How to Prepare Current Affairs for UPSC? And Crucial Current Affairs Topics for UPSC 2024: A Comprehensive Guide

Introduction:

• Preparing for current affairs is a crucial part of the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) exam.
• It is essential for aspirants to have a good understanding of current events, as it holds significant weightage in the exam.
• While there is no definitive formula for preparing for this section, candidates can follow some effective strategies to excel in current affairs.

Comprehensive Preparation Strategy:

• To prepare for current affairs, candidates should adopt a comprehensive strategy.
• Utilising trustworthy information sources like newspapers, periodicals, and government publications is necessary for this.
• It's also crucial to prepare for the variety of questions and daily quiz sessions available online (one of the best quiz session link: https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs-quiz) that could appear on the exam.

Read Major Newspapers:

• Reading major newspapers is crucial for staying updated with current affairs. Candidates should make a habit of reading newspapers regularly and make notes of important news relevant to the UPSC exam. The Hindu is highly recommended for its excellent editorials and comprehensive coverage of various topics.

Choose the Best Newspaper:

• It is important to choose a newspaper that focuses on relevant news and avoids unnecessary social gossip. By selecting one newspaper, candidates can save time and have a more focused preparation.

Important: The Hindu and Indian express UPSC Special.

Utilize Magazines:

• In addition to newspapers, magazines can be a valuable resource for current affairs preparation. Candidates should choose a few magazines with a proven track record and excellent analysis.
• Some recommended magazines for UPSC current affairs are Yojana Magazine, Science Reporter, Kurukshetra Magazine, and Economic & Political Weekly.

Government Reports:

• Going through important government reports like the Economic Survey, the Budget, and the India Yearbook can provide insights into the government's policies and initiatives. This will help candidates stay updated on important developments and provides authentic data.

Focus on Important Events:

• Aspirants should prioritize important events and issues that have a direct impact on the country's governance, economy, and society.
• They should also keep themselves informed about major global developments and their implications for India.

Note-Making:

• Taking notes on the analysis of various topics is crucial for effective preparation. These notes will be beneficial during the advanced stages of UPSC preparation and closer to the exam. Organizing and revising these notes regularly will help in retaining the information.

Consistent Revision:

• Consistent revision is vital to retain the vast amount of information required for the UPSC exam. Candidates should revise the topics they have covered regularly. This will help in connecting different topics and expanding their knowledge base. Watching current affairs videos can also be helpful. Like DNEA initiative on YouTube by Apti Plus.

Limit Sources and best online platform

• While preparing for current affairs, it is important not to overwhelm oneself with too many sources. Following a limited number of reliable sources, as mentioned earlier, will provide enough information for preparation and prevent confusion. Aspirants can follow IAS Gyan Daily current affairs initiatives.

Link: https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs

• In addition to these tips, candidates should focus on specific areas where questions are commonly asked. Some important areas to cover include national issues, science and technology, states, social schemes, the Indian economy, important summits and conferences, international awards and reports, environment and ecology, government schemes, Indian polity, social issues, and the Indian judiciary.
• To prepare effectively, candidates can refer to various resources such as the India Year Book, Economic Survey, newspapers like The Hindu and Indian Express, Yojana Magazine, Kurukshetra Magazine. Regularly reading and analyzing current affairs from these sources will help candidates stay updated and gain an edge in the UPSC exam.

Crucial Current Affairs Topics for UPSC CSE 2024

• The UPSC CSE 2024 is to be held in June 16, 2024, and the current affairs preparation for thе exam should cover the period roughly from last 2 years.
• However, some of the topics may havе a longer or shorter rеlеvancе, depending on their nature and significance. Thеrеforе, it is not possible to provide an exhaustive or dеfinitivе list of the current affairs topics for thе еxam.
• However, based on the previous trends and the current scenario, we can suggest some of thе crucial current affairs topics that you should not miss for the UPSC CSE 2024.

These topics are:

International Relations

• Wassenaar Arrangement
• World Trade Organization
• G20 Triokia (Indonesia-India – Brazil)
• Helsinki rules
• ICC: International Criminal Court
• Nordic Nations
• Abraham Accords, 12U2
• Black sea grain deal
• Operation Devi Shakti (Afghanistan), Operation Ganga (Ukraine), Operation Dost (Turkey)
• Commonwealth countries
• Madrid protocol
• CSTO
• SCO (Indian presidency, Iran new member)
• Yuan Wang-5
• Indo-Pacific Economic Framework
• Heads of State of Italy, Israel, New Zealand, Denmark
• V20 group (India not a member)
• Antarctica Treaty
• Eastern Economic Forum (PM Modi attended)
• NATO
• Taiwan
• G20 Presidency
• Kushiyara River Water Sharing Dispute L-69
• India – Australia Free Trade Agreement
• Friend shoring
• Samarkand declaration
• Operation Ganga (Ukraine)
• Global shield plan
• EOSOC (India elected) - INTERPOL (90th assembly held in Delhi)
• Innovation Bridge Agreement
• Sudan crisis
• Indo-Pacific economic
• NATO
• India-Australia agreement of Rare earth
• Commonwealth countries
• Presidency of the G-20
• New member of ASEAN
• India – Australia Free Trade Agreement
• Supply chain resilient initiative
• Amhara Tribe

Indian polity

• Private members bill (UCC)
• Dy speaker (post vacant for 2 years)
• Flag Code of India, 2002
• Election of Vice-President
• OBC subcategorization (Rohini commission)
• Section 124(A) of Indian Penal Code (Sedition Law)
• FCRA Act (suspension of Sonia Gandhi NGO)
• 9th schedule (Issue of Karnataka reservation)
• The doctrine of essential religious practices (hijab issue)
• Election of President
• Anti-defection law - MP/MLA disqualification
• Narikoravan, Kurivikkaran and Betta Kurba tribes
• Article 162
• Equal Work Equal Pay
• Appointment of Election Commissioners
• Delimitation in Kashmir
• Article 142 (pardoning power of the President - Perarivalan issue)
• Minorities
• Article 239A
• Bench of Judges
• The doctrine of adverse possession (Vidya Devi case)
• Art 142 pardoning power of Pres (Perarivalan issue)
• E-SCR Project
• 103rd Constitutional Amendment 

Economy 

• International Trade in Rupees
• Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement
• Electronic Gold Receipts
• Sampoorna Yojana
• Agriculture Census
• Amrit Sarovar Mission
• Financial Services Institutions Bureau
• Gatishakti University
• Global Gender Inequality Index
• Inflation
• Foxconn
• Fourth Industrial Revolution
• Infant Mortality Rate
• Vibrant Village Program
• ASHA
• Primary Agriculture Credit Society
• International Bullion Exchange
• Trade Partner
• Digital Rupee

Geography

• Types of seeds -Indian Seeds Act 1966
• Security and Food Security
• Belgaum
• Hot Spring and Gogra Post
• Global Centre of World Health Organization
• Kisan Vikas Patra
• Pineapple Production
• PMKSY
• Seed treaty(Recent 9th session- host-India)
• Shri Anna
• Essential Commodities Act, 1955
• Indian Institute of Millets Research
• FCI – Shanta Kumar committee
• Moraines
• Seed replacement rate
• Kisan Credit Card
• Salal Hemna Region
• DMH-11
• CACP – Factors considered to calculate MSP
• Location and mapping Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson
• Parvatmala Yojana
• Agriculture Finance
• PUSA
• Brazil, Syria, New Zealand
• Sumeru Mountain
• Joshimath
• First CNG Terminal
• Sammed Shikhar
• Makhana (Fox Nuts)
• Agriculture Marketing - APMC – All basics
• Top Producer of Nickel
• MSP – meaning, calculation, crops covered
• NABARD
• FRP
• Sprinkler/drip Irrigation

 Art and Culture

• Salman Rushdie
• The Crown
• Kashi Vishwanath Temple
• Hornbill Festival
• Advaita philosophy
• Gandan Monastery
• Arya Samaj
• Cultural and Tourism Capital, Varanasi
• Shiv Kumar Sharma
• Losar Festival
• Abhang
• Sangai Festival
• Mooknayak Magazine
• Schindler’s List
• Karte Parwan

Environment &Ecology

• COP28: Major Focus
• Biopiracy
• Kuno National Park
• Mangrove Alliance for Climate Change
• Tiger Census
• Arctic Sea Melting
• Just Energy Transition Partnership
• Joshimath Sinking
• Mission Life

Science& Technology

• Skye UTM System
• Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre
• Steel Slag Road
• Lumpy Skin Disease
• Rare Earths Material
• Brain-Computer Interface
• Nano Urea
• Fortified Rice
• Artemis-1
• NISAR
• Pesticides in News
• Milgromian Dynamics
• Chat GPT
• Surya Nutan
• W Boson Particle
• Sandalwood Spike Disease
• Strongest Metal
• Crop Diseases and Pests – Locust Attack, Fall Armyworm, Fusarium Wilt, Yellow Leaf Disease, Brown Rust, Blast, KoleRoga, etc.

All the best