Prelims GS I · 159 questions · 2011–2026
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 Prelims 2017: 13 questions
All years →- Q3 · Government schemes & initiatives'Recognition of Prior Learning Scheme' is sometimes mentioned in the news with reference to…
- Q9 · Reports & indicesWhich of the following gives 'Global Gender Gap Index' ranking to the countries of the world?…
- Q10 · Government schemes & initiativesWhich of the following statements is/are correct regarding Smart India Hackathon 2017? It is a centrally sponsored scheme for developing every city of our country into Smart Cities in a decade. It is …
- Q18 · International organisations & groupingsThe term ‘Digital Single Market Strategy’ seen in the news refers to…
- Q23 · Government schemes & initiativesWhich of the following are the objectives of ‘National Nutrition Mission’? To create awareness relating to malnutrition among pregnant women and lactating mothers. To reduce the incidence of anaemia a…
- Q28 · International organisations & groupingsConsider the following statements: The Nuclear Security Summits are periodically held under the aegis of the United Nations. The International Panel on Fissile Materials is an organ of International A…
- Q41 · International organisations & groupingsWith reference to ‘Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Housing and Urban Development (APMCHUD)’, consider the following statements: The first APMCHUD was held in India in 2006 on the theme ‘Emergin…
- Q60 · International organisations & groupingsWith reference to the role of UN-Habitat in the United Nations programme working towards a better urban future, which of the statements is/are correct? UN-Habitat has been mandated by the United Natio…
- Q63 · Government schemes & initiativesConsider the following in respect of ‘National Career Service’: National Career Service is an initiative of the Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India. National Career Service has b…
- Q68 · Security, defence & exercisesConsider the following in respect of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS): Inaugural IONS was held in India in 2015 under the chairmanship of the Indian Navy. IONS is a voluntary initiative that seeks …
- Q84 · India & the world: places, pacts & relationsWhat is the importance of developing Chabahar Port by India?…
- Q88 · Government schemes & initiativesWhat is the purpose of ‘Vidyanjali Yojana’? To enable the famous foreign educational institutions to open their campuses in India. To increase the quality of education provided in government schools b…
- Q89 · Government schemes & initiativesWhat is the aim of the programme ‘Unnat Bharat Abhiyan’?…
International relations & current affairs in UPSC Prelims at a glance
UPSC has asked 159 questions on International relations & current affairs in GS Paper I from 2011 to 2026 — about 10 a year, the most in 2016 (23). The most-asked topic is International organisations & groupings (56 questions).
| Year | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Questions | 6 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 14 | 15 | 11 | 21 |
Counted from UPSC's own papers in the Vault, each question under its main subject · updated 8 Nov 2026.
- International organisations & groupings56 questions · asked in 14 of 16 years
- Government schemes & initiatives36 questions · asked in 15 of 16 years
- Persons, awards & miscellany22 questions · asked in 9 of 16 years
- India & the world: places, pacts & relations20 questions · asked in 11 of 16 years
- Security, defence & exercises15 questions · asked in 8 of 16 years
- Reports & indices10 questions · asked in 7 of 16 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 2011 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 2011 to 2026?
159 questions in GS Paper I — about 10 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: 56 questions between 2011 and 2026, asked in 14 of 16 years. The topics are listed above, most asked first, each with its year-by-year trend.
Are the answers UPSC's official answer keys?
From 2016, yes: every answer is from UPSC's final answer key (2016–2025); for 2011–2015, where UPSC published no key online, each answer is worked out from official sources and reviewed independently; 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.
