Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question

Developmental goals are shaped by life situation, not just personal preferences.

Landless rural labourer: His primary goals are more days of work, better wages, quality education for children, and freedom from social discrimination. He also aspires to equal treatment — meaning the right to be heard in the village, not exploited, and not judged by caste or class.

Girl from a wealthy urban family: Her goals are freedom equal to her brother's and the ability to decide her own career and pursue education abroad. Her "equal treatment" means gender equality within her privileged household.

Why both desire 'freedom and equal treatment' yet mean different things: The labourer seeks freedom from poverty and social discrimination; the girl seeks freedom from gender-based restrictions. Same words, but rooted in entirely different life situations.

What this tells us: Developmental goals are not uniform — they are shaped by one's economic status, social position, and lived experience. What counts as development for one person may be irrelevant or even conflicting for another.

Source: Chapter 1 — Development, "What Development Promises — Different People, Different Goals" and "Income and Other Goals"

---

• Examiners look for: (1) correct goals for each person from the table, (2) a clear explanation of why "freedom and equal treatment" means different things to each, and (3) a general conclusion about the nature of developmental goals.
• The key NCERT insight is: life situations determine goals, not merely personal choice — option (b) from the "Let's Work These Out" exercise.
• Avoid padding. Five crisp points or two tight paragraphs is ideal for 5 marks.
• Always end with a general statement — examiners reward students who draw a broader conclusion.