WBPSC Clerkship 2024: West Bengal and General Knowledge Mixed Quiz (Round 2)
A little practice. A step forward.
20 mixed questions on West Bengal, history, geography, the Constitution and everyday science for WBPSC Clerkship 2024 Part-I General Studies.
1 July is the birth and death anniversary of Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy. Which national day is observed on it?
Bidhan Chandra Roy was a physician and Chief Minister of West Bengal. He was born and died on 1 July, so the day is National Doctors' Day. Teachers' Day is 5 September, Youth Day 12 January and Science Day 28 February.
- B. C. Roy: born 1 July 1882, died 1 July 1962
- Awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1961
- Teachers' Day is 5 September
- Q1
In which year was the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (the toy train) was inscribed in 1999, the first railway in India to get this recognition. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway (2005) and the Kalka-Shimla Railway (2008) were added later.
- 1999: Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
- Nilgiri: 2005, Kalka-Shimla: 2008
- Runs from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling
| Railway | Year of recognition |
|---|---|
| Darjeeling Himalayan Railway | 1999 |
| Nilgiri Mountain Railway | 2005 |
| Kalka-Shimla Railway | 2008 |
The Sundarbans is believed to be named after which tree?
The mangrove forest has many Sundari trees (Heritiera fomes), so the name 'Sundarban' is believed to come from it. Garan, Gewa and Keora are also Sundarbans mangroves, but Sundari is taken as the source of the name.
- Lies in the Ganga-Brahmaputra delta
- One of the largest mangrove forests in the world
- Home of the Royal Bengal Tiger
- গরান, গেওয়া, কেওড়াও এখানকার গাছ, কিন্তু নামের উৎস সুন্দরী
- সুন্দরবন = সুন্দরী গাছের বন
Which is the state flower of West Bengal?
Shiuli (night jasmine, Parijat) is the state flower of West Bengal. It blooms in autumn and is linked with Durga Puja. The lotus is the national flower, not the state flower.
- State flower: Shiuli
- State animal: Fishing cat
- State bird: White-throated kingfisher
- State tree: Chhatim
- The lotus is the national flower, not the state flower
- Autumn bloom, autumn festival: Shiuli
| Symbol | West Bengal |
|---|---|
| State flower | Shiuli |
| State animal | Fishing cat |
| State bird | White-throated kingfisher |
| State tree | Chhatim |
In which year was the capital of British India shifted from Calcutta to Delhi (announced)?
At the 1911 Delhi Durbar King George V announced the shift; it took effect in 1912 and New Delhi was inaugurated in 1931. 1905 was the Partition of Bengal, so it is the tempting wrong option.
- Announced: 1911 (Delhi Durbar)
- Effective: 1912
- New Delhi inaugurated: 1931
- 1905 is the Partition of Bengal; 1911 is the shift of capital
The first Partition of Bengal was carried out under which Viceroy, and in which year?
Lord Curzon divided Bengal on 16 October 1905, citing administrative convenience. It led to the Swadeshi and Boycott movements, and the partition was annulled in 1911. The other options have no link with the partition.
- Effective: 16 October 1905
- Opposed through Swadeshi and Boycott
- Annulled: 1911
Which Constitutional Amendment added the words 'Socialist' and 'Secular' to the Preamble?
The 42nd Amendment (1976) added 'Socialist', 'Secular' and 'Integrity' to the Preamble. It is also called the 'Mini-Constitution'. The 44th Amendment (1978) reversed many 42nd changes but kept these words; the 73rd concerns Panchayati Raj.
- 42nd Amendment: 1976
- Called the Mini-Constitution
- 73rd Amendment: Panchayati Raj
- 44তম সংশোধনী 42তমের অনেক বদল ফেরায়, কিন্তু প্রস্তাবনার শব্দ রেখে দেয়
- The 44th Amendment undid many 42nd changes but kept the Preamble words
Who is the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha?
Under Article 89 the Vice-President of India is the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. The President is part of Parliament but presides over neither House. The Speaker presides over the Lok Sabha.
- Article 89: Vice-President chairs Rajya Sabha
- Lok Sabha is presided over by the Speaker
- Rajya Sabha is a permanent House
The day on which the Constitution of India was adopted is now observed as which day?
The Constituent Assembly adopted the Constitution on 26 November 1949, and since 2015 the day is Constitution Day. It came into force on 26 January 1950, Republic Day. Adoption and commencement are different dates.
- Adopted: 26 November 1949
- In force: 26 January 1950
- Constitution Day observed since 2015
- গৃহীত হওয়া ও কার্যকর হওয়ার তারিখ গুলিয়ে ফেলা
- Adoption (November) and commencement (January) are different dates
In which state is Chilika Lake located?
Chilika is India's largest coastal lagoon, on the Bay of Bengal coast of Odisha. Kolleru (Andhra Pradesh) and Pulicat (Andhra Pradesh–Tamil Nadu border) are also lagoons or lakes, but Chilika is in Odisha.
- Chilika: Odisha, largest lagoon
- Pulicat: Andhra Pradesh–Tamil Nadu border
- Migratory birds visit in winter
- পুলিকট হ্রদ অন্ধ্র ও তামিলনাড়ু দুই রাজ্যের সীমানায়
- Pulicat lies on the border of two states, not Odisha
Which is the highest mountain peak within the territory controlled by India?
Kanchenjunga (about 8,586 m) on the Sikkim–Nepal border is the highest peak in India and third highest in the world. K2 and Nanga Parbat are in areas under Pakistan's control. Nanda Devi (7,816 m) is high but lower.
- Kanchenjunga: about 8,586 m, third in the world
- On the Sikkim–Nepal border
- Visible from Darjeeling
- কে-টু ভারতের নিয়ন্ত্রণে নেই, তাই কাঞ্চনজঙ্ঘা
- K2 is not under Indian control, so Kanchenjunga
The 82°30′ E meridian, the basis of Indian Standard Time, passes near which city?
The 82°30′ E meridian passes near Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh and is the basis of Indian Standard Time, 5 hours 30 minutes ahead of Greenwich. Kolkata and Nagpur are away from this line.
- Standard meridian: 82°30′ E
- IST = GMT + 5:30
- Place: Mirzapur (Uttar Pradesh)
Which gas is commonly used in fire extinguishers?
Carbon dioxide does not burn and is heavier than air, so it blankets the fire and cuts off the oxygen supply. Oxygen feeds a fire and hydrogen is itself flammable. Nitrogen is also non-flammable, but CO2 is the common choice in ordinary extinguishers.
- CO2: non-flammable, heavier than air
- Fire needs fuel, oxygen and heat
- Cutting off oxygen puts the fire out
What is the SI unit of force?
The SI unit of force is the newton (N): 1 N is the force that gives a 1 kg mass an acceleration of 1 m/s². The joule is for work or energy, the watt for power and the pascal for pressure.
- Force: newton
- Work/energy: joule
- Power: watt
- Pressure: pascal
- Joule, watt and pascal measure work, power and pressure, not force
- Newton's laws of motion: force = newton
| Quantity | SI unit | Symbol |
|---|---|---|
| Force | newton | N |
| Work / energy | joule | J |
| Power | watt | W |
| Pressure | pascal | Pa |
Which of the following cannot travel through a vacuum?
Sound is a mechanical wave and needs a medium such as air, water or a solid; a vacuum has none. Light, radio waves and X-rays are electromagnetic waves and travel through a vacuum. That is why astronauts in space talk by radio.
- Sound = mechanical wave, needs a medium
- Light, radio, X-rays = electromagnetic, no medium needed
- Speed of light in vacuum: about 3,00,000 km/s
- যান্ত্রিক তরঙ্গের মাধ্যম লাগে, তড়িৎচুম্বকীয়ের লাগে না
Which blood group is called the 'universal donor'?
O negative red cells carry no A, B or Rh antigen, so the blood can be given to almost anyone. AB positive is the 'universal recipient' because such people can receive blood of every group.
- Universal donor: O negative
- Universal recipient: AB positive
- Blood groups discovered by Karl Landsteiner
- দাতা ও গ্রহীতা গুলিয়ে ফেলা
- O = Giver, AB = Receiver
In which cantonment was Mangal Pandey stationed when he rose against the British in 1857?
On 29 March 1857 sepoy Mangal Pandey of the 34th Native Infantry attacked British officers at Barrackpore (West Bengal) and was hanged on 8 April. Unrest had appeared at Berhampore earlier. The revolt spread from Meerut on 10 May 1857.
- Mangal Pandey: Barrackpore, 29 March 1857
- Meerut revolt: 10 May 1857
- Cause: cartridges of the Enfield rifle
- মিরাটকে সূচনাস্থান ভাবা: মঙ্গল পাণ্ডের ঘটনা তার আগে ব্যারাকপুরে
- First spark at Barrackpore, big blast at Meerut
In which year was the Quit India Movement launched?
On 8 August 1942 the Congress passed the Quit India resolution at Gowalia Tank, Bombay, and Gandhi gave the call 'Do or Die'. The Civil Disobedience Movement (Dandi March) began in 1930 and the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920. 1946 saw the Naval Mutiny and the Cabinet Mission.
- Quit India: 8 August 1942
- Civil Disobedience: 1930
- Non-Cooperation: 1920
- 20-30-42: Non-Cooperation, Civil Disobedience, Quit India
| Movement | Year |
|---|---|
| Non-Cooperation Movement | 1920 |
| Civil Disobedience (Dandi March) | 1930 |
| Quit India Movement | 1942 |
In which year did Raja Ram Mohan Roy found the Brahmo Samaj?
Ram Mohan Roy founded the Brahmo Sabha (later Brahmo Samaj) in Calcutta in 1828. He had formed the Atmiya Sabha in 1815. Dayananda Saraswati founded the Arya Samaj in 1875.
- Brahmo Samaj: 1828, Ram Mohan Roy
- Atmiya Sabha: 1815
- Arya Samaj: 1875, Dayananda Saraswati
- রামমোহনের ব্রাহ্ম সমাজ (1828) আর দয়ানন্দের আর্য সমাজ (1875) আলাদা
- Ram Mohan's Brahmo Samaj (1828) and Dayananda's Arya Samaj (1875) are different bodies
When was independent India's first general election held?
The first Lok Sabha election ran from October 1951 to February 1952. The first Chief Election Commissioner was Sukumar Sen. The Constitution came into force in 1950 without an election, and the second general election was in 1957.
- First general election: 1951-52
- First CEC: Sukumar Sen
- Second general election: 1957
📊 Topic Analysis
20 mixed questions on West Bengal, history, geography, the Constitution and everyday science for WBPSC Clerkship 2024 Part-I General Studies.
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