1 October 2026
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took part in the centenary celebrations of the Union Public Service Commission at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
He released a commemorative postage stamp, a special coin and a compilation of 100 landmark case laws.
He said the aim must be to bring in youth 'who are driven by Public Service, not Public Office'.
He asked that examination cycles be shortened so that candidates spend less on coaching and on living away from home.
The share of women among candidates has risen from 3 per cent in 1952 to over 30 per cent today, and three of the four UPSC Chairpersons appointed after 2014 are women.
He urged wider use of the iGOT platform under Mission Karmayogi for the training of serving officers.
Venue:
Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi
Women candidates:
3% in 1952 to over 30% today
Released:
Postage stamp, special coin, compilation of 100 case laws
Why it matters for exams: UPSC's constitutional position, its centenary and the Mission Karmayogi framework are standard polity and governance questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
UPSC Union Public Service Commission — The central recruiting body for the All India and Central Services, set up under Article 315 of the Constitution.
Mission Karmayogi National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building — A continuous training programme for government employees delivered largely through the online iGOT platform.
2 October 2026
The Reserve Bank of India has appointed Sudhakar Malli as Executive Director with effect from October 1, 2026.
He will look after the Department of Supervision (Supervisory Assessment).
Before this he was Chief General Manager-in-Charge in the Department of Supervision.
He has about thirty years in the central bank, including more than twenty-five years supervising banks, non-banking financial companies and cooperative banks, and about five years of supervisory work in overseas jurisdictions.
He has also worked in currency management.
He holds a B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering and is a Certified Associate of the Indian Institute of Bankers.
Effective from:
October 1, 2026
Department:
Department of Supervision (Supervisory Assessment)
Service:
About 30 years in the Reserve Bank
Why it matters for exams: RBI's supervisory structure and its senior appointments recur in banking and economy papers.
Kerala PSCUPSCBank
In plain words
CAIIB Certified Associate of the Indian Institute of Bankers — A professional qualification for bankers awarded by the Indian Institute of Banking and Finance.
1 October 2026
The Reserve Bank of India has released the indicative calendar of market borrowings by State Governments and Union Territories for October-December 2026.
The indicative total for the quarter is ₹3,60,820 crore.
The calendar was prepared in consultation with each State Government and Union Territory.
The Benchmark Issuance Strategy, piloted with nine states in the first quarter of 2026-27 and extended to nine more states and Delhi in the second quarter, has now been extended to Assam, Goa, Haryana, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir from the third quarter.
Twenty-five States and two Union Territories now take part in the strategy, and separate annexes give the calendar for participating and non-participating entities.
The Reserve Bank said actual borrowing will depend on each State's requirement, approval from the Government of India and market conditions.
Indicative borrowing:
₹3,60,820 crore
Quarter:
October - December 2026
States/UTs under BIS:
25 States and 2 Union Territories
Why it matters for exams: State Development Loans, the RBI's role as debt manager to the states and quarterly borrowing calendars are standard economy questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCBank
In plain words
BIS Benchmark Issuance Strategy — A method under which states issue securities of fixed benchmark tenors so that the papers are more liquid and comparable.
1 October 2026
In Orris Infrastructure Private Limited v. Rakesh Kumar Gupta, the Supreme Court held that the admission of a Section 9 application under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code can be recalled if it was induced by fraud or collusion.
The Court added that recalling the admission does not automatically end the corporate insolvency resolution process.
The bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and Alok Aradhe said the initiating creditor is only the triggering creditor and not the proprietor of the process.
Once admitted, the process works in rem, that is for all creditors and stakeholders together, and can continue even without the original applicant.
The Court remanded the matter to the National Company Law Tribunal, which must consult the resolution professional, the committee of creditors and stakeholders including homebuyers before deciding whether the process should go on.
The Court also said proceedings under Section 65 may be considered against the party that initiated the process fraudulently.
The judgment was delivered on 30 September 2026.
Case:
Orris Infrastructure Private Limited v. Rakesh Kumar Gupta
Date of judgment:
30 September 2026
Bench:
Justices P.S. Narasimha and Alok Aradhe
Why it matters for exams: The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code and the powers of the NCLT are frequently asked in economy and polity papers.
UPSCBank
In plain words
CIRP Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process — The process under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code in which a defaulting company is run by a resolution professional while creditors consider a resolution plan.
NCLT National Company Law Tribunal — The adjudicating authority for company law and insolvency matters in India.
In rem Against the thing — A proceeding that affects everyone with an interest in the property or company, not just the two parties before the court.
2 October 2026
In the road safety case S. Rajaseekaran v. Union of India, the Supreme Court on 28 September 2026 directed states to use stronger methods to recover unpaid electronic traffic fines.
Renewal of registration certificates, pollution under control certificates and fitness certificates, and transfer of ownership, are to be blocked until the dues are paid.
Vehicles with pending dues are to be blacklisted on the Parivahan portal and may be seized, and driving licence renewal is to be withheld for repeated violations.
About ₹49,194.05 crore in e-challans remains uncollected across the country, while ₹26,175.05 crore has been recovered.
The bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Vishwanathan said issuing thousands of e-challans serves little purpose unless the fines are actually recovered.
The Court also asked that electronic enforcement be made AI-enabled, that VAHAN-4, SARATHI, the e-Challan system, e-DAR, iRAD and traffic control rooms be integrated into a National Road Safety System, and that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways maintain a public dashboard updated every month.
Unrecovered e-challans:
₹49,194.05 crore
Already recovered:
₹26,175.05 crore
Case:
S. Rajaseekaran v. Union of India
Why it matters for exams: Road safety directions, the Motor Vehicles framework and the VAHAN and SARATHI databases appear in governance and current affairs questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
VAHAN National Vehicle Registration Database — The central online database of vehicle registrations maintained by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
SARATHI National Driving Licence Database — The central online system for driving licences, run alongside VAHAN on the Parivahan platform.
2 October 2026
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant addressed the Seventh Congress of the Association of Asian Constitutional Courts and Equivalent Institutions at Samarkand in Uzbekistan.
The theme of the congress was constitutional justice in the era of digitalisation and artificial intelligence.
He said courts cannot remain untouched by technological change, which can widen access to justice and cut delay.
Artificial intelligence can help with legal research and with handling large volumes of information, but it can never replace judicial acumen or the act of deciding, which must stay with the judge.
He said the values of dignity, equality, liberty and fairness must remain constant through any technological change.
He recalled that the Supreme Court's committee on artificial intelligence released draft regulations for the use of artificial intelligence in courts in June 2026, built on the principle of human primacy.
Event:
Seventh Congress of the Association of Asian Constitutional Courts
Host city:
Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Draft AI regulations:
Released June 2026
Why it matters for exams: India's participation in international judicial bodies and the use of artificial intelligence in courts are live polity and science-technology topics.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
AACC Association of Asian Constitutional Courts and Equivalent Institutions — A grouping of Asian apex and constitutional courts that meets to share practice on constitutional adjudication.
2 October 2026
The Indian women's hockey team has won the gold medal at the Asian Games.
It is the team's first gold in the event in more than forty years.
The Prime Minister congratulated the team, saying the win came from outstanding skills and teamwork.
He described the players' determination as very inspiring.
He said he hoped the success would add to the popularity of hockey across the country.
Medal:
Gold, women's hockey
Gap:
First gold in the event in over 40 years
Why it matters for exams: Asian Games medals, especially firsts and long gaps, are standard sports general knowledge questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
2 October 2026
Sujeet won gold in the men's 65 kg freestyle wrestling event at the Asian Games.
It was India's first wrestling gold of this edition of the Games, and it came on his Asian Games debut.
The Prime Minister called it a memorable triumph after a thrilling victory in the final.
Ankush won gold in the men's 80 kg boxing final.
The Prime Minister said his passion and dedication were noteworthy and that the win ended India's boxing campaign at the Games on a great note.
Wrestling gold:
Sujeet, men's 65 kg freestyle
Boxing gold:
Ankush, men's 80 kg
Why it matters for exams: Individual medal winners and their events are frequently asked in sports current affairs.
Kerala PSCSSC
2 October 2026
The Mumbai Port Authority has declared its Jawahar Dweep marine oil terminal plastic-free, making it India's first oil terminal to carry that status.
The declaration was made during the port's Swachhata Abhiyan 2026 programme.
Single-use plastic has been removed from operations at the terminal, and the drive covers the port's docks, residential colonies and coastal stretches.
Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal led the event and said a plastic-free Jawahar Dweep shows that India's ports can grow and stay clean at the same time.
He also dedicated the port's oil spill response facilities to the nation.
Mumbai Port Authority chairperson Dr M. Angamuthu and deputy chairman Ravish Kumar Singh took part.
Terminal:
Jawahar Dweep, Mumbai Port Authority
Status:
India's first plastic-free oil terminal
Minister:
Sarbananda Sonowal
Why it matters for exams: Major ports, single-use plastic policy and oil spill response are recurring environment and economy topics.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Jawahar Dweep Butcher Island, Mumbai harbour — An island in Mumbai harbour used as the port's marine oil terminal for handling crude and petroleum products.
2 October 2026
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence has acted against illegal wildlife trafficking in three intelligence-led operations in Maharashtra.
Four elephant tusks and carved ivory articles, one leopard skin, two live pangolins, three kilograms of tiger bones, two tiger canines and two motorcycles were seized.
Eleven persons were apprehended in all, three in the ivory case, two in the leopard skin case and six in the pangolin and tiger parts case.
The action was taken under Section 49B of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972; the species involved are listed in Schedule I of that Act and the pangolin is covered by Appendix I of CITES.
The leopard skin was seized near Purada village in Gondia district on 29 September 2026, and the pangolins and tiger parts in the Allapalli forest area on 26 and 27 September 2026.
The forest department, the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau in Mumbai and an anti-poaching unit worked with the agency on the operation conducted on 26 and 27 September 2026.
Persons apprehended:
11
Tiger bones seized:
3 kg
Law invoked:
Section 49B, Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972
Why it matters for exams: The Wild Life (Protection) Act schedules, CITES appendices and the agencies that enforce them are standard environment questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
DRI Directorate of Revenue Intelligence — The central agency under the finance ministry that investigates smuggling and customs offences.
CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora — An international agreement that regulates cross-border trade in listed wild species; Appendix I species face the strictest ban.
WCCB Wildlife Crime Control Bureau — A statutory body under the environment ministry that coordinates action against organised wildlife crime.
Background
In the 1890s Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata decided to set up a world class university in India using his personal wealth.
The Regent Queen Maharani Kempananjammani Vani Vilasa Sannidhana provided 371 acres and 16 guntas of land in Bangalore, funds for capital expenditure, and an annual contribution.
The remaining money to set up the Institute came from the colonial government of India.
The Indian Institute of Science came into existence on 27 May 1909 in Bangalore following a vesting order and resolution passed by the government of India.
Its first Director was the English chemist Morris Travers, and twenty-four students joined when the Institute opened its doors to students in 1911.
The Institute started with just two academic departments: General and Applied Chemistry, and Electrical Technology.
The Department of Physics was set up under Sir CV Raman, a Nobel Laureate who also became the first Indian Director of the Institute in 1933.
The Institute has expanded to include a 1500-acre campus at Challakere in Chitradurga district, Karnataka.
Came into existence:
27 May 1909, in Bangalore
Land provided by the Regent Queen:
371 acres and 16 guntas
First Director:
Morris Travers
Students at opening:
Twenty-four, in 1911
First Indian Director:
Sir CV Raman, in 1933
Challakere campus:
1500 acres, Chitradurga district, Karnataka
Why it matters for exams: IISc's first Director, its founding endowment and CV Raman's role are recurring questions on Indian scientific institutions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Gunta A traditional unit of land area — Used along with acres in the Institute's founding land grant.
Vesting order A government order transferring property or rights — The order through which the Institute formally came into existence.
IISc Indian Institute of Science — A research university at Bangalore, with a second campus at Challakere.
Background
The Securities and Exchange Board of India records on its own site that it was constituted as a non-statutory body on April 12, 1988 through a resolution of the Government of India.
It was established as a statutory body in the year 1992.
The provisions of the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992 (15 of 1992) came into force on January 30, 1992.
The Preamble of the Securities and Exchange Board of India describes its basic functions as being to protect the interests of investors in securities, to promote the development of the securities market, and to regulate the securities market.
Appeals against the Board's orders lie to the Securities Appellate Tribunal.
Constituted as a non-statutory body:
April 12, 1988
Established as a statutory body:
1992
SEBI Act provisions came into force:
January 30, 1992
Act number:
15 of 1992
Why it matters for exams: The two-stage story of a regulator that existed before its Act, and the three objectives in SEBI's Preamble, are standard economy questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
SEBI Securities and Exchange Board of India — The statutory regulator of India's securities market.
SAT Securities Appellate Tribunal — The tribunal that hears appeals against orders of the Board.