General Knowledge for Competitive Examinations

Cover
About Pearson
About the Authors
How to Study for and Attempt the General Knowledge Section
Contents
Preface
Chapter 1   Indian History
	Stone Age
	Palaeolithic Age
	Harapan Civilization (2500–1750 BCE)
	Major Harappan Sites and their Excavators
	Decline of Indus Civilization: Different Views
	Vedic Age
	Origin of Aryans
	Later Vedic Period/Painted Grey Ware Phase (1000–600 bce)
	The Vedic Literature
	Epics
	Religious Movements (6th century BCE)
	Buddhism
	Jainism
	Mahajanpada Era
	Magadha Empire
	Rulers of Magadha
	Greek Invasion in India
	The Maurya n Empire (322–185 BCE)
	Shunga Dynasty (185–73 bce)
	Kanva Dynasty
	Satavahana Dynasty
	The Indo-Greek
	The Sakas
	Kushans (1st century BCE to 2nd century CE)
	The Gupta Dynasty
	Later Gupta Empires
	The Palas of Bengal
	The Senas
	The Rajputs (8th–18th ce)
	Medieval India
	The Slave Dynasty (1206–90 ce)
	Tughlaq Dynasty (1320–1414 ce)
	The Sayid Dynasty (1414–51 ce)
	Religious Movements or Bhakti Movement
	Saguna Saints (Ram-Bhakti)
	The Mughal Empire
	The Sur Empire
	Later Mughals
	The Maratha Empire
	Emergence of European Powers in India
	Nawabs of Bengal
	Anglo-Maratha Conflict
	Governors-General of Bengal
	Land Revenue System
	Governors-General of India
	Viceroys of India (Key Events During their Tenure)
	Social-Religious Reform Movements
	Struggle for Independence
	Chronology of Principa l Events
Chapter 2   Chronology of World History
	Before Christ/Before Common ERA (bc/bce)
	Christian Era/Anno Domini (ce/ad)
Chapter 3   Geography
	Section A: Physical and World Geography
		Introduction
		The Universe
		Galaxies
		Inner Planets
		Outer Planets
		The Earth
		Lithosphere
		Atmosphere
		Insolation (Solar Radiation)
		Hydrosphere
		Continents of the World
		Asia
		Europe
		North America
		Africa
		South America
		Australia and Oceania
		Antarctic circle
		Rivers of the World (Length Wise)
		Major Lakes Of the World
		Major Gulfs of the World
		Agriculture: Top Five Producers
		Minerals: Top Three Producers
		Minerals: Top Three Producers
		Main Plateaus of the World
		Important Straits of the World
		Important Cites on River Banks (World)
		Famous Industrialized Countries of the World
		Famous Foreign Towns Associated with Industries
		World’s Geographical Surnames
		Famous Tribes of the World
		World Famous Sites
		Famous Boundaries between Countries
	Section B: Indian Geography
		Introduction
		Physical Features of India
		Climate of India
		Seasons in India
		Natural Vegetation And Wildlife
		Types of Vegetation
		Wildlife
		Need for Environmental Conservation
		Mineral Resources of India
		Industries in India
		Energy Production in India
		Transpotation in India
		Census of India (2011)
		States and Union Territories of India
Chapter 4   Indian Polity and Constitution
	Introduction
	The Supreme Document
	Constituent Assembly
	The ConstItutIon of India
	Preamble
	Citizenship
	Fundamental Rights
	Directive Principles of State Policy
	Fundamental Duties
	Union Executive and Union Legislature
	Attorney General
	Union Judiciary
	Governor
	Chief Minister
	Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council
	Advocate General
	Emergency in India
	Amendment to the Constitution
	Miscellaneous Topics
	General Elections
	Centre–State Relations
	Election Commision of India
	Comptroller and Auditor General of India
	Finance Commision of India
	List of Important Articles
	List of Parts of the Constitution
	Schedules of the Constitution of India
	List of Prominent Constitutional Amendments
	Borrowed/Inspired Features of the Indian Constitution
	List of Prominent Cases
	The Constitution and Indian Polity Timeline
	Ready Reckoner
Chapter 5   Indian Economy
	Introduction
	Facts on Indian Economy
	Types of Economies
	Sectors of an Economy
	Types of Economies
	National Income
	Currency
	Planning
		Definition
		Types of Planning
		History of Planning in India
		Planning Commission
		The Niti Aayog
	Economic Reforms
		Background
		Economic Reforms in India
		Inflation
	Ag ricultural Sector
		Introduction
		Land Reforms
		Green Revolution
		Food Management
	Employment
		Introduction
		Prominent Government Initiatives
		Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA)
		Swarn Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana
		Skill India—Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojna
	Indian Financial Market
		Introduction
		Indian Money Market
		Indian Capital Market
		Regulatory Agencies
		Share Prices Index
		Sensex
	Industry
		Background
		Organizations Related to Industries
	Banking System
		Development of Banking System in India
		Narasimham Committee Report on Banking Sector Reform
		Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
		Imperial Bank of India
		Scheduled Banks
		Public Sector Banks
		Non-Banking Financial Corporations (NBFCs)
		Regional Rural Banks (RRBs)
		Banking Sector Reforms
		Monetary and Credit Policy
		Non-Performing Assets
		Demonetization
		Gold Monetization Scheme
		Mudra Bank
		Digital Payment Scheme—BHIM App
		Jan Dhan Yojna
		Insurance
		National Pension Scheme
		Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA )
	Tax Structure
		Definition
		Types of Taxes
		Surcharge and Cess
		Methods of Taxation
		Goods and Services Tax (GST)
	External Sector
		Definition
		Forex Reserves
		External Debt
		Currency Regime
		International Economic Organizations and India
		Brazil-Russia-India-China-South-Africa (BRICS)
		Some Important Economic Events
	Explanatory Terminology
		Abenomics
		Adverse Selection
		Antitrust
		Appreciation
		Asset
		Bad Debt
		Balanced Budget
		Balance of Payments
		Bond
		Budget Line
		Bullion
		Buyer’s Market
		Capital
		Capital Adequacy Ratio
		Carbon Credit
		Ceteris Paribus
		Classical Economics
		Collateral
		Collective Products
		Consortium
		Consumer Durables
		Consumer Non-durables
		Crony Capitalism
		Crowd Funding
		Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
		Debenture
		Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT )
		Decoupling Theory
		Deindustrialization
		Demat Account
		Demerger
		Derivatives
		Direct Investment
		Domino Effect
		Dow-Jones Index
		E-Business
		E-Commerce
		Economies of Scale
		Engel’s Law
		Environmental Taxes
		Equity Share
		Escrow Account
		Employee Stock Option Plans (ESOPs)
		Foreign Currency Convertible Bond (FCCB)
		Fiduciary Issue
		Financial Stability Board (FSB)
		Free-on-Board (FOB)
		Forward Contract
		Forward Trading
		Free Trade
		Free Port
		Game Theory
		Gifen Good
		Good Hart’s Law
		Greenfield Investment
		Green Shoe Option
		Gresham’s Law
		Hedge Funds
		Hoarding
		Indiference Curve
		Insider Trading
		Insolvency
		IPO
		Islamic Banking
		Kleptocracy
		London Interbank Ofered Rate (LIBOR)
		Liquidation
		Liquid Asset
		Liquidity
		Macro and Micro Economics
		Marginal Utility
		Market Capitalization
		Marshall Plan
		Merchant Banking
		Marshall Plan
		Merchant Banking
		Most Favored Nation
		Nash Equilibrium
		Oil Bonds
		Opportunity Cost
		Parkinson’s Law
		Penny Stocks
		Phillips Curve
		Pigyback Loan
		Pigou Effect
		Primary and Secondary Market
		Prisoner’s Dilemma
		Poverty Trap
		Predatory Pricing
		Purchasing Power Parity (PP)
		Retail Banking
		Reverse Takeover
		Residual Unemployment
		Ricardian Equivalence
		Say’s Law
		Shadow Banking
		Standard Deviation
		Stealth Tax
		Third-Party Insurance
		Total Product
		Transfer Payment
		Underwriting
		Unsecured Loan
		Viability Gap Funding (VGF)
		Venture Capital
		Vulture Funds
		WALRAS’S Law
		Welfare Economics
		Worker (Census Definition)
		Zero-Coupon Bond
		Washington Consensus
		The Policy Reforms Included Ten Propositions
Chapter 6   Everyday Science
	Section A: Physics
		Physical Quantity
		Motion, Force, and Laws of Motion
		Force
		Gravitation
		Relative Density
		Archimedes’ Principle
		Work, Energy, and Power
		Power
		Sound
		Electricity
		Optics
		Structure And Function of The Human Eye
		India’s Space Program
	Section B: Chemistry
		Matter in Our Surroundings
		Periodic Clasification of Elements
		Chemical Bonding
		Acids, Bases, and Salts
		Salts
		Metals and their Compounds
		Sodium
		Magnesium
		Aluminium
		Calcium
		Copper
		Silver
		Gold
		Platinum
		Zinc
		Mercury
		Lead
		Uranium
		Non-metals
		Hydrogen
		Silicon
		Nitrogen
		Phosphorus
		Oxygen
		Sulphur
		Chlorine
		Bromine
		Iodine
		Inert Gases
		Carbon
		Organic Chemistry
		Allotropes of Carbon
		Compounds in Our Surroundings
		Chemicals used in Our Surroundings
		Chemicals used in Medicines
		Chemicals used in Food
		Pollution
	Section C: Biology
		Cells
		Cell Organelles
		Carbohydrates
		Proteins
		Enzymes
		Vitamins
		Dietary Fibres
		Fat
		Cell Cycle and Cell Division
		Human Genome Project
		Genetic Diseases
		Clasification
		Viruses, Viroids, and Lichens
		Microbes or Microorganisms
		Plant Kingdom
		Plant Physiology
		Transport of Water and Minerals In Plants
		Important Minerals and Nutrition for Plants
		Macronutrients and Micronutrients in Plants
		Phylum Chordata
		Human Physiology
		Human Neural System
		Endocrine Glands and Hormones
		Human Diseases
		Excretory System
		Reproductive Organs
		Muscular System
		Skeletal System
		Ecosystem
		Biotic Community
		Biogeochemical or Nutrient cycles
		Adaptation in Organisms
		Adaptations in Animals
		Biotechnology
		Invention and Discoveries
Chapter 7   Science and Technology
	Space Research
	Indian Atomic Energy Commision
	Defence And Security
	International Decades by UNO
	Computers and Technology
Chapter 8   Miscellaneous
	India At A Glance
	Awards and Honours
	Books and Authors
	International Organizations
	List of Important Personalities
	Superlatives–World
	Superlatives – India
	Sobriquets–World
	Sobriquets–India
	Sobriquets–Persons
	Pioneers
	Important Days and Dates
	Abbreviations
	Countries of the World
	Sports & Games
	Major Multi-Sport Events In The World
	Prominent Sports
	lIST of PromInent Sporting Personalities
Credits