General Knowledge

PEPSU (Patiala and East Punjab States Union) was merged with Punjab in 1956 as part of the States Reorganisation Act. This reorganization of state boundaries along linguistic lines was implemented in November 1956. The other options (1950, 1954, 1955) are close but incorrect dates.

Punjab has 7 seats in the Rajya Sabha as of 2012. Rajya Sabha seats are allocated based on population, and smaller states like Punjab have fewer representatives compared to larger states. The other options (6, 8, 9) are incorrect numbers.

The Punjab Vidhan Sabha had 117 seats in 2012. This is the legislative assembly of Punjab state. The number of seats can change with delimitation exercises, but 117 was the correct count at that time. Options 114, 115, and 116 are incorrect.

Punjab has 13 Lok Sabha seats as of 2012. Lok Sabha seats are allocated to states based on population, with each seat representing a specific geographic constituency. Punjab's 13 seats reflect its population size relative to other states.

The High Court of Punjab and Haryana is located in Chandigarh, which serves as the capital for both states. This common high court was established after the reorganization of Punjab in 1966. The other cities (Patiala, Amritsar, Bathinda) are important in Punjab but do not house the high court.

Gopi Chand Bhargava was the first Chief Minister of Punjab, serving from 1947-1949 and again in 1964 and 1968-1969. He became CM after independence when Punjab was created as a state. Partap Singh Kairon was a later prominent CM (serving three separate terms), while Bhim Sen Sachar and Giani Zail Singh served later.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was founded in 1980. It emerged from the earlier Jana Sangh and was established as a separate political party after the Janata Party coalition dissolved. The party has since grown to become one of India's major political forces. 1985, 1975, and 1970 are not the correct founding years.

SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) was formed in 1985 to promote economic and regional integration among South Asian nations. The organization includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, and later Afghanistan. 1983, 1984, and 1982 are incorrect years.

Chandulal Madhaval Trivedi was the first Governor of Punjab, serving from 1947-1949 after independence when Punjab became a state. Governors are appointed by the President of India to serve as constitutional heads of states. The other options listed were governors of different states or served in different capacities.

Gopi Chand Bhargava served as Chief Minister of Punjab three separate times (1947-1949, 1964, and 1968-1969), making him the only CM in the options to achieve this distinction. He was Punjab's first CM and returned to office in subsequent decades. Ram Krishan, Beant Singh, and Darbara Singh did not serve three terms.

Clement Attlee was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom when India gained independence in August 1947. Attlee's Labour government (1945-1951) oversaw the decolonization process, including the transfer of power to India and Pakistan. Winston Churchill was the wartime PM earlier, while Walpole and Harold Wilson are incorrect for 1947.

Indian National Congress was founded in 1885, making it India's oldest surviving political party. The BJP was formed in 1980, Communist Party of India in 1925, and Muslim League in 1906 (though active in Pakistan after partition).

Rajasthan is India's largest state by area, covering 342,239 square kilometers. It's known for its Thar Desert. Madhya Pradesh was the largest before reorganization of states in 2000.

The Shimla Agreement (or Simla Agreement) was signed between Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Pakistani President Z.A. Bhutto on July 2, 1972, after the 1971 India-Pakistan war. It aimed to normalize relations and resolve disputes bilaterally.

Goa is India's smallest state by area, covering only 3,702 square kilometers. It was a Portuguese colony until 1961. Among the options, all others are northeastern states larger than Goa.

Rajiv Gandhi received Bharat Ratna in 1991 at age 46, but this was posthumous. However, this fact is frequently cited in competitive exams. Indira Gandhi (1971) and Mother Teresa (1980) were older at the time of award. The claim of 'youngest' in this context is technically disputed.

According to the 2011 census, Uttar Pradesh had the highest population of about 199.8 million people. It remains India's most populous state. Bihar was second with approximately 104 million.

According to the 2011 census, Sikkim had the lowest population among Indian states with approximately 607,688 people. Sikkim became the 22nd state of India in 1975 and is the second-smallest state by population after some union territories.

Uttar Pradesh has the maximum number of districts (75 as of recent data). Large states like Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have many districts for administrative purposes. District numbers change with reorganization.

Goa has only 2 districts (North Goa and South Goa), making it the state with the least number of districts. Mizoram and Tripura have more districts despite being smaller in area.