Weekly Current Affairs Test : 1st to 7th February 2026

Archaeologists in Mexico found a 1,400-year-old tomb of the Zapotec culture with an owl sculpture holding a man, colorful murals, and calendar carvings. The Zapotec civilization lived in the Valley of Oaxaca, Mexico, using irrigation from the Atoyac River. They shifted from hunting to farming and developed weaving, pottery, and stone building skills. By 200 Before Common Era to 100 Common Era, they formed a centralized state with Monte Albán as capital. Society had nobles, commoners, priests, rituals, human sacrifice, writing, and calendars. Decline began around 900 Common Era, but Zapotec culture still survives today.

The Indian Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police conducted Exercise Agni Pariksha in Arunachal Pradesh. It was a joint training exercise to improve coordination and combat teamwork between the two forces. This was the first exercise of its kind focusing on inter-force operational integration. Personnel from Spear Corps, artillery regiments, infantry battalions, and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police took part. Non-artillery soldiers were trained in artillery procedures and firing missions.

A new orchid species named Diplocentrum papillosum was discovered in Kanthalloor, Marayoor, in the Idukki district of Kerala. It belongs to the Diplocentrum genus, which is found only in the southern part of the Western Ghats. The orchid grows on rocks and tree branches and has strong roots to survive high winds. The name papillosum refers to the papillose, or small bump-like, texture of its flowers. It has unbranched flower clusters with pink and white, fragrant, and eye-catching blooms.

World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day is observed every year on 30 January by the World Health Organization. It highlights the impact of Neglected Tropical Diseases on poor and underserved communities. Neglected Tropical Diseases affect about one billion people worldwide but are preventable and treatable. In 2024, around 1.4 billion people needed interventions, showing a 36 percent decline since 2010. By early 2026, 58 countries eliminated at least one Neglected Tropical Disease.

The Indian Micro-Fertilizers Manufacturers Association will host the 6th National Crop Nutrition Summit and Business-to-Business Expo on 5–6 February 2026 in Mumbai. The event will be held at the National Stock Exchange, Bandra Kurla Complex, Maharashtra. It will bring together policymakers, scientists, startups, industry leaders, and global experts. The theme is “Converge, Collaborate and Co-create” to strengthen India’s agri-input sector.

The Finance Minister announced SHE-Mart to support women entrepreneurs through a new market platform. SHE stands for Self-help Entrepreneur, and these marts will be community-owned retail outlets. They will be set up within cluster-level federations using innovative and enhanced financing tools. The aim is to give women better market access, branding support, and stable income. It will strengthen grassroots institutions like Self-Help Groups (SHGs). The initiative builds on the success of the Lakhpati Didi programme.

Union Budget 2026–27 announced the Mahatma Gandhi Gram Swaraj Initiative to strengthen traditional rural industries. It focuses on khadi, handloom, and handicrafts sectors across India. The initiative aims to improve global market access, branding, and strong market linkages. It seeks to make traditional industries more competitive and economically sustainable. The programme ensures stable livelihoods for artisans and weavers. It targets weavers, village industries, rural youth, and beneficiaries of One District One Product (ODOP).

The Union Finance Minister announced Divyangjan Kaushal Yojana and Divyang Sahara Yojana for persons with disabilities in the Union Budget 2026–27. Divyangjan Kaushal Yojana aims to provide dignified livelihood opportunities through skill training. It offers industry-relevant and customised training for different Divyang groups. Divyang Sahara Yojana supports Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO) to expand assistive device production. It promotes research, advanced technology, and artificial intelligence-based solutions.

Gujarat leads India’s renewable energy sector with 42.583 gigawatt installed capacity, contributing 16.50 percent of the national total as of December 2025. The state ranks first in total renewable and wind power capacity and second in solar power capacity. Renewable energy includes 14,820.94 megawatt wind power and 25,529.40 megawatt solar power, with hybrid and off-grid sources. Gujarat accounts for over 25 percent of India’s rooftop solar installations with 6,412.80 megawatt capacity. Major solar parks operate at Charanka, Radhanesda, and Dholera, while Khavda hosts the world’s largest renewable park under development.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness Day is observed every year on 2 February to spread awareness about rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease affecting millions of people worldwide. The day was started in 2013 by the Rheumatoid Patient Foundation to educate the public and break myths. The organisation is now inactive, leading to limited global observance of the day. The awareness day highlights the need for early diagnosis and timely treatment. It promotes advocacy, support systems, and research for better care.

A recent faunal survey in Karimpuzha Wildlife Sanctuary has greatly increased biodiversity records of Kerala’s youngest protected area. The sanctuary is located in Malappuram district of Kerala on the western slopes of the Nilgiris. Its name comes from the Karimpuzha River, a tributary of the Chaliyar River. The forest forms part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR) and the Nilambur Elephant Reserve (ER). It borders Mukurthi National Park (Tamil Nadu) and Silent Valley National Park (Kerala).

SAKSHAM (Samrakshan Kshamatha Mahotsav) 2026 is an awareness campaign launched to promote conservation of national energy resources. It is initiated by Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. It aims to encourage fuel conservation and sustainable energy practices for a greener future. The campaign is conducted by oil and gas public sector enterprises with support from local bodies, schools, industries, and stakeholders. SAKSHAM 2026 runs for two weeks from 2 to 16 February 2026. The theme “Conserve Oil and Gas, Go Green” highlights energy efficiency and a shift towards renewable energy.

Guatemala’s Volcán de Fuego, one of Central America’s most persistently active volcanoes, has recently witnessed a powerful explosive eruption. Volcán de Fuego is an active volcano located in Guatemala and means “Volcano of Fire” in Spanish. It is a young basaltic stratovolcano overlooking the historic city of Antigua. The volcano lies between Acatenango and Agua volcanoes and rises to 3,763 metres above sea level. It is part of the Central American Volcanic Arc stretching from Guatemala to Panama. Guatemala lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, making it prone to volcanic and seismic activity.

NeophyteID is an Artificial Intelligence powered mobile application launched by the Chief Minister of Kerala. It is designed to identify invasive plant species across Kerala and support biodiversity conservation. The app is developed by the Malabar Botanical Garden and Institute for Plant Sciences (MBGIPS). The application is citizen friendly and helps communities, students, and ecologists monitor invasive plants. It uses image recognition and geospatial tracking through camera or gallery images.

India will display the sacred Devnimori Relics of Lord Buddha in Sri Lanka as part of cultural and spiritual diplomacy. The relics come from the Devnimori archaeological site near Shamlaji in the Aravalli district of Gujarat. The site was first explored in 1957 by archaeologist Professor S. N. Chowdhry. Excavations showed that Buddhism flourished in western India during the early Common Era. A relic casket made of green schist was found inside the Devnimori Stupa at 24 feet height. The Brahmi script inscription reads “dashabala sharira nilay”, meaning abode of Buddha’s bodily relic.

India and Bhutan discussed better commercial use of power from Punatsangchhu-II Hydroelectric Project (1020 Megawatt) and early start of Punatsangchhu-I Hydroelectric Project (1200 Megawatt). Punatsangchhu-II is a 1020 Megawatt run-of-the-river hydropower project. It is located on the right bank of the Punatsangchhu River in Wangdue Phodrang district of Bhutan. The project is developed under an Inter-Governmental Agreement between the Royal Government of Bhutan and the Government of India. Funding is provided by Government of India with 30 percent grant and 70 percent loan at 10 percent annual interest.

A rare snow leopard sighting by Project Himank highlights successful wildlife conservation along with infrastructure growth in the High Himalayas. Project Himank is a Border Roads Organization (BRO) initiative started in 1985 in the Ladakh region of India. Its main objective is to develop and maintain road communication in Ladakh’s high-altitude and harsh terrain. It ensures strategic connectivity near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.

The 13th edition of Exercise KHANJAR, a joint military exercise between India and Kyrgyzstan, has started at Misamari in Sonitpur district of Assam. Exercise KHANJAR is an annual Joint Special Forces exercise conducted by both countries. The exercise is held alternately in India and the Kyrgyz Republic every year. Khanjar-XIII is a 14-day-long exercise aimed at improving interoperability between Special Forces. The 2026 edition focuses on urban warfare and counter-terrorism operations under the United Nations mandate.

Scientists from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) discovered a new flowering plant species named Dicliptera pakhalica. The discovery was made in Pakhal Wildlife Sanctuary located in Warangal district of Telangana. The sanctuary is dominated by mixed deciduous forest vegetation. The area has rich plant diversity including bamboo and teak trees.

The Union Minister of Minority Affairs informed the Rajya Sabha about the Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) scheme. PM VIKAS is a Central Sector Scheme launched in 2025. It focuses on the socio-economic empowerment of six notified minority communities. The scheme aims to ensure inclusive growth for minority and artisan communities, especially youth and women. The Ministry of Minority Affairs is the nodal ministry for implementation. It promotes skill development through need-based training and employment support. The scheme preserves cultural heritage by promoting traditional arts, crafts, literature, and manuscripts.

Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary recorded over five lakh birds of about 200 species in the latest census, showing a 21% rise from 4.12 lakh birds in 2024. The increase is mainly due to no boating, reduced tourist movement, and very low noise pollution over the last two years. It is located around 64 kilometres west of Ahmedabad in Gujarat. “Nal Sarovar” means Tap Lake and it is a natural shallow lake with muddy lagoons and 36 small islets.

Eight members of Karnataka’s Hakki Pikki tribal community are stranded in Central Africa after their visas expired during travel for selling herbal products. Hakki Pikki is a major tribal community of Karnataka with a population of 11,892 as per the Census 2011. In Kannada, “Hakki” means bird and “Pikki” means to catch, reflecting their traditional bird-catching occupation. They believe they descended from Ranapratap Singh and have a Kshatriya or warrior origin, migrating south after Mughal conflicts. They are officially recognized as a Scheduled Tribe in India.

The Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology informed the Lok Sabha about the Startup Accelerator of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) for Product Innovation, Development, and Growth (SAMRIDH) Programme. SAMRIDH is a flagship programme of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to support existing and new accelerators for scaling Information Technology (IT) based startups. It focuses on customer connect, investor connect, and access to international markets. The programme supports 300 technology startups over three years with a cohort size of 5 to 10 startups.

Unusual changes inside the crater of El Chichón volcano in southern Mexico have raised concerns among volcanologists. El Chichón, also called Chichonal, is a stratovolcano located in the forested region of north-central Chiapas, Mexico. It is the youngest volcano in the 150-kilometre long Chiapanecan Volcanic Arc. The volcano consists of multiple lava domes and a tuff ring, which is a broad ring of volcanic ash and rock. It lies between the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt and the Central America Volcanic Arc. El Chichón is among the most active volcanoes in Mexico and has erupted at least 12 times in the last 8,000 years.

India will host the Asian Rifle and Pistol Championship 2027 in Delhi, a historic first for Indian shooting. The championship will offer eight Olympic quota places for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. These eight quotas will be in addition to 12 quota places from the World Cup Shooting event. The World Cup (Rifle, Pistol, Shotgun) will be held in Delhi from 21 to 30 April 2027. Hosting rights were confirmed by the Asian Shooting Confederation to the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI).

Alwar (Rajasthan) becomes first district in India to achieve 100% insurance coverage under ‘Insurance for All by 2047’ roadmap. Roadmap aligns with vision of ‘Secure India–Insured India’ at grassroots level. It is a joint initiative by Government of India and Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) under Ministry of Finance. Achievement covers nine villages: Bhulla Ka Bas, Bichpuri, Palankheda, Antapada, Hanumanta, Kalyanpura, Morodkhurd, Kodalka, Lalpur.

The Union government released enumeration data of 1.52 lakh waste pickers under the National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) scheme. The enumeration was conducted using the Waste Picker Enumeration App, launched in 2025. About 84.5% of waste pickers belong to SC, ST, and OBC communities, while 10.7% are from the General category, mainly in Delhi and Goa. NAMASTE scheme is a joint initiative by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. NAMASTE scheme replaced the Self-Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS). The National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development Corporation implements the scheme.

The International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is observed on 6 February each year. This observance highlights the harmful effects of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and promotes human rights and women’s health. About 4.5 million girls, many under five, are at risk each year, with 22.7 million more projected by 2030. Ending Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) requires community engagement, strong health and education systems, and sustained investment.

The Department of Pharmaceuticals launched the Revised Pharmaceutical Technology Upgradation Assistance Scheme (RPTUAS) in March 2024 to help existing pharmaceutical units upgrade technology. The scheme aims to ensure compliance with Revised Schedule-M and World Health Organization – Good Manufacturing Practices (WHO-GMP) quality standards. The total financial outlay of the scheme is ₹300.10 crore for the financial years 2024-25 and 2025-26. Under RPTUAS, pharmaceutical units are eligible for incentives ranging from 10% to 20% of investment, with a maximum of ₹2 crore, based on their turnover.

The Government launched Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) to provide quality generic medicines at affordable prices. Jan Aushadhi Kendras (JAKs) are dedicated outlets across India selling medicines 50%–80% cheaper than branded ones. Scheme covers 2,110 medicines and 315 surgicals, medical consumables, and devices, including cardiovascular, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-infective, anti-allergic, gastro-intestinal medicines, and nutraceuticals. Target is to open 20,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras (JAKs) across India, including Dadra and Nagar Haveli, by 31 March 2026.