State PCS - Punjab (PPSC)

• 09 Feb 2026

India Wins Record 6th ICC U-19 World Cup Title

Why in News? 

India’s Under-19 cricket team lifted the ICC Men’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2026 trophy, defeating England U19 by a comprehensive margin to claim the nation’s sixth title in this format—the most by any team in the tournament’s history.  

Key Points 

• Historic Win: India secured victory against England by 100 runs in the final played at Harare Sports Club, Zimbabwe. 
  • India’s Score in Final: 411/9 
  • England’s Score: 311 (all out) 
  • Runner-up: England (U-19) 
  • Winning Margin: 100 runs 
• Team Performance: India’s innings was powered by a brilliant 175-run knock from 14-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, playing one of the most remarkable innings in U19 cricket history. 
  • Indian Captain: Ayush Mhatre 
  • Man of the Match (Final): Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 
  • Man of the Tournament: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi — for his outstanding 439 runs in seven matches. 
• Record-Extending Title: This victory marked India’s sixth ICC U19 World Cup title, extending the country’s record in the tournament and reinforcing India’s status as the most successful team in U19 World Cup history. 
• Rise of Youth Talent: The tournament showcased India’s strong pipeline of cricketing talent, with Sooryavanshi’s extraordinary performance and the team’s collective consistency under pressure, signalling a bright future for Indian cricket. 

Read More:  ICC 

Indian Teacher Rouble Nagi Wins Prestigious Global Teacher Prize 2026

Why in News? 

Indian educator Rouble Nagi has been awarded the Global Teacher Prize 2026, 

Key Points: 

• Award: Rouble Nagi won the Global Teacher Prize 2026, receiving the USD 1 million award presented by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, during the World Government Summit. 
• Organisers: The award is presented by GEMS Education and organised by the Varkey Foundation in collaboration with UNESCO.  
• Work and Contribution: Rouble Nagi was recognised for her innovative work using art-based education to reach children in marginalised communities across India.  
  • Through the Rouble Nagi Art Foundation, she has established more than 800 learning centres in over 100 low-income communities and villages.  
  • These centres provide structured learning opportunities for children who had limited or no access to formal education. 
• Education Through Art: A key element of her work is transforming neglected walls into interactive educational murals, known as “living walls of learning”, that teach literacy, numeracy, public health, environmental awareness, and other subjects directly to children in their environment.  
  • This approach has helped integrate over one million children into educational programmes and significantly reduced dropout rates. 
• Selection and Global Recognition: Rouble Nagi was selected from over 5,000 nominations and applications from 139 countries, reflecting the global significance and impact of her work in education. 
• Prize Utilisation: She plans to use the prize money to establish a vocational institute offering free training in professional skills and digital literacy, aiming to broaden opportunities for underprivileged children and youth. 

Read More:  UNESCO 

Miniratna Status for Yantra India Limited

Why in News?

The Raksha Mantri, Rajnath Singh, approved the grant of Miniratna Category-I status to Yantra India Limited (YIL), a Defence Public Sector Undertaking (DPSU), marking a key milestone in its transformation from a government organisation into a profit-making corporate entity.  

Key Points: 

• Yantra India Limited (YIL):YIL was formed on 1 October 2021 after the corporatisation of the erstwhile Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) into seven new DPSUs to improve autonomy, efficiency and competitiveness in defence manufacturing. 
• Organisation Type: Schedule ‘A’ DPSU under the Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence (MoD). 
• Core Products: Carbon fibre composites, aluminium alloys, glass composites and assembly products for medium and large calibre ammunition, armoured vehicles, artillery guns and main battle tanks (MBTs). 
• Enhanced Autonomy and Powers: With the Miniratna Category-I tag, YIL’s Board of Directors can now independently approve capital expenditure proposals up to ₹500 crore without requiring prior approval from the government. 
• Promoting Aatmanirbhar Bharat:The move aligns with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative to reduce import dependence, promote indigenous design and production capabilities, and strengthen the defence industrial base.  

Read More: Miniratna, Aatmanirbhar Bharat 

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Clinches Second Title

Why in News?

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) etched their name in cricketing history by defeating Delhi Capitals (DC) to secure their second Women’s Premier League (WPL) title.

Key Points: 

• The Target: Delhi Capitals set a formidable target of 204 runs, riding on a strong half-century by Jemimah Rodrigues (57 off 37 balls). 
• The Record Chase: RCB achieved the target of 204/4 in 19.4 overs, surpassing the previous record for the highest chase in a major T20 final. 
• Star Performers: 
  • Smriti Mandhana: Played a captain’s knock of 87 (41), the highest individual score in a WPL final. 
  • Georgia Voll: Contributed a vital 79 (54), forming a record 165-run partnership with Mandhana for the second wicket. 
• Franchise Milestone: With this victory, RCB joined Mumbai Indians as the only franchises to have won two WPL titles (2024 and 2026). 
• Major Achievements & Awards  
  • Orange Cap (Most Runs): Smriti Mandhana (RCB) – 377 runs. 
  • Purple Cap (Most Wickets): Radha Yadav (DC) – 14 wickets. 
  • Emerging Player of the Season: Georgia Voll (RCB). 
• Significance for Women: Such high-profile victories contribute to the "normalization" of women's professional sports, encouraging grassroots participation under the "Khelo India" initiative.

Read More: IPL 

China’s Plan for Space-Based AI Data Centres

Why in News?

China has announced that it plans to launch space-based artificial intelligence data centres over the next five years as part of its advanced technological and space infrastructure strategy. 

Key Points: 

• Integrated Architecture: The plan aims to build a new space architecture that integrates cloud, edge, and terminal (device) capabilities. 
• Industrial-Scale "Space Cloud": By 2030, China intends to create an orbital "Space Cloud" powered by large-scale solar hubs, shifting energy-intensive AI processing from Earth to orbit. 
• Processing Power: The infrastructure will enable "deep integration of computing power, storage capacity, and transmission bandwidth," allowing data generated on Earth to be processed directly in space. 
• Domestic Milestones: In a significant proof-of-concept, Alibaba Cloud’s Qwen-3 model recently became the world's first general-purpose AI to successfully run inference in orbit on a test satellite.  
• China vs. SpaceX:The announcement positions China as the primary rival to SpaceX’s orbital ambitions. 
  • SpaceX, following its merger with AI firm xAI, is advancing plans for solar-powered orbital data centres and space computing satellites.  
• Associated Challenges: The massive increase in satellites for "Space Clouds" (potentially millions) significantly heightens the risk of collisions and complicates space traffic management. 
  • Technical Risks: Space-based hardware is highly vulnerable to solar flares, radiation, and micrometeorite impacts. 

NITI Aayog Plans to Make Andhra Pradesh a Clean Energy Hub by 2035

Why in News?

NITI Aayog unveiled a draft blueprint aimed at transforming Andhra Pradesh  into one of India’s top three renewable energy hubs by 2035. The strategy was presented by NITI Aayog CEO B.V.R. Subrahmanyam to the State Chief Secretary under the ASSET (Accelerating Sustainable State Energy Transition) platform. 

Key Points 

• Clean Energy Transition: The blueprint envisions making Andhra Pradesh a leading renewable energy producer and exporter by 2035. 
  • The plan is aligned with India’s broader push for energy security, decarbonisation, economic growth, and climate action and supports national targets including the 500 GW non-fossil fuel capacity goal by 2030 
• Energy Affordability and Efficiency: NITI Aayog estimates that power purchase costs could drop to ₹3.90–4 per unit, with overall supply costs maintained below ₹6 per unit. 
• Transmission Modernisation: An investment of ₹65,000–70,000 crore is earmarked for transmission upgrades, including Green Energy Corridors, GIS substations, and HVDC lines. 
• Energy War Room: A dedicated monitoring cell will be established to track the progress of these initiatives. 
• Timeline: The blueprint is expected to be finalised by early March 2026, with implementation likely to begin by the middle of the same month.  

Read More: NITI Ayog