Reports and Indices Current Affairs MCQs

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The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released the “Trend and Progress of Banking in India 2023-24” report. The report highlights the banking sector’s performance. Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) showed improved profitability for the sixth consecutive year, with a 13-year low in Gross NPAs at 2.5%. The Capital-to-Risk-Weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR) for SCBs stood at 16.8%, exceeding regulatory requirements. Urban Co-operative Banks saw expansion, with improved asset quality. Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) reported double-digit credit growth and reduced GNPA to 3.4%. Technological advancements like Unified Lending Interface (ULI) and Open Credit Enablement Network (OCEN) aim to improve credit access. The report highlights rising banking frauds, with cases surging to ₹21,367 crore in 2024.

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The Confederation of Indian Industry released a ‘Industry 4.0 adoption and strategic roadmap for Indian manufacturing Report’. Industry 4.0 refers to smart, connected production systems that interact with the physical world. Automotive, electronics, and pharmaceuticals are leading in adoption, while textiles, metals, and mining face challenges. Key drivers for Industry 4.0 in India include workforce up-skilling, digital infrastructure, and sustainability to meet global green manufacturing standards.

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Total student enrollment dropped by over a crore in 2023-24, according to Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) report. The ‘UDISE Plus’ Report was recently released by the Ministry of Education. UDISE+ is a large data system covering 14.72 lakh schools, 98.08 lakh teachers, and 24.8 crore students. It is an online portal managed by the Ministry of Education for school data on enrollment, infrastructure, and teachers. Boys’ enrollment fell by 4.87%, and girls’ by 4.48% from 2018-19 to 2023-24. States like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra saw significant enrollment drops.

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The Union Minister of Commerce & Industry released the 6th edition of the “Logistics Ease Across Different States (LEADS) 2024” report in New Delhi. It was initiated in 2018 by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry. LEADS 2024 evaluates logistics performance across four pillars: Infrastructure, Services, Operating Environment, and Sustainable Logistics. The report highlights initiatives by States and UTs and identifies region-specific opportunities. It aims to enable informed decision-making and improve logistics efficiency nationwide.

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The Union Minister of Jal Shakti released the Dynamic Ground Water Resource Assessment Report for 2024. The total annual groundwater recharge in India is 446.90 Billion Cubic Meter (BCM), with 406.19 BCM being extractable. The country’s groundwater extraction is 245.64 BCM, with an average extraction rate of 60.47%. Out of 6746 assessment units, 73.4% are categorized as ‘Safe’, while 11.1% are ‘Over-exploited’. Groundwater recharge has increased by 15 BCM since 2017, and extraction has decreased by 3 BCM. Recharge from tanks, ponds, and water conservation structures has significantly improved.

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Cabo Verde, an archipelago off West Africa, needs to invest $842 million from 2024-2030 ($140 million per year) to tackle climate and development challenges. The World Bank’s report, Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) 2025, launched on January 15, 2025, outlines these needs for enhancing climate resilience and sustainable development. World Bank released the Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) 2025. The CCDRs aim to integrate climate change considerations into development planning. These reports utilize extensive data and research to identify key climate vulnerabilities and potential pathways for action.

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International Labour Organisation (ILO) has released the World Employment and Social Outlook Report for 2025. The report highlights ongoing global labor market struggles due to geopolitical tensions, climate change costs, and unresolved debt issues. The global jobs gap in 2024 was 402 million, including 186 million unemployed, 137 million temporarily unavailable, and 79 million discouraged workers. The global unemployment rate stood at 5%, with youth unemployment at 12.6%. Low-income countries face challenges creating decent jobs, with informal work returning to pre-pandemic levels. Labour force participation declined in low-income nations but increased among older workers and women in high-income countries, though gender gaps persist.

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The World Economic Forum released the Global Risk Report, first published in 2006, categorizing extreme weather as an “environmental risk.” The 2024-2025 report is based on the Global Risks Perception Survey (GRPS) and assesses risks over short-term (1-2 years) and long-term (10 years) periods. Short-term risks include misinformation, extreme weather events, and state-based armed conflict. Long-term risks include extreme weather events, biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse, and critical earth system changes. Four key spheres shaping global risks are technological, geostrategic, climatic, and demographic, expected to intensify. The report highlights addressing short-lived climate pollutants like black carbon, methane, and hydrofluorocarbons.

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Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has published the report on Sustainable Nitrogen Management in Agrifood systems. The report highlights the challenges of nitrogen use in agrifood systems. Humans add 150 teragrams (Tg) of reactive nitrogen annually through agriculture and industry, with climate change possibly increasing this to 600 Tg by 2100. Nitrogen loss occurs through ammonia, nitrogen oxides, nitrous oxide emissions, and nitrate leaching, harming ecosystems and contributing to air pollution. Livestock sectors, synthetic fertilizers, land-use changes, and manure emissions are key nitrogen polluters. Judicious nitrogen use boosts crop yields, while excess use worsens global warming and environmental degradation.

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The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released findings from the second Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES). The survey collects data on household spending on goods and services. It helps assess economic well-being, update the Consumer Price Index, and measure poverty and inequality. The Monthly Per Capita Consumption Expenditure (MPCE) is the main indicator for analysis. Urban-rural consumption differences declined in 2023-24 across major states. MPCE increased for all household types in both rural and urban areas. Kerala has the lowest urban-rural MPCE gap, followed by Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, and Bihar. Consumption inequality declined across almost all major states. The Gini coefficient fell to 0.237 (rural) and 0.284 (urban) in 2023-24.