Current Affairs 21 October 2026 — Full notes
Published:
Current Affairs 21 October 2026 — 36 news items
At a glance
the top events
The most important events of this page, and how many news items each topic holds.
Top events
- 21 Oct — Sunil Kumar was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet as the next Chairman of ONGC. He takes charge on or after 7 December 2026, succeeding Arun Kumar Singh, whose extension ends on 6 December.
- 21 Oct — The first Chhattisgarh Hockey League runs from 21 October to 1 November at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Hockey Stadium, Raipur; Union MoS Raksha Khadse inaugurated it and its tagline is "Chalo Re Sangi, Hockey Khelbo".
- 21 Oct — The week-long International Kullu Dussehra began on 21 October at Dhalpur Maidan with the Rath Yatra of Lord Raghunath; Governor Kavinder Gupta inaugurated it, and it runs till 27 October.
- 21 Oct — Maharashtra launched its first Annapurti Grain ATM at Nashik, with the UN World Food Programme, to give PDS foodgrains round the clock. Two more are planned, at Nagpur and Thane.
- 21 Oct — The Commission for Air Quality Management enforced GRAP Stage 1 in Delhi-NCR on 21 October 2026 after Delhi's AQI rose to 244 from 179 a day earlier. Stage 1 applies when the AQI is between 201 and 300.
- 21 Oct — Elephant Prashantha carried the 750-kg golden howdah in the Mysuru Dasara Jamboo Savari on Vijayadashami, 21 October 2026. It was his first time as howdah elephant, after Abhimanyu was retired on turning 60.
- 21 Oct — West Bengal formed a six-member Special Investigation Team led by retired Calcutta High Court judge Justice Anindita Roy Saraswati to probe the 17 October Chorbagan Durga Puja stampede in Kolkata, with a three-month deadline.
News by topic
- Government & States
- 10 one-liners
- Economy & Banking
- 10 one-liners
- Science, Defence & Environment
- 5 one-liners
- Sports, Days & Culture
- 7 one-liners
- Awards, Appointments & Books
- 4 one-liners
Government & States
10 one-liners
Policy · laws · schemes · states.
National
- 21 Oct — The UDAN regional connectivity scheme completed 10 years on 21 October 2026. It has operationalised 687 routes and 95 aerodromes, with the next phase of Rs 28,840 crore running till 2036.
- 21 Oct — Police Commemoration Day was observed on 21 October to honour police killed on duty. It recalls the 10 personnel killed at Hot Springs, Ladakh, in 1959. 154 personnel were commemorated this year.
- 21 Oct — Gujarat's General Administration Department ordered that digital certificates will carry the issuing authority's official round seal, so citizens need not visit offices for stamping, as part of Digital Gujarat 2.0.
- 21 Oct — On Police Commemoration Day in Lucknow, CM Yogi Adityanath raised the uniform allowance of PPS officers from ₹6,400 to ₹15,000 and the field motorcycle allowance from ₹700 to ₹1,000 a month.
- 21 Oct — The CM said Uttar Pradesh has formed three new women PAC battalions named after Veerangana Uda Devi Pasi, Jhalkari Bai Kori and Avanti Bai Lodhi, and that women in the police rose from 10,000 to 45,000.
- 21 Oct — At Ravindra Bhawan, Bhopal, CM Mohan Yadav gave 954 compassionate appointment letters to School Education Department candidates and announced 400 new school buildings, including 200 Sandipani Vidyalaya buildings for tribal areas.
- 21 Oct — At the state Police Commemoration Day parade in Bhopal, CM Mohan Yadav said aid for martyred police families will be split 50% to the spouse and 50% to the parents. Nine Madhya Pradesh personnel died on duty this year.
- 21 Oct — The Gujarat Cabinet raised the monthly travel allowance of about 2,900 gram sevaks from Rs 1,850 to Rs 2,700, because each gram sevak covers four to five village panchayats.
- 21 Oct — Maharashtra launched its first Annapurti Grain ATM at Nashik, with the UN World Food Programme, to give PDS foodgrains round the clock. Two more are planned, at Nagpur and Thane.
- 21 Oct — West Bengal formed a six-member Special Investigation Team led by retired Calcutta High Court judge Justice Anindita Roy Saraswati to probe the 17 October Chorbagan Durga Puja stampede in Kolkata, with a three-month deadline.
Economy & Banking
10 one-liners
RBI · markets · trade · reports.
Economy & Banking
- 21 Oct — Sunil Kumar, the next ONGC chairman, joined ONGC in 1991 and has been Executive Director and Asset Manager of the Mehsana Asset since 8 January 2025. His tenure runs to his retirement on 31 December 2028, then on contract.
- 21 Oct — ONGC is a Maharatna public sector company, set up in 1956, with its headquarters in New Delhi.
- 21 Oct — The Department of Financial Services runs the Financial Inclusion Saturation Campaign from 21 October to 31 December 2026 in about 2.70 lakh Gram Panchayats and urban local bodies, under the slogan "Aapki Poonji, Aapka Adhikar".
- 21 Oct — The Financial Inclusion Saturation Campaign covers PMJDY, re-KYC, PMJJBY, PMSBY, APY, PMFBY and Kisan Credit Cards for PM-KISAN beneficiaries.
- 21 Oct — The RBI's MPC minutes (21 October) show the 25 bps repo rate hike to 5.50% was unanimous, while the stance change to "calibrated tightening" passed 4-2. The SDF rate is 5.25% and the MSF rate and Bank Rate are 5.75%.
- 21 Oct — CM Sukhu flagged off the Shimla-Rampur-Reckong Peo helicopter service from Sanjauli heliport; it flies on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays under Viability Gap Funding, with Hamirpur, Chamba and Palampur to follow in 3-4 months.
- 21 Oct — Gujarat's Cabinet approved an extra state subsidy on rooftop solar under PM Surya Ghar: general consumers pay about 10% of the benchmark cost and SC/ST consumers 5%. It covers over 3 lakh families at about Rs 1,000 crore.
- 21 Oct — Gujarat's post-settlement GST revenue for September 2026 was Rs 8,167 crore, about 35% higher than a year earlier. The state earned Rs 49,858 crore in the first six months of the financial year.
- 21 Oct — The PM-SETU steering committee approved ITI clusters in Pune (Rs 241 crore, partner BVG India) and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Rs 238.01 crore, partner Belrise Industries), each with one hub ITI and four spoke ITIs.
- 21 Oct — The cooperative BHARAT TAXI service was launched at Navi Mumbai International Airport on 21 October 2026 to widen passenger transport options.
Science, Defence & Environment
5 one-liners
Space · tech · forces · ecology.
Defence & Security
- 21 Oct — The Defence Ministry signed a contract worth about Rs 770 crore with Bharat Electronics Limited for the Improved Low-Level Light-Weight Radar for the Army. The 33rd SIMBEX India-Singapore naval exercise began at Visakhapatnam.
- 21 Oct — The Defence Ministry (Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh) signed the Rs 770 crore BEL contract for the improved Low-Level Light-Weight Radar (LLLR-I), which counters drone and cruise-missile threats. It upgrades DRDO-LRDE's Aslesha radar with four GaN-based AESA panels for 360 degree cover.
- 21 Oct — The 33rd SIMBEX-2026 (Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise) is held at Visakhapatnam on 21-26 October. Singapore's ship is RSS Supreme, a Formidable-class stealth frigate; SIMBEX began in 1994 as "Lion King".
- 21 Oct — The India-Russia naval exercise INDRA 2026 concluded off Vladivostok, with INS Sahyadri taking part. INS Trishul made a port call at Lisbon on 21 October.
Environment & Ecology
- 21 Oct — The Commission for Air Quality Management enforced GRAP Stage 1 in Delhi-NCR on 21 October 2026 after Delhi's AQI rose to 244 from 179 a day earlier. Stage 1 applies when the AQI is between 201 and 300.
Sports, Days & Culture
7 one-liners
Results · important days · heritage.
Sports
- 21 Oct — The first Chhattisgarh Hockey League runs from 21 October to 1 November at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Hockey Stadium, Raipur; Union MoS Raksha Khadse inaugurated it and its tagline is "Chalo Re Sangi, Hockey Khelbo".
Important Days
- 21 Oct — On Police Commemoration Day, 21 October 2026, Amit Shah flagged off a nationwide police motorcycle rally themed Fight Against Drugs. The riders will gather at Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, on 31 October.
- 21 Oct — On Police Commemoration Day (21 October) Chief Minister Vijay gave Rs 5.96 crore to families of police killed on duty; six Tamil Nadu police died on duty this year, of 154 nationally.
Art, Culture & Tourism
- 21 Oct — Lalit Kala Akademi was inaugurated on 5 August 1954 by Maulana Azad and became a statutory body in 1957. It is under the Ministry of Culture, has its HQ in New Delhi and regional centres at Chennai, Lucknow, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar and Garhi.
- 21 Oct — The week-long International Kullu Dussehra began on 21 October at Dhalpur Maidan with the Rath Yatra of Lord Raghunath; Governor Kavinder Gupta inaugurated it, and it runs till 27 October.
- 21 Oct — Elephant Prashantha carried the 750-kg golden howdah in the Mysuru Dasara Jamboo Savari on Vijayadashami, 21 October 2026. It was his first time as howdah elephant, after Abhimanyu was retired on turning 60.
- 21 Oct — The 11-day Mysuru Dasara, the state festival of Karnataka called Nada Habba, ended on 21 October 2026. It was begun in 1610 by Raja Wodeyar I at Srirangapatna.
Awards, Appointments & Books
4 one-liners
Honours · new posts · books · obituaries.
Awards & Honours
| Date | Award | Winner / reason |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Oct | Lalit Kala Akademi Awards 2026 | 20 awards at the 65th National Exhibition of Art |
| 21 Oct | Nidhi Chopra / Ravindra Roy (Bhopal artists) | Lalit Kala Akademi National Award / Print Biennale India 2026 Grand Prize |
Appointments
| Date | Name | Appointed as |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Oct | Sunil Kumar | Next Chairman of ONGC (from 7 Dec 2026) |
| 21 Oct | Tripti Bhatt (IPS, 2013, Uttarakhand cadre) | Superintendent of Police, CBI (5-year deputation) |
Quick quiz
test yourself
Practice questions on this period. Tap an option to check your answer.
Fill in the blank: one-liner flashcards
- _____ was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet as the next Chairman of ONGC. He takes charge on or after 7 December 2026, succeeding Arun Kumar Singh, whose extension ends on 6 December.
- Sunil Kumar
- The first _____ runs from 21 October to 1 November at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Hockey Stadium, Raipur; Union MoS Raksha Khadse inaugurated it and its tagline is "Chalo Re Sangi, Hockey Khelbo".
- Chhattisgarh Hockey League
- The week-long _____ began on 21 October at Dhalpur Maidan with the Rath Yatra of Lord Raghunath; Governor Kavinder Gupta inaugurated it, and it runs till 27 October.
- International Kullu Dussehra
- Maharashtra launched its first _____ at Nashik, with the UN World Food Programme, to give PDS foodgrains round the clock. Two more are planned, at Nagpur and Thane.
- Annapurti Grain ATM
- The Commission for Air Quality Management enforced _____ in Delhi-NCR on 21 October 2026 after Delhi's AQI rose to 244 from 179 a day earlier. Stage 1 applies when the AQI is between 201 and 300.
- GRAP Stage 1
- Elephant _____ carried the 750-kg golden howdah in the Mysuru Dasara Jamboo Savari on Vijayadashami, 21 October 2026. It was his first time as howdah elephant, after Abhimanyu was retired on turning 60.
- Prashantha
- West Bengal formed a six-member _____ led by retired Calcutta High Court judge Justice Anindita Roy Saraswati to probe the 17 October Chorbagan Durga Puja stampede in Kolkata, with a three-month deadline.
- Special Investigation Team
- The _____ completed 10 years on 21 October 2026. It has operationalised 687 routes and 95 aerodromes, with the next phase of Rs 28,840 crore running till 2036.
- UDAN regional connectivity scheme
- _____ was observed on 21 October to honour police killed on duty. It recalls the 10 personnel killed at Hot Springs, Ladakh, in 1959. 154 personnel were commemorated this year.
- Police Commemoration Day
- The Defence Ministry signed a contract worth about _____ with Bharat Electronics Limited for the Improved Low-Level Light-Weight Radar for the Army. The 33rd SIMBEX India-Singapore naval exercise began at Visakhapatnam.
- Rs 770 crore
MCQs
The first Chhattisgarh Hockey League is being held at which venue?
- Major Dhyan Chand Stadium, Bhilai
- Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Hockey Stadium, Raipur
- Nehru Stadium, Bilaspur
- Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Stadium, Raipur
Show answer
Answer: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Hockey Stadium, Raipur — The league is held at Raipur's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Hockey Stadium from 21 October to 1 November.
Who heads the six-member SIT formed by West Bengal to probe the Chorbagan Durga Puja stampede?
- Justice Ashok Ganguly
- Justice Anindita Roy Saraswati
- Justice Indira Banerjee
- Justice Sanjib Banerjee
Show answer
Answer: Justice Anindita Roy Saraswati — The SIT, formed on 21 October 2026, is led by retired Calcutta High Court judge Justice Anindita Roy Saraswati.
The helicopter service flagged off by CM Sukhu on 21 October 2026 connects Shimla's Sanjauli heliport with:
- Manali and Kullu
- Dharamshala and Kangra
- Rampur and Reckong Peo
- Chamba and Dalhousie
Show answer
Answer: Rampur and Reckong Peo — It flies on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays; Hamirpur, Chamba and Palampur are planned next.
Which elephant carried the golden howdah at the 2026 Mysuru Dasara Jamboo Savari?
- Abhimanyu
- Prashantha
- Dhananjaya
- Mahendra
Show answer
Answer: Prashantha — Prashantha carried the 750-kg howdah for the first time; Abhimanyu was retired after turning 60.
The Financial Inclusion Saturation Campaign runs until which date?
- 30 November 2026
- 31 December 2026
- 31 October 2026
- 31 March 2027
Show answer
Answer: 31 December 2026 — It runs from 21 October to 31 December 2026 in about 2.70 lakh Gram Panchayats and urban local bodies.
To how many monthly rupees is the uniform allowance of PPS officers in Uttar Pradesh being raised from ₹6,400?
- ₹10,000
- ₹15,000
- ₹12,000
- ₹20,000
Show answer
Answer: ₹15,000 — CM Yogi Adityanath announced the rise to ₹15,000 on Police Commemoration Day, 21 October 2026.
The International Kullu Dussehra 2026 began with the Rath Yatra of which deity?
- Lord Raghunath
- Goddess Hidimba
- Lord Shiva
- Lord Hanuman
Show answer
Answer: Lord Raghunath — The festival opens with the Rath Yatra of Lord Raghunath and runs from 21 to 27 October.
Under which scheme did the West Bengal Cabinet in October 2026 approve Rs 50,000 over three years for unmarried women in higher education?
- Lakshmir Bhandar
- Bhagini Nivedita Scheme
- Kanyashree
- Swasthya Sathi
Show answer
Answer: Bhagini Nivedita Scheme — The Bhagini Nivedita Scheme, approved on 5 October 2026, pays Rs 17,000, Rs 17,000 and Rs 16,000 over three years.
Who was approved as the next Chairman of ONGC?
- Arun Kumar Singh
- Rajesh Kumar Singh
- Anil Kumar
- Sunil Kumar
Show answer
Answer: Sunil Kumar — Sunil Kumar takes charge on or after 7 December 2026, succeeding Arun Kumar Singh.
The Chief Minister Higher Education Skill Enhancement Scheme-2026 of Uttarakhand covers about how many students?
- 59,000
- 1.19 lakh
- 2.5 lakh
- 5 lakh
Show answer
Answer: 1.19 lakh — The scheme covers about 1.19 lakh students and will cost about Rs 200 crore over five years.
Which of these airports is part of the October 2026 UDAN MoU between the Centre and West Bengal?
- Balurghat
- Siliguri
- Durgapur
- Cooch Behar
Show answer
Answer: Balurghat — The four airports are Chhara (Purulia), Kalaikunda, Balurghat and Hasimara; Rs 29,000 crore is planned over ten years.