Latest Indices and Rankings 2026 for Competitive Exams: Revise important international reports, India’s positions, top-performing countries, and important national state rankings for APPSC, UPSC, SSC, banking and other examinations. This January–September 2026 revision guide covers 28 reports and related topics, including the SDG Index, EPI, World Press Freedom Index, Fiscal Health Index, Global Peace Index, CPPI and QS rankings.
The quick-revision table below uses rankings checked against the linked issuing bodies. Further topics are included as a study checklist rather than unsupported numerical claims. A report published in 2026 may carry a 2025 or 2027 edition title.
Important Indices and Rankings 2026: Quick Revision Table
| Index / Report | Publisher | Important 2026 facts |
|---|---|---|
| Sustainable Development Report (SDG Index) 2026 | Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) | India: 94th; score 68.33. Finland topped the 2026 ranking. |
| Global Liveability Index 2026 | Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) | The report assesses living conditions in 173 cities using stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. Confirm the city-wise rankings from the complete EIU report. |
| Environmental Performance Index (EPI) 2026 | Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy and collaborators | India: 176th of 177 countries; EPI score 22.46. The index uses 47 indicators across 12 issue categories. |
| World Press Freedom Index 2026 | Reporters Without Borders (RSF) | India: 157th of 180 countries; score 31.96. |
| Fiscal Health Index 2026 | NITI Aayog | For FY 2023–24, Odisha ranked 1st (73.1); Goa 2nd; Jharkhand 3rd. Andhra Pradesh ranked 17th (23.1) among the 18 major states examined. |
| Global Peace Index 2026 | Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP) | Iceland ranked 1st globally; India ranked 127th. |
| Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) 2025 | World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence | Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPA) ranked 22nd worldwide and was India’s leading container port in the index. The 2025 edition was published in 2026. |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | QS Quacquarelli Symonds | IIT Delhi was India’s top-ranked institution at global rank 118; 52 Indian universities appeared in the edition released in 2026. |
Detailed Exam Notes: Key Verified Rankings
1. Sustainable Development Report (SDG Index) 2026
Released by: Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN). India: 94th; score 68.33. Finland topped the 2026 ranking. Official source.
2. Global Liveability Index 2026
Released by: Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). The report assesses living conditions in 173 cities using stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. Confirm the city-wise rankings from the complete EIU report. Official source.
3. Environmental Performance Index (EPI) 2026
Released by: Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy and collaborators. India: 176th of 177 countries; EPI score 22.46. The index uses 47 indicators across 12 issue categories. Official source.
4. World Press Freedom Index 2026
Released by: Reporters Without Borders (RSF). India: 157th of 180 countries; score 31.96. Official source.
5. Fiscal Health Index 2026
Released by: NITI Aayog. For FY 2023–24, Odisha ranked 1st (73.1); Goa 2nd; Jharkhand 3rd. Andhra Pradesh ranked 17th (23.1) among the 18 major states examined. Official source.
6. Global Peace Index 2026
Released by: Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP). Iceland ranked 1st globally; India ranked 127th. Official source.
7. Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) 2025
Released by: World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence. Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPA) ranked 22nd worldwide and was India’s leading container port in the index. The 2025 edition was published in 2026. Official source.
8. QS World University Rankings 2027
Released by: QS Quacquarelli Symonds. IIT Delhi was India’s top-ranked institution at global rank 118; 52 Indian universities appeared in the edition released in 2026. Official source.
Additional 2025–2026 Index Topics to Prepare
These topics appear in the source study list. Their exact ranks, annual edition details, or publisher information should be checked before using them in exam answers.
9. Asiatic Lion Population Estimate 2025
Publisher / source: Government of Gujarat / wildlife census. A wildlife population estimate, not an international index. Compare 2015 and 2025 numbers using the official lion census before quoting a total.
10. NITI Aayog Investment Friendliness Index 2026
Publisher / source: NITI Aayog. Check whether the index was formally released, its categories, and Gujarat’s reported position from the original report.
11. Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Index
Publisher / source: Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security / PRIO. Measures women’s inclusion, justice and security. Verify the latest edition and India’s score and rank.
12. Hurun Global Unicorn Index 2026
Publisher / source: Hurun Research Institute. Covers privately held start-ups valued at US$1 billion or more. Confirm India’s position and count; the source draft’s fourth-place claim is not verified here.
13. Passport Mobility Index 2026
Publisher / source: Index publisher varies. Distinguish the Henley Passport Index from other passport indices. Rankings vary by provider and date.
14. V-Dem Democracy Report 2026
Publisher / source: V-Dem Institute. Reports on democratic institutions and multiple democratic indicators. Quote only a clearly identified metric or ranking from the edition.
15. School Education Quality Rankings
Publisher / source: NITI Aayog / education departments. Specify the edition and indicator before citing a state as first. The source draft’s Punjab claim remains unverified.
16. IQAir World Air Quality Report 2025
Publisher / source: IQAir. Examines air pollution, including PM2.5 concentration. Verify country and city rankings in the original 2025 report.
17. Corruption Perceptions Index 2025
Publisher / source: Transparency International. Measures perceived public-sector corruption. Verify India’s 2025 rank and score in the official CPI tables.
18. Responsible Nations Index 2026
Publisher / source: Publisher to be confirmed. Confirm the issuing institution, methodology, and official publication before treating this as a standardized global ranking.
19. Index of Economic Freedom 2025
Publisher / source: The Heritage Foundation. Evaluates economic policy characteristics; verify India’s rank and score against the exact 2025 edition.
20. Climate Risk Index 2026
Publisher / source: Germanwatch. Assesses exposure and impacts linked to extreme weather; clarify the historical period and ranking used.
21. World Happiness Report 2026
Publisher / source: Wellbeing Research Centre / Gallup / UN SDSN collaborators. Uses life evaluations to compare countries. Verify India’s rank and the leading country from the 2026 tables.
22. Global Terrorism Index 2026
Publisher / source: Institute for Economics & Peace. Tracks the impacts of terrorism. Confirm India’s specific position from the 2026 report.
23. WDMMA Global Air Power Ranking 2026
Publisher / source: World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft. A specialized commercial ranking methodology; do not confuse it with an official government assessment.
24. Numbeo Cost of Living Index 2026
Publisher / source: Numbeo. Crowdsourced relative cost-of-living comparisons; the ranking depends on index edition and city selection.
25. Asia Manufacturing Index 2026
Publisher / source: Publisher to be confirmed. Confirm report author, scope and methodology before publishing a country rank.
26. Indian Institutional Ranking Framework (IIRF) 2026
Publisher / source: IIRF. Compare higher-education institutions within clearly specified categories, such as central universities.
27. Energy Transition Index 2026
Publisher / source: World Economic Forum. Examines energy-system performance and readiness for transition; verify the ranking against the official report.
28. SIPRI Yearbook 2026
Publisher / source: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. A reference publication on armaments, disarmament and international security. For military spending ranks, cite SIPRI’s military expenditure data and corresponding year.
Andhra Pradesh-Specific Current Affairs: Fiscal Health Index 2026
For APPSC Group examinations, note the fiscal comparison: Andhra Pradesh ranked 17th among 18 major states in NITI Aayog’s Fiscal Health Index 2026 (covering FY 2023–24), with a score of 23.1. Odisha topped the ranking with 73.1. Do not confuse the report publication year with the financial year measured.
Most Important One-Liners for Quick Revision
- India’s SDG Index 2026 rank: 94th.
- India’s Environmental Performance Index 2026 rank: 176th out of 177.
- India’s World Press Freedom Index 2026 rank: 157th out of 180.
- Global Peace Index 2026: Iceland 1st; India 127th.
- Fiscal Health Index 2026: Odisha 1st; Andhra Pradesh 17th among the 18 major states.
- Container Port Performance Index 2025: JNPA 22nd globally.
- QS World University Rankings 2027: IIT Delhi 118th worldwide and the top-ranked Indian university.
FAQs: Indices and Rankings Current Affairs 2026
What is India’s rank in the Sustainable Development Report 2026?
India is ranked 94th with an SDG Index score of 68.33.
Which state ranked first in NITI Aayog’s Fiscal Health Index 2026?
Odisha ranked first for FY 2023–24, with an index score of 73.1.
What is India’s position in the Global Peace Index 2026?
India ranked 127th, while Iceland topped the list.
Which Indian university ranked highest in QS World University Rankings 2027?
IIT Delhi was India’s highest-ranked institution, at 118th globally.
Why do 2025 and 2027 report titles appear in a 2026 current-affairs article?
Competitive-exam current affairs follow release dates, while some publications refer to a previous assessment year or a forthcoming ranking edition.
Preparation Strategy for APPSC, UPSC and Other Exams
For every report, revise the issuing organization, edition, India’s rank, first-ranked country or state, methodology and Andhra Pradesh relevance. Where a ranking is not independently confirmed, prefer the official original report to coaching summaries or social media posts.
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