** (Governor-General 1786–1793). • Under this settlement, **zamindars (landlords)** were recognised as owners of land and their revenue obligation to the British was **fixed permanently**. • While it provided revenue stability to the British, it led to the **exploitation of peasants** by zamindars and the ruin of many zamindars who couldn't pay fixed revenue during bad harvests. • 💡 Lord Clive established early British presence; Lord Wellesley brought the Subsidiary Alliance; Warren Hastings was the first Governor-General — Permanent Settlement is specifically associated with Lord Cornwallis.

Correct Answer: B. Article 14

• **Article 14** of the Indian Constitution states that **'The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India'**. • It guarantees two concepts: **equality before law** (negative concept — no special privileges) and **equal protection of laws** (positive concept — similar treatment in similar circumstances). • This Article applies to **all persons** (citizens and non-citizens alike) within India's territory. • 💡 Article 12 defines the State; Article 19 provides six fundamental freedoms; Article 21 gives the right to life — only Article 14 specifically guarantees equality before law.

Correct Answer: B. Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea

• The **Suez Canal** is an artificial waterway in Egypt connecting the **Red Sea (south) and the Mediterranean Sea (north)**, opened in **1869**. • It allows ships to travel between **Europe and Asia** without circumnavigating Africa (around the Cape of Good Hope). • The canal is about **193 km long** and has no locks, as the two seas are at the same sea level. • 💡 The Panama Canal connects the Atlantic and Pacific; the Persian Gulf connects to the Arabian Sea directly; Black and Caspian Seas are landlocked — only the Suez connects the Red Sea and the Mediterranean.

Correct Answer: D. Fermentation

• **Fermentation** is the anaerobic biochemical process by which **yeast (fungi) converts sugars (glucose derived from starch) into ethanol (alcohol) and CO₂**. • The reaction: C₆H₁₂O₆ → **2C₂H₅OH + 2CO₂** (glucose → ethanol + carbon dioxide). • Fermentation is the basis of **brewing, winemaking, bread-making, and biofuel production**. • 💡 Oxidation involves gaining oxygen or losing electrons; hydrolysis breaks bonds using water; polymerisation links monomers into polymers — only fermentation describes yeast converting starch/sugar to alcohol.

Correct Answer: D. Himalayas

• **Mount Everest (8,848.86 m)** is located in the **Himalayas**, on the border between **Nepal and Tibet (China)** in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range. • It was first summited on **29 May 1953** by **Sir Edmund Hillary** (New Zealand) and **Tenzing Norgay** (Nepal). • The height was most recently resurveyed in 2020 and officially recognised as **8,848.86 m**. • 💡 K2 (world's second highest) is in the Karakoram; Tirich Mir is in the Hindukush; Kongur Tagh is in the Pamir — Everest is specifically in the Himalayas.

Correct Answer: D. Sports

• The **Khel Ratna** (formerly Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, renamed **Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna** in 2021) is India's **highest sporting honour**, awarded annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. • It recognises **outstanding performance** in sports over four years and carries a medal, citation, and cash award. • Notable recipients include **Viswanathan Anand, Sachin Tendulkar, P.V. Sindhu, Sushil Kumar**, and Neeraj Chopra. • 💡 Science awards are Padma Vibhushan/Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar; literature awards are Sahitya Akademi; arts awards are Sangeet Natak Akademi — Khel Ratna is exclusively for sports.

Correct Answer: D. Iron rusting

• **Iron rusting** is a **chemical change** — iron reacts with oxygen and water to form a completely new substance, **iron oxide (rust)**, which cannot be easily reversed. • Key indicators of a chemical change include: formation of a new substance, change in colour/odour, release or absorption of energy, and irreversibility. • The other options — ice melting, salt dissolving, sugar dissolving — are **physical changes** because no new substance is formed and the original substance can be recovered. • 💡 Melting, dissolving, and mixing are all physical changes; rusting is the only chemical change listed because it forms a chemically different product (iron oxide).

Correct Answer: A. 1950

• The **Planning Commission of India** was constituted on **15 March 1950** by a Resolution of the Government of India under Prime Minister **Jawaharlal Nehru** as its first Chairman. • It oversaw India's **Five Year Plans** and was responsible for resource allocation and economic planning. • In **2014, it was replaced by NITI Aayog** (National Institution for Transforming India). • 💡 1947 is Independence; 1952 saw the First Five Year Plan complete; 1956 began the Second Five Year Plan — the Planning Commission was specifically set up in March 1950.

Correct Answer: D. World Bank

• The **Indus Waters Treaty (1960)** was brokered by the **World Bank** and signed between India (**Jawaharlal Nehru**) and Pakistan (**Ayub Khan**) to share the waters of the **Indus river system**. • Under the treaty, the **three eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej)** were allocated to India and the **three western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab)** to Pakistan. • It is considered one of the most **successful international water treaties** despite India-Pakistan tensions. • 💡 The UN, US, and Soviet Union were not the mediators — the World Bank played the neutral mediating role in this specific treaty.

Correct Answer: D. Gujarat

• **Gujarat** has the **longest coastline among Indian states**, measuring approximately **1,600 km** (including the mainland, Kathiawar Peninsula, and Kutch). • Gujarat's coastline is so extensive because of its unique peninsular shape, the **Kathiawar (Saurashtra) Peninsula**, and the deep inlets of the Gulf of Khambhat and Gulf of Kutch. • If Union Territories are included, **Andaman & Nicobar Islands** have the longest combined coastline. • 💡 Tamil Nadu (~1,076 km), Kerala (~580 km), and Andhra Pradesh (~974 km) all have shorter coastlines than Gujarat's ~1,600 km — Gujarat has the longest state coastline.

Correct Answer: A. Jawaharlal Nehru

• **'The Discovery of India'** was written by **Jawaharlal Nehru** while he was imprisoned in **Ahmednagar Fort** (1942–1945) during the Quit India Movement. • The book explores Indian history, culture, philosophy, and civilisation from ancient times to the independence struggle. • Nehru's other famous work is **'Glimpses of World History'** (letters to his daughter Indira Gandhi from prison) and the autobiographical **'Toward Freedom'**. • 💡 Gandhi wrote 'Hind Swaraj' and 'My Experiments with Truth'; Tagore wrote Gitanjali and Gora; Bose wrote 'The Indian Struggle' — 'Discovery of India' is specifically Nehru's work.

Correct Answer: A. Himachal Pradesh

• The **Chenab river** originates from the **Bara Lacha La pass (Lahaul-Spiti region) in Himachal Pradesh**, formed by the confluence of the Chandra and Bhaga rivers at Tandi. • It flows through Jammu & Kashmir, then into **Pakistan**, where it joins the Indus river system. • Under the **Indus Waters Treaty (1960)**, Chenab waters are allocated to **Pakistan**. • 💡 Uttarakhand and J&K are downstream of the Chenab's origin; Ladakh is a separate region — the Chenab specifically originates from Himachal Pradesh at Bara Lacha La / Lahaul-Spiti.

Correct Answer: D. 1949

• The **Reserve Bank of India (RBI)** was nationalised on **1 January 1949** under the Reserve Bank (Transfer to Public Ownership) Act, 1948. • Prior to nationalisation, the RBI was a privately owned institution (established in 1935 under the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934). • After nationalisation, the RBI became fully owned by the **Government of India** and serves as the **central bank and monetary authority**. • 💡 1947 is Independence; 1948 is when the act was passed but nationalisation took effect on 1 January 1949; 1951 is when the First Five Year Plan began — nationalisation specifically occurred on 1 January 1949.

Correct Answer: D. Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, only converted from one form to another

• The **Law of Conservation of Energy** states that **'energy can neither be created nor destroyed; it can only be converted from one form to another'**. • For example, in a hydroelectric plant, **potential energy** of water converts to **kinetic energy**, then to **electrical energy**. • This is the **First Law of Thermodynamics** when applied to heat and work. • 💡 Energy cannot be created from matter (mass-energy equivalence E=mc² describes conversion but not creation from nothing); it cannot be destroyed; isolated systems maintain constant total energy — only option C correctly states conservation of energy.

Correct Answer: A. Article 352

• **Article 352** of the Indian Constitution empowers the **President to declare a National Emergency** on grounds of **war, external aggression, or armed rebellion (internal disturbance)**. • A National Emergency has been declared **three times** in India: in **1962** (Chinese aggression), **1971** (Indo-Pakistani War), and **1975** (internal disturbance, the controversial Emergency by Indira Gandhi). • During a National Emergency, **Fundamental Rights (except Articles 20 and 21)** can be suspended. • 💡 Article 350 deals with grievance redressal; Article 356 is President's Rule in states; Article 360 is Financial Emergency — only Article 352 covers National Emergency.

Correct Answer: A. 1973

• **Project Tiger** was launched in **1973** by Prime Minister **Indira Gandhi** to conserve the Bengal tiger and its ecosystem, with the **first tiger reserve at Jim Corbett National Park**, Uttarakhand. • The project is administered by the **National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)**. • India has **54 tiger reserves** (as of recent data) and the tiger population has increased significantly under the programme. • 💡 1970 was before the project; 1978 and 1980 are too late — Project Tiger was specifically launched in 1973, a landmark year for wildlife conservation in India.

Correct Answer: A. Advanced town planning with grid pattern streets and drainage system

• The **Indus Valley Civilisation** is famous for its remarkably **advanced town planning** — cities like Mohenjo-daro and Harappa had **grid-pattern streets, burnt brick buildings, and a sophisticated underground drainage/sewage system**, arguably the world's first urban sanitation system. • The civilisation also had **standardised weights and measures**, a script (undeciphered), and trade networks. • Archaeological evidence shows **two-storey houses**, public baths, and granaries. • 💡 Iron metallurgy was used much later (after the IVC declined); zero/decimal is attributed to Indian mathematicians of a later period; the Great Wall is Chinese — advanced town planning and drainage is the IVC's hallmark achievement.

Correct Answer: A. 6 to 14 years

• The **Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009** (also known as the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act) guarantees **free and compulsory education to all children aged 6 to 14 years**. • It was made a **Fundamental Right** under **Article 21A** by the **86th Constitutional Amendment, 2002**. • The RTE Act mandates that no child can be held back, expelled, or required to pass a board exam until the completion of elementary education. • 💡 5 to 14, 6 to 16, and 5 to 16 are all incorrect age ranges — the RTE Act specifically covers 6 to 14 years.

Correct Answer: D. Northern West Coast

• The **Konkan coast** refers to the **northern part of India's western coast**, stretching from **Daman (Gujarat) to Goa**, passing through coastal Maharashtra. • It is a narrow coastal strip between the **Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea**. • The Konkan coast is known for **Alphonso mangoes, cashews, coconuts**, and the **Konkan Railway**. • 💡 The eastern coast (Coromandel) is separate; the southern west coast is the **Malabar coast** (Kerala/Karnataka) — the Konkan coast specifically refers to the northern west coast from Daman to Goa.

Correct Answer: A. Fund micro and small businesses by providing collateral-free loans

• **Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY)** was launched in **April 2015** to provide **collateral-free loans to non-corporate, non-farm micro and small enterprises**. • MUDRA (Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency) provides loans under three categories: **Shishu (up to ₹50,000), Kishore (₹50,001–₹5 lakh), and Tarun (₹5 lakh–₹10 lakh)**. • The scheme aims to promote **entrepreneurship and self-employment** among small businessmen, artisans, and shopkeepers. • 💡 Free health insurance is under Ayushman Bharat; rural infrastructure is under MGNREGA; urban housing is under PMAY — PMMY is specifically for micro/small business financing.