General Studies Paper-3 Context According to recent data from the IMF, India has surpassed Japan to become the world’s fourth-largest economy by nominal GDP based on Market Exchange Rates (MER), however Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) rankings suggest India has been the third-largest economy since 2009. Understanding GDP and India’s Economic Rank Gross Domestic Product (GDP) represents the total value of all goods and services produced within a nation’s borders over a specific period. Governments, economists, and policymakers rely on GDP to assess economic growth, formulate policies, and compare economies globally. India’s GDP Ranking: MER or PPP Methods India’s GDP ranking....Read More

General Studies Paper -3 Context: India’s agriculture sector is evolving rapidly, linking from biofuels and food processing to agri-tech and organic farming that demands a systems-level approach rooted in farmer-centric policy, innovation, and technology. Need of Agricultural Transformation in India Rising Demand for Food Security: Sustainable farming practices and technological advancements are crucial to meeting future demand. Climate Change and Environmental Concerns: Erratic weather patterns, soil degradation, and water scarcity threaten agricultural output. Soil degradation affects nearly 30% of India’s land, jeopardizing productivity and long-term food security. Economic Growth and Farmer Welfare: Transforming the sector through better market access, financial....Read More

General Studies Paper -3 Context: Recently, NITI Aayog CEO B.V.R. Subrahmanyam informed that India has surpassed Japan to become the world’s fourth-largest economy (nominal GDP), and poised to displace Germany in the next 2.5 to 3 years. India’s Economic Growth India’s nominal GDP has now reached $4.19 trillion, overtaking Japan’s estimated $4.18 trillion. The IMF’s World Economic Outlook report predicts that India aims to continue to be the fastest-growing major economy, with a projected growth rate of 6.2% in 2025 and 6.3% in 2026. Over the past decade, India has doubled its GDP from $2.1 trillion in 2015 to its....Read More

General Studies Paper-3 Context: India’s decision to establish a direct link between the Northeast and Kolkata via Myanmar, bypassing Bangladesh, marks a strategic shift in regional connectivity. Key Aspects of India’s Northeast & Myanmar India shares a 1,643 km land border with Myanmar, connecting Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram. Myanmar serves as India’s gateway to Southeast Asia, making it vital for trade and connectivity. Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP) It aims to link Kolkata to Mizoram via Sittwe Port (Myanmar) and Paletwa inland waterways. It enables multi-modal cargo flow (sea, river, road). It reduces distance and time compared....Read More

General Studies Paper-3 Context: The latest Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data, released by the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI), shows that India’s unemployment rate stood at 5.1% in April 2025. Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) About: It is conducted by the MoSPI to assess employment and unemployment trends in India. It provides key labour market indicators, including the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR), Worker Population Ratio (WPR), and Unemployment Rate (UR). Features: Revamped Sampling Design (2025): The survey now includes monthly estimates for both rural and urban areas, improving data accuracy. Current Weekly Status (CWS) Approach: Measures....Read More

General Studies Paper-3 Context: The U.S. and China agreed to suspend most tariffs on each other’s goods. Background Why were Tariffs Levied? Trade Imbalance: The U.S. Trade Representative pointed to a $1.2 trillion trade deficit with the rest of the world as justification for tariffs. The Trump administration viewed this as the U.S. being “ripped off” by trading partners who protected and subsidized their own industries while benefiting from open U.S. markets. Strategic Protectionism: The administration believed that talking had not helped change global trade behavior, so high tariffs were seen as a tool to force other countries to open....Read More

General Studies Paper-3 Context: Recently, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) released the Human Development Report (HDR) for 2025, highlighting India’s progress in life expectancy, education, and income levels. It is titled as ‘A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of AI’, and explores AI’s role in shaping future development. Human Development Index: Current Status Iceland (HDI value of 0.972), ranked at the top of the Index, followed by Norway and Switzerland. South Sudan was at the bottom at 193 with 0.388. India improved its HDI value from 0.676 in 2022 (133th) to 0.685 in 2023 (130th),....Read More

General Studies Paper -3 Context: NITI Aayog released a report on improving Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) competitiveness in India. India’s MSME sector It is a key driver of India’s industrial economy, with 5.93 crore registered enterprises employing over 25 crore people. In 2023-24, MSME-related products contributed 45.73% to India’s total exports. In recent years, the MSME sector has displayed remarkable resilience, with its share in the country’s Gross Value Added (GVA) increasing from 27.3% in 2020-21 to 29.6% in 2021-22 and 30.1% in 2022-23, highlighting its growing role in national economic output. The Union Budget 2025-26 includes measures....Read More

General Studies Paper -3 Context: The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for urgent action in three key areas to help finance the achievement of the UN-mandated Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by 2030. Background With the world facing compounding crises such as economic instability, conflicts, and trade disruptions, progress on the SDGs is lagging. Developing nations are spending over $1.4 trillion annually on debt servicing, limiting their ability to invest in development. Hence the UN has outlined three core areas needing urgent action: debt reforms, international financial institutions, and diversification of finance sources. Key Areas of Reform Debt Reforms: G20’s....Read More

General Studies Paper-3 Context: Recently, the World Bank’s released Poverty and Equity Brief on India offers a complex picture of the socio-economic landscape of India, and raises questions about broader economic inequality and the reliability of data in capturing socio-economic trends. Key Findings of Poverty and Equity Brief on India Decline in Extreme Poverty: Extreme poverty, defined as living on less than $2.15 per day (2017 PPP terms), fell from 16.2% in 2011-12 to 2.3% in 2022-23, lifting 171 million people out of poverty. Rural extreme poverty dropped from 18.4% to 2.8%, and urban extreme poverty from 10.7% to 1.1%,....Read More