Kerala PSC Current Affairs Brief — 22 August 2026

Today’s digest covers key developments in defence, governance, judiciary, and national affairs. Kerala features the 72nd Nehru Trophy Boat Race and a High Court notice on VACB. National highlights include Cauvery water disputes, Supreme Court rulings on judicial service, and MGNREGA recognition.

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Kerala News

1. Cochin Shipyard delivers INS Mangrol to Indian Navy

• Cochin Shipyard Limited handed over INS Mangrol to the Indian Navy, a vessel named after the coastal township of Mangrol in Gujarat.
• The delivery marks a significant milestone for India’s indigenous shipbuilding capabilities under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.

PSC relevance: Defence manufacturing, ‘Make in India’, Indian Navy

2. 72nd Nehru Trophy Boat Race scheduled for 22 August 2026

• The 72nd Nehru Trophy Boat Race will be held on Punnamada Lake in Kerala on 22 August 2026 starting at 11 a.m.
• Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan will inaugurate the event at 2 p.m. on the same day.

PSC relevance: Kerala culture, sports events, state administration

3. Kerala High Court issues notice to VACB Director on corruption allegations

• The Kerala High Court issued a notice to the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) Director on a petition alleging systematic corruption by the former Transport Commissioner S. Sreejith.
• The petitioner, an assistant motor vehicles inspector, claimed the accused engaged in victimising subordinate staff and facilitating illicit transactions during his tenure.

PSC relevance: Constitutional bodies, anti-corruption mechanisms, Kerala governance

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National News

4. Cauvery water dispute intensifies amid weak monsoon

• A weak monsoon has led to dwindling water supplies in the Cauvery basin, affecting farmers in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
• Karnataka faces pressure to release water to Tamil Nadu, where large tracts of paddy fields remain barren due to insufficient irrigation.

PSC relevance: Inter-state river disputes, water resource management, federalism

5. Supreme Court reduces law practice requirement to 1 year for judicial service

• The Supreme Court reduced the law practice requirement for judicial service from 3 years to 1 year for applicants.
• Successful candidates will undergo one year of intensive training at the State judicial academy, followed by a final year of law clerkship with senior judicial officers.

PSC relevance: Judicial appointments, constitutional provisions, judicial training

6. Supreme Court lauds MGNREGA as an effective scheme

• A three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court lauded the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) as a good and effective scheme during a hearing.
• The court was hearing a petition on delayed wages under the defunct scheme and discussed elevating the right to work as a fundamental right.

PSC relevance: MGNREGA, fundamental rights, judicial review

7. Trade unions criticise Supreme Court judgment on definition of industry

• Trade unions, including CITU, criticised a Supreme Court judgment on the definition of industry, alleging it failed to protect workers’ rights mandated by the Constitution.
• The general secretary of CITU stated that both the Legislature and Judiciary failed to safeguard workers’ constitutional rights.

PSC relevance: Labour laws, constitutional rights, judicial interpretation

8. Nagaland inks deal for first private-sector solar plant

• Nagaland signed an agreement for its first private-sector solar power project, a 20 MW plant at Tizit, expected to reduce energy imports.
• The project aligns with the state’s renewable energy goals and private sector participation in infrastructure.

PSC relevance: Renewable energy, state infrastructure, public-private partnerships

9. Centre to monitor price hike due to crop damage and festival demand

• The Centre stated that crop damage, production dip, and festival demand led to a price hike and will monitor the situation closely.
• The government clarified that the rise in prices cannot be attributed to ethanol production.

PSC relevance: Agricultural economy, inflation control, Centre-state coordination

10. 48 teachers to be honoured by President on 5 September 2026

• A total of 48 school teachers have been selected for national honours through a three-stage selection process at district, state, and national levels.
• The teachers will be honoured by the President of India on 5 September 2026.

PSC relevance: National awards, education sector, constitutional roles

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10 MCQs

Q1. Where was INS Mangrol, recently delivered by Cochin Shipyard, named after?

Options: A. A coastal township in Gujarat B. A historical port in Kerala C. A naval base in Andaman and Nicobar Islands D. A river in Tamil Nadu

Answer: A

Explanation: INS Mangrol was named after the coastal township of Mangrol in Gujarat, as stated in the Cochin Shipyard delivery news.

Q2. On which date is the 72nd Nehru Trophy Boat Race scheduled to be held in 2026?

Options: A. 15 August 2026 B. 22 August 2026 C. 31 August 2026 D. 10 September 2026

Answer: B

Explanation: The 72nd Nehru Trophy Boat Race is scheduled for 22 August 2026, as mentioned in the Kerala news context.

Q3. Who will inaugurate the 72nd Nehru Trophy Boat Race in 2026?

Options: A. The Governor of Kerala B. The Chief Minister of Kerala C. The Union Minister for Sports D. The President of the Boat Race Association

Answer: B

Explanation: Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan will inaugurate the event at 2 p.m. on 22 August 2026.

Q4. What is the capacity of the solar power project recently signed by Nagaland with a private sector entity?

Options: A. 10 MW B. 15 MW C. 20 MW D. 25 MW

Answer: C

Explanation: The solar power project at Tizit in Nagaland has a capacity of 20 MW, as stated in the national news context.

Q5. What is the new law practice requirement for judicial service appointments as per the recent Supreme Court ruling?

Options: A. 2 years B. 1 year C. 6 months D. 3 years

Answer: B

Explanation: The Supreme Court reduced the law practice requirement for judicial service from 3 years to 1 year.

Q6. Which constitutional body lauded MGNREGA as an effective scheme in a recent Supreme Court hearing?

Options: A. The Election Commission of India B. A three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court C. The NITI Aayog D. The Ministry of Rural Development

Answer: B

Explanation: A three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court lauded MGNREGA as a good and effective scheme during a hearing.

Q7. What is the primary reason cited by the Centre for the recent price hike in essential commodities?

Options: A. Increased ethanol production B. Crop damage and production dip C. Devaluation of the Indian rupee D. Global supply chain disruptions

Answer: B

Explanation: The Centre cited crop damage, production dip, and festival demand as the primary reasons for the price hike.

Q8. How many teachers have been selected for national honours to be conferred by the President on 5 September 2026?

Options: A. 36 B. 48 C. 52 D. 60

Answer: B

Explanation: A total of 48 school teachers have been selected for national honours, as mentioned in the national news context.

Q9. Which state is facing pressure to release water to Tamil Nadu due to a weak monsoon?

Options: A. Andhra Pradesh B. Karnataka C. Maharashtra D. Telangana

Answer: B

Explanation: Karnataka is facing pressure to release water to Tamil Nadu due to dwindling water supplies in the Cauvery basin.

Q10. Which trade union criticised the Supreme Court judgment on the definition of industry?

Options: A. Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh B. Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) C. All India Trade Union Congress D. Hind Mazdoor Sabha

Answer: B

Explanation: The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) criticised the Supreme Court judgment on the definition of industry.

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Quick Recap

#	Topic	One-line
1	INS Mangrol delivery	Cochin Shipyard delivered INS Mangrol, named after Gujarat’s Mangrol, to the Indian Navy.
2	72nd Nehru Trophy Boat Race	Scheduled for 22 August 2026 on Punnamada Lake; CM to inaugurate at 2 p.m.
3	Kerala High Court notice on VACB	HC issued notice to VACB Director over corruption allegations against former Transport Commissioner S. Sreejith.
4	Cauvery water dispute	Weak monsoon intensifies Cauvery water dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
5	Supreme Court on judicial service	SC reduced law practice requirement for judicial service from 3 years to 1 year.
6	Supreme Court on MGNREGA	SC lauded MGNREGA as an effective scheme during a hearing on delayed wages.
7	Trade unions vs SC judgment	CITU criticised SC judgment on industry definition for failing to protect workers’ rights.
8	Nagaland solar plant	Nagaland signed a deal for its first private-sector 20 MW solar plant at Tizit.
9	Price hike reasons	Centre attributed price hike to crop damage, production dip, and festival demand, not ethanol.
10	Teacher honours	48 teachers selected for national honours to be conferred by the President on 5 September 2026.

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