General Awareness — DSSSB TGT Section A (20 marks)
Concise recall notes. Static facts only. Refresh current affairs from newspapers/apps before the exam.
1. History — Freedom Struggle (key events & Acts)
| Year | Event / Act | Exam point |
|---|---|---|
| 1757 | Battle of Plassey | British foothold in Bengal |
| 1857 | Revolt of 1857 | First War of Independence; Mangal Pandey, Rani Lakshmibai, Bahadur Shah Zafar |
| 1885 | INC founded | A.O. Hume; first session Gokuldas Tejpal, Bombay; W.C. Bonnerjee |
| 1905 | Partition of Bengal | Curzon; Swadeshi & Boycott |
| 1906 | Muslim League | Dhaka |
| 1909 | Morley–Minto Reforms | Separate electorates |
| 1915 | Home Rule / Gandhi return | Gandhi returns from South Africa |
| 1916 | Lucknow Pact | Congress–League cooperation |
| 1919 | Rowlatt Act; Jallianwala Bagh | Amritsar, 13 Apr; Hunter Committee |
| 1919 | Montagu–Chelmsford | Dyarchy in provinces |
| 1920–22 | Non-Cooperation | Chauri Chaura (1922) → withdrawal |
| 1927 | Simon Commission | No Indian member; “Go Back Simon” |
| 1929 | Lahore Session | Purna Swaraj; 26 Jan 1930 Independence Day |
| 1930 | Dandi March | Salt Satyagraha; Civil Disobedience |
| 1935 | Government of India Act | Provincial autonomy; federal scheme (partial) |
| 1942 | Quit India | “Do or Die”; Bombay, 8 Aug |
| 1947 | Independence | 15 Aug; Indian Independence Act 1947 |
Quick names: Tilak (Swaraj), Gokhale (moderate), Bhagat Singh/Sukhdev/Rajguru (Lahore conspiracy), Subhas Bose (INA, Forward Bloc), Ambedkar (Round Table, Drafting Committee).
2. Polity & Constitution
Preamble
- “Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic” + Justice, Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.
- 42nd Amendment (1976): Socialist, Secular, Integrity added.
- Not justiciable; interpreted as part of Constitution (Kesavananda).
Fundamental Rights (Part III, Arts. 12–35)
| Art. | Right |
|---|---|
| 14 | Equality before law |
| 15 | No discrimination |
| 16 | Equality of opportunity (public employment) |
| 17 | Abolition of untouchability |
| 19 | Six freedoms (speech, assembly, association, movement, residence, profession) |
| 21 | Life & personal liberty |
| 21A | Free & compulsory education (6–14) — 86th Amendment |
| 23–24 | Against exploitation |
| 25–28 | Religion |
| 29–30 | Cultural & educational (minorities) |
| 32 | Constitutional remedies (SC) — “heart and soul” (Ambedkar) |
Fundamental Duties (Art. 51A) — 42nd Amendment; 11th duty by 86th (education of children 6–14).
DPSP (Part IV, Arts. 36–51) — non-justiciable; ideals for State (Gandhian, Socialistic, Liberal).
Parliament
- Lok Sabha: max 552; term 5 yrs; Speaker.
- Rajya Sabha: permanent house; 1/3 retire every 2 yrs; Chairman = Vice-President.
- Money Bill: only LS; RS can delay 14 days; Speaker certifies.
- Joint Sitting: Art. 108 (ordinary bills; not Money/Constitutional amendment).
President
- Elected by Electoral College (elected MPs + elected MLAs) — proportional representation.
- Impeachment: Art. 61 (violation of Constitution).
- Ordinance: Art. 123; must be laid in Parliament.
Prime Minister
- Appointed by President; head of Council of Ministers; real executive.
- Collective responsibility to Lok Sabha.
Supreme Court
- Art. 124 onwards; CJI + judges; original, appellate, advisory jurisdiction.
- Judicial review; PIL; writs under Art. 32.
Famous Amendments
| Amendment | Point |
|---|---|
| 1st (1951) | Reasonable restrictions; 9th Schedule |
| 42nd (1976) | Mini Constitution; Socialist/Secular |
| 44th (1978) | Restored many rights; Property → legal right (Art. 300A) |
| 61st | Voting age 21 → 18 |
| 73rd / 74th | Panchayats / Municipalities |
| 86th | Art. 21A RTE |
| 101st | GST |
| 103rd | 10% EWS reservation |
3. Geography — India
Physical
- Himalayas: Greater / Lesser / Outer (Siwalik); peaks — Kanchenjunga (India’s highest), Nanda Devi.
- Northern Plains: Indus–Ganga–Brahmaputra; alluvial.
- Peninsular Plateau: Deccan; Western & Eastern Ghats; Aravalli (oldest).
- Coastal: Western (Konkan, Malabar) narrower; Eastern (Coromandel) wider + deltas.
- Islands: Andaman & Nicobar (Bay of Bengal); Lakshadweep (Arabian Sea).
Rivers
| River | Origin (approx.) | Sea / note |
|---|---|---|
| Ganga | Gangotri (Bhagirathi) | Bay of Bengal |
| Yamuna | Yamunotri | Joins Ganga at Prayagraj |
| Brahmaputra | Tibet (Tsangpo) | Bay of Bengal |
| Godavari | Trimbakeshwar (MH) | Longest peninsular |
| Krishna | Mahabaleshwar | Bay of Bengal |
| Narmada | Amarkantak | Arabian Sea (rift valley) |
| Tapi | Multai | Arabian Sea |
| Kaveri | Talakaveri | Bay of Bengal |
| Indus | Tibet | Arabian Sea (mostly Pakistan) |
Soils
- Alluvial — Indo-Gangetic; most fertile, widespread.
- Black (regur) — Deccan; cotton.
- Red — crystalline rocks; less fertile.
- Laterite — high rainfall; bricks.
- Desert / Mountain / Saline — region-specific.
Climate
- Tropical monsoon; seasons: Cold, Hot, SW monsoon, Retreating.
- SW monsoon: June–Sept (Arabian Sea + Bay of Bengal branches).
- Western disturbances → winter rain NW India.
- Rainfall: Meghalaya (highest) vs Rajasthan (lowest inland).
4. Economy — Keywords
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| GDP | Market value of final goods/services in a year (domestic) |
| GNP | GDP + net factor income from abroad |
| Inflation | Sustained rise in general price level |
| CPI / WPI | Consumer / Wholesale Price Index (RBI uses CPI for targeting) |
| Fiscal deficit | Total expenditure − total receipts (excl. borrowings) |
| Budget | Annual financial statement (Art. 112) |
| Repo rate | RBI lends to banks (collateral) |
| Reverse repo | RBI borrows from banks |
| CRR | Cash Reserve Ratio — cash with RBI |
| SLR | Statutory Liquidity Ratio — liquid assets |
| Bank rate | Long-term lending rate signal |
RBI: Central bank; Governor; monetary policy (MPC); currency issue (except ₹1 note — GoI).
Schemes (keywords only): MGNREGA (100 days rural work), PM-KISAN, Ayushman Bharat, Ujjwala, Jan Dhan, Make in India, Digital India, Startup India, PMAY, Skill India. Verify latest names/status before exam.
5. Science — Everyday & Discoveries
| Topic | Fact |
|---|---|
| Photosynthesis | CO₂ + H₂O → glucose + O₂ (chlorophyll, light) |
| Respiration | Glucose + O₂ → CO₂ + H₂O + energy |
| pH | <7 acid, 7 neutral, >7 base |
| Metals | Good conductors; non-metals poor (graphite exception) |
| Mirror | Concave — converging; Convex — diverging |
| Current | Ampere; Voltage — Volt; Resistance — Ohm (V=IR) |
| Blood groups | A, B, AB, O; Rh +/-; O universal donor (RBC), AB universal recipient |
| Vitamins | A (night blindness), B12 (anemia), C (scurvy), D (rickets), K (clotting) |
| Newton | Gravity, laws of motion |
| Einstein | Relativity; photoelectric (Nobel) |
| Darwin | Evolution / natural selection |
| Mendel | Genetics / inheritance |
| Fleming | Penicillin |
| Jenner | Smallpox vaccine |
| Rutherford | Nuclear atom model |
| Mendeleev | Periodic table |
6. Sports — Cups & Olympics (India)
| Trophy / Cup | Sport |
|---|---|
| Davis Cup | Tennis (men’s nations) |
| Thomas / Uber Cup | Badminton (men / women) |
| FIFA World Cup | Football |
| ICC World Cup / WTC | Cricket |
| Ryder Cup | Golf |
| Santosh Trophy | Football (India) |
| Ranji Trophy | Cricket (India domestic) |
| Durand Cup | Football (India; oldest) |
| Subroto Cup | School football |
| Agha Khan Cup | Hockey |
Olympics — India (high-yield):
- Hockey: multiple golds historically (pre-1980s peak).
- Abhinav Bindra — first individual Olympic gold (shooting, 2008).
- Neeraj Chopra — javelin gold Tokyo 2020 (2021).
- PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal — badminton medals.
- Mary Kom, Lovlina — boxing; Bajrang Punia, Ravi Dahiya — wrestling (verify latest medal list before exam).
7. Art & Culture
Classical dances (Sangeet Natak Akademi recognised)
Bharatanatyam (TN), Kathak (North), Kathakali (Kerala), Kuchipudi (AP), Odissi (Odisha), Manipuri (Manipur), Mohiniyattam (Kerala), Sattriya (Assam).
Festivals (quick link)
| Festival | Region / note |
|---|---|
| Diwali, Holi | Pan-India |
| Pongal / Onam | Tamil Nadu / Kerala |
| Baisakhi | Punjab |
| Bihu | Assam |
| Durga Puja | West Bengal |
| Navratri / Garba | Gujarat |
| Hornbill | Nagaland |
| Pushkar Fair | Rajasthan |
| Hemis | Ladakh (Buddhist) |
Current Affairs — Refresh Before Exam
Do not memorise invented news. Fill from reliable sources (PIB, The Hindu, Indian Express, monthly CA capsules) in the last 4–6 weeks before the exam.
| Month | Topic | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| _____ | _____ | _____ |
| _____ | _____ | _____ |
| _____ | _____ | _____ |
| _____ | _____ | _____ |
| _____ | _____ | _____ |
| _____ | _____ | _____ |
| _____ | _____ | _____ |
| _____ | _____ | _____ |
Suggested buckets to track: Awards, Sports medals, Appointments, Summit hosts, New schemes/Acts, Space (ISRO), Defence exercises, Index rankings (brief), Delhi-specific if notified.