Daily Current Affairs – 28-04-2026

States’ News

Student Enrollment in Tamil Nadu Government Schools Crosses One Lakh

In Tamil Nadu, student enrollment in government and government-aided schools for the 2024–2025 academic year has crossed one lakh. The state has 37,554 government schools with more than 52 lakh students studying in them. To improve enrollment, the admission process has been conducted early since 2024, beginning in March, and was officially launched on March 1, 2024 in Chennai by the School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh. Various welfare schemes such as Ennum Ezhuthum (literacy and numeracy program), Breakfast Scheme, and Smart Classrooms are implemented to support student learning. As per official data, 97,737 students enrolled in Class 1, 8,178 students in Classes 2 to 8, and 6,796 students in Kindergarten, making a total enrollment of 1,12,711 students in government and government-aided primary and middle schools.

National News

BJP Strength in Rajya Sabha Increases to 113

In New Delhi, 7 Rajya Sabha MPs from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), including Raghav Chadha, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), increasing the BJP’s strength in the Rajya Sabha to 113 and the NDA coalition strength to 148. The total strength of the Rajya Sabha is 245 members, and a two-thirds majority is required to pass Constitutional Amendment Bills. The merger of MPs was accepted by the Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan, as informed by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju. Following this, the official Rajya Sabha website updated the status of the defected MPs as BJP members. After the split, AAP has 3 remaining MPs in the Rajya Sabha, namely Sanjay Singh, Balbir Singh, and N.D. Gupta. A petition has been submitted seeking disqualification of the defected MPs under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution (Anti-Defection Law). By the end of the year, around 30 Rajya Sabha seats are expected to fall vacant.

ECI Disqualifies 529 Candidates under RP Act, 1951

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has disqualified 529 candidates who contested in recent Lok Sabha and Legislative Assembly elections for failing to submit election expense accounts within the stipulated time, as per Section 10-A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. The order was issued on March 16, and as per rules, candidates must submit their expense accounts within 30 days of declaration of results. These disqualified candidates are barred from voting and contesting elections for a period of three years in elections conducted by the ECI, but this does not apply to elections conducted by State Election Commissions. The list includes candidates from several states, with the highest from Uttar Pradesh (120), followed by Karnataka (59), Madhya Pradesh (39), Chhattisgarh (36), Tamil Nadu (33), Bihar (28), Telangana, Punjab, Uttarakhand (27 each), Andhra Pradesh (25), and Kerala (16).

IIT Madras Incubates 112 Start-ups in FY 2026

The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras), under its ‘Startup Shatam’ initiative, has incubated more than 100 start-ups for the second consecutive year, with 112 start-ups in FY 2026 through the IITM Incubation Cell (IITMIC), compared to 104 in FY 2025. The total number of start-ups under IITMIC has reached 567, with a combined valuation of over ₹74,100 crore ($8 billion). Notable start-ups include Agnikul Cosmos, Mindgrove, Uniphore, Guvi, and Ather Energy, with Ather Energy’s 2025 IPO becoming the first public listing from IIT Madras’ portfolio. In FY 2026, IIT Madras filed 431 patents, including 352 Indian patents and 79 international patents, exceeding the ‘one patent a day’ target set by Director V. Kamakoti; in FY 2025, 419 patents were filed. Around 60% of start-ups incubated in FY 2026 were founded by external entrepreneurs, covering sectors such as manufacturing, robotics, automotive, batteries, defence, aerospace, AI and Machine Learning, biotech, and quantum technologies.

NRCB Launches India’s First Banana Field Gene Bank

The National Research Centre for Banana (NRCB) in Tiruchy has launched the ‘Banana Field Gene Bank’ project to conserve rare banana varieties and protect genetic resources. Farmers cultivating rare varieties can register with NRCB, where scientists will preserve, develop, and multiply these varieties. The project was launched by Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra, Chairman of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPV&FRA), and it is identified as the first field gene bank for banana in India. The initiative is supported by the Government of India to promote conservation of genetic diversity in crops like banana, coconut, and paddy. Under this scheme, farming communities preserving plant genetic resources will receive a cash award of ₹10 lakh, individual farmers will receive ₹1.5 lakh, and financial assistance of up to ₹15 lakh over three years will be provided for conservation efforts.

NGT Forms Expert Committee on Groundwater Depletion

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has constituted a high-level expert committee to address the issue of groundwater depletion in India, taking up the matter suo-motu. The principal bench comprising Justice Prakash Shrivastava (Chairperson), Dr. A. Senthil Vel (Expert Member), and Dr. Afroz Ahmad (Expert Member) reviewed data from the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) and various State and Union Territory governments, which indicated large-scale over-exploitation of groundwater and weak enforcement of regulatory guidelines. Data shows that Punjab (75.16%), Haryana (61.54%), NCT Delhi (41.18%), Tamil Nadu (33.87%), and Karnataka (18.99%) have high levels of groundwater exploitation. The tribunal has formed a committee with representatives from the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), Geological Survey of India (GSI), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), and IIT Roorkee, with CGWA as the nodal agency, and directed it to submit its report within three months.

Chhattisgarh Tops MGNREGA e-KYC Completion in India

Chhattisgarh has secured the first position in India in completing e-KYC verification of workers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), achieving a 97.11% completion rate as per data released by the Central Government. The state completed e-KYC for 56.87 lakh workers out of 58.71 lakh active workers, surpassing states such as Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Kerala (97.06%). The e-KYC process helps eliminate fake job cards and ensures direct transfer of wages to beneficiaries’ bank accounts. The scheme, earlier known as MGNREGA, has been renamed as ‘Viksit Bharat Rozgar and Ajeevika Guarantee Mission (Gramin)’.

Urdu Wikisource Digital Library Launched

The Punjabi Wikimedians User Group has launched the Urdu Wikisource, a free, open-source global digital library for Urdu literature. The platform is supported by the Wikimedia Foundation, with foundational content provided through international collaborations. The Rekhta Foundation contributed 10 rare Urdu texts, while the British Library shared 7 rare historical texts digitised under the ‘Two Centuries of Indian Print (2016–2022)’ project. Notable works included in the collection are ‘Alif Layla’ and the 19th-century version of ‘Padmavat’ by Malik Muhammad Jayasi.

INS Sunayna Reaches Singapore under MAHASAGAR Mission

The Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) SAGAR – INS Sunayna reached the Changi Naval Base, Singapore on April 26, 2026, as part of its deployment under the MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) initiative. This visit marks the fourth port call of the ship, following visits to Malé, Phuket, and Jakarta. The ship has a multinational crew from 16 Friendly Foreign Countries (FFCs) and operates in the Indian Ocean Region. During the visit, India’s High Commissioner to Singapore Dr. Shilpak Ambule interacted with the crew, and the ship’s Commanding Officer Cdr Siddharth Chaudhary paid tribute at the Kranji War Memorial and held discussions with Col Chuah Meng Soon of the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN). The ship is scheduled to depart Singapore on April 29, 2026, to continue its mission of promoting maritime security and cooperation.

Dilip Kumar Appointed CVO of SAIL

Shri Dilip Kumar, a senior officer of the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME), has assumed charge as the Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) on April 27, 2026. He has over two decades of experience in train operations, rolling stock maintenance, and human resource management. He previously served as Additional Divisional Railway Manager in East Central Railway (ECR) and Chief Workshop Manager at Harnaut, Nalanda (Bihar). He is associated with initiatives such as the first ISO 9001 certified train in ECR, in-situ wheel replacement technique for wagons, and the Madhubani railway station beautification project. He holds a B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from IIT BHU and has received the National Award for Outstanding Services (2016) and the Railway Board Certificate of Excellence for Best Innovation (2018–19).

Science and Technology News

ISRO Completes Mapping of Indian Villages (1:10,000 Scale)

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has completed a nationwide project to map every village in India using satellite data, and the announcement was made on National Panchayati Raj Day. The mapping covers high-resolution land use and land cover at a scale of 1:10,000, where 1 cm on the map represents 100 meters on the ground. According to the 2011 Census, India has 6,49,481 villages, and the generated satellite data has been shared with government agencies. The dataset has been integrated into the Ministry of Panchayati Raj’s ‘Gram Manchitra’ portal, which supports Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDP) and facilitates data-driven governance at the rural level.

Economy News

RBI Approves MobiKwik NBFC License Application

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the application of One MobiKwik Systems Ltd (MobiKwik) to establish a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC). Through this approval, MobiKwik will launch a new lending division, MobiKwik Financial Services Private Ltd (MFSPL), as its wholly-owned subsidiary. The NBFC will begin operations after receiving the Certificate of Registration from RBI. The proposed NBFC aims to provide secured and unsecured credit products to consumers and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), especially in underserved regions, and will function based on MobiKwik’s existing customer base of over 18.6 crore users and its technological and risk assessment capabilities.

International News

OpenAI–Microsoft Exclusive AI Agreement Ends

OpenAI and Microsoft have ended their exclusive agreement that allowed Microsoft to sell OpenAI’s AI models, enabling OpenAI to enter into agreements with other cloud computing companies such as Amazon. As per the revised agreement announced on Monday, Microsoft will no longer pay revenue sharing on OpenAI products it resells on its cloud platform. OpenAI can now collaborate with multiple providers, including Amazon Web Services (AWS), to meet its computing needs. Despite this change, Microsoft remains the primary cloud provider for OpenAI, and new OpenAI products will be launched first on Microsoft Azure. The agreement also includes a cap on revenue sharing for OpenAI’s direct product sales.

Rajnath Singh Attends SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Bishkek

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) to lead India’s delegation at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting, a grouping of 10 member countries. The discussions focus on regional security, terrorism, and the geopolitical impact of the West Asia crisis. India is expected to emphasise its zero tolerance policy towards terrorism and extremism and hold bilateral meetings with participating countries. At the previous meeting held in Qingdao, India raised concerns on cross-border terrorism and issues related to sovereignty and territorial integrity, including projects like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). India also strengthens defence relations with Kyrgyzstan through military training programmes and the annual ‘Khanjar’ special forces exercise, as part of its ‘Connect Central Asia’ policy.

17th Petersberg Climate Dialogue Held in Berlin (2026)

The 17th Petersberg Climate Dialogue was held in Berlin, Germany on April 21–22, 2026, with participation from ministers and officials of over 30 countries, serving as the first major ministerial meeting ahead of the COP31 UN Climate Change Conference to be held in Antalya, Türkiye. The meeting focused on energy security, climate action, and the impact of geopolitical tensions on global energy systems. Germany’s Environment Minister Carsten Schneider highlighted the need to shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, and emphasised electrification of transport and heating sectors. EU Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra noted that electricity accounts for only 23% of Europe’s energy consumption. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz supported multilateral climate policy, while IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol stated that 75% of new power generation capacity globally came from renewable energy and warned about the energy crisis linked to the Strait of Hormuz.

Tamil Nadu News

Tamil Nadu to Establish First Floating Solar Power Plants

The Tamil Nadu Green Energy Corporation Limited (TNGECL) has proposed to establish the state’s first Floating Solar Photovoltaic (FPV) power plants at seven locations across Tamil Nadu. The identified sites include Mettur Dam, Bhavanisagar Dam, Vaigai Dam, Red Hills (Puzhal) Reservoir, Sathanur Dam, and a site at Avalanche owned by TNGECL. The project aims to expand renewable energy capacity and optimise the use of water bodies for power generation. TNGECL has sought permission from the Water Resources Department (WRD) and has engaged a private firm to conduct feasibility studies and provide technical support. According to estimates by the Union Government, Tamil Nadu has a floating solar potential of up to 3,000 MW across 57 reservoirs, and as a pilot project, a total capacity of 100 MW will be implemented in seven locations. The feasibility study will assess project cost, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), reservoir depth, and site suitability.

Tamil Nadu Records Double-Digit Growth for Second Consecutive Year

Tamil Nadu has recorded double-digit economic growth for two consecutive years, with its Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) increasing from ₹31.19 lakh crore in 2024–25 to ₹35.29 lakh crore in 2025–26, registering a 13.16% growth rate, one of the fastest among Indian states. Over the five-year period 2021–22 to 2025–26, the state achieved an average annual growth rate of 9.07%, compared to 5.21% during 2016–17 to 2020–21 and 7.18% during 2014–15 to 2018–19. The growth trend is supported by consistent nominal growth rates of 15.91% (2021–22), 14.47% (2022–23), 13.34% (2023–24), and 15.98% (2024–25). Sector-wise, the secondary sector recorded about 15% growth, the services sector about 8.5%, and the primary sector about 6%, with the agricultural component showing recovery from negative growth in previous years to nearly 9% growth in 2025–26. The per capita income of the state stands at ₹4.08 lakh, ranking second after Karnataka (₹4.33 lakh).

Important Days

World Day for Safety and Health at Work (April 28)

April 28 is observed as the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO) to promote safe and healthy working conditions and to prevent workplace accidents and occupational diseases. The day also coincides with the International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers (Workers’ Memorial Day), which is observed globally to remember workers who lost their lives or were injured in workplaces.