# UPSC current affairs, 26 October 2026 URL: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-26/ Publisher: upsc.help (Pratidin), free and open-source UPSC Civil Services current affairs. Not affiliated with UPSC. Every fact was checked against the source reports by a separate review before publishing. ## Stories ### Officials filed 61,059 Form 7s in Karnataka's SIR with the reason field left blank URL: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-26/karnataka-form7-officials-blank-reasons/ (Markdown: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-26/karnataka-form7-officials-blank-reasons.md) Source: The Hindu, Page 1. UPSC papers: GS2 **In one line:** In Karnataka's Special Intensive Revision, the officers who decide on deletions themselves filed 61,059 deletion requests without stating any reason, most of them after the objection window closed. Prelims facts: - In Karnataka's SIR, EROs and AEROs filed 61,059 Form 7 applications seeking deletions, none stating a reason. - Only 192 of these were filed within the 24 August to 23 September claims and objections period; more than 60,800 came later, 10,105 on 22 October alone. - Section 22 of the RP Act, 1950 requires an ERO to give a reasonable opportunity of being heard before deleting an entry on residence or entitlement grounds. - Rule 17 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960 requires rejection of claims and objections not filed in the prescribed form, manner and period. - Karnataka's final electoral roll was due to be published on 27 October 2026. ### Samudra Manthan rules: Centre bears dry-well losses, recovers aid only from oil finds URL: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-26/samudra-manthan-guidelines-dry-wells/ (Markdown: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-26/samudra-manthan-guidelines-dry-wells.md) Source: Indian Express, Page 17. UPSC papers: GS3 **In one line:** The Samudra Manthan guidelines make the government a partner in the geological risk of deepwater drilling: it pays part of the cost, absorbs the loss on dry wells and recovers its money only from discoveries. Prelims facts: - Samudra Manthan, the ₹84,084 crore National Offshore Exploration Scheme, was approved by the Cabinet on 31 July 2026; its guidelines came in October 2026. - The government funds up to 50% of 56 deepwater exploratory wells (cap ₹675 crore each) and up to 100% of four stratigraphic wells (cap ₹1,350 crore each). - Support for dry or non-commercial wells is not recovered; for commercial finds it is repaid after seven years of production or 50% cost recovery, whichever is earlier. - Only Revenue Sharing Contract blocks are eligible; deepwater means water deeper than 400 metres, ultra-deepwater deeper than 1,500 metres. - The Directorate General of Hydrocarbons is the nodal agency; the scheme aims to add over 600 million tonnes of oil equivalent to reserves. ### Editorial: A 'normal' northeast monsoon in a strong El Niño year can still bring floods URL: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-26/northeast-monsoon-el-nino-flood-editorial/ (Markdown: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-26/northeast-monsoon-el-nino-flood-editorial.md) Source: The Hindu, Editorial. UPSC papers: GS1, GS3 **In one line:** After a 12.6% deficit in the summer monsoon, IMD expects a normal northeast monsoon for the south, but The Hindu warns that a wide 'normal' band in a strong El Niño year can still hide destructive rain. Prelims facts: - The 2026 southwest monsoon gave 759.4 mm against a normal of 868.6 mm, a 12.6% deficit. - IMD forecasts 'normal' October to December rain (88% to 112% of an LPA of about 334.13 mm) over South Peninsular India. - The southwest monsoon withdrew from the country on 15 October 2026, the same day northeast monsoon rains began over the southern peninsula. - Tamil Nadu receives about 48% of its annual rainfall during the northeast monsoon. - IMD expects the strong El Niño to persist into early 2027, with the Indian Ocean Dipole neutral. ### PM opens RBI's ₹169 crore data centre and cybersecurity institute near Bhubaneswar URL: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-26/rbi-data-centre-bhubaneswar-cyber/ (Markdown: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-26/rbi-data-centre-bhubaneswar-cyber.md) Source: The Hindu, Page 10. UPSC papers: GS3 **In one line:** The RBI now has a second, geographically safer data centre near Bhubaneswar for its core payment systems, and a training institute to build cyber defence skills for the financial sector. Prelims facts: - The RBI's ₹169 crore Data Centre and Cybersecurity Training Institute at Info Valley-II, Jatni, near Bhubaneswar, was inaugurated on 25 October 2026. - The data centre will host mission-critical payment and settlement systems, including RTGS and NEFT. - The site was chosen for geographical stability, away from seismic zones and high-risk border areas; it is the second such RBI data centre after Navi Mumbai. - The training institute will build skills in cybersecurity, AI and emerging technologies for the financial sector. - NEFT has run 24x7 since December 2019 and RTGS since December 2020. ### Op-ed: Free bus travel raised women's mobility in four States, Time Use Survey data show URL: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-26/free-bus-women-mobility-tus-data/ (Markdown: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-26/free-bus-women-mobility-tus-data.md) Source: The Hindu, Page 7. UPSC papers: GS1, GS2 **In one line:** Time Use Survey data show that free bus travel lifted women's everyday mobility in four States, mainly for care and social trips, but did not by itself speed up women's entry into paid work. Prelims facts: - Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Telangana introduced free bus travel for women between 2021 and 2024. - In these States, women aged 15 to 59 making at least one trip rose from 38.7% (2019) to 45.3% (2024); men's share rose only 3.7 points. - Women's paid work rose from 30.5% to 34.4% in free-bus States but from 18.4% to 22.9% elsewhere, so free travel did not by itself speed up employment. - The NSO's Time Use Survey has had two all-India rounds, 2019 and 2024; the 2024 round covered 4,54,192 persons. - Women aged 15 to 59 spent about 305 minutes a day on unpaid domestic services in 2024, down from about 315 in 2019. ## Other articles in brief ### Operation Trident in the Northeast: 18 arrested, about ₹100 crore in hawala transactions traced The Hindu, Page 1 (News). The Narcotics Control Bureau, with State police, ran Operation Trident on 23 October 2026 at 38 locations in Assam, Mizoram and Manipur against an international narco-cartel. Eighteen people were arrested, 1,424 bank accounts frozen and properties worth ₹17.82 crore attached, and about ₹100 crore in hawala transactions uncovered. The Enforcement Directorate searched under the PMLA, 2002. Heroin, brown sugar and methamphetamine came from Myanmar, with money routed through Champhai hawala accounts. Prelims facts: - Searches covered Aizawl, Champhai and Zokhawthar in Mizoram, Churachandpur in Manipur and the Cachar region of Assam. - In Churachandpur, one mini-ATM counter code-named 'Nuniang' handled 2,947 transfers worth ₹175.03 crore between 2024 and June 2026. - Union Home Minister Amit Shah reaffirmed the goal of eradicating drug networks by 31 December 2029. Mains angle: Illustrates the nexus of cross-border drug trafficking from Myanmar, hawala and the formal banking system, and the need for joint NCB, ED and State police action. ### Hospitals need trained staff and shared infrastructure to comply with the DPDP Act, article argues The Hindu, Page II (News). The article argues that hospitals, as data fiduciaries under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, face hard compliance because patient data is intimate and continuous. Consent manager provisions apply from 13 November 2026 and substantive obligations from 13 May 2027. It notes there is no uniform DPDP training for doctors, nurses and administrators and urges shared infrastructure on ABDM's Unified Health Interface, with model consent forms and affordable cybersecurity support. Prelims facts: - The DPDP Rules were notified on 13 November 2025. - Failure to take reasonable security safeguards under the DPDP Act can attract penalties of up to ₹250 crore. - The Act separates consent to treatment from consent to use of data; hospitals must appoint a Data Protection Officer. Mains angle: Useful for the gap between data protection law and capacity on the ground, and the cost of compliance for health providers. ### Article argues US curbs on legal immigration are likely to outlast the Trump administration The Hindu, Page 6 (Opinion). The article says the Trump administration's curbs, including H-1B changes, a proposed $100,000 payment for certain petitions, a wage-weighted selection introduced in February 2026 and a suspension of the PERM process, fall heavily on Indians, who get 70% of H-1B approvals. It argues the restrictions are likely to survive a change of leadership because of bipartisan interests in the US. Over 54% of India's software services exports go to the US. Prelims facts: - The H-1B is a US non-immigrant visa for temporary hiring of foreign workers in specialty occupations. - PERM is the first step for US employers seeking labour certification from the Department of Labor for foreign workers. Mains angle: Shows how US domestic politics on skilled migration creates friction in India-US relations and risks for India's IT services exports. ### Polish PM Tusk's India visit aims to double trade to $12 billion by 2030 The Hindu, Page 6 (Editorial). Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk visited India, sixteen years after his last visit as Prime Minister. The two sides aim to double trade from $6 billion to $12 billion by 2030 and agreed to set up a Defence Industry Dialogue and explore counter-terrorism cooperation. The visit came two months before the planned signing of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement. India's ties with Russia and Poland's defence ties with Pakistan remain challenges. Prelims facts: - Poland is the EU's sixth-largest economy, with nominal GDP above $1 trillion. - India and Poland agreed to set up a Defence Industry Dialogue. Mains angle: An example of India deepening ties with Central European EU members ahead of the India-EU FTA, in technology, defence and critical minerals. ### Op-ed on Delhi protests over SIR voter exclusion and the right to peaceful assembly The Hindu, Page 7 (Opinion). After protests in Delhi over large-scale voter exclusion in the SIR, met with heavy police and military deployment, the article argues a 'culture of suspicion' towards protest is emerging. It criticises the wide executive discretion under Section 163 of the BNSS, 2023 and the denotification of Jantar Mantar as a protest site, and notes the Supreme Court has directed that suitable alternative protest sites be designated. Prelims facts: - Article 19(1)(b) guarantees the right to assemble peaceably and without arms. - In Himmat Lal vs Commissioner of Police (1972), the Supreme Court distinguished reasonable regulation of assembly from arbitrary exclusion. - Section 163 of the BNSS, 2023 empowers the executive to issue orders to prevent public disturbance. Mains angle: Feeds the debate on the balance between public order and the right to dissent, and the chilling effect of blanket restrictions. ### Article proposes a National Media Council to recognise and license working journalists The Hindu, Page 7 (Opinion). After independent journalists were detained at an October 10 protest where only PIB or DIP accredited journalists could report, the Supreme Court bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi asked whether every citizen has a right to be a journalist. The article notes accreditation quotas leave many working journalists out and proposes a National Media Council, like the Bar Council of India, to license them. Prelims facts: - The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 defines a 'working journalist' as one whose principal avocation is journalism and who is employed in the media. - The Press Club of India had drafted a Media Transparency (and Accountability) Bill calling for such a council. Mains angle: Raises the question of who counts as a journalist, and whether licensing protects press freedom or restricts it. ### Justice Bhuyan's remarks on the right to vote revive the debate on judicial restraint The Hindu, Page 8 (News). Justice Ujjal Bhuyan said at NALSAR that the right to vote is part of the Basic Structure and that mass disenfranchisement would violate Articles 14 and 326, while the West Bengal SIR litigation, involving over 22 lakh deleted voters, was pending. Former CJI B.R. Gavai and former judges objected on grounds of judicial propriety. The piece weighs this against the 1997 Restatement of Values of Judicial Life. Prelims facts: - The Restatement of Values of Judicial Life, adopted by the Supreme Court in 1997, advises judges against public debate on political or pending matters. - In ADR v Election Commission of India (May 2026), the Supreme Court held that due process is required before a voter is deleted. - The Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct are an international standard on judicial conduct. Mains angle: Useful for GS4 and GS2 on judicial ethics: the line between judges' public engagement and comment on sub judice matters. ### Two critical PHP flaws expose web servers to remote code execution The Hindu, Page 9 (Text & Context). Two critical flaws in the PHP programming language, disclosed on October 21, let remote attackers take control of affected web servers. Both stem from memory management errors that corrupt memory, one when handling incomplete data under low memory and one when accessing already cleared memory. They can be exploited before a site's own security measures start. Fixes are out and administrators are urged to update. Prelims facts: - PHP is an open-source server-side scripting language widely used for web development. - Remote code execution is a vulnerability that lets an attacker run arbitrary code on a remote computer or server. Mains angle: Shows why patch management and software supply chain security matter for cyber security of websites and their users. ### Fertiliser sales fall sharply in April to September 2026 as poor monsoon cuts farm demand Indian Express, Page 1 (News). Domestic fertiliser sales fell in April to September 2026: complex fertilisers by 22.2%, muriate of potash by 11.7% and urea by 4.1%, the first urea decline since 2021-22, despite higher production and imports. The report links it to a southwest monsoon 12.6% below normal under El Nino. Complex fertilisers are also hit by a sulphur shortage, and tractor despatches fell 18.1% in September. Prelims facts: - The Integrated Fertiliser Management System (iFMS) is a government platform to monitor fertiliser sales and distribution. - El Nino is projected to remain strong through January to March 2027, which could affect the rabi season. Mains angle: Shows how monsoon failure transmits to input demand and rural distress, relevant to agricultural risk and drought management. ### Protests against the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project turn violent in Arunachal Pradesh Indian Express, Page 1 (News). Protests against the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project turned violent in Pasighat, where an NHPC office was gutted and curbs were imposed under Section 163 of the BNSS. NHPC had hired a Mumbai PR agency for about ₹10.91 crore to win local support. The 11,200 MW project near Geku in Upper Siang is at the pre-feasibility stage. The Adi community and the Siang Indigenous Farmers Forum fear displacement and submergence. Prelims facts: - NHPC Limited is a Navratna public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Power. - The Siang Upper Multipurpose Project is meant for hydropower, flood control and water security, partly to offset Chinese dams upstream on the Yarlung Tsangpo. - Section 163 of the BNSS replaced Section 144 of the CrPC. Mains angle: Captures the trade-off between strategic hydropower and water security on the Brahmaputra and the rights of indigenous communities facing displacement. ### Odisha moves Supreme Court as Andhra plans local polls in disputed Kotia villages Indian Express, Page 8 (News). Andhra Pradesh's decision to hold local body elections in three villages of the disputed Kotia panchayat has led Odisha to file a contempt petition in the Supreme Court. Of Kotia's 28 villages, 21 have been claimed by both States since the 1960s. The Supreme Court ordered status quo in 1968 and repeated it in 2006. Residents often get welfare benefits from both States. Prelims facts: - The Kotia panchayat dispute is between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. - In November 2021 the Chief Ministers of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh agreed to set up a joint mechanism on bilateral issues. - Odisha has formed a 16-member committee under its Revenue and Disaster Management Minister to plan Kotia's development. Mains angle: An example of inter-State boundary disputes and the role of the Supreme Court and bilateral mechanisms in resolving them. ### Former Keralam Governor's recommendation to remove PSC chairperson sparks row Indian Express, Page 8 (News). Former Keralam Governor Rajendra Arlekar recommended to President Droupadi Murmu the removal of Keralam PSC chairperson M R Baiju and other members, about a week before he was relieved on 23 October, amid a Crime Branch probe into recruitment irregularities. Opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan called it illegal under Articles 316 and 317; the State BJP backed it. A minister said the State government was not consulted. Prelims facts: - Article 316 deals with the appointment and term of office of Public Service Commission members. - Under Article 317, the President can remove a PSC chairperson or member for misbehaviour after an inquiry by the Supreme Court. Mains angle: Raises questions on the independence of constitutional bodies and the Governor's role in State affairs. ### IAF chief opposes permanent geographic split of fighter assets under theatre commands Indian Express, Page 9 (News). Chief of Air Staff AP Singh said the IAF does not favour permanently dividing fighter assets by geography under the theaterisation plan, stressing centralised control and decentralised execution and the speed, reach and flexibility of air power. He cited Operation Sindoor as an example of a successful joint architecture and said implementation should be phased. Progress has stalled over differing service views. Prelims facts: - The proposed theatre commands are a Northern Theatre Command at Lucknow, a Western Theatre Command at Jaipur and a Maritime Theatre Command at Thiruvananthapuram. - The theaterisation plan to integrate the three services was announced in 2019. Mains angle: Useful for the debate on jointness and integration in defence reforms, and how scarce air assets should be organised. ### Starlink's complaint against Reliance raises questions on competition in satellite broadband Indian Express, Page 10 (Opinion). Starlink has accused Reliance Industries of obstructing its entry into India's satellite broadband market; the government says Starlink must meet the same rules as all competitors. Starlink, Reliance Jio and Eutelsat OneWeb await final security clearances and spectrum assignment. The piece contrasts India's state-influenced capitalism with the US model and asks whether India's institutions can keep markets competitive. Prelims facts: - The Telecommunications Act, 2023 permits administrative allocation of satellite spectrum, unlike auctions for terrestrial mobile services. - The Sherman Act of 1890 was the first US federal law to curb monopolies. Mains angle: Feeds questions on competition policy, regulatory capture and national security conditions such as lawful interception in telecom. ### Article urges India to showcase climate change education at COP31 Indian Express, Page 11 (Opinion). With COP31 opening on November 9 in Antalya, Turkey, and the Turkish presidency prioritising climate action education by 2035, the article argues India can showcase its climate change education record. It cites the 42nd Amendment, the Supreme Court's 1991 M C Mehta order on environmental education, NEP 2020, NCF-SE 2023, Mission LiFE Eco-Clubs and UGC's 2023 undergraduate framework. Prelims facts: - COP31 begins on 9 November in Antalya, Turkey. - The 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976 made environmental protection a Directive Principle and a Fundamental Duty. - The Greening Education Partnership is a UNESCO-led platform for climate-ready education. Mains angle: Shows education as a tool for climate action and behavioural change, linked to Mission LiFE. ### Op-ed links skewed fertiliser use and soil damage to subsidy design Indian Express, Page 11 (Opinion). After Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched the Khet Bachao Abhiyan in Karnal on 22 October, the article argues that pricing under the Nutrient-Based Subsidy policy has skewed the N:P:K ratio to 10.5:4.1:1 against a norm of 2.8:1.5:1, since urea prices rose only 1% between 2010-11 and 2024-25. It proposes per-hectare DBT using AgriStack, a stronger PM-PRANAM and soil-test based use. Prelims facts: - The Nutrient-Based Subsidy policy, introduced in 2010, subsidises phosphatic and potassic fertilisers by nutrient content while urea stays under fixed pricing. - Soil Health Card data for 2025-26 showed 72% of samples low in nitrogen and 52% low in organic carbon. - PM-PRANAM incentivises States to promote balanced use and reduce use of chemical fertilisers. Mains angle: Shows how input price subsidies distort nutrient use and harm soil and groundwater, and the case for reform toward DBT. ### Nepal gets an out-of-turn emergency allocation from the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage Indian Express, Page 15 (Explained). Nepal has been promised $20 million from the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) to recover from August flash floods, the first implementation of the new loss and damage regime, against an estimated need of $4.75 billion. The out-of-turn allocation could be a template for quick aid. The fund has 176 requests worth $2.8 billion from 119 countries but only $822 million in pledges. Prelims facts: - The FRLD was established in 2022 and operationalised in 2023. - Nepal's share of historical global greenhouse gas emissions is 0.01%. - India has submitted three FRLD requests totalling over $52 million. Mains angle: Illustrates climate justice and the gap between climate finance needs and pledges for vulnerable developing countries. ### Government plans agrivoltaics under PM-KUSUM Phase 2 Indian Express, Page 17 (News). The government plans to bring agrivoltaics, solar panels on raised structures over farmland, under Phase 2 of PM-KUSUM. Minister Pralhad Joshi said about 30% of India's 150 million hectares of cropland could suit it, and the MNRE Secretary put the potential at 1 to 2 terawatts. Projects cost 25% to 30% more than ground-mounted solar and suit fruits and leafy vegetables but not rice or sugarcane. Prelims facts: - Agrivoltaic panels are typically mounted 3.5 to 4 metres high so farming and machinery can continue beneath. - PM-KUSUM was launched in 2019 to solarise irrigation and raise farmers' incomes. Mains angle: Shows a way to ease land conflicts for solar expansion while protecting small and marginal farmers' land and crop output. ### India's Ramsar Sites rise to 103 with Sukhna Wetland and Sauj Jheel PIB (Government release). India's Ramsar Sites have risen from 26 in 2014 to 103, covering over 13.87 lakh hectares, with the addition of Sukhna Wetland in Chandigarh and Sauj Jheel in Uttar Pradesh. India ranks first in Asia and third in the world by number of sites. Support comes from the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017, the NPCA, Amrit Dharohar and MISHTI. Prelims facts: - Chilika Lake and Keoladeo National Park were India's first Ramsar Sites, designated in 1981; India became a Party on 1 February 1982. - Sundarban Wetland in West Bengal is India's largest Ramsar Site, at 4,23,000 hectares. - Indore and Udaipur became India's first Ramsar-accredited Wetland Cities in January 2025. Mains angle: Useful for wetland conservation as nature-based climate adaptation and the role of international designation in protection. ### NITI Aayog member Rajiv Gauba calls for empowered city governments with elected mayors PIB (Government release). At the 2nd National Urban Conclave, NITI Aayog Member Rajiv Gauba called for city governments led by directly elected mayors, with all 18 functions under the 74th Amendment devolved. With India's urban population expected to rise from 50 crore to 85 crore by 2050, he urged timely municipal elections, regular State Finance Commissions, better property tax collection, FAR reform and the Model Tenancy Act. Prelims facts: - The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act provides for Urban Local Bodies and lists 18 functions for them. - A ₹1 lakh crore Urban Challenge Fund has been announced. Mains angle: Directly feeds the theme that States have not empowered ULBs functionally and financially, with concrete reform proposals.