Current Affairs 5 October 2026

At a glance

the top events

The most important events of this page, and how many news items each topic holds.

Top events

1. 5 Oct — Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav released two captive-bred male Great Indian Bustards at Sam in Desert National Park, Jaisalmer. The breeding centres at Sam and Ramdevra now hold 97 birds.
2. 5 Oct — The Punjab Cabinet approved the Ranjitgarh Development Authority Bill, 2026 for eco-tourism around the Ranjit Sagar and Shahpur Kandi dam areas; the CM is chairperson and the Tourism Minister is vice-chairman.
3. 5 Oct — Tamil Nadu issued a Government Order on 5 October 2026 for the Annan Seer scheme, giving brides from families earning up to Rs 2.5 lakh a year an 8-gram gold coin and a silk saree. Rs 812 crore was allotted.
4. 5 Oct — The UGC gave final approval on 5 October 2026 for the University of Western Australia to open a campus at Velachery, Chennai, costing Rs 772 crore. It is the first foreign higher education institution in Tamil Nadu.
5. 5 Oct — Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu launched Amarajeevi Jaladhara (Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0) at Proddatur, Kadapa district, on 5 October 2026, with Rs 30,156 crore for tap water to about 90 lakh households.
6. 5 Oct — The West Bengal Cabinet approved recruitment to 14,454 government posts, in departments such as Police, Forest, Fire Services and Prison, to be filled in six to eight months through the state PSC and the Police Recruitment Board.
7. 5 Oct — The Centre and West Bengal signed an MoU for four regional airports under the UDAN scheme, at Chhara (Purulia), Kalaikunda (West Midnapore), Balurghat (South Dinajpur) and Hasimara (Alipurduar), with Rs 29,000 crore planned over ten years.

News by topic

Government & States

14 one-liners

International & Agreements

1 one-liners

Economy & Banking

2 one-liners

Science, Defence & Environment

2 one-liners

Sports, Days & Culture

4 one-liners

Awards, Appointments & Books

3 one-liners

Government & States

14 one-liners

Policy · laws · schemes · states.

National

• 5 Oct — The West Bengal Cabinet under Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari approved the Bhagini Nivedita Scheme, giving unmarried women in higher education Rs 50,000 in three instalments. It starts in January 2027.
• 5 Oct — At the second convocation of Jharkhand Raksha Shakti University in Ranchi, Governor and Chancellor Santosh Kumar Gangwar gave degrees to 207 students and urged youth to help prevent cybercrime.
• 5 Oct — The same Punjab Cabinet meeting cleared regularisation of non-teaching contractual staff of PICTES and promotion rules to fill Tutor posts at the government nursing colleges in Patiala and Amritsar.
• 5 Oct — The Bombay High Court refused to stay voter-name deletions in Maharashtra under the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision, saying related matters are already pending before the Supreme Court.
• 5 Oct — Tamil Nadu issued a Government Order on 5 October 2026 for the Annan Seer scheme, giving brides from families earning up to Rs 2.5 lakh a year an 8-gram gold coin and a silk saree. Rs 812 crore was allotted.
• 5 Oct — The UGC gave final approval on 5 October 2026 for the University of Western Australia to open a campus at Velachery, Chennai, costing Rs 772 crore. It is the first foreign higher education institution in Tamil Nadu.
• 5 Oct — The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority approved a land use change for 21.37 acres at Pattinapakkam for a new Tamil Nadu Secretariat at its 289th meeting on 5 October 2026.
• 5 Oct — Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu launched Amarajeevi Jaladhara (Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0) at Proddatur, Kadapa district, on 5 October 2026, with Rs 30,156 crore for tap water to about 90 lakh households.
• 5 Oct — At the same event the Andhra Pradesh government announced 36 irrigation projects worth Rs 35,000 crore, a target of 19 lakh houses by 2029, and Palle Panduga works worth Rs 11,085 crore.
• 5 Oct — The West Bengal Cabinet approved recruitment to 14,454 government posts, in departments such as Police, Forest, Fire Services and Prison, to be filled in six to eight months through the state PSC and the Police Recruitment Board.
• 5 Oct — The West Bengal Cabinet raised the monthly pay of Karmabandhu (part-time support staff) from Rs 5,000 to Rs 8,000, and the food allowance of SC/ST students in government hostels from Rs 1,800 to Rs 3,300.
• 5 Oct — A Telangana youth delegation visited Guwahati under Yuva Sangam Phase VII, a part of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat, and met Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya on 5 October.

States & UTs

• 5 Oct — The Punjab Cabinet approved the Ranjitgarh Development Authority Bill, 2026 for eco-tourism around the Ranjit Sagar and Shahpur Kandi dam areas; the CM is chairperson and the Tourism Minister is vice-chairman.
• 5 Oct — Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan inaugurated seven new KSRTC services at North Paravur and began a new bus waiting centre. Interstate routes to Palani and Madurai start on 23 October and to Velankanni on 31 October.

International & Agreements

1 one-liners

World · summits · MoUs · exercises.

Summits, Agreements & Exercises

• 5 Oct — The Centre and West Bengal signed an MoU for four regional airports under the UDAN scheme, at Chhara (Purulia), Kalaikunda (West Midnapore), Balurghat (South Dinajpur) and Hasimara (Alipurduar), with Rs 29,000 crore planned over ten years.

Economy & Banking

2 one-liners

RBI · markets · trade · reports.

Economy & Banking

• 5 Oct — SEBI launched the investor-awareness campaign "Samajh Se Investing Simple" under Project Jagrook at Panjab University, Chandigarh, during World Investor Week (5-11 October).
• 5 Oct — J&K auctioned its first two mineral blocks through the Centre's auction process: the Koot-Kapran (22.43 hectares) and Wantrag limestone blocks in Anantnag district.

Science, Defence & Environment

2 one-liners

Space · tech · forces · ecology.

Defence & Security

• 5 Oct — The first India-UAE exercise "Mountain Guardian 2026" began at Chaubatia, Uttarakhand, and runs till 18 October. Each side sent 46 personnel to train for high-altitude warfare.

Environment & Ecology

• 5 Oct — Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav released two captive-bred male Great Indian Bustards at Sam in Desert National Park, Jaisalmer. The breeding centres at Sam and Ramdevra now hold 97 birds.

Sports, Days & Culture

4 one-liners

Results · important days · heritage.

Sports

• 5 Oct — Cricketer Renuka Thakur of Himachal Pradesh, who was part of the women's cricket team that won Asian Games gold, was also named for a Rs 1 crore reward by the state government.

Important Days

• 5 Oct — World Teachers' Day on 5 October 2026 marked 60 years of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation on the Status of Teachers. The global event was held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris.
• 5 Oct — World Habitat Day was observed on 5 October with the theme "Adequate Housing for All". The global event was held in Muscat, Oman.

Art, Culture & Tourism

• 5 Oct — Vadalur in Cuddalore district marked the 204th avatara day of Vallalar (Ramalinga Adigalar, born 1823), whose Suddha Sanmarga teaches compassion for all living beings (jeeva karunyam).

Awards, Appointments & Books

3 one-liners

Honours · new posts · books · obituaries.

Awards & Honours

Appointments

Obituaries

• 5 Oct — Padma Shri Kathak dancer Roshan Kumari of the Jaipur gharana died in Mumbai at 82. She founded the Nritya Kala Kendra in Bandra in 1971.

Quick quiz

test yourself

Practice questions on this period. Tap an option to check your answer.

Fill in the blank: one-liner flashcards

Union Environment Minister _____ released two captive-bred male Great Indian Bustards at Sam in Desert National Park, Jaisalmer. The breeding centres at Sam and Ramdevra now hold 97 birds.

Bhupender Yadav

The _____ approved the Ranjitgarh Development Authority Bill, 2026 for eco-tourism around the Ranjit Sagar and Shahpur Kandi dam areas; the CM is chairperson and the Tourism Minister is vice-chairman.

Punjab Cabinet

Tamil Nadu issued a Government Order on 5 October 2026 for the _____ scheme, giving brides from families earning up to Rs 2.5 lakh a year an 8-gram gold coin and a silk saree. Rs 812 crore was allotted.

Annan Seer

The UGC gave final approval on 5 October 2026 for the _____ to open a campus at Velachery, Chennai, costing Rs 772 crore. It is the first foreign higher education institution in Tamil Nadu.

University of Western Australia

Chief Minister _____ launched Amarajeevi Jaladhara (Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0) at Proddatur, Kadapa district, on 5 October 2026, with Rs 30,156 crore for tap water to about 90 lakh households.

N. Chandrababu Naidu

The _____ approved recruitment to 14,454 government posts, in departments such as Police, Forest, Fire Services and Prison, to be filled in six to eight months through the state PSC and the Police Recruitment Board.

West Bengal Cabinet

The Centre and _____ signed an MoU for four regional airports under the UDAN scheme, at Chhara (Purulia), Kalaikunda (West Midnapore), Balurghat (South Dinajpur) and Hasimara (Alipurduar), with Rs 29,000 crore planned over ten years.

West Bengal

SEBI launched the investor-awareness campaign _____ under Project Jagrook at Panjab University, Chandigarh, during World Investor Week (5-11 October).

"Samajh Se Investing Simple"

The West Bengal Cabinet under Chief Minister _____ approved the Bhagini Nivedita Scheme, giving unmarried women in higher education Rs 50,000 in three instalments. It starts in January 2027.

Suvendu Adhikari

_____ on 5 October 2026 marked 60 years of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation on the Status of Teachers. The global event was held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris.

World Teachers' Day

MCQs

1. Which of these airports is part of the October 2026 UDAN MoU between the Centre and West Bengal?

   1. Balurghat
   2. Siliguri
   3. Durgapur
   4. 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.

2. Which foreign university received UGC final approval to set up a campus at Velachery, Chennai?

   1. University of Southampton
   2. Deakin University
   3. University of Western Australia
   4. University of Liverpool
   Show answer

   Answer: University of Western Australia — It is the first foreign higher education institution in Tamil Nadu, costing Rs 772 crore.

3. Under which scheme did the West Bengal Cabinet in October 2026 approve Rs 50,000 over three years for unmarried women in higher education?

   1. Lakshmir Bhandar
   2. Bhagini Nivedita Scheme
   3. Kanyashree
   4. 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.

4. Who is the Chancellor of Jharkhand Raksha Shakti University, who spoke at its convocation in October 2026?

   1. Hemant Soren
   2. Santosh Kumar Gangwar
   3. Shivraj Singh Chouhan
   4. Ajit Kumar Mohanty
   Show answer

   Answer: Santosh Kumar Gangwar — Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar is the Chancellor and awarded gold medals at the second convocation in Ranchi.

5. The Ranjitgarh Development Authority Bill, 2026 of Punjab is about eco-tourism around which dams?

   1. Ranjit Sagar and Shahpur Kandi
   2. Bhakra and Pong
   3. Harike and Ropar
   4. Nangal and Kishau
   Show answer

   Answer: Ranjit Sagar and Shahpur Kandi — The authority will plan sustainable development around the Ranjit Sagar and Shahpur Kandi dam areas; the CM is its chairperson.

6. Great Indian Bustards were released into the wild in October 2026 at which place?

   1. Sam, Desert National Park
   2. Ranthambore
   3. Sariska
   4. Keoladeo
   Show answer

   Answer: Sam, Desert National Park — Minister Bhupender Yadav released two captive-bred males at Sam, Jaisalmer.

7. The Annan Seer scheme of Tamil Nadu gives brides how much gold?

   1. 8 gram
   2. 4 gram
   3. 1 gram
   4. 10 gram
   Show answer

   Answer: 8 gram — The 22-carat coin comes with a silk saree for families earning up to Rs 2.5 lakh.

8. The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded for discoveries leading to which technique?

   1. CRISPR gene editing
   2. Optogenetics
   3. mRNA vaccines
   4. Immune checkpoint therapy
   Show answer

   Answer: Optogenetics — Deisseroth, Hegemann and Nagel were honoured for light-gated ion channels, the basis of optogenetics.

9. To which district did West Bengal's weekly nutrition support scheme for tribal families launch in October 2026 first apply?

   1. Darjeeling
   2. Jhargram
   3. Malda
   4. Nadia
   Show answer

   Answer: Jhargram — The Chief Minister launched it at Kalajharia village in Jhargram, covering about 70,000 families.

10. The first exercise "Mountain Guardian 2026" at Chaubatia, Uttarakhand, was held between India and which country?

    1. UAE
    2. Saudi Arabia
    3. Oman
    4. Egypt
    Show answer

    Answer: UAE — It was the inaugural high-altitude exercise between the Indian Army and the UAE Army, held from 5 to 18 October 2026.