UPSC PYQ 2025
Like AI Action Summit 2025 where UPSC focused on non-signatories (US & UK), the absence of major polluters like US and China from the Santa Marta Summit also becomes prelims-relevant under the growing UPSC trend of asking “absentee/non-signatory countries” in global summits.
#PYQ
Like AI Action Summit 2025 where UPSC focused on non-signatories (US & UK), the absence of major polluters like US and China from the Santa Marta Summit also becomes prelims-relevant under the growing UPSC trend of asking “absentee/non-signatory countries” in global summits.
#PYQ
India’s forex reserves have 4 major components:
1. Foreign Currency Assets (FCA) —> largest component (~79%–80%)
2. Gold reserves —> around 17% now (rising steadily)
3. SDRs (Special Drawing Rights) with IMF
4. Reserve Tranche Position (RTP) in IMF
• As per RBI weekly statistical supplement (2026), India’s total forex reserves are around $698–700 billion; gold share has risen sharply in recent years.
• RBI gold reserves stored in India crossed ~680 tonnes; share of domestically stored gold rose from ~48% (2023) to nearly ~60%+ by 2026.
• Gold repatriation = bringing sovereign gold reserves back from foreign vaults like Bank of England or BIS vaults.
• Why countries are repatriating gold:
– Fear of Western financial sanctions/freezing of overseas assets (Russia precedent after Ukraine war)
– Gold at home reduces geopolitical vulnerability
– Physical control improves crisis-time liquidity confidence
– Gold stored domestically remains outside many foreign jurisdiction risks
#CA2026
#DATA
👇🏻👇🏻
1. Foreign Currency Assets (FCA) —> largest component (~79%–80%)
2. Gold reserves —> around 17% now (rising steadily)
3. SDRs (Special Drawing Rights) with IMF
4. Reserve Tranche Position (RTP) in IMF
• As per RBI weekly statistical supplement (2026), India’s total forex reserves are around $698–700 billion; gold share has risen sharply in recent years.
• RBI gold reserves stored in India crossed ~680 tonnes; share of domestically stored gold rose from ~48% (2023) to nearly ~60%+ by 2026.
• Gold repatriation = bringing sovereign gold reserves back from foreign vaults like Bank of England or BIS vaults.
• Why countries are repatriating gold:
– Fear of Western financial sanctions/freezing of overseas assets (Russia precedent after Ukraine war)
– Gold at home reduces geopolitical vulnerability
– Physical control improves crisis-time liquidity confidence
– Gold stored domestically remains outside many foreign jurisdiction risks
#CA2026
#DATA
👇🏻👇🏻
❤3
Link concept:- https://t.me/bpscweb/23134
Link concept:- https://t.me/bpscweb/29049
Link concept:- https://t.me/bpscweb/26359
#PYQ
Link concept:- https://t.me/bpscweb/29049
Link concept:- https://t.me/bpscweb/26359
#PYQ
•Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices(CACP)—> Recommends MSP/FRP to govt.
•Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs(CCEA)—> Final authority that approves MSP/FRP.
Prelims Link:
1. CACP = advisory body
2. CCEA = Cabinet decision-making body chaired by PM.
—->Can accept, reject, or modify CACP recommendations.
—->Recently approved sugarcane FRP of ₹365/quintal for 2026–27 season.
• Sugarcane FRP is legally binding on mills, unlike MSP for most crops.
#CA2026
👇🏻👇🏻
•Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs(CCEA)—> Final authority that approves MSP/FRP.
Prelims Link:
1. CACP = advisory body
2. CCEA = Cabinet decision-making body chaired by PM.
—->Can accept, reject, or modify CACP recommendations.
—->Recently approved sugarcane FRP of ₹365/quintal for 2026–27 season.
• Sugarcane FRP is legally binding on mills, unlike MSP for most crops.
#CA2026
👇🏻👇🏻
❤3
SC number of (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026
• Supreme Court: Under Article 124(1), Parliament can increase SC judges by law; hence amendments are made through the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956.
• High Courts: Under Article 216, the number of HC judges is determined by the President (in consultation with judiciary/executive), not by a fixed parliamentary law.
#CA2026
#POLITY
👇🏻👇🏻
• Supreme Court: Under Article 124(1), Parliament can increase SC judges by law; hence amendments are made through the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956.
• High Courts: Under Article 216, the number of HC judges is determined by the President (in consultation with judiciary/executive), not by a fixed parliamentary law.
#CA2026
#POLITY
👇🏻👇🏻
❤5
• Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) works under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry and is the nodal department for FDI policy and approval processing in India.
India follows two FDI routes:
1. Automatic Route —> no prior government approval needed
2. Government Route —> approval required through DPIIT/concerned ministry.
• Revised SOP increased FDI approval timeline from 10 weeks (2017 SOP) to 12 weeks.
FDI in India is governed mainly through:
• FEMA, 1999
• Consolidated FDI Policy (updated by DPIIT)
• Foreign Exchange Management (Non-Debt Instruments) Rules, 2019.
—> FDI policy is framed by DPIIT, but FEMA-related operational regulations for foreign investment are notified/administered by Reserve Bank of India under FEMA, 1999.
#CA2026
#ECONOMY
👇👇
India follows two FDI routes:
1. Automatic Route —> no prior government approval needed
2. Government Route —> approval required through DPIIT/concerned ministry.
• Revised SOP increased FDI approval timeline from 10 weeks (2017 SOP) to 12 weeks.
FDI in India is governed mainly through:
• FEMA, 1999
• Consolidated FDI Policy (updated by DPIIT)
• Foreign Exchange Management (Non-Debt Instruments) Rules, 2019.
—> FDI policy is framed by DPIIT, but FEMA-related operational regulations for foreign investment are notified/administered by Reserve Bank of India under FEMA, 1999.
#CA2026
#ECONOMY
👇👇
❤4
• Pirelli Calendar 2027 will be dedicated to India and will feature works of legendary Indian photojournalist Raghu Rai.
• The iconic calendar, popularly called “The Cal”, is a globally renowned limited-edition art calendar known for collaborations with top photographers and cultural themes.
Raghu Rai is a legendary Indian photojournalist and former member of Magnum Photos; he is especially known for documenting India, the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy, and socio-cultural life through black-and-white photography.
#CA2026
#PERSON
• The iconic calendar, popularly called “The Cal”, is a globally renowned limited-edition art calendar known for collaborations with top photographers and cultural themes.
Raghu Rai is a legendary Indian photojournalist and former member of Magnum Photos; he is especially known for documenting India, the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy, and socio-cultural life through black-and-white photography.
#CA2026
#PERSON
❤1