Daily Current Affairs – 27-02-2026

National News

Supreme Court Bans NCERT Class 8 Textbook Over Judiciary Chapter

The Supreme Court of India has banned a Class 8 Social Science textbook published in February by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) under the Ministry of Education, over a chapter referring to corruption in the judiciary. A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant initiated a suo motu case and ordered an immediate ban on the book along with the seizure of all its physical and digital copies. The Court held that the content in the textbook related to references about corruption in the judiciary. During the proceedings, the Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta appeared before the Court. The issue was raised in New Delhi and has led to directions for accountability regarding the publication of the textbook. The matter relates to educational content and judicial oversight over textbooks published by NCERT under the Union Government.

DGCA Revises Air Ticket Cancellation and Refund Norms

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has revised the rules related to air ticket refunds and cancellations, extending the free cancellation and modification window from 24 hours to 48 hours from the time of booking. Under the new norms, airlines must provide a 48-hour option during which passengers can cancel or modify tickets without additional charges, subject to any fare changes. The rules apply to tickets booked directly through the airline’s website. The regulator has also made airlines solely responsible for processing refunds even if tickets are booked through travel agents or third-party booking portals. Passengers cancelling travel due to a medical emergency of themselves or a co-traveller are eligible for a full refund. Free name correction is allowed within 24 hours of booking. These revised rules apply to domestic travel booked at least seven days in advance and international travel booked at least fifteen days in advance.

Personalities, Awards and Events

Eminent Sociologist T.K. Oommen Passes Away at 88

T.K. Oommen, eminent sociologist and Professor Emeritus at the Centre for the Study of Social Systems, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), passed away at the age of 88, and his funeral was held in Gurugram. Born on October 16, 1937, at Venmani, Alappuzha in the then Travancore, he was regarded as one of the key figures in modern Indian sociology. He served as former President of the Indian Sociological Society (ISS) and was associated with the International Sociological Association (ISA). He also chaired the advisory committee of the Gujarat Harmony Project and was a member of a committee that studied the social, economic and educational status of the Muslim community in India. His research covered areas such as the Bhoodan Movement, social movements, state and ethnicity, communal violence, and professions including nursing (1978). He authored more than 20 books and received several honours including the Padma Bhushan, the V.K.R.V. Rao Prize in Sociology, the G.S. Ghurye Prize in Sociology and Social Anthropology, and the Swami Pranavananda Award of UGC.

Sunetra Pawar Elected NCP National President

Following the demise of Ajit Pawar, leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the party’s national convention unanimously elected Sunetra Pawar as the National President of NCP. Her election took place nearly a month after Ajit Pawar’s death. At the same convention, Parth Pawar was chosen to represent the party in the Rajya Sabha, and Praful Patel was re-elected as the National Working President of NCP. Additionally, Sunil Tatkare was unanimously re-elected as the President of the Maharashtra unit of NCP. The decisions were taken during the party’s national conference.

Railway Minister Launches Rail Tech Policy and Innovation Portal

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced a new Rail Tech Policy aimed at promoting technological innovation in the railway sector by engaging innovators and start-ups. The policy proposes a dedicated innovation portal that allows submission of detailed project proposals and provides up to 50% financial support for development costs of selected solutions. The funding support will be extended to start-ups or innovators proposing feasible technological solutions, and successful projects may receive long-term orders from the Railways for large-scale implementation. The innovation areas identified under the policy include AI-powered elephant intrusion detection systems, AI-based fire detection systems in coaches, drone-based broken rail detection, rail stress monitoring systems, sensor-based load calculation devices for parcel vans (VPUs), solar panel integration in coaches, and AI-driven coach cleaning monitoring systems.

CDSCO Revises Testing Norms to Speed Up Drug Approvals

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), the apex drug regulatory authority in India, has revised its testing approval process to fast-track approvals for new drugs. Under the new system, companies will be allowed to begin laboratory testing immediately after submitting their applications, without waiting for detailed scrutiny. As per an official circular, the No Objection Certificate (NOC) for testing drug samples in specified laboratories will be issued immediately upon receipt of applications by the concerned division. The revised procedure will come into effect from June 1, 2026.

17 Agreements Signed Between India and Israel

A total of 17 agreements and precursor agreements were signed between India and Israel to strengthen cooperation in various sectors. The agreements cover operational areas of middle-layer industries including foreign trade, finance, education, agriculture, textiles, handicrafts, the Information Technology (IT) industry, efficiency, time management, and cultural heritage. In addition, a major announcement was made to provide 50,000 employment opportunities for Indians in Israel over the next five years as part of bilateral cooperation.

Tamil Nadu News

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin Launches ₹215.79 Crore HR&CE Development Works

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin inaugurated and laid foundation stones for development works worth ₹215.79 crore under the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department in Chennai on the 26th. He inaugurated the operation of a foreign trade portal for the department and dedicated renovated structures and new scheme works at several temples, including Arulmigu Thanduthapani Swami Temple, Theni district (₹53 crore). He laid the foundation stone for new works at Thiru Chendur Murugan Temple, Erode district (₹30 crore), Thiruvarur Thiyagarajaswamy Temple, Thanjavur district (₹29.75 crore), and inaugurated facilities at Thirunageswaram Temple (₹15.08 crore). He also inaugurated works for a Kodi Maram at Thiruvidaimarudur Mahalingaswamy Temple (₹9.76 crore) and laid the foundation stone for a Kodi Maram at Arulmigu Somasundareswarar Temple, Dharmapuri district (₹7.76 crore). Development works were completed at major temples including Arulmigu Ramanathaswamy Temple, Rameswaram, Arulmigu Subramania Swamy Temple, Thiruchendur, Arulmigu Kanthaswamy Temple, Chennai, Arulmigu Periyanaayaki Amman Temple, Thiruvanaikoil, Arulmigu Dhandayuthapani Swami Temple, Palani, and Thiruparankundram. He also laid the foundation stone for 22 new schemes worth ₹175.23 crore, including works at Arulmigu Sivan Temple, Cuddalore district. Ministers K.N. Nehru, P.T.R. Palanivel Thiagarajan, K. Selvaperunthakara, P. Moorthy, Sivakumar, Chief Secretary V. Irai Anbu, and HR&CE Commissioner K. Phanindra Reddy participated in the event.

International News

Bank of England Governor Mark Carney Visits India

Bank of England Governor Mark Carney arrived in India on the 27th for a four-day official visit. During the visit, he is scheduled to hold discussions and a press conference with the Prime Minister, and the leaders discussed the response framework related to the G20 meeting. Earlier, Mark Carney had participated in the G7 and G20 meetings held in Canada, where discussions were held on strengthening the response framework. During his visit to Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, he will take part in industrial and policy discussions and interact with industry leaders and company executives. He also held discussions with Prime Minister Trudeau regarding the established framework for the India-Canada Economic Partnership, focusing on cooperation in sectors such as trade, finance, education, agriculture, textiles, handicrafts, and the IT sector. Officials from the Ministry of External Affairs are accompanying the discussions.

India–France Strategic Partnership Reflected on Social Media

On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the India–France Strategic Partnership, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a follow on Instagram from French President Emmanuel Macron, as confirmed by officials. Narendra Modi joined Instagram in 2014 and has maintained an active presence on social media for the past 10 years, engaging with leaders of G20 nations. He follows accounts of foreign heads of state and government, including the French President. The Indian Embassy in France stated that officials from the Ministry of External Affairs are also associated with following official social media accounts related to the Prime Minister. On Instagram, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has 4.32 million followers.

SEBI Revises Mutual Fund Classification Norms

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has introduced major changes to the classification rules of mutual fund schemes in India. A new category called ‘Life Cycle’ fund has been introduced, and the existing ‘Solution Oriented’ schemes have been discontinued. Under the revised norms, all mutual fund schemes are classified into five main categories: Equity, Debt, Hybrid, Life Cycle, and Other schemes. Scheme names must clearly reflect their investment pattern, and the use of exaggerated terms is restricted, while foreign equity investments will no longer be treated as a separate category. The Life Cycle fund is designed for long-term goals such as retirement and children’s education, allowing investments from 5 to 30 years, with higher equity exposure in the initial stage and gradual shifting to safer debt instruments as maturity approaches. SEBI has mandated that Index and ETF schemes must invest at least 95% of their total funds in their respective specified sectors. Mutual fund companies are also required to publish a monthly report detailing investments made in a single company across their schemes. All mutual fund companies have been given a six-month deadline to align their schemes with the new rules.

World Economic Forum President Børge Brende Resigns

Børge Brende, President of the World Economic Forum (WEF), has resigned from his post following allegations of ties with Jeffrey Epstein, the American businessman who was accused in sexual abuse cases and died in prison. Brende, a former Norwegian Foreign Minister, had been serving as President of the World Economic Forum since 2017. Evidence from the US Justice Department confirmed that he attended three events with Jeffrey Epstein and was in contact with him through email. Following his resignation, Alois Zwinggi has been appointed as the interim President of the World Economic Forum, and the process to select a permanent President will begin soon.