What is the common examiner trap about Polity in UPSC exams?

They will swap 'Census' with 'National Population Register (NPR)' or 'Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC)'. They will confuse 'Registrar General of India' (Census) with 'Registrar General of Citizen Registration' (NRC). In IBC, they will mix up 'Committee of Creditors' with 'Liquidator' roles. For LWE, they will ask about the number of 'Most Affected' districts (3: Bijapur, Narayanpur, Sukma) versus total 'Affected' districts (7).

What should UPSC aspirants remember about Polity for Prelims?

1. Target this Data: Census 2027 budget of ₹11,718.24 crore and start date of April 1, 2026. 2. Target this Nodal Body: Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India (under Ministry of Home Affairs). 3. Target this Legal Point: Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025 introduces Creditor-Initiated Insolvency Resolution Process (CIIRP). 4. Target this Constitutional Provision: Census is a Union subject under Entry 69 of the Seventh Schedule. 5. Target this Number: RBI's new cap on banks' net open forex exposure is $100 million.

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News 15 of 34

Census 2027 Phase-I Starts April 1; RBI Caps Forex Exposure at $100M Amid Rupee Slide; IBC Amendment Bill 2025 Passed

Q: The Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, which conducts the decennial Census in India, operates under which Union Ministry?

Ministry of Home Affairs, As per the article, the Census is conducted by the Registrar General of India (RGI), which comes under the Ministry of Home Affairs. This is a key static fact for Polity and Governance sections.

Q: Consider the following statements regarding developments mentioned in the article: 1. The first phase of Census 2027, involving House listing and Housing Census, is scheduled to begin on April 1, 2026. 2. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025, removes the liquidator’s powers of admitting or rejecting claims and transfers this power to the Committee of Creditors. 3. The Reserve Bank of India has instructed banks to limit their net open exposure in the foreign exchange market to $500 million by the end of each day. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Both 1 and 2, Statement 1 is correct as per the article: 'The first phase of Census 2027, the Houselisting and Housing Census, is scheduled to begin on April 1 this year.' Statement 2 is correct: 'The Bill removes the liquidator’s powers of admitting or rejecting claims and determining their value. It offers to the committee of creditors (CoC) the power to appoint or remove the liquidator...' Statement 3 is incorrect; the RBI cap is $100 million, not $500 million. Hence, option C is correct.

Q: As per the Ministry of Home Affairs review mentioned in the article, how many districts in India were categorised as 'LWE Affected' by the end of 2025?

38 districts, The article states: 'The number of LWE-affected districts has shrunk from nearly 200 in the early 2000s to just 38 by the end of 2025.' Option C is the historical figure, and option D refers to the number categorised as 'Most Affected'.

Q: What is the primary objective behind the Reserve Bank of India's directive to limit banks' net open foreign exchange exposure to $100 million?

To stabilize the falling value of the Indian Rupee and protect foreign exchange reserves., The article clearly states: 'The RBI’s goal in taking this step is to stabilise the falling rupee and protect the country’s foreign exchange reserves...' This is a direct application of monetary policy tools to manage currency volatility, a core concept for Economy and Banking exams.

Polity Economy Security & Defence Social Issues Science & TechCORE

Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCSSC GABankingTeachingPrelims HighMains HighStatic GK Link

31 Mar 2026

~2 min

Source: Indian Express

Key Data:₹11,718.24 croreApril 1, 2026Entry 69, Seventh Schedule$100 million$698.34 billion38 districts

Bodies:Registrar General and Census Commissioner, IndiaMinistry of Home AffairsReserve Bank of IndiaLok SabhaMinistry of Information and BroadcastingNational Commission for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (NCDNT)NASA

Practice MCQs from today's news ▸

~2 min · Quick mode

What This Article Covers

1.Census 2027 Phase-I (House Listing) starts April 1, with caste enumeration scheduled for Phase-II (Population Enumeration) in Feb 2027, conducted by Registrar General of India under MHA with a budget of ₹11,718.24 Cr.

2.RBI mandates banks limit net open forex exposure to $100M by April 10 to stem rupee slide, as forex reserves fell by $30B to $698.34B post West Asia conflict.

3.Lok Sabha passes Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill 2025 with 12 amendments, introducing Creditor-Initiated Insolvency Resolution Process (CIIRP) and shifting powers from liquidator to Committee of Creditors.

The Big Picture

Prelims · HighMains · High

Multiple high-impact developments crucial for aspirants: Census 2027 begins with caste enumeration in Phase-II; RBI imposes a $100M forex cap to stabilize the rupee; Lok Sabha passes the IBC Amendment Bill 2025; MHA deploys AI for internal security; and Maoist insurgency nears its end with March 31 deadline. This article provides essential data points and conceptual linkages for Polity, Economy, and Security sections.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Census 2027 Budget₹11,718.24 crore

Census 2027 Start DateApril 1, 2026 (Phase-I)

Census Constitutional EntryEntry 69, Seventh Schedule

RBI Forex Cap$100 million net open exposure

Current Forex Reserves$698.34 billion

LWE-Affected Districts (2026)38 (7 'Affected', 3 'Most Affected')

IBC Amendment BillInsolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025

Artemis II Mission Distance Record248,655 miles from Earth

1-Minute Revision

›Census 2027 Budget: ₹11,718.24 crore
›Census 2027 Start Date: April 1, 2026 (Phase-I)
›Target this Data: Census 2027 budget of ₹11,718.24 crore and start date of April 1, 2026.
›Target this Nodal Body: Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India (under Ministry of Home Affairs).
›Target this Legal Point: Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025 introduces Creditor-Initiated Insolvency Resolution Process (CIIRP).
›Target this Constitutional Provision: Census is a Union subject under Entry 69 of the Seventh Schedule.

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News Snapshot

📊

Census 2027 Structure

The 16th Census begins April 1 with self-enumeration, followed by house listing; caste data will be collected in Phase-II (Feb 2027), addressing a century-long gap.

💰

RBI's Rupee Defense

To curb rupee volatility, RBI caps banks' daily net forex exposure at $100M, as reserves dropped $30B and the rupee hit 94.81/USD.

⚖️

IBC Reforms Passed

The IBC Amendment Bill 2025, passed by Lok Sabha, introduces CIIRP for out-of-court insolvency and shifts liquidation powers to creditors to expedite resolutions.

Detailed Analysis & Strategic Depth

Context / Background

This article synthesizes multiple high-stakes policy developments. The Census 2027, a decennial constitutional exercise under Entry 69, gains significance due to the inclusion of caste data after nearly a century. Concurrently, macroeconomic pressures from global conflicts prompt RBI's defensive forex measures. The IBC amendments reflect a decade-long evolution of India's insolvency framework, while the MHA's AI deployment and the declared end of Maoist violence mark shifts in internal security strategy.

Core Analysis & Implications

The caste census, while politically sensitive, is a critical tool for evidence-based social justice and welfare targeting, impacting reservation policies and sub-categorization debates. The RBI's $100M cap is a tactical move to reduce speculative volatility and preserve reserves, but may constrain bank treasury operations. The IBC amendments aim to address procedural delays, a major criticism, by streamlining admission criteria and empowering creditors. The near-elimination of Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), with incidents down by four-fifths since 2010, transitions the challenge from security to governance and development in 'Legacy Thrust' districts.

Future Outlook / Way Forward

The success of Census 2027 hinges on smooth digital self-enumeration and societal cooperation. RBI may need further measures like FCNR(B)-style schemes if rupee pressure persists. The IBC amendments' efficacy will be tested in faster resolution timelines and higher recovery rates. For LWE, the focus shifts to consolidating state presence through infrastructure (15,000 km roads built) and preventing criminality from filling the insurgent vacuum. The MHA's AI tools (Surakshini, mule hunter) will face tests on privacy and efficacy.

Linkages to Syllabus & Current Trends

Polity: Census (GS I - Population), DNT/NT communities (GS I - Social Empowerment). Economy: IBC (GS III - Mobilization of Resources), RBI forex management (GS III - Indian Economy). Security: Maoism/LWE (GS III - Internal Security), AI in policing (GS III - IT). Environment: Radiative Forcing-based Accounting (GS III - Conservation). International: Artemis II mission (GS III - Space). This integrated coverage is typical of UPSC's interdisciplinary approach.

Key Facts at a Glance

Census 2027 Budget₹11,718.24 crore

Census 2027 Start DateApril 1, 2026 (Phase-I)

Census Constitutional EntryEntry 69, Seventh Schedule

RBI Forex Cap$100 million net open exposure

Current Forex Reserves$698.34 billion

LWE-Affected Districts (2026)38 (7 'Affected', 3 'Most Affected')

IBC Amendment BillInsolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025

Artemis II Mission Distance Record248,655 miles from Earth

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Practice exam-style questions based on this article.

Q1Static LinkageEasyUPSC, SSC, State PSC

The Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, which conducts the decennial Census in India, operates under which Union Ministry?

Q2Statement-basedHardUPSC, Banking

Consider the following statements regarding developments mentioned in the article:

1. The first phase of Census 2027, involving House listing and Housing Census, is scheduled to begin on April 1, 2026.

2. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025, removes the liquidator’s powers of admitting or rejecting claims and transfers this power to the Committee of Creditors.

3. The Reserve Bank of India has instructed banks to limit their net open exposure in the foreign exchange market to $500 million by the end of each day.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMediumUPSC, MPSC

As per the Ministry of Home Affairs review mentioned in the article, how many districts in India were categorised as 'LWE Affected' by the end of 2025?

Q4Application/ImpactMediumUPSC, Banking, SSC

What is the primary objective behind the Reserve Bank of India's directive to limit banks' net open foreign exchange exposure to $100 million?

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Census 2027 Phase-I Starts April 1; RBI Caps Forex Exposure at $100M Amid Rupee Slide; IBC Amendment Bill 2025 Passed

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

1-Minute Revision

News Snapshot

Census 2027 Structure

RBI's Rupee Defense

IBC Reforms Passed

Detailed Analysis & Strategic Depth

Context / Background

Core Analysis & Implications

Future Outlook / Way Forward

Linkages to Syllabus & Current Trends

Prelims Flashpoints

Key Facts at a Glance