Daily Current Affairs: 29 March 2026

Gurjant Singh retired from international hockey.

Key Updates:

• Gurjant Singh announced his retirement from international hockey during the 8th Hockey India annual awards on 27 March 2026.
• He won two Olympic medals and scored 48 goals in 130 appearances for India.
• Persistent back injuries and competition from Abhishek and Sukhjeet Singh influenced his decision to retire.
• He plans to continue playing in domestic tournaments and the Hockey India League while serving in a government job in Punjab.

Ramkumar Mukhopadhyay received Saraswati Samman 2025 for 'Hara Parbati Katha'.

Key Updates:

• Ramkumar Mukhopadhyay's Bengali novel 'Hara Parbati Katha' won the Saraswati Samman for 2025.
• The K.K. Birla Foundation established the Saraswati Samman in 1991.
• The award is given annually to an outstanding literary work written in any Indian language by an Indian citizen and published within the last 10 years.
• The recipient receives ₹15 lakh, a citation, and a plaque.

Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) records India unemployment rate at 6.5% in 2025

Key Updates:

• India’s unemployment rate declined to 6.5% in 2025 from 7.0% a year earlier under the usual status measure for persons aged 15 years and above.
• Urban female unemployment edged lower to 6.4% in 2025 from 6.7% in the previous year.
• The aggregate unemployment rate for persons aged 15 and above stood at 3.1% in 2025.
• Youth unemployment (15–29 years) eased to 9.9% in 2025 from 10.3% a year earlier.
• Share of workers in regular wage or salaried jobs rose to 23.6% in 2025 from 22.4% in 2024.
• Employment in manufacturing and services saw an uptick while agriculture’s share declined in 2025.
• Nominal earnings rose across categories with female wages growing faster than men’s in self-employment and salaried roles.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reports India’s forex reserves down USD 11.41 billion to USD 698.34 billion

Key Updates:

• India’s foreign exchange reserves fell by USD 11.41 billion to USD 698.34 billion in the week ending 20 March.
• Gold reserves dropped USD 13.49 billion to USD 117.19 billion during the week.
• Foreign currency assets rose USD 2.13 billion to USD 557.70 billion in the same week.
• Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) declined USD 65 million to USD 18.63 billion.
• India’s reserve position with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) increased USD 19 million to USD 4.83 billion.

Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) launches Verified App Label with Google to curb digital fraud

[Securities and Exchange Board of India]

Key Updates:

• Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) introduced the Verified App Label Initiative in collaboration with Google to help investors identify genuine trading and investment apps on the Google Play Store.
• Sebi Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey stated the initiative is designed to reinforce trust and safety in India’s digital investment ecosystem.
• India’s securities market has over 140 million unique investors and a market capitalisation of nearly ₹423 trillion.
• Sebi has escalated over 1.3 lakh instances of misleading investment-related content for takedown and flagged 66 fake trading apps, which have been removed from app stores.
• Sebi has also implemented an API-based framework to ensure only verified intermediaries can run advertisements.

Competition Commission of India (CCI) Approves MUFG Bank Stake Acquisition in Shriram Finance

[Japan, MUFG Bank]

Key Updates:

• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the proposal by Japan's MUFG Bank Ltd to acquire a stake in Shriram Finance Limited.
• MUFG Bank, a part of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc (MUFG), will acquire a 20 per cent minority stake in the non-bank lender for ₹39,618 crore (approximately USD 4.4 billion).
• The transaction represents the largest cross-border investment in India's financial sector to date.
• Shriram Finance Limited is classified as an investment and credit company by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and categorised as an NBFC-Upper Layer.
• The CCI also approved the acquisition of Groww Asset Management Ltd by State Street Global Advisors, Inc., which is a subsidiary of State Street Corporation (SSC).
• Groww Asset Management is a wholly owned subsidiary of Billionbrains Garage Ventures and manages various schemes of Groww Mutual Fund (Groww MF).

PM E-DRIVE scheme revised with tighter deadlines and capped incentives

Key Updates:

• The Ministry of Heavy Industries issued revised guidelines for the PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) scheme with a total outlay of ₹10,900 crore.
• Electric two-wheelers registered till 31 July 2026 and electric three-wheelers (including e-rickshaws and e-carts) registered till 31 March 2028 are eligible for incentives.
• Ex-factory price caps for eligibility are ₹1.5 lakh for electric two-wheelers and ₹2.5 lakh for electric three-wheelers.
• Support is capped at 24,79,120 electric two-wheelers and 39,034 electric three-wheelers.
• The electric three-wheeler (L5) sub-component closed on 26 December 2025 after its target was met.
• If funds are exhausted before 31 March 2028, the scheme or its relevant sub-components will close early and no further claims will be entertained.

Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan (PM-SYM) Yojana: Rs 55 per month can secure Rs 3,000 pension

Key Updates:

• Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan (PM-SYM) Yojana is a voluntary, contributory pension programme for unorganised sector workers aged 18-40 years with monthly income below Rs 15,000.
• Subscribers contribute monthly amounts ranging from Rs 55 (entry at 18 years) to Rs 200 (entry at 40 years) until age 60 to receive a minimum monthly pension of Rs 3,000.
• The government matches the subscriber’s monthly contribution and provides a family pension equal to half of the pension to the spouse after the subscriber’s death.
• Workers covered under National Pension Scheme (NPS), Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) scheme, Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) scheme, or income-tax payees are not eligible.
• Enrolment is facilitated through Common Service Centres (CSCs) across India using Aadhaar and savings bank account details.

Modified UDAN scheme cleared with ₹28,840 crore outlay to expand regional air connectivity

Key Updates:

• The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the modified UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme with a total outlay of ₹28,840 crore.
• The scheme will fund development of 100 new airports through a challenge-based mode with budgetary support of ₹12,159 crore.
• 200 modern helipads will be developed in hilly regions, the North-East, island territories and aspirational districts with funding of ₹3,661 crore.
• ₹400 crore is allocated to support acquisition of domestically manufactured aircraft.
• Enhanced viability gap funding (VGF) will provide 80–90 per cent Central support to airlines on regional routes, tapering over five years, with an allocation of ₹10,043 crore.
• Operational and maintenance (O&M) support for three years is approved for RCS aerodromes with an annual ceiling of ₹3 crore per airport and ₹90 lakh per helipad, totalling ₹2,577 crore.
• The revised scheme targets connecting 120 new destinations and enabling air travel for around 4 crore additional passengers.
• Since its launch, UDAN has operationalised 663 routes and 95 aerodromes with 10 airline operators, carrying about 1.62 crore passengers on over 3.41 lakh flights.

NCW and Truecaller launch TrueCyberSakhi Digital Safety Toolkit to enhance Women's Online Security

[National Commission for Women]

Key Updates:

• The National Commission for Women (NCW) and Truecaller launched a nationwide Women’s Digital Safety Awareness Initiative on 25 March 2026 at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, New Delhi.
• The collaboration introduced an interactive digital safety resource titled TrueCyberSakhi: A Digital Safety Toolkit, Created for Her, to equip women with practical knowledge for navigating online spaces.
• The toolkit features interactive modules, quizzes, and self-assessment tools covering digital safety concerns such as spam, phishing, impersonation, harassment, and financial fraud.
• Truecaller has verified the NCW 24x7 helpline number on its Government Directory Service (GDS) to enhance the authenticity and visibility of the official support channel.
• The NCW is an autonomous statutory body established under the National Commission for Women Act, 1990, to protect and promote the rights of women.
• The initiative aims to strengthen pathways to institutional redressal by providing clear guidance on how women can access the NCW 24x7 helpline in cases of digital harm.
• The partnership includes a coordinated digital and social media awareness campaign to promote responsible digital participation and safer communication habits.

BHASHINI–PFRDA MoU integrates multilingual AI and voice technologies into India’s pension ecosystem

[Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority]

Key Updates:

• Digital India BHASHINI Division (DIBD) and Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) signed a strategic MoU under the initiative 'BHASHINI for Seva / Sanchalan – A BHASHINI Sahayogi Program'.
• The collaboration enables seamless access to pension services in all 22 scheduled Indian languages.
• PFRDA platforms will use BHASHINI translation APIs for real-time multilingual content, AI-driven language models for contextual communication, and voice-enabled interfaces to simplify user interaction.
• The integration aims to bring first-time savers into the pension ecosystem, improve financial literacy, and enhance trust and engagement with digital platforms.
• BHASHINI, developed under the Digital India programme, provides real-time translation across Indian languages, speech-to-text and text-to-speech systems, and AI models adaptable to sector-specific needs.
• The MoU includes structured enrichment of linguistic datasets to improve accuracy and contextual understanding of AI models and enable domain-specific customisation for pension-related communication.
• Voice-based access will allow users to seek pension information through spoken queries, navigate services without complex interfaces, and interact with systems in natural, conversational language.

Nasha Mukt Vidyalaya: Ministry of Education (MoE) 3-Year Action Plan (2026–2029) for Drug-Free School Zones

Key Updates:

• Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education (MoE), released a three-year action plan (2026–2029) for the Nasha Mukt Vidyalaya initiative under Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (NMBA).
• A 500-meter drug-free zone will be mandated around every school.
• School heads and nodal teachers must report suspicious activities within the zone to local administration and police.
• Teachers will receive specialised training to identify early signs of substance abuse and provide counselling.
• Peer-led programmes will be promoted to build student support against substance abuse.
• Monitoring and reporting system will operate at school, district, and state levels.
• NMBA was launched on 15 August 2020 by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) and now covers all districts.

DPIIT-Razorpay MoU empowers startups with zero-fee incorporation, mentorship and fintech tools

[Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Razorpay]

Key Updates:

• Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) partnered with Razorpay on 26 Mar 2026 to provide financial tools, founder enablement programmes and ecosystem support to startups.
• Startup Sahayak platform launched to give end-to-end assistance including company incorporation, access to central and state government schemes, funding guidance and structured interface for ecosystem support.
• DPIIT-recognised startups will receive incorporation support with zero professional fees, excluding applicable government charges.
• Selected startups will be onboarded into curated founder communities for peer learning, networking and domain-specific support in engineering, hiring and marketing.
• Knowledge sessions on applied artificial intelligence, marketing, product development and financial management will be conducted through Startup India Hub.

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ) operationalises India’s first Port of Refuge

Key Updates:

• Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ) operationalised India’s first designated Port of Refuge on 27 March 2026.
• The International Maritime Organisation defines a Port of Refuge as a location where ships can seek shelter to stabilise conditions, protect lives and limit environmental damage.
• APSEZ designated Dighi Port on the west coast and Gopalpur Port on the east coast as Ports of Refuge.
• The facilities will provide salvage and wreck removal, firefighting, pollution containment, and emergency coordination.
• The initiative is backed by a tripartite memorandum of understanding with SMIT Salvage and the Maritime Emergency Response Centre (MERC).

Cochin Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry sign MoU to strengthen bilateral trade

[Latvia]

Key Updates:

• Cochin Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) and Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) signed an MoU on 25 March 2026 to enhance bilateral trade and economic cooperation.
• CCCI becomes the second Indian chamber and the first in South India to sign an MoU with LCCI.
• Saurabh Pramod Shah, Indian Representative to Latvia, highlighted opportunities for Indian businesses in Latvia’s pharmaceuticals, education and wood industry sectors.
• India’s current exports to Latvia include rubber, chemicals and vegetables.
• Latvia, an EU and NATO member, offers access to a 450 million-strong European consumer base.

UK government issues first evidence-backed guidance limiting under-fives' screen time to one hour daily

[United Kingdom]

Key Updates:

• The UK government released its first evidence-backed guidance recommending that children under five be limited to one hour of screen time per day.
• Under-twos should not watch screens alone, and parents are advised to avoid fast-paced videos.
• The guidance was reviewed by Children's Commissioner for England Dame Rachel de Souza and Russell Viner, professor of paediatrics and adolescent health at University College London (UCL).
• The guidance applies to all screen types including computers, tablets, mobile phones, and televisions.
• The government states that about 98% of children are watching screens daily by age two.
• The guidance exempts screen-based assistive technologies used for children with special educational needs and disabilities from the time limits.
• The guidance discourages the use of artificial intelligence (AI) toys or tools for under-fives.
• Researchers at the Institute for the Science of Early Years at the University of East London observed that fast-paced content can trigger stress responses in under-fives.
• Prof Sam Wass noted a link between emotional dysregulation and time spent watching fast-paced, unpredictable content in young children.

India completes successful trial run of first hydrogen-powered trainset

Key Updates:

• India completed a successful trial run of its first hydrogen-powered trainset.
• The oscillation trial was conducted by the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO).
• The train is planned to operate between Jind and Sonipat in Haryana.
• The 10-coach train was built in Chennai and is the world's most powerful hydrogen train on broad-gauge track.
• The train only releases water vapour instead of carbon dioxide.
• Hydrogen fuel for the train is supplied from a special plant in Jind.

Earth Hour marks 20th anniversary, urges sustained eco-friendly habits beyond 60-minute lights-off

[World Wildlife Fund]

Key Updates:

• Earth Hour is organised annually by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
• Participants switch off non-essential lights for 60 minutes from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on March 28.
• The movement began in Sydney in 2007 and now involves millions across more than 190 countries.
• The 20-year milestone campaign emphasises reducing waste, conserving energy daily, and engaging in community conservation efforts.
• In the Philippines, an in-person celebration will be held in Pasig City with environmental advocates and youth groups.

India's maternal mortality drops nearly 80% since 1990: Global study

Key Updates:

• India's maternal mortality ratio fell from 508 per one lakh livebirths in 1990 to 116 per one lakh livebirths in 2023.
• India recorded 24,700 maternal deaths in 2023.
• The Sample Registration System (SRS) 2021-23 places India's Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) at 88 per lakh live births.
• India has achieved an 86% reduction in MMR since 1990, surpassing the global average reduction of 48%.
• The global maternal mortality ratio declined from 321 per one lakh livebirths in 1990 to 190.5 in 2023.
• The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target is an MMR below 70 per one lakh livebirths by 2030.
• 104 of 204 countries and territories have not yet met the SDG maternal mortality target.

BA.3.2 COVID-19 variant (Cicada) first identified in November 2024

Key Updates:

• The World Health Organization (WHO) has categorised the BA.3.2 COVID-19 variant as a variant under monitoring.
• The variant is nicknamed Cicada because it remained undetected for a long period before resurfacing, mirroring the behaviour of the insect.
• The BA.3.2 variant was first identified in November 2024 in a respiratory sample in South Africa.
• The variant is a descendant of the older BA.3 branch of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and is genetically distinct from the JN.1 lineage.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has detected the variant in wastewater samples in at least 25 states in the United States.
• The variant features approximately 70–75 mutations in its spike protein, which is the component that allows the virus to enter human cells.

Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards 2026 presented in New Delhi

Key Updates:

• The 20th edition of the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards was presented by Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan at Hyatt Regency, New Delhi.
• The Ramnath Goenka Foundation instituted the awards to recognise 24 journalists across 19 categories for work in print, digital and broadcast platforms.
• The jury included Justice B N Srikrishna, Prof C Raj Kumar, Prof K G Suresh, Rohini Nilekani and Dr S Y Quraishi.
• Avadhesh Akodia (Dainik Bhaskar) won in Print (Hindi).
• Sarvapriya Sangwan (BBC News Hindi) won in Broadcast/Digital (Hindi).
• Muhammad Sabith & Akhil Sivanand (Mathrubhumi) won in Print/Digital (Regional Languages).
• Fousiya Musthafa (News Malayalam 24×7) won in Broadcast/Digital (Regional Languages).
• Jayashree Nandi & Tannu Jain (Hindustan Times) won in Environment, Science & Technology Reporting.
• Rohini Krishnamurthy & Dhruval Parekh (Down to Earth) won in Environment, Science & Technology Reporting (Broadcast/Digital).
• Vijay Pal Dudi (Dainik Bhaskar) won in Uncovering India Invisible.
• Basant Kumar (NewsLaundry) won in Uncovering India Invisible (Broadcast/Digital).
• Praveen Paramasivam, Munsif Vengattil & Aditya Kalra (Thomson Reuters) won in Business & Economic Journalism.
• Deeptiman Tiwary (The Indian Express) won in Reporting on Politics and Government.
• Rishika Kashyap (Deccan Herald) won in Reporting on Politics and Government (Broadcast/Digital).
• Srikkanth Dhasarathy (DT Next) won in Sports Journalism.
• Mridulika Jha (Aaj Tak) won in Investigative Reporting (Print/Digital).
• Sreya Chatterjee (India Today) won in Investigative Reporting (Broadcast).
• Vidheesha Kuntamalla (The Indian Express) won in Feature Writing.
• Sandip Dighe (The Times of India) won in Civic Journalism.
• Sreya Chatterjee & Arvind Ojha (India Today) won in Civic Journalism.
• Praveen Jain (The Print) won in Photojournalism.
• Aparajith Ramnath (Penguin Random House) won in Books (Non-Fiction).

BRICS CCI WE Summit 2026 held in New Delhi from March 21 to 23

[BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industry]

Key Updates:

• The 6th edition of the BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BRICS CCI) Women Empowerment (WE) Annual Women’s Summit & Felicitations 2026 was held in New Delhi from March 21 to 23.
• The summit theme was 'Women in Innovation, Science Leadership, Innovation & Entrepreneurship (WISE) – Inspiring Change, Shaping Tomorrow'.
• Ruby Sinha, President of BRICS CCI WE, launched the commemorative coffee table book 'WISE Collective: Echoes of Excellence' during the summit.
• A memorandum of understanding was signed with SEBRAE, Brazil’s Micro and Small Business Support Service, to enhance collaboration for women-led enterprises.
• The convocation ceremony of the third edition of the BRICS CCI WE Global Women Leadership Programme took place at the summit.
• Mission ShakthiSAT was unveiled by Meenakshi Lekhi, former Minister of State for External Affairs and Global Chair of the initiative.
• Actor Shabana Azmi received the BRICS CCI WE Trailblazer: Living Legend recognition for her five decades in Indian cinema.
• Debjani Ghosh, Distinguished Fellow at NITI Aayog and former President of NASSCOM, was conferred the Lifetime Achievement recognition.
• Kalpana Murmu Soren, MLA from Gandey, Jharkhand, was recognised as the BRICS CCI WE Inspiring Woman of the Year.
• Actor and climate advocate Bhumi Pednekar was felicitated as a BRICS CCI WE Woman Icon.

World Tuberculosis Day observed on 24 March 2026 with the theme Yes! We can end TB

Key Updates:

• World Tuberculosis Day is observed annually on 24 March to raise global awareness about the infectious disease.
• The theme for World Tuberculosis Day 2026 is Yes! We can end TB, emphasizing political will, increased funding, and community participation.
• The date commemorates 24 March 1882, when Dr Robert Koch discovered Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes the disease.
• According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 3,500 people die from tuberculosis and approximately 30,000 fall ill every day globally.
• India carries the highest share of the global tuberculosis burden and implements the National TB Elimination Programme to combat the disease.
• Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus serves as the Director-General of the WHO.
• The National TB Elimination Programme in India utilizes nutrition initiatives and digital tracking to improve treatment adherence.

Theme of the Year 2026: Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063

Key Updates:

• The African Union (AU) designated 2026 Theme of the Year as 'Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063'.
• Agenda 2063 is Africa’s 50-year development blueprint for inclusive and sustainable socio-economic development.
• The Theme of the Year 2026 Concept Note was released on July 11, 2025.

International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members observed on 25 March 2026

Key Updates:

• The United Nations (UN) observes the International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members on 25 March 2026.
• In 2025, 179 UN personnel were arrested or detained.
• As of the observance date, 118 UN colleagues remain in detention.
• UN Secretary-General António Guterres reaffirmed the call for the immediate release and safe return of unlawfully detained staff.