World Happiness Report 2025: India's Position and Global Trends
- vidyarthee2021
- Mar 22
- 2 min read
The World Happiness Report 2025 has been published by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford, in collaboration with Gallup, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and an independent editorial board. This annual report evaluates global happiness levels based on various social, economic, and governance-related factors.
Understanding the Happiness Index
The report’s Global Happiness Ranking is derived from the Cantril Self-Anchoring Striving Scale (Cantril Ladder), where:
The top of the ladder (10) represents the best possible life.
The bottom (0) represents the worst possible life.
Countries are ranked based on survey responses and multiple socio-economic parameters.
Key Parameters of the Report
The World Happiness Index evaluates countries based on six key factors:
GDP per capita – Economic prosperity and individual wealth.
Social support – Availability of social networks and support systems.
Healthy life expectancy at birth – Overall healthcare and longevity.
Freedom to make life choices – Citizens' autonomy in life decisions.
Generosity – Charitable contributions and community well-being.
Perceptions of corruption – Trust in government and institutions.
Top and Bottom Rankings in 2025
Finland continues to lead as the happiest country, followed by Denmark and Iceland.
India ranks 118th out of 147 countries, indicating room for improvement in key areas.
India’s Performance and Challenges
India’s low ranking highlights several challenges:
Economic Disparity – Despite high GDP growth, income inequality remains a concern.
Healthcare & Life Expectancy – India has made strides, but healthcare access needs improvement.
Perception of Corruption – Public trust in institutions must be strengthened.
Mental Well-being – Work-life balance, stress levels, and societal pressures impact happiness scores.
Way Forward:
Enhancing public healthcare and education for better social support.
Reducing corruption and increasing transparency in governance.
Encouraging community initiatives for mental and emotional well-being.
UPSC Prelims Question
Consider the following statements regarding the World Happiness Report 2025:
It is published by the United Nations General Assembly.
The Cantril Ladder is used as the primary method to measure happiness.
GDP per capita and freedom to make life choices are among the key parameters considered in the ranking.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, and 3
UPSC Mains Question
Q. The World Happiness Report highlights the relationship between economic growth, governance, and well-being. Discuss the factors influencing India’s ranking and suggest policy measures to improve happiness levels in the country.
(GS Paper 2 – Governance & Social Justice)
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