Prep for UPSC 2025 with these 40 must-know GK questions and answers

UPSC GK Questions 2025: The UPSC exam is one of the toughest in India. Success requires a strong grasp of history, geography, politics, economics, environment, and current affairs. Read 40 important UPSC GS questions and answers here.

UPSC GK Questions 2025: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam is one of the most prestigious in India, with millions of candidates vying for top positions like IAS, IPS, and IFS every year. The UPSC CSE (Civil Services Examination) Prelims is considered crucial. The General Studies (GS Paper 1) of the UPSC Prelims covers various subjects, including history, geography, politics (polity), economics, environment, and current affairs. This exam not only tests the depth of your knowledge but also assesses your understanding of facts. If you are preparing for UPSC GS, the 40 most important questions and answers provided here can be a solid step towards your success. These questions are based on previous years' UPSC trends, latest current affairs, and potential topics. Read these questions carefully, revise them repeatedly, and see how your confidence and score both improve.

History GK

Question 1: What was the immediate cause of the 1857 revolt?

a) British policies

b) Death of Peshwa

c) Cartridges in Enfield rifles

d) Nana Sahib's opposition

Answer: c) Cartridges in Enfield rifles

Question 2: In which year was the Gandhi-Irwin Pact signed?

a) 1930

b) 1931

c) 1929

d) 1932

Answer: b) 1931

Question 3: Who founded the Swaraj Party?

a) Mahatma Gandhi

b) Motilal Nehru and C.R. Das

c) Bal Gangadhar Tilak

d) Rabindranath Tagore

Answer: b) Motilal Nehru and C.R. Das

Question 4: Who was the first Indian to pass the ICS exam?

a) Satyendra Nath Tagore

b) Rabindranath Tagore

c) Gopal Krishna Gokhale

d) Surendranath Banerjee

Answer: a) Satyendra Nath Tagore

Question 5: In which year was the Indian Constituent Assembly formed?

a) 1948

b) 1946

c) 1950

d) 1947

Answer: b) 1946

Geography GK

Question 6: What is black soil known as in India?

a) Alluvial soil

b) Regur soil

c) Laterite soil

d) Yellow soil

Answer: b) Regur soil

Question 7: What are Tropical Deciduous Forests called?

a) Monsoon forests

b) Coniferous forests

c) Savanna forests

d) Arctic forests

Answer: a) Monsoon forests

Question 8: Which is the longest river in India?

a) Godavari

b) Yamuna

c) Brahmaputra

d) Ganga

Answer: d) Ganga

Question 9: Where are the Nilgiri hills located?

a) Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala

b) Assam

c) Punjab

d) Rajasthan

Answer: a) Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala

Question 10: The Cauvery water dispute is between which states?

a) Tamil Nadu and Karnataka

b) Maharashtra and Goa

c) Andhra Pradesh and Telangana

d) Odisha and Jharkhand

Answer: a) Tamil Nadu and Karnataka

Polity GK

Question 11: Which words were added to the Preamble of the Indian Constitution by the 42nd Amendment?

a) Secular and Republic

b) Socialist, Secular, and Integrity

c) Justice and Liberty

d) Liberty and Equality

Answer: b) Socialist, Secular, and Integrity

Question 12: Who is the constitutional head of India?

a) President

b) Prime Minister

c) Vice President

d) Parliament

Answer: a) President

Question 13: Which committee recommended the Panchayati Raj system?

a) Balwant Rai Mehta Committee

b) Ashok Mehta Committee

c) Sarkaria Commission

d) Kasturirangan Committee

Answer: a) Balwant Rai Mehta Committee

Question 14: Who appoints the Governor?

a) President

b) Prime Minister

c) Chief Minister

d) Supreme Court

Answer: a) President

Question 15: Which part of the Constitution deals with Fundamental Rights?

a) Part III

b) Part IV

c) Part II

d) Part V

Answer: a) Part III

Economy GK

Question 16: Which is the central bank of India?

a) Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

b) SBI

c) NABARD

d) ICICI

Answer: a) Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

Question 17: What is the full form of GDP?

a) General Development Project

b) Gross Development Programme

c) Gross Domestic Product

d) Gross Demand Production

Answer: c) Gross Domestic Product

Question 18: By whom was the Planning Commission of India replaced?

a) Economic Commission

b) NITI Aayog

c) Finance Commission

d) Public Service Commission

Answer: b) NITI Aayog

Question 19: When was GST implemented in India?

a) 1 July 2017

b) 15 August 2016

c) 1 January 2016

d) 1 April 2018

Answer: a) 1 July 2017

Question 20: What is the meaning of FDI?

a) Foreign Direct Investment

b) Fiscal Development Index

c) Federal Department of Investment

d) Financial Domestic Investment

Answer: a) Foreign Direct Investment

Environment & Science GK

Question 21: What was the Chipko movement related to?

a) Protection of forests

b) Water resources

c) Mining

d) Pollution

Answer: a) Protection of forests

Question 22: Which gas protects the ozone layer?

a) O₃

b) CO₂

c) CH₄

d) H₂O

Answer: a) O₃

Question 23: When was the Paris Agreement on climate change signed?

a) 2015

b) 2016

c) 2012

d) 2010

Answer: a) 2015

Question 24: What is the Indian government's scheme to promote electric vehicles?

a) FAME

b) MAKE

c) UDAY

d) AMRUT

Answer: a) FAME

Question 25: Which organization releases reports on climate change?

a) IPCC

b) IMF

c) WHO

d) WTO

Answer: a) IPCC

Current Affairs (Based on 2024-25)

Question 26: What is the objective of ISRO's Aditya L1 mission?

a) Monitoring Earth's climate

b) Sending a rover to Mars

c) Landing on the Moon

d) Studying the Sun

Answer: d) Studying the Sun

Question 27: In which Indian city was the G20 Summit 2023 held?

a) New Delhi

b) Mumbai

c) Bengaluru

d) Hyderabad

Answer: a) New Delhi

Question 28: When was India's new Parliament building inaugurated?

a) May 2023

b) August 2022

c) January 2024

d) April 2025

Answer: a) May 2023

Question 29: Which Indian athlete won gold at the Paris Olympics 2024?

a) Neeraj Chopra

b) PV Sindhu

c) Bajrang Punia

d) None

Answer: d) None

Question 30: Who started 'Navodaya Vidyalaya'?

a) Rajiv Gandhi

b) Indira Gandhi

c) Atal Bihari Vajpayee

d) Lal Bahadur Shastri

Answer: a) Rajiv Gandhi

Top 10 Special Day Based Current Affairs Questions and Answers (2025)

Question 31: When is World Population Day celebrated?

Answer: July 11

Question 32: When is National Doctor's Day celebrated in India?

Answer: July 1

Question 33: On which date is World Earth Day celebrated?

Answer: April 22

Question 34: Why is National Science Day celebrated?

Answer: In commemoration of the discovery of the Raman Effect by C.V. Raman, on February 28

Question 35: When is World Water Day celebrated?

Answer: March 22

Question 36: When is National Youth Day celebrated and why?

Answer: January 12, in commemoration of Swami Vivekananda's birth anniversary

Question 37: When is World Book Day celebrated?

Answer: April 23

Question 38: When is International Labour Day celebrated?

Answer: May 1

Question 39: Why and when is National Technology Day celebrated?

Answer: May 11, in commemoration of the success of the Pokhran nuclear tests (1998)

Question 40: When is International Mother Language Day celebrated?

Answer: February 21