UPSC current affairs · Monday

Current Affairs, 5 October 2026

7 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

India-Switzerland Migration and Mobility Partnership and EFTA TEPA. India and Switzerland sign migration, young professionals and science-transport pacts during the Swiss President's state visit.
India-Japan Joint Crediting Mechanism. India and Japan launch the manual to run their Article 6.2 carbon crediting mechanism.
Project Cheetah. Indian-born cheetah KJP21 has five cubs at Kuno; India's cheetah population reaches 60.
Sanchar Saathi Portal. Sanchar Saathi crosses 30 crore visits; citizen reports feed DoT's telecom fraud prevention systems.
National Household Travel Survey. NSO's first national travel survey shows two-wheelers lead commutes and buses lead overnight trips.
National Waterway-2 and Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route. First international cargo leaves Dibrugarh by Brahmaputra for Bangladesh via NW-2 and the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route.
Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). CAQM deploys Flying Squads in 34 Punjab-Haryana districts to monitor paddy stubble burning this season.

International relations

India-Switzerland Migration and Mobility Partnership and EFTA TEPA

GS2 International RelationsGS3 EconomyPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 5 October 2026, India and Switzerland signed a Migration and Mobility Partnership MoU and a Young Professionals exchange agreement during the Swiss President's state visit, along with three science and transport pacts.
What it is: The India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) is a free trade pact between India and the four EFTA states: Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. It covers goods, services, investment, intellectual property, government procurement and sustainable development. Its distinctive feature is a binding-in-spirit investment target for EFTA states in India, stated as an aim.

Entry into force: TEPA took effect on 1 October 2025; the 7 October 2026 summit marked its first anniversary.
Investment commitment: Under Article 7.1, EFTA states aim to raise FDI into India by USD 100 billion over 15 years, and to facilitate one million jobs.
EFTA market access: EFTA covers 92.2% of its tariff lines, which account for 99.6% of India's exports, with full coverage of non-agricultural products.
India's market access: India's commitments cover 82.7% of tariff lines, accounting for 95.3% of EFTA exports.
EFTA membership: EFTA has four members: Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. It is not part of the European Union.
Investment phasing: USD 50 billion within ten years of entry into force and a further USD 50 billion over the next five years.
Migration MoU aim: The MoU builds migration and mobility cooperation on equal treatment and aims to fight irregular migration, exploitation and trafficking.
Visa and student permits: Multiple-entry visas up to 5 years, with stays up to 6 months per visit, and renewable 1-year student permits.
Young Professionals exchange: 300 persons a year per country, which can rise to 500, with 30/90-day timelines for verifying nationality or residency.
Transport MoU: The MoU between Switzerland's EAER and India's Ministry of Road Transport & Highways covers electric vehicles, ropeways, circular economy and tunnels.
AIT India programme: DST and Zurich University of Applied Sciences will run the Indo-Swiss Academia-Industry Training (AIT India) programme for early-stage startups.
EFTA members: EFTA has four members: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. It is not part of the EU.

Don’t confuse with EFTA vs EU: EFTA is a separate free trade bloc of four non-EU states. The EU is a political and economic union with a customs union.

Don’t confuse with TEPA vs a standard FTA: TEPA is an FTA that also carries an investment aim and jobs target, which most Indian FTAs lack.

Don’t confuse with MoU vs treaty: An MoU is a non-binding understanding; it is not a treaty with legal force.

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.

Test yourself

True or false?

1 of 14

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

1.The European Free Trade Association consists of Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
2.The India-EFTA TEPA entered into force on 1 October 2025.
3.Under TEPA, the EFTA states aim to raise FDI into India by USD 100 billion over 15 years.
4.The investment target in TEPA is to be reached within five years of entry into force.
5.EFTA's tariff commitments under TEPA cover 92.2% of its tariff lines, which account for 99.6% of India's exports.
6.India's tariff commitments under TEPA cover a larger share of tariff lines than EFTA's.
7.EFTA is an organisation of European Union member states that have adopted a common external tariff.
8.The Migration and Mobility Partnership MoU provides for multiple-entry visas of up to 5 years.
9.The Young Professionals agreement provides for exchange of 300 persons annually per country, which may rise to 500.
10.The Young Professionals agreement covers permanent settlement of skilled workers in the other country.
11.The transport MoU was signed on the Indian side by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways.
12.The Letter of Intent on research cooperation was signed between DST and the Swiss National Science Foundation.
13.Switzerland is a member of the European Union and of EFTA.
14.EFTA's members are Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

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

Source: PIB, Prime Minister's Office, 5 Oct, 15:14 IST · Release 295801

Issue page →

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

International relations

India-Japan Joint Crediting Mechanism

GS3 Environment / Climate ChangeGS2 International RelationsPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 30 September 2026, India and Japan launched the Operational Manual for the India–Japan Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) in New Delhi. The release was posted on 5 October 2026.
What it is: The Joint Crediting Mechanism is a bilateral carbon crediting arrangement between India and Japan under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement. Japan supports low-carbon projects in the partner country and receives credits for the emission reductions achieved. Credits are tracked through authorisation and corresponding adjustments to avoid double counting.

Legal basis: The India–Japan JCM works under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement, which allows countries to cooperate through bilateral carbon market arrangements.
Aims: The JCM aims to deploy advanced low-carbon technologies, mobilise climate finance, facilitate technology cooperation and support high-integrity emission reductions and removals in India.
What the Manual covers: The Manual sets out procedures for the whole project cycle, from the Project Idea Note to the issuance and authorisation of JCM credits.
Who launched it: The Japanese Ambassador, Keiichi Ono, and the MoEFCC Secretary jointly launched the Manual in New Delhi.

Don’t confuse with Article 6.2 vs Article 6.4: Article 6.2 covers bilateral or voluntary cooperative approaches between countries. Article 6.4 creates a centralised mechanism under UN supervision.

Test yourself

Source: PIB, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change., 5 Oct, 20:26 IST · Release 295824

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

Species and protected area

Project Cheetah

GS3 Environment and BiodiversityPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 5 October 2026, KJP21, a 32-month-old Indian-born female cheetah, gave birth to five cubs at Kuno National Park, taking India's cheetah count to 60, of which 41 are Indian-born.
What it is: Project Cheetah is India's programme to reintroduce the cheetah, declared extinct in India in 1952. Cheetahs from Namibia and South Africa were first brought to Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh, in 2022. It is run by the Environment Ministry with the National Tiger Conservation Authority.

Central team: The team has the NTCA Inspector General of Forests and two officers of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB).
State response: Madhya Pradesh formed a Special Task Force of forest and police officers; the central team will also review security protocols and protection measures.
Extinction and reintroduction: The cheetah was declared extinct in India in 1952; the first cheetahs came to Kuno in 2022 from Namibia, with more from South Africa later.
Location of death site: The cheetah was found outside the protected area, in territorial forests of Morena, showing animals stray beyond Kuno's boundary.
Population: India now has 60 cheetahs, of which 41 were born in India.
Mother: KJP21 is the third Indian-born female to give birth, after Mukhi and KGP12.
Botswana lineage: The cubs' father is a Botswanan male, so a new genetic lineage begins in India.
Location: Kuno National Park is in Madhya Pradesh.
Extinction: The cheetah was declared extinct in India in 1952. The species is Acinonyx jubatus.
Total population: India's cheetah population reached 53 after Jwala's litter.
Indian-born cubs: The number of Indian-born thriving cubs rose to 33. This was the 10th successful litter on Indian soil.
Botswana cheetahs: Nine cheetahs (6 females, 3 males) from Botswana were put in quarantine enclosures at Kuno on 28 February 2026 for acclimatisation and health monitoring.
Founder animals: Jwala is a Namibian cheetah, now a third-time mother. Gamini, from South Africa, recently had her second litter of four cubs.
New source country: Botswana is the new source of cheetahs, after Namibia and South Africa. Nine animals arrived: 6 females and 3 males.
Capture and transfer: The cheetahs were captured in the Ghanzi region of Botswana and held in quarantine at Mokolodi Nature Reserve before the transfer to India.
Transport to India: The Indian Air Force airlifted the animals from Gaborone to Gwalior. They then went by helicopter to Kuno.
Extinction in India: The cheetah was declared extinct in India in 1952.
Litter count: The new birth is the ninth successful cheetah litter on Indian soil.
Surviving Indian-born cubs: 27 Indian-born cubs are alive.
Mother of the cubs: Gamini is a South African cheetah and a second-time mother.
First translocation: 20 cheetahs from Namibia and South Africa came to India in 2022-23, described as the world's first inter-continental translocation of a large carnivore.
First release: PM Modi released the first eight cheetahs on 17 September 2022.

Don’t confuse with Territorial forest vs protected area: Territorial forest divisions are ordinary State forest areas, while a national park is a protected area with stronger legal protection.

Don’t confuse with Cheetah vs leopard: The cheetah has solid black spots and tear-line marks on the face and is built for speed. The leopard has rosettes and climbs trees. The cheetah cannot roar.

Don’t confuse with Asiatic vs African cheetah: The cheetah that once lived in India was the Asiatic cheetah, now surviving only in Iran. The animals brought to Kuno are African cheetahs from Namibia, South Africa and Botswana.

Don’t confuse with Project Cheetah vs Project Tiger: Both involve the National Tiger Conservation Authority's support, but Project Cheetah is a reintroduction of an extinct species, while Project Tiger protects existing tiger populations.

Don’t confuse with African cheetah vs Asiatic cheetah: The cheetahs brought to India are African cheetahs. The Asiatic cheetah survives only in Iran in small numbers.

Species and protected areas: 12 Prelims questions since 2013; they test legal status, location and the year of designation.

Why it matters

Cheetah reintroduction is a test of India's grassland and big cat conservation capacity.
Poaching deaths affect public trust in the programme.
Births in India show the reintroduced population is breeding and becoming self-sustaining.
A new Botswana lineage widens the gene pool and reduces inbreeding risk.
Reintroduction of an extinct large carnivore aims to restore grassland and open-forest ecosystems.
Successful breeding on Indian soil shows the animals are adapting to local conditions.
Restores a lost top predator and grassland ecosystem in India.
Adds a source population outside Africa, supporting global cheetah conservation.
Restores a lost apex predator and grassland ecosystem role.
Shows India's capacity for large-scale conservation translocation.

Problems

Cheetahs range widely and leave the protected area into human-use landscapes.
Local retaliation, snares or illegal firearms threaten animals outside the park.
The founder population is small, so genetic diversity stays limited.
Cheetahs need large open grassland, and Kuno has limited space and prey.
Limited space and prey in Kuno may constrain a growing population.
Animals face risks from disease, injuries and conflict outside protected areas.
Limited space and prey base in Kuno, and the risk of animals straying out of the park.
Mortality in the early years and dependence on imports for genetic diversity.
Limited space at Kuno and the need for more sites for a viable population.
Cub and adult mortality, and human-wildlife conflict outside protected areas.

Way forward

Strengthen monitoring and community engagement around Kuno and extend protection to the wider landscape.
Ensure swift investigation and prosecution of wildlife crime.
Build more sites, such as other protected areas, and manage the animals as a metapopulation.
Improve prey base and habitat, and keep exchanging animals with African countries.
Expand the habitat through other landscapes and manage animals as a connected metapopulation.
Keep up health monitoring and continue exchange of animals with African countries.
Expand habitat to other sites such as Gandhi Sagar and build a connected metapopulation.
Continue scientific monitoring and community involvement near release sites.
Develop additional habitats and manage the cheetahs as a connected metapopulation.
Continue monitoring and veterinary care with exchanges of animals from African countries.

Put in your answer

Central probe team: The Centre sent NTCA and WCCB officers to examine the death and review security protocols.

Project Cheetah population: India has 60 cheetahs, 41 of them born in India, showing local breeding success.

Botswana partnership: International cooperation on translocation: Botswana was chosen as a new source, with an Indian delegation visiting in September 2025 to plan logistics and clearances.

Population milestone: India's cheetah population reached 48, including 28 India-born cubs, as evidence of breeding success.

Global first: The 2022-23 translocation of 20 cheetahs was the first inter-continental translocation of a large carnivore.

Test yourself

Source: PIB, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change., 5 Oct, 14:43 IST · Release 295800

Issue page →

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

Scheme

Sanchar Saathi Portal

GS3 Internal Security / Cyber SecurityGS2 GovernancePrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 5 October 2026, the Ministry of Communications said the Sanchar Saathi portal has crossed 30 crore visits since its May 2023 launch. It also gave updated figures on handsets recovered and frauds prevented.
What it is: Sanchar Saathi is a citizen-facing portal and mobile app built by the Department of Telecommunications. It lets users report fraud calls, check connections in their name, block lost phones and verify handsets by IMEI. Citizen reports feed DoT's wider fraud-prevention framework.

Chakshu: Chakshu is the facility to report suspected fraud communication and spam by call, SMS or WhatsApp. It has received 12.80 lakh inputs.
Lost handset blocking: A lost handset can be blocked across all operators' networks and traced. 60.96 lakh handsets are blocked, 37.85 lakh traced and over 14 lakh recovered.
Digital Intelligence Platform: DIP shares fraud intelligence securely with banks, payment providers, telecom operators and law enforcement. Over 1,600 stakeholders are connected.

Don’t confuse with Sanchar Saathi vs cybercrime.gov.in / 1930: Sanchar Saathi handles telecom misuse such as fraud calls, SIMs and handsets. Victims who have already lost money should report on helpline 1930 or cybercrime.gov.in.

Don’t confuse with Chakshu vs FRI: Chakshu is the citizen reporting facility. FRI is the risk-scoring tool for mobile numbers that uses such reports as one input.

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 DoT citizen tool against telecom fraud; features are standing facts, but UPSC has set few questions on such portals, so no practice question.

Source: PIB, Ministry of Communications, 5 Oct, 14:27 IST · Release 295799

Issue page →

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

Report or index

National Household Travel Survey

GS3 Economy / InfrastructurePrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 5 October 2026, MoSPI's National Statistics Office released the factsheet of the first National Household Travel Survey, conducted July 2025 – June 2026.
What it is: The National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) is the first all-India survey by the NSO on how households travel. It records purpose, mode, duration, distance and cost of trips of 1 km or more. Its data is meant to support regional transport planning, infrastructure investment and policy.

Who ran it: The National Statistics Office under MoSPI conducted the first-ever all-India household travel survey.
Definition of travel: Only trips covering more than 1 km count as travel; shorter trips were not recorded.
Overnight trip: A trip keeping a member away from home for over 24 hours counts as overnight, but trips under 50 km are excluded.
Workers' main mode: Two-wheelers are the largest primary mode for workers: 37.1% rural and 52.3% urban.
Overnight trips: Buses and inter-city railways are the main modes for household overnight trips.
Commute cost: Average monthly cost of commuting to a fixed workplace is ₹785, higher in urban areas than rural.

Don’t confuse with Within travel-day trip vs overnight trip: A within travel-day trip keeps members away for no more than 24 hours. An overnight trip is over 24 hours and at least 50 km.

Don’t confuse with Travel day vs calendar day: In NHTS a travel day runs from 3:00 AM to 2:59 AM the next day, not midnight to midnight.

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: First-ever NSO all-India survey on household travel; useful data, but reports are 14 of 327 news-linked Prelims questions and data is mostly routine.

Source: PIB, Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation, 5 Oct, 16:00 IST · Release 295808

Issue page →

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

Place in the news

National Waterway-2 and Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route

GS3 Infrastructure / Inland WaterwaysGS2 International RelationsPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 5 October 2026, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal flagged off 540 tonnes of methanol from Bogibeel Terminal, Dibrugarh, to Dhaka on National Waterway-2. It is described as the first cargo from upper Assam to a foreign port since 1947.
What it is: National Waterway-2 is the Brahmaputra stretch in Assam from Sadiya to Dhubri. It is the longest navigable stretch among Indian waterways and carries tea, coal and fertiliser cargo. It links to Bangladesh through the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route.

NW-2 length: NW-2 runs from Dhubri to Sadiya over 891 km of navigable length, the longest of any Indian waterway.
Least Available Depth: LAD is the minimum water depth available in a navigation channel for a stretch and period. It sets the permissible vessel draft and cargo capacity.
Digital platforms: PANI gives navigation and asset information on one portal. Naudarshika, the National River Traffic and Navigation System, was launched in 2025.
NW-2 stretch: NW-2 is the Brahmaputra from Sadiya to Dhubri, 891 km, declared a national waterway in 1988.
Cargo and destination: APCL methanol made at Namrup is bound for Pangaon Port in Bangladesh.
Enabling facilities: Customs and immigration complexes at Bogibeel and Dhubri made the shipment possible.
Protocol history: India and Bangladesh signed a river trade protocol in 1972.
Waterway cargo growth: Cargo on national waterways rose from 18 million tonnes in 2013-14 to 218 million tonnes in 2025-26.

Don’t confuse with NW-1 vs NW-2 vs NW-3: NW-1 is the Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly system (Haldia to Prayagraj). NW-2 is the Brahmaputra (Sadiya to Dhubri). NW-3 is the West Coast Canal in Kerala (Kottapuram to Kollam).

Don’t confuse with IWAI vs DGLL: IWAI surveys and maintains aids on National Waterways. The Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships manages general aids to navigation along the coast.

Don’t confuse with NW-1 vs NW-2: NW-1 is the Ganga (Prayagraj to Haldia). NW-2 is the Brahmaputra (Sadiya to Dhubri).

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: First international cargo from Bogibeel to Bangladesh via NW-2; places are 26 of 327 Prelims questions, but this item has few testable facts.

Source: PIB, Ministry of Shipping, 5 Oct, 16:02 IST · Release 295804

Issue page →

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

Environment

Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)

GS3 Environment / PollutionGS2 Statutory bodiesPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 5 October 2026, CAQM announced Flying Squads in 34 districts of Punjab and Haryana from 1 October to 30 November 2026 to curb paddy stubble burning.
What it is: CAQM is the statutory body for air quality management in the NCR and adjoining areas, set up under a 2021 law. It replaced the EPCA and can issue binding directions. GRAP is the Graded Response Action Plan, a set of stage-wise emergency measures that CAQM's Sub-Committee triggers as air quality worsens.

Trigger: The Sub-Committee on GRAP reviewed air quality and IMD/IITM forecasts on 6 November 2026 before invoking Stage-III.
AQI data source: The daily AQI bulletin of the CPCB put Delhi at 382, in the 'Very Poor' category.
Cumulative stages: Stage-III actions apply in addition to Stage-I and Stage-II actions already in force.
Implementing agencies: Pollution Control Boards of NCR States and the DPCC must ensure strict implementation of all three stages.
Legal basis: CAQM was set up under the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021, and replaced the EPCA.
PAVAN full form: PAVAN stands for Platform for Air quality Vigilance and Analytics for NCR. It is the name of CAQM's Integrated Command and Control Centre (I3C).
Data integrated: The platform uses over 30 APIs and data streams, including air quality, emissions, weather, satellite, camera, mobility, complaint and compliance data.
Working principle: The centre works on 'Detect, Analyse, Act'. Deviations from norms or Statutory Directions trigger alerts and escalation to the concerned agency.
States covered: The State Action Plan module covers Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
Industries covered: The order covers all 17 highly polluting categories identified by CPCB, Red Category medium and large air-polluting industries, food and textile units with boilers or thermic fluid heaters, and metal units with furnaces.
Camera placement: Cameras must cover fuel-feeding points, gas meters, stack emissions and OCEMS sampling ports, and fume extraction areas where applicable.
Live feed: Video must stream continuously in real time using RTSP to the servers or portals of CPCB, the SPCBs and DPCC.
Enforcement: The State Governments of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan and the GNCTD, with CPCB and the SPCBs/DPCC, must ensure implementation.
State split: Punjab has 18 districts and Haryana has 16 districts covered.
Reporting: Squads report the ground situation and steps taken to the CAQM Cell daily. The cell is at SAS Nagar.
Predecessor: CAQM replaced the Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) for the NCR.
Revised GRAP size: The revised GRAP has 48 actions: 25 in Stage-I, 8 in Stage-II, 10 in Stage-III and 5 in Stage-IV.
Shift of actions to Stage-I: Actions on DG sets and entry of BS-IV and below buses moved from Stage-II to Stage-I.
Sonipat added: Restrictions on older LMVs (BS-III petrol, BS-IV diesel) now extend to Sonipat, along with the existing HVD districts.
C&D portal monitoring: The web-portal monitoring of dust control at C&D sites extends to eligible projects beyond municipal limits; the 500 sq m plot threshold is unchanged.
Technical Members: The ACC approved two full-time Technical Members for three years or until age 70, whichever is earlier.
Direction: Statutory Direction No. 98 sets a uniform PM emission limit of 50 mg/Nm³ for identified industries in Delhi-NCR.
Basis: The standard rests on CPCB recommendations, IIT Kanpur studies and a CPCB Technical Committee.
Timelines: Large and medium industries must comply from 1 August 2026; the remaining industries from 1 October 2026.
Who implements: NCR State Governments, the Delhi Government, the Pollution Control Boards of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee must implement it.
Main pollutant: PM2.5 is the dominant pollutant affecting Delhi's AQI. Both local emissions and transboundary movement across the airshed matter.
Direction on stubble: Direction No. 96 of 13.02.2026 mandates time-bound implementation of State Action Plans to end wheat stubble burning in 2026.
States addressed: The Direction is addressed to Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Delhi (GNCTD) and Rajasthan are only advised to make efforts.
Fire count, April-May 2025: Fire events recorded in the wheat season were 10207 in Punjab, 1832 in Haryana and 259 in the NCR districts of Uttar Pradesh. The standard protocol was developed by ISRO/IARI.
Parali Protection Force: States must set up a dedicated Parali Protection Force at district or block level to monitor and guard against open burning.
Support for small farmers: CRM machines must be available rent-free to small and marginal farmers through Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs).
Who invoked Stage-IV: The Sub-Committee on GRAP of CAQM took the decision at an urgent evening meeting.
Stage-IV trigger: Stage-IV is the 'Severe+' category, with Delhi's AQI above 450. It was invoked proactively, before that level was reached, and applies on top of Stages I-III.
Stage-III band: Stage-III of GRAP is for 'Severe' air quality (AQI 401-450). It was invoked early, as a proactive measure, while the AQI was still 'Very Poor'.
Legal basis of CAQM: CAQM is a statutory body created under the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021, replacing EPCA.

Don’t confuse with CAQM vs EPCA: EPCA was the earlier body set up under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 on Supreme Court direction. CAQM is a statutory commission under its own 2021 Act and replaced EPCA.

Don’t confuse with CAQM vs CPCB: CPCB publishes the AQI bulletin and monitors air quality nationally. CAQM issues binding directions for the NCR and adjoining areas.

Don’t confuse with CPCB vs SPCB/DPCC: CPCB is the central pollution control body. SPCBs and DPCC are state and Delhi bodies that monitor compliance locally.

Don’t confuse with CAAQMS vs manual stations: CAAQMS are continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations giving real-time data. Manual stations sample periodically.

Don’t confuse with In-situ vs ex-situ management: In-situ management treats residue in the field itself. Ex-situ management removes the straw for other uses such as fodder or fuel.

Don’t confuse with GRAP Stage-III vs Stage-IV: Stage-III applies to 'Severe' (AQI 401-450). Stage-IV is for 'Severe+' (AQI above 450).

Environment: Prelims tests bodies, programmes and the law behind them; Mains asks why plans fall short.

Why it matters

A statutory body with binding powers gives a single authority across Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, which have separate governments.
A single data platform can cut delays in spotting and acting on pollution sources.
It supports regional coordination across States, since air pollution crosses State borders.
Live video lets regulators check fuel use and emissions remotely, which reduces reliance on periodic inspections.
It targets industrial pollution, a major NCR source in winter when pollutants disperse poorly.
A dedicated NCR-level body can direct neighbouring States, which tackles air pollution that crosses State borders.
Daily field reporting allows quick follow-up on fires in the harvest season.
A single statutory body can give binding, region-wide directions across Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and UP, overcoming fragmented state action.
Stage-wise GRAP allows pre-emptive, graded action rather than emergency steps after air quality turns severe.
A uniform stack limit removes uneven norms across NCR states and targets a major source of PM and secondary particulates.
Source apportionment gives a scientific basis for targeted action on transport, dust, industry and biomass burning.
More monitoring stations improve regional data for an airshed-wide approach beyond Delhi.
A binding direction gives CAQM enforceable control over State action on a cross-border pollution source.
Extending action to the wheat season addresses a gap beyond paddy-season measures.
Shows CAQM acting as a single regional authority with power to bind NCR States and agencies.
Staged, pre-agreed GRAP curbs allow quick, predictable emergency response.
Pre-emptive action on forecasts can limit the worst pollution days in the NCR.
A single commission acting across Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and UP reduces fragmented, state-wise responses.

Problems

GRAP is reactive: it acts after air quality has already worsened rather than preventing the pollution.
Enforcement depends on State agencies and on citizen compliance.
Alerts help only if State agencies and SPCBs act on them; enforcement capacity varies.
Stubble burning and weather-driven pollution have farm-economy and seasonal causes that data alone cannot fix.
Industries must install cameras and ensure power backup and connectivity within a short deadline.
Regulators need servers and staff to review large volumes of live video, and states must enforce consistently.
Farmers have a short window between paddy harvest and wheat sowing and face costs of alternatives.
Enforcement depends on State agencies, and the issue is politically sensitive.
Enforcement depends on State agencies; Haryana's plantation achievement (60 lakh of 1.2 crore target) shows uneven delivery.
Curbs on vehicles and construction impose economic costs on small traders and workers, and compliance is hard to monitor.
Monitoring thousands of stacks needs capacity in State pollution boards, and smaller units may struggle with the cost of control equipment.
Transboundary pollution and secondary particulates need coordination across several States with different capacities.
Enforcement of directions on stubble, dust and industry depends on weak local agencies, and compliance is uneven.
Enforcement depends on State machinery, and punitive measures may hurt small farmers.
Straw storage and a year-round supply chain for ex-situ use need investment.
Curbs are reactive and often invoked only after AQI is already severe.
Enforcement depends on several State governments and agencies, and curbs on construction and transport hurt livelihoods.
Many measures depend on state governments and pollution boards for enforcement, and compliance varies.
GRAP curbs fall hardest on daily-wage construction workers and small businesses, and it treats symptoms rather than root sources.

Way forward

Move towards preventive, year-round action on sources such as vehicles, dust, industry and biomass burning.
Use forecasts to trigger measures earlier and strengthen coordination among NCR States.
Tie alerts to time-bound action and public reporting of follow-up.
Pair monitoring with support for farmers on crop residue management and cleaner fuel and transport.
Link camera feeds with OCEMS data and use automated alerts for violations.
Impose penalties for non-compliance and publish compliance reports.
Ensure affordable access to crop residue machinery and in-situ and ex-situ management of residue.
Combine monitoring with incentives and crop diversification away from water-intensive paddy.
Strengthen monitoring through web portals, the Enforcement Task Force and real-time data, with action against non-compliance.
Address the root causes: clean transport, cleaner fuels, and alternatives to stubble burning, with coordination among states.
Use continuous emission monitoring with public data, and give small units technical and financial support to comply.
Use the apportionment findings to set season-specific, sector-wise targets with regular public reporting.
Back farmers with crop residue machinery and alternatives, and strengthen State and municipal enforcement capacity.
Pair monitoring and environmental compensation with free machinery access and viable markets for straw.
Use satellite data and monthly progress reports to hold States accountable.
Act earlier on forecasts and cut year-round sources such as vehicles, dust and industry.
Strengthen coordination and monitoring among NCR States, with support for affected workers.
Shift to year-round source control: cleaner transport, industry and power, and dust management.
Coordinate regional action on stubble burning and provide livelihood support when curbs apply.

Put in your answer

CAQM Act, 2021: A statutory commission replaced the EPCA, giving the NCR air quality regime legal backing and binding directions.

PAVAN-I3C data sources: The centre draws on 111 CAAQMS in Delhi-NCR, over 2,300 industries and over 3,200 construction sites, which shows the scale of integration.

Shift in compliance: CAQM moves from manual, agency-reported monitoring to digital, data-driven compliance management.

CAQM Flying Squads: Inspections by CAQM Flying Squads found use of unapproved fuels in NCR industries, showing the need for stronger surveillance.

Secondary particulate matter: Industrial emissions add to secondary particulate matter besides raising direct PM levels, and the effect is prominent in winter.

CAQM Act 2021: The 2021 Act created a statutory commission with powers to issue directions to curb air pollution in the NCR region.

Enforcement Task Force data: As on 17.09.2026, 1,831 violating units were issued closure orders, 1,479 of which got resumption orders after compliance.

Industrial stacks: Industrial stack emissions are a significant source of elevated PM in Delhi-NCR and cause secondary particulate formation.

Winter PM2.5 sources (Delhi): Expert report: secondary particulates 27%, transport 23%, biomass burning 20%, dust 15%, industry 9%.

Wheat-season fire data: Satellite monitoring of April-May 2025 recorded 10207 fires in Punjab, 1832 in Haryana and 259 in NCR districts of UP. This shows stubble burning is not only a paddy-season problem.

Farm-level mapping and nodal officers: The Direction requires mapping each farm's residue management mode and tagging at most 100 farmers to each nodal officer. This is an example of last-mile monitoring.

Stage-IV measures: Example of emergency curbs: BS-IV truck entry stopped, C&D bans extended to linear public projects, hybrid classes for schools.

GRAP Stage-III invoked, Jan 2026: CAQM acted on forecasts of a 'Severe' AQI, showing a shift toward pre-emptive, forecast-based action.

Test yourself

True or false?

1 of 11

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

1.The revised GRAP schedule contains a total of 48 actions across its four stages.
2.Under the revision, actions on DG sets and entry of BS-IV and below buses were moved from Stage-III to Stage-II.
3.Restrictions on older four-wheeler LMVs now cover Sonipat in addition to Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar.
4.The amendment to Direction Nos. 11-18 lowers the plot-area threshold for C&D site registration below 500 square metres.
5.The Technical Members of CAQM were appointed with the approval of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.
6.CAQM was established under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 as an authority under Section 3 of that Act, replacing the Central Pollution Control Board.
7.The revision removed the exemption for BS-IV and below goods vehicles carrying essential commodities in Stages III and IV.
8.The expert report considered by CAQM was prepared pursuant to directions of the Supreme Court.
9.According to the report, in winter the largest single contributor to PM2.5 in Delhi is transport.
10.Of the new stations, Uttar Pradesh is to get the most, followed by Haryana and Delhi.
11.CAQM was established under the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021, replacing the EPCA.

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

Source: PIB, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change., 5 Oct, 19:33 IST · Release 295821

Issue page →

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

Quick facts

TDB-DST signed a ₹130 crore RDI Fund agreement with BigEndian Semiconductors for Project VeerAI, an AI vision chip for CCTV, via optional convertible debt.
Exercise Mountain Guardian 2026, India-UAE army exercise on mountain warfare, runs 5-18 October at Chaubatia, Uttarakhand.
Fleet Support Ship-1, first of five 43,500-tonne ships for the Navy built at Hindustan Shipyard, Visakhapatnam, is to be launched on 6 October 2026.
HAL Koraput will mark its 2,000th aero-engine delivery and a second Shakti engine production line worth ₹218 crore.
India added a record 6.05 GW of wind capacity in FY2025-26; cumulative wind capacity was 58.52 GW by August 2026, against a 100 GW target for 2030.
Chief Justices Sunita Agarwal, Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Aparesh Kumar Singh were appointed Supreme Court judges.

Source: PIB, 5 Oct

What we left out: 25 of 38 releases

Ceremonies and campaigns (10)
Speeches without a decision (4)
Explainers without a decision (1)
Routine data (2)
Same issue as another release (2)
Beneficiary stories (3)
Routine studies (1)
Routine appointments (1)
Visit schedules (1)

Practise the day’s news

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

1India-Switzerland Migration and Mobility Partnership and EFTA TEPAMCQ · 14 true or false · Mains
2India-Japan Joint Crediting MechanismMCQ · 5 true or false · Mains
3Project CheetahMCQ · 13 true or false
4Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)MCQ · 11 true or false · Mains

Mains question of the day

10 marks · 150 words

India and Switzerland recently signed a Migration and Mobility Partnership MoU and a Young Professionals exchange agreement, and India's trade pact (TEPA) with the EFTA states is in force. Examine how such mobility partnerships help India's economic and diplomatic interests, and discuss the challenges in managing legal migration while preventing irregular migration and trafficking.

From: India-Switzerland Migration and Mobility Partnership and EFTA TEPA

Write and get it marked

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All days

Mains question of the day

10 marks

From: India-Switzerland Migration and Mobility Partnership and EFTA TEPA

Write and get it marked

Practice

1India-Switzerland Migration and Mobility Partnership and EFTA TEPAMCQ · 14 true or false · Mains
2India-Japan Joint Crediting MechanismMCQ · 5 true or false · Mains
3Project CheetahMCQ · 13 true or false
4Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)MCQ · 11 true or false · Mains

Practice · 4 Mains question