Reports and Indices Current Affairs MCQs

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The Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2025 report, published by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), shows a 45% surge in terrorism-related deaths in Pakistan in 2024. Pakistan is now the second-most terrorism-affected country, moving up from fourth place. Terrorism deaths rose from 748 in 2023 to 1,081 in 2024, marking one of the highest global increases. Terrorist attacks more than doubled, from 517 in 2023 to 1,099 in 2024, crossing 1,000 for the first time. A recent attack on Bannu Cantonment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa killed five soldiers and 13 civilians. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) intensified operations, linked to the Afghan Taliban’s rise in Kabul.

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The Financial Stability Report 2024 released by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) highlights rising household debt, increasing from 36.6% of GDP in 2021 to 42.9% in 2024. Although lower than in other emerging economies, the rising debt-to-GDP ratio signals potential economic risks. A shift from borrowing for assets like homes to borrowing for consumption is seen, especially among lower-income groups. More loans are being taken by prime and super-prime borrowers for asset creation, while sub-prime borrowers use loans for consumption. Lower-income households are increasingly relying on credit cards and personal loans for daily expenses, leading to financial stress.

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The National Housing Bank (NHB) released the “Report on Trends and Progress of Housing in India, 2024” under Section 42 of the NHB Act, 1987. The report covers housing trends, price movements, government schemes, and the role of lending institutions. As of September 2024, Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and Low-Income Groups (LIG) hold 39% of housing loans, Middle-Income Groups (MIG) have 44%, and High-Income Groups (HIG) hold 17%. The Housing Price Index (NHB-RESIDEX) rose by 6.8% year-on-year. The report highlights regional credit disparities, climate risks, and growth opportunities through technology and digitization.

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Finland is the happiest country in the world for the eighth consecutive year, as per the World Happiness Report 2025. Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden rank second, third, and fourth, respectively. Rankings are based on people’s self-assessment of their lives, in a study by the Wellbeing Research Centre, University of Oxford, in partnership with Gallup and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. India ranks 118th overall but performs well in benevolence measures: 10th in volunteering, 57th in donations, and 74th in helping strangers. Afghanistan is the unhappiest country (147th), while Nepal (92nd) and Pakistan (109th) rank ahead of India.

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The Fiscal Health Index (FHI) by NITI Aayog assesses the fiscal health of Indian states. It covers 18 major states that contribute significantly to India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), public expenditure, revenue, and fiscal stability. Odisha ranks first in the index, followed by Chhattisgarh, Goa, Jharkhand, and Gujarat. As states handle two-thirds of public spending and one-third of total revenue, their fiscal health is crucial for national economic stability. The index uses data from the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) for the financial year 2022-23 to compare and benchmark fiscal performance. It helps policymakers make informed decisions to improve fiscal sustainability and resilience. The index evaluates tax buoyancy, which measures how responsive a state’s tax revenue is to its Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) growth. It assesses revenue generation, including own tax and non-tax receipts.

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India ranked 36th out of 170 countries in the 2025 Technology and Innovation Report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), improving from 48th in 2022. The Readiness for Frontier Technologies Index includes Information and Communication Technology (ICT), skills, Research and Development (R&D), industrial capacity, and finance access. The report shows countries like India, Brazil, China, and the Philippines are doing well despite lower incomes, and must adapt fast to tech changes.

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Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the 26th edition of “Women and Men in India 2024: Selected Indicators and Data”. The report gives gender-based data on population, education, health, economic participation, and decision-making using official sources. Gender Parity Index (GPI) remains high in primary and higher secondary levels, while upper primary and elementary levels show near parity. Labour Participation Rate (LPFR) for ages 15+ improved from 49.8% in 2017–18 to 60.1% in 2023–24. Women own 39.2% of bank accounts and contribute 39.7% of deposits; rural women hold 42.2% of all accounts. DEMAT accounts grew from 33.26 million in 2021 to 143.02 million in 2024, showing rising stock market participation. Female DEMAT accounts increased from 6.67 million to 27.71 million, while male accounts rose from 26.59 million to 115.31 million. There is a steady rise in female-headed proprietary establishments in manufacturing, trade, and services. In 2024, female voter turnout surpassed male turnout, narrowing the gender gap in voting.

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India launched its first Digital Threat Report 2024 to boost cybersecurity in the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) sector under the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav initiative. The report was released by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and developed by Computer Emergency Response Team – India (CERT-In), Cyber Security Incident Response Team – Financial Sector (CSIRT-Fin), and global cybersecurity firm SISA. It identifies key sector-wide security gaps, emerging cyber risks, and adversarial tactics threatening India’s financial systems.

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The Ministry of Panchayati Raj launched the Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) to measure the development of over 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats (GPs) in line with Localized Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs). Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) assesses progress across nine themes like poverty-free, healthy, child-friendly, water-sufficient, clean and green, women-friendly, and well-governed Panchayats. Gujarat leads with 346 Front Runner Gram Panchayats, followed by Telangana with 270. Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) 2022–23 shows 699 GPs as Front Runners, 77,298 as Performers, 1,32,392 as Aspirants, and 5,896 at Beginner level. The Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) uses 435 indicators aligned with the National Indicator Framework (NIF) by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).

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In the India Skills Report 2025, Uttar Pradesh ranked first in mathematical skills and computer proficiency. 80% of youth across India are skilled in maths and computers, with Uttar Pradesh ahead of Andhra Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh also topped in critical thinking, followed by Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. In English proficiency, Maharashtra is first, Karnataka second, and Uttar Pradesh third. These results are based on the Global Employability Test (GATE), which assesses job-ready skills worldwide. In total employment, Maharashtra ranks first (84%), followed by Delhi, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Uttar Pradesh (70%).