Q31. What are the three dimensions measured by the Gender Inequality Index?
Measurement of Development: HDI and Related Indices: RAS Prelims MCQs
100 RAS Prelims MCQs on the measurement of development cover the Human Development Index and related indices. The creator of HDI, its three dimensions, the goalposts used in the Education Index, the logarithm applied to income, min-max scaling, India’s category and the Gender Development Index are asked as facts and statements.
Practice questions based on the RPSC RAS Prelims syllabus. They follow the exam pattern but are not past-paper questions.
Showing 31–40 of 100 questions
Q32. Which of the following is NOT an indicator used in the computation of the Gender Inequality Index?
Explanation
To measure gender-based inequality, the index looks at reproductive health, empowerment, and economic activity. Specific indicators include maternal mortality, adolescent birth rates, parliamentary seat shares, and education levels. While health is a core dimension, this specific index focuses on reproductive health outcomes rather than general life expectancy, which is already captured in other development metrics used by the international community.
Q33. In the Gender Inequality Index, a value of 0 indicates:
Explanation
The scale for measuring gender inequality is designed such that the lowest possible score represents the ideal state. In this framework, a value of zero signifies that there is no disparity between men and women across the dimensions of health, empowerment, and labor market participation. Conversely, a value of one would represent the highest possible level of inequality between the sexes.
Q34. Consider the following statements regarding the Gender Inequality Index:
I. It highlights the loss in potential human development due to disparity between female and male achievements.
II. Empowerment is measured by the proportion of parliamentary seats occupied by females.
III. Empowerment is also measured by the proportion of adult females and males aged 25 years and older with at least some secondary education.
IV. The labor market dimension is measured by the wage gap between men and women.
V. It was introduced in 2010 to replace older gender inequality measures.
Which of the above combinations of statements is incorrect?
I. It highlights the loss in potential human development due to disparity between female and male achievements.
II. Empowerment is measured by the proportion of parliamentary seats occupied by females.
III. Empowerment is also measured by the proportion of adult females and males aged 25 years and older with at least some secondary education.
IV. The labor market dimension is measured by the wage gap between men and women.
V. It was introduced in 2010 to replace older gender inequality measures.
Which of the above combinations of statements is incorrect?
Explanation
This index measures the loss in development due to gender disparities in health, empowerment, and economic activity. Empowerment includes both parliamentary representation and secondary education levels. However, the economic dimension is assessed through labor force participation rates rather than the specific wage gap. This tool was introduced in 2010 to provide a more sophisticated understanding of how gender inequality hinders progress.
Q35. Match the items in List I with those in List II:
| Index | Specific Indicator Used |
|---|---|
| A. Human Development Index | i. Adolescent birth rate |
| B. Gender Inequality Index | ii. Ratio of female to male HDI |
| C. Multidimensional Poverty Index | iii. Gross National Income per capita |
| D. Gender Development Index | iv. Cooking fuel deprivation Options: |
Explanation
Various indices use specific indicators to assess different aspects of development. The standard human development measure utilizes national income per capita, while the gender inequality metric includes adolescent birth rates. Poverty is assessed multidimensionally by looking at household deprivations like cooking fuel. Additionally, the gender development index compares the relative achievements of women and men by taking the ratio of their scores.
Q36. The global Multidimensional Poverty Index was developed by the United Nations Development Programme in collaboration with which institution?
Explanation
The global measure for multidimensional poverty was created through a partnership between the United Nations Development Programme and a specialized research center at Oxford University. This collaboration aimed to develop a more nuanced way of identifying poverty that goes beyond simple income levels. The resulting index captures the various simultaneous deprivations individuals face in health, education, and living standards.
Q37. In which year was the global Multidimensional Poverty Index launched to replace the Human Poverty Index?
Explanation
A more comprehensive way to measure global poverty was launched in 2010 to replace the older human poverty index. This newer metric identifies overlapping deprivations at the household level across the same dimensions as the standard development index. Since its introduction, it has become a primary tool for international organizations to understand the complex nature of poverty in various countries.
Q38. Read the following statements carefully:
Statement I: The Multidimensional Poverty Index captures acute overlapping deprivations that people face at the same time.
Statement II: The Multidimensional Poverty Index relies strictly on income levels to determine poverty cut-offs.
Which of the following is correct?
Statement I: The Multidimensional Poverty Index captures acute overlapping deprivations that people face at the same time.
Statement II: The Multidimensional Poverty Index relies strictly on income levels to determine poverty cut-offs.
Which of the following is correct?
Explanation
The multidimensional poverty index is designed to identify the various overlapping deprivations that people experience at the same time. Unlike traditional measures, it does not rely on income levels to determine who is poor. Instead, it looks at specific gaps in health, education, and living standards. This approach provides a clearer picture of the actual hardships faced by individuals and households.
Q39. Given below are two statements, one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other is labelled as
Reason (R).
Assertion (A): The Multidimensional Poverty Index is calculated using the Alkire-Foster method which employs a dual-cutoff approach.
Reason (R): The method requires individuals to first be deprived in specific indicators, and then collectively be deprived in at least one-third of the weighted indicators to be considered multidimensionally poor.
Reason (R).
Assertion (A): The Multidimensional Poverty Index is calculated using the Alkire-Foster method which employs a dual-cutoff approach.
Reason (R): The method requires individuals to first be deprived in specific indicators, and then collectively be deprived in at least one-third of the weighted indicators to be considered multidimensionally poor.
Explanation
This poverty measurement technique identifies the poor by looking at multiple deprivations simultaneously. An individual must first be deprived in specific indicators, and then the total weight of these deprivations must reach a certain threshold, typically one-third. This dual-cutoff method ensures that the index identifies those experiencing acute poverty across several dimensions of life, rather than just one.
Q40. Under the global Multidimensional Poverty Index framework, an individual is classified as living in "severe multidimensional poverty" if their deprivation score is at least:
Explanation
Individuals are categorized based on the intensity of the deprivations they experience. While a person is considered multidimensionally poor if their deprivation score is at least one-third, they are classified as living in severe poverty if that score reaches or exceeds one-half. This distinction helps policymakers prioritize interventions for those facing the most extreme and overlapping hardships in their daily lives.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 31 | (a) Health, Empowerment, and Labor Participation |
| 32 | (b) Female life expectancy at birth |
| 33 | (b) Perfect gender equality |
| 34 | (c) IV only |
| 35 | (a) A-iii, B-i, C-iv, D-ii |
| 36 | (d) Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative |
| 37 | (b) 2010 |
| 38 | (c) Statement I is correct but Statement II is incorrect |
| 39 | (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A. |
| 40 | (c) 50% |
Key facts from Measurement of Development: HDI and Related Indices
- Mahbub ul Haq is credited with creating the Human Development Index.
- The three dimensions of HDI are health, education and standard of living.
- Income is transformed by a logarithm to account for diminishing marginal utility of income.
- The maximum goalposts in the Education Index are 18 years for expected years of schooling and 15 years for mean years of schooling.
- HDI values are normalised by min-max scaling; India falls in the Medium Human Development category.
- The Gender Development Index is the ratio of the female HDI to the male HDI; Sri Lanka has consistently been placed higher than India among its neighbours.
Frequently asked questions
How many RAS Prelims practice MCQs are there on Measurement of Development: HDI and Related Indices?
This page has 100 practice MCQs on Measurement of Development: HDI and Related Indices (Indian Economy). Each has the correct answer, and most have an explanation.
Who created the Human Development Index?
The economist Mahbub ul Haq, who developed it with Amartya Sen’s ideas for the UNDP’s first Human Development Report in 1990. It measures achievement in health, education and standard of living, not income alone.
Why is income transformed using a logarithm in HDI?
To account for diminishing marginal utility of income. Each additional rupee adds less to human well-being at higher incomes, so the index counts a rise in income at low levels as more important than the same rise at high levels.
What does the Gender Development Index measure?
It measures gender gaps in human development achievements by taking the ratio of the female HDI to the male HDI. A value of 1 means that women and men have equal achievement.