Current Affairs — January 2026
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
Wed, 14 Jan 2026
Kerala Cabinet revises CM's Connect to Work scheme; family income cap set at ₹5 lakh
The Kerala Cabinet on 14 January 2026 approved revised guidelines for the Chief Minister's Connect to Work scheme, which gives ₹1,000 a month for 12 months to youth in skill training or preparing for competitive exams, with an annual family income ceiling of ₹5 lakh.
NHAI pilots real-time stray cattle alerts on Jaipur–Agra and Jaipur–Rewari highways
NHAI, with telecom service providers, launched a pilot on 14 January 2026 to send real-time alerts to highway users about 10 km before stray cattle-prone stretches on the Jaipur–Agra and Jaipur–Rewari National Highway corridors.
Indian Coast Guard and Japan Coast Guard hold 22nd High-Level Meeting in New Delhi
The 22nd High-Level Meeting between the Indian Coast Guard and the Japan Coast Guard was held in New Delhi on 14 January 2026, co-chaired by ICG Director General Paramesh Sivamani and JCG Commandant Admiral Yoshio Saguchi.
Jaipur hosts second regional conference on implementing the four Labour Codes
Union Minister of State for Labour Shobha Karandlaje inaugurated a two-day regional conference of Labour, Employment and Industry Secretaries of States/UTs in Jaipur on 14 January 2026 on implementing the four Labour Codes.
Dedicated Freight Corridor handles record 892 interchange trains in a day
The Dedicated Freight Corridor network handled a record 892 interchange trains with five Indian Railways zones in a single day on 5 January 2026, the Railways Ministry said on 14 January.
Tue, 13 Jan 2026
PFRDA issues NPS Vatsalya Scheme Guidelines 2025 for minors' pension savings
The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority issued the NPS Vatsalya Scheme Guidelines 2025 on 13 January 2026, setting out eligibility, contribution, withdrawal and transition rules for the pension savings scheme for minors.
Amit Shah lays foundation of ₹362 crore BSL-4 bio-containment lab in Gandhinagar
Union Home Minister Amit Shah laid the foundation stone of the BSL-4 Bio-Containment Facility of the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre in Gandhinagar on 13 January 2026.
PRAGATI at ten: projects worth over ₹85 lakh crore fast-tracked, 2,958 of 3,187 issues resolved
A PIB backgrounder of 13 January 2026 said PRAGATI, launched in 2015, has fast-tracked projects worth more than ₹85 lakh crore and reviewed 382 major national projects.
PFRDA sets up committee under M.S. Sahoo for assured payouts under NPS
PFRDA constituted a 15-member high-level committee chaired by former IBBI Chairperson Dr M.S. Sahoo to frame guidelines for assured payouts under the National Pension System, it said on 13 January 2026.
MoSPI releases Discussion Paper 2.0 on adopting a chain-based Index of Industrial Production
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation released Discussion Paper 2.0 on 13 January 2026, proposing a chain-based method for compiling the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) as part of its base revision.
Pullela Gopichand-led task force submits report on coaching ecosystem, proposes National Coach Accreditation Board
The Task Force on a Unified Framework for Development of the Coaching Ecosystem in India, led by badminton national head coach Pullela Gopichand, submitted its report to the Sports Department, the Sports Ministry said on 13 January 2026.
India and Malaysia to co-chair 16th ADMM-Plus Experts' Working Group on Counter Terrorism in New Delhi
The Defence Ministry said on 13 January 2026 that the 16th ADMM-Plus Experts' Working Group on Counter Terrorism, co-chaired by India and Malaysia, would meet in New Delhi from 14 to 16 January along with a Final Planning Conference for a Table Top Exercise.
DRI seizes record 270 kg mephedrone hidden in chicken feed; six arrested
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence seized 270 kg of mephedrone worth ₹81 crore, concealed in a chicken-feed consignment, from a truck intercepted in Rajasthan during a multi-state operation on 11–12 January 2026.
Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals: 306 approved, 118 commissioned
A PIB backgrounder of 13 January 2026 said Indian Railways has approved 306 Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminals with a combined capacity of 192 million tonnes per annum, of which 118 are commissioned.
TRAI drive test in Mumbai finds MTNL far behind on call success and drop rates
TRAI released findings on 13 January 2026 of its Independent Drive Test of mobile networks across 320.2 km of Mumbai in November 2025, which showed MTNL with a 28.52% call setup success rate.
I&B Ministry, Principal Scientific Adviser and Netflix conclude 'Inspiring Innovators' skilling initiative
The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser marked the culmination of 'Inspiring Innovators – Naye Bharat Ki Nayi Pehchaan', a skilling initiative with the Netflix Fund for Creative Equity, on 13 January 2026.
CBN busts MD manufacturing lab in Madhya Pradesh, seizes 31.25 kg MD powder
The Central Bureau of Narcotics' Madhya Pradesh unit busted a clandestine MD manufacturing laboratory at a nursery in Village Amla Agar and seized 31.250 kg of MD powder, the Finance Ministry said on 13 January 2026.
Mon, 12 Jan 2026
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz makes first official visit to India; visa-free transit for Indians announced
German Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz began his first official visit to India on 12 January 2026, holding talks with PM Narendra Modi in Ahmedabad that produced a joint statement and a list of outcomes including visa-free transit through Germany for Indian passport holders.
DRDO flight-tests MPATGM with top-attack capability against a moving target
DRDO successfully flight-tested its third-generation fire-and-forget Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) with top-attack capability against a moving target at KK Ranges, Ahilya Nagar, Maharashtra on 11 January 2026, the Defence Ministry said on 12 January.
PSLV-C62 carrying EOS-N1 and 15 co-passengers fails after third-stage anomaly
ISRO's PSLV-C62/EOS-N1 mission lifted off from the First Launch Pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota on 12 January 2026 but failed to place its satellites in orbit after an anomaly near the end of the third (PS3) stage.
CPI inflation at 1.33% in December 2025; food inflation negative for seventh month
Retail inflation based on the All India Consumer Price Index was 1.33% (provisional) in December 2025, MoSPI said on 12 January 2026, staying below the RBI's lower tolerance limit for a fourth straight month.
Centre notifies National Sports Governance (National Sports Bodies) Rules, 2026
The Union Government notified the National Sports Governance (National Sports Bodies) Rules, 2026 under the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, the Sports Ministry said on 12 January 2026.
India's fish production doubles to 197.75 lakh tonnes in FY 2024-25
India's fish production rose to 197.75 lakh tonnes in FY 2024-25 from 95.79 lakh tonnes in FY 2013-14, an increase of 106%, the Fisheries Ministry said on 12 January 2026.
PM Modi addresses Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2026 on National Youth Day
PM Narendra Modi addressed the concluding session of the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2026 in New Delhi on 12 January 2026, National Youth Day, which marks Swami Vivekananda's birth anniversary.
Pollen in Chhattisgarh's Raja Rani Lake reveals stronger monsoon during Medieval Climate Anomaly
Scientists of the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow found evidence of an unusually strong Indian Summer Monsoon between about 1,060 and 1,725 CE in pollen preserved in Raja Rani Lake, Korba district, Chhattisgarh, the Science Ministry said on 12 January 2026.
ICAR and NDDB sign MoU to strengthen dairy research and extension
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) signed an MoU with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) for collaboration in research, innovation and capacity building across the dairy sector, the Agriculture Ministry said on 12 January 2026.
CBIC launches ICEGATE–LPMS integration at ICP Agartala
CBIC Special Secretary and Member (Customs) Surjit Bhujabal inaugurated the integration of the Indian Customs Electronic Gateway with the Land Port Management System (ICEGATE–LPMS) at the Integrated Check Post, Agartala, Tripura on 12 January 2026.
Lucknow hosts Uttar Pradesh Regional AI Impact Conference and global AI working group meet
Lucknow hosted the Uttar Pradesh Regional AI Impact Conference 2026 along with the Fourth Meeting of the AI for Economic Growth and Social Good Working Group on 12 January 2026, under the India AI Impact Summit framework.
APEDA opens regional office in Raipur to boost Chhattisgarh's agri exports
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) inaugurated its Regional Office in Raipur during the 2nd India International Rice Summit in Chhattisgarh, the Commerce Ministry said on 12 January 2026.