General Studies Paper II (GS-II)
Comprehensive policy intelligence and Prelims MCQs mapped to UPSC GS-2: Indian Constitution, Parliament, Federalism, Statutory Bodies, Social Justice, and International Relations.
Core Syllabus Dimensions Covered:
- § Indian Constitution, Basic Structure & Amendments
- § Parliamentary Functioning, Bills & Acts
- § Judiciary, Judicial Review & Doctrine of Proportionality
- § E-Governance, Transparency & Citizen Charters
- § International Relations, Bilateral Treaties & Multilateral Forums
⚡ High-Yield Practice Questions (GS-II)
🎯 UPSC Prelims Practice Drill
With reference to the bilateral research and industrial cooperation engagements between India and Germany, consider the following statements: 1. Roundtables held with German research organizations, such as the Fraunhofer Institutes, prioritized key fields including microelectronics, power electronics, and smart manufacturing. 2. Expanding industry-academia innovation networks and collaboration in battery technologies form key components of the enhanced strategic cooperation. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- [A] 1 only
- [B] 2 only
- [C] Both 1 and 2
- [D] Neither 1 nor 2
▶ Reveal Official Answer & Analytical Explanation
✓ Correct Option: [C] Both 1 and 2
Both statements are correct. High-level roundtables with German research institutes, including Fraunhofer Institutes, focused on microelectronics, power electronics, smart manufacturing, battery technologies, and logistics. Furthermore, the engagement emphasized strengthening industry-academia innovation networks, science and technology cooperation, and advanced manufacturing capabilities between India and Germany.
Tark High-Yield Question Bank
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🎯 UPSC Prelims Practice Drill
With reference to the 'Special Campaign 6' recently in the news, consider the following statements regarding its objectives: 1. It aims to institutionalize cleanliness in government offices and reduce pending references. 2. It focuses exclusively on digital records management without physical workspace inspections. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- [A] 1 only
- [B] 2 only
- [C] Both 1 and 2
- [D] Neither 1 nor 2
▶ Reveal Official Answer & Analytical Explanation
✓ Correct Option: [A] 1 only
Statement 1 is correct as 'Special Campaign 6' aims to institutionalize cleanliness in government offices, reduce pending references, and promote work efficiency and discipline. Statement 2 is incorrect because the campaign explicitly involves physical inspections and reviews of office spaces, sections, and common amenities (such as the inspections conducted at Kartavya Bhawan-2), rather than being exclusively restricted to digital records management.
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🎯 UPSC Prelims Practice Drill
Consider the following statements regarding the 'Special Campaign 6' implemented by the Department of Rural Development: 1. The campaign is being implemented under the guidance of the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG). 2. The primary objectives include institutionalizing cleanliness, reducing pendency, and disposing of e-waste. 3. The disposal of e-waste and obsolete furniture has generated zero revenue while freeing up office space. Which of the statements given above are correct?
- [A] 1 and 2 only
- [B] 2 and 3 only
- [C] 1 and 3 only
- [D] 1, 2 and 3
▶ Reveal Official Answer & Analytical Explanation
✓ Correct Option: [A] 1 and 2 only
Statements 1 and 2 are correct because the Special Campaign 6 is indeed guided by DARPG and aims to institutionalize cleanliness, reduce pendency, and dispose of e-waste. Statement 3 is incorrect because the disposal of e-waste and obsolete furniture generated an expected revenue of approximately Rs 15.29 lakh, rather than zero revenue.
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Recent GS-II Current Affairs & Policy Briefs
25 Dossiers-
PIB · Ministry of Jal Shakti
DDWS Organizes National Training of Trainers under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 to Strengthen Community-Led Rural Drinking Water Management
- The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation organized a national-level training of trainers under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 to strengthen community-led rural drinking water management.
- A capacity-building package with 8 modules, including 'The Story of Panipur' handbook and a trainer facilitation manual, was launched for grassroots institutions like Gram Panchayats and VWSCs.
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PIB · Ministry of Law and Justice
Legislative Department Reviews Office Cleanliness and Pendency Reduction Under Special Campaign 6 for Enhanced Workplace Efficiency
- The Legislative Department under the Ministry of Law and Justice conducted a comprehensive review and inspection of its offices at Kartavya Bhawan-2, New Delhi, under 'Special Campaign 6' on October 23, 2026.
- The campaign aims to institutionalize cleanliness in government offices, reduce pending references, and promote a culture of work efficiency, discipline, and optimal workspace management.
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PIB · Ministry of Rural Development
Department of Rural Development Achieves Sustained Progress and Cleanliness Milestones Under Special Campaign 6
- The Department of Rural Development is implementing Special Campaign 6 from October 2 to October 31, 2026, under the guidance of DARPG to institutionalize cleanliness, reduce pendency, and dispose of e-waste.
- The campaign successfully met 100% of its targets regarding cleanliness campaigns and IMC references, while clearing 690 physical files and closing 1,177 e-files.
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PIB · Ministry of Defence
The 33rd Edition of the Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX-2026) Commences in Visakhapatnam to Enhance Regional Maritime Security
- The 33rd edition of the Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX-2026) is being held from October 21 to 26, 2026, in Visakhapatnam.
- First initiated in 1994 as 'Exercise Lion King', SIMBEX is conducted in two phases: a Harbour Phase in Visakhapatnam followed by a Sea Phase in the Bay of Bengal.
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PIB · Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying
Fisheries Investors and Exporters Conclave 2026 to focus on investment, value addition, and export opportunities in inland fisheries
- India's total fish production reached 197.75 lakh tonnes in 2024-25, with inland fisheries contributing 151.60 lakh tonnes—accounting for nearly three-fourths of total national production.
- The Central Government notified Madhya Pradesh as a Reservoir Fisheries Cluster, shifting focus from a production-centric model to an integrated value chain approach across cold chain, seed production, and processing.
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PIB · Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
CAQM Reviews Dust Pollution Mitigation and Directs Delhi Agencies to Strengthen Air Quality Enforcement Measures
- The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) held a high-level review meeting with Delhi government agencies on October 21, 2026, to strengthen dust pollution mitigation measures.
- The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) were directed to strictly implement statutory directions and enhance coordination to control road and construction dust.
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PIB · Ministry of Home Affairs
Union Home Secretary Reviews Preparations for National Unity Day and Bharat Parv 2026 Marking End of Naxalism in Gujarat
- Union Home Secretary addressed a press conference in New Delhi regarding the preparations for National Unity Day 2026 and Bharat Parv 2026, scheduled for October 31 at Ekta Nagar, Gujarat.
- The 2026 Ekta Parade will celebrate the historic elimination of armed naxalism in India, featuring contingents of State Police forces and CAPFs that spearheaded anti-naxal operations.
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PRS · Parliamentary Affairs
Explained: The recent rise in petroleum prices
- Retail prices of petrol and diesel in India are revised daily by oil companies based on global crude oil price changes, with the central government taxing production via excise duty and states taxing sales via VAT.
- India's net import dependence for petroleum products rose from 69% in 1998-99 to 93% in 2017-18, exposing domestic retail prices to volatility in international crude markets.
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PRS · Parliamentary Affairs
Central Police Forces: Overview and Issues
- Under the Constitution, police and public order are state subjects, but the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) maintains seven Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) to assist state governments in internal security, border guarding, and counterterrorism.
- As of January 2017, 15% of sanctioned posts in the seven CAPFs were vacant, while personnel in border guarding forces faced arduous working conditions of 16-18 hours per day.
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PRS · Parliamentary Affairs
First session of 17th Lok Sabha: What to expect
- The 91st Constitutional Amendment Act limits the total size of the Council of Ministers, appointed under Article 75(1), to 15% of the total strength of the Lok Sabha.
- The schedule for parliamentary sessions and key events is decided by the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, formed after the swearing-in of the executive.
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PIB · Government of India
India and Saudi Arabia Discuss Bilateral Power Interconnection Initiative to Strengthen Regional Energy Cooperation
- India and Saudi Arabia held a virtual bilateral meeting to review the progress of the bilateral power interconnection initiative and strengthen energy sector cooperation.
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PRS · Parliamentary Affairs
Examining pendency of cases in the Judiciary
- Parliament increased the number of judges in the Supreme Court from 30 to 33, excluding the Chief Justice of India, to address rising case pendency.
- As of August 2019, over 3.5 crore cases were pending across the Supreme Court, High Courts, and subordinate courts, with subordinate courts accounting for 87.3% of them.
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PIB · Government of India
DoPT Launches Special Campaign 6 Focusing on Cleanliness, Pendency Reduction, Record Management, and E-Waste Disposal on Swachh Bharat Diwas
- The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) launched Special Campaign 6 for institutionalizing cleanliness, reducing pending matters, and promoting e-waste management from October 2 to October 31, 2026.
- The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) acts as the nodal agency, utilizing the SCDPM 6 portal to track progress on VIP references, public grievances, and record management.
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PRS · Parliamentary Affairs
The Importance of Parliamentary Committees
- Departmentally Related Standing Committees (DRSCs) are permanent bodies consisting of 21 members from Lok Sabha and 10 from Rajya Sabha, established to provide technical expertise and bipartisan scrutiny of ministries.
- DRSCs examine Bills, budgets, including Demands for Grants, and subject-specific policy issues, compensating for the limited time available for detailed debates on the floor of the House.
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PRS · Parliamentary Affairs
More Privatisation on the cards?
- The core group of secretaries on disinvestment approved the disinvestment of five public sector undertakings, including the entire government shareholding in BPCL, SCI, NEEPCO, and THDC, and 30% in Concor.
- In 2003, the Supreme Court ruled that the government could not reduce its ownership below 51% in HPCL and BPCL without amending the specific nationalisation laws that formed them.
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PRS · Parliamentary Affairs
Explaining the recent ban on e-cigarettes
- The Indian government promulgated an Ordinance prohibiting the production, manufacture, import, export, transport, sale, distribution, advertisement, and storage of e-cigarettes, though it does not explicitly ban individual possession or use.
- E-cigarettes do not contain tobacco, which previously left them outside the regulatory scope of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003.
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PIB · Government of India
Special Campaign 6.0: Department of Posts Achieves Significant Progress in Grievance Redressal, Cleanliness, E-Waste Disposal, and Space Management
- The department launched 'Digipost', a phygital mail service in collaboration with Gujarat Police for delivering traffic e-challans, embodying citizen-centric governance.
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PIB · Government of India
India-UK Bilateral Maritime Exercise Konkan 2026 Concludes Off Plymouth, UK, Enhancing Operational Interoperability
- Exercise Konkan-2026, a bilateral naval exercise between the Indian Navy and the UK's Royal Navy, was conducted off Plymouth, UK, from October 8 to 15, 2026.
- Indian Navy's stealth frigate INS Trishul and the UK Royal Navy's Duke-class anti-submarine warfare frigate HMS Sutherland participated in the four-day sea phase managed by Fleet Operational Standards and Training (FOST).
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PRS · Parliamentary Affairs
Understanding recent amendments to the Arms Act, 1959
- The Bill introduces statutory definitions and penalties for new offences, including 'illicit trafficking', 'organised crime', forcefully taking a firearm from police or armed forces, and negligent celebratory gunfire.
- Punishments for dealing in un-licensed firearms are increased, while illicit trafficking and firearm possession by members of organized crime syndicates attract imprisonment between 10 years and life imprisonment along with a fine.
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PIB · Government of India
Supreme Court Constitutes High-Powered Inquiry Committee to Investigate July 2026 Violence Across Delhi and Other Locations
- The portal prioritizes matters concerning the use of pellet guns, targeted violence, harassment of women protestors, excessive violence by both sides, and property damage, while ensuring witness protection and confidentiality.
- Stakeholders can submit grievances, representations, or suggestions through the portal, via email at hpec2026.enquiry[at]nic[dot]in, by post, or in person at the HPEC office located at Shiksha Sadan, 17, Rouse Avenue Institutional Area, New Delhi 110002.
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PIB · Government of India
Indian Navy's First Training Squadron Departs Seychelles, Deepening Bilateral Maritime Cooperation and Regional Defense Ties
- The Indian Navy's First Training Squadron (1TS), comprising INS Tir, INS Sujata, and ICGS Sarathi, successfully concluded its port call at Port Victoria, Seychelles, on October 15, 2026.
- The deployment aimed to bolster bilateral defense cooperation, capacity building, and professional cross-training, including specialized training in firefighting and small arms handling for the Seychelles Defence Forces.
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PIB · Government of India
National Biodiversity Authority Distributes Rs 1.19 Crore to State and UT Boards Under Access and Benefit Sharing Mechanism
- The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) distributed Rs 1.19 crore to 29 State Biodiversity Boards and one UT Biodiversity Council under the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism.
- The funds were collected as ABS contributions from companies for commercial use and research of agricultural biological resources like maize, rice, pearl millet, and cotton.
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PIB · Government of India
CAQM delegation visits Punjab's Moga district to review enforcement measures and district preparedness for paddy harvesting season
- The delegation visited identified hotspot villages to evaluate district administration readiness, preventive actions, and inter-departmental coordination.
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PIB · Government of India
MoHUA Secretary Chairs 10th CSMC Meeting, Approving Over 1.93 Lakh Additional Houses Under PMAY-U 2.0
- The Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee (CSMC) approved over 1.93 lakh additional houses under PMAY-U 2.0 during its 10th meeting, bringing total houses sanctioned under PMAY-U 2.0 to 20.80 lakh across 11 states.
- Launched in September 2024, PMAY-U 2.0 targets 1 crore urban poor and middle-class families with annual incomes up to ₹9 lakh (EWS, LIG, MIG) by providing financial assistance up to ₹2.50 lakh through four verticals: BLC, AHP, ARH, and ISS.
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PIB · Government of India
Finance Ministry Clarifies No Statutory Limitation on Government Reducing or Exiting Equity Stake in IDBI Bank
- The Ministry of Finance clarified that the IDBI (Repeal) Act, 2003 places no statutory limitation on the Government of India regarding the reduction or complete exit of its equity stake in IDBI Bank Limited.
- Citing the 2018 Delhi High Court judgment in All India IDBI Officers Association v. Union of India, the Ministry emphasized that parliamentary debate statements or rejected amendments cannot override unambiguous statutory text or trigger the doctrine of promissory estoppel against disinvestment decisions.