Daily Current Affairs

World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) is observed globally every year on 17 May, marking the anniversary of the founding of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in 1865. The 2026 theme is ‘Digital lifelines: Strengthening resilience in a connected world’, emphasising the importance of resilient digital infrastructure — including terrestrial networks, submarine cables, satellites, and data systems — in keeping communities and economies functioning.

• ITU — United Nations specialised agency for information and communication technologies; HQ: Geneva, Switzerland.
• Merged observance (2006): World Telecommunication Day and World Information Society Day were merged at the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference, Antalya, Turkey into a single annual observance on 17 May.
• India at ITU Council 2026: India recently strengthened its position in global telecom and digital policy at the ITU Council 2026 meeting held in Geneva, Switzerland.
• Also on 17 May — World Hypertension Day: Observed annually by the World Hypertension League (WHL); raises awareness of hypertension (the ‘silent killer’) — a leading cause of heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Abu Dhabi on 15 May 2026 as part of his five-nation diplomatic tour (UAE, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Italy), meeting UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan amid the escalating West Asia conflict involving Iran, the US, and Israel. The visit resulted in six landmark agreements and a USD 5 billion UAE investment commitment in India.

• Five-nation tour: UAE → Netherlands → Sweden → Norway → Italy.
• India-UAE relations: Comprehensive Strategic Partnership; UAE is one of India’s largest trading partners; over 3.5 million Indian diaspora in UAE.
• Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) partnered with India’s National Infrastructure and Investment Fund (NIIF) for infrastructure investment.
• Ship Repair Cluster: To be set up at Vadinar, Gujarat (Dwarka district) — maritime infrastructure development and skills cooperation.
• PM Modi’s stance: Condemned attacks on UAE during the West Asia conflict, expressing solidarity with Abu Dhabi.
• Netherlands leg (16 May): PM Modi met Dutch PM Dick Schoof; Leiden (Chola) Copper Plates repatriation agreement concluded.

During PM Modi’s visit to the Netherlands (16 May 2026), Leiden University announced the decision to return the 11th-century Chola Dynasty Copper Plates (also known as ‘Leiden Plates’ or ‘Anaimangalam Copper Plates’) to India. The decision follows the advice of the Dutch Colonial Collections Committee and India’s formal diplomatic request to UNESCO since 2012.

• ICPRCP — Intergovernmental Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property to its Countries of Origin or its Restitution in Case of Illicit Appropriation.
• India’s diplomatic request: Formally raised with UNESCO since 2012.
• Dutch PM: Dick Schoof — PM Modi met him during the Netherlands leg.
• Significance: One of India’s most celebrated cultural repatriation achievements; demonstrates India’s growing cultural diplomacy under MEA’s Heritage Section.

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) released the admit card for Civil Services Examination (CSE) Prelims 2026 on 15 May 2026, via the official portals upsc.gov.in and upsconline.nic.in. The exam is scheduled for 24 May 2026 (Sunday) in two sessions.

• UPSC CSE Prelims is the first stage for selection to IAS, IPS, IFS (Indian Foreign Service), and other Group A Central Services.
• Earlier 2026 development: NEET UG 2026 (held 3 May 2026) was cancelled on 12 May 2026 — paper leak allegations; CBI probe ordered; NTA to conduct re-exam.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) officially cancelled the NEET UG (National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test — Undergraduate) 2026 examination, conducted on 3 May 2026, via a press release on 12 May 2026. Over 22 lakh candidates had appeared. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken custody of accused and launched a formal probe.

• Reason: Inputs from central agencies and law enforcement regarding alleged paper leak — questions resembling the exam paper were circulated in Rajasthan and Maharashtra before the exam.
• Re-exam: NTA will conduct a fresh exam on new dates; no fresh application needed; previous registration, exam city choice, and fees remain valid (fees will be refunded).
• NTA: National Testing Agency; established 2017 under the Department of Higher Education (Ministry of Education); conducts NEET, JEE, CUET, etc.
• NEET UG: Mandatory entrance exam for MBBS, BDS, BAMS, and other undergraduate medical programmes; first conducted by NTA in 2019.
• Precedent: Second consecutive year NEET has faced major controversies — similar paper leak allegations surfaced in NEET UG 2024.

State Bank of India (SBI), India’s largest public sector bank, reported its highest-ever annual net profit of Rs 80,032 crore for FY2025-26, announced on 8 May 2026 — a 12.88% year-on-year increase over Rs 70,901 crore in FY25. Q4 FY26 standalone net profit was Rs 19,684 crore (up 5.58% YoY). SBI’s record date for dividend eligibility is 16 May 2026.

• Digital surge: Over 66% of new savings bank accounts opened via YONO; ~98.7% transactions via alternate channels; digital loans worth Rs 15,564 crore.
• QIP: SBI completed a QIP equity share allotment of Rs 25,000 crore in July 2025 at Rs 817 per share, strengthening its Tier-1 capital.
• SBI Chairman: Challa Sreenivasulu Setty (assumed office 28 August 2023).
• SBI HQ: State Bank Bhavan, Mumbai.
• Established: 1955 (evolved from Imperial Bank of India, 1921).

India’s first satellite-tagged Ganges soft-shell turtle (Nilssonia gangetica) was recently released in Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, Assam — a milestone in conservation tracking of this critically threatened species.

• Appearance: Round-to-oval carapace, green with yellow border; long neck and tube-like snout (to breathe with nose just above water); compressed shell makes it a fast swimmer.
• Habitat: Deep rivers, streams, canals, lakes, ponds — turbid water with sandy/muddy bottoms.
• Threats: Habitat alteration, poaching, illegal trade for traditional medicines, agricultural expansion, commercial exploitation.
• Cultural significance: Maintained in temple ponds of Odisha; considered sacred.
• Kaziranga National Park: UNESCO World Heritage Site (1985); 1,302 sq km; Assam; famous for Indian one-horned rhinoceros (houses >80% of world population); also hosts tigers, elephants, and swamp deer.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) recently launched ‘ABHAY’ (AI-Based Helpbot for Authentication of Your Notice) — an AI-powered, real-time notice verification system to help citizens authenticate CBI notices and protect themselves from rising ‘digital arrest’ scams and cyber-enabled fraud.

• Context: Fraudsters increasingly misuse fake law enforcement notices, AI-generated content, and deepfakes to extort money via ‘digital arrest’ scams.
• CBI: Central Bureau of Investigation; established 1941 as Special Police Establishment; renamed CBI in 1963; India’s premier central investigation agency; HQ: New Delhi; under Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.

India was recently nominated as the Chair of the Common Criteria Development Board (CCDB) for the period April 2026 to April 2028 — a significant recognition of India’s growing leadership in global IT security evaluation and certification.

• CCDB — Common Criteria Development Board; manages the Common Evaluation Methodology (CEM) and the Common Criteria Portal (global repository for certified secure IT products).
• CCRA — Common Criteria Recognition Arrangement; international treaty enabling mutual recognition of IT security certificates across borders.
• MeitY — Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
• STQC — Standardisation Testing and Quality Certification Directorate; official Certification Body for IT security evaluations in India.
• Significance: Reinforces India’s credibility in global cybersecurity; aligns with National Cybersecurity Policy objectives and the Digital India mission.