A significant number of MBA entrance examinations like SNAP, IIFT, MAT, CMAT, XAT etc., have a separate section on General Awareness. This section can be further divided into 2 sub-sections: Static GK and Current GK. Broadly speaking, Current GK consists of areas/ topics that change overtime.
GK is a section feared by a majority of MBA aspirants, due to the unfamiliarity of the topics involved. Current GK preparation involves keeping yourself updated with the current affairs from India and around the world. This requires disciplined and regular reading of newspapers and current affairs magazines. Also, in order to fully understand a news piece, one must know the background as well as the concepts involved. This makes current GK preparation even more challenging.
In this article, we will first take a look at the past year trends with respect to the weightage given to current GK questions in the GK section of the papers mentioned above. Further, we will discuss how to prepare for this sub-section in a methodical manner. Also, we will see the broad areas from which you can expect questions from, along with the best resources for current affairs.
Why is GK Important?
GK-based questions, due to their inherent nature, provide you better accuracy. This is because, if you know the answer to a GK question, there is little scope for confusion! However, this is only applicable if you do not indulge in blind guesswork. Further, the GK section is highly time-efficient, as there is no calculation work and analysis involved. You can use this to your advantage by allocating more time to other sections of the examination.
GK - Past Year Paper Analysis
Level of Difficulty
The level of difficulty of the GK section, both static and current areas, varies across different examinations. The following diagram shows the relative levels of difficulty of the GK section in various MBA entrance tests. You must keep this in mind, if you are targeting any one of these exams specifically and prepare accordingly.
Questions from Current GK will focus on the important national and international events, in the past 12 months in the areas mentioned below:
- Economy - Economy is the most important topic in GK, and each year you can expect 5-10 question from it in all MBA entrance tests. Economy can be divided into two parts; World Economy and Indian Economy. In World Economy, you can expect questions related to the decisions and important meetings of global economic organizations like IMF, WB, WTO etc. Keep a tab on reports and major highlights of such organizations. New organizations that have been recently formed, e.g. NDB, AIIB etc. are also important.
Indian Economy is more important for MBA competitive examinations. So you must keep a note of major economic and financial decisions of the union government, with special focus on the most recently released budget. Also, recent trends in various macro-economic indicators like, inflation, GDP etc are important.
- Business & Corporate News - This section is also very important, especially for the IIFT and SNAP examinations. In this, you can expect questions related to recent mergers and acquisitions, with a special focus on acquisitions by Indian companies abroad. Also, new appointments at top positions of major Indian and Foreign companies feature in the exams. Questions may be asked on the new motto or tagline of a major company.
- Indian Polity - In this, you can expect questions on important laws, bills and constitutional amendments, recently passed or being considered by the government. New appointments at high levels of government, especially constitutional posts are important. Questions may be asked on the terms of reference of a committee established by the government of India in recent times. Further, you must also note down any new social sector scheme and its features recently announced by the government.
- Organizations - Any major decisions made by or events related to major world and Indian organizations are important as questions may be asked on them. Further, any new organization that has been established recently like the TPP is important. Further, you can expect questions on heads of such organizations, if they have been changed recently.
- New Developments in Science & Technology - In this, expect questions on recent breakthroughs and achievements in science related to communication, space, defense, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, IT etc. If you look at the past year questions papers, you will invariably find 2-5 questions from this section in various MBA entrance examinations.
- People in News - You can expect questions to be asked on people who have been in news for various reasons. Thus, keep a note of winners of international awards, authors of recently released books, etc. If an Indian or a Person of Indian Origin (PIO) is honoured internationally, then a question on him/ her can be expected.
- Sport - In the Sport section, questions may be asked related to recently held international level tournaments across various sports and the cities in which they were organized. Also, keep a tab of the winners of major international trophies, especially if there has been a winner from India.
- Miscellaneous - It would include questions that cannot be categorized under any of the above topics like those related to India's foreign policy, international political news, major international day celebrations, cultural festivals of India, etc.
How to Prepare Current GK
The best source to prepare current GK is the newspaper. How to read newspaper for MBA entrance examinations has been covered in a separate article/video. Besides newspapers, you may prepare current affairs of the last 12 months from any reputed competition-specific magazine like Competition Success Review, Pratiyogita Darpan etc.
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