Daily Current Affairs · 19 August 2026
UPSC Prelims Current Affairs: 19 August 2026
President Murmu clears the Kerala renaming bill, NTA overhauls its exam system, a new electronics incentive scheme lands, and IMD tracks the depression inland.
President Murmu gives assent to bill renaming Kerala as Keralam
President Droupadi Murmu has given assent to the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, after the Lok Sabha passed it on 11 August and the Rajya Sabha on 12 August. The Act amends the Constitution, including the First Schedule, to substitute Kerala with Keralam, but the change takes legal effect only once the Central Government issues a notification appointing the date, as with other Article 3 name changes. The bill followed a 2024 resolution of the Kerala Legislative Assembly seeking a name that better reflects the state's Malayalam linguistic identity.
Government approves incentive scheme to speed up domestic PNG connections
The government has approved an Incentive Scheme for Promotion of Domestic PNG Connections, effective from 1 September 2026 and rolled out in two tranches over six months. City Gas Distribution companies will receive an additional 200 standard cubic metres of cheaper, domestically produced APM gas for every incremental billed household piped natural gas connection above a threshold fixed for their area, replacing costlier imported LNG they currently use for CNG transport. The government said the resulting savings could cut the payback period on PNG connection capital spending from around ten years to about three, with India currently having roughly 1.74 crore domestic PNG connections.
NTA removes 600 exam experts and adds CISF security in system overhaul
After lapses in the UGC-NET 2026 papers forced the cancellation of three subject papers, the Education Ministry directed the National Testing Agency to overhaul its examination processes on a war footing. The NTA has removed around 600 experts from its examination team, is onboarding new domain specialists in cybersecurity, psychometrics and question paper design, and will introduce a four-tier system for checking question papers before they are used. Its offices are being shifted from Okhla to Minto Road in Delhi with CISF security cover, after student groups protested outside its Delhi office over the UGC-NET lapses.
IMD forecasts very heavy rain over UP, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand as system moves inland
Days after the depression that triggered a red alert in West Bengal and Odisha, the associated spell of heavy rain has continued moving inland and westward. The India Meteorological Department forecast very heavy rainfall in places over East and West Uttar Pradesh, East Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand, with moderate to heavy rain also expected over the north east, Delhi, Haryana and neighbouring states. Thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds were forecast over parts of southern and central India during the same period.
Chandigarh University and ISRO host National Space Technology Conclave 2026
Chandigarh University's Kalpana Chawla Centre for Research in Space Science and Technology, in collaboration with ISRO and the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, hosted the two day National Space Technology Conclave 2026 on 17 and 18 August. Around 30 scientists, mission leaders and technologists from ISRO, IN-SPACe, NewSpace India Limited and the U R Rao Satellite Centre took part alongside industry leaders, deliberating on emerging space technologies for India's future missions across five roundtables and technology demonstrations. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla attended as special guest, and Chandigarh University said it became the first Indian university to unveil a Declaration on Space Technology for Viksit Bharat 2047.
Government approves 31 more electronics component projects worth Rs 7,877 crore
The government approved 31 new projects worth Rs 7,877 crore under the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme, taking the total number of sanctioned projects to 106. The fresh approvals mark the first time the scheme has covered components such as filters, coils and speakers, along with raw materials like acetylene black and electrolyte additives, and are expected to generate production worth Rs 82,243 crore and create close to 10,000 jobs across ten states. Across all 106 sanctioned projects, ECMS now represents a total investment of Rs 69,548 crore, already exceeding its original target of Rs 59,350 crore, after its outlay was raised to Rs 40,000 crore in the 2026-27 Budget.
Nation takes pledge against drug abuse on NMBA's sixth anniversary
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment held a National Mass Pledge Against Drug Abuse on 18 August to mark the sixth anniversary of the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, launched on 15 August 2020 to tackle drug demand across the country. The ministry aimed to mobilise 10 to 12 crore citizens through both physical and online participation in the pledge. Officials said the campaign has so far reached over 29.26 crore individuals, including more than 11.17 crore youth and 7.90 crore women, with 28.30 lakh persons treated and rehabilitated and outreach carried out in 21.34 lakh educational institutions.