Learn Thru Practice — UPSC current affairs and the syllabus, source by source

Daily UPSC Prelims prep from PIB press releases and The Hindu — rated current affairs turned into exam-grade MCQs, with NCERT notes and practice.

Top rated

PIB

Bureau of Indian Standards Hallmarking
This PIB backgrounder explains the BIS hallmarking system for gold and silver jewellery, including mandatory gold hallmarking since 2021, digital traceability, and over 65 crore articles hallmarked. Questions on BIS, mandatory hallmarking and HUID have a clear factual hook for consumer-protection and standards topics.
CAPEX Support Scheme to Promote Critical Mineral Processing
The newly approved CAPEX Support Scheme to Promote Critical Mineral Processing has an outlay of ₹2,814 crore for FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31. It gives a 30% capital subsidy for two lithium and two nickel processing plants. A new scheme on critical minerals, a priority policy area, with concrete figures is very likely Prelims material.
TRAI releases Recommendations on ‘The Framework for Satellite Communication Network Provider Authorisation, and Assignment of Spectrum to Satellite Communication Network Providers'
TRAI released recommendations on the framework for authorising Satellite Communication Network Providers and assigning them spectrum. Satcom spectrum allocation under the Telecommunications Act, 2023 (administrative assignment versus auction) is a current policy issue that UPSC could test, along with TRAI's recommendatory role.
Ministry of Mines Launches the Ninth Tranche of Critical Mineral Block Auction and the Third Tranche of Exploration Licence Auction; Unveils Landmark Reform
The Ministry of Mines launched the ninth tranche of critical and strategic mineral block auctions and the third tranche of Exploration Licence auctions, and announced a reform. Critical minerals, the National Critical Mineral Mission and Exploration Licences under the amended MMDR Act are frequent Prelims themes.
Prime Minister highlights expansion of India’s Metro network from 248 km in 2014 to nearly 1,200 km today
The Prime Minister's Office highlighted that India's Metro network has grown from 248 km in five cities in 2014 to nearly 1,200 km in 26 cities, with over one crore daily riders. These are hard numbers on urban transport infrastructure that could feed a statement-based question, but the release is a PMO highlight rather than a new policy.
India Pioneers Space Debris Removal; Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh Announces Vision of Debris-Free Space by 2030
Dr. Jitendra Singh opened Cosmoserve Space's Base 1 facility in Hyderabad for active space debris removal and in-orbit servicing. He also restated India's goal of debris-free space missions by 2030 and cited a space economy of nearly USD 9 billion. Space debris, India's 2030 target and the growth of private space firms are all testable in Science & Technology questions.
INDIAN NAVAL SHIP SAHYADRI ARRIVES AT YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, JAPAN FOR EXERCISE MALABAR 2026
INS Sahyadri, an indigenous guided-missile stealth frigate of the Eastern Fleet, reached Yokosuka, Japan, for the multilateral exercise MALABAR 2026. Prelims often asks about Malabar's participants (India, US, Japan, Australia) and which country is hosting. The exercise recurs every year, so the release adds only a little new information.
UIDAI onboards 300 Offline Verification Seeking Entities (OVSEs), Expanding the Aadhaar Offline Verification Ecosystem
UIDAI has onboarded 300 Offline Verification Seeking Entities and released usage figures for the Aadhaar App, including about 7.5 crore downloads and 4.6 crore biometric lock/unlock transactions. Aadhaar offline verification, OVSEs and biometric locking are testable concepts about digital identity and privacy. The specific numbers matter less than the mechanism.
Department of Rural Development and DAHD Join Hands to Boost Fodder Production, Strengthen Livestock Infrastructure and Support Rural Livelihoods under VB–G RAM G
The Department of Rural Development and the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying issued a joint advisory to States/UTs. It lets funds under VB–G RAM G (the new rural employment framework that replaced MGNREGA) be used for fodder, pasture, dairy and veterinary works, and lists 22 permissible works linked to Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans. The new scheme's scope and how it converges with other schemes is a clear factual hook for Prelims.
Team led by Indian astronomers redefine star cluster UBC 63 as a double cluster system spotted after close flyby
A team led by Indian astronomers found that UBC 63, a Galactic open cluster about 4,892 light years away, is actually two distinct star clusters that were seen after a close flyby. UPSC sometimes asks about astronomy findings by Indian institutions and concepts such as open and binary clusters. It could serve as a science-and-technology current-affairs hook.
Cabinet approves ‘Viksit Bharat Initiative for Statistical Transformation, Analytics & Research (VISTAR)’, a central sector scheme for the period 2026-27 to 2030-31
The Cabinet approved VISTAR (Viksit Bharat Initiative for Statistical Transformation, Analytics & Research), a central sector scheme for FY 2026-31 with an outlay of Rs 4,371.10 crore. A new named scheme with an acronym, a defined period and a nodal ministry (MoSPI) is classic Prelims material, for example a question on its expansion, its scheme type or its ministry.
Cabinet Approves Capex Support Scheme to Promote Critical Mineral Processing with an Outlay of Rs.2,814 Crore for Lithium and Nickel processing
The Cabinet approved a Capex Support Scheme to Promote Critical Mineral Processing, with Rs 2,814 crore over five years for lithium and nickel processing. Critical minerals are a frequent Prelims theme, and a question could test the outlay, the minerals covered or the link to supply-chain concentration.

The Hindu

Agniveers get option for extension; pathway to join army as regular soldiers
The Union Cabinet has approved an additional two-year engagement period for a section of Agniveers, creating a pathway for all cadets under the Agnipath scheme ...
What the BRICS carbon market partnership needs
On September 12, at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, the New Delhi Declaration confirmed that BRICS members look forward to implementing the Memorandum of Un...
PAC meet calls for closer scrutiny of public spending, quicker action on audit findings
A conference of Public Accounts Committee Chairpersons from Parliament and 25 State legislatures has called for closer scrutiny of public spending, quicker acti...
Cess levied on sales tax falls within State’s ambit, says SC
The Supreme Court held on Wednesday that an additional tax levied by a State legislature on the sale or purchase of goods will not fall outside the State’s comp...
ECI separates online form for registration of fresh voters and SIR declaration
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has separated Form 6, used for fresh voter registration, and an accompanying declaration in its online version in States ...
SC seeks govt. reply on law giving lifelong immunity to CEC
The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought a response from the Union government on petitions challenging the constitutionality of a specific provision in the Chief E...
Cabinet okays ₹14,500 cr. VGF scheme for large scale energy storage
The Union Cabinet has approved a ₹14,500 crore Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme for the development of grid-scale energy storage systems for the period 2026-2...
UN panel’s report says genocide continues in Gaza
The Commission of Inquiry says Israeli violations include widespread or systematic attacks directed against the Palestinian civilian population, state policy, and the fact that the security forces knew the acts constituted part of an attack against the civilian population and so intended them; it emphasises harm inflicted on children is not incidental but forms part of a pattern of intentional violence
How U.S. midterm poll results could shape geopolitical options for India
Republicans have faced losses but it is unclear whether Trump will seek an early exit from the Iran war; the victory of candidates from immigrant families could temper anti-immigrant rhetoric; tariffs and trade deal other areas of interest
Govt. seeks to cut access to substandard medicines
The Union Health Ministry has proposed amendments to the Drugs Rules, 1945, to immediately suspend the manufacturing licences of drugs declared Not of Standard ...
Fast-track special courts scheme extended till 2031
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a five-year extension of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for fast-track special courts (FTSCs), including exclusive...
Anaemia burden — iron alone is no solution
India’s anaemia burden is not in doubt. The fifth National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) found that more than half of women and about two-thirds of young childr...

Learn Thru Practice — UPSC current affairs and the syllabus, source by source

Top rated

PIB

The Hindu

Latest PIB

Latest from The Hindu

Explore

UPSC glossary A–Z