# UPSC current affairs, 2 November 2026 URL: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-11-02/ 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 ### GST collections rise 22.9% to ₹2.31 lakh crore in October, second-highest ever URL: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-11-02/gst-october-2026-collections-surge/ (Markdown: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-11-02/gst-october-2026-collections-surge.md) Source: The Hindu, Page 10. UPSC papers: GS3, GS2 **In one line:** India collected about ₹2.31 lakh crore in gross GST in October 2026, 22.9% more than a year earlier and second only to April 2026's record of about ₹2.43 lakh crore. Prelims facts: - Gross GST in October 2026 was about ₹2.31 lakh crore, up 22.9%, the second-highest month after April 2026 (about ₹2.43 lakh crore). - Domestic GST rose 15.8% to ₹1.59 lakh crore, while GST on imports rose 42.2% to ₹72,246 crore. - Refunds were ₹27,934 crore, leaving net GST of ₹2,03,356 crore. - April to October 2026 gross collections rose 13.2% to ₹14.77 lakh crore. - GST moved to two main slabs (5% and 18%) with a 40% rate for a few goods from 22 September 2025. ### CJI asks why litigants rush to the Supreme Court for early hearings in High Court cases URL: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-11-02/cji-hc-early-hearing-rush/ (Markdown: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-11-02/cji-hc-early-hearing-rush.md) Source: The Hindu, Page 12. UPSC papers: GS2 **In one line:** At the Kerala High Court's platinum jubilee on 1 November 2026, CJI Surya Kant asked High Courts to reflect on why litigants approach the Supreme Court just to get their cases heard early. Prelims facts: - CJI Surya Kant flagged a growing trend of litigants asking the Supreme Court to order early hearings in High Court cases. - He said the Supreme Court respects High Courts' control over their rosters but listing must become transparent and predictable. - Article 226 gives High Courts writ power for fundamental and other legal rights, wider than Article 32. - The Kerala High Court, formed in 1956, traces its roots to the Travancore High Court (1887). ### Op-ed: Unemployment has fallen, but India's jobs remain far from 'decent work' URL: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-11-02/decent-work-index-deficit-oped/ (Markdown: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-11-02/decent-work-index-deficit-oped.md) Source: The Hindu, Page 6. UPSC papers: GS3, GS1, GS2 **In one line:** An article in The Hindu argues that India's falling unemployment rate hides weak job quality, shown by a Decent Work Index that rose only from 0.247 to 0.302. Prelims facts: - PLFS unemployment (usual status, 15+) fell from 6.0% in 2017-18 to 3.2% in 2023-24; female LFPR rose from 23.3% to 41.7%. - A Decent Work Index built from PLFS data rose only from 0.247 to 0.302 across five industries. - Agriculture, the largest employer, had the lowest index (0.211 to 0.267); manufacturing improved most (0.324 to 0.411). - The India Employment Report 2024 (ILO and IHD) found nearly 90% of workers informally employed. - The four Labour Codes took effect on 21 November 2025, replacing 29 central labour laws. ### Andhra Pradesh braces for Cyclone Murasu, its second cyclone in a week URL: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-11-02/cyclone-murasu-andhra-second-storm/ (Markdown: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-11-02/cyclone-murasu-andhra-second-storm.md) Source: The Hindu, Page 1. UPSC papers: GS3, GS1 **In one line:** A deep depression over the Bay of Bengal intensified into Cyclonic Storm Murasu on 1 November 2026, and Andhra Pradesh prepared for its second cyclone within a week after Cyclone Arnab. Prelims facts: - Cyclonic Storm Murasu formed over the Bay of Bengal on 1 November 2026, days after Cyclone Arnab hit Andhra Pradesh. - Murasu, a Tamil word for a traditional drum, was contributed by India; Arnab was Bangladesh's name. - The North Indian Ocean list has 169 names from 13 countries, adopted in 2020; names are at most eight letters and never reused. - On the IMD scale, a cyclonic storm has sustained winds of 62 to 88 km/h; only then is a name given. - Andhra Pradesh deployed 1,688 medical teams and 116 relief camps before landfall. ### Explained: Why even a strong El Niño does not guarantee a poor Indian monsoon URL: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-11-02/el-nino-monsoon-not-destiny-explained/ (Markdown: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-11-02/el-nino-monsoon-not-destiny-explained.md) Source: The Hindu, Page II. UPSC papers: GS1, GS3 **In one line:** El Niño usually weakens India's monsoon, but the Indian Ocean Dipole, the location of Pacific warming and intraseasonal waves can soften or deepen its effect, as the contrast between 1997 and 2026 shows. Prelims facts: - The 2026 monsoon ended 12.6% below normal (759.4 mm against 868.6 mm), the weakest since 2015. - Of seven moderate or strong El Niño monsoons since 1950, five were deficient; 2023 was below normal and 1997 normal. - A positive Indian Ocean Dipole (warmer western Indian Ocean) can offset El Niño, as in 1997. - The Madden-Julian Oscillation circles the tropics every 30 to 60 days; August 2023 was India's driest August since 1901. - IMD has used a multi-model ensemble for monsoon forecasts since 2021. ## Other articles in brief ### UN General Assembly vote against the US embargo on Cuba draws its weakest backing in two decades The Hindu, Page 6 (Editorial). On 30 October 2026 the UN General Assembly passed its resolution calling for an end to the US economic embargo on Cuba by 130 votes to 17, with 25 abstentions, down from over 180 votes in favour in earlier years. The editorial links the fall to US pressure on Latin American and some Western countries. India has consistently supported the resolution and opposes unilateral measures. Prelims facts: - The UNGA has passed the resolution on ending the US embargo on Cuba almost every year since 1992. - UNGA resolutions are non-binding; only the US Congress can lift the embargo. - Costa Rica, Ecuador, Argentina and Colombia switched their votes, and Germany and Italy abstained. Mains angle: Shows how great power pressure shapes voting in multilateral bodies, and India's consistent position against unilateral sanctions. ### Article reviews India's solar expansion, from rooftop solar homes to the 500 GW target The Hindu, Page 7 (Opinion). The article says installed solar capacity rose from 2.8 GW in 2014 to 171 GW, and solar power costs fell from ₹8 a unit in 2014-15 to as low as ₹2.15. It says 21 lakh of 65 lakh homes under PM Surya Ghar have zero electricity bills, and that reaching 500 GW of non-fossil capacity by 2030 needs $220 billion of investment. Prelims facts: - PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, launched in February 2024, aims to give up to 300 units of free electricity a month to one crore households through rooftop solar. - The National Green Hydrogen Mission targets 5 million tonnes a year of green hydrogen by 2030. - The International Solar Alliance, co-founded by India and France in 2015, has 130 signatory and member countries. Mains angle: Gives data on India's renewable transition and its financing needs, including storage, transmission and manufacturing, the last backed by the PLI scheme. ### What the Binance hack means for crypto investors The Hindu, Page 8 (Text & Context). On 29 October 2026 the crypto exchange Binance lost about $6.3 billion in digital assets in a cyberattack, which the article calls the largest crypto heist on record. Binance said it would cover the losses from its Secure Asset Fund for Users and its treasury, and about $3 billion, mainly stablecoins, was frozen on-chain. Chainalysis, TRM Labs and the FBI attributed the attack to a North Korean group. Prelims facts: - The attack was attributed to TraderTraitor, a North Korean cybercrime group linked to the Lazarus Group. - The stolen funds were drawn from Binance's hot wallets across ten blockchains. Mains angle: An example for cybersecurity and the regulation of crypto assets: state-linked hackers and the tension between freezing assets and decentralisation. ### Defence Acquisition Council clears Navy's Project 18A next-generation destroyers The Hindu, Page 10 (News). The Defence Acquisition Council gave in-principle approval to Project 18A, the Navy's next-generation stealth guided missile destroyer programme, estimated at about ₹80,000 crore. The ships are expected to have nearly 75% indigenous content and a displacement above 10,000 tons, larger than the Visakhapatnam class, as several older destroyers near decommissioning. Prelims facts: - Project 18A destroyers will be designed by the Navy's Warship Design Bureau. - The Navy currently has 12 to 13 guided missile destroyers across the Visakhapatnam, Kolkata and Delhi classes. Mains angle: Supports answers on indigenisation of defence production and maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region. ### Bhutan builds 108 stupas in nine hours and dedicates one to Prime Minister Modi The Hindu, Page 12 (News). About 40,000 trained volunteers in Bhutan built 108 Jangchub Chortens in nine hours, and King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk dedicated Chorten No. 76 to Prime Minister Modi. The gesture marks appreciation for India's support to Gelephu Mindfulness City, a project meant to diversify Bhutan's economy beyond hydropower and tourism. Prelims facts: - Gelephu Mindfulness City is in southern Bhutan, bordering Assam, and is planned as a Special Administrative Region of over 2,000 sq km with its own legal and regulatory framework. - India is Bhutan's largest trading partner and main development aid provider, and ties are reinforced by the Treaty of Friendship. Mains angle: An example of India's neighbourhood ties and cultural diplomacy with Bhutan, and of Bhutan's Gross National Happiness based development model. ### Lula wins Brazil's presidential runoff; article weighs the result for BRICS and multilateralism The Hindu, Page 14 (News). Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva won Brazil's presidential election with 51.79% of the vote against Flavio Bolsonaro's 48.21%, overturning a first-round deficit of 2.2 million votes. The article sees the result as a boost for multilateralism and BRICS cooperation, but notes that Lula faces a Congress in which the Liberal Party holds the largest share in both houses. Prelims facts: - The New Development Bank, set up by the BRICS states, is headed by former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff. - Bolsa Familia is Brazil's welfare programme of financial aid to poor families. Mains angle: Relevant to the role of BRICS and the Global South, and to Brazil's push within BRICS for strategic autonomy and trade in local currencies. ### Review finds gaps in property declarations of top Secretary-level officials Indian Express, Page 3 (News). A review of the immovable property returns of 102 Secretary-level officials for 31 March 2026 found that of 244 self-acquired properties declared, 115 lacked area details and 115 lacked a current value. Ten officials declared no self-acquired property. The Cabinet Secretariat and DoPT did not respond to questions on verification. Prelims facts: - Section 44 of the Lokpal Act requires public servants to declare their assets; rules under it, amended in 2016, are still pending. - Public disclosure of bureaucrats' immovable assets began in 2011, while movable assets are reported to the government but not made public. Mains angle: An example for probity and transparency in the civil services: declarations without verification weaken accountability. ### New IAF chief outlines VAYU vision to restore combat strength and push self-reliance Indian Express, Page 8 (News). A day after taking charge as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit outlined his VAYU vision: restoring combat strength, self-reliance, new technology and jointness. The IAF's fighter strength is below its sanctioned 42 squadrons, amid the phasing out of MiG-21 squadrons and delays in LCA Tejas induction. Prelims facts: - LCA Tejas is developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. - The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) is India's fifth-generation stealth multirole fighter programme. Mains angle: Useful for questions on defence preparedness and indigenisation: the squadron gap and reliance on domestic platforms such as Tejas and AMCA. ### Fall in fertiliser sales points to weak farm demand after a dry monsoon Indian Express, Page 10 (Editorial). Sales of all fertilisers, including urea, fell in April to September 2026 from a year earlier despite higher production and imports, mainly because El Niño-linked dry weather cut farmer demand. The article notes consumer food inflation rose from 4.2% to over 7.7% between April and September 2026, and calls for climate-smart breeding and a reordering of the subsidy regime. Prelims facts: - The June to September 2026 southwest monsoon had a 12.6% rainfall deficit, and Karnataka had its worst monsoon in 55 years. - October 2026 had a rainfall deficit of 31.4%, and El Niño is projected to persist through January to March 2027. Mains angle: Links climate shocks to farm input demand, food inflation and subsidy policy, and argues for treating climate risk as a baseline in policy. ### Op-ed argues India's challenge is low wages, and proposes extending Jan Vishwas reforms Indian Express, Page 10 (Opinion). The writers argue that India's main problem is low wages rather than a lack of jobs, and blame "regulatory cholesterol" for discouraging formal, well-paid work. They propose three steps: Siddhant (regulation based on necessity and proportionality), Sangreh (one machine-readable platform of all rules) and Ashwasan, a Transparency of Rules Act under which only rules published there are enforceable. Prelims facts: - The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023 decriminalised 183 provisions across 42 central laws. Mains angle: Feeds questions on ease of doing business, decriminalisation and formalisation of employment. ### Op-ed links India's energy security to electrifying industrial heat and kitchens Indian Express, Page 10 (Opinion). The writers say India imports 60% of its LPG and put the share transiting the Strait of Hormuz at 90%. Citing NITI Aayog, they say electricity's share of final energy could rise from 21% in 2025 to 60% by 2070, cutting the fuel import bill from about 4% of GDP to 0.2%. They urge heat pumps for industry and induction cooktops for homes, and call for Indian standards for them. Prelims facts: - Only 4% of Indian households own an induction cooktop, and mandatory star labelling for induction cooktops has been deferred to January 2027. - Bureau of Energy Efficiency programmes saved 53.6 million tonnes of oil equivalent in 2023-24. Mains angle: Gives a demand-side answer to energy security: electrification reduces exposure to imported fuels and maritime chokepoints. ### Op-ed says the draft National Steel Policy 2047 should shift from protection to competition Indian Express, Page 11 (Opinion). The Ministry of Steel's draft National Steel Policy: Vision 2047 aims to raise steel exports to 45 million tonnes. The article says the industry's high profits rest largely on protection such as a 30% export duty on iron ore and an 18% import tariff on steel, and discusses lowering duties over five years to ASEAN levels, removing Quality Control Orders and privatising public sector plants such as SAIL. Prelims facts: - India is the world's second-largest steel producer, with output of 170 million tonnes. - Quality Control Orders cover 228 steel products; the Gauba Committee recommended removing 122, but only 59 have been suspended. Mains angle: An example for the debate on tariff protection versus competitiveness in industrial policy, and its cost to downstream users. ### Cap on trade margins for 137 anti-cancer drugs to take effect; op-ed says patient bills are the test Indian Express, Page 11 (Opinion). The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority will apply Trade Margin Rationalisation to 137 non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs from 9 November, capping trade margins at 30% and cutting MRPs by up to 70%. The writer says success should be judged by actual patient bills and supply, warning of stock-outs and hospitals recovering revenue through other charges. Prelims facts: - Only scheduled drugs under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order have price ceilings. - India's out-of-pocket expenditure is 43.4% of total health expenditure, and medicines make up about 70% of it. - A 2019 NPPA pilot on 42 drugs cut MRPs by up to 90% for 526 brands. Mains angle: Useful for questions on affordable healthcare and drug price regulation, and why implementation must be monitored at the patient level. ### Op-ed says India should watch growing Maldives and Pakistan defence ties Indian Express, Page 11 (Opinion). Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu made a three-day state visit to Pakistan and signed 20 MoUs, including on defence, maritime security and cybersecurity, and the two aim to raise trade from $12 million to $200 million in two years. The writer says closer defence ties could bring Pakistan nearer India's maritime boundaries in the Indian Ocean Region. Prelims facts: - The Maldives has joined the Saudi Arabia-led Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC). - India has supported the Maldives through extensions for T-bills, debt restructuring, credit lines and currency swaps. Mains angle: Feeds questions on India's neighbourhood policy and security in the Indian Ocean Region as small states diversify partners. ### Labour Ministry notifies National Social Security Boards for unorganised and gig workers Indian Express, Page 12 (Explained). The Ministry of Labour and Employment notified a 40-member National Social Security Board for unorganised workers and a 22-member board for gig and platform workers, which includes representatives of Zomato, Zepto, Swiggy and Urban Company. The boards will recommend and monitor schemes on life, disability, accident, health, maternity and old age cover, and must meet at least three times a year. Prelims facts: - The Code on Social Security merged nine social security laws and was the first to legally define gig and platform workers. - Aggregators must contribute 1% to 2% of annual turnover to the Social Security Fund, capped at 5% of the amount payable to workers. Mains angle: Shows how the Labour Codes are being implemented for gig and platform workers, a key test of extending social security to the informal workforce. ### Indians remit $20 billion abroad under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme in eight months of 2026 Indian Express, Page 12 (News). Resident Indians sent $20.09 billion abroad under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme from January to August 2026, up 5.26% from $19.08 billion a year earlier. Overseas travel was the largest category at $10.96 billion, and education remittances nearly doubled between March and August. Prelims facts: - Under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme, a resident individual can remit up to $250,000 a financial year for permitted current and capital account transactions. - The scheme began in 2004 with a limit of $25,000. Mains angle: Useful for capital account liberalisation and its link to the rupee and forex reserves. ### Uttarakhand helicopter crash: why air accidents keep recurring in the hills Indian Express, Page 13 (Explained). A helicopter returning from Badrinath to Dehradun crashed in bad weather, killing all six on board. Since 2020, Uttarakhand has accounted for 7 of India's 12 helicopter accidents and 21 of 30 deaths. The article cites mountain terrain, sudden weather changes, a lack of localised weather information, questions over air traffic control, peak-season pilgrimage traffic and pilot fatigue. Prelims facts: - Aviation is a Union List subject in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. - The DGCA is the statutory civil aviation safety regulator. Mains angle: An example for disaster risk and regulation in tourism in fragile Himalayan areas, such as the Char Dham pilgrimage. ### ISRO's GSLV-F18 launches NVS-03, the third next-generation NavIC satellite PIB (Government release). ISRO launched GSLV-F18 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, on 30 October 2026, placing the NVS-03 navigation satellite in a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit. NVS-03 is the third satellite in the next-generation NavIC series and carries navigation payloads in the L1, L5 and S bands with an indigenous atomic clock. Prelims facts: - NavIC, formerly IRNSS, provides positioning, navigation and timing services over India and a region extending 1,500 km beyond its borders. - GSLV is a three-stage vehicle whose indigenous cryogenic upper stage uses liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. - GSLV-F18 was the 20th flight of the GSLV. Mains angle: Supports answers on India's indigenous navigation system and strategic autonomy in space technology. ### Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit takes charge as 29th Chief of the Air Staff PIB (Government release). Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit assumed charge as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff on 1 November 2026 and unveiled VAYU as the guiding vision for the Indian Air Force. Its four pillars cover operational readiness, Aatmanirbharta, innovation (Yukti) and Unity of Effort with the Army, Navy and national agencies. He began his tenure by paying homage at the National War Memorial. Prelims facts: - VAYU's Unity of Effort pillar is aligned with the national JAI vision of Jointness, Aatmanirbharta and Innovation. - Dixit is an experimental test pilot and qualified flying instructor with over 3,500 flying hours. Mains angle: Useful for questions on jointness and self-reliance in the armed forces.