CLASS 10 SST CASE STUDY BASED QUESTION
CHAPTER - Development
Check Point 01
Q. 1. Which position was occupied by India in terms of HDI in Human
Development Report, 2014?
Answer: The Human Development Report published by UNDP compares countries
based on the educational levels of the people, their health status and per capita income.
India occupied the 130th position on the list out of the 188 countries in the Human
Development Report, 2014.
Q. 2. Which index is used to compare the nutritional level?
Answer: The index that is used to compare nutritional level is called Body Mass Index
(BMI), and it is derived from the weight (mass) and height of an individual. The BMI is
defined as the body mass divided by the square of the body height and is universally
expressed in units of kg/m2, resulting from the mass in kilograms and height in meters.
It categorizes individuals as underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese based on
the derived value.
Q. 3. What aims for maintaining the natural resources for the present as well as
the future for consistent economic development?
Answer: Sustainable development aims for maintaining the natural resources for the
present as well as the future generations for consistent economic development.
Economy and society of any country depend on the available natural resources, and
currently, a massive amount of depletion is occurring of said natural resources. Hence it
is imperative that this depletion is arrested so that development can continue without
any hindrance. Sustainable development fulfils this requirement through proper
utilization of resources with special emphasis on maintaining a balance between the
various players involved in the development.
Q. 4. Which neighbouring country of India is ahead of it in HDI ranking?
Answer: The Human Development Report published by UNDP compares countries
based on the educational levels of the people, their health status and per capita income.
India occupied the 131st position on the list out of the 188 countries in the Human
Development Report, 2016. Its neighbouring country, Sri Lanka had the 73rd rank on
the same list.
Q. 5. Which states or regions are fast depleting their groundwater reserves?
Answer: The water that is found under the ground in the cracks and spaces in the soil,
sand or rocks is called groundwater. It is utilized as drinking water, for crop irrigation,
and in industries. Around 300 districts in India have reported a lowering in the level of
the groundwater by over 4 meters in the past 20 years. This decline is particularly
observed in the agriculturally prosperous regions of Punjab and western Uttar Pradesh,
hard rock plateau areas of central and south India, certain coastal areas as well as the
rapidly growing urban centres.
Self Assessment
Q.1 .What do you understand by the term life expectancy?
Answer: Life expectancy in its simplest form means the average period that a person
may expect to live. It is a statistical measure of the average time span an individual is
expected to live based on the year of its birth, its current age and other demographic
factors including gender. Life expectancy is one of the factors in measuring the Human
Development Index of each nation.
Q. 2. Name the state in India having the lowest Infant Mortality Rate.
Answer: Infant Mortality Rate (or IMR) indicates the number of children that die before
the age of one year as a proportion of 1000 live children born in that particular year. The
state of Kerala has the lowest Infant Mortality Rate in India where 12 children died
before the age of one year as a proportion of 1000 live children born in 2015 – 2016.
Q. 3. If the body mass Index is more than 25, then what the person would we
considered?
Answer: The Body Mass Index is defined as the body mass divided by the square of
the body height and is universally expressed in units of kg/m2, resulting from the mass
in kilograms and height in meters. It categorizes individuals as underweight, normal
weight, overweight or obese based on the derived value. An individual with a BMI of
more than 25 will be considered to be overweight.
Q. 4. Write were limitations of the average value.
Answer: In development, the average value is often used to compare different
countries with respect to their income. Since different countries have different
populations, total income does not work as a good comparative measure. Average
value of income is derived by dividing the total income of the country by the total
population and is also called per capita income. Although average income is used for
comparison purposes, it is not an absolute measure as it can hide disparities as it does
not state whether the income distribution is equitable or not. In the following table, we
see the income distribution of two different countries.
From the above table, it is evident that Country A enjoys a higher average income than
country B. But Country B has a more equitable distribution of income than country A.
Thus, the average value is limited as it does not provide a clear picture.
Q. 5. Suggest one measure to ensure sustainable development in the energy
sector.
Answer: Sustainable development aims for maintaining the natural resources for the
present as well as the future generations for consistent economic development. In the
energy sector, sustainable development can arrest the rapid depletion of conventional
resources. Finite nature of conventional resource forms like fossil fuels makes it
imperative that resources are conserved to expand the time span of usage.
Q. 6. What is human development Index?
Answer: The Human Development Index (HDI) is a summary measure of average
achievement in key dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, being
knowledgeable and have a decent standard of living. It is the statistical composite index
of life expectancy, education and per capita income indicators and is used to rank
countries into four different tiers of human development. Indian economist Amartya Sen
along with Pakistani economist Mahbub ul Haq developed this index, and it is used by
the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to measure a country’s
development. According to this index, India occupied the 130th position on the list out of
the 188 countries in the Human Development Report, 2014.
Q. 7. What will happen if we over-exploit underground water in arid regions of
India?
Answer: The water that is found under the ground in the cracks and spaces in the soil,
sand or rocks is called groundwater. It is utilized as drinking water, for crop irrigation,
and in industries. Arid regions of India are characterized by limited sources of surface
water as well as low precipitation rates. Hence, they have a major dependence on
groundwater for domestic and agricultural requirements. If overexploitation of this
source occurs, it will have serious consequences on the economy and social life of the
region.
A lowering in the groundwater level would lead to increased costs in pumping for the
same which cannot be afforded by everyone. Lowering of groundwater levels will also
lead to increased salinization which would ultimately affect the water quality and render
it unusable in the future. This can lead to a lowering in agricultural production in the
area, leading to food shortage and drought.
Q. 8. In which category, India was placed in the World Development Report, 2012?
Answer: The World Development Report (WDR) is an annual report published since
1978 by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) or World
Bank. It provides an in-depth analysis of various aspects of economic development.
One aspect that it uses is per capita income which is the total income of the country
divided by its total population. According to the World Development Report of 2012,
India was placed in the low middle-income countries group as its per capita income was
less than 1005 dollars.
Q. 9. Among Maharashtra, Kerala and Bihar which state has least per capita
income?
Answer: Per capita income is the total income of the country divided by its total
population. At the state level, it is the total income of the state divided by its total
population. The following table gives the per capita income for three states of India for
the 2015-2016 time period.
From the above table, it is evident that Bihar has the least per capita income between
the three states.
Q. 10. Why do we use averages?
Answer: In development, the average value is often used to compare different
countries with respect to their income. Since different countries have different
populations, total income does not work as a good comparative measure. Average
value of income is derived by dividing the total income of the country by the total
population and is also called per capita income. Although average income is used for
comparison purposes, it is not an absolute measure as it can hide disparities as it does
not state whether the income distribution is equitable or not.
Q. 11. Why are public facilities needed for the development of the country?
Answer: Public facilities are defined as those basic services which cannot be supplied
directly to the individual dwelling unit and as a result are utilized away from the
individual residential dwelling unit within the public environment. These facilities are
provided by the government to ensure all-round development of the individual and in
extension the society as a whole. Examples of public facilities include schools, health
centres/hospitals, police stations, ration shops etc. From the examples, it is evident that
public facilities aim not only to educate an individual but aids the individual to gain help
in terms of legal, health and nutritional needs. With individual development, society
develops, and this contributes to the development of the country.
Q. 12. What is the significance of sustainable development for a human being?
Answer: Sustainable development aims for maintaining the natural resources for the
present as well as the future generations for consistent economic development. For a
long time, humankind has been dependent on conventional resources to propel their
development. But the finite nature of such resources has created a demand and supply
gap in this world which has resulted in a variety of problems that include discrepancies
in development, war mongering, ill-effects on environment etc. Sustainable
development aims for the controlled use of resources for greater benefits and primarily
includes reduction of wastage, controlled use and increased benefits from the different
resources. Thus, for human beings’ sustainable development is significant as it aims to
balance their economic, environmental and social needs.
Q. 13. Explain three attributes for comparing notions of development between
different countries.
Answer: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) uses three attributes to
measure the Human Development Index (HDI) of a country.
(1) A long and healthy life which is measured through the expected life expectancy at
birth. This provides an idea of the health of a country’s citizens. Better nutrition and a
disease-free childhood lead to healthy adults who are workers with higher productivity
and an asset to the nation’s workforce.
(2) Education Index which is measured by the mean years of schooling of people aged
25 years and above. This allows one to understand the knowledge level possessed by
the workforce in a country and an indicator of the country’s education-based
development requirements.
(3) A decent standard of living which is measured by the Gross National Income or per
capita income. This allows one to understand the purchasing power possessed by the
citizens in a country. It also allows authorities to categorize countries on a development
scale. Higher the per capita income, higher is the country’s development.
The above three attributes present an all-round development picture for respective
countries. It does not present a clear picture, and further study is needed to locate the
problem areas and provide solutions that are country specific.
Q. 14. Identify different thrust areas of Human Development.
Answer": According to the UNDP, human development – or the human development
approach - is about expanding the richness of human life, rather than simply the
richness of the economy in which human beings live. It is an approach that is focused
on people and their opportunities and choices. Human development focuses on two
important aspects –
(a) It tries to directly enhance human abilities. Human development achieves the direct
enhancement of human abilities by focussing on a long and healthy life, being
knowledgeable and by having a decent standard of living.
(b) It creates conditions for further human development. It achieves this by helping
governments create policies and legislation to encourage participation in political and
community life; through environmental sustainability; by enabling human rights and
security and through ensuring gender equality.
Thus, from the above-mentioned aspects, it is clear that the thrust areas for human
development include not only income aspects but the development of the whole
individual. The process of human development allows individuals to develop their full
potential.
Q. 15. Discuss the value associated with public facilities.
Answer: Public facilities are defined as those basic services which cannot be supplied
directly to the individual dwelling unit and as a result are utilized away from the
individual residential dwelling unit within the public environment. These facilities are
provided by the government to ensure all-round development of the individual and in
extension the society as a whole. Examples of public facilities include schools, health
centres/hospitals, police stations, ration shops etc. These facilities are of immense
value to the society as they are provided collectively and can be utilized for the
betterment of not only individuals but also the community and in extension the country
as a whole. For example, suppose a village does not have a school. When the
Panchayat which is the local governing body provides a school for the area, it means
that there is a chance that the literacy rate of the area will increase. This will lead to an
overall increase in literacy rate. Thus, public facilities when provided and utilized in the
correct manner contributes to the country’s development.
Q. 16. Explain two reasons for the need for environment-friendly economic
growth and one suggestion achieve it.
Answer: For a long time, humankind has been dependent on conventional resources to
propel their development. But the finite nature of such resources has created a demand
and supply gap in this world which has resulted in a variety of problems that include
discrepancies in development, war mongering, ill-effects on environment etc. Two
important reasons behind the need for environmentally friendly economic growth are as
follows –
(1) Environment-friendly economic growth reduces environmental pollution and hence is
important as environmental quality affects all species on earth.
(2) Environment-friendly economic growth will arrest the rapid depletion of conventional
resources. Finite nature of conventional resource forms like fossil fuels makes it
imperative that resources are conserved to expand the time span of usage.
Various methods can be applied to practice an environmentally friendly economic
growth. One such method is the process of substitution. Development of substitutes is a
major principle of resource conservation. Non -renewable energy resources like fossil
fuels may be substituted with renewable energy resources.
Q. 17. Describe the important aspects of our lives other than income.
Answer: Our lives have two separate distinctive aspects. One is the material aspect;
the other is the less tangible non - material aspect. The material aspect is taken care of
through income. A steady flow of money allows us to buy the material things and derive
satisfaction from the same. For e.g., income shall allow us to buy or rent a house which
can provide us with shelter against the elements. The non-material aspect is not so
easily gained. For e.g., one can desire to be healthy and put in money to achieve the
goal. But without proper exercise and clean living, it cannot be achieved.
The non – material aspect cannot often be measured in absolute terms. Money can buy
us a good education, but without effort and diligence on our part, the good education
cannot give us the benefits. There are several non – material aspects in our lives. They
include health, education, job security, participation in the political decision-making
process, reduced discrimination, etc. For e.g., an out of town job can provide a better
salary. But it may not provide the security along with the benefits one can gain while
working in one’s hometown.
For women, they further include things like empowerment, reduced gender disparity,
increased dignity, safe and secure social environment. For e.g., women should be
respected not only when they work outside the house, but also for the housework they
do.
Thus, at an individual level, income is an important aspect in our lives. But individuals
also make decisions based on other non-income aspects as it affects their lives as a
whole.
Q. 18. Compare the level of development in India taking at least three states on
the basis of various aspects other than income.
Answer: According to the UNDP, human development – or the human development
approach - is about expanding the richness of human life, rather than simply the
richness of the economy in which human beings live. The United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) uses three attributes to measure the Human Development Index
(HDI) of a country.
(1) Levels of wealth within the country as measured by GDP per capita and adjusted in
purchasing power parity (PPP)
(2) Health – measured by average life expectancy
(3) Education – measured by the percentage of the population in education at a
particular age (primary, secondary and tertiary) and literacy levels (educational
attainment).
The above three attributes present an all-round development picture for respective
countries. In India, the HDI for states can also be calculated in a similar fashion. Since
different states have different populations, total income does not work as a good
comparative measure. Average value of income is derived by dividing the total income
of the state by the total population and is also called per capita income. Although
average income is used for comparison purposes, it is not an absolute measure as it
can hide disparities as it does not state whether the income distribution is equitable or
not. For the purpose of comparison, we are taking the Infant Mortality Rate, Literacy
Rate and Net Attendance Ratio for the states of Haryana, Kerala, and Bihar. The
following table gives the relevant details –
On the basis of the above table, we can come to the following conclusions –
• Kerala is the most developed between all three states, as not only does it have a low
infant mortality rate, it has high levels of literacy along with a higher ratio of its
population invested in secondary education.
• Haryana comes next and measures should be taken to develop the state further.
• Bihar is the least developed of all states. It has a high infant mortality rate showing that
the population does not have access to proper healthcare. Lower levels of literacy along
with low attendance for secondary education is halting its development process.
If we had only considered the state per capita incomes to judge the level of
development in the states, Haryana would have been the most developed state and
Bihar the least developed. But when we compare the other parameters of development,
it is evident that although Haryana has the money, development processes are not
being implemented in a manner which would aid its overall betterment. Kerala, with a
lower per capita income, is managing its development better and thus outranking
Haryana. Bihar, on the other hand, seems to be stuck in a vicious cycle where lower per
capita income is lowering the development, while lower education and health levels are
lowering the ability of its population to earn more. Thus, Bihar needs better policies to
develop itself.
Q. 19. What is the necessity of comparing different countries or states? Give one
example of a recent model of comparison.
Answer: Countries or states are often classified as developed or underdeveloped
depending upon several factors. These factors range from per capita income to the
death rate that is currently prevalent in the region. The comparison is often taken in the
negative connotation, but in reality, it provides a clear picture of where a country or
state’s development stands. Without comparison, It would be impossible to say whether
the country or state’s development is progressing or not. Comparison helps us to
understand the mechanics behind this difference in development and apply well thought
out solutions to rectify the issues and problems that are hampering the development
process.
The simplest form in which countries or states are compared is based on the per capita
income. The World Development Report (WDR) is an annual report published since
1978 by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) or World
Bank. It provides an in-depth analysis of various aspects of economic development.
One aspect that it uses is per capita income which is the total income of the country
divided by its total population. Countries with per capita income of US$ 12236 per
annum and above in 2016, are called rich countries and those with per capita income of
US$ 1005 or less are called low-income countries. India comes in the category of low
middle-income countries because its per capita income in 2016 was just US$ 1840 per
annum. The rich countries, excluding countries of the Middle East and certain other
small countries, are generally called developed countries.
Q. 20. What is the implication of having high HDI for the country?
Answer: According to the UNDP, human development – or the human development
approach - is about expanding the richness of human life, rather than simply the
richness of the economy in which human beings live. It is an approach that is focused
on people and their opportunities and choices. Human development focuses on two
important aspects –
(a) It tries to directly enhance human abilities. Human development achieves the direct
enhancement of human abilities by focussing on a long and healthy life, being
knowledgeable and by having a decent standard of living.
(b) It creates conditions for further human development. It achieves this by helping
governments create policies and legislation to encourage participation in political and
community life; through environmental sustainability; by enabling human rights and
security and through ensuring gender equality.
The Human Development Index (HDI) is a summary measure of average achievement
in key dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable
and have a decent standard of living.
When a country has a high HDI, it essentially means that the lifespan is higher, the
education levels are higher along with higher per capita income. This makes the country
a developed country. Countries like USA, France Japan have high HDIs’ making them
developed countries.
Q. 21. Suggest some idea to make development more sustainable in nature.
Answer: Sustainable development aims for maintaining the natural resources for the
present as well as the future generations for consistent economic development.
Methods through which development can be made sustainable include the following –
(a) Substitution – Development of substitutes is a major principle of sustainable
development. Non -renewable energy resources like fossil fuels may be substituted with
renewable energy resources.
(b) Recycling – Certain resources can be recycled up to a certain limit and hence the
declining trend in its quantity can be arrested for a time span. Iron is such a resource. If
iron scraps are recycled in the iron and steel industry it can lower the dependence on
raw iron.
(c) Reduction of wastage – if wastages are reduced, a greater quantity of resources
are available for consumption and it will lead to resource conservation.
(d) Development of awareness – No conservation programme with regards to
sustainable development can be successful if the people are not involved. Awareness
regarding the importance of resources is imperative for its conservation.
(e) Increased efficiency – Increased resource demand is met by the increased
functional resource value from the same quantity of resource input. For e.g., modern
fuel-efficient cars can cover longer distances for the same amount of petrol.
Q. 22. What is the main criterion used by the World Bank in classifying different
countries? Describe its limitations.
Answer: The World Development Report (WDR) is an annual report published since
1978 by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) or World
Bank. It provides an in-depth analysis of various aspects of economic development. The
main criterion used by the World Bank in classifying different countries is per capita
income which is the total income of the country divided by its total population. Countries
with per capita income of US$ 12236 per annum and above in 2016, are called rich
countries and those with per capita income of US$ 1005 or less are called low-income
countries. India comes in the category of low middle-income countries because its per
capita income in 2016 was just US$ 1840 per annum. The rich countries, excluding
countries of the Middle East and certain other small countries, are generally called
developed countries. These include countries like the USA, France, and Japan.
Per capita income as an indicator of development has the following limitations:
1. Per capita income does not reflect the standard of living of the people. Since it is an
average, it does not provide a fair picture regarding the income distribution between
people. It can hide the fact that in spite of a high per capita income, the majority of said
income is limited to a few numbers of people, making per capita income an
unsatisfactory indicator of development.
2. An increase in per capita income may not raise the real standard of living of people. It
is possible that while per capita real income is increasing per capita consumption of
goods and services might be falling. This happens when the Govt. might itself be using
up the increased income for massive military build-up necessitating the heavy
production of arms and ammunition.
3. Per capita income does not reflect social development in a country. Increase in
income is not synonymous with an increase in economic welfare. Thus, per capita,
income fails to be an adequate measure of development.
The Human Development Index which takes education and life expectancy along with
per capita income to measure development is a better indicator as it encompasses the
multidimensional facets of development.
Q. 23. Distinguish between total income and average income. Which one is a
better incident of economic development and why?
Answer: The total income of a country or Gross National Income (GNI) is the total
domestic and foreign income claimed by residents of a country. The average income of
a country or per capita income is the total income of the country divided by its total
population. Thus, while total income is an absolute measure for the size of the economy
in a country, average income is the average which provides the development level of
the said economy.
In development, the average value is often used to compare different countries with
respect to their income. Since different countries have different populations, total
income does not work as a good comparative measure. Average value of income is
derived by dividing the total income of the country by the total population and is also
called per capita income. Although average income is used for comparison purposes, it
is not an absolute measure as it can hide disparities as it does not state whether the
income distribution is equitable or not. In spite of its limitations, average income remains
a better indicator of economic development in a country over total income.
Q. 24. ‘’For development people look at a mix of goal’’. Support the statements
with suitable example.
Answer: According to the UNDP, human development – or the human development
approach - is about expanding the richness of human life, rather than simply the
richness of the economy in which human beings live. It is an approach that is focused
on people and their opportunities and choices. Human development focuses on two
important aspects –
(a) It tries to directly enhance human abilities. Human development achieves the direct
enhancement of human abilities by focussing on a long and healthy life, being
knowledgeable and by having a decent standard of living.
(b) It creates conditions for further human development. It achieves this by helping
governments create policies and legislation to encourage participation in political and
community life; through environmental sustainability; by enabling human rights and
security and through ensuring gender equality.
Our lives have two separate distinctive aspects. One is the material aspect; the other is
the less tangible non - material aspect. The material aspect is taken care of through
income. For e.g., income shall allow us to buy or rent a house which can provide us with
shelter against the elements. The non-material aspect is not so easily gained. For e.g.,
one can desire to be healthy and put in money to achieve the goal. But without proper
exercise and clean living, it cannot be achieved.
Thus, at an individual level, income is an important aspect in our lives. But individuals
also make decisions based on other non-income aspects as it affects their lives as a
whole. The process of human development allows individuals to develop their full
potential. Hence, development goals will differ from individual to individual.
Someone in the lower economically developed group may only be interested in policies
which would allow them to earn more. Someone in the higher economically developed
group may be interested in policies that provide a better environment. None of these
goals is wrong; they differ because at an individual level the requirements are different.