Background
The Kerala Legislative Assembly works through committees listed by the legislature itself, with the Business Advisory Committee first among them. Alongside it the Sixteenth Kerala Legislative Assembly has fourteen numbered subject committees. They are, in order, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries; Land Revenue and Devaswom; Water Resources; Industry and Minerals; Public Works, Transport and Communications; Education; Power, Labour and Labour Welfare; Economic Affairs; Local Administration, Rural Development and Housing; Forest, Environment and Tourism; Food, Civil Supplies and Co-operation; Health and Family Welfare; Social Service; and Home Affairs. Each committee has its own page and publishes its own reports.
Number of subject committees:
14
First committee listed:
Business Advisory Committee
Subject Committee I:
Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries
Subject Committee XIV:
Home Affairs
Why it matters for exams: The number of subject committees and the subjects grouped under each are a standard objective question on the Kerala legislature.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Subject Committee Subject Committee of the Kerala Legislative Assembly — A committee that examines Bills and the working of departments in its own group of subjects.
10 October 2026
The Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, official language section, has invited applications for the official language awards. Applications must reach by October 12 at 5 pm. The awards are meant to promote Malayalam in government administration and to complete the official language transition. The department that makes the best progress in the official language transition gets ₹25,000, a plaque and a certificate, and the district that best promotes the mother tongue gets ₹20,000, a plaque and a certificate. The Book Writing Award for employees who write original works that help make Malayalam the official language carries a first prize of ₹20,000 and a second prize of ₹10,000. The state-level Official Language Service Award, for Group A, B and C officers and for typists, computer assistants, stenographers and confidential assistants, carries ₹20,000 and ₹10,000 in each category. The district official language award for Group C employees carries ₹10,000. A new literary award for school students covers classes 1 to 4, 5 to 7 and 8 to 10, with a first prize of ₹5,000 and a second prize of ₹3,000. Work done in Malayalam during the 2025 calendar year is what is considered for the awards. State-level applications go to the Deputy Secretary, Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (Official Language), Annex 1, Government Secretariat, Thiruvananthapuram, and district applications to the District Collectors.
Last date:
October 12, 5 pm
Best department in the official language transition:
₹25,000
Best district in mother tongue promotion:
₹20,000
School students' first prize:
₹5,000
Why it matters for exams: Prize amounts and the department that gives the official language awards are frequently asked in Kerala PSC general awareness papers.
Kerala PSC
In plain words
Bharanabhasha Bharanabhasha, the official language of administration — The language in which government files and orders are written; Kerala's programme is to shift this fully to Malayalam.
10 October 2026
Along with the session schedule, Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan announced that the Platinum Jubilee of the Kerala Legislature will be celebrated on April 27, 2027. The celebration programmes will begin on November 1, 2026, which is Kerala Piravi day. A Sneha Sangamam bringing together former Speakers, former Deputy Speakers, former members, former Secretaries and legislature staff will be held at the Sankaranarayanan Thampi Hall. The fifth edition of the legislature's book festival will be held as the Kerala Legislature International Literary Festival from January 7 to 13. The handover of keys to the flats built for members at the Pamba Block will take place on October 26 at 4.30 pm.
Platinum Jubilee day:
27 April 2027
Celebrations begin:
1 November 2026
Literary festival:
January 7 to 13
Why it matters for exams: Anniversary dates of Kerala institutions and the naming of the legislature's literary festival are easy, frequently set questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Kerala Piravi Kerala Piravi day — November 1, the day the State of Kerala was formed in 1956.
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.
10 October 2026
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is Volker Turk of Austria, who heads the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, based in Geneva. The General Assembly reappointed him by 144 votes in favour to 10 against, with 13 abstentions. His four-year term runs from 12 October 2026 to 11 October 2030. The High Commissioner is the UN official who speaks publicly on human rights situations in individual countries and reports to the General Assembly. At the same meeting the Assembly adopted texts reviewing the Economic and Social Council and the high-level political forum on sustainable development, and proclaimed 2028 as the Year of International Law by consensus.
High Commissioner:
Volker Turk (Austria)
Reappointment vote:
144 in favour, 10 against, 13 abstentions
Term:
12 October 2026 to 11 October 2030
Headquarters:
Geneva
Why it matters for exams: The identity and appointment route of the UN human rights chief is a standing one-mark question.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
OHCHR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights — The UN Secretariat department for human rights, headed by the High Commissioner.
10 October 2026
The result of the Holborn and St Pancras parliamentary by-election in central London was declared at Camden Council headquarters in the early hours of 9 October 2026. Labour's Sagal Abdi-Wali, the leader of Camden Council, won with 12,292 votes, about 45 per cent of the vote. Zack Polanski, the leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, finished second with 8,928 votes, leaving a majority of 3,364. Reform UK's Peter Newman took 1,612 votes, just under 6 per cent. The seat fell vacant when Keir Starmer resigned it in September after stepping down as Prime Minister.
Constituency:
Holborn and St Pancras
Winner:
Sagal Abdi-Wali (Labour)
Winning votes:
12,292
Runner-up:
Zack Polanski (Green), 8,928
Majority:
3,364
Why it matters for exams: By-elections in major democracies, and the leaders who contest them, recur in current affairs questions on world politics.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
By-election By-election — An election held in a single constituency between general elections, usually after the sitting member resigns or dies.
Background
Manipur's panchayat system, whose Zilla Parishad chairpersons the State has just appointed in its valley districts, runs alongside a separate constitutional arrangement for the hill areas.
That arrangement rests on Article 371C of the Constitution, which was inserted by the Constitution (Twenty-seventh Amendment) Act, 1971.
Under clause (1), the President may by order constitute a committee of the Manipur Legislative Assembly consisting of members elected from the hill areas, and define its functions.
The same order may modify the rules of business of the State government and the rules of procedure of the Assembly, and entrust the Governor with special responsibility for the committee's proper functioning.
Under clause (2), the Governor must report to the President every year, or whenever the President requires, on the administration of the hill areas.
The executive power of the Union extends to giving directions to the State on that administration, and the Explanation defines hill areas as those the President declares to be hill areas by order.
Article:
Article 371C
Inserted by:
The Constitution (Twenty-seventh Amendment) Act, 1971
Committee's composition:
Members of the Manipur Legislative Assembly elected from the hill areas
Annual reporting duty:
The Governor reports to the President
Why it matters for exams: Article 371C is the single most asked constitutional provision on Manipur, and it is regularly tested against Articles 371A and 371B.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Hill Areas Committee Hill Areas Committee of the Manipur Legislative Assembly — The committee of Assembly members elected from the hill areas, which a Presidential order under Article 371C constitutes.
10 October 2026
The Ministry of Home Affairs issued a notification on 25 September 2026 under Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958.
It declares the whole of Manipur a disturbed area for six months with effect from 1 October 2026, that is until 31 March 2027 unless withdrawn earlier.
Areas falling under 13 police stations in five districts are kept outside the declaration.
The excluded police stations are six in Imphal West, three in Imphal East, two in Bishnupur, one in Thoubal and one in Kakching.
The five districts are Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Bishnupur and Kakching.
Act and section:
Section 3, Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958
Notification date:
25 September 2026
In force from:
1 October 2026
In force until:
31 March 2027
Police station areas excluded:
13, in five districts
Why it matters for exams: AFSPA, its Section 3 disturbed area declaration and the exact exclusions are a recurring polity and internal security question.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
AFSPA Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 — Once an area is declared disturbed under Section 3, the Act gives the armed forces special powers in that area.
Background
NATO records that Germany became a NATO member on 6 May 1955, six years after the alliance was created by 12 countries from Europe and North America with the Washington Treaty of 4 April 1949. The then Federal Republic of Germany was NATO's 15th member country, and NATO records that the Warsaw Pact was formed in 1955 in reaction to West Germany's accession. At present NATO has 32 member countries, the two most recent being Finland, which joined on 4 April 2023 as the 31st member, and Sweden, which joined on 7 March 2024 as the 32nd. Germany is not a founding member of NATO, a point examiners like to test. It is also a member of the European Union, the G7, the G20, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the United Nations, and it is not a permanent member of the UN Security Council.
Germany's NATO accession:
6 May 1955
NATO member countries:
32
Founding members:
12
Why it matters for exams: Whether Germany was a NATO founder, and the current member count, are classic objective questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization — A political and military alliance of North American and European states, with headquarters in Brussels.
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
Bundestag President Julia Kloeckner has summoned the 18th Bundesversammlung, the Federal Convention, for Saturday 30 January 2027 in the Bundestag to elect Germany's Federal President. The term of the incumbent, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, ends on 18 March 2027, and the Basic Law requires the Convention to meet at least 30 days before a term expires; the latest possible date would have been 16 February 2027. The Convention has 1,260 members: all 630 members of the Bundestag plus an equal number of delegates chosen by the 16 state parliaments in proportion to population. It votes by secret ballot with no debate. A candidate needs an absolute majority in either of the first two rounds; a third round is decided by simple plurality. Any German who has turned 40 may be elected.
Date of the 18th Federal Convention:
30 January 2027
Members of the Convention:
1,260 (630 + 630)
Incumbent's term ends:
18 March 2027
Minimum age to be elected:
40 years
Why it matters for exams: The Bundesversammlung is the favourite comparison with India's presidential electoral college and is asked in polity papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Bundesversammlung Federal Convention — The body that exists only to elect Germany's Federal President, convened roughly every five years.
Grundgesetz Basic Law — Germany's constitution, in force since 1949.
Background
The deadline within which Manipur must complete its sixth general panchayat elections was fixed by the High Court of Manipur, which is also the court the Supreme Court declined to disturb.
That court was created under the North Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) and Other Related Laws (Amendment) Act, 2012, which Parliament passed in May 2012, with the Central Government fixing the date of commencement by notification.
The High Court of Manipur came into existence on 23 March 2013.
The President appointed Imphal as its principal seat with effect from 23 March 2013.
Justice Abhay Manohar Sapre took the oath of office as its first Chief Justice on 23 March 2013.
Creating Act:
North Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) and Other Related Laws (Amendment) Act, 2012
Came into existence:
23 March 2013
Principal seat:
Imphal
First Chief Justice:
Justice Abhay Manohar Sapre
Why it matters for exams: The creating Act, the commencement date, the principal seat and the first Chief Justice of a High Court are standard objective questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Principal seat Principal seat of a High Court — The place appointed by the President as the main location where a High Court sits.
10 October 2026
The High Court of Manipur, by an order dated 19 May 2026, permitted the State government and the State Election Commission to hold the sixth general panchayat elections on or before 16 October 2026.
That order came from a Division Bench of Chief Justice M. Sundar and Justice A. Guneshwar Sharma, which allowed the State's review of the High Court's judgment of August 2025 directing elections within six months.
The State had placed before the court the law and order situation and the President's rule imposed in February 2025.
On 2 July 2026 a Supreme Court Bench of Justice N. Kotiswar Singh and Justice N.V. Anjaria dismissed a special leave petition in Pheiroijam Heramani and Others v. The State of Manipur and Others, which had challenged the extension.
The petitioners relied on Article 243E, which provides a five-year term for panchayats, and on Sections 92 and 109 of the Manipur Panchayati Raj Act, 1994.
The Supreme Court left the petitioners free to move the competent forum if the State did not comply with the High Court's directions.
Deadline for the polls:
16 October 2026
High Court order:
19 May 2026
Supreme Court order:
2 July 2026
Constitutional provision relied on:
Article 243E
Why it matters for exams: Article 243E, a State Election Commission's duty and a court-fixed election deadline make this a high-value polity item.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Article 243E Constitution of India, Article 243E — It gives every panchayat a term of five years and requires a fresh election to be completed before that term ends.
SLP Special Leave Petition — A petition under Article 136 asking the Supreme Court for leave to appeal against an order of a lower court.
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
Hearing petitions on an urgent mention on 9 October 2026, the Supreme Court said there should be no complete prohibition on the movement of metro trains and railway services in Delhi around the protests announced for 10 October 2026.
The bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana said an entire city cannot be shut down over protests and that restrictions must be proportionate.
The Chief Justice said the Court's concern was commuters from Gurugram, Greater Noida, East Delhi and South Delhi, including students, employees and senior citizens, rather than the protesters.
Justice Bagchi observed that reducing the frequency of services can be a regulation, but complete closure is an extreme step.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Court he would impress upon the authorities that metro and railway services be allowed in a regulated manner.
The Court also said road closures must be revisited, that free flow of traffic be ensured in areas that do not need regulation, and that the decision be given wide publicity through an advisory in newspapers and on websites.
Date of hearing:
9 October 2026
Bench:
CJI Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, Justice V Mohana
For the Union:
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta
Court's test:
proportionality; no complete prohibition on metro movement
Why it matters for exams: The hearing is a clean illustration of the proportionality test applied to restrictions on movement, a recurring theme in polity and rights questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Proportionality Doctrine of proportionality — A test under which a restriction on a right must be no more than what is necessary to achieve its legitimate aim.
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
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
Justice A. Badharudeen of the Kerala High Court held on 9 October 2026 that a communication from the Enforcement Directorate under Section 66(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act can take the place of a preliminary inquiry report.
The court was hearing a petition by K.M. Shahjahan seeking registration of a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act over transactions between the companies CMRL and Exalogic.
The court said the communication contained enough material to disclose cognisable offences, so the receiving agency had no discretion to hold a preliminary inquiry instead of registering a first information report.
It quashed as illegal the decision to conduct a preliminary inquiry through the special team constituted by the State Police Chief.
The court directed the Director of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to register a first information report on the basis of the communication and to complete the investigation without delay.
It also directed the Director General of Police and the special team to hand over all records relating to the communication.
Judge:
Justice A. Badharudeen
Provision relied on:
Section 66(2), Prevention of Money Laundering Act
Agency directed:
Director, Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau
Why it matters for exams: The link between a preliminary inquiry and the registration of a first information report is a standing question in polity and criminal procedure.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
PMLA Prevention of Money Laundering Act — The 2002 central law under which the Enforcement Directorate investigates money laundering; Section 66(2) lets it share information with other agencies.
FIR First Information Report — The first written record of information about a cognisable offence, which starts a police investigation.
10 October 2026
The State Minority Welfare Department issued a notice on 9 October 2026 for the post of Principal, on contract, at the minority youth training centres it runs.
A walk-in interview with submission of documents will be held on 17 October 2026 at 10 a.m.
The venue is the Scholarship Section on the first floor of Vikas Bhavan, Thiruvananthapuram.
The age limit is 25 to 67 years, calculated as on 1 September 2026.
Candidates must bring complete biodata, mark lists and originals with photocopies of certificates for qualification, age and experience.
Further details are available at www.mwdscholarship.kerala.gov.in.
Interview date:
17 October 2026, 10 a.m.
Venue:
Scholarship Section, first floor, Vikas Bhavan, Thiruvananthapuram
Age limit:
25 to 67 years as on 1 September 2026
Why it matters for exams: Walk-in notices from Kerala departments carry the dates, venues and age limits that recruitment questions turn on.
Kerala PSC