Background
The Constitution of Japan was promulgated on November 3, 1946. Chapter II of the Constitution is headed Renunciation of War and contains only Article 9. Article 9 states that the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes. Its second paragraph adds that land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained, and that the right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized. Article 100 provides that the Constitution be enforced from the day when the period of six months will have elapsed counting from the day of its promulgation. Article 96 requires an amendment to be initiated by the Diet through a concurring vote of two-thirds or more of all the members of each House, and then ratified by an affirmative vote of a majority of all votes cast at a special referendum or at an election the Diet specifies. An amendment so ratified is promulgated by the Emperor in the name of the people as an integral part of the Constitution. Chapter X of the Constitution is headed Supreme Law.
Promulgated:
November 3, 1946
Enforcement (Article 100):
Six months after the day of promulgation
Chapter containing Article 9:
Chapter II, Renunciation of War
Amendment: vote in each House:
Two-thirds or more of all the members
Amendment: final step:
Majority of all votes cast at a referendum
Why it matters for exams: The renunciation of war clause is the single most asked fact about Japan's Constitution, and the amendment procedure under Article 96 is a standard comparison with India's Article 368.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
Background
The full name of INTERPOL is the International Criminal Police Organization, and it is an inter-governmental organization. It has 196 member countries and helps police in all of them work together, enabling them to share and access data on crimes and criminals and offering technical and operational support. The General Secretariat coordinates its day-to-day activities and is run by the Secretary General. The General Secretariat is staffed by both police and civilians and comprises a headquarters in Lyon, a global complex for innovation in Singapore and several satellite offices in different regions. In each country an INTERPOL National Central Bureau, or NCB, is the central point of contact for the General Secretariat and for other NCBs. An NCB is run by national police officials and usually sits in the government ministry responsible for policing. The General Assembly is the governing body of the organization and brings all countries together once a year to take decisions. All its actions are politically neutral and are taken within the limits of existing laws in different countries, which lets police work directly with their counterparts even between countries which do not have diplomatic relations.
Full name:
International Criminal Police Organization
Member countries:
196
General Secretariat headquarters:
Lyon
Global complex for innovation:
Singapore
Governing body:
General Assembly, which brings all countries together once a year
National point of contact:
INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB)
Why it matters for exams: Questions on this organisation turn on its full name, its headquarters, its membership figure and the National Central Bureau through which a country's police must route a request, and candidates often wrongly assume it has officers who can make arrests abroad.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
Background
The Ministry of Home Affairs lists these Central Armed Police Forces: Assam Rifles (AR), Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Security Guard (NSG) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). They are listed on the Ministry of Home Affairs website.
Ministry:
Ministry of Home Affairs
Forces listed:
AR, BSF, CISF, CRPF, ITBP, NSG, SSB
Why it matters for exams: Which forces are listed as Central Armed Police Forces by the Ministry of Home Affairs is a standard security and polity question.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
Background
The Union Cabinet approved the creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) in the rank of a four-star General, with salary and perquisites equivalent to a Service Chief. Under the same decision the CDS heads the Department of Military Affairs (DMA), to be created within the Ministry of Defence, and functions as its Secretary. The DMA deals with the Armed Forces of the Union (Army, Navy and Air Force), the Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence, the Territorial Army and works relating to the Army, the Navy and the Air Force. The CDS is the Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee and Principal Military Adviser to Raksha Mantri on all tri-Services matters, and will not exercise any military command, including over the three Service Chiefs.
Rank:
Four-star General
Heads:
Department of Military Affairs
Also:
Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee
Advises:
Raksha Mantri, as Principal Military Adviser on tri-Services matters
Why it matters for exams: Role, rank and limits of the CDS, and the DMA's mandate, are frequently asked in defence and polity questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
29 September 2026
A military airstrike on a market in Kyauktaw, Rakhine state, killed at least 33 people and wounded 36 on 28 September 2026.
The Arakan Army reported the figures and rescue official Wai Hun Aung confirmed the details to the Associated Press. The group has captured 14 of Rakhine's 17 townships.
The market is the region's main wholesale centre and was hit at noon local time; the Arakan Army said the toll may continue to increase.
The military did not immediately comment but has previously said it strikes only legitimate military targets.
Nearly 500,000 people are displaced in Rakhine amid fighting since the 2021 coup.
Killed:
at least 33
Wounded:
36
Displaced in Rakhine:
nearly 500,000
Why it matters for exams: Myanmar's post-coup conflict is a recurring Asia-security topic.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
Sweden officially joined NATO on 7 March 2024.
It deposited its instrument of accession to the North Atlantic Treaty with the Government of the United States in Washington DC.
With Sweden's accession, NATO counts 32 countries among its members.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Sweden would now take its rightful place at NATO's table, with an equal say in shaping NATO policies and decisions.
Joined NATO:
7 March 2024
Member number:
32nd
Instrument deposited with:
Government of the United States, Washington DC
Why it matters for exams: NATO membership dates and counts are frequent defence-and-international questions; Sweden is in NATO but not in the eurozone.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
29 September 2026
On 28 September 2026 Kim Son Gyong, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, spoke in the general debate of the UN General Assembly's 81st session.
He said the country's nuclear status can never be reversed in any circumstances or by any means.
He cited the US-Japan-Republic of Korea security partnership and military exercises as raising pressure.
He called for UN reforms to increase impartiality and equal representation of Member States.
He marked 35 years since the DPRK joined the United Nations.
Speaker:
Kim Son Gyong
UNGA session:
81st
Years since UN entry:
35
Why it matters for exams: Korean Peninsula security and UN membership history are frequent exam topics.
Kerala PSCUPSC
29 September 2026
On 28 September 2026 Sudan's Foreign Minister Mohieldin Salim Ahmed Ibrahim addressed the UN General Assembly in place of de facto head of state General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.
He called the denial of General al-Burhan's US visa deeply regrettable and called on the UN to examine the incident and uphold the 1947 Headquarters Agreement.
He rejected any attempt to impose solutions, dictates or external agendas on Sudan's people.
He called for Security Council reform, including two permanent African seats.
The civil war between the de facto government and the Rapid Support Forces has run since April 2023.
Speaker:
Mohieldin Salim Ahmed Ibrahim
Agreement cited:
1947 Headquarters Agreement
African permanent seats sought:
two
Why it matters for exams: UN host-country obligations, Security Council reform and the Sudan war are linked exam themes.
Kerala PSCUPSC
29 September 2026
On 25 September 2026 the UN said it was gravely concerned as fighting spreads across multiple fronts in northern Ethiopia.
Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric cited reports of drone use and harm to civilians.
Internet and phone services have been largely cut across Tigray, and a drone strike hit a truck carrying food aid for displaced people.
Armed groups have seized humanitarian vehicles in parts of Amhara, and road closures have paused planned aid movements.
Below-average rainfall linked to El Niño adds to needs; the Secretary-General is engaging leaders, and the African Union and IGAD are among partners.
Regions named:
Tigray, Amhara, Afar
UN spokesperson:
Stéphane Dujarric
Climate factor:
El Niño
Why it matters for exams: African geography, regional organisations and conflict are regular exam topics.
Kerala PSCUPSC
29 September 2026
At a UN Security Council meeting on 28 September 2026, officials reported over 1,600 settler attacks in the West Bank this year, an average of 6.7 a day against 5 a day in 2025.
More than 4,300 Palestinians have been displaced.
Israel invited bids for 1,234 homes in the E1 area near East Jerusalem, with a 19 October deadline.
In Gaza, 1,394 Palestinians have been killed since the October 2025 ceasefire, and about 94% of the population needs shelter assistance.
Board of Peace official Nickolay Mladenov said the situation on the ground does not yet match the documented agreements; Hamas disarmament and Israel's full withdrawal have yet to begin.
Settler attacks this year:
over 1,600
E1 homes put to bid:
1,234
Killed in Gaza since ceasefire:
1,394
Why it matters for exams: Tests knowledge of the Security Council's role in the Israel-Palestine question.
Kerala PSCUPSC
29 September 2026
UN News reports on Yemen on 29 September 2026 that about 7,800 suspected cholera cases and 22 deaths have been recorded in 2026.
More than 22,000 measles cases have been identified, and dengue has been linked to 37 deaths.
Since 6 August, renewed clashes have caused more than 4,481 casualties, including 830 deaths.
Over 180,000 people have been displaced by the fighting.
Dr. Annette Heinzelmann of WHO's Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office said emergency obstetric and newborn care has been suspended in two hospitals because staff were redirected to trauma care.
Suspected cholera cases in 2026:
about 7,800
Casualties since 6 August:
more than 4,481 (830 deaths)
People displaced:
over 180,000
Why it matters for exams: Links a conflict to disease outbreaks, a recurring theme in health and international-affairs questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
Background
The Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction comprises a Preamble, 24 Articles and 3 Annexes. It aims to eliminate an entire category of weapons of mass destruction by prohibiting their development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, retention, transfer or use by States Parties. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is its implementing body, and the Convention entered into force on 29 April 1997. The OPCW has 193 Member States, and its Executive Council has 41 members.
Structure:
Preamble, 24 Articles, 3 Annexes
Implementing body:
OPCW
OPCW Member States:
193
Why it matters for exams: Treaty-body pairings in disarmament, such as the convention and its implementing organisation, are a common linking question.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
Background
Under Article 23 of the UN Charter the Security Council consists of fifteen Members: five permanent members (China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States) and ten non-permanent members elected by the General Assembly for a term of two years. Each member has one vote. Under Article 27, decisions on procedural matters need an affirmative vote of nine members. Decisions on all other matters need an affirmative vote of nine members including the concurring votes of the permanent members, which is the basis of the power popularly called the veto. The Council has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.
Members:
15 (5 permanent, 10 non-permanent)
Term of non-permanent members:
two years
Votes needed for substantive decisions:
nine, including the permanent members
Why it matters for exams: Composition, terms and the voting formula of the Security Council are among the most frequently examined UN facts.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
Background
DRDO works under the Department of Defence Research and Development of the Ministry of Defence.
It was formed in 1958 by amalgamating the Technical Development Establishments of the Indian Army and the Directorate of Technical Development and Production with the Defence Science Organisation.
It began with 10 establishments or laboratories and is now a network of around 41 laboratories and 5 DRDO Young Scientist Laboratories.
Its indigenous systems include the Agni and Prithvi missiles, the Tejas light combat aircraft, the Pinaka rocket launcher and the Akash air defence system.
Its guiding line is "Balasya Mulam Vigyanam", meaning the source of strength is science.
Parent department:
Department of Defence Research and Development, Ministry of Defence
Merged into DRDO:
Technical Development Establishments, Directorate of Technical Development and Production and Defence Science Organisation
Motto:
Balasya Mulam Vigyanam
Laboratories:
Around 41, plus 5 Young Scientist Laboratories
Why it matters for exams: DRDO's parent department, origin and flagship systems are common in defence and science-and-technology sections.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
Background
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has its seat in The Hague, Netherlands.
It was established when the Chemical Weapons Convention entered into force on 29 April 1997.
There are 193 OPCW Member States, countries that have signed the Convention.
The OPCW won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2013 for its extensive efforts to eliminate chemical weapons.
Seat:
The Hague, Netherlands
Convention in force:
29 April 1997
Member States:
193
Nobel Peace Prize:
2013
Why it matters for exams: Another international body seated at The Hague; its convention date and Nobel award are common facts questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
29 September 2026
During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's May 2026 visit, India and the Netherlands elevated ties to a Strategic Partnership.
A Roadmap of the India-Netherlands Strategic Partnership for 2026-2030 was adopted.
Diplomatic relations date from 1947; in FY 2024-2025 merchandise trade was USD 27.779 billion.
The Netherlands is India's 3rd largest export destination globally and the largest in Europe, and the fourth largest investor in India, with cumulative Dutch investment of about USD 55.6 billion since 2000.
Diplomatic relations since:
1947
Merchandise trade FY 2024-25:
USD 27.779 billion
Cumulative Dutch investment in India (2000 onwards):
approx. USD 55.6 billion
Netherlands as investor in India:
Fourth largest
Why it matters for exams: Bilateral relations with a major European trade and investment partner are a staple of international-affairs questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
29 September 2026
Russian strikes killed eight people across Ukraine on 27 September 2026, with attacks on Sumy, Odesa region, Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia region. On 28 September a guided Russian aerial bomb hit an apartment block in Kharkiv, injuring at least 22 people, Mayor Ihor Terekov said. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia used over 2,200 attack drones, 1,630 aerial bombs and 38 missiles in the past week. He said the drone attacks did not fit Russian claims of preparing for de-escalation. Local reports said Ukrainian drones struck the Pavlovskaya oil depot in Russia's Krasnodar region.
Killed on 27 September:
8
Attack drones in past week:
Over 2,200
Aerial bombs in past week:
1,630
Missiles in past week:
38
Why it matters for exams: The Russia-Ukraine war remains a core international-affairs topic.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
UN Peacekeeping began in 1948 with the establishment of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) in the Middle East to monitor ceasefires.
Since the 1950s, India has sent over 290,000 peacekeepers to more than 50 missions worldwide, making it the largest contributor to UN peacekeeping efforts.
Over 5,000 Indian peacekeepers are currently deployed in 9 active missions, and nearly 180 Indian peacekeepers have made the ultimate sacrifice.
UN peacekeepers are known as Blue Helmets. In 1947, the UN decided on this colour because blue symbolizes peace, while red is often linked to war.
In 2023, India received the UN's highest peacekeeping honour, the Dag Hammarskjold Medal, posthumously awarded to Indian peacekeepers Shishupal Singh and Sanwala Ram Vishnoi and civilian UN worker Shaber Taher Ali for their sacrifice in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Mission failures in Rwanda and Bosnia prompted reforms, leading to the Brahimi Report (2000), which emphasized robust mandates and better resources.
The Centre of United Nations Peacekeeping (CUNPK) in New Delhi conducts India's peacekeeping training and capacity-building programmes.
Peacekeepers sent by India:
over 290,000 peacekeepers
Missions served in:
more than 50 missions worldwide
Currently deployed:
over 5,000 Indian peacekeepers in 9 active missions
Indian peacekeepers lost:
nearly 180 Indian peacekeepers
First peacekeeping mission:
UNTSO, 1948
Why it matters for exams: India's peacekeeping numbers, the first mission UNTSO and the Blue Helmets nickname are recurring objective questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
28 September 2026
India and Fiji discussed maritime security, military training, cyber training and defence industry collaboration at the second India-Fiji Bilateral Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting in New Delhi. The meeting was co-chaired by Amitabh Prasad, Joint Secretary (International Cooperation) in the Ministry of Defence, and Mason Smith, Permanent Secretary for Defence and Veterans Affairs of Fiji. India reiterated the importance it accords to Fiji and the Pacific Island Countries in its vision of a free, open, inclusive and secure Indo-Pacific. On the sidelines, Mason Smith met Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh for talks on bilateral defence and maritime cooperation. The Fijian delegation is scheduled to visit Kochi on 29-30 September to inspect facilities at the Southern Naval Command for advanced naval training and professional aviation training modules. The delegation also visited the National War Memorial and DPSU Bhavan at the World Trade Centre in New Delhi.
Edition of the JWG:
Second
Venue:
New Delhi
Indian co-chair:
Amitabh Prasad, Joint Secretary (International Cooperation), Ministry of Defence
Fijian co-chair:
Mason Smith, Permanent Secretary for Defence and Veterans Affairs
Follow-up visit:
Kochi, 29-30 September
Why it matters for exams: India's defence engagement with Pacific Island Countries and the Kochi Southern Naval Command link make this useful for Kerala PSC and UPSC.
Kerala PSCUPSC
28 September 2026
The Indian Coast Guard responded to the Belize-flagged chemical tanker MT Seagull 9 off the Paradip coast in Odisha after it suffered main engine failure and rapid flooding of a ballast tank, which made it tilt dangerously.
The vessel was carrying about 9,000 metric tonnes of palm oil with 23 crew members on board.
ICGS Vishwast reached the scene first, followed by a pollution control vessel, an offshore patrol vessel and a Dornier aircraft launched from Bhubaneswar.
An ICG Damage Control Team boarded the unstable vessel and began emergency damage-control measures.
After the tanker was stabilised, the Paradip Port Authority tug Dolphin towed it to anchorage.
A minor palm oil sheen was seen and fully dissipated during follow-up aerial sorties.
Vessel:
MT Seagull 9 (Belize-flagged)
Cargo:
About 9,000 metric tonnes of palm oil
Crew on board:
23
First Coast Guard ship on scene:
ICGS Vishwast
Why it matters for exams: Coast Guard operations, ship names and pollution response are regular defence and environment questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC