Nobel Prize in Economics announced; Jantar Mantar removed as protest site

In a significant development, Delhi Police on October 12, 2026, removed Jantar Mantar from its list of designated protest sites, citing recommendations from a Union Home Ministry committee. This decision comes amidst an ongoing protest by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at the location.

Meanwhile, the 2026 Nobel Prize in Economics was awarded to Robert E. Hall and Michael Woodford for their contributions to the “microeconomic foundations of macroeconomic stabilisation.” Other key announcements include UNICEF India naming Smriti Mandhana as its celebrity advocate and the Kerala Assembly passing a resolution seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Jantar Mantar Denotified as Protest Site

Delhi Police officially removed Jantar Mantar from the list of designated protest sites on October 12, 2026. The decision was based on recommendations from a committee constituted by the Union Home Ministry. Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground, and CBD Ground in East Delhi have been named as alternative venues for protests.

This move follows an ongoing protest by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar, which began on October 2, 2026, despite denied permission, with a second phase of protests starting on October 10. The CJP and other opposition parties have been demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the cancellation or suspension of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Nobel Prize in Economics and Other National Updates

Robert E. Hall and Michael Woodford were jointly awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Economics for their contributions to the “microeconomic foundations of macroeconomic stabilisation.” This announcement was made on October 12, 2026. In other national news, UNICEF India named Smriti Mandhana, an India batter, as its celebrity advocate. Mandhana recently assumed the India captaincy after Harmanpreet Kaur stepped down from the role.

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project achieved a significant milestone by completing the installation of all 14 portal beams over the Delhi-Mumbai Rajdhani railway line in Vadodara, Gujarat. This development clears a major obstruction for the construction of the elevated track. In addition, SpaceX owner Elon Musk has pledged to provide affordable Starlink satellite internet services across India, aiming to compete with Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio, which is targeting a $106 billion valuation for its upcoming IPO. Both Starlink and Jio’s satellite internet services are currently awaiting final security clearances to launch in India.

Kerala Assembly Seeks CEC Removal and IIT Bombay Counsellor Recruitment

The Kerala Assembly passed a resolution seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. The resolution cites alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The Assembly has demanded that the panel in charge of selecting election commissioners include the Prime Minister, the Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition, and the Chief Justice of India.

Gyanesh Kumar, who became the 26th Chief Election Commissioner of India on February 19, 2025, was the first CEC appointed under the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023. The 2025–2026 SIR of electoral rolls began in Bihar in June 2025 and was extended to other states. Reports in September 2026 indicated that over 71% of deleted names were classified as ‘absent, shifted or others,’ leading to criticism from opposition parties who termed these deletions as ‘vote theft.’ On October 5, 2026, the Supreme Court of India declined to suspend Kumar but issued notice to the Election Commission of India on petitions challenging the SIR decision-making process.

Separately, the Student Wellness Centre (SWC) at IIT Bombay invited applications for 30 ad hoc counsellor positions. These positions include 26 student counsellors and four senior counsellors. This initiative follows the alleged death by suicide of a second-year BTech student, Sahil Wakode.

Starlink’s India Entry and IIM Lucknow’s New MBA Program

SpaceX owner Elon Musk has promised affordable Starlink satellite internet services across India. These services aim to compete with Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio, which is targeting a valuation of $106 billion for its planned IPO. Both Starlink and Jio’s satellite internet services are currently awaiting final security clearances to launch in India.

In higher education, the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Lucknow launched an MBA programme in Family Business. The first batch for this new program is scheduled to commence in July 2027.

Around 60% of scheduled flights at Riyadh airport in Saudi Arabia are anticipated to be cancelled following attacks by Houthi forces over the weekend. These attacks resulted in the deaths of more than a dozen people, causing significant disruption to air travel in the region.

Written by Nishit Kumar

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

View all posts →

Further reading

• Delhi schools shift online, colleges postpone exams amid Jantar Mantar protest security
• CJI says Supreme Court did not approve Form 6 modifications; Nobel Prize 2026 winners announced