Daily Current Affairs (DCA) 06 November, 2026

Context of the News

Karnataka has become the first state in India to declare a state amphibian. It has chosen the Malabar Tree Toad, known locally as Malenadina Mara Gantikappe. The order came from the Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment.

What Is the Malabar Tree Toad?

• A small toad that lives in trees
• Family: Bufonidae
• It is the only surviving species in its genus, Pedostibes
• It is India’s only toad that lives in tree tops

Important Facts for Exams

• Karnataka is the first Indian state to declare a state amphibian
• It chose the Malabar Tree Toad, locally called Malenadina Mara Gantikappe
• Scientific name: Pedostibes tuberculosus
• It is India’s only tree-dwelling toad
• IUCN: Endangered
• Found only in the Western Ghats, at 250 to over 1,000 metres
• Size 3.5 to 3.8 cm; breeds March to June
• The Western Ghats is one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots and a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• It is one of four biodiversity hotspots in India, along with the Himalaya, Indo-Burma and Sundaland (Nicobar Islands)
• Karnataka’s other state symbols: elephant (animal), Indian roller (bird), lotus (flower), sandalwood (tree)
• The Purple Frog of Kerala is another unusual Western Ghats amphibian

• Event: The first International Maize Conference was held from 2–4 November 2026 at Hyderabad, Telangana.
• Theme: “Maize Revolution for Food, Feed, Fodder, Fuel and Sustainability in the Changing World” (M4FS).
• Production: India’s maize production has reached approximately 55 million tonnes, with a target of 75 million tonnes over the next decade.
• 5F Framework: The traditional 4F framework (Food, Feed, Fodder and Fuel) was expanded to 5F by adding Farmers, placing farmers at the centre of agricultural research and development.

• Approval: The Union Cabinet approved a ₹14,500 crore Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme in November 2026 for developing grid-scale Energy Storage Systems (ESS).
• Duration: The scheme will run for five years, from Financial Year 2026–27 to FY2030–31.
• Target Capacity: It aims to develop 92 GWh of additional storage capacity, comprising 60 GWh of Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs), 30 GWh of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and 2 GWh through alternative technologies.
• Investment: The estimated investment is ₹97,600 crore. The scheme will support India’s target of 411 GWh grid-scale storage capacity by FY2032.

• Approval: The Union Cabinet approved a ₹2,814 crore Capital Expenditure (Capex) Support Scheme to promote domestic processing of critical minerals.
• Duration: The scheme will operate for five years, from FY2026–27 to FY2030–31.
• Financial Support: The Government will provide a 30% capital subsidy on investment required to establish four critical mineral processing units.
• Key Minerals: The scheme focuses on minerals such as Lithium and Nickel, which are important for batteries, clean energy and strategic industries.

• Approval: The Union Cabinet approved the continuation of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs), including exclusive POCSO Courts, from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2031.
• Financial Outlay: The scheme has a total allocation of ₹3,788.04 crore.
• Expansion: The number of functional FTSCs will increase from 779 to 850, depending on case pendency across States and Union Territories.
• Funding: The Centre will contribute ₹2,353.15 crore through the Nirbhaya Fund, while States and Union Territories will contribute ₹1,434.89 crore.

• Approval: The Union Cabinet approved an additional two-year engagement for the remaining 75% of Agniveers.
• Extended Service: These Agniveers may be considered for regular enrolment after six years, subject to willingness and selection criteria.
• Existing Arrangement: The existing provision of 25% merit-based enrolment after four years will be retained.
• Objective: The change aims to provide a longer engagement period for eligible Agniveers while retaining the existing selection-based enrolment arrangement.

Context of the News

The RBI has released draft rules on Priority Sector Lending (PSL). A key proposal: loans for agricultural infrastructure will have a limit of ₹100 crore per borrower from the whole banking system.

What Is Priority Sector Lending?

• The RBI requires banks to lend a fixed share of their credit to certain sectors
• These are sectors that find it hard to get loans on their own
• They include agriculture, small businesses, education, housing and renewable energy

What Are the Proposed Limits?

For agriculture

Agriculture lending will cover three things:

• Farm credit — agriculture and allied activities
• Agricultural infrastructure
• Ancillary activities

For education

• Loans to individuals up to ₹25 lakh, including for vocational courses

For renewable energy

• New Rules: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued consolidated cybersecurity directions for all non-bank Payment System Operators (PSOs), addressing risks from artificial intelligence and other cyber threats.
• Software Security: PSOs must obtain source code for critical applications purchased from external vendors. If unavailable, they must establish an escrow arrangement and obtain developer certification.
• Audit Requirements: Annual cybersecurity audit reports must be submitted within two months of the financial year ending. For firms following April–March, the deadline is 1 June.
• ATM Security: White-label ATM operators must secure shared ATM switches, restrict external remote connections and provide RBI inspection access. The rules also cover third-party service providers and payment gateways.

• Committee: The RBI constituted the Technical Consultative Committee for Financial Markets (TCCFM) in November 2026.
• Chairperson: Deputy Governor Rohit Jain will head the committee, which will include seven external members.
• Coverage: It will discuss policy and operational matters related to money markets, government securities, foreign exchange and derivatives markets.
• Meeting Frequency: The committee will meet at least once every three months to strengthen engagement between the RBI and financial market participants.

• Amendment: The RBI amended the Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026.
• Effective Date: The changes apply retrospectively from 1 October 2026.
• Service Exporters: Resident individuals exporting services will be considered to have submitted the Export Declaration Form (EDF) once they provide the required payment information to their authorised dealer bank.
• Reporting: Non-individual exporters receive similar treatment for service export receipts up to ₹10 lakh. Authorised Dealer (AD) banks must enter service import details into the Import Data Processing and Monitoring System (IDPMS) within five working days.

• Committee: The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) formed an 18-member Working Group to review the regulatory framework of the Innovators Growth Platform (IGP).
• Chairpersons: Srini Srinivasan of the Indian Venture and Alternate Capital Association (IVCA) and Prashanth Prakash of Accel Partners will co-chair the group.
• Focus: The group will examine eligibility and listing requirements for research-stage, pre-revenue and deep-technology companies.
• KYC Relaxation: SEBI also relaxed digital Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements for eligible NRIs, OCIs and foreign nationals, allowing overseas onboarding without visiting India. The changes take effect from 3 December 2026.

• Launch: The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) launched NPCI Tech Solutions Limited (NTSL) in November 2026.
• Leadership: Vishal Kanvaty, Chief Technology Officer of NPCI, was appointed Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.
• Focus Areas: NTSL will work on artificial intelligence, blockchain, digital financial infrastructure and Global Capability Centre (GCC) services.
• Key Offerings: The company will provide technology services for e-KYC Setu, the Unified Ticketing Platform (UTP) and other Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) initiatives.

• Decision: SEBI relaxed digital KYC requirements for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs) and eligible foreign nationals.
• Online Onboarding: Eligible investors can complete KYC procedures digitally from abroad without visiting India.
• Documents: Investors must submit passport copies and, where applicable, OCI cards. Digital specimen signatures are permitted, subject to verification through Video-based In-Person Verification (VIPV).
• Deadline: Intermediaries must upload completed KYC records to KYC Registration Agencies (KRAs) within three working days. The revised framework is effective from 3 December 2026.

Context of the News

The 2026 US midterm elections brought a big political change. The Democratic Party won a majority in the House of Representatives and took control of the Senate.

What Is a Midterm Election?

• It is held in the middle of a US President’s four-year term
• Usually in early November
• The President is not on the ballot

What Is Contested?

How Do US and Indian Systems Compare?

• Agreement: NITI Aayog and TEXMiN (Technology Innovation in Exploration & Mining Foundation) signed a Joint Statement of Intent to strengthen India’s critical and strategic minerals sector.
• Location: The agreement was associated with the visit of NITI Aayog Member Prof. Gobardhan Das to IIT (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, Jharkhand.
• Focus Areas: Collaborative research, technology development, technical studies, policy support and capacity building.
• Objective: The partnership aims to promote indigenous technologies, research and innovation in India’s critical minerals ecosystem.

• Policy: Bihar introduced the Bihar Water Sources Restoration and Silt Management Policy, 2026, notified on 17 September 2026.
• First State: Bihar became the first Indian state to introduce a comprehensive state-level silt management policy.
• Objectives: The policy aims to restore rivers and water bodies, improve water-carrying capacity and strengthen flood management through scientific desilting.
• Reuse: Excavated silt can be used in construction projects, while sand and silt deposited on agricultural land after floods can be removed.

• Agreement: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and the Government of Bihar signed an MoU to promote scientific desilting and reuse of river silt.
• Purpose: The initiative aims to use extracted river silt in National Highway construction projects.
• Coordination: Bihar’s Road Construction Department (RCD) will coordinate with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
• Monitoring: A State-level Coordination Committee will support implementation and coordination.

• Location: India plans to construct a railway station near Tanglang La Pass, at approximately 5,256 metres above sea level.
• Project: The station will be part of the proposed 489-km Bilaspur–Manali–Leh broad-gauge railway line.
• Significance: The project aims to improve railway connectivity in the high-altitude Himalayan region.
• Importance: The proposed station would be among the world’s highest railway stations.

• Agreement: The Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) signed an MoU with the International Arbitration and Mediation Centre (IAMC), Hyderabad, on 4 November 2026.
• Objective: The partnership aims to strengthen India’s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) ecosystem and improve Ease of Doing Business.
• Capacity Building: It will develop training programmes for arbitrators, mediators and dispute-resolution professionals.
• MSME Support: The partnership will promote mediation in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector and support research and policy development.

• Agreement: The Government of Odisha signed a three-year MoU with the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) South Asia.
• Objective: The partnership will support evidence-based policymaking and Odisha Vision 2036 and 2047.
• Research: J-PAL South Asia will work with government departments to identify policy challenges, generate research evidence and develop actionable recommendations.
• Monitoring: A Chief Secretary-led Steering Committee will review projects every six months. The partnership also supports the Barnali gender-equity curriculum, taught in around 23,000 government schools.

• Purpose: Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) aim to ensure time-bound trials and reduce the pendency of rape and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) cases.
• Legal Background: The scheme was launched on 2 October 2019, following the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018 and the Supreme Court’s directions.
• Expansion: The number of functional courts will increase from 779 to 850, including exclusive POCSO courts.
• Funding: The five-year continuation has a total outlay of ₹3,788.04 crore, supporting faster justice and improved access to justice for women and children.

• Partnership: The Indian Air Force Educational and Cultural Society partnered with the Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ISAC) Foundation on 2 November 2026.
• Programme: The partnership will implement the ScrollControl Programme, a Child Digital Safety Programme.
• Coverage: The programme will be introduced across 42 Air Force Schools in India.
• Objective: It aims to promote digital safety awareness and help schoolchildren understand online risks.

• Arrival: India’s indigenous stealth frigate INS Sahyadri arrived at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, to participate in the multilateral naval exercise MALABAR 2026.
• Participants: The exercise involves the navies of India, Japan, the United States and Australia.
• Welcome: The Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet warship received a welcome from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).
• Objective: The exercise aims to improve operational coordination, interoperability and professional knowledge through harbour and sea phases.

• Models: The IndiaAI Mission released three indigenous AI foundation models: EKA-1, Dhīr 2B and Dhīr 5B.
• Developers: The models were developed by Soket Labs Technology and Research Private Limited and ZenteiQ AiTech Innovations under the IndiaAI Innovation Centre.
• EKA-1: It is a 26.3-billion-parameter model trained on 7.5 trillion tokens, supporting all 22 Scheduled Indian Languages and English.
• Dhīr Models: Dhīr 2B and Dhīr 5B are open-source models supporting English and 10 Indian languages. They can operate offline and on devices, supporting privacy and secure deployment.

• Launch: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) launched the Network Anubhav Platform on 4 November 2026.
• Purpose: It is a geospatial dashboard that helps consumers, telecom operators and TRAI assess network performance using location-specific data.
• Data: The platform combines user-generated data from MySpeed and MyCall applications with Independent Drive Test (IDT) results.
• Features: It provides network coverage, internet speed and call-quality comparisons, downloadable reports and MySpeed Software Development Kit (SDK) support.

• Membership: The Commonwealth of The Bahamas joined the International Solar Alliance (ISA) as its 116th member on 4 November 2026.
• Formal Accession: The Bahamas submitted its Instrument of Accession during the 9th Session of the ISA Assembly in New Delhi.
• Objective: ISA promotes solar energy deployment through knowledge-sharing, technical assistance, cooperation and investment facilitation.
• Importance: Membership enables the Bahamas to participate in ISA programmes and explore solar-energy cooperation, particularly relevant for Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

• Discovery: Researchers from Dhanamanjuri University, Imphal, identified a new freshwater catfish species named Exostoma nasibarbatum.
• Location: The species was found in the Bupal stream of Chandel district, Manipur, near the India–Myanmar border.
• Family: It belongs to the Sisoridae family and has elongated nasal barbels, which inspired its scientific name.
• Habitat: It lives in cold freshwater, around 12–14°C, in fast-flowing streams with rocks and boulders.

• Observance: World Tsunami Awareness Day is observed every year on 5 November by the United Nations through the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR).
• Establishment: It was declared through UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/70/203, adopted on 22 December 2015.
• First Observance: The first observance took place on 5 November 2016.
• 2026 Theme: “Be Tsunami Ready: Resilience Starts With You.”

• Observance: UNESCO observes the International Day against Violence and Bullying at School, Including Cyberbullying, on the first Thursday of November.
• 2026 Date: The day was observed on 5 November 2026.
• Theme: “Every learner safe and well: From promise to practice.”
• Background: The day was proclaimed through UNESCO General Conference Resolution 40 C/Resolution 19 in November 2019. The first observance was held in 2020.

• Observance: The United Nations observes this day every year on 6 November to highlight the environmental damage caused by war and armed conflict.
• Establishment: The UN General Assembly adopted Resolution A/RES/56/4 on 5 November 2001.
• First Observance: The first observance took place on 6 November 2002.
• Objective: The day promotes protection of natural resources, ecosystems and the environment during armed conflicts.

• Announcement: Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, the 29th Chief of the Air Staff, introduced the VAYU Vision in November 2026.
• V – Vigilance, Victory and Readiness: Focuses on operational preparedness and combat strength.
• A – Aatmanirbharta; Y – Yukti: Promotes indigenous defence capabilities, innovation, artificial intelligence and counter-drone systems.
• U – Unity of Effort: Emphasises coordination with the Indian Army, Indian Navy and other national agencies.

• Test: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test-fired the Pralay surface-to-surface quasi-ballistic missile from Chandipur, Odisha, on 3 November 2026.
• Range: The missile has an operational range of 150–500 km.
• Payload: It can carry payloads weighing approximately 350–1,000 kg.
• Technology: It uses a solid-propellant rocket motor and has in-flight manoeuvrability, including during the terminal phase.

• Test: Pakistan conducted the first flight test of its indigenously developed Fa’az air-to-air missile on 3 November 2026.
• Platform: The missile was launched from a JF-17 Thunder multirole fighter aircraft.
• Technology: It features an advanced terminal guidance system designed to track and engage fast-moving hostile aircraft.
• Objective: The development aims to reduce dependence on imported missiles and strengthen domestic defence manufacturing.

• Death: Former Australian Formula One (F1) champion Alan Stanley Jones died in Australia in November 2026 at the age of 80.
• Achievement: He won the 1980 F1 World Drivers’ Championship with Williams Racing.
• Career: He secured 12 Grand Prix victories and made 116 F1 race starts.
• Recognition: He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1980 and inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985.

• Death: Former Special Protection Group (SPG) commando and four-time Himachal Pradesh MLA Nand Lal died in Shimla on 3 November 2026 at the age of 72.
• Security Career: He joined the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) in 1980 and the SPG in 1985, serving until 1997.
• Political Career: He represented Rampur Assembly constituency in 2007, 2012, 2017 and 2022.
• Positions: He served as Chief Parliamentary Secretary from 2013 to 2017 and chaired the Seventh Himachal Pradesh State Finance Commission from 2024.

• Achievement: Rajkumari Lanchenbi Chanu became the first Indian to win a wushu medal at the Youth Olympic Games.
• Event: She won bronze in the women’s Changquan combined event at Dakar, Senegal.
• Score: She scored 18.039 points to finish third.
• Importance: Her achievement marked a milestone for Indian wushu at the international youth level.

• Achievement: Indian table tennis players Divyanshi Bhowmick and P. B. Abhinandh became World No. 1 in the under-19 mixed doubles category.
• Tournament: Their ranking was supported by a gold medal at the WTT Youth Star Contender in Doha.
• Other Achievement: They also won bronze at the Asian Youth Championships in Bangkok.
• Importance: The achievement highlights India’s growing presence in international youth table tennis.

• Achievement: Tanvi Patri, a 15-year-old badminton player from Odisha, became the first Indian woman to reach the badminton final at the Youth Olympic Games.
• Event: She achieved the milestone at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal.
• Importance: Her achievement represents an important milestone for Indian badminton at the youth level.
• Recognition: She is among India’s emerging young badminton players.

• Event: The 46th International Tammer Boxing Tournament was held in Tampere, Finland, from 30 October to 1 November 2026.
• Medals: India topped the medal standings with 14 medals: 4 gold, 2 silver and 8 bronze.
• Gold Winners: Aarti Dhariyal (54 kg), Ankushita Boro (65 kg), Arundhati Chaudhary (70 kg) and Pawan Bartwal (55 kg).
• Background: The annual tournament was established in 1977 and is organised by the Tampere Boxing Association.

• Achievement: Indian men’s hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh scored his 250th international goal on 5 November 2026.
• Match: He achieved the milestone during the Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026 semifinal against South Korea.
• Importance: The milestone highlights his contribution to Indian men’s hockey.
• Specialisation: He is known for his penalty-corner conversion skills and goal-scoring ability.

• Declaration: Karnataka became the first Indian state to officially declare a state amphibian, the Malabar Tree Toad (Malenadina Mara Gantikappe).
• Species: It is an endangered amphibian belonging to the family Bufonidae and is endemic to the Western Ghats.
• Habitat: It lives mainly in wet evergreen and semi-evergreen forests, spending much of its life in tree canopies and moist tree hollows.
• Special Feature: It has broad, sticky finger and toe pads for climbing trees and specialised tadpoles adapted to fast-flowing streams.