Kerala Current Affairs 2026 — Full notes
Published:
Kerala Current Affairs 2026 — October 2026 · September 2026
At a glance
the top events
The most important events of this page, and how many news items each topic holds.
Top events
- 12 Aug — Parliament passed the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 to rename the state Keralam. The Lok Sabha cleared it on 11 August and the Rajya Sabha on 12 August; the new name takes effect from a date the Centre will notify.
- Writer R. Rajasree won the 50th Vayalar Award (2026), a leading Malayalam literary prize, for her novel Athreyakam.
- 18 Oct — Chief Minister Satheesan opened the 800-metre Makkekadavu-Nere Kadavu bridge across Vembanad Lake, linking Alappuzha and Kottayam, and announced that Aroor will become a blue economy hub under Mission Samudra.
- 23 Oct — Keralam plans strict action against bars that serve alcohol to people below 23 years, which is the state's legal drinking age.
- 25 Oct — The Kerala School Sports Meet opened in Kozhikode on 25 October 2026, with 9,309 athletes competing across 10 venues.
News by topic
- Government & States
- 22 one-liners
- International & Agreements
- 3 one-liners
- Economy & Banking
- 6 one-liners
- Science, Defence & Environment
- 9 one-liners
- Sports, Days & Culture
- 9 one-liners
- Awards, Appointments & Books
- 11 one-liners
Government & States
22 one-liners
Policy · laws · schemes · states.
National
14 one-liners
14 National — 12 Aug – 25 Oct.
- The Union Cabinet approved renaming Kerala as 'Keralam' using the Article 3 process. The Kerala Assembly had passed the proposal in June 2024 and sought changes to the First and Eighth Schedules.
- India's first metro opened in Kolkata in 1984, the first underwater metro tunnel was also built there in 2024, and Kochi is the country's first water-metro city.
- 12 Aug — Parliament passed the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 to rename the state Keralam. The Lok Sabha cleared it on 11 August and the Rajya Sabha on 12 August; the new name takes effect from a date the Centre will notify.
- The Kerala High Court directed the Union government to make the Data Protection Board functional within eight weeks under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, in a case on airport passenger data and Digi Yatra.
- The Kerala High Court observed that a daughter-in-law is not covered by the word "makkal" (children) in the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act.
- A Special Bench of the Supreme Court stayed for a week a corruption probe ordered by the Kerala High Court, holding that Section 66(2) of the PMLA, 2002 is only an intimation, not a direction.
- Kerala started the Dakshayani self-employment scheme for Scheduled Caste women and the Excise Department's Mayangilla Keralam campaign against drug mafias; the Mittai scheme gives free treatment to children with Type 1 diabetes.
- The Education Department launched Koode to bring back students who are often absent and expanded the Sampoorna portal. Mentor Teacher improves learning in Classes 1 to 7.
- 23 Oct — Keralam plans a six-month paid apprenticeship in the final semester of the four-year undergraduate programme (FYUP). Kerala University plans to offer it to its students.
- 23 Oct — Keralam plans strict action against bars that serve alcohol to people below 23 years, which is the state's legal drinking age.
- 24 Oct — Keralam will distribute pensions of the social security and welfare fund boards from 26 October, according to a report of 24 October 2026.
- 24 Oct — The Satheesan Cabinet reinstated the RTI Act exemption for sensitive vigilance units (T1 and T2) of Kerala, which an earlier order had withdrawn.
- 24 Oct — The Union Home Ministry plans a civil defence network with Army support, and Kerala is one of the first two States or UTs where it will start.
- 25 Oct — The Kerala government exempted sections of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) from the RTI Act, 2005, a decision that drew criticism on transparency grounds, according to reports of 24-25 October 2026.
States & UTs
8 one-liners
8 States & UTs — 4 May – 5 Oct.
- The Delhi government launched the ANMOL scheme for free screening of newborns for 56 genetic and metabolic disorders through a heel-prick blood test; earlier, only Kerala ran such full newborn screening.
- 4 May — In Kerala, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) ended ten years of rule by the Left's LDF. Voter turnout was 79.7%.
- Kerala launched the WOMN scheme, which supplies sanitary napkins through vending machines at KSRTC terminals. Each pack of three costs Rs 10.
- New cattle breeds recognised: Periyar dwarf (Kerala) and Umarda (Maharashtra).
- Keezhmad in Ernakulam was declared Kerala's first tobacco-free village, and Kattakada became the first constituency in India to target carbon neutrality by 2050.
- Kozhikode was included in the UN Global Network of Age-friendly Cities, and Alappuzha became India's first fully digitised library district, with 351 libraries on the Info Library app.
- Thiruvananthapuram opened GIGON, Kerala's first rest centre for gig workers, and a drone station for locating missing fishermen is planned at Vizhinjam.
- 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
3 one-liners
World · summits · MoUs · exercises.
Summits, Agreements & Exercises
- 27 Mar — The Indian Navy held IMEX TTX 2026 at Kochi on 27 March. It was the third meeting of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) and India chairs IONS for 2026-2028.
- 10 Aug — The Indian Navy and the US Navy began the 8th bilateral Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) exercise at the Southern Naval Command, Kochi, running from 10 to 14 August 2026.
- 19 Oct — The 5th India-Australia exercise AUSTRAHIND 2026 began at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala (19 October to 1 November). Around 240 personnel take part.
Economy & Banking
6 one-liners
RBI · markets · trade · reports.
Economy & Banking
- Adani Ports (APSEZ) started India's first Port of Refuge facilities at Vizhinjam (west coast) and Gopalpur (east coast) for ships in distress, with rescue, firefighting, wreck removal and pollution-control services from SMIT Salvage and a Marine Emergency Response Centre.
- 1 Oct — From 1 October 2026 the railway line to Mangaluru moved from the Palakkad Division of Southern Railway to the Mysuru Division of South Western Railway.
- 18 Oct — Chief Minister Satheesan opened the 800-metre Makkekadavu-Nere Kadavu bridge across Vembanad Lake, linking Alappuzha and Kottayam, and announced that Aroor will become a blue economy hub under Mission Samudra.
- 23 Oct — Keralam is seeking central funds for three industrial parks in the Kannur and Ernakulam districts, according to a report of 23 October 2026.
- 24 Oct — The Centre sanctioned Rs 27 crore for the Bairakkuppa bridge, which links Keralam and Karnataka, after a wait of about 30 years.
- 25 Oct — WAPCOS Ltd has been given time until March 2027 to prepare the feasibility report (FSR) and detailed project report (DPR) for Keralam's 800 MW Idukki Extension Scheme.
Science, Defence & Environment
9 one-liners
Space · tech · forces · ecology.
Science & Technology
- A Kerala start-up handed its Akasha300 3D printer to ISRO's Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), Valiamala; its dual-extrusion head prints two materials together, and it withstands 350 degrees C, with 500 degrees C planned.
- ISRO completed crew module and service module separation tests at VSSC, Thiruvananthapuram, ahead of the uncrewed Gaganyaan-1 mission carrying the humanoid Vyommitra.
- IISER Thiruvananthapuram made a solid, magnesium hydridomethylzincate, which releases hydrogen and methane when heated.
- Dr S. Bijoy Nandan became the first Malayali to reach the 90-degree North Pole, and Gen Robotics won an ISRO contract to build a robot for space missions.
- 24 Oct — Keralam introduced a generic medicine for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a rare genetic muscle disease. The health minister said there is no cause for concern and will clarify in the Assembly on 26 October.
Defence & Security
- 19 Oct — New Zealand sent observers for the first time to AUSTRAHIND 2026, the 5th India-Australia exercise at Thiruvananthapuram.
Environment & Ecology
- Kerala researchers described a new seahorse species, Hippocampus amandavincentae, named after marine biologist Amanda Vincent. It shows that the thorny seahorse once treated as one species is actually three species.
- The Kerala State Wetland Authority began a one-month pilot using robotic technology at Kumarakom to stop the spread of water hyacinth, an invasive plant from South America, in the Ramsar site Vembanad Lake.
- Kerala's first river museum will be set up at Vallakkadavu in Thiruvananthapuram, and a tribal university is planned in Wayanad.
Sports, Days & Culture
9 one-liners
Results · important days · heritage.
Sports
- Services won the Santosh Trophy 2025-26 by beating Kerala 1-0 in extra time in the final at Dhakuakhana Stadium, Assam. It was Services' eighth title.
- At the Asian Para Games 2026, Alphia James of Kerala and Pallavi Kaluvelli of Karnataka won bronze in badminton doubles, India's first Para Asian Games badminton medal.
- Kerala athletes Ancy Sojan and Murali Sreeshankar won silver in the women's and men's long jump at the 2026 Asian Games, and Vidarsha K. Vinod became the first Malayali with two Asian Games shooting medals.
- Mohammed Basil, a Malayali sprinter, won silver in the men's 100 m at the Asian Para Games 2026, where the Games record was broken by both medallists.
- 24 Oct — Kerala Blasters FC were allotted the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi, for their 2026-27 ISL home matches at Rs 3.5 lakh per game after the government stepped in to reduce the rent.
- 25 Oct — The Kerala School Sports Meet opened in Kozhikode on 25 October 2026, with 9,309 athletes competing across 10 venues.
Art, Culture & Tourism
- Excavations at Pattanam near North Paravur, linked to the ancient port of Muziris, show evidence from about 300 BCE to 300 CE. Sixty-seven trenches dug between 2006 and 2023 yielded about 1.3 lakh artefacts.
- Kerala will host the 27th State Special School Kalolsavam at Thiruvananthapuram, the 58th State Science Fair at Mannarkkad and the 65th State School Kalolsavam (2027) in Ernakulam.
- 24 Oct — Officials of Tamil Nadu and Keralam met to finalise the route plan and safety measures for the Sabarimala pilgrimage season.
Awards, Appointments & Books
11 one-liners
Honours · new posts · books · obituaries.
Awards & Honours
| Date | Award | Winner / reason |
|---|---|---|
| · | 50th Vayalar Award 2026 | R. Rajasree for the novel Athreyakam |
| · | Forbes India 100 richest 2026 (Malayali) | Yusuff Ali M. A. (first among Malayalis) |
| · | IDSFFK 18th edition Lifetime Achievement Award | Neena Sabnani |
Appointments
| Date | Name | Appointed as |
|---|---|---|
| · | V. D. Satheesan | Chief Minister of Kerala |
| · | Niveditha Subramanian | Member, National Commission for Women |
| · | Raveendran; Premkumar; Suresh Babu Elayavoor | Chairmen: Film Academy; KSFDC; Folklore Academy |
| · | Sreedhanya Suresh | Collector of Kasaragod (first ST woman Collector in Kerala) |
Obituaries
- Actress Savithri Sreedharan, a veteran of Malayalam theatre and cinema, passed away in Kozhikode. She received a Special Jury Mention at the 66th National Film Awards.
- Rice conservationist and Padma Shri awardee Cheruvayal Raman (Nellachan) died in Kerala at 74. He saved over 45 traditional rice varieties on his Wayanad farm.
- Fisheries scientist Dr B. Madhusoodanakurup, the first Vice-Chancellor of the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), died in October 2026.
- 19 Oct — Raghavan Nambiar, who lit the torch at Kozhikode in 1956 to start the relay marking the formation of Kerala, died on 19 October 2026. The relay ended in Thiruvananthapuram.
Quick quiz
test yourself
Practice questions on this period. Tap an option to check your answer.
Fill in the blank: one-liner flashcards
- Parliament passed the _____ to rename the state Keralam. The Lok Sabha cleared it on 11 August and the Rajya Sabha on 12 August; the new name takes effect from a date the Centre will notify.
- Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026
- Writer _____ won the 50th Vayalar Award (2026), a leading Malayalam literary prize, for her novel Athreyakam.
- R. Rajasree
- Chief Minister Satheesan opened the 800-metre _____ across Vembanad Lake, linking Alappuzha and Kottayam, and announced that Aroor will become a blue economy hub under Mission Samudra.
- Makkekadavu-Nere Kadavu bridge
- Keralam plans strict action against bars that serve alcohol to people below _____, which is the state's legal drinking age.
- 23 years
- The _____ opened in Kozhikode on 25 October 2026, with 9,309 athletes competing across 10 venues.
- Kerala School Sports Meet
- _____ won the Santosh Trophy 2025-26 by beating Kerala 1-0 in extra time in the final at Dhakuakhana Stadium, Assam. It was Services' eighth title.
- Services
- The Union Cabinet approved renaming _____ as 'Keralam' using the Article 3 process. The Kerala Assembly had passed the proposal in June 2024 and sought changes to the First and Eighth Schedules.
- Kerala
- A Kerala start-up handed its _____ 3D printer to ISRO's Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), Valiamala; its dual-extrusion head prints two materials together, and it withstands 350 degrees C, with 500 degrees C planned.
- Akasha300
- The Delhi government launched the _____ for free screening of newborns for 56 genetic and metabolic disorders through a heel-prick blood test; earlier, only Kerala ran such full newborn screening.
- ANMOL scheme
- India's first metro opened in Kolkata in _____, the first underwater metro tunnel was also built there in 2024, and Kochi is the country's first water-metro city.
- 1984
MCQs
The 28th Charles Correa Gold Medal 2026 was given for which thesis?
- Equitability through Design
- Urban Heat
- Walled City Futures
- Energy Commons
Show answer
Answer: Energy Commons — The Kochi student's thesis was "Energy Commons"; "Equitability through Design" was the theme.
Keralam plans strict action against bars serving alcohol to people below which age?
- 18 years
- 21 years
- 25 years
- 23 years
Show answer
Answer: 23 years — The legal drinking age in Keralam is 23 years, so bars serving anyone below it face action.
What is the capacity of the Idukki Extension Scheme in Keralam, for which WAPCOS is preparing the reports?
- 400 MW
- 800 MW
- 1,200 MW
- 600 MW
Show answer
Answer: 800 MW — WAPCOS has time until March 2027 to prepare the FSR and DPR for the 800 MW Idukki Extension Scheme.
The Kerala School Sports Meet 2026 opened in which district on 25 October 2026?
- Kozhikode
- Thrissur
- Kollam
- Kannur
Show answer
Answer: Kozhikode — The meet opened in Kozhikode with 9,309 athletes competing across 10 venues.
Who took oath as the 29th Governor of Keralam on 23 October 2026?
- Rajendra Arlekar
- Arif Mohammed Khan
- Dushyant Gautam
- Om Prakash Mathur
Show answer
Answer: Om Prakash Mathur — Chief Justice Soumen Sen administered the oath; Mathur had been Governor of Sikkim.
Which village in Ernakulam was declared Kerala's first tobacco-free village?
- Thrikkakara
- Keezhmad
- Peralassery
- Perali
Show answer
Answer: Keezhmad — Keezhmad was named in the October 2026 weekly list of Kerala updates.
By what percentage did Keralam's 2026 southwest monsoon rainfall fall short?
- 28%
- 13%
- 17%
- 20%
Show answer
Answer: 28% — It received 1,446.5 mm against a normal of 2,018.6 mm.
Raghavan Nambiar, who died on 19 October 2026, is remembered for lighting the torch in which year?
- 1947
- 1961
- 1973
- 1956
Show answer
Answer: 1956 — He began the torch relay at Kozhikode when Kerala was formed in 1956.
The Akasha300 3D printer was handed to which ISRO centre?
- VSSC, Thiruvananthapuram
- LPSC, Valiamala
- SDSC, Sriharikota
- URSC, Bengaluru
Show answer
Answer: LPSC, Valiamala — A Kerala start-up gave the printer to the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre at Valiamala.
Which Act's Section 66(2) did the Supreme Court say is only an intimation, not a direction, in a Kerala case?
- PC Act, 1988
- PMLA, 2002
- DPDP Act, 2023
- RTI Act, 2005
Show answer
Answer: PMLA, 2002 — The Special Bench stayed the Kerala High Court-ordered probe for a week.
Which two ports got India's first 'Port of Refuge' facilities?
- Vizhinjam and Gopalpur
- Mundra and Kandla
- Kochi and Chennai
- Paradip and Haldia
Show answer
Answer: Vizhinjam and Gopalpur — Adani Ports started the facilities at Vizhinjam (west coast) and Gopalpur (east coast).
Which stadium was allotted to Kerala Blasters FC for their 2026-27 ISL home matches at Rs 3.5 lakh per game?
- Greenfield Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram
- EMS Stadium, Kozhikode
- Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi
- Payyanad Stadium, Kannur
Show answer
Answer: Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi — Kerala Blasters FC got the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi for ISL home games after the government helped reduce the rent.