8 October 2026 Current Affairs: GST Council – Daily GK for UPSC, SSC, Banking & Railway Exams

Key current affairs developments for Thursday, 8 October 2026 included the 57th GST Council’s process recommendations, a trade-margin cap on non-scheduled cancer drugs, Anne Carson’s Literature Nobel, and the inauguration of India Mobile Congress 2026. The day also marked the Indian Air Force’s 94th anniversary, with the parade at Air Force Station Hindan reviewed by Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh under the theme “Indian Air Force: Infallible, Impervious and Precise”.

18 exam-relevant items for 8 October 2026: 12 from official/primary sources, 6 from reputable secondary or developing reports

Read time: ~20 minutes

Today’s coverage: 11 categories screened, 18 items retained, 14 items screened but not retained after date, source and significance checks. Also screened and left out: the RBI repo-rate increase to 5.50% (decided on 7 October, not 8 October); INS Kulish’s Singapore port call (limited exam value).

Source labels: [Official] = primary/official body (PIB, ministry, regulator, court, official federation) — linked where a direct URL was found. [Secondary] = reputable report; primary source not located. A “/Developing” suffix (as in [Official/Developing]) = same-day figures/outcomes may still change.

National & Policy

[Official] GST Council Recommends Dropping Arrest Powers under GST

Recommended (not yet notified): The 57th GST Council, chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi on 8 October, recommended omitting section 69 of the CGST Act, 2017, so arrest powers under GST would be withdrawn. It also recommended raising the prosecution threshold from ₹1 crore to ₹5 crore and cutting the general penalty from ₹25,000 to ₹10,000. These are Council recommendations, to be given effect later through notifications or law changes, not changes already in force. Source: PIB, 8 October 2026

Exam Points:

• Chair: Nirmala Sitharaman; venue: New Delhi
• Recommends omitting CGST Act section 69
• Prosecution threshold: ₹1 crore to ₹5 crore
• General penalty: ₹25,000 to ₹10,000
• Status: recommendations, not yet notified

What did the 57th GST Council recommend on arrest powers?

The 57th GST Council, meeting in New Delhi on 8 October 2026 under Nirmala Sitharaman, recommended complete withdrawal of arrest powers under GST by omitting section 69 of the CGST Act, 2017. It also recommended a ₹5 crore prosecution threshold, up from ₹1 crore. The changes are recommendations and are not yet notified law.

Static Link: GST Council is under Article 279A, inserted by the Constitution (101st Amendment) Act, 2016; Article 279A came into force on 12 September 2016, and the Council Secretariat is in New Delhi.

[Secondary] Centre Sets 30% Trade-Margin Cap on Non-Scheduled Cancer Drugs

According to Business Standard, the Centre has decided to cap trade margins at 30% of MRP for non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs, covering 110 medicines, including 35 patented ones, branded and generic, domestic and imported. The same report says MRPs could fall by up to 70%, with estimated patient savings of about ₹2,500 crore a year. BusinessToday reported that the expansion is expected to be implemented later this month. In 2019, NPPA had applied a 30% cap to 42 such medicines. Secondary reporting: Business Standard, 8 October 2026

Exam Points:

• Cap: 30% of MRP on non-scheduled cancer drugs
• Coverage reported: 110 drugs, 35 patented
• Estimated annual savings: about ₹2,500 crore
• 2019 precedent: 30% cap on 42 medicines
• Regulator named in reporting: NPPA

Static Link: The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority, under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, fixes prices under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013.

Economy & Banking

[Secondary] State-Owned Banks Raise Repo-Linked Lending Rates by 25 bps

According to Business Standard, several state-owned banks, including Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank and Indian Bank, raised repo-linked lending rates by 25 basis points on 8 October after the Reserve Bank of India’s policy-rate increase. That increase itself was decided on 7 October, when the Monetary Policy Committee raised the repo rate to 5.50%. The 8 October step is the banks’ pass-through to repo-linked loans, not a fresh RBI decision. Secondary reporting: Business Standard, 8 October 2026

Exam Points:

• Banks named: BoB, PNB, Indian Bank
• Pass-through: 25 basis points on 8 October
• RBI repo decision date: 7 October
• Repo rate after that decision: 5.50%
• Effect: repo-linked loans become costlier

[Secondary] Banks Bid ₹79,655 Crore at RBI’s 29-Day VRRR Auction

According to Business Standard, banks bid ₹79,655 crore at the Reserve Bank of India’s 29-day variable rate reverse repo (VRRR) auction on 8 October, against ₹2 trillion offered. The same report said the 10-year benchmark yield rose to 7.29% amid expectations of open-market sales. A VRRR is a tool through which the RBI absorbs surplus liquidity from banks for a set period. Secondary reporting: Business Standard, 8 October 2026

Exam Points:

• Instrument: 29-day VRRR auction
• Bids: ₹79,655 crore
• Amount offered: ₹2 trillion
• 10-year yield reported: 7.29%
• Function: absorbs surplus bank liquidity

Science & Technology

[Official] Ongoing event: PM Inaugurates 10th India Mobile Congress in Delhi

Ongoing event: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 10th India Mobile Congress on 8 October at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi. The event, organised by the Department of Telecommunications and the Cellular Operators Association of India, runs 7–10 October on the theme “Scale Without Boundaries”. He said India has 5,50,000 5G base stations, that 5G has reached every district, and that mobile internet speed has risen tenfold since 2022. Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia stated an aim to connect 1 billion 5G users by 2030. Source: PIB, 8 October 2026

Exam Points:

• Venue: Yashobhoomi, New Delhi
• Dates: 7–10 October 2026
• Theme: Scale Without Boundaries
• 5G base stations cited: 5,50,000
• Scindia’s stated aim: 1 billion 5G users by 2030

[Official] Vaishnaw Launches World Development Report 2026 on AI

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw launched the World Bank Group’s World Development Report 2026: The Promise of Artificial Intelligence in New Delhi on 8 October. The IndiaAI Mission, under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, organised the launch with the World Bank. The report sets a framework for developing economies to use AI through adoption, adaptation and advancement, and says those gains depend on electricity, connectivity, computing, data, skills and institutions. Source: PIB, 8 October 2026

Exam Points:

• Report: World Development Report 2026
• Subtitle: The Promise of Artificial Intelligence
• Launched by: Ashwini Vaishnaw
• Organisers: IndiaAI Mission and World Bank
• Framework: adoption, adaptation, advancement

Defence & Security

[Official] Coast Guard Holds 12th SAREX off Paradip

The Indian Coast Guard conducted the 12th National Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise, SAREX-2026, off Paradip, Odisha, on 8 October, under the National Maritime Search and Rescue Board. 32 observers from 30 countries took part. Assets included 15 Coast Guard ships, three Dornier aircraft, three Advanced Light Helicopters, one Chetak, Indian Air Force C-130J and Mi-17 aircraft, and two Indian Navy ships. The sea drill simulated a mass rescue after a concurrent air and maritime emergency. Source: PIB, 8 October 2026

Exam Points:

• Exercise: 12th SAREX-2026
• Location: off Paradip, Odisha
• Board: National Maritime Search and Rescue Board
• Observers: 32 from 30 countries
• Coast Guard ships deployed: 15

[Secondary] Rajnath Singh Breaks Ground for Ambajhari Aluminium Press

According to RNA, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh performed the groundbreaking on 8 October for a 10,000-tonne aluminium extrusion press at Ordnance Factory Ambajhari in Nagpur, a unit of Yantra India Limited. The report said the press will make large aluminium-alloy profiles for fighter aircraft, missiles, aerospace structures and rail use, and is meant to cut imports of those strategic materials. This was a groundbreaking, not the start of production. Secondary reporting: RNA, 8 October 2026

Exam Points:

• Project: 10,000-tonne aluminium extrusion press
• Site: Ordnance Factory Ambajhari, Nagpur
• PSU: Yantra India Limited
• Groundbreaking by: Rajnath Singh
• Stated use: aircraft, missiles, aerospace, rail

International Affairs

[Official] India Seeks Finance and Technology Balance at Pre-COP31

At the Pre-COP31 plenary on political landing zones in Nadi, Fiji, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav called for flexibility and mutual respect so that UNFCCC COP31 can produce an ambitious and balanced outcome. He said higher ambition has to be matched by climate finance, technology transfer and capacity-building, and that implementation should respect nationally determined pathways. The ministry said he asked parties to move from rhetoric to implementation and convergence. Source: PIB, 8 October 2026

Exam Points:

• Meeting: Pre-COP31 plenary
• Venue: Nadi, Fiji
• Speaker: Bhupender Yadav
• Asks: finance, technology, capacity-building
• Frame: nationally determined pathways

[Secondary] India Backs Regional Power Links at 20th EAS Energy Meet

According to StratNews Global, Minister of State Shripad Yesso Naik represented India at the 20th East Asia Summit Energy Ministers’ Meeting in Manila on 8 October. The report said he cited installed electricity capacity of 558.8 GW as of 30 September 2026, including 308 GW of non-fossil capacity, about 55% of the total. He welcomed the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation 2026–2030 and backed work on the ASEAN Power Grid, including a proposed 2,000 MW India–Singapore link still under exploration. Secondary reporting: StratNews Global, 8 October 2026

Exam Points:

• Meeting: 20th EAS Energy Ministers’ Meeting
• Venue: Manila
• India’s representative: Shripad Yesso Naik
• Capacity cited: 558.8 GW as of 30 September
• Non-fossil share cited: 308 GW, about 55%

[Official] UN Holds Older Persons Programme; Observance Date Is 1 October

The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs held its 2026 International Day of Older Persons programme on 8 October at UN Headquarters in New York, under the theme “The Age of Longevity: Rethinking Systems for Longer Lives”. The programme, the 36th such commemoration, ran from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. New York time. The International Day of Older Persons itself is 1 October; this was the UN’s commemorative programme, not a change in the day’s date. Source: UN DESA, 8 October 2026

Exam Points:

• Programme date: 8 October 2026
• Observance date: 1 October
• Theme: The Age of Longevity
• Organiser: UN DESA
• Venue: UN Headquarters, New York

Environment & Ecology

[Official] Ongoing event: Joshi Opens Windergy India 2026, Restates 100 GW Path

Ongoing event: Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi inaugurated the 8th WindEnergy India on 8 October in Chennai. The show runs 7–9 October. He said installed wind capacity had reached 59.20 GW by 30 September 2026, and set out a path to cross 100 GW by 2030. A 5 October ministry release had put FY2025-26 additions at a record 6.05 GW, with cumulative capacity at 58.52 GW by August 2026. Source: PIB, 8 October 2026

Exam Points:

• Event: 8th Windenergy India, Chennai
• Dates: 7–9 October 2026
• Inaugurated by: Pralhad Joshi
• Wind capacity: 59.20 GW as of 30 September
• Stated path: cross 100 GW by 2030

[Official] NBA Receives ₹9.68 Crore under Access and Benefit Sharing

The National Biodiversity Authority, under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, received ₹9.68 crore under the Access and Benefit Sharing framework during April–September 2026, the ministry said in its 8 October release. Access and Benefit Sharing is the legal route by which benefits from the use of biological resources are shared with providers and used for conservation. The release title states the receipt; a line-by-line breakdown was not in the listing consulted. Source: PIB, 8 October 2026

Exam Points:

• Body: National Biodiversity Authority
• Parent: Environment Ministry
• Receipt: ₹9.68 crore
• Window: April–September 2026
• Route: Access and Benefit Sharing

Awards, Appointments & Obituaries

[Official] Anne Carson Wins 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature

The Swedish Academy awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature to Canadian author Anne Carson “for her bold and inventive oeuvre that, in playful dialogue with the classical tradition, has created new forms for contemporary literature”. The prize was announced on 8 October. Reuters reported the award at 12 million Swedish kronor, and that Carson, 76, was born in Toronto and has held Icelandic citizenship since 2022. Last year’s literature prize went to Hungarian novelist László Krasznahorkai. Source: Nobel Prize, 8 October 2026

Exam Points:

• Winner: Anne Carson, Canada
• Award: Nobel Prize in Literature 2026
• Awarding body: Swedish Academy
• Prize reported: 12 million Swedish kronor
• 2025 literature laureate: László Krasznahorkai

Static Link: The first Nobel Prizes were awarded on 10 December 1901 in Stockholm; the Swedish Academy awards literature, while the peace prize is decided by a committee chosen by the Norwegian parliament.

[Secondary] Actor Nana Patekar Dies in Goa at 75

According to the Associated Press, actor and filmmaker Nana Patekar (born Vishwanath Patekar) died on 8 October at his home in Goa. He was 75. Variety, citing ANI, reported a cardiac arrest at home and that he was declared dead at 5:20 a.m. He was known for Hindi and Marathi roles, including Parinda and Krantiveer, and appeared in Mira Nair’s Salaam Bombay!. The Prime Minister’s Office issued a condolence message the same day. Secondary reporting: Associated Press, 8 October 2026

Exam Points:

• Died: 8 October 2026, Goa
• Age: 75
• Birth name: Vishwanath Patekar
• Known films: Parinda, Krantiveer
• Cause reported: cardiac arrest

Government Schemes, Reports & Indices

[Official] Nadda Launches JOSH Teams for TB Mukt Bharat

Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda launched JOSH (Joint Squad for Health) teams under the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on 8 October. In the first phase, teams are in 55 districts across 11 States and Union Territories. The ministry said 67,933 panchayats across 697 districts had been recognised as TB Mukt in 2026. A JOSH feature on the TB Mukt Bharat app was also launched. The Hindustan Times reported that each team consisted of five MY Bharat volunteers and five NCC cadets, led by a Class-I officer. Source: PIB, 8 October 2026

Exam Points:

• Scheme: JOSH, Joint Squad for Health
• Parent campaign: TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan
• First phase: 55 districts, 11 States/UTs
• TB Mukt panchayats in 2026: 67,933
• Venue: Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi

[Official] Women Are 43% of the Ayush Services Workforce

Women account for 43% of the overall Ayush services workforce, and more than half in hospitals, day-care centres, educational institutes and wellness establishments, the Ministry of Ayush said on 8 October. The sector was estimated at US$36.92 billion in FY2024-25, with a 16.91% CAGR since FY2022-23, and supports about 1.76 million livelihoods. A RIS study released on Ayurveda Day 2026 put women at 60% in spas and wellness resorts, 58% in educational institutes, 57% in day-care centres and 53% in hospitals. Minister of State (Independent Charge) Prataprao Jadhav highlighted the employment link. Source: PIB, 8 October 2026

Exam Points:

• Women in AYUSH services workforce: 43%
• Sector size: US$36.92 billion in FY2024-25
• CAGR since FY2022-23: 16.91%
• Livelihoods: about 1.76 million
• Study: RIS, released on Ayurveda Day 2026

Important Day / Theme

[Official] Indian Air Force Day: 94th Anniversary at Hindan

8 October is Indian Air Force Day. The force marked its 94th anniversary at Air Force Station Hindan, Ghaziabad, with a parade reviewed by Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh. The theme was “Indian Air Force: Infallible, Impervious and Precise” (भारतीय वायु सेना: अचूक, अभेद्य व सटीक). The parade was followed by an investiture. PIB said an Air Force Day aerial display will be held at Namo Ghat, Varanasi, on 25 October 2026. Source: PIB, 8 October 2026

Exam Points:

• Day: 8 October, Indian Air Force Day
• Anniversary: 94th
• Venue: Air Force Station Hindan
• Reviewing officer: Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh
• Theme: Infallible, Impervious and Precise

Static Link: The Indian Air Force was established on 8 October 1932; its headquarters is Vayu Sena Bhawan, New Delhi, and its motto is “Nabhaḥ Spr̥śaṁ Dīptam” (Touch the Sky with Glory).

Don’t Confuse

8 October 2026 Current Affairs: One-Liner Revision

• GST Council recommended omitting CGST Act section 69, withdrawing arrest powers under GST.
• Prosecution threshold recommended to rise from ₹1 crore to ₹5 crore.
• General GST penalty recommended to fall from ₹25,000 to ₹10,000.
• Non-scheduled cancer drugs: 30% of MRP trade-margin cap reported, about ₹2,500 crore annual savings.
• BoB, PNB and Indian Bank raised repo-linked lending rates by 25 bps on 8 October.
• RBI 29-day VRRR: banks bid ₹79,655 crore against ₹2 trillion offered.
• IMC 2026 theme: “Scale Without Boundaries”; 5,50,000 5G base stations cited.
• World Development Report 2026 subtitle: The Promise of Artificial Intelligence.
• SAREX-2026 held off Paradip; 32 observers from 30 countries.
• Ambajhari project: 10,000-tonne aluminium extrusion press, Yantra India Limited.
• Bhupender Yadav, at Pre-COP31 in Nadi, sought finance and technology to match ambition.
• Anne Carson won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature; the awarding body is the Swedish Academy.
• Nana Patekar died on 8 October in Goa at 75.
• JOSH teams launched in 55 districts across 11 States and Union Territories.
• Women are 43% of the AYUSH services workforce; sector size US$36.92 billion in FY2024-25.
• Indian Air Force Day theme: Infallible, Impervious and Precise; 94th anniversary at Hindan.
• Wind capacity cited at 59.20 GW as of 30 September 2026; path to cross 100 GW by 2030.
• NBA received ₹9.68 crore under Access and Benefit Sharing in April–September 2026.

Source note: use the linked official releases and the editorial cutoff above when revising; developing figures may be updated.

The GST Council’s section 69 recommendation, Anne Carson’s Nobel citation and the Air Force Day theme are the details from today most likely to come back in a question, so they are worth one more look. A short second pass on the ₹5 crore prosecution bar and the 55-district JOSH rollout will lock the figures in.