14 October 2026
A press communique issued from Rashtrapati Bhavan on 12.10.2026 announced six gubernatorial appointments made by the President of India.
Dr. Dhal Singh Bisen was appointed Governor of Uttarakhand.
In the same communique Shri Om Prakash Mathur, Governor of Sikkim, was appointed Governor of Keralam, and Shri Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Governor of Keralam, was appointed Governor of Tamil Nadu.
Shri Braj Mohan Ram was appointed Governor of Odisha, Dr. Sudha Yadav Governor of Karnataka and Shri Dushyant Gautam Governor of Sikkim.
The communique states that the appointments will take effect from the dates the appointees assume charge of their respective offices.
The Governor of a State is appointed by the President under Article 155 of the Constitution.
Date of press communique:
12.10.2026
Appointments announced:
6
New Governor of Uttarakhand:
Dr. Dhal Singh Bisen
Why it matters for exams: Gubernatorial changes and the constitutional provision behind them are a standing favourite in polity and current-affairs papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Article 155 Article 155 of the Constitution of India — It provides that the Governor of a State shall be appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal.
14 October 2026
Governor Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh (Retd.) inaugurated the programme 'Uttarakhand Deep-Tech 2030: Building Technology for the Mountains' at Lok Bhavan, Dehradun, on 10 October 2026.
The stated aim is to use artificial intelligence and deep technologies for border security, disaster management, education and livelihoods, and to promote innovation, skill development and entrepreneurship among young people.
Three panel discussions were held: on defence and Himalayan security, on education and youth, and on creativity, startups and the AI economy.
The Governor said technology must reach remote villages and not only large cities, and listed education, healthcare, agriculture, tourism, disaster management and governance as fields for AI.
He also pointed to deepfakes, misinformation and misuse of personal data as reasons for responsible use, and said AI should enhance human capability rather than replace it.
Secretary Pankaj Kumar Pandey and Additional Secretary Reena Joshi were among the officials present.
Venue:
Lok Bhavan, Dehradun
Panel discussions:
3
Why it matters for exams: State-level deep-technology and AI initiatives are frequently asked about under science and technology and governance.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Deep tech Deep technology — Technology built on substantial scientific or engineering advances, such as artificial intelligence, robotics and advanced materials.
14 October 2026
Wildlife Week 2026 in Uttarakhand was inaugurated on 1 October 2026 at the ICFRE Auditorium, Dehradun, and concluded at Lok Bhawan on 8 October 2026.
The theme was 'Connected Habitats, Thriving Wildlife', which places wildlife corridors and natural habitats alongside protected areas.
The Uttarakhand Forest Department observes Wildlife Week in the first week of October every year.
At the closing ceremony Governor Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh (Retd.) unveiled the logo of the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary in Almora and felicitated forest and wildlife personnel.
The release records that the State government has declared human-wildlife conflict a disaster and has constituted district-level mitigation and management committees.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force) Kapil Lal, PCCF (Wildlife) Neena Grewal, Secretary C. Ravishankar and Member of Parliament Naresh Bansal took part.
Theme:
Connected Habitats, Thriving Wildlife
Sanctuary whose logo was unveiled:
Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, Almora
Why it matters for exams: Wildlife Week themes, the corridor idea and the treatment of human-wildlife conflict as a disaster are standard environment questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
PCCF Principal Chief Conservator of Forests — The senior-most forest service post in a State forest department.
ICFRE Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education — A forestry research body headquartered at Dehradun.
14 October 2026
A programme marking the twenty-first anniversary of the Right to Information Act, 2005 was held at Lok Bhavan, Dehradun, on 7 October 2026.
Governor Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh (Retd.) was the Chief Guest and felicitated the winners of the Dr. R.S. Tolia State-Level RTI Act Debate Competition-2026.
Chief Information Commissioner Radha Raturi briefed the gathering on the functioning and activities of the State Information Commission.
The Governor asked the State Information Commission to use artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies to make access to information simpler and wider, particularly in remote and hilly areas.
Information Commissioner Dalip Singh Kunwar and former Information Commissioner Yogesh Bhatt were among those present, along with students from schools and colleges.
Anniversary marked:
21st anniversary of the RTI Act, 2005
Chief Information Commissioner:
Radha Raturi
Why it matters for exams: The RTI Act's year of enactment and the State Information Commission's role are repeatedly tested in polity papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
RTI Right to Information — The 2005 law that lets any citizen seek information held by a public authority.
14 October 2026
Mufti Shamoon Qasmi, the newly appointed Chairman of the Uttarakhand Minority Hunar Council, paid a courtesy call on Governor Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh (Retd.) at Lok Bhavan, Dehradun, on 12 October 2026.
The Council works on skills and crafts among members of minority communities in the State.
The Governor said the skills and talents of minority community members should be developed and linked to self-reliance and employment.
He asked for special attention to skill development, including connecting young people with modern technology and innovation.
He also asked the Council to create platforms for skilled persons and to recognise top performers so that their achievements encourage others.
Body:
Uttarakhand Minority Hunar Council
Newly appointed Chairman:
Mufti Shamoon Qasmi
Why it matters for exams: State minority welfare bodies and their office-bearers are routine appointment questions in state-focused papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Hunar Hunar (skill or craft) — An Urdu and Hindi word for skill or craft, used in the Council's name.
14 October 2026
A National Conference and Policy Dialogue on Tuberculosis was held at AIIMS Rishikesh on 9 October 2026.
Governor Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh (Retd.) took part, along with Health Minister Subodh Uniyal.
The conference was organised with the Policy Resilience Foundation, whose Director is Nandish R. Paithani, with Dr. Pratima Gupta as organising chairperson; the Executive Director of AIIMS Rishikesh is Professor Meenu Singh.
The use of drones by AIIMS Rishikesh to deliver tuberculosis medicines to remote areas was highlighted as a model for mountainous regions.
The Governor said that ending tuberculosis needs timely diagnosis, nutrition, public awareness and community participation besides medicine, and called for an end to stigma around the disease.
The Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, the Nikshay Poshan Yojana, the Nikshay Mitra initiative and TB Mukt Panchayat were cited at the conference.
Venue:
AIIMS Rishikesh
Delivery method highlighted:
Drones carrying TB medicines to remote areas
Why it matters for exams: National tuberculosis programmes and their scheme names are frequently asked in health and schemes questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Nikshay Mitra Nikshay Mitra — An initiative under which individuals and organisations adopt tuberculosis patients to provide nutritional and other support.
Background
Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks, in Uttarakhand, are together inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a single serial property.
The date of inscription is 1988, with significant modifications to the boundaries in 2005.
The property is listed under criteria (vii) and (x).
The property area is 71,210 ha and the buffer zone covers 514,857 ha.
The landscape is dominated by the 7,817 m peak of Nanda Devi, which is approached through the Rishi Ganga gorge, one of the deepest in the world.
Both the parks form the core zones of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve.
The property is representative of the West Himalaya biogeographic zone and is a transition zone between the mountain ranges of the Zanskar and Great Himalaya.
Its wildlife includes the snow leopard, the Himalayan musk deer and a large population of bharal, or blue sheep.
Date of inscription:
1988
Significant modifications to the boundaries:
2005
Criteria:
(vii) (x)
Property area:
71,210 ha
Buffer zone:
514,857 ha
Nanda Devi peak:
7,817 m
Why it matters for exams: India's natural World Heritage properties, their criteria and their areas are standard one-mark material, and this is the property that links Uttarakhand's best known peak, park and biosphere reserve in one answer.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Buffer zone — An area surrounding a World Heritage property that is given added protection to shield the property itself.
Bharal — A wild Himalayan sheep, also called the blue sheep, that grazes the high slopes.
Background
Corbett National Park, in Uttarakhand, is described by the Nainital district administration as the first national park of India.
It was established in 1936 under the name Hailey National Park.
It was renamed Corbett National Park in 1957, in memory of Jim Corbett.
The park covers an area of 521 sq km.
Of this, about 312.86 sq km lies in Pauri Garhwal district and 208.14 sq km in Nainital district.
The Ramganga river meanders through the park, with deep pools and foaming rapids, and is its main source of water.
Established:
1936
Original name:
Hailey National Park
Renamed Corbett National Park:
1957
Area:
521 sq km
Area in Pauri Garhwal district:
312.86 sq km
Area in Nainital district:
208.14 sq km
Why it matters for exams: The first national park in the country, its old name and the river running through it are among the most repeated wildlife questions in both state and central examinations.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
National park — A strictly protected area where no grazing or private landholding is allowed, notified for the protection of wildlife and its habitat.
Background
Devprayag is a town in Tehri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand, situated at the confluence of the Alaknanda and the Bhagirathi.
The Tehri Garhwal district administration states that the birth of the Ganga starts from here after the merging of the two rivers named Bhagirathi and Alaknanda.
The town lies at an altitude of 472 m.
It is one of the five sacred prayags, or confluences, of the Alaknanda.
The ancient temple of Raghunathji stands here; it was damaged in an earthquake in 1803 and repairs were funded by Daulat Rao Sindhia.
The town is about 87 km from Narendra Nagar, and the nearest railway station is Rishikesh, 71 km away.
District:
Tehri Garhwal
Rivers that meet:
Alaknanda and Bhagirathi
Altitude:
472 m
Temple:
Raghunathji
Nearest railway station:
Rishikesh, 71 km
Why it matters for exams: Questions on where the Ganga is said to begin, and on which rivers meet at each of the five prayags, are a standing favourite in both geography and general knowledge papers.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Prayag — A river confluence treated as a sacred site; five such confluences on the Alaknanda are counted together as the Panch Prayag.
Background
The Forest Research Institute is located at Dehra Dun, in Uttarakhand.
Established in 1906, it is one of the oldest institutions of its kind.
Its history is closely interwoven with the development of scientific forestry in India and in the Indian subcontinent as a whole.
The institute's estate is spread over 450 hectares, with the outer Himalaya forming its backdrop.
Its main building marries Greco-Roman and Colonial styles of architecture.
The campus holds laboratories, a library, a herbarium, arboreta, a printing press and experimental field areas.
Established:
1906
Location:
Dehra Dun, Uttarakhand
Estate:
450 hectares
Architecture of the main building:
Greco-Roman and Colonial
Why it matters for exams: Institutions and their seats are standard one-mark questions, and Dehradun's forestry research institute is the one most often paired with the phrase scientific forestry in India.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Herbarium — A reference collection of dried, pressed and labelled plant specimens kept for identification and research.
Arboretum — A planted collection of living trees grown and studied as a botanical collection.
Background
The State of Uttarakhand was carved out of Uttar Pradesh under the Uttar Pradesh Reorganization Act enacted by Parliament, and Part IV of that Act provides for its High Court.
The court's own account records that it became the eighteenth High Court in the country.
The seat of the High Court is at Nainital, in the Kumaon region of the State.
The sanctioned strength of judges was seven when the court was created and has since been increased to eleven.
Justice Ashok A. Desai, transferred from the Allahabad High Court, was its first Chief Justice.
Seat:
Nainital
Sanctioned judge strength:
7 at creation, since increased to 11
First Chief Justice:
Justice Ashok A. Desai
Why it matters for exams: Seats and sanctioned strengths of High Courts, and the Acts that created them, are standard polity questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Kumaon Kumaon division — One of the two administrative divisions of Uttarakhand, the other being Garhwal.