SSC CPO General Knowledge & General Awareness Syllabus
Fifty marks that need no calculation, in a paper where every section runs on a thirty minute lock. This is the fastest section in SSC CPO Paper 1 to answer and the one that leaves you time you can carry nowhere else, since sectional timing means unused minutes expire.
What it buys instead is a completed section and a clear head going into the next one.
Where it sits in the exam
Detail | Value |
Paper | Paper 1 |
Questions | 50 |
Marks | 50 |
Time | 30 minutes, sectional |
Negative marking | 0.25 |
SSC CPO General Knowledge syllabus, topic wise
History
Ancient, medieval and modern India. The freedom struggle, major dynasties, important movements, together with world history at a light level.
Geography
Indian and world physical geography, rivers, mountains, climate, soils, agriculture, minerals, industries and national parks.
Indian polity and the Constitution
The Constitution, fundamental rights and duties, directive principles, Parliament, the judiciary, constitutional and statutory bodies, plus amendments.
Economic scene
Basic economic concepts, budget and taxation, banking and the Reserve Bank of India, inflation, national income and current government schemes.
Scientific research and general science
Physics, chemistry and biology at school standard, along with everyday applications, recent scientific developments and space and defence research.
Current events
Usually the eight to twelve months before the exam. Schemes, appointments, awards, sports, summits, defence exercises and science developments.
Static general knowledge
Art and culture, festivals, monuments, books and authors, important days, national symbols and organisations with their headquarters.
The policing questions nobody prepares
Questions on Delhi Police and the Central Armed Police Forces turn up in this paper more often than the notified syllabus suggests. Force structures, ranks, recent appointments, notable operations and the ministries the forces sit under all appear.
Almost no candidate prepares them deliberately, which makes them among the cheapest marks in the section. A few hours reading about the forces you are applying to join is worth more here than another week of general current affairs.
How to prepare
Read a daily newspaper from the start of your preparation. Fifty questions is a large block and none of it can be built in the final month.
Anchor static facts to news. A scheme in the news carries its ministry, its constitutional basis and the geography it applies to, and learning them together makes them stay.
Answer only what you know or can narrow down. At 0.25 per error on a one mark question, a two option guess is worth taking and a blind four option guess is roughly neutral.
Aim to finish inside twenty-five minutes. The section locks at thirty either way, and the habit of moving decisively through recall questions is what protects your pace in the sections that need it more.
Frequently asked questions
How many General Knowledge questions are asked in SSC CPO?
50 questions for 50 marks in Paper 1, with 30 minutes for the section.
How many months of current affairs should I cover?
Usually the eight to twelve months before the exam, weighted towards the most recent six.
Are questions asked about Delhi Police in SSC CPO?
Yes. Questions on Delhi Police and the central police organisations appear regularly and are worth preparing deliberately.
What is the negative marking in this section?
0.25 marks for each wrong answer.
Do these marks count towards the merit list?
Yes. Paper 1 marks form part of the 400 mark merit total.
Topics, marks, timing and negative marking on this page follow the scheme of examination in the latest SSC CPO notification published on ssc.gov.in.