26 February 2026: Best Daily Current Affairs
26 February 2026: Daily Current Affairs for SSC, RRB NTPC & APPSC
Welcome to Jobwill’s 26 February 2026 Current Affairs update. Our daily news analysis, static GK, and quizzes are highly useful for upcoming competitive exams like SSC CGL, RRB NTPC, Railway Group D, and APPSC.
Today’s Top Headlines:
- Nationwide free HPV vaccination drive for adolescent girls
- India-Israel Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations begin
- Cabinet approves renaming Kerala to ‘Keralam’
- RBI launches high-security data centre in Bhubaneswar
- Static GK & MCQs for Exam Practice
26 February 2026 Current Affairs: National News & Government Schemes
Free Nationwide HPV Vaccination Drive for Girls
- The Government of India announced a free nationwide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination drive targeting adolescent girls aged 14 years.
- Vaccine Used: India will use Gardasil, a quadrivalent HPV vaccine, to protect against cervical cancer (types 16 and 18, plus 6 and 11).
- A single dose provides robust and durable protection.
RBI Sets Up Secured Data Centre in Bhubaneswar
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has set up a high-security data centre in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, away from seismic risks and potential enemy strikes.
- Purpose: To protect critical financial systems, support currency management, and ensure continuity of payment and settlement operations.
- Note: The first RBI data center is located in Navi Mumbai.
Kerala Renamed to ‘Keralam’ & Bhavantar Yojana in MP
- Kerala Name Change: The Union Cabinet chaired by PM Modi approved a proposal to alter the official name of the State of Kerala to “Keralam”.
- Madhya Pradesh: CM Mohan Yadav announced the extension of the Bhavantar Yojana to mustard farmers, expected to benefit nearly 80 lakh farmers. It compensates farmers for the price difference when crops are sold below MSP.
Him-CONNECT Organized by MoEFCC
- The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is organising ‘Him-CONNECT’ during the World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) 2026 in New Delhi.
- Aim: To connect researchers working in the Indian Himalayan Region with start-ups, investors, and policymakers to showcase technologies developed under the National Mission on Himalayan Studies.
International Affairs & Bilateral Relations
India-Israel FTA Negotiations & PM Modi’s Honors
- FTA Negotiations: India began the first round of negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Israel in New Delhi to deepen economic cooperation.
- Awards: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was awarded the “Speaker of the Knesset Medal”, the highest parliamentary honor of Israel, making him the first Indian PM to address the Israeli parliament.
- Diplomacy: Israel became the first country to formally recognize Somaliland as an independent nation.
Global Accords & World News
- Japan: The joint military exercise ‘Dharma Guardian’ between India and Japan commenced in Uttarakhand.
- Zimbabwe: Introduced the highly effective Lenacapavir HIV injection. The country is home to Lake Kariba, the world’s largest man-made lake.
- Iran: Successfully developed a Naval Surface-to-Air Missile named Sayyad 3.
State News & Important Appointments
State-Wise Highlights: Delhi, Rajasthan & UP
- Delhi: Preparing to launch the ‘E-bike Didi’ scheme driven exclusively by women for female passengers. AIIMS launched the ‘Never Alone App’ for depression.
- Rajasthan: Introduced the Home Stay Scheme 2026 for rural tourism. The Indian Army test-fired the Strela-10 missile in Pokhran.
- Uttar Pradesh: Recorded the highest number of road accident deaths in 2024. IBM AI GovTech Innovation Center was inaugurated in Lucknow. Raj Bhavan was renamed to ‘Jan Bhavan’.
Key Appointments & Sports
- NITI Aayog: Nidhi Chhibber took charge as the new CEO.
- Banking & Finance: Rajan Bajaj appointed MD & CEO of Slice Small Finance Bank. Uday Kotak named Chairman of Gujarat’s GIFT City.
- Sports – Tennis: Hanne Vandewinkel (Belgium) won the ITF W100 Bengaluru title, ending Indian wildcard Vaishnavi Adkar’s historic run.
- Sports – Football: Amelia Valverde became the new coach of the Indian Women’s National Football Team.
Static GK Related to Today’s Current Affairs
Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
- Established: 1 April 1935
- Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
- Governor: Shaktikanta Das
- Data Centers: Navi Mumbai & Bhubaneswar
NITI Aayog
- Formed: 1 January 2015
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Chairperson: Prime Minister
- CEO: Nidhi Chhibber (New)
Country Profile: Israel
- Capital: Jerusalem
- Currency: Israeli Shekel
- Prime Minister: Benjamin Netanyahu
- Parliament: Knesset
Country Profile: Zimbabwe
- Capital: Harare
- Currency: RTGS Dollar / ZWL
- Famous Landmark: Lake Kariba (World’s largest man-made lake)
26 February 2026 Current Affairs Quiz for SSC CGL (MCQs)
Q1: Recently, the Government of India announced a free nationwide vaccination drive for adolescent girls. What does HPV stand for?
A) Human Parvovirus
B) Human Papillomavirus
C) Hepatitis Prevention Virus
D) Human Polio Virus
Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B
Explanation: The Union Health Ministry is set to launch this nationwide vaccination programme targeting girls aged 14 years using the Gardasil vaccine to prevent cervical cancer.
Q2: India began the first round of negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with which country in New Delhi?
A) Japan
B) Israel
C) United Kingdom
D) Zimbabwe
Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B
Explanation: The negotiations follow the signing of the Terms of Reference (ToR) to deepen trade and economic cooperation between India and Israel.
Q3: ‘Him-CONNECT’ event, to be organised during WSDS 2026 in New Delhi, is being conducted by which ministry?
A) Ministry of Jal Shakti
B) Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
C) Ministry of Science and Technology
D) Ministry of Earth Sciences
Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B
Explanation: The MoEFCC is organising Him-CONNECT to link researchers in the Indian Himalayan Region with start-ups and policymakers.
Q4: Recently, which state announced the extension of the Bhavantar Yojana to the mustard crop?
A) Rajasthan
B) Uttar Pradesh
C) Madhya Pradesh
D) Haryana
Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: C
Explanation: MP Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced the extension to benefit nearly 80 lakh mustard farmers, compensating them for sub-MSP sales.
Q5: Which institution has built a secured data centre in Bhubaneswar away from potential enemy strikes and seismic risks?
A) SEBI
B) NABARD
C) RBI
D) SIDBI
Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: C
Explanation: The Reserve Bank of India set up the high-security data centre in Odisha to protect critical financial systems and currency management.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does HPV stand for in the recent vaccination drive?
HPV stands for Human Papillomavirus. The Government of India announced a free nationwide vaccination drive for adolescent girls aged 14 to protect against cervical cancer.
Which state approved the official name change to ‘Keralam’?
The Union Cabinet approved a proposal to alter the official name of the State of Kerala to ‘Keralam’.
Where has the RBI set up its new high-security data centre?
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has set up a high-security data centre in Bhubaneswar, Odisha to protect critical financial systems.
Which country is India negotiating a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with?
India began the first round of negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Israel in New Delhi.
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