SSC GD General Knowledge & General Awareness Syllabus

General Knowledge & 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 & General Awareness in SSC GD, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   History

   3 topics

   • Ancient History
   • Medieval History
   • Modern History
2. 2

   Geography

   3 topics

   • Physical Geography
   • Indian Geography
   • World Geography
3. 3

   Current Affairs

   3 topics

   • National Current Affairs
   • International Current Affairs
   • Sports Current Affairs

General Knowledge & General Awareness flashcards for SSC GD

25 of 54 cards from the General Knowledge & General Awareness deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. Which Indus Valley Civilization site is known for its Great Bath, and on which river was it located?

   Mohenjo-daro, located on the banks of the Indus River (in present-day Sindh, Pakistan).

2. Who founded the Maurya Empire and in which year did he establish it?

   Chandragupta Maurya founded the Maurya Empire around 322 BCE, with help from his advisor Chanakya (Kautilya).

3. After which battle did Emperor Ashoka embrace Buddhism, and around what year was it fought?

   The Kalinga War, fought around 261 BCE; the bloodshed led Ashoka to adopt Buddhism and the policy of Dhamma.

4. Which period is called the 'Golden Age of India' and which dynasty ruled during it?

   The Gupta period (roughly 4th to 6th century CE) is called the Golden Age, ruled by the Gupta dynasty.

5. Who wrote the Arthashastra and what is its subject?

   Chanakya (Kautilya) wrote the Arthashastra, a treatise on statecraft, economics, and political strategy.

6. In which language and script were most of Ashoka's edicts inscribed?

   Mostly in the Prakrit language using the Brahmi script (some in Kharosthi, Greek, and Aramaic in border regions).

7. Who founded the Slave (Mamluk) Dynasty, the first dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate?

   Qutb-ud-din Aibak founded the Slave Dynasty in 1206; he also began the construction of the Qutub Minar.

8. Which Delhi Sultanate ruler is famous for shifting the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad?

   Muhammad bin Tughlaq, who later reversed the decision; he also introduced token (copper/brass) currency.

9. Who founded the Vijayanagara Empire and in which year?

   Harihara I and Bukka Raya founded the Vijayanagara Empire in 1336.

10. In which battle (1526) did Babur defeat Ibrahim Lodi to establish the Mughal Empire?

    The First Battle of Panipat in 1526.

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

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

12. Who founded the Maratha Empire and in which year was he crowned?

    Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj; he was crowned (coronation/Rajyabhishek) in 1674 at Raigad.

13. In which year and battle did the British East India Company gain control over Bengal?

    The Battle of Plassey in 1757, where Robert Clive defeated Siraj-ud-Daulah.

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

    It began in 1857, sparked at Meerut, and the rebellion involved soldiers like Mangal Pandey at Barrackpore.

15. Who founded the Indian National Congress and in which year?

    A.O. Hume founded the Indian National Congress in 1885; its first session was in Bombay under W.C. Bonnerjee.

16. In which year did the Jallianwala Bagh massacre occur and in which city?

    1919, in Amritsar (Punjab), under the orders of General Dyer.

17. Who gave the slogan 'Do or Die' and during which 1942 movement?

    Mahatma Gandhi, during the Quit India Movement of 1942.

18. On what date did India become an independent country and on what date a republic?

    Independence on 15 August 1947; became a Republic on 26 January 1950.

19. What are the three layers of the Earth's interior from outside to inside?

    The Crust (outermost), the Mantle (middle), and the Core (innermost, divided into outer liquid core and inner solid core).

20. Name the four main layers of Earth's atmosphere in order from the surface upward.

    Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, and Thermosphere (followed by the Exosphere).

21. Which layer of the atmosphere contains the ozone layer that absorbs ultraviolet radiation?

    The Stratosphere.

22. What are the three main types of rocks based on their mode of formation?

    Igneous (cooled magma/lava), Sedimentary (deposited sediments), and Metamorphic (changed by heat and pressure).

23. What is the difference between latitude and longitude?

    Latitudes are imaginary horizontal lines measuring distance north/south of the Equator; longitudes are vertical lines measuring distance east/west of the Prime Meridian.

24. What causes day and night, and what causes the change of seasons on Earth?

    The rotation of the Earth on its axis causes day and night; the revolution of the Earth around the Sun (with axial tilt) causes the seasons.

25. Which is the longest river in India and where does it originate?

    The Ganga (Ganges), originating from the Gangotri Glacier in the Himalayas (Uttarakhand).

See more General Knowledge & General Awareness flashcards →

Planning General Knowledge & General Awareness for SSC GD

General Knowledge & General Awareness (SSC GD) FAQ