In India, between 1951 and 2018–22, which of the following indicators moved in the opposite direction to the other three?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Infant mortality rate
From 1951 to 2018-22, the infant mortality rate fell from 146 to 28. The other three rose:
Life expectancy: males 37.2 to 68.6 years, females 36.2 to 71.4 years
Literacy: 16.67 to 78 per cent
Real per capita income: Rs 7,651 to Rs 94,054
A fall in infant deaths is good news, but as a number it moves downward, while the other three move upward.
NCERT (2026-27): “Human Capital and Economic Growth: … It is difficult to establish a relation of cause and effect from the growth of human capital (education and health) to economic growth but we can see in Table 4.1 that these sectors have grown simultaneously. Growth in each sector probably has reinforced the growth of every other sector.” |
