World Press Freedom Index

In the 2024 World Press Freedom Index, India’s rank improved from 161 in 2023 to 159 in 2024 among 180 jurisdictions

World Press Freedom Index

What’s in today’s article?

  • Why in News?
  • What is the World Press Freedom Index (WPFI)?
  • 2024 WPFI – The Best and the Worst
  • What the 2024 WPFI Highlights About India?

Why in News?

  • According to the Reporters Without Borders’ (RSF for Reporters sans Frontières) annual index of freedom – 2024 World Press Freedom Index, India’s rank improved from 161 in 2023 to 159 in 2024 among 180 jurisdictions.
  • However, India’s score fell (from 36.62 to 31.28, and scores dropped in all but the security indicator), and the ranking improved because other countries had slipped in their rankings.
  • The government has in the past dismissed international rankings of freedoms in India as propaganda.

What is the World Press Freedom Index (WPFI)?

  • The WPFI is an annual ranking of countries compiled and published by RSF (a France based international NGO) since 2002.
  • 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.
  • The press freedom questionnaire covers five categories – political context, legal framework, economic context, sociocultural context and security.
  • Thus, the index intends to reflect the degree of freedom that journalists, news organisations, and netizens have in each country, and the efforts made by authorities to respect this freedom.

2024 WPFI – The Best and the Worst:

  • The overall decline in the political indicator has affected the trio at the top of the WPFI.
  • Norway, still in first place, has seen a fall in its political score, and Ireland (8th), where politicians have subjected media outlets to judicial intimidation, has ceded its leading position in the EU to Denmark (2nd), followed by Sweden (3rd).
  • The three Asian countries at the bottom of last year’s Index – Vietnam, China and North Korea – have ceded their positions to Afghanistan; Syria; and Eritrea (last).
  • Among the countries going to the polls this year, the U.S. was the most concerning in terms of press freedoms.

What the 2024 WPFI Highlights About India?

  • Press freedom is in crisis:
    • The RSF claimed that press freedom is in crisis in the world’s largest democracy.
    • 9 journalists and 1 media worker have been detained in India as of today, while no journalist/media worker has been killed in the country since January 2024.
  • Draconian laws:
    • The government has introduced several new laws that will give the government extraordinary power to control the media, censor news and silence critics.
    • This includes the Telecommunications Act 2023, the draft Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill 2023, and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023.
  • Unofficial state of emergency:
    • The RSF’s analysis mentioned that the government has engineered a spectacular rapprochement between the (ruling) party and the big families dominating the media.
    • For example, the Reliance group owns more than 70 media outlets that are followed by at least 800 million Indians.
  • Harassment of journalists:
    • The report said that journalists who are critical of the government are routinely subjected to online harassment, intimidation, threats and physical attacks, as well as criminal prosecutions and arbitrary arrests.
    • The situation also remains very worrisome in Kashmir, where reporters are often harassed by police and paramilitaries.

Q.1. What is the Telecommunications Act 2023?

The Telecommunications Act 2023 is an act of the Parliament of India to replace the Indian Telegraph Act. 1885. It aims to consolidate laws relating to development, expansion and operation of telecommunication services and networks.

Q.2. What is the draft Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill 2023?

It extends the regulatory scope of government to cover over-the-top (OTT) Content, digital news, and current affairs. It also has expansive and almost all-encompassing definitions for stakeholders.

Source: India press freedom score falls, says Reporters sans Frontieres | LM

Latest UPSC Exam 2025 Updates

Last updated on June, 2025

UPSC Notification 2025 was released on 22nd January 2025.

UPSC Prelims Result 2025 is out now for the CSE held on 25 May 2025.

UPSC Prelims Question Paper 2025 and Unofficial Prelims Answer Key 2025  are available now.

UPSC Calendar 2026 is released on 15th May, 2025.

→ The UPSC Vacancy 2025 were released 1129, out of which 979 were for UPSC CSE and remaining 150 are for UPSC IFoS.

UPSC Mains 2025 will be conducted on 22nd August 2025.

UPSC Prelims 2026 will be conducted on 24th May, 2026 & UPSC Mains 2026 will be conducted on 21st August 2026.

→ The UPSC Selection Process is of 3 stages-Prelims, Mains and Interview.

UPSC Result 2024 is released with latest UPSC Marksheet 2024. Check Now!

UPSC Toppers List 2024 is released now. Shakti Dubey is UPSC AIR 1 2024 Topper.

→ Also check Best IAS Coaching in Delhi

Vajiram Editor
Vajiram Editor
UPSC GS Course 2026
UPSC GS Course 2026
₹1,75,000
Enroll Now
GS Foundation Course 2 Yrs
GS Foundation Course 2 Yrs
₹2,45,000
Enroll Now
UPSC Prelims Test Series
UPSC Prelims Test Series
₹6000
Enroll Now
UPSC Mains Test Series
UPSC Mains Test Series
₹16000
Enroll Now
UPSC Mentorship Program
UPSC Mentorship Program
₹85000
Enroll Now
Enquire Now