Short & Long Questions: Development

Short Answer Type Questions (3 Marks)

Q1: (i) What is development? Mention any two features of development.
(ii) What is national income? [CBSE 2025 (D)] 
(iii) What is per capita income? [CBSE Sept. 2018]
Or
Define the term, 'average income.' [CBSE 2022 (D)] 
Ans: (i) Development is a broad process that includes an increase in real per capita income, improvement in people's standard of living and well-being, and reduction in problems such as poverty, illiteracy and high crime rates.
Features:
(a) Different persons and groups have different goals of development; what is desirable for one may not be so for another.
(b) Income is an important component of development but not the only one; social and non-economic factors also matter.
(ii) National income is the total value of all goods and services produced by the residents of a country over a period of time plus net income received from abroad.
(iii) Per capita income (also called average income) is obtained by dividing the national income by the total population.
Per Capita Income = National Income / Population

Q2: (i) State the criteria used to compare the different countries by the Human Development Report published by the United National Development Programme (UNDP).
(ii) Which is the new area of knowledge in which scientists, economists, philosophers and other social scientists are working together?
(iii) What is meant by Human Development? [CBSE 2024]
(iv) What is Sustainable Development? [CBSE Comp. (D)2009 (F), Sept. 2021]
(v) Which organisation measures HDR? Mention any three major indicators of / HDR. [CBSE Sept. 2019]
Ans: (i) The Human Development Report compares countries using indicators such as per capita income, life expectancy at birth, literacy and educational attainment, and access to basic necessities like clean drinking water and sanitation.
(ii) Sustainability of development is the interdisciplinary area where scientists, economists, philosophers and social scientists work together to link economic progress with environmental and social concerns.
(iii) Human Development is the process of expanding people's choices and improving their well-being so they can lead long, healthy, creative and meaningful lives. It includes economic measures like income as well as non-economic aspects such as health, education, freedom and security.
(iv) Sustainable Development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs; it seeks to balance economic growth with environmental protection and social equity.
(v) The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) prepares the Human Development Report. Three major indicators used are:
(a) Education level (literacy and schooling)
(b) Health status (life expectancy at birth)
(c) Per capita income (standard of living)

Q3: (i) Mention any two important aspects of our lives other than income. [CBSE 2025 (D)]
(ii) How can we achieve our hopes and possibilities in the present world ? [CBSE Comp. (D) 2018]
(iii) What is 'Public Distribution System ' (PDS) ? [CBSE Sept. 2021] [CBSE2019 (F) Sept. 2020]
(iv) Mention two developmental goals of landless rural labourers. [CBSE Comp. (O) 2018]
(iv) Why has Kerala a higher Human Development Index than Punjab in spite of low per capita income?
[CBSE 2020 (F) Sept. 2022] 
Ans: (i) Two important aspects other than income are health and education.
(ii) People can achieve their hopes and possibilities through a democratic political process that provides rights, opportunities and public services to all citizens.
(iii) Public Distribution System (PDS) is a government scheme through which foodgrains and other essential commodities are supplied to the poor at subsidised rates through authorised ration shops.
(iv) Developmental goals of landless rural labourers include:
(a) More days of employment and better wages.
(b) Access to quality education for their children.
(v) Kerala has a higher Human Development Index than Punjab despite a lower per capita income because Kerala has:
(a) Lower infant mortality and better health outcomes, and
(b) Higher literacy and better educational indicators.

Q4: Mention any four characteristics of development. [CBSE Sept. 2024]
Ans: (i) Diverse goals: Different people and groups have different ideas of what development means.
(ii) Relative nature: What counts as development for one person or group may be harmful or undesirable for another.
(iii) Multidimensionality: Income is important but development also includes health, education, equality, peace and dignity.
(iv) Mixed goals: Societies pursue a combination of economic, social and environmental objectives rather than a single aim.

Q5: Describe any three features of developed country. [CBSE 2019]
Ans: (i) According to the World Bank classification cited in earlier reports, countries with a per capita income of around US$ 12,276 per annum and above are considered rich or developed.
(ii) Developed countries generally have a high literacy rate and wide access to quality education.
(iii) A large share of the workforce in developed countries is employed in the service sector, with advanced industries and high productivity.

Q6: What is PCI? Where it is used?
Ans: PCI stands for Per Capita Income. It is calculated by dividing the total national income by the population of the country.
Uses:
(i) It is used to compare average living standards between different countries.
(ii) The World Bank and other organisations use per capita income to classify countries as low, middle or high income.

Q7: What are the development goals of the following :
(i) Labourer (ii) Rich farmer (iii) Trader
Ans: 

• Labourer: More days of work and better wages.
• Rich farmer: Higher prices for produce and lower taxes.
• Trader: Lower costs of operation (for example, cheaper labour and lower taxes) and easier business conditions.

Q8: 'What may be development for one may not be development for the other.' Explain by giving examples. [CBSE Sept. 2022]
Or
With the help of an example show two groups who may have different notions of development. [CBSE Sept. 2024]
Ans: It is true that development for one may not be development for another. Examples:
(i) Higher wages are development for a worker, but higher wages increase costs for an entrepreneur and may reduce profits.
(ii) A rich farmer or trader prefers higher prices for foodgrains, while a poor consumer or labourer prefers lower prices so food is affordable.
(iii) Construction of a dam may provide cheap and abundant power (benefit for industry and many consumers) but can displace people and submerge homes and farmland (harm for those communities).
(iv) Industrialists may demand more dams to secure electricity, but this can destroy agricultural land and local livelihoods, creating conflict between groups.

Q9: What is national development? What are the aspects covered under the national development? [CBSE Sept. 2018]
Ans: National development is a broad concept that includes raising the living standards of the population, increasing per capita income, and providing public services such as education, health care and social protection.
Aspects covered under national development:
(i) Fair and efficient use of a country's resources for the common good.
(ii) Implementation of policies and programmes that benefit a large section of the population.
(iii) Investment in social infrastructure such as education, health and other social services to improve human well-being.

Q10: What contributes to the human development?
Ans: Human development depends on both economic and non-economic factors, including:
(i) Living a long and healthy life (good health care and nutrition).
(ii) Access to education, information and skills.
(iii) Enjoying a decent standard of living (adequate income and basic services).
(iv) Enjoying basic rights and freedoms such as security, freedom of movement and expression.
(v) Equality and protection of human rights for all groups in society.

Long Answer Type Questions (5 Marks)

Q11: What is the main criterion used by the World Bank in classifying different countries? What are the limitations of this criterion? [CBSE Sept. 2016]
Or
Explain the meaning of the term 'Rich Countries' and 'Low Income Countries' according to the World Development Report of 2006. What is India's position in this respect? [CBSE 2015]
Ans: The World Bank classifies countries mainly on the basis of per capita income. As cited in the reports:
(i) High-income (rich) countries are those with a per capita income around US$ 12,276 per annum and above (figure used in certain World Bank classifications).
(ii) Low-income (poor) countries are those with per capita income of about US$ 1,005 or less (as used in earlier classifications).
India, at the time of these reports, was placed in the lower middle-income category because its per capita income was above the low-income cut-off but well below the high-income threshold (for example, around US$ 1,340.4 per annum in the year cited).
Limitations:
(i) This classification considers mainly the economic dimension and ignores other important factors such as peace, health, environment and education.
(ii) Per capita income is an average and does not reveal how income is distributed among people; it can mask inequality.

Q12: Compare India and Sri Lanka on the basis of any three indicators of the Human Development Index for 2004. [CBSE 2019 (O)]
Ans: (1) Per capita income: Sri Lanka's per capita income was higher than India's (India ≈ US$ 3,285; Sri Lanka ≈ US$ 5,170 as given).
(2) Life expectancy at birth: Sri Lanka had higher life expectancy (around 75.1 years) compared with India (around 65.8 years).
(3) Literacy rate: Sri Lanka's literacy rate (about 90.6%) was higher than India's (about 62.8%). These indicators show Sri Lanka scoring better on human development measures for that year.

Q13: Why are the countries of the Middle East not called 'developed' inspite of high per capita income ?[CBSE Sept. 2017]
Ans: Several reasons explain why some Middle East countries are not classed as broadly developed despite high per capita income:
(i) Many of these countries are small in population and rely heavily on oil revenues.
(ii) There is a large gap between rich and poor, with unequal distribution of wealth.
(iii) High per capita income often comes from a single resource (oil), leaving the economy vulnerable and not diversified.
(iv) For these reasons, World Bank reports sometimes exclude such countries from the standard list of developed nations.

Q14: Highlight any three advantages of public facilities. [CBSE Sept. 2022]
Ans: (i) Public facilities provide basic services collectively and often at lower cost, making them accessible to many people.
(ii) Many poor households depend on public facilities for survival and to meet essential needs.
(iii) Certain services such as policing, mass education, public transport and sanitation become affordable and effective only when provided publicly.

Q15: Why are public facilities needed for the development of the country ? Explain four public facilities. [CBSE Sept. 2020] 
Ans: Public facilities are essential for development because they provide the basic infrastructure and services that support education, health, livelihoods and markets. They help reduce inequality and enable people to participate in economic and social life.
(i) Education: Public schools and colleges ensure that children from all backgrounds can learn, increasing skills and future opportunities.
(ii) Public Distribution System (PDS): PDS provides foodsecurity by supplying essential foodgrains at subsidised rates to poor families.
(iii) Transportation: Public transport systems (roads, railways, buses) lower costs of travel and movement of goods, helping trade and access to services.
(iv) Healthcare: Public hospitals and clinics provide affordable medical care and preventive services, improving overall health and productivity.

Q16: Explain common, different and conflicting goals by giving appropriate examples. [CBSE 2023]
Ans:  Development goals can be classified as common, different or conflicting:
(i) Common goals: Needs shared by most people, for example income, freedom, equality, security and respect.
(ii) Different goals: Individuals and groups may prioritise different aims - for example, a farmer may want better irrigation while an unemployed youth may want more job opportunities.
(iii) Conflicting goals: One group's advantage can be another group's loss. For example, industrialists may support building dams for power and industry, while displaced local communities suffer loss of land and homes.

Q17: Mention any four aspects of comparison notions of development between different countries. [CBSE 2015]
Or
Explain three attributes for comparing nations development between different countries. [CBSE 2010]
Or
What are the two basic criteria used for comparing an underdeveloped country with developed one ? [CBSE 2022]
Or
Give examples to prove that there are other important developmental goals than income.
Ans: Common aspects used to compare development between countries include:
(i) Per capita income: Average income per person, useful for rough comparisons but it does not show income inequality.
(ii) Literacy level: The proportion of people who can read and write, usually measured for ages seven and above; higher literacy suggests better human development.
(iii) Health indicators: Measures such as Infant Mortality Rate and birth rate; lower infant mortality and better health indicate higher development.
(iv) Life expectancy at birth: The average expected length of life at birth; higher life expectancy implies better overall living conditions and health.
(v) Net attendance ratio: The percentage of children of a given school age who actually attend school; a useful indicator of educational access.

Q18: How is BMI used to determine the undernourishment of a person ? Explain. [CBSE 2014]
Ans: (i) To check whether an adult is undernourished, nutritionists use the Body Mass Index (BMI).
(ii) BMI is calculated by dividing a person's weight in kilograms by the square of their height in metres: BMI = weight (kg) / height (m)².
(iii) If the BMI is less than 18.5, the person is considered undernourished. A BMI above 25 indicates overweight.

Q19: What is the criterion to determine if adults are undernourished? [CBSE 2013]
Ans: (i) The criterion used to determine if adults are undernourished is the Body Mass Index (BMI).
(ii) BMI is calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in metres: BMI = weight (kg) / height (m)².
(iii) A BMI below 18.5 indicates undernourishment, while a BMI above 25 indicates overweight.

Q20: What is meant by 'Overusing a Resource' ? Explain with examples. [CBSE 2012]
Ans: (i) Overusing a resource means using it faster than nature or other processes can replenish it.
(ii) Groundwater is an example of a renewable resource that can be overused. If extraction of groundwater exceeds the amount recharged by rainfall, the water table falls and wells dry up.
(iii) In some Indian states, intensive irrigation practices have led to excessive extraction of groundwater, causing a significant lowering of the water table and long-term scarcity. This illustrates the consequences of overuse.