Daily Current Affairs & GK Updates

Bengali Writer Ramkumar Mukhopadhyay Selected for Saraswati Samman 2025In March 2026, eminent Bengali writer Ramkumar Mukhopadhyay was selected for the 35th Saraswati Samman (2025) for his novel ‘Hara Parbati Katha(2020)’, marking a significant recognition for Bengali literature.About Saraswati Samman:Establishment: The Saraswati Samman was instituted in 1991 by the K. K. Birla Foundation. The award is named after Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of knowledge and learning.Nature of Award: It is one of India’s highest literary honours, awarded for an outstanding work published in the last 10 years in any of the 22 languages listed in Schedule VIII of the Constitution.Award Components: The award carries a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh, along with a citation and a plaque.

27 Mar, 2026

Bengali Writer Ramkumar Mukhopadhyay Selected for Saraswati Samman 2025In March 2026, eminent Bengali writer Ramkumar Mukhopadhyay was selected for the 35th Saraswati Samman (2025) for his novel ‘Hara Parbati Katha(2020)’, marking a significant recognition for Bengali literature.About Saraswati Samman:Establishment: The Saraswati Samman was instituted in 1991 by the K. K. Birla Foundation. The award is named after Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of knowledge and learning.Nature of Award: It is one of India’s highest literary honours, awarded for an outstanding work published in the last 10 years in any of the 22 languages listed in Schedule VIII of the Constitution.Award Components: The award carries a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh, along with a citation and a plaque.

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Cochin Chamber signs MoU with Latvian Chamber to strengthen bilateral tradeIn March 2026, the Cochin Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Latvia, to bolster bilateral trade and economic cooperation between Latvia and India.Following this MoU, the CCI became the second Chamber of Commerce(CC) in India and the first in South India to enter into an agreement with the LCCI.Key Details of MoU:Expansion: This strategic partnership is expected to open up significant business opportunities to expand and explore into new markets across Europe.Key Sectors: The MoU will generate new opportunities for Indian business across key sectors like: pharmaceuticals, education, and the wood industry in Latvia.About CCCI: Established in 1857, the CCCI is the oldest Chamber of Commerce in Kerala and one of the oldest in India. It is one of the 5 promoter chambers of Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).

27 Mar, 2026

Cochin Chamber signs MoU with Latvian Chamber to strengthen bilateral tradeIn March 2026, the Cochin Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Latvia, to bolster bilateral trade and economic cooperation between Latvia and India.Following this MoU, the CCI became the second Chamber of Commerce(CC) in India and the first in South India to enter into an agreement with the LCCI.Key Details of MoU:Expansion: This strategic partnership is expected to open up significant business opportunities to expand and explore into new markets across Europe.Key Sectors: The MoU will generate new opportunities for Indian business across key sectors like: pharmaceuticals, education, and the wood industry in Latvia.About CCCI: Established in 1857, the CCCI is the oldest Chamber of Commerce in Kerala and one of the oldest in India. It is one of the 5 promoter chambers of Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).

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SEBI Launches ‘Verified App Label’ Initiative To Strengthen Investor Protection In March 2026, Tuhin Kanta Pandey, Chairperson of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), launched the ‘Verified Application(app) Label’ Initiative to protect investors against fraudulent mobile applications and ensure safe digital investing in India.About ‘Verified App Label’ Initiative: Approach: Over 1.3 lakh fraudulent investment apps, including 66 fake trading apps, have been reported and removed, prompting SEBI to build preventive safeguards under the principle: “First verify. Then invest.”Mechanism: Apps of SEBI-registered intermediaries will display a verified badge on the Google Play Store to help investors easily identify genuine apps and reduce impersonation risks.Partner with Google: The SEBI partnered with Google to monitor financial influencers (Finfluencers) who violate market regulations, aiming to strengthen the digital investment ecosystem and protect investors.

27 Mar, 2026

SEBI Launches ‘Verified App Label’ Initiative To Strengthen Investor Protection In March 2026, Tuhin Kanta Pandey, Chairperson of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), launched the ‘Verified Application(app) Label’ Initiative to protect investors against fraudulent mobile applications and ensure safe digital investing in India.About ‘Verified App Label’ Initiative: Approach: Over 1.3 lakh fraudulent investment apps, including 66 fake trading apps, have been reported and removed, prompting SEBI to build preventive safeguards under the principle: “First verify. Then invest.”Mechanism: Apps of SEBI-registered intermediaries will display a verified badge on the Google Play Store to help investors easily identify genuine apps and reduce impersonation risks.Partner with Google: The SEBI partnered with Google to monitor financial influencers (Finfluencers) who violate market regulations, aiming to strengthen the digital investment ecosystem and protect investors.

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QS World University Rankings 2026: IIT (ISM) Dhanbad and IIM Ahmedabad Toped Among Indian InstitutesIn March 2026, Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) released the 16th edition of the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026, in which Indian Institutes of Technology Indian School of Mines (IIT-ISM) Dhanbad, Jharkhand ranked 21st globally in Engineering – Mineral and Mining and IIM Ahmedabad, Gujarat, secured the same position in both Business and Management Studies and Marketing, marking India’s debut in the Marketing subject ranking.The United States of America (USA) continues to lead globally with first place in 37 subjects (up from 32 in 2025), while the United Kingdom (UK) ranks second with the top position in 15 subjects, declining from 18 in 2025.QS Rankings 2026:Institutional Presence: The USA leads with 228 institutions, followed by China with 158 and the UK with 114, while India has 99 institutions, up from 79 in 2025.New Entries: India becomes the fourth-largest higher education system by entries, with 120 new Indian entries, after the USA(287), China(181) and UK(159).IIT Strength: IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay (Maharashtra), and IIT Kharagpur (West Bengal) dominate engineering and technology rankings with multiple top-50 positions.CS Breakthrough: IIT Bombay (Maharashtra) and IIT Delhi enter the global top 50 in Computer Science for the first time.

27 Mar, 2026

QS World University Rankings 2026: IIT (ISM) Dhanbad and IIM Ahmedabad Toped Among Indian InstitutesIn March 2026, Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) released the 16th edition of the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026, in which Indian Institutes of Technology Indian School of Mines (IIT-ISM) Dhanbad, Jharkhand ranked 21st globally in Engineering – Mineral and Mining and IIM Ahmedabad, Gujarat, secured the same position in both Business and Management Studies and Marketing, marking India’s debut in the Marketing subject ranking.The United States of America (USA) continues to lead globally with first place in 37 subjects (up from 32 in 2025), while the United Kingdom (UK) ranks second with the top position in 15 subjects, declining from 18 in 2025.QS Rankings 2026:Institutional Presence: The USA leads with 228 institutions, followed by China with 158 and the UK with 114, while India has 99 institutions, up from 79 in 2025.New Entries: India becomes the fourth-largest higher education system by entries, with 120 new Indian entries, after the USA(287), China(181) and UK(159).IIT Strength: IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay (Maharashtra), and IIT Kharagpur (West Bengal) dominate engineering and technology rankings with multiple top-50 positions.CS Breakthrough: IIT Bombay (Maharashtra) and IIT Delhi enter the global top 50 in Computer Science for the first time.

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DPIIT Signs MoUs with Razorpay to Strengthen India’s Startup Ecosystem; Launches ‘Startup Sahayak’ PlatformOn 25 March 2026, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoC&I), signed strategic Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with Razorpay to strengthen India’s startup ecosystem and promote innovation-led growth.The agreement was signed by T. L. K. Singh, Deputy Secretary, DPIIT; Arif Khan, Chief Information Officer (CIO) of Razorpay.About DPIIT-Razorpay Startup Partnership:Objective: The collaboration aims to empower startups, especially in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, by providing financial tools, technical and advisory support, founder enablement programs, and digital payment solutions to accelerate growth.Startup Sahayak: A dedicated platform, ‘Startup Sahayak’, has been launched to provide end-to-end assistance, including company incorporation, access to central and state government schemes, and guidance on funding opportunities.Capacity Building: The partnership will organize sessions on Artificial Intelligence (AI), marketing, product development, and financial management via the Startup India Hub (SIH) and address fintech-focused challenges under the Bharat Startup Grand Challenge (BSGC) to promote digital innovation.Community: Selected startups will receive mentorship, pitch deck reviews, application guidance, and access to curated founder communities for peer learning, networking, and domain-specific support in engineering, hiring, and marketing.

27 Mar, 2026

DPIIT Signs MoUs with Razorpay to Strengthen India’s Startup Ecosystem; Launches ‘Startup Sahayak’ PlatformOn 25 March 2026, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoC&I), signed strategic Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with Razorpay to strengthen India’s startup ecosystem and promote innovation-led growth.The agreement was signed by T. L. K. Singh, Deputy Secretary, DPIIT; Arif Khan, Chief Information Officer (CIO) of Razorpay.About DPIIT-Razorpay Startup Partnership:Objective: The collaboration aims to empower startups, especially in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, by providing financial tools, technical and advisory support, founder enablement programs, and digital payment solutions to accelerate growth.Startup Sahayak: A dedicated platform, ‘Startup Sahayak’, has been launched to provide end-to-end assistance, including company incorporation, access to central and state government schemes, and guidance on funding opportunities.Capacity Building: The partnership will organize sessions on Artificial Intelligence (AI), marketing, product development, and financial management via the Startup India Hub (SIH) and address fintech-focused challenges under the Bharat Startup Grand Challenge (BSGC) to promote digital innovation.Community: Selected startups will receive mentorship, pitch deck reviews, application guidance, and access to curated founder communities for peer learning, networking, and domain-specific support in engineering, hiring, and marketing.

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MoE Issues 3-Year Action Plan for Nationwide Implementation of ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan’In March 2026, a joint advisory from the Secretary of Department of School Education & Literacy(DoSL), Ministry of Education (MoE) and Home Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), has been issued to the Chief Secretaries(CS) of all States and Union Territories (UTs) for mission-mode implementation of the ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (NMBA) Action Plan’ in schools.About Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (NMBA):Aim: A national initiative aimed at creating a drug-free India, focusing on preventing substance abuse among students and raising awareness about the harmful effects of drugs in schools.Key Provisions: It mandates declaring a 500-metre(m) radius around schools as drug-free zones and requires school heads or nodal teachers to report any violations to local authorities, including the police.Holistic Approach: The Action Plan adopts a holistic approach, including awareness programs, preventive education in schools, teacher and head capacity building, and Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) interventions such as posters, signage boards, and creative campaigns to promote drug-free environments.

27 Mar, 2026

MoE Issues 3-Year Action Plan for Nationwide Implementation of ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan’In March 2026, a joint advisory from the Secretary of Department of School Education & Literacy(DoSL), Ministry of Education (MoE) and Home Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), has been issued to the Chief Secretaries(CS) of all States and Union Territories (UTs) for mission-mode implementation of the ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (NMBA) Action Plan’ in schools.About Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (NMBA):Aim: A national initiative aimed at creating a drug-free India, focusing on preventing substance abuse among students and raising awareness about the harmful effects of drugs in schools.Key Provisions: It mandates declaring a 500-metre(m) radius around schools as drug-free zones and requires school heads or nodal teachers to report any violations to local authorities, including the police.Holistic Approach: The Action Plan adopts a holistic approach, including awareness programs, preventive education in schools, teacher and head capacity building, and Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) interventions such as posters, signage boards, and creative campaigns to promote drug-free environments.

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BHASHINI–PFRDA Sign MoU to Enable Multilingual Pension ServicesOn 25 March 2026, the Digital India BHASHa Interface for India (BHASHINI) Division (DIBD) under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) under Ministry of Finance (MoF), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under the initiative ‘BHASHINI for Seva–Sanchalan’ to enhance multilingual accessibility of pension services across India.About Multilingual Pension Integration via BHASHINI:Inclusion: The initiative enables multilingual access across PFRDA platforms in all 22 Eighth Schedule languages, including Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, and Sanskrit, enhancing outreach and expanding pension access to rural, informal sector, and first-time savers.Digital Infrastructure: The initiative leverages BHASHINI as a Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) using Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) models for real-time translation and contextual processing.Technology Integration: It provides voice-enabled user interfaces with speech-to-text and text-to-speech technologies and integrates BHASHINI tools into PFRDA systems under the BHASHINI Sahayogi Programme for effective implementation.About BHASHINI: It is India’s AI-driven language technology initiative launched under the National Language Translation Mission by MeitY, supports 36 Indian languages, 23 voices, and 35 international languages.

27 Mar, 2026

BHASHINI–PFRDA Sign MoU to Enable Multilingual Pension ServicesOn 25 March 2026, the Digital India BHASHa Interface for India (BHASHINI) Division (DIBD) under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) under Ministry of Finance (MoF), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under the initiative ‘BHASHINI for Seva–Sanchalan’ to enhance multilingual accessibility of pension services across India.About Multilingual Pension Integration via BHASHINI:Inclusion: The initiative enables multilingual access across PFRDA platforms in all 22 Eighth Schedule languages, including Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, and Sanskrit, enhancing outreach and expanding pension access to rural, informal sector, and first-time savers.Digital Infrastructure: The initiative leverages BHASHINI as a Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) using Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) models for real-time translation and contextual processing.Technology Integration: It provides voice-enabled user interfaces with speech-to-text and text-to-speech technologies and integrates BHASHINI tools into PFRDA systems under the BHASHINI Sahayogi Programme for effective implementation.About BHASHINI: It is India’s AI-driven language technology initiative launched under the National Language Translation Mission by MeitY, supports 36 Indian languages, 23 voices, and 35 international languages.

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NCW and Truecaller Partner to Strengthen Women’s Digital SafetyIn March 2026, the National Commission for Women (NCW) collaborated with Truecaller, a leading global communications platform, to launch a women’s digital safety awareness initiative across India.Key Details of Collaboration:Objective: The partnership creates a framework to raise awareness of women’s digital risks and strengthen access to institutional redressal, including the NCW 24×7 helpline.Initiative: Under the collaboration, NCW and Truecaller launched ‘TrueCyberSakhi: A Digital Safety Toolkit, Created for Her’, a comprehensive resource using quizzes and self-assessment tools to raise women’s awareness of digital risks such as spam, phishing, and financial fraud.Digital Campaign: The initiative is further supported by a coordinated digital awareness campaign to promote women’s online safety, responsible digital participation, and access to redressal mechanisms.NCW: It is an autonomous statutory body established under the National Commission for Women (NCW Act, 1990) in 1992, with a mandate to protect and promote women’s rights.

27 Mar, 2026

NCW and Truecaller Partner to Strengthen Women’s Digital SafetyIn March 2026, the National Commission for Women (NCW) collaborated with Truecaller, a leading global communications platform, to launch a women’s digital safety awareness initiative across India.Key Details of Collaboration:Objective: The partnership creates a framework to raise awareness of women’s digital risks and strengthen access to institutional redressal, including the NCW 24×7 helpline.Initiative: Under the collaboration, NCW and Truecaller launched ‘TrueCyberSakhi: A Digital Safety Toolkit, Created for Her’, a comprehensive resource using quizzes and self-assessment tools to raise women’s awareness of digital risks such as spam, phishing, and financial fraud.Digital Campaign: The initiative is further supported by a coordinated digital awareness campaign to promote women’s online safety, responsible digital participation, and access to redressal mechanisms.NCW: It is an autonomous statutory body established under the National Commission for Women (NCW Act, 1990) in 1992, with a mandate to protect and promote women’s rights.

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Overview of BRICS CCI WE Summit 2026 Held in New Delhi In March 2026, the 6th edition of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) Chamber of Commerce and Industry Women Empowerment (BRICS CCI WE) Summit was held from 21 to 23 March 2026 in New Delhi, Delhi.About BRICS CCI Women Empowerment Summit 2026:Theme: The theme for the 2026 summit was “Women in Innovation, Science Leadership, Innovation & Entrepreneurship (WISE) – Inspiring Change, Shaping Tomorrow.”Organisers and Partners: The 6th BRICS CCI WE Summit was organised by the BRICS CCI WE vertical with support from the BRICS Women Business Alliance (BRICS WBA).Highlights: A significant highlight of the summit was the unveiling of Mission ShakthiSAT by Meenakshi Lekhi, former MoS for External Affairs and Global Chair of the initiative.Veteran Indian Actress Shabana Azmi was honoured with the BRICS CCI WE Trailblazer: Living Legend award for “50 Years of Excellence in Indian Cinema.”

27 Mar, 2026

Overview of BRICS CCI WE Summit 2026 Held in New Delhi In March 2026, the 6th edition of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) Chamber of Commerce and Industry Women Empowerment (BRICS CCI WE) Summit was held from 21 to 23 March 2026 in New Delhi, Delhi.About BRICS CCI Women Empowerment Summit 2026:Theme: The theme for the 2026 summit was “Women in Innovation, Science Leadership, Innovation & Entrepreneurship (WISE) – Inspiring Change, Shaping Tomorrow.”Organisers and Partners: The 6th BRICS CCI WE Summit was organised by the BRICS CCI WE vertical with support from the BRICS Women Business Alliance (BRICS WBA).Highlights: A significant highlight of the summit was the unveiling of Mission ShakthiSAT by Meenakshi Lekhi, former MoS for External Affairs and Global Chair of the initiative.Veteran Indian Actress Shabana Azmi was honoured with the BRICS CCI WE Trailblazer: Living Legend award for “50 Years of Excellence in Indian Cinema.”

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Cabinet Approves India’s NDC Targets for 2031–35; Emissions Intensity Reduction Target Raised to 47%In March 2026, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, approved India’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) for the period 2031–2035, strengthening India’s climate ambition under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement.About India’s 2031–2035 NDC Targets:Emissions: Reduce Gross Domestic Product (GDP) emissions intensity by 47% by 2035 compared to 2005 levels, building on the 36% reduction achieved during 2005 to 2020.Non-Fossil: Achieve 60% of installed electric power capacity from non-fossil fuel resources by 2035, following the 52.57% capacity already reached by February 2026.Carbon Sink: Create an additional 3.5 – 4 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) equivalent through forest and tree cover by 2035, increasing from the 2.29 billion tonnes achieved by 2021.

27 Mar, 2026

Cabinet Approves India’s NDC Targets for 2031–35; Emissions Intensity Reduction Target Raised to 47%In March 2026, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, approved India’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) for the period 2031–2035, strengthening India’s climate ambition under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement.About India’s 2031–2035 NDC Targets:Emissions: Reduce Gross Domestic Product (GDP) emissions intensity by 47% by 2035 compared to 2005 levels, building on the 36% reduction achieved during 2005 to 2020.Non-Fossil: Achieve 60% of installed electric power capacity from non-fossil fuel resources by 2035, following the 52.57% capacity already reached by February 2026.Carbon Sink: Create an additional 3.5 – 4 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) equivalent through forest and tree cover by 2035, increasing from the 2.29 billion tonnes achieved by 2021.

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