Module 4 · IBPS PO General Awareness

Static GK

Countries, capitals, currencies, important days, books, authors, awards.

Countries & Capitals · Currencies · Awards · Books & Authors

Learning Objectives

Understand the fundamental concepts of Static GK
Apply key formulas and techniques to solve problems
Practice with exam-level questions to build speed and accuracy

Key Concepts

What is Static GK?

Static GK (General Knowledge) covers facts that do not change frequently — capitals, currencies, important days, national parks, dams, rivers, books and authors, awards and honors, sports tournaments, international organizations, and Indian constitution basics. Static GK is tested in IBPS PO, SBI Clerk, and RBI Grade B exams as part of the General Awareness section.

Key Topics in Static GK

1. Capital Cities and Currencies: Country-capital-currency triads. Important: India (New Delhi, Rupee), USA (Washington DC, Dollar), UK (London, Pound), Japan (Tokyo, Yen), China (Beijing, Yuan), Russia (Moscow, Ruble), Germany (Berlin, Euro), France (Paris, Euro), Australia (Canberra, Dollar), Brazil (Brasilia, Real).

2. Important Days and Dates: Republic Day (Jan 26), Independence Day (Aug 15), Gandhi Jayanti (Oct 2), International Yoga Day (Jun 21), World Environment Day (Jun 5), Human Rights Day (Dec 10), etc.

3. Books and Authors: Indian authors: 'The God of Small Things' by Arundhati Roy, 'Midnight's Children' by Salman Rushdie, 'Discovery of India' by Jawaharlal Nehru, 'My Experiments with Truth' by Gandhi, 'Wings of Fire' by APJ Abdul Kalam. International: '1984' by George Orwell, 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by Harper Lee.

4. Awards and Honours: Bharat Ratna, Padma awards (Vibhushan, Bhushan, Shri), Nobel Prizes (Peace, Literature, Science categories), Oscar Awards, Booker Prize, Dadasaheb Phalke Award, Arjuna Award, Dronacharya Award.

5. National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries: Jim Corbett (Uttarakhand), Kaziranga (Assam), Sundarbans (West Bengal), Ranthambore (Rajasthan), Bandhavgarh (MP), Periyar (Kerala), Kanha (MP), Gir (Gujarat).

6. Dams and Rivers: Bhakra Nangal (Sutlej), Tehri (Bhagirathi), Hirakud (Mahanadi), Sardar Sarovar (Narmada), Nagarjuna Sagar (Krishna), Damodar Valley (Damodar).

7. International Organizations: UN (HQ: New York), UNESCO (Paris), WHO (Geneva), IMF (Washington DC), World Bank (Washington DC), WTO (Geneva), SAARC (Kathmandu), BRICS (Shanghai).

Solved Examples

Example 1

What is the currency of Japan?

a) Won b) Yen c) Yuan d) Ringgit

Solution: b) Yen is the currency of Japan. South Korea uses Won, China uses Yuan, Malaysia uses Ringgit.

Example 2

World Environment Day is celebrated on which date?

a) June 5 b) April 22 c) July 11 d) March 22

Solution: a) June 5. April 22 is Earth Day. July 11 is World Population Day. March 22 is World Water Day.

Example 3

Who wrote the book 'The Discovery of India'?

a) Mahatma Gandhi b) Jawaharlal Nehru c) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar d) Rabindranath Tagore

Solution: b) Jawaharlal Nehru wrote 'The Discovery of India' while imprisoned at Ahmednagar Fort in 1942-1945.

Shortcut Techniques

Use acronyms and mnemonics — e.g., 'My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Noodles' for planet order, or 'Homely Rich Men' for HOMe and RUS (India's neighbouring countries).
Create mental maps — associate countries with their capitals using geographical location.
Group information — learn all countries in a region together (ASEAN, SAARC, G7, etc.) with their capitals.
For books-authors, remember the subject — e.g., if it's about India's freedom struggle, it's likely by an Indian leader.

Pro Tip

Static GK is high-reward for low effort — just 10-15 minutes daily of revision can help you remember key facts. Use flashcard apps like Anki for spaced repetition. Focus on the most exam-relevant topics: capitals/currencies, important days, and national parks.

Priority Topics

Based on previous year analysis: Current Affairs (40%), Static GK (15%), Polity (15%), Economy (15%), Science (10%), Environment (5%).

Memory Techniques

Use mnemonics, acronyms, and mind maps. Create weekly revision notes in question-answer format.

Pro Tip

Revise current affairs every Sunday. Spaced repetition ensures long-term retention without cramming.

Priority Topics

Based on previous year analysis: Current Affairs (40%), Static GK (15%), Polity (15%), Economy (15%), Science (10%), Environment (5%).

Memory Techniques

Use mnemonics, acronyms, and mind maps. Create weekly revision notes in question-answer format.

Pro Tip

Revise current affairs every Sunday. Spaced repetition ensures long-term retention without cramming.

Priority Topics

Based on previous year analysis: Current Affairs (40%), Static GK (15%), Polity (15%), Economy (15%), Science (10%), Environment (5%).

Memory Techniques

Use mnemonics, acronyms, and mind maps. Create weekly revision notes in question-answer format.

Pro Tip

Revise current affairs every Sunday. Spaced repetition ensures long-term retention without cramming.

Priority Topics

Based on previous year analysis: Current Affairs (40%), Static GK (15%), Polity (15%), Economy (15%), Science (10%), Environment (5%).

Memory Techniques

Use mnemonics, acronyms, and mind maps. Create weekly revision notes in question-answer format.

Pro Tip

Revise current affairs every Sunday. Spaced repetition ensures long-term retention without cramming.

Practice Questions

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