Test: Human Development- 1 - UPSC MCQ

Equity refers to making equal access to opportunities available to everybody. The opportunities available to people must be equal irrespective of their gender, race, income and in the Indian case, caste.

Development means a qualitative change, which is always value positive. Development cannot take place unless there is an addition to the existing condition. It occurs only when positive growth takes place.

Countries with high levels of human development invest more in social sectors and are generally free from political turmoil and instability. Distribution of the country’s resources is also far more equitable.

Their score on HDI in 2013 was less than 0.540. As many as 43 countries record low levels of human development. A large proportion of these are small countries which have been going through political turmoil and social instability in the form of civil war, famine or a high incidence of diseases.

Correct Answer :- a

Explanation : Norway, Australia and the United States lead the rankings of 187 countries and territories in the latest Human Development Index (HDI), while conflict-torn Democratic Republic of the Congo and drought-stricken Niger have the lowest scores in the HDI’s measurement of national achievement in health, education and income, published today in the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) 2013 Human Development Report.

Therefore, 47 countries has high human index in 2013.

Egypt is an African country with low levels of development. The country with high human development are japan, Argentina, Norway. 

The concept of human development was introduced by Dr Mahbub-ul-Haq. Dr Haq has described human development as development that enlarges people’s choices and improves their lives. People are central to all development under this concept. These choices are not fixed but keep on changing. The basic goal of development is to create conditions where people can live meaningful lives.

Dr. Haq published the first Human Development Report, which was commissioned by the United Nations Development Programme.

Empowerment means to have the power to make choices. Such power comes from increasing freedom and capability. Good governance and people-oriented policies are required to empower people.

Apart from Human Development Index (HDI), the other four indicators of human development have been selected which were used by the Human Development Report. These are:
(i) Human Poverty Index for developing countries (HPI-1)
(ii) Human Poverty Index for selected DECD Countries (HPI-2)
(iii) Gender - related Development Index (GDI)
(iv) Gender Empowered Measurement (GEM)