About this SSC CGL General Awareness practice test

General Awareness is unusual among SSC CGL sections because nothing here needs to be calculated — it only needs to be known, which makes it the section where preparation converts most directly into marks. It spans Indian History, Geography, Polity & Constitution, Economy, General Science, Computer Awareness and Sports/Culture, worth 25 marks in Tier 1, and because static facts barely shift year to year, this set doubles as revision material for CHSL, MTS, CPO and GD Constable as well.

SSC CGL General Awareness Practice Test sample questions

These starter questions help you launch a general awareness mock test quickly. Swap them with your own worksheet, notebook, or textbook questions any time.

1. 1. Who founded the Maurya Empire in ancient India?

2. 2. During the medieval period, who founded the Mughal Empire in India?

3. 3. Which movement did Mahatma Gandhi launch in 1930 that included the Dandi March?

4. 4. Which river is regarded as the longest river flowing entirely within India?

5. 5. Kangchenjunga, the highest mountain peak located within Indian territory, lies on the border of Sikkim and which country?

6. 6. Which Indian state has the longest coastline?

7. 7. How many Fundamental Rights are currently guaranteed by the Indian Constitution?

8. 8. What is the minimum age required to become the President of India?

9. 9. Which Article of the Indian Constitution abolishes untouchability?

10. 10. Who is regarded as the "Father of the Indian Constitution" for chairing its Drafting Committee?

11. 11. In which year was the Reserve Bank of India established?

12. 12. The First Five-Year Plan of India (1951-56) gave the highest priority to which sector?

13. 13. On what date was the Goods and Services Tax (GST) implemented across India?

14. 14. Which term refers to the annual statement of India's estimated receipts and expenditure presented in Parliament?

15. 15. NITI Aayog replaced which erstwhile planning institution in 2015?

16. 16. What is the SI unit of electric current?

17. 17. Which cell organelle is known as the "powerhouse of the cell"?

18. 18. What is the chemical formula of common table salt?

19. 19. Which gas is most abundant in the Earth's atmosphere?

20. 20. A deficiency of which vitamin causes the disease scurvy?

21. 21. What does "CPU" stand for in computer terminology?

22. 22. Which company developed the Windows operating system?

23. 23. What does "HTTP" stand for?

24. 24. In computing, what does "RAM" stand for?

25. 25. Which award is considered India's highest sporting honour, given for spectacular performance over a period of years?

26. 26. The Khajuraho group of temples, famous for their intricate sculptures, are located in which state?

27. 27. What is the highest civilian award in India?

28. 28. What is the normal constitutional term of the Lok Sabha before it must face fresh elections?

29. 29. Which international body publishes the annual Human Development Index (HDI) that ranks countries, including India?

30. 30. The Summer Olympic Games are held once every how many years?

Answer key & quick explanations

Short answers for the sample questions above. Use this to self-check before generating a fresh AI-built mock test.

1. 1. Who founded the Maurya Empire in ancient India?

   Chandragupta Maurya

   He founded the Maurya Empire around 321 BCE after overthrowing the Nanda dynasty, guided by his mentor Chanakya (Kautilya). The empire later reached its greatest extent under his grandson, Ashoka.

2. 2. During the medieval period, who founded the Mughal Empire in India?

   Babur

   Babur, a descendant of Timur and Genghis Khan, defeated Ibrahim Lodi at the First Battle of Panipat in 1526 to establish Mughal rule in India. His dynasty went on to govern large parts of the subcontinent for over three centuries.

3. 3. Which movement did Mahatma Gandhi launch in 1930 that included the Dandi March?

   Civil Disobedience Movement

   Gandhi walked roughly 240 miles from Sabarmati Ashram to the coastal village of Dandi to break the British salt law by making salt himself. The march sparked a nationwide campaign of nonviolent resistance against colonial rule.

4. 4. Which river is regarded as the longest river flowing entirely within India?

   Godavari

   The Godavari rises in the Nashik district of Maharashtra and flows about 1,465 km eastward before emptying into the Bay of Bengal in Andhra Pradesh. Its entire course lies within India, which is why it is recognised as the longest river whose source, path, and mouth all fall within Indian territory.

5. 5. Kangchenjunga, the highest mountain peak located within Indian territory, lies on the border of Sikkim and which country?

   Nepal

   Standing at about 8,586 metres, Kangchenjunga is the highest peak situated in India and the third-highest mountain in the world. It forms part of the great Himalayan range along India's northern frontier.

6. 6. Which Indian state has the longest coastline?

   Gujarat

   Gujarat's coastline stretches roughly 1,600 km along the Arabian Sea, the longest of any Indian state. This coast supports major ports such as Kandla and Mundra along with a substantial fishing and salt industry.

7. 7. How many Fundamental Rights are currently guaranteed by the Indian Constitution?

   Six

   The Constitution originally listed seven Fundamental Rights, but the Right to Property was removed by the 44th Amendment Act of 1978 and made a legal right under Article 300A instead. The remaining six include the Right to Equality and the Right to Constitutional Remedies.

8. 8. What is the minimum age required to become the President of India?

   35 years

   Article 58 of the Constitution requires a presidential candidate to be at least 35 years old, a citizen of India, and qualified for election as a member of the Lok Sabha. The President serves a five-year term after being chosen by an electoral college.

9. 9. Which Article of the Indian Constitution abolishes untouchability?

   Article 17

   Article 17 abolishes untouchability in every form and makes its practice an offence punishable by law. It sits within Part III of the Constitution under the Right to Equality.

10. 10. Who is regarded as the "Father of the Indian Constitution" for chairing its Drafting Committee?

    Dr. B. R. Ambedkar

    Ambedkar led the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly and was central to shaping the document that was adopted on 26 November 1949. He subsequently served as independent India's first Law Minister.

11. 11. In which year was the Reserve Bank of India established?

    1935

    The RBI commenced operations on 1 April 1935 under the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, initially as a privately owned institution before its nationalisation in 1949. It functions as India's central bank, overseeing monetary policy and currency issuance.

12. 12. The First Five-Year Plan of India (1951-56) gave the highest priority to which sector?

    Agriculture

    Drawing partly on the Harrod-Domar growth model, the plan focused on agricultural output, irrigation, and power generation to address disruptions caused by Partition. It is widely regarded as successful, with growth exceeding its own target.

13. 13. On what date was the Goods and Services Tax (GST) implemented across India?

    1 July 2017

    GST replaced a range of indirect taxes, including excise duty, service tax, and VAT, with a single unified structure under the principle of "One Nation, One Tax". It is administered through the GST Council, chaired by the Union Finance Minister with state finance ministers as members.

14. 14. Which term refers to the annual statement of India's estimated receipts and expenditure presented in Parliament?

    The Union Budget

    Article 112 of the Constitution requires the government to lay this Annual Financial Statement before Parliament each year, separating revenue and capital transactions. It is customarily presented on 1 February by the Finance Minister.

15. 15. NITI Aayog replaced which erstwhile planning institution in 2015?

    The Planning Commission

    NITI Aayog, short for the National Institution for Transforming India, was created as a policy think tank to promote cooperative federalism in place of the Planning Commission, which had functioned since 1950. Unlike its predecessor, it has no authority to allocate funds directly to states.

16. 16. What is the SI unit of electric current?

    Ampere

    Named after French physicist André-Marie Ampère, this unit measures the rate at which electric charge flows through a conductor. One ampere equals one coulomb of charge passing a given point every second.

17. 17. Which cell organelle is known as the "powerhouse of the cell"?

    Mitochondria

    Mitochondria produce ATP, the primary energy currency of the cell, through cellular respiration. They carry their own DNA and are thought to have originated from free-living bacteria absorbed by early cells.

18. 18. What is the chemical formula of common table salt?

    NaCl (Sodium Chloride)

    Table salt is an ionic compound made up of sodium (Na+) and chloride (Cl-) ions held together in a crystal lattice. It plays a vital role in nerve signalling and fluid balance within the human body.

19. 19. Which gas is most abundant in the Earth's atmosphere?

    Nitrogen

    Nitrogen accounts for roughly 78% of the atmosphere by volume, with oxygen making up about 21% and the remainder consisting of argon, carbon dioxide, and other trace gases. Despite its abundance, it is largely inert and enters living systems mainly through nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

20. 20. A deficiency of which vitamin causes the disease scurvy?

    Vitamin C

    Extended lack of vitamin C weakens collagen production, resulting in bleeding gums, joint pain, and slow wound healing. Sailors on long voyages historically suffered from scurvy until citrus fruits were recognised as an effective remedy.

21. 21. What does "CPU" stand for in computer terminology?

    Central Processing Unit

    Often called the "brain" of a computer, the CPU carries out program instructions by performing arithmetic, logic, and control operations. Modern CPUs typically contain multiple cores to handle several tasks at once.

22. 22. Which company developed the Windows operating system?

    Microsoft

    Microsoft launched the first version of Windows in 1985 as a graphical layer over MS-DOS, and it has since grown into one of the most widely used operating systems globally. The company itself was founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1975.

23. 23. What does "HTTP" stand for?

    HyperText Transfer Protocol

    HTTP is the underlying protocol used to transfer web pages and other resources between browsers and servers over the internet. Its encrypted counterpart, HTTPS, secures this exchange using SSL/TLS.

24. 24. In computing, what does "RAM" stand for?

    Random Access Memory

    RAM is a type of volatile memory that temporarily holds data and instructions a computer needs while programs are running, enabling fast read and write access. Its contents are erased once the device loses power, unlike data on a storage drive.

25. 25. Which award is considered India's highest sporting honour, given for spectacular performance over a period of years?

    Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award

    Instituted in 1991-92 as the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, the award was renamed in 2021 in tribute to hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand. It continues to be the highest sporting honour conferred by the Government of India.

26. 26. The Khajuraho group of temples, famous for their intricate sculptures, are located in which state?

    Madhya Pradesh

    Constructed mainly by the Chandela dynasty between the 9th and 11th centuries, the temples are noted for their nagara-style architecture and elaborate carvings. UNESCO designated them a World Heritage Site in 1986.

27. 27. What is the highest civilian award in India?

    Bharat Ratna

    Instituted in 1954, the Bharat Ratna recognises exceptional service in fields such as art, literature, science, and public affairs. It carries no monetary grant and is conferred sparingly, with only a handful of recipients in most years.

28. 28. What is the normal constitutional term of the Lok Sabha before it must face fresh elections?

    Five years

    Article 83 fixes the ordinary term of the Lok Sabha at five years from the date of its first sitting, unless it is dissolved sooner. This term can be extended only during a national emergency, one year at a time, by an act of Parliament.

29. 29. Which international body publishes the annual Human Development Index (HDI) that ranks countries, including India?

    United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

    The UNDP has released the HDI since 1990 as part of its Human Development Report, ranking nations on life expectancy, education, and per capita income. It offers a broader measure of national progress than GDP alone.

30. 30. The Summer Olympic Games are held once every how many years?

    Four years

    Apart from cancellations during the two World Wars, the International Olympic Committee has kept to this four-year cycle since the modern Games began in Athens in 1896. This four-year span, known as an Olympiad, also governs the staggered schedule of the Winter Games.

Curriculum Mapping & Learning Guide

Use this breakdown to identify which skills each question tests and guide post-test review.

SSC CGL General Awareness units covered

1. Chapter 1: Indian History (Ancient, Medieval, Modern)
2. Chapter 2: Indian Geography (Physical, Political, Resources)
3. Chapter 3: Indian Polity and Constitution
4. Chapter 4: Indian Economy and Five-Year Plans
5. Chapter 5: General Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology Basics)
6. Chapter 6: Computer and Technology Awareness
7. Chapter 7: Sports, Awards and Cultural Events

General Awareness practice tests for other exams and classes

Continue the same general awareness thread across nearby exams and school classes for year-on-year revision.