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U.S. Designates TRF as Terrorist Group The U.S. State Department has officially listed The Resistance Front (TRF)—a proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba—as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). This follows TRF’s claimed responsibility for the April Pahalgam attack in Jammu & Kashmir that left 26 people dead. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar welcomed the move as a testament to India‑U.S. counter‑terrorism collaboration. EU Sanctions Gujarat Refinery Over Russian Crude The EU has sanctioned Nayara Energy’s Vadinar refinery in Gujarat, marking the first Indian refinery penalized under new restrictions targeting Russian crude. The sanctions include a lowered oil price cap (reducing it from $60 to approximately $47.6/barrel), fuel-product bans for export, and banking constraints, while India has voiced strong objections, citing energy security concerns. INS Nistar Commissioned into Indian Navy India commissioned INS Nistar, its first indigenously designed and built Diving Support Vessel (DSV), at Visakhapatnam on July 18, 2025. Built by Hindustan Shipyard Ltd with over 80% domestic content and MSME involvement, this DSV enables deep-sea saturation diving and submarine rescue—capabilities shared only by a few global navies. “Platform Fees” Are Becoming Standard in India Leading Indian e-commerce and quick‑commerce players—including Swiggy, Zomato, BlinkIt, Zepto, and Amazon—are imposing “platform fees” for users. These range from ₹2–₹10 (with Amazon charging ₹5). The fees are seen as a way to offset infrastructure investments and improve profitability, though consumer groups warn they could provoke backlash. Slovenia Legalises Assisted Dying Slovenia’s parliament has passed a bill allowing terminally ill adults to opt for assisted dying if enduring unbearable suffering, excluding mental illness cases. The law was approved with a 50–34 vote following a 2023 referendum where 55% favored legalisation. U.S. Rejects WHO Pandemic Preparedness Accord The United States has formally rejected a WHO treaty amendment adopted in May 2025, which would have required nations to allocate 20% of pandemic-related supplies—such as vaccines and treatments—to the WHO during health emergencies. The U.S. criticized the accord as a threat to national sovereignty and global decision-making clarity, calling its language “vague” and prone to politicization.

Consider the following organisms: 1. Wheat 2. Goldfish 3. Banana 4. Wild Axolotl 5. Strawberry How many of the above are known to include polyploid species? A) Only two B ) Only three C) Only four D) All five

On December 22 every year, which of the following latitude(s) experience(s) a sunlight duration of more than 12 hours? 1. Equator 2. Tropic of Capricorn 3. Tropic of Cancer 4. Antarctic Circle Select the correct answer using the code given below: A) 1 and 2 only B ) 2 and 4 only C) 1, 2 and 4 only D) 1, 2, 3 and 4

📊 UPSC MAINS GS TREND: SUBJECT-WISE MARKS (2018–2024) 🔹GS Paper 1 (History, Geography, Society): • 📍Art & Culture: Avg. 30.7 (Range: 10–50) • 📍Geography: Avg. 92.1 (Consistently high) • 📍Society: Avg. 85.7 (Stable & scoring) • 📍Modern History: Avg. 31.4 (Volatile) • 📍World History: Avg. 16.0 (Often negligible) 🔹GS Paper 2 (Polity, Governance, IR): • 📍Polity: Avg. 126.4 (Highest scoring subject) • 📍Social Justice: Avg. 33.6 (Moderate) • 📍Governance: Avg. 38.6 (Fluctuating; peaked at 60 in 2024) • 📍International Relations (IR): Avg. 52.1 (Stable) 🔹GS Paper 3 (Economy, Security, Science, Env.): • 📍Economy: Avg. 51.4 • 📍Agriculture: Avg. 51.4 • 📍Internal Security: Avg. 48.6 • 📍Science & Tech: Avg. 48.6 • 📍Environment & DM: Avg. 51.4 (All GS3 subjects show consistent 50-mark pattern) These numbers highlight where your time & effort should go for optimal returns in UPSC Mains.

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UN SDG REPORT 2025: PROGRESS STALLED OR REVERSING IN 35 PERCENT OF TARGETS The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Report 2025 presents a concerning picture. As per the report, progress towards 35 percent of the targets across 14 out of 17 measurable goals has either stalled or reversed. With just five years remaining until the 2030 deadline, urgent action is needed. Key Goals Most Affected The report highlights significant setbacks in five critical goals: Zero Hunger (SDG 2) Quality Education (SDG 4) Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6) Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8 ) Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10) In these goals, between 50 to 57 percent of the targets for which data is available are off-track. Global hunger remains particularly concerning, with up to 757 million people undernourished in 2023, an increase from 2019 figures. Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia are among the worst affected regions. In addition, other goals such as Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12), Life Below Water (SDG 14), Life on Land (SDG 15), and Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (SDG 16) also show significant regression, with over 40 percent of targets moving in the wrong direction. Challenges Highlighted The report draws attention to multiple intersecting crises, including conflict, climate change, economic instability, and rising inequality. These factors have contributed to stagnation in several areas, including job creation, food security, and access to clean water and sanitation. In 2024, over 2.2 billion people lacked safely managed drinking water, and nearly 58 percent of the global workforce remained in informal employment. Despite some improvements, such as reductions in HIV infections and malaria cases, progress remains uneven. Urgent Need for Multilateral Action and Financial Reform The UN has called for urgent reforms to the global financial system to address the growing development financing gap, now estimated at four trillion US dollars annually. The report urges countries to adopt the Medellín Framework for Action to strengthen data systems and support evidence-based policy-making. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the need to triple the lending capacity of multilateral development banks, implement real debt relief measures, and reform the international financial architecture to enable developing nations to access capital at reasonable costs. Conclusion and Way Forward The report identifies six priority areas for acceleration: transforming food systems, expanding energy access, advancing digital transformation, ensuring inclusive education, creating decent work and social protection, and safeguarding climate and biodiversity. With time running out, the 2025 report serves as a call to action for governments, civil society, and the private sector to recommit to the 2030 Agenda. The emphasis is on sustained investment, urgent multilateral cooperation, and renewed global solidarity.

मैं थका नहीं हूँ, मैं तप रहा हूँ, हर असफलता में नया पथ गढ़ रहा हूँ। लोग कहते हैं — छोड़ दे अब, बहुत हुआ, पर उन्हें क्या पता, मेरा युद्ध अभी बाकी है, बहुत कुछ हुआ। वो कहेंगे — “किस्मत नहीं थी तेरे साथ,” और मैं कहूँगा — “मेहनत मेरी अभी अधूरी है, बात सिर्फ़ रात की नहीं, हर सुबह की शुरुआत मेरी उम्मीद से होती है।” ये रास्ता कांटों से भरा है, पर मैं फूल खोजने नहीं निकला हूँ — मैं राष्ट्र की सेवा का सपना ले चला हूँ, इसलिए गिरकर भी खड़ा हूँ। एक दिन यही लोग कहेंगे — देखो, यही है वो लड़का, जिसने कभी हार नहीं मानी, जो तपकर हीरा बना।

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Balancing General Studies, Optional, and Language Papers in UPSC Mains A well-planned balance between General Studies and the Optional subject is essential for success in the UPSC Mains. While General Studies carries 1000 marks, the Optional subject contributes 500 marks, and many toppers secure over 250 marks in Optional alone. This makes it a key scoring area that should not be neglected. Candidates are advised to proportion their preparation time wisely. Depending on their familiarity with the Optional subject, some allocate up to 50 percent of their time, while others manage with a third. The Essay paper, worth 250 marks, also plays a significant role. It requires structured thinking and clarity of expression. Likewise, the compulsory language papers, though qualifying, must be taken seriously. A lack of preparation here has led to disqualification for many candidates. Recommendations: Practice past years’ papers. Identify and improve weak areas. Get your answers reviewed by experts. Balanced and focused preparation across all papers is essential for securing a high rank in the UPSC Civil Services Examination.

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