Union Public Service Commission
The central constitutional recruitment agency (Article 315) that conducts the Civil Services Examination.
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Study materialNationalism — Concept and Types in Indian HistoryNationalism in India emerged as a political ideology advocating for self-determination based on shared identity, evolving through various forms such as civic, ethnic, cultural, and economic nationalism, and significantly influenced by historical movements and figures. Study materialMahatma Gandhi and the Indian National Movement (1919–1947) — Part 10: 11. UPSC Relevance and PYQ ExamplesPart 10: UPSC relevance — chronology table (1915-1948), PYQs (NCM, CDM, Quit India, women, Poona Pact, Cabinet Mission); one-page revision summary (3 movements table, key pacts, key numbers). Study materialMauryan Administration: Economy, Provinces and GovernanceMauryan Administration created India's first centralised bureaucratic state — with provincial divisions, a standing army, a network of royal spies and welfare measures described in the Arthashastra and Ashokan inscriptions. Study materialVedic Age: Early and Later Vedic Society in IndiaThe Vedic Age (c. 1500–600 BCE) shaped India's religious, social and philosophical foundations — from the pastoral Rigvedic tribes to the stratified Later Vedic society of sacrifice, varna and emerging janapadas. Study materialHarappan Civilisation: Urban Planning, Trade and DeclineThe Harappan Civilisation (2600–1900 BCE) was the ancient world's most sophisticated planned urban culture — with grid streets, covered sewers and standardised bricks repeated across 1,400 sites. Study material18th Century India: Decline of Mughal Empire and Regional Kingdoms18th century India saw Mughal power fragment into regional successor states, allowing the British East India Company to establish colonial dominance across the subcontinent by 1818. Study materialMahatma Gandhi and the Indian National Movement (1919–1947) — Part 12: FAQPart 12: FAQ — salt symbolism in CDM; Chauri Chaura withdrawal; Poona Pact 1932; Quit India causes and outcomes; Gandhi vs Bhagat Singh vs Bose on methods. With FAQPage + BreadcrumbList schema. Study materialThe Vedic Age: Society, Economy, Religion and Transition (c. 1500–600 BCE) — Part 2: 2. Early Vedic Period (c. 1500–1000 BCE)Part 2 of the comprehensive UPSC guide on The Vedic Age. Covers: 2. Early Vedic Period (c. 1500–1000 BCE). Study materialHarappan (Indus Valley) Civilisation: Origins, Features and Decline — Part 1: IntroductionPart 1: Introduction — Harappan Civilisation overview; three phases (Early 6000 BCE, Mature 2600 BCE, Late 1900 BCE); geographical spread across 2,000+ sites; five major cities — Rakhigarhi, Mohenjodaro, Harappa, Dholavira, Ganweriwala. Study materialThe Revolt of 1857: Causes, Course, Nature and Consequences — Part 8: 8. Legacy: The Revolt in Indian National MemoryPart 8: Legacy and national memory; UPSC relevance with PYQs (2014, 2016, 2019); key chronological data; one-page revision summary — PESMR causes mnemonic, leaders table, areas that didn't revolt, consequences, nature debate. Study materialSources of Ancient Indian History: Archaeological, Literary and Foreign Accounts — Part 2: OverviewPart 2 of the comprehensive UPSC guide on Sources of Ancient Indian History. Covers: Overview. Study materialThe Delhi Sultanate — Part 7: Administration, Legacy & UPSC RelevancePart 7: Delhi Sultanate administration overview, multi-dimensional legacy (political, economic, cultural), and UPSC prelims/mains expected questions. Study materialThe Revolt of 1857: Causes, Course, Nature and Consequences — Part 1: IntroductionPart 1: Introduction — Revolt of 1857 from Meerut mutiny (10 May 1857) to widespread North Indian uprising; background of accumulated grievances 1757–1857; earlier revolts (Sanyasi, Santhal) as precursors. Study materialHarappan (Indus Valley) Civilisation: Origins, Features and Decline — Part 8: FAQPart 8: FAQ — Harappan time period, reasons for decline, Great Bath, trade with Mesopotamia, undeciphered script; 5 Q&As with detailed answers for UPSC preparation. Study materialHarappan (Indus Valley) Civilisation: Origins, Features and Decline — Part 6: 12. UPSC RelevancePart 6: UPSC relevance (Prelims, GS1, Optional); one-page revision summary; quick facts — Daya Ram Sahni (Harappa 1920-21), John Marshall (1924 announcement), Rakhigarhi largest (550 ha), Dholavira UNESCO 2021. Study materialEstablishment and Expansion of British Colonial Power in India (1757–1857) — Part 5: Key Annexations, Colonial Economy and RevisionPart 5: Mysore Wars (1767–1799), Maratha Wars (1775–1819), Anglo-Sikh Wars (1845–49); colonial economy — Permanent Settlement, drain of wealth; UPSC relevance; one-page revision summary with all key dates. Study materialEstablishment and Expansion of British Colonial Power in India (1757–1857) — Part 1: IntroductionPart 1: From Trade to Empire — the East India Company's transformation (1757–1857); Company structure, Farrukh Siyar's firman (1717), Bengal trade, three Presidencies; context of Mughal fragmentation. Study materialThe Mughal Empire: Political History, Consolidation and Decline — Part 7: Six Great Mughals and Causes of DeclinePart 7: Six Great Mughals comparison table; causes of Mughal decline — jagirdari crisis (JAMMED mnemonic), Aurangzeb's religious policy, Maratha challenge, weak successors, Deccan overextension, Nadir Shah; UPSC PYQs. Study materialThe Mughal Empire: Political History, Consolidation and Decline — Part 1: Introduction and BaburPart 1: Introduction to the Mughal Empire; Babur's four battles — First Panipat (1526), Khanwa (1527), Chanderi (1528), Ghaghra (1529); tulughma strategy; Baburnama as primary source. Study materialThe Vijayanagara Empire — Part 5: Battle of Talikota, Decline, Legacy and UPSC RelevancePart 5: Battle of Talikota (1565), Rama Raya's flawed diplomacy, empire's decline, Hampi's rediscovery (Colin Mackenzie, 1800; UNESCO 1986), legacy, and UPSC prelims/mains focus areas. Study materialMedieval Administrative Systems: Iqta, Mansab, Jagir and Revenue — Part 7: Comparison, UPSC Relevance and Revision SummaryPart 7: Sultanate vs Mughal comparison table; UPSC Prelims and Mains focus; one-page revision summary (iqta, mansabdari, jagir, Mughal revenue, central admin); 12-term glossary. Study materialMedieval Administrative Systems: Iqta, Mansab, Jagir and Revenue — Part 1: IntroductionPart 1: Introduction to medieval administrative systems; the Iqta system — origins, types (large/small/wajh), muqti duties, reforms under Balban, Alauddin Khalji, Muhammad Tughlaq, Firuz Tughlaq, and decline. Study materialThe Gupta Empire: The Golden Age of India — Part 9: FAQPart 9: FAQ — Why is the Gupta period called the Golden Age? What was the Prayaga-prashasti? How did land grants cause decline? Aryabhatta's science. Chandragupta II's conquests. Study materialThe Gupta Empire: The Golden Age of India — Part 7: Decline and UPSC RelevancePart 7: Gupta decline — Huna invasions, samanta system, land grants, dynastic disputes; Gupta vs Maurya comparison table; UPSC PYQ examples on the Allahabad Pillar, Aryabhatta, and Dashavatara temple. Current affairsIndia-CELAC Foreign Ministers' Meeting 2026: Jaishankar Co-chairs Largest-Ever CELAC Engagement on Sidelines of UNGA 81External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar co-chaired the India-CELAC Foreign Ministers' Meeting on September 22, 2026, on the sidelines of UNGA 81 in New York, with 30 of CELAC's 33 member nations attending — described as the "largest-ever" such engagement. Key outcomes included formalising an annual ministerial dialogue, establishing a permanent India-CELAC Commission, and adopting a bilateral Cooperation Roadmap. India-CELAC bilateral trade exceeds USD 50 billion annually. Current affairs40th Anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development: UN High-Level Meeting at UNGA 81, September 23, 2026A UN High-Level Meeting to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development was held on September 23, 2026, at UN Headquarters, New York, authorised by UNGA Resolutions 79/170 and 80/207. The Declaration — adopted on December 4, 1986, under UNGA Resolution 41/128 — proclaims development as an inalienable human right. Not a single SDG indicator aligned with the Declaration's vision is on track globally, highlighting persistent implementation gaps four decades on. Current affairsProject Cheetah: India-Born Cheetah KGP12 Delivers Four Cubs at Kuno National Park — Population Reaches 56On September 18, 2026 — one day after Project Cheetah completed four years — KGP12, an India-born female cheetah and daughter of South African cheetah Gamini, delivered four cubs at Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh. Confirmed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change via PIB, this brings India's total cheetah population to 56, marking continued second-generation breeding success in the world's only cheetah reintroduction programme. Current affairsMahanadi Water Dispute 2026: Both States Accept Centre's Decision as Tribunal Hearing Approaches September 28Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai stated on September 20, 2026 that both Chhattisgarh and Odisha have agreed to accept the Central Water Commission's (CWC) water-sharing formula for the Mahanadi river. Technical teams from both states met on September 21, with the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT) hearing scheduled for September 28 — signalling a potential resolution of a decade-long inter-state river dispute. Current affairsExercise Veer Guardian 2026: India-Japan Bilateral Air Exercise at Jodhpur — Second Edition, F-2A Fighters on Indian Soil for the First TimeThe Indian Air Force (IAF) and Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF) are conducting Exercise Veer Guardian 2026 — the second edition of their bilateral air exercise — at Air Force Station Jodhpur, Rajasthan (September 9–22, 2026). Japanese F-2A fighters operated from Indian soil for the first time, both air chiefs flew the indigenous LCA Tejas, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh described the exercise as a "significant milestone" for the India-Japan strategic partnership. Current affairsUS Lindsey Graham Russia Sanctions Act 2026: India's Energy Security and the 100% Tariff Threat on Russian Oil ImportsThe US President signed the "Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026" on September 18, 2026, authorising tariffs of up to 100% on countries among the five largest purchasers of Russian crude oil and gas. India, which imports approximately 2.08 million barrels per day from Russia (≈45% of its total crude imports), faces potential designation — raising fundamental questions about India's energy security architecture and strategic autonomy doctrine. Current affairs20th Asian Games 2026 (Aichi-Nagoya): India's 496-Athlete Contingent, Cricket Debut, and Key GK FactsThe 20th Asian Games opens on September 19, 2026, in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan — running till October 4. India sends 496 athletes across 37 sports in its 20th consecutive appearance. Cricket makes its Asian Games debut at these Games, with both men's and women's T20 tournaments included. The governing body is the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). Current affairsGlobal Gender Gap Index 2026: India Ranks 131st with 64.5% Parity — Gaps in Economic Participation and Political EmpowermentIndia ranked 131st out of countries surveyed in the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Index 2026, with an overall gender parity score of 64.5%. While India performs relatively better on health and survival, it continues to lag significantly on economic participation and opportunity, and political empowerment — dimensions critical for UPSC Social Justice and Governance papers. Current affairsYudh Abhyas 2026: 22nd Edition of India-US Joint Military Exercise at Auli and MahajanThe 22nd edition of Yudh Abhyas — the flagship annual India-US bilateral military exercise — is being conducted at Auli (Uttarakhand) and Mahajan Field Firing Ranges (Rajasthan) in September 2026, with 600 personnel from each nation. The exercise focuses on high-altitude warfare, counter-terrorism operations under a UN mandate, and joint logistics interoperability. Current affairsKishau Multipurpose Dam Project: Six-State MoU Signed — Water Security on the Tons RiverA long-pending Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the Kishau Multipurpose Dam Project was signed on September 15, 2026, between the Central Government and six states — Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi. The 236-metre concrete gravity dam on the Tons River (a Yamuna tributary) will generate hydropower, irrigate approximately 97,000 hectares, and supply 517 MCM of drinking water annually. Current affairsCoastal Local Area Bank Achieves Scheduled Bank Status: India's First LAB Included in Second Schedule of RBI ActThe Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has included Coastal Local Area Bank Limited, Vijayawada — India's first-ever Local Area Bank — in the Second Schedule to the RBI Act, 1934, granting it Scheduled Bank status. The RBI subsequently amended the CRR and SLR directions for Local Area Banks to incorporate scheduled bank provisions including Incremental CRR and daily minimum CRR maintenance. Current affairs18th BRICS Summit 2026 New Delhi: India's Chairship, New Delhi Declaration, and Global South LeadershipIndia is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit on 12–13 September 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi — India's fourth time chairing the 11-member bloc — under the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability." Prime Minister Modi held key bilaterals with Presidents Putin and Pezeshkian; the New Delhi Declaration is the expected joint outcome.
In previous-year questions
- The "Tamluk Jatiya Sarkar" (Tamralipta National Government), one of the most notable parallel governments established during the Quit India Movement (1942–43), was located in which district?UPSC · Current Affairs
- The Hara Biosphere Reserve, threatened by an oil spill in August 2026, is located in Iran. What is the dominant mangrove species of the Hara forests, and where else in India is this species prominently found?UPSC · Current Affairs
- IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre) was established by:UPSC · Current Affairs
- Under which Article of the Constitution of India does the High Court exercise control over district courts and subordinate courts, including the discipline and postings of judicial officers?UPSC · Current Affairs
- The Jhiram Valley massacre occurred in Bastar district, Chhattisgarh — a region that has been the epicentre of Left Wing Extremism (LWE) in India. Which of the following geographical terms describes the contiguous belt of LWE-affected districts across central and eastern India?UPSC · Current Affairs
- After the Union Cabinet raised the EPFO mandatory wage ceiling to ₹25,000 per month in September 2026, a worker earning ₹22,000 per month in an EPFO-covered establishment will now be mandatorily enrolled in EPFO. Which of the following correctly describes how the employer's 12% EPF contribution is split between the EPF and EPS accounts?UPSC · Current Affairs