International Relations and Current Affairs: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Prelims)
182 previous year UPSC Prelims International Relations and Current Affairs questions are on this page, from 2011 to 2025, in 3 chapters. International Relations is the largest, covering groupings, treaties, reports and countries in the news. Current Affairs and Miscellaneous add national schemes, awards, sports and institutions. The set is recent, so the explanations state facts as of the year each question was asked.
Explanations state facts as of the year each question was asked; words like “recently” refer to that year.
Showing 61–70 of 182 questions
Browse International Relations and Current Affairs chaptersBrowse by year
UPSC 2022International Relations and Current Affairs · Miscellaneous
Q61. Consider the following: 1. Aarogya Setu 2. CoWIN 3. DigiLocker 4. DIKSHA Which of the above are built on top of open-source digital platforms?
Explanation
Open-source digital platforms enable transparency, scalability, and accessibility in India’s e-governance initiatives. Aarogya Setu (contact tracing for COVID-19) was later open-sourced to enhance security and transparency. CoWIN (COVID-19 vaccination platform) was built using an open-source framework to facilitate large-scale vaccination tracking. DigiLocker (cloud-based document storage) operates on an open-source framework, allowing citizens to access digital documents securely. DIKSHA (Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing) is an open-source platform for education and teacher training.
UPSC 2022International Relations and Current Affairs · Miscellaneous
Q62. With reference to Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, consider the following statements: 1. Private and public hospitals must adopt it. 2. As it aims to achieve universal health coverage, every citizen of India should be part of it ultimately. 3. It has seamless portability across the country. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect: The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) is a flagship program for creating a unified digital health infrastructure in India. While hospitals are encouraged to adopt it, there is no mandatory requirement for private hospitals to join ABDM.
Statement 2 is incorrect: ABDM aims to improve accessibility to digital health services, but it is not mandatory for all citizens.
Statement 3 is correct: ABDM offers seamless portability across India, enabling citizens to access health records digitally, irrespective of location.
UPSC 2021International Relations and Current Affairs · International Relations
Q63. Consider the following statements: 1. The Global Ocean Commission grants licences for seabed exploration and mining in international waters. 2. India has received licences for seabed mineral exploration in international waters. 3. ‘Rare earth minerals’ are present on the seafloor in international waters. Which of the statements given above are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect: The Global Ocean Commission (GOC) does not grant licenses for seabed mining. The Inter-national Seabed Authority (ISA) established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is responsible for granting licenses for seabed exploration and mining in international waters.
Statement 2 is correct: India has been granted licenses by the International Seabed Authority (ISA) for seabed mineral exploration in international waters. India has received a contract to explore polymetallic sulfides in the Indian Ocean Ridge. The Indian Ministry of Earth Sciences and NIOT (National Institute of Ocean Technology) are leading the project.
Statement 3 is correct: Rare earth elements (REEs) are found in deep-sea sediments, polymetallic nodules, and hydrothermal vents in international waters. These include elements like neo-dymium, yttrium, and dysprosium, which are essential for electronics, renewable energy, and defense industries.
UPSC 2021International Relations and Current Affairs · Current Affairs
Q64. Consider the following statements in respect of the ICC World Test Championship: 1. The finalists were decided by the number of matches they won. 2. New Zealand was ranked ahead of England because it won more matches than England. Which of the above statements is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect: Instead, the ranking was based on the percentage of points (PCT) earned from matches played. Due to COVID-19 disruptions, the ICC modified the ranking system in 2020, and PCT (Points Percentage System) be-came the deciding factor rather than just the number of wins.
Statement 2 is incorrect: England won more matches than New Zealand in the WTC cycle (England won 11, New Zealand won 7). However, New Zealand had a higher PCT (70%) compared to England (61.4%), securing their place in the final.
UPSC 2021International Relations and Current Affairs · Current Affairs
Q65. Consider the following statements: Statement 1: The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and the Arbor Day Foundation have recently recognized Hyderabad as 2020 Tree City of the World. Statement 2: Hyderabad was selected for the recognition for a year following its commitment to grow and maintain the urban forests. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect: Hyderabad was recognized as the "2020 Tree City of the World", but not by the UNCDF. The recognition was given by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the Arbor Day Foundation, not the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF).
Statement 2 is correct: Hyderabad was selected due to its urban afforestation initiatives, including the Haritha Haram Program, which focuses on increasing green cover and maintaining urban forests. The city met the Tree Cities of the World standards, which require maintaining urban greenery, community involvement, and sustainable forestry policies.
UPSC 2021International Relations and Current Affairs · Current Affairs
Q66. Consider the following statements: 1. 21st February is declared to be the International Mother Language Day by UNICEF. 2. The demand that Bangla has to be one of the national languages was raised in the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan. Which of the above statements is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect: 21st February is recognized as International Mother Language Day by UNESCO, not UNICEF. It was proclaimed by UNESCO in 1999 and observed worldwide since 2000. The day commemorates the 1952 Bengali Language Movement in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), where protesters were killed for demanding Bangla as an official language.
Statement 2 is correct: In 1948, Dhirendranath Datta, a member from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), raised the demand for Bangla to be recognized as one of the national languages of Pakistan in the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan. The West Pakistani leadership rejected the demand, leading to protests and eventually the Bengali Language Movement (Bhasha Andolon). This movement later contributed to the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971.
Additional insight:
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), established on 16 November 1945, is a specialized UN agency headquartered in Paris, France. With 194 member states and nearly 11 associate members, UNESCO promotes global peace and security through international collaboration in education, sciences, culture, and communication. Its initiatives include safeguarding cultural heritage, advancing literacy, fostering sustainable development, and supporting press freedom. UNESCO also designates World Heritage Sites and leads programs like the Man and the Biosphere (MAB). Focused on priorities such as Africa and gender equality, it plays a pivotal role in achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
UPSC 2021International Relations and Current Affairs · Miscellaneous
Q67. Consider the following statements in respect of the 32nd Summer Olympics: 1. The official motto for this Olympics is ‘A New World’. 2. Sport Climbing, Surfing, Skateboarding, Karate and Baseball are included in this Olympics. Which of the above statements is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect: The 32nd Summer Olympics, originally scheduled for 2020 but held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was one of the most unprecedented edi-tions in Olympic history. The official motto for Tokyo 2020 was "United by Emotion," a departure from the 2016 Rio Olympics’ motto, "A New World."
Statement 2 is correct: The Tokyo Olympics saw the addition of five new sports, Sport Climbing, Surfing, Skateboarding, Karate, and Baseball/Softball (which returned after being removed in 2008). These sports were included to enhance youth engagement and bring more diversity to the Games.
UPSC 2021International Relations and Current Affairs · Miscellaneous
Q68. Consider the following statements in respect of the Laureus World Sports Award which was instituted in the year 2000: 1. American golfer Tiger Woods was the first winner of this award. 2. The award was received mostly by ‘Formula One’ players so far. 3. Roger Federer received this award maximum number of times compared to others. Which of the above statements are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: The Laureus World Sports Award, also known as the ‘Oscar of Sports’, recognizes exceptional performances in global sports annually. Tiger Woods was the first-ever winner of the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award in 2000, following his dominance in golf.
Statement 2 is incorrect: Formula One drivers have received the award, but it has not been mostly won by them. Instead, tennis, golf, and athletics players have been frequent recipients.
Statement 3 is correct: Roger Federer holds the record for the most wins (5 times: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2018) in the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year category.
UPSC 2021International Relations and Current Affairs · Miscellaneous
Q69. Consider the following statements in respect of Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards: 1. Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards are titles under the Article 18(1) of the Constitution of India. 2. Padma Awards, which were instituted in the year 1954, were suspended only once. 3. The number of Bharat Ratna Awards is restricted to a maximum of five in a particular year. Which of the above statements are not correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect: The Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards are among India’s highest civilian honors, conferred by the President of India. As per Article 18(1) of the Constitution, the State shall not confer titles except military and academic distinctions. However, Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards are not considered "titles" and have been upheld by the Supreme Court.
Statement 2 is incorrect: The Padma Awards, instituted in 1954, were suspended twice, in 1977 and 1993 due to policy reviews.
Statement 3 is incorrect: The maximum number of Bharat Ratna awards per year is limited to three, not five. However, in 2024, this honour was bestowed upon five distinguished personalities namely, Karpoori Thakur, L. K. Advani, P. V. Narasimha Rao, Charan Singh, and M. S. Swaminathan.
UPSC 2020International Relations and Current Affairs · International Relations
Q70. In which one of the following groups are all the four countries members of G20?
Explanation
The G20 (Group of Twenty) is an international forum consisting of 19 countries, African Union and the European Union. It represents the world’s largest economies, including both industrialized and developing nations. The G20 focuses on global economic issues, financial stability, and sustainable devel-opment. G20 Member Countries include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada; China, France, Germany, India; Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea (South Korea), Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkiye, United Kingdom, United States, Europe-an Union and African Union.
Option (a) is correct: Argentina, Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey all are members of G20
Option (b) is incorrect: Malaysia and New Zealand are not a part of G20
Option (c) is incorrect: Iran & Vietnam are not a part of G20
Option (d) is incorrect: Singapore is not a member of G20.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
61
2022
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
62
2022
(b) 3 only
63
2021
(b) 2 and 3 only
64
2021
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
65
2021
(d) Statement 1 is not correct but Statement 2 is correct.
66
2021
(b) 2 only
67
2021
(b) 2 only
68
2021
(c) 1 and 3 only
69
2021
(d) 1, 2 and 3
70
2020
(a) Argentina, Mexico, South Africa and Turkey
What UPSC has tested in International Relations and Current Affairs
Questions about reports and indices ask which organisation publishes them, such as the World Economic Forum, the IMF, the World Bank and the World Justice Project.
Country-grouping questions ask how many of the listed countries belong to a group, such as NATO, G20 or UPI payment partners.
Current-affairs items in recent papers include the AI Action Summit, the Kho Kho World Cup, the Chess Olympiad and the Gandhi Peace Prize jury.
Many items are one-line identifications: what a term means, who wrote a book, or which body issued a report.
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on International Relations and Current Affairs?
This page covers 182 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on International Relations and Current Affairs, asked from 2011 to 2025. Each has the correct answer and an explanation.
Which chapters does International Relations and Current Affairs have?
Three: International Relations with 91 questions, Current Affairs with 48 and Miscellaneous with 43. International Relations covers groupings, treaties and countries in the news, while the other two cover national schemes, institutions, sports and awards.
Which years do these questions cover?
They run from 2011 to 2025, so almost all are recent. This keeps the facts closer to today, although each explanation states the position as it stood in the year the question was asked.
Are the 2025 questions on BRICS, BIMSTEC and the AI Action Summit included?
Yes. The 2025 paper’s questions on BRICS, BIMSTEC, INSTC, the Minerals Security Partnership, NATO membership, the AI Action Summit, Kho Kho and the Gandhi Peace Prize jury are included with their explanations.
