SSC
Doordarshan was separated from All India Radio and given a separate identity in:
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)View answer ▾Hide ▴
Answer: Option D — 1976
Detailed Solution
Doordarshan was separated from All India Radio (AIR) and became a separate organisation on 1 April 1976.
History of Doordarshan:
Television in India began on 15 September 1959 in Delhi, as an experimental service of All India Radio, with help from UNESCO. It began with a small transmitter and a temporary studio.
Regular daily transmission began in 1965, as a part of All India Radio.
"Krishi Darshan", a programme for farmers that started on 26 January 1967, is one of the longest-running programmes on Indian television.
Television services spread to Mumbai (1972) and other cities.
The "Satellite Instructional Television Experiment" (SITE), 1975-76, used an American satellite (ATS-6) to broadcast educational programmes to about 2,400 villages.
On 1 April 1976, television was separated from AIR and given its own identity as "Doordarshan", under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
National telecast began on 15 August 1982, and colour television was introduced in India at the time of the Asian Games held in New Delhi in November 1982.
Famous Doordarshan programmes of the 1980s include "Hum Log" (India's first television soap opera, 1984), "Buniyaad", "Ramayan" (1987), "Mahabharat" (1988) and "Malgudi Days".
In 1997, Doordarshan and AIR were placed under Prasar Bharati, an autonomous public broadcaster.
About Doordarshan today:
- Its name means "distant sight" (television).
- It is India's public service broadcaster, with channels such as DD National, DD News, DD Kisan, DD Sports and regional channels.
- "DD Free Dish" is its free direct-to-home (DTH) satellite service.
- Its signature tune was composed by Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Ali Ahmed Hussain Khan.
- Its logo, designed by students of the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, has two curved shapes around a central eye.
About All India Radio:
Radio broadcasting began in India in 1927 with the Indian Broadcasting Company, which was taken over by the government as the "Indian State Broadcasting Service" in 1930; it was renamed "All India Radio" in 1936 and also called "Akashvani" from 1957.
Why not the other options?
- ✗1959 is when television began in India as part of AIR.
- ✗1982 is when colour television and national telecast began.
- ✗1997 is when Prasar Bharati was set up.
Quick tip
Remember: Doordarshan = TV began 15 September 1959 (Delhi); separated from AIR on 1 April 1976; colour TV 1982 (Asian Games); "Hum Log" = first soap (1984); under Prasar Bharati since 1997.
💬 Discussions on this question
Ask a doubt ›Still stuck on this question? Ask our faculty and fellow students — answers appear here.
Ask a doubtMore Miscellaneous GK Questions
View all ›- Q1.The National Flag of India was originally designed by:
- Q2.The 'Amar Jawan Jyoti' was installed under the India Gate in:
- Q3.In which year was the Sundarbans National Park designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
- Q4.'Surya Kiran' is a joint military exercise held between India and:
- Q5.Air transport (the first commercial air mail flight) was launched in India in:
More General Knowledge Questions
- Q1.The techniques of Rasa and Bhava used in Indian classical dance trace their origin to which ancient text?Indian Dance Forms
- Q2.Lavani, Powada, Koli, Waghya Murali and Dhangari Gaja are folk dances of which state?Indian Dance Forms
- Q3.The one-act play associated with the Sattriya tradition of Assam is called:Indian Dance Forms
- Q4.Which dance form of Goa is known as the 'Warrior Dance'?Indian Dance Forms
- Q5.Manipuri dance is based on the Rasleela themes of:Indian Dance Forms
Miscellaneous GK — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Miscellaneous GK, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic collects general knowledge questions that do not fit neatly into a single category, such as national symbols, famous nicknames of places, important events, entertainment, and facts that cut across history, geography and culture. Because these questions come from many areas, the best preparation is broad revision and regular practice. Read each explanation carefully, since it often includes a related fact that is tested in a different form. Keep a notebook of facts you get wrong and revise it before the exam. Practise the miscellaneous GK questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.