Lecture Notes: General Knowledge and Static Portions for Exam Preparation

Course Introduction

• Emphasis on revising frequently asked questions in exams like AFKAT.
• Session focus: 50 core static questions.
• Duration: Approximately 1 hour.
• Class updates and resources will be shared on the T Branch platform.

Key Exam Topics Covered

United Nations (UN)

UN Agencies and Their Headquarters

• United Nations (UN): Formed in 1945. Full Form: United Nations.
• 6 Principal Organs of the UN:
  1. General Assembly
  2. Security Council (15 members - 5 permanent with veto power, 10 non-permanent)
  3. Economic and Social Council
  4. Trusteeship Council
  5. International Court of Justice (Headquarters: The Hague)
  6. Secretariat

Specialized Agencies and Their Headquarters

• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): Rome, Italy
• International Telecommunication Union (ITU): Geneva, Switzerland
• International Labour Organization (ILO): Geneva, Switzerland
• International Maritime Organization (IMO): London, UK
• International Monetary Fund (IMF): Washington D.C., USA
• United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO): Paris, France
• World Health Organization (WHO): Geneva, Switzerland
• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP): Nairobi, Kenya
• World Tourism Organization (UNWTO): Madrid, Spain
• World Bank Group: Washington D.C., USA (Original name: International Bank for Reconstruction and Development - IBRD)

Important Figures

• Principal Organ formation: 1945
• Security Council: 15 members, 5 permanent, 10 non-permanent
• Formation: 1945
• Max shareholding in World Bank: USA, 2nd Japan, 3rd Germany

Official Languages of the UN

1. Arabic
2. Chinese
3. English
4. French
5. Russian
6. Spanish

Environmental Protocols and Conventions

• Vienna Convention: Protecting the Ozone Layer
• Basel Convention: Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes
• Nagoya Protocol: Biodiversity
• Montreal Protocol: Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer
• Kyoto Protocol: Greenhouse Gases
• Stockholm Convention: Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
• Bonn Convention: Migratory Species
• Cartagena Protocol: Biological Diversity

World Bank Development Institutions

1. International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)
2. International Development Association (IDA)
3. International Finance Corporation (IFC)
4. Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA)
5. International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID)

Important General Knowledge Topics

Fixed Cost in Questions

• Shifting Cultivation Names:
  • India: Jhum (North-East India), Podu
  • World: Ladang (Indonesia), Milpa (Mexico)
• Grasslands:
  • North America: Prairies
  • South America: Pampas
  • Africa: Savannas
• Vitamins and Their Chemical Names:
  • Vitamin A: Retinol
  • Vitamin C: Ascorbic Acid

Revolutions in Agriculture

• Black Revolution: Petroleum
• Golden Revolution: Horticulture
• Silver Revolution: Eggs
• Brown Revolution: Leather and Coffee
• Blue Revolution: Fisheries
• Green Revolution: Agriculture
• Pink Revolution: Meat
• White Revolution: Milk (Operation Flood)

Planning in India

• First Five-Year Plan (1951–1956): Agriculture focus, based on Harrod-Domar Model
• Second Five-Year Plan (1956-1961): Heavy Industrialization, Mahalanobis Model
• Planning Commission (1950): Now replaced by NITI Aayog
• Notable Plans:
  • Fifth Plan: Focus on poverty alleviation (Garibi Hatao)
  • Twelfth Plan: Faster, sustainable, inclusive growth

Important Indian Civilizations

• Indus Valley Civilization Sites:
  • Mohenjo-daro: Great Bath
  • Harappa: Punjab, Pakistan

Indian Constitution and Important Amendments

• First Amendment (1951): Added 9th Schedule
• Seventh Amendment (1956): States Reorganization
• Forty-second Amendment (1976): Mini-Constitution
• Eighty-sixth Amendment (2002): Right to Education (Article 21A)

Military and Defense

Exercises

• Varuna: India-France
• Indra: India-Russia
• Shakti: India-France
• Garuda: India-Indonesia

Indian Missile Systems

• BrahMos: India-Russia joint venture
• Nag: Anti-tank Guided Missile
• Barak: Surface-to-Air Missile
• Akash: Surface-to-Air Missile

Achievements and Recognitions

• Olympics: Various host cities and notable achievements
• Books and Authors:
  • "Battle of Belonging" by Shashi Tharoor
  • "An Era of Darkness" by Shashi Tharoor

Notable Rivers of the World

• Tiber: Rome, Italy
• Danube: Vienna, Austria
• Tigris: Baghdad, Iraq

Additional Noteworthy Information

• Missile Systems: Types and origins
• Environmental Days: Important observance days related to the environment.

Recap and Revision

• Application of static knowledge in defense-related current affairs.
• Revision tips and practice questions for better recall.

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• Next Steps: Review provided notes, focus on key topics, and prepare for upcoming classes with a focus on defense examinations.