23 October 2026
Adani Ports (APSEZ) holds Adani Vizhinjam Ports Private Limited (AVPPL) as its subsidiary; AVPPL holds the concession for the state-owned Vizhinjam port under a public-private partnership.
APSEZ has proposed transferring a 49 per cent stake in AVPPL to Terminal Investment Limited (TiL), the terminal arm of Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC).
Selling more than 25 per cent of the port needs prior approval of the Kerala government.
The proposal was sent to the state Law Department for vetting and an empowered committee headed by the Chief Secretary is evaluating it against the concession agreement.
The State Cabinet will decide on the committee's recommendations, after which the proposal goes to the Centre, which decides foreign investment and security questions.
The position was stated in a reply to an unstarred question in the Kerala Legislative Assembly.
Stake proposed for transfer:
49 per cent of AVPPL
State approval threshold:
More than 25 per cent of the port
Proposed buyer:
Terminal Investment Limited (TiL)
Why it matters for exams: Vizhinjam is India's first dedicated container transshipment port, and its concession terms are standard public-private partnership material.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
PPP Public-Private Partnership — A model in which a private company builds or runs a public asset under a contract with the government.
Concession agreement Concession agreement — The contract giving a private party the right to build and run a public facility for a fixed period.
23 October 2026
A Special Investigation Team led by DIG Thomson Jose inquired into the disruption of the Thrissur Pooram.
The report was submitted to Crime Branch ADGP H Venkitesh in February and forwarded to the government through the Director General of Police.
The report states that the Devaswom did not follow decisions taken at review meetings chaired by the District Collector and the Police Commissioner on the day of the Pooram.
Thiruvambady Devaswom has rejected the report. Its secretary K Girish Kumar said it distorted facts.
The Devaswom has demanded a comprehensive reinvestigation.
SIT head:
DIG Thomson Jose
Devaswom secretary:
K Girish Kumar
Why it matters for exams: The Thrissur Pooram and the Devaswom administration around it recur in Kerala PSC questions on culture and district administration.
Kerala PSC
In plain words
Devaswom Devaswom — A trust or board that manages the properties and affairs of a temple.
SIT Special Investigation Team — A team of officers set up to inquire into one particular matter.
23 October 2026
Om Prakash Mathur takes oath as the 29th Governor of Kerala.
Kerala High Court Chief Justice Soumen Sen administers the oath at the Lok Bhavan auditorium.
Mathur is a former Governor of Sikkim and a former Rajya Sabha member from Rajasthan.
He succeeds Rajendra Arlekar, who has been appointed Governor of Tamil Nadu.
Governor number:
29th Governor of Kerala
Oath administered by:
Chief Justice Soumen Sen
Venue:
Lok Bhavan auditorium
Previous charge:
Former Governor of Sikkim
Why it matters for exams: The Governor's oath under Article 159 is administered by the Chief Justice of the state High Court, a point examiners test directly.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Lok Bhavan Lok Bhavan — The Governor's official residence and office complex in Thiruvananthapuram.
23 October 2026
The current session of the Kerala Legislative Assembly began on 12 October and runs to 29 October.
It has nine sittings, on 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 25, 27, 28 and 29 October.
Four bills are listed, among them the Kerala Court Fees and Suits Valuation (Amendment) Bill, 2026 and the Madras Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (Kerala Amendment) Bill, 2026.
The Speaker of the Assembly is Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan.
The Business Advisory Committee met on 12 October to fix the schedule of the remaining bills.
Session dates:
12 October to 29 October
Number of sittings:
Nine
Speaker:
Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan
Bills listed:
Four
Why it matters for exams: The number of sittings, the Speaker's name and the bills before the House are asked directly in Kerala PSC polity papers.
Kerala PSC
In plain words
Business Advisory Committee Business Advisory Committee — The committee of a legislature that allots time for each item of business.
23 October 2026
A Bill to guarantee rights for senior citizens and to regulate elderly care services was tabled in the Kerala Legislative Assembly on 13 October 2026 by Chief Minister V D Satheesan, and referred to the Assembly Subject Committee.
The Keralam Senior Citizens' (Care and Protection of Rights) Bill, 2026 guarantees six rights for elders.
It sets a jail term of up to three years and a fine of up to Rs 50,000 for elder abuse.
Registered medical practitioners and senior citizen care centres must report abuse, neglect or exploitation to the District Level Senior Citizen Protection Unit within 48 hours.
Rights guaranteed:
Six
Maximum jail term for elder abuse:
Three years
Maximum fine:
Rs 50,000
Why it matters for exams: Kerala has the highest share of elderly people among Indian states, so a first-in-India elderly care law is prime exam material.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Bill Bill — A draft law placed before a legislature, which becomes an Act once passed and assented to.
23 October 2026
Appeals by former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, T Veena and MLA Mohammed Riyas were mentioned before a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court.
The Bench of Justice Satish Ninan and Justice P Krishna Kumar posted the matter for hearing on Monday.
The appeals challenge a Single Bench order directing the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to register a first information report in the CMRL-Exalogic matter, including offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The Single Bench had also set aside the state order constituting a Special Investigation Team for a preliminary inquiry.
On 21 October the Supreme Court set aside an earlier Division Bench decision that had denied the three leave to appeal, and remanded the matter to the High Court.
Division Bench:
Justice Satish Ninan and Justice P Krishna Kumar
Supreme Court order date:
21 October 2026
Agency directed to register the FIR:
Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau
Why it matters for exams: The route from a Single Bench order to a Division Bench appeal, and the Supreme Court's power of remand, are standard polity and law questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
FIR First Information Report — The first written record a police force makes of information about a cognisable offence.
Remand Remand — Sending a case back to a lower court for fresh consideration.
Background
The Union Cabinet approved altering the name of the State of Kerala to Keralam.
The Kerala Legislative Assembly, whose session is now sitting, had passed a unanimous resolution on 24.06.2024 asking the Centre to change the name, and the Kerala government asked for the First Schedule to the Constitution to be amended.
The route is Article 3, under which Parliament may by law alter the name of any State.
Under the proviso to Article 3, the President first refers the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill to the Kerala Legislative Assembly for its views.
After the views are received and the President's recommendation obtained, the Bill is introduced in Parliament.
The Ministry of Home Affairs considered the proposal and the Ministry of Law and Justice concurred.
Constitutional provision used:
Article 3
Schedule to be amended:
First Schedule
Assembly resolution date:
24.06.2024
Bill name:
Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill
Why it matters for exams: Examiners ask whether renaming a State needs a constitutional amendment under Article 368 or an ordinary law under Article 3, and who must be consulted first.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
First Schedule First Schedule — The list in the Constitution of the States and Union Territories of India and their territories.
Proviso Proviso — A clause attached to a provision that limits or qualifies it.
Background
The Vizhinjam International Seaport, whose concession holding is now before the Kerala government for approval of a transfer, is described as the country's first dedicated container transshipment port.
It was dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
The project is worth Rs 8,800 crore.
The port has a natural deep draft of nearly 20 metres.
The release states that the capacity of the transshipment hub will triple in the coming years.
Project worth:
Rs 8,800 crore
Natural deep draft:
Nearly 20 metres
Distinction:
India's first dedicated container transshipment port
Why it matters for exams: The cost of the project, the natural draft and the claim of being India's first dedicated container transshipment port are all directly askable facts.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Draft Draft — The depth of water a ship needs to float, and so the depth a port must offer.
Transshipment Transshipment — Moving cargo from one ship to another at an intermediate port instead of carrying it straight through.
Background
The Kerala Legislature counts the Kerala Education Act of 1958 among its landmark education laws: it empowered the Government to establish and maintain schools or permit any person or body of persons to do so, and to recognise schools, and vested in the Government the power to constitute a State Education Advisory Board for advising the Government on matters of aided schools. The Kerala Agricultural University Act, 1971 provided for the establishment of an Agricultural University in the State for imparting education in agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries, forestry etc. The Cochin University Act of the same year provided for the establishment of a federal type of University for the development of higher education with special emphasis on post-graduate studies and research in applied science, technology, industries and commerce. The Kerala University was reorganised by the Kerala University Act of 1972. In 1975, by the Calicut University Act, a separate University was established for the Malabar Region with headquarters at Calicut. The Gandhiji University Act of 1985 and the Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit Act of 1994 provided for the formation of those two universities, the latter for the promotion and development of the study of Sanskrit, Indology, Indian Philosophy and Indian languages.
Schools law:
Kerala Education Act of 1958
University for the Malabar Region:
Calicut University Act, 1975
Sanskrit university law:
Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit Act, 1994
Why it matters for exams: Which Kerala university was set up by which Act, and for which region or subject, is a recurring Kerala PSC question, and these Acts are the legal frame of every university notification in the State.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Aided school Aided school — A privately managed school whose staff salaries are paid by the Government.
Federal type of University Federal type of University — A university built of constituent departments and affiliated institutions sharing one charter.
Indology Indology — The academic study of India's languages, texts, history and culture.
Background
The Kerala Public Service Commission is a body created by the Constitution of India. It advises the Government on all matters relating to civil services referred to it under Article 320 (3) of the Constitution. It publishes notifications inviting applications for selection to various posts as per the requisitions of the appointing authorities. It conducts written tests, practical tests, physical efficiency tests and interviews, and prepares a ranked list based on the performance of the candidates. It then advises candidates for appointment strictly based on their merit and observing the rules of reservation as and when vacancies are reported. The Head Office of the Commission is situated at Pattom, Thiruvananthapuram, the State Capital.
Constitutional provision cited:
Article 320 (3)
Head Office:
Pattom, Thiruvananthapuram
Basis of advice for appointment:
Strictly merit, observing the rules of reservation
Why it matters for exams: Every Kerala PSC notification, ranked list and advice memo rests on this constitutional footing, and the Article under which the Commission advises the Government is among the most asked polity facts in the State.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Ranked list Ranked list — The merit order of qualified candidates from which the Commission advises appointments.
Requisition Requisition — The formal request an appointing authority sends the Commission for candidates against vacancies.
Background
The Total Literacy Campaign in Ernakulam, known as the 'Lead Kindly Light' project, was a joint initiative of the district administration and KSSP, the Kerala Shastra Sahitya Parishad, an NGO with three decades of standing in voluntary social work. The idea was mooted by K.R. Rajan, then Collector of Ernakulam. The campaign was launched on 26.01.89 by E. K. Nayanar, then Chief Minister of Kerala. It was also a campaign for cent per cent immunization of pregnant women and children, and learners who were unable to read and write due to refractive errors were provided with spectacles free of cost. Its pace was overseen by committees of the people in 860 GP wards, 152 municipal wards and over 50 corporation wards. Ernakulam was declared as fully literate on 4th February, 1990 by then Prime Minister V.P. Singh, and on the same day a Total Literacy Campaign for the remaining thirteen districts of Kerala State was also launched. At an impressive ceremony held at Calicut on 18th April, 1991, the State of Kerala was declared fully literate.
Project name:
'Lead Kindly Light'
Ernakulam declared fully literate:
4th February, 1990
Kerala declared fully literate:
18th April, 1991, at Calicut
Why it matters for exams: Kerala's literacy record is the single most cited item in its development story, and examiners ask for the district that led it, the organisation that ran it and the city where the State declaration was made.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
TLC Total Literacy Campaign — A time-bound, area-based mass campaign to make every un-lettered adult in a unit functionally literate.
KSSP Kerala Shastra Sahitya Parishad — A people's science movement in Kerala that ran mass campaigns on literacy and environment.
Refractive error Refractive error — A focusing defect of the eye, such as short or long sight, corrected with spectacles.