Sources, acquisition and classification of Data. Quantitative and Qualitative Data.
A PIB backgrounder reported 40 deployed supercomputers with combined capacity of 68 PF and highlighted indigenous hardware, software and scientific applications under the National Supercomputing Mission.
NABKISAN listed India’s first Social Bond dedicated exclusively to water, sanitation and hygiene and raised ₹180 crore.
A national workshop in Kolkata examined how States can tag public expenditure to Sustainable Development Goals and connect budgets with measurable development outcomes.
The National Statistics Office began the third Forward-Looking Survey on private corporate capital-expenditure intentions for October–December 2026.
India recorded a current account deficit of USD 4.2 billion, or 0.5% of GDP, in the first quarter of 2026-27, while the capital account recorded a net outflow.
NSO released the Domestic Tourism Expenditure Survey for July 2025–June 2026, finding pilgrimage and religious travel a major purpose of overnight trips and business trips the highest-spending specified recent category.
MoSPI released a detailed Sources and Methods publication explaining the data sources and methodology used to compile India’s national accounts.
India was ranked 131st in the Global Gender Gap Index 2026, keeping gender participation and opportunity in focus as development indicators.
The August 2026 PLFS bulletin reported overall LFPR of 55.6%, WPR of 52.8% and unemployment of 5.0% for persons aged 15 years and above under the Current Weekly Status approach.
The government estimated cumulative merchandise and services exports at USD 399.27 billion during April-August 2026-27, compared with USD 345.55 billion a year earlier.
MoSPI released August 2026 CPI data using the revised 2024=100 base, with headline retail inflation at 4.82% and food inflation at 5.95% year-on-year.
The government released provisional Wholesale Price Index data for August 2026 using the 2022-23 base year.
FSSAI amended laboratory and sample-analysis regulations to standardise methods and set timelines for regulatory and imported food samples.
NSO released first-ever district-level estimates for the unincorporated non-agricultural sector, providing more granular information on small-scale economic activity.
DILRMP 3.0 was launched with operational guidelines aimed at modernising land records through digital integration and better service delivery.
A parliamentary committee reviewed affordable cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment, including access to modern equipment and oncology professionals.
MoSPI held a workshop on harmonising administrative data so information generated by different government systems can be used more reliably for evidence-based governance.
Japan Credit Rating Agency raised India’s long-term foreign- and local-currency issuer ratings from BBB+ to A- with a stable outlook.
The Districts as Export Hubs initiative was highlighted as a way to connect district-level production strengths with international markets.
Real GDP growth was estimated at 7.8% in Q1 2026-27, compared with 6.9% in Q1 2025-26.
India's real GDP is estimated to have grown 7.8% in April-June 2026, above the 6.9% growth recorded in the same quarter a year earlier.
Industrial production recorded 7.8% year-on-year growth in July 2026, led by manufacturing.
A parliamentary review of the Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme recommended faster digitisation, online mutation and stronger digital land-record infrastructure.
The DILRMP review recommended nationwide auto-triggered online mutation to reduce manual delays in updating land records.
The Monetary Policy Committee retained the repo rate at 5.25% and maintained the neutral stance.
A Bill proposed replacing the 1959 ISI law with a new statutory structure centred on a Board of Governors and academic governance bodies.
The proposed ISI law creates separate policy, academic, finance and management bodies for the institute.
Draft rules proposed annual audits of accounts and expenditure and social audits of works at least once every six months under VB-G RAM G.
Consumer inflation averaged 3.9% in the first quarter of 2026-27, while food inflation averaged 4.8%.
Preparatory work for Census 2027 continued, with caste enumeration becoming a major data-governance issue.
MoSPI released the revised IIP series with base year 2022-23 and an Output Producer Price Index deflator, replacing the earlier WPI-based series.
MoSPI released provisional estimates showing India's real GDP is estimated to grow 7.7% in 2025-26, with Q4 growth estimated at 7.8%.
The RBI Monetary Policy Committee retained the repo rate at 5.25% and continued with a neutral policy stance.
India recorded a current account surplus of USD 7.1 billion, equal to 0.7% of GDP, in January-March 2026.
SEBI consulted on changes to margin trading facilities, including higher broker net-worth requirements and broader funding sources.
IIP grew 4.8% in January-March 2026, with manufacturing growing 5.1%, mining 4.3% and electricity 2.7%.
Government constituted a committee to study demographic changes attributed to illegal immigration and make recommendations on border management and deportation.
SEBI proposed allowing certain third-party payments in mutual-fund investments with safeguards for identity and auditability.
MoSPI released the 27th edition of Women and Men in India, compiling indicators on population, education, health, economic participation and decision-making.
The National Deliberative Summit on Data for Development highlighted integrated platforms, common identifiers and interoperable administrative data.
April's gender-data release brought together indicators on women's education, health, economic participation and decision-making.
SIPRI's latest military-expenditure data placed India among the world's five largest military spenders.
The aviation regulator published a second phase of rankings for Flying Training Organisations using multiple performance indicators.
April current-affairs coverage highlighted India's innovation-system performance and the use of composite indicators to compare countries.
Consumer Price Index inflation averaged 3.12% in January-March 2026, with food inflation at 3.16%.
Wholesale Price Index inflation averaged 2.56% in Q4 2025-26.
RBI's Monetary Policy Committee retained the repo rate at 5.25% and continued with a neutral policy stance.
Global tropical forest loss fell by about 36% in 2025, according to widely cited satellite-based monitoring.
QS Subject Rankings 2026 recorded India's highest-ever number of entries in the global top 50, with 27 entries.
The government restored the previously notified RoDTEP rates and value caps after a temporary 50% cap introduced in February.
SEBI proposed a half-yearly IT Resilience Index for stock exchanges, depositories and clearing corporations.
World Meteorological Day on 23 March highlights the role of weather and climate observation in protecting society.
Government evidence highlighted warming, changing rainfall patterns and increasing climate-related extremes across the Indian region.
India reported national biodiversity indicators and conservation progress through its Seventh National Report under the Convention on Biological Diversity.
RBI issued prudential directions allowing eligible regulated entities to declare dividends up to 75% of PAT under specified conditions.
Cabinet restructured and extended Jal Jeevan Mission to December 2028 with a substantially enhanced outlay.
India recorded a current account deficit of USD 13.2 billion, equal to 1.3% of GDP, in October–December 2025.
IIP growth for October–December 2025 was 5.3%, with manufacturing providing the largest weight and growth contribution.
MoSPI released a new GDP series with 2022-23 as the base year, replacing 2011-12. The new series estimated real GDP growth at 7.6% for 2025-26 and updated methods and data sources.
The Union Cabinet approved an Urban Challenge Fund to support urban infrastructure projects involving spatial planning, mobility, climate resilience, water supply and sanitation.
MoSPI released a revised Consumer Price Index series with 2024 as the new base year, updating weights and consumption coverage to better reflect current household spending patterns.
MoSPI revised the Index of Industrial Production base year to 2022-23. The change updates the industrial basket and weights used to measure changes in industrial output.
NITI Aayog's long-term scenarios examined pathways linking economic growth, energy demand, emissions and net-zero goals. The work illustrates the use of models and indicators in environmental policy planning.
The RBI Monetary Policy Committee retained the repo rate at 5.25% and maintained a neutral stance. The decision provides a current example of monetary policy, interest rates and quantitative indicators.
India and the United States announced a framework for an interim trade agreement, including changes in tariff treatment and broader economic cooperation.
India's Network Readiness Index 2025 position highlighted the country's progress in technology, connectivity and digital readiness, providing a composite-index example for Paper 1.
Union Budget 2026-27 was presented on 1 February, setting out the Union government's revenue, expenditure, deficit and sectoral priorities for FY 2026-27. It is especially useful for Paper 1 because it combines percentages, fiscal indicators, development policy and higher-education allocations.
MoSPI launched the first pan-India National Household Income Survey, creating a new official source for household income data and analysis of inequality and living standards.
The 16th Finance Commission report was tabled in Parliament, covering recommendations on tax devolution and fiscal relations for 2026-27 to 2030-31. It provides a major case of quantitative allocation and intergovernmental finance.
The government notified Census 2027, which will use digital enumeration and include caste enumeration for the first time since 1931. The census is a major example of large-scale data collection and digital public administration.
Budget 2026-27 placed emphasis on urban infrastructure, mobility, water, sanitation and integrated planning, reflecting the need to manage rapid urbanisation through coordinated systems.
MoSPI held a third pre-release consultative workshop on revising the base years and methodology for GDP, IIP and CPI. The exercise is important because statistical series need representative weights, coverage and methods to reflect structural changes in the economy.
The Economic Survey 2025-26 presented in Parliament estimated real GDP growth of 7.4% for 2025-26 and projected 6.8% to 7.2% growth for 2026-27. It highlighted domestic demand, consumption, investment and sectoral performance while discussing risks from the global economy.
The Economic Survey reported strong domestic demand, with private final consumption expenditure growing 7.0% in FY26 and accounting for 61.5% of GDP. The figures provide a concrete case for interpreting ratios, percentages and macroeconomic indicators.
The Economic Survey 2025-26 discussed inflation, foreign direct investment, global risks and structural growth. It projected real GDP growth of 6.8% to 7.2% for 2026-27 and noted that FDI inflows remained below potential.
MoSPI held consultations connected with the National Household Income Survey and the Annual Survey of Incorporated Service Sector Enterprises. The initiatives strengthen the statistical evidence base on household income and service-sector activity.
India and the European Union concluded negotiations for a major Free Trade Agreement during the 16th India-EU Summit. The agreement is significant for trade, market access, services, mobility, technology and the broader relationship between India and the EU.
The Reserve Bank of India sought comments on a framework concerning licensing of Urban Co-operative Banks. The consultation is relevant to quantitative reasoning because banking data and prudential thresholds are interpreted through ratios, and to data interpretation because financial regulation relies heavily on measurable indicators.
A report from the UN University Institute for Water, Environment and Health described a global structural imbalance between water demand and available resources. It reported widespread water insecurity, declining aquifer trends and high water stress in irrigated agriculture.
January’s statistical reform agenda continued the broader effort to strengthen the quality, coordination and methodological foundations of India’s official statistics. The issue is relevant to research aptitude and data interpretation because official indicators depend on institutional and methodological choices.
MoSPI reported 6.7% year-on-year growth in IIP for November 2025, compared with 0.4% in October. Manufacturing grew 8.0%, mining 5.4% and electricity contracted 1.5%, making the release a useful example of sectoral data and weighted index interpretation.
This current affair concerns A CAG performance audit highlighted gaps in the implementation of rural-electrification schemes including differences between sanctioned and actual expenditure, beneficiary targeting and quality assurance. The development is important for Paper 1 because it provides a concrete contemporary example of public policy evaluation, infrastructure, rural development and evidence-based governance.
This current affair concerns The CAG’s audit of PMKVY brought the design, implementation and outcome measurement of a major skill-development programme into focus. The development is important for Paper 1 because it provides a concrete contemporary example of skill development, employability, public-policy evaluation and education governance.
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry reported that wholesale-price inflation was -0.32% in November 2025. The decline was mainly associated with lower prices in food articles, mineral oils, crude petroleum and natural gas, basic metals and electricity, providing a separate inflation indicator from the CPI.
MoSPI reported that the unemployment rate for persons aged 15 years and above fell to 4.7% in November 2025 from 5.2% in October. The same release reported an overall labour force participation rate of 55.8% and a worker population ratio of 53.2%, making the release useful for interpreting labour-market indicators.
MoSPI reported that headline CPI inflation for November 2025 was 0.71% year-on-year, while food inflation remained negative at -3.91%. The release also highlighted the exceptionally low inflation environment and confirmed that the existing CPI series used base year 2012=100, with a revised base-2024 series scheduled for February 2026.
A Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance presented its report on the Performance Review of the National Statistical Commission. It recommended stronger statutory and institutional backing for the NSC, national standards for data collection and reporting, statistical audit mechanisms, better coverage of unorganised economic activity and greater international research collaboration. The development is directly relevant to how official statistics are produced, standardised and evaluated.
India recorded a current account deficit of USD 12.3 billion, equal to 1.3% of GDP, in the July–September quarter of 2025-26. The deficit was smaller than the 2.2% of GDP recorded in the corresponding quarter of the previous year, although foreign exchange reserves declined by USD 10.9 billion during the quarter. The release is useful for understanding the balance of payments and the difference between merchandise trade and the wider current account.
India’s Index of Industrial Production recorded year-on-year growth of 0.4% in October 2025. The release provides a current example of how industrial activity is measured through a composite index covering mining, manufacturing and electricity, with manufacturing carrying the largest weight. It is particularly useful for understanding index numbers, weights and interpretation of economic data.
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