General Awareness / Current Affairs
General Awareness and Current Affairs in EPFO SSA tests national and international events, sports, awards, books, art and culture, and persons in news. The section is broad but shallow, so revise short, verified lists rather than long articles.
Core rules
- Awards: distinguish Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri; note the year and field.
- Sports: link event to venue and winner. The 2024 Summer Olympics were held in Paris; Los Angeles hosts 2028.
- Books: match author to title and genre; avoid confusing a book with its film adaptation.
- Art and culture: associate classical dances with states, e.g. Kathakali with Kerala, Odissi with Odisha, Bharatanatyam with Tamil Nadu.
- Persons in news: note the office held, not just the name.
- International events: track G20, BRICS, SCO and UN summits, including host and theme.
Worked example
Question: Who wrote 'The Discovery of India'? The author is Jawaharlal Nehru, who wrote it during imprisonment at Ahmednagar Fort (1942-46). Reasoning: link the title to the freedom movement and Nehru's authorship; do not confuse it with 'India Wins Freedom' by Abul Kalam Azad.
Traps
- Award lists change annually; do not reuse an old winner list.
- Similar names: 'Padma' awards are civilian, not military.
- Sports venues and host cities rotate; verify the edition.
- In culture questions, a dance may be performed in many states but has one recognised home state.