Human Development Index (HDI):
- The HDI measures average achievement in three basic dimensions of human development — life expectancy, education and per capita income.
- India ranks 129 out of 189 countries on the 2019 HDI — up one slot from the 130th position last year. India’s HDI value increased by 50% (from 0.431 to 0.647), which places it above the average for other South Asian countries (0.642).
- Norway, Switzerland and Ireland occupied the top three positions in that order. Germany is placed fourth along with Hong Kong, and Australia secured the fifth rank on the global ranking.
- Among India’s neighbours, Sri Lanka (71) and China (85) are higher up the rank scale while Bhutan (134), Bangladesh (135), Myanmar (145), Nepal (147), Pakistan (152) and Afghanistan (170) were ranked lower on the list.
- South Asia was the fastest growing region in human development progress witnessing a 46% growth over 1990-2018, followed by East Asia and the Pacific at 43%.
inequality-adjusted HDI (IHDI):
- The Inequality-adjusted HDI (IHDI) indicates percentage loss in HDI due to inequalities.
- For IHDI, India’s position drops by one position to 130, losing nearly half the progress (.647 to .477) made in the past 30 years.
Gender Inequality Index (GII):
- In the Gender Inequality Index (GII), India is at 122 out of 162 countries. Neighbours China (39), Sri Lanka (86), Bhutan (99), Myanmar (106) were placed above India.
- The world is not on track to achieve gender equality by 2030 as per the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. It may take 202 years to close the gender gap in economic opportunity — one of the three indicators of the GII.
