Tuesday, 22 September 2026 · IST · Bihar + National · 10 items · 2 MCQs
The Election Commission announced biennial polls for 28 MLC (Graduate & Teacher) seats — 8 of them in Bihar — with voting on 23 October, even as flood waters from the Ganga, Kosi and Gandak keep over 46 lakh people affected across 15 Bihar districts. Nationally, the India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement was cleared to come into force on 20 October 2026, and UPI 'Tap & Pay' was unveiled at the Global Fintech Fest.
Today at a glance — things to remember
ECI: 8 Bihar MLC (Graduate/Teacher) seats to poll on 23 Oct, count 27 Oct
Floods: 46+ lakh affected in 15 districts as Ganga, Kosi, Gandak breach danger
National Makhana Board scheme — ₹476.03 cr for Mithila's 9 makhana districts
Khagaria to link Buxar–Bhagalpur 6-lane & Patna–Purnea Greenfield Expressway
Patna HC holds a District Magistrate accountable; ₹1 lakh cost on erring officials
India–New Zealand FTA to enter into force on 20 October 2026
UPI 'Tap & Pay' launched at Global Fintech Fest — PIN-less up to ₹5,000
Ayurveda Day fixed on 23 September; 2026 marks the 11th observance
Gaganyaan crew-module parachute recovery sequence explained by ISRO
Asian Games 2026 (Aichi-Nagoya): India 6 medals, 12th; China leads with 23 gold
Detailed notes
1. ECI notifies 28 MLC seats — Bihar to elect 8 Graduate & Teacher members
Prelims – State legislature, Legislative Council; Mains GS-II – Indian & Bihar polity, bicameralism, ECI.
Context
The Election Commission announced biennial polls for 28 Legislative Council (Graduate & Teacher) seats across four states; Bihar accounts for 8 of them.
Key facts
MLC (Graduate/Teacher) seats: UP 11, Bihar 8, Maharashtra 5, Karnataka 4 — total 28.
MLC polling on 23 October 2026 (8 am–4 pm); counting 27 October.
Swollen by heavy rain and upstream releases, the Ganga, Kosi and Gandak are flowing above the danger mark, keeping large parts of north and east Bihar inundated.
Key facts
Over 46 lakh people affected across 15 districts; NDRF & SDRF teams deployed.
Kosi ('Sorrow of Bihar'), Gandak and the Ganga all above danger levels.
Relief: contributions to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund from state bodies underway.
Bihar is India's most flood-prone state — about 73% of its area is flood-affected.
Way forward
Strengthen embankments, desilt the Kosi and revive interlinking to cut recurring damage.
Concept
Bihar's floods stem from Himalayan (north Bihar) rivers carrying huge silt loads; Kosi shifts course westward. Managed via embankments, barrages & the Kosi High-Level Committee.
District officials proposed connectors/interchanges to link Khagaria with two major highway projects cutting across Bihar.
Key facts
Proposed links to the Buxar–Bhagalpur six-lane highway.
And to the Patna–Purnea Greenfield Expressway.
Aim: faster freight and passenger movement in east-central Bihar.
Part of Bihar's push on greenfield expressways for logistics.
Way forward
Interchanges can turn transit corridors into local growth and jobs.
Concept
Greenfield expressways are built on fresh alignments (vs brownfield upgrades), enabling access-controlled, high-speed corridors under Bharatmala-type planning.
5. Patna High Court holds officials accountable, awards cost to citizen
A Patna High Court bench found administrative action against a citizen illegal and ordered compensation to be recovered from the erring officials themselves.
Key facts
Court held a District Magistrate's action illegal.
₹1 lakh compensation ordered, to be realised from erring officials.
Reinforces personal accountability of public servants.
India and New Zealand finalised a Free Trade Agreement set to take effect on 20 October 2026, deepening bilateral commerce.
Key facts
New Zealand offers 100% duty-free access to Indian exports.
India excludes dairy and sensitive farm products from concessions.
Expected to aid Indian services, pharma and textiles.
India still lacks a trade pact with China among RCEP economies.
Way forward
Diversified FTAs cut import dependence and open new export markets.
Concept
An FTA removes/reduces tariffs between partners; sensitive-list exclusions shield vulnerable sectors like dairy. RCEP is a 15-nation Asia-Pacific bloc India stayed out of.
India-NZ FTA mind map: in force 20 Oct 2026, 100% duty-free for Indian exports, dairy excluded. — StudyForGS
7. UPI 'Tap & Pay' unveiled at Global Fintech Fest 2026
SCI-TECHBPSC: Prelims + Mains GS-II (Science & Tech in Governance)
Syllabus linkage
Prelims – UPI, NPCI, RBI; Mains GS-II – role & impact of science & technology, digital economy.
Context
A new NFC-based UPI 'Tap & Pay' was launched at the Global Fintech Fest, letting users pay by tapping the phone on a terminal.
Key facts
Uses NFC; works even without the user's mobile data (via terminal's internet).
PIN-less for transactions up to ₹5,000.
Operated by NPCI (a not-for-profit co., est. 2008) under RBI guidance.
RuPay credit cards have supported UPI linkage since 2022.
Way forward
Frictionless tap payments can widen digital-payment adoption in small retail.
Concept
UPI enables instant bank-to-bank transfers via a virtual ID; NPCI runs UPI, RuPay & IMPS. NFC is short-range wireless used for contactless payments.
UPI Tap & Pay flow: tap NFC terminal, works without mobile data, PIN-less up to Rs 5,000, run by NPCI. — StudyForGS
8. Ayurveda Day fixed on 23 September; 2026 is the 11th observance
HEALTHBPSC: Prelims (Static + Current) — Health & Culture
Syllabus linkage
Prelims – govt health days, AYUSH, WHO; Mains GS-I – Indian culture & traditional knowledge.
Context
The government shifted Ayurveda Day from the movable Dhanteras to a fixed date of 23 September, aiding institutional planning.
Key facts
Fixed by Gazette Notification (23 March 2025); 2026 = 11th Ayurveda Day.
WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre is at Jamnagar, Gujarat.
WHO ICD-11 (TM2) codes Ayurveda, Siddha & Unani diagnostic terms.
Falls under the Ministry of AYUSH.
Way forward
A fixed date helps mainstream and standardise traditional medicine globally.
Concept
AYUSH = Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Homoeopathy. ICD-11 is WHO's global disease classification; India secured a traditional-medicine module in it.
Ahead of India's crewed spaceflight, the recovery design for the Gaganyaan crew module was explained, centring on a multi-stage parachute system.
Key facts
Drogue chutes deploy first to stabilise & slow the capsule.
Reefing limits initial canopy opening to manage opening shock.
Three main parachutes deploy for the final descent before splashdown.
Gaganyaan is India's first human spaceflight programme.
Way forward
Reliable recovery systems are vital for crew safety in human spaceflight.
Concept
A drogue is a small stabilising parachute; reefing temporarily restricts a canopy to cut shock loads. Splashdown = sea landing of the returning capsule.
Gaganyaan recovery sequence: re-entry, drogue chutes, reefing, three main chutes, splashdown. — StudyForGS
10. Asian Games 2026 (Aichi-Nagoya): India 12th with 6 medals; China dominates
Prelims – major games, hosts, venues; general awareness of sporting events.
Context
The 2026 Asian Games are underway in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan; early standings show a strong Chinese lead as India builds its tally.
Key facts
India (as on 21 Sep): 0 gold, 4 silver, 2 bronze = 6; ranked 12th.
China leads with 23 gold (38 medals); Japan 2nd, South Korea 3rd.
Games run 19 September – 4 October 2026.
43 sports, 71 disciplines, 469 medal events.
Way forward
Deeper grassroots investment can lift India's medal count at continental events.
Concept
The Asian Games (since 1951) are held every 4 years under the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA); medal tables rank by gold first.
Asian Games 2026 medal tally: China 23 gold, Japan and South Korea next, India 12th with 6. — StudyForGS
Data point of the day
80%
MAKHANA — BIHAR'S GLOBAL EDGE India grows about 80% of the world's makhana (fox nut), overwhelmingly in Bihar's Mithila region; the new National Makhana Board scheme carries a ₹476.03 crore outlay for 2025-26 to 2030-31.
Prelims rapid-fire
Bihar Vidhan Parishad strength: 75 members (permanent House)
Mithila Makhana GI tag year: 2022
India–NZ FTA in force from: 20 October 2026
UPI Tap & Pay PIN-less limit: ₹5,000
Ayurveda Day (fixed date): 23 September
Asian Games 2026 host city: Aichi-Nagoya, Japan
Practice MCQs — BPSC Prelims pattern
Q1. With reference to the Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad), consider the following statements:
1. It is a permanent House that is not subject to dissolution.
2. One-third of its members retire every two years.
3. Only six Indian states currently have a Legislative Council.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
1 and 2 only
2 and 3 only
1 and 3 only
1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: D All three are correct. Under Article 171, the Council is permanent, with one-third retiring every two years, and at present six states (including Bihar) have one.
Q2. Consider the following pairs of river and its common description in Bihar:
1. Kosi — 'Sorrow of Bihar'
2. Gandak — a north-bank tributary of the Ganga
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Answer: C Both are correct. The Kosi is called the 'Sorrow of Bihar' for its shifting course and floods, and the Gandak is a northern (Himalayan) tributary joining the Ganga.
Mains practice question
Q. "Recurring floods in north Bihar are as much a problem of river management as of geography." In light of the roles of the Kosi and Gandak, examine the structural and institutional measures needed to reduce flood damage in Bihar. (BPSC Mains GS-II, ~150 words)
Hint / approach
Link Himalayan silt-laden rivers & the Kosi's westward shift to embankments, desilting, the Kosi High-Level Committee, interlinking, early warning and Indo-Nepal barrage coordination.
📌 One-line revision: REVISE: 28 MLC seats (Bihar 8) poll 23 Oct • Bihar floods hit 15 districts • Makhana Board ₹476.03 cr • India–NZ FTA from 20 Oct • UPI Tap & Pay PIN-less ≤₹5,000 • Ayurveda Day 23 Sep.
