🔆Pillar Edicts and Inscriptions
✅The seven pillar edicts of Ashoka have been discovered in Topra (Delhi), Meerut, Kausambhi, Rampurva, Champaran, and Mehrauli:
✅Asoka’s idea of people protection is enshrined in Pillar Edict I.
✅Pillar Edict II: Defines Dhamma as having the least sins, the greatest number of virtues, compassion, liberality, honesty, and purity.
✅Pillar Edict III: Removes sins such as harshness, cruelty, rage, and pride, among others.
✅Pillar Edict IV: Addresses the responsibilities of Rajukas.
✅Pillar Edict V: A list of animals and birds that should not be slaughtered on certain days, as well as a separate list of species that should not be killed at all.
✅Dhamma policy is the sixth pillar edict.
✅Asoka’s work towards Dhamma policy is documented in Pillar Edict VII.
📍Minor Pillar Inscriptions
✅Inscription on the Rummindei Pillar: Asoka’s visit to Lumbini and the exemption of Lumbini from taxation.
✅Inscription on the Nigalisagar Pillar in Nepal: Asoka extended the height of Buddha Konakamana’s stupa to twice its original size.
📍Major Pillar Inscriptions
Sarnath Lion Capital was erected by Ashoka in Varanasi to commemorate Dhammachakrapravartana or Buddha’s first discourse.
✅Single lion on Vaishali Pillar in Bihar, with no inscription.
✅Uttar Pradesh’s Sankissa Pillar
Champaran, Bihar: Lauriya-Nandangarth.
Champaran, Bihar: Lauriya-Araraj
Uttar Pradesh’s Allahabad pillar.
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#art_and_culture
@upsc_art_and_culture
✅The seven pillar edicts of Ashoka have been discovered in Topra (Delhi), Meerut, Kausambhi, Rampurva, Champaran, and Mehrauli:
✅Asoka’s idea of people protection is enshrined in Pillar Edict I.
✅Pillar Edict II: Defines Dhamma as having the least sins, the greatest number of virtues, compassion, liberality, honesty, and purity.
✅Pillar Edict III: Removes sins such as harshness, cruelty, rage, and pride, among others.
✅Pillar Edict IV: Addresses the responsibilities of Rajukas.
✅Pillar Edict V: A list of animals and birds that should not be slaughtered on certain days, as well as a separate list of species that should not be killed at all.
✅Dhamma policy is the sixth pillar edict.
✅Asoka’s work towards Dhamma policy is documented in Pillar Edict VII.
📍Minor Pillar Inscriptions
✅Inscription on the Rummindei Pillar: Asoka’s visit to Lumbini and the exemption of Lumbini from taxation.
✅Inscription on the Nigalisagar Pillar in Nepal: Asoka extended the height of Buddha Konakamana’s stupa to twice its original size.
📍Major Pillar Inscriptions
Sarnath Lion Capital was erected by Ashoka in Varanasi to commemorate Dhammachakrapravartana or Buddha’s first discourse.
✅Single lion on Vaishali Pillar in Bihar, with no inscription.
✅Uttar Pradesh’s Sankissa Pillar
Champaran, Bihar: Lauriya-Nandangarth.
Champaran, Bihar: Lauriya-Araraj
Uttar Pradesh’s Allahabad pillar.
#gs1
#art_and_culture
@upsc_art_and_culture
❤9
🔆 Suicide Data Report 2023 — Key Highlights
📍 Trends
✅ Total suicides increased by 0.3% in 2023 vs 2022.
✅ Suicide rate decreased by 0.8%, indicating slower population-adjusted growth.
✅ Cities continue to show higher suicide rates than the national average.
📍 State Rankings
✅ Highest suicide rate: A&N Islands > Sikkim > Kerala.
✅ Highest share of total suicides:
• Maharashtra
• Tamil Nadu
• Madhya Pradesh
• Karnataka
• West Bengal
📍 Demographic Pattern
✅ Male : Female = 72.8 : 27.2 — males form the vast majority.
📍 Major Causes
1. Family Problems – 31.9%
2. Illness – 19.0%
3. Drug/Alcohol Addiction – 7.0%
4. Marriage Related Issues – 5.3%
5. Love Affairs – 4.7%
6. Bankruptcy/Indebtedness – 3.8%
7. Unemployment – 1.8%
8. Failure in Examination – 1.4%
📍 Farmer Suicides
✅ 10,786 deaths (6.3% of total suicides).
✅ Zero farmer suicides reported from:
West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Goa.
📍 Initiatives to Prevent Suicides
✅ National Suicide Prevention Strategy (2022): Reduce suicide mortality by 10% by 2030.
✅ Tele-MANAS: 24×7, free tele–mental health helpline.
✅ NMHP: Decentralised, accessible mental healthcare services.
✅ Manodarpan: Psychosocial support for students, teachers, and families.
#GS1 #GS2 #GS4
#mains
https://t.me/upsc_facts
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📍 Trends
✅ Total suicides increased by 0.3% in 2023 vs 2022.
✅ Suicide rate decreased by 0.8%, indicating slower population-adjusted growth.
✅ Cities continue to show higher suicide rates than the national average.
📍 State Rankings
✅ Highest suicide rate: A&N Islands > Sikkim > Kerala.
✅ Highest share of total suicides:
• Maharashtra
• Tamil Nadu
• Madhya Pradesh
• Karnataka
• West Bengal
📍 Demographic Pattern
✅ Male : Female = 72.8 : 27.2 — males form the vast majority.
📍 Major Causes
1. Family Problems – 31.9%
2. Illness – 19.0%
3. Drug/Alcohol Addiction – 7.0%
4. Marriage Related Issues – 5.3%
5. Love Affairs – 4.7%
6. Bankruptcy/Indebtedness – 3.8%
7. Unemployment – 1.8%
8. Failure in Examination – 1.4%
📍 Farmer Suicides
✅ 10,786 deaths (6.3% of total suicides).
✅ Zero farmer suicides reported from:
West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Goa.
📍 Initiatives to Prevent Suicides
✅ National Suicide Prevention Strategy (2022): Reduce suicide mortality by 10% by 2030.
✅ Tele-MANAS: 24×7, free tele–mental health helpline.
✅ NMHP: Decentralised, accessible mental healthcare services.
✅ Manodarpan: Psychosocial support for students, teachers, and families.
#GS1 #GS2 #GS4
#mains
https://t.me/upsc_facts
https://t.me/CSE_EXAM
👍2❤1🔥1
🔆 Landslides : Key Facts
📍 What is a Landslide?
A mass movement of rock, soil, or debris down a slope under the force of gravity.
📍 India’s Vulnerability
✅ 12.6% of India’s land is landslide-prone (ISRO Landslide Atlas 2023).
✅ 75%+ of this falls in the Himalayan region.
📍 Why the Himalayas Are Highly Vulnerable
🔹 Natural Factors
• Young, unstable mountains formed by India–Eurasia collision → fractured rocks, active faults.
• Heavy monsoon rainfall, cloudbursts & snowmelt reduce slope stability.
• Climate change → more extreme rainfall events.
• Seismic activity, steep slopes, poor drainage, flash floods worsen instability.
🔹 Human-Induced Factors
• Unplanned construction: road cutting, tunnelling, slope undercutting.
• Deforestation, urbanisation, mining → disrupt natural drainage.
• Encroachments on fragile slopes increase risk.
📍 NDMA Landslide Management Guidelines
✅ Hazard Mapping – identify & map vulnerable zones.
✅ Multi-hazard Planning – integrate landslides into district/state disaster plans.
✅ Early Warning Systems – real-time sensors & rainfall thresholds for alerts.
✅ Preparedness & Response – coordination among scientists, NDRF, paramilitary & local bodies.
✅ Capacity Building & Awareness – training, community education.
✅ Legal & Institutional Framework – for landslide risk reduction and knowledge sharing.
#mains #GS1 #geography
https://t.me/Mapping_prelims_mains
📍 What is a Landslide?
A mass movement of rock, soil, or debris down a slope under the force of gravity.
📍 India’s Vulnerability
✅ 12.6% of India’s land is landslide-prone (ISRO Landslide Atlas 2023).
✅ 75%+ of this falls in the Himalayan region.
📍 Why the Himalayas Are Highly Vulnerable
🔹 Natural Factors
• Young, unstable mountains formed by India–Eurasia collision → fractured rocks, active faults.
• Heavy monsoon rainfall, cloudbursts & snowmelt reduce slope stability.
• Climate change → more extreme rainfall events.
• Seismic activity, steep slopes, poor drainage, flash floods worsen instability.
🔹 Human-Induced Factors
• Unplanned construction: road cutting, tunnelling, slope undercutting.
• Deforestation, urbanisation, mining → disrupt natural drainage.
• Encroachments on fragile slopes increase risk.
📍 NDMA Landslide Management Guidelines
✅ Hazard Mapping – identify & map vulnerable zones.
✅ Multi-hazard Planning – integrate landslides into district/state disaster plans.
✅ Early Warning Systems – real-time sensors & rainfall thresholds for alerts.
✅ Preparedness & Response – coordination among scientists, NDRF, paramilitary & local bodies.
✅ Capacity Building & Awareness – training, community education.
✅ Legal & Institutional Framework – for landslide risk reduction and knowledge sharing.
#mains #GS1 #geography
https://t.me/Mapping_prelims_mains
❤4👍2👌1
🔆 World Urbanisation Prospects 2025 — Key Facts (UN DESA)
📍 Introduction
The UN DESA report highlights how rapidly the world is urbanising, with cities becoming the core of global population and economic activity.
📍 Key Highlights
✅ 45% of the world’s population (≈ 8.2 billion) now lives in cities.
✅ Number of megacities (10M+ population) rose from 8 in 1975 → 33 in 2025.
✅ Jakarta is now the most populous city, followed by Dhaka, Tokyo, and New Delhi.
📍 India-Specific Findings
✅ 44% of India’s population now lives in towns and cities.
✅ India, along with six other countries, will add over 500 million new urban residents between 2025–2050 — the largest global increase.
#GS1 #mains
https://t.me/CSE_EXAM
📍 Introduction
The UN DESA report highlights how rapidly the world is urbanising, with cities becoming the core of global population and economic activity.
📍 Key Highlights
✅ 45% of the world’s population (≈ 8.2 billion) now lives in cities.
✅ Number of megacities (10M+ population) rose from 8 in 1975 → 33 in 2025.
✅ Jakarta is now the most populous city, followed by Dhaka, Tokyo, and New Delhi.
📍 India-Specific Findings
✅ 44% of India’s population now lives in towns and cities.
✅ India, along with six other countries, will add over 500 million new urban residents between 2025–2050 — the largest global increase.
#GS1 #mains
https://t.me/CSE_EXAM
❤6
🔆 Western Disturbances
📍 Definition
✅ Eastward-moving extra-tropical weather systems bringing sudden winter rainfall to northwestern India.
✅ Originate beyond Iran & Afghanistan, travel via Pakistan before reaching India.
📍 Origin & Characteristics
✅ Driven by low-pressure systems formed by interaction of polar & tropical air masses.
✅ Moisture source: Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, Caspian Sea, sometimes Arabian Sea.
✅ Embedded in Subtropical Westerly Jet Stream (STWJ) flowing west → east over Himalayas & Tibetan Plateau.
📍 Seasonal Occurrence
✅ Most active in winter (Dec–Mar).
✅ Can also affect pre-monsoon & post-monsoon weather.
📍 Geographical Impact
✅ Influence weather in NW India, N. Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan.
✅ In India → rainfall in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, HP, Uttarakhand, UP (parts).
✅ Cause snowfall in Himalayas & cold wave in plains.
📍 Importance for Agriculture
✅ Crucial for Rabi crops (esp. wheat).
✅ Excess/unseasonal rains → crop damage & disruption.
#Climatology #Geographyoptional
#geography #mains #GS1
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📍 Definition
✅ Eastward-moving extra-tropical weather systems bringing sudden winter rainfall to northwestern India.
✅ Originate beyond Iran & Afghanistan, travel via Pakistan before reaching India.
📍 Origin & Characteristics
✅ Driven by low-pressure systems formed by interaction of polar & tropical air masses.
✅ Moisture source: Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, Caspian Sea, sometimes Arabian Sea.
✅ Embedded in Subtropical Westerly Jet Stream (STWJ) flowing west → east over Himalayas & Tibetan Plateau.
📍 Seasonal Occurrence
✅ Most active in winter (Dec–Mar).
✅ Can also affect pre-monsoon & post-monsoon weather.
📍 Geographical Impact
✅ Influence weather in NW India, N. Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan.
✅ In India → rainfall in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, HP, Uttarakhand, UP (parts).
✅ Cause snowfall in Himalayas & cold wave in plains.
📍 Importance for Agriculture
✅ Crucial for Rabi crops (esp. wheat).
✅ Excess/unseasonal rains → crop damage & disruption.
🔆 Prelims Practice
Q. With reference to Western Disturbances, consider the following:
1. They originate in the Bay of Bengal and move westward.
2. They are embedded in the Subtropical Westerly Jet Stream.
3. They are crucial for Rabi crops in northwestern India.
Which of the above is/are correct?
(a) 1 & 2 only
(b) 2 & 3 only
(c) 1 & 3 only
(d) 1, 2 & 3
👉 Answer: (b)
🔆 Mains Practice
Q. Examine the role of Western Disturbances in shaping the winter climate of India. Discuss their significance for agriculture and the associated risks. (150 words)
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❤7
🔆 GREEN PARADOX — Urban Heat & Tree Plantation
📍 What’s the issue?
✅ Cities are heating up due to climate change + urban heat islands
✅ Tree plantation is promoted as a nature-based cooling solution — but results vary
📍 Key finding (Global study | Science Advances)
✅ Introduces Temperature Regulation Capability (TRC)
➡️ TRC = Vegetated area temperature − Built-up area temperature
➡️ Negative TRC = cooling, Positive TRC = warming
📍 What did the study find?
✅ Vegetation cooled cities in most cases
❌ Dry / arid cities showed warming instead of cooling
✅ Grasslands cooled built-up areas in 78% cities
✅ Trees cooled in 98% cities, but ~25% dry cities saw warming
⚠️ In arid zones, low water → weak evapotranspiration → reduced cooling
📍 Why the paradox?
✅ Vegetation cools via evapotranspiration
❌ In water-scarce cities, this process weakens
❌ Vegetation may absorb more sunlight than concrete
❌ Extreme heat reduces plant water loss → less cooling
📍 Core takeaway
⚠️ Planting trees is not a universal solution
⚠️ Misguided greening can worsen urban warming
✅ Urban planning must be climate- and water-context specific
🔆 Mains Question
📍 “Urban greening is often projected as a solution to rising city temperatures, yet recent studies highlight a ‘green paradox’.” Examine the statement with suitable examples.
#GS1 #GS3 #Environment
📍 What’s the issue?
✅ Cities are heating up due to climate change + urban heat islands
✅ Tree plantation is promoted as a nature-based cooling solution — but results vary
📍 Key finding (Global study | Science Advances)
✅ Introduces Temperature Regulation Capability (TRC)
➡️ TRC = Vegetated area temperature − Built-up area temperature
➡️ Negative TRC = cooling, Positive TRC = warming
📍 What did the study find?
✅ Vegetation cooled cities in most cases
❌ Dry / arid cities showed warming instead of cooling
✅ Grasslands cooled built-up areas in 78% cities
✅ Trees cooled in 98% cities, but ~25% dry cities saw warming
⚠️ In arid zones, low water → weak evapotranspiration → reduced cooling
📍 Why the paradox?
✅ Vegetation cools via evapotranspiration
❌ In water-scarce cities, this process weakens
❌ Vegetation may absorb more sunlight than concrete
❌ Extreme heat reduces plant water loss → less cooling
📍 Core takeaway
⚠️ Planting trees is not a universal solution
⚠️ Misguided greening can worsen urban warming
✅ Urban planning must be climate- and water-context specific
🔆 Mains Question
📍 “Urban greening is often projected as a solution to rising city temperatures, yet recent studies highlight a ‘green paradox’.” Examine the statement with suitable examples.
#GS1 #GS3 #Environment
❤9👍1
🔆 Cryo-Hydrological Hazard linked to Deglaciation in Himalayas
📍 Context
✅ A study by ISRO scientists found that the 2025 Dharali (Uttarakhand) flash flood was caused by collapse of an exposed ice patch, not by a cloudburst or Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF).
✅ The ice patch was located in the nivation zone of Srikanta Glacier.
📍 Key Concept: Nivation
✅ Nivation → Progressive erosion beneath and around a snowbank due to alternate freeze-thaw cycles.
✅ Leads to weakening of underlying ice and slope destabilisation.
📍 Why Himalayan Disasters are Increasing
✅ Climate Change Impacts
• Accelerated glacier thinning & retreat
• Rising temperatures reduce protective seasonal snow cover
• Altered precipitation patterns increase instability
✅ Thermal & Mechanical Destabilisation
• Exposed ice responds quickly to temperature variations & minor disturbances
• Causes rapid melting, fragmentation & gravitational collapse
📍 Effects of Deglaciation
✅ Cascading Cryo-Hydrological Hazards
• Sudden release of ice fragments + meltwater + debris
• Generates short-duration, high-velocity flash floods
✅ Topographic Amplification
• Steep Himalayan valleys convert small ice collapse into high-energy debris flows
• Leads to channel erosion & widening
✅ Socio-Economic Impacts
• Destruction of settlements, religious routes & infrastructure
• Threat to hydropower projects & downstream communities
📍 Important Term: Ice Patch
✅ A perennial mass of surface snow, firn and basal ice
❌ Unlike glaciers → No internal deformation or active flow
✅ Exposed ice patches in satellite imagery act as early warning signals for flash-flood risk.
📍 Way Forward
✅ Strengthen satellite-based glacier monitoring & hazard mapping
✅ Integrate early warning systems + climate adaptation planning
✅ Regulate infrastructure development in fragile Himalayan zones
#GS1 #Environment
📍 Context
✅ A study by ISRO scientists found that the 2025 Dharali (Uttarakhand) flash flood was caused by collapse of an exposed ice patch, not by a cloudburst or Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF).
✅ The ice patch was located in the nivation zone of Srikanta Glacier.
📍 Key Concept: Nivation
✅ Nivation → Progressive erosion beneath and around a snowbank due to alternate freeze-thaw cycles.
✅ Leads to weakening of underlying ice and slope destabilisation.
📍 Why Himalayan Disasters are Increasing
✅ Climate Change Impacts
• Accelerated glacier thinning & retreat
• Rising temperatures reduce protective seasonal snow cover
• Altered precipitation patterns increase instability
✅ Thermal & Mechanical Destabilisation
• Exposed ice responds quickly to temperature variations & minor disturbances
• Causes rapid melting, fragmentation & gravitational collapse
📍 Effects of Deglaciation
✅ Cascading Cryo-Hydrological Hazards
• Sudden release of ice fragments + meltwater + debris
• Generates short-duration, high-velocity flash floods
✅ Topographic Amplification
• Steep Himalayan valleys convert small ice collapse into high-energy debris flows
• Leads to channel erosion & widening
✅ Socio-Economic Impacts
• Destruction of settlements, religious routes & infrastructure
• Threat to hydropower projects & downstream communities
📍 Important Term: Ice Patch
✅ A perennial mass of surface snow, firn and basal ice
❌ Unlike glaciers → No internal deformation or active flow
✅ Exposed ice patches in satellite imagery act as early warning signals for flash-flood risk.
📍 Way Forward
✅ Strengthen satellite-based glacier monitoring & hazard mapping
✅ Integrate early warning systems + climate adaptation planning
✅ Regulate infrastructure development in fragile Himalayan zones
#GS1 #Environment
❤2
🔆 Japan
📍 Why in News?
✅ A powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck off the north coast of Japan.
✅ Japan frequently experiences earthquakes because it lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire.
📍 Political Features
▪️ Japan is an island nation in East Asia, located in the northwest Pacific Ocean.
▪️ Capital: Tokyo
▪️ It has no land borders.
▪️ Japan is an archipelago of more than 14,000 islands.
✅ Four major islands (North to South):
▪️ Hokkaido
▪️ Honshu
▪️ Shikoku
▪️ Kyushu
📍 Maritime Boundaries
▪️ East – Pacific Ocean
▪️ North – Sea of Okhotsk
▪️ West – Sea of Japan (also called East Sea)
▪️ Southwest – East China Sea
📍 Why is Japan Prone to Earthquakes?
✅ Japan lies at the junction of several tectonic plates:
▪️ Pacific Plate
▪️ Philippine Sea Plate
▪️ Eurasian Plate
▪️ North American Plate
✅ Their interaction makes Japan one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries.
📍 Geographical Features
▪️ Climate ranges from subarctic in the north to humid subtropical in the south.
✅ Highest Peak:
▪️ Mount Fuji
✅ Major Rivers:
▪️ Shinano River
▪️ Tone River
▪️ Kiso River
#GS1 #Geography #places_in_news
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📍 Why in News?
✅ A powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck off the north coast of Japan.
✅ Japan frequently experiences earthquakes because it lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire.
📍 Political Features
▪️ Japan is an island nation in East Asia, located in the northwest Pacific Ocean.
▪️ Capital: Tokyo
▪️ It has no land borders.
▪️ Japan is an archipelago of more than 14,000 islands.
✅ Four major islands (North to South):
▪️ Hokkaido
▪️ Honshu
▪️ Shikoku
▪️ Kyushu
📍 Maritime Boundaries
▪️ East – Pacific Ocean
▪️ North – Sea of Okhotsk
▪️ West – Sea of Japan (also called East Sea)
▪️ Southwest – East China Sea
📍 Why is Japan Prone to Earthquakes?
✅ Japan lies at the junction of several tectonic plates:
▪️ Pacific Plate
▪️ Philippine Sea Plate
▪️ Eurasian Plate
▪️ North American Plate
✅ Their interaction makes Japan one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries.
📍 Geographical Features
▪️ Climate ranges from subarctic in the north to humid subtropical in the south.
✅ Highest Peak:
▪️ Mount Fuji
✅ Major Rivers:
▪️ Shinano River
▪️ Tone River
▪️ Kiso River
#GS1 #Geography #places_in_news
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❤10👍1
🔆 Salween River
📍 Why in News?
✅ Alarming arsenic contamination has recently been detected in the Salween River.
📍 About the Salween River
▪️ Also known as:
✅ Nu River in China
✅ Thanlwin River in Myanmar
▪️ It is the second-longest river in Southeast Asia after the Mekong River.
▪️ It is also the longest undammed river in Southeast Asia.
📍 Origin and Course
▪️ Originates from the Tanggula Mountains on the Tibetan Plateau.
▪️ Flows through China, Myanmar and along parts of Thailand.
▪️ Finally empties into the Gulf of Martaban in the Andaman Sea.
📍 River Basin Distribution
✅ China – 53%
✅ Myanmar – 42%
✅ Thailand – 5%
📍 Major Tributaries
▪️ Moei River
▪️ Pang River
▪️ Teng River
▪️ Pawn River
▪️ Hka River
▪️ Hsim River
#GS1 #Geography #places_in_news
📍 Why in News?
✅ Alarming arsenic contamination has recently been detected in the Salween River.
📍 About the Salween River
▪️ Also known as:
✅ Nu River in China
✅ Thanlwin River in Myanmar
▪️ It is the second-longest river in Southeast Asia after the Mekong River.
▪️ It is also the longest undammed river in Southeast Asia.
📍 Origin and Course
▪️ Originates from the Tanggula Mountains on the Tibetan Plateau.
▪️ Flows through China, Myanmar and along parts of Thailand.
▪️ Finally empties into the Gulf of Martaban in the Andaman Sea.
📍 River Basin Distribution
✅ China – 53%
✅ Myanmar – 42%
✅ Thailand – 5%
📍 Major Tributaries
▪️ Moei River
▪️ Pang River
▪️ Teng River
▪️ Pawn River
▪️ Hka River
▪️ Hsim River
#GS1 #Geography #places_in_news
❤9
🔆 Yamuna River
📍 Why in News?
✅ The National Green Tribunal (NGT) issued notices over pollution in the Yamuna River at Mathura–Vrindavan, with water quality falling to “very poor” Category D.
📍 About Yamuna River
▪️ Naming
✅ Derived from Sanskrit word “Yama” meaning ‘twin’
▪️ Origin
✅ Yamunotri Glacier near Bandarpunch peaks
▪️ Length
✅ ~1,376 km
▪️ River System
✅ Second-largest tributary of the Ganga River
✅ Part of Ganga drainage system
📍 Course & States Covered
▪️ Flows through:
▪️ Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh
▪️ Forms boundary between Haryana and Uttar Pradesh
📍 Confluence
▪️ Meets Ganga at Triveni Sangam
✅ Major site of Kumbh Mela
📍 Tributaries
▪️ Right bank:
✅ Tons River, Chambal, Betwa, Ken
▪️ Left bank:
✅ Hindan, Rind, Sengar, Varuna
📍 Major Cities on Banks
▪️ Yamunotri, Paonta Sahib, Delhi, Noida, Mathura, Agra, Etawah, Prayagraj
📍 Major Projects
▪️ Canals: Western Yamuna Canal (Haryana), Eastern Yamuna Canal (UP), Agra Canal
▪️ Key Infrastructure: Hathnikund Barrage
▪️ Upcoming Projects: Renukaji Dam, Lakhwar Project, Kishau Dam
📍 Concerns
▪️ Severe pollution in urban stretches (Delhi–Mathura)
▪️ Industrial discharge, sewage and low flow
▪️ Ecological degradation
📍 Conclusion
The Yamuna is vital for northern India’s ecology and economy, but requires urgent conservation measures to restore its health.
#GS1 #Geography #places_in_news
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📍 Why in News?
✅ The National Green Tribunal (NGT) issued notices over pollution in the Yamuna River at Mathura–Vrindavan, with water quality falling to “very poor” Category D.
📍 About Yamuna River
▪️ Naming
✅ Derived from Sanskrit word “Yama” meaning ‘twin’
▪️ Origin
✅ Yamunotri Glacier near Bandarpunch peaks
▪️ Length
✅ ~1,376 km
▪️ River System
✅ Second-largest tributary of the Ganga River
✅ Part of Ganga drainage system
📍 Course & States Covered
▪️ Flows through:
▪️ Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh
▪️ Forms boundary between Haryana and Uttar Pradesh
📍 Confluence
▪️ Meets Ganga at Triveni Sangam
✅ Major site of Kumbh Mela
📍 Tributaries
▪️ Right bank:
✅ Tons River, Chambal, Betwa, Ken
▪️ Left bank:
✅ Hindan, Rind, Sengar, Varuna
📍 Major Cities on Banks
▪️ Yamunotri, Paonta Sahib, Delhi, Noida, Mathura, Agra, Etawah, Prayagraj
📍 Major Projects
▪️ Canals: Western Yamuna Canal (Haryana), Eastern Yamuna Canal (UP), Agra Canal
▪️ Key Infrastructure: Hathnikund Barrage
▪️ Upcoming Projects: Renukaji Dam, Lakhwar Project, Kishau Dam
📍 Concerns
▪️ Severe pollution in urban stretches (Delhi–Mathura)
▪️ Industrial discharge, sewage and low flow
▪️ Ecological degradation
📍 Conclusion
The Yamuna is vital for northern India’s ecology and economy, but requires urgent conservation measures to restore its health.
#GS1 #Geography #places_in_news
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❤15
🔆 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
📍 Why in News?
✅ The United Kingdom reaffirmed its position on sovereignty over the Falkland Islands amid evolving policy stance by the United States.
📍 About Falkland Islands
▪️ Political Status
✅ Internally self-governing overseas territory of the UK
▪️ Location
✅ South Atlantic Ocean
✅ ~480 km northeast of South America’s southern tip
✅ Near Strait of Magellan
▪️ Geography
✅ Archipelago of East Falkland & West Falkland + smaller islands
📍 Sovereignty Dispute
▪️ Claimed by Argentina (calls them Malvinas)
▪️ Led to Falklands War 1982
✅ UK retained control after victory
📍 Significance
▪️ Strategic location in South Atlantic
▪️ Rich fishing grounds & potential hydrocarbons
▪️ Military and geopolitical importance
📍 Conclusion
The Falkland Islands remain a key geopolitical flashpoint, reflecting unresolved sovereignty disputes and strategic interests in the South Atlantic.
#GS1 #Geography #PlacesInNews
Join https://t.me/Mapping_prelims_mains
📍 Why in News?
✅ The United Kingdom reaffirmed its position on sovereignty over the Falkland Islands amid evolving policy stance by the United States.
📍 About Falkland Islands
▪️ Political Status
✅ Internally self-governing overseas territory of the UK
▪️ Location
✅ South Atlantic Ocean
✅ ~480 km northeast of South America’s southern tip
✅ Near Strait of Magellan
▪️ Geography
✅ Archipelago of East Falkland & West Falkland + smaller islands
📍 Sovereignty Dispute
▪️ Claimed by Argentina (calls them Malvinas)
▪️ Led to Falklands War 1982
✅ UK retained control after victory
📍 Significance
▪️ Strategic location in South Atlantic
▪️ Rich fishing grounds & potential hydrocarbons
▪️ Military and geopolitical importance
📍 Conclusion
The Falkland Islands remain a key geopolitical flashpoint, reflecting unresolved sovereignty disputes and strategic interests in the South Atlantic.
#GS1 #Geography #PlacesInNews
Join https://t.me/Mapping_prelims_mains
❤8
🔆 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
📍 Why in News?
✅ The United Kingdom reaffirmed its position on sovereignty over the Falkland Islands amid evolving policy stance by the United States.
📍 About Falkland Islands
▪️ Political Status
✅ Internally self-governing overseas territory of the UK
▪️ Location
✅ South Atlantic Ocean
✅ ~480 km northeast of South America’s southern tip
✅ Near Strait of Magellan
▪️ Geography
✅ Archipelago of East Falkland & West Falkland + smaller islands
📍 Sovereignty Dispute
▪️ Claimed by Argentina (calls them Malvinas)
▪️ Led to Falklands War 1982
✅ UK retained control after victory
📍 Significance
▪️ Strategic location in South Atlantic
▪️ Rich fishing grounds & potential hydrocarbons
▪️ Military and geopolitical importance
📍 Conclusion
The Falkland Islands remain a key geopolitical flashpoint, reflecting unresolved sovereignty disputes and strategic interests in the South Atlantic.
#GS1 #Geography #PlacesInNews
Join https://t.me/Mapping_prelims_mains
📍 Why in News?
✅ The United Kingdom reaffirmed its position on sovereignty over the Falkland Islands amid evolving policy stance by the United States.
📍 About Falkland Islands
▪️ Political Status
✅ Internally self-governing overseas territory of the UK
▪️ Location
✅ South Atlantic Ocean
✅ ~480 km northeast of South America’s southern tip
✅ Near Strait of Magellan
▪️ Geography
✅ Archipelago of East Falkland & West Falkland + smaller islands
📍 Sovereignty Dispute
▪️ Claimed by Argentina (calls them Malvinas)
▪️ Led to Falklands War 1982
✅ UK retained control after victory
📍 Significance
▪️ Strategic location in South Atlantic
▪️ Rich fishing grounds & potential hydrocarbons
▪️ Military and geopolitical importance
📍 Conclusion
The Falkland Islands remain a key geopolitical flashpoint, reflecting unresolved sovereignty disputes and strategic interests in the South Atlantic.
#GS1 #Geography #PlacesInNews
Join https://t.me/Mapping_prelims_mains
❤5
🔆 Place in News: Tanzania 🇹🇿 (Capital: Dodoma)
📍 Why in News?
✅ 5th India–Tanzania Joint Trade Committee Meeting held
➡️ Focus on strengthening bilateral economic cooperation
📍 Political Features
▪️ Location: Largest country in East Africa, just south of Equator
▪️ Borders:
✅ North → Kenya, Uganda
✅ West → Burundi, DR Congo, Rwanda
✅ South → Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique
▪️ Water Boundaries:
🌊 Lake Victoria (North)
🌊 Indian Ocean (East)
🌊 Lake Tanganyika (West)
🌊 Lake Nyasa (South-West)
📍 Geographical Features
▪️ Major Lakes
✅ Lake Tanganyika (2nd deepest in world)
▪️ Highest Peak
✅ Mount Kilimanjaro (Dormant volcano)
▪️ Rivers
✅ Ruvuma
✅ Rufiji
▪️ Islands
✅ Zanzibar
✅ Pemba
✅ Mafia
📍 Strategic Importance
▪️ Gateway to East African trade & Indian Ocean routes
▪️ Strengthening India–Africa relations
📍 Conclusion
Tanzania’s strategic location, rich geography, and growing ties with India make it a key partner in Africa-focused diplomacy and trade expansion.
#GS1 #PlacesInNews #Geography
📍 Why in News?
✅ 5th India–Tanzania Joint Trade Committee Meeting held
➡️ Focus on strengthening bilateral economic cooperation
📍 Political Features
▪️ Location: Largest country in East Africa, just south of Equator
▪️ Borders:
✅ North → Kenya, Uganda
✅ West → Burundi, DR Congo, Rwanda
✅ South → Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique
▪️ Water Boundaries:
🌊 Lake Victoria (North)
🌊 Indian Ocean (East)
🌊 Lake Tanganyika (West)
🌊 Lake Nyasa (South-West)
📍 Geographical Features
▪️ Major Lakes
✅ Lake Tanganyika (2nd deepest in world)
▪️ Highest Peak
✅ Mount Kilimanjaro (Dormant volcano)
▪️ Rivers
✅ Ruvuma
✅ Rufiji
▪️ Islands
✅ Zanzibar
✅ Pemba
✅ Mafia
📍 Strategic Importance
▪️ Gateway to East African trade & Indian Ocean routes
▪️ Strengthening India–Africa relations
📍 Conclusion
Tanzania’s strategic location, rich geography, and growing ties with India make it a key partner in Africa-focused diplomacy and trade expansion.
#GS1 #PlacesInNews #Geography
❤7
🔆 Lipulekh Pass in News 🇮🇳
📍 Why in News
✅ Nepal objected to India resuming Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via Lipulekh Pass
✅ Cites Sugauli Treaty
✅ India rejected claims as historically unfounded
📍 Location & Geography
✅ Lipulekh Pass in Kumaon region, Uttarakhand
✅ Situated near tri-junction: India–Nepal–China
✅ Connects India with Tibet (China)
📍 Key Features
✅ Altitude: ~5,334 m (17,500 ft)
✅ High-altitude Himalayan mountain pass
✅ Traditional route for Kailash Mansarovar Yatra
📍 Strategic & Political Significance
✅ Important for India–Nepal boundary dispute
✅ Linked with Kalapani region issue
✅ Strategic access towards Tibet (China)
✅ Sensitive zone in India–China–Nepal geopolitics
📍 Exam Relevance
✅ Prelims: Map location, tri-junction, altitude
✅ Mains (GS2/GS3): Border disputes, neighbourhood relations, strategic geography
#GS1 #GS2 #Geography #IR #PlacesInNews
📍 Why in News
✅ Nepal objected to India resuming Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via Lipulekh Pass
✅ Cites Sugauli Treaty
✅ India rejected claims as historically unfounded
📍 Location & Geography
✅ Lipulekh Pass in Kumaon region, Uttarakhand
✅ Situated near tri-junction: India–Nepal–China
✅ Connects India with Tibet (China)
📍 Key Features
✅ Altitude: ~5,334 m (17,500 ft)
✅ High-altitude Himalayan mountain pass
✅ Traditional route for Kailash Mansarovar Yatra
📍 Strategic & Political Significance
✅ Important for India–Nepal boundary dispute
✅ Linked with Kalapani region issue
✅ Strategic access towards Tibet (China)
✅ Sensitive zone in India–China–Nepal geopolitics
📍 Exam Relevance
✅ Prelims: Map location, tri-junction, altitude
✅ Mains (GS2/GS3): Border disputes, neighbourhood relations, strategic geography
#GS1 #GS2 #Geography #IR #PlacesInNews
❤9
🔆 From Borrowers to Builders: Women and India’s Evolving Credit Market (2026)
📍 Why in Focus?
✅ Report released by NITI Aayog in collaboration with Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP), TransUnion CIBIL and MicroSave Consulting (MSC).
✅ Highlights the growing role of women in India’s credit ecosystem.
📍 Key Findings (2017–2025)
✅ Outstanding credit to women grew 4.8 times (₹16 lakh crore → ₹76 lakh crore).
✅ Women with access to credit increased from 19% to 36%.
✅ Business loans to women grew at 31% CAGR.
✅ Same-day loan approvals rose from 34% to 45% due to digital onboarding.
✅ Women’s share in housing loans reached 69% in 2025.
✅ Nearly 19% of microfinance borrowers graduated to retail/commercial loans.
✅ Women borrowers have a default rate 0.7 times lower than the overall credit market.
📍 Major Challenges
✅ Nearly 29 crore credit-eligible women remain outside the formal financial system.
✅ Limited decision-making power among rural women entrepreneurs.
✅ Digital literacy and AI adoption gaps.
✅ Time poverty due to unpaid care work.
✅ Lack of collateral restricting enterprise growth.
📍 Government Initiatives
✅ Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) – Supports women-led enterprises.
✅ Financing Women Collaborative (2023) – Addresses gender-disaggregated data gaps.
✅ Project Seher – Improves women’s credit literacy.
✅ Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) – Aadhaar e-KYC, UPI and DigiLocker reducing barriers.
✅ Stamp duty concessions encouraging women’s home ownership.
📍 Way Forward
✅ Promote flow-based lending using UPI and transaction data.
✅ Develop lifecycle-based financial products for women.
✅ Focus on credit progression, not just loan disbursement.
✅ Strengthen SHGs for digital and financial literacy.
✅ Ensure inclusive, vernacular and voice-enabled financial services.
📍 Prelims Fact
✅ WEP (Women Entrepreneurship Platform) is a flagship initiative of NITI Aayog to promote and support women entrepreneurship.
#GS1 #mains
Join https://t.me/upsc_society_gs
📍 Why in Focus?
✅ Report released by NITI Aayog in collaboration with Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP), TransUnion CIBIL and MicroSave Consulting (MSC).
✅ Highlights the growing role of women in India’s credit ecosystem.
📍 Key Findings (2017–2025)
✅ Outstanding credit to women grew 4.8 times (₹16 lakh crore → ₹76 lakh crore).
✅ Women with access to credit increased from 19% to 36%.
✅ Business loans to women grew at 31% CAGR.
✅ Same-day loan approvals rose from 34% to 45% due to digital onboarding.
✅ Women’s share in housing loans reached 69% in 2025.
✅ Nearly 19% of microfinance borrowers graduated to retail/commercial loans.
✅ Women borrowers have a default rate 0.7 times lower than the overall credit market.
📍 Major Challenges
✅ Nearly 29 crore credit-eligible women remain outside the formal financial system.
✅ Limited decision-making power among rural women entrepreneurs.
✅ Digital literacy and AI adoption gaps.
✅ Time poverty due to unpaid care work.
✅ Lack of collateral restricting enterprise growth.
📍 Government Initiatives
✅ Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) – Supports women-led enterprises.
✅ Financing Women Collaborative (2023) – Addresses gender-disaggregated data gaps.
✅ Project Seher – Improves women’s credit literacy.
✅ Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) – Aadhaar e-KYC, UPI and DigiLocker reducing barriers.
✅ Stamp duty concessions encouraging women’s home ownership.
📍 Way Forward
✅ Promote flow-based lending using UPI and transaction data.
✅ Develop lifecycle-based financial products for women.
✅ Focus on credit progression, not just loan disbursement.
✅ Strengthen SHGs for digital and financial literacy.
✅ Ensure inclusive, vernacular and voice-enabled financial services.
📍 Prelims Fact
✅ WEP (Women Entrepreneurship Platform) is a flagship initiative of NITI Aayog to promote and support women entrepreneurship.
#GS1 #mains
Join https://t.me/upsc_society_gs
❤5
🔆Self-respect marriages
✅The Supreme Court observed that there is no blanket ban on advocates solemnising “self-respect” marriages under Section 7(A) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955.
✅ In 1968, the Hindu Marriage (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Act, 1967, received the President’s approval and became the law.
✅ This amendment modified the Hindu Marriage Act of 1955, by inserting Section 7-A into it.
✅ However, it extended only to the state of Tamil Nadu.
✅ Section 7-A deals with the special provision on “self-respect and secular marriages”.
✅ It legally recognises any marriage between any two Hindus, which can be referred to as “suyamariyathai” or “seerthiruththa marriage” or by any other name.
✅ Such marriages are solemnised in the presence of relatives, friends, or other persons, with parties declaring each other to be husband or wife, in a language understood by them.
✅ Such marriages are also required to be registered as per the law.
▪️Aim:
✅To radically simplify weddings by shunning the need for mandatory Brahmin priests, holy fire and saptapadi (seven steps).
✅ This allowed marriages to be declared in the presence of the couple’s friends or family or any other persons.
✅ The amendment was made to do away with the need for priests and rituals, which were otherwise required to complete wedding ceremonies.
#gs1
#society
#mains
Join @CSE_EXAM
@upsc_society_gs
✅The Supreme Court observed that there is no blanket ban on advocates solemnising “self-respect” marriages under Section 7(A) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955.
✅ In 1968, the Hindu Marriage (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Act, 1967, received the President’s approval and became the law.
✅ This amendment modified the Hindu Marriage Act of 1955, by inserting Section 7-A into it.
✅ However, it extended only to the state of Tamil Nadu.
✅ Section 7-A deals with the special provision on “self-respect and secular marriages”.
✅ It legally recognises any marriage between any two Hindus, which can be referred to as “suyamariyathai” or “seerthiruththa marriage” or by any other name.
✅ Such marriages are solemnised in the presence of relatives, friends, or other persons, with parties declaring each other to be husband or wife, in a language understood by them.
✅ Such marriages are also required to be registered as per the law.
▪️Aim:
✅To radically simplify weddings by shunning the need for mandatory Brahmin priests, holy fire and saptapadi (seven steps).
✅ This allowed marriages to be declared in the presence of the couple’s friends or family or any other persons.
✅ The amendment was made to do away with the need for priests and rituals, which were otherwise required to complete wedding ceremonies.
#gs1
#society
#mains
Join @CSE_EXAM
@upsc_society_gs
❤4
🔆 Gen Z and Democracy
📍 Why in News?
✅ The Centre invoked Section 69A of the IT Act to block the website and social media handles of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)
✅ The satirical online movement gained over 2 crore followers, reflecting Gen Z concerns over NEET leaks and unemployment
📍 What is Gen Z and Democracy?
✅ Refers to the relationship between Gen Z (born 1997–2012) and democratic institutions
✅ Characterised by digital-first political participation through social media rather than traditional grassroots mobilisation
📍 Role of Social Media in Strengthening Democracy
✅ Enables instant expression of dissent by marginalized youth
✅ Facilitates low-cost political mobilisation without financial barriers
✅ Acts as a civic accountability tool by exposing governance failures
✅ Connects local issues with global democratic movements
✅ Promotes civic awareness through satire, memes and visual storytelling
📍 Need to Integrate Gen Z into Democracy
✅ Prevents alienation from electoral politics
✅ Converts online activism into institutional policy reforms
✅ Channels dissent through democratic institutions, reducing conflict
✅ Utilises youth expertise in AI, data analytics and digital communication
✅ Ensures the long-term vitality of democratic institutions
📍 Challenges Posed by Social Media
✅ Digital popularity may not translate into real-world political organisation
✅ Misinformation and echo chambers can amplify unverified narratives
✅ Vulnerable to foreign influence operations and online manipulation
✅ May trigger disproportionate state responses, including censorship
✅ Can increase polarisation and reduce nuanced political debate
📍 Way Forward
✅ Protect political satire and digital dissent within constitutional limits
✅ Reform Section 69A procedures to enhance transparency and accountability
✅ Establish Youth Advisory Councils in legislatures
✅ Strengthen AI-driven fact-checking mechanisms to counter misinformation
✅ Encourage greater youth participation in mainstream political parties
📍 Conclusion
✅ India’s democratic future depends on effectively integrating digitally native youth into constitutional institutions while safeguarding freedom of expression, responsible digital engagement and institutional resilience
#GS1 #IndianSociety #Governance #Mains
📍 Why in News?
✅ The Centre invoked Section 69A of the IT Act to block the website and social media handles of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)
✅ The satirical online movement gained over 2 crore followers, reflecting Gen Z concerns over NEET leaks and unemployment
📍 What is Gen Z and Democracy?
✅ Refers to the relationship between Gen Z (born 1997–2012) and democratic institutions
✅ Characterised by digital-first political participation through social media rather than traditional grassroots mobilisation
📍 Role of Social Media in Strengthening Democracy
✅ Enables instant expression of dissent by marginalized youth
✅ Facilitates low-cost political mobilisation without financial barriers
✅ Acts as a civic accountability tool by exposing governance failures
✅ Connects local issues with global democratic movements
✅ Promotes civic awareness through satire, memes and visual storytelling
📍 Need to Integrate Gen Z into Democracy
✅ Prevents alienation from electoral politics
✅ Converts online activism into institutional policy reforms
✅ Channels dissent through democratic institutions, reducing conflict
✅ Utilises youth expertise in AI, data analytics and digital communication
✅ Ensures the long-term vitality of democratic institutions
📍 Challenges Posed by Social Media
✅ Digital popularity may not translate into real-world political organisation
✅ Misinformation and echo chambers can amplify unverified narratives
✅ Vulnerable to foreign influence operations and online manipulation
✅ May trigger disproportionate state responses, including censorship
✅ Can increase polarisation and reduce nuanced political debate
📍 Way Forward
✅ Protect political satire and digital dissent within constitutional limits
✅ Reform Section 69A procedures to enhance transparency and accountability
✅ Establish Youth Advisory Councils in legislatures
✅ Strengthen AI-driven fact-checking mechanisms to counter misinformation
✅ Encourage greater youth participation in mainstream political parties
📍 Conclusion
✅ India’s democratic future depends on effectively integrating digitally native youth into constitutional institutions while safeguarding freedom of expression, responsible digital engagement and institutional resilience
#GS1 #IndianSociety #Governance #Mains
🔥5❤4
🔆GS1 marks analysis
✅culture & History: 75
✅Geography: 100
✅Society: 75
✅history - 75 marks
🔸 Culture - Q no 1(10 marks), Q no 11 ( 15 marks)
🔸Modern history - Q no 2,3(10 marks )
🔸Post independence - Q no 12,13 (15 mark )
✅Geo - 100 marks
🔸Q no 4,5,6,7, ( 10 marks )
🔸Q no 14,15,16,17 ( 15 marks)
✅society -75 marks
🔸Q no - 8,9,10 ( 10 marks )
🔸Q no -18 ,19,20 ( 15 marks )
2025 CLICK HERE
2024 click here
2023 CLICK HERE
2022 CLICK HERE
#Mains2026
#GS1
https://t.me/CSE_EXAM
https://t.me/anmolvachan1
✅culture & History: 75
✅Geography: 100
✅Society: 75
✅history - 75 marks
🔸 Culture - Q no 1(10 marks), Q no 11 ( 15 marks)
🔸Modern history - Q no 2,3(10 marks )
🔸Post independence - Q no 12,13 (15 mark )
✅Geo - 100 marks
🔸Q no 4,5,6,7, ( 10 marks )
🔸Q no 14,15,16,17 ( 15 marks)
✅society -75 marks
🔸Q no - 8,9,10 ( 10 marks )
🔸Q no -18 ,19,20 ( 15 marks )
2025 CLICK HERE
2024 click here
2023 CLICK HERE
2022 CLICK HERE
#Mains2026
#GS1
https://t.me/CSE_EXAM
https://t.me/anmolvachan1
❤6👏1