UPSC Prelims 2022 CSAT Paper II · Q13 of 78 Comprehension easy

Passage

Passage—2 The poverty line is quite unsatisfactory when it comes to grasping the extent of poverty in India. It is not only because of its extremely narrow definition of ‘who is poor’ and the debatable methodology used to count the poor, but also because of a more fundamental assumption underlying it. It exclusively relies on the notion of poverty as insufficient income or insufficient purchasing power. One can better categorize it by calling it income poverty. If poverty is ultimately about deprivations affecting human well-being, then income poverty is only one aspect of it. Poverty of a life, in our view, lies not merely in the impoverished state in which the person actually lives, but also in the lack of real opportunity given by social constraints as well as personal circumstances—to choose other types of living. Even the relevance of low incomes, meagre possessions, and other aspects of what are standardly seen as economic poverty relate ultimately to their role in curtailing capabilities, i.e., their role in severely restricting the choices people have to lead variable and valued lives.

Why is income poverty only one measure of counting the 'poor'?

  1. (a) It talks of only one kind of deprivation ignoring all others. ✓ UPSC's answer
  2. (b) Other deprivations in a human life have nothing to do with lack of purchasing power.
  3. (c) Income poverty is not a permanent condition, it changes from time to time.
  4. (d) Income poverty restricts human choices only at a point of time.

Why the answer is (a)

• The passage defines the poverty line as relying exclusively on the notion of 'insufficient income or insufficient purchasing power,' which it categorizes as 'income poverty.'

• It argues that if poverty is about deprivations affecting human well-being, income poverty is only one aspect of it.

• The text states that poverty of a life lies in the lack of real opportunity due to social constraints and personal circumstances, not just the impoverished state of living.

• It emphasizes that low incomes and meagre possessions relate to their role in curtailing capabilities, i.e., restricting choices to lead valued lives.

• Therefore, income poverty is only one measure because it focuses on a single dimension (income/purchasing power) while ignoring other deprivations related to capabilities and opportunities.

Why the other options are wrong

(b) Other deprivations in a human life have nothing to do with lack of purchasing power.
The passage states that low incomes relate to their role in curtailing capabilities, implying a connection rather than stating they have 'nothing to do' with each other.
(c) Income poverty is not a permanent condition, it changes from time to time.
The passage does not discuss the temporal permanence or fluctuation of income poverty as the reason for its inadequacy.
(d) Income poverty restricts human choices only at a point of time.
The passage argues that income poverty restricts choices fundamentally by curtailing capabilities, not merely at a specific point in time.

Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2022, held on 5 June 2022. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.

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