Static general knowledge is six of the seven lines of the General Studies Paper-I syllabus in the UPSC CSE notice: History of India and the Indian National Movement; Indian and World Geography; Indian Polity and Governance; Economic and Social Development; Environmental Ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change; and General Science. The Commission tests understanding rather than recall, through statements to be judged correct or incorrect, pairs to be matched and assertion-reason items, and it likes the edges of a topic: a lesser-known provision of the Constitution, a river's tributary, a species' conservation status, the mandate of a statutory body. This page holds GK24's topic-wise GK notes for UPSC, written as short facts and tables, in English and Hindi, with each note linked to the current affairs and previous-year questions on the same topic. Start with Polity and Modern History, which carry the most questions, then Geography, the Economy, Environment, Ancient and Medieval culture and Science. Read a note, solve its PYQs, take its quiz, and come back to it in your monthly revision. A candidate who knows these notes and reads the daily current affairs has covered the syllabus the notice prescribes for Paper-I.
Goods and Services Tax likely to be levied in India is not a
GST is charged only on the value added at each stage, with credit for tax already paid, so it is not levied on the gross value again and again.
Read the full explanation →Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Himalayan rivers have their origin in the snow-covered areas, hence are dry in winter season. 2. Rivers of the Peninsular Plateau have reached maturity. 3. Himalayan rivers depict all the three stages of normal cycle of erosion. Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Himalayan rivers are perennial, so statement 1 is wrong, while statements 2 and 3 are correct. Himalayan rivers such as the Ganga, Indus and Brahmaputra rise from glaciers and snowfields and also get monsoon rain, so they flow all year round, including in winter.
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following is not an International Human Rights Treaty?
It is a resolution of the UN General Assembly, not a treaty that states sign and ratify. A treaty, usually called a covenant or convention, becomes legally binding on a country once it ratifies it, and a committee of experts watches how each party carries it out.
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following statements regarding the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is not correct?
The right to property is part of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; Article 17 says everyone has the right to own property and no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of it.
Read the full explanation →Simla was founded as a hill station to use as strategic place for billeting troops, guarding frontier and launching campaign during the course of
Simla came under British control during the Anglo-Gurkha War of 1814-16 and grew as a military post on the hill frontier.
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following statements is not correct?
NIIF and the National Investment Fund are two different bodies with different purposes. The National Investment Fund was created in 2005 to hold the money the government raised from disinvestment of public sector enterprises, and it is part of the Public Account of India.
Read the full explanation →The Most Favoured Nation (MFN) Clause under WTO regime is based on the principle of
Under MFN, a favour given to one trading partner must be given to all WTO members. The MFN rule is Article I of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), and it also appears in the services and intellectual property agreements of the WTO.
Read the full explanation →Which of the following statements related to latitude are true? 1. Rainfall, temperature and vegetation vary with latitude. 2. The difference between the longest day and the shortest day increases with latitude. 3. Indira Point is located approximately at 6°45' N latitude. Select the correct answer using the code given below.
All three statements about latitude are true. Latitude decides how directly the Sun's rays strike a place, so temperature, rainfall and the type of vegetation change from the equator towards the poles, from hot, wet rainforests to cold tundra.
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following regarding the ordinance-making power of the Governor is not correct?
The Governor issues an ordinance only on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers headed by the Chief Minister.
Read the full explanation →In 1921, during which one of the following tours, Gandhiji shaved his head and began wearing loincloth in order to identify with the poor?
In September 1921, while touring the south during the Non-Cooperation Movement, Gandhi gave up his shirt and cap at Madurai and took to a simple loincloth.
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following statements is not true of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005?
Relief under the Act is not limited to the husband or male partner; a complaint can also be filed against his relatives.
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following indices is now used by the Reserve Bank of India to measure the rate of inflation in India?
The RBI uses all-India CPI (Combined) inflation as the measure for its monetary policy. For a long time the Wholesale Price Index was India's headline inflation measure.
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following is not considered a part of the Legislature of States?
The Chief Minister heads the State's council of ministers, which is part of the executive, not of the Legislature as defined by the Constitution.
Read the full explanation →Under Article 352 of the Constitution of India, an emergency can be declared if security of any part of India is threatened by 1. war 2. external aggression 3. armed rebellion 4. internal disturbance Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Since the 44th Amendment of 1978, a National Emergency can be declared only on the grounds of war, external aggression or armed rebellion.
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following intellectual property rights is protected without making any registration?
Copyright arises automatically the moment an original work is created and fixed in some form. Under the Copyright Act, 1957 and the Berne Convention, which India has joined, an author of a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work, a film or a sound recording gets copyright without any formality.
Read the full explanation →Which of the following lakes is/are situated in Ladakh? 1. Tso Kar 2. Pangong Tso 3. Tsomgo 4. Tso Moriri Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Tso Kar, Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri are high-altitude lakes of Ladakh, while Tsomgo lies in Sikkim. Pangong Tso, at about 4,350 metres, is a long, narrow lake that stretches from Ladakh into Tibet, and most of its length lies on the Chinese side.
Read the full explanation →Which of the following statements about the Ordinance-making power of the Governor is/are correct? 1. It is a discretionary power. 2. The Governor himself is not competent to withdraw the Ordinance at any time. Select the correct answer using the code given below.
The Governor makes ordinances on the advice of the Council of Ministers and can withdraw them at any time.
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following criteria is not required to be qualified for appointment as Judge of the Supreme Court?
Service as a subordinate magistrate is not one of the routes named in the Constitution.
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following statements about the National Green Tribunal is not correct?
The National Green Tribunal is not bound by the Code of Civil Procedure; it is guided by the principles of natural justice.
Read the full explanation →According to the provisions of the Constitution of India, which one of the following is not a fundamental duty?
This is a Directive Principle under Article 43, not a Fundamental Duty. Fundamental Duties are listed in Article 51A, added in Part IVA by the 42nd Amendment of 1976 on the advice of the Swaran Singh Committee.
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