Education, Health & Society Current Affairs — Last 12 months · Page 12 of 16 | Daily News + MCQs

Cabinet extends Atal Pension Yojana up to 2030-31

The Union Cabinet on 21 January 2026 approved continuing the Atal Pension Yojana up to FY 2030-31, with funding support for promotion, development and gap funding.

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💹 Banking & RBI 📍 India

Department of Posts activates 887 ATMs at post offices

The Department of Posts said on 20 January 2026 that it has revamped its ATM network, with 887 ATMs now active at post offices across India.

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🚄 Energy & Power 📍 Delhi

Centre of Excellence for power sector regulation launched at IIT Delhi

Union Power Minister Manohar Lal inaugurated the Centre of Excellence for Regulatory Affairs in the Power Sector at IIT Delhi on 19 January 2026.

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🎓 Education 📍 Assam

First IndiaSkills regional competition for the North East to be held at Gauhati University

The Skill Development Ministry announced on 18 January 2026 that the North East Regional Competition of IndiaSkills 2025-26 — the first dedicated to the region — would be held at Gauhati University from 19 to 22 January.

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📋 State Schemes 📍 Kerala Important

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.

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🏛️ Governance & Administration 📍 Rajasthan

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.

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📅 Important Days & Themes 📍 India Important

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.

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🎓 Education, Health & Society 📍 India

ISRO astronauts Shubhanshu Shukla and Prasanth Nair interact with young leaders at VBYLD 2026

Day 3 of the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2026 at Bharat Mandapam on 11 January 2026 featured an interaction with ISRO astronauts Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and Group Captain Prasanth Nair, and an address by Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.

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🏛️ Governance & Administration 📍 India Must know

CCPA acts against 27 restaurants for mandatory service charge, calls it an unfair trade practice

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) said on 10 January 2026 that it had taken suo motu cognizance against 27 restaurants for levying service charge by default, an unfair trade practice under Section 2(47) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, with penalties of up to ₹50,000 and refund orders.

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🎓 Education 📍 India Important

Pariksha Pe Charcha 2026 crosses 4 crore registrations, beating last year's Guinness World Record

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on 10 January 2026 that Pariksha Pe Charcha 2026 had received over 4 crore registrations as of 8 January, surpassing the previous Guinness World Record of 3.56 crore.

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🎓 Education 📍 India Important

Dharmendra Pradhan chairs consultation on Samagra Shiksha 3.0 — 'Reimagining Samagra Shiksha'

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan chaired a day-long consultation with States, UTs and stakeholders on Samagra Shiksha 3.0, titled 'Reimagining Samagra Shiksha', at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, New Delhi, on 9 January 2026, and called for a unified national plan for 2026–27.

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🎓 Women & Child 📍 India Important

Women and Child Development Ministry launches PANKHUDI, a CSR and partnership portal

Women and Child Development Minister Annpurna Devi launched PANKHUDI on 8 January 2026, a single-window digital portal for CSR and voluntary partnerships with individuals, NRIs, NGOs, companies and government agencies working for women and children.

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🎓 Education 📍 India Important

Veer Gatha 5.0 draws record 1.92 crore students; Super-100 winners to watch Republic Day parade

Project Veer Gatha 5.0, a joint initiative of the Defence and Education ministries for Republic Day, drew a record 1.92 crore students from about 1.90 lakh schools, the Defence Ministry said on 8 January 2026, with 100 national 'Super-100' winners to attend the parade on Kartavya Path as special guests.

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🎓 Education 📍 Chhattisgarh

SECL and Sri Sathya Sai Trust to set up ₹35.04 crore healthcare skill centre in Nava Raipur

South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) signed an MoU with the Sri Sathya Sai Health & Education Trust on 8 January 2026 to set up a ₹35.04 crore Healthcare Skill Development Centre at Nava Raipur, Chhattisgarh, under CSR, offering free job-oriented healthcare training to youth from coal belt areas.

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📋 State Schemes 📍 Odisha Important

Odisha launches Godabarish Mishra Model Primary School scheme; foundation laid for 118 schools

On 7 January 2026 at Banpur in Khurda district, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi launched the Godabarish Mishra Model Primary School scheme and laid foundation stones for 118 schools, the start of a ₹12,000 crore first phase covering 2,200 schools.

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📋 Central Schemes 📍 India

Rural Development Ministry and Department of Posts sign MoU for SHG financial and logistics services

The Ministry of Rural Development and the Department of Posts signed an MoU on 7 January 2026 to combine the DAY-NRLM network with India Post's 1.5 lakh rural post offices and IPPB to deliver financial, logistics and market services to SHGs, women entrepreneurs and rural enterprises.

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📋 Central Schemes 📍 Delhi

Tribal Affairs Ministry's Hackathon 2.0 brings all SIH 2025 finalists together for a national FRA digital platform

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs concluded Hackathon 2.0 at NTRI, New Delhi, on 6 January 2026, engaging all five Smart India Hackathon 2025 finalist teams to co-develop a national Forest Rights Act digital platform.

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🎓 Education 📍 India

ONGC signs ₹28 crore CSR MoU with NSTFDC for Eklavya Model Residential Schools

ONGC signed an MoU with the National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation on 5 January 2026 and sanctioned ₹28 crore of CSR funds for digital learning, girls' hygiene and teacher training in 144 Eklavya Model Residential Schools.

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📅 Important Days & Themes 📍 India Important

World Braille Day: Braille, rights and inclusion in India

World Braille Day was observed on 4 January 2026; a PIB backgrounder noted that Braille came to India in 1887 and that Bharati Braille was adopted as the single national standard in 1951.

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🌟 Persons in News 📍 Maharashtra Important

Savitribai Phule's 195th birth anniversary: Fadnavis lays foundation of ₹143 crore memorial at Naigaon

On 3 January 2026, Savitribai Phule's 195th birth anniversary, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis laid the foundation of a ₹143 crore memorial and women's training centre at her birthplace, Naigaon in Satara district.

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📋 State Schemes 📍 Odisha Important

Odisha launches 'Sweekruti' umbrella scheme for transgender welfare

The Odisha government launched 'Sweekruti' on 1 January 2026, a rights-based umbrella scheme run by the SSEPD department for the education, livelihood, health and legal support of transgender persons.

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🎓 Education 📍 India Important

President Murmu launches #SkillTheNation AI Challenge; opens IGNOU centre at Rairangpur virtually

On 1 January 2026 at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre, President Droupadi Murmu launched the #SkillTheNation Challenge under MSDE's SOAR (Skilling for AI Readiness) initiative and virtually inaugurated the IGNOU Regional Centre and Skill Centre at Rairangpur, Odisha.

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📋 Central Schemes 📍 Maharashtra Important

Shivraj Chouhan explains VB-G RAM G Act at special Gram Sabha in Loni Budruk, Maharashtra

On 1 January 2026 at a special Gram Sabha in Loni Budruk, Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra, Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan outlined the Viksit Bharat – G RAM G Act, 2025, which guarantees 125 days of work.

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📋 State Schemes 📍 Assam

Assam announces 'Nijut Babu Asoni' monthly aid for male UG and PG students

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on 1 January 2026 the 'Nijut Babu Asoni' scheme, giving ₹1,000 a month to male undergraduate and ₹2,000 to postgraduate students from families earning under ₹4 lakh.

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🎓 Education 📍 India

Pariksha Pe Charcha 2026 crosses record 3 crore registrations

Registrations for Pariksha Pe Charcha 2026 crossed a record 3 crore from students, parents and teachers as of 30 December 2025, the Ministry of Education said on 31 December 2025.

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🎓 Education 📍 India Important

PM-YUVA 3.0 results: 43 young authors chosen in 22 Indian languages and English

The results of PM-YUVA 3.0, the Prime Minister's Scheme for Mentoring Young Authors run by the National Book Trust, were declared on 30 December 2025, selecting 43 authors under 30.

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🎓 Social Justice & Welfare 📍 Kerala Important

Kerala to notify revised minimum wages for private hospital staff directly under Minimum Wages Act

Kerala Labour Minister V. Sivankutty directed on 27 December 2025 that a draft notification revising minimum wages of private hospital employees be published in the gazette within a month under Section 5(1)(b) of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948.

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🌿 Disasters 📍 Jammu and Kashmir Important

J&K LG lays foundation for 320 houses for flood- and landslide-hit families in Reasi

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha laid the foundation stone on 27 December 2025 for 320 prefabricated 'Smart Houses' for families whose homes were destroyed by flash floods and landslides in Reasi district, funded entirely by HRDS India at about ₹32 crore.

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🎓 Education, Health & Society 📍 India Important

National Consumer Helpline secures ₹45 crore in refunds across 31 sectors in eight months

The Department of Consumer Affairs said on 27 December 2025 that the National Consumer Helpline facilitated ₹45 crore in refunds on 67,265 grievances across 31 sectors between 25 April and 26 December 2025.

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🎓 Education 📍 Odisha

Odisha CM opens 52nd State-Level Children's Science Exhibition in Keonjhar

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi inaugurated the 52nd State-Level Children's Science Exhibition (Baal Baigyanik Pradarshani) at D.N. High School, Keonjhar, on 27 December 2025.

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