Friday, 23 October 2026 · IST · Bihar + National · 11 items · 2 MCQs
Bihar votes today in biennial polls for 4 Graduates' and 4 Teachers' seats of the Legislative Council, while the state has lifted the planned pause on VB-G RAM G works so that 22 flood-hit and 16 drought-hit districts get jobs. Nationally, Polish PM Donald Tusk's visit, the near-final India–US trade deal, India's first-in-Global-South AgriVoltaics World Conference and naval drills SIMBEX and AUSTRAHIND lead the day.
Today at a glance — things to remember
Bihar MLC polls today for 8 seats (4 Graduates' + 4 Teachers'); counting on 27 Oct.
VB-G RAM G works resume in all 38 Bihar districts — 22 flood-hit, 16 drought-hit.
VB-G RAM G guarantees 125 days of work; funding 60:40 (Centre:State).
Bihar AI Policy 2026: train 5 lakh students in 5 years (1 lakh/yr).
CM orders 2,996 school buildings, 16,440 classrooms; campuses for 211 degree colleges.
Bihar paddy buying from 1 Nov (North) / 15 Nov (South) at MSP ₹2,441/qtl.
Retail inflation 5.54% in Sep 2026; food inflation 7.74%.
Polish PM Donald Tusk in India (21–23 Oct) — first Polish PM visit since 2010.
7th AgriVoltaics World Conference at Bharat Mandapam — first in Global South.
SIMBEX-2026 (33rd, Visakhapatnam) and AUSTRAHIND-2026 (5th, Thiruvananthapuram) under way.
Mains GS-II — State Legislature, Legislative Council (Art. 169, 171), elections; Prelims — composition of Bihar Vidhan Parishad, special electorates.
Context
Polling is under way today (23 Oct 2026) for 8 seats of the Bihar Legislative Council — 4 Graduates' and 4 Teachers' constituencies — in biennial polls notified by the Election Commission of India; votes will be counted on 27 Oct 2026.
Electorate: 4,92,594 graduate voters and 40,253 teacher voters; Tirhut Graduates' is the largest (1,43,988).
Same-day council polls also in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.
Voting is by ballot paper with preferential (single transferable) vote — not EVMs.
Council Chairman's post fell vacant after Awadhesh Narayan Singh resigned (Sep 2026).
Way forward
Keep graduate/teacher rolls updated year-round and raise awareness about preferential voting to cut invalid ballots.
Concept
Art. 171(3): in a Council, 1/3 elected by MLAs, 1/3 by local bodies, 1/12 by graduates (3 yrs' standing), 1/12 by teachers (3 yrs, secondary or higher), rest (~1/6) nominated by Governor. Bihar Council: 75 members; MLC term 6 years, 1/3 retire every 2 years.
Horizontal bar chart of registered voters in the 8 Bihar MLC constituencies voting on 23 October 2026: Tirhut Graduates' 1,43,988; Kosi Graduates' 1,34,072; Darbhanga Graduates' 1,26,951; Patna Graduates' 87,583; Patna Teachers' 11,719; Saran Teachers' 10,748; Darbhanga Teachers' 9,026; Tirhut Teachers' 8,760. — StudyForGS
2. Rural Jobs Pause Lifted: VB-G RAM G Works Resume in All 38 Districts
A Rural Development Department order (21 Oct) has lifted the planned halt on new works from 22 Oct to 10 Dec 2026 — meant to keep farm labour free for harvest and rabi sowing — because 22 districts were flood-hit and 16 drought-hit this year.
Key facts
VB-G RAM G = Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin); in force from 1 July 2026, replacing MGNREGA.
Guarantee: up to 125 days of unskilled wage work per rural household per year (vs 100 under MGNREGA).
Funding share Centre : State = 60 : 40.
Flood-hit include Supaul, Saharsa, Madhepura, Khagaria, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Patna; drought-hit include Gaya, Nalanda, Nawada, Aurangabad, Rohtas, Kaimur.
Priority works: water conservation, road repair, Anganwadi centres, school sheds, disaster preparedness.
Way forward
Converge works with Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali and flood-repair plans; ensure timely wage payment to check distress migration.
Concept
Bihar's dual hazard: North Bihar (Kosi, Gandak, Bagmati, Mahananda basins) is flood-prone; South Bihar (Son–Punpun, plateau fringe) is drought-prone. Right to work links to Art. 41 (DPSP). MGNREGA was enacted in 2005.
Map of Bihar's 38 districts: 22 flood-hit districts mostly in north and central Bihar shaded blue, 16 drought-hit districts mostly in south Bihar and parts of the north shaded orange; rivers Ganga, Gandak, Kosi and Son drawn in blue, Patna marked; side panel shows 38 districts, 22 + 16, 125 days, 60:40 funding and the lifted 22 Oct–10 Dec pause. — StudyForGS
3. Bihar AI Policy 2026: Target to Train 5 Lakh Students in 5 Years
Mains GS-II — role and impact of S&T in Bihar's development; Prelims — state policies, IT & emerging technologies.
Context
CM Samrat Choudhary reviewed the Bihar Artificial Intelligence Policy 2026 on 22 Oct 2026 and asked the IT Department to form a specialised team to implement it within a fixed timeline.
Key facts
Target: 5 lakh students trained in AI over 5 years — 1 lakh per year.
A major annual AI event every year for five years to draw investors.
Incentives for AI companies, startups and digital enterprises, incl. support for large AI models.
Focus on AI infrastructure, digital skills, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Complements the new Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee AI & Computer Science University, Bhagalpur.
Way forward
Route training through ITIs, polytechnics and colleges with Hindi-language AI content; tap national compute under the IndiaAI Mission.
Concept
IndiaAI Mission (2024, outlay ₹10,371.92 crore) — compute, datasets, foundation models. AI: machines doing tasks needing human intelligence; LLM: large language model trained on huge text corpora.
4. CM's School & College Push: 2,996 Buildings, 16,440 Classrooms
BIHARBPSC: Prelims + Mains GS-II (Bihar Economy – Human Development)
Syllabus linkage
Mains GS-II — Bihar's social sector & human resource development; Prelims — state education initiatives.
Context
Reviewing the Education and Higher Education departments on 22 Oct 2026, the CM ordered fast-tracking of 2,996 new school buildings (16,440 classrooms) and permanent campuses for 211 new degree colleges.
Key facts
The 211 block-level degree colleges began classes on 15 July 2026.
Campus designs up to G+5; science, arts & library blocks, labs, lecture theatres.
Separate hostels for male and female students; sites near block HQs prioritised.
Executing agency: BSEIDC (Bihar State Educational Infrastructure Development Corporation).
Way forward
Match buildings with faculty recruitment and quality checks; prioritise blocks with the lowest enrolment.
Concept
Education moved from State to Concurrent List by the 42nd Amendment (1976). Art. 21A (86th Amendment, 2002): free & compulsory education for 6–14 years. GER = enrolment ÷ eligible-age population × 100.
Four coloured stat tiles: 2,996 new school buildings, 16,440 new classrooms, 211 degree colleges getting permanent campuses, and 5 lakh students to get AI training in 5 years. — StudyForGS
5. Paddy Procurement from 1 Nov at MSP ₹2,441/qtl; Payment in 48 Hours
For KMS 2026-27, Bihar will buy paddy from 1 Nov in North Bihar and 15 Nov in South Bihar through PACS and Vyapar Mandals; online registration is open.
Key facts
MSP ₹2,441/qtl (common) and ₹2,461/qtl (Grade A).
Registration on the e-Sahkari portal; AgriStack Farmer ID used for verification.
Payment to farmers within 48 hours through DBT.
Procurement target may be raised to 50 lakh MT (under consideration).
Way forward
Relax moisture norms for flood-delayed harvests and add PACS-level storage under the cooperative grain-storage plan.
Concept
MSP is recommended by CACP and approved by the CCEA for 22 mandated crops (+ FRP for sugarcane). Bihar repealed its APMC Act in 2006; it is a decentralised procurement (DCP) state.
Four-step flowchart of Bihar paddy procurement 2026-27: register on e-Sahkari portal with AgriStack ID, sell at PACS or Vyapar Mandal from 1 November in North Bihar, MSP paid at Rs 2,441 common and Rs 2,461 Grade A, money credited by DBT within 48 hours; note that South Bihar starts 15 November and the target may rise to 50 lakh MT. — StudyForGS
6. Chhath & Bihar Brand Go Global: CM Ropes in Bihar-Origin IFS Officers
Mains GS-I — Indian culture with Bihar's festivals, heritage and diaspora; Prelims — Bihar's fairs, festivals and pilgrimage sites.
Context
On 22 Oct 2026, the CM met 7 Bihar-origin IFS officers (posted in Maldives, Rome, Islamabad, Muscat, Paris and the MEA) and urged them to promote Chhath, Bihar's tourism and local products abroad, ahead of Kartik month (from 27 Oct).
Key facts
Focus sites: Gayaji, Sultanganj (Shravani Mela), Sun temples of Deo (Aurangabad), Chhath ghats of Patna & Munger.
Government developing the Buddhist Circuit and eco-tourism.
The Governor has also urged a bigger role for the global Bihari diaspora.
Patna civic body has launched a special Diwali–Chhath cleanliness drive.
Way forward
Pursue a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage nomination for Chhath and diaspora-led Bihar festivals abroad.
Concept
Chhath: 4-day worship of Surya and Chhathi Maiya — Nahay-Khay → Kharna → Sandhya Arghya → Usha Arghya; held in Kartik and Chaitra. Bihari Girmitiya diaspora: Mauritius, Fiji, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago.
Mains GS-I — current events of national & international importance; Prelims — India's bilateral relations, Europe.
Context
Polish PM Donald Tusk (visit 21–23 Oct 2026) held talks with PM Narendra Modi on 22 Oct; MoUs were exchanged and the leaders focused on defence, AI and critical minerals. Tusk is in Bengaluru today.
Key facts
First visit by a Polish PM to India since 2010.
Ties elevated to Strategic Partnership in Aug 2024 during Modi's Warsaw visit.
Bilateral trade US$6.3 bn; aim to double by 2030; Indian investment in Poland > US$3 bn.
Use Poland as a manufacturing gateway to Central Europe and operationalise the India–EU FTA quickly.
Concept
WWII link: Jam Saheb Digvijaysinhji of Nawanagar sheltered Polish children at Balachadi; ~5,000 Polish refugees lived at Valivade (Kolhapur). Poland: member of EU, NATO and the Visegrad Group; capital Warsaw.
Map of Europe and Asia with India shaded saffron and Poland shaded purple, a dashed arc linking Warsaw and New Delhi labelled 'Strategic Partnership since Aug 2024', Bengaluru marked as Tusk's 23 October stop, and a panel showing bilateral trade of US$6.3 billion with the goal to double it by 2030. — StudyForGS
8. India–US Trade Deal 'Pretty Close': Final Hurdles Remain
On 22 Oct 2026, EAM S. Jaishankar said the pact is in its final stretch but "never done till it's done"; US President Donald Trump called it "pretty close" and Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the sides are "about as close as you can be".
Key facts
Talks over a year: market access, tariffs, farm goods, industrial products, regulatory barriers.
Rubio visited Mumbai and the Jamnagar refinery — his 2nd India trip in under 5 months.
US agenda: energy trade, defence, civil nuclear cooperation, US tech purchases.
India stresses energy diversification — avoiding over-dependence on any one crude supplier.
Way forward
Shield sensitive farm and dairy lines while winning tariff relief for labour-intensive exports such as textiles, leather and gems.
Concept
BTA = Bilateral Trade Agreement; FTAs are allowed under GATT Art. XXIV as an exception to the MFN rule. Tariff = tax on imports; NTBs include SPS & TBT measures.
9. AgriVoltaics World Conference: 'One Land, Two Harvests' in New Delhi
Mains GS-II — agriculture, energy, role of S&T; Prelims — renewable energy schemes, PM-KUSUM, climate targets.
Context
The 7th AgriVoltaics World Conference (21–23 Oct 2026, Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi), hosted by MNRE, is the first held in the Global South; an agrivoltaic programme under the next phase of PM-KUSUM is planned.
Key facts
47.5 Mha cropland technically suitable — about 30% of India's ~160 Mha.
Capital cost 25–30% above ground-mounted solar, which needs 4–5 acres/MW.
Field studies: 10–20% yield gains for some crops and ~30% less water use.
Non-fossil capacity 308.03 GW — over 55% of the total; the 50%-by-2030 NDC goal is already met.
Way forward
Aggregate small plots via FPOs (86% holdings are small/marginal) and set crop-first design standards — highly relevant for Bihar's tiny farms.
Concept
Agrivoltaics: solar panels and crops on the same land. PM-KUSUM (2019): A — up to 2 MW plants on farmland; B — standalone solar pumps; C — solarising grid pumps/feeders. Agriculture: State List; electricity: Concurrent List.
Donut chart showing about 30% of India's cropland (47.5 of ~160 million hectares) technically suitable for agrivoltaics, with tiles: 47.5 Mha suitable, 25–30% higher capex than ground solar, 10–20% yield gain for some crops, and 308 GW non-fossil capacity above 55%. — StudyForGS
10. SIMBEX & AUSTRAHIND 2026: India's Indo-Pacific Drills in Full Swing
Mains GS-I — national & international current events; Prelims — military exercises, partner countries, venues.
Context
The 33rd SIMBEX with Singapore is on at Visakhapatnam (21–26 Oct), while the 5th AUSTRAHIND with Australia runs at Thiruvananthapuram till 1 Nov; IBSAMAR IX ended on 20 Oct.
Key facts
SIMBEX began in 1994 as Exercise Lion King; sea phase 24–26 Oct in the Bay of Bengal.
Ships: INS Nilgiri (P-17A), INS Kamorta (P-28) with Singapore's RSS Supreme.
AUSTRAHIND: 240 personnel; New Zealand observers for the first time.
IBSAMAR IX (India–Brazil–South Africa) ended at Simon's Town; India sent INS Tarkash.
Way forward
Turn interoperability into logistics pacts and shared maritime awareness through IFC-IOR, Gurugram.
Concept
Look East (1992) → Act East (2014); India–Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2024); India–Australia CSP (2020); MAHASAGAR (2025) succeeds SAGAR (2015).
11. RRI Finds Evidence of Accretion Disk Around Pulsar Centaurus X-3
Mains GS-II — S&T developments by Indian institutions; Prelims — space science basics (neutron stars, pulsars).
Context
Scientists at Bengaluru's Raman Research Institute (autonomous under DST), led by Kinjal Roy, found evidence that X-ray pulsar Centaurus X-3 pulls matter through an accretion disk — rare for pulsars of its kind.
Key facts
Cen X-3 is a high-mass X-ray binary (HMXB); companion star of ~10+ solar masses.
Distance about 24,000 light years, in the constellation Centaurus.
Four secondary emission lines vary in step with a structure co-rotating with the pulsar — an accretion stream.
Cen X-3 was the first X-ray pulsar discovered (1971, Uhuru satellite).
Way forward
Use AstroSat and upcoming Indian X-ray missions for follow-up spectroscopy and train more space-science talent.
Concept
Pulsar: fast-spinning, highly magnetised neutron star emitting beamed radiation. Accretion disk: flattened disc of matter spiralling onto a compact object, heated to X-ray temperatures. RRI was founded by C.V. Raman in 1948.
Data point of the day
5.54%
Retail (CPI) inflation, September 2026 Up from 4.83% in August; rural 6.08% vs urban 4.88%; food inflation 7.74% (onion prices up 108% y-o-y). Still within the RBI's 2–6% band but above the 4% target — rural-heavy Bihar feels food inflation more.
Prelims rapid-fire
Asian Para Games 2026: Aichi–Nagoya, Japan (18–24 Oct); India had 35 medals (9 gold) by 20 Oct.
Bihar Cabinet meets today (5 PM) under CM Samrat Choudhary.
Bihar STET 2026 shifted from 4 Nov to 21 Nov.
Patna Junction decongestion: 5 new platforms at Harding Park terminal.
Vikramshila Setu (Ganga, Bhagalpur) to get a digital bridge health monitoring system.
IBSA was formalised by the Brasilia Declaration (6 June 2003).
Practice MCQs — BPSC Prelims pattern
Q1. With reference to the State Legislative Council, consider the following statements: 1. One-twelfth of its members are elected by graduates of at least three years' standing residing in the State. 2. One-twelfth are elected by teachers of at least three years' standing in institutions not lower than secondary school. 3. About one-sixth are nominated by the Governor. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
1 and 2 only
2 and 3 only
1 and 3 only
1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: D Art. 171(3): 1/3 by MLAs, 1/3 by local bodies, 1/12 graduates, 1/12 teachers, the rest (~1/6) nominated by the Governor. All three are correct. Bihar votes today on 4 graduates' and 4 teachers' seats.
Q2. The VB-G RAM G scheme, under which Bihar has resumed rural works in all 38 districts, guarantees how many days of wage employment per rural household in a year, and in what Centre–State funding ratio?
100 days; 75:25
120 days; 90:10
125 days; 60:40
150 days; 50:50
Show answer
Answer: C VB-G RAM G (in force from 1 July 2026, replacing MGNREGA) guarantees up to 125 days a year; costs are shared 60:40 between the Centre and the State.
Mains practice question
Q. Bihar faces floods in the north and drought in the south, often in the same year. Explain the geographical reasons for this dual hazard and assess how a rural employment guarantee can be used to build climate resilience in the state. (BPSC Mains GS-II)
Hint / approach
North: Himalayan rivers (Kosi, Gandak, Bagmati), heavy silt, shifting courses, Nepal catchment. South: plateau fringe, low and erratic rain, porous soils. Link VB-G RAM G (125 days) works — ahar-pyne revival, ponds, embankment repair — with Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali; end with migration and women's work benefits.
📌 One-line revision: Today's 3 numbers: 125 days (VB-G RAM G, 60:40) • 1/12 + 1/12 graduates & teachers in MLC (Art. 171) • ₹2,441/qtl paddy MSP from 1 Nov.
