GK One-Liners

What: The State Bank of India (SBI) launched the CHAKRA Centre of Excellence on January 31, 2026, to finance eight sunrise sectors including renewable energy, semiconductors, and green hydrogen. The initiative involves Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with 21 institutions and aims to mobilise ₹100 lakh crore in capital by 2030.

How: CHAKRA serves as a specialised knowledge and financing hub within SBI that will evaluate projects in emerging sectors, build domain expertise through institutional partnerships, and streamline credit appraisal for high-growth industries. The 21 MoUs span academia, research bodies, and industry associations to create a pipeline of bankable projects across the eight identified sectors.

Why: Banking sector initiatives, priority sector lending, and government-backed financing missions are staple questions in IBPS PO/Clerk, SBI PO, and RBI Grade B exams. The CHAKRA initiative also ties into broader themes of green finance, energy transition, and Atmanirbhar Bharat that are relevant for UPSC GS Paper III (Economy).

What: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) celebrated its Golden Jubilee (50th Raising Day) on February 1, 2026, under the theme “Surakshit Tat, Samridh Bharat” (Safe Shores, Prosperous India). Established on February 1, 1977, the ICG currently operates a fleet of 152 ships and 78 aircraft, with a target of 200 platforms and 100 aircraft by 2030.

How: The ICG functions under the Ministry of Defence and is responsible for maritime law enforcement, coastal security, protection of India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), marine environment protection, and search-and-rescue operations. Its expansion plan to 200 platforms reflects India’s growing focus on blue economy security and countering maritime threats post the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

Why: The Indian Coast Guard’s establishment year, parent ministry, mandate, and fleet strength are frequently tested in CDS, NDA, CAPF, and UPSC Prelims. Understanding India’s maritime security architecture — the Navy, Coast Guard, and coastal police — is important for GS Paper III (Internal Security) and defence-related examinations.

What: World Wetlands Day is observed on February 2 each year to mark the adoption of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands on February 2, 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar. The 2026 theme is “Wetlands and traditional knowledge: Celebrating cultural heritage.” Globally, over 90% of wetlands have been lost since the 1700s, and they currently cover only about 6% of the Earth’s land surface.

How: The Ramsar Convention is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. Signatory nations designate wetlands of international importance as “Ramsar Sites.” India is home to 85 Ramsar Sites — the highest in South Asia — with recent additions reflecting the country’s commitment to wetland conservation under the National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Eco-systems (NPCA).

Why: Ramsar Convention details, India’s Ramsar Sites (count and notable examples like Chilika Lake, Keoladeo), and annual themes are highly tested across UPSC Prelims, state PSC, and SSC exams. Environment and Ecology questions on wetland functions, biodiversity value, and international conventions form a reliable portion of the GS Paper III syllabus.

What: The 68th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 1, 2026, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Bad Bunny won Album of the Year, Kendrick Lamar and SZA took Record of the Year, Billie Eilish won Song of the Year, and Olivia Dean was named Best New Artist.

How: The Grammy Awards are presented annually by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognise outstanding achievements in the music industry. Winners are selected through a peer-voted process involving recording professionals across multiple categories spanning genres from pop and hip-hop to classical and jazz.

Why: Major international awards — Grammys, Oscars, Booker Prize, Nobel Prize — are frequently tested in the general awareness sections of banking exams (IBPS, SBI PO), SSC, and state PSC papers. Knowing the venue, year, and key category winners is essential for static GK preparation.

What: A new species of caecilian — a limbless, blind, subterranean amphibian — named Gegeneophis valmiki has been discovered in the northern Western Ghats of Maharashtra. The species is named after the Maharshi Valmiki Mandir located near Patan in the Satara district, and it is the first addition to the genus Gegeneophis in over a decade.

How: Researchers identified the new species through morphological analysis and genetic sequencing during biodiversity surveys in the Western Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world’s 36 biodiversity hotspots. Caecilians are among the least studied amphibian orders, and discoveries like this highlight the region’s still-unexplored subterranean biodiversity.

Why: The Western Ghats, its biodiversity hotspot status, and endemic species discoveries are high-frequency topics in UPSC Prelims (Environment & Ecology). Questions on amphibian taxonomy, UNESCO natural heritage sites, and India’s biodiversity hotspots (Western Ghats, Eastern Himalayas, Indo-Burma, and Sundaland) are regularly tested across competitive examinations.

What: A magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck the Baramulla–Budgam region (near Pattan) of Jammu & Kashmir at 5:35 AM on February 2, 2026, at a depth of 10 km. Tremors were felt across Srinagar and surrounding areas, though no casualties were reported.

How: Jammu & Kashmir lies in Seismic Zone V — the highest-risk zone in India’s seismic zonation map — due to its position along the collision boundary of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) classifies India into four seismic zones (II to V), with Zone V covering the Himalayan belt, northeast India, and parts of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

Why: India’s seismic zones, major earthquakes, and disaster management frameworks under the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Disaster Management Act, 2005, are important topics for UPSC GS Paper I (Geography) and GS Paper III (Disaster Management). Understanding tectonic plate boundaries and India’s vulnerability profile is essential for both Prelims and Mains.