UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS

The WWF Living Planet Report 2024 revealed that the average size of monitored wildlife populations declined by 73% between 1970 and 2020.

Oxford Economics has released the 2026 Global Cities Index, assessing 1,000 major cities worldwide.

India has retained the 131st position out of 145 economies in the Global Gender Gap Index 2026, released by the World Economic Forum (WEF) on September 16, 2026.

Punjab has claimed the No. 1 position in the NITI Aayog School Education Quality Index (SEQI) 2026, surpassing Kerala. 

NITI Aayog has released a landmark report titled "Reimagining Care: Strategies for Empowering Caregivers in Viksit Bharat@2047". 

The QS Best Student Cities Ranking 2027, released in July 2026, ranked Seoul as the world's best student city. Mumbai became India's highest-ranked city (91st), Delhi entered the global top 100 for the first time (99th) and was recognised as the world's most affordable student city, while Bengaluru slipped to joint 114th due to relatively higher tuition fees.

NITI Aayog has released the first-ever Investment Friendliness Index (IFI) 2026. Gujarat ranked first among 17 major States with a score of 56.6, followed by Maharashtra (53.7) and Tamil Nadu (53.3).

The NITI Aayog recently released the second annual edition of the Fiscal Health Index (FHI) 2026 in New Delhi. The index evaluates the fiscal performance and financial sustainability of Indian states, providing a comprehensive framework to compare fiscal management practices across the country.

India has improved its global standing by four positions to secure the 45th rank in the Network Readiness Index (NRI) 2025, reflecting significant progress in digital infrastructure, innovation, governance, and socio-economic impact of information and communication technologies (ICTs).

India has improved its ranking in the Network Readiness Index (NRI) 2025, jumping four places to 45th. India's score increased to 54.43/100, reflecting the country's strength and progress in digital and network readiness.