UPSC IAS INTERVIEW Preparation

*Supporting Balanced Fertilization:* *Nutrient-Based Subsidy Rates for Rabi 2025–26* _Ensuring affordability and productivity in Indian agriculture_ Key Highlights 🌾 The Government *approved the Nutrient-Based Subsidy (NBS) rates for Rabi 2025–26* , effective from 1 October 2025 to 31 March 2026, covering Phosphatic and Potassic (P&K) fertilizers, including DAP and NPKS grades. 💰 The *tentative budgetary requirement for Rabi 2025–26* is approximately *₹37,952 crore ,about ₹736 crore higher* than the budgetary requirement for the Kharif 2025 season. 📊 Over *₹2.04 lakh crore allocated* between 2022–23 and 2024–25 towards *NBS subsidies* , ensuring affordable access to fertilizers. 🏭 NBS has driven *significant growth in domestic fertilizer production* , with P&K fertilizers (DAP and NPKS) output *increasing from 112.19 LMT in 2014 to 168.55 LMT in 2025* (as on 30.12.2025), reflecting over *50% growth* during the period.

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🛡️ *Indian Literature* ♟️ *Rig Veda-* Prayers of God ♟️ *Sam Veda-* Songs, 1st book of music, ♟️ *Yajur Veda-* Ritual processes ♟️ *Atharva Veda-* not written by Aryans; book on magic ♟️ *Brahmans-* Explanations of Vedas ♟️ *Aranyaks-* Forest books, ♟️ *Upanishads-* Metaphysical; ♟️ *Puranas-* Stories of kings ♟️ *Epics-* Ramayana, Mahabharata ♟️ *Plays-* by Kalidas etc. 💎 *Forgien Literature* ♟️Magasthenes(G): Indica Valuable information on Admin and socio-economic conditions of Mauryas. ♟️Ptolemy(G): Geography of India Geographical treatise on India in 2nd Century AD ♟️Pliny(G): Naturakus Historia Accounts trade relations between Rome and India in 1st Century AD ♟️Anonymous(G) :Periplus of the Erythrean Sea Records personal voyage of Indian coasts in 80 A.D. ♟️Fa-Hien(C): Record of the Buddhist Countries Records the Gupta Empire in the 5th Century AD ♟️Hiuen Tsang(C): Buddhist Records of the Western World Describes the social, economic and religious conditions of India in the 5th and 7th Century AD. (Harshvardhan) ♟️I-tsing(C) : A record of the Buddhists religion as practiced in India and Malay Archipelago. Studies the Gupta period under Sri Gupta in the 7th Century AD. ♟️Hwuili(C): Life of Hiuen Tsang Accounts Hiuen Tsang's travel in India. 💎 *Other* ♟️Visakha Datta: Mudra Rakshas; Gupta period, Chanakya-Chandragupta story ♟️Dipavamsa n Mahavamsa: Buddhist books written in Sri Lanka, Ashoka spread ♟️Divyavadan: Tibetan Buddhist book, Ashoka spread.

*🛡️Important Conferences Related to Environment* ♟️Ramsar Convention - 1971 ♟️Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora - 1973 ♟️Montreal Protocol - 1987 ♟️Vienna Convention - 1988 ♟️Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) - 1992 ♟️United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) - 1992 ♟️Basel Convention - 1989 ♟️Rio Summit - 1992 ♟️Stockholm Convention - 2001 Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety - 2000 ♟️UN-REDD - 2008 ♟️Nagoya Protocol - 2010 ♟️Minamata Convention - 2013 ♟️United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) - 1994 ♟️Kyoto Protocol - 1997 ♟️Rotterdam Convention - 1998

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*🛡️Pacific Ocean* *💎Warm Currents:-* ♟️1. Kuroshio Current (Japan Current) ♟️2. North Equatorial Current ♟️3. South Equatorial Current ♟️4. East Australian Current ♟️5. Equatorial Counter Current ♟️6. Alaskan Current *💎Cold Currents:-* ♟️1. Oyashio Current ♟️2. California Current ♟️3. Peru Current (Humboldt Current) ♟️4. West Wind Drift (part of Antarctic Circumpolar Current).

*🛡️Major Wildlife Institutes* ♟️Indian Zoological Survey Centre – Kolkata ♟️Centre for Ecological Sciences – Bengaluru ♟️Indian Institute of Forest Management – Bhopal ♟️Govind Ballabh Pant Institute – Almora (Uttarakhand) ♟️Indian Forest College – Dehradun (Uttarakhand) ♟️Indian Forest Survey Centre – Dehradun (Uttarakhand) ♟️Indian Institute of Ecology and Environment – New Delhi ♟️Indian Forest Ranger College – Dehradun ♟️Indian Wildlife Research Institute – Dehradun ♟️Indian Zoological Survey Centre Kolkata ♟️Indian Wildlife Research Institute – Dehradun ♟️Indian Botanical Garden – Kolkata ♟️Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON) – Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) ♟️National Environmental Research Institute – Nagpur ♟️Rainforest Research Institute – Jorhat ♟️Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding Institute - Coimbatore ♟️Forest Productivity Centre – Ranchi ♟️Central Avian Research Institute - Izzatnagar, Bareilly. 

*President* 🔸 The President must be a citizen of India, not less than 35 years of age and qualified for election as a member of the Lok Sabha. 🔸 His term of office is five years and he is eligible for re-election. 🔸His removal from office is to be in accordance with procedure prescribed in Article 61 of the Constitution. 🔸 The executive power of the Union is vested in the President and is exercised by him either directly or through officers’ subordinate to him in accordance with the Constitution. 🔸The President summons, prorogues, addresses, sends messages to Parliament and dissolves the Lok Sabha; promulgates Ordinances at any time, except when both Houses of Parliament are in session.

*🛡️ August Offer Vs. Cripps Mission* *💎Time Period* *♟️August Offer* August 1940 *♟️Cripps Mission* March 1942 *💎Viceroy at the Time* *♟️August Offer* Lord Linlithgow *♟️Cripps Mission* Lord Linlithgow *💎Context/Reasons for Proposal* *♟️August Offer* Britain’s precarious situation in WWII and the need for Indian support. *♟️Cripps Mission* Japanese advances in Southeast Asia heightened the need for Indian cooperation in the war effort. *💎Main Proposals* *♟️August Offer* Dominion status as the long-term goal; expansion of Viceroy’s Executive Council; promise of a post-war constituent assembly. *♟️Cripps Mission* Dominion status with the right to secede from the Commonwealth; a constituent assembly after the war to decide the constitution; provision for any province to opt out of the Indian Union. *💎Shortcomings Highlighted by Indians* *♟️August Offer* Vague promises; no immediate transfer of power; retention of British control over defense; no clear path to full independence. *♟️Cripps Mission* Dominion status instead of full independence; allowed provinces to secede, potentially leading to partition; no immediate transfer of power; British control over defense continued. *💎Reaction of Indian Political Parties* *♟️August Offer* Rejected by the Congress; welcomed by some other groups for its promise of eventual self-rule. *♟️Cripps Mission* Rejected by Congress and Muslim League; Congress criticized the lack of immediate power transfer and the provision for dominion status; Muslim League was dissatisfied with the lack of a clear commitment to Pakistan. *💎Outcome/Result* *♟️August Offer* Rejected by Indian National Congress; led to increased demand for complete independence. *♟️Cripps Mission* Failure; led to the Congress launching the Quit India Movement in August 1942. *💎Impact on Indian National Movement* *♟️August Offer* Strengthened Indian resolve for complete independence; highlighted the limitations of British promises. *♟️Cripps Mission* Intensified Indian demand for complete independence; demonstrated the unyielding nature of British policy; precipitated the Quit India Movement.

*🛡️Tropical Mansoon Climate* *💎Distribution* ♟️Some parts of world experience seasonal winds like land and sea breezes but on larger scale. ♟️These are Tropical monsoon lands with on-shore wet monsoons in summer and off-shore dry monsoons in winter. ♟️Best developed in Burma,Thailand, Laos,Cambodia,parts of vietnam and south china. *💎Climatic Conditions* ♟️In summer sun is overhead at the tropic of cancer, the land masses of northern hemisphere heated. ♟️A low pressure is set up in Central asia. ♟️At the same time Southern hemisphere experiences a winter and a region of high pressure created. ♟️Winds blows outwards as the south - east monsoon and after crossing the equator are drawn towards continental low pressure area reaching Indian sub-continent. *💎Seasons Of Tropical Mansoon Climate* ♟️Cool, dry season. ( oct to Feb ) ♟️Hot dry season. ( March to mid june ) ♟️Rainy season ( mid - june to September)

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*🛡️Important Conferences Related to Environment* ♟️Ramsar Convention - 1971 ♟️Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora - 1973 ♟️Montreal Protocol - 1987 ♟️Vienna Convention - 1988 ♟️Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) - 1992 ♟️United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) - 1992 ♟️Basel Convention - 1989 ♟️Rio Summit - 1992 ♟️Stockholm Convention - 2001 Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety - 2000 ♟️UN-REDD - 2008 ♟️Nagoya Protocol - 2010 ♟️Minamata Convention - 2013 ♟️United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) - 1994 ♟️Kyoto Protocol - 1997 ♟️Rotterdam Convention - 1998

*🛡️Women & Gender Data Highlights* ♟️Overall sex ratio = 1020 women for every 1000 men, sex ratios at birth abnormally low = 929/1000 ♟️Increase in share of gender budget in total union budget to 6.5% in 2024 ♟️Female Labour Force Participation Rate - 2023 = 37% (2018 = 23%), global average = 65% ♟️PMJDY - 55% account holders are women ♟️India ranked 129/146 in Global Gender Gap Index 2024, ranked behind neighbours like B’desh (99), China (106), Nepal (117), Sri Lanka (122), Bhutan (124) ♟️Women in India on average earn 70% of what men earn for the same job (globally = 80%) ♟️Women in Indian Parliament = 14.7% (lower than global avg of 27%) ♟️Literacy rate of women in India is 65% while that of men is 82% ♟️Women make up > 40% of STEM graduates but constitue < 15% of STEM professionals employed in R&D institutions ♟️More than 90% of women are involved in unpaid domestic services for household members (men = 27%) ♟️57% of the women aged 15-49 are anaemic ♟️74.10% of married women have their demand for family planning met by any modern method ♟️210 among every 1,000 persons in managerial positions are women ♟️55.63% Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan accounts held by women.

*🏔️ Highest Peaks of Indian States* 👉 Trick: “Kanchen loves Kamal” Kanchen ➨ Kanchenjunga (Sikkim) Kamal ➨ Kamet (Uttarakhand) Nanda ➨ Nanda Devi (Uttarakhand) Anai ➨ Anai Mudi (Kerala – South India’s highest) *🌍 Countries bordering India* 👉 Trick: “My Brother Never Bangs China” My ➨ Myanmar Brother ➨ Bhutan Never ➨ Nepal Bangs ➨ Bangladesh China ➨ China (Also Pakistan – easy to remember separately) *🛕 States where Sun Temple is located* 👉 Trick: “Kota Mod Sun” Ko ➨ Konark (Odisha) Ta ➨ Tamil Nadu (Kumbakonam, etc.) Mo ➨ Modhera (Gujarat) *🛣️ National Highways – Golden Quadrilateral Cities* 👉 Trick: “DKCM” = Delhi-Kolkata-Chennai-Mumbai D ➨ Delhi K ➨ Kolkata C ➨ Chennai M ➨ Mumbai *🏞️ Indian Rivers & Their Nicknames* 👉 Trick: “G-G-KM” Ganga ➨ Holy River Godavari ➨ Dakshin Ganga (Ganga of the South) Krishna ➨ Maharashtra’s lifeline Mahanadi ➨ Odisha’s lifeline *🏛️ First in Indian Constitution* 👉 Trick: “Raja made Ambedkar drink” Raja ➨ Rajendra Prasad (First President) Made ➨ Rajendra Prasad again (First Food Minister) Ambedkar ➨ First Law Minister Drink ➨ Sukumar Sen (First CEC – Election)

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*🛡️Sixth Schedule* ♟️Provides power to tribal communities to administer tribal areas in Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, And Mizoram under art 244 (2) and art 275 (1) of the constitution. *💎Advantages* ♟️Democratic devolution of powers ♟️Preserves and promotes distinct culture of region ♟️Protect agrarian rights such as land ♟️Enhance transfer of funds *💎Issues* ♟️Limited geographical coverage ♟️Financial mismanagement and rampant corruption ♟️Financial dependency over state authority ♟️Conflicts over consultation between governor and council of ministers ♟️Lack authority of resources for implementing schemes like mgnrega. ♟️Lack of codification of customary laws ♟️Lack of skilled professionals. ♟️Creation of elected village councils ♟️Regular election by state election commission ♟️Recognize gram sabha under laws ♟️Bring transparency in planning, implementation, and monitoring of developmental programmes.