SSC CGL Awards & Honours

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) ---