PPSC Subject Specialist Test Current Affairs & Basic Computing Syllabus

Current Affairs & Basic Computing syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Current Affairs & Basic Computing in PPSC Subject Specialist Test, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   National Current Affairs

   3 topics

   • Pakistan's Politics & Government
   • Economy, Budget & Development
   • Recent National Events & Appointments
2. 2

   International Current Affairs

   3 topics

   • Global Conflicts & Summits
   • International Organizations (UN, OIC, SCO)
   • World Leaders & Major Events
3. 3

   Sports & Notable Personalities

   2 topics

   • Major Sports Events & Records
   • National & International Personalities
4. 4

   Basic Computer Knowledge

   4 topics

   • Computer Fundamentals & Hardware
   • Software, Operating Systems & MS Office
   • Internet, Email & Networking Basics
   • Generations & History of Computers
5. 5

   Basic Mathematics

   4 topics

   • Arithmetic & Number Systems
   • Percentages, Ratio & Proportion
   • Average, Profit & Loss
   • Basic Algebra & Geometry

Current Affairs & Basic Computing flashcards for PPSC Subject Specialist Test

21 of 50 cards from the Current Affairs & Basic Computing deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. Under the Constitution of Pakistan, who is the head of state and who is the head of government?

   The President is the head of state (a ceremonial figurehead), while the Prime Minister is the head of government and holds executive authority.

2. How many seats are in Pakistan's National Assembly and what is the total general (directly elected) seat count?

   The National Assembly has 336 seats in total, of which 266 are general seats filled by direct election; 60 are reserved for women and 10 for non-Muslims.

3. What is the name of Pakistan's bicameral legislature and its two houses?

   It is called the Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament), consisting of the National Assembly (lower house) and the Senate (upper house).

4. How many members does the Senate of Pakistan have and what is a senator's term?

   The Senate has 96 members, each serving a 6-year term, with half the house retiring every 3 years.

5. Which amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan restored the parliamentary system and devolved powers to the provinces in 2010?

   The 18th Amendment, which abolished the concurrent legislative list and significantly enhanced provincial autonomy.

6. What is a money bill in Pakistan, and which house cannot reject it?

   A money bill deals with taxation, public funds, or borrowing; it can only originate in the National Assembly, and the Senate may only recommend changes but cannot reject it.

7. In Pakistan's federal budget, what is the difference between the fiscal deficit and the primary balance?

   The fiscal deficit is total expenditure minus total revenue; the primary balance is the fiscal balance excluding interest (debt servicing) payments.

8. What is the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award in Pakistan?

   It is the constitutional mechanism (under Article 160) for distributing revenue from the federal divisible pool between the federal government and the four provinces.

9. What does GDP stand for and how does it differ from GNP?

   GDP (Gross Domestic Product) measures output produced within a country's borders; GNP (Gross National Product) measures output produced by a country's nationals regardless of location.

10. What is the formula for calculating the inflation rate using the Consumer Price Index (CPI)?

    Inflation rate = ((CPI of current year − CPI of previous year) / CPI of previous year) × 100.

11. What is Pakistan's central bank and what are two of its primary functions?

    The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP); it issues currency and formulates/implements monetary policy (e.g., setting the policy interest rate).

12. What is the difference between fiscal policy and monetary policy?

    Fiscal policy uses government taxation and spending to influence the economy; monetary policy uses control of money supply and interest rates, managed by the central bank.

13. Which international financial institution does Pakistan frequently approach for balance-of-payments support programmes?

    The International Monetary Fund (IMF).

14. What is CPEC and which two countries does it connect?

    The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a flagship Belt and Road Initiative project connecting Gwadar port in Pakistan to Kashgar in China's Xinjiang region.

15. In Pakistan, what is the name of the appointed caretaker setup that runs the country before general elections?

    The caretaker government, headed by a caretaker Prime Minister, whose role is to ensure free and fair elections.

16. Which Pakistani institution conducts and supervises general elections?

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

17. What is the maximum membership of the United Nations Security Council and how many are permanent members?

    The Security Council has 15 members, of which 5 are permanent (China, France, Russia, the UK, and the USA) holding veto power; the other 10 are non-permanent.

18. What does OIC stand for, and where is its headquarters located?

    The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation; its headquarters is in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

19. What does SCO stand for and name three of its founding/major member states?

    The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation; major members include China, Russia, India, and Pakistan (Pakistan and India joined in 2017).

20. How many principal organs does the United Nations have, and name them?

    Six: the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice, and the Secretariat.

21. Where is the headquarters of the United Nations, and where is the International Court of Justice located?

    The UN headquarters is in New York City (USA); the International Court of Justice is in The Hague (Netherlands).

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