Daily Current Affairs for Uttar Pradesh PSC (UPPCS)
UPPSC Current Affairs — 21 October 2026
Allahabad HC orders STF check of all UP basic-school teachers' documents; UP Council polls on 23 Oct; UP-AI Mission, ₹1,725 cr skill zones and SAF Policy-2026 lead the state's big decisions
Wednesday, 21 October 2026 · IST · Uttar Pradesh + National · 11 items · 2 MCQs
The Allahabad High Court has ordered the UP STF to verify the certificates of every Class 1-8 government school teacher after finding that up to 10 people held jobs on one set of documents, while 11 Legislative Council seats go to polls on 23 October and Varanasi readies for the IAF's first air show over the Ganga. Among the state's big October decisions are the UP AI Mission, the ₹1,725 crore Sardar Patel skill zones, the SAF Policy-2026 and the renaming of Bhadohi as Sant Ravidas Nagar Bhadohi.
Today at a glance — things to remember
Allahabad HC orders STF verification of documents of all Class 1-8 teachers; compliance on 4 Nov.
UP Council biennial polls for 11 seats (5 graduate + 6 teacher) on 23 Oct.
IAF's first air show over the Ganga at Namo Ghat, Varanasi, marking its 94th anniversary.
UP AI Mission targets 100 AI startups and 5 lakh AI-skilled youth; AI centres in 75 districts.
GS-II: Role of judiciary, governance & accountability; GS-V: UP education administration
Context
Hearing a teacher's writ petition, the High Court found that teaching jobs had been obtained on forged or borrowed certificates.
Key facts
Order of 16 Oct 2026 by Justice Vinod Diwakar; STF found cases where 10 or more people were employed against one set of documents.
All teachers of Classes 1-8 must submit appointment letters and educational documents to the Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) within one week.
BSA forwards papers to the STF range office; ADGP (STF) supervises verification; officers liable to be held personally accountable for laxity.
Teachers must file notarised affidavits naming relatives who held BSA-level or higher posts; compliance hearing on 4 Nov 2026.
Way forward
Recruitment integrity in the state's largest employer of teachers is a recurring Mains theme; expect questions on digital certificate verification (DigiLocker/Aadhaar-linked records) and the High Court's writ jurisdiction under Article 226.
Concept
Article 226: High Courts can issue writs for enforcement of fundamental rights 'and for any other purpose' — wider than the Supreme Court's Article 32. The Allahabad HC (est. 1866 at Agra, shifted to Allahabad 1869) has a Lucknow Bench.
2. UP Legislative Council biennial polls on 23 Oct for 11 graduate & teacher seats
GS-II: State Legislature — Legislative Council (Art. 169, 171)
Context
Campaigning peaks this week; the CM addressed a Lucknow meeting for the teachers' constituency polls.
Key facts
11 seats: 5 Graduates' and 6 Teachers' constituencies; polling on 23 Oct 2026, 8 am-4 pm.
UP Vidhan Parishad has 100 members; members serve 6 years, with one-third retiring every 2 years (hence 'biennial').
Under Art. 171, 1/12 of members are elected by graduates of 3 years' standing and 1/12 by teachers of secondary schools and above.
Voting uses the single transferable vote system of proportional representation.
Way forward
UP is one of only six states with a bicameral legislature; Prelims often tests the composition of the Council and Art. 169 (creation/abolition by Parliament on an Assembly resolution).
3. 'Wings Over Ganges': IAF's first air show over the Ganga at Varanasi's Namo Ghat
UP-CULTUREUPPSC: Prelims (Defence, UP Tourism; UP-special GS-VI)
Syllabus linkage
GS-III: Defence & indigenisation; GS-VI: Tourism in UP
Context
The Air Force Day Aerial Display-2026 marks the IAF's 94th anniversary and moves to Kashi this week.
Key facts
Venue Namo Ghat, Varanasi; latest schedule 22-25 Oct 2026; marks the 94th anniversary of the IAF (founded 8 Oct 1932).
Suryakiran team flies 9 Hawk Mk 132 jets (built by HAL under licence); Sarang helicopter display team also performs.
Line-up includes Tejas, LCH Prachand, Rafale, Su-30MKI, C-295, IL-76/IL-78 and AN-32.
Showcasing indigenous platforms (Tejas, Prachand) links to Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence, while the event strengthens Varanasi's riverfront-tourism brand alongside the UP Defence Industrial Corridor narrative.
4. UP Cabinet sets up the Uttar Pradesh AI Mission (UP-AIM); Lucknow pitched as India's first AI City
GS-III: IT, AI & e-governance; GS-VI: UP's industrial & digital economy
Context
Part of the 39 proposals cleared by the Cabinet on 9 Oct; it follows the CM's 6 Oct pledge of 50 world-class AI startups in Lucknow.
Key facts
UP-AIM is an independent society under the IT & Electronics Department.
Targets: 100+ AI use cases (25-30 scaled up), 100 AI startups, 5 lakh AI-skilled youth and 50,000 forward-deployed AI professionals.
AI centres in all 75 districts; Noida and Lucknow are being built as Deep Tech hubs under the startup policy.
Gautam Buddha Nagar already hosts 12 IT/ITES SEZs; 7 Software Technology Parks are functional in the state.
Way forward
The mission dovetails with the IndiaAI Mission and the state's $1 trillion economy goal; AI in governance (grievance, land records, health) is a ready Mains example of technology-led service delivery.
Stat tiles showing UP AI Mission targets: 100+ AI use cases, 100 AI startups, 5 lakh AI-skilled youth, 50,000 AI professionals, AI centres in 75 districts. — StudyForGS
5. ₹1,725 crore Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Skill Training & Employment Zone scheme approved
Courses: basic skills for non-technical graduates, upgrades for ITI/polytechnic/engineering youth, and foreign-language training for overseas jobs.
AI-driven analytics, digital dashboards, hostels and placement cells at each centre.
Way forward
Linking skilling to industrial authorities (GIDA, YEIDA, BIDA) targets UP's demographic dividend and the skills-jobs mismatch; Bundelkhand (Jhansi) and Purvanchal (Gorakhpur) hubs aid balanced regional growth.
Map of Uttar Pradesh districts highlighting the five Phase-1 skill zone centres: Gautam Buddha Nagar, Lucknow, Kanpur Nagar, Gorakhpur and Jhansi. — StudyForGS
6. UP Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Manufacturing Promotion Policy-2026 cleared
GS-III: Energy security, green growth, agri-residue management
Context
The policy turns farm residue, municipal waste and the sugar-ethanol base into jet fuel feedstock.
Key facts
Feedstock: rice husk, wheat straw, sugarcane bagasse, municipal waste, non-edible oilseeds; routes incl. pyrolysis, gasification and Alcohol-to-Jet.
Unit classes by investment: Large ₹200-500 cr, Mega ₹500-1,500 cr, Ultra-mega above ₹1,500 cr.
Incentives: stamp-duty relief, net SGST reimbursement, interest subsidy, 100% electricity-duty exemption for up to 10 years.
Nodal agency UPNEDA; policy valid for 5 years.
Way forward
SAF offers a market for stubble that is otherwise burnt, adds rural income and helps India meet ICAO CORSIA commitments (national SAF blending goals of 1% in 2027, 2% in 2028 for international flights).
Flow diagram of UP SAF Policy-2026: feedstocks (agri residue, bagasse, municipal waste, non-edible oilseeds) to conversion routes to jet fuel, with bars showing Large, Mega and Ultra-mega investment thresholds. — StudyForGS
7. Bhadohi becomes 'Sant Ravidas Nagar Bhadohi'; Jewar airport to be 'Narendra Modi International Airport'
GS-I/GS-V: UP districts, Bhakti saints; GS-VI: UP infrastructure
Context
Both renamings were ratified by the Cabinet on 9 Oct; the Bhadohi change was announced by the CM on 4 Oct.
Key facts
Bhadohi, carved out of Varanasi, became UP's 65th district on 30 June 1994; it was renamed back to plain 'Bhadohi' on 6 Dec 2014.
Named after Sant Ravidas (15th-16th c. Bhakti poet of Kashi; 40 of his verses are in the Guru Granth Sahib); his 650th birth-anniversary year is being marked.
Bhadohi is India's 'Carpet City' — hand-knotted carpet holds a GI tag.
Noida International Airport, Jewar (Gautam Buddha Nagar) to be renamed Narendra Modi International Airport.
Way forward
Renaming of districts lies with the state (by notification); renaming an airport needs a state proposal and Union Cabinet/Civil Aviation Ministry approval — a frequently confused Prelims point.
Locator map 'Uttar Pradesh in Today's News' marking Prayagraj (High Court order), Lucknow (AI City, Council polls), Varanasi (IAF air show), Sant Ravidas Nagar Bhadohi (renamed), Gautam Buddha Nagar (Jewar airport) and Ayodhya (Deepotsav). — StudyForGS
8. 10th Ayodhya Deepotsav (5-7 Nov) to light 33 lakh diyas along Ram Ki Paidi
UP-CULTUREUPPSC: Prelims (UP Art & Culture; UP-special GS-V)
Syllabus linkage
GS-I: Fairs & festivals; GS-VI: Religious & cultural tourism in UP
Context
Preparations are under way for the tenth edition, ahead of Diwali on 8 November.
Key facts
10th edition, 5-7 Nov 2026; target 33 lakh earthen diyas over a ~2 km stretch of Ram Ki Paidi and the Saryu ghats.
About 34,000 volunteers plus ~34,000 students; ~65 lakh wicks, 55,000 litres of oil, 150 kg camphor.
Deepotsav began in 2017 with about 1.71 lakh diyas and has set successive world records.
Ayodhya lies on the right bank of the Saryu (Ghaghara); part of the Ramayana Circuit under the Swadesh Darshan scheme.
Way forward
Deepotsav shows festival-led tourism as an economic engine (potters, oil, hospitality); Mains can ask about cultural tourism's role in UP's growth and its environmental/crowd-management challenges.
Bar chart of diyas lit at Ayodhya Deepotsav from 2017 (about 1.7 lakh) to 2025 (about 26.2 lakh), with the 2026 target of 33 lakh highlighted. — StudyForGS
9. Centre halts sugar-based ethanol procurement for 2026-27 — a key watch for UP's cane belt
With El Niño causing the weakest monsoon in over a decade, the government wants to protect sugar supply and prices.
Key facts
PSU oil firms' joint tender for ~11 billion litres for the supply year from 1 Nov 2026 excludes ethanol from cane juice, sugar, sugar syrup and B-heavy molasses.
Allowed: C-heavy molasses, damaged food grains, surplus FCI rice, maize and other feedstocks under the National Policy on Biofuels.
India hit E20 (20% blending) in 2025, five years ahead of the original 2030 target.
Mills may sell sugar made in Oct 2026 across Oct-Nov over and above monthly quotas.
Way forward
UP is India's largest sugarcane and ethanol producer, so mills' diversion revenue and timely cane-price payments to farmers are directly affected — a classic food-vs-fuel trade-off for Mains.
Diagram contrasting excluded ethanol feedstocks (cane juice, sugar, sugar syrup, B-heavy molasses) with allowed feedstocks (C-heavy molasses, damaged grains, surplus FCI rice, maize) for the 2026-27 ethanol tender. — StudyForGS
10. India-New Zealand FTA enters into force; Rubio says India-US trade deal is 'very close'
GS-II: India and its bilateral relations; GS-III: External trade
Context
Two trade tracks moved on 20 October: one pact took effect and another neared closure.
Key facts
India-NZ FTA in force from 20 Oct 2026: duty-free access for Indian exports; NZ gains access for wood, wool, sheep meat; US$20 bn investment commitment.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met EAM S. Jaishankar in Mumbai on 20 Oct; also held a US-India-UAE trilateral.
Feb 2026 framework had cut US tariffs on most Indian goods to 18% from 50%.
Rubio urged India to buy more US and Venezuelan crude and toured the Jamnagar refinery (Gujarat).
Way forward
UP's export clusters (Bhadohi carpets, Moradabad brassware, Kanpur-Agra leather, ODOP products) stand to gain from lower tariffs in the US and duty-free entry into New Zealand.
11. Global Hunger Index 2026: India ranked 100th of 122, still in the 'serious' category
GHI uses four indicators: undernourishment, child stunting, child wasting and child mortality.
Way forward
UP carries a large share of India's malnourished children; POSHAN Abhiyaan, Anganwadi strengthening and the state's Zero Poverty campaign are the levers to cite in answers.
Grouped bar chart comparing India's GHI indicators, previous versus 2026: child wasting 16.9 to 19.0 percent, child stunting 35.6 to 29.3 percent, undernourishment 10.5 to 9.8 percent. — StudyForGS
Data point of the day
39 proposals
UP Cabinet, 9 Oct 2026 One meeting cleared the AI Mission, ₹1,725 cr skill zones, SAF Policy-2026, two renamings and free LPG refills.
Prelims rapid-fire
Ujjwala refills: 2 free LPG refills (Diwali & Holi) in FY27 for PMUY families; cost ₹2,142.78 cr
e-Buses: 1,725 AC electric buses for 18 cities (incl. Noida-Jewar) on a 12-year operator contract
AYUSH interns: Stipend of Ayurveda, Unani & Homeopathy interns doubled to ₹15,000/month
Startups: Startup Procurement Scheme-2026: e-marketplace run by UP Startup Mission for govt purchases
Tax relief: Interest Waiver Scheme-2026: 3-month window to clear old tax dues (up to 31 Dec 2025) without interest/penalty
Anganwadi: Workers & helpers to get 3 sarees a year instead of 2 — 3,80,290 beneficiaries
Practice MCQs — UPPSC Prelims pattern
Q1. With reference to the recent renaming in Uttar Pradesh, consider the following statements:
1. Bhadohi was created as a separate district out of Varanasi in 1994.
2. Bhadohi's hand-knotted carpet holds a Geographical Indication tag.
3. Sant Ravidas, after whom the district is named, was a disciple of Guru Nanak.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
1 only
1 and 2 only
2 and 3 only
1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B Bhadohi became UP's 65th district on 30 June 1994 after being carved out of Varanasi, and its hand-knotted carpet is GI-tagged. Statement 3 is wrong: Sant Ravidas is traditionally linked with Ramananda's Bhakti tradition, not as a disciple of Guru Nanak, though his verses are in the Guru Granth Sahib.
Q2. Under Article 171 of the Constitution, what fraction of the members of a State Legislative Council is elected by electorates consisting of teachers?
One-third
One-sixth
One-twelfth
One-fifth
Show answer
Answer: C Article 171: one-third by local bodies, one-third by MLAs, one-twelfth by graduates, one-twelfth by teachers (secondary level and above) and about one-sixth nominated by the Governor. UP's Council has 100 members.
Mains practice question
Q. "Skilling, not just degrees, will decide whether Uttar Pradesh reaps its demographic dividend." Evaluate the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Skill Training & Employment Zone scheme and the UP AI Mission in this light. (200 words)
Hint / approach
Intro: UP's young workforce & skills-jobs gap → Body: hub-and-spoke 9 zones, industry-authority linkage (GIDA/YEIDA/BIDA), foreign-language training, AI centres in 75 districts, 5 lakh AI-skilled youth → Challenges: trainer quality, placement tracking, regional balance, women's participation → Way forward: outcome-based funding, apprenticeships, district skill plans.
📌 One-line revision: Revise: HC-STF teacher check (Justice Vinod Diwakar, 4 Nov) | Council polls 23 Oct (5 graduate + 6 teacher) | UP-AIM: 100 startups, 5 lakh youth | Skill zones ₹1,725 cr, 9 zones | SAF nodal UPNEDA | Bhadohi = 65th district (1994) | Deepotsav 10th: 33 lakh diyas | GHI 100/122.
