Development – CBSE Board Examinations Previous Years Question Bank
Class 10Economics
Understanding Economic Development — 30 Exam-Style Questions & Answers
CBSE Class 10 Students
Topic — What Development Promises (Q1–Q6)
1. (2 marks) Define 'development' in the economic context. [Exam-style: short definition]
Answer: Development is a multidimensional process that involves improvements in people's quality of life, including higher incomes, better health, education, reduced poverty and increased choices and freedoms. It goes beyond mere growth in GDP.
2. (3 marks) Differentiate between economic growth and development with two points. [Exam-style: compare/contrast]
Answer:
- Economic growth — quantitative increase in total output or per capita income (e.g., rise in GDP).
- Development — qualitative improvement including health, education, reduced inequality and environmental sustainability.
3. (4 marks) Explain any two promises of development for individuals. [Exam-style: 4 marks]
Answer:
- Improved living standards: Higher incomes, better housing and nutrition.
- Expanded choices: Access to education and healthcare increases opportunities and freedoms (work choices, civic participation).
4. (3 marks) Why may people feel dissatisfied despite rising incomes? Explain briefly. [Exam-style: 3 marks]
Answer: Rising incomes may not reach all groups equally; lack of public services, inequality, poor health and education, and environmental degradation can cause dissatisfaction even when average incomes increase.
5. (2 marks) State any two indicators of changes in people's aspirations as development proceeds. [Exam-style: 2 marks]
Answer: Increased demand for higher education and improved healthcare; higher expectations for public amenities like clean water and sanitation.
6. (4 marks) Give a real-life example (brief) showing growth without development and explain the reason. [Exam-style: 2016–style short application question]
Answer: Example: A region’s GDP rises due to discovery and export of minerals, but local people remain poor without access to schools or hospitals. Reason: Income is concentrated among a few and public investment in human development is lacking; growth did not translate into broader wellbeing.
Topic — Income and Other Goals (Q7–Q12)
7. (2 marks) What is per capita income? Why is it used? [Exam-style: 2 marks]
Answer: Per capita income is total national income divided by population; it is used as a simple average measure to compare living standards across countries or over time.
8. (3 marks) List and explain any two limitations of per capita income as a measure of development. [Exam-style: 3 marks]
Answer:
- Does not show income distribution — high per capita income can mask inequality.
- Ignores non-monetary aspects — health, education and unpaid domestic work are excluded.
9. (4 marks) Explain the concept of 'capabilities' as proposed by Amartya Sen. [Exam-style: 4 marks]
Answer: Capabilities refer to the real freedoms and opportunities people have — what they can do and be (e.g., be educated, lead a healthy life). Development should expand these capabilities by improving health, education and rights, not just income.
10. (2 marks) Give two non-income criteria that should be considered while assessing development. [Exam-style: 2 marks]
Answer: Health indicators (life expectancy, infant mortality) and education indicators (literacy rate, enrollment ratios).
11. (3 marks) How does gender inequality affect development? Provide two points. [Exam-style: 3 marks]
Answer:
- Limits women’s access to education and employment, reducing human capital.
- Reduces overall productivity and perpetuates poverty across generations.
12. (4 marks) Suggest two policy measures to ensure that growth benefits the poor. Explain briefly. [Exam-style: 4 marks]
Answer:
- Progressive taxation and targeted social spending — funds redirected to education, health and social protection.
- Public works and rural employment schemes — create jobs and raise incomes for the poor directly.
Topic — National Development (Q13–Q18)
13. (2 marks) What do you mean by 'national development'?
Answer: National development refers to the overall improvement in the wellbeing of a country's people — higher living standards, better health, education, sustainable growth and reduced inequality.
14. (3 marks) Name three institutions involved in promoting national development and state one role of each. [Exam-style: 3 marks]
Answer:
- Government — formulates policies and funds public services.
- Local bodies (panchayats/municipalities) — implement projects at grassroots level.
- NGOs/civil society — deliver targeted services and raise accountability.
15. (4 marks) How does investment in infrastructure support national development? Give two points. [Exam-style: 4 marks]
Answer:
- Reduces transaction and transport costs — helps markets integrate and farmers reach wider markets.
- Improves access to education and health services — raises human capital and productivity.
16. (3 marks) Explain the role of public spending in redistribution of income. [Exam-style: 3 marks]
Answer: Public spending on education, health and subsidies benefits the poor disproportionately, raising their incomes and opportunities. Combined with progressive taxation, it reduces income inequality.
17. (4 marks) Describe how human capital development (education and health) contributes to economic development. [Exam-style: 4 marks]
Answer:
- Education increases skills and productivity, enabling higher earnings and innovation.
- Health ensures a productive workforce with fewer absences and longer working lives.
18. (2 marks) Give one example of a public good and explain why markets may underprovide it. [Exam-style: 2 marks]
Answer: Example: Public roads. Markets may underprovide because they are non-excludable and non-rivalrous — private firms cannot easily charge all users, reducing profitability.
Topic — How to Compare Countries/States (Q19–Q24)
19. (2 marks) List three indicators you would use to compare development between two countries. [Exam-style: 2 marks]
Answer: Per capita income (PPP-adjusted), literacy rate/mean years of schooling, and life expectancy/infant mortality.
20. (3 marks) Why is PPP adjustment important while comparing incomes across countries? [Exam-style: 3 marks]
Answer: PPP accounts for differences in price levels and cost of living so that incomes reflect true purchasing power, enabling fairer comparisons across countries.
21. (4 marks) Explain briefly how composite indices like HDI help in ranking countries. Mention one limitation. [Exam-style: 4 marks]
Answer:
- Usefulness: HDI combines income, education and life expectancy into one number, simplifying comparisons and capturing multidimensional development.
- Limitation: Weighting and choice of indicators can be debated; HDI may hide inequalities within a country.
22. (3 marks) Suggest two reasons why two states with similar per capita incomes may show different human development outcomes. [Exam-style: 3 marks]
Answer:
- Differences in public spending on health and education.
- Variations in income distribution and governance effectiveness.
23. (2 marks) What data or indicator would you check to assess inequality in a country? [Exam-style: 2 marks]
Answer: Gini coefficient or income share of top 10% vs bottom 40% are common measures of inequality.
24. (4 marks) Outline a short method (steps) to compare development between two states within India. [Exam-style: 4 marks]
Answer:
- Select comparable indicators: per capita SDP, literacy, infant mortality, access to piped water and electricity.
- Use same reference year and adjust for population differences.
- Examine income distribution and poverty rates to capture inequality.
- Draw conclusions with limitations and contextual factors (geography, resources).
Topic — Public Facilities (Q25–Q28)
25. (3 marks) Define public facilities and state two examples. [Exam-style: 3 marks]
Answer: Public facilities are services provided by the state for public use. Examples: Primary schools, public health centres, piped water and sanitation, roads and public transport.
26. (4 marks) How does access to public facilities affect rural development? Give two points with brief explanation. [Exam-style: 4 marks]
Answer:
- Health and sanitation reduce disease burden, increasing labour productivity.
- Roads and electricity improve market access, boost farm incomes and enable non-farm activities.
27. (3 marks) Compare public provision and private provision of essential services in terms of equity and efficiency. [Exam-style: 3 marks]
Answer:
- Public provision: Promotes equity and universal access but may be less efficient.
- Private provision: Often more efficient and responsive but can lead to unequal access unless regulated.
28. (2 marks) Name one central government scheme (generic description) that improves rural public facilities and state its main objective. [Exam-style: 2 marks]
Answer: Example: A rural electrification/sanitation scheme aiming to provide household electricity/individual household toilets to improve living standards and public health. (Note: specific scheme names vary over years.)
Topic — Sustainability of Development (Q29–Q30)
29. (4 marks) What is sustainable development? Explain why it is important for long-term development. [Exam-style: 4 marks]
Answer: Sustainable development means meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. Importance: it conserves natural resources, preserves ecosystem services, reduces disaster risks and ensures long-term livelihood security.
30. (6 marks) (Value-based/Case) Describe measures a state government can adopt to integrate poverty alleviation with environmental sustainability in backward districts. Provide at least four concrete steps. [Exam-style: 6 marks — long/structured answer]
Answer:
- Support sustainable livelihoods: promote agroforestry, sustainable fishing, and organic farming that preserve natural capital while increasing incomes.
- Invest in community-managed water and soil conservation (watershed projects) to secure agriculture and reduce vulnerability to droughts.
- Provide skills training and microcredit for green micro-enterprises (solar services, eco-tourism, small-scale processing).
- Implement social protection schemes (employment guarantee, food security) tied to conservation work — e.g., payment for ecosystem services and afforestation drives with community participation.
Exam tip: In long/structured answers, use headings, list points, and conclude with a brief summary sentence.
Prepared as exam-style practice questions based on CBSE Class 10 Economics Chapter 1 (Understanding Economic Development). The questions follow typical board patterns and include suggested marks.