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🌎 General Awareness — Master Notes

History · Geography · Polity · Economy · Govt Schemes · World Organisations · Transport · Sports · Culture | RRB NTPC CBT-1 & CBT-2

📚 6,000+ Words 🌟 PYQ-Oriented 📌 GA: 40 Qs (CBT-1) · 50 Qs (CBT-2) ✅ Original & Fact-Checked

🎯 How to Use These Notes

General Awareness (GA) carries 40 of 100 questions in CBT-1 and 50 of 120 questions in CBT-2, the largest share in both stages, with a penalty of one-third mark for each wrong answer. The official syllabus covers current events, games and sports, art and culture, Indian literature, monuments, general science (see our separate Science notes), history and the freedom struggle, geography, polity and governance, the economy, UN and world organisations, environmental issues, basics of computers, common abbreviations, transport systems in India, famous personalities, flagship government programmes, flora and fauna, and important government and public sector organisations.

These notes cover the static part of that syllabus in depth. Read one section a day, then revise the one-liners at the end. For current affairs, add the last 6–8 months of news before your exam date, because static facts such as dates of schemes and names of organisations do not change, but office-holders and recent events do.

🏭 INDIAN HISTORY

A. Ancient India — Key Dynasties & Events

Dynasty/Period	Key Ruler	Capital	Important Facts
Maurya (321–185 BCE)	Chandragupta, Ashoka	Pataliputra	Kautilya's Arthashastra; Ashoka → Buddhism after Kalinga war (261 BCE)
Gupta (320–550 CE)	Chandragupta I, Samudragupta, Chandragupta II	Pataliputra	"Golden Age"; Kalidasa, Aryabhata; zero concept
Harsha (606–647 CE)	Harshavardhana	Kannauj	Xuanzang visited India; Nalanda university flourished
Chola (9th–13th CE)	Rajaraja I, Rajendra I	Thanjavur	Naval power; Brihadeeswara Temple; sea trade with SE Asia
Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526)	Iltutmish, Alauddin Khilji, Feroz Shah Tughlaq	Delhi	Qutub Minar; market reforms by Alauddin; Tughlaq coins
Mughal (1526–1857)	Babur, Akbar, Aurangzeb, Bahadur Shah Zafar	Delhi/Agra	Babur: First Battle of Panipat (1526); Akbar: Din-i-Ilahi; Taj Mahal (Shah Jahan)

Indus Valley (Harappan) Civilisation — c. 2600–1900 BCE (mature phase)

India’s first urban civilisation was a Bronze Age culture known for planned cities with grid streets, covered drains, baked-brick houses, standard weights and a still-undeciphered script. It was first identified at Harappa in 1921 (excavation led by Daya Ram Sahni); Mohenjo-daro was excavated by R.D. Banerji in 1922.

Site	Present Location	Famous For
Harappa	Punjab (Pakistan), on the Ravi	Granaries; first site discovered
Mohenjo-daro	Sindh (Pakistan), on the Indus	Great Bath, bronze “Dancing Girl”, “Priest-King” bust
Lothal	Gujarat	Dockyard — evidence of sea trade
Kalibangan	Rajasthan, on the Ghaggar	Ploughed field, fire altars
Dholavira	Kutch, Gujarat	Water-reservoir system; signboard; UNESCO site (2021)
Rakhigarhi	Haryana	Among the largest Harappan sites in India
Banawali	Haryana	Toy plough, barley remains

Vedic Age, Buddhism & Jainism

Vedic Period (c. 1500–600 BCE)

Four Vedas: Rigveda (oldest; hymns), Samaveda (melodies — origin of Indian music), Yajurveda (rituals), Atharvaveda (charms, medicine).
The Gayatri Mantra is in the Rigveda; “Satyameva Jayate” is from the Mundaka Upanishad.
Early Vedic society was pastoral; the later Vedic period saw the growth of agriculture, kingdoms and the varna system.
Sixteen Mahajanapadas arose around the 6th century BCE; Magadha (capital Rajagriha, later Pataliputra — in present Bihar) became the most powerful.

Buddhism & Jainism

Gautama Buddha: born at Lumbini (Nepal); enlightenment at Bodh Gaya (Bihar); first sermon at Sarnath (“Dharmachakra Pravartana”); death (mahaparinirvana) at Kushinagar.
Buddhist councils: 1st at Rajagriha, 2nd at Vaishali, 3rd at Pataliputra (under Ashoka), 4th in Kashmir (under Kanishka).
Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism, was born at Kundagrama near Vaishali (Bihar) and attained nirvana at Pavapuri (Bihar). Rishabhanatha was the first Tirthankara.
Jain principles: five vows including ahimsa (non-violence); three jewels — right faith, right knowledge, right conduct.

Medieval India — Important Points

Kingdoms, Rulers & Movements

Vijayanagara Empire (1336) was founded by Harihara and Bukka; Krishnadevaraya was its greatest ruler; capital Hampi (UNESCO site).
Shivaji founded the Maratha kingdom and was crowned at Raigad in 1674; known for guerrilla warfare and a strong navy.
Sher Shah Suri (whose tomb stands at Sasaram, Bihar) introduced the silver coin rupiya and rebuilt the Grand Trunk Road.
Akbar introduced the mansabdari system; his revenue minister Raja Todar Mal reformed land revenue (zabt).
Bhakti saints: Kabir, Guru Nanak (founder of Sikhism), Mirabai, Tulsidas (Ramcharitmanas), Surdas, Chaitanya. Sufi saints: Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (Ajmer), Nizamuddin Auliya (Delhi).
Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru, founded the Khalsa in 1699.

Battle	Year	Between / Result
Kalinga	c. 261 BCE	Ashoka conquered Kalinga; turned to Buddhism
First Battle of Tarain	1191	Prithviraj Chauhan defeated Muhammad Ghori
Second Battle of Tarain	1192	Ghori defeated Prithviraj Chauhan — beginning of Turkish rule
First Battle of Panipat	1526	Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi — Mughal Empire founded
Khanwa	1527	Babur defeated Rana Sanga
Second Battle of Panipat	1556	Akbar (Bairam Khan) defeated Hemu
Talikota	1565	Deccan Sultanates defeated Vijayanagara
Haldighati	1576	Akbar’s army (Man Singh) vs Maharana Pratap
Third Battle of Panipat	1761	Ahmad Shah Abdali defeated the Marathas

B. British India — Timeline of Events

Key Acts & Events (Most Asked)

1757 — Battle of Plassey: Robert Clive defeats Siraj-ud-Daulah; British power established
1764 — Battle of Buxar: Decisive British victory; effective control over Bengal/Bihar
1857 — First War of Independence (Sepoy Mutiny): Mangal Pandey, Rani Laxmibai; ended Mughal Empire
1885 — Indian National Congress founded: A.O. Hume; first session in Bombay
1905 — Bengal Partition (Curzon); Swadeshi Movement begins
1906 — Muslim League founded in Dhaka
1909 — Morley-Minto Reforms; separate electorate for Muslims
1919 — Jallianwala Bagh massacre (April 13); Rowlatt Act
1919 — Government of India Act (Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms)
1920 — Non-Cooperation Movement: Gandhi; boycott of British goods, schools, courts
1929 — Lahore Congress: Purna Swaraj demand; 26 January 1930 = Independence Day proclaimed
1930 — Dandi March / Salt Satyagraha (March 12 – April 6)
1935 — Government of India Act: Provincial autonomy; federal structure planned
1942 — Quit India Movement ("Do or Die"): August 8, 1942
1946 — Cabinet Mission Plan; Constituent Assembly formed
1947 — Indian Independence: August 15; Partition → India & Pakistan

C. Freedom Fighters — One-Liners

Major Leaders

Mahatma Gandhi — Father of the Nation; Non-violence (Ahimsa); "Do or Die"
Jawaharlal Nehru — First PM; "Tryst with Destiny" speech; Non-Aligned Movement
Subhas Chandra Bose — INA (Indian National Army); "Give me blood, I will give you freedom"
B.R. Ambedkar — Chairman, Drafting Committee of Constitution; Father of Indian Constitution
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel — "Iron Man of India"; integration of princely states
Bhagat Singh — Executed 1931; bomb in Central Assembly; "Inquilab Zindabad"

Social Reformers

Ram Mohan Roy — Founded Brahmo Samaj (1828); opposed Sati; "Father of Modern India"
Dayanand Saraswati — Founded Arya Samaj (1875); "Back to the Vedas"
Swami Vivekananda — Founded Ramakrishna Mission; Chicago speech 1893
Jyotiba Phule — Fought for Dalits; Satyashodhak Samaj (1873)
Annie Besant — Theosophical Society; Home Rule League 1916

D. Awards for Freedom Fighters & Key Assassinations

📌 PYQ Facts

Bharat Ratna: first awarded 1954 (to C. Rajagopalachari, S. Radhakrishnan, C.V. Raman)
Gandhi assassinated: Jan 30, 1948 by Nathuram Godse
Lal-Bal-Pal: Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal — extremist trio
Tilak: "Swaraj is my birthright"; founded Ganeshotsav & Shivaji festival; "Kesari" newspaper

E. Governors-General & Viceroys — Who Did What

Name	Tenure	Important Event / Reform
Warren Hastings	1773–1785	First Governor-General of Bengal (Regulating Act, 1773)
Lord Cornwallis	1786–1793	Permanent Settlement of Bengal (1793); civil services reforms
Lord Wellesley	1798–1805	Subsidiary Alliance
Lord William Bentinck	1828–1835	First Governor-General of India (Charter Act 1833); abolition of Sati (1829); English education (Macaulay’s Minute, 1835)
Lord Dalhousie	1848–1856	Doctrine of Lapse; first railway (1853) and telegraph lines
Lord Canning	1856–1862	Revolt of 1857; became the first Viceroy (1858)
Lord Ripon	1880–1884	Father of local self-government; Ilbert Bill; repeal of the Vernacular Press Act
Lord Curzon	1899–1905	Partition of Bengal (1905)
Lord Chelmsford	1916–1921	Rowlatt Act and Jallianwala Bagh massacre (1919)
Lord Irwin	1926–1931	Simon Commission, Dandi March, Gandhi–Irwin Pact (1931)
Lord Linlithgow	1936–1943	Quit India Movement (1942)
Lord Mountbatten	1947–1948	Last Viceroy; first Governor-General of independent India
C. Rajagopalachari	1948–1950	First and last Indian Governor-General

F. Indian National Congress — Key Sessions

Year	Place	President / Significance
1885	Bombay	W.C. Bonnerjee — first session, 72 delegates
1886	Calcutta	Dadabhai Naoroji
1907	Surat	Split between Moderates and Extremists
1917	Calcutta	Annie Besant — first woman president
1924	Belgaum	Mahatma Gandhi — the only session he presided over
1925	Kanpur	Sarojini Naidu — first Indian woman president
1929	Lahore	Jawaharlal Nehru — Purna Swaraj resolution
1931	Karachi	Vallabhbhai Patel — resolution on Fundamental Rights
1938 / 1939	Haripura / Tripuri	Subhas Chandra Bose

G. Bihar in the Freedom Struggle (frequently asked)

Key Events & Leaders

Champaran Satyagraha (1917) — Gandhi’s first satyagraha in India, against forced indigo cultivation under the tinkathia system; he was invited by Raj Kumar Shukla. Dr Rajendra Prasad and others worked with him.
Veer Kunwar Singh of Jagdishpur led the 1857 revolt in Bihar at about 80 years of age.
Dr Rajendra Prasad (from Siwan district) became President of the Constituent Assembly and the first President of India.
Jayaprakash Narayan (Lok Nayak) was a hero of the Quit India Movement and later led the “Total Revolution” movement of 1974.
On 11 August 1942, seven students were killed while hoisting the national flag at the Patna Secretariat — the Shaheed Smarak commemorates them.
Bihar was separated from Bengal as the province of Bihar and Orissa in 1912; 22 March is celebrated as Bihar Diwas.

🌎 INDIAN & WORLD GEOGRAPHY

A. India — Physical Features

Feature	Key Facts
Highest Peak	K2 (in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) · Kangchenjunga = highest peak in India (8,586m)
Longest River	Ganga (2,525 km) · Longest in India; Indus is longest overall but mostly in Pakistan
Largest State (area)	Rajasthan (342,239 km²)
Smallest State (area)	Goa (3,702 km²)
Most populous state	Uttar Pradesh (as per 2011 census)
Northernmost point	Indira Col, Siachen · Easternmost: Kibithu, Arunachal Pradesh
Southernmost point	Indira Point, Great Nicobar Island
Tropic of Cancer	Passes through: Gujarat, Rajasthan, MP, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, WB, Tripura, Mizoram (8 states)

B. Rivers — Master Table

River	Origin	Meets	Key Cities
Ganga	Gangotri glacier	Bay of Bengal (Sagar Island)	Haridwar, Allahabad (Prayagraj), Varanasi, Patna, Kolkata
Yamuna	Yamunotri glacier	Joins Ganga at Prayagraj	Delhi, Agra, Mathura
Brahmaputra	Angsi glacier, Tibet (as Yarlung Tsangpo)	Bay of Bengal (via Bangladesh)	Dibrugarh, Guwahati
Narmada	Amarkantak plateau (MP)	Arabian Sea (Gulf of Khambhat)	Jabalpur, Bharuch · Runs E→W through rift valley
Tapti (Tapi)	Betul, MP	Arabian Sea (Gulf of Khambhat)	Surat · Parallel to Narmada
Krishna	Mahabaleshwar (Western Ghats)	Bay of Bengal	Sangli, Vijayawada
Kaveri	Talakaveri, Kodagu (Karnataka)	Bay of Bengal	Mysuru, Tiruchirappalli
Godavari	Trimbakeshwar, Nashik (Maharashtra)	Bay of Bengal	Nashik, Rajahmundry · "Dakshin Ganga"

C. Soils, Crops & Agriculture

Soil Type	State/Region	Crops Grown
Alluvial Soil (most fertile)	Indo-Gangetic plain	Wheat, Rice, Sugarcane, Jute
Black (Regur) Soil	Deccan plateau (Maharashtra, MP, AP, Karnataka)	Cotton (Black cotton soil)
Red & Yellow Soil	Eastern Deccan, Odisha, Jharkhand	Millets, Pulses, Oilseeds
Laterite Soil	Kerala, Karnataka, Meghalaya	Tea, Coffee, Cashew
Arid/Desert Soil	Rajasthan	Bajra, Drought-resistant crops
Forest Soil	Himalayan region	Fruits, Tea, Coffee

States & Union Territories — Capitals

India has 28 states and 8 Union Territories. The most recent changes were the reorganisation of Jammu & Kashmir into two UTs (J&K and Ladakh) on 31 October 2019, and the merger of Dadra & Nagar Haveli with Daman & Diu on 26 January 2020. Telangana (2014) is the youngest state.

State	Capital	State	Capital
Andhra Pradesh	Amaravati	Manipur	Imphal
Arunachal Pradesh	Itanagar	Meghalaya	Shillong
Assam	Dispur	Mizoram	Aizawl
Bihar	Patna	Nagaland	Kohima
Chhattisgarh	Raipur	Odisha	Bhubaneswar
Goa	Panaji	Punjab	Chandigarh
Gujarat	Gandhinagar	Rajasthan	Jaipur
Haryana	Chandigarh	Sikkim	Gangtok
Himachal Pradesh	Shimla (winter: Dharamshala)	Tamil Nadu	Chennai
Jharkhand	Ranchi	Telangana	Hyderabad
Karnataka	Bengaluru	Tripura	Agartala
Kerala	Thiruvananthapuram	Uttar Pradesh	Lucknow
Madhya Pradesh	Bhopal	Uttarakhand	Dehradun (summer: Gairsain)
Maharashtra	Mumbai (winter: Nagpur)	West Bengal	Kolkata

Union Territories Delhi (New Delhi) · Jammu & Kashmir (Srinagar in summer, Jammu in winter) · Ladakh (Leh) · Chandigarh · Puducherry · Lakshadweep (Kavaratti) · Andaman & Nicobar Islands (Sri Vijaya Puram, earlier Port Blair) · Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu (Daman).

Neighbours, Borders & Boundary Lines

Land Borders

India shares land borders with 7 countries: Pakistan, Afghanistan (via PoK), China, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Longest border: with Bangladesh (about 4,096 km); shortest: with Afghanistan.
States bordering Nepal: Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Sikkim.
Sri Lanka is separated from India by the Palk Strait and Gulf of Mannar; the Maldives lies to the south-west.

Boundary Lines

Radcliffe Line — India–Pakistan and India–Bangladesh (1947).
McMahon Line — India–China (eastern sector, 1914).
Durand Line — Pakistan–Afghanistan (1893).
Line of Control (LoC) — India–Pakistan in J&K; LAC — India–China.
38th Parallel — North and South Korea; 49th Parallel — USA and Canada.

Mountain Passes, National Parks & Dams

Mountain Pass	Location / Connects
Zoji La	Srinagar–Leh (Ladakh)
Khardung La	Leh to Nubra Valley; among the highest motorable passes
Nathu La	Sikkim–Tibet; route for Kailash Mansarovar Yatra
Shipki La	Himachal Pradesh–Tibet (Sutlej enters India here)
Rohtang Pass	Kullu–Lahaul (Atal Tunnel built beneath it)
Bom Di La	Arunachal Pradesh (on the route to Tawang)
Palghat Gap	Kerala–Tamil Nadu (Western Ghats)
Thal Ghat / Bhor Ghat	Mumbai–Nashik / Mumbai–Pune (railway routes cross here)

National Park / Reserve	State	Known For
Jim Corbett	Uttarakhand	India’s first national park (1936); tigers
Kaziranga	Assam	One-horned rhinoceros; UNESCO site
Gir	Gujarat	Only natural home of the Asiatic lion
Sundarbans	West Bengal	Mangroves; Royal Bengal tiger
Valmiki Tiger Reserve	Bihar	Bihar’s only tiger reserve (West Champaran)
Keoladeo	Rajasthan	Bird sanctuary (Bharatpur); UNESCO site
Kanha	Madhya Pradesh	Barasingha (swamp deer)
Periyar	Kerala	Elephants, tigers
Hemis	Ladakh	Snow leopard
Kuno	Madhya Pradesh	Cheetahs reintroduced (2022)

Dam / Project	River	State
Tehri	Bhagirathi	Uttarakhand (tallest dam in India)
Bhakra Nangal	Sutlej	Himachal Pradesh / Punjab (Gobind Sagar reservoir)
Hirakud	Mahanadi	Odisha (among the longest earthen dams)
Sardar Sarovar	Narmada	Gujarat
Nagarjuna Sagar	Krishna	Telangana / Andhra Pradesh
Mettur	Kaveri	Tamil Nadu
Rihand	Rihand	Uttar Pradesh (Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar)
Farakka Barrage	Ganga	West Bengal

D. World Geography — One Liners

Countries, Capitals & Key Facts (PYQ Favourites)

Largest country (area): Russia · Smallest: Vatican City
Most populous country: India (overtook China in 2023, as per UN estimates)
Longest river: Nile (debated with Amazon) · Highest mountain: Everest (8,848.86m)
Largest ocean: Pacific · Largest desert: Sahara (hot); Antarctica (cold)
Deepest lake: Baikal (Russia) · Largest freshwater lake: Superior (North America)
Strait connecting Atlantic & Pacific: Strait of Magellan; also Drake Passage
International Date Line: 180° meridian (roughly)
Suez Canal: connects Mediterranean Sea and Red Sea (Egypt)
Panama Canal: connects Atlantic (Caribbean) and Pacific Ocean

E. Atmosphere & Climate

Layers of Atmosphere

Troposphere: 0–12 km; weather phenomena; temperature decreases with altitude
Stratosphere: 12–50 km; ozone layer (15–35 km); temperature increases
Mesosphere: 50–80 km; coldest layer; meteors burn here
Thermosphere: 80–700 km; hottest; Aurora borealis/australis
Exosphere: >700 km; outermost layer; satellites orbit here

📌 Greenhouse Gases: CO₂ (main), CH₄ (methane), N₂O, CFCs, water vapour

⚖ INDIAN POLITY & CONSTITUTION

A. Constitution — Basics

Key Facts

Adopted: November 26, 1949 · Enacted: January 26, 1950 (Republic Day)
Drafted by: Constituent Assembly; Drafting Committee Chairman: Dr B.R. Ambedkar
Total Articles: Originally 395 in 22 Parts; numbering still ends at 395, but new articles inserted with letters (e.g., 21A, 51A) take the total to about 448+ in 25 Parts
Total Schedules: Originally 8; now 12
Preamble: "Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic, Republic" (Socialist & Secular added in 1976 by 42nd Amendment)
Borrowed from USA: Fundamental Rights, Judicial Review, VP's role
Borrowed from UK: Parliamentary system, Cabinet system, Rule of Law
Borrowed from Ireland: DPSP (Directive Principles of State Policy)
Borrowed from Canada: Federal structure with strong centre
Borrowed from Australia: Concurrent List

B. Fundamental Rights (Articles 12–35)

Right	Articles	Key Points
Right to Equality	Art 14–18	Equality before law; prohibition of discrimination; abolition of untouchability (Art 17)
Right to Freedom	Art 19–22	Freedom of speech, assembly, movement, profession; Art 21: Right to Life
Right against Exploitation	Art 23–24	Prohibition of forced labour and child labour
Right to Freedom of Religion	Art 25–28	Freedom to practice, propagate religion
Cultural & Educational Rights	Art 29–30	Minorities may maintain their culture & institutions
Right to Constitutional Remedies	Art 32	"Heart and Soul of Constitution" (Ambedkar); Dr Ambedkar called it most important

C. Parliament & Government Structure

Parliament

Lok Sabha: Lower house; 543 elected seats (nomination of 2 Anglo-Indians ended by the 104th Amendment, 2020); normal term 5 years; Speaker presides
Rajya Sabha: Upper house; maximum 250 (238 elected + 12 nominated by the President), about 245 at present; permanent house (1/3 members retire every 2 years); Vice-President is ex-officio Chairman
President: Head of State; elected by Electoral College; 5-year term
PM: Head of Government; leader of majority in Lok Sabha
Governors: Appointed by President; serve at President's pleasure

Key Amendments (PYQ)

1st Amendment (1951): Restrictions on free speech; 9th Schedule added
42nd Amendment (1976): "Mini-Constitution"; added Socialist, Secular to Preamble
44th Amendment (1978): Removed the right to property from Fundamental Rights; it is now a legal right under Article 300A
61st Amendment (1988): Voting age 21 → 18
73rd Amendment (1992): Panchayati Raj institutions; 11th Schedule
74th Amendment (1992): Municipal bodies; 12th Schedule
86th Amendment (2002): Right to Education (Art 21A)
101st Amendment (2016): GST
103rd Amendment (2019): 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS)
106th Amendment (2023): Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam — one-third seats for women in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies (to take effect after the next delimitation)

D. Writs — Constitutional Remedies

Writ	Meaning	Purpose
Habeas Corpus	"Produce the body"	Against illegal detention/arrest
Mandamus	"We command"	To compel a public official to perform a legal duty
Prohibition	"Stop from proceeding"	Stops lower court from exceeding jurisdiction
Certiorari	"To be informed"	Quash the order of lower court
Quo Warranto	"By what authority"	Challenges someone's right to hold a public office

E. Key Constitutional Bodies

Independent Constitutional Bodies

Election Commission: Multi-member body; superintendence of all elections; CEC cannot be removed except by impeachment
UPSC: Conducts civil services exams; advice on appointments, promotions
CAG (Comptroller & Auditor General): Audits accounts of Union & States; reports to Parliament
Finance Commission: Constituted every 5 years; recommends tax revenue sharing between Centre & States
Attorney General: Highest law officer of India; assists Govt in legal matters; right of audience in all courts

F. Schedules of the Constitution

Schedule	Subject
1st	Names of States and Union Territories and their territories
2nd	Salaries and allowances of President, Governors, judges, CAG, Speaker, etc.
3rd	Forms of oaths and affirmations
4th	Allocation of Rajya Sabha seats to States and UTs
5th	Administration of Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes
6th	Tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram
7th	Division of powers: Union List, State List, Concurrent List
8th	22 recognised languages
9th	Laws protected from judicial review (added by 1st Amendment, 1951)
10th	Anti-defection law (52nd Amendment, 1985)
11th	Powers of Panchayats — 29 subjects (73rd Amendment)
12th	Powers of Municipalities — 18 subjects (74th Amendment)

G. DPSP, Fundamental Duties & Important Articles

Directive Principles (Part IV, Art 36–51)

Guidelines for the government to build a welfare state; not enforceable in courts, unlike Fundamental Rights.
Examples: equal pay for equal work (Art 39), village panchayats (Art 40), Uniform Civil Code (Art 44), free legal aid (Art 39A), protection of environment (Art 48A), separation of judiciary from executive (Art 50), international peace (Art 51).
B.R. Ambedkar called them a “novel feature” of the Constitution.

Fundamental Duties (Part IVA, Art 51A)

Added by the 42nd Amendment (1976) on the recommendation of the Swaran Singh Committee; idea borrowed from the former USSR.
Originally 10; the 11th (duty of parents to provide education to children aged 6–14) was added by the 86th Amendment (2002).
Include respecting the Constitution, flag and anthem, protecting the environment, developing scientific temper, and safeguarding public property.

Article	Provision	Article	Provision
1	India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States	112	Annual Financial Statement (Union Budget)
3	Formation of new states	124	Establishment of the Supreme Court
17	Abolition of untouchability	148	Comptroller and Auditor General
21A	Right to education (6–14 years)	280	Finance Commission
52	The President of India	300A	Right to property (legal right)
61	Impeachment of the President	324	Election Commission
72	Pardoning power of the President	352	National Emergency
76	Attorney General	356	President’s Rule in States
110	Money Bill	360	Financial Emergency (never imposed)
		368	Amendment of the Constitution

H. President, Judiciary & Local Government

Key Facts

The President is elected by an electoral college of the elected members of both Houses of Parliament and of State Legislative Assemblies (including Delhi and Puducherry). Minimum age 35; term 5 years; removed by impeachment. Dr Rajendra Prasad is the only President elected twice.
The Vice-President is elected by members of both Houses of Parliament and is ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. Dr S. Radhakrishnan was the first Vice-President.
The Prime Minister can be a member of either House; minimum age is 25 through the Lok Sabha and 30 through the Rajya Sabha.
The Supreme Court (Article 124) is the highest court; its judges retire at 65 and High Court judges at 62. Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was introduced by Justice P.N. Bhagwati.
National Emergency has been proclaimed three times: 1962 (China war), 1971 (Pakistan war) and 1975 (internal disturbance).
Panchayati Raj is a three-tier system (village, block, district), recommended by the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957). It was first introduced at Nagaur, Rajasthan, on 2 October 1959; 24 April is National Panchayati Raj Day.
The Election Commission was set up on 25 January 1950 — celebrated as National Voters’ Day. The first general elections were held in 1951–52; Sukumar Sen was the first Chief Election Commissioner.

💵 INDIAN ECONOMY

A. National Income Concepts

Key Terms (Must Know)

GDP: Total value of all goods & services produced in a country in one year (within geographical boundary)
GNP = GDP + (Net factor income from abroad)
NNP = GNP − Depreciation
Per Capita Income = National Income ÷ Population
Nominal GDP: At current prices · Real GDP: At constant prices (adjusted for inflation)
GDP deflator = (Nominal GDP ÷ Real GDP) × 100
India's fiscal year: April 1 to March 31

B. Five-Year Plans & Economic Milestones

Key Plans & Goals

1st Plan (1951–56): Agriculture & irrigation focus; Damodar Valley Project
2nd Plan (1956–61): Heavy industries (Mahalanobis Model); Bhilai, Durgapur, Rourkela steel plants
Green Revolution (1960s–70s): HYV seeds; Punjab, Haryana; Norman Borlaug / M.S. Swaminathan
White Revolution (Operation Flood): Milk; Verghese Kurien; Amul; NDDB
Blue Revolution: Fisheries development
12th Plan (2012–17): Last Five-Year Plan
NITI Aayog: Replaced Planning Commission in 2015; PM is chairperson

C. Banking & Finance

Institution	Established	Role
RBI (Reserve Bank of India)	1935 (Nationalised 1949)	Central bank; regulates monetary policy; issues currency
SBI (State Bank of India)	1955 (from Imperial Bank 1921)	Largest PSU bank
NABARD	1982	Agricultural & rural development finance
SIDBI	1990	Small & micro enterprise finance
SEBI	1988 (statutory 1992)	Capital market regulator
EXIM Bank	1982	Export-Import finance

📌 Important Rates (Understand Concepts):

Repo Rate: Rate at which RBI lends to commercial banks (overnight); used to control inflation
Reverse Repo Rate: Rate at which RBI absorbs surplus money from banks. Since April 2022 the Standing Deposit Facility (SDF), at Repo − 0.25%, is the floor of the rate corridor
CRR (Cash Reserve Ratio): % of deposits banks must keep with RBI (no interest)
SLR (Statutory Liquidity Ratio): % banks must keep in cash/gold/govt securities
MSF (Marginal Standing Facility): Emergency overnight borrowing by banks from RBI, currently at Repo + 0.25% (ceiling of the corridor)
Bank Rate: Long-term lending rate of RBI to banks (aligned with MSF). Policy rates are set by the six-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), which targets CPI inflation of 4% (±2%).
Actual rate values change at MPC meetings — check the latest figures on the RBI website before the exam.

D. Taxes & Government Revenue

Direct Taxes

Income Tax: On individual/corporate income; collected by CBDT
Corporate Tax: On company profits
Capital Gains Tax: On profit from asset sale

Indirect Taxes

GST (from July 1, 2017): Replaced Central Excise + Service Tax + VAT etc.; 101st Amendment; GST Council chaired by the Union Finance Minister
GST slabs: originally 0%, 5%, 12%, 18%, 28%. Under the “GST 2.0” reform effective 22 September 2025, most goods moved to two main slabs of 5% and 18%, with a special 40% rate for luxury and sin goods
Customs Duty: On imports/exports
Collected by CBIC

E. Sectors, Inflation & Budget Terms

Sectors of the Economy

Primary: agriculture, fishing, forestry, mining — employs the largest share of India’s workforce.
Secondary: manufacturing, construction, electricity.
Tertiary (services): banking, transport, IT, trade — contributes the largest share of India’s GDP.
Kharif crops (sown June–July): rice, maize, cotton, jute. Rabi crops (sown October–December): wheat, mustard, gram, barley. Zaid: watermelon, cucumber (summer).

Inflation

A general rise in prices, which reduces purchasing power. Measured by CPI (Consumer Price Index — used by RBI for its target) and WPI (Wholesale Price Index).
Deflation = fall in the general price level; stagflation = high inflation with low growth and unemployment.
RBI controls inflation mainly by raising the repo rate (tightening money supply).

Budget & Fiscal Terms

The Union Budget is presented on 1 February (since 2017); the separate Railway Budget was merged with it in 2017 (it had been presented separately since 1924, following the Acworth Committee).
Fiscal deficit = total expenditure − total receipts excluding borrowings; revenue deficit = revenue expenditure − revenue receipts; primary deficit = fiscal deficit − interest payments.
The first Budget of independent India was presented by R.K. Shanmukham Chetty on 26 November 1947.
The Economic Survey is prepared by the Chief Economic Adviser and released a day before the Budget.

Banking One-Liners

14 banks were nationalised in 1969 and 6 more in 1980.
First bank of India: Bank of Hindustan (1770). First bank with fully Indian management: Punjab National Bank (1894/95, Lahore).
Payments banks can take deposits up to ₹2 lakh per customer but cannot lend. DICGC insures bank deposits up to ₹5 lakh per depositor per bank.
UPI (Unified Payments Interface) was launched in 2016 by the NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India).
India’s stock exchanges: BSE (1875, Mumbai — Asia’s oldest; index SENSEX) and NSE (index NIFTY 50).

🔭 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY (GA Part)

A. Space Missions — ISRO

Mission	Year	Achievement
Chandrayaan-1	2008	Discovered water molecules on Moon
Mangalyaan (Mars Orbiter Mission)	2013	First Asian country to reach Mars; first attempt success
Chandrayaan-2	2019	Orbiter successful; Vikram lander crashed near south pole
Chandrayaan-3	2023	Soft-landed near Moon's south pole (Aug 23, 2023); Pragyan rover; 4th country to land on Moon
Aditya-L1	2023	India's first solar mission; positioned at Lagrange Point L1
PSLV	—	Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle; reliable workhorse
GSLV	—	Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle; heavier payloads

B. Defence & Missiles

Indian Missiles

Agni-V: ICBM; range >5000 km; nuclear-capable
Prithvi: Surface-to-surface ballistic missile
BrahMos: India-Russia joint venture; supersonic cruise missile (about Mach 2.8–3); name from the Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers
Tejas: India's indigenous light combat aircraft (LCA); produced by HAL
Akash: Surface-to-air defence missile
DRDO: Defence Research and Development Organisation (established 1958)

C. Important Scientific Inventions & Inventors

Invention	Inventor	Year
Telephone	Alexander Graham Bell	1876
World Wide Web	Tim Berners-Lee	1989
X-rays	Wilhelm Röntgen	1895
Penicillin	Alexander Fleming	1928
Vaccination (smallpox)	Edward Jenner	1796
Radio	Guglielmo Marconi	1895
Steam engine	James Watt	1769
Printing press	Johannes Gutenberg	1440

🏆 AWARDS & HONOURS

Civilian Awards — India

Award	Instituted	Given For	Highest to Lowest
Bharat Ratna	1954	Exceptional service/highest order	1st
Padma Vibhushan	1954	Exceptional and distinguished service	2nd
Padma Bhushan	1954	Distinguished service of high order	3rd
Padma Shri	1954	Distinguished service	4th

Sports Awards — India

Award	For	Given By
Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna (renamed from Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in 2021)	Highest sporting honour — most outstanding performance over the previous 4 years	Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports
Arjuna Award (1961)	Consistent outstanding performance over 4 years	Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports
Dronacharya Award (1985)	Outstanding coaches	Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports
Arjuna Award (Lifetime) — earlier the Dhyan Chand Award	Lifetime contribution to sports	Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports

International Awards

Nobel Prize — Categories & Key Indian Winners

Categories: Physics, Chemistry, Medicine/Physiology, Literature, Peace, Economic Sciences
Rabindranath Tagore: Literature 1913 (first Indian Nobel laureate)
C.V. Raman: Physics 1930 (Raman Effect)
Mother Teresa: Peace 1979
Amartya Sen: Economics 1998
Abhijit Banerjee: Economics 2019
Kailash Satyarthi: Peace 2014 (with Malala Yousafzai)

⚽ SPORTS

India at Olympics

Year	Event/Achievement
Paris 2024	India won 6 medals; Neeraj Chopra = Silver (Javelin); Aman Sehrawat = Bronze (Wrestling)
Tokyo 2020 (2021)	7 medals; Neeraj Chopra = Gold (Javelin — first individual Gold in track & field)
2008 Beijing	Abhinav Bindra = first individual Olympic Gold; 10m Air Rifle

Sports — Governing Bodies & Venues

Cricket: ICC (headquarters Dubai); BCCI for India
FIFA (football): Headquarters Zurich, Switzerland
ITF (International Tennis Federation): Headquarters London, UK
IOC (International Olympic Committee): Headquarters Lausanne, Switzerland
World Cup Football 2022: Qatar; 2026: USA/Canada/Mexico
IPL: Played since 2008; BCCI organized; 10 teams (as of 2023)

International Games Editions

Host Cities — Key

Commonwealth Games 2022: Birmingham, UK · 2026: Glasgow, Scotland (Victoria, Canada withdrew as host) · 2030: Ahmedabad, India (centenary edition)
Asian Games 2023: Hangzhou, China · 2026: Aichi-Nagoya, Japan
Olympics 2024: Paris, France · 2028: Los Angeles, USA

📅 IMPORTANT DAYS & NATIONAL SYMBOLS

Important National Days — India

Date	Day
January 26	Republic Day (Constitution came into effect 1950)
August 15	Independence Day (1947)
October 2	Gandhi Jayanti & International Day of Non-Violence
November 14	Children's Day (Nehru's birthday)
November 26	Constitution Day (Samvidhan Divas)
December 22	National Mathematics Day (Ramanujan's birthday)

International Days (PYQ Favourites)

Date	Day
March 8	International Women's Day
April 22	Earth Day
June 5	World Environment Day
June 21	International Yoga Day (proclaimed at India's initiative, 2015)
September 5	Teacher's Day India (Dr Radhakrishnan's birthday)
October 4	World Animal Day
October 16	World Food Day
November 19	World Toilet Day

National Symbols of India

Symbol	Name	Additional Info
National Animal	Bengal Tiger	Project Tiger: 1973
National Bird	Indian Peacock (Peafowl)	Designated 1963
National Flower	Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)	Sacred; national purity symbol
National Tree	Banyan (Ficus benghalensis)	National tree since 1950
National Fruit	Mango (Mangifera indica)	"King of Fruits"
National River	Ganga	National river since 2008
National Sport	None officially declared	The Government has clarified that no sport is officially notified as the national game; hockey is popularly associated with India (8 Olympic golds)
National Aquatic Animal	Ganges River Dolphin	Declared 2009
National Heritage Animal	Elephant	Declared 2010
National Calendar	Saka Calendar	Adopted 22 March 1957
National Currency	Rupee (₹)	Symbol ₹ designed by D. Udaya Kumar (2010)
National Emblem	Lion Capital of Ashoka (Sarnath)	4 lions; adopted 1950
National Song	Vande Mataram	Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay
National Anthem	Jana Gana Mana	Rabindranath Tagore; duration 52 seconds

🎮 ART, CULTURE & HERITAGE

Classical Dance Forms — India

Dance Form	State of Origin	Key Feature
Bharatanatyam	Tamil Nadu	Oldest classical dance; temple dance
Kathak	North India (UP)	Storytelling through facial expressions & footwork
Odissi	Odisha	Lord Jagannath temple tradition
Kuchipudi	Andhra Pradesh	Dramatic tradition; dance-drama
Kathakali	Kerala	Elaborate makeup; mythological stories
Manipuri	Manipur	Graceful; Vaishnavite themes
Mohiniyattam	Kerala	Feminine; solo dance
Sattriya	Assam	Vaishnava tradition; monasteries

UNESCO World Heritage Sites — India (Selected)

Key Sites (India has 40+ UNESCO World Heritage Sites; recent additions: Santiniketan and Hoysala temples — 2023, Moidams of Charaideo, Assam — 2024, Maratha Military Landscapes — 2025)

Taj Mahal (1983) · Agra Fort (1983) · Ajanta Caves (1983) · Ellora Caves (1983)
Kaziranga National Park (1985) · Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (1985)
Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram (1984)
Qutb Minar and its Monuments (1993)
Sun Temple, Konarak (1984) · Khajuraho Group (1986)
Hampi Group of Monuments (1986)
Rani-ki-Vav, Patan (2014) — stepwell
Dholavira (2021) — Harappan city

Languages & Literature

Key Facts

8th Schedule: Lists 22 official languages of India
Official language of the Union: Hindi (Article 343) · English = additional official language
Classical language status: 11 languages — Tamil (first, 2004), Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Odia, and (added in October 2024) Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese and Bengali
The four languages added to the 8th Schedule by the 92nd Amendment (2003): Bodo, Dogri, Maithili (spoken in Bihar) and Santhali
Jnanpith Award: Highest literary award; given for outstanding contribution to Indian literature

🏛 FLAGSHIP GOVERNMENT PROGRAMMES

“Flagship Government Programmes” is a separate topic in the NTPC syllabus. Questions usually ask the launch year, the ministry or the main benefit. Benefit amounts can be revised, so confirm the latest figures on the official scheme portal close to the exam.

Scheme	Launched	Objective / Key Feature
Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana	28 August 2014	Zero-balance bank accounts for financial inclusion, with RuPay debit card and accident cover
Swachh Bharat Mission	2 October 2014	Clean India; toilets for all households; open-defecation-free villages
Make in India	25 September 2014	Promote manufacturing and investment in India
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao	22 January 2015 (Panipat)	Improve child sex ratio and girls’ education
PM Mudra Yojana	April 2015	Collateral-free loans to micro enterprises (Shishu, Kishore, Tarun categories)
PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima / PM Suraksha Bima / Atal Pension Yojana	May 2015	Low-cost life insurance, accident insurance and pension for the unorganised sector
Digital India	1 July 2015	Digital infrastructure, online government services and digital literacy
Smart Cities Mission & AMRUT	June 2015	Urban infrastructure and basic services in cities
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana	June 2015 (Urban), 2016 (Gramin)	Pucca houses for the poor
Startup India / Stand-Up India	January / April 2016	Support for startups; bank loans for SC/ST and women entrepreneurs
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana	1 May 2016 (Ballia, UP)	Free LPG connections to women of poor households
Ayushman Bharat – PM Jan Arogya Yojana	23 September 2018 (Ranchi)	Health cover of ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary hospital care
PM-KISAN	February 2019	₹6,000 a year to eligible farmer families in three instalments by direct benefit transfer
Jal Jeevan Mission	15 August 2019	Tap-water connection (Har Ghar Jal) for every rural household
PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana	2020	Free food grains to beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act
PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan	13 October 2021	Integrated planning of infrastructure — rail, road, ports, airways
Amrit Bharat Station Scheme	2023	Redevelopment of railway stations with modern amenities
PM Vishwakarma	17 September 2023	Support for traditional artisans and craftspeople — training, toolkits and credit
PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana	February 2024	Rooftop solar for households with up to 300 units of free electricity per month

🧠 Memory Hook Most mission-mode schemes started in 2014–2016. Remember the dates tied to national days: Swachh Bharat on Gandhi Jayanti (2 October 2014), Jal Jeevan Mission on Independence Day (15 August 2019), and PM Vishwakarma on Vishwakarma Jayanti (17 September 2023).

🌐 UN & INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS

United Nations — Basics

Founded on 24 October 1945 (UN Day) after the Second World War; headquarters in New York; 193 member states. India is a founding member.
Six principal organs: General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, Trusteeship Council (inactive since 1994), International Court of Justice (The Hague, Netherlands) and the Secretariat.
Security Council: 15 members — 5 permanent members with veto power (USA, UK, France, Russia, China) and 10 non-permanent members elected for 2 years. India has been a non-permanent member eight times.
Official languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

Organisation	Headquarters	Founded	Key Point
World Health Organization (WHO)	Geneva	1948	World Health Day, 7 April
UNESCO	Paris	1945	Education, science, culture; World Heritage List
UNICEF	New York	1946	Children’s welfare
International Labour Organization (ILO)	Geneva	1919	Oldest UN specialised agency
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)	Rome	1945	World Food Day, 16 October
IMF and World Bank	Washington, D.C.	1944 (Bretton Woods Conference)	Monetary stability / development loans
World Trade Organization (WTO)	Geneva	1995	Replaced GATT
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)	Vienna	1957	Peaceful use of nuclear energy
SAARC	Kathmandu	1985	8 South Asian members
ASEAN	Jakarta	1967 (Bangkok Declaration)	South-East Asian nations; Timor-Leste became the 11th member in 2025
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)	Beijing	2001	India became a full member in 2017
NATO	Brussels	1949	Military alliance of North America and Europe
OPEC	Vienna	1960	Oil-exporting countries
International Committee of the Red Cross	Geneva	1863	Humanitarian aid; founded by Henry Dunant
Interpol	Lyon, France	1923	International police cooperation
Commonwealth of Nations	London	1949 (modern form)	Mostly former British territories

Groupings India Belongs To

G20 (1999): India held the presidency in 2023; the New Delhi Summit (September 2023) adopted the theme “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — One Earth, One Family, One Future” and admitted the African Union as a permanent member.
BRICS: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (expanded from 2024 with new members such as Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the UAE). BRICS created the New Development Bank (Shanghai).
QUAD: India, USA, Japan and Australia.
BIMSTEC: Bay of Bengal countries — Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand; secretariat in Dhaka.
International Solar Alliance: launched by India and France in 2015; headquarters in Gurugram, India.

🚂 TRANSPORT SYSTEMS IN INDIA (with Railway GK)

Indian Railways — Must-Know Facts

First passenger train: 16 April 1853, Bori Bunder (Bombay) to Thane, about 34 km, hauled by three locomotives named Sahib, Sultan and Sindh.
First electric train: 3 February 1925, Bombay VT to Kurla.
The Railway Board was set up in 1905. RDSO (Research Designs and Standards Organisation) is at Lucknow.
Indian Railways is organised into 17 zones (including the Metro Railway, Kolkata); the new South Coast Railway zone (Visakhapatnam) has been announced as the 18th.
Production units: Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (West Bengal), Banaras Locomotive Works (Varanasi), Integral Coach Factory (Chennai) — which built the first Vande Bharat Express (New Delhi–Varanasi, February 2019), Rail Coach Factory (Kapurthala), Modern Coach Factory (Raebareli), Rail Wheel Factory (Bengaluru), and Rail Wheel Plant (Bela, Bihar).
Konkan Railway (Roha to Thokur, about 740 km) runs along the west coast and was completed in 1998.
India’s first metro: Kolkata Metro (1984). Delhi Metro began in 2002.
The Chenab Rail Bridge in Jammu & Kashmir is the world’s highest railway arch bridge; the Bogibeel Bridge on the Brahmaputra (Assam) is India’s longest rail-cum-road bridge.
Dedicated Freight Corridors: Eastern (Ludhiana to Sonnagar, Bihar) and Western (Dadri to JNPT, Mumbai).
The National Rail Museum is in New Delhi. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Nilgiri Mountain Railway and Kalka–Shimla Railway together form the UNESCO site “Mountain Railways of India”; Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (Mumbai) is also a UNESCO site.

Roads

India has one of the largest road networks in the world. National Highways are built and maintained by NHAI (National Highways Authority of India).
Longest National Highway: NH 44 (Srinagar to Kanyakumari).
Golden Quadrilateral links Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata.
Atal Tunnel (Rohtang, Himachal Pradesh) is among the world’s longest highway tunnels above 10,000 feet.
Rural roads are built under PM Gram Sadak Yojana (2000).

Waterways, Ports & Airways

National Waterway 1: Ganga–Bhagirathi–Hooghly system from Haldia to Prayagraj — passes through Patna.
Major ports: Deendayal (Kandla, Gujarat), Mumbai, Jawaharlal Nehru Port (Nhava Sheva — largest container port), Mormugao, New Mangalore, Kochi, Chennai, Kamarajar (Ennore), V.O. Chidambaranar (Tuticorin), Visakhapatnam, Paradip, and Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port (Kolkata — a riverine port).
Civil aviation is regulated by the DGCA; airports are managed by the Airports Authority of India. Air India was founded by J.R.D. Tata (Tata Airlines, 1932).

📖 BOOKS & AUTHORS · COMMON ABBREVIATIONS

Book	Author	Book	Author
Arthashastra	Kautilya (Chanakya)	Gitanjali	Rabindranath Tagore
Indica	Megasthenes	Anandamath	Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay
Harshacharita	Banabhatta	Godan, Gaban	Munshi Premchand
Abhijnanashakuntalam, Meghaduta	Kalidasa	My Experiments with Truth	Mahatma Gandhi
Rajatarangini	Kalhana	Hind Swaraj	Mahatma Gandhi
Baburnama (Tuzuk-i-Baburi)	Babur	The Discovery of India	Jawaharlal Nehru
Akbarnama, Ain-i-Akbari	Abul Fazl	India Wins Freedom	Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
Ramcharitmanas	Tulsidas	Poverty and Un-British Rule in India	Dadabhai Naoroji
Kamayani	Jaishankar Prasad	Wings of Fire	A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (with Arun Tiwari)
Rashmirathi, Urvashi	Ramdhari Singh ‘Dinkar’ (from Bihar)	Madhushala	Harivansh Rai Bachchan
Malgudi Days, The Guide	R.K. Narayan	The God of Small Things (Booker, 1997)	Arundhati Roy
Midnight’s Children (Booker, 1981)	Salman Rushdie	Train to Pakistan	Khushwant Singh

Abbreviation	Full Form	Abbreviation	Full Form
ISRO	Indian Space Research Organisation	DRDO	Defence Research and Development Organisation
BARC	Bhabha Atomic Research Centre	NITI Aayog	National Institution for Transforming India
CAG	Comptroller and Auditor General	CBI	Central Bureau of Investigation
NIA	National Investigation Agency	SEBI	Securities and Exchange Board of India
NABARD	National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development	NPCI	National Payments Corporation of India
UPI	Unified Payments Interface	GST	Goods and Services Tax
IRCTC	Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation	RDSO	Research Designs and Standards Organisation
RRB	Railway Recruitment Board	NTPC (Railways)	Non-Technical Popular Categories
DFCCIL	Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd	NHAI	National Highways Authority of India
DGCA	Directorate General of Civil Aviation	BHEL	Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited
ONGC	Oil and Natural Gas Corporation	SAIL	Steel Authority of India Limited
HAL	Hindustan Aeronautics Limited	ICMR	Indian Council of Medical Research
IUCN	International Union for Conservation of Nature	WWF	World Wide Fund for Nature
GPS	Global Positioning System	NavIC	Navigation with Indian Constellation

🎭 FOLK CULTURE, FESTIVALS & SPORTS TROPHIES

State	Folk Dances	Festivals / Art Forms
Bihar	Jat-Jatin, Jhijhiya, Bidesia (folk theatre by Bhikhari Thakur)	Chhath Puja, Sonepur Mela; Madhubani (Mithila) painting, Sikki grass craft
Uttar Pradesh	Nautanki, Raslila	Kumbh Mela (Prayagraj)
Punjab	Bhangra, Giddha	Baisakhi, Lohri; Phulkari embroidery
Gujarat	Garba, Dandiya Raas	Navratri; Patola silk
Rajasthan	Ghoomar, Kalbelia	Pushkar Fair
Maharashtra	Lavani, Tamasha	Ganesh Chaturthi; Warli painting
Assam	Bihu	Bihu festivals; Muga silk
Kerala	Theyyam, Thiruvathirakali	Onam; boat race
Tamil Nadu	Karagattam, Kummi	Pongal; Tanjore painting
Jharkhand	Chhau (also Odisha and West Bengal)	Sarhul, Karma
Odisha	Gotipua	Rath Yatra (Puri); Pattachitra
Andhra Pradesh	—	Kalamkari art

Music & Classical Arts

Hindustani music (North India) and Carnatic music (South India) are the two classical traditions.
Instruments and maestros: sitar — Pandit Ravi Shankar; shehnai — Ustad Bismillah Khan (born at Dumraon, Bihar; Bharat Ratna 2001); tabla — Ustad Zakir Hussain; santoor — Pandit Shivkumar Sharma; flute — Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia; sarod — Ustad Amjad Ali Khan.
Bharat Ratna musicians: M.S. Subbulakshmi (first musician, 1998), Ravi Shankar (1999), Lata Mangeshkar and Bismillah Khan (2001), Bhimsen Joshi (2009), Bhupen Hazarika (2019, posthumous).
The Sangeet Natak Akademi recognises eight classical dances; the Ministry of Culture also includes Chhau, making nine.

Trophy / Cup	Sport	Trophy / Cup	Sport
Durand Cup (1888 — one of Asia’s oldest football tournaments)	Football	Ranji Trophy / Duleep Trophy	Cricket
Santosh Trophy / Subroto Cup	Football	Irani Cup / Deodhar Trophy	Cricket
Thomas Cup (men) / Uber Cup (women)	Badminton	Beighton Cup / Aga Khan Cup	Hockey
Davis Cup (men) / Billie Jean King Cup (women)	Tennis	Ryder Cup	Golf
Wimbledon	Tennis (grass court)	Stanley Cup	Ice hockey

Recent Indian Sporting Achievements (static-worthy)

India won the Thomas Cup for the first time in 2022.
India won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
India won the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 — the team’s first women’s World Cup title.
India won gold in both the open and women’s sections of the 45th Chess Olympiad (Budapest, 2024); D. Gukesh became the youngest undisputed World Chess Champion in December 2024.
Number of players per side: cricket and football 11; hockey 11; volleyball 6; basketball 5; kabaddi 7; kho-kho 9 (on the field); polo 4.

📚 MASTER SUMMARY — GA ONE-LINERS (Last Minute)

#	Question	Answer
1	First President of India	Dr Rajendra Prasad
2	First Prime Minister of India	Jawaharlal Nehru
3	First CJI of India	H.J. Kania
4	First woman President of India	Pratibha Patil (2007–2012)
5	First woman PM of India	Indira Gandhi
6	Father of White Revolution	Dr Verghese Kurien
7	Father of Green Revolution (India)	M.S. Swaminathan
8	UN headquarters	New York (Secretariat); Geneva (UNHCR, WHO, ILO)
9	Capital of Australia	Canberra (not Sydney)
10	Largest planet	Jupiter; Smallest = Mercury (after Pluto reclassified)
11	Who invented the telephone?	Alexander Graham Bell (1876)
12	RBI Governor (current pattern)	Appointed by Central Govt; serves 3-year term
13	Minimum voting age in India	18 (since 61st Amendment 1988)
14	Minimum age to become PM	25 via Lok Sabha / 30 via Rajya Sabha (PM may belong to either House)
15	Minimum age for President	35 years
16	Number of Fundamental Duties	11 (Art 51A); originally 10, 11th added by 86th Amendment)
17	Who is called "Frontier Gandhi"?	Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (Badshah Khan)
18	Highest peak in South India	Anamudi (Kerala, 2,695m)
19	Longest highway in India	NH44 (Srinagar to Kanyakumari)
20	Project Tiger started	1973 by PM Indira Gandhi; first reserve: Jim Corbett
21	NITI Aayog formed	January 1, 2015; replaced Planning Commission
22	India joined WTO	January 1, 1995 (as founding member)
23	ICC headquarters	Dubai, UAE
24	Bhutan's capital	Thimphu
25	Silicon Valley of India	Bengaluru

✅ GA Exam Strategy

History: Focus on British India events 1857–1947 and Mughal period — most asked
Polity: Articles 14–22 (Fundamental Rights) and Constitution basics asked every year
Geography: Rivers, soils, national parks, capitals are high-value topics
Economy: Banking rates, GST, five-year plans, RBI — important for CBT-2
Current Affairs: Read last 6 months before exam; focus on sports, awards, govt schemes
Static GK such as organisations’ headquarters, books and authors, and scheme launch years gives quick, sure marks — revise the tables in this file twice before the exam

Prepared by Exam-Ki-Aisi-Ki-Taisi.com for RRB NTPC aspirants. Written in our own words from standard public sources (the Constitution of India, official government and scheme information, and NCERT-level history and geography). Facts about office-holders, rates and recent events change — verify the latest position before your exam.
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