# UPSC current affairs, 12 November 2026 URL: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-11-12/ 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 ### Cabinet raises rabi P&K fertiliser subsidy 64% to ₹62,370 crore for 2026-27 URL: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-11-12/nbs-rabi-2026-27-subsidy-hike/ (Markdown: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-11-12/nbs-rabi-2026-27-subsidy-hike.md) Source: The Hindu, Page 13. UPSC papers: GS3, GS2 **In one line:** The Centre has raised the subsidy on phosphatic and potassic fertilisers for rabi 2026-27 to ₹62,370.02 crore, about 64% more than last rabi, as world prices of DAP, potash and sulphur climb. Prelims facts: - The Cabinet approved NBS rates for rabi 2026-27 (1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027) with a tentative outlay of ₹62,370.02 crore, about 64% above rabi 2025-26. - Rabi 2026-27 NBS rates are ₹94.21/kg for N, ₹66.11/kg for P, ₹2.38/kg for K and ₹10.42/kg for S; the kharif 2026 N rate was ₹47.32/kg. - NBS has applied to P&K fertilisers since 1 April 2010; the subsidy is paid to companies, and 28 grades including DAP are covered. Urea is outside NBS. - Sulphur and sulphuric acid makers get assistance of 20% of procurement cost, with floors of $800 and $266.67 a tonne. - Reported fertiliser stocks on 10 November 2026 were 235.21 lakh tonnes against 173.46 lakh tonnes a year earlier. ### Centre bans export of lithium-ion battery 'black mass' to feed domestic recyclers URL: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-11-12/black-mass-export-ban-dgft/ (Markdown: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-11-12/black-mass-export-ban-dgft.md) Source: Indian Express, Page 5. UPSC papers: GS3 **In one line:** India has stopped the export of black mass, the metal-rich powder from shredded lithium-ion batteries, so that its recyclers can recover lithium, cobalt and nickel at home. Prelims facts: - DGFT moved ITC (HS) 85491400, lithium-ion battery black mass, from 'Free' to 'Prohibited' for export with immediate effect, by a notification issued on 10 November 2026. - The legal basis is Section 3 read with Section 5 of the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992, and the Foreign Trade Policy, 2023. - Black mass is shredded end-of-life battery material containing lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese and graphite. - The ₹1,500 crore critical mineral recycling scheme (approved 3 September 2025, FY 2025-26 to 2030-31) targets at least 270 kilo tonnes a year of recycling capacity under the NCMM. - GTRI says India recorded no exports under this line in 2025-26 and has more processing capacity than black mass generation. ### Editorial: Maharashtra's ordinance on nominated directors and the Gokul dairy mandate URL: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-11-12/gokul-dairy-ordinance-editorial/ (Markdown: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-11-12/gokul-dairy-ordinance-editorial.md) Source: The Hindu, Editorial. UPSC papers: GS2, GS3 **In one line:** Maharashtra used an ordinance to add four voting government nominees to the boards of large cooperatives, which decided control of the Gokul milk union, and The Hindu's editorial calls it overturning a mandate by executive fiat. Prelims facts: - The Maharashtra Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026 was promulgated on 6 November 2026 under Article 213(1) and amends Section 73AAA of the 1960 Act. - Cooperatives with turnover above ₹500 crore that get State support can have five government nominees: one non-voting officer and four voting experts; none can be an office-bearer. - At Gokul, the four voting nominees turned a 13 to 12 board into a 16 to 13 win for the ruling alliance's chairman candidate on 10 November 2026. - The 97th Amendment (2011) added the right to form cooperatives to Article 19(1)(c), inserted Article 43B and Part IXB (Articles 243ZH to 243ZT). - In Union of India v. Rajendra N. Shah (2021) the Supreme Court held Part IXB invalid for State cooperatives for want of ratification under Article 368(2), but valid for multi-State cooperatives. ### India cuts visa categories from 13 to 9 and sub-categories from 49 to 23 URL: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-11-12/visa-regime-nine-categories/ (Markdown: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-11-12/visa-regime-nine-categories.md) Source: The Hindu, Page 11. UPSC papers: GS2, GS3 **In one line:** India has merged its visa types into nine categories and 23 sub-categories, renamed the Tourist visa as the Visitor visa and cut application forms by up to 70%. Prelims facts: - MHA's changes of 27 August 2026 cut main visa categories from 13 to 9 and sub-categories from 49 to 23; a 2025 round had cut them from 22 and 63. - The Tourist visa is renamed Visitor visa: V-1 (30 days, multiple entry) and V-2 (1, 5 or 10 years, also covering mountaineering). - Medical visas M-1 (non-AYUSH) and M-3 (AYUSH) are granted for one year with multiple entries by default; M-2 and M-4 are for attendants. - Application fields across the 23 sub-categories have been cut by 65% to 70%; e-Visa is available to nationals of 172 countries. - The Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, in force from 1 September 2025, replaced the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920, the Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939, the Foreigners Act, 1946 and the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act, 2000. ### Cabinet extends Mudra loan guarantee fund and Stand-Up India scheme to March 2031 URL: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-11-12/cgfmu-stand-up-india-2031/ (Markdown: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-11-12/cgfmu-stand-up-india-2031.md) Source: The Hindu, Page 10. UPSC papers: GS3, GS2 **In one line:** The Centre has renewed, until March 2031, the guarantee fund behind collateral-free Mudra loans and the Stand-Up India scheme for women, SC and ST entrepreneurs. Prelims facts: - CGFMU, launched in January 2016 and run through NCGTC, is extended to 31 March 2031 with a ₹5,000 crore corpus to support ₹12.6 lakh crore of Mudra loans. - Over 60.36 crore PMMY loans worth about ₹43.34 lakh crore had been sanctioned by September 2026. - The CGFMU guarantee fee for non-SHG loans is cut from 1% to 0.75% a year; SHG fees stay at 0.25% and 0.50%. - Stand-Up India, launched in April 2016 for women, SC and ST entrepreneurs, is continued to 31 March 2031 with a ₹4,111 crore guarantee corpus and a target of 2.5 lakh more entrepreneurs. - Stand-Up India loans range above ₹10 lakh to ₹1 crore for greenfield enterprises, covering up to 85% of project cost. ## Other articles in brief ### Karnataka moves Supreme Court against High Court verdict quashing SC/ST quota hike The Hindu, Page 5 (News). Karnataka has filed a Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court against the Karnataka High Court verdict that struck down its 2022 law raising SC reservation from 15% to 17% and ST reservation from 3% to 7%, taking total reservation to 56%. The High Court held the increase breached the 50% ceiling and that consultation with the National Commissions for SCs and STs, done only after enactment, did not meet constitutional requirements. Prelims facts: - The High Court bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice K S Hemalekha struck down the enhanced quotas in Sections 3 and 4 of Karnataka's 2022 SC and ST reservation Act. - The court held consultation with the National Commissions for SCs and STs mandatory under Articles 338(9) and 338A(9). - The State had sought Ninth Schedule protection for the enhanced quota; the Centre deferred the request while the case was pending. Mains angle: Useful for the debate on the 50% ceiling on reservation, the 'extraordinary circumstances' exception and the role of the National Commissions. ### Supreme Court clarifies how its OBC creamy layer ruling will apply The Hindu, Page 8 (Explained). On 6 November 2026 a bench of Justices P S Narasimha and R Mahadevan clarified its 11 March 2026 judgment, which held that OBC creamy layer status cannot rest on parental salary alone and must consider the category of the parent's post. Past seniority and promotions will not be reopened, pending cases will be decided on merits, and the Centre got eight more weeks to comply. Prelims facts: - The dispute turned on the DoPT Office Memorandum of 8 August 1993 and a clarificatory letter of 14 October 2004. - Under the 1993 OM, salary and agricultural income are excluded from the income/wealth test. Mains angle: Shows how the creamy layer test is designed and why unequal treatment of PSU and government employees' children raised Article 14 and 16 concerns. ### Most monitoring stations logged severe PM2.5 peaks on Deepavali as data went missing The Hindu, Page 7 (News). The Hindu reports that about 70% of air quality monitoring stations across India recorded 'severe' PM2.5 readings around Deepavali. In Delhi, official readings went missing for several hours overnight. CPCB said its analysers are calibrated up to 1,000 µg/m³ and readings beyond that range are not used, and it denied deliberately under-reporting pollution. Prelims facts: - The WHO's recommended 24-hour average for PM2.5 is 15 µg/m³. - PM2.5 analysers installed with the National Air Quality Index in 2015 were calibrated to measure up to 1,000 µg/m³. Mains angle: Raises the reliability of air quality monitoring and public data as a governance issue in tackling urban air pollution. ### Draft rules propose provisional registration for allied and healthcare professionals The Hindu, Page 10 (News). The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) has released the draft Provisional Registration of Allied and Healthcare Professionals Regulations, 2026. They set eligibility, credential checks and an online system issuing a Provisional Registration Unique Identification Number, with bridge courses, supervised training or exams as pathways to regular registration. Comments are invited until 4 December. Prelims facts: - NCAHP works under the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Act, 2021, in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. - Provisional registrants can move to regular registration in the Central or State Register once they meet the conditions. Mains angle: Regulating allied health workers is part of building the health workforce and quality of care beyond doctors and nurses. ### Navi Mumbai tops Super Swachh League in Swachh Survekshan 2025-26 The Hindu, Page 10 (News). President Droupadi Murmu presented the Swachh Survekshan 2025-26 awards on 11 November 2026. Navi Mumbai, Surat and Vijayawada topped the Super Swachh League, and Greater Visakhapatnam led million-plus cities. Puri, Rewa and Rudrapur won the new coastal, riverfront and Himalayan town awards. The survey assessed 4,751 cities on 43 indicators. Prelims facts: - Swachh Survekshan is conducted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs; it covered 73 cities in 2016 and 4,751 in 2025-26. - Cleanest Coastal Town: Puri; Riverfront Town: Rewa; Himalayan City: Rudrapur, all awarded for the first time. - Under Swachh Shehar Jodi, 70 mentor cities were paired with 191 mentee cities. Mains angle: Shows competitive ranking as a tool for urban sanitation and solid waste management, with citizen feedback as part of assessment. ### India and France hold space and economic security dialogues in Paris The Hindu, Page 10 (News). Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Martin Briens, Secretary General of the French foreign ministry, co-chaired the 3rd India-France Strategic Space Dialogue in Paris on 10 November 2026 and convened the inaugural Economic Security and Critical Technologies Dialogue. Talks covered ISRO-CNES cooperation, commercial space links, supply chain resilience and emerging technologies. Prelims facts: - The India-France Economic Security and Critical Technologies Dialogue met for the first time on 10 November 2026. - ISRO and CNES (France's space agency) cooperation was reviewed at the 3rd Strategic Space Dialogue. Mains angle: Shows the India-France strategic partnership extending into space, critical technologies and supply chain resilience. ### Cabinet approves ₹3,230 crore Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum in North and South Blocks The Hindu, Page 12 (News). The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on 11 November 2026 approved the Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum in the North and South Block complex, New Delhi, at an estimated ₹3,230 crore, to be built in phases from 2026-27 to 2030-31. The government says it will have the world's largest museum display area, with the first gallery, 'Adornment', expected in the latter half of 2027. Prelims facts: - The museum's proposed built-up area is about 1,78,509 square metres and it is designed for up to one crore visitors a year. - Around 1.8 million objects have been identified from the National Museum, 52 ASI site museums, State museums and private collections. Mains angle: An example of heritage conservation through adaptive reuse of colonial-era buildings and of museums as a tool of cultural diplomacy. ### Defence Ministry signs ₹498.58 crore contract for INS Betwa refit and re-powering The Hindu, Page 12 (News). The Ministry of Defence signed a ₹498.58 crore contract with Cochin Shipyard Limited on 11 November 2026 for the normal refit and re-powering of INS Betwa, a Brahmaputra-class frigate. Its steam-based propulsion will be replaced with a diesel engine system and a modernised weapon suite fitted, with more than 50 MSMEs expected to take part. Prelims facts: - INS Betwa is a Brahmaputra-class frigate of the Indian Navy. - The refit replaces the ship's steam-based propulsion with diesel-engine-based propulsion. Mains angle: Mid-life refits extend the service of existing warships and build domestic shipyard and MSME capability under Aatmanirbhar Bharat. ### Gravitational-wave astronomy enters a statistical era with 390 detected events The Hindu, Page 18 (News). The LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA collaboration's GWTC-5.0 catalogue, covering the O4b observing run (April 2024 to January 2025), added 161 confident signals, all from merging black holes, taking the total to 390 events. Large samples let scientists study black hole populations as a group, including evidence of hierarchical mergers. Prelims facts: - GW250114 is the loudest gravitational-wave signal recorded so far, with a signal-to-noise ratio of 76.9. - No new events containing neutron stars were identified in the O4b run. Mains angle: Illustrates big-science collaboration (LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA) and how catalogues of detections expand what is known about black hole and neutron star populations. ### Plea in Supreme Court on gender identity and biological sex under the Transgender Persons Act Indian Express, Page 12 (Explained). Women's Declaration International India has challenged Section 7 of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, as amended in 2026, and Rule 7 of the 2020 Rules, which allow certificates recording a gender different from sex at birth. It seeks reconsideration of parts of the 2014 NALSA judgment, citing Articles 14, 15(3), 16, 19(1)(a) and 21. A bench led by CJI Surya Kant tagged it with other challenges to the 2026 amendment. Prelims facts: - Section 7 of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 deals with certificates of identity recording gender. Mains angle: Feeds the debate on self-identification of gender under Article 21 and how it interacts with protections for women. ### Indian Navy and Royal Navy of Oman hold 15th Naseem Al Bahr exercise PIB (Government release). The Indian Navy and the Royal Navy of Oman conducted the 15th edition of the bilateral maritime exercise Naseem Al Bahr (Sea Breeze). The harbour phase had expert exchanges on explosive ordnance disposal, mine countermeasures and hydrography; at sea, INS Surat and the Omani ship Al-Mu'azzar carried out visit, board, search and seizure drills and cross-deck operations. Prelims facts: - Naseem Al Bahr (Sea Breeze) is the bilateral naval exercise between India and Oman; 2026 was its 15th edition. - INS Surat represented the Indian Navy in the sea phase. Mains angle: Shows India's maritime partnerships in the western Indian Ocean under the MAHASAGAR vision. ### 8th India-Myanmar naval exercise IMNEX-26 begins at Visakhapatnam PIB (Government release). The 8th India-Myanmar Naval Exercise (IMNEX-26) is being held at Visakhapatnam from 10 to 14 November 2026. Myanmar Navy ship UMS King Sin Phyu Shin joined INS Rana and INS Sumedha. A harbour phase of professional exchanges is followed by a sea phase of coordinated operations and tactical manoeuvres, aligned with the MAHASAGAR vision. Prelims facts: - IMNEX is the India-Myanmar bilateral naval exercise; IMNEX-26 is its 8th edition, held at Visakhapatnam. - MAHASAGAR stands for Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions. Mains angle: Naval engagement with Myanmar supports India's Act East and neighbourhood maritime security goals in the Bay of Bengal. ### Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan completes six years, reaching over 35 crore people PIB (Government release). The Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, launched by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on 15 August 2020 in 272 districts and extended to all districts from 2023, has reached over 35.84 crore people. Those seeking treatment and counselling rose from 2.08 lakh in 2020-21 to over 9.11 lakh in 2025-26, and a second national survey with district estimates is due in 2027. Prelims facts: - The Abhiyaan is the flagship awareness programme of the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR). - 14446 is the National De-addiction Helpline; MANAS (1933) is the Narcotics Control Bureau's helpline. - The first national survey (2018) found over 7 crore people with substance use disorders. Mains angle: Shows a demand-reduction, community-based approach to drug abuse that complements enforcement against trafficking.