Shiyali Ramamrita Ranganathan Quiz

Quiz: S. R. Ranganathan (25 Questions)

1. What date is Shiyali Ramamrita Ranganathan’s birthday?

• A) 9 August 1892
• B) 12 August 1892
• C) 27 September 1972
• D) 1 January 1900

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Correct: A) 9 August 1892. This date is verified in Ranganathan’s own writings, marking his birth in Tamil Nadu.

2. What is Ranganathan known as the father of?

• A) Mathematics
• B) Computer Science
• C) Library Science
• D) Information Technology

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Correct: C) Library Science. Ranganathan’s theories and practices established the foundation of modern library science.

3. Where was Ranganathan born?

• A) Mumbai
• B) Chennai
• C) Thanjavur
• D) New Delhi

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Correct: C) Thanjavur. Ranganathan was born in Thanjavur, a town in Tamil Nadu, India.

4. Which classification system did Ranganathan develop?

• A) Dewey Decimal Classification
• B) Colon Classification
• C) Library of Congress Classification
• D) Universal Decimal Classification

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Correct: B) Colon Classification. Notable for its faceted classification approach.

5. When did Ranganathan serve as the University Librarian at the University of Madras?

• A) 1924-1944
• B) 1944-1955
• C) 1955-1965
• D) 1924-1944

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Correct: D) 1924-1944. He dedicated twenty years to improving the library system in Madras.

6. What were Ranganathan’s contributions to library science known as?

• A) Five Principles
• B) Five Laws
• C) Five Rules
• D) Five Concepts

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Correct: B) Five Laws. Foundational principles guiding library practices.

7. In which year was Ranganathan awarded the Padma Shri?

• A) 1954
• B) 1957
• C) 1960
• D) 1970

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Correct: B) 1957.

8. Which institution did Ranganathan serve as a professor of library science after leaving Madras?

• A) Banaras Hindu University
• B) University of Delhi
• C) University of Mumbai
• D) Aligarh Muslim University

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Correct: A) Banaras Hindu University. He taught there and cataloged the collection.

9. Which role did Ranganathan hold in the Indian Library Association?

• A) Secretary
• B) Treasurer
• C) President
• D) Vice-President

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Correct: C) President (1944–1953).

10. “The Five Laws of Library Science” was published in which year?

• A) 1931
• B) 1933
• C) 1945
• D) 1951

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Correct: A) 1931.

11. Why did Ranganathan initially hesitate to accept the librarian position at the University of Madras?

• A) Lack of interest
• B) No formal training
• C) Stammering
• D) Family obligations

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Correct: B) No formal training.

12. What major project did Ranganathan undertake while in London?

• A) Writing his autobiography
• B) Studying library classification
• C) Founding a library association
• D) Developing digital libraries

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Correct: B) Studying library classification.

13. A major achievement at the University of Madras?

• A) Creating a digital library
• B) Cataloging over 100,000 items
• C) Establishing a library school
• D) Writing a comprehensive history of libraries

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Correct: B) Cataloging over 100,000 items.

14. Honorary member of which international organization?

• A) UNESCO
• B) International Federation for Information and Documentation (FID)
• C) World Library Association
• D) American Library Association

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Correct: B) FID.

15. Primary focus of his classification system?

• A) Numerical systems
• B) Faceted classification
• C) Author-based classification
• D) Alphabetical order

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Correct: B) Faceted classification.

16. Contribution to public libraries in India?

• A) Writing books
• B) Establishing free public libraries
• C) Teaching library science
• D) Digitizing library collections

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Correct: B) Establishing free public libraries.

17. Career before becoming a librarian?

• A) Engineer
• B) Mathematician
• C) Teacher
• D) Scientist

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Correct: B) Mathematician.

18. Which personal challenge did he face?

• A) Dyslexia
• B) Stammering
• C) Vision impairment
• D) Hearing loss

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Correct: B) Stammering.

19. Role during his brief stay in Zürich?

• A) Studying mathematics
• B) Expanding library contacts
• C) Teaching
• D) Writing a book

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Correct: B) Expanding library contacts.

20. Title awarded in 1965?

• A) National Librarian
• B) National Research Professor
• C) Library Director
• D) Distinguished Scholar

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Correct: B) National Research Professor.

21. One notable publication?

• A) The Dewey Decimal System
• B) Readings from the Ramayana
• C) A History of Librarianship
• D) Indian Library Science

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Correct: B) Readings from the Ramayana.

22. How did he prove the need for his classification system?

• A) By writing a paper
• B) By experimenting with books
• C) By teaching students
• D) By attending conferences

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Correct: B) By experimenting with books.

23. City of his final years?

• A) Chennai
• B) Bangalore
• C) Mumbai
• D) Varanasi

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Correct: B) Bangalore.

24. “Acknowledgment of Duplication” refers to?

• A) Multiple authors
• B) Dual classification systems
• C) Overlapping subjects
• D) Repeated publications

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Correct: B) Dual classification systems.

25. A personal hobby that influenced his work?

• A) Painting
• B) Gardening
• C) Collecting stamps
• D) Playing chess

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Correct: A) Painting. Helped develop a keen eye for organization and detail.