Reports and Indices Current Affairs MCQs

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NITI Aayog published the Fiscal Health Index (FHI) 2025. It assesses fiscal health across 18 major Indian states using five sub-indices: Quality of Expenditure, Revenue Mobilisation, Fiscal Prudence, Debt Index, and Debt Sustainability. Odisha ranked first with a score of 67.8, followed by Chhattisgarh (55.2) and Goa (53.6). Strong performers excel in revenue, expenditure, and debt management, while Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, and Kerala are the worst-performing states. Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Karnataka were categorized as “front-runners,” while Tamil Nadu, Bihar, and Haryana are “performers.”

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The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2024 report by Pratham Foundation shows improved literacy and arithmetic in rural areas after the pandemic. The percentage of Class 3 students with basic arithmetic skills increased from 25.9 percent in 2022 to 7 percent in 2024 with more progress in government schools The percentage of Class 5 students reading at Class 2 level increased to 8 percent in 2024 from 38.5 percent in 2022 The National Education Policy 2020 played a key role in strengthening foundational skills in reading and arithmetic Government school enrollment has increased along with better student and teacher attendance Technology access has expanded with 90 percent of teenagers owning smartphones but only 57 percent using them for education Pre-primary enrollment is high in states like Karnataka Gujarat and Kerala

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NITI Aayog released a policy report titled ‘Expanding Quality Higher Education through States and State Public Universities’. It provides quantitative analysis of quality, funding, governance, and employability over the past decade. 80% of India’s higher education happens in SPUs, making reforms crucial for Viksit Bharat 2047. National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 aims to double higher education enrolment to 9 crore students by 2035. The report includes 80 policy recommendations and 125 performance indicators for reforms in research, curriculum, funding, and governance.

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The International Energy Agency (IEA) released the “India Gas Market Report: Outlook to 2030.” India aims to increase natural gas share in its energy mix from 6% to 15% by 2030. Gas consumption will grow by 60%, with the City Gas Distribution (CGD) sector driving demand. CGD supplies natural gas to households, industries, and other sectors through pipelines. India produced 35 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas in 2023, with the Krishna-Godavari deepwater fields contributing 25%. India is the world’s fourth-largest Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) importer, with imports set to more than double by 2030. Compressed Biogas (CBG) potential remains largely untapped, with current capacity below 1%.

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India ranked sixth in the Climate Risk Index 2025 by Germanwatch, highlighting its climate vulnerability. It was among the 10 most affected countries by extreme weather events from 1993 to 2022. India accounted for 10% of global fatalities and 4.3% of economic losses due to such events. The country faced floods, heatwaves, and cyclones, with major floods in 1993, 1998, and 2013. Severe heatwaves occurred in 2002, 2003, and 2015. More than 400 extreme events caused $180 billion in losses and at least 80,000 deaths in India.

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The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the 2nd edition of the Time Use Survey (TUS) 2024. The National Statistics Office (NSO), MoSPI conducted the first all-India TUS in 2019. The latest survey was conducted from January to December 2024. It analyzes how Indians allocate time to employment, caregiving, and leisure. A key finding is the rise in women’s participation in paid jobs, shifting from unpaid domestic work. This trend reflects economic and social changes, impacting India’s labor market dynamics.

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India must grow at 7.8% annually until 2047 to reach high-income status, says the World Bank. World Bank released the report titled “Becoming a High-Income Economy in a Generation”. The report highlights the need for “accelerated reforms.” India’s growth averaged 7.2% in the past three years, but further policy action is required. Investment must rise to 40% of GDP by 2035, supported by ICT and physical capital. Key reforms include stronger financial regulations, easier credit for MSMEs, and simpler FDI policies. Female workforce participation should reach 55% by 2050. Growth-focused sectors include agro-processing, hospitality, transport, and care economy. Efficient land, labour, and capital allocation can boost productivity. A “business as usual” scenario would limit growth to 6.6% per year, making high-income status unattainable.

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The State of India’s Digital Economy (SIDE) Report 2025 by Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) highlights India’s digital growth. India is the 3rd-largest global economy but ranks 28th in digital user spending, showing a gap in per capita digital adoption. The CHIPS framework (Connect-Harness-Innovate-Protect-Sustain) measures digitalization across technology, economy, and society. India’s digital economy is growing twice as fast as its overall economy and may contribute 20% of GDP by 2029. India ranks 11th in AI research and 16th in AI infrastructure, while the US, China, South Korea, Singapore, and the Netherlands lead AI innovation. Overall, India ranks 8th globally in digital user economy when adjusted for economic size. ICRIER is an independent think tank researching economic growth, trade, digital economy, and climate change.

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The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has started work on its Seventh Assessment Report. It was established in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It has 195 member countries. The IPCC assesses scientific, technical, and socio-economic data on climate change, its impacts, and mitigation strategies. It provides scientific input for global climate policies but does not conduct new research. The Sixth Assessment Report was completed in 2023. IPCC reports play a key role in UN climate negotiations (UNFCCC).

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Delhi remains the most polluted capital city in the world in 2024, with an average PM2.5 concentration of 91.8 μg/m³. India ranks as the 5th most polluted country, with an average AQI of 50.6 μg/m³, 10 times higher than WHO’s guideline. 13 of the 20 most polluted cities globally are in India, with Byrnihat (Assam-Meghalaya border) being the most polluted. Other highly polluted Indian cities include Faridabad, Loni, Gurgaon, Noida, and Central Delhi. The World Air Quality Report, published by Swiss organization IQAir, analyzed PM2.5 data from 8,954 cities in 138 countries.