UPSC Prelims 1999 · General Studies
Question 12: Economy and Social Development
Consider the following statements: Regional disparities in India are high and have been rising in recent years because
- 1.There is persistent investment over time only in select locales.
- 2.Some areas are agro-climatically less conducive to development.
- 3.Some areas continue to face little or no agrarian transformation and the consequent lack of social and economic opportunities.
- 4.Some areas have faced continuous political instability.
Which of the above statements are correct?
AnswerThe answer is (a).
Regional disparity in India comes from uneven investment, land quality and agrarian change. Investment has kept flowing to a few places, so others fall behind (1); regions with poor soil or climate find development harder (2); and areas with no agrarian transformation lack the social and economic opportunities that follow it (3). Political instability (4) has hit only a few areas and is not accepted as a general cause. Remember: capital flow, natural endowment and agrarian change.
- 1. Investment going only to select places widens the gap with the rest.
- 2. Poor agro-climatic conditions make development harder in some areas.
- 3. Without agrarian change, social and economic opportunities do not develop.
- 4. Instability has affected only a few areas; it is not accepted as a general cause.
How you could have got this
- If you were sure statement 4 is not correct, (b), (c) and (d) go: each of them includes 4.
What you needed to know: Instability has affected only a few areas; it is not accepted as a general cause.
Only (a) is left. You didn’t need statements 1, 2 or 3.
This follows an unofficial answer: UPSC has not published its key for this year, and if that answer is wrong, so is this path.
Which options go is worked out from UPSC’s key and the options, not by a model.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Right. Statements 1, 2 and 3 are the accepted causes.
- (b) Wrong. It includes 4 and leaves out 2.
- (c) Wrong. It includes 4 and leaves out 1.
- (d) Wrong. It includes 4 and leaves out 3.
Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 1999, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.