25 September 2026 UPSC Daily Briefing

Top 4

1. [Explainer] Motion in both Houses, 2/3rds majority: Process to remove CEC
Microtheme: Elections, Delimitation. 0 questions in Mains, 8 questions in Prelims

2. [Op-ed] The murky world of political party finance
Microtheme: RPAxElectoral Reforms. 4 questions in Mains, 0 questions in Prelims

3. [Editorial] A chance to retreat
Microtheme: GroupingsXRegional. 5 questions in Mains, 25 questions in Prelims

4. Bengal 'Anti-Goonda' Bill fails to get President's nod due to overlap with Central legislation
Microtheme: Federal System. 10 questions in Mains, 4 questions in Prelims

Rest of the news

Economics

1. 'Make in India' of 12 years shows patchy performance
Microtheme: Manufacturing Sector. 5 questions in Mains, 0 questions in Prelims

2. Fear of shift to cash due to merchant fee on UPI '100% misplaced': Govt sources
Microtheme: Digital Payments,Digital Infrastructure. 1 questions in Mains, 13 questions in Prelims

3. As festival season approaches, govt. reduces import duty on edible oils
Microtheme: Food Processing Sector. 7 questions in Mains, 1 questions in Prelims

4. What are the alternatives to the SWIFT payment system?
Microtheme: Digital Payments,Digital Infrastructure. 1 questions in Mains, 13 questions in Prelims

Polity and Constitution

5. [Op-ed] Rethink or abandon SIR. Revelations about ECI take lid off electoral upheaval
Microtheme: RPAxElectoral Reforms. 4 questions in Mains, 0 questions in Prelims

6. [Editorial] A nation's song
Microtheme: Fundamental Rights,DPSP. 7 questions in Mains, 22 questions in Prelims

7. [Op-ed] Policing the line between publicity and justice
Microtheme: Fundamental Rights,DPSP. 7 questions in Mains, 22 questions in Prelims

8. EC's expanded logical discrepancy list for third phase of SIR keeps voters on their toes
Microtheme: RPAxElectoral Reforms. 4 questions in Mains, 0 questions in Prelims

9. Centre seeks prospective application of SC verdict on OBC creamy-layer criteria to prevent 'chaos'
Microtheme: Fundamental Rights,DPSP. 7 questions in Mains, 22 questions in Prelims

Governance

10. [Editorial] Don't ask women to shrink, secure their space
Microtheme: Women. 12 questions in Mains, 0 questions in Prelims

11. [Op-ed] Don't make learning a test of worth
Microtheme: Social empowerment. 3 questions in Mains, 0 questions in Prelims

12. SEBI eases settlement, overhauls PMS
Microtheme: Sectoral Regulatory Bodies. 3 questions in Mains, 0 questions in Prelims

13. FSSAI proposes ban on sale of analogue 'paneer'
Microtheme: Domestic Bodies/Agencies. 1 questions in Mains, 20 questions in Prelims

14. [Explainer] In first known AI hack of government website, a warning for public-facing systems
Microtheme: AI. 1 questions in Mains, 3 questions in Prelims

International Relations

15. [Op-ed] Should permanent membership, veto powers of the UNSC be abolished?
Microtheme: United Nations,Agencies,Adjacent Bodies. 8 questions in Mains, 29 questions in Prelims

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🚨Prelim 2027 The Hindu, IE Microtheme: "Digital Payments, Digital Infrastructure" Repeated 13 times in the UPSC Prelims

With reference to arrangements for cross border payment messaging and settlement, which one of the following statements is correct?
(a) SWIFT carries standardised payment instructions between financial institutions and does not itself hold accounts or settle payments.
(b) The Cross Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS) has participants in more than 120 countries, including every BRICS member.
(c) Project mBridge was envisaged for settlement routed through correspondent banks rather than directly between central banks.
(d) The New Delhi Declaration of the BRICS summit committed members to linking their central bank digital currencies.

Microtheme-based Current Affairs? DM me @Nishapan

🚨Prelim 2027 The Hindu, IE Microtheme: "National Income Concepts & Accounting Identities" Repeated 6 times in the UPSC Prelims

With reference to arrangements for cross border payment messaging and settlement, which one of the following statements is correct?
(a) SWIFT carries standardised payment instructions between financial institutions and does not itself hold accounts or settle payments.
(b) The Cross Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS) has participants in more than 120 countries, including every BRICS member.
(c) Project mBridge was envisaged for settlement routed through correspondent banks rather than directly between central banks.
(d) The New Delhi Declaration of the BRICS summit committed members to linking their central bank digital currencies.

Microtheme-based Current Affairs? DM me @Nishapan

🚨Prelim 2027 The Hindu, IE Microtheme: "National Income Accounting (GDP)" Repeated 11 times in the UPSC Prelims

With reference to the new Gross Domestic Product (GDP) series released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, which one of the following statements is correct?
(a) A firm doing both manufacturing and services is placed wholly in the sector of its major activity.
(b) Under double deflation, both output and inputs are adjusted for price changes to arrive at real gross value added.
(c) Dwellings are now assumed to have a longer useful life than was assumed in the old series.
(d) Data on household holdings of shares and mutual funds are now taken from the Reserve Bank of India instead of SEBI.

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28 September 2026 UPSC Daily Briefing

Top 5
1. UN Sea Level Declaration
Microtheme: Climate Change. 4 questions in Mains, 11 questions in Prelims

2. [Explainer] Xi-Trump summit: Little to show, much for India to watch
Microtheme: Geo-politics affecting India's Interest. 7 questions in Mains, 0 questions in Prelims

3. [Op-ed] The paradox of de-Sinification in global production
Microtheme: Manufacturing Sector. 5 questions in Mains, 0 questions in Prelims

4. Should voting be a fundamental right?
Microtheme: RPAxElectoral Reforms. 4 questions in Mains, 0 questions in Prelims

5. Amid ecological concerns, rail line set to connect Uri with Baramulla shelved
Microtheme: Border Area Management. 7 questions in Mains, 0 questions in Prelims

Rest of the news

Economics

1. Life of buildings to gold: Lesser known changes in GDP series
Microtheme: National Income Accounting(GDP). 3 questions in Mains, 11 questions in Prelims

2. [Op-ed] Farmers need a share of the solar boom
Microtheme: Renewable Energy Sector. 7 questions in Mains, 4 questions in Prelims

3. As fungal disease hits sugar output in UP, new cane variety holds hope
Microtheme: Crop Diversification. 6 questions in Mains, 0 questions in Prelims

Polity and Constitution

4. [Op-ed] Form 26 and the statutory mandate
Microtheme: RPAxElection Dispute. 4 questions in Mains, 0 questions in Prelims

Governance

5. [Op-ed] The pitfalls of mandatory FIRs
Microtheme: Various Acts. 0 questions in Mains, 7 questions in Prelims

International Relations

6. [Op-ed] Kashmir as India's gateway to Eurasian opportunity
Microtheme: Choke Points,Connectivity Projects,Pipelines. 0 questions in Mains, 9 questions in Prelims

Society and Social Issues

Reports, Indices and Surveys
7. Long wait for justice as pendencies in rape cases mount
Microtheme: Women. 12 questions in Mains, 0 questions in Prelims

Art, Culture and History

8. [Explainer] Tamil links to West Asia: What underwater excavations in Chola capital reveal
Microtheme: Historical SitesXPorts. 0 questions in Mains, 3 questions in Prelims

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