In short: Today’s Prelims current affairs cover the CoBRA base in Bastar and the Naxal-free milestone, the Green Diwali campaign and NCAP, the Labour Codes, Sherathang and Nathu La, the Second Tour of Duty for Agniveers and the new criminal laws, with static links, a quick revision table and practice MCQs. Diwali made 8 November a thin day for releases, so two items from 7 November are included.
CoBRA Operations Base at Karanpur, Bastar
Why in news: The Prime Minister celebrated Diwali with security forces at the CoBRA Operations Base at Karanpur in Bastar and said every district of India is now free of Naxalism.
- The base: It served as the training base and launch pad for counter-Naxal operations in Bastar and Abujhmad.
- Milestone: For the first time in 47 years, no CRPF jawan lost his life on duty in the past year, according to the PM.
- Development: Over 15,000 km of roads and over 9,500 mobile towers were built in LWE areas, the PM said.
Source: PIB (Prime Minister’s Office), 8 Nov 2026 · GS Paper 3 / Internal security
Prelims angle: CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) is a jungle warfare unit of the CRPF; Abujhmad lies mainly in Narayanpur district of Chhattisgarh.
Green Diwali Campaign 2026 under Mission LiFE
Why in news: WWF-India’s EIACP centre, supported by the Environment Ministry, appealed to Delhi-NCR residents to take the Green Diwali Pledge and celebrate without firecrackers.
- Campaign: It ran from 20 October to 8 November 2026 under Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment).
- Focus: The 130 cities covered under the National Clean Air Programme in 24 States and UTs.
- Tools: Citizens were asked to follow daily AQI on the CPCB’s SAMEER app and limit outdoor exposure on poor air days.
Source: PIB (Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change), 8 Nov 2026 · GS Paper 3 / Environment
Prelims angle: NCAP was launched in January 2019; Mission LiFE was launched in October 2022; EIACP is the Environmental Information, Awareness, Capacity Building and Livelihood Programme.
Shram Samvad on the Labour Codes at Dewas
Why in news: The Labour Ministry and the Madhya Pradesh Labour Department held “Shram Samvad”, a district-level awareness programme on the Labour Codes, at Dewas.
- Aim: To explain employer obligations under the four Labour Codes and the Central Rules made under them.
- Schemes explained: Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PMVBRY) by the EPFO and PM Shram Yogi Maandhan (PM-SYM) by DGLW.
- Material: A Handbook of Compliance for Employers and a compilation of FAQs were shared.
Source: PIB (Ministry of Labour and Employment), 8 Nov 2026 · GS Paper 3 / Economy; GS Paper 2 / Welfare
Prelims angle: The four Labour Codes cover wages, industrial relations, social security and occupational safety; together they replaced 29 central labour laws.
Raksha Mantri at Sherathang, Sikkim
Why in news: The Raksha Mantri celebrated Deepawali with soldiers of the Trishakti Corps in forward areas of Sikkim and paid homage at the Sherathang War Memorial and the Baba Harbhajan Singh Memorial.
- Location: Sherathang lies in East Sikkim on the route to Nathu La on the India-China border.
- Formation: The Trishakti Corps (33 Corps) is headquartered at Sukna in West Bengal.
- National War Memorial: About 26,000 names of fallen soldiers are inscribed there, the Raksha Mantri said.
Source: PIB (Ministry of Defence), 8 Nov 2026 · GS Paper 3 / Border security
Prelims angle: Nathu La connects Sikkim with Tibet’s Chumbi Valley; it is a border trade point and a route for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.
Second Tour of Duty for Agniveers
Why in news: Speaking at Air Force Station Bagdogra on 7 November, the Raksha Mantri described the Cabinet’s approval of a “Second Tour of Duty” for Agniveers as a Diwali gift.
- What it offers: Agniveers will get an opportunity to enrol as regular soldiers after their engagement period.
- Conditions: Enrolment depends on the Agniveer’s willingness and on meeting the selection criteria.
- Threats: He asked the forces to focus on domain awareness, cyber resilience and information integrity.
Source: PIB (Ministry of Defence), 7 Nov 2026 · GS Paper 3 / Defence
Prelims angle: The Agnipath scheme for recruitment below officer rank was launched in June 2022; Agniveers are recruited for a fixed term.
Gujarat Security Review and the New Criminal Laws
Why in news: The Union Home Minister reviewed internal security in Gujarat on 7 November and noted fast chargesheeting under the new criminal laws.
- Chargesheets: 92% were filed within 60 days and 86% within 90 days in Gujarat.
- Coast: Surveillance along the nearly 2,340-km coastline is to be strengthened through BSF, police, Coast Guard and central agencies.
- Other directions: Clear more than 25,000 pending forensic cases and strengthen the 1930 cybercrime helpline.
Source: PIB (Ministry of Home Affairs), 7 Nov 2026 · GS Paper 2 / Criminal justice; GS Paper 3 / Security
Prelims angle: The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam came into force on 1 July 2024.
Quick Revision Table
| Item | Key fact to remember | Subject |
|---|---|---|
| CoBRA | CRPF jungle warfare unit; Karanpur base, Bastar | Security |
| Green Diwali / NCAP | 130 NCAP cities; Mission LiFE; SAMEER app | Environment |
| Labour Codes | Four codes; replaced 29 central laws | Economy / Polity |
| Sherathang / Nathu La | East Sikkim; 33 Corps (Sukna) | Geography / Defence |
| Agnipath | Second Tour of Duty; launched June 2022 | Defence |
| New criminal laws | BNS, BNSS, BSA from 1 July 2024 | Polity |
Practice MCQs
Q1. CoBRA, recently in the news in the context of Bastar, is a specialised unit of which force?
- Border Security Force
- Central Reserve Police Force
- Indo-Tibetan Border Police
- National Security Guard
Show answer
Answer: (b) CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) is the CRPF’s specialised jungle warfare unit used in counter-LWE operations.
Q2. With reference to the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), consider the following statements:
1. It was launched in 2019.
2. It covers 130 cities in 24 States and UTs.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Answer: (c) Both statements are correct: NCAP was launched in January 2019 and now covers 130 cities across 24 States and UTs.
Q3. Which of the following is NOT one of the four Labour Codes?
- Code on Wages
- Code on Social Security
- Industrial Relations Code
- Code on Minimum Support Price
Show answer
Answer: (d) The four Labour Codes are the Code on Wages, the Industrial Relations Code, the Code on Social Security and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code.
Q4. Nathu La, near which the Sherathang War Memorial is located, connects Sikkim with:
- Kumaon
- The Chumbi Valley of Tibet
- The Ladakh plateau
- The Kabaw Valley
Show answer
Answer: (b) Nathu La in East Sikkim links India with the Chumbi Valley of Tibet and is used for border trade.
Q5. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam came into force on:
- 26 January 2024
- 1 April 2024
- 1 July 2024
- 15 August 2024
Show answer
Answer: (c) The three new criminal laws replaced the IPC, CrPC and Indian Evidence Act on 1 July 2024.
FAQs
What are the important Prelims current affairs of 8 November 2026?
The key Prelims topics of 8 November 2026 are the CoBRA base at Bastar and the Naxal-free milestone, the Green Diwali campaign and NCAP, the Labour Codes, Sherathang and Nathu La, the Second Tour of Duty for Agniveers and the new criminal laws.
What is CoBRA?
CoBRA, the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action, is a specialised jungle warfare unit of the CRPF that has led counter-Naxal operations in areas such as Bastar.
What is the National Clean Air Programme?
NCAP is the Environment Ministry’s national programme, launched in January 2019, to reduce particulate pollution in 130 cities across 24 States and Union Territories.
What are the four Labour Codes?
They are the Code on Wages, the Industrial Relations Code, the Code on Social Security and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, which together replaced 29 central laws.
हिंदी सारांश
8 नवंबर 2026 के प्रारंभिक परीक्षा करंट अफ़ेयर्स में प्रधानमंत्री की बस्तर के करणपुर स्थित CoBRA बेस यात्रा प्रमुख है, जहाँ उन्होंने कहा कि देश का हर जिला नक्सलवाद से मुक्त है। मिशन LiFE के तहत ग्रीन दिवाली अभियान में राष्ट्रीय स्वच्छ वायु कार्यक्रम के 130 शहरों पर ध्यान दिया गया। देवास में श्रम संहिताओं पर श्रम संवाद हुआ। रक्षा मंत्री ने सिक्किम के शेराथांग में सैनिकों के साथ दीपावली मनाई और अग्निवीरों के लिए सेकंड टूर ऑफ ड्यूटी का उल्लेख किया। गृह मंत्री ने गुजरात में नए आपराधिक क़ानूनों की प्रगति की समीक्षा की।
Sources: PIB release 2334133; PIB release 2334104; PIB release 2334064; PIB release 2334114; PIB release 2333922; PIB release 2334016.
Related reading on GSMitra: UPSC Prelims Current Affairs 7 November 2026, Left Wing Extremism and Naxal-Free India Explained, PIB News Today for UPSC: 8 November 2026.
Revise this topic with a custom test in the GSMitra MCQ Test Builder, or get your Mains answers on it evaluated 1:1 through GSMitra mentorship. Prefer to talk first? Book a free consultation on WhatsApp.