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General Studies 2025 GS Paper III 10 marks 150 words Compulsory Distinguish

GS Paper III — Q1

Distinguish between the Human Development Index (HDI) and the Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI) with special…

Distinguish between the Human Development Index (HDI) and the Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI) with special reference to India. Why is the IHDI considered a better indicator of inclusive growth ? (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

भारत के विशेष संदर्भ में मानव विकास सूचकांक (एच डी आई) तथा असमानता-समायोजित मानव विकास सूचकांक (आई एच डी आई) में भेद कीजिए। आई एच डी आई को समावेशी संवृद्धि का एक बेहतर सूचक क्यों समझा जाता है ? (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

Q1 of the 2025 UPSC Mains General Studies GS Paper III, as printed
The question as printed in the 2025 General Studies paper
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Model answer

Written by UPSC Answer Check against this question's marking rubric, to the 150-word length. UPSC does not publish answers for Mains — this is one way to score well, not an official key.

HDI estimates a country’s average achievement in health, education and income using life expectancy, mean/expected years of schooling and GNI per capita. IHDI starts from the same dimensions but adjusts them for inequality in their distribution, using the Atkinson inequality index, so it penalises unequal distribution more severely than HDI’s mean-based approach. For India, the 2021 national HDI was 0.633, while the IHDI was 0.475, implying a substantial loss of about 25 per cent due to inequality in health, education and income. This overall gap is clearly visible in regional disparities—Kerala’s higher health and education outcomes versus Bihar’s lower ones—gender gaps in maternal health and schooling, and income concentration in the top decile. Because IHDI captures whether gains reach the bottom and middle, not just aggregate progress, it reflects development for all and aligns with SDG 10. Thus, IHDI is therefore a better overall indicator of inclusive growth for India.

What "Distinguish" is asking you to do

Name the property that separates the items and say which side holds it. Distinguish is marked exactly as differentiate is, with no difference in expectation, but its stems more often line up three terms rather than two — gender equality, gender equity and empowerment — and every pair in the set has to be separated.

Structure that answers it

The category they all sit in → the property dividing the first pair → the second pair → the third → why the boundary matters in practice

Where marks are lost

Separating the two obviously different items and leaving the middle term unplaced. A description of each side from which the line must be inferred is marked as description, not as a distinction.

All UPSC directive words, compared →

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

Framework: compare. compare: paired headings or table > key differences > significance > conclusion Full marks: Clear distinction with India-specific data, precise explanation of inequality adjustment, strong inclusive growth argument

Key points expected

  • Define HDI components (health, education, income)
  • Define IHDI as HDI adjusted for inequality
  • Reference India's specific HDI/IHDI context
  • Explain why IHDI captures inclusive growth better

Evaluation rubric

Each sub-part is marked on its own, against the marks and word limit printed on the paper.

  1. The answer Distinguish HDI from IHDI in India and justify IHDI as a better indicator of inclusive growth. 10 marks · 150 words

    compare— paired headings or table → key differences → significance → conclusion

    Must cover

    • Define HDI components (health, education, income)
    • Define IHDI as HDI adjusted for inequality
    • Reference India's specific HDI/IHDI context
    • Explain why IHDI captures inclusive growth better

    Loses marks

    • Confusing HDI with GDI or other indices
    • Ignoring the 'India' reference requirement
    • Treating IHDI as a separate index rather than adjusted HDI

    Earns more

    • Mention specific inequality dimensions (gender, region)
    • Note India's HDI rank or value
    • Mention UNDP as source
    • Contrast average vs distribution of development

    Extra mark

    • Cite specific India HDI/IHDI value or rank
    • Mention specific inequality dimension (e.g., gender, caste)

Practice this exact question

Write your answer and it is marked point by point against the model answer above — what you covered, what you missed, what you got wrong.

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