Preparing for the General Knowledge (GK) section of the IAS exam, particularly for the Preliminary Examination, involves a broad range of topics. Here are some sample GK questions across different categories:
Current Affairs
- Who is the current President of the United States?
- Name the host country for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
- What is the theme for the World Environment Day 2024?
Indian History
- Who was the first Indian to win a Nobel Prize?
- What was the main objective of the Non-Cooperation Movement led by Mahatma Gandhi?
- Name the founder of the Mughal Empire in India.
Indian Geography
- Which river is known as the ‘Sorrow of Bihar’?
- What is the highest peak in the Western Ghats?
- Name the largest saltwater lake in India.
Indian Polity
- Who is the current Chief Justice of India?
- What is the minimum age required to become the President of India?
- Explain the term ‘Constitutional Amendment’.
Economy and Development
- What is the current GST rate for essential commodities in India?
- Name the first state in India to implement the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
- What is the primary objective of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana?
Environment and Ecology
- What is the primary goal of the Paris Agreement?
- Name an endangered species found in the Western Ghats.
- What is ‘biodiversity hotspot’ and name one in India.
Science and Technology
- What is the Chandrayaan-2 mission?
- Name the Indian scientist who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2019.
- What is the significance of CRISPR technology?
General Science
- What is the chemical formula of water?
- Define Newton’s First Law of Motion.
- What is the most abundant gas in the Earth’s atmosphere?
Sports
- Who won the FIFA World Cup 2022?
- Name the Indian badminton player who won the All England Open Badminton Championships.
- Which country will host the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023?
Miscellaneous
- What is the official language of Brazil?
- Name the currency used in Japan.
- Who wrote the book “The Discovery of India”?
Regularly reading newspapers, following reliable news sources, and using current affairs apps can be very helpful in keeping up with the latest developments. For static GK, standard reference books like “India Year Book” and “Manorama Yearbook” are recommended.