Srinagar, April 27 -- On November 1, 2025, Kerala announced the eradication of extreme poverty, becoming the first Indian state to make such a declaration based on multidimensional poverty indicators. In the 2026-27 Budget, the state further announced free education up to the undergraduate level in government institutions. Kerala consistently ranks among the top Indian states in the Human Development Index (HDI), with indicators comparable to several developed nations. These achievements are the outcome of a long trajectory of social, political, and economic reforms dating back to the late nineteenth century.

Pre-Independence Foundations

The foundations of the Kerala Model were laid during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuri...