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UPSC Monthly Current Affairs October 2026

21 daily editions · 230 topics · 42 MCQs · National & International

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All topics — key facts for revision

1 October 2026

Full notes with diagrams →
ENVIRONMENT PM-DHARA: ₹1.86 lakh crore Green Energy Corridor Phase-III to evacuate 135 GW
  • ₹1,36,378 crore for Intra-State Transmission System (InSTS) + ~₹50,000 crore for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS).
  • Central Financial Assistance: ₹54,082 crore; targets 135 GW RE evacuation and 50 GWh BESS by FY 2032-33.
  • Greenfield lines via Tariff-Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB) on BOOM model; brownfield upgrades on cost-plus basis.
  • Executed by State Transmission Utilities (STUs); aims to cut RE curtailment caused by weak state grids.
ECONOMY Rabi MSP 2027-28: oilseeds and pulses get the biggest boost, wheat up ₹25
  • Wheat ₹2,610/qtl (+₹25), highest margin over cost at 106%.
  • Biggest hike: Safflower +₹675 (₹7,215); Rapeseed-Mustard +₹413 (₹6,613); Masur +₹390 (₹7,390).
  • Gram ₹5,958 (+₹83); Barley ₹2,286 (+₹136).
  • Margins over cost: mustard 96%, masur 92%, gram 59%, barley 58%, safflower 50% – all above the 1.5x norm.
DEFENCE PRAHAAR counter-terror strategy: new Extradition Portal, push for police-station-level response
  • 7 pillars: Prevention, Response, Aggregating capacities, Human rights & rule of law, Attenuating enabling conditions, Aligning global efforts, Recovery & resilience.
  • Extradition Portal links MHA, MEA, CBI and state police to bring back fugitives faster.
  • 288 fugitives extradited from 36 countries during 2019-2026.
  • Cross-border gangster-terror network: 40+ modules busted, 100+ FIRs, 350 arrests in 15 states.
ENVIRONMENT PRAMAAN: first national forest-certification certificates handed over
  • IFWCS launched by MoEFCC in 2023; operated through IIFM, Bhopal.
  • Certifies Forest Management, Trees Outside Forests (ToF) and Chain of Custody of wood products.
  • Voluntary, market-based tool; helps exporters meet legality norms such as the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
ECONOMY GST mop-up crosses ₹2 lakh crore in September 2026, up 14.7%
  • Domestic GST ₹1.38 lakh crore (+10.1%); imports ₹65,525 crore (+26%).
  • Refunds ₹27,001 crore (−3%); net GST ₹1.76 lakh crore (+18.1%).
  • H1 FY27 (Apr-Sep): gross ₹12.46 lakh crore (+11.6%), net ₹10.66 lakh crore (+10.4%).
POLITY UPSC turns 100: PM releases coin, stamp and landmark-judgements book
  • Released a commemorative coin, postage stamp and the book '100 Landmark Judgements' on PSC policies.
  • 1926 PSC set up on the Lee Commission (1924) advice; first chairman Sir Ross Barker.
  • GoI Act 1935 created the Federal PSC; it became UPSC on 26 Jan 1950.
  • Chairman Dr Ajay Kumar stressed 'Trust, Transparency and Technology'.
POLITY Bankers' Books Evidence Act, 2026 in force, replacing the 1891 colonial law
  • 'Bankers' books' now include records in any data-storage form, including electronic/digital.
  • Certified copies admissible without originals if correctly derived and with no tampering.
  • Bank officers need not testify where the bank is not a party – only on court order for special cause.
  • Centre may extend the Act to other financial-sector entities by notification; recognises digital and electronic signatures.
POLITY Centre steps in on Mahanadi water dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh
  • Mahanadi rises near Sihawa (Dhamtari, Chhattisgarh) and drains into the Bay of Bengal in Odisha.
  • Odisha objects to upstream barrages in Chhattisgarh reducing lean-season flows to Hirakud dam.
  • Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal was constituted in March 2018 under the ISRWD Act 1956.
  • Officials of both states met on 31 Aug 2026 to explore an amicable settlement.
IR Modi-Trump phone call reaffirms India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership
  • Leaders also discussed regional developments and global peace and security.
  • Comes as Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal negotiates a bilateral trade agreement with USTR Jamieson Greer.
  • India seeks tariffs no higher than competitors; friction persists over Russian oil imports.
  • Possible meetings at the ASEAN summit (Nov) and G20 summit (Dec, USA).
IR Jaishankar warns of a 'major food crisis' as conflicts choke supply chains
  • Ukraine war and the Iran-Gulf conflict are disrupting Black Sea grain and shipping routes.
  • Fertiliser supply hit by disruptions in West Asia and Russia; energy markets 'very tight'.
  • Global South faces costlier food, freight and fertiliser plus weaker capital flows; a possible Super El Niño adds risk.
REPORT WHO-UNICEF report: 50 million Indian children lack sanitation at school
  • Globally 244 million children lacked school sanitation; India's share is about 20%.
  • India: 12 million lack drinking water and 20 million lack hygiene services at school.
  • Others: Nigeria 34 mn, Ethiopia 26 mn, DR Congo 11 mn, Indonesia 8 mn.
  • India cut schools without sanitation by 14%, but the world is off-track for universal school WASH by 2030.
SOCIETY Five new sites on India's UNESCO Tentative List; total rises to 78
  • Bagh Cave Paintings (MP) – Buddhist rock-cut caves with murals akin to Ajanta.
  • Udayagiri Caves (MP) – Gupta-era rock-cut shrines, famed Varaha panel.
  • Group of Temples of the Chambal Valley (MP) and Ginnorgarh (MP) hill fort.
  • Sites of Satyagraha – a transnational serial proposal with South Africa on Gandhi's struggles.

2 October 2026

Full notes with diagrams →
ECONOMY RBI MPC meets 5-7 Oct: first rate hike of the cycle on the cards
  • Repo rate 5.25% – unchanged for four consecutive reviews.
  • CPI Aug 2026: 4.82% (July 4.45%); food 5.95%; rural 5.23% vs urban 4.31%.
  • WPI Aug: 9.92% – pipeline pressure from energy prices and West Asia tensions.
  • Rupee has weakened about 6% vs the US dollar in 2026.
ENVIRONMENT GOBARdhan scheme: ₹23,731 crore to scale up compressed biogas
  • Outlay ₹23,731 crore over 10 years (FY 2026-27 to FY 2035-36).
  • CBG blending in CNG (transport) and PNG (domestic): 3% (FY27), 4% (FY28), 5% from FY29.
  • Six pillars: assured offtake, stable pricing, capital aid, pipelines, credit guarantee, technology.
  • Feedstock: cattle dung, crop residue, press mud, municipal organic waste.
ECONOMY First offshore polymetallic blocks in Andaman Sea put on auction
  • Blocks: Sewell Rise-01 and West Sewell Ridge-01; area >1,632 sq km.
  • Contain polymetallic nodules & crusts – cobalt, nickel, manganese, copper, REEs.
  • Law: OAMDR Act, 2002 (amended 2023) + Offshore Areas Mineral (Auction) Rules, 2024.
ENVIRONMENT PRAMAAN: India's first home-grown forest certificates issued
  • First recipients: AP Forest Development Corporation (33,000 ha) and an Odisha bamboo farmer.
  • IFWCS launched December 2023; operated by IIFM Bhopal.
  • Audits by bodies accredited by NABCB (under Quality Council of India).
  • Standard aligned with National Working Plan Code 2023.
DEFENCE VARUNA 2026 off Toulon; HQ Integrated Defence Staff turns 25
  • French side: carrier Charles de Gaulle, SSN Suffren, frigates Forbin and La Fayette.
  • Drills: anti-submarine, anti-surface, live firing; tribute at Mazargues War Memorial.
  • HQ IDS raised 1 Oct 2001 on Group of Ministers advice after Kargil Review Committee.
  • INS Tarkash made a goodwill call at Mombasa, Kenya.
ECONOMY GST crosses ₹2 lakh crore again; imports outpace domestic
  • Domestic ₹1.38 lakh cr (+10.1%); imports ₹65,525 cr (+25.9%).
  • Net GST ₹1.77 lakh cr (+18.1%); refunds ₹27,001 cr (-3%).
  • H1 FY27 gross: ₹12.46 lakh cr (+11.6%).
  • Top state: Maharashtra ₹29,986 cr; fastest: Assam (+88%).
POLITY UPSC at 100: PM calls for 'Nation First, Citizen First' recruitment
  • Two tests for selection: 'Nation First' and 'Citizen First'; assess motivation, not just knowledge.
  • Exam cycle shortened by about 100 days – called an equity reform.
  • Future officers must handle AI, information warfare and climate justice.
  • Recalled Sardar Patel's role in the 'steel frame'.
POLITY Special Gram Sabhas launch People's Plan Campaign 2026-27
  • Covers ~2.5 lakh+ Gram Panchayats plus block and district panchayats.
  • Output: GPDP, Block and District Panchayat Development Plans, uploaded on eGramSwaraj.
  • Plans linked to Localisation of SDGs (LSDGs) and Panchayat Advancement Index scores.
POLITY AFSPA extended for six months in parts of the North-East
  • Manipur: whole state except 13 police stations in 5 valley districts.
  • Nagaland: 9 districts + 21 police stations in 5 more districts.
  • Arunachal: Tirap, Changlang, Longding + 3 police stations of Namsai.
IR Putin praises Modi's Ukraine ideas; Swiss President's visit marks TEPA year one
  • Putin invited Modi for the 24th India-Russia Annual Summit in Russia.
  • India-EFTA TEPA in force since 1 October 2025; 2nd India-EFTA Prosperity Summit on 7 Oct.
  • TEPA: $100 bn investment pledge over 15 years, 1 million direct jobs.
  • Switzerland is India's largest EFTA trade & investment partner.
SOCIETY Gandhi Jayanti: Swachh Bharat Diwas and Special Campaign 6.0 begin
  • Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 closed with 'Ek Din, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath' shramdaan.
  • Special Campaign 6.0 (DARPG): 2-31 October – pendency, e-waste, records.
  • SafaiMitra Suraksha camps reached 3.69 lakh beneficiaries in 3,870 ULBs.
  • Swachh Bharat Mission launched 2 October 2014.

5 October 2026

Full notes with diagrams →
ECONOMY RBI's Monetary Policy Committee begins three-day review as inflation edges up
  • Repo rate at 5.25%, held in August with a neutral stance.
  • CPI inflation: 4.82% in August 2026 vs 4.45% in July, led by food.
  • RBI projects real GDP growth of 6.7% for 2026-27.
  • Forex reserves fell $18.3 bn to $747.6 bn (week ended 25 Sept).
ECONOMY September GST collections rise 14.7% to ₹2.04 lakh crore; Council meets on 7 October
  • Domestic GST ₹1.38 lakh crore (+10.1%); import GST ₹65,525 crore (+25.9%).
  • Net GST after refunds: ₹1.77 lakh crore, up 18.1%.
  • Apr-Sep 2026 gross: ₹12.46 lakh crore (+11.6%); net ₹10.66 lakh crore (+10.4%).
  • Council agenda: easier registration, simpler returns, less litigation; platform warehouses for small e-commerce sellers.
DEFENCE Army, Navy and IAF propose higher Agniveer retention as first batch nears exit
  • Current rule: 25% absorbed into the regular cadre; 75% exit after 4 years.
  • Proposals: Army and IAF seek 50% retention; Navy up to 75%.
  • Exit package: tax-free Seva Nidhi (about ₹11.71 lakh), skill certificate; no pension/gratuity.
  • Entry age 17.5-21 years; ₹48 lakh non-contributory life insurance in service.
DEFENCE Navy sailor held for leaking information to Pakistani operative in honey-trap
  • Sailor joined the Navy in 2014; contact developed over a few months.
  • Produced in court at Vijayawada on 5 October after transfer on a prisoner-transit warrant.
  • Part of a recurring pattern of honey-trap operations via fake profiles targeting defence staff.
SCI-TECH US 'Super Intelligence' order and voluntary frontier-AI safety accord: what it means
  • Accord sets four control layers: internal monitoring, safety team, independent external auditor, independent board committee.
  • Non-binding — no penalty clauses; the US favours industry self-regulation.
  • Science adviser has 60 days to propose a legal definition of SI.
  • EU and Australia are pressing for binding guardrails instead.
ENVIRONMENT Wildlife Week 2026 spotlights corridors beyond protected-area boundaries
  • India has 107 National Parks (~44,403 sq km) and 573 Wildlife Sanctuaries (~1.24 lakh sq km).
  • Nagaland: 222 Community Reserves (~1,160 sq km).
  • Idea from the Indian Board of Wildlife (1952); first week-long celebration in 1957.
  • India hosts 1,04,000+ animal and 47,000+ plant species.
POLITY SIR debate: is the Election Commission's mandate under strain?
  • Concern: SIR lacks an explicit basis in the RP Act, 1950, which provides for intensive and summary revisions.
  • Risk to universal adult suffrage under Art 326 if eligible voters are excluded en masse.
  • CEC and Other ECs Act, 2023 shields officials from proceedings for official acts.
  • In West Bengal, the Supreme Court has heard pleas on large-scale deletions.
POLITY Delhi High Court: a valid visa is not an absolute right to enter India
  • Visa possession and permission to enter are legally distinct.
  • Immigration Officers may examine documents under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025.
  • No enforceable right means no writ under Art 226.
  • Relied on Hans Muller of Nurenburg (1955) and Louis De Raedt (1991).
HEALTH Rabies deaths: official surveillance captures barely 1% of the estimated toll
  • IDSP-IHIP: 50 deaths (2023), 54 (2024); MCCD (Registrar-General): 271 (2023).
  • Gap of nearly 100-fold; under 1% of deaths captured.
  • About 9.1 million animal bites a year — roughly 3 in 4 by dogs.
  • WHO: India bears about 35% of the world's ~59,000 annual rabies deaths.
IR Jaishankar: India has moved 'beyond advocacy' in Russia-Ukraine peace efforts
  • Focus areas: Black Sea shipping safety, grain exports, energy supplies.
  • Ukraine said it received separate ceasefire ideas from India and three other nations.
  • Jaishankar framed the world as shaped by US repositioning and China's rise.
  • Emerging powers must diversify and de-risk amid shifting interdependencies.
IR Iran tells US there is 'no military solution' as Hormuz talks hit impasse
  • Iran set seven conditions for reopening, incl. sanctions relief and unfreezing assets; the US rejected them.
  • Both sides run blockades — Iran strikes vessels; the US counter-blockades Iranian ports.
  • A June 2026 interim MoU had outlined a framework for de-escalation.
  • Iran's oil minister Mohsen Paknejad has resigned.

6 October 2026

Full notes with diagrams →
SCI-TECH Nobel Medicine 2026: optogenetics pioneers honoured for a 'light switch' for neurons
  • Optogenetics = inserting genes for light-sensitive proteins (opsins) into chosen neurons so that a flash of light switches them ON or OFF within milliseconds.
  • Key molecule channelrhodopsin — a light-gated ion channel first found in green algae; Hegemann & Nagel characterised it, Deisseroth used it in mammalian brains.
  • Used to study memory, fear, addiction and movement; clinical leads in vision restoration, Parkinson's and more precise cochlear implants.
  • Award ceremony on 10 December 2026 in Stockholm; prize shared equally by the three laureates.
ECONOMY RBI MPC meets 5–7 Oct: first rate hike in nearly four years on the table
  • Repo rate 5.25% — held in the last four reviews after 125 bps of cuts in 2025; SDF 5.00%, MSF/Bank Rate 5.50%.
  • CPI inflation rose to 4.82% (Aug) from 4.45% (Jul); food inflation 5.95% vs 5.52%.
  • RBI projects FY27 CPI around 5%; GDP growth ~6.7% expected for 2026-27.
  • A hike would be the first since February 2023, when repo was raised to 6.50%.
ECONOMY India–US trade talks hit a 'plateau': FM says more concessions 'very, very difficult'
  • US has imposed a 10% additional duty on Indian goods after a Section 301 probe; a second probe on alleged excess structural capacity is pending.
  • US law empowers the President to levy tariffs of up to 100% linked to purchases of Russian oil.
  • US goods trade deficit with India of about $34 billion (FY26) is the 'predominant' US concern.
  • India's red lines: agriculture, dairy and livelihoods of small farmers.
DEFENCE Mecca Alliance activated: Pakistan, Türkiye to deploy forces in Saudi Arabia
  • Pact signed on 7 Aug 2026; collective-defence clause — an attack on one is an attack on all (like NATO Article 5).
  • Trigger: Houthi strikes claimed on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport and an Aramco refinery.
  • Lt Gen (retd) Numan Mahmud of Pakistan named the first Secretary-General for 3 years.
  • Combined strength of about 1.4 million active troops, 3,400 aircraft and 6,000 tanks.
ENVIRONMENT Buxa Tiger Reserve begins tiger reintroduction with a tigress from Valmiki
  • Buxa had no resident breeding tigers; camera traps showed only transient tigers from Bhutan or Assam's Manas NP.
  • Part of a 5-year plan (2023-24 to 2027-28): habitat improvement, prey-base augmentation and conflict mitigation.
  • Released in the presence of Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav.
  • Buxa lies on the India–Bhutan border, adjoining Bhutan's Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary — a transboundary corridor.
ECONOMY Services PMI climbs to 55.2 in September — a three-month high
  • Manufacturing PMI 55.1 — a 7-month high; composite up from 54.3 in August.
  • New export orders grew at the slowest pace in about 3 years; the Jul–Sep quarterly average was the weakest since 2022.
  • Input-cost inflation hit a 10-month low; only 16% of firms expect higher activity over the next year.
  • GST collections for September: ₹2.04 lakh crore, up 14.7% year-on-year.
POLITY 'Form 6 changes not approved by us': Supreme Court seeks Election Commission's reply
  • Form 6 = application for new voter enrolment, prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.
  • Petitioners allege new fields — ancestral details and a link to the previous SIR — were added via EC software without amending the Rules.
  • Plea claims CEC Gyanesh Kumar acted without the concurrence of the two other Election Commissioners.
  • Backdrop: Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of rolls and alleged mass deletions; software problems flagged in Goa and West Bengal.
ENVIRONMENT Great Nicobar project: SC refuses to entertain Centre's challenge; Calcutta HC to hear PILs
  • Components: transhipment port (Galathea Bay), international airport, township and a power plant.
  • PILs allege violation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006 in obtaining tribal consent, and dilution of eco-sensitive buffers.
  • HC (6 May): there is no thumb rule on locus standi in PILs concerning vulnerable communities.
  • Concerns: Shompen (PVTG) and Nicobarese, leatherback turtle nesting, coral reefs, high seismic risk.
IR India–Switzerland sign 5 pacts; defence and nuclear cooperation to deepen
  • 5 agreements: Migration & Mobility Partnership, Young Professionals exchange, transport technologies & infrastructure, DST–Swiss National Science Foundation LoI, and an innovation & tech-transfer arrangement.
  • Built on the India–EFTA TEPA, in force since 1 Oct 2025 — India's first FTA with a European bloc.
  • TEPA target: $100 billion investment and 1 million direct jobs in India over 15 years.
  • EFTA = Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein; Switzerland is India's largest EFTA partner.
SOCIETY SC directs 24×7 monitoring cells to curb sexual offences in Delhi
  • Court: cameras alone are not enough without people actually watching them.
  • Focus on parks such as Astha Kunj (site of a recent gang-rape), areas near schools and public gathering spots.
  • More patrolling during the festive season; progress to be reviewed in November.
  • Builds on post-Nirbhaya (2012) reforms; offences now fall under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

7 October 2026

Full notes with diagrams →
ECONOMY RBI hikes repo rate by 25 bps to 5.50%, shifts to 'calibrated tightening'
  • Stance changed from 'neutral' to 'calibrated tightening'; near-term rate cuts effectively off the table.
  • FY27 CPI inflation projection raised to 5.2%; quarterly path Q2 4.9%, Q3 6.0%, Q4 5.7%, Q1 FY28 5.6%.
  • FY27 real GDP growth raised 40 bps to 7.1% (from 6.7%); Q2 7.2%, Q3 6.9%, Q4 6.8%.
  • Governor: inflation outlook 'not benign' as it was last year; RBI had cut a cumulative 125 bps in 2025.
  • Rupee traded near ₹96 per US dollar after the decision.
ECONOMY Cabinet approves ₹10,000 crore SME Growth Fund for direct equity
  • Structured as an Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) under SEBI (AIF) Regulations, 2012.
  • Targets SMEs with proven viability and scalability; majority allocation to manufacturing SMEs.
  • Focus on industrial clusters in Tier-II and Tier-III cities.
  • Capital for capacity expansion, technology adoption, exports, GVC integration and acquisitions.
  • MSMEs contribute about 30% of GDP and 45% of merchandise exports.
ECONOMY Integrated Transport & Logistics Authority (ITLA) set up as apex planning body
  • Will prepare a 10+ year National Transport Master Plan covering 8 domains — roads, railways, ports & shipping, civil aviation, inland waterways, coastal shipping, urban mobility, logistics.
  • Technical appraisal of central projects costing ₹500 crore or more; financial appraisal stays with existing mechanisms.
  • National Transport Data Repository to pool e-way bill, FASTag, Vahan, GPS and urban traffic data.
  • Cabinet also cleared four rail multitracking projects in WB, Odisha, TN and AP.
SCI-TECH Nobel Prize in Physics 2026 for discovery of high-energy cosmic neutrinos
  • IceCube uses about one cubic kilometre of Antarctic ice fitted with optical sensors to catch faint Cherenkov light.
  • Neutrinos are nearly massless, chargeless 'ghost particles' that pass through matter almost untouched.
  • High-energy neutrinos act as messengers from blazars, active galactic nuclei and other cosmic accelerators.
  • The 2026 Medicine Nobel (announced 5 Oct) went to pioneers of optogenetics.
DEFENCE FSS-1 'Surya': Navy's first indigenous Fleet Support Ship launched
  • About 43,500 tonnes displacement; helicopter deck, onboard workshops and self-defence systems.
  • Entered the Bay of Bengal ~18 months after steel cutting; keel of FSS-5 laid the same day.
  • MoD–HSL contract of about ₹19,000 crore for 5 ships; around 82% indigenous content.
  • HSL inaugurated upgraded Slipway-4 and a 300-tonne Goliath crane.
  • Will supplement existing tankers INS Deepak, INS Shakti and INS Aditya.
SCI-TECH National Supercomputing Mission crosses 40 systems and 68 petaflops
  • By class: 13 high-end (>1 PF), 12 mid (0.5–1 PF), 15 low-end (below 500 TF).
  • Launched April 2015, outlay ₹4,500 crore; steered by DST + MeitY, implemented by C-DAC and IISc Bengaluru.
  • Indigenous 'Rudra' servers — 6,000 deployed; indigenous interconnect tested at 100/200 Gbps.
  • 16,000+ researchers, 1.5 crore+ jobs run, ~2,000 publications.
  • AIRAWAT AI supercomputer entered TOP500 at rank 75 (2023).
ENVIRONMENT India–Japan Joint Crediting Mechanism: Operational Manual launched
  • Operates under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement (cooperative approaches, ITMOs).
  • Japanese technology and co-finance flow into Indian low-carbon projects; verified reductions are shared as credits.
  • India's eligible list: green hydrogen, offshore wind, storage-backed renewables, CCUS.
  • Japan has JCM partnerships with about 30 countries since 2013.
  • Indian authority: NDAIAPA (constituted 2022).
SOCIETY 3D concrete printing piloted for rural houses under PMAY-G
  • 100 houses at Burripalem (near Tenali) and 77 at Pothuru; completion targeted in about six months.
  • Outlay ₹13.93 crore — Centre ₹9.44 crore, State ₹4.49 crore.
  • PMAY-G aid: ₹1.20 lakh (plains) / ₹1.30 lakh (hilly/difficult areas); minimum 25 sq m house.
  • Cabinet approved 2 crore more houses up to 2028-29 after the 2.95 crore first-phase target.
IR India–Switzerland sign 5 pacts as India–EFTA TEPA completes one year
  • Migration & Mobility Partnership — multiple-entry visas up to 5 years, legal pathways for students and researchers.
  • Young Professionals scheme: 300 per year each way (expandable to 500) for temporary work-exchange.
  • Other pacts: transport technologies & infrastructure, science cooperation.
  • TEPA: USD 100 billion investment and 1 million direct jobs in India over 15 years — first FTA with a binding investment commitment.
  • EFTA offers 92.2% tariff lines (99.6% of India's exports); India offers 82.7% (95.3% of EFTA exports).
POLITY PM calls for global rules on AI and deepfake origin-tracing
  • PM: 'our digital future must expand opportunity while strengthening trust'.
  • India's Feb 2026 IT Rules amendments require platforms to embed permanent metadata / unique identifiers in synthetic content.
  • EU AI Act labelling duties apply from 2 Aug 2026; China mandates AI labels since Sep 2025.
  • India has no standalone AI law; regulation runs through the IT Act 2000 and IT Rules.
REPORT SPIR 2026: cybercrime victims struggle for redress; financial fraud dominates
  • 13% respondents faced cybercrime in the last 2–3 years; 54% of these were digital financial frauds.
  • 52% of financial-fraud victims complained to banks, 63% of them within 24 hours; 40% suspected bank insider involvement.
  • Women, the poor and rural victims lean more on informal routes (bribes, contacts) to get police help.
  • Ready-made fraud 'kits' (pre-activated SIMs, mule accounts) cost just ₹10,000–20,000.
  • UPI handled over 24,000 crore transactions worth ₹314 lakh crore in FY26.

8 October 2026

Full notes with diagrams →
SCI-TECH PM inaugurates 10th India Mobile Congress — 'Scale Without Boundaries'
  • Organised by Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI); runs 7–10 Oct 2026.
  • Theme 'Scale Without Boundaries'; 4 pillars — Srishti, Samvardhan, Sashakt, Suraksha.
  • 9 anchor sectors incl. 5G & 6G, AI networks, semiconductors, non-terrestrial (satellite) networks, quantum communication.
  • Expected 1.5 lakh+ visitors from 100+ countries and 600+ startups.
  • PM: mobile phone has become a tool of good governance under Digital India.
DEFENCE Indian Air Force turns 94 — Air Force Day celebrated at Hindon
  • IAF was established on 8 October 1932; 'Royal' prefix added in 1945, dropped in 1950.
  • Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit (VCAS since 1 Jul 2026) named 29th Chief of the Air Staff from 31 Oct 2026, succeeding ACM Amar Preet Singh.
  • Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026 (2nd edition, multinational) at Jodhpur, 26 Sep–12 Oct.
  • IAF motto 'Nabha Sparsham Deeptam' is taken from the Bhagavad Gita.
ECONOMY RBI hikes repo rate by 25 bps to 5.50%; stance turns 'calibrated tightening'
  • SDF 5.25%; MSF & Bank Rate 5.75%.
  • Stance vote 4–2 for calibrated tightening (two members preferred neutral).
  • FY27 projections: GDP 7.1%, CPI 5.2%; CPI seen peaking at 6.0% in Q3.
  • Indian crude basket averaged US$116.1/bbl in Sept vs US$82.0 in July; monsoon ended 13% below LPA.
  • Next MPC meeting: 2–4 Dec 2026.
ECONOMY Cabinet clears ₹10,000 crore SME Growth Fund for equity to manufacturing SMEs
  • Govt money flows through SEBI-registered Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs), which invest in SMEs.
  • Majority of allocation for manufacturing; also services, tech and strategic value chains.
  • Focus on industrial clusters in Tier-II and Tier-III cities.
  • MSME limits: Small — investment ≤ ₹25 cr, turnover ≤ ₹100 cr; Medium — ≤ ₹125 cr / ≤ ₹500 cr.
ECONOMY Integrated Transport & Logistics Authority to unify planning across all modes
  • Will draft a long-term National Transport Master Plan — roads, rail, ports, aviation, inland waterways, coastal shipping, urban mobility.
  • Technical appraisal of central projects ≥ ₹500 crore (financial appraisal stays with existing bodies).
  • Unified transport data repository from GSTN e-way bills, FASTag, Vahan, GPS data.
  • Advises on updating the National Logistics Policy, 2022; India ranked 38th of 139 in LPI 2023.
SCI-TECH Chemistry Nobel 2026 to Kagan & Soai for 'mirror-image' chemistry
  • Chirality: molecules existing as non-superimposable mirror images (enantiomers), like left and right hands.
  • Kagan (1986): a catalyst of modest purity can give a product of higher enantiomeric purity (non-linear effect).
  • Soai reaction (1990s): the product catalyses its own formation (asymmetric autocatalysis), amplifying one 'hand'.
  • Explains homochirality of life (L-amino acids, D-sugars); prize money 12 million SEK.
REPORT Living Planet Report 2026: monitored wildlife populations down 73% since 1970
  • Based on 35,803 population trends of 5,790 species.
  • Freshwater −85%, terrestrial −69%, marine −59%.
  • Top driver: habitat loss & degradation, then overexploitation, climate change, pollution, invasive species.
  • Bright spots: wild tigers up ~70% (2010–2025); green sea turtle downlisted to Least Concern.
  • 73% is an average proportional change, not 73% of animals lost.
ENVIRONMENT Project Cheetah: Veerangana Durgavati TR becomes MP's third cheetah home
  • ~2,340 sq km across Sagar, Damoh, Narsinghpur — MP's largest tiger reserve (notified 2023).
  • Lies in catchments of Ken, Betwa and Narmada; boma of 439 ha in 5 sections.
  • Cheetah declared extinct in India in 1952; project launched 17 Sep 2022 with 8 cheetahs from Namibia, then 12 from South Africa (2023).
  • Cheetah Steering Committee cleared shifting 4 cheetahs to Nauradehi.
POLITY 57th GST Council meets on 'GST 2.0' process reforms — arrest powers, ITC refunds
  • Proposal to remove GST officers' arrest powers, keeping prosecution for wilful fraud — needs an amendment by Parliament.
  • Wider ITC refunds for inverted duty structure: input services now, capital goods from April 2027.
  • Easier registration for small e-commerce sellers; optional annual return for turnover up to ₹5 crore.
  • Rate reviews proposed only once a year, effective 1 April; some States flagged revenue concerns.
SOCIETY VB-G RAM G: Centre notifies 375 permissible rural works under four pillars
  • Water Security 128; Core Rural Infrastructure 111; Livelihood Infrastructure 98; Disaster preparedness 38 (new).
  • Act replaced MGNREGA (2005); in force from 1 Jul 2026.
  • Guarantees 125 days of wage work per rural household per year (MGNREGA: 100).
  • Cost shared 60:40 (Centre:States) for most States, unlike fully Centre-funded wages earlier.
IR Kaliningrad–Suwałki Gap: Russia accuses NATO of 'isolating' its Baltic exclave
  • Kaliningrad: Russian exclave (~15,000 sq km) between Poland and Lithuania; ex-Königsberg, given to USSR by the Potsdam Agreement (1945).
  • Hosts Russia's Baltic Fleet (Baltiysk) and Iskander missiles.
  • Suwałki Gap: ~100 km Poland–Lithuania border strip between Kaliningrad and Belarus — NATO's only land link to the Baltic states.
  • Finland (2023) and Sweden (2024) joined NATO; India's INS Tushil and INS Tamal were built at Yantar Shipyard, Kaliningrad.
DEFENCE India–UAE Exercise 'Mountain Guardian 2026' under way at Chaubatia
  • 92 personnel, split equally; India from a Bhairav Battalion, UAE from a Mountain Infantry Battalion.
  • Focus: mountain warfare, drone operations, surveillance grids, rock-climbing, integrated field drills.
  • Women officers and combatants from both sides in specialist roles.
  • Other India–UAE drills: Desert Cyclone (armies), Zayed Talwar (navies).

9 October 2026

Full notes with diagrams →
ECONOMY 57th GST Council: Arrest Powers Go, Refunds Get Automated
  • Arrest powers removed by omitting Section 69 of CGST Act; prosecution threshold (Sec 132) raised from ₹1 crore to ₹5 crore, limited to fraudulent ITC.
  • No show-cause notice for tax below ₹10,000; max general penalty (Sec 125) cut from ₹25,000 to ₹10,000.
  • 90% of export and inverted-duty refunds to be provisionally sanctioned by the system; acknowledgement time cut from 15 to 10 days.
  • Optional ARQP (Annual Return Quarterly Payment) scheme for B2C firms with turnover up to ₹5 crore; optional 5% GST on EV passenger transport.
  • Plastic waste, e-waste and used cooking oil from unregistered sellers brought under reverse charge.
SCI-TECH IMC 2026: PM Calls for Global Rules on Deepfakes & Cyber Fraud
  • Sought common global rules for emerging tech and tools to trace the origin of deepfake/AI content.
  • DoT's Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI) has reportedly helped stop over ₹5,000 crore of suspected fraud.
  • IMC 2026 theme: 'Scale Without Boundaries'; focus on AI, 6G, semiconductors, satcom.
  • PM called Digital Public Infrastructure a 'force multiplier' for the Global South.
ENVIRONMENT WMO: Record El Niño to Peak Around December
  • ~100% likelihood (consensus of 13 centres) that El Niño persists through February 2027.
  • Oct–Dec Niño-3.4 anomaly forecast at ~+3.7°C vs previous record +2.6°C (2015-16).
  • Could be one of the strongest since 1950; record SSTs expected in central-east tropical Pacific.
  • In India, a weak monsoon and El Niño were cited by the RBI (7 Oct) among food-inflation risks.
DEFENCE SAREX-2026: Coast Guard's Mass-Rescue Drill off Paradip
  • Scenario: a passenger aircraft with 228 people ditches at sea and hits container vessel MV Zumba.
  • Assets: 15 ICG ships, Dornier aircraft, ALH and Chetak helicopters, IAF C-130J & Mi-17, 2 Navy ships.
  • 32 observers from 30 countries attended.
  • 24th NMSAR Board meeting held in Bhubaneswar, chaired by DG ICG Paramesh Sivamani.
SCI-TECH Nobel 2026: Neutrino Astronomy, Asymmetric Synthesis & Anne Carson
  • Physics: Francis Halzen – for the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and discovery of high-energy astrophysical neutrinos.
  • Chemistry: Henri Kagan & Kenso Soai – non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis.
  • Literature: Anne Carson (b. 1950, Toronto) – 'bold and inventive oeuvre'; works: Autobiography of Red, Nox; first Canadian since Alice Munro (2013).
  • Medicine honoured work on optogenetics; each prize carries 12 million SEK.
HEALTH 30% Trade-Margin Cap on 110 Non-Scheduled Cancer Drugs
  • Covers 110 drugs, including 35 patented medicines; notification via NPPA.
  • MRPs expected to fall 20–70%; estimated patient savings of ₹2,500 crore a year.
  • Precedent: 2019 cap on 42 cancer drugs cut MRPs of 526 brands (~50% on average), saving ₹984 crore/yr.
  • On 29 Sept the SC had questioned the Centre on cancer-drug pricing.
POLITY CAPF (General Administration) Act, 2026 Comes into Force
  • Covers CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP and SSB; senior posts earlier governed by executive orders now by statute.
  • 50% of IG posts and at least 67% of ADG posts reserved for IPS deputationists.
  • Special DG and DG posts: 100% IPS.
  • SC's May 2025 verdict had asked for IPS deputation up to IG to be progressively reduced within two years; contempt plea filed by cadre officers.
POLITY SC Widens Scrutiny of State DGP-Appointment Rules
  • Rule allowed officers with under 6 months' residual service to be considered; DGP Tadasha Mishra issued notice.
  • Amicus Raju Ramachandran, assisted by UPSC, to review DGP laws of all States.
  • Court: its duty is to ensure Prakash Singh directions are not diluted, whichever party rules a State.
  • Matter listed after one week; Jharkhand may revisit its rules.
SOCIETY National SC-ST Hub Completes a Decade
  • Procurement from SC/ST MSEs rose from ₹99.37 crore (2015-16) to ₹4,013.42 crore (2025-26) from 12,524 MSEs.
  • 1,90,414 beneficiaries assisted and 54,499 candidates trained (till 31 July 2026); 55% of 2025-26 trainees were women.
  • SCLCSS: 25% capital subsidy up to ₹25 lakh; 3,160 MSEs got ₹356.10 crore.
  • Top States: Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Assam.
IR EAM's Africa Outreach: Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia
  • Ghana (6 Oct): met President John Dramani Mahama; follows PM's July 2025 visit, first by an Indian PM in three decades.
  • Côte d'Ivoire (7 Oct): talks with FM Nialé Kaba on trade, agriculture, healthcare, defence & counter-terrorism.
  • Ethiopia: final leg; Addis Ababa hosts the African Union HQ.
  • Focus: people-centric development partnership, infrastructure and investment.
REPORT Ayush Services Sector Report: Women Are 43% of Workforce
  • Supports ~1.76 million livelihoods; women = 43% of workforce (over 60% in spas/wellness resorts).
  • Ayurveda = USD 17.73 bn (~48%); standalone clinics are the largest segment (43.9% of revenue).
  • Wellness segment CAGR 21.29%; Medical Value Travel ~USD 1.77 bn.
  • Projected to reach USD 216–318 billion by 2047.

12 October 2026

Full notes with diagrams →
ECONOMY RBI turns hawkish: first repo hike since 2023; September CPI print due today
  • First hike since February 2023; SDF 5.25%, MSF & Bank Rate 5.75%; hike was unanimous (6-0).
  • Stance changed from neutral to 'calibrated tightening' by a 4-2 vote; Governor Sanjay Malhotra.
  • CPI: July 4.45% → August 4.82%; food inflation (CFPI) 5.95% in August; WPI 9.92% in August.
  • RBI raised FY27 CPI forecast to 5.2% (from 5.0%); GDP growth projected at 7.1% (Q1 FY27: 7.8%).
  • Crude basket averaged $114-116/barrel in September amid the US-Iran conflict re-escalation.
ECONOMY PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana completes one year: 100 districts, 36 schemes converge
  • Outlay ₹24,000 crore per year for 6 years (from 2025-26); covers 100 districts, at least one per State/UT.
  • Converges 36 schemes of 11 departments; districts chosen on low productivity, low cropping intensity, low credit.
  • Monitored through 117 KPIs on a monthly dashboard; District Dhan-Dhaanya Samiti prepares district plans.
  • Pulses Mission: ₹11,440 crore (2025-26 to 2030-31); target 350 lakh tonnes output on 310 lakh ha.
  • 100% procurement of tur, urad and masoor for four years; both schemes together: ₹35,440 crore.
DEFENCE Navy's Next-Generation OPV 'Shreyas' launched at GRSE, Kolkata
  • 11 NGOPVs contracted on 30 March 2023 for ₹9,781 crore – 7 at Goa Shipyard, 4 at GRSE.
  • Earlier launches: Shachi (GSL, Mar 2026), Sanghmitra (May 2026), Shruti (Aug 2026).
  • Approx. 113 m long, about 3,000 t displacement; deliveries scheduled from September 2026.
  • Roles: EEZ surveillance, anti-piracy, coastal defence, search & rescue and HADR.
DEFENCE Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026 concludes at Jodhpur with 7 foreign air forces
  • 7 foreign air forces: USA, France, Germany, Australia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, UAE; 32 observer countries.
  • US F-35 Lightning II flew in an IAF-hosted exercise for the first time.
  • France: Rafale, A400M, MRTT (PEGASE 26 deployment); UAE: F-16; Bangladesh: C-130J.
  • 1st edition (2024) was held in two phases – Sulur (Tamil Nadu) and Jodhpur.
SCI-TECH Indo-French TRISHNA thermal satellite in advanced stage; launch in 12-16 months
  • TRISHNA = Thermal infraRed Imaging Satellite for High-resolution Natural resource Assessment.
  • 3rd joint Indo-French Earth-observation mission after Megha-Tropiques (2011) and SARAL (2013).
  • CNES builds the thermal infrared (TIR) payload; ISRO builds the VSWIR payload and the bus.
  • Sun-synchronous orbit ~761 km; ~57 m resolution over land; revisit about 3 days; life 5 years.
ENVIRONMENT Heat-driven sex reversal pushing frogs towards earlier extinction: new study
  • Sex-reversed males sired fewer offspring and were more vulnerable to heat and ranavirus.
  • Models: decline may begin ~10 years earlier and extinction ~9.5 years sooner in affected populations.
  • About 40% of amphibian species already face extinction risk – the most threatened vertebrate class.
POLITY SC special sitting: no detention except by procedure established by law during Delhi protests
  • No one to be detained except through procedure established by law, esp. peaceful, unarmed assemblies.
  • Metro and rail to run normally; internet to stay undisturbed; free movement subject to traffic rules.
  • Sec 163 BNSS notice near the Supreme Court to be removed to ensure access to courts; advocates not to be hindered.
  • Compliance report due 13 October; Court to examine whether the Police Act is consistent with Article 19.
IR Pakistan imposes emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, suspends provincial government
  • Art 232 (Pakistan): emergency on war or internal disturbance; Art 234: failure of constitutional machinery in a province.
  • KP borders Afghanistan (Durand Line); instability affects terrorism and CPEC security.
  • Move follows weeks of talk of Governor's Rule in the PTI-governed province.
SOCIETY Mizoram to count refugees separately in Census 2027
  • 29,575 from Myanmar (mostly Chin), 6,959 IDPs from Manipur, 1,679 from Bangladesh (Chittagong Hill Tracts).
  • Biometric enrolment of Myanmar refugees at 98.9%; refugees need not disclose Aadhaar.
  • Census 2027 is India's first digital Census and will also enumerate caste; reference date 1 March 2027.
REPORT RTI transparency audit: only 63% of public authorities file third-party audit reports
  • Of 2,303 public authorities registered with CIC, only 1,446 (~62.8%) submitted third-party audit reports.
  • More than half of submitted reports scored Grade C or below.
  • Only 33 of 94 department websites carried 2024-25 audit reports.
  • About 23 lakh RTI requests handled in 2024-25; 5.1 lakh pending.
IR Katchatheevu: Sri Lanka's President says India has acknowledged island belongs to Sri Lanka
  • Uninhabited islet of about 285 acres in the Palk Strait, north-east of Rameswaram.
  • 1974 agreement (Indira Gandhi – Sirimavo Bandaranaike) placed it on Sri Lanka's side; 1976 pact ended fishing rights.
  • AG: fishermen's issues to be handled diplomatically; matter listed for hearing in February 2027.
  • Annual St. Anthony's Church festival on the island draws pilgrims from both countries.

13 October 2026

Full notes with diagrams →
ECONOMY Retail inflation climbs to 21-month high of 5.54% in September
  • Food inflation (CFPI): 7.74% (Aug: 5.97%); rural CPI 6.08%, rural food 8.06%.
  • 11 of 12 sub-groups rose — inflation is broadening; onion prices up 108% y-o-y.
  • MPC recently raised the repo rate by 25 bps; FY27 inflation projection raised to 5.2%.
  • Upside risks: crude above $100/bbl, below-normal rain, adverse base effect in Oct–Dec.
ECONOMY IMF raises India's FY27 growth forecast to 7% in October WEO
  • FY27: 7.0% (up 0.6 pp from July); FY28: 7.0% (up 0.3 pp).
  • FY26 actual growth: 7.8% — projections imply a moderation.
  • India = 8.2% of world GDP and 13.6% of EMDE GDP (China 32.3%).
  • Assumes crude at ~$95.7/bbl (2026) and Strait of Hormuz reopening by March 2027.
ECONOMY Economics Nobel 2026 to Robert E. Hall and Michael Woodford
  • Hall: household consumption — tested Friedman's permanent-income hypothesis (1978).
  • Woodford: firms' pricing; *Interest and Prices* (2003) underpins the New Keynesian model and forward guidance.
  • Core insight: forward-looking households and firms — policy works via expectations.
  • Prize: SEK 12 million; instituted 1968, first awarded 1969.
ECONOMY PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana completes one year
  • Outlay ₹24,000 crore/year for 6 years; at least one district per State/UT.
  • District selection on 3 deficits: low productivity, low cropping intensity, low credit.
  • Convergence of 36 schemes of 11 ministries, plus State schemes and private partnerships.
  • 121 indicators (74 output, 47 outcome); monthly district rankings on a NITI Aayog portal.
DEFENCE Navy commissions INS Mangrol, third Mahe-class anti-submarine craft
  • Built by Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) — 3rd of 8 Mahe-class craft; >80% indigenous content.
  • ~78 m long, 900–1,100 t, top speed 25 knots; hunts submarines in shallow coastal waters.
  • 16 ASW SWC sanctioned: 8 by CSL (Mahe-class) + 8 by GRSE (Arnala-class).
  • Named after Mangrol port town (Junagadh, Gujarat); earlier INS Mangrol minesweeper served till 2004.
ENVIRONMENT Siang Upper Multipurpose Project faces fresh protests in Arunachal
  • SUMP: ~11,000 MW capacity and 9.2 bcm storage; national project status since 2008.
  • China's Medog project on the Yarlung Tsangpo: ~60,000 MW (as per State government).
  • 30 Sept violence at Ugeng village (Siang district); protesters fear displacement of Adi villages.
  • Same river: Yarlung Tsangpo (Tibet) → Siang (Arunachal) → Brahmaputra (Assam) → Jamuna (Bangladesh).
REPORT Living Planet Index 2026: wildlife populations down 73% since 1970
  • 50% of populations declining, 43% increasing, 7% stable — the index is not a count of extinctions.
  • Steepest regional falls: Latin America & Caribbean 95%, Africa 80%; Asia 49%, Europe 23%.
  • 2022 edition showed 69%; trend line revised as ~1,000 populations were added; only native species counted.
  • Main drivers: habitat loss, overexploitation, invasive species, disease and climate change.
HEALTH SC pushes Centre to cap margins on all essential medicines, not just cancer drugs
  • 30% cap expected to save patients ~₹2,500 crore a year.
  • Court flagged a cardiac stent costing ~₹5,000 sold for ₹25,000+; saline drip costing ₹11 sold at ₹270.
  • Scheduled drugs: ceiling = average market price + 16% retailer margin; non-scheduled MRP rise capped at 10%/year.
  • 2019: trade margin rationalisation capped margins at 30% on 42 anti-cancer drugs.
POLITY Jantar Mantar de-notified as Delhi's designated protest site
  • Art 19(1)(a) & 19(1)(b) — speech and peaceful assembly without arms; restrictions under Art 19(3).
  • Prohibitory orders now under Sec 163, BNSS 2023 (earlier Sec 144 CrPC).
  • MKSS v. UoI (2018): SC said a blanket ban on protests at Jantar Mantar is impermissible; needs regulation.
  • Amit Sahni (2020): public ways cannot be occupied indefinitely for protests.
POLITY President appoints Governors in six States; Arlekar to Tamil Nadu
  • Tamil Nadu: Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar (moves from Keralam; held TN as additional charge).
  • Keralam: Om Prakash Mathur (from Sikkim); Sikkim: Dushyant Gautam.
  • Karnataka: Sudha Yadav; Odisha: Braj Mohan Ram; Uttarakhand: Dhal Singh Bisen.
  • Outgoing: Thaawarchand Gehlot (Karnataka), Hari Babu Kambhampati (Odisha), Gurmit Singh (Uttarakhand).
IR Canadian Foreign Minister in India; CEPA talks targeted for end-2026
  • CEPA negotiations — 5th round held in Ottawa; aim to conclude by end-2026.
  • Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu leads ~300 business delegates — Canada's largest to India in 30+ years.
  • Bilateral trade USD 30.4 bn (2025); target USD 70 bn by 2030.
  • Focus areas: energy, critical minerals, aerospace, clean tech, agri-food.
IR IBSAMAR IX: India, Brazil, South Africa navies drill at Simon's Town
  • India: INS Tarkash (stealth frigate) with an integral Chetak helicopter; India is lead nation.
  • Brazil: BNS Barroso; South Africa: SAS Amatola, SAS King Sekhukhune I, SAS Adam Kok III and submarine SAS Manthatisi.
  • Theme: "Stronger Together Towards a Shared Future in the Maritime Domain".
  • Drills: anti-submarine, anti-air, surface warfare, anti-piracy, SAR, maritime interdiction.

14 October 2026

Full notes with diagrams →
ECONOMY Retail inflation climbs to 5.54% in September 2026
  • Food inflation (CFPI) jumped to 7.74% from 5.97%; onion +108%, garlic +54.6%, while potato (-11.5%) and tomato (-8.6%) deflated.
  • Rural 6.08% vs urban 4.88%; highest states: Tamil Nadu 6.81%, Odisha 6.70%, MP 6.68%.
  • New series uses base year 2024=100; next release (October data) on 12 Nov 2026.
  • RBI MPC (5-7 Oct) hiked repo 25 bps to 5.50%; SDF 5.25%, MSF/Bank Rate 5.75%; FY27 CPI projection 5.2%.
ECONOMY UPI merchant charge (MDR) deferred till after Deepavali
  • Applies to specified P2M payments above ₹2,000; capped at ₹300 for payments of ₹75,000+.
  • P2P transfers, payments up to ₹2,000 and eligible small merchants are exempt – about 96% of merchant transactions unaffected.
  • Deferred, not cancelled; revised date to be notified separately.
  • Since 2020, UPI and RuPay debit payments have carried zero MDR, with the Centre paying an incentive to the ecosystem.
ECONOMY Hyundai Motor Group commits $15.5 bn India investment till 2032
  • Covers manufacturing expansion at Hyundai Motor India and Kia India, localisation and supplier development.
  • About $700 mn for the Indian R&D centre, including a vehicle testing track.
  • Installed capacity over 1.4 mn vehicles/yr: Chennai 8.24 lakh, Anantapur (Kia) 4.31 lakh, Pune 1.70 lakh.
  • New verticals: auto finance, EV charging, end-of-life vehicle recycling; a new India investment entity to execute it.
DEFENCE INS Samarthak: first indigenous Multi-Purpose Vessel to be commissioned
  • Length 107 m, beam 19 m, speed 15 knots, range 4,500 nm; contract signed in 2022.
  • Roles: surveillance & patrol, weapon/sensor trials, target launch & recovery, unmanned-systems mothership, HADR.
  • Sister ship INS Utkarsh launched in January 2025; crest shows an elephant rising from waves.
  • Defence production about ₹1.51 lakh crore and exports about ₹23,622 crore in 2024-25 (record highs).
ENVIRONMENT 'Forever chemicals' (PFAS) in Indian water: no standard yet
  • An IIT-Madras study found treated water had 5-103% higher PFAS than raw water; highest near garbage dumps.
  • IARC (2025): PFOA 'carcinogenic to humans'; PFOS 'possibly carcinogenic'.
  • IS 10500:2012 (BIS) is under revision; a BIS working group is examining PFAS limits.
  • No specific Indian rule bans PFAS manufacture; conventional treatment removes little – activated carbon, ion exchange, RO work better.
SCI-TECH Researchers warn of 'rogue AI' containment failures
  • Reported incidents include unauthorised access to foreign government websites during testing.
  • Proposals: air-gap cyber-capable models, mandatory reporting of containment failures, an international AI security body.
  • Key safety terms: red teaming, AI alignment, air-gapped systems.
IR First BIMSTEC Home Ministers' Meeting adopts Delhi Declaration
  • Condemns terrorism in all forms, explicitly including cross-border terrorism; backs UNSC 1267 sanctions regime.
  • Flags trafficking into online scam centres ('forced criminality', 'cyber slavery'); proposes an SoP for rescue and repatriation.
  • Seeks early conventions on extradition, transfer of sentenced persons; CT Convention in force since March 2021.
  • Five focus areas: drugs, counter-terror & legal cooperation, fugitives, cyber security, capacity building.
IR India rejects China's objection to naming 28 features in Ladakh
  • Names include PP-15, Gogra, Hot Spring, Zorawar Peak, Kanishka Peak, Skamri Glacier, Chapchingal Pass.
  • Mix: 5 mountains, 6 land areas, 2 glaciers, 2 passes, 1 valley, 1 river, 1 lake and other features.
  • Gogra-Hot Spring (PP-15) was a 2020 friction point; disengagement agreed in September 2022.
  • Mirrors China's own 'renaming' of places in Arunachal Pradesh, which India has repeatedly rejected.
IR ASEAN-India Defence Think Tank Forum: Rajnath pitches co-development
  • 2026 is the ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation.
  • Proposals: maritime info-centre exchanges, joint SAR/HADR drills, review of underwater domain awareness gaps.
  • Shift from buying to co-development & co-production – patrol vessels, radars, air defence, helicopters, drones.
  • Backs ASEAN centrality and ADMM-Plus; links Act East, SAGAR and MAHASAGAR.
HEALTH JOSH campaign gives youth push to TB Mukt Bharat
  • TB incidence fell 21% (2015-2024) vs 12% globally; deaths down 28%; treatment coverage 92%.
  • 28.1 crore screened; 46,118 Gram Panchayats certified TB-free; 5.7 lakh new Ni-kshay Mitras.
  • BPaLM regimen cuts drug-resistant TB treatment to 6 months; Nikshay Poshan now ₹1,000/month via DBT.
  • India carries roughly one-fourth of the global TB burden; SDG target 2030 (national goal was 2025).
POLITY Legal aid sharply raises bail success for undertrials
  • Bail success 84% for programme participants vs 26% for all undertrials in the same courts.
  • Participants had spent an average 171 days in jail before joining.
  • In 2022, over three-fourths of India's prisoners were undertrials; incarceration rate ~41 per lakh.
  • BNSS Sec 479: first-time offenders eligible for bail after one-third of maximum sentence.

16 October 2026

Full notes with diagrams →
DEFENCE INS Samarthak: Navy commissions first indigenous Multi-Purpose Vessel at Karwar
  • Over 75% indigenous content, with indigenous sensors, weapons and electronic systems.
  • Roles: surveillance and patrol, low-intensity maritime operations (LIMO), and support for naval systems trials.
  • Can act as a mothership for unmanned systems, serve as a limited hospital ship for HADR, and support salvage.
  • Motto 'Vijayartham Eknishthata' (Victory is Our Sole Aim); crest shows an Indian elephant rising from the waves.
  • Karwar is home to INS Kadamba, being expanded under Project Seabird.
SCI-TECH DRDO tests Quantum Key Distribution on live defence network at Chandipur
  • Designed under DRDO's MCC cluster (Microelectronic Devices, Computational Systems & Cyber Security) with a Bengaluru start-up as production partner.
  • Earlier field trial (July 2026): 100-km fibre link Prayagraj–Vindhyachal (UP), key rate ~5 kbps, QBER 6%.
  • Any eavesdropping disturbs quantum states and raises the error rate, so interception is detectable.
  • Aims at quantum-safe military communication against future code-breaking quantum computers.
ECONOMY Merchandise exports jump 23% to US$ 44.40 bn in September; deficit narrows
  • Imports US$ 74.61 bn vs US$ 69.08 bn in September 2025.
  • Total exports (goods + services) US$ 80.75 bn, up ~11%; overall deficit US$ 13.30 bn.
  • July–September total exports ~US$ 242.6 bn — highest ever for a second quarter.
  • Drivers: electronics (+70.44%), petroleum products (+31.9%), chemicals (+24.21%), engineering goods.
  • Headwind: Brent above US$ 100/barrel amid tension near the Strait of Hormuz.
ECONOMY CCEA clears IDBI Bank strategic sale: 60.72% stake for ₹52,878 crore
  • Sellers: Government (30.48%) and LIC (30.24%).
  • After the deal: Fairfax 60.72%, Government ~15%, LIC ~19%.
  • Price ₹81 per share; completion expected around March 2027, subject to RBI conditions.
  • IDBI was under RBI's PCA framework from 5 May 2017 till 10 March 2021.
ENVIRONMENT India's Ramsar tally rises to 103: Sukhna Wetland and Sauj Jheel added
  • Sukhna — Site No. 2602, Chandigarh's first, at the foothills of the Shivaliks; hosts common pochard (VU) and Pallas's fish eagle (EN).
  • Sauj Jheel — Site No. 2603, a shallow lake in the Ganga floodplain, linked to Saman Bird Sanctuary.
  • Mainpuri becomes the only UP district with two Ramsar sites.
  • Convention signed 1971 at Ramsar (Iran), in force 1975; India joined on 1 February 1982.
ENVIRONMENT Barda emerges as second home of Asiatic lions after ~144 years
  • Barda now supports 17 lions; area 192.31 sq km in Porbandar & Devbhumi Dwarka districts (Saurashtra).
  • 6 lions radio-collared, generating >1.69 lakh GPS fixes (Jan 2023–Jul 2025).
  • 441 chital translocated from Gir in 2025-26 to build the prey base.
  • Asiatic lion: Endangered (IUCN), Schedule I (WPA 1972); 2025 census: 891 lions.
POLITY SC: Converts can't claim backward-class quota on pre-conversion caste alone
  • Converts to a non-Hindu social order cannot claim Article 16(4) benefits solely on pre-conversion backwardness.
  • Conversion alone does not make one a member of a notified Backward Class Muslim group (e.g., Labbai, Rowther, Marakayar).
  • Under the Constitution (SC) Order, 1950, only Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists can be SC members.
  • Reconversion to Hinduism requires a fact-specific inquiry into revival of caste identity.
POLITY SC issues notice on lifelong immunity to CEC & ECs under 2023 Act
  • Section 16 bars courts from civil or criminal proceedings against serving and former CEC/ECs for official acts.
  • Plea: violates Articles 14 & 21 and the basic structure; even the President/Governors (Art 361) lack post-tenure immunity.
  • Clause was added as a late amendment with little debate; tagged with a similar pending petition.
  • Act's selection panel: PM, Leader of Opposition, a Union Cabinet Minister (replacing the Anoop Baranwal, 2023 arrangement).
SOCIETY NSAP renamed Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana; ₹53,428 crore for 2026-31
  • Covers ~3.20 crore beneficiaries in all 36 States/UTs; 100% central assistance.
  • Disability benchmark cut from 80% to 40% (aligned with RPwD Act, 2016); eligibility since birth.
  • Disability pension: ₹375/month (0–79 yrs), ₹625/month (80+ yrs).
  • Sub-schemes renamed: PM Vridhavastha, PM Vidhawa, PM Divyangjan Pension and PM Parivar Labh Yojana.
  • Launched 15 August 1995; rooted in Article 41 (DPSP).
IR IBSAMAR IX: INS Tarkash in India–Brazil–South Africa naval drill
  • India: INS Tarkash (stealth frigate) with Chetak helicopter; Brazil: BNS Barroso; South Africa: ships plus submarine SAS Manthatisi.
  • Theme: 'Stronger Together Towards a Shared Future in the Maritime Domain'.
  • Drills: anti-submarine, anti-air, surface warfare, maritime interdiction, anti-piracy and SAR.
  • First held in 2008; part of the IBSA Dialogue Forum (Brasilia Declaration, 2003).
IR US Secretary of State's India visit (Oct 17–22): energy and trade in focus
  • Second India visit since May 2026, when he attended the Quad Foreign Ministers' meeting in New Delhi.
  • Jamnagar hosts the world's largest single-site refinery (~1.4 million barrels/day).
  • At Samarkand: C5+1 Ministerial with the five Central Asian states.
  • Commerce Minister says the trade deal's first tranche is finalised, pending legal vetting.

19 October 2026

Full notes with diagrams →
ECONOMY Sugar-based ethanol kept out of 2026-27 blending tender
  • Tender seeks about 11 billion litres of ethanol for E20 blending from November.
  • Bids allowed for maize, broken/damaged rice, FCI surplus rice and C-heavy molasses.
  • Maize-based ethanol price cut from ₹71.86 to ₹68.86 per litre.
  • Goal: protect sugar stocks and domestic sugar prices in a deficient-monsoon year.
SCI-TECH Space economy to reach USD 40-45 billion in 7-8 years
  • Space sector opened to private players in 2020, with IN-SPACe as the single-window authoriser.
  • India now has 400+ space start-ups.
  • FDI rules eased in 2024: up to 100% for satellite components, 74% automatic route for satellite manufacturing and 49% for launch vehicles.
  • The decadal vision targets about 8% of the global space economy by 2033.
SCI-TECH CERT-In flags AI agents accessing Indian firms' systems
  • Agents used exposed credentials, public code repositories and over-permissive cloud roles.
  • Agentic tools cut the time from intrusion to impact from days to hours.
  • None of the affected firms in the disclosed cases detected the access themselves.
  • Advice: least privilege, MFA, credential rotation and logs kept for 180 days.
DEFENCE Exercise KONKAN-26 concludes off Plymouth, UK
  • India: stealth frigate INS Trishul. UK: HMS Sutherland, a Duke-class anti-submarine frigate.
  • Drills: anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, weapon firings and tactical manoeuvres.
  • Conducted with the Royal Navy's Fleet Operational Standards and Training team.
  • Supports the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and India-UK Vision 2035.
ENVIRONMENT India's carbon market goes live: should India join OCCCM?
  • OCCCM was launched in May 2026 in Florence by the EU, China and Brazil.
  • Other members include Germany, the UK, Canada, France, Norway, Singapore, Türkiye and New Zealand.
  • The case for joining: the EU's CBAM carbon border tax and the rise of climate clubs.
  • CCTS covers energy-intensive sectors such as aluminium, cement, steel and refineries.
REPORT WTO raises 2026 trade forecast to 3.9% on AI goods boom
  • AI-related goods rose 67% year-on-year in H1 2026 and made up 47% of merchandise trade growth.
  • 2027 merchandise trade forecast: 4.1% (from 2.6%).
  • Services trade 2026: 3.3%, down from a 4.8% baseline, due to high aviation fuel costs.
  • World GDP growth: 2.6% in 2026. Middle East trade is expected to fall sharply because of Strait of Hormuz disruption.
HEALTH NPPA caps trade margins on 137 anti-cancer drugs at 30%
  • MRPs may fall by up to 70%, depending on current price structures.
  • This builds on the Feb 2019 pilot, which capped margins on 42 anti-cancer drugs at 30%.
  • The tool is Trade Margin Rationalisation (TMR) under Para 19 of DPCO 2013 (extraordinary powers in the public interest).
  • It aims to cut out-of-pocket expenditure on cancer care.
POLITY Supreme Court: fees for the full course must be fixed before admission
  • Mid-course fee hikes are barred except in unforeseeable or extraordinary circumstances or after statutory changes.
  • Fee fixation committees must work as continuing bodies.
  • The Court cited NSSO data: professional course fees are 711% higher than fees for general programmes.
  • Periodic revisions notified in advance remain allowed.
POLITY Census (Amendment) Rules, 2026 widen the pool of enumerators
  • Teachers of aided and unaided private institutions and staff of banks and companies are now eligible.
  • Aim: more field staff and a lighter burden on government schoolteachers.
  • Census 2027 will be India's first digital Census and will include caste enumeration.
  • Reference date: 1 March 2027. For snow-bound areas it is 1 October 2026.
IR India approves accession to the Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement
  • Indian vessels can carry out authorised fishing for squid, toothfish and alfonsino.
  • SIOFA covers high seas of the southern Indian Ocean. EEZs are excluded.
  • Tuna is managed separately by the IOTC, not SIOFA.
  • SIOFA was signed in 2006 and came into force in 2012.
SOCIETY Children online about 4.5 hours a day, finds study; Supreme Court reaffirms internet access as a right
  • 97.6% of children go online from home, mostly on smartphones, for about 4.5 hours a day.
  • About 47% had talked to unknown people online in the past six months.
  • The most reported effects were anxiety, sleep problems and mood changes.
  • The Court said children should not be treated as the problem, and stressed the duties of intermediaries.

20 October 2026

Full notes with diagrams →
ECONOMY RBI tightens scrutiny of overseas investments as rupee slides
  • Covers ODI above US$1 billion or above 4x the investor's net worth; banks must check valuations, premiums, share-swap ratios
  • ODI hit US$26.7 bn in FY26 (almost double two years earlier); ~US$22.7 bn in Apr-Aug 2026
  • Rupee closed at 94.91/$ on 19 Oct; record low 96.97 (May 2026); down 5%+ in 2026
  • Forex reserves $726.0 bn (week to 9 Oct) vs record $785 bn (week to 4 Sep)
  • Individuals capped at US$250,000/year under the LRS
ECONOMY IDBI Bank privatisation: 60.72% stake to Fairfax for ₹52,878 crore
  • Stake sold 60.72%: Govt 30.48% + LIC 30.24% at ₹81/share (fair value ₹75.99)
  • Govt + LIC to retain 34%; LIC to trim from 19% to 15% within 2 years
  • Needs RBI 'fit and proper' test, CCI nod and an open offer (unless SEBI waives)
  • Promoter cap in banks 26% - Fairfax gets up to 15 years to comply; 5-year lock-in
  • Fairfax's CSB Bank stake to be merged or exited within 2 years
SCI-TECH DRDO tests Quantum Key Distribution on a live military network
  • Developed under DRDO's Microelectronic Devices, Computational Systems & Cyber Security cluster
  • Production partner: Taqbit Labs, a Bengaluru start-up
  • QKD detects any eavesdropping - interception disturbs the quantum state
  • Builds on fibre-based QKD military field trials completed in July 2026
  • Related: DRDO's ADRDE (Agra) flew a High-Altitude Platform to 21 km
ENVIRONMENT Sukhna and Sauj Jheel take India's Ramsar sites to 103
  • Sukhna: reservoir at the base of the Outer Himalayas (Shivaliks); borders Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Sukhna hosts common pochard (Vulnerable), Pallas's fish eagle and black pond turtle (Endangered)
  • Sauj Jheel: shallow lake in the Ganga floodplain, near Saman Bird Sanctuary; 30,000+ waterbirds
  • Sauj supports sarus crane and greater spotted eagle
  • Both lie on the Central Asian Flyway
REPORT Global Hunger Index 2026: India ranked 100th of 122
  • Child wasting rose to 19.0% (from 16.9%) - highest in South Asia
  • Child stunting 29.3% - moved from 'very high' to 'high' category
  • Undernourishment 9.8% (from 10.5%); under-5 mortality 2.7%
  • Neighbours: Pakistan 106th (25.5); Bangladesh 19.2, Nepal 14.5, Sri Lanka 10.2 ('moderate')
  • Global score 18.1 (moderate); Ministry of WCD contests the methodology
POLITY SC: Internet access a fundamental right, including for children
  • Arose from Just Rights for Children Alliance applications after the 23 Sep 2024 CSEAM verdict
  • Centre to set up a National Hash & URL List Database (in Sahyog Portal or separately); 3 human analysts verify entries
  • Intermediaries: report unknown-origin CSEAM within 2 hours; acknowledge complaints in 24 hours
  • Child mode, private-by-default accounts; forfeiture of paywalled CSEAM revenue; exemplary fines
  • Curbs must pass legality, legitimate aim, proportionality; next hearing 10 Dec 2026
IR Rubio in India: trade deal 'very close', energy and defence on table
  • Agenda: trade deal, energy, defence, critical & emerging tech, West Asia crisis
  • Trade talks since early 2025; Rubio: 'very close', Jaishankar: nearing 'landing point'
  • US recently suspended some sanctions on Russia and five big oil buyers, including India
  • Wreath at the 26/11 Taj memorial (6 US nationals among victims); event for 250 years of US independence
  • Frictions: punitive tariffs, H-1B fee hike, green-card processing curbs on IT firms
IR Polish PM Tusk's India visit to deepen strategic partnership
  • Focus: defence manufacturing, trade, space, emerging tech, Russia-Ukraine, India-EU ties
  • Poland aims to lift trade from ~$6.5 bn to $10 bn; business forums in Delhi (22 Oct) and Bengaluru (23 Oct)
  • Ties raised to Strategic Partnership in Aug 2024 - first Indian PM visit in 45 years
  • A five-year action plan covers defence, trade and technology
  • Poland seeks links of its Łukasiewicz Research Network with CSIR and IITs
SOCIETY NSAP continued till 2030-31 as PM Samajik Sahayata Yojana
  • NSAP → PM Samajik Sahayata Yojana; IGNOAPS → PM Vridhavastha Pension Yojana
  • IGNWPS → PM Vidhawa Pension Yojana; IGNDPS → PM Divyangjan Pension Yojana; NFBS → PM Parivar Labh Yojana
  • Disability threshold cut from 80% to 40%; minimum age removed (eligible from birth)
  • Disability pension ₹375 (0-79 yrs), ₹625 (80+ yrs)
  • Covers ~3.20 crore beneficiaries in all 36 States/UTs; 100% central assistance

21 October 2026

Full notes with diagrams →
SCI-TECH Perseverance becomes the farthest-travelling vehicle on another world
  • Part of Mars 2020 mission; explores Jezero crater, an ancient river delta–lake site.
  • Previous holder Opportunity operated 2004–2018 on Mars.
  • Next targets: Idubi (west of Jezero rim) and Rainbow Falls, a block of uplifted ancient crust.
  • Mission extension approved till about end-2028; collects rock-core samples for future return.
  • Carried Ingenuity, the first helicopter to fly on another planet.
ENVIRONMENT Strengthening El Niño raises risk for rabi sowing after weak monsoon
  • Reservoir storage about 1% below average; stress in TN, AP, Rajasthan, Karnataka.
  • Wheat is >95% irrigated — less exposed; rainfed gram and jowar more vulnerable.
  • Warm Feb–Mar spells risk terminal heat stress at wheat grain-filling.
  • RBI flagged climate risk to food inflation while raising FY27 GDP forecast to 7.1%.
HEALTH Kufri Jamunia: biofortified purple potato against hidden hunger
  • Per 100 g flesh: vitamin C 42.75 mg, anthocyanins 42.05 mg; iron 32.23 ppm, zinc 22.77 ppm.
  • Yield 32–35 t/ha; medium-maturing; recommended for 12 states (Punjab to Assam).
  • Lineage: Kufri Neelkanth (2018) → Kufri Manik (2021) → Kufri Jamunia (2024).
  • NFHS-5: anaemia in 57.0% women (15–49) and 67.1% children (6–59 months).
DEFENCE AUSTRAHIND 2026: India–Australia drill for island & coastal operations
  • Theme: joint sub-conventional ops in island/coastal terrain under a UN Chapter VII mandate.
  • About 120 troops each; India from Garhwal Rifles, Australia from 13 Brigade.
  • New Zealand joins as an observer for the first time.
  • Began in 2016; 4th edition held at Irwin Barracks, Perth (Oct 2025).
ECONOMY WPI inflation climbs to 11.39% as fuel & power prices surge
  • Fuel & Power 25.85% (Aug 22.93%) — sharpest rise.
  • Primary articles 8.67%; Manufactured products 9.76%.
  • WPI Food Index 8.66% (Aug 7.05%).
  • Retail CPI (base 2024=100) inflation at 5.54% in Sept — above RBI's 4% ± 2% band's upper edge.
IR Rubio–Jaishankar talks: trade deal 'very close'; first India–US–UAE trilateral on energy
  • Agenda: trade, energy, defence, critical & emerging tech, people-to-people ties.
  • Trilateral focused on regional energy security, trade, AI and connectivity amid West Asia disruption.
  • Rubio called India a 'refining superpower'; discussed Venezuelan crude with an Indian refiner (Jamnagar visit).
  • Feb 2026 framework had cut US tariffs on most Indian goods from 50% to 18%.
  • Leaders paid tribute to 26/11 (2008) victims at Mumbai's Taj hotel.
ECONOMY India–New Zealand FTA enters into force: duty-free access, dairy shielded
  • All Indian exports duty-free; NZ removes tariffs of up to 10% (textiles, leather, gems, engineering).
  • NZ to facilitate USD 20 bn investment in India over 15 years.
  • Dairy, sugar, edible oils and key farm items kept out; apples, kiwifruit, Manuka honey via TRQs.
  • Mobility: 5,000 TEE visas; 1,000 Working Holiday visas/yr; post-study work up to 3 yrs (STEM).
  • Services access in about 118 sectors; bilateral goods trade about USD 1.1 bn (2025-26).
IR SCO Heads of Government meet in Dushanbe: India calls for 'no double standards' on terror
  • 'No double standards'; the entire ecosystem of terrorism must be collectively dismantled.
  • India to host the inaugural SCO Civilisation Dialogue Forum by end-2026.
  • Backed an Action Plan for the Programme of Multilateral Trade & Economic Cooperation.
  • Sideline meetings with Tajik PM Qohir Rasulzoda and Iran's First VP Mohammad Reza Aref.
IR Polish PM Donald Tusk begins India visit to deepen Strategic Partnership
  • Ties elevated to Strategic Partnership during PM Modi's Aug 2024 Warsaw visit.
  • Joint Action Plan 2024–28 covers defence, space, AI, semiconductors, energy, mining.
  • Large business delegation; India–Poland Business Forum in Delhi and Bengaluru.
  • Visit also seen as boosting the India–EU strategic partnership and FTA implementation.
POLITY Police Commemoration Day: nation honours personnel killed on duty
  • Memorial dedicated by PM in 2018; 30-ft granite cenotaph, Wall of Valour and museum.
  • About 90 police riders flagged off on a 'Fight Against Drugs' rally to Ekta Nagar for 31 Oct.
  • Joint parade of CAPFs and Delhi Police; week-long events from 22–30 Oct.
  • Three new criminal laws (BNS, BNSS, BSA) in force since 1 July 2024.
HEALTH Global IDD Prevention Day: iodised salt remains India's first line of defence
  • Iodine is needed for thyroid hormones T3 and T4; deficiency causes goitre, cretinism, hypothyroidism.
  • India's National Goitre Control Programme (1962) renamed NIDDCP in 1992.
  • Standard: ≥30 ppm iodine at manufacture, ≥15 ppm at consumer level.
  • Adult requirement about 150 µg/day; higher in pregnancy (foetal brain development).
REPORT Global Hunger Index 2026: India 100th of 122, child wasting highest in South Asia
  • Undernourishment 9.8% (down from 10.5%).
  • Child wasting 19.0% — highest among ranked countries for 2021–25.
  • Child stunting 29.3%; under-5 mortality 2.7%.
  • South Asia score 23.4; world 18.1; Pakistan 25.5 (below India).

22 October 2026

Full notes with diagrams →
ECONOMY Core Sector Growth Hits New-Series High of 7.9% in September
  • Iron ore +18.4%, electricity +11.4%, coal +10.7% (rebound from −3.8% in Aug), refinery products +10.3%, cement +9.8%.
  • Contraction in fertilisers (−11.7%), natural gas (−4.6%) and crude oil (−1.4%).
  • April–September 2026 cumulative growth: 5.1% vs 2.5% a year ago.
  • New series uses base year 2022-23 and covers 9 industries — iron ore newly added.
ECONOMY RBI MPC Minutes: Rate Cuts 'Off the Table' as Inflation Risks Widen
  • Minutes say rate cuts are off the table in the near term — only a hike or a pause is possible.
  • External members Nagesh Kumar and Ram Singh dissented on changing the stance towards tightening.
  • Core inflation rose to 4.2% in August from 3.9% in July; headline CPI projected near 5.8% over the next three quarters.
  • Next MPC meeting: 2–4 December 2026.
ENVIRONMENT India to Mandate 1% Sustainable Aviation Fuel for International Flights from 2027
  • Indicative roadmap: 1% (2027) → 2% (2028) → 5% (2030) for international flights.
  • CORSIA (ICAO) mandatory compliance begins 1 January 2027.
  • DGCA moving towards carbon-emissions reporting for international flights.
  • SAF feedstocks: used cooking oil, agri-residue, municipal waste, alcohol-to-jet routes.
ENVIRONMENT Agrivoltaics: Solar Panels over Farms Could Power India's 2050 Demand
  • A July study found ~47.5 million ha — about 30% of India's 160+ million ha arable land — suitable.
  • Agrivoltaic plants cost 25–30% more than ground-mounted solar.
  • Tariff: ₹3.20–3.30/unit vs ₹2.5–2.6/unit for ground-mounted solar.
  • Likely inclusion in next phase of PM-KUSUM (a 10 GW agri-PV component announced earlier).
SCI-TECH eMudhra Key Leak Exposes Weak Links in India's Digital Trust Chain
  • 6 affected TLS certificates were trusted by Chrome, Mozilla and Apple root programmes; all revoked.
  • Government platforms incl. UIDAI and the Income Tax portal use eMudhra certificates/technology.
  • IT Ministry: no sign of root certificate compromise.
  • Recalls the 2014 'rogue' certificates issued under the NIC CA, which still shapes global wariness.
DEFENCE Exercise IBSAMAR IX: India, Brazil, South Africa Navies Drill at Simon's Town
  • India deployed stealth frigate INS Tarkash with an integral Chetak helicopter.
  • Brazil: BNS Barroso; South Africa: frigate SAS Amatola, submarine SAS Manthatisi and others.
  • Drills: anti-submarine, anti-air, surface warfare, maritime interdiction, anti-piracy, SAR.
  • Theme: 'Stronger Together Towards a Shared Future in the Maritime Domain'.
IR Modi–Tusk Talks: India and Poland Push Defence, Tech and Trade Ties
  • Ties elevated to Strategic Partnership during Modi's August 2024 Warsaw visit (first Indian PM visit in 45 years).
  • Agenda: defence manufacturing, trade & investment, space, AI, renewable energy, Russia–Ukraine.
  • Large business delegation; India–Poland Business Forums in New Delhi (22 Oct) and Bengaluru (23 Oct).
  • Poland seeks to expand defence exports to India; visit also aids India–EU strategic partnership.
IR Badr MoU: Türkiye, Qatar, Pakistan and Indonesia Pool Defence Industries
  • Aims: joint production, technology transfer, technical training and R&D.
  • Expected roles: Türkiye — technology & systems integration; Pakistan, Indonesia — manufacturing & workforce; Qatar — investment.
  • It is an industrial pact, not a mutual-defence treaty.
  • Follows the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement (Aug 2026) of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye.
IR India–US Trade Deal 'Pretty Close'; US Now India's Top LPG Supplier
  • February 2026 framework for an interim deal: US reciprocal tariff to fall from 25% to 18%; not yet signed.
  • US share of India's LPG imports rose from under 10% to 67% — now the largest LPG supplier.
  • India's goods exports to the US rose 21% in August to $8.3 billion.
  • Sticking points: agriculture, energy purchases, competitive tariff vs rivals like Vietnam.
POLITY SC: Converts Cannot Carry Pre-Conversion Caste into Backward-Class Quota
  • Upheld the Madras High Court; struck down Tamil Nadu's 2024 G.O. letting converts to Islam be certified as Backward Class Muslims.
  • Court: the source of social backwardness must be examined for converts claiming Art 16(4) benefits.
  • Conversion to a non-Hindu religion ends SC status under the Constitution (SC) Order, 1950 (Sikhs, Buddhists excepted).
  • OBC lists have been broadly religion-neutral since Indra Sawhney (1992).
HEALTH Drug Overcharging: ₹8,447 Crore Owed to Consumers Remains Unrecovered
  • Of the dues, ₹5,872.6 crore is in litigation, ₹2,369.3 crore under process, ₹200 crore referred to collectors.
  • Centre told SC (12 Oct) it will cap trade margins at 30% on non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs; next hearing 27 Oct.
  • Medicines formed ₹6,368 of ₹32,884 per rural hospitalisation and ₹6,948 of ₹46,774 in urban areas.
  • No mechanism exists to refund overcharged amounts to consumers.

23 October 2026

Full notes with diagrams →
ECONOMY RBI MPC minutes: unanimous hike to 5.50%, stance turns 'calibrated tightening'
  • Headline CPI rose to 4.8% in August (from 4.5% in July); core inflation 4.2%
  • MPC projects FY 2026-27 CPI at 5.2%, with Q3 near 6% – the upper tolerance limit
  • Stance change proposed by Dy. Governor Poonam Gupta; external members Nagesh Kumar and Ram Singh dissented on stance
  • Household survey: median 3-month-ahead inflation expectation 9.9%; input prices rising close to 9%
  • Rate cuts 'off the table' near term; next MPC meeting 2–4 December
ECONOMY GST 2.0 compliance reforms to roll out in phases from 1 November
  • Automated refund sanction for fresh claims after 1 Nov; pending claims not covered
  • B2C-only small traders (turnover below ₹5 crore): in-principle nod for annual return + quarterly tax payment
  • ITC only if tax declared payable by supplier is actually paid – curbs fake invoicing
  • From 2027: arrest provisions removed, prosecution thresholds rationalised, ₹10,000 minimum for show-cause notices, e-way bill changes
  • No rate changes at the 57th meeting; previous big rate cut covered about 400 items (Sept 2025)
REPORT UNEP Emissions Gap Report 2026: breaching 1.5°C now 'unavoidable'
  • Global GHG emissions in 2025: 58.4 GtCO2e – roughly flat vs 2024; fossil CO2 still up 0.4–1.1%
  • Projected warming by 2100: 2.8°C (current policies), 2.6°C (all NDCs), 2.1°C (NDCs + net-zero pledges)
  • 1.5°C-overshoot pathway needs cuts of 18% by 2030, 45% by 2035, 69% by 2040 (vs 2025)
  • G20 (excl. AU) = 76% of global emissions; September 2026 was 1.63°C above pre-industrial
DEFENCE ₹770-crore deal with BEL for LLLR-I radars to counter drone threats
  • Detects fighters, mini/micro drones and low-RCS UAVs; counters drone and cruise-missile threats
  • 4 fixed AESA panels give 360° coverage – no moving parts, passively cooled
  • Uses Gallium Nitride (GaN) amplifiers, digital beamforming, Track-While-Scan, ECCM
  • Upgrade of the Aslesha radar line designed by DRDO's LRDE (Bengaluru); deployable in plains, deserts and high altitude
DEFENCE SIMBEX-2026: 33rd India–Singapore naval exercise opens at Visakhapatnam
  • Harbour phase 21–23 Oct; sea phase 24–26 Oct – anti-submarine, anti-surface and anti-air warfare drills
  • Singapore's RSS Supreme (Formidable-class stealth frigate) joined; opening aboard INS Nilgiri and INS Kamorta
  • Began in 1994 as 'Exercise Lion King' – one of India's longest-running naval exercises
  • Hosted by Eastern Naval Command; 32nd edition was held in Singapore (2025)
ENVIRONMENT Nepal becomes first beneficiary of the UN loss and damage fund
  • Nepal's recovery and reconstruction needs estimated at $4.8 billion
  • The fund has about $350 million to allocate; current cap $20 million per project
  • Germany and Czechia said the decision should not set a precedent; Japan called it 'truly exceptional'
  • First regular project approvals expected at the December board meeting in the Philippines
HEALTH Sugar during antibiotic therapy may deepen gut microbiome damage
  • In 173 bone-marrow-transplant patients, diversity fell about 24% for every 100 g extra sugar over the prior two days
  • High sugar favoured overgrowth of Enterococcus; sweetened nutrition shakes/smoothies appeared most harmful
  • Mice on antibiotics + high-sucrose diet developed dangerous Enterococcus levels; sugar alone did not
  • Human data are observational; authors call for clinical trials before diet advice
IR India–Poland: Modi and Tusk set goal to double bilateral trade by 2030
  • Call for prompt signing, ratification and implementation of the EU–India FTA
  • Joint research in AI, semiconductors and quantum; space named a key pillar of the partnership
  • Critical minerals: battery recycling & rare-earth refining; geology and mining MoU under negotiation
  • Revival of the agriculture working group; support for more direct flights, maritime security and IMEC
SOCIETY NSAP renamed Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana; disability pension widened
  • IGNOAPS → PM Vridhavastha Pension Yojana; IGNWPS → PM Vidhawa Pension Yojana; IGNDPS → PM Divyangjan Pension Yojana; NFBS → PM Parivar Labh Yojana
  • Disability pension: threshold cut from 80% to 40%; minimum age removed (eligible from birth)
  • Assistance raised from ₹300 to ₹375/month (age 0–79) and ₹500 to ₹625/month (80+)
  • Covers about 3.20 crore beneficiaries across 36 States/UTs; revised guidelines within 3 months
POLITY Ladakh notifies 100 constituencies across eight hill councils
  • Seats: Leh 22, Kargil 21, Sankoo 13, Changthang 10, Nubra 9, Sham 9, Zanskar 9, Drass 7
  • New councils follow notifications of 3 September and 16 October 2026; Union Cabinet nod on 14 October
  • Each council: 7–24 elected seats plus 4 nominated members
  • Ladakh became a UT without legislature on 31 October 2019 (J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019)
ECONOMY Financial Inclusion Saturation Campaign runs till 31 December across 2.70 lakh local bodies
  • Camps for enrolment in PMJJBY, PMSBY and Atal Pension Yojana; new PMJDY accounts and re-KYC
  • Generation of pending C-KYC IDs and updating nominations in accounts and lockers
  • KCC saturation for eligible PM-KISAN beneficiaries and PMFBY enrolment before the Rabi season
  • Awareness on digital frauds and unclaimed deposits under 'Aapki Poonji, Aapka Adhikar'

26 October 2026

Full notes with diagrams →
ENVIRONMENT Cyclone Arnab to hit Andhra–Yanam coast on 28 October
  • Landfall expected between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, close to Yanam, by forenoon of 28 Oct as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm.
  • Winds 115–125 km/h, gusting to 140 km/h; storm surge 1.0–1.5 m over East Godavari and Yanam.
  • Name "Arnab" was contributed by Bangladesh to the North Indian Ocean list.
  • Andhra Pradesh identified about 5.7 lakh vulnerable people for evacuation; Odisha on high alert, fishing suspended till 28 Oct.
DEFENCE Operation Trident: NCB strikes drug-hawala network in North-East
  • About ₹100 crore in hawala transactions traced; 1,424 bank accounts frozen; property worth ₹17.82 crore attached.
  • 18 arrests; 500 detonators and ₹12 lakh cash seized — a sign of narco-terror overlap.
  • Route dubbed the "Death Triangle Corridor": Myanmar → Mizoram → Manipur → Assam → Tripura/Bangladesh.
  • Government target: dismantle drug networks by 31 Dec 2029 under the Vision Document on Narcotics Control (2026–29).
ECONOMY RBI's ₹169-crore backup data centre opens near Bhubaneswar
  • Cost ₹169 crore; 18.55-acre campus at Info Valley-II, Khordha district.
  • Acts as backup to RBI's primary data centre at Kharghar, Navi Mumbai; supports payments, currency management and regulatory data.
  • Site chosen for seismic stability and distance from border zones and subsea-cable landing points.
  • Foundation stone laid on 22 March 2023.
DEFENCE Swavlamban 2026: Navy's 5th innovation & indigenisation seminar
  • Documents released: Swavlamban 5.0, Compendium on Technology Imperatives and NAUSETU interface standards.
  • Focus areas: maritime surveillance, counter-UAS, AI & quantum, NBCD and safety enhancers.
  • Series began in 2022; aims to turn start-up/MSME innovations into deployable capabilities via iDEX.
  • Separately, DRDO-NMRL's AIP module entered Setting-to-Work-2 at Hazira for a Kalvari-class submarine.
ENVIRONMENT Sukhna and Sauj Jheel take India's Ramsar tally to 103
  • Network covers 13.87 lakh ha across 28 States/UTs; India is 1st in Asia by number of sites.
  • Tamil Nadu has the most sites (20), followed by Uttar Pradesh (14).
  • Largest site: Sundarban Wetland (WB, ~4.23 lakh ha); Surha Tal (UP) was the 100th site (June 2026).
  • Sukhna is an artificial lake (1958) at the foothills of the Shivaliks.
ENVIRONMENT Siang mega-dam protests: RAF deployed in Arunachal
  • Locals (largely Adi community) fear displacement, submergence and seismic risk; residents have blocked the Pre-Feasibility Report survey.
  • Centre sees SUMP as a strategic buffer against China's ~60,000 MW Medog project on the Yarlung Tsangpo.
  • State's sequence: PFR → SIA → EIA → DPR, before any final decision.
POLITY Vigilance Awareness Week 2026: "Probity for Prosperity"
  • Precedes a 3-month preventive vigilance campaign (17 Aug–16 Nov 2026) in ministries, PSBs and PSUs.
  • Campaign focus: disposal of pending complaints, cyber hygiene, transparent procurement on GeM and contract management.
  • Week is observed around Sardar Patel's birth anniversary (31 Oct, Rashtriya Ekta Diwas).
IR India rebuts Pakistan at UN, blames it for stalled SAARC
  • "Form 47" alludes to disputed results of Pakistan's February 2024 general election.
  • India blamed Pakistan for SAARC's paralysis since the 19th Summit (Islamabad, 2016) was called off after the Uri attack.
  • India's regional focus has shifted to BIMSTEC and the Neighbourhood First policy.
IR Liechtenstein's Hereditary Prince on state visit; EFTA ties in focus
  • India–EFTA TEPA: signed 10 March 2024, in force from 1 October 2025.
  • EFTA committed $100 bn investment over 15 years and 10 lakh direct jobs — India's first FTA with a binding investment pledge.
  • India–Liechtenstein diplomatic ties since 1993; this is the Prince's second India visit of 2026.
SOCIETY Free bus travel lifts women's mobility: Time Use Survey data
  • Women (15–59) making at least one trip: 38.7% → 45.3% (+6.6 pts) in free-bus States; men only +3.7.
  • In 12 other large States, women +4.4 pts vs men +7.6 — the gender gap widened there.
  • Telangana (Mahalakshmi, Dec 2023): 43.7% → 54.6%; Andhra Pradesh (scheme only from Aug 2025): 40.8% → 41.6%.
  • Care-related trips nearly tripled; paid-work trips rose 2.3 pts vs 1.2 elsewhere.
HEALTH DPDP rules and health data: hospitals face compliance test
  • DPDP Act 2023; Rules notified 13 Nov 2025; most obligations apply from 13 May 2027.
  • Patient = Data Principal, hospital = Data Fiduciary, vendors = Data Processors.
  • Penalty up to ₹250 crore for failing reasonable security safeguards.
  • Out-of-pocket spending is 43.4% of total health expenditure (NHA 2022-23) — costs may pass to patients.

27 October 2026

Full notes with diagrams →
DEFENCE DAC clears ₹2.12 lakh crore capital acquisitions — drones, helicopters, air defence
  • About 82% of the procurement to be sourced from Indian industry.
  • Army: High Mobility Vehicles, self-propelled tracked guns, VSHORADS, platform-based counter-UAS, long-range kamikaze drones.
  • Navy: Active Offboard Decoy Systems against anti-ship missiles + indigenous naval platforms.
  • IAF: Light Multi-Role & Special Utility Helicopters, air defence systems, mobile X-band Doppler weather radars.
ECONOMY E100 notified as auto fuel for flex-fuel vehicles
  • Amendment is to Rule 115; E85/E100 usable only in OEM-designed flex-fuel vehicles — not in normal or E20-calibrated cars.
  • Gross vehicle weight limit in the relevant table raised from 3,000 kg to 3,500 kg; B100 biodiesel parameters standardised.
  • Draft was published on 27 April 2026 for 30 days of comments.
  • India has reached E20 blending ahead of the original 2030 target; ethanol capacity is about 20 billion litres.
ECONOMY RELIEF export risk-cover scheme extended till March 2027
  • Launched on 19 March 2026 under the Export Promotion Mission (EPM).
  • Component I: up to 100% risk cover, at no extra cost, for ECGC-covered consignments shipped 14 Feb–15 Mar 2026.
  • Component II: 95% risk cover on fresh ECGC insurance for shipments to specified regions; premiums held at pre-disruption levels.
  • Covers FCL, LCL and reefer cargo; energy shipments excluded; ECGC Ltd is the nodal agency.
HEALTH Five-nanobody 'cocktail' antivenom protects against Indian cobras
  • Cocktail of five nanobodies derived from camelid (alpaca/llama) antibodies.
  • Protected against spectacled & monocled cobras and both Indian king cobra species, even when given 30 minutes after envenoming.
  • Made in microbial expression systems — no horse plasma needed; tiny doses effective.
  • India records nearly 50,000 snakebite deaths a year — the highest in the world.
ENVIRONMENT Cyclone Arnab: AP, Odisha step up evacuations ahead of landfall
  • Name Arnab was contributed by Bangladesh to the regional list.
  • Red alert (>200 mm/24 h) for Kakinada, East & West Godavari, Eluru, Krishna, NTR.
  • Odisha: Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur on alert.
  • 10 NDRF teams in AP, 16 more on standby; armed forces & Coast Guard ready.
ENVIRONMENT WMO: 'super' El Niño may be among the strongest on record
  • Niño 3.4 anomaly rose from +1.6°C (June) to +2.5°C (August); Oct–Dec forecast near +3.7°C.
  • Previous record: +2.6°C (Nov 2015–Jan 2016).
  • India's 2026 southwest monsoon ended about 13% below normal (IMD).
  • Below-normal Oct–Dec rainfall likely over central & southern peninsula; above-normal temperatures across South Asia.
POLITY News publishers challenge DPDP Act in Supreme Court; Centre gets notice
  • Plea: no exemption for journalistic activity; consent rules could make routine news-gathering unworkable and expose sources.
  • Challenges the Centre's power to requisition information from data fiduciaries.
  • Also challenges the amendment to RTI Act Sec 8(1)(j) that widens the personal-information exemption.
  • Interim stay sought; next hearing on 17 November 2026.
POLITY ECI tells SC: CEC can be removed only like a Supreme Court judge
  • Signed by CEC Gyanesh Kumar and ECs Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi; approved unanimously.
  • Rejected claims of internal friction; said news reports are not evidence.
  • Three SIR orders (24 June 2025, 27 Oct 2025, 14 May 2026) were unanimous; Form 6 was not amended.
  • On 5 October, the SC had said it would examine EC decisions and annul any not in accordance with law.
IR Mecca pact states hold first de-escalation talks in Tehran
  • Pact signed in August 2026: an attack on one member is an attack on all.
  • Attendees: Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman, Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir, Türkiye's intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin; host – Iran's SNSC secretary.
  • Pakistan has ratified; Türkiye's parliament is still ratifying.
  • Houthi strikes hit near Mecca and King Fahd Airport in the past week.
IR China says it 'strictly abides' by border agreements amid LAC friction in Arunachal
  • MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had flagged periodic disturbance along the LAC.
  • ITBP DG Shatrujeet Kapur said face-offs continue at several points in Arunachal Pradesh.
  • Beijing said both sides keep communication via diplomatic and military channels.
  • Arunachal lies in the Eastern Sector of the ~3,488 km LAC.

28 October 2026

Full notes with diagrams →
ECONOMY ICRA: Fresh Bad Loans to Rise in FY27, Private Banks Under Pressure
  • Fresh NPA generation in FY27: 0.8% for PSBs vs 2.5% for private banks.
  • In absolute terms: about ₹1 lakh crore (PSBs) and ₹1.3 lakh crore (private banks).
  • Bank credit growth seen at 11.0–11.7% in FY27, down from 15.9% in FY26.
  • System GNPA projected at 2.0–2.1%; slippages likely higher in H2 FY27.
ENVIRONMENT CCUS Pitched as Key to Net Zero for Hard-to-Abate Sectors at ESTIC-2026
  • Target sectors: steel, cement, oil & gas, petrochemicals, chemicals, fertilisers.
  • Union Budget 2026-27 proposed ₹20,000 crore over 5 years for CCUS, aligned with the Dec 2025 roadmap.
  • Captured CO2 is either utilised (urea, fuels, building materials) or stored in deep geological formations.
  • ESTIC-2026 is organised by CSIR; theme: 'Creative Minds, Catalyzing Science, Empowering Technologies'.
ENVIRONMENT Great Indian Bustard Rewilding: One Bird Lost to Desert Fox, Next Batch Under Review
  • 11 captive-bred GIBs (about 6 months old) identified for phase-1 release.
  • 2 satellite-tagged males released on 4 Oct at Sudasari (Sam); 2 more later — 4 in all.
  • 3 surviving birds are safe and tracked by satellite; release of the remaining 7 paused for review.
  • Birds bred at the WII-run conservation breeding centre at Sam, Jaisalmer.
SCI-TECH Nobel Laureate Backs Gene-Edited Crop Research in Indian Labs
  • Bt cotton (2002) remains India's only commercially approved GM crop.
  • Bt brinjal moratorium since 2010; SC gave a split verdict on GM mustard in July 2024.
  • SDN-1 and SDN-2 genome-edited plants (no foreign DNA) exempted from GM rules in March 2022.
  • ICAR released India's first two genome-edited rice varieties in 2025.
REPORT Just 3.2% of Glaciers Cause Over Half of Global Glacier Ice Loss
  • These glaciers lost about 134 billion tonnes of ice a year.
  • Study covered 216,502 glaciers (excluding Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets).
  • Lake-ending glaciers flow 10% faster; ocean-ending ones 44% faster than land-ending ones.
  • Relative to size, lake-ending glaciers lost ice about 57% faster; current models under-count them.
DEFENCE SIMBEX-2026 Concludes; Army Special Forces Head to Indonesia for Garuda Shakti
  • SIMBEX began in 1994 as 'Exercise Lion King' — the Indian Navy's longest continuous bilateral exercise.
  • 2026 edition: 21–26 Oct; RSN ship RSS Supreme; opening aboard INS Nilgiri and INS Kamorta.
  • Sea phase in the Bay of Bengal: anti-submarine, anti-surface and anti-air warfare drills.
  • Garuda Shakti: special forces drill on counter-terrorism and jungle operations.
IR First Since Op Sindoor: India Invites Pakistan to SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum
  • Forum announced at the SCO Council of Heads of Government in Dushanbe on 20 Oct.
  • If he attends, it would be the first senior Pakistani ministerial visit since Bilawal Bhutto (Goa, May 2023).
  • Pakistan chairs the SCO Council of Heads of State for 2026–27 (from 1 Sep).
  • India's line at SCO: 'no double standards' in dealing with terrorism.
IR Japanese Industry Delegation Pitches ₹8–10 Lakh Crore Investment in India
  • Japan was India's top FDI source in Q1 FY27: record $5.71 bn, about 29% of $19.81 bn equity inflows.
  • Interest in Delhi–Varanasi and Varanasi–Siliguri high-speed rail corridors; autos and manufacturing.
  • Asks: faster clearances, tax predictability, phased infrastructure, skilled manpower.
  • India–Japan HR Exchange Action Plan: movement of over 5 lakh people in 5 years.
POLITY SC Issues Notice on News Publishers' Challenge to DPDP Act, 2023
  • Challenged: Sections 7, 17(2), 18, 19, 27, 29, 36, 37, 44(3) of the Act and Rules 16, 17, 23 of DPDP Rules, 2025.
  • Sec 44(3) amends RTI Act Sec 8(1)(j) to exempt all personal information from disclosure.
  • Petitioners: consent rules could act as prior restraint on investigative reporting.
  • CJI sought safeguards against misuse of any media exemption; next hearing 17 Nov.
HEALTH 'Patients' Lives, Not Commerce': SC Questions Why Most Medicines Escape Price Control
  • Non-scheduled medicines ≈ 83% of market by value (petitioner); scheduled drugs = 18% by price (Centre).
  • Examples: chemo injection ₹11,000 dealer price billed at ₹1.3 lakh; ₹15 saline sold for ₹270.
  • Bench noted MRPs up to ~400 times procurement price; called the regulator's functioning 'defunct'.
  • Centre: no legal bar to wider control, but follows a 'calibrated' policy (NPPP, 2012).
POLITY SIR Row: SC Says It Will 'Examine Everything' as Petitioners Seek Preservation of ECI Records
  • Petitioners questioned changes to the online Form 6 (new-voter enrolment) made during the Bihar SIR.
  • Petitioners got 10 days to file a rejoinder to the ECI's counter-affidavit.
  • Matter listed next on 17 Nov, with fresh notice on the Form 6 dispute.

29 October 2026

Full notes with diagrams →
ECONOMY Cabinet clears ₹10,000-crore Container Manufacturing Promotion Scheme
  • Outlay ₹10,000 crore over FY 2027-28 to 2039-40 (3 years build + 10 years production support); ministry: Ports, Shipping & Waterways.
  • Capacity target: from ~70,000 TEU to 7.5 lakh TEU/year (~10x); ~3,000 direct + 50,000+ indirect jobs.
  • Components: OpEx assistance ₹8,891 crore, 3% interest subvention ₹859 crore, testing & certification ₹150 crore.
  • Domestic content norm raised from 70% to 90%; land at major ports leased at 25% of notified rate.
ECONOMY Khelo India Sports Goods Manufacturing Scheme approved
  • Anchor Investment Support + Turnover-Linked Support together ₹1,130 crore.
  • ₹105 crore to help firms obtain International Sports Federation certifications.
  • Dedicated Sports Goods Manufacturing Zones (SGMZs) via convergence with BHAVYA scheme and NICDC industrial parks.
  • Centres of Excellence with R&D convergence through ANRF; aligned to Khelo Bharat Niti 2025.
ENVIRONMENT Cyclone Arnab crosses Andhra coast near Yanam
  • Sustained winds 125-135 km/h, gusting to 150 km/h at landfall.
  • 1.8 lakh+ people evacuated across Andhra Pradesh and Odisha; at least 3 deaths.
  • Formed over the east-central Bay of Bengal; stalled off Narsapur-Kakinada before crossing.
  • Name 'Arnab' (meaning 'ocean' in Bengali) was contributed by Bangladesh.
ECONOMY Jio Platforms debuts as India's second most valuable company
  • IPO size ₹30,213 crore — entirely a fresh issue (no OFS); price band ₹1,065-1,119.
  • Subscribed 22.19 times overall; QIB 70.66x, retail 2.27x; ~1.4 crore applications.
  • Market cap at listing ≈ ₹12.50 lakh crore — 2nd only to parent Reliance Industries.
  • Initial free float ~3% — a test of SEBI's relaxed norms for mega IPOs.
SCI-TECH ISRO readies GSLV-F18 to launch NavIC satellite NVS-03
  • 20th flight of GSLV; satellite mass ~2,250 kg; GTO of 170 × 37,023 km.
  • Carries an indigenous atomic clock along with procured clocks.
  • Adds L1 signal to existing L5 and S bands; coverage India + 1,500 km beyond its boundary.
  • NVS-02 (Jan 2025) could not reach its slot after an orbit-raising valve failed to get its ignition signal.
SCI-TECH PM opens ESTIC 2026: '3-year outcomes' push for deep tech
  • 5,000+ delegates; 12 thematic priority domains incl. AI, quantum, semiconductors, Deep Ocean Mission.
  • ₹1 lakh crore RDI Fund and ANRF mechanisms flagged for deep-tech commercialisation.
  • Startups grew from ~400 (2014) to 2.3 lakh+; ~50-60% in Tier-2/3 cities.
  • Sessions on BioE3 strategy, homegrown LLMs and IndiaAI compute access.
POLITY PM Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana: ₹7,395 crore to power Panchayats
  • Centre ₹4,869.48 crore + States ₹2,526.07 crore; covers all States/UTs incl. bodies outside Part IX.
  • 2.55 lakh Gram Panchayat Development Plans a year on eGramSwaraj; 2.55 lakh online audits via AuditOnline.
  • Training & digital handholding for ~32 lakh elected representatives and functionaries annually.
  • AI-enabled PANCHAM platform in 17 languages; helps plan use of ~₹4.35 lakh crore 16th FC grants to rural local bodies.
HEALTH NPPA cuts MRPs of 543 cancer-drug brands by up to 93%
  • Maximum cut 93.3% — a palbociclib brand fell from ₹40,421 to ₹2,720 per unit.
  • Bevacizumab biosimilars cut 69-86%; originator Avastin unchanged.
  • Keytruda (pembrolizumab) unchanged at ₹2.16 lakh; nivolumab prices also unchanged.
  • 30% margin (excl. GST) = 42.86% mark-up over the price to stockist.
POLITY SC terms 'digital arrest' scams 'digital dacoity', refuses to club 35 FIRs
  • Court: accused's right to seek transfer cannot override the rights of victims and investigators.
  • Example cited: an 81-year-old victim from Ernakulam lost ₹1.90 crore routed through a mule account.
  • Proceeds often moved abroad (e.g., Hong Kong, Bangkok), complicating victims' remedy.
  • Plea withdrawn; consolidation may be considered if the investigating agency seeks it.
IR India and Mexico launch Preferential Trade Agreement talks
  • Bilateral trade FY 2025-26: USD 7.83 bn (down 9.11%); exports USD 5.73 bn, imports USD 2.11 bn.
  • ToR covers market access for goods, rules of origin, customs, SPS/TBT, trade remedies and dispute settlement.
  • Focus sectors: autos, pharma, electronics, chemicals, agri-food, energy and critical minerals.
  • Mexican business mission to India proposed for Q1 2027.
IR India invites all SCO members, incl. Pakistan, to Civilisational Dialogue Forum
  • Proposed by the PM at the Tianjin SCO Summit (Sept 2025); announced by Rajnath Singh at the SCO Heads of Government meeting, Dushanbe (20 Oct 2026).
  • First invite to a senior Pakistani minister since the May 2025 conflict; last such visit was the Goa SCO FMs' meet (May 2023).
  • Pakistan chairs the SCO Council of Heads of State for 2026-27; next summit in Islamabad (2027).
  • India reiterated 'no double standards' on terrorism and accountability for its sponsors.

30 October 2026

Full notes with diagrams →
SCI-TECH NVS-03 on GSLV-F18 to Restore NavIC Services
  • Third of five second-generation NVS satellites; mass about 2,232 kg; I-2K bus.
  • Carries an indigenous rubidium atomic clock from SAC Ahmedabad — replacing failed imported clocks.
  • Signals in L1, L5 and S bands; L1 enables NavIC on mass-market phones/wearables.
  • Placed first in GTO, then a geosynchronous slot (~32.5° E).
ENVIRONMENT India Leads Global Green Hydrogen Offtake: 5.55 Lakh MTPA
  • Equals ~11% of the 5 MMT/year by 2030 mission target; 23 agreements since 2023.
  • >70% volumes earmarked for export (Japan, Korea, Germany); investment >₹90,000 crore.
  • SIGHT: 6.7 lakh t/yr green ammonia for 11 fertiliser plants; 30,000 t/yr green H2 for refineries.
  • Mission outlay ₹19,744 crore; targets 125 GW RE addition, ~50 MMT CO2 avoided yearly.
ECONOMY 24th PM-KISAN Instalment: ₹18,680 Crore Released Today
  • >9.34 crore farmer families; >₹18,680 crore via DBT.
  • Cumulative >₹4.47 lakh crore paid in 23 earlier instalments.
  • Benefit ₹6,000/year in 3 equal instalments; 100% central funding; launched 2019.
  • Gujarat: 52.33 lakh families get >₹1,051 crore this round; e-KYC mandatory.
ECONOMY Textile PLI Round 4: Portal Reopens with Lower Threshold
  • Covers MMF apparel, MMF fabrics and technical textiles.
  • Part-2 minimum turnover cut from ₹200 crore to ₹100 crore.
  • Tenure extended to FY2033-34 for Round-4 approvals only.
  • Textile exports grew 17.51% in Sept 2026 but only 2.38% in Apr–Sept.
ENVIRONMENT Hanging Glaciers Put Badrinath Township at Avalanche Risk
  • Earlier inventory mapped 219 hanging glaciers in the Alaknanda basin (~71.7 sq km).
  • Modelled flow heights up to ~51 m at Badrinath; Mana and Hanuman Chatti also exposed.
  • NGT had taken suo motu cognisance of the risk in 2026.
  • Drivers: glacier retreat, seismicity, unplanned pilgrim infrastructure.
HEALTH Kufri Jamunia: Biofortified Purple Potato Against Hidden Hunger
  • Released 2024; rich in anthocyanins, carotenoids, vitamin C, plus higher iron and zinc.
  • Yield 32–35 t/ha; ~90% marketable; medium-maturing.
  • Recommended for North Indian plains; 6–8 weeks dormancy.
  • Potato = a staple reaching poor households cheaply — ideal biofortification carrier.
POLITY SC: Banks Must Compensate Digital-Arrest Victims on Due-Diligence Failure
  • Compensation not less than the amount lost; Court favoured strict liability.
  • AG R. Venkataramani: RBI rules likely operational by December 2026.
  • Bench mulled risk-grading accounts, stalling unusual transactions and alerting police.
  • MeitY and DoT also framing measures; intermediaries like messaging apps under scrutiny.
POLITY SC: Firecracker Orders Flouted, Seeks Proof of Enforcement
  • Only green crackers were permitted, yet banned crackers were widely used.
  • Only 9 of 29 CAQM units were found functioning.
  • Court: an absolute ban is not the answer; wants on-ground enforcement data.
  • Delhi cited 608 anti-smog guns and a winter action plan.
IR ADMM-Plus at Cebu: India Offers Battle-Tested Counter-Terror Expertise
  • Theme: "Navigating Our Future Together"; cited Operation Sindoor.
  • India & Malaysia co-chair the EWG on Counter-Terrorism for 2024–27.
  • 2026 declared ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation; 2nd AIME held.
  • Indian Navy in Gulf of Aden anti-piracy since 2008.
ENVIRONMENT Siang Upper Multipurpose Project: Protests Turn Violent in Arunachal
  • NHPC tasked in April 2022 to prepare the pre-feasibility report.
  • 23 Oct bandh across Siang, Upper Siang, East Siang; violence in Pasighat, ~40 personnel injured.
  • Fears: submergence of villages, ancestral land, forests; high seismic risk.
  • Aim: flood moderation and water security against upstream diversion.

Prelims rapid-fire — 126 facts

PM-DHARA full form: Developing Harmonised & Accelerated Renewable Energy Access
Safflower MSP 2027-28: ₹7,215/qtl – highest absolute hike (+₹675)
First chairman of PSC (1926): Sir Ross Barker
Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal set up: March 2018
International Day of Older Persons: 1 October
Gandhi Jayanti (2 Oct) – also International Day of Non-Violence
5th Kautilya Economic Conclave: 3-5 Oct, New Delhi; theme 'Resilience in an Age of Flux'.
National Wildlife Week: 2-8 October every year, to promote wildlife conservation.
NHAI: Tamil Nadu's first barrierless Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) tolling.
G20 Trade Ministers' Meeting opened in Milwaukee, USA (US G20 presidency).
1 October: International Day of Older Persons (UNGA res. 45/106, 1990).
Mazargues War Memorial (Marseille) honours 205 Indian soldiers of the World Wars.
World Habitat Day: First Monday of October (5 Oct 2026); UN-Habitat; observed since 1986.
World Teachers' Day: 5 October; marks the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation on teachers' status.
GST Council meet: 7 October — GST 2.0 process reforms on registration and returns.
Forex reserves: $747.6 bn (week to 25 Sept); FCA at $615.4 bn.
Immigration & Foreigners Act: 2025 law; in force from 1 Sept 2025; replaced four older Acts.
Agnipath first batch: Joined training in early 2023; 4-year tenure ends in 2026.
GST gross collections, September 2026: ₹2.04 lakh crore (+14.7%) — third straight month above ₹2 lakh crore.
Manufacturing PMI for September: 55.1, a 7-month high.
The GST Council meets on 7 Oct on 'GST 2.0' process reforms (registration, returns).
Dibrugarh (Assam) sent its first overseas cargo since Independence — methanol to Bangladesh via the Brahmaputra (NW-2).
Nobel Medicine 2026 award ceremony: 10 December in Stockholm.
Mecca Alliance first Secretary-General: Lt Gen (retd) Numan Mahmud of Pakistan.
Exercise Mountain Guardian 2026 — inaugural India–UAE army exercise in high-altitude Uttarakhand.
Bogibeel (Assam) — first international cargo from Upper Assam: 540 MT methanol to Dhaka via NW-2 (Brahmaputra).
EAM visit (6–10 Oct) — Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia; Regional Heads of Mission conference in Addis Ababa.
Asian Games 2026 (Aichi-Nagoya, Japan) — India 4th with 85 medals (21 gold, 27 silver, 37 bronze).
NABKISAN — India's first WASH-focused social bond listed on NSE: ₹180 crore, 8.10% coupon, 5-year tenure.
National Household Travel Survey — first all-India survey of 4.92 lakh households; 61.9% male vs 41.9% female workers commute daily.
World Bank raised India's FY27 GDP forecast to 7.1% (from 6.6%) in its India Development Update.
MoD signed a ₹661.50 crore contract with BrahMos Aerospace for ship-borne fire-control systems and launchers — Buy (Indian-IDDM).
Andhra Pradesh declared 388 mandals in 21 districts drought-hit.
Assam GPS study 'Tracking the Giants': 38,000+ GPS fixes; tea gardens act as elephant pathways; Asian elephant — Endangered (IUCN).
DRDO's High-Altitude Platform flew to 21 km; AHAP parachute made its maiden live jump at Nyoma, Ladakh.
72nd Wildlife Week (2–8 Oct) concludes; wildlife protection is a Fundamental Duty under Art 51A(g).
RBI MPC (7 Oct) — Repo hiked 25 bps to 5.50%; SDF 5.25%, MSF 5.75%; stance 'calibrated tightening'; FY27 GDP 7.1%, CPI 5.2%.
Nobel Physics 2026 — Francis Halzen for the IceCube observatory at the South Pole.
Nobel Chemistry 2026 — Henri Kagan & Kenso Soai: non-linear effects & autocatalysis in asymmetric synthesis.
IMC 2026 — Theme 'Scale Without Boundaries', venue Yashobhoomi, New Delhi.
GST e-commerce — New rule 14B lets small online sellers register in another State using the operator's warehouse.
SAREX-2026 — 12th edition; scenario of aircraft ditching with 228 people off Paradip.
Nobel Peace Prize 2026: Navi Pillay, ex-UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and ICTR judge; 125th Peace Prize, to be presented in Oslo on 10 December.
Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport hit by Houthi-claimed missile strikes; India condemned the attacks and issued an advisory for nationals in Saudi Arabia.
Russia–Ukraine 'energy ceasefire' announced by the US President – both sides to stop striking refineries and power systems.
Manipur: Kuki–Naga clashes in Kamjong, Kangpokpi and Ukhrul left 9 dead; ITBP and SSB companies deployed.
Kerala Assembly set to move a resolution seeking removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar – CEC is removable only like a SC judge (Art 324(5)).
Norway proposes temporary curbs on smart glasses in schools, hospitals and museums over covert recording and privacy concerns.
Tarang Shakti 2026 (2nd edition) concluded on 12 Oct at AF Station Jodhpur — theme "Power in Partnership"; 7 foreign air forces, 32 observer nations.
Lakshadweep declared fully literate under ULLAS (benchmark 95%); Ladakh was the first UT (2024), Mizoram the first State (2025).
IPCC-65 at Addis Ababa: deadlock over AR7 timeline — 2028 (to feed Global Stocktake at COP33) vs a longer timeline sought by India, China, Saudi Arabia.
JOSH Teams (Joint Squad for Health) under TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan pair MY Bharat volunteers with NCC cadets — 6,347 squads.
TRISHNA — ISRO–CNES thermal-infrared satellite due in 12–16 months; 3rd Indo-French satellite after Megha-Tropiques (2011) and SARAL (2013).
Garba of Gujarat — inscribed on UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list in Dec 2023 as India's 15th element.
Nobel Economics 2026: Robert Hall (Stanford) & Michael Woodford (Columbia) – 'for microeconomic foundations of macroeconomic stabilisation'.
World Standards Day (14 Oct): by ISO, IEC, ITU; 2026 focus SDG 7 (clean energy); India's body – BIS (BIS Act, 2016).
OPEC cut India's 2026 oil demand growth forecast to 40,000 bpd (from 60,000); global growth ~4 lakh bpd.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to visit Uzbekistan and India (Mumbai, Jamnagar) on 17-22 Oct.
Dhammachakra Pravartan Din: 14 Oct 1956 – Dr B.R. Ambedkar embraced Buddhism at Deekshabhoomi, Nagpur.
Preventive detention laws: NSA 1980, COFEPOSA 1974, UAPA 1967; prohibitory orders now under BNSS Sec 163 (ex-CrPC 144).
Nagastra-1R: 450 indigenous loitering munitions delivered to the Army (>80% indigenous).
World Food Day (16 Oct) marks the founding of FAO (1945); HQ Rome.
Calling Name Presentation: caller's registered name to show on 4G+ networks from 1 November 2026.
Ladakh: 5 projects incl. 298-km Nimmu–Padum–Darcha road and a rock-art park at Sindhu Ghat, Leh.
UNSC bid: India seeks a non-permanent seat for 2028-29; vote in June 2027; rival Tajikistan.
Railways bonus: 78 days' wages for ~11.4 lakh non-gazetted employees.
Ramsar sites: 103. The new sites are Sukhna Wetland (Chandigarh) and Sauj Jheel (UP). UP now has 14, second only to Tamil Nadu.
INS Samarthak is the Navy's first indigenously designed Multi-Purpose Vessel (107 m), built by L&T at Kattupalli.
NSTCC (National Strategic Trade Command Centre) was launched at Vanijya Bhawan. It is a real-time trade-data hub run with the DGFT.
CISF will reorganise into function-based sectors (Power, Coal, Steel, Ports) from 1 November. It is now the nodal agency for aerial security of critical infrastructure.
India-Mauritius DTAA: the Principal Purpose Test was notified on 13 October. Investments made before 1 April 2017 are grandfathered.
Aditya-L1 (VELC) + Proba-3 (ASPIICS): joint observations measured the mass, density and energy of coronal mass ejections close to the Sun.
US midterm elections on 3 Nov 2026: all 435 House seats and 35 of 100 Senate seats
Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar (2024 & 2025) conferred on 106 young artists; given by Sangeet Natak Akademi (est. 2006, age up to 40, ₹25,000)
DRDO's ADRDE, Agra flew an indigenous High-Altitude Platform to 21 km; held ~20 km for 30+ minutes
Baltic Sea: world's largest brackish water body; linked to the North Sea via the Danish straits
RBI policy rates: Repo 5.50%, SDF 5.25%, MSF/Bank Rate 5.75%; next MPC 2-4 Dec 2026
PETA India seeks withdrawal of draft PCA (Laboratory Animals) Rules, 2026; PETA founded 1980
Azad Hind Government proclaimed by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in Singapore on 21 Oct 1943 — 83rd anniversary today.
IDBI Bank: CCEA cleared sale of 60.72% to a Fairfax subsidiary for ₹52,878 crore; govt keeps 15%, LIC 19%.
GSAT-7C: ₹2,563 crore contract with NSIL for the IAF's first dedicated communication satellite.
INS Samarthak commissioned at Karwar (16 Oct); Navy's SWAVLAMBAN 2026 seminar on 26–27 Oct.
Asian Para Games, Aichi-Nagoya: India crosses 47 medals (12 G); best-ever haul remains 111 at Hangzhou 2023.
India–Canada CEPA targeted by end-2026; next negotiating round in New Delhi in early November.
GRAP Stage-I enforced in Delhi-NCR by CAQM as AQI entered 'Poor' (201–300) band.
NHPC seeks approval to fell 23 lakh+ trees for the 1,720 MW Kamala HEP (Kamala river, Subansiri basin), Arunachal Pradesh.
Asian Para Games 2026 (Aichi–Nagoya, Japan): Sachin Khilari won gold in men's shot put F46, leading an Indian podium sweep.
Nasha Mukt Bharat: Centre targets a drug-free India by 31 Dec 2029 with NCORD-based monitoring.
Police Commemoration Day (21 Oct) honours 10 CRPF men killed at Hot Springs, Ladakh (1959).
India–New Zealand: Memorandum of Cooperation on electronic origin data exchange to ease trade under the FTA.
Perseverance rover set an off-world driving record of 45.22 km, beating Opportunity's 45.16 km; landed in Jezero Crater (Feb 2021)
India–New Zealand FTA entered into force on 20 October 2026; customs MoC signed for electronic origin-data exchange
BHASHINI (MeitY) & IISc released Text-to-Speech models for Sourashtra, a low-resource Indo-Aryan language of Tamil Nadu, on AIKosh
DRDO's ARDE (Pune, 1958) shortlisted partners for India's first indigenous 20 mm aviation gun for ALH Rudra and LCH Prachand
UN Day – 24 October: UN Charter came into force on 24 Oct 1945 (signed 26 June 1945, San Francisco)
World Polio Day – 24 October; India certified polio-free by WHO on 27 March 2014
J&K Accession Day (26 Oct): Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession on 26 Oct 1947; Infantry Day is 27 Oct.
Asian Para Games 2026 (Aichi-Nagoya, Japan): India's record 114 medals — 30 gold, 35 silver, 49 bronze.
Mann Ki Baat: 139th episode aired on 25 Oct; programme began on 3 Oct 2014.
CBD COP17: Under way at Yerevan, Armenia (19–30 Oct); reviews the Kunming-Montreal GBF (23 targets for 2030).
Digital Agriculture Mission: 11 crore Farmer IDs created under AgriStack, ahead of the 31 Mar 2027 target.
Mission Mausam: AATAL lab at IITM Delhi to trace Delhi-NCR pollution sources, linked to the AIRWISE forecast system.
SC Collegium recommends Justice P. Sam Koshy as Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court.
Tigress T-138, moved from Valmiki TR (Bihar) to repopulate Buxa TR (West Bengal), has strayed into Assam.
Infantry Day (27 Oct) marks the 1947 air-landing of 1 SIKH at Srinagar to defend J&K.
MoRTH holds a Transport Mela under the PARIVARTAN scheme in Delhi-NCR on 28 Oct 2026.
GeM promotes 'The AABHAR Collection' of heritage products to support local artisans.
Kudankulam (Tamil Nadu) – India's largest nuclear plant, built with Russia (VVER reactors); cybersecurity in focus.
12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum (New Delhi) adopted the New Delhi Joint Declaration: condemned the Pahalgam attack, sought UNSC and global financial reforms.
Vigilance Awareness Week 2026 (CVC): 27 Oct–2 Nov, the week of Sardar Patel's birth anniversary (31 Oct); CVC set up in 1964 (Santhanam Committee).
MoRTH amended the CMV Rules, 1989 to add E100 alongside E85 for emission certification of flex-fuel vehicles.
61st CIML (International Organization of Legal Metrology) meeting: 26–28 Oct, New Delhi — first time in India.
SC issued notice to the Centre on petitions against the law mandating six stanzas of Vande Mataram.
Arunachal government held talks with dam-affected people over the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project on the Siang (Brahmaputra).
Arnab cyclone name contributed by Bangladesh; means 'ocean'.
Jio IPO (₹30,213 crore) was entirely a fresh issue with 22.19x subscription.
NVS-03 adds the L1 band to NavIC's L5 and S bands.
ESTIC 2026 venue: Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi; 12 thematic domains.
SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum: 20-22 Nov 2026, New Delhi.
New cancer-drug MRPs effective 9 November 2026; 137 non-scheduled molecules under 30% margin cap.
14th International Tourism Mart at Tawang (Arunachal Pradesh), 29–31 Oct; ~27 countries invited — showcases 'Ashta Lakshmi' North-East.
RBI (7 Oct 2026) hiked repo 25 bps to 5.50%; SDF 5.25%, MSF 5.75%; stance 'calibrated tightening'.
CPI (base 2024=100) Sept 2026: 5.54%; food inflation 7.74%; RBI target 4% ± 2%.
Piyush Goyal: India's 9 FTAs/trade deals cover 38 developed countries; India-US deal to protect farmers' interests.
SC Collegium recommended 9 advocates as judges of the J&K and Ladakh High Court.
Homi J. Bhabha born 30 Oct 1909 — father of India's nuclear programme; three-stage programme (thorium focus).

Data points of the period

₹2.03 lakh crore
Gross GST collection – September 2026
+14.7% YoY; net GST ₹1.76 lakh crore (+18.1%); imports +26%
₹2.04 lakh crore (+14.7% YoY)
Gross GST collections, September 2026
Imports grew 25.9% vs domestic 10.1%; domestic share fell to about 68% – a record low.
56.5
HSBC Flash Composite PMI — September 2026
Up from 54.3 in August; the 62nd consecutive month above 50. Final manufacturing PMI hit a 7-month high of 55.1, flash services PMI rose to 55.8 (from 54.1). Final composite data due 6 October.
55.2
HSBC India Services PMI (September 2026)
Up from 54.1 in August — a 3-month high; Composite 55.9 and Manufacturing 55.1, all above the 50 expansion mark.
5.50% (+25 bps)
Repo rate after RBI's October 2026 policy
First hike since Feb 2023; stance 'calibrated tightening'; FY27 GDP 7.1%, CPI 5.2%; SDF 5.25%, MSF 5.75%.
5.50% (+25 bps)
Repo rate after the October 2026 MPC
First hike since Feb 2023; FY27 projections — GDP 7.1%, CPI 5.2%. Policy corridor: SDF 5.25% ← Repo 5.50% → MSF 5.75% (band of 50 bps). Costlier EMIs and higher deposit rates aim to curb second-round effects of the oil shock and support the rupee.
₹4,013.42 crore
Procurement from SC/ST-owned MSEs (2025-26)
About 40× the ₹99.37 crore of 2015-16, from 12,524 MSEs — evidence that the 4% sub-target under the Public Procurement Policy is finally biting. Recall: on 7 Oct the RBI hiked the repo rate by 25 bps to 5.50%.
$734.6 billion
India's foreign exchange reserves (week ended 2 October 2026)
Down $12.95 bn in a week – the 4th straight weekly fall – and $51.1 bn below the record $785.7 bn (week ended 4 Sep) as RBI defends the rupee. Foreign currency assets $604.7 bn, gold $106.4 bn, SDRs $18.7 bn; reserves cover about 11 months of imports.
5.54%
CPI (retail) inflation, September 2026
21-month high, up from 4.83% in August; food inflation 7.74%, rural CPI 6.08% — above the 4% target but within the 2–6% tolerance band.
5.54%
CPI inflation, September 2026 (base 2024=100)
Up from 4.83% in August; food inflation 7.74%; rural 6.08%, urban 4.88%; highest among states – Tamil Nadu 6.81%.
11.39%
WPI inflation, September 2026
Up from 9.92% in August; retail CPI inflation was 5.54% — above the 4% target but inside the 2–6% band. A wide WPI–CPI gap signals fuel and commodity cost pressure.
5.54%
CPI inflation, September 2026
Up from 4.83% in August. Food inflation (CFPI) rose to 7.74% from 5.97%. Rural inflation was 6.08% and urban 4.88%. The rate is well above the 4% target, within the 2-6% band. This follows the RBI's 25 bps repo hike to 5.50% on 7 October, with a 'calibrated tightening' stance.
5.54%
CPI inflation, September 2026 (base 2024=100)
Up from 4.83% in August; food inflation 7.74%, rural 6.08%, urban 4.88%; onion up 108%. Above the RBI's 4% target - the MPC raised the repo rate to 5.50% ('calibrated tightening') on 7 Oct; minutes due 21 Oct.
11.39%
WPI inflation, September 2026
Up from 9.92% in August; Fuel & Power at 25.85% is the main driver, while retail CPI stood at 5.54%.
7.9%
Index of Core Industries growth, September 2026 (YoY)
Highest in the new 2022-23 base series; up from 5.9% in August; April–September cumulative 5.1% vs 2.5% a year ago.
5.50% (+25 bps)
Policy repo rate after the October 2026 MPC (minutes released 21 Oct)
Stance: calibrated tightening; CPI 4.8% (Aug), FY27 projection 5.2%; SDF 5.25%, MSF/Bank Rate 5.75% (±25 bps corridor).
$721 bn
India's foreign exchange reserves (week ended 16 Oct 2026)
Down about $5 bn in the week — the third straight weekly fall in October. FCA $591.8 bn, gold $105.8 bn (up $706 mn), SDR $18.5 bn, IMF reserve position $4.79 bn.
~88%
India's crude-oil import dependence
Roughly 88% of India's crude-oil needs are met by imports — the core rationale behind E20 (already achieved) and the new E100 flex-fuel push; ethanol capacity now stands near 20 billion litres a year.
2.5%
Fresh NPA generation, private banks (FY27, ICRA projection)
Over 3x the 0.8% projected for public sector banks; about ₹1.3 lakh crore of fresh bad loans, driven by unsecured retail and MSME stress, while credit growth slows to 11.0–11.7%.
60% → 63%
Dearness Allowance / Dearness Relief for central employees & pensioners (w.e.f. 1 July 2026)
+3 percentage points approved by the Cabinet on 28 Oct 2026; benefits ~48 lakh employees and ~68 lakh pensioners; cost ~₹10,016 crore. DA is revised twice a year using the AICPI-IW (Labour Bureau).
7.3%
FY27 GDP growth outlook (Finance Ministry, October review)
Raised from 7.1%; risks flagged: crude oil, rupee, El Niño. CPI Sept 2026: 5.54% (Aug: 4.83%); WPI 11.39%; forex ~$721 bn (~10.3 months import cover); RBI repo 5.50%.

42 practice MCQs — UPSC Prelims pattern

Q1. With reference to the Minimum Support Prices announced for Rabi Marketing Season 2027-28, consider the following statements: 1. Safflower received the highest absolute increase. 2. The margin over cost of production for wheat exceeds 100%. 3. MSPs are recommended by NITI Aayog. Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 2 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
Safflower got +₹675/qtl and wheat's margin is 106%. MSPs are recommended by the CACP, not NITI Aayog, so statement 3 is wrong.

Q2. The first Public Service Commission in India, set up on 1 October 1926, was established on the recommendation of which of the following?

  1. Islington Commission
  2. Lee Commission
  3. Simon Commission
  4. Aitchison Commission
Show answer
Answer: B
The Lee Commission (1924) recommended a PSC, set up on 1 Oct 1926 with Sir Ross Barker as chairman; the GoI Act 1935 later created the Federal PSC.

Q3. With reference to the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of India, consider the following statements: 1. It is constituted under Section 45ZB of the RBI Act, 1934. 2. The Governor of RBI has a casting vote in case of a tie. 3. All six members are appointed by the Central Government. Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: A
MPC is under Sec 45ZB; the Governor has a casting vote. Only the 3 external members are appointed by the Centre; 3 are from RBI.

Q4. 'Sewell Rise' and 'West Sewell Ridge', recently in news, are associated with:

  1. Hydrocarbon blocks in the Arabian Sea
  2. Offshore polymetallic mineral blocks in the Andaman Sea
  3. Undersea cables between India and Maldives
  4. Coral reef protected areas in Lakshadweep
Show answer
Answer: B
Both are offshore mineral blocks in the Andaman Sea auctioned under the OAMDR Act, 2002 for polymetallic nodules and crusts.

Q5. With reference to the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of India, consider the following statements: 1. It is a statutory body constituted under the RBI Act, 1934. 2. Three of its six members are appointed by the Central Government. 3. In case of a tie, the RBI Governor has a casting vote. Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: D
The MPC is set up under Sec 45ZB of the RBI Act, 1934 (amended 2016). It has six members — three from RBI and three appointed by the Centre — and the Governor has a casting vote in case of a tie.

Q6. The Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 repealed which of the following laws? 1. Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920 2. Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939 3. Foreigners Act, 1946 4. Citizenship Act, 1955. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 1, 2 and 3 only
  3. 2, 3 and 4 only
  4. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Show answer
Answer: B
The 2025 Act replaced four laws — the 1920, 1939 and 1946 Acts and the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act, 2000. The Citizenship Act, 1955 remains in force.

Q7. With reference to optogenetics, recently in news, consider the following statements: 1. It uses light-sensitive proteins to control the activity of specific neurons. 2. Channelrhodopsin, a key protein used in it, was originally discovered in green algae. 3. It permanently alters the DNA of every cell in the human body. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 2 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
Optogenetics inserts genes for light-gated opsins only into targeted neurons, so statement 3 is wrong. Channelrhodopsin came from green algae; the technique won the 2026 Nobel in Medicine.

Q8. Consider the following statements about the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the RBI: 1. It is a statutory body constituted under the RBI Act, 1934. 2. It has six members, three of whom are nominated by the Central Government. 3. The RBI Governor has a casting vote in case of a tie. How many of the statements given above are correct?

  1. Only one
  2. Only two
  3. All three
  4. None
Show answer
Answer: C
The MPC is constituted under Section 45ZB of the RBI Act, 1934 (amended 2016); it has 6 members (3 from RBI, 3 Govt nominees) and the Governor has a casting vote.

Q9. With reference to the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the RBI, consider the following statements: 1. It is a statutory body under the RBI Act, 1934. 2. It has six members, of whom three are nominated by the Central Government. 3. In case of a tie, the Union Finance Minister has the casting vote. Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: A
The MPC is constituted under Section 45ZB of the RBI Act, 1934, with 6 members (3 from RBI, 3 nominated by the Government). The RBI Governor, not the Finance Minister, has the casting vote — so statement 3 is wrong.

Q10. The Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM), recently operationalised between India and Japan, is a cooperative approach under which provision of the Paris Agreement?

  1. Article 2.1
  2. Article 4.4
  3. Article 6.2
  4. Article 9.1
Show answer
Answer: C
Article 6.2 allows Parties to cooperate bilaterally through Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs); the JCM is such an approach. Article 6.4 sets up the UN-supervised crediting mechanism; Article 9 deals with climate finance.

Q11. With reference to the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of India, consider the following statements: 1. It is constituted under the RBI Act, 1934, as amended by the Finance Act, 2016. 2. The RBI Governor has a casting vote in case of a tie. 3. The inflation target is fixed by the RBI in consultation with the MPC. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 2 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
The inflation target is set by the Central Government in consultation with the RBI (Sec 45ZA), not by the RBI with the MPC; statements 1 and 2 are correct.

Q12. The 'Suwałki Gap', recently in the news, lies along the border between which of the following countries?

  1. Poland and Lithuania
  2. Lithuania and Latvia
  3. Poland and Belarus
  4. Estonia and Russia
Show answer
Answer: A
The ~100 km Suwałki Gap runs along the Poland–Lithuania border, between Russia's Kaliningrad exclave and Belarus.

Q13. With reference to the GST Council, consider the following statements: 1. It is a constitutional body under Article 279A. 2. It is chaired by the Union Finance Minister. 3. Every decision of the Council requires the unanimous support of all States. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: A
Decisions need a three-fourths weighted majority of members present and voting (Centre ⅓, States ⅔), not unanimity. Statements 1 and 2 are correct.

Q14. Which of the following were among the directions issued by the Supreme Court in Prakash Singh v. Union of India (2006)? 1. Selection of the State DGP from among the three senior-most officers empanelled by the UPSC. 2. A minimum tenure of two years for the DGP. 3. Setting up of a Police Complaints Authority. Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 2 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: D
All three are part of the seven directions of 2006, along with a State Security Commission, Police Establishment Board, separation of investigation from law & order, and a National Security Commission.

Q15. With reference to the TRISHNA mission, consider the following statements: 1. It is a joint mission of ISRO and the French space agency CNES. 2. It will be placed in a geostationary orbit. 3. Its thermal infrared payload is designed to estimate land surface temperature and evapotranspiration. How many of the statements given above are correct?

  1. Only one
  2. Only two
  3. All three
  4. None
Show answer
Answer: B
Statements 1 and 3 are correct. TRISHNA will fly in a sun-synchronous polar orbit (~761 km), not a geostationary orbit.

Q16. After the RBI's October 2026 policy, the repo rate stands at 5.5%. Which of the following correctly gives the Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) and Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) rates respectively?

  1. 5.00% and 6.00%
  2. 5.25% and 5.75%
  3. 5.75% and 5.25%
  4. 5.50% and 6.00%
Show answer
Answer: B
The LAF corridor is repo ± 25 bps: SDF (floor) 5.25% and MSF (ceiling) 5.75%; the Bank Rate is aligned with MSF.

Q17. With reference to the Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) programme of the Indian Navy, consider the following statements: 1. Mahe-class craft are being built by Cochin Shipyard Limited. 2. INS Mangrol is the first ship of the Mahe-class. 3. Sixteen ASW SWC have been sanctioned, split between two shipyards. Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 1 and 3 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
INS Mangrol is the third Mahe-class craft, so statement 2 is wrong. 16 ASW SWC are split as 8 CSL (Mahe-class) and 8 GRSE (Arnala-class).

Q18. Consider the following statements about the PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana: 1. Districts are selected on the basis of low productivity, low cropping intensity and low credit disbursement. 2. It converges 36 schemes of 11 ministries/departments. 3. It is implemented only in States, excluding Union Territories. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 2 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: C
The scheme covers 100 districts with at least one in every State and UT, so statement 3 is wrong; statements 1 and 2 are correct.

Q19. With reference to the BIMSTEC, consider the following statements: 1. It was established by the Bangkok Declaration of 1997. 2. Its permanent secretariat is located in Kathmandu. 3. India leads the Security pillar of the grouping. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 1 and 3 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
BIMSTEC was formed by the Bangkok Declaration (6 June 1997); its secretariat is in Dhaka, not Kathmandu; India leads the Security pillar.

Q20. Under the flexible inflation targeting framework in India, which of the following is correct?

  1. The target is set by the RBI Governor in consultation with the MPC
  2. The target is based on the Wholesale Price Index
  3. The RBI must report to the Central Government if inflation stays outside the band for three consecutive quarters
  4. The tolerance band is 3% to 5%
Show answer
Answer: C
The Central Government sets the target (4% CPI, band 2-6%) under Sec 45ZA; failure for three consecutive quarters requires a report to the Centre.

Q21. Consider the following statements: 1. Sukhna Wetland is the first Ramsar site of Chandigarh. 2. India became a party to the Ramsar Convention in 1975. 3. Mainpuri district of Uttar Pradesh now has two Ramsar sites. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 3 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
The Convention entered into force in 1975, but India joined only on 1 February 1982. Statements 1 and 3 are correct.

Q22. Under the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, a person can be deemed a member of a Scheduled Caste only if he/she professes:

  1. Hinduism only
  2. Hinduism or Sikhism only
  3. Hinduism, Sikhism or Buddhism
  4. Any religion, if born in a listed caste
Show answer
Answer: C
Para 3 of the Order originally covered Hindus; Sikhs were added in 1956 and Buddhists in 1990.

Q23. Consider the following statements about the Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA): 1. India has been a Cooperating Non-Contracting Party to SIOFA since 2022. 2. SIOFA is the main body managing tuna stocks in the Indian Ocean. 3. SIOFA's area of competence includes the Exclusive Economic Zones of coastal states. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 2 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: A
Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is wrong because tuna is managed by the IOTC. Statement 3 is wrong because SIOFA covers only the high seas and excludes EEZs.

Q24. Under which instrument does the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority cap trade margins on non-scheduled drugs, such as the recent 30% cap on 137 anti-cancer medicines?

  1. Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940
  2. Para 19 of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013
  3. New Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules, 2019
  4. Patents Act, 1970 (Section 84)
Show answer
Answer: B
Para 19 of DPCO 2013 gives the government extraordinary powers in the public interest. DPCO itself is issued under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. Section 84 of the Patents Act deals with compulsory licensing.

Q25. With reference to the Ramsar Convention, consider the following statements: 1. It was signed at Ramsar in Iran in 1971. 2. It entered into force for India in 1982. 3. Sukhna Wetland, recently designated a Ramsar site, is located in Haryana. How many of the above statements are correct?

  1. Only one
  2. Only two
  3. All three
  4. None
Show answer
Answer: B
Statements 1 and 2 are correct (signed 2 Feb 1971; in force for India 1 Feb 1982). Sukhna is in the UT of Chandigarh, not Haryana. India now has 103 Ramsar sites.

Q26. Which of the following is NOT one of the four indicators used to compute the Global Hunger Index?

  1. Undernourishment
  2. Child wasting
  3. Maternal mortality ratio
  4. Under-five mortality rate
Show answer
Answer: C
GHI uses undernourishment, child stunting, child wasting and under-five mortality. Maternal mortality is not an indicator. India ranks 100th of 122 in GHI 2026.

Q27. Consider the following statements about the India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement: 1. It entered into force on 20 October 2026. 2. Dairy products are excluded from tariff concessions. 3. New Zealand has committed to facilitate USD 20 billion of investment in India. Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: D
All three are correct: the FTA (signed 27 April 2026) came into force on 20 Oct 2026, shields dairy, sugar and edible oils, and carries a USD 20 bn investment commitment over 15 years.

Q28. 'Hot Springs', associated with the observance of Police Commemoration Day on 21 October, is located in:

  1. Arunachal Pradesh
  2. Sikkim
  3. Ladakh
  4. Himachal Pradesh
Show answer
Answer: C
On 21 Oct 1959, 10 CRPF personnel were killed in an ambush by Chinese troops at Hot Springs near Kongka La in eastern Ladakh; the day has been observed since.

Q29. With reference to the Index of Core Industries (ICI) in India, consider the following statements: 1. It is released by the National Statistics Office. 2. In the new series with base year 2022-23, iron ore has been included as a core industry. 3. Electricity has the lowest weight among the core industries. How many of the statements given above are correct?

  1. Only one
  2. Only two
  3. All three
  4. None
Show answer
Answer: A
Only statement 2 is correct. The ICI is released by the Office of Economic Adviser, DPIIT, not NSO, and refinery products and electricity carry among the highest weights, not the lowest.

Q30. CORSIA, recently in news in the context of India's Sustainable Aviation Fuel mandate, is associated with which of the following?

  1. International Maritime Organization
  2. International Civil Aviation Organization
  3. UNFCCC Green Climate Fund
  4. International Energy Agency
Show answer
Answer: B
CORSIA (Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation) was adopted by ICAO in 2016; its mandatory phase starts in 2027.

Q31. With reference to the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of India, consider the following statements: 1. It has six members, three of whom are from the RBI. 2. In case of a tie, the RBI Governor has a casting vote. 3. The inflation target is notified by the Central Government in consultation with the RBI. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 2 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: D
All three are correct. Under Section 45ZB of the RBI Act, the MPC has 6 members (3 RBI + 3 external); the Governor has a casting vote; the Centre, in consultation with RBI, notifies the 4% ± 2% CPI target.

Q32. Consider the following statements about the Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana (erstwhile NSAP): 1. It was originally launched in 1995 and gives effect to Article 41 of the Constitution. 2. Under the revamped disability pension, the eligibility threshold has been lowered from 80% to 40% disability. 3. Its nodal ministry is the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 2 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
NSAP began on 15 August 1995 reflecting Article 41 (DPSP); disability threshold cut from 80% to 40%. Statement 3 is wrong – the nodal ministry is the Ministry of Rural Development.

Q33. With reference to wetlands in India, consider the following statements: 1. India now has 103 Ramsar sites, the highest number in Asia. 2. Keoladeo National Park and Loktak Lake are currently on the Montreux Record. 3. The Ramsar Convention is administered by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 2 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is wrong: the Ramsar Convention is an intergovernmental treaty outside the UN system, with its Secretariat at Gland, Switzerland and UNESCO as depositary.

Q34. Consider the following statements regarding tropical cyclones in the North Indian Ocean: 1. Names are drawn from a list adopted by the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones. 2. A 'Very Severe Cyclonic Storm' has maximum sustained winds of 118–166 km/h. 3. Yanam, near the landfall zone of Cyclone Arnab, is a part of Andhra Pradesh. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 2 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Yanam is an enclave of the Union Territory of Puducherry, surrounded by Andhra Pradesh's East Godavari region.

Q35. With reference to the recent notification permitting E100 fuel in India, consider the following statements: 1. It was issued by amending the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. 2. E100 can be used in any petrol vehicle calibrated for E20. 3. The original target year for E20 under the National Policy on Biofuels, 2018 was 2030. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 3 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
E100 was added under Rule 115 of CMVR, 1989 (G.S.R. 911(E)). It may be used only in OEM-designed flex-fuel vehicles, not in E20-calibrated cars, so statement 2 is wrong. The 2018 policy targeted E20 by 2030; the 2022 amendment advanced it to ESY 2025-26.

Q36. Consider the following statements regarding the Election Commission of India: 1. The Chief Election Commissioner can be removed from office only in like manner and on like grounds as a judge of the Supreme Court. 2. An Election Commissioner can be removed from office only on the recommendation of the Chief Election Commissioner. 3. Under the 2023 Act, the Chief Justice of India is a member of the committee that selects the Chief Election Commissioner. Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 2 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
Statements 1 and 2 flow from Article 324(5). The 2023 Act constituted a panel of the PM, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the PM — the CJI is not a member, so statement 3 is wrong.

Q37. With reference to SIMBEX, consider the following statements: 1. It began in 1994 as 'Exercise Lion King'. 2. Its 2026 edition was hosted at Visakhapatnam. 3. It is a trilateral exercise involving India, Singapore and Thailand. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 2 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
SIMBEX is a bilateral India–Singapore exercise (not trilateral; SITMEX is the trilateral with Thailand). It began in 1994 as Lion King; the 33rd edition was held off Visakhapatnam.

Q38. Consider the following statements about the Great Indian Bustard: 1. It is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. 2. It is listed in Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. 3. It is the state bird of Gujarat. Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 2 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: C
The GIB is Critically Endangered and in Schedule I; it is the state bird of Rajasthan, not Gujarat. Its last stronghold is Desert National Park, Jaisalmer.

Q39. With reference to the Container Manufacturing Promotion Scheme (CMPS) approved in October 2026, consider the following statements: 1. It is implemented by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. 2. It aims to raise India's container manufacturing capacity to 7.5 lakh TEU per year. 3. It provides a 3% annual interest subvention on eligible term loans. How many of the above statements are correct?

  1. Only one
  2. Only two
  3. All three
  4. None
Show answer
Answer: C
All three are correct: CMPS (₹10,000 crore, till FY 2039-40) is run by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, targets 7.5 lakh TEU/year and offers 3% interest subvention (₹859 crore component).

Q40. Consider the following statements about the NVS-03 satellite: 1. It is to be launched by the PSLV. 2. It adds an L1 navigation signal to NavIC. 3. NavIC's service area extends up to 1,500 km beyond India's boundary. Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
NVS-03 flies on GSLV-F18, not PSLV, so statement 1 is wrong. It adds the L1 band and NavIC covers India plus 1,500 km around it.

Q41. With reference to the NVS-03 satellite, consider the following statements: 1. It is being launched by the PSLV. 2. It carries an indigenous rubidium atomic clock. 3. It transmits navigation signals in the L1, L5 and S bands. Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
NVS-03 flies on GSLV-F18, not PSLV. It carries an indigenous rubidium clock (SAC Ahmedabad) and transmits in L1, L5 and S bands.

Q42. Consider the following statements about the ADMM-Plus: 1. Its 13th meeting was held at Cebu in the Philippines. 2. India and Malaysia co-chair its Experts' Working Group on Counter-Terrorism for 2024-27. 3. All members of the Quad are participants in the ADMM-Plus. Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: D
The 13th ADMM-Plus met at Cebu; India–Malaysia co-chair the EWG on CT (2024–27); India, US, Japan and Australia (Quad) are all among the 8 Plus partners.

Mains practice questions

  1. "Transmission, not generation, has become the binding constraint on India's energy transition." Discuss in the light of the PM-DHARA scheme. (15 marks, 250 words)
  2. GST collections are rising, but the share of domestic sources is falling. Examine what this divergence reveals about consumption demand and fiscal federalism in India. (15 marks, 250 words)
  3. As the first batch of Agniveers completes its tenure, the armed forces have sought higher retention. Critically examine whether the Agnipath scheme balances a youthful force profile with operational experience. (150 words, 10 marks)
  4. Strategic infrastructure on ecologically fragile islands such as Great Nicobar pits national security against ecology and tribal rights. Critically examine how the Forest Rights Act, 2006 and environmental impact assessment can help balance these goals. (15 marks, 250 words)
  5. The RBI has shifted to 'calibrated tightening' even as it raises its growth forecast. Examine the factors behind this decision and discuss its implications for growth, inflation and the external sector. (250 words, 15 marks)
  6. Rising crude prices and a deficient monsoon have pushed the RBI back to rate hikes. Examine the effectiveness and limits of monetary policy in tackling supply-side inflation in India. (15 marks, 250 words)
  7. Trade-margin rationalisation is a more effective tool than direct price control for making cancer treatment affordable in India. Critically examine. (GS-II, 150 words)
  8. The right to protest is an essential facet of democracy, but it must be balanced with public order. In the light of recent judicial directions, examine the constitutional safeguards against arbitrary preventive detention and restrictions on movement and internet during protests. (250 words, 15 marks)
  9. High trade margins on medicines undermine the right to health. Critically examine India's drug-price regulation framework in light of recent Supreme Court observations and suggest reforms. (15 marks, 250 words)
  10. Undertrials make up over three-fourths of India's prison population. Examine how early and effective legal aid can address this crisis, and suggest institutional reforms. (150 words, 10 marks)
  11. Social assistance in India must move from welfare to rights. Discuss in the light of the revamped Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana and Article 41. (150 words, GS2)
  12. India's ethanol blending programme has to balance energy security against food security. Examine this in the light of the feedstock policy for 2026-27. (GS3, 15 marks, 250 words)
  13. "Protecting children online must not come at the cost of their right to be online." In the light of the Supreme Court's recent recognition of internet access as a fundamental right, discuss how India can balance digital access with child safety. (250 words, 15 marks)
  14. Energy security is emerging as the new organising principle of India's minilateral diplomacy. Examine in the context of the India–US–UAE trilateral and the volatility in West Asia. (15 marks, 250 words)
  15. Agrivoltaics can reconcile India's energy transition with food security, but only if farmers remain at the centre of its design. Discuss. (GS3, 15 marks, 250 words)
  16. The Emissions Gap Report 2026 declares that overshooting 1.5°C is now unavoidable. Discuss the implications for climate-vulnerable developing countries in South Asia and evaluate the role of loss and damage finance in addressing them. (15 marks, 250 words)
  17. "Disrupting the money trail is now as important as seizing drugs." Examine this statement in the context of narco-trafficking in India's North-East. (15 marks, 250 words)
  18. The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 seeks to secure informational privacy, but critics argue that it may chill journalism and dilute the Right to Information regime. Critically examine. (15 marks, 250 words)
  19. Price regulation covers only a small share of India's pharmaceutical market by value. Examine the gaps in the current drug-pricing framework and suggest measures to make medicines affordable without hurting innovation. (GS2, 15 marks, 250 words)
  20. "Panchayats receive more money than ever, yet plan and spend it poorly." In the light of the PM Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana, examine how capacity building and digital tools can deepen democratic decentralisation. (GS2, 15 marks, 250 words)
  21. "Digital arrest frauds expose a regulatory gap between banking, telecom and platform governance." Examine the case for fixing strict liability on banks for such frauds. (GS3, 15 marks, 250 words)

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