28 September 2026
The death toll from the Indonesian ferry that capsized earlier in September rose to 66, as divers continued searching on the 16th day of the operation. The Virgo Transport 8 was carrying 243 people, including 30 crew members, and an unknown number of vehicles when it capsized in bad weather early on 13 September during a voyage from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan. Search and rescue agency figures put the toll at 66 dead, 108 survivors and 69 still missing. Divers working through the 4,277-ton vessel were limited to a maximum depth of 27 metres and faced leaking fuel, dense gas concentrations and unstable structures, which slowed the search. Officials said the ship's operator needs to right the vessel and bring it to the surface. Indonesia relies on ferries to connect its 17,000 islands, as sea travel is cheaper and more accessible than flying.
Vessel:
Virgo Transport 8
People on board:
243, including 30 crew
Toll:
66 dead, 108 survivors, 69 missing
Route:
Surabaya, East Java to Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan
Date of capsize:
13 September
Why it matters for exams: Major world disasters, with place names and figures, are standard current-affairs recall questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
28 September 2026
Israel said it was revoking the diplomatic status of Dutch diplomats who represent the Netherlands at the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority. The step was announced on Sunday in response to Dutch sanctions targeting Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank; the Netherlands' ban on imports of goods produced in settlements came into effect the previous week. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said the Dutch diplomats operating in Ramallah must return their Israeli-issued diplomatic documentation within seven days, when their privileges and immunities are due to expire. Israel had earlier this month ordered the closure of the British Consulate in East Jerusalem after London announced similar sanctions. Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen said he regretted the decision and that the Netherlands was weighing its response, adding that the temporary sanctions stemmed from an obligation not to contribute to the situation of the settlements. Many countries keep diplomats accredited to the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah while living in East Jerusalem, with privileges granted under the Vienna Convention.
Israeli Foreign Minister:
Gideon Saar
Dutch Foreign Minister:
Tom Berendsen
Deadline set:
Seven days to return diplomatic documentation
Earlier similar step:
Closure of the British Consulate in East Jerusalem
Why it matters for exams: The Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations and West Asian diplomacy are recurring international-relations topics.
Kerala PSCUPSC
28 September 2026
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal addressed the 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. He highlighted India's efforts towards digital justice, stronger measures against cybercrime and terrorism, wider international cooperation and timely delivery of justice. He also briefed delegates on the reforms brought in through India's new criminal laws. The Congress is being held from 26 September to 1 October 2026 under the theme "Accelerating crime prevention, criminal justice and the rule of law: protecting people and planet and achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the digital age". It is organised by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the UN agency mandated to help member states counter illicit drugs, transnational organised crime, corruption and terrorism. On the sidelines Meghwal met the UAE Minister of Justice, Abdullah Sultan bin Awad Al Nuaimi, to discuss India-UAE legal cooperation.
Edition:
15th UN Crime Congress
Venue and dates:
Abu Dhabi, 26 September to 1 October 2026
Organising agency:
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
Indian representative:
Arjun Ram Meghwal, MoS (Independent Charge) for Law and Justice
Why it matters for exams: UNODC and the UN Crime Congress are frequently asked UN-body questions, and India's new criminal laws are a live syllabus topic.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
28 September 2026
The National Disaster Management Authority observed its 22nd Formation Day in New Delhi.
The theme was 'Risk Reduction in Action', reflecting the effort to turn disaster risk reduction policy and preparedness into concrete action at all levels.
Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs Anuj Sharma addressed the gathering.
He called for concerted efforts to achieve the goal of zero casualties from natural disasters.
He said India has seen a significant transformation in disaster management, particularly in response, rescue and relief operations.
He said deaths from natural disasters have declined steadily in recent years.
Occasion:
22nd Formation Day of NDMA
Theme:
Risk Reduction in Action
Venue:
New Delhi
Why it matters for exams: NDMA is a statutory body under the Disaster Management Act and its formation day and themes are examinable.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
28 September 2026
The Supreme Court refused to stay the levy of Merchant Discount Rate on person-to-merchant UPI transactions above ₹2,000.
The charge is set to take effect from 15 October 2026.
The Court observed that the issue is less legal and more technical.
It directed the Centre and the other respondents to file counter-affidavits within four weeks.
Merchant Discount Rate is the fee a merchant pays to the payment service provider on a digital transaction.
Transaction threshold:
₹2,000
Effective from:
15 October 2026
Time given for counter-affidavits:
Four weeks
Why it matters for exams: MDR on UPI is a live banking and digital-payments question and the threshold and effective date are examinable facts.
Kerala PSCUPSCBank
28 September 2026
Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the conference on 'PRAHAAR - National CT Policy and Strategy' in New Delhi.
He launched a new Extradition Portal meant to speed up the return of fugitives from abroad.
He said 288 fugitive criminals were brought back from 36 countries between 2019 and 2026.
PRAHAAR rests on seven pillars: Prevention, Response, Aggregating Internal Capacities, Human Rights, Attenuating Conditions for Terrorism, Aligning International Efforts, and Recovery and Resilience.
He called for an institutionalised, automated counter-terrorism response mechanism at every level.
He said the government follows a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of terrorism.
Fugitives extradited, 2019 to 2026:
288
Countries involved:
36
Pillars of PRAHAAR:
7
Why it matters for exams: A new national counter-terrorism framework and a named portal are standard internal-security exam material.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
Background
Ri Bhoi district's official history page states that the district was created by upgrading a former Civil Sub-Division, carved out of the erstwhile East Khasi Hills district. Its headquarters is Nongpoh. The district has an area of 2,448 sq km, excluding areas under dispute between Assam and Meghalaya. It is bounded by the Kamrup, Morigoan and Nagoan districts of Assam to the north, Karbi Anglong district of Assam to the east, East Khasi Hills and West Khasi Hills districts to the south, and West Khasi district to the west. The page notes that the Bhois, the main inhabitants, are a sub-group of the Khasi tribe and follow the matrilineal system.
District headquarters:
Nongpoh
Area:
2,448 sq km
Carved out of:
East Khasi Hills
Why it matters for exams: The reorganisation of North-Eastern districts and their tribal composition are recurring topics in Kerala PSC and UPSC general studies.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
The Department of Science and Technology (DST) states that India became an Associate Member State of CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research), Geneva, on 16.01.2017. At present, 10 Indian Industries are involved in CERN-related activities, and an Industrial Liaison Officer has been appointed to coordinate Indian companies' participation in CERN's market surveys and tenders. DST and the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) jointly promote India's participation in CERN's mega-science experiments. Indian scientists, engineers and research students from 15 research groups participate in the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), and another 15 research groups participate in A Large Ion Collider Experiment (ALICE). Thirty research groups are involved in the operation and utilisation of the Worldwide LHC Computing Grid (WLCG) infrastructure for the CMS and ALICE experiments.
Associate Member since:
16.01.2017
Indian industries involved:
10
Research groups in CMS experiment:
15
Why it matters for exams: India's Associate Membership of CERN and its participation in CMS/ALICE experiments are recurring science-diplomacy facts in general studies papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
The International Cooperation Division of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) is mandated to negotiate, conclude and implement Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) agreements between India and other countries, and to provide inputs on STI aspects in international forums. This is carried out in consultation with the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian Missions abroad, and S&T Counsellors in Germany, Japan, Russia and the USA. Under Bilateral Cooperation, DST states that India has STI cooperation agreements with 83 countries. Cooperation has strengthened in recent years with Australia, Canada, the EU, France, Germany, Israel, Japan, Russia, the UK and the USA. Cooperation with African countries has been strengthened through the India Africa S&T Initiative, and S&T is also leveraged to engage countries under India's Act East policy.
STI cooperation agreements:
83 countries
Coordinating division:
International Cooperation Division, DST
S&T Counsellors posted in:
Germany, Japan, Russia, USA
Why it matters for exams: The scale of India's bilateral STI cooperation and its coordination with MEA is a useful fact linking science governance to foreign policy.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
NITI Aayog describes itself as the nodal institution for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in India, leading the 2030 Agenda in the spirit of cooperative and competitive federalism. It monitors the performance of States and Union Territories through the SDG India Index, the North-Eastern Region District SDG Index, and the Multidimensional Poverty Index, and promotes the localisation of SDGs while encouraging a competitive spirit among States and UTs. The SDG India Index Report, released by NITI Aayog, benchmarks the performance of all States and Union Territories and has reached its fourth edition.
Nodal institution for SDGs:
NITI Aayog
SDG India Index:
Fourth edition
Also monitors:
North-Eastern Region District SDG Index, Multidimensional Poverty Index
Why it matters for exams: NITI Aayog's SDG role and the SDG India Index are a recurring topic linking India's domestic governance to its global commitments under the UN 2030 Agenda.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
The International Solar Alliance (ISA) was established by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of France Francois Hollande on November 30, 2015. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy describes ISA as a treaty-based international intergovernmental organization. Its stated objective is to scale up solar energy and reduce the cost of solar power generation through aggregation of demand for solar finance, technologies, innovation, research and development, and capacity building. The alliance aims at mobilising more than USD 1000 billion of investment needed by 2030 for the massive deployment of solar energy.
Established:
30 November 2015
Founders:
PM Narendra Modi and President Francois Hollande of France
Investment target:
Over USD 1000 billion by 2030
Why it matters for exams: ISA is a frequently asked India-led multilateral initiative; its founding, objective and founder-countries are a staple in exams on international organisations.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
Meghalaya's District Council Affairs Department coordinates between the state government and the three Autonomous District Councils created under the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution: the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council, the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council and the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council. The department examines bills and regulations passed by the District Councils for their legality and conformity with the Sixth Schedule, and conducts elections to the three Councils on expiry of their terms. The Councils' constitution also draws on the Assam and Meghalaya Autonomous District (Constitution of District Council) Rules, 1951, as amended.
Number of Autonomous District Councils:
3
Governing provision:
Sixth Schedule to the Constitution
Nodal department:
District Council Affairs Department
Why it matters for exams: The Sixth Schedule and its Autonomous District Councils in Meghalaya are a staple polity topic for both Kerala PSC and UPSC on North-East India's tribal self-governance.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
Meghalaya was carved out of Assam, first becoming an autonomous state within Assam on 2 April 1970 and then a full-fledged state on 21 January 1972. Shillong, which had served as the capital of undivided Assam since 1874, became the capital of the new state of Meghalaya. The state covers an area of 22,429 sq km and recorded a population of 29,66,889 at the 2011 Census, with a literacy rate of 74.43 per cent. Meghalaya today comprises 12 districts divided into 55 blocks spread across the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Hills regions.
Area:
22,429 sq km
Population (2011 Census):
29,66,889
Districts:
12
Literacy rate:
74.43%
Why it matters for exams: Meghalaya's transition from an autonomous state to full statehood is a recurring polity and North-East geography question in Kerala PSC and UPSC exams.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
Kudumbashree, Kerala's poverty eradication and women empowerment mission, was inaugurated on 17 May 1998 at Malappuram, in the presence of Chief Minister E. K. Nayanar and Minister for Local Administration Paloli Mohammed Kutty. It was registered in November 1998 under the Travancore-Cochin Literary, Scientific and Charitable Societies Act, and began full operations on 1 April 1999. The mission grew out of the People's Plan Movement, with a three-member task force of S. M. Vijayanand, T. M. Thomas Isaac and Dr Prakash Bakshi recommending a state-level mission for poverty eradication. Its community organisation follows a three-tier structure: Neighbourhood Groups (NHGs) of 15-20 households, Area Development Societies (ADS) at the ward level, and Community Development Societies (CDS) at the local government level. Kudumbashree functions as a community network working in tandem with Kerala's local self-government institutions, and achieved statewide coverage by 2003 after phased expansion.
Inaugurated:
17 May 1998, Malappuram
Structure:
NHG - ADS - CDS
Why it matters for exams: Kudumbashree's three-tier structure and its link to Kerala's local self-government system are staple Kerala PSC questions on state welfare schemes.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
G. D. Nokes was appointed the first Public Service Commissioner of Travancore on 14 June 1936, while Cochin set up a Staff Selection Board the same year, later forming a three-member Public Service Commission in 1947. Following the integration of Travancore and Cochin on 1 July 1949, a Public Service Commission for the State of Travancore-Cochin was constituted by an ordinance, with three members including the Chairman. When Kerala State was formed on 1 November 1956, the Travancore-Cochin Public Service Commission was transformed into the Kerala Public Service Commission. The Commission's strength has grown steadily since, from five members in 1959 to eighteen members by 2005, and it continues to function under the constitutional provisions that came into force with the Constitution of India.
Kerala PSC formed:
1 November 1956
Members by 2005:
18
Why it matters for exams: Kerala PSC's own constitutional lineage and formation history from the Travancore-Cochin Commission is a frequently asked topic in Kerala PSC preliminary exams.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
As the 16th Kerala Legislative Assembly prepares for its second session starting October 12, 2026, its basic structure remains the standing framework for the state's legislature. Kerala has a unicameral legislature, meaning it has only one House, the Legislative Assembly, unlike a few Indian states that retain a Legislative Council. The Assembly is headquartered at the Niyamasabha Mandiram in Thiruvananthapuram. Sessions such as the upcoming one are convened by the Governor and conducted under rules framed by the House itself.
Legislature type:
Unicameral
Assembly location:
Thiruvananthapuram
Why it matters for exams: Whether Kerala's legislature is unicameral or bicameral, and who convenes its sessions, are basic and frequently tested polity facts.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
The Kerala Public Service Commission was formed on November 1, 1956, when the Travancore-Cochin Public Service Commission was transformed into the Kerala PSC following the reorganisation of states that created Kerala. The Travancore-Cochin PSC itself had been created on July 1, 1949, by integrating the public service commissions of the princely states of Travancore and Cochin. The earliest predecessor traces to Travancore, where G. D. Nokes served as the first Public Service Commissioner from June 14, 1936. The Commission's membership has grown over the decades, from three members to eighteen members by 2005, with increases in strength recorded in 1959, 1971, 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984.
Kerala PSC formed:
1 November 1956
Members (2005):
18
Why it matters for exams: The lineage from the Travancore Public Service Commissioner to today's Kerala PSC is a recurring Kerala PSC history question.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
The High Court of Kerala was established on November 1, 1956, the same day the State of Kerala itself was formed under the States Reorganisation Act by merging Travancore-Cochin with the Malabar district of Madras State. It was formally inaugurated on November 5, 1956. The court's seat is at Ernakulam, and its territorial jurisdiction extends over the entire State of Kerala and the Union Territory of Lakshadweep. Two of its judges hold notable firsts in Indian judicial history: Justice Anna Chandy became the first woman High Court judge in India, and Justice M. Fathima Beevi became the first woman judge of the Supreme Court of India.
Established:
1 November 1956
Seat:
Ernakulam
Why it matters for exams: The founding date, seat and dual-jurisdiction (Kerala plus Lakshadweep) of the Kerala High Court are standard Kerala PSC polity facts.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
The Loktak Development Authority of Manipur is the body responsible for the conservation and sustainable management of Loktak Lake and its associated wetlands. Its official website records a lake area of 287 sq. km, states that 6.8% of the Manipur River Basin is wetlands, and that 100k+ people depend on the lake and wetlands. The Authority describes Loktak as the largest freshwater lake in Northeast India, home to the world's unique floating phumdis ecosystem, and a Ramsar site of international importance.
Lake area:
287 sq. km
Of Manipur River Basin is wetlands:
6.8%
People depend on the lake & wetlands:
100k+
Why it matters for exams: Wetland authorities and Ramsar sites are asked about together, and the 287 sq. km figure with the phumdi ecosystem is the pairing examiners use.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
The Overseas Indian Affairs Division of the Ministry of External Affairs is dedicated to the multitude of Indian Nationals settled abroad. It is positioned as a Services Division and provides information, partnerships and facilitation for all matters related to Overseas Indians. Overseas Indians comprise Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs). The Division has four functional service divisions: Diaspora Services, Financial Services, Emigration Services and Management Services. It works to connect the Indian Diaspora community with its motherland and to build networks with and amongst Overseas Indians. It is also engaged in initiatives for the promotion of trade and investment, emigration, education, culture, health and science and technology.
Functional service divisions:
Diaspora Services, Financial Services, Emigration Services, Management Services
Overseas Indians comprise:
Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs)
Why it matters for exams: The structure of the ministry division handling emigration is a standard polity and governance question for Kerala aspirants.
Kerala PSCUPSC