Short editorial but it is to the point editorial on gender based work allocation.

You can use it in Essay, GS 1, ethics and even sociology paper also.

News on Maritime tax. This news is important for Export, marine threat, taxes, global uncertainty, recession etc.

You can use this news to write answer in GS 3 and GS2 (IR)

Approach for UPSC CSE 2025

1. Till the December month focus on mains related syllabus including Ethics, optional.

2. Do answer writing practice and make notes on various topics.

3. Collect important facts such as various index, supreme court judgements, committee reports like ARC and others.


4. Read basic materials such as NCERT, coaching class notes, current affairs.


5.Read newspaper (The Hindu/Indian Express + Economic times/live mint/hindu business line)
Write answer essay once in a week or 10 days.

January onwards

1. Read basic books with prelims perspective.


2. Try to solve mocks and pyqs and Analyze the wrong answers and introspect where you went wrong.

3. Try to solve questions with logics.

4. CSAT is important.
Attempt all pyq of CSAT paper from 2013 onwards.
Make sure your minimum 2 areas in csat is strong (comprehension, maths and reasoning).

5. Practice and revision is important for both pre and mains. So follow this principle.


All the best 👍

@upscwithkunal

Happy Vijayadashami.

Reasons for failure in any competitive exams in general and UPSC in particular

1. Not taking the exam seriously
2. Not analysing the past year papers
3. Self doubt
4. Reading n number of books for one subject rather than focusing on limited content.
5. Fear/anxiety during the exam.
6. Focus more on reading than solving mock papers and answer writing.
7. Procrastination
8. Giving up before the exam
9. Multitasking (not focusing on a single task )
10. Always believe in clearing the exam in the next attempt.


@upscwithkunal

Guys subscribe to my YouTube channel..
I will post information related to UPSC related content and current affairs which will be helpful for upsc pre and main examination..

https://youtube.com/@kunalv?si=uBWHk08dzZbuZU_w

Read: Argentina and India: 75 Years of a Flourishing Partnership
https://www.financialexpress.com/business/defence-argentina-and-india-75-years-of-a-flourishing-partnership-3636940/

Read this article on India Argentina cooperation from trade, defence, technology, lithium ion reserves, nuclear energy and Falkland island.

Though UPSC had not asked specifically about any nation in south America.

But this article gives us information regarding the importance of the South American nation for India's foreign policy.

UPSC CSE परीक्षा के लिए पर्याप्त Knowledge अक्सर काफी लोगों के पास होती है लेकिन वहीं व्यक्ति सफल होता है जो अपने knowledge को सही तरीके से ओर सही जगह एक्सप्रेस करता हो ।
#upsc

हिन्दी माध्यम से तैयारी करने वाले छात्रों के लिए The Hindu के आर्टिकल्स/एडिटोरियल अब हिन्दी में भी है ।

Register Now - https://rzp.io/rzp/vwwFXHBs

(Limited Seats Available)

Guys if you are planning to appear for the mains 2025 or even started preparing for the 2026 UPSC CSE examination then you can register with the webinar organised by Dr Gaurav Sontakke Sir.
I will also be part of this webinar.

We will have a brief discussion on Mains oriented strategy in general and QnA session post discussion on Mains strategy.

Registration link
https://rzp.io/rzp/vwwFXHBs


@upscwithkunal

For Disaster Management related questions you can usethe following keywords.

Risk Assessment: Conduct thorough assessments to identify vulnerabilities and risks in communities, including natural hazards.

Early Warning Systems: Establish and maintain effective early warning systems to provide timely information about impending disasters.

Community Engagement: Involve local communities in disaster preparedness and response planning to ensure that strategies are relevant and effective.

Education and Awareness: Promote awareness and education about disaster risks and preparedness among citizens, particularly in schools and communities.

Infrastructure Resilience: Invest in resilient infrastructure that can withstand disasters, including roads, bridges, and buildings designed to endure extreme weather events.

Policy and Legislation: Develop and enforce policies and regulations that promote disaster risk reduction and sustainable development.

Emergency Response Planning: Create comprehensive emergency response plans that outline roles, responsibilities, and resources for quick and effective action during disasters.

Collaboration and Partnerships: Foster collaboration between government, NGOs, private sector, and communities to strengthen DRR efforts.

Funding and Resources: Allocate adequate funding and resources for disaster risk reduction initiatives and recovery efforts.

Monitoring and Evaluation: Implement systems to monitor and evaluate DRR activities to ensure continuous improvement and adaptation to changing risks.

@upscwithkunal

Extract of todays article on "What are the stress factors for Indian Railways?"

Accidents: Recent derailments (Agartala-Lokmanya Tilak Express) and a rear-end collision near Chennai, both with no casualties.
Balasore Accident: On June 2, 2023, more than 275 casualties, highlighting safety pressures against operational strains.

Frequency of Accidents
Trend: Railway accidents decreased from 1,390/year in the 1960s to 80/year recently.

Consequential Accidents:
34 in 2021-2022
48 in 2022-2023
40 in 2023-2024

Causes:
55.8% due to railway staff failure
28.4% due to non-staff failures
6.2% due to equipment failure

Signaling Issues: Blamed for recent accidents.

‘Kavach’ System
Purpose: Automatic train protection system to prevent collisions.
Current Status: Installed on 1,465 route km (2% of total).

Cost: ₹50 lakh/km; overall cost less than 2% of Railways’ annual capex.
Implementation Pressure: Accelerated post-Balasore accident.

Limitations: Might not have prevented some accidents; operational thresholds may exceed Kavach’s effectiveness.

Financial Aspects
Operating Ratio (OR): Estimated at ₹98.2 for 2024-2025 (improvement from ₹98.7 in 2023-2024 but decline from ₹97.8 in 2016).

Budget Dependence: High OR limits capital expenditure and increases reliance on budgetary support and Extra-Budgetary Resources (EBRs).

Revenue Growth: EBRs have risen to 17% of revenue receipts (from 10% in 2015-2016).

Freight Services

Revenue Contribution: Freight accounts for 65% of internal revenue; rates have increased faster than passenger rates (2009-2019).

Network Utilization: Nearly 30% of the network is over 100% capacity, leading to slow freight movement.

Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs): Only one fully operational; others in planning phases.

Reliance on Coal: Coal represents half of freight revenue, amid shifts towards renewable energy.

Passenger Services Revenue

Losses: Significant losses from passenger services (e.g., ₹68,269 crore in 2021-2022).
Projected Revenue: Estimated at ₹80,000 crore for 2024-2025.

Traffic Growth: Anticipated increase due to new trains; shift towards more expensive AC coaches.

Safety Challenges

Competing Goals: Balancing affordable travel with profitability.
Cost Pressures: Increasing wage, pension, and fuel costs.
Work Conditions: Stressful 12-hour shifts for locomotive pilots; operational challenges in congested networks.

Alert System Failures: Ineffectiveness of homegrown alert systems for trackside workers.

Conclusion

Indian Railways faces ongoing pressures to improve safety and capacity while managing financial constraints, operational inefficiencies, and growing demand for services.

@upscwithkunal

Which of the following statements accurately describes karst topography?

A) It is formed primarily by volcanic activity and is characterized by the presence of lava tubes.

B) It results from the dissolution of soluble rocks, primarily limestone, leading to features such as sinkholes and caves.

C) It is typically found in arid regions and is characterized by sand dunes and sparse vegetation.

D) It is formed by the accumulation of glacial deposits and features prominent moraines and drumlins.