50 Must-Know General Knowledge Questions for Competitive Exams – Ultimate GK Practice
General Knowledge is the backbone of competitive exams, testing candidates’ awareness of history, geography, science, politics, culture, and current affairs. From world capitals and landmark discoveries to national constitutions and artistic achievements, GK questions gauge the depth and breadth of one’s understanding of the world. Regular practice not only sharpens recall but also builds confidence for aptitude tests and interviews. This carefully curated list of 50 must-know General Knowledge questions covers essential facts and concepts frequently asked across various competitive examinations. Challenge yourself and master these key topics to gain an edge in your next test!
50 Must-Know General Knowledge Questions for Competitive Exams
1. What is the capital of Australia?
- A. Sydney
- B. Canberra
- C. Melbourne
- D. Brisbane
2. Who wrote the play “Romeo and Juliet”?
- A. Christopher Marlowe
- B. William Shakespeare
- C. Ben Jonson
- D. John Webster
3. In which year did India gain independence?
- A. 1945
- B. 1947
- C. 1950
- D. 1952
4. Which element has the chemical symbol ‘Fe’?
- A. Fluorine
- B. Francium
- C. Iron
- D. Fermium
5. Who was the first President of the United States?
- A. Thomas Jefferson
- B. Abraham Lincoln
- C. George Washington
- D. John Adams
6. Which planet is known as the Red Planet?
- A. Venus
- B. Mars
- C. Jupiter
- D. Saturn
7. What is the longest river in the world?
- A. Amazon
- B. Nile
- C. Yangtze
- D. Mississippi
8. Which year did World War II end?
- A. 1944
- B. 1945
- C. 1946
- D. 1947
9. Who painted the Mona Lisa?
- A. Michelangelo
- B. Raphael
- C. Leonardo da Vinci
- D. Donatello
10. Which gas do plants absorb from the atmosphere?
- A. Oxygen
- B. Nitrogen
- C. Carbon Dioxide
- D. Hydrogen
11. What is H₂O commonly known as?
- A. Salt
- B. Ammonia
- C. Water
- D. Hydrogen Peroxide
12. Which country is called the Land of the Rising Sun?
- A. China
- B. Japan
- C. Thailand
- D. South Korea
13. Who discovered penicillin?
- A. Marie Curie
- B. Alexander Fleming
- C. Louis Pasteur
- D. Robert Koch
14. Which is the smallest continent by area?
- A. Europe
- B. Australia
- C. Antarctica
- D. South America
15. What is the hardest natural substance?
- A. Gold
- B. Diamond
- C. Quartz
- D. Steel
16. Who is known as the Father of Computers?
- A. Charles Babbage
- B. Alan Turing
- C. Bill Gates
- D. Steve Jobs
17. Which river flows through Paris?
- A. Thames
- B. Seine
- C. Danube
- D. Rhine
18. What is the largest mammal?
- A. African Elephant
- B. Blue Whale
- C. Giraffe
- D. Hippopotamus
19. Which year did the Berlin Wall fall?
- A. 1987
- B. 1988
- C. 1989
- D. 1990
20. Who invented the telephone?
- A. Nikola Tesla
- B. Alexander Graham Bell
- C. Thomas Edison
- D. Guglielmo Marconi
21. Which is the tallest mountain above sea level?
- A. K2
- B. Kangchenjunga
- C. Mount Everest
- D. Lhotse
22. What is the currency of Japan?
- A. Yen
- B. Yuan
- C. Won
- D. Baht
23. Who discovered gravity when an apple fell on his head?
- A. Albert Einstein
- B. Galileo Galilei
- C. Isaac Newton
- D. Johannes Kepler
24. Which is the largest ocean?
- A. Atlantic
- B. Indian
- C. Pacific
- D. Arctic
25. Who wrote the national anthem of India?
- A. Rabindranath Tagore
- B. Bankim Chandra Chatterjee
- C. Sarojini Naidu
- D. Mahatma Gandhi
26. Which blood group is known as the universal donor?
- A. A+
- B−
- C. O−
- D. AB+
27. Which country hosted the 2016 Summer Olympics?
- A. China
- B. Brazil
- C. UK
- D. Russia
28. What is the SI unit of force?
- A. Joule
- B. Pascal
- C. Newton
- D. Watt
29. Who was the first woman Prime Minister of India?
- A. Pratibha Patil
- B. Indira Gandhi
- C. Sonia Gandhi
- D. Sarojini Naidu
30. Which day is celebrated as World Environment Day?
- A. June 5
- B. April 22
- C. March 21
- D. December 5
31. What is the powerhouse of the cell?
- A. Nucleus
- B. Ribosome
- C. Mitochondria
- D. Endoplasmic Reticulum
32. Which ancient wonder was located in Egypt?
- A. Hanging Gardens of Babylon
- B. Temple of Artemis
- C. Great Pyramid of Giza
- D. Statue of Zeus
33. Who composed the “Symphony No. 5 in C minor”?
- A. Bach
- B. Mozart
- C. Beethoven
- D. Haydn
34. What is the chemical formula of table salt?
- A. NaCl
- B. KCl
- C. CaCl₂
- D. MgCl₂
35. Which inventor is associated with the light bulb?
- A. Nikola Tesla
- B. Thomas Edison
- C. Michael Faraday
- D. Alexander Graham Bell
36. Which organ purifies blood in the human body?
- A. Heart
- B. Liver
- C. Kidney
- D. Lungs
37. What is the primary language spoken in Brazil?
- A. Spanish
- B. Portuguese
- C. French
- D. English
38. Which vitamin is produced when skin is exposed to sunlight?
- A. Vitamin A
- B. Vitamin B12
- C. Vitamin C
- D. Vitamin D
39. Who is known as the Iron Man of India?
- A. Mahatma Gandhi
- B. Jawaharlal Nehru
- C. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
- D. B.R. Ambedkar
40. Which machine is used to measure atmospheric pressure?
- A. Thermometer
- B. Barometer
- C. Hygrometer
- D. Anemometer
41. What is the largest desert in the world?
- A. Sahara
- B. Gobi
- C. Arabian
- D. Antarctic Desert
42. Who proposed the theory of relativity?
- A. Isaac Newton
- B. Albert Einstein
- C. Max Planck
- D. Niels Bohr
43. Which Indian state is the largest by area?
- A. Uttar Pradesh
- B. Maharashtra
- C. Rajasthan
- D. Madhya Pradesh
44. Which metal is liquid at room temperature?
- A. Mercury
- B. Gold
- C. Silver
- D. Copper
45. Who wrote “The Republic”?
- A. Aristotle
- B. Plato
- C. Socrates
- D. Cicero
46. Which vitamin is essential for blood clotting?
- A. Vitamin K
- B. Vitamin A
- C. Vitamin E
- D. Vitamin C
47. What is the chemical name for baking soda?
- A. Sodium Chloride
- B. Sodium Bicarbonate
- C. Sodium Carbonate
- D. Sodium Hydroxide
48. Which planet has the most moons?
- A. Saturn
- B. Jupiter
- C. Uranus
- D. Neptune
49. Who is the author of “A Brief History of Time”?
- A. Stephen Hawking
- B. Carl Sagan
- C. Brian Greene
- D. Neil deGrasse Tyson
50. Which city is known as the “City of Canals”?
- A. Amsterdam
- B. Venice
- C. Birmingham
- D. Bruges
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