NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Government Launches EPFO Employee Enrolment Scheme 2025 to Boost Social Security and Formalise Workforce: The EPFO Employee Enrolment Scheme 2025 was launched by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, effective November 1, 2025, to encourage employers to voluntarily enrol employees previously left out of the EPF, boosting formal employment and social security coverage.Employees who joined between July 1, 2017, and October 31, 2025, and were not registered under EPF, can now enrol to gain provident fund savings, pension benefits under EPS, and insurance via EDLI, ensuring long-term financial security.Employers can rectify past non-compliance by paying only their EPF share plus a nominal penalty of ₹100, without being liable for employees who have already left, simplifying compliance and encouraging voluntary participation.The scheme formalises India’s workforce, enhances financial inclusion, supports retirement security, and aligns with potential EPFO wage ceiling expansion, strengthening trust, transparency, and social protection in the employment ecosystem.
2. Hyderabad to Get Regional IICT Campus; WAVES Animation Bazaar and IndiaJoy 2025 Showcase India’s Growing Creative Economy: The Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) will establish a regional campus in Hyderabad to strengthen India’s gaming, animation, and digital entertainment industries, announced by Shri Sanjay Jaju, Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.An MoU between IICT and T-Hub promotes startup incubation and innovation in the media and entertainment sector. The event also showcased WAVEX incubated startups and IPs from the Create in India Challenge Season 1, providing market access and exposure to young creators.The WAVES Animation Bazaar, a content marketplace linking creators with buyers and OTT platforms, was launched to monetize creative work and accelerate industry growth.The event also featured IFFI roundtables, multilingual film certification reforms, and collaboration with industry leaders to strengthen Indian cinema and digital entertainment.
3. Delhi Govt Launches ‘Pink Saheli Smart Card’ for Free Bus Travel of Women and Transgender Individuals to Promote Safety and Inclusivity: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has launched the ‘Pink Saheli Smart Card’, allowing free travel for women and transgender individuals (12 years & above) on all Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster buses.The scheme aims to promote public transport usage, enhance safety, and make daily commuting more affordable for women and transgender people, while also helping to reduce traffic congestion and pollution.Eligible passengers can register online through the Delhi Transport Department’s official portal or at designated DTC counters, after which they receive the Pink Saheli Smart Card for unlimited free rides.The initiative marks a progressive step toward gender equality, recognizing both women and transgender individuals in public policy and emphasizing women’s empowerment and inclusivity in Delhi’s transport system.
4. Nauradehi Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh to Become Third Home for Cheetahs: Nauradehi Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh will become the third home for cheetahs in the state after Kuno National Park and Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary. Cheetahs will be brought from Namibia, Africa, and released here.Due to hunting and loss of habitat, the Asiatic cheetah became extinct in India in 1952.The Government of India launched Project Cheetah on September 17, 2022, under which African cheetahs from Namibia were reintroduced in Kuno National Park (2022) and later in Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary (2024).Kuno now has 25 cheetahs, including nine adults (six females and one male) and 16 cubs born in the park. Nauradehi will now serve as the third site and will be the 25th wildlife sanctuary of Madhya Pradesh.
5. Gogabeel Lake in Bihar Declared India’s 94th Ramsar Site: Gogabeel Lake in Katihar district, Bihar, has been designated as a Ramsar site of international importance, becoming India’s 94th Ramsar site and Bihar’s 6th, after Gokul Jalashay and Udaipur Jheel.The oxbow-shaped wetland, located between the Ganga and Mahananda rivers, is Bihar’s first community reserve, managed and conserved by the local community, playing a vital role in flood control, water balance, and biodiversity conservation.With this addition, India ranks 1st in Asia and 3rd globally (after the UK – 176 and Mexico – 144 Ramsar sites), highlighting its growing commitment to wetland conservation under the 1971 Ramsar Convention.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Hurricane Melissa Becomes First-Ever Category 5 Storm to Strike Jamaica: Hurricane Melissa was a catastrophic Category 5 tropical cyclone that hit Jamaica, Cuba, and the Bahamas in late October 2025, rapidly intensifying from a tropical storm to a major hurricane within just 39 hours.Making landfall in southern Jamaica on October 28 with winds of 185 mph (298 km/h), it became the first-ever Category 5 hurricane to strike Jamaica in the nation’s history, causing over $8 billion in damages and 50 confirmed deaths by October 31.The storm originated from an atmospheric disturbance near western Africa in mid-October 2025, and after being named “Melissa” by NOAA and the World Meteorological Organization, it slowly moved across the Caribbean, gaining power from warm ocean waters.
2. Sanjay Garg Assumes Charge as DG of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS): Shri Sanjay Garg, IAS (1994 batch, Kerala cadre) has assumed charge as the Director General of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the National Standards Body of India.Prior to this, he served as Additional Secretary, DARE, and Secretary, ICAR, where he led major digital transformation initiatives in research management and scaled up the Kisan Sarathi portal to connect farmers directly with agricultural scientists.With extensive experience in World Bank projects, defence industry deregulation, and industrial promotion, Shri Garg will also serve as the President of India’s National Committee in IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission).
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. Operation Chhatru: Kishtwar Encounter Underway: Security forces have launched a major anti-terror operation in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district after receiving credible intelligence inputs about the presence of militants in the region. The encounter, taking place in the Chhatru area, is being jointly conducted by the Indian Army’s White Knight Corps and the Jammu and Kashmir Police. According to the Army’s White Knight Corps, the operation began in the early hours of Wednesday when troops established contact with suspected terrorists. A brief exchange of fire followed, confirming militant presence in the area. The Army said the operation is progressing cautiously to prevent collateral damage while ensuring that the terrorists are neutralised. Additional reinforcements have been deployed to seal possible escape routes in the mountainous terrain.
SPORTS
1. Tennis Legend Rohan Bopanna Retires After 20-Year Career: Rohan Bopanna, a two-time Grand Slam champion and one of India’s most celebrated tennis players, announced his retirement from professional tennis, ending a career spanning over two decades.The 45-year-old doubles specialist reached the world number one ranking in doubles in 2024, becoming the fourth Indian after Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi, and Sania Mirza to achieve this milestone.
Bopanna won the 2024 Australian Open men’s doubles title with Matthew Ebden, becoming the oldest first-time world number one and the oldest Grand Slam men’s doubles champion in tennis history.
2. Avani Lekhara Shines with Gold at 2025 Para Shooting World Cup in Dubai: Avani Lekhara won the gold medal in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event at the 2025 Para Shooting World Cup held in Al Ain, Dubai, defeating Anna Besnon of Sweden to secure the top position.Thailand’s Wannipa Leungvilai claimed the bronze medal in the same event, while India also excelled in the Mixed 50m Pistol SH1 category, earning multiple medals.In the Mixed 50m Pistol SH1 Individual final, Akash won the gold medal with a score of 223.1, followed by Sandeep Kumar with silver, and along with Rudransh Khandelwal, the trio also secured team silver, finishing just behind Iran.
3. Kane Williamson Retires from T20 Internationals, to Continue in Tests and ODIs: New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has announced his retirement from T20 Internationals with immediate effect after a remarkable career spanning 93 matches and over 2,500 runs.Williamson, who made his T20I debut in 2011, led the Black Caps in 75 matches, guiding them to two semi-finals (2016, 2022) and a final appearance in 2021.While stepping away from T20Is, the New Zealand legend will continue to represent his country in Test and ODI cricket.
1. Indian Oil Mumbai Clinches 42nd Indian Oil Servo Surjit Hockey Trophy for Third Consecutive Year: Indian Oil Mumbai won the 42nd Indian Oil Servo Surjit Hockey Trophy for the third consecutive year and seventh time overall, defeating Indian Railways Delhi 2–1 in the final at Olympian Surjit Hockey Stadium, Jalandhar.The champions received a winner’s trophy and ₹5.51 lakh cash prize, while Indian Railways bagged the runner-up trophy with ₹2.50 lakh. Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema announced ₹25 lakh for the Surjit Hockey Society.Talwinder Singh (Indian Oil) was named Best Player, and Olympian Harmanpreet Singh (Punjab Police) was awarded Best Scorer with a ₹51,000 cash prize.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. NISAR Satellite to Become Operational on November 7: ISRO: India and the United States are set to mark a historic milestone in space collaboration as the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite becomes operational on November 7. Announcing the development, ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan confirmed that the joint Earth observation mission has completed all calibration processes and will officially begin operations following a conclave this week. NISAR represents the first major Earth observation mission jointly developed by NASA and ISRO. Weighing 2,400 kilograms, it was launched on July 30 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre aboard the GSLV rocket. The mission aims to enhance global climate monitoring and environmental mapping capabilities by providing detailed, repeatable, and accurate data on land and ice surface movements.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. Centre Releases ₹444 Crore to Odisha’s Rural Local Bodies under 15th Finance Commission Grants: The Union Government has released over ₹444 crore to Rural Local Bodies (RLBs) in Odisha under the Fifteenth Finance Commission (XV FC) Grants for the financial year 2025–26.
The release includes a second installment of ₹342.59 crore as Untied Grants for 20 Zilla Parishads, 296 Panchayat Samitis, and 6,734 Gram Panchayats across the state.Additionally, ₹101.78 crore, representing the withheld portion of the first installment, has been released for 20 Zilla Parishads, 233 Panchayat Samitis, and 649 Gram Panchayats.The Untied Grants can be used by Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and RLBs for local developmental needs under the Eleventh Schedule, while Tied Grants are meant for sanitation, waste management, ODF maintenance, drinking water, and rainwater harvesting projects.
2. India Post Payments Bank & EPFO Join Hands to Offer Free Doorstep Digital Life Certificate Services for Pensioners: India Post Payments Bank (IPPB), a 100% Government-owned entity under the Department of Posts, signed an MoU with Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) to provide doorstep Digital Life Certificate (DLC) services for pensioners under the Employees’ Pension Scheme, 1995 (EPS-95).IPPB will use its network of 1.65 lakh Post Offices and 3 lakh+ postal service providers (Postmen and Gramin Dak Sevaks), equipped with Doorstep Banking devices using Face Authentication and Fingerprint Biometric technology, to help pensioners submit DLCs from home. The entire cost of issuing the Digital Life Certificate will be borne by EPFO, ensuring that the service remains completely free for all EPFO pensioners.
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