Current Static GK Essential General Knowledge for Competitive Exams

General Knowledge (GK) is a vital component of most competitive examinations in India and abroad. A static GK section contains facts that change very slowly dates, names, capitals, awards, historical milestones, and other evergreen information. This page compiles the most frequently asked static GK items updated to 2024, organized into logical categories for quick revision.

History & Important Dates

• Indias Independence 15 August 1947
• Republic Day 26 January 1950
• First General Election 195152
• Constitution of India adopted 26 November 1949
• World WarII 19391945
• First Moon landing 20 July 1969 (Apollo11)
• UN Charter signed 26 June 1945
• Green Revolution in India Early 1960s

Political Structure & Leaders

President of India (2024): Draupadi Murmu

Prime Minister of India (2024): Narendra Modi

Current Lok Sabha Speaker: Om Birla

Key International Organizations:

• United Nations Headquarters: New York, USA
• World Bank Headquarters: Washington, D.C., USA
• International Monetary Fund Headquarters: Washington, D.C., USA
• BRICS Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa
• G20 19 countries + EU (India is a member)

Important Constitutional Articles

Economic Highlights

Current GDP (202324 estimate): INR3.5trillion (approx. US$42billion) for India.

Major Economic Sectors:

• Agriculture 17% of GDP, employs ~42% of workforce.
• Manufacturing 16% of GDP, includes textiles, automobiles, pharmaceuticals.
• Services 61% of GDP, dominated by IT, banking, tourism.

Key Reforms (last decade):

• GST (Goods & Services Tax) launched 1 July 2017.
• Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code 2016.
• ProductionLinked Incentive (PLI) schemes for electronics, pharma, automotive.

Science, Technology & Environment

Space Milestones (India):

• First satellite Aryabhata, 1975.
• First lunar mission Chandrayaan1, 2008.
• First Mars mission Mangalyaan (Mars Orbiter Mission), 2013.
• First private Indian rocket launch Skyroot Aerospaces VikramS, 2023.

Notable Indian Scientists (Historical & Contemporary):

• Sir C. V. Raman Nobel Prize in Physics, 1930.
• Homi J. Bhabha Father of Indian nuclear program.
• Vikram Sarabhai Father of Indian space programme.
• Dr. K. Sivan Former ISRO Chairman (20212024).
• Dr. Gagandeep Kang Prominent virologist, COVID19 vaccine research.

Science and technology are the heartbeats of development. India's progress hinges on the synergy between research and application. ISRO

Environmental Agreements

• Paris Agreement India ratified 2016.
• UN Convention on Biodiversity 2022 commitment to 30% forest cover.
• Montreal Protocol phasing out CFCs, fully complied by 2020.

Sports Major Achievements

• Cricket ICC World Cup winners: 1983, 2011.
• Hockey Olympic gold medals (latest 2020 Tokyo Olympics, mens team).
• Badminton P.V. Sindhu Olympic silver 2016, bronze 2020.
• Wrestling Sushil Kumar Olympic silver 2008, bronze 2012.
• Boxing Mary Kom Multiple World Championship golds.
• Olympics 2024 Paris India expected to win medals in shooting, athletics, and boxing.

Miscellaneous Static GK

National Symbols

• National Flag Tricolour: saffron, white, green with navy blue Ashoka Chakra.
• National Emblem Lion Capital of Ashoka.
• National Anthem Jana Gana Mana.
• National Animal Bengal Tiger.
• National Bird Indian Peafowl (Peacock).
• National Tree Banyan.
• National Flower Lotus.

Important Awards (India)

• Padma Vibhushan Second highest civilian award.
• Padma Shri Fourth highest civilian award.
• Arjuna Award Outstanding performance in sports.
• Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize Excellence in scientific research.
• Jnanpith Award Highest literary honor.

World Geography Capitals

Important Rivers of India

• Ganga Origin: Gangotri, flows into Bay of Bengal.
• Indus Origin: Tibet, major river of Pakistan.
• Yamuna Tributary of Ganga, passes Delhi.
• Godavari Longest river in peninsular India.
• Krishna Flows through Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh.