Current Affairs Quiz - November 2026

Notes:
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has proposed a project worth ₹1 crore to install a 100-foot-tall saffron (Bhagwa) flag at Sinhagad Fort in Maharashtra. Sinhagad Fort was originally known as Kondhana Fort. It is located in Maharashtra. The fort witnessed several changes of control among the Deccan powers, including the Marathas and Mughals. In 1670, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj launched an attack to recapture the fort from Mughal control. The military operation was led by Tanaji Malusare, a trusted military commander of Shivaji Maharaj.

Notes:
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has accorded in-principle approval to India’s next-generation stealth destroyers under Project 18A. The approval aims to strengthen the Indian Navy’s capabilities amid growing maritime security challenges in the region. The Defence Acquisition Council is chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The proposed warships are expected to cost approximately ₹80,000 crore. The destroyers will be equipped with advanced sensors, modern weapons and stealth technologies. The programme is intended to enhance India’s maritime security preparedness amid the growing naval and underwater warfare capabilities of China and Pakistan.

Notes:
A new species of rare glyptosternine catfish, named Exostoma nasibarbatum, has been discovered in Manipur. The species was discovered during an ichthyological survey of the Bupal stream, a tributary of the Dujang River in the Chindwin River system, near the Myanmar border. Detailed morphological analysis confirmed that the collected specimens represented a previously undescribed species. It inhabits fast-flowing, turbulent hill streams with boulders and rocky substrates. The catfish has a flattened head and body, enlarged paired fins with adhesive striae, and flattened maxillary barbels that help it attach to rocky surfaces.

Notes:
The 1st International Maize Conference 2026 was held on 2 November 2026 at the JD Convention Centre, Hyderabad, Telangana. The conference was held under the theme “Maize Revolution for Food, Feed, Fodder, Fuel and Sustainability in the Changing World” (M4FS). It brought together scientists, policymakers, agricultural institutions and industry stakeholders to discuss maize research, productivity and value-chain development. India’s maize production has reached approximately 55 million tonnes, and the target is to increase it to 75 million tonnes over the next decade. The conference emphasised high-yielding varieties, innovative breeding, improved nutritional quality, mechanisation and efficient resource utilisation.

Notes:
Outward remittances from India under the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) crossed US20 billion during January–August 2026. Indian residents remitted approximately US20.09 billion abroad during the first eight months of 2026, compared with US$19.08 billion during the corresponding period in 2025. The Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) was introduced by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in February 2004. It was introduced under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999.

Notes:
Sylvatic plague is in the news due to a sharp decline in the population of black-footed ferrets in North America’s Conata Basin, South Dakota. Their estimated population declined from around 250 in 2024 to 70 by October 2026, reportedly due to plague outbreaks and drought-related breeding failure. Sylvatic plague is a vector-borne infectious disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, which is also responsible for human plague. The disease is primarily transmitted among wild rodents through infected fleas. It poses a serious threat to wildlife in North America, particularly prairie dogs and black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes).

Notes:
Renowned writer Methil Radhakrishnan has been selected for the prestigious 34th Ezhuthachan Puraskaram. The award is instituted by the Kerala government and administered through the Kerala Sahitya Akademi. It is the state’s highest literary honor conferred for outstanding overall contributions to Malayalam literature. The award carries a cash prize of ₹5 lakh, a citation, and a plaque. Methil Radhakrishnan is widely recognized for his distinct avant-garde modernist style, philosophical depth, and unique literary techniques that significantly modernized contemporary Malayalam prose and poetry over several decades of literary contribution.

Notes:
Project Him Sarovar is an initiative testing the agro-climatic feasibility of saffron cultivation in high-altitude cold desert regions. The pilot phase at Spituk Pharka in Leh, Ladakh, reported successful early saffron flowering. Saffron requires well-drained soil, dry summers, and cold winters, conditions prevalent in parts of Ladakh. Traditionally, Kashmir’s Pampore region is the primary producer of Indian saffron grown on Karewa soils. The expansion into Leh aims to diversify high-value cash crop farming in non-traditional cold desert pockets.

Notes:
Assam is establishing India’s first public-sector Proton Beam Therapy facility at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Guwahati. The project is being implemented in collaboration with Belgium-based Ion Beam Applications (IBA). Proton Beam Therapy is an advanced form of radiation therapy used in cancer treatment. Until now, this technology was available in India through private-sector hospitals. The facility aims to make advanced cancer treatment more affordable and accessible to patients across the Northeastern region. This initiative will strengthen public healthcare infrastructure and expand access to advanced cancer-care technology.

Notes:
Renowned Dogri and Hindi writer, poet, screenwriter and filmmaker Ved Rahi reportedly passed away on 1 November 2026 at the age of 93 in Thane, Maharashtra. Ved Rahi was born on 22 May 1933 in Jammu. He was a prominent writer in Dogri and Hindi literature and contributed to novels, poetry, short stories, plays and essays. His short-story collection ‘Aale’ received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1983. He was elected a Fellow of the Sahitya Akademi in 2024, its highest honour. He wrote scripts and dialogues for approximately 25 Hindi films, including Pavitra Papi, Paraya Dhan, Be-Imaan and Charas.