GSEB Class 12 Economics Solutions Chapter 11 Emerging Issues in Indian Economy

 

1. Choose the correct option for the following questions :

 

Question 1. In which year were economic reforms introduced in India?
(a) 1990
(b) 1991
(c) 1999
(d) 2008
Answer: (b) 1991
In simple words: India began its major economic changes and reforms in the year 1991, which was a significant moment for the country's economy.

Exam Tip: Remember key years for major economic policy shifts, as these are often tested in objective questions.

 

Question 2. What type of effects are there for migration due to attraction (pull factors)?
(a) Negative
(b) Positive
(c) Zero
(d) Relative
Answer: (b) Positive
In simple words: When people move because of good things attracting them, like better jobs or facilities, it usually has good impacts.

Exam Tip: Differentiate between 'pull factors' (attracting people) and 'push factors' (forcing people away) when considering migration effects.

 

Question 3. By 2050, how much of the world population will be in cities?
(a) 1/2
(b) 1/4
(c) 2/3
(d) 3/4
Answer: (c) 2/3
In simple words: It is predicted that by the year 2050, two-thirds of all the people in the world will be living in urban areas or cities.

Exam Tip: Keep facts and figures related to demographic projections, especially for significant years, accurate in your memory.

 

Question 4. The definition of an urban area given in which year was liberal?
(a) In 1991
(b) In 1981
(c) In 1971
(d) In 1951
Answer: (a) In 1991
In simple words: The understanding of what counts as an urban area became more flexible and broad in 1991.

Exam Tip: Understanding how definitions change over time is crucial for studying demographic and economic trends.

 

Question 5. Approximately, what was the percentage of population living in cities in 2011?
(a) 20%
(b) 32%
(c) 35%
(d) 25%
Answer: (b) 32%
In simple words: Around 32% of the total population lived in cities in the year 2011.

Exam Tip: Pay attention to specific percentages and their corresponding years, as they are often direct recall questions.

 

Question 6. According to the Indian Constitution, compulsory and free education should be made available to the children of which age group?
(a) 4-14 years
(b) 5-15 years
(c) 6-14 years
(d) 7-15 years
Answer: (c) 6-14 years
In simple words: The Indian Constitution says that all children aged 6 to 14 years should get free and mandatory schooling.

Exam Tip: Be precise with age groups and constitutional provisions, as exact details are important for such questions.

 

Question 7. What was the extant of literacy in India in 2011?
(a) 50%
(b) 60%
(c) 70%
(d) 74%
Answer: (d) 74%
In simple words: In 2011, about 74% of people in India could read and write.

Exam Tip: Census data points like literacy rates for specific years are frequently asked, so memorize them carefully.

 

Question 8. When was railway started for the first time in India?
(a) In 1953
(b) In 1853
(c) In 1975
(d) In 1901
Answer: (b) In 1853
In simple words: The first railway service in India began in the year 1853.

Exam Tip: Historical dates for significant infrastructure developments are essential knowledge for general awareness and economics papers.

 

Question 9. In which year was ONGC set up?
(a) In 1947
(b) In 1951
(c) In 1955
(d) In 1959
Answer: (d) In 1959
In simple words: The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) was established in India in 1959.

Exam Tip: Know the establishment years of major public sector undertakings and their significance.

 

2. Answer the following questions in one line :

 

Question 1. What is meant by internal migration?
Answer: The movement of an individual from one place to another within the geographical limits of a country is known as internal migration.
In simple words: Internal migration means when a person moves from one place to another inside their own country.

Exam Tip: Clearly define key terms, ensuring all essential components of the definition are included.

 

Question 2. What is meant by development based migration.
Answer: When individuals living in a specific area are asked to move to another region so that some new developmental project can be started there, this is called development-based migration. For instance, many people were moved when Gujarat began the Sardar Sarovar Yojana.
In simple words: Development-based migration happens when people are moved from their homes for a new project. For example, people moved when the Sardar Sarovar Yojana began in Gujarat.

Exam Tip: Use relevant, well-known examples to illustrate your definitions, as this demonstrates a deeper understanding.

 

Question 3. What is meant by urbanisation?
Answer: Urbanization is a social and economic process where the population gathers or concentrates, meaning it grows in one area. This gradually turns that area into a town or a city.
In simple words: Urbanization is when more and more people start living in one area, making it grow into a town or a city.

Exam Tip: Highlight both the 'socio-economic process' and the 'population concentration' aspects in your definition of urbanization.

 

Question 4. What are the ways through which electricity can be produced.
Answer: Electricity can be produced in the following ways:
(A) Thermal power – Using coal,
(B) Hydro power – Using water,
(C) Nuclear power – Using nuclear energy and
(D) Others – Windmill, biogas, solar energy, etc.
In simple words: Electricity is made using different methods like burning coal for thermal power, using water in hydro power, splitting atoms for nuclear power, or from other sources like windmills and solar panels.

Exam Tip: Enumerate various sources clearly and concisely, categorizing them if possible (e.g., conventional vs. renewable).

 

Question 5. Give the full form of ONGC.
Answer: Oil and Natural Gas Commission.
In simple words: ONGC stands for Oil and Natural Gas Commission.

Exam Tip: For acronyms, ensure you provide the complete and accurate full form.

 

3. Answer the following questions in brief :

 

Question 1. Give the meaning of migration.
Answer: Migration:
• The movement of a person from one place to another place, away from their native home, either inside or outside the country, for a job, occupation, business, or in search of a better standard of living, on a permanent basis, is called migration.
• Migration speeds up with a faster increase in economic growth. A rapidly growing economy encourages people living in less developed areas to move and settle in places that might be far but are well developed. They move to find work and to provide their family with a more stable and higher quality of life.
On the basis of this definition, we can say that migration
1. Is a long-term aspect within or outside the country
2. Is for a job, occupation, business, or for improving living standards.
In simple words: Migration is when people move permanently from their home to another place, either inside or outside their country, often to find work or a better life. This movement increases when the economy grows fast.

Exam Tip: Include the key drivers of migration (economic, social, permanent nature) and link it to economic growth for a comprehensive answer.

 

Question 2. What are the pull factors for migration?
Answer: Migration due to attraction (pull factors):
• When an individual is drawn to the lifestyle and modern facilities of urban areas and moves there, it is known as migration due to attraction.
• Since the modern lifestyle and infrastructure draw or attract the person, these elements are called pull factors.
Example:
• The movement of people from a village to a city can be seen as migration due to attraction because, compared to villages, the city's lifestyle, transportation, communication system, education, health services, job opportunities, and business prospects are much better.
• Migration to other countries for the reasons mentioned above is also called migration due to attraction.
In simple words: Pull factors are things that attract people to move to a new place, like a better lifestyle, modern facilities, good jobs, and education in cities or other countries. For example, people move from villages to cities for better opportunities.

Exam Tip: Clearly define pull factors, provide examples from both internal (rural-urban) and international migration, and explain how these factors 'attract' individuals.

 

Question 3. Give meaning of urbanisation.
Answer: Urbanization:
• The movement of people from rural areas to urban areas is known as urbanization.
• Urbanization is a social and economic process where the population gathers or concentrates, meaning it grows in one area. This eventually transforms that area into a town or a city. This idea is also known as the centralization of population.
In simple words: Urbanization means people moving from villages to cities. It is a process where more people gather in one area, making it bigger and turning it into a town or city.

Exam Tip: Combine the definition of population movement from rural to urban areas with the socio-economic process of concentration for a complete meaning.

 

Question 4. State the different ways in which urbanisation takes place.
Answer: Generally, three types of urbanization take place. They are:
1. In towns and cities, the birth rate is usually higher than the death rate, which means the urban population increases faster. This is known as natural population growth.
2. Due to changes in the definition of village and town areas, many rural areas have been upgraded and now fit into the categories of cities. This causes an increase in urban population. We can see this in cities like Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, etc.
3. There is a large-scale movement of people from rural to urban areas, which boosts the urban population.
In simple words: Urbanization happens in three main ways: first, when more babies are born than people die in cities; second, when some villages become bigger and are then called cities; and third, when many people move from villages to cities.

Exam Tip: List the three distinct mechanisms (natural growth, reclassification, migration) clearly and provide examples for reclassification if applicable.

 

Question 5. State point wise, the negative effects of urbanisation.
Answer: Negative effects of urbanization:
1. Income inequalities:
Urbanization creates differences in income. In urban areas, on one side, there are very educated, successful people and business owners with high incomes. While on the other side, there are poor, illiterate laborers who lack skills and only do physical work, leading to very low incomes. Therefore, one can observe very big income differences in urban areas.
2. Social inequalities:
The wealthy and educated class in urban areas has modern thinking, while the uneducated poor class often has traditional and old-fashioned beliefs. Because of this, the poor are often exploited in urban areas. This creates social inequalities.
3. Problems of slum-dwelling:
Working-class people who come to cities from villages have lower incomes and cannot afford to buy proper homes. As a result, they are forced to live in temporary shelters and dirty slums.
4. Problem of law and order:
Uncontrolled urbanization leads to a population explosion in urban areas. The number of vehicles per person in cities is high and keeps rising. When migrants cannot find proper work and earn enough money, they resort to theft, robbery, etc. It becomes extremely hard for the limited police staff to properly control the city. The daily law and order situation seems weak and inefficient. In situations like riots and natural disasters, it becomes a very difficult task for them to look after the urban population.
5. Question of infrastructural facilities:
There is a lack of transportation, health services, roads, clean drinking water, and other necessary facilities. This causes problems like waterborne diseases, poor sanitation, and electricity shortages because of the local administration's failure.
6. Problems of environmental pollution:
Urbanization is a consequence of industrialization. Uncontrolled growth in industries increases pollution significantly. This also results in dirt and filth, which eventually leads to many diseases. For example, over 50% of the poor population suffers from skin and breathing problems in large, developed cities.
In simple words: Urbanization brings problems like income differences between rich and poor, social gaps, and many people living in slums because they cannot afford good homes. It also makes law and order difficult to maintain, causes shortages of basic services like water and transport, and increases pollution, leading to various diseases.

Exam Tip: Systematically list and explain each negative effect, providing specific examples for clarity and depth. Focus on the interconnectedness of these problems.

 

4. Give answers to the point for the following questions :

 

Question 1. Explain the types of migration.
Answer: Types of Migration:

Migration refers to the movement of individuals from one place to another. Based on different factors, migration can be categorized in several ways.
Region-based classification includes Internal Migration, which is movement within a country, and International Migration, which involves movement between countries.
Cause-based classification distinguishes between migration due to 'attraction' or pull factors (things that draw people to a new place) and migration due to 'push' factors (things that compel people to leave their current location). These classifications help us understand why people move and the various forms their movement takes.
In simple words: Migration is when people move from one place to another. It can be sorted in two main ways: by region (like moving inside a country or to another country) or by reason (like being pulled to a new place for good things or pushed away from a bad place).

Exam Tip: When explaining migration types, start with a general definition, then clearly define region-based and cause-based classifications, providing simple examples for each.

 

Question 2. Explain in brief, the measures to reduce the problems of urbanisation.
Answer: Measures to reduce the problems of urbanization:
1. Policy related steps:
The government has taken the following policy-related actions to reduce the problems caused by urbanization:
(a) To manage excessive urbanization, the government has placed controls on establishing industries in cities with populations over 10 lakh.
(b) The government has started encouraging the development of small-sized towns so that large cities do not grow too much.
(c) The Indian Government has adopted policies that can stop big cities from growing even larger and, at the same time, help small and medium-sized towns develop.
(d) The Indian Government has adopted a policy of developing satellite towns near large cities.
2. Increasing employment opportunities:
• To control the negative effects of urbanization, the government has launched several employment-focused programs to boost self-employment opportunities in cities.
• The government aims to spread these programs as widely as possible so that the urban poor can benefit. This, in turn, will increase their income and improve their standard of living.
3. Strengthen the infrastructural facilities:
• To ensure that essential services like water, roads, transportation, communication systems, drainage, and sanitation reach every person, the government should strengthen its system.
• To improve infrastructure at a much higher level, the Central Government has implemented a plan to transform some cities into smart cities.
• The government should make efforts to build homes for slum dwellers. With this aim, the Central Government has initiated various housing schemes for poor and middle-income groups.
4. Education and health facilities:
• The rich and affluent urban dwellers can easily afford ultra-modern education and health services, but the poor cannot. This causes negative effects of urbanization, and steps must be taken to reduce this.
• If proper arrangements are made to provide these facilities to the poor, then the negative effects of urbanization can be minimized.
5. Development of cottage and small-scale industries:
The government should also pay close attention to developing supporting industries like cottage and small-scale industries. This would help in reducing socio-economic inequalities caused by urbanization.
6. Development of infrastructural facilities in rural areas:
The government should make an effort to improve essential services such as education, transportation, communication, roads, electricity, and irrigation in smaller towns and cities. Doing this will prevent people from being forced to move to urban areas. This will further lessen the burden on cities and help control the negative effects of urbanization.
7. Strengthen the administrative system:
• To control problems related to urbanization, the law and order situation should be improved. This requires strengthening the administrative system and eliminating inefficiencies in administrative coordination.
• Good governance should be put into practice to solve the problems.
• Citizens should be regularly informed about law and order so that administrators can improve the situation in the city.
In simple words: To fix urbanization problems, the government uses policies like controlling new industries in big cities and helping small towns grow. They also create more job programs for the poor to boost their income. Improving services like water, transport, and health in both cities and villages can also help. Developing small industries and strengthening how the government runs things are also important steps.

Exam Tip: Structure your answer with clear headings or bullet points for each measure. Provide a brief explanation for how each measure contributes to solving urbanization problems, showing practical understanding.

 

Question 3. Discuss the negative effects of migration.
Answer: Negative effects of urbanization include:
1. Income inequalities:
Urbanization creates differences in income. In urban areas, on one hand there are highly educated people, business owners, and large entrepreneurs whose income levels are very high. On the other hand, there are poor workers who are illiterate, lack skills, and know nothing except physical work, leading to very low incomes. Thus, very large income gaps can be observed in urban areas.
2. Social inequalities:
The wealthy and educated people in urban areas have modern ideas, while the uneducated poor class often holds traditional and old-fashioned beliefs. Consequently, these poor individuals are often exploited in urban environments. This situation generates social inequalities.
3. Problems of slum-dwelling:
Laborers coming to cities from villages typically have lower incomes and cannot afford to purchase proper houses. As a result, they are compelled to live in temporary shelters and dirty slums.
4. Problem of law and order:
Uncontrolled urbanization causes a rapid population increase in urban areas. The number of vehicles per person in cities is high and keeps rising. When migrants cannot secure suitable jobs and sufficient income, they may resort to theft or robbery. It becomes extremely challenging for the limited police staff to effectively manage the city. The daily law and order situation appears weak and inefficient. In crises like riots and natural disasters, it becomes very difficult for them to care for the safety and security of such a large urban population.
5. Shortage of infrastructural facilities:
There is a lack of transportation, healthcare, roads, clean drinking water, and other such basic facilities. This leads to problems like waterborne diseases, poor sanitation, and electricity shortages due to the local administration system's failure.
6. Problems of environmental pollution:
Urbanization is a direct consequence of industrialization. Uncontrolled growth in industries greatly increases pollution. This also causes dirt and filth, which then leads to various illnesses. For instance, more than 50% of the poor population suffers from skin and respiratory diseases in big developed cities. Migration also contributes to noise pollution and water pollution.
In simple words: Migration to cities can lead to big problems like people not earning enough money, social problems between rich and poor, too many people living in slums, and a lack of proper services like clean water and healthcare. It also makes cities dirty and noisy.

Exam Tip: When discussing negative effects, always categorize them (e.g., economic, social, environmental) to ensure a comprehensive answer and provide relevant examples for each point.

 

Question 4. Explain the effects of urbanisation.
Answer: Effects of urbanization:
At a global level, after China, India is experiencing the fastest urbanization. There are two main effects of urbanization:
(A) Positive effects of urbanization and
(B) Negative effects of urbanization
(A) Positive effects of urbanization:
1. Increase in infrastructural facilities:
Due to urbanization, basic facilities like education, health, banking, transportation, communication, insurance, and electricity keep growing in urban areas. The development and upkeep of these facilities generate more job opportunities. When people get jobs, their ability to buy goods and services increases. This boosts demand for goods and services, which then leads to the establishment of more industries. Therefore, the cycle of creating more employment, increasing income, and boosting purchasing power continues, prompting the setup of new industries.
2. Reduction in poverty:
Poverty and unemployment are linked. Urbanization, along with the industry and service sectors, creates many jobs in cities, which helps to reduce poverty. Moreover, poor and unemployed people who move to urban areas find work according to their abilities and skills. This also contributes to poverty reduction.
3. Cultural development:
Cities offer well-developed educational facilities across various subjects. People take advantage of these facilities and achieve overall growth, which helps in forming a rich and cultured society. Libraries with modern amenities, book shops, and various cultural events that happen in cities enrich people culturally.
4. Ultra-modern health services:
An increase in urban population requires more and better healthcare facilities. Today, we can observe many specialty hospitals thriving in cities like Ahmedabad, where advanced medical care is available for every illness. Along with private hospitals, government and local self-governing bodies also establish hospitals for the advantage of the poor and middle class. Improved health facilities have a positive impact on the health and productivity of people.
5. Social effects – modern thinking:
Cities provide better education, cultural development, and modern ways of communication. As a result, the urban population's thinking becomes more advanced compared to villages. Migrants from villages quickly adapt to the modern world by adopting a decent and polite manner.
6. High standard of living:
Urbanization raises people's incomes. This, combined with the growth and improvement of modern infrastructure, makes the standard of living higher for urban residents compared to those in rural areas.
(B) Negative effects of urbanization:
1. Income inequalities:
Urbanization creates differences in income. In urban areas, on one hand there are highly educated people, business owners, and large entrepreneurs whose income levels are very high. On the other hand, there are poor workers who are illiterate, lack skills, and know nothing except physical work, leading to very low incomes. Thus, very large income gaps can be observed in urban areas.
2. Social inequalities:
The wealthy and educated people in urban areas have modern ideas, while the uneducated poor class often holds traditional and old-fashioned beliefs. Consequently, these poor individuals are often exploited in urban environments. This situation generates social inequalities.
3. Problems of slum-dwelling:
Laborers coming to cities from villages typically have lower incomes and cannot afford to purchase proper houses. As a result, they are compelled to live in temporary shelters and dirty slums.
4. Problem of law and order:
Uncontrolled urbanization causes a rapid population increase in urban areas. The number of vehicles per person in cities is high and keeps rising. When migrants cannot secure suitable jobs and sufficient income, they may resort to theft or robbery. It becomes extremely challenging for the limited police staff to effectively manage the city. The daily law and order situation appears weak and inefficient. In crises like riots and natural disasters, it becomes very difficult for them to care for the safety and security of such a large urban population.
5. Shortage of infrastructural facilities:
There is a lack of transportation, healthcare, roads, clean drinking water, and other such basic facilities. This leads to problems like waterborne diseases, poor sanitation, and electricity shortages due to the local administration system's failure.
6. Problems of environmental pollution:
Urbanization is a direct consequence of industrialization. Uncontrolled growth in industries greatly increases pollution. This also causes dirt and filth, which then leads to various illnesses. For instance, more than 50% of the poor population suffers from skin and respiratory diseases in big developed cities. Migration also contributes to noise pollution and water pollution.
In simple words: Urbanization has good and bad effects. Positively, it improves facilities, reduces poverty, boosts culture, offers better health, and raises living standards. Negatively, it causes income gaps, social inequality, slums, law and order problems, lack of infrastructure, and more pollution.

Exam Tip: For questions about effects, remember to explain both positive and negative impacts. Organize your answer with clear headings and use examples to illustrate each point, making it easier for the examiner to follow.

 

Question 5. Explain in detail, about India's educational scenario.
Answer: In India, one can receive education from either government-run or private institutions. Based on a child's age, education in India is divided into the following stages:
• Primary education: Standard 1 to 5
• Higher Primary education: Standard 6 to 8
• Secondary education: Standard 9 to 10
• Higher Secondary education: Standard 11 to 12
• College or higher education: Standard 12 onwards
• Additionally, if someone wishes, they can finish schooling after class 8 and join an ITI to acquire skills in a specific technical field of their choice.
The educational sector can be analyzed through two aspects:
(A) Positive aspect:
• The Constitution of India has made primary education for children aged 6-14 years free and mandatory. It is the state government's duty to follow these guidelines and offer education in their respective states.
• There has been significant development and expansion from kindergarten to higher education institutions during various plans. As a result, by 2013-14, India had 1.4 million primary schools, where 7.7 million teachers taught.
• Gujarat state has made special efforts by launching programs like 'Gunotsav' and 'Praveshotsav' to encourage more school enrollments.
• In 2013-14, 95% of children were registered in primary education.
• Programs like 'Education to All' (Sarva Shikshan Abhiyan) and RTE (Right to Education) have significantly helped to spread awareness about providing education to every child in the country.
(B) Negative aspect:
Despite various government efforts, the education sector remains weak. Poverty and illiteracy are the main reasons for the underdevelopment of the educational sector, preventing the existing and next generations from getting educated.
• Even today, primary education in small villages is a major concern. 29% of children drop out of school before completing their 5th standard.
• Furthermore, India does not have enough trained teachers. In 2013-14, the student-teacher ratio was 46:1, and in higher primary education, it was 34:1.
• In 2013-14, 69% of students were enrolled in secondary standards, and only 25% were in higher education.
• The state of education in India can be understood from the table below.

Source: Census of India
Conclusion: Despite India making many efforts to educate its people, a large portion of the population remains illiterate.
In simple words: India's education system has different levels from primary to college, with special programs to help more children go to school. While there have been good changes, like free primary education, many challenges remain. Lots of kids still drop out, and there aren't enough trained teachers, especially in villages. This means many people are still unable to read or write.

Exam Tip: When detailing a country's scenario, always include both positive developments and ongoing challenges. Use statistics or specific programs (like 'Gunotsav' or RTE) to support your points and add a conclusion to summarize the overall situation.