General Knowledge (Static)

The Pituitary gland is located at the base of the brain, just below the hypothalamus, in a small bony cavity called the sella turcica. It is often called the 'master gland' because it controls other endocrine glands.

Justice K.N. Singh served as the Chief Justice of India for only 18 days in 1991, making it one of the shortest tenures. The Chief Justice of India heads the Supreme Court of India, not any High Court or international court.

The small intestine is the primary site of food digestion and nutrient absorption. While digestion begins in the mouth with salivary amylase, most enzymatic breakdown and absorption (90%) of nutrients occurs in the small intestine with help from pancreatic enzymes and bile.

The Gayatri Mantra is a highly revered Vedic mantra found in the Rig Veda (Mandala 3.62.10). It is dedicated to Savitr, the sun deity, and is considered one of the most important mantras in Hinduism.

India is the world's leading producer and exporter of mica, accounting for a significant portion of global production. Mica is a mineral used extensively in electrical and electronic industries due to its heat-resistant and insulating properties.

The Ajanta cave paintings (c. 2nd century BCE to 480 CE) are associated with the Gupta period, considered the golden age of Indian art. While construction spanned multiple dynasties, the finest paintings were created during Gupta rule. The Pallavas and Chalukyas came later, and Mauryas were too early.

Enzymes are biological catalysts made of proteins. Proteins (D) are the correct building blocks of enzymes. Carbohydrates, fats, and lipids are other important biomolecules but do not form enzymes.

The Four Noble Truths (suffering, its cause, its end, and the path to end it) are the foundational teachings of Buddhism, taught by Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha. These truths form the core of Buddhist philosophy and practice.

The Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army) was formed in 1943 under Subhas Chandra Bose's leadership with Japanese support to fight for India's independence from British rule. 1941 is too early (before Japan entered WWII), and 1946-47 are after the war ended.

India became a Republic on January 26, 1950, when the Constitution of India came into effect, establishing India as a sovereign democratic republic. August 15, 1947 was Independence Day, but the nation was still a dominion under the British Crown until 1950.

Srinivasa Ramanujan (1887-1920) was one of India's greatest mathematicians, known for his extraordinary contributions to mathematical analysis, number theory, infinite series, and continued fractions. He had almost no formal training in pure mathematics but made substantial discoveries.

'The Discovery of India' was written by Jawaharlal Nehru during his imprisonment at Ahmednagar Fort in 1944. It is a comprehensive exploration of India's rich cultural heritage, history, and philosophy, written in a prison cell.

The Vainu Bappu Observatory at Kavalur (Kodaikanal) in Tamil Nadu houses the largest optical telescope in India - a 2.3-meter diameter telescope. Thumba is a rocket launch station, Sriharikota is India's main spaceport, and Koodankulam is a nuclear power plant.

Vishwa Bharati University at Santiniketan was founded by Rabindranath Tagore in 1921 as an experimental institution for arts, humanities, and cultural exchange, emphasizing a synthesis of Indian and world cultures. It became a Central University in 1951.

According to Article 58 of the Indian Constitution, a person must be at least 35 years old to be eligible for election as President of India. For comparison, the minimum age is 30 for Rajya Sabha and 25 for Lok Sabha MPs.

In field hockey, players use a curved stick to hit the ball into the goal. Hockey is India's national game and the country has won 8 Olympic gold medals in men's hockey. Tennis uses rackets, Kabaddi uses no equipment, and Football uses feet.

The Jagannath Temple at Puri in Odisha was constructed in the 12th century (around 1161 AD) by King Chodaganga Deva of the Eastern Ganga dynasty. It is one of the Char Dham pilgrimage sites and famous for its Rath Yatra festival.

The Right to Property was removed from Fundamental Rights by the 44th Constitutional Amendment (1978) and is now a legal right under Article 300A. This means citizens can still approach courts for property violations, but it's no longer a fundamental right.

According to Article 94 of the Constitution, the Lok Sabha Speaker can be removed only by a resolution passed by a majority of all then-members of the Lok Sabha. The Prime Minister, President, and Rajya Sabha do not have the power to remove the Speaker.

In the 1992-93 Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Manmohan Singh, the income tax exemption limit for individual taxpayers was raised from Rs. 22,000 to Rs. 30,000. This was part of the economic liberalization reforms to provide relief to the middle class and stimulate demand.

Sambar Lake, located near Jaipur in Rajasthan, is one of India's largest inland salt lakes. It's a significant wetland ecosystem that attracts thousands of migratory birds during winter and has been designated as a Ramsar site due to its ecological importance.

Sugarcane is a cash crop because it's grown primarily for sale in markets and industrial processing into sugar, jaggery, and ethanol. Cash crops are cultivated for commercial profit rather than direct subsistence. Rice, maize, and sorghum are food crops mainly used for direct consumption or livestock feed.

Iron and steel plants are located near raw material sources (coal, iron ore, limestone, manganese) because these raw materials are extremely heavy and bulky. Transporting them over long distances would be prohibitively expensive, so locating near mines significantly reduces production costs and improves efficiency.

Madras (now Chennai) receives winter rainfall from the Northeast Monsoon, which occurs from October to December. These winds blow from the northeast, pick up moisture from the Bay of Bengal, and release it along the Tamil Nadu coast. The Southwest Monsoon (June-September) bypasses this region due to the Western Ghats.

The fundamental aim of economic planning in India since 1951 has been to provide comprehensive development for the country. This includes balanced regional growth, reducing inequalities, achieving self-reliance, and improving living standards across all sectors and regions. While employment, capital, and per capita income are important, they are means to the larger end of overall national development.