UPSC practice probes India's Arctic policy and GeM procurement reforms

This article comes from a study guide that helps people in India prepare for a big government exam called UPSC.

It gives students ideas for writing exam answers on two topics.

The first topic is the Arctic, the very cold area at the top of the Earth.

India cares about the Arctic because melting ice there can change weather in India, including the rain that farmers need.

India studies the Arctic from a research station called Himadri in Svalbard, and it is an observer at a meeting group called the Arctic Council.

India wants a bigger role in that group, such as sending a Polar Ambassador.

The second topic is GeM, which is like an online shopping website for the government.

It lets government offices buy goods in a fair and open way, and it helps small businesses sell to the government.

But some buying still happens outside GeM, and small businesses sometimes find the platform hard to use.

The guide explains what is working well and what still needs to be fixed.