GK one-liner questions are the fastest way to revise static general knowledge before an exam. This handpicked set of 127 GK one-liner questions with answers covers the topics that repeat most often in SSC, Railway (RRB), Banking and State PSC papers — history, polity, geography, science, sports and famous firsts. Bookmark this page and revise it in short bursts — between classes, during commutes, or in the final minutes before you switch off at night. Each answer is kept to a single line so you can scan quickly, self-test, and move on without losing momentum.
Table of Contents
How to use these GK one-liner questions
Read a section at a time and cover the answer column first. Say the answer aloud, then check. Revisit the ones you miss the next day. Pair these one-liners with our detailed notes, such as the list of Prime Ministers of India and Indian states and capitals, to turn quick recall into deep understanding.
Topic-wise coverage in this set
The 127 questions below are spread across the subjects that carry the most static-GK marks. Use the table to jump to your weakest area first.
| Subject | Questions |
|---|---|
| Indian History | 15 |
| Indian Polity | 15 |
| Indian & World Geography | 15 |
| Static GK: India | 15 |
| General Science | 15 |
| Sports | 10 |
| Awards, Days & Organisations | 8 |
| Firsts in India | 12 |
| Economy & Banking | 12 |
| Books, Authors & Miscellaneous | 10 |
Indian History — one-liner questions
History one-liners focus on dates, dynasties, movements and leaders. Battles, founders and freedom-struggle events repeat almost every year.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who was the first Governor-General of independent India? | Lord Mountbatten |
| Who was the first and last Indian Governor-General of India? | C. Rajagopalachari |
| The Battle of Plassey was fought in which year? | 1757 |
| Who founded the Maurya Empire? | Chandragupta Maurya |
| Which edicts were inscribed by Emperor Ashoka? | The Ashokan (rock and pillar) edicts |
| Who is known as the ‘Napoleon of India’? | Samudragupta |
| The Quit India Movement was launched in which year? | 1942 |
| Who founded the Indian National Congress in 1885? | A. O. Hume |
| Who gave the slogan ‘Do or Die’? | Mahatma Gandhi |
| The Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place in which year? | 1919 |
| Who was the first woman ruler of Delhi? | Razia Sultana |
| The Dandi March (Salt Satyagraha) was led by whom? | Mahatma Gandhi |
| Which Mughal emperor built the Taj Mahal? | Shah Jahan |
| Who was the founder of the Sikh religion? | Guru Nanak Dev |
| The first session of the Indian National Congress was held in which city? | Bombay (Mumbai) |
Indian Polity — one-liner questions
Polity is high-scoring and stable. Articles, amendments, the Preamble and the roles of constitutional posts are perennial favourites.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How many fundamental rights are guaranteed by the Indian Constitution? | Six |
| Who is known as the chief architect of the Indian Constitution? | Dr. B. R. Ambedkar |
| Which article of the Constitution deals with the Right to Constitutional Remedies? | Article 32 |
| How many schedules are there in the Indian Constitution originally? | Eight (now twelve) |
| The Preamble of the Indian Constitution begins with which words? | ‘We, the People of India’ |
| Who appoints the Chief Justice of India? | The President of India |
| What is the minimum age to become the President of India? | 35 years |
| Which house of Parliament is known as the ‘House of the People’? | Lok Sabha |
| The Fundamental Duties were added by which amendment? | 42nd Amendment (1976) |
| Who is the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha? | The Vice President of India |
| The Directive Principles of State Policy were borrowed from which country? | Ireland |
| Which article abolishes untouchability? | Article 17 |
| What is the tenure of a Rajya Sabha member? | Six years |
| Who has the power to declare a financial emergency? | The President |
| The concept of ‘Fundamental Rights’ was borrowed from which country? | United States of America |
Indian & World Geography — one-liner questions
Geography one-liners mix Indian physical features with world facts. Rivers, mountains, boundaries and ‘largest/longest’ facts dominate.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Which is the longest river in India? | The Ganga |
| Which is the highest mountain peak in India? | Kangchenjunga |
| The Tropic of Cancer passes through how many Indian states? | Eight |
| Which is the largest state of India by area? | Rajasthan |
| Which is the smallest state of India by area? | Goa |
| Which planet is known as the ‘Red Planet’? | Mars |
| Which is the largest ocean in the world? | The Pacific Ocean |
| The Sun rises first in which Indian state? | Arunachal Pradesh |
| Which is the largest desert in the world? | The Sahara Desert |
| Which line divides India and Pakistan? | The Radcliffe Line |
| Which river is known as the ‘Sorrow of Bihar’? | The Kosi |
| Which is the highest waterfall in India? | Kunchikal Falls |
| The Deccan Plateau lies between which two mountain ranges? | The Western and Eastern Ghats |
| Which strait separates India from Sri Lanka? | The Palk Strait |
| Which is the longest land border India shares with a neighbour? | With Bangladesh |
Static GK: India — one-liner questions
India-specific static GK — symbols, nicknames of cities, dances, temples and ‘firsts’ — appears in every general-awareness section.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is the national aquatic animal of India? | The Ganges River Dolphin |
| Which city is known as the ‘Pink City’? | Jaipur |
| Who was the first Indian to win a Nobel Prize? | Rabindranath Tagore |
| Which is the largest freshwater lake in India? | Wular Lake |
| The headquarters of ISRO is located in which city? | Bengaluru |
| Which city is known as the ‘City of Lakes’? | Udaipur |
| What is the currency of Bhutan? | The Ngultrum |
| The Sundarbans are located in which state? | West Bengal |
| Which dance form originates from Kerala? | Kathakali |
| Which is the largest port in India? | Mumbai (Jawaharlal Nehru Port is the largest container port) |
| The Konark Sun Temple is located in which state? | Odisha |
| Which Indian state has the longest coastline? | Gujarat |
| What is the national fruit of India? | Mango |
| Which festival is known as the ‘Festival of Lights’? | Diwali |
| Which is the oldest mountain range in India? | The Aravalli Range |
General Science — one-liner questions
Science one-liners test everyday physics, chemistry and biology. Units, symbols, gases and human-body basics recur constantly.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is the chemical symbol of gold? | Au |
| Which gas is most abundant in the Earth’s atmosphere? | Nitrogen |
| What is the powerhouse of the cell? | The mitochondria |
| Which vitamin is produced when the skin is exposed to sunlight? | Vitamin D |
| What is the SI unit of electric current? | Ampere |
| Which is the hardest natural substance on Earth? | Diamond |
| What is the pH value of pure water? | 7 (neutral) |
| Which gas is used in electric bulbs? | Argon (an inert gas) |
| The speed of light is approximately how many km per second? | About 3,00,000 km/s |
| Which blood group is known as the universal donor? | O negative |
| What is the chemical formula of common salt? | NaCl (sodium chloride) |
| Which organ purifies the blood in the human body? | The kidneys |
| Which planet is the largest in our solar system? | Jupiter |
| What is the study of earthquakes called? | Seismology |
| Which metal is liquid at room temperature? | Mercury |
Sports — one-liner questions
Sports GK rewards quick memory of the game each trophy or term belongs to, plus Olympic and World Cup basics.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How many players are there in a cricket team? | Eleven |
| The Ranji Trophy is associated with which sport? | Cricket |
| How often are the Summer Olympic Games held? | Every four years |
| The term ‘birdie’ is associated with which sport? | Golf |
| The Thomas Cup is associated with which sport? | Badminton |
| How many rings are there on the Olympic flag? | Five |
| The Duleep Trophy is related to which sport? | Cricket |
| Which country won the first Cricket World Cup in 1975? | West Indies |
| The term ‘checkmate’ belongs to which game? | Chess |
| The Santosh Trophy is associated with which sport in India? | Football |
Awards, Days & Organisations — one-liner questions
Awards, important days and the headquarters of global bodies are predictable, low-effort marks if revised.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Which is the highest civilian award of India? | The Bharat Ratna |
| When is World Environment Day observed? | 5 June |
| The Dronacharya Award is given for excellence in which field? | Sports coaching |
| Where is the headquarters of the United Nations located? | New York, USA |
| When is International Yoga Day celebrated? | 21 June |
| The headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO) is in which city? | Geneva, Switzerland |
| Which award is known as the ‘Nobel Prize of Mathematics’? | The Fields Medal |
| When is National Science Day celebrated in India? | 28 February |
Firsts in India — one-liner questions
‘Firsts’ is a chapter of its own in most exams — first woman, first in space, first medallist and similar facts are asked directly.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who was the first woman Prime Minister of India? | Indira Gandhi |
| Who was the first Indian in space? | Rakesh Sharma |
| Who was the first woman President of India? | Pratibha Patil |
| Who was the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal? | Karnam Malleswari |
| Who was the first Chief Election Commissioner of India? | Sukumar Sen |
| Which was the first talkie (sound) film of India? | Alam Ara |
| Who was the first field marshal of the Indian Army? | Sam Manekshaw |
| Who was the first woman to climb Mount Everest from India? | Bachendri Pal |
| Who was the first Indian to win an individual Olympic gold medal? | Abhinav Bindra |
| Which was the first state in India formed on a linguistic basis? | Andhra Pradesh |
| Who was the first Muslim President of India? | Dr. Zakir Husain |
| Who was the first Deputy Prime Minister of India? | Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel |
Economy & Banking — one-liner questions
Economy and banking one-liners matter most for Banking and Railway exams — regulators, full forms and basic terms lead here.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who is the current regulator of banks in India? | The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) |
| In which year was the Reserve Bank of India established? | 1935 |
| What does ‘GDP’ stand for? | Gross Domestic Product |
| Who was the first Governor of the RBI? | Sir Osborne Smith |
| What does ‘NEFT’ stand for? | National Electronic Funds Transfer |
| The financial year in India runs from which month to which month? | April to March |
| Which bank is known as the ‘banker’s bank’ in India? | The Reserve Bank of India |
| What does ‘IPO’ stand for in the stock market? | Initial Public Offering |
| Who prints currency notes in India (except one rupee)? | The Reserve Bank of India |
| What does ‘GST’ stand for? | Goods and Services Tax |
| Which is the largest public-sector bank in India? | State Bank of India (SBI) |
| What does ‘UPI’ stand for? | Unified Payments Interface |
Books, Authors & Miscellaneous — one-liner questions
Author-book pairs and miscellaneous science-and-terms one-liners round out the general-awareness section.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who wrote the book ‘Discovery of India’? | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| Who wrote the national anthem of India? | Rabindranath Tagore |
| Who is the author of ‘Arthashastra’? | Chanakya (Kautilya) |
| Who wrote ‘Wings of Fire’? | Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam |
| Which is the longest epic in the world? | The Mahabharata |
| Who composed ‘Vande Mataram’? | Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay |
| What is the study of coins called? | Numismatics |
| Which instrument measures atmospheric pressure? | The barometer |
| What is the largest gland in the human body? | The liver |
| Who invented the telephone? | Alexander Graham Bell |
How GK one-liner questions are framed in exams
In the actual paper, a one-liner fact is usually wrapped as a direct question, a match-the-following pair, or an odd-one-out. The underlying fact is the same — only the packaging changes. That is why revising the core fact (who, what, when, where) matters more than memorising a single phrasing. When you can recall the fact cleanly, you can answer it in whatever format the examiner chooses.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Confusing similar names — first President vs first Prime Minister, national animal vs heritage animal.
- Mixing up dates of nearby events (1919 Jallianwala Bagh vs 1942 Quit India).
- Ignoring “firsts” — a whole chapter that many skip and then lose easy marks.
- Reading passively — recall beats re-reading, so always test yourself.
Static GK weight in major exams
How much these GK one-liner questions matter depends on your target exam. In SSC CGL and CHSL, the General Awareness section leans heavily on static GK and science, so this set is directly relevant. In RRB NTPC and Group D, General Awareness carries the highest weight of any section, with static GK and current affairs together forming the bulk. In Banking (IBPS, SBI), static GK appears mainly through General/Financial Awareness, where banking one-liners and important days matter most. Knowing your exam lets you decide which sections above to drill hardest.
| Exam | Static GK relevance | Focus sections |
|---|---|---|
| SSC CGL / CHSL | High | History, Polity, Science, Static GK |
| RRB NTPC / Group D | Very high | Static GK, Geography, Science, Sports |
| IBPS / SBI | Moderate | Economy & Banking, Awards & Days |
| State PSC / TET | High | History, Polity, State-specific GK |
A 7-day one-liner revision plan
Spread these GK one-liner questions across a week so nothing is crammed and everything is revisited. Each day takes only 20–30 focused minutes.
| Day | Focus |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | History + Polity |
| Day 2 | Geography + Static GK (India) |
| Day 3 | Science + revise Day 1 |
| Day 4 | Sports + Awards, Days & Organisations |
| Day 5 | Firsts in India + Economy & Banking |
| Day 6 | Books & Authors + revise Day 2–3 |
| Day 7 | Full self-test of all sections |
Smart revision strategy
One-liners work best with spaced repetition. Revise this GK one-liner questions set on day 1, day 3 and day 7, then weekly. For current affairs, combine it with our current affairs preparation strategy. You can cross-check official exam details on the Staff Selection Commission website.
Consistency beats cramming. A few minutes of these GK one-liner questions every day will steadily build the static-GK score that many aspirants leave on the table.
Where to go next
Once you are comfortable with these one-liners, deepen each area with a full reference list. Start with the list of Presidents of India and the major rivers of India for history and geography, then lock in polity with our notes on the Fundamental Rights in the Constitution. For the moving target of current affairs, follow a fixed monthly routine rather than random reading. Treat these one-liner questions as your daily warm-up and the detailed notes as your main study — together they cover both speed and depth, which is exactly what the General Awareness section rewards.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are GK one-liner questions?
GK one-liner questions are short, single-line general knowledge questions with brief answers, designed for quick revision and recall before competitive exams.
Are these one-liners enough for SSC and Railway exams?
They are ideal for rapid revision of static GK, but should be combined with detailed subject notes, current affairs and previous year papers for full preparation.
How should I revise GK one-liner questions?
Use spaced repetition: cover the answer, recall it, then check. Revise on day 1, 3 and 7 and then weekly to move facts into long-term memory.
How many GK one-liner questions are in this set?
This set contains 100 important GK one-liner questions grouped across history, polity, geography, static GK, science, sports, awards and firsts in India.