Human Development Index- HDI

<2/”>a >Human Development is a process of enlarging people’s choices. The most critical ones are to lead a long and healthy life, to be educated and to enjoy a decent standard of living. Additional choices include political freedom, guaranteed Human Rights and self-respect.Human development has to be development of the people, by the people, for the people. Human development is about creating an Environment in which people can develop their full potential and lead productive, creative lives in accord with their needs and interests.

The first Human Development Report was published in 1990,States human development as a process of enlarging people’s choices and enhancing their capabilities. The process concerns the creation of an enabling environment in which people can develop their full potential and live productive and creative lives according with their needs, interests and own values. In this sense, human development paradigm promotes well-being in a Society.

The HDI was created to emphasize that people and their capabilities should be the ultimate criteria for assessing the development of a country, not economic Growth alone. The HDI can also be used to question national policy choices, asking how two countries with the same level of GNI per capita can end up with different human development outcomes. These contrasts can stimulate debate about government policy priorities.
The Human Development index (HDI) is a summary measure of Average achievement in key dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable and have a decent standard of living. The HDI is the geometric mean of normalized indices for each of the following three dimensions:-

a. A long and healthy life, as reflected in life expectancy at birth.

b. The acquisition of Education and knowledge, as reflected in the mean years of schooling (adjusted for out of school children) and Literacy rate (age 7 years and above).

c. Th e standard of living and command over Resources, as reflected in the monthly per capita expenditure adjusted for Inflation and inequality.

India’s human development index (HDI) ranking for 2015 puts India ranked as 131 out of 188 countries. Asia’s third largest economy is among a group of countries classed as “medium” in the list, as opposed to “low” in the 1990s, which is largely due to an increase in life expectancy and mean years of schooling in the past 25 years.

The following are the reasons to keep India at the bottom of human development

(a) rapid increase in Population

(b) large number of adult illiterates and low gross enrollment ratio

(c) high drop- out rates

(d) inadequate government expenditure on education and Health,

(e) large proportion of under weight children as well as under nourished people

(f) very poor sanitation facilities and low access to essential life saving medicines.

The HDI is an average measure of basic human development achievements in a country measured by UNDP. It is an average of long-term progress in three basic dimensions of human development viz. a long and healthy life, access to knowledge and a decent standard of living.

India has been placed at 130th position in the 2015 Human Development Index (HDI) among the 188 countries. It was unveiled in the recently released Human Development Report 2015 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Key facts

  • India has been placed at 130th position with 0.609 score in the medium human development category. In 2014 report country’s rank was 135 with 0.586 score.
  • Improvement in India’s 2015 HDI from previous year has been attributed to rise in life expectancy and per capita income.
  • India’s Life expectancy at birth: It has increased to 68 years in 2014 from 67.6 in the previous year and 53.9 in 1980.
  • Gross NATIONAL INCOME (GNI) per capita: It has increased to $5,497 in 2014 from $5,180 in 2013 and $1,255 in 1980. India’s GNI per capita increased by about 338 per cent between 1980 and 2014.
  • Access to knowledge: Expected years of schooling have remained stagnant at 11.7 since 2011. The mean years of schooling at 5.4 has not changed since 2010.
  • Gender Development Index (GDI): GDI value of India is 0.795 in 2014. The female HDI value for India is 0.525 in contrast with 0.660 for males.
  • Gender Inequality Index (GII): India rank at 130th position with value of 0.563 out of 155 countries in the 2014.
  • India’s HDI value increased from 0.362 to 0.609 between 1980 and 2014. It indicates an increase of 68.1 per cent or an average annual increase of about 1.54 per cent.
  • India’s life expectancy at birth increased by 14.1 years between 1980 and 2014. The mean years of schooling has increased by 3.5 years and expected years of schooling increased by 5.3 years in the same period.

Top Three Countries: Norway (1st rank), Australia (2nd) and Switzerland (3rd). India’s Neighbours: Sri Lanka (73 rank), China (90), Bhutan (132), Bangladesh (142), Nepal (145), Pakistan (147) and Afghanistan (171). BRICS Nations: Russia (50 rank), Brazil (75), China (90), South Africa (116) and India (130).

Indian States

This is a list of Indian states by their respective Human Development Index (HDI), as of 2008. Kerala stands first in Human Development Index among the states in India.

The national average HDI for India in 2008 was 0.467.By 2010, its average HDI had risen to 0.519. UNDP, the sponsor of Human Development Index methodology since 1990, reported India’s HDI to be 0.554 for 2012, an 18% increase over its 2008 HDI. United Nations Declared India’s HDI is 0.586 in 2014, an 5.77% increase over 2012. As for the year 2015, HDI for India stood at 0.609.

 

RankState/Union Territoryconsumption
based HDI
(2007–08)
HDI 2015
1Kerala0.7900.7117
2Delhi0.750N/A
3Himachal Pradesh0.6520.6701
4Goa0.617N/A
5Punjab0.6050.6614
6NE (excluding Assam)0.573N/A
7Maharashtra0.5720.6659
8Tamil Nadu0.5700.6663
9Haryana0.5520.6613
10Jammu and Kashmir0.5420.6489
11Gujarat0.5270.6164
12Karnataka0.5190.6176
National average0.5130.6087
13West Bengal0.4920.6042
14Uttarakhand0.490N/A
15Andhra Pradesh0.4730.6164
16Assam0.4440.5555
17Rajasthan0.4340.5768
18Uttar Pradesh0.3800.5415
19Jharkhand0.376N/A
20Madhya Pradesh0.3750.5567
21Bihar0.3670.5361
22Odisha0.3620.5567
23Chhattisgarh0.358N/A

 

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The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite statistic of life expectancy, education, and per capita income indicators, which are used to rank countries into four tiers of human development. A country scores higher if it performs better on these indicators.

The HDI was developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and is published annually as part of the Human Development Report. The HDI is used to measure the progress of countries towards achieving human development goals.

The HDI is calculated using the following formula:

HDI = (Life expectancy at birth × 0.25) + (Mean years of schooling × 0.25) + (Gross national income per capita (PPP) × 0.5)

The HDI is a valuable tool for measuring human development, but it has some limitations. One limitation is that it does not take into account inequality within countries. Another limitation is that it does not measure non-economic aspects of human development, such as political freedom and environmental sustainability.

Despite its limitations, the HDI is a useful tool for measuring human development and for tracking progress towards human development goals.

The following are the sub topics of the Human Development Index (HDI):

  • Life expectancy at birth
  • Mean years of schooling
  • Gross national income per capita (PPP)
  • Inequality-adjusted HDI
  • Gender Development Index (GDI)
  • Multidimensional POVERTY Index (MPI)

Life expectancy at birth

Life expectancy at birth is the average number of years that a newborn is expected to live if current mortality rates continue to apply. It is a measure of the overall health of a population and is influenced by a number of factors, including access to healthcare, Nutrition, and sanitation.

Mean years of schooling

Mean years of schooling is the average number of years of schooling that a person has completed. It is a measure of the level of education in a population and is influenced by a number of factors, including access to education, quality of education, and cultural norms.

Gross national income per capita (PPP)

Gross national income per capita (PPP) is the gross national income (GNI) of a country divided by its population. It is a measure of the average income in a country and is influenced by a number of factors, including the size of the economy, the distribution of income, and the exchange rate.

Inequality-adjusted HDI

The inequality-adjusted HDI is a measure of human development that takes into account inequality within countries. It is calculated by adjusting the HDI for inequality in life expectancy, education, and income.

Gender Development Index (GDI)

The Gender Development Index (GDI) is a measure of human development that takes into account gender inequality. It is calculated by adjusting the HDI for gender inequality in life expectancy, education, and income.

Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI)

The Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) is a measure of poverty that takes into account multiple dimensions of poverty, such as education, health, and living standards. It is calculated by identifying the proportion of people who are deprived in at least three of the following dimensions: health, education, and standard of living.

The HDI is a valuable tool for measuring human development, but it has some limitations. One limitation is that it does not take into account inequality within countries. Another limitation is that it does not measure non-economic aspects of human development, such as political freedom and environmental sustainability.

Despite its limitations, the HDI is a useful tool for measuring human development and for tracking progress towards human development goals.

What is the Human Development Index (HDI)?

The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite statistic of life expectancy, education, and per capita income indicators, which are used to rank countries into four tiers of human development. A country scores higher on the HDI if it has a higher life expectancy, higher education attainment, and higher per capita income.

What are the three pillars of the HDI?

The three pillars of the HDI are life expectancy, education, and per capita income. Life expectancy is a measure of the average number of years that a person is expected to live. Education is a measure of the mean years of schooling and expected years of schooling. Per capita income is a measure of the average income per person in a country.

How is the HDI calculated?

The HDI is calculated by taking the average of three indices: life expectancy index, education index, and per capita income index. The life expectancy index is calculated by taking the life expectancy at birth for each country and dividing it by the maximum life expectancy, which is 85 years. The education index is calculated by taking the mean years of schooling for each country and dividing it by the maximum mean years of schooling, which is 18 years. The per capita income index is calculated by taking the per capita income for each country and dividing it by the maximum per capita income, which is $75,000.

What are the limitations of the HDI?

The HDI has been criticized for being too simplistic and for not taking into account other important factors such as inequality, Equality/”>Gender Equality, and environmental sustainability.

What are some alternative measures of human development?

Some alternative measures of human development include the Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI), the Gender Development Index (GDI), and the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI).

What are some of the benefits of using the HDI?

The HDI is a useful tool for comparing the level of human development across countries. It can also be used to track progress over time.

What are some of the challenges of using the HDI?

The HDI is a composite index, which means that it is based on a number of different indicators. This can make it difficult to interpret the results. Additionally, the HDI does not take into account all of the factors that contribute to human development.

What are some of the ways in which the HDI can be used?

The HDI can be used to compare the level of human development across countries. It can also be used to track progress over time. Additionally, the HDI can be used to identify countries that are lagging behind in terms of human development.

  1. The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite statistic of life expectancy, education, and per capita income indicators, which are used to rank countries into four tiers of human development. Which of the following is not one of the three indicators used to calculate the HDI?
    (A) Life expectancy at birth
    (B) Mean years of schooling
    (C) Expected years of schooling
    (D) Gross national income per capita

  2. The HDI was developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 1990. Which of the following is not one of the goals of the HDI?
    (A) To help countries assess their progress in improving the Quality Of Life for their citizens
    (B) To promote a broader understanding of development that goes beyond economic growth
    (C) To help countries identify areas where they need to improve their performance
    (D) To provide a ranking of countries based on their level of development

  3. The HDI is calculated using a formula that takes into account the following three indicators:
    (A) Life expectancy at birth, mean years of schooling, and expected years of schooling
    (B) Life expectancy at birth, mean years of schooling, and gross national income per capita
    (C) Life expectancy at birth, gross national income per capita, and the Gini coefficient
    (D) Mean years of schooling, expected years of schooling, and the Gini coefficient

  4. The HDI is a valuable tool for measuring and comparing the level of development of countries around the world. However, it has some limitations. Which of the following is not one of the limitations of the HDI?
    (A) The HDI does not take into account inequality within countries
    (B) The HDI is based on a limited number of indicators
    (C) The HDI is not a perfect measure of well-being
    (D) The HDI is not a measure of happiness

  5. The HDI has been criticized for not taking into account inequality within countries. This means that two countries with the same HDI can have very different levels of inequality. For example, the United States and Canada have similar HDIs, but the United States has a much higher level of inequality than Canada.

  6. The HDI is also based on a limited number of indicators. This means that it does not capture all aspects of well-being. For example, the HDI does not take into account environmental factors, such as air quality or access to clean water.

  7. Despite its limitations, the HDI is a valuable tool for measuring and comparing the level of development of countries around the world. It is important to remember that the HDI is just one measure of well-being, and it should not be used in isolation.