UPSC Current Affairs Pointers brings you essential current affairs of the past week, every Monday, to aid you in your Prelims and Mains preparation of UPSC, State PCS, and other competitive examinations.If you missed the UPSC Current Affairs Pointers of the past week | September 22 to September 28, 2025, read it here.Economy The Board is chaired by RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra. (Express File Photo)Payments Regulatory Board (PRB)— The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has constituted a six-member Payments Regulatory Board (PRB), comprising three nominees from the Central government, to oversee the functioning of payment systems in the country.— The Board is chaired by RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra. Alongside the Governor, the two other RBI representatives are the Deputy Governor and the Executive Director in charge of Payment and Settlement Systems.— The PRB replaces the Board for Regulation and Supervision of Payment and Settlement Systems (BPSS), a committee of the RBI’s Central Board. The new board derives its authority from the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007. PolityNational Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data(FYI: The NCRB data are important fodder for your Mains answer writing. Do keep in mind important data to substantiate your answers.)— The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) on September 29 released the Crime in India report for 2023, which is the most authoritative compilation of offences across the country.Story continues below this ad— The annual report provides crucial data on violent crime, caste-based offences, economic frauds, and more that informs policymaking and law enforcement priorities.Key data points from the report— India recorded 27,721 cases of murder in 2023, a dip of 2.8% from 2022, while cybercrimes saw a 31.2% increase, with 86,420 cases reported.— Crime against children: A total of 1,77,335 cases of crime against children were registered across the country in 2023, showing an increase of 9.2% as compared to the previous year.— Crimes against Scheduled Tribes (STs): Crimes against STs increased 28.8% in 2023, with 12,960 cases registered.Story continues below this ad— Crime against Scheduled Castes (SCs): There were 57,789 cases registered in 2023 for crimes against SCs, with Uttar Pradesh accounting for the highest share at 15,130 cases.— Cybercrime: Cybercrime in India saw a sharp surge in 2023, with fraud, extortion and sexual exploitation accounting for the majority of cases. The crime rate, which is the number of crimes per lakh population, increased from 4.8 in 2022 to 6.2 in 2023.— Crime against women: A total of 4,48,211 cases of crime against women were registered, marking an increase of 0.7%. The national crime rate stood at 66.2 incidents per lakh female population.About NCRB— The NCRB was established in 1986 to compile crime data, functioning under the Union Home Ministry. Apart from publishing annual reports, it engages in the “Collection, coordination and exchange of information on inter-state and international criminals to the respective states”.Story continues below this ad— NCRB also acts as a “national warehouse” for the fingerprint records of Indian and foreign criminals, and assists in locating interstate criminals through fingerprint search.NCRB data on student suicide— The number of student suicides in the country went up by 34 per cent in 2023 as compared to 2019, data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) shows.— Over the past decade, the number of student suicides rose by around 65% — from 8,423 in 2013 to 13,892 in 2023. The rise is steeper than the rise in the total number of deaths by suicide over the past decade.— The total number of deaths by suicide in 2023 is 1.71 lakh, which saw an increase of 23 per cent from 2019 (1.39 lakh deaths). Student suicides made up around 8.1% of the total deaths by suicide in the country in 2023.Story continues below this adNCRB data on the safest city in India— According to NCRB, Kolkata has once again emerged as the safest city in India for the fourth year running. It has recorded 83.9 cognisable offences per lakh population in 2023, the lowest among the 19 Indian cities with populations above 20 lakh.— Among the cities surveyed, Kochi (Kerala) is at the top amongst the most unsafe cities, followed by Delhi.BSNL’s ‘Swadeshi’ 4G network— Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated BSNL’s ‘Swadeshi’ 4G stack— The development marked India’s entry into an exclusive group of countries, including Denmark, Sweden, South Korea and China, which manufacture their own telecom equipment.Story continues below this adModel Youth Gram Sabha initiative— The Centre is planning to launch Model Youth Gram Sabha (MYGS). It is an initiative based on the Model UN – an educational simulation of the United Nations – in schools across the country.— It will be launched in over 600 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) and 200 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) across the country in the first phase beginning from October 2025.— As part of the initiative, a mock Gram Sabha will be conducted in identified schools, where students from classes 9-12 will play the roles of sarpanch, ward members, and village-level officials, including village secretary, Anganwadi worker, auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM), and junior engineers.— They will hold mock meetings of the Gram Sabha, discuss various issues, and prepare the village budget and development plans.Story continues below this ad PM Modi releases the special coin and stamp at the RSS centenary event in Delhi.RSS @ 100— The Government of India has released a special postage stamp and commemorative coin to commemorate the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s glorious 100-year journey.— The ₹100 coin features the national emblem on one side and a majestic image of Bharat Mata in Varad Mudra with a lion, being saluted by swayamsevaks, on the other.Aspirational Agriculture Districts— The Centre has announced 100 Aspirational Agriculture Districts to be developed under the Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY) across 29 states and UTs, with Uttar Pradesh accounting for the most 12 districts.— The identification of 100 aspirational agricultural districts has been based on three factors: (i) low productivity (ii) moderate crop intensity (iii) below-average access to credit.Story continues below this ad— It is designed on the lines of the Aspirational Districts Programme. International CooperationMutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT)— The Assam government has requested the Ministry of Home Affairs to invoke the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) with Singapore to assist in the ongoing probe into superstar Zubeen Garg’s death in Singapore.— An MLAT is an agreement between two or more countries for the purpose of gathering and exchanging information in an effort to enforce public laws or criminal laws.— When evidence or other forms of legal assistance, such as witness statements or the service of documents, are needed from a foreign sovereign, states may attempt to cooperate informally through their respective police agencies or, alternatively, resort to what is typically referred to as requests for ‘mutual legal assistance’.Trump’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza— US President Donald Trump has put forward a 20-point proposal titled the “Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza conflict” to bring about peace in Gaza as the devastating war by Israel after the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas.— The plan has different elements, which will hold ramifications for the wider Middle East region, for Trump, and for India. Crucially, Hamas is yet to accept the plan.— Read about the 20-point peace plan here. The Capitol is seen at dusk as Democrats and Republicans in Congress are angrily blaming each other and refusing to budge from their positions on funding the government, in Washington. (AP Photo)US Government Shutdown 2025— The US government shut down on October 1 at 12:01 AM for the first time in seven years, after Republican and Democrat members of the Senate failed to approve federal funding for the government.— This would result in the furlough of thousands of federal employees or temporarily dismissed from work, and public services will also be impacted.— The government has been shut down 14 times since 1980, with three of these occurring during Trump’s first term (2017-2021) alone.— The US Congress needs to approve about a dozen appropriations bills, which determine the funding of several government agencies, and get the president’s assent before October 1 every year. These bills are often lumped into a collection called an “omnibus” bill to speed up the process at the last minute.— Thus, a shutdown is the result if Congress is unable to authorise more spending before the funding deadline lapses. Depending on the extent of approvals made and which agencies get funded, the government must fully or partially shut down.Environment The J&K government has begun work on an exclusive chrysanthemum (or Gul-e-Dawood) garden at the Srinagar Botanical Garden. (Express)Chrysanthemums— The Jammu and Kashmir government has begun work on an exclusive chrysanthemum (or Gul-e-Dawood) garden at the Srinagar Botanical Garden, adjacent to the famed Tulip Garden.— A native of East Asia and Europe — and Japan’s national flower — the chrysanthemum is a perennial herbaceous plant that blooms in autumn.World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) — The Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve (CDBR) in Himachal Pradesh, along with 25 other biosphere reserves across several countries, has been included in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) by UNESCO.— With this addition, India now has 13 biospheres listed in WNBR.— CDBR is in the Trans-Himalayan region that encompasses the entire Spiti Wildlife Division and adjoining areas of the Lahaul Forest Division, including Baralacha Pass, Bharatpur, and Sarchu with altitudes ranging from 3,300 to 6,600 m.— It integrates Pin Valley National Park, Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary, Chandratal Wetland, and the Sarchu plains, encompassing windswept plateaus, glacial valleys, alpine lakes, and high-altitude desert making it one of the coldest and driest ecosystems in WNBR. Kalindi and Kamla Nehru Ridge together accounted for more than half the citywide count.Dragonfly— During the three-day survey on dragonflies at seven biodiversity parks in New Delhi registered a 54 per cent increase in the number of dragonflies.— At the Yamuna Biodiversity Park, Yellow-tailed Ashy Skimmer (Potamarcha congener) has been recorded for the first time.— Dragonflies and damselflies are bioindicators or species whose presence tracks wetland health. Their larval stages require clean, well-oxygenated water, and both larvae and adults are voracious mosquito predators.— A single dragonfly is reported to eat 30-100 mosquitoes per day, underscoring its importance, especially after floods.— The International Union for the Conservation of Nature, in its global assessment in 2021, found that 16% of 6,016 species of dragonflies and damselflies are at risk of extinction, with their freshwater breeding grounds having plummeted.Wildlife week 2025— Wildlife Week is annually celebrated from October 2 to 8 to raise mass awareness about the importance of wildlife conservation and ecological balance. This year’s celebrations are being organized under the theme of Sewa Parv, aligning with the broader spirit of service and responsibility towards nature.— Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, along with Haryana Cabinet Minister Shri Rao Narbir Singh, laid the foundation stone of ‘Namo Van’ at Manesar on the occasion. The occasion was also marked by a plantation drive under the campaign ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’. IMD confirmed that Cyclone Shakhti has strengthened into a severe storm over the Arabian Sea with winds up to 100 kmph. (PTI)Cyclone Shakhti— Cyclone Shakhti, which developed in the Arabian Sea on Friday, has further intensified into a ‘severe’ storm on 4th October, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).— As the storm, the first to develop in the North Indian Ocean basin in 2025, has moved significantly away from the Indian coast, there is no direct threat to the west coast.— Cyclone Shakhti, was located 420 km west of Dwarka, 420 km west-southwest of Naliya, and 290 km south-southwest of Karachi in Pakistan.— The cyclone has been named Shakhti, a name suggested by Sri Lanka as per the convention followed by the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones.— The North Indian Ocean basin, comprising the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, is prone to cyclones during the pre-monsoon (March to May) and the post-monsoon (October to December) periods. Science and TechnologyIndia wins Exclusive rights to explore Polymetallic Sulphides (PMS) — India has signed a contract with the International Seabed Authority (ISA) for exclusive rights to explore Polymetallic Sulphides (PMS) in the Carlsberg Ridge in the Indian Ocean.— With this, India has become the first country in the world to have two contracts with the ISA for PMS exploration. The earlier contract is in the Central Indian Ridge and Southwest Indian Ridge, signed in 2016.— Goa-based National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) will carry out the PMS exploration in 2026.What is PMS?— Polymetallic Sulphides are deposits on the ocean floor, rich in strategic and critical metals such as copper, zinc, lead, gold, and silver, along with trace amounts of rare and precious elements.— PMS deposits are generally found near hydrothermal vents, which are like hot springs on the ocean floor.— The cold seawater interacts with the magma through these vents, and is expelled back in a hot gush. This expelled water is rich in minerals, which are then deposited on the ocean floor as solids.Diethylene Glycol— In Madhya Pradesh, authorities have ordered the immediate stoppage of sales and distribution of a cough syrup after it was allegedly found to contain a poisonous substance linked to child deaths in the state’s Chhindwara district.— The analysis found that the syrup contained 48.6 percent by volume of Diethylene Glycol, a toxic industrial chemical, that may render the contents injurious to health.— Diethylene Glycol is an industrial solvent used in antifreeze, paints, brake fluids, and plastics. It is not meant for medicines.— It is a colorless and odorless impurity of propylene glycol that is highly toxic and has caused poisoning epidemics since the early 20th century, making it prohibited in food and drugs due to its adverse effects on humans. Persons in News(Just FYI: Noting historical personalities’ anniversaries aids UPSC prep. UPSC often includes such personalities in questions, so revisiting their lives refreshes your static syllabus.) Former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi, center, stands as Takaichi was chosen to a new leader of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party during the party’s leadership election in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo: Kyodo News via AP)Sanae Takaichi— Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) elected Sanae Takaichi as its new leader on October 4.— Takaichi is set to replace incumbent Shigeru Ishiba less than a year after the latter entered office last year.— The lower house of Japan’s parliament, known as the Diet, is expected to choose her as prime minister in a leadership vote in mid-October.T J S George— Veteran journalist T J S George, who was the founding editor of Asiaweek magazine in Hong Kong and a former editorial adviser at The New Indian Express, died at the age of 97.— George, who was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2011, authored a widely read weekly column ‘Point of View’ for The New Indian Express for over two decades until 2022.Pandit Chhannulal Mishra— Hindustani music titan, the Padma Vibhushan singer, Pandit Chhannulal Mishra of Varanasi, died on October 2.— Born in Azamgarh in 1936, Mishra grew up to be a doyen of Hindustani classical music, contributing immensely to such styles of the form as Khayal, Thumri, Dadra, Chaiti, Kajri, and Bhajan.— He was conferred with Padma Vibhushan in 2020 and Padma Bhushan in 2010. Sarah Mullally, the new Archbishop of Canterbury, spiritual leader of the world’s 85 million Anglicans, poses for the media inside Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, England, Friday, Oct. 3, 2025. (AP Photo)Sarah Mullally— Dame Sarah Mullally has been named Archbishop of Canterbury designate, becoming the first woman chosen for the Church of England’s most senior role.— A former chief nurse in the NHS, Mullally was ordained in 2006 and became the first female Bishop of London in 2018, the third highest office in the Church. Places in News(Just FYI: The location of the place is important, considering that UPSC has asked several questions about places that were in the news, such as Aleppo and Kirkuk, in the 2018 UPSC Prelims. The best way to remember them is to plot them on a world map.)Carlsberg Ridge— India has signed a contract for mineral exploration in the Carlsberg Ridge of the Indian Ocean.— The Carlsberg Ridge is a major segment of the mid-ocean ridge system in the Indian Ocean, formed by seafloor spreading between the Indian Plate and the Somali Plate.— The ridge is known to host hydrothermal vent systems, potential sites of PMS deposits. Bhutan project mapGelephu and Samtse— The Indian government has announced two cross-border railway projects of 69-km and 20-km length that will connect Bhutan with the bordering areas of Assam and West Bengal.— The 69-km Kokrajhar (Assam)-Gelephu (Bhutan) and 20-km Banarhat (West Bengal)-Samtse (Bhutan) will cost Rs 3,456 crore and Rs 577 crore, respectively.— The Kokrajhar-Gelephu new line will directly connect Bhutan’s Sarpag district and India’s Kokrajhar and Chirang districts in Assam. The Banarhat-Samtse line will connect Bhutan’s Samtse district with India’s Jalpaiguri district in West Bengal. It will have two stations Ambari and Samtse.— Gelephu and Samtse are the major export-import hubs in Bhutan and serve the 700-km long India-Bhutan border. Gelephu is being developed as “Mindfulness City” and Samtse is being developed as an industrial town by the Government of Bhutan.— Currently, the Himalayan nation of Bhutan does not have any railway network. The Gelephu and Samtse line will be the first such project in the neighbouring country. The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge in Guizhou will cut travel time across the canyon from two hours to two minute, as per officials. (Wikimedia Commons Photo)Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge— China has opened the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge in Guizhou, claiming the title of the world’s tallest bridge. Soaring about 2,050 feet above a river and gorge, the bridge surpasses the Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado, which stands 956 feet above the Arkansas River.Sports(Just FYI: With the unpredictability of the UPSC examinations and questions like the ICC World Test Championship question 2021, you can’t be sure of anything. It is wise to know what it is and not go into too much detail.) Simran and her guide Umar Saifi celebrates upon winning gold the women’s 100m T12 event during the World Para Athletics Championships 2025 (PTI Photo)World Para Athletics Championships 2025— The 12th edition of the World Para Athletics Championships was held in New Delhi from 27 September to 5 October.— Asia has hosted the World Championships in four occasions, at Doha 2015 in Qatar, Dubai 2019 in the United Arab Emirates and Kobe 2024 in Japan.— Brazil finished top of the medal tally in the World Para Athletics Championships 2025 with 44 medals, including 15 gold medals, 20 silver medals, and nine bronze medals.— India finished tenth in the medal tally. It won a total of 22 medals, with six gold medals, nine silver medals, and seven bronze medals. This is the best-ever medal haul for India at a single edition of the World Para Athletics Championships.Winner of the Gold medalCategorySimran SharmaWomen’s 100m T12Nishad KumarMen’s High Jump T47Sumit AntilMen’s Javelin Throw F64Sandip Sanjay SargarMen’s Javelin Throw F44Rinku HoodaMen’s Javelin Throw F46Shailesh KumarMen’s High Jump T63 Test Your Knowledge(Note: The best way to remember facts for UPSC and other competitive exams is to recall them through MCQs. Try to solve the following questions on your own.)(1) The most important strategy for the conservation of biodiversity together with traditional human life is the establishment of (UPSC CSE 2014)(a) biosphere reserves(b) botanical gardens(c) national parks(d) wildlife sanctuaries(2) Consider the following statements about the World Para Athletics Championships:1. At the 12th edition, China topped the medal tally with 15 gold medals.2. India hosted the 12th World Para Athletics Championships for the first time.3. India registered the best-ever performance at the 12th edition.Which of the above-mentioned statements is/are correct?(a) 1 only(b) 1 and 2 only(c) 2 and 3 only(d) 1, 2, and 3(3) Who has constituted the Payments Regulatory Board (PRB)?(a) NITI Aayog(b) Ministry of Finance(c) Paytm in collaboration with World Bank(d) RBIPrelims Answer Key1. (a) 2. (c) 3. (d)Topic: How are US tariffs likely to impact India? What can India do?You are invited to the next Express Explained.live with Sajjid Chinoy, Managing Director and Chief Asia Economist at J.P. Morgan, Part-time member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council in conversation with Siddharth Upasani, Deputy Associate Editor, The Indian Express.Date:- Oct 9, 2025 l Time:- 6:00 P.M.| Place:- ZoomJoin with this link: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/2017591481565/WN_6ffmCwqmTNi-MNor0hxSzAFor your suggestions and feedback, write to khushboo.kumari@indianexpress.comSubscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. Anniversary Special: Read the UPSC Essentials September 2025 special edition, celebrating two years of the magazine! Share your views and suggestions at Manas Srivastava