Prelims GS I · 134 questions · 2016–2026
International relations & current affairs: every Prelims question, by topic
UPSC syllabus: “Current events of national and international importance.” Below, the topics inside it — most asked first — and how often each came up year by year.
International relations & current affairs in UPSC Prelims at a glance
UPSC has asked 134 questions on International relations & current affairs in GS Paper I from 2016 to 2026 — about 12 a year, the most in 2016 (23). The most-asked topic is International organisations & groupings (47 questions).
Counted from UPSC's own papers in the Vault, each question under its main subject · updated 16 Oct 2026.
- International organisations & groupings47 questions · asked in 11 of 11 years
- Government schemes & initiatives31 questions · asked in 11 of 11 years
- India & the world: places, pacts & relations17 questions · asked in 8 of 11 years
- Persons, awards & miscellany17 questions · asked in 7 of 11 years
- Security, defence & exercises14 questions · asked in 7 of 11 years
- Reports & indices8 questions · asked in 5 of 11 years
Latest questions
- 2026 · Q35 · Government schemes & initiativesConsider the following statements with reference to the Sagarmala Programme of the Government of India: I. The Sagarmala Programme seeks to achieve port-led economic grow…
- 2026 · Q38 · International organisations & groupingsAt the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) held in June, 2025 in France, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations demonstrated its leading vo…
- 2026 · Q60 · Security, defence & exercisesConsider the following statements about Mission Sudarshan Chakra of India:…
- 2026 · Q61 · India & the world: places, pacts & relationsConsider the following statements about river bridges connecting India with neighbouring countries:…
- 2026 · Q64 · India & the world: places, pacts & relationsWhich of the following international conventions have not been ratified by India?…
The same ground in Mains
These official Mains syllabus lines cover International relations & current affairs. Prelims facts become Mains arguments.
International relations & current affairs PYQs as a PDF — free
All 48 PDFs →Every International relations & current affairs question from 2016 to 2026, topic-wise, with answers and explanations — 98 pages. Free; sign up once.
International relations & current affairs PYQs: quick answers
How many International relations & current affairs questions has UPSC asked in Prelims from 2016 to 2026?
134 questions in GS Paper I — about 12 a year, the most in 2016 (23). Every one is on this page, under its topic, with UPSC's answer and an explanation.
Which International relations & current affairs topic does UPSC ask most in Prelims?
International organisations & groupings: 47 questions between 2016 and 2026, asked in 11 of 11 years. The topics are listed above, most asked first, each with its year-by-year trend.
Are the answers UPSC's official answer keys?
Yes. Every answer is from UPSC's final answer key (2016–2025); for 2026 UPSC has so far published a provisional key, and those answers are labelled. Explanations cite official sources — NCERT and government pages first.
Can I download the International relations & current affairs PYQs as a PDF?
Yes — a print-ready PDF of every International relations & current affairs question with answers and explanations (98 pages, 2 MB), free after a one-time sign-up, from the Vault's downloads page.
Counted from UPSC's own papers in the Vault; answers are UPSC's keys.