General Knowledge and Current Affairs
What is tested
Static polity, geography, institutions and schemes, plus recent developments in women and child development. Prepare stable facts thoroughly and verify time-sensitive figures from an official source before the exam.
Polity and law
Article 21A (86th Constitutional Amendment, 2002) makes elementary education a fundamental right; the RTE Act 2009 operationalises it for ages 6–14. Article 45 is a directive principle on early childhood care and education. The 42nd Amendment (1976) moved education to the Concurrent List and added Fundamental Duties. The 73rd Amendment (1992) gave constitutional status to Panchayati Raj. Key statutes: POCSO 2012, Juvenile Justice Act 2015, Domestic Violence Act 2005, Maternity Benefit Amendment 2017 (26 weeks), Child Labour Amendment 2016.
Institutions and days
NITI Aayog (2015), National Commission for Women (1992), NHRC (1993), NCPCR. Days worth memorising: National Girl Child Day 24 January; International Women's Day 8 March; World Health Day 7 April; International Yoga Day 21 June; World Breastfeeding Week 1–7 August; National Nutrition Week 1–7 September; Poshan Maah September; International Day of the Girl Child 11 October.
Worked example
Question: which provision makes elementary education a fundamental right? Reasoning: Fundamental Rights sit in Part III; the right was inserted as Article 21A by the 86th Amendment in 2002, and the RTE Act 2009 is the implementing statute. Article 45 is a directive principle, not a fundamental right.
Traps
Confusing the 42nd and 86th Amendments; quoting remembered statistics that may be outdated; confusing National Girl Child Day (24 January) with the international day (11 October).