Part IV — Current Affairs & Static GK

Chapter 4: Quick-Revision Current Affairs and Static GK Capsules

4.1 National Symbols

National Anthem: "Jana Gana Mana," composed by Rabindranath Tagore. National Song: "Vande Mataram," composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. National Emblem: the Lion Capital of Ashoka (from Sarnath). National Animal: Royal Bengal Tiger. National Bird: Peacock. National Flower: Lotus. National Fruit: Mango.

4.2 Current Key Office-Holders (as of August 2026)

As of August 2026, the President of India is Droupadi Murmu, and the Prime Minister is Narendra Modi. Candidates should verify current office-holders against the latest notification close to their examination date, since these can change.

4.3 Important International Organisations

United Nations (UN) headquarters: New York. World Health Organization (WHO) headquarters: Geneva. International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank headquarters: Washington, D.C. SAARC headquarters: Kathmandu.

4.4 Approach to Current Affairs Preparation

SSC Stenographer General Awareness questions frequently draw on current affairs from the preceding 6–12 months, covering appointments, awards, sporting events, government schemes, and important national/international days. Maintaining a regular habit of reading current affairs digests is the most reliable preparation strategy.

4.5 Practice Set — Current Affairs & Static GK (12 MCQs)

1. India's National Anthem, "Jana Gana Mana," was composed by:
   (a) Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay (b) Rabindranath Tagore (c) Sarojini Naidu (d) Iqbal
2. India's National Emblem is derived from:
   (a) The Ashokan Lion Capital at Sarnath (b) The Red Fort (c) The Taj Mahal (d) The Indian tricolour
3. India's National Animal is the:
   (a) Elephant (b) Royal Bengal Tiger (c) Lion (d) Peacock
4. The United Nations (UN) headquarters is located in:
   (a) Geneva (b) New York (c) Washington, D.C. (d) Paris
5. The World Health Organization (WHO) headquarters is located in:
   (a) New York (b) Geneva (c) Washington, D.C. (d) Vienna
6. The IMF and World Bank headquarters are both located in:
   (a) New York (b) Geneva (c) Washington, D.C. (d) London
7. As of August 2026, the President of India is:
   (a) Ram Nath Kovind (b) Droupadi Murmu (c) Pratibha Patil (d) A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
8. As of August 2026, the Prime Minister of India is:
   (a) Rahul Gandhi (b) Narendra Modi (c) Manmohan Singh (d) Amit Shah
9. India's National Flower is the:
   (a) Rose (b) Lotus (c) Sunflower (d) Marigold
10. SAARC's headquarters is located in:
    (a) New Delhi (b) Kathmandu (c) Islamabad (d) Dhaka
11. India's National Fruit is the:
    (a) Apple (b) Mango (c) Banana (d) Guava
12. SSC Stenographer General Awareness questions frequently draw on current affairs from approximately what preceding period?
    (a) The preceding 1 month only (b) The preceding 6–12 months (c) The preceding 5 years (d) Only events from the current day

Answer Key

1.(b)

2.(a)

3.(b)

4.(b)

5.(b)

6.(c)

7.(b)

8.(b)

9.(b)

10.(b)

11.(b) 12.(b)