8 October 2026
The 57th GST Council meeting, chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, took up compliance reforms.
The Council recommended removing the power of arrest under GST.
The prosecution threshold rises from ₹1 crore to ₹5 crore.
The general penalty falls from ₹25,000 to ₹10,000.
No notice will be issued where the amount involved is below ₹10,000.
The refund acknowledgement period drops from 15 days to 10 days.
Prosecution threshold:
₹1 crore to ₹5 crore
General penalty:
₹25,000 to ₹10,000
Notice floor:
Below ₹10,000: no notice
Refund acknowledgement:
15 days to 10 days
Why it matters for exams: GST Council decisions, Article 279A and the shift to decriminalised tax compliance are frequent economy and polity questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCBank
In plain words
GST Council Goods and Services Tax Council — The constitutional body under Article 279A that recommends GST rates and rules, chaired by the Union Finance Minister.
ITC Input Tax Credit — Credit for tax paid on inputs that a business can set off against its output tax.
8 October 2026
The Centre will cap trade margins at 30% of the maximum retail price (MRP) for non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs.
The cap covers branded and generic, domestic and imported, patented and non-patented products.
Officials estimate MRP cuts of up to 70% and savings of about ₹2,500 crore a year.
An NPPA analysis found an average trade mark-up of about 170%, with some reaching 700%.
Non-scheduled drugs sit outside price ceilings under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013.
In 2019 the NPPA capped trade margins on 42 anti-cancer drugs.
Margin cap:
30% of MRP
Expected MRP cut:
Up to 70%
Estimated annual saving:
About ₹2,500 crore
Average trade mark-up:
About 170% (up to 700%)
Why it matters for exams: Drug price control, NPPA and the DPCO schedule system are standard health-policy and economy topics.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
NPPA National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority — The body that fixes and monitors prices of medicines under the DPCO.
DPCO 2013 Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 — The order that sets price ceilings for scheduled medicines.
MRP Maximum Retail Price — The highest price at which a product may be sold to consumers.
8 October 2026
A Supreme Court bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu heard the case of convict Sanjeev Kumar.
He was sentenced to death in 2004 for multiple murders; the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in 2014 over delay in deciding his mercy plea.
The State challenged a Punjab and Haryana High Court order of December 2025 that set aside its rejection of his premature release.
Justice Datta remarked, 'Forgive, forgive, forgive, you have to draw a line somewhere.'
He asked whether the 'rarest of rare' standard still fits today's circumstances.
The Court reserved its verdict.
Bench:
Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu
Death sentence:
2004
Commuted to life:
2014
High Court order:
December 2025
Why it matters for exams: The rarest-of-rare doctrine, commutation and remission are core criminal-law and constitutional topics.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Rarest of rare Rarest of rare doctrine — The test laid down in Bachan Singh (1980) for when a death sentence may be imposed.
Commutation Commutation of sentence — Replacing a punishment with a lighter one, such as death with life imprisonment.
8 October 2026
The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) received ₹9.68 crore from users of India's biological resources between 01.04.2026 and 30.09.2026.
The agricultural seed sector gave the most at ₹7.16 crore, followed by food and beverages at ₹1.59 crore.
The amount came under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 and the ABS Regulations.
East West Seeds India Ltd paid about ₹2.01 crore in total; the largest single payment was ₹1.17 crore from Synergia Life Science Ltd.
Since 2008 the NBA has raised about ₹278 crore through ABS and distributed over ₹200 crore for conservation and beneficiaries.
ABS receipts (Apr-Sep 2026):
₹9.68 crore
Agricultural seed sector:
₹7.16 crore
Raised since 2008:
About ₹278 crore
Distributed:
Over ₹200 crore
Why it matters for exams: The Biological Diversity Act, the NBA and access and benefit sharing are standard environment and Nagoya Protocol questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
ABS Access and Benefit Sharing — The system under which users of biological resources share benefits with the providers and local communities.
NBA National Biodiversity Authority — The statutory body set up under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
8 October 2026
The National Highways Authority of India released the document 'Wildlife Mitigation Measures & Structures' to commemorate National Wildlife Week (2-8 October 2026).
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari recently released it at a Chintan Shivir in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat.
More than ₹19,700 crore was invested over five years in wildlife-safety infrastructure and environmental protection.
More than 2,150 wildlife-safety structures have been built or proposed.
Over 300 km of highways have guide fencing and noise barriers.
Investment in five years:
More than ₹19,700 crore
Wildlife-safety structures:
More than 2,150
Guide fencing and noise barriers:
Over 300 km
National Wildlife Week:
2-8 October 2026
Why it matters for exams: Wildlife corridors, linear infrastructure and National Wildlife Week are recurring environment topics.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
NHAI National Highways Authority of India — The body under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways that builds and maintains national highways.
8 October 2026
On Day 2 of Sagarmanthan: The Great Oceans Dialogue 2026, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal held bilateral meetings.
With the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) he discussed Saudi participation in port projects such as Vadhavan and Galathea Bay; Saudi Arabia expressed interest in investing in India's port projects and the Maritime Development Fund.
With Flemish Minister Annick De Ridder of Belgium he proposed a green shipping corridor linking Indian ports with Antwerp-Bruges; VOC Port signed an agreement with the Port of Antwerp on green shipping and training.
With Bhutan's Lyonpo Chandra Bahadur Gurung he discussed National Waterway-2 and the Jogighopa terminal as Bhutan's gateway to global trade.
Indian seafarers rose from 1.27 lakh to 3.23 lakh in twelve years, making India the world's second-largest seafarer supplier.
Indian seafarers:
1.27 lakh to 3.23 lakh in twelve years
Port capacity:
1,561 to 2,817 million tonnes per year
Inland waterway cargo:
29 to 218 million tonnes
Container vessel turnaround:
35 hours to 23 hours
Why it matters for exams: India's maritime diplomacy, port-led development and bilateral cooperation with Bhutan, Saudi Arabia and Belgium are regular current affairs areas.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Sagarmanthan Sagarmanthan: The Great Oceans Dialogue — India's annual maritime dialogue that brings together countries and industry on ocean affairs.
Mawani Saudi Ports Authority — The authority that manages ports in Saudi Arabia.
8 October 2026
The Ministry of Cooperation opened its 9th National Review Workshop in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, on 8 and 9 October 2026.
The theme is 'Sahkar se Samriddhi — The Road Ahead: Scaling Impact through Cooperative Transformation'.
Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah suggested Bastar, a district long affected by Left-Wing Extremism.
Secretary Ashish Kumar Bhutani urged better governance and accountability in cooperative banks.
The Ministry is working with the RBI to help cooperative banks raise funds.
The workshop will draft an action plan for the next three months.
Workshop:
9th National Review Workshop
Venue:
Bastar, Chhattisgarh
Dates:
8 and 9 October 2026
Action plan horizon:
Next three months
Why it matters for exams: The Ministry of Cooperation, PACS reforms and the cooperative sector are frequent polity and economy topics.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
PACS Primary Agricultural Credit Societies — Village-level cooperative societies that give short-term credit to farmers.
NCDC National Cooperative Development Corporation — The statutory corporation that finances cooperative development.
8 October 2026
The Department of Telecommunications held a ministerial session at India Mobile Congress 2026 titled 'Scale Without Boundaries: Investing in the Next Billion Digital Connections'.
Union Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia said the next billion to be connected will be the hardest to reach.
Speakers included Estonia's Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs Liisa-Ly Pakosta and Japan's Vice-Minister for International Affairs Hideo Fuseda.
Seizo Onoe of the ITU and John Giusti of the GSMA Foundation also spoke.
The discussion covered 5G-Advanced, 6G, satellite networks and AI, with a stated focus on advancing digital connectivity towards 2030.
Session title:
Scale Without Boundaries: Investing in the Next Billion Digital Connections
Chaired by:
Jyotiraditya M. Scindia
Technologies discussed:
5G-Advanced, 6G, satellite networks, AI
Stated focus:
Advance digital connectivity towards 2030
Why it matters for exams: Telecom policy, 6G and international cooperation through bodies like the ITU feature in science-tech and economy sections.
UPSCSSC
In plain words
ITU International Telecommunication Union — The UN agency for information and communication technologies.
GSMA GSM Association — The industry body representing mobile network operators worldwide.
8 October 2026
Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked Kazakhstan's President Qasym-Jomart Toqayev for his warm wishes.
The wishes marked Modi completing 25 years of service as head of government.
Modi said he deeply values the close friendship and strategic partnership with Kazakhstan.
He said he looks forward to working together to strengthen and deepen bilateral ties.
The message was posted on X on 8 October 2026.
Counterpart:
President Qasym-Jomart Toqayev
Occasion:
25 years of service as head of government
Relationship:
Strategic partnership
Why it matters for exams: India's strategic partnerships in Central Asia are routine questions in international relations sections.
Kerala PSCUPSC
8 October 2026
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan inaugurated new facilities at ICAR-Indian Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology (ICAR-IIAB), Ranchi, by video conference.
They include the Admin-cum-School Building, Birsa Munda Multipurpose Hall, Jaipal Singh Munda Sports Complex and NEXTGEN Breeding Facility.
He laid the foundation stone of a new guest house costing ₹119 crore.
About 1,500 farmers from Ranchi, Khunti, Gumla and Ramgarh attended a pre-Rabi farmers' conference.
Nano urea, nano DAP and seed kits were distributed to farmers.
Chouhan urged scientists to undertake a nationwide 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' (Save the Fields Campaign) in the coming days.
Guest house foundation stone:
₹119 crore
Farmers attending:
About 1,500
Districts:
Ranchi, Khunti, Gumla, Ramgarh
Campaign called for:
Khet Bachao Abhiyan
Why it matters for exams: ICAR institutes, nano fertilisers and farmer-outreach campaigns are regular agriculture and current-affairs topics.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
ICAR Indian Council of Agricultural Research — The apex body for agricultural research and education in India.
IIAB Indian Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology — The ICAR institute at Garhkhatanga, Ranchi, for agricultural biotechnology research.