🔥 UPSC/PCS Current Affairs | 17 September 2026

1. EPFO Wage Ceiling Proposed to Rise from ₹15,000 to ₹25,000

Why in News?

The government is considering increasing the statutory wage ceiling for mandatory coverage under the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act from ₹15,000 to ₹25,000 per month.

UPSC/PCS Importance

Important for Social Security, Labour Reforms, EPFO, Organised Sector Workers, Pension and Welfare Schemes.

Prelims Facts

• EPFO stands for Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation.
• EPFO functions under the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
• EPF is a major social-security mechanism for workers in the organised sector.
• The proposed wage ceiling is ₹25,000 per month.
• The existing statutory wage ceiling is ₹15,000 per month.
• EPFO administers provident fund, pension and insurance-related social-security schemes.

Mains Perspective

GS-II: Welfare and Social Justice
GS-III: Employment and Indian Economy

Revision Note: Expansion of social-security coverage can improve worker protection but must also balance employee benefits, employer costs and labour-market formalisation.

2. UPI Merchant Discount Rate: Who Will Actually Pay?

Why in News?

The new Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) framework for UPI has come into focus. From October 15, 2026, an MDR of 0.4% will apply to eligible UPI payments of ₹2,000 or more made to mid and large merchants.

UPSC/PCS Importance

Important for UPI, NPCI, Digital Payments, FinTech, Financial Inclusion and Digital Public Infrastructure.

Prelims Facts

• MDR stands for Merchant Discount Rate.
• UPI stands for Unified Payments Interface.
• UPI is operated by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
• P2P transactions remain free, irrespective of amount.
• Merchant payments below ₹2,000 remain exempt from MDR.
• Specified small merchants are also exempt.
• Essential and thin-margin sectors have a separate flat-rate framework.

Mains Perspective

GS-III: Indian Economy, Financial Inclusion and Digital Infrastructure

Revision Note: MDR should not be confused with a general tax on every UPI payment. The policy debate concerns the financial sustainability of digital-payment infrastructure while preserving affordability and inclusion.

3. MMDR Amendment: States’ Power to Tax Minerals and Fiscal Federalism

Why in News?

The debate over amendments to India’s mining law has raised constitutional questions regarding the power of States to tax mineral rights and mineral-bearing land.

UPSC/PCS Importance

Extremely important for Fiscal Federalism, Centre-State Relations, State List, Mining Regulation, Natural Resources and Constitutional Law.

Prelims Facts

• Entry 50, State List deals with taxes on mineral rights, subject to limitations imposed by Parliament by law relating to mineral development.
• Entry 49, State List deals with taxes on lands and buildings.
• In Mineral Area Development Authority v. Steel Authority of India (2024), the Supreme Court held that mineral royalty is not a tax.
• The judgment recognised the legislative power of States to tax mineral rights within the constitutional framework.
• The issue has major implications for the fiscal autonomy of mineral-rich States.

Mains Perspective

GS-II: Federalism and Centre-State Relations
GS-III: Mining, Natural Resources and Indian Economy

Revision Note: The debate represents a larger constitutional question — how to balance national mineral policy and investment certainty with the fiscal autonomy of States.

4. India-Pakistan Naval Incident in the Arabian Sea

Why in News?

An Indian Navy warship and Pakistan Navy’s PNS Hunain were involved in a collision in international waters in the Arabian Sea, bringing maritime confidence-building mechanisms between the two countries into focus.

UPSC/PCS Importance

Important for India-Pakistan Relations, Indian Ocean Region, Maritime Security, Naval Diplomacy and Confidence-Building Measures.

Prelims Facts

• The Arabian Sea forms part of the northern Indian Ocean.
• India and Pakistan have mechanisms intended to reduce the risk of military misunderstanding.
• Maritime security includes naval safety, sea-lane protection, piracy prevention and protection of maritime infrastructure.
• International waters are areas beyond the territorial sovereignty of individual coastal States.

Mains Perspective

GS-II: India and its Neighbourhood
GS-III: Maritime and National Security

Revision Note: Military incidents at sea demonstrate the importance of communication channels, confidence-building measures and established maritime protocols between neighbouring nuclear-armed States.

5. China’s Strategy amid West Asia’s Security Realignment

Why in News?

China’s approach towards the emerging security architecture in West Asia has come into focus amid changing regional alignments and Beijing’s expanding economic, energy and strategic interests.

UPSC/PCS Importance

Important for China, West Asia, Energy Security, Strategic Autonomy, U.S.-China Competition and Emerging Multipolarity.

Prelims Facts

• West Asia is strategically important because of its major oil and gas reserves.
• China has significant economic and energy interests in the region.
• China has expanding defence and technology ties with several regional countries.
• The region is crucial for global maritime trade and energy supply chains.
• The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints.

Mains Perspective

GS-II: International Relations

Revision Note: China’s approach indicates how major powers can expand influence through economic engagement, technology, defence cooperation and diplomatic support without assuming the full security burden of the region.

6. Global Gender Gap Index 2026: India Remains at 131st Rank

Why in News?

India retained the 131st position in the Global Gender Gap Index 2026, with its overall progress towards gender parity reported at 64.5%.

UPSC/PCS Importance

Important for Women Empowerment, Gender Equality, Human Development, Social Justice and Sustainable Development.

Prelims Facts

• The Global Gender Gap Report is released by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
• India’s 2026 rank: 131.
• India’s gender-parity level was reported at 64.5%.
• Iceland, Finland and Norway occupied the top three positions respectively.
• The index examines gender gaps rather than simply measuring a country’s absolute level of development.

Mains Perspective

GS-I: Role of Women and Indian Society
GS-II: Social Justice and Empowerment

Revision Note: Gender equality requires improvements in economic participation, education, health, political representation and access to opportunities.

7. Delhi HC Examines Regulation of Addictive Social Media Features

Why in News?

The Delhi High Court asked the Centre about its position on regulating addiction-causing design features on social-media platforms, including features such as infinite scroll and autoplay.

UPSC/PCS Importance

Important for Digital Governance, Social Media Regulation, Mental Well-being, Children’s Online Safety, Platform Accountability and Fundamental Rights.

Prelims Facts

• Infinite scroll continuously loads new content as the user scrolls.
• Autoplay automatically plays subsequent digital content.
• Algorithmic and engagement-maximising designs raise questions of platform accountability.
• The issue involves a balance between innovation, individual choice and user protection.

Mains Perspective

GS-II: Governance and Fundamental Rights
GS-III: Information Technology

Revision Note: Digital regulation increasingly needs to address not only illegal content but also platform architecture, algorithmic incentives and potentially harmful engagement-maximising design.

8. Supreme Court: Misquoting Judicial Remarks Can Amount to Criminal Conduct

Why in News?

The Supreme Court clarified that unauthorised distribution of live-streamed court proceedings can constitute contempt, while falsely inserting or attributing remarks to judges can involve criminal conduct.

UPSC/PCS Importance

Important for Judiciary, Contempt of Court, Court Live-Streaming, Digital Media, Freedom of Speech and Judicial Integrity.

Prelims Facts

• Article 129 recognises the Supreme Court as a Court of Record with power to punish for contempt.
• Article 215 provides corresponding Court of Record status to High Courts.
• Contempt is broadly classified as civil contempt and criminal contempt.
• Digital dissemination of court proceedings remains subject to applicable judicial rules and directions.

Mains Perspective

GS-II: Judiciary and Constitution

Revision Note: Greater digital access to judicial proceedings must be balanced with accuracy, institutional integrity, privacy and protection against misleading or manipulated content.

9. Punjab Forms Panel to Discuss Anti-Sacrilege Law

Why in News?

The Punjab government constituted a seven-member committee to coordinate with the committee constituted by the Akal Takht and discuss issues concerning the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026.

UPSC/PCS Importance

Punjab PCS Special: Important for Punjab Governance, State Legislature, Religious Freedom, Criminal Law, Fundamental Rights and Constitutional Issues.

Prelims Facts

• The Punjab Assembly passed the amendment law on April 13, 2026.
• The legislation provides for stricter punishment for specified acts of sacrilege against the Guru Granth Sahib.
• It includes provisions for punishment extending to life imprisonment.
• It also provides for fines ranging from ₹5 lakh to ₹25 lakh.
• The Punjab government has now constituted a seven-member committee for discussions with the Akal Takht panel.

Mains Perspective

Punjab PCS: Punjab Governance, Constitution and Contemporary Issues
GS-II: Fundamental Rights and Governance

Revision Note: The issue can be studied through the constitutional relationship among religious freedom, public order, criminal law, legislative competence and fundamental rights.

10. New Terror Organisation Designation under UAPA

Why in News?

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs declared the Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN) a terrorist organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act — UAPA.

UPSC/PCS Importance

Important for UAPA, Internal Security, Terrorism, Ministry of Home Affairs, National Security and Counter-Terrorism.

Prelims Facts

• UAPA stands for Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
• UAPA was enacted in 1967.
• It provides a legal framework for dealing with unlawful activities and terrorism.
• The Ministry of Home Affairs plays a central role in notifications concerning terrorist organisations under the Act.
• The Shahzad Bhatti Network was reported as the 46th organisation to be designated a terrorist organisation under UAPA.

Mains Perspective

GS-III: Internal Security and Terrorism

Revision Note: India’s counter-terrorism framework must combine effective security enforcement, intelligence coordination, financial tracking and procedural safeguards under the rule of law.

📰 Editorial Focus – Mining, State Taxation & Fiscal Federalism

Editorial Theme

The debate over the mining-law amendment raises a larger constitutional issue concerning the balance between Parliament’s power over mineral development and the taxation powers and fiscal autonomy of States.

Key Issues

• Fiscal Federalism
• State Taxation Powers
• Entry 49 — State List
• Entry 50 — State List
• Mineral Rights
• Mineral Royalty
• MMDR Framework
• Centre-State Relations
• Natural Resource Federalism

Mains Perspective

GS-II: Constitution and Federalism
GS-III: Mining, Natural Resources and Economy

Mains Takeaway: India’s mineral policy must reconcile national economic objectives and regulatory predictability with the constitutional fiscal space of States that bear many of the environmental, infrastructural and social costs of extraction.

⚖️ Prelims Concept – Entry 49 vs Entry 50 of State List

Constitutional Taxation Powers

• Entry 49: Taxes on lands and buildings.
• Entry 50: Taxes on mineral rights, subject to limitations imposed by Parliament by law relating to mineral development.
• Both entries are contained in the State List — List II of the Seventh Schedule.
• The Supreme Court’s 2024 mineral-taxation judgment held that royalty is not a tax.
• The distinction between royalty and tax is important for understanding States’ fiscal powers over mineral resources.

Prelims Trap: Do not confuse mineral royalty with a tax. Also remember: Entry 49 = Land & Buildings; Entry 50 = Mineral Rights.

🔥 Most Important Topics for UPSC/PCS Today

• EPFO Wage Ceiling & Social Security
• UPI Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) & NPCI
• MMDR Amendment & Fiscal Federalism
• India-Pakistan Naval Incident & Maritime Security
• China’s Strategy in West Asia
• Global Gender Gap Index 2026
• Social Media Addiction & Platform Regulation
• Supreme Court, Contempt & Judicial Live-Streaming
• Punjab Anti-Sacrilege Law — Punjab PCS Special
• UAPA & Terror Organisation Designation

One-Line Fact:
Entry 49 of the State List deals with taxes on lands and buildings, while Entry 50 deals with taxes on mineral rights subject to parliamentary limitations relating to mineral development.

📍 DRONA IAS Academy, Patiala, Punjab
💻 Online UPSC & Punjab PCS Coaching Available Across India
🌐 www.dronaiasacademy.com
YouTube: @dronaiasacademy
Instagram: @dronaiasacademyofficial
Telegram: @dronaiasofficial