Women, Population, Poverty & Urbanisation — UPSC Questions
Role of women and women's organization, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and their remedies.
Previous year questions and Mains practice questions on this exact syllabus topic, collected from every GainingSun analysis mapped to it. Each question links back to the analysis it came from, so you can read the material behind the answer.
Previous year questions (from 2 analyses)
Questions UPSC has set on this syllabus topic, as cited in our analyses.
(UPSC CSE Prelims 2013) Disguised unemployment generally means: (a) Large number of people remain unemployed (b) Alternative employment is not available (c) Marginal productivity of labour is zero (d) Productivity of workers is low Answer: (c) Marginal productivity of labour is zero
(UPSC CSE Mains 2015, GS Paper III) The nature of economic growth in India in recent times is often described as jobless growth. Do you agree with this view? Give arguments in favour of your answer.
(UPSC CSE Mains 2023, GS Paper III) Most of the unemployment in India is structural in nature. Examine the methodology adopted to compute unemployment in the country and suggest improvements.
From India's Employment Rate Decline Explained: CMIE vs PLFS, LFPR, WPR and Jobless Growth
Discuss the main objectives of Population Education and point out the measures to achieve them in India in detail. (UPSC Mains GS1, 2021)
“Empowering women is the key to control the population growth.” Discuss. (UPSC Mains GS1, 2019)
Critically examine whether growing population is the cause of poverty OR poverty is the main cause of population increase in India. (UPSC Mains GS1, 2015)
From Falling Fertility Rates: Why Fewer Children Matter for India’s Future
Mains practice questions (from 5 analyses)
Practice questions written for this topic, each tied to the current affairs that would answer it.
The Employment Rate is arguably a more meaningful indicator of India's labour market than the Unemployment Rate. Critically examine, while explaining why official (PLFS) and private (CMIE) employment estimates often diverge. (250 words, 15 marks)
From India's Employment Rate Decline Explained: CMIE vs PLFS, LFPR, WPR and Jobless Growth
India’s declining fertility rate reflects both development gains and emerging demographic challenges. Discuss the causes, consequences and policy responses needed for managing India’s demographic transition.
From Falling Fertility Rates: Why Fewer Children Matter for India’s Future
Discuss the significance of the faster wage growth recorded by women across all job categories in the PLFS 2025 data for achieving gender equality in India’s labour market, and analyse the challenges that still remain in reducing the overall gender pay gap.
Discuss the public health and demographic implications of declining twinning rates in India, with reference to the need for establishing a national twin registry to address environmental and genetic factors.
Discuss the significance of conducting India's first digital Census in 2027, highlighting its potential impacts on governance, policy-making, and social equity, while addressing associated challenges
From India set for Digital Census in 2027, Enumerators to collect Data using their own smartphone