UPSC notes

Contents

Topics grouped by GS paper. Open any entry for background, facts, how Prelims asks it, and recent news.

1chapters
111topics
0updated today

Index

Chapter I

Indian Economy

111 topics
  1. § Accountability of Private Entities Receiving State Patronage p.1

    The principle that private entities, especially those receiving significant state patronage (such...

  2. § Bank Fraud & Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) p.1

    Bank fraud involves illegal acquisition of funds from banks, often leading to NPAs (loans overdue...

  3. § Brain Drain and Talent Retention in India p.1

    India faces brain drain as skilled talent seeks better opportunities abroad; retaining them requi...

  4. § Central Bank Monetary Policy and Interest Rate Management p.2

    Central banks use monetary policy, primarily interest rate adjustments, to control inflation and ...

  5. § Challenges and Headwinds to India's Economic Growth p.2

    India faces significant headwinds including geopolitical conflicts impacting supply chains, a pre...

  6. § Challenges of Urbanization and Migrant Labour p.2

    Explores the socio-economic difficulties faced by rural migrants in urban centers, including hous...

  7. § Climate Finance in India p.3

    India needs trillions of dollars for climate action, primarily from domestic sources, utilizing i...

  8. § Coal Exchanges p.3

    Coal exchanges are new regulated platforms for transparent, market-based coal trading, aiming for...

  9. § Collective Investment Schemes (CIS) p.3

    CIS are investment vehicles pooling funds from investors for collective asset management, regulat...

  10. § Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) p.4

    CEPA is a comprehensive free trade agreement between India and Canada, targeted for finalization ...

  11. § Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) p.4

    CETA is a broad international trade pact aimed at liberalizing trade, facilitating investment, an...

  12. § Contractual Labour in India p.4

    Contractual labour in India, while offering flexibility to employers, often leads to precarious w...

  13. § Corporate Governance p.5

    The MoU between SEBI, NISM, and IICA aims to advance corporate governance through capacity buildi...

  14. § Corporate Governance and Transparency in Financial Markets p.5

    Corporate governance ensures companies are run ethically and accountably, with transparency (disc...

  15. § Credit-Deposit Wedge p.5

    The disparity between credit and deposit growth, where credit outpaces deposits, indicating poten...

  16. § Critical Minerals and Supply Chain Resilience p.6

    Critical minerals are vital for modern industries, but their concentrated supply chains pose risk...

  17. § Defence Procurement Policy (DAP) p.6

    India's Defence Procurement Policy (DAP) is evolving to address challenges posed by rapidly chang...

  18. § Demographic Change and its Implications in India p.6

    India's demographic profile is undergoing significant changes, with implications for its demograp...

  19. § Demographic Transition and Dividend in India p.7

    India is currently in a crucial phase of its demographic transition, marked by a significant decl...

  20. § Demographic Transition in India p.7

    India's ongoing demographic shift, marked by declining fertility and an ageing population, necess...

  21. § Direct Taxation in India p.7

    Direct tax collection, comprising corporate and non-corporate taxes, is a key revenue stream for ...

  22. § Disinvestment Policy p.8

    Government policy of selling PSU stakes to manage finances, fund development, and boost efficienc...

  23. § Economic Impact of Geopolitical Conflicts and Sanctions p.8

    Geopolitical conflicts and associated sanctions impose significant economic strain on involved na...

  24. § Economic Liberalization and Fiscal Reforms p.8

    Key components of economic liberalization (deregulation, privatization) and fiscal reforms (tax b...

  25. § Economic Sanctions and Asset Freezes p.9

    Economic sanctions, including asset freezes, are coercive foreign policy tools used to pressure t...

  26. § Economic Sanctions and Frozen Assets p.9
  27. § Economic Sanctions as a Foreign Policy Tool p.9

    Punitive economic measures to achieve foreign policy goals; U.S. lifting sanctions on Iran; impac...

  28. § Economic Security & Supply Chain Resilience p.10

    India and France have established an 'Economic Security Dialogue' to enhance supply chain resilie...

  29. § Economic Slowdown and Macroeconomic Distress p.10

    The Indian economy is showing signs of distress, with key indicators like the Index of Eight Core...

  30. § El Niño and its Socio-Economic Impact on India p.10

    El Niño, a warm phase of ENSO, causes significant weather disruptions like weak monsoons in India...

  31. § Energy Security and Domestic Hydrocarbon Production p.11

    India faces persistent challenges in energy security due to multi-year contractions in domestic c...

  32. § Energy Security and Strategic Self-Reliance p.11

    India's energy security relies on reducing import dependence and building indigenous technologica...

  33. § Energy Security in India p.11

    India's energy security is challenged by its high dependence on fossil fuel imports and the incom...

  34. § Exchange Rate Management and its Economic Implications p.12

    The article discusses the ongoing debate regarding the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) intervention...

  35. § Export Duty p.12

    Export duties are indirect taxes on exports, used by the government to manage domestic supply, es...

  36. § Export Promotion Policies and Challenges p.12

    India aims for $1 trillion in exports, facing hurdles like domestic market comfort, logistics ine...

  37. § External Sector & Capital Flows p.13

    India is actively promoting surface coal gasification technology with a substantial incentive pac...

  38. § Fiscal Policy & Energy Subsidies p.13

    Government's use of energy subsidies to stabilize consumer prices, while politically prudent, cre...

  39. § Fiscal Sustainability of Public Expenditure on Salaries and Pensions p.13

    The article highlights that public sector salaries, pensions, and interest payments consume a sub...

  40. § Fixed-Term Employment (FTE) p.14

    Fixed-Term Employment (FTE), formally introduced by India's Industrial Relations Code, allows hir...

  41. § Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) p.14

    FDI is a cross-border investment in productive assets, bringing capital, technology, and jobs. In...

  42. § Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Policy in India p.14

    India's FDI policy, formulated by DPIIT, regulates foreign investment through automatic and gover...

  43. § Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and India's Trade Policy p.15

    India's strategic pursuit of FTAs like ECTA and the proposed CECA with Australia is a critical as...

  44. § Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and their Effectiveness p.15

    FTAs aim to liberalize trade by reducing tariffs, but their effectiveness, particularly for India...

  45. § Fuel Price Mechanism in India p.15

    The mechanism by which petrol and diesel prices are determined in India, including the role of Oi...

  46. § Fuel Subsidies and Under-recoveries p.16

    Government intervention to keep fuel prices low, leading to financial burden on the state or OMCs...

  47. § Gig Economy and Social Security p.16

    The gig economy, characterized by short-term contracts and platform-based work, presents signific...

  48. § Gig Economy and Worker Rights p.16

    The gig economy offers flexibility but poses significant challenges to worker rights and social s...

  49. § Gig Economy and Worker Welfare p.17

    The gig economy, characterized by flexible, short-term work, presents challenges like worker expl...

  50. § Global Capability Centres (GCCs) p.17

    Global Capability Centres (GCCs) are captive units of multinational corporations in India, drivin...

  51. § Global Corporate Governance and Compliance p.17

    Global corporate governance and compliance involve adhering to diverse international legal, regul...

  52. § Global Crude Oil Prices and Domestic Fuel Pricing p.18

    Fluctuations in international crude oil prices significantly impact India's economy due to high i...

  53. § Gold as an Economic Asset and Market Dynamics p.18

    Gold's economic role in India is characterized by high demand, import dependence, and price volat...

  54. § Goods and Services Tax (GST) p.18

    GST is India's unified indirect tax, replacing multiple central and state levies, aiming for a co...

  55. § Health Insurance Sector Dynamics in India p.19

    The Indian health insurance sector faces significant challenges, primarily driven by steep premiu...

  56. § Imported Inflation & Currency Depreciation p.19

    Imported inflation, often exacerbated by currency depreciation, occurs when the cost of imported ...

  57. § Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) p.19

    The Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) measures the combined performance of eight crucial infra...

  58. § India's Changing Population Dynamics and Socio-Economic Implications p.20

    India's TFR is below replacement level, leading to an ageing population by 2050. This demographic...

  59. § India's Energy Demand Growth & Industrialization p.20

    India's rising electricity demand, primarily driven by industrial expansion in regions like the E...

  60. § India's Energy Security p.21

    India's energy security is paramount due to high import dependence (~90% crude), making it vulner...

  61. § India's Energy Security Strategy p.22

    India's energy security strategy focuses on reducing import dependence vulnerability through supp...

  62. § India's Energy Security and Import Dependence (Coal) p.21

    India's efforts to reduce coal imports by boosting domestic production and improving logistics ar...

  63. § India's Energy Security and Petroleum Economy p.21

    India's energy security is challenged by high crude import dependence, falling domestic output, a...

  64. § India's Macroeconomic Performance and Sectoral Dynamics p.22

    India's economy showed resilience with 7.7% GDP growth in 2025-26, driven by consumption and inve...

  65. § India's Macroeconomic Resilience p.22

    India demonstrates macroeconomic resilience through stable growth, controlled inflation, and a ro...

  66. § India's Macroeconomic Stability and Growth Drivers p.23

    The RBI's report highlights domestic demand as a key growth driver, but notes that supply-side pr...

  67. § India-EU Free Trade Agreement p.20

    The India-EU FTA is a crucial bilateral trade agreement aimed at liberalizing trade and investmen...

  68. § India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) p.23

    The India-UK CETA is a proposed bilateral trade agreement aimed at liberalizing trade in goods an...

  69. § India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement p.23

    The India-US BTA is a crucial policy instrument aimed at deepening economic ties by reducing trad...

  70. § India-US Bilateral Trade Relations p.24

    Focuses on the economic ties, trade agreements, and points of contention (like tariffs) between I...

  71. § Industrial Policy for Strategic Sectors p.24

    Industrial policy, exemplified by PLI in pharma, aims to build domestic capabilities and reduce s...

  72. § Inflation Indices and their Evolution in India p.25

    India's inflation measurement system has been significantly upgraded with revisions to CPI and WP...

  73. § Inflation Measurement and Price Indices in India p.26

    India has updated its key price indices: CPI (base year 2024, improved basket), WPI (new series),...

  74. § Inflation and its Drivers p.24

    The sustained increase in the general price level of goods and services in an economy, often driv...

  75. § Inflation and its Measurement in India p.25

    Inflation is the general increase in prices. India uses CPI (retail) and WPI (wholesale) to measu...

  76. § Inflation and its Socio-Economic Impact p.25

    Inflation is the sustained increase in the general price level, reducing purchasing power. The ar...

  77. § Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) p.26

    The IBC is India's unified law for time-bound insolvency resolution, shifting to a creditor-in-co...

  78. § Insurance Surety Bonds (ISBs) p.26

    The Coal Ministry's decision to allow Insurance Surety Bonds (ISBs) as an alternative to Performa...

  79. § Inter-State Migration and Urban Livelihoods p.27

    The Maharashtra government's Marathi language mandate for taxi/auto drivers underscores the signi...

  80. § International Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreements p.27

    FTAs are agreements to liberalize trade by reducing barriers like tariffs. India uses them to boo...

  81. § Jobless Growth and Structural Unemployment in India p.27

    India's economic growth is increasingly characterized by capital-intensive investments and automa...

  82. § Labour Codes in India p.28

    The four new Labour Codes aim to modernize India's labour laws by consolidating existing legislat...

  83. § Labour Welfare and Minimum Wage Policy p.28

    Focuses on the government's role in setting minimum wages, ensuring fair working conditions, and ...

  84. § Maritime Insurance and Sovereign Guarantees p.28

    The Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool, backed by a sovereign guarantee, is India's attempt to provid...

  85. § Medical Inflation p.29

    Medical inflation, currently around 15% in India, is a key factor driving up healthcare costs and...

  86. § Migrant Labor Issues and Exploitation p.29

    Migrant workers, often from vulnerable backgrounds, face significant challenges including exploit...

  87. § Monetary Policy Transmission p.30

    The process by which RBI's policy rate changes affect market interest rates and economic activity...

  88. § Monetary Policy and Inflation Targeting p.29

    RBI's monetary policy aims for price stability through inflation targeting (4% +/- 2%). The MPC s...

  89. § Monetary Policy and Reserve Bank of India's Role p.30

    RBI conducts monetary policy to manage money supply and credit, aiming for price stability (infla...

  90. § National Income Accounting and GDP Measurement in India p.30

    Recent upgrades to India's national accounts data, including GDP, involve updating the base year ...

  91. § National Income Accounting and Measurement in India p.31

    India's national income accounting system, including GDP and GVA, has undergone significant upgra...

  92. § Natural Monopolies p.31

    Natural monopolies, common in infrastructure like power T&D, occur when one firm can serve the en...

  93. § Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) p.31

    Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) have replaced tariffs as the primary obstacles to international trade,...

  94. § Oil Price Volatility and its Economic Impact p.32

    Fluctuations in global crude oil prices significantly impact India's economy, leading to retail p...

  95. § Opportunity Cost p.32

    Opportunity cost is the value of the best alternative not taken when a decision is made. In the c...

  96. § Population Policy and Demographic Trends p.32

    India's population policy is evolving from growth control to managing demographic shifts like dec...

  97. § Producer Price Index (PPI) and Wholesale Price Index (WPI) p.33

    WPI tracks wholesale price changes, while PPI measures prices received by producers. PPI is gaini...

  98. § Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) in Core Industries p.33

    PSUs are government-owned entities crucial for India's core industries and infrastructure. They u...

  99. § Reserve Bank of India's Role in Green Finance p.33

    RBI is actively promoting green finance by mandating climate risk integration for banks, includin...

  100. § Retail Inflation (Consumer Price Index - CPI) p.34

    Retail inflation, measured by CPI, indicates the rate at which consumer prices rise. It's a key e...

  101. § Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) p.34

    SEBI is India's statutory capital market regulator, established in 1992, focused on investor prot...

  102. § Skill Gap and Employability Challenges in India p.34

    India's educated workforce struggles with employability due to a skill gap, rapid technological s...

  103. § State Fiscal Health and Management p.35

    State fiscal health involves managing revenue (tax, non-tax, central transfers) and expenditure (...

  104. § State Fiscal Management and Resource Mobilization p.35

    State fiscal management focuses on balancing revenue generation and expenditure to ensure financi...

  105. § Strategic Petroleum Reserves p.35

    India's strategic petroleum and gas reserves are critical for mitigating the impact of global oil...

  106. § Supply Chain Disruptions and their Economic Impact p.36

    Supply chain disruptions, such as reduced LPG bottling, diversion of cooking oils for biodiesel, ...

  107. § Trade Policy: Protectionism vs. Liberalization p.36

    The article implicitly discusses the trade-offs between protectionist measures (like supporting d...

  108. § U.S. Immigration Policy and its Impact on Indian Diaspora p.36

    The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a new policy requiring immigrants...

  109. § Value Addition and Quality Enhancement in Primary Industries p.37

    Value addition in primary industries, like branded iron ore, enhances product quality and market ...

  110. § Veblen Effect p.37

    The Veblen Effect explains how demand for certain goods rises with price due to their status valu...

  111. § Youth Employment and Employability p.37

    Youth employment and employability are critical for India's development, focusing on ensuring you...

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