Current Affairs — 15 June 2026

📖 Explanation

The May 2026 WPI reading came under a revised series that shifted the base year from 2011-12 to 2022-23 and expanded the basket from 697 to 957 commodities, including new energy sources such as solar, wind and nuclear electricity. Base-year revisions are done periodically so the index better reflects the current structure of the economy. Such methodological changes are frequently paired with the headline inflation figure in exams.

📖 Explanation

Petroleum products were the fastest-growing major export category in May 2026, rising by more than half year-on-year on the back of higher global fuel prices. Engineering goods remained the largest single export item by value, while electronic goods grew more modestly. Tracking which category leads export growth is a common Current Affairs theme for Banking and SSC exams.

📖 Explanation

The trade deficit widened mainly because imports grew faster than exports, led by a steep rise in crude oil and petroleum imports as global energy prices climbed. Gold imports also rose but on a much smaller base. The composition of the trade deficit, especially the role of oil, is regularly tested in RBI Grade B and UPSC Prelims.

📖 Explanation

The World Bank raised India’s FY27 growth forecast to 6.6%, a modest upward revision of about 0.1 percentage point. The upgrade stood out because forecasts for several other large economies were cut at the same time. Growth-forecast revisions by multilateral bodies are high-frequency Current Affairs items across all government exams.

📖 Explanation

The UPSC announced that 13,343 candidates qualified for the Civil Services Main Examination 2026. The Civil Services Examination has three stages — Preliminary, Main and the Interview (Personality Test) — and recruits for services such as the IAS, IFS and IPS. The figure of candidates clearing each stage is a common factual point in exam Current Affairs.

📖 Explanation

The merger exception under the Tenth Schedule applies only when the original party merges with another and at least two-thirds of its legislature members agree. Members who accept the merger are protected from disqualification, while a breakaway group acting on its own is not. The Tenth Schedule was inserted by the 52nd Constitutional Amendment in 1985.

📖 Explanation

Disqualification disputes under the Tenth Schedule are decided by the Presiding Officer of the House — the Speaker in an Assembly or the Lok Sabha, and the Chairman in the Rajya Sabha — acting in a quasi-judicial capacity. The Supreme Court has held that this decision is subject to judicial review, which is an important check on the power. This is a frequently tested point in polity.

📖 Explanation

The NCRB report recorded a rise of roughly 17% in cybercrime cases, even as overall conventional (cognizable) crime declined. The increase is linked to the growing use of digital payments and internet services, which shift criminal activity online. The NCRB was set up in 1986 under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to compile national crime statistics.

📖 Explanation

P5+1 refers to the five permanent members of the UN Security Council — the United States, United Kingdom, France, China and Russia — plus Germany. Under the 2015 JCPOA, Iran agreed to cap uranium enrichment and accept inspections in return for sanctions relief. The United States withdrew from the deal in 2018, which fed into later tensions in the region.

📖 Explanation

Slovakia conferred the Order of the White Double Cross (First Class), its highest civilian honour, during the visit, in which the two countries elevated their relationship to a comprehensive partnership. They also concluded agreements on areas such as defence, labour mobility and digital technology. Foreign honours conferred on Indian leaders are a recurring Current Affairs item.

📖 Explanation

A monsoon at around 90% of the long-period average would be the weakest since 2015. El Nino conditions weaken trade winds over the Pacific and reduce the moisture carried by monsoon winds toward India. Historically, a majority of El Nino years since 1951 have brought below-normal or deficient rainfall to the country.

📖 Explanation

Commercial operations at the Noida International Airport in Jewar began in June 2026, with IndiGo operating the first commercial flight. The airport gives the National Capital Region a second major airport alongside Delhi. New airport openings and the airlines involved are common factual Current Affairs points.

📖 Explanation

The RBI issued these Master Directions under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, the primary law empowering it to regulate and supervise payment systems in India. The directions consolidated several earlier circulars into a single document to ease compliance. The PSS Act is an important topic for Banking and RBI Grade B aspirants.

📖 Explanation

The child sex ratio fell steadily over successive censuses to 919 girls per 1,000 boys in 2011, its lowest point. The Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, 1994 prohibits prenatal sex determination to curb sex-selective practices. The declining ratio and the PCPNDT Act are important for polity and social-issues sections.

📖 Explanation

The study estimated that AM fungal networks store carbon equivalent to about 11% of human-caused annual carbon emissions, roughly 4 billion tonnes of CO2-equivalent each year. The global map was built using machine learning on more than 16,000 soil samples. These networks are an often-overlooked part of the natural climate system, useful for environment and ecology questions.