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Topic Poverty line
Asked 6 times across 3 UPSC exams over 10 years (2014–2024), peaking in 2024.
Key insights
- Most tested in CDS — 4 of 6 PYQs
- First appeared in CDS 2014 — 5 years before CSE 2019 (allied exams preview CSE)
- Most asked in 2024
- Recurs across 5 years (2014–2024)
How it travelled across exams
First appearance in each exam — the same idea, reframed.
CDS 2014 → CSE 2019 → GEO 2021
How the concept evolved
Rising — more than half its appearances (5 of 6) are since 2016.
Related concepts
Ideas UPSC tests alongside this one — keep exploring.
Sample questions
You've seen the pattern — here are a few of the actual PYQs.
CDS2024
The Rangarajan Committee methodology for determining the poverty line incorporated which of the following ?
- A food component
- A normative level of expenditure for essential non-food items
- A behaviourally determined expenditure for other non-food items Select the answer
using the code given below :
- A 1 and 2 only
- B 2 and 3 only
- C 1, 2 and 3 ✓
- D 1 and 3 only
✓ Correct answer: (C)
Economy › Poverty/Employment/Inclusion
CDS2024
Which of the following statements with regard to the Report of Tendulkar Committee (2009) on poverty estimates is/are correct?
- The Committee had used an all-India urban poverty line basket as a reference to derive both rural and urban poverty levels
- The Committee had anchored the poverty line to the official food calorie norms
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
- A 1 only ✓
- B 2 only
- C Both 1 and 2
- D Neither 1 nor 2
✓ Correct answer: (A)
Economy › Poverty/Employment/Inclusion
CDS2023
Consider the following statements regarding poverty in India
- While determining poverty line in India, a minimum level of food requirement, clothing, footwear, fuel and light, educational and medical requirements, etc. are determined for subsistence
- The accepted average calorie requirement in India is 2400 calories per person per day in rural areas and 2100 calories per person per day in urban areas
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
- A 1 only
- B 2 only
- C Both 1 and 2 ✓
- D Neither 1 nor 2
✓ Correct answer: (C)
Economy › Poverty/Employment/Inclusion
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