In the World Press Freedom Index, India ranked 159th

Current Context: The World Press Freedom Index is an annual report released by the global media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

• The 2024 edition of this index was published on May 3, 2024.
• The index ranks 180 countries based on the ability of journalists to work and report freely and independently.
• The press freedom questionnaire covers five categories: political context, legal framework, economic context, sociocultural context, and security.
• It only deals with press freedom and does not measure the quality of journalism in the countries it assesses, nor does it look at human rights violations in general.
• Norway topped the ranking, while Denmark was on the second rank.
• As for India, its rank improved from 161 in 2023 to 159 in 2024, but this was because other countries had slipped in their rankings.
• Scores for India dropped (worsened) in all but the security indicator.
• India is ranked behind Turkey, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, which are ranked at positions 158, 152, and 150, respectively.

Question:

Q.1 What was India’s rank in the World Press Freedom Index in 2024?
a. 158
b. 159
c. 160
d. 161