UPSC CSE Prelims
National Awards Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
Practice solved questions for National Awards with detailed step-by-step solutions, key insights, and trend analysis for UPSC CSE PRELIMS.
Solved Previous Year Questions
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Who amongst the following are members of the Jury to select the recipient of 'Gandhi Peace Prize'?
I. The President of India
II. The Prime Minister of India
III. The Chief Justice of India
IV. The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Detailed Explanation:
Statement I — Incorrect. The President of India is NOT a member of the Jury.
Statement II — Correct. The Prime Minister of India is the Chairperson of the Jury.
Statement III — Correct. The Chief Justice of India (or a Supreme Court judge nominated by CJI) is a Jury member.
Statement IV — Correct. The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha (or leader of the largest opposition party) is a Jury member.
So only PM, CJI, and Leader of Opposition are on the Jury — President is NOT.
Gandhi Peace Prize
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Instituted | 1995, on Mahatma Gandhi's 125th birth anniversary |
| Given by | Government of India |
| Awarded for | Social, economic, and political transformation through non-violence and Gandhian methods |
| Jury Chairperson | Prime Minister of India |
| Jury Members | CJI (or nominated SC judge), Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, two other eminent persons |
| Eligible recipients | Individuals/organizations, irrespective of nationality, race, language, caste, creed, sex |
| Prize details | ₹1 crore + citation + plaque |
Consider the following pairs with regard to sports awards:
- Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award : For the most Spectacular and outstanding performance by a sportsperson over period of last four years
- Arujna Award : For the lifetime achievement by a sportsperson
- Dronacharya Award: To honour eminent coaches who have successfully trained sportspersons or teams
- Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar : To recognize the contribution made by sportspersons even after their retirement
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 2 — Only two
The question asks to identify correctly matched pairs of sports awards with their descriptions. Out of the four pairs given, only Pair 1 (Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award) and Pair 3 (Dronacharya Award) are correctly matched, making the correct answer 'Only two'.
✅ Pair 1 – Correct: Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award is indeed given for the most spectacular and outstanding performance by a sportsperson over a period of the last four years.
❌ Pair 2 – Incorrect: Arjuna Award is given for outstanding performance over the previous four years (not lifetime achievement); the Dhyan Chand Award is given for lifetime achievement in sports.
✅ Pair 3 – Correct: Dronacharya Award is correctly described as an award to honour eminent coaches who have successfully trained sportspersons or teams.
❌ Pair 4 – Incorrect: Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar is given to corporate entities, NGOs, and sports bodies for sports promotion and development (not to individual sportspersons after retirement).
📝 Short Notes: National Sports Awards of India
| Award Name | Purpose | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award | Highest sporting honour of India | For spectacular and outstanding performance over the last 4 years; formerly known as Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award |
| Arjuna Award | Outstanding performance in sports | For good performance over 4 years with leadership, sportsmanship and discipline |
| Dronacharya Award | Excellence in coaching | For coaches who have successfully trained sportspersons to excel in international events |
| Dhyan Chand Award | Lifetime achievement in sports | For sportspersons who have contributed during their career and continue promoting sports after retirement |
| Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar | Sports promotion and development | Given to corporate entities, NGOs, and sports bodies for visible role in sports promotion |
| Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy | University sports excellence | For overall top performing university in inter-university tournaments |
Consider the following statements in respect of Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards:
- Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards are titles under the Article 18(1) of the Constitution of India.
- Padma Awards, which were instituted in the year 1954, were suspended only once.
- The number of Bharat Ratna Awards is restricted to a maximum of five in a particular year.
Which of the above statements are not correct?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 4 — 1, 2 and 3
The question asks to identify statements that are not correct. All three statements contain inaccuracies regarding Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards. Statement 1 incorrectly classifies these awards as titles under Article 18(1), Statement 2 incorrectly mentions a single suspension, and Statement 3 incorrectly states a maximum limit of five awards.
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards are not titles under Article 18(1) of the Constitution; they are civilian honors that do not confer any legal privileges or status, as clarified by judicial interpretation.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: Padma Awards were suspended not once but four times—in 1978, 1979, 1993, and 1997—due to various controversies and government decisions.
❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: The general guideline restricts Bharat Ratna to a maximum of three recipients per year, not five; this limit was exceeded in 1999 (four awards) and 2024 (five awards).
📝 Short Notes: Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Constitutional Status | Not titles under Article 18(1); they are civilian honors that do not prevent recipients from using them as suffixes but confer no legal privileges |
| Bharat Ratna | Highest civilian award; instituted in 1954; generally limited to 3 per year (exceeded in 1999 with 4 and 2024 with 5 awards) |
| Padma Awards Categories | Padma Vibhushan (exceptional service), Padma Bhushan (distinguished service), Padma Shri (distinguished service in any field) |
| Institution Year | 1954 (both Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards) |
| Suspensions | Padma Awards suspended in 1978, 1979, 1993, and 1997 |
| Fields Covered | Art, literature, science, public service, sports, medicine, social work, civil service, trade and industry |
| Monetary Grant | Bharat Ratna: No monetary grant; Padma Awards: Carry no monetary grant (only certificate and medallion) |
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Consider the following statements in respect of the Laureus World Sports Award which was instituted in the year 2000:
- American golfer Tiger Woods was the first winner of this award.
- The award was received mostly by ‘Formula One’ players so far.
- Roger Federer received this award maximum number of times compared to others.
Which of the above statements are correct?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 3 — 1 and 3 only
The Laureus World Sports Awards, instituted in 2000, have honored exceptional athletes across various sports. Statement 2 is incorrect because tennis players, not Formula One drivers, have dominated the awards.
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Tiger Woods won the inaugural Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award in 2000 at Monte Carlo, becoming the first-ever recipient of this prestigious honor.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: Tennis players have won the Sportsman of the Year award 11 times (Roger Federer-5, Rafael Nadal-2, Novak Djokovic-4), while Formula One drivers won only 4 times (Michael Schumacher-2, Sebastian Vettel-1, Lewis Hamilton-1), making tennis the dominant sport, not Formula One.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Roger Federer holds the record with five Laureus World Sportsman of the Year awards (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2018), making him the most decorated individual in this category.
📝 Short Notes: Laureus World Sports Awards
- Inception: Established in 2000 by Daimler and Richemont to honor sporting excellence worldwide
- First Ceremony: Held in Monte Carlo, Monaco in 2000
- Main Categories: Sportsman of the Year, Sportswoman of the Year, Team of the Year, Breakthrough of the Year, Comeback of the Year, Sporting Moment of the Year
- Record Holders: Roger Federer (5 Sportsman awards), Serena Williams (5 Sportswoman awards)
- Voting: Winners selected by the Laureus World Sports Academy comprising over 70 legendary athletes
- Indian Winners: Sachin Tendulkar (2011 for Indian cricket team's World Cup win), Vishwanathan Anand (nominated multiple times)
Indira Gandhi Peace Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for 2014, was given to which of the following?
Detailed Explanation:
Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development 2014 was awarded to Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
The award recognized ISRO's Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan) success and contributions to peaceful uses of outer space and international cooperation. The prize included a Rs. 1 Crore cash award, trophy, and citation.
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Common questions about National Awards in UPSC CSE PRELIMS