This is the current affairs 21 to 24 August 2026. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
1. To which sector has ISRO primarily decided to entrust the task of rocket and satellite manufacturing?
a. Foreign companies
b. Private sector
c. Ministry of Defence
d. Indian Railways
Answer: b. Private sector
ISRO to stop manufacturing rockets and satellites: Now the command of India’s space sector will be in the hands of private companies
– India’s space programme is preparing for its biggest change so far.
– With the private sector coming forward, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) will gradually withdraw from the work of manufacturing rockets and ordinary satellites.
– ISRO’s complete focus will now be on Research, Development, and major space missions.
– The main objective of this change is to increase India’s space economy from the existing $8 billion to $44 billion by 2033.
IN-SPACe Chairman said
– At the Business Today Summit, IN-SPACe Chairman Dr. Pawan Goenka explained that this change has already begun. This will give ISRO an opportunity to focus on new technologies, scientific missions, and infrastructure that private companies cannot develop on their own.
– He said, “Going forward, ISRO will not manufacture any launch vehicle (rocket). All this work will be done by the private sector or government companies.”
Command of rocket manufacturing now with private companies:
– The technology and production rights of the small rocket SSLV have already been given to HAL through a bidding process.
– Now preparations are underway to hand over India’s most trusted rockets, PSLV and LVM3, to private hands as well. Government companies will not be allowed to participate in this bidding, so that the private sector can come forward completely.
ISRO’s new role:
– ISRO will now focus only on research and development (R&D) instead of being a manufacturer.
– After a new technology is developed and becomes mature, ISRO will hand it over to private companies for commercial use. ISRO has so far transferred 120 technologies to the private sector.
New launch centre and defence order:
– The government is also planning to hand over the operation of a new launch centre to private industry, and its operator will be decided within the next 4-5 months.
– The Department of Defence has already given an order for 31 satellites to private companies, while ISRO will manufacture 21 more satellites under the same programme.
Ownership model:
– India is now promoting such a business model in which private companies will own their own satellites and earn by selling their data and services.
Summary in simple words:
– ISRO will now hand over the routine work of manufacturing rockets and satellites to private companies and focus itself on major future missions (such as Moon, Mars, or deep-space missions) and the discovery of new technologies.
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2. When is ‘National Space Day’ celebrated in India?
a. 14 July
b. 17 August
c. 23 August
d. 20 August
Answer: c. 23 August
2026 Theme:
– Towards Viksit Bharat: Innovating, Collaborating and Aspiring to Global Space Leadership
– This day was first observed in 2024. The announcement was made in 2023.
Why is this day celebrated on 23 August?
– Because India achieved a historic achievement on 23 August 2023.
– On this day, the Chandrayaan-3 mission completed a soft landing on the Moon.
– With this landing, India became the fourth country to achieve a soft landing of a spacecraft on the Moon.
– It became the first country to land on the southern polar region of the Moon.
ISRO
– Full name: Indian Space Research Organisation (Indian Space Research Organisation – ISRO).
– Established: 15 August 1969
– Headquarters: Located in Bengaluru (Karnataka).
– Current Chairman: Dr. V. Narayanan (took charge from 14 January 2025).
– Main objective: To develop space science, engineering and technology; to contribute to national development through indigenous space programmes, such as communication, weather forecasting, disaster management and exploration.
Major achievements:
– Aryabhata (1975): India’s first satellite.
– Chandrayaan-1 (2008): Discovery of water on the Moon.
– Mangalyaan (2013): The first Asian mission to reach the orbit of Mars.
– Chandrayaan-3 (2023): Successful soft landing on the southern polar region of the Moon.
– Projects: Gaganyaan (India’s first manned space mission, 2025-26 target); Aditya-L1 (Sun study mission); NISAR (Earth observation mission with NASA).
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3. Which athlete won the Lausanne Diamond League 2026 title?
a. Neeraj Chopra
b. Rumesha Pathiraje
c. Anderson Peters
d. Curtis Thompson
Answer: b. Rumesha Pathiraje (Sri Lankan athlete)
– Sri Lanka’s 23-year-old javelin thrower Rumesha Pathiraje won the gold medal with a throw of 88.14 metres.
– The Lausanne Diamond League was held on 20 and 21 August at the Stade Olympique de la Pontaise Stadium located in the city of Lausanne, Switzerland.
– This competition was not the final event of the Diamond League, but a leg before the final.
– India’s star javelin thrower, 28-year-old Neeraj Chopra, finished second with a throw of 88.05 metres. He received the silver medal.
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4. Which medal did Indian athlete Neeraj Chopra win at the 2026 Lausanne Diamond League?
a. Gold
b. Silver
c. Bronze
d. None of these
Answer: b. Silver
– This was Neeraj Chopra’s best performance.
– Sri Lanka’s Rumesha Pathiraje won the gold medal.
– Grenada’s Anderson Peters finished third with 86.69 metres.
– Pathiraje and Peters have qualified for the Diamond League Final by earning 23 and 22 points respectively.
– There is another Diamond League competition that also includes the men’s javelin throw event – this competition will be held in Zurich on 27 August.
When did Neeraj win this league?
– Neeraj Chopra won the Diamond League title in 2022.
– He finished second in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
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5. The Union Cabinet approved setting up a new bench of the High Court in which Union Territory in August 2026?
a. Jammu and Kashmir
b. Ladakh
c. Puducherry
d. Chandigarh
Answer: b. Ladakh
– The Union Home Ministry approved the establishment of a new bench of the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court in Ladakh in August 2026.
– Due to Ladakh’s difficult terrain and harsh weather, citizens had to travel to Srinagar or Jammu for justice. The new bench will significantly reduce the time and financial cost.
Constitutional Provisions:
– Article 214: There shall be a High Court for each State.
– Article 231: Parliament may by law establish a common High Court for two or more States/Union Territories.
Legal Provisions
– Under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, a common High Court was provided for both Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
– Once Parliament makes a law determining the High Court and its jurisdiction, a new Bill of Parliament is not required to open a new bench (Permanent/Circuit Bench). The Central Government can do so itself with the consent of the State or Union Territory and the concerned High Court. However, the prepared proposal is notified/approved by the President through the Union Home Ministry and Ministry of Law.
– Constitutional Value: This decision is a major step towards achieving the objective of Article 39A of the Constitution (equal justice and free legal aid).
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6. Which renowned Odia poet was selected for the Sarala Puraskar 2026?
a. Devdas Chhotray
b. Aparna Mohanty
c. Dr. Ashutosh Parida
d. Padmaja Pal
Answer: c. Dr. Ashutosh Parida
– Dr. Ashutosh Parida is an Odia poet, essayist and former scientist of CSIR-IMMT.
– He is being given the prestigious 47th Sarala Puraskar for his poetry collection ‘Vishwas De Prithvi’.
– The award carries a cash prize of Rs 7 lakh, a copper plaque and a citation.
– The award ceremony will be held on 25 October 2026 in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
– Seven books were shortlisted for the final selection of the Sarala Puraskar.
Sarala Puraskar
– It is a prestigious literary honour of Odisha.
– It was instituted in 1980 by the Indian Metals Public Charitable Trust (IMPaCT).
– The award is given every year to writers who make outstanding contributions to Odia literature.
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7. The country’s third Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft of the Mahe class has been handed over to the Navy; name it?
a. Mangrol
b. Arnala
c. Mahe
d. Androth
Answer: a. Mangrol
– Mangrol is the third Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW-SWC) ship built with more than 80% indigenous content.
– It was handed over to the Navy by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), based in Kochi, on 21 August 2026.
– It is powered by waterjets, making it suitable for high manoeuvrability in shallow and coastal waters.
– Mangrol is equipped with various technologies developed to counter underwater attacks.
– It has torpedoes, anti-submarine rockets, radar systems
and sonar systems.
– With the use of sonar and radar systems, this ship can conduct various surveillance and detection operations.
– Its underwater weapons can be used to attack enemy submarines.
– Earlier, INS Mahe and INS Malvan were inducted into the Navy.
– Now Mangrol has been handed over to the Indian Navy. After trials, it will be commissioned into the Navy.
Capabilities of Mangrol
– Underwater surveillance
– Anti-submarine warfare (ASW)
– Operations in coastal waters
– Low Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO)
Mine warfare
How did Mangrol get its name?
– Mangrol was named after a place called Mangrol in Gujarat.
– The city of Mangrol is located in Junagadh district of Gujarat.
– It is a coastal city and a small port.
– The city has a port and is known for marine fishing.
Carrying forward the old legacy as well
– It is carrying forward the legacy of the old INS Mangrol, which was a naval minesweeper of the Navy.
– It was decommissioned in 2004.
Mahe-class ships
INS Mahe (inducted into the Indian Navy on 24 November 2025)
INS Malvan (commissioned on 22 July 2026)
INS Mangrol (commissioned on 21 August 2026)
INS Malpe
INS Mulki
INS Magdala
INS Machilipatnam
INS Ajay
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8. For children below what age did the Ministry of Health restrict the use of fixed-dose combination (FDC) medicines containing chlorpheniramine maleate and phenylephrine hydrochloride?
a. Four years
b. Five years
c. Six years
d. Seven years
Answer: a. Four years
– The Central Government took this decision following the recommendations of the expert committee and the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB).
– The government said that the use of such a combination may pose risks to children below four years of age.
Under which law was the government’s action taken?
– The notification has been issued under Section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
– Section 26A empowers the Central Government to regulate, restrict or prohibit the manufacture, sale or distribution of any drug in the public interest.
Regulatory Bodies Involved:
– DTAB (Drugs Technical Advisory Board): The highest technical advisory body of the government on drug specifications and safety in India.
– SEC (Subject Expert Committee): The expert committee of the Ministry of Health that studied the safety risks.
Mandatory warning will now have to be given
– Drug manufacturers will be required to write on the package, insert and promotional material: “Fixed Dose Combination shall not be used in children below four years of age.”
Drug ingredients, their uses and side effects
1) Chlorpheniramine Maleate:
– Function: It is an antihistamine (Antihistamine), used to prevent symptoms of runny nose, sneezing and allergies.
– Common side effects: Drowsiness/sleepiness, dryness of the mouth and throat, dizziness, constipation.
– Serious side effects: Difficulty in breathing, irregular heartbeat, mental confusion.
2) Phenylephrine Hydrochloride:
– Function: It is a decongestant (Decongestant), which reduces nasal congestion and swelling of the airways.
– Common side effects: Headache, nausea, restlessness, dizziness.
– Serious side effects: High blood pressure (Hypertension), chest pain, rapid heartbeat.
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9. Which state government approved two spells of 180-day maternity leave and abolished the mandatory two-year gap requirement for maternity leave?
a. Uttarakhand
b. Uttar Pradesh
c. Bihar
d. Madhya Pradesh
Answer: b. Uttar Pradesh
– The Uttar Pradesh Government approved the related proposal through a cabinet-by-circulation decision on 22 August 2026.
– Until now, the rules for taking maternity leave of up to 180 days on the birth of children provided that maternity leave for the second child would be granted only when at least two years had passed since the maternity leave taken for the first child had ended.
– Due to this arrangement, many women employees were facing difficulties regarding maternity leave when becoming mothers for the second time.
– In such a situation, a petition was filed in the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court seeking removal of the restriction.
– The Court had said that if a woman employee is eligible for maternity leave for the second child under the service rules, her application cannot be rejected merely because there is not a gap of two years.
– Women who adopt a child will also get the benefit of this maternity leave provided by the government.
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10. Which Indian women’s doubles pair won a bronze medal at the 2026 World Badminton Championships?
a. Trisha Jolly and PV Sindhu
b. Gayatri Gopichand and Unnati Hooda
c. Trisha Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand
d. PV Sindhu and Unnati Hooda
Answer: c. Trisha Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand
– The championship is being held at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.
– The competition ran from 17 August to 23 August 2026.
– India’s Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand lost in the semi-final held on 22 August 2026.
– They were defeated by the world No. 1 pair from China, Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning, 18-21, 21-13, 21-8.
– India has won a medal in the women’s doubles category after 15 years.
– Earlier, in 2011, the pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa won a bronze medal.
– Treesa-Gayatri have joined the club of select Indian players who have secured a place on the World Championship podium.
First medal came in 1983
– India won its first medal (bronze) in 1983 through Prakash Padukone.
– The only gold has been won by PV Sindhu.
– India’s World Championship medals-16
– Gold 1
– Silver 4
– Bronze 11
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11. Which robot surpassed Usain Bolt’s world record of 9.58 seconds by completing the 100-meter dash in 9.39 seconds at China’s World Humanoid Robot Games 2026?
a. ‘Lightning’
b. Electro
c. Ameca
d. Atlas
Answer: a. ‘Lightning’
– The five-day ‘Second World Humanoid Robot Games’ began in Beijing, the capital of China, on 22 August 2026.
– The humanoid robot named ‘Lightning’, developed by China’s Tsinghua University’s ‘Tianzhuo’ team, completed the 100-meter race in just 9.39 seconds.
– This robot broke the 9.58-second world record in the 100-meter race set in 2009 by Jamaican athlete Usain Bolt.
– In 2025, the best time by a robot in this competition was 21.50 seconds, which has now fallen to less than half.
– In addition, the Tiankung robot set a record by clearing 2.88 metres in the high jump.
– The best human record is 2.45 metres.
– In the Second World Humanoid Robot Games tournament, 666 teams from 16 countries and 2,056 robots are participating. – Among them, 1,301 competitions will be held under 51 different events.
– These include football, basketball, table tennis, taekwondo and judo.
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12. How many winners were selected for the National Teachers’ Award 2026?
a. 48
b. 49
c. 50
d. 46
Answer: a. 48
– President Droupadi Murmu will present the National Teachers’ Award to 48 school teachers at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi on Teachers’ Day, 5 September.
– The exemplary work done by the award winners will be shown through a documentary during the ceremony.
– The objective of the National Teachers’ Award is to honour the unique contributions of the best teachers in the country.
– The selected 48 school teachers are from 27 states, 7 Union Territories and 6 organisations of the Central Government.
– There are 26 men and 22 women.
Here are the names and states of the winners
Name Organisation State/Union Territory
1. J Prakash Rao A & N Islands
2. Rajesh Kauluri Andhra Pradesh
3. MS. Yaku Tam Arunachal Pradesh
4. Rajesh Bordoloi Assam
5. Khushboo Kumari Bihar
6. Pushpa Prasad Bihar
7. Radha Rajesh CISCE
8. Sangeeta Yadav CBSE
9. Ravi Jaiswal Chandigarh
10. Sunita Yadav Chhattisgarh
11. Patel Purnima Mohanlal Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu
12. Suman Goyal Delhi
13. MD. Zafar Alam Eklavya Model Residential School under the Ministry
14. Mahadev Hanumant Shinde Goa
15. Nitin Kumar Mahendrakumar Pathak Gujarat
16. Anil Kaushik Haryana
17. Manjari V Mahajan Himachal Pradesh
18. Mohammad Ayaz Raina Jammu and Kashmir
19. Munmun Bhattacharjee Jharkhand
20. Ratnakumari S Karnataka
21. Amutha J Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, Madurai
22. Manisha Khetrapal Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan
23. Sunil Kumar KP Kerala
24. Mohammad Mustafa Kumal Ladakh
25. Archana Shukla Madhya Pradesh
26. Shailendra Pratap Singh Madhya Pradesh
27. Kavita Narsingrao Gitte Maharashtra
28. Kunda Jaywant Bachhav Maharashtra
29. Wanglenbam Gobin Singh Manipur
30. Lalnunmui Mizoram
31. R Ronald Meru Nagaland
32. Vaibhav Vasantrao Kulkarni Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti
33. Padaraj Umakant Nayak Odisha
34. Ganeshan S, Puducherry
35. Dinesh Kumar Punjab
36. Dr. Divyendu Sen Rajasthan
37. Dr. Vartika Gulat Rajasthan
38. Shivprasad Arvind Tingre, Sainik School Satara
39. Sushma Tamang Sikkim
40. Thanga Raj M Tamil Nadu
41. Bhavani Bompelli Telangana
42. Ranjan Debnath Tripura
43. Dr. Renu Tripathi Uttar Pradesh
44. Dr. Iftikhar Khan Uttar Pradesh
45. Shalini Kushwaha Uttar Pradesh
46. Gabar Singh Uttarakhand
47. Palash Chaudhary West Bengal
48. Shantanu Patra West Bengal
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13. When is World Senior Citizen Day celebrated?
a. 21 August
b. 22 August
c. 23 August
d. 24 August
Answer: a. 21 August
– This day is observed by the United Nations General Assembly.
– This day is observed to raise awareness about issues affecting older people, such as declining health with age and abuse of the elderly, and to honour and recognize the support, respect and achievements of senior citizens.
– International Senior Citizens Day was first observed in the United States on 21 August 1988.
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14. Who has been selected for the Ila-Bansidhar Panda Art Award 2026?
a. Archana Nayak
b. Damodar Behera
c. Guru Durga Charan Ranbir
d. Both b and c
Answer: d. Both b and c (Damodar Behera and Guru Durga Charan Ranbir)
– Ila-Bansidhar is a prestigious award given annually for lifetime excellence in the field of art and culture in Odisha.
– It is given by the Indian Metals Public Charitable Trust.
– For the year 2026, the award has been announced for Odissi dance guru Padma Shri Durga Charan Ranbir and sculptor and art teacher Damodar Behera.
– The prize amount is Rs 2.5 lakh.
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15. Shankaramanchi Janaki, a renowned actress known for her roles in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada films, has passed away; by what name was she known?
a. Savitri Janaki
b. Jamuna Janaki
c. Vasuki Janaki
d. Sowcar Janaki
Answer: d. Sowcar Janaki
– Chennai resident 94-year-old Sowcar Janaki began her acting journey with the Telugu film ‘Sowcar’ in 1950.
– After the success of this film, ‘Sowcar’ became associated with her name.
– During her career spanning more than seven decades, she worked in more than 400 films in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam languages.
– For her invaluable contribution to Indian cinema, she was awarded the Padma Shri in 2022.
– In addition, she also received the Kalaimamani and Nandi Awards.
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16. When is World Gujarati Language Day celebrated?
a. 24 August
b. 23 August
c. 22 August
d. 21 August
Answer: a. 24 August
– This day is celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of the great Gujarati writer ‘Veer Narmad’?
– Poet Veer Narmad is considered the creator of the Gujarati language.
– Veer Narmad was born on 24 August 1833 in Surat, Gujarat.
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