Reports and Indices Current Affairs MCQs

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UNESCO released the Global Education Monitoring Report 2024 at the Global Education Meeting hosted by Brazil. The report emphasizes leadership in education as crucial for achieving common goals, focusing on social influence and balancing learning outcomes with equity and inclusivity. It highlights a funding issue, with 4 in 10 countries spending less than 4% of GDP on education. 251 million children and youth remain out of school, with a small 1% reduction since 2015. Central and Southern Asia show progress in education access, but Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan have the largest out-of-school populations.

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IIT Delhi ranked 44th in QS Asia University Rankings 2025, securing the top position in India. Delhi University (DU) improved to 81st from 94th, with strong scores in faculty-student ratio and research. JNU climbed to 110th from 117th, and Jamia Millia Islamia moved up to 188th from 206th. IIT Delhi outperformed other Indian institutes, followed by IIT Bombay at 48th and IIT Madras at 56th. IIT Delhi topped the Southern Asian category, which includes universities from India and Pakistan. IIT Bombay ranked 27th in academic reputation globally among employers and academics.

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The State of the Climate 2024 report, released by World Meteorological Organization (WMO) at COP29 in Baku. It issues a Red Alert on climate change. 2024 is set to be the warmest year on record, with temperatures 1.54°C above pre-industrial levels. The past decade (2015-2024) is the warmest on record, with ocean temperatures rising rapidly. Greenhouse gas emissions reached their highest levels in 2023 and continue to rise in 2024. Glaciers are melting faster than ever, losing five times the water volume of the Dead Sea in 2023. Rising sea levels are accelerating, with a significant increase in the past two decades.

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The World Energy Employment 2024 report by the International Energy Agency highlights global energy employment surpassing broader labor market trends in 2023. Clean energy remains the main driver of job growth. In India, energy jobs account for over 8.5 million, or 1.5% of the total employment (566 million) in 2023. India’s energy sector relies heavily on informal labor. The clean energy workforce in India is expected to grow further, supported by government initiatives that promote job creation.

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The Grievance Redressal Assessment and Index (GRAI) 2023 was released by Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG). It was conceptualized by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances based on recommendations from the Parliamentary Standing Committee. The index evaluates grievance redressal mechanisms of central ministries and departments using four dimensions: efficiency, feedback, domain, and organizational commitment, with 11 indicators. Its objective is to identify strengths and areas for improvement in grievance handling. The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare ranked first, followed by the Department of Posts (Group A).

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Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Mansukh Mandaviya launched the World Bank report ‘Jobs at Your Doorstep: A Jobs Diagnostics for Young People’, covering six STARS states: Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Rajasthan. The report analyzes skills gaps, aligns school trades with local industries, and offers a roadmap to improve education and job linkages. It highlights embedding skill-based education from Classes 9-12, aligned with NEP 2020, targeting 50% skill education access by 2025. The initiative supports India’s vision to become a global skills hub and achieve high-income status by 2047 through market-linked, inclusive skill development.

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International Labour Organisation (ILO) and Institute for Human Development (IHD) jointly published the India Employment Report 2024. The report shows an improved employment scenario in India. Global youth unemployment decreased from 15.6% in 2021 to 13.3% in 2023. India’s youth unemployment rate (ages 15-29) was 10.2% in 2023-24, lower than the global average. The Worker Population Ratio (WPR) for youth increased from 31.4% in 2017-18 to 41.7% in 2023-24, indicating more employment.

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The All India Home Price Index (HPI) is released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The Reserve Bank of India’s All-India Home Price Index (HPI) rose by 4.34%, reaching 322 in September 2024, compared to 308.6 in September 2023. Over the last decade, the HPI has increased by nearly 67%. The HPI tracks changes in residential property prices across cities and regions in India, offering insights into the housing market. All eight major cities reported an annual rise in housing prices. Delhi NCR recorded the highest increase at 32%, followed by Bengaluru with a 24% rise.

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The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) released the ‘Smuggling in India – Report 2023-24’ highlighting major trends in illegal trade. Cocaine trafficking has surged in India, with 47 cases recorded in 2023-24, up from 21 the previous year, using direct routes from South America and African countries. Black cocaine, a chemically masked variant, evades standard detection methods, posing a new challenge. Hydroponic marijuana is being smuggled from countries like the US and Thailand. Gold smuggling from West Asia, including UAE and Saudi Arabia, is rising, using diverse couriers, including families and foreign nationals. Established in 1957, DRI tackles smuggling of narcotics, gold, wildlife products, arms, and more, while also addressing customs fraud.

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The latest Consumer Confidence Survey (CCS) by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) shows weakened consumer confidence in the economy, employment, income, and spending. The survey indicates that consumer optimism drives higher spending, while pessimism can lead to recession. It is released bi-monthly by RBI. It uses the Current Situation Index (CSI) and Future Expectation Index (FEI) as key indicators. The FEI improved by 0.5 points to 121.9, indicating higher optimism for future spending. The CSI declined by 0.7 points to 94 in November 2024, reflecting weaker sentiments, except in household spending.