Reports & indices

Every UPSC Prelims question on this topic, 2016–2026, newest first. Tap an option to check yourself; the answer and explanation open below it.

Asked in 5 of 11 years · most in 2016 (3)

UPSC syllabus: “Current events of national and international importance.” See the full syllabus →

Prelims 2019 · Q3

Easy

The Global Competitiveness Report is published by the

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) World Economic Forum

The Global Competitiveness Report, built around the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI), is brought out by the World Economic Forum, the Geneva-based foundation. Its 2019 edition reviewed 141 economies.

✓ (c) The GCI and the report that presents it are the World Economic Forum's; the 2019 edition assessed 141 countries.
✗ (d) The World Bank's country ranking of that period was the Doing Business Report, a different index on business regulation (India was 63rd of 190 in the 2020 edition).

Remember · Global Competitiveness Report / Index = World Economic Forum. Doing Business Report = World Bank (a separate ranking).

Sources

PIB: Global Competitiveness Index (Ministry of Commerce and Industry), 2019 ↗ “The GCI brought out by the World Economic Forum involved performance review of 141 countries.”
PIB: India ranks 63 in World Bank's Doing Business Report (24 October 2019) ↗ “India has recorded a jump of 14 positions against its rank of 77 in 2019 to be placed now at 63 rd rank among 190 countries”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2019, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2019 · Q77

Easy

Which one of the following is not a sub-index of the World Bank's 'Ease of Doing Business Index'?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (a) Maintenance of law and order

Maintenance of law and order is not one of the ten areas the World Bank's Doing Business ranking measured. Paying taxes, registering property and dealing with construction permits are all among the ten.

✓ (a) The ten areas in the ease of doing business score were: starting a business, dealing with construction permits, getting electricity, registering property, getting credit, protecting minority investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts and resolving insolvency. Law and order is not on the list.
✗ (b) Paying taxes is one of the ten areas.
✗ (c) Registering property is one of the ten areas.
✗ (d) Dealing with construction permits is one of the ten areas.
• Since then After data irregularities were found in Doing Business 2018 and 2020, the World Bank Group discontinued the Doing Business report in September 2021; no new rankings have been published.

Remember · Doing Business had ten indicators (starting a business to resolving insolvency); law and order was never one. The World Bank discontinued the report in September 2021.