68th BPSC Prelims 2023 Question Paper
Explore the complete solved question paper for 68th BPSC Prelims 2023 featuring 150 solved questions with bilingual (English & Hindi) explanations, official answer key, and subject weightage breakdown.
The atmosphere is mainly heated by the
Detailed Explanation:
The atmosphere is primarily heated through the greenhouse effect mechanism, not direct solar radiation.
Solar radiation (short-wave) passes through the atmosphere largely unabsorbed and heats the Earth's surface.
The heated surface emits long-wave terrestrial (infrared) radiation, which is absorbed by greenhouse gases (CO₂, water vapor, methane) in the atmosphere, warming it from below.
Reflected solar radiation escapes back to space and does not contribute to atmospheric heating.
This indirect heating process explains why the troposphere is warmest near the surface and cools with altitude.
Towards the end of summer, there are pre-monsoon showers which are a common phenomenon in Kerala and coastal areas of Karnataka. Locally, they are known as
Detailed Explanation:
Mango showers are pre-monsoon rainfall events occurring in Kerala and coastal Karnataka during late summer (April-May), coinciding with mango ripening season.
Blossom showers (also called April/coffee showers) refer to the same phenomenon, named after coffee blossoms in Karnataka.
Norwesters (or Kal Baisakhi) are entirely different—violent thunderstorms in eastern India (West Bengal, Odisha) during pre-monsoon months.
Since the question asks about Kerala and coastal Karnataka specifically, Mango showers is the most accurate local term, making Option 1 correct.
Which of the following statements is true about sugar industry in India?
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Sugar industry is a weight-losing industry because sugarcane loses approximately 90% of its weight during processing; raw material (sugarcane) is bulky and perishable, hence mills are located near cane-growing areas.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Maharashtra has emerged as the leading sugar producer in India, accounting for ~35-40% of national production, followed by Uttar Pradesh.
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: Uttar Pradesh is the second-largest producer of sugar (after Maharashtra), not the largest; it contributes around 20-25% of total production.
Since statements 2 and 3 are correct, the answer is Option 4 (More than one of the above).
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Which of the following river valleys is rich in coal reserves in India?
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Mahanadi River Valley – Correct: Extensive coal reserves in Odisha and Chhattisgarh, including the Talcher and Ib River coalfields.
✅ Damodar River Valley – Correct: Known as the "Ruhr of India", contains major coalfields like Jharia, Raniganj, and Bokaro in Jharkhand and West Bengal.
✅ Son River Valley – Correct: Significant coal deposits in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, including the Sohagpur and Johilla coalfields.
All three river valleys are rich in Gondwana coal reserves, making "More than one of the above" the correct answer.
India's territorial limit extends towards the sea up to how many nautical miles/km from the coast?
Detailed Explanation:
India's territorial waters extend up to 12 nautical miles (approximately 21.9 km) from the baseline of the coast, as defined under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), 1982 and India's Territorial Waters, Continental Shelf, Exclusive Economic Zone and other Maritime Zones Act, 1976.
Within these territorial waters, India exercises complete sovereignty over the sea, seabed, subsoil, and airspace above, similar to its land territory, subject only to the right of innocent passage for foreign vessels.
In which type of climatic region do Uttar Pradesh and Bihar fall as per Koppen's classification scheme?
Detailed Explanation:
Uttar Pradesh and Bihar fall under the Cwg climate type in Köppen's classification scheme.
Cwg denotes tropical wet and dry climate (savanna type) with dry winters (less than 60 mm rainfall in driest month), a hot summer, and the hottest month occurring before the summer solstice (typically May-June before monsoon).
Which one of the following is the world's richest region from a marine biodiversity perspective, comprising 21 islands with estuaries, beaches, forests of the nearshore environment, seagrasses, coral reefs, salt marshes and mangroves?
Detailed Explanation:
Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve is the world's richest marine biodiversity region in India, comprising 21 islands and featuring estuaries, beaches, nearshore forests, seagrasses, coral reefs, salt marshes and mangroves.
It is located between Tamil Nadu coast and Sri Lanka, recognized as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 1989, and hosts over 4,000 species of flora and fauna including endangered dugongs and sea turtles.
Which States of India have a common border with Myanmar?
Detailed Explanation:
Four Indian states share a 1,643 km border with Myanmar: Arunachal Pradesh (160 km), Nagaland (215 km), Manipur (398 km), and Mizoram (510 km).
Tripura borders Bangladesh only, and Assam has no international border with Myanmar despite being geographically close.
The Arctic region and the Antarctica continent are situated near
Detailed Explanation:
Arctic region is located near the North Pole at the northernmost part of Earth, while Antarctica is a continent situated near the South Pole at the southernmost part of Earth.
The Amazon Basin is located in South America near the equator, and the Sahara Desert is in North Africa, both far from the polar regions.
The southern continent broken from Pangae is called
Detailed Explanation:
Gondwanaland was the southern supercontinent that broke away from Pangaea around 200 million years ago, comprising present-day South America, Africa, Antarctica, Australia, and the Indian subcontinent.
Laurasia was the northern counterpart that included North America, Europe, and Asia, while the Pacific Ocean is a water body, not a continental mass.
Which of the following statements is true about troposphere?
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: The troposphere has an average height of 13 km (varies from 8 km at poles to 18 km at equator).
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: The troposphere is the lowest layer of the atmosphere, not the topmost; the exosphere is the outermost layer.
❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: Temperature in the troposphere decreases with height at a rate of approximately 6.5°C per km (normal lapse rate).
Which one of the following is the well-publicized wildlife campaign in the world launched in 1973?
Detailed Explanation:
Project Tiger was launched in 1973 by the Government of India and is the most well-publicized wildlife conservation campaign in the world.
Sunderbans Project and Lion Project (Gir) are important but were launched later and are not as globally recognized as Project Tiger, which became a model for wildlife conservation worldwide.
In the end of its mountainous journey at Attock, the Indus River is joined by which river from Afghanistan?
Detailed Explanation:
At Attock in Pakistan, the Indus River is joined by the Kabul River, which originates in the Hindu Kush mountains of Afghanistan.
The Helmand River flows into the Hamun Lake in Iran-Afghanistan border, the Amu Darya flows northward into the Aral Sea, and neither joins the Indus River.
Which food industry dominates among the agro-based industries in Bihar?
Detailed Explanation:
Cereal-based industries, particularly rice mills and flour mills, dominate the agro-based industrial sector in Bihar.
Bihar is a major producer of rice, wheat, and maize, making cereal processing the most prominent food industry; sugar mills exist but are fewer compared to the extensive network of cereal processing units across the state.
Consider the correct order of the following districts of Bihar as per the ascending decadal population growth (2001-2011).
Detailed Explanation:
Siwan recorded the lowest decadal population growth (2001-2011) at 21.17%, followed by Kishanganj at 30.34%, while Madhepura had the highest growth at 31.12%.
The correct ascending order is Siwan < Kishanganj < Madhepura, making Option 2 the correct answer.
In Bihar, tea gardens were established for the first time in which of the following places?
Detailed Explanation:
Thakurganj in Kishanganj district is the site where tea gardens were established for the first time in Bihar.
The region's agro-climatic conditions, similar to those of Darjeeling and Assam, make it suitable for tea cultivation, leading to the establishment of Bihar's first tea gardens in this area.
Phalgu, a sacred river flowing in Bihar, is formed by the confluence of which of the following rivers?
Detailed Explanation:
The Phalgu River (also known as Niranjana River) is a sacred river in Bihar, particularly significant for Gaya and Bodh Gaya.
It is formed by the confluence of the Mohana River (also called Mohar) and the Lilajan River near Tikari in Gaya district.
The river is known for being mostly dry on the surface with water flowing underground, making it a seasonal and ephemeral river.
With reference to the mineral production in Bihar, consider the following statements:
- Rohtas has the highest deposit of pyrites.
- Limestone is found in Kaimur(Bhabhua), Munger(Monghyr) and Rohtas districts.
- Gold deposits are found in the Jamui district.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Rohtas district has the highest deposits of pyrites in Bihar, primarily found in the Amjhor and Tilothu areas.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Limestone deposits are extensively found in Kaimur (Bhabhua), Munger (Monghyr), and Rohtas districts of Bihar.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Gold deposits are found in the Karmatia-Hutti belt in Jamui district, Bihar.
Since all three statements (1, 2, and 3) are correct, the answer is Option 4 (More than one of the above).
Which of the following is the last railway station of Bihar on the train route from Bhagalpur towards Mirza Cheuki?
Detailed Explanation:
Ammapali Railway Station is the last railway station of Bihar on the train route from Bhagalpur towards Mirza Cheuki.
After Ammapali, the train route enters Jharkhand territory, making it the border station of Bihar on this particular route. Kahalgaon and Pirpainti are earlier stations on this route within Bihar.
Which of the following States of India borders with the maximum number of districts in Bihar?
Detailed Explanation:
Bihar borders five states: West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Nepal (international border).
✅ Uttar Pradesh borders the maximum number of districts in Bihar (17 districts), followed by Jharkhand with 16 districts. Since more than one state borders a significant number of Bihar's districts, the correct answer is Option 4.
Note: West Bengal borders only 3 districts of Bihar (Purnia, Katihar, Kishanganj).
68th BPSC Prelims 2023 Questions Paper - Subject-wise Question Distribution
General Science
29 Qs (19.3%)Current Affairs
28 Qs (18.7%)Bihar Special
24 Qs (16%)Modern History
16 Qs (10.7%)Indian Polity
12 Qs (8%)General Mental Ability
9 Qs (6%)Indian Economy
7 Qs (4.7%)Indian Geography
7 Qs (4.7%)Medieval History
5 Qs (3.3%)Ancient History
5 Qs (3.3%)World Geography
5 Qs (3.3%)Environment & Ecology
3 Qs (2%)68th BPSC Prelims 2023 Question Paper - FAQs & Analysis
Q1 How many total questions were asked in 68th BPSC Prelims 2023?
Q2 What is the subject-wise question breakdown for 68th BPSC Prelims 2023?
- General Science: 29 questions (19.3%)
- Current Affairs: 28 questions (18.7%)
- Bihar Special: 24 questions (16%)
- Modern History: 16 questions (10.7%)
- Indian Polity: 12 questions (8%)
- General Mental Ability: 9 questions (6%)
- Indian Economy: 7 questions (4.7%)
- Indian Geography: 7 questions (4.7%)
- Medieval History: 5 questions (3.3%)
- Ancient History: 5 questions (3.3%)
- World Geography: 5 questions (3.3%)
- Environment & Ecology: 3 questions (2%)