Samacheer notes on Human Development Indicators, Tamil Nadu’s performance, and a comparative assessment across the country, taken from Chapter 10: Human Resource Development of the Class 11 Economics text
1. Human Development Indicators & Measurement Framework
- Core Dimensions of Human Development: According to the Human Development Report (1997), human development focuses on three essential choices for people: leading a long and healthy life, acquiring knowledge, and having access to resources needed for a decent standard of living.
- Human Development Index (HDI) Goals & Metrics: Ranks countries on a scale from 0 (lowest) to 1 (highest) based on three goals:
- Longevity: Measured by life expectancy at birth.
- Knowledge: Measured by a weighted average of adult literacy (two-thirds weight) and mean years of schooling (one-third weight).
- Standard of Living: Measured by Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) of currency to reflect the cost of living.
- HDI Classification Groups:
- Low Human Development: $0.0$ to $0.499$.
- Medium Human Development: $0.50$ to $0.799$.
- High Human Development: $0.80$ to $1.0$.
- Related Indices:
- Gender-Related Development Index (GDI): Adjusts the HDI for inequalities between men and women using female life expectancy, female adult literacy/gross enrolment ratios, and female per capita income.
- Human Poverty Index (HPI): Measures deprivations in longevity (probability of dying before age 40), knowledge (adult illiteracy rate), and decent living standards (access to safe water, health services, and percentage of malnourished children under five).
- National and State Reports: Following the global HDI framework, the Planning Commission of India published the National Human Development Report in 2001 providing state-wise and all-India indices, and states such as Tamil Nadu have also brought out their own Human Development Reports.
2. Human Development & Educational Progress in Tamil Nadu
- High Educational Ranking: Tamil Nadu is categorized as an educationally progressive state, ranking among the top three states in India for literacy, second only to Kerala and Maharashtra.
- Literacy Trends (2001 Census):
- Overall Literacy: Tamil Nadu stood at 73.47%, significantly higher than the all-India average of 65.38%.
- Male Literacy: Stood at 82.33% in Tamil Nadu compared to the national average of 75.85%.
- Female Literacy: Stood at 64.55% in Tamil Nadu compared to the national average of 54.16%.
- Historical Literacy Growth in Tamil Nadu:
- 1951: Total 20.86% (Male: 31.73%, Female: 10.06%).
- 1971: Total 39.46% (Male: 51.78%, Female: 26.56%).
- 1991: Total 63.70% (Male: 74.90%, Female: 52.30%).
- 2001: Total 73.47% (Male: 82.33%, Female: 64.55%).
- Secondary Enrolment Expansion: Secondary level enrolment in Tamil Nadu surged from 13% in 1991 to 59% in 2001.
- Physical Access to Schools (A Key Differentiating Factor): High literacy has been driven by near-universal physical accessibility across habitations:
- Primary schools within 1 km for 99% of habitations.
- Upper primary schools within 3 km for 81% of habitations.
- Secondary schools within 5 km for 78% of habitations.
- Higher secondary schools within 8 km for 76% of habitations.
- Public Investment and Support Schemes:
- Educational expenditure rose from Rs. 26 crores (1962–63) to Rs. 4,949 crores (2000–2001).
- Dropouts were curtailed via the Chief Minister’s Nutritious Noon Meal Scheme, free health check-ups, free bus passes, uniforms, slates, and books.
- Implementation of the Vazhvoli Thittam (School Health Programme) where health officials conduct weekly school visits and train teachers to recognize disease symptoms.
- Implementation of Arivoli Iyakkam (Total Literacy, Post-Literacy, and Continuing Education campaigns for adults aged 15–35) and the District Primary Education Programme (DPEP) to eliminate gender disparity.
3. Comparative Assessment across the Country
- Literacy Disparities: Wide disparities exist nationwide between rural and urban populations, males and females, backward and non-backward castes, and between different states and districts.
- Comparison with All-India Literacy Averages (Census Data):
- 1951: All-India total was 16.67% (Male: 24.95%, Female: 7.93%) vs. Tamil Nadu’s 20.86%.
- 1971: All-India total was 29.48% (Male: 39.52%, Female: 18.70%) vs. Tamil Nadu’s 39.46%.
- 1991: All-India total was 52.10% (Male: 63.90%, Female: 39.40%) vs. Tamil Nadu’s 63.70%.
- 2001: All-India total was 65.38% (Male: 75.85%, Female: 54.16%) vs. Tamil Nadu’s 73.47%.
- India’s Global HDI Standing: According to Human Development Report 2004 (evaluating 2002 data), India was classified within the Medium Human Development tier ($0.50$ to $0.799$). While India’s GDP had been expanding quickly, its overall HDI performance lagged considerably behind many nations.
- National Under-Investment & Systemic Shortfalls:
- Public spending on education at the all-India level rose from roughly 1.2% of GNP prior to the Five-Year Plans to approximately 3.5% of GNP, which remains characterized by under-investment.
- The constitutional goal of achieving universal primary education by 1960 remained unachieved nationwide, severely hindered by child labour and school dropouts.
- Equity issues persist nationally: in 1978, 70% of secondary seats and 80% of higher education seats across India were occupied by the top 30% income groups.
