UPSC Prelims 2000 · General Studies

Question 75: History and Culture

That the per capita income in India was Rs. 20 in 1867-68, was ascertained for the first time by

aM. G. Ranade

bSir W. Hunter

cR. C. Dutta

dDadabhai Naoroji

AnswerThe answer is (d).

Dadabhai Naoroji, the Grand Old Man of India, was the first to work out India's per capita income, in his papers on the poverty of India in the 1870s. He put it at about Rs 20 a year for 1867-68. He used this to argue the drain theory, that British rule was draining India's wealth to Britain.

Why each option is right or wrong

(a) Ranade wrote on economic questions but did not make this first estimate.
(b) William Hunter did not make this estimate.
(c) R. C. Dutt wrote on economic history in the late nineteenth century, later than Naoroji's estimate.
(d) Right: Dadabhai Naoroji first estimated per capita income.

Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2000, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.