1. United Nations and Related Organisations

Organisation

HQ

Purpose / Key Points

UN

New York, USA

Maintains international peace and security; has 6 principal organs including General assembly & Security Council.

UNICEF

New York, USA

Child welfare, education, immunisation.

WHO

Geneva, Switzerland

Health emergencies, disease control.

IMF

Washington D.C., USA

International monetary stability, balance of payments support.

World Bank

Washington D.C., USA

Provides loans for development projects.

WTO

Geneva, Switzerland

Global trade rules and disputes.

FAO

Rome, Italy

Food security and agricultural development.

UNESCO

Paris, France

Education, science, culture, heritage protection.

2. indian Constitutional & Statutory Organisations

Organisation

Year / Key Act

Function

Election Commission of india (ECI)

1950

Conducts free & fair elections.

CAG (Comptroller & Auditor General)

1971 (CAG Act)

Audits government receipts and expenditures.

Finance Commission

Art. 280

Recommends distribution of tax revenue between centre & states.

NITI Aayog

2015

Policy think-tank, replaces Planning Commission.

Union Public service Commission (UPSC)

1950

Recruitment for civil services and examinations.

RBI

1935

Central bank of India; monetary policy & currency issuance.

SEBI

1992

Regulates securities market.

SIDBI

1990

MSME development and finance.

3. international Financial & Economic Organisations

Organisation

HQ

Function

ADB

Manila, Philippines

Development finance in Asia-Pacific.

AIIB

Beijing, China

Asian Infrastructure investment.

BRICS bank / NDB

Shanghai, China

Funding development projects in BRICS countries.

OPEC

Vienna, Austria

Coordinates oil production policies.

G20 / G7

Various

Group of major economies; economic coordination.

4. Defence & Security Organisations

Organisation

HQ / Country

Key Role

INTERPOL

Lyon, France

International police cooperation.

NATO

Brussels, Belgium

Military alliance; collective defence.

SAARC

Kathmandu, Nepal

Regional cooperation in South Asia.

ASEAN

Jakarta, Indonesia

Economic, political & security cooperation in SE Asia.

5. Scientific, Space & Research Organisations

Organisation

Country

Focus

ISRO

India

Space exploration & satellite launch.

DRDO

India

Defence research and development.

CERN

Switzerland

Particle physics & Large Hadron Collider.

ICMR

India

Medical research & public health.

CSIR

India

Scientific research across disciplines.

6. Other Key indian Organisations

Organisation

Function

FSSAI

Food safety regulation.

NABARD

Agricultural & rural development funding.

IRDAI

Insurance regulatory authority.

PFRDA

Pension fund regulation.

NBFCs

Private financial institutions regulated by RBI.

NHRC

Human rights protection.

ICAI / ICSI / ICMAI

Professional accounting and finance bodies.

Tips for UPSC Prelims Revision

Make a flashcard for each organisation with HQ, function, year of establishment.

Group organisations by category: UN, financial, constitutional, scientific, etc.

Remember mnemonics: e.g., “World bank and IMF work in Washington D.C.”

Revision frequency: Go through these notes daily 10‑15 min to retain HQ + function.

Keep updated: Some organisations like AIIB, NDB, or G20 leadership rotate; check latest news.

 

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