General Knowledge and Current Affairs
What you must understand
This section tests breadth of awareness: the Indian Constitution and polity, national symbols, geography of India and the world, freedom struggle and important dates, Indian defence (ranks, commands, awards like Param Vir Chakra), space and science missions, sports, and current events of the past 12–18 months.
Traps to expect
- Similar-sounding facts: Article numbers, amendment numbers, and the year of a battle or act are easily swapped.
- Superlatives: "first", "largest", "highest" claims change over time - verify with a recent source.
- Defence-specific items: know the three services, their ranks, and major exercises and missiles.
- Current affairs with a short shelf life: an event that was current at exam-setting may already be superseded. Prefer stable facts where unsure.
- Dates vs years: questions often ask the year only; do not over-recall.
Rule of thumb
Prepare current affairs month-wise in a single notebook, and link each item to a static fact (e.g. a new missile → its range and service). This doubles recall.
Worked example
If asked which article of the Constitution deals with the Right to Equality, recall the cluster: Articles 14–18 form that right, so the answer is Article 14 (equality before law). Grouping articles by theme beats memorising isolated numbers.
Practice habit
Read one defence-related news item daily and note the associated static fact.