General Study SSC Je
General Study SSC Je
General Study SSC Je
for
SSC-JE
STUDY MATERIAL
HISTORY
ANCIENT MEDIEVAL MODERN
STUDY MATERIAL
HISTORY ……………………………………………………01-66
UNIT-I
ANCIENT HISTORY
EARLY MAN
(a) Paleolithic Period (5,00,000 BC to 10000 BC)
Hunters used stone equipments.
Use of hand axes, cleavers and choppers is the characteristic feature of this period.
Sites: Valley of river soan (Pakistan), Thar Desert, Belan valley of Mirjapur (UP), Narmada
valley, Kashmir, Bhimbetka near Bhopal, Andhra pradesh, Central Madhya Pradesh.
(a) Harappa:
Unearthen by Dayaram Sahni in 1921.
Situated on the bank of river (Ravi) in Montgomery district of Pakistan Punjab.
Two rows of 6 granaries (Nearest to the river), labourer’s quarters.
Seal of virgin godess, stone symbol of male and female sex organs, painted pottery, two type of
cemetery (R-37, H), Dice, copper mirror, wheat and barley in wooden mortar, copper scale, clay
figure of Mother godess.
(b) Mohenjodaro:
Second site of Indus culture excavated in 1922 by R.D. Bannarji.
Largest site.
Largest building of Harappan culture, the great Granary found here.
Situated at the bank of river Indus in Larkana district of Sindh (Pakistan).
Mohenjodaro means “Mound of Dead”.
Great bath, Great granary, Bronze image of nude female with right hand on hips, multipillar
rectangular assembly hall, seals of Pashupati Mahadeva, 2 Mesopotamian seals, Steatite seal of
beared man, Painted seal of Demi god. Clay figure of Mother Godess, 1398 seals (57% of total
seal).
First street located in Mohenjodaro.
(c) Chahundaro:
Unearthened by Mackey (1925) and R.C. Majumdar (1931).
Situated on the banks of river Indus in Nawabshah district of Sindh (Pakistan).
Only Indus city with out Citadel.
Bronze toy cart, Terracota model of Bullock cart, Inkpot, Lipsticks, Metal workers, Impression
of dog’s paw on bricks.
(d) Lothal:
Excavated by S.R. Rao (1954).
Situated on the banks of the river Bhagava in Kathiawar district of Gujarat (India).
Only city having a artifical dockyard (world’s first tidal port).
Burial of male and female in same grave (Double burial), evidence of rice cultivation, terra cotta
figurine of horse. Iranian, Persian and Baharainian seals, Bead makers seal.
Game of chess evolved in Lothal.
(f) Banwali:
Excavated by R.S. Bist and located on banks of River Ghaggar in Hissar district of Haryana.
Largest number of barley grain found from the Banwali.
Lack of systematic drainage system, clay figure of Mother goddess.
(i) Daimabad:
Excavated by Dhavalikar, located in Maharastra on the river Pravara.
Largest number of bronze items found (charioteer with chariot, rhino, ox, elephant).
2. Animal Rearing:
Besides agriculture animal rearing also common in Indus civilization.
They reared buffaloes, oxen, sheep, asses camels, pigs, goats, dogs, elephants etc.
Remains of horses found only in Surkotada.
3. Trade:
There was extensive foreign and inland trade.
In land trade developed first among the areas of saurastra, Rajasthan, South India, Bihar
Uttar Pradesh, Maharastra.
Foreign trade with Sumeria or Mesopotamia (Iraq), Bahrain, Afganistan, central Asia.
4. Main Exports: Agriculture products, cotton goods, pottery, terracotta figurines, beads,
conch-shell, Ivory product, copper etc.
Iron was not known to Indus people.
Imports From
Jade Central Aisa
Torquoise Persia
Lapis Hazli and Sapphire Badak – shan (Afganistan)
Gold and silver Afganistan, Persia and Kolar (Karnataka)
Tin Afganistan
Stealite Shahar – i – sokhta, Kirthar hills
Copper Baluchistan, Arabia
Amethyst Maharastra
Bullock carts, pack animals and boats used for transportation.
INDIAN-POLITY
STUDY MATERIAL
CONSTITUTION (POLITY)
Constitution is the fundamental & organic law of the country establishing conception; character & organs
of its government as well as prescribing the extent of its sovereign powers and manner of its exercise.
Indian Constitution Is Written Constitution. Characteristics Of Written Constitution Are
It is Codified
Constitution Is Supreme
It is Enacted Constitution
It is rigid
It has dual polity.
Making of Indian Constitution
Constituent assembly is a body of members which is responsible for drafting constitution
Assembly at the time of Indias independence consist of indirectly elected member of parliament.
They were elected by elected member of provincial legislative assembly. Phases of constituent
assembly and characteristics associated with it are given below :–
Phase 1 (9 Dec. 1946 – 14 Aug. 1947)
Not sovereign body
Merely drafting body
Acted According to provision of Cabinet missions.
Phase 2 (15 Aug 1947-26 Nov 1949)
Sovereign body
Was drafting body as well as provisional parliament
Phase 3 (27 Nov 1949 – 22 Mar 1952)
Acted as provisional parliament
1st Amendment Act 1951was taken by provisional parliament. Inclusion of National Song,
National Anthem and tricolour were done.
We the people of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute> india into a sovereign, socialist,
secular democratic, republic and to secure to all its citizen JUSTICE, social, economic &
political; LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith & workship; EQUALITY of status &
oppurtunity ; and to promote among them all FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of endividual &
unity and integrity of the Nation. In our constituent assembly this 26th day of November 1949, do
hereby adopt, enact and give ourself this constitution.
Under article 3 union government can change name, area and boundary of state
Procedure defined under Article 3
Recommendation of President needed
President refer the bill for consent of state and the sets time limit for it. Opinion of state is not
binding on union.
Bill introduced in either house of parliament
Bill is passed by simple majority by both house of parliament.
CITIZENSHIP
Constitution do not lay down comprehensive definition regarding citizenship. All matter are
covered by Indian citizenship act 1955.
Citizenship law are based on two principle
(i) Jus soli (law of soil)
(ii) Jus sangauine (law of blood relationship)
5 modes of obtaining citizenship
(i) By birth (Jus soli) – Born on the soil of India and one or both parent of child
were Indian.
(ii) By descent (Jus sangauine)
Person born outside India but one or both of parents were Indian citizens
(iii) By registration
ECONOMICS
STUDY MATERIAL
CONTENT
ECONOMICS……………………………………………………109-164
1. Important terms
2. Introduction to Econommics
4. Capital Market
5. Fiscal polity
6. Monetary polity
13. Practice-Set
1. INDIAN ECONOMY
Important Terms
AMALGAMATION: It is the final form of monopoly combination. When two independent firms or
limited companies constitute themselves into a single business entity it is called amalgamation. The
concerned business firms then lose their separate entity and merge into one. Amalgamation takes
place with a view to effect economies, reduce competition and capture markets.
ABSOLUTE ADVANTAGE: A country has an absolute advantage if its output per unit of input of
all goods and services produced is higher that of another country.
AGGREGATE: Any total (e.g., the gross national product; the sum of monthly sales).
AMORTISATION: The process of fully paying off indebtedness by istalments of principal and
earned interest over a definite time.
ANTI-TRUST: The laws and legal actions designed to ensure fair trade and competition and to
prevent business monopolies.
APPRAISAL FEE: The charge for estimating the value of property offered as security.
ASIAN-PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION (APEC): Forum to advance economic coop-
eration, trade, and investment freedom in the Asia-Pacific region, chaired by Indonesia. Goals in-
clude long run development, growth of small and medium sized businesses and infrastructure de-
velopment.
ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH-EAST ASIAN NATIONS (ASEAN): An economic cooperation,
which includes Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Brunei. The ASEAN
Alliance for Mutual Growth (AMG) is a multilateral initiative to encourage beneficial trade relations
between the US and ASEAN countries. .
ASSETS: Possessions of value, usually measurable in terms of rupees.
ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (ADB): Created to foster economic growth and cooperation in
the region of Asia and Far East and help accelerate economic development for the countries of the
region. The Head Office is located at Marila, Philippines.
AUTOMATION: Use of self-operating machines to perform processes within a manufacturing
system.
AUTOMATED CLEARING HOUSE - ACH: Electronic clearing and settlement system for ex-
changing electronic transactions among participating depository institutions; such electronic
transactions are substitutes for paper checks and are typically used to make recurring payments such
as payroll or loan payments.
AUTOMATED TELLER MACHINES - ATM: Computer-controlled terminals located on the pre-
mises of financial institutions or elsewhere, through which customers may make deposits,
withdrawals, or other transactions as they would through a bank teller. Other terms sometimes used
to describe such terminals are customer-bank .communications terminal (CBC) and remote service
unit (RSU). Groups of banks sometimes share ATM networks located throughout a region of the
country that may include portions of several states.
ARBITRAGE : When a person performs functions of middle man and buys and sells goods at a
particular time to cash the price differences of two markets, this action is termed as arbitrage. Pur-
chases are made in the market where price is low and at the same time, goods are sold in other mar-
ket where the price are high. Thus the middleman earns profit due to price difference in two markets.
GEOGRAPHY
WORLD GEOGRAPHY
&
INDIA GEOGRAPHY
STUDY MATERIAL
PART-I Part-II
WORLD GEOGRAPHY GEOGRAPHY OF INDIA
1. Universe 1. Introduction of india
2. The solar system 2. Physical features
3. Shape of earth 3. Drainage
4. Structure of the earth 4. Climate
5. Geomorphic processes 5. India annual rainfall
6. Land forms 6. Agriculture
7. Atmosphere 7. Tribes of india
8. Hydrosphere 8. Transport system (india)
9. To your knowledge 9. Coastal states of india
10. Partices set
CHAPTER-1
UNIVERSE
Geography term was coined by the Greek Scholar Eratosthenes (276 – 194 B.C), also known as
“Father of Geography”.
Physical Geography
Totality of all physical matters energy, the planets, stars, galaxies and the contents of the inter galactical
space.
Galaxy: A Huge congregation of stars held together by the forces of gravity.
Our own galaxy is Milky way or Akash Ganga
Andromeda nearest galaxy, spiral in shape
Dwarf galaxy latest known galaxy.
NGC 4486 (M87) and NGC 4472(M49) largest and brightest galaxies.
Theories of Universe Origin
Light Year:
The distance the light travel in one year is called light year.
CHAPTER-2
THE SOLAR SYSTEM
(ii) Heliocentric Theory: First advanced by Copernicus (1473 – 154), a Polish astronomer later
supported by Italian astronomer Galileo Gali lei (1564 – 1642), According to this theory.
The sun was the centre of the universe and the earth and other planets revolve round it.
B. Modern Theories:
(i) Buffon’s Hypothesis:
Proposed by French naturalist comet de Buffon (1749)
“Planetry system originated as the result of a collision between the sun and a huge comet, due to this
collision lot of matter freed from the sun on condensation this matter formed planets and sub planets.”
The Sun
Centre of solar system, ultimate source of energy for life on earth.
Diameter 1400000 kms.
Surface temperature 6000º C, temperature of centre around 15,000,000º C.
Composed of 71% Hydrogen, 26.5% Helium and 2.5% other elements.
Hydrogen is converted into Helium by nuclear fusion.
Shining surface of sun is called photosphere.
Outer layer of sun is called corona visible only during the total eclipse of sun or with special telescope
called coronagraph.
About 150 million kms away from earth.
Light of sun take 8.5 minutes to reach the earth.
The Planets
Opaque bodies which continuously revolving around the sun and lighted by the sun. There are eight
planets namely mercury, Venus, Earth Mass, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus Neptune.
Classification of Planets : Eight planets are divided in two groups.
(i) Inner Planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars are called inner planets because they lie between the
sun and belt of asteroids. These four planets are called Terrestrial planets or Earth like planets as they
are made up of rock and metals and have relatively high densities.
(ii) Outer Planets: Other four planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune are called outer planets as they lie
beyond the asteroid belt. These planets also called Jovian (Jupiter like) or gas gaint planets. Most of them
are much larger than terrestrial planets and have thick atmosphere, mostly of Helium and Hydrogen.
– Mercury and Venus are called inferior planets and rest of planets are called superior planets.
Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Earth
Venus Mars Mercury
Figure Sequence of planets according to their size (descending order)
1783,000,000 miles
485,000,000 miles
93,000,000 miles
36,000,000 miles
MERCURY
VENUS
EARTH
MARS
NEPTUNE
JUPITER
SATURN URANUS NEPTUNE
Inferior
planets
Superior planets
Figure: Sun and eight planets
GENERAL STUDIES
ENVIRONMENT
STUDY MATERIAL
CHAPTER-1
ENVIRONMENT
Introduction
Environmental studies deals with every issue that affects a living organism. It is essentially a
multidisciplinary approach that brings about relation of our natural world and human impact. It is an
applied science since it gives partial approach to make human civilization sustainable on the finite
resources that are available.
Environment is not a single subject because it is an integration of several subjects that include both
science as well as social studies. If we want to understand the different aspects of our environment. We
need to understand biology, chemistry, physics, geography, resource management economics and
population issues. Thus the scope of environmental studies is extremely wide and covers some aspects of
nearly every major discipline.
Ecology:
Ecology is a scientific study of the reciprocal relationship between organisms (including microbes, plants,
animals, man) with their environment. It deals with ways in which organism are affected by their
environment, how they make use of environmental resources including energy flow and mineral cycling.
The term ecology was coined in late 1868. It has been derived from two Greek word namely ‘oikos’
meaning home or place to live in and ‘logos’ meaning study. Literally it is the study of the home of
nature.
Ecology is defined as the scientific study of the relationship of the living organisms with each other and
with their environment.
Environment:
Everything that surrounds or affects an organism during its life time is collectively known as its
environment which comprises both living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) components. All organisms
i.e., from virus to man are dependent on the environment for food, energy, water, oxygen, shelter and
other needs.
The environment can be defined as the sum total of living and non-living components, influences and
events, surrounding an organism.
The environment provides us variety of goods and services which are important for our daily life. These
natural resources include air, water, soil and minerals, along with the climate and solar energy.
Concept of environment:
The relationship and interaction between organism and environment is complex. Since no organism can
survive without interacting with other organisms. So each organism has other organism as a part of its
environment. As we know environment is not static therefore both biotic as well as abiotic factors keep
changing continuously.
For example to understand it let us take the example of fish in the pond.
The fish in the pond consists of both biotic and abiotic component for e.g., microscopic organism called
plankton as well as aquatic plants and animals and decomposers are biotic component.
Abiotic components are light, water, oxygen, nutrients, other gases and organic matter are dissolved
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a complex set of relationship among the living resources, habitats and resident of an
area. It induces plants, trees, animals, fish, birds, micro-organism water, soil and people. An ecosystem
can be defined as the system resulting from the integration of all living and non-living factors of the
environment.
An ecosystem is an open system with a continuous but variable influx and loss of material and energy. It
is a basic functional unit with no limits of boundaries and consists of both biotic and abiotic components
interacting with each other both necessary for maintenance of life upon earth. Thus an ecosystem
represents the highest level of ecological integration which is energy based and this functional unit is
capable of energy transformation accumulation and circulation.
Concept of an ecosystem:
An ecosystem is a region with a specific and recognizable landscape form, for e.g., forest, grassland,
coastal area, wetland, mangroves, desert etc. The nature of the ecosystem depends on its geographical
features such as hills, mountains, plains, rivers, lakes, coastal areas or islands and is also controlled by
climatic conditions i.e., the amount of sunlight, temperature and rainfall in the region. The geographical,
climatic and soil characteristics form its non-living i.e. abiotic components.These features create
conditions that support a community of plants and animals whose evolution has produced to live in these
specific condition. The living part of an ecosystem is called biotic components.
Ecosystems are divided into Terrestrial or land based ecosystem and Aquatic or water based ecosystem.
These form the two main habitat conditions for the earth’s living organisms. Life can exist only in a small
portion of the earth’s land, water and atmosphere.
An ecosystem can be understood at various levels:
At global level: the skin or layer of the earth on the land, sea and air forms the biosphere.
At sub-global level: this is divided into biographical realms for e.g., Eurasia is called the Palearctic
realms, south and south east Asia is called oriental realms, North America is the Nearctic realm, South
America’s is Neotropicalrealm, Africa is the Ethiopian realm and Australia is Australian realm.
Components of Ecosystem:
The ecosystem comprises of two components are Biotic i.e. living components and Abiotic i.e. nonliving
component. But both the component of ecosystem and environment are same.
1. Biotic components:
It includes living organism consisting of plants, animals and microbes and are classified according to
their functional attributes into producers and consumers:
(a.) Primary producers: Autotrophs (self-nourishing)
These mainly consist of green plants which make their food from inorganic raw materials like
carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) in the presenceof sunlight through the process of
photosynthesis and supply indirectly to other non-producers.
(b.) Consumers: Heterotrophs
Consumers are incapable of producing food themselves so they depend on organic food derived
from plants, animals or both. Consumers can be divided into macro and micro consumers.
Omnivores are organism which consume both plants and animals e.g., Human being.
Ecotone
Ecotone is a zone of function between two or more diverse ecosystem for e.g, mangrove, wetlands forests
represent an ecotone between marine and terrestrial ecosystem, other example are grassland, estuary and
river bank.
Function of an Ecosystem
The function of an ecosystem is quite broad and dynamic. But its main function can be divided into three
parts:
1. Energy flow
2. Nutrient cycling (biogeochemical cycles)
3. Ecological succession