
ANCIENT HISTORY
1. Prehistoric Cultures in India
- Periodization of Indian pre history
- Sources of prehistory
- Stone age
- Palaeolithic (2 million BC – 10,000 BC)
- Mesolithic (10,000 BC – 8,000 BC)
- Palaeolithic (8000 BC – 4000 BC)
- Chalcolithic Age (4000 BC – 1500 BC)
- Iron age (1500 BC-200 BC)
- Impact of Iron
2. Pastoral and Farming Communities
- Neolithic Phase
- Chalcolithic Phase
- Early Iron Phase
- Geographical Distribution and Characteristics
3. Indus Valley Civilization
- Major cities
- Town Planning
- Harappan Trade
- Agriculture
- Domestication of animals
- Crafts
- Religion
- Harappan Pottery
- Weights and Measures
- Script and Language
- Images
- Decline of Harappan Culture
4. Vedic Society
- Original Home of Aryans
- Features of Aryan Culture
- Vedic Texts
- Sources for Reconstructing
- Vedic Society and Culture
- Geography of the Rig Vedic Period
- Geography of the later Vedic Phases
- Economic Conditions
- Political Organization and Evolution of Monarchy
- Social Organisation and Varna System
- Religion and Thought
5. Pre Mauryan-Period
- Formation of states
- The Sixteen Mahajanapadas
- Republics
- Rise of urban centres
- Haryanka dynasty
- Shishunaga dynasty
- Nanda dynasty
6. The Mauryan Empire
- Chandragupta and Bindusara
- Megasthenes
- Asoka and His Successors
- Asoka’s Inscriptions and Sites
- Asoka’ a Dhamma
- Mauryan. Administration, Economy, Society and Art
- The Arthasastra
7. Post Mauryan India (BC-200-AD 300)
- Society Evolution of Jatis
- Sangam Texts-and Society
- Satavahanas and Other Indigenous Dynasties
- Foreign Dynasties
- Commercial Contacts with the Outside World
- Schools of Art
8. Growth of Jainism and Buddhism
- Jainism
- Buddhism
9. Imperial Guptas
- Sources of Gupta Rule
- Political history of Guptas
- Fahien
- Gupta Administration
- Gupta Culture
- Urban centres in Gupta period
- Economic Conditions
10. Harshavardhana
- Sources for Harsha’s Period
- Early life of Harsha
- Harsha’s Administration
- Important Officials of the empire
- Economy under Harsha
- Society
- Religion
11. The Southern Dynasties
- The Satavahanas (230 BC TO AD 225)
- The Pallavas (AD 330–796)
- The Chalukyas (AD 535–1190)
- The Pandyas of Madurai (AD 590–1323)
MEDIEVAL INDIA
- Central Asian Politics and the Advance of Babur towards India
- The Timurids
- The Timurid-Uzbek and Uzbek-Iran Conflict and Babur
- Babur’s Advance towards India
- Struggle for Empire in North- India (Afghans, Rajputs and Mughals)
- Struggle between Ibrahim Lodi and Babur
- The Battle of Panipat
- Babur’s problems after the Battle of Panipat
- Struggle with Rana Sanga
- Problems of the Eastern Areas and the Afghans
- Babur’s Contribution and Significance of his Advent into India
3. Struggle for Empire in North India
- Humayun and the Afghans
- Early Activities of Humayun, and the Tussle with Bahadur Shah
- The Gujarat Campaign
- The Bengal Campaign, and Struggle with Sher Khan
4. The Establishment of the North Indian Empire
- The Surs
- Sher Shah’s Early Life
- Social and Political Background of Bihar and the Rise of Sher Shah to Power.
- The Sur Empire (1540-56)
- Contributions of Sher Shah
5. Consolidation and Expansion of the Empire - Akbar
- Conflict with the Afghans - Hemu
- Struggle with the Nobility: Bairam Khan’s
- Regency; Revolt of Uzbek Nobles
- Early Expansion of the Empire (1560-76) - Malwa, Garh-Katanga, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Eastern India
- Relations with the Rajputs - Growth of a Composite Ruling Class
- Rebellions, and Further Expansion of the Empire in the North West
6. State and Government under Akbar
- Akbar’s Concept of Suzerainty
- Structure of Government, Central and Provincial - the Vikalat, Central Ministries, Provincial Government,
- District and Local Government
- The Working of Government - the Ruler, Land-Revenue System, the Dahsala System.
- The Mansabdari System and the Army
7. Akbar’s Religious Views
- Relations with the Ulama and Social Reforms
- The Early Phase (1556-73)
- The Second Phase (1573-80) - the Ibadat Khana
- Debates - the Mahzar – Breach with Orthodox
- Ulama - Re-organisation of Madad-i-Maash Grants
- Third or Final Phase - Din-i-Ilahi
- State Policies and religious toleration
8. The Deccan and the Mughals (upto 1657)
- The Deccani States upto 1595
- Mughal Advance towards the Deccan
- Mughal Conquest of Berar, Khandesh and parts of Ahmadnagar
- Rise of Malik Ambar, and Frustration of Mughal Attempt at Consolidation (1601-27)
- Extinction of Ahmadnagar, Acceptance of Mughal
- Suzerainty by Bijapur and Golconda
- Shah Jahan and the Deccan (1636-57)
- Cultural Contribution of the Deccani States
9. Foreign Policy of the Mughals
- Akbar and the Uzbeks
- The Question of Qandahar and Relations with Iran
- Shah Jahan’s Balkh Campaign
- Mughal - Persian Relations - the Last Phase
10. India in the First Half of the Seventeenth Century
- Jahangir’s Accession - his Early Difficulties
- Territorial Consolidation and Expansion of the Empire - Mewar, East India and Kangra
- Nur Jahan, and the Nur Jahan ‘Junta’
- The Rebellions of Shah Jahan, and the coup de main of Mahabat Khan
- Jahangir as a Ruler
- State and Religion in the First Half of the Seventeenth Century
- Shah Jahan - Consolidation and Expansion of the Empire
- Evolution of the Mughal Ruling Class and the Mansabdari System
11. Aurangzeb - Religious Policies, North India and the Rajputs
- War of Succession
- Religious Policy: First Phase (1658-79)
- Reforms and Puritanical Measures, Hindu
- Temples, Jizyah; Second Phase (1679-1707)
- Territorial Consolidation and
- Expansion of Empire - North India
- Popular Revolts - Jats, Satnamis, Afghans and Sikhs
- Breach with Marwar and Mewar
12. Climax and Crisis of the Mughal Empire the Marathas and the Deccan
- Rise of the Marathas - Early Career of Shivaji
- Treaty of Purandar - the Agra Visit
- Shivaji’s Swaraj – Administration and Achievements
- Aurangzeb and the Deccani States (1658-87)
- Marathas and the Deccan (1687-1707)
- Assessment of Aurangzeb and the Jagirdari Crisis
13. Society-Structure and Growth
- Rural Society
- Towns and Town Life
- Artisans and Master-Craftsmen
- Women
- Servants and Slaves
- Standard of Living
- The Ruling Classes - Nobility, Rural Gentry
- The Middle Strata
- The Commercial Classes
14. Economic Life-Patterns and Prospects
- Inland Trade
- Overseas Trade - Role of Foreign Trading companies - Position of Indian merchant’s over-land Trade
- The Mughal State and Commerce
- Trend of India’s Economy and Prospects during the First Half of the Eighteenth Century
15. Religion, Fine Arts, Science and Technology
- Religion- Hindu Religion, Sikh Religion, Islam
- Fine Arts - Architecture, Painting, Language and Literature, Music
- Science and Technology
16. Northern India in the First Half of the Eighteenth Century
- Bahadur Shah I, and the Beginning of the Struggle
- For Wizarat - Rajput Affairs - Marathas
- Deccan - Accentuation of the Party Struggle
- Struggle for ‘New’ Wizarat: Zulfiqar Khan and Jahandar Shah (1712-13)
- The Sayyid Brothers’ Struggle for ‘New’ Wizarat
- The Saiyid ‘New’ Wizarat
- The Wizarat of M. Amin Khan and Nizam-ul-Mulk
- Rise of Regional States, Beginning of Foreign Invasions of India (1725-48)
17. The Maratha Bid for Supremacy
- The Marathas and their Policy of Expansion
- The Marathas and Nizam-ul-Mulk
- The Maratha Advance into Gujarat and Malwa
- The Maratha Advance into Doab and Punjab
- First Phase (1741-52); Second Phase (1752-61);
- Third Battle of Panipat
MODERN HISTORY
1. Scenario before 1857
- Later Mughals
- Regional powers in 18th Century
- The British conquest of India
- The wars during British conquest of India
- British Administration before 1857
2. Revolt of 1857
- Indian National Movement (1858-1905)
- Early Nationalists and Swadeshi Movement
- Government of India Act 1909
- Home rule league movement
3. The struggle for Swaraj
- Montague’s statement – Aug 1917
- Emergence of Gandhi – as a mass leader
- Khilafat & non-Cooperation Movement (NCM)
- Swaraj party
- Revolutionary Terrorism phase II (1920’s)
- Simon Commission and Nehru report
4. Intimation of freedom
- Civil Disobedience Movement
- Round table conference
- Poona pact
- Government of India Act 1935
- Tripuri session – 1939
- August offer
- Individual Satyagraha 1940-41
5. Towards achievement of freedom
- Popular struggles in the princely states
- 2nd World War and Nationalist response
6. Partition of India
- Rise of Communalism
- Wavell plan
- Cabinet Mission Plan
- Mountbatten plan
7. During the freedom struggle
- Indian renaissance/socio-religious movement
- Civil Rebellions during British
- Tribal movements during British period
- Peasant’s movement during British period
- Working class Movement (1850-1900)
- Growth of communalism
- Left and communist trends in National Movement
- Press and education during British period
- Role of women in Freedom Struggle
- Governor generals of India
- Viceroys of India
- Important persons
- Important newspaper/journals
- Congress sessions
POST INDEPENDENCE INDIA
1. Reorganisation of states
- Constitutional provisions related to State formation
- Factors that led to merger
- Accession of the princely states
- Accession of States under France and Portuguese
- Accession of Sikkim
- Rehabilitation of the Refugees
- Federal crisis
- Regional aspirations, insurgencies and areas of tension
- Accommodation and national integration
2. Linguistic Regionalism in India
- Constitutional position and language policy
- Language and regionalism
- Recent controversy due to rise of Hindi
3. Tribal Issue and Policy Consolidation
- Issues & Present Status
- Policy consolidation
4. Issue of Women and Evolution of Women Movement
- Issues & challenges
- Women movements
- Government policy response and legislation
- Governmental schemes
5. Problem of Caste and Social consolidation
- Caste practices in India
- Ambedkar Movement
- Constitutional provisions
- Recent government initiatives for emancipation of Scheduled Castes
- Issues of Manual Scavenging
6. Communalism & Social Consolidation
- Secularism
- Causes of Communalism in India
- Consequences of the communalism and social consolidation
7. Issue of Linguistic Minorities
- Operational Inefficiency
- Government initiatives
8. Overview of Economic Development since Independence
- Planning in India
9. Agriculture
- Industry
- Service sector
- Current challenges facing the Indian economy
- Agriculture
- Journey through Five Year Plans
- Land Reforms
- Post Green Revolution Agricultural Issues
- Agrarian Movements
- Achievements in Agriculture Since Independence
- Recent Challenges
10. Industry
- Industrial development since independence
- Public sector since independence
- Sectoral Development
- Private Sector since Independence
- Industrial Policy since Independence
- Make in India
11. New Economic Policy
- Impact of New Economic Policy
12. Post-Independence Policy of Science and Technology
- India’s Policy in the Field of the Science and Technology
- Institutional Framework for Science and Technology Development
- Science and Technology in Pre- Reform Period
- Impact of Economic Reform on the
- Science and Technology in India:
- New Policy Initiatives in the S&T
- Agenda of the Skill Training
WORLD HISTORY
1. Beginning of Modern Age
- Disintegration of the Feudal System
- Renaissance
- Humanism
- Art and Architecture
- Literature
- Science
- Reformation etc.
- Explorations, Discovery, Trade
- Colonization – Rise of Nation State
- The English Revolution
2. French Revolution
- Causes
- The revolution in France
- France under Napoleon
- Impact of revolution
- Significance of revolution
3. Nationalism in Europe
- Rise of the nation- state system
- Unification of Italy
- Unification of Germany
4. Colonialism and Imperialism
- Colonialism
- The age of Imperialism (1870-1914)
- Imperialism in Asia
- Analysis of Colonialism
5. Emergence of USA
- Foundation of American Colonies
- The Independence of United States of America
- The American Revolutionary War
- What was the impact of American Revolution?
- Political Effects of the Revolution
- How did the American Revolution influence the French Revolution?
- US Civil War
- Impact of Civil War on USA
- Global Impact of US Civil War
- Impact on India
6. World War-I
- Major causes of the war
- Course of the war
- Analysis of major events of the war
- Consequences of World War I
- Aftermath of World War I
- League of Nations
7. Russian Revolution
- Major events in pre-revolution Russia
- Causes
- Course of revolution
- Consequences
- Aftermath of the war
- Post-Lenin Russia
8. Inter-War Years (1919 To 1939)
- The Great Depression
- The Great Depression- an economic perspective
- Rise of Fascism in Italy
- Rise of Nazism in Germany
- Soviet Union (USSR)
9. World War- II
- Foundations of the war
- Course of the war
- Aftermath of war
- Analysis of the war
- Decolonization phase
10. Development in Middle East
- Democratic reforms in Middle East
- Arab nationalism
- Israel
11. Cold War
- Reasons
- Development of Cold War (1945-1953)
- To what extent was there a thaw after 1953?
- Nuclear Arms Race and the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)
12. Post-Cold-War World
- Global issues since 1991
- Integration of Europe
- European integration- a timeline
- Rise of global Islamic terrorism
- Rise of China
13. Communism, Socialism and Capitalism
- Capitalism (concept, types and example)
- Communism (concept, types, example)
- Relevance of capitalism in present era
INDIAN CULTURE
1. Visual Art
- Sculptures of Harappan Civilization
- Sculptures of Mauryan Age
- Post-Mauryan Period
- Jain Sculptures
- Buddhist Sculpture
- Gupta Sculpture
- Medieval School of Sculpture
- Modern Indian Sculpture
2. Architecture in Ancient India
- Harappan Period
- Mauryan Architecture
- Post-Mauryan Period
- Gupta Period
- Temples of Khajuraho
- Temples of Odisha
- Temples of Gwalior
- Temples of Gujarat
- Temples of Rajasthan
- Temples of Bengal
- Temples of Assam
- Temples of Himachal Pradesh
- Temples of Jammu and Kashmir
- Pallava Period
- Chola Period
- Pandya Temples
- Vijayanagar Period
- NayakaTemples
- Temples of Kerala
- Vesara Style
- Hoysala Style
- Rashtrakuta Period
3. Indo-Islamic Architecture
- Imperial Style (Delhi Sultanate)
- Provincial Style
- Mughal Style
- Sikh Style of Architecture
- Rajput Architecture
- Salient features
4. Modern Architecture
- European Influence
- Indo-Saracenic Architecture
- Post-Independence Period
5. Indian Paintings
- Tradition of Mural Paintings in India
- Tradition of Miniature Paintings in India
- Paintings in the Deccan
- Rajput School of Painting
- Pahari School of Painting
- Miniature Painting in South India
- Regional Paintings
- Modern Paintings
- Contemporary Paintings
6. Pottery Tradition in India
- Ochre: Colored Pottery (OCP)
- Black and Red Ware (BRW)
- Painted Grey Ware (PGW)
- Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW)
- Glazed and Unglazed Pottery
7. Music in India
- Main Pillars of Indian Music
- Forms of Indian Music
- Musical Instruments
- Institutions Related to Music
8. Dances in India
- Concept of Dance in India
- Concept of Ashta Nayika
- Eight Classical Dance Forms in India
- Folk Dances
- Modern Dances
9. Martial Arts in India
- Genesis of Martial Arts
- Forms of Traditional Martial Arts
10. Indian Theatre
- Classical Sanskrit Theatre
- Regional Theatre
- Modern Theatre
- Renaissance of Indian Theatre
11. Indian Puppetry
- String Puppets
- Shadow Puppets
- Rod Puppets
- Glove puppets
- Modern Puppetry
- Tribal Puppetry
12. Indian Cinema
- Cinema in India
- History of Indian Cinema
- Classification of Indian Cinema Film
- Music of India
13. Religions in India
- Pre-Vedic Religion
- Hinduism
- Buddhism
- Jainism
- Sikhism
- Islam
- Christianity
- Zoroastrianism
- Judaism
- Philosophy in India
14. Bhakti & Sufi Movements
- Bhakti Movement
- Vaishnava Acharyas: Metaphysical Foundation
- Other Saints of Bhakti Movement
- Maharashtra Dharma
- Sufism
15. Languages & Literature in India
- Sanskrit Literature
- Pali Literature
- Prakrit Literature
- Tamil Literature
- Telugu Literature
- Malayalam Literature
- Kannada Literature
- Odia Literature
- Assamese Literature
- Bengali Literature
- Gujarati Literature
- Rajasthani Literature
- Punjabi Literature
- Marathi Literature
- Hindi Literature
- Persian Literature
- Urdu Literature
16. Miscellaneous Topics
- Indian Handicrafts
- Indian Universities
- Personalities Related to Culture
- Places of Cultural Interest
- Fairs and Festivals in India
- Cultural Institutions in India
- Awards and Honors Associated with Culture
- The Calendar
- The Eras
- Science and Technology in Ancient India
- UNESCO’s List of Cultural Heritage in India
- Legal Provisions Related to the Protection and Promotion of Indian Culture and Heritage
17. Recent developments
- Schemes for Cleanliness of Tourist Places
- Swachh Bharat - Swachh Smarak
- Swachh Bharat - Swachh Pakwan (Hunar Zaika)
- Swachh Bharat - Swachh Paryatan
- Swachh Smarak Swatchh Bharat’ app
- National Tourism Policy, 2015
- Schemes for Development of Cultural Heritage
- Sanskriti App
- Cultural Mapping of India
- Cultural Heritage Youth Leadership Programme
- Preservation of Cultural Heritage of Himalayas
- Nearly 100 Monuments Identified for Portal on “Must-See Monuments
- Schemes for Monument Development
- Hriday
- Swadesh Darshan
- Prasad Scheme
- Adarsh Smarak Yojana
- Monuments of National importance
- Cultural Scheme Monitoring System
- Schemes for promotion of Culture
- Culture Ministry to Grade Artists, Writers for Selection Process
- Schemes for Serious Literature and Litterateurs
- National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities
- National Mission on Manuscripts
- National Mission on Libraries
- Gandhi Heritage Sites Mission
- International Initiatives for Cultural Development and Recognition
- Project Mausam
- International Buddhist Conclave
- World’s Heritage
- UNESCO inscribed Yoga in the Representative list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
- UNESCO Creative Cities Network
- UNESCO Global Geopark
- National Virtual Library of India
- Animal Sports in India
- Jallikattu
- Kambala
- Bulbul Fight
- Bullock Cart Racing
- GI Tag
- Definition
- GI vs. Trademark
- Rights under GI
- Famous Goods
- Latest addition
- Festivals in News
- International Yoga Day
- Rashtriya Ekta Diwas
- Buddhist Circuit
GEOGRAPHY
PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
1. Geomorphology
- The origin of the Earth
- Early Theories
- Modern Theories – BBT
- Star Formation
- Formation of Planets
- Solar System
- The Evolution of the Earth
- Layered Structure (5 layers)
- Evolution of Lithosphere
- Evolution of Atmosphere
- Evolution of Hydrosphere
- Geological History of the Earth
- Earth
- Latitude and Longitude including important Parallels and Meridians
- Motions of the Earth - Rotation, Revolution and their effects
- Inclination of the Earth’s Axis and its effects
- Local and Standard Time and the International Date Line, Calendar
- Eclipses - Solar, Lunar
- Origin of Life
- Geological Time Scale
- Interior of the Earth
- Sources of Information
- Direct
- Indirect -EarthQuake Waves, Volcanoes
- Crust
- Mantle
- Core
- Geology
- Minerals
- Major Elements of the Earth’s Crust
- Minerals – Feldspar, Quartz,
- Pyroxene Amphibole, Mica, Olivine
- Physical Characteristics–Crystal Form, Cleavage Fracture, Lusture, Color, Streak
- Transparency, Structure, Hardness, Specific Gravity
- Metallic minerals – precious Ferrous, Non-Ferrous
- Non-metallic Minerals – Sulphur, Phosphates, Cement
- Rocks (Aggregate of Minerals)
- Petrology
- Rocks & landforms
- Rocks & Soils
- 3 Family of Rocks
- Igneous
- Sedimentary
- Metamorphic
- Rock Cycle
- Earthquakes
- Waves: P, S, Body, Surface,
- Shadow Zone
- Types of Earthquakes
- Effects
- Frequency
- Locating an Epicenter
- Volcano
- Types
- Shield
- Composite
- Caldera
- Flood Basalt
- Mid Ocean Ridge
- Landforms (intrusive)
- Batholiths
- Laccoliths
- Lapoliths
- Phacoliths
- Sills
- Dykes
- Geomorphic Processes
- Earth’s Surface
- Exogenic Forces
- Endogenic Forces
- Gradation, Degradation & Aggradation
- Geomorphic Process
- Endogenic Process
- Diastrophism
- Orogenic
- Epeirogenic
- Earthquakes
- Plate movements
- Volcanism
- Exogenic Forces
- Denudation Processes
- Weathering
- Mass movements
- Erosion Transportation & Deposition
- Distribution of Continents & Oceans
- Theories
- Continental Drift Theory
- Alfred Wegner 1912
- Pangea, Panthalasa
- Laurasia, Gondwanaland
- Evidence in support of Continental Drift Theory
- Jigsaw Fit
- Rocks of Same age across oceans
- Tillite
- Placer Deposits
- Distribution of Fossils
- Forces of Drifting
- Pole Fleeing Force
- Tidal Force
- Post Drift Studies
- Convectional Current Theory
- Mapping of the Ocean Floor
- Continents – plate Tectonics
- Lithospheric Plates
- Major Plate
- Minor Plates
- Plate Boundaries
- Divergent
- Convergent
- Transform
- Rates of Plate Movements
- Force of plate movements
- Indian Plate
- Movement from 71 million years ago till Today
- Landforms and their Evolution
- Causes
- Geomorphic Processes
- Agents
- Geomorphic Agents
- Erosional or Destructional
- Depositional or Constructional
- Agents and their Impacts
- Wind, Running Water, Ground Water, Glaciers, Waves & Currents
- Winds
- One of the Two dominant agents in Hot deserts
- Cause – Deflation Abrasion Impact
- Erosional landforms
- Pediments and Pedi plains
- Playas
- Deflation Hollows and Caves
- Mushroom, Table & Pedestal Rocks
- Depositional Landforms
- Barchans
- Seif
- Parabolic
- Transverse
- Longitudinal
- Running Water
- Humid Regions
- Two Components
- Overland Flow – Sheet
- Linear Flow – Streams
- Stages
- Youth Mature Old
- Erosional Landforms
- Valleys
- Rills
- Gullies
- Valleys – V Shape, Gorge (Hard Rocks), Canyon (Sedimentary)
- Potholes & Plunge pools
- Incised or entrenched meanders
- River Terraces – paired & unpaired
- Depositional Landforms
- Alluvial Fans
- Delta
- Flood Plains, Natural Levees, Point Bars
- Meanders, Slip off bank,
- Undercut bank
- Oxbow lake
- Braided Channels
- Ground Water (Karst Topography)
- Permeable Rocks
- Percolation
- Bedding Plains
- Limestone and Dolomite Regions
- Balkans, Adjacent to Adriatic regions
- Erosional Landforms
- Pools-Swallow Hole, Valley Sinks (Uvalas), Sinkholes, Collapse sinks (Dolines), Lapies, Ridges, Limestone Pavements
- Caves – Altering bed of Rocks (Shale sandstone quartzite), Caves and Tunnels
- Depositional landforms
- Stalactites
- Stalagmites
- Pillar Columns
- Glaciers
- Erosional Landforms
- Cirque of Tarn Lakes
- Hors and Serrated Regions – Arete
- Glacial Valleys / Troughs – Fiords
- Depositional Landforms
- Glacial Tills
- Moraines
- Eskers
- Outwash Plains
- Drumlins
- Waves and Currents
- High Rocky Coasts & Low Sedimentary Coasts
- Erosional Landforms
- Cliffs
- Terraces
- Caves
- Stacks
- Depositional Landforms
- Beaches and Dunes
- Bars Barriers Spits
- Weathering
- Weather over Earth Materials
- Factors
- Geological
- Climatic
- Topographic
- Vegetative
- Major Processes
- Chemical
- Physical or Mechanical
- Biological
- Chemical – Forces Chemical Action
- Solution
- Carbonation
- Hydration
- Oxidation & Reduction
- Physical Forces Gravitational, Expansion, Water Pressure
- Unloading & Expansion
- Temperature changes and Expansion
- Freezing, Thawing, & Frost Wedging
- Salt Weathering
- Biological Weathering
- Burrowing
- Wedging
- Plant Roots
- Effects of Weathering
- Exfoliation (Flaking)– Exfoliation
- Domes, Tors
- Significance of Weathering
- Soil Formation
- Biomes and Biodiversity
- Leaching / Enrichment
- Mass Movements
- Activating causes
- Forms of movement – Heave
- Flow Slide
- 3 major Groups – Slow Movement, Rapid Movements, landSlides
- Landforms across the world:
- Rivers and lakes
- Mountain and Peaks
- Plateaus
2. Climatology
Composition
- Gases
- Water Vapour
- Dust Particles
- Structure
Exosphere
- Thermosphere
- Mesosphere
- Stratosphere
- Troposphere
- Altitude vs Temperature
Solar Radiation Heat Balance Temperature
- Insolation
- Aphelion and Perihelion
- Variability of Insolation at the surface of the Earth
- Day Season Year
- Rotation on Axis, Angle of
- Inclination of sun rays, Length of the day
- Transparency of Atmosphere, configuration of land in terms of its aspect.
Heat Balance
- Heating and cooling of atmosphere
- Conduction
- Convection
- Advection
- Terrestrial Radiation
- Heat Budget of the Planet Earth
- Macro Budget
- Albedo
- Shortwave Radiation
- Long wave Earth Radiation
- Variation in the net Heat Budget at the Earth’s Surface
Temperature
- Factors controlling T distribution
- Distribution of T Month of January-July
- Range of T Month of January-July
- Inversion of Temperature
Atmospheric Circulation and Weather Systems
- Atmospheric Pressure
- Vertical variation of pressure
- Horizontal distribution of pressure
- World Distribution of Sea Level Pressure
- Factors affecting the velocity and direction of the WIND
- Pressure Gradient Force
- Frictional Force
- Coriolis Force
- Pressure and Wind (Cyclonic & Anticyclone Circulation)
General Circulation of the Atmosphere Pattern of Planetary Winds
- Latitudinal Variation of Atmospheric Heating
- Emergence of Pressure Belts
- Migration of Belts Following apparent Path of Sun
- Distribution of continents & Oceans
- Rotation of the Earth
Circulation
- Simplified Global Circulation – Hadley Cell, Ferrel Cell
- Seasonal Wind
- Local Wind
- Land and Sea Breezes
- Mountain and Valley winds
- AIR MASS – fronts
- ExtraTropical Cyclone
- Thunderstorms
- Tornadoes
Water in the Atmosphere
- Water Vapour
- Precipitation
- Humidity – Absolute and Relative
- Saturation – Dew Point
- Evaporation and Condensation
- Dew
- Frost
- Fog & Mist
- Clouds
- Types – Cirrus Cumulus Stratus Nimbus
- High – Cirrus Cirrostratus Cirrocumulus
- Middle – Altostratus Altocumulus
- Low – Stratocumulus Nimbostratus
- Vertical Development – Cumulus and Cumulonimbus
- Precipitation
- Rainfall Snowfall Sleet Hail Hailstones
- Types of Rainfall
- Conventional
- Orographic
- Cyclonic
- World Distribution of Rainfall
- World Climate
- The Hot, Wet Equatorial Climate
- The Tropical Monsoon and Tropical
- Marine Climates
- The Savanna or Sudan Climate
- The Hot Desert and Mid-Latitude Desert Climates
- The Warm Temperate Western Margin (Mediterranean) Climate
- The Temperate Continental (Steppe) Climate
- The Warm Temperate Eastern Margin (China Type) Climate
- The Cool Temperate Western Margin (British Type) Climate
- The Cool Temperate Continental (Siberian) Climate
- The Cool Temperate Eastern Margin (Lauren-tian) Climate
- The Arctic or Polar Climate
- Oceanography
- Water on the Surface of the Earth
- Hydrological Cycle
- Component
- Processes
- Oceans
- Relief of the Ocean floor
- 4 divisions of the ocean floor
- Continental Shelf
- Continental Slope
- Deep sea plain
- Oceanic deep and Trenches
- Minor relief features
- Mid oceanic ridges
- Seamount
- Submarine canyons
- Guy outs
- Atoll
- Temperature of the Ocean Water
- Vertical
- Spatial
- Factors affecting Temperature Distribution
- Latitude
- Unequal distribution of land & Water
- Prevailing wind
- Ocean Currents
- Horizontal & Vertical Distribution
- Thermocline
- 3 layers
- Salinity of the Ocean Water
- Factors affecting salinity
- Evaporation and precipitation
- Fresh water flow from rivers
- Wing
- Ocean currents
- Horizontals distribution of salinity
- Vertical Distribution of salinity
- Density of Ocean Waters
Movements of ocean Water
- Factors influencing Movement
- Temperature
- Salinity
- Density
- Sun Moon winds
Motion – Horizontal & Vertical Currents
Waves
- Motion of waves and water molecules
- Characteristics Of WAVE
- Crest and Trough
- Height
- Amplitude
- Period
- Length
- Speed
- Frequency
- Tides
Relation between Gravitational Forces and Tides
- Tidal currents
- Types of Tides
- Based on Frequency – Semi Diurnal, Diurnal, mixed
- Based on SME position – spring and Neap Tides
- Importance of Tides
- Ocean Currents
- Influenced by 2 forces
- Primary Force that initiates the movement
- Heating of solar energy
- Wind
- Gravity
- Coriolis force
- Secondary force that influence the currents to flow
- Characteristic – Drift – 5 knots
- Types of ocean currents
- Surface currents & Deep-water currents based on Depth
- Cold and Warm Currents based on Temperature
- Major Ocean currents of the World
- Effects of Ocean Currents
- Water Resource
- Underground water resource
- Surface water resources
- Inland water resources: Utilization of inland water resources by ma
- Oceanic water resources: Main features of ocean
- Utilization of oceans by man
- Water consumption patterns
- Water pollution
- Conservation of water resources
- Techniques of water conservation
- Biogeography
- Soil
- Soil Characteristics
- Factors Responsible for Soil Formation
- Stages of Soil Formation
- Soil Forming Processes
- Soil Profiles and Horizons
- Soil Classification
- Soil Erosion and Conservation
- Vegetation resources
- Types of natural vegetation
- Forests
- Significance of forests
- Economic significance, Ecological significance
- Cultural significance
- Factors of forest development
- Extent of forest cover
- Classification of forests
- Grasslands
- Desert vegetation
- Tundra Vegetation
- Economic utilization of forests
- Deforestation
- Deforestation in tropical forests
- Deforestation in temperate forests
- Rate and extent of deforestation
- Causes and factors of deforestation: Immediate causes of deforestation
- Indirect deforestation
- Underlying causes of deforestation
- Conservation of forests
- Forest conservation strategies
- Reforestation
- Monoculture plantation
- Afforestation
- Types of forestry
- Social forestry
- Agroforestry
HUMAN GEOGRAPHY
- Demography
- Concept of Human Resources
- Population Distribution
- Factors of population distribution
- Physical Factors
- Socio Cultural Factors
- Demographic Factors
- World Population Distribution
- Ecumene
- Non-ecumene
- Continent wise distribution of Population
- Density of population
- Pattern of Population density
- Population Increase (Growth) in the World
- Causes of Rapid Increase in Population
- Present Trend
- Future Projection
- Determinants of Population Growth
- Natural Increase
- Characteristic of Population
- Age Composition
- Population Pyramids
- Sex Composition
- Literacy
- Theories of population growth
- Malthusian theory
- Marxian theory
- Demographic transition theory
- Optimum population
- Over-population
- Under-population
- Population problems
- Population problems of developing countries
- Population problems of developed countries
- Population dilemma of Europe
- Population Policies: of China, of India
- Various types of rural settlements
- Relationship between house types with relief, climate and building materials
2. Urbanization
- Basic Feature and Pattern of India’s Urbanization
- Issues of Urbanization in India
- Rural Urban Migration
- Emergence of Slums
- Urban Transport
- Waste Disposal
- Water Supply, Drainage and Sanitation
- Electronic Waste
- Urban Poverty
- Real Estate (Regulation & Development) Bill, 2013
- Way Forward to Tackle Issues Related to Urbanization
- Inclusive Cities/Smart cities
- Recent government programmes:
- Migration
- Displacement
- Importance of the Rehabilitation Policy
- Urban settlements: types
- Urbanization process in India.
- Morphology of urban settlements
- Town planning and patterns of rural settlement
- Settlement types of the world
- Migration: Push factors and pull factors
- Emigration during colonial, post-independent and post-liberalisation period
- Internal versus world migration
- Functional classification of cities
- Difference between boundaries and frontiers, their classification
- Rural urban fringe characteristics, advantages, problems
- National urbanization policy
- Principles of urban planning
- Land cover transformation
- Factors affecting rural settlements, their types and patterns
- Cities – hierarchical classification, morphological classification
3. Census
- Literacy
- Sex ratio
- Family Planning
- Old Age
- Age Structure
- Density
- Population growth
- Census terminology
ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY
1. Agriculture
Land resource
- Land-use
- Land capability classification
- Causes of Land Degradation
- Impact of Land Degradation
- Steps taken by GOI
- Sustainable Land Management
Basic terms related to Agriculture
- Performance of the agriculture sector
- Types of farming in India
- Dry zone farming
- Organic farming
- Cropping seasons in India
- Cropping Pattern in India
- Agriculture regionalization
- Infrastructure factors: Seeds;
- Fertilizers; Irrigation
- Land use pattern in India
- Institutional Factors as land reform
- Horticulture sector in India
- Agricultural revolutions
- Agricultural labourers
- Price Policy for Agriculture
- Agricultural marketing
- Agricultural Insurance
- Agricultural Census
- Major schemes in agricultural sector
- National Policy for farmers
- Impact of climate change on agriculture
- What is sustainable agriculture?
- Use of IT in agriculture
- Agriculture Issues and Challenges
Productivity of Crops and conditions for growth
Wheat
- Conditions of growth
- Varieties
- Types of cultivation
- Production patternInternational trade
- Rice
- Conditions of growth
- Varieties
- Methods of cultivation
- Production pattern
- International trade
Maize (Corn)
- Conditions of growth
- Production pattern
- International trade
Barley
- Conditions of growth
- Production pattern
- International trade
Oats
- Rye
- Beverages
Tea
- Condition of growth
- Production pattern
- International trade
Coffee
- Types of coffee
- Conditions of growth
- Production pattern
- International trade
Cocoa
- Conditions of growth
- Production pattern
- International trade
Tobacco
- Conditions of growth
- Production pattern
- International trade
Fibre Crops
- Cotton
- Varieties of cotton
- Conditions of growth
- Production pattern
- International trade
- Jute
- Conditions of growth
- Production pattern
- International trade
- Substitutes of Jute: Flax, Hemp
- Abaca, Henequen
- Sisal
- Raw Silk
- Production pattern
- International trade
- Natural Rubber
- Other sources of rubber
- Plantations in South-east Asia
- Production pattern
- International trade
- Sugarcane
- Conditions of growth
- Production pattern
- International trade
- Sugar Beet - Conditions of growth
- Production pattern
- Sugar industry
- Sugar consumption
- International trade
2. Mineral resource
- Types of minerals: Metallic minerals
- Non-metallic mineral
- Distribution of minerals and mining regions
- Distribution, production and international trade of Metallic minerals: Ferrous metals: Iron ore
- Ferro-alloys and non-ferrous
- Manganese
- Chromium
- Nickel
- Tungsten
- Antimony
- Copper
- Bauxite and Aluminium
- Zinc; Lead
- Tin
- Precious metals: Gold
- Silver
- Platinum
- Mineral chemicals
- Mica
- Potash
- Phosphate
- Nitrates
- Sulphur
- Conservation of mineral resources
- Energy resources
- Classification of energy
- Production of conventional energy
- General trends of energy production and consumption
- Reserves and sources of energy
- Coal
- Nature and origin of coal
- Constituents and kinds of coal
- Coal fields and coal production
- By products of coal
- Conservation of Coal Petroleum
- Petroleum
- Nature and properties of petroleum
- Origin and recovery
- Exploration
- Petroleum refining
- Petroleum reserves
- Producing areas
- Consumption of petroleum
- International trade
- OPEC and its role in oil trade
- Natural gas: Reserves and Production
- Hydro-electricity
- Advantages of hydro-electricity
- Ideal conditions for generation of hydro-electricity
- Distribution of potential hydro-power
- Hydro-electric power generation
- Atomic (nuclear) energy
- Atomic: source minerals: Uranium
- World distribution of uranium
- Production of uranium
- Thorium
- Production of atomic (nuclear) energy
- Nuclear energy: the energy of future
- Alternative (non-conventional) sources of energy
- Solar energy
- Wind energy
- Geothermal power
- Tidal energy
- Wave energy
- Biomass energy
- Alternate Energy Sources
- Hydrogen as a Fuel for Future or Hydrogen as an Alternative Energy Source
- Microbial Fuel Cell
- Energy Context with Respect to Indian Scenario
- Energy Plantation
- Energy crisis
4. Industry
- Industrial development
- Iron and Steel Industry
- Process of iron and steel production
- Location of iron and steel industry
- Early localization
- Development of iron manufacture
- Distribution of iron and steel industry
- Global steel production
- International trade
- Growth potential of the steel industry
- Textile Industry
- Cotton textile industry: Location of the industry
- Recent trends in localization
- Distribution and production of cotton textiles
- Woolen textile industry: Location of the industry
- Silk textile industry: Raw silk manufacture
- Silk textile manufacturing
- Synthetic (artificial) silk industry:
- Distribution of man-made fibre and fabrics.
- Engineering Industries
- Machine tools and machines: Areas of production
- Industrial machinery: Textile machinery
- Other industrial machinery
- Agricultural machinery
- Manufacturing of transport equipment
- Automobile industry
- Railway car and locomotive industry
- Shipbuilding
- Recent trends
- Aircrafts industry
- Chemical Industry
- Classes of chemicals: Branches of chemical industry
- Heavy chemical industry
- Production of acids and alkalis
- Rise of chemical industry
- Fertilizer industry: Nitrogen fertilizers
- Phosphate fertilizers
- Potash fertilizers
- Explosives
- Glass industry: Production of glass
- Agro-industries
- Synthetic rubber industry
- Pulp and paper industry: Essential
- conditions for pulp production
- Production of paper and paper board
- Newsprint
- International trade
- Salient features of pulp and paper industry
- Cement industry
- Distribution of cement industry
- Recent trends: Main global competitors
- Petroleum refining industry: Localization
- Site selection of petroleum refineries
- History of oil refineries
- World pattern of oil refining
- Petroleum products
- Industrial Regions
- Characteristics of industrial regions
- Delimitation of an industrial region
- Principal industrial regions of the world
- Industrial regions of Anglo America-USA, Canada, Western Europe and Central Britain, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, France, Italy, Eastern Europe, Poland, Former USSR
- Eastern Asia—Japan, China, the ‘Dragons’, India, High tech patterns
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
- Recent developments in transport sector
- Long term irrigation fund
- Sports Sector Gets the Infrastructure Status
- Railways India Development Fund
- National Infrastructure Investment Fund
- Defence Innovation Fund
- Merger of Railway Budget with General Budget
- Non-Fare Revenue Policies in
- Indian Railways
- Rail Safety Fund
- Flexi Fare Method in Railway
- Rail Cadre Management
- Tri-Netra in railways
- National Rail Plan 2030
- Draft Policy on Suburban Tracks
- India’s First Caterpillar Train
- Mission 41k
- Green corridor concept
- Made in India ‘Medha’ train
- Antyodaya Express
- Station Redevelopment Project
- Smart Railway Station
- Yatri Mitra Seva
- National Highways Interconnectivity
- Vehicle Fleet Modernization Programme
- Transit Oriented Development Policy
- Logistic Efficiency Enhancement Programme
- Indian Bridge Management System
- Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism (LWE) Affected Areas
- North East Road Network Connectivity Project
- TIR Convention
- National Road Safety Policy
- Sagarmala
- Urja Ganga Gas Line Project
- TARANG
- E-trans
- DEEP (Discovery of Efficient Electricity Price)
- GARV II APP
- Trading of Energy Saving Certificates
- 24X7 Powers for All
- Draft National Electricity Plan
- Habitat Commitment Index
- AirSewa Portal
- Recent developments in Industrial Sector
- Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor
- Amritsar-Kolkata corridor
- Chennai-Bangalore Industrial Corridor
- Bengaluru-Mumbai Economic Corridor
- Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor
- East Coast Economic Corridor
- Apex Corridor Development Authority
- Star Rating of Mines
- Tamra Portal
- Mining Surveillance System
- Coal Mitra
- M-SIPS for Electronic Sector
- Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act or RERA
- Indian Enterprise Development Service
- Trade Receivables Discounting System
- SME Business Environment Index
- Medipark
- ZED Scheme
- Startup Mentorship Circle
- FAME
3. Recent developments in agriculture field
- AADHAR Based Biometric Authentication in PDS: Pros and Cons
- Volatility in Pulse Prices
- Arvind Subramanian Committee on Pulse Crises
- Government Raises Buffer Stock of Pulses
- PUSA Arhar 16 to Bridge Demand-Supply Gap
- Agro Irradiation Centers
- Options Trading in Agricultural Produce
- Agricultural Marketing and Farm Friendly Reforms Index
- National Food Security Act
- Digitization and Agriculture
- Direct Benefit Transfer in Fertilized Sector
- Aquaponic Farm
- Gift Milk Scheme
- Draft Regulation on Fortification of Foods
- Law Commission Recommendation on Food Laws
- Concept of Modern Terminal Markets
- Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries
- e-Pashuhaat Portal
- Schemes of Biotech Kisan and Cattle Genomics
- Rashtriya Gokul Mission
- Mission Fingerling
- Terms in Brief
- Krishi Puruskar for Small Farmers
- Ornamental Fishing
- Agricultural Science Congress
- RubSiS
- Ethanol Blending
- National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources
- Amendments to the NABARD Act, 1981
- Revenue Insurance Scheme for Plantation Crops
- Best Horticulture Award
- Neem Coating of Urea
- Soil Health Card Scheme
- Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana
- ‘Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana
- PM Krishi Sinchai Yojana
- National Agriculture Market
- Places in news
- Majuli Island
- Ashalim Project
- Loktak Lake
- Barren Island
- Rio de Janeiro
- Gotthard Base Tunnel
- Panama Canal
- Akodara
- Genetic Garden of Halophytes
- Maharashtra
- Morocco
- Sankhuwasabha
- Andhra Pradesh
- Hambantota Port
- Tirunelveli
- Palmyra
- Sabarimala Circuit
- Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Syria, Iraq,
- Yemen and Iran
- Tembhli
- Mahanadi and Tributaries
- Agartala Rail Link
- Mekadatu Project on Kaveri
- Yettinahole Project
- Country’s first Water Metro Project
- Indus basin: Shahpur Kandi Dam Project
- Ghatampur Thermal Power Project
- Deepest Rail Project
- Lost Continent
- Zealandia
- World’s First Polluted River discovered by Scientists
- Pre-historic camping site found in Ladakh
- Report on Palaeo Channel of North West India
- Cyclones in News
INDIAN SOCIETY FEATURES AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
1. Salient features of Indian society.
- Features of Indian society
- Changes within Indian society and their repercussions
- Causes of changes
- Indian society today
2. Diversity of India.
- What is diversity?
- Types of diversities in India
- Can diversity be equated with difference?
- The unity in diversity- a reality or a chimera
- Some examples
- Manner of reconciliation
3. Role of women’s organizations.
- Women’s organizations in Indian history
- Types of women’s organizations
- Level of penetration
- Women’s organization – a ray of hope
- Few case studies
- Problems faced by women’s organizations
- Is a larger vocal role possible and ways to achieve the same
- Role of SHGs, Micro finance Institutions
4. Poverty and development issues
- Poverty
- Concept of development
- Sen vs Bhagwati model
- Crisis of development
- Certain case studies
- Government’s initiatives and the five year plans
- Role of civil society organizations
5. Effects of globalization on Indian Society
- What is the meaning of globalization?
- Kinds of impact of globalization–economic, political, developmental and socio-cultural
- Is the impact solely positive or negative
6. Social empowerment
- Meaning and concept of social empowerment
- Why do we need social empowerment?
- Specific sections for whom social empowerment is the life blood
- Social empowerment through the five year plans
- Government’s initiatives for empowerment
- Empowerment in reality and India’s experience
- Other approaches /players/tools for social empowerment and some case studies on the same
7. Communalism
- Meaning and concept of communalism
- Historicity of communalism
- Recent incidents
- Role of third parties in inciting/perpetrating communalism
- Communalism under the law
- Can communalism be eradicated from the Indian society completely?
8. Secularism
- Meaning and concept of secularism
- Secularism through the vantage point of Indian Constitution
- Comparisons of models Indian & Western
- Gandhi ji on religion
- Indian philosophy on secularism
- Threats on the secular spirit
- Is the Indian democracy mature enough to handle the gravity of secularism?
9. Regionalism
- Meaning and concept of regionalism
- Theories on regionalism
- Regionalism in its various manifestations
- Role of various players
- Recent incidents causing a wave of flurry
- Possible ways to tackle the same
SOCIAL JUSTICE
1. Welfare schemes for vulnerable Sections of the population by the Centre and States
- Constitutional arrangement
- Women welfare
- Child welfare
- SC/ST welfare
- OBC welfare
- Minorities welfare
- Old age welfare
- Legislations
- Issues
- Reforms needed
2. Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources
- Education structure in India
- Primary, secondary and higher education
- Initiatives taken by GOI in education
- Issues
- Reforms needed
- Recommendations of committees
- Future prospects in education sector
- Skill development
- Health indicators
- Health structure in India
- Private and Public health structure
- Issues
- Reforms needed
- NITI Aayog Report
- Economic development and human development
- SDGs and India
3. Issues relating to poverty and hunger
- Poverty definition by different committees
- Poverty data in India
- Causes of poverty
- Poverty and unemployment
- Poverty and social conflict
- Impact of LPG on poverty
- Linkage between poverty and development
- Rural poverty
- Urban poverty
- Feminization of poverty
- Poverty alleviation measures
- Problems in implementation of Poverty alleviation programmes
- Poverty and Hunger
- Food security programmes and issues
- Hunger and health
- Impact of hunger and poverty on economic development of the nation
- Controversy related to Poverty Data Estimation
4. The Scheduled and Tribal Areas
- 5th Schedule Areas
- 6th Schedule Areas
- Composition of autonomous councils
- Role and functions of councils
- Role of Governor with respect to tribal areas
- Tribal sub plan
WELFARE SCHEMES
1. Start-up and Skill Development
- Start Up India Scheme
- Stand up India Scheme
- National Student Startup Policy
- National Skill Development Mission
- Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana
- Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana
- Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana
- Skill Development Initiative Scheme
- Self-Employment & Talent Utilisation (SETU)
- Atal Innovation Mission
2. Vulnerable Sector
- Social Security
- Atal Pension Yojana
- Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana
- Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana
- Minorities
- Nai Roshni Scheme
- USTAAD Scheme (Upgrading the Skills and Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts for Development)
- Nai Manzil Scheme
- Women and Child Development
- Beti Bachao Beti Padhao
- Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana
- Digital Gudda Guddi Board
- Sabla
- Ujjawala Scheme
- Janani Suraksha Yojana
- Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram
- SC/ST
- Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana
- Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana
- Disability
- Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan)
3. Health
- National Health Mission
- National Ayush Mission
- Swasthya Rakshan Program
- Jan Aushadhi Scheme
- Mission Indradhanush
- NFHS-4 survey
4. Education
- Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat
- Mid-Day Meal Scheme
- Ishan Uday
- GIAN (Global Initiative of Academic Networks)
- Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan
- SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active - Learning for Young Aspiring Minds)
5. Rural & Urban Development
- Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana
- Gram Uday Se Bharat Uday Abhiyan
- Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Rurban Mission
- Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana
- Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana
- Swachch Bharat Abhiyan
- Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana- Gramin
- Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Urban
- Housing for all by 2022
- Smart Cities Mission
- Hriday - National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana
- Amrut (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation)
6. Miscellaneous Schemes
- Jeevan Praman
- Digilocker
- Bharatnet Project (National Optical Fibre Network)
- INSPIRE (Innovation in Science Pursuit
- for Inspired Research)
- SAKAAR
- Digital India
- Namami Gange Project (Integrated Ganga Conservation Mission Project)
- Ganga Gram Yojana
- Jal Kranti Abhiyan
- Khelo India
- One Rank One Pension Scheme
- PRAGATI (Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation)
- Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF)
7. Inclusive growth
- Measurement criteria
- Government initiatives for inclusive growth
- Basic Amenities: Housing/Drinking Waters/ Sanitations
- Sustainable Development
8. Rural Development
- Rural development and poverty alleviation
- Review of the Existing Programmes
- Development Administration
- Panchayati Raj
- Agriculture and Rural Development
9. Social Sector Bills
- The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act
- ‘Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016’
- ‘Child Labor (Prohibition and Amendment) Bill, 2016’
- Maternity Benefit Bill, 2016
- Pre-Conception & Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PNDT) Act
- Mental Health Care Bill, 2013
- Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO)
- Anti-Trafficking Bill with Stringent Penalty
- HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Bill-2014 - Amendments
- Domestic Violence Act, 2005 - SC Widens Ambit
- Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2014 with more Benefits
- Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill 2016
- The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act
SOCIAL ISSUES IN NEWS
- Secularism, Regionalism & Communalism
- Secularism and Anti-Conversion
- Regionalism: Demand for smaller states
- Repercussions of making Hindi compulsory
- Socio-Economic Caste Census, 2011
- Issues related to Women
- Maternity benefit Amendment Bill
- Altruistic surrogacy in India
- Status of widows
- Acid Attacks
- SC banned Women Sterilization in India
- Issue of Sex ratio
- Issue of Triple Talaq
- Female Foeticide and Infanticide
- Reservation for Women in Legislature
- Women in Combat Duties
- Women in panchayats
- Women participation in Economy
- Challenges faced by Working Women
- Draft National Policy for Women, 2016
- Issues related to Children
- Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses
- Issue of malnutrition in India
- Amendments proposed in Child Labour Act
- Plight of street children
- Adoption Regulations, 2017
- National Child Policy
- Out of school children: Issues and steps needed
- Cradle Baby Scheme
- Juvenile Justice System
- Child Marriages in India
- Draft bill on child abduction
- National Action Plan for Children, 2016
- Report on the Protection of Children (Inter-Country Removal and Retention) Bill, 2016
- Social issues
- Social stigma attached with HIV
- Issues related to Transgender and Transgender Persons Bill, 2015
- Euthanasia Issue: An Analysis
- Right to Privacy and Aadhaar
- Mental Health Care Bill
- Anti-Trafficking Bill, 2016
- Challenge of ageing with dignity
- Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act
- Maintenance of Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act
- Manual Scavenging
- Mob lynching and Rule of Law
- Issue related to Undertrials
- Issues related to Sanitation
- Sharp reality of displacement
- Moral policing
- Income inequality in India
- Forest Rights Act: Analysis
5. Health & Education
- Issue of poor infrastructure in schools
- No Detention Policy
- New Policy on Education
- Lancet Report on Healthcare spending
- New Health Policy, 2017
- Technology Adaptation in Health Care
- Food Fortification
6. Government initiatives in social sector
- Progress Panchayat initiative
- National Sex Offender Registry
- Slum Redevelopment
- Issue of farmer suicide in India
- Anthropological Survey of India
- National Commission for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes
- T.V.S.N. Prasad Report on Pellet Guns
- Uniform Civil Code
- Concept of Open Prison
Polity & Governance
1. Historical Evolution & Features
- Importance of Constitution
- Historical evolution of the Constitution
- Constituent Assembly
- Objectives of the Constitution
- Salient features of Indian Constitution
- Unitary features
- Federal features
- Parliamentary form of government
- Presidential form of government
- Parliamentary vs. Presidential system of government
2. Preamble
- Preamble
- Basic features
- Value premises of constitution
- Terminologies as:
- Democratic
- Sovereign
- Socialist
- Secular
- Republic
- Justice
- Equality
- Liberty
- Fraternity
- Integrity
3. Citizenship
- Basic constitutional features
- Methodology of getting citizenship
- Modes of Losing the Citizenship of India
- Concept of dual citizenship
- Citizenship provisions in J&K
- Special privileges enjoyed by citizens in India
4. Fundamental Rights
- Significance of Fundamental Rights
- Right to Equality
- Right to Freedom
- Right against Exploitation
- Right to Freedom of Religion
- Cultural and Educational Rights
- Right to Constitutional Remedies
- Difference between procedure established by law and due process of law
- Writs and their uses
- Restrictive limitations on fundamental rights
5. DPSP
- Basic features
- Directives
- Economic and Social DPSP
- Gandhian DPSP
- Administrative DPSP
- DPSP related to International Peace
- Implementation of DPSP
- Fundamental Rights and the Directive Principles of State Policy Controversy
6. Fundamental Duties
- Features
- Link of Fundamental Rights & Fundamental Duties
- Other Principles
- Process of law making in India
- Role of Constitutional and extra constitutional bodies in law making
- Basic structure: How it evolves?
- Different types of majorities required in Indian Constitution
- DPSP Fundamental Rights
- Doctrines Terminologies
8. Separation of Powers
- Features in American and UK Constitution
- Checks and balances provisions in Indian Constitution
- Judicial Review
- Concept of Separation of Powers
9. Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries
- It should cover Comparison of USA, UK, India and neighbours
10. Union & States
- State Reorganization Commission (brief)
- Components of Indian territory
- Process of formation of new states
- Zonal Councils
- Union territories
- Special provisions for states
11. Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States
- Regulating functions of Government
- Development functions of government
- Service providing functions of government
- Problems in implementation
- Recommendations for improvement
- Interrelationship between union, state and local government in implementation of roles
- Constitutional provisions related to financial devolution
- Issues of financial devolution
- The federal structure
- Administrative relations
- Legislative relations
- Financial relations
- Misuse of Article 356
- Issues related to concurrent list
- Issues related to appointment of Governor
- Issues related to state formation
- Poor devolution of finances
- Reserving bill for Presidential approval
- Central sponsored schemes and issues
- Special package for different states
- Issues between Centre and State after 1990 reforms
- Foreign policy and Centre and State Relations
13. The President
- Importance of President
- Qualification
- Election procedure
- Advantages and disadvantages of single transferable form of voting
- Presidents’ Term of Office and emoluments
- Executive Powers
- Legislative Powers
- Emergency Powers
- Financial Powers
- Miscellaneous powers
- Judicial powers
- Presidents Impeachment
- President as nominal head
- Issues
- Ordinance making power
- Passage of bills
- Misuse of emergency provisions
- Pardon power
- Coalition government
14. Vice President
- Office of the Vice-President
- Functions
- Prime Minister
- Appointment of PM
- Functions of PM
- Role of PM with respect to
- CoM
- President
- Lok Sabha
- Political Party
- Coalition Government
16. Council of Ministers
- Division of CoM
- Role of CoM
- Role of Cabinet
- Responsibilities of the Ministers
17. Attorney General of India
- Qualification
- Functions
- Powers with respect to parliament
18. Parliament
- Composition of Rajya Sabha
- Composition of Lok Sabha
- Composition of Legislative assembly and Legislative Council
- Qualification and disqualification of MPs and MLAs
- Vacation of seats
- Sessions of parliament
- Law making procedure
- Officers of Parliament and state legislature
- Parliament Proceedings
- Motions and resolutions in Parliament
- Powers and Privileges
- Financial proceedings
- Comparison of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha
- Comparison of Legislative assembly and council
- Women reservation in Parliament and issues
- Lowering of Parliamentary powers
- Parliamentary committees and their working
- Judicial activism and Parliament
- Delegated legislation and issues
19. The Union Judiciary
- Integrated judicial system
- Supreme Court
- Composition
- Independence of Supreme Court
- Jurisdiction of SC
- Judicial Review
- High Court
- Composition
- Terms and removal
- Jurisdiction
- Other powers
- Lower judiciary
- Appointment
- Powers
- The role of the Supreme Court of India as guardian of the Constitution and protector of Fundamental Rights
- Judicial Review
- PIL
- Judicial Activism
- Judiciary appointment
- Collegiums System
- NJAC Controversy
- National Court of Appeal
- Judicial Accountability
- Issues of corruption in judiciary
20. Ministries and Departments of the
Government
- Functioning of Ministries
- Central Secretariat
- Cabinet Secretary
- Field organizations
- Reforms needed
- International methodology
21. Panchayats
- Provisions of 73rd AA and 74th AA
- Role and functions of different tiers
- Municipal Corporations
- Municipal Councils
- Nagar Panchayats
- The steps taken towards women’s empowerment
- Role of State Election commission
- Role of State Finance Commission
- Smart City Mission & Municipal Governance
22. Dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions
- What is Dispute redressal mechanism?
- Need of Dispute redressal mechanisms
- Administrative tribunal and issues
- Fast Track Courts and issues
- Gram Nyayalayas and issues
- Parivarik Mahila Lok Adalats and issues
- Family Courts and issues
- Lok Adalat and issues
- NALSA and issues
- Dispute redressal for Weaker section
- Arbitration Mechanism
- International Arbitral Centre
- Commercial Court
23. Comptroller And Auditor-General of India
- Appointment
- Functions
- Role of CAG in good governance
24. The Governor
- Appointment, term of office, qualification, etc
- Powers
- Discretionary powers
- Ordinance making power
25. Chief Minister
- Appointment
- Powers and responsibilities
- Relationship between the Governor and the Chief Minister
- Relationship between CoM and the Chief Minister
26. The Advocate-General for the State
- Appointment
- Functions
27. State legislature
- The composition of Vidhan Sabha and Vidhan Parishad
- Qualifications of the Members of Legislature
- Powers and Functions of State Legislature
- Relationship between both the Houses
- Officers of State Legislature
- Powers, Privileges and Immunities of State Legislatures and their Members
- Legislative procedure
- Governor’s assent to Bills
- Procedure in Financial Matters/Budget
Governance
- Need and importance of Government Policies
- Growth and development
- Human development and human capital formation
- Equality (interpersonal and interregional) and social justice
- Unity and integrity
- Trust between state and citizens
2. Effective Implementation
- What is effective implementation? Best outcomes in view of given time, resources and constraints
- Analysis of different important schemes
3. Government intervention
- Good Governance-Role of institutions, bureaucrats and other stakeholders
- Transparency and accountability
- Optimum use of resources- Right targeting, plugging leakages and wasteful expenditure, use of available knowledge, research and innovation.
- Monitoring and evaluation- Outcome budget, zero base budgeting, input output analysis, cost-benefit analysis
- Setting up institutions and regulatory norms task forces, steering committees and review committees.
4. Development process and industry
- Difference between Growth and Development
- Main Constraints of development
- Main Stakeholders in development process
- Self Help Groups
- Meaning
- Importance
- Objectives
- Institutional Structure and organization
- Funding
- Micro Finance
- Meaning and importance
- Objectives
- Structure and Organization
- Advantages
- Micro Finance in India
- Non-Government Organizations
- What are NGOs?
- Difference between Non Government Organizations (NGOs) and International Non Governmental Organizations (INGOs)
- United Nations Criteria for INGO and NGO
- NGOs and development projects
- NGOs and Community development
- NGOs involved in relief and rehabilitation
- NGOs involved in disaster management
- NGOs and advocacy
5. Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability
- Citizen centric governance
- Features of good governance
- Legislative accountability
- Administrative accountability
- Judicial accountability
- Ombudsman
- Whistleblowers concept
- Anti corruption machinery
- Role of citizens
- Role of media
- Social audit
- Systematic reforms
6. e-Governance
- Introduction
- Applications
- Models
- Successes
- Limitations
- Future prospects
7. Citizens Charters
- Citizens Charters
- Introduction
- Models
- Features
- CC in India
- Issues in CC implementation
- Reform needed
8. Role of civil services in a democracy
- Concept of civil services
- Need for civil services
- Different role of civil services
- Law making
- Policy formulation
- Policy implementation
- Policy evaluation
- Civil services as protector of democracy
- To protect minorities (religious and linguistic)
- To promote Inclusive and sustainable growth
9. Pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity
- What are pressure groups?
- Types
- The significance of pressure groups in India
- Differentiate between a pressure group and a political party
- Evaluation of pressure groups role
10. Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies
- Appointment of CAG (procedure of appointment) - composition of CAG
- Functions and responsibilities of CAG
- Powers and privileges of CAG (provided by constitution and different ACTs of Parliament.)
- Appointment of ECI (procedure of appointment) - composition of ECI
- Functions and responsibilities of ECI
- Powers and privileges of ECI (provided by constitution and different ACTs of Parliament)
- Appointment to UPSC (procedure of appointment)- composition of UPSC
- Functions and responsibilities of UPSC
- Powers and privileges of UPSC (provided by constitution and different ACTs of Parliament.)
- Appointment to Finance commission (procedure of appointment) - composition of Finance commission
- Functions and responsibilities of Finance commission
- Powers and privileges of the Finance commission (provided by constitution and different ACTs of Parliament.)
- National commission for SCs and STs.
11. Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies
- SEBI
- CVC
- CBI
- Planning Commission
- NDC
- PMO
- Zonal Council
- TRAI
- IRDA
- National Human Rights Commission
- State Human Rights Commission
- Central Information Commission
- State Information Commission
- National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission
- Tribunal
- Medical Council Of India
- Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority
- Biodiversity Authority Of India
- Press Council Of India
- Forward Markets Commission
- Inland Waterways Authority Of India
- RBI
12. Elections in India
- Salient features of the Representation of People Act, 1950
- Salient features of Representation of Peoples Act, 1951
- Electoral reforms
- Criminalization of politics
- Negative or neutral voting
- State funding of Elections
- Irregularities in polling
13. Political Parties in India
- Political parties in India
- Party reforms
- Problems in the working of parties
- Casteism and politics
- Reforms in Party system in India
- Strengthening of Anti-defection measures
14. Role of Pressure Groups
- Types of pressure groups
- Role of pressure group in developing countries
- Functions of pressure groups in India
- Pressure groups and Methods
- Pressure groups and Democracy
- Criticism of pressure groups
Recent Developments
- Bills
- Representation of People (Amendment) Bill 2010
- Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016’
- Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime Claims) Bill, 2016
- The Anti-Hijacking Act, 2016
- Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996
- Lokpal & Lokayukta (Amendment) Act, 2016
- Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2016
- Whistleblowers Amendment Bill
- Union & State Government
- Imposition of President Rule: An Analysis
- Frequent promulgation of Ordinance
- Provisions related to Removal of Governors
- Politicization of the post of Governor
- Relevance of Rajya Sabha
- Frequent disruption of Parliament and its impact
- Anti-Defection Law
- Issue related to Office of Profit
- Special privileges to MPs and its implication
- Freebies Politics in India
- Political Parties and RTI
- Basics of Separation of Power in India
- Judiciary
- Issue related to appointment of judges
- Proposal for National Court of Appeal
- Concept of defamation in India
- Contempt of Court
- What are contempt proceedings?
- Public Interest Litigation
- Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2017 Controversy
- Issue of Judicial overreach
- National Litigation Policy
- All India Judicial Services
- Judicial reforms
- Future challenges may be faced by Indian Judiciary
- Administrative Tribunals
- Local Government
- Nagaland Reservation in Urban bodies: Issue
- Education qualification made mandatory for contesting Local Government Elections
- Reforms needed in Municipalities in Sync with Urban development Missions
- 14th Finance Commission and Local Governments
- Elections
- Simultaneous Elections: feasibility and benefits
- Introduction of NOTA in elections
- Bill on Right To Recall Legislators
- Benefits of recognition as a National party
- Provision of Compulsory Voting
- State funding in elections
- Corporate funding laws
- Election Commission Proposal for countering bribe-for-votes
- About Paper Trail Units
- Issues related to the working of Political Parties
- Voting rights to NRI
- Role of civil society in free and fair election
- Women voices in elections
- Law Commission Report on Electoral Reforms
- Organisations/Bodies
- 14th Finance Commission: Analysis
- 7th Pay Commission Report and Repercussions
- AFSPA and Second ARC
- Inter-State River Water Dispute
- Role of Niti Aayog
- Significance of Public Accounts Committee
- Autonomy of CBI
- Analysis of functioning of CAG
- Right to Information
- Accountability and transparency in NGOs
- Need of Indian Skill Development Service
- Initiatives for Transparency & Accountability
- Saving life and Good Samaritan Law
- Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation (PRAGATI)
- Right Based Approach in Policy Making
- Direct Benefit transfer
- Issues related to Making Aadhaar Mandatory
- Reforms needed in Indian Bureaucracy
- Performance appraisal system in bureaucracy
- Curb on VIP culture
- Scheme
- Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY)
- Swachh Bharat Mission
- National Skill Development Mission
- National Food Security Act, 2013
- Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana
- Smart City Mission
- Namami Gange
- Reports & Policies
- Niti aayog’s report on rationalization of Centrally Sponsored Schemes
- Law Commission’s 268th Report on Bail Reforms
- Law Commission Report on Hate Speech
- Model Land Leasing Law prepared by NITI Aayog
- Standing Committee Report on water conservation
- Report on Working Group on Migration
- Miscellaneous
- Liquor ban on highways: critical analysis
- SC Makes National Anthem Mandatory
- National Water Framework Bill
- Regionalism: Demand for smaller states
- Directly Elected Mayor
- Special category status to states: Meaning and demand
- Analysis of Singur Verdict
- Debate on the issue of Lobbying in India
- Media Role and Censorship issue
- Fundamental Duties – Awareness Campaigns is the Duty of Centre
- National Anthem - Mandatory in Cinema Halls - Article 51(a)
- Prevention of Insults to National Honor Act, 1971
- Triple Talaq Issue
- Uniform Civil Code
- MGNREGA: Right to Work
- Making AADHAR Mandatory Violates Fundamental Rights
International Relations
India & Neighbours
- India – Nepal Relations
- Background of Relation
- Political
- Economic
- The Issue of Water and Hydropower Cooperation
- Social
- Psychological
- The Recent Visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi
- Recommendations to Improve Relations
- India and Bhutan
- Economy: A Broad Overview
- India, Bhutan and China: issues
- The Recent Landmark visit by Indian Prime Minister
- Indo-Afghan Bilateral Relations
- A Long History of Bilateral Relations
- The India-Afghanistan Development Partnership
- Strategic factors undergirding India’s Partnership with Afghanistan
- Afghanistan after NATO Withdrawal
- Options for India
- India-Bangladesh Relations
- Development Partnership
- India-Bangladesh Relations in line with ‘Look East’ policy
- Recent Boundary Agreements and their analysis
- India-Maldives Relations
- Geostrategic Importance of Maldives
- Development Cooperation
- Security Risks
- India-Sri Lanka Relations
- Commercial Relations
- Developmental Cooperation
- Fishermen Issue
- India-Myanmar Relations
- Relation through ages
- Recent change in policy
- China Role
- Indo-Pak Relations
- Major Crisis
- Water Dispute
- Current Internal Scenario
- Impact on India
- Developments in Last One Year
- Indo-China Relations
- Economic Relation
- China India Water Related Issue
- “String of Pearls Strategy”
- China’s Maritime Silk Route Implications for India
- South China Sea Dispute
- Main Disputes
- Resources as a Driver of Competition
- Attempts for Resolution
- India and South China Dispute
- Security Challenges in the Indian Ocean Region
- The Pivot to Asia – US Policy Shift
- South China Sea- Issues of Mistrust
- Piracy off the coast of Somalia
- Neighbourhood Issues and Terrorism
- Energy Routes
- Fisheries and Livelihood Issues
- Environmental Security
- Declaration of Indian Ocean as Zone of Peace
- India and Asian Nations relations
India & Asian Nations Relations
1. CIS Countries of Central Asia
- India-Turkmenistan
- India-Kazakhstan
- India Tajikistan
- China And Central Asia
- International North-South Transport Corridor
- Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
2. India-Mongolia
- India-Mongolia Bilateral Cooperation
- Deal on Uranium Supply
- Visit
3. India – UAE Relations
- Political and economic relation
- Oil Economic Relation
4. India – IRAN
- Iran Nuclear Deal and India
- India Iran Relations
- US-Geopolitical and Geo-Economic Consideration in Iran
5. India – ISRAEL
- Israel and Palestine
- India – Israel Relations
6. India – Saudi Arabia
- Areas of Cooperation
- Challenges in relations
7. Asia-Pacific Region
- Zones of Activity
- Regional Groupings
- Geopolitics of Asia Pacific
8. India-South East Asia
- Steps in Indo-ASEAN Relations
- India-ASEAN Security Co-operation
9. Indo-Japan Bilateral Relationship
- Economy Centric Relationship
- Contemporary Perspective
10. India – South Korea
- India South Korea Relations
- Economic Partnership in Recent Years
11. India-Vietnam
- Economic Cooperation
- Strategic Cooperation
- Geo-political Issues concerning India-Vietnam Energy Cooperation
- China’s Response
- India’s Response
India & Asian Nations Relations
- Indian Diaspora
- Role played by Indian Diaspora
- Issue of safety of Indians abroad
- Schemes for Welfare of Overseas Indian
- Narendra Modi and Indian Diaspora
India & Other Nation & Institutions
- India and Africa
- Historical Connections
- Gandhi’s Role
- Nehru’s Role
- Strengthening of Ties
- South-south Engagement
- Current Dynamics
- Economic Cooperation
- Human resources development and capacity building
- Energy Cooperation
- Military Security Co-operation
- Trade Policy under Modi
- Afro-Indian Trade
- Indian investment in Africa
- African investment in India
- Development cooperation and assistance
- Indo-Australia Relationship
- Immigration Issue and Indian Diaspora
- Economic Relationship
- Issue of Nuclear Cooperation
- India-Russia Bilateral Relationship
- Shanghai Cooperation Organization
- Warming Relationship between Pakistan and Russia
- France
- Strategic Partnership
- Prime Minister’s Recent Visit to France
- Germany
- Indian-Germany Economic Relations
- United Kingdom
- Ties in Current Context
- Scotland’s Referendum
- India & BREXIT
- India-US Relations
- Area of Cooperation: Strategic Consultations
- Area of Co-operation : Counter terrorism and Internal Security
- Area of Cooperation : Trade and Economic
- Area of Cooperation : Energy and Climate Change
- Area of Cooperation : Science & Technology (S&T) and Space
- Area of Cooperation : People to People Ties
- Area of Cooperation : Defence Cooperation
- Intellectual Property Issues
- India and International Organisations
- The World Trade Organization
- Representation in the WTO and Economic Groupings
- How the WTO takes Decisions
- The WTO Secretariat and Budget
- How Countries Join the WTO
- Assisting Developing and Transition Economies
- Specialized Help for Export Promotion
- The WTO’s Part in Global Economic Policy-making
- Nairobi Package adopted at 10th WTO Ministerial Conference
- WTO reports rise in protectionism
- International Monetary Fund
- International Monetary Fund (IMF)
- India gets more Voting Rights in IMF Reforms
- Nuclear Security Summit
- The fourth Nuclear Security Summit: 2016
- Threats of Nuclear Terrorism
- Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR)
- Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)
- Recent Support for NSG Membership for India
- Why is India seeking to become a member of NSG?
- Why are certain countries opposing India’s entry into NSG?
- Argument in favour for India Joining NSG
- BRICS
- Economic Environment in BRICS Countries
- Last BRICS Summit in Goa, India
- BRICS-BIMSTEC Outreach Summit
- BIMSTEC
- Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters
- IBSA
- IBSA Potential
- Need for Revitalizing IBSA
- India’s Policy Options
- Technological Collaboration
- SAARC
- Indo-Pak Conflict
- Problem of Resource Development
- Prospects For SAARC
- Relevance of Non-Alignment in present India
- What is NAM?
- Relevance in present era
- India-ASEAN Economic Cooperation
- Singapore
- Vietnam
- Indonesia
- India ASEAN FTA in Service
Economy
Basic Economy
- Indian Economy and issues relating to planning
- Indian Economy in Pre-independence Period
- Economy on Eve of Independence
- Challenges
- Features
- Post-Independence India
- Issues
- Agriculture and its development so far
- Industry
- Services
- Phases of Economic Development in India
- Nehruvian Socialist Economy
- Economic Reforms
- Planning
- Objectives
- Technical details
- Planning History
- Analysis of each plan
- Resource Mobilization
- Types of resources: Physical capital and finance capital
- Need for resource mobilization- Police State and Democratic Welfare State
- Sources of resource mobilization: Public Sector and Private Sector
- Savings and investment over the five year plan
- Budgetary resources: Tax and Non tax
- Role of Public Debt in resource mobilization and effects: Market borrowing, loans, grants, etc.
- Role of fiscal and monetary policies in resource mobilization
- Role of foreign investment in resource mobilization, desirability and consequences
- Multilateral agencies and resource mobilization
- Inclusive growth and issues arising from it
- Meaning and concept of Inclusion
- India’s experience
- Social sector initiatives and inclusion process
- Ground reality and working of flagship schemes
- India’s growth story in this context
- Why is India's growth not inclusive?
- Rural economy based growth
- Need for Sustainable agriculture, food security and resilience for growth.
- Public distribution schemes: Way to inclusive growth.
- Financial inclusion as an instrument of inclusive growth.
- Poverty Alleviation and Employment Generation as a strategy for inclusive growth
- Social sector development as an instrument for inclusive growth.
- Public private partnership for inclusive growth
- Industrial Integration for inclusive growth
- Sectoral and regional diversification as a tool for inclusive growth.
- Government Budgeting
- Budget terminology
- Types of budget
- Features of outcome budgeting
- Merger of Railway and General Budget
- Benefits of budgeting
- Flaws in budgeting process
- Budget analysis
- Investment models
- Measures of Investment
- Capital and investment
- Factors affecting investment
- Classification of Investment
- FDI
- Angel Investors and Start-ups
- M&A
- Investment Models
- Role of State
- PPP (Public-Private Partnership)
- Savings and Investment Trends
- Fiscal Policy
- Fiscal Policy in India
- Important Budgetary Terms and Fiscal Concept
- Government Revenues & Spending
- Deficits
- Balance Sheet
- Taxation
- Taxation Meaning
- Principles of Taxation
- Objectives of Taxation
- Taxation for Mobilization of Resources
- Tax System in India
- Subsidies
- Tax Reforms
- GST
- Monetary policy in India
- Instruments of Monetary Policy
- Monetary policy in pre-reform Era (1948 – 1991)
- Monetary Policy in Post-Reform Era (Since – 1991)
- Urjit Patel Committee Report
- Monetary Policy Committee and Inflation Targeting
- Financial system
- Money Market in India
- Capital Market in India
- Indian Capital Market Regulatory Framework
- Primary Market Reforms in India
- Secondary Market Reforms in India
- Banking
- Indian Banking System
- Functions of Commercial Banks
- Challenges Faced by Commercial Banks in India
- Nationalization of Banks in India
- Banking Reforms in India
- New Bank Licence Criteria
- Small Finance Banks and Payment Banks Criteria
- Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC)
- Terminologies/Concepts Related to Banking in India
- Financial Inclusion
- NPAs
- Bills related to Banking
- Foreign trade & International Organisations
- International Trade
- Trade Policy
- Balance of Payments
- Foreign Capital
- Impact of Globalization on Indian Economy
- International Monetary Fund
- WTO
- World Bank Group
- AIIB and NDB
Agriculture
- Role of Agriculture in Indian Economy
- Land resource
- Land-use
- Land capability classification
- Causes of Land Degradation
- Impact of Land Degradation
- Steps taken by GOI
- Sustainable Land Management
- Land Reforms
- Objectives of Land Reforms in India
- Progress of Land Reforms in India
- Progress of Ceiling Legislation
- NITI Aayog Report on Land Leasing
- Agriculture Finance
- Features of Agricultural Finance
- Criteria for Agricultural Credit
- Need for Agricultural Finance
- Sources of Agricultural Finance
- Problems of Agricultural Finance
- Measures taken to improve credit flow to agriculture
- Co-operative Credit Societies in India
- Agricultural Credit Institutions
- Commercial Bank
- Lead Bank Scheme
- Multi Agency Approach
- Regional Rural Banks
- National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)
- Reserve Bank of India
- Kisan Credit Card Scheme
- Self Help Group (SHG)
- Bank Linkage Programme
- Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF)
- Government Policy For Agricultural Credit
- Farmers Service Societies (FSS)
- Crop Insurance in India
- Historical Background
- Issues Related to Crop Insurance
- Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana
- Comparison with Earlier Crop Insurance Schemes
- Challenges
- Agriculture Marketing
- Process of Agricultural Marketing in India
- Structure of Agricultural Marketing in India
- Importance of Proper Agriculture Marketing
- Government Measures to Improve Agricultural Marketing in India
- Analysis of APMC Act
- Subsidies
- Objectives of subsidies
- Transfer of resources from gainers from economic policies to losers from economic policies
- Farm Subsidies
- Fertiliser subsidies
- Subsidy on power
- Subsidy on irrigation
- Rationale of Minimum Support Price
- Impact of MSP on inflation
- Public Distribution System: Objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping, evolution from universal PDS to targeted PDS, Targeted PDS, a critical analysis of cost and benefit of PDS
- Buffer Stock policy and government’s intervention in food market to keep prices under reasonable limits to help consumers
- Food Security bill, questions of resource mobilization for the FSB, criticism of the FSB
- Important questions on the future of subsidies
- Agricultural Revolutions in India
- Green Revolution
- White Revolution – Operation Flood
- Yellow Revolution
- Blue Revolution
- Golden Fiber Revolution: Jute
- Food Processing
- Processed Foods Scenario with respect to Specific Sectors
- Policy Initiatives
- Infrastructure Development in Food Processing Sector
- Issues in Food Processing Sector
- FDI Policy in Food Processing
- Notable Trends in the Indian Food Processing Sector
- Strategies Adopted in Budget
- New foreign and domestic investment
- Sector-specific government policies
INDUSTRY
- Industrial policy and industrial development: Main Issues
- Mahalanobis strategy and India’s industrial policy-Discussing Industrial policy resolution 1948 and 1956 critically
- New Economic Policy and Industrial policy under the policy of liberalization, privatization and globalization
- Phases of Industrial development
- Main features of Industrial development in India
- Roles of private sector and public sector, Investment in the industrial sector, employment, productivity, profit etc.
- Strategies for disinvestment and privatization
- Role of Small, Medium and Micro enterprises, Government Policy, main problems, effects of globalization
- New Manufacturing Policy
- Industrial disbursal and Industrial corridors
- SEZs- Main issues like land use, relocation of same industries that exist, exports earnings vs loss of tax income
- Industrial sickness, institutional mechanism to support the sick industries, exit policy issues
- Main constraints in the industrial development of India
- Effects of globalization on industries, Sub-prime crisis and sovereign debt crisis on Industry in India
- Industrial Finance in India: Role of development banking, commercial banking, venture capital, angel capital in industrialization and promotion of entrepreneurship
- Make in India achievements
TRANSPORT
- Transport
- Importance and development of transport
- Means of transport
- Transport costs and economic distance
- Operating costs in transport
- Relative importance of means of transport: Railways, Roads, Pipeline, Oceans, Air transport
- Profits and freight rates
- Government’s transport policy
- Transport patterns in the world:
- Oceanic transport Ocean transport routes
- Inland waterways
- Main regions of inland waterways
- Railways: Factors affecting the railroads
- Distribution of railroads in the world
- Factors influencing air transport
- Pipeline Transport
- Petroleum (oil) Pipelines
- Gas Pipelines
- Transport costs and specialization
- Transport and trade in the modern era
- Transport costs and scale economies
- Falling transport costs increase trade between neighbours
- Failing transport costs lead to concentration within countries
- Negative externalities of transport
- Important issues
- Ownership and financing
- Pricing of Public utilities
- Infrastructure as avenues for investment
- Project delays-reasons and measures to overcome
- Public Private Partnership and related issues
- Operation and Maintenance of roads, railways, irrigation and power projects-Main problems and solutions
- Impact of Infrastructure-Economic impacts, impact on social development, environmental impacts
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
- Finance
- Changes in Budget process in India
- Public Debt Management Cell
- IBBI and INSOLVENCY RULES
- Demonetization and its impact
- Goods and Services Tax
- Digital Payments scenario
- Task Force Releases draft Bill to establish a Financial Data Management Center
- Task Force report on Financial Redress Agency Released
- Law Commission submits report on Income Tax related to Minors
- Consumer get free hand on paying service charge
- Monetary Policy Committee Review
- Report of Working Group on development of Corporate Bond Market in India
- Concept of municipal bonds
- Lower taxes, higher compliance: implication on economy
- Banking
- Bank Consolidation: Pros and Cons
- Concept of willful defaulter
- Concept of bad bank
- Shadow banking
- Non Performing Assets
- Debate on RBI autonomy
- Indradhanush Analysis
- MCLR regime
- Unified Payment Interface
- India’s Post payment bank
- Issue of Balance Sheet Syndrome
- Differentiated Bank Licenses
- Industry
- Standing Committee submits report on Industrial Policy
- Draft National Food Processing Policy Released
- Initiatives for Fund for start-ups
- Companies need to look beyond CSR
- Merger of telecoms
- National Company Law Tribunal
- Initiatives to support MSME sector
- Model Shop and Establishment Bill, 2016
- National Capital Goods Policy
- H1B visa rules and IT sector
- Ease of doing business initiatives in Realty sector
- Coal linkage policy
- Ministry releases Draft Labor Code on Social Security
- Analysis of Competition Commission of India
- Agriculture
- NITI Aayog report on Agriculture
- Agricultural Index by NITI Aayog
- Defects in Procurement Policy
- Reforming trade in agriculture products
- Report on incentivising production of pulses released by Ministry of Finance
- Draft Model APMC Act, 2016 released
- Infrastructure
- Sagarmala project
- Inland waterways in India
- Safety issues in Railways
- Draft policy for providing New Suburban Rail Systems released
- NITI Aayog releases report on the impact of social service obligations by Railways
- Indian Railway Tourism Policy
- Aviation Sector and Regional Connectivity Scheme
- Air Service Agreement
- HELP
- Ministry of Power releases guidelines on cross-border trading of electricity
- Supreme Court bans sale of vehicles not compliant with BS IV standards
- Multi-Modal Transport System
- External sector
- Model Bilateral investment treaty
- Phasing out of FIPB
- FDI status and issues
- Permanent residency status to foreign investors
- Dispute Settlement Mechanism in WTO
- Increase in International Trade Dispute
- FTP 2015-20
- Reforms in IMF quota
- Committees
- FSLRC - Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission: Analysis
- Nachiket Mor Committee Report
- PJ Nayak Committee
- Vijay Kelkar Committee on PPP
- Parthasarathi Shome committee on GAAR
- Urjit Patel Committee Report on Monetary Policy
- Mahapatra Committee (NBFC Loan Restructuring)
- Usha Thorat Committee
- Debroy Committee on Railways
- N.K. Sing Panel Report on FRBM
- Shanta Kumar Committee
- Ratan Watal Committee on Digital Payments
- Miscellaneous
- Unemployment survey
- India’s first International Arbitration Centre inaugurated.
- Ponzi scheme and Issues
- Fat tax: concept analysis
- National Student Startup Policy
Science & Technology
Biology
- Chemical Building Blocks of Life
- History and Origin of Life
- Cells
- Cell Structure
- Membranes
- Cell-Cell Interactions
- Energy and Metabolism
- Respiration
- Photosynthesis
- How Cells Divide
- Sexual Reproduction
- Genetics
- Inheritance
- DNA, The Genetic Material
- Gene Expression
- Gene Regulation
- Mutation
- Recombinant DNA Technology
- Classification of Living Things
- Classification and Domains of Life
- General Biology/Classification of Living Things/Viruses
- Prokaryotes
- Eukaryotes
- Protists
- Plants
- Fungi
- Animals
- Evolution
- Evolution of Life
- Animal Evolution
- Human Evolution
- Tissues
- Epithelial tissue
- Connective tissue
- Muscle tissue
- Economic Zoology
- Beneficial animals: Corals - Earthworm -Vermiculture - Beneficial insects Prawns - Lobsters - Crabs – Pearl oysters - Fishes - Guano - Aquarium Vivarium
- Harmful animals: Disease causing organisms Vectors - Poisonous organisms – Fouling organisms - Pests.
- Endocrine System
- Hypothalamus
- Pineal body (epiphysis)
- Pituitary gland (hypophysis)
- Thyroid
- Adrenal glands
- Reproductive glands
- Respiration
- External and Internal Respiration
- Respiratory system in Plants
- Respiratory System in Insects
- Respiratory System in Humans and Animals
- The Transport System in Organisms
- Transport system in a Cell
- Transport System in Plants
- Transport System in Animals
- Blood Vascular System
- The Lymphatic System
- Skeletal and Muscular Systems
- Bone and Skeleton System (Osteology)
- Ligaments (Syndesmology)
- Muscular System (Myology)
- Vertebrates
- Reproduction
- Asexual Reproduction in Plants
- Asexual Reproduction in Animals
- Sexual Reproduction in Plants
- Sexual Reproduction in Animals
- Sexual Reproduction in Humans
- Excretion, Osmoregulation and Thermoregulation
- Excretory products
- Excretion in plants
- Excretion in Animals
- Osmoregulation, ADH and formation of Urine in Animals
- Physiological and Behavioural Adjustments
- Nutrition
- Classification by Source of Energy and Carbon
- Plant Nutrition
- Animal Nutrition
- Human Diet
- The Digestive System
Institutions & Policy
- India’s policy in the field of the science and technology
- The S&T policy resolution in 1958
- S&T policy of the 1983
- S&T policy of the 2003
- S&T policy 2013
- Institutional structure
- Department of Science & Technology
- CSIR
- Survey of India
- Science and Engineering Research Council
- Technology Development Board
- National Accreditation Board For Testing And Calibration Laboratories
- Science and technology as a source of Human Resource Development
- Awards related to Science
- New Initiatives Aligned with the National Agenda
- India and World collaboration in science projects
- Technology Vision Document 2035
- National Biotechnology Development Strategy 2015-2020
- National Intellectual Property Rights Policy
- Organ donation rules in India
- Policy on Synthetic Biology
Biotechnology
- Genetics and biotechnology
- Industrial genetics
- Protoplast and cell fusion technologies
- Genetic engineering
- DNA sequencing
- Nucleic acid probes
- Genomics and proteomics
- Antisense and RNA interface
- Potential laboratory biohazards of genetic engineering
- Bioprocess/fermentation technology
- Biological fuel generation
- Global warming and the significance of fossils fuels
- Photosynthesis: the ultimate energy source
- Biofuels from biomass
- Bioethanol from biomass
- Biodiesel
- Methane
- Hydrogen
- Environmental Biotechnology
- Microbial Ecology Environmental Biotechnology
- Waste water and sewage treatment
- Landfilling technologies
- Composting
- Bioremediation
- Detect and monitoring of pollutants
- Microbes and the geological environment
- Environmental sustainability and clean technology
- Plant and Forest Biotechnology
- Plant biotechnology
- Forest biotechnology
- Animal and Insect Biotechnology
- Genetic manipulation and transgenic animals
- Genetically engineered hormone and vaccines
- Animal organs for human patients
- Genetically modified insects
- Food and beverage biotechnology
- Food and beverage fermentations
- Microorganisms as food
- Enzymes and food processing
- Amino acids, vitamins and sweeteners
- Organic acids and polysaccharides
- Public acceptance and safety of new biotechnology foods
- Biotechnology and medicine
- Pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals
- Antibiotics
- Vaccines and monoclonal antibodies
- Biopharmaceuticals/therapeutic proteins
- Pharmacogenetics
- Molecular biology and human disease
- Diagnostics in developing countries
- Gene Therapy
- Systems biology and medicine
- Stem cell biotechnology
- Protection of biotechnological inventions
- Patent protection Trade secrets
- Plant breeders’ rights
- Recent initiatives in Health & Biotechnology
- Diseases in News
- India Declared Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus, H5N1 and Yaws Free
- IPV Injection
- Mission Indradhanush
- New TB Drug Regimen
- E-Cigarettes
- Digital Biopiracy
- Kendrapara Sheep
- DNA Tagging of Convicts
- U.K. Grants Gene Editing Licence
- Genetically Modified Mosquito
- Designer Babies’ OR Three Parents Babies
- U.K. Grants Gene Editing Licence
- National Biotechnology Development Strategy 2015-2020
- Space
- Types of orbits
- Launch Vehicle
- Satellite communication in India
- INSAT Satellite application
- Remote sensing applications
- Cryogenic rockets
- Global Positioning System
- Galileo
- GLONASS
- IRNSS
- GAGAN
- Chandrayaan – I & II
- Mars Orbiter Mission
- Space Organisations
- Space race/Space junk
- Recent updates
- South Asia Satellite: Significance
- Neutrino Observatory
- Solar Mission- ADITYA
- Gravitational Waves
- FAST (Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope)
- Spitzer Space Telescope
- Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope
- Chandra X-ray Observatory
- James Webb Space Telescope
- ARIES/Devasthal Telescope
- Multi Application Solar Telescope
- Thirty Metre Telescope
- Resourcesat- 2A
- ASTROSAT
- Sunspot
- Magnetars
- Neutron stars
- Air-breathing propulsion system
- Space Junk
- Graveyard Orbit
- India, NASA join hands for
- Astrobiology Mission
- Neutrino Observatory
- Indian Space Vision-2025
- Defence
- Missile system and classification
- On the basis of type
- On the basis of launch vehicle
- On the basis of Range
- On the basis of propulsion system
- India’s Missile System
- Agni
- Prithvi
- Trishul
- Nag
- Dhanush
- Astra
- Prahaar
- BrahMos Missile System
- Indian Submarines and Naval Ships
- Light Combat Aircraft
- Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
- Stealth technology
- Chemical Weapon
- Biological Weapon
- NUCLEAR ENERGY
- Types of nuclear reactions
- Nuclear Power Reactor
- N-Power Policy of India
- Advantages of Nuclear Energy
- Disadvantages of Nuclear Energy
- Non-energy applications of Nuclear energy
- Impact of Radiation
- Issue of Radioactive Waste
- Institutions involved in Nuclear energy Development, AERB
- Safety standards in Nuclear Power plants
- Nuclear & Radiological Disasters
- IT, Electronics & Telecom
- Computers
- Generation of computers
- Computer terminologies
- Supercomputer and its applications
- Information technology
- Components of IT
- IT enabled services
- Application of IT
- Display technologies
- Cathode ray
- LCD
- LED
- Plasma Monitors
- OLED
- Telecommunications
- Mobile generations
- Smartphone
- Important concepts
- Government initiatives
- Digital India Initiative
- MeghRaj
- Code Free for India
- E-Kranti
- Bharat Net project
- Bharat QR
- Contemporary debates
- Net Neutrality
- Internet of Things
- Big Data Initiative and Privacy
- Cyber crime and security
- RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN IT & TELECOM
- Cyber Swachhta Kendra
- BharatQR
- Digital Transaction Methodologies
- Smart Credit Cards
- Bharat Net Project
- Wi-fi Technology
- BlockChain Technology and Bitcoins
- Digital Terrestrial Television
- Transmission System
- Disaster Management Network
- Param Ishan
- Internet of Things
- Nano-Science & Nano Technologies
- What is Nanoscience and Nanotechnology?
- Origination of Nanoscience and Technology
- Basics of Nanoscience
- Nanomaterials
- Applications of nanotechnology
- Nano medicine
- Semiconductors and computing
- Food
- Textiles
- Sustainable energy
- Environment
- Transport
- Space
- Agriculture
- Adverse Health and Environmental
- Impacts of Nanotechnology
- Social and Ethical Impacts:
- Nano-science and nano-technology in India
- Robotics
- What is Robotics?
- Machine vs Computer vs Robots
- Parts of a Robot
- Controller
- Manipulator
- End Effector
- Sensor
- Classification of Robots
- Rolling Robots
- Walking Robots
- Autonomous Robots
- Artificial Intelligence
- Applications of Robotics
- Industrial Sector
- Aerospace
- Healthcare Delivery
- Outer Space
- Exploration
- Military Robots
- Disaster Areas
- Entertainment
- Agriculture
- Domestic work
Environment & Ecology
ECOLOGY & BIODIVERSITY
- Types of Ecology
- Ecological Hierarchy
- Scope of Ecology
- Habitat & Ecological Niche
- Deep vs Shallow Ecology
- Ecological Principles
- Ecological Community
- Structure and Characteristics of a Community
- Stratification
- Ecotones
- Ecological Dominance
- Seasonal and Diurnal Fluctuation
- Periodicity
- Turnover
- Interdependence
- Ecological Succession
- Types and Process of Succession
- Climax Community
- Range of Tolerance , Maximum Range
- Difference between Ecology ,
- Environment and Ecosystem
- Ecosystem and its dynamics
- Ecosystem Definitions
- Functions and Properties of Ecosystem
- The Structure/Components of Ecosystem
- Abiotic Components
- Biotic Components
- Ecosystem Dynamics
- Flow of Energy in Ecosystem
- Trophic Levels
- Food Chain
- Types & Significance of Food Chain
- Food Web
- Models for Energy Flow
- Ecological Productivity
- Ecological Pyramid
- Biomagnifications
- Biological Control
- Organic Farming
- Biogeochemical Cycles
- Parts of a Bio Geochemical Cycle
- Types of Biogeochemical Cycle
- Carbon Cycle
- Nitrogen Cycle
- Phosphorus Cycle
- Sulphur Cycle
- Biomes: Forest, Grassland, Mountain, and Desert Ecosystems
- Biome
- Grasslands
- Tundra
- Deserts
- Thar desert
- Mountain biome
- Aquatic Life Zones: Ocean, Rivers, Lakes, and Wetlands
- Aquatic ecosystems
- Basic facts about the ocean
- Importance of the ocean
- Zones of the ocean
- Marine life
- Coral reefs
- Coral reefs in India
- Conserving coral reefs
- Mangroves
- Mangroves in India
- Freshwater in India
- Importance of lakes
- National Lake Conservation Plan
- Wetlands and their importance
- Ramsar Convention
- Ramsar Sites
- Montreux Record
- Extent and distribution of wetlands in India
- Conserving the wetlands of India
- Biodiversity Basics
- Biodiversity
- Important kinds of biodiversity
- Degree of diversity in an ecosystem
- Endemic species
- Keystone species
- Indicator species
- Invasive species
- Allopatric and sympatric speciation
- Bioinformatics
- Biodiversity distribution
- Megadivers Countries
- Uses and values of biodiversity
- State of global biodiversity
- Threats to biodiversity
- Biodiversity Hotspots
- Eco-regions
- Role of traditional knowledge in biodiversity
- Biopiracy
- Extinction of species
- Mass extinction
- IUCN’s classification scheme
- IUCN Red-List of Threatened Species
- Level of biodiversity in India
- Biogeographic classification of India
- Biodiversity Conservation
- Ex-situ aid in-situ conservation
- Seed banks
- Zoos in biodiversity conservation
- Botanical gardens
- Protected areas
- State of protected areas in the world
- UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Program (MAB)
- Characteristics of biosphere reserves
- International agreements for biodiversity conservation
- Convention on Biological Diversity
- Cartagena Protocol
- Nagoya Protocol
- Aichi Biodiversity Targets
- Important Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Areas of India
- Important Bird Areas (IBAs) of India
- Global Tiger Initiative
- Project Tiger
- Project Elephant
- Indian Rhino Vision
- Recovery Programme for Critically Endangered Species
- Use of indigenous knowledge for conserving biodiversity
- Seed village
- Effect of Human Activities on Environment
- Effect of Modern Agriculture on Environment
- Effect of Housing on Environment
- Effect of Power Generation on Environment
- Effect of River Valley Projects
(Water Resource Projects) on Environment
- Effect of Mining on Environment
- Effect of Transportation Activities on Environment
- Effect of Tourism on Environment
- Water Resource degradation
- Water Cycle (Hydrological Cycle)
- Availability and Quality Aspects (groundwater depletion)
- Water-borne and Water-induced Diseases
- Fluoride Problem in Drinking Water
- Arsenic Problem in Drinking Water
- Minerals & Environmental Degradation
- Mining and Environment
- Sensitivity of Select Ecosystems to Mining
- Impact of Mining
- Indirect Impact of Mining
- International Laws on Mining
- Main Act or Statute to regulate the impact of Indian Mining Sector
- Sustainable Mining
- Deforestation
- Causes of Deforestation
- Implications of Deforestation for Climate Change
- Consequences of Deforestation on the Wildlife of India
- Impact of Deforestation on Indian Monsoon
- Impact of Deforestation on People
- Deforestation Leads to Water and Soil Resources Loss and Flooding
- Economical Impacts
- Strategies for Reducing Deforestation
- Government Programmes for Conservation of Forests
- Legislations for Conservation of Forests using People Participation
- Steps for Improving People Participation in Forest Resource Management
- Use of Local Traditional Methods
- Waste Management
- Solid Waste
- Hazardous Waste
- E-Waste
- Bio Medical Waste
- Plastic Waste
- Methods for Waste Management
- Effects of Poor Waste Disposal
- Landfill
- Sustainable Development
- Principles of sustainability
- Measurement of Sustainability or Sustainable Ethics or Equitable Utilisation of Natural Resource
- Sustainable Lifestyle (Role of an individual in sustainable, development)
- Challenges to Sustainable Development
- International Efforts to Achieve Sustainability
- Environmental Pollution
- Air Pollution
- Sources of Air Pollution
- Effects of Air Pollution
- Classification of Air Pollutant
- Control Measures of Air Pollution
- Air Pollution Disasters
- Long Range Transport of Gaseous Air Pollutants
- National Ambient Air Quality Standards
- Water Pollution
- Sources of Water Pollution
- Types of Water Pollutants
- Effects of Water Pollution
- Water Quality Standards
- Control of Water Pollution
- Thermal Pollution
- Sources of Thermal Pollution
- Effects of Thermal Pollution
- Control of Thermal Pollution
- Soil Pollution or Land Degradation
- Sources of Soil Pollution
- Effects of Soil Pollution
- Control Measures
- Noise Pollution
- Air-borne Diseases
- Toxic Substances: Toxicant, Toxicity and Toxicology
- Factors affecting toxicity
- Carcinogens
- Solid Waste Management
- Sources of Solid Waste
- Effect of Solid Waste
- Control Measures of Solid Waste
- Solid Waste Management Rules
- Hazardous Waste Management (HWM)
- Coastal Ecosystem Management
- Mangroves
- Salient features of Mangroves
- Importance of Mangroves
- Mangroves in India
- Mangroves under threats
- Legal and Regulatory Approaches for Protection
- Estuaries
- Importance of estuaries
- Threats to estuaries
- Coral Reefs
- Geographical Conditions Required
- Uses of coral reefs
- Conservation of coral reef
- Steps for Coastal Ecosystem Management
- Recent developments
- Air Pollution
- Report on Air Pollution
- Bharat Stage Emission Standards
- Polluters Pay Model
- Household Air Pollution
- Open Waste Burning and its Impact
- Graded Response Action Plan on Pollution
- UN Sets Limits on Global Airline Emissions
- Waste Management
- Biodegradable Plastics
- Green Train Corridors
- Oil Spill
- Solid Waste Management-Buffer Zone
- Other News
- Report of Parliamentary Committee on Forest Fires
- Urban Forestry Scheme
- Draft Notification to Regulate Pet Shops
- Ban on Import of Animal Skin
- River linking Project and Impact on
- Environment
- Algal Bloom Issue
- Illegal Salt Mining and its Impact
- India’s Wetland Report, 2016
- Deep Sea Mining
- Mass Coral Bleaching
- Ganga River Pollution
- Environmental Impact Assessment
- Government Body which Executes EIA
- Environmental Effects Analysed under EIA
- Process of EIA
- EIA Ruling 1984
- Environmental Laws
- Environmental Laws: Provisions in the Indian Constitution towards Environmental Protection
- Salient Features of Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act,1981*
- Salient Features of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
- Salient features of Forest Conservation Act, I980
- Salient Features of Wildlife Protection Act,1972
- Salient Features of Environment (Protection) Act,1986
- Role of Government in Environmental Protection
- Environment related Institutions and Organizations
- Pollution Control Boards
- National Green Tribunal
- Forest Survey of India
- National Board for Wildlife
- Schemes
- Ecomark Scheme
- National Afforestation Program
- National River Conservation Plan
- National Mission for Clean Ganga
- National Air Quality Index (AQI)
- National Action
- Programme to Combat Desertification
- UJALA Scheme
- Bharat Stage Norms
- International Environmental Governance
- UNEP
- UNDP
- Centre for Biological Diversity
- WWF for Nature
- IUCN - Red List
- Birdlife International
- International Conventions/Protocols & their Objectives
- Basics of Climate change
- GreenHouse Effect and Global Warming
- Global Climate Change: International Efforts to Control Global Warming or Global Climate Change
- Ozone Layer Depletion/Ozone Hole
- Acid Rain
- El Nino
- La Nina
- Urbanization and climate
- Pollution in metros and climate change
- Real estate boom and environment degradation
- Urban Heat Island
- Polythene bags and pollution
- Methane generation from waste
- Impact of agriculture on climate
- Agriculture increases Carbon Dioxide Emissions
- Monoculture practice impacts biodiversity
- Pollution due to use of chemical fertilizers
- Soil-related effects
- Fertilizers’ Effect on the Environment
- Impact of livestock on environment
- Impact of use of Pesticides on environment
- Impact of GM crop on environment
- Emission of Methane from agricultural practices
- Sustainable Agriculture Techniques
- Global Warming & Health
- Health impacts of global warming
- Mosquito-borne diseases
- Ozone depletion and human health
- Recent developments
- Carbon Neutrality Concept
- Climate Change Indicators: WMO report
- IPCC 5th Assessment Report
- Paris Agreement
- Marrakech Climate Change Conference
- International Solar Alliance (ISA)
- Kyoto Protocol (2nd Commitment 2013-20)
- Kigali Agreement
- Climate Change Performance Index
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
- Wildlife
- Man-Animal Conflicts in India
- Poaching activities in India
- Controlling wildlife crimes using sniffer dogs
- Draft on animal cruelty
- Formation of Tiger Reserves: Critical Analysis
- International treaties for wildlife conservation
- Use of drones for wildlife conservation
- Combating Pollution
- Indoor Air Pollution and its impact
- Impact of Particulate Matter
- Smog and its impact
- Plastic Pollution
- Light Pollution
- Oil Spill
- Solid Waste Management
- E-waste Management Rules 2016
- Groundwater contamination
- Bharat Stage Norm
- What is the Polluters Pay Model?
- Climate Change
- Paris Agreement
- Marrakech Climate Change Conference
- Kigali Agreement
- Kyoto Protocol (2nd Commitment)
- International Solar Alliance
- Programmes and Policies Initiated for Mitigating Climate Change
- International Collaboration for Mitigating Climate Change
- Carbon Neutrality Concept
- Concept of Green Bond
- Green Climate Fund
- Carbon Tax Feasibility in India
- Concept of Green Building
- Climate Change and Cities
- Ethical issue involved in climate change
- Climate change and its impact on Health
- Renewable Energy
- National Solar Mission
- Status of Hydro Power energy in India
- Status of Wind Energy in India
- Green Transportation
- Initiatives for Environmental Conservation
- Ganga River Pollution
- Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act
- Draft National Wildlife Action Plan
- Draft Wetland Management Rules
- Initiatives to enhance green cover
- Policy on Promotion of City Compost
- Living status to Rivers
- National Hydrology Project
- Environmental Institutions
- Pollution Control Board: Analysis
- National Green Tribunal: Analysis
- Forest Survey of India
- Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee
- Traditional Knowledge Digital Library
- T S R Subramanian Panel Report
- Miscellaneous Issues
- Algal bloom Issue
- Melting of Antarctica and its impact
- River linking project and its impact
- Public participation for environmental conservation
Internal Security
- Internal Security Challenges
- Internal Security Challenges
- Social Diversity as Issues of Security Threat
- Challenges from within
- Neighbours as Issue of Security Threat
- Non-State Actors as Issue of Security Threat
- Global Indices and Measurement of Vulnerability of a State Towards such Non-State Actors
- Law and Order vs. Internal Security
- Terrorism Threat to India
- Terrorism Threat to India
- Changing face of Terrorism
- Terror Threats Faced by India
- Broader Framework to Deal with Terrorism
- Drawbacks in Intelligence Infrastructure
- Organized Crime
- Types of Organized Crime
- Problems in controlling organized crimes
- Combating organized crimes
- Linkage of Terrorism and Organized Crime in India
- Linkage between Development and Spread of Extremism
- Stated Purpose of the Naxal Movement
- Why did naxalism get huge support from the common man?
- Why is naxalism the biggest threat to internal security?
- Insurgency in North-East
- Issues & Conflicts
- Assam Insurgency
- Security Challenges in Border Areas
- Challenges to Border Management
- Issues Faced in Border Management
- Community Participation for Border Management
- Basics of Cyber Security
- Types of Cyber Crimes
- Impact and Steps needed
- Recent Incident: Ransomware
- The National Cyber Security Policy of India 2013
- Cyber Warfare
- Factors Contributing/Aggravating Rise of Cyber Attack
- Recent Initiatives for Tackling Cyber Warfare
- Social Media and Internal Security Threat
- Regulation of Social Media in India for Internal Security
- Challenges in Monitoring Social Media
- Steps Needed
- Money Laundering
- Meaning of Money Laundering
- Harmful Effects of Money Laundering
- Steps taken by the Government
- Black Money in India
- Parallel Economy in India
- What are the various measures taken by the Government to curb Black Money?
- Impact of demonetisation on black money
- Criticisms
- Police Reforms in India
- The Organisational Structure
- Duties and Responsibilities of the Police
- Centre’s Role in Policing
- Traditional Security Challenges
- Non-Traditional Security Challenges (NTS)
- Recommendations for Police Reforms
- Police we Want in 21st Century
- Various Security Forces and their Mandate
- Assam Rifles
- Border Security Force (BSF)
- Indo-Tibetan Border Police
- Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)
- Central Reserve Police Force
- National Security Guard
- Issues with Paramilitary Forces
Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude
- Ethics Basic Introduction
- Dimensions of Ethics
- Essence of Ethics
- Approaches of Ethical Study as Indian Perspective and Western Perspective
- Basic concept of ethics morality and value
- Ethics in public life
- Ethics in Economic Life
- Freedom and Discipline
- Duties and Rights
- Virtue Ethics
- Consequences of Ethics in Human Actions
- Values and Ethics in Government:
- Legislature, Executive and judiciary
- Contribution of Family in Value Education
- Contribution of Society in Inculcating Values
- Role of Educational Institutions in Inculcating Values
- Human Values
- Human value & Socialization
- Individual Personality and Value
- Values and Skill
- Fundamental and Instrumental Values
- Democratic values
- Role of ethical value in governance and society
- Significance of value in civil services
- Aesthetic values
- Values in work life and professional ethics
- Aptitude and foundational values of civil services
- Essential Aptitude for civil servants
- Foundational Values of Civil Services
- Neutrality
- Anonymity
- Civil Services Accountability
- Integrity
- Humility
- Adaptability
- Magnanimity
- Perseverance
- Impartiality and Non-Partisanship
- Tolerance and compassion for the weaker section
- Contribution to society
- India & World Thinkers
- Indian Thinkers
- Mahatma Gandhi
- Dr. S. Radhakrishnan
- Rabindranath Tagore
- Swami Dayanand Saraswati
- Mahadeva Govinda Ranade
- Sri Aurobindo
- Swami Vivekananda
- Sardar Patel
- Buddha Bhim Rao Ambedkar
- Raja Ram Mohan Roy
- Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj
- Mother Teresa
- Amitabha Chowdhury
- Aruna Roy
- T. N. Seshan
- E. Sreedharan
- Administrative Thinkers
- Max Weber
- Elton Mayo
- Peter Drucker
- Chestar Barnard
- Mary Parker Follet
- World Thinkers
- Plato
- Aristotle
- Socrates
- Jeremy Bentham
- JS Mill
- Thomas Hobbes
- John Locke
- Jean Jacques Rousseau
- John Rawls
- Immanuel Kant
- Carol Gilligan
- Jean Paul Sartre
- Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
- Confucius
- René Descartes
- Karl Marx
- Adam Smith
- Thomas Aquinas
- David Hume
- Democritus
- Galileo
- Friedrich Nietzsche
- Montesquieu
- Voltaire
- Thomas Jefferson
- Indian & World Leaders
- Benjamin Franklin
- Martin Luther King
- Dalai Lama
- Nelson Mandela
- Mahatma Gandhi
- Siddhartha Gautama
- Aung San Suu Kyi
- Swami Vivekanand
- Albert Einstein
- Abraham Lincoln
- Mother Teresa
- J L Nehru
- Lee Kuan Yew
- Henry Ford
- Abdul Kalam
- Muhammad Yunus
- Wangari Maathai
- Kofi Annan
- Lech Walesa
- Desmond Tutu
- Isaac Newton
- Elie Wiesel
- King Ashoka
- Sun Yat Sen
- Attitude
- Components of Attitude
- Affective component
- Cognitive component
- Behavioral component
- Functions of Attitude
- Adjustive Function
- Ego-Defensive Function
- Value-Expressive Function
- Knowledge Function
- Attitude Formation Model
- Impact of Beliefs and Values
- Group Influences
- Social Influence
- Persuasion Tactics
- Tools of Persuasion
- Moral Attitude formation
- Political Attitude formation
- Emotional Intelligence
- Theories Associated with Emotional Intelligence
- Can Emotional Intelligence be Developed?
- Components of Emotional Competencies
- The Self-Awareness Cluster: Understanding Feelings and Accurate Self-Assessment
- The Self-Management Cluster: Managing Internal States, Impulses, and Resources
- The Social Awareness Cluster: Reading People and Groups Accurately
- The Relationship Management Cluster: Inducing Desirable Responses in Others
- Importance of Emotional Intelligence at Workplace
- Importance of Emotional Intelligence in Civil Services
- Values & Ethics in Public Administration
- Ethical Concerns in Public Institution
- Ethical Concerns in Private Institutions
- Ethical Dilemmas in Public and Private Institutions
- Laws, Rules and Regulations as Source of Ethical Guidance
- Accountability and Ethical Governance
- Strengthening of Ethical and Moral Values in Governance
- Moral Judgments in International Relations
- Ethical Relation in Funding
- International Relations and concept of Moral Responsibility
- Ethics in working of international organizations
- What is Corporate Governance?
- Models of Corporate Social Responsibility
- Steps taken by World Bank for Good Corporate Governance
- Norms for Corporate Government in India
- Concept of business ethics
- Probity in Governance
- Concept of Public Service
- Philosophical basis of Governance and Probity
- Information Sharing, Transparency and Right to Information
- Flaws in RTI and recommendations for improvement
- Importance of vigilant citizens
- Information sharing and participation
- Importance of Code of ethics
- Code of Ethics in Professions
- Code of Conduct for Ministers; for Legislators; for Civil Servants; for Regulators and for the Judiciary
- Components of a Citizen Charter
- Steps in formulation of a Citizen’s Charter
- Concept of Work Culture
- The Indian Approach to Work
- Methods of improving Work Culture
- Quality of Service Delivery
- Utilisation of Public Funds
- Problems in Fund Release and Utilization
- Parliamentary Control on Expenditure
- Corruption in India: extent, dimension, and response
- Corruption as a social evil
- Probity in public life Corrupt practice among civil servants and official misconduct
- Exposing corruption: Civil Society initiatives and role of Whistleblower Act
- Tackling corruption: Role of government and institutions of governance
- Controlling corruption: Various approaches and efficacy
Applied Ethics
- Euthanasia Issue
- Social and ethical angle
- Different arguments related to Euthanasia
- Conclusion
- Surrogacy
- Case study
- Issues
- Ethical Issues
- Concept of ethical surrogacy
- Conclusion
- Ethics & Sports
- Importance of sports
- Ethical Issue: Need for sportsmanship
- Ethical Issue: Doping
- Ethical Issue: Discrimination and Sexual Harassment
- Ethical Issue: Sports as a Business
- Steps needed
- Media Ethics
- Role of Media
- Ethical Issues faced by Reporters
- Trial by Media
- Media Prejudice
- Ethical Dilemma faced by Photojournalists
- Digital Media Ethics
- Paid News
- Business Ethics
- Principles of Business Ethics
- Dimensions related to Business Ethics in Organisation
- Business Ethics and Corporate Governance
- Journey from Philanthropy to Corporate Social Responsibility
- Issues related to Corporate Social Responsibility
- Issues in implementation of Business Ethics
- Ethics Related to Economic Sanctions
- Why are Economic Sanctions placed?
- Ethics in Economic Sanctions
- Conclusion
- Refugees & Ethics
- Why Migration occur?
- Case study of Syria
- Dilemmas related to Refugee crisis
- Steps needed
- Ethical Dilemmas of Globalization
- What is Globalisation
- Free trade in Globalised world
- Issues with Newly developed trade patterns
- Criticism against global regime
- Way forward
- Ethics of War
- Ethics and War theories
- Evils of war
- Environmental Ethics
- Linkage between Ethics and Environment
- Theories related to Environmental ethics
- Role of individual
- Ethical Issues in Biotechnology
- Issues related to Stem Cell
- Issues related to cloning
- Issues related to designer babies
- Animal Ethics
- Introduction
- Issues of conducting research on animals
- Issue of keeping animals as pets
- Issue of Cruelty against animals
- Conclusion
- Food Adulteration and Ethics
- Ethical dimension
- Ethical issue related to food additive
14. Abortion: Ethical or Unethical
- Law of abortion in India
- Recent Supreme Court verdict
- Ethical Issue: Health of Women vs. fetus
- Justifi cation for abortion
- Argument against abortion
- Abortion and women rights
- Abortion and father rights
15. Honour Killing
- Honour killing is unethical
- Role of khap panchayat
16. Marital Rape
- Why Marital Rape should and should not be criminalized?
- What are the hurdles?
17. Ethical Issue Involved in Child
- Labour
- Rights of children
- Child labour and company
- Solution
- Role of consumer
18. Ethical Issue Involved in Treating Juvenile as Adult
- Juvenile justice system
- Negative implications
19. Ethics and Old Age
- Ethical issues
- Issues faced
- Importance of autonomy
- Ethics in Public and Private Relationships
- Ethical values in Private relationships
- Ethical principles in Public relationships
- Linkage between Private relationships and Public relationships