Human Development

1. Who originally propounded the theory of three stages of social development? [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2021]

(a) Karl Marx
(b) Talcott Parsons
(c) Herbert Spencer
(d) Auguste Comte

Correct Answer: (d) Auguste Comte

Solution:The theory of three stages of social development was de- veloped by Auguste Comte in his work, "The Course in Posi- tive Philosophy'. It states that society as a whole, and each particular science, develops through three mentally con- ceived stages: (1) the theological stage, (2) the metaphysi- cal stage, and (3) the positive or scientific stage. Comte suggested that all societies have these three basic stages in the course of their development.

2. Given below are two statements, one labelled as Assertion (A) and other as the Reason (R). [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2019]

Assertion (A): There is a positive relation between Human Development Index (HDI) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) ranking of Indian States.

Reason (R): The underlying dimension of SDG targets are closely related to education and health aspect.

Select the correct answer using the codes below:

(a) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is correct explanation of (A)
(b) Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A)
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false
(d) (A) is false but (R) is true

Correct Answer: (a) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is correct explanation of (A)

Solution:The underlying dimension of SDG targets are closely related to education and health aspect as evident in the positive correlation between HDI (Human Development Index) and SDG rankings of Indian States. Hence, Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).

3. Which of the following is the correct order in which the mentioned measures of development were introduced? [Jharkhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2021]

(a) Per-capita Income, HDI, PQLI
(b) PQLI, HDI, Per-capita Income
(c) Per-capita Income, PQLI, HDI
(d) HDI (Human Development Index), Per-capita Income, PQLI (Physical Quantity of Life Index)

Correct Answer: (c) Per-capita Income, PQLI, HDI

Solution:The first measure of development, introduced in the US in 1934, by a team of economic experts headed by Simon Kuznets (1971 Nobel Prize winner), was the Per-capita In- come method. This one-dimensional method measures the income per person in an economic unit by measuring the living conditions and quality of life in different areas.

The Physical Quality of Life Index (PQLI) is an attempt to measure the quality of life or well-being of a country. The value is the average of three statistics: basic literacy rate, infant mortality, and life expectancy at age one. It was developed for the Overseas Development Council in the mid-1970s by Morris D. Morris.

The Human Development Index (HDI) is based on the hu- man development approach, developed by the economist Mahbub-ul-Haq, is anchored in the Nobel laureate Amartya Sen's work on human capabilities. In 1990, the first Human Development Report was introduced.

4. Which one of the following pairs is the most suitable estimate of the physical quality of life? [U.P.P.C.S. (Spl.) (Mains) 2004]

(a) Infant mortality rate - Literacy
(b) Infant mortality rate - Income
(c) Calorie intake - Literacy
(d) Per capita income - Sex ratio

Correct Answer: (a) Infant mortality rate - Literacy

Solution:Infant mortality and literacy are the most appropriate estimates of the physical qualtity of life. The Physical Quality of Life Index (PQLI) was developed by Morris D. Morris in the mid-1970s for the Overseas Development Council. PQLI is an attempt to measure the quality of life or well-being of a country. The value of PQLI is the average of three statistics: basic literacy rate, infant mortality, and life expectancy at age one, all equally weighted on a zero to 100 scale.

Physical Quality of Life= (Literacy Rate +Indexed Infant Mortality Rate +Indexed Life Expectancy)/3

5. Physical Quality of Life Index (POLI) is developed by: [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2019]

(a) Morris D. Morris
(b) UNDP
(c) Mehbub-ul-Haq
(d) None of the above

Correct Answer: (a) Morris D. Morris

Solution:Infant mortality and literacy are the most appropriate estimates of the physical qualtity of life. The Physical Quality of Life Index (PQLI) was developed by Morris D. Morris in the mid-1970s for the Overseas Development Council. PQLI is an attempt to measure the quality of life or well-being of a country. The value of PQLI is the average of three statistics: basic literacy rate, infant mortality, and life expectancy at age one, all equally weighted on a zero to 100 scale.

Physical Quality of Life= (Literacy Rate +Indexed Infant Mortality Rate +Indexed Life Expectancy)/3

6. Which one of the following organizations publishes the Human Development Report? [Uttarakhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2012]

(a) UNESCO
(b) World Bank
(c) U.N.D.P
(d) I.M.F

Correct Answer: (c) U.N.D.P

Solution:'Human Development Report' (HDR) is published by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). UNDP released its 1st HDR in 1990. Human Development Reports (HDRs) have been released most years since 1990 and have explored different themes through the human development approach.

7. The Human Development Index (HDI) was first developed by which of the following? [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2018]

(a) UNDP
(b) IMF
(c) UNICEF
(d) UNCTAD

Correct Answer: (a) UNDP

Solution:Pakistani economist Mahbub-ul-Haq developed Human Development Index (HDI) for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)'s Human Development Report, which was first launched in 1990. This index is based on the human development approach anchored in Amartya Sen's work on human capabilities, often framed in terms of whether people are able to 'be' and 'do' desirable things in life. It had the explicit purpose to shift the focus of development economics from national income accounting to people-centered policies. The HDI is a summary measure of achievements in three key dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, access to knowledge and a decent standard of living. It is a composite index of life expectancy, education (mean years of schooling and expected years of schooling) and standard of living (GNI per capita PPP dollars) indicators, which are used to rank countries into four tiers of human development.

8. Who amongst the following developed the United Nations Human Development Index? [Uttarakhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2010, U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2006]

(a) Mahbub-ul-Haq
(b) A.S. Kadir
(c) Alva Myrdal
(d) Amartya Sen

Correct Answer: (a) Mahbub-ul-Haq

Solution:Pakistani economist Mahbub-ul-Haq developed Human Development Index (HDI) for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)'s Human Development Report, which was first launched in 1990. This index is based on the human development approach anchored in Amartya Sen's work on human capabilities, often framed in terms of whether people are able to 'be' and 'do' desirable things in life. It had the explicit purpose to shift the focus of development economics from national income accounting to people-centered policies. The HDI is a summary measure of achievements in three key dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, access to knowledge and a decent standard of living. It is a composite index of life expectancy, education (mean years of schooling and expected years of schooling) and standard of living (GNI per capita PPP dollars) indicators, which are used to rank countries into four tiers of human development.

9. Which one of the following approaches is associated with Prof. Amartya Sen? [B.P.S.C. (Pre) 2017]

Correct Answer: (b) Capability Approach

Solution:The Capability Approach was first articulated by the Indian economist Prof. Amartya Sen in the 1980s, and remains most closely associated with him. It was conceived as an alternative approach to welfare economics. The Capability Approach is defined by its choice of focus upon the moral significance of individual's capability of achieving the kind of lives they have reason to value. Here 'poverty' is understood as deprivation in the capability to live a good life, and 'development' is understood as capability expansion. The core focus of this approach is on what individuals are able to do (i.e., capable of).

10. Which one of the following was first to concentrate on human aspect of development? [U.P.U.D.A./L.D.A. (Pre) 2013]

(a) United Nations Development Programme
(b) Integrated Rural Development Programme
(c) World Development Report
(d) Community Development Programme

Correct Answer: (a) United Nations Development Programme

Solution:Human aspect of development was first focused by United Nations Development Program (UNDP). In 1990 the first Human Development Report released by the UNDP, introduced a new approach-for advancing human well- being. Human development-or human development approach-is about expanding the richness of human life, rather than simply the richness of the economy in which human beings live. It is an approach that is focused on people and their opportunities and choices.