Understanding Development — Class 9 Social Science (Samacheer Kalvi)
TN State Board (Samacheer Kalvi) Class 9 Social Science, Economics — Chapter 1. What development really means and how we measure it.
1. About this lesson
Development is more than just economic growth. This chapter covers different perspectives on development, how it is measured (GDP, HDI, PQLI), and the concept of sustainable development that balances present needs with future generations.
2. What is Development?
- Development is a multi-dimensional concept — it includes economic, social, political, and environmental dimensions.
- It is about improving people's quality of life, not just increasing income.
Perspectives on Development
| Perspective | Focus |
|---|---|
| Economic | Increase in GDP, per capita income, industrialisation |
| Human | Health, education, standard of living (HDI) |
| Social | Equality, empowerment, social justice |
| Environmental | Sustainability — meeting needs without harming future generations |
3. Measuring Development
GDP (Gross Domestic Product)
- Total value of all goods and services produced in a country in a year.
- Limitation: GDP does not show how income is distributed or the quality of life.
Per Capita Income
- Average income per person = Total National Income ÷ Population.
- Limitation: Averages hide inequality.
Human Development Index (HDI)
- Developed by the UNDP (United Nations Development Programme).
- Measures three dimensions:
| Dimension | Indicator |
|---|---|
| Health | Life expectancy at birth |
| Education | Mean years of schooling + Expected years of schooling |
| Standard of Living | Gross National Income (GNI) per capita |
- HDI ranges from 0 to 1. India's HDI rank (2022): ~132.
Physical Quality of Life Index (PQLI)
- Developed by Morris D. Morris.
- Measures: Infant mortality, life expectancy, and basic literacy.
Other Indicators
- Infant Mortality Rate (IMR): Deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births.
- Literacy Rate: Percentage of population aged 7+ who can read and write.
- Net Attendance Ratio: Percentage of children attending school.
4. Sustainable Development
- Definition (Brundtland Commission, 1987): "Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."
- Three pillars: Economic, Social, Environmental.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- 17 goals adopted by the UN in 2015; target year 2030.
- Key goals: No Poverty (1), Zero Hunger (2), Quality Education (4), Gender Equality (5), Clean Water (6), Climate Action (13).
5. Worked examples
Example 1. What does HDI measure? Health (life expectancy), Education (schooling), Standard of Living (GNI per capita).
Example 2. Who developed the PQLI? Morris D. Morris.
Example 3. What year are the SDGs targeted for? 2030, adopted in 2015.
6. Book-back questions (Samacheer Kalvi)
I. Choose the correct answer
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Assertion (A): Development increases the quality of life. Reason (R): People will have higher incomes, better education, better health and nutrition, less poverty. — (a) Both A and R are true and R explains A / (b) Both true, R does not explain A / (c) A correct, R false / (d) A false, R true. Ans: (a).
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The term 'Human resources' refers to — (a) investment on poor people / (b) expenditure on agriculture / (c) investment on assets / (d) collective abilities of people. Ans: (d).
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For comparing development between countries, ______ is considered one of the most important attributes. — (a) growth / (b) income / (c) expenditure / (d) savings. Ans: (b) income.
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______ is considered a true measure of national income. — (a) GNP / (b) GDP / (c) NNP (Net National Product) / (d) NDP. Ans: (c) NNP.
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______ income is also called per capita income. — (a) average / (b) total / (c) people / (d) monthly. Ans: (a) average.
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Which country is NOT a G-8 country? — (a) Japan / (b) Canada / (c) Russia / (d) India. Ans: (d) India.
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Which country is NOT a member of SAARC? — (a) India / (b) Pakistan / (c) China / (d) Bhutan. Ans: (c) China.
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Assertion (A): NNP is considered a true measure of national output. Reason (R): It is also known as national income. — (a) Both A and R are true and R explains A / (b) Both true, R does not explain A / (c) A correct, R false / (d) A false, R true. Ans: (a).
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Assertion (A): Human resource is necessary for the progress of any country. Reason (R): Investment in education and health of people can result in high rate of returns in future. — (a) Both A and R are true and R explains A / (b) Both true, R does not explain A / (c) A correct, R false / (d) A false, R true. Ans: (a).
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The HDI does NOT take into account the following dimension — (a) Gender / (b) Health / (c) Education / (d) Income. Ans: (a) Gender. (HDI uses health, education, and income only.)
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Among the following, which state has literacy rate (2011) higher than national average? — (a) Andhra Pradesh / (b) Uttar Pradesh / (c) Tamil Nadu / (d) None of these. Ans: (c) Tamil Nadu.
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Sex-ratio means — (a) ratio between adult male and adult female / (b) ratio between female and male / (c) relationship between male and female / (d) the number of females per thousand males. Ans: (d).
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Inter-generational equality is ensured under the process of — (a) Industrial Progress / (b) Economic development / (c) Sustainable development / (d) Economic growth. Ans: (c) Sustainable development.
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Find the odd one — (a) Solar energy / (b) Wind energy / (c) Paper / (d) Natural gas. Ans: (c) Paper. (Paper is not an energy resource; others are.)
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______ is the state with highest installed solar capacity in India. — (a) Tamil Nadu / (b) West Bengal / (c) Kerala / (d) Andhra Pradesh. Ans: (a) Tamil Nadu.
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______ resources are those which will get exhausted after years of use. — (a) Natural / (b) Renewable / (c) Non-Renewable / (d) New. Ans: (c) Non-Renewable.
II. Fill in the blanks
- Economic progress of any country is known as Economic Development.
- The headquarters of HRD Ministry is in Shastri Bhavan, New Delhi.
- The state having the highest literacy rate in India is Kerala.
- Human Development Report of the world is prepared and released by UNDP (United Nations Development Programme).
- Groundwater is an example of renewable resource.
- The book "An Uncertain Glory" was written by Prof. Amartya Sen.
III. Match the following
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| Development | iii. Part of daily life |
| Human resource | iv. Education |
| Solar energy | ii. Renewable resources |
| 1972 | i. Wildlife Protection Act |
IV. Give short answers
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What do you mean by development? — The word 'development' refers to the progress of a particular field or person. The economic progress of a country is known as 'economic development'. However, the interpretation of development keeps changing from time to time and person to person.
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What are the indicators of development? — National income, per capita income, Human Development Index (HDI — health, education, income), literacy rate, sex ratio, infant mortality rate, life expectancy.
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What is sustainable development? — Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Brundtland Commission, 1987). Ensures inter-generational equality.
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Differentiate renewable and non-renewable resources. — Renewable: can be replenished naturally (solar, wind, groundwater). Non-renewable: exhaustible; will get exhausted after years of use (coal, petroleum, natural gas).
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What is sex ratio? — The number of females per thousand males in a population (Census 2011).
V. Answer in detail
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Discuss the dimensions of Human Development Index (HDI).
- HDI is prepared and released by the UNDP.
- Three dimensions: Health (life expectancy at birth), Education (mean years of schooling + expected years of schooling), Standard of Living (GNI per capita).
- HDI does NOT include gender.
- Ranges from 0 to 1. India's rank ~132 (2022).
- Kerala has the highest literacy rate in India; Tamil Nadu is above the national average.
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Explain the importance of sustainable development.
- Ensures inter-generational equality — resources available for future generations.
- Balances economic growth, social equity, and environmental protection.
- Brundtland Commission (1987): "meeting present needs without compromising future."
- Renewable energy (solar, wind) is key. TN has highest installed solar capacity in India.
- SDGs — 17 goals, adopted 2015, target 2030.
7. Common mistakes
- Mistake: HDI and PQLI measure the same things. Fix: HDI = health + education + income (UNDP). PQLI = infant mortality + life expectancy + literacy (Morris D. Morris). PQLI excludes income.
- Mistake: Development = economic growth only. Fix: Development is multi-dimensional — includes social, human, and environmental aspects.
- Mistake: SDGs were adopted in 2000. Fix: MDGs were 2000. SDGs were adopted in 2015.
8. Quick revision
- Economics Ch 1 · Understanding Development.
- Development = economic + social + human + environmental.
- Measures: GDP (economic output), Per Capita Income (average), HDI (UNDP: health + education + income), PQLI (Morris D. Morris: IMR + life expectancy + literacy).
- Sustainable: Brundtland (1987) — meet present needs without harming future.
- SDGs: 17 goals (2015), target 2030. Replaced MDGs (2000–2015).
