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Current Affairs May 2026
60 important events from May 2026, grouped by topic, each with a one-line exam point.
Top stories
- BJP forms first government in West Bengal
- Vijay's TVK takes power in Tamil Nadu
- Modi's five-nation tour: UAE to Italy
- NEET-UG 2026 cancelled over paper leak
- RBI transfers record surplus to Centre
- RCB win second straight IPL title
International Affairs
UAE formally exits OPEC and OPEC+
1 May 2026The United Arab Emirates left OPEC and OPEC+ with effect from 1 May 2026, after nearly six decades of membership. The move came amid Gulf tensions affecting oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
- Decision announced on 28 April 2026
- Abu Dhabi had joined OPEC in 1967
- OPEC headquarters: Vienna
Exam point: UAE's exit from OPEC took effect on 1 May 2026
PM Modi in UAE: energy, defence pacts and $5 billion investment
15 May 2026On the first leg of his five-nation tour, PM Modi met UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi. The UAE pledged $5 billion of investment and the two sides signed energy, defence and shipping agreements amid West Asia supply disruptions.
- UAE role in India's strategic petroleum reserves raised to 30 million barrels
- Long-term LPG supply deal between Indian Oil and ADNOC
- Ship repair cluster at Vadinar, Gujarat
- Framework on defence industrial cooperation
Exam point: UAE pledged $5 billion investment during Modi's Abu Dhabi visit
India and Netherlands upgrade ties to Strategic Partnership
16 May 2026PM Modi and Dutch PM Rob Jetten raised ties to a Strategic Partnership in The Hague. Outcomes included a Tata Electronics-ASML tie-up for the Dholera chip fab and a green hydrogen roadmap.
- 17 outcome documents signed
- ASML's first such partnership in India
- Letter of intent on Gujarat's Kalpasar project
- Netherlands returned 11th-century Chola copper plates
Exam point: India-Netherlands ties elevated to Strategic Partnership
India and Sweden set up a Strategic Partnership
17 May 2026During PM Modi's visit to Sweden, the two countries established a Strategic Partnership with a four-pillar joint action plan for 2026-2030.
- Four pillars: stability, economy, technology and resilience
- Modi received Sweden's Royal Order of the Polar Star in Gothenburg
Exam point: India-Sweden Strategic Partnership with 2026-2030 action plan
WHO declares Ebola outbreak a global health emergency
17 May 2026WHO chief Tedros Ghebreyesus declared the Ebola outbreak in the DR Congo and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). It is caused by the Bundibugyo strain, for which there is no approved vaccine.
- Epicentre: Ituri province, eastern DRC
- WHO said it is not a pandemic emergency
- No travel restrictions recommended
Exam point: Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak declared a PHEIC by WHO
India and Norway form Green Strategic Partnership
18 May 2026On the first visit by an Indian PM to Norway in 43 years, Modi and PM Jonas Gahr Store raised ties to a Green Strategic Partnership. Focus areas include clean energy, the blue economy and the India-EFTA trade pact.
- Last Indian PM visit: Indira Gandhi, 1983
- Cooperation in space, health, tunnels and ocean energy
- Norway is part of EFTA (India-EFTA TEPA)
Exam point: India-Norway ties upgraded to Green Strategic Partnership
Third India-Nordic Summit held in Oslo
19 May 2026Leaders of India and the five Nordic countries met in Oslo for the third India-Nordic Summit. They agreed on a Green Technology and Innovation Strategic Partnership.
- Nordic members: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden
- First summit held in 2018
- Themes: green tech, Arctic research, blue economy, 6G, talent mobility
Exam point: India-Nordic Green Technology and Innovation Strategic Partnership launched
India and Italy elevate ties to Special Strategic Partnership
20 May 2026PM Modi and Italian PM Giorgia Meloni upgraded relations to a Special Strategic Partnership in Rome. They agreed a defence industrial roadmap and frameworks on critical minerals, nurse mobility and maritime heritage.
- 2027 to be the India-Italy Year of Culture and Tourism
- Italy to help with the National Maritime Heritage Complex, Lothal
- Defence industrial roadmap for co-design and co-production
Exam point: India-Italy ties raised to Special Strategic Partnership
NPT Review Conference ends without consensus again
22 May 2026The Eleventh NPT Review Conference at UN headquarters in New York (27 April-22 May) ended without an agreed outcome document. It is the third review conference in a row to fail.
- Presided by Vietnam's Do Hung Viet
- Last successful outcome was in 2010
- UN chief Antonio Guterres warned that arms control is under threat
Exam point: Third straight NPT Review Conference without consensus
Quad Foreign Ministers meet in New Delhi
26 May 2026Foreign ministers of India, the US, Japan and Australia met in New Delhi and announced new Indo-Pacific initiatives. These include the Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Collaboration and a Quad initiative on energy security.
- US represented by Secretary of State Marco Rubio
- Quad Critical Minerals Initiative framework
- Quad Ports of the Future partnership to support a port in Fiji
Exam point: Quad launched Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Collaboration in New Delhi
India and US sign critical minerals and rare earths framework
26 May 2026S. Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed a bilateral framework on securing the supply of critical minerals and rare earths. It covers mining, processing, recycling and financing to build diversified supply chains.
- Signed in New Delhi
- Aims to cut dependence on a single supplier for rare earths
Exam point: India-US framework on critical minerals and rare earths signed
Economy
April GST collection hits record Rs 2.43 lakh crore
1 May 2026Gross GST collection for April 2026 rose 8.7% to a record of about Rs 2.43 lakh crore, the highest monthly mop-up so far.
- Exact gross figure about Rs 2,42,702 crore
- Data released on 1 May 2026
Exam point: Record gross GST of about Rs 2.43 lakh crore in April 2026
Cabinet approves Rs 5,659 crore Mission for Cotton Productivity
5 May 2026The Union Cabinet approved the Mission for Cotton Productivity with an outlay of about Rs 5,659 crore for 2026-27 to 2030-31. It aims to lift output to about 498 lakh bales using better seeds and technology.
- Covers 140 districts in 14 states
- Expected to benefit about 32 lakh farmers
- Current yield about 755 kg per hectare
Exam point: Cotton Productivity Mission outlay Rs 5,659 crore till 2030-31
Sugarcane FRP raised to Rs 365 per quintal for 2026-27
5 May 2026The Cabinet raised the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane by Rs 10 to Rs 365 per quintal for sugar season 2026-27, linked to a basic recovery rate of 10.25%.
- Premium of Rs 3.56/quintal for every 0.1% recovery above 10.25%
- No deduction for mills below 9.5% recovery (Rs 338.30 per quintal)
Exam point: Sugarcane FRP for 2026-27 fixed at Rs 365 per quintal
ECLGS 5.0 approved for MSMEs and airlines
5 May 2026The Cabinet approved Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme 5.0 to ease cash stress on MSMEs and airlines hit by the West Asia situation. MSMEs get a 100% guarantee and others 90%, through NCGTC.
- MSMEs: extra credit up to 20% of peak working capital
- Airlines: up to 100% extra, capped at Rs 1,500 crore per borrower
- Valid for loans sanctioned till 31 March 2027
Exam point: ECLGS 5.0 gives 100% guarantee to MSME loans
Retail inflation edges up to 3.48% in April
12 May 2026CPI inflation rose to 3.48% in April 2026 from 3.40% in March, as per the new series with base year 2024=100. Food inflation was 4.20%.
- Rural 3.74%, urban 3.16%
- Silver jewellery prices up 144% year-on-year
- Potato and onion prices fell sharply
Exam point: April 2026 CPI inflation at 3.48% (base 2024=100)
Paddy MSP raised to Rs 2,441 for 2026-27 kharif season
13 May 2026The CCEA raised MSPs for 14 kharif crops for 2026-27. Common paddy MSP went up by Rs 72 to Rs 2,441 per quintal, while sunflower seed saw the largest rise of Rs 622.
- Cotton MSP raised by Rs 557
- MSPs fixed at least 1.5 times cost of production
- Highest margin over cost: moong (61%)
Exam point: Common paddy MSP for 2026-27 fixed at Rs 2,441 per quintal
Wholesale inflation jumps to 8.30% in April
14 May 2026WPI inflation surged to 8.30% in April 2026 from 3.88% in March, driven by costlier crude oil and fuel. Fuel and power inflation hit 24.71%.
- Crude petroleum prices up 88% year-on-year
- Manufactured products 4.62%; primary articles 9.17%
- WPI base year: 2011-12
Exam point: April WPI inflation 8.30%; fuel and power at 24.71%
Important Days
International Labour Day (May Day)
1 May 2026Observed on 1 May to honour workers and the labour movement. In India it was first marked in Chennai (Madras) in 1923.
- Also observed as Maharashtra Day and Gujarat Day (states formed 1960)
Exam point: Honours workers' rights; first marked in India in 1923
National Technology Day
11 May 2026Marked on 11 May to recall the Pokhran-II nuclear tests of 1998 and India's technological achievements.
- Pokhran-II code name: Operation Shakti
- Organised by the Technology Development Board, DST
Exam point: Commemorates the Pokhran-II tests of 11 May 1998
World Telecommunication and Information Society Day
17 May 2026Observed on 17 May, the founding day of the ITU in 1865. The 2026 theme is about digital lifelines and resilience.
- 2026 theme: Digital lifelines: Strengthening resilience in a connected world
Exam point: Digital lifelines: Strengthening resilience in a connected world
International Day for Biological Diversity
22 May 2026Observed on 22 May, the date the text of the Convention on Biological Diversity was adopted in 1992.
- 2026 theme: Acting Locally for Global Impact
Exam point: Acting Locally for Global Impact
World No Tobacco Day
31 May 2026Observed on 31 May by the WHO to highlight the harms of tobacco. The 2026 campaign targets the appeal of nicotine products.
- 2026 theme: Unmasking the appeal: countering nicotine and tobacco addiction
- First observed in 1988
Exam point: Unmasking the appeal: countering nicotine and tobacco addiction
National Affairs
100% FDI in insurance allowed through automatic route
2 May 2026The government notified rules allowing 100% FDI in insurance companies through the automatic route, up from 74%. Foreign investment in LIC stays capped at 20%.
- Notified via FEMA (Non-debt Instruments) Second Amendment Rules, 2026
- Only one of Chairperson, MD or CEO must be a resident Indian
- Previous FDI cap in insurance: 74%
Exam point: Insurance FDI cap raised to 100%; LIC capped at 20%
Results declared for five assembly elections
4 May 2026Votes were counted on 4 May 2026 for the assembly polls in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry. The BJP won West Bengal and Assam, TVK emerged largest in Tamil Nadu, the Congress-led UDF won Kerala and the AINRC-led NDA retained Puducherry.
- West Bengal: BJP 208 of 294 seats; AITC 80
- Tamil Nadu: TVK 108 of 234 seats in its first election; majority mark 118
- Kerala: UDF 102 of 140; LDF 35; NDA 3
- Assam: NDA 102 of 126 (BJP 82)
Exam point: Counting for five assembly elections held on 4 May 2026
Centre notifies final rules under the four Labour Codes
8 May 2026The Centre notified the final central rules under the four Labour Codes on wages, industrial relations, social security and occupational safety. The rules set working-hour limits and conditions for women working night shifts.
- Weekly working hours capped at 48 hours
- Women may work night shifts with consent, transport and CCTV safeguards
- Gig workers eligible after 90 days with one aggregator or 120 days in total
- State-level rules still pending
Exam point: Final central rules notified under the four Labour Codes on 8 May
NEET-UG 2026 cancelled after paper leak; CBI takes over
12 May 2026The National Testing Agency (NTA) cancelled the NEET-UG exam held on 3 May 2026 after evidence of a question paper leak. The CBI took over the probe the same day and a re-test was scheduled for 21 June 2026.
- Over 22 lakh candidates had taken the medical entrance test
- Cancellation announced on 12 May 2026
- Re-exam date of 21 June announced on 15 May
Exam point: NTA cancelled NEET-UG 2026; re-exam fixed for 21 June
Ordinance raises Supreme Court judge strength to 37 plus CJI
16 May 2026President Droupadi Murmu promulgated the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026, raising the number of judges other than the CJI from 33 to 37. The total strength of the Supreme Court therefore rises to 38.
- Issued under Article 123 while Parliament was not in session
- Amends the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956
- Last increase was in 2019 (to 33 + CJI)
- Union Cabinet had approved the proposal on 5 May 2026
Exam point: Supreme Court sanctioned strength raised to 38 including the CJI
Supreme Court upholds Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision
27 May 2026A bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi upheld the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls carried out by the Election Commission. The court said periodic, even intensive, revision of voter lists helps ensure free and fair elections.
- Challenge began with the SIR in Bihar
- Court noted over 40 years had passed since the last full revision
- Held the exercise was neither arbitrary nor excessive
Exam point: SC upheld the ECI's Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls
Science, Tech & Space
GalaxEye launches Mission Drishti, world's first OptoSAR satellite
3 May 2026Bengaluru start-up GalaxEye launched Mission Drishti on a SpaceX Falcon 9 from California. The 190 kg satellite combines optical and SAR sensors on one platform for all-weather imaging.
- India's largest privately built Earth observation satellite
- GalaxEye founded in 2021 by IIT Madras alumni
Exam point: Mission Drishti is the world's first OptoSAR satellite
ESA-China SMILE mission launched to image Earth's magnetosphere
19 May 2026SMILE, a joint mission of the European Space Agency and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, lifted off on a Vega C rocket from French Guiana. It will image Earth's magnetosphere in soft X-rays.
- SMILE: Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer
- Launched from Kourou, French Guiana
Exam point: SMILE will give first global X-ray images of the magnetosphere
Sports
China win Thomas Cup; South Korea take Uber Cup
3 May 2026At Horsens, Denmark, China beat France 3-1 to win their 12th Thomas Cup. South Korea beat defending champions China for their third Uber Cup.
- India's men's team won bronze
- France reached their first Thomas Cup final
Exam point: China won 12th Thomas Cup; Korea won 3rd Uber Cup
Sinner wins Italian Open to complete 'Career Golden Masters'
17 May 2026Jannik Sinner beat Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-4 in Rome to become only the second man after Novak Djokovic to win all nine Masters 1000 events. Elina Svitolina won the women's title.
- First Italian man to win Rome since Adriano Panatta (1976)
- Svitolina beat Coco Gauff in the women's final
Exam point: Sinner joins Djokovic as only men to win all nine Masters
RCB beat Gujarat Titans to win IPL 2026
31 May 2026Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Gujarat Titans by 5 wickets in the final at Ahmedabad to win a second straight IPL title. Virat Kohli (75* off 42) was Player of the Match.
- GT 155/8; RCB 161/5 in 18 overs
- RCB third team to win back-to-back titles after CSK and MI
- Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium
Exam point: RCB won IPL 2026, their second consecutive title
Awards & Honours
Pulitzer Prizes 2026 announced; Indians among winners
4 May 2026The Washington Post won the Public Service Pulitzer and Daniel Kraus won for fiction with *Angel Down*. Anand RK and Suparna Sharma won for illustrated work on digital scams for Bloomberg.
- History: Jill Lepore, *We the People*
- AP's Aniruddha Ghosal part of winning International Reporting team
Exam point: Anand RK and Suparna Sharma won a 2026 Pulitzer
Modi receives Sweden's Royal Order of the Polar Star
17 May 2026Crown Princess Victoria conferred the Royal Order of the Polar Star (Commander Grand Cross) on PM Modi in Gothenburg. He is the first Asian leader to receive it.
- Sweden's highest honour for foreign heads of government
- Order dates back to the 18th century
Exam point: Modi first Asian leader to get Sweden's Order of the Polar Star
Norway confers Grand Cross of Royal Norwegian Order of Merit on Modi
18 May 2026King Harald V conferred the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit on PM Modi in Oslo. It is his 32nd international honour.
- Given during his first visit to Norway
- Previous Indian PM visit: Indira Gandhi, 1983
Exam point: Norway's honour is Modi's 32nd international award
'Taiwan Travelogue' wins International Booker Prize 2026
19 May 2026Yang Shuang-zi's novel Taiwan Travelogue, translated by Lin King, won the International Booker Prize. It is the first winner translated from Mandarin Chinese.
- Prize money GBP 50,000, shared by author and translator
- First Taiwanese winner of the prize
Exam point: First International Booker win for a book from Mandarin
Cristian Mungiu's 'Fjord' wins Palme d'Or at Cannes
23 May 2026Romanian director Cristian Mungiu won the Palme d'Or at the 79th Cannes Film Festival for Fjord, his second Palme. The jury was led by South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook.
- Grand Prix: Minotaur by Andrey Zvyagintsev
- Mungiu's first Palme d'Or was in 2007
Exam point: Fjord by Cristian Mungiu won the 2026 Palme d'Or
Defence & Security
Maiden flight trial of TARA glide weapon
7 May 2026DRDO and the IAF conducted the first flight trial of TARA (Tactical Advanced Range Augmentation) off the Odisha coast. TARA is an indigenous modular glide kit that turns unguided bombs into precision weapons.
- TARA: Tactical Advanced Range Augmentation
- Increases range and accuracy of unguided bombs
Exam point: TARA glide kit converts dumb bombs into precision weapons
DRDO tests advanced Agni missile with MIRV
8 May 2026DRDO flight-tested an advanced Agni missile fitted with MIRV technology from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha. Its multiple warheads were guided to separate targets in the Indian Ocean Region.
- MIRV: Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle
- India first showed MIRV in Mission Divyastra (2024)
Exam point: Agni missile with MIRV tested from Kalam Island
DRDO completes development trials of ULPGM-V3
19 May 2026DRDO finished final development trials of the UAV-Launched Precision Guided Missile (ULPGM-V3) near Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh. It was tested in both air-to-ground and air-to-air roles.
- Lead lab: Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad
- Production partners: BDL and Adani Defence
Exam point: ULPGM-V3 drone-launched missile ready for production
States in News
Suvendu Adhikari becomes first BJP Chief Minister of West Bengal
9 May 2026Suvendu Adhikari was sworn in as Chief Minister after the BJP won 208 of 294 seats. It is the first BJP government in West Bengal and ends 15 years of Trinamool rule under Mamata Banerjee.
- Turnout of about 94%, a state record
- AITC reduced to 80 seats
- Polling held in two phases in April
Exam point: First BJP government in West Bengal, led by Suvendu Adhikari
Actor Vijay sworn in as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister
10 May 2026C. Joseph Vijay of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) took oath as Chief Minister after his party won 108 seats in its debut election. It is the first time since the 1960s that a non-Dravidian party is the largest in the assembly.
- TVK short of the 118 majority mark; Congress joined, other parties gave outside support
- Record turnout of 85.1%
- Outgoing CM M. K. Stalin lost Kolathur
Exam point: TVK's Vijay ends nearly six decades of Dravidian rule in Tamil Nadu
Himanta Biswa Sarma begins second term as Assam CM
12 May 2026Himanta Biswa Sarma took oath for a second straight term after the NDA won 102 of 126 seats. The Congress won only 19 seats, its lowest ever tally in Assam.
- BJP 82, AGP 10, BPF 10
- NDA vote share about 48%
Exam point: Sarma sworn in for a second consecutive term in Assam
N. Rangaswamy sworn in again as Puducherry Chief Minister
13 May 2026N. Rangaswamy of the AINRC took oath to head his fifth ministry after the AINRC-led NDA won a majority in the Puducherry assembly.
- This is the fifth Rangaswamy ministry
- Puducherry assembly has 30 elected seats
Exam point: Rangaswamy heads Puducherry for a fifth time
V. D. Satheesan takes oath as Kerala Chief Minister
18 May 2026Congress leader V. D. Satheesan was sworn in along with 20 ministers after the UDF won 102 of 140 seats. With the LDF's defeat, no state in India is ruled by a Communist party for the first time in about 50 years.
- UDF vote share 46.55%; LDF 37.64%
- Satheesan named CM on 14 May after an internal Congress contest
- Ends a decade of LDF rule
Exam point: Satheesan became Kerala CM; UDF won 102 of 140 seats
Assam Assembly passes Uniform Civil Code Bill, 2026
27 May 2026Assam became the third state after Uttarakhand and Gujarat to pass a Uniform Civil Code Bill. It sets common rules on marriage, divorce, adoption and inheritance but does not apply to the state's Scheduled Tribes.
- Bans polygamy; bigamy punishable with up to seven years in jail
- Live-in relationships must be registered
- Linked to Article 44 (DPSP)
Exam point: Assam is the third state to pass a UCC Bill
Sikkim declared a fully literate state under ULLAS
27 May 2026Sikkim was declared fully literate under the ULLAS (Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram) programme with a literacy rate of 99.82%. The declaration was made in Gangtok in the presence of President Droupadi Murmu.
- Benchmark for full literacy under ULLAS: 95%
- Joins Mizoram, Goa, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh
- Made at Sikkim University's 7th convocation
Exam point: Sikkim fully literate with 99.82% literacy under ULLAS
Siddaramaiah resigns; D. K. Shivakumar picked as Karnataka CM
28 May 2026Siddaramaiah resigned as Karnataka Chief Minister and the Congress chose D. K. Shivakumar to succeed him. Shivakumar was later sworn in by Governor Thawarchand Gehlot on 3 June.
- Resignation on 28 May, accepted on 29 May
- Shivakumar becomes Karnataka's 34th Chief Minister
Exam point: D. K. Shivakumar chosen to replace Siddaramaiah as Karnataka CM
Appointments
Lt Gen N. S. Raja Subramani named third Chief of Defence Staff
9 May 2026The government appointed Lt Gen N. S. Raja Subramani as the next Chief of Defence Staff. He took charge on 31 May 2026, succeeding Gen Anil Chauhan.
- India's 3rd CDS (after Bipin Rawat and Anil Chauhan)
- Earlier the Vice Chief of Army Staff and Military Adviser in NSCS
Exam point: N. S. Raja Subramani became India's third CDS
Vice Adm Krishna Swaminathan named next Navy Chief
9 May 2026Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, chief of the Western Naval Command, was named the next Chief of the Naval Staff. He succeeds Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, who retired on 31 May.
- Takes over on 1 June 2026
- Was Flag Officer C-in-C, Western Naval Command (Mumbai)
Exam point: Krishna Swaminathan to succeed Dinesh K. Tripathi as Navy Chief
Environment & Heritage
Netherlands returns 11th-century Chola copper plates to India
16 May 2026During PM Modi's visit, the Netherlands handed back the Chola-era copper plates held at Leiden for over 300 years. The plates record a grant of Anaimangalam village to the Chudamani Vihara, a Buddhist monastery at Nagapattinam.
- Known as the Leiden plates
- Date to the 11th century, time of Rajaraja I and Rajendra I
Exam point: Leiden Chola copper plates returned to India
Saudi Arabia joins India-led International Big Cat Alliance
May 2026The International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) welcomed Saudi Arabia as its newest member country. IBCA was launched by India to conserve the world's seven big cats.
- Saudi Arabia is the 26th member
- IBCA launched by India in 2023; headquarters in India
Exam point: Saudi Arabia became the 26th member of IBCA
Obituaries
Former Uttarakhand CM B. C. Khanduri passes away at 91
19 May 2026Maj Gen (retd) Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri, twice Chief Minister of Uttarakhand and a former Union minister, died in Dehradun aged 91.
- Served as Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways under Vajpayee
- Veteran BJP leader and former Army officer
Exam point: B. C. Khanduri, two-time Uttarakhand CM, died at 91
Urdu poet Bashir Badr dies at 91
28 May 2026Renowned Urdu poet Bashir Badr, known for his popular ghazals, died in Bhopal at the age of 91.
- Recipient of the Padma Shri
- Lived in Bhopal in his later years
Exam point: Urdu ghazal poet Bashir Badr died in Bhopal
Veteran playback singer Suman Kalyanpur dies at 89
31 May 2026Hindi film playback singer Suman Kalyanpur, known for melodies of the 1960s, died at 89. The President and PM paid tribute.
- Awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2023
- Sang in Hindi, Marathi and several other languages
Exam point: Padma Bhushan singer Suman Kalyanpur died at 89
Banking & Finance
RBI approves record surplus transfer to the Centre for 2025-26
22 May 2026The RBI's Central Board, at its 623rd meeting chaired by Governor Sanjay Malhotra, approved a record surplus transfer of about Rs 2.86 lakh crore to the government for 2025-26. The Contingent Risk Buffer was kept at 6.5% of the balance sheet.
- Previous year's transfer: about Rs 2.69 lakh crore
- RBI gross income rose 26.42% in 2025-26
- Surplus set under the Economic Capital Framework
Exam point: Record RBI surplus of about Rs 2.86 lakh crore to Centre
Reports & Indices
WMO decadal update predicts more record-warm years
28 May 2026The WMO's Global Annual to Decadal Climate Update, prepared by the UK Met Office, gives an 86% chance that at least one year in 2026-2030 will beat 2024 as the warmest on record.
- 75% chance the 2026-2030 average exceeds 1.5 C above pre-industrial
- Arctic winters forecast 2.8 C above average
- El Nino predicted for late 2026
Exam point: 86% chance a year in 2026-2030 beats 2024 heat record
NCRB 'Crime in India 2024': crime rate down, cybercrime up
May 2026The National Crime Records Bureau released its Crime in India 2024 report. The overall crime rate fell compared with 2023, but cybercrime cases rose by over 17%.
- NCRB works under the Ministry of Home Affairs
- Cybercrime increase of more than 17% in 2024
Exam point: Cybercrime cases up over 17% in 2024 as per NCRB