Daily Current Affairs - 24 September 2026

Overview

This Daily Current Affairs edition for 24 September 2026 focuses on completed policy, regulatory, defence, technology, social-sector and sports developments available for examination revision. The selection includes a direct Assam and Northeast development, along with national and international topics useful for APSC, ADRE, Assam Police, Assam TET, SSC, Banking and Railway examinations.

After revision, attempt the Daily Current Affairs Quiz - 24 September 2026 for ten exam-focused questions. The explanations are designed to connect each fact with the underlying institution, policy or concept.

Economy and International Cooperation - BRICS Tax Meeting

The Union Finance Minister inaugurated the BRICS Heads of Tax Authorities Meeting in New Delhi on 23 September 2026. The meeting marked the culmination of India’s BRICS Chairship of the tax-cooperation track and brought together representatives from 10 BRICS tax administrations.

Two new India-led working groups were formally established: one on International Taxation and Transfer Pricing, and another on Revenue Statistics. The meeting also adopted the BRICS Tax Progress Report 2026, institutionalised the Young Tax Professionals Capacity Building Programme as an annual feature, launched the BRICS Tax Cross-Learning Lab and approved the Terms of Reference of the BRICS Tax Support Network. China will chair the BRICS tax-cooperation track in 2027.

Source: PIB - BRICS Heads of Tax Authorities Meeting.

Labour and Social Security - EPFO Wage Ceiling

The statutory wage ceiling for mandatory coverage under the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) was raised from ₹15,000 to ₹25,000 per month, effective 17 September 2026. The change was notified under the Code on Social Security, 2020. Employers were advised to update payroll and compliance systems and enrol eligible workers who fall within the revised ceiling.

The change is important for labour and social-security questions because the wage ceiling determines the threshold for mandatory coverage. The release also notes that the revised contribution base can improve employees’ retirement corpus through employer matching contributions. Candidates should distinguish a statutory coverage ceiling from the actual salary of an employee.

Source: PIB - Revised EPFO statutory wage ceiling.

Regulation and Consumer Protection - TRAI Amendment

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India released the Telecom Consumer Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations, 2026. The amendment responds to limited availability of affordable short-duration Voice-and-SMS-only Special Tariff Vouchers (STVs).

The framework requires telecom service providers to offer voice-and-SMS-only STVs with appropriate reductions in tariff for validity periods corresponding to each period of 30 days or less, for monthly renewal on the same date where applicable, and for at least one longer-validity STV corresponding to the validity periods of comparable bundled vouchers. The measure is intended to give consumers who do not need data more affordable choices.

Source: PIB - TRAI Thirteenth Amendment Regulations.

Assam and Science - CSIR Smart Village Mission

The CSIR Smart Village Mission undertook field assessment and technology interventions in flood-affected Junakimandal village in Titabor, Jorhat, Assam. CSIR-CBRI assessed structural and non-structural damage and held an “Awas Saksham” workshop for more than 150 community members and government officials.

The mission demonstrated indigenous technologies including solar-assisted hybrid systems, portable brick-block making machines and standalone air-disinfection systems. The portable machines can produce 800–1,000 blocks or 1,800–2,400 bricks in eight hours, operating manually or electrically. Training for local masons and construction workers is intended to strengthen disaster-resilient rural construction and local technical capacity.

This is an important Assam topic because it links flood recovery with resilient housing, locally appropriate technology and the CSIR’s “lab to field” approach.

Source: PIB - CSIR Smart Village Mission in Assam.

Science and Technology - Semiconductor Ecosystem

An official PIB backgrounder described a “whole-of-industry” approach to India’s electronics and semiconductor ambitions. It highlighted coordination across semiconductors, electronics manufacturing, components, materials, design, packaging and end-use applications.

The Government has approved 12 semiconductor projects under the Semicon India programme, with five commercial semiconductor units already operational as of September 2026. SEMICON India 2026 also brought together more than 600 exhibitors, including nearly 300 international companies, and saw 56 MoUs, strategic initiatives and industry announcements across manufacturing, design, packaging, artificial intelligence, research and development, logistics and skilling.

The examination takeaway is that a semiconductor ecosystem includes the full value chain rather than chip fabrication alone. Institutional collaboration and links between design, manufacturing and packaging are important to building domestic capability.

Source: PIB - Whole-of-industry semiconductor approach.

Health and Public Policy - Ayushman Bharat

On the eighth anniversary of Ayushman Bharat, the Prime Minister highlighted that more than 60 crore beneficiaries have access to annual health cover of ₹5 lakh. The release described this as the world’s largest healthcare scheme by coverage and noted that Ayushman Arogya Mandirs have recorded more than 500 crore visits.

The programme is significant for public-health and welfare questions because it combines financial protection for hospital care with strengthened primary healthcare. Candidates should distinguish the annual health-cover amount from the number of beneficiaries and from the visit count recorded by Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.

Source: PIB - Eight years of Ayushman Bharat.

Defence Technology - SAT-SAAW Contract

The Ministry of Defence signed an ₹810.79-crore contract with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for 160 Satellite Smart Anti Airfield Weapons (SAT-SAAW) and associated equipment for the Indian Air Force. The procurement is under the Buy (Indian-Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured) category.

SAT-SAAW is an air-to-ground precision-guided glide bomb designed to neutralise enemy airfields from a long stand-off range. It can be launched from platforms such as Jaguar, Hawk and Su-30 MKI. The system was indigenously designed and developed by DRDO and has 60% indigenous content. This topic tests the difference between a precision-guided weapon, its launch platforms and the procurement category.

Source: PIB - SAT-SAAW contract for the Indian Air Force.

Defence and International Relations - SLINEX-26

The 13th edition of the India-Sri Lanka bilateral maritime exercise, SLINEX-26, concluded at Visakhapatnam on 21 September 2026 after being conducted from 17 to 21 September. The harbour phase included professional exchanges, cross-deck visits and sporting interactions.

The sea phase involved coordinated maritime manoeuvres, air operations, night replenishment at sea and Special Forces drills, including Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) and slithering operations. The exercise strengthens interoperability between the Indian Navy and Sri Lanka Navy and supports India’s MAHASAGAR and Neighbourhood First approaches in the Indian Ocean Region.

Source: PIB - SLINEX-26 concluded at Visakhapatnam.

Sports - India’s First Asian Games Soft Tennis Medal

Jay Meena won a bronze medal in the men’s individual event at the Asian Games, becoming India’s first-ever Asian Games medallist in soft tennis. The Prime Minister described the result as a historic achievement and a new chapter for Indian soft tennis.

The result is useful for sports current affairs because it combines an athlete, an event, a medal and a national first. It should not be confused with medals won by India in other racket sports or with team events at the same Games.

Source: PIB - Jay Meena’s Asian Games soft tennis medal.

Cooperation and Mobility - Bharat Taxi

The Bharat Taxi service was launched in Uttar Pradesh in Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Kanpur and Prayagraj. The cooperative mobility initiative is based on the principle “Driver is the Owner”, under which drivers, called Saarthis, are intended to be stakeholders and owners in the cooperative ecosystem rather than only service providers.

The release stated that more than 10 lakh Saarthis had joined Bharat Taxi within six months and that around 20,000 rides were being undertaken each day. The model is relevant to cooperative-sector questions because it extends cooperation into mobility and focuses on ownership, participation and direct earnings for drivers.

Source: PIB - Bharat Taxi expansion in Uttar Pradesh.

Quick Revision Table

Practice Quiz

Attempt the Daily Current Affairs Quiz - 24 September 2026 after revising the ten topics above.

Source Attribution

All selected topics are based on official releases from the Press Information Bureau and government institutions available for 24 September 2026 revision. The selection prioritises notified changes, completed exercises, signed contracts, released regulations and completed achievements.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the revised EPFO wage ceiling for mandatory coverage?

The statutory wage ceiling was raised from ₹15,000 to ₹25,000 per month, effective 17 September 2026.

Which Assam location was covered under the CSIR Smart Village Mission intervention?

The field intervention covered Junakimandal village in Titabor, Jorhat, Assam.

What is SAT-SAAW?

SAT-SAAW is an air-to-ground precision-guided glide bomb designed to neutralise enemy airfields from a long stand-off range.

Which exercise concluded at Visakhapatnam?

The 13th India-Sri Lanka bilateral maritime exercise, SLINEX-26, concluded at Visakhapatnam.

What is the cooperative principle behind Bharat Taxi?

Bharat Taxi is based on the principle “Driver is the Owner,” giving drivers a stakeholder role in the cooperative mobility model.