Daily Current Affairs 8 October 2026

• The 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry went to French chemist Henri B. Kagan and Japanese chemist Kenso Soai.
• They were recognised for discoveries on non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis.
• Their work helps explain how molecular asymmetry, or homochirality, can emerge spontaneously in nature.
• Many molecules, including amino acids, occur in two mirror-image forms, but living organisms overwhelmingly use one form.
• Traditional laboratory synthesis commonly produced equal amounts of both mirror-image forms.
• Kagan developed a method in 1986 to increase the excess of one molecular mirror image in a reaction.
• Soai built on this work with a reaction in 1995 and demonstrated a reaction yielding only one mirror-image form in 2003.
• The discoveries showed that chemical reactions can be steered to produce predominantly, or exclusively, one mirror-image form.
• The work has implications for pharmaceutical development, where the molecular form can affect therapeutic effectiveness.
• Kagan and Soai will share a prize of 12 million Swedish kronor.

Key Details

Why the Discovery Matters

• Homochirality describes the predominance of one molecular form over its mirror image.
• Producing the correct molecular form is important in pharmaceutical development.

Source: News On AIR report

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) removed Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL) from the list of scheduled banks.
• PPBL was excluded from the Second Schedule to the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.
• The RBI action followed cancellation of PPBL’s banking licence.
• The RBI cancelled the licence in April, citing non-compliance with regulatory norms.
• The RBI said the bank’s affairs were being conducted in a manner detrimental to depositors’ interests.
• The exclusion notification was published on 31 July and later notified in the Gazette of India.
• The Delhi High Court subsequently ordered the winding up of Paytm Payments Bank.
• In March 2022, the RBI barred PPBL from onboarding new customers following supervisory concerns.
• Further restrictions in January and February 2024 barred fresh deposits, credits and top-ups in customer accounts, prepaid instruments and wallets.

Regulatory Timeline

Related Fact

• The Second Schedule is part of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934; PPBL’s removal followed cancellation of its banking licence.

Source: News On AIR report

• RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra said a recent 25-basis-point repo rate hike was unlikely to significantly affect overall economic expansion.
• The rate increase could moderate bank credit growth, which was above 18 per cent.
• The Governor expected credit growth to remain strong and support economic activity.
• He said minor fluctuations in the pace of credit growth would not materially affect the economy.
• The RBI shifted its policy stance to calibrated tightening and indicated rate cuts were unlikely in the near term.
• Monetary policy decisions would be guided mainly by domestic growth and inflation conditions, while also considering global developments.
• The Governor cited renewed escalation of the West Asia conflict and volatile crude oil prices as risks to global sentiment.
• Rising bond yields in advanced economies and an appreciating US dollar were also linked to greater financial-market volatility.
• Global growth was expected to slow in 2026, although it was described as resilient.
• Higher energy and food prices were expected to raise inflation and could prompt further monetary tightening by major central banks.

Policy Snapshot

Related Fact

• A basis point is one-hundredth of a percentage point; 25 basis points equal 0.25 percentage point.

Source: News On AIR report

• The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP), under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, notified measures under the NCAHP Act, 2021.
• The measures cover autonomous boards and a Central Assessment Committee (CAC), practitioner registration, and a competency-based diploma curriculum.
• Autonomous boards under state allied and healthcare councils will handle responsibilities relating to education, institutional assessment, professional ethics and registration.
• Each autonomous board will have 10 to 20 members, including a chairperson and representation from recognised professions.
• An assessment and rating board will evaluate applications, inspect institutions and publish assessment and rating information through the state council’s website.
• Ethics and registration boards will verify practitioner documents, support state registers and consider matters involving professional conduct and registration.
• Where a state has no functioning council, the CAC may carry out autonomous-board functions under NCAHP oversight.
• The CAC will have 10 to 30 members, including a chairperson, with professional and relevant state or Union Territory representation.
• NCAHP introduced digital practitioner registration with a unique identification number and QR-code-enabled credentials, allowing public verification through state and central registers.
• The competency-based Diploma in Medical Radiology and Imaging Technology (D.MRIT) is a two-year course with a six-month clinical internship.
• The D.MRIT curriculum is mandatory for relevant institutions from academic year 2027–28; institutions may adopt it from 2026–27.
• The course is intended for Class 12 science students with Physics, Chemistry and Biology and addresses demand for trained imaging professionals.

Regulatory Framework

D.MRIT Curriculum

Source: PIB release