20 exam-relevant headlines, written simply. Read the bold fact in each — that's what exams ask.
Updated 25 October 2026 · Sources are linked with each verified item.
2026-10-06appointments
Three High Court Chief Justices sworn in as Supreme Court judges
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant administered the oath of office to Justices Sunita Agarwal, Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Aparesh Kumar Singh on 6 October 2026. The appointments raised the Supreme Court's working strength to 37, including the CJI, against a sanctioned strength of 38.
- 📌 Supreme Court working strength after the oath: 37 (including the CJI)
- 📌 Sanctioned strength: 38 under the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 2026
- 📌 Justice Sunita Agarwal earlier served as Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court
Source: LiveLaw · 6 Oct 2026
2026-10-08defence
India-UK naval exercise KONKAN-26 held at Plymouth
The India-UK bilateral maritime exercise KONKAN-26 was conducted at Plymouth in the United Kingdom from 8 to 15 October 2026. The Indian Navy deployed the stealth frigate INS Trishul, while the Royal Navy fielded the Duke-class anti-submarine warfare frigate HMS Sutherland.
- 📌 KONKAN is the India-UK bilateral maritime exercise
- 📌 KONKAN-26 was held at Plymouth, UK, from 8 to 15 October 2026
- 📌 INS Trishul and HMS Sutherland took part
Source: The Indian Express · 19 Oct 2026
2026-10-09awards
Navi Pillay wins Nobel Peace Prize 2026
The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize to Navanethem "Navi" Pillay, the South African jurist and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, for her efforts to promote peace and international law. She has also served as a judge of the International Criminal Court and on the International Court of Justice.
- 📌 Nobel Peace Prize 2026: Navi Pillay
- 📌 Announced on 9 October 2026
- 📌 Recognised for efforts to promote peace and international law
Source: NobelPrize.org · 9 Oct 2026
2026-10-12economy
Retail inflation rises to 5.54% in September
Consumer price inflation rose to 5.54% in September 2026 from 4.83% in August, official data released on 12 October showed. The Reserve Bank of India, which targets 4% inflation within a 2-6% band, said there was some evidence that price pressures were generalising.
- 📌 CPI inflation in September 2026: 5.54%
- 📌 CPI inflation in August 2026: 4.83%
- 📌 RBI inflation target: 4%, with a tolerance band of 2-6%
Source: The Indian Express · 13 Oct 2026
2026-10-12national
Delhi Police de-notifies Jantar Mantar as a protest site
Delhi Police de-notified Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site on 12 October 2026 and named Ramlila Maidan and Burari Ground in north Delhi and CBD Ground in east Delhi as alternatives. The order followed a recommendation by a committee set up by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- 📌 Jantar Mantar was de-notified as a protest site on 12 October 2026
- 📌 Alternative sites: Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground and CBD Ground
- 📌 Delhi Police functions under the Union Home Ministry
Source: The Indian Express · 13 Oct 2026
2026-10-12awards
Hall and Woodford share 2026 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the 2026 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences to Robert E. Hall of Stanford University and Michael Woodford of Columbia University for "microeconomic foundations of macroeconomic stabilisation". The two economists share the 12 million Swedish kronor prize equally.
- 📌 2026 Economics Nobel: Robert E. Hall and Michael Woodford
- 📌 Citation: microeconomic foundations of macroeconomic stabilisation
- 📌 Prize money: 12 million Swedish kronor, shared equally
Source: NobelPrize.org · 12 Oct 2026
2026-10-12defence
INS Mangrol commissioned into the Indian Navy
INS Mangrol, the third Mahe-class anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft, was commissioned at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai on 12 October 2026. Built by Cochin Shipyard Limited with more than 80% indigenous content, it is named after the coastal town of Mangrol in Gujarat's Junagadh district.
- 📌 INS Mangrol is the third Mahe-class ASW shallow water craft
- 📌 Commissioned at Mumbai on 12 October 2026
- 📌 Built by Cochin Shipyard Limited with over 80% indigenous content
Source: The Indian Express · 13 Oct 2026
2026-10-14schemes
Cabinet extends NSAP for five years and renames it
The Union Cabinet approved continuation of the National Social Assistance Programme for five years from 2026-27 to 2030-31 with an outlay of Rs 53,428 crore. The scheme was renamed the Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana, and its pension sub-schemes were also given new names.
- 📌 NSAP renamed Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana
- 📌 Outlay: Rs 53,428 crore for 2026-27 to 2030-31
- 📌 About 3.20 crore beneficiaries are covered
Source: PMIndia · 14 Oct 2026
2026-10-14awards
2026 Medicine Nobel: optogenetics research recognised
An NSF explainer published on 14 October identifies Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel as the 2026 physiology or medicine laureates for optogenetics, which uses light-sensitive proteins to control nerve-cell activity. The date here is the explainer’s publication date.
- 📌 Field to recall: optogenetics
- 📌 Optogenetics links light-sensitive proteins and nerve-cell activity
Source: National Science Foundation · 14 Oct 2026
2026-10-14science
2026 Physics Nobel: Francis Halzen and IceCube neutrino research
NSF’s 14 October explainer highlights Francis Halzen’s physics recognition for contributions to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. IceCube studies neutrinos using instrumentation in South Pole ice. This entry is dated to the source explainer, not the award announcement.
- 📌 Scientist: Francis Halzen
- 📌 Observatory: IceCube; location: South Pole
Source: National Science Foundation · 14 Oct 2026
2026-10-15environment
Sukhna Wetland and Sauj Jheel take India's Ramsar tally to 103
The Ramsar Convention added Sukhna Wetland in Chandigarh and Sauj Jheel in Uttar Pradesh to its list of wetlands of international importance. The additions on 15 October 2026 took India's Ramsar site tally to 103. Sukhna was assigned Ramsar Site Number 2602.
- 📌 New Ramsar sites: Sukhna Wetland (Chandigarh) and Sauj Jheel (Uttar Pradesh)
- 📌 India's Ramsar site count: 103
- 📌 Sukhna Wetland: Ramsar Site Number 2602
Source: The Indian Express · 16 Oct 2026
2026-10-16defence
INS Samarthak commissioned as Navy's first indigenous Multi-Purpose Vessel
INS Samarthak, the Indian Navy's first indigenous Multi-Purpose Vessel, was commissioned at Karwar in Karnataka on 16 October 2026. The vessel, with more than 75% indigenous content, will support trials of next-generation weapons and sensors, maritime surveillance, unmanned systems and disaster relief.
- 📌 INS Samarthak is the Navy's first indigenous Multi-Purpose Vessel
- 📌 Commissioned at Karwar on 16 October 2026
- 📌 Indigenous content: more than 75%
Source: The Indian Express · 19 Oct 2026
2026-10-16science
ISRO completes Crew Module-Service Module separation tests for Gaganyaan
ISRO said it had successfully completed a series of Crew Module-Service Module separation tests for the Gaganyaan programme at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram. The tests validated the separation system and critical crew-module subsystems ahead of the first uncrewed Gaganyaan (G1) mission, targeted for 2026.
- 📌 CM-SM separation tests were held at VSSC, Thiruvananthapuram
- 📌 The tests support the first uncrewed Gaganyaan (G1) mission
- 📌 G1 was targeted for launch in 2026
Source: ISRO · 16 Oct 2026
2026-10-18sports
India women beat Zimbabwe by nine wickets to seal T20I series
India women beat Zimbabwe by nine wickets in the second T20I at Raipur on 18 October 2026, taking a 2-0 lead with one match left. Shafali Verma made 55 and Smriti Mandhana remained unbeaten on 47 as India chased 103 in 8.5 overs.
- 📌 India women won the second T20I by nine wickets
- 📌 Shafali Verma scored 55; Smriti Mandhana made 47 not out
- 📌 India led the series 2-0 with one match to play
Source: The Indian Express · 18 Oct 2026
2026-10-21national
Police Commemoration Day observed on 21 October
The Prime Minister paid tribute to police personnel who died in the line of duty on Police Commemoration Day. For revision, associate the observance with 21 October and the service and sacrifice of police personnel.
- 📌 Police Commemoration Day: 21 October
Source: PIB · 21 Oct 2026
2026-10-21awards
President presents Lalit Kala Akademi awards at the 65th National Exhibition of Art
President Droupadi Murmu presented the awards in New Delhi on 21 October. The event also honoured Grand Prize winners and Honourable Mentions of the third Print Biennale India, 2026.
- 📌 National Exhibition of Art: 65th edition
- 📌 Print Biennale India: third edition in 2026
Source: PIB · 21 Oct 2026
2026-10-22schemes
Rourkela livelihood incubation centre receives renewed tripartite support
A 22 October MoU supports livelihood and entrepreneurship training for Scheduled Tribe youth through the Livelihood Business Incubation Centre at Rourkela, Odisha. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs identifies the centre as a Centre of Excellence.
- 📌 Place: Rourkela, Odisha
- 📌 Focus: livelihood skills and entrepreneurship for ST youth
Source: PIB · 22 Oct 2026
2026-10-23national
19th Urban Mobility India conference opens in Bhubaneswar
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs’ conference and exhibition was held on 23–24 October in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, through the Institute of Urban Transport (India). Its theme concerned urban accessibility and liveability in the digital age.
- 📌 Edition: 19th
- 📌 Host city: Bhubaneswar; ministry: Housing and Urban Affairs
Source: PIB · 23 Oct 2026
2026-10-23national
Aadi Mahotsav opens at Navi Mumbai’s CIDCO Urban Haat
TRIFED, under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, organised the national tribal festival at CIDCO Urban Haat, CBD Belapur, Navi Mumbai, from 23 to 30 October. The event promotes tribal crafts, entrepreneurship and market access.
- 📌 Organiser: TRIFED
- 📌 Venue: CIDCO Urban Haat, Navi Mumbai
Source: PIB · 23 Oct 2026
2026-10-23environment
Forest Rights Act regional review conference held in Srinagar
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs held its third regional review conference on implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, in Srinagar. The meeting reviewed recognition of rights, pending claims and community forest resource rights.
- 📌 Venue: Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir
- 📌 Legislation: Forest Rights Act, 2006
Source: PIB · 23 Oct 2026