1. Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2026
What happened: Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai were reported as the winners of the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for research related to molecular chirality.
Why important: Chirality is important in chemistry and pharmaceutical research because two mirror-image forms of a molecule can have different biological effects.
Exam Tip:
Award: Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2026
Key concept: Chirality
Related field: Pharmaceutical chemistry
2. RBI Monetary Policy
What happened: The Reserve Bank of India’s monetary policy decision was reported on 7 October, with the repo rate stated as 5.50%.
Why important: Changes in the repo rate can affect borrowing costs, loan interest rates, economic activity and inflation.
Exam Tip:
RBI: Reserve Bank of India
Repo rate: The rate at which the RBI lends short-term funds to banks against eligible securities.
25 basis points = 0.25 percentage points.
3. Living Planet Report 2026
What happened: The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) released its Living Planet Report 2026. The report was stated to show a 73% decline in the average size of monitored vertebrate wildlife populations between 1970 and 2022.
Why important: The report highlights biodiversity loss and threats such as habitat destruction, pollution and climate change.
Exam Tip:
Organisation: WWF
Key indicator: Living Planet Index (LPI)
Important distinction: A 73% decline in monitored population sizes does not mean 73% of species became extinct.
4. Global Innovation Index 2026
What happened: The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) was reported to have ranked India 38th among 139 economies in the Global Innovation Index 2026.
Why important: The index evaluates innovation-related performance, including research, technology and knowledge-based activities.
Exam Tip:
Index: Global Innovation Index
Organisation: WIPO
Headquarters of WIPO: Geneva, Switzerland
5. Nobel Peace Prize 2026
What happened: Navi Pillay was reported as the recipient of the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for contributions related to human rights and international justice.
Why important: The award draws attention to human rights, international law and accountability.
Exam Tip:
Award: Nobel Peace Prize
Related subjects: Human rights and international justice
6. WHO Guidelines on Childhood Obesity
What happened: The World Health Organization (WHO) was reported to have issued global guidance on managing obesity among children and adolescents.
Why important: Childhood obesity is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Prevention involves healthy eating, physical activity and appropriate healthcare.
Exam Tip:
WHO headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
Subject: Public health and nutrition
7. India–Switzerland Cooperation
What happened: India and Switzerland were reported to have strengthened cooperation through agreements relating to migration, mobility and the exchange of young professionals.
Why important: Such agreements can support employment opportunities, skills development and people-to-people relations.
Exam Tip:
Capital of Switzerland: Bern
Currency: Swiss franc
8. India’s Wildlife Conservation Efforts
What happened: Wildlife conservation and biodiversity remained important environmental themes in current affairs, including efforts to protect habitats and endangered species.
Why important: Conservation programmes help maintain ecological balance and protect threatened wildlife.
Exam Tip:
Biodiversity: The variety of living organisms in an area or on Earth.
Habitat: The natural home of an organism.
9. India’s Artificial Intelligence Ecosystem
What happened: Artificial intelligence education, research and access to digital resources remained relevant themes in India's technology initiatives.
Why important: AI has applications in healthcare, education, agriculture, communication and public services.
Exam Tip:
AI: Artificial Intelligence
Related topics: Machine learning, automation and digital governance.
10. Climate Change and the IPCC
What happened: International discussions continued around climate science, emission reduction and the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Why important: IPCC assessments help governments understand climate risks and evaluate possible responses.
Exam Tip:
IPCC: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Established: 1988
Main subject: Scientific assessment of climate change.
Quick Revision
Topic | Key fact |
|---|---|
Nobel Chemistry | Molecular chirality |
RBI | Repo rate and monetary policy |
Living Planet Report | WWF |
Global Innovation Index | WIPO |
Nobel Peace Prize | Human rights and international justice |
WHO | Public health |
Switzerland | Capital: Bern |
AI | Artificial Intelligence |
IPCC | Climate change |
Biodiversity | Variety of living organisms |