This is the current affairs of 26 February 2026. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
1. Who has been given the additional charge of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NITI Aayog?
a. Nidhi Chhibber
b. Rajendra Vishwakarma
c. Shubhra Bhardwaj
d. Bharti Pathak
Answer: a. Nidhi Chhibber
– Nidhi Chhibber took charge on 24 February 2026.
– She replaced BVR Subrahmanyam, whose three-year tenure was completed.
– Nidhi is a 1994 batch IAS officer of the Chhattisgarh cadre.
– She is serving as the Director General of the Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO) of NITI Aayog.
NITI Aayog
Chairperson: Prime Minister
Vice Chairperson: Suman Bery
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2. Following whose objection, NCERT decided to withdraw the Class 8 Social Science book containing the topic ‘Corruption in Judiciary’?
a. Central Government
b. Supreme Court
c. UGC
d. Parliament
Answer: b. Supreme Court
What is the matter?
– NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training) released its new textbook ‘Exploring Society: India and Beyond Part 2’ on 23 February 2026.
– The book is to be taught in schools from the academic session 2026–27. Its first part was published in July 2025.
– Content related to corruption in the judiciary was added under the chapter ‘The Role of the Judiciary in Our Society’, which led to controversy.
What is written in the book?
– Mention of the famous statement “Justice delayed is justice denied.”
– Data on pendency of cases: Around 81 thousand cases pending in the Supreme Court
– Around 62.40 lakh cases pending in High Courts
– Around 4.70 crore cases pending in district and subordinate courts
– The book also mentions that cases of corruption and indiscipline within the judiciary affect public trust.
CJI Suryakant’s displeasure
– The matter was raised in the Supreme Court on 25 February 2026.
– Chief Justice of India (CJI) Suryakant expressed displeasure over the controversial content included in the book.
– The issue was raised by Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal.
CJI said
– “I am fully aware of this. It is a matter of concern for the entire judicial institution. It appears to be a well-thought-out step. I will not allow anyone, no matter how high their position, to defame the institution. I am taking suo motu notice of this matter.”
New books prepared under NCF and NEP-2020
– NCERT has prepared new books for all classes under the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) and NEP-2020.
– After the COVID pandemic, topics from old books are being replaced with new topics.
– New books from Class 1 to 8 were published in 2025 itself.
Mention of former CJI BR Gavai
– The book also mentions former Chief Justice of India BR Gavai, who in July 2025 had said that corruption and wrongdoing within the judiciary negatively impact public trust.
– He had said, “However, the way to rebuild this trust lies in swift, decisive and transparent action taken to address these issues… Transparency and accountability are democratic virtues.”
Book no longer on the website
– After the CJI’s remarks, the book is no longer available on NCERT’s website.
– Its offline sale has also been stopped since 24 February 2026.
– No official statement has yet been issued by NCERT.
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3. Rob Jetten became the first openly gay Prime Minister of which country?
a. Spain
b. Germany
c. Netherlands
d. Belgium
Answer: c. Netherlands
– Rob Jetten assumed office as the Prime Minister of the Netherlands on 23 February 2026.
– The 38-year-old Rob Jetten is the youngest ever and the first openly gay Prime Minister of the country.
– His party D66 formed a coalition with the centre-right CDA and the liberal VVD.
Netherlands
– Capital: Amsterdam
– Monarch: King Willem-Alexander
– Prime Minister: Rob Jetten
– Population: 18 million
– Currency: Euro
– Language: Dutch
– Neighboring countries: Germany, Belgium
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4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited which West Asian country in February 2026?
a. Iran
b. Iraq
c. UAE
d. Israel
Answer: d. Israel
– Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Israel on 25 February 2026 on a two-day visit.
– Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara Netanyahu received Modi at the airport.
– The Prime Minister was welcomed with the national anthem.
– This is his second visit to Israel. His first visit was in July 2017, about nine years ago, which was also the first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Israel.
– This important visit of the Indian Prime Minister took place after several other high-level ministerial exchanges between the two sides.
Israel
Capital: Jerusalem
President: Isaac Herzog
Prime Minister: Benjamin Netanyahu
Population: 11.4 million
Language: Hebrew
Currency: Israeli New Shekel
Neighboring countries: Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Palestine
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5. Name the Israeli Parliament where PM Modi became the first Indian to deliver a speech and was awarded the ‘Speaker’s Medal’?
a. Congress
b. National Junta
c. Knesset
d. Federal Assembly
Answer: c. Knesset
First Indian to address the Israeli Parliament
– He also addressed Israel’s Parliament ‘Knesset’. He is the first Indian Prime Minister to do so.
– The Knesset has 120 members.
– The Knesset is located in Jerusalem.
– It is mandatory for both the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister to be members of Parliament. However, ministers are not required to be members of Parliament.
– Before PM Modi, world leaders who addressed the Knesset include the US President, late Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, and recently US President Donald Trump and Argentine President Javier Milei.
Speaker of the Knesset Medal
– Speaker Amir Ohana honored Prime Minister Modi with the ‘Speaker of the Knesset Medal’.
– He received this honor on 25 February 2026 in recognition of his exceptional contribution to strengthening strategic relations between India and Israel.
– PM Modi is the first leader to receive this medal, which is the highest honor of Israel’s Parliament, the Knesset.
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6. What did the Union Cabinet approve to change the name of the state of Kerala?
a. Thiruvar
b. Keralam
c. Keraluvam
d. Chennai
Answer: b. Keralam
– On 24 February 2026, the Union Cabinet approved changing the name of Kerala to “Keralam.”
– Earlier, on 24 June 2024, the Kerala Legislative Assembly had passed a resolution requesting the Central Government to change the state’s name to “Keralam.”
– However, the process of fully changing the name is still pending and will take some time.
What is the reasoning behind the name change?
– Chief Minister P. Vijayan says that since the state’s language is Malayalam, the name should be Keralam accordingly.
– Since the time of the national freedom movement, there had been a strong demand for a united Kerala for Malayalam-speaking communities. However, in the First Schedule of the Constitution, the state’s name is written as Kerala.
– The Kerala Legislative Assembly has requested the Central Government to amend the name to Keralam under Article 3 of the Constitution and include it in all languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
About the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution
– The Eighth Schedule includes a total of 22 languages.
– These include Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Bodo, Santhali, Maithili, and Dogri.
What does Article 3 of the Indian Constitution say?
– Article 3 relates to the formation of new states and alteration of areas, boundaries, or names of existing states.
– Parliament has special powers to form a new state by separating territory from any state or by uniting two or more states or parts of states, increase or decrease the area of any state, alter boundaries, or change the name of a state.
– The provision states that no such Bill shall be introduced in either House of Parliament except on the recommendation of the President. If the proposal affects the area, boundaries, or name of any state, the President must refer the Bill to the state legislature concerned for expressing its views within a specified period.
What will happen next?
– After the Union Cabinet’s approval, the President of India will refer the Kerala (Name Change) Bill, 2026 to the Kerala State Legislative Assembly under Article 3 of the Constitution for expressing its views.
– After that, the Bill will be passed by Parliament.
– Then the President will sign it, and the name will be changed.
Earlier, two states were renamed
– In 2007, the Central Government passed a Bill in Parliament to change the name of Uttaranchal to Uttarakhand.
– In 2010, Orissa was renamed Odisha.
Kerala
Capital: Thiruvananthapuram
Governor: Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar
Chief Minister: P. Vijayan
Population: 36 million
Language: Malayalam
Neighboring states: Tamil Nadu and Karnataka
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7. How many fake universities in the country did the University Grants Commission (UGC) release a list of and ask students not to take admission there?
a. 22
b. 20
c. 21
d. 32
Answer: d. 32
– The Commission clarified that these institutions are neither established under the UGC Act, 1956 nor have any legal authority to award degrees.
– Degrees issued by these fake universities will be considered invalid.
– The Commission advised students and parents to verify the recognition status on the website before taking admission in such institutions.
– In the 2025 list, the number of fake universities was 24.
– Delhi has the highest number, with 12 fake universities.
List of fake universities
Delhi
– United Nations World Peace University
– Institute of Management and Engineering
– All India Institute of Public and Physical Health Sciences (AIIPHS)
– Commercial University Limited
– United Nations University
– Vocational University
– ADR-Centric Judicial University
– Indian Institute of Science and Engineering
– Vishwakarma Open University
– Spiritual University
– National Management Solutions Institution
– Mountain Institute of Management and Technology
Uttar Pradesh
– Gandhi Hindi Vidyapith, Prayagraj (Allahabad)
– Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose University (Open University)
– Bharatiya Shiksha Parishad
– Mahamaya Technical University
Andhra Pradesh
– Christ New Testament Deemed University
– Bible Open University of India
Karnataka
– Sarva Bharatiya Shiksha Peeth
– Global Human Peace University
Kerala
– International Islamic University of Prophetic Medicine (IIUPM)
– St. John’s University
Maharashtra
– Raja Arabic University
– National Backward Agriculture Vidyapith
Puducherry
– Usha Latchumanan College of Education
– Sri Bodhi Academy of Higher Education
West Bengal
– Indian Institute of Alternative Medicine, Kolkata
– Institute of Alternative Medicine and Research
Rajasthan
– Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management
Jharkhand
– Daksha University (Vocational and Life Skill Education)
Haryana
– Magic and Art University
Arunachal Pradesh
– Indian Institute of Alternative Medicine
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8. Which Indian state will host the World Ocean Science Congress 2026?
a. Goa
b. Maharashtra
c. Madhya Pradesh
d. Uttar Pradesh
Answer: a. Goa
– The World Ocean Science Congress 2026 was organized from 23 to 26 February 2026 at the National Institute of Oceanography in Panaji, the capital of Goa.
– After Visakhapatnam, Kochi, and Chennai, the fourth edition was held in Goa.
– The conference focused on ocean health, resilience to climate change, and the development of a sustainable blue economy.
– During the event, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant emphasized the state’s maritime heritage.
Topics discussed
– Marine observation systems
– Climate modeling
– Applications of artificial intelligence
– Advances in autonomous waterway vehicles
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9. Which state government announced the launch of Rani Durgavati Yojana?
a. Madhya Pradesh
b. Chhattisgarh
c. Uttarakhand
d. Jharkhand
Answer: b. Chhattisgarh
– Chhattisgarh Finance Minister OP Choudhary presented the annual budget of ₹1.72 lakh crore for the financial year 2026–27 in the state assembly.
– He said that the government will launch the Rani Durgavati Yojana, under which girls will receive ₹1.5 lakh upon attaining 18 years of age.
Chhattisgarh
– Capital: Raipur
– Governor: Ramen Deka
– Chief Minister: Vishnu Deo Sai
– Language: Chhattisgarhi
– Neighboring states: Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh
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10. When is Central Excise Day celebrated?
a. 22 February
b. 24 February
c. 26 February
d. 28 February
Answer: b. 24 February
– Central Excise Day is celebrated every year on 24 February.
– On this day in 1944, the Central Excise Act was enacted.
– Its purpose is to honor the employees serving in the Central Board of Excise and Customs for their service to the nation.
Central Board of Excise and Customs
Established: 1 January 1964
Headquarters: New Delhi
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