Syllabus Connection: GS Paper I (Modern Indian History) & GS Paper II (Polity)
Contemporary News Pivot
The Indian National Congress (INC) observed its 140th Foundation Day on December 28, 2025. This milestone serves as a focal point for debating the role of "Big Tent" parties in a polarized multi-party democracy.
Evolutionary Roadmap
- Origin (1885): Founded at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College, Bombay, by A.O. Hume, initially acting as a "Safety Valve" for elite grievances but quickly evolving into a nationalist vehicle.
- The Centenary of 1925: 2025 also marks the centenary of the 1925 Kanpur Session, famously presided over by Sarojini Naidu (the first Indian woman President), and the year Mahatma Gandhi was the sitting President following the Belgaum session.
- Democracy and Ideology: At the 140th anniversary, the discourse shifted toward "Ideological Resilience." For UPSC, analyze how the INC’s post-independence journey—from the Socialistic Pattern of Society (1955 Avadi Session) to Liberalization (1991)—reflects the changing socio-economic priorities of India.
IAS-2026 - OPTIONAL / GEOGRAPHY / PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION / SOCIOLOGY / ANTHROPOLOGY / ORIENTATION ON 03 & 04-10-2025 
