Why it is in the news
On 30 September 2026, the India Meteorological Department (IMD), led by Director-General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, closed the June–September southwest monsoon season at 759.4 mm against a Long Period Average (LPA) of 868.6 mm — 87% of LPA, a shortfall of 12.6%. It is the lowest seasonal total since 2015, the fourth-lowest since 2001 and the 13th-lowest since 1901.
The exam angle
Issue: A national deficit of 12.6% hides a regional failure in the east and the south. Is India's monsoon management — forecasting, contingency planning and water storage — calibrated to the region and the month, or still to the all-India season?