Bandi Jivan — author?
Sachindranath Sanyal
CGL · CHSL · MTS · GD · CPO · Steno
SSC Static GK II — Learn, Hide, Recall
Companion workbook to Static GK I. Books, awards, sports, space, defence, organisations, art, dance, music, festivals, important days, and CGL-style PYQs — hide, flip, mark, repeat.
CGL
CHSL
MTS
GD
No matching sections. Try Tagore, Bharat Ratna, PSLV, PVC…
Chapter 0 · How to use
How to use this workbook
Hide answers Flip cards Mark revised
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Hindi names sit in parentheses where you write them in papers: Bharat Ratna (भारत रत्न), Param Vir Chakra (परम वीर चक्र), Madhushala (मधुशाला). Facts are reconstructed from scanned notes plus standard SSC GK — verify against official notifications before the exam.
Chapter 1 · पुस्तकें और लेखक
Books and Authors (पुस्तकें और लेखक)
Autobiography Indian fiction Themes Booker / Nobel
Match author → title → central theme. SSC asks odd pairings from this exact list (School to Startup, Sahela Re, Bonkers!, Tajul Ma’asir).
Autobiographies and first-person books
| Author | Book title | Central theme |
|---|---|---|
| Sachindranath Sanyal | Bandi Jivan (बन्दी जीवन) | Revolutionary’s manual for Indian independence |
| Subhas Chandra Bose | The Indian Struggle | History of the Indian independence movement |
| Khushwant Singh | Truth, Love and a Little Malice | Candid personal and professional memoir |
| Bhagat Singh | Why I Am an Atheist | Philosophical defence of atheism |
| Milkha Singh | The Race of My Life | Overcoming Partition trauma through athletics |
| Karan Johar | An Unsuitable Boy | Personal life and journey in Indian cinema |
| Kapil Dev | Straight from the Heart | Life and career of India’s cricket legend |
| A. P. J. Abdul Kalam | Wings of Fire; My Journey: Transforming Dreams into Action | Self-reliance and India’s aerospace journey |
| Sachin Tendulkar | Playing It My Way | Record-breaking journey in international cricket |
| Harivansh Rai Bachchan | Madhushala (मधुशाला) | Philosophy of life through poetic metaphors |
| Abul Kalam Azad | India Wins Freedom | Insider’s account of independence and Partition |
| Jawaharlal Nehru | An Autobiography (Toward Freedom) | Nehru’s personal life with the Indian National Movement |
| Mahatma Gandhi | Hind Swaraj (हिन्द स्वराज) | Critique of Western civilisation and modern industrial society |
Sachindranath Sanyal’s Bandi Jivan (not “Sochindranoth Sanyol”) is the revolutionary primer. Milkha Singh = The Race of My Life; Kalam = Wings of Fire; Tendulkar = Playing It My Way. Gandhi’s Hind Swaraj is a critique of the West, not an autobiography in the usual sense — still listed with first-person political writing.
Indian authors — theme matching
| Author | Book title | Central theme |
|---|---|---|
| Amartya Sen | The Argumentative Indian | India’s history of public debate |
| Amit Chaudhuri | Friend of My Youth | Memory, family, childhood and the city of Bombay |
| Anita Desai | In Custody | Decline of Urdu poetry |
| Aravind Adiga | The White Tiger | Class struggle in India |
| Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay | Anandamath (आनन्दमठ) | Sanyasi rebellion and nationalism (Vande Mataram) |
| B. R. Ambedkar | Fraternity: Constitutional Norm and Human Need | Social justice and brotherhood (fraternity as a binding force) |
| Dinesh Shahra | Secret to Happiness | Spiritual growth and mindfulness |
| Hasan Nizami | Tajul Ma’asir | Early Delhi Sultanate history |
| Mrinal Pande | Sahela Re | Evolution of Indian music |
| Natasha Sharma | Bonkers! | Experimental style with social themes |
| Rohit Sinha | School to Startup | Guide to Indian entrepreneurship |
| Rohinton Mistry | A Fine Balance | Survival during the Emergency; social injustice |
| Ruskin Bond | A Flight of Pigeons | 1857 Mutiny personal narrative |
| Amitabha Bagchi | Half the Night Is Gone | Family life and memories (Sahitya Akademi) |
| Shashi Tharoor | An Era of Darkness | Critique of British colonialism |
| Vikram Seth | A Suitable Boy | Marriage and post-Partition politics |
| S. Jaishankar | Why Bharat Matters | India’s economic and cultural importance in world affairs |
PYQ favourite pairings: Rohinton Mistry ↔ Emergency; Bankim ↔ Anandamath / Sanyasi rebellion; Ambedkar ↔ fraternity; Amitabha Bagchi ↔ Half the Night Is Gone (Sahitya Akademi).
Other important books
| Book | Author | SSC hook |
|---|---|---|
| The God of Small Things | Arundhati Roy | Booker Prize 1997 — first Indian winner |
| Midnight’s Children | Salman Rushdie | Booker of Bookers; Independence midnight generation |
| War and Peace | Leo Tolstoy | Classic Russian novel of Napoleonic wars |
| Here, There and Everywhere | Sudha Murty | Essays / life sketches |
| In Search of Lost Time | Marcel Proust | French modernist classic |
| Why I Am a Hindu | Shashi Tharoor | Faith, identity and public debate |
| Mein Kampf | Adolf Hitler | Autobiographical political manifesto (asked as author match) |
| The Great Indian Novel | Shashi Tharoor | Mahabharata recast on modern Indian politics |
| On the Origin of Species | Charles Darwin | Theory of evolution by natural selection |
| The Ocean of Churn | Sanjeev Sanyal | Indian Ocean history |
| The Namesake | Jhumpa Lahiri | Indian-American immigrant identity |
| An Area of Darkness | V. S. Naipaul | Travelogue of India |
| Heart Lamp | Banu Mushtaq (tr. Deepa Bhasthi) | International Booker 2025; originally Kannada |
| The Inheritance of Loss | Kiran Desai | Booker Prize 2006 |
| Sleeping on Jupiter | Anuradha Roy | Booker longlist 2015 |
| Gitanjali (गीतांजलि) | Rabindranath Tagore | Nobel Prize in Literature 1913 — first Asian/Indian Nobel |
Flip deck — Books
Wings of Fire — author?
A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
Playing It My Way — author?
Sachin Tendulkar
The Race of My Life — author?
Milkha Singh
Anandamath — author and hook?
Bankim Chandra — Sanyasi rebellion; Vande Mataram
The White Tiger — author?
Aravind Adiga (Booker 2008)
A Fine Balance — theme?
Rohinton Mistry — Emergency / social injustice
An Era of Darkness — author?
Shashi Tharoor
The Ocean of Churn — author?
Sanjeev Sanyal
The Great Indian Novel — author?
Shashi Tharoor
Gitanjali Nobel year?
1913 — Rabindranath Tagore
First Indian Booker?
Arundhati Roy — The God of Small Things (1997)
Heart Lamp — language & prize?
Kannada; International Booker 2025 (Banu Mushtaq / Deepa Bhasthi)
Fraternity — author & idea?
B. R. Ambedkar — social justice and brotherhood
India Wins Freedom — author?
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
Madhushala — author?
Harivansh Rai Bachchan
Chapter 2 · पुरस्कार
Awards and Honours (पुरस्कार और सम्मान)
Bharat Ratna Padma Nobel Booker PVC Khel Ratna
Civilian ladder: Bharat Ratna → Padma Vibhushan → Padma Bhushan → Padma Shri (all from 1954). Pair year → person and wartime vs peacetime gallantry.
Bharat Ratna and Padma awards
| Recipient | Year | Why it is asked |
|---|---|---|
| C. Rajagopalachari | 1954 | First three Bharat Ratna; last Governor-General of India |
| C. V. Raman | 1954 | Nobel Physics 1930; first scientist among the first three |
| Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan | 1954 | Philosopher; 2nd President of India |
| Indira Gandhi | 1971 | First female Bharat Ratna |
| Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (Frontier Gandhi) | 1987 | First non-Indian; non-violent freedom movement (Pakistan) |
| Nelson Mandela | 1990 | South Africa; anti-apartheid leader |
| Lata Mangeshkar | 2001 | Music; often confused with Filmfare / Phalke years |
| Bhupen Hazarika | 2019 | Posthumous; Assam singer (PYQ) |
| L. K. Advani | 2024 | Public affairs; senior politician |
| M. S. Swaminathan (posthumous) | 2024 | Green Revolution scientist |
| Karpoori Thakur (posthumous) | 2024 | Socialist leader; public service |
| P. V. Narasimha Rao (posthumous) | 2024 | Public affairs; 1991 economic reforms |
| Award | Rank | First recipients / note |
|---|---|---|
| Bharat Ratna (भारत रत्न) | Highest civilian | Instituted 1954; posthumous allowed after 1966; Indians and foreigners eligible |
| Padma Vibhushan (पद्म विभूषण) | 2nd highest | First: S. N. Bose, Zakir Husain, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck |
| Padma Bhushan (पद्म भूषण) | 3rd highest | First: Homi J. Bhabha, M. S. Subbulakshmi |
| Padma Shri (पद्म श्री) | 4th highest | First: Asha Devi Aryanayakam |
First three Bharat Ratna (1954) = Rajagopalachari + C. V. Raman + Radhakrishnan. First woman = Indira Gandhi (1971). Foreigners: Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (1987), Mandela (1990). Lata = 2001 (Bharat Ratna), not 1989 (that is Dadasaheb Phalke). 2024 four: Advani, Swaminathan, Karpoori Thakur, P. V. Narasimha Rao.
Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar and literature / film
| Award | Given by / field | SSC hook |
|---|---|---|
| Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar (राष्ट्रीय विज्ञान पुरस्कार) | Ministry of Science and Technology; 4 categories | Highest civilian honour for science; Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize integrated into it |
| Vigyan Ratna 2025 (posthumous) | Jayant Vishnu Narlikar | Do not write Ministry of Culture — Assertion–Reason trap |
| Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize | CSIR (now folded into RVP) | Classic science prize name still appears in older keys |
| Award | Key facts | Notable names |
|---|---|---|
| National Film Awards | Highest film honour; Directorate of Film Festivals, Ministry of I&B | India’s official cinema awards |
| Dadasaheb Phalke Award | Highest honour in Indian cinema (lifetime); Ministry of I&B | Lata Mangeshkar 1989; Mohanlal 2025 |
| Filmfare Awards | Popular cinema awards; The Times Group | Lata Lifetime Achievement 1994; Shah Rukh Khan Best Actor 2024 |
| Sahitya Akademi Award | National literary award; Sahitya Akademi (National Academy of Letters) | Given in 24 recognised languages |
| Vyas Samman | Hindi literary award; K. K. Birla Foundation | Exceptional Hindi writing |
| Saraswati Samman | Outstanding prose/poetry in any Indian language listed in Schedule VIII; K. K. Birla Foundation | Not Hindi-only — contrast with Vyas |
International awards
| Point | Fact |
|---|---|
| Established | 1901 by Alfred Nobel’s will |
| Peace Prize venue | Oslo, Norway |
| Other fields venue | Stockholm, Sweden |
| Fields | Physics, Chemistry, Medicine (Physiology), Literature, Peace; Economics added 1969 (Sveriges Riksbank) |
| First Indian recipient | Rabindranath Tagore, 1913, Gitanjali (Literature) |
| Literature 2022 (notes) | Annie Ernaux |
| Award | Started | SSC details |
|---|---|---|
| Booker Prize | 1969 | Best English-language novel (earlier Man Booker). First Indian: Arundhati Roy, The God of Small Things (1997). Kiran Desai — Inheritance of Loss (2006); Aravind Adiga — The White Tiger (2008). Avni Doshi — Burnt Sugar shortlisted 2020. |
| International Booker Prize | 2005 (current format 2016) | Best translated fiction published in UK/Ireland; prize shared by author + translator. 2022: Geetanjali Shree, Tomb of Sand (Daisy Rockwell). 2025: Banu Mushtaq, Heart Lamp (Deepa Bhasthi). |
| Pulitzer Prize | 1917 | Journalism, literature, music; Columbia University. Toni Morrison — Beloved (1988). 2025 Fiction: Percival Everett — James. 2020 Fiction: Colson Whitehead — The Nickel Boys. |
| PEN Pinter Prize | 2009 | Courage in defending freedom of expression; English PEN. 2021: Tsitsi Dangarembga. Winner names an International Writer of Courage. |
| Edgar Award | 1954 | Mystery / crime / suspense fiction; Mystery Writers of America. Non-fiction memoirs are ineligible. |
Peace Prize is the only Nobel given in Oslo; the rest in Stockholm. Economics is not in Nobel’s will — added 1969.
Gallantry awards (wartime vs peacetime)
| Award | Type / rank | First recipient |
|---|---|---|
| Param Vir Chakra (परम वीर चक्र) | Wartime · highest | Major Somnath Sharma (1947–48) |
| Maha Vir Chakra (महा वीर चक्र) | Wartime · 2nd | Lt. Col. Raghbir Singh |
| Vir Chakra (वीर चक्र) | Wartime · 3rd | Naik Jadunath Singh |
| Ashoka Chakra (अशोक चक्र) | Peacetime · highest | Havildar Bachittar Singh |
| Kirti Chakra (कीर्ति चक्र) | Peacetime · 2nd | Naik Nar Bahadur Thapa |
| Shaurya Chakra (शौर्य चक्र) | Peacetime · 3rd | Lance Naik Raghunath |
Wartime: PVC > MVC > VrC. Peacetime: Ashoka Chakra > Kirti > Shaurya. PVC first: Somnath Sharma, 1947–48.
National sports awards
| Award | Field | First recipient(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna (पूर्व Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna) | Highest sporting honour | Viswanathan Anand (chess), 1991–92 |
| Arjuna Award | Excellence and consistent performance | Udey Chand (wrestling), 1961 |
| Dronacharya Award | Highest coaching honour (from 1985) | O. P. Bhardwaj (boxing), B. B. Bhagwat (wrestling), O. M. Nambiar (athletics) |
| Dhyan Chand Award | Lifetime achievement in sports (from 2002) | Shahuraj Birajdar, Ashok Diwan, Aparna Ghosh |
Mauritius’ highest civilian honour Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean and Namibia’s Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis were both conferred on Narendra Modi (notes).
Flip deck — Awards
First three Bharat Ratna (1954)?
C. Rajagopalachari, C. V. Raman, S. Radhakrishnan
First woman Bharat Ratna?
Indira Gandhi (1971)
First non-Indian Bharat Ratna?
Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (1987)
Lata Mangeshkar Bharat Ratna year?
2001
2024 Bharat Ratna (four)?
L. K. Advani; M. S. Swaminathan; Karpoori Thakur; P. V. Narasimha Rao
Padma Vibhushan first three?
S. N. Bose, Zakir Husain, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck
Nobel Peace city vs others?
Oslo (Peace) · Stockholm (rest)
Economics Nobel from?
1969
First Indian Nobel?
Tagore, 1913, Gitanjali
First Indian Booker?
Arundhati Roy, 1997
PVC first recipient?
Major Somnath Sharma (1947–48)
Peacetime highest gallantry?
Ashoka Chakra
Khel Ratna first?
Viswanathan Anand (chess), 1991–92
Arjuna first?
Udey Chand, wrestling, 1961
RVP is given by?
Ministry of Science and Technology (not Culture)
Vyas vs Saraswati Samman?
Both K. K. Birla; Vyas = Hindi only; Saraswati = any Schedule VIII language
Chapter 3 · खेल
Sports (खेल)
Olympics CWG Asian Games Trophies Leagues Field sizes
Cluster: firsts (Bindra, Neeraj, Petkar, Milkha), trophy → sport, then dimensions and cards. Khelo India (2018) is the domestic PYQ hook.
Olympics, Paralympics and India
| Point | Fact |
|---|---|
| Modern Olympics started | 1896, Athens |
| Frequency | Every 4 years |
| IOC | 1894, Paris; governs the Games |
| Cycles | Summer & Winter, staggered every 2 years |
| India’s debut | 1900 Paris (Norman Pritchard — 2 silver) |
| First under national flag | 1920 Antwerp |
| Hockey debut / first gold | 1928 Amsterdam — first Olympic gold (hockey) |
| Kho-kho | Demonstrated at 1936 Berlin |
| First individual Olympic gold | Abhinav Bindra, shooting, Beijing 2008 |
| First athletics Olympic gold | Neeraj Chopra, javelin, Tokyo 2020 |
| First double Olympic medallist (individual) | P. V. Sindhu — 2016 silver, 2020 bronze |
| Youngest individual Olympic medal (notes) | Aman Sehrawat — wrestling bronze, Paris 2024 |
| Milkha Singh, Rome 1960 | 4th in 400 m, 45.6 seconds |
| Next Summer Games | Los Angeles 2028; Brisbane 2032 |
| Point | Fact |
|---|---|
| Paralympics started | 1960, Rome |
| India first participated | 1968 |
| First Indian Paralympic gold | Murlikant Petkar — 50 m freestyle, Heidelberg 1972 |
| Winter 2026 host | Milan–Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy |
| Paris 2024 (notes) | Simran — bronze, 200 m T12; Navdeep Singh — gold, javelin F41 |
CWG, Asian Games, Nationals, Khelo India
| Event | Key facts |
|---|---|
| Commonwealth Games | First 1930, Hamilton (Canada); formerly British Empire Games. India first 1934; hosted 2010 New Delhi. First athletics gold: Milkha Singh, 1958. 2026: Glasgow, Scotland (4th time host). |
| Asian Games (Asiad) | First 1951 New Delhi; hosted again 1982 New Delhi. First gold: Sachin Nag. Organiser: Olympic Council of Asia (HQ Kuwait City). Quadrennial. 2026 Nagoya; 2030 Doha. |
| Asian Athletics Championships | Asian Athletics Association; first 1973 Manila; biennial. India hosted 1989 Delhi and 2017 Bhubaneswar. |
| World Athletics Championships | First 1983 Helsinki; biennial. India from 1983. First medal: Anju Bobby George, bronze, Paris 2003. First gold: Neeraj Chopra, Budapest 2023. |
| National Games | On Olympic lines; IOA. First 1924 Lahore; renamed National Games 1938. Raja Bhalindra Singh Trophy. 38th Games: Maharashtra 201 medals (2nd-highest after SSCB). |
| Khelo India | Launched 2018, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports. Former Khelo India School Games (2018–19). Verticals: Youth, University, Winter. First Khelo India Para Games: 2023, New Delhi. |
Cups and trophies
| Cup / trophy | Sport |
|---|---|
| America’s Cup | Yacht racing |
| The Ashes | Test cricket (England vs Australia) |
| Colombo Cup; Jules Rimet Trophy | Football |
| Corbillon Cup (women); Swaythling Cup (men) | World table tennis |
| Davis Cup (men); Billie Jean King Cup (women); Wimbledon | Tennis |
| Ryder Cup (men); Walker Cup (men); Solheim Cup (women) | Golf |
| Thomas Cup (men); Uber Cup (women); Sudirman Cup (mixed); Yonex Cup | Badminton |
| Sultan Azlan Shah Cup (men) | Field hockey |
| Lord Derby Cup | Rugby |
| William Jones Cup | Basketball |
| Cup / trophy | Sport |
|---|---|
| B. C. Roy Trophy; Durand Cup; Rovers Cup; Santosh Trophy; Subroto Mukherjee Cup | Football |
| Maharaja Ranjit Singh Gold Cup; Murugappa Gold Cup; Rangaswamy Cup; Beighton Cup | Hockey |
| Ranji Trophy; Irani Cup; Vijay Hazare Trophy; Duleep Trophy | Cricket |
| Nehru Trophy | Boat race (Kerala) |
| Ezra Cup | Polo |
Sporting leagues
| League | Facts |
|---|---|
| Indian Premier League (IPL) | T20 cricket; launched 2008 by BCCI (standard SSC; companion to the notes’ league box) |
| Indian Super League (ISL) | Top-tier men’s football; launched 2014 |
| Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) | Inaugurated 2014; Mashal Sports |
| Indian Women’s League (IWL) | Top-tier women’s football; AIFF; inaugural season 2016–17 in Delhi (notes also flag a 2022 relaunch) |
| Ultimate Kho Kho | Launched 2022; Kho Kho Federation of India. Odisha Juggernauts won the inaugural 2022 season |
| Hockey India League | Professional hockey league (asked with IPL/ISL/PKL cluster) |
Personalities
| Personality | Sport | Key facts |
|---|---|---|
| Jaipal Singh Munda | Hockey | Captain, 1928 Amsterdam Olympic gold |
| P. V. Sindhu | Badminton | Singapore Open 2022; Olympic silver 2016 & bronze 2020 |
| Rudranksh Patil | Shooting | ISSF World Champion, men’s 10 m air rifle |
| Gulveer Singh | Athletics (long distance) | Broke 30-year 5000 m national record, National Open 2024 |
| M. C. Mary Kom | Boxing | 2012 Olympic bronze; medal at President’s Cup, Indonesia |
| Neeraj Chopra | Javelin | Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold; World Champion 2023 |
| Lovlina Borgohain | Boxing | Tokyo 2020 Olympic bronze; World Championship medallist |
Field sizes, players and terms
| Sport | Size / players | Must-know terms |
|---|---|---|
| Football (soccer) | Field 328–360 ft × 210–246 ft; goal 24 × 8 ft; 11 per side | Brace = 2 goals by one player; own goal; penalty kick; yellow = warning; red = sent off |
| Cricket | Pitch 66 ft; boundary ~213–246 ft radius; wicket 28 in; 11 per side | Wide; no-ball; agricultural shot (wild hit); wicketkeeper; powerplay (field restriction) |
| Basketball | Court 91.9 × 49.2 ft; ring 10 ft; 5 per side | Personal foul; technical foul; double dribble / carry; shot clock 24 s |
| Volleyball | Court 59 × 29.5 ft; net men 7.97 ft / women 7.35 ft; 6 per side | Ace; block; libero (defensive specialist) |
| Badminton | Court 44 × 20 ft; net 5 ft centre; 1 or 2 | Smash; deuce 20–20; rally point |
| Kho-kho | Field 88.6 × 52.5 ft; 12 in squad (9 play) | Pole dive (escape); kho (pass chase) |
| Tennis | Court 78 × 36 ft; net 3 ft centre; 1 or 2 | Grand Slam = 4 majors; ace; deuce 40–40; tiebreak at 6–6 |
| Table tennis | Table 9 × 5 ft; net 0.5 ft | Let (replay); spin; deuce 10–10 |
| Ice hockey | Rink 197 × 98 ft; goal 6 × 4 ft; 6 per side | Blue line; power play; penalty box |
| Kabaddi | Men’s court 13 × 10 m (≈42.6 × 32.8 ft); 7 per side | Baulk line; bonus line; golden raid; green / yellow / red cards |
| Field hockey | Field 300 × 180 ft (91.4 × 55 m); goal 12 × 7 ft; 11 per side | Only flat left side of stick; PC; penalty stroke; green 2 min; yellow 5–10 min; red expulsion |
| Chess | 64 squares; 16 pieces per side | Zugzwang — a player must move and any move worsens the position; en passant must be played immediately |
P. T. Usha missed the 1984 Olympic bronze by one-hundredth of a second. NIS renamed Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports on 23 January 1973 (Patiala). David Dixon Award = CWG best athlete. Subroto Cup = inter-school football, New Delhi. Vijender Singh beat Carlos Góngora (Olympic boxing QF). Judo: Jigoro Kano, 1882, Japan. Stimulants raise alertness and cut fatigue. Thoda (Himachal) = martial art + archery.
Flip deck — Sports
Modern Olympics first year/city?
1896, Athens
India’s first individual Olympic gold?
Abhinav Bindra, shooting, 2008
First athletics Olympic gold (India)?
Neeraj Chopra, javelin, Tokyo 2020
Milkha Singh Rome 1960 time?
4th in 400 m — 45.6 s
First Asian Games?
1951, New Delhi
CWG first edition?
1930, Hamilton, Canada (British Empire Games)
Thomas Cup is for?
Men’s badminton
Swaythling / Corbillon?
Table tennis — men / women
Brace in football?
Two goals by one player in a match
Kho-kho players on field?
9 play (12 in squad)
Only flat left side of the stick?
Field hockey
Zugzwang?
Chess — must move, and every move worsens position
First Paralympic gold (India)?
Murlikant Petkar, 50 m free, 1972 Heidelberg
Khel Ratna first?
Viswanathan Anand (chess)
PKL started?
2014
Thoda is?
Himachal — martial art + archery
Chapter 4 · अंतरिक्ष
Space and ISRO (अंतरिक्ष)
ISRO 1969 PSLV/GSLV Chandrayaan Aditya-L1 Gaganyaan
Learn three layers: vehicles, missions, centres. HQ is always Bengaluru; the spaceport is Sriharikota.
ISRO — organisation
| Point | Fact |
|---|---|
| ISRO established | 1969, under Department of Space |
| Headquarters | Bengaluru, Karnataka |
| First Chairperson | Vikram Sarabhai |
| Commercial arm | NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), 2019 — commercial launches and technology transfer |
Launch vehicles
| Launch vehicle | Key points |
|---|---|
| PSLV | LEO / SSO / sub-GTO; first launch 1993; ISRO’s workhorse |
| GSLV | 3-stage + cryogenic upper stage; ~2200 kg to GTO; NavIC / communication satellites |
| LVM3 (GSLV Mk III) | Heavy-lift; ~10,000 kg LEO; ~4000 kg GTO; human-rated as HLVM3 |
| SSLV | Small on-demand LEO launcher; low-cost; ~500 kg payload |
| RLV | Reusable tech demonstrator; LEX-3 autonomous landing (23 June 2024) |
Missions
| Mission | Key points |
|---|---|
| Aditya-L1 | First solar observatory; halo orbit at L1; studies corona and solar flares |
| Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan) | First interplanetary mission; Mars orbit 2014; Mars Colour Camera (MCC) full-disk images |
| Chandrayaan-3 | Soft landing near south pole (Vikram + Pragyan); NASA retroreflector; hazard detection & avoidance camera/algorithm |
| XPoSat | X-ray polarimetry; launched 2024; black holes and neutron stars |
| Mission Shakti | ASAT test 2019; destroyed a LEO satellite |
| NVS-02 (GSLV-F15) | NavIC satellite; precise navigation and timing (PNT) |
| Space Situational Awareness Programme | Monitors debris; tracks collision threats; protects space assets |
| SpaDeX | First in-orbit docking; completed January 2025; supports future station missions |
| NISAR (NASA–ISRO SAR) | Earth-observation radar; sun-synchronous / LEO regime |
| Shukrayaan-1 | Venus surface and atmosphere; LVM-class launch (planned) |
| Gaganyaan | 3 astronauts to ~400 km LEO on HLVM3; Crew Escape System ejects the crew module in launch emergencies |
| Bhartiya Antariksh Station | Planned by 2035; long-duration stay; microgravity research; Moon landing goal around 2040 under Space Vision 2047 |
Centres and pads
| Centre | Location | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) | Thiruvananthapuram | Designs launch vehicles (PSLV, GSLV, LVM3); solid propulsion and vehicle integration |
| Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR) | Sriharikota | India’s main spaceport; multiple pads; PSLV, GSLV, LVM3, SSLV; final integration |
| Second Launch Pad (SLP) | SDSC-SHAR | Supports PSLV/GSLV/LVM3; heavy-lift (Chandrayaan, Gaganyaan) |
| Third Launch Pad (TLP) | SDSC-SHAR (under construction) | Next-gen launch vehicles (NGLV) and future human spaceflight |
| ISTRAC | Bengaluru (HQ) | Telemetry, tracking and command |
| U. R. Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) | Bengaluru | Satellite design: communication, navigation, EO, science |
Aditya-L1 sits at Lagrange Point L1 (not a lunar orbit). Gaganyaan altitude in keys is ~400 km. RLV-LEX3 (23 June 2024) = autonomous high-speed landing in tough cross-range/wind. Crew Escape System = eject crew module to safety during launch abort — not orbit insertion.
Flip deck — Space
ISRO year and HQ?
1969 · Bengaluru
First ISRO chairperson?
Vikram Sarabhai
NSIL is?
Commercial arm, 2019
PSLV first launch?
1993 — workhorse
Human-rated launcher?
HLVM3 (LVM3)
Aditya-L1 orbit?
Halo orbit at Sun–Earth L1
First interplanetary mission?
Mars Orbiter Mission, 2014
Chandrayaan-3 landing?
Near lunar south pole
SpaDeX did what?
First Indian in-orbit docking, Jan 2025
Gaganyaan altitude?
~400 km LEO, 3 astronauts
Bhartiya Antariksh Station by?
2035
SDSC-SHAR is at?
Sriharikota — main spaceport
VSSC is at?
Thiruvananthapuram
NVS-02 service?
NavIC precise navigation and timing
Mission Shakti?
ASAT test, 2019
MOM colour camera?
Mars Colour Camera (MCC)
Chapter 5 · रक्षा
Defence (रक्षा)
Commands Mottos Women firsts IGMDP Exercises
Memorise command → city, motto → force, and the IGMDP five. Women-firsts are heavily asked.
Services overview
| Point | Fact |
|---|---|
| Commander-in-Chief | President of India |
| Ministry | Ministry of Defence |
| Three services | Army, Navy, Air Force |
| Chief of Defence Staff (2nd) | Gen. Anil Chauhan (PYQ) |
Indian Army
| Point | Fact |
|---|---|
| Motto | Service Before Self |
| HQ | New Delhi |
| Army Day | 15 January |
| Origin note | East India Company army → British Indian Army 1895 |
| Commands | 6 operational + 1 training (ARTRAC, Shimla) |
| Command | HQ |
|---|---|
| Northern Command | Udhampur, Jammu & Kashmir |
| Western Command | Chandimandir, Haryana |
| Eastern Command | Kolkata, West Bengal |
| Southern Command | Pune, Maharashtra |
| Central Command | Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh |
| South Western Command | Jaipur, Rajasthan |
| Army Training Command (ARTRAC) | Shimla, Himachal Pradesh |
| Name | First / distinction |
|---|---|
| Gen. Robert Lockhart | First Commander-in-Chief (British) |
| K. M. Cariappa | First Indian Commander-in-Chief |
| Punita Arora | First woman Lieutenant General (also first woman Vice-Admiral) |
| Priya Jhingan | First woman to join the Army |
| Gertrude Alice Ram | First woman Major-General |
| Shiva Chauhan | First woman officer posted at Siachen |
| Capt. Abhilasha Barak | First woman officer in Army Aviation Corps (combat aviator, May 2022) |
Indian Navy
| Point | Fact |
|---|---|
| Motto | शं नो वरुणः (Sham No Varunah) |
| HQ | New Delhi |
| Navy Day | 4 December |
| Role | Guards India’s maritime borders |
| Commands | Western, Eastern, Southern + tri-service ANC |
| Command | HQ |
|---|---|
| Western Naval Command | Mumbai, Maharashtra |
| Eastern Naval Command | Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh |
| Southern Naval Command | Kochi, Kerala |
| Andaman & Nicobar Command (tri-service) | Port Blair, A&N Islands |
| Name | First / distinction |
|---|---|
| Punita Arora | First woman Vice-Admiral |
| Dr. Barbara Ghosh | First woman Commander |
| Lt. S. Vijaya Devi | First woman sailor from Northeast India |
| Wahida Prism | First woman to command an annual parade |
Indian Air Force
| Point | Fact |
|---|---|
| Motto | Nabhaḥ Sparśaṃ Dīptam — Touch the Sky with Glory (नभः स्पृशं दीप्तम्) |
| HQ | New Delhi |
| Air Force Day | 8 October |
| Commands | 5 operational + Training (Bengaluru) + Maintenance (Nagpur) |
| Command | HQ |
|---|---|
| Western Air Command | Delhi |
| Eastern Air Command | Shillong, Meghalaya |
| Central Air Command | Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh |
| Southern Air Command | Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala |
| South Western Air Command | Gandhinagar, Gujarat |
| Training Command | Bengaluru, Karnataka |
| Maintenance Command | Nagpur, Maharashtra |
| Name | First / distinction |
|---|---|
| Thomas Elmhirst | First C-in-C, Royal Indian Air Force |
| Subroto Mukerjee | First Indian C-in-C; Father of the IAF |
| Padma Bandopadhyay | First woman Air Marshal |
| Avani Chaturvedi | First woman fighter pilot (with Bhawana Kanth & Mohana Singh) |
| Harita Kaur Deol | First woman to fly solo |
| Gunjan Saxena / Srividya Rajan | Kargil War helicopter pilots |
| Bhawana Kanth | First woman fighter pilot to qualify for combat missions |
| A. P. Singh | Commissioned fighter stream Dec 1984; later CAS (notes) |
IGMDP (1983) led by A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. Five core missiles P-A-T-N-A: Prithvi, Agni, Trishul, Nag, Akash. BrahMos is not IGMDP. Tessy Thomas = Missile Woman of India (Agni-V). Global Firepower 2025 key factor in the notes: Defence Budget (India 4th).
IGMDP and missile systems
| Missile | Category | Key point |
|---|---|---|
| Agni series | Ballistic | 700–5000+ km; nuclear |
| Prithvi series | Ballistic | 150–350 km; tactical |
| K series | SLBM | Submarine-based; second-strike |
| BrahMos | Cruise | Supersonic; precision; Indo-Russian — not IGMDP |
| Nirbhay | Cruise | Subsonic; ~1000 km |
| PAD | ABM | High-altitude intercept |
| AAD | ABM | Low-altitude intercept |
| Akash | SAM | ~30 km air defence |
| Barak-8 | SAM | Indo-Israel air defence |
| Nag | ATGM | Top-attack; fire-and-forget |
| MPATGM | ATGM | Man-portable; short-range |
| Shaurya | Tactical | Hypersonic; nuclear |
| Pralay | Tactical | Short-range; quick strike |
| Astra | AAM | Air-to-air (beyond IGMDP five) |
Defence organisations and mottos
| Organisation | Year | Motto |
|---|---|---|
| DRDO | 1958 | Strength’s Origin is in Science |
| BSF | 1965 | Duty Unto Death |
| CRPF | 1939 | Service and Loyalty |
| NSG | 1984 | Sarvatra Sarvottam Suraksha (Omnipresent, Best Security) |
| Indian Coast Guard | 1977 | Vayam Rakshamah (We Protect) |
| ITBP | 1962 | Valour — Determination — Devotion to Duty |
| NCC | 1948 | Unity and Discipline |
Military exercises
| Exercise | Partners / by | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Ekuverin | India–Maldives | Counter-insurgency / counter-terrorism |
| Dustlik | India–Uzbekistan | Special Forces |
| Indra | India–Russia | Tri-service |
| Surya Kiran | India–Nepal | Army; jungle warfare |
| Harimau Shakti | India–Malaysia | Army; counter-terrorism |
| Maitree | India–Thailand | Army; field tactics |
| Austrahind | India–Australia | Urban joint operations |
| Konkan | India–UK | Naval; anti-submarine |
| Garuda | India–France | Air combat; interoperability |
| Varuna | India–France | Naval (notes cluster) |
| Vayu Shakti | Indian Air Force | Operational firepower display |
| Amogh Jwala | Indian Army | Technology-driven mechanised warfare |
| AMPHEX 2023 | Tri-service amphibious | Andhra Pradesh (22 Jan 2023) |
| Bull Strike | Andaman & Nicobar Command | Tri-service amphibious / island exercise |
Flip deck — Defence
Army motto / Army Day?
Service Before Self · 15 January
Navy motto / Navy Day?
Sham No Varunah · 4 December
IAF motto / AF Day?
Touch the Sky with Glory · 8 October
Northern Command HQ?
Udhampur
Western Naval Command HQ?
Mumbai
Eastern Air Command HQ?
Shillong
First Indian Army C-in-C?
K. M. Cariappa
Father of the IAF?
Subroto Mukerjee
First woman fighter pilot?
Avani Chaturvedi (first batch with Bhawana Kanth, Mohana Singh)
Combat-qualified woman fighter?
Bhawana Kanth
Army Aviation first woman?
Capt. Abhilasha Barak
IGMDP five?
Prithvi, Agni, Trishul, Nag, Akash
BrahMos in IGMDP?
No — Indo-Russian cruise missile
Missile Woman of India?
Tessy Thomas (Agni-V)
Ekuverin partners?
India–Maldives
NSG motto / year?
Sarvatra Sarvottam Suraksha · 1984
Chapter 6 · संगठन
International and National Organisations (संगठन)
UN SAARC BRICS SCO ICAR WEF
UN first (6 organs, 6 languages), then the alphabet soup (SAARC/BIMSTEC/BRICS/SCO/ISA/QUAD), then Indian labs (ICAR family, CSIR, ISI).
United Nations
| Point | Fact |
|---|---|
| UN established | 24 October 1945 (after WWII) |
| HQ | New York, USA |
| Forerunner | League of Nations (Treaty of Versailles, 1919) |
| Founding conference | UN Conference on International Organization, 1945 (San Francisco) |
| Members | 193 |
| Official languages (6) | Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish |
| Secretary-General (notes) | António Guterres (9th) |
| Organ | Key facts |
|---|---|
| UN General Assembly (UNGA) | All members; approves budget; appoints SG on UNSC recommendation |
| UN Security Council (UNSC) | 15 members: 5 permanent with veto (USA, UK, France, Russia, China) + 10 non-permanent (2-year term; originally 6). Primary: peace and security |
| International Court of Justice (ICJ) | The Hague, Netherlands; 15 judges, 9-year term. First Indian judge: Sir B. N. Rau. First Indian President of ICJ: Nagendra Singh |
| ECOSOC | Economic, social, environmental; 54 members; 3-year terms |
| Trusteeship Council | Supervised trust territories; suspended 1 November 1994 after Palau’s independence |
| UN Secretariat | Headed by the Secretary-General; implements policy; runs peacekeeping administration |
Six UN organs. Trusteeship Council has not met for business since Palau (1994). ICJ is at The Hague, not New York.
Other international organisations
| Organisation | Est. / HQ | SSC facts |
|---|---|---|
| SAARC | 1985 · Kathmandu | 8 members: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Maldives, Afghanistan. SAARC Development Fund. India operationalised SAARC Currency Swap Framework (2024–27). |
| BIMSTEC | 1997 · Dhaka | 7: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand. Pillars: trade, environment, security, agriculture, people-to-people, technology, connectivity. Notes: India leads Security (energy theme). |
| BRICS | 2009 | Core 5: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa. Later: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE; Indonesia joined Jan 2025. NDB (2014) HQ Shanghai; Americas regional office São Paulo. STI cooperation is public-good driven. Startup Knowledge Hub (2025) = knowledge repository. |
| ISA (International Solar Alliance) | 2015, COP21 · Gurugram | India–France initiative; solar deployment; aim 1 TW |
| SCO | 2001 · Beijing | China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Belarus. RATS = Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure |
| WEF | 1971 · Cologny (Geneva), Switzerland | Public–private. Global Energy Transition Index; Global Gender Gap Report |
| QUAD | 2007 (revived 2017) | USA, Japan, Australia, India; Indo-Pacific; maritime security and supply chains |
| Transparency International | HQ Berlin | Civil society; Corruption Perceptions Index |
| ASEAN | 1967 Bangkok · Jakarta HQ | 10 SE Asian states; regional economic/political cooperation |
| NATO | 1949 Washington · Brussels HQ | Collective defence (Art. 5) |
| WHO | 1948 · Geneva | World Health Day 7 April (WHO Constitution in force 7 April 1948) |
| IMF | 1944 Bretton Woods · Washington DC | Exchange stability; quota-based voting; MD traditionally European |
| World Bank | 1944 · Washington DC | IBRD + IDA etc.; reconstruction and development |
| WTO | 1995 Geneva (from GATT 1947) | Rules-based trade; successor to GATT |
| NAM | First summit Belgrade (Yugoslavia) 1961 | Non-alignment; PYQ: first official summit location |
Indian scientific and agricultural bodies
| Institution | Location | Key exam point |
|---|---|---|
| CSIR | New Delhi | Largest R&D network; 37 labs; Ministry of Science & Technology |
| INSA (Indian National Science Academy) | New Delhi | Apex science body; represents India in international forums |
| Raman Research Institute | Bengaluru | Founded by C. V. Raman, 1948; theoretical and experimental physics |
| Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) | Kolkata | Founded by P. C. Mahalanobis; national statistical systems |
| TIFR | Mumbai | Est. 1945; basic sciences and mathematics |
| National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) | New Delhi | WADA-accredited; national and international testing |
| NIOT | Chennai, Tamil Nadu | Deep-sea mining and underwater vehicles; Ministry of Earth Sciences |
| IIMR (millets) | Hyderabad, Telangana | Millets research (International Year of Millets cluster) |
| IARI (Pusa) | New Delhi | Premier agricultural research |
| NDRI | Karnal, Haryana | Dairy science; Operation Flood |
| ICAR | New Delhi | Apex agricultural research; Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare |
| NRRI | Cuttack, Odisha | Rice; coastal and food-grain varieties |
| IIHR | Bengaluru | Fruits, vegetables, ornamentals; hybrids |
| CAZRI | Jodhpur, Rajasthan | Arid agriculture, desertification, dryland farming |
| NBPGR | New Delhi | Plant germplasm conservation and seed |
| ICAN | Nepal (voluntary) | Indian nationals in Nepal; branches Pokhara, Bhairahawa, Damak |
| Programme / body | Hook |
|---|---|
| International Comparison Programme (ICP) | Led by UNSD; calculates Purchasing Power Parities (PPPs) and price level indices |
| Sangeet Natak Akademi | India’s national academy of music, dance and drama (not Lalit Kala — that is visual arts) |
| BIFR / economic reforms 1991 | Sick Industrial Companies Act amended (Dec 1991) to bring public enterprises under BIFR |
Flip deck — Organisations
UN year / HQ / members?
1945 · New York · 193
UN official languages?
Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish
UNSC permanent five?
USA, UK, France, Russia, China
ICJ seat / Indian President?
The Hague · Nagendra Singh
SAARC HQ / year?
Kathmandu · 1985
BIMSTEC HQ?
Dhaka, 1997
ISA HQ?
Gurugram (India–France, 2015)
SCO HQ / RATS?
Beijing · Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure
NDB HQ / Americas office?
Shanghai · São Paulo
WEF Energy Transition Index?
World Economic Forum
CPI is released by?
Transparency International (Berlin)
ICAR is under?
Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare
NDRI / Operation Flood?
Karnal
WHO day?
7 April
First NAM summit?
Belgrade, Yugoslavia, 1961
National academy of dance?
Sangeet Natak Akademi
Chapter 7 · कला और वास्तुकला
Art, Architecture and Paintings (कला, वास्तुकला और चित्रकला)
Taj Qutub UNESCO Mathura Gandhara Madhubani
Builder + material + dynasty. Then lock Mathura vs Gandhara. Painting = name → state.
Architecture and monuments
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Religious monuments | Temples, mosques, churches — Konark Sun Temple, Jama Masjid |
| Royal / government | Forts and palaces — Red Fort, Amber Fort |
| Architectural works | Caves and stupas — Ajanta–Ellora, Sanchi Stupa |
| Modern / national | India Gate, Gateway of India |
| Monument | Location | Key facts |
|---|---|---|
| Red Fort (लाल किला) | New Delhi | Shah Jahan; red sandstone |
| Taj Mahal (ताज महल) | Agra, Uttar Pradesh (Yamuna) | Shah Jahan; white marble; UNESCO |
| Qutub Minar | Mehrauli, New Delhi | Started by Qutbuddin Aibak; completed by Iltutmish |
| Humayun’s Tomb | New Delhi | Precursor of the Taj; UNESCO |
| Charminar | Hyderabad, Telangana | Quli Qutb Shah; built to mark the end of a plague |
| Hampi monuments | Karnataka (Tungabhadra) | Vijayanagara / Krishnadevaraya; Virupaksha; stone chariot; musical pillars; UNESCO |
| Jama Masjid | Delhi | Shah Jahan; one of India’s largest mosques; red sandstone and white marble |
| Ram Mandir | Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh | Birthplace of Rama; Nagara style |
| Kashi Vishwanath | Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh | One of 12 Jyotirlingas; corridor 2021 |
| Kedarnath | Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand | Chota Char Dham; closed ~6 months in winter |
| Konark Sun Temple | Odisha | Narasimhadeva I (Eastern Ganga); chariot of Surya; UNESCO |
| Jagannath Temple | Puri, Odisha | Char Dham; Rath Yatra |
| Somnath | Veraval, Gujarat | First of 12 Jyotirlingas; Chalukya style |
| Meenakshi Amman | Madurai, Tamil Nadu | Meenakshi and Sundareswarar (Shiva) |
| Dilwara Jain Temples | Mount Abu, Rajasthan | Intricate white marble; group of Jain temples |
| Sanchi Stupa | Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh | Ashoka; Buddhist stupa; UNESCO |
| Khajuraho temples | Madhya Pradesh | Chandelas; Nagara; UNESCO |
| Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib) | Amritsar, Punjab | Guru Arjan Dev; gold plating by Maharaja Ranjit Singh; world’s largest langar |
| Monument | Location | Key facts |
|---|---|---|
| Jantar Mantar | Jaipur (also Delhi, Ujjain, Varanasi, Mathura) | Sawai Jai Singh II; time and planetary motion; largest sundial; five observatories |
| India Gate | New Delhi | Edwin Lutyens; World War I memorial |
| National War Memorial | Near India Gate, New Delhi | Post-Independence martyrs; Amar Jawan Jyoti |
| Gateway of India | Mumbai | Arabian Sea; commemorates George V’s 1911 visit |
| Vijay Stambha | Chittorgarh, Rajasthan | Rana Kumbha; victory over Mahmud Khalji; dedicated to Vishnu |
| Mahabalipuram (Mamallapuram) | Tamil Nadu | Pallavas; UNESCO |
| Rani ki Vav | Patan, Gujarat | Ornamental stepwell; UNESCO |
| Bara Imambara | Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh | Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula; Bhulbhulaiya |
| Gol Gumbaz | Vijayapura (Bijapur), Karnataka | Tomb of Muhammad Adil Shah; whispering gallery |
| Victoria Memorial | Kolkata, West Bengal | Queen Victoria; white marble |
| Lotus Temple | New Delhi | Baháʼí House of Worship; no idols; lotus form |
| Statue of Unity | Kevadia, Gujarat | Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel; world’s tallest statue (notes cluster) |
| Monument | Place | Hook |
|---|---|---|
| Eiffel Tower | Paris | Built for 1889 World Fair |
| Leaning Tower of Pisa | Pisa, Italy | Tilted bell tower of Pisa Cathedral |
| Christ the Redeemer | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Statue of Christ; New7Wonders |
Schools of sculpture
| School | Region / period | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Gandhara | NW (Peshawar–Taxila); Kushan (Kanishka) | Hellenistic / Greco-Roman; Buddha in human form first here in this idiom; wavy hair; realistic body; Roman-style drapery; also called Greco-Buddhist art |
| Mathura | Mathura, Uttar Pradesh; Kushan and Gupta | Purely Indian (Yaksha-like Buddha); red sandstone; Buddha and Jain Tirthankaras; strong body, smiling face; nature-based themes; images for Indian and non-Indian patrons |
| Amaravati | Andhra Pradesh; Satavahana | White marble (limestone); detailed, dynamic narrative figures |
Mathura = indigenous Yaksha-like Buddha + red sandstone. Gandhara = Hellenistic / Greco-Buddhist. This contrast is the single most repeated art PYQ on these pages.
Painting schools and crafts
| Painting / craft | State / region |
|---|---|
| Kalamkari | Andhra Pradesh (Srikalahasti & Machilipatnam) |
| Madhubani / Mithila | Bihar (Mithila) |
| Manjusha / Angika art | Bihar (Bhagalpur) |
| Gond art | Madhya Pradesh (Gond tribe) |
| Warli painting | Maharashtra (Warli tribe) |
| Saura painting | Odisha (Saura tribe) |
| Phad painting | Rajasthan (Bhilwara) |
| Pichwai | Rajasthan (Nathdwara) |
| Tanjore (Thanjavur) painting | Tamil Nadu |
| Aipan | Uttarakhand (Kumaon) |
| Artist | SSC hook |
|---|---|
| Amrita Sher-Gil | Pioneer of modern Indian art in Western oil style (frequently keyed as first Indian woman in this idiom) |
| B. Prabha | Modernist paintings of rural women |
Flip deck — Art
Taj Mahal builder / stone?
Shah Jahan · white marble
Qutub Minar started / finished?
Qutbuddin Aibak · Iltutmish
Charminar reason?
Quli Qutb Shah — end of plague
Konark builder?
Narasimhadeva I, Eastern Ganga
Sanchi Stupa?
Ashoka
Khajuraho dynasty / style?
Chandelas · Nagara
Golden Temple founder / gold?
Guru Arjan Dev · Ranjit Singh
Jantar Mantar builder?
Sawai Jai Singh II
Mathura Buddha style?
Indigenous Yaksha-like; red sandstone
Gandhara also called?
Greco-Buddhist art
Amaravati period?
Satavahana; white limestone
Warli is from?
Maharashtra
Madhubani is from?
Bihar (Mithila)
Pichwai is from?
Nathdwara, Rajasthan
Bara Imambara famous for?
Bhulbhulaiya (Lucknow, Asaf-ud-Daula)
Lotus Temple faith?
Baháʼí — no idols
Chapter 8 · नृत्य और वेशभूषा
Dance, Theatre and Dresses (नृत्य, रंगमंच और वेशभूषा)
8 vs 9 Bharatanatyam Chhau Folk Dress
Classical first (state + signature move), then folk (community + festival), then dress (state → garment).
Sangeet Natak Akademi recognises 8 classical dances. The Ministry of Culture lists 9 (adds Chhau).
Classical dances (8 vs 9)
| Dance | State | Features / exponents |
|---|---|---|
| Bharatanatyam | Tamil Nadu | Alarippu = to adorn with flowers; Jatiswaram, Shabdam, Varnam, Tillana. Araimandi (half-sitting). Devadasi / Sadir Attam. Rukmini Devi Arundale — Kalakshetra 1936; Padma Bhushan 1956. |
| Odissi | Odisha | Chowk (masculine, square, Jagannath) and Tribhanga (three-bend feminine). Mangalacharan, Pallavi, Moksha. Maharis and Gotipuas. |
| Kathak | North India (UP / Rajasthan) | Chakkars (spins), Tatkar (footwork). Gharanas: Lucknow (bhava), Jaipur (rhythm & speed), Banaras. Thaat, Amad, Tukra, Tarana. From Kathakar storytellers. |
| Kathakali | Kerala | Elaborate vesham. Pacha (green) = divine/noble; Kathi = villainous; Thadi red = evil, white = Hanuman. Navarasas; intense eye work. |
| Kuchipudi | Andhra Pradesh | Tarangam (dance on a brass plate). Lasya + Tandava. Village Kuchelapuram. Male Brahmins (Bhagavatulu). |
| Mohiniyattam | Kerala | Dance of the Enchantress. Lasya-dominant. Gentle figure-eight torso. White/off-white Kasavu saree. |
| Sattriya | Assam | Srimanta Sankaradeva, 15th c. Sattras (Vaishnava monasteries). Ankiya Nat, Borgeet. Gayan-Bhayanar, Kharman. |
| Manipuri | Manipur | Raasleela (Radha–Krishna). Potloi cylindrical skirt. Pung / Pung Cholom. Soft, fluid, non-percussive. |
| Chhau (9th, Ministry of Culture) | Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal | Tribal + martial + classical. Seraikella (JH, masks), Purulia (WB, masks), Mayurbhanj (Odisha, no masks). Chaitra Parva. UNESCO ICH 2010. |
Alarippu = “to adorn with flowers”. Odissi foundation postures = Chowk + Tribhanga. Chhau is the 9th only in the Ministry of Culture list.
Folk dance, theatre and martial forms
| Dance / form | State / people | Hook |
|---|---|---|
| Panthi | Chhattisgarh (Satnami) | Followers of Guru Ghasidas |
| Pandavani | Chhattisgarh | Narrative dance-drama of the Mahabharata; Teejan Bai |
| Jhumar | Jharkhand | Harvest; mandar & nagara; linked rows. Mardani Jhumar is the martial men’s variant (not women-only). |
| Jhijhia | Bihar / east India (notes) | Participants hold each other by the arms |
| Kalbelia | Rajasthan | Snake-charmer dance; UNESCO ICH 2010 |
| Ghoomar | Rajasthan | Bhil origin; later Rajput women; notes: originally a worship dance |
| Tippani | Gujarat | Women strike the floor with tippani sticks |
| Dang (Dangi) | Gujarat | Dang Adivasis; dholki |
| Koli | Maharashtra / Goa | Fisherfolk dance |
| Dumhal | Kashmir (Wattal men) | Around a banner; long colourful robes and tall conical caps |
| Thoda | Himachal Pradesh | Martial dance of Rajputs; archery |
| Cham | Rumtek (Sikkim); Hemis (Ladakh) | Masked monastic dance; Hemis — guardian deities of the Drukpa lineage. Rumtek = largest/famous Sikkim monastery in the PYQ key |
| Jhora | Uttarakhand (Kumaon) | Hurka drum |
| Maruni | Sikkim | Women; weddings |
| Thang-Ta | Manipur | Martial (thang = sword, ta = spear) |
| Cheraw | Mizoram | Bamboo dance |
| Wancho dance | Arunachal Pradesh | War dance during Chalo Loku festival |
| Ka Shad Suk Mynsiem | Meghalaya (Khasi) | Thanksgiving dance |
| Yakshagana | Karnataka | Temple theatre-dance |
| Dollu Kunitha | Karnataka | Large drums |
| Lambadi / Banjara | Andhra Pradesh | Banjara tribe |
| Karma | JH, CG, Odisha, MP, Bihar, WB | Bhadra Ekadashi agrarian ritual |
| Paika Nritya | Odisha / Jharkhand | War conch, sword-shield, acrobatics; ends with Jai Jagannath |
| Item | Hook |
|---|---|
| Tangalia weaving | Gujarat; Lavjibhai Parmar first recognised artist of the tradition |
Traditional dress by state
| State / UT | Men (typical) | Women (typical) |
|---|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh / Telangana | Dhoti, kurta | Saree (Gadwal in Telangana) |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Galluk / wrap | Traditional tribal dress |
| Assam | Dhoti, gamosa | Mekhela chador |
| Bihar / Chhattisgarh / Jharkhand | Kurta, dhoti | Saree (Tussar; tribal weaves) |
| Goa | Shirt (casual Western) | Saree; pano bhaju |
| Gujarat | Chorno, kediyu | Chaniya choli / ghagra choli |
| Haryana | Kurta, pagdi | Ghagra, choli |
| Himachal Pradesh | Kurta, cap (Kullu / Kinnaur) | Ghagra, kurti, dupatta |
| Karnataka | Panche (dhoti), shirt | Saree (Mysore silk) |
| Kerala | Mundu | Kasavu; mundum neriyathum |
| Madhya Pradesh | Dhoti, kurta | Saree (Chanderi) |
| Maharashtra | Dhoti | Nauvari; Paithani |
| Manipur | — | Phanek, innaphi |
| Meghalaya | Dhoti-style wrap | Jainsem, dakmanda |
| Mizoram | Shirt, wraparound | Puan |
| Nagaland | Shawl, tribal wrap | Tribal shawls |
| Odisha | Dhoti, kurta | Sambalpuri saree |
| Punjab | Kurta, pyjama | Salwar kameez; phulkari dupatta |
| Rajasthan | Dhoti, bandhgala, pagdi | Ghagra choli |
| Sikkim | Bakhu | Honju / bakhu |
| Tamil Nadu | Veshti (dhoti), shirt | Kanjivaram saree |
| Tripura | Dhoti, jacket | Risa, rignai |
| Uttarakhand | Kurta, churidar | Ghagra, saree |
| West Bengal | Kurta, dhoti | Tant / Baluchari saree |
Flip deck — Dance
SNA vs Ministry classical count?
8 vs 9 (Chhau extra)
Alarippu means?
To adorn with flowers (Bharatanatyam)
Odissi two postures?
Chowk and Tribhanga
Kathak Lucknow gharana emphasises?
Bhava
Kathakali pacha colour?
Green — divine / noble
Kuchipudi signature item?
Tarangam — dance on a brass plate
Sattriya founder?
Srimanta Sankaradeva (Assam)
Manipuri costume skirt?
Potloi
Chhau without masks?
Mayurbhanj (Odisha)
Panthi linked to?
Guru Ghasidas / Satnami, Chhattisgarh
Thang-Ta state?
Manipur
Cheraw is?
Mizoram bamboo dance
Dumhal performed by?
Wattal men, Kashmir, around a banner
Assam women’s dress?
Mekhela chador
Kerala men’s wrap?
Mundu / Kasavu for women
Kalbelia UNESCO?
2010 — Rajasthan
Chapter 9 · संगीत
Music and Instruments (संगीत और वाद्य)
7 svaras Gharanas Vadya Carnatic Trinity
North/South split, then svara names, then instrument class (tantu / sushir / avanaddha / ghana), then gharana one-liners.
Hindustani and Carnatic
| Point | Fact |
|---|---|
| Split of Indian classical music | 12th century — Hindustani (North) and Carnatic (South) |
| Bandish | A structured composition in Hindustani music |
| Margi Sangita | Ancient music rooted in Vedic tradition |
| Carnatic languages | Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Sanskrit |
| Hindustani languages | Hindi, Urdu, Braj Bhasha, Punjabi and other regional languages |
| Point | Fact |
|---|---|
| Father of Carnatic music | Purandara Dasa |
| Queen of Carnatic music | M. S. Subbulakshmi |
| Carnatic Trinity | Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, Syama Sastri |
Seven svaras, raga and taal
| Svara | Full name |
|---|---|
| Sa | Shadja (षड्ज) — achal (fixed) |
| Re | Rishabha |
| Ga | Gandhara |
| Ma | Madhyama |
| Pa | Panchama — achal (fixed) |
| Dha | Dhaivata |
| Ni | Nishada |
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Raga | Organised melodic framework tied to a mood and a time of day. Miyan ki Todi — late morning. Six notes = Shadav jati. Evolved from jatis. 72-mela system: Venkatamakhi. |
| Taal / Teen Taal | Cycle of beats. In Teen Taal the Khali is on the 9th matra. “Guru Bin Kaise Gun Gaaye” is set to Teen Taal. |
| Shruti | Finest perceptible interval between two notes |
| Achal vs chal | Sa and Pa are achal (fixed); others are chal (komal / teevra variants) |
| Khanda jati laghu | A laghu of five beats (Carnatic) |
| Svarajati | Vocal form later adapted for dance |
| Svaravali | Melody using the seven notes of the scale (basic Carnatic training) |
Instruments (vadya)
| Class (Sanskrit) | Type | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Tantu vadya | String | Sitar, veena, sarod |
| Sushir vadya | Wind | Flute, shehnai, nadaswaram |
| Avanaddha vadya | Membranophone (percussion) | Tabla, mridangam, pakhawaj, dholak |
| Ghana vadya | Idiophone | Manjira, kartal, ghatam, jal tarang |
Gharanas
| Gharana | Hook / exponents |
|---|---|
| Gwalior | Oldest khayal gharana |
| Agra | Strong Dhrupad influence |
| Jaipur–Atrauli | Ustad Alladiya Khan; rare/complex ragas. Kishori Amonkar, Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande, Shruti Sadolikar |
| Kirana | Purity of notes (swara shuddhi) |
| Rampur–Sahaswan | Clear diction and fast precise taans. Nissar Hussain Khan, Ghulam Mustafa Khan, Rashid Khan |
| Form / instrument | Region | Hook |
|---|---|---|
| Haryana “Ragan” | Haryana | Popular name for marriage-ritual songs; not the classical raga–ragini system |
| Rajasthani folk | Rajasthan | Tied to nature, life and stories (not temple-only / not electronic) |
| Narasingha | Himachal Pradesh | Curved hornpipe wind instrument; ceremonial folk use |
| Talhkhuong | Mizoram | Curved wooden pieces played with a wooden hammer; memorial-stone ceremonies; not taken into homes |
| Kashmiri Sufiana / Hafiz Nagma / Chakri / Rouf | Kashmir | Hafiz Nagma — dance on Sufiana notes (correct pairing in the PYQ key) |
Teen Taal Khali = 9th matra. Six-note raga = Shadav. Bandish = structured composition. Agra gharana ← Dhrupad.
Flip deck — Music
Hindustani / Carnatic split?
12th century
Seven svaras?
Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni
Achal svaras?
Sa and Pa
Father of Carnatic music?
Purandara Dasa
Carnatic Trinity?
Tyagaraja, Dikshitar, Syama Sastri
Teen Taal Khali?
9th matra
Six-note jati?
Shadav
Bandish is?
Structured Hindustani composition
Oldest khayal gharana?
Gwalior
Dhrupad-influenced gharana?
Agra
Tabla class?
Avanaddha (membranophone)
Shehnai class?
Sushir (wind)
Ghatam class?
Ghana (idiophone)
Svaravali?
Melody of the seven notes
Queen of Carnatic music?
M. S. Subbulakshmi
72-mela system?
Venkatamakhi
Chapter 10 · मेले और त्योहार
Fairs and Festivals (मेले और त्योहार)
Holi Pongal Onam Bihu Kumbh Pushkar
State + unique ritual. New Year names are a separate table (Ugadi, Gudi Padwa, Puthandu, Vishu, Bihu, Losar, Navroz, Cheti Chand).
Religious festivals
| Festival | State / region | Important facts |
|---|---|---|
| Ganesh Chaturthi | Maharashtra | Lord Ganesha worship |
| Holi | North India | Phalguna Purnima; Lathmar Holi in Uttar Pradesh |
| Chithirai Festival | Madurai, Tamil Nadu | Kallazhagar (Vishnu) arrives on a golden horse |
| Rath Yatra | Odisha (Puri) | Lord Jagannath |
| Durga Puja | West Bengal | Shakti worship |
| Kali Puja | West Bengal | Goddess Kali |
| Ramadan | All India (Muslim community) | 9th month of the Islamic calendar |
| Eid-ul-Fitr | India (Muslim community) | End of Ramadan |
| Hola Mohalla | Punjab (Anandpur Sahib) | Sikh martial tradition; Nihang mock battles, langars — not a women’s craft fair |
Folk and art festivals
| Festival | State | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| Lokranjan Festival | Madhya Pradesh | Folk and tribal culture |
| Kala Ghoda Festival | Maharashtra | Art and culture |
| Chhau Festival | Odisha / West Bengal | Martial folk dance |
| Nishagandhi Festival | Kerala | Classical dance |
| Konark Dance Festival | Odisha | Classical dance |
Tribal festivals
| Festival | State / people | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Wangala | Meghalaya (Garo) | Harvest / 100 drums |
| Garia Puja / Carnival | Tripura | Conducted with guidance of the Ojha |
| Loku | Arunachal Pradesh (Nocte) | Tribal new-year / buffalo rites (notes PYQ) |
| Tusu | Jharkhand (Tamar–Bundu belt) | Tribal harvest |
| Kharchi Puja | Tripura | Worship of 14 deities; indigenous tribal deities |
| Goncha Festival | Bastar, Chhattisgarh | Mock warfare with tupki (fruit bullets) |
| Salhesh Festival | Bihar (Mithila) | Dramatic retelling of Salhesh legends by Bhagat and Manarias |
| Chapchar Kut / Mim Kut | Mizoram | Mizo seasonal festivals |
| Bathukamma | Telangana | Floral festival |
New Year festivals
| Festival | State / community | Important fact |
|---|---|---|
| Ugadi | Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka | Ugadi Pachadi — life’s six flavours |
| Gudi Padwa | Maharashtra, Goa | Gudi flag — victory and prosperity |
| Puthandu | Tamil Nadu | 14 April; first day of the Tamil calendar |
| Vishu | Kerala | Vishukkani — first sight for prosperity |
| Pohela Boishakh | West Bengal | Processions and cultural fairs |
| Bohag (Rongali) Bihu | Assam | Bihu dance and music |
| Losar | Ladakh, Sikkim | Tibetan Buddhist New Year; dough models of Sun, Moon and ibex |
| Navroz | Parsi community | Parsi New Year; spring equinox |
| Cheti Chand | Sindhi Hindus | Sindhi New Year; Jhulelal |
Harvest, cattle and martial festivals
| Festival | State | Facts |
|---|---|---|
| Jallikattu | Tamil Nadu | Bull-taming sport (Pongal season, not Bhogi-only in the wrong option) |
| Pola | Maharashtra / Madhya Pradesh (Balaghat) | Bull worship |
| Thai Pongal | Tamil Nadu | Harvest; discarding the old; thanks to the Sun |
| Maatu Pongal | Tamil Nadu | Cattle are adorned / worshipped |
| Puthari (Puthan) | Kodagu, Karnataka | Paddy harvest; Lord Iguthappa; chants “Poli, Poli, Deva” |
| Onam | Kerala | Harvest and the legend of Mahabali |
| Baisakhi | Punjab | Formation of the Khalsa; wheat harvest |
| Nuakhai | Odisha | New rice harvest |
| Lohri | Punjab | Winter harvest / bonfire |
| Kambala | Karnataka (Tulu Nadu) | Buffalo racing |
Fairs
| Fair | State | Facts |
|---|---|---|
| Pushkar Fair | Rajasthan | Camel and cattle fair |
| Sonepur Mela | Bihar | Asia’s largest cattle fair |
| Dol Mela (Nathdwara) | Rajasthan | Vaishnava procession of Shriji / Raghunath |
| Bissu Mela | Uttarakhand | Tribal harvest; goddess Santoori Devi |
| Kumbh Mela | Prayagraj, Ujjain, Haridwar, Nashik | Every 12 years; rotates among four tirthas |
| Magh Mela | Prayagraj | Annual “mini Kumbh” in January |
| Surajkund Mela | Faridabad, Haryana | International crafts fair; traditional handicrafts and folk culture |
| Hemis Festival / monastery fair | Ladakh | Largest Buddhist fair in the region (notes) |
| National festival | Date |
|---|---|
| Republic Day | 26 January |
| Independence Day | 15 August |
| Gandhi Jayanti | 2 October |
Chithirai = Kallazhagar on a golden horse. Kharchi Puja = 14 deities. Wangala = Garo. Losar dough animals include the ibex. Pola / Jallikattu / Maatu Pongal = cattle cluster.
Flip deck — Festivals
Lathmar Holi where?
Uttar Pradesh
Chithirai unique image?
Kallazhagar on a golden horse, Madurai
Onam legend?
Mahabali, Kerala
Bihu new year name?
Bohag / Rongali Bihu, Assam
Ugadi pachadi?
Six flavours of life
Gudi Padwa states?
Maharashtra and Goa
Kumbh four places?
Prayagraj, Ujjain, Haridwar, Nashik
Sonepur Mela?
Bihar — largest cattle fair
Pushkar Fair?
Rajasthan — camel fair
Wangala tribe?
Garo, Meghalaya
Kharchi deities?
14 — Tripura
Pola is?
Bull worship, MH/MP
Puthari deity?
Iguthappa, Kodagu
Hola Mohalla where?
Anandpur Sahib — Sikh martial
Losar dough figures?
Sun, Moon and ibex
Three national festivals?
26 Jan · 15 Aug · 2 Oct
Chapter 11 · महत्वपूर्ण दिवस
Important Days and Dates (महत्वपूर्ण दिवस)
12 Jan 26 Jan 14 Apr 5 Jun 15 Aug 5 Sep 2 Oct 26 Nov
Learn as a calendar. SSC loves birth-anniversary hooks (Vivekananda, Bose, Ambedkar, Raman, Radhakrishnan, Gandhi, Patel, Ramanujan).
January
| Day | Date | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| National Youth Day | 12 January | Birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda |
| Parakram Diwas | 23 January | Birth anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose |
| International Day of Education | 24 January | Role of education for peace and development |
| National Voters’ Day | 25 January | Establishment of the Election Commission of India |
| Republic Day | 26 January | Constitution came into force (1950) |
| World Leprosy Day | Last Sunday of January | Awareness against leprosy |
February
| Day | Date | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| World Wetlands Day | 2 February | Ramsar Convention on wetlands |
| World Cancer Day | 4 February | Cancer awareness |
| International Day of Women and Girls in Science | 11 February | Gender equality in science |
| National Science Day | 28 February | C. V. Raman; Raman Effect (1928) |
March
| Day | Date | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| World Wildlife Day | 3 March | Protection of wildlife |
| International Women’s Day | 8 March | Gender equality |
| CISF Raising Day | 10 March | Formation of CISF |
| World Consumer Rights Day | 15 March | Consumer protection awareness |
| World Water Day | 22 March | Water sustainability |
| World Tuberculosis Day | 24 March | TB eradication |
| Earth Hour | Last Saturday of March | Lights off for one hour |
April
| Day | Date | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| World Health Day | 7 April | WHO Constitution in force (7 April 1948) |
| Ambedkar Jayanti | 14 April | Architect of the Indian Constitution |
| World Heritage Day | 18 April | Conservation of cultural heritage |
| National Civil Services Day | 21 April | Excellence in public administration |
| Earth Day | 22 April | Planet conservation |
| National Panchayati Raj Day | 24 April | 73rd Constitutional Amendment |
May
| Day | Date | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| International Labour Day | 1 May | Workers’ rights |
| Hand Hygiene Day | 5 May | WHO; infection prevention |
| World Red Cross Day | 8 May | Birth anniversary of Henry Dunant |
| International Nurses Day | 12 May | Birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale |
| World No Tobacco Day | 31 May | Anti-tobacco awareness |
June
| Day | Date | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| World Environment Day | 5 June | Environmental protection |
| World Oceans Day | 8 June | Ocean conservation |
| World Blood Donor Day | 14 June | Voluntary blood donation |
| International Day of Yoga | 21 June | Yoga for global health; first celebrated 2015. 2nd IDY theme: Yoga for achievement of the SDGs |
| National Statistics Day | 29 June | Birth anniversary of P. C. Mahalanobis |
July
| Day | Date | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| World Population Day | 11 July | Population awareness |
| Kargil Vijay Diwas | 26 July | Victory in the Kargil War (1999) |
| International Tiger Day | 29 July | Tiger conservation |
August
| Day | Date | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Hiroshima Day | 6 August | Atomic bombing of Hiroshima (1945) |
| Quit India Movement Day | 8 August | Launch of Quit India Movement (1942) |
| Independence Day | 15 August | Independence (1947) |
| National Sports Day | 29 August | Birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand |
September
| Day | Date | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Teachers’ Day | 5 September | Birth anniversary of S. Radhakrishnan |
| International Day of Charity | 5 September | Promotion of charitable activities |
| World Ozone Day | 16 September | Montreal Protocol |
| International Day of Peace | 21 September | Global peace |
October
| Day | Date | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| International Day of Older Persons | 1 October | Welfare and rights of the elderly |
| International Day of Non-Violence / Gandhi Jayanti | 2 October | Birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi (born 1869) |
| World Habitat Day | First Monday of October | Urban development awareness |
| World Mental Health Day | 10 October | Mental health awareness |
| International Day of the Girl Child | 11 October | Rights of the girl child |
| UN Day | 24 October | UN Charter came into force (1945) |
| Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) | 31 October | Birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel |
November
| Day | Date | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| World Diabetes Day | 14 November | Diabetes awareness (also Children’s Day in India — Nehru) |
| Constitution Day (Samvidhan Diwas) | 26 November | Adoption of the Constitution (1949) |
December
| Day | Date | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| World AIDS Day | 1 December | HIV/AIDS awareness |
| Armed Forces Flag Day | 7 December | Welfare of armed forces personnel |
| Human Rights Day | 10 December | Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) |
| National Mathematics Day | 22 December | Birth anniversary of Srinivasa Ramanujan |
UN International Years (from the notes)
| Year | UN international year (notes) |
|---|---|
| 2025 | International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation; International Year of Quantum Science and Technology |
| 2026 | International Year of the Woman Farmer |
| 2027 | International Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism |
| 2029 | International Year of Asteroid Awareness and Planetary Defence |
Do not confuse Republic Day (26 Jan, Constitution came into force 1950) with Constitution Day (26 Nov, adopted 1949). World Health Day = 7 April because the WHO Constitution entered into force that day in 1948. Teachers’ Day = Radhakrishnan, 5 September.
Flip deck — Days
National Youth Day?
12 January — Vivekananda
Republic Day?
26 January — Constitution in force, 1950
Ambedkar Jayanti?
14 April
World Environment Day?
5 June
International Day of Yoga?
21 June (from 2015)
Kargil Vijay Diwas?
26 July
Independence Day?
15 August
Teachers’ Day?
5 September — Radhakrishnan
Gandhi Jayanti / Non-Violence Day?
2 October (born 1869)
UN Day?
24 October
National Unity Day?
31 October — Patel
Constitution Day?
26 November — adopted 1949
Human Rights Day?
10 December
National Science Day?
28 February — C. V. Raman
World Wetlands Day?
2 February — Ramsar
World Health Day?
7 April 1948 (WHO)
Chapter 12 · CGL अभ्यास
PYQ MCQs — CGL Abhyaas (पिछले प्रश्न)
CGL 2025 CGL 2024 Hide answers Official-style options
Grouped by the same pillars as the notes. Last column is the keyed answer — use Hide answers / Cover the right column.
Answers follow the PDF answer keys (1.(d) 2.(a) style) plus standard SSC correction where OCR was garbled. Hide the right column and grind. Official notifications always win if a key later changes.
Books and authors
| # | Question | Options | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Who is the author of the book School to Startup: Navigating the Path of Entrepreneurship? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Rohit Sinha (b) Romila Thapar (c) Bipin Chandra (d) Shashi Tharoor | (a) Rohit Sinha |
| 2 | Who wrote the novel Sahela Re? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Vasanti Muzumdar (b) Mrinal Pande (c) Priyanka Sarkar (d) Shubhangi Tiwari | (b) Mrinal Pande |
| 3 | Who is the author of the book Why I Am a Hindu? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Pavan K. Varma (b) Shashi Tharoor (c) Aravind Adiga (d) Gurcharan Das | (b) Shashi Tharoor |
| 4 | Who wrote An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Shashi Tharoor (b) Vikram Seth (c) Pavan Varma (d) Romila Thapar | (a) Shashi Tharoor |
| 5 | In which language was Heart Lamp originally written? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Tamil (b) Kannada (c) Hindi (d) Malayalam | (b) Kannada |
| 6 | In the book Fraternity: Constitutional Norm and Human Need, what is the central theme explored by the author? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) The economic inequality caused by globalization (b) The legal history of the Indian Constitution (c) The idea of fraternity as a binding force in democracy (d) The role of federalism in India's political system | (c) Fraternity as a binding force in democracy |
| 7 | Half the Night Is Gone is written by which Sahitya Akademi Award winner? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Amitav Ghosh (b) Amit Chaudhuri (c) Anuradha Roy (d) Amitabha Bagchi | (d) Amitabha Bagchi |
| 8 | Which of the following best describes the theme of the book Why Bharat Matters? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) India’s economic and cultural importance (b) Biography of Mahatma Gandhi (c) Ancient mythology of India and festivals (d) Fictional rural story and moral values | (a) India’s economic and cultural importance |
| 9 | Who is the author of the book The Ocean of Churn? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Sanjeev Sanyal (b) Tony Joseph (c) Devdutt Pattanaik (d) Rohan Mukherjee | (a) Sanjeev Sanyal |
| 10 | Who is the author of the book The Great Indian Novel? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Devdutt Pattanaik (b) Shashi Tharoor (c) Sanjeev Sanyal (d) Gurcharan Das | (b) Shashi Tharoor |
| 11 | Which statement correctly identifies the author and theme of A Fine Balance? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Salman Rushdie, post-colonial identity (b) Rohinton Mistry, social injustices during the Emergency (c) Jhumpa Lahiri, immigrant life in New York (d) Arundhati Roy, environmental activism | (b) Rohinton Mistry — Emergency |
| 12 | The Namesake is a novel by which Indian-American author? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Jhumpa Lahiri (b) Arundhati Roy (c) Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (d) Kiran Desai | (a) Jhumpa Lahiri |
| 13 | What is the primary literary significance of Bonkers! by Natasha Sharma? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Memoir of rural life (b) Historical epic on colonial India (c) Experimental style with social themes (d) Science fiction on future societies | (c) Experimental style with social themes |
| 14 | An Area of Darkness is a travelogue by which author? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Raja Rao (b) V. S. Naipaul (c) R. K. Narayan (d) Vikram Seth | (b) V. S. Naipaul |
| 15 | What is the central theme of Friend of My Youth by Amit Chaudhuri? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Interconnected stories on family and identity (b) History of India's freedom struggle (c) Travelogue of Indian landscapes (d) Biography of a politician | (a) Family, memory, identity (Bombay) |
Awards and honours
| # | Question | Options | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Which statement accurately represents the connection between The Heart Story by Sandeep Jauhar and the Edgar Award for Best Novel? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Nominated for the Edgar Award for blending medical history and mystery (b) Won the Edgar Award as pioneering medical fiction (c) Received the Edgar Award for fictional cardiac surgery (d) Non-fiction memoir, ineligible for Edgar Award | (d) Non-fiction memoir — Edgar is for mystery/crime fiction only |
| 2 | Which Padma awardee and field is correctly paired? 1. Gokul Chandra Das – Folk Music 2. Dinesh Saini – Environment 3. Farooq Ahmad Mir – Literature 4. Geeta Devi – Agriculture SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) 3 only (d) 4 only | (a) 1 only (as keyed from the notes’ pairing set) |
| 3 | The Inheritance of Loss won the Booker Prize for which author? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Anita Desai (b) Kiran Desai (c) Jhumpa Lahiri (d) Chitra Banerjee | (b) Kiran Desai (2006) |
| 4 | Which pair of Padma awardee, field and state is correctly matched? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Duvvur Nageshwar Reddy – Public Affairs – Telangana (b) Justice (Retd) Jagdish Singh Khehar – Art – Punjab (c) Kumudini Rajnikant Lakhia – Medicine – Gujarat (d) M. T. Vasudevan Nair (Posthumous) – Literature & Education – Kerala | (d) M. T. Vasudevan Nair — Literature & Education — Kerala |
| 5 | Which author received the 2021 PEN Pinter Prize for an unflinching exploration of identity, gender and migration? (notes list the 2021 winner) SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Teju Cole (b) Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (c) Ben Okri (d) Tsitsi Dangarembga | (d) Tsitsi Dangarembga |
| 6 | Which Indian political leader was conferred Namibia’s highest civilian award during a state visit? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Ram Nath Kovind (b) Amit Shah (c) Narendra Modi (d) S. Jaishankar | (c) Narendra Modi — Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis |
| 7 | Which American author won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2020 for The Nickel Boys? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Colson Whitehead (b) Jesmyn Ward (c) Ta-Nehisi Coates (d) Tommy Orange | (a) Colson Whitehead |
| 8 | Assertion (A): Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar is a civilian science award. Reason (R): It is conferred by the Ministry of Culture. SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) A and R true, R explains A (b) A and R true, R does not explain A (c) A true, R false (d) A false, R true | (c) A true; R false — it is the Ministry of Science and Technology |
| 9 | Which writer won the International Booker Prize in 2021 along with translator Megan McDowell? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Olga Tokarczuk (b) Jokha Alharthi (c) David Diop (d) Mariana Enriquez | (d) Mariana Enriquez (translator Megan McDowell) — as printed in this workbook’s key |
| 10 | Who won the International Booker Prize in 2025? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Samantha Harvey (b) Banu Mushtaq & Deepa Bhasthi (c) Geetanjali Shree (d) Vincenzo Latronico | (b) Heart Lamp — Banu Mushtaq, tr. Deepa Bhasthi |
| 11 | Who is the author of Sleeping on Jupiter, longlisted for the Booker Prize in 2015? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Kiran Desai (b) Anuradha Roy (c) Jhumpa Lahiri (d) T. N. Ninan | (b) Anuradha Roy |
| 12 | Which American author received the Pulitzer Prize for Beloved and later the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Toni Morrison (b) Alice Walker (c) Maya Angelou (d) Zora Neale Hurston | (a) Toni Morrison |
| 13 | Which of the following awards was won by Lata Mangeshkar in the year 2001? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award (b) Padma Vibhushan (c) Dadasaheb Phalke Award (d) Bharat Ratna | (d) Bharat Ratna (Phalke was 1989; Filmfare lifetime 1994) |
| 14 | Which singer from Assam was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2019? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2024 | (a) Padmanay Bordoloi (b) Rameshwar Pathak (c) Archana Mahanta (d) Bhupen Hazarika | (d) Bhupen Hazarika |
Sports
| # | Question | Options | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Who won India’s Paralympic medals in women’s 200 m T12 and javelin F41 at Paris 2024 (notes pairing)? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Simran (bronze, 200 m T12) and Navdeep Singh (gold, javelin F41) (b) Navdeep Singh (bronze, 200 m T12) and Simran (gold, javelin F41) (c) Simran (silver, 200 m T12) and Navdeep Singh (gold, javelin F41) (d) Navdeep Singh (gold, 200 m T12) and Simran (bronze, javelin F41) | (a) Simran bronze T12; Navdeep gold F41 |
| 2 | P. T. Usha missed the 1984 Olympic bronze by how much? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) One-hundredth of a second (b) One-tenth of a second (c) One-thousandth of a second (d) One-fiftieth of a second | (a) One-hundredth of a second |
| 3 | What is a “brace” in football? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Two consecutive wins (b) Two yellow cards (c) Scoring two goals in a match (d) Saving two penalties | (c) Two goals by one player |
| 4 | In freestyle wrestling, which action can result in a technical point? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Running out of the mat deliberately (b) Holding the opponent’s singlet (c) Performing a successful takedown (d) Applying an illegal headlock | (c) Successful takedown |
| 5 | Vijender Singh defeated which boxer in the quarter-finals to secure India’s first Olympic boxing medal? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Emilio Correa (b) Carlos Góngora (c) Misha Aloyan (d) Vasyl Lomachenko | (b) Carlos Góngora |
| 6 | The National Institute of Sports was renamed Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NSNIS) on … SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) 15 August 1975 (b) 26 January 1972 (c) 23 January 1973 (d) 7 May 1961 | (c) 23 January 1973 |
| 7 | At the 1960 Rome Olympics, Milkha Singh finished fourth in the men’s 400 m with a timing of … SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) 43.2 seconds (b) 46.2 seconds (c) 44.8 seconds (d) 45.6 seconds | (d) 45.6 seconds |
| 8 | Where is the Subroto Cup inter-school football tournament held? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Mumbai (b) Chandigarh (c) New Delhi (d) Bengaluru | (c) New Delhi |
| 9 | Which statement about Judo is correct? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Judo was introduced in 1882 by Jigoro Kano in Japan (b) India’s first National Judo Championship was held in 1970 at Oxford University (c) Kalpana Devi won gold at the 2010 Judo World Cup (d) Judo became an Olympic sport in 1965 | (a) Jigoro Kano, 1882, Japan |
| 10 | Why can hockey players use only the flat left-hand side of the stick? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Better control and reduced injury risk (b) Prevent unfair left-handed advantage (c) Prevents uneven bounce (d) Mandated for training ease | (a) Control and safety (notes: only the flat left side is used) |
| 11 | Which category of prohibited substances increases alertness and reduces fatigue? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Anabolic Agents (b) Peptide Hormones (c) Beta-2 Agonists (d) Stimulants | (d) Stimulants |
| 12 | India’s first Paralympic medallist and achievement? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Devendra Jhajharia – Gold, Athens 1976 (b) Murlikant Petkar – Gold, 50 m freestyle, Heidelberg 1972 (c) Mariyappan Thangavelu – Gold, Rio 2016 (d) Deepa Malik – Silver, Tokyo 2021 | (b) Murlikant Petkar, 1972 |
| 13 | The term “zugzwang” is associated with which sport? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Kabaddi (b) Chess (c) Shooting (d) Table tennis | (b) Chess |
| 14 | Thoda combines martial art with … in Himachal Pradesh. SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Archery (b) Swordplay (c) Stick-fighting (d) Wrestling | (a) Archery |
| 15 | Which statement about “en passant” in chess is true? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Only after a pawn waits one turn (b) Can be done within two moves (c) Must be done immediately after the opponent’s pawn moves two squares (d) Can be done with a knight | (c) Must be captured immediately |
Space / ISRO
| # | Question | Options | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | What is the primary function of the Crew Escape System (CES) on ISRO’s Human Rated LVM3 (HLVM3)? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) To guide the crew module into its designated Low Earth Orbit (b) To eject the crew module to safety during launch emergencies (c) To assist in docking the crew module with a space station (d) To provide thermal shielding during re-entry | (b) Launch-abort ejection to safety |
| 2 | India’s Space Vision 2047 aims to have the Bhartiya Antariksh Station in orbit by … and land Indians on the Moon by … SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) 2030, 2035 (b) 2035, 2040 (c) 2040, 2047 (d) 2028, 2035 | (b) Station ~2035; Moon ~2040 |
| 3 | What is the orbital regime of the NISAR (NASA–ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) GEO (b) HEO (c) LEO (d) SSO | (d) Sun-synchronous orbit (a LEO regime; the notes/key use SSO) |
| 4 | Which outcome describes ISRO’s RLV-LEX3 mission (23 June 2024)? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) In-flight fuel transfers at hypersonic speeds (b) Autonomous high-speed landing under tough cross-range and wind conditions (c) Launch abort test for crewed reusable launchers (d) Orbital deployment via dual-mode scramjet propulsion | (b) Autonomous high-speed landing |
| 5 | What distinguishes ISRO’s Aditya-L1 mission? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) It uses radar waves to study the Sun (b) It orbits the Sun directly (c) It will study the solar corona from Lagrange Point L1 (d) It is placed in a lunar orbit | (c) Solar corona from L1 |
| 6 | Which payload on the Mars Orbiter Mission captured full-disk colour images of Mars? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) LAM (b) MSM (c) MCC (Mars Colour Camera) (d) TIR | (c) Mars Colour Camera |
| 7 | Gaganyaan is planned to orbit Earth at approximately what altitude? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) 100 km (b) 400 km (c) 1000 km (d) 36,000 km | (b) About 400 km LEO |
| 8 | What is the primary function of the NVS-02 satellite launched aboard GSLV-F15? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Meteorological observations (b) Satellite television broadcasting (c) Precise navigation and timing services (NavIC) (d) Deep-space communication | (c) NavIC PNT |
| 9 | The Chandrayaan-3 lander Vikram used which advanced technology for hazard detection and avoidance? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Lander Hazard Detection and Avoidance Camera and Processing Algorithm (b) SAR (c) Laser Doppler Imaging (d) Laser Doppler Velocimeter | (a) Hazard detection camera + algorithm |
Defence
| # | Question | Options | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | What is a key factor assessed in the Global Firepower Military Strength Ranking 2025? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Economic stability (b) Cultural influence (c) Defense budget (d) Healthcare spending | (c) Defense budget (India 4th in the notes) |
| 2 | Dr. Tessy Thomas, the “Missile Woman of India”, is best associated with which achievement? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Led the Agni-V project and began her career at LRDE (b) Was Chairperson of ISRO (c) Founded a private satellite company (d) Headed HAL’s aeronautics division | (a) Agni-V / LRDE |
| 3 | Who became the first woman officer to join the Army Aviation Corps as a Combat Aviator after training in May 2022? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Captain Abhilasha Barak (b) Captain Shiva Chauhan (c) Captain Gursimran Kaur (d) Captain Manju Sharma | (a) Capt. Abhilasha Barak |
| 4 | The biennial tri-services amphibious exercise AMPHEX 2023 (22 January 2023) was held in … SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Odisha (b) Bihar (c) Andhra Pradesh (d) Telangana | (c) Andhra Pradesh |
| 5 | Which Air Chief was commissioned into the fighter stream of the IAF in December 1984? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) R. K. S. Bhadauria (b) A. P. Singh (c) B. S. Dhanoa (d) Vivek Ram Chaudhari | (b) A. P. Singh |
| 6 | Ekuverin is a defence exercise between which nations? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) India–Singapore (b) India–Malaysia (c) India–Maldives (d) India–Indonesia | (c) India–Maldives |
| 7 | What is special about the defence exercise Bull Strike? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) It is conducted between India and China (b) It is a tri-service exercise of the Andaman & Nicobar Command (c) It is a naval exercise in the Arabian Sea (d) It focuses on space defence | (b) ANC tri-service exercise |
| 8 | Who was the first woman fighter pilot of the IAF to qualify for combat missions? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Avani Chaturvedi (b) Bhawana Kanth (c) Mohana Singh (d) Shaliza Dhami | (b) Bhawana Kanth |
| 9 | Which of the following is not part of India’s Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP)? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) BrahMos (b) Prithvi (c) Nag (d) Akash | (a) BrahMos is Indo-Russian, outside the original five |
| 10 | Which statements are correct about the draft IT (Intermediary Guidelines) / online-gaming rules discussed in the notes’ PYQ? A. Online games must register with a self-regulatory body. B. Companies will not be allowed to engage in betting on game outcomes. C. There could be more than one self-regulatory body. SSC CGL (Tier-II) 2023 | (a) A and C (b) B and C (c) A, B and C (d) A and B | (c) A, B and C |
| 11 | Who has been appointed as the country’s second Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2022 | (a) Anil Chauhan (b) Manoj Kumar (c) R. Dinesh (d) Sanjay Agarwal | (a) Gen. Anil Chauhan |
Organisations
| # | Question | Options | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Which mechanism did India operationalize in 2024 to strengthen regional financial resilience within SAARC? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) SAARC Development Fund capital increase (b) SAARC Currency Swap Framework (2024–27) (c) SAARC Trade Insurance Scheme (d) SAARC Sovereign Credit Pool | (b) Currency Swap Framework 2024–27 |
| 2 | What is the primary purpose of the BRICS Startup Knowledge Hub launched in 2025? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Financial trade platform (b) Startup knowledge repository (c) Cultural archive (d) Capital control system | (b) Startup knowledge repository |
| 3 | The Global Energy Transition Index 2025 is released by which international organisation? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) IRENA (b) IEA (c) World Economic Forum (d) UNDP | (c) WEF |
| 4 | The primary focus of the Quad is in which region? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Europe (b) Africa (c) Indo-Pacific (d) South America | (c) Indo-Pacific |
| 5 | Where was the Americas Regional Office of the New Development Bank (NDB) announced to be established? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Mexico City (b) Buenos Aires (c) São Paulo (d) Lima | (c) São Paulo |
| 6 | Which BIMSTEC member state is associated in the notes with the energy theme / Security pillar? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) India (b) Thailand (c) Sri Lanka (d) Bangladesh | (a) India (Security pillar; energy theme) |
| 7 | The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2024 is released by which organisation? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) World Bank (b) Transparency International (c) UNODC (d) OECD | (b) Transparency International |
| 8 | In December 1991, which Act was amended to bring public enterprises under BIFR as part of economic reforms? SSC CGL (Tier-II) 2025 | (a) Industries Act (b) Industrial Rehabilitation Act (c) Companies Act (d) Sick Industrial Companies Act | (d) Sick Industrial Companies Act |
| 9 | Where was the first official summit of the Non-Aligned Movement held? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) India (b) Yugoslavia (c) New York (d) Egypt | (b) Belgrade, Yugoslavia (1961) |
| 10 | BRICS Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) cooperation: 1. Based on mutual benefit and public-good driven innovation. 2. Governed only through annual Heads of State Summits. Which is/are correct? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Only 1 is correct (b) Only 2 is correct (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither | (a) Only 1 — public-good driven; not only HoS summits |
| 11 | What is the primary goal of the International Comparison Programme (ICP), led by the UN Statistics Division? SSC CGL (Tier-II) 2025 | (a) To calculate Purchasing Power Parities (PPPs) and price level indices (b) To collect data on international trade (c) To implement statistical offices globally (d) To produce unemployment estimates globally | (a) PPPs and PLIs |
| 12 | Which of the following is India’s national academy of dance? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2024 | (a) Lalit Kala Akademi (b) Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (c) Centre for Indian Classical Dances (d) Sangeet Natak Akademi | (d) Sangeet Natak Akademi |
Art and architecture
| # | Question | Options | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Which statement most accurately describes a key difference between the Mathura and Gandhara schools of art? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Mathura used green phyllite, while Gandhara used spotted red sandstone (b) Gandhara developed on purely indigenous lines, whereas Mathura showed foreign influences (c) Mathura focused on Buddhist themes, while Gandhara focused on Hindu deities (d) Mathura depicted Buddha in an indigenous Yaksha-like style, whereas Gandhara art reflected Hellenistic (Greco-Roman) features | (d) Yaksha-like vs Hellenistic |
| 2 | Statement I: Mathura art produced images for both Indian and non-Indian patrons. Statement II: Mathura art ignored nature-based themes in its sculptures. SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Both I and II correct (b) Only I correct (c) Only II correct (d) Neither | (b) Only I — Mathura did use nature-based themes |
| 3 | Which feature distinguishes Mathura art from Gandhara art? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Use of green phyllite stone (b) Indigenous Yaksha-like Buddha vs Hellenistic features (c) Exclusive use of white marble (d) Complete absence of human figures | (b) Yaksha-like vs Hellenistic |
| 4 | Mathura art produced images for which type of patrons? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Only Indian patrons (b) Only foreign patrons (c) Both Indian and non-Indian patrons (d) Only Buddhist monks | (c) Both Indian and non-Indian patrons |
| 5 | Mathura art is known for which stylistic characteristic? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Strong Greco-Roman drapery (b) Nature-based sculpture themes (c) Indigenous Yaksha-like representation (d) Both (b) and (c) | (d) Nature themes + Yaksha-like Buddha |
| 6 | Gandhara school of art shows influence of which tradition? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Dravidian (b) Persian miniature (c) Hellenistic (Greco-Roman) (d) Rajput | (c) Hellenistic / Greco-Roman |
| 7 | Which statement about Mathura art is correct? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) It used nature-based themes in sculptures (b) It was purely Greco-Roman in style (c) It used only white marble (d) It developed in South India | (a) Nature-based themes |
| 8 | The difference between Mathura and Gandhara schools is mainly seen in depiction of: SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Temple architecture (b) Stupa construction (c) Buddha images (d) Cave paintings | (c) Buddha images |
| 9 | Gandhara art is also known as: SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Indo-Islamic art (b) Greco-Buddhist art (c) Dravidian classical art (d) Rajput miniature art | (b) Greco-Buddhist art |
| 10 | Which of the following pairs is correctly matched? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Mathura – Hellenistic features (b) Gandhara – Yaksha-like Buddha (c) Mathura – Indigenous style (d) Gandhara – Ignored foreign influence | (c) Mathura – indigenous |
| 11 | Who is known as the first Indian woman to paint in the Western oil style? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Amrita Sher-Gil (b) Sunayani Devi (c) Anjolie Ela Menon (d) Nalini Malani | (a) Amrita Sher-Gil (standard SSC key) |
| 12 | B. Prabha is known for: SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Tribal Gond art (b) Modernist paintings of rural women (c) Mughal miniatures (d) None of the above | (b) Rural women, modernist oil |
Dance and folk theatre
| # | Question | Options | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | What does the word “Alarippu” mean in the context of Bharatanatyam? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) To adorn with flowers (b) To invoke blessings (c) To express emotions (d) To depict divine love | (a) To adorn with flowers |
| 2 | Thang-Ta is a traditional martial dance associated with which northeastern state? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Assam (b) Nagaland (c) Manipur (d) Tripura | (c) Manipur |
| 3 | Panthi dance is linked to the followers of … in Chhattisgarh. SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Guru Ghasidas (b) Kabir (c) Raidas (d) Nanak | (a) Guru Ghasidas (Satnami) |
| 4 | Which is the largest and most famous monastery in Sikkim, known for colourful murals and mask dance? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Enchey Monastery (b) Rumtek Monastery (c) Pemayangtse Monastery (d) Tashiding Monastery | (b) Rumtek |
| 5 | Dumhal dancers wear … during the performance. SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Colourful robes (b) Masks (c) Veils (d) Gloves | (a) Long colourful robes (and tall conical caps) |
| 6 | The Wancho tribe of Arunachal Pradesh performs a war dance during which festival? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Hornbill (b) Chalo Loku (c) Nyokum (d) Oriah | (b) Chalo Loku |
| 7 | Consider the statements about Jhumar: 1. It is a harvest dance of Jharkhand, performed in linked rows with mandar and nagara drums. 2. Women alone perform the Mardani variant wielding swords. Which is/are correct? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Only 1 correct (b) Only 2 correct (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither | (a) Only 1 — Mardani is the men’s martial form |
| 8 | The dance form Ka Shad Suk Mynsiem is a thanksgiving dance of which community? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Khasi (b) Ao (c) Apatani (d) Adi | (a) Khasi (Meghalaya) |
| 9 | In Jhijhia dance, participants hold each other by the … SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Shoulders (b) Arms (c) Waist (d) Wrists | (b) Arms |
| 10 | The sacred masked dances performed by monks at Hemis represent various … of the Drukpa lineage. SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Rainmaking lamas (b) Ancient kings (c) Guardian deities (d) Ancestral spirits | (c) Guardian deities |
| 11 | Ghoomar was originally performed to worship … SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Shiva (b) Saraswati / goddess (auspicious worship origin in the notes) (c) Krishna (d) Ganesha | (b) Goddess / auspicious worship origin (Bhil → Rajput women’s dance) |
| 12 | Which statement correctly describes a unique feature of the Dumhal dance of Kashmir? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) It is performed by women during harvest (b) It is accompanied solely by string instruments (c) Only Wattal men perform it around a banner planted in the ground (d) It is a spontaneous community dance on every occasion | (c) Wattal men around a banner |
| 13 | Thoda is performed mostly by the … community. SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Rajputs (b) Brahmins (c) Jats (d) Ahirs | (a) Rajputs (Himachal) |
| 14 | Which two basic postures form the foundation of Odissi dance? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Lasya and Tandava (b) Chowk and Tribhanga (c) Chakkar and Mudra (d) Natya and Nritya | (b) Chowk and Tribhanga |
Music and instruments
| # | Question | Options | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | In Teen Taal of Hindustani classical music, the Khali is marked on the … matra. SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) 1 (b) 5 (c) 9 (d) 13 | (c) 9th matra |
| 2 | The term “svaravali” refers to what in Indian classical music? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) A specific type of raga (b) A melody composed using the 7 notes of the scale (c) Ornamentation and embellishment of a raga (d) A rhythmic cycle used in Carnatic music | (b) Seven-note training melody |
| 3 | A raga that contains six notes is classified under the … jati. SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Audav (b) Sampoorna (c) Shadav (d) Tishra | (c) Shadav |
| 4 | Which traditional wind instrument, with an ornate curved hornpipe design, is used in the folk music of Himachal Pradesh? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Algoza (b) Narasingha (c) Shehnai (d) Kangri pipe | (b) Narasingha |
| 5 | Which of the following correctly describes the musical form Svarajati? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) A bhajan form used only in temples (b) A dance item without fixed structure (c) A vocal form later adapted for dance (d) A film-based item with fast rhythm | (c) Vocal form later adapted for dance |
| 6 | The composition “Guru Bin Kaise Gun Gaaye” is set to the rhythmic cycle known as … SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Jhaptal (b) Keharwa (c) Teen Taal (d) Roopak | (c) Teen Taal |
| 7 | Which of the following best describes traditional Rajasthani folk music? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Focuses only on temple rituals (b) Uses electronic sounds as the base (c) Tied to nature, life and stories (d) Known only for classical ragas | (c) Nature, life and stories |
| 8 | What is the term for a structured musical composition in Hindustani classical music? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Kriti (b) Bandish (c) Gamaka (d) Rasa | (b) Bandish |
| 9 | Which Mizo musical instrument, made of curved wooden pieces and played with a wooden hammer, is used only at memorial-stone ceremonies and not taken into homes? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Bengbung (b) Darbu (c) Tingtang (d) Talhkhuong | (d) Talhkhuong |
| 10 | Which gharana was influenced directly by the Dhrupad tradition? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Gwalior Gharana (b) Agra Gharana (c) Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana (d) Rampur-Sahaswan Gharana | (b) Agra |
| 11 | Which type of folk song in Haryana is popularly known as “Ragan”, despite having no connection with the classical raga–ragini system? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Seasonal songs (b) Marriage ritual songs (c) Folk songs in general (d) Lullabies | (b) Marriage ritual songs |
| 12 | Which pair of Kashmiri music and its description is correctly matched? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Chakri – classical form using santoor and Hafiz Nagma (b) Sufiana music – folk style sung with gagar and rabab (c) Hafiz Nagma – dance based on musical notes of Sufiana (d) Rouf – instrumental duet with santoor and sitar | (c) Hafiz Nagma — dance on Sufiana notes |
Fairs and festivals
| # | Question | Options | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Which statement about the Hola Mohalla festival of Punjab is correct? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) It is celebrated mainly by women through crafts and songs in Patiala (b) It showcases martial arts, langars and Nihang mock battles at Anandpur Sahib (c) It is a harvest festival observed in Punjab just before Diwali (d) Hola Mohalla is celebrated on the same day as Holi | (b) Anandpur Sahib — Sikh martial tradition |
| 2 | The Garia Carnival is conducted according to the guidance of which figure? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Dechai (b) Lama (c) Ojha (d) Dolo | (c) Ojha |
| 3 | Which tribal community celebrates the Wangala festival? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Bodo (b) Santhal (c) Mizo (d) Garo | (d) Garo (Meghalaya) |
| 4 | Ladakhi New Year (Losar) is welcomed with symbolic dough models of the sun, moon and … SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Ibex (b) Yak (c) Snow leopard (d) Buddha | (a) Ibex |
| 5 | The Kambala festival of coastal Karnataka is primarily associated with which tradition? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Temple fairs (b) Classical music (c) Buffalo racing (d) Tribal rituals | (c) Buffalo racing |
| 6 | The Tusu festival is primarily celebrated in the tribal belt of Jharkhand, especially around the area between Tamar and … SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Dumka (b) Bundu (c) Daltonganj (d) Chaibasa | (b) Bundu |
| 7 | Which of the following statements about the Chithirai Festival of Madurai is correct? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) The festival is celebrated in the Tamil month of Margazhi (b) Lord Kallazhagar arrives on a golden horse (c) The festival is held exclusively in December (d) The festival ends with a bullfight | (b) Kallazhagar on a golden horse |
| 8 | The Kharchi Puja of Tripura is associated with the worship of how many deities? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) 12 (b) 14 (c) 15 (d) 16 | (b) 14 deities |
| 9 | Which of the following is correct about the Pongal festival? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Thai Pongal honours cattle (b) Maatu Pongal adorns the cattle (c) Pongal Mela hosts kite flying as its core rite (d) Jallikattu is held on Bhogi day | (b) Maatu Pongal — cattle are adorned |
| 10 | The Pola festival, celebrated in the Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh, is dedicated to … SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Cow worship (b) Rain prayer (c) Bull worship (d) Harvest sale | (c) Bull worship |
| 11 | Which option best reflects a distinct cultural feature of the Festival of Salhesh? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Harvest ceremonies with animal sacrifice in Mithila (b) Dramatic retelling of Salhesh legends by a Bhagat and Manarias (c) Buddhist chants for monsoon rains (d) Sword dances by women warriors | (b) Bhagat and Manarias retell the legend |
| 12 | Which Kodava harvest festival, celebrated with chants of “Poli, Poli, Deva” and ceremonial paddy harvest, invokes Lord Iguthappa? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Kambala (b) Kailpodh (c) Puthari (Puthan) (d) Onam | (c) Puthari / Puthan |
| 13 | The Kharchi festival is primarily associated with … SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2025 | (a) Worship of Lord Jagannath (b) Veneration of indigenous tribal deities (c) Commemoration of Tripura’s statehood day (d) Worship of River Goddess Yamuna | (b) Indigenous tribal deities (14) |
Important days
| # | Question | Options | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | In India, Teachers’ Day is celebrated annually on 5 September to mark the birthday of … SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2024 | (a) Subhas Chandra Bose (b) Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (c) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (d) A. P. J. Abdul Kalam | (b) S. Radhakrishnan |
| 2 | When is the International Day of Older Persons celebrated? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2024 | (a) 1 October (b) 2 October (c) 3 October (d) 4 October | (a) 1 October |
| 3 | The birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi is a national festival of India. In which year was Gandhiji born? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2024 | (a) 1885 (b) 1869 (c) 1890 (d) 1877 | (b) 1869 |
| 4 | On which date does India celebrate its Constitution Day? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2024 | (a) 26 January (b) 26 November (c) 15 August (d) 2 October | (b) 26 November (adopted 1949) |
| 5 | When did the Constitution of WHO come into force — the date now celebrated as World Health Day? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2023 | (a) 6 April 1948 (b) 8 April 1948 (c) 7 April 1948 (d) 5 April 1948 | (c) 7 April 1948 |
| 6 | When is the International Day of the Girl Child celebrated every year? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2023 | (a) 13 October (b) 14 October (c) 11 October (d) 12 October | (c) 11 October |
| 7 | What theme was the second International Day of Yoga in India declared for? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2023 | (a) Yoga for the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (b) Yoga for Heart (c) Yoga for Peace (d) Yoga for Climate | (a) Yoga for achievement of the SDGs |
| 8 | According to the Ramsar Convention, World Wetlands Day is observed on … SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2023 | (a) 3 March (b) 8 March (c) 2 February (d) 19 December | (c) 2 February |
| 9 | Which environment event is observed by switching off lights at homes, businesses and landmarks for an hour? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2023 | (a) World Environment Day (b) Earth Hour (c) Earth Day (d) World Oceans Day | (b) Earth Hour (last Saturday of March) |
| 10 | Which day has been declared by the World Health Organization as Hand Hygiene Day? SSC CGL (Tier-I) 2023 | (a) 5 May (b) 7 April (c) 12 May (d) 1 May | (a) 5 May |