Physical Quality of Life Index: Definition, Concepts, Formulas

Physical Quality of Life Index was developed by a sociologist, Morris David Morris, in the mid-1970s for the Overseas Development Council in response to the failure of GDP as a development indicator of a country’s growth and progress. The Index is derived by combining and measuring three different basic human well-being indicators into a single index. These three basic indicators include - Literacy Rate, Life Expectancy, and Infant Mortality Rate.

The Physical Quality of Life Index looks to measure the basic human development level in a society. It also compares the well-being of people across various countries and regions.

Enroll Now for UPSC Online Course

Physical Quality of Life Index

The Physical Quality of Life Index (PQLI) is an index developed by a US sociologist, Morris David Morris. It measures the quality of life in a country or region based on three basic components, including Literacy Rate, Life Expectancy, and Infant Mortality Rate.

PQLI refers to a comprehensive measure of basic human well-being in a society. In this Index ranged between 0-100, higher PQLI scores indicate a better quality of life. PQLI is often used as an alternative to GDP as a measure of human development, as it captures certain aspects of human well-being that are not captured by economic measures.

Enroll Now for UPSC Online Course

Physical Quality of Life Index Components

The Physical Quality of Life Index was developed in response to the inability of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to sufficiently measure the quality and well-being in a society. It is generated by combining three different components. These components can be described as follows:

Physical Quality of Life Index in India

The Physical Quality of Life Index for India is one of the latest available data and varies across different states and union territories. Some of the regions show high PQLI, whereas others exhibit a lower range of PQLI. Kerala is generally the state with the highest PQLI in India, while Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh often have the lowest.

Enroll Now for UPSC Online Course

Limitations of Physical Quality of Life Index

Although the Physical Quality of Life Index developed by Morris David Morris is a much better indicator of human well-being in society than the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), there are certain limitations to the Index as well. The limitations of PQLI can be summarized as follows:

• Limited Scope: The index tends to capture only three basic human indicators and does not take into account some other important aspects of human well-being.

• Lack of Cultural Sensitivity: The Physical Quality of Life Index is based more on a one-size-fits-all approach as it does not consider cultural differences, variations in lifestyle, and social well-being that can directly affect the well-being of people belonging to different societies.

• Insufficient Data: The PQLI is heavily dependent on the local data collection systems of the country, which may not be accurate or updated, particularly in the least developed countries.

• Lack of Weightage: The Index gives equal importance to all three indicators and does not provide any weightage to indicate which one of the three indicators is more critical for human well-being.

• Biases: PQLI is primarily based on the assumption that regions with a higher literacy rate and longer life expectancy must always lead to a better quality of life. This may not always be the case.

The Physical Quality of Life Index (PQLI) is a very useful tool to measure the well-being of humans in a society. It is a better indicator than the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to analyse the quality of human life, but it still has some limitations. Therefore, the PQLI must be used with caution, and with other indices of development.

Looking for guidance in UPSC preparation? Explore Physics Wallah’s UPSC courses!