HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX 2025

• The Human Development Index (HDI) serves as a consolidated measure that reflects average accomplishments in essential aspects of human development, namely: leading a long and healthy life, attaining education, and enjoying a satisfactory standard of living. It is calculated as the geometric mean of normalized indicators representing each of these three components.
• Life expectancy at birth is used to evaluate the health aspect. Education is gauged through two metrics: the average number of years of schooling for adults aged 25 and above, and the expected years of schooling for children entering the education system.
• The living standards dimension is determined by gross national income (GNI) per capita, with income figures adjusted using a logarithmic scale to account for the decreasing marginal utility of income as GNI increases
• The geometric mean is employed to combine these three dimension indices into the final HDI score. Detailed methodologies can be found in the technical notes.
• HDI also facilitates the evaluation of national policy decisions, highlighting how countries with similar GNI per capita may differ in terms of human development achievements. Such comparisons can encourage discussions about national development priorities.
• However, HDI offers only a limited view of human development, excluding aspects such as inequality, poverty, empowerment, and human security. To address these gaps, the Human Development Report Office (HDRO) has developed additional indices that provide insight into inequality, gender differences, and poverty levels.
• A comprehensive understanding of a nation's human development status requires further examination of supplementary indicators and the broader data found in the statistical annex of the Human Development Report

India's HDI Performance

India has shown commendable progress in human development:

• HDI Value: Increased from 0.633 in 2021 to 0.644 in 2022, placing India 134th out of 193 countries, within the medium human development category. 

• Life Expectancy: Rose from 67.2 to 67.7 years

• Education: Expected years of schooling reached 12.6; mean years of schooling increased to 6.57

• Gross National Income (GNI) per Capita: Increased from $6,542 to $6,951.

• Gender Inequality: India's Gender Inequality Index (GII) value improved to 0.437 in 2022, better than the global average of 0.462 and the South Asian average of 0.478

• The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the global development network of the United Nations, established in 1965. It works in nearly 170 countries and territories with the primary aim of eradicating poverty, reducing inequalities, and building resilience to promote sustainable human development.
• UNDP serves as a trusted partner to governments, civil society, and the private sector, helping countries develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities, and build resilience in order to sustain development results.
• One of the core roles of the UNDP is to assist countries in aligning their development strategies with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It supports initiatives across multiple sectors including democratic governance, climate change, disaster risk reduction, and economic growth.
• Importantly, UNDP emphasizes inclusive development, ensuring that marginalized communities have a voice in decision-making processes and access to basic services and opportunities.
• In addition to its development work, the UNDP is known for its influential global reports and indices, most notably the Human Development Report (HDR) and the Human Development Index (HDI).
• These tools provide a comprehensive assessment of progress and challenges in human development, going beyond economic measures to incorporate health, education, and living standards.
• Through its country offices and partnerships with local institutions, the UNDP also delivers technical expertise, capacity building, and financial support. It plays a coordinating role among UN agencies at the country level, helping align international aid with national priorities.
• By working at the intersection of policy and practice, the UNDP not only contributes to immediate development needs but also fosters long-term institutional and systemic change