1) NationalDRDO develops indigenous quantum technology: DRDO has signed a Technology Development Fund agreement with Zero mK India Private Limited to develop an indigenous 20 millikelvin dilution refrigerator for advanced quantum applications. The system is intended to provide ultra-low temperatures required for quantum computing and related research.Bio-based biodegradable plastic launched: Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh launched the commercial use of bio-based biodegradable Polylactic Acid (PLA) plastic under the government's BioE3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment) framework.A pilot-scale PLA facility is being established at Balrampur Chini Mills Limited (BCML), Kumbhi, Uttar Pradesh, with a planned capacity of 100 tonnes per annum.BRICS Theatre Festival 2026: The Ministry of Culture will organise the BRICS Theatre Festival 2026 in New Delhi from October 12 to 14, 2026.The theme of the BRICS Theatre Festival is “Shared Stories, Shared Futures.”The festival will bring together theatre practitioners, scholars, students and cultural representatives from nine BRICS member and partner countries.The National School of Drama (NSD) is the nodal organisation for the festival.INS Sudarshini reached Alexandria, Egypt, as part of its 10-month Lokayan-2026 sail-training voyage.Lokayan-2026 was flagged off from Kochi, Kerala, on January 20, 2026.The voyage covers approximately 22,000 nautical miles, 18 ports and 13 countries.NEET-PG 2026 results: The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences declared the NEET-PG 2026 results. Around 2.66 lakh candidates appeared for the examination.For General and EWS candidates, the qualifying percentile remained 50th percentile, with the qualifying score at 262 marks out of 720.For SC, ST and OBC candidates, the qualifying percentile remained 40th percentile, with the qualifying score at 226 marks.2) InternationalIndia-ASEAN trade: India-ASEAN bilateral trade reached approximately US$128.38 billion during FY 2025–26.ASEAN accounted for about 10.55% of India's total global trade during FY 2025–26.India participated in the 23rd ASEAN-India Economic Ministers' Consultation and the 14th East Asia Summit Economic Ministers' Meeting in Manila, Philippines.Discussions included the ongoing review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA).United Nations General Assembly: Discussions at the 81st UN General Assembly continue to focus on multilateralism, international law, global conflicts and reform of international institutions.The G4 countries — India, Brazil, Germany and Japan — have reiterated the need for reform of the UN Security Council and expansion of permanent membership.France and Mexico continue to advocate voluntary restraint on the use of the UN Security Council veto in situations involving mass atrocities.The five permanent members of the UN Security Council are United States, United Kingdom, France, China and Russia.3) EconomyRBI revises InvIT and REIT valuation norms: The Reserve Bank of India has introduced revised valuation norms for Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) held by All-India Financial Institutions.The revised framework provides separate treatment for quoted and unquoted InvIT and REIT units.Unquoted InvIT and REIT units are generally valued using their disclosed Net Asset Value (NAV), subject to the prescribed conditions.UPI Merchant Discount Rate: A 0.4% MDR has been introduced for specified person-to-merchant UPI transactions above ₹2,000, with the new framework scheduled to take effect from October 15, 2026.Person-to-person UPI transactions remain free, irrespective of transaction value.Merchant transactions up to ₹2,000 under the applicable framework remain free.Approximately 96% of P2M UPI transactions are expected to remain unaffected by the new MDR framework.The MDR is not a tax collected by the government; it is distributed among participants in the digital payments ecosystem.The government has indicated that mechanisms will be put in place to ensure that the MDR is not passed on to consumers.India's manufacturing strategy: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has called for India's economic growth to move beyond merely “Made in India” towards products that are conceived, designed and technologically developed in India.Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) has signed an MoU for developing a greenfield shipyard at Dugarajapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.The proposed shipyard involves an investment of approximately ₹15,000 crore.The project is expected to strengthen India's shipbuilding and ship-repair capabilities.4) Date’s ImportanceWorld Pharmacists Day — September 25World Pharmacists Day is observed every year on September 25.The day marks the anniversary of the establishment of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) in 1912.World Pharmacists Day was officially adopted in 2009.The 2026 theme is “Empowering Pharmacists for Healthier Futures.”The day highlights the contribution of pharmacists to healthcare, medicine access, patient safety and public health.Antyodaya DiwasSeptember 25 is observed in India as Antyodaya Diwas.It commemorates the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, who was born on September 25, 1916.Antyodaya refers broadly to the principle of ensuring the welfare and upliftment of the poorest and most marginalised sections of society.5) Person of the Day — Anant NagVeteran actor Anant Nag has been conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024.The award was presented by President Droupadi Murmu at the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony held at Ekta Nagar, Kevadia, Gujarat.Anant Nag is renowned for his contributions to Kannada cinema as well as Indian cinema more broadly.The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India's highest honour in the field of cinema.Anant Nag becomes an important current-affairs personality for questions related to Indian cinema, national awards and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.6) SportsAsian Games 2026The 20th Asian Games are being held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.India's women's cricket team has secured India's first gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games.Naorem Roshibina Devi won silver in the women's 60 kg Wushu Sanda event.Roshibina Devi became a silver medallist at two consecutive Asian Games.Satnam Singh and Salman Khan won bronze in the men's double sculls rowing event.The Indian pair recorded a time of 6:13.25.Seema Kumari won bronze in the women's 10,000 metres athletics event.India's mixed 4×400m relay team won silver.India's medal-winning performances have included significant contributions from shooting, weightlifting, wushu, badminton, rowing, athletics and other disciplines.Mirabai Chanu won silver in the women's 49 kg weightlifting category.Anahat Singh advanced to the women's singles quarterfinals in squash.India's men's kabaddi team advanced to the semifinals after topping its group.India is continuing its campaign across shooting, athletics, rowing, squash, kabaddi, hockey, boxing, table tennis, swimming and other events.FootballIndia is scheduled to host Panama in a senior men's international football match on September 25, 2026, at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru.It is the first senior international football meeting between India and Panama.7) Awards72nd National Film Awards were presented in September 2026 at Ekta Nagar, Kevadia, Gujarat.Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024: Anant Nag.The National Film Awards recognise outstanding achievements in various areas of Indian cinema.Best Arts/Culture Film: Main Nida, directed by Atul Pandey.The documentary focuses on the life and legacy of poet and lyricist Nida Fazli.The 72nd National Film Awards ceremony was presided over by President Droupadi Murmu.8) Other Important SignificanceQuantum technology: India's indigenous 20 mK dilution refrigerator project represents an important development for ultra-low-temperature quantum research.BioE3: The commercial PLA initiative links biotechnology with sustainable manufacturing, environmental protection and employment generation.Green manufacturing: The proposed Dugarajapatnam shipyard is significant for India's maritime manufacturing and shipbuilding ecosystem.Digital payments: The revised UPI MDR framework is an important development in the long-term sustainability of India's digital-payment ecosystem.Maritime diplomacy: INS Sudarshini's Lokayan-2026 voyage combines naval sail training with India's maritime outreach.BRICS cultural cooperation: The BRICS Theatre Festival is part of India's broader cultural engagement during its 2026 BRICS Presidency.India-ASEAN relations: The latest trade figures underline the importance of ASEAN in India's external trade and Indo-Pacific economic engagement.Antimicrobial resistance: India's National Pharmacy Week activities in 2026 are being conducted under the overarching mission “Swasth Bharat: Combating Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).”UNSC reform: Calls for Security Council reform remain an important international-relations topic, particularly regarding permanent representation and veto powers.Word of the Day — “Pragmatic”Meaning: Dealing with problems in a practical and realistic way rather than relying only on theory or ideals.Synonym: PracticalAntonym: IdealisticSample Sentence:The government adopted a pragmatic approach to strengthen India's digital-payment ecosystem while protecting consumers.

1) 🇮🇳 NationalAyushman Bharat completes 8 years: The Ayushman Bharat programme has completed eight years. More than 60 crore beneficiaries are now covered under the scheme, which provides health cover of up to ₹5 lakh per family per year.KAVACH 4.0 commissioned: Indian Railways commissioned KAVACH Version 4.0 for the first time on the South Central Railway.The first KAVACH 4.0 deployment covers 108 route kilometres between Malkajgiri and Kamareddi in Telangana.KAVACH 4.0 introduces improvements in location accuracy, signalling information, optical-fibre communication and electronic-interlocking interfaces.Special Campaign 6.0: The preparation phase of Special Campaign 6.0 is underway, with implementation scheduled from October 2 to October 31, 2026. The campaign focuses on cleanliness, reducing pendency and improving workplace efficiency.ASEAN-India Agriculture cooperation: The 9th ASEAN-India Ministerial Meeting on Agriculture and Forestry was held in New Delhi. The countries agreed on a new Plan of Action for 2026–2030.President Droupadi Murmu attended the 75th annual convocation of Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda in Vadodara.IMEI tampering: Tampering with the IMEI of a mobile device can attract punishment under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, including imprisonment of up to three years or a fine of up to ₹50 lakh.District-level economic data: The National Statistical Office released district-level estimates for India's unincorporated non-agricultural sector for the first time, covering 757 districts.Consumer protection: Amendments to the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 seek to strengthen protection against dark patterns and misleading search results.2) 🌍 International81st United Nations General Assembly: The 81st session of the UN General Assembly is underway in New York.G4 meeting: India, Brazil, Germany and Japan — the G4 nations — continued discussions on United Nations Security Council reform.India-France-UAE cooperation: India, France and the UAE reviewed cooperation in areas including artificial intelligence, space, health sciences, energy and culture.International Space Summit: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the first International Space Summit in Paris virtually and outlined India's long-term ambitions for the space sector.Maritime security: World Maritime Day 2026 is being observed amid increased attention to maritime security, resilient supply chains and protection of seafarers.BRICS cooperation: India completed its 2026 BRICS tax-cooperation chairship with several institutional initiatives aimed at strengthening cooperation among BRICS tax authorities.3) 💰 EconomyBRICS Tax Authorities Meeting: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the BRICS Heads of Tax Authorities Meeting in New Delhi.Two new India-led BRICS working groups were established on International Taxation & Transfer Pricing and Revenue Statistics.The BRICS Tax Progress Report 2026 was formally adopted.The BRICS Young Tax Professionals Capacity Building Programme has been institutionalised as an annual initiative.A BRICS Tax Cross-Learning Lab was formally launched.China will take over the chairship of the BRICS tax cooperation track in 2027.Banking liquidity: India's banking-system liquidity has declined significantly from the exceptionally high levels recorded earlier in September, following RBI measures and seasonal tax outflows.The RBI has been using Open Market Operations (OMOs) and Variable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR) operations to manage excess liquidity.Rupee: RBI Deputy Governor Poonam Gupta said there is scope for the Indian rupee to stabilise and appreciate.Solar power: India's installed solar capacity has reached nearly 165 GW by mid-2026.PM Surya Ghar: More than 51 lakh households have benefited under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, with around 14.8 GW of rooftop solar capacity commissioned.SEMICON India 2026: The semiconductor industry event saw participation from more than 600 exhibitors and resulted in 56 MoUs, highlighting India's growing semiconductor ecosystem.Banking services: Public Sector Banks and Regional Rural Banks are scheduled to remain operational on September 27, 2026, a Sunday, in view of the proposed nationwide bank strike from September 28–30.4) 📅 Date’s ImportanceWorld Maritime Day 2026 is being observed on September 24.The theme for 2026–2027 is “From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence.”World Maritime Day is observed on the final Thursday of September every year.The day is observed under the International Maritime Organization (IMO).The theme focuses on converting international maritime policies and regulations into effective action.Major focus areas include maritime safety, new technologies, decarbonisation, cybersecurity, maritime security and protection of the marine environment.September 24 also marks the birth anniversary of Madam Bhikaji Cama, born in 1861.Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh Guru and founder of the city of Amritsar, was born in 1534.5) 👤 Person of the Day — Mirabai ChanuMirabai Chanu won the silver medal in the women's 49 kg weightlifting event at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.She lifted a combined total of 198 kg.North Korea's Ri Song Gum won gold with a total of 215 kg.Indonesia's Luluk Diana Tri Wijayana won bronze with 191 kg.This was Mirabai Chanu's first Asian Games medal.Her silver medal ended India's 28-year wait for an Asian Games weightlifting medal.India's previous Asian Games weightlifting medal had been won by Karnam Malleswari at the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games.Mirabai Chanu had earlier won Olympic silver at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in the women's 49 kg category.6) 🏅 Sports20th Asian Games 2026: The Games are being held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, 2026.Mirabai Chanu: Won silver in women's 49 kg weightlifting and ended India's 28-year wait for an Asian Games weightlifting medal.Badminton: India's men's badminton team defeated Japan 3–0 to reach the semifinals and secure a medal.Soft Tennis: Jay Meena became India's first Asian Games medallist in soft tennis by winning bronze in men's singles.Shooting: India's men's and women's skeet teams won bronze medals.Wushu: Indian athlete Roshibina Devi advanced to the final of her event.Women's Cricket: India's women's cricket team won gold, giving India its first gold medal of the 2026 Asian Games.The Asian Games continue through October 4, so India's medal tally remains subject to change as additional events are completed.7) 🏆 Awards72nd National Film Awards: The awards ceremony was held on September 22, 2026, at Ekta Nagar, Gujarat.Dadasaheb Phalke Award: Veteran Kannada actor Anant Nag received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024.Best Feature Film: Article 370.Best Actress in a Leading Role: Yami Gautam for Article 370.Best Actor in a Leading Role: Mammootty for Bramayugam and Kartik Aaryan for Chandu Champion shared the award.Best Director: Rajkumar Periasamy for Amaran.Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment: Kalki 2898 AD.Best Debut Film of a Director: Randeep Hooda for Swatantrya Veer Savarkar.Best Non-Feature Film: Bhangaar.Best Documentary: Ram-Nami.8) 🔎 Other Important SignificanceKAVACH 4.0 marks a major development in India's indigenous automatic train-protection system.The Telecommunications Act, 2023 provides legal provisions against illegal tampering with mobile-device identifiers such as IMEI.India's semiconductor ecosystem continues to expand through investments, partnerships and manufacturing-related initiatives under the country's semiconductor programme.The PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana continues to expand India's residential rooftop-solar ecosystem.The BRICS tax cooperation mechanism is gaining institutional depth through permanent working groups and capacity-building programmes.The 2026 Asian Games are particularly important for India because several athletes have achieved historic firsts and ended long medal droughts.The World Maritime Day 2026–27 theme places emphasis on implementing maritime regulations rather than merely adopting them.The UN Security Council reform remains an important international-relations topic, with the G4 continuing to advocate a more representative and effective Security Council.India's space sector: Increasing private-sector participation and international cooperation remain key components of India's long-term space ambitions.National Statistical Office: The release of district-level estimates for the unincorporated sector provides more granular information for understanding India's local economic activity.📚 Word of the Day — “Resilient”Meaning: Able to recover quickly from difficulties, disruptions or adverse conditions.Synonym: Strong, adaptable, robustAntonym: Vulnerable, fragile, weakSample Sentence: India is working to build a resilient maritime and supply-chain infrastructure capable of dealing with global disruptions.

Jayakrishnan EduTips Daily Digest (September 23, 2026)1) 🇮🇳 National11th Ayurveda Day: India is observing the 11th Ayurveda Day today. The theme for 2026 is “Ayurveda for a Healthier Tomorrow.”Ayurveda Day on a fixed date: From 2026 onwards, September 23 has been designated as the fixed date for Ayurveda Day. Earlier, it was observed on Dhanteras/Dhanvantari Jayanti.India International Water Week 2026: The event is being held in New Delhi, focusing on water security, conservation, management and sustainable use of water resources.Anti-Narcotics Task Force Conference: The 3rd National Conference of Chiefs of Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) is being held in New Delhi, focusing on coordinated action against drug trafficking.Tarang Shakti 2026: The Indian Air Force is hosting the second edition of Exercise Tarang Shakti, a multinational air exercise aimed at improving operational learning and interoperability.Environmental clearances: The validity period of environmental clearances for ports and harbours has been extended to a minimum of 20 years, considering their long gestation and phased development.2) 🌍 International81st UN General Assembly: The high-level week of the 81st United Nations General Assembly continues in New York, with global peace, development, international cooperation and multilateralism among the major themes.International Day of Sign Languages: September 23 is observed as the International Day of Sign Languages. The 2026 theme is “Declaring Deaf People’s Human Rights.”World Federation of the Deaf: The year 2026 marks the 75th anniversary of the World Federation of the Deaf.UN Convention milestone: 2026 also marks 20 years since the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).India at UNGA: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is participating in high-level diplomatic engagements during the UN General Assembly week.3) 💰 EconomyRBI liquidity management: The Reserve Bank of India continues to withdraw surplus liquidity from the banking system through instruments including Open Market Operations (OMO) and other liquidity-management measures.Banking sector: The RBI has cautioned banks against aggressive loan-price competition, stressing the need for sustainable lending practices and proper risk management.RBI valuation norms: The RBI has amended valuation rules for InvIT and REIT units held by All-India Financial Institutions.Weighted Average Call Rate: The WACR has moved above the repo rate amid tighter banking-system liquidity.Natural diamonds: Natural diamond prices remain significantly below their earlier peaks amid changing consumer demand and competition from lab-grown diamonds.4) 🗓 Date’s importanceInternational Day of Sign Languages – September 23: Observed annually to raise awareness about the importance of sign languages in the full realisation of the human rights of deaf people.11th Ayurveda Day – September 23: India observes Ayurveda Day today under the theme “Ayurveda for a Healthier Tomorrow.”World Federation of the Deaf: September 23 was chosen for the International Day of Sign Languages because the World Federation of the Deaf was established on September 23, 1951.International Week of Deaf People: The International Week of Deaf People 2026 is being observed from September 21 to 27.5) 👱‍♂👩‍🦳 Person of the dayAnant Nag: Veteran Kannada actor Anant Nag recently received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024.The award was presented by President Droupadi Murmu at the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony held at Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, on September 22.The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India's highest honour in the field of cinema.6) 🏅 SportsAsian Games 2026: The 20th Asian Games are underway in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4.India's first gold: India's women's cricket team won India's first gold medal of the 2026 Asian Games by defeating Sri Lanka by 147 runs in the women's T20 final.Smriti Mandhana: Mandhana scored 79 runs in the gold-medal match and became the first woman cricketer to reach 11,000 international runs.Asian Games cricket: India scored 216/3, while Sri Lanka were bowled out for 69 runs in the women's final.Men's Badminton: India's men's badminton team is in action in the semi-final against China.Weightlifting: Mirabai Chanu is competing in the women's 48 kg category, while Gyaneshwari Yadav is also in medal contention.Shooting: Manu Bhaker is competing in the women's 10m Air Pistol individual and team events.Wushu: Roshibina Devi is competing in the women's 60 kg semifinal.7) 🏆 AwardsDadasaheb Phalke Award: Anant Nag received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024.Best Feature Film: Article 370 won the Best Feature Film award at the 72nd National Film Awards.Best Actor: Mammootty for Bramayugam and Kartik Aaryan for Chandu Champion jointly won the Best Actor award.Best Actress: Yami Gautam won the Best Actress award for Article 370.Best Director: Rajkumar Periasamy won Best Director for Amaran.Best Supporting Actor: Sanjay Mishra won the award for Bhakshak.Best Feature Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment: Kalki 2898 AD received the award.8) ⭐️ Other important significanceSemicon India 2.0: The programme aims to strengthen India's semiconductor ecosystem across chip design, fabrication, advanced packaging, research and development and skilled manpower.India–ESA cooperation: ISRO and the European Space Agency (ESA) have extended their cooperation agreement until 2032, covering areas including space science, space weather and robotic exploration.Asian Games: The 2026 Games feature 43 sports and 469 medal events.Sign languages: There are more than 300 different sign languages used by deaf communities worldwide.Deaf population: More than 70 million deaf people worldwide use sign languages, highlighting the importance of linguistic accessibility and inclusion.📚 Word of the dayInteroperability — The ability of different systems, organisations or technologies to work together and exchange information effectively.