National symbols, India's geography and its states and union territories form the base of the General Knowledge section in the AISSEE (Sainik School) Class 6 paper and the RMS CET. This guide puts all the important facts in one place, with a quick revision table at the end.
1. National Symbols of India
National Flag (Tiranga)
Design & Evolution: Designed by freedom fighter Pingali Venkayya and presented to Mahatma Gandhi at the 1921 Bezwada (Vijayawada) Congress session. Gandhiji suggested adding a white stripe and a spinning wheel (charkha) to symbolise peace and national progress.
Adoption: Officially adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 22 July 1947.
Specifications: A horizontal tricolour of saffron (courage and sacrifice), white (peace and truth) and green (faith and chivalry). The centre has a 24-spoke navy blue Ashoka Chakra (Wheel of Law). The ratio of width to length is 2:3.
National Emblem
Origin: Adapted from the Lion Capital of Emperor Ashoka at Sarnath (Uttar Pradesh).
Motto: Inscribed below in Devanagari script is the national motto Satyameva Jayate ("Truth Alone Triumphs"), taken from the Mundaka Upanishad.
Features: Four Asiatic lions standing back-to-back, with a galloping horse, a bull, an elephant and a lion separated by wheels on the circular base.
National Anthem (Jana Gana Mana)
Author: Composed originally in Bengali by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.
Adoption: Adopted in its Hindi version by the Constituent Assembly on 24 January 1950.
Duration: The full rendition takes about 52 seconds.
Constitutional Status: Respecting the National Anthem is a Fundamental Duty under Article 51A(a) of the Constitution.
National Song (Vande Mataram)
Author: Written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in Sanskritised Bengali, and featured in his 1882 novel Anandamath.
Historical Role: It played a central role in uniting freedom fighters during the struggle for independence.
Adoption & Status: Declared equal in honour to the National Anthem by Constituent Assembly President Dr. Rajendra Prasad on 24 January 1950.
Other Key National Symbols
National Animal: Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris)
National Heritage Animal: Indian Elephant
National Aquatic Animal: Gangetic River Dolphin (Platanista gangetica)
National Bird: Indian Peacock (Pavo cristatus)
National Flower: Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)
National Tree: Banyan (Ficus benghalensis)
National River: Ganga
Currency Symbol: ₹ (designed by D. Udaya Kumar, adopted in 2010)
2. India at a Glance (Geographical Profile)
Location & Coordinates
Located in South Asia, in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres.
Latitude: 8°4′ N to 37°6′ N (mainland).
Longitude: 68°7′ E to 97°25′ E.
Standard Time: Indian Standard Time (IST) is based on the 82.5° E longitude passing through Mirzapur (Uttar Pradesh), which is UTC + 5:30.
Area & Boundaries
Total Area: About 32,87,263 sq km, making India the 7th largest country in the world by area.
North-to-South Distance: 3,214 km.
East-to-West Distance: 2,933 km.
Land Frontier: About 15,200 km.
Coastline: About 11,099 km (11,098.8 km), including the mainland coast and the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands.
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ): About 24 lakh sq km.
Geographical Extremes of India
Northernmost Point: Indira Col (Ladakh).
Southernmost Point: Indira Point (Great Nicobar Island); Kanyakumari is the southernmost point of mainland India.
Easternmost Point: Kibithu (Arunachal Pradesh).
Westernmost Point: Sir Creek / Guhar Moti (Kutch, Gujarat).
Highest Peak: K2 (Godwin-Austen, 8,611 m) in PoK; Kangchenjunga (8,586 m) in Sikkim is the highest peak in undisputed Indian territory.
Neighbouring Countries
India shares land borders with 7 countries: Pakistan and Afghanistan (north-west); China, Nepal and Bhutan (north); Bangladesh and Myanmar (east).
It shares maritime boundaries with Sri Lanka (across the Palk Strait and Gulf of Mannar) and the Maldives.
3. States and Union Territories of India
India is divided into 28 States and 8 Union Territories (UTs).
Key Administrative Highlights
Largest State by Area: Rajasthan (followed by Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra).
Smallest State by Area: Goa.
Most Populous State: Uttar Pradesh.
Least Populous State: Sikkim.
Largest Union Territory by Area: Ladakh.
Smallest Union Territory by Area: Lakshadweep.
18th Railway Zone: South Coast Railway (SCoR), headquartered at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
The "Seven Sisters" & Sikkim (North-East India)
Seven Sisters: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura.
Sikkim is known as the "Brother" state of the Seven Sisters.
Regional planning is coordinated through the North Eastern Council (NEC), headquartered in Shillong.
4. Discover India: Physical Geography, Rivers, Lakes & Heritage
Major Physical Divisions
The Northern Mountains (Himalayas): Trans-Himalayas (Karakoram, Ladakh, Zaskar), Himadri (Greater), Himachal (Lesser) and Shiwaliks (Outer).
The Northern Plains: Fertile alluvial plains formed by the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra river systems.
The Peninsular Plateau: The oldest landmass, made up of the Malwa, Chota Nagpur and Deccan plateaus.
The Coastal Plains: Western Coastal Plains (Konkan, Kanara, Malabar) and Eastern Coastal Plains (Northern Circars, Coromandel).
The Island Groups: Andaman & Nicobar Islands (Bay of Bengal; includes Barren Island, India's only active volcano) and Lakshadweep Islands (Arabian Sea; coral atolls).
Important Rivers & Lakes
Longest River in India: Ganga (about 2,525 km).
Major Peninsular Rivers: Godavari (longest peninsular river, the Dakshin Ganga), Krishna, Cauvery, Narmada and Tapti.
World's Largest River Island: Majuli, on the Brahmaputra in Assam.
Deepest Freshwater Lake in J&K: Manasbal Lake.
Longest Lake in India: Vembanad Lake, Kerala.
Largest Inland Saltwater Lake: Sambhar Lake, Rajasthan.
Ramsar Milestone: Surha Taal in Uttar Pradesh took India's total of Ramsar wetlands to 100.
Heritage & Historic Sites
UNESCO World Heritage Sites: India has 45 World Heritage Sites (37 cultural, 7 natural, 1 mixed). A recent addition is the ancient Buddhist site of Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh.
Monuments in the News: Masroor Rock-Cut Temples ("Ellora of the Himalayas", Himachal Pradesh), Amer Fort (Rajasthan), and the Ajanta and Elephanta Caves (Maharashtra).
5. Quick Revision Summary Table
Category | Key Concept / Fact |
|---|---|
National Flag Designer | Pingali Venkayya (1921 Bezwada Congress Session) |
National Anthem Author | Rabindranath Tagore (Jana Gana Mana, 52 seconds) |
National Song Author | Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay (Vande Mataram) |
Total Coastline | About 11,099 km (including island territories) |
Administrative Units | 28 States & 8 Union Territories |
Largest River Island | Majuli (Brahmaputra, Assam) |
India's Active Volcano | Barren Island (Andaman & Nicobar Islands) |
Deepest Lake in J&K | Manasbal Lake |
18th Railway Zone | South Coast Railway (SCoR), Visakhapatnam |
UNESCO World Heritage Tally | 45 Sites (Sarnath recently inscribed) |
Practise with MCQs
Test yourself with our National Symbols of India MCQs, India at a Glance MCQs and Geography of India MCQs.
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