Reports and Indices Current Affairs MCQs

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Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai improved their ranks in the QS Best Student Cities 2026 released by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). Seoul, Tokyo and London are the top three globally. Delhi ranked 104th, climbing 7 spots, and emerged as the world’s most affordable student city. India saw 390% rise in universities featured in QS rankings in 10 years.

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The World Bank recently released the ‘Global Findex 2025’ report highlighting global progress in digital and financial inclusion. India’s account ownership stands at or near 90 percent, showing major financial inclusion gains. However, 16 percent of Indian account holders have inactive accounts, compared to 4 percent in other low- and middle-income countries. Between 2021 and 2024, the number of men and women with only inactive accounts in India declined. High device cost and poor mobile network coverage remain key barriers to mobile phone ownership in India.

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The World Bank recently released the report “Towards Resilient and Prosperous Cities in India” in collaboration with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. It studied 24 Indian cities with a focus on Chennai, Indore, New Delhi, Lucknow, Surat, and Thiruvananthapuram. By 2030, 70% of new jobs in India are expected to come from cities, showing strong urban growth potential. India’s urban population may nearly double to 951 million by 2050, needing over 144 million new homes by 2070. Smart investments can prevent 5 billion in flood damage annually by 2030 and save 30 billion by 2070.

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India has recently jumped eight places to rank 77th on the Henley Passport Index 2025, up from 85th in 2024. The number of visa-free countries for Indian passport holders has slightly increased to 59 from 57. The Philippines and Sri Lanka are the two new visa-free additions for Indian citizens. The Henley Passport Index ranks passports based on the number of destinations accessible without a prior visa. The data is compiled using statistics from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Singapore holds the top spot globally with visa-free access to 193 out of 227 locations.

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Bengaluru topped in India in the 2025 Global Artificial Intelligence (AI) City Index, ranked 26th globally. It is the top AI hub in India, known for AI Research and Development (R&D) and data centers. Bengaluru attracts major foreign investment due to its strong startup ecosystem. Other top Indian cities include Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, and Kolkata. Indian cities need a clear AI roadmap and strong regulations to grow further. Globally, Singapore ranked 1st, followed by Seoul, Beijing, Dubai, and San Francisco. The 2025 Global Artificial Intelligence (AI) City Index is released by Counterpoint Research, a global technology market research firm.

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NITI Aayog released a report titled ‘Unlocking a $200 Billion Opportunity: Electric Vehicles in India’ to accelerate India’s electric mobility shift. India aims for 30% electric vehicle (EV) share in total vehicle sales by 2030. EV sales in India rose from 50,000 in 2016 to 2.08 million in 2024. In contrast, global EV sales rose from 918,000 in 2016 to 18.78 million in 2024. India’s EV penetration grew from one-fifth of global levels in 2020 to over two-fifth in 2024, showing steady progress. The report was based on 7 stakeholder consultations held at NITI Aayog. It highlights key challenges, strategic unlocks, and next steps to fast-track EV adoption.

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The 2025 Global Peace Index (GPI) was released by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), highlighting the world’s most peaceful countries. Iceland ranked first for the 18th consecutive year due to low crime, minimal militarisation, and strong community trust. Ireland secured second place, transforming from past conflicts through neutral military policies and strong social welfare. New Zealand rose to third, aided by strict gun laws, low terrorism, and Mori-rooted community spirit. India ranked 115th, facing challenges like regional disputes, urban crime, and internal tensions. The GPI highlights that India still needs to improve governance, social trust, and conflict resolution to achieve higher peace levels.

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Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-Madras) ranked first in the overall National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025. Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, secured second position, followed by IIT-Mumbai at third. IIT-Madras also topped in Innovation and Best Engineering Institution categories. IISc Bengaluru was ranked as the Best University, followed by Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Manipal Academy of Higher Education. Rankings cover 17 categories based on teaching, research, graduation outcomes, outreach, and perception. The NIRF 2025 reflects stable growth in India’s higher education sector with emphasis on transparency and quality.

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Swachh Vayu Survekshan (SVS) 2025 is an annual survey by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) under National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). It evaluates 130 cities on eight parameters like road dust, solid waste, vehicular and industrial emissions, construction and demolition (C&D) waste, public awareness, and particulate matter reduction. Indore topped million-plus-population cities, followed by Jabalpur and Agra/Surat. Navi Mumbai ranked 4th, Kanpur 5th, Bhopal 6th, Delhi 32nd, Bengaluru 36th, Kolkata 38th, and Chennai 41st. In 3–10 lakh category, Amravati ranked first; in under 3 lakh category, Dewas ranked first. PM10 levels reduced in 103 cities, with Mumbai showing the highest decline (44%), followed by Kolkata (37%), Hyderabad and Bengaluru (26%), Delhi (15%), and Chennai (12%).

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Recently, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released the State of Global Water Resources 2024 report on 19 September 2025. It warns that the global water cycle is becoming highly erratic, swinging between floods and droughts. 2024 marked the third straight year of glacier loss worldwide. Many small-glacier regions have reached or are nearing “Peak Water Point,” after which runoff will decline due to glacier shrinkage. Two-thirds of global river basins had abnormal water levels, with only one-third showing normal conditions for the sixth consecutive year. The report calls for stronger global data sharing and investments to close monitoring gaps. Currently, 3.6 billion people lack adequate water at least one month per year, projected to rise to over 5 billion by 2050.