Imagine judging a country not just by how much money it makes, but by how long people live, how educated they are, and how healthy their lives are. That’s what the Human Development Index (HDI) is all about!
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According to the 2025 HDI report(based on 2023 data) with the title “A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of AI” released on May 6, 2025 by UNDP, India ranks 130th out of 193 countries, with an HDI score of 0.685 risen from 0.676 in 2022, keeping India in the medium human development category and gradually moving closer to the high human development level (HDI ≥ 0.700).
The top three countries with the highest human development are Iceland (0.972), Norway (0.970), and Switzerland (0.970), while the lowest-ranked countries are South Sudan (0.388), Somalia (0.404), and the Central African Republic (0.414), reflecting wide global disparities in development.
India’s life expectancy is 72 years, with expected schooling of 12.95 years and mean schooling of 6.88 years. The GNI per capita (2021 PPP) stands at $9,046.8, showing steady progress in health, education, and income levels.
Among Indian states (2022 Data), Goa(0.760) and Kerala(0.758) tops with High HDI whereas the lowest HDI states include Bihar (0.577) and Jharkhand (0.600). Among UTs, Chandigarh tops with 0.751, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli is lowest with 0.624. Andhra Pradesh is in the Medium HDI category with 0.642 score.
HDI reminds us that growth is not just GDP, it’s about people. It shows us whether people are living longer, learning more, and earning better. A country may be rich, but if people are sick or uneducated, is it truly developed?
📢 Is India progressing fast in HDI?
💬 What changes do you think are still needed? Comment below…