Upsc admit card
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Download link for Civil Services (Preliminary) 2026 Examination's Admit Card
Please login and then under the home tab - select admit card for CSP 2026
https://upsconline.nic.in/login -
Download link for Civil Services (Preliminary) 2026 Examination's Admit Card
Please login and then under the home tab - select admit card for CSP 2026
PRELIMS 2026: LAST-MINUTE CHECKLIST
Before you close your books and head for the exam, make sure these basics are sorted.
□ Print at least 2 copies of your Admit Card
□ Keep your original Photo ID and a couple of photocopies
□ Carry 2-3 pens that you have already used before
□ Keep a pencil and eraser as backup
□ Pack any medicines you might need (headache, stomach upset, etc.)
□ Keep ORS/Glucon-D and some light snacks for the break between papers
□ Wear comfortable, breathable clothing
□ Visit your exam centre beforehand if possible
□ Plan your travel and leave enough buffer time
□ Read the exam-day instructions once carefully
□ Double-check every detail while filling the OMR
□ Sleep well on the night before the exam
□ Avoid watching random strategy content
□ Keep a few maps handy for quick revision in the final hours
Take care of the basics.
Before you close your books and head for the exam, make sure these basics are sorted.
□ Print at least 2 copies of your Admit Card
□ Keep your original Photo ID and a couple of photocopies
□ Carry 2-3 pens that you have already used before
□ Keep a pencil and eraser as backup
□ Pack any medicines you might need (headache, stomach upset, etc.)
□ Keep ORS/Glucon-D and some light snacks for the break between papers
□ Wear comfortable, breathable clothing
□ Visit your exam centre beforehand if possible
□ Plan your travel and leave enough buffer time
□ Read the exam-day instructions once carefully
□ Double-check every detail while filling the OMR
□ Sleep well on the night before the exam
□ Avoid watching random strategy content
□ Keep a few maps handy for quick revision in the final hours
Take care of the basics.
ClearUPSC
Photo
🔆 Rafah Crossing – In News
📍 What’s the News?
✅ Rafah border crossing has partially reopened after being largely shut since it was seized by Israel two years ago.
✅ Reopening is crucial amid the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
📍 About Rafah Border Crossing
📌 Location
✅ Situated between Gaza Strip and Egypt
✅ Lies at the southern edge of Gaza
✅ Borders Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula
📌 Strategic Importance
✅ Known as Gaza’s “lifeline”
✅ Only border crossing of Gaza that does not pass through Israel
✅ Critical for:
▪ Humanitarian aid
▪ Medical evacuations
▪ Limited civilian travel (with permission)
📌 Other Gaza Border Crossings
✅ Erez Crossing
▪ Northern Gaza
▪ For movement of people into Israel
✅ Kerem Shalom Crossing
▪ Southern Gaza
▪ Handles commercial goods only
📍 Why it Matters?
✅ Direct impact on humanitarian access to Gaza
✅ Central to regional security & diplomacy
✅ Frequently referenced in Middle East geopolitics
📍 UPSC Relevance
✅ GS2 – International Relations | West Asia
✅ GS1 – World Geography (Borders & Straits)
📌 Prelims One-liner:
➡️ Rafah Crossing, between Gaza Strip and Egypt, is Gaza’s only border outlet not controlled by Israel, making it a vital humanitarian corridor.
#places_in_news
📍 What’s the News?
✅ Rafah border crossing has partially reopened after being largely shut since it was seized by Israel two years ago.
✅ Reopening is crucial amid the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
📍 About Rafah Border Crossing
📌 Location
✅ Situated between Gaza Strip and Egypt
✅ Lies at the southern edge of Gaza
✅ Borders Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula
📌 Strategic Importance
✅ Known as Gaza’s “lifeline”
✅ Only border crossing of Gaza that does not pass through Israel
✅ Critical for:
▪ Humanitarian aid
▪ Medical evacuations
▪ Limited civilian travel (with permission)
📌 Other Gaza Border Crossings
✅ Erez Crossing
▪ Northern Gaza
▪ For movement of people into Israel
✅ Kerem Shalom Crossing
▪ Southern Gaza
▪ Handles commercial goods only
📍 Why it Matters?
✅ Direct impact on humanitarian access to Gaza
✅ Central to regional security & diplomacy
✅ Frequently referenced in Middle East geopolitics
📍 UPSC Relevance
✅ GS2 – International Relations | West Asia
✅ GS1 – World Geography (Borders & Straits)
📌 Prelims One-liner:
➡️ Rafah Crossing, between Gaza Strip and Egypt, is Gaza’s only border outlet not controlled by Israel, making it a vital humanitarian corridor.
#places_in_news
❤1
ClearUPSC
Photo from Rishu Kumar Singh
🔆 Balancing Development and Ecology in the Himalayas
📍 Why in News?
✅ The Centre has halted approval of new hydropower projects in the upper Ganga Basin (Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers) while allowing 7 ongoing projects to continue in Uttarakhand.
📍 Key Dimensions of the Issue
✅ Ecological & Geological Concerns
• Himalayas are young fold mountains located in Seismic Zones IV & V.
• Blasting, tunnelling, excavation and unscientific muck dumping increase risks of landslides, subsidence and slope instability.
• Climate change is accelerating Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs).
• Example: Teesta-III Dam in Sikkim was destroyed by a GLOF in 2023.
✅ Strategic & National Security Importance
• Projects like the Char Dham Highway improve military mobility near the LAC.
• Hydropower projects strengthen India’s position in transboundary river management, especially against China’s upstream dam construction on the Brahmaputra/Siang.
✅ Economic & Energy Needs
• Hydropower provides peak-load support and grid stability for solar and wind energy.
• Mountain states like Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh depend on hydropower revenues for development and employment.
✅ Cultural & Religious Significance
• Upper Ganga region is sacred for millions.
• Diversion of rivers through tunnels affects Aviralta (uninterrupted flow) and Nirmalta (purity) of rivers.
📍 Key Challenges
✅ Legacy Project Contradiction
• New projects are restricted, but ongoing projects such as Tapovan Vishnugad continue despite disaster concerns.
✅ Eastern Himalayan Blind Spot
• Restrictions apply mainly to Uttarakhand.
• Large projects continue on Teesta, Siang and Dibang rivers without a comprehensive ecological framework.
📍 Way Forward
✅ Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA)
• Assess entire river basins instead of evaluating projects individually.
✅ Promote Low-Impact Hydropower
• Encourage Run-of-the-River (RoR) projects and Pumped Storage Plants (PSPs).
✅ Unified Himalayan Policy
• Develop a comprehensive ecological framework from J&K to Arunachal Pradesh.
✅ Sustainable Engineering Practices
• Adopt environmentally safe tunnelling methods and strictly regulate debris disposal.
📍 Conclusion
✅ Sustainable development in the Himalayas requires balancing ecological security, clean energy needs, national security, and cultural heritage through science-based planning and long-term environmental governance.
#GS3 #Environment #mains
📍 Why in News?
✅ The Centre has halted approval of new hydropower projects in the upper Ganga Basin (Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers) while allowing 7 ongoing projects to continue in Uttarakhand.
📍 Key Dimensions of the Issue
✅ Ecological & Geological Concerns
• Himalayas are young fold mountains located in Seismic Zones IV & V.
• Blasting, tunnelling, excavation and unscientific muck dumping increase risks of landslides, subsidence and slope instability.
• Climate change is accelerating Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs).
• Example: Teesta-III Dam in Sikkim was destroyed by a GLOF in 2023.
✅ Strategic & National Security Importance
• Projects like the Char Dham Highway improve military mobility near the LAC.
• Hydropower projects strengthen India’s position in transboundary river management, especially against China’s upstream dam construction on the Brahmaputra/Siang.
✅ Economic & Energy Needs
• Hydropower provides peak-load support and grid stability for solar and wind energy.
• Mountain states like Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh depend on hydropower revenues for development and employment.
✅ Cultural & Religious Significance
• Upper Ganga region is sacred for millions.
• Diversion of rivers through tunnels affects Aviralta (uninterrupted flow) and Nirmalta (purity) of rivers.
📍 Key Challenges
✅ Legacy Project Contradiction
• New projects are restricted, but ongoing projects such as Tapovan Vishnugad continue despite disaster concerns.
✅ Eastern Himalayan Blind Spot
• Restrictions apply mainly to Uttarakhand.
• Large projects continue on Teesta, Siang and Dibang rivers without a comprehensive ecological framework.
📍 Way Forward
✅ Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA)
• Assess entire river basins instead of evaluating projects individually.
✅ Promote Low-Impact Hydropower
• Encourage Run-of-the-River (RoR) projects and Pumped Storage Plants (PSPs).
✅ Unified Himalayan Policy
• Develop a comprehensive ecological framework from J&K to Arunachal Pradesh.
✅ Sustainable Engineering Practices
• Adopt environmentally safe tunnelling methods and strictly regulate debris disposal.
📍 Conclusion
✅ Sustainable development in the Himalayas requires balancing ecological security, clean energy needs, national security, and cultural heritage through science-based planning and long-term environmental governance.
#GS3 #Environment #mains