Minister of Commerce & Industry to Launch GII

Current context: Global Innovation Index (GII) is to be launched by Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Railways, Piyush Goyal in New Delhi on 24th July 2019.

• The GII 2019, would rank 130 countries on the basis of more than 80 indicators analysing various aspects of innovation.
• This is the first time that the GII is being launched in an emerging economy.
• The event is co-hosted by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
• India’s performance in the GII is rising with a jump of 24 places in 4 years: India’s position was 81 in 2015, rose to 66th position in 2016, ranked 60th in 2017 and in 2018 achieved the 57th position in the GII.
• The GII 2019 theme is Creating Healthy Lives - The Future of Medical Innovation, which aims to explore the role of medical innovation in shaping the future of healthcare.
• Every year since 2011, India has been ranked as the most innovative country in the Central and Southern Asia Region.
• The first India innovation index with focus on ranking Indian states was conceptualized in 2017 in collaboration with WIPO.

Key Facts:

• Published By- Cornell University, INSEAD and the UN World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) every year.
• The country topped GII 2019: Switzerland.
• The latest edition of GII ranking (2019)- 12th edition.
• Aim: To help the policymakers to understand stimulating innovative activity.
• India’s performance: India has moved up 29 positions in 5 years, from 81st in 2015 to 52nd in 2019.
• Best areas of India’s performance: science and engineering, quality of universities, global R&D companies’ expenditure and market sophistication.
• Lagged areas: education, females employed with advanced degrees, ecological sustainability, ICT access and use and environmental performance.
• This year’s uniqueness: For the first time, GII has been launched in Asia or in an emerging economy i.e. India.

Question: 

Q.1 What is the theme of the Global Innovation Index 2019?
a. Creating Innovative ideas- The Future Innovation
b. Creating Healthy Lives - The Future of Medical Innovation
c. Live to Elders- Future of Medical Innovation
d. Creating Child and Mother lives-The Future of Medical Innovation

Q.2 Which country has topped the Global Innovation Index 2019?
a. France
b. Germany
c. USA
d. Switzerland