What to read in Indian Express
21 November 2025
| Headline | Page No. | GS Paper & Topic | Theme / Issue | UPSC Relevance / Analytical Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No timelines for President and Governors on Bill: Supreme Court | 1 | GS 2 – Polity & Governance | Powers of President & Governor, Legislative Procedure | Landmark ruling clarifies Articles 200–201, asserting that judiciary cannot prescribe deadlines for constitutional authorities. Reaffirms separation of powers and discretionary functions. |
| CPCB to monitor Yamuna with Delhi and Haryana | 5 | GS 3 – Environment & Ecology | River pollution & inter-state governance | Strengthens CPCB–State coordination for Yamuna restoration under NMCG. Links to NGT guidelines, water quality monitoring, and polluter-pays principle. |
| ‘SC bench opinion… will be debated for years to come’ | 8 | GS 2 – Polity & Governance | Federal relations & executive discretion | Commentary on long-term implications of SC judgment on Governor’s assent powers—balancing judicial review and executive prerogative. |
| India-born cheetah Mukhi becomes mother to 5 cubs at Kuno National Park | 9 | GS 3 – Environment & Biodiversity | Species reintroduction & conservation | Major success for Cheetah Reintroduction Project (2022) under Project Cheetah initiative. Highlights species adaptation, prey base, and ecosystem restoration. |
| Court safeguards India’s constitutional architecture (Editorial) | 10 | GS 2 – Polity & Governance | Judicial review & checks and balances | Praises SC for reaffirming constitutional propriety by limiting interference with executive timelines—strengthens basic structure doctrine. |
| SC takes welcome step back, restores balance (Editorial) | 10 | GS 2 – Polity & Governance | Federalism, judicial restraint, and separation of powers | Explains importance of judicial restraint in maintaining constitutional harmony between institutions. Useful for Centre–State relations answers. |
| Parliament is the people’s voice. On EC, government is gagging it (Editorial) | 11 | GS 2 – Polity & Governance | Parliamentary accountability & ECI independence | Critiques executive dominance over EC appointments. Links to SC’s 2023 ECI verdict, Articles 324–329, and democratic oversight. |
| Gen Franco died 50 years ago, but the dictator is still winning new fans in Spain | 14 | GS 2 – Polity & Governance / Democracy | Rise of authoritarian nostalgia | Discusses resurgence of authoritarian populism & revisionist politics. Useful for comparative politics & GS4 (Ethics – democratic values). |
| RBI Governor: ‘Good trade deal’ with US to ease current account, rupee pressure | 15 | GS 3 – Indian Economy / External Sector | BoP & exchange rate management | Suggests trade diversification with US to stabilise rupee. Relates to Current Account Deficit, FOREX reserves, and global trade policy. |
| Why proposal for tighter emission norms has triggered a small vs big car debate | 15 | GS 3 – Economy & Environment | Sustainable development & industrial regulation | Analyses emission control norms and their impact on MSME automakers. Links to Bharat Stage VI standards and EV transition policy. |
| How SC answered the 14 questions President posed | 16 | GS 2 – Polity & Governance | Federal relations & judicial interpretation | Explains SC’s reasoning on Governor’s role (Articles 200–201, 143) and judicial review scope under Article 142. Key case for federal jurisprudence. |
| Semeru erupts: What causes volcanic eruptions? Why are some more explosive? | 16 | GS 1 – Geography / Geophysical Phenomena | Volcanic activity & hazards | Describes magma viscosity, tectonic subduction zones, and pyroclastic eruptions. Enriches GS1 Geography & Disaster Management answers. |