UPSC GK Questions with Answers: 100 Most Expected Questions 

The Union Public Service Commission exam consists of GK questions. Preparing for the UPSC GK questions will help you get an advantage in the paper.  Below, we have provided you with the most popular and important questions asked in the UPSC exam. These questions will aid your preparation and help you brush up on your knowledge. The questions are from different sections, like English, History, Geography, and current affairs. Read this blog to get a quick grasp of the kind of questions asked.

What are 10 Top GK Questions?

These are the top ten GK questions asked in the UPSC exam:

1. What is the largest democracy in the world by population?
   Answer: India.
   
2. Who was the first woman Prime Minister of India?
   Answer: Indira Gandhi.
   
3. Which is the most populous country in the world?
   Answer: India (as of recent estimates, surpassing China).
   
4. What is the full form of ISRO?
   Answer: Indian Space Research Organisation.
   
5. Which continent is known as the ‘Dark Continent’?
   Answer: Africa.
   
6. What is the chemical symbol for gold?
   Answer: Au.
   
7. Who wrote the Indian national anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana’?
   Answer: Rabindranath Tagore.
   
8. What is the purpose of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?
   Answer: To achieve a better and more sustainable future for all by addressing global challenges like poverty, inequality, and climate change.
   
9. What is the capital of the United States of America?
   Answer: Washington, D.C.
   
10. Which instrument is used to measure atmospheric pressure?
    Answer: Barometer.

UPSC GK Questions in English

These are the top questions in English asked in the USPC exam

1. Which Indian city is known as the ‘Pink City’?
   Answer: Jaipur is known as the ‘Pink City’.
   
2. What is the phenomenon of the glowing of the night sky in polar regions called?
   Answer: Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) or Aurora Australis (Southern Lights).
   
3. Who was the first woman to climb Mount Everest?
   Answer: Junko Tabei from Japan. (The first Indian woman was Bachendri Pal.)
   
4. What is the minimum age to become a member of a Gram Panchayat in India?
   Answer: 21 years.
   
5. Which award is given in India for excellence in sports coaching?
   Answer: The Dronacharya Award.
   
6. What is the name of the ocean located to the east of Africa and west of Australia?
   Answer: The Indian Ocean.
   
7. What is the process of liquid turning into gas called?
   Answer: Vaporization (or Evaporation).
   
8. Who is the author of the book ‘Discovery of India’?
   Answer: Jawaharlal Nehru.
   
9. What is the main objective of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana?
   Answer: Financial inclusion.
   
10. Which gas is commonly used in balloons and airships because it is lighter than air and non‑flammable?
    Answer: Helium.
    

UPSC GK Questions: History

The following are the top history questions asked in the exam

1. During whose reign did the Chinese traveller Xuanzang visit India?
   Answer: The Chinese traveller Xuanzang visited India during the reign of Harshavardhana.
   
2. Who was the founder of the Slave Dynasty in the Delhi Sultanate?
   Answer: The founder of the Slave Dynasty in the Delhi Sultanate was Qutb-ud-din Aibak.
   
3. When did the Non-Cooperation Movement begin in India?
   Answer: The Non‑Cooperation Movement began in India in 1920.
   
4. Who was the last Mughal Emperor?
   Answer: The last Mughal Emperor was Bahadur Shah II (Bahadur Shah Zafar).
   
5. What was the significance of the Charter Act of 1833?
   Answer: The Charter Act of 1833 made the Governor‑General of Bengal the Governor‑General of India and ended the commercial activities of the East India Company.
   
6. Who led the Revolt of 1857 from Kanpur?
   Answer: Nana Sahib led the Revolt of 1857 from Kanpur.
   
7. Which historical site is famous for its rock-cut caves and sculptures of Hindu and Buddhist deities?
   Answer: Ellora Caves are famous for their rock‑cut caves and sculptures of Hindu and Buddhist deities.
   
8. Who founded the Arya Samaj?
   Answer: Swami Dayananda Saraswati founded the Arya Samaj.
   
9. What was the main outcome of the Partition of Bengal in 1905?
   Answer: The main outcome of the Partition of Bengal was a widespread swadeshi and boycott movement against British goods.
   
10. Who wrote the book ‘Hind Swaraj’?
    Answer: Mahatma Gandhi wrote the book ‘Hind Swaraj’.
    

UPSC GK Questions: Geography

 These are the top geography questions asked in the UPSC exam

1. Which is the highest mountain peak in the world?
   Answer: The highest mountain peak in the world is Mount Everest.
   
2. What is the approximate percentage of land area on Earth covered by forests?
   Answer: The approximate percentage of land area on Earth covered by forests is around 31%.
   
3. Which line of latitude is known as the Great Circle?
   Answer: The Equator is known as the Great Circle.
   
4. What is the term for a narrow strip of land connecting two larger landmasses?
   Answer: The term for a narrow strip of land connecting two larger landmasses is an isthmus.
   
5. Which river is known as the ‘Sorrow of Bihar’?
   Answer: The Kosi River is known as the ‘Sorrow of Bihar’.
   
6. What causes the phenomenon of tides?
   Answer: The phenomenon of tides is primarily caused by the gravitational pull of the Moon and the Sun.
   
7. Which type of climate is characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters?
   Answer: The Mediterranean climate is characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters.
   
8. What is the study of lakes and freshwater ecosystems called?
   Answer: The study of lakes and freshwater ecosystems is called Limnology.
   
9. Which is the deepest oceanic trench in the world?
   Answer: The deepest oceanic trench in the world is the Mariana Trench.
   
10. What is the primary reason for the difference in time between different places on Earth?
    Answer: The primary reason is the rotation of the Earth on its axis.

Also Read: UPSC Syllabus 2024: Prelims + Mains ( GS Paper 1,2,3 and 4 )

UPSC GK Questions: Polity

 The UPSC GK questions on polity are as follows:

1. Who presides over the joint sitting of the Parliament of India?
   Answer: The Speaker of the Lok Sabha presides over the joint sitting of the Parliament of India.
   
2. Which part of the Indian Constitution is known as the ‘Soul’ of the Constitution?
   Answer: Article 32, Right to Constitutional Remedies, is known as the ‘Soul’ of the Constitution by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
   
3. How are the members of the Rajya Sabha elected?
   Answer: The members of the Rajya Sabha are elected by the elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of the States by means of proportional representation with the single transferable vote.
   
4. What is the role of the Attorney General of India?
   Answer: The Attorney General of India is the chief legal advisor of the Government of India and its primary lawyer in the Supreme Court.
   
5. Under which article of the Constitution can the President of India declare a National Emergency?
   Answer: The President of India can declare a National Emergency under Article 352.
   
6. What is a Money Bill?
   Answer: A Money Bill is a bill that contains only provisions dealing with taxes, government spending, and other financial matters as specified in Article 110 of the Constitution.
   
7. What is the maximum gap allowed between two sessions of the Parliament?
   Answer: The maximum gap allowed between two sessions of the Parliament is six months.
   
8. Which committee recommended the establishment of the Panchayati Raj system in India?
   Answer: The Balwant Rai Mehta Committee recommended the establishment of the Panchayati Raj system in India.
   
9. What is the concept of ‘Judicial Review’ in the Indian Constitution?
   Answer: Judicial Review is the power of the judiciary to examine the constitutionality of legislative enactments and executive orders of both the Central and State Governments.
   

UPSC GK Questions: Science & Technology

 These are the top science and technology-related questions asked:

1. What is the SI unit of electric current?
   Answer: The SI unit of electric current is the Ampere (A).
   
2. Which planet in our solar system is known for its prominent rings?
   Answer: Saturn is known for its prominent rings.
   
3. What is the main function of ribosomes in a cell?
   Answer: The main function of ribosomes in a cell is protein synthesis.
   
4. What is the process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy?
   Answer: The process is called Photosynthesis.
   
5. Which element is the most abundant in the Earth’s atmosphere?
   Answer: Nitrogen is the most abundant element in the Earth’s atmosphere.
   
6. What is the speed of light in a vacuum?
   Answer: The speed of light in a vacuum is approximately 299,792,458 meters per second.
   
7. Which disease is caused by a deficiency of Vitamin D?
   Answer: Rickets (in children) and Osteomalacia (in adults) are caused by a deficiency of Vitamin D.
   
8. What is the primary component of natural gas?
   Answer: The primary component of natural gas is Methane (CH4).
   
9. Which technology is used in GPS (Global Positioning System)?
   Answer: Satellite technology is used in GPS.
   
10. What is the phenomenon where light bends as it passes from one medium to another?
    Answer: The phenomenon is called Refraction.
    

UPSC GK Questions: Environment & Ecology

These are the top environment and ecology-related questions asked:

1. What is the term for a group of organisms of the same species living in the same area?
   Answer: The term is Population.
   
2. Which layer of the Earth’s atmosphere contains the ozone layer?
   Answer: The Stratosphere contains the ozone layer.
   
3. What is the primary cause of acid rain?
   Answer: The primary cause of acid rain is the emission of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx).
   
4. What is biodiversity?
   Answer: Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth at all its levels, from genes to ecosystems, and the ecological and evolutionary processes that sustain it.
   
5. Which international agreement aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
   Answer: The Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement are key international agreements aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
   
6. What is an ecosystem?
   Answer: An ecosystem is a community of living organisms (biotic) interacting with each other and their physical environment (abiotic) in a specific area.
   
7. What is the term for species that are at high risk of extinction?
   Answer: The term is Endangered species.
   
8. What is the main environmental concern associated with the burning of fossil fuels?
   Answer: The main environmental concern is the release of greenhouse gases, contributing to climate change.
   
9. Which day is observed annually as World Environment Day?
   Answer: World Environment Day is observed annually on June 5th.
   
10. What is the process by which nutrients become concentrated in a body of water, leading to increased growth of algae?
    Answer: The process is called Eutrophication.
    

UPSC GK Questions: Full Forms

 These are the top questions related to full forms:

1. What is the full form of UNESCO?
   Answer: The full form of UNESCO is United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
   
2. What does BIMSTEC stand for?
   Answer: BIMSTEC stands for Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation.
   
3. What is the full form of SEBI?
   Answer: The full form of SEBI is Securities and Exchange Board of India.
   
4. What does NITI Aayog stand for?
   Answer: NITI Aayog stands for National Institution for Transforming India.
   
5. What is the full form of NASA?
   Answer: The full form of NASA is National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
   
6. What does RTI stand for in the Indian context?
   Answer: RTI stands for Right to Information.
   
7. What is the full form of KYC?
   Answer: The full form of KYC is Know Your Customer.
   
8. What does ASEAN stand for?
   Answer: ASEAN stands for Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
   
9. What is the full form of UPI in digital payments?
   Answer: The full form of UPI is Unified Payments Interface.
   
10. What does IMF stand for?
    Answer: IMF stands for International Monetary Fund.
    

UPSC GK Questions: Current Affairs

These are the current affairs questions asked in the UPSC exam:

1. Who is the current President of India?
   Answer: The current President of India is Droupadi Murmu.
   
2. Which country hosted the most recent G20 summit?
   Answer: The country that hosted the G20 summit in 2023 was India. The host for 2024 is Brazil. In 2025, South Africa will host it.
   
3. Who is the current Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)?
   Answer: The current Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Shaktikanta Das.
   
4. Which Indian state recently launched a new scheme for farmers?
   Answer: Karnataka recently launched the ‘Raitha Siri’ scheme for farmers cultivating minor millets.
   
5. What is the name of India’s first solar mission?
   Answer: The name of India’s first solar mission is Aditya-L1.
   
6. Which country is currently hosting a major international sporting event?
   Answer: As of late 2024 / early 2025, focus might be on upcoming events like the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
   
7. What is the name of the indigenously developed COVID-19 vaccine in India?
   Answer: The name of the indigenously developed COVID-19 vaccine in India is COVAXIN.
   
8. Which international organization released a recent report on global economic outlook?
   Answer: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) often releases reports on the global economic outlook.
   
9. Who is the current Chief Justice of India?
   Answer: The current Chief Justice of India is Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud.
   
10. Which city was recently declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
    Answer: Recent additions in 2023 included Santiniketan and the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas in India.
    

Popular UPSC GK Questions and Answers

These are the most popular UPSC GK questions:

1. Which Indian state is known as the ‘Spice Garden of India’?
   Answer: Kerala is known as the ‘Spice Garden of India’.
   
2. Who was the first Indian to receive the Nobel Prize?
   Answer: The first Indian to receive the Nobel Prize was Rabindranath Tagore.
   
3. What is the primary function of red blood cells?
   Answer: The primary function of red blood cells is to transport oxygen from the lungs to the body tissues and carbon dioxide as a waste product, away from the tissues and back to the lungs.
   
4. In which year did the first Five-Year Plan start in India?
   Answer: The first Five-Year Plan started in India in 1951.
   
5. Which famous monument in Delhi was built by Qutb-ud-din Aibak and completed by Iltutmish?
   Answer: The Qutb Minar in Delhi was built by Qutb-ud-din Aibak and completed by Iltutmish.
   
6. What is the smallest planet in our solar system?
   Answer: The smallest planet in our solar system is Mercury.
   
7. Which international body governs international trade?
   Answer: The international body that governs international trade is the World Trade Organization (WTO).
   
8. What is the traditional folk dance form of Punjab?
   Answer: The traditional folk dance form of Punjab is Bhangra.
   
9. Who wrote the epic poem ‘Ramcharitmanas’?
   Answer: Tulsidas wrote the epic poem ‘Ramcharitmanas’.
   
10. Which country is known as the ‘Land of Thousand Lakes’?
    Answer: Finland is known as the ‘Land of Thousand Lakes’.’.

Also Read: Basic General Knowledge for Competitive Exams

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