Prelims General Studies Paper I

The Election Commission of India (ECI) convened a key conference with Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) from all states and Union Territories on September 11, 2025, to prepare for a nationwide Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Highlighting Bihar's ongoing SIR, where over 75% of existing voters were successfully linked to the 2003 rolls, the ECI directed states to focus on similar matching exercises with their last intensive revision records. This step aims to reduce the burden of document submission for voters and maintain the integrity of electoral rolls amid concerns over duplicates and ineligible entries, especially ahead of upcoming assembly elections in several states.

The Supreme Court, during a hearing on a presidential reference, stressed that governors are expected to grant assent to state assembly-passed bills within a reasonable time, while cautioning against setting rigid time limits due to potential risks of excessive judicial intervention in legislative processes. This observation came amid pleas from opposition-ruled states like Kerala, Karnataka, and Punjab, highlighting delays by governors in acting on bills, prompting debates on constitutional obligations and gubernatorial discretion.

The Union Ministry of Culture is organizing an international conference in New Delhi from September 11 to 13, 2025, to discuss ongoing efforts to decipher the enigmatic Harappan script of the Indus Valley Civilization. This event, hosted by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), will feature presentations from experts including archaeologists, engineers, and linguists, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending on September 12 and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on September 13, highlighting its national importance amid renewed interest in ancient Indian heritage.

The Supreme Court, on September 8, 2025, issued a directive to the Election Commission of India to include Aadhaar as the 12th document for verifying voter identity during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. This step addresses fears of large-scale voter exclusion ahead of the state's Assembly elections, while the court made it clear that Aadhaar does not serve as evidence of citizenship. The order came during hearings on petitions challenging the revision process, which has sparked political debates and confusion over document requirements for proving eligibility.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has announced that the 2027 Census will be India's first fully digital exercise, where nearly 34 lakh enumerators will use their own smartphones and dedicated mobile apps to collect data, replacing traditional paper-based methods. This move aims to ensure real-time data processing, faster publication, and enhanced accuracy for policy-making. The announcement comes amid preparations for the census, delayed from 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and includes new features like self-enumeration and caste data collection to support welfare schemes and delimitation of constituencies.

The 56th GST Council meeting has introduced significant rate reductions on inputs in key sectors like textiles and fertilizers, easing the inverted duty structure where input taxes exceed output taxes. However, persistent wide gaps between these rates continue to raise concerns among industries, primarily due to delays in input tax credit refunds and resulting working capital blockages, prompting calls for faster processing mechanisms.

Recent archaeological excavations have revealed a remarkably well-preserved Harappan civilization settlement, providing new insights into their urban planning and technological capabilities. 123

The Union government has approved the expansion of the Sundarbans Tiger Reserve in West Bengal by 1,044 sq km, making it the second-largest tiger reserve in India after the Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve.

India has recently submitted nominations for three new sites to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, including ancient Buddhist monasteries in Himachal Pradesh. This comes as existing heritage sites face mounting conservation challenges due to tourism and urbanization.

The Women's Reservation Act 2023, passed by Parliament in September, mandates 33% reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies. However, its implementation depends on delimitation exercises and constitutional amendments that may take several years.