Prelims Current Affairs includes World Thyroid Day 2026, India And Italy To Celebrate 2027 As “Year Of Culture And Tourism”, Rbi’s Highest-Ever ₹2.87 Lakh Crore Surplus Transfer, Niti Aayog Convenes Education To Employment Committee, Bharat Tex 2026 To Showcase India’s Textile Strength, Eight Core Industries Growth Rises To 1.7% In April 2026, Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4c) & Gurindervir Singh Becomes Fastest Indian Sprinter

IMPORTANT DAYS

1. WORLD THYROID DAY 2026

 Current Context: World Thyroid Day is observed on 25 May to raise awareness about thyroid health and the growing burden of thyroid disorders worldwide.

ABOUT THE DAY

• Purpose: Raise awareness about thyroid-related diseases; encourage better understanding of diagnosis, treatment, and prevention
• Thyroid Gland: Butterfly-shaped endocrine gland located in the neck, produces thyroid hormones that regulate energy metabolism, heart rate, body temperature, growth, brain function, reproductive health
• Thyroid Disease Burden:
• Women are significantly more affected than men
• Thyroid nodules found in approximately 1% of men and 5% of women

INTERNATIONAL 

2. INDIA AND ITALY TO CELEBRATE 2027 AS “YEAR OF CULTURE AND TOURISM”

Current Context: India and Italy will celebrate 2027 as the “Year of Culture and Tourism”

ABOUT THE INITIATIVE

• To strengthen cultural ties, tourism cooperation, and people-to-people relations between India and Italy.

Key Focus

• Cultural exchanges and heritage promotion.
• Tourism promotion campaigns.
• Cooperation in museums, art, cinema, education, and archaeology.
• Academic and youth exchange programmes.
• Also agreed: Advance the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) to boost trade, investment, supply-chain resilience, and regional connectivity

India-Italy Foreign Relations

• India and Italy share warm diplomatic relations based on trade, culture, technology, and strategic cooperation.
• Diplomatic relations established in 1947.
• India and Italy upgraded ties to a Strategic Partnership in 2023.

ECONOMY

3. RBI’S HIGHEST-EVER ₹2.87 LAKH CRORE SURPLUS TRANSFER

Current Context: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced a record ₹2.87 lakh crore surplus transfer to the central government for FY26.

ABOUT THE TRANSFER

• RBI surplus transfer is the transfer of excess profit earned by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to the Government of India.
• Interest earned from government securities and foreign currency assets.
• Foreign exchange operations.
• Fees from banking operations and financial services.
• Amount: ₹2.87 lakh crore (highest-ever dividend transfer by RBI)
• Previous year: ₹2.69 lakh crore
• Budget estimate: ₹3.16 lakh crore (actual slightly below expectation)

WHY WAS THE SURPLUS HIGH?

• Higher earnings from foreign exchange operations and government securities.
• Increase in interest income due to elevated global interest rates.
• RBI balance sheet expanded by over 20.61% to ₹91.97 lakh crore

RBI Surplus Transfer Committee

• RBI surplus transfer is guided by the Bimal Jalan Committee on Economic Capital Framework (ECF).
• Committee constituted by the Reserve Bank of India in 2018.

CONTINGENT RISK BUFFER (CRB)

• RBI maintained the CRB at 5% of its balance sheet under the revised Economic Capital Framework (ECF).
• ₹1.09 lakh crore transferred to the CRB.

POLITY & GOVERNANCE

4. NITI AAYOG CONVENES EDUCATION TO EMPLOYMENT COMMITTEE

Current Context: NITI Aayog convened the first meeting of the High Powered Education to Employment and Enterprise Standing Committee on 22 May 2026 in New Delhi.

ABOUT THE COMMITTEE

• Aim: to improve employability and bridge the gap between education and industry needs.
• Mandate: Identify actionable recommendations on employability, entrepreneurship, industry-relevant skilling, and services sector growth
• To enhance youth employability and workforce readiness.
• To promote industry-oriented curriculum and future-ready skills.
• Target: Support India’s goal of 10% share in global services market by 2047
• Formed under: Union Budget 2026-27
• Chairperson: Nidhi Chibber

About NITI Aayog

• NITI Aayog stands for National Institution for Transforming India.
• Established on 1 January 2015 by the Government of India.
• Replaced the Planning Commission.
• Headquarters: New Delhi.

ECONOMY

5. BHARAT TEX 2026 TO SHOWCASE INDIA’S TEXTILE STRENGTH

Current Context: Bharat Tex 2026, India’s flagship global textile event, will be held in New Delhi from 14-17 July 2026.

ABOUT THE EVENT

• To showcase India’s textile manufacturing strength, innovation, sustainability, and export potential.
• To promote India as a reliable global sourcing and investment destination for textiles
• Features: AI-powered innovation, sustainability initiatives, recycling capabilities
• Promotes “5F Vision” – Farm to Fibre to Fabric to Fashion to Foreign Markets.
• Mobile App: Bharat Tex Mobile App launched features AI-enabled search for products, suppliers, stall locations
• Participation: Over 72 countries already registered
• Bharat Tex was first launched in 2024.

ECONOMY

6. EIGHT CORE INDUSTRIES GROWTH RISES TO 1.7% IN APRIL 2026

Current Context: The combined Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) recorded a growth of 1.7% in April 2026 on a year-on-year basis.

ABOUT THE DATA

• Released monthly by the Office of Economic Adviser under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• Their combined weight in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) is 27%.
• Growth Rate (April 2026): 1.7% (up from revised 1.2% in March)
• Highest growth sectors: Cement (9.4%), Steel (6.2%), Electricity (4.1%)
• Declining sectors: Coal (-8.7%), Fertiliser (-8.6%), Natural Gas (-4.3%), Crude Oil (-3.9%), Petroleum Refinery Products (-0.5%)

Eight Core Industries

• Eight Core Industries are the key infrastructure industries that form the backbone of India’s economy and industrial production.

THE EIGHT CORE INDUSTRIES

• Refinery Products – 04%
• Electricity – 85%
• Steel – 92%
• Coal – 33%
• Crude Oil – 98%
• Natural Gas – 88%
• Cement – 37%
• Fertilizers – 63%

POLITY & GOVERNANCE

7. INDIAN CYBERCRIME COORDINATION CENTRE (I4C)

Current Context: I4C recently identified a sophisticated phishing campaign targeting Apple iPhone users whose devices have been lost or stolen.

ABOUT I4C

• Purpose: Nodal point at national level in fight against cybercrime, provides framework for law enforcement agencies to deal with cybercrime in coordinated manner
• Key Initiatives: Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System, National Toll-Free Helpline ‘1930’, social media handle “CyberDost”, Cyber Crime Volunteers Program, Pratibimb geospatial crime mapping platform
• What is Phishing: Cyberattack using deceptive messages from seemingly reputable sources to trick victims into revealing sensitive information

Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C)

• I4C stands for Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre.
• Established by the Ministry of Home Affairs in 2018.
• Headquarters: New Delhi.
• Acts as the nodal agency to combat cybercrime in India.

SPORTS

8. GURINDERVIR SINGH BECOMES FASTEST INDIAN SPRINTER

Current Context: Gurindervir Singh became the fastest ever Indian sprinter, clocking 10.09 seconds in the men’s 100m final at the Federation Cup in Ranchi, Jharkhand.

ABOUT THE ACHIEVEMENT

• Broke the previous national record of 10.15 seconds.
• Significance: First Indian athlete to break into the 10.0-second range
• Semifinal time: 10.17 seconds
• Fellow competitor: Animesh Kujur (10.15 seconds in semifinals, 10.20 seconds in final)

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