Daily Current Affairs & GK Updates

MHA Notifies Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2026; Introduces e-OCI & New Compliance NormsIn April 2026, the Ministry of Home Affairs(MHA) notified the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2026, introducing key changes to the existing Citizenship Rules, 2009. The new rules came into force on April 30, 2026, following publication in the official gazette.About Citizenship (Amendment) Rules 2026:Dual Passport: Minor children cannot hold both Indian and foreign passports simultaneously, ensuring compliance with India’s single citizenship policy.Digital OCI: The rules introduce e-OCI along with digital records, allowing issuance of physical or electronic OCI cards and maintaining a central database.Online Process: The entire OCI application process, including registration, renunciation, and acknowledgements, will be conducted online through the official portal.Renunciation: OCI card surrender must be filed electronically, after which acknowledgement is issued and the applicant’s name is removed from the records.

04 May, 2026

MHA Notifies Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2026; Introduces e-OCI & New Compliance NormsIn April 2026, the Ministry of Home Affairs(MHA) notified the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2026, introducing key changes to the existing Citizenship Rules, 2009. The new rules came into force on April 30, 2026, following publication in the official gazette.About Citizenship (Amendment) Rules 2026:Dual Passport: Minor children cannot hold both Indian and foreign passports simultaneously, ensuring compliance with India’s single citizenship policy.Digital OCI: The rules introduce e-OCI along with digital records, allowing issuance of physical or electronic OCI cards and maintaining a central database.Online Process: The entire OCI application process, including registration, renunciation, and acknowledgements, will be conducted online through the official portal.Renunciation: OCI card surrender must be filed electronically, after which acknowledgement is issued and the applicant’s name is removed from the records.

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MoSPI Releases ‘Women and Men in India 2025’ Report: Key Education, Employment & Health TrendsIn April 2026, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoS&PI), released the 27th edition of its publication titled ‘Women and Men in India 2025: Selected Indicators and Data’ at the National Deliberative Summit on “Data for Development”, at Bhubaneswar, Odisha.Overview of Report:Metadata inclusion: Metadata for 50 key indicators has been included to improve clarity and provide a better understanding of concepts, definitions, sources, and methodology.Sex Ratio: India’s sex ratio at birth improved from 904 (2017-19) to 917 (2021-23), indicating improved survival of females.Total Fertility Rate (TFR): The TFR in urban areas has shown a decline between 2019 to 2023. In 2023, the TFR for Urban is 1.5 and rural is 2.1.GER Trend: GER at Higher Education has improved from 28.5 to 30.2 for females and 28.3 to 28.9 for males between 2021-22 and 2022-23.Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR): There has been an increase in LFPR for ages 15 and above for both men and women. In particular, rural females have seen the highest increase in LFPR, going from 37.5% to 45.9% during the period 2022 to 2025.

04 May, 2026

MoSPI Releases ‘Women and Men in India 2025’ Report: Key Education, Employment & Health TrendsIn April 2026, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoS&PI), released the 27th edition of its publication titled ‘Women and Men in India 2025: Selected Indicators and Data’ at the National Deliberative Summit on “Data for Development”, at Bhubaneswar, Odisha.Overview of Report:Metadata inclusion: Metadata for 50 key indicators has been included to improve clarity and provide a better understanding of concepts, definitions, sources, and methodology.Sex Ratio: India’s sex ratio at birth improved from 904 (2017-19) to 917 (2021-23), indicating improved survival of females.Total Fertility Rate (TFR): The TFR in urban areas has shown a decline between 2019 to 2023. In 2023, the TFR for Urban is 1.5 and rural is 2.1.GER Trend: GER at Higher Education has improved from 28.5 to 30.2 for females and 28.3 to 28.9 for males between 2021-22 and 2022-23.Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR): There has been an increase in LFPR for ages 15 and above for both men and women. In particular, rural females have seen the highest increase in LFPR, going from 37.5% to 45.9% during the period 2022 to 2025.

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Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Launches PMGSY-IV In OdishaIn May 2026, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Ministry of Rural Development(MoRD), launched the 4th phase of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY-IV) in Odisha, marking a major push for rural connectivity.The scheme, launched at a special event in Rayagada district, Odisha, with an outlay of Rs.1,700 crore, aims to improve connectivity in remote and underserved areas, in the presence of Mohan Charan Majhi, Chief Minister(CM) of Odisha and other officials.About Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY-IV):Implementation: Under this initiative, 827 road projects covering 1,701.84 kilometer (km) were taken up at a cost of Rs.1,698.04 crore(Cr), enabling 898 habitations to gain all-weather road connectivity for the first time.Funding: The project cost was shared between the Centre and the State in a 60:40 ratio.Districts Covered: In this phase, 898 villages across eight districts: Kandhamal, Keonjhar, Khordha, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, and Sambalpur in Odisha, were provided with all-weather road connectivity.

04 May, 2026

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Launches PMGSY-IV In OdishaIn May 2026, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Ministry of Rural Development(MoRD), launched the 4th phase of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY-IV) in Odisha, marking a major push for rural connectivity.The scheme, launched at a special event in Rayagada district, Odisha, with an outlay of Rs.1,700 crore, aims to improve connectivity in remote and underserved areas, in the presence of Mohan Charan Majhi, Chief Minister(CM) of Odisha and other officials.About Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY-IV):Implementation: Under this initiative, 827 road projects covering 1,701.84 kilometer (km) were taken up at a cost of Rs.1,698.04 crore(Cr), enabling 898 habitations to gain all-weather road connectivity for the first time.Funding: The project cost was shared between the Centre and the State in a 60:40 ratio.Districts Covered: In this phase, 898 villages across eight districts: Kandhamal, Keonjhar, Khordha, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, and Sambalpur in Odisha, were provided with all-weather road connectivity.

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Veteran Indian Golfer Vijay Kumar Passed AwayIn April 2026, former Indian golfer Vijay Kumar passed away at the age of 57 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh(UP). He was born in 1968 in Martinpurwa, Lucknow, UP.About Vijay Kumar:Early Career: He started his journey as a caddie, initially playing with makeshift clubs made from tree branches, and turned professional in 1988.Domestic Dominance: He was a four-time Order of Merit champion (1995–96, 1997–2000) and dominated Indian golf from the mid-1990s to early 2000s, winning nearly 100 titles.International Representation: He represented India at the Alfred Dunhill Cup in 1999 held at St. Andrews, Scotland.Major Achievement: His biggest success was winning the Indian Open in 2002 at the Delhi Golf Club, later finishing runner-up in 2006.

02 May, 2026

Veteran Indian Golfer Vijay Kumar Passed AwayIn April 2026, former Indian golfer Vijay Kumar passed away at the age of 57 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh(UP). He was born in 1968 in Martinpurwa, Lucknow, UP.About Vijay Kumar:Early Career: He started his journey as a caddie, initially playing with makeshift clubs made from tree branches, and turned professional in 1988.Domestic Dominance: He was a four-time Order of Merit champion (1995–96, 1997–2000) and dominated Indian golf from the mid-1990s to early 2000s, winning nearly 100 titles.International Representation: He represented India at the Alfred Dunhill Cup in 1999 held at St. Andrews, Scotland.Major Achievement: His biggest success was winning the Indian Open in 2002 at the Delhi Golf Club, later finishing runner-up in 2006.

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MeitY Launches Two Indigenous Silicon Photonics Solutions at IIT Madras, TNIn April 2026, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) launched two indigenously developed silicon photonics technology solutions, namely a Silicon Photonics Process Design Kit (PDK) and a Universal Programmable Photonic Integrated Circuit (PPIC) Test Engine, at the Centre of Excellence for Programmable Photonic Integrated Circuits and Systems (CoE-CPPICS) at Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) in Chennai, Tamil Nadu (TN).About Silicon Photonics Technologies:PDK: It offers 50+ verified components for designing Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) domestically, reducing dependence on foreign libraries and supporting indigenous chip development across startups, industry, defence, academia, and India’s semiconductor ecosystem.PPIC: Universal PPIC Test Engine is an automated platform for testing, characterisation, and validation of photonic and optoelectronic modules, eliminating reliance on overseas facilities while accelerating chip development, reducing costs and delays, and enabling scalable validation for advanced photonic technologies.Collaboration: The initiative involves SilTerra (Malaysia) for fabrication, izmo Microsystems (Bengaluru, Karnataka) for packaging, and IIT Madras (TN) as the research and development hub.

02 May, 2026

MeitY Launches Two Indigenous Silicon Photonics Solutions at IIT Madras, TNIn April 2026, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) launched two indigenously developed silicon photonics technology solutions, namely a Silicon Photonics Process Design Kit (PDK) and a Universal Programmable Photonic Integrated Circuit (PPIC) Test Engine, at the Centre of Excellence for Programmable Photonic Integrated Circuits and Systems (CoE-CPPICS) at Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) in Chennai, Tamil Nadu (TN).About Silicon Photonics Technologies:PDK: It offers 50+ verified components for designing Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) domestically, reducing dependence on foreign libraries and supporting indigenous chip development across startups, industry, defence, academia, and India’s semiconductor ecosystem.PPIC: Universal PPIC Test Engine is an automated platform for testing, characterisation, and validation of photonic and optoelectronic modules, eliminating reliance on overseas facilities while accelerating chip development, reducing costs and delays, and enabling scalable validation for advanced photonic technologies.Collaboration: The initiative involves SilTerra (Malaysia) for fabrication, izmo Microsystems (Bengaluru, Karnataka) for packaging, and IIT Madras (TN) as the research and development hub.

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DRDO & IN Successfully Conduct Maiden Salvo Launch of NASM-SR Missile in OdishaIn April 2026, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), in collaboration with the Indian Navy (IN), successfully carried out the maiden salvo launch of the Naval Anti-Ship Missile–Short Range (NASM-SR) from a naval helicopter off the coast of Bay of Bengal in Odisha.About NASM-SR Test:Trial Achievement: During the trial, two missiles were launched in quick succession from the same helicopter, marking the first-ever salvo launch of an advanced air-launched anti-ship missile system.Test Outcome: All objectives were successfully achieved with tracking carried out using radar, electro-optical systems, and telemetry at the Integrated Test Range(ITR), Chandipur.Development: The missile has been developed by the Research Centre Imarat(RCI) in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories.

02 May, 2026

DRDO & IN Successfully Conduct Maiden Salvo Launch of NASM-SR Missile in OdishaIn April 2026, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), in collaboration with the Indian Navy (IN), successfully carried out the maiden salvo launch of the Naval Anti-Ship Missile–Short Range (NASM-SR) from a naval helicopter off the coast of Bay of Bengal in Odisha.About NASM-SR Test:Trial Achievement: During the trial, two missiles were launched in quick succession from the same helicopter, marking the first-ever salvo launch of an advanced air-launched anti-ship missile system.Test Outcome: All objectives were successfully achieved with tracking carried out using radar, electro-optical systems, and telemetry at the Integrated Test Range(ITR), Chandipur.Development: The missile has been developed by the Research Centre Imarat(RCI) in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories.

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Justice Anupinder Grewal Appointed as President of NCLTIn April 2026, Justice (Retd.) Anupinder Singh Grewal, former judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court(HC), was appointed President of the National Company Law Tribunal(NCLT) for a five-year term or until the age of 67, whichever is earlier, with approval from the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet(ACC).He succeeds Bachu Venkat Balaram Das who served as acting president of NCLT.The NCLT President is a former Chief Justice(CJ) of a HC, but this is the first time a former senior judge has been appointed to the post.About Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal:Profile: He has over 30 years of legal and judicial experience and began his practice at the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 1992.Judicial Career: He was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Punjab and Haryana HC on 25 September 2014, later transferred to the Rajasthan HC on 19 December 2014, where he became a Permanent Judge on 20 May 2016, and subsequently returned to the Punjab and Haryana HC, resuming charge on 5 October 2016.Legacy: He handled civil, constitutional, criminal, service, and land acquisition cases, along with public interest litigations, for over 19 years on behalf of the Punjab and Haryana, key cases including writ petitions, arbitration matters, and service disputes.NCLT: It was under Supreme Court scrutiny due to vacancies and delays in insolvency cases under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code(IBC), 2016.

02 May, 2026

Justice Anupinder Grewal Appointed as President of NCLTIn April 2026, Justice (Retd.) Anupinder Singh Grewal, former judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court(HC), was appointed President of the National Company Law Tribunal(NCLT) for a five-year term or until the age of 67, whichever is earlier, with approval from the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet(ACC).He succeeds Bachu Venkat Balaram Das who served as acting president of NCLT.The NCLT President is a former Chief Justice(CJ) of a HC, but this is the first time a former senior judge has been appointed to the post.About Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal:Profile: He has over 30 years of legal and judicial experience and began his practice at the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 1992.Judicial Career: He was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Punjab and Haryana HC on 25 September 2014, later transferred to the Rajasthan HC on 19 December 2014, where he became a Permanent Judge on 20 May 2016, and subsequently returned to the Punjab and Haryana HC, resuming charge on 5 October 2016.Legacy: He handled civil, constitutional, criminal, service, and land acquisition cases, along with public interest litigations, for over 19 years on behalf of the Punjab and Haryana, key cases including writ petitions, arbitration matters, and service disputes.NCLT: It was under Supreme Court scrutiny due to vacancies and delays in insolvency cases under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code(IBC), 2016.

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Sahajanand Medical Technologies Achieves ISO 50001 Certification in Cardiovascular Device Manufacturing Sector In April 2026, Sahajanand Medical Technologies Limited(SMT) received International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 50001:2018 Energy Management System certification, becoming the first domestic cardiovascular manufacturing unit in India to adopt a structured international energy management system for its facilities in Surat (Gujarat) and Hyderabad (Telangana).ISO 50001 is an international framework that specifies requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and improving an Energy Management System (EnMS).About Recognition:Significance: The certification highlights SMT’s efforts to optimize energy use, enhance environmental responsibility, and integrate sustainability into its operations.Sustainability Focus: SMT’s achievement reflects its commitment to sustainable manufacturing while maintaining high-quality standards in cardiovascular device production.Impact: By adopting this standard, SMT has enhanced its capability to monitor energy use, improve efficiency, and embed sustainable practices across its manufacturing ecosystem.

02 May, 2026

Sahajanand Medical Technologies Achieves ISO 50001 Certification in Cardiovascular Device Manufacturing Sector In April 2026, Sahajanand Medical Technologies Limited(SMT) received International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 50001:2018 Energy Management System certification, becoming the first domestic cardiovascular manufacturing unit in India to adopt a structured international energy management system for its facilities in Surat (Gujarat) and Hyderabad (Telangana).ISO 50001 is an international framework that specifies requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and improving an Energy Management System (EnMS).About Recognition:Significance: The certification highlights SMT’s efforts to optimize energy use, enhance environmental responsibility, and integrate sustainability into its operations.Sustainability Focus: SMT’s achievement reflects its commitment to sustainable manufacturing while maintaining high-quality standards in cardiovascular device production.Impact: By adopting this standard, SMT has enhanced its capability to monitor energy use, improve efficiency, and embed sustainable practices across its manufacturing ecosystem.

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Paras Defence Partners Complus, JV Micronics For Anechoic Chamber Projects In April 2026, Paras Defence and Space Technologies Limited (PARAS), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Complus Systems Private Limited and JV Micronics to collaborate on the development of advanced anechoic chamber projects in India.Key Details of Partnership:Objective: The collaboration aims to strengthen indigenous capabilities in electromagnetic testing infrastructure, which is crucial for defence, aerospace, and electronics sectors.Key Roles: Under the partnership, PARAS will lead the consortium, handling design, development, manufacturing, installation, and associated systems.Complus Systems will provide technical expertise and engineering support, and JV Micronics will manage manufacturing, integration, and support for Radio Fequency (RF) absorbers and related solutions.Anechoic Chambers: These are specialized facilities that absorb electromagnetic wave reflections to enable accurate testing of antennas, radar systems, and electronic equipment.

02 May, 2026

Paras Defence Partners Complus, JV Micronics For Anechoic Chamber Projects In April 2026, Paras Defence and Space Technologies Limited (PARAS), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Complus Systems Private Limited and JV Micronics to collaborate on the development of advanced anechoic chamber projects in India.Key Details of Partnership:Objective: The collaboration aims to strengthen indigenous capabilities in electromagnetic testing infrastructure, which is crucial for defence, aerospace, and electronics sectors.Key Roles: Under the partnership, PARAS will lead the consortium, handling design, development, manufacturing, installation, and associated systems.Complus Systems will provide technical expertise and engineering support, and JV Micronics will manage manufacturing, integration, and support for Radio Fequency (RF) absorbers and related solutions.Anechoic Chambers: These are specialized facilities that absorb electromagnetic wave reflections to enable accurate testing of antennas, radar systems, and electronic equipment.

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Tata AIA Life Insurance Launches ‘Shubh Health Criti’: Unit-Linked Health Fund PlanIn April 2026, Tata AIA Life Insurance Company Limited launched ‘Shubh Health Criti’, a unit-linked life insurance plan (ULIP) in India designed to build a market-linked health fund for long-term medical needs, offering coverage for over 60 critical illnesses and available to individuals aged 18–65 years.The plan also features a 30-year premium guarantee and integrates investment growth with structured healthcare preparedness and fund-based health planning.About Shubh Health Criti Plan:Structure: The plan integrates Tata AIA Health SIP (Systematic Investment Plan), Tata AIA Health Buddy, and Tata AIA Comprehensive Protection Rider to provide insurance, wellness, and protection features while building a market-linked health corpus.Benefits: Features include premium waiver on death or disability, accidental death and disability cover, terminal illness benefit with term booster, dual-life Outpatient Department (OPD) cover for family, and return of Health Buddy premiums (if opted).Wellness: Integrated with the Health Buddy ecosystem, it enables preventive care through screenings and tracking, and provides maturity benefits as total fund value at Net Asset Value (NAV) with eligible premium returns, marking a shift to combined insurance and investment healthcare financing.

02 May, 2026

Tata AIA Life Insurance Launches ‘Shubh Health Criti’: Unit-Linked Health Fund PlanIn April 2026, Tata AIA Life Insurance Company Limited launched ‘Shubh Health Criti’, a unit-linked life insurance plan (ULIP) in India designed to build a market-linked health fund for long-term medical needs, offering coverage for over 60 critical illnesses and available to individuals aged 18–65 years.The plan also features a 30-year premium guarantee and integrates investment growth with structured healthcare preparedness and fund-based health planning.About Shubh Health Criti Plan:Structure: The plan integrates Tata AIA Health SIP (Systematic Investment Plan), Tata AIA Health Buddy, and Tata AIA Comprehensive Protection Rider to provide insurance, wellness, and protection features while building a market-linked health corpus.Benefits: Features include premium waiver on death or disability, accidental death and disability cover, terminal illness benefit with term booster, dual-life Outpatient Department (OPD) cover for family, and return of Health Buddy premiums (if opted).Wellness: Integrated with the Health Buddy ecosystem, it enables preventive care through screenings and tracking, and provides maturity benefits as total fund value at Net Asset Value (NAV) with eligible premium returns, marking a shift to combined insurance and investment healthcare financing.

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