RRB-NTPC 2021 Questions
12 Jun 2021 • Shift 3
94 Questions AvailableTake as Test
Question 1
Arithmetic
What should come in place of the question mark (?) in the given series? 982 980 976 970 962 ?
A
952B
954C
948D
950Question 2
Arithmetic
In MS PowerPoint 2019, when you press the Enter key while typing in a text box, what happens?
A
The text is deleted.B
The text box is automatically resized.C
The cursor moves to the next line within the same text box.D
The text is entered into a new slide.Question 3
Arithmetic
If 2 is added to each even digit and 3 is subtracted from each odd digit in the number 596432, what will be the sum of the greatest and smallest digits in the new number thus formed?
A
8B
12C
6D
10Question 4
Arithmetic
What is the average of all the natural numbers from 1 to 17?
A
9B
9.5C
8.5D
10Question 5
Arithmetic
The marked price of a bookshelf is ₹397, which is 28% above the cost price. If the profit percentage is 3%. Find the discount percentage (rounded off to two decimal places).
A
21.31%B
16.89%C
18.13%D
19.53%Question 6
Arithmetic
During which phase and year was a steady population growth rate observed in India?
A
Phase I: 1891-1921B
Phase II: 1921-1951C
Phase III: 1951-1981D
Phase IV: 1981-2011Question 7
Arithmetic
If 'A' stands for '$\div$', 'B' stands for '$\times$', 'C' stands for '+' and 'D' stands for '-', then what will come in place of question mark (?) in the following equation? 43 D 15 C 7 B 9 D (28 A 2) = ?
A
83B
92C
64D
77Question 8
Arithmetic
Which Mauryan ruler sent Buddhist missionaries to foreign countries?
A
SampratiB
AshokaC
BindusaraD
Chandragupta IIQuestion 9
Arithmetic
Seven people, I, J, K, L, O, P and Q are sitting in a row, facing north. No one sits to the left of J. Only four people sit between J and K. Only three people sit to the right of O. I sits to the immediate left of L. P is not an immediate neighbour of O. Who sits at the rightmost end of the line?
A
PB
JC
ID
LQuestion 10
Arithmetic
What is the median of the following data? 34, 78, 58, 65, 64, 73, 21, 88, 13, 11, 70
A
64B
63.5C
64.5D
65Question 11
Arithmetic
Shaan starts from Point A and drives 6 km towards North. He then takes a right turn, drives 7 km, turns right and drives 12 km. He then takes a right turn and drives 8 km. He takes a final right turn, drives 6 km and stops at Point P. How far (shortest distance) and towards which direction should he drive in order to reach Point A again? (All turns are 90° turns only unless specified)
A
2 km to the eastB
3 km to the eastC
4 km to the eastD
1 km to the eastQuestion 12
Arithmetic
Which vitamin deficiency is most likely in a person with a blocked bile duct?
A
Vitamin B12B
Vitamin AC
Vitamin B1D
Vitamin CQuestion 13
Arithmetic
Shan has ₹1,617 with him. He divided it amongst his sons Piyush and Manoj and asked them to invest it at 10% rate of interest per annum, compounded annually. It was seen that Piyush and Manoj got the same amount after 11 and 12 years, respectively. How much (in ₹) did Shan give to Piyush?
A
₹697B
₹847C
₹870D
₹770Question 14
Arithmetic
The subtropical jet stream plays a critical role in the withdrawal of the monsoon by which of the following?
A
Replacing tropical easterliesB
Inducing subsidence over landC
Triggering cold air advectionD
Intensifying the ITCZQuestion 15
Arithmetic
Aus', 'Aman' and 'Boro' are important crops of which of the following in states like Assam, West Bengal and Odisha?
A
WheatB
CottonC
PaddyD
MustardQuestion 16
Arithmetic
Who among the following appoints the Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission of India?
A
The Chief Justice of IndiaB
The President of IndiaC
The Prime MinisterD
The Speaker of the Lok SabhaQuestion 17
Arithmetic
If 5.1 : 96.9 :: 96.9 : x, then find the value of x.
A
1845.8B
1837.9C
1844.3D
1841.1Question 18
Arithmetic
A and B can complete a work in 11 days and 33 days, respectively. They started doing the work together, but after 3 days, B had to leave, and A completed the remaining work alone. The remaining work was completed in ______ days.
A
7B
11C
10D
12Question 19
Arithmetic
In a certain code language, 'FARE' is coded as '8432' and 'FEAT' is coded as '3287'. What is the code for 'R' in the given code language?
A
2B
3C
8D
4Question 20
Arithmetic
Refer to the following number and symbol series and answer the question that follows. Counting to be done from left to right only. (Left) 1 @ 2 2 7 © & 8 6 * # 9 3 6 & 6 # & * © @ 8 (Right) How many such numbers are there each of which is immediately preceded by a number and also immediately followed by a number?
A
1B
3C
2D
4Question 21
Arithmetic
Which of the following technologies was used to fabricate the Vikram 3201 microprocessor launched in 2021?
A
90nm CMOS technologyB
250nm CMOS technologyC
180nm CMOS technologyD
350nm CMOS technologyQuestion 22
Arithmetic
Which dance form represents a mock fight between Durga and Mahishasura?
A
KalbeliaB
Dandiya RaasC
GhoomarD
TarangmelQuestion 23
Arithmetic
The marks obtained by the students of a class are given. Find the standard deviation of the marks (rounded off to 2 decimal places). 65, 47, 59, 75, 82, 91, 55 and 78
A
12.53B
13.99C
14.25D
15.05Question 24
Arithmetic
This question is based on the five, three-digit numbers given below. (Left) 325 503 158 391 144 (Right) (Example- 697 - First digit = 6, second digit = 9 and third digit = 7) (NOTE: All operations to be done from left to right.) What will be the resultant if the second digit of the highest number is added to the first digit of the lowest number?
A
2B
0C
4D
1Question 25
Arithmetic
Factorise the given expression. $100a^2 + 300ab + 225b^2$
A
$(15a-10b)^2$B
$(10a-15b)^2$C
$(10a + 15b)^2$D
$(15a + 10b)^2$Question 26
Arithmetic
In this question, a group of letters is coded by using numbers and symbols as per the table given below and the conditions which follow. Letter U M S J P T F Code 7 4 @ $ % * 6 Conditions: 1. If the 1st letter is a vowel and the 3rd letter is a consonant, both are to be coded as the code for that 3rd letter consonant. 2. If the 1st and last letters are vowels, both are to be coded as 'N'. 3. If the 2nd and last letters are vowels, their codes are to be interchanged. What is the correct combination of codes (by following only the applicable condition(s)) for the following letters? AJSPT
A
3$%@*B
3$3%*C
3$3%*D
@$@%*Question 27
Arithmetic
Who are the members of India's recurve men's archery team that won a silver medal in the World Cup Stage 1, 2021?
A
Tarundeep Rai, Jayanta Talukdar and Rahul BanerjeeB
Dhiraj Bommadevara, Abhishek Verma and Atanu DasC
Atanu Das, Abhishek Verma and Tarundeep RaiD
Dhiraj Bommadevara, Atanu Das and Tarundeep RaiQuestion 28
Arithmetic
In 2024, India introduced a fast-track procurement clause in which defence procurement policy to reduce acquisition delays?
A
Defence Acquisition ProcedureB
Defence Procurement ManualC
Defence Offset PolicyD
Make in India Defence ProtocolQuestion 29
Logical
M, N, O, S, T and U live on six different floors of the same building. The lowermost floor in the building is numbered 1, the floor above it, number 2 and so on till the topmost floor is numbered 6. S lives on floor numbered 5. O lives on a floor above S. Only T lives below N. U lives on an even numbered floor. How many people live below M?
A
ThreeB
OneC
TwoD
FourQuestion 30
Logical
Who among the following was the leader of the 1857 rebellion of Sambalpur?
A
Alluri Seetharama RajuB
Budhu BhagatC
Govind GuruD
Veer Surendra SaiQuestion 31
Logical
In January 2021, which theme was used to promote voting on National Voters' Day?
A
Your Vote, Your VoiceB
Vote Now, Shape FutureC
Nothing Like Voting, I Vote for SureD
Making Elections Inclusive and AccessibleQuestion 32
Logical
A boat takes 75 minutes to go 62.3 km upstream. The ratio of the speed of the boat in still water to that of the stream is 3: 2. How much total time (in hours) will the boat take to go 67.6 km upstream and 35.8 km downstream?
A
2.4B
1.5C
4.1D
0.6Question 33
Logical
Tushar has borrowed an amount of ₹2,00,000 from a bank to start a business. How much simple interest (in ₹) will he pay at a rate of 8% per annum after 4 years?
A
65,000B
64,000C
63,000D
2,64,000Question 34
Logical
Which of the following rivers rises in the western slopes of the Aravalli Range near Ajmer, where it is known as the Sagarmati?
A
DrishadvatiB
LuniC
ChambalD
SaraswatiQuestion 35
Logical
What must State legislators do under Article 188 of the Constitution of India before taking their seats for the first time in state assembly?
A
Take oath or affirmationB
Get CM's approvalC
Declare assetsD
Background checkQuestion 36
Logical
What should come in place of the question mark (?) in the given series based on the English alphabetical order? AEU GLA MSG SZM ?
A
YGSB
YSGC
SYGD
SGYQuestion 37
Logical
In which Indian state are the Kachchh and Kathiawar coasts located?
A
GoaB
RajasthanC
GujaratD
MaharashtraQuestion 38
Logical
Three numbers are in the ratio 1 : 5 : 6, and their LCM is 5250. Their HCF is:
A
183B
175C
171D
193Question 39
Logical
Based on the English alphabetical order, three of the following four letter-cluster pairs are alike in a certain way and thus form a group. Which letter-cluster pair DOES NOT belong to that group? (Note: The odd one out is not based on the number of consonants/vowels or their position in the letter-cluster.)
A
XT-CIB
FA-KQC
RN-WCD
WS-BHQuestion 40
Logical
A vendor buys 44 laptop bags for ₹48,884 and sells them at 28 for ₹35,252. How many laptop bags should be bought and sold to earn a profit of ₹6,956?
A
17B
37C
47D
20Question 41
Logical
Which bank launched the 'Global Women NRE & NRO Savings Account' in March 2021?
A
State Bank of IndiaB
Bank of BarodaC
Punjab National BankD
Axis BankQuestion 42
Logical
KUQC is related to MYSG in a certain way based on the English alphabetical order. In the same way, OCUK is related to QGWO. To which of the following is SKYS related, following the same logic?
A
TNBVB
UOAWC
TPAXD
VPZXQuestion 43
Logical
Disinvestment proceeds contribute to non-tax revenue of the government. Which body manages disinvestment in India?
A
NABARDB
RBIC
DIPAMD
SEBIQuestion 44
Logical
Which of the following is not one of the Ettuttokai (Eight Anthologies) of the Sangam literature?
A
PurananuruB
TolkappiyamC
NarrinaiD
KuruntokaiQuestion 45
Logical
RN 15 is related to TM 7 in a certain way. In the same way, LL 11 is related to NK 3. To which of the given options is MM 3 related, following the same logic?
A
OL - 5B
LP - 9C
JG - 7D
KN - 5Question 46
Logical
Which of the following statements best describes the role of RAM and ROM in a computer system?
A
RAM is used to store the operating system and permanent files, while ROM is used to store temporary data.B
ROM is used to store system firmware, while RAM stores temporary data for active processes.C
ROM is used for storing data that can be modified and written to, while RAM stores fixed data.D
RAM is non-volatile, while ROM is volatile.Question 47
Logical
If the selling price of a bed is 3-times of initial, then the profit is 4-times of initial. Find the initial profit percentage (in %).
A
75B
133.33C
200D
33.33Question 48
Logical
A, B, C, D, R, S and T are sitting around a circular table facing the centre of the table. Only two people sit between A and R when counted from the right of A. Only two people sit between R and D. Only three people sit between A and B. C sits to the immediate left of T. Who sits third to the left of S?
A
DB
TC
CD
AQuestion 49
Logical
H, O, L, D, E, and R live on six different floors of the same building. The lowermost floor in the building is numbered 1, the floor above it, number 2 and so on, till the topmost floor is numbered 6. No one lives above L. Only three people live between L and R. H lives on a floor below R. E lives on an even numbered floor. O lives on an odd numbered floor but not on floor number 5. How many people live between D and R?
A
ZeroB
TwoC
ThreeD
OneQuestion 50
Logical
What is the tenure of the Central Board of Directors in Reserve Bank of India?
A
Three yearsB
Four yearsC
Two yearsD
Five yearsQuestion 51
Logical
If the eight-digit number 51883p47 is divisible by 9, then the maximum value of p is:
A
8B
7C
5D
9Question 52
Logical
If 2 is added to each even digit and 1 is subtracted from each odd digit in the number 3651724, what will be the sum of the second digit from the left and the first digit from the right in the new number thus formed?
A
10B
14C
12D
8Question 53
Logical
Study the given diagram and answer the question that follows. (The numbers in different sections indicate the number of persons.) firefighters How many such scientists are there who are also firefighters but not postmen?
A
6B
20C
16D
15Question 54
Logical
Seven boxes, A, B, C, D, E, F and G are kept one over the other but not necessarily in the same order. Only two boxes are kept below D. Only one box is kept above A. Only one box is kept between A and E. G is kept immediately above B. C is kept in some place below F. How many boxes are kept above G?
A
2B
5C
4D
3Question 55
Logical
The average price of three items of furniture is ₹15,015. If their prices are in the ratio 3 : 5 : 7, the price of the costliest item (in ₹) is:
A
7,007B
9,009C
21,021D
5,005Question 56
Logical
If 2% of x = 360, then x is equal to:
A
36000B
18000C
18100D
36100Question 57
GK
The sum of 2 times Priya's present age and Jaya's present age is 48 years. Sanjay's is presently 2 times as old as Jaya. Mohit's present age is 4 years more than Priya's present age. The sum of the present ages of Sanjay and Mohit is 46 years. What is the sum of the present ages (in years) of Priya and Jaya?
A
40B
38C
30D
15Question 58
GK
What should come in place of the question mark (?) in the given series based on the English alphabetical order? KNP ILN GJL EHJ ?
A
CFHB
CFGC
CEHD
CEGQuestion 59
GK
If 25% of k is 10 less than 1200% of 25, then k is:
A
1200B
1120C
1140D
1160Question 60
GK
Based on the English alphabetical order, three of the following four letter-cluster pairs are alike in a certain way and thus form a group. Which letter-cluster pair DOES NOT belong to that group? (Note: The odd one out is not based on the number of consonants/vowels or their position in the letter-cluster.)
A
FL-JEB
MS - PLC
WC-AVD
DJ-HCQuestion 61
GK
Pipes A and B can fill an empty cistern in 21 minutes and 42 minutes, respectively. Both Pipe A and Pipe B are opened together. After how much time should Pipe B be turned off so that the empty cistern is completely filled in a total of 16 minutes?
A
5 minutesB
10 minutesC
15 minutesD
12 minutesQuestion 62
GK
Which novel by Ocean Vuong follows a 19-year-old named Hai who becomes the caretaker of an elderly woman with dementia?
A
Time is a MotherB
The Emperor of GladnessC
The Night Sky with Exit WoundsD
On Earth We're Briefly GorgeousQuestion 63
GK
Mr. I starts from Point J and drives 5 km towards the west. He then takes a right turn, drives 7 km, turns right and drives 11 km. He then takes a left turn and drives 2 km. He then takes a right turn and drives 4 km. He then takes a final right turn, drives 9 km and stops at Point K. How far (shortest distance) and towards which direction should he drive in order to reach Point J again? (All turns are 90 degree turns only unless specified.)
A
10 km towards the westB
10 km towards the eastC
13 km towards the southD
11 km towards the northQuestion 64
GK
What power does the President of India hold regarding the Contingency Fund of India?
A
The President delegates the control of the fund to the Finance Commission.B
The President controls the fund to advance money for unforeseen expenses.C
The President approves the annual disbursement of the fund.D
The President can only advise on the use of the fund.Question 65
GK
What was the unemployment rate in India as per the Periodic Labour Force Survey during January to December 2024?
A
3.2 %B
16.5 % C
2.1 %D
5.6 %Question 66
GK
Refer to the following number and symbol series and answer the question that follows. Counting to be done from left to right only. (Left) & 5 @ 9 7 £ $ 5 $ 9 8 8 8 * $ $ # * 1 7 1 4 (Right) How many such symbols are there each of which is immediately preceded by a number and also immediately followed by a symbol?
A
1B
2C
3D
4Question 67
GK
When utilising the 'Paste Special' function in MS Word to insert content copied from a spreadsheet, which of the following paste options would preserve the original formula calculations while displaying the calculated values in the Word document?
A
Picture (Enhanced Metafile)B
HTML FormatC
MS Excel Worksheet ObjectD
Unformatted TextQuestion 68
GK
Which of the following cities is set to host the COP30 climate summit in 2021?
A
Tokyo, JapanB
Paris, FranceC
Belem, BrazilD
Nairobi, KenyaQuestion 69
GK
Find the discriminant of the quadratic equation $3x^2 - 4x + 2 = 0$, and hence determine the nature of its roots.
A
Discriminant = -8, roots are imaginaryB
Discriminant = 8, roots are real and equalC
Discriminant = -8, roots are real and distinctD
Discriminant = 8, roots are real and distinctQuestion 70
GK
What should come in place of the question mark (?) in the given series? 163 131 99 67 35 ?
A
2B
4C
12D
3Question 71
GK
What is the third proportional of $10x^2$ and $30xy$?
A
$92y^2$B
$87y^2$C
$93y^2$D
$90y^2$Question 72
GK
Which animal/bird was commonly depicted on Harappan seals?
A
PeacockB
SparrowC
HorseD
UnicornQuestion 73
GK
In this question, a group of numbers is coded by using letters and symbols as per the table given below and the conditions which follow. Number 7 8 2 3 4 5 6 Code Z Q * @ # $ T Conditions: 1. If the 1st and 2nd digits are even, both are to be coded as 'A'. 2. If the 1st and last digits are odd, both are to be coded as the code for the 1st digit. 3. If the 3rd and 4th digits are even, their codes are to be interchanged. What is the correct combination of codes (by following only the applicable condition(s)) for the following digits? 38159
A
SQJ $ SB
@ QJ $ @C
SQJ $ @D
@ QJ $ SQuestion 74
GK
Which component is commonly used in a circuit to vary the resistance?
A
DiodeB
VoltmeterC
RheostatD
TransformerQuestion 75
GK
Which of the following companies founded in 1602 is also known as the 'Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie (VOC)'?
A
Austrian East India CompanyB
Dutch East India CompanyC
Portuguese East India CompanyD
German East India CompanyQuestion 76
GK
In March 2021, Indian PM Narendra Modi attended the National Day celebrations of which country as the Chief Guest?
A
MaldivesB
BhutanC
Sri LankaD
MauritiusQuestion 77
GK
What will come in the place of the question mark (?) in the following equation, if '+' and '-' are interchanged and '× ' and '÷ ' are interchanged? 69 ÷ 11 + 408 × 6 − 14 = ?
A
705B
720C
710D
715Question 78
GK
Which of the following elements had NOT been discovered during Mendeleev's time?
A
Chlorine and FluorineB
Hydrogen and NitrogenC
Gallium and GermaniumD
Radon and PoloniumQuestion 79
GK
Which was the new scheme announced during Budget 2021-26 that targets 100 low-productivity districts and focuses on enhancing agricultural productivity, crop diversification, sustainable practices, irrigation and post-harvest storage?
A
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada YojanaB
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima YojanaC
Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi YojanaD
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman NidhiQuestion 80
GK
Select the triad that follows the same pattern as that followed by the two triads given below. Both triads follow the same pattern. JF-LH-NP HD-JF-LN
A
KH-NI-PSB
LH-NJ-PSC
KH-NJ-PSD
LH-NJ-PRQuestion 81
GK
Which of the following letter-clusters should replace # and % so that the pattern and relationship followed between the letter-cluster pair on the left side of :: is the same as that on the right side of ::? #: TRV :: SQU: %
A
# = IOY, % = PWRB
# = WUY, % = PNRC
# = WUO, % = ZNRD
# = WZY, % = UQRQuestion 82
GK
A user wants to have a bulleted list in MS PowerPoint. After typing a list item and pressing Enter, they want to create a sub-bullet point (a lower-level bullet). Which of the following actions will reliably achieve this?
A
Pressing Alt + EnterB
Pressing Ctrl + TabC
Clicking the 'Increase List Level' button in the Paragraph groupD
Clicking the 'Decrease List Level' button in the Paragraph groupQuestion 83
GK
Two transversal lines S and T cut a set of distinct parallel lines. S cuts the parallel lines in points A, B, C and D and T cuts the parallel lines in points E, F, G and H. If AB = 5 cm, CD = 3 cm and EF = 15 cm, then the length (in cm) of GH is:
A
9B
6C
8D
4Question 84
GK
A 120 m long train overtakes a man moving at a speed of 9 km/hr (in same direction) in 18 seconds. How much time (in seconds) will this train take to completely cross another 230 m long train, moving in the opposite direction at a speed of 27 km/hr?
A
17B
35C
21D
33Question 85
GK
In an isosceles triangle, the vertex angle measures 14°. What is the measure of each of the base angles?
A
103° and 103°B
86° and 86°C
83° and 83°D
79° and 79°Question 86
GK
What is the primary purpose of the .ppsx file format in MS PowerPoint 365?
A
To save the presentation in a read-only formatB
To save the presentation in a format that opens directly in Slide Show modeC
To save the presentation as a template for future useD
To compress the presentation file sizeQuestion 87
GK
Consider the following statements regarding the 'Dare Square' Motorcycle Expedition flagged off in January 2021. The expedition was launched by the Eastern Naval Command as part of INS Ranvijay's 37th anniversary celebrations. The rally aims to promote mental health awareness, road safety and maritime heritage among youth through outreach activities. It was conducted in collaboration with the Indian Air Force and covered northeastern states of India. The rally culminates at the Dogra Regimental Centre in Ayodhya, highlighting the naval affiliation with the Dogra Regiment. Which of the above statements are correct?
A
Only 1, 2 and 3B
Only 1 and 3C
Only 2 and 4D
Only 1, 2 and 4Question 88
GK
Which of the following statements with respect to Dividend Distribution Tax (DDT) in India is/are correct? 1. DDT was a tax on dividends paid to the shareholders of a company. 2. Budget 2021-26 has proposed to remove the DDT paid by the companies to investors. 3. DDT was removed to avoid double taxation of dividends and make the Indian Equity Market more attractive.
A
1, 2 and 3B
Only 1 and 2C
Only 1 and 3D
Only 2 and 3Question 89
GK
Who inaugurated the National Conference on 'Environment - 2021' in New Delhi on 29 March 2021?
A
Amit ShahB
Narendra ModiC
Draupadi MurmuD
Sonia GandhiQuestion 90
GK
Two sets of numbers are given below. In each set of numbers, certain mathematical operation(s) on the first number result(s) in the second number. Similarly, certain mathematical operation(s) on the second number result(s) in the third number and so on. Which of the given options follows the same set of operations as in the given sets? (NOTE: Operations should be performed on the whole numbers, without breaking down the numbers into their constituent digits. E.g. 13 - Operations on 13 such as adding / subtracting /multiplying to 13 can be performed. Breaking down 13 into 1 and 3 and then performing mathematical operations on 1 and 3 is not allowed.) 12 - 13 - 17 - 20 ; 22 - 23 - 27 - 30
A
56-57-60 - 65B
44-45-49-52C
4-8-12-16D
32-33-37 - 41Question 91
GK
Which Act empowered Her Majesty to issue Letters Patent for setting up High Courts?
A
Indian High Courts Act, 1861B
Regulating Act, 1773C
Charter Act, 1833D
Government of India Act, 1935Question 92
GK
Who among the following wrote the book 'Parvat Shiromani Bhagat Singh Koshyari'?
A
Madan Mohan SatiB
PS RamanC
Gopichand P HindujaD
Arun ShourieQuestion 93
GK
In a certain code language, 'A+ B' means 'A is the sister of B' 'A – B' means 'A is the brother of B' 'A × B' means 'A is the wife of B' 'A ÷ B' means 'A is the father of B'. Based on the above, how is M related to Q if 'M × N ÷ O + P − Q'?
A
MotherB
WifeC
SisterD
DaughterQuestion 94
GK
Which of the following is NOT a category of judicial review, as classified by Justice Syed Shah Mohammed Quadri?
A
Judicial review of legislation of the Parliament and State Legislatures and subordinate legislationsB
Judicial review of constitutional amendmentsC
Judicial review of administrative action of the Union and State and authorities under the stateD
Judicial review of judicial appointments to the Supreme Court and High Courts