๐ Chapter 09 ยท MCQs ยท Abbreviations & Firsts
Abbreviations, Firsts & Miscellaneous โ Practice MCQs
10 practice questions on abbreviations, firsts in India, city nicknames, and border names for UPSC & PSC exams.
Q1Who was the first Indian to go to space?
- A) Kalpana Chawla
- B) Rakesh Sharma
- C) Sunita Williams
- D) Ravish Malhotra
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Answer: B โ Rakesh Sharma was the first Indian to go to space, travelling aboard the Soviet Soyuz T-11 spacecraft in 1984. When PM Indira Gandhi asked how India looked from space, he replied “Saare Jahan Se Achha.”
Q2Bengaluru is known by which nickname related to the IT industry?
- A) City of Pearls
- B) Pink City
- C) Silicon Valley of India
- D) City of Joy
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Answer: C โ Bengaluru (Bangalore) is known as the “Silicon Valley of India” due to its status as India’s leading IT and technology hub. It is also called the “Garden City” and “IT Capital of India.”
Q3The Radcliffe Line was drawn in 1947 to demarcate the border between India and:
- A) China
- B) Nepal
- C) Pakistan (and later Bangladesh)
- D) Myanmar
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Answer: C โ The Radcliffe Line was drawn by Sir Cyril Radcliffe in 1947 to partition British India into India and Pakistan. It divided Punjab and Bengal, creating the India-Pakistan border (west) and India-East Pakistan/Bangladesh border (east).
Q4What does NITI Aayog stand for?
- A) National Institute for Technology and Innovation
- B) National Institution for Transforming India
- C) National Integration and Technology Institute
- D) New India Technology Initiative
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Answer: B โ NITI Aayog stands for National Institution for Transforming India. It replaced the Planning Commission in 2015 and serves as the government’s premier policy think tank.
Q5Who was India’s first woman Prime Minister?
- A) Pratibha Patil
- B) Indira Gandhi
- C) Sarojini Naidu
- D) Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit
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Answer: B โ Indira Gandhi was India’s first (and so far only) woman Prime Minister. She served as PM from 1966โ1977 and again from 1980 until her assassination in 1984.
Q6The McMahon Line is the de facto border between India and:
- A) Pakistan
- B) China
- C) Nepal
- D) Bhutan
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Answer: B โ The McMahon Line is the de facto border between India and China in the northeast (Arunachal Pradesh). It was drawn by Sir Henry McMahon at the Simla Convention in 1914. China does not accept this line.
Q7Hyderabad is known as the “City of Pearls.” It is also called:
- A) Silicon Valley of India
- B) Cyberabad
- C) Pink City
- D) City of Joy
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Answer: B โ Hyderabad is also called “Cyberabad” due to its large IT industry, particularly in the HITEC City area. It is also known as the “City of Pearls” for its historic pearl trade and the “Nizams’ City.”
Q8India’s first satellite, Aryabhata, was launched in which year?
- A) 1969
- B) 1972
- C) 1975
- D) 1980
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Answer: C โ India’s first satellite, Aryabhata, was launched on 19 April 1975 by the Soviet Union’s Kosmos-3M rocket. It was named after the ancient Indian mathematician and astronomer Aryabhata.
Q9What does QUAD stand for in international relations?
- A) Quadrilateral Alliance of Democracies
- B) Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (USA, India, Japan, Australia)
- C) Quadrant United Alliance of Defence
- D) Quadrilateral Union for Asian Development
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Answer: B โ QUAD stands for Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, comprising the USA, India, Japan, and Australia. It was revived in 2017 and elevated to the leader level in 2021 to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Q10India’s largest state by area is:
- A) Madhya Pradesh
- B) Rajasthan
- C) Maharashtra
- D) Uttar Pradesh
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Answer: B โ Rajasthan is India’s largest state by area (342,239 sq km). It became the largest state after Madhya Pradesh was divided to create Chhattisgarh in 2000. Goa is the smallest state by area.