UNDP Releases Human Development Report 2025
Why focus: HDI calculation metrics and dimensions — GS3 Economy, classic Prelims index question in How-Many-Correct format
In News
What Happened
Why It Matters
Background
History & Context
What Changed
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BEFORE: Recent reports primarily focused on systemic gridlocks, global polarization, and post-COVID-19 recovery efforts. NOW: The 2025 report pivots to the structural impact of artificial intelligence on human choices, functioning, and future capabilities.
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BEFORE: HDI trajectories showed a broad, albeit uneven, post-pandemic rebound across developing nations. NOW: Using 2023 data, the report identifies an 'unprecedented slowdown' in global progress, with a marked widening of the gap between low and high HDI countries.
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BEFORE: Technological advancement was generally modeled as a uniform enabler of improved living standards. NOW: The report explicitly recognizes AI as a potential driver of extreme socio-economic inequality, necessitating proactive governance to prevent digital divides.
Prelims Angle
NCERT Connection
Practice Questions
Q1
Correct Statement(s)With reference to the Human Development Index (HDI) and its related metrics, consider the following statements: 1. The core premise of the HDI is based on the 'capabilities approach', which emphasizes enlarging people's choices and freedoms. 2. If a country achieves perfect equality in the distribution of health, education, and income, its Inequality-adjusted HDI (IHDI) value will be greater than its standard HDI value. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?