Geography, Geography, Environment & Ecology are important sections in any General Studies papers, including APSC Prelims GS Paper. but the number of Qs are gradually decreasing. Analyzing the previous years Qs from these section can be very helpful to understand Focus Areas to study more extensively.
Q14. As per 2011 Census, which of the following States showed a negative decadal growth rate of population?
APSC Prelim 2018 GS Paper – Polity Section Questions Analysis
Polity is very important sections in any General Studies papers and in APSC GS Paper too, a significant number of Questions are asked from these sections. So, analyzing the previous years Qs from these section can be very helpful to understand Focus Areas to study more extensively.
75. Which Articles of the Indian Constitution deal with Right of Equality?
a. Article 14 to 18 b. Article 19 to 22 c. Article 22 to 24 d. Articles 25 to 30
76. Which Amendment incorporated the Fundamental Duties in the Indian Constitution?
a. 40th Amendment b. 42nd Amendment c. 44th Amendment d. None of the above
Focus Areas: Fundamental Duties, Amendments
Q77. In India, who appointer(s) the District Judges?
a. The Governor b. The Judges of the High Court c. The Chief Minister d. The President
Focus Areas: Judiciary
78. Which of the following regional parties was formed prior to India’s Independence?
a. DMK b. AIADMK c. Assom Gana Parishad d. Shiromani Akali Dal
Focus Areas: Politics
79. Which of the following is not a feature of Panchyati Raj system?
a. Their-tier structure b. Direct election c. Reservation of seats d. None of the above
Focus Areas: Panchyati Raj System
80. The North-Eastern Areas (Re-organisation) Act was passed in the year
a. 1981 b. 1972 c. 1970 d. 1971
Focus Areas: Assam & NE related Acts
81. In India, the RTI Act came into force on a. 15th June, 2005 b. 15th August, 2005 c. 12th October, 2005 d. 1st November, 2005
Focus Areas: RTI
82. What is the proportion of seats reserved for women as the Chairperson in the Gram Panchayat? a. ½ b. 1/3 c. 2/3 d. ¼
Focus Areas: Panchyati Raj System
83. Which Article of the Indian Constitution gives authority to impose central rule if there has been failure of the constitutional machinery in any State of India?
a. Article 356 b. Article 256 c. Article 2 d. Article 3
84. Which of the following is not a feature of the Indian Constitution? a. Democratic b. Presidential c. Republic d. Federal
Focus Areas: Indian Constitution features
85. The Constitution of India is parliamentary because a. There is an elected President b. There is a Supreme Court c. There is a Parliament d. The Executive is responsible to the Legislature
Focus Areas: Indian Constitution features
86. Right to Education is a fundamental right under the
a. Article 22 A b. Article 21 A c. Article 23 d. Article 24
APSC Prelim 2018 GS Paper – History, Art & Culture Section Questions Analysis
History and Art & Culture are very important sections in any General Studies papers and in APSC GS Paper too, a significant number of Questions are asked from these sections. So, analyzing the previous years Qs from these section can be very helpful to understand Focus Areas to study more extensively.
Q2. Match list-1 with List-II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists
Lists – 1 Lists- 2
a. Famines in India 1. Dadabhai Naoroji
b. Poverty and unBritish rule in India 2. MG Ranade
c. The Industrial Evolution of India 3. B M Bhatia
d. Essays on Indian Economics 4. D R Gadgil
a 3 b 4 c 1 d 2
a 3 b 1 c 4 d 2
a 2 b 4 c 3 d 1
a 2 b 3 c 4 d 1
Focus Areas: Important books on Indian History
Q3. In India, the Zamindari system was first introduced in
Bengal
Madras
Bombay
Delhi
Focus Areas: British Administration
Q49. Which one of the following is a profusely illustrated treatise on elephants, date 1734?
Chitra-Bhagavata
Hastividyarnava
Kadambari
Parijatharan
Focus Areas: Important books on Indian History
Q50. Which one of the following scholars is believed to have written the Panchatantra stories?
Vishnu Sharma
Bhattadeva
Suchruta
Chaitanya
Focus Areas: Important books on Indian History
Q52. Which artist made the famous painting ‘Guernica’ in 1937?
Michelangelo
Pablo Picasso
Pablo Neruda
Salvador Dali
Focus Areas: World Famous Arts/ Paintings
Q53. Lai Haraoba is an important festival of
Mizoram
Meghalaya
Manipur
Tripura
Focus Areas: Festivals of India
Q54. The largest Buddhist monastery in India is located in
Sanchi
Bodhgaya
Nalanda
Tawang
Focus Areas: Important Religious monuments
Q55. Ima Keithel is the largest
freshwater lake in Maniour
Association of Manipuri mothers
Association of Naga mothers
All-women market in Manipur
Focus Areas: GK
Q57. The Cheraw dance is a dance form of
Meghalaya
Sikkim
Puducherry
Mizoram
Focus Areas: Important dances
Q58. Therukoothu is an art form of
Telengana
Kerala
Tamil Nadu
Maharashtra
Focus Areas: Important Folk Arts
Q59.Who wrote the book, We, the People?
J R D Tata
Mahatma
Gandhi
Nani Palkhivala
Focus Areas: Important books
Q60. Who was the first recipient of the Sahitya Academy Award for English Literature?
Nayantara Sehgal
R K Narayan
Raja Rao
Mulk Raj Anand
Focus Areas: GK Awards
Q61. Which of following is not a poetic tradition?
The Epic
The Occult
Tea Tragic
The Comic
Focus Areas: Literature
Q62. Renaissance is a/an
Italian word
Spanish word
Greek word
French word
Focus Areas: Important History Terms/events
Q63. The Room on the Roof was written by
Ruskin Bond
Virginia Woolf
Thomas Hardy
George Orwell
Focus Areas: GK Important Books
Q64. How many Ghosas are there in the Nama Ghosa?
500
1000
1500
2000
Focus Areas: Historical/religious Literature
Q65. Which language was used by Sankardeva for composing Ankia Nat?
Pali
Brajavali
Prakrit
Apabhrangsha
Focus Areas: Historical/religious Literature
Q66. Which of the following was the first Ankia Nat written by Sankardeva?
Patniprasad
Chinhayatra
Rukminiharan
Kaliyadaman
Focus Areas: Historical/religious Literature
Q67. Who is known as the father of Assamese prose?
Ratnakar Kandali
Bhattadeva
Sarbavauma Bhattacharrya
Gopal Aata
Focus Areas: Literature of Assam
Q68. Which century witnessed the growth and development of the Charit Puthi’?
14th Century
15th Century
16th Century
17th Century
Focus Areas: Historical/religious Literature
Q69. The Buranji written by Ratna Kandali and Arjun Das Bairagee was
Tripura Buranji
Kachari Buranji
Axom Buranji
Kamrup Buranji
Focus Areas: Historical/religious Literature
Q70. Who was the first editor of Jonaki?
Lakshminath Bezbaruah
Chandra Kumar Agarwalla
Hemchandra Goswami
Ratneswar Mahanta
Focus Areas: Literature of Assam
Q71. The novel Astarag is authored by
Nirupama Borgohain
Chandra Prasad Saikia
Homen Borgohain
Nirod choudhury
Focus Areas: Literature of Assam
Q72. Aahar, as Assamese drama, written by Arun Sharma is a/an
social drama
historical drama
absurd drama
none of the above
Focus Areas: Literature of Assam
Q73. Who among the following was the first recipient of the Assam Valley Literary Award?
Homen Borgohain
Nobakanta Barua
Bhabendra Nath Saikia
Nilamoni Phukan
Focus Areas: GK Awards
Q89. Which one was not the principal item of export in the 17th century Indian trade?
Pepper
Opium
Ivory
Sugar
Focus Areas: Trades in Historical Times
Q90. Who founded the Home Rule League in September 1916?
Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Bipin Chandra Pal
Lala Lajpat Rai
Annie Besant
Focus Areas: Modern History – Important League/Associations
Q91. Gandhi-Irwin Pact was signed in the year?
1931
1925
1929
1932
Focus Areas: Modern History – Important Pacts/Treaty
Q92. Hayungthal Copper Plate was issued by
Bhaskar Varman
Susthita Varman
Banamala Varman
Harjjar Varman
Focus Areas: Inscriptions
Q93. Who was the founder of Pala Dynasty?
Brahmapala
Viradutta
Indrapala
Dharmapala
Grace mark provided for this Qs
Gopala, a local chieftain rose to power as the emperor of Gauda and founded the Pala Dynasty in 750 CE.
Longitudes & latitudes, Equator, Latitudes and Earth speed = 15° an hour
Tropic of Cancer & Tropic of Capricorn 23½° North & Southern Hemisphere, Arctic Circle & Antarctic Circle 66½° North & South of the equator, Timezones and Dateline, Prime Meridian
Indian standard time
Assam & NE – Rivers, mountains, NP/WS
Caves in North East India – Meghalaya – KremLiatPrah, Meghalaya
APSC Prelims 2020 GS Paper – Suggest Topics for Polity Section
Members of Parliament
Members in Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha from Assam, NE states
State-wise members nos distribution – Maximum & Minimum in LS & RS, Power of MPs
Total LS members across states, Lok Sabha constituency/ RS constituency – criteria, Delimitation Commission
Assam State assembly size, constituency
Legislative Council – States with LC, Legislative Assembly to Legislative Council size ratio
Parliamentary powers
Chairman of RS, Vice President, Protem Speaker, L.o.Opp, Speaker/Dy.speaker of LS – Powers, Provisions & Resignation
Speaker of Lok Sabha– conducts business in the house – decides whether a bill is a money bill or not- maintain discipline and decorum in the house – punish unruly member – answerable to the house – permit moving of motion
various motions – motion of no confidence, motion of adjournment, motion of censure and calling attention notice- decides on the agenda for discussion – presides over the joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament.
Parliamentary Terms
Adjournment, Adjournment sine die, Calling Attention, Casting Vote,
Crossing the floor, Demand for Grants, Expunction, Motion,
Motion of Thanks, Prorogation, Question Hour, Question of Privilege, Whips, Qourum
Parliamentary Terms, Adjournment, Adjournment sine die, Calling Attention, Casting Vote,
Crossing the floor, Demand for Grants, Expunction, Motion, Motion of Thanks, Prorogation, Question Hour, Question of Privilege, Whips
Terms & Procedures of state legislative assembly
Indian Polity – Federal structure
NITI Aayog, Interstate Council, North East Council, Finance Commission
Jurisdictions – types of SC/HC, Original Jurisdictions of SC, Powers of SC/HC
Constitution
Constitution of India – Important Articles – FR,DPSP, FD
Constitutional remedy – Writ Petitions – HC, SC
Judiciary – Executive- Legislative –independence
Panchyat Raj in India & Assam
Fifth Schedule – administration and control of scheduled areas and scheduled tribes in other states.,
Sixth Schedule – Tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram
PESA act, Tribal Councils
AFSPA, Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir 1951, 1974 Indira-Sheikh accord
Special cases for various states – Article 371 A Nagaland, 371 B Assam, 371 C Manipur, 371– D Andhra Pradesh, 371 – E Sikkim, 371 G Mizoram, 371 H Arunachal Pradesh, 371 – I Goa
In Part XXI of the Constitution: Temporary, Transitional and Special Provisions
APSC Prelims 2020 GS Paper – Suggest Topics for History, Art & Culture Section
Ancient India History
Indus Valley Civilization – Dates, location & sites, metals, excavation, famous motifs, Aryan invasion
Maurya & Gupta dynasty
Art, Culture & Architecture – India
Famous Architecture –of Ancient India – Asoka Pillars, Lion Capital, Virupaksha Temple, Hampi, Konark, Pattadakal, Hoysala Temple, Rani Ki Vav, Sun Temple
Caves – Elephanta Caves, Ajanta Caves, Ellora, other Cave paintings in India, Bhimbetka rock shelters, Gudahandi Rock Art and Yogimath Rock Art of Odisha, Aurangabad Caves, Shivleni Caves, Badami Cave, Dharashiv Caves, Barabar Caves
Buddhist Architecture – Stupas – structure-layout and @Sanchi, Amaravati, Chaitya halls & Viharas
UNESCO’s world heritage sites
Schools – Gandhara School (Greco-Buddhist art), Mathura School Amaravati School
Zero, Modern number system, Brahmagupta, Aryabhata, Varahamihira, Shridhara, Yativṛṣabha
Bhāskara II – Bijaganita, Jayadeva – Chakravala method
Baudhayana, Katyayana, Pingala, Panini
Middle Way or Middle Path – Gautama Buddha – character of the Noble Eightfold Path
Nalanda, Takshila, Culture learning institutions
Medieval India History
Mughals, Delhi sultanate dynasties
Regional powers – Maratha, Rajputana, Tipu Sultan
Wars & Battles – between whom and year
Various mughal architecture – Humayun’s Tomb, Red Fort, Jama Masjid, BulandDarwaza, FatehpurSikri, Agra Fort, Tomb of I’timād-ud-Daulah, Agra. Where and Who constructed
Invasion of India – When and Who
Alexander invasion of india
Ghaznavid raids under Mahmud of Ghazni
Ghurid invasion led by Mu’izz ad-Din Muhammad Ghori
Invasions of Arab in the Eleventh Century
Mongol Invasion
Invasion of Timur
Mughal invasion led by Babur
Europeans Imperialism
British arrival – East India Company of Britain, Dutch, Portuguese, French
golden farmaan to East india company
First French factory in India @ Surat
History of Calcutta, Bombay, Madras, Delhi, Pondicherry, Goa, Masulipatnam, Cuddalore
Indian History – Freedom struggle (Most IMPORTANT)
Battle of Plessey, Buxar
Vellore mutiny 1806
Revolt of 1857 – Causes – Political, Socio-Religious, Economics – Popular Leaders, Revolt centers, Results – Participation from all classes & parts of India – Changes in British Administration
Violence incidents of Indian freedom struggle
JallianwalaBagh incident,
Massacre/ violent excess by British
ChauriChauraincident on February 5, 1922,
Other violence incidents
Moplah Rebellion, Noakhali riots, Calcutta Riots, Kuka (Namdhari) massacre at Malerkotla, Meerut Conspiracy Case, – kakorikand, chitagang incident, bombing central legislative assembly,
Revolutionary activities in various parts of India
Lady revolutionaries – PritilataWaddedar, KanaklataBarua. Usha Mehta, MatanginiHazra, ParbatiGiri.
Publications – magazine, books – Bandi Jeevan
Movements of Indian Freedom Struggle
Dandi March, Satyagraha in various regions
Civil Disobedience Movement
Non-cooperation movement, other movements by Gandhi
Party/Organization and their founder
Political Parties & Pol. Organisations in India before Independence – Indian National Congress, Hindu Mahasabha Party, United Patriotic Association, All India Majilis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, Rashtriya Swyamsevak Sangh 1925, Shiromani Akali Dal 1920, Dravidar Kazhagam 1938 , Ahrar Party 1929
left-wing nationalist political party – Revolutionary Communist Party of India 1934, Communist Party of India, Revolutionary Socialist Party
Indian History – Press during British rule
Lord Lytton – regulate vernacular press – Vernacular Press Act of 1878
S. Buckingham – Calcutta Journal 1818
The Bengalee and The Amrita Bazar Patrika in ‘Bengalee language’, SamvadKaumudi, Mirat-ul-Akbar (Parsian), RastGoftar (Guj), Indian Mirror, Bombay Samachar, and Hindu Patriot, Hindu, Kesari (Marathi), Hitavadi, Bande Mataram
Hicky’s Bengal Gazette/Original Calcutta General Advertiser
Indian History – rise of British Administration
Starting from the Regulating Act of 1773, Piit’s India Act, Other important Acts and associated Gov Gen
British Administration /Policy– Social Welfare, Education promotion, Local Governance
Economics development, Census,
universities of Presidency @ Calcutta, Madras and Bombay, Cotton College
Personality – Vasco da Gama, Robert Clive, Warren Hastings, Dupleix
Governors (1758–1774), Governor Generals of Bengal (1773–1833), Governor Generals of India (1833–1858) – Viceroy
Warren Hastings – first Governor of the Presidency of Fort William (Bengal) – first de facto Governor-General of India from 1773 to 1785.
Governors-General of the Dominion of India, 1947–1950
Women Freedom Fighters of India – Rani lakshmibai, Begum HazratMahal, Annie Besant , Madam BhikaijiCama, Sarojini Naidu, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, SuchetaKripalani, SavitribaiPhule, Usha Mehta
British Monuments &Artitecture – RashtrapatiBhavan, Victoria Memorial,The Gateway of India,
Lutyens’ Delhi, Victoria Terminus,
Philosophy of India’s freedom struggle – Moderates and Extremist– Moderates leaders and Extremist leaders
Communist, Muslim League, Hindu Nationalists
Popular Sayings/Quotes/Slogan
“Jai Hind“ ,“give me blood and i shall give you freedom slogan” – Netaji
VandeMataram”: Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay
“Swaraj is my birthright and I will have it” – Tilak
“Do or Die” – Gandhi
Jai Jawaan, Jai Kisaan” : Lal Bahadur Shastri
.’SatyamevJayathe’: Popularized by PanditMalaviya
“SareJahan Se Achha Hindustan Hamara” – Muhammad Iqbal
“The shots that hit me are the last nails to the coffin of British rule in India”/“Swaraj is my birth right and I shall have it”. BalGangadharTilak
“Give me blood and I will give you freedom”. Subhash Chandra Bose
Rise of Trade unions
First association of Indian workers – Bombay Mill-Hands Association – N.M. Lokhande in 1890.
Madras Labour Union by B.P. Wadia in 1918
Trade Union Act (1926) – 1920, the First National Trade union – All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC)
Assam History
Ancient History
Ahom dynasty- capitals, other dynasty like Koch, Chutya, Barman, Kachari
Ahom Administration
Invasion by Mughal – Wars, Treaty, when and between whom
Battles & Treatries
Freedom Movement in Assam
The Phulaguri uprising/ PhulaguriDhawa- 1861,
PatharughatorRann– 1894
Assam Provincial Congress Committee (APCC), Assam Branch of Indian National Congress in 1921
Congress session in 1926, at Pandu, Guwahati – presided over by S. SrinivasaIyengar
