SSC GD Constable General Knowledge and General Awareness Syllabus

General Knowledge and General Awareness syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for General Knowledge and General Awareness in SSC GD Constable, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Indian History and Culture

   4 topics

   • Ancient India
     • Indus Valley Civilization
     • Vedic Age and Mauryan Empire
     • Gupta Period and post-Gupta kingdoms
   • Medieval India
     • Delhi Sultanate
     • Mughal Empire
     • Bhakti and Sufi movements
   • Modern India and Freedom Struggle
     • British colonial rule and Revolt of 1857
     • Indian National Movement and key leaders
     • Important sessions and acts
   • Art, Culture and Heritage
     • Classical dances and music
     • Festivals and monuments
2. 2

   Indian Geography

   5 topics

   • Physical Geography of India
     • Mountains, plateaus and plains
     • Rivers and drainage systems
   • Climate and Monsoon
   • Natural Resources and Soils
   • Agriculture and Crops
   • World Geography Basics
     • Continents, oceans and major countries
     • Important latitudes and longitudes
3. 3

   Indian Polity and Constitution

   5 topics

   • Salient Features of the Constitution
   • Fundamental Rights and Duties
   • Directive Principles of State Policy
   • Union and State Government
     • President, Parliament and Council of Ministers
     • Governor, State Legislature and Judiciary
   • Constitutional and Statutory Bodies
4. 4

   General Science

   4 topics

   • Physics Fundamentals
     • Motion, force and energy
     • Light, sound and electricity
   • Chemistry Fundamentals
     • Matter, elements and compounds
     • Acids, bases and everyday chemistry
   • Biology Fundamentals
     • Human body systems and diseases
     • Cell, plants and nutrition
   • Science and Technology in Daily Life
5. 5

   Economy and Current Affairs

   5 topics

   • Indian Economy Basics
     • Budget, banking and RBI
     • GDP, inflation and taxation
   • National and International Current Affairs
   • Sports, Awards and Honours
   • Important Days, Books and Authors
   • Government Schemes and Policies

General Knowledge and General Awareness flashcards for SSC GD Constable

25 of 53 cards from the General Knowledge and General Awareness deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. Which civilization is known as the Indus Valley or Harappan Civilization, and to which age did it belong?

   The Indus Valley Civilization (c. 2500-1750 BCE) was a Bronze Age civilization; major sites include Harappa, Mohenjo-daro, Lothal, and Dholavira.

2. What are the four Vedas of ancient India?

   Rigveda, Samaveda, Yajurveda, and Atharvaveda. The Rigveda is the oldest.

3. Who founded the Mauryan Empire and in which year?

   Chandragupta Maurya founded the Mauryan Empire in 322 BCE, with help from his mentor Chanakya (Kautilya).

4. Which Mauryan emperor embraced Buddhism after the Kalinga War, and around which year was that war fought?

   Emperor Ashoka embraced Buddhism after the Kalinga War, fought around 261 BCE.

5. Who founded Buddhism and Jainism respectively, and what is the highest goal in each?

   Buddhism was founded by Gautama Buddha (Siddhartha) seeking Nirvana; Jainism was propagated by Mahavira (24th Tirthankara) seeking Kaivalya/Moksha.

6. Which dynasty is regarded as the 'Golden Age' of ancient India, and who is its most famous ruler?

   The Gupta Empire is called the Golden Age of India; Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya) was its most famous ruler.

7. Who founded the Delhi Sultanate, and which five dynasties ruled it?

   Qutb-ud-din Aibak founded the Delhi Sultanate (1206). The five dynasties were Slave (Mamluk), Khalji, Tughlaq, Sayyid, and Lodi.

8. Who founded the Mughal Empire in India, and in which battle?

   Babur founded the Mughal Empire by defeating Ibrahim Lodi at the First Battle of Panipat in 1526.

9. Which Mughal emperor built the Taj Mahal and in whose memory?

   Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal at Agra in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal.

10. Who founded the Maratha Empire, and in which year was he crowned Chhatrapati?

    Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj founded the Maratha Empire and was crowned in 1674.

11. Which Mughal emperor introduced the religion Din-i-Ilahi and abolished the jizya tax?

    Akbar introduced Din-i-Ilahi (1582) and abolished the jizya tax on non-Muslims.

12. Who was the first woman ruler of Delhi (Delhi Sultanate)?

    Razia Sultana (Razia-ud-din), daughter of Iltutmish, was the first and only woman to rule the Delhi Sultanate.

13. Who established the Mughal Empire's main European rival trading company in India in 1600, and what was it called?

    The English East India Company, chartered in 1600 by Queen Elizabeth I, became the dominant European power in India.

14. Which battle in 1757 marked the beginning of British political rule in India?

    The Battle of Plassey (1757), in which Robert Clive defeated Siraj-ud-Daulah, the Nawab of Bengal.

15. In which year did the Revolt of 1857 (First War of Independence) begin, and at which place did it start?

    It began in 1857 at Meerut and spread; Mangal Pandey is associated with its early outbreak at Barrackpore.

16. When was the Indian National Congress founded and by whom?

    The Indian National Congress was founded in 1885 by Allan Octavian Hume; its first president was W.C. Bonnerjee.

17. Which movements did Mahatma Gandhi lead: name the three major mass movements and their years.

    Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-22), Civil Disobedience Movement / Dandi Salt March (1930), and Quit India Movement (1942).

18. Who gave the slogan 'Inquilab Zindabad' and who gave 'Give me blood, I will give you freedom'?

    Bhagat Singh popularized 'Inquilab Zindabad'; Subhas Chandra Bose gave 'Give me blood, I will give you freedom.'

19. On what date did India gain independence, and who was the first Prime Minister?

    India became independent on 15 August 1947; Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Prime Minister.

20. Who is known as the 'Father of the Nation' and who is called the 'Iron Man of India'?

    Mahatma Gandhi is the Father of the Nation; Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is the Iron Man of India.

21. Name the four main classical dance forms of India along with their states of origin (any four).

    Bharatanatyam (Tamil Nadu), Kathak (North India/UP), Kathakali (Kerala), Odissi (Odisha); others include Kuchipudi (Andhra), Manipuri (Manipur), Mohiniyattam (Kerala), Sattriya (Assam).

22. What is the difference between Hindustani and Carnatic music?

    Hindustani is the classical music of North India (influenced by Persian/Mughal traditions); Carnatic is the classical music of South India.

23. Which two classical dances and the festivals are linked: name the harvest festivals of Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Assam.

    Punjab - Baisakhi (Lohri); Tamil Nadu - Pongal; Assam - Bihu.

24. Which UNESCO World Heritage caves in India are famous for Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain rock-cut art?

    Ajanta Caves (Buddhist paintings) and Ellora Caves (Buddhist, Hindu, Jain), both in Maharashtra.

25. What are the three major physical divisions of India from north to south?

    The Himalayan Mountains (north), the Northern (Indo-Gangetic) Plains, and the Peninsular Plateau, plus Coastal Plains and Islands.

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