Background
The Kollam district administration's profile records that the district is naturally veined by the Ashtamudi lake, a massive multi-branched water body, and that this lake together with the Kollam canal gives Kollam a place of prominence in the waterway systems of the country. Administratively the district has two revenue divisions, Kollam and Punalur, with three taluks each under them. The profile records that Kollam has been the centre of the cashew industry in Kerala from the time of the Portuguese in the 16th century, and that with hundreds of working cashew factories the district still continues to be the largest processed cashew exporter in India. Neendakara and Thangasseri are named as the two fishing harbours and ports in Kollam, supporting a marine industry. The soil is described as varyingly loamy, laterite and forest at the coastal regions, and the district has a large forest cover on its eastern side with eco tourism projects such as Shenduruni, Thenmala and Palaruvi.
Revenue divisions:
Kollam and Punalur, three taluks each
Cashew:
Largest processed cashew exporter in India
Fishing harbours and ports:
Neendakara and Thangasseri
Chief water body:
Ashtamudi lake
Why it matters for exams: The cashew question, the two revenue divisions and the two fishing harbours of Kollam are all stated in the district's own profile.
Kerala PSCSSC
In plain words
Ashtamudi Ashtamudi lake — The multi-branched lake of Kollam that the district profile links to the country's waterway systems.
Revenue division Revenue division — An administrative tier between the district and the taluk in Kerala's revenue set-up.
Background
The news from the United Kingdom this week came from three different seats of power at once: Westminster for the Armed Forces Bill, the Scottish Parliament for the winter health plan and the Northern Ireland Office for the Drumcree parade order. The standing facts behind that spread are these.
The Commonwealth records London as the capital of the United Kingdom, with a population of 67.2 million in 2022.
The currency is the pound, written with the £ sign. The Bank of England is responsible for providing banknotes, and four denominations are in circulation, the £5, £10, £20 and £50, all printed on polymer.
The Bank says it has issued notes for more than three centuries and works with De La Rue, which currently prints them.
The United Kingdom is made up of four nations: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
King Charles III is Head of State, and he is also Head of the Commonwealth and Head of State of 15 Commonwealth countries.
Great Britain's tallest mountain, Ben Nevis in Scotland, has an official height of 1,345m after Ordnance Survey resurveyed it, up from the 1,344m recorded at its previous survey in 1949.
Capital:
London
Currency:
Pound (£)
Banknote denominations in circulation:
£5, £10, £20, £50
Constituent nations:
England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland
Head of State:
King Charles III
Ben Nevis official height:
1,345m
Why it matters for exams: Capital, currency, head of state and the four constituent nations are the most frequently repeated United Kingdom questions in general knowledge papers, and the Ben Nevis height is a standard geography one-liner.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSCBank
In plain words
Polymer banknote Polymer banknote — A banknote printed on thin plastic film instead of paper, which lasts longer in circulation.
Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey — The national mapping agency for Great Britain.
10 October 2026
The Meghalaya government's Information and Public Relations Department put out on 5 October 2026 that the North Eastern Council released ₹42.63 crore and recorded project completions worth ₹45.48 crore during September 2026.
Fourteen major infrastructure projects, worth ₹45.48 crore together, were completed and closed in that month.
Two completed projects in Meghalaya are named in the release.
One is the construction of school buildings at Mawthadraishan in West Khasi Hills, at ₹4.75 crore.
The other is the development of the Cultural Complex of Seng Khasi Ri Raid Laban at Lum Shat Sngi Kenches Trace, Shillong, at ₹9.28 crore.
Of the ₹42.63 crore released, ₹35.21 crore went to the North Eastern States and ₹7.42 crore to regional institutions and agencies; the release is numbered 05/10/2026.
Funds released in September 2026:
₹42.63 crore
Value of completions:
₹45.48 crore
Projects completed and closed:
14
Mawthadraishan school building:
₹4.75 crore
Seng Khasi Ri Raid Laban cultural complex:
₹9.28 crore
Why it matters for exams: The North Eastern Council is the standing regional planning body for the eight North Eastern States, and its monthly releases give the kind of figure examiners quote.
Kerala PSCUPSCBank
In plain words
NEC North Eastern Council — The statutory regional body that plans and funds development projects across the North Eastern States.
Background
The Monetary Policy Committee has just raised the policy repo rate to 5.50 per cent at its meeting of October 5 to 7, 2026, which puts the framework it works under back in the news. Section 45ZB of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 provides for an empowered six-member Monetary Policy Committee. The Governor is its ex officio Chairperson, and the Deputy Governor in charge of monetary policy and one officer of the Bank nominated by the Central Board are the other ex officio members. The three external members notified on October 1, 2024 are Dr. Nagesh Kumar, Shri Saugata Bhattacharya and Prof. Ram Singh, who hold office for four years or until further orders, whichever is earlier. The Committee meets at least four times a year, the quorum is four members, each member has one vote and the Governor has a second or casting vote in case of a tie. Under Section 45ZA the Central Government, in consultation with the Reserve Bank, sets the consumer price index inflation target once every five years; it is 4 per cent with a tolerance band of 2 to 6 per cent, retained for April 2026 to March 2031.
Members:
6
Quorum:
4 members
Minimum meetings a year:
4
Inflation target:
4 per cent with a tolerance band of 2 to 6 per cent
Enabling provision:
Section 45ZB, Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934
Why it matters for exams: The composition, quorum, voting rule and inflation target of the Monetary Policy Committee are asked verbatim in bank and civil service papers.
Kerala PSCUPSCBank
In plain words
Flexible inflation targeting Flexible inflation targeting framework — A framework in which the central bank aims at a numerical inflation target while allowing a tolerance band around it.
Ex officio member Member by virtue of office — A member who sits on a body because of the post held, not by separate appointment.
10 October 2026
The Kerala State Financial Enterprises will hold the state-level launch of its Pink Chitties on October 12 at 11 am. Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan will inaugurate the launch in the Chief Minister's chamber in the Niyamasabha. At the same function KSFE will hand over its guarantee commission for the financial year 2025-26, amounting to ₹110.04 crore, to the Chief Minister. KSFE Managing Director Abhilash P. N., Chairman K. R. Jyothilal and board members Meera K. S., B. S. Preetha and Manoj K. will take part.
Guarantee commission for 2025-26:
₹110.04 crore
Launch date:
October 12, 11 am
Managing Director:
Abhilash P. N.
Why it matters for exams: KSFE is a Kerala public sector undertaking whose chitty products and payments to the State treasury are asked in state-level examinations.
Kerala PSCBank
In plain words
KSFE Kerala State Financial Enterprises Limited — A Kerala government company that runs chitties and lending schemes.
Guarantee commission Guarantee commission — The fee a state undertaking pays the government for the guarantee the government gives on its liabilities.
10 October 2026
Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan announced the schedule of the second session of the Sixteenth Kerala Legislative Assembly at a press conference. The session begins on October 12 and will have nine sittings, on October 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 26, 27, 28 and 29. Government business is set for October 12 to 15 and October 27 to 29, and private members' business for October 16. On October 26 the House will discuss and vote on supplementary demands for grants for the revised budget and on additional demands for the five financial years since 2017. On October 29, from 1 pm to 2 pm, the House will take up the expenditure relating to those supplementary and additional demands. The Kerala Court Fees and Suits Valuation (Amendment) Bill, 2026 and the Madras Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (Amendment) Bill, 2026 will be introduced on October 12, along with a motion to refer them to a subject committee. The Business Advisory Committee will meet on October 12 to settle the legislative business of the remaining days. Deputy Speaker Shanimol Usman and Assembly Secretary Shaji C. Baby were present.
Session begins:
October 12
Number of sittings:
9
Private members' business:
October 16
Supplementary demands taken up:
October 26
Why it matters for exams: Session dates, the Bills introduced and the handling of supplementary demands for grants are standard Kerala polity questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Business Advisory Committee Business Advisory Committee of the Kerala Legislative Assembly — The committee that allots time for the legislative and other business of each sitting.
Supplementary demands for grants Supplementary demands for grants — Extra money the government asks the House to sanction when the budget provision falls short.
Background
Germany is a federal parliamentary republic with its capital at Berlin and German as its official European Union language. Its currency is the euro, and it has been in the euro area since 1 January 1999. It has been a European Union member state since 1 January 1958, making it one of the six founding members of the European Economic Community, and a Schengen area member since 26 March 1995. Eurostat figures for 2025 put its population at 83 577 140 and its geographical size at 357 569 km2, and Germany sends 96 representatives to the European Parliament, the largest national contingent. The Chancellor is head of government and the President is head of state with mainly representative duties. The federation has 16 states, of which three are city-states: Bremen, Berlin and Hamburg.
Capital:
Berlin
Currency:
Euro
Population (Eurostat 2025):
83 577 140
Geographical size:
357 569 km2
Seats in the European Parliament:
96
States (Laender):
16, of which 3 are city-states
Why it matters for exams: Capital, currency, number of states and EU membership dates are the most repeated static questions on Germany.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Laender Bundeslaender (federal states) — The 16 constituent states of the German federation, each with its own parliament and government.
Schengen area Schengen area — The group of European states that have abolished checks at their common borders.
10 October 2026
The German federal government's draft budget for 2027 provides more than 109 billion euros for defence, supplemented by money from the Bundeswehr special fund. The cabinet adopted the draft on 6 July 2026 and it was presented in the Bundestag on 8 September 2026. More than 36 billion euros is set aside for federal investment in 2027; on top of that come 10 billion euros for the Climate and Transformation Fund and around 8 billion euros to support the Laender and municipalities, with around 118 billion euros available in all. The government titles the budget an estimate in the service of prosperity and security. In Germany the Bundestag holds the power of the purse, and the budget becomes law only after the full parliamentary reading and a final vote.
Defence spending, 2027 draft:
more than 109 billion euros
Federal investment:
more than 36 billion euros
Climate and Transformation Fund:
10 billion euros
Support for Laender and municipalities:
around 8 billion euros
Why it matters for exams: Germany's sharply higher defence spending is central to questions on NATO burden sharing and European rearmament.
UPSCBank
In plain words
Bundeswehr Federal Defence Forces — The unified armed forces of Germany.
Sondervermoegen Special fund — An off-budget fund in German public finance, used for Bundeswehr modernisation and for infrastructure.
10 October 2026
New orders in German manufacturing fell 10.6% in August 2026 compared with July 2026, in real terms and seasonally and calendar adjusted, Destatis said on 6 October 2026. Excluding large-scale orders the fall was only 0.1%, and orders were still 2.7% above August 2025. Destatis said the decline was almost entirely attributable to the sharp decline in the manufacture of other transport equipment, which fell 61.5% after an unusually large volume of big orders for ships, rail rolling stock and aircraft had more than doubled that sector in July. Capital goods orders fell 15.3%, consumer goods 7.3% and intermediate goods 2.6%. Domestic orders were down 17.3% and foreign orders 5.4%.
New orders, August 2026 (month on month):
-10.6%
Excluding large-scale orders:
-0.1%
Year on year:
+2.7%
Other transport equipment:
-61.5%
Domestic orders:
-17.3%
Why it matters for exams: Factory orders are a leading indicator of industrial output, and the large-order distortion is a good lesson in reading statistics.
UPSCBank
In plain words
Capital goods Capital goods — Machinery, equipment and vehicles bought by firms to produce other goods.
10 October 2026
Destatis reported on 8 October 2026 that German exports in August 2026 were 137.6 billion euros, down 0.8% on July 2026 but 6.2% higher than in August 2025. These are provisional figures, calendar and seasonally adjusted. Imports came to 118.1 billion euros, up 0.9% on the month and 5.5% on the year. The foreign trade balance thus showed a surplus of 19.5 billion euros in August 2026, against 21.6 billion euros in July 2026 and 17.6 billion euros in August 2025. Without calendar and seasonal adjustment, exports were 123.4 billion euros, imports 108.4 billion euros and the surplus 15.0 billion euros. Exports to the European Union were 77.5 billion euros. Exports to the United States fell 6.3% on the month to 13.5 billion euros, though they were 22.6% above August 2025. Imports from China rose 11.0% on the month to 16.8 billion euros.
Exports, August 2026:
137.6 billion euros
Imports, August 2026:
118.1 billion euros
Trade surplus:
19.5 billion euros
Exports to the EU:
77.5 billion euros
Imports from China:
16.8 billion euros
Why it matters for exams: Germany is Europe's biggest exporter, and its trade surplus is a recurring question on world economy and balance of trade.
UPSCBank
In plain words
Trade balance Balance of merchandise trade — Exports minus imports of goods; a positive figure is a trade surplus.
10 October 2026
Germany's Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) put the country's inflation rate at +3.3% year on year in September 2026, on provisional figures. Consumer prices rose +0.6% on the previous month. Energy prices were +14.9% higher than a year earlier, while food prices rose only +0.4%. Core inflation, measured without food and energy, stood at +2.4%. The same headline rate applies to the harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP), the measure the European Central Bank watches for euro area countries. Germany is the euro area's largest economy, so its price data feed directly into ECB rate thinking.
Inflation rate, September 2026:
+3.3%
Month on month:
+0.6%
Energy prices:
+14.9%
Food prices:
+0.4%
Core inflation:
+2.4%
Why it matters for exams: Euro area inflation figures and the HICP are standard economy questions in UPSC and bank examinations.
Kerala PSCUPSCBank
In plain words
HICP Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices — The common price index used to compare inflation across European Union member states.
Destatis Statistisches Bundesamt (Federal Statistical Office) — Germany's central official statistics agency, based in Wiesbaden.
10 October 2026
Belgian trade unions held a national strike and march in Brussels on 9 October 2026 against the government's austerity plans. Police put the turnout at about 30,000 and said the main union march passed peacefully. The government of Prime Minister Bart De Wever is negotiating savings of 10 billion euros over the next few years with its coalition partners to reduce the deficit, with a deadline of 13 October. Unions object to cuts in areas such as health and to a rise in value added tax, and want higher taxes on the highest earners instead. Several hundred youths at the edge of the protest threw sticks and bottles and clashed with riot police, who used water cannon and tear gas, and police reported serious disturbances to public order. Several days of protests in Liege had already led to about 200 arrests.
Date:
9 October 2026
Turnout (police estimate):
about 30,000
Savings sought:
10 billion euros
Coalition deadline:
13 October
Prime Minister:
Bart De Wever
Why it matters for exams: European austerity politics, deficit targets and union action are recurring questions on the world economy.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
VAT Value Added Tax — A tax charged at each stage of production and sale, borne finally by the consumer.
10 October 2026
The Reserve Bank of India released Working Paper No. 01/2026, titled 'Data Gaps in State-Level Inflation: An Assessment for the Covid Period', on October 9, 2026.
It is written by Purnima Shaw and R. K. Sinha.
Official State-wise CPI inflation data are missing for four pandemic months, namely April and May 2020 and April and May 2021.
The authors use the granular data of the Reserve Bank's Inflation Expectations Survey of Households, which continued on a bimonthly basis during the pandemic, to estimate State-wise CPI-U inflation for those four months.
The estimates combine urban consumers' inflation perceptions, their three-months-ahead inflation expectations and past realised State-wise CPI-U inflation.
When aggregated, the State-wise estimates closely follow the all-India official CPI inflation series.
The paper argues that such estimates can support future research using State-level inflation time series, since State-wise inflation data matter under India's inflation-targeting framework.
Paper:
RBI Working Paper No. 01/2026
Authors:
Purnima Shaw and R. K. Sinha
Missing months:
April and May 2020, April and May 2021
Survey used:
Inflation Expectations Survey of Households (IESH)
Why it matters for exams: The paper links two examinable ideas, the CPI series and the Reserve Bank's Inflation Expectations Survey of Households, under the inflation-targeting framework.
Kerala PSCUPSCBank
In plain words
CPI Consumer Price Index — The retail price index whose combined all-India inflation rate is the Reserve Bank's nominal anchor under inflation targeting.
IESH Inflation Expectations Survey of Households — A bimonthly Reserve Bank survey of urban households on their perception of current inflation and their expectations for the months ahead.
10 October 2026
The Reserve Bank of India announced on 9 October 2026 an open market operation sale of Government of India securities for an aggregate amount of ₹25,000 crore.
The auction will be held on October 13, 2026 through a multi-security auction using the multiple price method, with no security-wise notified amount.
Six securities are on offer, including 7.88% GS 2030 maturing on 19-Mar-2030, 6.10% GS 2031 maturing on 12-Jul-2031, 7.95% GS 2032, 7.26% GS 2033, 7.18% GS 2033 and 7.10% GS 2034 maturing on 08-Apr-2034.
An OMO sale drains rupee liquidity from the banking system, because buyers pay the Reserve Bank for the securities they take.
It is the mirror image of an OMO purchase, which injects liquidity, and it sits alongside the variable rate reverse repo auctions the Reserve Bank has been conducting through October 2026.
Aggregate amount:
₹25,000 crore
Auction date:
October 13, 2026
Method:
multi-security auction, multiple price method
Securities on offer:
6, from 7.88% GS 2030 to 7.10% GS 2034
Why it matters for exams: Open market operations as a liquidity tool, and the difference between an OMO sale and an OMO purchase, are repeatedly asked in bank and UPSC economy papers.
Kerala PSCUPSCBank
In plain words
OMO Open Market Operations — Purchase or sale of government securities by the central bank to inject or drain liquidity in the banking system.
10 October 2026
The Reserve Bank of India announced on 9 October 2026 that it has cancelled the Certificate of Registration of 13 non-banking financial companies.
The cancellation was ordered in exercise of the powers conferred on the Reserve Bank by Section 45-IA(6) of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.
The companies include Nakodar Finance Private Limited, Astrol Dealcom Pvt Ltd, Bhagyashri Trading Pvt Ltd, Britex Financial Services Pvt. Ltd., Delta Capital Market Ltd., Sarla Finance Pvt. Ltd. and Rajesh Fiscal Services Private Limited.
Once the certificate is cancelled, these companies cannot transact the business of a non-banking financial institution as defined in the Act.
A registration under Section 45-IA is the basic legal requirement for an NBFC to commence or carry on business, and the Reserve Bank can cancel it on grounds such as ceasing to carry on business or failing to comply with its conditions and directions.
Companies affected:
13 NBFCs
Legal provision:
Section 45-IA(6) of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934
Date:
9 October 2026
Why it matters for exams: The section of the RBI Act under which an NBFC registration is granted and cancelled is a standard banking awareness question.
Kerala PSCUPSCBank
In plain words
NBFC Non-Banking Financial Company — A company that lends and invests like a bank but cannot accept demand deposits or issue cheques drawn on itself.
10 October 2026
The Department of Posts, under the Ministry of Communications, and Blue Dart Express Limited signed an agreement in New Delhi on 9 October 2026 for India Post parcel services across the country.
Under it Blue Dart will use India Post's network of 1.64 lakh post offices to deliver parcels in urban, semi-urban and rural areas, including remote locations with limited facilities.
The service will cover prepaid as well as COD parcels, with OTP-based delivery authentication and real-time shipment tracking.
The stated aim is faster delivery, better coordination and a simpler parcel process built on easy-to-use technology.
For the Department of Posts it means growth in parcel business and closer links with the organised logistics sector; for Blue Dart it means wider reach and better service in remote areas.
The partnership is intended to strengthen logistics for India's growing e-commerce sector.
Parties:
Department of Posts and Blue Dart Express Limited
Date and place:
9 October 2026, New Delhi
Post office network:
1.64 lakh post offices
Delivery features:
COD parcels, OTP-based delivery authentication, real-time shipment tracking
Why it matters for exams: The size of the India Post network is a frequently asked figure, and public-private tie-ups in logistics are standard economy material.
Kerala PSCSSCBank
In plain words
COD Cash on Delivery — A payment option where the buyer pays for the parcel when it is handed over, not in advance.
10 October 2026
A detailed note on Next-Gen GST Process Reforms, flowing from the recommendations of the 57th GST Council meeting, was issued on 9 October 2026.
Registered taxpayers have risen from about 60 lakh in 2017 to about 1.70 crore as of September 2026.
As on 30 September 2026 the system had processed 3,053 crore invoice uploads and 833.82 crore e-way bills, while gross GST collections in April-September 2026 were about ₹12.46 lakh crore, up 11.6% year on year.
On registration, amendments to particulars will be accepted automatically except for a change in the Principal Place of Business, and cancellation applications will be auto-accepted in phases once pending returns are filed and dues paid.
On refunds, the acknowledgement period falls from 15 days to 10 days with deemed acknowledgement if no response issues, and 90% of claimed amounts are to be sanctioned for zero-rated and inverted duty cases based on risk assessment.
On disputes, no show cause notice will issue where the tax involved is below ₹10,000, the minimum penalty of ₹10,000 is removed for non-fraud cases, and the maximum general penalty falls from ₹25,000 to ₹10,000.
Late fees are waived for delayed returns of taxpayers with prior year turnover up to ₹5 crore if filed by the end of the due month.
GST was introduced on 1 July 2017.
Registered taxpayers:
about 1.70 crore as of September 2026
Invoice uploads:
3,053 crore as on 30 September 2026
E-way bills:
833.82 crore
Gross collections, April-September 2026:
₹12.46 lakh crore, up 11.6%
Refund acknowledgement period:
reduced from 15 days to 10 days
Why it matters for exams: GST numbers such as the taxpayer base and half-yearly collections, and the new refund and penalty thresholds, are frequent economy questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSCBank
In plain words
ITC Input Tax Credit — Credit a registered business can claim for the GST already paid on its purchases of goods and services.
PPoB Principal Place of Business — The main business location declared in a GST registration; changing it still needs approval.
10 October 2026
The 3rd International Bharat 6G Symposium 2026 was held at Yashobhoomi, Dwarka, New Delhi, alongside the India Mobile Congress 2026, and was organised by the Bharat 6G Alliance.
Five new agreements were exchanged with GSMA, one6G, the GTI Alliance, the 6G Innovation Forum (6G IF) Taiwan and VOICE, for joint research, testing and information sharing.
The Alliance released ten white papers and reports, including a progress report on shared 6G principles.
The symposium had over 75 speakers, including more than 30 international experts, and covered spectrum and WRC-27, AI-native networks, testbeds and global standards for IMT-2030.
The valedictory session was addressed by Dr Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, who said India is moving from being a large telecom market to a telecom technology nation.
He said affordability, access and coverage should be design requirements for 6G rather than afterthoughts, and that terrestrial and satellite networks together can reach remote villages, islands and oceans.
The Department of Telecommunications also presented a curtain raiser for the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) 2026, to be held on 27-29 October 2026 at Bharat Mandapam.
The Bharat 6G Alliance was founded in July 2023 as an industry-led platform bringing together operators, startups, academia and research institutions.
Agreements exchanged:
5 (GSMA, one6G, GTI Alliance, 6G IF Taiwan, VOICE)
White papers released:
10
Venue:
Yashobhoomi, Dwarka, New Delhi
Bharat 6G Alliance founded:
July 2023
Why it matters for exams: The Bharat 6G Alliance, its founding year and its international partners are a likely science and technology question.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
IMT-2030 International Mobile Telecommunications-2030 — The ITU framework of requirements under which sixth generation mobile standards are being defined.
10 October 2026
Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh presented the SIDM Champion Awards 2026 at the 8th Annual Session of the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers in New Delhi on 9 October 2026.
Fifteen Champion Awards were given for indigenous technology development, product innovation, design, import substitution, manufacturing excellence and export contribution.
He said India's defence exports reached a record ₹38,424 crore in FY 2025-26, and that the target is ₹50,000 crore by 2029.
He recalled his call to raise the private sector's share of total defence production from about 24% to 50%.
Spending on research and development, he said, should be treated as an investment that strengthens operational readiness and competitiveness.
He added that national security increasingly depends on India's own capacity to design, develop, manufacture and control the technology its armed forces use.
Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, Director General (Acquisition) A. Anbarasu and SIDM office bearers were present.
Defence exports, FY 2025-26:
₹38,424 crore
Export target by 2029:
₹50,000 crore
Private share of defence production:
about 24%, target 50%
Awards presented:
15 Champion Awards
Why it matters for exams: The defence export figure and the 24% to 50% private share target are directly quotable numbers for both PSC and UPSC answers.
Kerala PSCUPSCBank
In plain words
SIDM Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers — An industry body of Indian defence manufacturers that works as an interface between industry and the Ministry of Defence.
10 October 2026
The Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes Welfare Department said on 9 October 2026 that it had completed the 32 projects announced for it under the State's 100-day action plan.
The 'Dakshayani' self-employment assistance scheme, named after Dakshayani Velayudhan, gives a subsidy of up to ₹3.75 lakh to an individual Scheduled Caste woman entrepreneur and up to ₹11.25 lakh to a group.
The 'Priyadarshini' scheme offers an interest-free loan of up to ₹5 lakh to start a new production unit or expand an existing one.
'Panchami Gramam', a pilot for the comprehensive development of Scheduled Caste colonies, began in the Kongad constituency in Palakkad district and can be taken up wherever at least three Scheduled Caste families live.
A Special Purpose Vehicle was appointed for the Wayanad Tribal University and its office began functioning.
The department completed 1,000 study rooms for students and development work in 50 Ambedkar villages.
The State Backward Classes Development Corporation disbursed ₹200 crore in loans to 16,000 beneficiaries, and a Forest Rights Act portal was launched to issue rights documents online.
Projects completed:
32
Dakshayani subsidy, individual:
up to ₹3.75 lakh
Dakshayani subsidy, group:
up to ₹11.25 lakh
Loans by Backward Classes Development Corporation:
₹200 crore to 16,000 beneficiaries
Why it matters for exams: Scheme names, subsidy limits and the persons they are named after are a frequent Kerala PSC question pattern in welfare administration.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
SPV Special Purpose Vehicle — A separate body created to carry out one defined project, here the setting up of the Wayanad Tribal University.
FRA Forest Rights Act — The 2006 central law that recognises the forest land and resource rights of forest-dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers.