Reports and Indices Current Affairs MCQs

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The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reported 10,786 farmer and agricultural worker suicides in 2023. Suicides from the farm sector made up 6.3% of total suicides (1,71,418) in India. Out of these, 4,690 were farmers/cultivators (4,553 male, 137 female) and 6,096 were agricultural workers (5,433 male, 663 female). Maharashtra (38.5%) recorded the highest share, followed by Karnataka (22.5%), Andhra Pradesh (8.6%), Madhya Pradesh (7.2%), and Tamil Nadu (5.9%). Several states like West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, Delhi, and others reported zero farm suicides. Experts say repeated suicides in 2021, 2022, and 2023 reflect a systemic agrarian crisis in India.

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National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reported 1,77,335 cases of crime against children in 2023, showing a 9.2% increase over 2022, which had 1,62,449 cases. The crime rate rose to 39.9 per one-lakh child population from 36.6 in 2022. Major crime heads were Kidnapping and Abduction of Children with 79,884 cases (45 percent) and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act violations with 67,694 cases (38.2 percent). Madhya Pradesh topped the list with 22,393 cases of crime against children in 2023. Maharashtra followed closely with 22,390 cases and Uttar Pradesh reported 18,852 cases. Assam saw a sharp rise with 10,174 cases and Bihar had 9,906 cases. Delhi registered 7,769 cases while Andaman and Nicobar Islands had a high rate of 143.4 per one-lakh child population.

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Kolkata has again emerged as India’s safest city with the lowest number of cognisable offences per lakh population in 2023. Kolkata recorded 83.9 cognisable offences per lakh people, lowest among 19 cities with over 20 lakh population, as per National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report 2023. Kochi was the worst performer with 3,192.4 offences per lakh, followed by Delhi (2,105.3) and Surat (1,377.1). Hyderabad (332.3), Pune (337.1), and Mumbai (355.4) were the next safest cities.

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The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Report 2023 was released by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the World Health Summit, Berlin. India’s disease burden has shifted from infectious diseases to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) from 1990 to 2023. NCDs, also called chronic diseases, are not contagious and include cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes, etc. NCDs result from genetic, physiological, environmental, and behavioral factors and are long-term in nature. Mental health disorders, including anxiety and depression, have sharply increased from 2013–2023. Air pollution is among India’s top three causes of early death and disability.

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India’s wild elephant population is 22,446 according to the All-India Synchronous Elephant Estimation (SAIEE) 2025 by Wildlife Institute of India (WII). This is about 17% lower than the 2017 estimate of 27,312, but figures are not directly comparable due to DNA-based counting methods used in 2025. The 2025 census, conducted with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Project Elephant, is India’s first DNA-based elephant count. Western Ghats are the largest stronghold with 11,934 elephants, followed by Northeastern Hills & Brahmaputra floodplains (6,559). Karnataka leads with 6,013 Elephants followed by Assam 4,159, Tamil Nadu 3,136, Kerala 2,785, Uttarakhand 1,792.

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Recently, Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), India’s only International Financial Services Centre (IFSC), climbed three ranks to 43rd in the Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI 38). In the FinTech Index, it rose five places to 35th, showing strong growth in innovation and regulation. The GFCI 38, released by the Z/Yen Group, assessed 135 financial centres using 140 global indicators from the World Bank, OECD, and the United Nations. GIFT City remains among the top 15 centres in the Asia-Pacific and is the only Indian city in the list. It is also featured among the “15 centres likely to become more significant” globally, reflecting India’s rising influence in international finance.

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The Ministry of Mines released the State Mining Readiness Index (SMRI) and State rankings, fulfilling a Union Budget 2025-26 announcement. SMRI aims to encourage mining sector reforms and improve state performance in mining. The index evaluates indicators such as auction performance, early mine operationalization, thrust on exploration, and sustainable mining for non-coal minerals. States are grouped into three categories based on mineral endowment. Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat topped Category A in the State Mining Readiness Index (SMRI). Goa, Uttar Pradesh and Assam have been ranked in top three in Category B. Punjab, Uttarakhand and Tripura have been ranked in top three in Category c.

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Recently, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released the first State of Finance for Forests 2025 report. The report provides a global overview of public and private forest finance in 2023. It finds a forest finance gap of US$ 216 billion annually between current flows and investment needed to meet global forest goals by 2030. Annual investment must triple to US$ 300 billion by 2030 and increase sixfold by 2050 from US$ 84 billion in 2023. Governments were the main source, providing 91% of forest funding in 2023. Expanding nature-based solutions by 1 billion hectares by 2030 and 1.8 billion by 2050 is essential for climate and biodiversity goals.

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The global economy is shifting from resilience (2022–2024) to economic unilateralism in 2025, driven by rising tariffs between long-standing trade partners. In the Hinrich-IMD Sustainable Trade Index (STI) 2025, the United Kingdom ranks No. 1, ending New Zealand’s three-year lead. Australia and Singapore retained No. 3 and No. 4, while South Korea and Hong Kong (SAR) climbed, and Japan slipped two places. The United States is No. 9, showing reduced reliance on natural resource exports and lower per capita carbon emissions. India ranks 23rd overall with a score of 33.2/100. India shows moderate economic strength, modest social progress, and ongoing environmental challenges in sustainability.

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The World Health Organization (WHO) has released the Global Antibiotic Resistance Surveillance Report 2025. In 2023, one in six laboratory-confirmed bacterial infections worldwide were resistant to antibiotic treatments. Data from over 100 countries through the Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) shows resistance rose in 40% of pathogen-antibiotic combinations between 2018–2023. The report covers eight bacterial pathogens including E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pneumoniae, affecting bloodstream, urinary, gastrointestinal infections, and gonorrhoea. Resistance is highest in South-East Asia and Eastern Mediterranean, with Gram-negative bacteria like E. coli and K. pneumoniae posing the greatest threat.