Reports and Indices Current Affairs MCQs

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Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) 2025–26 report, released by the Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSE&L), presents a comprehensive picture of India’s school education system. It covers 14.67 lakh schools, 1.03 crore teachers and 24.72 crore students. The overall Pupil-Teacher Ratio (PTR) is 24:1, below the 30:1 benchmark under NEP 2020. Girls constitute 48.4% of enrolment, while women account for 54.9% of teachers. The report also highlights lower dropout rates, improved retention and transition, fewer single-teacher and zero-enrolment schools, and greater focus on inclusive education.

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The V-Dem Institute’s 2026 Electoral Democracy Index ranked India 106th among 179 countries, with a score of 0.38 for 2025. V-Dem classified India as an “electoral autocracy”, alongside countries such as Kazakhstan and Pakistan. India’s score was reported as its lowest level since 1975. India ranked 105th on the Liberal Democracy Index, with a score of 0.26. V-Dem is based at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, and assesses democracy using indicators including elections, freedom of expression, media independence and civil society.

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NITI Aayog launched the India Electric Mobility Index (IEMI) 2025 in New Delhi. Delhi ranked as the top-performing State/UT in electric mobility adoption. Other top performers are Maharashtra, Karnataka, Chandigarh and Goa. India Electric Mobility Index (IEMI) 2025 is the second edition of the index. It measures the progress of States and Union Territories towards their electric mobility goals. States and UTs are scored out of 100 across 16 indicators.

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The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) released the report “Forests for Food: Nourishing People, Sustaining the Planet” in September 2026. The report highlights that more than 5 billion people depend on forests and trees to some extent for their livelihoods. More than 50,000 wild species are used globally for food and medicine, including at least 10,000 species directly consumed as food. Around one-quarter of the global population depends on woodfuel for cooking or water sterilisation, while over 1 billion people rely on medicinal plants. The report calls for sustainable forest management, agroforestry, better land-use planning and secure land rights.

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The World Economic Forum (WEF) released the Global Gender Gap Index 2026 in September 2026. India ranked 131st out of 145 countries, retaining the same position as the previous edition. Iceland retained the 1st position, followed by Finland and Norway. Only 14 countries ranked below India. In the Economic Participation and Opportunity subindex, India recorded a 41.2% parity score. India’s score in this subindex improved by 0.5 percentage points compared with the previous edition. However, it remained 3.5 percentage points below India’s best score recorded in 2013.

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India ranked first in business climate among more than 40 global markets in the Business Climate Survey 2026. The survey was conducted by the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in India. The survey assesses the business environment across global markets. India’s ranking highlights its position in terms of business climate, stability, growth and ease of doing business.

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Recently, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) released the Living Planet Report 2026: The Science of Hope, highlighting the continuing decline in global wildlife populations. Africa’s monitored wildlife populations declined by an average of 80% between 1970 and 2022. Globally, the average size of monitored wildlife populations declined by 73% during the same period. The findings are based on the Living Planet Index (LPI), compiled by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). The index tracks 35,803 populations representing 5,790 vertebrate species. Habitat loss, largely caused by agricultural expansion, was identified as the most frequently reported cause of wildlife decline. Other major threats are overexploitation, climate change, invasive species, pollution and disease.

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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) released its World Economic Outlook (WEO) report on 13 October 2026 during the IMF–World Bank Annual Meetings in Bangkok, Thailand. According to the provided information, global economic growth is projected at 3.1% in 2026 and 3.4% in 2027. Global inflation is forecast at 4.7% in 2026, declining to 4.1% in 2027. India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth is projected at 7.0% for both years, supported by domestic demand and services. The United States is projected to grow by 2.3% in 2026 and 2027, while China’s growth is forecast at 4.5% and 4.0%, respectively. Artificial Intelligence (AI) investment supports growth, while geopolitical conflicts and energy shocks create risks.

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The Friendliest Cities Index 2026, commissioned by travel platform Fernwayer, ranked Mérida, Mexico, as the world’s friendliest city, scoring 95/100. The index analysed over 1.2 million Reddit comments covering 200 cities to assess residents’ perceived friendliness and hospitality. Glasgow, Scotland, ranked second (94.9), followed by Bogotá, Colombia (94.5). The top 10 included Bodrum, Manchester, Hamburg, Perth, São Paulo, Mexico City and Nashville. Delhi scored 43.6, placing it among the 10 lowest-ranked cities. Buenos Aires ranked last with 42 points. Latin America emerged as the highest-scoring region.

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India ranks third globally in cumulative contracted clean hydrogen volumes, marking progress towards a cleaner and more energy-secure future. According to the Bloomberg New Economy Forum’s India Transition Factbook 2026, India has secured binding contracts for 3 lakh tonnes of clean hydrogen per annum. Major green ammonia export agreements cover more than 10 lakh tonnes per annum. These developments reflect India’s efforts to expand its clean energy sector, promote green hydrogen production and strengthen its position in the global hydrogen market. India’s progress supports its broader objectives of energy security, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and advancing the clean energy transition.