9 October 2026
Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan announced at the post-Cabinet press conference that a file adalat named 'Jana Sparsham' will review and settle files pending for years across government departments.
The adalat will be held from October 15 to December 31.
The Chief Minister also said that 568 of the 588 projects targeted in the government's first 100-day action plan have been completed.
The government also plans to study why files stall and to redesign the file-movement system.
Scheme name:
Jana Sparsham / ജനസ്പർശം
Duration:
October 15 to December 31 / ഒക്ടോബർ 15 മുതൽ ഡിസംബർ 31 വരെ
100-day plan projects completed:
568 of 588 / 588-ൽ 568
Why it matters for exams: Administrative-reform measures such as file adalats are a recurring Kerala governance topic.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
File adalat File adalat — A special drive in which officials meet to review and dispose of pending government files.
9 October 2026
Milton Dick, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Australia, was declared elected President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union on 9 October 2026, the last day of the 153rd IPU Assembly held at Arusha in the United Republic of Tanzania.
Harivansh, Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, who led the Indian Parliamentary Delegation, and other members of the delegation congratulated him immediately after the result was announced.
On the fourth day of the Assembly, 8 October 2026, the delegation attended the debate on the emergency item “Urgent parliamentary action to address climate-related disasters and strengthen resilience in the Himalayan region and other vulnerable regions”, which was proposed by Nepal and adopted on the third day.
Anurag Singh Thakur, Member of the Lok Sabha, spoke in support of the emergency item and took part in the Bureau and the meeting of the Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights.
Sasmit Patra, Member of the Rajya Sabha, attended the Standing Committee on United Nations Affairs and the hearing with the candidates for the post of IPU President.
Lata Wankhede, Member of the Lok Sabha, attended the Standing Committee on Sustainable Development and a panel discussion on artificial intelligence and the future of work.
The General Debate of the Assembly was on the theme “Enhancing good governance and empowering communities through inclusivity, trust and opportunities for all”.
New IPU President:
Milton Dick, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Australia
Assembly:
153rd IPU Assembly
Venue:
Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania
Indian delegation leader:
Harivansh, Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha
Why it matters for exams: A newly elected head of an international parliamentary body, the host city and country of the Assembly, and the country that moved the emergency item are standard one-mark facts.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
IPU Inter-Parliamentary Union — The global organisation of national parliaments, whose Assembly adopts resolutions on world affairs.
ASGP Association of Secretaries General of Parliaments — The body of senior parliamentary officials that meets alongside IPU Assemblies.
9 October 2026
Sir Chris Bryant MP, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, made an order under Section 11 of the Public Processions (Northern Ireland) Act so that the Drumcree procession cannot go ahead as it was determined.
He acted after the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland made a Section 9 request, which led him to review the Parades Commission's initial determination on the Portadown District's application for a procession on 27 September 2026.
Local negotiations at Hillsborough Castle between the Portadown District Loyal Orange Lodge and Garvaghy Road residents did not reach a resolution.
The Chief Constable advised that enabling the procession would require a major intervention carrying an unacceptable risk of serious injury, disorder and wider contagion across Northern Ireland.
The Parades Commission said the original determination no longer has enduring legal effect, while noting that the courts would ultimately decide the question.
The Secretary of State called for all protests, rallies and demonstrations to be stood down.
Power used:
Section 11, Public Processions (Northern Ireland) Act
Police request under:
Section 9
Procession date applied for:
27 September 2026
Talks venue:
Hillsborough Castle
Why it matters for exams: It is a clean example of a statutory power exercised by a named Secretary of State on police advice, and of the Parades Commission machinery peculiar to Northern Ireland.
UPSC
In plain words
Parades Commission Parades Commission for Northern Ireland — The body that decides conditions on contentious public processions in Northern Ireland.
PSNI Police Service of Northern Ireland — The police force for Northern Ireland, headed by a Chief Constable.
9 October 2026
Speaking at the Innovation Nation Summit in Manchester, Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced £1 billion from UK Research and Innovation over the next four years for high-growth innovation clusters in the priority sectors of the Industrial Strategy.
The first partnerships to be set up by No.10 North cover the Northern Growth Corridor and the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor, in life sciences, digital and technology, and advanced manufacturing.
Established mayoral strategic authorities in England are to receive dedicated devolved research and development funding.
The Local Innovation Partnerships Fund is to be devolved to established Mayors from 2028, and Good Growth Funds are to give local leaders a single, flexible, long-term growth budget.
The Local Innovation Partnerships Fund announcement applies only to England, and the government said it will work with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on extending local empowerment.
The Prime Minister said in the speech, 'We can be the world's innovation nation.'
UKRI funding announced:
£1 billion
Period:
Next four years
Local Innovation Partnerships Fund devolved from:
2028
Venue:
Innovation Nation Summit, Manchester
Why it matters for exams: It pairs a named funding figure with the UK's devolution machinery, which is the kind of governance detail examiners use to test understanding of a unitary state with devolved administrations.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
UKRI UK Research and Innovation — The United Kingdom's main public body for funding research and innovation.
Mayoral strategic authority Mayoral strategic authority — An English sub-national body led by a directly elected mayor to which central powers and budgets are devolved.
9 October 2026
The Security Council met on 9 October 2026 to discuss the crisis in Yemen, where UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg warned that the country has fallen back into full-scale war. A Houthi offensive launched in September has sharply escalated the 12-year-long war for control of the country, and spillover from the US-Iran war has provoked a new displacement crisis. Fighting between Iran-backed Houthis and Saudi-backed Government forces is intensifying around Taiz, and more than 200,000 people have been displaced. Government forces say they have recaptured the port city of Mocha, while cross-border missile and drone strikes on Saudi airports and energy infrastructure have continued this week. Aid agencies warn of surging cholera cases, rising child casualties and deepening hunger. Diplomatic efforts to prevent a wider regional conflict, including threats to Red Sea shipping, were also expected to feature at the meeting.
UN Special Envoy for Yemen:
Hans Grundberg
People displaced:
more than 200,000
Length of the war:
12 years
Port city Government forces say they recaptured:
Mocha
Why it matters for exams: The post of UN Special Envoy for Yemen, the Red Sea shipping link and the displacement figure are the details examiners pick from a Security Council briefing.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
UN Special Envoy United Nations Special Envoy — A senior official appointed by the Secretary-General to lead mediation in a specific conflict.
Security Council United Nations Security Council — The UN organ with primary responsibility for international peace and security, with fifteen members.
9 October 2026
The United States imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court as an institution, the Court said in a statement on 9 October 2026. The ICC called the step unprecedented and said it followed a series of designations against thirteen independent Judges and prosecutors. The Court said the measure targets an independent judicial institution created by treaty and entrusted by 125 States Parties with investigating and prosecuting genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression. It called the sanctions an assault on the rule of law and said the Court will not be deterred. ICC President Tomoko Akane said the Court would continue to fully discharge its mandate, with independence and impartiality. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the measures, which include a ban on US entities making transactions with the Court, were intended to defend US sovereignty, and Washington allowed a six month grace period before some of them take effect. The United Kingdom, Canada, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Japan and the Netherlands reaffirmed their continued and unwavering support for the Court and said they regret and strongly disagree with the sanctions.
States Parties:
125
Judges and prosecutors earlier designated:
thirteen
Grace period before some sanctions take effect:
six months
ICC President:
Tomoko Akane
Why it matters for exams: The ICC's treaty basis, the number of States Parties and the four crimes in its jurisdiction are standard objective questions, and this is the first time the Court itself has been sanctioned.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
ICC International Criminal Court — A permanent court at The Hague that tries individuals for genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression.
Rome Statute Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court — The international treaty that created and governs the ICC.
9 October 2026
Justice G. Girish of the Kerala High Court has ordered further investigation into the death of violinist Balabhaskar and directed the Central Bureau of Investigation to entrust it to an officer of proven integrity not below the rank of Additional Superintendent of Police. The order came on Criminal Revision Petition No. 214 of 2026, K. C. Unni and another against the State of Kerala and others, reported as 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 568. The musician was in a car accident on September 25, 2018 while the family was returning from a temple in Thrissur. His one-and-a-half year old daughter died at the spot and Balabhaskar died a week later. The CBI took over the investigation on July 27, 2020 and an Additional Superintendent of Police concluded it was an accident. In 2022 a coordinate bench of the High Court listed twenty suspicious circumstances and ordered further investigation, but the CBI assigned that work to an Inspector, who was junior to the earlier investigating officer and reached the same conclusions. The Court described the handling as casual and lackadaisical and held that the subsequent investigation was against the purpose of Section 173(8) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.
Judge:
Justice G. Girish
Minimum rank directed:
Additional Superintendent of Police
Suspicious circumstances listed in 2022:
20
Provision relied on:
Section 173(8), Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973
Why it matters for exams: Section 173(8) of the old Criminal Procedure Code and the power of a High Court to order further investigation are frequently examined points.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Further investigation Further investigation under Section 173(8) CrPC — Additional investigation into a case after a final report has already been filed.
Criminal Revision Petition Criminal Revision Petition — A petition asking a higher court to examine the legality of a lower criminal court's order.
9 October 2026
The National Land Monetisation Corporation has invited bids for the monetisation of a prime freehold land parcel of 5.119 acres, or 20,722.93 sq. metres, belonging to HIL (India) Limited.
The plot is at Najafgarh Industrial Area, Rohtak Road, Shivaji Marg, New Delhi.
The reserve price is ₹829.69 crore and the earnest money deposit is ₹16.60 crore.
The minimum bid increment is ₹1 crore per acre, and the auction processing fee is ₹24 lakh plus GST and other applicable taxes, payable only by the H1 Bidder.
The e-auction notification was issued on October 8, 2026, the pre-bid meeting is set for November 3, 2026 and the last date for registration, technical bid and EMD or Bank Guarantee submission is November 19, 2026.
The release states that this is the third e-auction publicly advertised by NLMC in the last two months.
Land parcel:
5.119 acres (20,722.93 sq. metres)
Owner:
HIL (India) Limited
Reserve price:
₹829.69 crore
Earnest money deposit:
₹16.60 crore
Minimum bid increment:
₹1 crore per acre
Why it matters for exams: Asset monetisation by the National Land Monetisation Corporation, a special purpose vehicle under the Department of Public Enterprises, is a standing economy topic, and reserve price and EMD figures are directly askable.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
NLMC National Land Monetisation Corporation — A government company set up to monetise surplus land and building assets of central public sector enterprises and government agencies.
EMD Earnest Money Deposit — A deposit a bidder places as proof of a serious bid, refundable to unsuccessful bidders.
9 October 2026
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India released a draft Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services Digital Rights Management based Digital Addressable Systems Audit Manual, 2026, and invited written comments from stakeholders.
Schedule X of the Interconnection Regulations specifies the requirements for DRM-based systems, which are used mainly by internet protocol television distribution platforms.
TRAI had issued a separate audit manual for conditional access systems, subscriber management systems and set top box based systems on 10th March 2026.
The draft sets out a section-by-section compliance check for Schedule X, the scope and procedure for pre-signal and annual subscriber audits, audit timelines, the roles of distribution platform operators, broadcasters and auditors, and standard formats for declarations and audit reports.
Comments are to be submitted by 30.10.2026 to advbcs-2@trai.gov.in and jtadvbcs-3@trai.gov.in.
The contact named for clarifications is Dr. Deepali Sharma, Advisor (B&CS), TRAI.
Issuing authority:
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
Schedule covered:
Schedule X of the Interconnection Regulations
Earlier manual issued:
10th March 2026
Last date for comments:
30.10.2026
Why it matters for exams: TRAI's regulatory instruments and the distinction between a draft manual open to comments and a notified regulation are regularly tested in polity and science and technology sections.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
DRM Digital Rights Management — Technology that controls how a subscriber can access and copy protected television content.
DAS Digital Addressable System — A system in which television signals are sent in encrypted form to identified subscribers.
Background
Maharashtra's rainfall and drought are assessed division by division, and the State's drought declaration of 265 of its 358 talukas rests on that division-wise picture.
The six revenue divisions used in the assessment are Konkan, Pune, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Amravati and Nagpur.
Konkan is the coastal strip and recorded the smallest shortfall in the season behind the declaration, a deficit of 6.3 per cent.
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, the Marathwada division, recorded the worst deficit at 30.8 per cent, with 424.5 mm against a normal of 613.1 mm.
The Pune and Nashik divisions were each short by about 30 per cent, and Amravati and Nagpur, the two Vidarbha divisions, by 27 per cent.
Talukas are the units in which drought is declared, and Maharashtra has 358 of them.
The affected talukas in the declaration lie across 32 districts, from Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg on the coast to Chandrapur and Gadchiroli in the east.
Dharashiv and five other Marathwada districts fall within the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Division.
Revenue divisions in the assessment:
Konkan, Pune, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Amravati, Nagpur
Talukas in Maharashtra:
358
Smallest and largest divisional deficits:
Konkan 6.3 per cent; Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar 30.8 per cent
Districts covered by the declaration:
32
Why it matters for exams: The division and taluka framework is the permanent administrative geography behind every Maharashtra drought, flood or revenue question.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Revenue division Administrative grouping of districts under a Divisional Commissioner — Maharashtra groups its districts into divisions, each headed by a Divisional Commissioner, for revenue and relief administration.
Marathwada The region around Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar — A historically drought-prone region of Maharashtra, administered through the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Division.
9 October 2026
Justice Madhav Jamdar of the Bombay High Court heard Anticipatory Bail Application 8 of 2026, Suryakant Gulabrao Yewale versus State of Maharashtra, arising from a transaction in a 40-acre government-owned land parcel at Mundhwa in Pune.
The land was bought by Ameida Enterprises LLP, a name also reported as Amadea Enterprises LLP, in which Rajya Sabha MP Parth Pawar holds 99 per cent and Digvijay Patil holds 1 per cent.
The police named only Patil in the case, and the judge said it was surprising that the 99 per cent partner was not arraigned while the 1 per cent partner was.
The Court had earlier, on 7 September, asked the Director General of Police to explain in a personal affidavit why Pawar was not named.
The Court accepted the DGP's affidavit, in which he said he had directed the Pune Police to carry out a further investigation in a detailed and professional manner and would personally monitor it.
The Court granted anticipatory bail to Suryakant Yewale, a Pune Tehsildar, holding that he acted as a quasi-judicial authority.
It found no specific averment that he passed orders in anyone's favour under the Bombay Tenancy Act for illegal consideration.
Parth Pawar's stake in Ameida Enterprises LLP:
99 per cent
Digvijay Patil's stake:
1 per cent
Land parcel:
40 acres at Mundhwa, Pune
Case:
Anticipatory Bail Application 8 of 2026
Why it matters for exams: The case shows how a High Court supervises an investigation and what distinguishes a quasi-judicial act, both recurring themes in governance and law papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
LLP Limited Liability Partnership — A partnership registered under the Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2008, in which partners' liability is limited.
Quasi-judicial authority An administrative authority exercising judicial functions — An officer who decides rights between parties following a procedure, like a Tehsildar under a tenancy law.
9 October 2026
Justice Madhav Jamdar of the Bombay High Court has passed an interim order protecting the personality rights of actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu in Interim Application (L) 29905 of 2026.
The Court directed Google, Meta Platforms, other social media platforms and unidentified John Doe parties to take down objectionable and derogatory content featuring her.
It found a very strong prima facie case for interim relief.
The Court held that her personality and privacy rights under Article 19(1)(a) and Article 21 of the Constitution appear to be violated, particularly by morphed and deepfake images.
It also held that her moral rights as a performer, protected under the Copyright Act, are being violated.
Justice Jamdar reminded Google of its duty under Rule 3 of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
He said intermediaries must exercise due diligence to prevent online harassment and the unauthorised uploading of a person's images or videos.
Advocate Rashmin Khandekar appeared for the applicant, and the matter will be heard further.
Case:
Interim Application (L) 29905 of 2026
Constitutional provisions invoked:
Article 19(1)(a) and Article 21
Intermediary rule cited:
Rule 3, IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021
Why it matters for exams: Personality rights, the IT Intermediary Guidelines Rules, 2021 and performers' moral rights under the Copyright Act are a live cluster of law and technology questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Personality rights Rights over one's name, image, likeness and voice — They let a person stop the unauthorised commercial or derogatory use of their identity.
John Doe order Order against unidentified defendants — A court order that binds unknown parties who cannot yet be named in the suit.
9 October 2026
Justice Shailesh Brahme, sitting as a single judge at the Kolhapur seat of the Bombay High Court, has rejected the election petition filed by Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Vinayak Raut and upheld Narayan Rane's election to the 18th Lok Sabha from the Sindhudurg constituency.
Rane was declared elected with 4,48,514 votes; Raut polled 4,00,656.
The petition said Rane's campaigners breached the Model Code of Conduct, and invoked Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which bars public speeches during the Code period.
Justice Brahme examined paragraphs 5(l) to 5(n) of the petition and the annexed documents.
He held that the claim in paragraph 5(l) about campaigning on 6 May 2024 was very vague and lacked material particulars, specifying neither time nor place nor the identity of those campaigning.
The news reports relied on were not sufficient to corroborate the claim.
Paragraph 5(m), based on a complaint dated 16 May 2024, did not sufficiently identify the person, the amount, the time or the place.
The Court held that electronic evidence cannot substitute material pleadings in an election petition, and that the petitioners had not provided transcriptions.
Votes polled by Narayan Rane:
4,48,514
Votes polled by Vinayak Raut:
4,00,656
Provision invoked:
Section 126, Representation of the People Act, 1951
Bench:
Kolhapur seat, single judge
Why it matters for exams: The pleading standard for election petitions, with the exact section of the Representation of the People Act and the vote figures, is examinable polity and law material.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Election petition Petition under the Representation of the People Act, 1951 — A petition before the High Court challenging an election, which must set out material particulars of every corrupt practice pleaded.
MCC Model Code of Conduct — The set of norms enforced by the Election Commission of India from the announcement of an election until results are declared.
9 October 2026
A division bench of Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna heard a petition by a Pune resident on the protests by Maharashtra Public Service Commission aspirants in the city.
The protests followed questions over the conduct of the MPSC drug inspector examination, with thousands of aspirants gathered at three locations in Pune.
The bench said the protesters are students, not anti-nationals, and that students who find irregularities have every right to protest.
It asked the State to restore aspirants' confidence in recruitment examinations and said all upcoming processes must be fair and impartial.
The court directed the State to file an affidavit within three weeks setting out its recruitment plan and giving details of nearly 70,000 vacancies, broken down by department and by reservation category.
Advocate General Milind Sathe told the court that the aspirants' demands included the resignation of the MPSC chairman, an examination fee of ₹100 and all examinations being held offline.
The State said a representation on the MPSC chairman had been forwarded to the Governor.
The bench asked the protesters to return to their studies, said backlog vacancies should be cleared first, and adjourned the hearing by three weeks.
Vacancies to be detailed by the State:
nearly 70,000
Protest locations in Pune:
three
Examination fee sought by aspirants:
₹100
Time given for the State's affidavit:
three weeks
Why it matters for exams: The vacancy figure, the court's language on the right to protest and the State Public Service Commission's accountability are all directly examinable.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
MPSC Maharashtra Public Service Commission — The constitutional body that conducts recruitment examinations for Maharashtra's State services.
Advocate General Advocate General of a State — The State's chief legal adviser, appointed by the Governor under Article 165 of the Constitution.
9 October 2026
The Maharashtra government has filed an affidavit in the Bombay High Court defending the constitutional validity of the Maharashtra Special Public Security Act, 2025.
The affidavit was filed through Pritamkumar Jawale, Deputy Secretary of the Home Department, before Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna.
The State said Maharashtra tops the country with 64 Maoist frontal organisations, and that it had no law to ban left-wing extremist front organisations before this Act.
It said it adopted a law similar to those already in force in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
The affidavit cited the Bhima-Koregaon violence of 1 January 2018 and the Elgar Parishad case as evidence of urban Maoist activity.
The State argued that Article 19(2) of the Constitution permits restrictions on freedom of speech and of association on public order grounds.
It said the Joint Committee examined more than 15,000 written objections, after which the Title and Preamble were revised, the Advisory Board's composition was altered, and investigation was restricted to officers not below the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police or Deputy Superintendent of Police.
The petitions challenging the Act were filed by the Indian National Congress and others, and the matter is listed for further hearing.
Maoist frontal organisations in Maharashtra:
64
Written objections examined by the Joint Committee:
more than 15,000
Minimum rank for investigation:
Assistant Commissioner of Police / Deputy Superintendent of Police
Why it matters for exams: A State security law challenged on constitutional grounds, with the exact Article relied on and the comparator States, is standard polity and internal security material.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
MSPSA Maharashtra Special Public Security Act, 2025 — A State law to ban and act against unlawful front organisations of left-wing extremist groups.
Article 19(2) Clause 2 of Article 19 of the Constitution of India — It allows the State to impose reasonable restrictions on the freedom of speech on grounds that include public order.
9 October 2026
The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2026 to Navanethem "Navi" Pillay.
The committee cited her efforts to promote peace and international law.
Pillay is a South African jurist of Indian Tamil origin and a former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
She has served as a judge of South Africa's High Court, of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and of the International Criminal Court.
She also chaired the UN Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
The committee chair, Jorgen Watne Frydnes, announced the decision in Oslo. It is the 125th Nobel Peace Prize.
The prize is 12 million Swedish crowns and will be presented in Oslo on 10 December.
Prize amount:
12 million Swedish crowns
Edition:
125th Nobel Peace Prize
Ceremony:
Oslo, 10 December
Why it matters for exams: The Nobel Peace Prize laureate of the year is a standard one-mark question, and Pillay's offices link the prize to the UN human rights machinery and the international criminal courts.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
OHCHR Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights — The UN office in Geneva that leads the organisation's human rights work.
9 October 2026
Union Minister of State Dr Jitendra Singh launched the redesigned, citizen-centric and multilingual websites of the Department of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Science and Technology.
The launch was announced by the Press Information Bureau on 9 October 2026.
The redesign is aimed at making scientific information and departmental material easier for citizens to reach in more Indian languages.
The Department of Science and Technology is the nodal department for coordinating and promoting science and technology activities in the country.
Dr Jitendra Singh holds charge as Minister of State for Science and Technology, among other portfolios.
Launched by:
Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State
Websites launched:
Department of Science and Technology and Ministry of Science and Technology
Date announced:
9 October 2026
Why it matters for exams: Which ministry a senior Minister of State holds, and what the Department of Science and Technology does, are both commonly asked.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
DST Department of Science and Technology — The nodal department for coordinating and promoting science and technology activities in India.
9 October 2026
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) will observe its 33rd Foundation Day on 12 October 2026 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, followed by a national conference on 'Water as the Elixir of Life: Advancing Human Dignity through the Right to Water'.
Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant, will be the chief guest. NHRC Chairperson Justice V. Ramasubramanian and the Members will take part.
The Commission was set up on 12 October 1993.
In 33 years it has acted upon over 24 lakh matters, 24,33,716 in all, including 3,100 suo motu cases, and recommended over Rs 274 crore in relief to victims in 9,085 cases.
Between 1 October 2025 and 30 September 2026 it registered 54,673 complaints and 119 suo motu cases and disposed of 53,733 matters, holding spot enquiries in 80 cases and recommending relief of over Rs 9.7 crore in 157 cases.
The Commission has 18 special rapporteurs and 15 special monitors, has issued 35 advisory papers, and has recommended amending 97 laws to prevent discrimination against persons with Hansen's disease.
Foundation Day:
12 October 2026, the 33rd
NHRC established:
12 October 1993
Matters acted upon in 33 years:
24,33,716, including 3,100 suo motu cases
Relief recommended:
over Rs 274 crore in 9,085 cases
Complaints registered, 1 October 2025 to 30 September 2026:
54,673
Why it matters for exams: The NHRC's founding date, composition and workload figures are standard questions on statutory human rights bodies.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
NHRC National Human Rights Commission — The statutory human rights body established under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.
Suo motu On its own motion — When a body takes up a matter on its own, without a complaint being filed.
9 October 2026
The Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports, chaired by Shri Mukul Wasnik, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, presented its 382nd Report on 'Reforms and Strengthening of the National Testing Agency (NTA)'.
The report relates to the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education. It was adopted on 25 August 2026 and presented to the Chairman, Rajya Sabha, on 9 October 2026.
The Committee noted that NTA conducts examinations such as JEE Main, NEET-UG, UGC-NET and CUET, with about 1.2 crore students appearing each year, and that over 22 lakh candidates take NEET-UG.
It recommended moving NEET-UG to computer-based testing, with adequate government-owned infrastructure first and a hybrid model where connectivity is weak.
It endorsed the High-Level Committee of Experts' recommendation of 1,000 secure government CBT centres and at least one test centre in every district, and recommended permanent recruitment of NTA officers with specialists in psychometrics and examination security, and an annual Equity Audit of participation rates, pass rates and cutoff achievement rates.
The Committee also recorded that NTA had a cumulative revenue surplus of Rs. 590 crore from FY 2018-19 to FY 2024-25, and recommended limiting NTA to entrance examinations for higher education institutions.
Report number:
382nd Report
Chairperson:
Shri Mukul Wasnik
Adopted on:
25 August 2026
Candidates appearing for NTA exams each year:
about 1.2 crore
NTA cumulative revenue surplus:
Rs. 590 crore from FY 2018-19 to FY 2024-25
Secure government CBT centres recommended:
1,000
Why it matters for exams: Parliamentary Standing Committee reports and the NTA's mandate are both standard polity and education questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
NTA National Testing Agency — The agency that conducts national entrance examinations such as JEE Main, NEET-UG, UGC-NET and CUET.
CBT Computer Based Test — An examination taken on a computer at a designated centre rather than on paper.
9 October 2026
Union Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, Dr Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, delivered the keynote at the ITU Round Table on 'Implementing ITU Standards to Combat Fraudulent Communications', held during India Mobile Congress 2026.
India welcomed an ITU proposal for a joint trial involving governments, regulators, operators and technology companies to digitally verify caller identity on international networks in line with ITU standards.
The Minister said Indians lost over ₹22,800 crore to such fraud in 2024, and that fraud is a network problem that needs network-based and global solutions.
He said ASTR has helped disconnect over 82 lakh fraudulent connections and the Sanchar Saathi app has recorded around 25 million downloads.
The Digital Intelligence Platform connects over 1,600 organisations, and the Financial Fraud Risk Indicator has helped prevent suspected financial losses exceeding ₹5,000 crore in 15 months.
He suggested beginning trials on selected international routes between willing countries and feeding the experience back into ITU standards, and said trust must be built into 6G networks from the start.
Loss to such fraud in 2024:
over ₹22,800 crore
Fraudulent connections disconnected using ASTR:
over 82 lakh
Sanchar Saathi downloads:
around 25 million
Organisations on the Digital Intelligence Platform:
over 1,600
Suspected losses prevented by the Financial Fraud Risk Indicator:
exceeding ₹5,000 crore in 15 months
Why it matters for exams: ITU standards, ASTR, Sanchar Saathi and the Digital Intelligence Platform are frequently asked telecom governance topics.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
ITU International Telecommunication Union — The United Nations specialised agency for information and communication technologies, which sets global telecom standards.
ASTR Artificial Intelligence and Facial Recognition powered Solution for Telecom SIM Subscriber Verification — A tool used to detect mobile connections taken on forged or duplicate identity documents.