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

Defence Research and Development Organisation successfully conducted three consecutive flight trials of the Very Short-Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS) at Integrated Test Range, Chandipur off the coast of Odisha. VSHORADS stands for Very Short-Range Air Defence System and it is a Man Portable Air Defence System (MANPADS). It is indigenously designed and developed by Research Centre Imarat under DRDO with other laboratories and production partners. It is a lightweight, short-range, surface-to-air missile used to destroy aircraft and helicopters. Maximum range is 8 kilometres and it can engage targets up to 4.5 kilometres altitude.

Recently, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) decided to fast-track approvals of new medicines by issuing No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) for laboratory testing immediately after receiving applications. CDSCO is India’s National Regulatory Authority (NRA) for drugs and medical devices under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. It works under the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. It is headed by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI). It regulates import, manufacture, sale, and distribution of drugs and medical devices.

The Central Government has expanded the mandate of Forest Rights Act (FRA) Cells to strengthen implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006 at State and Union Territory levels. FRA Cells were sanctioned under the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyaan (DAJGUA). The objective is to provide technical and administrative support without interfering in statutory decision-making. They help in recognition of Individual Forest Rights (IFR) and Community Forest Rights (CFR). They assist Gram Sabhas and claimants in preparing claim documents and collecting evidence. They support digitisation of land records and tracking of claims.

The Amondawa tribe lives deep inside the Amazon rainforest of Brazil. Researchers found that they live without clocks, calendars, or counting numerical age. Their language has no words for time, week, month, or year. They describe events in sequence but do not treat time as an abstract concept. They do not track birthdays or calculate age in numbers. Life stages are marked through identity and name changes. As a person grows, they receive new names at different stages. Their society is organised around natural cycles and social identity, not numerical time.

A recent study warns that climate change may restrict the habitat of the Nilgiri Wood Pigeon to a few isolated pockets in the Western Ghats by the end of the century. It is an endemic pigeon species of the Western Ghats in India. It is large, dark in colour, with a distinctive checkerboard pattern on its nape. It lives in high-elevation wet evergreen, moist evergreen, semi-evergreen forests and shola forests. It is mainly found in the Nilgiris and Anamalai Hills, with isolated populations in Biligirirangan Hills, Nandi Hills and northern Maharashtra.

The United States carried out strikes on Iranian targets using advanced weapons, including Tomahawk cruise missiles, stealth fighter jets, B-2 bombers, and low-cost one-way attack drones. Tomahawk is an United States of American (USA)-made long-range subsonic cruise missile used for deep land attack. It is launched from ships or submarines through a Vertical Launch System. It was first developed in the 1970s during the Cold War. It can carry a 1,000-pound conventional warhead or cluster munitions. It uses solid propellant at launch and later a turbofan engine, reducing infrared detection.

Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary hosted the second edition of the two-day Indian Bison Fest. It is located in Bargarh district of Odisha near Hirakud Dam on the Mahanadi River. Hirakud Dam is the longest dam in India and the longest earthen dam in the world. The sanctuary is linked with freedom fighter Veer Surendra Sai, whose base at Barapathara was here during revolt against British rule.

India Meteorological Department has forecast above-normal heatwave days across most parts of India from March to May. It was established in 1875. It is the National Meteorological Service of India. It works under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. The headquarter is located in New Delhi, with observation stations across India and Antarctica.

Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs has issued guidelines for the Eligible Manufacturer Importers (EMI) scheme. The Eligible Manufacturer Importers (EMI) Scheme has been launched by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC). It is a trust-based facilitation measure for compliant manufacturers. EMI allows importers to clear goods without paying Customs duty at clearance. Duty can be paid monthly under Deferred Payment of Import Duty Rules, 2016. Scheme is valid from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2028. It ensures faster clearance, priority treatment, ease of doing business, and promotes domestic manufacturing.

Tamil Nadu launched its first Dark Sky Park at Ariyur Shola Reserve Forest in Kolli Hills, Namakkal district to promote astro-tourism. It was inaugurated remotely from Chennai by Forest Minister R S Rajakannappan. Kolli Hills was selected due to high altitude, dense forest cover and minimal light pollution within 1.5 km radius. The park enables clear viewing of stars, planets, Milky Way galaxy and the Moon.

In March 2026, Union Minister of State Raksha Nikhil Khadse from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced a special nationwide Achieving Sports Milestone by Inspiring Women Through Action League to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8. The league started in 2021 and has conducted over 2,600 events in 34 sports across 550 districts and 700 cities, involving more than 3 lakh women athletes. It is part of the Khelo India Mission to promote gender equality and identify grassroots talent. It is supported by Sports Authority of India, State and District Sports Associations, Khelo India Centres, My Bharat, and National Centres of Excellence.

In March 2026, Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya of the Ministry of Labour and Employment and Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports released the book “Mahatma: A Great Communicator” at Gandhi Darshan, Rajghat, New Delhi. The book is written by Dr Dhiraj Kakadia, Additional Director General of Akashvani. It highlights the life of Mahatma Gandhi and focuses on how his powerful communication skills strengthened India’s freedom struggle. The aim is to spread awareness and inspire people to follow his values in daily life.

World Seagrass Day is observed on March 1 to raise awareness about seagrass conservation. Seagrass is crucial for marine biodiversity, coastline stability, and carbon absorption. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared this observance on May 22, 2022, based on Sri Lanka’s proposal. Seagrass is a flowering marine plant found in shallow coastal waters worldwide, except Antarctica. Unlike seaweed, seagrass has roots, stems, and leaves, making it similar to land plants. It provides food and shelter to many marine species and plays a key role in ecosystem health.

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi inaugurated the 70th Foundation Day of Central Warehousing Corporation on 2 March 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Central Warehousing Corporation is a Central Public Sector Enterprise under Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and supports food security, storage and logistics. In Financial Year 2024–25, it recorded highest turnover ₹2,776.88 crore and Profit Before Tax ₹711.60 crore, higher than Financial Year 2023–24. It proposed ₹160.10 crore dividend and aims for higher growth in Financial Year 2025–26 through digital and infrastructure expansion.

Assam flagged off its first trial export of 1.2 metric tonnes of Geographical Indication tagged Karbi Anglong Ginger to London, marking a major agricultural milestone. Karbi Anglong district produces this premium ginger variety known for strong aroma, high pungency and medicinal value. It is grown mainly in Singhasan Hills using traditional Jhum shifting cultivation and Tila farming methods. It has Geographical Indication tag, confirming its unique origin and quality. It has high essential oil content, strong earthy flavour and digestive and anti inflammatory benefits. It is widely demanded in culinary, pharmaceutical and processing industries.

The Ministry of Defence signed contracts worth Rs 5,083 crore for defence acquisitions. Procurement includes six Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) Mk-III in Maritime Role for the Indian Coast Guard. Contracts also cover Surface-to-Air Vertical Launch (SAM) Shtil missiles for the Indian Navy. Shtil missile is a medium-range, ship-based, vertical-launch surface-to-air missile system developed by Russia. It primarily uses the 9M317ME semi-active radar homing (SARH) missile.

Researchers have discovered a new species of Asian grass lizard named Takydromus ultapanensis. The species was found in the Ultapani Reserve Forest located in Kokrajhar district, within Assam’s Manas Biosphere landscape. Unlike many related lizard species found in montane or subtropical habitats, T. ultapanensis inhabits lowland, semi-evergreen forests mixed with waterlogged grasslands and fern patches. Researchers observed the lizards basking on fern bushes in small open patches crisscrossed by seasonal water channels. The discovery emphasizes the biodiversity significance of Assam’s Manas Biosphere landscape and the need for protection of its unique habitats.

Andhra Pradesh government launched Project HANUMAN to address human-wildlife conflict. HANUMAN stands for Healing and Nurturing Units for Monitoring, Aid and Nursing of Wildlife. The initiative aims to rescue, treat, rehabilitate, and monitor injured wildlife, strengthening conservation and rapid response systems. Human-wildlife conflict in Andhra Pradesh is rising: 2,107 cases recorded in 2025-2026, with nearly Rs 4 crore paid as compensation.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel launched the fifth edition of the herSTART programme for women entrepreneurs at Gujarat University. The university’s convention centre was named Vidyagauri Nilkanth Sabhapuram in honor of Vidyagauri Nilkanth, the first Gujarati woman graduate. The state government is committed to women-led development, following the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The herSTART programme, run by the Gujarat University Startup and Entrepreneurship Council, provides incubation, mentorship, and market access support to women-led startups.

Korea district, Chhattisgarh has become a model for community-led water conservation through the ‘Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari’ initiative. The initiative is part of the Aawa Paani Jhoki movement, where farmers voluntarily dedicate 5% of their agricultural land for groundwater recharge. Farmers create small recharge ponds and terraced pits to capture rainwater, allowing it to seep into soil and replenish groundwater. Structures improve soil moisture, reduce erosion, and ensure steady groundwater recharge.

The High Court of Karnataka issued a notice to the Centre and State government on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging approvals for Sharavathi Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project (PSHP). Sharavathi Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project (PSHP) is proposed on Sharavathi River in Shivamogga district, Karnataka. The project aims to generate 2,000 Megawatts (MW), making it the largest PSHP in India. It is developed by Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL).

The United States has raised concerns about the capabilities of Iran’s Shahed attack drones. Shahed drones are low-cost, one-way-attack unmanned aerial vehicles developed by Iran. These drones are also called “kamikaze” or “suicide” drones as they explode on impact with their targets. The most widely used variants of Shahed drones are Shahed-131 and Shahed-136. Their low cost, low-altitude flight profile, and self-sacrificial nature have earned them the label “the poor man’s cruise missile.”

Researchers from Northeast India have described two new freshwater fish species from Nagaland. The species are named Glyptothorax sentimereni and Oreichthys elianae. They were discovered during ichthyological surveys in tributaries of the Brahmaputra River in Mokokchung district, Nagaland. Glyptothorax sentimereni was found in rocky stretches of the Dikhu River and belongs to torrent-dwelling catfishes. Oreichthys elianae was found in a tributary of the Tsurang River.

The High Court of Karnataka directed the State government to issue a notification to include left-out areas of Kappatagudda reserve forest in the Kappatagudda Wildlife Sanctuary. Kappatagudda Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Karnataka. It has diverse habitats—dry deciduous forests, grasslands, scrublands, and riverine zones—earning it the nickname “Western Ghats of North Karnataka.” The sanctuary has historical significance with ancient temples and ruins on the hillsides. These structures reflect dynasties like the Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas.

A pair of rare dusky eagle owls was sighted in the Phato tourism zone of Terai West forest division, near Corbett Tiger Reserve, Uttarakhand, after 15 years. The dusky eagle owl belongs to the family Strigidae. It is large, greyish-brown with prominent ear tufts, greyish-white underparts with dark streaks, and dark brown wings with whitish streaks. It is found in Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, and China. It inhabits thick riverside forests and old-growth trees.