CBSE Class 10 SST: Development — Economics Chapter Notes 2026

What is Development

• Development = improvement in quality of life, not just income; multiple goals: education, health, dignity, security
• Different persons have different development goals; conflict possible (dam benefits farmers but displaces tribal people)
• Development must be sustainable: meet needs of present without harming future generation's ability to meet needs

National Development Goals

• Per capita income: total income of country ÷ total population; used for international comparison
• HDI (Human Development Index): 3 components — per capita income, health (life expectancy), education (mean years of schooling + expected years)
• India HDI rank (2024): ~134 out of 193; high income ≠ high development (Kerala vs Bihar example)

Average Income vs. Distribution

• Average (mean) income hides inequality; a country with very high inequality has same average as more equal country
• Gini coefficient: 0 = perfect equality, 1 = maximum inequality; India's Gini ≈ 0.35
• CBSE example: two countries same average income but different distribution — which is 'better developed'?

Other Development Indicators

• Infant mortality rate (IMR): deaths per 1,000 live births before age 1; Kerala IMR = 6, UP = 33 (2022)
• Literacy rate: % of people over 15 who can read and write; India national = 77%; Kerala 96%
• Net attendance ratio: % of children 14–15 in school; crucial for comparing education access

Sectors of Economy

• Primary: agriculture, mining, fishing; Secondary: manufacturing, construction; Tertiary (service): banking, trade, IT, education
• India's GDP share (2023): Primary ~15%, Secondary ~25%, Tertiary ~60%
• But employment share: Primary employs 45%+ of workforce; service sector employs only 30% — productivity gap

Sustainability of Development

• Sustainable development: use renewable resources; minimize non-renewable use; preserve environment
• Groundwater depletion: India over-extracts; many states face water crisis in 20 years if trend continues
• Environmental Kuznets Curve: pollution rises with development initially then falls as countries become rich enough to regulate

CBSE Exam Tips

• Development chapter: 3-mark short answers on HDI, IMR, sustainability are most common
• Distinguish: per capita income vs. HDI; explain why HDI is better measure of development
• Define sustainable development; give one example from India