NTA UGC NET/JRF Exam, (Cancelled) June-2024 Economics

Total Questions: 100

91. The global economy is currently facing a phase of slow down, with real GDP growth either slowing down or experiencing slight contractions across different regions.

Despite some improvements in business activities, external demand remains subdued due to the specific challenges within individual countries, including issues in the property sector and the increasing public debt.

Although labour markets exhibit resilience, there are signs of easing, especially in wage growth, coupled with rising unemployment rates in certain emerging market economies.

Nonetheless, there is a positive trajectory in labour productivity and business formation, attributed to enhanced labour mobility and advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Despite central banks postponing expected rate cuts, government bond yields have risen from previous lows. However, bond prices still reflect a cautions stance compared to central bank evaluations, amidst concerns regarding potential volatility in bond markets compounded by escalating public debt levels.

Conversely, India has withnessed favorable economic growth, marked by a six-quarter high in real GDP expansion. The growth is propelled by buoyant demand conditions and increased investment, even though private consumption expenditure remains relatively subdued.

The manufacturing sector has been robust double-digit growth, while construction actively remains vigorous. Nevertheless, adverse weather conditions have led to a contraction in agricultural output.

India's financial markets are thriving, with stocks enjoying a bull market and the currency strengthening. Further more, the country has made significant strides in reducing extreme poverty.

What has led to the positive economic growth in India?

Correct Answer: (c) Robust growth in the manufacturing sector
Solution:

Robust growth in manufacturing sector.

92. What challenge has contributed to subdued external demand in the global economy?

Correct Answer: (b) Issues in the property sector and escalating public debt
Solution:

Issues in the property sector and escalating public debt.

93. What is the notable feature of India's financial market?

Correct Answer: (c) Bull market in stocks and currency strengthening
Solution:

Bull market in stocks & currency strengthening.

94. What challenges has affected agricultural output in India?

Correct Answer: (b) Adverse weather conditions
Solution:

Adverse weather conditions.

95. What factor is driving the positive trend in labour productivity and business formation globally?

Correct Answer: (c) Enhanced labour mobility and advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning
Solution:

Enhanced labour mobility and advancement in artificial intelligence and machine learning.

96. "In the early 1980s, Paul Romer challenged the conventional view among economists that productivity growth was exogenous, meaning it could not be influenced by anything else in the economy.

He introduced endogenous growth theory, which posits that technological change is the result of efforts by researchers and entrepreneurs who respond to economic incentives. This technological change is the prime mover of the nation.

Romer emphasized that factors such as tax policy, basic research funding and education could potentially influence long-term economic prospects. Romer's 1990 paper marked a turning point in the understanding of economic growth.

He highlighted". The significance of ideas in driving growth and emphasized that ideas are non-rival goods, unlike standard goods in classical economics. This non rivalry of ideas leads to increasing return to scale, as the same idea can be used repeatedly without being depleted.

Romer argued that growth in income per person is tied to growth in the total stock of ideas, rather than growth in ideas per person. Further more, Romer's work suggested that in a perfectly competitive equilibrium with no externalities, the optimal allocation of resources cannot be decentralized.

Instead, imperfect competition and externalities to the discovery of new ideas are likely to play important roles in driving innovation and growth.

According to Romer, what distinguishes ideas from standard goods in economics?

Correct Answer: (c) Ideas are nonrival goods
Solution:

Ideas are non-rival goods.

97. What was the conventional view among economists regarding productivity growth in the early 1980?

Correct Answer: (b) Productivity growth is exogenous and cannot be influenced by anything in the rest the economy.
Solution:

Productivity growth is exogenous and cannot be influenced by anything in the rest of the economy.

98. What does Romer suggest about the optional allocation of resources in a perfectly competitive equlibrium?

Correct Answer: (c) It leads to inefficiencies in resource allocation.
Solution:

It leads to inefficiencies in resource allocation.

99. What is emphasized as a key driver of economic growth in Romer's theory?

Correct Answer: (a) Technological change
Solution:

Technological change.

100. How does the nonrivalry of ideas contribute to economic growth?

Correct Answer: (c) By generating increasing return to scale
Solution:

By generating increasing return to scale.