# UPSC current affairs, 31 October 2026 URL: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-31/ 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 ### World Bank says 49.6 crore Indians crossed the $4.20 poverty line between 2011 and 2023 URL: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-31/world-bank-poverty-brief-oct-2026/ (Markdown: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-31/world-bank-poverty-brief-oct-2026.md) Source: The Hindu, Page 1. UPSC papers: GS2, GS1, GS3 **In one line:** The World Bank's October 2026 brief says poverty at the USD 4.20 a day line fell from 57.7% to 16.1% between 2011 and 2023, and extreme poverty from 27.1% to 2.6%, while warning about weak job quality. Prelims facts: - The World Bank's October 2026 Poverty and Equity Brief says about 49.6 crore Indians moved above the USD 4.20 a day line between 2011 and 2023, as poverty at that line fell from 57.7% to 16.1%. - Extreme poverty at USD 3.00 a day (2021 PPP) fell from 27.1% to 2.6% over the same period. - Drivers cited: consumption growth, rising employment especially among women, and social transfers including food subsidies. - Concerns: flat real earnings, low-productivity jobs, youth unemployment up from 14.6% to 15.9%, and 57% of the poor concentrated from Uttar Pradesh to West Bengal. - The OPHI MPI fell from 53.8% (2005-06) to 16.4% (2019-21); the World Bank's multidimensional measure was 15.5% in 2022-23. ### Census 2027: house-to-house count in most of India to run from 25 January to 28 February URL: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-31/census-2027-national-enumeration-dates/ (Markdown: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-31/census-2027-national-enumeration-dates.md) Source: The Hindu, Page 1. UPSC papers: GS1, GS2 **In one line:** The Registrar General notified on 30 October 2026 that population enumeration for Census 2027 will run from 25 January to 28 February 2027 in most of India, with a reference date of 1 March 2027. Prelims facts: - Population enumeration for Census 2027 will run from 25 January to 28 February 2027 in most of India, with self-enumeration from 10 to 24 January and a revisional round from 1 to 5 March. - The reference date is 00:00 hours on 1 March 2027; the notification is under section 3 of the Census Act, 1948. - Manipur is excluded till further declaration; Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Uttarakhand are counted from 1 December 2026 to 4 January 2027; Ladakh and snow-bound areas were counted in September 2026 (reference date 1 October 2026). - The schedule has 40 questions, including caste, the first caste count since 1931, and Census 2027 is India's first digital census. - The Cabinet approved ₹11,718 crore for Census 2027, which was postponed from 2021 because of COVID-19. ### SC: consensual intimacy cannot be branded rape just because the relationship later sours URL: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-31/sc-consensual-relationship-not-rape/ (Markdown: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-31/sc-consensual-relationship-not-rape.md) Source: The Hindu, Page 12. UPSC papers: GS2, GS1 **In one line:** The Supreme Court held on 30 October 2026 that consensual intimacy during a relationship cannot later be treated as rape merely because the relationship ended, and discharged a Kerala man of rape and cheating charges. Prelims facts: - On 30 October 2026, a Bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and R. Mahadevan discharged a Kerala man of rape and cheating charges, reversing the Kerala High Court's refusal to discharge him. - The Court held that consensual intimacy cannot be retrospectively branded rape merely because the relationship soured; the test is whether consent was vitiated by deception from the outset. - It warned that turning every soured consensual relationship into a rape accusation dilutes the gravity of the offence. - IPC sections 375 (rape) and 90 (consent under misconception) correspond to BNS sections 63 and 28; BNS section 69 separately punishes intercourse by deceitful means with up to ten years. ### Centre notifies National Social Security Board for unorganised, gig and platform workers URL: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-31/nssb-gig-platform-workers-notified/ (Markdown: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-31/nssb-gig-platform-workers-notified.md) Source: The Hindu, Page 10. UPSC papers: GS2, GS3 **In one line:** On 30 October 2026, the Labour Ministry notified the National Social Security Board for Unorganised Workers and Gig and Platform Workers under the Code on Social Security, 2020, chaired by the Union Labour Minister. Prelims facts: - The Labour Ministry notified the National Social Security Board for Unorganised Workers and Gig and Platform Workers under the Code on Social Security, 2020 (PIB, 30 October 2026). - The Board is chaired by the Union Labour Minister, meets at least three times a year and has a three-year term. - Section 6 of the Code sets the Board's composition for unorganised workers (40 nominated members); section 114(6) sets its composition for gig and platform workers, with five aggregator and five worker representatives. - Aggregators are to contribute 1% to 2% of annual turnover, capped at 5% of payments to gig and platform workers (section 114(4)). - Gig workers qualify for benefits after 90 days with one aggregator or 120 days across several in a year, under the Social Security (Central) Rules, 2026. ### Centre's fiscal deficit reaches 42.1% of the 2026-27 target in the first half of the year URL: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-31/fiscal-deficit-h1-2026-27-cga/ (Markdown: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-31/fiscal-deficit-h1-2026-27-cga.md) Source: Indian Express, Page 25. UPSC papers: GS3 **In one line:** The Centre's fiscal deficit for April to September 2026 was ₹7,14,413 crore, 42.1% of the 2026-27 target, up from 36.5% of target a year earlier, as tax growth slowed and capex growth cooled. Prelims facts: - The Centre's fiscal deficit in April to September 2026 was ₹7,14,413 crore, 42.1% of the 2026-27 BE, against 36.5% of BE a year earlier (CGA data, 30 October 2026). - The 2026-27 target is ₹16.96 lakh crore, or 4.3% of GDP; the 2025-26 target of 4.4% of GDP was met. - Net tax revenue reached 44.5% of BE and total expenditure 47.7% of BE in the first half. - ICRA says capex growth slowed to 2.8% in Q2 from 23.7% in Q1, excise fell after fuel duty cuts, and it expects a slippage of about ₹1.3 to 1.4 lakh crore. ## Other articles in brief ### ECI appeals against 16 lakh cleared West Bengal voters raise legal questions The Hindu, Page 1 (News). The Election Commission of India has appealed against the inclusion of about 16.10 lakh West Bengal electors whom judicial officers had cleared during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of rolls. Questions have been raised on whether the officials who filed the appeals had authority under the Representation of the People Act. The ECI told the Supreme Court the appeals came from the State Chief Electoral Officer's office; Election Commissioners S.S. Sandhu and Vivek Joshi reportedly questioned the filings in internal notings. Prelims facts: - The Representation of the People Act names the Chief Electoral Officer, District Election Officer, Electoral Registration Officer and Assistant Electoral Registration Officer as authorities for electoral rolls. - The Supreme Court set up Appellate Tribunals in April 2026, with judicial officers from the Calcutta High Court, to decide doubtful voter cases in West Bengal. - Of about 60 lakh voters marked doubtful, judicial officers cleared 32,77,360. Mains angle: A case study on the limits of the ECI's powers in roll revision, judicial oversight of the SIR and the right to vote. ### Can India and China coexist peacefully? The Hindu, Page 8 (Opinion). The article describes India-China ties as managed coexistence, with no open war but continuing rivalry shaped by 1962 and the 2020 Galwan clash, in which 20 Indian soldiers died. It argues India should not treat China as an existential threat, that China's military edge is overstated, and that the two should aim for a constructive relationship of strategic stability. Prelims facts: - The McMahon Line, the boundary between Tibet and British India, forms much of the eastern India-China border. - Rajiv Gandhi's 1988 visit to China, where he met Deng Xiaoping, is seen as a turning point in bilateral ties. Mains angle: Useful for India-China relations: historical roots of distrust, the boundary question and an argument for stable competition rather than confrontation. ### How AI firms are reshaping the U.S. military industrial complex The Hindu, Page 8 (Opinion). The article says the U.S. defence industry is shifting from traditional hardware makers to AI and software firms, driven by the cost of expensive platforms against cheap drones and by procurement reforms such as fixed-price contracts. In May 2026, eight companies including SpaceX, OpenAI, Google and Nvidia agreed to deploy capabilities on classified U.S. networks. It flags risks of dependence on a few firms and a verification gap. Prelims facts: - Under a fixed-price contract the price is set upfront and cost risk shifts to the contractor, unlike a cost-plus contract. - In March 2026 the U.S. Army gave Anduril a 10-year, $20 billion enterprise contract. Mains angle: Illustrates software-defined warfare and the security risks of relying on a few private technology firms, relevant to India's defence modernisation debates. ### Supreme Court presses RBI and banks on digital arrest scams The Hindu, Page 8 (Editorial). The Supreme Court voiced concern over about ₹800 crore lost this year to digital arrest scams, in which callers pose as CBI or police officers. It asked the RBI to finalise its KYC Amendment Directions, 2026 by 31 December to flag mule accounts, and ordered banks to compensate victims. The piece notes critics fear wrongful freezes of genuine accounts and privacy concerns over automatic reporting to the police. Prelims facts: - The RBI's 2017 zero-liability circular covers only unauthorised transactions, not transfers made by victims who were tricked or coerced. - Mule accounts, used to move illegal funds, are central to laundering the proceeds of digital arrest scams. - Many such scams run from compounds in conflict-affected areas of Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos. Mains angle: Feeds answers on cyber crime, banking regulation and consumer protection, and on balancing fraud control against privacy and financial inclusion. ### GSLV-F18 places NVS-03 navigation satellite into orbit The Hindu, Page 12 (News). ISRO's GSLV-F18 launched the 2,250 kg NVS-03 satellite from Sriharikota into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit about 18 minutes after liftoff. It carries an indigenous atomic clock and adds an L1 signal to the L5 and S signals, to restore the NavIC constellation weakened by atomic clock failures and the earlier failure of NVS-02. Prelims facts: - NavIC, earlier called IRNSS, is India's regional navigation system covering India and a region of 1,500 km around it. - NVS-03 has a mission life of 12 years and its L1 signal improves compatibility with global navigation satellite systems. - The last working atomic clock in the older constellation, aboard IRNSS-1F, stopped earlier in 2026. Mains angle: Relevant to strategic autonomy in positioning, navigation and timing services and the reliability problems of India's space assets. ### Chola-era bronze idols of Nataraja and Sivagami unearthed in Nagapattinam The Hindu, Page 12 (News). The Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology unearthed Chola-era bronze idols of Lord Nataraja and Goddess Sivagami, dated to about the 12th century AD, during excavations in Nagapattinam. The four-armed Nataraja, 110 cm high, is in the Ananda Tandava pose and Sivagami in the Tribhanga pose. The dating rests on iconography, ornament and pedestals. Prelims facts: - Nataraja depicts Shiva as the cosmic dancer; Ananda Tandava is his dance of bliss. - Tribhanga is a posture in which the body bends at the neck, waist and knee in an S-shaped curve. - Nagapattinam was a historically important port city in Tamil Nadu. Mains angle: Example of Chola bronze casting and temple art for GS1 answers on Indian art and culture. ### UN commission says Israel committed war crimes and genocide after the Gaza truce The Hindu, Page 14 (News). A UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry, chaired by Justice S. Muralidhar, said Israel continues to commit war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in the Occupied Palestinian Territory after the October 2025 Gaza ceasefire. It put Palestinian deaths since 7 October 2023 at over 75,000. Israel's UN envoy Danny Danon rejected the findings as "historical fiction". Prelims facts: - The Yellow Line is the demarcation set after the October 2025 ceasefire to separate Israeli-controlled areas of Gaza from Palestinian-ruled parts. - In a July 2024 advisory opinion, the International Court of Justice declared Israel's continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory unlawful. Mains angle: Relevant to West Asia, international humanitarian law and the role of UN bodies and the ICJ, and to India's balancing position on Israel and Palestine. ### Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted a drone near Mecca; Houthis deny attack Indian Express, Page 2 (News). The Saudi-led coalition said it destroyed a drone launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels near Mecca; Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree denied targeting the city. Qatari mediators held talks in Iran on the conflict between Iran and the United States and Israel, and Iran's Revolutionary Guard reported seizing two oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. Prelims facts: - The Houthis, officially Ansar Allah, are an Iran-backed movement from Yemen drawn mainly from the Zaidi Shia sect. - The Strait of Hormuz links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and is a key route for oil and LNG. Mains angle: Shows instability in West Asia and risks to energy shipping through Hormuz, with implications for India's energy security and diaspora. ### Bihar floats tender for tourism project inside Bhimbandh Wildlife Sanctuary Indian Express, Page 3 (News). The Bihar Forest Department has issued a tender for a 12.9-acre tourism project inside Bhimbandh Wildlife Sanctuary in Munger district, with a helipad, 104 cottages, 12 tree-houses and an auditorium, after dropping a highway widening plan in the area. The report frames the move as defying a Supreme Court order on construction around protected areas. Prelims facts: - Bhimbandh Wildlife Sanctuary in Munger district, Bihar, was established in 1976 and is known for hot springs. - A June 2022 Supreme Court order required a minimum 1 km Eco-sensitive Zone around protected areas; an April 2023 modification kept the ban on mining within 1 km. - Projects in protected areas usually need prior approval of the National Board for Wildlife. Mains angle: A case study on tourism infrastructure versus conservation in protected areas and the role of Eco-sensitive Zones. ### CAQM launches PAVAN command centre to track air pollution in Delhi-NCR Indian Express, Page 8 (News). Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav reviewed PAVAN, a new Integrated Command and Control Centre of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in New Delhi. It combines over 30 data streams, including 111 continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations, 2,300 industries and 3,200 construction sites, to track pollution and enforcement in real time. CAQM plans to add AI tools. Prelims facts: - PAVAN stands for Platform for Air Quality Vigilance and Analytics for NCR. - CAQM is a statutory body under the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021. Mains angle: Example of data-driven, anticipatory air quality governance in the NCR for answers on pollution control and institutional coordination. ### SC asks MeitY to stop unauthorised use of court proceeding videos Indian Express, Page 13 (News). A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant directed MeitY to enforce the court's ban on unauthorised recording, uploading and circulation of videos of court proceedings, and said the proposed policy must provide for action against violators. An interim order of 24 July, clarified on 9 October 2026, bars hosting such clips on digital platforms without permission; news outlets may report but not use the clips. Prelims facts: - The Intermediary Rules under the Information Technology Act, 2000 set due diligence obligations for online platforms. - Advocate Prashant Bhushan proposed digital watermarking and cryptographic signing of official court footage. Mains angle: Raises the balance between open courts and live-streaming on one side and misuse or manipulation of court footage on the other. ### Why E100 ethanol alone cannot secure India's energy needs Indian Express, Page 14 (Opinion). The government has amended the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 to allow vehicles to run on pure ethanol (E100), after rolling out E20 petrol. The article argues this cannot by itself cut crude imports much, because diesel, not petrol, dominates demand and refineries cannot easily change their product mix. It calls for more emphasis on biodiesel and for judging the programme by its effect on crude imports. Prelims facts: - A barrel of crude yields about 15-18% petrol and 44-45% diesel, according to the article. - India imports over 80% of its crude oil. - E20 is petrol blended with 20% ethanol; E100 is pure ethanol. Mains angle: Gives a critical argument on the limits of ethanol blending for energy security and the case for diversifying into biodiesel. ### How members of State Legislative Councils are elected Indian Express, Page 22 (Explained). After Legislative Council polls in Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Maharashtra, the article explains the system. Six States have Councils. Members are elected by MLAs, local bodies, graduates and teachers by the Single Transferable Vote, and the Governor nominates the rest. Unlike in Rajya Sabha polls, MLAs need not show their votes to party agents. Prelims facts: - Under Article 171, a Legislative Council has at least 40 members and at most one-third of the Assembly's strength. - The six States with Legislative Councils are Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh. - MLCs serve six-year terms with one-third retiring every two years, and a candidate must be at least 30 years old. Mains angle: Useful for the debate on bicameralism in States: reasoned revision versus cost and delay, and the Council's weaker role than the Rajya Sabha. ### Where ballot papers are still used in Indian elections, and why Indian Express, Page 22 (Explained). Ballot papers are still used in most panchayat elections and in Single Transferable Vote polls such as Legislative Council and Rajya Sabha elections, where voters rank candidates. A 2023 IIPA study for the Panchayati Raj Ministry found 53% of States use ballot papers for gram panchayat polls. States cite lack of funds and awareness for not adopting EVMs; State Election Commissions decide the method for municipal polls. Prelims facts: - Only Kerala, Sikkim, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu use EVMs in all gram panchayat constituencies, per the 2023 IIPA study. - Elections by Single Transferable Vote, such as Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council polls, require ballot papers because voters rank candidates. Mains angle: Relevant to electoral reforms and local body elections: the cost and transparency trade-offs between EVMs and paper ballots. ### TRAI releases draft guidelines on responsible use of AI in telecom PIB (Government release). The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has released draft guidelines on the responsible use of AI in telecom networks and services, to apply the national India AI Governance Guidelines consistently in the sector. The aim is more clarity, predictability and accountability as AI is built into networks. Stakeholders can comment until 27 November 2026. Prelims facts: - TRAI is the statutory regulator of India's telecom sector. - TRAI's draft seeks to apply the India AI Governance Guidelines, a national framework, to the telecom sector. Mains angle: An example of sectoral AI governance by a regulator, relevant to answers on regulating emerging technologies and digital infrastructure. ### Centre sets up High Level Committee on Banking for Viksit Bharat PIB (Government release). The Centre has set up a High Level Committee on Banking for Viksit Bharat, chaired by former Central Vigilance Commissioner Suresh N. Patel, to recommend structural, regulatory and legislative reforms for a competitive, inclusive and resilient banking sector by 2047. Announced in the 2026-27 Budget, it will report in six months and review Priority Sector Lending and the Lead Bank Scheme. Prelims facts: - The committee is chaired by former Central Vigilance Commissioner Suresh N. Patel and has six months to report. - It will review the regulatory framework for all banks, including Regional Rural Banks and Cooperative Banks, and capital needs of DFIs and NBFCs. Mains angle: Relevant to banking sector reform, financial inclusion and long-term credit needs for development. ### Fisheries sector shifts focus to value addition and market access PIB (Government release). The government says India's fisheries sector is moving from a focus on production to value addition, cold chains and mobile marketing to cut post-harvest losses. Since 2015, ₹39,272 crore has been committed through schemes including the Blue Revolution Scheme, FIDF, PMMSY and PM-MKSSY, and over 2,195 Fisheries Farmer Producer Organisations have been formed, many linked to ONDC. Prelims facts: - Over 2,195 Fisheries Farmer Producer Organisations (FFPOs) have been formed, many integrated with the Open Network for Digital Commerce. - PMMSY has approved projects worth over ₹4,155 crore for 1.28 lakh women beneficiaries. Mains angle: Gives examples for answers on the blue economy, post-harvest infrastructure and farmer collectives in allied sectors. ### NAMASTE scheme aims at safer and more dignified sanitation work PIB (Government release). The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment says the NAMASTE scheme is making sanitation work safer by providing PPE kits, Ayushman Bharat health cards and skill and safety training to sanitation workers. It reports better working conditions, easier access to healthcare and a modest rise in income among beneficiaries in 2025-26. Prelims facts: - NAMASTE stands for National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem and is implemented by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. - Beneficiaries get Ayushman Bharat health cards under AB-PMJAY for cashless healthcare. Mains angle: Example of a welfare intervention for a vulnerable occupational group, addressing hazards and stigma in sanitation work.