Current Affairs November 2025 for UPSC (Recap): Labour Codes, Bihar Election, Presidential Reference, SIR Phase 2, Women's World Cup, G20 and COP30

November 2025 at a Glance

🎯 November 2025 (recap): 1 to 30 November 2025. This month carried the four Labour Codes, the Bihar election, the Presidential Reference opinion on assent to Bills, a new Chief Justice, the second phase of the SIR, India's first Women's World Cup title, the CMS-03 launch, the Red Fort blast, the Johannesburg G20 and COP30. Most facts are from news reports (secondary), apart from the Finance Commission item, which is from the Budget documents.

November 2025 at a glance

Polity: Labour Codes, Bihar, the Presidential Reference, the CJI and the SIR

Four constitutional and legal events from November 2025 still shape the 2026 notes.

Polity: Labour Codes, Bihar, the Presidential Reference, the CJI and the SIR

• Labour Codes (21 November). The Government brought the four Labour Codes into force on 21 November 2025, consolidating 29 central labour laws: the Code on Wages, 2019, the Industrial Relations Code, 2020, the Code on Social Security, 2020 and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020. They are in force in their entirety except a provision repealing the EPF Act, 1952, and the central and State rules were still being finalised. Reported changes: a statutory minimum wage for all workers, appointment letters, social security cover extended to gig and platform workers and night shifts for women with safety provisions. Static: labour is in the Concurrent List (Entry 22-24), so States also make rules.

• Bihar (6 and 11 November; counting 14 November). The election was held in two phases on 6 and 11 November 2025 for all 243 seats with turnout of 67.13 per cent. The NDA won about 202 seats (reports range from 202 to 204): the BJP the single largest party on 89 seats, JD(U) 85, RJD 25 and Congress 6. Nitish Kumar was sworn in as Chief Minister on 20 November at Gandhi Maidan, reported as his tenth time. Static: the majority mark in a 243-seat House is 122.

• Presidential Reference (November). In its advisory opinion under Article 143, the Supreme Court held that courts cannot fix timelines for the Governor under Article 200 or the President under Article 201 to assent to Bills, and rejected the idea of deemed assent; the functions are not justiciable before a Bill becomes law, though courts may intervene for inordinate, unexplained delay. The reference followed the 8 April 2025 judgment in the Tamil Nadu case that had set timelines. Static: an Article 143 opinion is advisory and does not bind as law under Article 141; Article 145(3) needs at least five judges.

• New CJI (24 November). Justice Surya Kant was sworn in as the 53rd Chief Justice of India on 24 November 2025, succeeding B.R. Gavai; his tenure runs to 9 February 2027. He is the first Chief Justice of India from Haryana. Static: the CJI is appointed by the President under Article 124; a Supreme Court judge retires at 65.

• SIR phase 2. The Election Commission announced on 27 October the second phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in 12 States and Union Territories, covering about 51 crore voters: house-to-house enumeration from 4 November to 4 December, draft rolls on 9 December, claims and objections until 8 January 2026 and final rolls on 7 February 2026. Assam was handled by a separate order. The Supreme Court upheld the exercise in May 2026 (see the May 2026 note).

Security, Science and Sport: the Red Fort Blast, CMS-03 and the Women's World Cup

Three non-political events are the most testable.

Security, science and sport: the Red Fort blast, CMS-03 and the Women's World Cup

• Red Fort blast (10 November). A car exploded near Gate No. 1 of the Red Fort Metro Station in Delhi on the evening of 10 November 2025, killing at least eight people (later reports say 13). The Home Ministry handed the case to the NIA on 11 November; the NIA described it as a suicide bombing with a vehicle-borne IED, and the accused were linked to Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, an outfit seen as an offshoot of Al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent. Static: the NIA is set up under the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008.

• CMS-03 (2 November). ISRO launched the communication satellite CMS-03 (about 4,410 kg) on LVM3-M5, the fifth operational flight of the LVM3, from Sriharikota into geosynchronous transfer orbit. It is the heaviest communication satellite launched from Indian soil, replaces the GSAT-7 series and is reported to serve the Navy. Static: GSAT-11 (about 5,854 kg), India's heaviest, was launched from Kourou.

• Women's World Cup (2 November). India beat South Africa by 52 runs at the DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, to win its first title (India 298 for 7, South Africa all out for 246). Captain Harmanpreet Kaur led the side; Shafali Verma scored 87, and Deepti Sharma took 5 for 39 and finished as the tournament's highest wicket-taker with 21. India became the fourth team to win the trophy after Australia, England and New Zealand; it had lost the 2005 and 2017 finals.

International Relations and Environment: G20 Johannesburg, COP30 and the Finance Commission

Two big summits closed the year's diplomatic calendar.

International relations and environment: G20 Johannesburg, COP30 and the Finance Commission

• G20 Johannesburg (22-23 November). The summit was held in Johannesburg, South Africa on 22-23 November 2025 (the first G20 summit on African soil). The leaders adopted the declaration at the start of the summit despite the absence of the United States; it ran to about 122 points on equity, reform of multilateral institutions and sustainable development. Prime Minister Modi put forward six proposals, including a G20 Global Healthcare Response Team. Static: India held the G20 presidency in 2023 (New Delhi Declaration), when the African Union became a permanent member.

• COP30 at Belém, Brazil. The conference adopted the Global Mutirão decision as the headline of the Belém Political Package. It calls for tripling adaptation finance by 2035. A fossil fuel roadmap was not adopted in the formal text although more than 80 countries joined a call for one; roadmaps will be developed outside the formal UN process. Adaptation indicators were agreed and a Global Implementation Accelerator launched (secondary). Static: COP31 will be the next, in 2026.

• 16th Finance Commission (official). The 16th Finance Commission submitted its report on 17 November 2025; the Government accepted retaining the vertical devolution share at 41 per cent (Budget 2026-27). Static: the Finance Commission is constituted under Article 280 every five years.

Further Reading

• PIB press releases, ministry websites and annual reports, the Gazette of India, MEA and UN documents and the official sources named in each note — the primary sources behind every fact above.

How UPSC Could Ask This Next

Here is how UPSC could turn November 2025 into questions.

How UPSC could ask this next

• Constitution: Articles 143, 200, 201 and 141; what an advisory opinion is; the appointment of the CJI; the majority mark in the Bihar Assembly.

• Labour law: the names of the four Codes, the number of laws consolidated, and whether gig workers are covered.

• Elections: what the SIR is, how it differs from a summary revision, and the phases and dates.

• Space: the launch vehicle, orbit and weight class of CMS-03, and how LVM3 differs from PSLV.

• Summits: the host of the first G20 on African soil, and what COP30 decided on adaptation finance.

Test Yourself: Practice Questions

24 practice questions on November 2025, including UPSC-style statement questions, each tied to a verified fact.

Practice Questions

Q1. The four Labour Codes came into force on

• (a) 15 August 2025

• (b) 1 January 2026

• (c) 1 April 2025

• (d) 21 November 2025

Q2. Which of the following is NOT one of the four Labour Codes?

• (a) Industrial Relations Code, 2020

• (b) Code on Wages, 2019

• (c) Code on Social Security, 2020

• (d) Code on Industrial Safety, 2021

Q3. The Bihar Assembly election of 2025 was held in

• (a) two phases, on 6 and 11 November

• (b) three phases

• (c) two phases, on 14 and 20 November

• (d) a single phase on 6 November

Q4. In the 2025 Bihar election, the single largest party was the

• (a) BJP with 89 seats

• (b) RJD with 25 seats

• (c) JD(U) with 85 seats

• (d) Congress with 6 seats

Q5. In its opinion on the Presidential Reference, the Supreme Court held that

• (a) courts cannot fix timelines for Governors and the President to assent to Bills

• (b) Governors have no power to withhold assent

• (c) deemed assent applies after three months

• (d) Governors must assent within three months

Q6. A Presidential Reference to the Supreme Court is made under

• (a) Article 226

• (b) Article 136

• (c) Article 142

• (d) Article 143

Q7. Justice Surya Kant, who became Chief Justice of India on 24 November 2025, is the

• (a) 53rd Chief Justice of India

• (b) 51st Chief Justice of India

• (c) 54th Chief Justice of India

• (d) 52nd Chief Justice of India

Q8. The second phase of the SIR announced in October 2025 covered

• (a) 5 States

• (b) all States and Union Territories

• (c) only poll-bound States

• (d) 12 States and Union Territories

Q9. Which State was excluded from SIR phase 2 in the announcement of 27 October 2025?

• (a) Gujarat

• (b) Kerala

• (c) West Bengal

• (d) Assam

Q10. The NIA took over the investigation of the Red Fort car blast on

• (a) 10 November 2025

• (b) 1 December 2025

• (c) 11 November 2025

• (d) 20 November 2025

Q11. India won the ICC Women's World Cup final in November 2025 by

• (a) 52 runs against South Africa

• (b) 10 runs against New Zealand

• (c) 5 wickets against England

• (d) 52 runs against Australia

Q12. Which player was the highest wicket-taker of the 2025 Women's World Cup?

• (a) Renuka Singh

• (b) Shafali Verma

• (c) Smriti Mandhana

• (d) Deepti Sharma

Q13. CMS-03 was launched by ISRO on which vehicle?

• (a) GSLV Mk II

• (b) SSLV

• (c) PSLV-C62

• (d) LVM3-M5

Q14. The G20 Leaders' Summit of November 2025 was held at

• (a) New Delhi, India

• (b) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

• (c) Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

• (d) Johannesburg, South Africa

Q15. COP30 at Belem called for tripling which type of finance by 2035?

• (a) Mitigation finance

• (b) Adaptation finance

• (c) Technology finance

• (d) Loss and damage finance only

Q16. The 16th Finance Commission submitted its report on

• (a) 31 October 2025

• (b) 17 November 2025

• (c) 1 February 2026

• (d) 1 April 2026

Q17. Consider the following statements:
1. The four Labour Codes came into force on 21 November 2025.
2. They consolidate 29 central labour laws.
3. The Code on Wages was enacted in 1948.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

• (a) 1 and 2 only

• (b) 2 and 3 only

• (c) 1 and 3 only

• (d) 1, 2 and 3

Q18. Consider the following statements:
1. The Bihar Assembly election of 2025 was held in two phases, on 6 and 11 November.
2. The BJP was the single largest party with 89 seats.
3. The RJD was the second largest party.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

• (a) 1 and 2 only

• (b) 2 and 3 only

• (c) 1 and 3 only

• (d) 1, 2 and 3

Q19. Consider the following statements:
1. The Supreme Court held that courts can fix timelines for Governors to assent to Bills.
2. The Court rejected the idea of deemed assent.
3. An opinion under Article 143 is binding law under Article 141.
How many of the statements given above are correct?

• (a) Only one

• (b) Only two

• (c) All three

• (d) None

Q20. Consider the following statements:
1. Justice Surya Kant was sworn in as the 53rd Chief Justice of India on 24 November 2025.
2. His tenure runs to 9 February 2027.
3. He succeeded Justice D.Y. Chandrachud.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

• (a) 1 and 2 only

• (b) 2 and 3 only

• (c) 1 and 3 only

• (d) 1, 2 and 3

Q21. Consider the following statements:
1. SIR phase 2 covered 12 States and Union Territories.
2. Assam was included in SIR phase 2.
3. The final rolls were scheduled for 7 February 2026.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

• (a) 1 and 2 only

• (b) 2 and 3 only

• (c) 1 and 3 only

• (d) 1, 2 and 3

Q22. Consider the following statements:
1. India won its first Women's World Cup title on 2 November 2025.
2. The final was played at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
3. India beat South Africa by 52 runs.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

• (a) 1 and 2 only

• (b) 2 and 3 only

• (c) 1 and 3 only

• (d) 1, 2 and 3

Q23. Consider the following statements:
1. COP30 was held at Belem in Brazil.
2. A fossil fuel roadmap was adopted in the formal COP30 text.
3. The COP30 decision calls for tripling adaptation finance by 2035.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

• (a) 1 and 2 only

• (b) 2 and 3 only

• (c) 1 and 3 only

• (d) 1, 2 and 3

Q24. Consider the following statements:
1. CMS-03 was launched on LVM3-M5 from Sriharikota.
2. It was launched from Kourou in French Guiana.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

• (a) 1 only

• (b) 2 only

• (c) Both 1 and 2

• (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Mains Practice Questions

Use these to frame full-length answers. You don't have to answer one exactly — they show the angles UPSC tests, so let them guide which points you cover.

• Examine the implications of the Supreme Court's opinion on assent to Bills for Centre-State relations.

• Discuss the changes brought by the four Labour Codes and the challenges in implementing them across States.

• Evaluate the legal and practical issues in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

• Assess the outcomes of COP30 for climate finance and for developing countries such as India.