Awards and Honours — RRB NTPC Study Notes

Overview

Awards and Honours is a high-yield topic for RRB NTPC General Awareness. Expect 2–4 direct questions on recent award recipients, award categories, and award-giving bodies. This topic intersects with Current Affairs (last 12 months' awardees), Famous Personalities, and Government of India schemes. Questions typically ask: "Who received X award in year Y?", "Which is the highest civilian/sports/literary award?", or "Match the award to its field".

Mastery requires memorizing India's major award hierarchies (Bharat Ratna, Padma series, gallantry awards), key sports honours (Khel Ratna, Arjuna, Dronacharya), and literary prizes (Jnanpith, Sahitya Akademi). Recent recipients are frequently tested, so integrate this with your current affairs revision. Focus on understanding award order of precedence, eligibility criteria, and which ministry or body confers each award.

Success here means knowing the top 15–20 awards by heart, being able to rank them correctly, and staying updated on the current year's awardees through newspaper reading in the months before your exam.

Key Concepts

• **Civilian Awards**: India's civilian honours recognize exceptional service in any field. The hierarchy (highest to lowest) is Bharat Ratna → Padma Vibhushan → Padma Bhushan → Padma Shri. Announced on Republic Day (26 January) each year.

• **Gallantry Awards**: Military and civilian bravery awards have three tiers. Wartime (descending): Param Vir Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra, Vir Chakra. Peacetime: Ashoka Chakra, Kirti Chakra, Shaurya Chakra. Param Vir Chakra is India's highest military decoration.

• **Sports Awards**: Conferred by Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. Major categories: Khel Ratna (now renamed Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, highest sports honour), Arjuna Award (outstanding performance), Dronacharya Award (coaches), Dhyan Chand Award (lifetime achievement), Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar (promotion of sports).

• **Literary Awards**: Jnanpith Award is the highest literary honour in India, given for lifetime contribution to Indian literature in any of the 22 scheduled languages. Sahitya Akademi Awards recognize outstanding literary works annually in each language. Booker Prize (now separate Indian edition) and Pulitzer are international prizes often asked about Indian winners.

• **Award Bodies**: President of India confers Bharat Ratna, Padma Awards and gallantry decorations. Sahitya Akademi (autonomous body under Ministry of Culture) gives Sahitya Akademi Awards. Jnanpith Award is given by Bharatiya Jnanpith organization (private trust). Sports Ministry confers National Sports Awards.

• **Posthumous and Foreign Recipients**: Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards can be given posthumously and to foreign nationals. Examples: Nelson Mandela (Bharat Ratna), Mother Teresa (Bharat Ratna). Gallantry awards are frequently posthumous.

• **Award Frequency**: Bharat Ratna has a maximum of three awardees per year (often fewer). Padma Awards collectively can be up to 120 per year. Gallantry awards are announced twice yearly (Republic Day and Independence Day). Sports awards are announced on National Sports Day (29 August, birth anniversary of Dhyan Chand).

• **Exam Pattern**: RRB NTPC prefers asking about the most recent year's awardees and the highest award in each category. Questions on award order of precedence (e.g., "Which is higher: Padma Bhushan or Padma Vibhushan?") are common. Always revise the current year's Republic Day and National Sports Day award lists.

Formulas / Key Facts

1. **Bharat Ratna** — Highest civilian award; no field restriction; instituted 1954; no monetary grant; ribbon is peepal leaf shape.

2. **Padma Vibhushan** — Second highest; for exceptional and distinguished service; ribbon has red and blue stripes.

3. **Padma Bhushan** — Third highest; for distinguished service of high order.

4. **Padma Shri** — Fourth highest; for distinguished service in any field.

5. **Param Vir Chakra (PVC)** — Highest military decoration for wartime valour; first awarded 1950 (retrospectively to 1947 actions); circular bronze medal.

6. **Ashoka Chakra** — Highest peacetime gallantry award; equivalent to PVC in precedence but for peacetime bravery or civilian acts.

7. **Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna** — Highest sports honour (renamed in 2021 from Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna); cash prize ₹25 lakh; instituted 1991–92.

8. **Arjuna Award** — For consistent outstanding performance (4 years); ₹15 lakh cash; instituted 1961; named after Mahabharata's Arjuna.

9. **Dronacharya Award** — For coaches producing medal-winning athletes; regular category and lifetime category; named after guru Drona.

10. **Jnanpith Award** — Oldest and highest literary award (instituted 1961); ₹11 lakh cash, citation, bronze replica of Saraswati; for any of 22 scheduled languages.

11. **Sahitya Akademi Award** — Annual; ₹1 lakh cash, shawl, citation; separate award for each of 24 languages (22 scheduled + English + Rajasthani); instituted 1954.

12. **Bharat Ratna Recipients** — 49 awardees to date (as of 2024); first three: C. Rajagopalachari, Dr S. Radhakrishnan, C. V. Raman (1954). Recent: Pranab Mukherjee, Nanaji Deshmukh, Bhupen Hazarika (2019); no award in 2020–2023; announced in 2024 for specific individuals (check current list before exam).

Worked Examples

**Example 1: Civilian Award Hierarchy** *Question:* Arrange in descending order of precedence: Padma Shri, Bharat Ratna, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan. *Solution:* Bharat Ratna (highest) → Padma Vibhushan → Padma Bhushan → Padma Shri (fourth). *Answer:* Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri.

**Example 2: Gallantry Award Identification** *Question:* Which is the highest peacetime gallantry award for civilians and defence personnel? *Solution:* For wartime, Param Vir Chakra is highest (defence only). For peacetime valour (civilians or defence), **Ashoka Chakra** is the highest gallantry decoration. It ranks equal to PVC in order of precedence but is awarded for peacetime acts. *Answer:* Ashoka Chakra.

**Example 3: Sports Award** *Question:* Neeraj Chopra won India's first Olympic gold in athletics (2021). Which sports award was he conferred in 2022? *Solution:* Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna is the highest sports honour, given for spectacular and outstanding performance. Neeraj Chopra received this in 2021 (announced for Tokyo performance). If question refers to subsequent award, check current affairs list. Arjuna is for consistent 4-year performance, not single spectacular achievement, so Khel Ratna applies. *Answer:* Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award (2021).

Common Mistakes

1. **Confusing Padma order** — Students often reverse Padma Vibhushan and Padma Bhushan. Remember: *Vibhushan* (sounds bigger) is higher than *Bhushan*. Think Vi-Bhu-Shri descending.

2. **Mixing wartime and peacetime gallantry** — Param Vir Chakra is *wartime only*. Ashoka Chakra is for peacetime. Many assume PVC is always highest; specify context. In exams, "highest gallantry in peacetime" = Ashoka Chakra, not PVC.

3. **Wrong award body** — Jnanpith is *not* a government award; it's from Bharatiya Jnanpith (private). Sahitya Akademi is autonomous but government-funded. President confers Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards personally; Sports Ministry announces sports awards.

4. **Outdated names** — Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna was renamed *Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna* in 2021. Always use the current name in answers. Similarly, stay updated if any other award is renamed.

5. **Ignoring recent recipients** — RRB loves asking "Who received Bharat Ratna/Jnanpith in year X?" Revising only the award name without the latest (past 1–2 years) awardees is incomplete. Maintain a quick list of current and previous year's major awardees while preparing.

Quick Reference

• **Civilian hierarchy**: Bharat Ratna > Padma Vibhushan > Padma Bhushan > Padma Shri
• **Highest gallantry wartime**: Param Vir Chakra (PVC); peacetime: Ashoka Chakra
• **Highest sports award**: Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna (₹25 lakh); Arjuna for consistency (₹15 lakh)
• **Highest literary award**: Jnanpith (₹11 lakh); Sahitya Akademi annual in 24 languages (₹1 lakh)
• **Award announcement dates**: Civilian (26 Jan Republic Day); Gallantry (26 Jan, 15 Aug); Sports (29 Aug National Sports Day)
• **Padma Awards can be posthumous and to foreigners**; Bharat Ratna max 3/year (often 1 or 0)
• **Revise current year's Republic Day and Sports Day award lists** in the month before your exam for maximum score