1 May 2026 Current Affairs MCQ | GK Easy Set 1 | UPSC, SSC, Banking

On Buddha Purnima (1 May 2026), the first-ever international public exposition of the Piprahwa Relics of the Tathagata (Lord Buddha) was inaugurated at Jivetsal, Leh, Ladakh. The relics were discovered in 1898 at the Piprahwa Stupa in Uttar Pradesh and are on display from 2–10 May 2026. Union Home Minister Amit Shah attended the occasion.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) theme for 2026 is "Ensuring a Healthy Psychosocial Working Environment," focusing on mental health, work-life balance, and psychological safety at the workplace — especially relevant in the post-pandemic gig economy era.

Maharashtra and Gujarat were both formed on 1 May 1960 under the Bombay Reorganisation Act, 1960, which split the erstwhile Bombay State along linguistic lines — Maharashtra for Marathi speakers and Gujarat for Gujarati speakers. 2026 marks their 66th statehood anniversary.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting appointed Prasoon Joshi — renowned lyricist, advertising professional, and Padma Shri awardee — as the new Chairman of Prasar Bharati. He previously served as Chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and is known for writing lyrics for films like Rang De Basanti and Taare Zameen Par.

The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra 2026 (June–August) will operate via two routes — Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand and Nathu La Pass in Sikkim — with 10 batches of 50 pilgrims each on every route, totalling 2,000 yatris. The Kailash Mansarovar region is in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

INS Mahendragiri is the fourth stealth frigate commissioned under Project 17A and is the seventh and final ship of the entire Project 17A class. It was designed by the Indian Navy's Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and is equipped with the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, among other advanced systems.

UPI was launched by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) in 2016 under the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). In its first year (2016–17), it handled just 2 crore transactions. By 2025–26, that figure had grown to over 24,000 crore transactions — making UPI the world's largest real-time payment system.

Two recent tiger fatalities brought special attention to the Kanha Tiger Reserve (KTR) in Mandla and Balaghat districts of Madhya Pradesh. Kanha was among the first nine reserves included under Project Tiger (1973) and is one of India's most renowned protected areas. Madhya Pradesh is known as the "Tiger State of India."

India launched its first barrier-free tolling system on NH-48 (Delhi–Mumbai Highway). Unlike the existing FASTag system, this new system uses GNSS/GPS technology or ANPR cameras to deduct tolls automatically without requiring vehicles to slow down at booths — eliminating queues and reducing emissions.

The annual Mahua flower festival, locally known as 'Ippa Puvvu Panduga,' was celebrated in Jamidi village, Adilabad district, Telangana. The Mahua tree (Madhuca longifolia) is called the "Kalpavriksha of tribal communities" — every part of it is useful for food, fuel, medicine, and livelihood. This topic is relevant for UPSC GS-I (Tribal Issues) and GS-III (Environment).