23 October 2026
The three-day Chinmaya Amrit Mahotsav Global Sammelan is being held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, from 23 to 25 October 2026.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated it at 11 AM on 23 October and addressed the gathering.
Over 9,000 participants from India and abroad are taking part.
The Sammelan marks the culmination of the year-long celebrations of the 75th anniversary of the Chinmaya Mission.
Swami Chinmayananda founded the Chinmaya Mission in 1951 to make Vedanta and the Bhagavad Gita accessible to all.
During the anniversary year, 15 Chinmaya Yuva Kendra members travelled over 40,000 km across India on the Chinmaya Amrit Yatra.
Participants:
Over 9,000
Anniversary:
75 years
Mission founded:
1951
Why it matters for exams: Anniversary observances of major cultural organisations, with their founder and founding year, are standard one-mark questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Vedanta Vedanta — A school of Indian philosophy based on the Upanishads.
23 October 2026
Shailesh Kumar won the gold medal in the Men's High Jump T42/T63 event at the Asian Para Games 2026.
He set a new Games Record in the event.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated him on a magnificent performance.
The Prime Minister said the jump reflects Shailesh Kumar's talent, consistency and dedication, and that India is proud of him.
Event:
Men's High Jump T42/T63
Medal:
Gold
Record:
New Games Record
Why it matters for exams: Medal winners and their exact events and classification categories at the Asian Para Games are asked directly in sports current affairs.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSCBank
In plain words
T63 Track class 63 — A para athletics classification for athletes with a single above-knee limb deficiency.
23 October 2026
Anjanaben won the gold medal in the Women's 400m T47 event at the Asian Para Games 2026.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated her and praised her exceptional speed, focus and determination.
He said her performance had brought great joy to the nation.
The Prime Minister wished her continued success in the years ahead.
Event:
Women's 400m T47
Medal:
Gold
Why it matters for exams: Track event winners at the Asian Para Games, with the exact distance and classification, are commonly asked.
UPSCSSCBank
In plain words
T47 Track class 47 — A para athletics classification for athletes with a limb deficiency in one arm.
23 October 2026
The Reserve Bank of India issued a press release on 22 October 2026 announcing an underwriting auction for the sale of Government Securities.
The notified amount for the sale is ₹33,000 crore.
The underwriting auction was set for 23 October 2026.
Underwriting auctions are held before a government securities auction so that the full notified amount is subscribed.
Notified amount:
₹33,000 crore
Auction date:
23 October 2026
Why it matters for exams: Bank examinations ask how the Reserve Bank manages the Centre's market borrowing and what underwriting by Primary Dealers means.
UPSCSSCBank
In plain words
Underwriting Underwriting — A commitment by a dealer to buy any part of an issue that other bidders do not take up.
G-Sec Government Security — A tradable debt instrument issued by the Government of India.
23 October 2026
In Sunil Kumar (Totally Disabled Represented by Wife) v. IFFCO Tokio General Insurance Company Ltd, a bench of Justice SVN Bhatti and Justice NV Anjaria held that a claimant who depends on another and needs an attendant for life can be assessed at 100 per cent functional disability even where a Medical Board certifies a lower figure.
The Court said the medical percentage alone does not decide the matter and the functional impact on the claimant's life and earning ability must be considered.
The Medical Board had assessed Sunil Kumar's disability at 75.5 per cent; the Court assessed functional disability at 100 per cent.
Compensation was raised from ₹36.22 lakh to ₹77,84,394, including ₹31.50 lakh for permanent disability and loss of earning capacity and ₹25.20 lakh for attendant charges.
Interest is payable at 6.5 per cent a year on the additional amount, and the insurer must deposit it before the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal within six weeks.
In a connected appeal, Sreejith K.S., assessed at 62 per cent medical disability, was given 80 per cent functional disability and total compensation of ₹69,60,880.
Medical disability assessed:
75.5 per cent
Functional disability held:
100 per cent
Compensation:
₹77,84,394
Why it matters for exams: The distinction between medical and functional disability in motor accident claims is a settled principle examiners test with figures.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
MACT Motor Accident Claims Tribunal — The tribunal that decides compensation claims arising from road accidents.
Functional disability Functional disability — The extent to which an injury affects a person's ability to work and live, as distinct from the medical percentage.
23 October 2026
President Droupadi Murmu is in Chhattisgarh on 23 October 2026, the second day of her visit to the state, and her programme at Jagdalpur includes the historic Muria Durbar.
The Muria Durbar is part of the Bastar Dussehra celebrations and dates back to Bastar's royal era.
It brings traditional community leaders, including Manjhis and Chalkis, together with government officials to take up local issues.
Her first stop is the historic Maa Danteshwari Temple at Jagdalpur, where she will offer prayers.
She will interact with local tribal leaders, priests and residents at Lalbagh Maidan before departing for Delhi.
Place:
Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh
Temple visited:
Maa Danteshwari Temple
Why it matters for exams: Bastar Dussehra and the Muria Durbar are among the most asked items of tribal cultural practice in Chhattisgarh.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Manjhi Manjhi — A traditional village headman in the Bastar region.
23 October 2026
Speaking at the Berlin Global Dialogue on 22 October 2026, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism could increase industrial costs, fuel inflation and weaken the competitiveness of European industries.
He said added costs on steel, aluminium and cement could raise spending on infrastructure such as ports, airports, highways and utilities.
He warned that regulatory barriers could prompt retaliation from trading partners.
Goyal noted that India accounts for about 3 to 3.5 per cent of global carbon emissions while being home to around 17 per cent of the world's population.
India has raised concerns that the mechanism could increase compliance costs for exporters and create additional trade barriers.
India's share of global carbon emissions:
About 3 to 3.5 per cent
India's share of world population:
Around 17 per cent
Why it matters for exams: CBAM and India's emissions share are standard questions where India's trade position meets climate policy.
UPSCSSCBank
In plain words
CBAM Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism — An EU measure requiring importers to account for emissions embedded in certain goods entering the Union.
23 October 2026
The tenth meeting of the India-Uzbekistan Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism was held in New Delhi on 22 October 2026.
It was co-chaired by Dr Suhel Ajaz Khan, Additional Secretary (Counter Terrorism) in the Ministry of External Affairs, and Pirimkulov Gulomjon Shodmonkulovich, Head of the Department for Cooperation with South Asian, Near, Middle Eastern and African Countries in Uzbekistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The two sides exchanged views on countering extremism and radicalization, combating terrorism financing, preventing the use of technology for terrorist purposes, and the link between transnational organized crime and terrorism.
They discussed cooperation through information sharing, capacity building and the exchange of best practices, and explored cooperation between the relevant agencies of the two countries.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to cooperate in multilateral forums including the United Nations, SCO-RATS and the EAG.
Edition of the meeting:
Tenth
Venue:
New Delhi
Why it matters for exams: Numbered bilateral counter-terrorism mechanisms and the multilateral bodies they name are directly asked in international relations questions.
UPSCSSC
In plain words
SCO-RATS Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation — The counter-terrorism arm of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
23 October 2026
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment said the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, run under the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction, has reached more than 35 crore people.
The figure includes about 13.94 crore youth and 10.86 crore women.
Over 32 lakh educational institutions have been engaged by the campaign.
The Abhiyaan was launched in 2020 and initially covered 272 vulnerable districts before expanding across the country.
The Ministry said sustained public participation is important for awareness and collective responsibility towards a drug-free society, and that community-led efforts are being strengthened.
People reached:
More than 35 crore
Youth reached:
About 13.94 crore
Women reached:
10.86 crore
Districts at launch:
272
Why it matters for exams: The launch year, the number of districts first covered and the implementing ministry of Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan are standard scheme questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSCBank
In plain words
NAPDDR National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction — The Union scheme under which drug demand reduction activities are funded.
23 October 2026
Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav told the Circular Economy Conference in New Delhi on 22 October 2026 that the government has introduced sector-specific rules for nine waste streams.
These include plastic waste, battery waste and e-waste.
The rules focus on waste prevention, recycling, reuse, remanufacturing and resource recovery across the product lifecycle.
About 500 lakh metric tonnes of waste have been processed across the regulated waste streams so far.
The Minister called for better coordination between producers and recyclers on plastic waste, and for stronger recovery of critical minerals from e-waste and batteries.
He urged industry to take a bigger role in building secondary raw-material markets and strengthening supply-chain traceability.
Waste streams with rules:
Nine
Waste processed:
About 500 lakh metric tonnes
Why it matters for exams: Waste management rules and circular economy targets are a steady environment theme, and the count of regulated waste streams is a precise fact.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Circular economy Circular economy — An economy in which materials are kept in use through reuse, repair and recycling instead of being discarded.
23 October 2026
India handed over 24 houses forming the Didula Model Village in Galle District, Sri Lanka, on 22 October 2026.
Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha and Sri Lankan Housing Minister Dr H. M. Susil Ranasinghe jointly inaugurated and handed over the village.
The Model Village Housing Project is implemented with Government of India grant assistance and covers all 25 districts of Sri Lanka.
It aims to provide housing for 600 low-income families, at 24 houses per district.
With this handover, model villages have been inaugurated in 22 districts and overall progress stands at nearly 98.6 per cent.
The remaining three model villages are expected to be handed over soon.
Houses handed over:
24
Families to be covered:
600
Districts covered:
All 25 districts of Sri Lanka
Overall progress:
Nearly 98.6 per cent
Why it matters for exams: India's grant-assisted projects in the neighbourhood, with their district coverage and beneficiary numbers, are asked in neighbourhood-policy questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Grant assistance Grant assistance — Development aid given without any obligation to repay.
Background
The National Tiger Conservation Authority groups the tiger reserves of India into four zones: the Central Zone with 21 reserves, the Northern Zone with 10, the Southern Zone with 15 and the North East Zone with 12. Within the Central Zone, Madhya Pradesh has 9 reserves, Maharashtra 6, Chhattisgarh 4 and Odisha 2. Within the Southern Zone, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have 5 each, Kerala and Telangana 2 each and Andhra Pradesh 1. The two tiger reserves listed in Kerala are Parambikulam and Periyar. In the Northern Zone, Rajasthan has 5 reserves, Uttar Pradesh 3 and Uttarakhand 2. Nine reserves carry 1973-74 as their protected area notification year in the authority's list: Bandipur, Corbett, Kanha, Manas, Melghat, Palamau, Ranthambore, Simlipal and Sunderban. Periyar and Sariska carry 1978-79 as their protected area notification year, while Buxa, Indravati, Namdapha and Nagarjunsagar carry 1982-83. For each reserve the list also records the year the tiger reserve itself was notified and its core, buffer and total area.
Central Zone:
21 reserves
Northern Zone:
10 reserves
Southern Zone:
15 reserves
North East Zone:
12 reserves
Kerala's reserves:
Parambikulam and Periyar
Why it matters for exams: State-wise counts of tiger reserves and the names of the oldest reserves are frequent one-mark questions, and Kerala candidates need Parambikulam and Periyar by name.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Core and buffer Core and buffer areas — Every tiger reserve is notified with a core or critical tiger habitat and a surrounding buffer area.