UPSC EPFO / APFC Current Affairs One-liners — Last 12 months

Sun, 08 Feb 2026

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Indian-origin leaders and veterans of the Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army) in Malaysia on 8 February 2026.
• Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth inaugurated the first-ever India Pavilion at the World Defence Show (WDS) 2026, held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on 8–9 February 2026.
• The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) said on 8 February 2026 that its school drive has completed over one crore Mandatory Biometric Updates (MBUs) for children in about 83,000 schools in five months.

Sat, 07 Feb 2026

• India and the United States announced a framework for an Interim Agreement on reciprocal trade in a joint statement released on 7 February 2026 (IST), which Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the same day.
• The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) placed the draft Income-tax Rules, 2026 and forms in the public domain on 7 February 2026, inviting feedback for 15 days until 22 February 2026.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 7 February 2026 for a two-day official visit and was received at the airport by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Fri, 06 Feb 2026

• India won the ICC Men's Under-19 Cricket World Cup for a record-extending sixth time by beating England by 100 runs in the final at Harare Sports Club, Zimbabwe, on 6 February 2026.
• The Election Commission of India concluded briefing 1,444 Central Observers for the forthcoming Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal at IIIDEM on 6 February 2026.
• The FASTag Annual Pass crossed 50 lakh users with over 26.55 crore transactions within six months of its launch on 15 August 2025, the Road Transport Ministry said on 6 February 2026.
• The National Statistics Office (NSO) under MoSPI launched the beta version of a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for its eSankhyiki portal on 6 February 2026, letting users connect official datasets directly to their AI tools.
• The Union Government released over ₹1,133 crore of Fifteenth Finance Commission (XV FC) grants to rural local bodies in Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Telangana, the Panchayati Raj Ministry said on 6 February 2026.
• India's domestic production of phosphatic and potassic (P&K) fertilisers — DAP and NPKs — reached a record 15.76 lakh metric tonnes in January 2026, the Department of Fertilizers said on 6 February 2026.

Thu, 05 Feb 2026

• The Indian Navy's sail training ship INS Sudarshini concluded her first port call of the Lokayan 26 voyage at Salalah, Oman, on 5 February 2026.
• India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) signed the Terms of Reference for an India–GCC Free Trade Agreement at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi, on 5 February 2026.
• The Union Public Service Commission announced on 5 February 2026 that its 2026 notifications carry 933 Civil Services and 80 Indian Forest Service vacancies, with no cap on exam centre capacity for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities.
• The Environment Ministry announced on 5 February 2026 that the National Biodiversity Authority has operationalised a digital portal to issue Certificates of Origin for cultivated medicinal plants seeking Access and Benefit Sharing exemptions.
• The Commerce and Industry Ministry announced on 5 February 2026 a revised startup recognition framework that raises the turnover limit from ₹100 crore to ₹200 crore, creates a Deep Tech Startup category and makes cooperative societies eligible.
• The Department of Food and Public Distribution withdrew the wheat stock limit order of 27 May 2025 on 5 February 2026, citing improved availability, though stockists must still declare stocks every Friday.

Wed, 04 Feb 2026

• India rose four places to 45th among 127 economies in the Network Readiness Index 2025, released on 4 February 2026 by the Washington DC-based Portulans Institute.
• Union Minister Jitendra Singh launched the Technology Development Board's first open call under the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund of ANRF on 4 February 2026.
• Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake inaugurated the exposition of the Holy Devnimori Relics of Lord Buddha in Colombo on 4 February 2026, with the relics flown from India by an Indian Air Force aircraft.
• NMDC, India's largest iron ore producer, reported on 4 February 2026 its highest-ever production of 42.65 million tonnes up to January in FY 2025-26, a 19% rise.

Tue, 03 Feb 2026

• India and Tanzania held the fourth Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) meeting in Zanzibar on 2–3 February 2026 and agreed to start cooperation between their Air Forces.
• Six public entities signed an MoU on 3 February 2026 to establish the Bharat Container Shipping Line (BCSL), in the presence of Union Ministers Sarbananda Sonowal and Ashwini Vaishnaw.
• Bhutan's Energy Minister Lyonpo Gem Tshering met Union Power Minister Manohar Lal in New Delhi on 3 February 2026 to discuss Punatsangchhu-I and II, the Sankosh project and cross-border transmission links till 2040.
• Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda released the 'Lung Cancer Treatment and Palliation: Evidence-Based Guidelines' at Kartavya Bhavan, New Delhi, on 3 February 2026, the eve of World Cancer Day.
• Steel Authority of India Limited reported on 3 February 2026 its highest-ever April–January sales of 16.6 million tonnes in FY 2025-26, up 16%, and its best-ever January sales of 1.84 MT.
• Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya virtually laid foundation stones for six sports infrastructure projects and inaugurated two athlete facilities at NS NIS Patiala on 3 February 2026, involving ₹120 crore in all.

Mon, 02 Feb 2026

• The Central Government notified the Baggage Rules, 2026 on 2 February 2026, raising the general duty-free allowance for residents to ₹75,000 and adding a weight-based jewellery allowance.
• US President Donald Trump announced on 2 February 2026 that the US tariff on Indian goods would fall to 18% from 25%, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked him in a phone call the same day.