UPSC current affairs · Tuesday

Current Affairs, 5 May 2026

9 issues picked from 38 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

Mission for Cotton Productivity. Cabinet approves Rs.5659.22 crore mission to raise cotton yield, quality and exports by 2030-31.
Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of Sugarcane. CCEA fixes sugarcane FRP at Rs 365/qtl for 2026-27, up 2.81%.
Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956. Cabinet approves Bill raising Supreme Court judges from 33 to 37, excluding the CJI.
Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS). Cabinet revives ECLGS as 5.0 with Rs 2.55 lakh crore credit target for West Asia shock.
National Policy for Rare Diseases, 2021. Health Ministry reviews rare disease policy: 15 CoEs, ₹50 lakh aid, indigenous therapies.
Vadinar Ship Repair Facility. CCEA approves Rs 1,570 crore Vadinar ship repair facility for vessels up to 300 m.
Semicon 2.0 (India Semiconductor Mission). Cabinet clears two Gujarat chip units, including first commercial GaN Mini/Micro-LED display plant; ISM projects reach 12.
Regional Rural Banks Viability Plan. DFS approves a three-year, 30-parameter Viability Plan 2.0 to monitor all 28 RRBs.
India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC). India and EU jointly fund €15.2 million EV battery recycling research under the TTC.

Scheme

Mission for Cotton Productivity

GS3 AgricultureGS3 TextilesPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 5 May 2026 the Union Cabinet approved the Mission for Cotton Productivity with an outlay of Rs.5659.22 crore for 2026-27 to 2030-31.
What it is: The Mission for Cotton Productivity is a five-year central programme to raise cotton yield and fibre quality and cut import dependence. It links seed research, field technology, ginning, testing and traceability under the 5F vision (Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign). It is run jointly by the agriculture and textiles ministries.

Outlay and period: Rs.5659.22 crore for 2026-27 to 2030-31.
Implementing agencies: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Ministry of Textiles, with 10 ICAR institutes, one CSIR institute and 10 AICRP on Cotton centres in SAUs.
Coverage: Initially 140 districts in 14 States, and 2000 ginning/processing factories.
Traceability brand: Kasturi Cotton Bharat is used for branding, traceability and certification, targeting trash below 2%.

Don’t confuse with Mission for Cotton Productivity vs Technology Mission on Cotton (2000): The new mission is a 2026-31 programme with a Rs.5659.22 crore outlay; the Technology Mission on Cotton was an earlier effort launched in 2000.

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 yourselfMains

Source: PIB, Cabinet, 5 May, 18:40 IST · Release 288542

Issue page →

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

Economy

Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of Sugarcane

GS3 AgricultureGS3 Farm pricingPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 5 May 2026, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved an FRP of Rs 365 per quintal for sugarcane for the 2026-27 sugar season, starting 1 October 2026.
What it is: The Fair and Remunerative Price is the minimum price sugar mills must pay farmers for sugarcane. The Centre fixes it each sugar season on the recommendation of the CACP, after consulting States. It is linked to a basic sugar recovery rate, with a premium or reduction as recovery changes.

FRP level: FRP for 2026-27 is Rs 365/qtl at a basic recovery rate of 10.25%.
Who recommends: FRP is set on CACP recommendations after consulting States and stakeholders.
Season and applicability: The sugar season runs October to September; the FRP applies to purchases by mills from 1 October 2026.
Legal basis: FRP is fixed under the Sugarcane (Control) Order, 1966, issued under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955; it replaced the Statutory Minimum Price in 2009-10.

Don’t confuse with FRP vs SAP: FRP is the Centre's minimum price. State Advised Price is set by some States, often higher.

Don’t confuse with FRP vs MSP: MSP applies to notified crops with government procurement support. FRP is a legally mandated price paid by mills, not procured by the government.

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, Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), 5 May, 18:43 IST · Release 288543

Issue page →

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

Law and statutory body

Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956

GS2 PolityPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 5 May 2026 the Union Cabinet approved introducing the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026 in Parliament. It would raise the Supreme Court's judge strength from 33 to 37, excluding the Chief Justice of India.
What it is: The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956 fixes the maximum number of Supreme Court judges other than the Chief Justice. It is made under Article 124(1), which lets Parliament raise the number above the constitutional figure. Each increase needs an amendment passed by Parliament.

Constitutional basis: Article 124(1) set the original limit at the CJI plus seven other judges, until Parliament prescribes a larger number by law.
Proposed change: The 2026 Bill raises the number from 33 to 37, excluding the CJI.
Expenditure: Judges' salaries and related costs are met from the Consolidated Fund of India.

Don’t confuse with Sanctioned vs working strength: Sanctioned strength is the legal maximum set by Parliament. Working strength is the number actually in office, which depends on appointments and vacancies.

Don’t confuse with High Court judge strength: The number of High Court judges is not fixed by an Act of Parliament. The President fixes it, so it is a different process from the Supreme Court's.

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.

Test yourself

Source: PIB, Cabinet, 5 May, 19:22 IST · Release 288553

Issue page →

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

Scheme

Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS)

GS3 Economy · MSME creditGS2 Welfare schemesPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 5 May 2026 the Union Cabinet approved ECLGS 5.0. It offers government-backed extra credit to businesses and airlines hit by the West Asia crisis.
What it is: ECLGS is a credit guarantee scheme started in 2020 under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Package to ease COVID-19 stress on businesses. The National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company runs it. Lenders give extra working capital loans backed by a government guarantee. ECLGS 5.0 revives it for shocks from external disruptions.

Implementing agency: NCGTC implements the scheme. It gives guarantees to Member Lending Institutions, which lend the extra credit.
Cap and validity: The scheme runs till 31 March 2027 or until guarantees of ₹2.55 lakh crore are issued, whichever is earlier.
Guarantee cover: MSMEs get 100% cover and non-MSMEs get 90%. No guarantee fee is charged to lenders.
Access: Borrowers apply through the Jan Samarth Portal.
Target credit: The scheme aims to add ₹2,55,000 crore of credit to existing borrowers facing liquidity stress from the West Asia crisis.
Share of MSMEs and PSBs: MSMEs hold 96% of guarantees by number and 86% by amount; Public Sector Banks account for 96% of guarantees.
Lenders covered: PSU banks, private banks, RRBs, SFBs and NBFCs take part as lenders.
Implementing body: NCGTC runs ECLGS and acts as guarantee trustee.
Who runs it: NCGTC gives the guarantee to Member Lending Institutions.

Don’t confuse with EBLR vs MCLR: EBLR is an external benchmark for floating-rate loans, e.g. retail and micro and small enterprise loans. MCLR is a bank's internal reference rate, set by the bank.

Don’t confuse with ECLGS vs CGSE: CGSE is the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Exporters. Borrowers who took extra credit under it cannot claim ECLGS 5.0 for that amount.

Don’t confuse with ECLGS vs CGTMSE: CGTMSE guarantees collateral-free loans to micro and small enterprises on a standing basis; ECLGS is a crisis-time scheme giving extra working capital loans to existing borrowers.

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 of Finance, 5 May, 19:34 IST · Release 288557

Issue page →

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

Scheme

National Policy for Rare Diseases, 2021

GS2 HealthPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 5 May 2026 the Union Health Ministry inaugurated a 2-day National Conference on Rare Diseases in New Delhi (5–6 May) to review progress under the National Policy for Rare Diseases, 2021.
What it is: The National Policy for Rare Diseases, 2021 is the Union Health Ministry's framework to prevent rare diseases and make treatment available and affordable. It works through Centres of Excellence, which are tertiary hospitals, and gives financial help to patients with identified rare diseases. It groups rare diseases into three categories by treatment needs and cost.

Origin of the policy: The need was first flagged in the National Health Policy, 2017. The National Policy for Rare Diseases was launched in 2021.
Implementation through CoEs: The policy is implemented through Centres of Excellence, which are premier tertiary hospitals. Their number has grown from 8 to 15, including two in the North-East.
Financial assistance: Assistance for patients across all categories was raised from ₹20 lakh to ₹50 lakh in August 2022.
Three categories: The policy sorts rare diseases into three groups based on treatment requirements and cost implications.
UMMID and NIDAN Kendras: The UMMID initiative, through its NIDAN Kendras, is becoming operational with genetic counselling being strengthened. About 1,800 patients have received treatment support under the policy.
Customs duty relief: Life-saving drugs are exempt from basic customs duty, and the recent Union Budget expanded this.

Don’t confuse with National Health Policy, 2017 vs National Policy for Rare Diseases, 2021: The 2017 health policy first flagged rare diseases. The 2021 policy is the dedicated framework with CoEs and financial aid.

Don’t confuse with DHR vs ICMR: The Department of Health Research is the ministry-level department. ICMR is the research council it oversees, and its Director General also serves as DHR Secretary.

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.

No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Lasting health policy with Centres of Excellence; Prelims takes schemes often (52 of 327), but this release gives few testable facts and no debate.

Source: PIB, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 5 May, 12:58 IST · Release 288529

Issue page →

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

Place in the news

Vadinar Ship Repair Facility

GS3 InfrastructurePrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 5 May 2026, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved a Rs 1,570 crore Ship Repair Facility at Vadinar, Gujarat, to be built by Deendayal Port Authority and Cochin Shipyard Limited.
What it is: Vadinar is a deep-draft location on the Gujarat coast in the Gulf of Kutch, near Mundra and Kandla ports. The new facility is a brownfield ship repair yard with a jetty and floating dry docks. It is meant to repair large commercial and foreign-flagged ships that Indian yards cannot handle now.

Implementing agencies: Deendayal Port Authority and Cochin Shipyard Limited will jointly implement the project.
Design: A brownfield facility with a 650 m jetty and two large floating dry docks, plus workshops and marine infrastructure.
Why Vadinar: Natural deep draft, links to major shipping routes, and closeness to Mundra and Kandla.
Jobs: About 290 direct and 1,100 indirect jobs are expected.

Don’t confuse with Deendayal Port (Kandla) vs Vadinar: Deendayal Port Authority is the major port at Kandla in the Gulf of Kutch. Vadinar is a separate location in the same gulf, which falls under the port's area in this project.

Don’t confuse with Brownfield vs greenfield: Brownfield builds on or expands an existing site; greenfield is built from scratch on new land.

Places in the news: 26 Prelims questions since 2013, rising (12% of news questions in 2022–26); they test location and why it matters.

No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Lasting maritime project; place questions are 26 of 327 in Prelims but a project site rarely appears, and Mains rarely takes places.

Source: PIB, Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), 5 May, 18:50 IST · Release 288545

Issue page →

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

Scheme

Semicon 2.0 (India Semiconductor Mission)

GS3 Science and technologyGS3 EconomyPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 5 May 2026 the Union Cabinet approved two more semiconductor projects in Gujarat under the India Semiconductor Mission, with a combined investment of about Rs 3,936 crore. This takes approved projects under ISM to 12.
What it is: The India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) is the programme under MeitY to build a domestic chip ecosystem. ISM 1.0 began in 2021 and backed fabs, ATMP/OSAT units and chip design. ISM 2.0 is the next phase and widens support to materials, machines, research and talent.

Six pillars of ISM 2.0: Design; Machines and Materials; more fabs; ATMP/OSAT industry; R&D; and Talent Development.
ISM 1.0 timeline: Planned as a six-year programme, it met its objectives in four years.
Plants under ISM 1.0: Twelve plants were approved under ISM 1.0, and five have started commercial production.
Expected design companies: The Minister estimated at least 200 chip design companies would emerge under ISM 2.0.
Nodal ministry: ISM sits under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
Approval and outlay: The Union Cabinet approved Semicon 2.0 on 15 July 2026 with an outlay of Rs 1,27,500 crore.
Semicon 1.0 outlay: Semicon 1.0 was approved in December 2021 with an outlay of Rs 76,000 crore.
Semicon 1.0 units: Twelve units were approved: one silicon fab, one silicon carbide fab, one GaN Micro LED display fab and nine ATMP/OSAT units. Five have begun commercial production.
Concentration of production: Taiwan produces over 60% of global chips and nearly 90% of advanced chips.
Six pillars: Design; Machines and Materials; more Fabs; ATMP/OSAT; R&D; Talent Development.
Nodal agency: ISM invites applications, appraises them, recommends applicants and oversees implementation.
C-DAC role: ISM may implement the design and deployment categories with C-DAC's help.
Duration: Projects generally run up to six years. Applications stay open initially for three years.
Funding and review: MeitY makes budget provisions; a mid-term assessment follows three years of implementation.
Design incentive: Pillar 1 includes a Deployment-Linked Incentive (DLI) for chips, IPs and SoCs.
Outlay: Semicon 2.0 has a total budget outlay of Rs.1,27,500 crore.
ISM 1.0 manufacturing: Twelve manufacturing units were approved with over Rs.1.64 lakh crore investment: one silicon fab, one SiC fab, one GaN Micro LED display fab and nine packaging units.
Commercial production: Micron, Kaynes and CG Semi have started commercial production.
Projects approved: Two new projects, both in Gujarat, were cleared. One is a compound semiconductor fab with ATMP at Dholera; the other is an OSAT unit at Surat.
Crystal Matrix Limited, Dholera: It will make Mini/Micro-LED display modules and offer GaN foundry services, including epitaxy on 6-inch wafers.
Suchi Semicon, Surat: An OSAT facility for discrete semiconductors, with capacity of 1033.20 million chips a year.
ISM tally: Approved projects under ISM now total 12, with cumulative investment of about Rs 1.64 lakh crore.
Design support: Government design infrastructure support covers 315 academic institutions and 104 start-ups.
OSAT meaning: OSAT stands for Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test: firms that package and test chips made by fabs.
Talent target: The 10-year target is to train 85,000 engineers in semiconductor design, and the minister says good progress was made in four years.
EDA tool access: EDA tools backed by firms such as Synopsys, Cadence and Siemens are available in 315 academic institutions.
Fabrication of student chips: Student-designed chips are fabricated and tested at the Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL), Mohali.
Expansion under Semicon 2.0: The programme will grow from 315 to 500 universities.
EDA tools: 350 universities have been given access to EDA tools, used by 65 thousand engineers.
ISM 2.0 aims: It targets production of equipment and materials, design of full-stack Indian IP, and stronger supply chains.

Don’t confuse with Fab vs fabless: A fab makes chips on wafers. A fabless firm only designs chips and uses a foundry to make them.

Don’t confuse with ATMP vs OSAT: ATMP is Assembly, Testing, Marking and Packaging; OSAT is Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test. Both handle the post-fabrication stage.

Don’t confuse with Fab vs ATMP/OSAT: A fab makes the chip on wafers; ATMP/OSAT packages and tests the finished chip.

Don’t confuse with ISM 1.0 vs Semicon 2.0: ISM 1.0 (2021) backed fabs, packaging and design. Semicon 2.0 adds machines, materials, advanced R&D and deeper talent building.

Don’t confuse with Compound vs silicon semiconductors: Compound semiconductors like GaN combine elements and suit power, RF and optoelectronics. Silicon is a single-element material used in most logic chips.

Don’t confuse with ISM vs SCL Mohali: ISM is the national programme under MeitY. SCL Mohali is a government fab laboratory used to make the student chips.

Don’t confuse with C2S vs fab incentives: C2S is about design talent and startups. Fab and ATMP/OSAT subsidies are separate parts of ISM.

Don’t confuse with EDA tools vs tapeout: EDA tools are software used to design chips. Tapeout is the final design submission for fabrication.

Don’t confuse with ISM vs ECMS: ISM backs chip fabs, packaging, design, equipment and materials. ECMS supports electronic components and sub-assemblies manufacturing.

Don’t confuse with ISM vs PLI for electronics: ISM is a semiconductor-specific mission. PLI schemes give production-linked incentives on sales across electronics products.

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.

Why it matters

Support across the whole value chain can cut import dependence and build strategic resilience in chips.
Design strength and talent can move India from design services to owning chip IP and products.
Cuts import dependence, as India spent about USD 150 billion on chip imports in FY17-FY25.
Builds the full value chain and supports supply chain resilience and strategic autonomy.
Creates high-value jobs and supports strategic sectors such as space and defence.
Strengthens supply-chain resilience and national security in a critical technology.
Covers the full value chain, including equipment, materials and talent, not just fabs.
Can create 50,000-60,000 direct jobs, according to the Minister.
Cuts import dependence and strengthens supply chain resilience and national security.
Builds upstream capacity in materials, machines and design IP, not just assembly.
Supports growth across sectors such as automobiles, telecom, electronics and aerospace.
Adds compound semiconductor and display capability, reducing import dependence in a strategic technology.
Creates skilled jobs and builds a Gujarat cluster at Dholera and Surat.
Builds a skilled design workforce, which is a key gap in India's chip ecosystem.
Open-access EDA tools lower cost for students and startups across the country.
Reduces import dependence in a strategic input for electronics, defence and autos.
Builds jobs and a full chain from design to packaging, and spreads units across states.
Reduces import dependence in chips and strengthens supply chains.
Equipment, materials and IP move India beyond assembly into deeper value chains.

Problems

Fabs need heavy capital, steady power and ultra-pure water, and depend on imported machines and materials.
Only five of twelve approved plants are producing, and the talent trained is below the design target of 85,000.
Chip manufacturing is highly complex, capital-intensive and needs long, steady policy support.
Production is concentrated in a few economies, so India depends on trusted partners for tools and technology.
Only five of twelve approved units were producing by 2026, so execution and talent remain gaps.
Chip fabs need very large capital, water, power and skilled staff.
India depends on imported equipment and materials, and global competition for subsidies is heavy.
Projects take years to deliver, and fiscal support is large.
Fabs need huge capital, water, power and ultra-pure inputs, with long gestation.
India's current nodes (28nm-110nm) lag leading-edge global technology.
Dependence on foreign technology partners and a shortage of skilled engineers.
Chip fabs need heavy capital, water, power and skilled workers, and face global competition.
Dependence on imported materials, equipment and technology persists.
Trained designers may leave for foreign firms, so retention is a risk.
Training must be matched by fabs and industry jobs to be useful.
Fabs need large capital, water, power and scarce skilled talent.
Most approved projects are packaging, and India depends on foreign technology partners.
Fabs need heavy capital, water, power and a mature supplier base.
Shortage of skilled chip designers and process engineers.

Way forward

Localise materials and equipment and keep strong partnerships with trusted countries.
Link research, industry and academia so design talent leads to products and IP.
Sustain long-term funding and speed up approvals and execution of approved units.
Build the machines, materials and talent base while deepening trusted international partnerships.
Link R&D to industry so design work grows into products made in India.
Build equipment and materials suppliers alongside fabs.
Link talent training to industry needs and speed up approvals.
Use the mid-term review to correct design and funding gaps.
Develop advanced nodes through R&D tie-ups with leading centres in India and abroad.
Build supplier clusters for gases, chemicals and equipment alongside fabs.
Align training in universities with industry needs such as clean room and fab skills.
Build the supply chain of materials, gases and equipment through ISM 2.0.
Link design, talent and manufacturing so projects reach commercial scale.
Link academic training with industry internships and local fabs.
Support design startups to turn student chips into products.
Build materials, equipment and talent base, as ISM 2.0 intends.
Speed up project execution and anchor demand through domestic chip design.
Build industry-linked research and training centres with steady funding.
Develop local equipment and materials clusters alongside fabs.

Put in your answer

ISM 1.0 execution record: Five of twelve approved plants are in commercial production, and the first phase ended ahead of schedule.

Semicon 1.0 progress: Twelve units approved with over Rs 1.64 lakh crore investment; five are producing.

Design talent: India employs nearly 20% of the global chip design workforce.

Talent target: India reached its target of 85,000 semiconductor engineers in four years against a 10-year plan; a further one lakh is targeted.

Design by students: Students from Tier-II and Tier-III cities have designed more than 250 chips.

Market share: Close to 10% of the global semiconductor market is expected to be in India in the coming years.

ISM 1.0 investment: Twelve approved manufacturing units carry over Rs.1.64 lakh crore of investment.

Design ecosystem: 24 design projects approved for support; 105 start-ups/MSMEs given EDA tool access.

Talent pipeline: About 68,000 students trained on EDA tools across 315 universities.

ISM scale: 12 approved projects with about Rs 1.64 lakh crore investment show the mission's progress.

Execution status: Two projects have begun commercial shipments from India, and two more are expected to follow soon.

EDA programme scale: Over 1.85 crore hours of EDA tool use recorded; called the world's largest open-access EDA programme.

Jobs demand: As the global industry reaches USD 2 trillion, about 2 million skilled professionals will be needed.

Investment scale: 10 approved projects carry about Rs 1.6 lakh crore of envisaged investment.

ECMS: ECMS has drawn investment commitments at double its target, with outlay now proposed at Rs 40,000 crore.

Test yourself

True or false?

1 of 19

Statements the way Prelims prints them. Say first, then see the fact.

1.Semicon 2.0 was approved by the Union Cabinet in July 2026 with an outlay of Rs 1,27,500 crore.
2.The Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL), which develops flight-grade chips for satellites and launch vehicles, is located in Mohali.
3.Silicon, the most widely used semiconductor material, is obtained from silica found in sand.
4.The India Semiconductor Mission is the nodal agency for Semicon 2.0.
5.ISM may implement the design and deployment categories with the assistance of the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing.
6.Semicon 2.0 will initially accept applications for ten years.
7.The scheme's mid-term assessment will be conducted after five years of implementation.
8.Semicon 2.0 has a total budget outlay of Rs.1,27,500 crore.
9.The India Semiconductor Mission functions under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
10.The Semicon India Programme has a total outlay of Rs 76,000 crore.
11.Of the 10 projects approved under the programme, 8 are fabs and 2 are packaging units.
12.The India Semiconductor Mission is the nodal agency for appraisal and recommendation of semiconductor projects under the programme.
13.The Tata Electronics fab in Gujarat is being set up in technology partnership with a company from South Korea.
14.The Micron facility in Gujarat is meant for assembly and test of both DRAM and NAND products.
15.The India Semiconductor Mission functions under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
16.ISM 2.0 is meant to produce equipment and materials and design full-stack Indian IP.
17.The Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme was launched in April 2025.
18.The ECMS outlay is proposed to be increased to Rs 40,000 crore.
19.The India Semiconductor Mission is an independent body set up by an Act of Parliament.

Written by us from the release, not by UPSC; checked by a second model.

Source: PIB, Ministry of Electronics & IT, 5 May, 19:02 IST · Release 288547

Issue page →

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

Economy

Regional Rural Banks Viability Plan

GS3 BankingPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 5 May 2026, the Department of Financial Services (DFS) approved Viability Plan 2.0 for Regional Rural Banks, covering 2025-26 to 2027-28.
What it is: Regional Rural Banks are scheduled commercial banks set up to give credit to small and marginal farmers, artisans and rural workers. The Viability Plan is a DFS framework that sets performance targets and tracks RRBs on them. The first plan ran from FY 2021-22 to FY 2024-25.

Parameters and pillars: The plan uses 30 performance parameters under four pillars: operational excellence, asset quality, profitability and growth.
Key metrics: Metrics include CRAR, credit-deposit ratio, digital adoption, NPA levels, recovery, profitability ratios and implementation of Government of India schemes.
Coverage: The plan applies to all 28 RRBs.
Legal basis: RRBs were set up under the Regional Rural Banks Act, 1976, on the recommendation of the Narasimham Working Group.
Ownership: The share capital of an RRB is held by the Centre (50%), the sponsor bank (35%) and the state government (15%).

Don’t confuse with CRAR vs credit-deposit ratio: CRAR is capital held against risk-weighted assets, a measure of solvency. The credit-deposit ratio is loans given as a share of deposits, a measure of lending.

Don’t confuse with RRBs vs cooperative banks: RRBs are set up under the RRB Act, 1976, and sponsored by a commercial bank. Cooperative banks are set up under state or multi-state cooperative laws.

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: Lasting banking reform for RRBs; framework facts are few and UPSC rarely asks plan details.

Source: PIB, Ministry of Finance, 5 May, 19:17 IST · Release 288552

Issue page →

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

International relations

India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC)

GS2 International RelationsGS3 Science and TechnologyPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 5 May 2026, India and the EU launched a third coordinated call for proposals on EV battery recycling under TTC Working Group 2, with a €15.2 million (~₹169 crore) pool.
What it is: The India-EU Trade and Technology Council is a strategic coordination mechanism for trade, trusted technology and security. It has three Working Groups. Working Group 2 deals with green and clean energy technologies and runs joint research calls.

Working Groups: The TTC has three Working Groups: strategic technologies and digital governance; green and clean energy technologies; trade, investment and resilient value chains.
Who leads WG2: WG2 is led by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser from India and the European Commission's DG for Research and Innovation from the EU.
Policy alignment: The call is aligned with the EU Batteries Regulation and India's Battery Waste Management Rules 2022.

International bodies and relations: the largest group of news questions in Prelims (61 since 2013), often about background, members and location. In Mains, 27 news-triggered questions, mostly on India's interests.

No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Bilateral body with working groups; international items are 61 of 327 Prelims questions, but this call gives few testable facts.

Source: PIB, Office of Principal Scientific Advisor to GoI, 5 May, 19:31 IST · Release 288556

Issue page →

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

Quick facts

MoD signed a Rs 1,476 crore contract with BEL for five Ground-Based Mobile Electronic Systems for the Army under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category, with at least 72% indigenous content.
CCEA approved three railway multitracking projects costing Rs 23,437 crore: Nagda-Mathura, Guntakal-Wadi and Burhwal-Sitapur 3rd and 4th lines, adding about 901 km.
NITI Aayog launched the Central Prabhari Officer (CPO) Portal to track field observations in real time under the Aspirational Districts and Blocks Programme.

Source: PIB, 5 May

What we left out: 26 of 38 releases

Speeches without a decision (5)
Ceremonies and campaigns (3)
Meetings without a decision (2)
Routine data releases (1)
Overview feature, no new decision (1)
Routine MoUs (1)
Conferences and seminars (1)
Routine procurement approvals (1)
Same issue as another release (8)
Routine enforcement reports (1)
Review meetings (1)
Visit schedules and ship calls (1)

Practise the day’s news

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

1Mission for Cotton ProductivityMCQ · 8 true or false
2Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of SugarcaneMCQ · 5 true or false · Mains
3Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956MCQ · 5 true or false · Mains
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Mains question of the day

15 marks · 250 words

The Union Cabinet has approved the Mission for Cotton Productivity with an outlay of Rs.5659.22 crore for 2026-27 to 2030-31. Discuss its main provisions and examine the challenges in raising cotton productivity and quality in India. Suggest a way forward.

From: Mission for Cotton Productivity

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