Class 9 Social Science-Economics Chapter 2: People as Resource

1. Short Notes for Revision

• Overview of Human Resource: Population as asset, not liability. Human capital: Stock of skill/knowledge via education, training, health. Adds to productivity like physical capital. India’s Green Revolution (improved tech) and IT revolution examples of human capital’s role.
• Economic Activities: Market activities: Paid work (e.g., doctor). Non-market: Unpaid (e.g., homemaker). Divided into primary (agriculture, mining), secondary (manufacturing), tertiary (services like teaching, banking).
• Quality of Population: Determines development. Improved via education (literacy rate 74% 2011), health (reduced mortality). Unemployment: Educated (skill mismatch), seasonal (agriculture), disguised (more workers than needed).
• Education’s Role: Builds human capital, higher income. Government initiatives: Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (2001), mid-day meal, Navodaya Vidyalayas. Women lag (literacy 65% vs men’s 82%).
• Health’s Role: Healthy workforce productive. Infrastructure: Hospitals, doctors (1 per 1000 people). National Health Policy aims universal access.
• Unemployment Types: Rural: Seasonal (idle off-season), disguised (extra workers). Urban: Educated (no jobs matching skills). Leads to wasted resources, social issues.
• Sectors Employment: Primary employs 51% (2011-12), but contributes 17% GDP. Shift to secondary/tertiary for growth. Women mostly in primary; self-employed common.
• Stories Illustration: Sakal: Educated, skilled job. Vilas: Unskilled, low income. Shows investment in human capital yields returns.

2. Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. Human capital is formed through: A) Land investment B) Education and health C) Machinery purchase D) Population growth
2. India’s Green Revolution is example of: A) Physical capital B) Human capital via technology C) Natural resources D) Unemployment reduction
3. Market activities are: A) Unpaid B) Paid and produce goods/services for sale C) Only farming D) Household chores
4. Primary sector includes: A) Teaching B) Manufacturing C) Agriculture and mining D) Banking
5. Literacy rate in India (2011): A) 50% B) 74% C) 82% D) 90%
6. Seasonal unemployment common in: A) Urban areas B) Rural agriculture C) Services D) Manufacturing
7. Disguised unemployment: A) No work available B) More workers than needed C) Educated jobless D) Seasonal idle
8. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan launched in: A) 1991 B) 2001 C) 2011 D) 1981
9. Women literacy rate (2011): A) 82% B) 74% C) 65% D) 50%
10. Health infrastructure measure: A) Doctors per 1000 people B) GDP percentage C) Literacy rate D) Unemployment rate
11. Educated unemployment in: A) Rural areas B) Urban areas C) Primary sector D) Agriculture
12. Primary sector employment (2011-12): A) 17% B) 51% C) 32% D) 25%
13. Tertiary sector GDP contribution: A) Highest B) Lowest C) Equal to primary D) Declining
14. Sakal’s success due to: A) Unemployment B) Human capital investment C) Physical labour D) Population growth
15. Vilas’ struggle shows: A) Human capital benefits B) Lack of skills/education C) High productivity D) Market activities
16. Non-economic activity example: A) Teacher salary B) Homemaker work C) Doctor fees D) Farmer selling crops
17. National Health Policy aims: A) Universal access B) Only urban C) Reduce education D) Increase unemployment
18. Women mostly in: A) Tertiary B) Secondary C) Primary sector D) Unemployed
19. Self-employed percentage: A) Low in rural B) High in India C) Only urban D) Declining
20. Unemployment leads to: A) Economic growth B) Wasted resources C) Higher GDP D) Better health

Answer Key: 1-B, 2-B, 3-B, 4-C, 5-B, 6-B, 7-B, 8-B, 9-C, 10-A, 11-B, 12-B, 13-A, 14-B, 15-B, 16-B, 17-A, 18-C, 19-B, 20-B

3. Very Short Answer Type Questions (VSAQs)

1. Define human capital. Answer: Stock of skill/knowledge via education/training/health.
2. What is people as resource? Answer: Population as productive asset contributing to GNP.
3. Name economic sectors. Answer: Primary, secondary, tertiary.
4. Literacy rate 2011? Answer: 74%.
5. Seasonal unemployment? Answer: Idle during off-season in agriculture.
6. Disguised unemployment? Answer: More workers than needed on farm.
7. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan year? Answer: 2001.
8. Women literacy 2011? Answer: 65%.
9. Doctors per 1000 people? Answer: 1.
10. Educated unemployment where? Answer: Urban areas.
11. Primary employment %? Answer: 51%.
12. Sakal’s outcome? Answer: Skilled job via education.
13. Vilas’ issue? Answer: Lack of skills, low income.
14. Non-market activity? Answer: Unpaid work like homemaking.
15. Health policy aim? Answer: Universal access.

4. Short Answer Type Questions (SAQs)

1. Explain human capital formation. Answer: Investment in education/training/health creates skills. Yields higher income/productivity. Superior to land/capital as humans use them.
2. Differentiate market/non-market activities. Answer: Market: Paid, produce for sale (e.g., teaching). Non-market: Unpaid (e.g., homemaking). Both contribute but non-market often overlooked.
3. Sectors of economy? Answer: Primary: Agriculture/mining. Secondary: Manufacturing. Tertiary: Services. Shift from primary to others indicates development.
4. Education’s role? Answer: Builds human capital, higher earnings. Government schemes like mid-day meal increase enrollment. Women lag due social barriers.
5. Health importance? Answer: Healthy people productive, earn more. Infrastructure inadequate; policy aims access. Reduces absenteeism, boosts economy.
6. Unemployment types? Answer: Seasonal: Rural agriculture off-season. Disguised: Extra farm workers. Educated: Urban skill-job mismatch.
7. Unemployment consequences? Answer: Wasted human capital, poverty, social unrest. Rural more seasonal/disguised; urban educated.
8. Sectoral employment shift? Answer: Primary high employment low GDP; tertiary rising. Need move for growth but create jobs in secondary/tertiary.
9. Women’s role? Answer: Mostly primary, self-employed. Lower literacy/health limits opportunities. Many in non-market activities.
10. Sakal/Vilas stories? Answer: Sakal: Educated, computer job, promotion. Vilas: Unskilled, low pay seller. Shows education’s benefits.
11. Quality of population? Answer: Via education/health/unemployment low. Determines development; educated/healthy more productive.
12. Government initiatives education? Answer: Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Navodaya Vidyalayas, mid-day meal. Aim universal access, reduce dropouts.
13. Health challenges? Answer: Inadequate facilities (1 doctor/1000). Diseases from poor nutrition. Policy for better access.
14. Self-employed significance? Answer: High in India; rural agriculture, urban small business. Indicates underemployment in formal sectors.
15. Policy suggestions? Answer: Invest in education/health, create jobs in secondary/tertiary. Reduce unemployment via skill training.

5. Long Answer Type Questions (LAQs)

1. Discuss population as asset vs liability. Answer: Large population liability if uneducated/unhealthy (poverty burden). Asset as human capital via investment (education/health) boosting productivity/income. Green Revolution/IT show knowledge’s role. Society benefits indirectly (spread effects). Human capital superior; uses land/capital. India needs focus on quality for development.
2. Analyze economic activities/sectors. Answer: Activities: Market (paid, GDP contribution), non-market (unpaid, essential). Sectors: Primary (51% employ, 17% GDP), secondary (25% employ, 26% GDP), tertiary (24% employ, 57% GDP). Imbalance; primary overcrowded. Shift needed for growth but create jobs. Women mostly primary; self-employed high. Development requires balanced sectors.
3. Education’s impact on economy. Answer: Forms human capital, higher productivity/earnings. Literacy 74% (2011); women 65%, men 82%. Initiatives: Sarva Shiksha (elementary), mid-day meal (nutrition/enrollment). Challenges: Dropouts, gender gap. Educated unemployment urban issue. Investment yields returns like physical capital; key for development.
4. Health’s role in human capital. Answer: Healthy population productive, less absenteeism. Infrastructure: 1 doctor/1000, inadequate hospitals. Diseases from poor sanitation/nutrition. Policy: Universal access, immunization. Benefits: Higher incomes, society gains. With education, determines quality. India needs more investment for better outcomes.
5. Unemployment types/consequences. Answer: Seasonal (rural idle off-season), disguised (extra farm workers, zero marginal productivity), educated (urban skill mismatch). Consequences: Wasted resources, poverty, depression, unrest. Rural 5.3%, urban 7.8% (higher educated). Solutions: Job creation, skill training, rural non-farm activities.
6. Sectoral shifts/challenges. Answer: Primary declining share but high employment (overcrowded). Secondary/tertiary rising GDP but slow job absorption. Women/self-employed dominant. Challenges: Educated unemployment, skill gaps. Need policies for manufacturing/services growth, training. Balanced development reduces inequality.
7. Compare Sakal/Vilas. Answer: Sakal: Educated (higher secondary, vocational), got computer job, promotion. Invested human capital yielded returns. Vilas: Uneducated, mother ill, sold fish low income. No skills limited opportunities. Shows education/health investment’s importance; lack leads to poverty cycle.

6. Source-Based / Case-Based Assessment Questions

Source Extract: (From textbook) Population becomes human capital when there is investment made in the form of education, training and medical care. In fact, human capital is the stock of skill and productive knowledge embodied in them. ‘People as Resource’ is a way of referring to a country’s working people in terms of their existing productive skills and abilities.

Questions:

1. When does population become human capital?
2. Define human capital.
3. What is ‘people as resource’?
4. Benefits of investment?
5. Example from India?

Answer Key:

1. Via education/training/health investment.
2. Stock of skill/knowledge in people.
3. Working people with productive skills.
4. Higher productivity/income.
5. Green Revolution/IT revolution.

Source Extract: (Story of Sakal) Sakal was a twelve-year-old boy… He completed his higher secondary… studied a vocational course in computers… got a job in a private firm… designed new software… rewarded with promotion.

Questions:

1. Sakal’s family occupation?
2. Education level?
3. Job outcome?
4. Why success?
5. Contrast with Vilas.
6. Lesson?

Answer Key:

1. Father agricultural labourer.
2. Higher secondary, vocational.
3. Computer firm job, promotion.
4. Investment in education.
5. Vilas unskilled, low pay.
6. Human capital yields returns.

Source Extract: (From unemployment) Unemployment is said to exist when people who are willing to work at the going wages cannot find jobs… In case of disguised unemployment people appear to be employed… Farms have more people than necessary.

Questions:

1. Define unemployment.
2. Disguised type?
3. Where common?
4. Consequences?
5. Solution?

Answer Key:

1. Willing workers can’t find jobs.
2. More workers than needed.
3. Rural farms.
4. Wasted resources, poverty.
5. Non-farm jobs, education.

7. Solved Exercise-End Questions (NCERT Solutions)

1. What do you understand by ‘people as a resource’? Answer: Refers to working population’s productive skills/abilities. Asset when invested in education/health; contributes to GNP unlike liability view.
2. How is human resource different from other resources like land and physical capital? Answer: Human uses land/capital; superior. Formed via investment; yields returns. Embodies skill/knowledge; active factor.
3. What is the role of education in human capital formation? Answer: Builds skills/knowledge for productivity. Higher literacy (74%) enables better jobs/income. Government schemes increase access; reduces gender gap.
4. What is the role of health in human capital formation? Answer: Healthy people work efficiently, earn more. Reduces absenteeism. Infrastructure needs improvement for universal access.
5. What part does health play in the individual’s working life? Answer: Enables regular work, higher productivity/income. Prevents disease-related losses. Healthy society progresses.
6. What are the various activities undertaken in the primary sector, secondary sector and tertiary sector? Answer: Primary: Agriculture, mining. Secondary: Manufacturing. Tertiary: Services (teaching, banking).
7. What is the difference between economic activities and non-economic activities? Answer: Economic: Paid, produce for market. Non-economic: Unpaid (homemaking).
8. Why are women employed in low paid work? Answer: Lower education/skills; social barriers. Mostly primary sector, irregular jobs.
9. How will you explain the term unemployment? Answer: Willing workers can’t find jobs at prevailing wages. Types: Seasonal, disguised, educated.
10. What is the difference between disguised unemployment and seasonal unemployment? Answer: Disguised: Appear employed but extra (zero productivity). Seasonal: Idle off-season.
11. Why is educated unemployed a peculiar problem of India? Answer: High educated but no matching jobs; urban issue. Wastes investment.
12. In which field do you think India can build the maximum employment opportunity? Answer: Secondary/tertiary; shift from primary. Manufacturing/services for growth.
13. Can you suggest some measures in the education system to mitigate the problem of the educated unemployed? Answer: Vocational training, skill-based courses, entrepreneurship education. Align with job market.
14. Can you imagine some village which initially had no job opportunities but later came up with many? Answer: (Example): Village near city developed tourism/shops after road. Created jobs in services/handicrafts.
15. Which capital would you consider the best — land, labour, physical capital and human capital? Why? Answer: Human capital; uses others, generates growth via skills. Investment yields highest returns.