WBPSC WBCS Current Affairs — Last 6 months
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
Tue, 18 Aug 2026
Mon, 17 Aug 2026
MoD signs ₹1,943 crore lease for two MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones for Navy
The Ministry of Defence on 17 August 2026 signed a contract with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. to lease two MQ-9B Sea Guardian HALE remotely piloted aircraft systems for the Indian Navy for 30 months.
MMDR Amendment Act, 2026 notified to cap State levies on mining
The Centre on 17 August 2026 notified the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026, which bars States from levying fresh taxes on mineral rights and mineral-bearing lands except within conditions set by the Centre.
PLFS July 2026: labour force participation rises to 55.4%
The PLFS monthly bulletin for July 2026, released on 17 August 2026, showed the labour force participation rate for persons aged 15+ rising to 55.4% from 54.4% in June.
Supreme Court orders every State to set up an SIT on fraudulent motor accident claims
The Supreme Court on 17 August 2026 directed all States to constitute dedicated State-level SITs to investigate suspected fraudulent motor accident insurance claims.
India launches first-ever guide to grasslands and open natural ecosystems at UNCCD COP17
India on 17 August 2026 launched its first-ever Guide to Grasslands and Other Open Natural Ecosystems (ONEs) of India at UNCCD COP17 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
Army contingent leaves for India–Thailand exercise MAITREE-XV
An Indian Army contingent left on 17 August 2026 for Thailand for the 15th edition of the India–Thailand joint military exercise MAITREE, to be held from 18 to 31 August 2026 in Surat Thani.
MeitY approves 31 more ECMS proposals; 106 projects approved so far
The Ministry of Electronics and IT on 17 August 2026 approved 31 more proposals under the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS), taking total approvals to 106 projects worth ₹69,548 crore.
Hotel fire in Tarapith, West Bengal, kills nine pilgrims
A pre-dawn fire at a hotel in the temple town of Tarapith in West Bengal's Birbhum district on 17 August 2026 killed nine people, five of them from one Meghalaya family.
India hosts 8th BRICS Youth Energy Summit virtually
India hosted the Eighth BRICS Youth Energy Summit virtually on 17 August 2026 under its BRICS Chairship, with more than 100 participants.
Sitharaman chairs 3rd Apex Monitoring Authority meeting of NICDIT
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 17 August 2026 chaired the 3rd meeting of the Apex Monitoring Authority of the National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT) in New Delhi.
Sun, 16 Aug 2026
Army Chief Gen Dhiraj Seth leaves for Nepal visit; to be made Honorary General of Nepali Army
Chief of the Army Staff General Dhiraj Seth left on 16 August 2026 for an official visit to Nepal from 17 to 19 August, during which the President of Nepal is to confer on him the Honorary Rank of General of the Nepali Army.
Women's Hockey World Cup 2026: India hold Olympic silver medallists China 2-2 in opener
The Indian women's hockey team drew 2-2 with Olympic silver medallists China in its FIH Women's Hockey World Cup 2026 Pool D opener at the Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen, Netherlands, on 16 August 2026.
DRI busts ₹2,500 crore SAFTA misuse in areca nut imports; nine arrested
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence said on 16 August 2026 it had dismantled a network that imported South-East Asian areca nuts as Bangladeshi-origin to claim SAFTA duty exemption, causing a revenue loss of over ₹2,500 crore.
Jared Kushner meets Hamas leaders in Egypt to push 15-point Gaza road map that Israel rejected
US envoy Jared Kushner held a rare meeting with Hamas leaders in Egypt on 16 August 2026 to push the US-backed 15-point road map for the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire, which Israel had rejected the previous week.
Vajpayee death anniversary: PM pays homage at Sadaiv Atal; 21-foot statue unveiled in Chittorgarh
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at his memorial Sadaiv Atal on 16 August 2026, his death anniversary, while Amit Shah unveiled a 21-foot statue of Vajpayee in Chittorgarh.
West Bengal launches Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY, becoming the 36th State to implement it
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on 16 August 2026 launched Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY in the State, along with a State health insurance scheme for families not covered by it.
INS Sudarshini concludes Lokayan 2026 port call at Ponta Delgada, Azores
The Indian Navy's sail training ship INS Sudarshini concluded its port call at Ponta Delgada in the Azores, Portugal, on 16 August 2026 as part of Lokayan 2026.
Sat, 15 Aug 2026
80th Independence Day: PM announces AI skilling for 1 crore youth, 100 GW nuclear goal and 'Sapt Dhara'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the nation from the Red Fort on India's 80th Independence Day on 15 August 2026, announced AI skilling for one crore youth in a year, a 100 GW nuclear power target by 2047 and a new goal of 6 crore Lakhpati Didis.
Har Ghar Tiranga 2026: Suryapath Tiranga relay crosses 54 missions; 8.24 crore selfies
On 15 August 2026 the Suryapath Tiranga global relay, part of the fifth Har Ghar Tiranga campaign, carried the Tricolour across 54 Indian missions and posts from Fiji to San Francisco.
Qatar–India postal remittance service powered by UPI goes live
A Qatar–India remittance service based on PosTransfer and powered by UPI became available at Qatar Post outlets on 15 August 2026, letting customers send money directly to UPI-enabled bank accounts in India.
Tribal Affairs Ministry releases National Framework for strengthening ITDAs and ITDPs
Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram and NITI Aayog Member R. Balasubramaniam on 15 August 2026 released a National Framework and Operational Guidelines for strengthening Integrated Tribal Development Agencies and Projects.
Men's Hockey World Cup 2026: India beat Wales 3-1 in opener at Amstelveen
The Indian men's hockey team beat Wales 3-1 in its FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 Pool D opener at the Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen, Netherlands, on 15 August 2026, with captain Harmanpreet Singh scoring twice.
PSA launches NABARD-built RSVC-AMRIT platform for rural technology transfer
Principal Scientific Adviser Ajay Kumar Sood on 15 August 2026 launched the RSVC-AMRIT platform, developed by NABARD with his office, as the digital backbone of the RuTAGe Smart Village Centre ecosystem.
NIELIT launches CYBER KUSHTI 2026 national cybersecurity and AI hackathon
The National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) launched CYBER KUSHTI 2026, a national cybersecurity and AI hackathon, on 15 August 2026.
Fri, 14 Aug 2026
President Murmu's eve-of-Independence Day address: women won 8 of India's 13 CWG golds, 25 crore lifted out of poverty
President Droupadi Murmu addressed the nation on 14 August 2026, the eve of the 80th Independence Day, highlighting women's achievements, 25 crore people lifted out of poverty and the 200th birth anniversary of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule.
President approves 78 gallantry awards including 9 Kirti Chakras on eve of Independence Day 2026
President Droupadi Murmu approved 78 gallantry awards, 13 of them posthumous, and 89 Mention-in-Despatches for the Defence Forces and Central Armed Police Forces on the eve of Independence Day 2026.
1,057 police, fire, home guard and correctional personnel get gallantry and service medals on Independence Day 2026
The Ministry of Home Affairs announced on 14 August 2026 that 1,057 personnel of Police, Fire, Home Guard & Civil Defence and Correctional Services have been awarded gallantry and service medals for Independence Day 2026, including 301 Medals for Gallantry.
Jal Jeevan Mission completes 7 years: rural tap water coverage rises from 16.7% to over 82%
The Ministry of Jal Shakti said on 14 August 2026 that Jal Jeevan Mission, launched on 15 August 2019, has raised rural tap water coverage from 16.72% to 82.24% of households, with 2.04 lakh villages certified Har Ghar Jal.
Government removes 12-minute advertisement cap for TV channels
The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting announced on 14 August 2026 that the 12-minute advertisement duration cap for television channels, introduced in 2006 under the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994, will be removed.