Dear Readers, Here we have given the list of Important Weekly Current Affairs of March 15th to 21st March 2026. Candidates those who are preparing for Upcoming SBIClerk 2026 and other competitive exams can make use of it.

Weekly Current Affairs March 15th to 21st PDF Download

CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

• World Consumer Rights Day is observed globally on March 15 every year to raise awareness about consumer rights and promote fair and ethical market practices.

• National Vaccination Day is observed across India on March 16 every year to highlight the importance of vaccination and its role in protecting public health.

• Ordnance Factories Day is observed across India on March 18 every year to commemorate the establishment of the first ordnance factory in colonial India.

• World Social Work Day 2026 was observed globally on March 17, 2026.

• World Sparrow Day is observed annually on 20 March to raise awareness about the House Sparrow and other common urban birds.

• World Oral Health Day (WOHD) is observed annually on 20 March to promote oral hygiene and awareness about oral diseases.

• International Day of Happiness 2026 is observed globally on 20 March 2026 to promote happiness, well-being, and positivity.

• International Day of Forests, also known as World Forest Day, is observed annually on 21 March to raise awareness about the importance of forests and their benefits.

• World Poetry Day is observed annually on 21 March to honour poets and promote the reading, writing, and teaching of poetry.

• World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD) is observed annually on 21 March to raise awareness about Down syndrome and promote inclusion of persons with disabilities.

 CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL AND STATE NEWS

• The Supreme Court of India permitted the withdrawal of artificial life support in the Harish Rana passive euthanasia case, marking an important development in the legal and ethical debate on end-of-life decisions in India.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi began a two-day visit to Assam and inaugurated and laid foundation stones for development projects worth more than ₹24,000 crore aimed at strengthening infrastructure, energy, transport, and welfare of local communities.

• A special celebration called Purple Fest was organised at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi to recognise the talent, achievements, and aspirations of Divyangjan (persons with disabilities) and promote inclusion, respect, and awareness about their abilities.

• The Bokaro Steel Plant, a unit of the Steel Authority of India Limited, received certification from the Bureau of Indian Standards for four new steel grades – ISC 440 LA, ISC 470 LA, ISC 510 LA, and ISC 550 LA.

• Chirag Paswan, Union Minister of Food Processing Industries, inaugurated a modern Common Incubation Centre at Tezpur University in Sonitpur district, Assam.

• The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) organised the AMRUT Mitra Mahotsav 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi to recognise the contributions of women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) working as AMRUT Mitras under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation 2.0 (AMRUT 2.0).

• The Ministry of Jal Shakti is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) 2.0 to ensure safe drinking water supply to every rural household in India.

• Prime Minister of India shri Narendra Modi, dedicated an elevated road corridor connecting Pandu Port to National Highway-27 and laid the foundation for key inland waterway projects in Assam.

• Child marriage remains a serious social issue in India, affecting the rights, health, education, and overall development of children, particularly girls.

• The appointment process for State Director General of Police (DGP) has been clarified following new directions involving the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and the Supreme Court of India.

• Indian-origin entrepreneur Surya Midha has gained global attention after matching the youngest self-made billionaire milestone, which was earlier associated with Mark Zuckerberg.

• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has approved perpetual validity for registrations and licences issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to improve the ease of doing business in India.

• The National Highways Authority of India announced a revision in the FASTag Annual Pass fee for private non-commercial vehicles.

• The SATHEE Application has been developed by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur to support students preparing for major competitive examinations.

• The Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden in Srinagar, known as Asia’s largest tulip garden, was opened to visitors.

• The Gujarat Government launched a statewide vaccination drive against Foot and Mouth Disease to protect livestock and prevent the spread of the disease.

• Kusunpur village in Kendrapada district of Odisha is set to become the first smart village in the state under an initiative of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research functioning under the Ministry of Science and Technology.

• India’s unemployment rate declined marginally to 4.9 percent in February 2026, according to the National Statistics Office through the Periodic Labour Force Survey.

• The Department of Posts, under the Ministry of Communications, has launched the ‘24 Speed Post’ service to provide next-day guaranteed delivery for urgent consignments.

• India has submitted its first National Report on the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

• The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry facilitated the first export consignment of 25 metric tonnes of Geographical Indication tagged Joha rice from Assam to the United Kingdom and Italy.

• NMDC Limited, a Navratna Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Steel, has become the first mining company in India to produce 50 million tonnes of iron ore in a single financial year (Financial Year 2025–26).

• Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Panchayati Raj, announced the sanction of a ₹100 crore Integrated Aqua Park Project in Anantnag district, Jammu and Kashmir.

• The Supreme Court of India has struck down the age restriction on maternity leave for adoptive mothers, declaring the provision unconstitutional.

• The India Tourism Development Corporation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, launched the Tribal Homestay Capacity Building Programme 2026 in New Delhi.

• The Union Cabinet approved the BHAVYA (Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojana) Scheme to develop 100 plug-and-play industrial parks across India.

• The Transgender Rights Amendment Bill 2026 has been introduced in Parliament to amend the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, proposing major changes in recognition of transgender identity in India.

• The Union Cabinet approved the Small Hydro Power Development Scheme for the period Financial Year 2026–27 to Financial Year 2030–31 with an outlay of ₹2,584.60 crore.

 CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

• Brazil has begun enforcing a new law regulating minors’ access to social media and online platforms, marking a significant step in global efforts to safeguard children in the digital space.

• Argentina has officially withdrawn from the World Health Organization (WHO), effective one year after formal notification.

 CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND BUSINESS

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is observing the 6th edition of Digital Payments Awareness Week (DPAW) from March 9–13, 2026 to promote safe digital payment usage.

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed a monetary penalty of ₹2.70 lakh on Manappuram Finance Limited for non-compliance with RBI guidelines.

• Public Sector Banks (PSBs) in India earned over ₹28,600 crore in the last five years by selling third-party financial products such as insurance (life and non-life), mutual funds, credit cards, and demat accounts.

• Private sector banks in India collected about ₹11,000 crore between FY2022-23 and FY2024-25 as penalties for non-maintenance of minimum balance in savings accounts.

• Razorpay, India’s omnichannel payments and banking platform, launched the world’s first Agent Studio for payments at FTX 2026, built using the Claude Agent SDK from Anthropic.

• National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) has moved forward with its long-awaited Initial Public Offering (IPO) by completing the selection of key intermediaries for the proposed listing.

• Bank of Baroda raised a USD 500 million five-year syndicated term loan through its IFSC Banking Unit in GIFT City, Gujarat.

• South Indian Bank (SIB) has launched Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) payment services through its internet banking platform SIBerNet.

• India’s retail inflation rose to 3.21% in February 2026, compared to 2.74% in January 2026, according to provisional data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).

• PayU has entered into a strategic partnership with ai, the creator of BharatGPT, to enable AI-driven agentic payments in India.

• According to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), the Agriculture & Allied Sector contributes about 18% to India’s Gross Value Added (GVA).

• The National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) has launched a Gold 10 Grams Futures Contract in its Commodity Derivatives Segment, effective March 16, 2026, after receiving SEBI approval.

• Fitch Ratings released its “Global Economic Outlook – March 2026”, projecting India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth at 7.5% for FY 2025–26 (FY26).

• The Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) under the Ministry of Finance (MoF) has revised the rules related to Minimum Public Shareholding (MPS) for large companies planning to list on stock exchanges.

• The Government of India launched the National Mission for Financial Inclusion (NMFI) under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) in August 2014 to provide universal banking services to every unbanked household, following the principles of banking the unbanked, securing the unsecured, and funding the unfunded.

• DCM Shriram Limited secured USD 90 million funding from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank Group (WBG), through Sustainability-Linked Non-Convertible Debentures (NCDs).

• Digital payment transactions in India have grown exponentially due to coordinated efforts of the Government, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), and National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).

• The World Bank approved a loan of USD 300 million to support Uttar Pradesh’s efforts to improve air quality through a Clean Air Transition Programme.

• Shriram General Insurance Company (SGIC) launched Shri Health Suraksha 2.0, an upgraded health insurance plan designed to provide flexible and comprehensive medical coverage while reducing out-of-pocket expenses.

• The Reserve Bank of India won the ‘Initiative of the Year’ award from Central Banking at the 13th annual Central Banking Awards for its innovative ‘.bank.in’ domain rollout initiative.

• Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has proposed changes to nomination rules for demat accounts and mutual fund (MF) folios to simplify onboarding, reduce compliance burden, and align with banking norms.

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has compounded FEMA violations by Metrocorp Infrastructure Limited, resulting in the termination of adjudication proceedings initiated by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED).

• Scapia launched ‘Scapia Pay’, an in-application UPI payment service that allows users to earn rewards on transactions made using RuPay credit cards.

• Total Exports (Merchandise + Services) for April–February FY26 reached US$ 790.86 Billion, up 5.79% from US$ 747.58 Billion in the previous year.

• Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated that health insurance is a priority of the government, aiming to provide insurance coverage for all by 2033.

• NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) expanded the acceptance of India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) across merchant establishments in Sri Lanka.

• SBI Securities launched ‘Women’s Mode’ on its mobile app to promote women-centric investing.

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) amended its capital adequacy framework for commercial banks, providing clearer guidelines on calculating and maintaining capital against Counterparty Credit Risk (CCR) exposures.

• The 622nd meeting of the Central Board of Directors of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) was held in Patna under the Chairmanship of Governor Sanjay Malhotra.

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed a monetary penalty of ₹3.10 lakh on Cashfree Payments India Private Limited for non-compliance with RBI guidelines on Payment Aggregators (PAs) and Payment Gateways (PGs).

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) constituted a Working Group on Digital Lending, covering loans through Online Platforms and Mobile Apps.

• Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has tightened rules on intraday borrowings by mutual funds to manage temporary cash mismatches during redemptions.

• The State Bank of India (SBI) raised ₹6,051 crore through the issuance of Basel III-compliant Tier-2 bonds.

• Edelweiss Asset Management Company (EAMC) launched India’s first hybrid passive index fund named ‘Edelweiss Nifty LargeMidcap250 Plus 8–13 yr G-sec 70:30 Index Fund’.

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued revised prudential directions linking dividend payouts by commercial banks to their CET1 (Common Equity Tier 1) capital ratios, replacing guidelines issued in November 2025.

• Jio Payments Bank (JPBL), a subsidiary of Jio Financial Services, has launched UPI-based cash withdrawal at Business Correspondent (BC) points.

 CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOUR

• Renowned Tamil poet and lyricist Vairamuthu has been awarded the Jnanpith Award for 2025, India’s highest literary honour.

• The 98th edition of the Academy Awards (Oscars 2026) was held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, United States.

• The animated short film CHYIMI, directed by Partha Sarathi Mahanta, won the Best Director Award at the New York Short Animation Festival 2026.

• The Sahitya Akademi, India’s National Academy of Letters, announced the Sahitya Akademi Award 2025, recognising outstanding literary works in 24 Indian languages.

• Renowned historian William Dalrymple has been awarded the Mark Lynton History Prize 2026 for his book The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World.

 CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the appointment of Kompella Venkata (K.V.) Ramana Murty as Whole-Time Member (WTM) of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

• Dr. Partha Biswas holds a Ph.D. in Defence & Strategic Studies and has pursued higher education in Defence Studies, Human Resources, and Human Rights.

• Jose Antonio Kast Rist, founder and leader of the Republican Party of Chile, was sworn in as the 38th President of Chile for a four-year term, following his victory in the 2025 Chilean presidential election.

• The Election Commission of India (ECI) appointed Manjeet Singh, a retired IAS officer (1988 batch, Rajasthan cadre), as Special Observer for the 2026 General Election to the Legislative Assembly of Assam.

• Bhumika Shrestha, a 37-year-old LGBTQ rights activist, has become Nepal’s first transgender woman Member of Parliament, marking a historic milestone in South Asia for inclusivity and representation of marginalised communities.

• The Union Government has reconstituted the Hindi Advisory Committee for the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.

• NPCI BHIM Services Limited (NBSL), a subsidiary of National Payments Corporation of India, appointed Indian cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni as the brand ambassador for the BHIM Payments Application (App).

• Atanu Chakraborty resigned as part-time chairman and independent director of HDFC Bank with immediate effect, citing ethical concerns.

• City Union Bank (CUB), a private sector bank headquartered in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, has appointed cricketer Ravindra Jadeja as its primary Brand Ambassador.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : ENVIRONMENT

• Roopkund Lake is located in the Himalayas of Uttarakhand at an altitude of about 5,020 metres, in the Chamoli district.

• Researchers from Gauhati University discovered a new plant species, Osbeckia zubeengargiana, in the grassland ecosystems of Manas National Park, a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site in Assam.

• Scientists in West Bengal have discovered a new estuarine fish species named “Butis bargabhimae”, enhancing India’s aquatic biodiversity.

• The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has announced the discovery of two new species of lichen moths, namely “Caulocerahollowayi” and “Asura buxa”, from the Eastern Himalayas.

• Researchers from Christ College and Mahatma Gandhi University discovered a new earthworm species named “Drawida vazhania” in the Vazhani Dam area of Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary, Thrissur district, Kerala.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : PERSON IN NEWS

• Arpita Patra, Professor at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, successfully summited Nevado Ojos del Salado, the world’s highest volcanic peak and tallest mountain in Chile.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING AND INDEX

• The Hurun Global Rich List 2026 reported over 4,020 billionaires globally, with 578 new billionaires added in one year.

• Tamil Nadu became the leading textile exporting state in Financial Year 2024–25, surpassing Gujarat and Maharashtra.

• The latest Forbes list of youngest billionaires 2026 highlights 35 billionaires under 30 with a combined wealth of $92.4 billion.

• The World Happiness Report 2026, released by the Wellbeing Research Centre, ranked Finland as the happiest country globally for the 9th consecutive year.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced that Van Allen Probe A made its final re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere after nearly 14 years in orbit.

• IRNSS-1F, a satellite of India’s NavIC navigation system, stopped providing Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) services after its last operational atomic clock failed, completing its 10-year design life.

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted a sea-level hot test of the Cryogenic Engine (CE20) at 22-tonne thrust at the ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu.

• Technology Hub (T-Hub), India’s largest startup incubator based in Hyderabad, Telangana, has entered into a strategic partnership with the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) to enhance collaboration between Indian and Japanese deep-tech startups.

• The National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCB), under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoC&I), partnered with TraceXero Technologies Private Limited, an Indian technology startup, to support Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) technologies in the cement sector.

• 22 institutions from NorthEast (NE) India, led by IIT-Guwahati, Assam, and Japan’s Gifu University signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) to establish the North East Region (NER)-Japan International Academic and Research Consortium.

• Netflix has launched Eyeline Studios, its global production and innovation studio, in Hyderabad, strengthening India’s Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics (AVGC) ecosystem.

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is expanding student participation in space missions, allowing students to design satellites and develop payloads under mentorship programs.

• The National Quantum Mission has approved the establishment of quantum teaching laboratories in 23 academic institutions across India, with 100 more under consideration, to support advanced research and training in emerging quantum technologies.

• Gujarat achieved a major milestone in the space sector with the successful launch of its first sounding rocket at Bavaliyari village near Dholera, marking its entry into India’s private space technology ecosystem.

• Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) signed a binding long-term Supply and Purchase Agreement (SPA) with Samsung C&T Corporation for the supply of green ammonia over a 15-year period starting from the second half of FY2028-29.

• India achieved a technological milestone with the successful testing of an indigenously developed Floating LiDAR Buoy System by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) off the coast of Muttom, Tamil Nadu.

• Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT Guwahati) developed an advanced material capable of producing hydrogen fuel via water electrolysis and enabling solar-powered desalination, addressing clean energy generation and access to safe drinking water

• Shipping Corporation of India signed a shipbuilding contract with Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited for a 3,000 Deadweight Tonnage (DWT) Platform Supply Vessel (PSV).

• The ICAR–Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has launched a deep-sea expedition in the Arabian Sea to study seamount fisheries.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE NEWS

• The Indian Naval Sail Training Ship INS Sudarshini arrived at the port of Valletta, Malta as part of its transoceanic expedition “Lokayan-26.”

• INS Trikand concluded her port call at Port Louis, Mauritius.

• The Indian Navy is participating in Exercise Sea Dragon 2026, a United States Navy-led multinational anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise held in Guam throughout March 2026.

• Sagar Defence Engineering Private Limited laid the foundation stone for the world’s first Autonomous Maritime Shipbuilding and Systems Centre at Juvvaladinne Fishing Harbour, Nellore district, Andhra Pradesh (AP).

• The keel laying ceremony of Yard 16402 & 16403, the second and third ships of six Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs), was held at M/s YMPL, Ratnagiri.

 CURRENT AFFAIRS : ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

• Lila Global has acquired Lila Jamnagar, a 298,997 deadweight tonne (DWT) Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC), marking the first Indian-flagged VLCC structured through GIFT City International Financial Services Centre (IFSC).

• The Reserve Bank of India approved an investment of around ₹4,385 crore by Bain Capital in Manappuram Finance Limited (MFL) and its subsidiaries.

 CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOUS AND AGREEMENT

• The All India Institute of Medical Sciences and the Indian Space Research Organisation signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen medical research related to human spaceflight and develop healthcare solutions for astronauts involved in future Indian space missions.

• The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) and the Indo Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during the India–Canada Business Roundtable held in New Delhi.

• The Himachal Pradesh Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Dairy Development Board to strengthen the dairy sector in the state.

• India has started the process of signing Terms of Reference to begin trade negotiations with the Philippines and Maldives, according to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

• The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Coalition of the Willing in New Delhi to strengthen empowerment and opportunities for persons with hearing impairment.

• The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) partnered with YouTube to introduce a new digital streaming format for the FIFA World Cup 2026.

• India and Vietnam enhanced cooperation in tribal and ethnic development following a high-level ministerial meeting held in New Delhi.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

• International cricketers Javon Searles, Trevon Griffith, and Chitranjan Rathod have been provisionally suspended in connection with the Bim10 corruption case.

• India delivered an outstanding performance at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix 2026 held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi.

• India finished with a total of five medals at the World Boxing Futures Cup 2026, securing one gold, three silver and one bronze medal.

• The BCCI Naman Awards 2026 were held in New Delhi, celebrating achievements and contributions to Indian cricket.

• The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) postponed its decision on a proposed rule to ban government officials from attending major sporting events.

 CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARIES

• Kushal Das, former General Secretary of All India Football Federation (AIFF), passed away in New Delhi at the age of 66.