Current Affairs 01 October 2026

SCO Summit 2027

An Indian delegation participated in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of National Coordinators meeting in Islamabad, Pakistan, under Pakistan’s SCO Chairmanship for 2026–27. Pakistan assumed the SCO Chairmanship for 2026–27 following the 2026 Bishkek Summit. Its chairmanship theme is “Turning Vision into Action: Connectivity, Innovation and Shared Prosperity.”

The SCO currently has 10 member countries. India and Pakistan became full members in 2017, Iran joined as a full member in 2023, and Belarus became the tenth member in 2024. The organisation was established in 2001, and its permanent bodies include the SCO Secretariat in Beijing and the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) in Tashkent.

Morocco’s First Woman Prime Minister

King of Morocco appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as the country’s first woman Prime Minister on 29 September 2026, marking a major milestone in Morocco’s political history.

• Capital: Rabat
• Currency: Moroccan Dirham (MAD)
• Morocco will co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal.

India Issues First PRAMAAN Certificate to Andhra Pradesh

Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav handed over India’s first PRAMAAN certificates under the Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme (IFWCS).

The first certificates were awarded to the Andhra Pradesh Forest Development Corporation (APFDC) for plantations covering about 33,000 hectares, and to Govind Mohapatra, a bamboo farmer associated with the Odisha Bamboo Development Agency (OBDA). The plantations underwent field and management audits before certification.

PRAMAAN stands for Programme for Recognition and Accreditation of Sustainable Management practices for Agroforestry and Natural Forestry Resources. It provides a nationally accepted framework linking certified forest and agroforestry products with domestic and international markets. It is particularly relevant as global markets increasingly require verifiable responsible and deforestation-free sourcing of timber and other forest products.

The Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme (IFWCS) was launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in December 2023. The Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Bhopal, serves as its operating agency. PRAMAAN certification covers areas such as Forest Management, Tree Outside Forest Management, and Chain of Custody.

Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) in notified “disturbed areas” of Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh for another six months with effect from 1 October 2026.

AFSPA was enacted in 1958 to provide special powers to the armed forces operating in areas declared “disturbed” because of insurgency or serious internal security problems. Under Section 3, an area can be declared a disturbed area. The Act empowers armed forces personnel, subject to its conditions, to use force in specified circumstances, arrest without warrant, and enter and search premises without warrant.

AFSPA’s geographical coverage in the Northeast has changed over time according to security assessments. It was completely withdrawn from Tripura in 2015 and from Meghalaya in 2018. Jammu and Kashmir, meanwhile, is governed by a separate Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act, 1990.

Sulphur

Sulphur (S) is an important non-metallic chemical element widely used in the fertiliser, chemical and metals-processing industries. Its technological importance is increasing because sulphuric acid is used in processing critical minerals such as nickel, which is required for several types of electric vehicle (EV) batteries.

Around 92% of global sulphur production is recovered as a by-product of petroleum refining and natural gas processing, while only about 8% is obtained directly from natural sulphur deposits or sulphur-rich minerals such as pyrites.

China was the world’s largest sulphur producer, with an estimated output of 19 million metric tonnes (MMT), followed by the United States, Russia, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

PRAGATI-50 Initiative

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has identified 50 cities across 24 States under the PRAGATI-50 initiative to develop them as model cities demonstrating higher standards of urban cleanliness. The initiative follows directions given by the Prime Minister during the 51st PRAGATI meeting.

PRAGATI-50 will be implemented under the Swachh Bharat Mission–Urban 2.0 (SBM-U 2.0) framework. The selected cities will undertake targeted, Key Performance Indicator (KPI)-based actions focusing on visible cleanliness, solid waste management, used-water management, sanitation and citizen participation.

Andhra Pradesh has two cities on the PRAGATI-50 list—Tirupati and Visakhapatnam.

Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2025

India’s overall literacy rate has reached 81.1%, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2025. This marks significant progress from 18.32% in 1951 and 74.04% recorded in Census 2011. The Department of School Education and Literacy considers a State or Union Territory achieving 95% literacy as equivalent to full literacy.

According to PLFS 2025, among persons aged 7 years and above, urban literacy stood at 89%, compared with 77.4% in rural areas. Urban male and female literacy rates were 93.1% and 84.8%, respectively, while rural male and female literacy stood at 84.8% and 70.3%, respectively.

Government initiatives for adult literacy

• ULLAS – Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram, also known as the New India Literacy Programme (NILP). It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and targets adults aged 15 years and above who missed formal schooling. It covers foundational literacy and numeracy, critical life skills, and lifelong learning. ULLAS aims to cover 5 crore learners during 2022–27 with an outlay of ₹1,037.90 crore.
• Another important initiative is NIPUN Bharat – National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy. Launched in July 2021 under Samagra Shiksha, it seeks to achieve universal foundational literacy and numeracy by 2026–27, ensuring foundational skills by Grade 2.

Key Points for Exams:

• India’s overall literacy rate (PLFS 2025): 81.1%
• Urban literacy, age 7+: 89%
• Rural literacy, age 7+: 77.4%
• SDG 4: Inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all

Neeru Dhanda Becomes First Indian Woman to Win Individual Trap Gold

Indian shooter Neeru Dhanda created history at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, by becoming the first Indian woman to win an individual gold medal in the Trap event at the Asian Games.

Earlier in 2026, Neeru had also won gold in women’s Trap at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Lonato, Italy, becoming the first Indian woman to win a World Cup gold in the Trap event.

Q1. Who became the first Indian woman to win an individual Gold medal in the Trap event at the Asian Games?
A. Manu Bhaker
B. Neeru Dhanda
C. Shreyasi Singh
D. Rajeshwari Kumari

Q2. Which organisation received India’s first PRAMAAN certificate for its plantations under the Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme (IFWCS)?
A. Telangana State Forest Development Corporation
B. Andhra Pradesh Forest Development Corporation
C. Odisha Forest Development Corporation
D. Karnataka Forest Development Corporation

Q3. What does PRAMAAN, introduced under the Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme (IFWCS), stand for?
A. Programme for Recognition and Accreditation of sustainable Management practices for Agroforestry And Natural forestry resources
B. Programme for Regulation and Assessment of Modern Agroforestry And Natural resources
C. Programme for Recognition and Advancement of Managed Afforestation And Natural resources
D. Programme for Restoration and Accreditation of Modern Agroforestry And National forests

Q4. Which two cities from Andhra Pradesh have been selected under the PRAGATI-50 initiative of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs?
A. Vijayawada and Guntur
B. Tirupati and Visakhapatnam
C. Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada
D. Tirupati and Kurnool

Q5. According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2025, what is India’s overall literacy rate?
A. 74.04%
B. 77.4%
C. 81.1%
D. 89.0%

Q6. Which country will host the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in 2027?
A. India
B. Kazakhstan
C. Pakistan
D. Kyrgyzstan

Q7. Why is sulphuric acid increasingly important for the electric vehicle battery supply chain?
A. It is directly used as the main electrolyte in all EV batteries
B. It is used in HPAL plants to extract nickel from laterite ores
C. It is used to convert lithium into petroleum products
D. It is required for refining graphite into natural gas

Q8. Which country was the world’s largest producer of sulphur in 2025?
A. United States
B. Russia
C. Saudi Arabia
D. China

Q9. Under which Section of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 can an area be declared a “disturbed area”?
A. Section 2
B. Section 3
C. Section 4
D. Section 6

Q10. Who became the first woman Prime Minister of Morocco in September 2026?
A. Najla Bouden
B. Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri
C. Nabila Mounib
D. Amina Benkhadra