Daily News Analysis ‘ Human Development Index (HDI) 2023: India Ranks 130 out of 193 countries’ : 7 May

Key Highlights:

• HDI Value: Improved from 0.676 (2022) to 0.685 (2023).
  •  Still in the medium human development category. 
  • Nearing the high human development threshold (0.700).
• Life Expectancy: Rose to 72 years in 2023 from 58.6 years in 1990.
  • Improvement is attributed to programs like NRHM, Ayushman Bharat, Janani Suraksha Yojna, and Poshan Abhiyaan.
• Education:
  • Expected years of schooling: Now 13 years (up from 8.2 years in 1990).
  • Supported by the RTE Act, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, and NEP 2020.
• GNI per capita: Increased to $9,046.76 in 2023 from $2,167.22 in 1990.
• Multidimensional Poverty:135 million people exited poverty between 2015-16 and 2019-21.
• Inequality:
  • HDI loss due to inequality: 30.7%, one of the highest in the region.
  • Major concerns: Income disparity, low female labour force participation, and gender gaps in political representation
• Gender Reforms: 33% reservation for women in legislatures seen as transformative
• AI & Future Development:
  • Report theme: “A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of AI”
  • India seen as a rising AI powerhouse with the highest AI skills penetration

•  India ranked 130 out of 193 countries in the Human Development Index (HDI) 2023, moving up 3 positions as per the UNDP Human Development Report 2025.