9 October 2026 · Daily Current Affairs

Banking and RBI

RBI raises daily CRR maintenance requirement to 99%

9 October 2026 | Reserve Bank of India, via CNBC-TV18

CNBC-TV18 reported that the Reserve Bank of India raised the minimum daily cash reserve ratio (CRR) maintenance requirement for banks to 99 per cent from 90 per cent. The prescribed CRR itself is unchanged. The revised requirement applies from the fortnight beginning 16 October 2026, and banks must still maintain the prescribed CRR on an average basis over the reporting fortnight.

The RBI said the decision followed a review of prevailing liquidity conditions. The report put the banking system's liquidity surplus at Rs 5.03 lakh crore on Tuesday. It linked the move to Governor Sanjay Malhotra's statement on 7 October that the RBI would use an appropriate mix of liquidity tools to align the weighted average call rate (WACR) with the policy repo rate.

Exam takeaway: The CRR rate did not change; the daily minimum balance requirement did.

Quick revision: RBI daily CRR minimum: 90% to 99% from 16 Oct; CRR rate unchanged.

Government Schemes

Cap on trade margins of non-scheduled cancer drugs

8 October 2026 (published for 9 October) | Press Information Bureau

The Press Information Bureau said on 8 October 2026 that the Government has approved a cap on the margins charged in the supply and sale of non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs, limiting them to 30 per cent of the Maximum Retail Price (MRP). The measure is expected to reduce prices by up to 70 per cent and save cancer patients Rs 2,500 crore a year.

Scheduled cancer medicines already have government-set ceiling prices. An expert committee under the Directorate General of Health Services will finalise the list of medicines, and the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) will then decide and notify. NPPA's analysis found an average mark-up of about 170 per cent on non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines, reaching 700 per cent or more in some cases.

Exam takeaway: Scheduled drugs have ceiling prices; this cap extends protection to non-scheduled ones.

Quick revision: Cancer drug trade margin capped at 30% of MRP; NPPA to notify.

Carried forward: announced on 8 October 2026; the notification by NPPA is still to follow.

National and International Affairs

CAPF (General Administration) Act, 2026 comes into force

8 October 2026 (published for 9 October) | Ministry of Home Affairs, via The Hindu

The Ministry of Home Affairs notified that the Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Act, 2026 comes into force from 8 October 2026, nearly five months after Parliament passed it. The Act is Act 9 of 2026 and the notification is G.S.R. 870(E).

Serving CAPF officers have challenged the law before the Supreme Court. It affects cadre management and the deputation of IPS officers to senior posts in the CAPFs. The Hindu reports that on 30 September a Bench of Justices Manoj Misra and Ujjal Bhuyan decided to hear the contempt petitions and three writ petitions challenging the Act on 15 October. The challenge is pending.

Exam takeaway: The Act is in force but its constitutional validity is under challenge in the Supreme Court.

Quick revision: CAPF (GA) Act 2026 in force from 8 Oct; SC challenge pending.

Carried forward: notified on 8 October 2026.

National and International Affairs

SAREX-2026: 12th National Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise

8 October 2026 (published for 9 October) | Press Information Bureau and Akashvani News

The Indian Coast Guard conducted the 12th National Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise, SAREX-2026, off the Paradip coast in Odisha on 8 October 2026. PIB reported that Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth inaugurated the multinational exercise on 7 October, with 32 delegates from 30 foreign friendly nations.

Akashvani News reported that Indian Coast Guard Director General Paramesh Sivamani witnessed the exercise, in which ships of the Coast Guard and Navy and helicopters took part. It concluded successfully.

Exam takeaway: SAREX is run by the Indian Coast Guard, which is the national maritime search and rescue authority.

Quick revision: SAREX-2026: 12th edition off Paradip; 30 nations' delegates.

Carried forward: held on 8 October 2026.

Appointments, Awards and Important Days

Nobel Peace Prize 2026: Navi Pillay

9 October 2026 | Norwegian Nobel Committee, nobelprize.org

The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced on 9 October 2026 that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2026 goes to Navanethem 'Navi' Pillay for her efforts to promote peace and international law. The Committee said she has led the way towards a more comprehensive global legal order and has been instrumental in ensuring that war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide are prosecuted.

Pillay was born into a family of Indian Tamil origin in Durban, South Africa, under apartheid. She became a lawyer who defended Nelson Mandela and others. She has served as a judge of the High Court in South Africa, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the International Criminal Court, and was the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. She is now a judge of the International Court of Justice in the case in which Myanmar stands accused of genocide. The Committee noted that the first Nobel Peace Prize was awarded 125 years ago.

Exam takeaway: Peace prize: the Norwegian Nobel Committee; remember laureate, country and citation.

Quick revision: Peace Nobel 2026: Navi Pillay (South Africa); international law.

Appointments, Awards and Important Days

World Post Day 2026 and National Postal Week

9 October 2026 | United Nations in India and Akashvani News

World Post Day is observed every year on 9 October. The 2026 theme is 'One postal network, infinite possibilities'. The United Nations in India says the postal system, with over 660,000 offices and 4.6 million staff, connects communities and provides essential services as a one-stop shop that helps people take part in the economy and society.

In India, National Postal Week 2026 begins on 9 October. Akashvani News reported that the West Bengal Postal Circle began its week-long celebrations on World Post Day, and PIB Mumbai reported that the Maharashtra Circle released a special cancellation to mark the day.

Exam takeaway: World Post Day marks the founding of the Universal Postal Union on 9 October 1874.

Quick revision: World Post Day 9 Oct; theme 'One postal network, infinite possibilities'.