During the colonial period, the occupational structure of India showed little sign of change. Using the three major sectors into which working persons are grouped, which of the following is correct about the workforce of that time?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → The largest share of workers was in the primary sector, which also includes mining and quarrying.
In the colonial period agriculture had the largest share of the workforce, 70-75 per cent. Workers are grouped into three sectors. The primary sector covers agriculture, and mining and quarrying. The secondary sector covers manufacturing; electricity, gas and water supply; and construction. The service sector covers trade, transport and storage, and services.
Option (1) The largest share of workers was in the primary sector, which also includes mining and quarrying. — Correct. Agriculture is in the primary sector, along with mining and quarrying.
Option (2) The largest share of workers was in the primary sector, which also includes construction. — Incorrect. Construction belongs to the secondary sector.
Option (3) The largest share of workers was in the service sector, which includes trade and transport. — Incorrect. Services had only 15-20 per cent of the workforce.
Option (4) The largest share of workers was in the secondary sector, which includes manufacturing and construction. — Incorrect. Manufacturing had only about 10 per cent of the workforce.
This question uses Indian Economy on the Eve of Independence and Employment: Growth, Informalisation and Other Issues together.
NCERT (2026-27): “1.7 Occupational Structure During the colonial period, the occupational structure of India, i.e., distribution of working persons across different industries and sectors, showed little sign of change. The agricultural sector accounted for the largest share of workforce, which usually remained at a high of 70-75 per cent while the manufacturing and the services sectors accounted for only 10 and 15-20 per cent respectively. …” Employment: Growth, Informalisation and Other Issues: “… Generally, we divide all economic activities into eight different industrial divisions. They are (i) Agriculture (ii) Mining and Quarrying (iii) Manufacturing (iv) Electricity, Gas and Water Supply (v) Construction (vi) Trade (vii) Transport and Storage and (viii) Services. For simplicity, all the working persons engaged in these divisions can be clubbed into three major sectors viz., (a) primary sector which includes (i) and (ii), (b) secondary sector which includes (iii), (iv) and (v) and (c) service sector which includes divisions (vi), (vii) and (viii).” |