Human Development Index (HDI)

Human Development Index:

• Human Development Index is a summary measure of average achievement in key dimensions of human development. It is given by United Nations Development Programme.
• Parameters:
  • Life expectancy at birth (Sustainable Development Goal 3)
  • Expected years of schooling (SDG 4.3)
  • Mean years of schooling (SDG 4.4)
  • Gross national income (GNI) per capita (2017 PPP$) (SDG 8.5)

• Other associated indexes:
  • Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index: The IHDI captures percentage loss in HDI due to inequality.
  • Gender Development Index: GDI captures gender inequalities in achievement in three basic dimensions of human development (health, knowledge and living).
  • Gender Inequality Index: GII captures a composite measure of gender inequality using three dimensions- reproductive health, empowerment and the labour market.
  • Multidimensional Poverty Index: The index captures the deprivations faced by people in developing countries in their health, education and standard of living.

The 2021 Human Development Index Trend

• India’s Human Development Index value stood at 0.633 during 2021 and comes under the medium human development category. It was less than the world average of 0.732.
• However, compared to 2019, the impact of inequality on human development is lower.
• Latin America, the Caribbean, Sub-Saharan Africa, and South Asia have shown decline in Human Development Index values.

Human Development Index Score:

• India’s performance:
• India’s life expectancy at birth was recorded at 67.2 years
• Expected years of schooling at 11.9 years
• Mean years of schooling at 6.7 years
• Gross national income per capita (2017 PPP) at $6,590
• World numbers:
• Life expectancy at 71.4 years
• Expected years of schooling at 12.8 years
• Mean years of schooling at 8.6 years
• Gross national income per capita (2017 PPP$) at $16,752
• Rankings of other countries:
• Sri Lanka (73rd), China (79th), Bangladesh (129th), and Bhutan (127th) have performed better than India.
• Pakistan (161st), Nepal (143rd), and Myanmar (149th) have performed worse.
• Switzerland has occupied the top spot in the global ranking with an HDI value of 0.962.

Human Development Index: Reasons for Declining Performance on Indicators

• Life expectancy:  The drop in Human Development Index from 0.645 in 2019 to 0.633 in 2021 can be attributed to falling life expectancy due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia -Ukraine War.
• About 90% of countries have registered a fall in their Human Development Index (HDI) value in 2020 or 2021.
• Schooling years: Many countries including India have witnessed disruption in education due the pandemic. This trend is expected to affect mean years of schooling.
• Environmental challenges: Increase in disasters has forced large-scale human migration. The gains made in health, education and income has been reversed.
• Mental distress: Worsening mental distress since COVID-19 can impede human development and suggests that stress, sadness, anger, and worry had reached record heights.

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