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Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for October 12, 2025. If you missed the October 11, 2025, UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here.
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
What’s the ongoing story: Underlining that fortunes of millions of farmers will be transformed, PM Narendra Modi Saturday launched two new agriculture schemes, the PM Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY) and the Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses, with a total outlay of `35,440 crore.
Key Points to Ponder:
— What are the objectives of PM Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY)?
— Why has the government launched Aatmanirbharta in Pulses?
— What is the status of India’s import of pulses?
— What are the problems faced by the agricultural sector in India?
— What are the major initiatives launched by the government to tackle it?
— Know about these schemes and initiatives: Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund, Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana and the Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry (PLISFPI)
Key Takeaways:
— The PM also inaugurated 1,054 projects worth `3,650 crore completed under Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) after June 2024, inaugurated and laid the foundation of 17 animal husbandry projects worth Rs 1,166 crore.
— 16 fisheries projects worth Rs 693 crore under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) and Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund, 11 project worth Rs 808 crore to promote food processing under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana and the Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry (PLISFPI).
— Urging farmers to play a major role to build a developed India, he said, “After independence, you made India self-sufficient in food production. On the one hand, we must be self-reliant, and on the other, we must also produce for the global market… focus on crops that dominate global markets.”
— Both the agri schemes were announced in the Union Budget 2025-26 and approved by the Union Cabinet recently.
Do You Know:
— The PMDDKY is aimed at developing 100 agricultural districts selected based on 3 factors — low productivity, moderate crop intensity, below-average access to credit. While the PMDDKY does not have a separate budget, its outlay of `24,000 crore will come from convergence of various schemes.
— Modi called the pulses mission, which has an outlay of `11,440 crore, “a campaign to empower our future generations”. Cleared by the Union Cabinet on October 1 to be implemented from 2025-26 to 2030-31, it aims at expanding the area under pulses to 310 lakh hectares, increase production to 350 lakh tonnes, and raise yield to 1130 kg/ha by 2030-31.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Budget announcement: Why aatmanirbharta in pulses is a challenge
📍Import of tur dal from Mozambique resumes after MEA’s intervention
Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
(1) Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2020)
1. In the case of all cereals, pulses and oil-seeds, the procurement at Minimum Support Price (MSP) is unlimited in any State/UT of India.
2. In the case of cereals and pulses, the MSP is fixed in any State/UT at a level to which the market price will never rise.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:
Explain various types of revolutions, took place in Agriculture after Independence in India. How these revolutions have helped in poverty alleviation and food security in India? (UPSC CSE 2017)
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance, Economic Development
Main Examination: General Studies II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests.
What’s the ongoing story: Ahead of high-stakes US–China trade talks likely later this month, fresh tensions have erupted after China significantly expanded its export controls on rare earths and other critical minerals on October 9. The US has threatened to raise duties on Chinese goods by 100 per cent, triggering a sharp decline in US stock markets on Friday.
Key Points to Ponder:
— What are rare earth minerals?
— What are rare earth minerals used for?
— Why has China curbed the export of rare earths and other critical minerals?
— How does it impact India?
— Why India needs to build self-reliance in critical technologies and minerals?
— How is India’s dependence on Chinese imports a cause of concern?
Key Takeaways:
— Both Chinese and American posturing on trade assumes significance for India, which is in the midst of negotiations for a trade deal with the US. China’s curbs on rare earths also pose a threat to India’s automobile industry. While China is India’s largest import source, the US continues to be its largest export destination.
— Ajay Srivastava, former Indian Trade Service officer and founder of the think tank GTRI, said Beijing’s export control—which states that any product containing more than 0.1 per cent China-origin rare earths, or produced using Chinese refining or magnet-making technology, will require Beijing’s export approval—will impact everything from F-35 fighter jets to EV motors and wind turbines, as China controls 70 per cent of global rare-earth refining capacity.
— “Prices of EVs, wind turbines and semiconductor parts are expected to rise, while the US will try to ‘friend-shore’ its mineral supply chains to Australia, Vietnam and Canada. China, meanwhile, is likely to redirect supplies towards its non-Western partners to strengthen alternative industrial networks,” Srivastava said.
— “New Delhi should focus on building self-reliance in critical technologies and minerals, insulating its economy from future trade shocks while leveraging its neutral position to strengthen ties with both Western and BRICS economies,” Srivastava added.
— A Rhodium Group research report said that weakness in Chinese demand for imported goods is a major concern for global trade, as over the past two decades China’s move up the global value chain was expected to create massive demand for low value-added manufactured goods.
— No other country has achieved the same level of global dominance across product categories since the early 1970s, the report added, noting that such dominance is more significant now than in previous decades, when trade represented a much lower share of global goods production and consumption.
— Trade economists said that Chinese exports have caused an erosion of middle-income jobs in the US and the West. India’s imports from China have grown at a much faster pace than from the rest of the world.
— Goods imports from China surged from $10.87 billion in 2005–06 to $61.71 billion in 2015–16. Dependence on China has grown so much that imports from China surpassed a record $100 billion in 2023–24.
Do You Know:
— Rare earth metals, or rare earth elements (REEs), are a group of 17 chemical elements on the periodic table that share similar chemical properties and are silver-coloured in appearance.
— While REEs are not as rare as their name indicates, it is unusual to find concentrated and economically mineable deposits of REEs, despite their relative abundance compared to silver, gold or platinum. And crucially, China holds unparalleled expertise in refining REEs compared to other nations.
— REEs are extensively used in mobile phones, electric vehicles and other consumer electronics, as well as in bombs and other weapons, making them virtually indispensable globally.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Trump’s 100% tariffs on China: How Chinese rare earth export curbs may ignite next trade war
UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering similar theme:
(2) With reference to the Rare earth metals, or rare earth elements (REEs), consider the following statements:
1. These elements are on the periodic table that share similar chemical properties and are silver-coloured in appearance.
2. These are extensively used in mobile phones and electric vehicles.
3. Russia holds unparalleled expertise in refining REEs compared to other nations.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:
“The USA is facing an existential threat in the form of a China, that is much more challenging than the erstwhile Soviet Union.” Explain. (UPSC CSE 2021)
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
What’s the ongoing story: In Kazan, where the Volga meets the Kama south of the city, two teams met on the field for a T20 outing on a sunny morning this week. Vinay Kumar, India’s envoy to Moscow, was there to greet Team Russia and Team India, their playing 11s largely students, watched by most with little or no knowledge of cricket.
Key Points to Ponder:
— What is soft diplomacy?
— Who are the members of the BRICS?
— How is the consulate different from the embassy?
— What are the sister city relations? What is its significance?
— What is the significance of this summit first Tatarstan Initiative Mutual Efficiency (TIME): Russia-India Business Forum?
— Where is Tatarstan located?
Key Takeaways:
— It was soft diplomacy at play, India returning to the city where, a year ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping met on the boundaries of the BRICS summit, leading their sides to revive ties frozen due to the military standoff on the icy plains of Ladakh.
— Now, “in a matter of weeks, not months”, as Kumar put it, India will open a consulate in Kazan, the capital of Russia’s east European Republic of Tatarstan whose growth and wealth have been fuelled by its oil and petrochemical industries
— Kazan hosted summit — the first Tatarstan Initiative Mutual Efficiency (TIME): Russia-India Business Forum. This has been framed as part of a plan to reach out directly to regions in India — “moving from cooperation between the capitals of our countries to cooperation between the regions”.
— Rustam Minnikhanov, the Rais and the Head of Tatarstan, and Prime Minister Aleksey Pesoshin are steering the republic’s efforts to expand cooperation with India, inviting investments, scouting for opportunities and preparing a roadmap for collaboration, sector by sector.
— Hosting Indian delegates at a breakfast meeting, Minnikhanov sought greater interaction, especially in the fields of pharmaceuticals and information technology. And in the sessions that followed, speaker after speaker, pointing to the forum theme TIME, said the time to act is now.
— In 2024, trade between India and Tatarstan was $359.4 million, with India’s exports at just $69.5 million and imports at $289.9 million.
— Tatarstan’s exports range from oil and petroleum products to fertilisers, fats and oils to agro goods. Indian exports include electrical machinery and rubber products.
— Highlighting Tatarstan’s investment climate, its relatively low land and rental prices and tax benefits, Minullina said, “Information technology is one of the basic industries where we could work together.” She also flagged pharmaceuticals, medicine, culture and cinema as the other fields for cooperation.
— She said there was agreement that businesses would be advised on the Indian market, and in India on the Russian market — most delegates said there was a need for the people of the two countries to connect better and discover each other’s strengths for mutual benefit.
— Agra Mayor Hemlata Diwakar, who highlighted the Taj city’s achievements including its footwear industry, also signed a memorandum on sister-city relations with the Tatarstan district of Spassky, famed for its White Mosque in Bolgar.
Do You Know:
— The Indian Business Alliance (IBA) is born in 1994 and is an umbrella organization for all Indian companies in Russia. It was established by a team of dedicated Indian businessmen under the patronage of the Embassy of India in Russia, and is exclusively devoted to the promotion of all the interests of the Indian business community in Russia.
— This is in conformity with IBA’s founding members’ aim of creating a platform to guide Indian businesspeople in Russia as well as other Indian entrepreneurs from India on relocating parts of their local and global businesses to this country.
— Also, the 16th BRICS Summit was held in Kazan, Russia under the theme “Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security.”
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍 5 ways in which India-Russia relationship will shape the world in 2025
Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
(3) Consider the following statements with regard to BRICS: (UPSC CSE 2025)
I. 16th BRICS Summit was held under the Chairship of Russia in Kazan.
II. Indonesia has become a full member of BRICS.
III. The theme of the 16th BRICS Summit was Strengthening Multiculturalism for Just Global Development and Security.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) I and II
(b) II and III
(c) I and III
(d) I only
Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:
What is the significance of Indo-US defence deals over Indo-Russian defence deals? Discuss with reference to stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (UPSC CSE 2020)
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
What’s the ongoing story: Government-backed Bharat 6G Alliance along with nine international bodies have signed the Delhi Declaration, which endorses principles for 6G ecosystem including the commitment to make it secure, open, resilient, inclusive, and sustainable by design.
Key Points to Ponder:
— What is the Bharat 6G Alliance?
— What is 6G technology?
— What is its objective?
— What are the various generations of telecom technology?
— What is the India Mobile Congress? Where was it held?
Key Takeaways:
— The Delhi Declaration was announced at the International Bharat 6G Symposium 2025 held at India Mobile Congress 2025.
— “As 6G research accelerates worldwide, this declaration underscores our collective responsibility to develop trusted technologies, open standards, and sustainable networks.”
— India’s leadership through Bharat 6G Alliance reflects our vision for an inclusive digital future. The Bharat 6G Alliance is proud to stand with global 6G alliances in endorsing these shared principles,” Bharat 6G Alliance Director General R K Pathak said.
Do You Know:
— Bharat 6G Alliance (B6GA) was launched by Honorable Minister of Communications on 3rd July 2023 as an initiative aimed at facilitating the realization of the “Bharat 6G Vision“ unveiled by the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi on 22nd March 2023 for fostering the development of 6G technology in the country.
— B6GA is an industry-led body, facilitated by the government, that provides a collaborative platform to various technology stakeholders comprising public/private companies, academia, research institutions, and Standard Development organizations
— The 6G project is proposed to be implemented in two phases: the first one from 2023 to 2025 and the second one from 2025 to 2030.
(i) In phase one, support will be provided to explorative ideas, risky pathways and proof-of-concept tests.
(ii) Ideas and concepts that show promise and potential for acceptance by the global peer community will be adequately supported to develop them to completion, establish their use cases and benefits, and create implementational IPs and testbeds leading to commercialisation as part of phase two.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍PM Modi unveils India’s 6G vision document that eyes service rollout by 2030
📍Knowledge Nugget: Generations of Telecom Technology — A must-know for UPSC exam
Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
(4) With reference to communication technologies, what is/are the difference/differences between LTE (Long-Term Evolution) and VoLTE (Voice over Long-Term Evolution)? (UPSC CSE 2019)
1. LTE is commonly marketed as 3G and VoLTE is commonly marketed as advanced 3G.
2. LTE is data-only technology and VoLTE is voice-only technology
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.
Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
General Studies-III: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.
What’s the ongoing story: There appeared to be nothing out of the ordinary with Air India flight AI-117 on Saturday, flying from Amritsar to Birmingham in the UK, until it descended to an altitude of just 400 feet on its final approach into the Birmingham airport. Then, strangely, the ram air turbine (RAT)—a last-resort emergency power system—of the Boeing 787-8 aircraft deployed on its own, even as all electrical and hydraulic parameters were found to be normal and the pilots did not spot any abnormality with the plane.
Key Points to Ponder:
— How do RAT functions?
— Which aircraft was involved in the tragic death of 260 people after the catastrophic crash of the plane in June this year?
— What is the role and function of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)?
— What are the challenges faced by the civil aviation sector in India?
— What are the concerns regarding the electrical system of Boeing 787 aircraft operating in India?
Key Takeaways:
— This extremely unusual incident, in which the RAT was deployed without an explicit command, has raised concerns about Boeing 787 aircraft. It comes less than four months after the catastrophic crash of an Air India Boeing 787 in Ahmedabad on June 12, which killed 260 people.
— In modern aircraft, the RAT deploys automatically during grave emergencies involving total electrical failure, a debilitating hydraulic failure, or a dual engine failure, considered to be the rarest of rare scenarios. Pilots may also deploy it manually. Thus, an accidental automatic RAT deployment in the absence of an emergency is an extremely unusual occurrence and unheard of.
— India’s aviation safety regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), will be investigating this bizarre incident. Meanwhile, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) urged the DGCA to inspect the electrical systems of all Boeing 787 aircraft operating in India, arguing that the RAT deployment points at electrical system issues with the Boeing 787s and that the incident serves as a pointer to the Ahmedabad crash.
— The RAT, a critical system, is essentially a wind turbine stowed in a compartment on the underside of the Boeing 787’s fuselage, just behind the aircraft’s wing. It deploys into the airstream to generate power only when primary and secondary power sources fail.
— Although aircraft are equipped with auxiliary power units (APUs) to provide the required power to critical aircraft systems in the event of a total engine failure, the RAT offers an additional layer of safety, making it the plane’s last-ditch emergency power system when everything else fails.
— The RAT generates power from the airstream by injecting ram pressure, which is created by the forward motion of the aircraft, and depends on the plane’s speed at the time. In the event of total power failure, the RAT helps power vital systems, including flight controls, flight-critical instrumentation, navigation, and communication equipment.
— During the brief period between the aircraft’s loss of power and the deployment of the RAT, the plane’s batteries ensure the bare minimum essential instrumentation continues to work.
— The RAT is particularly useful at high or cruising altitudes and high aircraft speeds, allowing the pilots enough time and supportive power for the aircraft’s essential systems and controls, while helping them try and glide it to the closest available airfield. The RAT, however, is not a substitute for engine power.
— This last-resort emergency power system has been credited with helping to avert a few major aviation disasters. According to Collins Aerospace, which is among RAT manufacturers, these turbines “are responsible for saving more than 2,400 lives over the past five decades”.
Do You Know:
— A Parliamentary Standing Committee has recommended granting full financial and administrative autonomy to aviation safety regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), saying that the lack of autonomy is the “single greatest impediment” to the regulator’s ability to fulfil its mandate effectively.
— In its report published in August this year on ‘Overall Review of Safety in the Civil Aviation Sector’, the Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture also highlighted that the DGCA is grappling with a “profound and persistent” shortage of technical and regulatory personnel, and said that the staff shortage is “an existential threat” to the integrity of India’s aviation safety system.
— The panel, which is headed by Rajya Sabha member and JD(U) leader Sanjay Kumar Jha, recommended a time-bound plan to grant autonomy to the DGCA.
— Among other issues, the panel’s report also flagged the shortage of air traffic controllers (ATCOs), and fatigue among the controllers.
— It also criticised the Airports Authority of India (AAI), which handles the civilian air traffic control function in India, for not adhering to duty time limitations for ATCOs.
— As an immediate recommendation, the panel called for the development of a national Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS) for ATCOs, along with a comprehensive staffing audit.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering similar theme:
(5) With reference to ram air turbine (RAT), consider the following sttaements:
1. All the aviation aircrafts have RAT.
2. It deploys into the airstream only when primary and secondary power sources fail.
3. It is a substitute for engine power
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 2 only
(d) 1 and 3 only
| PRELIMS ANSWER KEY |
| 1. (d) 2. (b) 3. (a) 4. (d) 5. (c) |
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