General Awareness
General Awareness in IB ACIO Grade II is a Tier-I objective section that samples static general knowledge: Indian polity and Constitution, modern Indian history, geography, economy, general science, awards and sports. The paper rewards exact one-line facts-article numbers, years, names and institutions-so build recall around precise distinctions rather than broad reading.
Core recall areas
- Polity: Articles 12–35 Fundamental Rights; Article 148 CAG; Tenth Schedule anti-defection; constitutional vs statutory bodies.
- History: Regulating Act 1773, Government of India Act 1935, Congress sessions, 1857.
- Geography: river systems, mountain passes, soils, monsoon.
- Economy: RBI, monetary policy, inflation, GDP, budget.
- Science: vitamins, diseases, SI units, basic laws.
Worked example
Question: Which Article provides for the appointment of the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India? Answer: Article 148. Reasoning: Part V, Chapter V creates the CAG; Article 148 covers appointment and oath; Article 149 lists duties; Article 150 deals with accounts. If the question asked about removal, the CAG is removed like a Supreme Court judge. Mapping article to institution prevents guessing.
Traps
Do not confuse Article 148 with 149, or constitutional bodies such as UPSC and the Election Commission with statutory bodies such as NHRC. Check 'first' vs 'oldest' and Act years. In geography, distinguish passes such as Nathu La and Zoji La from river sources. In science, read units and disease vectors carefully.