100 Important GK Questions for Competitive Exams 2026

General Knowledge (GK) plays a crucial role in almost every competitive exam in India, including SSC, Railway, Defence, Banking, and State-level exams. A strong command of GK helps candidates score quickly because GK questions usually require less time and no calculations.

To help aspirants prepare effectively, we have compiled 100 most important GK questions for competitive exams 2026. These questions cover History, Geography, Polity, Science, and Current Affairs, which are commonly asked in exams like SSC GD, SSC CGL, CHSL, Railway NTPC, Group D, and Defence exams.

100 Important GK Questions for Competitive Exams

Indian History

1. Who was the first President of India?
Answer: Dr. Rajendra Prasad

2. In which year did India gain independence?
Answer: 1947

3. Who is known as the Father of the Nation?
Answer: Mahatma Gandhi

4. Who founded the Maurya Empire?
Answer: Chandragupta Maurya

5. Who built the Red Fort in Delhi?
Answer: Shah Jahan

6. The Battle of Plassey was fought in which year?
Answer: 1757

7. Who was the first Mughal Emperor of India?
Answer: Babur

8. Who founded the Gupta Empire?
Answer: Sri Gupta

9. Who wrote “Vande Mataram”?
Answer: Bankim Chandra Chatterjee

10. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre happened in which year?
Answer: 1919

Geography

11. Which is the longest river in India?
Answer: Ganga

12. Which is the highest mountain peak in the world?
Answer: Mount Everest

13. Which is the largest desert in India?
Answer: Thar Desert

14. Which river is known as the Sorrow of Bihar?
Answer: Kosi River

15. Which is the largest state in India by area?
Answer: Rajasthan

16. Which is the smallest state in India?
Answer: Goa

17. Which is the largest ocean in the world?
Answer: Pacific Ocean

18. Which is the longest river in the world?
Answer: Nile River

19. Which plateau is known as the Roof of the World?
Answer: Tibetan Plateau

20. Which is the highest dam in India?
Answer: Tehri Dam

Indian Polity

21. Who is known as the Father of the Indian Constitution?
Answer: Dr. B. R. Ambedkar

22. How many Fundamental Rights are there in the Indian Constitution?
Answer: 6

23. What is the tenure of the President of India?
Answer: 5 years

24. When did the Constitution of India come into effect?
Answer: 26 January 1950

25. Who appoints the Prime Minister of India?
Answer: The President

26. How many houses are there in the Indian Parliament?
Answer: Two

27. Which house is called the Upper House of Parliament?
Answer: Rajya Sabha

28. Who is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces?
Answer: The President of India

29. Which body conducts elections in India?
Answer: Election Commission of India

30. Which article deals with Fundamental Rights?
Answer: Articles 12–35

Science

31. What is the chemical formula of water?
Answer: H₂O

32. Who discovered gravity?
Answer: Isaac Newton

33. What is the speed of light?
Answer: 3 × 10⁸ m/s

34. Which gas do humans need to breathe?
Answer: Oxygen

35. Which planet is called the Red Planet?
Answer: Mars

36. Which vitamin is obtained from sunlight?
Answer: Vitamin D

37. What is the boiling point of water?
Answer: 100°C

38. What is the SI unit of force?
Answer: Newton

39. Which organ purifies blood in the human body?
Answer: Kidney

40. What is the largest organ of the human body?
Answer: Skin

Static GK

41. What is the national animal of India?
Answer: Tiger

42. What is the national bird of India?
Answer: Peacock

43. What is the national flower of India?
Answer: Lotus

44. What is the national river of India?
Answer: Ganga

45. What is the national sport of India (traditionally)?
Answer: Hockey

46. What is the currency of Japan?
Answer: Yen

47. Which is the largest continent?
Answer: Asia

48. Which is the smallest continent?
Answer: Australia

49. Which country is known as the Land of the Rising Sun?
Answer: Japan

50. Which city is known as the Pink City of India?
Answer: Jaipur

Mixed GK (Important for Exams)

51. Who was the first Prime Minister of India?
Answer: Jawaharlal Nehru

52. Which planet is closest to the Sun?
Answer: Mercury

53. What is the capital of Australia?
Answer: Canberra

54. Who invented the telephone?
Answer: Alexander Graham Bell

55. Which metal is liquid at room temperature?
Answer: Mercury

56. Which country hosted the first Olympic Games?
Answer: Greece

57. Which is the largest island in the world?
Answer: Greenland

58. What is the currency of the United Kingdom?
Answer: Pound Sterling

59. Which is the longest wall in the world?
Answer: Great Wall of China

60. What is the capital of Canada?
Answer: Ottawa

Sports GK

61. How many players are there in a cricket team?
Answer: 11

62. Which country invented football?
Answer: England

63. Which sport is associated with Wimbledon?
Answer: Tennis

64. Which country hosted the 2016 Olympics?
Answer: Brazil

65. Which trophy is associated with cricket?
Answer: ICC Cricket World Cup

66. Who is known as the Flying Sikh of India?
Answer: Milkha Singh

67. Which sport uses the term “love”?
Answer: Tennis

68. Where is the headquarters of the ICC?
Answer: Dubai

69. Which country won the first Cricket World Cup in 1975?
Answer: West Indies

70. Which Indian cricketer is known as the “God of Cricket”?
Answer: Sachin Tendulkar

Important Organisations

71. Where is the headquarters of the United Nations?
Answer: New York

72. Where is the headquarters of WHO?
Answer: Geneva

73. Where is the headquarters of UNESCO?
Answer: Paris

74. Where is the headquarters of the World Bank?
Answer: Washington, D.C.

75. Where is the headquarters of the IMF?
Answer: Washington, D.C.

Miscellaneous GK

76. Who wrote the Indian National Anthem?
Answer: Rabindranath Tagore

77. What is the capital of France?
Answer: Paris

78. What is the capital of Germany?
Answer: Berlin

79. What is the capital of Italy?
Answer: Rome

80. What is the capital of China?
Answer: Beijing

81. What is the capital of Russia?
Answer: Moscow

82. What is the capital of Nepal?
Answer: Kathmandu

83. What is the capital of Bhutan?
Answer: Thimphu

84. What is the capital of Bangladesh?
Answer: Dhaka

85. What is the capital of Sri Lanka?
Answer: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

86. Which is the largest river in the world by volume?
Answer: Amazon River

87. What is the hardest natural substance?
Answer: Diamond

88. Which gas is used in balloons?
Answer: Helium

89. Which planet is known for its rings?
Answer: Saturn

90. What is the SI unit of temperature?
Answer: Kelvin

91. Which instrument measures earthquakes?
Answer: Seismograph

92. Which blood group is called the universal donor?
Answer: O negative

93. Which blood group is called the universal recipient?
Answer: AB positive

94. Which metal is the best conductor of electricity?
Answer: Silver

95. What is the national tree of India?
Answer: Banyan Tree

96. What is the national aquatic animal of India?
Answer: Ganges River Dolphin

97. Which is the largest planet in the solar system?
Answer: Jupiter

98. Which country is known as the Land of Thunder Dragon?
Answer: Bhutan

99. Which Indian state is known as the Land of Five Rivers?
Answer: Punjab

100. Who is known as the Missile Man of India?
Answer: Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

Why GK is Important for Competitive Exams

General Knowledge is a high-scoring section in many competitive exams like:

• SSC GD

• SSC CGL

• SSC CHSL

• Railway NTPC

• Railway Group D

• Defence Exams

Regular practice of important GK questions and revision of static GK topics helps candidates improve accuracy and confidence during exams.

Best Way to Prepare GK for Competitive Exams

To master General Knowledge, follow these tips:

✔ Study Static GK regularly
✔ Practice MCQs and previous year questions
✔ Revise important facts daily
✔ Use updated competitive exam books

Students preparing for government exams can also use structured GK books with theory, MCQs, and previous year questions to strengthen their preparation.