SSC JE General Awareness Syllabus

What is the powerhouse of the cell, and what is its main function?

The mitochondrion; it generates energy (ATP) through cellular respiration.

Define 'photosynthesis' and give its basic word equation.

The process by which green plants make food using sunlight: Carbon dioxide + Water -> (sunlight, chlorophyll) -> Glucose + Oxygen.

In ecology, what is a 'food chain'?

A linear sequence showing how energy and nutrients pass from one organism to the next, from producers to consumers to decomposers.

What is the difference between an 'ecosystem' and a 'biome'?

An ecosystem is a community of living organisms interacting with their physical environment in a specific area; a biome is a large-scale region of similar ecosystems (e.g., desert, tundra, rainforest).

What atmospheric gas, when accumulated excessively, is the primary driver of global warming, and from what main human activity?

Carbon dioxide (CO2), primarily from the burning of fossil fuels.

What is the 'greenhouse effect'?

The trapping of the Sun's heat in the Earth's atmosphere by greenhouse gases (CO2, methane, water vapor), keeping the planet warm.

Which body in India performs the function of judicial review, and what does judicial review mean?

The judiciary (Supreme Court and High Courts); judicial review is the power to examine the constitutionality of laws and executive actions and strike them down if unconstitutional.

What is the minimum age requirement to become President of India and to become a member of the Lok Sabha?

35 years for President; 25 years for Lok Sabha membership.

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

Shah Jahan, in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal.

Who founded the Indian National Congress in 1885, and who was its first president?

A.O. Hume founded it; W.C. Bonnerjee was its first president.

What is 'inflation,' and name one common index used to measure it in India.

A sustained rise in the general price level of goods and services over time; measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or Wholesale Price Index (WPI).

What is 'GST' in India, and in which year was it implemented?

Goods and Services Tax, a unified indirect tax on supply of goods and services; implemented on 1 July 2017.

State the formula for the speed of an object moving at constant velocity.

Speed = Distance / Time (v = d/t).

What is the value of acceleration due to gravity (g) on Earth's surface, approximately?

Approximately 9.8 m/s squared (often rounded to 9.81 m/s squared).

What are the three states of matter, and what distinguishes them at the molecular level?

Solid, liquid, and gas; they differ in the arrangement, spacing, and motion of their particles (tightly packed/fixed, loosely packed/movable, far apart/free).

What is an 'isotope'?

Atoms of the same element having the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons (different mass numbers).

Which blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen in the human body, and which protein enables this?

Red blood cells (erythrocytes); hemoglobin enables oxygen transport.

What is 'biodiversity'?

The variety of all living organisms (species, genes, and ecosystems) in a particular habitat or on Earth as a whole.

Distinguish between 'renewable' and 'non-renewable' resources with one example each.

Renewable resources replenish naturally (e.g., solar, wind, water); non-renewable resources are finite and deplete with use (e.g., coal, petroleum).

What is the 'ozone layer,' and what harmful radiation does it protect us from?

A layer of ozone (O3) in the stratosphere; it absorbs and blocks most of the Sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

Which directive principle group in the Indian Constitution is contained in Part IV, and are these enforceable in court?

The Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP); they are non-justiciable (not legally enforceable) but fundamental in governance.

What is the difference between 'plateau' and 'plain' as landforms in physical geography?

A plateau is an elevated flat-topped landform raised above surrounding land; a plain is a large area of low-lying flat or gently rolling land.

What is the largest international financial institution that provides loans to countries for development, headquartered in Washington, D.C.?

The World Bank.

What is the chemical symbol and atomic number of carbon?

Symbol C; atomic number 6.

In ecology, what is a 'keystone species'?

A species that has a disproportionately large effect on its ecosystem relative to its abundance; its removal causes major changes in the ecosystem.

What is 'urbanization' in human geography?

The increasing concentration of population in towns and cities and the expansion of urban areas, accompanied by a shift from rural to urban living.

Which gas, with the formula CH4, is the second most significant greenhouse gas and is released from paddy fields and livestock?

Methane (CH4).

What is the 'Five-Year Plan' system, and which body formulated them in India before being replaced by NITI Aayog?

Centralized economic plans for the country's development over five-year periods; formulated by the Planning Commission (replaced by NITI Aayog in 2015).

State the law of conservation of energy.

Energy can neither be created nor destroyed; it can only be transformed from one form to another, so the total energy of an isolated system remains constant.

What is the difference between a 'mixture' and a 'compound' in chemistry?

A mixture is a physical combination of substances that keep their own properties and can be separated physically; a compound is a chemical combination of elements in fixed ratios with new properties, separable only by chemical means.