General Knowledge and Current Affairs: static core plus the last twelve months
General Knowledge and Current Affairs in this paper tests stable facts about India - Constitution, geography, history, awards, sports and economy - together with events of roughly the twelve months before the exam. Because the paper is printed bilingually, learn each fact with its Hindi term, e.g. Preamble / प्रस्तावना, Fundamental Rights / मूल अधिकार.
Static core that repeats
- Constitution: adopted 26 November 1949, came into force 26 January 1950; originally 395 articles, 22 parts, 8 schedules.
- The Preamble words socialist, secular and integrity were added by the 42nd Amendment (1976).
- RBI established 1935, nationalised 1969; ISRO 1969; first Indian satellite Aryabhata, 1975.
- Firsts: President Dr Rajendra Prasad; Governor-General C. Rajagopalachari; woman IPS officer Kiran Bedi.
Worked example
Q: The words 'socialist' and 'secular' entered the Preamble through which amendment? Reasoning: the Preamble has been amended only once, by the 42nd Amendment during the Emergency. The 44th Amendment (1978) reversed several other changes but not these words. Answer: 42nd Amendment, 1976. Do not answer '44th' by reflex - it is the standard distractor.
Traps
- Adoption date versus enforcement date: 1949 answers some questions, 1950 others.
- 'First' versus 'latest': a question on the first Chief Election Commissioner wants Sukumar Sen, not a recent officer.
- Current office-holders change, so verify the sitting President, Chief Justice of India and Bihar Governor from the last year rather than trusting an old guide.
- Read whether the stem asks about India or Bihar; a state scheme can appear inside the GK section.