Background
Every speech made at the United Nations General Assembly's annual debate in New York is interpreted under a six-language rule. The United Nations' own pages state that there are six official languages of the UN: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. A delegate may speak in any official UN language, and the speech is interpreted simultaneously into the other official languages. At times a delegate may choose to make a statement using a non-official language; in such cases the delegation must provide either an interpretation or a written text of the statement in one of the official languages. Most UN documents are issued in all six official languages, requiring translation from the original document. The United Nations is one of the world's largest employers of language professionals. The UN General Assembly has mandated the full and equitable treatment of all the official languages, and the Department of Global Communications has set minimum standards for UN web multilingualism.
Number of official languages:
Six
The languages:
Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish
Why it matters for exams: The six languages are a recurring one-mark question, and the rule for a delegate speaking in a non-official language is the application version of the same fact.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
Background
Brussels runs through today's Belgian news in this section, and the city's own La Grand-Place is one of the Belgian properties on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
UNESCO's World Heritage Centre records 16 properties in Belgium inscribed on the World Heritage List.
Of these, 15 are cultural properties and 1 is a natural property.
The natural property is the Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe, a property shared with other countries.
La Grand-Place, Brussels and the Flemish Béguinages were inscribed in 1998, and the Historic Centre of Brugge and Notre-Dame Cathedral in Tournai in 2000.
Belgium ratified the World Heritage Convention on 24 July 1996.
Belgium has 16 sites on its Tentative List, the inventory of properties a State Party intends to consider for nomination.
Belgium has held two mandates on the World Heritage Committee, in 1999-2003 and in 2021-2025.
Properties inscribed:
16
Cultural properties:
15
Natural properties:
1
Convention ratified:
24 July 1996
Sites on the Tentative List:
16
Why it matters for exams: World Heritage counts by country, and the cultural-natural split, are asked directly in general knowledge and art and culture sections.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
World Heritage Convention Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage — The 1972 UNESCO treaty under which the World Heritage List is drawn up.
Tentative List A State Party's inventory of properties it may nominate later — A property must normally appear on this list before it can be nominated.
World Heritage Committee The 21-member body that decides inscriptions — States Parties are elected to it for fixed terms.
Background
The district where the Narayani embankment gave way in the floods of late September is Kushinagar, in the Gorakhpur division of north-eastern Uttar Pradesh.
It was formerly known as Kushinara, the place where Gautam Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana, and remains a Buddhist pilgrimage centre.
The district headquarters is at Padrauna.
It covers 2,873.5 square kilometres and had a population of 3,560,830 at the 2011 Census, with a literacy rate of 67.66 per cent and a sex ratio of 955.
The district has six tehsils — Padrauna, Kushinagar, Hatta, Tamkihiraj, Khida and Kaptanganj — and 14 development blocks.
It contains 1,447 villages.
It sends one member to the Lok Sabha and has seven assembly constituencies.
Headquarters:
Padrauna
Area:
2,873.5 square kilometres
Population (2011 Census):
3,560,830
Literacy rate:
67.66 per cent
Assembly constituencies:
7
Why it matters for exams: Kushinagar is one of the four principal Buddhist pilgrimage sites and its district statistics are standard geography and census material.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Mahaparinirvana Mahaparinirvana — In Buddhist tradition, the final passing away of the Buddha, marking release from the cycle of rebirth.
Background
Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary is being observed in India today, and one of the best known Gandhi memorials in Japan stands in Hiroshima.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a bust of Mahatma Gandhi in Hiroshima on 20 May 2023, during his visit to Japan for the G-7 Summit.
The 42-inch bronze bust was gifted by India to the city of Hiroshima and was sculpted by Ram Vanji Sutar, a Padma Bhushan awardee.
It is placed adjacent to the Motoyasu river, near the A-Bomb Dome, a site visited by large numbers of residents and tourists.
The bust stands on a greenbelt on the east bank of the river in Naka Ward and is not inside the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park itself, the city having declined a request for placement within the Park.
The Prime Minister said the bust in Hiroshima gives a very important message, and that the Gandhian ideals of peace and harmony reverberate globally and give strength to millions.
Sculptor:
Ram Vanji Sutar
Height:
42 inches, bronze
Location:
Greenbelt on the east bank of the Motoyasu river, Naka Ward, Hiroshima
Unveiled by:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during the G-7 Summit visit
Why it matters for exams: Gandhi memorials abroad, the sculptor Ram Vanji Sutar and the exact location in Hiroshima are the kind of detail where a wrong assumption about the Peace Memorial Park costs a mark.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
A-Bomb Dome Atomic Bomb Dome, Hiroshima — The preserved ruin of a Hiroshima building left standing after the 1945 atomic bombing, kept as a peace memorial.
2 October 2026
Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan laid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat on Gandhi's birth anniversary.
He paid tributes to former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri at Vijay Ghat on Shastri's birth anniversary, which falls on the same day, and recalled his call of Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan.
The Vice President also paid tributes to Thiru K. Kamaraj at Upa-Rashtrapati Bhavan on Kamaraj's death anniversary.
He described Kamaraj as a true people's leader who expanded education for underprivileged children, implemented mid-day meal schemes and built roads, irrigation dams and industrial estates that laid the foundation of Tamil Nadu's economic development.
He said Gandhi's legacy of truth and non-violence and his belief in the dignity of every individual call for a reaffirmed commitment to a just, harmonious and inclusive society.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat and to Lal Bahadur Shastri at Vijay Ghat the same day, saying their lives of simplicity, courage and service to the nation continue to inspire generations.
Gandhi memorial:
Rajghat
Shastri memorial:
Vijay Ghat
Kamaraj tribute venue:
Upa-Rashtrapati Bhavan
Why it matters for exams: Examiners regularly ask which memorial belongs to which leader, and which two national figures share a birth anniversary on 2 October.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan — Lal Bahadur Shastri's slogan honouring the soldier and the farmer.
2 October 2026
The Government of India has marked 28 geographical locations and features in Ladakh on the official maps of the Survey of India with standardised names and positions.
The Ministry of Home Affairs carried out the exercise in consultation with the Union Territory administration of Ladakh.
The 28 features comprise 10 peaks, 3 mountains, 7 land areas, 2 glaciers, 2 passes, 1 valley, 1 river, 1 lake and 1 water body.
The named features include Kanishka Peak and Zorawar Peak, the Parpik and Skamri glaciers, Guru Rinpoche Lake and the Yangpa River.
Several peaks are named after Buddhist figures such as Milarepa and Rinchen Zangpo.
The stated objective is to enable precise identification of these sites and to generate better public awareness about them.
Features named:
28
Peaks:
10
Glaciers:
2
Land areas:
7
Why it matters for exams: Place-name standardisation in a border Union Territory combines map work, institutions and current affairs in one question.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Survey of India Survey of India — India's national survey and mapping organisation, the authority for official topographic maps.
Background
Kedartal, the second glacial lake in the state expert team's survey, lies in Uttarkashi district, the district described here.
Uttarkashi was established on February 24, 1960 out of portions of the former Tehri Garhwal district.
The district covers 8016 sq. kms. and occupies the extreme north-west corner of the state.
It borders Himachal Pradesh, Tibet and Chamoli district.
The sacred town stands between the Varuna (Syalam Gad) and the Asi (Kaligad), and the Ganga here is the Bhagirathi.
Uttarkashi is described as the northern counterpart of Varanasi, both having a Manikarnika Ghat and a Vishwanath temple.
Date of formation:
February 24, 1960
Area:
8016 sq. kms.
Parent district:
Tehri Garhwal
Why it matters for exams: District formation dates, areas and river names for Uttarakhand are standard one-mark questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Bhagirathi The headstream of the Ganga from Gangotri — It takes the name Ganga only after meeting the Alaknanda at Devprayag.
2 October 2026
The United Nations observes the International Day of Non-Violence on 2 October, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi.
The day was established by General Assembly resolution A/RES/61/271, adopted on 15 June 2007.
The UN page for the day carries Gandhi's words that non-violence "is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind" and is "mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man".
The observance defines non-violence as the rejection of physical force to achieve social or political change.
It groups non-violent action into three categories: protest and persuasion, non-cooperation, and non-violent intervention.
The page cites Professor Gene Sharp's definition of non-violent action as a technique by which people who reject passivity and submission can wage conflict without violence.
Date observed:
2 October
Resolution:
A/RES/61/271
Resolution adopted:
15 June 2007
Categories of non-violent action:
3
Why it matters for exams: The resolution number and the three categories of non-violent action are the exact details asked about this UN day.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
General Assembly resolution A decision adopted by the UN General Assembly — Resolutions numbered by session, as in 61/271 for the 61st session.
Non-cooperation Withholding of cooperation from an authority — One of the three categories of non-violent action named by the UN.
2 October 2026
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on his Jayanti on 2 October 2026.
He highlighted Gandhi's emphasis on Swadeshi, with Khadi as the foremost example.
He urged citizens to purchase at least one Khadi product on 2nd October and take pride in calling it Swadeshi.
He expressed hope that Gandhi's timeless message would continue to guide society towards a better society and a Viksit Bharat, a developed India.
The statement was issued by the Prime Minister's Office.
Date of observance:
2 October 2026
Example of Swadeshi cited:
Khadi
Issuing office:
Prime Minister's Office
Why it matters for exams: Gandhi Jayanti observances and the Swadeshi-Khadi link are recurring one-mark questions in state and central exams.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Swadeshi Swadeshi — The principle of using goods made in one's own country, central to Gandhi's economic thinking.
Khadi Khadi — Hand-spun, hand-woven cloth promoted by Gandhi as the symbol of self-reliance.
2 October 2026
The last date for submitting expressions of interest for the Kerala River Museum has been extended to 5 pm on October 15, 2026.
The museum is planned as an interpretation centre on rivers at Vallakkadavu, under the Kerala State Biodiversity Museum.
Expressions of interest are invited from government institutions, autonomous bodies and other eligible agencies.
The work covers design, development, construction, installation and commissioning of the museum.
The notice was issued by the Information and Public Relations Department as release P.N.X. 4089/2026 dated October 1, 2026.
New deadline:
5 pm on October 15, 2026
Location:
Vallakkadavu
Parent institution:
Kerala State Biodiversity Museum
Release number:
P.N.X. 4089/2026
Why it matters for exams: New State museums and biodiversity institutions are frequently asked about by name and location in Kerala PSC papers.
Kerala PSC
In plain words
EoI Expression of Interest — A preliminary call inviting eligible agencies to show willingness before a formal tender.
2 October 2026
A Division Bench of Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K V Jayakumar directed the Travancore Devaswom Board to exercise greater care while procuring materials for Sabarimala prasadam.
The Bench said future e-tender documents must carry conditions requiring that materials meet quality standards as well as the religious customs and requirements of the temple.
The petition, S J R Kumar v The Travancore Devaswom Board, WP(C) 25645/2021, concerned jaggery carrying a Halal certification mark that was used in Aravana Payasam and Unniyappam.
The supplier, Vardhan Agro Processing Limited of Maharashtra, told the court the marking was affixed for export to West Asia and did not reflect the product's composition.
Testing by the Food Safety Officer found the jaggery satisfactory and free of any substance that made it unsuitable for prasadam.
The petition was disposed of, the court recording the Board's undertaking to be more careful in future procurement. The ruling is reported as 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 541.
Bench:
Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K V Jayakumar
Case:
WP(C) 25645/2021
Citation:
2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 541
Prasadam items involved:
Aravana Payasam and Unniyappam
Why it matters for exams: Devaswom bench rulings on temple procurement combine Article 25-26 questions with the statutory framework of Kerala's Devaswom Boards.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
TDB Travancore Devaswom Board — The statutory board that administers temples of the erstwhile Travancore region, including Sabarimala.
WP(C) Writ Petition (Civil) — A petition filed in a High Court under Article 226 of the Constitution.
1 October 2026
A Division Bench of Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K V Jayakumar closed a long-pending petition about jaggery used for prasadam at Sabarimala.
The case is S J R Kumar v The Travancore Devaswom Board and Ors, WP(C) 25645/2021, reported as 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 541.
The jaggery supplied in 2019 by Vardhan Agro Processing Limited carried a halal certification mark, JUH/HRC/437/2018, obtained for the company's exports to West Asia.
Analysis by the Food Safety Officer found the jaggery within acceptable limits for moisture and total sugar, with no substance unfit for preparing prasadam.
The court said the Board ought to have exercised greater care so that the jaggery supplied did not bear symbols, markings or declarations that could give rise to an apprehension of conflict with the religious customs and practices followed at the temple.
The Board was directed to include conditions in future e-tender documents ensuring that materials for nivedyam and prasadam meet both quality standards and temple custom.
Case:
WP(C) 25645/2021
Citation:
2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 541
Supplier:
Vardhan Agro Processing Limited
Halal certificate number:
JUH/HRC/437/2018
Why it matters for exams: The Travancore Devaswom Board, Sabarimala and the High Court's Devaswom Bench are standing Kerala PSC topics.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Nivedyam Nivedyam — Food offered to the deity in a temple, later distributed as prasadam.
Devaswom Bench Devaswom Bench of the Kerala High Court — A special bench of the Kerala High Court that hears matters about temples administered by the Devaswom Boards.
1 October 2026
The Kerala Council for Historical Research has invited applications for internships in its Online Digital Archive Project. KCHR is an autonomous research institution under the Higher Education Department of the Government of Kerala. Applicants must hold a bachelor's or postgraduate degree in History or in Malayalam. Detailed biodata is to be sent by email to the Council with the subject line 'Application for Internship - Online Digital Archive Project'. The last date to apply is October 5, 2026. The project digitises historical records so that they can be read online rather than only in the archive room.
Qualification:
Degree or postgraduate degree in History or Malayalam
Last date:
October 5, 2026
Why it matters for exams: KCHR and the State's archive institutions appear in Kerala PSC questions on culture, research bodies and higher education.
Kerala PSC
In plain words
KCHR Kerala Council for Historical Research — An autonomous research institution under Kerala's Higher Education Department that works on the State's history and archives.
Digital archive Digital archive — A collection of records scanned and stored electronically so that readers can use them without handling the originals.
1 October 2026
A Supreme Court bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K. Vinod Chandran declined to interfere with a Delhi High Court ruling in a copyright dispute over the song 'En Iniya Pon Nilave' from the 1980 Tamil film Moodu Pani.
The Delhi High Court Division Bench, led by Justice C. Hari Shankar, had held in May 2026 that the composer Ilaiyaraaja's copyright is limited to the music of the song and does not extend to the lyrics or the sound recording.
Saregama India Limited claimed the rights through an assignment from the film's original producer, and opposed the use of a recreated version.
Ilaiyaraaja's counsel argued that the ruling undermined Section 13(4) of the Copyright Act, 1957, which preserves separate copyright in works underlying a cinematograph film or sound recording.
The Supreme Court found no legal error in the High Court's decision but clarified that the High Court's observations are prima facie and are not to operate as binding precedent.
The producers had paid the deposit of Rs 30 lakh ordered earlier by the Single Judge.
Bench:
Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K. Vinod Chandran
Song and film:
'En Iniya Pon Nilave', Moodu Pani (1980)
Provision argued:
Section 13(4), Copyright Act, 1957
Deposit paid:
Rs 30 lakh
Why it matters for exams: The split between music, lyrics and sound recording under Section 13(4) of the Copyright Act is a favourite of law and general-studies papers alike.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Section 13(4) Section 13(4), Copyright Act, 1957 — It preserves a separate copyright in a work that is used in a cinematograph film or sound recording.
Assignment Assignment of copyright — A transfer of copyright from the owner to another person, in whole or in part.
Prima facie Prima facie — On the face of it; a tentative view taken without finally deciding the question.
Background
Why it matters now: the Bill renaming the State Keralam completed its passage through Parliament in August 2026 and received Presidential assent.
The Union Cabinet approved the proposal on 24 February 2026, and the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 passed the Lok Sabha on 11 August and the Rajya Sabha on 12 August 2026.
President Murmu gave assent on 18 August 2026.
Under Article 3 the President refers such a Bill to the State Legislature for its views before it is introduced in Parliament.
The Assembly's resolution of 24 June 2024 said the name of the State in Malayalam is Keralam; the Bill changes the First Schedule.
Cabinet approval:
24 February 2026
Presidential assent:
18 August 2026
Assembly resolution:
24 June 2024
Why it matters for exams: How Parliament alters State names under Article 3 is a favourite polity question.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
Why it matters now: on 29 September 2026 the High Court quashed a government order abolishing the Kerala Police Officers Association, holding that it infringed rights under Article 19(1)(c).
The High Court of Kerala was established on 01-11-1956 under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956 and inaugurated on 05-11-1956.
It succeeded the High Court of Travancore-Cochin, inaugurated at Ernakulam on 07-07-1949.
Its principal seat is Ernakulam and its jurisdiction covers Kerala and the Union Territory of Lakshadweep.
Justice Anna Chandy was the first woman High Court judge in India and Justice M. Fathima Beevi the first woman judge of the Supreme Court.
Established:
1 November 1956
Principal seat:
Ernakulam
Predecessor court inaugurated:
7 July 1949
Why it matters for exams: Court history, seats and 'firsts' are staple Kerala PSC questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
Why it matters now: Wayanad is in the news this week as the township for Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslide survivors takes shape at Kalpetta.
The district came into being on 1 November 1980 as the 12th district of Kerala, when North Wayanad and South Wayanad were carved out and joined together.
When Kerala was formed in November 1956, Wayanad was part of Kannur district, and South Wayanad was later added to Kozhikode district.
Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja of Kottayam organised the Kurichiya tribals into a militia and fought the British in the Wayanad forests.
District formed:
1 November 1980
Order among Kerala districts:
12th
Why it matters for exams: District formation dates and numbering, and the Pazhassi revolt, are classic Kerala PSC questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
The Aswan High Dam is a rock-fill dam on the Nile River at Aswan, Egypt, completed in 1970 at a cost of about $1 billion; it impounds floodwaters and generates hydroelectric power. Flooding by the Nile and Lake Nasser threatened the temples of Nubia, so Abu Simbel, Amada, Wadi Sebua, Kalabsha and Philae were moved during the UNESCO International Campaign from 1960 to 1980. The Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae, in the Governorate of Aswan, were inscribed in 1979.
Dam completed:
1970
UNESCO campaign:
1960 to 1980
Nubian Monuments inscribed:
1979
Why it matters for exams: River-valley projects, dams and World Heritage rescue campaigns are favourite geography and art-culture topics.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
Brasília was created as the Brazilian capital in the central western part of the country from 1956 to 1960. UNESCO describes it as a definitive example of 20th century modernist urbanism. Its urban design is by Lucio Costa and its architectural creations are by Oscar Niemeyer. It was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1987. Exam trap: the capital is Brasília, not Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo.
Capital:
Brasília
Built:
1956 to 1960
World Heritage inscription:
1987
Why it matters for exams: Capital-city traps (Brasília vs Rio de Janeiro vs São Paulo) are a perennial favourite in PSC and UPSC papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway opened in 1881. It runs for 88.48 km from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling on a gauge of 2 feet (0.610 meter). Its innovative design includes six zigzag reverses and three loops. It was inscribed in 1999 as part of the Mountain Railways of India, with the Nilgiri Mountain Railway and the Kalka Shimla Railway. UNESCO says the design of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway applies bold and ingenious engineering solutions to the problem of establishing an effective rail link across mountainous terrain of great beauty.
Length:
88.48 km
Gauge:
2 feet (0.610 meter)
Opened:
1881
Why it matters for exams: Railway heritage and the list of Indian World Heritage properties are regular exam topics.
Kerala PSCUPSC