New Delhi: India ranked 132 out of 191 countries in the 2021 human development index (HDI), according to a report released by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
In the 2020 HDI report, India had ranked 131 among 189 countries, reported PTI
India’s HDI value of 0.633 – compared to 0.645 in the 2020 report – puts India in the medium human development category.
“Like global trends, in India’s case, the drop in HDI from 0.645 to 0.633 can be attributed to falling life expectancy – 69.7 to 67.2 years. India’s expected years of schooling stand at 11.9 years, and the mean years of schooling are at 6.7 years,” the report said.
Human Development, which is a measure of a nation’s health, education, and average income, has declined for two years in a row – reversing five years of progress.
The recent Human Development Report – ‘Uncertain Times, Unsettled Lives: Shaping our Future in a Transforming World’ – argues that layers of uncertainty are stacking up and interacting to unsettle life in unprecedented ways.
“The world is scrambling to respond to back-to-back crises. We have seen with the cost of living and energy crises that, while it is tempting to focus on quick fixes like subsidizing fossil fuels, immediate relief tactics are delaying the long-term systemic changes we must make,” said UNDP administrator Achim Steiner.
“We are collectively paralyzed in making these changes. In a world defined by uncertainty, we need a renewed sense of global solidarity to tackle our interconnected, common challenges,” he added.
But not everything is gloomy.
“The Human Development Report shows that progress globally is in reverse. India’s decline in human development mirrors this trend – impacted by intersecting crises. But there is good news. Compared to 2019, the impact of inequality on human development is lower,” said Shoko Noda, UNDP Resident Representative in India.
“India is bridging the human development gap between men and women faster than the world. This development has come at a smaller cost to the environment. India’s growth story reflects the country’s investments in inclusive growth, social protection, gender-responsive policies, and push towards renewables to ensure no one is left behind,” said Noda.
India’s HDI value continues to be higher than South Asia’s average human development, and has been steadily catching up with the world average since 1990.
