Cryosphere, Geohazards, and Ancient Re-evaluations: UPSC Current Affairs Analysis & Study Strategy

In-Depth Analysis

The Big Picture

The Indian subcontinent is witnessing a convergence of 'deep-time' geological shifts and 'rapid-onset' climate degradation. While the Indian plate continues its northward tectonic push (causing instability), the cryosphere—the region's primary water tower—is collapsing at an unprecedented rate, necessitating a move from static boundary management to dynamic, transboundary environmental diplomacy.

Cross-Theme Insight

Together, these threads reveal that the 'Third Pole' is no longer a stable geographical feature but a volatile climate-tectonic zone. The decline of the Indus Valley Civilization due to centuries-long mega-droughts (Thread 4) serves as a historical mirror to the current snow persistence decline (Thread 3), suggesting that water security is the singular, recurring pivot of South Asian civilizational survival.

Textbook vs Reality Gap

Standard textbooks like Majid Husain (Geography of India, 9th ed., p. 27) state that '75% of Himalayan glaciers are melting,' but current 2025-26 reports like the 'State of the Cryosphere 2025' and the declaration of Nepal’s Yala Glacier as 'dead' indicate a total ecosystem shift beyond mere 'receding' to 'terminal status.' Similarly, while textbooks (NCERT Class XI, Drainage System, p. 23) describe subsidence as a historical geological event, the 2025 study 'Building Damage Risk in Sinking Indian Megacities' shows that subsidence is now a contemporary urban crisis affecting 878 km² across Delhi and Mumbai.

How This Theme Is Evolving

In 2025-2026, the focus has shifted from general 'climate awareness' to 'predictive precision' (e.g., IIT Guwahati’s GLOF framework) and 'geopolitical friction' over melting resources (e.g., Indus Waters Treaty tensions at the U.N. glacier conference).

UPSC Exam Intelligence

Previous Year Question Pattern

Geography and History questions are increasingly blending. While older PYQs (IAS 1995, NID 2989) focused on simple plate movement, and CAPF 2013 (NID 10396) focused on general IVC decline theories, the trend is moving toward 'multi-proxy' scientific evidence. Glacial locations (CDS 2024, NID 14732) and pass-links (CDS 2013, NID 13426) remain static staples, but the 'cause-effect' relationship of urban geomorphology is the new frontier.

Probable Prelims Angles

• The location and uniqueness of the Pamir-Karakoram Anomaly (resistance to melting).
• Scientific term for the 'Doomsday Glacier' (Thwaites) and its location (Amundsen Sea).
• Routes of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra (Lipulekh Pass vs. Nathu La Pass).
• Nothopegia fossil discovery in Assam as evidence of the Himalayan uplift link to Western Ghats.
• Identification of the Hayli Gubbi volcano (Ethiopia) and its cross-continental ash impact.

Mains Answer Framework

• The Himalayan cryosphere, often termed the 'Third Pole,' is transitioning from a perennial water source to a primary driver of regional geohazards and water insecurity.
• Glacial retreat and GLOFs (Glacial Lake Outburst Floods) as threats to downstream infrastructure, citing the 2026 IIT Guwahati predictive framework.. The shift in urban geomorphology where land subsidence in megacities like Bengaluru and Kolkata (878 km² affected) challenges traditional disaster management.. The role of international monitoring (e.g., State of the Cryosphere Report 2025) in establishing a global carbon budget based on cryosphere loss.
• Sustainable Himalayan development requires a 'Science-Diplomacy' nexus that integrates indigenous knowledge with modern predictive frameworks to ensure water and energy security.

Essay Connections

• 'History repeats itself, first as tragedy, then as farce' — Use the paleoclimate study of IVC droughts to argue why current water management in the Indus-Ganga basin must ignore political boundaries.

Preparation Strategy

Reading Approach

Start with NCERT Class XI (Physical Environment) to understand the Tectonic-Drainage link, then supplement with the 2025-2026 news items to see how these 'static' physical features are now 'dynamic' hazard zones.

Textbook Roadmap

• Geography of India, Majid Husain, p. 24-25. Table 2.3: Main Glaciers of the Himalayan Region. Thread 1 and 3 (Glacial instability/Water security)
• THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART I, NCERT, p. 1. Chapter 1: Bricks, Beads and Bones (Time span and phases). Thread 4 (IVC re-evaluation)
• Physical Geography by PMF IAS, p. 80. Geomorphic Movements: Subsidence. Thread 5 (Urban land sinking)

Revision Bullets

• 878 km²: Area of land subsiding across 5 Indian megacities.
• 24.1% and 24.5%: Snow persistence deficit in Ganga and Indus basins (2025).
• 2425–1400 BCE: Period of four identified mega-droughts that led to IVC decline.
• 5 cm/year: Rate of Indian plate's northward tectonic movement.
• 24 million years: Age of Nothopegia fossils found in Assam's Makum Coalfield.
• Dirang, Arunachal Pradesh: Site of Northeast India's first geothermal production well (115°C).

Sub-Themes and News Coverage (7 themes, 27 news items)

Hindu Kush-Himalaya (HKH) Glacial Instability & Regional Response

Focus: Items focus specifically on the glacial dynamics, disasters, and geopolitical tensions within the Hindu Kush-Himalaya region (the 'Third Pole').

UPSC Value: Useful for studying the regional impact of climate change on South Asian water security, disaster management (GLOFs), and transboundary river diplomacy.

5 news items in this theme:

• 2026-01-30 [Environment & Ecology] — IIT Guwahati develops framework to identify glacial lake formation sites
  Prof. Ajay Dashora and research scholar Anushka Vashistha from IIT Guwahati and Afroz Ahmad Shah (Universiti of Brunei Darussalam) have developed a predictive framework to identify potential glacial lake formation sites in the Eastern Himalayas. The findings were published in Nature's Scientific Reports journal.
  More details

  UPSC Angle: IIT Guwahati develops framework to identify glacial lake formation sites.

  Key Facts:

  • Prof. Ajay Dashora (IIT Guwahati)
  • Anushka Vashistha (IIT Guwahati)
  • Afroz Ahmad Shah (Universiti of Brunei Darussalam)
  • Developed predictive framework for glacial lake formation in Eastern Himalayas
  • Published in Nature's Scientific Reports journal
• 2025-12-18 [Geography] — Study of Pamir Glaciers Reveals Resistance to Melting
  Ice cores from the Pamir Mountains are being studied to understand why its glaciers have resisted melting despite global warming. The phenomenon is referred to as the Pamir–Karakoram Anomaly.
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  UPSC Angle: Pamir glaciers resist melting due to Pamir–Karakoram Anomaly.

  Key Facts:

  • Ice cores from Pamir Mountains being studied
  • Focus: Understanding why glaciers resist melting
  • Phenomenon: Pamir–Karakoram Anomaly
• 2025-10-17 [Environment & Ecology] — Himalayan Glacier Retreat and Climate Risks
  Himalayan glaciers are retreating faster than the global average, contributing to flash floods and glacial lake formation in regions like Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh, as highlighted by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and the Himalayan State Climate Outlook 2025. The Sikkim flood in 2023 was intensified by high rainfall and infrastructure exposure.
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  UPSC Angle: Himalayan glaciers retreating faster, increasing flash flood risk.

  Key Facts:

  • Himalayan glaciers
  • Retreating glaciers
  • Flash floods
  • Glacial lakes
  • Indian Institute of Science (IISc)
  • Himalayan State Climate Outlook 2025
  • Sikkim
  • Himachal Pradesh
  • Sikkim flood (2023)
  • South Lhonak Lake
• 2025-05-31 [International Relations] — India Says Pakistan Violates Indus Waters Treaty Through Terrorism
  Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh addressed the first U.N. conference on glaciers in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, and stated that Pakistan should stop blaming India for breaches of the Indus Waters Treaty, asserting that cross-border terrorism from Pakistan interferes with the treaty's implementation.
  More details

  UPSC Angle: Not exam-relevant

  Key Facts:

  • Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh
  • Pakistan violating the Indus Waters Treaty through terrorism
  • Event: First U.N. conference on glaciers
  • Location: Dushanbe, Tajikistan
  • India's representative: Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh
  • Pakistan violates the Indus Waters Treaty through terrorism
• 2025-05-17 [Environment & Ecology] — Yala Glacier Declared 'Dead' in Nepal
  Nepal's Yala Glacier, a vital research site, has been declared dead due to rapid melting caused by climate change. The loss of Yala threatens water security for nearly 2 billion people in Asia.
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  UPSC Angle: Nepal's Yala Glacier declared 'dead' due to rapid climate change.

  Key Facts:

  • Yala Glacier declared dead due to rapid melting
  • Scientists, monks, and local communities from HKH countries gathered to pay tribute
  • Loss of Yala threatens water security for nearly 2 billion people in Asia.

Tectonic and Geological Dynamics of the Indian Plate and its Margins

Focus: Scientific research and natural events concerning the tectonic movements, plate boundaries, and resulting geological phenomena—such as volcanism, plate divergence, and mountain building—affecting the Indian subcontinent and its neighbors.

UPSC Value: Understanding geomorphology and plate tectonics is essential for UPSC Geography and Disaster Management, as it links deep-earth processes to natural hazards, energy potential, and paleo-environmental history.

5 news items in this theme:

• 2025-11-25 [Environment & Ecology] — Ethiopia's Hayli Gubbi Volcano Ash Cloud Concerns India's Air Quality
  A massive volcanic ash cloud from Ethiopia's Hayli Gubbi volcano, erupting after nearly 10,000 years, has drifted toward India. This raises concerns over air quality and potential aviation disruptions. The Civil Aviation Ministry is closely monitoring the situation, with some flights already cancelled or delayed.
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  UPSC Angle: Ethiopia's volcano ash cloud concerns India's air quality.

  Key Facts:

  • Hayli Gubbi volcano: Erupted after 12,000 years
  • Location: Afar region, Ethiopia
  • Afar Depression: Where three tectonic plates meet: the African (Nubian) Plate, the Somalian Plate, and the Arabian Plate
  • Hayli Gubbi: Shield volcano in Ethiopia's Afar Region
  • A volcanic ash cloud from Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano is drifting toward India.
  • Hayli Gubbi is a shield volcano in Ethiopia's Afar Region.
  • The Civil Aviation Ministry and IMD are monitoring the situation.
• 2025-11-25 [Geography] — India monitors Ethiopia volcanic ash plumes impacting flight operations
  The Civil Aviation Ministry, along with the Air Traffic Control and India Meteorological Department (IMD), are closely monitoring ash plumes from the Hayli Gubbi volcanic eruption in Ethiopia impacting flight operations. Some flights have been cancelled, and many have been delayed due to the ash plumes.
  More details

  UPSC Angle: Not exam-relevant

  Key Facts:

  • Hayli Gubbi: Volcano in Ethiopia
  • Impact: Ash plumes impacting flight operations
• 2025-06-18 [Environment & Ecology] — Assam Fossil Leaves Link to Western Ghats
  Fossil leaves, approximately 24 million years old, discovered in Makum Coalfield, Assam, reveal an ancient link to Western Ghats biodiversity. Identified as genus Nothopegia, which now only grows in the Western Ghats, the discovery indicates climatic changes due to the Himalayan uplift.
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  UPSC Angle: Fossil leaves link Assam to Western Ghats biodiversity.

  Key Facts:

  • Fossil leaves: 24 million years old
  • Location: Makum Coalfield, Assam
  • Genus: Nothopegia
  • Current growth: Western Ghats
  • Age: Late Oligocene (~24–23 million years)
• 2025-05-07 [Environment & Ecology] — Northeast's First Geothermal Production Well
  The Centre for Earth Sciences and Himalayan Studies (CESHS) has successfully drilled Northeast India's first geothermal production well at Dirang in Arunachal Pradesh's West Kameng district. The Dirang area is a medium-to-high enthalpy geothermal zone (~115°C) with geological features supporting efficient and low-impact drilling. The project involves CESHS, Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI), Icelandic firm Geotropy ehf, and Guwahati Boring Service (GBS).
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  UPSC Angle: Northeast India's first geothermal production well in Arunachal Pradesh.

  Key Facts:

  • Location: Dirang, Arunachal Pradesh's West Kameng district
  • Implementing agency: Centre for Earth Sciences and Himalayan Studies (CESHS)
  • Collaboration: Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI), Icelandic firm Geotropy ehf, and Guwahati Boring Service (GBS)
  • Dirang area: medium-to-high enthalpy geothermal zone (~115°C)
• 2025-04-15 [Geography] — Indian continental plate may be splitting
  New research suggests that the Indian continental plate might be splitting apart. The Indian continental plate is bordered by the Eurasian plate, Arabian plate, African plate, and Australian plate and has been moving north for millions of years. It began its northward journey around 60 million years ago and continues to converge with the Eurasian plate.
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  UPSC Angle: Research suggests the Indian continental plate might be splitting.

  Key Facts:

  • Indian continental plate is bordered by the Eurasian, Arabian, African, and Australian plates
  • The Indian plate began its northward journey around 60 million years ago

Global Cryosphere Degradation & International Monitoring

Focus: Reports, observances, and specific alerts tracking the rapid decline of global ice sheets and snow cover, distinct from the specific Himalayan context.

UPSC Value: Highlights the global scientific consensus on cryosphere loss, tipping points like Thwaites, and international mobilization (UN, World Water Day).

4 news items in this theme:

• 2026-02-09 [Environment & Ecology] — Thwaites Glacier Melting Concerns
  Scientists have raised concerns over the Thwaites Glacier, nicknamed the "Doomsday Glacier," as it is melting at an unprecedented rate due to climate change. It is an outflow glacier of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) flowing into the Amundsen Sea.
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  UPSC Angle: Thwaites Glacier melting impacts sea level rise and climate change.

  Key Facts:

  • The Thwaites Glacier is nicknamed the "Doomsday Glacier".
  • It is melting at an unprecedented rate because of climate change fueled by human activities.
  • It is an outflow glacier of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS), flowing into the Amundsen Sea.
• 2025-11-12 [Environment & Ecology] — State of the Cryosphere Report 2025
  The International Cryosphere Climate Initiative released the State of the Cryosphere Report 2025. The report underscores that Earth's glaciers and ice sheets are rapidly melting. Melting cryosphere will lead to decrease in the global carbon budget and release vast amounts of ancient organic carbon.
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  UPSC Angle: State of the Cryosphere Report 2025 warns of rapidly melting ice.

  Key Facts:

  • Released by the International Cryosphere Climate Initiative
  • Highlights the rapid melting of Earth's glaciers and ice sheets
  • Melting cryosphere will decrease global carbon budget and release ancient organic carbon
• 2025-03-24 [Environment & Ecology] — Decline in Snow Cover
  A UNESCO report indicates that snow cover has reduced in nearly all mountain regions, particularly in spring and summer, with further decrease expected. Glaciers have lost more than 9,000 billion tonnes of mass since 1975, with increased wildfires and dust storms depositing black carbon, accelerating melt rates.
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  UPSC Angle: UNESCO report indicates snow cover reduction in mountain regions.

  Key Facts:

  • Snow cover in nearly all mountain regions has reduced, especially in spring and summer
  • Glaciers have lost more than 9,000 billion tonnes of mass since 1975
  • Mountain soils with permafrost contain approximately 4.5% of the global soil organic carbon
• 2025-03-22 [Environment & Ecology] — World Water Day 2025: Glacier Preservation
  World Water Day 2025, observed on March 22, focuses on “Glacier Preservation,” highlighting the role of glaciers in water security and climate regulation. The UN is urging global efforts to protect glaciers.
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  UPSC Angle: World Water Day 2025 focuses on glacier preservation.

  Key Facts:

  • World Water Day 2025 theme is “Glacier Preservation”
  • Observed on March 22
  • Glaciers are vital for water security and climate stability
  • World Water Day 2025 focuses on “Glacier Preservation”.
  • Glaciers' role in water security, climate regulation, and sustaining life is emphasized.

Land Surface Instability and Degradation in India

Focus: These items document distinct physical processes—subsidence, landslides, and gully erosion—that result in the sinking, displacement, or loss of India's land surface.

UPSC Value: Critical for understanding environmental geography and the multi-faceted nature of land degradation challenges facing India's urban and rural landscapes.

4 news items in this theme:

• 2025-11-01 [Geography] — Land Subsidence in Indian Megacities
  A recent study titled “Building Damage Risk in Sinking Indian Megacities” has revealed that approximately 878 km² of land across five major Indian cities—Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bengaluru—is subsiding. Land subsidence refers to the gradual sinking, lowering, or collapse of the Earth's surface due to the removal or loss of subsurface materials, such as soil, groundwater, or minerals.
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  UPSC Angle: Study reveals land subsidence risk in Indian megacities.

  Key Facts:

  • Approximately 878 km² of land across five major Indian cities—Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bengaluru—is subsiding.
  • 878 km² of land subsiding
  • Cities: Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bengaluru
  • Land subsidence definition: sinking, lowering, or collapse of the Earth's surface
• 2025-05-31 [Geography] — Causes and India's Vulnerability to Landslides
  Around 15% of India's landmass is landslide-prone, especially the Himalayas, North-East, Western Ghats, and Nilgiris, says NDMA. Geological factors include fragile rock structures due to the Indian plate's tectonic movement at ~5 cm/year, according to the Geological Survey of India. Heavy rainfall, seismic activity, deforestation, urbanization, road construction, and mining are major triggers.
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  UPSC Angle: 15% of India's landmass is landslide-prone, says NDMA.

  Key Facts:

  • 15% of India's landmass is landslide-prone (NDMA).
  • Geological factors: Tectonic movement of the Indian plate at ~5 cm/year (Geological Survey of India).
  • Triggers: Heavy rainfall, seismic activity, deforestation, urbanization.
• 2025-04-07 [Environment & Ecology] — Land Subsidence in Urban Areas
  Land subsidence at a dumping ground in Belgachia, West Bengal, has left hundreds of families without water and electricity, highlighting the growing challenges of man-made urban crises. Subsidence is defined as the sinking of the ground due to underground material movement.
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  UPSC Angle: Land subsidence highlights challenges of man-made urban crises.

  Key Facts:

  • Location: Belgachia, West Bengal
  • Cause: Land subsidence at a dumping ground
  • Land subsidence in Belgachia, West Bengal
  • World Health Day observed annually on April 7
• 2025-03-14 [Geography] — India's Gully Erosion Crisis Plagues 77 Districts
  Gully erosion, impacting 77 Indian districts mainly in the east and south, is causing significant land degradation, reducing agricultural output, and inducing water stress. This aligns with the UN's agenda to combat land degradation by 2030.
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  UPSC Angle: Gully erosion impacts 77 Indian districts, causing land degradation.

  Key Facts:

  • Impacts 77 Indian districts
  • Primarily in eastern and southern India
  • Aligns with UN agenda to combat land degradation by 2030

Himalayan Cryosphere Depletion and Water Security

Focus: Scientific monitoring and reporting of declining snow persistence and winter snowfall deficits in the Himalayan river basins.

UPSC Value: Understanding the impact of climate change on the Himalayan cryosphere is essential for assessing long-term water security and ecological stability in North India.

3 news items in this theme:

• 2026-01-20 [Geography] — Snowfall Deficit in Western Himalayas
  Large parts of the western Himalayas are experiencing an unusually dry and snowless winter, with Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir recording severe rainfall deficits. This is due to weak and moisture-deficient Western Disturbances, altered jet stream patterns, and rising winter temperatures. Delayed and reduced snowfall threatens water security, agriculture, glacier health, forest stability, and Himalayan livelihoods.
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  UPSC Angle: Snowfall deficit in Western Himalayas due to western disturbances.

  Key Facts:

  • Region: Western Himalayas (Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir)
  • Cause: Weak Western Disturbances, altered jet stream patterns, rising temperatures
  • Impact: Threatens water security, agriculture, glacier health, forest stability
• 2025-05-15 [Environment & Ecology] — Snow persistence decline in Himalayan river basins
  A report indicates a concerning decline in snow persistence across major Himalayan river basins, including the Ganga, Indus, and Brahmaputra. The Tibetan Plateau, a key source of North Indian rivers, witnessed a significant drop in snow persistence, which can impact water availability, hydropower generation, and agriculture.
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  UPSC Angle: Decline in snow persistence in Himalayan river basins reported.

  Key Facts:

  • Ganga basin snow persistence declined to -24.1% in 2025 from +30.2% in 2015
  • Indus basin snow persistence declined to -27.9% in 2025 from +19.5% in 2020
  • Brahmaputra basin snow persistence declined to -27.9% in 2025 from +27.7% in 2019
  • Tibetan Plateau snow persistence plummeted to -29.1% in 2025 from +92.4% in 2022
• 2025-04-24 [Environment & Ecology] — Hindu Kush Himalaya Snow Decline
  A report by ICIMOD reveals the Hindu Kush Himalaya region recorded its third consecutive below-normal snow year in 2025, raising concerns for water security and ecosystem health. The Ganga Basin showed 24.1% below-normal snow persistence, the lowest in 23 years, while the Indus Basin showed 24.5% below normal, a sharp drop from +19.5% in 2020.
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  UPSC Angle: Hindu Kush Himalaya region recorded below-normal snow year, impacting water security.

  Key Facts:

  • Report by: International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)
  • Region: Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH)
  • Snow Persistence Analysis Period: 2003–2025
  • Ganga Basin Snow Persistence: 24.1% below normal
  • Indus Basin Snow Persistence: 24.5% below normal

Modern Scientific and Academic Re-evaluation of the Indus Valley Civilization

Focus: Recent multi-disciplinary efforts involving paleoclimate studies and linguistic conferences aimed at solving the primary mysteries of the Harappan civilization, specifically its decline and its undeciphered script.

UPSC Value: Relevant for GS Paper I (History and Culture) as it highlights the application of modern scientific techniques to ancient Indian history and the ongoing institutional efforts to decode the Harappan script.

3 news items in this theme:

• 2025-12-11 [History & Heritage] — New Evidence on Indus Valley Civilization Decline
  A new multi-proxy paleoclimate study indicates that the Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC) declined due to centuries-long recurring droughts rather than a single catastrophic event, with four major mega-droughts identified between 2425–1400 BCE.
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  UPSC Angle: IVC declined due to recurring droughts, not a single event.

  Key Facts:

  • Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC) declined due to centuries-long recurring droughts.
  • Four major mega-droughts identified between 2425–1400 BCE.
  • The most severe drought peaked around 1733 BCE.
• 2025-09-10 [History & Heritage] — International conference on Harappan script
  The Ministry of Culture is hosting an international conference in New Delhi from September 11–13, 2025, led by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), to address the undeciphered Harappan script. The Harappan civilization flourished between 2600–1900 BCE.
  More details

  UPSC Angle: Conference on Harappan script may yield insights into Indus Valley Civilization.

  Key Facts:

  • International conference on Harappan script
  • New Delhi
  • September 11–13, 2025
  • Ministry of Culture
  • Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA)
  • Harappan civilization: 2600–1900 BCE
• 2025-06-21 [History & Heritage] — ASI to Organize International Seminar on Deciphering Indus Valley Script
  The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will organize a three-day international seminar from August 20–22, 2025, in Greater Noida to focus on deciphering the Indus Valley script. ASI is planning to launch a fellowship for scholars to conduct dedicated research on the Indus script as part of its broader push for decipherment. This initiative follows Tamil Nadu CM M.K. Stalin's earlier announcement of a $1 million prize for anyone who can successfully decode the Indus script.
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  UPSC Angle: ASI seminar on deciphering Indus Valley script.

  Key Facts:

  • ASI organizing seminar on Indus Valley script from August 20–22, 2025.
  • ASI planning fellowship for Indus script research.
  • Tamil Nadu CM announced $1 million prize for deciphering the script.

Logistics and Seasonal Management of Himalayan Pilgrimage Circuits

Focus: Items documenting the operational lifecycle, including the resumption after long-term hiatus and the seasonal winter closure, of major high-altitude pilgrimage routes in the Himalayan region (Char Dham and Kailash Mansarovar).

UPSC Value: Understanding the administrative coordination, diplomatic negotiations (for trans-border routes), and environmental constraints involved in managing large-scale religious tourism in ecologically sensitive and high-altitude regions.

3 news items in this theme:

• 2025-10-23 [Society & Culture] — Gangotri, Kedarnath and Yamunotri close for winter
  Gangotri, Kedarnath and Yamunotri close for winter as Char Dham season winds down.
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  UPSC Angle: Not exam-relevant

  Key Facts:

  • Gangotri
  • Kedarnath
  • Yamunotri
  • Char Dham season
• 2025-06-26 [International Relations] — Pilgrims Visit Mount Kailash, Mansarovar After Six-Year Wait
  Pilgrims are visiting Mount Kailash and Mansarovar after a six-year wait. The Ministry of External Affairs has coordinated with the Chinese government to allow Indian cooks to travel ahead and set up tents to provide familiar food to the pilgrims. Each group includes a doctor.
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  UPSC Angle: Pilgrims visit Mount Kailash, Mansarovar after six-year wait.

  Key Facts:

  • Location: Mount Kailash, Mansarovar
  • Wait Period: Six years
  • Nodal Agency: Ministry of External Affairs
  • Coordination: Chinese government allowing Indian cooks to provide food
  • Group Composition: Includes a doctor
• 2025-05-22 [International Relations] — Kailash Mansarovar Yatra to Resume After Five-Year Hiatus
  The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is set to resume after a gap of five years due to the pandemic and military standoff between China and India. The Ministry of External Affairs organizes the Yatra from June to September each year through two routes: Lipulekh Pass (Uttarakhand) and Nathu La Pass (Sikkim). The Yatra holds spiritual significance for followers of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Bon, the indigenous religion of Tibet.
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  UPSC Angle: Kailash Mansarovar Yatra resumes after five years, organized by MEA.

  Key Facts:

  • Yatra suspended for 5 years due to pandemic and military standoff
  • Organized by: Ministry of External Affairs
  • Duration: June to September
  • Routes: Lipulekh Pass (Uttarakhand) and Nathu La Pass (Sikkim)
  • Significance: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Bon religions
  • Involves three countries: India, Nepal, and China
  • Open to: Eligible Indian citizens holding valid Indian passports
  • 750 people selected to undertake Yatra this year
  • 750 people selected for the Yatra in 2025.
  • 5,500 applicants filed for the yatra.
  • Yatra resuming in June after a 6-year gap.