Kerala PSC Current Affairs Brief — 20 August 2026

Today’s digest covers critical Kerala updates on local governance, education, and law enforcement, alongside national developments in governance, education policy, and public safety. The selection aligns with Kerala PSC syllabus areas including local self-government, higher education, and constitutional provisions.

---

Kerala News

1. 91 local bodies to compete in Pookalam contest in Kozhikode

• The competition will feature grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities, and the Kozhikode Corporation, grouped into 11 clusters.
• The winner will be awarded a cash prize of ₹1 lakh and a trophy.

PSC relevance: Kerala Panchayati Raj Act, 1994 (Part IX) and local self-government schemes

2. NIT-Calicut records highest-ever UG intake of over 1,600 students

• The record-breaking cohort includes students enrolling in BTech, BArch, and ITEP BSc-BEd programmes.
• The intake marks the highest number of undergraduate admissions in the institute’s history.

PSC relevance: All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) norms and technical education policies

3. Synthetic drug trafficking case: Excise arrests seven more in Kozhikode

• Two persons were earlier arrested following the seizure of 3 kg of MDMA from a car at Pantheerankavu.
• Seven additional individuals were arrested in connection with the ongoing investigation.

PSC relevance: Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act)

---

National News

4. Congress backs two-stanza Vande Mataram; launches campaign against Ram temple funds row

• Congress announced support for the two-stanza version of Vande Mataram in educational institutions.
• The party launched a campaign opposing the use of Ram temple funds for non-religious purposes.

PSC relevance: Fundamental Duties (Article 51A) and cultural heritage policies

5. BJD demands extension of claims and objections period under SIR by 30 days in Odisha

• The BJD has requested an extension of the claims and objections period under the Special Inclusion Register (SIR) by 30 days.
• The demand follows ongoing flood disruptions affecting voter registration processes.

PSC relevance: Representation of the People Act, 1950 (Section 14B) and electoral reforms

6. Maharashtra FDA suspends licences of two online food delivery facilities

• The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suspended licences of two Blinkit facilities in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Mumbai.
• Violations included expired products and poor hygiene standards.

PSC relevance: Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (FSS Act)

7. Action against drivers without Marathi knowledge from August 20: Maharashtra Minister

• The Maharashtra Transport Department will issue notices to drivers who refuse to learn Marathi or violate language rules from August 20.
• The move aims to enforce regional language proficiency for public transport drivers.

PSC relevance: Official Languages Act, 1963 and state language policies

8. JPSC-JSSC Reform Manch calls off stir after Jharkhand govt scraps 22 recruitment exams

• The JPSC-JSSC Reform Manch suspended its protest after the Jharkhand government cancelled 22 recruitment exams.
• The agitation had been ongoing since July 25 at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium.

PSC relevance: Public Service Commission reforms and recruitment policies (Constitution of India, Article 315-323)

9. RSS-linked academics in NCERT textbook panel

• The NCERT textbook panel will be led by Sandeep Shastri, vice-president of a Karnataka-based deemed university.
• The panel includes RSS-linked academics involved in curriculum development.

PSC relevance: National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and education policy

10. Census 2027 has a nefarious purpose, says Congress

• Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh alleged that the Census 2027 questionnaire has a deliberately flawed methodology for collecting caste data.
• The party claims the exercise serves a nefarious purpose beyond official enumeration.

PSC relevance: Constitution of India (Article 343-351) and Census Act, 1948

---

10 MCQs

Q1. How many clusters are the 91 local bodies grouped into for the Pookalam competition in Kozhikode?

Options: A. 5 clusters B. 7 clusters C. 11 clusters D. 15 clusters

Answer: C

Explanation: The competition features 91 local bodies grouped into 11 clusters as per the Kerala government’s announcement.

Q2. What is the cash prize awarded to the winner of the Pookalam competition in Kozhikode?

Options: A. ₹50,000 B. ₹75,000 C. ₹1 lakh D. ₹2 lakh

Answer: C

Explanation: The winner of the Pookalam competition will receive a cash prize of ₹1 lakh and a trophy.

Q3. Which institute recorded the highest-ever undergraduate intake of over 1,600 students?

Options: A. IIT-Madras B. NIT-Calicut C. IIT-Bombay D. NIT-Trichy

Answer: B

Explanation: NIT-Calicut recorded the highest-ever undergraduate intake of over 1,600 students.

Q4. Which programmes are included in the record-breaking cohort at NIT-Calicut?

Options: A. MBBS, BDS, and MTech B. BTech, BArch, and ITEP BSc-BEd C. BA, BCom, and LLB D. MSc, MCA, and PhD

Answer: B

Explanation: The record-breaking cohort includes students enrolling in BTech, BArch, and ITEP BSc-BEd programmes at NIT-Calicut.

Q5. How much MDMA was seized in the synthetic drug trafficking case in Kozhikode?

Options: A. 1 kg B. 2 kg C. 3 kg D. 5 kg

Answer: C

Explanation: Two persons were arrested following the seizure of 3 kg of MDMA from a car at Pantheerankavu.

Q6. Which political party demanded an extension of the claims and objections period under SIR by 30 days in Odisha?

Options: A. BJP B. Congress C. BJD D. CPI(M)

Answer: C

Explanation: The BJD demanded an extension of the claims and objections period under the Special Inclusion Register (SIR) by 30 days.

Q7. Which online food delivery platform had its licences suspended by the Maharashtra FDA?

Options: A. Zomato B. Swiggy C. Blinkit D. Dunzo

Answer: C

Explanation: The Maharashtra FDA suspended licences of two Blinkit facilities for food safety violations.

Q8. From which date will the Maharashtra Transport Department take action against drivers without Marathi knowledge?

Options: A. August 15 B. August 20 C. September 1 D. September 15

Answer: B

Explanation: The Maharashtra Transport Department will take action against drivers without Marathi knowledge from August 20.

Q9. How many recruitment exams were scrapped by the Jharkhand government, leading to the suspension of the JPSC-JSSC Reform Manch protest?

Options: A. 10 exams B. 15 exams C. 20 exams D. 22 exams

Answer: D

Explanation: The Jharkhand government scrapped 22 recruitment exams, leading to the suspension of the JPSC-JSSC Reform Manch protest.

Q10. Who is leading the NCERT textbook panel that includes RSS-linked academics?

Options: A. Kapil Kapoor B. Sandeep Shastri C. Y Sudershan Rao D. Dina Nath Batra

Answer: B

Explanation: The NCERT textbook panel is led by Sandeep Shastri, vice-president of a Karnataka-based deemed university.

---

Quick Recap

#	Topic	One-line
1	Pookalam contest in Kozhikode	91 local bodies grouped into 11 clusters; winner gets ₹1 lakh and trophy.
2	NIT-Calicut UG intake	Highest-ever intake of over 1,600 students in BTech, BArch, and ITEP BSc-BEd programmes.
3	Synthetic drug case in Kozhikode	Excise arrests seven more; 3 kg MDMA seized earlier; ongoing investigation.
4	Congress and Vande Mataram	Congress backs two-stanza Vande Mataram and opposes Ram temple funds for non-religious use.
5	BJD demand in Odisha	BJD demands 30-day extension for claims and objections under SIR due to flood disruptions.
6	Maharashtra FDA action	Licences of two Blinkit facilities suspended for expired products and poor hygiene in Mumbai and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
7	Marathi language mandate in Maharashtra	Action against drivers without Marathi knowledge starts from August 20.
8	JPSC-JSSC Reform Manch protest	Protest called off after Jharkhand government scraps 22 recruitment exams; agitation lasted since July 25.
9	NCERT textbook panel	Panel led by Sandeep Shastri includes RSS-linked academics for curriculum development.
10	Congress alleges Census 2027 flaws	Congress claims Census 2027 questionnaire has deliberately flawed caste data methodology.

---

Sources: The Hindu, Indian Express, PIB. Compiled via RSS feeds and verified at time of publication.