2013 GS Paper I, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2013 · GS Paper I

Question 78: Economy and Social Development

To obtain full benefits of demographic dividend, what should India do?

aPromoting skill development
bIntroducing more social security schemes
cReducing infant mortality rate
dPrivatization of higher education

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (a).

A demographic dividend is the economic gain from a large working-age population. To benefit from it, the young must be productive, which needs skills and jobs; without skills a large young population becomes a burden of unemployment instead of a gain. Skill development is the most direct step. Social security, lower infant mortality or privatising higher education do not by themselves turn a large workforce into productive workers.

Why each option is right or wrong
  • (a) Correct. Skills make the working-age population productive.
  • (b) Wrong. Social security schemes help welfare, not productivity of the workforce.
  • (c) Wrong. Lower infant mortality helps population, not the use of the workforce.
  • (d) Wrong. Privatisation of higher education does not by itself give skills to the workforce.

Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2013, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.