Global and National Indices, their publishing organizations, and their exact sub-indicators account for 5 to 8 marks across RBI Grade B (Phase-1 GA + Phase-2 ESI), NABARD Grade A, and UPSC EPFO. Every aspirant must memorize: (1) UNDP’s Human Development Report (HDR — introduced in 1990 by Pakistani economist Mahbub ul Haq and Indian Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen): HDI combines 3 Dimensions and 4 Indicators using a Geometric Mean (since 2010): Health [Life Expectancy at Birth], Education [Expected Years of Schooling + Mean Years of Schooling], and Standard of Living [GNI per capita in PPP USD]; alongside IHDI, GDI, GII (Gender Inequality Index), and PHDI (Planetary Pressures-adjusted HDI); (2) Global Innovation Index (WIPO), Logistics Performance Index (World Bank), Global Hunger Index (Concern Worldwide & Welthungerhilfe — 4 indicators), Global Gender Gap Report (WEF — 4 dimensions), and World Press Freedom Index (RSF); and (3) NITI Aayog’s Flagship National Indices: SDG India Index (Top States: Uttarakhand & Kerala tied at 79), National MPI, India Innovation Index, Export Preparedness Index, and State Energy & Climate Index.
1. Major Global Indices: Publishing Bodies, Exact Sub-Indicators & Exam Triggers
In RBI Grade B Phase-2 (ESI) and UPSC EPFO, examiners don’t just ask India’s rank — they test the exact sub-indicators and publishing institution of each index:
| Global Index / Report | Publishing Organization & HQ | Exact Dimensions / Sub-Indicators (Tested in ESI & EPFO!) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Human Development Index (HDI) (Published in the Human Development Report since 1990; created by Mahbub ul Haq & Amartya Sen) |
UNDP (United Nations Development Programme, New York) | 3 Dimensions & 4 Indicators (aggregated via Geometric Mean since 2010): 1. Long and Healthy Life (Health): (i) Life Expectancy at Birth (Min 20 yrs, Max 85 yrs). 2. Knowledge (Education — 2 Indicators!): (ii) Expected Years of Schooling (for a child entering school age, capped at 18 yrs) AND (iii) Mean Years of Schooling (for adults aged 25+ years, capped at 15 yrs). 3. A Decent Standard of Living: (iv) Gross National Income (GNI) per capita (2017 PPP $) (Min $100, Max $75,000). Also in HDR: IHDI (Inequality-adjusted HDI), GDI (Gender Development Index), GII (Gender Inequality Index — Maternal Mortality, Adolescent Birth Rate, Parliamentary Seats, Secondary Education, LFPR), MPI (with OPHI), and PHDI (Planetary Pressures-adjusted HDI). |
| 2. Global Gender Gap Index (GGGI) (Do NOT confuse with UNDP’s GII!) |
World Economic Forum (WEF) (Cologny/Geneva, Switzerland) | 4 Sub-Indices: 1. Economic Participation and Opportunity 2. Educational Attainment 3. Health and Survival 4. Political Empowerment. Other Flagship WEF Reports: Global Risks Report, Future of Jobs Report, Energy Transition Index (ETI), Travel & Tourism Development Index, Global Cybersecurity Outlook. |
| 3. Global Hunger Index (GHI) | Concern Worldwide (Ireland) & Welthungerhilfe (Germany) | 3 Dimensions & 4 Indicators: 1. Undernourishment (1/3 weight — share of total population with insufficient caloric intake); 2. Child Stunting (1/6 weight — low height-for-age in children under 5, reflecting chronic undernutrition); 3. Child Wasting (1/6 weight — low weight-for-height in children under 5, reflecting acute undernutrition); AND 4. Child Mortality (1/3 weight — under-5 mortality rate). |
| 4. Global Innovation Index (GII) | WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization, Geneva) | Co-published with Cornell/INSEAD/Portulans across 7 Pillars (5 Innovation Input Sub-Index pillars: Institutions, Human Capital & Research, Infrastructure, Market Sophistication, Business Sophistication + 2 Innovation Output Sub-Index pillars: Knowledge & Technology Outputs, Creative Outputs). India rose from Rank 81 (2015) into the Top 40 (Rank 39 in 2024) & #1 in Central and Southern Asia and Lower-Middle-Income Economies! |
| 5. Logistics Performance Index (LPI) | World Bank (Washington, D.C.) | Measures trade logistics efficiency across 6 Dimensions: (1) Customs, (2) Infrastructure, (3) International Shipments, (4) Logistics Competence & Quality, (5) Tracking & Tracing, and (6) Timeliness. (India climbed 6 spots to Rank 38 out of 139 countries!). |
| 6. Other High-Yield Global Reports | ILO, UNCTAD, UNEP, Transparency Int’l, IEP | • ILO: World Employment and Social Outlook (WESO), Global Wage Report, World Social Protection Report. • UNCTAD: World Investment Report (FDI), Trade and Development Report. • UNEP: Emissions Gap Report, Adaptation Gap Report, Food Waste Index Report. • Transparency International (Berlin): Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). • Germanwatch: Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI — Top 3 seats left vacant; India consistently in Top 10!). |
2. NITI Aayog’s Flagship National Indices & SDG India Index (4th Edition, 2023–24)
• Tracks progress of all States and UTs across 113 Indicators aligned with MoSPI’s National Indicator Framework (NIF) across 16 SDGs (SDG 14 [Life Below Water] is excluded from the composite score as it applies only to 9 coastal states!).
• 4 Score Categories: Aspirant (0–49), Performer (50–64), Front-Runner (65–99), and Achiever (100).
• Headline Results (Must-Memorize for RBI & NABARD!):
— India’s Overall Composite SDG Score: Rose to 71 in 2023–24 (up from 66 in 2020–21, 60 in 2019–20, and 57 in 2018)!
— Top-Ranking States (#1 Tied at Score 79): UTTARAKHAND (79) and KERALA (79), followed by Tamil Nadu (78) and Goa (77)!
— Top-Ranking Union Territory (#1 UT): Chandigarh (77), followed by Jammu & Kashmir (74) and Puducherry (74).
— Bottom-Ranking States: Bihar (57), Jharkhand (62), and Nagaland (63).
— Fastest-Moving States (between 2018 and 2023–24): Uttar Pradesh (+25 points from 42 to 67), Jammu & Kashmir (+21 points), and Uttarakhand (+19 points).
2. Complete Directory of Indices Published by NITI Aayog vs Central Ministries:
• Published by NITI Aayog: (1) SDG India Index; (2) National Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI); (3) Export Preparedness Index (EPI — #1 Tamil Nadu); (4) India Innovation Index; (5) State Energy and Climate Index (SECI); (6) State Health Index (with MoHFW & World Bank); (7) Composite Water Management Index (CWMI); (8) School Education Quality Index (SEQI); and (9) North Eastern Region District SDG Index.
• Published by Other Ministries / Bodies (Frequent Exam Traps!):
— LEADS (Logistics Ease Across Different States): Ministry of Commerce and Industry (DPIIT).
— State Food Safety Index (SFSI): FSSAI (Ministry of Health & Family Welfare).
— State Energy Efficiency Index (SEEI): Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE, Ministry of Power) & AEEE.
— Swachh Survekshan & Ease of Living Index: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
— Performance Grading Index (PGI) & NIRF Rankings: Ministry of Education.
— Good Governance Index (GGI): DARPG (Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions) (released on 25 December — Good Governance Day).
3. RBI’s Periodic Surveys & Statistical Publications Calendar (Phase-2 Objective & GA Goldmine)
| RBI Survey / Publication | Frequency | Target Respondents & What It Measures |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Inflation Expectations Survey of Households (IESH) & Consumer Confidence Survey (CCS) | Bi-Monthly (before every MPC meeting) | • IESH: Measures households’ 3-month-ahead and 1-year-ahead inflation expectations across 19 cities. • CCS: Measures Current Situation Index (CSI) and Future Expectations Index (FEI) across 5 parameters (Economic situation, Employment, Price level, Income, Spending). |
| 2. OBICUS (Order Books, Inventories and Capacity Utilisation Survey) & Industrial Outlook Survey (IOS) | Quarterly | Measures manufacturing sector Capacity Utilisation (CU — ~74–76%) and Business Assessment / Expectations Index. |
| 3. KLEMS Database (Published by RBI) | Annual | Measures industry-level Total Factor Productivity (TFP) across 27 industries using 5 inputs: K (Capital), L (Labour), E (Energy), M (Materials), and S (Services)! |
🎯 High-Yield Exam One-Liners (Last-Minute Revision Box)
- UNDP’s Human Development Index (HDI, created in 1990 by Mahbub ul Haq and Amartya Sen) is the Geometric Mean of 3 dimensions across 4 indicators: Life Expectancy at Birth, Expected Years of Schooling, Mean Years of Schooling, and GNI per capita (PPP $).
- The Global Gender Gap Index is published by the World Economic Forum (WEF) across 4 dimensions, whereas the Gender Inequality Index (GII) and Gender Development Index (GDI) are published by UNDP.
- The Global Hunger Index (GHI, published by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe) uses 4 indicators: Undernourishment (1/3 weight), Child Stunting (1/6 weight), Child Wasting (1/6 weight), and Child Mortality (1/3 weight).
- In nutrition terminology, ‘Child Stunting’ is low height-for-age (chronic undernutrition), ‘Child Wasting’ is low weight-for-height (acute undernutrition), and ‘Underweight’ is low weight-for-age.
- The Global Innovation Index (GII) is published annually by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), where India climbed to Rank 39 (2024) and #1 among Lower-Middle-Income economies.
- The Logistics Performance Index (LPI) is published by the World Bank across 6 dimensions, where India ranked 38th out of 139 countries.
- The World Investment Report (tracking global FDI inflows and outflows) is published by UNCTAD, while the World Employment and Social Outlook (WESO) and Global Wage Report are published by the ILO.
- In NITI Aayog’s SDG India Index 2023–24 (4th Edition), India’s overall composite score rose to 71 (Front-Runner category, 65–99), with Uttarakhand and Kerala tied at #1 (score 79) and Chandigarh topping Union Territories (77).
- SDG 14 (Life Below Water) is excluded when calculating the composite State score in NITI Aayog’s SDG India Index because it applies only to the 9 coastal States.
- The LEADS (Logistics Ease Across Different States) report is published by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (DPIIT), NOT by NITI Aayog.
- The State Energy Efficiency Index (SEEI) is published by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), whereas the State Energy and Climate Index (SECI) is published by NITI Aayog.
- In RBI’s KLEMS Database used to measure Total Factor Productivity (TFP), KLEMS stands for Capital (K), Labour (L), Energy (E), Materials (M), and Services (S).
📝 UPSC & Regulatory Level Practice MCQs (With Detailed Solutions)
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (Exam FAQs)
Q: What are the 4 score categories in NITI Aayog’s SDG India Index?
States and UTs are classified into 4 categories based on their SDG India Index score (0 to 100): (1) Aspirant: 0 to 49; (2) Performer: 50 to 64; (3) Front-Runner: 65 to 99; and (4) Achiever: 100. In 2023–24, 32 States and UTs are in the Front-Runner category (65–99).
Q: What is the World Bank’s ‘B-READY’ report?
‘Business Ready (B-READY)’ is the World Bank Group’s new flagship corporate-climate assessment report launched in 2024 to replace the discontinued ‘Ease of Doing Business (EoDB)’ rankings, evaluating business ecosystems across 10 lifecycle topics with a strong emphasis on digital adoption, environmental sustainability, and worker social protection.
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