Awards Honors
Key Concepts & Formulas
Provide 5-7 essential concepts for Awards Honors:
| # | Concept | Quick Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bharat Ratna | India’s highest civilian award - maximum 3 per year |
| 2 | Padma Awards | Three categories: Padma Vibhushan (2nd highest), Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri |
| 3 | Nobel Prize | 6 categories: Peace, Literature, Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Economics |
| 4 | Oscar Awards | Academy Awards for films - Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor/Actress |
| 5 | Sports Awards | Arjuna Award (sportsperson), Dronacharya Award (coach), Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (highest) |
| 6 | Gallantry Awards | Param Vir Chakra (highest wartime), Ashoka Chakra (peacetime highest) |
| 7 | Literature Awards | Jnanpith (highest Indian literary), Booker (international), Pulitzer (American) |
10 Practice MCQs
Q1. Who was the first recipient of Bharat Ratna award? A) C. Rajagopalachari B) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar C) Jawaharlal Nehru D) Mahatma Gandhi
Answer: A) C. Rajagopalachari
Solution: C. Rajagopalachari, along with Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan and Dr. C.V. Raman, received the first Bharat Ratna awards in 1954.
Shortcut: Remember “CRC” - C. Rajagopalachari (CRC) was first Chief recipient
Concept: Awards Honors - Bharat Ratna recipients
Q2. Which Indian movie won the Oscar for Best Original Song in 2009? A) Lagaan B) Slumdog Millionaire C) Life of Pi D) Gandhi
Answer: B) Slumdog Millionaire
Solution: “Jai Ho” from Slumdog Millionaire won Best Original Song. A.R. Rahman composed it.
Concept: Awards Honors - Oscar winners from India
Q3. The Arjuna Award is given for excellence in which field? A) Literature B) Sports C) Science D) Cinema
Answer: B) Sports
Solution: Arjuna Award is India’s second-highest sporting honor, instituted in 1961.
Concept: Awards Honors - Sports awards category
Q4. How many Padma awards are given annually (excluding special years)? A) 100 B) 120 C) 150 D) No limit
Answer: B) 120
Solution: Government limit: Padma Vibhushan (10), Padma Bhushan (20), Padma Shri (90) = Total 120
Shortcut: Remember 10-20-90 pattern for Padma awards
Concept: Awards Honors - Padma awards quota system
Q5. Which organization gives the Nobel Peace Prize? A) Swedish Academy B) Norwegian Nobel Committee C) Nobel Foundation D) United Nations
Answer: B) Norwegian Nobel Committee
Solution: Norwegian Nobel Committee (5 members appointed by Norwegian Parliament) awards Peace Prize.
Concept: Awards Honors - Nobel Prize awarding bodies
Q6. Who is the only Indian to win Nobel Prize in Economics? A) Raghuram Rajan B) Amartya Sen C) Abhijit Banerjee D) Both B and C
Answer: D) Both B and C
Solution: Amartya Sen (1998) and Abhijit Banerjee (2019, with others) won Nobel in Economics.
Concept: Awards Honors - Indian Nobel laureates
Q7. Param Vir Chakra is made of which metal? A) Bronze B) Silver C) Gold D) Steel
Answer: A) Bronze
Solution: Param Vir Chakra is made of bronze, 1-3/8 inch diameter, state emblem in center.
Concept: Awards Honors - Gallantry award specifications
Q8. If 3 Indians won Booker Prize between 1981-2023, what percentage of total winners were Indian? A) 6.5% B) 7.2% C) 8.1% D) 9.3%
Answer: C) 8.1%
Solution: Total Booker winners (1981-2023) = 37 books. Indians: Salman Rushdie, Arundhati Roy, Kiran Desai = 3. Percentage = (3/37) × 100 = 8.1%
Concept: Awards Honors - Statistical analysis of international awards
Q9. A train passes 3 stations where Bharat Ratna recipients were born. If these stations are 45km, 78km, and 123km from origin, what's the average distance between consecutive stations? A) 39km B) 41km C) 43km D) 45km
Answer: A) 39km
Solution: Distances between stations: 45km, (78-45)=33km, (123-78)=45km. Average = (45+33+45)/3 = 123/3 = 41km
Concept: Awards Honors - Application with railway context
Q10. If Padma awards increased by 20% in 2024 but Bharat Ratna remained constant at 2, what's the new total of civilian awards? A) 144 B) 146 C) 148 D) 150
Answer: B) 146
Solution: Original Padma awards: 120. 20% increase = 144. Bharat Ratna = 2. Total = 144 + 2 = 146
Concept: Awards Honors - Calculations with percentage increase
5 Previous Year Questions
PYQ 1. Who among the following received the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2021? [RRB NTPC 2021 CBT-1]
Answer: Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov
Solution: Both were journalists recognized for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression.
Exam Tip: Focus on recent Nobel winners - RRB often asks about 1-2 years back winners
PYQ 2. The Dronacharya Award is given to: [RRB Group D 2022]
Answer: Sports coaches
Solution: Instituted in 1985, named after Guru Dronacharya from Mahabharata who trained warriors.
Exam Tip: Remember: Arjuna (player) → Dronacharya (coach) → Dhyan Chand (lifetime)
PYQ 3. Which Indian received the Oscar Lifetime Achievement Award? [RRB ALP 2018]
Answer: Satyajit Ray
Solution: Received in 1992, just before his death. Known for Apu Trilogy and other Bengali films.
Exam Tip: Only Indian to receive Oscar Lifetime - remember “Satyajit Ray = Lifetime”
PYQ 4. The Jnanpith Award is given in which field? [RRB JE 2019]
Answer: Literature
Solution: Highest Indian literary award, started in 1961, prize money ₹11 lakh.
Exam Tip: “Jnan” means knowledge/wisdom - connects to literature
PYQ 5. How many gallantry awards are announced on Republic Day? [RPF SI 2019]
Answer: Variable number based on recommendations
Solution: No fixed number. Includes PVC, Ashoka Chakra, Mahavir Chakra, Kirti Chakra, Vir Chakra, Shaurya Chakra.
Exam Tip: Remember the hierarchy: Param Vir → Mahavir → Vir (war); Ashoka → Kirti → Shaurya (peace)
Speed Tricks & Shortcuts
For Awards Honors, provide exam-tested shortcuts:
| Situation | Shortcut | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Remembering Padma order | “VBS” - Vibhushan (highest), Bhushan (middle), Shri (lowest) | Padma Vibhushan > Bhushan > Shri |
| Nobel categories | “PPCLME” - Physics, Peace, Chemistry, Literature, Medicine, Economics | 6 prizes announced annually |
| Indian Nobel winners | “T-R-S-V-R-S-B-C-R-K” - Tagore, Raman, Sen, VENKI, Ramakrishnan, Banerjee, Chandrasekhar, Rao, Khorana | 9 Indian/Indian-origin winners |
| Gallantry awards hierarchy | “P-M-V” (war) and “A-K-S” (peace) | Param Vir > Mahavir > Vir; Ashoka > Kirti > Shaurya |
| Oscar Indian connections | “GRSL” - Gandhi, Resul, Satyajit Ray, Lagaan | 4 major Indian Oscar moments |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
| Mistake | Why Students Make It | Correct Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Confusing Padma order | Similar names sound alike | Remember VBS sequence: Vibhushan (highest), Bhushan, Shri |
| Mixing Nobel Peace venue | Other prizes in Sweden | Peace Prize only given in Norway, others in Sweden |
| Counting Gandhi for Bharat Ratna | Given posthumously | Bharat Ratna started 1954, Gandhi died 1948 |
| Forgetting sports award categories | Multiple similar awards | Arjuna (player), Dronacharya (coach), Dhyan Chand (lifetime) |
| Conflicting award years | Recent updates missed | Check current year’s awards before exam - RRB asks recent facts |
Quick Revision Flashcards
| Front (Question/Term) | Back (Answer) |
|---|---|
| Bharat Ratna limit per year | Maximum 3 |
| First Indian Nobel winner | Rabindranath Tagore (1913) |
| Oscar for Best Foreign Film from India | None (only nominations) |
| Highest peacetime gallantry award | Ashoka Chakra |
| Padma Vibhushan rank | 2nd highest civilian award |
| Jnanpith Award language requirement | Any Indian language |
| Param Vir Chakra shape | Circular with purple ribbon |
| Booker Prize Indian winners | 3 (Rushdie, Roy, Desai) |
| Dronacharya Award started | 1985 |
| Nobel Prize money (2023) | 11 million SEK |
Topic Connections
How Awards Honors connects to other RRB exam topics:
- Direct Link: Current Affairs - Most awards given annually, making them current events
- Combined Questions: History - Many award winners are historical figures; their achievements connect to freedom struggle
- Foundation For: International Relations - Nobel Peace Prize winners often involved in diplomatic relations
- Calculation Link: Mathematics - Percentage questions on award winners, ratio of Indian to international winners
- Geography Link: States - Padma awards given state-wise; Nobel winners from specific cities/states
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