General Awareness for SSC
Why This Chapter Matters
General Awareness carries 25 marks in SSC CGL Tier 1 (25 questions × 2 marks each minus 0.5 for wrong). It covers Static GK (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, Science) plus Current Affairs. This is the fastest section — 15-20 minutes for 25 questions.
Core Topics
1. Indian History (Static GK)
Ancient India (Quick Revision):
Indus Valley Civilisation: Harappa (Punjab-Pakistan), Mohenjo-daro (Sindh). Bronze Age. No iron. Great Bath at Mohenjo-daro.
Maurya Empire: Chandragupta (founded, 322 BCE), Bindusara, Ashoka (Dhamma, pillar edicts). Capital: Pataliputra.
Gupta Empire: "Golden Age". Samudra Gupta, Chandra Gupta II (Vikramaditya). Aryabhata (zero, pi), Kalidasa.
Medieval India (Quick Revision):
Delhi Sultanate: Qutb-ud-din Aibak (1st Sultan), Iltutmish, Razia Sultana (1st woman Sultan), Alauddin Khilji (market reforms), Firuz Tughlaq.
Mughal Empire: Babur (Panipat 1526) → Akbar (Din-i-Ilahi, Fatehpur Sikri) → Shah Jahan (Taj Mahal) → Aurangzeb (Jizya reimposed, Deccan campaigns).
Modern India:
1857: Sepoy Mutiny/First War of Independence. Started at Meerut.
1885: Indian National Congress. A.O. Hume (founder).
1905: Partition of Bengal (Lord Curzon). Led to Swadeshi movement.
1919: Rowlatt Act. Jallianwala Bagh massacre (Gen. Dyer).
1920: Non-Cooperation Movement (Gandhi).
1929: Poorna Swaraj declaration (Lahore Congress, Nehru).
1930: Civil Disobedience. Salt March (Dandi March, March 12 - April 6).
1942: Quit India Movement. "Do or Die."
1947: Independence (15 Aug). Partition. First PM: Nehru.
2. Indian Polity
Constitutional Provisions:
Preamble: Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic Republic.
Parliament: Rajya Sabha (upper, 250 max) + Lok Sabha (lower, 552 max).
President of India: Elected by elected members of Parliament + State Assemblies.
Article 32: Writ jurisdiction of Supreme Court (habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, certiorari, quo warranto).
52nd Amendment (1985): Anti-defection law.
73rd & 74th Amendments (1992): Panchayati Raj institutions.
3. Indian Geography
Physical Features:
Highest peak in India: Kangchenjunga (8586m). K2 is in Pakistan.
Longest river: Ganga (2525 km in India). Indus is longer but mostly in Pakistan.
Largest state by area: Rajasthan. Smallest: Goa.
Largest UT by area: Ladakh. Smallest UT by area: Lakshadweep.
Most populated state: Uttar Pradesh.
Westernmost point: Sir Creek (Gujarat). Easternmost: Kibithu (Arunachal).
Southernmost: Indira Point (Great Nicobar).
Climate and Rivers:
Mawsynram, Meghalaya: highest rainfall. Rajasthan: lowest.
Perennial rivers: Himalayan rivers (snow + rain fed).
Seasonal rivers: Peninsular rivers.
Sacred rivers: Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati (mythological).
4. Science and Technology
Physics:
SI unit of force: Newton. Pressure: Pascal. Power: Watt.
Speed of light: 3×10⁸ m/s. Speed of sound (air): 343 m/s.
Nuclear fission: Uranium-235, Plutonium-239. Used in nuclear bombs, reactors.
Nuclear fusion: Hydrogen → Helium (Sun's energy source). Used in hydrogen bomb.
Chemistry:
Hardest natural substance: Diamond. Hardest metal: Chromium.
Lightest metal: Lithium. Heaviest metal: Osmium.
Nobel gases (Group 18): He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, Rn — inert, don't form compounds.
pH scale: 0-14. Below 7 = acid, 7 = neutral, above 7 = base.
Rusting: Iron + Oxygen + Water → Iron oxide (Fe₂O₃·xH₂O).
Biology:
Blood groups: A, B, AB, O. Universal donor: O-. Universal recipient: AB+.
Vitamins: A(retinol, night blindness), B1(thiamine, beriberi), C(ascorbic acid, scurvy), D(calciferol, rickets), K(clotting).
Largest organ: Skin. Largest internal organ: Liver.
Smallest bone: Stapes (ear). Largest bone: Femur (thigh).
Hardest substance in body: Tooth enamel.
5. Economy
Key Institutions:
RBI: Monetary policy, currency issue. Governor: Shaktikanta Das (current as of 2023).
SEBI: Stock markets regulation.
NITI Aayog: Replaced Planning Commission (2015).
GST: Goods and Services Tax. Implemented 1 July 2017. Four rate slabs: 5%, 12%, 18%, 28%.
Awards and Prizes:
Bharat Ratna: Highest civilian award. No monetary value.
Padma Vibhushan > Padma Bhushan > Padma Shri.
Arjuna Award: Sports. Dronacharya: Coaches. Khel Ratna (Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna): highest sports award.
Nobel Prizes: Peace, Literature, Physics, Chemistry, Medicine/Physiology, Economics.
6. Current Affairs Strategy
Read ONE good source daily:
Topics that always appear in SSC GK:
New government schemes launched | RBI policy rate changes
Important appointments (President, PM, Governors, CEOs of PSUs)
Sports: cricket (World Cup winners, Test rankings), Olympics medals
Science: ISRO missions, new discoveries
International: G20, BRICS, SCO summits
Awards: Nobel, Padma, Filmfare, National Film Awards
PYQs (SSC GK)
SSC CGL 2023: The 'Dandi March' was associated with:
Civil Disobedience Movement. March against Salt Tax. 12 March 1930 to 6 April 1930.
SSC CGL 2022: Universal blood donor group:
O negative (O-). Can donate to all groups.
SSC CHSL 2022: Article 32 of Indian Constitution deals with:
Right to Constitutional Remedies — the right to move the Supreme Court for enforcement of Fundamental Rights.
SSC CGL 2021: Which planet is known as the Red Planet?
Mars (appears red due to iron oxide/rust on surface).