4 November 2026
The Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has started a national campaign called Vayo Samman Rashtriya Abhiyan. Union Minister Dr Virendra Kumar launched it in the national capital. The campaign sits under the ministry's umbrella scheme for the elderly, Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY). It is built on a 5C model — Connect, Converse, Co-create, Contribute and Continue — and runs across twelve thematic areas, among them '30 Minutes Together', 'Teach Me - I'll Teach You' and 'Digital Dada-Dadi'. A volunteer wing named Vayo SAATHI is open to anyone aged 18 and above, who can sign up through the SCW SAMAVESH Portal or the JEEVAN App. Two agreements were exchanged, with Shri Ram Chandra Mission and with Adhyatma Vigyan Satsang Kendra, Jodhpur, for meditation, yoga and wellness work with older people. The ministry notes that India's population aged 60 and above is expected to rise from about 10 crore in 2011 to 23 crore by 2036.
Umbrella scheme:
Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY)
Model:
5C - Connect, Converse, Co-create, Contribute, Continue
Thematic areas:
12
Volunteer corps:
Vayo SAATHI, open to those aged 18 and above
Elderly population projection:
about 10 crore in 2011 to 23 crore by 2036
Why it matters for exams: AVYAY is the Social Justice Ministry's umbrella scheme for senior citizens, and the ministry that runs an elderly welfare scheme is a standard Polity and Schemes question.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
AVYAY Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana — The Social Justice Ministry's umbrella scheme for the welfare of senior citizens.
Vayo SAATHI Support, Awareness, Assistance, Training, Health and Inclusion — The volunteer wing of the new campaign, open to citizens aged 18 and above.
4 November 2026
The Supreme Court has directed the Speaker of the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly to decide within two months a disqualification petition pending against MLA Nirmala Sapre. The Bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana laid down a wider rule: a petition under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, the anti-defection law, must be decided quickly even if there is no immediate urgency and even if considerable time is left before the Assembly's term ends. Sapre is a first-time MLA from Bina in Sagar district who won the seat on an Indian National Congress ticket in 2023. The petition against her was filed in July 2024 by the Leader of the Opposition, Umang Singhar, on the ground that she voluntarily gave up her Congress membership. It has been pending for over two years. The High Court had refused to set a time limit, finding no urgency; the Supreme Court took the opposite view. The Tenth Schedule, inserted by the Fifty-second Amendment in 1985, lets a presiding officer disqualify a member for defection.
Time given to the Speaker:
two months
Assembly:
Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly
MLA:
Nirmala Sapre, Bina, Sagar district
Constitutional provision:
Tenth Schedule
Bench:
Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana
Why it matters for exams: The Tenth Schedule of the Constitution is the anti-defection law, inserted by the Fifty-second Amendment Act of 1985, and the presiding officer decides disqualification under it - a core Polity question.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Tenth Schedule Tenth Schedule of the Constitution of India — The anti-defection law, added in 1985, under which a presiding officer can disqualify a legislator for defection.
3 November 2026
India and Kazakhstan have signed an Extradition Treaty. The Embassy of India in Astana says Ambassador Y.K. Sailas Thangal called on Prosecutor General Berik Assylov of Kazakhstan, and the two signed the treaty. The talks covered cooperation in legal and treaty matters. An extradition treaty lets one country ask the other to hand over a person wanted for trial or already convicted. The embassy says the aim is to deepen work between the two sides in legal and law enforcement areas. In India, extradition is governed by the Extradition Act, 1962, and the Ministry of External Affairs is the nodal authority for extradition requests. Kazakhstan is the largest country in Central Asia and a partner of India in the region.
Treaty signed:
Extradition Treaty between India and Kazakhstan
Indian signatory:
Ambassador Y.K. Sailas Thangal
Kazakh signatory:
Prosecutor General Berik Assylov
Why it matters for exams: Extradition in India is governed by the Extradition Act, 1962, and Astana is the capital of Kazakhstan - both are standard Polity and Geography questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Extradition Act, 1962 Extradition Act, 1962 — The Indian law under which a fugitive is surrendered to or received from another country.
3 November 2026
NITI Aayog has launched a new dashboard called the India S&T Scoreboard in New Delhi. S&T stands for science and technology. The Scoreboard is meant to put together, in one place, how States and Union Territories are doing on science, technology and innovation. NITI Aayog is the Government of India's policy think tank. It replaced the Planning Commission in 2015 and its full name is the National Institution for Transforming India. The Prime Minister is its Chairperson, and it has a Vice-Chairperson and a Chief Executive Officer. NITI Aayog already brings out several State-level indices, such as the SDG India Index and the Fiscal Health Index, and the Scoreboard adds science and technology to that set.
Launched by:
NITI Aayog
Launch venue:
New Delhi
Subject:
Science and technology performance of States and Union Territories
Why it matters for exams: NITI Aayog stands for National Institution for Transforming India, replaced the Planning Commission in 2015 and is chaired by the Prime Minister - a repeated Polity question.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
NITI Aayog National Institution for Transforming India — The Centre's policy think tank, set up in 2015 in place of the Planning Commission.
3 November 2026
The British higher education analysts QS Quacquarelli Symonds have brought out the QS World University Rankings: Asia for 2027. The edition covers 1,722 universities drawn from 26 higher education systems in Asia. The University of Hong Kong is placed first. The Indian institution named in the release is IIT Delhi, at 66th. India has 325 ranked universities, which puts it second by count behind Mainland China with 448. The release also points to India's strength in research output and in the share of staff holding doctorates. QS publishes a separate global ranking as well as regional ones for Asia, Latin America and other regions.
Universities ranked:
1,722
Higher education systems:
26
First place:
University of Hong Kong
IIT Delhi rank:
66th
Indian universities ranked:
325
Mainland China universities ranked:
448
Why it matters for exams: QS Quacquarelli Symonds is the publisher of the QS World University Rankings, and who tops the Asia edition is a recurring Reports and Indices question.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
QS Quacquarelli Symonds — A British company that publishes world and regional university rankings every year.
4 November 2026
The Centre has notified the Bharatiya Vayuyan Niyam, 2026, a new set of civil aviation rules framed under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024.
They take the place of the Aircraft Rules, 1937 and Part IX of the Aircraft Rules, 1920, and come into force on 1 January 2027.
The rulebook has 220 rules in eight chapters and six schedules, covering registration, airworthiness, licensing, aerodromes and air navigation.
The DGCA may issue type certificates where India is the State of design, and component makers can be authorised.
Fractional ownership of aircraft is allowed, with one party clearly responsible for operation and maintenance.
With the Protection of Interests in Aircraft Objects Act, 2025, which brings in the Cape Town Convention, the IDERA route gives time-bound deregistration and export of leased aircraft.
Operational airports in India rose from 74 in 2014 to 166 as of October 2026, the PIB backgrounder notes.
Rules:
220
In force from:
1 January 2027
Operational airports:
166
Why it matters for exams: The Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024 replaced the Aircraft Act, 1934; its new rules now replace the Aircraft Rules, 1937 — a likely Polity and Economy question, along with the DGCA and the Cape Town Convention.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
DGCA Directorate General of Civil Aviation — India's civil aviation safety regulator.
IDERA Irrevocable De-registration and Export Request Authorisation — A lessor's tool to deregister and export a leased aircraft quickly.
5 November 2026
An Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) has recommended asset monetisation proposals valued at over ₹1,100 crore.
The IMG is chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) and co-chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Telecommunications.
Most proposals cover surplus land and buildings of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs).
They now go to the Cabinet-delegated Alternative Mechanism for approval; further monetisation steps follow only after that.
The work is facilitated by the National Land Monetization Corporation (NLMC), a wholly owned Government company under the DPE in the Finance Ministry.
NLMC was set up following an announcement in the Union Budget 2021–22.
Assets recommended:
over ₹1,100 crore
IMG chair:
Secretary, DPE
Why it matters for exams: NLMC, the Department of Public Enterprises and the asset monetisation programme are standard Economy questions in UPSC and bank exams.
UPSCSSCBank
In plain words
NLMC National Land Monetization Corporation — Government company that monetises surplus land of CPSEs.
CPSE Central Public Sector Enterprise — A company in which the Union Government holds a majority stake.
3 November 2026
NITI Aayog and Germany's Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) signed an Implementation Agreement on 3 November 2026.
It falls under Phase II of the Nationally Determined Contribution–Transport Initiative for Asia (NDC-TIA II).
NDC-TIA II is a regional programme backed by the German Government's International Climate Initiative (IKI).
WRI India, ICCT India and Agora Energiewende are among its implementing partners.
The focus is road freight: electric medium and heavy trucks are still at an early stage and need charging networks, finance and rules.
The work is meant to support India's Nationally Determined Contribution targets under the Paris Agreement.
Programme:
NDC-TIA II
Funding initiative:
International Climate Initiative (IKI), Germany
Why it matters for exams: NITI Aayog, Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement and India–Germany climate cooperation are recurring UPSC Environment topics.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
NDC Nationally Determined Contribution — A country's climate action pledge under the Paris Agreement.
GIZ Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit — Germany's agency for international development cooperation.
4 November 2026
Researchers at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru, have built a silicon chip for terahertz signals.
JNCASR is an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
Terahertz waves lie between microwaves and infrared light and are expected to carry future 6G networks.
Using topological photonics, the team patterned triangular holes in silicon in a honeycomb, graphene-like layout.
The signal crossed an engineered barrier with only about 1–2% loss — an effect called photonic Klein tunnelling.
A power-splitter device carried data at 100 Gbit/s, and tests across 310–360 GHz matched simulations.
Data rate:
100 Gbit/s
Barrier loss:
about 1–2%
Test band:
310–360 GHz
Why it matters for exams: JNCASR (an autonomous DST institute in Bengaluru), terahertz waves and 6G are typical Science and Technology questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
JNCASR Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research — Autonomous DST research institute in Bengaluru.
Terahertz — Radio band between microwaves and infrared, offering very wide bandwidth.