UPSC current affairs · Friday

Current Affairs, 30 January 2026

6 issues picked from 41 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

Economic Survey 2025-26. Survey 2025-26 projects 7.4% FY26 growth, record-low inflation, and strong external and financial buffers.
Kavach Automatic Train Protection System. Kavach 4.0 commissioned on 472.3 route km in one day, a record.
PM-DevINE (Prime Minister's Development Initiative for North East Region). 48 projects worth Rs 6,044.36 crore sanctioned under PM-DevINE; states execute, DoNER monitors digitally.
Coronal Mass Ejection and Geomagnetic Storms. Indian astronomers show a faint, stealth solar CME caused an intense geomagnetic storm, complicating space weather forecasts.
National Commission for Women (NCW). NCW celebrated its 34th Foundation Day with a women's health theme and honoured women scientists.
Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) and Priority Sector Lending. 28 RRBs cross Rs 12 lakh crore business, post higher profit, and meet priority sector targets.

Report or index

Economic Survey 2025-26

GS3 Indian EconomyPrelims and Mains

Why in news: The Economic Survey 2025-26 was released on 30 January 2026. It projects 7.4% real GDP growth for FY26 and 6.8-7.2% for FY27.
What it is: The Economic Survey is the Finance Ministry's annual review of the economy, tabled in Parliament before the Union Budget. It reviews growth, prices, trade, fiscal and financial trends and sets out policy views. It is not binding on the government.

FY26 growth estimate: First Advance Estimates put real GDP growth at 7.4% and GVA growth at 7.3% in FY26.
Inflation: Average headline CPI inflation for April-December 2025 was 1.7%, the lowest since the CPI series began.
Eight Core Industries: The index covers coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilizers, steel, cement and electricity, and has 40.27% weight in the IIP.
Monetary policy: The MPC cut the repo rate by 100 basis points between April and December 2025, to 5.25%.
Forex reserves: Reserves were USD 701.4 billion on 16 January 2026, about 11 months of import cover.

Don’t confuse with Economic Survey vs Union Budget: The Survey reviews the past year's economy and is not binding. The Budget gives the government's receipts and spending plans for the coming year.

Don’t confuse with Repo rate vs CRR: Repo rate is the rate at which RBI lends to banks. CRR is the share of deposits banks must keep with the RBI.

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

Test yourselfMains

Source: PIB Headquarters, 30 Jan, 15:17 IST · Release 283071

Issue page →

Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.

Science and technology

Kavach Automatic Train Protection System

GS3 InfrastructurePrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 30 January 2026, Indian Railways commissioned Kavach 4.0 on 472.3 route km across three sections, the highest in a single day, taking total Kavach 4.0 coverage to 1,306.3 route km.
What it is: Kavach is India's indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection system. It uses on-board equipment, trackside devices and radio communication to help a train stop automatically if the driver fails to act, and to prevent collisions. It was developed by the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) with Indian industry partners.

Kavach umbrella work: The work is part of an umbrella programme to provide Kavach with an LTE communication backbone on balance routes, costing ₹27,693 crore in the 2024-25 Pink Book.
Electronic interlocking: Panel interlocking will be replaced at 35 stations in Guntakal Division and 14 in Nanded Division of South Central Railway, on HDN/HUN routes.
Developer of Kavach: Kavach was developed indigenously by RDSO, the Railways' research and standards body, with Indian industry.
Safety level: Kavach needs the highest safety certification, SIL-4.
Adoption: Kavach became the National ATP system in July 2020.
Version 4.0 upgrades: Better location accuracy, better signal aspect information in big yards, station-to-station Kavach interface on OFC, and direct interface with Electronic Interlocking.
Components: Implementation needs station Kavach, RFID tags along the track, telecom towers, optical fibre cable and loco Kavach.
Trackside coverage: Trackside work is taken up on 24,427 RKm covering Golden Quadrilateral, Golden Diagonal, high density network and identified sections.
Sections commissioned: Vadodara–Virar (344 km, Western Railway), Tuglakabad Junction Cabin–Palwal (35 km, Northern Railway) and Manpur–Sarmatanr (93.3 km, East Central Railway).
Technologies used: Kavach combines microprocessors, GPS and radio communication; it alerts the loco pilot and applies brakes automatically if needed.
Protections offered: Protects against Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD), side, head-on and rear-end collisions, overspeeding, and gives level crossing gate information.
Developer: Kavach was developed by RDSO, the research and standards body of Indian Railways under the Ministry of Railways.

Don’t confuse with Electronic interlocking vs Kavach: Interlocking prevents conflicting signals and routes at stations. Kavach is an on-board and trackside system that controls train speed and braking.

Don’t confuse with Kavach vs ABS/CTC: Automatic Block Signalling (ABS) and Centralised Traffic Control (CTC) manage train movement and line capacity. Kavach adds automatic collision protection.

Don’t confuse with Kavach vs Electronic Interlocking: Interlocking controls points and signals at stations to prevent conflicting moves. Kavach is an ATP system that brakes the train itself.

Don’t confuse with Kavach vs TCAS: TCAS (Train Collision Avoidance System) was the earlier name for Kavach in trials; do not confuse it with the aircraft system of the same acronym.

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.

Why it matters

Kavach reduces collisions caused by signal passed at danger and human error.
A fibre backbone and electronic interlocking give reliable communication and cut manual intervention, supporting high-density routes.
Reduces accidents from human error such as signal passing.
Indigenous SIL-4 technology supports self-reliance in rail safety.
Improves rail safety by preventing collisions and overspeeding even in low visibility.
Promotes self-reliance and the Indian signalling industry.

Problems

Fitting Kavach on thousands of locomotives and thousands of route km is costly and slow.
It needs reliable telecom, fibre and interlocking first, so works must be coordinated across zones.
Heavy cost: about Rs 50 lakh per km trackside and Rs 80 lakh per loco.
Deployment is slow: 1,452 RKm commissioned against 24,427 RKm taken up.
Large network to cover and locomotives to fit, so rollout is slow and costly.
Needs integration with existing signalling and interlocking systems and trained staff.

Way forward

Complete the fibre and interlocking groundwork before or with Kavach rollout, prioritising high-density routes.
Track progress and fund works on a time-bound basis.
Speed up OFC, tower and loco fitment, and train more staff.
Prioritise high-density routes, then extend to the wider network.
Prioritise high-density routes and fit locomotives in step with track installation.
Keep independent safety assessment and ongoing upgrades based on operational feedback.

Put in your answer

Kavach 4.0 locomotive allocation: ₹208.81 crore for 232 locomotives in Southern Railway shows the scale of fitment cost.

Electronic interlocking umbrella work: A ₹15,164 crore umbrella work covers electronic interlocking at balance stations on HDN/HUN routes where Kavach/ABS/CTC is sanctioned.

Cost: Trackside and station equipment cost about Rs 50 lakh per km; loco equipment about Rs 80 lakh per loco.

Kavach 4.0 coverage: 1,306.3 route km of Kavach 4.0 commissioned across five zones after this addition.

Head-on collision test: On Manpur–Sarmatanr, a head-on collision test saw the train stop automatically, validating the system.

Test yourself

Source: PIB, Ministry of Railways, 30 Jan, 20:06 IST · Release 283094

Issue page →

Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.

Scheme

PM-DevINE (Prime Minister's Development Initiative for North East Region)

GS2 Welfare schemesGS3 Regional developmentPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 30 January 2026, the DoNER Ministry told the Rajya Sabha that 48 projects worth Rs 6,044.36 crore have been sanctioned under PM-DevINE up to 21 January 2026. It also described the High-Level Task Force on the North-East Economic Corridor.
What it is: PM-DevINE is a Union scheme for infrastructure and social development in the eight North Eastern states. It was announced in Budget 2022-23 and funds projects that are proposed and carried out by state governments or agencies. It aims to fill gaps that other schemes leave.

Outlay and period: Cabinet approved ₹6,600 crore for four years, FY 2022-23 to 2025-26.
Sanctioned projects: By 28 February 2026, 48 projects worth Rs 6,044.36 crore were sanctioned, covering connectivity, power and social sectors.
Completed projects: Three projects worth Rs 176.11 crore are complete, in social and livelihood sectors.
Who implements: States and agencies propose and implement projects based on need and identified gaps.
Continuation: Continuation for the next Finance Commission cycle is decided under the prescribed appraisal and approval guidelines.
Nature of scheme: It is a Central Sector Scheme, fully funded by the Centre, under the Ministry of DoNER.
Objectives: The scheme seeks rapid and holistic development of the North-Eastern Region through infrastructure, social projects based on felt needs, livelihoods for youth and women, and filling development gaps.
Who executes: Projects under DoNER schemes are executed by implementing agencies of the State Governments, which hold primary responsibility for monitoring.
Monitoring tools: DoNER monitors through Field Technical Support Units, Project Quality Monitors and third-party inspection agencies. Reports go on the Poorvottar Vikas Setu portal, and progress is updated on the PM Gati Shakti Portal.

Don’t confuse with PM-DevINE vs NESIDS: Both fund North East development. PM-DevINE was announced in Budget 2022-23 as a Union scheme to fill gaps. NESIDS is a separate DoNER scheme for infrastructure.

Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.

Test yourself

Source: PIB, Ministry for Development of North-East Region, 30 Jan, 14:57 IST · Release 283070

Issue page →

Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.

Science and technology

Coronal Mass Ejection and Geomagnetic Storms

GS3 Science and TechnologyPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 30 January 2026, the Ministry of Science & Technology reported that Indian Institute of Astrophysics researchers studied a stealth CME of 19 March 2023 that caused an intense geomagnetic storm on Earth about 3 days later.
What it is: A Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) is a large expulsion of plasma and magnetic field from the Sun's atmosphere. A stealth CME is a weak eruption that gives no clear signs on the Sun, such as X-ray flares or radio bursts, yet can still disturb Earth's magnetic field. A geomagnetic storm is a temporary disturbance of Earth's magnetosphere, which can affect satellites, communications and power grids.

Stealth CME: A weak CME with no standard warning signs such as X-ray flares or radio bursts, so it is hard to detect on the Sun.
Share of storms: About 10% of intense geomagnetic storms do not seem to come from any large-scale eruption on the solar disk.
Role of coronal hole: A coronal hole near the source region, an opening in the Sun's magnetic field lines, likely helped the CME reach Earth instead of dissipating near the Sun.
Who studied it: The Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology.
Why it was intense: A southward magnetic field component and enhanced plasma density drove the intense storm.
Astronomical Unit: 1 AU is the average Sun-Earth distance, about 150 million km.

Don’t confuse with CME vs solar flare: A CME is an expulsion of plasma and magnetic field. A solar flare is a burst of radiation. Both can occur together but are different.

Don’t confuse with CME vs solar wind: Solar wind is a continuous stream of charged particles from the Sun. A CME is a sudden, large eruption.

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: Space weather concept; sci_tech is 57 of 327 Prelims questions, mostly on concepts, but this single study offers little new to test.

Source: PIB, Ministry of Science & Technology, 30 Jan, 15:19 IST · Release 283072

Issue page →

Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.

Law and statutory body

National Commission for Women (NCW)

GS2 Statutory bodies for womenPrelims and Mains

Why in news: The National Commission for Women marked its 34th Foundation Day at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on 30 January 2026, with the theme "Swasthya hi Sashaktikaran".
What it is: The National Commission for Women is a statutory body set up under the National Commission for Women Act, 1990. It reviews legal safeguards for women, recommends changes to laws, takes up complaints and advises the government on policy for women.

Foundation Day event: The 34th Foundation Day was held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, with Health Minister J P Nadda as Chief Guest.
Theme: The programme theme was "Swasthya hi Sashaktikaran", linking women's health to empowerment.
Chairperson: Vijaya Rahatkar is the Chairperson of NCW.
Tere Mere Sapne: NCW's programme on pre-marital communication and counselling has an AI module developed with support from V. Kamakoti of IIT Madras.
Legal basis: NCW is a statutory body, not a constitutional one. It was constituted in January 1992 under the NCW Act, 1990.
Ministry: NCW works under the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

Don’t confuse with NCW vs State Commissions for Women: NCW is the national statutory body under the 1990 Act. State Commissions for Women are set up by state governments under their own laws.

Don’t confuse with Statutory vs constitutional body: NCW is created by an Act of Parliament. Constitutional bodies such as the National Commission for Scheduled Castes get their status from the Constitution.

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: Statutory body on the syllabus; only 7 of 327 Prelims questions cover statutory bodies, and this release gives no new provision to test.

Source: PIB, Ministry of Women and Child Development, 30 Jan, 21:17 IST · Release 283098

Issue page →

Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.

Economy

Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) and Priority Sector Lending

GS3 Economy: Banking and financial inclusionPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 30 January 2026, the Secretary, Department of Financial Services, reviewed the performance of the 28 Regional Rural Banks in Delhi. The release said their total business crossed Rs 12 lakh crore in the first half of FY 2025-26.
What it is: Regional Rural Banks are scheduled commercial banks set up under the Regional Rural Banks Act, 1976 to give credit to small farmers, artisans and weaker sections in rural areas. They are jointly owned by the Centre, the sponsor bank and the State government. The RBI's Priority Sector Lending framework sets lending targets on Adjusted Net Bank Credit (ANBC) for sectors such as agriculture, MSMEs and weaker sections.

Loan growth: Gross loans outstanding of RRBs rose from ₹5,24,163 crore to ₹5,78,349 crore, a 10.3% increase.
PSL target: The overall PSL target for RRBs is 75% of ANBC. RRBs averaged 91.7%.
Ownership: RRB shareholding is held by the Centre (50%), the State government (15%) and the sponsor bank (35%).
Number and reach: 28 RRBs work through 22,158 branches across 26 States and 3 Union Territories, covering about 730 districts.
Business size: Total business of all RRBs has crossed Rs 12 lakh crore, more than that of a few individual public sector banks.
Profit: Net profit rose to Rs 7,720 crore (provisional, up to December 2025) from Rs 6,820 crore in FY 2024-25.
Priority Sector Lending: RRBs continue to meet all PSL targets and sub-targets.
Financial inclusion: RRBs opened over 45.68 lakh new PMJDY accounts in the current financial year.
Legal basis and ownership: RRBs were set up under the RRB Act, 1976. Ownership is Centre, sponsor bank and State government.

Don’t confuse with RRBs vs Cooperative banks: RRBs are scheduled commercial banks under the RRB Act, 1976 with Centre, State and sponsor bank ownership. Cooperative banks are owned by members and regulated under State cooperative laws and RBI.

Don’t confuse with ANBC vs gross loans: ANBC is the base for PSL targets. Gross loans outstanding is the total credit book.

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.

Test yourself

Source: PIB, Ministry of Finance, 30 Jan, 21:59 IST · Release 283103

Issue page →

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

What we left out: 35 of 41 releases

Speeches without a decision (11)
Ceremonies and campaigns (7)
Same issue as another release (4)
Routine parliamentary data (2)
Routine lab research (1)
Routine data releases (1)
Year-end reviews (1)
Inaugurations with nothing new (1)
Webinars and outreach (3)
Visits and meetings (1)
Condolences and ex-gratia (1)
Same issue as on file (1)
Calls without a decision (1)

Practise the day’s news

In UPSC’s formats, inside each issue. The answer and why come after you choose.

1Economic Survey 2025-26MCQ · 4 true or false
2Kavach Automatic Train Protection SystemMCQ · 11 true or false
3PM-DevINE (Prime Minister's Development Initiative for North East Region)MCQ · 6 true or false
4Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) and Priority Sector LendingMCQ · 7 true or false

Mains question of the day

15 marks · 250 words

The Economic Survey 2025-26 projects 7.4% real GDP growth for FY26 and 6.8-7.2% for FY27, with average CPI inflation of only 1.7% in April-December 2025. Examine what these trends mean for India's macroeconomic stability, and discuss the risks to sustaining growth that the Survey's picture may understate.

From: Economic Survey 2025-26

Write and get it marked

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