TOPPER IAS
Login Talk to a mentor

TOPPER IAS · CURRENT AFFAIRS INTELLIGENCE

23 October 2026

18 developments → 8 GS areas → 20 minutes · all editions · Read in: English · ಕನ್ನಡ · తెలుగు · தமிழ் · മലയാളം · मराठी · বাংলা · ગુજરાતી · ଓଡ଼ିଆ · ਪੰਜਾਬੀ

1

Today's 20-minute UPSC session

23 October 2026 · read the priority topics, take the test, revise what you missed

🔴 Priority reading10 minStart
🧠 MCQ test5 minStart
🔁 Revision5 minStart

0 / 20 minutes today

Start today's mission →
Your progresslast 14 days · this browser

Saved on this device only. Login to AdaptIQ to keep your progress →

2

Today's UPSC priority

5 topics you cannot afford to miss — and why

  1. PM-DAKSH trained 1,87,305 candidates between 2020-21 and 2023-24, with 96,162 placed in jobsPolity · asked in UPSC 2018; factual, Prelims-type
  2. Lok Sabha Speaker says a fresh motion to remove the Chief Election Commissioner will be examined under the rulesPolity · asked in UPSC 2022
  3. Kittur Utsav begins, remembering Rani Chennamma's 1824 revoltKarnataka · asked in KPSC 2023; factual, Prelims-type; Karnataka-specific
  4. BrahMos plans a next-generation missile by 2027-28 and studies a 1,500-km variantDefence · asked in UPSC 2023; factual, Prelims-type
  5. Final redemption of the Sovereign Gold Bond 2018-19 Series-II falls due on 23 OctoberEconomy · factual, Prelims-type
Start reading →
Personalise: exam · Prelims / Mains · subject
3

Read

Must read 5 · Important 8 · Quick scan 5

High Prelims + Mains value · PYQ-linked · read fully

PolityGAPrelims ★★★★★ Mains ★★★☆☆

1,87,305 trained, 96,162 placed: which ministry runs PM-DAKSH, and which groups does it target?

PM-DAKSH trained 1,87,305 candidates between 2020-21 and 2023-24, with 96,162 placed in jobs

खबर में क्यों? PM-DAKSH trained over 1.87 lakh candidates in four years, with about 96,000 placed.

प्रीलिम्स PM-DAKSH is a skilling scheme of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, not of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

मेन्स GS-II: welfare schemes for vulnerable sections. Skilling schemes for SC, OBC, DNT and sanitation-worker groups aim at livelihood and social mobility, …

🔁 PYQ · UPSC 2018Read · 2 min →Test
PolityGAPrelims ★★★★☆ Mains ★★★☆☆

Who can remove the CEC, and who needs the CEC's nod? The Article 324(5) rule GS-II tests

Lok Sabha Speaker says a fresh motion to remove the Chief Election Commissioner will be examined under the rules

खबर में क्यों? Speaker Om Birla says a fresh removal motion against CEC Gyanesh Kumar will be examined as per the rules.

प्रीलिम्स The Chief Election Commissioner can be removed in the like manner and on the like grounds as a Judge of the Supreme Court.

मेन्स GS-II (Constitutional bodies): the issue is the independence of the Election Commission amid Opposition moves to remove the CEC. Article 324(5) gives …

🔁 PYQ · UPSC 2022Read · 2 min →Test
KarnatakaKPSCPrelims ★★★★★ Mains ★★☆☆☆ KPSC ★★★★★

Who revolted before 1857? Kittur's Rani Chennamma, and the Karnataka history facts KPSC tests

Kittur Utsav begins, remembering Rani Chennamma's 1824 revolt

खबर में क्यों? Kittur Utsav is under way to mark Rani Chennamma's 1824 revolt.

प्रीलिम्स Rani Chennamma of Kittur led an armed revolt against the East India Company in 1824, well before the Revolt of 1857.

मेन्स GS I (Modern Indian History; Karnataka history and culture): early resistance to colonial expansion before 1857. Issue: the Company's refusal to recog…

🔁 PYQ · KPSC 2023Read · 2 min →Test
DefenceGAPrelims ★★★★★ Mains ★★☆☆☆

BrahMos-NG by 2027-28, a 1,500-km variant: who built it and what type of missile? A Defence Prelims staple

BrahMos plans a next-generation missile by 2027-28 and studies a 1,500-km variant

खबर में क्यों? BrahMos Aerospace targets BrahMos-NG by 2027-28 and is studying a 1,500-km variant.

प्रीलिम्स BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile, not a ballistic or hypersonic glide missile.

मेन्स GS-III (Defence technology, indigenisation) and GS-II (International relations). Issue: India needs longer-range, more advanced precision-strike missi…

🔁 PYQ · UPSC 2023Read · 2 min →Test
Economy
EconomyGAPrelims ★★★★☆ Mains ★★★☆☆

Eight years, not five: the Sovereign Gold Bond redemption price rule GS-III economy answers must state

Final redemption of the Sovereign Gold Bond 2018-19 Series-II falls due on 23 October

खबर में क्यों? SGB 2018-19 Series-II matures on 23 October 2026, redeemed at the average IBJA gold price of the previous three business days.

प्रीलिम्स Sovereign Gold Bonds are issued by the Reserve Bank of India on behalf of the Government of India and are denominated in grams of gold.

मेन्स GS-III (Indian economy): India's large household gold demand drives imports and pressure on the current account. SGBs, a gold monetisation instrument,…

Read · 2 min →Test

Next: Important →

Know the fact and the angle · 1 minute each

PolityGAPrelims ★★★☆☆ Mains ★★★☆☆

Prior approval before a bribery probe? Section 17A's 2018 clause and the on-the-spot arrest exception explained

Supreme Court: Section 17A of the anti-corruption law does not shield public servants in bribe cases

खबर में क्यों? The Supreme Court says the prior-approval clause in Section 17A of the PC Act cannot be used to shield bribe-takers.

प्रीलिम्स Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 was inserted by the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018.

मेन्स GS-II (Judiciary; transparency and accountability): the issue is balancing protection of honest officials from vexatious probes against the need to pr…

Read · 2 min →Test
Economy
EconomyGAPrelims ★★★☆☆ Mains ★★★☆☆

NITI Aayog replaced the Planning Commission, but who chairs it? Data centre framework for States explained

NITI Aayog's Frontier Tech Hub releases a data centre evaluation framework for States

खबर में क्यों? NITI Aayog's Frontier Tech Hub has issued a framework to help States plan sustainable data centre growth.

प्रीलिम्स NITI Aayog replaced the Planning Commission in 2015 as the Government's policy think tank.

मेन्स GS-III (Science and Technology, Infrastructure): rapid digitisation and AI growth are driving demand for data centres, which consume heavy power, wate…

Read · 2 min →Test
EnvironmentGAPrelims ★★★★☆ Mains ★★☆☆☆

Millions of butterflies cross peninsular India: the Nymphalidae migration and Western Ghats facts GS-III Prelims tests

Blue tiger butterflies migrate towards the Western Ghats with the onset of the north-east monsoon

खबर में क्यों? Blue tiger and crow butterflies are on their annual migration to the Western Ghats.

प्रीलिम्स Blue tiger and crow butterflies belong to the family Nymphalidae, the largest butterfly family.

मेन्स GS-III (Environment and biodiversity): mass insect migrations signal ecosystem health and the connectivity of habitats between the Eastern and Western…

Read · 2 min →Test
EnvironmentGAPrelims ★★★★☆ Mains ★★☆☆☆

India's Ramsar tally hits 103: the Sukhna and Sauj Jheel facts Prelims environment questions test

India adds Sukhna Wetland and Sauj Jheel to its Ramsar list

खबर में क्यों? Sukhna Wetland and Sauj Jheel become Ramsar sites, taking India's tally to 103.

प्रीलिम्स The Ramsar Convention is an intergovernmental treaty adopted in 1971 for the conservation and wise use of wetlands.

मेन्स GS-III (Environment; conservation): Wetlands provide flood control, groundwater recharge and biodiversity habitat, yet face encroachment and pollution…

Read · 2 min →Test
EnvironmentGAPrelims ★★★★☆ Mains ★★☆☆☆

A 7.0 quake in Tibet: the Indo-Eurasian collision that built the Himalaya, a GS-I Geography staple

A magnitude 7.0 earthquake strikes Tibet, with casualties reported

खबर में क्यों? A 7.0 magnitude earthquake has hit Tibet; the region sits on the Indo-Eurasian plate collision zone.

प्रीलिम्स The Himalaya were formed by the convergence of the Indian plate and the Eurasian plate; this is a continental-continental collision, not an oceanic subduction setting.

मेन्स GS-I (Geography) and GS-III (Disaster Management). Plate convergence along the Indo-Eurasian boundary makes the Himalayan arc highly earthquake-prone,…

Read · 2 min →Test
International RelationsGAPrelims ★★★★☆ Mains ★★★☆☆

India-Poland trade to double by 2030: the IMEC corridor origin GS-II bilateral questions test

Modi and Tusk push for doubling India-Poland trade and an early India-EU trade pact

खबर में क्यों? India and Poland resolve to double trade by 2030, deepen defence ties and back an early India-EU trade pact.

प्रीलिम्स IMEC was announced on the sidelines of the G20 Summit hosted by India in New Delhi in 2023.

मेन्स GS-II (International Relations): India's bilateral ties with Central and Eastern Europe. Issue: Poland is an emerging partner for trade, defence and c…

Read · 2 min →Test
International RelationsGAPrelims ★★★★☆ Mains ★★★☆☆

Which two seas does Hormuz join? The West Asia chokepoint behind India's oil risk, for GS-II

Iran says seven oil tankers were damaged in the Strait of Hormuz

खबर में क्यों? Iran reports seven tankers damaged in Hormuz, the chokepoint through which much of India's oil moves.

प्रीलिम्स The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

मेन्स GS-II (International Relations) and GS-III (Energy security). Attacks and mines in the Strait of Hormuz threaten a key route for seaborne oil, to whic…

Read · 2 min →Test
International RelationsGAPrelims ★★★★☆ Mains ★★★☆☆

Two capitals, one country: why Benin's Porto-Novo is not Cotonou, and what GS-II India-Africa questions test

India and Benin hold talks in Porto-Novo on defence, health and agriculture

खबर में क्यों? India and Benin agree to deepen cooperation in defence, health, agriculture and trade.

प्रीलिम्स Porto-Novo is the official capital of Benin, while Cotonou is the seat of government and its largest city.

मेन्स GS-II (International Relations): India's Africa outreach is shifting from aid-led ties to partnerships in defence, health, agriculture and trade. Enga…

Read · 2 min →Test

Next: Quick scan →

Headlines only · open if it is your optional or state

⚡ Quick facts 21

One line each · the facts exams ask

  1. ReportNational Geographic's Best of the World 2027 list, released on 20 October 2026, features 25 destinations across six continents, including Jaipur.
  2. WorldFrance has confirmed its first human case of Shamonda virus, an insect-borne virus; the patient died.
  3. DayKashi Tamil Sangamam 5.0 is scheduled from 28 November to 12 December 2026 with Thirukkural as its theme.
  4. SchemeThe Tuticorin International Container Terminal at VOC Port was declared a green terminal on 22 October 2026.
  5. ReportTwo new subterranean fish species, Gitchak nakana and Rakthamichthys anchi, were found in wells in Assam's Goalpara district.
  6. DefenceThe Pentagon has authorised the Department of Homeland Security to test an Active Denial System for possible use along the US-Mexico border.
  7. SchemeCommerce Minister Piyush Goyal announced state-level outreach to help farmers, MSMEs and others use export opportunities from India's free trade agreements.
  8. ReportIISER Thiruvananthapuram scientists developed magnesium hydridomethylzincate, a solid compound that releases hydrogen and methane when heated.
  9. ReportCentaurus X-3 is a high-mass X-ray binary that contains a highly magnetised neutron star.
  10. ReportSperm whales communicate through rhythmic sequences of clicks known as codas.
  11. ReportAn omega block is a stalled high-pressure weather pattern that can lock in prolonged heatwaves.
  12. DayThirukkural, the Tamil classic attributed to Thiruvalluvar, is made up of 1,330 couplets.
  13. ReportSukhna Wetland, newly a Ramsar site, lies at the foothills of the Shivalik range in Chandigarh.
  14. WorldBenin's official capital is Porto-Novo, on the Gulf of Guinea coast of West Africa.
  15. WorldIndia and Poland have resolved to double bilateral trade by 2030.
  16. WorldIran claims seven oil tankers were damaged in the Strait of Hormuz by attacks and naval mines.
  17. WorldHouthi attacks on Dammam airport in Saudi Arabia killed one Indian national, and India condemned the strikes.
  18. ReportThe 63rd meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee was held from 5 to 7 October 2026 under Governor Sanjay Malhotra.
  19. KarnatakaKarnataka's Alisu Kanda scheme will fund free cochlear implants for 200 children this year.
  20. KarnatakaKarnataka's Health Minister said no hospital should withhold a patient's body over unpaid bills.
  21. KarnatakaKittur Utsav marks Rani Chennamma's 1824 uprising against the British East India Company.

Done reading → take the test

4

Test

Convert today's news into marks · 10 UPSC-level MCQs · instant analysis

🧠 टेस्ट · 5 MCQ

क्या आप इसका उत्तर दे सकते हैं?

10 प्रश्न · UPSC स्तर · तुरंत परिणाम

5

Revise

What to fix, and where to fix it

Your weak areas today

  • Finish the test — your topic-wise accuracy appears here.

Recommended revision

  1. Personalised picks appear after the test.
Revise on AdaptIQ →

Full history, root-cause analysis and spaced revision live in AdaptIQ — register free.

+

More

PYQ connections · weekly & monthly tests · past editions

🔁 Today's PYQ connections (4)

Lok Sabha Speaker says a fresh motion to remove the Chief Election Commissioner will be examined under the rules
🔁 PYQ CONNECTION · UPSC 2022

With reference to Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha, consider the following statements: 1. As per the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha the elec…

PM-DAKSH trained 1,87,305 candidates between 2020-21 and 2023-24, with 96,162 placed in jobs
🔁 PYQ CONNECTION · UPSC 2018

With reference to Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, consider the following statements 1. It is the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Labour and Employment. …

BrahMos plans a next-generation missile by 2027-28 and studies a 1,500-km variant
🔁 PYQ CONNECTION · UPSC 2023

Consider the following statements: 1. Ballistic missiles are jet-propelled at subsonic speeds throughout their flights, while cruise missiles are rocket-powered…

Kittur Utsav begins, remembering Rani Chennamma's 1824 revolt
🔁 PYQ CONNECTION · KPSC 2023

In October 1824 the forces of Rani Chennamma of Kittur killed which British Collector?

🏆 WEEKLY

साप्ताहिक करंट अफेयर्स चैलेंज

50 प्रश्न · UPSC प्रीलिम्स पैटर्न · ⏱ 30 मिनट

अभी हल करें →
📅 MONTHLY

मासिक करंट अफेयर्स ग्रैंड टेस्ट

100 प्रश्न · विषयवार प्रदर्शन · कमज़ोर क्षेत्र की रिवीज़न योजना

फ़ॉर्मेट देखें →

Tomorrow's edition: 7 AM · आज पढ़ो। आज परखो। परीक्षा तक याद रखो। · TOPPER IAS × ADAPTIQ