15 October 2026
The Department of School Education and Literacy organised a regional orientation-cum-review workshop on the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme at Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, on 14 October 2026.
The scheme provides eligible students a scholarship of Rs 12,000 per annum.
It is a Central Sector Scheme aimed at reducing dropouts after Class VIII and encouraging students to continue up to Class XII.
The last date for registration of applications for the academic year 2026-27 is 31 October 2026.
Verification deadlines are 15 November 2026 at the institute level and 30 November 2026 at the district level.
The selection examination is conducted by the respective States and Union Territories, while disbursement is through the National Scholarship Portal.
Scholarship amount:
Rs 12,000 per annum
Registration last date (2026-27):
31 October 2026
Scheme type:
Central Sector Scheme
Why it matters for exams: Scholarship amounts, eligibility classes and administering portals are frequently asked in education and schemes sections.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
NMMSS National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme — A Central Sector Scheme giving scholarships to meritorious students from economically weaker sections.
NSP National Scholarship Portal — The common portal for registration, verification and disbursal of central scholarships.
15 October 2026
The Kerala government told the State Legislative Assembly on Thursday, 15 October 2026, that Forest department action in Chinnakkanal, Idukki district, was restricted to dismantling unauthorised and illegal fencing. Forest Minister Shibu Baby John and Revenue Minister A.P. Anil Kumar set out the government's position. The Opposition CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front had moved an adjournment motion to discuss hardships faced by farmers and residents of localities including Chinnakkanal, Panthalikkalam and Shanthampara. The motion concerned an order issued by the Idukki District Collector on 23 September 2026 authorising the removal of fences, walls and other structures put up by them. The LDF staged a walkout after the motion was denied.
District:
Idukki
Collector's order dated:
23 September 2026
Localities named:
Chinnakkanal, Panthalikkalam, Shanthampara
Ministers who replied:
Shibu Baby John and A.P. Anil Kumar
Why it matters for exams: Forest land disputes in Idukki, the District Collector's powers and Assembly adjournment motions are all live Kerala PSC topics.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
District Collector Head of district revenue administration — The senior-most revenue officer of a district, who issues orders on land and public order matters.
15 October 2026
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated five development projects worth Rs 3,350 crore in Ladakh through video conferencing on 15 October 2026.
He dedicated the Nimmu-Padum-Darcha road, built at a cost of Rs 2,500 crore, which cuts travel time from 12 hours to 3 hours.
The Prime Minister also dedicated the Hanu hydroelectric project and its associated transmission network.
Forty newly constructed reservoirs under Project Amrit Him Sarovar were dedicated to the community.
He inaugurated the Rs 650 crore Kushok Bakula Rinpoche Airport terminal at Leh, which he said is India's first terminal to feature geothermal heating alongside solar energy use.
Since Ladakh became a Union Territory in 2019, its road network has grown from 1,800 kilometres to over 4,000 kilometres and tap water coverage from 3.5 per cent to nearly 99 per cent of households.
Total outlay:
Rs 3,350 crore
Nimmu-Padum-Darcha road cost:
Rs 2,500 crore
Travel time reduction:
12 hours to 3 hours
Reservoirs dedicated:
40
Why it matters for exams: Project names, outlays and connectivity figures for border Union Territories are standard prelims material.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Project Amrit Him Sarovar Amrit Him Sarovar — A programme to build high-altitude reservoirs for irrigation and water security.
15 October 2026
The Kerala High Court on Thursday, 15 October 2026, dismissed applications filed by former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter T. Veena and son-in-law P.A. Mohamed Riyas seeking permission to appeal against a single-judge order. That order, dated 9 October 2026, directed the Vigilance Bureau to register an FIR over payments from Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) to Exalogic Solutions. The applications were for leave to file writ appeals against the single-judge decision.
Single-judge order date:
9 October 2026
Agency directed to register FIR:
Vigilance Bureau
Companies involved:
CMRL and Exalogic Solutions
Why it matters for exams: Writ appeals, the leave requirement before a Division Bench and the Vigilance Bureau's FIR powers are frequently examined in Kerala PSC law papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
CMRL Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited — A mineral processing company based in Kerala whose payments to a private firm are under investigation.
15 October 2026
The Kerala High Court on Thursday, 15 October 2026, suspended the sentence imposed on former Director General of Police Tomin J. Thachankary in a disproportionate assets case and granted him bail. Justice A. Badharudeen passed the order. The Enquiry Commissioner and Special Judge (Vigilance), Kottayam, had convicted him under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, finding that he amassed wealth disproportionate to his known income while serving as Inspector General between 2003 and 2007. The trial court sentenced him to four years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 30.84 lakh. Among the conditions imposed by the High Court, Thachankary must deposit 75 per cent of the fine amount.
Sentence:
4 years rigorous imprisonment
Fine:
Rs 30.84 lakh
Check period:
2003 to 2007
Law invoked:
Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988
Why it matters for exams: The Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and the powers of an appellate court to suspend sentence are standard Kerala PSC and UPSC law questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Disproportionate assets Assets beyond known sources of income — An offence under Section 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act where a public servant holds wealth he cannot account for.
15 October 2026
The National Highways Authority of India introduced a uniform system for independent checking of designs of major bridges and critical structures on 15 October 2026.
Designs will be independently checked by empanelled Indian Institutes of Technology, reputed government technical institutions and experienced bridge engineering firms.
The policy covers major river bridges with a design discharge of 3,000 cubic metres per second or more and structures with an individual effective span of 40 metres or more.
Three institutions or firms will be proposed from NHAI's empanelled list for each project, and one or more will be selected.
The policy comes into effect from 1 December 2026.
It applies to new Engineering Procurement and Construction, Hybrid Annuity Model and Build-Operate-Transfer projects.
Effective from:
1 December 2026
Design discharge threshold:
3,000 cubic metres per second
Span threshold:
40 metres
Why it matters for exams: Infrastructure safety policies, their thresholds and effective dates are examinable governance facts.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
IRC Indian Roads Congress — The body that frames technical standards for roads and bridges in India.
HAM Hybrid Annuity Model — A highway contracting model where the government funds part of the cost upfront and pays the rest as annuities.
15 October 2026
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal launched the National Strategic Trade Command Centre at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi, on 15 October 2026.
It was developed by the Department of Commerce as an integrated analytics and visualisation platform for trade data.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal and Director General of Foreign Trade Lav Agarwal were present.
The platform carries dashboards on Importer Exporter Code, Advance Authorisation, Export Promotion Capital Goods, Certificate of Origin and SCOMET.
It is built around three dimensions: integrated monitoring, performance assessment and evidence-based policy inputs.
It leverages existing DGFT systems and the Trade Connect ePlatform.
Launched by:
Piyush Goyal
Venue:
Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi
Developed by:
Department of Commerce
Why it matters for exams: New government digital platforms and the ministry that runs them are frequently asked in governance and economy sections.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
SCOMET Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment and Technologies — India's export control list for dual-use and sensitive items.
DGFT Directorate General of Foreign Trade — The body under the Department of Commerce that administers India's foreign trade policy.
15 October 2026
A State government committee reviewing the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) has recommended that the Board stop borrowing from the market and stop funding projects. The panel said KIIFB's original purpose of raising money outside the State's borrowing limit no longer exists, because the Centre now counts KIIFB loans as the State's own borrowing. The Centre has already cut Rs 25,932.53 crore from the State's borrowing space on this account. The report says the State lost Rs 61,678.46 crore in receipts because of the KIIFB model, while the Board has spent or holds only Rs 48,574.82 crore. Avoidable costs, including higher interest and the Masala Bond, were pegged at Rs 1,250 crore. Only three of 44 projects labelled revenue-earning repay loans from their own income, and State government transfers met 99.4 per cent of KIIFB's debt repayment. The panel also recommended a CAG audit of KIIFB and cancellation of the order that routes motor vehicle tax and petroleum cess directly to the Board.
Borrowing space cut by Centre:
Rs 25,932.53 crore
Receipts lost:
Rs 61,678.46 crore
Spent or held by KIIFB:
Rs 48,574.82 crore
Revenue-earning projects repaying from own income:
3 of 44
Why it matters for exams: KIIFB's off-budget borrowing model and its treatment in State borrowing limits is a standing Kerala PSC and UPSC fiscal federalism topic.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
KIIFB Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board — A State body set up to raise funds outside the budget to finance Kerala's infrastructure projects.
Masala Bond Rupee-denominated bond issued outside India — A bond sold to overseas investors but denominated in rupees, so the currency risk stays with the investor.
15 October 2026
Djibouti is facing overlapping emergencies as refugees fleeing the conflict in Yemen arrive on its shores while migrants continue to travel in the opposite direction, IOM warned on Tuesday, 6 October 2026.
More than 3,700 refugees have reached the Horn of Africa nation in the past three weeks after a dangerous crossing of the Red Sea.
IOM has recorded more than 20,000 journeys made from Ethiopia since 10 September, as migrants on the east African route continue to head for Yemen in the hope of finding work in the Gulf.
Another 539 Ethiopian migrants have arrived from Yemen on their way home.
Between 20 and 30 September more than 3,000 stranded migrants were observed along migratory routes in Djibouti, facing dehydration, exhaustion and shortages of food and water.
Alexandre Coissac, head of IOM's mission in Djibouti, called for more support for new arrivals, migrants in distress and host communities in Obock.
Refugees reaching Djibouti in three weeks:
More than 3,700
Journeys from Ethiopia since 10 September:
More than 20,000
Ethiopian migrants arriving from Yemen:
539
Stranded migrants observed, 20-30 September:
More than 3,000
Why it matters for exams: The Eastern Route across the Bab el-Mandeb and the two-way movement between Yemen and the Horn of Africa are classic migration-geography questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Obock Obock region — The northern Djiboutian region on the Bab el-Mandeb where most Yemen-bound and Yemen-fleeing movements pass.
15 October 2026
The UN World Food Programme welcomed the release of one of its staff members who had been arbitrarily detained in Yemen, saying on 5 October 2026 that it was relieved he had been reunited with his family.
WFP said it stood in solidarity with the 72 UN personnel and five former UN personnel who remain detained.
Thirty-seven of those 72 UN personnel are WFP staff.
The agency said it supported constructive dialogue with the Houthi de facto authorities to build on the release and secure further releases.
Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, said the Secretary-General has called for the release of all detained UN personnel and other humanitarian personnel in Yemen.
He said the UN will continue to pursue every possible avenue to secure their immediate and safe release.
UN personnel still detained:
72
Former UN personnel detained:
Five
WFP staff among the detained:
37
Why it matters for exams: The detention of UN and humanitarian staff in Yemen is a recurring Security Council and human rights theme, and the count of detainees is asked as a data point.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
De facto authorities Authorities in effective control — The term the UN uses for the Houthi administration that controls much of northern Yemen.
15 October 2026
Intense fighting has forced more than 184,000 people from their homes since the start of August, the International Organization for Migration said on Monday, 5 October 2026.
Most of the displacement has taken place since early September.
In the week to 3 October alone IOM recorded nearly 21,800 people displaced at least once, a 26 per cent increase from the previous week, and a further 6,474 were displaced on 4 October.
An IOM assessment at three displacement sites in Ma'rib found that the lack of safe shelter was the most critical concern, with some families sleeping in the open.
Approximately 45 per cent of households assessed had been displaced before and had lost assets and livelihoods.
IOM Director General Amy Pope called on the international community to do more to secure humanitarian access.
WHO reported more than 5,100 casualties since 6 August, including 959 deaths.
Displaced since start of August:
More than 184,000
Displaced in the week to 3 October:
Nearly 21,800, a 26 per cent increase
Previously displaced households:
Approximately 45 per cent
IOM Director General:
Amy Pope
Why it matters for exams: IOM's displacement tracking and the Ma'rib shelter findings are the standard data an examiner uses to test the humanitarian side of the Yemen file.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
IOM International Organization for Migration — The UN agency for migration, which tracks displacement inside Yemen.
15 October 2026
The United Nations Security Council met on Friday, 9 October 2026, to discuss the crisis in Yemen.
A Houthi offensive launched in September has sharply escalated the 12-year-long war for control of the country, UN News reported.
Spillover from the US-Iran war has provoked a new displacement crisis.
Government forces say they have recaptured the port city of Mocha on Yemen's Red Sea coast.
Fighting between Iran-backed Houthis and Saudi-backed Government forces is intensifying around Taiz, and more than 200,000 people have been displaced.
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.
Security Council meeting:
9 October 2026
Length of the war:
12 years
Displaced:
More than 200,000
Port city retaken:
Mocha
Why it matters for exams: Yemen's war, the Taiz front and the Red Sea coast recur in international relations questions, and the Security Council's handling of the file is standard UPSC material.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Mocha Al-Mukha — A port town on Yemen's Red Sea coast that once handled the country's coffee exports.
Taiz Ta'izz — Yemen's third largest city and the capital of a governorate of the same name.
15 October 2026
Chief Electoral Officer Rahul Sharma of the Union Territory of Ladakh chaired a meeting with political parties on the revision of municipal electoral rolls on 12 October 2026 at his office at Karzoo, Old Raj Niwas, Leh.
The draft municipal electoral rolls of the Leh and Kargil municipal committees have been published and are open for public inspection.
The last date for submission of claims and objections is 15 October 2026.
Residents can check their names, apply for inclusion or correction of details, or file objections before that date.
Representatives of the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Aam Aadmi Party and the Indian National Congress attended, and prescribed forms were distributed.
The Chief Electoral Officer briefed them on voter eligibility, disqualification criteria and the procedure for names, corrections and objections, and asked them to spread awareness among residents whose names may be missing.
Joint Chief Electoral Officer Sonam Chosjor also attended.
Last date for claims and objections:
15 October 2026
Municipal committees covered:
Leh and Kargil
Chief Electoral Officer:
Rahul Sharma
Why it matters for exams: Ladakh has only two municipal committees, and the roll revision machinery for a union territory without a legislature is a useful distinction.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Draft electoral roll Draft electoral roll — The provisional voters' list published so that people can object or ask for corrections.
15 October 2026
Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has approved raising the maximum age limit for Nambardars in Ladakh from 60 to 63 years.
The decision followed a meeting at Lok Niwas on 3 October 2026 and was announced on 9 October 2026.
Under Rule 16 of the Jammu and Kashmir Lambardari Rules, 1980, a Nambardar's term ran for five years or until the age of 60, whichever came first. The five-year term stays unchanged.
The power used is drawn from Section 6 of the Jammu and Kashmir Lambardari Act, 1972.
The President of the All Ladakh Goba Association had asked that the age cap be removed for Nambardars who remain capable and retain public support; the approved change raises it to 63 rather than removing it.
The stated purpose is continuity in local administration, retaining traditional knowledge, and easier transitions in remote and difficult villages.
An earlier decision had raised the Nambardars' monthly honorarium from Rs 1,500 to Rs 5,000.
Nambardars, also called Gobas, are village heads who link the administration with local communities.
Age limit:
Raised from 60 to 63 years
Term:
Five years, unchanged
Rules amended:
Rule 16, Jammu and Kashmir Lambardari Rules, 1980
Earlier honorarium change:
Rs 1,500 to Rs 5,000 a month
Why it matters for exams: Ladakh still runs on Jammu and Kashmir era rules in places, and that continuity is exactly what a polity question probes.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Nambardar Nambardar, also Goba — A village headman who connects residents with the revenue and general administration.
15 October 2026
Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena chaired the first meeting of the Advisory Council of the Union Territory of Ladakh at Leh on 13 October 2026.
The Council met to deliberate on major development projects.
Those present included Dr Mohammed Jaffer Akhon, Chief Executive Councillor of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil, and Mohammed Hanifa Jhaan, Member of Parliament from Ladakh.
Other members were Sheikh Nazir Mehdi, Syed Ahmad Razvi, C. Phuntsog of the Indian Administrative Service (retired) and Tsewang Namgyal of the Indian Forest Service (retired). Sunil Sethi and Jai Prakash Tomar, members from specialised fields, attended virtually.
The Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police were among the senior officers present.
The Council discussed long-term water security, agricultural sustainability, local employment, tourism, heritage conservation, pashmina development, sea buckthorn promotion, major infrastructure and administrative reforms.
The Lieutenant Governor stressed the need to protect glaciers in the face of global warming and asked members for ideas on climate resilience, tourism and local employment.
The Council will meet again to review progress.
Meeting:
First meeting of the Ladakh Advisory Council
Chaired by:
Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena
Date and place:
13 October 2026, Leh
Why it matters for exams: Ladakh has no legislature, so the bodies that advise the Lieutenant Governor and the two Hill Councils are the governance structures an examiner tests.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
LAHDC Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council — The elected council for local development in Leh and, separately, in Kargil.
Lieutenant Governor Lieutenant Governor — The administrator the President appoints for a union territory.
15 October 2026
The Prime Minister's Office announced on 14 October 2026 that the Prime Minister would inaugurate and dedicate to the nation five projects in Ladakh worth about Rs 3,350 crore on 15 October 2026, at about 12.30 pm through video conferencing, and address the gathering.
The five are the new passenger terminal building at Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport in Leh, the 298-km Nimmu-Padum-Darcha road, the Hanu Small Hydroelectric Project with the Dah-Hanu-Khaltsi transmission line, India's first Petroglyph Conservation Park at Sindhu Ghat in Leh, and Project Him Sarovar.
The airport terminal was built at a cost of Rs 640 crore.
The Nimmu-Padum-Darcha road was built by the Border Roads Organisation and gives Ladakh a third road route alongside the Srinagar-Leh and Manali-Leh highways.
Project Him Sarovar covers 40 water bodies in 40 villages under Mission Amrit Sarovar.
Ladakh is a union territory without a legislature, carved out of the former State of Jammu and Kashmir.
Total value:
About Rs 3,350 crore
Number of projects:
Five
Airport terminal cost:
Rs 640 crore
Road length:
298 km
Why it matters for exams: A single release that names five Ladakh projects with their costs is the most likely source of a question on the union territory this month.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
BRO Border Roads Organisation — The body under the Ministry of Defence that builds roads in India's border areas.
Petroglyph Petroglyph — A figure carved or chipped into rock in prehistoric times.
15 October 2026
UNESCO has announced that the fifth Global Forum Against Racism and Discrimination will take place in The Hague on 29 and 30 October.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands is co-host, and the venue is the World Forum in The Hague.
The theme is 'From Commitment to Accountability: Change the System, Change the Future'.
Ministers, mayors and experts from all regions will attend, with the King of the Netherlands present at the opening ceremony and the first two panels on day one.
Speakers include the Prime Minister of the Netherlands Rob Jetten, European Commissioner for Equality Hadja Lahbib, legal scholar Kimberle Crenshaw and Ashwini K.P., the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance; earlier editions were held in the Republic of Korea in 2021, Mexico in 2022, Brazil in 2023 and Spain in 2024.
Dates:
29 and 30 October
Venue:
World Forum, The Hague
Theme:
From Commitment to Accountability: Change the System, Change the Future
Previous hosts:
Republic of Korea 2021, Mexico 2022, Brazil 2023, Spain 2024
Why it matters for exams: The sequence of host countries and the Special Rapporteur's mandate are both easy to turn into questions.
UPSC
In plain words
Special Rapporteur Special Rapporteur — An independent expert appointed to report to the United Nations on a specific human rights theme.
UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization — The United Nations agency for education, science and culture, based in Paris.
15 October 2026
Eastern Railway has notified 1,354 special train trips for the Durga Puja and Chhath rush, for the period 01/10/2026 to 30/11/2026.
That is 12.08 per cent more than the 1,208 trips run in 2025.
Special night suburban services during Durga Puja, from 17 to 21 October 2026, rose 61.54 per cent, from 39 services in 2025 to 63 this year.
Holding area capacity at stations grew 35.61 per cent, from 102,777 square feet to 139,377 square feet, and unreserved counters during Durga Puja number 64 against 47 in normal periods.
CCTV cameras at high-rush stations rose 30.78 per cent from 1,439 to 1,882 units, and Railway Protection Force deployment rose 20.34 per cent from 1,514 to 1,822 personnel.
Special train trips:
1,354
Increase over 2025:
12.08%
Night suburban services:
63, up from 39
Holding area capacity:
139,377 sq. ft.
Why it matters for exams: Festive-season railway arrangements come with precise percentage changes that are easy to ask about.
Kerala PSCSSC
In plain words
RPF Railway Protection Force — The armed force of the Union that protects railway property and passengers.
Holding area Holding area — A marked waiting space at a station where crowds are held before boarding.
15 October 2026
The Supreme Court has directed Indian Railways to extend insurance cover to tickets sold at reservation counters at all stations.
The cover must match what buyers of online tickets receive, and it takes effect from October 27, 2026.
The bench of Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Justice R. Mahadevan said the direction shall be implemented mandatorily, failing which the responsibility shall be directly upon the Railway Board.
The Chairman and members of the Railway Board were asked to appear in person before the Court on November 16, 2026.
The order came in Union of India v. Radha Yadav, in a matter arising from railway safety, in which the Court was also unhappy with progress on foot overbridges and track fencing.
Effective from:
27.10.2026
Next hearing:
November 16, 2026
Case:
Union of India v. Radha Yadav
Why it matters for exams: A dated Supreme Court direction that changes a passenger entitlement is easy to frame as a question.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Railway Board Railway Board — The apex body that runs Indian Railways under the Ministry of Railways.
15 October 2026
Health and Devaswom Minister K. Muraleedharan said the government is working to give the State's Janakeeya Arogya Kendrams their own buildings.
He inaugurated construction at 16 such centres in the district and at one urban health centre, under the government's 100-day action plan, at the Perinjamala Family Health Centre.
Kerala has 5,416 Janakeeya Arogya Kendrams, at a ratio of one per 5,000 population.
A hundred types of medicine will be given free at all these centres, and hospitals have been directed to buy medicines through ready purchase to deal with shortages.
The 'Hridayaragam' screening campaign, piloted in Vattiyoorkavu, Idukki and Nilambur, will be extended to the Vamanapuram constituency.
The Minister said the government plans to create about 1,800 doctor posts and about 500 nursing, pharmacy and related posts, and to expand medical college facilities.
Janakeeya Arogya Kendrams in Kerala:
5,416
Norm:
One per 5,000 population
Free medicines:
100 types
Posts proposed:
About 1,800 doctors and about 500 nurses and pharmacists
Why it matters for exams: The count of Janakeeya Arogya Kendrams and the one-per-5,000 norm are precisely the kind of health administration figure Kerala PSC uses.
Kerala PSC
In plain words
Janakeeya Arogya Kendram People's health centre — The smallest unit of Kerala's public health network, below the family health centre.
Ready purchase Ready purchase — Buying medicines directly and at once instead of waiting for the regular tender supply.