FPSC SST past paper

Correct answer: Pointless. Frivolous means lacking seriousness or purpose, so “pointless” is closest.

• Wise: Wise means showing good judgment, the opposite of frivolous.
• Serious: Serious is the opposite of frivolous.
• Sensible: Sensible means practical and reasonable, the opposite of frivolous.

Correct answer: Simple. Perplexing means puzzling or confusing, so “simple” is its opposite.

• Confusing: Confusing is a synonym of perplexing.
• Complicated: Complicated is a synonym of perplexing.
• None of these: “None of these” is incorrect because “simple” is an antonym.

Correct answer: Laugh openly. To snigger is to laugh in a stifled, often mocking way, so “laugh openly” is its opposite.

• Giggle: Giggle is a similar, light and suppressed laugh.
• Smile: Smile is a quiet expression and not the opposite of a stifled laugh.
• None of these: “None of these” is incorrect because “laugh openly” is an antonym.

Correct answer: Honorable. Sleazy describes something morally low or disreputable, so “honorable” is its opposite.

• Dishonest: Dishonest is similar in meaning to sleazy.
• Corrupt: Corrupt is similar in meaning to sleazy.
• None of these: “None of these” is incorrect because “honorable” is an antonym.

Correct answer: Democratic. Democratic leadership involves staff in decisions, builds cooperation, and suits the shared goals of schools.

• Autocratic: Autocratic leadership concentrates decisions in one person and discourages participation.
• Laissez-Faire: Laissez-faire leadership gives little direction and can leave a school without clear guidance.
• None of these: “None of these” is incorrect because democratic leadership is best.

Correct answer: Ministry of Education. The federal Ministry of Education (through its curriculum wing and national curriculum bodies) is responsible for curriculum development and standards at the national level, with provinces handling their own curricula after the 18th Amendment.

• National Assembly of Pakistan: The National Assembly makes laws and does not develop curricula.
• Pakistan Educational Research Council (PERC): PERC is not the body responsible for national curriculum development and standards.
• Higher Education Commission (HEC): HEC is responsible for higher education, not school curriculum.

Correct answer: Inter Board Coordination Commission. IBCC stands for Inter Board Coordination Commission (formerly the Inter Board Committee of Chairmen), which coordinates Pakistan’s education boards, including equivalence of certificates.

• International Board Certification Council: There is no International Board Certification Council with this role in Pakistan.
• Institute of Basic Curriculum and Coordination: There is no Institute of Basic Curriculum and Coordination with this name.
• None of these: “None of these” is incorrect because the first option is correct.

Correct answer: Extended Abstract. The SOLO Taxonomy has five levels (prestructural, unistructural, multistructural, relational, and extended abstract); extended abstract is the highest because learners generalize and apply ideas to new situations.

• Relational: Relational is the fourth level, where ideas are integrated into a whole.
• Multistructural: Multistructural is the third level, where several ideas are listed without being connected.
• None of these: “None of these” is incorrect because extended abstract is the highest level.

Correct answer: 5 years. Primary education in Pakistan covers Grades I to V, which is five years.

• 6 years: Six years does not match the primary stage.
• 8 years: Eight years is closer to the combined primary and middle (elementary) stages.
• None of these: “None of these” is incorrect because the correct duration is 5 years.

Correct answer: 33%. Pakistan’s boards of intermediate and secondary education traditionally set the passing mark at 33%.

• 50%: 50% is higher than the standard passing mark.
• 40%: 40% is used by some schools and institutions, but the standard board passing mark is 33%.
• None of these: “None of these” is incorrect because 33% is the standard board passing mark.

Correct answer: Tertiary. After the higher secondary level (grades 11–12), learners move to tertiary (higher) education.

• Higher Secondary: Higher secondary is the level that has just been completed.
• Undergraduate: Undergraduate is a stage within tertiary education rather than the name of the next level.
• None of these: “None of these” is incorrect because tertiary education follows.

Correct answer: Specific Objectives. Behavioural objectives state precisely what learners will be able to do, so they are also called specific objectives.

• General Objectives: General objectives are broad statements of intent, not specific, observable behaviours.
• Unit Objectives: Unit objectives cover a unit of study and are not the standard synonym.
• None of these: “None of these” is incorrect because specific objectives is a synonym.

Correct answer: Immaturity. Overprotected children are not given chances to solve problems or take responsibility, so they tend to remain immature and dependent.

• Aggressiveness: Aggressiveness is more commonly linked with rejection or harsh discipline.
• Defensiveness: Defensiveness is not the typical result of overprotection.
• None of these: “None of these” is incorrect because immaturity is the typical result.

Correct answer: Cognitive development. Cognitive development refers to systematic changes in thinking, reasoning, memory, and problem-solving.

• Moral development: Moral development concerns changes in understanding right and wrong.
• Social emotional development: Social-emotional development concerns relationships and feelings.
• None of these: “None of these” is incorrect because cognitive development is correct.

Correct answer: Learning. Learning is the process by which experience produces a relatively lasting change in knowledge or behaviour.

• Modification: Modification is a general word for changing something and is not the name of this process.
• Experimentation: Experimentation is testing ideas under controlled conditions.
• Alternation: Alternation means switching back and forth between things.

Correct answer: Pavlov. Ivan Pavlov discovered classical conditioning through his experiments with dogs and salivation.

• Thorndike: Thorndike is known for the Law of Effect and connectionism.
• Skinner: Skinner is known for operant conditioning.
• Vygotsky: Vygotsky is known for sociocultural theory.

Correct answer: Disinfect. To fumigate is to treat a place with smoke or fumes to kill pests or germs, which is a form of disinfecting.

• Clean: Clean is a general word and does not imply treating with fumes to kill pests or germs.
• Decorate: Decorate means to make something look attractive, which is unrelated.
• None of these: “None of these” is incorrect because “disinfect” is a synonym.

Correct answer: Flashy. Gaudy means showy and brightly coloured in a tasteless way, so “flashy” is closest.

• Subtle: Subtle means delicate and understated, the opposite of gaudy.
• Simple: Simple means plain, the opposite of gaudy.
• None of these: “None of these” is incorrect because “flashy” is a synonym.

Correct answer: Border. A fringe is an outer edge or border, so “border” is the closest synonym.

• Core: Core means the central part, the opposite of fringe.
• Center: Center means the middle, the opposite of fringe.
• None of these: “None of these” is incorrect because “border” is a synonym.

Correct answer: Permanent change in behavior. Learning is a relatively permanent change in behaviour or knowledge that results from experience or practice.

• Temporary knowledge gain: A temporary gain disappears quickly and is not true learning.
• Memorization of facts: Memorization is only one method of learning, not its definition.
• None of these: “None of these” is incorrect because a relatively permanent change in behaviour defines learning.

Correct answer: Webb’s Taxonomy. Norman Webb developed the Depth of Knowledge (DOK) framework, which classifies tasks by the complexity of thinking they require.

• Bloom’s Taxonomy: Bloom’s Taxonomy classifies cognitive skills from remembering to creating.
• Marzano’s Taxonomy: “None of these” is incorrect because Webb’s is the Depth of Knowledge framework.
• None of these: Marzano’s Taxonomy classifies thinking into retrieval, comprehension, analysis, knowledge utilization, and related systems.

Correct answer: 2010. The 18th Constitutional Amendment was passed in 2010; it abolished the Concurrent Legislative List and shifted curriculum, syllabus, and textbook responsibilities to the provinces.

• 2012: 2012 is after the amendment was passed.
• 2008: 2008 is before the amendment was passed.
• None of these: “None of these” is incorrect because 2010 is the right year.

Correct answer: At the base of the brain. The pituitary gland sits at the base of the brain, below the hypothalamus, and controls many other glands.

• In the chest: The chest contains the heart and lungs, not the pituitary gland.
• In the abdomen: The abdomen contains organs such as the stomach and liver, not the pituitary gland.
• None of these: “None of these” is incorrect because the base of the brain is correct.

Correct answer: 63%. The Pakistan Economic Survey 2025–26 reported Pakistan’s literacy rate (population aged 10 and above) at 63%, up from about 61% the year before.

• 59.13%: 59.13% is an older, outdated figure.
• 43.12%: 43.12% is far below the current rate.
• 93.00%: 93.00% is far above the current rate.

Correct answer: Imran Khan. The Single National Curriculum was introduced during Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government, with rollout beginning in 2021.

• Nawaz Sharif: Nawaz Sharif’s governments did not introduce the Single National Curriculum.
• Shehbaz Sharif: Shehbaz Sharif’s government did not introduce the Single National Curriculum.
• None of these: “None of these” is incorrect because the curriculum was introduced under Imran Khan’s government.