Theory & Concepts

Master Static GK (Awards, Books, Capitals, Currencies, Sports) for SSC CGL

Get comprehensive theory, expert shortcuts, and hand-picked practice questions for Static GK (Awards, Books, Capitals, Currencies, Sports) specifically designed for the SSC CGL 2025-26 pattern.

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35 min readGK: General AwarenessWeightage: Very High

Static GK: National Awards, Historical Books, Sports & Currencies

Static GK is a high-volume, straight-to-the-point segment of the SSC CGL general awareness tier. Success requires rote learning of specific facts: award categories, historical classics and their authors, player counts of diverse sports, and capitals/currencies of key nations. This study page compiles these facts in tabular structures, interactive flowcharts, and provides 20 CGL-pattern questions.

Learning path

Civilian, Military & Sports Awards
Historical and Modern Books & Authors
Country Capitals, Currencies & Sports terms
20 Solved Practice Questions

1. National & International Awards

Awards highlight significant achievements in distinct fields of work. Use the interactive tree dashboard below to explore their details:

Select Award

Bharat Ratna

Instituted: 1954

Civilian (Highest)

India's highest civilian award, presented for exceptional service in art, literature, science, and public service of the highest order.

Key History / First Recipients:
First awarded to Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, C. Rajagopalachari, and Dr. C.V. Raman in 1954.

Regulations & details:
Maximum of 3 awards can be presented in any given year. Recommendations are made by the Prime Minister to the President.

Nobel Prize Quick Facts

Inception: Established in 1901 under the will of Alfred Nobel. Originally awarded in 5 fields: Physics, Chemistry, Physiology/Medicine, Literature, and Peace.
Economics: Added in 1968 by Sweden's central bank, first awarded in 1969.
Venues: The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in Oslo, Norway, while the others are presented in Stockholm, Sweden.

2. High-Yield Books & Authors

Books are categorized into historical (ancient/medieval court chronicles) and modern (freedom struggle or award-winning literature).

Historical Book	Author	Historical Significance
Arthashastra	Kautilya (Chanakya)	Ancient treatise on statecraft, economy, and military strategy during the Mauryan era.
Harshacharita	Banabhatta	Biography of Emperor Harsha, written by his court poet. First historical biography in Sanskrit.
Akbarnama	Abul Fazl	Official chronicle of the reign of Akbar. Its third volume is known as Ain-i-Akbari.
The Discovery of India	Jawaharlal Nehru	Written during his imprisonment (1942-1946) at Ahmednagar Fort, mapping India's history from Indus Valley onwards.
My Experiments with Truth	Mahatma Gandhi	Autobiography detailing his life up to 1921, originally written in Gujarati.

3. Countries, Currencies & Sports Parameters

Capitals and Currencies

Below are countries whose geographical locations or recent developments make them common CGL questions:

Kenya: Capital is Nairobi, Currency is Kenyan Shilling.
South Africa: Three capitals: Pretoria (Executive), Cape Town (Legislative), Bloemfontein (Judicial). Currency is South African Rand.
Brazil: Capital is Brasilia, Currency is Brazilian Real.
Japan: Capital is Tokyo, Currency is Japanese Yen.

Sports Player Counts

Memorize the exact team sizes in active play on the field:

Polo: 4 players
Basketball: 5 players
Volleyball: 6 players
Kabaddi / Water Polo: 7 players
Baseball / Kho-Kho: 9 players
Cricket / Football / Hockey: 11 players

4. Practice Questions (20 Premium Solved Questions)

Question 01CGL Pattern

In which year was the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award of India, instituted by the Government?

A) 1947

B) 1950

C) 1954

D) 1961

Correct answer: C) 1954

Step-by-step Solution

Step 1: The Bharat Ratna was instituted on 2 January 1954 by a presidential decree.

Step 2: The initial awards went to C. Rajagopalachari, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, and C.V. Raman.

Conclusion: Option C is correct.

Question 02CGL Pattern

Who was the first Indian citizen to receive the prestigious Nobel Prize, winning it in 1913 for Literature?

A) Rabindranath Tagore

B) C.V. Raman

C) Mother Teresa

D) Hargobind Khorana

Correct answer: A) Rabindranath Tagore

Step-by-step Solution

Step 1: Rabindranath Tagore won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913.

Step 2: He was awarded for his collection of poems, Gitanjali, becoming the first non-European to win a Nobel Prize.

Conclusion: Option A is correct.

Question 03CGL Pattern

The Jnanpith Award, India's highest literary honor, is presented annually to authors writing in languages listed in which Schedule of the Constitution?

A) Seventh Schedule

B) Eighth Schedule

C) Tenth Schedule

D) Twelfth Schedule

Correct answer: B) Eighth Schedule

Step-by-step Solution

Step 1: Jnanpith recognizes outstanding literary contributions in Indian languages.

Step 2: The Constitution's Eighth Schedule lists the 22 official languages of India, which serves as the eligibility criteria for the award (plus English since 2013).

Conclusion: Option B is correct.

Question 04CGL Pattern

What is the standard number of players on the court for a single team in an active game of Kabaddi?

A) 5 players

B) 6 players

C) 7 players

D) 9 players

Correct answer: C) 7 players

Step-by-step Solution

Step 1: A Kabaddi team consists of 12 players total, but only 7 players are on the court during active play.

Conclusion: Option C is correct.

Question 05CGL Pattern

Which of the following represents the oldest active football tournament in Asia, having been established in 1888?

A) Durand Cup

B) IFA Shield

C) Santosh Trophy

D) Rovers Cup

Correct answer: A) Durand Cup

Step-by-step Solution

Step 1: The Durand Cup was founded in 1888 in Shimla by Sir Mortimer Durand.

Step 2: It is the oldest football tournament in Asia and third-oldest in the world.

Conclusion: Option A is correct.

Question 06CGL Pattern

Who is the author of the ancient Indian treatise on statecraft, economic policy, and military strategy known as the 'Arthashastra'?

A) Megasthenes

B) Banabhatta

C) Kautilya

D) Kalidasa

Correct answer: C) Kautilya

Step-by-step Solution

Step 1: 'Arthashastra' was written during the Mauryan era.

Step 2: The author was Kautilya (also known as Chanakya or Vishnugupta), who was the prime minister and advisor to Chandragupta Maurya.

Conclusion: Option C is correct.

Question 07CGL Pattern

What is the capital and currency of the African nation Kenya?

A) Pretoria, Rand

B) Nairobi, Shilling

C) Cairo, Pound

D) Abuja, Naira

Correct answer: B) Nairobi, Shilling

Step-by-step Solution

Step 1: Nairobi is the capital of Kenya.

Step 2: The currency used is the Kenyan Shilling.

Conclusion: Option B is correct.

Question 08CGL Pattern

The Thomas Cup is a prestigious biennial international tournament associated with which of the following sports?

A) Lawn Tennis

B) Table Tennis

C) Badminton

D) Golf

Correct answer: C) Badminton

Step-by-step Solution

Step 1: The Thomas Cup is the world men's team championship in badminton.

Step 2: The women's equivalent is the Uber Cup.

Conclusion: Option C is correct.

Question 09CGL Pattern

The term 'Gambit' is highly associated with which of the following indoor board games?

A) Carrom

B) Chess

C) Billiards

D) Bridge

Correct answer: B) Chess

Step-by-step Solution

Step 1: A gambit is a chess opening in which a player sacrifices a pawn or piece with the hope of achieving a resulting advantageous position.

Conclusion: Option B is correct.

Question 10CGL Pattern

Who was the first recipient of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award (now renamed Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award) in 1991-92?

A) Sachin Tendulkar

B) Viswanathan Anand

C) Geet Sethi

D) Kapil Dev

Correct answer: B) Viswanathan Anand

Step-by-step Solution

Step 1: The Khel Ratna was introduced in 1991-92 to honor India's top athletes.

Step 2: Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand was the first recipient for his achievements in Chess.

Conclusion: Option B is correct.

Question 11CGL Pattern

The book titled 'The Discovery of India' was authored by which Indian leader during his imprisonment in the 1940s?

A) Mahatma Gandhi

B) Jawaharlal Nehru

C) Subhas Chandra Bose

D) Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Correct answer: B) Jawaharlal Nehru

Step-by-step Solution

Step 1: Jawaharlal Nehru wrote 'The Discovery of India' while imprisoned at Ahmednagar Fort (1942-1945) for his participation in the Quit India movement.

Conclusion: Option B is correct.

Question 12CGL Pattern

What is the official currency of the republic of South Africa?

A) South African Dollar

B) South African Rand

C) South African Dinar

D) South African Shilling

Correct answer: B) South African Rand

Step-by-step Solution

Step 1: The currency of South Africa is the Rand (ZAR).

Conclusion: Option B is correct.

Question 13CGL Pattern

Which of the following represents the highest gallantry award in India during peacetime?

A) Param Vir Chakra

B) Ashoka Chakra

C) Kirti Chakra

D) Vir Chakra

Correct answer: B) Ashoka Chakra

Step-by-step Solution

Step 1: Param Vir Chakra is the highest wartime gallantry award.

Step 2: Ashoka Chakra is the highest peacetime gallantry award (awarded for conspicuous bravery other than in the face of the enemy).

Conclusion: Option B is correct.

Question 14CGL Pattern

The Dronacharya Award is presented annually by the Government of India to honor outstanding individuals in which category?

A) Sports Coaches

B) Young Athletes

C) Literature Translation

D) Classical Dancers

Correct answer: A) Sports Coaches

Step-by-step Solution

Step 1: The Dronacharya Award (named after Guru Dronacharya of Mahabharata) was instituted in 1985.

Step 2: It is awarded to coaches who produce medal winners at prestigious international sports events.

Conclusion: Option A is correct.

Question 15CGL Pattern

The Booker Prize-winning novel 'The God of Small Things' (1997) was authored by which Indian writer?

A) Kiran Desai

B) Arundhati Roy

C) Salman Rushdie

D) Jhumpa Lahiri

Correct answer: B) Arundhati Roy

Step-by-step Solution

Step 1: 'The God of Small Things' is a semi-autobiographical debut novel.

Step 2: It was written by Arundhati Roy and won the Booker Prize in 1997.

Conclusion: Option B is correct.

Question 16CGL Pattern

How many players are on the court for a single team during an active game of Basketball?

A) 5 players

B) 6 players

C) 7 players

D) 11 players

Correct answer: A) 5 players

Step-by-step Solution

Step 1: A basketball team consists of 12 players, but only 5 are on the court at any time.

Conclusion: Option A is correct.

Question 17CGL Pattern

The term 'Chinaman' is a cricketing slang referring to which of the following bowling styles?

A) Right-arm fast-medium bowling

B) Right-arm off-break bowling

C) Left-arm unorthodox spin bowling

D) Left-arm orthodox spin bowling

Correct answer: C) Left-arm unorthodox spin bowling

Step-by-step Solution

Step 1: A left-arm unorthodox spin bowler uses wrist spin to spin the ball from off to leg for a right-handed batsman.

Step 2: This style is historically termed 'Chinaman'.

Conclusion: Option C is correct.

Question 18CGL Pattern

In which city is the Nobel Peace Prize presented annually?

A) Stockholm, Sweden

B) Oslo, Norway

C) Geneva, Switzerland

D) Copenhagen, Denmark

Correct answer: B) Oslo, Norway

Step-by-step Solution

Step 1: Under Alfred Nobel's instructions, the Peace Prize is chosen by a committee appointed by the Norwegian Parliament.

Step 2: Thus, it is presented in Oslo, Norway, while the other five prizes are presented in Stockholm, Sweden.

Conclusion: Option B is correct.

Question 19CGL Pattern

The classical biography 'Harshacharita' of Emperor Harsha was authored by his court poet named:

A) Kalidasa

B) Banabhatta

C) Harisena

D) Ravikirti

Correct answer: B) Banabhatta

Step-by-step Solution

Step 1: Banabhatta was the Asthana Kavi (court poet) of King Harshavardhana (606-647 AD).

Step 2: He wrote Harshacharita (deeds of Harsha) and Kadambari.

Conclusion: Option B is correct.

Question 20CGL Pattern

The Santosh Trophy is a prestigious national-level championship in India associated with which sport?

A) Hockey

B) Football

C) Cricket

D) Kabaddi

Correct answer: B) Football

Step-by-step Solution

Step 1: The Santosh Trophy was founded in 1941.

Step 2: It is the premier inter-state national football championship in India.

Conclusion: Option B is correct.

Strategy errors to avoid

Nobel Peace Prize Location Trap

Never select Stockholm for the Nobel Peace Prize. Unlike the other five disciplines presented in Sweden, the Peace Prize is specifically awarded in Oslo, Norway. CGL tests this geography detail frequently.

Thomas vs. Uber Cup Sports Genders

Remember that the Thomas Cup is for men's badminton and the Uber Cup is for women's badminton. Mixing up the genders in these matches is a common exam distractor.

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