Question 1

On which date is Martyrs' Day observed on Gandhi's death anniversary?

Accepted Answer

30 January Martyrs' Day is observed every year on 30 January, the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, who was assassinated on 30 January 1948. 23 March is associated with the martyrdom of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev, so it is not correct here. Exam tip: remember 30 January with Gandhi and national Martyrs' Day.

Question 2

On which date is Labour Day observed in India?

Accepted Answer

1 May In India, Labour Day, also called International Workers’ Day, is observed every year on 1 May. It commemorates workers’ rights, dignified working conditions, and the contribution of labour movements. 21 May is observed as Anti-Terrorism Day, so that option is not correct. Exam tip: Remember 1 May as both May Day and Labour Day.

Question 3

In which year was the Indian Council for Cultural Relations established?

Accepted Answer

1950 The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) was established on 9 April 1950. It promotes cultural relations between India and other countries. Although 1947 is the year of India’s independence, ICCR was not established then. Exam tip: Associate ICCR with India’s cultural diplomacy and the year 1950.

Question 4

In which year was the National Bal Bhavan associated with the Bal Bhavan movement established?

Accepted Answer

1956 The National Bal Bhavan was established in 1956. It was intended to provide opportunities for children to develop their creative, artistic, and cultural abilities. 1954 is not its establishment year; 1956 is correct. Exam tip: Remember National Bal Bhavan with children’s creative activities and the year 1956.

Question 5

In which year was the National Book Trust India established?

Accepted Answer

1957 The National Book Trust, India was established in 1957. It works to publish quality books and promote a reading culture across the country. Although 1954, 1959, and 1961 are plausible date-based distractors, none is the Trust's year of establishment. Exam tip: Learn the founding year of a national institution together with its main purpose.

Question 6

In which year was the Film and Television Institute of India established?

Accepted Answer

1960 The Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) was established in Pune in 1960. It is a leading Indian institution for film and television education. 1961 is incorrect because the institute had already been established a year earlier. Exam tip: Remember FTII with Pune and 1960.

Question 7

In which year did Doordarshan begin in India?

Accepted Answer

1959 Television broadcasting began in India as an experimental service in Delhi on 15 September 1959, so 1959 is correct. In 1976, the service was separated from All India Radio and given the name ‘Doordarshan’; therefore, 1976 is not the year broadcasting began. Exam tip: Remember 1959 for the start of television broadcasting and 1976 for Doordarshan becoming separate from AIR.

Question 8

In which year was Doordarshan separated from All India Radio?

Accepted Answer

1976 Doordarshan was made a separate department from All India Radio on 1 April 1976. The year 1959 is a close distractor because it is associated with the beginning of Doordarshan’s telecasts, not its separation from AIR. Exam tip: remember 1959 for its start and 1976 for its separation from AIR.

Question 9

In which year did colour television broadcasting begin in India during the Asian Games in Delhi?

Accepted Answer

1982 Colour television broadcasting began in India in 1982 for the telecast of the ninth Asian Games held in Delhi. It had not begun in 1980, when black-and-white television was still the main format in India. Exam tip: Remember 1982 as the year of the Delhi Asian Games and the start of colour television broadcasts.

Question 10

In which year was the Archaeological Survey of India established?

Accepted Answer

1861 The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) was established in 1861. Its major role is to survey, conserve and maintain archaeological sites, ancient monuments and cultural heritage. The year 1857 is associated with the First War of Indian Independence, not with the establishment of ASI. Exam tip: Remember 1861 by linking ASI with monument and heritage conservation.

Question 11

In which year was the National Archives originally established as the Imperial Record Department?

Accepted Answer

1891 The National Archives began in 1891 at Calcutta as the Imperial Record Department. Its role was to collect and preserve official and historical records. The year 1911 is associated with the transfer of the imperial capital to Delhi, not with the department’s establishment. Exam tip: Learn colonial-era names of institutions together with their foundation years.

Question 12

In which year was the National Museum in New Delhi inaugurated?

Accepted Answer

1949 The National Museum in New Delhi was inaugurated on 15 August 1949. It was initially housed in Rashtrapati Bhavan and was later shifted to its present building on Janpath. Therefore, 1954 is not the inauguration year. Exam tip: remember 1949, along with 15 August, for the National Museum.

Question 13

In which year was the name Akashvani officially adopted for All India Radio?

Accepted Answer

1957 The name ‘Akashvani’ was officially adopted for All India Radio in 1957. The year 1950 marks India becoming a republic, not the official adoption of this name. Exam tip: Remember 1957 for Akashvani and 1959 for the start of regular television broadcasting in India.

Question 14

In which year was the Vividh Bharati service launched?

Accepted Answer

1957 All India Radio launched the Vividh Bharati service in 1957. It was intended to provide entertainment, film music, and popular radio programmes to listeners. 1959 was not its launch year. Exam tip: remember Vividh Bharati as AIR's entertainment service started in 1957.

Question 15

In which year was the National Film Archive of India established?

Accepted Answer

1964 The National Film Archive of India (NFAI) was established in 1964 in Pune. Its main role is to preserve and archive Indian films and related material. 1960 is a close but incorrect distractor; it was not the year of NFAI’s establishment. Exam tip: Remember NFAI with 1964 and Pune.

Question 16

Which event in Indian history is associated with 13 April 1919?

Accepted Answer

Jallianwala Bagh massacre On 13 April 1919, General Dyer ordered firing on an unarmed gathering at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar. The Champaran Satyagraha occurred in 1917. Exam tip: memorise major events with both their year and place.

Question 17

In which year was the Indian Institute of Mass Communication established?

Accepted Answer

1965 The Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) was established in 1965 under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Therefore, option B is correct. The year 1960 precedes its establishment, while 1971 and 1976 are later years. Exam tip: Remember IIMC as an institution associated with mass communication and journalism training.

Question 18

In which year was the National Institute of Design established?

Accepted Answer

1961 The National Institute of Design (NID) was established in Ahmedabad in 1961. It is one of India’s leading institutions for modern design education. 1965 was not the year of its establishment. Exam tip: Remember NID with 1961 and Ahmedabad.

Question 19

In which year was the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library established?

Accepted Answer

1964 The Nehru Memorial Museum and Library was established in 1964 in memory of Jawaharlal Nehru and is associated with Teen Murti House in New Delhi. Although 1966 may appear in references to later administrative or institutional developments, 1964 is the accepted establishment year. Exam tip: Link the institution with the year of Nehru’s death, 1964.

Question 20

In which year did Nehru Planetarium Delhi begin?

Accepted Answer

1984 Nehru Planetarium, Delhi, was inaugurated in 1984. It is an important institution for science education and the popularisation of astronomy. Choosing 1989 is incorrect because the planetarium was already functioning by then. Exam tip: remember Nehru Planetarium, Delhi, with 1984.

Question 21

In which year was the National Science Centre Delhi inaugurated?

Accepted Answer

1992 The National Science Centre, Delhi was inaugurated in 1992. It is a major science centre under the National Council of Science Museums and promotes public understanding of science. The year 1995 is not its inauguration year; 1992 is correct. For exams, memorise the year along with the institution and its location.

Question 22

In which year was the Ministry of Culture formed as a separate ministry in India?

Accepted Answer

1999 The Ministry of Culture was established as a separate ministry in 1999. In 1985, the Department of Culture functioned under the Ministry of Human Resource Development, so it is a close but incorrect option. Exam tip: distinguish between the year a department was created and the year it became an independent ministry.

Question 23

In which year was the Gandhi Heritage Portal launched?

Accepted Answer

2013 The Gandhi Heritage Portal was launched in 2013. It provides access to digitised writings, letters, photographs, and other records related to Mahatma Gandhi. 2011 was not the portal’s launch year. Exam tip: remember its launch in connection with Gandhi Jayanti, 2 October 2013.

Question 24

In which year was the National Library in Kolkata opened to the public?

Accepted Answer

1953 The National Library in Kolkata was opened to the public in 1953. It developed from the Imperial Library and became one of India’s leading national repositories of knowledge. 1947 is the year of Indian Independence, not the year the library was opened to the public. Exam tip: For national institutions, distinguish between the year of establishment and the year of public opening.

Question 25

In which year was the Asiatic Society founded?

Accepted Answer

1784 The Asiatic Society was founded in Calcutta (now Kolkata) in 1784 by Sir William Jones. It became an important institution for research on Indian languages, history, literature, and Oriental studies. The year 1817 is a close distractor because Hindu College was founded that year, not the Asiatic Society. Exam tip: Remember 1784 with Sir William Jones and the Asiatic Society.

Important Dates in Indian History

Practice questions

01 On which date is Martyrs' Day observed on Gandhi's death anniversary?

02 On which date is Labour Day observed in India?

03 In which year was the Indian Council for Cultural Relations established?

04 In which year was the National Bal Bhavan associated with the Bal Bhavan movement established?

05 In which year was the National Book Trust India established?

06 In which year was the Film and Television Institute of India established?

07 In which year did Doordarshan begin in India?

08 In which year was Doordarshan separated from All India Radio?

09 In which year did colour television broadcasting begin in India during the Asian Games in Delhi?

10 In which year was the Archaeological Survey of India established?

11 In which year was the National Archives originally established as the Imperial Record Department?

12 In which year was the National Museum in New Delhi inaugurated?

13 In which year was the name Akashvani officially adopted for All India Radio?

14 In which year was the Vividh Bharati service launched?

15 In which year was the National Film Archive of India established?

16 Which event in Indian history is associated with 13 April 1919?

17 In which year was the Indian Institute of Mass Communication established?

18 In which year was the National Institute of Design established?

19 In which year was the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library established?

20 In which year did Nehru Planetarium Delhi begin?

21 In which year was the National Science Centre Delhi inaugurated?

22 In which year was the Ministry of Culture formed as a separate ministry in India?

23 In which year was the Gandhi Heritage Portal launched?

24 In which year was the National Library in Kolkata opened to the public?

25 In which year was the Asiatic Society founded?

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