Question 1

Q1: Who is a worker?

Accepted Answer

A worker is any person who is engaged in an economic activity that contributes to the country's Gross National Product (GNP). This includes not only those who are paid by an employer, but also those who are self-employed. The definition also covers individuals who may be temporarily absent from work...

Question 2

Q10: Find the odd man out (i) rickshaw puller who works under a rickshaw owner (ii) mason (iii) mechanic shop worker (iv) shoeshine boy.

Accepted Answer

The odd one out is (iv) shoeshine boy. Reason: The classification is based on employment status:    (i) Rickshaw puller who works under a rickshaw owner: Hired worker, likely a casual wage labourer.    (ii) Mason: Typically a hired casual wage labourer.    (iii) Mechanic shop worker: A hired worker,...

Question 3

Q11: The following table shows distribution of workforce in India for the year 1972-73. Analyse it and give reasons for the nature of workforce distributio...

Accepted Answer

Analysis of the Data: 1.  Dominance of Rural Workforce: The rural workforce (195 million) was five times larger than the urban workforce (39 million). This shows that the vast majority of workers resided and worked in rural areas. 2.  Gender Disparity: There was a significant gender gap in the workf...

Question 4

Q12: The following table shows the population and worker population ratio for India in 1999-2000. Can you estimate the workforce (urban and total) for Indi...

Accepted Answer

Yes, the workforce for urban and total can be estimated using the formula:  Estimated Workers = (Population × Worker Population Ratio) / 100 1. Estimation of Urban Workforce:    Urban Population = 28.52 crores    Urban Worker Population Ratio = 33.7    Estimated Urban Workers = (28.52 × 33.7) / 100...

Question 5

Q13: Why are regular salaried employees more in urban areas than in rural areas?

Accepted Answer

Regular salaried employees are more prevalent in urban areas than in rural areas due to the fundamental differences in the economic structures of these regions:    Nature of Enterprises: Urban areas are hubs for industries, large companies, government offices, banks, schools, and hospitals. These en...

Question 6

Q14: Why are less women found in regular salaried employment?

Accepted Answer

Fewer women are found in regular salaried employment due to a combination of factors:    Lower Access to Education and Skills: Many regular salaried jobs require specific educational qualifications and skills. Historically, women have had lower access to education and vocational training compared to...

Question 7

Q15: Analyse the recent trends in sectoral distribution of workforce in India.

Accepted Answer

Based on the data provided in the chapter (from 1972-73 to 2017-18), the recent trends in the sectoral distribution of the workforce in India show a significant structural shift: 1.  Decline of the Primary Sector: There has been a substantial decline in the proportion of the workforce engaged in the...

Question 8

Q16: Compared to the 1970s, there has hardly been any change in the distribution of workforce across various industries. Comment.

Accepted Answer

This statement is incorrect. The data presented in the chapter (Table 6.3) clearly shows that there has been a substantial and significant change in the distribution of the workforce across various sectors since the 1970s.    Primary Sector: The share of the workforce dependent on the primary sector...

Question 9

Q17: Do you think that during 1950-2010 employment generated in the country is commensurate with the growth of GDP in India? How?

Accepted Answer

No, the employment generated in the country during 1950-2010 was not commensurate with the growth of GDP in India. How:    Disparity in Growth Rates: The chapter states that during this period, India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew positively and at a much higher rate than employment growth. Whi...

Question 10

Q18: Is it necessary to generate employment in the formal sector rather than in the informal sector? Why?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it is necessary to generate more employment in the formal sector rather than the informal sector for several important reasons:    Job Security and Better Wages: Formal sector jobs provide workers with greater job security and generally offer higher wages compared to the informal sector. Worker...

Question 11

Q19: Victor is able to get work only for two hours in a day. Rest of the day, he is looking for work. Is he unemployed? Why? What kind of jobs could person...

Accepted Answer

Is he unemployed? Why? Yes, according to the definition cited in the chapter, Victor would be considered unemployed or underemployed. The chapter mentions that "Economists define unemployed person as one who is not able to get employment of even one hour in half a day." Since Victor works only two h...

Question 12

Q2: Define worker-population ratio.

Accepted Answer

The worker-population ratio is an indicator used to analyze the employment situation in a country. It is defined as the proportion of the total population that is actively engaged in productive economic activities. It is calculated by dividing the total number of workers in a country by the total po...

Question 13

Q20: You are residing in a village. If you are asked to advice the village panchayat, what kinds of activities would you suggest for the improvement of you...

Accepted Answer

If I were to advise the village panchayat, I would suggest the following activities for village improvement and employment generation, based on the chapter's discussion on government initiatives: 1.  Community Asset Creation: Initiate public works projects under schemes like MGNREGA. This could incl...

Question 14

Q21: Who is a casual wage labourer?

Accepted Answer

A casual wage labourer is a worker who is engaged by others on a casual or day-to-day basis and receives remuneration (wages) for the work performed. These workers do not have a regular, permanent job with a single employer. They lack job security, social security benefits, and regular income. Examp...

Question 15

Q22: How will you know whether a worker is working in the informal sector?

Accepted Answer

You can determine if a worker is in the informal sector by examining their place of work and the conditions of their employment: 1.  Type of Establishment: A worker is in the informal sector if they work in any private sector establishment that employs fewer than 10 hired workers. All public sector...

Question 16

Q3: Are the following workers - a beggar, a thief, a smuggler, a gambler? Why?

Accepted Answer

No, a beggar, a thief, a smuggler, and a gambler are not considered workers.  Reason: A worker is defined as a person engaged in an economic activity that contributes to the Gross National Product (GNP). The activities of these individuals do not result in the production of any goods or services tha...

Question 17

Q4: Find the odd man out (i) owner of a saloon (ii) a cobbler (iii) a cashier in Mother Dairy or Milk Cooperative Society of your area (iv) a tuition mast...

Accepted Answer

The odd one out is (iii) a cashier in Mother Dairy or Milk Cooperative Society of your area. Reason: The classification is based on the employment status:    (i) Owner of a saloon: Self-employed    (ii) A cobbler: Self-employed    (iv) A tuition master: Self-employed    (v) Transport operator: Typic...

Question 18

Q5: The newly emerging jobs are found mostly in the __________ sector (service/manufacturing).

Accepted Answer

The newly emerging jobs are found mostly in the service sector.

Question 19

Q6: An establishement with four hired workers is known as __________ (formal/informal) sector establishment.

Accepted Answer

An establishment with four hired workers is known as informal sector establishment.

Question 20

Q7: Raj is going to school. When he is not in school, you will find him working in his farm. Can you consider him as a worker? Why?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Raj can be considered a worker. Reason: The definition of a worker includes all individuals engaged in economic activities, even if they are not paid. This also includes those who help the main workers. Working on a farm is a productive economic activity that contributes to the agricultural out...

Place of Residence	Workforce (in millions)
	Male
Rural	125
Urban	32

Region	Estimates of Population (in crores)	Worker Population Ratio	Estimated No. of Workers (in crores)
Rural	71.88	41.9	`(71.88/100) * 41.9 = 30.12`
Urban	28.52	33.7	?
Total	100.40	39.5	?

NCERT Solutions