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Read the following… (Class 12 Economics SQP 2024-25, Q33)

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EconomicsCBSE Class 12 · Sample paper, session 2024-25 · 6 marks · Case-based

CBSE Class 12 Economics sample paper 2024-25: question 33

From the official CBSE sample question paper for 2024-25, section B, question 33, for 6 marks. Try it first; the hints and our step-by-step solution are below.

Q33 · 6 marks · Case-basedCompetency-basedEmployment: Growth, Informalisation and Other Issues

Read the following text carefully:
Employment generation has remained one of the top challenges of Indian policymakers, and over the years, this has only become more complex. India has experienced more or less consistent growth in the structure of the output of the economy, especially after the economic reforms which is measured by gross value added. However, the trend in employment did not reveal a consistent and clear pattern.
These complexities have led to a wide variation in the conclusions drawn by experts and various studies on workforce and employment.
Two major sources of data on the workforce and employment have been the
(i) decennial population census and
(ii) nationwide quinquennial surveys on employment and unemployment by the erstwhile NSSO under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), Government of India.
The nationwide Employment and Unemployment (E&U) surveys have been replaced by the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) conducted by the National Statistical Office (NSO) of MoSPI, which started in the year 2017–18.
According to NSO, the PLFS data measure the dynamics in labour force participation, workers to population ratio and the employment status along with related, important parameters for both rural and urban areas.
Labour force includes persons who were either working (or employed) or those available for work (or unemployed). Some persons in the labour force are abstained from work for various reasons. Deducting that number from the labour force gives the number of actual workers. These workers are further categorised as persons who are engaged in any economic activity as self-employed or regular wage/salaried and casual labour. The difference between the labour force and the workforce gives the number of unemployed persons.
The size of the labour force in the country has increased from 485.3 million in the year 2017–18 to 497.4 million in the year 2018–19. The next year, the labour force increased by 8 per cent and reached 537.9 million. This increase was witnessed across male and female populations as well as rural and urban households.
Source: https://www.niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/2022-04/Discussion_Paper_on_Workforce_05042022.pdf (adapted and modified)
On the basis of the given text and common understanding, answer the following questions:

  1. (I)

    State any two major sources of data on the workforce and employment.

    2 marks
  2. (II)

    ‘The labour force encompasses a broader category than the workforce.’
    Defend or refute the statement, giving valid reasons in support of your answer.

    3 marks
  3. (III)

    ‘Workers can be categorized into different types depending on their status.’
    In the light of the given statement, state any one type of employment.

    1 mark

Source: official sample paper from cbseacademic.nic.in (PDF). See it in the full Sample paper 2024-25.

Hints

Open one hint at a time and try again before the next.

Hint 1

The passage lists the two sources.

Hint 2

Who is in the labour force but not the workforce?

Step-by-step solution

Each step shows the marks it earns, as an examiner would award them. Checked by an independent re-solve from the question paper.

  1. (I) Source 1: the decennial population census.

    1 mark

  2. (I) Source 2: the nationwide quinquennial employment-unemployment surveys of the NSSO (now replaced by the PLFS of the NSO).

    1 mark

  3. (II) Defended. The labour force includes everyone who is working or is available for work (employed + unemployed).

    1 mark

  4. (II) The workforce includes only those actually working, that is, engaged in economic activity.

    1 mark

  5. (II) Labour force − workforce = unemployed, so the labour force is the broader category.

    1 mark

  6. (III) One type: self-employed workers, who own and operate an enterprise to earn their livelihood (also regular wage/salaried employees and casual workers).

    1 mark

Answer: (I) Census and NSSO surveys. (II) Defended: labour force = workforce + unemployed. (III) Self-employed (or regular salaried, casual).

Where the marks are

  • Two sources (1 + 1)
  • Labour force versus workforce (3)
  • One type (1)

Revise the chapter

Practise this chapterBoard-style questions from Employment: Growth, Informalisation and Other Issues, one at a time, marked against the answer key and marking points.Back to the full paperSample paper 2024-25: every question, by section.

The question is transcribed from the official paper; figures are described in words. The solution, hints and chapter tag are ours. Spotted an error? Write tosupport@questionbuddy.in.