General Studies Paper-1 Context All India Speakers’ Conference held in New Delhi, marking the 100th anniversary of Vitthalbhai Patel’s election as the first Indian Speaker of the Central Legislative Assembly. The Central Legislative Assembly (CLA) The Central Legislative Assembly (CLA) was the lower house of the Indian Legislature in British India, established by the Government of India Act 1919 as part of the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms. The 1919 Act created a two-house system: the Central Legislative Assembly (lower house) and the Council of State (upper house). The CLA was constituted in 1921 following the 1920 elections. Composition: It had 145 members,....Read More

General Studies Paper-1 Context The Prime Minister paid tributes to freedom fighter Mangal Pandey on his birth anniversary. Mangal Pandey He was born on 19 July 1827 in Nagwa village, Ballia district, Uttar Pradesh, India. Mangal Pandey is renowned for his role as a sepoy in the 34th Bengal Native Infantry of the British East India Company and for sparking the Indian Rebellion of 1857, widely regarded as India’s First War of Independence. Major Events He refused to use the newly introduced Enfield rifle because it was believed that the new Enfield Pattern 1853 rifle-musket issued to the sepoys of....Read More

General Studies Paper-1 Context: PM pays tribute to Bhagwan Birsa Munda on the occasion of his Martyr’s Day. About Bhagwan Birsa Munda Early Life: Born on 15th November 1875 in Ulihatu of the erstwhile Bengal Presidency. An Indian freedom fighter, religious leader and folk hero from the Munda Tribe. Learned teachings from a Vaishnav monk. Founder of New Religion “Birsait”: He believed in One God. Munda and Oraon community people joined the sect & challenged British conversion activities of tribals. He preached strong Anti-British sentiment through religion. Also, referred to as ‘Dharti Abba or Father of Earth’ by his followers.....Read More

General Studies Paper-1 Context: Madhya Pradesh is marking the 300th birth anniversary of Maratha queen Devi Ahilyabai Holkar with a major state-led campaign. Ahilyabai Holkar Early Life: She was the Holkar Queen of the Maratha-ruled Malwa kingdom in India. She was Born in Chaundi village, Maharashtra, to Mankoji Rao Shinde. She received an education from her father despite the norms against women’s education at the time. Personal Tragedies: Ahilyabai Holkar’s husband, Khanderao, died in the Battle of Kumbher in 1754. Twelve years later, her father-in-law, Malhar Rao Holkar, also passed away. Her son Malerao, who was mentally ill, died in....Read More

General Studies Paper-1 Context: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted  ‘above normal’ rainfall (105% of the long-period average) during the 2025 southwest monsoon season (June-September). The monsoon is crucial for agriculture, economy, and water resources, providing around 70% of India’s annual rainfall. Since 2007, the accuracy of monsoon forecasts has improved significantly, with the absolute error in rainfall reducing by 21% from 1989-2006 to 2007-2024. History of Monsoon Forecasting The IMD began forecasting the monsoon in 1877, driven by the need to understand rainfall patterns after the devastating 1876-78 Great Famine. Henry Francis Blanford, in the late 1800s, studied the....Read More

General Studies Paper-1 Context: Prime Minister Modi paid homage to the martyrs of Jallianwala Bagh. What was the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre? The Jallianwala Bagh massacre, also known as the Amritsar massacre, occurred on 13th April 1919 and marked one of the darkest chapters in India’s colonial history. To celebrate the Baisakhi festival and protest the arrest of prominent nationalist leaders Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew and Dr. Satyapal under the Rowlatt Act, a large crowd of men, women, and children had gathered at the Jallianwala Bagh. Colonel Reginald Dyer ordered British Indian Army troops to open fire on a peaceful gathering of....Read More

General Studies Paper-1 Context: Recently, India celebrated the legacy of Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar on Ambedkar Jayanti, a towering figure in India’s fight against caste-based discrimination. BR Ambedkar & ‘Annihilation of Caste’ Origins of Annihilation of Caste: Originally written as a speech for a 1936 meeting of progressive Hindus under the Jat-Pat Todak Mandal, the address was never delivered due to its provocative content. Instead, Ambedkar published it himself, making it a foundational text for anti-caste thought in India. Core Arguments of the ‘Annihilation of Caste’ Caste as Social Tyranny: Ambedkar rejected the view that caste is merely a division....Read More

General Studies Paper-1 Context: Recently, National Press Day was observed with the theme ‘Changing Nature of the Press’, reflecting the evolving dynamics of the media landscape, and marking the day the Press Council of India (PCI) began its operations in 1966. About The media, often referred to as the fourth pillar of democracy, plays a crucial role in nation building. Its influence spans across political, economic, and social spheres, making it an indispensable part of a functioning democracy. The press played a pivotal role in India’s struggle for independence, acting as a powerful tool for dissemination of information; raising awareness....Read More

General Studies Paper - 1 Context: The Prime Minister of India paid tributes to social reformer Savitri Bai Phule & Rani Velu Nachiyar on their Jayanti. Savitribai Phule (3 January 1831 – 10 March 1897) She was a woman from the Mali Community and went on to become an educator, a challenger to caste hierarchies and barriers, and a writer. Married Jyotirao Phule at an early age. At a time when it was considered unacceptable for women to even attain education, she with her husband went on to open a school for girls in Pune, in 1848. This became the....Read More

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 1 The script, once patronised by Meitei rulers but which fell into disuse with the advent of Hinduism and eventually disappeared, is now enjoying a new lease of life after a decades-old movement for its revival. About the Meitei Script Meitei script or Meetei Mayek is an abugida (pseudo-alphabet system) used for the Meitei language, one of the official languages of Manipur. The earliest epigraphic record of the script is a stone inscription from Khoibu village which was erected on the orders of Meidingu Kiyamba (1467-1508). ‘Meidingu’ are kings who belong to the Ningthouja clan whose....Read More