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The NCERT Class 11 Indian Economic Development Chapter 8 compares the developmental strategies of India, Pakistan, and China since the late 1940s. It analyses similarities in initial five-year plans and public sector focus, divergent reform paths (China 1978, Pakistan 1988, India 1991), and performance across demographic, GDP, sectoral, and human development indicators. These solutions provide clear, concise, and CBSE-aligned answers for effective exam preparation. You can also download the free PDF for revision.
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NCERT Solutions Class 11 Indian Economic Development Chapter 8: Comparative Development Experiences of India and its Neighbours
This section provides detailed and student-friendly answers for the Class 11 Indian Economic Development Chapter 8 exercise questions. Each answer is explained clearly to strengthen understanding and exam preparation.
Exercise
1. Why are regional and economic groupings formed?
Regional and economic groupings such as SAARC, the European Union, ASEAN, G-8, G-20, and BRICS are formed to strengthen domestic economies. Nations adopt these means to face globalisation’s implications, enhance collective bargaining, promote trade, investment, and technology sharing, and improve competitiveness in the limited economic space available to developing countries.
2. What are the various means by which countries are trying to strengthen their own domestic economies?
Countries strengthen domestic economies by: (i) forming regional and global economic groupings (SAARC, EU, ASEAN, G-8, G-20, BRICS); (ii) studying developmental processes of neighbouring nations to understand strengths and weaknesses; (iii) initiating structural reforms (e.g., China 1978, Pakistan 1988, India 1991); (iv) increasing public expenditure on social development; (v) creating large public sectors and later encouraging private participation; (vi) attracting foreign investment through special economic zones.
3. What similar developmental strategies have India and Pakistan followed for their respective developmental paths?
India and Pakistan followed similar strategies: (i) adopted mixed economy model with co-existence of public and private sectors; (ii) announced five-year plans (India 1951–56, Pakistan 1956); (iii) created a large public sector; (iv) raised public expenditure on social development; (v) introduced import-substitution industrialisation with tariff protection and import controls; (vi) implemented Green Revolution leading to mechanisation and increased foodgrain production; (vii) achieved similar growth rates and per capita incomes till the 1980s.
4. Explain the Great Leap Forward campaign of China as initiated in 1958.
The Great Leap Forward (GLF) campaign, initiated in 1958, aimed at industrialising China on a massive scale. People were encouraged to set up industries in their backyards. In rural areas, communes were started where people collectively cultivated lands. By 1958, there were 26,000 communes covering almost all the farm population. However, it faced severe problems like drought, killing about 30 million people, and the withdrawal of Soviet professionals.
5. China’s rapid industrial growth can be traced back to its reforms in 1978. Do you agree? Elucidate.
Yes, agreed. Rapid industrial growth in China traces back to reforms introduced in 1978 in phases. Initial phase: agriculture (commune lands divided into small plots allocated to households for use; keep income after taxes), foreign trade, and investment. Later phase: the industrial sector allowed private firms and township/village enterprises; government enterprises (SOEs) faced competition; dual pricing was introduced; special economic zones were set up to attract foreign investors. These led to increased production, market transactions, and sustained high growth.
6. Describe the path of developmental initiatives taken by Pakistan for its economic development.
Pakistan followed: (i) mixed economy with public-private sectors; (ii) regulated policy framework in 1950s–60s for import substitution (tariff protection, import controls); (iii) Green Revolution with mechanisation and infrastructure investment, raising foodgrains; (iv) nationalisation of capital goods in 1970s; (v) shift in late 1970s–80s to denationalisation, private sector incentives; (vi) financial support from western nations and Middle-East remittances; (vii) reforms initiated in 1988. Currently on the 12th Five-Year Development Plan (2018–23).
7. What is the important implication of the ‘one child norm’ in China?
The one-child norm, introduced in the late 1970s, controlled population growth, making it the lowest among the three countries. However, it led to a decline in the sex ratio due to son preference. After a few decades, it will result in more elderly people in proportion to young people, prompting China to later allow couples to have two children.
8. Mention the salient demographic indicators of China, Pakistan and India.
- Population: China and India each ~1/6th of the world; Pakistan ~1/10th of China/India.
- Density: China lowest despite the largest area.
- Growth rate: Pakistan’s highest, then India, China’s lowest (due to the one-child norm).
- Sex ratio: Low and biased against females in all three (son preference).
- Fertility rate: China is low, Pakistan is very high.
- Urbanisation: China highest; India has 36% urban.
9. Compare and contrast India and China’s sectoral contribution towards GVA/GDP. What does it indicate?
- China: Agriculture: 23% workforce, 8% GVA; Industry: 32% workforce, 39% GVA; Services: highest share. Shift: agriculture → industry → services.
- India: Agriculture: 46% workforce, 16% GVA; Industry: 25% workforce, 29% GVA; Services: highest share, direct shift from agriculture.
Indication: China follows a normal development path with manufacturing driving growth; India skips strong industrialisation, relying on services despite large agricultural employment, showing structural imbalance.
10. Mention the various indicators of human development.
Indicators include: (i) GDP per capita; (ii) proportion of population below poverty line; (iii) health indicators like mortality rates, access to sanitation, life expectancy, malnourishment; (iv) literacy rate; (v) maternal mortality rate; (vi) access to improved drinking water sources. Liberty indicators (extent of democratic participation, constitutional protection of rights, judiciary independence, rule of law) are important but not sufficiently weighted.
11. Define the liberty indicator. Give some examples of liberty indicators.
The Liberty indicator measures the extent of democratic participation in social and political decision-making and the protection of citizen rights. Though one such indicator is added to human development measures, it lacks extra weight. Examples: (i) extent of Constitutional protection given to rights of citizens; (ii) extent of constitutional protection of the independence of the Judiciary and the Rule of Law. Without these, the human development index remains incomplete.
12. Evaluate the various factors that led to the rapid growth in economic development in China.
Factors: (i) Pre-reform infrastructure in education and health; (ii) land reforms and decentralised planning; (iii) existence of small enterprises; (iv) equitable food distribution via communes; (v) phased reforms starting 1978: agriculture (household plots brought prosperity), then industry (private/township enterprises, SOE competition), dual pricing, special economic zones; (vi) small-scale experimentation before massive implementation to assess costs; (vii) strong rural industry base and support for further reforms.
13. Group the following features pertaining to the economies of India, China and Pakistan under three heads
• One-child norm
• Low fertility rate
• High degree of urbanisation
• Mixed economy
• Very high fertility rate
• Large population
• High density of population
• Growth due to the manufacturing sector
• Growth due to the service sector
- China: One-child norm; Low fertility rate; High degree of urbanisation; Large population; Growth due to the manufacturing sector.
- Pakistan: Very high fertility rate; Mixed economy.
- India: Mixed economy; Large population; High density of population; Growth due to the service sector.
14. Give reasons for the slow growth and re-emergence of poverty in Pakistan.
Reasons: (i) Agricultural growth based on good harvests, not institutionalised technical change : stagnation/negative in bad years; (ii) foreign exchange from volatile agricultural exports and Middle-East remittances; (iii) growing dependence on foreign loans with repayment difficulties; (iv) political instability over long periods; (v) reform process (1988) worsened GDP and sectoral growth rates compared to 1980s; (vi) poverty declined to 25% in 1980s but rose again recently per official data.
15. Compare and contrast the development of India, China and Pakistan with respect to some salient human development indicators.
China leads in: GDP per capita, poverty reduction, lower mortality rates, better sanitation, literacy, life expectancy, and least malnutrition.
Pakistan is ahead of India in poverty reduction and sanitation.
Maternal mortality: China, 29 per lakh births; Pakistan, 140; India, 133.
Improved water: All three provide water to most population.
China has the smallest poor share. India and Pakistan lag in saving women from maternal mortality. Liberty indicators are missing in the standard measures.
16. Comment on the growth rate trends witnessed in China and India in the last two decades.
In the 1980s, China had double-digit growth, India lowest. In 2015–17 and 2024, China’s growth declined; India saw a moderate increase; Pakistan declined. China’s growth is driven by manufacturing and services; India’s by services. Over the last two decades, China maintained high growth initially but slowed recently; India showed a steady, moderate rise, closing the gap gradually through service-led expansion.
17. Fill in the blanks
(a) First Five-Year Plan of ————— commenced in the year 1956.
(b) Maternal mortality rate is high in ———————–.
(c) Proportion of people below the poverty line is more in —————–.
(d) Reforms in ————- were introduced in 1978.
- Pakistan
- Pakistan
- India
- China
Also Read: CBSE Class 10 Economics Chapter 1 NCERT Solutions
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