Current Affairs Today — April 30, 2026

Today’s Top Stories

1. Exit Poll Analysis — BJP May Win Bengal for First Time; DMK Retains TN; UDF Returns in Kerala

Exit polls released on April 29 evening (after 6:30 PM) project dramatic outcomes for all five 2026 state elections. Key predictions (remember: exit polls are not results; actual counting is May 4):

West Bengal (294 seats; majority: 148): Most exit polls predict BJP winning 146–161 seats — a potential historic first. TMC predicted at 125–140 seats. One outlier poll (People’s Pulse) projects TMC 177-187. The “poll of polls” aggregate gives BJP a narrow majority. Mamata Banerjee (Bhawanipur) and Suvendu Adhikari (Nandigram) results will be bellwether seats.

Tamil Nadu (234 seats; majority: 118): DMK+ projected 125-145 seats — comfortable majority. TVK (Vijay’s party) predicted to win seats in at least two exit polls — a potential breakthrough for the third force. AIADMK-NDA range: 75-100 seats.

Kerala (140 seats; majority: 71): UDF (Congress-led) projected 78-90 seats — majority. LDF 49-62. If correct, LDF’s historic 2021 consecutive win was a one-election exception.

Assam (126 seats; majority: 64): BJP-led NDA projected 88-100 seats — third consecutive term. Congress 24-36 seats.

Puducherry (30 seats; majority: 16): NDA-AINRC alliance projected ahead. | GS2

2. ICSE Class 10 and ISC Class 12 Results 2026 Declared

The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) declared both ICSE (Class 10) and ISC (Class 12) results on April 30, 2026. Students can check results at results.cisce.org and digilocker.gov.in. Overall pass percentage has improved from 2025 levels. CISCE operates under an affiliation model, conducting one of India’s three major national-level school examinations alongside CBSE and NIOS. | GS2

3. Buddha Purnima Eve — Pilgrims Gather at Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar

On the eve of Buddha Purnima (May 1, 2026), lakhs of pilgrims from India, Sri Lanka, Japan, Thailand, Myanmar, South Korea, and Mongolia have gathered at Bodh Gaya (Bihar), Sarnath (UP), and Kushinagar (UP). PM Modi will address the nation on Buddha Purnima with a focus on peace, non-violence, and India’s Buddhist heritage. The Buddhist circuit is a key element of India’s soft power in South and Southeast Asia. | GS1

4. IMD Issues Pre-Monsoon Heatwave Alert for West Rajasthan

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a heatwave alert for West Rajasthan for May 1-3, with maximum temperatures expected to reach 44–48°C. Pre-monsoon heat extremes are intensifying nationally — a pattern consistent with SOE 2026’s finding that India experienced extreme weather on 331 of 334 days in 2025. Delhi-NCR is also expected to face thunderstorm activity and brief temperature relief. | GS3/Disaster

Quick Bites

• RBI April 2026 Policy (recap) — At its April 8, 2026 MPC meeting, RBI kept repo rate unchanged at 5.25% with a neutral stance. CPI inflation at ~4.2% gives the RBI room to cut later in FY27 if growth moderates. | GS3
• TVK Seat Surprise — Two exit polls predict actor Vijay’s TVK winning seats in Tamil Nadu — a significant development for Dravidian politics if confirmed on May 4. | GS2
• Bhawanipur and Nandigram — The two most-watched seats in the May 4 counting: Mamata Banerjee (Bhawanipur) and Suvendu Adhikari (Nandigram) — whoever wins both loses everything. | GS2
• West Bengal Phase 2 final turnout — WB Phase 2 final turnout came in at approximately 80.5%, somewhat above the 78.68% at 3 PM. Phase 1 remains the historic 93.19%. | GS2

Facts Corner