GK Questions

GSLV Mk III (now called LVM3) is ISRO's heavy-lift launch vehicle capable of placing 4-ton class satellites into GTO. It was used for Chandrayaan-2, Chandrayaan-3, and OneWeb satellite launches. PSLV handles lighter polar orbits; SSLV is for small satellites; ASLV was retired.

A byte is a unit of digital information that most commonly consists of 8 bits. This standard allows representation of 256 values (0-255), sufficient for ASCII characters. Larger units: Kilobyte (1024 bytes), Megabyte (1024 KB), etc. Some historical systems used different byte sizes, but 8-bit byte is now universal.

IMPS (Immediate Payment Service) enables instant interbank electronic fund transfer 24x7 using mobile number + MMID (Mobile Money Identifier) or account number + IFSC. Developed by NPCI, it supports transfers up to ₹5 lakh. NEFT/RTGS have timing restrictions; ECS is for bulk/recurring payments.

do-while loop checks the condition AFTER executing the loop body, guaranteeing at least one execution. In contrast, while and for loops check condition BEFORE execution, potentially skipping the body entirely if condition is initially false. Syntax varies by language but logic remains consistent.

Authentication factors: 1) Something you know (password/PIN), 2) Something you have (smart card/token), 3) Something you are (biometrics like fingerprint, iris, face). Multi-factor authentication combines two or more factors for enhanced security. Fingerprint is a biometric ('something you are') factor.

Edge computing brings computation and data storage closer to IoT devices and data sources, reducing latency, bandwidth usage, and improving real-time processing. Critical for autonomous vehicles, industrial IoT, and smart cities where milliseconds matter. Complements, not replaces, cloud computing.

SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is used for sending emails from client to server or between mail servers. POP3 and IMAP are used for retrieving emails from server to client. SMTP typically uses port 25 (or 587 for secure submission).

.exe (executable) files contain programs that can be run directly by the Windows operating system. Users should be cautious opening .exe files from untrusted sources as they can contain malware. Other extensions: .txt (text), .pdf (document), .jpg (image) are data files, not executables.

VoLTE (Voice over LTE) allows voice calls to be transmitted as data packets over 4G networks, enabling faster call setup, HD voice quality, and simultaneous voice+data usage. Unlike traditional calls that drop to 2G/3G, VoLTE maintains 4G connectivity throughout the call.

MyGov is a citizen engagement platform launched under Digital India that allows Indians to participate in policy discussions, submit ideas, vote on proposals, and provide feedback on government initiatives. It fosters collaborative governance and transparent decision-making.

Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attack occurs when attackers secretly relay and possibly alter communication between two parties who believe they are directly communicating. Prevention includes using HTTPS, VPNs, certificate pinning, and avoiding public Wi-Fi for sensitive transactions.

CARTOSAT series satellites are dedicated to Earth observation and remote sensing with high-resolution cameras for cartography, urban planning, and resource monitoring. INSAT is for communication/weather, GSAT for communication, and IRNSS/NavIC for navigation.

Cache memory is FASTER than main RAM but SLOWER than CPU registers. Speed hierarchy: CPU Registers (fastest) > L1 Cache > L2 Cache > L3 Cache > RAM > SSD > HDD (slowest). Cache stores frequently accessed data to reduce CPU wait time and improve system performance.

GANs (Generative Adversarial Networks) consist of two neural networks - a generator that creates fake data and a discriminator that evaluates authenticity. They compete to improve output quality. Used in deepfakes, art generation, drug discovery, and data augmentation. Ethical concerns include misinformation.

As of 2026, the standard UPI transaction limit is ₹1 lakh per transaction for most categories. Some categories like capital market, insurance, and mutual funds have higher limits (₹2-5 lakh). Limits may vary by bank and user risk profile. Always check latest RBI notifications for updates.

IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses (e.g., 2001:0db8:85a3::8a2e:0370:7334) providing approximately 3.4×10^38 unique addresses, solving IPv4 exhaustion. IPv4 uses 32-bit addresses (e.g., 192.168.1.1) allowing ~4.3 billion addresses. IPv6 also offers improved security and auto-configuration.

HAVING clause filters results after GROUP BY aggregation, while WHERE filters rows before grouping. Example: SELECT dept, AVG(salary) FROM emp GROUP BY dept HAVING AVG(salary) > 50000. WHERE cannot be used with aggregate functions directly.

Zero Trust is a cybersecurity framework that requires strict identity verification for every person and device accessing resources on a private network, regardless of location. It follows 'never trust, always verify' principle, using micro-segmentation, least-privilege access, and continuous monitoring.

NFC (Near Field Communication) enables contactless payments by allowing two devices to communicate when placed within 4 cm. Used in Google Pay, Apple Pay, and RuPay Contactless. It operates at 13.56 MHz and supports secure element storage for payment credentials.

Linux is a free and open-source operating system kernel created by Linus Torvalds in 1991. It is not developed by Microsoft. Linux distributions (Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian) are widely used in servers, embedded systems, and increasingly in desktops. Microsoft develops Windows, a proprietary OS.