By Study Rhino Team | Updated April 2025
When preparing for competitive exams like UPSC, SSC, Banking, Railways, Defence, and State PSCs, candidates often focus heavily on current affairs. However, an equally important section that can make or break your score is Static General Knowledge (Static GK). Unlike current affairs, static GK doesn’t change over time, making it a high-return area with proper preparation.
In this article, Study Rhino brings you a complete guide to Static GK Topics that you must master if you’re aiming to crack any major Indian competitive exam. We’ve also included tips, tricks, and study resources to make your preparation efficient and result-oriented.
📌 What is Static GK?
Static GK refers to general knowledge that remains unchanged over time. It includes facts about history, geography, polity, economics, general science, important organizations, and more. Since these facts are not time-bound, you can prepare them once and revise periodically.
🎯 Why is Static GK Important?
- Consistent Weightage: Static GK questions regularly feature in competitive exams.
- Scoring Section: There’s no scope for ambiguity—facts are either right or wrong.
- Time-Saver: Unlike reasoning or maths, static GK doesn’t require calculations.
- Overlap with Syllabus: Static GK overlaps with UPSC Prelims, SSC Tier I, Bank exams, and even CDS and NDA exams.
🧠 Static GK Topics – Full List with Subtopics
Here is a curated list of Static GK topics categorized under different headers to streamline your preparation.
- Important National & International Days
- Republic Day, Independence Day, Gandhi Jayanti
- World Environment Day, World Health Day
- UN-declared International Days
🔹 Tip: Make a calendar with monthly observances.
- Countries, Capitals, and Currencies
- All countries and their capitals
- Currencies and their symbols
- Countries with recent name changes (e.g., Turkey to Türkiye)
🔹 Memory Hack: Use flashcards or apps like Anki.
- Indian Geography
- Rivers of India (Ganga, Brahmaputra, Yamuna, etc.)
- Important lakes, dams, and waterfalls
- States and their capitals
- National parks and wildlife sanctuaries
- Highest peaks and mountains
🧭 Examples:
- Longest River: Ganga
- Largest State by Area: Rajasthan
- Smallest State: Goa
- World Geography
- Continents and Oceans
- Important mountains (Alps, Andes, Rockies)
- Deserts, lakes, rivers (Amazon, Nile, Volga)
- Neighboring countries of India
- Indian History
- Ancient India: Indus Valley, Vedic Age
- Medieval India: Delhi Sultanate, Mughals
- Modern India: British Rule, Freedom Struggle
- Important Acts and Revolutions (Non-Cooperation, Quit India)
🔹 Pro Tip: Focus more on modern history for most exams.
- World History (Selective)
- French Revolution, American Revolution
- World Wars and their impact
- United Nations formation
- Cold War and significant treaties
- Indian Polity
- Indian Constitution: Parts, Schedules, Amendments
- Fundamental Rights and Duties
- Union Government Structure
- Parliament, President, Prime Minister roles
- Judicial System and Supreme Court
📘 Must Know: First constitutional amendment, Article 370, etc.
- Indian Economy (Static)
- Basic Economic Terms (GDP, Inflation, Fiscal Deficit)
- Five-Year Plans (now replaced by NITI Aayog)
- Budget Terms and Concepts
- Important Committees (Kelkar, Narsimham)
- National & International Organizations
- Indian Organizations: ISRO, DRDO, RBI, SEBI, CBI
- International: UN, WHO, WTO, IMF, World Bank
- Their headquarters and functions
🌍 Tip: Questions on organization HQs are common.
- Awards and Honours
- Bharat Ratna, Padma Awards
- Nobel Prizes
- Film and Sports Awards (Oscars, Arjuna, Dronacharya)
- International Peace or Science Awards
- Books and Authors
- Famous books by Indian and foreign authors
- Recent bestsellers
- Books by famous personalities or politicians
📚 Example Questions:
- Who wrote Discovery of India?
- Author of Midnight’s Children?
- Indian Art & Culture
- Classical Dances (Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi)
- Music Forms (Hindustani, Carnatic)
- Festivals and Fairs (Kumbh Mela, Pushkar Fair)
- Paintings and Architecture (Ajanta, Ellora, Mughal)
- Science and Technology (Basic)
- Physics: Laws, Units (SI Units)
- Chemistry: Elements, Periodic Table Basics
- Biology: Human body parts, plants, diseases
- Inventions and Discoveries
🔬 Popular Question Areas: Human Body, Vitamins, Inventors
- Sports and Games
- National Games of Countries
- Olympic Games (Host cities, symbols, motto)
- Cricket World Cup winners
- Important Stadiums and Sports Terms
- Defence & Space
- Indian Armed Forces: Commands, Ranks, Exercises
- DRDO and ISRO missions (Chandrayaan, Gaganyaan)
- Missiles: Agni, Prithvi, BrahMos
- Space Agencies of other countries (NASA, Roscosmos)
- Famous Personalities
- Presidents and PMs of India
- Famous Scientists, Poets, and Artists
- Reformers and Freedom Fighters
- Current leaders (Global and National)
- Important Summits and Conferences
- G20, BRICS, ASEAN, SAARC
- UN Climate Conferences (COP)
- Recent Global Economic Summits
- Indian Constitution – Key Facts
- Date of adoption and enactment
- Borrowed features
- Schedules and amendments
- Important Articles (Article 14, 21, 370, 356)
- Miscellaneous Topics
- First in India (First Woman PM, First Satellite)
- Superlatives (Tallest, Largest, Longest)
- Important Temples and Monuments
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India
- Static GK through Maps & Infographics
- Indian States and Rivers Map
- International Borders
- Trade Routes and Important Ports
- Capitals and neighboring countries of India
🗺️ Study Rhino Tip: Use blank maps for practice—label and test yourself!
🧩 Exam-Wise Static GK Strategy
Here’s how different exams treat Static GK:
| Exam | Weightage | Focus Areas |
| SSC CGL/CHSL | High | History, Polity, Geography, Science |
| Banking (IBPS/ SBI) | Moderate | National Parks, Awards, Economy |
| UPSC (Prelims) | High | Polity, History, Economy, Geography |
| Railways (RRB) | High | Current Affairs, Static GK, Science |
| CDS/NDA | Very High | Defence, History, Geography |
| State PSCs | Very High | State-specific GK, Polity, Culture |
📚 Best Resources to Prepare Static GK
- NCERT Books (Class 6–12) – Especially History, Geography, and Polity
- Lucent’s General Knowledge Book – One-stop solution
- Manorama Yearbook – Annual update of facts
- Study Rhino’s Static GK PDF Notes – Download our monthly compilations
- Mock Tests and Previous Year Papers – Practice makes perfect
🧠 Memory Tricks to Learn Static GK
- Mnemonics – e.g., “My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nachos” for planets
- Flashcards – Use apps like Quizlet or make your own
- Mind Maps – Great for topics like Polity or Economy
- Revision Timetable – Weekly review sessions
📝 Final Tips from Study Rhino
- 📌 Divide Static GK into daily chunks (e.g., 2 topics per day).
- 📌 Revise old topics every Sunday.
- 📌 Practice MCQs daily to improve recall.
- 📌 Create your personal GK notebook—write, don’t just read!
🔚 Conclusion
Static GK is not just about memorizing facts—it’s about strategic preparation. With the right approach, you can turn this section into your strength. It not only boosts your confidence but also gives you a scoring edge over other aspirants.
Stay consistent, stay curious, and keep revising. For daily GK quizzes, topic-wise notes, and mock tests—stay tuned with Study Rhino!
