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By rohit.pandey1
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Updated on 5 Sep 2025, 11:01 IST
General Knowledge (GK) is your shortcut to understanding the world beyond your textbook—who did what, where places are, and what’s happening right now. This page brings you GK Questions for Class 8 with answers in simple language, plus quick one-liners, MCQs, and a short GK quiz to test yourself. Students’ll find topics you actually study—Science, History, Geography, Civics, Sports, Computers/Technology—along with current affairs (2025–26) so you stay up to date for school quizzes and Olympiads. Start with a few easy questions to warm up, move to moderate and tricky sets, and use the answer key (with short notes) to fix mistakes fast. There’s also a free printable PDF worksheet so you can practice offline.
Q: What is the SI unit of force?
A: Newton (N)
Q: What is the speed of light in vacuum (approx.)?
A: 3×1083 \times 10^8 m/s
Q: Which mirror is used as a rear-view mirror in vehicles?
A: Convex mirror
Q: What does pH 7 indicate?
A: Neutral solution
Q: Which gas do plants take in during photosynthesis?
JEE
NEET
Foundation JEE
Foundation NEET
CBSE
A: Carbon dioxide (CO₂)
Q: Which part of the cell is called the “powerhouse”?
A: Mitochondria
Q: Which vitamin is made in our skin in sunlight?
A: Vitamin D
Q: What is the chemical symbol of gold?
A: Au
Q: Which metal is liquid at room temperature?
A: Mercury (Hg)
Q: What is the hardest natural substance?
A: Diamond
Q: What carries oxygen in human blood?
A: Haemoglobin
Q: Name the process by which plants lose water as vapour through leaves.
A: Transpiration
Q: Which joint connects the skull to the backbone?
A: Atlas–axis (pivot joint at the top of the vertebral column)
Q: What is the basic unit of heredity?
A: Gene
Q: Which organ purifies blood in humans?
A: Kidneys
Q: Which gas is known as laughing gas?
A: Nitrous oxide (N₂O)
Q: Name the acid present in lemon.
A: Citric acid
Q: What is used to neutralise acidity in the stomach?
A: Antacids (like magnesium hydroxide)
Q: What is rust chemically?
A: Hydrated iron(III) oxide
Q: Which part of the plant conducts food from leaves to other parts?
A: Phloem
Q: Which force pulls objects towards Earth?
A: Gravity
Q: What is the unit of electric current?
A: Ampere (A)
Q: Which device converts mechanical energy into electrical energy?
A: Generator
Q: Name the process of conversion of sugar to alcohol by yeast.
A: Fermentation
Q: What do we call animals that eat both plants and animals?
A: Omnivores
Also Check: Rajsthan GK Questions with Answer
Q: In which year did the Revolt of 1857 begin?
A: 1857
Q: Who is known as the “Father of the Indian Constitution”?
A: Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
Q: When did India become a Republic?
A: 26 January 1950
Q: Who founded the Maurya Empire?
A: Chandragupta Maurya
Q: Which Mughal emperor built the Taj Mahal?
A: Shah Jahan
Q: Who was the first woman Prime Minister of India?
A: Indira Gandhi
Q: Who wrote “Arthashastra”?
A: Kautilya (Chanakya)
Q: Who is known as the “Iron Man of India”?
A: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Q: Which Indian reformer started the Brahmo Samaj?
A: Raja Rammohan Roy
Q: Who discovered the sea route to India (1498)?
A: Vasco da Gama
Q: In which year did World War II end?
A: 1945
Q: Who was the first President of independent India?
A: Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Q: Which freedom fighter gave the slogan “Do or Die”?
A: Mahatma Gandhi (Quit India Movement)
Q: Where was Gautama Buddha born?
A: Lumbini
Q: Who is known as “Napoleon of India” (some historians)?
A: Samudragupta
Q: What was the capital of the Chola Empire?
A: Thanjavur (one of the capitals)
Q: Which act is called the “Black Act” by Indian leaders?
A: Rowlatt Act (1919)
Q: Who wrote “Anandamath,” which includes “Vande Mataram”?
A: Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay
Q: Which battle in 1526 established Mughal rule in India?
A: First Battle of Panipat
Q: Who was known as the “Nightingale of India”?
A: Sarojini Naidu
Q: Which is the largest continent?
A: Asia
Q: Which is the smallest continent?
A: Australia
Q: Which is the longest river in the world (textbook answer)?
A: Nile
Q: Which is the highest mountain peak in the world?
A: Mount Everest
Q: Which is the largest ocean?
A: Pacific Ocean
Q: Which place in India receives the highest rainfall on average?
A: Mawsynram (Meghalaya)
Q: Which Indian river is called “Dakshin Ganga”?
A: Godavari
Q: Which plateau is called the “Roof of the World”?
A: Tibetan Plateau
Q: What is the capital of Sri Lanka?
A: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte (administrative); Colombo (commercial)
Q: What is the currency of Japan?
A: Yen
Q: Which desert is in Rajasthan?
A: Thar Desert
Q: Which is the largest state of India by area?
A: Rajasthan
Q: Which Indian state is known as the “Spice Garden of India”?
A: Kerala
Q: Through which states does the Tropic of Cancer pass in India (any two)?
A: Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tripura, Mizoram (any two)
Q: Which is the longest river within India (flowing length in India)?
A: Godavari
Q: Which city is called the “Pink City”?
A: Jaipur
Q: Which Indian lake is famous for floating phumdis?
A: Loktak Lake (Manipur)
Q: Which strait separates India and Sri Lanka?
A: Palk Strait
Q: Which is the largest country by area?
A: Russia
Q: Which line divides the Earth into Northern and Southern Hemispheres?
A: Equator
Also Check: GK Questions on Space with Answer
Q: How many Fundamental Rights are there in the Indian Constitution (current standard count)?
A: Six
Q: Which Article provides Right to Education (RTE)?
A: Article 21A
Q: How many Schedules are there in the Indian Constitution?
A: Twelve
Q: Who is the head of the Indian state?
A: The President of India
Q: Who is the head of the Indian government?
A: The Prime Minister of India
Q: What is the minimum age to vote in India?
A: 18 years
Q: What do we call the two houses of Parliament together?
A: The Parliament (Lok Sabha + Rajya Sabha)
Q: What is GDP?
A: Gross Domestic Product (value of all final goods & services produced within a country in a year)
Q: What is the full form of RBI?
A: Reserve Bank of India
Q: What is a budget?
A: A yearly financial statement of income and expenditure
Q: What is meant by “democracy”?
A: Government of the people, by the people, for the people
Q: What is the lowest court in the district judicial system?
A: District Court (with subordinate courts like Munsif/Junior Division; accept “District Court”)
Q: Which body conducts elections in India?
A: Election Commission of India
Q: Which amendment lowered the voting age from 21 to 18?
A: 61st Constitutional Amendment (1988)
Q: What is the national emblem of India taken from?
A: Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath
Q: How many players are there in a cricket team on the fielding side?
A: 11
Q: How many players are there on a football (soccer) team on field?
A: 11
Q: The Olympic Games are held every how many years?
A: 4 years
Q: The term “love” is used in which sport?
A: Tennis / Badminton (zero score)
Q: How many rings are there in the Olympic symbol?
A: Five
Q: Which country is known for the martial art Taekwondo?
A: Korea
Q: In chess, which piece can move in an “L” shape?
A: Knight
Q: In cricket, how many runs are scored for a boundary that touches the ground before crossing the rope?
A: Four
Q: What is the national sport of Japan often said to be?
A: Sumo wrestling (commonly accepted)
Q: Which sport uses a “puck”?
A: Ice hockey
Q: What does CPU stand for?
A: Central Processing Unit
Q: What does HTTP stand for?
A: HyperText Transfer Protocol
Q: Which key combination is commonly used to copy on a computer?
A: Ctrl + C (Cmd + C on Mac)
Q: Who is known as the world’s first computer programmer?
A: Ada Lovelace
Q: What does “AI” stand for?
A: Artificial Intelligence
Q: What is the full form of USB?
A: Universal Serial Bus
Q: What is the “brain” of the computer?
A: CPU (processor)
Q: Which device is used to connect a computer to the internet?
A: Modem/Router
Q: What is the basic unit of digital information?
A: Bit
Q: What does “OS” stand for in computers?
A: Operating System
Q: Who wrote “Gitanjali”?
A: Rabindranath Tagore
Q: “Mona Lisa” was painted by whom?
A: Leonardo da Vinci
Q: Bharatanatyam is a classical dance from which Indian state?
A: Tamil Nadu
Q: Who wrote “The Discovery of India”?
A: Jawaharlal Nehru
Q: Who is known as the “Shakespeare of India”?
A: Kalidasa (classical Sanskrit poet, often so called)
Q: “Panchatantra” is a collection of what?
A: Animal fables
Q: “Sitar” is associated with which family of instruments?
A: String instruments
Q: Who composed India’s National Anthem?
A: Rabindranath Tagore
Q: Where is the Konark Sun Temple located?
A: Odisha
Q: Who is the author of “Harry Potter” series?
A: J. K. Rowling
Q: On which date is Earth Day observed each year?
A: 22 April
Q: When is World Environment Day observed?
A: 5 June
Q: Which day is celebrated as International Day of Yoga?
A: 21 June
Q: National Science Day in India is observed on?
A: 28 February
Q: When is National Mathematics Day (India)?
A: 22 December
Q: Which international organisation is headquartered in Geneva and deals with world health?
A: World Health Organization (WHO)
Q: What does UNESCO stand for?
A: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
Q: Full form of ISRO?
A: Indian Space Research Organisation
Q: Which Indian mission successfully demonstrated soft-landing on the Moon’s south polar region?
A: Chandrayaan-3 (ISRO)
Q: Name India’s first indigenously built supercomputer series.
A: PARAM
Q: What is the shape of the Earth best described as?
A: Oblate spheroid
Q: The imaginary line dividing Earth into Northern and Southern Hemispheres is the…
A: Equator
Q: The line of 0° longitude is called the…
A: Prime Meridian (Greenwich Meridian)
Q: Standard time of India is based on which longitude?
A: 82°30′ E
Q: IST is how many hours ahead of UTC (GMT)?
A: +5 hours 30 minutes
Q: What do we call the long, narrow high-pressure belts near 30° latitude?
A: Subtropical highs (Horse latitudes)
Q: The zone of rapid temperature drop above the troposphere is the…
A: Stratosphere (temperature inversion due to ozone layer)
Q: What is a “delta”?
A: A triangular landform at a river mouth formed by deposited sediments
Q: What is a “tributary”?
A: A smaller river that joins a larger river
Q: A narrow sea passage between two landmasses is called a…
A: Strait
Q: The process by which rocks are broken down in situ is…
A: Weathering
Q: The world’s highest plateau is the…
A: Tibetan Plateau
Q: The largest (cold) desert in the world is…
A: Antarctica
Q: The largest hot desert in the world is…
A: Sahara
Q: The Ring of Fire is associated mainly with…
A: Volcanoes and earthquakes (Pacific Ocean margins)
Q: The highest mountain peak in the world is…
A: Mount Everest (8,848.86 m)
Q: The longest river (textbook/commonly taught) is the…
A: Nile (many sources debate Amazon)
Q: The largest ocean on Earth is the…
A: Pacific Ocean
Q: The Suez Canal connects which two water bodies?
A: Mediterranean Sea and Red Sea
Q: The Panama Canal connects which two oceans?
A: Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
Q: The strait between Asia and North America is…
A: Bering Strait
Q: The grasslands called “Prairies” are found in…
A: North America
Q: “Savanna” grasslands are typical of…
A: Tropical Africa (and parts of South America, Australia)
Q: The country with the largest area in the world is…
A: Russia
Q: The world’s saltiest large water body (natural) is…
A: Dead Sea (very high salinity)
Q: “Great Barrier Reef” lies off the coast of…
A: Australia (Coral Sea)
Q: Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest freshwater lake, is in…
A: Russia (Siberia)
Q: The Atacama Desert lies mainly in…
A: Chile
Q: The Alps mountain range is in…
A: Europe
Q: The Andes run along the western edge of…
A: South America
Q: Which is the highest peak located entirely in India?
A: Kangchenjunga (8,586 m)
Q: Which is India’s longest river by total length (overall river)?
A: Ganga (Ganges)
Q: Which is the longest river flowing entirely within India?
A: Godavari
Q: Name two west-flowing major rivers of Peninsular India.
A: Narmada and Tapi (Tapti)
Q: The Ganga–Brahmaputra delta is also called the…
A: Sundarban delta (world’s largest delta)
Q: The river Brahmaputra is called “Tsangpo” in…
A: Tibet
Q: The source of the Yamuna is…
A: Yamunotri (Uttarakhand)
Q: The Narmada originates near…
A: Amarkantak (Madhya Pradesh)
Q: The Chilika Lake (largest brackish water lagoon in India) is in…
A: Odisha
Q: Loktak Lake, famous for floating phumdis, lies in…
A: Manipur
Q: The Palk Strait separates India from…
A: Sri Lanka
Q: The Eastern Ghats and Western Ghats enclose which plateau?
A: Deccan Plateau
Q: The pass connecting Srinagar with Leh is…
A: Zoji La
Q: The longest coastline among Indian states is in…
A: Gujarat
Q: The Thar Desert lies mainly in which Indian state?
A: Rajasthan
Q: The Andaman & Nicobar Islands are in which sea/ocean region?
A: Bay of Bengal (eastern Indian Ocean)
Q: Lakshadweep is located in the…
A: Arabian Sea (southwest of India)
Q: The place in India with the highest average annual rainfall is…
A: Mawsynram (Meghalaya)
Q: The Southwest Monsoon generally reaches Kerala around…
A: Early June (onset)
Q: The winter (retreating) monsoon brings rain mainly to which coast?
A: Tamil Nadu (southeast coast) during Oct–Dec
Q: The most extensive soil type in the Northern Plains is…
A: Alluvial soil
Q: Black (Regur) soil is best known for which crop?
A: Cotton
Q: Red soil is common in which parts of India?
A: Southern and eastern peninsular regions (e.g., Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra, Odisha)
Q: The state known as the “Spice Garden of India” is…
A: Kerala
Q: The largest state of India by area is…
A: Rajasthan
Q: The capital of Sri Lanka (administrative) is…
A: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte (Colombo is the commercial capital)
Q: The strait between Europe and Africa is…
A: Strait of Gibraltar
Q: Mount Kilimanjaro is in…
A: Tanzania (Africa)
Q: “Cape of Good Hope” is in…
A: South Africa
Q: The world’s southernmost continent is…
A: Antarctica
Q: The river that flows through London is the…
A: Thames
Q: The country known as the “Land of the Rising Sun” is…
A: Japan
Q: The Tropic of Cancer does not pass through which of these—Gujarat, Rajasthan, Kerala, West Bengal?
A: Kerala (it doesn’t)
Q: The Sundarbans mangrove forest is shared by India and…
A: Bangladesh
Q: “Valley of Flowers” National Park is located in…
A: Uttarakhand
Q: Which ancient city is famous for the “Great Bath”?
A: Mohenjo-daro (Indus Valley)
Q: The Indus Valley script is…
A: Still undeciphered
Q: Which metal was not known to the Harappans—iron or bronze?
A: Iron (they used bronze)
Q: The oldest Veda is the…
A: Rigveda
Q: Who was the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism?
A: Mahavira
Q: Who founded Buddhism?
A: Gautama (Siddhartha) Buddha
Q: Which Mauryan emperor adopted “Dhamma” after the Kalinga War?
A: Ashoka
Q: The Kalinga War was fought around which year (BCE)?
A: 261 BCE (approx.)
Q: Ashoka’s edicts are written mainly on…
A: Rocks and pillars (Prakrit inscriptions)
Q: Who founded the Maurya Empire?
A: Chandragupta Maurya
Q: Who wrote the “Arthashastra”?
A: Kautilya (Chanakya)
Q: Which period is called the “Golden Age” of ancient India?
A: Gupta period
Q: Name one famous Gupta-age astronomer/mathematician.
A: Aryabhata
Q: “Kalidasa” is associated with which dynasty?
A: Guptas
Q: Which ancient university flourished in Bihar and attracted students from Asia?
A: Nalanda
Q: Who founded the Delhi Sultanate?
A: Qutb-ud-din Aibak (Mamluk/Slave dynasty)
Q: Who was the first woman ruler of the Delhi Sultanate?
A: Razia Sultan(a)
Q: The ruler known for market reforms and strict price control was…
A: Alauddin Khalji
Q: Which Sultan shifted the capital to Daulatabad and later reversed it?
A: Muhammad bin Tughluq
Q: Who started the construction of Qutb Minar?
A: Qutb-ud-din Aibak (completed by Iltutmish)
Q: Name one Bhakti saint who preached against caste discrimination.
A: Kabir / Guru Nanak / Mirabai (any one)
Q: Who founded the Mughal Empire in India?
A: Babur (after the First Battle of Panipat, 1526)
Q: Which Mughal emperor introduced the “Din-i Ilahi”?
A: Akbar
Q: The Mansabdari system is associated with which empire?
A: Mughals (Akbar)
Q: Who got the Taj Mahal built and in memory of whom?
A: Shah Jahan, in memory of Mumtaz Mahal
Q: Which Mughal emperor ruled for the longest period?
A: Aurangzeb
Q: Who founded the Maratha kingdom and was crowned at Raigad in 1674?
A: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj
Q: “Ain-i-Akbari” and “Akbarnama” were written by…
A: Abul Fazl
Q: The Sikh Guru who founded the Khalsa in 1699 was…
A: Guru Gobind Singh
Q: The “Nawabs” of Bengal became powerful after the decline of which empire?
A: Mughal Empire
Q: Which battle marked the beginning of British political rule in India?
A: Battle of Plassey (1757)
Q: Which battle secured British control over Bengal and led to Diwani rights?
A: Battle of Buxar (1764)
Q: Whose policy was the “Subsidiary Alliance”?
A: Lord Wellesley
Q: Whose doctrine was the “Doctrine of Lapse”?
A: Lord Dalhousie
Q: The 1857 revolt began at…
A: Meerut (and spread to Delhi, Kanpur, Lucknow, etc.)
Q: Who was the last Mughal emperor, deposed after 1857?
A: Bahadur Shah Zafar
Q: The Indian National Congress (INC) was founded in which year and city?
A: 1885, Bombay (Mumbai)
Q: Who is called the “Grand Old Man of India”?
A: Dadabhai Naoroji
Q: The partition of Bengal was carried out in… and annulled in…
A: 1905; annulled in 1911
Q: Who started the Brahmo Samaj and worked against Sati?
A: Raja Rammohan Roy
Q: The Vernacular Press Act (to curb the press) was passed in…
A: 1878 (Lord Lytton’s period)
Q: The Ilbert Bill controversy happened in…
A: 1883
Q: Who led the Home Rule League movement (1916)?
A: Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Annie Besant
Q: Gandhi’s first satyagraha in India was in…
A: Champaran (1917; indigo farmers)
Q: The Rowlatt Act and Jallianwala Bagh tragedy occurred in…
A: 1919 (Jallianwala Bagh on 13 April)
Q: The Non-Cooperation Movement began in… and was called off due to…
A: 1920; Chauri Chaura incident (1922)
Q: The Dandi (Salt) March started in…
A: 1930 (12 March), from Sabarmati to Dandi
Q: “Purna Swaraj” (Complete Independence) was declared at which INC session?
A: Lahore Session, 1929
Q: The Civil Disobedience Movement mainly occurred during…
A: 1930–1934
Q: The Quit India Movement was launched on…
A: 8 August 1942 (Bombay, “Do or Die”)
Q: Who organised the INA (Azad Hind Fauj) with the slogan “Jai Hind”?
A: Subhas Chandra Bose
Q: The Cabinet Mission came to India in…; India became independent on…
A: 1946; 15 August 1947
Q: The Indian Constitution was adopted on… and came into force on…
A: Adopted 26 Nov 1949; in force 26 Jan 1950
Q: Who is known as the “Father of the Indian Constitution”?
A: Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
Q: Who was the first President of India?
A: Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Q: Who was the first Prime Minister of independent India?
A: Jawaharlal Nehru
Q: Which leader is remembered as the “Nightingale of India”?
A: Sarojini Naidu
Q: “Vande Mataram” comes from which novel and author?
A: Anandamath by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay
Q: The slogan “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan” is associated with…
A: Lal Bahadur Shastri
Q: The American Declaration of Independence was in…
A: 1776
Q: The French Revolution began in… with the fall of the Bastille.
A: 1789
Q: The Industrial Revolution began in which country?
A: Britain (18th century)
Q: Who invented the printing press in Europe?
A: Johannes Gutenberg (15th century)
Q: The Russian Revolution took place in…
A: 1917
Q: World War I years and one result?
A: 1914–1918; League of Nations formed
Q: World War II years and one result?
A: 1939–1945; United Nations formed (1945)
Q: Who completed the first circumnavigation of the Earth (expedition)?
A: Ferdinand Magellan’s crew (1519–1522)
Q: Columbus reached the Americas in…
A: 1492
Q: The Berlin Wall fell in…
A: 1989
General Knowledge (GK) plays a vital role in building awareness, confidence, and academic success. If you're a Class 8 student looking to boost your GK, you're in the right place! In this guide, you'll discover effective GK preparation tips for Class 8, smart study techniques tailored to middle schoolers, and how to make GK learning engaging and fun.
1. Create a Structured GK Study Plan for Class 8
Start with a clear schedule: dedicate a fixed time daily to study GK. Break your plan into topics—History, Geography, Science, Current Affairs. A consistent study guide for class 8 GK helps build momentum and prevents last-minute overload.
2. Use Topic-Wise Notes & Flashcards
Organize your own notes topic-wise—like “Important Capitals,” “Famous Scientists,” or “List of Continents.” Flashcards are great for quick revision. Tools like Quizlet help reinforce memory, especially for terms like “Pink City of India” or “Financial capital”.
3. Practice with GK Quizzes & Sample Papers
Regular testing cements knowledge. Use Class 8 GK quizzes and sample question banks—like those from LeverageEdu or Jagran Josh—to reinforce what you've learned. Quizzes help you assess your strengths and focus on areas needing improvement.
4. Read Newspapers, Magazines & Online Resources
Stay updated with current affairs through newspapers and reliable news apps. Complement this with structured GK books or monthly GK compilations. This multi-source approach builds both general and contextual knowledge.
5. Engage with Videos & Interactive Content
Visual learning boosts retention—watch documentaries, educational YouTube videos, or TED Talks on topics like world geography, science discoveries, or history.
6. Make Learning Fun & Interactive
Use learning games like crossword puzzles, GK mobile apps, mind maps, and mnemonics. Such methods make topics stick better and keep your motivation high.
7. Revise Regularly & Take Practice Tests
Weekly revisions and practice tests are key to long-term retention. Sample papers and past Olympiad questions help you get familiar with question formats and improve speed and confidence.
8. Discuss & Teach Others
Share what you learn with friends or family—a proven method to cement knowledge. Discussions and peer quizzes not only help you remember better but also build communication skills.
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General Knowledge helps Class 8 students stay updated with the world around them. It improves awareness, builds confidence, and supports subjects like History, Geography, and Science. It also prepares students for competitive exams and Olympiads in the future.
Start with daily reading habits like newspapers or GK books, practice quizzes regularly, make short notes, and revise weekly. Using flashcards, apps, and interactive quizzes is one of the best ways to prepare GK for Class 8.
Students can use NCERT books, GK Olympiad guides, online quizzes, Jagran Josh GK questions, and Leverage Edu sample questions. Educational YouTube videos and GK mobile apps also help in practice.
Most GK questions cover topics like History, Geography, Science, Sports, Current Affairs, Capitals, Famous Personalities, and Important Inventions. Both MCQs and one-word answer formats are common.
To remember GK facts better, use flashcards, mind maps, and mnemonics. Practice with quizzes regularly, revise weekly, and discuss questions with friends or family. Teaching others is also a proven memory booster.