As per the report by the United Nations Development Program’s (UNDP) ‘Human Development Report 2021-22- Uncertain Times, Unsettled Lives: Shaping our Future in a Transforming World’, India ranked 132nd among 191 countries and territories on the 2021 Human Development Index (HDI). In the 2020 report, India had ranked 131st among 189 countries and territories.
- India’s latest HDI value is 0.633 which places it in the medium human development category, as compared to its value of 0.645 in the 2020 report.
- This decline is due to the fall in life expectancy from 69.7 years to 67.2 years.
- Also, there is a global drop in life expectancy from 72.8 years in 2019 to 71.4 years in 2021.
Toppers:
The index has been topped by Switzerland with 0.962 HDI value. It is followed by Norway (0.961) at 2nd, and Iceland at 3rd (0.959).
Key Points:
i.India’s neighbouring countries are ranked as- Sri Lanka (73rd), China (79th), Bangladesh (129th), and Bhutan (127th) Pakistan (161st), Nepal (143rd), and Myanmar (149th).
ii.Around 90% of countries registered a decline in their HDI value in 2020 or in 2021.
iii.India’s expected years of schooling stands at 11.9 years, down from 12.2 years in the 2020 report.
- The mean years of schooling is up at 6.7 years from 6.5 years in the 2020 report.
iv.Although India retained its 132nd position in the Gender Development Index, the female life expectancy dropped from 71 years in the 2020 report to 68.8 years in the 2021 report.
- The mean years of schooling for females declined from 12.6 to 11.9 years in the corresponding period.
v.India scored 0.123 in the Multi-Dimensional Poverty Index (MPI) with a headcount ratio of 27.9 per cent, with 8.8 per cent population reeling under severe multidimensional poverty.
What is HDI?
It is a measure to track progress on three basic dimensions of human development, a long and healthy life, access to education, and a decent standard of living. It is calculated using the following four indicators:
- Life expectancy at birth
- Mean years of schooling
- Expected years of schooling
- Per capita Gross National Income.
Recent Related News:
i.According to Forbes Asia’s 200 “Best Under A Billion” 2022 Ranking, 24 Indian companies made the list, a decrease from 26 in 2021. This placed India in fourth place among Asian countries.
ii.According to the ‘UNAIDS Global AIDS Update 2022: In Danger’, only half (52%) of children living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) are on life-saving therapy globally, considerably behind adults, who receive three quarters (76%) of antiretrovirals.
About United Nations Development Program (UNDP):
Administrator– Achim Steiner
Headquarters– New York, New York, United States
