Daily Current Affairs - 2026-10-01

October 1, 2026 brings a mix of policy, polity, economy and sports updates that are highly relevant for UPSC, SSC, Banking and Railway aspirants. Here's a quick round-up of the day's most exam-worthy news.

AFSPA Extended for Six Months in Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh

The Ministry of Home Affairs has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 for another six months from October 1, 2026. The extension covers the whole of Manipur (except 13 Imphal Valley police station areas), eight districts and parts of five more districts in Nagaland, and the Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts along with parts of Namsai district in Arunachal Pradesh. AFSPA grants special powers to armed forces personnel in areas declared 'disturbed' and this recurring notification is a staple topic for internal security and polity sections of exams.

Bankers' Books Evidence Act, 2026 Comes Into Force, Replacing 1891 Law

The Bankers' Books Evidence Act, 2026 came into effect from October 1, 2026, replacing the 135-year-old Bankers' Books Evidence Act, 1891. The new law takes a technology-neutral approach, recognising banking records maintained in physical, electronic, digital, virtual and cloud-based forms as valid evidence, and simplifies certification via manual, digital or electronic signatures. It received Presidential assent on August 13, 2026. This is important for Banking exams and for static GK on recent laws replacing colonial-era legislation.

J&K Assembly Passes Resolution Seeking Restoration of Full Statehood

On September 28, 2026, the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly passed a resolution calling for immediate restoration of full statehood to the Union Territory, with 60 of 90 MLAs supporting it. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tabled the resolution, backed by Congress, CPI(M), PDP and AAP, while the BJP walked out calling it 'unconstitutional'. Though non-binding, the resolution revives the statehood demand first raised after J&K's 2019 reorganisation—a key reference point for polity and federalism questions.

Status of Policing in India Report (SPIR) 2026 Flags Rising Cybercrime Vulnerability

• Jointly prepared by Lokniti-CSDS and Common Cause, surveying over 8,300 citizens across 16 states.
• About 13% of respondents were cybercrime victims in the last 2-3 years, with 54% facing financial fraud.
• 72% of digital fraud victims recovered none of their lost money.
• NCRB data cited shows cybercrime cases rose 17.9%, from 86,420 in 2023 to 1,01,928 in 2024, even as overall registered crime fell 6% nationally.

The report highlights systemic gaps like low FIR registration and bribery during complaints—useful for governance and reports-related questions.

PLFS 2025: India's Literacy Rate Rises to 81.1%

The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2025 shows India's overall literacy rate (population aged 7+) has reached 81.1%, with urban literacy at 89% and rural literacy at 77.4%. Rural female literacy stands at 70.3% versus rural male literacy of 84.8%. Ten states/UTs declared themselves fully literate between 2024 and 2026, with schemes like ULLAS, NIPUN Bharat and Samagra Shiksha driving progress, including digital and financial literacy. A key data point for socio-economic indicators in exams.

RBI MPC Meeting Scheduled for October 5-7; Repo Rate Currently at 5.25%

The RBI's Monetary Policy Committee will meet from October 5-7, 2026, with the Governor announcing the rate decision on October 7 at 10 AM. The repo rate currently stands unchanged at 5.25% with a 'neutral' stance maintained since August 2026. Retail inflation is near 4.82%, and foreign investors pulled out about $3.7 billion from Indian assets in September amid global rate pressures. Aspirants should track this meeting closely for Banking and Economy sections.

Asian Games 2026: India Wins Multiple Golds in Archery and Shooting

On Day 12 (September 30, 2026), India's compound archery teams won gold in both the women's and mixed team events, with the women's team of Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Prithika Pradeep and Chikitha Taniparthi defeating China 238-234 to retain their title. In shooting, Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai won gold in the trap mixed team final, while India also secured squash medals after wins over Singapore and Kuwait. These results boost India's medal tally—important for sports current affairs.

Government Extends RoSCTL and RoDTEP Export Incentive Schemes Till September 30, 2026

The Ministry of Textiles and Department of Commerce extended the RoSCTL scheme (for apparel, garments and made-ups) and the RoDTEP scheme (for other textile products) up to September 30, 2026, to maintain export competitiveness, particularly for MSMEs, pending finalisation under the 16th Finance Commission cycle. Guidelines remain unchanged. Relevant for Economy and Government Schemes sections.

Supreme Court Allows Limited Firecracker Use on Diwali, Rejects Total Ban

The Supreme Court ruled against a 24-hour firecracker ban during Diwali but also declined a complete ban, seeking a balance between pollution control and festival traditions. In a separate ruling, the Court held that a confessional statement to police alone cannot be the basis for preventive detention under the National Security Act (NSA), quashing a detention order linked to the Sambhal communal violence case. Both rulings matter for environmental law and civil liberties topics.

UPSC Marks Centenary with Two-Day Celebrations on Trust, Transparency and Technology

The Union Public Service Commission began two-day centenary celebrations, with Chairman Ajay Kumar outlining the Commission's vision for its next phase built on Trust, Transparency and Technology. The event marks 100 years of UPSC's role in India's civil services recruitment—useful background for aspirants on the institution conducting their own exams.

That wraps up today's current affairs digest—revise these points regularly to stay exam-ready!