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 2023: 14 questions
All years →- Q30 · International organisations & groupingsConsider the following infrastructure sectors: Affordable housing Mass rapid transport Health care Renewable energy…
- Q51 · Government schemes & initiativesConsider the following statements in relation to Janani Suraksha Yojana: It is a safe motherhood intervention of the State Health Departments. Its objective is to reduce maternal and neonatal mortalit…
- Q52 · Government schemes & initiativesConsider the following statements in the context of interventions being undertaken under Anaemia Mukt Bharat Strategy: It provides prophylactic calcium supplementation for pre-school children, adolesc…
- Q78 · India & the world: places, pacts & relationsWhich one of the following countries has been suffering from decades of civil strife and food shortages and was in news in the recent past for its very severe famine?…
- Q84 · Persons, awards & miscellanyConsider the following statements in respect of the National Flag of India according to the Flag Code of India, 2002: One of the standard sizes of the National Flag of India is 600 mm × 400 mm. The ra…
- Q87 · International organisations & groupingsConsider the following statements: Recently, the United States of America (USA) and the European Union (EU) have launched the ‘Trade and Technology Council’. The USA and the EU claim that through this…
- Q89 · International organisations & groupingsConsider the following statements: The 'Stability and Growth Pact' of the European Union is a treaty that limits the levels of the budgetary deficit of the countries of the European Union makes the co…
- Q90 · International organisations & groupingsConsider the following statements: Recently, all the countries of the United Nations have adopted the first-ever compact for international migration, the 'Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular …
- Q91 · Security, defence & exercisesWith reference to Home Guards, consider the following statements: Home Guards are raised under the Home Guards Act and Rules of the Central Government. The role of the Home Guards is to serve as an au…
- Q93 · India & the world: places, pacts & relationsConsider the following pairs: North Kivu and Ituri — War between Armenia and Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh — Insurgency in Mozambique Kherson and Zaporizhzhia — Dispute between Israel and Lebanon…
- Q94 · India & the world: places, pacts & relationsConsider the following statements: Israel has established diplomatic relations with some Arab States. The 'Arab Peace Initiative' mediated by Saudi Arabia was signed by Israel and Arab League.…
- Q95 · Government schemes & initiativesConsider the following pairs with regard to sports awards: Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award — For the most spectacular and outstanding performance by a sportsperson over period of last four years Ar…
- Q96 · Persons, awards & miscellanyConsider the following statements in respect of the 44th Chess Olympiad, 2022: It was the first time that Chess Olympiad was held in India. The official mascot was named 'Thambi'. The trophy for the w…
- Q100 · International organisations & groupingsConsider the following statements about G-20: The G-20 group was originally established as a platform for the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors to discuss the international economic and fin…
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.
