20 September 2026: 50 Exam-Oriented UPSC CSE (Prelims & Mains) Current Affairs Snippets (The Hindu, The Indian Express, PIB…)
For UPSC CSE Prelims 2027 GS Paper 1 Mock Tests (Question Papers & Solutions PDFs), visit: GS Prelims mock tests
1. Maharashtra SEBC Act, 2024 and Maratha Reservation Petitions before Bombay High Court
The Bombay High Court will begin hearing petitions for and against the Maharashtra State Reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) Act, 2024 from October 9.
The SEBC Act, 2024 provides 10% reservation to the Maratha community in education and State government services in Maharashtra.
A three-judge Bench of the Bombay High Court will hear the matter after two earlier Benches stopped proceedings.
The Maharashtra Legislature passed the SEBC Act, 2024 on February 20, 2024.
The State government notified the SEBC Act, 2024 six days after its passage.
The enactment followed a report of the Maharashtra State Commission for Backward Classes that cited circumstances warranting reservation for the Maratha community beyond the 50% limit.
An earlier SEBC Act of 2018 had granted 16% reservation to Marathas in State government jobs and education.
The Bombay High Court in June 2019 upheld the 2018 Act but reduced the quota to 12% in education and 13% in jobs.
The Supreme Court in May 2021 struck down the SEBC Act, 2018, holding that no circumstances justified Maratha reservation beyond the 50% ceiling fixed by the 1992 Indra Sawhney judgment.
The Supreme Court also questioned the data submitted to establish backwardness of Marathas.
A review petition filed by the State government was rejected by the Supreme Court in April 2023.
A curative petition against the 2021 judgment remains pending before the Supreme Court.
2. Over 37 Lakh SIR Appeals Pending before West Bengal Appellate Tribunals
The Election Commission of India (EC) informed the Supreme Court that over 37 lakh of a total 38 lakh appeals arising from the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal remain pending in 19 Appellate Tribunals.
The EC stated that only 1,02,231 appeals have been disposed of so far.
More than six months have passed since the Supreme Court constituted the Appellate Tribunals.
Municipal elections in West Bengal are approaching while voters’ status on the electoral roll remains unresolved.
The EC affidavit covers appeals across 24 districts of West Bengal.
A total of 38,20,683 appeals were submitted on both inclusions and exclusions of voters from the West Bengal electoral roll during the SIR exercise.
The number of pending appeals stands at 37,18,452.
The statistics emerged after a Supreme Court order following complaints that details of pendency and disposal rates of the tribunals were not in the public domain.
Of the 38 lakh appeals, seven lakh were filed by disenfranchised voters seeking re-inclusion; the remaining 31 lakh were filed by the EC or other objectors seeking further exclusions from the West Bengal electoral roll.
The EC affidavit dated September 16 contains district-wise annexures of pendency.
Murshidabad district recorded 7,47,921 appeals filed and only 514 decided.
Uttar Dinajpur district has 3,03,155 appeals pending and 9,104 disposed of.
Purba Bardhaman district has 2,80,029 appeals with only 131 decided by the tribunals.
The Supreme Court directed the EC to file an affidavit segregating appeals by ousted voters seeking re-inclusion and those seeking further exclusions, and to consider a mechanism for updating and streamlining pending appeals before the Appellate Tribunals.
3. Default Bail Granted to U.S. National in NIA Case as UAPA Charges Not Filed
A Delhi court on Friday granted default bail to a U.S. national arrested in March in connection with an alleged cross-border conspiracy involving ethnic armed groups in Myanmar.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) did not file a chargesheet covering the alleged terror offences within the mandatory 180-day period.
The Special Judge of the Rouse Avenue Court allowed the bail application after noting that the chargesheet filed by the NIA on September 8, the deadline day, invoked only piecemeal charges under Sections 21 and 23 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act.
The chargesheet did not invoke the more serious Section 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) under which the U.S. national was originally booked.
The court observed that it cannot be concluded at this stage that the accused is not entitled to default bail.
The court held that an investigating agency cannot use an incomplete chargesheet to sidestep the default-bail provision under Section 187(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita.
The court directed the U.S. national to furnish a personal bond and surety bond of ₹1 lakh each.
Conditions include remaining within the National Capital Territory of Delhi, not leaving without the court’s permission, not influencing witnesses or tampering with evidence, and remaining available for further questioning.
The same reasoning extends to six Ukrainian co-accused still in judicial custody; copies of the ruling are to be sent to them via jail authorities to pursue default bail.
The NIA arrested the U.S. national on March 13 at Kolkata airport.
Six Ukrainian nationals were also arrested in connection with the case at airports in Delhi and Lucknow.
According to the NIA, the accused entered India on tourist visas, travelled to the northeast without permits, and then crossed illegally into Myanmar to train ethnic armed organisations.
4. Keel Laying of First Next Generation Missile Vessel at Cochin Shipyard Limited
Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Kochi, laid the keel of the first Next Generation Missile Vessel (NGMV) for the Indian Navy on 18 September 2026.
The first vessel is designated Yard Number BY 531.
The Ministry of Defence signed the contract with Cochin Shipyard Limited on 30 March 2023 for construction of six Next Generation Missile Vessels at a cost of ₹9,805 crore.
Steel cutting of the first Next Generation Missile Vessel was held at Cochin Shipyard Limited on 16 December 2024.
Steel cutting of the second Next Generation Missile Vessel was held at Cochin Shipyard Limited on 17 September 2026.
Delivery of the vessels to the Indian Navy is scheduled to commence from March 2027.
The Next Generation Missile Vessels are high-speed platforms with a maximum speed of 33 knots and a complement of 80 personnel.
The vessels will carry a surface-to-surface missile system, anti-missile defence systems, air surveillance radars and fire control radars.
The primary role of the Next Generation Missile Vessel is to provide offensive capability against enemy warships, merchantmen and land targets.
In a defensive role, the vessels will be employed for local naval defence operations and seaward defence of offshore development areas.
The vessels are intended for Maritime Strike Operations and Anti-Surface Warfare Operations in the Indian Ocean Region.
All major role-defining equipment for the Next Generation Missile Vessels is being indigenously developed and manufactured under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
Construction of the six vessels is projected to generate 45 lakh man-days of employment over nine years.
The project marks Cochin Shipyard Limited’s entry into construction of advanced weapon-intensive platforms for the Indian Navy.
5. NLMC 21st Board Meeting on Accelerated Asset Monetisation
The 21st meeting of the Board of Directors of the National Land Monetization Corporation Limited (NLMC) was held on September 18, 2026.
The Board reviewed the progress of NLMC’s ongoing asset monetisation programme, financial performance and institutional initiatives.
The Board recommended monetisation proposals covering surplus land and building assets valued at over ₹5,000 crore.
The proposals cover surplus land and building assets identified for monetisation across Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) and other government entities.
NLMC works with asset-owning entities to identify suitable surplus land and building assets, conduct due diligence, facilitate valuation and structure monetisation processes.
Discussions focused on expediting the monetisation process, addressing implementation-related requirements and moving identified assets through transparent and appropriate mechanisms.
The Board stressed accelerated asset monetisation, maintenance of momentum and stronger coordination with ministries, departments, CPSEs and other government entities.
NLMC’s mandate is to help asset-owning entities unlock value from surplus land and buildings that may otherwise remain underutilised.
The Board approved the Annual Financial Statements and Directors’ Report of NLMC for the financial year 2025-26.
The meeting also reviewed NLMC initiatives to strengthen institutional and operational capabilities and to create a more structured framework for asset monetisation.
6. President Appoints 14 Judicial Officers as Judges and Additional Judges in Four High Courts
The President of India, on September 19, 2026, appointed 14 judicial officers as Judges and Additional Judges of four High Courts.
The High Courts covered are the Delhi High Court, the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, the Jharkhand High Court and the Karnataka High Court.
The appointments were made in exercise of powers conferred by the Constitution of India after consultation with the Chief Justice of India.
The Ministry of Law and Justice notified the appointments on September 19, 2026.
The appointments follow recommendations of the Supreme Court Collegium made at its meeting on September 10, 2026.
Two judicial officers have been appointed as Judges of the Delhi High Court.
Five judicial officers have been appointed as Additional Judges of the Delhi High Court.
One judicial officer has been appointed as a Judge of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Three judicial officers have been appointed as Judges of the Jharkhand High Court.
Three judicial officers have been appointed as Additional Judges of the Karnataka High Court.
The appointees are serving judicial officers elevated from the subordinate judiciary.
Appointment of High Court Judges is governed by Article 217 and appointment of Additional Judges by Article 224 of the Constitution of India.
7. Rozgar Mela: Mission-Mode Central Government Recruitment Initiative
Rozgar Mela is a Government of India initiative to distribute appointment letters for vacant sanctioned posts in Central Government Ministries, Departments and Organisations in mission mode.
The National Rozgar Mela was launched on 22 October 2022 with an announced target of recruiting 10 lakh personnel.
The first edition distributed more than 75,000 appointment letters at about 50 locations across the country.
Subsequent editions have been held simultaneously at 40–50 locations in States and Union Territories.
Recruits join the Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Home Affairs, Department of Posts, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Department of Revenue, Department of Higher Education and Ministry of Defence.
Selections are made through the Union Public Service Commission, Staff Selection Commission and Railway Recruitment Boards.
Appointments cover Group A, Group B (Gazetted and Non-Gazetted) and Group C posts, including Central Armed Police Forces personnel, Sub-Inspectors, Constables, Lower Division Clerks, Stenographers, Personal Assistants, Income Tax Inspectors and Multi-Tasking Staff.
The 20th National Rozgar Mela on 19 September 2026 distributed over 51,000 appointment letters at 45 locations.
About 12.75 lakh appointment letters have been issued across 20 editions.
Separately, the National Skill Development Corporation under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship organises Rozgar Melas as half-day events linking youth aged 18–35 with private employers through Sector Skill Councils and Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras.
8. U.S. Sanctions Law on Russian Oil Importers and Uranium Import Exception
The United States enacted the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026.
The law authorises tariffs of up to 100% on goods from countries that purchase Russian-origin crude oil or natural gas, including India and China.
The measure is intended to reduce energy revenues of the Russian Federation amid the war in Ukraine.
Section 111 directs implementation of existing restrictions on uranium imports from the Russian Federation, including supplies from Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation and its subsidiaries.
Section 114 states that the sanctions title shall not apply to activities under a United States–Russian Federation civilian nuclear cooperation agreement entered under Section 123 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954.
The same section exempts specified imports into the United States of low-enriched uranium for nuclear reactors and certain medical-isotope imports covered by a waiver.
The Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act of 2024 banned imports of Russian natural uranium and unirradiated low-enriched uranium, subject to waivers until 1 January 2028.
In 2025 the United States imported enriched uranium worth $1.02 billion from the Russian Federation, equal to 23.42% of its total enriched uranium imports, according to the U.S. International Trade Commission.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration recorded that the Russian Federation supplied about 26% of foreign-origin uranium enrichment services purchased by U.S. nuclear operators in 2025.
9. Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, Houthi Attacks and Allied Non-Combat Stance
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement in Makkah on 7 August 2026, stating that an armed attack on any one state shall be regarded as an attack on all.
The pact builds on the September 2025 Pakistan–Saudi Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement and the 2000 Gulf Cooperation Council joint defence framework.
Saudi Arabia also maintains a long-standing defence relationship with the United States, including a November 2025 defence arrangement.
From early September 2026, Ansar Allah (Houthis) intensified drone and missile attacks on Saudi cities and energy sites and seized Mocha, Perim Island and positions overlooking the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The East–West Pipeline was shut after an attack attributed to Iran-aligned Iraqi militias, as the Strait of Hormuz remained constrained by the Iran war that began in February 2026.
The Makkah pact is described by the signatories as purely defensive and not directed at a third country; parliamentary ratification in Turkey and Pakistan was still pending.
Pakistan’s 2015 parliamentary resolution limits combat deployment to a direct threat to Saudi territorial integrity or the Two Holy Mosques.
Pakistan already stations troops, fighter aircraft and air-defence systems in Saudi Arabia and has used diplomatic channels with Iran regarding Houthi activity.
The United States declined direct strikes on Houthi positions, provided intelligence and targeting support, and held talks with Houthi representatives in Oman under the 2025 U.S.–Houthi ceasefire.
10. India’s Lunar Ambitions amid Growing Space Competition
Chandrayaan-3 achieved the first soft landing near the lunar south pole on 23 August 2023; 23 August is observed as National Space Day.
The Union Cabinet approved Chandrayaan-4, India’s lunar sample-return mission, with a budget of ₹2,104 crore.
Chandrayaan-4 is targeted for around October 2027–2028 using two LVM3 launches and five modules to collect up to 3 kg of lunar regolith from the south polar region, including a site at Mons Mouton.
Chandrayaan-5/LUPEX is a joint ISRO–JAXA mission; the Phase-B Implementation Arrangement was signed on 29 August 2025, with launch targeted for September 2028 on Japan’s H3 rocket.
LUPEX will use an ISRO lander and a JAXA rover of about 350 kg to study water ice in permanently shadowed regions; payloads include instruments from NASA and ESA.
India aims for Gaganyaan crewed flight around 2027, Bharatiya Antariksh Station first module by 2028 and operational station by 2035, and a crewed lunar landing by 2040.
India signed the Artemis Accords on 21 June 2023; NASA invited ISRO to its Moon Base programme at the 9th India–US Civil Space Joint Working Group in Bengaluru on 5–6 August 2026.
Mission Shakti on 27 March 2019 made India the fourth country after the United States, Russia and China to demonstrate an anti-satellite capability.
The Outer Space Treaty, 1967, prohibits weapons of mass destruction in orbit but does not ban conventional weapons; India supports Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space (PAROS).
Space-Based Surveillance Phase-III envisages 52 military satellites at a cost of nearly ₹27,000 crore.
11. EC Freezes All India Trinamool Congress Name and Flowers and Grass Symbol
The Election Commission of India issued an interim order freezing the name All India Trinamool Congress and its reserved Flowers and Grass symbol.
The freeze followed a finding that two rival groups exist within All India Trinamool Congress, each claiming to be the recognised party.
The matter requires substantive determination under Paragraph 15 of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.
Paragraph 15 empowers the Election Commission of India, after examining facts and hearing representatives, to decide that one rival group, or none, is the recognised political party.
Time available before the October 6 Assembly bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar was not adequate to complete Paragraph 15 proceedings.
The interim order places both rival groups on an even keel and protects their rights until final determination.
Neither group may use the name All India Trinamool Congress or the Flowers and Grass symbol until the final decision.
Both groups submitted three preferred names and three free symbols from the notified list.
One faction was allotted the name Mamata All India Trinamool Congress and the Football Player symbol.
The other faction was allotted the name Democratic Trinamool Congress and the Envelope symbol.
Both groups will be treated as recognised political parties in West Bengal, Meghalaya and Tripura under the interim arrangement.
The original name and Flowers and Grass symbol remain frozen until the Election Commission of India decides which group, if any, is entitled to them.
12. Kuki-Zo Peace Talks and Manipur Violence of May 2023
Kuki-Zo groups were about to finalise a political peace pact with the Union Home Ministry and the Manipur government a day before ethnic violence between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities erupted in Manipur on May 3, 2023.
The United People’s Front (UPF), a Kuki-Zo group, had signed the Suspension of Operations (SoO) pact with the Union Home Ministry and the Manipur government.
The SoO pact was first signed in 2008 following Naga-Kuki violence.
Representatives of the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and the UPF, the two umbrella bodies of Kuki-Zo insurgent groups, met the Centre’s interlocutor and Intelligence Bureau officials in Imphal on May 2, 2023.
The May 2 meeting was convened after officials were directed to fast-track the peace process.
Negotiations until May 2023 centred on an autonomous arrangement drawing from provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, with executive, financial and judicial powers and recognition of customary practices and traditional justice mechanisms.
KNO and UPF representatives expected talks to continue on May 3–6, 2023, and culminate in a political settlement pact in New Delhi.
The message conveyed was that the SoO needed to end, with either implementation of a political solution or closure of the chapter.
The violence of May 3, 2023, brought the negotiations to an abrupt halt.
Mass displacement and geographical separation of the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities after May 3, 2023, altered the premise of earlier talks.
After the displacement, Kuki-Zo groups changed their demand to a separate administration, including a Union Territory with a legislature or a similar constitutional arrangement.
The Centre conveyed through its interlocutor that it did not have a policy of creating new Union Territories.
Kuki-Zo groups continue to press for a constitutional arrangement providing separate administration.
13. India Rejects Pakistan’s Allegations on Naval Ships Collision in Arabian Sea
India on Friday strongly rejected Pakistan’s allegations regarding a collision between a Pakistani vessel and an Indian Navy warship in the Arabian Sea.
New Delhi summoned the Pakistani Charge d’Affaires on Wednesday and lodged a strong protest over the unacceptable conduct by the Pakistan Navy vessel that led to the collision.
The incident occurred on Tuesday night after the Pakistani vessel closed in on a frontline Indian Navy warship that was on a routine surveillance mission in the north Arabian Sea, according to the Indian side.
The Pakistani Foreign Ministry alleged that the incident followed a highly provocative and unacceptable action by the Indian vessel in Pakistan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that it had seen Pakistan’s response to the protest India had lodged.
The MEA rejected the allegations and insinuations contained in Pakistan’s response.
The Pakistan side was again advised of the need for all military units to observe due care and to respect the provisions of relevant agreements between the two sides.
The incident did not cause major damage to INS Kolkata.
INS Kolkata remains at sea.
14. US–Denmark–Greenland Security Agreement on Expanded American Military Presence
The United States, the Kingdom of Denmark and Greenland announced on 18 September 2026 an agreement expanding the US military presence on Greenland.
The US President described the pact on Truth Social as a “dream come true” and an “Infinite Life” agreement with no expiry date.
The agreement gives the United States permanent access, basing and overflight rights in Greenland and allows additional US bases.
It bars non-NATO countries from establishing bases or a military presence in Greenland.
It requires US written approval for any sensitive investments in Greenland by US adversaries.
The United States already holds extensive overflight and basing rights under the 1951 defence treaty with Denmark; Greenland already hosts a US Space Force base in the northwest.
No territory of Greenland is transferred to the United States.
Denmark and Greenland stated that the agreement recognises the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark and the Greenlandic people’s right to self-determination.
Formal signing is expected at the United Nations General Assembly in New York the following week, subject to parliamentary procedures in Denmark and Greenland.
The United States said it would immediately begin developing a larger military presence in selected parts of Greenland.
15. Canada’s Temporary Public Policy on Short-Term Study for Work Permit Holders
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) introduced a temporary public policy allowing eligible work permit holders already in Canada to study for six months or less without a study permit.
The public policy took effect on September 4, 2026, and is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2027, unless revoked earlier.
Eligibility requires a valid work permit and a course or program of study of six months or less.
Authorization lasts for six months or until the work permit expires, whichever comes first.
The measure exempts eligible workers from paragraph 188(1)(c) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, which otherwise required a short course to finish within the stay authorized on first entry.
Full-time studies longer than six months still require a study permit.
Workers in Quebec who meet the criteria do not need a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) for eligible studies under this policy.
IRCC identified the measure as support for short-term licensing, education or training while workers continue employment, including tradespeople, nurses and laboratory technicians.
The policy is not a new pathway for workers to enter Canada and does not by itself create a Post-Graduation Work Permit or permanent residence route.
The Government of Canada remains committed to reducing the temporary resident population to less than 5% of the total population by the end of 2027.
16. NLC India Limited: Energy Security and Sustainability
NLC India Limited (NLCIL) was incorporated on 14 November 1956 as a Navratna Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Coal.
NLCIL operates in Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Existing mining capacity stood at 59.10 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) up to March 2026, covering lignite and coal.
NLCIL operates three opencast lignite mines at Neyveli (28 MTPA) and one lignite mine at Barsingsar, Rajasthan (2.10 MTPA).
Coal mines include Talabira II and III in Odisha (20 MTPA) and Pachwara South Coal Block in Jharkhand (9 MTPA).
Lignite-based pit-head thermal capacity comprises 3,390 MW at Neyveli and 250 MW at Barsingsar Thermal Power Station.
NLC Tamil Nadu Power Limited, a joint venture with TANGEDCO, operates a 1,000 MW coal-based station at Thoothukudi.
Neyveli Uttar Pradesh Power Limited, a joint venture with UPRVUNL, operates the 3 × 660 MW Ghatampur Thermal Power Station; Unit-3 was commissioned on 13 June 2026.
Group power generation capacity including joint ventures stood at 8,405.26 MW up to March 2026.
NLCIL was the first Central Public Sector Enterprise to cross 1 GW of solar capacity and is a member of the International Solar Alliance.
Operational renewable assets include solar plants in Tamil Nadu and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and a 51 MW wind plant at Tirunelveli.
NLCIL targets 10,110 MW of renewable capacity, 104.35 MTPA of mining capacity and 20,130 MW of power generation by 2030, with projected capital expenditure of about ₹1.25 lakh crore.
17. INS Trishul Makes Port Call at Alexandria Naval Base, Egypt
Indian Naval Ship (INS) Trishul, a Talwar-class guided missile frigate of the Indian Navy, arrived at Alexandria Naval Base, Egypt, on 14 September 2026.
INS Trishul is equipped for multi-dimensional maritime operations.
The port call forms part of the operational deployment of the Indian Navy in the region.
The visit is intended to cultivate cooperation between the Indian Navy and the Egyptian Navy.
The deployment underscores the expanding operational footprint of the Indian Navy and India’s commitment to advancing maritime partnerships.
The Indian Embassy in Egypt stated that the visit reinforces the defence partnership between India and Egypt.
INS Trishul earlier made a port call at the port of Djibouti on 6 September 2026 as part of the same operational deployment.
During the Djibouti visit, the ship conducted professional exchanges with the Djiboutian Coast Guard, including first-aid demonstration and medical evacuation drills.
In August 2026, INS Trishul and combat logistics ship INS Aditya escorted crude tankers MT Compass and MT Thalatta through the high-risk area of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on 9 and 10 August 2026.
The Western Naval Command of the Indian Navy stated that the escort operations aimed at securing safe transit of energy cargo and protecting Indian maritime interests.
18. Unemployment Rate Fall from 6% to 3.2% and Flagship Employment Schemes
The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) records the unemployment rate on usual status (ps+ss) for persons aged 15 years and above at 6.0% in 2017-18 and 3.2% in 2023-24.
The same usual-status measure stood at 3.1% in calendar year 2025.
Worker Population Ratio on usual status for persons aged 15 years and above rose from 46.8% in 2017-18 to 58.2% in 2023-24.
Female Labour Force Participation Rate on usual status increased from 23.3% in 2017-18 to 41.7% in 2023-24.
Youth unemployment rate (age 15-29 years) on usual status declined from 17.8% in 2017-18 to 10.2% in 2023-24 and to 9.9% in 2025.
PLFS was revamped from January 2025 to issue monthly Current Weekly Status estimates; those monthly rates have ranged around 5.1–5.5% in 2025-26.
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme provided a statutory guarantee of wage employment in rural areas; from 1 July 2026 it was succeeded by the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) with a 125-day guarantee.
The Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) is a credit-linked subsidy scheme for new non-farm micro-enterprises.
The Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) under the Skill India Programme provides short-term skill training and recognition of prior learning.
Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation net payroll additions rose from 61 lakh in FY19 to 131 lakh in FY24.
19. Biometric Aadhaar Authentication Mandatory for Subsidised Domestic LPG from 1 October 2026
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has made Biometric Aadhaar Authentication (BAA) mandatory from 1 October 2026 for booking domestic LPG refills at the regulated Retail Selling Price with subsidy.
BAA links each LPG connection to an Aadhaar-authenticated consumer to prevent diversion of subsidised cylinders for commercial and industrial use, remove duplicate and ineligible connections, and target subsidy delivery.
As of 19 September 2026, 27.43 crore active domestic LPG consumers, or 89.9 per cent of the total, had completed BAA and need take no further action.
Consumers yet to complete BAA can authenticate during refill delivery through the Oil Marketing Company mobile application, at the LPG distributor showroom, or via IndianOil ONE, HelloBPCL and HP PAY.
Consumers unwilling or unable to complete BAA must register that choice on Oil Marketing Company digital channels such as the consumer web portal, mobile app, WhatsApp chatbot or IVRS.
Such consumers will receive LPG at market price without subsidy, limited to 5 kg or 10 kg cylinders subject to local availability.
The original June 30 deadline was extended several times up to September 14.
Since October 2023, Oil Marketing Companies have sent over 12 crore messages, held camps and run campaigns on BAA.
Domestic LPG is sold below cost; the implicit subsidy was about ₹210 per 14.2 kg cylinder in September 2026.
20. Six-State Kishau Multipurpose Project Pact on Tons River
Six Yamuna basin governments — Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi — signed a Memorandum of Agreement on September 15, 2026 in New Delhi for the Kishau Multipurpose Project.
The 422 MW project is proposed on the Tons River, a Yamuna tributary, along the Himachal Pradesh–Uttarakhand border in Sirmaur and Dehradun districts.
It envisages a 232.6-metre-high concrete gravity dam with live storage of 1,562 million cubic metres.
The project is estimated to cost ₹15,624 crore and has been designated a national project.
It is designed to irrigate about 97,000 hectares and generate 1,476 million units of hydropower.
Consensus on financing was reached at a June 2026 meeting after an eight-year deadlock on cost sharing.
The Centre will bear 90 per cent of the water-component cost as Central assistance; the remaining 10 per cent will be shared by the six states under the 1994 Upper Yamuna arrangement.
Himachal Pradesh’s estimated ₹2,000-crore power-component liability will be borne by Delhi, Rajasthan and Haryana.
Himachal Pradesh’s allocated water share will go mainly to Delhi and Rajasthan in a 75:25 ratio in return for meeting that power-component cost.
Himachal Pradesh is to receive about 1,000 million units of power a year from the project.
The pact is the third Upper Yamuna storage agreement after Renuka Ji and Lakhwar; the project will now go to the Union Cabinet for approval.
21. PM-AJAY Accelerates Socio-Economic Development of Scheduled Caste Communities
Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY) is a 100% Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, implemented since 2021-22.
PM-AJAY was formed by merging Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAGY), Special Central Assistance to Scheduled Castes Sub Plan (SCA to SCSP) and Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatrawas Yojana (BJRCY).
The scheme aims to reduce poverty among Scheduled Caste communities through skill development, income-generating schemes and related initiatives.
It also aims to improve socio-economic indicators by providing infrastructure and services in Scheduled Caste-dominated villages.
PM-AJAY has three components: Adarsh Gram, Grants-in-Aid and Hostel.
The Adarsh Gram component covers 47,316 villages, benefits 47,59,399 citizens, has completed 46,782 development works and prepared 24,133 Village Development Plans; 16,759 villages have been declared Adarsh Grams.
Grants-in-Aid supports livelihood generation, skill development and income-enhancing activities for Scheduled Caste persons living below the poverty line.
The Hostel component funds construction and repair of hostels for Scheduled Caste students; ₹22.50 crore has been allocated for FY 2026-27 for three hostel projects, including two for girls, covering 750 students.
The scheme is implemented in 28 States and Union Territories.
The Central Government has released ₹4,276.62 crore under PM-AJAY up to 2025-26.
The PM-AJAY Portal and AJAY Mobile App were launched in May 2026 for digital monitoring and milestone-linked fund flow.
Continuation of PM-AJAY from 2026-27 to 2030-31 with an enhanced financial outlay has been proposed.
22. Bans on Conocarpus Plantation across Indian States
Conocarpus erectus (buttonwood) and Conocarpus lancifolius (damas) are exotic evergreen trees introduced in India for avenue and ornamental plantation.
The species is native to tropical Americas and East Africa and was widely used because of fast growth, drought tolerance and salinity tolerance.
Telangana restricted the species under the Haritha Haram programme and began removal from Hyderabad road medians.
Gujarat banned nursing and plantation of Conocarpus in forest and non-forest areas, including departmental nurseries, on 26 September 2023.
Andhra Pradesh ordered a ban in 2024 and removed large numbers of trees, including over 35,000 in Kakinada.
Tamil Nadu issued an advisory in January 2025 to stop cultivation and sale and to replace existing trees with native species.
Karnataka issued an advisory in 2026 after similar prohibitory orders in other States.
In August 2025 the Government of India issued a national advisory to all States and Union Territories to stop plantation of both species, following a Central Empowered Committee report.
Official circulars cite winter pollen linked to cold, cough, asthma and allergy.
Roots grow deep and extensive, damaging telecommunication lines, drainage lines, freshwater pipelines, footpaths and building foundations.
The trees extract large volumes of groundwater and release allelochemicals and tannins that suppress nearby native vegetation.
Leaves are unpalatable to livestock and the canopy supports little native insect, bird or bee activity.
23. Proposed Namo Bharat-Styled RRTS Linking Kolkata and South Bengal Cities
West Bengal BJP has proposed a Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) for South Bengal on the lines of the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) Namo Bharat corridors.
A letter with a preliminary feasibility report has been sent to the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs seeking examination of the proposal.
The proposal seeks metro-like high-speed regional connectivity between Kolkata and industrial and tourism hubs now served mainly by congested conventional railways and highways.
Four corridors are proposed, radiating from a central hub at Maidan.
Corridor 1: Kolkata–Kalyani–Krishnanagar–Mayapur (135 km) in Nadia district.
Corridor 2: Kolkata–Burdwan–Durgapur–Asansol (232 km), with integrated metro systems for Durgapur and Asansol.
Corridor 3: Kolkata–Falta–Diamond Harbour–Haldia–Nandigram (102 km), integrated with the proposed Maidan–Budge Budge Metro.
Corridor 4: Kolkata–Santragachi–Kolaghat–Kharagpur–Medinipur (135 km).
Alignments are planned along existing highways and railway corridors to minimise land acquisition.
The proposal recommends a Special Purpose Vehicle, the West Bengal Rapid Transit Corporation (WBRTC), with joint ownership of the Government of India and the Government of West Bengal, on the NCRTC model.
The Ministry has been asked to commission a detailed feasibility study covering engineering, demand forecasting and financial analysis in coordination with the State government.
24. DUSU Elections: From a ₹150 Grant in 1947 to a Campus Political Arena
The Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) originated on August 6, 1947, when the Vice-Chancellor informed the Executive Council that students sought a university students’ union.
The Executive Council proposed a ₹150 grant for preliminary expenses once the union was formally constituted.
In 1947 a provisional committee under the Head of the Department of Economics was authorised to draft the DUSU constitution with presidents of constituent college unions.
DUSU was inaugurated on April 9, 1949.
A constitution was given to DUSU and the first elections were held in 1954.
On March 14, 1954, DUSU expenditure stood at ₹1,995 against income of ₹815; a caretaker committee and a grant of up to ₹1,100 were proposed.
Until 1972, college councillors elected DUSU office-bearers through an indirect system.
After a 50-day student agitation from November 1972 to January 1973, direct elections for DUSU office-bearers began in 1973.
DUSU covers students of most Delhi University colleges and faculties and is described as the world’s largest student body, with over 700,000 students across 91 affiliated colleges and 16 faculties.
Electronic Voting Machines were first used in central DUSU elections in 2006.
DUSU elections are conducted under Lyngdoh Committee guidelines.
Contesting organisations include Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), All India Students’ Association (AISA) and Students’ Federation of India (SFI).
The official DUSU term runs from 16 August to 15 August of the following year.
25. Extension of $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee till September 2027
A presidential proclamation issued on September 18, 2026 extended Proclamation 10973, Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers, for 12 months till 12:00 a.m. eastern daylight time on September 21, 2027.
The 2025 Proclamation took effect on September 21, 2025 and required a $100,000 payment to accompany or supplement certain H-1B petitions.
The restriction applies to entry of H-1B specialty occupation workers under section 101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act who are outside the United States.
Limited exceptions exist where the Department of Homeland Security determines a case is in the national interest.
The $100,000 payment does not apply to previously issued H-1B visas, petitions filed before September 21, 2025, change-of-status cases inside the United States, or H-1B renewals.
The White House stated that the $100,000 payment has been made for over 700 petitions since September 2025.
The White House also stated that H-1B registrations by large IT outsourcing firms fell from 24,946 to 2,055, a 92% decline.
USCIS data show India-born beneficiaries accounted for about 71% of approved H-1B petitions in FY2024.
A U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts vacated agency guidance implementing the $100,000 payment on June 8, 2026.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit on July 24, 2026 denied a stay, leaving U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services barred from collecting the fee while litigation continues.
26. Houthi Strikes on Aramco Facilities and Sensitive Sites in Riyadh
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis said on Saturday that they launched strikes targeting sensitive sites in Riyadh and oil facilities in Yanbu.
The claim came hours after residents in the Saudi capital reported blasts and black smoke.
The Yemeni Armed Forces stated that two military operations were carried out using a large number of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones.
The first operation targeted sensitive sites in Riyadh; the second targeted Aramco facilities in Yanbu.
Firefighters extinguished a blaze on a fuel tank bearing the Aramco logo at a fuel depot near Riyadh King Khalid International Airport.
FlightRadar24 reported major problems at Riyadh King Khalid International Airport before normal traffic resumed.
Saudi authorities issued an overnight air raid alert for the capital, the first such warning since fighting with the Houthis intensified this month.
Hours after the early morning alert, residents reported a round of explosions echoing through parts of Riyadh.
Fighting in southern Yemen between Saudi Arabia-backed government forces and Houthi fighters killed 48 people in recent hours, according to military sources on Saturday.
The Houthis have staged an offensive seizing swathes of territory from the internationally recognised government backed by Saudi Arabia.
27. Flawed AI-Linked Intelligence and Near-Interception of a Chinese Vessel
CNN reported on Friday that the U.S. military came close to boarding a Chinese vessel in West Asia earlier this year.
The planned action was based on a flawed intelligence report prepared with the help of artificial intelligence.
U.S. intelligence indicated that the ship was carrying nuclear weapons-related components.
American forces prepared to intercept the vessel.
The operation was called off after officials determined that an AI chatbot used by an analyst had misidentified the material the ship was carrying.
CNN quoted a source as saying the intelligence report was entirely false but almost started a war.
The CNN report followed a public resignation of a researcher from AI firm Anthropic over fears that the technology could escape human control.
In a separate incident, Politico reported on Friday that F-35 jet parts, including a sensitive stealth canopy for a cockpit, were diverted to Hong Kong and are now missing.
The diversion raised concerns that Beijing had obtained sensitive American military technology.
The F-35 parts were headed from Australia to the United States for repairs when the diversion occurred.
28. DPRK Rejection of IAEA Resolution on Nuclear Activities
North Korea dismissed a resolution of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that renewed demands to halt nuclear activities.
State news agency KCNA reported the rejection on Saturday.
Pyongyang said the resolution has “no effect” because the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) is not an IAEA member.
A Foreign Ministry statement on Friday accused “hostile forces” of seeking to end the country’s nuclear programme during the IAEA general conference held this week.
The Foreign Ministry said the DPRK has not been a member of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and the IAEA for a long time.
The Foreign Ministry described discussion of the DPRK’s position and its efforts to bolster defence capabilities as illegal and the height of impudence.
In a separate statement on Thursday, the DPRK said its nuclear-armed status was “absolute”.
The same Thursday statement described those hoping for denuclearisation of the DPRK as “idiots”.
29. Cuba’s Seventh Major Blackout of 2026 and the National Electric System Collapse
Cuba was plunged into its seventh massive blackout of the year on Friday, 18 September 2026.
The Energy Ministry announced a total disconnection of the National Electric System (SEN).
State-run utility Unión Eléctrica (UNE) said the blackout followed a failure in the transmission lines paired with unstable weather conditions.
Reuters reported that the collapse was triggered by a failure in high-voltage transmission lines in central Cuba around 2 p.m. local time.
UNE linked the sequence to successive failure of 220 kV lines originating in Matanzas, including the Matanzas-Cienfuegos and Matanzas-Santa Clara lines.
Disconnection was reported from Pinar del Río to Matanzas at 1:52 p.m., and from Matanzas to Guantánamo minutes later.
Just 5% of residents in Havana had power on Friday evening, according to the report accompanying the blackout.
Before the collapse, available generation was reported at 1,113 MW against projected demand of 3,210 MW.
The island of over nine million people has faced repeated grid failures amid fuel shortages.
The United States has imposed an oil blockade that began in January 2026, restricting fuel supplies used by thermoelectric plants and backup generators.
UNE said protocols were activated for gradual restoration of the system.
30. Rising Demand for Next-Generation SME Workspaces in India
Demand for office space is rising from Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) moving from industrial galas and non-descript locations to high-quality real estate.
The shift is linked to valuations seen through listings on SME exchanges.
The stated purpose is to meet clients and investors at a smart address and to provide employees a better work environment.
Developers are designing office buildings with about 1,000 to 5,000 sq. ft. of space in key locations.
In Mumbai, upcoming Central Business Districts (CBDs) such as Ghatkopar, Andheri, Kurla and Powai are being considered by SMEs for Grade A office spaces.
The required features include accessibility, connectivity, parking space, natural environment, larger common areas and modern amenities alongside core office space.
SME demand for Grade A office space is directed at working areas that can also attract institutional interest.
As of September, 136 SME IPOs had been listed; several had an issue size between ₹25 crore and ₹150 crore.
Government support has enabled this segment to pursue larger expansion plans.
Startups are the largest consumers of flexible office space, accounting for 37.5% of all flex seats rented nationally, more than the combined share of corporates and multinational corporations.
The average deal size has more than doubled in terms of seats per office space.
India has overtaken several Asia-Pacific markets to become the region’s largest flexible office sector.
31. Falling AI Token Prices and Rising Enterprise AI Spending
Artificial intelligence is becoming cheaper on a per-token basis, while firms are spending more as they move from chatbots to multi-step applications.
Coforge said that in the previous seven months the unit cost of tokens for the same level of AI fell about 100-fold, while token consumption surged about 8,000-fold.
Open-weight models accounted for about 35% of token use on platforms observed by Coforge, up from about 11–12% in early 2025.
Closed or proprietary models include OpenAI’s GPT, Anthropic’s Claude and Google’s Gemini; open-weight models include Meta’s Llama.
Stanford’s 2025 AI Index found the cost of querying a GPT-3.5-level model fell from $20 per million tokens in November 2022 to $0.07 per million tokens by October 2024, a drop of more than 280 times in about 18 months.
Epoch AI found large language model inference prices had fallen between nine and 900 times per year depending on the task.
The OECD said quality-adjusted prices for text-to-text AI models fell by almost 80% between January 2024 and April 2026.
A 2026 working paper by the University of Michigan, Stanford University, All Hands AI, Google DeepMind, Microsoft AI and MIT found agentic coding tasks consumed about 1,000 times more tokens than code-chat tasks.
Gartner said routing a task to an agentic reasoning model can raise inference costs by at least five times compared with a basic chatbot.
McKinsey’s May 2026 Enterprise AI FinOps survey of 75 respondents found 93% reported exceeding AI budgets; Menlo Ventures data showed enterprise spending on large language models roughly tripled in the 12 months to end-2025.
32. Plastic Waste Generation in India and Conversion into Useful Materials
Plastics were synthesised by chemist Leo Hendrik Baekeland and their structure was explained by Nobel laureate Hermann Staudinger; industrial use dates from the 19th century.
India accounts for more than 6.5% of the world’s plastic use.
Official estimates put India’s plastic waste at about 4.1 million metric tonnes a year.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has found that India generates 26,000 tonnes of plastic waste every day, or 9.5 million tonnes a year.
Cities and their suburbs are the major sources; several hundred tonnes are also generated in rural areas, much of it uncollected.
The CPCB and the Plastics-India Foundation work on reducing, reusing and recycling plastics.
Recycled plastics are used for bottles that can hold oils and medically safe materials, as well as chairs, tabletops and windowpanes.
Teflon and Nylon are used for packaging consumer goods; Australia and Canada use plastics for bank notes, while India uses paper currency though PAN cards and Aadhaar cards are plastic.
Plastic waste is converted into fuel by high-heat pyrolysis.
In Pune, domestic waste including plastics has been used to produce a cooking gas called Vaayu.
A University of California, Los Angeles paper in PNAS showed hydrogen can be produced from plastic waste using heat and atmospheric carbon dioxide.
The CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad, has produced hydrogen from seawater using catalysts.
Indian Railways has demonstrated a long-distance service using hydrogen as fuel; the Kalpakkam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu has produced hydrogen by heating copper chloride.
33. FETUA Proteins from Western Diamondback Rattlesnake and Antivenom Research
Herpetologists discovered in 1933 that rattlesnakes are immune to their own venom.
Rattlesnakes are pit vipers native to the Americas and possess a heat-sensing pit organ between each nostril and eye.
Venom resistance in snakes occurs either through evolved molecular targets or through bloodstream “toxin sponges”.
In 1972, Japanese researchers identified Fetuin-A, a serum protein from the Okinawa habu (Protobothrops flavoviridis) of the Ryukyu Islands, that inhibits metalloproteinases.
Fetuin-A belongs to the larger FETUA protein family.
A 2022 paper identified four FETUA proteins from the western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox).
A new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by a University of Maryland team found that specific combinations of C. atrox FETUA proteins fully neutralised rattlesnake venom lethality in mice.
The combinations showed roughly 10 times the potency of a commercial antivenom.
FETUA-2, FETUA-3, FETUA-4 and FETUA-5 from C. atrox were tested.
The proteins also worked against Crotalus adamanteus, Calloselasma rhodostoma and Deinagkistrodon acutus.
They protected significantly against Echis carinatus sochureki but not against the puff adder (Bitis arietans).
FETUA proteins do not neutralise neurotoxins and therefore cannot serve as standalone clinical therapy.
India hosts both vipers and elapids such as cobras; Echis carinatus is one of India’s Big Four snakes.
34. Mycophenolic Acid Pressure and Emerging Resistance in Pneumocystis jirovecii
Pneumocystis jirovecii is a fungus that can cause severe pneumonia in people with weaker or weakened immune systems.
A study published in Science Translational Medicine found that the fungus appears to have become resistant to a drug that was never intended to kill it.
The study focused on mycophenolic acid (MPA), an immunosuppressive drug used in people who have received solid-organ transplants.
MPA helps prevent organ rejection and was also found to affect P. jirovecii.
Researchers analysed 163 P. jirovecii samples from China, Denmark, Germany, Japan, Switzerland and the United States.
Of these, 96 samples came from transplant recipients, most of whom were also involved in pneumocystis pneumonia outbreaks from 2005 to 2019; the remaining samples were controls.
MPA works by inhibiting an enzyme called IMPDH in human immune cells; the fungus possesses a similar enzyme.
The team found six relatively common mutations in the fungal gene that produces IMPDH.
Some 86% of samples from transplant recipients contained a mutation in that gene, versus 13% in non-transplant samples.
Normal and mutated versions of the fungal IMPDH enzyme were produced in the laboratory and exposed to MPA.
The mutations appeared in at least 11 fungal strains and varied between countries and over time.
The findings indicate that different P. jirovecii populations encountered the same selective pressure from MPA used in transplant recipients.
35. North Korea’s Nuclear Tests at Mount Mantap and Reactivated Faults
North Korea conducted six underground nuclear tests between 2006 and 2017 at the Punggye-ri test site beneath Mount Mantap.
The first underground test was in October 2006; the final and largest test was on 3 September 2017.
The 2017 blast was estimated at the equivalent of 100 to 250 kilotons of TNT and registered as a magnitude 6.3 seismic event by the U.S. Geological Survey.
Underground nuclear explosions usually produce brief aftershocks that fade in weeks; activity around Mount Mantap intensified for years after testing ceased.
A study published in Science analysed 17 years of regional seismic records from stations in China and South Korea, spanning 2008 to 2025.
Scientists identified about 1,400 small earthquakes around the Punggye-ri test site; one catalog listed 1,399 events and precise locations for 955.
Historical records showed no seismic activity around Mount Mantap before testing began in 2006.
About 60 earthquakes were detected between 2006 and the 2017 test; roughly 1,330 have been detected since then.
After the 2017 blast, quake rates and energy release grew, with tremors aligning along two previously dormant faults stretching about 24 kilometres.
Activity intensified about 20 days after the 2017 detonation, from around 23 September 2017, and continued into 2025.
Recorded magnitudes rose from about 1.0–1.3 in early years to above 3.0 in 2023 and 2024, with the strongest event at magnitude 3.4.
36. Designation of the Shahzad Bhatti Network under the UAPA
On September 16, the Union Home Ministry designated the Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN) as a terrorist organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967.
The SBN is the 46th outfit designated under Section 35(1) of the UAPA.
The Ministry said the outfit poses a serious threat to the democratic system, communal harmony and internal security of the country.
A campaign that began in Punjab spread to 14 States: Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Gujarat, Bihar, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Kerala.
Over the past two years the network has surfaced in several terror-related investigations in India.
Assigned tasks included pasting posters, installing CCTV cameras near critical installations with footage live-streamed to Pakistan, and making extortion calls.
Security officials said the activity moved from organised crime to terror-related work over the past year and was linked to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Before pre-Independence Day raids, Delhi Police blocked 125 Instagram accounts linked to the network.
Since October 2025, police registered 15 FIRs and arrested 69 accused, two-thirds from Punjab and Uttar Pradesh; over 200 suspects were detained or arrested in a countrywide operation ahead of Independence Day.
Recruits were contacted via social media and offered ₹5,000–₹10,000 for poster work; later tasks included placing explosives near critical installations.
Payments were transferred from Central Asian countries to bank accounts.
The Ministry listed offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Information Technology Act, 2000, the Explosives Substances Act, the UAPA, the Official Secrets Act, 1923, the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, and the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 2007.
37. Tata Sons: Ownership Structure, Listing Dispute and RBI Directions
Tata Sons Private Limited is the principal investment holding company and promoter of the Tata group, established in December 1917 and headquartered at Bombay House, South Mumbai.
Tata Sons earns income from dividends paid by operating companies.
Tata Trusts, philanthropic trusts of the Tata family, own 66% of the equity capital of Tata Sons.
Until 2017 the company was Tata Sons Ltd., a public company; it was made private that year and renamed Tata Sons Pvt. Ltd.
Tata Sons holds stakes in Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Steel, Tata Motors, Tata Chemicals, Titan, Trent, Tata Power, Tata Capital, Tata Consumer Products, Tata Projects, Tata Advanced Systems, Tata Digital and Air India.
Other shareholders include the Shapoorji Pallonji Group (SP Group) with 18%, Tata group companies with about 13%, and individuals, mostly Tata family members, with about 3%.
For FY2026, Tata Sons reported a standalone profit of ₹31,961 crore and revenue of ₹42,367 crore; consolidated revenue was ₹16.24 lakh crore and profit ₹1.71 lakh crore.
On 17 September 2026 the board re-appointed the executive chairman for a third term from February 2027; Tata Trusts opposed and disputed the decision.
On 11 September 2026 the Reserve Bank of India rejected Tata Sons’ 28 March 2024 application to surrender its Certificate of Registration as an unregistered Core Investment Company.
After about two and a half years, the RBI directed Tata Sons to comply with upper-layer NBFC rules, which include mandatory stock-exchange listing.
The Tata Sons board approved compliance with the RBI directive; Tata Trusts do not want the company listed.
The SP Group supports a listing of Tata Sons; Tata Trusts offered the SP Group a chance to dilute a stake valued at about ₹25,000 crore within 18 months to avoid listing.
38. India–Pakistan Naval Collision in the North Arabian Sea, September 2026
On 15 September 2026, Pakistan Navy vessel PNS Hunain collided with Indian Navy warship INS Kolkata in the North Arabian Sea.
India said the Pakistani ship made a dangerous overtaking manoeuvre at high speed.
India summoned Pakistan’s Charge d’Affaires and cited violation of Article 10 of the 1991 India–Pakistan agreement, which requires naval vessels to maintain a separation of three nautical miles.
Pakistan rejected India’s allegations and said the Indian warship carried out a provocative manoeuvre; the precise sequence before the collision remains disputed.
INS Kolkata suffered no major damage and remained at sea; PNS Hunain was damaged and returned to harbour.
INS Kolkata is the lead ship of the Indian Navy’s Project 15A Kolkata-class guided missile destroyers, built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders in Mumbai, 164 metres long, about 7,400 tonnes full-load displacement, commissioned in August 2014, and armed with the BrahMos missile.
PNS Hunain (F-273) is an offshore patrol vessel built by Damen Shipyards in Romania, commissioned in July 2024, about 98 metres long and 2,600 tonnes, based on the OPV 2600 design.
Article 10 of the Agreement between India and Pakistan on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troop Movements, signed on 6 April 1991, says naval ships and submarines should not approach within three nautical miles (about 5.6 km) in international waters.
A previous incident under the 1991 framework occurred in June 2011, when PNS Babur came close to INS Godavari in the Gulf of Aden.
India also cited the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea and instructed its mission in Islamabad to raise the matter with Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry.
39. Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, 2026 and India
The United States has signed into law the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, 2026.
The Act allows tariffs of up to 100% on imports from India if India continues to import oil from Russia.
The stated purpose is to cut off financing for Russia linked to the war with Ukraine; the title was later amended to include Iran, with Iran-related sanctions extended for five years until 2031.
Thirty days after enactment, the United States may impose a 100% tariff on goods from a country that meets either of two criteria.
The first criterion is being among the five largest importers, by volume, of crude oil or natural gas from Russia in the 12 months before enactment, and continuing such imports after the 30-day period.
China and India are the top two importers of Russian crude oil; Russia accounted for more than 51% of India’s crude oil imports in July 2026.
The second criterion is being among the top five nations facilitating Russian oil sanctions evasion in the preceding 12 months.
A tariff under this Act is in addition to duties under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 and Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962.
Section 301 has already been used to impose a 10% tariff on imports from India; Section 232 tariffs on steel, aluminium, copper and related products have been raised to 50%.
The U.S. Trade Representative, with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Energy, is to review the five largest importers within 180 days after initial imposition of tariffs.
The U.S. President may waive the tariffs after certifying to Congress that the waiver is in the national interests of the United States.
40. U.S. Disclosure of Orbital ‘Space Control’ Weapons and the Outer Space Treaty
On 14 September, the U.S. Air Force Secretary said the United States has “space control” weapons deployed in Earth orbit to defend U.S. forces against “hostile adversary action”.
The disclosure drew reactions from Russia and China.
The U.S. Space Force defines “space control” as military activities required to control the space domain.
In 2025, the then Space Force chief said such a device could possess both “kinetic and non-kinetic” capabilities and could disrupt or degrade an adversary’s capabilities.
Kinetic methods physically damage an object by impact; non-kinetic methods include electromagnetic interference that can jam or spoof satellite communications and directed-energy systems that interfere with sensors.
The current Space Force war-fighting framework recognises three kinds of counter-space operations: orbital, electromagnetic and cyberspace.
The number of units, their capabilities, orbits, and whether they are kinetic or non-kinetic have not been disclosed; rules of engagement for orbital weapons have not been published.
There is no public indication whether these systems are the same as space-based interceptors planned for the Golden Dome missile defence programme, which are still undergoing tests.
In 2020, two Russian satellites manoeuvred close to a U.S. government satellite; in 2022, China’s Shijian-21 satellite used a robotic arm to tow a defunct Chinese geostationary satellite into a graveyard orbit.
The Outer Space Treaty, which entered into force in 1967, prohibits party states from placing nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction in orbit or on celestial bodies, but does not prohibit conventional weapons in orbit.
Article IX of the Treaty requires due regard for other parties’ interests; states may also use the UN process on the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space and Article 35 of the UN Charter.
41. Salt Production and Labour in Coastal Prakasam, Andhra Pradesh
Thousands of workers in the coastal mandals of Prakasam district, Andhra Pradesh, depend on salt production for their livelihood.
The salt pans lie near Ongole on the Bay of Bengal.
The coastal mandals named are Kothapatnam, Naguluppalapadu, Chinna Ganjam, Singarayakonda and Vetapalem.
The salt season begins in mid-December, coinciding with the period leading up to Sankranti, and normally continues till the rains in July.
This year, El Niño has extended the dry season and salt production has continued beyond the usual end of the season.
Workers repair mud bunds, pump concentrated brine into the pans, and scrape salt crystals from the surface by hand or with simple wooden tools.
In remote salt fields without proper roads, harvested salt is carried on the head and piled along the bunds.
Long hours in brine and intense heat expose workers to skin ailments, eye irritation and joint pain; sunlight reflected off the white crystals adds strain on the eyes.
An unexpected spell of rain can wash away months of work.
While the monsoon has arrived in most districts of coastal Andhra Pradesh, Prakasam remains dry.
Salt prices have fallen because of overproduction.
In a normal year, after the monsoon arrives, salt workers turn to government employment schemes, fishing and other temporary jobs until the next season.
42. India’s Free Trade Agreements (FTAs)
A Free Trade Agreement is a treaty that reduces or eliminates tariffs and other trade barriers on goods and, in many cases, covers services, investment and mobility.
At a Rozgar Mela on Saturday, the Prime Minister said India has signed 40 Free Trade Agreements and that these pacts open new markets and partnerships.
A Commerce Ministry parliamentary reply has stated that India has signed 17 FTAs and 6 Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs) with trade partners.
The figure of about 38–40 partner countries counts members of blocs such as the European Union and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), not 40 separate bilateral treaties.
Major agreements in force include the India–Sri Lanka FTA, SAFTA, the ASEAN–India Trade in Goods Agreement, the India–Singapore CECA, the India–Malaysia CECA, the India–South Korea CEPA and the India–Japan CEPA.
Recent pacts include the India–Mauritius CECPA (in force 1 April 2021), the India–UAE CEPA (1 May 2022), the India–Australia ECTA (29 December 2022) and the India–EFTA TEPA (1 October 2025).
The India–Oman CEPA was signed on 18 December 2025 and implemented on 1 June 2026.
The India–United Kingdom CETA was signed on 24 July 2025 and entered into force on 15 July 2026.
The India–New Zealand FTA was signed on 27 April 2026 and is under ratification.
India–European Union FTA negotiations were concluded on 27 January 2026.
Negotiations or reviews continue with partners including Canada, Israel, Peru, Chile, the Eurasian Economic Union and ASEAN (AITIGA review).
43. Supreme Court on Prohibition, Hooch Tragedies and the Maharashtra Poisons Rules
The Supreme Court has observed that forced temperance is no solution to alcoholism.
The observation was made in a judgment delivered on Friday by a Division Bench.
Gujarat has maintained a strict prohibition policy since its creation in 1960.
The Court recorded that Gujarat has witnessed at least 10 major mass hooch tragedies since the State’s formation, claiming the lives of over 600 people.
Recent hooch tragedies cited were at Bhavnagar in Gujarat and Sagar in Madhya Pradesh, which claimed around 13 and 15 lives respectively.
The Court said a total ban on alcohol sends the liquor trade underground and increases unregulated, lethal brews, including laththa laced with methanol.
Five “evils” associated with prohibition were listed: loss of revenue on taxes, expenditure on implementation, corruption in police and excise, illegal distilling, and the resultant drug menace.
The case challenged Rules 18A and 18B of the Maharashtra Poisons Rules, which restrict the purchase of methanol and mandate addition of bitterant and colourant to methanol before sale to a non-drug manufacturer.
Those Rules were framed after 93 of 250 persons died after consuming spurious liquor purchased at Chhaya Bar in Mumbai in 1991; the liquor contained methanol.
The Court found the Rules unconstitutional and arbitrary for imposing a heavy financial burden on industries and not addressing pilferage, diversion and institutional corruption.
Directions included breaking the chain of supply and demand of liquor, heightened vigilance at inter-State boundaries, monitoring of industrial units that manufacture chemical solvents, and transport of methanol in dedicated tankers.
44. Scientists’ Warning on El Niño Impacts on India
As many as 188 of India’s scientists and ecologists jointly published an appeal asking researchers and field practitioners to prepare for El Niño.
El Niño is a global weather phenomenon that originates in the Pacific Ocean, dampens the monsoon and leads to extreme hot and dry conditions in the subcontinent.
In the Pacific Ocean, temperatures have steadily risen above the 0.5 degree Celsius threshold, reaching 2.6 degree Celsius in August.
El Niño started in May; its main effects are expected in the northern hemisphere, including India, from November onwards into the next year.
The signatories suggested a ‘Super’ El Niño.
Projections report possible anomalies of up to 4 degrees Celsius, described as higher than at any time in the past 1,000 years, based on reconstructions from coral cores.
Expected impacts listed include widespread bleaching and mortality of coral, an increase in wildfires, and the death of large rainforest trees.
The appeal said the event is likely to be catastrophic for India’s farmers, fishers and shepherds, with high probability of drought and extreme heat.
Subtle impacts cited include delayed fruit production and changes in animal behaviour.
The last major El Niño was in 2024.
Coral reefs need at least a decade after a major die-back to show significant recovery.
Large trees in the Western Ghats and trees in cities are described as vulnerable to extended droughts and the urban heat-island effect.
The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology noted that India’s monsoon season is closing with a rainfall deficit.
The “Call to Action” urged scientists to document and study the impact of this El Niño on India’s nature.
45. Drug Menace in Punjab: Scale, Seizures and Enforcement Data
The Punjab Opioid Dependence Survey (PODS) by the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre, AIIMS, estimated about 2.32 lakh opioid-dependent persons in Punjab in 2015, or about 1.2% of the adult population.
Heroin was the most commonly reported opioid (53%), followed by opium/doda/phukki (33%) and pharmaceutical opioids (14%).
A 2022 statewide survey by PGIMER, Chandigarh, estimated that 15.4% of Punjab’s population reported some form of substance use.
Punjab lies on trafficking routes linked to the Pakistan–Afghanistan–Iran corridor and has reported a large share of India’s heroin recoveries.
The Narcotics Control Bureau reported that Punjab accounted for 2,086 kg of heroin seizures in 2025, nearly 58% of the national total, and recorded India’s highest seizure of codeine-based cough syrup, at 8,95,508 bottles.
Of 305 drone-related drug trafficking cases detected nationwide in 2025, 298 were reported from Punjab.
The State campaign ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ began on 1 March 2025.
Punjab Police said that between 1 March 2025 and 10 September 2026 they registered 60,582 FIRs and arrested 79,784 accused, including 708 “big fish” in 354 commercial-scale cases.
Seizures in that period included 3,803 kg heroin, 976 kg opium, 46 tonnes poppy husk, 1,325 kg ganja and 78 lakh intoxicant capsules/tablets.
Of 13,430 NDPS cases decided since 1 March 2025, convictions were reported in 11,981 cases, an 89% conviction rate.
Properties worth ₹366 crore were frozen in 914 cases under Section 68-F of the NDPS Act.
46. Nandigram Byelection Candidate Remanded in Judicial Custody
A court in West Bengal on Saturday remanded the Congress Nandigram byelection candidate in judicial custody till 3 October.
The Nandigram bypoll is scheduled for 6 October, leaving little time for campaigning.
The candidate was arrested on Friday in connection with cases registered 19 years ago.
The police action came within an hour of the former Chief Minister of West Bengal extending support after the Trinamool Congress candidate withdrew nomination for the byelection.
Congress leaders and workers staged a protest march in Kolkata on Saturday against the arrest.
West Bengal Police said the arrest was a lawful step.
The accused was arrested in four cases dating back to 2007 during the Nandigram protests.
The charges listed by police include murder, attempt to murder, abduction, attempt to murder causing disappearance of evidence, house trespass, and rioting with arms and deadly weapons.
Police said execution of long-pending non-bailable warrants is a standing instruction of the Election Commission of India in respect of all elections and bye-elections.
Police said the arrest was compliance with that instruction during an ongoing special drive and added that the accused had been absconding and evading due process of law for almost 19 years.
The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha described the developments as “political revenge and murder of democracy”.
The State Congress president said a case was registered in 2007 and that similar cases from the Nandigram protests were filed against people across party lines.
47. Special Intensive Revision Notices to 33.1 Lakh Delhi Electors
The Delhi Chief Electoral Officer on Friday published a list of electors flagged for discrepancies in the Delhi draft electoral roll.
Notices have been generated for 33.1 lakh electors because of “logical discrepancies” in voter details or because their details were not mapped to the previous Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
Those on the list must get their documents verified to feature in the final roll.
Around 19.3 lakh electors in Delhi have been flagged for “logical discrepancies”.
The “no mapping” category covers electors whose details, or those of a close relative, could not be linked to the previous SIR roll during enumeration.
The Election Commission of India’s software flagged one entry for an “age gap of less than 15 years between a parent and progeny”.
Another entry was flagged because the age gap between a person and a grandfather was not more than 40 years.
A further flag used was “self-name mismatch”, meaning a mismatch between the name given during the current SIR process and the previous roll.
After physical verification of documents, one flagged address was validated for inclusion in the final roll under the EC’s standard operating procedures, following field verification by the designated Booth Level Officer.
Electors in the no-mapping category must establish eligibility by submitting documents from the 12 documents prescribed by the Election Commission of India.
The 33.1 lakh electors who received notices form roughly one-third of the 97.5 lakh included in the draft roll.
Verification and disposal of these cases are to be completed by 29 October; the final electoral roll is to be published on 4 November.
48. Antimicrobial Resistance in Kerala: KARS-Net Surveillance Report
The Kerala Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network (KARS-Net) released the State’s antibiogram covering laboratory data from 1 January to 31 December 2025.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Kerala is no longer confined to intensive-care units and tertiary hospitals.
Drug-resistant bacteria are now the norm rather than the exception in the State’s hospitals.
The State is confronting AMR at several levels, from highly resistant pathogens in intensive care units to community-acquired bacteria such as Shigella, now resistant to common antibiotics.
KARS-Net has been coordinated by the Department of Microbiology at Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, since 2019.
The network now spans 59 government and private institutions, with data gathered from 55 laboratories across 14 districts.
The latest report analyses antimicrobial susceptibility data on 65,849 unique-patient isolates of nine priority pathogens in 2025.
The bacteria most frequently isolated were familiar gut and hospital-acquired organisms: E. coli (41.2% of all isolates), Klebsiella species (25.8%), Pseudomonas species (10.8%), Staphylococcus aureus (8.9%) and Enterococcus species (8.6%).
Of all isolates, 46% came from in-patients, 45% from outpatients and 9% from ICU settings.
49. West Bengal SIR: Over 22 Lakh Appeals Against Electoral Roll Exclusion
A second affidavit filed by the Election Commission of India (EC) in the Supreme Court states that over 22 lakh voters purged from the West Bengal electoral roll during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) have filed appeals challenging their exclusion.
The EC’s figure of appeals by excluded voters is 22,21,118.
Approximately 27 lakh voters were excluded on the ground of “logical discrepancies”.
These appeals are before 19 Appellate Tribunals constituted on the orders of the Supreme Court over six months ago.
Judicial officers were deployed during the SIR verification phase to adjudicate claims and objections.
This is the first time a break-up of appeals concerning both exclusions and inclusions has been given.
The EC affidavit said 16.10 lakh appeals had been filed against inclusion.
A total of 38.31 lakh appeals were filed in the tribunals.
As of September, the 19 tribunals have decided 1,26,194 appeals.
An earlier affidavit had pegged the disposal figure at 1,02,231, likely the statistic till August.
Pending appeals before the tribunals exceed 37.05 lakh.
The affidavit responded to a plea seeking an increase in the number of tribunals; one request was to raise the number to 42.
The EC proposed that the number of appellate tribunals in West Bengal may be increased to correspond with the number of parliamentary constituencies in the State.
The EC also agreed with the suggestion to open the tribunals to video conferencing.
50. India’s Paris Agreement Targets, Per Capita Emissions and NDC Progress
The Prime Minister spoke on Saturday at the inauguration of a two-day international conference on “The Future of Environment and Climate Dynamics”, organised by the National Green Tribunal at Vigyan Bhavan.
The conference brought together jurists, academics, policymakers, scientists and experts from 17 countries, along with the United Nations Environment Programme and the Asian Development Bank.
The Prime Minister said the carbon emissions burden has often been wrongly placed on developing countries.
India was described as the only G-20 country to have fulfilled all commitments made at the 2015 Paris climate summit, and ahead of schedule.
India’s per capita carbon emissions were stated to be less than half the global average; per capita emissions in developed countries were stated to be six times India’s.
Solar capacity was said to have grown from about 2 GW to more than 160 GW in 12 years, and non-fossil capacity to have nearly quadrupled.
The SHANTI Act from December 2025 was cited as enabling a pathway for private participation in nuclear energy.
India’s first Nationally Determined Contribution had three quantitative targets.
The emissions-intensity and non-fossil capacity goals were both met several years early.
Non-fossil capacity reached 52.57% of the total by February 2026.
The third target is an additional carbon sink of 2.5–3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2030 through afforestation.
India’s April 2026 submission to the United Nations puts the additional sink at 2.29 billion tonnes between 2005 and 2021.
UNEP estimates warming this century at 2.3–2.5 degrees Celsius even if all countries’ NDCs are fully implemented, and 2.8 degrees Celsius under current policies.
Comments