General Knowledge for Competitive Exams — Free Notes & Practice
Comprehensive general knowledge covering Indian history, polity, economy, geography, and science for SSC, UPSC, and Banking exams.
Relevant for: SSC CGL, UPSC Prelims, RRB NTPC, IBPS PO.
Free, topic-wise General Knowledge preparation on Siksha Sarovar with 17 topics — theory, formulas, key points and solved examples, available in English and Hindi.
Topics covered (17)
- GK Updates 2026 — India's Key Rankings & Reports (2026) Global rankings and indices are frequently tested in competitive exams. 2026 updates: Economic & Development Rankings: - Human Development…
- Indian History — Ancient India The Indus Valley Civilisation (3300–1300 BCE) was one of the world's earliest urban civilisations, with major centres at Harappa, Mohenjo-daro, Lothal (Gujarat — has…
- Indian Polity — Constitution of India — Basics The Indian Constitution was drafted by the Constituent Assembly (formed in 1946) under the chairmanship of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (chairman of the…
- Indian Economy — Economic Planning and Development India adopted economic planning after independence. The Planning Commission was established in 1950 (later replaced by NITI Aayog in 2015).…
- Indian Geography — Physical Features of India India covers 3.28 million sq km — 7th largest in the world by area, 2nd most populous nation. It stretches 3,214 km from north to south and 2,933 km…
- Science & Technology — Physics Fundamentals Key physics laws and their applications: Newton's Laws of Motion — First Law (inertia), Second Law (F=ma), Third Law (action-reaction). Law of Conservation of…
- Environment & Ecology — Ecosystem and Biodiversity An ecosystem is a community of living organisms (biotic) and non-living elements (abiotic) interacting as a system. Types: terrestrial (forests,…
- Art & Culture — Classical Dance Forms of India India has eight classical dance forms recognised by the Sangeet Natak Akademi: (1) Bharatanatyam — Tamil Nadu; (2) Kathak — North India…
- Sports — India's Major Sporting Achievements India's greatest Olympic achievement came at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (held 2021) when Neeraj Chopra won gold in Javelin Throw — India's first…
- Awards & Honours — National Awards of India Bharat Ratna — India's highest civilian honour; instituted 1954; can be given posthumously. Maximum 3 per year. First recipients (1954): C.…
- Books & Authors — Books by Indian Authors India has a rich literary tradition. Key works and their authors: Rabindranath Tagore — Gitanjali (earned Nobel Prize, 1913), Gora, Ghare Baire, Chokher…
- Constitutional Bodies & Commissions — Constitutional Bodies: Created by the Constitution Itself Constitutional bodies derive their authority directly from the Constitution of India and cannot be abolished by an…
- International Organisations — United Nations: Structure and Key Facts The United Nations was founded on October 24, 1945 (celebrated as UN Day), with headquarters in New York City . It currently has 193 member…
- Important Days & International Themes — National Days of India India observes several important national days throughout the year. Republic Day (January 26) — commemorates the Constitution coming into force in 1950.…
- Physical Geography (India & World) — India's Physiographic Divisions India is divided into 5 major physiographic divisions : (1) The Himalayan Mountains — three parallel ranges running west to east: Himadri (Great…
- Biology for Competitive Exams — Cell Biology: Prokaryotes vs Eukaryotes Prokaryotic cells have no membrane-bound nucleus and no membrane-bound organelles — examples: bacteria and blue-green algae…
- Chemistry & Physics Basics — The Periodic Table The Periodic Table contains 118 elements arranged in 7 periods (rows) and 18 groups (columns) . Key groups: Group 1 = Alkali metals (H, Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Fr —…
GK Updates 2026
India's Key Rankings & Reports (2026)
Global rankings and indices are frequently tested in competitive exams. 2026 updates:
Economic & Development Rankings:
- Human Development Index (HDI) 2025 (UNDP report): India ranked 133rd out of 193 countries; HDI value 0.644 (Medium Human Development category); life expectancy 70.9 years; mean years of schooling 6.6 years
- Global Hunger Index 2025: India ranked 105th out of 127 countries; score 27.3 (Serious category); neighbouring country comparison: China (6), Sri Lanka (56), Pakistan (109)
- Ease of Doing Business: India improved ranking; focused reforms in construction permits, contract enforcement, and cross-border trade
- Global Innovation Index 2025 (WIPO): India ranked 39th globally; top 10 in Central & South Asia; 10 years of consecutive improvement
- Press Freedom Index 2025 (RSF): India at 151st
- Corruption Perceptions Index 2025 (Transparency International): India at 96th; score 39/100
India's Sports Highlights (2025–2026):
- ICC Champions Trophy 2025: India won the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 held in Pakistan (matches for India played in Dubai); India beat South Africa in the final; Rohit Sharma's last ICC tournament as captain
- Olympics 2024 (Paris): India finished with 6 medals — 1 Gold (Neeraj Chopra in Javelin), 1 Silver, 4 Bronze; Manu Bhaker became first Indian to win 2 medals in a single Olympics
- Thomas Cup & Uber Cup 2024: India won Thomas Cup (men's badminton) for the second consecutive time
- Chess Olympiad 2024: India won both Open and Women's categories at Budapest — historic double gold
- Arjuna Awards 2025: 32 athletes honoured — highest in a single year; new categories added for e-sports
- Khel Ratna (Major Dhyan Chand Award) 2025: Awarded to Neeraj Chopra (Athletics) and Harmanpreet Singh (Hockey)
Constitutional & Legal Developments (2025–2026)
- Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025: Amendments to Waqf Act 1995; renamed "Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development (UMEED) Act"; centralised Waqf portal; non-Muslim members in Waqf boards; challenged in Supreme Court
- One Nation One Election: High-level committee (headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind) submitted report recommending simultaneous elections for Lok Sabha and state assemblies; Bill introduced in Parliament
- Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023: Rules notified in 2025; Data Protection Board established; consent-manager framework operationalised
- BNS, BNSS, BSA (New Criminal Laws): Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) came into force on 1 July 2024 — replacing IPC 1860, CrPC 1973, Indian Evidence Act 1872 respectively
- 107th Constitutional Amendment: Extended reservation for SCs and STs in Lok Sabha and state assemblies by 10 more years (2024–2034) through the Constitution (One Hundred and Seventh Amendment) Act, 2024
National Parks, Tiger Reserves & Environment (2025–2026)
- Tiger Census 2022 (released 2023): India's tiger population reached 3,682 — highest ever; India holds 75% of world's wild tigers
- New Tiger Reserves 2024–25: Veerangana Durgavati (Madhya Pradesh) and Ranipur (Uttar Pradesh) added; India now has 57 Tiger Reserves across 18 states
- Ramsar Sites: India added more wetlands; total count reached 85 Ramsar Sites (2025) — highest in Asia
- Climate Pledges: India's NDC (Nationally Determined Contribution) updated — 50% power from non-fossil fuels by 2030; net zero by 2070; 500 GW renewable energy target
- Cheetah Reintroduction: Project Cheetah — 20 cheetahs brought from Namibia (8) and South Africa (12) to Kuno National Park (MP); project faces challenges; some deaths recorded
New Schemes & Policies (2024–2026)
| Scheme | Ministry | Objective |
|---|---|---|
| PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana | MNRE | 1 crore rooftop solar installations; 300 units/month free |
| Pradhan Mantri Internship Scheme | MoLE | 1 crore internships for youth (21-24 age) in top 500 companies |
| Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) | FinMin | 50% assured pension for central govt employees (from April 2025) |
| PM E-DRIVE Scheme | Heavy Industries | EV adoption — 2-wheeler, 3-wheeler, electric buses subsidies |
| Viksit Bharat 2047 | PMO | Real-time dashboard; 12-sector progress tracker toward 2047 targets |
| Atal Tinkering Lab 2.0 | DST/AIM | AI labs in schools; 50,000 ATLs across India by 2027 |
Important Appointments (2024–2026)
| Post | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| CJI (Chief Justice of India) | Justice Sanjiv Khanna (2024) | 51st CJI; then Justice B R Gavai (2025) |
| RBI Governor | Sanjay Malhotra | Took charge December 2024; replaced Shaktikanta Das |
| CAG of India | K Sanjay Murthy | 15th Comptroller & Auditor General |
| Election Commission of India | Gyanesh Kumar (CEC) | New CEC after Rajiv Kumar retired |
| SEBI Chairperson | Tuhin Kanta Pandey | New SEBI chairman 2025 |
| World Bank President | Ajay Banga | Indian-American; from June 2023 |
| IMF Managing Director | Kristalina Georgieva | Reappointed 2023; 2nd term |
| WTO Director-General | Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala | Reappointed 2025 |
Science & Space (2025–2026)
- Aditya-L1: India's first solar mission; successfully inserted into Lagrange Point 1 (L1) halo orbit on 6 January 2024; studying solar corona, solar winds, and space weather
- INSAT-3DS: Weather satellite launched February 2024 by GSLV; improves India's meteorological capabilities
- One Web: Eutelsat OneWeb LEO internet satellites launched via GSLV Mk III (LVM3-M3) from India — commercial launch success
- Nuclear: India's 700 MW PHWR at Kakrapar (Unit 3) achieved criticality; India's largest PHWR unit operational
- AI Policy: India released "IndiaAI Mission" with ₹10,372 crore outlay — compute infrastructure, AI safety, AI startups
Important
Key points
- India ranked 133rd in Human Development Index 2025 (UNDP)
- India has 57 Tiger Reserves (2025) and 85 Ramsar wetland sites — highest in Asia
- New criminal laws (BNS, BNSS, BSA) came into force on 1 July 2024 — replaced 160-year-old IPC
- Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) effective April 2025 — 50% assured pension for central government employees
- Aditya-L1 inserted into L1 halo orbit on 6 January 2024 — India's first solar observatory
- India won Chess Olympiad 2024 double gold (Open + Women) — historic achievement at Budapest
- Paris Olympics 2024: Manu Bhaker won 2 medals — first Indian to do so in a single Olympics
- Waqf Amendment Act 2025 (UMEED): renamed, centralised portal, non-Muslim members included
- IndiaAI Mission: ₹10,372 crore outlay for AI compute, safety, and startup ecosystem
- World Bank President: Ajay Banga (Indian-American) since June 2023
Frequently asked questions
Is this General Knowledge material free?
Yes — all General Knowledge notes and practice on Siksha Sarovar are completely free.
Is the content available in Hindi?
Yes. Lessons are bilingual (English and Hindi) so you can study in whichever language you are comfortable with.
Which exams does this help with?
It is aligned to SSC CGL, UPSC Prelims, RRB NTPC, IBPS PO and similar government exams.