General Knowledge: Science, History & India

Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian leader, was the first recipient of the Indira Gandhi Award for International Justice and Harmony in 1986. This award was instituted by the Indian government in memory of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to recognize individuals working for peace, justice, and international harmony. Arafat was honored for his efforts in the Palestinian cause and was later awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994.

A.O. Hume, a Scottish civil servant, founded the Indian National Congress in 1885. He envisioned it as a platform for educated Indians to participate in political dialogue and eventually self-governance. While leaders like Dadabhai Naoroji, Mahatma Gandhi, and Annie Besant were influential figures in the Congress, Hume was specifically its founder. The first session was held in Bombay with 72 delegates.

 Lakshmibai national college of Physical education is located at Gwalior

Japan is traditionally called the 'Land of the Rising Sun' because it is one of the first countries to see the sunrise each day due to its location east of the Asian mainland. The name refers to its geographic position relative to China.

The Battle of Haldighati was fought in 1576 between the forces of Mughal Emperor Akbar and Rajput ruler Maharana Pratap. This historical battle is remembered for Pratap's valiant resistance despite being outnumbered.

Nalanda University, an ancient center of Buddhist learning, was located in what is now Bihar. It flourished from the 5th to 12th centuries CE and attracted scholars from across Asia before being destroyed in the 12th century.

Red desert soils have the minimum humus content among the options listed. These soils are found in arid regions with low organic matter due to limited vegetation and high temperatures that accelerate decomposition. Chernozem (black soil) is actually rich in humus.

Penicillin was discovered by Alexander Fleming (note the spelling in option B has an extra 'm' but refers to the same person) in 1928 when he observed that mold prevented bacterial growth in his petri dishes. This revolutionized medicine and earned him the Nobel Prize.

Ringworm is a fungal infection caused by dermatophytes, despite its misleading name. Elephantiasis is caused by parasitic worms, Diphtheria by bacteria, and Pneumonia can be bacterial or viral - none are fungal diseases.

Aryabhatta (476-550 CE) lived during the reign of Chandragupta Vikramaditya of the Gupta Empire. This period is considered the Golden Age of Indian mathematics and astronomy, and Aryabhatta made pioneering contributions to both fields.

Correct Answer: Plants - Rabbit - Tiber

Zeolites (aluminum silicates) are used to remove permanent hardness of water through ion exchange. They effectively remove calcium and magnesium ions that cause hardness. Nitrates and sulfates are additives, not removers, and zeolite treatment is a proven method.

Shehnai, Nadaswaram, and Flute are all wind instruments that require air to produce sound. The Sitar is a string instrument (plucked) with strings and a gourd resonator, making it the only non-wind instrument in the list.

 Zero was invented by an unknown indian.

Ginger is classified as an underground stem (rhizome), not a root, because it has nodes and internodes characteristic of stems. Roots lack nodes, internodes, and buds. This is a key botanical distinction - rhizomes grow horizontally underground but are modified stems.

Buddha delivered his first sermon at Sarnath after attaining enlightenment, known as the 'Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta' (Setting in Motion the Wheel of Dharma). This marked the beginning of his teaching career and the Buddhist sangha. Sarnath is near Varanasi.

Japan experiences the most frequent earthquakes because it sits on multiple tectonic plate boundaries (Pacific, Philippine Sea, Eurasian, and North American plates). About 20% of the world's earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 or greater occur in Japan, making it the most seismically active country among the options.

Pisciculture derives from the Latin word 'pisces' meaning fish, and refers to the controlled breeding, rearing, and harvesting of fish in controlled environments like ponds, tanks, or cages. It is a subset of aquaculture and is distinct from animal husbandry (sheep/cattle rearing) or agriculture (vegetable cultivation).

Ghatsila (also spelled Ghatsila) is indeed home to a major plant of Hindustan Copper Limited, a public sector undertaking under the Government of India. The Hindalco copper plant has been operating there since colonial times and remains one of the key industrial establishments in the region.

The Ashoka Mehta Committee (1977) recommended the strengthening of Panchayati Raj institutions and specifically proposed the establishment of 'Mandal Panchayats' as a two-tier system at the village and mandal levels. This was distinct from the earlier Balwant Rai Mehta Committee's three-tier system.

Prasar Bharati is India's statutory autonomous body established in 1997 to provide autonomy to Doordarshan (national public television broadcaster) and All India Radio (national public radio broadcaster). It was created to free public broadcasting from direct government control and ensure editorial independence.

The atmospheric layers from Earth's surface upward are: Troposphere (0-12km, where weather occurs), Stratosphere (12-50km, contains ozone layer), Ionosphere (part of upper atmosphere, 60km+ where ions are present), and Exosphere (outermost layer, fading into space). Option C presents this correct vertical sequence.

Ghana, a West African nation, was known as the Gold Coast during British colonial rule (1874-1957) due to its significant gold reserves. Tanganyika is now part of Tanzania, Abyssinia was the old name for Ethiopia, and Congo refers to the Democratic Republic of Congo or Republic of Congo.

Iodine is essential for the synthesis of thyroid hormones (T3 and T4). Iodized salt helps prevent iodine deficiency disorders including goiter (enlarged thyroid gland), hypothyroidism, and cretinism in infants. It does not directly improve taste, digestion, or aging.

Correct option is (4).