PPSC General Knowledge Past Paper 2021 Solved MCQs with Answers
Solved General Knowledge MCQs from the PPSC 2021 past paper, each with the correct answer and a clear explanation. Ideal practice for PPSC, FPSC, NTS, CSS and PMS. All questions are extracted from the actual 2021 paper and verified before publication.
The euro currency was launched on which date?
The euro was launched on 1 January 1999 as an accounting currency. Notes and coins entered circulation in 2002.
Constantinople fell into the hands of Muslims in which year?
Constantinople fell to Sultan Mehmed II and the Ottomans in 1453, ending the Byzantine Empire.
When did the Soviet Union invade Afghanistan?
The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan on 24 December 1979.
What is the currency of Israel?
The currency of Israel is the shekel, formally the new Israeli shekel.
The U-2 incident took place in which year?
The U-2 incident occurred in 1960, when an American spy plane flown by Gary Powers was shot down over the Soviet Union.
Where was Maulana Jalal-ud-Din Rumi born?
Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi was born at Balkh, in present-day Afghanistan, in 1207.
By whom was the Mona Lisa painting painted?
Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa, now in the Louvre.
Angela Merkel served as the Chancellor of Germany for how many years?
Angela Merkel served as Chancellor of Germany for sixteen years, from 2005 to 2021.
The World Bank was created in which year?
The World Bank was created in 1944 at the Bretton Woods Conference, alongside the IMF.
The book "Shahrah-e-Pakistan" was written by?
Chaudhry Khaliquzzaman wrote 'Shahrah-e-Pakistan', the Urdu version of his memoir 'Pathway to Pakistan'.
Which civilization first used the underground drainage system?
The Indus Valley Civilisation was the first to use covered underground drainage, seen at Mohenjo-daro and Harappa.
United States presidents were assassinated how many times?
Four United States presidents have been assassinated: Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley and Kennedy.
Christopher Columbus belonged to which country?
Christopher Columbus was born at Genoa in Italy, though he sailed under the Spanish crown.
In the accounting of non-profit organizations, the sale of old newspapers is generally considered as?
In non-profit accounting, the sale of old newspapers is treated as revenue income, since it is a recurring receipt rather than a capital item.
Indira Gandhi imposed emergency in India when?
Indira Gandhi imposed the Emergency in India in 1975, suspending civil liberties until 1977.
KUNA is the official state news agency of which country?
KUNA, the Kuwait News Agency, is the official state news agency of Kuwait.
Cyprus is mainly divided between?
Cyprus is divided between the Greek Cypriot south and the Turkish Cypriot north, split since 1974.
By whom was the Abbasid capital Baghdad, officially called Madinat al-Salam, built?
The Abbasid caliph Abu Ja'far al-Mansur founded Baghdad in 762 AD, naming it Madinat al-Salam, the City of Peace.
Netherlands is also known as?
The Netherlands is also commonly called Holland, though strictly Holland refers to only two of its provinces.
Where was the headquarters of the League of Nations situated?
The League of Nations had its headquarters at Geneva, Switzerland.
Who were the first people to successfully climb Mt. Everest in 1953?
Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay of Nepal made the first successful ascent of Mount Everest on 29 May 1953.
The People's Republic of China was admitted to the UNO when?
The People's Republic of China took China's United Nations seat in 1971, replacing the Republic of China.
Which country did Muammar al-Gaddafi belong to?
Muammar Gaddafi ruled Libya from 1969 until he was overthrown and killed in 2011.
Where is Al-Azhar University, one of the world's oldest universities, located?
Al-Azhar University is in Cairo, Egypt, founded in 970 AD and among the oldest universities in the world.
Southern Rhodesia is the former/old name of which country?
Southern Rhodesia is the former name of Zimbabwe, which took its present name at independence in 1980.
Which is the only country that shares a land border with Canada?
The United States is the only country sharing a land border with Canada, along the world's longest international land boundary.
The highest peak of the Koh-e-Sulaiman range is which?
Takht-e-Sulaiman, at about 3,487 metres, is the highest peak of the Sulaiman Range.
By whom was the first mechanical calculating machine made?
Blaise Pascal built the first mechanical calculating machine, the Pascaline, in 1642.
World Trade Organization (WTO) succeeded/replaced which agreement?
The World Trade Organisation replaced the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade in 1995.
In which year did the League of Nations formally come into existence?
The League of Nations formally came into existence in 1920, under the Treaty of Versailles.
In which year did the Republic of China government separated to Taiwan after the Chinese Civil War?
The Republic of China government withdrew to Taiwan in 1949, after losing the civil war to the Communists.
The Richter scale is used to measure the magnitude of?
The Richter scale measures the magnitude of earthquakes.
By which company was Nokia's Devices & Services / mobile phone business purchased?
Microsoft purchased Nokia's devices and services business in 2014.
Great Britain of the Pacific is known as?
Japan is called the Great Britain of the Pacific, both being island nations lying off a large continent.
The Euro currency is used by how many euro-area countries?
Twenty countries of the European Union use the euro, Croatia having joined the eurozone in 2023.
When did World War I begin?
The First World War began in 1914, after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
What was the cultural center of Gandhara Civilization?
Taxila was the cultural and educational centre of the Gandhara civilisation.
What is the intended height of Jeddah Tower?
The Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia is designed to reach about 1,000 metres, which would make it the world's tallest building.
Pakistan Stock Exchange is controlled by which regulator?
The Pakistan Stock Exchange is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan.
Who was Abdul Karim, known as Little Karim?
Abdul Karim, known as Little Karim, was a celebrated Pakistani high altitude porter and mountaineer from Hushe in Baltistan.
International Human Rights Day is observed when?
International Human Rights Day is observed on 10 December, marking the adoption of the Universal Declaration in 1948.
Nurek is the name of a large:
Nurek in Tajikistan is one of the world's tallest dams, built on the Vakhsh River.
Who was the Secretary-General of the United Nations at the time of the invasion of Iraq in 2003?
Kofi Annan was Secretary-General of the United Nations at the time of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, which he later called illegal.
Greenwich, associated with Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), is situated in which country?
Greenwich, which gives its name to Greenwich Mean Time, is in England, in south east London.
Mesopotamia is the old name of which place?
Mesopotamia is the ancient name for the land that is now Iraq.
Who is considered one of the world's great investors?
Warren Buffett, chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, is regarded as one of the world's greatest investors.
Francois Bernier was a traveler from which country?
Francois Bernier, the traveller who wrote about Mughal India, was from France.
Where are the headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency located?
The International Atomic Energy Agency has its headquarters in Vienna, Austria.
Which is the largest bird in the world?
The ostrich is the largest living bird, reaching up to 2.7 metres in height. It cannot fly.
Shin Bet is the security intelligence agency of which country?
Shin Bet, also called Shabak, is the internal security service of Israel.
What is the total number of OIC members?
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation has 57 member states.
The second OIC meeting was held in which year?
The second Islamic Summit of the OIC was held in 1974 at Lahore, Pakistan.
"Donbass" is a disputed region between which countries?
The Donbas is the disputed industrial region in eastern Ukraine, contested between Ukraine and Russian-backed forces since 2014.
Which country does UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres belong to?
Antonio Guterres, the United Nations Secretary-General, is from Portugal and served as its Prime Minister.
ITAR-TASS is the news agency of which country?
ITAR-TASS is the state news agency of Russia.
Which is the latest country to become a member of the United Nations?
South Sudan is the newest member of the United Nations, admitted in 2011.
Albert Einstein was a famous:
Albert Einstein was a physicist, author of the theories of special and general relativity.
Hulagu Khan sacked Baghdad in which year?
Hulagu Khan and the Mongols sacked Baghdad in 1258, ending the Abbasid Caliphate.
Which game is played by horse riders?
Polo is played on horseback, and is one of the oldest team sports in the world.
The institution of caliphate was abolished by which Turkish leader?
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk abolished the institution of the caliphate in Turkey in 1924.
Where was the first-ever nuclear bomb detonated?
The first nuclear bomb was detonated at the Trinity test site in New Mexico, United States, on 16 July 1945.
The Empire State Building is located where?
The Empire State Building is in New York City.
After WW1, influenza disease occurred in which year?
The influenza pandemic, often called Spanish flu, broke out in 1918 in the closing months of the First World War.
What is the organization of UK dependencies, now sovereign states, where the British Monarch is the nominal head of the organization?
The Commonwealth is the association of former British territories, now sovereign states, with the British monarch as its head.
The writer of Al-Kafi, Muhammad bin Yaqoob al-Kuliyani, died in which year?
Muhammad bin Yaqoob al-Kulayni, compiler of 'Al-Kafi', died in 329 Hijri.
What is Myanmar's old name?
Myanmar was formerly called Burma, renamed in 1989.
Which organization proposed the elimination of nuclear weapons in 1946?
The first resolution of the United Nations General Assembly, in 1946, proposed the elimination of atomic weapons.
Where is the headquarters of the Economic Cooperation Organization?
The Economic Cooperation Organisation has its headquarters at Tehran, Iran.
In 1952, many people in London died due to air pollution caused by?
The Great Smog of London in 1952 killed thousands, caused by coal smoke trapped by still, cold air. It led to the Clean Air Act of 1956.
Cyprus is a disputed area between Türkiye and which country?
Cyprus is disputed between Turkey and Greece, divided since the Turkish intervention of 1974.
Approximately what share of the world's undiscovered oil and gas reserves is the Arctic believed to hold?
The Arctic is estimated to hold roughly a quarter of the world's undiscovered oil and gas reserves, which is why the region is strategically contested.
Beirut is the capital city of which country?
Beirut is the capital of Lebanon.
The most monsoon rainfall is received by which region?
South and East Asia receive the heaviest monsoon rainfall in the world.
What sort of political system does Saudi Arabia have?
Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy, ruled by the House of Saud.
Which country is located in both Asia and Africa?
Egypt lies in both Asia and Africa, its Sinai Peninsula in Asia and the rest of the country in Africa.
Catherine Palace is in which place?
The Catherine Palace, the Rococo summer residence of the Russian tsars, is at Tsarskoye Selo near Saint Petersburg.
Who is first in line to the throne in the UK?
The heir apparent to the British throne holds the title Prince of Wales and stands first in the line of succession.
After American forces left, who took charge of Kabul airport?
Taliban forces took charge of Kabul airport after the last American troops left Afghanistan in August 2021.
What is the capital of Türkiye?
Ankara is the capital of Turkey, chosen by Ataturk in 1923 in place of Istanbul.
Who is the CEO of Amazon?
Andy Jassy became chief executive of Amazon in 2021, succeeding Jeff Bezos.
The modern history of philosophy was introduced by?
Rene Descartes is regarded as the father of modern philosophy, best known for the principle 'I think, therefore I am'.
What does fifth column refer to?
A fifth column refers to a group that betrays from within, secretly aiding an enemy while appearing loyal.
CENTO stands for?
CENTO stands for the Central Treaty Organization, the Cold War alliance of which Pakistan was a member.
When did the Indian Parliament pass the Citizenship Act?
The Indian Parliament passed the Citizenship Amendment Act on 11 December 2019, which triggered widespread protests over its exclusion of Muslims.
During the Cuban Missile U-2 incident on 14 October 1962, who was the president of the USA?
John F. Kennedy was President of the United States when a U-2 flight photographed Soviet missile sites in Cuba on 14 October 1962.
In 1948, what was the purpose of the Marshall Plan?
The Marshall Plan, launched in 1948, provided American economic aid to rebuild Western Europe after the Second World War.
Which continent is the largest by population?
Asia is the largest continent by population.
Who was the last king of Iran during the 1979 Revolution?
Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi was the last king of Iran, overthrown by the revolution of 1979.
What is Donbas?
The Donbas is the disputed eastern region of Ukraine, at the centre of the conflict with Russia.
Who was the first Federal Muslim woman US attorney?
Saima Mohsin became the first Muslim woman to serve as a United States Attorney, appointed in the Eastern District of Michigan.
Where was Ibn-e-Sina born?
Ibn Sina, known in the West as Avicenna, was born at Afshana near Bukhara in 980 AD.
The word "Mesopotamia" originated from where?
The word Mesopotamia is of Greek origin.
What does "Mesopotamia" mean?
Mesopotamia means the land between two rivers, referring to the Tigris and the Euphrates.
At the time of USSR disintegration, which US President gave the "New World Order"?
President George H. W. Bush spoke of a 'New World Order' as the Soviet Union disintegrated at the end of the Cold War.
The Treaty of Lausanne was signed in which year?
The Treaty of Lausanne was signed in 1923, replacing the Treaty of Sevres and settling the borders of modern Turkey.
About the PPSC General Knowledge Past Paper 2021
Every MCQ above is taken from the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) General Knowledge papers held in 2021, with the correct answer and a written explanation for each. Past-paper practice is the most dependable way to prepare for PPSC, FPSC, NTS, CSS and PMS, because these papers repeat their themes, and often the questions themselves, from one year to the next.
Questions were checked against reliable sources before publication. Where a circulating source sheet carried a factual or wording error, we corrected it rather than reproducing the mistake. For chapter-wise preparation, work through our General Knowledge MCQs hub, which also lists every other year’s paper. Further reading: Pakistan Movement and the PPSC official website.
How to Use This Paper
Attempt the full quiz before looking at any answer, then read the explanation for every question you got wrong, including those you guessed correctly. A past paper is only useful if you close the gaps it exposes. Pro members can download the complete paper as a PDF with all answers and explanations for offline revision.