Last Updated: April 2026
CUET 2027 | GENERAL TEST
Current Affairs Compilation: April–May 2026 | GK + Economy + Science + Awards
The CUET General Test is the most universally required section — almost every university and programme requires it as part of CUET admission criteria. Staying on top of current affairs from October 2025 through May 2026 is essential for CUET 2027 aspirants. This compilation covers major events from April through May 2026 that are most likely to appear in CUET General Test, organised by category with contextual explanations.
| Section | Questions | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| General Knowledge & Current Affairs | 25 | Static GK + recent events |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 10 | Arithmetic, percentages, data interpretation |
| Logical & Analytical Reasoning | 10 | Series, analogies, syllogisms, coding |
| Language Skills (English) | 5 | Reading comprehension, vocabulary |
| Total | 50 | 60 minutes | +5 correct, -1 wrong |
Section 1: National Affairs — Key Events April–May 2026
1. India’s GDP Growth Projections
The International Monetary Fund (IMF), in its April 2026 World Economic Outlook, projected India’s GDP growth at approximately 6.5% for FY 2026-27. This makes India one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies. Key context:
- India’s nominal GDP has crossed $3.5 trillion, making it the world’s 4th or 5th largest economy by nominal GDP
- The World Bank’s projection for India is broadly similar at around 6.3-6.7%
- Growth drivers: Digital economy, infrastructure spending, consumption recovery, services exports
- Challenges: Global geopolitical uncertainty, inflation management, job creation at scale
For CUET: Know which institution releases which projection — IMF releases World Economic Outlook; World Bank releases Global Economic Prospects; RBI releases in its monetary policy.
2. India’s Electoral Commission — Key Developments
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has been at the centre of electoral roll management controversies in early 2026. The ECI manages:
- Model Code of Conduct enforcement during elections
- Voter registration through Summary Revisions (SRs)
- Delimitation of constituencies — last done in 2026 for some states
- Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT)
Key GK: ECI is a Constitutional body under Article 324 of the Indian Constitution. It consists of a Chief Election Commissioner and 2 Election Commissioners since the 2023 Amendment.
3. Supreme Court Major Judgments 2025-26
Key SC judgments CUET students should know:
- Waqf Amendment Act 2025: SC admitted petitions challenging the Waqf (Amendment) Act. The Act modifies Waqf Board composition and property management processes.
- Article 356 and Governor’s powers: SC has continued to clarify limits on Governor’s discretionary powers, reinforcing parliamentary democracy principles
- Right to Privacy as a Fundamental Right: K.S. Puttaswamy judgment (2017) — still relevant for CUET as it established privacy under Article 21
- LGBTQ+ rights: Suresh Kumar Koushal v. NAZ Foundation and subsequent developments continue to be tested
4. Parliament Session Highlights
- Budget Session 2026: Union Budget for FY 2026-27 presented by Finance Minister
- Key provisions: Infrastructure focus, income tax slab revisions, agriculture support
- Important committees: PAC (Public Accounts Committee) — examines CAG reports; Estimates Committee; Standing Committees on various ministries
- Money Bill vs Ordinary Bill: Money Bills can only originate in Lok Sabha; Rajya Sabha can delay but not reject
5. India-Pakistan Tensions April 2026
India-Pakistan relations in April 2026 have seen heightened tensions. Key context for CUET:
- The Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir is the de facto border (not the International Border)
- Simla Agreement (1972) established the LoC; Lahore Declaration (1999) sought peace
- Pakistan was placed on FATF grey list multiple times for terror financing concerns
- Indus Waters Treaty (1960): India has rights over Ravi, Beas, Sutlej; Pakistan has Indus, Jhelum, Chenab
Section 2: International Affairs — Key Events
6. India-Korea CEPA Upgrade Negotiations
India and South Korea are upgrading their Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), originally signed in 2009:
- Target: Bilateral trade of $50 billion (up from current ~$27 billion)
- South Korea is a major source of FDI into India, especially in electronics and automobiles (Hyundai, Kia, Samsung, LG)
- CEPA = more comprehensive than FTA; covers goods, services, and investments
- Similar India agreements: India-UAE CEPA (2022), India-Australia ECTA (2022)
7. India-Ukraine Security Cooperation
India and Ukraine have strengthened bilateral ties despite India’s abstention on UNSC resolutions on the Russia-Ukraine war:
- PM Modi visited Ukraine in August 2024 — first-ever visit by an Indian PM to Ukraine
- India’s position: Dialogue and diplomacy; not taking sides; calling for respect of territorial integrity
- India has been a mediator figure — Modi met both Putin and Zelensky
- India’s defence posture: Reducing dependence on Russian arms; diversifying to US, France, Israel, domestic production
8. UNCLOS and Gulf Region
UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) is a frequent CUET General Test topic:
- Territorial Sea: 12 nautical miles from baseline — full sovereignty
- Contiguous Zone: 12-24 nautical miles — customs, fiscal, immigration enforcement
- Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ): Up to 200 nautical miles — sovereign rights over resources
- High Seas: Beyond EEZ — freedom of navigation for all
- Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman — critical for global oil supply (~20% of world’s oil passes through)
- Freedom of transit passage applies to straits used for international navigation under UNCLOS Article 38
9. ASEAN and India’s Act East Policy
- ASEAN has 10 members: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
- India is ASEAN’s Dialogue Partner; ASEAN-India FTA in goods signed in 2009
- India’s Act East Policy (successor to Look East) focuses on economic integration with Southeast Asia and the Pacific
- India-ASEAN bilateral trade target: $200 billion by 2025
Section 3: Science and Economy
10. ISRO Missions 2025-26
ISRO’s recent and upcoming missions — essential CUET GK:
- Aditya-L1 (2023): India’s first solar mission; studying the Sun from L1 Lagrange point (1.5 million km from Earth)
- Chandrayaan-3 (August 2023): Successfully landed on Moon’s south pole — India became the 4th country to achieve soft landing; 1st at south pole
- Gaganyaan: India’s first crewed spaceflight mission; crew module tested; planned crewed mission expected in 2026-27
- NISAR (NASA-ISRO SAR): Joint Earth observation satellite; one of the most expensive Earth observation satellites ever built
- XPoSat (December 2023): India’s first X-ray polarimetry satellite; second in world after NASA’s IXPE
11. RBI Monetary Policy — Key Rates
| Rate | Current (Approx. 2026) | What it Means |
|---|---|---|
| Repo Rate | ~6.25% | Rate at which RBI lends to banks |
| Reverse Repo Rate | ~3.35% | Rate at which banks park funds with RBI |
| CRR (Cash Reserve Ratio) | ~4% | % of deposits banks must keep with RBI as cash |
| SLR (Statutory Liquidity Ratio) | ~18% | % of deposits banks must maintain in liquid assets |
| Inflation Target | 4% (±2%) | RBI’s CPI inflation mandate |
12. Digital India and AI Policy
- India launched the IndiaAI Mission (2024) with ₹10,372 crore budget for AI infrastructure
- ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce): India’s open protocol for e-commerce — alternative to platform monopolies
- Digital Rupee (e₹): RBI launched Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) pilot in 2022; both retail and wholesale variants
- PM Gati Shakti: National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity integrating 16 ministries
- India’s UPI processed over 100 billion transactions in 2023 — world’s largest real-time payments system
13. India’s Trade Data 2025-26
- India’s merchandise exports target: $500 billion by FY 2026-27
- Top export destinations: USA, UAE, Netherlands, China, Bangladesh
- Top imports: Russia (crude oil), China (electronics/machinery), UAE, USA, Saudi Arabia
- India’s services exports (IT, BPO, finance): ~$340 billion — making India a net services surplus country
- Current Account Deficit (CAD): Typically 1-2% of GDP for India
Section 4: Awards, Sports, and Culture
14. Padma Awards 2026
Padma Awards are announced on Republic Day (January 26) each year. The hierarchy:
- Bharat Ratna: Highest civilian honour; limited to 3 per year; LK Advani, MS Swaminathan, PV Narasimha Rao and Chaudhary Charan Singh received it in 2024
- Padma Vibhushan: Second highest; exceptional and distinguished service
- Padma Bhushan: Third; distinguished service of high order
- Padma Shri: Fourth; distinguished service in any field
Note: Padma awards cannot be used as a suffix or prefix to names; they are civilian honours, not titles.
15. Sports Achievements 2025-26
- Cricket: India remains one of the top Test and ODI teams; BCCI is the richest cricket board globally; IPL continues to be the world’s most-watched cricket tournament
- Hockey: India won Bronze at Paris Olympics 2024 — continued strong performance in field hockey
- Paris Olympics 2024: India won 6 medals — Neeraj Chopra (Javelin Silver), Manu Bhaker (Shooting Bronze — twice), Swapnil Kusale (Shooting Bronze), Hockey team (Bronze), Aman Sehrawat (Wrestling Bronze)
- Chess: India has produced multiple world-class players; D. Gukesh became World Chess Champion in December 2024 at age 18 — youngest ever
16. Cultural and Heritage News
- India has 43 UNESCO World Heritage Sites as of 2024 (42 cultural + 1 natural mix)
- Hoysala temples (Karnataka) inscribed as UNESCO WHS in 2023
- Santiniketan (West Bengal) — Rabindranath Tagore’s university — inscribed in 2023
- Jaipur City (Rajasthan) is a UNESCO World Heritage City (since 2019)
Important Organisations and Full Forms
| Abbreviation | Full Form | Key Function |
|---|---|---|
| IMF | International Monetary Fund | Global financial stability; balance of payments support |
| UNCLOS | UN Convention on the Law of the Sea | Maritime law; EEZ; international sea governance |
| CEPA | Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement | Trade agreement covering goods, services, investment |
| FATF | Financial Action Task Force | Global watchdog for money laundering and terror financing |
| NISAR | NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar | Joint Earth observation satellite |
| CBDC | Central Bank Digital Currency | Digital form of fiat currency issued by central bank |
| ONDC | Open Network for Digital Commerce | India’s open e-commerce protocol to democratise digital trade |
| IUCN | International Union for Conservation of Nature | Maintains Red List of threatened species |
GK/Current Affairs (25 questions — highest weight): Read one national newspaper (Hindu/Indian Express) or a trusted GK compilation daily. Focus on: government schemes launched in the last 12 months, summit outcomes, sports champions, science missions, constitutional matters, important legislation.
Quantitative Aptitude (10 questions): Practice percentage, ratio-proportion, profit-loss, simple/compound interest, time-speed-distance, and basic data interpretation (bar charts, pie charts). These 10 questions are often the easiest to score if practiced regularly.
Logical Reasoning (10 questions): Practice: Number series, Letter series, Odd one out, Analogy, Blood relations, Direction sense, Coding-decoding, Syllogisms. 15 minutes of daily practice is sufficient.
Language Skills (5 questions): Vocabulary-based (synonyms/antonyms/idioms) and reading comprehension. Read editorials regularly to improve vocabulary in context.
• IMF vs World Bank: IMF = financial stability + balance of payments; World Bank = long-term development lending + poverty reduction
• CUET GT max score: 50 questions × 5 marks = 250 marks maximum
• Padma hierarchy: Bharat Ratna → Padma Vibhushan → Padma Bhushan → Padma Shri
• India Olympics 2024 top fact: Manu Bhaker = first Indian woman to win 2 medals in single Olympic Games
• UNCLOS zones: 12nm territorial → 24nm contiguous → 200nm EEZ → continental shelf → high seas
• Chess world champion 2024: D. Gukesh (India) — youngest world chess champion at 18
• RBI key rate: Repo rate is the main policy rate; when RBI wants to reduce inflation, it raises repo rate
• India Space: Chandrayaan-3 = Moon south pole (1st ever) + Aditya-L1 = Sun study + Gaganyaan = upcoming crewed mission
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CUET General Test syllabus and pattern?
The CUET General Test has 50 questions to be attempted in 60 minutes with +5/-1 marking. It covers four sections: General Knowledge and Current Affairs (25 questions), Quantitative Aptitude (10 questions), Logical and Analytical Reasoning (10 questions), and Language Skills (5 questions). The maximum score is 250 marks. Current affairs from approximately October of the previous year through the exam date are relevant.
Which current affairs months are most important for CUET General Test 2027?
For CUET 2027 (expected May-June 2027), current affairs from October 2026 through May 2027 are most relevant. However, some questions may cover events from earlier in 2026. Focus especially on: government schemes, major summits and agreements, sports championships, ISRO/science missions, Supreme Court major judgments, and important legislation passed in Parliament.
Is the CUET General Test required for all university admissions?
Yes, the CUET General Test is required by most central universities as a mandatory component for most programmes. Delhi University, JNU, BHU, Hyderabad University, and most other central universities include General Test scores in their merit calculation formula. It is advisable for all CUET applicants to appear for the General Test regardless of their specific programme choice.
How many questions should I attempt in the CUET General Test?
The CUET General Test has 50 questions of which all 50 need to be attempted (unlike domain subjects where you choose 45 from 75). However, with negative marking of -1 for wrong answers, you should only answer questions you are reasonably confident about. For uncertain questions, the decision to attempt or skip should be based on whether you can eliminate at least 2 options.
Practice Quiz — 10 CUET-Style Questions
Click an option to reveal the answer and explanation.
