Read the following statement and answer the questions
Comparative Development
India and Pakistan became independent nations in 1947, People’s Republic of China was established in 1949. In a speech at that time, Jawaharlal Nehru had said, “These new and revolutionary changes in China and India, even though they differ in content, symbolise the new spirit of Asia and new vitality which is finding expression in the countries in Asia.”
All three countries had started planning their development strategies in similar ways. While India announced its first Five Year Plan for 1951–56, Pakistan announced its first five year plan, now called the Medium Term Development Plan, in 1956. China announced its First Five Year Plan in 1953. Since 2018, Pakistan is working on the basis of 12th Five Year Development Plan (2018–23), whereas, China is working on 14th Five Year Plan (2021–25).
The Great Leap Forward (GLF) campaign initiated in 1958 aimed at industrialising the country on a massive scale. People were encouraged to set up industries in their backyards. In rural areas, communes were started. Under the Commune system, people collectively cultivated lands. In 1958, there were 26,000 communes covering almost all the farm population. In 1965, Mao introduced the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution (1966–76) under which students and professionals were sent to work and learn from the countryside.
“These new and revolutionary changes in China and India, even though they differ in content, symbolise the new spirit of Asia and new vitality which is finding expression in the countries in Asia.”
Who said these words?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Jawaharlal Nehru
India became independent in 1947, and two years later, in 1949, the People’s Republic of China was established. In a speech at that time Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister, said that these new and revolutionary changes in China and India, though different in content, showed the new spirit and vitality of Asia. India, Pakistan and China began their development at about the same time, and all three took to planning.
Why the other options are incorrect
Option (1) Mao — Incorrect. Mao led China and introduced the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution; the words on China and India are Nehru’s.
Option (3) The Great Leap Forward (GLF) campaign — Incorrect. The GLF was China’s 1958 campaign of mass industrialisation, not a person who could make a speech.
Option (4) group of commune — Incorrect. Communes were units of collective farming in rural China; they made no speech.
Note: A same/similar question was asked in CUET (UG) in the papers below.
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
| 11-05 S2* 07-06 S2 | – | – | – | – |
* A similar question.
NCERT (2025-26): “8.1 Introduction … While India and Pakistan became independent nations in 1947, People’s Republic of China was established in 1949. In a speech at that time, Jawaharlal Nehru had said, ‘These new and revolutionary changes in China and India, even though they differ in content, symbolise the new spirit of Asia and new vitality which is finding expression in the countries in Asia.’…” |