www.gradeup.co 1 www.gradeup.co GK- Capsule for SSC- CGL-2018 Exam Dear readers, This GK Capsule is a complete docket of important Current Affairs news and events that occurred in last 6 months (1st November 2018 – 10th May 2019). This file is important and relevant for SSC , Railways , and State Exams. Rank of India in different Indexes 1. Cancer Preparedness Index 2019 - India Ranks 19th • The World Happiness Report was released • India was ranked 19th out of 28 countries in by the Sustainable Development Solutions the Index. Network for the United Nations. • Index is released by the Economist • For the second consecutive year, Finland Intelligence Unit (EIU). topped the list. • Top 3 countries are Australia (1st), • Denmark ranked second followed by Netherlands (2nd) and Germany (3rd). Norway. • Bottom three are Saudi Arabia (28th), • Pakistan ranked 67th, Bhutan 95th, China Romania (27th) and Egypt (26th). 93rd, Bangladesh 125th, and Sri Lanka 130th 2. Global Startup Ecosystem – India was ranked 17th while South Sudan ranked last in the World position among 100 countries. Happiness Report. • It was released by StartupBlink. 6. India Ranks 11th in Gold Holding: WGC Report – The • The report ranks countries based on the World Gold Council its latest report highlights the strength of its startup ecosystem. quantum of gold holding by the different countries. • China was ranked 27th. • India has the 11th largest gold reserve and • Bangalore, New Delhi, and Mumbai were the the current holding pegged at 607 tonnes. top cities in the Indian startup ecosystem. • The top spot is occupied by US gold reserves • Top three countries are: United States, of 8,133.5 tonnes, followed by Germany with United Kingdom and Canada. 3,369.7 tonnes. 3. India Ranks 140th In World Press Freedom Index – • International Monetary Fund (IMF) ranks • India ranked 140th out of 180 countries in third on the list with total gold reserves of the World Press Freedom Index 2019. 2,814 tonnes. • Index is released by Reporters Without • The World Gold Council is the market Borders. development organisation for the gold • The index is topped by Norway followed by industry and it aims to stimulate and sustain Finland and Sweden. demand for gold, provide industry 4. WEF Global Energy Transition Index – India rank 76th leadership, and be the global authority on the on a global energy transition index. gold market. • The report stated that India is amongst the • The members of the World Gold Council countries with high pollution levels and has a include gold mining companies. relatively high CO2 intensity in its energy 7. India ranks 16th in terms of Highest Number of system. impacted Species in Hotspots – A recent study • Sweden remains on the top and is followed published in PLOS Biology found that human impacts on by Switzerland and Norway in the top three. species occur across 84% of the earth’s surface and India • The index is compiled by Geneva-based ranks 16th in such impacts, with 35 species impacted on World Economic Forum (WEF). an average. 5. World Happiness Report 2019 – India is ranked • Malaysia ranks 1st among the countries with 140th out of 156 nations. the highest number of impacted species (125). 2 www.gradeup.co • Southeast Asian tropical forests, including • The index is released by INSEAD business school those in India’s Western Ghats, Himalaya, in partnership with Tata Communications and and north-east, are among the ‘hotspots’ of Adecco Group. threatened species. • Switzerland topped the index which is followed • However, these very areas are also ‘cool- by Singapore and the US. spots’ (the world’s last refuges where high • Last year in 2018, India was ranked at 81st numbers of threatened species still persist). position. 8. Inclusive Internet Index 2019 – India has been ranked 13. Democracy Index 2019: The Economist Intelligence 47th. Unit (EIU) has released the Democracy Index which • Sweden has topped the rankings followed by ranks 167 countries by 60 indicators across five broad Singapore and the US. categories. • The Inclusive Internet Index 2019 was • Top 3 countries in the list are – Norway, Iceland prepared by the Economist Intelligence Unit and Sweden. (EIU) for Facebook. • Australia and New Zealand are the only “full • The ‘Inclusive Internet’ score was based on democracies” in the entire Asia-Pacific region the scores of availability, affordability, • India was at the 41st place with a score of relevance and readiness categories. 7.23/10 and was placed in the flawed 9. International IP index 2019 democracies category. • India has jumped eight places to 36th position 14. India Ranks 79th, Japan Tops List of Most Powerful on the International Intellectual Property (IP) Passports - According to the Henley Passport Index, Index. India jumped two positions from 81st in 2018 to 79th in • The US, the UK, Sweden, France and Germany 2019. Japan retained its top spot as the world’s most remained the top five economies on the travel-friendly passport. intellectual property index in 2019 15. India 6th in GDPR Readiness Index: CISCO - Nearly • In 2018, India was ranked at 44th position. 65% of Indian organizations are better prepared for the 10. Corruption Perception Index 2018 European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation • India has improved its ranking by 3 points by (GDPR), making the country the sixth leading nation moving onto 78th position in the Corruption globally in the GDPR readiness index, global networking Perceptions Index 2018 published by leader, according to CISCO. Transparency International. 16. World Bank's ease-of-doing-business 2019: India • China and Pakistan, in a list of 180 countries, ranked at 77 lagged far behind than India at 87th and 117th • India’s jumped 23 places to 77 among 190 position respectively. countries in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing • Somalia has been ranked last with a score of 10 Business 2019 index. behind South Sudan and Syria. • The World Bank on October 31, 2018 released 11. India ranks 54th in 'Bloomberg Innovation Index’ of the Doing Business Report 2019 titled as ‘Doing 60 economies Business 2019: Training for Reform’, assessing • For the first time ever, India has been ranked in and ranking countries on the basis of ease of Bloomberg’s 2019 list of most innovative doing business in the year 2018. countries in the world. • In its annual 'Doing Business' 2019 report, the • India has grabbed the 54th spot among 60 World Bank said India has improved on six of the countries in the Bloomberg Innovation Index 10 parameters on starting and doing business in with a score of 47.93 out of 100. a country. • South Korea has topped the Bloomberg • The biggest improvements have been in the Innovation Index for the sixth time in a row with indicators related "construction permits" and a total score of 87.38. "trading across borders. • Germany ranked second, Finland stood on the • Last year, India ranked at 100th position. third spot. • The top 3 economies in the ease of doing 12. Global Talent Competitive Index 2019: business rankings are New Zealand, Singapore, • India ranked at 80th positions on the Global and Denmark. Talent Competitive Index (GTCI) 2019. 17. IMD World Talent Ranking: India Ranks 53rd 3 www.gradeup.co • Switzerland has topped the list of the IMD World India (53rd) and Brazil (58th) but lagging behind Talent Ranking 2018 for the fifth year in a row. China (39th) and Russia (46th). • Among the BRICS countries, South Africa remains in The Top 3 countries in the list are: the middle position (50th) performing better than • Switzerland, Denmark, Norway 18. Climate Change Performance Index 2019: • As per the WEF’s Global Gender Gap • India ranked at 11th position. Report 2018, Iceland topped the list having • As per the Index, Sweden has topped the closed more than 85.8% of its overall list while India was on 11th position. gender gap. • Saudi Arabia came last, in 60th place, • The Report was published for total 149 partly due to its obstructive role during countries. international climate negotiations. • Norway and Sweden were on 2nd and 3rd 19. WEF Gender Gap Index 2018: position, respectively. • India has been ranked 108th in World Economic Forum (WEF) gender gap index 2018. Economy News May 2019 1. SEBI bars NSE from securities market for 6 months: 2. Chief Economic Advisor appointed as Advisory Co-Location Case - The Market regulator Securities and Council Member in 15th Finance Commission - The Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has barred National Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) to Central government, Dr. Stock Exchange (NSE) from accessing the securities Krishnamurthy Subramanian is appointed as twelfth (12) market for six months and also imposed a fine of ₹1,000 member of Advisory Council of Fifteenth (15th) Finance crore on NSE in co-location case. Commission (FCc). Co-Location Case Fifteenth Finance Commission • Co-location refers to system wherein a broker’s • It was constituted in November 2017, to give server is kept in the exchange premises to reduce recommendations for tax devolution and latency (as it directly influences the amount of time other fiscal matter for five fiscal years, 1 trader takes to interact with market), or delay in April 2020- 31 March 2025. computing terms, while executing trades. • It is chaired by N. K. Singh. April 2019 1. Government hikes customs duty on wheat to 40% defined trading lots for Real Estate Investment • The government has hiked the customs duty on Trusts (REITs) and Infrastructure Investment wheat to 40 percent from 30 percent to curb imports Trusts (InvITs). and protect the domestic industry. • REITs have to offer their units in lots worth at • The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs least ₹50,000 in initial and follow on public (CBIC), through a notification, has hiked the basic offers.