Question

Mention the components of human development index (HDI).

Hint:

HDI = Health (Life Expectancy) + Education (Schooling) + Income (GNI per capita). It gives a holistic picture of development, beyond just economic growth.

Answer 1

The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite index developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to measure and compare the overall development of countries. It reflects not only economic growth but also the quality of life and human well-being.
Components of HDI: 1. Health (Life Expectancy at Birth): - This component measures the average number of years a newborn is expected to live.
- Higher life expectancy indicates better healthcare, nutrition, and living conditions.
2. Education: - This includes two indicators: (i) Mean years of schooling (average years of education received by people aged 25 and older).
(ii) Expected years of schooling (the total years of schooling a child entering school can expect to receive).
- Education reflects the knowledge and skill level of the population.
3. Standard of Living (Income): - This is measured using Gross National Income (GNI) per capita (adjusted for purchasing power parity – PPP).
- It indicates the economic resources available to people to maintain a decent standard of living.
Together, these three dimensions—health, education, and standard of living—form the Human Development Index, which ranks countries on a scale from low to very high human development.