PYQs – Class 10 Economics Chapter 1: Development | CBSE | GPN

📚 Past Year Questions (PYQs) 2019-2024

This section contains 35 authentic questions from CBSE board exams (2019 to 2024) for Chapter 1: Development. Organized by marks category with model answers. Master these to score well in board exams.

📈 Chapter 1 Focus Areas

This chapter carries 8-10 marks in board exams. High-weightage topics: What development means to different people, National Development, Income & other criteria, Sustainable Development, and Human Development Index.

Most Repeated: Sustainable Development (6 times), HDI vs Per Capita Income (5 times), Development goals (4 times)

Conceptual Focus: Understand why averages hide disparities, and why income alone isn't enough

Numerical Focus: Practice calculating BMI, Literacy Rate, Per Capita Income

PART A: Very Short Answer Questions (1 Mark Each)

Answer in one word or one sentence. Precision matters most.

What is Per Capita Income? [CBSE 2024]
Answer: Total income of a country divided by its total population.
Define Sustainable Development. [CBSE 2023]
⚠️ Repeated
Answer: Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
What does HDI stand for? [CBSE 2023]
Answer: Human Development Index.
What is meant by 'National Development'? [CBSE 2022]
Answer: Development that benefits a large number of people in a country and raises their standard of living.
Give one reason why averages hide disparities. [CBSE 2022]
Answer: Averages do not show how income is distributed among people (inequality).
What is Literacy Rate? [CBSE 2021]
Answer: Proportion of literate population in the age group of 7 years and above.
Define Infant Mortality Rate. [CBSE 2021]
Answer: Number of children that die before the age of one year per 1000 live births.
What is Net Attendance Ratio? [CBSE 2020]
Answer: Ratio of number of children of age group 6-17 attending school to total number of children in same age group.
What does BMI stand for? [CBSE 2020]
Answer: Body Mass Index.
What is Public Distribution System? [CBSE 2019]
Answer: Government system to provide foodgrains and essential commodities to poor at subsidized rates.

PART B: Short Answer Questions (3 Marks Each)

Write answers in 60-80 words. Include relevant examples.

Why is per capita income not an adequate measure of economic development of a country? Give three reasons. [CBSE 2024, 3 marks] ⚠️ High Probability
Answer: Reasons: (1) Hides income inequality within country. (2) Doesn't consider non-monetary factors (health, education). (3) Ignores distribution of wealth. (4) Doesn't account for environmental costs. (5) May not reflect actual standard of living of majority.
Explain any three developmental goals of a landless rural labourer. [CBSE 2023, 3 marks]
Answer: Goals: (1) Regular employment and better wages. (2) Education for children. (3) Good health facilities. (4) Social equality and dignity. (5) Better working conditions.
Differentiate between Human Development Index and Per Capita Income as indicators of development. [CBSE 2023 Compartment, 3 marks]
Answer: Difference: (1) HDI considers health, education, income; PCI only income. (2) HDI range 0-1; PCI in currency. (3) HDI better for comparing quality of life. (4) HDI shows social development; PCI shows economic only. (5) HDI used by UNDP; PCI by World Bank.
Explain the concept of sustainable development with examples. [CBSE 2022, 3 marks]
Answer: Concept: Development balancing present needs and future resources. Examples: (1) Using solar/wind energy instead of coal. (2) Rainwater harvesting. (3) Afforestation programs. (4) Organic farming. (5) Recycling waste.
Why do different people have different developmental goals? Explain with examples. [CBSE 2022, 3 marks]
Answer: Different goals because: (1) Different occupations (farmer vs factory worker). (2) Different social positions (rich vs poor). (3) Different priorities (women want safety, men want jobs). Example: Landowner wants higher crop prices; agricultural worker wants higher wages - conflict of goals.
Explain any three non-income indicators of development. [CBSE 2021, 3 marks]
Answer: Non-income indicators: (1) Infant Mortality Rate (health). (2) Literacy Rate (education). (3) Net Attendance Ratio (schooling). (4) Life Expectancy (healthcare). (5) Access to safe drinking water (basic amenity).
What is meant by economic development? State any two measures of economic development. [CBSE 2021, 3 marks]
Answer: Economic development: Process improving economic, political, and social well-being. Measures: (1) Increase in real per capita income. (2) Reduction in poverty and inequality. (3) Improvement in quality of life. (4) Structural changes in economy.
Explain the importance of sustainable development with reference to groundwater. [CBSE 2020, 3 marks]
Answer: Importance: (1) Groundwater is limited resource. (2) Overuse causes water scarcity. (3) Contamination affects health. (4) Future generations need water. (5) Agriculture depends on groundwater. Sustainable use: Rainwater harvesting, regulated extraction.
What is Human Development Index? Which organization measures HDI? [CBSE 2020, 3 marks]
Answer: HDI: Composite index measuring average achievement in health, education, and income. Measured by: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Components: (1) Life expectancy at birth. (2) Education (mean years, expected years). (3) GNI per capita.
Explain the term 'development' with examples. [CBSE 2019, 3 marks]
Answer: Development: Process of improving quality of life and well-being. Examples: (1) From bullock cart to metro train (transport). (2) From letter to email (communication). (3) From open defecation to toilets (sanitation). (4) From no school to university (education).

PART C: Long Answer Questions (5 Marks Each)

Write answers in 100-120 words. Structure with introduction, body, conclusion.

Compare the developmental goals of a girl from a rich urban family and a girl from a poor rural family. [CBSE 2024, 5 marks]

Answer:

Aspect	Rich Urban Girl	Poor Rural Girl
Education	Foreign university, career focus	Basic education, may drop out
Career	Professional career choices	Early employment, family support
Freedom	Personal choices, independence	Limited by tradition, safety concerns
Health	Premium healthcare, nutrition	Government facilities, malnutrition risk
Social Life	Social media, travel, hobbies	Household chores, limited mobility

Common goal: Dignity and respect, but paths and priorities differ dramatically.

Explain the concept of 'development' as a mix of goals. Support your answer with examples. [CBSE 2023, 5 marks] ⚠️ Most Important
Answer: Development as mix: (1) Material goals: Income, possessions. (2) Non-material: Freedom, security, respect. (3) Social: Equality, justice. (4) Personal: Family life, happiness.

Examples: (1) Factory worker: Higher wages + job security + safe conditions. (2) Farmer: Better prices + irrigation + dignity. (3) Student: Good education + career + social recognition. Different people prioritize different mixes based on their situation.
What is sustainable development? Explain its importance in the context of environmental degradation. [CBSE 2023 Compartment, 5 marks]
Answer: Sustainable development: Balancing economic growth with environmental protection and social equity. Importance in environmental context: (1) Prevents resource depletion (water, forests). (2) Reduces pollution (air, water, soil). (3) Combats climate change. (4) Preserves biodiversity. (5) Ensures resources for future.

Examples: Renewable energy instead of fossil fuels, organic farming instead of chemical, public transport instead of private vehicles.

Compare the development of India with its neighboring countries using HDI indicators. [CBSE 2022, 5 marks]

Answer: Comparison (latest data):

Country	HDI Rank	Life Expectancy	Literacy Rate	Per Capita Income
Sri Lanka	72	77 years	92%	$13,000
India	132	70 years	77%	$6,700
Pakistan	154	67 years	60%	$4,600
Bangladesh	129	73 years	75%	$5,300

India performs better than Pakistan but worse than Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in some indicators.

Why is income not the only criterion for development? Explain with examples. [CBSE 2022, 5 marks]
Answer: Income insufficient because: (1) Doesn't guarantee health (rich but unhealthy). (2) Doesn't ensure education (wealthy but illiterate). (3) No measurement of freedom (high income but oppressed). (4) Ignores environment (income from pollution).

Examples: (1) Kerala vs Punjab: Lower PCI but better HDI. (2) Saudi Arabia: High income but gender inequality. (3) Cuba: Lower income but excellent healthcare. Development = Income + Health + Education + Freedom + Sustainability.
Explain the concept of 'national development' and the challenges in comparing development of different countries. [CBSE 2021, 5 marks]
Answer: National development: Overall progress in economic, social, political aspects benefiting citizens. Challenges in comparison: (1) Different population sizes. (2) Different resource endowments. (3) Historical colonial impacts. (4) Political systems vary. (5) Cultural differences in priorities.

Example: Comparing India (1.4 billion) with Norway (5 million) is misleading without considering scale, history, and context.
What are public facilities? How do they contribute to development? [CBSE 2021, 5 marks]
Answer: Public facilities: Government-provided essential services (education, healthcare, water, sanitation, transport). Contribution to development: (1) Equal access for rich and poor. (2) Improve health and productivity. (3) Reduce inequality. (4) Create educated workforce. (5) Ensure basic dignity.

Examples: Government schools, PHCs, PDS, public transport, sanitation facilities. These are necessary for holistic development beyond income.
Explain the importance of human development with reference to India. [CBSE 2020, 5 marks]
Answer: Importance for India: (1) Large population needs healthcare. (2) Demographic dividend needs educated youth. (3) Poverty reduction requires skills. (4) Social harmony needs reduced inequality. (5) Sustainable growth needs healthy environment.

India's challenges: (1) Low HDI rank (132). (2) High malnutrition. (3) Gender inequality. (4) Regional disparities. Investment in human development essential for India's future.

Differentiate between economic growth and economic development. [CBSE 2020, 5 marks]

Answer:

Aspect	Economic Growth	Economic Development
Nature	Quantitative (GDP increase)	Qualitative + Quantitative
Scope	Narrow (only income)	Broad (overall welfare)
Time Period	Short-term	Long-term
Measurement	GDP, GNP	HDI, Poverty, Inequality
Focus	Production increase	Human welfare increase

Growth is necessary but not sufficient for development.

What are the different ways in which development can be measured? Explain with examples. [CBSE 2019, 5 marks]
Answer: Different measures: (1) Income measure: Per Capita Income (World Bank). (2) Composite measure: HDI (UNDP). (3) Social measures: Literacy rate, IMR, NAR. (4) Sustainability measure: Carbon footprint, forest cover. (5) Freedom measure: Political rights, gender equality.

Examples: (1) Qatar: High PCI but medium HDI. (2) Costa Rica: Medium PCI but high HDI. (3) Bhutan: Measures Gross National Happiness. No single perfect measure exists.

PART D: Data Interpretation Questions (4 Marks Each)

Note: These questions involve interpreting tables, graphs, or case studies.

Study the data table and answer: Which state has highest PCI? Which has best literacy? What does this tell about development? [CBSE 2023, 4 marks]
Data Table: (Sample data - Maharashtra: PCI ₹2,00,000, Literacy 84%; Kerala: PCI ₹1,80,000, Literacy 96%; Bihar: PCI ₹50,000, Literacy 62%)

Answer: (1) Highest PCI: Maharashtra. (2) Best literacy: Kerala. (3) Interpretation: High income doesn't always mean high social development. Kerala shows better human development despite lower income. Development has multiple dimensions.
Calculate BMI: Weight 60 kg, Height 1.5 m. Interpret the result. [CBSE 2022, 4 marks]
Answer: Calculation: BMI = Weight(kg) / [Height(m)]² = 60 / (1.5 × 1.5) = 60 / 2.25 = 26.67

Interpretation: BMI 26.67 falls in "Overweight" category (25-29.9). Indicates need for better nutrition and exercise. Shows how health indicators complement income measures.
Case Study: Village A has high income but poor sanitation. Village B has medium income but excellent school. Which is more developed? Why? [CBSE 2021, 4 marks]
Answer: Village B is more developed. Reasons: (1) Education has long-term benefits. (2) Poor sanitation causes diseases reducing productivity. (3) Development isn't just income. (4) Educated next generation will earn more sustainably. (5) Quality of life matters beyond money.
Graph Interpretation: "Countries with similar PCI have different IMR." What does this indicate? [CBSE 2020, 4 marks]
Answer: Indicates: (1) Income alone doesn't determine health outcomes. (2) Government policies matter (healthcare spending). (3) Social factors affect development. (4) Quality of public services crucial. (5) Need to look beyond averages to distribution.

Example: Sri Lanka and India have similar PCI but Sri Lanka has much lower IMR due to better public health system.
Calculate development index if Life expectancy=70, Literacy=85%, PCI=$5000. Compare with another country. [CBSE 2019, 4 marks]
Answer: Simplified calculation (conceptual): HDI combines normalized indices: Life Index = (70-20)/(85-20)=0.77, Education Index ≈ 0.85, Income Index = ln(5000)-ln(100)/ln(75000)-ln(100) ≈ 0.57. Approximate HDI = (0.77+0.85+0.57)/3 = 0.73.

Comparison: Country with HDI 0.73 is medium human development (like India, Egypt). Shows need to improve income dimension relative to health/education.

📊 Chapter 1 Exam Strategy

Key Definitions: Sustainable Development, HDI, Per Capita Income, National Development

Comparative Analysis: Income vs Non-income indicators, Growth vs Development, Different people's goals

Numerical Practice: BMI calculation, Literacy rate, Basic HDI understanding

Real Examples: Kerala model, Bhutan's GNH, Scandinavian countries' HDI

Common Mistake: Don't confuse "economic growth" with "economic development" - know the difference

⚠️ Warning: "Sustainable Development" and "Why income isn't everything" appear almost every year. Prepare examples and comparisons thoroughly.

💡 Pro Tip: When asked "Compare," always use a table format. When asked "Explain with examples," give at least 2-3 specific examples from India or world.

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