Question — Q.100
Consider the following statements about the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI):
1MPI is calculated using Alkire-Foster methodology.
2MPI calculated by NITI Aayog has a total of twelve indicators.
3Maternal Health and Bank Account are common indicators in the MPI of NITI Aayog and MPI of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
A1 and 2 only ✓
B1, 2 and 3
C1 and 3 only
D2 only
Each Statement — Verified from UNDP and NITI Aayog Official Sources
1
✓ Correct — Alkire-Foster methodology used for both MPIs
MPI is calculated using Alkire-Foster methodology
Correct. The Multidimensional Poverty Index was developed by Sabina Alkire and James Foster at the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) in 2010, adopted by UNDP for the Human Development Report.The Alkire-Foster (AF) methodology uses a dual-cutoff counting method:
• First cutoff: Deprivation threshold for each indicator (e.g., someone is “deprived” in nutrition if malnourished)
• Second cutoff (33%): If deprivation score ≥ 33% of weighted indicators → person is “multidimensionally poor”
• MPI = H × A (Headcount ratio × Intensity of poverty)
Both the Global MPI (UNDP/OPHI) and India’s National MPI (NITI Aayog) use the Alkire-Foster methodology.
✓ Alkire-Foster (AF) = dual-cutoff method · MPI = H × A · Used by both UNDP Global MPI and NITI Aayog National MPI
Developed by Sabina Alkire + James Foster at OPHI, Oxford · Adopted by UNDP 2010 · India’s national MPI developed by NITI Aayog + OPHI + UNDP collaboration
2
✓ Correct — NITI Aayog MPI has 12 indicators
MPI calculated by NITI Aayog has a total of twelve indicators
Correct — confirmed from official NITI Aayog and UNDP sources. India’s National MPI covers 3 dimensions represented by 12 indicators:Health dimension (3 indicators): Nutrition · Child and Adolescent Mortality · Maternal Health
Education dimension (2 indicators): Years of Schooling · School Attendance
Standard of Living dimension (7 indicators): Cooking Fuel · Sanitation · Drinking Water · Electricity · Housing · Assets · Bank Accounts
The Global MPI (UNDP) has 10 indicators. India’s National MPI has 12 indicators — by adding Maternal Health and Bank Account to the global 10.
✓ NITI Aayog MPI = 12 indicators (3 dimensions) · Global MPI = 10 indicators
12 indicators: Nutrition · Child Mortality · Maternal Health* · Years of Schooling · School Attendance · Cooking Fuel · Sanitation · Drinking Water · Electricity · Housing · Assets · Bank Accounts* (*India-exclusive additions)
3
✗ Wrong — Maternal Health and Bank Account are India-EXCLUSIVE, NOT common with UNDP
Maternal Health and Bank Account are common indicators in MPI of NITI Aayog and MPI of UNDP
Wrong — this is the precise opposite of the truth. According to the UNDP official page:“India’s national MPI retained 10 indicators from the Global MPI and has added 2 new indicators, namely Maternal Health (in the dimension of Health) and Bank Account (in the dimension of Standard of Living).”
This means:
• The Global MPI (UNDP) has 10 indicators — Maternal Health and Bank Account are NOT in it
• India’s MPI (NITI Aayog) has 12 indicators — it added Maternal Health and Bank Account to the global 10
Maternal Health and Bank Account are the India-specific additions — they are what differentiates India’s MPI from UNDP’s. They are explicitly NOT in UNDP’s global MPI. The question’s statement that these are “common” indicators in both is therefore completely wrong.
✗ Maternal Health + Bank Account = India-EXCLUSIVE additions · NOT in UNDP Global MPI (which has only 10)
Global MPI (UNDP) = 10 indicators (no Maternal Health, no Bank Account) · National MPI (NITI Aayog) = 12 indicators (Global 10 + Maternal Health + Bank Account) · These two are what DIFFERENTIATES India’s from global MPI
Global MPI vs India National MPI — Indicator Comparison
🌍 Global MPI (UNDP/OPHI) — 10 Indicators
Health (2)
• Nutrition
• Child and Adolescent Mortality
Education (2)
• Years of Schooling
• School Attendance
Standard of Living (6)
• Cooking Fuel
• Sanitation
• Drinking Water
• Electricity
• Housing
• Assets
🇮🇳 India National MPI (NITI Aayog) — 12 Indicators
Health (3)
• Nutrition
• Child and Adolescent Mortality
• Maternal Health ← INDIA EXCLUSIVE
Education (2)
• Years of Schooling
• School Attendance
Standard of Living (7)
• Cooking Fuel
• Sanitation
• Drinking Water
• Electricity
• Housing
• Assets
• Bank Accounts ← INDIA EXCLUSIVE
MPI — Complete Fact Sheet for UPSC
| Parameter | Global MPI (UNDP) | India National MPI (NITI Aayog) |
| Published by | UNDP + OPHI (Oxford) | NITI Aayog (nodal agency) |
| First released | 2010 | 2021 (1st edition) · 2023 (2nd edition) |
| Methodology | Alkire-Foster (AF) ✓ | Alkire-Foster (AF) ✓ |
| Dimensions | 3 (Health, Education, Standard of Living) | 3 (same — equally weighted) |
| Indicators | 10 | 12 (Global 10 + Maternal Health + Bank Accounts) |
| India-exclusive | — | Maternal Health (Health) + Bank Accounts (Standard of Living) |
| Data source (India) | National Family Health Survey (NFHS) | National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4 and NFHS-5) |
| Poor threshold | Deprivation score ≥ 33% → “MPI poor” | Deprivation score ≥ 33% → “MPI poor” |
| India’s latest | 24.82 crore Indians escaped multidimensional poverty (2013-14 to 2022-23) · MPI fell from 29.17% (2013-14) to 11.28% (2022-23) | |
Memory Trick
🧠 The Critical Distinction: 10 vs 12 Indicators
Global MPI (UNDP) = 10 indicators · India MPI (NITI) = 12 indicators: India added 2 India-specific indicators to the global framework — Maternal Health (reflecting India’s MMR challenges) and Bank Accounts (reflecting PM Jan Dhan Yojana and financial inclusion priority).
Statement 3 trap — “common” is the wrong word: Maternal Health and Bank Account are precisely the uncommon, India-exclusive indicators — what differentiates India’s MPI from UNDP’s. These are the additions, not the shared base. The 10 shared indicators are the ones common to both.
Alkire-Foster = both use it: AF methodology is used by both Global MPI and India’s National MPI. The dual-cutoff approach: deprivation cutoff per indicator + 33% poverty cutoff. MPI = H (headcount ratio) × A (intensity). Both MPIs measure the same three dimensions: Health, Education, Standard of Living.
