International relationsThe Hindu, Page 1GS2GS3Must read
China proposes export curbs on 40 AI, solar and biomedicine technologies
China leads in next-generation solar cells. What happens to India's solar plans if Beijing keeps the know-how at home?
UPSC current affairs today
Saturday, 17 October 2026. The Hindu, The Indian Express and PIB, cut down to what UPSC can ask, mapped to the syllabus and to every previous-year question. Free and open source.
Today's 5 stories
Science and technologyThe Hindu, NewsGS3Must read
CERT-In issues critical advisory after AI agents accessed Indian firms' systems unnoticed
AI agents read confidential records of Indian firms and nobody noticed. Who is to blame, the machine or the open door?
EconomyThe Hindu, NewsGS2GS3Must read
Centre tells Supreme Court airfare rules are finalised, to be published within two weeks
Airfares were freed in 1994. Can new rules tame festival fare spikes without grounding cheap tickets?
Science and technologyThe Hindu, NewsGS3
INS Samarthak, an L&T-built multi-purpose vessel, is commissioned into the Navy at Karwar
A private yard built it, three-fourths of it is Indian, and it can launch drones at sea. What does INS Samarthak add?
EconomyThe Hindu, BusinessGS3GS2
India's crude imports rise 7% in September, but the import bill jumps 47% to $15.4 billion
India bought only 7% more oil but paid 47% more for it. How long can the economy absorb a price-driven oil shock?
Also in today's papers
- Jaishankar to hold talks with US Secretary of State Rubio and host UAE Foreign Minister in Mumbai The Hindu · GS2 · Prelims
- Home Ministry seeks reports from Punjab on three drug-linked incidents The Hindu · GS2 · GS3
- Philippines protests Chinese ambassador's remarks on use of force as a veiled threat The Hindu · GS2
- Canadian PM Carney warns outsiders want to 'break' Canada as Alberta votes on a separation path The Hindu · GS2
- EU leaders back Zelenskyy in Brussels as Trump criticises Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries The Hindu · GS2
- APEDA facilitates first export of organic palmyra jaggery powder from Tamil Nadu to Bulgaria PIB · GS3 · Prelims
- Report shows sharp rise in Ayush-related patent filings in India since 2014 PIB · GS3 · Prelims
- First Kanda Express carries buffer onions to Agartala to steady North-East supply PIB · GS3 · Prelims
- CAQM orders camera-based remote monitoring for all polluting industries in NCR PIB · GS3 · Prelims
- National Conference on e-Governance Reforms begins in Dharamshala PIB · GS2
- PM-AJAY: 18,093 Scheduled Caste-majority villages declared Adarsh Grams PIB · GS2 · Prelims
- Over 1.93 lakh more houses sanctioned under PMAY-Urban 2.0 PIB · GS2 · Prelims
- Sangeet Natak Akademi's Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar to be given to 106 young artists PIB · GS1 · Prelims
Today by source: Editorial analysis · The Hindu analysis · Indian Express explained · PIB summary
This week
15 October 2026 Thursday
- Wholesale inflation rises to 11.39% in September, led by fuel and power at 25.85%
- Cabinet renames NSAP, extends it to 2030-31 and eases disability pension rules
- Cabinet clears sale of 60.72% of IDBI Bank to Fairfax for ₹52,877 crore
- Supreme Court orders insurance cover for all counter-bought train tickets from 27 October
- Explained: The Kigali Amendment turns 10 as India's demand for cooling surges
14 October 2026 Wednesday
- IMF lifts India's 2026-27 growth forecast to 7%, warns global risks tilt downward
- First BIMSTEC Home Ministers' meeting adopts Delhi Declaration against cross-border terror
- Madras HC upholds AIADMK MLAs' resignations but says disqualification cases must go on
- NPCI defers 0.4% UPI merchant fee, due on 15 October, until after Diwali
13 October 2026 Tuesday
- Nobel economics prize 2026 goes to Robert Hall and Michael Woodford for stabilisation work
- Retail inflation rises to 5.54% in September as food prices jump; rural CPI crosses 6%
- IPCC meets in Addis Ababa amid deadlock over when to publish its next climate reports
- Op-ed: A warming Himalaya demands a rethink of how the mountains are developed
- Explained: Why India needs a trained, formal workforce to care for its elderly
12 October 2026 Monday
- Supreme Court, in a Sunday sitting, bars illegal detention of peaceful protesters in Delhi
- Op-ed: At 21, the RTI Act's duty of proactive disclosure is still widely ignored
- Heat-induced sex reversal makes frogs more vulnerable to extinction, study finds
- Explained: India's three-part Black Sea truce plan for the Russia-Ukraine war
- Indo-French TRISHNA thermal imaging satellite expected to launch in 12 to 16 months
11 October 2026 Sunday
- UN rights office flags mass detentions at Delhi protest; India calls it 'interference'
- Madras HC: private institutions and employers in Tamil Nadu cannot compel caste disclosure
- JJ Act at ten: CJI seeks trained defence lawyers for children and stigma-free records
- Goyal says India-US trade pact will be finalised keeping 'changed circumstances' in mind
10 October 2026 Saturday
- MP High Court strikes down 27% OBC quota, restores 14% to keep the 50% ceiling
- Supreme Court calls blanket Metro and train shutdown before Delhi protest 'overreaching'
- Critical minerals stockpiling policy likely within a month, says Mines Secretary
- Op-ed: WHO's first child obesity guidelines call for action beyond the clinic
- US sanctions the International Criminal Court itself, hours after Navi Pillay wins Nobel
Prepare by topic
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Questions about upsc.help
What is upsc.help?
upsc.help (Pratidin) is a free, open-source site for UPSC Civil Services current affairs. Every day it picks the stories from The Hindu, The Indian Express and PIB that the exam can ask about, and gives each one a neutral summary, Prelims facts, a Prelims question, a Mains question with a model answer, background concepts explained from zero, and the previous-year questions it helps answer.
Which sources does it cover?
The Hindu, The Indian Express and the Press Information Bureau (PIB), plus primary documents such as court judgments, bills and government releases where they exist. Every page links to the reports it was written from.
How are the facts checked?
Each day's stories are checked claim by claim by a separate review that did not write them, against the original reports and primary sources. Anything that cannot be confirmed is removed before publishing. Previous-year questions are checked against published copies of each year's paper.
Is it free?
Yes. There is no sign-up and no paywall. Your study progress, flashcard schedule and practice answers are saved in your own browser.
Is upsc.help affiliated with UPSC?
No. It is an independent, open-source project and is not affiliated with the Union Public Service Commission or any coaching institute.
How do I use it for Prelims and Mains?
For Prelims, use the Prelims facts on every story, the daily Prelims facts page and the quizzes. For Mains, each story shows the previous-year questions it helps answer, with notes on where it fits in your answer, and a timed answer-writing practice in the app.