HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX: UPSC Daily Important Topic | 14 NOVEMBER 2021

The dilemma of measuring the developmental level of economies was solved once the United Nations Development Programme (UNDO) published its first Human Development Report (HDR) in 1990. The report had a human development index (HDI) which was the first attempt to define and measure the level of development of economies.

• The HDR measures development by combining three indicators-Health, Education and Standard of Living- Converted into a composite human development index, the HDI.
• The Education component of the HDI is now (since HDR-2010) measured by two other indicators –
  • Mean of year of schooling (for adults aged 25 years).
  • Expected years of schooling (for children of school entering age).
• The Health component is measures by the life expectancy at birth component of the HDI and is calculated using a minimum value of 20 years and maximum value of 83.57 years.
• The standatd of Living Component is measures by GNI (Gross National Income/Product).