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Current affairsPM-AJAY Scheme: 18,093 Villages Declared Adarsh Grams, Rs 1,730 Crore Released for SC DevelopmentThe Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has declared 18,093 villages as Adarsh Grams under the Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY) — a 100% centrally sponsored scheme launched in FY 2021-22 to uplift Scheduled Caste-dominated villages. Separately, Rs 1,730 crore has been released to states under the scheme's Grants-in-Aid component to skill over 2.5 lakh SC beneficiaries. The scheme merges three earlier SC welfare schemes into a unified framework. Current affairsInternational Day of the Girl Child 2026 (October 11): Theme, Child Marriage, and India's Legal FrameworkThe United Nations observes International Day of the Girl Child every year on 11 October. The 2026 theme is "End child marriage and invest in girls' rights," reflecting the global urgency to eliminate child marriage affecting approximately 12 million girls annually. India, home to the largest number of child brides globally in absolute terms, has robust legal provisions against child marriage while continuing to address enforcement and social norm gaps. Current affairsWorld Teachers' Day 2026 (October 5): Theme "Standing with Teachers — 60 Years of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation"World Teachers' Day is observed on October 5 every year under the auspices of UNESCO. The 2026 theme is "Standing with teachers: 60 years of protecting the profession, advancing its status and shaping our futures" — marking the 60th anniversary of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers. The day is co-organised by UNESCO, ILO, UNICEF, and Education International, with the global celebration held at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris. Current affairsGandhi Jayanti 2026: 157th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and International Day of Non-ViolenceOctober 2, 2026 marks the 157th birth anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi — Mahatma Gandhi — the father of the Indian nation. It is also the birth anniversary of India's second Prime Minister, Lal Bahadur Shastri. The United Nations observes October 2 as the International Day of Non-Violence, established by UNGA Resolution A/RES/61/271 in 2007, to disseminate the message of non-violence and promote peace, tolerance, and understanding. Current affairsCabinet Approves Rabi MSP 2027-28: Safflower Gets Highest Hike of ₹675/quintal, Wheat at ₹2,610The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for all six mandated Rabi crops for the 2027-28 marketing season on September 30, 2026. Safflower received the highest absolute increase of ₹675/quintal, followed by mustard/rapeseed at ₹413/quintal. Wheat MSP was set at ₹2,610/quintal, up by ₹25. All MSPs are fixed at a minimum of 1.5 times the all-India weighted average cost of production, as announced in Union Budget 2018-19. Current affairsEPFO Mandatory Wage Ceiling Raised to ₹25,000: 51 Lakh More Workers Get Statutory PF CoverageThe Ministry of Labour and Employment has notified ₹25,000 per month as the new mandatory wage ceiling for Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) coverage under the Code on Social Security, 2020, effective 17 September 2026. The revision — the first in 12 years — expands mandatory PF coverage to an additional 51 lakh workers. Current affairsGender Snapshot 2026 (UN Women & UN DESA): 1 in 3 Gender Equality Institutions Weakened, SDG 5 Off Track by 171 YearsUN Women and UN DESA jointly released the Gender Snapshot 2026 on September 17, 2026, revealing that 1 in 3 national gender equality institutions lost institutional power in just two years, while bilateral aid for gender equality fell 13% between 2023 and 2024. Not a single SDG 5 (Gender Equality) indicator is on track by 2030, and gender equality globally is 171 years away at the current pace of progress. Current affairs11th National Ayurveda Day 2026: Theme 'Ayurveda for a Healthier Tomorrow', Key Initiatives and India's AYUSH ExpansionIndia observed the 11th National Ayurveda Day on September 23, 2026 — permanently fixed on the autumnal equinox by a Gazette Notification of March 2025 — with the theme "Ayurveda for a Healthier Tomorrow." The Ministry of Ayush launched the Ayush Vision 2030 strategic document and conferred the National Dhanwantari Ayurveda Awards 2026 at the main national celebration in Nagpur, Maharashtra. Current affairsIIT Bombay, Sahil Wakode, and the SC/ST Act: Caste Discrimination in Higher Education, Dean Suspended, Crime Branch ProbeSahil Ravindra Wakode, a 22-year-old second-year B.Tech student at IIT Bombay from Yavatmal, Maharashtra, was found dead in his hostel room on 18 September 2026 following allegations of caste-based harassment. IIT Bombay on 21 September suspended the deanship of Prof. Suryanarayana Doolla (Dean of Administrative Affairs). Mumbai Crime Branch registered an FIR under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (abetment of suicide) and the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989. The case raises urgent questions about caste discrimination in premier educational institutions. Current affairsHealth Ministry Advisory on Stem Cell Therapy: Supreme Court Judgment, NMC-ICMR Guidelines, and Autism RestrictionThe Union Health Ministry, alongside the National Medical Commission (NMC) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), issued a comprehensive advisory in September 2026 to strengthen regulation of stem cell therapy in India, following a Supreme Court judgment (January 30, 2026) explicitly banning the use of stem cell therapy for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) as a routine clinical service due to insufficient scientific evidence. Current affairsBadri Cattle Conservation: First OPU-IVF Calf Born at GBPUAT Pantnagar — Indigenous Breed MilestoneA healthy female calf of the indigenous Badri cattle breed was born on September 11, 2026 at G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology (GBPUAT), Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, through OPU-IVF (Ovum Pick-Up In Vitro Fertilisation) — a first for this rare Himalayan breed. The milestone, achieved jointly by GBPUAT and ICAR-NDRI Karnal, marks a significant advance in conservation biotechnology for India's indigenous mountain cattle. Current affairsUNGA Declares November 27 as International Day Against Child, Early and Forced Marriage: India's Role, Legal Framework, and SDG 5.3The 193-member United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted by consensus on September 4–5, 2026, a landmark resolution designating November 27 every year as the International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage. India co-sponsored the resolution, which carries special national significance — November 27, 2024 was the launch date of India's 'Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat' campaign.
In previous-year questions
- Which body's recommendation in 2002 led the Supreme Court to remove the 3-year mandatory practice requirement for Civil Judge entry in the Third All India Judges Association case?UPSC · Current Affairs
- The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), which can take suo motu cognisance of atrocity cases against Scheduled Castes in educational institutions, derives its authority from which constitutional article?UPSC · Current Affairs
- The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM), which regulates Ayurveda, Unani, and Siddha education in India, was established under which Act to replace the older Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM)?UPSC · Current Affairs
- In the AYUSH framework, 'Sowa-Rigpa' refers to the traditional medicine system originating in which region, and was formally recognised by the Government of India under which Act?UPSC · Current Affairs
- The Swaminathan Commission (National Commission on Farmers, 2006) recommended that MSP should be fixed at C2 cost + 50%. The "C2 cost" includes which additional element not present in the government's current A2+FL formula?UPSC · Current Affairs
- The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 mandates maximum Pupil-Teacher Ratios (PTR) for government schools. What is the prescribed PTR for Classes I to V under this Act?UPSC · Current Affairs
- Which Constitutional Amendment Act inserted Article 279A into the Constitution of India, thereby establishing the GST Council?UPSC · Current Affairs