🇮🇳 National News
The Punjab Vidhan Sabha unanimously passed the Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur World Class University Punjab Bill, 2026, to establish a world-class university at Sri Anandpur Sahib, named after the 9th Sikh Guru, Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. The bill was moved by Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains.
- Investment: Rs 300 crore over three years; initial allocation Rs 20 crore in current budget.
- Unique courses: North India’s first specialised courses in defence technology, aerospace, AI, quantum computing, and cyber warfare — not available in any premier institution across North India.
- Timeline: Courses to begin by July 2026; transit campus already identified.
- Impact: Expected to educate over 10,000 students in the next decade; thousands of direct and indirect jobs.
- Location: Sri Anandpur Sahib — the birthplace of the Khalsa Panth.
Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was the 9th Sikh Guru, martyred on 24 November 1675 for protecting religious freedom. Sri Anandpur Sahib is the birthplace of the Khalsa Panth — frequently asked in UPSC & SSC.
India’s unemployment rate declined to 4.9% in February 2026 (from 5.0% in January), according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) under MoSPI (Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation).
| Category | Jan 2026 | Feb 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| National Unemployment | 5.0% | 4.9% |
| Urban (15+ years) | 6.7% | 6.6% |
| Rural | 4.2% | 4.2% |
| Female (National) | 5.6% | 5.1% |
| Urban Female | 9.8% | 8.7% |
| Rural Female | 4.3% | 4.0% |
PLFS measures Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR), Worker Population Ratio (WPR), and Unemployment Rate (UR). Released by NSO under MoSPI. Rural unemployment held steady at 4.2%.
India’s Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation rose to 2.13% in February 2026 from 2.02% in January 2026, marking the fourth consecutive month of increase. Released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (Office of Economic Adviser).
- Food inflation: 2.19% in February (up from 1.55% in January); driven by pulses, potatoes, eggs, meat, and fish.
- Vegetable inflation: Eased to 4.73% (from 6.78%), tempering overall food price rise.
- Manufactured products: Contributed to upward pressure.
WPI measures wholesale/producer-level prices; CPI measures retail/consumer-level prices. CPI inflation for Feb 2026 was 3.21%. WPI is released by Ministry of Commerce & Industry; CPI by MoSPI/NSO.
India’s merchandise trade deficit widened to USD 27.1 billion in February 2026 — nearly double of USD ~14 billion in February 2025 — driven by a sharp surge in imports.
| Indicator | Value | Change (YoY) |
|---|---|---|
| Trade Deficit | USD 27.1 bn | ↑ Nearly doubled |
| Exports | USD 36.61 bn | -0.81% (contraction) |
| Imports | USD 63.71 bn | +24% (surge) |
Import surge driven largely by gold and silver imports. West Asia conflict and global energy disruptions contributed to import cost pressures. Trade deficit = Imports − Exports.
The Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir — Asia’s largest tulip garden — was inaugurated on 16 March 2026 by J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, marking the start of the spring tourism season.
- Location: 74 acres at the foothills of the Zabarwan Range, overlooking Dal Lake.
- Display: Over 1.8 million tulips across 70–75 varieties, including imports from the Netherlands.
- Tourism: A major tourism attraction for Kashmir valley; boosts spring season visitor footfall.
Asia’s largest tulip garden = Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden, Srinagar. Spread over 74 acres near Dal Lake at the foothills of the Zabarwan Range. J&K CM: Omar Abdullah.
Kusunpur in Odisha is set to become the state’s first smart village under an initiative by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). The project focuses on transforming the village into a sustainable, self-reliant rural model by integrating science, technology, and rural development.
- Focus areas: Climate-resilient infrastructure, improved sanitation, cyclone shelters, village planning, renewable energy, clean cooking fuel, and safe drinking water.
- Support: Multiple CSIR institutes collaborating.
- Vision: Serve as a model for smart village development across India.
CSIR (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) is driving Odisha’s first smart village at Kusunpur — integrating rural development with science & technology. A model for replication nationwide.
The Himachal Pradesh government signed an MoU with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) on 16 March 2026 to strengthen the state’s dairy sector. Key focus: development and operation of the Dagwar dairy project as a major milk processing hub. Also promotes dairy products under the ‘HIM’ brand.
NDDB — National Dairy Development Board; headquartered in Anand, Gujarat; established under the NDDB Act, 1987. Key institution behind India’s White Revolution (Operation Flood).
The Gujarat government launched a statewide Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccination drive from 1 March to 15 April 2026 under the National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP). Target animals: cattle, buffaloes, sheep, and goats. Digital tracking via the INAPH portal.
- FMD: Highly contagious viral disease affecting cloven-hoofed animals; reduces milk production; major threat to livestock economy.
- NADCP: Centrally funded programme; aims for FMD-free India by 2030.
NADCP — National Animal Disease Control Programme — targets FMD-free India by 2030. Digital tracking via INAPH portal. FMD affects cloven-hoofed animals (cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats, pigs).
The Bharat Tribes Fest (BTF) 2026, one of three flagship tribal cultural festivals announced by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) in March 2026, began on 18 March 2026 at Sunder Nursery, New Delhi. It runs until 30 March 2026 and showcases tribal art, culture, music, crafts, and livelihoods from across India.
Bharat Tribes Fest (BTF) 2026 — flagship tribal festival by MoTA. Venue: Sunder Nursery, New Delhi. Dates: 18–30 March 2026. One of three such flagship tribal cultural festivals announced in March 2026.
The BCCI officially announced the first phase schedule of IPL 2026 — the 19th edition. The season runs from 28 March to 31 May 2026, featuring 84 matches (up from 74 in IPL 2025) — the largest IPL season ever.
- Opening match: RCB (defending champions) vs SRH; 28 March 2026 at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru.
- 10 teams: CSK, MI, KKR, DC, RCB, SRH, RR, PBKS, LSG, GT.
- Final: 31 May 2026, Bengaluru.
- Key transfers: Ravindra Jadeja → RR; Sanju Samson (T20 WC 2026 Player of Tournament) → CSK.
- Most expensive overseas buy: Cameron Green (KKR) — Rs 25.20 crore at auction held 16 December 2025 in Abu Dhabi.
- Note: Only Phase 1 released; Phase 2 to be announced after assembly election dates finalised.
IPL 2026 is the 19th edition with a record 84 matches. Defending champions: RCB. Final: 31 May 2026, Bengaluru. Auction: Abu Dhabi, 16 Dec 2025.
The National Para Athletics Championship 2026 is set to take place at Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar, Odisha — a world-class multi-sport facility.
- Past events hosted: Hockey World Cup (2018) and World Para Athletics Championships (2025).
- Purpose: Key platform for Indian para-athletes to qualify and prepare for international competitions including the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games.
Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar is the venue for the National Para Athletics Championship 2026. Next Paralympics: Los Angeles 2028. Kalinga Stadium also hosted the Hockey World Cup 2018.
The Indian animated film ‘CHYIMI’ won the Best Director award at the New York Short Animation Festival (NYSAF) 2026. The film was directed by Dr. Partha Sarathi Mahanta — Inspector General of Police (IGP) in Assam and Commissioner of Police in Guwahati. This marks a significant milestone for Indian animation on the global stage.
Film: CHYIMI | Award: Best Director | Festival: NYSAF 2026 (New York Short Animation Festival) | Director: Dr. Partha Sarathi Mahanta (IGP, Assam; Commissioner of Police, Guwahati).
💼 Business & Economy
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) injected Rs 48,014 crore into the banking system through a Variable Rate Repo (VRR) auction, as part of its liquidity management operations.
- Purpose: To maintain adequate liquidity ahead of the financial year-end (31 March 2026) and support orderly financial market functioning.
- VRR mechanism: Banks bid for funds at varying/market-determined rates; RBI accepts bids based on cut-off rate — unlike fixed-rate repos.
- Use case: Fine-tuning short-term liquidity in the banking system.
VRR (Variable Rate Repo) = banks bid at market-determined rates (vs fixed Repo Rate). Used by RBI for liquidity fine-tuning. Distinct from fixed-rate Repo and OMO (Open Market Operations).
👔 Appointments
The Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA) announced on 16 March 2026 a reshuffle in its top leadership:
| Position | Name | Organisation |
|---|---|---|
| Chairman (re-elected) | Arun Mammen | Vice Chairman & MD, MRF Ltd |
| Vice Chairman (new) | Rajarshi Moitra | MD, Bridgestone India |
| Director General (elevated) | Sanjay Chatterjee | Succeeding Rajiv Budhraja (retiring 31 Mar 2026) |
ATMA — Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association; founded 1975; apex body of India’s tyre industry. MRF = Madras Rubber Factory; India’s largest tyre manufacturer; HQ: Chennai.
📅 Important Days
World Social Work Day 2026 was observed on 17 March 2026 — the third Tuesday of March (the fixed global observance date). Organised by the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW).
- Theme 2026: “Co-Building Hope and Harmony: A Harambee Call to Unite a Divided Society.”
- ‘Harambee’: A term originating from Kenya, meaning ‘pulling together’ — emphasising collective responsibility and community unity.
World Social Work Day = 3rd Tuesday of March each year. Organised by IFSW. 2026 Theme: “Co-Building Hope and Harmony: A Harambee Call to Unite a Divided Society.” ‘Harambee’ = Kenyan term meaning ‘pulling together.’
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