Growth & Development MCQs

UN Women is the UN entity for gender equality but does not publish the Global Gender Gap Report. It publishes other gender-related publications such as 'Progress of the World's Women'.

UNDP publishes the Gender Inequality Index (GII) and Gender Development Index (GDI) as part of the Human Development Report, not the Global Gender Gap Report.

The World Bank publishes the 'Women, Business and the Law' report, not the Global Gender Gap Report.

The proportion of literates is a component of human capital, not social capital. Literacy improves individual productivity but does not directly measure social relationships and networks.

Buildings, machines, and infrastructure constitute physical capital. Social capital is an intangible form of capital that pertains to social relationships and norms, not physical assets.

The working-age population represents the demographic dividend potential and is related to human capital. Social capital refers to social cohesion and trust, not population demographics.

Financial capital accumulation is about monetary savings and investments, not human capital. Human capital pertains to the quality and capabilities of the human workforce.

Buildings and machinery constitute physical capital or fixed capital, not human capital. Human capital is an intangible asset embodied in the workforce.

Goodwill and patents are forms of intellectual property or intangible business assets. While related to knowledge, human capital specifically refers to the productive capabilities embedded in individuals through education, skills, and health.

This describes the crude birth rate, not the total fertility rate. The crude birth rate is the number of births per 1,000 population per year and is a simpler demographic indicator.

TFR is not measured per couple but per woman. It represents the average number of children a woman would bear over her reproductive lifetime, assuming she survives to the end of her child-bearing years.

Birth rate minus death rate gives the natural growth rate of the population. It is a different demographic indicator from the total fertility rate.

The relative performance of industry versus agriculture does not by itself indicate whether growth is translating into development. Many developed countries have small agricultural sectors relative to industry.

Agricultural output falling behind industrial output is actually a typical structural transformation during development. This pattern does not inherently mean growth is failing to produce development.

Imports growing faster than exports relates to the trade balance and external sector dynamics. While it may create macroeconomic challenges, it does not directly define the gap between growth and development.

Social security for the elderly addresses the needs of the dependent ageing population. While important, it does not directly help harness the demographic dividend, which is about making the large working-age population productive.

Reducing infant mortality rate contributes to health outcomes but is more relevant to the earlier stages of demographic transition. The demographic dividend phase requires leveraging the already-large working-age population through employment and skills.

Privatization of higher education is a policy choice regarding education delivery but is not the most direct way to benefit from the demographic dividend. Public investment in quality education and vocational training is considered more effective for broad-based skill development.

The World Bank publishes the World Development Report and the Ease of Doing Business Report (now discontinued), not the Human Development Report.

The IMF publishes the World Economic Outlook and the Global Financial Stability Report, not the Human Development Report.

The World Economic Forum publishes the Global Competitiveness Report and the Global Gender Gap Report, not the Human Development Report.

Stage 2 (high birth rate with declining death rate) cannot come before Stage 1 because death rates must first be high before they can decline. The transition begins from a pre-modern equilibrium of high birth and death rates.

This sequence is incorrect. The declining death rate stage (2) logically follows the high birth and death rate stage (1), and the low birth and death rate stage (3) comes last.

This is the reverse order. The transition moves from high birth and death rates towards low birth and death rates, not the other way around.

Purchasing power parity is a macroeconomic metric for cross-country comparison of GDP, and budget deficit/GDP growth rate are fiscal and national accounts indicators. None of these are components of the MPI, which operates at the household level.

While Statement 1 is correct, Statement 3 is wrong. Budget deficit and GDP growth rate are national-level macroeconomic indicators unrelated to the MPI, which focuses on individual household deprivations.

Only Statement 1 is correct. The MPI is a micro-level index measuring deprivation of education, health, and living standards at the household level. PPP and budget deficit/GDP growth are macroeconomic measures not used in MPI computation.

A high population below 15 years represents a dependent population, not a working-age population. This would increase the dependency ratio rather than create a demographic dividend.

A high population above 65 years indicates an ageing society with a high old-age dependency ratio, which is the opposite of a demographic dividend. Countries like Japan face this challenge.

A high total population alone does not constitute a demographic dividend. What matters is the age structure — specifically, the proportion of working-age individuals relative to dependents.

While SHGs promote financial inclusion and empower marginalized groups, they are not the only mechanism. MSMEs and education are equally important for inclusive growth.

Both SHGs and MSMEs contribute to inclusive growth, but excluding education (Statement 3) is incorrect. The Right to Education Act ensures universal access to education, which is fundamental to inclusive growth.

While MSMEs and education are vital, excluding SHGs is incorrect. SHGs empower women and marginalized communities through microfinance and collective action, directly furthering inclusive growth.

Reduction of poverty was a core objective of the Eleventh Five Year Plan's inclusive growth strategy. The plan explicitly targeted bringing down the poverty ratio by 10 percentage points.

Extension of employment opportunities was central to the Eleventh Plan's inclusive growth vision. It aimed at generating 58 million new work opportunities.

Reduction of gender inequality was explicitly part of the Eleventh Plan's inclusive growth agenda, aiming to reduce the gender gap in literacy and increase female labour force participation.