This is a well-known fact that the importance of GK is increasing day by day in terms of all competitive exams. Although, General Knowledge is the very basic knowledge of History, Geography, Science, Computer, Polity, and the Constitution, etc. but due to latest researches and findings, facts keep on changing. Therefore, it is very important to be up-to-date in order to crack a competitive exam. This book is an attempt in that direction with all the latest data, facts, and concepts.
This book is based on the questions asked in different competitive exams but with an eye on future prospects also. It is largely divided into different segments so that an aspirant can easily find out the desired information from it. Thus, it can be used as a reference book as well.
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GENERAL KNOWLEDGE 2020 PDFCONTENTS
Indian History
Ancient India 3
Sources of Ancient Indian History……………………………. 3
Literary Sources……………………………. 3
Archaeological Sources……………………………. 6
Coin Types……………………………. 8
Culture and Civilisation……………………………. 9
The Stone Age: An Introduction ……………………………. 10
Indus Valley Civilisation ……………………………. 11
Vedic Culture (1500 BC-600 BC) ……………………………. 14
Later Vedic Period (1000 BC-600 BC) ……………………………. 19
Mahajanapada Period (600 BC-325 BC) ……………………………. 21
Magadha Empire……………………………. 21
Haryanaka Dynasty (544 BC-412 BC) ……………………………. 22
Shishunaga Dynasty (413 BC-344 BC)……………………………. 22
Nanda Dynasty (344 BC-323 BC)……………………………. 22
Foreign Invasions ……………………………. 23
Religious Movements (600 BC-400 BC) ……………………………. 23
Maurya Period (322 BC-185 BC)……………………………. 28
Post-Maurya/Pre-Gupta Period (185 BC-319 AD…………………… 32
Kanva Dynasty (73 BC-28 BC)……………………………. 32
Satavahana Dynasty (60 BC-225 AD) ……………………………. 32
The Cheti Dynasty of Kalinga……………………………. 33
Foreign Successors of Mauryas……………………………. 33
Gupta Period (319 AD-540 AD) ……………………………. 34
The Hunas (500 AD-530 AD) ……………………………. 36
Vakatakas (3rd Century AD-5th Century AD)……………………………. 36
Post-Gupta Period/Vardhana Dynasty (550 AD-647 AD)……………………………. 38
States of the Deccan and South India……………………………. 39
Sangam Age ……………………………. 41
Religious Development……………………………. 43
Medieval India 45
The Rajputs …………………………….45
Delhi Sultanate (1206 AD-1526 AD)……………………………. 45
The Slave Dynasty (1206 AD-1290 AD)……………………………. 46
The Khilji Dynasty (1290 AD-1320 AD) …………………………….47
The Tughlaq Dynasty (1320 AD-1414 AD) …………………………….48
The Sayyid Dynasty (1414 AD-1450 AD)……………………………. 49
The Lodhi Dynasty (1451 AD-1526 AD) …………………………….50
Provincial Kingdom…………………………….s 52
Vijayanagar and Other Kingdoms …………………………….52
Bahamani Kingdom …………………………….54
Religious Movements in the 15th-16th Centuries……………………………. 55
Mughal Period (1526 AD-1540 AD and 1555 AD-1857 AD)……………………………. 58
Later Mughals……………………………. 62
Maratha State (1674 AD-1720 AD) and Maratha Confederate (1720 AD-1818 AD)……………………………. 65
The Peshwas (1713 AD-1880 AD)……………………………. 66
The Advent of Europeans …………………………….67
Modern India …………………………….70
Expansion of British Power …………………………….70
Anglo-Mysore Wars …………………………….71
Anglo-Burmese War……………………………. 72
The Carnatic Wars …………………………….72
Anglo-Maratha Wars……………………………. 72
Economic Impact of British Rule……………………………. 73
Land Revenue Systems……………………………. 73
Indian Renaissance……………………………. 74
The Revolt of 1857 AD……………………………. 76
Indian National Movement……………………………. 77
The Partition of Bengal (1905) & Boycott &Swadeshi
Movement (1905 AD-1908 AD) …………………………….78
The Gandhian Era (1917 AD-1947 AD)……………………………. 81
Main Events During the Gandhian Era …………………………….82
Growth of Modern Education in India……………………………. 89
Important Foreign Travellers/Envoys……………………………. 90
Important Sayings …………………………….90
Governor-Generals and Viceroys …………………………….96
Governor-Generals of India …………………………….97
Governor Generals of Free India (1947 AD-1950 AD)……………………………. 99
Important National Leaders …………………………….99
Art and Culture
Art and Culture of India 105
Religion in India 105
Indian Literature and Languages 105
Literature of India 106
Indian Architecture 109
The Schools of Art 110
Temple Architecture of India 111
Cave Architecture of India 112
Rajput Architecture 113
Delhi Style of Architecture 113
Provincial Style of Architecture 114
Mughal Style of Architecture 115
Post-Mughal Style of Architecture 116
Colonial Architecture 116
Paintings of India 117
Classical Dance of India 118
List of Indian Musical Instruments 120
Music 122
Puppetry 125
Important Places in India 127
World History
Ancient World 131
Medieval world (500 AD-1500 AD) 133
Modern world (1500 AD Onwards) 134
Geography
World Geography 141
Universe 141
Evolution of Universe 141
Stars 141
Evolutionary stages of a star 142
The Solar System 142
Origin of Solar System 142
Members of the Solar System 142
The Earth 147
Internal Structure of the Earth 150
Rocks 152
Earthquakes 153
Volcanic Eruptions 153
Landforms 155
Mountains 155
Plateaus 155
vi General Knowledge 2020
Plains 156
Atmosphere 157
Structure of the Atmosphere 157
Weather and Climate 158
Winds 159
Primary Wind Movements (Permanent Winds) 160
Secondary Wind Movements 160
Tertiary Wind Movement (Local Winds) 161
Clouds 161
Climate 162
Forests 163
Hydrosphere 163
Relief of the Ocean Basin 164
Continents of the World 167
Some Important Facts 170
Indian Geography 175
The Indian Subcontinent 175
Physical Features 176
Himalayas 176
Hill Ranges of the Peninsula 178
The Coastal Plains 179
The Island Groups 179
Drainage system of India 180
Climate of India 182
Climatic Regions of India 183
Soil 184
Agriculture in India 185
Types of Farming 186
Green Revolution 187
Impact of Green Revolution 187
Mineral Resources of India 187
National Highways 188
States of India 200
Glossary of Geographical Terms 201
Environment and Ecology
Environment 207
Ecology 208
Biodiversity 209
NTCA 210
Project Elephant 210
Zones 211
Pollution 211
Critically Endangered Animal Species of India 216
Indian Polity and Constitution
Constitution 221
Evolution OF Indian Constitution 221
Administrative and Legislative Reforms Before 1857 221
Administrative and Legislative Reforms After 1857 222
Constituent Assembly and Making of the Constitution 224
Important Articles of the Constitution 227
Schedules of the Indian Constitution 230
Important Cases of the Constitution 231
Some Special Features of the Indian Constitution 231
Federal and Unitary Features of the Indian Union 232
Lapse of Paramountcy 232
Integration and Merger of Indian States 232
Evolution of States and Union Territories 233
The Preamble 233
Reorganization of States 234
Timeline of States and Union Territories 234
Citizenship 234
Fundamental Rights 235
The Writs 237
Fundamental Duties 239
Procedure for Amending The Constitution 240
Executive of the Union 240
Powers of President 242
The Prime Minister and the Union Council of Ministers 245
The Parliament of India 247
Executive of the States: the Governor 254
Chief Minister’s (CM) Appointment 256
Special Position of Jammu and Kashmir 260
Panchayats 260
Municipalities 262
The Supreme Court 262
The High Court 265
Inter-State Council 267
Finance Commission 267
National Development Council (NDC) 268
National Integration Council 268
Inter-State Relations 268
Emergency Provisions 269
Public Service Commissions 270
Election 270
Delimitation Commission of India 271
The Official Languages 271
National Symbols 272
Constitutional Amendments 273
Some important Amendments of the Constitution 274
Glossary of Constitutional Terms 277
Indian Economy 281
Characteristics of Indian Economy 283
Agriculture and Land Development 283
National Income 286
Economic Planning 288
Types of Planning 290
Niti Aayog 291
Unemployment 293
Some Important Development and Employment Programmes 294
Trade and Commerce 301
New Economic Policy 302
Indian financial system 303
The Indian Capital Market 303
Indian Fiscal System 305
Banking in India 307
Tax System 310
Industry 311
Large Scale Industries 314
Foreign Direct Investment 315
Foreign Trade 316
Demography 319
Miscellaneous Facts 319
Science
Physics 335
Unit 335
Kinematics 335
Motion 336
Friction 338
Work, Energy and Power 338
Gravitation 339
Satellite 340
General Properties of Matter 341
Pressure 342
Floatation 342
Surface Tension 343
Capillarity 343
Density 344
Viscosity 344
Wave 345
Important Terms 346
Sound Wave 346
Heat 348
The relation between temperatures on different scales 348
Some Practical Applications of Thermal Expansion 349
Transmission of Heat 349
Latent Heat or Heat of Transformation 350
Thermodynamics 351
Light 351
Human Eye 356
Electricity 357
Electrochemical Cell 358
Magnetism 359
Atomic and Nuclear Physics 360
Electronics 362
Nanotechnology 363
CHEMISTRY 371
States of Matter 371
Elements 371
Compounds 372
Mixtures 372
Separation of mixtures 372
Atomic Structure 374
Radioactivity 376
Periodic Classification of Elements 377
Chemical Bonding 378
Acids, Bases and Salts 380
Electrolysis 383
Faraday’s Laws of Electrolysis 383
Carbon and its Compounds 384
Hydrocarbons 384
Plastics 385
Uses of Some Important Organic Compounds 385
Fuels 386
Metallurgy 387
Compounds of Metals and Non-Metals and Their Uses 388
Important Facts About Some Metals 389
Non-Metal 390
Common Facts 391
Air, water and their Pollution 391
Smog 392
Man-made substance 393
Glass 393
Soaps 393
BIOLOGY 395
Classification of Organisms 395
Study of Cell 395
Genetics 399
Sex Determination in Human 399
Organic Evolution 400
Botany 401
Plants 401
Phanerogams or Floral Plant 401
Plant Morphology 402
Plant Tissue 403
Photosynthesis 403
Plant Hormones 404
Plant Diseases 404
Nitrogen cycle 404
Population and Biotic Community 404
ZOOLOGY 406
Classification of Animal Kingdom 406
Some Main Groups of Phylum Chordata 407
Human Blood 408
System of the Human Body 410
Circulatory System 412
Excretory System 413
Excretory Products 413
Central Nervous System 413
Peripheral Nervous System 414
Skeletal System 414
Muscular System 415
Reproductive System 417
Gonads 417
Respiratory System 418
Sense Organs 418
Nutrients 419
Diseases 421
Biotechnology 422
Science and Technology
Indian Space Research Organisation 429
Information Technology 449
Computers 449
Classification of Computers 450
Central Processing Unit (CPU) 452
Memory Unit (MU) 453
Input/Output 453
Computer Languages 454
World Panorama
United Nations 459
Important Lines and Boundaries 471
Indian Panorama
National Insignia 485
Defence Research in India 495
India’s Missile Programme 499
UNESCO World Heritage Sites of India 504
Famous Tourist Places in India 505
Important National and International Days and Dates 507
Books and Authors
Alphabetical Listing of Books 513
Awards and Honours
International Awards 535
International Beauty Contest 537
India’s International Awards 537
National Awards 537
Other National Awards 537
Gallantry Awards 537
Literary and Cultural Awards in India 538
Science Awards 538
Sports Awards 539
Games and Sports
Olympic Games 543
Commonwealth Games 544
ASIAN Games 545
SAF Games 545
Cricket 546
Women’s Cricket World Cup 546
ICC Twenty-20 Cricket World Cup 546
ICC Twenty-20 Women’s Cricket World Cup 546
Football 546
Hockey 547
Volleyball 548
Table Tennis 548
Basketball 548
Badminton 548
Lawn Tennis 548
Sports Terms 549
Cups and Trophies Associated With Sports 550
