SSC Selection Post 2025 PYQ — Question 23

Correct Answe

Human Development Index

Explanation

HDI stands for the Human Development Index. It is a statistical tool and composite index developed and published annually by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It is used to measure and rank countries based on their levels of social and economic development. Instead of relying solely on economic growth metrics like Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the HDI provides a more holistic view of human welfare by emphasizing that people and their capabilities should be the ultimate criteria for assessing the development of a country.

Key Point

The HDI is calculated using three basic dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life (measured by life expectancy at birth), access to knowledge (measured by expected and mean years of schooling), and a decent standard of living (measured by Gross National Income per capita).

The index scores range between 0 and 1, where a value closer to 1 indicates a higher level of human development.

The concept of HDI was created by Pakistani economist Mahbub ul Haq and Indian Nobel laureate Amartya Sen in 1990.

Important Questions and Answers

Question: Which international organization publishes the Human Development Report containing the HDI rankings?

Answer: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) publishes it annually.

Question: What are the three core dimensions used to calculate the Human Development Index?

Answer: The three dimensions are health (life expectancy), education (years of schooling), and standard of living (GNI per capita).