| Topic | Important fact to remember |
|---|---|
| Supreme Court strength | Ordinance proposed to increase the sanctioned strength of judges from 33 to 37, excluding the Chief Justice. |
| New Labour Codes | Rules notified concerning working conditions, minimum wages, social security and trade-union recognition. |
| VB-G RAM G | Draft rules released for the rural employment framework, including DBT-based wage payments. |
| Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme 5.0 | Cabinet-approved credit guarantee support for eligible businesses and passenger airlines. |
| Insurance FDI | Amendments provide for 100% FDI through the automatic route. |
| Kharif MSP 2026–27 | Cabinet approved higher minimum support prices for kharif crops. |
| Coal gasification | Financial incentives approved to promote surface coal gasification projects. |
| Anti-doping legislation | Draft amendments proposed to strengthen penalties against doping-related trafficking and administration. |
| Demographic changes | A high-level committee was established to study challenges associated with illegal immigration and demographic change. |
Exam connections
Article 123: President’s power to promulgate ordinances.
Article 124: Establishment and constitution of the Supreme Court.
Article 21: Protection of life and personal liberty.
MSP: Announced by the Union Government on the recommendation of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).
FDI: Foreign Direct Investment.
DBT: Direct Benefit Transfer.
| Development | Key examination point |
|---|---|
| Industrial production | IIP growth of 4.8% in Q4 of FY 2025–26. |
| Manufacturing | 5.1% growth in Q4. |
| Mining | 4.3% growth in Q4. |
| Electricity | 2.7% growth in Q4. |
| RBI Bulletin | May 2026 edition is an important source for economic developments. |
| Insurance sector | 100% FDI under the automatic route following regulatory amendments. |
| MSME credit | Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme 5.0 approved. |
| Kharif crops | New MSP rates approved for the 2026–27 season. |
Banking examination concepts to revise
RBI – India’s central bank.
Monetary Policy Committee – Six members.
Repo rate – Rate at which RBI lends to banks against eligible securities.
CRR – Cash Reserve Ratio.
SLR – Statutory Liquidity Ratio.
IIP – Index of Industrial Production.
CPI – Consumer Price Index.
WPI – Wholesale Price Index.
CACP – Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices.
SIDBI – Small Industries Development Bank of India.
| Person | Appointment / position |
|---|---|
| Lt. Gen. N. S. Raja Subramani | Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) |
| Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan | Chief of the Naval Staff |
| Prasoon Joshi | Chairman, Prasar Bharati |
Additional facts
Lt. Gen. N. S. Raja Subramani succeeded General Anil Chauhan.
Krishna Swaminathan was appointed to succeed Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi.
Prasar Bharati is India’s public service broadcasting organisation.
| Event | Key facts |
|---|---|
| New CDS appointment | Lt. Gen. N. S. Raja Subramani appointed as India’s next CDS on 9 May. |
| New Navy Chief | Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan appointed Chief of Naval Staff on 9 May. |
| Defence manufacturing | Foundation stones laid for the AMCA Core Integration and Flight Testing Centre in Andhra Pradesh. |
| Naval systems manufacturing | A Naval Systems Manufacturing Facility was also included in the Andhra Pradesh defence project announcements. |
| India–Vietnam cooperation | Both countries discussed cooperation in defence-related emerging technologies, AI, cybersecurity, semiconductors and innovation. |
Static GK for defence examinations
CDS: Chief of Defence Staff.
DRDO: Defence Research and Development Organisation.
HAL: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
BEL: Bharat Electronics Limited.
AMCA: Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft.
Indian Navy headquarters: New Delhi.
DRDO headquarters: New Delhi.
| Event | Important details |
|---|---|
| India’s diplomatic outreach to Europe | Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited UAE, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy during 15–20 May. |
| India–UAE relations | Official bilateral engagement took place during the Prime Minister’s UAE visit. |
| India–Netherlands relations | Official talks were held with the Netherlands Prime Minister on 16 May. |
| BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting | Held in New Delhi on 14–15 May under India’s chairship. |
| India–Vietnam cooperation | Cooperation strengthened in AI, deep-tech, cybersecurity, semiconductors and innovation. |
| India–Japan relations | The second India–Japan Economic Security Dialogue was held in May. |
| India–US relations | Framework on securing supplies of critical minerals and rare earths announced on 28 May. |
| India–Australia relations | Australian Foreign Minister visited India in May. |
| India–Egypt relations | Fifth meeting of the India–Egypt Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism. |
Important international organisations
| Organisation | Headquarters |
|---|---|
| BRICS | No permanent headquarters |
| United Nations | New York, USA |
| WHO | Geneva, Switzerland |
| IMF | Washington, D.C., USA |
| World Bank | Washington, D.C., USA |
| WTO | Geneva, Switzerland |
| ASEAN | Jakarta, Indonesia |
| SAARC | Kathmandu, Nepal |
| SCO Secretariat | Beijing, China |
| African Union | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
| Award / recognition | Important information |
|---|---|
| Padma Awards 2026 | Civil Investiture Ceremony-I held on 25 May at Rashtrapati Bhavan. |
| Padma Vibhushan | India’s second-highest civilian award. |
| Padma Bhushan | India’s third-highest civilian award. |
| Padma Shri | India’s fourth-highest civilian award. |
The first investiture ceremony included:
2 Padma Vibhushan awards
6 Padma Bhushan awards
58 Padma Shri awards
Static GK:
Bharat Ratna – Highest civilian award in India.
Padma Vibhushan – Second-highest civilian award.
Padma Bhushan – Third-highest civilian award.
Padma Shri – Fourth-highest civilian award.
| Development | Important details |
|---|---|
| Mumbai–Pune Expressway Missing Link | Maharashtra Day-related inauguration on 1 May; designed to bypass the congested Khandala Ghat section. |
| Digital Census | Digital self-enumeration for Census 2027 began in Maharashtra on 1 May. |
| Western Railway | Additional AC local services and longer 15-coach services introduced from 1 May. |
| Monsoon preparedness | Maharashtra held a high-level monsoon preparedness review meeting on 22 May in Mumbai. |
| Nashik Ring Road | Stamp duty concession approved for land purchased for the Nashik Parikrama Marg project on 14 May. |
Important Maharashtra facts
Capital: Mumbai.
Winter capital: Nagpur.
State formation: 1 May 1960.
Maharashtra Day: 1 May.
First Chief Minister: Yashwantrao Chavan.
Official language: Marathi.
High Court: Bombay High Court.
State animal: Indian giant squirrel (Shekru).
State bird: Yellow-footed green pigeon (Hariyal).
State tree: Mango.
State flower: Jarul (Pride of India).
| Date | Important day |
|---|---|
| 1 May | International Labour Day / Maharashtra Day |
| 3 May | World Press Freedom Day |
| 4 May | International Firefighters’ Day |
| 8 May | World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day |
| 11 May | National Technology Day (India) |
| 12 May | International Nurses Day |
| 15 May | International Day of Families |
| 17 May | World Telecommunication and Information Society Day |
| 18 May | International Museum Day |
| 20 May | World Bee Day |
| 21 May | Anti-Terrorism Day (India) |
| 21 May | International Tea Day |
| 22 May | International Day for Biological Diversity |
| 23 May | World Turtle Day |
| 24 May | Commonwealth Day (observed in some countries) |
| 29 May | International Everest Day |
| 31 May | World No Tobacco Day |
Important examination facts
National Technology Day commemorates India’s 1998 Pokhran-II nuclear tests.
Anti-Terrorism Day in India marks the death anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
World No Tobacco Day is observed under the initiative of WHO.
International Nurses Day commemorates Florence Nightingale’s birth anniversary.
| Topic | Exam-relevant information |
|---|---|
| Artificial Intelligence | India and Vietnam agreed to strengthen cooperation in AI research and innovation. |
| Semiconductors | India–Vietnam discussions included semiconductor technology and deep-tech development. |
| Cybersecurity | Cybersecurity was included in bilateral science and technology cooperation. |
| AMCA | Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft development infrastructure featured in defence project announcements. |
| Research and innovation | Government emphasised technology transfer from laboratories to industry and startups. |
| Drone technology | Drone manufacturing and defence innovation were included in Andhra Pradesh’s industrial development initiatives. |
Important abbreviations
| Abbreviation | Full form |
|---|---|
| AI | Artificial Intelligence |
| ISRO | Indian Space Research Organisation |
| DRDO | Defence Research and Development Organisation |
| DST | Department of Science and Technology |
| CSIR | Council of Scientific and Industrial Research |
| AMCA | Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft |
| R&D | Research and Development |
| ICMR | Indian Council of Medical Research |
Important topics for UPSC and MPSC:
Climate change and global warming.
Biodiversity conservation.
Renewable energy.
Carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS).
Green hydrogen.
Sustainable agriculture.
Monsoon forecasting and disaster management.
Wildlife conservation and protected areas.
Important environmental observances
20 May – World Bee Day.
22 May – International Day for Biological Diversity.
31 May – World No Tobacco Day (public health observance).
Static GK
| Organisation | Headquarters |
|---|---|
| UNEP | Nairobi, Kenya |
| IPCC | Geneva, Switzerland |
| IUCN | Gland, Switzerland |
| WWF International | Gland, Switzerland |
| UNFCCC Secretariat | Bonn, Germany |
For examination preparation, focus on the following May 2026 sports categories:
International badminton championships.
Cricket tournaments and international series.
Football competitions.
Chess tournaments and Indian grandmasters.
Athletics records and national championships.
Hockey tournaments.
Shooting and archery competitions.
Important static facts to revise:
| Sport / Organisation | Headquarters |
|---|---|
| FIFA | Zurich, Switzerland |
| ICC | Dubai, UAE |
| BWF | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| FIDE | Lausanne, Switzerland |
| World Athletics | Monaco |
| International Olympic Committee | Lausanne, Switzerland |
These are particularly relevant to UPSC, MPSC and banking examinations.
| Report / Index | Publishing organisation |
|---|---|
| World Economic Outlook | IMF |
| Global Economic Prospects | World Bank |
| Human Development Report | UNDP |
| World Happiness Report | Wellbeing Research Centre, University of Oxford |
| Global Gender Gap Report | World Economic Forum |
| Global Innovation Index | WIPO |
| Corruption Perceptions Index | Transparency International |
| World Investment Report | UNCTAD |
| Global Financial Stability Report | IMF |
| State of the World’s Children | UNICEF |
Test your preparation with these exam-oriented questions.
May 2026 GK Test
Q1. Who was appointed as India’s next Chief of Defence Staff in May 2026?
Q2. Which organisation publishes India’s Index of Industrial Production?
Q3. Which Article empowers the President to promulgate an Ordinance?
Q4. Which organisation recommended the Minimum Support Prices?
Q5. Where was the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held in May 2026?
Q6. Who was appointed as Chief of the Naval Staff?
Q7. When is Maharashtra Day celebrated?
Q8. Which award is India’s highest civilian honour?
Q9. Which Article deals with the establishment and constitution of the Supreme Court?
Q10. Where is the headquarters of the IMF?
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