Monthly current affairs for May 2026

The Union Cabinet has approved the ‘Mission for Cotton Productivity’ (Kapas Kanti) with a total outlay of ₹5,659.22 crore. The mission will be implemented for a period of 5 years from FY27 to FY31.

The initiative aims to increase lint productivity from 440 kg/hectare to 755 kg/hectare by 2031, targeting a total production of 498 lakh bales (1 bale = 170 kg) by 2030-31. It is expected to benefit 32 lakh cotton farmers and will initially focus on 140 districts across 14 states to enhance national cotton production.

The Union Cabinet has approved the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, to increase the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court (SC). The bill proposes to expand the total number of judges to 38 from 34 (including the Chief Justice of India (CJI)), adding 4 more judges to the existing 33.

This marks the first increase in the judicial strength of the SC in 6 years, since the last expansion in 2019. The bill aims to amend the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956. It is to be noted that Article 124(1) of the Constitution of India empowers the Parliament to determine the number of judges in the apex court.

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has facilitated the inaugural shipment of 20 metric tons (MT) of honey from the Baksa district of Assam to the USA.

The Ministry of Power has revised the “Make in India” procurement norms for High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) substations of the Line Commutated Converter (LCC) type.

The updated guidelines introduce a phased roadmap to achieve a minimum local content (MLC) of 60% by 2035, replacing the previous uniform 60% requirement. The MLC targets for HVDC LCC type substations under EPC or turnkey projects are set at 30% by FY28 and 40% by FY30. The targets will subsequently increase to 50% by FY32 and reach the final 60% by FY35.

According to a report by the SBI Research, the real GDP growth of India for FY27 is estimated at 6.6%. The report projects growth rates of 6.8% for Q1 and 6.6% for Q2, while the growth for the second half (H2) of the fiscal year is projected at 6.5%.

The SEBI has constituted a specialized task force named ‘Cyber suraksha.ai’ to assess cybersecurity risks associated with advanced AI tools and enhance cyber resilience.

The task force consists of representatives from Market Infrastructure Institutions (MIIs), Qualified Registrar and Transfer Agents (QRTAs), and Regulated Entities (REs), along with other relevant stakeholders.

Cape Breton University (CBU) of Canada has signed three MoUs with Indian academic and policy organizations during a visit led by the President of the university David C Dingwall. The agreements are, CBU has signed a 5-year MoU with BML Munjal University (BMU) for student and faculty exchanges, joint research, and collaborative conferences.

The National Education Forum (NEF) has been appointed as the official partner of CBU to manage the engagements with the government of India and academic institutions. The university has partnered with the Gujarat-based Lok Jagruti Kendra (LJK) University to develop a localized academic network.

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has signed a 5-year MoU with the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) to strengthen the cybersecurity and digital forensic capabilities of the Aadhaar infrastructure.

The NITI Aayog has released a policy report titled “School Education System in India: Temporal Analysis and Policy Roadmap for Quality Enhancement” in New Delhi. The report highlights that the school education system in India comprises 14.71 lakh schools and over 24.69 crore students.

The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) at the higher secondary level is recorded at 58.4%. Jharkhand has achieved a 0% primary school dropout rate during 2024-25. Around 8,000 schools across the nation reported zero student enrolment, with West Bengal recording the highest number of 3,812 such institutions.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched the Critical Minerals-to-Manufacturing (CMM) Financing Partnership Facility during the 59th Annual Meeting (AM) of the Board of Governors in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

The facility includes a Grant Window (CMM Trust Fund) for early stage project preparation, supported by initial contributions of $20 million from Japan and $1.6 million from the UK. Additionally, a Catalytic Finance Window has been established for co-financing, with Korea Eximbank and the Korea Trade Insurance Corporation (K-SURE) signing initial memoranda worth $500 million as partners.

Pixxel, a space technology enterprise, has secured a contract from the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) of the USA under the Commercial Systems Program Office (CSPO).

The agreement focuses on the development of advanced hyperspectral remote sensing capabilities, a technology used to identify materials and chemical processes, utilizing the Firefly satellite constellation.

Nagaland government has launched the ‘100 Days Ayushman Student Coverage Mission’ to expand health insurance and healthcare access for students in the state. The mission is an extension of the Ayushman Bharat PM Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and the Chief Minister’s Health Insurance Scheme (CMHIS).

Shashi Shekhar Vempati has been appointed as the Chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for a period of 3 years. He succeeds Prasoon Joshi.

China has won its 13th Thomas Cup title by defeating France 3-1 at the 34th edition of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Thomas & Uber Cup Finals 2026, held in Horsens, Denmark.

South Korea has won the 31st edition of the Uber Cup title (its 3rd overall) by defeating China 3-1. It is to be noted that the Thomas Cup is the men’s world team championship and the Uber Cup is the women’s world team championship.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the development of a brownfield ship repair facility at Vadinar in Gujarat with an estimated investment of ₹1,570 crore. The project will be jointly executed by the Deendayal Port Authority (DPA) and Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL).

The proposed infrastructure of the facility includes a 650-meter jetty. Additionally, the CCEA has sanctioned several railway multi-tracking projects with a total financial outlay of ₹23,437 crore.

Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has inaugurated the “Nationwide Annual Health Check-Up Initiative” at the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Medical College & Hospital in Basaidarapur, New Delhi.

The initiative provides free annual health screenings for industrial workers aged 40 years and above at ESIC hospitals across India.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has launched the “Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) 2.0 Guidelines” under the National Health Mission (NHM). The guidelines were released during the 10th edition of the “National Summit on Good Practices and Innovations in Public Healthcare Service Delivery” in Chandigarh.

The revised framework expands the national child health screening and early intervention programme for children from birth to 18 years. RBSK 2.0 enhances the “4Ds” model—comprising Defects at Birth, Diseases, Deficiencies, and Developmental Delays—by integrating screening for mental health conditions and behavioural disorders.

According to data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), India’s retail inflation increased marginally to 3.48% in April 2026 from 3.4% in March 2026.

During the month, rural inflation was recorded at 3.74% while urban inflation stood at 3.16%. Food inflation, as measured by the All India Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI), also saw a rise to 4.2% in April 2026 compared to 3.87% in March 2026.

The RBI has imposed a cumulative monetary penalty for regulatory non-compliance. YES Bank was fined ₹31.8 lakh for violating Know Your Customer (KYC) directions, while Hinduja Housing Finance was fined ₹1.8 lakh for failing to comply with other RBI directions.

India has partnered with Japan to strengthen bilateral cooperation in health research and quantum technology. A Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) was signed between the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and the Department of Science and Technology (DST) to collaborate on biomedical research and medical devices.

Additionally, a Letter of Intent (LoI) was signed between the Cabinet Office of Japan and the DST for cooperation in the field of Quantum Science and Technology.