UPSC Prelims 2023 CSAT Paper II · Q2 of 77 Comprehension medium

Passage

More than half of Indian women and almost a quarter of Indian men of working age suffer from anaemia. According to studies, they are anywhere from 5 – 15% less productive than they could be, as a result thereof. India also has the largest tuberculosis burden in the world, costing 170 million workdays to the country annually. But what is just as important as lost productivity now is lost potential in the future. It is becoming increasingly clear that on many measures of cognitive ability, malnourished Indian children perform two or three times worse than their adequately nourished peers. For an economy that will be more dependent on highly skilled workers, this poses a significant challenge. And it is one that really should be addressed given India's demographic outlook.

Which one of the following statements best reflects what is implied by the passage ?

  1. (a) Education system must be strengthened in rural areas.
  2. (b) Large scale and effective implementation of skill development programme is the need of the hour.
  3. (c) For economic development, health and nutrition of only skilled workers needs special attention.
  4. (d) For rapid economic growth as envisaged by us, attention should be paid to health and nutrition of the people. ✓ UPSC's answer

Why the answer is (d)

• The passage highlights that anaemia and tuberculosis cause significant lost productivity among working-age Indians, with women and men being 5–15% less productive due to these health issues.

• It further emphasizes that malnourished children perform two or three times worse in cognitive ability, which threatens future economic potential as the economy becomes more dependent on highly skilled workers.

• The text argues that addressing these health and nutrition challenges is critical not just for current productivity but for the future demographic and economic outlook of India.

• Therefore, the core implication is that improving the health and nutrition of the general population is essential for achieving rapid economic growth, as poor health undermines both current labor efficiency and future human capital development.

• Option (d) correctly captures this broad implication that health and nutrition are fundamental prerequisites for the economic growth envisaged for the country.

Why the other options are wrong

(a) Education system must be strengthened in rural areas.
The passage does not mention the education system or specifically focus on rural areas, but rather on health and nutrition impacts on productivity and cognitive ability.
(b) Large scale and effective implementation of skill development programme is the need of…
While the passage mentions the need for highly skilled workers, it attributes the challenge to malnutrition and health issues, not a lack of skill development programs.
(c) For economic development, health and nutrition of only skilled workers needs special…
The passage states that health and nutrition issues affect a large portion of the working-age population and children, not just 'skilled workers,' making the option too narrow and factually incorrect based on the text.

Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2023, held on 28 May 2023. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.

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