PPSC (Punjab) Current Affairs — Last 6 months
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
Thu, 16 Apr 2026
Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker visits India; agreements on audiovisual co-production, military cooperation and vocational training
Federal Chancellor of Austria Christian Stocker visited India on 16 April 2026, the first visit by an Austrian Chancellor in 40 years, and the two sides signed an audiovisual co-production agreement, letters of intent on military matters and counter-terrorism, and launched an India–Austria Working Holiday Programme.
FIU-India signs MoUs with SEBI and PFRDA to fight money laundering
The Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND) signed separate MoUs with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) on 16 April 2026 for information sharing against money laundering and terror financing.
PM Modi and President Macron discuss West Asia, agree on restoring freedom of navigation in Strait of Hormuz
Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a phone call from French President Emmanuel Macron on 16 April 2026, and the two leaders agreed on the urgent need to restore safety and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
MeitY constitutes AI Governance and Economic Group as apex inter-ministerial body on AI
The Ministry of Electronics and IT on 16 April 2026 constituted the AI Governance and Economic Group (AIGEG), a high-level inter-ministerial body chaired by Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, as India's central mechanism for AI governance policy.
India hosts WADA GAIIN final conference; Sports Minister says criminal provisions against doping traffickers planned
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya addressed the inaugural session of the Final Conference of WADA's Global Anti-Doping Intelligence & Investigations Network (GAIIN) in New Delhi on 16 April 2026 and said the government is working on criminal provisions against those who traffic or administer prohibited substances.
MoSPI launches Performance Monitoring Dashboard for infrastructure under PAIMANA
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation said on 16 April 2026 that it has launched a Performance Monitoring Dashboard to track infrastructure performance across key sub-sectors, building on its PAIMANA platform.
Wed, 15 Apr 2026
Operational Guidelines launched for ₹1 lakh crore Urban Challenge Fund and its Credit Repayment Guarantee Sub-Scheme
Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal launched the Operational Guidelines of the Urban Challenge Fund, with ₹1 lakh crore of central assistance meant to catalyse about ₹4 lakh crore of urban investment, along with a Credit Repayment Guarantee Sub-Scheme, on 15 April 2026.
Census 2027: Houselisting field operations to begin on 16 April in eight States/UTs; about 12 lakh households used Self-Enumeration
The Ministry of Home Affairs announced on 15 April 2026 that Houselisting and Housing Census field operations, Phase I of Census 2027, would begin on 16 April in eight States/UTs and parts of Delhi, after a 15-day Self-Enumeration window that about 12 lakh households had used.
India hosts first BRICS Health Working Group meeting of 2026; adds Healthy Lifestyle and Mental Wellness as priorities
The Union Health Ministry chaired the first BRICS Health Working Group meeting of 2026 in New Delhi, where India, as BRICS Chair, introduced 'Healthy Lifestyle' and 'Promotion of Mental Wellness' as two new priority areas.
DoT and SEBI sign MoU to share telecom intelligence against securities market frauds
The Department of Telecommunications and SEBI signed an MoU on 15 April 2026 under which DoT will share its Financial Fraud Risk Indicator and Mobile Number Revocation List with SEBI, and SEBI will flag telecom resources linked to fraud.
WPI inflation rises to 3.88% in March 2026
Annual inflation based on the All India Wholesale Price Index rose to 3.88% (provisional) in March 2026 from 2.13% in February, driven mainly by crude petroleum and natural gas, other manufacturing, non-food articles, basic metals and food articles.
India's total exports for FY 2025-26 estimated at US$ 860.09 billion, up 4.22%
India's total exports of merchandise and services for FY 2025-26 were estimated at US$ 860.09 billion, 4.22% higher than US$ 825.26 billion in FY 2024-25, according to Ministry of Commerce data released on 15 April 2026.
PLFS monthly bulletin: unemployment rate 5.1% and LFPR 55.4% in March 2026
The Periodic Labour Force Survey bulletin for March 2026, released by MoSPI on 15 April 2026, put the unemployment rate for persons aged 15 and above at 5.1% and the labour force participation rate at 55.4%.
INST Mohali develops iron-MOF nanosphere sensor that glows to detect nicotine and cotinine
Scientists at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Mohali, have developed a fluorescent 'turn-on' sensor made of iron metal-organic framework nanospheres that detects nicotine and its metabolite cotinine in water and living cells, the DST said on 15 April 2026.
NHAI directs FASTag issuer banks to validate vehicle registration numbers ahead of Multi-Lane Free Flow tolling
The National Highways Authority of India directed all FASTag issuer banks on 15 April 2026 to validate the vehicle registration numbers linked to their FASTags and blacklist tags linked to incorrect or invalid numbers.
Tue, 14 Apr 2026
135th birth anniversary of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar observed at Prerna Sthal, Parliament House complex
The Dr. Ambedkar Foundation under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment marked the 135th birth anniversary of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar on 14 April 2026 at Prerna Sthal in the Parliament House premises, where the Vice-President, Prime Minister and Lok Sabha Speaker paid floral tributes.
PM Modi receives call from US President Trump; leaders discuss West Asia and the Strait of Hormuz
Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a phone call from US President Donald Trump on 14 April 2026; the leaders reviewed bilateral cooperation under the Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and stressed keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and secure.
MoRTH notifies new fee structure for overloaded vehicles on National Highways from 15 April
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways notified the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Fourth Amendment Rules, 2026, effective 15 April 2026, levying no fee for up to 10% excess load, twice the base rate for over 10% to 40%, and four times above 40%.
NAAS brainstorming session charts roadmap for self-reliance in fertilizers
The National Academy of Agricultural Sciences held a brainstorming session on 14 April 2026 on a roadmap for Atmanirbharta in fertilizers; DARE Secretary and ICAR Director General M.L. Jat said India consumes nearly 33 million tonnes of fertilizers a year, a significant share of it imported.
Ninth edition of India Pharma 2026 concludes; funding, infrastructure and speed named key enablers
The two-day ninth edition of India Pharma 2026, organised by the Department of Pharmaceuticals with FICCI and IPA in New Delhi, concluded on 14 April 2026 with over 800 delegates, and identified funding, infrastructure and speed as the key enablers of pharmaceutical innovation.
Mon, 13 Apr 2026
IMD forecasts below-normal 2026 southwest monsoon at 92% of LPA
The India Meteorological Department's first-stage forecast on 13 April 2026 said the June–September 2026 southwest monsoon rainfall is most likely to be below normal, at 92% of the Long Period Average with a model error of ±5%.
Government notifies Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 with ₹10,000 crore corpus
The Government notified the Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 on 13 April 2026 with a corpus of ₹10,000 crore for commitments to Alternative Investment Funds backing deep tech, early growth-stage and innovative manufacturing startups, with SIDBI as the implementation agency.
e-SafeHER launched to train one million rural women as 'Cyber Sakhis'
C-DAC Hyderabad and Reliance Foundation launched e-SafeHER on 13 April 2026, a cyber security awareness programme under MeitY's Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) programme that aims to reach one million women in rural India over three years.
Nation remembers Jallianwala Bagh martyrs on the massacre's anniversary
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage on 13 April 2026 to the martyrs of Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar, where people were killed or wounded on 13 April 1919; the site's memorial is governed by the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Act, 1951.
Retail inflation at 3.40% in March 2026 on the new CPI base 2024=100
All India CPI inflation on base year 2024 was 3.40% (provisional) in March 2026, up from 3.21% in February, with rural inflation at 3.63% and urban at 3.11%, MoSPI said on 13 April 2026.
Labour Ministry signs MoUs with Porter and Gigin to expand jobs on the National Career Service portal
The Ministry of Labour and Employment signed MoUs with Porter and Gigin Technologies on 13 April 2026 to expand job matching through the National Career Service portal; Porter targets over 30 lakh logistics and driving opportunities by 2030.
ANRF developing 'SARAL AI' to turn research papers into simple content in 18 Indian languages
Union Minister Jitendra Singh reviewed the Anusandhan National Research Foundation on 13 April 2026, where it was informed that ANRF is developing 'SARAL AI' to convert research into simple social media content in 18 Indian languages and has launched 'MAHA' mission-mode programmes.
India tops Bangkok 2026 World Archery Para Series with 13 medals; contingent felicitated
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya felicitated India's para archery contingent on 13 April 2026 after India topped the Bangkok 2026 World Archery Para Series medal table with 13 medals, 7 of them gold.
Sun, 12 Apr 2026
Indian Railways sanctioned 100 projects worth ₹1.53 lakh crore in FY 2025–26
Indian Railways sanctioned 100 projects worth ₹1.53 lakh crore covering over 6,000 km in FY 2025–26, the Ministry of Railways said on 12 April 2026, with Maharashtra getting the most projects.
Finance Ministry says DoE letter on State crop bonuses was an advisory, not a directive
The Finance Ministry said on 12 April 2026 that the Department of Expenditure's letter of 9 January 2026 asking States to align their crop bonus policies with promoting pulses, oilseeds and millets was an advisory and not a directive.