Reports and Indices Current Affairs MCQs

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National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) released the first Annual Report on the National Highways Green Cover Index (NH-GCI) 2025–26 to quantitatively assess plantations along National Highways. The report was prepared with National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) using space-based high-resolution satellite sensors to measure chlorophyll content and vegetation presence. NH-GCI represents the percentage of land covered by green cover within the Right of Way (RoW) along highways at a 1 km granularity.

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A report “Safe Disposal of Unused Medicines” was released by United Nations Environment Programme. The report stresses waste prevention as the key strategy to manage unused medicines. Improper disposal causes environmental pollution and public health risks, including Antimicrobial Resistance, endocrine disruption, toxicity, and poisoning. The report promotes a One Health approach, integrating human health, animal health, and environmental protection. It suggests a four-pillar framework: prevention at source, medicine take-back schemes, strong legal and policy systems, and awareness programmes.

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The U.N.-backed World Happiness Report 2026 was released on 18 March 2026, highlighting global well-being trends and ranking Finland as the world’s happiest country for the ninth consecutive year. The report emphasizes that heavy social media use is harming young people’s well-being, prompting some countries to consider or implement legislative restrictions on social media for youth. Top 10 happiest countries are Finland, Iceland, Denmark, Costa Rica, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, Israel, Luxembourg, Switzerland. Costa Rica achieved fourth place, marking the highest-ever ranking for a Latin American country. Among 147 countries, India ranks 116th, showing a slight improvement from 118th in 2025.

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The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation released a report titled “Planet in Focus: Advancing Environmental Sustainability under the SDGs”. The report focuses on SDGs related to clean water and sanitation (SDG 6), responsible consumption (SDG 12), climate action (SDG 13), life below water (SDG 14), and life on land (SDG 15). It highlights India’s progress in climate mitigation and adaptation, sustainable water management, biodiversity conservation, and responsible consumption practices. India achieved universal Open Defecation Free (ODF) status across all districts through the Swachh Bharat Mission.

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The Global Terrorism Index 2026 is published by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), a Sydney-based think tank, covering 163 countries (99.7% of global population). It ranks countries using a score from 0 to 10 based on the impact of terrorism, creating a comparative global index. Terrorism-related deaths fell by 28% and incidents declined by 22%, indicating an overall improvement. Sub-Saharan Africa remains the epicentre, with 6 of the 10 most affected countries located there. Pakistan ranked 1st (most affected) for the first time, while India ranked 13th.

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The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2025 by Transparency International shows global corruption worsening, with the average score falling to 42/100 and 122 of 182 countries below 50. Only five countries score above 80, compared with 12 a decade ago, showing a clear global decline in governance perceptions. India scores 39, ranking 91 out of 182 countries, remaining in the lower half; the score has fluctuated between 38–41 over the past decade. Despite being the world’s fourth-largest economy, India’s governance perception has not matched its economic growth.

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Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIM-K) entered the Top 100 in QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026 for the first time, marking a major global achievement. QS World University Rankings are published annually by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a global higher education consultancy. Rankings assess universities using parameters like academic reputation, employer reputation, and employment outcomes. IIT (ISM) Dhanbad and IIM Ahmedabad achieved India’s highest rank (21) globally.

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The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) has published the IIED Food Security Index, assessing the impact of climate change on global food security. The index evaluates food security based on four key pillars: Availability, Accessibility, Utilization and Sustainability. India is ranked among the most vulnerable large economies to food insecurity due to rising global temperatures. The index identifies India as one of the most concerning cases, highlighting significant risks to its food systems.

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A report by UNESCO titled “2026 GEM Report (Global Education Monitoring Report)” highlights global education gaps. Around 273 million children and youth were out of school in 2024, with more in conflict regions. About 1 in 6 school-age children is excluded, and only 2/3 complete secondary education. Conflicts, especially in West Asia, have worsened school closures and learning loss. Access does not ensure learning due to poor infrastructure, lack of teachers, and resources. Girls, disabled, rural, and displaced children face major barriers. Low funding and poor allocation hinder progress, especially in low-income countries. Digital divide limits access to technology-based learning.

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The National Statistics Office under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation released the “Energy Statistics India 2026”, providing a comprehensive dataset on India’s energy sector. The publication includes detailed information on reserves, capacity, production, consumption, and import-export of major energy resources such as coal, lignite, petroleum, natural gas, and renewable energy. It also presents energy balance tables, Sankey diagrams, and sustainable energy indicators aligned with international standards. The 33rd edition has expanded coverage by including credit flow to the energy sector, global energy statistics, and improved data on coal consumption, electricity usage patterns, and fuel distribution.