Class 10 Social Science Notes — Chapter 17: Development (Economics)
Meaning of development, indicators beyond income, and sustainability.
Detailed NCERT notes
- People have different notions of development based on age, gender, income, location, aspirations — so development must be understood pluralistically.
- National income indicators: Total income, per capita income (average income = total ÷ population).
- Per capita income used by World Bank: high-income countries above roughly $12,000; middle-income and low-income below (thresholds change).
- Limitations of per capita income: hides inequality (average masks distribution), ignores non-income aspects (health, education, environment, dignity).
- Human Development Index (HDI): composite of health (life expectancy), education (mean and expected years of schooling) and income (GNI per capita); published by UNDP.
- Public facilities: health care, education, sanitation, safety, transport — critical for well-being; often more equalising than income increases.
- Sustainability of development: current use should not compromise future generations. Concerns — groundwater depletion, fossil fuel exhaustion, deforestation, climate change.
- Case study — Kerala vs Punjab in NCERT: Kerala has lower per capita income than Punjab but better literacy, life expectancy, infant mortality → shows income isn't everything.
- BMI (Body Mass Index) = weight (kg) / [height (m)]² — used to gauge nutrition status; below 18.5 undernourished.
- Development discussions must integrate income + non-income + sustainability, not focus on one axis.
Formulas & key results
- Per capita income = Total income / Population
- HDI ≈ (health + education + income indices)/3
- BMI = weight(kg) / height(m)²
Mind map
- Different goals of development
- Income vs non-income measures
- HDI
- Public facilities and sustainability
Tricks & shortcuts
- Kerala shows non-income development matters more than income.
- HDI = health + education + income.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Equating per capita income with development.
- Ignoring sustainability while praising growth.
Competency-based questions & answers
- Q. Why is per capita income an inadequate measure of development?A. It hides inequality within the country and ignores health, education, environment and dignity — HDI captures a broader picture.
- Q. Why is Kerala often more developed than Punjab despite lower per capita income?A. Better public health, universal education, higher literacy, lower infant mortality and gender-friendly policies — human development outpaces its narrow income measure.