UPSC Prelims 2015 CSAT Paper II · Q4 of 74 Comprehension medium

Passage

Passage - 4 India accounts for nearly a fifth of the world's child deaths. In terms of numbers, it is the highest in the world — nearly 16 lakhs every year. Of these, more than half die in the first month of life. Officials believe that the reason for this is the absence of steps to propagate basic health practices relating to breast feeding and immunisation. Also the large reproductive population of 2.6 crore remains bereft of care during the critical phases of pregnancy and post-delivery. Added to this is the prevalence of child marriages, anaemia among young women and lack of focus on adolescent sanitation, all of which impact child death rates.

Which is the critical inference that can be made from the above passage ?

  1. (a) A lot of Indians are illiterate and hence do not recognize the value of basic health practices.
  2. (b) India has a very huge population and the government alone cannot manage public health services.
  3. (c) Universalization and integration of maternal health and child health services can effectively address the problem. ✓ UPSC's answer
  4. (d) The nutrition of women in child bearing age does not affect child mortality rate.

Why the answer is (c)

['- The passage identifies the absence of basic health practices (breastfeeding, immunization) and lack of care for the 2.6 crore reproductive population during pregnancy and post-delivery as primary causes of child mortality.', '- It further links child death rates to issues affecting young women, such as child marriages, anaemia, and poor adolescent sanitation.', '- Since the causes span both maternal health (anaemia, pregnancy care) and child health (immunization, breastfeeding), a solution must address both simultaneously.', '- Therefore, the critical inference is that integrating and universalizing maternal and child health services is necessary to effectively reduce these deaths.', '- Option (c) directly reflects this need for a combined approach to the identified maternal and child health gaps.']

Why the other options are wrong

(a) A lot of Indians are illiterate and hence do not recognize the value of basic health…
The passage attributes the problem to the absence of steps to propagate health practices, not to the illiteracy of Indians.
(b) India has a very huge population and the government alone cannot manage public health…
The passage does not discuss the government's capacity to manage services or the sheer size of the population as a barrier to management.
(d) The nutrition of women in child bearing age does not affect child mortality rate.
The passage explicitly states that anaemia among young women impacts child death rates, contradicting the claim that nutrition does not affect mortality.

Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2015, held on 23 August 2015. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.

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