General Knowledge (GK) and Current Affairs are essential parts of everything today. From reading the newspaper to the famous KBC (Kaun Banega Crorepati?) to giving any competitive exam -- strong knowledge of GK and Current Affairs is required.
Suppose you want to get into any of the top colleges in India or get a well-secured, best post-retirement-benefits Government job. In that case, you need first to pass the entrance exam. All entrance exams have their subjects and syllabus but one subject in common - General Knowledge (GK) and Current Affairs .
General Knowledge (GK) and Current Affairs form at least 20-25% of every exam. It helps you get high marks in less time.
Preparing for General Knowledge (GK) and Current Affairs can be confusing and scary sometimes because there is no fixed content. You need to commit time every day to study.Giving online GK quizzes and Current Affairs mock tests is a must.
Let’s understand the subject and method to study in detail…
Why study for GK & Current Affairs online?
Today, GK & Current Affairs are a vital part of any competitive or entrance exam. Not just the main exam, but they are also asked in interviews and group discussions. Here the examiner is trying to see how up-to-date you are with the latest news worldwide.
News changes all the time. Any incident in one country can affect the activities of another country. So it is crucial to get instant news and updates. Being online is the best solution for this.
Due to its dynamic nature, there is no one fixed source to study from. You will need varied and updated study material. Today the internet, social media and different apps give instant updates about all the happenings around the world.
Lakhs of students give government job exams every year. But not everyone is selected. One of the problems is studying for GK & Current Affairs from a good source. Having the suitable online study material is of utmost importance.
Glow & Lovely Careers (formerly known as Fair & Lovely Career Foundation) provides well-planned sets of free online GK quizzes, practice tests and Current Affairs mock tests. They will ease your preparation for the actual exam.
Advantages of taking GK & Current Affairs online mock tests at Glow and Lovely Careers:
• You get a good idea of the exam pattern and syllabus
• Gives you a real-time experience of the actual exam
• Helps you manage time for each question -- you can practice in a way that you have time left at the end to recheck all your answers
• Helps you understand the topics in which you are weak and strong at
• It helps you point out any doubts you might have or any topic you get stuck in; you can get all your doubts cleared before the exam
• You need to register on the Glow and Lovely Careers website to get access to multiple free mock tests; you might also need to create a login on our partner websites
• Free Of Cost -- no fees or hidden costs
• Papers are set and checked by experts
• You get detailed and instant feedback
• Saves time and money -- no need to run around to search for past papers; everything is at your fingertips
• It saves your old results so you can compare them anytime
• Only you can access your results -- no need to announce your results to anyone if you don't want to
• You can give the tests as many times as you want
• You only need a computer or phone and an internet connection
• You can give the tests from anywhere and anytime you want -- a great option for working or married women and girls and new mothers
• Today many competitive exams andcourses are conducted online, so it helps you get used to the online exam pattern
• Good study-from-home option, especially during the pandemic
• Saves trees/paper and doesn't cause pollution
Let's talk about these subjects in detail...
What are General Knowledge (GK) and Current Affairs?
General Knowledge (GK) and Current Affairs form an essential part of today's competitive exams and entrance exams. Especially some of the significant Govt. exams such as:
• UPSC
• IBPS
• IAS
• NTSE
• CLAT
• Railways
• NDA
• CDS
• Defence
• Judiciary
• UPPSC
• RPSC
• GPSC
• MPSC
• TET (Teacher Eligibility Test)
• MPPSC etc.
To get help in selecting the right field for you,click here.
Since they are ONE subject of the exams, it is easy to think they are the same. But they are 2 different subjects with different topics.
Let’s learn about each of them in detail…
General Knowledge or GK is common knowledge or information which everyone should know. Being aware of a range of subjects instead of having detailed information about just one particular topic. It includes past facts which you can't change. For example:
- Who was the first President of India?
- India lies in which continent?
- The number of planets in the solar system?
- Current Affairs means information of latest or recent happenings or news. To be aware of everything currently happening around you in the world. This is why it is also called General Awareness. For example:
- Who is the new defence minister?
- In which city is India's first National Film Museum?
- Which team won the world cup?
Common topics covered in the exams are:
These subjects, especially Current Affairs, is very dynamic. It changes all the time. There is no single subject or topic that can be pinpointed. Multiple events are going on simultaneously worldwide, and all of them could be important in their way. Some could have political or social importance, or some could be related to the environment. Also, one happening in one country could affect another country or the other. So staying updated about everything is very important. Here's a list of some topics that could help you prepare:
• Social Science -- Geography, History, Politics
• Literature - Books and Authors
• Business, Economy, Finance & Banking
• Defence
• Environment & Biodiversity, Places in News
• Important Days and Events, Summits and Conferences, Reports and Indices
• Awards, Honours & Persons in News, Obituary
• Art & Culture, Music, Film & Television
• Science & Technology, Medicine, Computer Awareness, Discovery and exploration
• Government Schemes, Nation & States news, Legal & Constitutional
• Sports
• Games
• Cookery
• Fashion etc.
Click here to see some sample papers for GK and Current Affairs.
The study material for the exam:
It is a very dynamic subject. There are many online and offline sources available. So it is essential to choose a suitable material. Remember to choose quality over quantity. Some of the best resources are:
• Daily newspapers -- read at least one local and 1 English newspaper every day.
• Magazines -- there are some monthly current affairs magazines also available.
• Government publications -- like Economic Survey, India Yearbook, etc.
• Audio and video resources available online - Google, Wikipedia and YouTube, are the best.
• Social Media - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, WhatsApp etc., have online GK and Current Affairs groups and pages.
• Radio -- All India Radio and other channels. They also have a separate news time.
• Television -- News Channels (e.g. Prime Time news) and Shows (e.g. KBC -- Kaun Banega Crorepati?).
• Quiz contests -- online and offline (e.g. Bournvita Quiz Contest by Derek O'Brien) etc.
Tips to know which news is important?
Even though we have a list of subjects or topics that we can study from, not all the content in the news is relevant. Whenever you're reading any news piece, think of the following points:
• Why is it in the news?
• What is the background information given -- any reports or facts?
• What is the present condition -- is there any action taken about it?
• Are there any plus and minus points?
• What is your idea about the situation -- what action would you suggest?
Tips to prepare for the exam:
• Understand the syllabus and pattern of the exam before you start studying.
• Decide from where and what you want to study -- there are many online and offline options. Remember to choose quality over quantity.
• Make a well-planned timetable where you dedicate time for different study options every day.
• Note down important points while studying. Many online options are also available, saving a lot of time. Remember to focus on the subject matter and not just the news or the headline.
• Pay attention to keywords -- they will help you form the link between the question and the answer during the actual exam.
• Revise regularly. The best way to revise is by giving online mock tests and GK quizzes. There are many good options for providingfree online mock tests for GK and Current Affairs.
• Don't try to mug up everything -- in this case, the best way to study is by memorising important dates and events. Just blindly trying to mug up the answers won't help.
• Practice writing regularly -- most GK and Current Affairs exams are in MCQ (Multiple Choice Questions) or short answer format.
Look for someexciting job opportunities after giving the exam. It will help you get experience.