World Happiness Report

1️⃣ What is the World Happiness Report?

The World Happiness Report ranks countries based on self-reported life evaluations.

It measures perceived well-being, not economic growth alone.

It is based largely on Gallup World Poll survey data.

Prelims trap:
This is not an economic index like GDP or GII.

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2️⃣ Who Publishes It?

Published by:

UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UN SDSN)

It is supported by the United Nations, but:

It is NOT published by UNDP.

That distinction is very important.

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3️⃣ Indicators Used

The report evaluates happiness using:

• GDP per capita
• Social support
• Healthy life expectancy
• Freedom to make life choices
• Generosity
• Perceptions of corruption

These are explanatory variables.

UPSC may give a list and ask which are used.

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4️⃣ India’s Latest Rank

📌 World Happiness Report 2024:

India ranked 126th out of 143 countries

This showed slight improvement compared to previous year.

Remember:

Rank changes yearly, but 2024 report is latest full dataset for prelim cycle.

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5️⃣ What It Does NOT Measure

❌ Innovation
❌ Military strength
❌ Income inequality directly
❌ Hunger

It measures subjective well-being based on surveys.

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6️⃣ Difference: Happiness vs HDI

HDI measures:

Health + Education + Income (objective indicators).

Happiness Report measures:

Perceived life satisfaction + socio-economic factors.

UPSC may frame comparative elimination question.

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7️⃣ Why It Matters for UPSC

It links to:

• Social capital
• Governance quality
• Mental health
• Development debates

It’s often used in essays and ethics discussions.

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8️⃣ Common Prelims Traps

• Confusing it with HDI.

• Thinking it is published by UNDP.

• Assuming it measures poverty levels.

• Mixing it with Global Peace Index.

• Thinking it is purely economic.

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9️⃣ Likely Question Patterns

• Which organisation publishes World Happiness Report?
• Which of the following factors are used in ranking?
• What does the index primarily measure?
• Difference between HDI and Happiness Index.

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🔁 Quick Recall Box

✔ Published by: UN SDSN
✔ Based on Gallup survey data
✔ Latest India rank (2024): 126 / 143
✔ Measures perceived well-being
✔ Not same as HDI