General Awareness / General Knowledge
General Awareness / General Knowledge
This section tests J&K-specific static and current GK plus general Indian polity, geography, history, and economy. Expect questions on the 2019 reorganisation, rivers, lakes, national parks, handicrafts, and constitutional articles.
Core rules and concepts
- J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019: created two Union Territories - Jammu & Kashmir (with a legislature) and Ladakh (without a legislature), effective 31 October 2019. Articles 370 and 35A were rendered inoperative.
- Polity: J&K has a Lieutenant Governor under Article 239A; the High Court is common to J&K and Ladakh, sitting at Srinagar and Jammu; the Assembly has 90 seats after delimitation.
- Geography: the Jhelum, Chenab and Tawi drain the region; Wular and Dal are the major lakes; the Pir Panjal and Karakoram ranges; Dachigam is known for the Hangul.
- Economy: horticulture (apples, walnuts, Pampore saffron), handicrafts (Pashmina, carpets, papier-mâché), and hydropower projects such as Salal, Baglihar, Dulhasti and Uri.
- Indian static GK: Constitution adopted 26 November 1949, enforced 26 January 1950; Fundamental Rights in Part III; DPSP in Part IV.
Worked example
Question: In which year did Jammu & Kashmir become a Union Territory? The Reorganisation Bill was passed in August 2019, but the Act came into force on 31 October 2019. The correct answer is 2019, with J&K and Ladakh as the two UTs.
Traps
Do not say Ladakh has a legislative assembly. Do not mix Article 370 (special status) with Article 35A (permanent residents). Capitals are often confused: Srinagar is the summer capital of J&K, Jammu the winter capital; Leh and Kargil are in Ladakh.