Daily Current Affairs – 02-01-2026
Personalities, Awards and Events
New Chief Justices for Meghalaya and Patna High Courts
President Droupadi Murmu has appointed new Chief Justices to the Meghalaya High Court and the Patna High Court following approval by the Central Government. Based on the recommendation of the Supreme Court Collegium headed by Justice Suryakant, Revati Prasand Mohite Dere, Judge of the Bombay High Court, has been appointed as Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court, and Sangam Kumar Sahoo, Judge of the Orissa High Court, has been appointed as Chief Justice of the Patna High Court.
Tarun Garg Appointed MD & CEO of Hyundai Motor India
Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) announced that Tarun Garg has assumed charge as Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer (MD & CEO) with effect from January 1, 2026. This marks the first time an Indian national has headed HMIL since its inception 29 years ago. Garg brings over three decades of experience in the automotive sector and will lead HMIL’s next phase of growth in India. The announcement also noted an investment roadmap of ₹45,000 crore by FY 2030 for future initiatives, including electric vehicles and related technologies.
IAF Leadership Appointments and BRO Director General
The Indian Air Force (IAF) witnessed key leadership changes with Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor assuming charge as Vice Chief of the Air Staff, succeeding Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari on his superannuation. The IAF, which is organised into seven operational commands, also saw new appointments of Air Officers Commanding-in-Chief (AOCs-in-C), with Air Marshal Tejinder Singh taking charge of the South Western Air Command and Air Marshal Sreekumar Shrinivas assuming charge of the Training Command. Air Marshal Kapoor, an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, was commissioned into the fighter stream on December 6, 1986, has flown MiG-21 and MiG-29 variants with over 3,400 flying hours, and has completed over 36 years of service. Separately, Lieutenant General Harpal Singh assumed charge as the 29th Director General of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO); he was commissioned into the Corps of Engineers in June 1991.
Sreekumar G. Pillai Appointed Director of IGCAR
Sreekumar G. Pillai assumed charge as Director of the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) with effect from January 1, marking a new phase in India’s fast reactor and nuclear fuel-cycle research programme. He succeeded C. G. Karhadkar, who retired on December 31. Prior to this appointment, Pillai served for 35 years at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and was most recently Outstanding Scientist and Deputy Chief Executive of the Nuclear Recycle Board. A chemical engineer, he holds a BTech degree from the University of Calicut and joined BARC in 1990. His professional experience includes work in spent fuel reprocessing, radioactive waste management, nuclear safety assessments, and regulatory compliance, and he has led teams involved in the design of integrated reprocessing plants incorporating International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards.
National News
UPI Transactions Reach Record High in December 2025
India’s home-grown Unified Payments Interface (UPI) recorded an all-time high transaction volume of 21.63 billion transactions in December 2025, as per data released by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). The total value of UPI transactions during the month stood at ₹27.97 lakh crore, marking a 29% year-on-year growth in volume and a 20% increase in value. On average, 698 million UPI transactions per day were recorded in December. In November 2025, UPI had registered 20.47 billion transactions worth ₹26.32 lakh crore. For the calendar year 2025, UPI transactions touched 228 billion transactions amounting to nearly ₹300 lakh crore, compared to 172 billion transactions worth ₹246.82 lakh crore in 2024, highlighting the continued expansion of digital payments in India.
SCBs Allowed to Sponsor Pension Funds under NPS
The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has allowed a Scheduled Commercial Bank (SCB) to independently set up and sponsor a pension fund to manage the National Pension System (NPS), after granting in-principle approval to the new framework. The move aims to strengthen the pension ecosystem, enhance competition and safeguard subscriber interests, with eligibility criteria linked to net worth, market capitalisation and prudential soundness, aligned with Reserve Bank of India (RBI) norms. The regulator has also revised the Investment Management Fee (IMF) structure for pension funds, effective from April 1, introducing slab-based rates with differentiation between government and non-government subscribers, while the IMF for government employees under the composite scheme remains unchanged; the IMF range will be 0.04% to 0.12% based on assets under management. The annual regulatory fee (ARF) payable to PFRDA remains 0.015%, with 0.0025% of AUM earmarked for the Association of NPS Intermediaries. Additionally, the PFRDA board appointed Dinesh Kumar Khara, former Chairman of State Bank of India, as Chairperson of the NPS Trust Board, along with the appointment of new trustees.
Fewer Unicorns in India in 2025
India created only five unicorns in 2025, marking a 17% decline compared to the previous year, according to Tracxn data. Total startup funding in 2025 stood at $11.1 billion, a 13% year-on-year decrease from $11.3 billion in 2024, while the number of funding rounds declined 35% to 1,600 rounds and mega funding rounds fell 30% to 14. A unicorn is defined as a startup with a valuation of $1 billion. Despite the slowdown in unicorn creation, 2025 recorded strong activity in public markets with 46 Initial Public Offerings (IPOs), reflecting 28% annual growth, and 141 acquisitions, showing 9% growth. The top-funded sectors were enterprise applications ($2.8 billion), retail ($2.6 billion) and environment technology ($2.3 billion). Bengaluru led Indian cities with $3.6 billion in investments, followed by Mumbai ($1.9 billion) and Delhi ($1.5 billion), while India continued to remain the third-largest startup ecosystem globally.
Banks Allowed to Sponsor Pension Funds under NPS
Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has granted in-principle approval allowing banks to independently sponsor and set up pension funds to manage money under the National Pension System (NPS), subject to eligibility norms aligned with Reserve Bank of India guidelines. The regulator oversees assets worth over $177 billion, and banks must meet criteria related to net worth, market capitalisation, and prudential soundness. At present, banks function mainly as Points of Presence for NPS, handling subscriber registration and contributions. There are currently 10 registered pension funds with the PFRDA. As part of wider reforms, in December last year, NPS investments were permitted in gold and silver exchange-traded funds, Nifty 50 index, and Alternative Investment Funds, and the Investment Management Fee structure for pension funds has been revised from April 1, 2026. Additionally, three new trustees were appointed to the NPS Trust Board, including Dinesh Kumar Khara, former Chairman of State Bank of India.
Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor Appointed Vice Chief of Air Staff
Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor assumed charge as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff in New Delhi, succeeding Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari, who superannuated after 40 years of service. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Defence Services Staff College, and National Defence College, he is an accomplished fighter pilot with over 3,400 flying hours on MiG-21 and MiG-29 aircraft, and has held key appointments including Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Training Command and South Western Air Command. In a related development, Lieutenant General Harpal Singh assumed charge as the 29th Director-General of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO); he was commissioned into the Corps of Engineers in June 1991, and the BRO, raised in 1960, plays a key role in developing strategic infrastructure and enhancing border connectivity.
Tobacco Products to Get Costlier from February 1, 2026
Prices of gutkha, cigarettes and other tobacco products will increase from February 1, 2026, following notifications issued by the Ministry of Finance to implement a new taxation regime under the Central Excise (Amendment) Act, 2025. The new system replaces the GST compensation cess with high central excise duties along with a health-focused cess, applicable over and above 40% GST. Under the revised rates, gutkha attracts the highest duty at 91%, chewing tobacco and jarda scented tobacco attract 82%, and smoking mixtures for pipes and cigarettes are taxed at 279%, while handmade bidis continue to attract a concessional duty of ₹1 per 1,000 sticks. Cigarette excise duty varies by length and filter type, ranging from ₹2,050 to ₹8,500 per 1,000 sticks. The new rules also introduce capacity-based taxation for gutkha and smokeless tobacco, linking duty to the number and speed of packing machines, with taxation based on maximum production capacity. The changes come into force after the earlier 28% GST on sin goods and aim to maintain a high tax incidence after the end of the compensation cess.
Broadband Subscribers Cross 100 Crore in India
India’s broadband subscriber base crossed the milestone of 100 crore in November 2025, according to a report released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). The total number of broadband subscribers rose to 100.37 crore, compared to 99.98 crore in October 2025, of which 95.49 crore were wireless subscribers and 4.48 crore were fixed-line broadband subscribers. In October 2025, Reliance Jio ranked first with 49.49 crore wireless and 1.34 crore fixed broadband subscribers, followed by Bharti Airtel, which had 30.26 crore wireless and 99.1 lakh fixed broadband subscribers. Over the last 10 years, India’s broadband subscriber base has increased by more than six times, rising from 13.15 crore in November 2015 to 100.37 crore in November 2025.
Tiger Deaths in India (2025)
According to data released by the National Tiger Conservation Authority, a total of 166 tigers died in India during 2025, which is 40 more deaths than the previous year, and this figure includes 31 tiger cubs. Madhya Pradesh, known as the “Tiger State”, recorded the highest number of deaths with 55 tigers, followed by Maharashtra (38), Kerala (13), and Assam (12). The first tiger death of 2025 occurred on January 2 in the Brahmapuri forest area of Maharashtra, while the last recorded death occurred on December 28 in the North Sagar region of Madhya Pradesh. Data released on International Tiger Day 2023 showed that India’s tiger population increased from 2,967 in 2018 to 3,682 in 2022, reflecting an annual growth rate of 6%, and India accounts for about 75% of the world’s tiger population.
December GST Revenue Growth
The Goods and Services Tax (GST) collection in December stood at ₹1.74 lakh crore, recording a 6% increase compared to December 2024 (₹1.64 lakh crore), as per Central Government data released on January 1. The GST revenue in November was ₹1.70 lakh crore. Of the December collection, ₹1.22 lakh crore came from domestic transactions with a 1.2% growth, while ₹51,977 crore was collected from imports, registering a 19.7% increase. GST refunds during December rose by 31% to ₹28,980 crore, resulting in a net GST revenue of ₹1.45 lakh crore. Cess collection declined to ₹4,238 crore from ₹12,003 crore in December 2024. Following the GST rate rationalisation in September to two slabs (5% and 18%), prices of about 375 goods were reduced; GST collections were ₹1.89 lakh crore in September and ₹1.96 lakh crore in October. During the April–December period of the current financial year, total GST collection reached ₹16.5 lakh crore, compared to ₹15.2 lakh crore in the same period of the previous year, while the financial year 2024–25 recorded a record GST collection of ₹22.08 lakh crore.
First Vande Bharat Sleeper Train (Kolkata–Guwahati)
India’s first Vande Bharat sleeper train is set to operate between Kolkata (Howrah Railway Station) in West Bengal and Guwahati in Assam, covering a distance of 966 km. The service will be inaugurated by Narendra Modi, as announced by Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Railway Minister. The train is expected to commence operations within 15–20 days, with the inauguration likely around January 18 or 19. The fare, including food, will be up to ₹2,300 (AC 3-tier), ₹3,000 (AC 2-tier), and ₹3,600 (AC First Class), which is lower than the existing airfare of ₹6,000–₹8,000 between the two cities. The train consists of 16 coaches, has a passenger capacity of 823, a maximum speed of 180 km/h, and is planned to operate at 120–130 km/h. By the end of this year, 12 Vande Bharat sleeper trains are scheduled to be ready and introduced on other routes across the country under Indian Railways.
International News
Shift in Wildlife Smuggling Routes to North East–Myanmar Corridor
Investigations by forest and wildlife enforcement agencies revealed that international wildlife smuggling networks linked to poaching gangs from Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have shifted from the Nepal–Tibet route to the North East–Myanmar corridor to traffic wild animal parts and live exotic species into China. Interrogations of ten members of an inter-state poaching gang arrested in Chandrapur, Maharashtra, in January 2025, and questioning of international pangolin smuggler L. Kunga, arrested from Kolasib in northern Mizoram, indicated increasing use of the Mizoram–Myanmar corridor for moving tiger and leopard parts and live exotic animals. Data showed China as a major destination in the illegal wildlife trade, involving pangolins, rhino horns, tiger parts, elephant tusks (ivory), turtles and tortoises. Smuggling via Nepal and Tibet has declined due to tighter border enforcement, while trafficking has risen through Mizoram, with Champhai district emerging as a key hotspot; earlier, Moreh in Manipur served as a primary route. After entering Myanmar, consignments are routed to Mong La on the Myanmar–China border. The trend is linked to weakened enforcement in Myanmar after the 2021 military coup, an unfenced India–Myanmar border, and improved road connectivity along the border.
Shoran Mamdani Becomes Mayor of New York
Shoran Mamdani, an Indian-origin leader, was sworn in as the 112th Mayor of New York City on January 1, becoming the first person of South Asian descent and the first Muslim to hold the post. The oath of office was administered by Letitia James, the New York State Attorney General, at the Old City Hall Subway Station. 34-year-old Mamdani is a member of the Queens County Legislature and is the son of filmmaker Mira Nair and academic Mahmood Mamdani. He was born in Kampala, Uganda, moved to New York City at the age of 7, and obtained United States citizenship in 2018. In the New York mayoral election held in November, he defeated Curtis Sliwa and former Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Tamil Nadu News
Decline in Buffalo Population in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu’s buffalo population has recorded a sharp decline, falling from 11.8 lakh in the 18th Livestock Census (2007) to 5.19 lakh in the 20th Livestock Census (2019), while data from the 21st Livestock Census is yet to be released. To address this trend, Aavin has implemented the Buffalo Calf Rearing Scheme (BCRS), launched in March 2025, covering 12 districts including Salem, Erode, Tiruppur, and Karur. Under the scheme, 2,000 female buffalo calves have been adopted, with 52 calves already calved and 198 currently pregnant, and in the first year, 250 buffaloes were impregnated through artificial insemination using scientific breeding practices. Farmers are provided protein-rich cattle feed, mineral mixtures, and doorstep veterinary services for up to 26–32 months, and each beneficiary receives free inputs worth ₹41,000. The scheme is fully funded with ₹8.2 crore under the Tamil Nadu Innovation Initiatives, based on recommendations of the State Planning Commission. As of now, Aavin’s buffalo milk procurement stands at 10,000 litres per day, with a target to increase it to 30,000 litres per day by the end of 2026.
TNPSC Government Recruitment Statistics (2025)
The Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) reported that in 2025, a total of 20,471 candidates were selected for government jobs through direct recruitment, which is an increase of 9,770 selections compared to 2024, and during the same year, notifications were issued to fill 11,809 vacant posts. To strengthen social justice in direct recruitment, 1,007 posts were filled for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. From 2025, several administrative reforms were introduced, including live streaming of counselling sessions through the TNPSC YouTube channel, availability of answer sheets for download from the official website, online receipt of vacancy details from government departments, payment of examination fees through UPI, and submission of petitions online under the Right to Information Act. For the first time in TNPSC history, notifications are set to be released for three consecutive years (2024, 2025, 2026) for Integrated Group-I examinations, Group-I, Group-II, Group-IIA, and Group-IV posts, Integrated Technical Services Examinations (interview and non-interview posts), and Diploma/ITI-level posts, as announced by Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission.
Tiger Census in Tamil Nadu (2026 Cycle)
The tiger census, conducted once every four years across India, will be carried out in Tamil Nadu from January 5 to the end of February, as announced by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department. The census will cover five major tiger habitats in the state—Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Anamalai Tiger Reserve, Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve, and Megamalai Tiger Reserve—which are part of the Western Ghats ecosystem. In the 2018 tiger census, Tamil Nadu recorded 264 tigers, which increased to 306 tigers in 2022. The first phase of the 2026 tiger census will begin on January 5, with surveys conducted for 7 days at each location, and the final report is scheduled for release in 2027.