27 October 2026
The Kerala High Court has directed the Special Investigation Team handling the Sabarimala gold theft case to speed up the process of seeking sanction to prosecute the accused. The Division Bench of Justice V. Raja Vijayaraghavan and Justice K.V. Jayakumar was told that a Factual Report and a Draft Charge Sheet had been prepared in the case registered over the removal of gold cladding from the Sreekovil of the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple, but that the investigating agency could not finalise the documents because the assistant legal adviser appointed for the purpose had not taken charge. Director General of Prosecution Asaf Ali told the court that all necessary steps would be taken. The court asked the SIT to file the final report before the jurisdictional court once sanction is granted, and to complete the investigation and seek sanction within the fixed time frame in the connected case about the gold plates of the Dwarapalaka idols.
Court:
Kerala High Court, Division Bench
Investigating body:
Special Investigation Team (SIT)
Why it matters for exams: Sabarimala is administered by the Travancore Devaswom Board, and the requirement of prior sanction before prosecuting public servants is a standing question in Polity and Law papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
SIT Special Investigation Team — A team constituted to investigate a specific case, usually on the direction of a court or a government.
Sreekovil Sanctum sanctorum of a Kerala temple — The innermost shrine where the main deity is installed.
27 October 2026
The Keralam government will form a State-level monitoring unit to assess how climate trends such as El Nino affect agriculture and to coordinate preventive measures. The unit will bring together several departments and agencies, including the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority and the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development. The decision was taken at a ministerial meeting chaired by Agriculture Minister T. Siddique, which also resolved to draw up short-term and long-term plans to reduce the impact of climate change and to use existing funding sources better through improved coordination. The State has recorded a 28 per cent rainfall deficit, with temperatures rising by up to two degrees Celsius in some areas. The action plan gives priority to conserving water resources, restoring streams and ponds, promoting drip irrigation and rainwater harvesting, building water storage wells, increasing green cover on farmland and retaining soil moisture.
Rainfall deficit:
28 per cent
Temperature rise:
up to two degrees Celsius
Why it matters for exams: NABARD, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority and El Nino are each standard exam topics in Economy, Governance and Geography.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
NABARD National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development — The apex development finance institution for agriculture and rural development in India.
KSDMA Kerala State Disaster Management Authority — The State's apex disaster management body under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
27 October 2026
The Keralam government will form a Global NoRKA Coordination Council to replace the Loka Kerala Sabha, Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan told the Legislative Assembly on Monday in reply to a question. The council is meant to build more effective and sustainable links with non-resident Keralites and their organisations, and welfare measures for expatriates are expected to work better under it. The State Cabinet had decided last month to dissolve the Loka Kerala Sabha and set up an alternative mechanism, and a Cabinet subcommittee chaired by the Chief Minister with Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, Industries Minister P.K. Kunhalikutty, Health Minister K. Muraleedharan and Water Resources Minister Mons Joseph has been constituted for the purpose. The Loka Kerala Sabha was introduced in 2018 as a common platform for Keralites living across the globe; it was an advisory forum rather than a legislative body and had 351 members, including MLAs, MPs representing Kerala and nominated representatives of non-resident Keralites.
Loka Kerala Sabha launched:
2018
Members of the Loka Kerala Sabha:
351
Why it matters for exams: NORKA, the Loka Kerala Sabha and its year of creation are standard Kerala PSC questions on diaspora policy.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
NORKA Non-Resident Keralites Affairs — The Government of Kerala department that deals with non-resident Keralites.
27 October 2026
The Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, now styled BRIC-RGCB, at Thiruvananthapuram has invited applications for admission to its PhD programme beginning January 2027 in various domains of biotechnology. Candidates need a post-graduate degree with a minimum of 60 per cent marks, or a four-year bachelor's degree with a minimum of 75 per cent marks or the equivalent on the UGC 10-point scale, in Life, Agricultural, Environmental, Veterinary, Pharmaceutical or Medical Sciences or allied subjects. Applicants must also hold a valid Junior Research Fellowship of the UGC, CSIR, ICMR or DBT for a period of five years, and must be below 28 years of age as on the last date for applying, with relaxation of up to five years for Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, Persons with Disability and female applicants and three years for Other Backward Classes applicants in the non-creamy layer. Reservation will follow Government of India rules. The last date for online applications is November 8, 2026.
Last date:
November 8, 2026
Age limit:
below 28 years
Why it matters for exams: RGCB at Thiruvananthapuram and the fellowship bodies UGC, CSIR, ICMR and DBT are standard Science and Institutions questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
RGCB Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology — A biotechnology research institute at Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.
JRF Junior Research Fellowship — A fellowship awarded to research scholars by bodies such as the UGC and CSIR.
Background
The report on Keralam's local self-government institutions that is in the news this week comes from the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, an office created by the Constitution itself. Article 148 provides that there shall be a Comptroller and Auditor-General of India, appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal, removable only in the manner and on the grounds on which a Judge of the Supreme Court is removed. The CAG takes an oath or affirmation in the form set out in the Third Schedule before entering office. The salary and conditions of service are determined by Parliament, and neither the salary nor the rights in respect of leave of absence, pension or age of retirement may be varied to the CAG's disadvantage after appointment. The CAG is not eligible for further office under the Government of India or of any State after ceasing to hold office. Article 149 deals with the duties and powers of the CAG, Article 150 with the form of accounts of the Union and of the States, and Article 151 with audit reports, which are submitted to the President or the Governor and laid before Parliament or the State legislature.
Creating Article:
Article 148
Audit reports Article:
Article 151
Oath form:
Third Schedule
Why it matters for exams: Articles 148 to 151 and the removal procedure of the CAG are among the most frequently asked Polity facts.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
CAG Comptroller and Auditor General of India — The constitutional authority that audits the accounts of the Union and the States.
Background
Kutiyattam, Sanskrit theatre is Kerala's Sanskrit theatre tradition and is inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. UNESCO records that it originated more than 2,000 years ago. It is traditionally performed in theatres called Kuttampalams, which are located in Hindu temples. Actors undergo ten to fifteen years of rigorous training before they perform. A complete performance may last up to 40 days. UNESCO lists insufficient financial resources and rapid economic transformation among the factors threatening the tradition. The nomination file number for the element is 00010. UNESCO records that it was originally proclaimed a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2001 and inscribed on the Representative List in 2008.
UNESCO list:
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Training:
ten to fifteen years
Length of a complete performance:
up to 40 days
Why it matters for exams: Kutiyattam is on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and is performed in temple theatres called Kuttampalams - the list and the venue are the two facts examiners ask.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Kuttampalams Kuttampalams — The temple theatres in which Kutiyattam is traditionally performed.
Intangible Cultural Heritage Intangible Cultural Heritage — Living traditions such as performance, craft and ritual that UNESCO lists separately from monuments.
Background
Mudiyettu, ritual theatre and dance drama of Kerala is inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The ritual enacts the mythological battle between the goddess Kali and the demon Darika. UNESCO records that it is performed in villages along the rivers Chalakkudy Puzha, Periyar and Moovattupuzha. It is a community ritual in which the entire village participates, and it follows the harvest of the summer crops. The element was inscribed in 2010.
Rivers named by UNESCO:
Chalakkudy Puzha, Periyar and Moovattupuzha
Story enacted:
the battle between the goddess Kali and the demon Darika
Why it matters for exams: Mudiyettu is Kerala's second element on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and the three rivers UNESCO names - Chalakkudy Puzha, Periyar and Moovattupuzha - make it a geography question as well.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Mudiyettu Mudiyettu — A Kerala ritual theatre and dance drama performed by a whole village after the summer harvest.
Background
Kozhikode, also known as Calicut, is described by the Government of India's tourism portal as the 'City of Spices' and a major medieval trading port. Vasco da Gama arrived here in 1498, opening sea routes between Europe and the Malabar Coast, and Kappad Beach is where he first landed in India. Mananchira Square was once part of the Zamorins' royal palace complex. Kunjali Marakkar, the legendary naval admiral who fiercely resisted Portuguese rule, is commemorated here, and the warrior Thacholi Othenan was born in Vadakara. The city is regarded as the culinary centre of the Malabar region and is an aquatourism hub anchored by the Beypore International Water Festival. Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary, the Thusharagiri and Arippara waterfalls, Thamarassery Churam, Lokanarkavu Temple and Tali Shiva Temple are among the places listed, along with SM Street, also called Mittai Theruvu. The district's martial arts heritage is linked to Kalaripayattu.
Other name:
Calicut
Landing place of Vasco da Gama:
Kappad Beach
Bird sanctuary:
Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary
Why it matters for exams: Kappad Beach near Kozhikode is where Vasco da Gama landed in India, the Zamorins ruled from here, and Kunjali Marakkar was the naval admiral who resisted the Portuguese - three fixed points of Kerala history.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Zamorins Zamorins — The ruling line of Kozhikode, whose palace complex included Mananchira.
Kalaripayattu Kalaripayattu — The martial art of Kerala, linked to Kozhikode's martial heritage.
Background
Eravikulam National Park in Kerala's Western Ghats is spread over an area of 97 square kilometers, according to the Government of India's tourism portal. It is famous for its population of endangered Nilgiri Tahr, a mountain goat. The park is near Munnar and takes in the Anamudi Peak, the highest peak in South India. It is also known for the blooming of Neelakurinji flowers, which occurs once every twelve years. Munnar's tea estates date back to the late 19th century, and Munnar is home to some of the highest tea plantations in the world.
Area of the park:
97 square kilometers
Flagship animal:
endangered Nilgiri Tahr
Neelakurinji blooming:
once every twelve years
Why it matters for exams: Anamudi is the highest peak in South India, the Nilgiri Tahr is the animal Eravikulam National Park is known for, and the Neelakurinji blooms once every twelve years - three fixed Western Ghats facts.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Nilgiri Tahr Nilgiri Tahr — An endangered mountain goat of the Western Ghats, the animal Eravikulam National Park is known for.
Neelakurinji Neelakurinji — A shrub of the high Western Ghats that flowers once every twelve years.
Background
The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre is described by ISRO as the lead centre of ISRO responsible for the design and development of launch vehicle technology. Its address is given as Trivandrum - 695022, in Kerala, India. The Centre works in areas such as propulsion, avionics and structures. ISRO names among its major programmes the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) and the Rohini Sounding Rockets, and lists Reusable Launch Vehicles among its development work. It is therefore the centre where India's launch vehicles are designed, as distinct from the centres that build satellites or operate launches.
Role:
lead centre of ISRO for launch vehicle technology
Address on the ISRO page:
Trivandrum - 695022
Why it matters for exams: The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Kerala is ISRO's lead centre for launch vehicle technology, and PSLV and GSLV stand for the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle and the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
PSLV Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle — ISRO's workhorse launch vehicle, named on the Centre's own page.
GSLV Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle — ISRO's launch vehicle for heavier satellites placed in geosynchronous orbits.
Avionics Avionics — The electronic systems that guide and control a rocket or aircraft.
Background
The Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme is implemented under the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) and aims to make panchayats financially self-reliant by tapping local resources and public assets. Selected panchayats receive technical support to develop bankable projects, financed through Public-Private Partnerships, Corporate Social Responsibility, institutional finance and convergence with government schemes. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India, organised the third Outreach Workshop on the programme at Kochi, in collaboration with the Local Self Government Department, Government of Kerala, as part of its nationwide outreach campaign. Representatives of more than 210 Panchayats attended in person and nearly 600 Panchayats joined virtually from across Kerala. Dr. N. Devidas, Director General, Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA), took part, as did representatives of NABARD and HUDCO, who offered technical assistance, project appraisal and financing support. Technical sessions covered eligibility criteria, Detailed Project Reports, project financing and a Challenge Mode process for submitting and evaluating revenue-generating proposals.
Parent scheme:
Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA)
Panchayats attending in person:
more than 210
Panchayats attending virtually:
nearly 600
Why it matters for exams: The Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme runs under the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, and KILA is Kerala's training institute for local governments - the scheme, its parent scheme and the ministry are all askable.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
RGSA Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan — The central scheme for strengthening panchayati raj institutions, under which the Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme runs.
KILA Kerala Institute of Local Administration — Kerala's institute for training and research for local self government institutions.
DPR Detailed Project Report — The full technical and financial document a body prepares before a project is sanctioned.
Background
As Keralam sets up a State-level unit with the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority and NABARD to track El Nino's effect on farming, one of the State's own long-term measuring stations is worth knowing. The Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram runs a Critical Zone Observatory in the Kulathupuzha forest range, made up of an Eddy Covariance Flux Observatory and a River Discharge Measurement Station. It was inaugurated by the institute's Director, Prof. J.N. Moorthy, and was set up by Dr. Prasanth V and Dr. Anand N S of the School of Earth, Environmental and Sustainability Sciences. Officials of the Kerala Forest Department attended the opening along with institute faculty and staff. A critical zone observatory measures the thin surface layer of the earth where rock, soil, water, air and living things meet; an eddy covariance flux tower measures the exchange of carbon dioxide, water vapour and heat between a forest and the atmosphere, while a river discharge station measures how much water a stream carries. Together they give the long-run record against which a drought or an El Nino year can be judged.
Location:
Kulathupuzha forest range
Components:
Eddy Covariance Flux Observatory and River Discharge Measurement Station
Why it matters for exams: IISER Thiruvananthapuram, what a Critical Zone Observatory measures and what an eddy covariance tower does are durable Science questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
IISER Indian Institute of Science Education and Research — A group of central institutes for science teaching and research; the Kerala one is at Thiruvananthapuram.