Daily General Knowledge and Current Affairs 28/01/2026

Here is the comprehensive Current Affairs and GK brief for January 28, 2026, for UPSC, SSC, Banking, and Railway exam preparation.

National & Polity

Foundation Day of the Supreme Court: Today marks the 76th anniversary of the inauguration of the Supreme Court of India (January 28, 1950).
- History: Two days after India became a Republic, the SC began its first proceedings in the Chamber of Princes in the Parliament building.
- Current Status: Led by Chief Justice Surya Kant (assumed office Nov 24, 2025).
Nagaland’s First Drone School: The Chief Minister of Nagaland inaugurated the state’s first Drone School to promote advanced technological skills in governance and public service. It offers DGCA-compliant Remote Pilot Certificate courses.
Jeevan Raksha Padak Awards 2025: The President approved the conferment of these awards to 30 persons for exceptional bravery in saving lives. The Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak (the highest category) was awarded to 6 individuals.
PANCHAM Chatbot: The Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj launched PANCHAM (Panchayat Assistance and Messaging), a digital AI tool developed with UNICEF to assist rural local bodies.
Mahakaleshwar Temple 'VIP Darshan': The Supreme Court declined to entertain a petition challenging "VIP Darshan" at the Ujjain temple, stating the court should not act as a "gatekeeper" for temple entry protocols.

India–EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA): Following the 16th India-EU Summit, both sides finalized the historic FTA.
- Impact: The EU will provide duty-free access to over 99% of Indian exports, benefiting labor-intensive sectors like textiles, leather, and gems.
- Carbon Dialogue: A technical dialogue was established to align India's carbon standards with the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
Euratom-India Cooperation: India and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) committed to enhancing collaboration on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, focusing on safety and R&D.
Baramati Air Crash: In a tragic incident, five people, including Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, were killed after a Learjet 45 aircraft crashed and exploded at Baramati Airport.
Rubaya Mine Collapse: A massive landslide in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) buried several mines in the Masisi Territory, with at least 200 people feared dead.

Economic Survey 2026: Presented today (traditionally a day before the Union Budget), the survey highlights India's resilient growth trajectory and focus on "Viksit Bharat" by 2047.
India-Canada Energy Pact: Both nations signed a Joint Statement on Energy Cooperation, focusing on critical minerals and renewable energy supply chains.
ECL Norms for Banks: Commercial banks expressed concerns over the implementation of Expected Credit Loss (ECL) norms, which require banks to provide for potential loan losses upfront rather than after a default occurs.

New Wildflower Species: Researchers discovered Lepidagathis konkanensis, a new species of flowering plant found in the geographically isolated rocky plateaus of Maharashtra’s Konkan region.
Hoya nagaensis: Another botanical discovery was made in the high-altitude forests of Nagaland. This "wax plant" species is currently known only from a single location in the Phek district.
Australian Open 2026: * India's Exit: India's campaign ended as Yuki Bhambri and Andre Goransson lost their third-round men's doubles match.
- Semi-Final Lineup: Jannik Sinner defeated Ben Shelton to set up a blockbuster semi-final clash against Novak Djokovic, who overcame Lorenzo Musetti.
India vs. New Zealand T20s: India secured an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the five-match series. Abhishek Sharma slammed a 14-ball fifty, the second-fastest by an Indian in T20Is.

Day	Context / Significance
Lala Lajpat Rai Jayanti	Birth anniversary of the "Lion of Punjab" (Born 1865). He co-founded the PNB and DAV schools.
Data Privacy Day	Global theme: "Take Control of Your Data," focusing on digital footprint safety.
International LEGO Day	Marking the day the original patent for the LEGO brick was filed in 1958.
K.M. Cariappa Jayanti	Birth anniversary of India's first Field Marshal (Born 1899).

Lala Lajpat Rai: Known as Punjab Kesari; he was part of the "Lal-Bal-Pal" trio and authored the book Unhappy India.
Supreme Court (Article 124): The original 1950 Constitution provided for a Chief Justice and only 7 other judges (Total 8). Today the strength is 34.
CBAM: A climate measure by the EU that imposes a carbon price on imports of carbon-intensive goods (steel, cement, etc.).
Diamond Triangle (Odisha): Comprises the Buddhist sites of Lalitgiri, Ratnagiri, and Udayagiri, recently added to the UNESCO Tentative List.