GK quiz

General knowledge Updated 11 Oct 2026

This gk quiz has 50 general knowledge quiz questions with answers, arranged in five rounds of ten so you can play it like a real quiz competition. The rounds cover India, science, history, world geography, and arts, culture and sports.

Each question has four options and a short explanation that tells you the fact behind the answer. Use it for school quiz practice, a family quiz night, classroom revision or as a warm up before SSC, bank and railway general awareness papers. Try one round at a time, count your score out of ten, and then read the explanations for the ones you missed.

Answered 0 / 50Right 0Wrong 0

Round 1: India GK quiz

Q1. Which animal is the national aquatic animal of India?
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Answer: D. Ganges river dolphin
The Ganges river dolphin was declared India's national aquatic animal to help protect this endangered freshwater mammal.
Q2. Jana Gana Mana, the national anthem of India, was written by which poet?
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Answer: C. Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore wrote Jana Gana Mana in Bengali, and it was adopted as the national anthem on 24 January 1950.
Q3. On which date did the Constitution of India come into force?
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Answer: B. 26 January 1950
The Constitution was adopted on 26 November 1949 and came into force on 26 January 1950, which we celebrate as Republic Day.
Q4. Which mountain pass connects Srinagar with Leh?
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Answer: A. Zoji La
Zoji La is a high pass in the Himalayas on the road between Srinagar and Leh.
Q5. The Gateway of India monument stands in which Indian city?
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Answer: D. Mumbai
The Gateway of India stands on the waterfront in Mumbai and was built to mark the 1911 visit of King George V.
Q6. Which Indian state is known as the Land of Five Rivers?
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Answer: C. Punjab
The name Punjab comes from the Persian words for five (panj) and waters (ab).
Q7. The Tropic of Cancer does NOT pass through which of these states?
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Answer: A. Odisha
The Tropic of Cancer passes through eight states including Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Mizoram, but it lies north of Odisha.
Q8. Which animal is the national heritage animal of India?
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Answer: B. Elephant
The elephant was declared the national heritage animal of India in 2010, while the tiger is the national animal.
Q9. Which article of the Constitution of India abolishes untouchability?
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Answer: B. Article 17
Article 17 abolishes untouchability and forbids its practice in any form.
Q10. Who served as the first President of the Republic of India, from 1950 to 1962?
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Answer: C. Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Dr. Rajendra Prasad became the first President of India in 1950 and served two full terms.

Round 2: Science quiz questions

Q11. What is the chemical symbol of gold?
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Answer: D. Au
The symbol Au comes from aurum, the Latin word for gold.
Q12. During photosynthesis, which gas do leaves absorb from the atmosphere?
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Answer: A. Carbon dioxide
In photosynthesis, plants use carbon dioxide and water with sunlight to make glucose and release oxygen.
Q13. What is the SI unit of force?
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Answer: B. Newton
Force is measured in newtons, named after Sir Isaac Newton; one newton accelerates one kilogram by one metre per second squared.
Q14. Iron oxide dust gives which planet its reddish colour?
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Answer: A. Mars
Mars looks red because its surface dust is rich in iron oxide, which is rust.
Q15. Sunlight falling on the skin helps the body make which vitamin?
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Answer: D. Vitamin D
Sunlight helps the skin produce vitamin D, which the body needs to absorb calcium for strong bones.
Q16. Which form of carbon is the hardest natural material known?
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Answer: C. Diamond
Diamond is a form of pure carbon in which each atom is strongly bonded to four others, making it extremely hard.
Q17. Which organ of the human body produces insulin?
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Answer: C. Pancreas
Insulin is made by the beta cells of the pancreas and controls the level of sugar in the blood.
Q18. Roughly how far does light travel in one second through empty space?
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Answer: A. 3 lakh km per second
Light travels at about 3 x 10^8 metres per second, which is about 3,00,000 km every second.
Q19. Red blood cells of which blood group can be given to a patient of any blood group?
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Answer: D. O negative
O negative red cells carry no A, B or Rh antigens, so they can be given to people of any blood group in an emergency.
Q20. Which acid is mainly found in lemons?
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Answer: B. Citric acid
Citric acid gives lemons and other citrus fruits their sour taste.

Round 3: History quiz questions

Q21. The Battle of Buxar (1764) was fought against an alliance of Mir Qasim, Shuja ud-Daula and which Mughal emperor?
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Answer: A. Shah Alam II
At Buxar the East India Company defeated Mir Qasim, Shuja ud-Daula of Awadh and Shah Alam II, and soon after gained the Diwani of Bengal.
Q22. Which ruler, guided by Chanakya, established the Maurya dynasty?
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Answer: C. Chandragupta Maurya
Chandragupta Maurya founded the empire around 322 BCE with the help of his adviser Chanakya.
Q23. In which city did the Jallianwala Bagh massacre take place?
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Answer: B. Amritsar
On 13 April 1919, troops under General Dyer fired on a peaceful gathering at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar.
Q24. The call 'Karo ya Maro' (Do or Die) in 1942 was given by which leader?
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Answer: D. Mahatma Gandhi
Gandhi gave the call 'Do or Die' in his speech in Bombay in August 1942 when the Quit India Movement was launched.
Q25. Who began the construction of the Qutub Minar in Delhi?
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Answer: D. Qutb ud-Din Aibak
Qutb ud-Din Aibak started the Qutub Minar, and his successor Iltutmish completed its upper storeys.
Q26. Gandhi's Salt March from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi began in which year?
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Answer: C. 1930
The Dandi March, or Salt March, began on 12 March 1930 from Sabarmati Ashram to protest the British salt tax.
Q27. Who was the first Governor-General of independent India?
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Answer: A. Lord Mountbatten
Lord Mountbatten served as Governor-General until June 1948, after which C. Rajagopalachari became the first Indian to hold the post.
Q28. Who founded the Arya Samaj?
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Answer: B. Swami Dayananda Saraswati
Swami Dayananda Saraswati founded the Arya Samaj in 1875 and gave the call 'Go back to the Vedas'.
Q29. Which Mughal emperor built the Taj Mahal?
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Answer: A. Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal in Agra in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal.
Q30. In December 1885, which Calcutta barrister chaired the very first session of the Indian National Congress in Bombay?
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Answer: C. W. C. Bonnerjee
The first session met in Bombay in December 1885 under W. C. Bonnerjee, while A. O. Hume helped organise it.

Round 4: World and geography quiz

Q31. Which is the largest ocean on Earth?
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Answer: D. Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean covers about a third of the Earth's surface, more than all the land put together.
Q32. Which planned city serves as the capital of Australia?
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Answer: B. Canberra
Canberra was chosen as a planned capital as a compromise between the two big cities, Sydney and Melbourne.
Q33. Which continent was once called the Dark Continent?
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Answer: A. Africa
European writers called Africa the Dark Continent because its interior was little known to them until the 19th century.
Q34. Mount Everest lies on the border between Nepal and which region?
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Answer: D. Tibet in China
Mount Everest stands on the border of Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.
Q35. Which country is called the Land of the Rising Sun?
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Answer: C. Japan
Japan's own name, Nihon, means 'origin of the sun', because it lies to the east of the Asian mainland.
Q36. Which boundary line separates India and Pakistan?
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Answer: B. Radcliffe Line
The Radcliffe Line was drawn by Sir Cyril Radcliffe in 1947 to divide Punjab and Bengal.
Q37. Which is the largest hot desert in the world?
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Answer: B. Sahara
The Sahara covers most of North Africa and is the largest hot desert on Earth.
Q38. Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka are separated by which narrow sea passage?
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Answer: C. Palk Strait
The Palk Strait lies between Tamil Nadu and the northern tip of Sri Lanka.
Q39. Which city in the province of Ontario is the capital of Canada?
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Answer: A. Ottawa
Ottawa, in the province of Ontario, is the capital of Canada, while Toronto is its biggest city.
Q40. The historic city of Timbuktu is in which country?
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Answer: D. Mali
Timbuktu in Mali was a famous centre of trade and Islamic learning on the edge of the Sahara.

Round 5: Arts, culture and sports quiz

Q41. Kathakali is a classical dance form of which state?
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Answer: D. Kerala
Kathakali from Kerala is known for its colourful make-up, large costumes and stories from the epics.
Q42. Bihu is the main festival of which state?
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Answer: B. Assam
Bihu is Assam's main festival and is celebrated three times a year in line with the farming seasons.
Q43. The Olympic flag shows five interlocking rings on which background colour?
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Answer: C. White
The flag has blue, yellow, black, green and red rings on a white background; together these colours appear in the flags of many nations.
Q44. Ustad Bismillah Khan was a famous player of which instrument?
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Answer: A. Shehnai
Bismillah Khan made the shehnai popular on the concert stage and was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2001.
Q45. Who wrote the ancient book on statecraft called the Arthashastra?
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Answer: B. Kautilya
Kautilya, also known as Chanakya, was an adviser to Chandragupta Maurya and wrote the Arthashastra on government and economics.
Q46. India's domestic first-class cricket championship between state teams is called what?
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Answer: C. Ranji Trophy
The Ranji Trophy is India's domestic first-class cricket championship, named after Ranjitsinhji.
Q47. India's national song Vande Mataram first appeared in which novel by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee?
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Answer: A. Anandamath
Vande Mataram is part of Anandamath, published in 1882, a novel set during the Sannyasi rebellion in Bengal.
Q48. Kuchipudi is a classical dance form of which state?
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Answer: D. Andhra Pradesh
Kuchipudi takes its name from a village in the Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh.
Q49. Pongal is a harvest festival mainly celebrated in which state?
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Answer: C. Tamil Nadu
Pongal is celebrated in Tamil Nadu in mid January, and is named after the sweet rice dish cooked on the day.
Q50. In chess, how many pieces does each player have at the start of a game?
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Answer: B. 16
Each player starts with 16 pieces: 8 pawns, 2 rooks, 2 knights, 2 bishops, a queen and a king.

How to prepare

Treat each round of this quiz as a short test. Answer all ten questions without looking at the explanations, note your score, and then read every explanation, including those for questions you got right, because the explanation often adds a second fact you can remember. Keep a notebook of the facts you missed and revise it before your next attempt.

For quiz competitions, practise speed: try to finish a round in five minutes. For SSC, bank and railway exams, static GK like national symbols, freedom struggle dates, dances and capitals appears often, so these rounds double as revision. Teachers can read one round aloud in class and let teams buzz in with the option letter.

Study tips

Play one round a day and aim to beat your previous score.
Group facts by theme, such as dances by state or battles by year, so they are easier to recall.
Say the answer and its explanation aloud once, because speaking a fact helps you remember it.

Questions people ask

How do I prepare for a GK quiz competition?

Revise static topics such as Indian history, geography, science, national symbols and culture, since most quiz rounds come from these. Practise with timed rounds of ten questions and learn the explanation behind each answer, not just the option.

Are these general knowledge quiz questions suitable for students?

Yes. The questions suit students from about class 6 upwards and also adults preparing for competitive exams. Younger children can attempt the India and science rounds with help from a parent or teacher.

How many questions are in this GK quiz?

There are 50 questions with answers in five rounds of ten: India, science, history, world geography, and arts, culture and sports. Each question has four options and an explanation.

Can I use this quiz for a classroom or family quiz night?

Yes. Read out a round, give teams a few seconds per question, and award one point for each correct option. The explanations let the quizmaster share an extra fact after every answer.

Every question on this page is written and fact-checked by the GK Quizzes team. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we will fix it. How we make our questions.