GK One-Liners

What: Rohit Jain has been appointed as the Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for a three-year term, effective 3 May 2026. He succeeds T. Rabi Sankar, whose tenure ended on 2 May 2026. Jain holds professional certifications including ICBRR (International Certificate in Banking Risk and Regulation) and CAIIB (Certified Associate of the Indian Institute of Bankers).

How: Jain brings nearly three decades of experience at the RBI, having served as Executive Director (ED) since December 2020. Deputy Governors are appointed by the Central Government on the recommendation of the RBI Board and typically oversee specific departments such as financial markets, foreign exchange, or regulation.

Why: RBI appointments are a standard fixture in Banking Awareness and Current Affairs sections of UPSC, IBPS PO/Clerk, RBI Grade B, and State PSC exams. Candidates must know the current Deputy Governors, their portfolios, and their predecessors. The RBI currently has four Deputy Governors.

What: Mission Drishti, developed by Indian space-tech startup GalaxEye, carries the world’s first OptoSAR payload — a combined Electro-Optical/Multispectral Imager (MSI) and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) on a single satellite platform. The satellite weighs 190 kg and was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon-9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, into a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at approximately 500–510 km altitude.

How: Traditional Earth observation satellites carry either optical cameras or SAR separately. OptoSAR fuses both sensors, allowing day-and-night, all-weather imaging with a resolution of approximately 1.5 metres and a revisit time of 7–10 days. This dual-sensor architecture dramatically improves the satellite’s utility for disaster monitoring, border surveillance, and agriculture mapping.

Why: This is a landmark moment for India’s private space sector under the post-ISRO liberalisation policy. UPSC Prelims and Mains (Science & Technology, Space) frequently test satellite launch missions, payload types, and private sector milestones. The “world’s first” tag makes it especially high-yield for competitive exams.

What: India successfully conducted the second flight test of the LR-AShM (Long-Range Hypersonic Anti-Ship Missile) in May 2026. The missile has a range of 1,500 km and reaches speeds of Mach 10, making it one of the fastest anti-ship weapons in the world. It was launched from Launch Complex-IV at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) on APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast.

How: The missile was developed by DRDO’s (Defence Research and Development Organisation) APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex, headquartered in Hyderabad. Hypersonic missiles travel at speeds exceeding Mach 5, use boost-glide or scramjet propulsion, and can manoeuvre mid-flight, making them extremely difficult to intercept with current air-defence systems.

Why: India’s hypersonic missile programme reflects a major shift in its naval strike doctrine, particularly relevant in the context of maritime security in the Indo-Pacific. UPSC Prelims, NDA, and CDS exams regularly test missile names, developers (DRDO labs), test ranges, and specifications. LR-AShM joins BrahMos and Agni series as a must-know missile system.

What: E-PRAAPTI stands for EPF (Employees’ Provident Fund) Aadhaar-based Access Portal for Tracking Inoperative Accounts. The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) plans to launch it in May 2026 to help claimants trace and consolidate 31.83 lakh inoperative EPF accounts — accounts that have seen no contributions or withdrawals for an extended period.

How: The portal links old EPF accounts with a member’s UAN (Universal Account Number) through Aadhaar-based authentication. This eliminates the need for physical documentation or employer intervention, allowing subscribers to digitally consolidate dormant accounts and claim their accumulated balance seamlessly.

Why: E-PRAAPTI is a significant step in India’s Digital Governance and Social Security framework — themes frequently tested in UPSC Prelims (Polity/Economy), SSC CGL, and IBPS exams. Questions may focus on EPFO’s role under the Ministry of Labour & Employment, the UAN system, and Aadhaar integration in welfare delivery.

What: The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has amended the FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act) Non-Debt Rules to allow 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the insurance sector via the automatic route — meaning no prior government approval is required. This covers insurance companies, brokers, reinsurers, consultants, corporate agents, Third-Party Administrators (TPAs), and surveyors. The sole exception is LIC (Life Insurance Corporation of India), where FDI remains capped at 20%.

How: Under the automatic route, foreign investors can directly invest up to the permitted limit without applying to the Reserve Bank of India or the Foreign Investment Facilitation Portal (FIFP). Previously, FDI in insurance was capped at 74% (raised from 49% in 2021). This latest reform removes the cap entirely for private players, aiming to attract long-term global capital into India’s underpenetrated insurance market.

Why: Insurance sector FDI reforms are standard fare for UPSC Economy, RBI Grade B, and SEBI/IRDAI-focused exams. Candidates must distinguish between automatic and government route FDI, know the LIC exception, and understand the regulatory roles of IRDAI (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India) and MoF. This reform signals India’s intent to deepen insurance penetration (currently ~4% of GDP).

What: The Cell Broadcast System (CBS) is an emergency alert technology developed by C-DOT (Centre for Development of Telematics) under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), in partnership with NDMA (National Disaster Management Authority) and MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs). Unlike SMS alerts, CBS simultaneously pushes emergency messages to ALL mobile devices — regardless of network congestion — within a defined geographic area, without requiring the recipient’s phone number.

How: CBS is integrated with SACHET, India’s CAP (Common Alerting Protocol)-based Integrated Alert System. When a disaster warning is issued, SACHET triggers the CBS broadcast, which is transmitted over the base station’s control channel to all compatible devices in range. The system works even on basic feature phones, making it highly inclusive for last-mile disaster communication.

Why: CBS directly addresses India’s disaster early-warning infrastructure — a topic tested under NDMA, disaster management frameworks, and science & technology in UPSC Prelims and Mains (GS-III). Key exam angles include: C-DOT’s role as India’s telecom R&D body, the SACHET platform, CAP protocol, and the distinction between CBS and traditional SMS-based alerts.