Previous Year Questions 2025: Current Affairs | Current Affairs & General Knowledge - CLAT PDF Download

Passage - 1

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi used a BRICS summit in Russia recently to showcase ambitions for a more harmonious relationship between the world’s two most populous countries after years of animosity.
The meeting between Xi and Modi, who have not held formal talks for five years, was one highlight of a summit. BRICS also gave an opportunity to the Russian President Vladimir Putin  for showcasing that the West had failed to isolate Russia over the Ukraine war.
A final communique listed a number of projects aimed at facilitating trade between BRICS nations - including an alternative payment system to the dollar - but did not include details or timelines.
Just two days after New Delhi announced that it had reached a deal with Beijing to resolve a four-year military stand-off on their disputed Himalayan frontier, Xi told Modi that they should enhance communication and cooperation and effectively manage differences.
BRICS - an idea thought up inside Goldman Sachs two decades ago to describe the growing economic clout of China and other major emerging markets - is now a group that accounts for 45% of the world’s population and 35% of the global economy.
Former Goldman Sachs economist Jim O’Neill, who coined the BRIC term in 2001, told Reuters that he had little optimism for the BRICS club as long as China and India remained so divided.
“It seems to me basically to be a symbolic annual gathering where important emerging countries, particularly noisy ones like Russia, but also China, can basically get together and highlight how good it is to be part of something that doesn’t involve the U.S. and that global governance isn’t good enough,”
The 43-page final communique from the summit ranged from geopolitics and narcotics to artificial intelligence and even the preservation of Big Cats, but lacked detail on some major issues. It mentioned Ukraine just once.  
(Excerpts from “Putin scores a BRICS win with rare Xi and Modi show of harmony” By Vladimir Soldatkin and Guy Faulconbridge , Reuters, October 23, 2024)
Q1: The 16th BRICS achieved the following:
(a) Launch of BRICS currency
(b) De scalation of Russian-Ukrainian conflict
(c) Diplomatic dialogue between India and China
(d) All of the above
Ans: (c)
Xi Jinping and Narendra Modi met at the summit to discuss improving communication and resolving a military stand-off, indicating diplomatic dialogue. No BRICS currency was launched (A), and the Russian-Ukrainian conflict was not de-escalated (B).

Q2: What does the letter “S” in BRICS stand for?
(a) Saudi Arabia
(b) Singapore
(c) South America
(d) South Africa
Ans: (d)
BRICS represents Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, so "S" stands for South Africa.

Q3: The initiative of Big Cats Alliance refers to:
(a) Lions, Tigers and Jaguar 
(b) Tigers, Jaguar and Leopard
(c) Lions, Cheetah and Snow Leopard
(d) All of the above
Ans: (d)
The Big Cats Alliance likely encompasses all major big cat species (lions, tigers, jaguars, leopards, cheetahs, snow leopards), as no specific species are excluded.

Q4: Which statement reflects as a critique from the Western Economists ? 
(a) BRICS currency cannot displace Dollars
(b) Asian economies will not impact western economy
(c) Indo-China conflicts will impact progress of BRICS
(d) All of the above
Ans: (c)
Jim O’Neill critiques BRICS’ progress due to divisions between China and India, aligning with (C). Options (A) and (B) are not mentioned as critiques.

Q5: The emergence of BRICS signals:
(a) Asian consolidation of economic power
(b) Diminishing European dominance 
(c) Revival of Nonaligned movement
(d) A geo-politics without US dominance
Ans: (d)
BRICS serves as a platform for emerging nations to assert influence independent of U.S.-led governance, matching (D).

Q6: Which one of the below is an outcome of 16th BRICS meeting? 
(a)  Proposal to end Russia-Ukraine war
(b)  To expand BRICS by including Scandinavian countries
(c) To recognise China’s claim of Taiwan
(d) Reducing tension between India and China
Ans: (d)
The summit facilitated dialogue and an agreement to ease a military stand-off, reducing tensions. Options (A), (B), and (C) are not supported.

Passage - 2

On the recommendation of Parliament, the President of India effectively abrogated Article 370 of the Indian Constitution and gave assent to the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019. The former state of Jammu & Kashmir has been reorganized as the new Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the new Union Territory of Ladakh on 31st October 2019.
The new Union Territory of Ladakh consists of two districts of Kargil and Leh. The rest of the former State of Jammu and Kashmir is in the new Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir
By 2019, the state government of former Jammu and Kashmir had reorganized the areas of these 14 districts into 28 districts. The names of the new districts are as follows - Kupwara, Bandipur, Ganderbal, Srinagar, Budgam, Pulwama, Shupian, Kulgam, Rajouri, Ramban, Doda, Kishtivar, Samba and Kargil.
Out of these, Kargil district was carved out from the area of Leh and Ladakh district. The Leh district of the new Union Territory of Ladakh has been defined in the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization (Removal of Difficulties) Second Order, 2019, issued by the President of India, to include the areas of the districts of Gilgit, Gilgit Wazarat, Chilhas and Tribal Territory of 1947, in addition to the remaining areas of Leh and Ladakh districts of 1947, after carving out the Kargil District.
[Extracted from the article of Press Information Bureau, published by the Union Home Ministry on 2nd November 2019]
Q7: Which of the following statements regarding Article 370 of the Constitution of India is correct?
(a) It gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir
(b) It created a special tribunal for the state of Jammu and Kashmir on certain occasions
(c) It introduced Goods and Services Tax in Jammu and Kashmir
(d) It confers special jurisdiction on the Supreme Court on matters coming from Jammu & Kashmir
Ans: (a)
Article 370 granted special autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir, revoked in 2019. Options (B), (C), and (D) do not reflect its purpose.

Q8: The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, divided the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir into which of the following?
(a) 2 States
(b) 1 State and 1 Union Territory
(c) 2 Union Territories
(d) 1 State and 2 Union Territories
Ans: (c)
The Act created two Union Territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Q9: Which of the following Union Territories of India has a legislative assembly?
(a) Andaman and Nicobar Islands 
(b) Jammu and Kashmir
(c) Daman and Diu
(d) Lakshadweep
Ans: (b)
Jammu and Kashmir has a legislative assembly, unlike Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Daman and Diu, or Lakshadweep.

Q10: How many States and Union Territories are present in India?
(a) 28 states and 8 Union territories
(b) 27 states and 8 Union territories
(c) 28 states and 7 Union territories
(d) 27 states and 7 Union territories
Ans: (a)
Sol: After the 2019 reorganization, India has 28 states and 8 Union Territories.

Q11: Which among the following is the capital city of the Union Territory of Ladakh? 
(a) Leh
(b) Changtang
(c) Dras
(d) Nubra
Ans: (a)
Leh is the capital of the Union Territory of Ladakh.

Q12: Which of the following is false?
(a) Kargil was formerly a union territory
(b) Ladakh is administered by J&K assembly
(c) Fifteen new districts were formed to be part of J &K in 2019
(d) All of the above
Ans: (d)

• (a) Kargil was never a Union Territory; it was part of Leh and Ladakh.
• (b) Ladakh is a separate Union Territory, not administered by J&K’s assembly.
• (c) 14 districts were reorganized into 28, not 15 new districts.

All options are false, so (d) is correct.

Passage - 3

The “Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam”, 2023 Act received near-unanimous support in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. The legislation mandates the reservation of one-third of all seats in the Lok Sabha, state legislative assemblies, and Delhi (as a union territory with an elected assembly) for women. This linking of the implementation of the Act to the implementing of two long-term exercises of census and delimitation, makes little sense to many, and sounds quite like empowerment delayed for now.
In a 2012 article ‘Holding Up Half the Sky: Reservations for Women in India’, Rudolf C Heredia breaks down the common misconceptions that cloud our understanding of women’s political participation- “When women do attain a national leadership role it is often because they have inherited the mantle from their fathers or husbands, rather than as persons in their own right and are then projected as matriarchs, part of the joint family, complementary to the patriarchy rather than a challenge to it.”
In ‘Equality versus Empowerment: Women in Indian Legislature’, 2023, Soumya Bhowmick makes the case for going a step beyond quotas, and to turn our attention to the complexities that shape women’s agency in the country. This, he argues, would require a bottoms-up approach, rather than merely handing out reservations in a top-down manner. “In a country like India with a considerably large heterogeneous population, the dissemination of legislative power would be insufficient to protect the interests of minority groups such as women, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes.” He concludes that “implementing the idea of reservation for women would bring about descriptive representation, but its transformation into substantive representation would depend on the change in the attitudes of the people.” 
While the reservation of one-third of seats for women belonging to the scheduled castes and tribes under the amendment to article 330a and 332 of the constitution is a welcome step, it remains to be seen whether it fully acknowledges the complex interplay of hierarchies, socio-political relationships which also affect the extent and nature of complications that surround effective realisation of women’s politics for Indian politics to emerge as a truly emancipatory space. 
Q13: The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam 2023:
(a) Will come to force from Jan 2025
(b) Will come to force after all the States and UTs approve it
(c) Will come to force after Census
(d) None of the above
Ans: (c)
The Act’s implementation depends on the census and delimitation, making (C) correct.

Q14: As per Rudolf Heredia women’s political leadership depends upon :
(a) Mentorship of spouse’s political affiliations
(b) Parental guidance
(c) Property inheritance
(d) None of the above 
Ans: (a)
Heredia suggests women often gain leadership through familial ties, such as husbands, aligning with (A).

Q15: According to Soumya Bhowmick the quotas for women should: 
(a) Require a top down model
(b) Fulfill a descriptive representation 
(c) Transform to substantive representation 
(d) To be implemented homogeneously
Ans: (c)
Bhowmick argues quotas provide descriptive representation but require societal change for substantive representation, matching (C).

Q16: The amendment to the Art. 330 (a) & 332 aims to:
(a) Appoint Rajya Sabha members based on cultural diversity
(b) Quota for women Governors
(c) Women sportspersons
(d) None of the above
Ans: (d)
These amendments reserve seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, not for Rajya Sabha members, governors, or sportspersons.

Passage - 4

During the First World War, Indian merchants and industrialists wanted protection against imports of foreign goods, and a rupee-sterling foreign exchange ratio that would discourage imports. To organise business interests, they formed the Indian Industrial and Commercial Congress in 1920 and the Federation of the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FICCI) in 1927. The industrialists attacked colonial control over the Indian economy, and supported the Civil Disobedience Movement when it was first launched. They gave financial assistance and refused to buy or sell imported goods. After the failure of the Round Table Conference, business groups were no longer uniformly enthusiastic. They were apprehensive of the spread of militant activities, and worried about prolonged disruption of business, as well as of the growing influence of socialism amongst the younger members of the Congress.
The industrial working classes did not participate in the Civil Disobedience Movement in large numbers, except in the Nagpur region. As the industrialists came closer to the Congress, workers stayed aloof. But inspite of that, some workers did participate in the Civil Disobedience Movement, selectively adopting some of the ideas of the Gandhian programme, like boycott of foreign goods, as part of their own movements against low wages and poor working conditions. There were strikes by railway workers in 1930 and dockworkers in 1932. In 1930, thousands of workers in Chotanagpur tin mines wore Gandhi caps and participated in protest rallies and boycott campaigns. But the Congress was reluctant to include workers’ demands as part of its programme of struggle. It felt that this would alienate industrialists and divide the anti-imperial forces. 
Another important feature of the Civil Disobedience Movement was the large-scale participation of women. During Gandhiji’s salt march, thousands of women came out of their homes to listen to him. They participated in protest marches, manufactured salt, and picketed foreign cloth and liquor shops. Many went to jail. 
[Excerpt from Chapter II - Nationalism in India, India and the Contemporary World, NCERT]
Q17: Which event in Indian history marked the beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement?
(a) Launch of Non-Cooperation Movement
(b) Commencing of Dandi March
(c) Signing of Gandhi-Irwin Pact
(d) Withdrawal of Non-Cooperation Movement
Ans: (b)
The Dandi Salt March in 1930 launched the Civil Disobedience Movement.

Q18: Which of the following is true in the context of civil disobedience movement?
(a) The Indian industrialist preferred partnership with MNCs
(b) The Indian industrialist were concerned of disruption of business
(c) The working class rejected the civil disobedience movement 
(d) The Round Table Conference was a partial success
Ans: (b)
Industrialists worried about prolonged business disruptions. Other options are incorrect.

Q19: Which of the following was the predicament for Congress?
(a) Danger of division of opposition to the British Government
(b) Loss of faith by marginalised sections in Congress 
(c) Falling value of Rupee against Sterling
(d) None of the above
Ans: (a)
Congress avoided workers’ demands to prevent alienating industrialists and dividing anti-imperial forces.

Q20: Which of the following statements is correct with reference to the Civil Disobedience Movement?
(a) It encouraged militancy among workers 
(b) Breaking of the salt law, manufacturing salt, and demonstrating it in front of government salt factories
(c) It urged the industrialists to accept socialism
(d) All of the above
Ans: (b)
The movement involved breaking the salt law through actions like manufacturing salt.

Q21: Which among the following mass movement was supported by the Indian industrialists?
(a) Home Rule Movement
(b) Civil Disobedience Movement
(c) Non-Cooperation Movement
(d) Quit India Movement
Ans: (b)
Industrialists supported the Civil Disobedience Movement with financial aid and boycotts.

Q22: Which of the following can be considered as major outcome of civil disobedience movement?
(a) A partial support of working class 
(b) Galvanising women in political sphere
(c) Socialistic influence among the Congress cadre 
(d) All of the above
Ans: (b)
Large-scale participation of women was a significant outcome.

​

Passage - 5

In keeping with the slogan for this year’s Olympics, “Games Wide Open,” the opening ceremony took place outside a stadium setting by the river for the first time. In many respects, the Paris Games turned out to be one of the most elaborate cultural rituals since Covid swept across the world beginning in late 2019. Health restrictions forced the organizers of Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022 to sharply limit the scale of the festivities, with events largely closed to the public. Paris 2024, powered in part by pent-up demand for communal experiences, symbolized an international post-pandemic vibe shift.
The International Olympic Committee and French officials managed strict security measures in place. Yet the recent history of violence in France — including the 2015 terror attack in Paris that left 138 people dead and at least 416 injured — stalked public consciousness prior to the games. The geopolitical backdrop for the Paris Games was no less troubling. The war between Israel and Hamas which had crossed the six-month mark, raised fears of a protracted conflict and wider regional instability. The devastation in the Gaza Strip has provoked international outrage, isolating Israel on the global stage. Meanwhile, Russia continues to gain ground in its military offensive against Ukraine as some Western nations worry about the rise of authoritarianism. These international crises raised serious concerns that could come into play during the Games in the form of protests and other political demonstrations.
Nevertheless, Olympics organizers put up a show that stunned the throngs assembled on the boulevards of Paris, not to mention the millions of people who watched the Games unfold on their televisions and mobile devices. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, India secured a total of six medals: one silver and five bronze which was one down from the highest haul of medals from the previous Olympics. Neeraj Chopra earned a silver in men’s javelin with an 89.45 throw, narrowly missing gold to Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem. Shooter Manu Bhaker made history by clinching bronze in the women’s 10’m air pistol, becoming the first Indian woman to win a medal in Olympic shooting. The men’s hockey team achieved a second consecutive bronze, defeating Spain 2-1, with captain Harmanpreet Singh scoring both goals.
(Extracted, with edits and revision, from “The Olympics are nearly here. For a weary world, they can’t come soon enough”, NBCNEWS)
Q23: India won a back-to-back Olympics hockey medal at:
(a) Beijing and Paris
(b) Rio and Beijing 
(c) Beijing and Tokyo
(d) None of the above
Ans: (d)
India’s men’s hockey team won bronze in Paris 2024 and Tokyo 2020, not Beijing or Rio.

Q24. According to the passage, what is the peculiarity of the Paris Olympics, 2024?
(a) It symbolized an international post-pandemic vibe shift
(b) The opening ceremony took place outside a stadium
(c) It is one of the most elaborate cultural rituals since Covid
(d) All of the above
Ans: (d)
The Paris Olympics had an opening ceremony outside a stadium, symbolized a post-pandemic vibe shift, and was an elaborate cultural ritual.

Q25. Which of the following incidents support the argument that “the geopolitical backdrop for the Paris Games is no less troubling”?
(a) Israel-Hamas conflict
(b) The immigrant influx in to Europe
(c) Political stability of French government
(d) All of the above
Ans: (a)
The Israel-Hamas war and Russia’s offensive in Ukraine were cited as troubling geopolitical issues. Options (B) and (C) are not mentioned.

Q26. Which one of the following is true?
(a) Tokyo Olympics was better than Beijing Olympics
(b) Spectators thronged for a post Covid sporting experience
(c) Olympic games are unaffected by conflicts in a region
(d) All of the above
Ans: (b)
The Paris Olympics reflected pent-up demand for communal experiences post-Covid.

Q27. The highest Olympic medal tally for India was at:
(a) Beijing
(b) Rio
(c) London
(d) Tokyo
Ans: (d)
Paris 2024 yielded six medals, one less than the previous Olympics (Tokyo), indicating Tokyo’s higher tally.

Q28. Where is the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, 2024, held? 
(a) Seine River
(b) Versailles Palace 
(c) Eiffel Tower
(d) Arc de Triomphe
Ans: (a)
The opening ceremony occurred by the Seine River.