Wednesday, May 27

Daily Current Affairs: 27 May 2026

Daily current affairs for 27 May 2026 with exam-focused key facts, connected news context, and revision notes for UPSC, SSC, banking and government exams.

Editorial note for exam revision Last updated: 27 May 2026. This briefing is structured for current affairs revision, with key updates and related coverage links to help readers connect recurring topics across days.

Today at a glance

Top current affairs to revise

  1. Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) backs Bond ETFs and Tokenisation as Debt Fundraising nears ₹9 Lakh Crore
  2. Adani Green Energy Ltd (AGEL) commissions 3.37 GWh battery storage project at Khavda
  3. Taiwan overtakes India as world's 5th largest stock market
  4. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) forms panel to study quantum technology risks in finance sector
  5. Department of Posts (DoP) and Flipkart sign agreement for last mile parcel delivery services
  6. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposes monetary penalties on City Union Bank and two other entities

Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) backs Bond ETFs and Tokenisation as Debt Fundraising nears ₹9 Lakh Crore

Key Updates:

  • Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey stated that debt market fundraising has reached nearly ₹9 lakh crore in FY26.
  • The debt market fundraising volume in FY26 is recorded as almost double the amount raised in the equity market.
  • SEBI reported that nearly ₹7 lakh crore flowed into the capital markets of India during the financial year 2024-25 (FY25).
  • The regulator is developing Bond Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) and exploring pilot projects for the tokenisation of corporate bonds using blockchain-linked infrastructure.
  • SEBI is reviewing disclosure standards for listed debt securities to determine if they require requirements similar to those applicable to listed equities.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

Adani Green Energy Ltd (AGEL) commissions 3.37 GWh battery storage project at Khavda

Key Updates:

  • Adani Green Energy Ltd (AGEL) has commissioned a cumulative 3.37 Gigawatt-hour (GWh) battery energy storage system (BESS) at Khavda in Gujarat.
  • The BESS at Khavda is the world's largest single-location battery storage deployment outside China.
  • The 3.37 GWh facility can store enough renewable energy to power nearly one million homes for a day and support peak electricity demand of Indore, Chandigarh, or the state of Goa.
  • AGEL plans to add over 10 GWh of battery storage capacity during FY27 and scale total capacity to 50 GWh over the next five years.
  • AGEL is developing a 30 GW renewable energy park at Khavda, Gujarat, by 2029, of which 9.9 GW is already operational.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

Taiwan overtakes India as world's 5th largest stock market

Key Updates:

  • Taiwan has become the fifth largest stock market globally with a market capitalization of $4.95 trillion, overtaking India's value of $4.92 trillion.
  • The global stock market rankings are led by the United States (US), mainland China, Japan, and Hong Kong, followed by Taiwan.
  • The growth in Taiwan's market is driven by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), which accounts for approximately 42% of the benchmark index.
  • According to International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates, India's economy is valued at $4.15 trillion, while Taiwan's gross domestic product (GDP) is $977 billion.
  • India's weight in the MSCI emerging markets index has decreased to approximately 12% from 19% in the previous year.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) forms panel to study quantum technology risks in finance sector

Key Updates:

  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has constituted an eight-member panel, named the Expert Committee for a Quantum Secure and Adaptive Financial Ecosystem (Q-SAFE), to recommend a roadmap for a quantum-secure financial system.
  • Anil Prabhakar, a professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, will serve as the convenor of the panel.
  • The FinTech Department of the RBI will provide secretarial support to the committee.
  • The committee is required to submit its report within six months from the date of its first meeting.
  • The panel's terms of reference include evaluating the financial sector's cryptographic inventory through a Cryptography Bill of Materials (CBOM) and assessing crypto agility.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

World Quantum Day observed on April 14 (Mid of April)

World Quantum Day is an annual event observed on April 14 to promote awareness and understanding of quantum science. The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) hosted a STEM Open House for local high school…

Department of Posts (DoP) and Flipkart sign agreement for last mile parcel delivery services

Key Updates:

  • The Department of Posts (DoP), Ministry of Communications and Flipkart India Private Limited have signed an agreement for last mile parcel delivery services in New Delhi.
  • Under the agreement, the DoP will provide last mile delivery services for Flipkart shipments across urban, semi-urban, and rural areas, including remote and underserved regions.
  • The comprehensive delivery solutions include the handling of prepaid and Cash on Delivery (COD) parcels, OTP-based delivery authentication, and real-time shipment tracking.
  • Flipkart will gain access to the DoP's extensive network consisting of over 1.6 lakh post offices across India.
  • The collaboration aims to strengthen the logistics infrastructure supporting India's e-commerce sector and enhance the parcel business of the DoP.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposes monetary penalties on City Union Bank and two other entities

Key Updates:

  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed a monetary penalty of ₹10.10 lakh on City Union Bank for levying loan-related charges on agriculture advances qualifying as priority sector loans up to ₹25,000.
  • The RBI penalised City Union Bank for failing to report self-help group member level data to credit information companies.
  • Mintifi Finserve was fined ₹3.10 lakh for not uploading Know Your Customer (KYC) records of certain customers onto the central KYC records registry within the prescribed timeline.
  • Newa Investments was imposed a monetary penalty of ₹2.70 lakh for appointing directors without prior written permission from the RBI.
  • The penalty on Newa Investments was due to a change in management involving more than 30 per cent of its directors, excluding independent directors, without prior approval.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojna (PM-AJAY): Launch of Digital Portal and Mobile App

Key Updates:

  • The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) will launch the PM-AJAY portal and the AJAY mobile application to digitise the implementation and monitoring of the Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojna (PM-AJAY).
  • The digital dashboard will track socio-economic development in more than 47,000 Scheduled Caste-majority villages and monitor over 4 million beneficiaries.
  • Under the Adarsh Gram component, the system will monitor progress across 50 socio-economic indicators spread over 10 developmental domains.
  • The portal will serve as a centralised management information system for the Grants-in-Aid (GIA) component and track the physical and financial progress of hostels under the educational institutions component.
  • The AJAY mobile application enables offline door-to-door surveys, digital beneficiary registration, and the upload of geo-tagged and time-stamped photographs for infrastructure verification.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

Kerala Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau Launches Project Zero for Corruption-Free Administration

Key Updates:

  • The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) launched Project Zero in Thiruvananthapuram to establish a corruption-free administrative system in Kerala.
  • The initiative is built on four major pillars: proactive vigilance, preventive vigilance, digital vigilance, and participative vigilance.
  • Under the digital vigilance component, the VACB will introduce AI-based complaint analysis, predictive risk mapping, and a 24x7 digital complaint system with QR-based reporting.
  • The participative model involves the public through a mobile app, web portal, anonymous reporting systems, and anti-corruption clubs in campuses for youth engagement.
  • The preventive framework includes departmental risk audits, integrity indexing of government departments, and the preparation of a draft revision for the vigilance manual.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

BHAVYA Scheme: ₹33,660 Crore Outlay for 100 Industrial Parks

Key Updates:

  • The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, released guidelines for the BHAVYA Scheme to develop investment-ready, world-class industrial parks.
  • The scheme aims to develop 100 industrial parks over six years from 2026-27 to 2031-32 with a total financial outlay of approximately ₹33,660 crore.
  • In the first phase, up to 50 industrial parks will be selected through a challenge-based competitive selection process.
  • Minimum land requirements are 100 acres for non-hilly states and 25 acres for hilly states, northeastern states, Union Territories, and smaller states, with a maximum limit of 1000 acres.
  • Implementation will be undertaken through Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs), with the National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) designated as the Project Management Agency (PMA).

Related Current Affairs Coverage

Delhi Government and State Bank of India (SBI) Sign MoU for 'e-Pay' Digital Payment System

Key Updates:

  • The Delhi e-Governance Society (DeGS), functioning under the Department of Information Technology, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the State Bank of India (SBI).
  • The agreement aims to implement an integrated e-Payment solution on the Delhi state government’s e-Procurement Portal.
  • The initiative introduces a comprehensive digital payment platform termed ‘e-Pay’ to streamline and expedite the e-tendering payment ecosystem.
  • The ‘e-Pay’ platform will provide enhanced e-banking facilities, seamless digital payment assistance, and Management Information System (MIS) support.
  • The digital system is designed to replace the existing manual modes of payment and physical management systems currently used in government procurement operations.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

Quad Foreign Ministers meet in New Delhi to unveil five Indo-Pacific cooperation initiatives

Key Updates:

  • The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) foreign ministers met in New Delhi to launch five initiatives focusing on maritime surveillance, port infrastructure, energy security, critical minerals, and regional maritime coordination.
  • The United States launched the Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Cooperation to integrate surveillance capabilities and expanded the Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness to provide commercial maritime tracking data.
  • The Quad launched the Ports of the Future partnership, which includes a pilot project for port infrastructure in Fiji.
  • A new Indo-Pacific energy security initiative was announced, and India will host the next Quad-at-Sea Mission involving the coast guards of the four member nations.
  • India and the United States signed an agreement on cooperation in critical minerals and rare earths to strengthen supply chain resilience.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

India emerges as Sri Lanka's second-largest export destination for January-April 2026

Key Updates:

  • India has become the second-largest export market for Sri Lanka, surpassing the United Kingdom, while the United States remains the largest.
  • Sri Lanka's exports to India increased by 8.9 per cent to USD 364.15 million during the January-April 2026 period.
  • Total exports from Sri Lanka, comprising merchandise and services, reached USD 1,380.93 million in April 2026, recording a year-on-year growth of 6 per cent.
  • The cumulative total exports for the January-April 2026 period are estimated at USD 5,784.38 million, reflecting a growth of 4.3 per cent over the corresponding period in 2025.
  • The United States accounts for approximately 22 per cent of Sri Lanka's total merchandise exports, with April 2026 exports to the US increasing by 3.15 per cent to USD 196.37 million.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

India chairs inaugural BRICS 2026 Tourism Working Group meeting on 25 May 2026

Key Updates:

  • India chaired the inaugural Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) 2026 Tourism Working Group (TWG) meeting in virtual mode.
  • The meeting was chaired by the Joint Secretary (Tourism) in the Ministry of Tourism under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”.
  • India's thematic priorities for tourism cooperation include the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in tourism, sustainability and responsible tourism, tourism skilling and capacity building, and tourism exchanges and seamless travel facilitation among BRICS nations.
  • The second BRICS TWG meeting is scheduled to be held in Jaipur, Rajasthan, on August 19 and 20.
  • The BRICS Tourism Ministers’ Meeting is scheduled to take place in Jaipur, Rajasthan, on August 21 and 22.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

India hosts Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting on 26 May 2026

Key Updates:

  • India hosted the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) foreign ministers' meeting on 26 May 2026.
  • The meeting was chaired by the External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar and attended by United States (US) Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
  • Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi participated in the high-level diplomatic discussions.
  • Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi discussed the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, focusing on defence, trade, technology, and supply chain resilience.
  • PM Modi reaffirmed the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership for promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

South Korea to develop domestically designed nuclear-powered submarines by mid-2030s

Key Updates:

  • South Korea's Ministry of Defense (MOD) unveiled a Basic Plan to launch a domestically designed and built nuclear-powered submarine by the mid-2030s.
  • The project is named Jangbogo, in honour of the country's first submarine commissioned in 1993.
  • South Korea aims to join the six nations that have deployed nuclear submarines: United States, Russia, China, United Kingdom, France, and India.
  • The submarines will utilise low-enriched uranium and are developed as a response to North Korea's submarine-based nuclear and missile threats.
  • The domestic submarine programme began in 2012 in partnership with Hyundai Heavy Industries and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (now Hanwha Ocean).

Related Current Affairs Coverage

India and Canada aim to conclude Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) by year-end

Key Updates:

  • India and Canada are working to conclude negotiations for the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) by the end of this year.
  • The two nations have set a target to increase bilateral trade to $50 billion by 2030.
  • Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal visited Ottawa accompanied by a delegation of 112 Indian companies.
  • The business delegation included firms from the energy, mining, aerospace, telecom, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, tourism, textiles, automotive, and capital goods sectors.
  • Key areas of identified cooperation include energy, civil nuclear cooperation, clean energy transition, artificial intelligence, technology partnerships, and innovation ecosystems.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh flags off Suryastra rocket launchers on May 23, 2026, says India to become major defence exporter in 25-30 years

Key Updates:

  • On May 23, 2026, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh flagged off the first batch of Suryastra universal rocket launchers from Nibe Ltd's facility in Shirdi, Maharashtra.
  • The Suryastra system, developed using technology from Elbit Systems and in-house research and development, successfully underwent firing trials on May 18-19, 2026, and features shoot-and-scoot capability with precision-guided rockets ranging 150-300 km and loitering munitions up to 100 km.
  • The emergency procurement order for Suryastra was valued at Rs 293 crore and awarded to Nibe Ltd in January 2026.
  • Rajnath Singh stated that India's private sector participation in defence manufacturing has increased to 25-30% and is expected to rise to nearly 50%, and that India has the potential to become a major defence exporter in 25-30 years.
  • Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that the Defence Minister has approved a defence corridor for Maharashtra with hubs in Nashik, Pune, Ahilyanagar, and Nagpur.
  • Nibe Group's defence manufacturing complex in Shirdi is worth Rs 3,000 crore, and the company plans to invest Rs 10,000 crore in phases, generating around 5,000 jobs.
  • Among those present at the event were Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Chairman Samir V Kamat, and Nibe Group CMD Ganesh Nibe.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

Gujarat Achieves 100% Rural Household Tap Water Coverage under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)

Key Updates:

  • The Gujarat government implemented the Nal Se Jal mission to provide clean drinking water to remote villages in the Dang district.
  • The state's efforts are aligned with the Central Government's Har Ghar Jal initiative.
  • Pipeline networks and lift irrigation systems were deployed to ensure water supply in hilly terrains, including Sakarpatal village.
  • Gujarat has achieved 100% rural household tap water coverage under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).
  • The initiative aims to reduce hardships for tribal families, specifically women, by providing water connections at their doorsteps.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) launches India's largest biomedical innovation platform, transfers 41 health technologies to industry

Key Updates:

  • The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) organised the 'Medical Innovations Patent Mitra: Innovators-to-Industry (I2I) Connect' event at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi.
  • The event saw the transfer of 41 public health technologies from ICMR institutes and innovators to industry partners for further development, manufacturing, and commercialisation.
  • Among the transferred technologies were glycoconjugate and recombinant vaccines for typhoid and paratyphoid, along with diagnostic technologies for Japanese Encephalitis, Tuberculosis, and Mpox.
  • In a first-of-its-kind initiative, India witnessed the transfer of well-characterised inactivated KFD and Chandipura virus biomaterials to industry partners to strengthen vaccine manufacturing and biomedical research.
  • ICMR released the 'Indian Biomedical Patent Landscape Report' and a 'Technology Compendium' to support the biomedical innovation and intellectual property ecosystem.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

Rare Wild Blueberry Vaccinium piliferum Rediscovered in Arunachal Pradesh

Key Updates:

  • Indian botanical scientists rediscovered Vaccinium piliferum, a rare and endangered wild relative of the blueberry, in the forests of Vijoynagar in the Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh.
  • The species was first documented by Western science in 1836, making this rediscovery occur after nearly 188 years.
  • The field expedition was a collaborative effort involving the Society for Education and Environmental Development, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), and other scientific institutions.
  • The plants were located near the Noa-Dihing River in a sensitive zone of the Eastern Himalayas.
  • Vaccinium piliferum belongs to the Ericaceae family and is classified as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Related Current Affairs Coverage

Scientists Detect Radio Signal FRB 20240304B from Early Universe

Key Updates:

  • The MeerKAT radio telescope in South Africa captured a mysterious radio signal identified as FRB 20240304B on March 4, 2024.
  • The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) traced the signal's origin to a small, clumpy, low-mass dwarf galaxy actively forming stars.
  • The signal originated during the Cosmic Noon era, roughly 2–3 billion years after the Big Bang, when the universe was approximately 3 billion years old.
  • Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) are short, powerful flashes of radio waves that may originate from magnetars, which are highly magnetised neutron stars.
  • The Low Frequency Array (LOFAR), a European radio telescope network, discovered a radio mini-halo surrounding the SpARCS1049 galaxy cluster located about 10 billion light-years away.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

Indian Scientist Discovers 12.6-Billion-Year-Old Loktak Protocluster

Key Updates:

  • Dr Ronaldo Laishram, a researcher at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), led an international astronomy study that discovered a 12.6-billion-year-old structure of young galaxies.
  • The cosmic structure, described as a city of galaxies, has been officially named the Loktak Protocluster after Loktak Lake in Manipur.
  • The research team utilised data from the Subaru Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to study the distant structure.
  • The Loktak Protocluster consists of four distinct concentrations of galaxies that are interconnected as part of one massive, evolving system.
  • The study, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, found that galaxies in crowded regions of the early Universe grew differently from those in quieter regions.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

National Technology Day observed on May 11 (Mid of May)

National Technology Day is observed every year on May 11 to commemorate the successful Pokhran-II nuclear tests of May 11, 1998. The 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, developed by…

Oil India Limited (OIL) discovers gas in Rajasthan's Dandewala field

Key Updates:

  • Oil India Limited (OIL), a Maharatna company, has successfully unlocked a new gas-bearing pay zone in the Dandewala field of Rajasthan.
  • The gas discovery was made at a depth of 950 metres, marking the first successful establishment of gas presence in the Sanu Formation within the Dandewala field.
  • The newly discovered zone has a flow of nearly 25,000 standard cubic metres per day.
  • The gas is noted for its high quality due to low levels of carbon dioxide, supporting the push for cleaner fuel alternatives.
  • The discovery is situated in the Jaisalmer basin, enhancing the strategic energy status of western Rajasthan.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh approves MoU extension with Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) for India's first geothermal project

Key Updates:

  • The Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Vinai Kumar Saxena, approved a five-year extension of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) to establish India's first geothermal power project in Puga valley, Ladakh.
  • The project aims to set up a 1 MWe pilot geothermal power plant in Puga valley and prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for large-scale commercial exploitation of geothermal energy.
  • The ONGC Energy Centre will deepen an existing geothermal well to 1000 metres in 2026 and drill another 1000-metre well in the next phase, with commissioning expected in FY 2026-27.
  • Located along the Himalayan geothermal belt, the Puga valley site recorded subsurface temperatures exceeding 240 degrees Celsius at a depth of 405 metres during a 2025 drilling operation.
  • Under Phase-II of the project, geothermal investigations and surveys will be conducted in the Chumathang area to facilitate commercial-scale development.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

Maharashtra signs MoUs for 25,400 MW nuclear power projects (Mid of May)

The Maharashtra government signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with four companies for nuclear power generation projects with a total capacity of 25,400 MW and investments amounting to ₹6.5 lakh crore. National…

Kerala's first private medical museum opens in Thiruvananthapuram

Key Updates:

  • Kerala's first private medical museum, the Museum of Medical Archives, has opened in Ulloor, Thiruvananthapuram.
  • The museum was founded by A Sivaraman, a former artist-modeler at the Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram.
  • The collection includes handcrafted anatomical models, embryological displays, paintings, microbiology archives, and photographs.
  • The exhibits cover fetal circulation, embryonic development, stages of mitosis, tooth formation, reproductive anatomy, heart development, and vascular structures.
  • The museum aims to provide a space for children, science enthusiasts, and the general public to explore human body science through three-dimensional learning experiences.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

Centre for HR Information Systems, Research and Analytics in Governance (CHIRAG) inaugurated on May 26, 2026

Key Updates:

  • The Centre for HR Information Systems, Research and Analytics in Governance (CHIRAG) was inaugurated at the SCR Grounds, adjacent to the Zonal Railway Training Institute (ZRTI) in Moula-Ali.
  • The centre was inaugurated by Additional Member (HR) V.G. Bhooma to focus on human resource management training, research, and digital transformation in Indian Railways.
  • CHIRAG will provide role-based, certified Human Resource Management System (HRMS) training for employees across all cadres and develop an HRMS–MITRA master trainer cadre for deployment at ZRTI.
  • The centre will function as a think tank for HR policy formulation and inter-system integration, utilizing Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and predictive analytics.
  • The facility includes state-of-the-art computer laboratories and an iGOT recording studio to support the nationwide dissemination of training programmes.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

79th Cannes Film Festival concluded on May 23, 2026

Key Updates:

  • The 79th Cannes Film Festival concluded on May 23, 2026, with the Palme d'Or awarded to Fjord by Cristian Mungiu.
  • The Grand Prix (Grand Prize) of the 79th Cannes Film Festival was awarded to Minotaur by Russian director Andrey Zvyagintsev.
  • The Best Director Award was shared by Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo for La Bola Negra, and Pawel Pawlikowski for Fatherland.
  • The main competition jury of the 79th Cannes Film Festival was chaired by South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook.
  • Juliette Binoche presided over the 2025 jury, while Greta Gerwig chaired the 2024 panel.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

International Day to End Obstetric Fistula observed on May 23 with the theme Ending Fistula by 2030: Act Now!

Key Updates:

  • International Day to End Obstetric Fistula is observed annually on May 23 to raise awareness about a severe childbirth injury affecting women.
  • The theme for the year 2024 is Ending Fistula by 2030: Act Now!
  • The initiative was launched in 2003 by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to address childbirth-related fistulas.
  • The United Nations (UN) officially recognised the day in 2013 to highlight the significance of eradicating this preventable condition.
  • Obstetric fistula is a condition caused by prolonged, obstructed labour that results in an abnormal passage between the vagina and the bladder or rectum.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

International Day of Markhor observed on May 24

Key Updates:

  • The International Day of Markhor is observed on May 24 following a resolution by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) spearheaded by Pakistan.
  • The theme for the year 2026 is Markhor and Mountain Biodiversity: Strengthening Global Efforts for Ecosystem Conservation and Sustainable Development.
  • The Markhor, also known as the screw-horned goat, is the national animal of Pakistan and is classified as an endangered wild mountain goat.
  • The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has been invited to facilitate the observance of this international day to highlight ecosystem conservation.
  • According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Markhor population has been increasing at an annual rate of 2% since 2014, with current estimates between 3,500 and 5,000.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

World Heritage Day observed on April 18 (Mid of April)

World Heritage Day, also known as the International Day for Monuments and Sites, is observed every year on April 18. The theme for 2026 is Emergency Response for Living Heritage in Contexts of Conflicts and Disasters.

World Art Day observed on April 15 (Mid of April)

World Art Day is observed on April 15. The global observation celebrates culture, creativity, and artistic expression worldwide.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) tightens norms for re-appointment of directors on Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs) boards

Key Updates:

  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued the Reserve Bank of India (Urban Co-operative Banks - Governance) Amendment Directions, 2026, effective immediately.
  • An individual cannot serve as a director continuously for more than 10 years on the board of an Urban Co-operative Bank (UCB).
  • Re-appointment after completing 10 years of continuous tenure is permitted only after a compulsory cooling-off period of three years.
  • During the cooling-off period, the director shall not be associated with the UCB in any capacity other than as a member or customer.
  • Similar directions have been separately issued for Rural Co-operative Banks (RRBs).

Related Current Affairs Coverage

Centre notifies National Sports Board and Tribunal Rules 2026

Key Updates:

  • The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) notified the National Sports Governance (National Sports Board) Rules, 2026 and the National Sports Governance (National Sports Tribunal) Rules, 2026.
  • These rules were established under the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, to create a framework for regulation and dispute resolution in Indian sports.
  • The National Sports Board (NSB) will serve as the central authority for granting recognition to National Sports Bodies and monitoring compliance with ethical and financial standards.
  • The NSB will consist of a chairperson and two members appointed by the central government from a panel recommended by a Search-cum-Selection Committee.
  • The National Sports Tribunal (NST) will function as a dedicated body for adjudicating sports-related disputes through a single-window mechanism and virtual hearings.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

BCCI wins ruling to remain outside RTI ambit (Mid of May)

The Central Information Commission (CIC) ruled that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) does not qualify as a public authority under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The order, passed by Information…