UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

The dependency ratio compares the number of dependents (children and the elderly) with the number of working-age people. A high ratio means that each worker must support more non-working individuals through taxes, family transfers or community support. This can strain public finances, household incomes and social services. Therefore, the statement that highlights a large share of young or old dependents and increased burden on workers correctly explains the implication of a high dependency ratio.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because a high proportion of working-age people would actually lower the dependency ratio, not raise it. In that case, fewer dependents rely on each worker, potentially easing economic pressure.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect as a high dependency ratio usually reflects the presence of many children and/or elderly, not their absence. Saying there are no elderly people contradicts the notion of a large dependent group.

Option C:
Option C is correct since it directly links the ratio to economic and social burden on those who are economically active. It reflects why age structure is important for planning pensions, education and employment policies.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because if all citizens were economically independent, there would effectively be no dependents and the dependency ratio would be very low. This scenario does not align with the idea of a high dependency ratio.

The dependency ratio compares those typically not in the labour force (young and old) with those in working ages. A high ratio means each worker supports more dependents, increasing pressure on families and public finances. A lower ratio can create conditions favourable for a demographic dividend if accompanied by jobs and skills. Thus, the ratio of dependents to workers is the key idea.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect; the level of urbanisation is a separate measure and does not by itself show dependency patterns.

Option B:
Option B is correct because it clearly states that children and elderly together are compared with the working-age group to assess economic support burden.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect since the proportion of women relates to sex composition, not age-dependency.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because migration rate does not indicate how many non-workers each worker must support.

The dependency ratio compares the size of the dependent population,typically children and older persons,to the working age population. A higher ratio indicates greater economic pressure on the working population to support dependants. The formula in the stem corresponds exactly to this concept. Therefore dependency ratio is the correct term.

Option A:
Sex ratio is the number of females per thousand males or vice versa in a population. It provides information on gender balance but does not relate directly to age structure or economic support burden. Hence it does not match the ratio described in the question.

Option B:
Child ratio considers only the proportion of children relative to the total population or working age group,ignoring elderly dependants. The stem clearly includes both children and older persons,so child ratio is incomplete and not correct here.

Option C:
Dependency ratio captures the combined economic burden of supporting both younger and older dependants on the working age group. It is widely used in development planning to assess social security and employment needs. This matches exactly what the question describes.

Option D:
Urban rural ratio compares populations living in urban and rural areas and is used to study spatial distribution. It has nothing to do with age groups or dependency relationships,so it is not the right answer.