Top 200 Most Asked GK Questions for Competitive Exams (History, Polity, Geography & Science)
Preparing for competitive exams requires a strong foundation in General Awareness (GA). Exams conducted by organizations like Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS), and Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) often include moderate to difficult GA questions from history, polity, geography, environment, and general science.
To help you prepare effectively, here are 200 important General Awareness questions frequently asked in competitive exams.
Indian History (1–50)
- Who introduced the Mansabdari system?
Answer: Akbar - Who shifted the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad?
Answer: Muhammad bin Tughlaq - The Treaty of Srirangapatna (1792) was signed between the British and which ruler?
Answer: Tipu Sultan - The Permanent Settlement of Bengal was introduced by:
Answer: Lord Cornwallis - Who founded the Slave Dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate?
Answer: Qutb-ud-din Aibak - Who introduced Din-i-Ilahi?
Answer: Akbar - The Third Battle of Panipat was fought in:
Answer: 1761 - Who established the Asiatic Society of Bengal?
Answer: William Jones - Who founded Arya Samaj?
Answer: Dayananda Saraswati - The Ilbert Bill controversy occurred during the tenure of:
Answer: Lord Ripon - Who led the Wahabi movement in India?
Answer: Syed Ahmed Barelvi - Who founded the Ghadar Party?
Answer: Lala Hardayal - Bardoli Satyagraha was led by:
Answer: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel - The Simon Commission arrived in India in:
Answer: 1928 - Who was the first Indian Governor-General of India?
Answer: C. Rajagopalachari - Who presided over the Lahore session of Congress (1929)?
Answer: Jawaharlal Nehru - The Cabinet Mission arrived in India in:
Answer: 1946 - Champaran movement was led by:
Answer: Mahatma Gandhi - Who wrote Poverty and Un-British Rule in India?
Answer: Dadabhai Naoroji - The Indian National Army was reorganized by:
Answer: Subhas Chandra Bose - Who founded the Theosophical Society in India?
Answer: Annie Besant - The Vernacular Press Act was passed in:
Answer: 1878 - Khilafat movement was led by:
Answer: Ali Brothers - Who founded Servants of India Society?
Answer: Gopal Krishna Gokhale - Who introduced the Doctrine of Lapse?
Answer: Lord Dalhousie - The Battle of Buxar was fought in:
Answer: 1764 - Who founded the Maratha Empire?
Answer: Shivaji - Ryotwari system was introduced by:
Answer: Thomas Munro - Who was the first woman president of Congress?
Answer: Annie Besant - The Delhi Durbar of 1911 shifted the capital to:
Answer: Delhi - Poona Pact was signed between:
Answer: B. R. Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi - Hunter Commission investigated:
Answer: Jallianwala Bagh Massacre - “Inquilab Zindabad” slogan was given by:
Answer: Hasrat Mohani - Home Rule Movement was started by:
Answer: Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Annie Besant - Who wrote Arthashastra?
Answer: Kautilya - Gandhara art shows influence of:
Answer: Greek art - The Saka Era began in:
Answer: 78 CE - Who founded the Gupta Empire?
Answer: Sri Gupta - Who wrote Akbarnama?
Answer: Abul Fazl - Battle of Plassey took place in:
Answer: 1757 - Who composed the Allahabad Pillar inscription?
Answer: Harisena - Nalanda University flourished under:
Answer: Kumaragupta I - Who built the Sun Temple at Konark?
Answer: Narasimhadeva I - Who founded the Satavahana dynasty?
Answer: Simuka - Who wrote Rajatarangini?
Answer: Kalhana - The Kalinga War was fought by:
Answer: Ashoka - The Indus Valley Civilization was discovered in:
Answer: 1921 - Who deciphered Brahmi script?
Answer: James Prinsep - Who was the founder of the Mauryan Empire?
Answer: Chandragupta Maurya - Who was the court poet of Samudragupta?
Answer: Harisena
Indian Polity (51–100)
- The Constitution of India came into force in: 1950
- Fundamental Duties were added by: 42nd Amendment
- Directive Principles are borrowed from: Ireland
- Judicial Review concept is borrowed from: United States
- The Vice President is Chairman of: Rajya Sabha
- Money Bills can be introduced only in: Lok Sabha
- Article 21A deals with: Right to Education
- Finance Commission is mentioned in: Article 280
- Constitutional amendments are under: Article 368
- The President can declare emergency under: Article 352
- The term of Lok Sabha is: 5 years
- Minimum age for Lok Sabha: 25 years
- Minimum age for Rajya Sabha: 30 years
- Attorney General is appointed by: President of India
- The Supreme Court was established in: 1950
- Panchayati Raj was added by: 73rd Amendment
- Municipalities were added by: 74th Amendment
- Anti-defection law: 52nd Amendment
- The Governor is appointed by: President of India
- CAG stands for: Comptroller and Auditor General
- The first Finance Commission was formed in: 1951
- The Union List contains: 100 subjects
- The State List originally had: 66 subjects
- The Seventh Schedule contains: Three lists
- The writ of Habeas Corpus means: Produce the body
- Lokpal deals with: Corruption
- Election Commission is established under: Article 324
- The Chief Justice of India is appointed by: President of India
- Fundamental Rights are in: Part III
- Directive Principles are in: Part IV
- The first President of India: Rajendra Prasad
- The Parliament consists of: President + Two Houses
- The Rajya Sabha is a: Permanent House
- The President can issue ordinances under: Article 123
- The Planning Commission was replaced by: NITI Aayog
- The highest court in India: Supreme Court
- The Union Budget is presented by: Finance Minister
- The National Emergency was declared in: 1975
- The first Lok Sabha election was held in: 1952
- The Constitution has how many schedules? 12
- The Preamble declares India as: Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic Republic
- The Right to Property is now: Legal Right
- Article 370 dealt with: Jammu & Kashmir special status
- The Speaker of Lok Sabha is elected by: Members of Lok Sabha
- The Vice President is elected by: Parliament
- The Governor acts as: Constitutional head of state
- Lok Sabha maximum strength: 552
- Rajya Sabha maximum strength: 250
- Supreme Court judges retire at: 65 years
- High Court judges retire at: 62 years
Geography & Environment (101–150)
- Tropic of Cancer passes through: 8 Indian states
- Largest desert: Sahara Desert
- Longest river in world: Nile River
- Largest delta: Ganges‑Brahmaputra Delta
- Largest rainforest: Amazon Rainforest
- Highest waterfall: Angel Falls
- Largest mangrove forest: Sundarbans
- Highest plateau: Tibetan Plateau
- Longest mountain range: Andes Mountains
- Largest coral reef: Great Barrier Reef
- Deepest ocean trench: Mariana Trench
- Largest freshwater lake by volume: Lake Baikal
- Study of earthquakes: Seismology
- Ozone layer lies in: Stratosphere
- Earth’s largest ocean: Pacific Ocean
- Smallest continent: Australia
- Largest continent: Asia
- The Equator divides Earth into: Northern & Southern hemispheres
- Largest island: Greenland
- Coldest continent: Antarctica
- Longest river in India: Ganga
- Largest state in India by area: Rajasthan
- Smallest state in India: Goa
- Highest peak in India: Kangchenjunga
- Longest Indian dam: Hirakud Dam
- Largest Indian delta: Sundarbans
- Largest saltwater lake in India: Chilika Lake
- Highest Indian waterfall: Jog Falls
- Longest coastline state: Gujarat
- Largest national park in India: Hemis National Park
- Study of weather: Meteorology
- Rocks formed from magma: Igneous rocks
- Windless belt near equator: Doldrums
- Largest desert in Asia: Gobi Desert
- Earth’s rotation period: 24 hours
- Earth’s revolution period: 365 days
- Largest bay in world: Bay of Bengal
- Largest gulf: Gulf of Mexico
- Earth’s natural satellite: Moon
- Largest volcano: Mauna Loa
- Ocean currents affect: Climate
- Soil formed by rivers: Alluvial soil
- Highest mountain peak: Mount Everest
- Largest archipelago: Indonesia
- Largest river basin: Amazon Basin
- Highest dam in India: Tehri Dam
- Largest glacier outside polar region: Siachen
- Longest canal in India: Indira Gandhi Canal
- Largest plateau in India: Deccan Plateau
- Highest Indian plateau: Ladakh Plateau
General Science (151–200)
- SI unit of force: Newton
- SI unit of work: Joule
- SI unit of pressure: Pascal
- SI unit of electric current: Ampere
- SI unit of temperature: Kelvin
- Speed of light: 3×10⁸ m/s
- pH of pure water: 7
- Hardest natural substance: Diamond
- Most abundant gas in atmosphere: Nitrogen
- Chemical formula of water: H₂O
- DNA stands for: Deoxyribonucleic Acid
- Powerhouse of cell: Mitochondria
- Human chromosomes: 46
- Largest organ: Skin
- Largest gland: Liver
- Smallest bone: Stapes
- Insulin produced by: Pancreas
- Vitamin for blood clotting: Vitamin K
- Vitamin from sunlight: Vitamin D
- Normal body temperature: 37°C
- Study of blood: Hematology
- Study of fungi: Mycology
- Study of insects: Entomology
- Study of plants: Botany
- Study of animals: Zoology
- Metal used in thermometer: Mercury
- Atomic number of hydrogen: 1
- Chemical symbol of gold: Au
- Chemical symbol of silver: Ag
- Chemical symbol of iron: Fe
- First artificial satellite: Sputnik 1
- First human in space: Yuri Gagarin
- First human on Moon: Neil Armstrong
- Largest planet: Jupiter
- Red planet: Mars
- Earth’s satellite: Moon
- Milky Way is a: Galaxy
- Sun is a: Star
- Closest planet to Sun: Mercury
- Hottest planet: Venus
- Process of liquid to gas: Vaporization
- Process of gas to liquid: Condensation
- Process of solid to gas: Sublimation
- Acid turns litmus: Red
- Base turns litmus: Blue
- Gas used in balloons: Helium
- Main gas in LPG: Butane
- Gas used by plants in photosynthesis: Carbon dioxide
- Green pigment in plants: Chlorophyll
- Energy stored in food: Chemical energy
Conclusion
Mastering these 200 moderate-to-hard General Awareness questions can significantly improve your preparation for competitive exams conducted by Union Public Service Commission, Staff Selection Commission, and Institute of Banking Personnel Selection.
📚 Regular revision will help you:
- Strengthen conceptual understanding
- Improve exam accuracy
- Boost confidence in high-level exams
Make sure to combine these questions with daily current affairs practice for the best results.