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UPSC current affairs · Thursday

Current Affairs, 15 October 2026

4 issues picked from 65 PIB releases · about 2 minutes each · written by UPSC Grade, each fact checked against its PIB release or by a second model

How to readRead “Why in news” and “What it is” for every issue. Open For Prelims or For Mains for the exam you’re preparing for, then Test yourself at the foot of each card. Half the news questions in Prelims are answered from background, not the news itself.

In 60 seconds

  1. Women's Labour Force Participation (PLFS). Female LFPR rose from 23.3% to 40%; policy now targets quality of work.
  2. Data Centres in India. NITI Aayog framework guides States to assess readiness and resources before approving data-centre investments.
  3. NHAI Independent Design Checking of Major Bridges. NHAI mandates independent design checks by empanelled institutions for major bridges and critical highway structures from December 2026.
  4. National Strategic Trade Command Centre (NSTCC). Commerce Ministry launches a data dashboard centre to monitor trade schemes, approvals and pendency.
1

Report or index

Women's Labour Force Participation (PLFS)

GS3 Economy · EmploymentGS1 Women's issuesPrelims and Mains

Why in news
On 15 October 2026, PIB published a backgrounder on women's work. It reports female LFPR (PLFS) rising from 23.3% in 2017-18 to 40% in 2025, and lists support for women's enterprise and jobs.
What it is
The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) is India's official household survey of employment and unemployment, run by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation through NSO. Female LFPR and WPR from it are the standard measures of women's work. LFPR counts people working or seeking or available for work; WPR counts only the employed.
Female LFPR trend
Female LFPR (age 15+) rose from 23.3% in 2017-18 to 40.0% in 2025.
Female WPR trend
Women's Worker Population Ratio rose from 22.0% to 38.8% over the same period.
LFPR definition
LFPR is the share of the population that is working, seeking work or available for work. WPR counts only the employed.
Who runs PLFS
PLFS is conducted by the National Statistical Office under MoSPI.
Labour Codes
In November 2025, 29 labour laws were consolidated into four Labour Codes, with provisions on maternity leave, creches and night work with consent.

Don’t confuse with LFPR vs WPR: LFPR includes those seeking or available for work; WPR includes only those employed. So LFPR is always at least as high as WPR.

Reports and indices: 14 Prelims questions since 2013; they test who publishes a report and what it measures.

No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Lasting topic with data, but routine labour data rarely reaches Prelims; reports are only 4% of 327 news-linked Prelims questions.

Source: PIB Backgrounder, 15 Oct, 12:23 IST · Release 2323706

Issue page →

Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.

2

Science and technology

Data Centres in India

GS3 Science & Technology / InfrastructurePrelims and Mains

Why in news
On 14 October 2026, NITI Aayog's Frontier Tech Hub released the Data Centre Evaluation Framework to help States plan sustainable data-centre growth.
What it is
The Data Centre Evaluation Framework is a decision-support tool from NITI Aayog's Frontier Tech Hub. It helps State governments assess data-centre proposals against infrastructure, environment, economic value and readiness. It adds no new layer of regulation.
Issuing body
The framework was released by NITI Aayog's Frontier Tech Hub, with inputs from industry, MeitY, Ministry of Power and DPIIT.
Five pillars
Power and Energy; Water and Cooling; Siting and Environmental Sustainability; Economic and Strategic Value; Policy, Governance and Implementation.
Capacity growth
India's data-centre capacity rose from about 375 MW in 2020 to about 1.5 GW now.
Tax holiday
Eligible foreign cloud service providers using India-based data-centre infrastructure get a tax holiday until 2047.
Nature of tool
It is a decision-support tool for States, not a regulation.
Infrastructure status
Union Budget 2022-23 added data centres to the Harmonized List of Infrastructure. This gives them easier access to credit.
NIC data centres
NIC runs National Data Centres in Delhi, Pune, Hyderabad and Bhubaneswar. It also runs 37 smaller data centres in State capitals.
BIS standards
BIS technical committee LITD 31 covers cloud computing, IT and data centres. Its standards cover PUE, CUE, CER and WUE.
Power demand
The Central Electricity Authority says data-centre demand could reach 17 GW by 2031-32.

Don’t confuse with Colocation vs active compute: The framework asks States to distinguish colocation (leased space and power for others' equipment) from active compute services (processing such as AI workloads).

Don’t confuse with NITI Aayog framework vs regulation: The framework is advisory for States. It does not create a regulator or binding rules.

Don’t confuse with PUE vs WUE vs CUE: PUE measures electricity-use efficiency, WUE measures water-use efficiency, and CUE measures carbon emitted per unit of IT energy.

Don’t confuse with ECBC vs ECSBC: Both are building energy codes notified by BEE. ECBC is the 2017 code and ECSBC is the 2024 code, which adds sustainability.

Science and technology: 57 Prelims questions since 2013; most test the concept behind the news, not the news itself. In Mains, 12 news-triggered questions.

No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: NITI Aayog framework on data centres is a lasting topic, but no clear provisions for statements; reports are 4% of Prelims questions.

Source: PIB, NITI Aayog, 15 Oct, 15:55 IST · Release 2323840

Issue page →

Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.

3

Law and statutory body

NHAI Independent Design Checking of Major Bridges

GS3 Infrastructure · RoadsPrelims and Mains

Why in news
On 15 October 2026, NHAI introduced a uniform system of independent design checking for major bridges and critical National Highway structures. It takes effect from 1 December 2026.
What it is
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) builds and maintains National Highways under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. It is a statutory body set up under the NHAI Act, 1988. This policy adds a third-party design check for big bridges, to improve safety and durability.
Who checks
Empanelled IITs, reputed government technical institutions and experienced technical firms with bridge engineering and hydraulic expertise will check the designs.
Coverage thresholds
Covers major river bridges with design discharge of 3,000 cubic metres per second or more, and structures with an individual effective span of 40 m or more.
Process
The contractor submits the design; three institutions or firms are proposed from the empanelled list; one or more are selected to verify.
Start date and projects covered
Effective 1 December 2026, for new EPC, HAM and BOT projects and those where proof checking has not started.
Standards
Checks ensure that structures meet IRC codes, technical specifications and contractual requirements.
NHAI legal basis
NHAI was constituted under the National Highways Authority of India Act, 1988 and began operating in 1995.

Don’t confuse with EPC vs HAM vs BOT: In EPC the government pays the contractor and funds the whole cost. In HAM the government pays 40% during construction and the rest as annuities. In BOT the concessionaire builds and recovers cost through tolls.

Don’t confuse with Independent design check vs. contractor design: The contractor or concessionaire prepares the design. The empanelled institution only reviews it and gives recommendations, and NHAI still approves it.

Laws, judgments and statutory bodies: 30 Prelims questions since 2013 (what the law says, who chairs, legal basis). In Mains, 44 news-triggered questions, most in GS2, asking for provisions and challenges.

No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: New NHAI policy on structural safety with thresholds, but administrative; UPSC unlikely to set a question on it.

Source: PIB, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, 15 Oct, 17:02 IST · Release 2323906

Issue page →

Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.

4

Economy

National Strategic Trade Command Centre (NSTCC)

GS3 Economy · External TradePrelims and Mains

Why in news
On 15 October 2026, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal launched the National Strategic Trade Command Centre (NSTCC) at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi.
What it is
NSTCC is an analytics and visualisation platform built by the Department of Commerce. It gives senior officials one view of India's trade performance, export schemes and regulatory approvals. It builds on DGFT systems and the Trade Connect ePlatform.
Developed by
The Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, developed NSTCC.
Initial dashboards
The first phase covers IEC, Advance Authorisation, EPCG, Certificate of Origin, SCOMET, and restricted imports and exports.
Three dimensions
It supports integrated monitoring, performance assessment and evidence-based policy inputs.
Built on existing systems
It uses DGFT systems and the Trade Connect ePlatform, with more datasets to be added in phases.
SCOMET
SCOMET stands for Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment and Technologies. The Minister asked for frequent Inter-Ministerial Committee meetings to clear pending applications.
Future access
It may become a whole-of-government decision-support tool, with phased access for ministries, states and Export Promotion Councils.

Don’t confuse with NSTCC vs Trade Connect ePlatform: Trade Connect ePlatform is an existing DGFT platform. NSTCC is a monitoring and analytics layer that draws on it.

Don’t confuse with DGFT vs Department of Commerce: DGFT is the body that administers trade schemes and approvals. NSTCC was developed by the Department of Commerce and covers DGFT functions.

Economy terms and data: 42 Prelims questions since 2013, rising in recent years; they test what a term or instrument means. In Mains, 12 news-triggered questions.

No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: New trade monitoring platform including SCOMET dashboard; worth reading, but few testable facts and no debate for Mains.

Source: PIB, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, 15 Oct, 18:04 IST · Release 2324013

Issue page →

Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.

Quick facts

  • Kushok Bakula Rinpoche Airport terminal in Leh, opened by the PM, is described as India's first terminal with geothermal heating alongside solar energy.
  • MoD signed Rs 4,106 crore contracts: GSAT-7C satellite for the IAF with NSIL, and Varunastra heavy weight torpedoes for the Navy with Bharat Dynamics.
  • The President accepted Dr L. Murugan's resignation from the Union Council of Ministers under Article 75(2) on the PM's advice.
  • India's Ramsar sites now number 103, with Sukhna Wetland (Chandigarh) and Sauj Jheel (Uttar Pradesh) added.

Source: PIB, 15 Oct

What we left out: 57 of 65 releases
  • Speeches without a decision (10)
  • Same issue as another release (4)
  • Routine MoUs and workshops (15)
  • Ceremonies and campaigns (10)
  • Visit schedules and courtesy calls (3)
  • Routine drive tests (2)
  • Beneficiary stories (3)
  • Routine deadlines (2)
  • Routine data releases (2)
  • Routine inspections (1)
  • Routine seizures (5)

Practise the day’s news

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