Why in news?
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) released its Human Development Report 2025 in May 2025. The report notes that India’s Human Development Index (HDI) value rose from 0.676 in 2022 to 0.685 in 2023, moving the country up to 130th place among 193 countries. Life expectancy climbed to 72 years, mean years of schooling improved and gross national income per capita increased. The findings keep India in the medium human development category but show clear progress despite global challenges.
Background
The Human Development Index is a composite indicator introduced by the UNDP in 1990 to assess a nation’s average achievements in three basic dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, access to knowledge, and a decent standard of living. Each country receives a score between 0 and 1. Countries with scores below 0.55 are considered to have low human development; those between 0.55 and 0.70 fall in the medium category; 0.70–0.80 indicates high human development and above 0.80 very high human development. The index is updated annually and helps governments benchmark progress, design policies and compare performance over time.
Key highlights for India
- Improving HDI value: India’s HDI rose to 0.685 in 2023, up from 0.676 in 2022. Since the index began India’s score has grown by more than 53 percent, outpacing global and South Asian averages.
- Higher life expectancy: Life expectancy at birth reached about 72 years in 2023, the highest recorded for India. Health initiatives such as the National Rural Health Mission, Ayushman Bharat, Janani Suraksha Yojana and Poshan Abhiyaan have expanded access to healthcare and improved maternal and child health.
- Better education outcomes: Children are expected to stay in school for around 13 years on average. Policies like the Right to Education Act and the National Education Policy 2020 have expanded school access, though learning outcomes require further attention.
- Higher incomes: India’s gross national income per capita (in 2021 PPP dollars) rose from roughly US$2,167 in 1990 to over US$9,046 in 2023. Economic growth coupled with programmes like MGNREGA, Jan Dhan Yojana and digital inclusion contributed to poverty reduction.
- Reducing multidimensional poverty: Between 2015–16 and 2019–21, about 135 million Indians moved out of multidimensional poverty. However, inequality remains a significant drag – disparities in income and gender reduce India’s HDI by nearly one‑third.
- Gender challenges: India improved to 102nd place on the Gender Inequality Index, yet female labour participation and political representation remain low. A recent constitutional amendment reserving one‑third of legislative seats for women aims to address this gap.
Global context
- Top performers: Countries with very high human development scores include Iceland, Norway and Switzerland.
- Regional comparison: Neighbouring China and Sri Lanka rank higher than India (around 75th and 78th respectively), Bangladesh shares a similar rank, while Pakistan and Nepal rank lower. Inequality also reduces HDI values in many developing countries.
- AI and human development: The 2025 report, titled “A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of AI,” emphasises that artificial intelligence could accelerate human development if accompanied by inclusive policies and safeguards. Without careful governance, AI risks deepening existing inequalities.
Significance
India’s steady improvement in the HDI demonstrates the impact of social programmes and economic growth on people’s well‑being. The rise comes despite a global slowdown in human development since the COVID‑19 pandemic. To reach the high human development category, India must continue investing in health, education and gender equality while addressing income and regional disparities. Harnessing technologies like AI for inclusive development, protecting labour rights and ensuring environmental sustainability will be essential for future progress.
Source: UNDP press release
