Daily Current Affairs & GK – 1 October 2026
Daily Current Affairs and GK – 1 October 2026: Important national, international, economy and banking, science and technology, appointments, sports and culture, awards and recognition, important days and static GK for UPSC, SSC, IBPS, Banking, RRB, NTPC, State PSC and other competitive examinations.
National
1. UPSC completes 100 years
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) completed 100 years on 1 October 2026.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the centenary celebrations at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
On the occasion, the Prime Minister released a UPSC Centenary Commemorative Coin, a Commemorative Stamp and the book “100 Landmark Judgements – Shaping the Policies of UPSC and Public Service Commissions in India.”
The institutional journey of India's Public Service Commission began on 1 October 1926. UPSC later became an independent constitutional body under Article 315 of the Constitution.
2. Mahanadi water dispute discussed at Centre-level meeting
Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a meeting in New Delhi involving the Chief Ministers of Odisha and Chhattisgarh to discuss the long-standing Mahanadi water dispute.
The meeting also involved Union Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Patil and senior officials. The dispute concerns the sharing and utilisation of Mahanadi waters between the two States.
The Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal was constituted in March 2018 after negotiations between the two States failed to resolve the issue.
3. National-Level SafaiMitra Suraksha Evam Samman Shivir reaches 3.69 lakh beneficiaries
The government highlighted the achievements of the SafaiMitra Suraksha Evam Samman initiative under the Swachhata campaign.
More than 3.69 lakh beneficiaries across 3,870 Urban Local Bodies have been reached through the programme, which focuses on the safety, dignity and welfare of sanitation workers.
4. New guidelines for exempted FASTags for Divyangjan and PwD vehicles
The Government revised the guidelines for issuing and renewing exempted FASTags for eligible Divyangjan and Persons with Disabilities (PwD).
The revised system is intended to make highway tolling more accessible and transparent for eligible beneficiaries.
- 5-Year Validity: Granted to eligible applicants with a recorded disability percentage between 70% and 100%.
- 3-Year Validity: Granted to applicants with a recorded disability percentage between 40% and less than 70%. Eligibility Criteria:
- Vehicles must be specially designed and constructed for use by persons with physical disabilities.
- Standard vehicles must have their Registration Certificate (RC) officially registered under the ownership type "Divyangjan".
- The exemption applies specifically to the vehicle registered and carrying the approved tag, rather than general passenger vehicles used for transport.
5. Social Justice Ministry launches SETU NSP App
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment launched the SETU NSP App to simplify access to scholarship-related services.
The initiative aims to improve digital access to scholarships and make the application process more convenient for eligible students.
- Full Form: SETU stands for Scholarship for Education Transformation and Upliftment.
- Powered By: Integrated with the UMANG platform and linked with DigiLocker for seamless document fetching.
- Target Beneficiaries: Eligible students under Pre-Matric and Post-Matric scholarship programs, primarily focusing on Scheduled Caste (SC) and Other Backward Class (OBC) categories.
- Availability: Available for download on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
- One-Time Registration (OTR): Secure completion of profile registration and Aadhaar-based or FaceAuth biometric authentication.
- Scheme Discovery: Instant matching and browsing of eligible central, state, and top-class scholarship schemes based on individual student criteria.
- Application Lifecycle Tracking: Real-time tracking of application milestones, covering submission, institute verification, district approval, and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) payment updates.
- Direct Support: Built-in officer finder tool to connect straight with local District Social Welfare Nodal Officers for quick assistance.
- Multilingual Support: Available in 13 different Indian languages to reduce barriers for students nationwide
Special Campaign 6.0 Rolled Out:
The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), alongside various ministries (including Mines, Labour & Employment, and Law & Justice), officially launched Special Campaign 6.0.
Objective: Institutionalize cleanliness (Swachhata), minimize pendency in government offices, optimize file management, and recover electronic/critical waste.
International
1. G20 Trade Ministers' Meeting focuses on food security and global trade
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal participated in the G20 Trade Ministers' Meeting in Milwaukee, United States.
India cautioned against treating legitimate national measures taken to protect food security as the weaponisation of food.
Goyal also reviewed the progress of the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maroš Šefčovič.
India and the EU concluded negotiations for the trade pact on 27 January 2026, after negotiations had begun in 2007 and were relaunched in 2022.
2. India-US trade negotiations continue
Piyush Goyal also met US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on the sidelines of the G20 Trade Ministers' Meeting.
The discussions were part of efforts to advance the India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement and work towards an interim arrangement.
3.India–France Bilateral Naval Exercise ‘VARUNA’ (24th Edition)
Indian Navy stealth frigate INS Trishul participated in the 24th edition of the India–France bilateral naval exercise 'VARUNA'.
Focus Area: Enhancing tactical interoperability, anti-submarine warfare (ASW) drills, and air defence coordination in key maritime zones.
4. 2nd ASEAN–India Maritime Exercise (AIME-2026):
Indian Naval Ships INS Sahyadri and INS Kulish operated alongside regional naval forces in Subic Bay, Philippines, reinforcing maritime domain awareness (MDA) and freedom of navigation across the Indo-Pacific5.Captain Smit Machchhar
The Indian pilot who fought off a savage attack by his copilot and helped prevent an apparent hijack of a Flydubai plane heading to Israel with more than 170 people on board is being hailed as a hero.Captain Smit Machchhar was stabbed while trying to fend off the attacker, leaving him badly wounded. During the struggle the cockpit door was opened, allowing other passengers to rush in, subdue his assailant, and take control of the plane that was enroute to Tel Aviv.Machchhar’s actions have received widespread praise across the globe.
Economy and Banking
1. GST collections cross ₹2 lakh crore in September
India's gross Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections increased 14.7% year-on-year in September 2026 to more than ₹2.03 lakh crore.
Key figures included:
CGST: ₹37,772 crore
SGST: ₹45,363 crore
IGST: More than ₹1.20 lakh crore
Domestic GST revenue: Around ₹1.38 lakh crore
GST from imports: ₹65,525 crore
The September 2025 gross GST collection was around ₹1.77 lakh crore.
2. India's economy projected to grow 7.3% in Q2 FY2026–27
The Finance Ministry's September 2026 Monthly Economic Review estimated that India's economy could grow by 7.3% in the second quarter of FY2026–27.
The economy had registered 7.8% growth in Q1 FY2026–27.
The report pointed to resilient domestic demand and investment, while identifying geopolitical tensions, high oil prices, tighter global financial conditions and trade uncertainty as risks.
3. Windfall tax on diesel and ATF exports reduced
India reduced the windfall tax applicable to exports of diesel and aviation turbine fuel (ATF) from 1 October.
The diesel export duty was reduced from ₹20 to ₹16 per litre, while the ATF export duty declined from ₹15 to ₹10.5 per litre. The petrol export duty remained at ₹0.5 per litre.
4.5th Kautilya Economic Conclave:
The Ministry of Finance announced the 5th edition of the Kautilya Economic Conclave in New Delhi scheduled under the theme “Resilience in an Age of Flux”.
The Kautilya Economic Conclave is an initiative of the Institute of Economic Growth (IEG), organised in partnership with the Ministry of Finance, Government of India. First convened in 2022, the Conclave provides a forum for dialogue on contemporary economic and policy challenges.
Appointments
1. Anup Bagchi appointed MD & CEO of HDFC Bank
The Reserve Bank of India approved the appointment of Anup Bagchi as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of HDFC Bank for a three-year term beginning 27 October 2026.
Bagchi will succeed Sashidhar Jagdishan, whose term ends on 26 October.
Bagchi is currently MD and CEO of ICICI Prudential Life Insurance. The appointment was approved under Section 35B of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
2. Mahesh Muralidhar Pai takes charge at South Indian Bank
Mahesh Muralidhar Pai assumed charge as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of South Indian Bank with effect from 1 October 2026.
He brings extensive banking experience spanning areas including digital banking, treasury, retail banking, agriculture and MSME credit.
3.Shri Narendra Bhooshan (IAS)
Assumed charge as the new Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
Science and Technology
1. GOBARdhan scheme launched to accelerate Compressed Biogas sector
Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri launched the GOBARdhan Scheme on 1 October to accelerate development of India's Compressed Biogas (CBG) sector.
The scheme was earlier approved by the Cabinet with an overall outlay of approximately ₹23,731 crore.
It aims to expand the production of biogas and CBG from agricultural residues, cattle dung, municipal organic waste and other biomass resources, supporting waste-to-wealth and circular-economy objectives.
2. E-waste collection initiative focuses on critical-mineral recovery
The Ministry of Mines inaugurated an e-waste collection stall in New Delhi under Special Campaign 6.
The campaign will run from 2–31 October 2026, with more than 44 office locations identified for collection.
The initiative emphasises recovery of critical minerals and other valuable materials from electronic waste, reducing dependence on virgin resources and supporting the circular economy.
Sports and Culture
1. India reaches Asian Games men's cricket final
India defeated Sri Lanka by 124 runs in the men's cricket semifinal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
India scored 169/7, led by an unbeaten 80 from Ishan Kishan and a quick 38 from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
Sri Lanka were bowled out for just 45. India advanced to the gold-medal match against Pakistan, scheduled for 3 October.
2. India reaches Asian Games men's hockey final
India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan 4–3 in a thrilling men's hockey semifinal.
Captain Harmanpreet Singh scored two early goals from penalty corners, while Sukhjeet Singh also scored.
India advanced to the final against Malaysia.
3. India wins first-ever sailing medal at Asian Games
Indian sailors Manu Francis and Prince Kurisinkal Noble won silver in the men's skiff event.
The medal was India's first sailing medal at the Asian Games. They finished just behind China after nine races.
4. Nitesh Siwach wins Greco-Roman wrestling silver
Indian wrestler Nitesh Siwach won the silver medal in men's 97 kg Greco-Roman wrestling.
He lost 0–4 to Japan's Yuri Nakazato in the final.
The result gave India its first silver medal in men's Greco-Roman wrestling at the Asian Games since 1962.
5. Ganesh Mani Ratnam Thirumuru wins compound archery bronze
Indian archer Ganesh Mani Ratnam Thirumuru won the bronze medal in men's compound individual archery after defeating Vietnam's Cong Duc Dang 149–144.
He had earlier been part of India's gold-medal-winning men's compound team.
6. Indian women's squash team wins bronze
The Indian women's squash team secured the bronze medal after losing 1–2 to Hong Kong in the semifinal.
India's men also secured bronze after losing their semifinal to Malaysia.
7. India wins 8 wickets against West Indies in second ODI
India defeated the West Indies by eight wickets in the second ODI at Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati, taking an unassailable 2–0 lead in the three-match series.
Days Observed
1.International Day of Older Persons – 1 October
The International Day of Older Persons was observed on 1 October.
The 2026 theme is:
“The Age of Longevity: Rethinking Systems for Longer Lives.”
The United Nations designated 1 October as the International Day of Older Persons through General Assembly Resolution 45/106 in 1990.
2.International Coffee Day – 1 October
International Coffee Day was observed on 1 October.
The 2026 theme is:
“Celebrating Coffee, Honouring the People Behind Every Cup.”
In India, the Coffee Board of India, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, organised the national celebration in Bengaluru alongside Agricon HortiConnect. The programme included discussion on INDICOFS – India Coffee Sustainability Standard Scheme and the launch of new packaging for India's GI-registered coffees under the “India Coffee” brand.
3.National Voluntary Blood Donation Day – 1 October
India observed National Voluntary Blood Donation Day on 1 October.
The 2026 theme is:
“One Drop of Humanity. Give Blood. Save Lives.”
The observance promotes regular, voluntary and non-remunerated blood donation to maintain an adequate and safe blood supply.
4.Wildlife Week begins
Wildlife Week 2026 began on 1 October and will continue through the first week of October.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for greater protection of forests, wildlife habitats and wildlife corridors, highlighting conservation efforts involving species such as the Great Indian Bustard, rhinoceros, river dolphin and snow leopard.
Static GK for Exam Preparations
UPSC
Full form: Union Public Service Commission
Established: 1 October 1926
Constitutional basis: Article 315
Chairman and Members: Appointed by the President of India
Functions: Recruitment examinations, selection, recruitment rules, promotions and disciplinary matters.
GST
Full form: Goods and Services Tax
Introduced in India: 1 July 2017
September 2026 gross collection: More than ₹2.03 lakh crore
September 2026 YoY growth: 14.7%.
GOBARdhan
Full form: Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan
Sector: Compressed Biogas / waste-to-wealth
Cabinet-approved outlay: ₹23,731 crore
Feedstock: Cattle dung, agricultural residues and other organic waste
Importance: Circular economy, clean energy and waste management.
International Day of Older Persons
Date: 1 October
UN Resolution: 45/106
Designated: 1990
2026 theme: The Age of Longevity: Rethinking Systems for Longer Lives.
International Coffee Day
Date: 1 October
2026 theme: Celebrating Coffee, Honouring the People Behind Every Cup
India's Coffee Board: Under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry
Major coffee-producing state: Karnataka.
Mahanadi River
Major Indian river flowing through Chhattisgarh and Odisha
Major dispute: Water sharing between Chhattisgarh and Odisha
Tribunal: Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal
Tribunal constituted: 2018.
Asian Games 2026
Edition: 20th Asian Games
Host: Aichi-Nagoya, Japan
Dates: 19 September–4 October 2026
Men's cricket final: India vs Pakistan
Men's hockey final: India vs Malaysia
India's first Asian Games sailing medal: Men's skiff silver.
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