24 September 2026
Heavy rainfall under the influence of the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal was reported in Puducherry's Yanam region.
PWD officials said 14 centimetres of rainfall was recorded in Yanam during the last 24 hours.
Rain continued to lash the region, resulting in water stagnation in several residential areas.
All government, government-aided and private schools and colleges in Yanam region were ordered to remain closed as a precautionary measure.
Rainfall in 24 hours:
14 centimetres
Cause:
Deep depression over the Bay of Bengal
Precaution:
Schools and colleges closed
Why it matters for exams: Rainfall measures and disaster-precaution steps in a region of a Union Territory link geography and disaster management.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Deep depression Deep depression — A cyclonic weather system stronger than a depression, forming over the sea.
18 September 2026
The Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) and the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) have signed an MoU in Puducherry.
It provides cashless healthcare services to ESIC beneficiaries and their dependents at JIPMER.
The agreement covers outpatient and inpatient care, diagnostic services, emergency treatment, surgeries and specialised medical procedures.
Emergency treatment can be availed without prior referral, subject to beneficiary verification and subsequent communication with ESIC.
The MoU also provides for online referrals through the ESIC system.
It will initially remain valid for two years and may be extended by another year on mutually agreed terms.
Parties:
JIPMER and ESIC
Initial validity:
Two years
Possible extension:
One more year
Emergency care:
Without prior referral
Why it matters for exams: Health-insurance tie-ups between ESIC and institutions such as JIPMER are a recurring theme in social-security and health-policy questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
JIPMER Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research — The medical institute at Puducherry that is party to the MoU.
ESIC Employees' State Insurance Corporation — The body whose beneficiaries and their dependents get cashless care under the MoU.
19 September 2026
The last date for withdrawal of nominations for the by-election to the Thattanchavady Assembly Constituency in Puducherry ended on 19 September 2026.
As none of the candidates with valid nominations withdrew, 11 candidates, including those from recognised political parties and Independents, are in the fray.
Major candidates are Ashok Anand of the All India N.R. Congress, Sethu Selvam of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, E. Vinayagam of the Indian National Congress, Mohammed Saleem A of the Communist Party of India and Karthikumari of Naam Tamilar Katchi.
The remaining candidates are Independents.
Polling will be held on October 6, while counting of votes will take place on October 9.
Candidates in the fray:
11
Polling:
October 6
Counting:
October 9
Constituency:
Thattanchavady
Why it matters for exams: By-election procedure, such as the withdrawal of nominations followed by polling and counting, is regular polity material.
Kerala PSCUPSC
19 September 2026
Puducherry Lieutenant Governor K. Kailashnathan flagged off a beach-cleaning drive organised by the Indian Coast Guard on 19 September 2026.
The drive marked International Coastal Cleanup Day.
It was held near the Gandhi Statue on Beach Road.
Home Minister A. Namassivayam, Chief Secretary Sharat Chauhan, Indian Coast Guard District Commander S. S. Dasila, Secretary Smitha, college students and volunteers took part.
Earlier, the Lieutenant Governor visited an exhibition showcasing photographs of various activities of the Indian Coast Guard.
Organised by:
Indian Coast Guard
Flagged off by:
Lt Governor K. Kailashnathan
Venue:
Near the Gandhi Statue, Beach Road
Occasion:
International Coastal Cleanup Day
Why it matters for exams: International observances such as International Coastal Cleanup Day and the Coast Guard's role in coastal protection are common current-affairs and environment topics.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
The Union Territory of Puducherry comprises the former French establishments of Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam, which lie scattered in South India. Puducherry, the capital of the Territory, is situated on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal and is bounded on the east by the Bay of Bengal and on the three sides by Tamil Nadu. About 130 kms. south of Puducherry on the East Coast lies Karaikal. Mahe is situated on the Malabar coast, surrounded by Kerala, and is about 70 kms. from Calicut Airport. Yanam is situated adjoining the East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh and is about 200 kms. from Visakhapatnam Airport. Because the four regions sit beside three different states, the main languages spoken in the Territory are Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, English and French. The Union Territory with legislature extends over an area of 479 Sq. Kms. Total population of the Union Territory is 12,44,464, with a literacy rate of 86.55, as per 2011 Census (Provisional).
Area of the Union Territory with legislature:
479 Sq. Kms
Total population as per 2011 Census (Provisional):
12,44,464
Literacy rate as per 2011 Census (Provisional):
86.55
Distance of Mahe from Calicut Airport:
about 70 kms.
Main languages spoken in the Territory:
Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, English and French
Why it matters for exams: Which four regions make up Puducherry, and which state surrounds each, is among the most frequently asked facts about the Territory, and Mahe's position inside Kerala makes it a standing Kerala PSC question.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Coromandel Coast Coromandel Coast — The south-eastern coastal plain of India along the Bay of Bengal, on which the Puducherry region lies.
Malabar coast Malabar coast — The south-western coastal belt of India along the Arabian Sea, on which Mahe lies.
Background
On November 1, 1954, the French possessions in India were de facto transferred to the Indian Union and Puducherry became a Union Territory. But only in 1963 Puducherry became officially an integral part of India after the French Parliament in Paris ratified the Treaty with India. In the year 1963, the Parliament enacted the Government of Union Territories Act which provides for Legislative Assemblies and Council of Ministers in the Union Territories. In exercise of the powers conferred by Article 239 of the Constitution of India and Section 46 of the Government of Union Territories Act 1963, the President of India has framed the Business of the Government of Puducherry (Allocation) Rules, 1963. The Centre is represented by the Lt. Governor, who resides at the Raj Nivas at the Park, the former palace of the French Governor. The French period of Puducherry had begun when Bellanger, a French officer, took up residence in the Danish Lodge in Puducherry, and Francois Martin became the first Governor who transformed the fishing village into a flourishing port-town.
Date of the de facto transfer of the French possessions in India:
November 1, 1954
Act providing for Legislative Assemblies and Council of Ministers in the Union Territories:
Government of Union Territories Act 1963
Constitutional provision invoked for the allocation rules:
Article 239 of the Constitution of India
Section of the Act invoked along with it:
Section 46 of the Government of Union Territories Act 1963
Rules framed by the President of India:
Business of the Government of Puducherry (Allocation) Rules, 1963
Official residence of the Centre's representative:
Raj Nivas at the Park
Why it matters for exams: The two-stage transfer of French India and the Act that gives Puducherry an Assembly and a Council of Ministers are standard polity questions, and the Article 239 link separates Puducherry from the Union Territories that have no legislature.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
de facto transfer de facto transfer — A handover that takes effect in practice, with the administration actually changing hands, before the legal formalities are completed.
de jure union de jure union — The union as completed in law, here only after the treaty between India and France was ratified.
Raj Nivas Raj Nivas — The residence of the Lieutenant Governor in Puducherry, formerly the palace of the French Governor.
Background
Mahe (Mayyazhi) is a land titled as the Eye brow of Arabian Sea, which is very small and situated on the estuary of the Mayyazhi river and Arabian Sea. Mahe is a tiny point in the Geographical map of Kerala, 630 kms away from Puducherry, the capital of the Union Territory that administers it. This former small French Town covers an area of 9 Sq. Km., recorded as a geographical area of 868.76 Hectare. It is situated on the West Coast of the Indian Peninsula between 11 Degrees 42' and 11 Degrees 43' Northern Latitude, and between 75 Degrees 31' and 75 Degrees 33' Eastern Longitude, just between Badagara and Thalassery, 58 kilometers from Kozhikode, 24 kilometers from Kannur in Kerala State, and is a busy trade centre. Average rainfall is 3000 mm, falling mainly in the south-west monsoon season with a later north-east monsoon spell, and temperature ranges from 19 to 36 degrees. The region has 1 tehsil, 1 block and 5 villages. As per Census 2011 its total population is 41,934, the sex ratio is 1176 and the literacy rate is 98.35. Major crops are coconut, banana, tapioca, arecanut, pepper, jack fruit and mango, grown under a tier and mixed cropping system.
Area of Mahe:
9 Sq. Km.
Geographical area:
868.76 Hectare
Average rainfall:
3000 mm
Distance from Puducherry:
630 kms away from Puducherry
Distance from Kannur in Kerala State:
24 kilometers from Kannur
Total population as per Census 2011:
41,934
Literacy rate as per Census 2011:
98.35
Sex ratio as per Census 2011:
1176
Why it matters for exams: Mahe is the one piece of Puducherry that lies inside Kerala, so its area, river, neighbouring Kerala towns and its distance from the capital that administers it are natural Kerala PSC material.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
estuary estuary — The widened mouth of a river where its fresh water meets the sea.
tier and mixed cropping tier and mixed cropping system — Growing crops of different heights together on the same plot, common in the humid west coast homestead garden.
Background
Puducherry is the Tamil interpretation of 'new town' and mainly derives from 'Poduke', the name of the marketplace or port town for Roman trade in the 1st century. The original name of the territory, Putucceri, is derived from the Tamil words putu ('new') and ceri ('village') or 'New settlement'. The French changed this to Pondichéry, which it was called until its name was officially changed to Puducherry in 2006. Among its attractions the most outstanding is the French Colony, also called the White Town, flaunting cobblestone streets and yellow houses, where the historic building housing the French consulate also stands and streets keep names such as Rue Dumas, Rue Romain Rolland and Rue Suffren. Another major highlight of Puducherry is Sri Aurobindo Ashram, a spiritual community founded in 1926 by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, which is a centre of yoga and meditation. The famous experimental centre, Auroville, is located nearby; it is an experimental township founded in 1968 with the aim of promoting human unity, harmony, and sustainable living, is home to people from over 50 nationalities, and houses 'Matri Mandir', Sanskrit for Temple of the Mother.
Other name of the French Colony in Puducherry:
the White Town
Year the name was officially changed to Puducherry:
2006
Year the Sri Aurobindo Ashram was founded:
1926
Year the Auroville township was founded:
1968
Nationalities living in Auroville:
over 50 nationalities
Roman-era name from which Puducherry derives:
Poduke
Why it matters for exams: The White Town, the Sri Aurobindo Ashram and the Auroville township are the three cultural landmarks an examiner reaches for when setting a question on Puducherry, and the etymology from Poduke links the place to ancient Roman trade.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Matri Mandir Matri Mandir — The spherical meditation hall at the centre of Auroville; the name is Sanskrit for Temple of the Mother.
White Town White Town — The old French residential quarter of Puducherry, also called the French Colony.
Background
Pondicherry University is a Central University established by an Act of Parliament in October 1985.
It is an affiliating university, with jurisdiction over the Union Territory of Puducherry, Lakshwadeep and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Its objectives include making provisions for studies in French and integrated courses in Humanities and the Sciences.
The motto is 'Vers la lumière', meaning 'towards the light'.
The main campus is at Kalapet, 10 kms from the town of Puducherry, spread over 800 acres beside the Bay of Bengal; it also has campuses at Karaikal and Port Blair.
Status:
Central University (Act of Parliament)
Main campus:
Kalapet, 800 acres
Motto:
Vers la lumière
Other campuses:
Karaikal, Port Blair
Why it matters for exams: Central universities, their jurisdiction and campuses are standard education and polity facts; the French link follows from Puducherry's history.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
Arikamedu lies between Veerampattinam beach in the east and the Ariyankuppam river in the west, near Puducherry.
It is identified with the ancient port city of 'Podouke', mentioned in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea.
Mortimer Wheeler's 1945 excavation here was his first project in India after he became Director General of the ASI.
It yielded Arretine Ware, Amphorae and Rouletted Ware, which became the datum point for relative dating in southern India.
The Puducherry Museum houses pottery from the Arikkamedu site, where Roman ships once called in for trade.
Ancient name:
Podouke
Excavated by:
Mortimer Wheeler
Pottery types:
Arretine Ware, Amphorae, Rouletted Ware
Why it matters for exams: Arikamedu is a standard topic on Indo-Roman trade and archaeological dating in ancient Indian history.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
ASI Archaeological Survey of India — The national body that protects and excavates monuments and sites.
Background
Puducherry is the place where the national poet Shri Subramania Bharathiar wrote several of his masterpieces that fanned the flames of freedom and enriched modern Tamil literature.
Bharathidasan, a staunch disciple of Bharathiar, whose poems stressed social revolution and emancipation of women, was an eminent son of Puducherry.
The French Institute caters to research needs in Science, Indology and Culture.
The Romain Rolland Library, more than 150 years old, preserves a rich collection of rare French and Tamil manuscripts.
The Puducherry Museum houses pottery from the Arikkamedu site.
Poet who wrote masterpieces in Puducherry:
Subramania Bharathiar
Disciple:
Bharathidasan
Library:
Romain Rolland Library, 150+ years old
Why it matters for exams: Where Bharathiar wrote, who Bharathidasan was, and which institutions hold rare manuscripts are classic culture and literature questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
Keezhur is where the historic referendum on Puducherry's merger with India was held.
In the referendum held on October 18, 1954, 170 representatives voted in favour of joining India, while eight voted against.
The Government of Puducherry records that the French possessions in India were de facto transferred to the Indian Union on November 1, 1954, after French rule over all its regions lasting 138 years.
Following the completion of legal procedures, the merger received legal recognition on August 16, 1962.
Puducherry observes De Jure Transfer Day to mark this integration; in 2026 Home Minister A. Namassivayam hoisted the national flag at Keezhur.
Referendum held at:
Keezhur
Votes in favour:
170
Votes against:
eight
De facto transfer:
November 1, 1954
Legal recognition:
August 16, 1962
Why it matters for exams: The 1954 referendum and the de facto and de jure stages of Puducherry's merger are standard modern-history and polity material.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
De jure By law — A transfer recognised in law, as distinct from de facto, the transfer in actual practice.