Reports and Indices Current Affairs MCQs

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The Madhya Pradesh Regional AI Impact Conference 2026 held in Bhopal, showcasing practical AI use cases in governance and public service delivery aligned with national AI goals. The conference was part of eight regional events being held nationwide ahead of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 scheduled in New Delhi from 16–20 February 2026. An MoU was signed to expand AI education and skilling, including the establishment of 30 Data and AI Labs in Madhya Pradesh under a national plan for 570 labs in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.

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India is ranked 16th out of 154 countries in the Responsible Nations Index (RNI) 2026, a global framework measuring how responsibly nations use power. Singapore tops the index, followed by Switzerland and Denmark. The Responsible Nations Index (RNI), launched by the World Intellectual Foundation, shifts focus from economic or military power to ethical, sustainable, and responsible governance. The index evaluates nations on three pillars: internal responsibility (citizens’ well-being), environmental responsibility, and external responsibility (global conduct).

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Abu Dhabi ranked the world’s safest city for the tenth consecutive year since 2017. The ranking was released by Numbeo, a global cost of living and quality of life database. The achievement highlights Abu Dhabi’s strong security, stability, and high quality of life. It strengthens the emirate’s image as a top destination for living, working, and investment.

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NITI Aayog released the report “Roadmap for Green Transition of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)” aligned with Viksit Bharat 2047 and net-zero by 2070. It is a 10-year action plan for 69 million MSMEs to shift towards low-carbon growth. The roadmap focuses on energy efficiency, green electricity, and alternative fuels. It proposes a National Project Management Agency (NPMA) for implementation and finance support. MSMEs contribute about 30% to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 45.7% to exports, employing over 250 million people. They emitted around 135 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) in 2022.

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PESA (Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas) State Rankings for 2024–25 were released. Maharashtra secured 1st position, Madhya Pradesh 2nd, and Himachal Pradesh 3rd among the 10 States with Fifth Schedule Areas. The rankings assess implementation of the PESA Act, which strengthens Gram Sabhas and Panchayats in Scheduled Areas. The rankings aim to promote Gram Sabha-centric self-governance, evidence-based policy interventions, and identify areas needing focused support. The initiative reflects a collective commitment of the Centre and States for outcome-oriented PESA implementation.

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India’s innovation ecosystem has steadily improved, climbing to 38th position in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025 from 66th in 2019, as per Economic Survey 2025-26. Government initiatives in manufacturing, research, startups, and technology have helped India emerge as a global hub for innovation and industrial development. The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme boosted domestic manufacturing, especially in smartphones, attracting global companies to India. Till September 2025, PLI investments exceeded Rs 2 lakh crore, generating additional production/sales of Rs 18.70 lakh crore and employment for 12.60 lakh people.

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India ranks 3rd in Stanford University’s 2025 Global Artificial Intelligence (AI) Vibrancy Ranking. Data infrastructure, entrepreneurship, and demography are identified as key drivers for AI adoption in India. According to the Stanford Global AI Index Report, AI skill penetration in India is 2.5 times higher than the global average across similar occupations. As per the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) AI Adoption Index, 87% of enterprises in India are actively using AI solutions. The government states that India is among the first group of AI-ready nations, progressing across applications, models, chips, infrastructure, and energy layers.

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India ranked 75th in the latest Henley Passport Index by Henley and Partners, improving 10 places from 85th in 2025. Indian passport allows visa-free travel to 56 countries, one less than last year’s 57. India shares its rank with Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Madagascar, and Mauritania. The index ranks 199 passports and 227 destinations using data from International Air Transport Association. It reflects a country’s foreign policy strength and global standing. Singapore tops the list with visa-free access to 192 countries. Japan and South Korea rank second with 187 access. Maldives ranks 49th among neighbours, while Pakistan and Afghanistan are lowest ranked.

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“Healing Soils in India: For Better Crop Health and Human Nutrition” report released by Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER). It highlights soil degradation as major threat to agriculture and nutrition security in India. Main cause is distorted fertilizer subsidy where urea (Nitrogen) gets over 80% subsidy, causing imbalance of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium. Faulty practices like monocropping, intensive tillage, rice water stagnation and stubble burning reduce soil carbon.

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The World Bank released the Women, Business and the Law 2026 report highlighting a major gap between laws for women’s equality and their real implementation. The Women, Business and the Law 2026 report is the 11th annual study covering 190 economies and uses the Women, Business and the Law 2.0 framework. It evaluates three pillars: Legal Frameworks, Supportive Frameworks, and Enforcement Perceptions. The global average score is 67.9 for legal frameworks, but only 47.3 for supportive systems and 53.4 for enforcement. Safety is the weakest area, with enforcement failing nearly 80 percent of the time and only one-third required safety laws in place.