PPSC Test Current Affairs Syllabus

Current Affairs 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 in PPSC Test, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   National Current Affairs

   4 topics

   • Government, Politics and Constitutional Developments
   • Economy, Budget and Development Projects
   • Defence and Security Affairs
   • Awards, Honours and Appointments
2. 2

   International Current Affairs

   3 topics

   • Global Conflicts and Diplomacy
   • International Summits and Conferences
   • World Leaders and Heads of State
3. 3

   International Organizations

   3 topics

   • United Nations and Its Agencies
   • Regional Organizations (SAARC, OIC, SCO, ASEAN, EU)
   • Financial Institutions (IMF, World Bank, ADB)
4. 4

   Pakistan's Foreign Relations

   3 topics

   • Relations with Neighbouring Countries
   • Relations with Major Powers
   • Key Agreements and Treaties

Current Affairs flashcards for PPSC Test

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

1. Under Pakistan's 1973 Constitution, how is the Prime Minister selected and to whom is the federal cabinet collectively responsible?

   The Prime Minister is elected by a majority vote of the members of the National Assembly. Under Article 91, the federal cabinet is collectively responsible to the National Assembly (the lower house).

2. What did the 18th Amendment (2010) to Pakistan's Constitution chiefly accomplish?

   It abolished the President's power to dissolve the National Assembly (repealing Article 58(2)(b)), devolved many subjects to the provinces by abolishing the Concurrent Legislative List, renamed NWFP as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and strengthened parliamentary democracy and provincial autonomy.

3. How is the President of Pakistan elected, and what is the term of office?

   The President is elected by an Electoral College consisting of members of both houses of Parliament (Senate and National Assembly) and the four Provincial Assemblies, for a five-year term.

4. What is the total composition of Pakistan's National Assembly and the Senate?

   The National Assembly has 336 seats (266 general, 60 reserved for women, 10 for non-Muslims). The Senate has 96 members elected for six-year terms, with half retiring every three years.

5. What is a 'vote of no confidence' in a parliamentary system, and what is its effect on the Prime Minister?

   It is a motion by which the legislature withdraws its support; if a majority of the National Assembly votes for it, the Prime Minister must resign. In Pakistan it is moved under Article 95 of the Constitution.

6. What is a caretaker government in Pakistan and what is its primary mandate?

   A neutral interim administration formed after the dissolution of assemblies to oversee day-to-day affairs and ensure free and fair general elections, barred from taking major policy decisions.

7. What is a fiscal deficit, and how does it differ from a trade deficit?

   A fiscal (budget) deficit is the excess of a government's total expenditure over its total revenue in a year. A trade deficit is the excess of a country's imports over its exports. One concerns the budget; the other concerns external trade.

8. What is the difference between GDP and GNP?

   GDP (Gross Domestic Product) measures the value of all goods and services produced within a country's borders. GNP (Gross National Product) measures output by a country's nationals, including income earned abroad but excluding income earned domestically by foreigners.

9. In a national budget, what is the distinction between current (revenue) expenditure and development (capital) expenditure?

   Current/revenue expenditure covers recurring running costs such as salaries, debt servicing, and subsidies. Development/capital expenditure funds long-term assets and projects such as infrastructure, listed in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).

10. What is the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and which port is its centrepiece?

    CPEC is a flagship project of China's Belt and Road Initiative comprising energy, infrastructure, and industrial projects linking western China to the Arabian Sea. Its centrepiece is Gwadar Port in Balochistan.

11. What is the difference between direct and indirect taxes, with one example of each?

    A direct tax is levied on income/wealth and paid directly by the taxpayer (e.g., income tax). An indirect tax is levied on goods and services and passed on to the consumer (e.g., sales tax / GST).

12. Which institution is the central bank of Pakistan and what is its core monetary-policy function?

    The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). It formulates and implements monetary policy, regulates the banking system, manages foreign exchange reserves, and issues currency.

13. What is the role of Pakistan's National Command Authority (NCA)?

    It is the apex body that controls and oversees Pakistan's nuclear weapons and strategic assets, responsible for policy, development, and deployment of the nuclear arsenal.

14. What does the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) do, and what are its 'grey list' and 'black list'?

    FATF is the global watchdog that sets standards against money laundering and terror financing. The grey list flags countries under increased monitoring; the black list names high-risk, non-cooperative jurisdictions subject to countermeasures.

15. What is the difference between Pakistan's tri-service command structure: who heads the Army, and what is the role of the CJCSC?

    The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) commands the Pakistan Army. The Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) is the principal military adviser coordinating the three services (Army, Navy, Air Force) but does not have operational command over them.

16. What is Nishan-e-Haider, and who is eligible for it?

    It is Pakistan's highest military gallantry award, conferred for the highest acts of valour in the face of the enemy. It is awarded almost exclusively posthumously to members of the armed forces.

17. List Pakistan's civil awards in descending order of precedence.

    In each class the order is Nishan, then Hilal, then Sitara, then Tamgha. The highest civil decoration is the Nishan-e-Pakistan; the categories include Nishan, Hilal, Sitara, and Tamgha of Quaid-i-Azam, Imtiaz, Shujaat, and Khidmat.

18. What is the Nobel Peace Prize, and who is the youngest-ever laureate?

    It is one of the five original Nobel Prizes, awarded annually in Oslo for work advancing peace. The youngest laureate is Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan, who won in 2014 at age 17 for advocating children's right to education.

19. Who appoints the Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan, and what is the term?

    The Chief Election Commissioner is appointed by the President on the advice reached through consultation between the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, for a five-year term, heading the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

20. What is meant by 'shuttle diplomacy'?

    Mediation in which a third-party intermediary travels back and forth between two or more parties who are unwilling to meet directly, conveying proposals to help resolve a dispute.

21. What is the difference between a unilateral, bilateral, and multilateral agreement in diplomacy?

    Unilateral involves action by one state alone; bilateral is between two states; multilateral involves three or more states or international organizations negotiating collectively.

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