Prelims Focus 3rd October 2026

03/10/2026

31 4 minutes read

Sengol

In News: The newly published NCERT Social Science Class 9 textbook – Understanding Society and Beyond – Part 2 depicts the Sengol as a symbol of righteous government.

Sengol (or Chenkol) is a traditional royal sceptre representing the authority, justice, righteousness, and kingship of the royal family in Tamil land.
It symbolically represented dharmic kingship as well as the legitimacy of the king’s rule and his responsibility to divine and moral standards.
It was considered a symbol of the path of duty, service, and nationhood in the Great Chola Empire.
It was a ceremonial badge adopted by rulers in Tamil Nadu and started there.

Annual Survey of Industries

In News: Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has released the results of the Annual Survey of Industries (ASI) for the reference period April 2024 to March 2025 (i.e., financial year 2024-25)

It is carried out by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
It is one of the most important surveys in the country and covers the formal manufacturing sector.
It is carried out with the main goal of delivering useful information on the dynamics of change in the output, value added, employment, capital formation, and a lot of other parameters of different manufacturing industries.
It helps in decision-making by various Ministries; it is an important input for the production of National Accounts Statistics, and it provides information for stakeholders.

Rebate of State and Central Taxes and Levies (RoSCTL) Scheme

In News: The Ministry of Textiles has now extended the RoSCTL Scheme for exports of apparel/garments and made-ups for another term of three months from 1st October till 31st December, 2026 at the same prices and conditions, as on 1st October, 2023.

The Receipt of State and Central Taxes and Levies (RoSCTL) Scheme was launched in 2019 by the Ministry of Textiles and will help in rebating all the embedded State and Central taxes and levies which are not covered under any other scheme.
It is built on the principle of ‘zero-rationing of exports’ so that unrefunded taxes that are charged on exported goods are removed.
It remains a significant enabling tool for the textile export sector, especially for MSME exporters, who make up a significant number of its beneficiaries.
It provides a competitive advantage to the Indian apparel and made-up exports in the international market.

Amendment in SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989

In News: Casteist atrocities committed on social media platforms can come under the ambit of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, and the “public view” as defined in the Act is not limited to physical places, the Calcutta High Court has said.

The purpose of the Act is to prevent atrocities committed against members of the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and the Scheduled Tribes (STs).
It also establishes special courts and measures to ensure the protection of victims.
The Act includes offences such as caste-based abuse, social and economic boycotts, and violence.
Under the SC/ST Act, the following provisions make it a crime to intentionally insult, intimidate, or abuse a member of a Scheduled Caste or Tribe by caste name “in any place at which he or she is on view.” (Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(s) of the SC/ST Act)

Beamline for Schools’ Competition

In News: The competition, called ‘Beamline for Schools’, is the 13th edition, and a group of Indian school students is one of the five winning teams.

‘Beamline for Schools’ Competition is a physics competition for high school students from all around the world organised by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN).
A beamline is a special facility that delivers a high-energy flux of subatomic particles for experiments in a variety of fields.
The team suggested carrying out an experiment to investigate pion charge exchange, in which the team would observe the frequency with which a charged pion would transform into a neutral pion while scattering off light atoms like lithium or beryllium.
Pions can have a positive, negative, or zero electric charge.

122nd Birth Anniversary of Lal Bahadur Shastri

In News: India observed the 122nd birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on 2 October 2026.

Key Details

Second Prime Minister: Served from 9 June 1964 to 11 January 1966.
Birth: Born on 2 October 1904 in Mughalsarai, Uttar Pradesh.
Famous Slogan: Known for “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan”, highlighting the role of soldiers and farmers.
Moral Integrity: Resigned as Railway Minister in 1956 after a major train accident, accepting moral responsibility.
Bharat Ratna: Awarded the Bharat Ratna posthumously in 1966.

Commemorations

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral tributes to Shastri at Vijay Ghat in New Delhi. Leaders remembered his simple lifestyle, honesty and service to the nation.

Registration of Births and Deaths Amendment Act, 2026

In News: The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2026 came into force on October 1, 2026, making the process for delayed registration of births and deaths stricter.

Key Provisions for Delayed Registration

1 to 2 Years Delay: Registration requires approval from the DM, SDM or authorised Executive Magistrate, along with verification and prescribed fees.
More than 2 Years Delay: Registration requires an order from a Judicial Magistrate of the First Class, after verification and fee payment.
Mandatory Verification: Authorities must verify the authenticity of the event before allowing delayed registration.

Objectives and Background

Encouraging Timely Reporting: The amendments aim to discourage delayed reporting and prevent fraudulent entries in civil records.
Legal and Identity Value: The changes strengthen the reliability of birth and death records, which are important for identity verification and delivery of public services.