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DAILY • UPSC CSE • PUNJAB PCS • PSSSB • CURRENT AFFAIRS

1. Retail Inflation Rises to 5.5% & RBI Monetary Policy

Why in News?

India’s retail inflation, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), rose to 5.5% in September 2026 from 4.8% in August. Rising food and fuel prices contributed to the increase. Food and beverages inflation reached 7.4%, raising concerns about household purchasing power and monetary policy.

Prelims Facts & Static Connection

• CPI: Consumer Price Index, used to measure retail inflation.
• WPI: Wholesale Price Index, measuring wholesale-level price changes.
• RBI inflation target: 4%, with a tolerance band of ±2 percentage points.
• Monetary Policy Committee: Six-member body deciding the policy repo rate.
• Repo Rate: Interest rate at which RBI lends short-term funds to eligible banks against securities.
• Food Inflation: Increase in prices of food items over time.
• Inflation reduces the purchasing power of money.

Mains Perspective

Revision Note: CPI Inflation + Food Prices + RBI MPC + Repo Rate + Inflation Targeting.

2. Karnataka High Court & SC/ST Reservation Ceiling

Why in News?

The Karnataka High Court struck down provisions of the State’s 2022 law increasing SC/ST reservation, which had taken the overall reservation level to 56%. The judgment renewed discussion about the constitutional validity of reservations beyond the 50% ceiling.

Prelims Facts & Static Connection

• Article 14: Equality before the law.
• Article 15(4): Special provisions for specified socially and educationally backward classes, SCs and STs.
• Article 16(4): Reservation in public employment for backward classes inadequately represented in State services.
• Indra Sawhney Case (1992): Landmark Supreme Court judgment concerning reservations.
• The general 50% ceiling is subject to constitutional jurisprudence and recognised exceptions.
• Reservation policy is connected with equality and substantive social justice.

Mains Perspective

Revision Note: Articles 14–16 + Reservation Ceiling + Indra Sawhney + Constitutional Equality.

3. Supreme Court & Cauvery Water-Sharing Dispute

Why in News?

The Supreme Court examined the Cauvery water-sharing dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu raised concerns about a water-release shortfall, while Karnataka referred to drought conditions and drinking-water requirements. The dispute highlights challenges in inter-State water allocation during scarcity.

Prelims Facts & Static Connection

• Article 262: Adjudication of disputes relating to waters of inter-State rivers or river valleys.
• Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956.
• Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA): Mechanism for implementing water-sharing arrangements.
• Cauvery basin includes Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry.
• TMC ft: Thousand Million Cubic Feet, a unit of water volume.
• Cusec: Cubic foot per second, a unit of water flow.
• Water sharing is linked with federalism, agriculture and water security.

Mains Perspective

Revision Note: Cauvery Dispute + Article 262 + Water Scarcity + Cooperative Federalism.

4. Supreme Court, Medicine Prices & Healthcare Regulation

Why in News?

Medicine pricing and healthcare affordability came under judicial scrutiny. The Centre discussed a proposed 30% trade-margin cap for certain cancer medicines, while the Supreme Court questioned the broader regulation of medicine and medical-product prices.

Prelims Facts & Static Connection

• NPPA: National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority.
• DPCO 2013: Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013.
• Essential medicines are important for affordable healthcare.
• Trade Margin: Difference between sale price and the relevant procurement or distribution price.
• Drug price regulation seeks to improve affordability and consumer protection.
• Public health is an important dimension of Article 21 jurisprudence.

Mains Perspective

Revision Note: Medicine Affordability + NPPA + DPCO + Patient Protection.

5. Indian Navy Commissions Mahe-Class Anti-Submarine Vessel

Why in News?

The Indian Navy commissioned a new Mahe-class anti-submarine warfare vessel, highlighting the importance of indigenous naval shipbuilding and underwater security in coastal and shallow-water environments.

Prelims Facts & Static Connection

• ASW: Anti-Submarine Warfare.
• Sonar: Sound Navigation and Ranging.
• Sonar helps detect underwater objects using sound waves.
• Shallow-water vessels are suited to operations near coastlines.
• Maritime security is crucial for trade routes and coastal defence.
• Indigenous defence manufacturing supports strategic autonomy.

Mains Perspective

Revision Note: Mahe Class + ASW + Sonar + Indian Navy + Indigenous Shipbuilding.

6. Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences 2026

Why in News?

The 2026 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences was reported to have been awarded to Robert E. Hall and Michael Woodford for research relating to the microeconomic foundations of macroeconomic stabilisation.

Prelims Facts & Static Connection

• Macroeconomics studies economy-wide variables such as inflation, output and employment.
• Microeconomics studies decisions by consumers, firms and individual markets.
• Business Cycle: Expansion and contraction of economic activity.
• Monetary Policy: Central-bank actions influencing interest rates and liquidity.
• Fiscal Policy: Government taxation and expenditure decisions.
• Consumption and expectations influence economic activity.
• The Economics Prize is formally the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel.

Mains Perspective

Revision Note: Macroeconomic Stabilisation + Business Cycles + Monetary Policy + Fiscal Policy.

7. Living Planet Index 2026 & Biodiversity Loss

Why in News?

Discussion of the 2026 Living Planet Index highlighted a reported average 73% decline in monitored wildlife populations between 1970 and 2022. This indicator must not be interpreted as meaning that 73% of all wild animals have disappeared.

Prelims Facts & Static Connection

• WWF: World Wide Fund for Nature.
• Living Planet Index measures trends in monitored vertebrate populations.
• Population decline and species extinction are different concepts.
• Biodiversity includes genetic, species and ecosystem diversity.
• Habitat loss, overexploitation, pollution and climate change threaten biodiversity.
• IUCN Red List evaluates species’ extinction risk.
• CBD: Convention on Biological Diversity.

Mains Perspective

Revision Note: WWF + Living Planet Index + Population Trends + Biodiversity Conservation.

8. Lakshadweep Achieves 100% Literacy under ULLAS

Why in News?

Lakshadweep was declared a fully literate Union Territory under the ULLAS adult education initiative. The development highlights literacy programmes and inclusive educational development.

Prelims Facts & Static Connection

• ULLAS: Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society.
• Also known as Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram.
• Focuses on adult and non-literate learners.
• FLN: Foundational Literacy and Numeracy.
• FLNAT: Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test.
• NEP 2020 emphasises lifelong learning and foundational education.
• Literacy supports social and economic inclusion.

Mains Perspective

Revision Note: ULLAS + Adult Literacy + FLN + NEP 2020 + Inclusive Education.

📰 Mains Focus – Inflation, Federalism & Social Justice

Today’s current affairs connect three major challenges in Indian governance: controlling inflation while protecting growth, managing inter-State water disputes through cooperative federalism, and ensuring constitutional equality alongside social justice.

Mains Takeaway: Effective public policy requires constitutional safeguards, transparent institutions, evidence-based regulation and protection of vulnerable groups.

⚡ Prelims Concept – Important Articles, Acts & Institutions

• Article 14: Equality before law.
• Article 15: Prohibition of discrimination and specified special provisions.
• Article 16: Equality of opportunity in public employment.
• Article 262: Inter-State river water disputes.
• RBI MPC: Monetary policy and inflation targeting.
• NPPA: Pharmaceutical price regulation.
• WWF: Wildlife population monitoring and conservation.
• ULLAS: Adult education and lifelong learning.

⚡ Rapid Revision – Today’s 8 Important News

• Inflation: September CPI inflation reached 5.5%.
• Reservation: Karnataka High Court judgment and the 50% ceiling.
• Cauvery: Water sharing, Article 262 and CWMA.
• Medicine Prices: NPPA, DPCO and affordability.
• Indian Navy: Mahe-class anti-submarine warfare vessel.
• Nobel Economics: Macroeconomic stabilisation and economic policy.
• Living Planet Index: Monitoring wildlife population trends.
• ULLAS: Adult literacy and lifelong learning.

🔥 Most Important Topics for UPSC, PPSC & PSSSB Today

• Retail Inflation and RBI Monetary Policy
• SC/ST Reservation and Constitutional Equality
• Cauvery River Water Dispute
• Medicine Prices and Healthcare Regulation
• Indian Navy and Anti-Submarine Warfare
• Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences 2026
• Living Planet Index and Biodiversity
• ULLAS Scheme and Adult Literacy

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