31 October 2026
The Ministry of Home Affairs has given the Kendriya Grihmantri Dakshata Padak to 490 personnel for the year 2026.
They come from State and Union Territory police forces, the Central Armed Police Forces and the Central Police Organisations.
The medal was created by a Ministry of Home Affairs notification dated 1 February 2024.
It is announced on 31 October every year, the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Members of police forces, security organisations, intelligence branches, the National Security Guard, the Assam Rifles and forensic science services are eligible.
It is given for excellence in operations, investigation, intelligence work and forensic science.
The full list of awardees has been put up on the Ministry's website.
Awardees for 2026:
490 personnel
Instituted by notification dated:
1 February 2024
Announced every year on:
31 October
Why it matters for exams: The Ministry of Home Affairs and the police medals it awards are a standing General Awareness topic.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
CAPF Central Armed Police Forces — The seven central forces such as the CRPF and the BSF that work under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
NSG National Security Guard — A central counter-terrorism force raised in 1984 under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
31 October 2026
The Ministry of Rural Development has approved 45 road works in Mizoram under PMGSY-IV.
The sanction falls in Batch-1 of the financial year 2026-27 and covers 509.54 km.
The estimated cost of the works is Rs 710.40 crore.
Forty-eight habitations will get all-weather road connectivity for the first time through these roads.
The Ministry expects easier access to schools, hospitals and rural markets from the new links.
Counting earlier sanctions, Mizoram has so far been given 367 road works covering 4,935 km and 07 bridges under PMGSY, at a cost of Rs 3,412 crore.
PMGSY is the Centre's rural road programme run by the Ministry of Rural Development.
Road works approved:
45
Length:
509.54 km
Estimated cost:
Rs 710.40 crore
Habitations connected for the first time:
48
Why it matters for exams: PMGSY and the ministry that runs it are repeatedly asked in schemes questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
PMGSY Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana — The Centre's programme for all-weather roads to unconnected rural habitations, run by the Ministry of Rural Development.
30 October 2026
The Ministry of Finance has published the consolidated monthly accounts of the Government of India up to September 2026, for the financial year 2026-27.
Total receipts stood at Rs 18,35,422 crore, which is 50.3 per cent of the Budget Estimate for the year.
This includes Rs 12,76,088 crore of tax revenue net to the Centre, Rs 4,80,732 crore of non-tax revenue and Rs 78,602 crore of non-debt capital receipts.
Rs 6,99,409 crore was passed on to the State governments as devolution of the share of taxes, Rs 67,658 crore more than in the same period last year.
Total expenditure was Rs 25,49,835 crore, or 47.7 per cent of the Budget Estimate.
Of this, Rs 18,95,288 crore was on revenue account and Rs 6,54,547 crore on capital account.
Interest payments took Rs 6,46,010 crore and major subsidies Rs 2,22,905 crore.
Total receipts:
Rs 18,35,422 crore
Share of Budget Estimate:
50.3%
Devolution to States:
Rs 6,99,409 crore
Total expenditure:
Rs 25,49,835 crore
Why it matters for exams: Tax devolution to States and the revenue-capital split of Union spending are core Economy questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCBank
In plain words
BE Budget Estimate — The amount provided for a head in the Budget presented for that year.
30 October 2026
The Central Board of Directors of the Reserve Bank of India held its 625th meeting at Mumbai.
Governor Sanjay Malhotra chaired the meeting.
Members took the Integrity Pledge as part of Vigilance Awareness Week 2026.
The Board discussed current economic conditions and weighed the risks to the economic outlook.
It reviewed the work of the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation and of selected Central Office departments of the Bank.
Deputy Governors Swaminathan J., Poonam Gupta, Shirish Chandra Murmu and Rohit Jain attended.
Other directors present included Anuradha Thakur, Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs, Anand Gopal Mahindra, Janmejaya Kumar Sinha, Syed Akbaruddin and Annie George Mathew.
Meeting number:
625th
Venue:
Mumbai
Chaired by:
Governor Sanjay Malhotra
Why it matters for exams: The composition of the RBI Central Board and the role of the DICGC are standard banking-exam facts.
Kerala PSCUPSCBank
In plain words
DICGC Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation — A wholly owned subsidiary of the Reserve Bank that insures bank deposits.
30 October 2026
The Supreme Court Collegium met on 30 October 2026 and recommended eleven names for two High Courts.
Five judicial officers were approved for appointment as Judges of the High Court of Madhya Pradesh.
Six persons were recommended for the High Court of Chhattisgarh, of whom four are advocates and two are judicial officers.
The advocates recommended for Chhattisgarh include Anand Shukla, Ratna Nidhi Pusty, Shashank Thakur and Sourabh Sharma.
The Collegium is the body of senior judges headed by the Chief Justice of India that recommends judges for appointment.
A High Court judge is appointed by the President under Article 217 of the Constitution.
The recommendations now go to the Union government before the warrants of appointment are issued.
Names recommended:
11
For Madhya Pradesh High Court:
5 judicial officers
For Chhattisgarh High Court:
6 (4 advocates, 2 judicial officers)
Why it matters for exams: Article 217 and the Collegium system are among the most asked Polity topics.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Collegium Supreme Court Collegium — The group of the senior-most judges, led by the Chief Justice of India, that recommends appointments to the higher judiciary.
30 October 2026
The Supreme Court on 30 October 2026 dismissed a petition by the National Investigation Agency against bail granted to Khurram Parvez.
The Delhi High Court had granted him bail in a case registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
A Bench of Justice M.M. Sundresh and Justice P.B. Varale declined to interfere with the High Court's order.
The Bench took into account the long period he had already spent in custody.
Additional Solicitor General Raja Thakare appeared for the investigating agency.
The UAPA sets a stricter test for bail than ordinary criminal law, and courts have read the length of custody as a ground for relief.
The NIA is the central agency that investigates offences under the UAPA and other scheduled laws.
Petition dismissed on:
30 October 2026
Law involved:
Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act
Why it matters for exams: The UAPA and the statute that created the NIA are frequent Polity and current affairs questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
UAPA Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act — A central law of 1967 on unlawful associations and terrorist acts, with a strict bar on bail.
NIA National Investigation Agency — The central counter-terror investigating agency set up by the NIA Act, 2008.
30 October 2026
The Supreme Court has asked the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to provide for action against the unauthorised uploading of audio and video clips of court proceedings.
The direction came while the Court was hearing a batch of petitions on live streaming and the recording and publishing of court proceedings.
The Court had earlier restrained the unauthorised extraction and circulation of such clips.
It now wants that restraint written into the policy the Ministry is preparing, with consequences for a breach.
The Bench was headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and included Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana.
The Supreme Court has been live streaming Constitution Bench and other important hearings in recent years.
The case continues before the Court.
Ministry addressed:
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
Bench headed by:
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant
Why it matters for exams: MeitY and the case that opened the Supreme Court to live streaming are both asked facts.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
MeitY Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology — The Union ministry that frames policy on information technology and digital platforms.
29 October 2026
Ayushman Vay Vandana completed two years on 29 October 2026, the Union Health Ministry said.
The initiative was launched on 29 October 2024 and extends Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana to every citizen aged 70 years and above, whatever the family's income.
It is implemented by the National Health Authority under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The cover is up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation.
Senior citizens in families already under AB PM-JAY get an additional top-up of up to Rs 5 lakh for themselves alone.
About 6 crore senior citizens in roughly 4.5 crore families are in its scope.
The Ministry reported 23.46 lakh authorised hospital admissions worth Rs 5,668.80 crore as on 20 October 2026, with about Rs 649 crore authorised for coronary angioplasty, the largest share by value.
Launched on:
29 October 2024
Age covered:
70 years and above
Cover:
Rs 5 lakh per family per year
Hospital admissions in two years:
23.46 lakh worth Rs 5,668.80 crore
Why it matters for exams: The age limit, the Rs 5 lakh cover and the National Health Authority are the facts asked about Ayushman Vay Vandana.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
NHA National Health Authority — The body under the Health Ministry that implements Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY.
30 October 2026
The Reserve Bank of India has released monthly data on India's international trade in services for September 2026.
Receipts, that is exports of services, were US$ 39,305 million in September.
Payments, that is imports of services, were US$ 20,097 million.
Receipts grew 7.2 per cent and payments 12.6 per cent over the same month a year earlier.
In August 2026 receipts were US$ 35,471 million and payments US$ 18,934 million.
In July 2026 receipts were US$ 38,253 million and payments US$ 20,606 million.
The Bank says the July to September figures are provisional and that growth rates have been revised on the basis of balance of payments statistics.
Services exports, September 2026:
US$ 39,305 million
Services imports, September 2026:
US$ 20,097 million
Growth in receipts:
7.2 per cent
Why it matters for exams: Services trade sits in the current account of the balance of payments, a repeated economy question.
UPSCBank
In plain words
BoP Balance of Payments — The record of all economic transactions between a country and the rest of the world.
29 October 2026
The Supreme Court has ruled that a legislature cannot directly annul a judgment a constitutional court has already delivered.
At issue was a 2011 selection of gazetted probationers by the Karnataka Public Service Commission, which was cancelled, and that cancellation had been upheld by the High Court and by the Supreme Court.
Karnataka then brought in a law in 2022 to validate the same selection and the appointments made from it.
The Court struck that law down and held that the appointments resting on it come to an end.
The State must now notify fresh recruitment for the vacant Group A and Group B posts under the rules already in force.
A one-time relaxation of the upper age limit was allowed to the appellants, to petitioners whose cases are pending before the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal and to appointed candidates against whom nothing was found.
Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice K. Vinod Chandran heard the matter, and the Court also laid down what happens to seniority and back wages.
Law struck down:
Karnataka's 2022 validation law on the 2011 gazetted probationers selection
Bench:
Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice K. Vinod Chandran
Posts to be filled afresh:
Vacant Group A and Group B posts
Why it matters for exams: The rule that a legislature may change the law but not overturn a judgment is a core separation-of-powers question.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
KPSC Karnataka Public Service Commission — The State Public Service Commission that recruits for Karnataka's civil services.
Validation Act Karnataka Civil Services (Validation of Selection and Appointment of 2011 Batch Gazetted Probationers) Act, 2022 — The State law the Supreme Court struck down in this case.
Background
This background note explains how the Minimum Support Price is fixed and what the Rabi Marketing Season 2027-28 carries.
The Minimum Support Price is the price at which the government offers to buy eligible produce, so that a farmer is not left at the mercy of a low market price.
MSP is announced for 22 mandated crops, and the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices recommends the rates.
On 30 September 2026 the Government approved higher MSPs for all mandated Rabi crops for the Rabi Marketing Season 2027-28.
An estimated Rs 90,962 crore is to be paid to farmers for 324 lakh metric tonnes of produce in that season.
Procurement of six Rabi crops rose from 2,302 lakh metric tonnes in 2004-05 to 2013-14 to 3,921 lakh metric tonnes in 2014-15 to 2025-26.
MSP payments over the same two stretches rose from Rs 2.65 lakh crore to Rs 8.36 lakh crore.
Crops under MSP:
22 mandated crops
Payment estimated for RMS 2027-28:
Rs 90,962 crore
Quantity covered:
324 lakh metric tonnes
Why it matters for exams: The CACP and the number of crops under MSP are standard Agriculture and Economy questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
CACP Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices — An attached office of the Agriculture Ministry that recommends minimum support prices.
RMS Rabi Marketing Season — The season in which the Rabi harvest is marketed and procured.
Background
Parliament has recast the insurance statute book through the Sabka Bima Sabki Raksha (Amendment of Insurance Laws) Bill, 2025, brought by the Ministry of Finance. One Bill amends three Acts at once: the oldest is the Insurance Act of 1938, and next comes the Life Insurance Corporation Act of 1956. The third is the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act, 1999. Its headline change raises the foreign direct investment limit in an Indian insurance company from 74% to 100% of the paid-up equity capital. The net owned fund a foreign reinsurance branch must hold falls from Rs 5,000 crore to Rs 1,000 crore. The point at which an insurer must get the regulator's prior approval to register a share transfer moves from 1% to 5% of its paid-up share capital. Intermediaries get one-time licensing, and a licence can be suspended instead of being cancelled outright. A Policyholders' Education and Protection Fund is to be set up, policyholder data must be handled in line with the data protection law, and the regulator gains the power to disgorge wrongful gains from insurers and intermediaries. Rule-making by the regulator must now follow a standard operating procedure and be consultative.
Bill:
The Sabka Bima Sabki Raksha (Amendment of Insurance Laws) Bill, 2025
Foreign investment now allowed:
100% Foreign Direct Investment
Change in the foreign investment limit:
from 74% to 100% of the paid-up equity capital
One of the three Acts amended:
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act, 1999
Net owned fund for foreign reinsurance branches:
from Rs 5,000 Crore to Rs 1,000 Crore
New fund for policyholders:
Policyholders’ Education and Protection Fund
Why it matters for exams: The three Acts the Bill amends, the jump in the foreign investment limit to 100% and the lower net owned fund for foreign reinsurers are the facts bank and civil service papers take from insurance reform.
Kerala PSCUPSCBank
In plain words
IRDAI Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India — The statutory regulator of insurers and insurance intermediaries in India.
Net owned fund paid-up equity capital, free reserves, share premium and capital reserves taken together — It is the minimum own money a foreign reinsurance branch must bring in.
Disgorge to require wrongful gains to be given up — The amendment lets the regulator take back gains an insurer or intermediary made wrongly.
Background
This background goes with the National Social Security Board notified this week for unorganised, gig and platform workers.
Only 19 per cent of people in India had any social protection in 2015; for 2026 the figure is 68.4 per cent, which works out to more than a billion people.
Provident fund, pension and insurance for salaried workers are handled by the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation, a body set up by law and answerable to the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Few social security institutions anywhere in the world carry as many members on their rolls.
Membership used to be compulsory only up to a monthly wage of Rs 15,000, and that line has now been lifted to Rs 25,000, which should bring in over 51 lakh more employees.
The Code on Social Security, 2020 is the law behind the new Employees' Provident Funds Scheme, 2026 and the Employees' Pension Scheme, 2026.
The pension scheme pays a monthly amount when a member superannuates, retires or is disabled.
Workers outside regular salaried jobs are reached by other routes, among them e-Shram, PM-SYM and the Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana.
Coverage in 2015:
19%
Coverage in 2026:
68.4%
EPFO wage ceiling:
Raised from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000
Additional employees expected:
Over 51 lakh
Why it matters for exams: EPFO, its parent ministry and the Code on Social Security, 2020 are repeatedly asked.
Kerala PSCUPSCBank
In plain words
EPFO Employees' Provident Fund Organisation — A statutory body under the Ministry of Labour and Employment that runs provident fund, pension and insurance schemes.
e-Shram e-Shram portal — The national database of unorganised workers maintained by the Labour Ministry.