UPSC Mains 2018 GS2 Q17 — Human Development
How far do you agree with the view that the focus on lack of availability of food as the main cause of hunger takes the attention away from ineffective human development policies in India? (Answer in 250 words)
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- How far do you agree
- Scope keywords
- lack of availability of foodmain cause of hungerineffective human development policiestakes the attention awayIndia
- Implicit sub-parts
- Evidence showing that India is currently food surplus yet ranks poorly on global hunger indices.
- Limitations of the 'availability' paradigm (supply-side focus) versus 'accessibility' and 'absorption'.
- How failures in health, sanitation, and female literacy (human development) contribute to malnutrition.
- Critical evaluation of existing schemes like NFSA and PDS in addressing the quality vs. quantity of food.
- Common pitfalls
- Writing too much about the Green Revolution and food production statistics without linking them to human development failures.
- Ignoring the 'absorption' aspect, such as how poor WASH (Water, Sanitation, Hygiene) leads to nutrient loss despite food intake.
- Failing to discuss the 'hidden hunger' or micronutrient deficiency (anemia) which is a policy failure beyond caloric availability.
- Not taking a balanced stand on 'How far' by dismissing food security completely while focusing on human development.
- Dimensions required
- Health and SanitationSocio-economic (Gender and Poverty)Public Policy and GovernanceNutritional/Biological (Absorption)Global and Domestic Indices
- Marks allocation hint
Allocate approximately 50 words to debunking the 'lack of availability' myth with data (surplus production vs. hunger rank). Spend 150 words analyzing the human development deficits like maternal health, sanitation, and education. Reserve the final 50 words for an integrated approach that balances food security with holistic human development.
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