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.
13 October 2026
Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU), Raipur, announced plans for an International Arbitration and Mediation Institute on its campus at an estimated cost of ₹30 crore.
The proposed HNLU International Arbitration and Mediation Institute (HIAMI) is expected to be launched in early 2028, the university's silver jubilee year.
Vice-Chancellor Professor V. C. Vivekanandan announced it on 11 October 2026 at the end of a two-day international conference on arbitration held on 10 and 11 October.
HNLU signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Arbitration and Mediation Centre (IAMC), Hyderabad, at the inaugural ceremony.
The UNCITRAL National Coordination Committee, India, was the institutional and knowledge partner of the conference.
Estimated cost:
₹30 crore
Expected launch:
Early 2028
MoU partner:
IAMC, Hyderabad
Why it matters for exams: Arbitration and mediation institutions are tied to India's push for faster dispute resolution and appear in law and governance questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
UNCITRAL United Nations Commission on International Trade Law — The UN body that develops rules on international trade law, including arbitration.
Arbitration Settling a dispute through a neutral arbitrator — A way of resolving disputes outside regular courts.
Background
The University of Kerala was founded in 1937 and was one of the first 16 universities in India.
It was formerly called the University of Travancore, in the erstwhile princely state of Travancore.
It came into being by a promulgation of the Maharajah of Travancore, Sri Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, who was also the first Chancellor of the University.
Sir C. P. Ramaswamy Ayyar, the then Diwan of the State, was its first Vice-Chancellor.
The Kerala University Act (Act 14 of 1957) was brought into force and the University of Travancore was renamed the University of Kerala.
Its earliest origins are traced to University College, Thiruvananthapuram, founded as the Maharaja's Free School by Maharaja Swathi Thirunal in 1834 and grown into a college in 1866.
The other origin is the Trivandrum Observatory, founded in 1838 with the scientist John Caldecott FRS as its first Director; it is the oldest institution under the University.
The University once had campuses at Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Kozhikode, and in 1968 the Kozhikode centre became a full-fledged university, the University of Calicut.
The Cochin University of Science and Technology and the Kerala Agricultural University followed in 1971 and Mahatma Gandhi University in 1983.
The University of Kerala's jurisdiction now covers Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Alappuzha districts and some parts of Pathanamthitta district.
Founded:
1937
Original name:
University of Travancore
First Chancellor:
Sri Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma
First Vice-Chancellor:
Sir C. P. Ramaswamy Ayyar
Why it matters for exams: The founding year, the original name and the first Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor of Kerala's oldest university are recurring one-mark questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Diwan Chief minister of a princely state — The head of the administration of a princely state, a post Sir C. P. Ramaswamy Ayyar held in Travancore.
Background
Kottayam, the administrative capital of Kottayam district, lies in central Kerala.
It is bordered by the Western Ghats on the east and by the Vembanad Lake and the paddy fields of Kuttanad on the west.
The district administration calls the town 'Akshara Nagari', the city of letters, for its contribution to print media and literature.
Kottayam Town was the first town in India to achieve 100 per cent literacy, a feat recorded in 1989.
English education in South India began at the Old Seminary at Kottayam in 1813.
The first printing press in Kerala, the CMS Press, was established there in 1821 by Rev. Benjamin Baily.
The first college in the State, CMS College, was started at Kottayam in 1840.
The maiden printed Malayalam-English and English-Malayalam dictionaries were published from Kottayam in 1846 and 1847 respectively.
Most of India's natural rubber comes from the district's plantations, and Kottayam is home to the Rubber Board.
Kottayam was the first town in India selected by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests to be transformed into an Eco City.
First town in India with 100% literacy:
Kottayam Town, 1989
First printing press in Kerala:
CMS Press, 1821
First college in the State:
CMS College, 1840
Board headquartered here:
Rubber Board
Why it matters for exams: Kerala PSC repeatedly asks for the State's firsts in printing, higher education and literacy, and almost all of them belong to Kottayam.
Kerala PSCSSC
In plain words
CMS Church Missionary Society — The missionary body whose press and college at Kottayam were the first of their kind in Kerala.
Background
The Government of India decided to create a new category of languages as Classical Languages on 12th October 2004, declaring Tamil as Classical Language and setting criteria for the status.
A Linguistic Experts Committee (LEC) was constituted by the Ministry of Culture under Sahitya Akademi in Nov 2004 to examine the proposed languages for the status of Classical Language.
The criteria were revised in Nov 2005 and Sanskrit was declared as Classical Language, with a date of notification of 25/11/2005.
The Government of India records the date of notification for Malayalam as a Classical Language as 08/08/2013, after Telugu and Kannada, both notified on 31/10/2008, and before Odia on 01/03/2014.
Centres for Excellence for studies in Classical Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam and Odia were established under the auspices of the Central Institute of Indian Languages in Mysuru.
Benefits extended to Classical Languages by the Ministry of Education include National Awards for Classical Languages, Chairs in Universities and Centres for promotion of Classical Languages.
The Linguistics Experts Committee under Sahitya Akademi later revised the criteria again, and the Union Cabinet approved Classical Language status for Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese and Bengali.
Date of notification for Malayalam:
08/08/2013
Category created:
12th October 2004, with Tamil
Committee that examines proposals:
Linguistic Experts Committee (LEC)
Nodal agency for the LEC:
Sahitya Akademi
Centre for Excellence for Classical Malayalam:
Under the Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysuru
Why it matters for exams: The year Malayalam became a Classical Language, the order of the languages and the body that recommends the status are set in both Kerala PSC and UPSC papers.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
LEC Linguistic Experts Committee — The committee constituted under Sahitya Akademi that examines languages proposed for Classical Language status.
Sahitya Akademi India's national academy of letters — The body appointed as nodal agency for the Linguistic Experts Committee on Classical Languages.
CIIL Central Institute of Indian Languages — The Mysuru institute under which the Centres for Excellence for Classical Malayalam and three other languages were set up.
Background
One of the first 16 Universities in India, the University of Kerala was founded in 1937, and was formerly called the University of Travancore in the erstwhile princely state of Travancore.
The University came into being by a promulgation of the Maharajah of Travancore, Sri Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, who was also the first Chancellor of the University.
Sir C. P. Ramaswamy Ayyar, the then Diwan of the State, was the first Vice-Chancellor.
The Kerala University Act (Act 14 of 1957) was brought into force and the University of Travancore was renamed University of Kerala.
Its earliest origins are traced to two institutions of modern learning: the University College, Thiruvananthapuram, initially founded as the Maharaja's Free School by Maharaja Swathi Thirunal in 1834, and the Trivandrum Observatory, founded in 1838, which is now the oldest institution under the Kerala University.
Ten colleges within the State of Travancore, then affiliated to the Madras University, became the affiliated colleges of the University of Travancore.
In 1968 the University Centre at Kozhikode became a full-fledged university, the University of Calicut; CUSAT in 1971, Kerala Agricultural University in 1971 and Mahatma Gandhi University in 1983 were established later.
These developments have shrunk the jurisdiction of the University of Kerala to Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Alappuzha districts and some parts of Pathanamthitta District.
Founded:
1937
Former name:
University of Travancore
First Chancellor:
Maharajah Sri Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma
First Vice-Chancellor:
Sir C. P. Ramaswamy Ayyar
Law that renamed it:
Kerala University Act (Act 14 of 1957)
Oldest institution under it:
Trivandrum Observatory, founded in 1838
Why it matters for exams: The founding year, original name, first Chancellor and first Vice-Chancellor of Kerala's oldest university are standard Kerala PSC questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Chancellor Titular head of a university — The ceremonial head of the University; the Maharajah of Travancore held the office first.
Diwan Prime Minister of a princely state — The head of the administration in Travancore; the Diwan Sir C. P. Ramaswamy Ayyar became the first Vice-Chancellor.
Affiliating university A university that affiliates colleges — A university that grants degrees to students of colleges affiliated to it rather than teaching them all itself.
13 October 2026
General Education Minister N. Shamsudheen released 'Kuttu', the mascot of the 68th State School Sports Meet, at the Niyamasabha media room.
The mascot was designed by R. S. Lakshmi Nandana, a Class 8 student of KNNM Higher Secondary School in Kollam district.
The meet will be held in Kozhikode from 25 to 31 October 2026 across 10 venues in the district.
The NIT Calicut campus is the main venue; athletics begin on 27 October and inclusive sports are held on 26 October.
About 15,000 people including athletes, team managers, officials and organisers will be involved; about 2,800 athletes compete in the sub-junior, junior and senior athletics categories and more than 2,000 in inclusive events.
A total of 48 athletes based in the Gulf region will take part.
The golden cup procession starts from Thiruvananthapuram on 22 October and the torch relay from Kasaragod on 23 October; both reach Kozhikode beach on 25 October.
Seventeen sub-committees are working under Kunnamangalam MLA M. A. Razak Master, with 620 officials, 140 selectors and 100 technical officials arranged.
Mascot:
Kuttu
Edition:
68th State School Sports Meet
Dates and host district:
25 to 31 October 2026, Kozhikode
Venues:
10
Why it matters for exams: The mascot, host district and edition number of the State School Sports Meet are repeatedly asked in Kerala PSC general knowledge papers.
Kerala PSCSSC
In plain words
Mascot Mascot of a sporting event — A figure or character adopted as the emblem of a sporting event.
Background
The Constitution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization was adopted in London on 16 November 1945.
Its purpose is to contribute to peace and security by promoting collaboration among the nations through education, science and culture.
The Organization includes a General Conference, an Executive Board and a Secretariat.
The General Conference consists of the representatives of the Member States and determines the policies and main lines of work of the Organization.
The General Conference meets in ordinary session every two years.
The Executive Board is elected by the General Conference and consists of fifty-eight (58) Member States.
The English and French texts of the Constitution are equally authoritative.
Constitution adopted:
London, 16 November 1945
Organs:
General Conference, Executive Board, Secretariat
General Conference sessions:
Every two years
Executive Board:
58 Member States
Why it matters for exams: UNESCO's founding instrument, its organs and the cycle of its General Conference are standard UPSC and Kerala PSC topics on UN specialised agencies.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
General Conference Assembly of all Member States — It determines the policies and main lines of work of UNESCO.
Executive Board 58-member governing body — It is elected by the General Conference from among Member States.
Secretariat Administrative arm — The third organ of the Organization, alongside the General Conference and Executive Board.
Background
In 1996 Kozhikode became the 5th IIM to be founded by the Government of India.
The inaugural batch of the PGP in Management began in 1997 with 42 students at the NIT-C campus.
In 2003 the institute moved to a new 97-acre hill-top campus in Kunnamangalam, Kozhikode.
In 2012 IIMK set up a satellite campus in Kochi for Executive Education.
In 2013 IIM Kozhikode inaugurated the first ever Indian Business Museum.
In 2015 IIM Kozhikode mentored the setting up of IIM Amritsar, the 15th IIM in the country.
Order among the IIMs:
5th
Founded:
1996
First PGP batch:
1997, 42 students at the NIT-C campus
Hill-top campus at Kunnamangalam:
97 acres, from 2003
IIM mentored in setting up:
IIM Amritsar (15th IIM), 2015
Why it matters for exams: The order of the IIMs and the founding milestones of Kerala's premier institutions are regular Kerala PSC and UPSC questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
PGP Post Graduate Programme in Management — The flagship programme whose inaugural batch began in 1997 with 42 students.
IIMK Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode — The short form used on the institute's own growth-history page.
Background
National Institute of Technology Calicut (NITC) is an institution of national importance set up by an Act of Parliament, the National Institute of Technology Act 2007, and is fully funded by the Government of India.
Originally established in 1961 as a Regional Engineering College (REC), it was transformed into a National Institute of Technology in 2002.
Its mandate is to provide higher technical education and conduct research in the various branches of Engineering, Science, Technology and Management.
The campus lies at the foothills of the Western Ghats, about 22 kilometres north-east of Calicut city in Kerala.
It stretches over a length of about 1.5 kilometres along the Calicut-Mukkam road, over an area of approximately 120 hectares.
The institute page notes that Calicut, also known as Kozhikode, found a place in world history with the discovery of a sea route to India in 1498 by the Portuguese navigator Vasco Da Gama.
Established as Regional Engineering College:
1961
Became an NIT:
2002
Legal basis:
National Institute of Technology Act 2007
Location:
About 22 km north-east of Calicut city
Campus area:
Approximately 120 hectares
Why it matters for exams: Kerala's institutions of national importance, their founding history and legal basis are regular Kerala PSC and UPSC questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Institution of national importance Status given by an Act of Parliament — NITC is one of the institutions set up by the National Institute of Technology Act 2007.
REC Regional Engineering College — The 1961 form of NIT Calicut before it became an NIT.
13 October 2026
In Prateek Mishra v. State of U.P. (2026 LiveLaw (AB) 807, reported 7 October 2026), Justice Manju Rani Chauhan dismissed the challenge to the Special TET.
The Court said the test only lets in-service teachers acquire the qualification the Supreme Court has made mandatory and gives them no appointment preference over candidates who passed the regular TET.
The impugned orders were a Government Order of 2.9.2026 and a memorandum of 3.9.2026.
The regular TET was held on 2, 3 and 4 July 2026 with 19,94,661 applications, and its result was declared on 26 August 2026.
The deadline to qualify was extended from two to three years, to 31 August 2028.
Applications:
19,94,661
Result declared:
26 August 2026
Qualification deadline:
31 August 2028
Impugned Government Order:
2.9.2026
Why it matters for exams: Teacher eligibility under the RTE Act, NCTE norms and Articles 14 and 16 are staple education-policy and polity questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
TET Teacher Eligibility Test — A test that sets the minimum qualification to be appointed a teacher in classes I to VIII.
NCTE National Council for Teacher Education — The statutory body that lays down minimum qualifications for teachers under the RTE Act.
13 October 2026
The 68th Kerala State School Sports Meet will be held at Kozhikode from 25 to 31 October 2026.
Its mascot 'Kuttu' was unveiled in Thiruvananthapuram by Education Minister N. Shamsudheen.
Kuttu was designed by R.S. Lakshmi Nandana, a Class 8 student of KNNM HSS and VHSS, Kollam.
About 15,000 people, including athletes, team managers and officials, are expected across 10 competition venues.
Athletics will be held from 27 to 31 October at the NIT Calicut campus with 2,800 athletes.
48 athletes from the Gulf region also take part.
Edition:
68th
Dates:
25 to 31 October 2026
Host district:
Kozhikode
Mascot:
Kuttu
Why it matters for exams: Venue, edition number and mascot of the State School Sports Meet are common Kerala sports questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
NIT Calicut National Institute of Technology Calicut — The institute at Chathamangalam whose campus hosts the athletics events.
13 October 2026
Higher Education Minister Roji M John moved a resolution in the Assembly on 12 October 2026.
It asks the Centre to return the Kerala State Private Universities (Establishment and Regulation) Bill, 2025, now before the President.
The Bill had passed the Assembly unanimously in March 2025; Governor Rajendra Arlekar then referred it to the President under Article 200.
It has stayed pending for about 18 months.
The 2025 Bill required a sponsoring body to hold an endowment fund of at least ₹25 crore and at least 10 acres of land.
The UDF government plans a new Bill that also covers deemed-to-be and foreign universities.
Endowment fund required (2025 Bill):
₹25 crore
Land required (2025 Bill):
10 acres
Pending for:
about 18 months
Why it matters for exams: Shows how a State Bill reserved by the Governor for the President is handled, and Kerala's higher-education policy.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Article 200 Article 200 of the Constitution — It lets the Governor reserve a Bill for the President's consideration.
Deemed-to-be university Deemed-to-be university — An institution declared by the Centre to have the status of a university.
Sponsoring body Sponsoring body — The individual or group that sets up a private university.
12 October 2026
A report published by Eurodoc, the European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers, a Brussels-based federation representing early-career researchers, examines what first-year doctoral candidates earned in 2024-25 across 26 countries. The report was published in September 2026 and is available as a preprint on Zenodo. Its authors include Pil Maria Saugmann, Norbert Bencze, N. Dengo, A. Żyra and E. Hnátková. The report finds that higher-paying countries mostly use employment-based systems, while lower-paying countries more often fund doctoral candidates through scholarships. Salaries are taxed but may include pension and parental leave benefits, while scholarships are generally tax-exempt but often lack such benefits. The report cites Estonia, where a 2022 reform replaced a stipend of about 8,000 euros, roughly 9,000 US dollars, a year with a guaranteed salary about 2.5 times that amount.
Publisher:
Eurodoc, Brussels
Countries covered:
26
Period studied:
2024-25, first-year doctoral candidates
Published:
September 2026
Estonia reform:
2022: stipend of about 8,000 euros replaced by a salary about 2.5 times that
Why it matters for exams: Research funding models, the difference between a salary and a scholarship and the resulting social security entitlements are a standard education-policy comparison.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Eurodoc European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers — A Brussels-based federation of national associations of doctoral candidates and early-career researchers.
Preprint Preprint — A research paper shared publicly before formal peer review.
Stipend Stipend — A fixed sum paid to support a student, usually without employee status.
12 October 2026
The Supreme Court has directed the University Grants Commission and all regulatory authorities to issue public advisories asking people to verify educational institutions before taking admission.
The direction was given by a bench of Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Justice NV Anjaria in its order of 9 October 2026 in Ayesha Jain v. Amity University, Noida and Others, and was reported on 12 October 2026.
The Court acted after taking note of a newspaper report, placed before it by Dr RM Sharma, whom it had nominated to assist in the matter, about a fake medical college operating from a dilapidated farmhouse in Mahmoodpur Nagaria village in the Etah district of Uttar Pradesh, which claimed to offer courses such as D Pharma, B Pharma and B Sc Nursing.
The Court recorded that local police had taken action against four persons in connection with the institution, and that an illiterate tea seller had been shown as its chairman.
The Court also directed the Central government to monitor compliance by the regulatory authorities, and recorded that the Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary had ordered an independent inquiry in addition to the police investigation.
The case originated in a petition by Ayesha Jain against Amity University, Noida, over the handling of a change of her name in the university's records, and the Court later widened its scope to the establishment, regulation and functioning of private universities. The matter is to be heard next on 19 November.
Case:
Ayesha Jain v. Amity University, Noida and Others
Bench:
Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Justice NV Anjaria
Order date:
9 October 2026
Regulator directed:
University Grants Commission and all regulatory authorities
District involved:
Etah, Uttar Pradesh
Next hearing:
19 November
Why it matters for exams: UGC's regulatory role and judicial directions on fake institutions connect education policy with administrative law.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
UGC University Grants Commission — The statutory body that coordinates and maintains standards of university education in India.
Public advisory — A formal notice issued by an authority to inform or caution the general public.
12 October 2026
The mascot of the 68th Kerala State School Sports Meet is named 'Kuttu'. General Education Minister N. Shamsudheen unveiled it at the Niyamasabha media room in Thiruvananthapuram. It was designed by R. S. Lakshmi Nandana, a Class 8 student from Kollam district. The meet runs from 25 to 31 October in Kozhikode, with about 15,000 athletes, team managers, officials and organisers. Athletics is at NIT Calicut from 27 to 31 October, with about 2,800 athletes in the sub-junior, junior and senior categories.
Mascot:
Kuttu
Host district:
Kozhikode
Meet dates:
25 to 31 October
Participants:
About 15,000
Why it matters for exams: Mascots, hosts and dates of the State School Sports Meet are a staple of Kerala PSC general-knowledge papers on sport.
Kerala PSC
11 October 2026
The Ministry of Education said on 11 October 2026 that a Yuva Sangam Phase VII delegation from Uttarakhand is visiting West Bengal under the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme.
Phase VII brings together youth from 20 paired States and Union Territories to strengthen people-to-people connections.
The delegation, with Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University as its nodal institute, is hosted by IIT Kharagpur and was welcomed on 7 October 2026.
It interacted with Governor R.N. Ravi on 8 October and visited Prinsep Ghat in Kolkata and the Sundarban on 9 October.
Yuva Sangam is implemented by the Department of Higher Education.
Paired States and UTs in Phase VII:
20
Host institution:
IIT Kharagpur
Why it matters for exams: Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat and its Yuva Sangam exchanges are frequently asked national-integration schemes.
Kerala PSCSSC
In plain words
EBSB Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat — A Union programme that pairs States and UTs to promote cultural exchange and national integration.
Yuva Sangam Yuva Sangam — An EBSB exchange in which groups of students visit a paired State to learn about its culture and institutions.
11 October 2026
The International Day of the Girl was observed on 11 October 2026 with the theme of ending child marriage and investing in girls' rights. The UN said the theme was developed through consultations with girls, girls' organisations and girl-led networks. Each year more than 12 million girls, roughly one every three seconds, are married before reaching adulthood, with the highest prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa (31 per cent). An estimated 68 million child marriages have been averted over the past 25 years through investment in girls' education, legal reform and social protection. UN Women said one in five girls globally is married before the age of 18.
Girls married before adulthood each year:
more than 12 million
Prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa:
31 per cent
Child marriages averted in 25 years:
68 million
Why it matters for exams: International days and their themes are among the most frequently asked current-affairs questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
11 October 2026
The five-day Diamond Jubilee Week Celebration of the Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS), Rashtrapati Niwas, Shimla, began on 11 October 2026. It is scheduled from 11 to 15 October 2026 as part of the Institute's Diamond Jubilee Year. Padma Shri Prof. Raghuvendra Tanwar, Chairman of the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR), delivered a special lecture on the history of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. Kathak exponent Padma Shri Shovana Narayan opened an art exhibition titled 'Bharatiya Forms, Expressions and Consciousness' by artist Nisha Jaiswal. The book 'Rethinking History of Punjab in the Indian Civilisational Context', edited by Professor Ravinder Singh, was released.
Duration:
11 to 15 October 2026
Venue:
Rashtrapati Niwas, Shimla
Why it matters for exams: IIAS, Rashtrapati Niwas and ICHR are standard institution and heritage questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
ICHR Indian Council of Historical Research — The national body that funds and promotes historical research in India.
Background
Retired KILA faculty led training sessions at the block panchayat representatives' conclave inaugurated by the Chief Minister in October 2026. The Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA) is an autonomous institution functioning for the local governments of Kerala, with its headquarters at Mulamkunnathukavu in Thrissur. It has been active since its inception in 1990 and is registered under the Travancore-Cochin Literary, Scientific and Charitable Societies Act, 1955. It is the State's nodal agency for training, research and consultancy, including training for elected representatives and officials of rural and urban local governments. KILA has six regional centres, including the Centre for Tribal Development and Natural Resource Management at Agali in Palakkad and the Centre for Organic Farming and Waste Management at Thaliparamba in Kannur. The Central University of Kerala recognised KILA as a research centre with effect from 14 July 2014.
Headquarters:
Mulamkunnathukavu, Thrissur
Inception:
1990
Regional centres:
six
Why it matters for exams: KILA's location, founding year and role in decentralised governance are frequent Kerala PSC questions.
Kerala PSC
In plain words
KILA Kerala Institute of Local Administration — The State's training and research institute for local governments.