GS2 · 10 marks · 150 words

Declining fertility rates, coupled with rising life expectancy, require a shift from fertility-focused interventions to human capital investments. Examine in the light of recent population trends.

Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2023–2025

Syllabus: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

How toppers approached it

From all 3 answers · about 170 words · 67% drew a diagram.

Opening

A figure3 of 3

Body

Points3 of 3

A way forward3 of 3

The toppers’ answers

Pakshal SecretryAIR 8 · CSE 2025 · 122 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening · a figure

Recently as per NFHS-V fertility rate have declined to 2.0 in India, while life expectancy has risen.

Body · points

Diagram

- Y-axis: arrow - X-axis: arrow - 1950: Bar labelled 32 years - 2023: Bar labelled 72 years - Arrow pointing from 1950 to 2023 - Label below bars: Life Expectancy

Need of shift toward Human Capital investment

(1) Reaping Demographic Dividend

mean age = 29 years (2) Ensuring capability development → providing choices & freedom (3) Improves economic outcomes → 1 year of schooling → Income rises by 13% of person (4) Ensure justice based approach of development (5) Reap longevity dividend of rising population

Diagram

- Central circle: Problem of fertility based - Branch 1: Already very low fertility - Branch 2: -> May lead to demographic winter - Branch 3: Ignores Human development

Way forward

(1) Capability Approach (Sen) (2) Providing social safety nets → PDS, MGNREGA (3) Entitlement → Right to Health (4) Universal Basic Income (5) Increase Health & education spending

Close · a way forward

Thus as per Amartya Sen, Indian needs to simultaneously invest in 4 Capital : Material, Human, Natural & Social

More on Health

Public health, insurance, workforce and access.

All GS2 questions on Health