CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR 71st BPSC MAINS EXAM (GS Paper-1)

Introduction

Current affairs play a decisive role in all three stages of the BPSC examination—Prelims, Mains, and Interview. For the 71st BPSC Mains Exam (April 2026), current affairs preparation becomes even more crucial because questions are analytical and issue-based.
In this article, we discuss a clear preparation strategy for current affairs for 71st BPSC Mains exam, focusing on topic selection, weightage, and smart study methods. Since current affairs are dynamic in nature, the list of topics mentioned below should always be treated as flexible and update-oriented.

Weightage of Current Affairs in 71st BPSC Mains Exam

Current events of National and International Importance are covered under General Studies Paper-1 (Part-2) in the BPSC Mains syllabus.

Question Pattern

• Question No. 01 (Compulsory Short Answers)
  • 5 sub-questions
  • Each of 8/7 marks
  • Total: 38 marks
• Question No. 02 & Question No. 03 (Long Answers)
  • Each question has two options
  • Candidate attempts one question from each
  • 38 marks each

Total marks for Current Affairs in GS Paper-1: 114 marks. This clearly shows the high weightage of current affairs in 71st BPSC Mains exam.

How to approach Current Affairs for 71st BPSC Mains Exam

The most important rule while preparing current affairs for BPSC Mains exam is: Follow a SINGLE reliable source

• Avoid multiple magazines and newspapers
• Multiple sources lead to confusion and poor revision

Recommended Source

During preparation, following one monthly current affairs magazine is sufficient.

• Civil Services Chronicle
  • Covers national & international issues in detail
  • Useful for both Prelims and Mains
  • Available in Hindi and English

Revise the same magazine multiple times instead of reading many sources once.

How to choose Current Affairs topics for 71st BPSC Mains

For effective preparation of current affairs for 71st BPSC Mains exam:

• Select 3–4 important topics every month from your magazine
• Prepare short, exam-oriented notes
• Focus on:
  • Background
  • Current developments
  • Bihar & India relevance
  • Way forward

If followed consistently for 12 months, you will have 35–40 high-quality current affairs topics, from which most questions are likely to be asked.

Most important Current Affairs topics for 71st BPSC Mains

Below is a list of high-priority static-cum-current topics for BPSC Mains GS Paper-1. Many of these topics are also relevant for GS Paper-2 (Polity, Geography, Economy).

Most important Current Affairs topics

• SCO and India
• BRICS and India
• China–India relations
• India–Nepal relations
• India and ASEAN
• SAARC, BIMSTEC and India
• India–EU relations after Brexit
• QUAD and China
• Non-Aligned Movement
• AUKUS
• Election Freebies
• I2U2 Grouping
• G-20 Summit in India
• Ethnic violence in Manipur
• Uniform Civil Code
• Chandrayaan-3 Mission
• National Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI)
• NATO+ and India
• Gender Equality in India
• NRC and Illegal Immigrants
• Regional Trade Blocs and India (RCEP)
• West Asia crisis and India
• USA–India relations
• India and United Nations (UNSC Permanent Membership)
• Indian Ocean Maritime Security (South China Sea context)
• India and Central Asia (Geopolitics & Economic Cooperation)
• India–Bangladesh relations
• India–Pakistan relations
• World Happiness Report and India
• World Gender Gap Report and India
• World Hunger Report and India
• World Press Freedom Index

Questions in 71st BPSC Mains are highly likely to emerge from these areas.

Conclusion

Current affairs form a core component of success in the 71st BPSC Mains exam. A disciplined approach—single source, selective topics, regular revision, and answer-oriented notes—is the key.
If aspirants follow the above-mentioned strategy and focus on the suggested topics, they can significantly improve their performance in GS Paper-1 (Current Events of National and International Importance).

Complete BPSC Mains GS Notes – All Subjects (Single Course)

Enrolled candidates get full PDF notes for all GS papers, including:

• History
• Current Affairs
• Polity
• Geography & Economy
• Science & Tech
• Bihar-specific value addition
• Answer-writing ready content

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