TNPSC Weekly Current Affairs June 07 to 13, 2026 | English

NATIONAL
NEWS

TAMIL NADU
NEWS

INTERNATIONAL
NEWS

ENVIRONMENT
NEWS

SCIENCE &
TECHNOLOGY

ECONOMY NEWS

STATE NEWS

IMPORTANT
DAYS
(JUNE 07–13, 2026)

PERSONS & AWARDS

PRACTICE QUESTIONS

1. NATIONAL NEWS

1.1 Narendra Modi — Longest-Serving Elected PM

Milestone: Became India's longest-serving continuously elected PM on June 10, 2026, completing 4,399 consecutive days since taking oath on May 26, 2014.
Record broken: Surpassed Jawaharlal Nehru's 4,398 consecutive elected days (May 13, 1952 – May 27, 1964).
Other records: First non-Congress PM to complete two consecutive full-majority terms; 2nd PM after Nehru to win 3 consecutive Lok Sabha elections as incumbent.
Earlier milestone: In July 2025, Modi surpassed Indira Gandhi's uninterrupted tenure record of 4,077 days.
Overall, longest-serving PM: Jawaharlal Nehru remains India's longest-serving PM overall — 6,131 total days (Aug 15, 1947 – May 27, 1964).

Prime Minister	Continuous Elected Tenure (Days)
Narendra Modi	4,399 (26-May-2014 to 10-Jun-2026)
Jawaharlal Nehru	4,398 (13-May-1952 to 27-May-1964)
Indira Gandhi	4,078 (24-Jan-1966 to 24-Mar-1977)
Dr. Manmohan Singh	3,657 (22-May-2004 to 26-May-2014)

1.2 NFHS-6 National Key Findings (2023–24)

Nodal Agency: International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai.
Coverage: Data from nearly 6.8 lakh households across every State/UT except Manipur.
Dropped indicators: Anaemia, infant/child/under-five mortality, sex ratio at birth, sanitation, clean cooking fuel use, and 4 cancer-screening indicators (introduced only in NFHS-5).
Gains: Antenatal check-ups (4+) up ~7 percentage points; rise in institutional births and women's internet usage; a drop in reported spousal violence.
Declines: Exclusive breastfeeding under 6 months down ~8 points; modern contraception use fell from 56.4% to 52.7%.
New additions: Biological HIV testing (brought back), Hepatitis-B/C testing, direct benefit transfers, SHG membership, and digital literacy questions.
State highlights: West Bengal's health insurance coverage rose most (33.7%→88.2%); Andhra Pradesh's women's internet use rose most (21%→63.6%); Haryana had the steepest breastfeeding decline (69.5%→41.2%).

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NFHS: National Family Health Survey — a large-scale household survey on health and nutrition, commissioned by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Sex Ratio at Birth: Number of females born per 1,000 males — a standard indicator of sex-selective practices; it was 929 in NFHS-5 and is absent in NFHS-6.
Exam point of view: NFHS-6's fact sheet has FEWER indicators (101) than NFHS-5 (131) — a net reduction of 30, not an increase.

1.3 Supreme Court on Homemakers' Domestic Work

Ruling: Loss of domestic care provided by a homemaker is a separate, compensable head of damages in motor accident claims.
Bench: Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice N. Kotiswar Singh.
Valuation: Minimum ₹30,000 per month fixed for a homemaker's domestic services, for compensation purposes.
Precedent extended: Adds 'loss of domestic care' as an additional ground beyond those recognised in National Insurance Co. Ltd. v. Pranay Sethi (2017).

1.4 IMI-Resistant Mustard Hybrids

Timeline: Indian farmers set to begin large-scale cultivation during the 2026–27 rabi season.
Development method: Mutation breeding — NOT genetically modified (GM) technology.
Target weed: Controls the parasitic weed Orobanche (Phelipanche), which attacks mustard roots.
Mechanism: A change in the Acetolactate Synthase (ALS) enzyme confers resistance to imidazolinone (IMI) herbicides, so farmers can spray IMI herbicides to kill weeds while the mustard crop survives.

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1.5 BIS Norms for Tea Bags

First-ever standards: Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) issued its first-ever standards for tea bags.
Bans: Epichlorohydrin (a paper-strengthening chemical classified as a potential carcinogen) and chlorine bleaching.
Coverage: Tea bags made from filter paper, non-woven fabric, biodegradable materials, or other food-grade materials.
Market size: India's tea bag market is estimated at around $500 million.

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1.6 Land Port Management System (LPMS)

Launch: To be launched by the union home minister, to digitise operations at India's land ports.
Features: Slot booking, online payments, cargo tracking, and single-window clearances.
Integration: With the Indian Customs Electronic Gateway (ICEGATE) and the Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP).
Coverage: Facilitates cross-border trade/travel with Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and Pakistan.

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1.7 7th Regional Meteorological Centre — Jammu

Coverage: Serves Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh.
Services: District-level forecasts, mountain weather forecasts, tourist advisories, and disaster warnings for flash floods, cloudbursts, avalanches, landslides and heavy snowfall.
Significance: Marks a restructuring of the IMD's regional forecasting network; a new RMC is also proposed for Lucknow.

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1.8 Mega Leather Clusters

Locations: Muzaffarpur (Bihar), Sitapur–Morena (Madhya Pradesh), Raigad (Maharashtra), Ranipet (Tamil Nadu).
Investment: About ₹898 crore total.
Under programme: Indian Footwear and Leather Development Programme (IFLDP) 2021–26.
Sustainability: Some clusters will include Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) for wastewater treatment.

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1.9 District Domestic Product (DDP) Guidelines 2026

Released by: National Statistics Office (NSO), under MoSPI — Uniform Guideline for DDP Estimates, base year 2022–23.
Metrics: Gross District Domestic Product (GDDP), Net District Domestic Product (NDDP), and district-level Per Capita Income.
Approach: Bottom-up (primary method, using district-level data), with top-down as a fallback where data gaps exist.
Current status: 26 States/UTs currently compile DDP estimates; MoSPI is working to bring all States/UTs under a common framework.

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1.10 73rd NEC Plenary Meeting

Focus: Multi-sectoral development strategy for the North Eastern Region, aligned with Viksit Bharat 2047.
Task forces: Eight high-level task forces submitted action plans covering investment, agriculture, infrastructure, tourism, sports, and handicrafts.
Banking push: About 6,500 previously unbanked villages integrated into the banking system, raising UPI adoption to nearly 90% in the region.
Investment: The Rising North East Investment Summit secured commitments worth ₹4.5 lakh crore.

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1.11 Draft AI Rules for Courts

Released by: Supreme Court AI Committee.
Restrictions: AI cannot determine judicial outcomes, sentencing, bail decisions, or witness credibility.
Permitted use: Assistive roles only — case management, transcription, translation — with mandatory human oversight.
Additional rule: Prohibits the use of opaque or unexplainable AI systems in court processes.
Feedback deadline: Public comments accepted until June 20, 2026.

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1.12 Viksit Vibrant Village Program (VVVP) 2026

Implemented by: Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat), under the Department of Youth Affairs.
Phase I: Covers 43 border villages in Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, with 250 volunteers.
Duration/Focus: A seven-day programme focusing on border awareness, cultural exchange, governance, village development and national integration.
Partners: Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).

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1.13 Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) — Animal Symbols in Elections

Status: CJP is not a registered political party; unlikely to be allotted the cockroach as an election symbol even if it registers.
Governing rule: Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.
Animal symbol ban: EC stopped allotting animal symbols after representations from animal welfare activists in the 1990s.
Exception retained: The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) still uses the elephant, having been allotted it before the ban.
Legal note: Sub-section 3 of Section 123 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 lists corrupt practices; no symbol allotted under the Act is deemed a religious or national symbol.

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1.14 1st World Yogasana Championship 2026

Inaugurated by: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in Ahmedabad, ahead of International Day of Yoga (June 21).
India's performance: Topped the medal tally with 114 medals, including 102 gold, among 79 participating countries.
Runners-up: Japan (2nd), Argentina (3rd).
Future goal: India aims to include Yogasana in the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics.

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1.15 IPL 2026 and Norway Chess 2026 — Sporting Highlights

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1.16 Samadhan Didi — AI Grievance Chatbot

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2. TAMIL NADU NEWS

2.1 Heat Action Plan (HAP) 2026

Aim: Released by the Tamil Nadu Government to reduce heat-induced illnesses and strengthen heatwave preparedness.
Index used: Steadman Heat Index, which combines air temperature and relative humidity to assess human-perceived heat stress.
Assessment levels: Hazard, exposure, vulnerability and heat-risk assessments carried out at village panchayat and urban ward levels.
Prepared by: Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority (TNSDMA) and Tamil Nadu Disaster Risk Reduction Agency (TNDRRA).

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2.2 Tamil Nadu SEZ Export Record (2025–26)

Export earnings: Record ₹2.2 lakh crore for the TAP region (Tamil Nadu, Andaman & Nicobar, Puducherry), up from ₹2.03 lakh crore in 2024–25.
Functional SEZs: 62 in the TAP region, including the Madras Export Processing Zone (MEPZ).
Investment: ₹82,844 crore total, including ₹8,677.9 crore in FDI.
Sector share: IT and ITES accounted for 88.4% of total exports.
National standing: Tamil Nadu leads India's 280 SEZs with 51, ahead of Telangana and Maharashtra (38 each).

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2.3 Singappen Special Force

Launched: By the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister on June 9, 2026, in Chennai, to help prevent crimes against women and children.
Funding: ₹354 crore allocated for Phase I.
Head: IGP K. Bhavaneeswari.
Phase II: 2,500 new posts to be created, along with vehicles, drones and modern technological equipment.
Purpose: Supports crime prevention, allowing all-women police stations to focus more on investigations and legal action.

2.4 Online Land Registration System

Launched by: Tamil Nadu Registration Department — a 24×7 online registration facility.
Coverage: First sale of plots/flats, TN Housing Board sale deeds, and mortgage/discharge deeds linked to bank loans.
Verification: Aadhaar verification of executants, claimants and witnesses via fingerprint or iris authentication is mandatory.
Delivery: Digitally signed documents can be downloaded through the portal and are also shared via WhatsApp.

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2.5 Government Hospitals in Organ Donation

Share: Government hospitals contributed 64% of deceased organ donors in Tamil Nadu as of April 2026.
Trend: Deceased donors rose from 156 (2022) to 268 (2024), and stood at 266 in 2025.
Infrastructure: 13 government transplant hospitals, 159 private transplant hospitals, and 35 Non-Transplant Organ Retrieval Centres (NTORCs).
Coordinating body: Transplant Authority of Tamil Nadu (TRANSTAN).

2.6 Tamil Nadu's Own Tax Revenue (SOTR) 2025–26

Growth gap: SOTR grew just 6.8% despite the state economy growing 10.83% in 2025–26.
Value: Rose from ₹1.80 lakh crore (2024–25) to about ₹1.92 lakh crore (2025–26).
SGST growth: Marginal — from ₹70,886.77 crore to ₹72,008.47 crore, a growth of only 1.6%.
Reason: Slow growth attributed to the GST rate rationalisation implemented in September 2024.
Context: A similar gap occurred in 2024–25, when the economy grew 11.19% but SOTR grew only 7.74%.

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2.7 Vetri Tamizhagam Vision Document

Released: During the Tamil Nadu government's first Cabinet meeting.
Structure: 436 vision statements across 10 pillars and 54 sub-pillars, inspired by the Tirukkural.
Focus areas: Education, healthcare, agriculture, women's welfare, youth development, infrastructure, and transparent governance.
Implementation: Assigned to 35 government departments, each to prepare a detailed action plan with targets and timelines.

2.8 TNSDMA 2026 Monsoon Review

Chaired by: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, reviewing southwest monsoon preparedness.
IMD forecast: Below-normal rainfall forecast for Tamil Nadu during the 2026 southwest monsoon season.
TNSDMA origin: First constituted in 2003 (G.O. No. 323); reconstituted in 2008 (G.O. No. 564) with the Chief Minister as Chairperson, per the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
Planned force: A Tamil Nadu Disaster Response Force (TNDRF) has been planned, on the lines of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

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2.9 Cool Roof Coating SOP

Significance: India's first State-level SOP for Cool Roof Coating Application, launched on June 5, 2026 (World Environment Day).
Framework: A 12-stage standard framework for applying cool roof coatings in homes, schools, and public buildings.
Developed by: Tamil Nadu Green Climate Company (TNGCC) and Tamil Nadu Climate Change Mission (TNCCM), with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and SEEDS Technical Services.

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3. INTERNATIONAL NEWS

3.1 BRICS Agriculture Meeting 2026

Venue: Indore, held under India's BRICS Chairmanship.
Focus: Food security, farmer welfare, nutrition, and climate-smart agriculture; discussions also covered AI and robotics in agriculture.
Organised by: Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW).
BRICS membership: Currently 11 members — Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Indonesia.

3.2 EU Market Access for Aquaculture Exports

Achievement: India secured continued EU market access for aquaculture products, honey and eggs beyond September 2026.
Reason for new norms: To address Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) concerns in food products.
Value: India's fish/fishery exports to the EU are valued at around $1.59 billion.
Coordinated by: Department of Commerce, Export Inspection Council (EIC), and MPEDA.

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3.3 War Powers Resolution on Iran (US)

Vote: US House passed the resolution 215–208 to restrict military operations and require Congressional approval or troop withdrawal.
Nature: Largely symbolic, reflecting growing opposition to the ongoing Iran war and its economic impact, including higher fuel prices.
Next steps: Needs Senate passage; a Presidential veto would require a two-thirds majority in both Houses to override.

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3.4 UN Security Council Election 2026

Elected members: Austria, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago, Zimbabwe, and Kyrgyzstan — for a two-year term starting January 1, 2027.
First-timer: Kyrgyzstan will serve on the UNSC for the first time since joining the UN in 1992.
Election process: Elected by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) via secret ballot, requiring a two-thirds majority.

3.5 India–UK Critical Minerals Observatory

Launched: India–UK Critical Minerals Global Supply Chain Observatory, in New Delhi.
Partners: TEXMiN (Technology Innovation in Exploration & Mining Foundation), IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, and the University of Cambridge.
Framework: Under the India–UK Technology Security Initiative, aligned with the India–UK Vision 2035 roadmap.
Purpose: Tracks global supply chains for critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements.

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3.6 2026 FIFA World Cup — 23rd Edition

Format: First men's edition with 48 teams (expanded from 32) — the largest World Cup in history.
Hosts: United States, Canada and Mexico — the first multi-nation co-hosting since 2002.
Records: Mexico is the first nation to host three men's World Cups (1970, 1986, 2026); it is Canada's first-time hosting.
Technology: FIFA introducing digital 3D player avatars to enhance VAR and semi-automated offside decisions.
Debutants: Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan making their World Cup debuts.
Defending champion: Argentina, winner of its third title in 2022.

3.7 SAFF Women's Championship 2026

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3.8 Project Patriot Pipeline (US)

Launched by: United States Department of War (Pentagon).
Purpose: A workforce development initiative for defence manufacturing, using the SkillBridge programme.
Beneficiaries: Service members, military spouses, and federal civilians, in sectors like aviation, healthcare, cybersecurity, and manufacturing.

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4. ENVIRONMENT NEWS

4.1 Global Heat-Risk Hotspots (Oxford Study)

Findings: Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai ranked among the world's top 50 heat-risk urban centres.
Basis: Assessed using heat exposure, population vulnerability, and coping capacity.
Hyderabad: Ranked among the world's 30 most heat-vulnerable cities, with a heat-risk score of 0.68; 14 Indian cities featured in the global top 50.
Related findings: University of East Anglia found Indian urban areas may warm ~45% faster than rural regions; CEEW reports over 76% of India's population faces high/very high heat risk.

4.2 "35 by 35" Electrification Target

Proposed by: COP31 co-presidency of Australia and Turkey, announced at the Bonn Climate Meeting.
Target: Raise electricity's share of global final energy demand to 35% by 2035, from about 20–23% currently.
Focus sectors: Buildings, transport and industry.
Status: Non-binding, part of the COP31 Action Agenda, supporting the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C goal.

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4.3 Yellow Puffball Mushroom

4.4 Fourth Global Coral Bleaching Event Ends

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4.5 Bonn Climate Conference 2026

Event: 64th Sessions of the Subsidiary Bodies (SB64) of the UNFCCC, held in Bonn, Germany.
Purpose: The annual mid-year climate meeting preparing technical discussions before the next COP summit.
Discussions: Adaptation finance, the Belém Adaptation Indicators (from COP30), climate-resilient agriculture, and the Just Transition Mechanism.

4.6 Babesia Infection — Gir Lion Cubs

Incident: Two Asiatic lion cubs died in Gir National Park, Gujarat, of suspected Babesia infection.
Disease: Babesiosis — a tick-borne disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Babesia, infecting red blood cells.
Vectors: Ticks such as Ixodes, Rhipicephalus, Dermacentor and Haemaphysalis.
Zoonotic risk: Can infect humans through infected tick bites or contaminated blood.

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4.7 Tamil Nadu State-Wide Raptor Assessment 2025–26

Released: On June 5, 2026, on the occasion of World Environment Day.
Findings: 5,712 sightings across 51 raptor species (birds of prey — eagles, hawks, falcons, vultures, owls).
Conducted by: Tamil Nadu Raptor Research Foundation (TNRRF), under the Advanced Institute for Wildlife Conservation (AIWC), with WWF-India support.
Significance: Raptors are key indicators of ecosystem health, occupying the top levels of food chains.

4.8 Tamil Nadu Synchronised Bird Estimate 2025

Released by: Tamil Nadu Forest Department, in two phases (Wetland Birds: March 8–9; Terrestrial Birds: March 15–16, 2025).
Total species: 798 bird species (397 wetland + 401 terrestrial); about 7.8 lakh birds documented across the state.
Endangered species: 26 of the 37 endangered bird species known from the state were recorded.
Other findings: 17 nocturnal bird species and a large number of migratory birds documented.

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4.9 HAWK Wildlife Management System

Launched by: Kerala — India's first judiciary-integrated digital system for wildlife offence management.
Full form: Hostile Activity Watch Kernel.
Function: Links forest offence records with the District Court Management System via an API, tracking cases from the Preliminary Offence Report to court verdicts.
Additional role: Serves as an ecological intelligence platform, analysing wildlife mortality, illegal weapon seizures, and repeat offenders.

4.10 100th Ramsar Site — Surha Tal

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4.11 Fish Waste-Based Biofertilisers

Developed by: ICAR-CIBA (Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture), Chennai.
Products: CIBA-Plankton Plus and CIBA-Horti Plus, made entirely from fish market waste.
Impact: CIBA-Horti Plus increased potato yields by up to 23.8% and reduced the need for DAP fertiliser.
Context: India generates over 60 lakh tonnes of fish waste annually, from about 195 lakh tonnes of fish production.

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4.12 Nilgiri Tahr Population Survey 2026

Population: Increased to 1,364 — up 4.68% from 1,303 (2025) and 32% from 1,031 (2024).
Species status: Endemic to the Western Ghats; classified Endangered on the IUCN Red List; Tamil Nadu's State animal.
Conducted by: Tamil Nadu and Kerala Forest Departments under Project Nilgiri Tahr, using the 'Varudai' mobile app for the first time.

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5. SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

5.1 Artemis III Mission — Crew Revealed

Crew: Randy Bresnik (US), Luca Parmitano (Italy), Andre Douglas (US), Frank Rubio (US).
Launch plan: Late 2027, from Kennedy Space Centre, USA.
Purpose: Tests rendezvous and docking of Blue Origin and SpaceX lunar landers in Earth orbit for two weeks.
First lunar landing: Now targeted for Artemis IV in 2028, under the revised Artemis programme.

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5.2 MAVEN Mission Ends

Mission: Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) — launched 2013, entered Mars orbit 2014.
Purpose: The first mission dedicated to studying Mars' upper atmosphere and atmospheric loss.
End: Contact was lost in December 2025 after the spacecraft entered safe mode; NASA has now officially ended the mission.
Legacy: Data supported over 800 scientific studies and communications relay for Mars rovers.

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5.3 Majorana 2 Quantum Chip

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5.4 World's First Perfect Randomness

Achieved by: Physicists at ETH Zurich, Switzerland, using quantum entanglement.
Method: Entangled qubits and Bell-test experiments; over one billion trials conducted in about nine hours.
Significance: Device-independent randomness amplification, converting imperfect randomness into perfectly random outputs.

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5.5 Microplastic Removal Innovation — Plas-Stick

Winners: Indian teenagers Vivaan Chhawchharia, Ariana Agarwal, and Avyana Mehta (age 16) won the Earth Prize (Global Winners).
Innovation: A biodegradable powder made from tamarind seed waste that removes microplastics from water.
Method: Attracts microplastic particles into clumps, removed using a handheld magnet — electricity-free and low-cost.
Support: Developed with support from IIT Guwahati; received a US$12,500 grant.

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6. ECONOMY NEWS

6.1 Current Account Surplus — Q4 FY26

Surplus: $7.1 billion (0.7% of GDP) in Q4 (Jan–Mar) FY26, as per the RBI.
Drivers: Strong services exports and record remittance inflows from Indians living abroad.
Services receipts: Net services receipts rose to $60.4 billion from $53.3 billion a year earlier.
Remittances: Personal remittance receipts reached a record $43.5 billion, up from $33.9 billion in Q4 FY25.
Trade deficit: Merchandise trade deficit stood at $83.4 billion; overall Balance of Payments (BoP) recorded a surplus of $7.2 billion.

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6.2 India's Semiconductor Vision 2035

Released by: NITI Aayog — "Future of India's Semiconductor Industry" report.
Target: USD 120–150 billion semiconductor value chain by 2035; 35–50% chip self-sufficiency; 10–13% share of the global market.
Strategy: Based on the 5P framework — Pioneering, Policy & Investment, Production, People, and Partnership.
Focus areas: AI chips, Silicon Carbide (SiC), Gallium Nitride (GaN), advanced packaging, and quantum technologies.

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6.3 India's Solar Market Growth

Rank: World's second-largest solar growth market in 2025, surpassing the US in annual capacity additions.
Growth: Installed capacity rose from 2.8 GW (2014) to over 155 GW (2025) — about 5,370% growth.
Milestone: India crossed 50% non-fossil fuel-based installed electricity capacity.
Scheme impact: Over 40 lakh households adopted solar power under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana.

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6.4 India's Market Rank 2026

Rank: India slipped to 7th in global stock market capitalisation, overtaken by South Korea.
Comparison: South Korea's market cap reached $5 trillion vs India's $4.8 trillion; South Korea's rise was driven by an AI-stock rally.
Context: Taiwan had earlier also overtaken India; India's market fell about 11% in 2026, while South Korea's KOSPI index recorded strong gains.

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6.5 KABIL Lithium Project — Argentina

Achievement: KABIL secured five lithium blocks in Catamarca Province, Argentina — India's first government-led overseas lithium exploration/mining project.
KABIL composition: A joint venture of NALCO, Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL) and MECL, under the Ministry of Mines.
Area: About 15,703 hectares in the Lithium Triangle (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile).
Timeline: Environmental clearance received in April 2026; commercial production expected around 2029.

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6.6 United States — India's Largest LPG Supplier

Shift: USA became India's largest LPG supplier in May 2026, replacing the Middle East, supplying over 55% of imports.
Reason: Supply disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz affected Gulf exports from Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Volume: About 666,000 tonnes of LPG imported from the USA in May 2026.
Iran resumption: India resumed LPG imports from Iran in March 2026 after a seven-year gap; Iran was the 2nd-largest supplier in May 2026.

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6.7 Price Stabilization Fund for Aviation Fuel

Approval: Union Cabinet approved a one-time ₹10,000 crore package to create a Price Stabilization Fund for Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF).
Reason: Sharp ATF price volatility after the West Asia crisis — prices rose from about ₹60.50/litre to ₹142/litre.
Mechanism: A revolving fund operating through Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs); recovered when prices fall below benchmark levels.

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6.8 Expansion of Ethanol Fuel Network

Rollout target: 500 flex-fuel retail pumps by 2026; 5,000 outlets by 2027.
Achievement: India achieved its E20 (20% ethanol-blended petrol) target in 2025, ahead of the planned 2030 deadline.
First phase cities: Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur.
Standards proposed: By the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), for E85, E100 and B100 fuels.

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7. STATE NEWS

7.1 Two-Child Norm Withdrawn — Madhya Pradesh

Change: The MP Government withdrew the two-child norm restricting government job eligibility.
Earlier rule: Made persons with more than two children (born on/after January 26, 2001) ineligible for government service, under the MP Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1965.
Effect: Not retrospective — previously dismissed employees will not be reinstated.

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7.2 Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari (JSJB) Initiative

Reviewed: In a meeting between the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Maharashtra Government on May 27, 2026.
Nature: A nationwide water conservation initiative launched in September 2024.
Framework: The 3Cs — Community Participation, low Cost, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
Goal: Improve water availability in water-stressed and over-exploited districts through low-cost conservation measures.

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7.3 NeVA Initiative — West Bengal

Milestone: West Bengal became the 33rd legislature in India to join the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA).
Nature: A Mission Mode Project of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs for paperless, transparent legislative functioning.
Status: 21 legislatures have transitioned to fully digital functioning through NeVA so far.

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7.4 Fertility Rate — Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Finding: Recorded India's lowest Total Fertility Rate (TFR) at 0.9 in NFHS-6, against a replacement level of 2.1.
Trend: Declined from 1.4 in NFHS-4 to 0.9 in NFHS-6.
Related changes: Share of children under 5 fell from 5.3% to 3.7%; population aged 60+ rose to 12.6%; preschool attendance fell from 88.5% to 66.2%.

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7.5 Kerala Monsoon Arrival 2026

Onset date: June 4, 2026 — three days later than the normal onset date of June 1.
IMD action: Issued orange alerts in several Kerala districts amid heavy rain and thunderstorms.
Delay reason: Changing weather conditions over the Arabian Sea.
Advance: The monsoon has advanced into parts of the Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep, Kerala, and adjoining Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

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7.6 First Model Border Village — Chumur

Location: Chumur village, eastern Ladakh, near the India–China border, at about 16,700 feet.
Programme: Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) — a Central Sector Scheme; Phase I covers 10 model border villages.
Facilities: Solar-powered housing, water supply, sanitation, digital connectivity, healthcare, education, tourism, and Pashmina livelihoods.

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IMPORTANT DAYS (JUNE 07–13, 2026)

Why Important Days Matter: TNPSC exams regularly test dates, observing bodies, and specific themes.

June 4: International Seaweed Day — recognises seaweed's role in nutrition, sustainability, and environmental protection.
June 4: International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression — raises awareness of children affected by wars and conflicts.
June 5: World Environment Day (UNEP). 2026 Theme: 'Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future.'
June 5: World Day Against Speciesism — promotes equal moral consideration for animals; term coined by Richard D. Ryder, popularised by Peter Singer.
June 5: International Level Crossing Awareness Day (ILCAD) — promotes safety at railway level crossings.
June 5: International Day for the Fight Against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing.
June 6: UN Russian Language Day — marks the birth anniversary of poet Alexander Pushkin; one of the UN's six official languages.
June 6: World Pest Day. 2026 Theme: 'Defending Health Across Borders: The Global Power of Pest Management.'
June 7: World Food Safety Day. 2026 Theme: 'From Burden to Solutions – Safe Food Everywhere.'
June 8: World Brain Tumour Day. 2026 Theme: 'A Closer Look.'
June 8: World Oceans Day. 2026 Theme: 'Reimagine: Beyond the World We Know, a New Relationship with Our Ocean.'
June 9: World Accreditation Day. 2026 Theme: 'Innovation, Trust and Sustainability: The Power of Accreditation.'
June 10: International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations — promotes mutual respect and cooperation among cultures.

PERSONS & AWARDS

Bharathiraja: Veteran Tamil filmmaker, National Award and Padma Shri recipient, passed away in Chennai at 84.
R. Praggnanandhaa: First Indian to win the Norway Chess 2026 title, defeating Carlsen, Gukesh, Firouzja and Keymer.
Maria Montserrat Alvarado: To become the first lay (non-religious) woman Prefect of a Vatican dicastery, from November 1, 2026.
Major Prabhat Mishra: Won the Birrer-Brookes Award and General Douglas MacArthur Military Leadership Writing Award at the US Army CGSOC, Fort Leavenworth.
Lionel Messi: Became the first individual footballer to receive the Princess of Asturias Award for Sports (2026).
Subhash Kashyap: Constitutional expert and former Lok Sabha Secretary General (1983–1990), Padma Bhushan awardee, passed away at 97.
Vinod Rai: Former CAG, authored 'When Audit Matters: CAG Interventions That Made a Difference', released by the Vice-President.
IGP K. Bhavaneeswari: Heads Tamil Nadu's newly launched Singappen Special Force.
Vivaan Chhawchharia, Ariana Agarwal, Avyana Mehta: 16-year-old Indian winners of the Earth Prize 2026 (Global Winners) for Plas-Stick.
565 Indian Peacekeepers (including 53 women): Awarded the United Nations Medal for service under UNMISS (South Sudan); India is UNMISS's 2nd-largest troop contributor.
e-Governance Awards 2026: e-Jagriti (Department of Consumer Affairs) won Silver; the Panchayat Advancement Index (Ministry of Panchayati Raj) won Gold, at the 29th National Awards for e-Governance.

Learn Basics

PRACTICE QUESTIONS

Which of the following statements about the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) is correct?

(a) NFHS-6 recorded 131 indicators, an increase from 101 in NFHS-5.

(b) NFHS-6 recorded 101 indicators, a net reduction of 30 from the 131 in NFHS-5; anaemia and sex ratio at birth were dropped.

(d) NFHS-6 showed modern contraceptive use rising from 52.7% to 56.4%.

Whose record of 4,398 consecutive elected days as Prime Minister did Narendra Modi surpass on June 10, 2026?

(a) Indira Gandhi

(b) Jawaharlal Nehru

(d) Atal Bihari Vajpayee

As per the recent Supreme Court ruling, what is the minimum monthly value fixed for a homemaker's domestic services in accident compensation claims?

(a) ₹20,000

(b) ₹25,000

(d) ₹35,000

Which of the following statements about IMI-Resistant Mustard Hybrids is incorrect?

(a) They were developed through mutation breeding, not GM technology.

(b) They help control the parasitic weed Orobanche (Phelipanche).

(d) They are genetically modified crops approved for the 2026–27 rabi season.

How many member countries does BRICS currently comprise, as reflected in the 2026 BRICS Agriculture Meeting?

(a) 9

(b) 10

(d) 12

Which country will serve on the UN Security Council for the first time since joining the UN in 1992?

(a) Austria

(b) Kyrgyzstan

(d) Trinidad and Tobago

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, featuring 48 teams for the first time, is jointly hosted by which three nations?

(a) USA, Canada, Mexico

(b) USA, Mexico, Brazil

(d) Mexico, Argentina, USA

NASA's Artemis III mission will test rendezvous and docking capabilities of lunar landers built by which two companies?

(a) Boeing and Lockheed Martin

(b) Blue Origin and SpaceX

(d) ISRO and SpaceX

India's 100th Ramsar Site, the Jai Prakash Narayan Bird Sanctuary (Surha Tal), is located in which state?

(a) Bihar

(b) Uttar Pradesh

(d) Madhya Pradesh

As per NFHS-6, which Union Territory recorded India's lowest Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 0.9?

(a) Puducherry

(b) Lakshadweep

(d) Chandigarh

As per the SIPRI-style global rankings referenced this week, India slipped to which position in global stock market capitalisation, being overtaken by South Korea?

(a) 5th

(b) 6th

(d) 8th

Which of the following statements about the KABIL Lithium Project is correct?

(a) KABIL secured lithium blocks in Bolivia, in a joint venture with ONGC.

(b) KABIL secured five lithium blocks in Catamarca Province, Argentina — India’s first government-led overseas lithium project.

(d) Commercial production from the blocks began in 2026.

Which country replaced the Middle East as India's largest supplier of LPG in May 2026?

(a) Russia

(b) United States

(d) Qatar

Which of the following statements about the '35 by 35' electrification target is incorrect?

(a) It was proposed by the COP31 co-presidency of Australia and Turkey.

(b) It aims to raise electricity’s share of global final energy demand to 35% by 2035.

(d) It focuses on buildings, transport, and industry sectors.

Which of the following correctly describes the Singappen Special Force launched by the Tamil Nadu Government?

(a) Headed by IGP K. Bhavaneeswari, with ₹354 crore allocated for Phase I, to prevent crimes against women and children.

(b) Headed by the Chief Secretary, with ₹500 crore allocated, focused on cybercrime.

(d) Launched in 2024 with 5,000 personnel from inception.

Which of the following statements regarding India's semiconductor and solar sectors in 2026 is correct?

(a) NITI Aayog’s Semiconductor Vision 2035 targets a $120–150 billion value chain and 35–50% chip self-sufficiency.

(b) India’s installed solar capacity fell from 155 GW to 2.8 GW between 2014 and 2025.

(d) The Semiconductor Vision 2035 was released by MeitY, not NITI Aayog.

Identify the correct statement regarding the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and animal election symbols:

(a) The Election Commission actively allots new animal symbols to all registered parties.

(b) The EC stopped allotting animal symbols after 1990s representations from animal welfare activists, though BSP retains the elephant, allotted earlier.

(d) Animal symbols were banned under the Representation of the People Act, 1951 itself.

Which of the following statements about India's Current Account for Q4 FY26 is correct?

(a) India recorded a current account deficit of $7.1 billion, driven by falling remittances.

(b) India recorded a current account surplus of $7.1 billion (0.7% of GDP), driven by services exports and record remittances.

(d) Net services receipts fell from $60.4 billion to $53.3 billion.

Which of the following statements regarding the Nilgiri Tahr population survey is correct?

(a) The population declined to 1,031 in 2026, its lowest ever recorded figure.

(b) The population rose to 1,364 in 2026, up 4.68% from 1,303 in 2025, using the ‘Varudai’ app for field data collection for the first time.

(d) The Nilgiri Tahr is classified as ‘Least Concern’ on the IUCN Red List.

Which of the following statements about the 100th Ramsar Site and NFHS-6's lowest-TFR territory is/are correct?

Surha Tal (Uttar Pradesh) is India’s 100th Ramsar Site.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands recorded India’s lowest TFR of 0.9 in NFHS-6.
India now has the highest number of Ramsar Sites in the world.

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(d) 2 and 3 only