Which of the following is a social problem?
A. Rise in suicide rates
B. Decline in marriages
C. Changes in the soil and climate
D. Changes in sex-ratio of the population
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → A, B and D only
A. Rise in suicide rates Correct. Each suicide may have personal reasons, but the rate of suicide in a society is a social fact. Durkheim showed that the variation in suicide rates across countries had to be explained by social causes, so a rising rate is a social problem.
B. Decline in marriages Correct. Marriage and family are social institutions. A fall in the number of marriages is a change in a social pattern that affects families, the care of children and the elderly, and the birth rate, so it is a concern for society as a whole.
C. Changes in the soil and climate Incorrect. Soil and climate are part of the natural, physical environment. Their changes are environmental or geographical questions, not a social problem in themselves.
D. Changes in sex-ratio of the population Correct. India’s sex ratio has been falling, and the child sex ratio even faster. The causes are neglect of girl babies, sex-selective abortion and female infanticide, each of which points to a serious social problem.
NCERT (2025-26): “…Emile Durkheim’s famous study explaining the variation in suicide rates across different countries was a good example of this. Durkheim argued that the rate of suicide (i.e., number of suicides per 100,000 population) had to be explained by social causes even though each particular instance of suicide may have involved reasons specific to that individual or her/his circumstances.… …Each of these reasons point to a serious social problem, and there is some evidence that all of these have been at work in India.…” |