UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Human development is defined as a process of enlarging people’s choices, including health, education and decent living conditions. It moves focus away from income alone to capabilities and freedoms. The stem describes this shift from mere income growth to expanding choices,so human development is the correct term.

Option A:
Human development considers people both as the means and the end of development. It seeks to create conditions where individuals can lead long,healthy and creative lives. Because the question highlights choices and capabilities, this option accurately names the concept.

Option B:
Structural development is not a standard term in development discourse and does not specifically refer to capabilities. It might suggest changes in economic structure but does not capture the people centred focus of the stem.

Option C:
Market driven development implies reliance on market forces to guide economic growth. It may increase income but often ignores distribution and human capability issues. Hence it does not match the approach described.

Option D:
Export led development prioritises expanding export sectors as the main engine of growth. It is an economic strategy without inherent emphasis on human freedoms and capabilities,so it is not suitable for the blank.

Sustainable development explicitly integrates economic efficiency,social equity and environmental protection as coequal goals. It emphasises that growth must not undermine environmental systems or marginalised groups. The three pillar idea is central to this concept in international policy debates. Therefore the description in the question directly corresponds to sustainable development.

Option A:
Sustainable development calls for development strategies that balance present needs with long term environmental limits. It focuses on integrating economic, social and ecological objectives in a coherent framework. Because the stem highlights exactly this triple focus, this option correctly captures the intended concept.

Option B:
Economic liberalisation primarily refers to reducing state control over markets through deregulation and opening to trade and investment. It may increase growth but does not inherently ensure social equity or environmental protection. Hence it is narrower and cannot represent the three pillar model in the question.

Option C:
Structural adjustment describes policy packages involving privatisation, subsidy reduction and fiscal austerity, usually aimed at macroeconomic stabilisation. These measures often ignore environmental and distributional concerns and therefore do not match the triple pillar perspective in the stem.

Option D:
The Green revolution focused on boosting agricultural yields using high yielding varieties, chemical inputs and irrigation. While it improved food production, it also generated ecological and social challenges. It is a specific historical episode rather than a general development paradigm integrating three pillars.