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12 topicsGS-1: 2GS-2: 6GS-3: 4
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GS-2Polity

1.Armed Forces Special Powers Act Overview (AFSPA Powers)

PTI

What & Where

Act: 1958 special law empowering armed forces to tackle insurgency in notified “disturbed areas”

Declaration: Section 3 allows Governor, UT Administrator or Centre to notify; compulsory review every six months

Current scope: Extended for six months in parts of Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh

Quick Facts for MCQs

Operational Powers

  • Fire: Forces may use lethal force against armed or unlawful assembly of five or more
  • Destruction: Authority to raze arms dumps, fortified positions, insurgent hideouts
  • Search & Arrest: Enter premises and detain without warrant on suspicion of cognizable offence

Legal Safeguards

  • Custody: Detainees to be handed to nearest police station at earliest opportunity
  • Immunity: No civil or criminal court action without Central Government approval
  • Oversight: Gazette notification plus half-yearly review mandated by law

Regional Coverage

  • Manipur: Continues outside Imphal valley pockets already withdrawn earlier
  • Nagaland: Whole state except areas under 2022 partial withdrawal still notified
  • Arunachal Pradesh: Changlang, Longding districts and Tirap’s police stations remain under Act

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Enactment year1958
Parent legislationArmed Forces (Special Powers) Act
Declaration clauseSection 3
Declaring authorityGovernor / UT Administrator / Central Government
Review interval6 months
Legal immunityPrior Central sanction needed for prosecution
GS-2Polity

2.Foreign Contribution Regulation Act Overview (FCRA Regulation)

Indian Express
Illustration for Foreign Contribution Regulation Act Overview (FCRA Regulation)

What & Where

Regulation: FCRA 2010 governs all foreign contributions to persons or associations in India

Objective: ensures donated funds align with India’s sovereignty, democracy and public interest

Jurisdiction: Union Home Ministry via designated SBI New Delhi branch handles registration, inflow and audits

Quick Facts for MCQs

Legal & Policy

  • Enactment: 2010 Act replaced 1976 law after concerns aired since 1969
  • Oversight: MHA empowered to register, inspect, seize records, cancel licences
  • Public-interest: licence can be revoked if activities threaten sovereignty or integrity

Compliance Mechanics

  • Registration: compulsory before receiving foreign money; renewal every five years
  • Banking: all foreign inflows routed through single SBI New Delhi account for audit trail
  • Reporting: contributions from relatives reported within 90 days or face monetary penalty

Prohibitions & Exemptions

  • Barred recipients: election candidates, journalists, judges, legislators, govt servants, political parties, political organisations
  • Relatives: up to ₹10 lakh foreign gift exempt from prior notice since 2022 rule change
  • Transfer: recipient NGO cannot pass foreign funds to any unregistered entity

Enforcement Triggers

  • Misutilisation: false statements or fund diversion invite cancellation and prosecution
  • Dormancy: zero foreign receipts or activities for two consecutive years triggers cancellation
  • Violation: barred categories receiving funds punishable under FCRA and related penal sections

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
First enactment1976 (Emergency era)
Present statuteFCRA 2010
Nodal ministryMinistry of Home Affairs
Registration validity5 years
Renewal windowWithin 6 months before expiry
Mandatory bankSBI New Delhi FCRA branch
Relative gift limit (2022)₹10 lakh
Late-intimation penalty5 % of contribution
Transfer of fundsBarred to unregistered bodies
Dormancy cancellationNo activity 2 consecutive years

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

GS1 2003PYQ 1

Which one of the following statements is correct with reference to FEMA in India?

GS-3Editorial

3.Weakened Rupee Drivers and Impacts (Currency Depreciation)

Indian Express
Illustration for Weakened Rupee Drivers and Impacts (Currency Depreciation)

What & Where

Exchange rate: price of Indian Rupee (INR) vis-à-vis USD, euro, pound in global forex markets

Depreciation: INR has lost >3 % against USD since Jan 2025, outpacing many emerging-market peers

Geography: currency slide impacts India’s import-heavy sectors and overall external account balance

Quick Facts for MCQs

Drivers of Depreciation

  • Trade imbalance: stagnant exports plus costly oil/electronics imports expand CAD
  • Capital outflows: sluggish FPI & FDI as investors chase higher US yields
  • Financial tightening: stronger global dollar demand pressures emerging currencies including INR

Macroeconomic Effects

  • Import inflation: dearer crude, fertilisers, electronics lift domestic price indices
  • Corporate stress: unhedged dollar loans costlier to service, squeezing margins
  • Export upside: cheaper rupee improves goods competitiveness, tourism receipts, NRI remittances

Policy & Tools

  • RBI action: deploys sizeable reserves only to smooth volatility, avoids fixed-rate defence
  • Govt push: PLI, ethanol blending, logistics policy target import substitution and cost reduction
  • Currency strategy: promotes local-currency trade and BRICS+ dedollarisation efforts

Reform Priorities

  • Export competitiveness: scale high-value manufacturing and fast-track FTAs with major economies
  • Energy diversification: accelerate renewables, green hydrogen, ethanol to curb oil bill
  • Financial depth: broaden bond market and encourage rupee invoicing for trade settlements

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
INR loss vs USD (Jan 2025-now)>3 %
One-month depreciation≈1.3 %
Crude import dependence~85 %
RBI forex reserves≈ $570 bn
Recent net FPI flows–$1.5 bn
Q1 FY26 GDP growth~6.1 %

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

GS1 2019PYQ 1

भारत के संदर्भ में, मुद्रा संकट के जोखिम को कम करने में निम्नलिखित में से किस/किन कारण/कारकों का योगदान है?

GS1 2019PYQ 2

Which one of the following is not the most likely measure the Government/RBI takes to stop the slide of Indian rupee?

GS-1History

5.Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar Legacy (Bengal Renaissance)

Times of India
Illustration for Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar Legacy (Bengal Renaissance)

What & Where

Reformist; Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, 19th-century Bengali educationist, writer, social legislator

Geography; born 26 Sep 1820, Birsingha village, Midnapore district, Bengal Presidency

Legacy; modern Bengali prose pioneer, women’s education and widow-remarriage crusader

Quick Facts for MCQs

Education Reforms

  • Curriculum; simplified Bengali prose, standardised alphabet, authored enduring primer
  • Access; opened Sanskrit College to non-Brahmins, established multiple girls schools
  • Higher learning; promoted Bethune School expansion for female education

Social Legislation

  • Widow-remarriage; persuaded British to enact 1856 law overriding orthodox veto
  • Child-marriage; campaigned to raise marriage age, restrict polygamy
  • Legal logic; cited ancient texts to prove reforms were scripturally permissible

Bengal Renaissance Impact

  • Language; modernised prose, fostering shared Bengali identity pre-nationalism
  • Inspiration; methods adopted by Brahmo Samaj after Raja Ram Mohan Roy
  • Literary title; hailed Father of Modern Bengali Prose by contemporaries

Grassroots Outreach

  • Santhal focus; set up village schools, adult literacy, free clinics in Karmatanr
  • Philanthropy; spent personal wealth on textbooks and scholarships for poor students
  • Inclusivity; dismantled caste barriers by admitting lower-caste learners

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Birth anniversary marked205th, 26 Sep 2025
BirthplaceBirsingha, Midnapore, Bengal Presidency
HonorificsVidyasagar = Ocean of Knowledge; Dayar Sagar = Ocean of Kindness
Key primerBorno Porichoy, 1855
Law exam cleared1839
Fort William College postHead, Sanskrit Dept, 1841
Sanskrit College postPrincipal, 1851-1858
Major statute backedHindu Widow Remarriage Act, 1856
Focus groupsNon-Brahmins, women, Santhals
Later work siteKarmatanr, now Jamtara, Jharkhand

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

GS1 1996PYQ 1

His ‘principal forte was social and religious reform. He relied upon legislation to do away with social ills and worked unceasingly for the eradication of child marriage, the purdah system …… To encourage consideration of social problems on a national scale, he inaugurated the Indian National Social Conference, which for many years met for its annual sessions alongside the Indian National Congress.’ The reference in this passage is to

GS1 2007PYQ 2

Who among the following wrote the book "Bahubivah"?

GS-3Environment

6.Sustainable Mountain Development Summit XII (Mountain Sustainability)

Times of India

What & Where

Annual Sustainable Mountain Development Summit (SMDS) targets ecological-economic issues of the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR).

12th edition (SMDS-XII) hosted at Doon University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand.

Serves as a multi-stakeholder platform driven by civil-society network Integrated Mountain Initiative (IMI).

Quick Facts for MCQs

Legal & Policy

  • Policy-dialogue: MLM gathers legislators from IHR states to craft region-specific recommendations.
  • Mainstreaming: Summit pushes mountain priorities into national plans and global SDG talks.

Community Participation

  • Youth-voice: Dedicated summit segment lets young residents present challenges and solutions.
  • Cross-sector: Farmers, NGOs, scientists, officials jointly discuss governance and livelihood strategies.

Climate Resilience

  • Traditional-farming: Promotion of organic, agroecology methods for soil health and income security.
  • Disaster-preparedness: Sessions address landslide, flood, earthquake risk management in fragile terrains.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Organising bodyIntegrated Mountain Initiative (IMI)
First summit2011, Nainital (Uttarakhand)
Current editionXII, Dehradun
Core geographyIndian Himalayan Region (11 hill states, 2 UTs)
Flagship side eventMountain Legislators’ Meet (MLM)
Youth platformIndian Himalayan Youth Summit
Key focusSustainable, climate-resilient mountain development
GS-3S&T

7.Soilification Technology for Desert Farming (Desert Farming Tech)

The Hindu

What & Where

Soilification technology: biotechnology that cross-links desert sand into soil-like medium via polymers + indigenous bio-formulations.

Piloted by Central University of Rajasthan on Thar-fringe desert land, Ajmer district.

Converts barren dunes to cultivable plots for wheat, bajra, guar and chickpea.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Tech & Process

  • Polymer cross-linking binds sand particles, creating pore space and structure.
  • Bioformulation boosts microbial nutrient cycling, imitating natural topsoil.
  • Resultant medium retains moisture, cutting groundwater extraction.

Environmental Impact

  • Desertification check; rehabilitates degraded Thar fringes.
  • Reduced water draw lowers aquifer stress in semi-arid Rajasthan.
  • Eco-restorative approach avoids chemical fertiliser dependence.

Economic Angle

  • Low-cost local bio-agents minimise input expenditure for farmers.
  • Doubled yield on marginal land enhances farm profitability.
  • No capital-intensive machinery—suits smallholder adoption.

Food & Water Security

  • Enables staple grain cultivation in arid belts, bolstering regional food supply.
  • Lower irrigation need conserves scarce desert water resources.
  • Scalable model supports climate-resilient agriculture missions.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Core inputsPolymer binder + microbial bioformulation
Wheat yield ratio1 : 20 (seed : harvest)
Irrigation cycles3–4 vs 5–6 in conventional fields
Trial locationBandarsindri campus, Ajmer, Rajasthan
Tested cropsWheat, bajra, guar gum, chickpea
Stress toleranceEnhances heat & aridity resistance
Equipment needNo heavy machinery required
Desert control aimHalts Thar spread toward NCR
GS-2Economy

8.WTO Fisheries Subsidies Agreement Ratification (WTO Fisheries Subsidies)

Economic Times

What & Where

WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies: first multilateral WTO pact on ocean‐governance; adopted MC-12, Geneva, 2022.

Bars subsidies driving IUU fishing, overfished-stock harvests, unregulated high-seas catches; obliges annual subsidy disclosures.

Applies to members’ EEZs & high seas; India ratifying while seeking artisanal-fisher safeguards.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Legal & Policy

  • Prohibition covers fuel, vessel, gear subsidies linked to banned activities.
  • Committee on Fisheries Subsidies reviews notifications, monitors compliance, extends technical aid.
  • Members must file annual data on subsidy type, amount, fleet & fish-stock status.

India’s Demands

  • Equity; disciplines to be calculated on per-fisher basis, not aggregate spend.
  • Accountability; tougher rules sought for historical high subsidisers causing overcapacity.
  • Sustainability; insists low-impact coastal fisheries remain shielded.

Domestic Schemes

  • PM Matsya Sampada Yojana: ₹20,050 cr outlay, 5 Mt targeted production by 2024-25.
  • Blue Revolution & FIDF finance harbours, cold-chains, aquaculture clusters.
  • NPMF-2017 plus State MFRAs regulate mesh size, seasonal bans within EEZ.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Adoption forumWTO 12th Ministerial Conference, 2022
Entry into force24 Sep 2025
Ratification thresholdTwo-thirds of WTO members (≈110/164)
Core subsidy bansIUU fishing, overfished stocks, unregulated high seas
Support mechanismWTO Fisheries Fund for developing & LDC members
India’s S&DT ask25-year transition period
Subsidy per fisherDeveloped: US$76,000 ; India: US$35

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

GS1 2016PYQ 1

In the context of which of the following do you sometimes find the terms 'amber box', 'blue box' and 'green box' in the news?

GS-2Scheme

9.Prayas Integrated Neuro Rehabilitation Centre (Ayush Rehabilitation)

PIB

What & Where

Prayas – Integrated Neuro-Rehabilitation Centre blending Ayurveda, Yoga & modern therapies for paediatric neuro care

Multi-disciplinary set-up covering physiotherapy, speech & occupational therapies under one roof

Situated inside All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), Goa; launched by Ministry of Ayush

Quick Facts for MCQs

Health Services

  • Integration enables patient-centric care through combinational therapies and parent counselling
  • Multidisciplinary team addresses motor, cognitive, speech and sensory deficits
  • Family support delivered via occupational and speech therapy modules

Research & Training

  • Centre functions as living lab for evidence generation on Ayush-based neuro protocols
  • Training programs planned for clinicians, therapists & postgraduate scholars
  • Data collection to validate efficacy of integrative paediatric rehabilitation

Policy Alignment

  • Supports National Health Policy goal of mainstreaming traditional systems
  • Showcases Ayush-led model for comprehensive neurological rehabilitation
  • Potential replication under future central or state health schemes

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Launching ministryMinistry of Ayush
Host instituteAIIA Goa
Primary focus groupChildren with neurological & developmental disorders
Core approachAyurveda + Yoga + Physiotherapy + Modern Paediatrics
Tagline claimFirst-of-its-kind integrated neuro rehab centre in India
Key objectivesHolistic care, evidence-based research, family support
Policy linkAligned to National Health Policy 2017
Additional rolesResearch hub & training centre for Ayush neuro innovations
GS-2Scheme

10.Digital Transformation in Gram Panchayats (Gram Panchayat Digitisation)

PIB
Illustration for Digital Transformation in Gram Panchayats (Gram Panchayat Digitisation)

What & Where

Digital governance suite for 2.65 lakh Gram Panchayats, steered by Ministry of Panchayati Raj, India.

Tools span AI minute-drafting, GIS mapping, broadband, unified planning–accounting portals.

Alignment with Digital India & Atmanirbhar Bharat agendas; rollout since 2020, newest in Aug 2025.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Tech & Schemes

  • SabhaSaar uses AI + Bhashini for unbiased, real-time Gram Sabha minutes.
  • Gram Manchitra overlays GIS maps with GPDP projects for asset tracking.
  • Panchayat NIRNAY auto-schedules meetings, circulates agendas, logs resolutions.

Governance Benefits

  • Transparency: instant mobile view of finances, project status, AI-generated records.
  • Productivity: automated minutes free officials for execution; unified portals ease fund tracking.
  • Data-driven: GIS guides location of roads, water sources, other infrastructure.

Implementation Challenges

  • Infrastructure: slow internet, power cuts, limited hardware hamper e-services.
  • Capacity: low digital literacy among representatives; scarce local tech support.
  • Social gap: gender digital divide, resistance to replacing traditional paperwork.

Improvement Measures

  • Connectivity: last-mile Wi-Fi hotspots, solar-backed Panchayat offices, standard hardware kits.
  • Capacity-building: Digital Sathis, vernacular video tutorials, performance-linked incentives.
  • Inclusivity: IVR, offline modes, women-run digital literacy centres to bridge gender gap.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
SabhaSaar launchAug 2025
Supported languages in SabhaSaar14
SVAMITVA property cards issued2.63 crore
Villages covered under SVAMITVA1.73 lakh
BharatNet FTTH connections (till Aug 2025)13 lakh+
eGramSwaraj coverage2.7 lakh PRIs, 28 States, 6 UTs
Meri Panchayat reach25 lakh reps & 95 crore rural citizens
Total Gram Panchayats targeted2.65 lakh

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

ESE_GS 2026PYQ 1

The Samriddh Gram Phygital Services Pilot Project was recently launched by which organization?

ESE_GS 2020PYQ 2

Which one of the following is not the vision area of Digital India as a program to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy?

GS-2SchemeQuick Bite

11.National Initiative on Water Security (MGNREGA Water Conservation)

PIB

What & Where

Initiative: National Initiative on Water Security, inserted into MGNREGA 2005 for nationwide rural water conservation

Geography: All 6,600+ rural blocks, prioritised as over-exploited, semi-critical, and other blocks

Core works: Farm ponds, check dams, Amrit Sarovar reservoirs, groundwater-recharge structures

Quick Facts for MCQs

Legal & Policy

  • Amendment: Water works now statutory, not optional, within Schedule-I of MGNREGA
  • Alignment: Supports National Water Mission goals and Jal Jeevan targets

Fund Allocation

  • Prioritisation: Higher spend directly linked to aquifer stress category
  • Flexibility: Percentages are minimum ceilings; states may allocate more if needed

Achievements

  • Impact: Check dams and ponds easing rural water stress in multiple agro-climatic zones
  • Scale: Combined schemes pushing sizeable rural groundwater recharge and storage capacity

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Governing ActMGNREGA (amended 2025)
Funding rule – over-exploited blocks65 % of annual MGNREGA outlay
Funding rule – semi-critical blocks40 % of annual MGNREGA outlay
Funding rule – other blocks≥30 % of annual MGNREGA outlay
Assets built under MGNREGA1.25 crore+ water structures
Mission Amrit Sarovar Phase-168,000+ reservoirs created/rejuvenated
Key campaigns referencedCatch the Rain, Amrit Sarovar
Programme reachWorld’s largest social-welfare water initiative

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

GS1 2012PYQ 1

If National Water Mission is properly and completely implemented, how will it impact the country?

GS1 2014PYQ 2

What are the benefits of implementing the ‘Integrated Watershed Development Programme’?

GS-1Editorial

12.Maternity Reintegration Challenges in Workplaces (Maternity Reintegration)

The Hindu
Illustration for Maternity Reintegration Challenges in Workplaces (Maternity Reintegration)

What & Where

Reintegration: seamless transition of women employees from maternity leave back to full workforce participation.

Scope: spans leave, childcare support, flexible roles, career continuity, inclusive culture.

Geography: focus on Indian corporates governed by Maternity Benefit Act 1961.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Workplace Pressures

  • Family-expectations reinforce caregiving stereotype, heightening guilt for working mothers.
  • Societal-norms label “good mother” as career-sacrificing, fuelling post-maternity imposter syndrome.
  • Organisational-inflexibility—no childcare, rigid hours—drives highest female exits post leave.

Organisational Costs

  • Talent-loss drains mid-level expertise, weakens leadership pipeline.
  • Cost-escalation: replacement expenses touch 150–200 % salary.
  • Culture-hit: repeated female exits erode morale, stall diversity targets.

Economic Impact

  • Participation-gap: India trails Bangladesh & China in female LFPR.
  • GDP-loss: missing parity forfeits ~$770 bn potential output.
  • Innovation-slip: fewer women in STEM reduces 20 % revenue upside from diverse teams.

Policy Prescriptions

  • Legislative-upgrade: embed reintegration clauses, compulsory gender metrics reporting.
  • Support-systems: mandate crèches, subsidised childcare, equitable paternity leave.
  • Returnships-model: introduce structured, paid re-entry programmes replicating UK–US success.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Female unpaid care7 h/day vs men 2.5 h (NSSO 2019)
Female LFPR37 % (PLFS 2024)
Post-maternity attrition cost150–200 % of annual salary (Deloitte 2022)
Firms with 0 women KMPs63 % listed firms (Marching Sheep 2025)
GDP gain if parity reached+27 % or ≈ $770 bn (MGI estimate)
Global Gender Gap rank127 / 146 (2024)
Women directors, NIFTY-50018 % (SEBI 2023)
Innovation uplift via diversity+20 % revenue (World Bank 2022)

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

GS1 2019PYQ 1

Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017?

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