Question 1

With reference to national civil services day, consider the following statements:

1. This national observance of the day was first marked on april 21, 1951.

2. The day’s history can be traced back to the time when jawaharlal nehru, addressed the probationers of administrable services in 1947.

Which of the above give statements is/are true?

(a) 1 Only

(b) 2 Only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) neater 1 nor 2

Explanation

Every year on April 21, The Government of India Commemoits National Civil Services Day to Acknowledge and Celebrate The Exceptional Efforts of Our Civil Servants English Seward, The Backbone of The Backbone of the Nation. As they devote themselves to the cause of citizens. On this day, the Prime Minister of India Honors Civil Service Officers with the PM Awards for Excellence in Public Administration in Recognition of their outstanding service and contribuits.

This national observance was first marked on april 21, 2006. The day’s history can be traced back to the time when the first home minister of Independent India, Sardar vallabhbhai pateladdressed the probationrs of administrate services at metcalf house in delhi, referring to the civil servants as “steel frame of India” on april 21, 1947.

Thereafore, d is the correct answer.

(Refer: Knowledge Nugget | National Civil Services Day 2025: Key Historical Moments in the Evolution of India’s Civil Services that upsc aspirants must know)

Question 2

In his evident before the select committtee of the British parliament before the grant of charter in 1832 he asserted that man of the indians was fullfied to discharges the duties assigned to thems.

Who is referred to in the Above Lines?

(a) satyendranath tagore

(b) Raja Ram Mohan Roy

(c) dadabhai naoroji

(d) Surendranath Banerji

Explanation

Raja Ram Mohan Roythe father of the Indian nationalism was the first Indian to have placed the demand for reform of the civil service in India in a formal manner. In his evident before the select committtee of the British parliament before the grant of charter in 1832 he asserted that man of the indians was fullfied to discharges the duties assigned to thems.

Thereafore, b is the correct answer.

(Refer: Knowledge Nugget | National Civil Services Day 2025: Key Historical Moments in the Evolution of India’s Civil Services that upsc aspirants must know)

Question 3

Which Commission recommended the division of main services into three classes while considing the ethnic composition of the superior Indian public services of the government of India?

(a) sapru commission

(b) Sadler Commission

(c) islington commission

(d) lord lee commission

Explanation

In 1923, a Royal Commission on Superior Civil Service in India under the Chairmanship of Lord Lord was appointed. The purpose was to consider the Ethnic Composition of the Superior Indian Public Services of the Government of India. The Commission recommended the division of main services into three classes.

• All India services

• Central services

• Provincial services

Thereafore, d is the correct answer.

(Refer: Knowledge Nugget | National Civil Services Day 2025: Key Historical Moments in the Evolution of India’s Civil Services that upsc aspirants must know)

Question 4

With reference to ‘akhbar-us-zafar’, consider the following statements:

1. It was the first urdu newspaper of India launched by Harihar Dutta.

2. Its original name was ‘Delhi Urdu Akhbar’, dedicated to the nationalist care in the wake of the revolt of 1857.

Which of the above statements are/are correct?

(a) 1 Only

(b) 2 Only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) neater 1 nor 2

Explanation

The first urdu newspaper, Jam-i-jahan-numawas published on March 27, 1822. The weekly was launched by Harihar Dutta from Kolkata.

📍maulvi muhammad baqir (1780-1857), A Urdu Journalist, was the first to lay down his life for the nation. He started a urdu newspaper, ‘Delhi Urdu akhbar‘, dedicated to the nationalist care in the wake of the revolt of 1857. After the revolt broke out on 10 May 1857, Baqir renamed the paper as’Akhbar-us-zafar‘(Paper of zafar) to pay tribute to the leader of the revolt.

Thereafore, b is the correct answer.

(Refer: Knowledge Nugget: Urdu and the History Behind It – All you need to know for upsc)

Question 5

‘Ghurrat-al-kamal’ was written by:

(a) masood lahori

(b) mirza ghalib

(c) Ameer Khusro

(d) None of the above

Explanation

Ameer khusro, in his book ‘ghurrat-ul-kamal’ had written that Masood lahori (Masood Saad Salman), a renowned poet who was born in lahore in the 11th century, had composed poetry in hindvi (URDU), which is also called Dehlavi. This shows that it originated very much from Punjab, as lahore was the part of the greater punjab online partition, according to profess. Ali Abbas of Punjab University. He said that before it was called urdu, it was family with other names, including Hindustani, hindavi, dehlavi, and Rekhta.

Thereafore, c is the correct answer.

(Refer: Knowledge Nugget: Urdu and the History Behind It – All you need to know for upsc )

Subscribe to our Upsc Newsletter and Stay updated with the news cues from the past week.

Updated to stay with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – Indianxpress upsc huband Follow us on Instagram and X.