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India ranks 130th in the Human Development Index 2025 released by UNDP.

About Human Development Index (HDI)

The HDI measures a country’s progress in three key areas: 

• Health: Measured by life expectancy at birth (how long people are expected to live).
• Education: Measured by mean years of schooling (average years of education for adults) and expected years of schooling (years a child is expected to study).
• Income: Measured by Gross National Income (GNI) per capita (average income per person, adjusted for purchasing power).

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) publishes this index every year as part of its Human Development Report (HDR).

In 2025, the HDR ranks 193 countries based on their HDI scores, which range from 0 to 1. Higher scores mean better human development. 

India’s Progress in HDI

India ranks 130th out of 193 countries in the 2025 HDR, with an HDI value of 0.685 in 2023, up from 0.676 in 2022. This places India in the medium human development category, and it is moving closer to the high human development threshold (HDI ≥ 0.700).

Health (Life Expectancy):

• India’s life expectancy at birth reached 72 years in 2023, the highest ever, up from 67.7 years in 2022.
• Since 1990, life expectancy has risen by 9.1 years.
• Programs like Ayushman Bharat (world’s largest health insurance scheme) and Mission Indradhanush (vaccination drive) have boosted healthcare access. Nutrition initiatives like Poshan Abhiyan tackle malnutrition, contributing to longer lives.

Education:

• Mean years of schooling (average years adults have studied) increased to 6.9 years in 2023 from 6.57 years in 2022.
• Expected years of schooling (years a child is expected to study) rose to 13 years in 2023 from 12.6 years in 2022.
• Since 1990, expected years of schooling have grown by 4.6 years, and mean years by 3.8 years.
• Government schemes like Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, DIKSHA (digital learning platform), and PM SHRI Schools have improved school enrollment and learning outcomes. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 emphasizes holistic education, driving progress.

Income:

• India’s GNI per capita soared to $9,046.76 in 2023 (in 2021 PPP terms) from $6,951 in 2022, a massive 287% increase since 1990.
• Economic growth, digital expansion, and schemes like Jan Dhan Yojana (financial inclusion) and MGNREGA (rural employment) have fueled this rise.
• Between 2015-16 and 2019-21, 135 million Indians escaped multidimensional poverty (deprivations in health, education, and living standards), showcasing inclusive growth.

Challenges

Female labor force participation is low at 41.7% (2025 HDR) compared to 76.1% for men, a gap of 47.8 percentage points.

Women’s political representation is limited, though the 106th Constitutional Amendment (2023), reserving one-third of legislative seats for women, promises change.

Women earn far less, with an estimated GNI per capita of $2,277 compared to $10,633 for men.

Social biases continue: 99.22% of Indians hold at least one bias against women, and 92.39% justify partner violence or deny women’s reproductive rights.

While health and education disparities have reduced, gaps remain, especially in rural areas and among marginalized communities. Subnational disparities show that 70% of Indians are in the medium human development category, but some states lag behind despite economic growth.

India’s Ranking Compared to Neighbors

• Above India:
• China (75th)
• Sri Lanka (78th)
• Bhutan (127th)
• At par:
• Bangladesh (130th)
• Below India:
• Nepal (145th)
• Myanmar (149th)
• Pakistan (168th)

Global Status

Globally, Iceland tops the HDI at 0.972, followed by Norway (0.966) and Switzerland (0.967). South Sudan ranks last at 193rd with an HDI of 0.388.

The 2025 HDR, titled “A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of AI”, highlights a global slowdown in human development, the slowest in 35 years.

• Rich countries like Iceland and Norway enjoy record-high HDI values, while half of the poorest nations, including South Sudan, remain below pre-COVID levels.
• Inequality between rich and poor countries has widened since 2020, reversing two decades of progress.
• AI’s rise offers opportunities (e.g., India’s high AI skills penetration) but risks deepening inequalities if not managed inclusively.

Source: 

BUSINESS-STANDARD