Class 12 Human Development Mock Test (CBSE)

Topics in Human Development

• Growth and development
• Four pillars of human development
• Approaches to human development
• Measuring human development
• Human Development Index
• International comparisons

Human Development practice questions with answers

1. Q1Multiple choice·1 mark
   In the context of the four pillars of human development, building human capabilities in areas of health and education to enhance human labor efficiency refers to which pillar?

   1. (a)Productivity
   2. (b)Empowerment
   3. (c)Sustainability
   4. (d)Equity
   Show answer and step marks

   1. Correct option: (a) Productivity+1

   Answer: (a)
2. Q2Multiple choice·1 mark
   Which of the following statements correctly distinguishes between economic growth and human development?

   1. (a)Growth and development both refer exclusively to structural changes in distribution.
   2. (b)Growth is quantitative and value-neutral, while development is qualitative and value-positive.
   3. (c)Growth is qualitative, while development is strictly quantitative.
   4. (d)Growth implies a positive change in quality over time, whereas development is static.
   Show answer and step marks

   1. Correct option: (b) Growth is quantitative and value-neutral, while development is qualitative and value-positive.+1

   Answer: (b)
3. Q3Short answer·2 marks
   State any two approaches to human development and briefly explain their core focus.
   Show answer and step marks

   1. First approach named, any one of: Income approach; Welfare approach; Basic needs approach; Capability approach; or any other valid approach.+0.5
   2. Core focus of the first approach: Income approach — human development is linked to income, since the level of income reflects the level of freedom a person enjoys; Welfare approach — people are beneficiaries of development, and the government should maximise spending on education, health, social security and amenities; Basic needs approach (proposed by the ILO) — providing six basic needs (health, education, food, water supply, sanitation and housing) to defined sections; Capability approach (associated with Prof. Amartya Sen) — building human capabilities in health, education and access to resources; or the correct focus of any other valid approach named.+0.5
   3. Second approach named, a different one from the same list.+0.5
   4. Core focus of the second approach, as described above.+0.5

   Answer: Any two of: Income approach (income level reflects the freedom a person enjoys); Welfare approach (people as beneficiaries; high government spending on education, health, social security and amenities); Basic needs approach (ILO; health, education, food, water supply, sanitation and housing); Capability approach (Amartya Sen; building capabilities in health, education and access to resources).
4. Q4Short answer·2 marks
   Explain the Income approach and the Capability approach to human development.
   Show answer and step marks

   1. Income approach: It is one of the oldest approaches to human development, linking development directly to income. It assumes that the level of income reflects the level of freedom an individual enjoys.+1
   2. Capability approach: Associated with Prof. Amartya Sen, this approach focuses on building human capabilities in areas such as health, education, and access to resources as the key to human development.+1

   Answer: Income approach: one of the oldest approaches; it links human development to income, since the level of income reflects the level of freedom a person enjoys (higher income, higher human development). Capability approach: associated with Prof. Amartya Sen; building human capabilities in health, education and access to resources is the key to increasing human development.
5. Q5Short answer·3 marks
   Explain the key areas and indicators used for measuring human development by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
   Show answer and step marks

   1. Health is a key area of human development (a long and healthy life).+0.5
   2. Health indicator: life expectancy at birth.+0.5
   3. Education (access to knowledge) is a key area.+0.5
   4. Education indicators: adult literacy rate and gross enrolment ratio (as in the NCERT textbook), or mean years of schooling and expected years of schooling (UNDP's current HDI).+0.5
   5. Access to resources (a decent standard of living) is a key area.+0.5
   6. Resources indicator: purchasing power in US dollars (NCERT), measured in UNDP's current HDI as GNI per capita at purchasing power parity (PPP dollars).+0.5

   Answer: UNDP measures human development in three key areas: health, by life expectancy at birth; education, by adult literacy rate and gross enrolment ratio (NCERT), now mean and expected years of schooling; and access to resources, by purchasing power in US dollars, now GNI per capita at PPP.

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