2015 GS Paper I, all questions
UPSC Prelims 2015 · GS Paper I
Question 90: Economy and Social Development
The substitution of steel for wooden ploughs in agricultural production is an example of
alabour-augmenting technological progress
bcapital-augmenting technological progress
ccapital-reducing technological progress
dNone of the above
AnswerUPSC’s answer is (b).
Technological progress is called capital-augmenting when it makes capital more productive, for example through a better machine or tool that does more work per unit of capital. Replacing a wooden plough with a steel one improves the quality of the capital good itself. Labour-augmenting progress, by contrast, raises the effectiveness of workers through skills, education or organisation.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Labour-augmenting progress raises worker productivity through skills, not by changing tools.
- (b) Correct: a better plough makes capital more productive.
- (c) The change improves capital's productivity; it does not reduce capital.
- (d) Wrong: the change fits capital-augmenting progress, so 'none of the above' is incorrect.
Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2015, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.