Static GK is the most rewarding part of SSC CGL preparation, because it never changes. A national park stays in the same state; a dance stays with its region; a book keeps its author. Learn a fact once and it pays you back in every exam you sit. The problem is that these facts are scattered across dozens of sources. This page fixes that — it is a single, most-repeated static GK reference, built from years of previous-year questions, organised so you can jump straight to any topic, test yourself, and revise without hunting around.
Updated: August 2026 · Compiled from SSC CGL PYQ trends (2016–2025). This page covers only evergreen static facts. Facts that change over time (current officeholders, latest award winners, current champions) are deliberately left out — see the note below.
Contents — tap any topic to jump
A. India — Nature & Geography
B. India — Art & Culture
C. India — People & Firsts
D. India — Institutions & Places
E. General Awareness Classics
A. India — Nature & Geography
National Parks ★ PYQ
| National Park | State | Known For |
|---|---|---|
| Jim Corbett | Uttarakhand | India’s oldest NP (1936); tigers |
| Kaziranga | Assam | One-horned rhinoceros |
| Gir | Gujarat | Asiatic lion |
| Sundarbans | West Bengal | Royal Bengal tiger; mangroves |
| Ranthambore | Rajasthan | Tigers |
| Kanha & Bandhavgarh | Madhya Pradesh | Tigers |
| Periyar | Kerala | Elephants |
| Dachigam | Jammu & Kashmir | Hangul (Kashmir stag) |
| Keibul Lamjao | Manipur | Only floating NP; Sangai deer |
Tiger Reserves
| Tiger Reserve | State |
|---|---|
| Jim Corbett | Uttarakhand |
| Bandipur & Nagarhole | Karnataka |
| Sariska | Rajasthan |
| Melghat | Maharashtra |
| Simlipal | Odisha |
| Sundarbans | West Bengal |
Biosphere Reserves
| Biosphere Reserve | Location |
|---|---|
| Nilgiri (first, 1986) | TN / Kerala / Karnataka |
| Nanda Devi | Uttarakhand |
| Gulf of Mannar | Tamil Nadu |
| Sundarbans | West Bengal |
| Great Nicobar | Andaman & Nicobar |
Ramsar (Wetland) Sites
India’s total Ramsar count keeps rising — these are the most-asked ones.
| Wetland | State |
|---|---|
| Chilika Lake | Odisha |
| Keoladeo | Rajasthan |
| Loktak Lake | Manipur |
| Wular Lake | Jammu & Kashmir |
| Sambhar Lake | Rajasthan |
Important Lakes ★ PYQ
| Lake | State | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Wular | J & K | Largest freshwater lake in India |
| Chilika | Odisha | Largest brackish-water lagoon |
| Sambhar | Rajasthan | Largest inland salt lake |
| Vembanad | Kerala | Longest lake in India |
| Loktak | Manipur | Floating phumdis |
Rivers & Their Origins
| River | Origin |
|---|---|
| Ganga | Gangotri (Gaumukh), Uttarakhand |
| Yamuna | Yamunotri, Uttarakhand |
| Godavari | Trimbak, Nashik (largest peninsular river) |
| Krishna | Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra |
| Kaveri | Talakaveri, Karnataka |
| Narmada | Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh |
Major Dams
| Dam | River | State |
|---|---|---|
| Tehri (tallest in India) | Bhagirathi | Uttarakhand |
| Bhakra Nangal | Sutlej | Punjab / HP |
| Sardar Sarovar | Narmada | Gujarat |
| Hirakud (longest dam) | Mahanadi | Odisha |
| Nagarjuna Sagar | Krishna | Telangana / AP |
Mountain Passes
| Pass | State / UT |
|---|---|
| Khardung La & Zoji La | Ladakh |
| Nathu La | Sikkim |
| Rohtang & Shipki La | Himachal Pradesh |
| Bomdi La & Se La | Arunachal Pradesh |
India’s Superlatives ★ PYQ
| Superlative | Answer |
|---|---|
| Largest state (area) | Rajasthan |
| Smallest state (area) | Goa |
| Largest state (population) | Uttar Pradesh |
| Highest peak in India | Kangchenjunga |
| Longest river | Ganga |
| Largest desert | Thar |
| Highest waterfall | Kunchikal Falls (Karnataka) |
✎ Quick self-test — Group A
1. In which state is Kaziranga National Park, and what is it famous for?
Assam — the one-horned rhinoceros.
2. Which is the largest brackish-water lagoon in India?
Chilika Lake (Odisha).
3. Tehri Dam is built on which river?
The Bhagirathi.
4. Nathu La pass connects India with which neighbour, and is in which state?
China; it is in Sikkim.
B. India — Art & Culture
Classical Dances ★ PYQ
| Dance | State |
|---|---|
| Bharatanatyam | Tamil Nadu |
| Kathak | Uttar Pradesh (North India) |
| Kathakali & Mohiniyattam | Kerala |
| Kuchipudi | Andhra Pradesh |
| Odissi | Odisha |
| Manipuri | Manipur |
| Sattriya | Assam |
Memory hook: there are 8 classical dances — Kerala has two (Kathakali & Mohiniyattam).
Folk Dances
| Folk Dance | State |
|---|---|
| Bhangra / Giddha | Punjab |
| Garba / Dandiya | Gujarat |
| Ghoomar / Kalbelia | Rajasthan |
| Bihu | Assam |
| Lavani | Maharashtra |
| Yakshagana | Karnataka |
| Chhau | Jharkhand / Odisha / WB |
Festivals
| Festival | State |
|---|---|
| Onam | Kerala |
| Pongal | Tamil Nadu |
| Bihu | Assam |
| Baisakhi | Punjab |
| Hornbill | Nagaland |
| Hemis | Ladakh |
| Chhath | Bihar |
Music & Instruments (Exponents)
| Instrument | Famous Exponent |
|---|---|
| Sitar | Pandit Ravi Shankar |
| Sarod | Amjad Ali Khan |
| Flute (Bansuri) | Hariprasad Chaurasia |
| Tabla | Zakir Hussain |
| Shehnai | Bismillah Khan |
| Santoor | Shivkumar Sharma |
Major Tribes
| Tribe | State / Region |
|---|---|
| Gond | MP / Chhattisgarh |
| Bhil | Rajasthan / MP |
| Santhal | Jharkhand / WB |
| Toda | Tamil Nadu (Nilgiris) |
| Bodo | Assam |
| Jarawa / Sentinelese | Andaman & Nicobar |
City Nicknames ★ PYQ
| Nickname | City |
|---|---|
| Pink City | Jaipur |
| Blue City | Jodhpur |
| Golden City | Jaisalmer |
| Garden / Silicon City | Bengaluru |
| City of Nawabs | Lucknow |
| Manchester of India | Ahmedabad |
| City of Lakes | Udaipur |
| Venice of the East | Alappuzha (Alleppey) |
✎ Quick self-test — Group B
1. Which two classical dances belong to Kerala?
Kathakali and Mohiniyattam.
2. Lavani is the folk dance of which state?
Maharashtra.
3. Which city is called the “Manchester of India”?
Ahmedabad.
4. Bismillah Khan is associated with which instrument?
The Shehnai.
C. India — People & Firsts
First in India (Men) ★ PYQ
| First | Person |
|---|---|
| President of India | Dr. Rajendra Prasad |
| Prime Minister | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| Deputy PM / Home Minister | Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel |
| Indian Governor-General | C. Rajagopalachari |
| Chief Justice of India | H. J. Kania |
| Indian Nobel laureate | Rabindranath Tagore |
| Indian in space | Rakesh Sharma |
First in India (Women) ★ PYQ
| First | Person |
|---|---|
| President | Pratibha Patil |
| Prime Minister | Indira Gandhi |
| Governor | Sarojini Naidu |
| Chief Minister | Sucheta Kripalani |
| IPS officer | Kiran Bedi |
| To climb Mt. Everest | Bachendri Pal |
| Speaker of Lok Sabha | Meira Kumar |
“Father of…” ★ PYQ
| Father of… | Person |
|---|---|
| The Nation (India) | Mahatma Gandhi |
| Indian Constitution | Dr. B. R. Ambedkar |
| Green Revolution (India) | M. S. Swaminathan |
| White Revolution | Verghese Kurien |
| Indian Space Programme | Vikram Sarabhai |
| Indian Nuclear Programme | Homi J. Bhabha |
| Genetics | Gregor Mendel |
| Economics | Adam Smith |
Personalities & Titles
| Title | Person |
|---|---|
| Iron Man of India | Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel |
| Nightingale of India | Sarojini Naidu |
| Missile Man of India | Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam |
| Frontier Gandhi | Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan |
| Punjab Kesari | Lala Lajpat Rai |
✎ Quick self-test — Group C
1. Who was the first Chief Justice of India?
H. J. Kania.
2. Who was the first woman Chief Minister in India?
Sucheta Kripalani.
3. Who is called the “Father of the Indian Space Programme”?
Vikram Sarabhai.
4. Which leader is known as the “Iron Man of India”?
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
D. India — Institutions & Places
Research Centres
| Centre | Location |
|---|---|
| ISRO Headquarters | Bengaluru |
| Satish Dhawan Space Centre | Sriharikota (AP) |
| Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre | Thiruvananthapuram |
| DRDO Headquarters | New Delhi |
| BARC | Mumbai |
Nuclear Power Plants
| Plant | State |
|---|---|
| Tarapur (oldest) | Maharashtra |
| Kudankulam (largest) | Tamil Nadu |
| Kaiga | Karnataka |
| Kakrapar | Gujarat |
| Rawatbhata | Rajasthan |
| Narora | Uttar Pradesh |
Major Stadiums
| Stadium | City |
|---|---|
| Narendra Modi Stadium (largest cricket stadium) | Ahmedabad |
| Eden Gardens | Kolkata |
| Wankhede | Mumbai |
| M. Chinnaswamy | Bengaluru |
| Arun Jaitley Stadium | Delhi |
Airports (Named After)
| Airport | City |
|---|---|
| Indira Gandhi International | Delhi |
| Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Intl. | Mumbai |
| Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Intl. | Kolkata |
| Kempegowda International | Bengaluru |
| Rajiv Gandhi International | Hyderabad |
| Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Intl. | Ahmedabad |
✎ Quick self-test — Group D
1. Where is the headquarters of ISRO?
Bengaluru.
2. Which is India’s oldest nuclear power plant?
Tarapur (Maharashtra).
3. In which city is the Narendra Modi Stadium?
Ahmedabad.
4. Kolkata’s international airport is named after whom?
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
E. General Awareness Classics
Books & Authors ★ PYQ
| Book | Author |
|---|---|
| The Discovery of India | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| Wings of Fire | A. P. J. Abdul Kalam |
| Gitanjali | Rabindranath Tagore |
| My Experiments with Truth | Mahatma Gandhi |
| Arthashastra | Kautilya (Chanakya) |
| Godan | Munshi Premchand |
| Train to Pakistan | Khushwant Singh |
| The God of Small Things | Arundhati Roy |
Important Days ★ PYQ
| Date | Day |
|---|---|
| 12 January | National Youth Day |
| 28 February | National Science Day |
| 22 March | World Water Day |
| 7 April | World Health Day |
| 1 May | International Labour Day |
| 5 June | World Environment Day |
| 21 June | International Yoga Day |
| 5 September | Teachers’ Day |
| 2 October | Gandhi Jayanti / Non-Violence Day |
| 10 December | Human Rights Day |
Inventions & Discoveries
| Invention / Discovery | By |
|---|---|
| Telephone | Alexander Graham Bell |
| Electric Bulb | Thomas Edison |
| Radio | Guglielmo Marconi |
| Penicillin | Alexander Fleming |
| X-ray | W. C. Roentgen |
| Dynamite | Alfred Nobel |
| Gravity (law) | Isaac Newton |
Awards & Their Fields
| Award | Field |
|---|---|
| Bharat Ratna | Highest civilian award (any field) |
| Dadasaheb Phalke | Cinema |
| Jnanpith | Literature |
| Arjuna Award | Sports |
| Dronacharya Award | Sports coaching |
| Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna | Highest sporting honour |
Sports Trophies
| Trophy / Cup | Sport |
|---|---|
| Ranji, Duleep, Irani Trophy | Cricket (domestic) |
| Durand Cup, Santosh Trophy | Football |
| Thomas Cup / Uber Cup | Badminton (men / women) |
| Davis Cup | Tennis |
| Ryder Cup | Golf |
Players per Team ★ PYQ
| Sport | Players (per side) |
|---|---|
| Cricket / Football / Hockey | 11 |
| Kabaddi / Water Polo | 7 |
| Volleyball | 6 |
| Basketball | 5 |
| Polo | 4 |
| Kho-Kho (on field) | 9 |
✎ Quick self-test — Group E
1. Who wrote “Wings of Fire”?
Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.
2. What is observed on 21 June?
International Yoga Day.
3. The Thomas Cup is associated with which sport?
Badminton (men’s team event).
4. How many players are there per side in Kabaddi?
Seven.
F. World GK
World Superlatives
| Superlative | Answer |
|---|---|
| Largest country (area) | Russia |
| Most populous country | India (since 2023) |
| Largest ocean | Pacific Ocean |
| Largest hot desert | Sahara |
| Highest mountain | Mount Everest |
| Largest continent | Asia |
| Smallest country | Vatican City |
| Highest waterfall | Angel Falls (Venezuela) |
Boundary Lines ★ PYQ
| Line | Between |
|---|---|
| Radcliffe Line | India – Pakistan |
| McMahon Line | India – China |
| Durand Line | Pakistan – Afghanistan |
| 38th Parallel | North – South Korea |
| 49th Parallel | USA – Canada |
| Maginot Line | France – Germany |
Capitals & Currencies
| Country | Capital | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | Tokyo | Yen |
| China | Beijing | Yuan (Renminbi) |
| Bangladesh | Dhaka | Taka |
| Bhutan | Thimphu | Ngultrum |
| Myanmar | Naypyidaw | Kyat |
| Russia | Moscow | Ruble |
Parliament Names
| Country | Parliament |
|---|---|
| India | Sansad |
| USA | Congress |
| Russia | Duma |
| Japan | Diet |
| Israel | Knesset |
| Iran / Maldives | Majlis |
| Germany | Bundestag |
✎ Quick self-test — Group F
1. The Radcliffe Line separates which two countries?
India and Pakistan.
2. Which is the smallest country in the world?
Vatican City.
3. What is the currency of Bhutan?
The Ngultrum.
4. The parliament of Israel is called?
The Knesset.
Where the rest of your GK lives
To keep every fact in exactly one place (and avoid you revising the same thing twice), a few static-GK areas are covered in their own dedicated guides:
- Scientific instruments, chemical names, vitamins and other science facts → General Science guide.
- Economic organisations, their headquarters and the agricultural “revolutions” → Economics guide.
- Rivers, soils, minerals and physical geography in depth → Geography guide.
How to revise this page
Don’t try to swallow it in one sitting. A method that actually sticks:
- One group a day. Read the tables, then do that group’s self-test with the answers hidden.
- Re-test, don’t re-read. Testing yourself locks facts in far better than passive reading.
- Star your misses. Note the handful you get wrong and revisit only those the next day.
- Cycle back weekly. Static GK is a memory game — spaced repetition beats cramming.
Turn this reading into marks. Take a free SSC CGL sectional mock in the exact 2026 pattern — the General Awareness section will show you how much of this actually sticks under the clock, and the result page points you to your weak spots.
Frequently asked questions
Q1. What is static GK in SSC CGL?
Static GK is the fixed, unchanging part of General Awareness — facts like national parks, dances, books and authors, awards, boundary lines and “first in India.” Unlike current affairs, these facts do not change year to year, which makes them the most reliable marks in the section.
Q2. How many static GK questions come in SSC CGL Tier-1?
SSC does not publish a sub-split of the 25 General Awareness questions. Miscellaneous static GK of the kind on this page typically contributes a few questions, and combines with static history, geography, polity and science to form the bulk of the section. Treat any number as a trend estimate, not an official figure.
Q3. Is static GK more important than current affairs in SSC CGL?
Both matter, but static GK gives a better return on effort because it never goes out of date. A fact you learn now stays useful for every attempt, whereas current affairs must be refreshed constantly.
Q4. Which static GK topics are most repeated in SSC CGL?
National parks, classical dances, “first in India,” books and authors, important days, boundary lines and city nicknames appear again and again. They are marked with a ★ PYQ flag on this page.
Q5. Does this list include changing facts like the current President or award winners?
No, on purpose. Officeholders, latest award winners and current champions change, so listing them would eventually mislead you. Pick those up from a current-affairs source close to your exam.
Q6. Does this page help for SSC CGL Tier-2 as well?
Yes. Tier-2 Paper-1 has a General Awareness module, and this static GK is equally useful there, so the revision carries forward.
Q7. How often should I revise this page?
Aim for one group per day and a full cycle every week or so. Static GK is a spaced-repetition game — short, frequent revisits beat one long cram.
Related reading: General Awareness Complete Guide · General Science · Economics · Geography · Reasoning · English
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