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SSC GD General Knowledge & General Awareness Syllabus
The General Knowledge & General Awareness syllabus for SSC GD in full: 3 chapters and 9 topics, every one listed below, plus 54 General Knowledge & General Awareness flashcards with answers.
General Knowledge & General Awareness syllabus: all 3 chapters
Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics.
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History
3 topics- Ancient History
- Medieval History
- Modern History
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Geography
3 topics- Physical Geography
- Indian Geography
- World Geography
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Current Affairs
3 topics- National Current Affairs
- International Current Affairs
- Sports Current Affairs
SSC GD General Knowledge & General Awareness flashcards — 54 questions with answers
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).
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).
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.
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.
Who wrote the Arthashastra and what is its subject?
Chanakya (Kautilya) wrote the Arthashastra, a treatise on statecraft, economics, and political strategy.
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).
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.
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.
Who founded the Vijayanagara Empire and in which year?
Harihara I and Bukka Raya founded the Vijayanagara Empire in 1336.
In which battle (1526) did Babur defeat Ibrahim Lodi to establish the Mughal Empire?
The First Battle of Panipat in 1526.
Which Mughal emperor built the Taj Mahal and in whose memory?
Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal.
Who founded the Maratha Empire and in which year was he crowned?
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj; he was crowned (coronation/Rajyabhishek) in 1674 at Raigad.
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.
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.
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.
In which year did the Jallianwala Bagh massacre occur and in which city?
1919, in Amritsar (Punjab), under the orders of General Dyer.
Who gave the slogan 'Do or Die' and during which 1942 movement?
Mahatma Gandhi, during the Quit India Movement of 1942.
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.
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).
Name the four main layers of Earth's atmosphere in order from the surface upward.
Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, and Thermosphere (followed by the Exosphere).
Show the other 34 General Knowledge & General Awareness flashcards
Which layer of the atmosphere contains the ozone layer that absorbs ultraviolet radiation?
The Stratosphere.
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).
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.
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.
Which is the longest river in India and where does it originate?
The Ganga (Ganges), originating from the Gangotri Glacier in the Himalayas (Uttarakhand).
Which is the highest mountain peak located entirely within India?
Kanchenjunga (in Sikkim), 8,586 m; it is the third-highest peak in the world.
Which Indian state has the longest coastline?
Gujarat has the longest coastline among Indian states.
The Tropic of Cancer passes through how many Indian states?
Eight states: Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tripura, and Mizoram.
Which is the largest state of India by area and which is the smallest?
Rajasthan is the largest by area; Goa is the smallest state by area.
Which river is known as the 'Sorrow of Bihar' and which as the 'Sorrow of West Bengal'?
The Kosi River is the 'Sorrow of Bihar'; the Damodar River was the 'Sorrow of West Bengal'.
Which is the largest continent and the largest ocean in the world?
Asia is the largest continent; the Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean.
Which is the longest river in the world and which is the largest by water volume?
The Nile is generally regarded as the longest river; the Amazon is the largest by water discharge/volume.
Which line divides the Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, and at what degree is it?
The Equator, at 0 degrees latitude.
What is the name of the imaginary line at 180 degrees longitude that marks where the calendar date changes?
The International Date Line (IDL).
Which is the highest mountain peak in the world and on which border does it lie?
Mount Everest (8,849 m), on the border between Nepal and China (Tibet).
Which desert is the largest hot desert in the world?
The Sahara Desert in North Africa.
Who is the current President of India (15th President), who assumed office in 2022?
Droupadi Murmu, India's first tribal President and the 15th President of India.
What is India's flagship financial inclusion scheme launched in 2014 to provide bank accounts to all?
Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY).
Which Indian space mission successfully soft-landed near the Moon's south pole in 2023?
Chandrayaan-3, whose Vikram lander touched down near the lunar south pole in August 2023.
What is the name of India's indirect tax reform introduced on 1 July 2017?
GST (Goods and Services Tax), a unified indirect tax replacing multiple central and state taxes.
Who is the current Chief Justice of India's appointing authority and which article governs it?
The President of India appoints the Chief Justice of India; Article 124 governs the establishment of the Supreme Court and appointment of judges.
Which body conducts elections in India and which article establishes it?
The Election Commission of India, established under Article 324 of the Constitution.
What is the name of the international military alliance formed in 1949 by Western nations, headquartered in Brussels?
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization).
Which grouping of major emerging economies includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa?
BRICS.
Where is the headquarters of the United Nations located?
New York City, United States.
What is the name of the South Asian regional cooperation organization of which India is a founding member?
SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation), headquartered in Kathmandu, Nepal.
Which organization's headquarters is in Geneva and regulates global trade between nations?
The World Trade Organization (WTO).
How many permanent members does the UN Security Council have, and name them?
Five permanent members: the USA, the UK, France, Russia, and China.
Which country won the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup (ODI) held in India?
Australia, defeating India in the final at Ahmedabad.
In which sport is the 'Thomas Cup' awarded, and to which gender?
Badminton; the Thomas Cup is the men's international team championship (the Uber Cup is the women's equivalent).
The Ranji Trophy is associated with which sport in India?
Cricket; it is India's premier domestic first-class cricket tournament.
How often are the Summer Olympic Games held and where were the 2024 Games hosted?
Every four years; the 2024 Summer Olympics were hosted in Paris, France.
Which Indian became the first to win an individual Olympic gold medal, and in which sport?
Abhinav Bindra, in shooting (10m air rifle) at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Which trophy is awarded for international football's premier tournament held every four years?
The FIFA World Cup Trophy; the 2022 edition was won by Argentina in Qatar.
SSC GD General Knowledge & General Awareness FAQ
What is in the SSC GD General Knowledge & General Awareness syllabus?
SSC GD General Knowledge & General Awareness is split into 3 chapters: History, Geography and Current Affairs. Together they contain 9 topics.
How many chapters are in SSC GD General Knowledge & General Awareness?
3 chapters, containing 9 topics. The largest chapter is History, with 3 topics.
Are there flashcards for SSC GD General Knowledge & General Awareness?
Yes — a 54-card General Knowledge & General Awareness deck, printed in full in the flashcards section of this page and available in the Examius app with spaced repetition. The free plan covers one exam of your choice, including its flashcards; Examius Pro, a one-time purchase, unlocks every other exam and deck.