The Human Development Index (HDI) was first developed by which of the following?

The HDI was first introduced by the UNDP in its first Human Development Report in 1990. Pakistani economist Mahbub ul Haq conceptualised it, with inputs from Amartya Sen, as a broader measure of progress than GDP per capita. It rests on three dimensions: a long and healthy life (life expectancy), knowledge (mean and expected years of schooling), and a decent standard of living (GNI per capita, PPP).

Why the others are wrong:

• IMF deals with macroeconomic surveillance and balance-of-payments lending, not social development indices.
• UNICEF works on child welfare and publishes child-specific indicators, not the HDI.
• UNCTAD handles trade, investment and development finance.

Mains angle: HDI is a standard reference for inclusive growth and development debates in GS-I and GS-II. Its ranking changes every year, so check the latest Human Development Report for India's current position.

Trap: Aspirants often pick the IMF or World Bank because they publish many widely quoted indices. Link the HDI to the UNDP's Human Development Report.