AWARDS & HONOURS — COMPLETE GUIDE FOR SSC CGL --- CORE CONCEPT ---
Awards and Honours are recognition given by the Government of India or international bodies to individuals for outstanding contribution in their field. For SSC CGL, you need to know: the name of the award, the field it covers, who gives it, and when it was established. Think of Awards in 3 big categories:
1. National Awards (Bharat Ratna, Padma Awards, Gallantry Awards) 2. Civilian + Military Awards
3. International Awards (Nobel Prize, Booker Prize, Oscar, etc.) --- KEY RULES / PROPERTIES ---
BHARAT RATNA — The Highest Civilian Award of India • Started in 1954
• Given for exceptional service to the nation (any field — art, literature, science, public service) • Maximum 3 persons can receive it in one year
• It is NOT a monetary award — only a medallion shaped like a Peepal leaf • Posthumous award is allowed (first posthumously given to Lal Bahadur Shastri in 1966)
• First recipients: C. Rajagopalachari, S. Radhakrishnan, C.V. Raman (all in 1954) • Sachin Tendulkar (2013) — first sportsperson to receive it
• M.S. Subbalakshmi — first woman musician to receive it (1998) PADMA AWARDS — Three Levels
• Padma Vibhushan → 2nd highest civilian award (exceptional and distinguished service) • Padma Bhushan → 3rd highest civilian award (distinguished service of high order)
• Padma Shri → 4th highest civilian award (distinguished service in any field) • All Padma Awards are announced on Republic Day (January 26)
• These were started in 1954, suspended in 1977, revived in 1980 GALLANTRY AWARDS (Military + Civilian)
• Param Vir Chakra (PVC) → Highest wartime gallantry award • Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) → 2nd highest wartime gallantry award
• Vir Chakra → 3rd highest wartime gallantry award • Ashoka Chakra → Highest peacetime gallantry award
• Kirti Chakra → 2nd highest peacetime gallantry award • Shaurya Chakra → 3rd highest peacetime gallantry award
MEMORY TRICK for wartime gallantry order: 'PVC — MVC — VC' → Para, Maha, Vir (P → M → V, alphabetical by second word level)
MEMORY TRICK for peacetime gallantry: 'A-K-S' → Ashoka, Kirti, Shaurya (A is best, S is last)
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Award Hierarchy Formula:
Bharat Ratna > Padma Vibhushan > Padma Bhushan > Padma Shri
Param Vir Chakra > Maha Vir Chakra > Vir Chakra (WARTIME)
Ashoka Chakra > Kirti Chakra > Shaurya Chakra (PEACETIME)
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--- SSC CGL asks 3 types of questions on Awards: Type 1 → 'Which is the highest ___ award of India?' (Direct) Type 2 → 'Who was the first ___ to receive Bharat Ratna?' (First/Fact based) Type 3 → 'In which year was ___ award established?' (Year-based) Type 4 → Match the award with the field or body that gives it --- SHORTCUT / TRICKS --- TRICK 1 — '3-2-1 Rule for Bharat Ratna': Max 3 per year → Started in 1954 → Peepal leaf shape → 3-5-4 pattern to remember key numbers. TRICK 2 — Nobel Prize Fields (6 fields only): 'Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Literature, Peace, Economics' Memory shorthand: 'PC MLP E' → Peace Chemistry, Medicine Literature Physics, Economics Note: Economics Nobel started in 1969 (not 1901 like others) TRICK 3 — International Awards Quick Map: Booker Prize → Fiction writing (English language) Pulitzer Prize → Journalism + Literature (USA) Ramon Magsaysay → Asia's Nobel Prize (given by Philippines) Abel Prize → Mathematics (Norway) — often confused with Nobel Fields Medal → Mathematics, given every 4 years (under 40 years age) ---
Remember the two categories — Wartime vs Peacetime
Param Vir Chakra = PVC = top wartime award
It is given for 'most conspicuous bravery in the presence of the enemy' Answer: It is a wartime gallantry award, given for bravery in face of the enemy. --- WORKED EXAMPLE 2 --- Question: Who was the first woman to receive the Bharat Ratna?
Bharat Ratna started in 1954
Indira Gandhi received it in 1971
She is the first woman to receive Bharat Ratna Answer: Indira Gandhi (1971) — first woman Bharat Ratna recipient. ---
(TRAP) --- STUDENTS CONFUSE: Ashoka Chakra with wartime awards and Param Vir Chakra with peacetime awards. REMEMBER: Param Vir Chakra = WAR. Ashoka Chakra = PEACE. Another trap: Students think Nobel Prize in Economics started in 1901. It did NOT.
It started in 1969. Only 5 original Nobel prizes started in 1901.
16graded MCQs · easy to hard · full solution & trap analysis