| Download PSIR & GS2 Daily Brief- 13 – October – 2026 Today’s brief covers these important themes: Sanjeev Chopra in ThePrint proposes a method for selecting Election Commissioners built on merit, seniority and transparency. Suhas Palshikar in The Indian Express reads the crackdown on the Jantar Mantar protests as one more closure in Indian democracy and calls for re-democratisation. Philip H. Gordon in Foreign Affairs argues that the United States should stay engaged in West Asia with a smaller and cheaper presence. Elizabeth Roche in The Diplomat examines how the suspension of Indian IT firms from the PERM green-card route strains India-US ties. Avinash Paliwal in a Carnegie Endowment paper assesses how long Sri Lanka’s neutrality among India, China and the United States can hold. UPSC has previously asked question on these themes: • PSIR Paper II, 2026: Accelerating of Chinese influence across South Asia is fundamentally reshaping the region’s geopolitical landscape. This is a big foreign policy challenge for India. Analyse. • PSIR Paper II, 2026: India has recognised that West Asia is not a single contest, but a tangle of rivalries, bargains and anxieties. Comment. • GS Paper II, 2026: Is the right to vote a fundamental right? Discuss the position of the Election Commission of India while undertaking the revision of electoral rolls. Can it also examine the question of citizenship of voters? • PSIR Paper I, 2025: There is a debate on the procedure for appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners to the Election Commission of India. Analyse its various aspects. • PSIR Paper II, 2025: The world currently has been in the throes of a twin process of ‘democratic backsliding’ and ‘democratic backlash’. How would you explain this paradox? • PSIR Paper II, 2024: “India and USA have become such strong strategic partners that they need not become formal allies.” Comment. • PSIR Paper II, 2024: Despite deep ties, India’s relations with Sri Lanka have seen strains due to China’s growing influence in Sri Lanka through investments and economic dominance. Analyse. | Click Here to Download |
In a world where political developments evolve rapidly and international dynamics shift constantly, staying informed is essential for every serious student of Political Science and International Relations (PSIR). The PSIR & GS2 Daily Brief is an initiative designed to bridge the gap between daily news events and their deeper theoretical, conceptual, and analytical relevance within the PSIR syllabus.
This daily brief provides a structured and comprehensive analysis of important national and international developments through the lens of political theory, comparative politics, Indian politics, and international relations.
Rather than merely reporting events, it seeks to explain why these developments matter, how they connect with core PSIR concepts, and what implications they hold for academic understanding and examination preparation.
By consistently engaging with daily events in a concept-oriented manner, the PSIR Daily Brief aims to cultivate a habit of critical thinking and informed interpretation of contemporary politics.
This initiative ultimately aspires to transform everyday news into meaningful academic insight– making PSIR not just a subject to study, but a framework to understand the world.