Below are some very important GK Questions for various UPSC, State PSC & SSC exams like CDS, CAPF AC, NDA, AFCAT etc. from important Polity, Geography, Science and History Topics. These GK Questions from important Current GK Topics in the News are expected to be asked in the coming CDS, CAPF AC, NDA, AFCAT. Hence, every aspirant must read these questions to boost their preparation for their dream job. Aspirants are also requested to cover these GK topics from their reference books or from these very important GK NCERT Notes for UPSC CDS NDA & AFCAT Exams.
EXPECTED GK QUESTIONS FOR UPSC CDS CAPF AC NDA AFCAT FROM IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS GK TOPICS
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Which disease is also called as the ‘Hansen’s’ disease
- Leprosy, which is an infectious disease caused by a bacillus Mycobacterium leprae. World Leprosy Day is celebrated on the last Sunday of January every year
'Aboriginal' or 'Aborigines', a tribe is also known as "First Peoples" of which country
- Australia. Aboriginal peoples are one of the two distinct groups of Indigenous peoples of Australia, the other being the Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Which was the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage
- Netherlands in 2001
On which date, the states of Kerala, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka were formed?
- Nov 1. Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala were formed in 1956. Punjab and Haryana were formed in 1966.
Konkani, Manipuri and Nepali were included in the 8th Schedule in 1992. Konkani is official language of which state
- Goa. The first Konkani inscription is dated 1187 A.D
The Chauri Chaura incident took place during which Indian freedom movement
- Non-cooperation Movement. The Chauri Chaura incident took place on February 4, 1922 at Chauri Chaura in the Gorakhpur.
With the aim of enhancing global connectivity and cooperation, China's "Belt and Road Initiative" was launched in
- 2013. The project was first named the ‘One Belt, One Road’ but renamed as the BRI
Which moderate leader cross-examined British colonial expenditure at the Welby Commission
- Gopal Krishna Gokhale. Welby Commission, 1895-1900, was formulated to look into the yearly expenditures of both the Indian and British Governments (Read About Gokhale here)
The Rafah crossing is the southernmost exit point from the Gaza Strip, and it shares a border with which nation
- Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. It is the only exit that does not lead to Israeli territory. There are only two other border crossings in and out of Gaza- Erez and Kerem Shalom which are controlled by Israel.
There are currently 193 Member States of the United Nations. The latest State to join the United Nations was
- South Sudan in 2011. South Sudan is a landlocked country in east-central Africa that is also part of the UNs subregion of Eastern Africa. Its capital is Juba.
There were two English companies trading in India in the 17th century. The two were united in which year
- 1703 and were given the name of “The United Company of Merchants of England Trading to the East Indies”
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was signed in which year
- 1973. March 3, 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of CITES’ establishment. Currently, there are 184 parties to the convention, including India. The CITES Secretariat is administered by UNEP and is located in Geneva, Switzerland.
Mount Etna, the most active stratovolcano in the world, also Europe's largest active volcano is located in
- Sicily in southern Italy. Strato volcano is also called composite volcano which is characterized by a conical shape formed by layers of volcanic material
Which is the world's largest permanent desert lake and the world's largest alkaline lake
- Lake Turkana, a lake in the Kenyan Rift Valley. The lake is included in the World Heritage Danger List by UNESCO
Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), a five member grouping was created in which year
- 1982 in Port Louis, Mauritius. It was later institutionalised in 1984. Its five members are: Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Reunion (an overseas region of France) and Seychelles
China and which country claim their sovereignty on ‘Diaoyu islands’
- Japan. Japan calls the territory as Senkaku and China calls it Diaoyu
Kui (also known as Kandh, Khondi, Khond, Khondo), is a South-Eastern Dravidian language spoken by
- Kandha community of Odisha. It was also referred to as the Kuinga language during historical period.
Ceuta in African continent, is the overseas territory of which country
- Spain. The Strait of Gibraltar is located to its North.
Anguilla, island in the eastern Caribbean Sea recently seen in news, is which country's overseas territory
- British Overseas Territory. There Island is made from coral and limestone
A circuit bench of Calcutta High Court, which covers the jurisdiction of Andaman and Nicobar Islands is located where
- Port Blair
In 1922, which viceroy repealed the Rowlatt Act of 1919
- Lord Reading (1921 - 1926). Moplah rebellion (1921) took place during his tenure
The epidemic of bubonic plague had spread where in the 1890s
- Bombay Presidency
Maithili, one of the 22 recognised Indian languages is widely spoken in which part of the country
- Bihar and Jharkhand, India. In Nepal, it is spoken in the eastern Terai and is the second most prevalent language of Nepal
Chilika Lake is Asia's largest and world's second-largest lagoon. Which is the largest
- New Caledonia barrier reef in New Caledonia. In 1981, Chilika Lake was designated the first Indian wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.
Who said “…a single shelf of a good European library was worth the whole native literature of India and Arabia.”
- British historian and politician Thomas Babington Macaulay. In 1835, Macaulay presented his ‘Minute on Indian Education’ that sought to establish the need to impart English education to Indian ‘natives’.
Which unit is used to measure the ozone in the atmosphere at a standard temperature and pressure
- Dobson Unit
Where is the headquarters of the “International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD)”
- Paris
Which amendment placed the election of the President, the Vice President beyond the scrutiny of the Indian courts
- The 39th Amendment of the Constitution, enacted in 1975, placed the election of the President, the Vice President, the Prime Minister and the Speaker of the Lok Sabha beyond the scrutiny of the Indian courts
In 2006, CAMPA was established for the management of compensatory afforestation funds. What is its full form
- Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority
When is the International Migrants Day observed every year
- 18 December. This decision was made by the UN General Assembly in the year 2000
By which year, India has pledged to eliminate single use plastics
- 2022
The government has set up the ‘PM-CARES Fund’ to deal with any kind of emergency or distress situation. What is its full form
- ‘Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund’. The fund is chaired by the Prime Minister. Other Members include Defence Minister, Home Minister and Finance Minister
With reference to the process of vaccination, what is the full form of AEFI, which is often seen in the news
- AEFI stands for “Adverse Events Following Immunisation”
Matterhorn is a mountain between Switzerland and Italy. It is located in which mountain range
- Alps Mountain Range. The range contains about a hundred peaks higher than 4,000 m, known as the four-thousanders. Mont Blanc (French–Italian border) is the highest mountain in the Alps
Name the first Indian to be awarded the Helms Trophy - America's Nobel Prize in sport
- K.D. Singh Babu received the Helms Trophy in 1953 for being the best hockey player in the world (1952) and the best sportsman of Asia (1953)
Bashan Char Island, which was seen in the news, is located in which country
- Bangladesh. It has started the process of relocating the Rohingyas from Cox’s Bazar refugee camp to Bashan Char.
India's first Coal-gasification based Ammonia Urea Complex being set up at Talcher in Angul district of which state
- Odisha. It would have a design capacity of 2200 tonnes/day of ammonia & 3850 tonnes/day of urea. The plant will also produce 100 tonne/day of sulphur flakes as a saleable by-product.
When is the statehood day of the three states of Meghalaya, Manipur & Tripura celebrated?
- On January 21, 1972, these three states became full-fledged states under the North Eastern Region (Reorganisation) Act of 1971. It also led to the formation of the UT of Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh, which were declared as states on February 21, 1987
Which was the first country granted entry into the “Commonwealth of Nations” that was never part of the British Empire
- Mozambique. Rwanda and Mozambique became members in 2009 and 1995 respectively. In 1931, the British Commonwealth of Nations was founded with 5 initial members: UK, Canada, Irish Free State, Newfoundland, and Union of South Africa
The Economic Division of which department, under the guidance of the Chief Economic Advisor, prepares the Economic Survey
- Department of Economic Affairs (DEA). The first Economic Survey was presented in 1950-51. Until 1964, the document would be presented along with the Budget.
Navy Day is celebrated each year on 4th of Dec to commemorate which operation
- Operation Trident. It was an offensive mission undertaken by Indian Navy on Pakistan’s Port of Karachi in 1971 during the Indo-Pakistan war
White giraffes likely suffers from a genetic condition known as
- Leucism. It causes skin cells to have no pigmentation
Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), developed by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is based on how many indicators
- 6 Indicators. Mortality rate, Poverty, Asset, School Attendance, Nutrition & Electricity. [List of Reports published by different Organisation]
The J&K Public Safety Act was introduced by Sheikh Abdullah in which year
- 1978
What is FEDOR, which stands for Final Experimental Demonstration Object Research, related to
- Russia's first humanoid robot, Skybot F-850, to be sent to space. It will spend 10 days learning to assist astronauts on the International Space Station
National Population Register or NPR was first introduced in which year
- 2010, total of 15 questions were asked in this process, but this time new eight questions are added
Name the first Indian ruler to introduce, compulsory and free primary education in his state
- The founder of the Bank of Baroda, Sayajirao Gaekwad III, in 1906
Name the Indian cities which are members of Creative Cities of Music category of “UNESCO Creative Cities Network” (UCCN)
- Varanasi (2015) and Chennai (2017)
Mahananda wildlife sanctuary, which is to conduct the ‘Bird Festival’, is located in which state
- West Bengal. The Sanctuary is designated as an ‘important bird area’, as it is rich in fauna with more than 300 species of birds including Rufous-necked hornbill.
Belgaum city recently seen in news is a disputed city currently part of which state
- Karnataka. Before independence the city was part of Maharashtra, but after States Reorganization Act, 1956, it was given to Karnataka (then called Mysore)
Who proposed China's “One Country Two Systems” policy
- Xiaoping Deng
Uranium, a heavy metal was for the first time discovered in 1789 by which chemist
- Martin Klaproth (German). He discovered it in a mineral called Pitchblende. Uranium has been named after planet Uranus which had been discovered 8 years earlier. Kazakhstan is the top producer of uranium in the world.
The 11th BRICS summit was held in Brasilia, Brazil. What was the theme of 11th BRICS summit
- Economic Growth for an Innovative Future. Only city in the world to host the BRICS summit twice. Previously hosted in 2010
‘TRIPS’, which is sometimes seen in the news, is associated with which organisation?
- WTO. India & South Africa proposed the WTO to consider the TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) waiver on COVID-19 vaccines
Samjiyon, recently seen in news is a newly established city of which nation
- Near Mount Paektu in Ryanggang Province, North Korea
Which statutory post is referred to as the “Shadow of Prime Minister”
- Leader of Opposition Post
Which minister chairs the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs which takes all decisions pertaining to Parliament matters
- Defense Minister Rajnath Singh. Singh headed the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs in the last government
The 23rd Soho House is Asia's first. It is located in which place
- Juhu, Mumbai
Name the frenchman who introduced Indigo planting in India in 1777
- Louis Bonnard. He started cultivation at Taldanga and Goalpara near Chandannagar (Hooghly), Bengal
Who created the architectural marvels like the Pearl Mosque at Agra, the Jama Masjid at Delhi, the Shalimar Gardens, the Peacock Throne
- Shahab-ud-din Muhammad Khurram, later known as Shah Jahan. He was Jahangir’s third son. After Jahangir’s death, he was crowned on 14 February 1628 in Agra.
Bannerghatta National Park, near Bangalore, Karnataka, was founded in 1970 and declared as a national park in which year
- 1974 and in 2002 a portion of the park became a biological reserve, the Bannerghatta Biological Park. It also has a butterfly park-the first in India
Biarritz city, recently seen in news, is in which country
- France
Census 2021, which will be 16th census the country and 8th since independence, will be carried out in how many languages
- 16 language at a cost of ₹12000crore
Who was beaten up by the British police, leading to sentimental uproar and then the Chauri-Chaura incident
- Bhagwan Ahir. At Chauri Chaura in Gorakhpur, a peaceful demonstration in a bazaar turned into a violent clash with the police. Hearing of the incident, Mahatma Gandhi called a halt to the Non-Cooperation Movement.
Who was known as the father of the Indian IT Industry
- Faqir Chand Kohli. Faqir pioneered the growth in the Indian IT sector with the establishment of Tata Consultancy Services, the world’s largest IT services provider
Which two nations are involved in the Kuril Islands dispute
- Russia & Japan. It is also called the Northern Territories dispute
Which is the lowest lake with its surface water 1,340 ft (408 m) below sea level
- Dead Sea, in the Jordan Valley of Israel. It is also the saltiest lake in the world
In which dance form in India, the story/theme is always from the Mahabharata or Ramayana
- Bharatnatyam
When was elephant declared as the National Heritage Animal of India
- 2010
Which committee recommended the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC)?
- Nandan Nilekani Committee in January 2019. This committee recommended various measures to strengthen digital payment including the idea of a National Common Mobility Card. Recently, the Prime Minister launched the NCMC service for the Delhi Metro’s Airport Express Line.
District Development Council (DDC)’, is a local government body of which state/UT
- Jammu & Kashmir. It was first introduced by the Ministry of Home Affairs in October 2020
Swachh Survekshan league, which was first conducted in 2016 covering 73 cities, is an initiative of which ministry
- Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. Is conducted in three quarters (April-June, July-September and October-December)
Which Amendment Act to the Constitution added the 10th Schedule of the Constitution also known as Anti Defection Act
India, along with which other countries became a non permanent of the 15 Nation United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on 1 Jan 2021
- Norway, Mexico, Ireland and Kenya. The UNSC is one of the 6 principal organs of the United Nations, charged with ensuring international peace and security. It's the 8th time that India is part of UNSC.
Opened in 1983, name the only port in Iran which has direct access to the Indian Ocean
- Chabahar Port is Iran’s only oceanic port and it actually comprises two ports called Shahid Kalantari and Shahid Beheshti
Who was the head of Committee on Financial System 1991 and Committee on Banking Reforms 1998
- M. Narasimham. He was the 13th Governor of RBI and till date is the only Governor of RBI to be appointed from Reserve Bank cadre.
Burhi Dihing river is a tributary of which river
- Brahmaputra River in Dibrugarh, Assam
In which year the first Armed Forces Flag Day was celebrated in India
- India has been observing December 7 annually as the Armed Forces Flag Day since 1949 to honour the soldiers
Which organisation has released the ‘Global Forest Goals Report 2021’
-. Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations. The first Global Forest Goal provides for increasing forest area by 30% by 2030.
Baku was recently in the news as the 18th Non Aligned Movement (NAM) summit 2019 was held here. Where is it located
- Azerbaijan. Baku is nicknamed as ‘City of Winds’ due to its harsh winds
India presently has two research stations at Antarctica namely ‘Maitri’ and ‘Bharati’. Since which year ‘Maitri' has been in operation
- Maitri station has been in operation since 1989. New station ‘Bharati’ was established in March, 2013.
Which committee was looking into 186 cases linked to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots
- Justice S.N. Dhingra Committee
In which battle Dara Shikoh’s army was defeated in May 1658 near Agra by Aurangzeb’s army
- Battle of Samugarh or Jang-e-Samugarh, was a decisive battle in the struggle for the throne between the sons of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an international terror financing watchdog, which has its headquarter in which country
- Established in 1989, the FATF is headquartered in Paris, France
Which Article of the Constitution mentions about the "Special Session" of the Parliament
- The term “special session” is not defined in the Constitution. The first-ever special session of Parliament was convened on 14 and 15 August 1947, to mark India's independence.
The ‘Kati Bihu festival’ is celebrated in which state/UT
- Assam. It is an agricultural festival being celebrated in the month of October
BASIC, a group of four countries including India was formed in which year
- 28 November, 2009, Brazil, South Africa and China are also members
In which session of the Indian National Congress, the resolution on National Economic Policy was passed
- 1931 Karachi Session of INC
Which is the first known species to be capable of both increasing and decreasing its brain size
- Indian jumping ant can shrink its brain by nearly 20%. The ant can again increase its brain size over the following weeks. There are other insects including the honey bee which can increase their brain size.
Name the American President, who was the first American President to make a landmark maiden visit to India
- Dwight D. Eisenhower in December 1959
The Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS) was launched at which conference
- Paris One Planet Summit in December 2017. It is a group of Central banks and supervisors willing to contribute to the development of the environment and climate risk management in the financial sector. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has recently joined the NGFS Group as a Member.
India has the 18th-largest exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Which country has the largest EEZ?
- France. Due to its numerous overseas departments and territories scattered all over the oceans
Visva-Bharati University, the oldest Central University of India, was founded by which Indian personality
- Rabindranath Tagore in 1921. In 1951, the institution was declared as a Central University and an “Institution of national importance”
Mare Orientate and Apollo craters are located where
- Moon
Giant Leatherback turtle nests in which location in India?
- Andaman & Nicobar. Giant Leatherback turtles are the largest of the 7 species of sea turtles. They are found in all oceans except the Arctic and the Antarctic. They are listed in Schedule I of India’s Wildlife Protection Act, 1972
How many judges constitution bench was constituted in the very famous Kesavananda Bharati vs State of Kerala case
- 13 Judge Constitution Bench
Name the tributary of Bhima river, on which a hydroelectric dam, called the Valvan Dam is constructed
- Indrayani River, in Maharashtra
“Prevention of inter-State spread of contagious and infectious diseases” subject comes under which list of the 7th Schedule
- Concurrent List (Read: Union, State & Concurrent List in Seventh Schedule)
Biarritz seen frequently in news, is the city in which Country
- France
Which Indian state has maximum number of reserved seats for the Scheduled Tribes in Lok Sabha
- Madhya Pradesh
The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) launched ‘IDEAthon’. The NMCG operates under the Ministry of
- Jal Shakti Ministry. The initiative aims to focus on the “The Future of River Management” to explore how the COVID-19 crisis will change the river management strategies
Which city is known for the earliest known and documented Karez or Kariz system
- Persia. In India, Karez system was built by Bahmani kings in 15th Century
UNCCD agreements are legally binding on all its 196 members. What is the full form of UNCCD
- United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. It was established in 1994
Which is India’s second-largest tiger reserve, next only to Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve (Andhra Pradesh and Telangana)
- Amrabad Tiger Reserve, Nallamala hills of Telangana. It has a large presence of the Chenchu tribe.
Name the sea bordered by Ukraine, Russia, Georgia, Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania
- Black Sea
What is the position of Jawaharlal Nehru Port, the biggest container port in India, in the world in terms of traffic handling capacity
- 28th Position
Kuno National Park is a protected area in which state that received the status of national park in 2018.
- Barkheda, Madhya Pradesh. The protected area was established in 1981 as a wildlife sanctuary.
National Family Health Survey is conducted by which institution
- Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
When were the Padma Awards instituted for the first time
- 1954
When was the National Commission for Women was set up as statutory body in India
- in 1992
Hurricane Dorian, a strong tropical cyclone hit which nation recently
- Bahamas. India has announced humanitarian assistance of $1 million.
The Great Indian Bustard and the Lesser Florican are placed under which schedule of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972
- Schedule-I. These birds are in the alarming stage of extinction
First state in India to grant menstrual leave for its women employees
In which year Seafood Exporters Association of India, an organization registered, was established
- It was established in 1973 under the Registrar of Companies Act, 1956
Which product was the first Indian product to get the geographical indication tag
- Darjeeling Tea. In 2004, the famous beverage got recognition
In 1989, who became the first female judge to be a part of the Supreme court of India
- M. Fathima Beevi. Beevi is also the first Muslim woman to be appointed to any of the higher judiciaries in country
According “Crime in India” report 2017, in 2017, what was the % of increase in crime registration over 2016
- 3.6% Increase
Kolleru Lake, Andhra Pradesh’s largest freshwater Lake, was designated as Wetlands of International Importance in which year
- 2002, under Ramsar Convention
When was the first ever World Food Safety Day celebrated
- 7 June, 2019 with the theme - ‘Food Safety, Everyone’s Business’.
The first Women's University in India was enabled in the which year
- SNDT Women's University is the first Women's university in India as well as in South-East Asia. The University was founded by Maharshi Dr. Dhondo Keshav Karve in 1916
After accepting the motion of no-confidence, the Lok Sabha speaker is obliged to set a date for debate and voting within how many days
- 10 Days from the day of accepting the motion
Under which Article, a Governor is bound to reserve a Bill, which derogates the powers of the High Court, for the consideration of the President
- Article 200 of the Indian Constitution [Important Article often Seen in News]
Access to which service through Mission Indradhanush has improved according to Economic Survey 2019-20
- Health Service. It was launched by the Union Health Minister in December 2014. The scheme seeks to drive towards 90% full immunization coverage of India and sustain the same by 2020.
"Increasing association of Indians in every branch of administration, & the gradual development of self-governing Institutions with a view to the progressive realization of responsible government in India as an Integral part of the British Empire". Whose statement is this
- Lord Montague in the House of Commons on 17 Aug 1917. It is called Montague Statement or August Declaration
Point Calimere Bird and Wildlife Sanctuary, that is seen in the news recently, is located in which state
- Tamil Nadu
The foreign grants received by NGOS in the country are regulated by which act?
- Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), 2010
Which Article states that the Governor of a State shall be appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal
- Article 155 of the Indian Constitution (Important Article in News this Year)
Maguri-Motapung Beel, which was making news recently, is a wetland located in which state/UT
- Dibru-Saikhowa National Park in Assam. Beel, a rare duck species, was spotted after 118 years in the state. The duck's primary habitat is in eastern China and southern Japan.
Sigur plateau, which was making news recently, is located in which state/UT
- Tamil Nadu. A group of 6 black storks (Ciconia nigra), were spotted recently.
Which organisation releases the ‘Global Electric Vehicle Outlook’ report
- The International Energy Agency. As per the new report, the number of electric cars, buses, vans & heavy trucks on roads is expected to hit 145 million by 2030.
The Dhubri Phulbari bridge which was making news recently, is to be built over which river
- Brahmaputra. It is a 19 km long 4-lane bridge to be laid from Dhubri in Assam to Phulbari in Meghalaya
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