Daily current affairs for UPSC, SSC, BPSC, Railway and all competitive exams
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Topic-wise Current Affairs
May 2026 — 13 Categories
PM SVANidhi (PM Street Vendor's AtmaNirbhar Nidhi) scheme continues extending credit to street vendors. Collateral-free working capital loans of ₹10,000 (first loan), ₹20,000 (second), and ₹50,000 (third) are available. Digital transactions attract additional subsidy.
Exam Tip: PM SVANidhi: Launched June 1, 2020. Street vendors: 50+ lakh beneficiaries. Loan amounts: ₹10K → ₹20K → ₹50K. 7% interest subsidy on timely repayment. Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs.
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme reports improvement in Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) across previously low-performing districts. The scheme combines awareness campaigns, conditional cash transfers for girls' education, and legal action against sex-selective practices.
Exam Tip: BBBP: Launched January 22, 2015 (Panipat, Haryana). Sex ratio: Births (SRB) vs overall population sex ratio. India SRB 2023: 933 (improved from 918 in 2014). Under Women & Child Development + Health + Education.
Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0 continues improving urban water supply (every household tap) and sewerage in 500 cities. Focus on online monitoring, 100% metering, and reducing non-revenue water.
Exam Tip: AMRUT: Launched April 25, 2015. AMRUT 2.0: Launched October 1, 2021. Targets: Universal tap connection in 500 cities. Budget: ₹2.77 lakh crore. Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs.
Maharashtra Day is observed on May 1, marking the formation of the state on May 1, 1960, when the Bombay State was divided into Maharashtra (Marathi-speaking) and Gujarat (Gujarati-speaking) following the States Reorganisation Act.
Exam Tip: Maharashtra + Gujarat: Both formed May 1, 1960. Bombay Reorganisation Act 1960. Maharashtra: 19th state. Gujarat: 15th state. Maharashtra Day: Shivaji Park, Mumbai. Labour Day also on May 1.
India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducts operations against terror networks, investigating cross-border terrorism, ISIS-inspired radicalisation, and left-wing extremism. NIA has jurisdiction pan-India and can suo motu take up cases.
Exam Tip: NIA: National Investigation Agency. Set up under NIA Act 2008 (after 26/11 Mumbai attacks). Headquarters: New Delhi. Pan-India jurisdiction. Can investigate terrorist offences, WMD proliferation, cyber terrorism, financing of terrorism.
World Press Freedom Day (May 3, UNESCO) highlights the importance of free media in a democracy. India observes the day while ongoing debates about press freedom, digital media regulation, and the IT Rules 2021 amendments continue.
Exam Tip: Press Freedom Day: May 3 (declared by UN General Assembly 1993). Article 19(1)(a): Freedom of speech including press freedom (not explicitly). RTI Act 2005 enables journalistic investigations. PIB (Press Information Bureau) is GoI's media wing.
India advances the Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC), a joint initiative with Japan to develop quality infrastructure and promote development in Africa. The AAGC provides an alternative to China's Belt and Road Initiative.
Exam Tip: AAGC: Launched 2017 (India-Japan joint). Focuses on: Health & pharma, digital, agri processing, disaster management, skill development in Africa. India's Africa Line of Credit: $12+ billion since 2015.
India participates in ASEAN-India summit discussions on maritime security, ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific (AOIP), digital connectivity, and trade. India's Act East Policy framework guides engagement with ASEAN and East Asian nations.
Exam Tip: India-ASEAN: Dialogue partnership 1992, Summit-level 2002, Strategic partnership 2012, Comprehensive strategic partnership 2022. ASEAN-India FTA (2010). Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI): India's security framework.
India resumes and expands Vaccine Maitri, the initiative under which Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech supply vaccines to developing countries. India supports COVAX and the Quad Vaccine Partnership for equitable global health access.
Exam Tip: Vaccine Maitri: Launched January 2021. Serum Institute (Covishield) + Bharat Biotech (Covaxin). Supplied to 95 countries. Paused during Delta wave (India domestic need). India: 3rd largest vaccine manufacturer globally.
NSO releases Q4 (January-March 2026) GDP data and provisional full-year GDP estimate for FY2025-26. India targets ~7% real GDP growth for the year. The data informs the upcoming Union Budget and RBI's monetary policy calibration.
Exam Tip: GDP: Gross Domestic Product = C + I + G + (X-M). India measures GVA (Gross Value Added) + indirect taxes = GDP. NSO releases: PE (provisional) in May, 1st revised Jan next year, 2nd revised Jan following year.
The RBI releases quarterly Balance of Payments data. India's Current Account Deficit (CAD) reflects the merchandise trade deficit partially offset by strong services exports and remittances. India is the world's largest recipient of remittances ($125 billion/year).
Exam Tip: India CAD: Typically 1-2% of GDP. Key components: Merchandise deficit (largest) + Services surplus + Primary income + Secondary income (remittances). India's services surplus: $150+ billion. India #1 in remittances globally.
The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) process continues recovering value from stressed assets through NCLT (National Company Law Tribunal). IBC has transformed India's credit culture, enabling creditor-led resolution within 330-day timelines.
Exam Tip: IBC: Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016. NCLT: Corporate insolvency. DRT: Individual insolvency. IBBI: Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (regulator). Operational creditor vs financial creditor distinction. CoC: Committee of Creditors.
The RBI publishes its comprehensive Annual Report covering monetary policy operations, foreign exchange management, currency management, payment systems oversight, and financial regulation activities for FY2025-26.
Exam Tip: RBI Annual Report: Published May-June each year. Section 53 of RBI Act 1934 mandates annual reporting to Central Board. Key report: Report on Trend and Progress of Banking in India (November).
RBI's Scale-Based Regulation (SBR) framework for NBFCs (effective October 2022) continues maturing. Four tiers: NBFC-Base Layer (BL), Middle Layer (ML), Upper Layer (UL), and Top Layer (TL) attract progressively stringent regulations aligned to systemic risk.
Exam Tip: NBFC: Non-Banking Financial Companies. Regulated by RBI under RBI Act Chapter III-B. Cannot accept demand deposits. SBR: 4 tiers. Upper Layer: 10 NBFCs notified as systemically important (like HDFC before merger).
The President of India, on advice of the Supreme Court Collegium and Union Government, appoints and transfers High Court Chief Justices. High Courts serve as the highest judicial authority at the state level and hear writ petitions under Articles 226 and 227.
Exam Tip: High Court CJs: Appointed under Article 217 (President after consultation with CJI + Governor). Collegium recommends. High Court jurisdiction: Original, Appellate, Writ (Article 226). 25 High Courts in India.
India participates in the Cannes Film Festival with official selection of Indian films at one of the world's most prestigious film festivals. NFDC (National Film Development Corporation) curates India's pavilion. Indian directors and actors receive international recognition.
Exam Tip: Cannes Film Festival: May (since 1946). Palme d'Or = highest award. India at Cannes: Satyajit Ray (1956 first Indian film in competition). India's Palme d'Or: None yet. NFDC promotes Indian cinema globally.
Indian-origin authors continue to make their mark in international literary awards. The Booker Prize (UK) and International Booker Prize frequently feature writers with Indian connections, reflecting the global reach of Indian English literature.
Exam Tip: Booker Prize: UK's most prestigious literary award. Notable Indian winners: Arundhati Roy (1997, The God of Small Things), Salman Rushdie (1981, Midnight's Children, also "Booker of Bookers"), Kiran Desai (2006).
ISRO's Gaganyaan human spaceflight program advances with unmanned test missions, including crew module reentry tests and service module propulsion validation. The program prepares India to join the exclusive club of countries with independent human spaceflight capability.
Exam Tip: Gaganyaan milestones: TV-D1 (Oct 2023 — abort test), LVM3 unmanned mission, then crewed mission. IAF astronaut-designates: Gp Capt Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair, Angad Pratap, Ajit Krishnan, Shubhanshu Shukla.
Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) sees expanding adoption of ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) IDs. ABHA IDs link patient health records across hospitals, labs, and clinics, enabling a longitudinal electronic health record ecosystem.
Exam Tip: ABDM: Launched November 27, 2021. ABHA (14-digit Health ID). Linked records: PHR (Personal Health Records). HIP (Health Info Providers): Hospitals/labs. HIU (Health Info Users): Doctors. NHA (National Health Authority) implements.
India integrates the S-400 Triumf air defence missile system (acquired from Russia despite US CAATSA sanctions threat) into its integrated air defence network. Three of five squadrons are progressively deployed along India's northern and western borders.
Exam Tip: S-400 Triumf: India signed deal Oct 2018 ($5.43 billion). 5 squadrons. Range: 40-400 km. Can intercept aircraft, missiles, drones. USA waived CAATSA sanctions for India (not applied, unlike Turkey). CAATSA = Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act.
India and Australia conduct bilateral military exercises as part of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Australia is a key Quad partner. The exercises cover maritime patrol, amphibious operations, and counter-terrorism scenarios.
Exam Tip: India-Australia: Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2020). Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA). Quad: India + USA + Japan + Australia. AUSINDEX (naval exercise). India-Australia bilateral trade: ~$27 billion.
India begins preparations for World Environment Day (June 5), typically involving plantation drives, clean-up campaigns, and environmental awareness programs. India has been planting 500+ million trees annually under various state and national programs.
Exam Tip: World Environment Day: June 5 (since 1972, Stockholm Conference). India hosted WED 2018 (theme: Beat Plastic Pollution). UNEP: United Nations Environment Programme. HQ: Nairobi. India's Green Credit: ₹1 credit per 1 tonne CO2 sequestration.
States implement heat action plans for the May-June peak heat period. India's National Disaster Management Authority issues heat wave advisories. Urban heat island effect amplifies temperatures in cities. PM's Drishti initiative monitors 100+ cities.
Exam Tip: India heat waves: March-June (NW India), May-June (Odisha, AP, Telangana). NDMA defines heatwave: Plains >40°C (4.5°C above normal). Heat-related deaths: 300-400 annually (reported; actual higher). IMD provides 5-day heat forecasts.
The Indian Premier League concludes with Qualifier 1, Eliminator, Qualifier 2, and the Grand Final. Teams from the bottom half of the top 4 fight for the title. Viewership records are typically set during the IPL playoffs and final.
Exam Tip: IPL format: 10 teams, 74 league matches + 4 playoff matches. Top 4 qualify for playoffs. Qualifier 1: 1 vs 2 (winner goes to final). Eliminator: 3 vs 4. Qualifier 2: Eliminator winner vs Qualifier 1 loser.
The French Open at Roland Garros (Paris) is contested on clay courts. Indian tennis players Sania Mirza retired; next generation Sumit Nagal, Ramkumar Ramanathan, and doubles pairs represent India. Grand Slam performance is a key measure of Indian tennis progress.
Exam Tip: French Open: May-June at Roland Garros, Paris. Clay surface. Part of Grand Slam (4 majors). Indian Grand Slam wins: Leander Paes + Mahesh Bhupathi (doubles). Sania Mirza: 6 Grand Slam doubles titles.
The NSO releases quarterly PLFS data measuring Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR), Worker Population Ratio (WPR), and Unemployment Rate (UR). India's LFPR and female LFPR are key indicators of inclusive growth.
Exam Tip: PLFS: Annual survey replacing old Employment-Unemployment Survey. LFPR: Labour force (employed + unemployed seeking work) / Working age population. India LFPR: ~56%. Female LFPR: ~37%. NSSO (National Sample Survey Office) under MoSPI.
Institute for Economics and Peace releases the Global Peace Index (GPI) assessing 163 countries on peace and security. India's ranking reflects conflict levels, crime rates, terrorism, and military expenditure.
Exam Tip: GPI: By Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP). 3 domains: Societal safety, ongoing conflict, militarisation. Iceland = most peaceful. India's ranking: ~135-140 range typically.
India participates in the 79th World Health Assembly at Geneva, advocating for Traditional Medicine recognition, generic medicines access, and pandemic preparedness fund. India's Universal Health Coverage and digital health initiatives serve as models.
Exam Tip: WHA: 194 member countries. Article 18 of WHO Constitution: WHA functions. India's WHO contributions: WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre (Jamnagar, Gujarat). India WHO executive board member (rotational).
FAO releases its State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report. India has made significant progress in reducing malnutrition. The India Hunger Index, National Food Security Act 2013 (covering 67% of population), and fortification programs are key interventions.
Exam Tip: FAO: Food and Agriculture Organization. HQ: Rome. India's NFSA 2013: 75% rural + 50% urban population get subsidised grains. ICDS (Integrated Child Development Services) + PM Poshan (MDM) fight child malnutrition.