Human Development Index (HDI)

Prelims – Current events of national and international importance | Indian Polity and Governance | Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development.

Mains – General Studies- II (Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources | Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance)

Why in news?

The Human Development Index (HDI), 2025 was recently released by the United Nations Development Programme.

• HDI – Is a summary measure of average achievement in 3 key dimensions of human development, including:
  1. A long and healthy life
  2. Being knowledgeable
  3. Having a decent standard of living
• It is released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
• India – India has ranked 130 out of 193 countries in the 2025 edition of HDI.
• India’s HDI value increases from 0.676 in 2022 to 0.685 in 2023, placing the country in the medium human development category.
• India’s latest HDI score of 0.685 is comparable to its neighbours Bangladesh (0.685), and higher than Nepal (0.622) and Pakistan (0.544).

Key Findings of the 2025 Human Development Report on India

• Life Expectancy – India’s life expectancy rose from 58.6 years in 1990 to 72 years in 2023, the highest ever recorded.
• Education Gains – Expected years of schooling increased to 13 years (from 8.2 in 1990), but quality remains a concern.
• Income Growth – GNI per capita significantly increased to USD 9046.76 (2023 PPP) from USD 2167.22 (1990), contributing to 135 million escaping multidimensional poverty (2015-21).
• High Inequality – India faces significant inequality (30.7% HDI loss), particularly in income and gender, despite improvements in health and education.
• AI Leadership – India is a leading AI hub with the highest self-reported skills penetration and increasing domestic talent retention, leveraging AI for inclusive growth across sectors.
• Global Slowdown Impact – India is part of a global trend of slower human development progress, risking delays in achieving very high development levels.
• AI as a Choice – The report emphasizes that AI's impact depends on policy choices, requiring a focus on human augmentation, needs, and values to prevent deepening inequalities.

Reference

1. UNDP | HDI
2. UNDP | HDI