UPSC Chairman Dr. Ajay Kumar shared five key success tips for aspirants during a live town hall interaction marking UPSC’s 100th year:
1. Stay Curious – Always keep questioning and learning, as curiosity is the foundation of civil service success.
2. Be Consistent – Maintain a disciplined, regular study routine instead of relying on intense short bursts of preparation.
3. Focus on Your Goal – Avoid distractions and peer pressure; know clearly why you started and stick to that purpose.
4. Adopt a Positive Mindset – Accept failures as learning opportunities, keep confidence, and continue with renewed energy.
5. Manage Your Time Wisely – Time is ample; the key lies in how effectively and smartly it is utilized during preparation.
Dr. Ajay Kumar also encouraged aspirants to view the UPSC journey as a chance to serve the nation, reminding them that not clearing the exam is not the end of the world, and there are always other ways to contribute to society
1. Stay Curious – Always keep questioning and learning, as curiosity is the foundation of civil service success.
2. Be Consistent – Maintain a disciplined, regular study routine instead of relying on intense short bursts of preparation.
3. Focus on Your Goal – Avoid distractions and peer pressure; know clearly why you started and stick to that purpose.
4. Adopt a Positive Mindset – Accept failures as learning opportunities, keep confidence, and continue with renewed energy.
5. Manage Your Time Wisely – Time is ample; the key lies in how effectively and smartly it is utilized during preparation.
Dr. Ajay Kumar also encouraged aspirants to view the UPSC journey as a chance to serve the nation, reminding them that not clearing the exam is not the end of the world, and there are always other ways to contribute to society
UPSC Chairman Dr. Ajay Kumar has justified retaining the optional subjects in UPSC Mains
He argues that optional papers serve as a key component for evaluating aspirants' depth of knowledge, mastery in a subject of their choice, and their readiness for complex administrative challenges
Justification for Optionals
- The two optional papers allow candidates to showcase advanced understanding and analytical ability in a specialized discipline, which is critical for assessing suitability for the civil services
- With 48 optional subjects, aspirants can select a field they are genuinely comfortable with, ensuring fair competition and that talent from varied academic backgrounds gets recognized equitably
- Kumar emphasizes that the skills and deep knowledge demonstrated in the optional paper are “very important for evaluation” and remain useful in administrative service as well
- To ensure fairness, UPSC uses a moderation formula that adjusts for variance in marking styles and subject difficulty, enabling a single consolidated merit list
- He has stated there is no current proposal to scrap optionals, as they are essential for picking candidates who possess both specialized expertise and broad-based capability in problem-solving
Dr. Kumar's stance is that optional subjects add rigor, inclusivity, and merit-based differentiation to the UPSC examination, making them indispensable to the Mains system
He argues that optional papers serve as a key component for evaluating aspirants' depth of knowledge, mastery in a subject of their choice, and their readiness for complex administrative challenges
Justification for Optionals
- The two optional papers allow candidates to showcase advanced understanding and analytical ability in a specialized discipline, which is critical for assessing suitability for the civil services
- With 48 optional subjects, aspirants can select a field they are genuinely comfortable with, ensuring fair competition and that talent from varied academic backgrounds gets recognized equitably
- Kumar emphasizes that the skills and deep knowledge demonstrated in the optional paper are “very important for evaluation” and remain useful in administrative service as well
- To ensure fairness, UPSC uses a moderation formula that adjusts for variance in marking styles and subject difficulty, enabling a single consolidated merit list
- He has stated there is no current proposal to scrap optionals, as they are essential for picking candidates who possess both specialized expertise and broad-based capability in problem-solving
Dr. Kumar's stance is that optional subjects add rigor, inclusivity, and merit-based differentiation to the UPSC examination, making them indispensable to the Mains system
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UPSC GS Economy (GS 3) by CA Rahul Kumar
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1. The RBI Monetary Policy Committee kept the repo rate unchanged at 5.5% with a neutral stance for the second consecutive meeting, after cumulative rate cuts of 100 basis points earlier in 2025.
2. Inflation projection for FY26 was sharply lowered to 2.6%, citing moderation in food prices and GST reforms, while GDP growth forecast was revised upwards to 6.8% for 2025-26, backed by strong domestic consumption and investment.
3. RBI’s approach emphasizes supporting economic growth through structural reforms, improved credit channels, and regulatory strength rather than relying purely on temporary rate cuts.
4. Bank credit growth has slowed, but non-bank finance is helping offset this moderation, and RBI is opening new avenues for credit and infrastructure funding.
5. The overall policy balances price stability with growth imperatives and keeps the door open for future rate adjustments if warranted by macroeconomic conditions; key focus remains robust monetary policy transmission Key Term: Monetary Policy Transmission
Monetary Policy Transmission is the process by which changes in the central bank's policy rates impact the real economy—such as lending rates, investment, consumption, and overall economic growth—through the banking and financial system. The article underlines RBI's current focus on strengthening monetary policy transmission by using structural reforms, improving credit channels and regulations, which is central to ensuring policy effectiveness in India's complex economy.
2. Inflation projection for FY26 was sharply lowered to 2.6%, citing moderation in food prices and GST reforms, while GDP growth forecast was revised upwards to 6.8% for 2025-26, backed by strong domestic consumption and investment.
3. RBI’s approach emphasizes supporting economic growth through structural reforms, improved credit channels, and regulatory strength rather than relying purely on temporary rate cuts.
4. Bank credit growth has slowed, but non-bank finance is helping offset this moderation, and RBI is opening new avenues for credit and infrastructure funding.
5. The overall policy balances price stability with growth imperatives and keeps the door open for future rate adjustments if warranted by macroeconomic conditions; key focus remains robust monetary policy transmission Key Term: Monetary Policy Transmission
Monetary Policy Transmission is the process by which changes in the central bank's policy rates impact the real economy—such as lending rates, investment, consumption, and overall economic growth—through the banking and financial system. The article underlines RBI's current focus on strengthening monetary policy transmission by using structural reforms, improving credit channels and regulations, which is central to ensuring policy effectiveness in India's complex economy.
UPSC GS Economy (GS 3) by CA Rahul Kumar
Photo
1. The RBI Monetary Policy Committee kept the repo rate unchanged at 5.5% for the second consecutive session and maintained a ‘neutral’ policy stance, focusing on balancing growth with price stability amid global uncertainties and recent GST reforms.
2. The RBI sharply revised its inflation projection for FY26 down to 2.6% (from 3.1% earlier), citing factors like good monsoon, lower food prices, and GST rate rationalization.
3. India’s GDP growth forecast for 2025-26 was raised to 6.8%, driven by robust domestic demand, increased investment flows, a favorable monsoon, and supportive government policies.
4. The central bank emphasized the need for structural reforms—such as rationalizing regulations and improving credit compliance—over temporary rate cuts, and reiterated its commitment to prudent macroeconomic management and financial stability.
5. RBI highlighted the importance of monitoring external trade dynamics and rupee movements, assuring continued flexibility and readiness to act in response to changing macroeconomic conditions.
Key Term: Policy Stance
A ‘neutral policy stance’ refers to the RBI’s approach of remaining flexible and non-committal toward either increasing or decreasing rates in response to evolving inflation and growth signals. This enables timely interventions while promoting macroeconomic stability.
2. The RBI sharply revised its inflation projection for FY26 down to 2.6% (from 3.1% earlier), citing factors like good monsoon, lower food prices, and GST rate rationalization.
3. India’s GDP growth forecast for 2025-26 was raised to 6.8%, driven by robust domestic demand, increased investment flows, a favorable monsoon, and supportive government policies.
4. The central bank emphasized the need for structural reforms—such as rationalizing regulations and improving credit compliance—over temporary rate cuts, and reiterated its commitment to prudent macroeconomic management and financial stability.
5. RBI highlighted the importance of monitoring external trade dynamics and rupee movements, assuring continued flexibility and readiness to act in response to changing macroeconomic conditions.
Key Term: Policy Stance
A ‘neutral policy stance’ refers to the RBI’s approach of remaining flexible and non-committal toward either increasing or decreasing rates in response to evolving inflation and growth signals. This enables timely interventions while promoting macroeconomic stability.
UPSC GS Economy (GS 3) by CA Rahul Kumar
Photo
1. RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra stated that global risks such as trade tensions, tariffs, and financial volatility could slow growth, but domestic structural reforms (notably GST rationalisation) and a strong monsoon are expected to offset these headwinds.
2. The RBI raised its FY26 GDP growth projection from 6.5% to 6.8% based on sustained domestic economic momentum, excellent kharif sowing, strong rural demand, buoyant services sector, and steady employment.
3. India’s real GDP grew by 7.8% in Q1 2025, the highest in five quarters, while Gross Value Added (GVA) rose 7.6%, with high-frequency indicators showing continued momentum into Q2.
4. A comfortable monsoon, good reservoir levels, and healthy agriculture support positive outlook for both rural and urban consumption; rising capacity utilization and improved financial conditions are expected to boost investment further.
5. Despite resilience in domestic drivers, the RBI recognises that external vulnerabilities—like persistent global trade and geopolitical challenges—mean prudent macroeconomic management and flexibility are essential.
Key Term: Growth-Inflation Tradeoff
The “growth-inflation tradeoff” refers to policymakers’ challenge of supporting economic growth without igniting inflation. RBI’s current policy seeks to maintain this balance—leveraging domestic strengths and reforms to drive growth while ensuring inflation remains comfortably within target levels
2. The RBI raised its FY26 GDP growth projection from 6.5% to 6.8% based on sustained domestic economic momentum, excellent kharif sowing, strong rural demand, buoyant services sector, and steady employment.
3. India’s real GDP grew by 7.8% in Q1 2025, the highest in five quarters, while Gross Value Added (GVA) rose 7.6%, with high-frequency indicators showing continued momentum into Q2.
4. A comfortable monsoon, good reservoir levels, and healthy agriculture support positive outlook for both rural and urban consumption; rising capacity utilization and improved financial conditions are expected to boost investment further.
5. Despite resilience in domestic drivers, the RBI recognises that external vulnerabilities—like persistent global trade and geopolitical challenges—mean prudent macroeconomic management and flexibility are essential.
Key Term: Growth-Inflation Tradeoff
The “growth-inflation tradeoff” refers to policymakers’ challenge of supporting economic growth without igniting inflation. RBI’s current policy seeks to maintain this balance—leveraging domestic strengths and reforms to drive growth while ensuring inflation remains comfortably within target levels
UPSC GS Economy (GS 3) by CA Rahul Kumar
Photo
1. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced that banks can now fund mergers and acquisitions (M&As) by Indian corporates, ending a longstanding ban and enabling greater corporate consolidation and capital market activity.
2. Indian banks and their overseas branches are allowed to lend in Indian rupees to residents of neighbouring countries like Bhutan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, strategically promoting the rupee’s international use and enhancing regional economic ties.
3. The lending limit for IPO financing is raised from ₹10 lakh to ₹25 lakh per person, and the limit for loans against shares hikes from ₹25 lakh to ₹1 crore per individual, aiming to boost liquidity and participation in capital markets.
4. RBI also proposed removing the regulatory ceiling on lending against listed debt securities and consolidating compliance rules to make credit access more flexible, signaling a more liberal, globally connected financial system.
5. These reforms highlight RBI’s intention to deepen Indian financial markets, facilitate easier credit for corporates and individuals, and make the rupee a more widely accepted currency in cross-border transactions and trade settlements.
Key Term: Internationalisation of the Rupee
Internationalisation of the rupee refers to policy measures and market reforms aimed at promoting the widespread use of INR in cross-border transactions, trade settlements, and as a global reserve currency, enhancing India’s financial influence globally.
2. Indian banks and their overseas branches are allowed to lend in Indian rupees to residents of neighbouring countries like Bhutan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, strategically promoting the rupee’s international use and enhancing regional economic ties.
3. The lending limit for IPO financing is raised from ₹10 lakh to ₹25 lakh per person, and the limit for loans against shares hikes from ₹25 lakh to ₹1 crore per individual, aiming to boost liquidity and participation in capital markets.
4. RBI also proposed removing the regulatory ceiling on lending against listed debt securities and consolidating compliance rules to make credit access more flexible, signaling a more liberal, globally connected financial system.
5. These reforms highlight RBI’s intention to deepen Indian financial markets, facilitate easier credit for corporates and individuals, and make the rupee a more widely accepted currency in cross-border transactions and trade settlements.
Key Term: Internationalisation of the Rupee
Internationalisation of the rupee refers to policy measures and market reforms aimed at promoting the widespread use of INR in cross-border transactions, trade settlements, and as a global reserve currency, enhancing India’s financial influence globally.