UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Autumn of a socialist

Q1. With reference to Nitish Kumar's recent political career, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. He took oath as Chief Minister of Bihar for a record tenth time in November 2025.
  2. In the 2025 Bihar Assembly election the JD(U) won more seats than the BJP within the NDA.
  3. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2026 before relinquishing the office of Chief Minister.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q2. Nitish Kumar entered the Rajya Sabha in 2026 as a representative of Bihar. The members of which body cast the votes that elect a State's representatives to the Rajya Sabha?

  • A. The elected members of the State Legislative Assembly
  • B. All members of both Houses of the State Legislature
  • C. The Lok Sabha members elected from that State
  • D. The members of the State Legislative Council

Q3. With reference to the Samata Party and the Janata Dal (United), consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The Samata Party was founded in 1994 by George Fernandes and Nitish Kumar after a split from the Janata Dal.
  2. George Fernandes became the first president of the Samata Party.
  3. The Janata Dal (United) was constituted in 1994, in the same year as the Samata Party.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q4. When Samrat Choudhary was installed as Bihar's first BJP Chief Minister in April 2026, the oath of office was administered to him by which constitutional functionary?

  • A. The Governor of Bihar
  • B. The Chief Justice of the Patna High Court
  • C. The Speaker of the Bihar Legislative Assembly
  • D. The President of India

Q5. With reference to Samrat Choudhary in comparison with his predecessor Nitish Kumar, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Samrat Choudhary is the first Chief Minister of Bihar belonging to the BJP.
  2. He is the only Other Backward Class (OBC) leader ever to have held the office of Bihar Chief Minister.
  3. Before becoming Chief Minister he held the Home portfolio as a Deputy Chief Minister in the outgoing government.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q6. In the 2025 Bihar Assembly election, which party emerged as the single largest party for the first time in the State's electoral history?

  • A. Bharatiya Janata Party
  • B. Janata Dal (United)
  • C. Rashtriya Janata Dal
  • D. Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas)

Q7. In the BJP-led Bihar government formed after Nitish Kumar's exit, which leader was named Deputy Chief Minister alongside Samrat Choudhary?

  • A. Vijay Kumar Sinha
  • B. Sanjay Kumar Jha
  • C. Chirag Paswan
  • D. Tejashwi Yadav

Q8. According to the Bihar caste survey cited in the 2025 election context, Other Backward Classes and Extremely Backward Classes together account for approximately what share of the State's population?

  • A. About 36%
  • B. About 50%
  • C. About 63%
  • D. About 75%

Q9. The election to the Rajya Sabha through which Nitish Kumar reached the Upper House in 2026 is conducted by which authority?

  • A. The Election Commission of India
  • B. The Rajya Sabha Secretariat
  • C. The Bihar Legislative Assembly Secretariat
  • D. The Governor of the State

Q10. The composition of the Rajya Sabha and the representation of States in it — the route by which a regional leader like Nitish Kumar shifted from State to Union politics — is laid down under which Article of the Constitution?

  • A. Article 80
  • B. Article 79
  • C. Article 81
  • D. Article 75

Q11. In the context of the 2025 Bihar Assembly election results, the term 'Mahagathbandhan' refers to:

  • A. The RJD-led opposition alliance
  • B. The BJP–JD(U)-led ruling coalition
  • C. The alliance fronted by the Jan Suraaj Party
  • D. The bloc of members nominated to the Legislative Council
  • NRAA-Funded Wild Rice Conservation Project Secures Major Milestone in Assam
    NRAA-Funded Wild Rice Conservation Project Secures Major Milestone in Assam

    The notification of Borjuli site in Sonitpur, Assam as a Biodiversity Heritage Site under an NRAA-funded wild rice conservation project is a named, verifiable fact. Biodiversity Heritage Sites and wild crop genetic resource conservation are tested Prelims topics.

  • India Advances Global Green Hydrogen Leadership under National Green Hydrogen Mission

    Under the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM), a landmark commercial deal for green ammonia and methanol export to Japan (IHI Corporation named) is a concrete outcome. India's green hydrogen ambitions and NGHM are recurring Prelims themes; this adds a factual export-deal hook.

  • NITI Aayog launches report on "Strategic Roadmap for Making Ayurveda Global"
    NITI Aayog launches report on "Strategic Roadmap for Making Ayurveda Global"

    A named NITI Aayog report on Ayurveda's global expansion is testable as a policy document. NITI Aayog reports, AYUSH sector initiatives, and traditional medicine diplomacy are recurring Prelims themes; the report's launch date and authoring body are clean factual hooks.

  • INDIAN NAVAL SHIP TRIKAND RESPONDS TO PIRACY ATTEMPT ON MV GOLDEN ARSENAL IN THE GULF OF ADEN

    A named Indian Navy anti-piracy operation with specific ship (INS Trikand — identified as a stealth frigate), vessel flag state (St. Vincent and the Grenadines), and location (Gulf of Aden) offers testable facts. India's maritime security operations are plausible Prelims hooks but appear occasionally, not frequently.

  • Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan launches nationwide ‘Viksit Bharat – G-Ram G Act’ from Andhra Pradesh with Chief Minister Shri Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Shri Pawan Kalyan

    A newly named nationwide scheme launched by the Rural Development ministry that explicitly positions itself as moving 'beyond MGNREGA' is potentially testable. However, the excerpt lacks concrete numbers or statutory grounding, keeping it at 3 rather than 4.

  • MANAS: A Digital Shield Against Drugs

    MANAS is a named government digital initiative (national narcotics helpline) with a specific mandate under Nasha Mukt Bharat. Named government portals/helplines with specific functions are tested in Prelims, though this release is a backgrounder without new launch data.

  • VB-G RAM G Act comes into force across the country from today; “A historic day for rural India”: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

    The VB-G RAM G Act (likely a renamed/revised MGNREGA or rural employment guarantee framework) came into force across India from July 1, 2026. Key facts: national launch in Tirupati on July 2; revised wage rates notified with no daily wage below ₹300; national average wage increased by over 10%. A new central Act coming into force with specific wage figures is high-priority Prelims material.

  • India Achieves Major Milestone with Approval of Country’s First PinS Instrument Approach Procedure for Helicopter Operations

    DGCA approved India's first Private Point-in-Space (PinS) Instrument Approach Procedure for helicopter operations, implemented at Undavalli Heliport (developed by AAI). This is a named first in Indian aviation with a specific location and implementing body — classic Prelims material for science/tech and aviation sections.

  • 11 Years of Digital India: Better Healthcare & Digital Markets Making Lives Easier

    This release contains high-quality testable data: Greece is named as the 10th country to adopt UPI; every second real-time digital transaction globally is processed via India's UPI; 13 lakh Anganwadi workers connected via Poshan Tracker covering 9 crore beneficiaries. Multiple concrete facts that are prime Prelims material.

  • India, EU Advance Cooperation on Sustainable Ship Recycling; Three Indian Yards Ready for EU Recognition

    India has a 35.4% global market share in sustainable ship recycling. Three Indian ship-recycling yards are ready for EU recognition. India committed $8 billion to strengthen shipbuilding and recycling, with a target of recycling 16,000 ships. These are specific, verifiable figures in a sector where India leads globally — strong Prelims material on maritime/shipping sector.

  • GAGAN: Navigating India’s Skies with Precision

    Detailed backgrounder on GAGAN (GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation), India's Satellite-Based Augmentation System developed jointly by ISRO and Airports Authority of India (AAI). It enhances GPS accuracy for aviation, is certified to international standards, and supports satellite-based landing approaches. GAGAN is a recurring Prelims topic and this backgrounder consolidates key testable facts about its developers, purpose, and certification status.

  • The Hindu

    Latest PIB

    Latest from The Hindu

    Explore