State Staff Selection Current Affairs — Last 12 months
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
Sun, 19 Apr 2026
DSC A23, fourth of five Diving Support Craft for the Navy, launched at Titagarh, Kolkata
DSC A23 (Yard 328), the fourth of five Diving Support Craft being built for the Indian Navy by Titagarh Rail Systems Limited, was launched at Titagarh, Kolkata, on 19 April 2026.
DGGI Ahmedabad arrests alleged mastermind of ₹1,825 crore GST refund fraud at Delhi airport
The Ahmedabad Zonal Unit of the Directorate General of GST Intelligence arrested Kapil Chugh, alleged mastermind of a GST refund fraud of about ₹1,825 crore, at IGI Airport, Delhi, on 19 April 2026 on his return from Dubai.
Sat, 18 Apr 2026
Budget Session 2026 ends; both Houses adjourned sine die with Lok Sabha productivity at about 93%
Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned sine die on 18 April 2026, ending the Budget Session that began on 28 January, with 31 sittings, 9 Bills passed and productivity of about 93% in the Lok Sabha and about 110% in the Rajya Sabha.
Cabinet extends PMGSY-III till March 2028 with revised outlay of ₹83,977 crore
The Union Cabinet on 18 April 2026 approved continuation of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana-III (PMGSY-III) beyond March 2025 up to March 2028, raising its outlay to ₹83,977 crore from ₹80,250 crore.
Cabinet approves Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool with ₹12,980 crore sovereign guarantee
The Union Cabinet on 18 April 2026 approved a domestic 'Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool' (BMI pool), backed by a sovereign guarantee of ₹12,980 crore, to keep maritime insurance available for Indian trade even through volatile sea corridors.
PIB backgrounder: ASI protects 3,686 centrally protected monuments; India has 44 UNESCO World Heritage Sites
A PIB backgrounder of 18 April 2026 on monument conservation said the Archaeological Survey of India safeguards 3,686 centrally protected monuments and that India has 44 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Maratha Military Landscapes.
INS Sudarshini concludes port call at Casablanca, Morocco, during Lokayan 26
The Indian Navy's sail training ship INS Sudarshini concluded a port call at Casablanca, Morocco, on 18 April 2026 as part of its Lokayan 26 deployment, and then sailed for Las Palmas, Spain.
CCEA approves two rail multitracking projects of ₹24,815 crore in Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on 18 April 2026 approved 3rd and 4th lines on Ghaziabad–Sitapur and Rajahmundry (Nidadavolu)–Visakhapatnam (Duvvada), adding about 601 km to Indian Railways at about ₹24,815 crore.
Cabinet raises Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief by 2 percentage points to 60% from 1 January 2026
The Union Cabinet on 18 April 2026 approved an additional instalment of Dearness Allowance for Central Government employees and Dearness Relief for pensioners from 1 January 2026, raising the rate by 2% over the existing 58% of basic pay/pension.
Dr K.S. Somashekhar appointed Secretary in the Rajya Sabha Secretariat
Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan appointed Dr K.S. Somashekhar as Secretary in the Rajya Sabha Secretariat with effect from 18 April 2026.
MeitY constitutes Technology and Policy Expert Committee to advise India's AI governance group
The Ministry of Electronics and IT on 18 April 2026 announced the Technology and Policy Expert Committee (TPEC), a standing advisory body chaired by the MeitY Secretary to support the newly constituted AI Governance and Economic Group (AIGEG).
Women make up over 31% of candidates recommended in Civil Services Examination 2025
Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on 18 April 2026 that 299 of the 958 candidates recommended in the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2025 are women, over 31% of the total.
Centre approves procurement of 20 lakh tonnes of potatoes in Uttar Pradesh under Market Intervention Scheme
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on 18 April 2026 approved procurement of 20 lakh metric tonnes of potatoes in Uttar Pradesh under the Market Intervention Scheme at ₹6,500.9 per tonne, along with chana procurement in Andhra Pradesh and an extension of tur procurement in Karnataka.
Fri, 17 Apr 2026
Government brings SAF-blended aviation fuel under the ATF Control Order
The Government amended the Aviation Turbine Fuel (Regulation of Marketing) Order, 2001 by a notification dated 17 April 2026, bringing ATF blended with Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) under the ATF Control Order.
Lok Sabha negatives Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026: 298 in favour, 230 against, short of special majority
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, which sought to enlarge the Lok Sabha and tie women's reservation to a fresh delimitation, was negatived in the Lok Sabha on 17 April 2026 after 298 members voted for it and 230 against, short of the two-thirds of members present and voting required under Article 368(2).
Government adds Egypt and Jordan to RELIEF export support scheme amid West Asia disruption
The Commerce Ministry said on 17 April 2026 that Egypt and Jordan have been added to the eligible destinations under RELIEF (Resilience & Logistics Intervention for Export Facilitation), a time-bound intervention under the Export Promotion Mission.
First Naval Commanders' Conference of 2026 concludes; Indian Navy Maritime Security Strategy 2026 released
The first edition of the biannual Naval Commanders' Conference 2026 was held at Nausena Bhawan, New Delhi, from 14 to 17 April 2026, and the Indian Navy Maritime Security Strategy (INMSS-2026) was released during the conference.
IOS SAGAR (INS Sunayna) departs Phuket after PASSEX with Royal Thai Navy
Indian Ocean Ship SAGAR, INS Sunayna, departed Phuket, Thailand, on 17 April 2026 after a three-day operational turnaround that included a Passage Exercise with HTMS Klongyai of the Royal Thai Navy, and sailed for Jakarta.
Harivansh elected Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha unopposed for the third time
Harivansh was elected unopposed as Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha on 17 April 2026, his third election to the office, Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan said in his felicitation remarks.
Election seizures cross ₹865 crore in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal
The Election Commission of India said on 17 April 2026 that seizures of cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals and freebies in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal since 26 February 2026 had crossed ₹865 crore.
Record 55,200 startups recognised in FY 2025-26; total crosses 2.23 lakh
The Commerce Ministry said on 17 April 2026 that more than 55,200 startups were recognised in FY 2025-26, the highest in any single year since Startup India began, taking the total past 2.23 lakh as on 31 March 2026.
Coal Ministry launches 15th round of commercial coal mine auctions with 11 blocks
The Ministry of Coal launched the 15th round of commercial coal mine auctions on 17 April 2026, offering 11 coal blocks across Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana.
Thu, 16 Apr 2026
Government notifies SEZ at Dholera for Tata Semiconductor's chip fabrication plant, India's first
The Commerce Ministry said on 16 April 2026 that it has notified a Special Economic Zone at Dholera, Gujarat, to be set up by Tata Semiconductor Manufacturing Pvt Ltd for India's first chip fabrication plant, spread over 66.166 hectares and expected to employ 21,000 people.
Constitution (131st Amendment), Delimitation and UT Laws Bills introduced in Lok Sabha after a 251–185 division
Three linked Bills, the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Delimitation Bill, 2026 and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, were introduced in the Lok Sabha on 16 April 2026 after the motion for introduction was carried by 251 votes to 185 in a division.
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.
CAQM invokes GRAP Stage-I across NCR as Delhi's AQI turns 'Poor'
The CAQM Sub-Committee on the Graded Response Action Plan on 16 April 2026 invoked all 31 Stage-I actions across the NCR after Delhi's daily average Air Quality Index reached 226, in the 'Poor' category.
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.