Reports and Indices Current Affairs MCQs

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The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO released the Integrated Ocean Carbon Research (IOC-R) 2026 report. The objective of IOC is to promote international cooperation and coordinate programmes in research, services, and capacity-building to enhance understanding of oceans. The commission has 152 member countries, including India, and its secretariat is based in Paris, France. The report highlights that oceans act as a carbon sink, absorbing excess atmospheric CO₂ and helping reduce greenhouse gas concentrations. It explains the solubility pump, where cold ocean waters dissolve CO₂ and transport it to deep ocean layers for long-term storage.

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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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NITI Aayog released the second annual Fiscal Health Index (FHI) 2026 in New Delhi. The FHI provides a comprehensive, data-driven assessment of fiscal performance of Indian states to guide reforms and promote evidence-based policymaking. The 2026 edition includes all 18 major states plus 10 North-Eastern and Himalayan states, with separate evaluation for the latter to account for structural differences. The Index assesses fiscal soundness, revenue mobilisation, expenditure efficiency, debt management, and capital spending quality.

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The Consumer Justice Report 2026 has been released by the India Justice Report to assess the capacity and performance of consumer dispute redressal commissions in India. The report highlights a significant rise in pendency of cases, with total pending cases increasing by 21% between 2020 and 2024, despite improvements in disposal rates. Although 88.5% of the 7.64 lakh cases were disposed of in the post-pandemic period, the backlog continues to grow, indicating systemic inefficiencies. The report notes a decline in women’s representation in consumer commissions, with the share of women among presidents and members in 14 State Commissions falling from 35% in 2021 to 29% 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 United Nations World Water Development Report 2026, released by UNESCO, highlights the strong link between gender inequality and water access. Globally, women and girls spend about 250 million hours daily fetching water, limiting their opportunities for education, employment, and rest. Around 2.1 billion people still lack safely managed drinking water, with women and girls bearing the greatest burden. In over 70% of unserved rural households, women and girls are primarily responsible for water collection, often from distant and unsafe sources.

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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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Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI – Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation) released PLFS 2025 report. PLFS (Periodic Labour Force Survey) was started in 2017 by National Statistical Office (NSO – National Statistical Office) to track jobs and unemployment. It provides data as Usual Status (365 days) and Current Weekly Status (7 days). LFPR (Labour Force Participation Rate) remained stable at 59.3% (Male 79.1%, Female 40%). WPR (Worker Population Ratio) was 57.4%, with rural female participation steady. UR (Unemployment Rate) declined to 3.1%, youth unemployment fell to 9.9%.

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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.