2017 · GS Paper 3 · Q13 · 15 marks
What are the salient features of 'inclusive growth' ? Has India been experiencing such a growth process ? Analyse and suggest measures for inclusive growth.
In short
Inclusive growth is broad-based, job-rich, pro-poor and sustainable growth that opens opportunity to all sections and regions, and India has achieved it only partially. Tendulkar poverty fell from 21.9% in 2011-12 to 2.3% in 2023-24, but jobs, women's work and income concentration still lag.
Model answer
Ghissu Editorial · Verified 4 Oct 2026 · 278 words
Broad-based and job-rich
Growth spreads across sectors and regions and creates productive jobs, so the poor gain through work.
Equality of opportunity
Health, education and credit reach women, SC/ST communities and farmers, in line with Sen's capability approach.
Pro-poor and sustainable
Bottom-40% incomes rise at least as fast as the average without depleting natural capital.
Poverty has fallen
Tendulkar poverty fell from 21.9% in 2011-12 to 2.3% in 2023-24 (Economic Survey 2025-26), and multidimensional poverty to 11.28% in 2022-23 (NITI Aayog).
Access has widened
Jan Dhan, Mudra and over Rs 51 lakh crore of DBT up to June 2026 reached the poor.
Jobs and income lag
Agriculture holds over 45% of the workforce, India ranked 62nd of 74 on the WEF Inclusive Development Index (2018), and the top 1% holds 22.6% of income (World Inequality Lab, 2024).
Jobs and skills
Extend PLI-style support to labour-intensive textiles and food processing, and link Skill India to these jobs.
Women and regions
Expand creches and safe transport, and scale the Aspirational Districts Programme (2018) model for the weakest districts.
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This chapter in the exam
Inclusive Growth11 questions
Asked in 9 of 14 sittings since 2013
- 2026Examine the view that financial inclusion is an integral part of social and economic inclusion in a country like India. Also throw light on the usefulness of the R.B.I.'s Financial Inclusion Index. (Answer in 150 words)
- 2023Distinguish between 'care economy' and 'monetized economy'. How can care economy be brought into monetized economy through women empowerment?
All 11 questions, sorted by sub-topic, with model answers and practice.
Question from the official UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination 2017 paper. Answer written by Ghissu's engine and checked against our editorial standards. Found an error? Tell us and we correct it within 48 hours.