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Question 92 of 101 · Miscellaneous GK
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The National Emblem of India, adapted from the Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath, was adopted on:

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Answer: Option A — 26 January 1950

Detailed Solution

The Government of India adopted the National Emblem on 26 January 1950, the day the Constitution came into force and India became a republic.

Source of the emblem:

  • The emblem is an adaptation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath, near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.
  • The original Lion Capital was erected by Emperor Ashoka around the third century BCE and is now kept in the Sarnath Museum.

Description of the emblem:

  • The original capital has four Asiatic lions standing back to back, mounted on a circular abacus, which rests on a bell-shaped lotus.
  • In the official emblem, only three lions are visible; the fourth is hidden from view.

The abacus has a Dharma Chakra (wheel) in the centre, with a bull on the right and a horse on the left. The outlines of other wheels appear at the extreme right and left.

The bell-shaped lotus base has been omitted.

The motto:

  • The words "Satyameva Jayate" ("Truth alone triumphs") are written below the abacus in Devanagari script.
  • They are taken from the Mundaka Upanishad.

Use of the emblem:

  • The emblem is the official seal of the President, the Central Government, state governments and many official bodies.
  • It appears on currency notes, coins, passports and official letterheads.
  • Its use is regulated by a law that prohibits improper use for commercial or professional purposes.
  • The bronze National Emblem cast on the roof of the new Parliament Building was unveiled in 2022.

Other national symbols:

  • The National Flag was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 22 July 1947.
  • The National Anthem and the National Song were adopted on 24 January 1950.
  • The National Calendar (Saka calendar) was adopted on 22 March 1957.
  • The tiger is the national animal, the peacock the national bird and the lotus the national flower.

Why not the other options?

  • ✗15 August 1947 is Independence Day.
  • ✗26 November 1949 is the date of adoption of the Constitution.
  • ✗22 July 1947 is the date of adoption of the National Flag.

Quick tip

Remember: National Emblem adopted 26 January 1950; from the Sarnath Lion Capital; motto Satyameva Jayate from the Mundaka Upanishad.

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Miscellaneous GK — Preparation

This question tests your understanding of Miscellaneous GK, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.

This topic collects general knowledge questions that do not fit neatly into a single category, such as national symbols, famous nicknames of places, important events, entertainment, and facts that cut across history, geography and culture. Because these questions come from many areas, the best preparation is broad revision and regular practice. Read each explanation carefully, since it often includes a related fact that is tested in a different form. Keep a notebook of facts you get wrong and revise it before the exam. Practise the miscellaneous GK questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.

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