How does investment in human capital contribute to growth?

Discuss the need for promoting women’s education in India.

Read the passage given below and answer the following questions from 1 to 5.
Traditional economic theory viewed capital in physical terms only. Economists during the late 1950s based on the aggregate production function found that the standard measures of simple labour and physical capital were incapable of explaining adequately the rapid post-war growth. Speculations on what was missing were diverse. Some argued that the principal explanation lays in the lack of appropriate adjustments for improvement in the quality of physical capital and the embodiment of technical progress in that capital. Others suggested that the most important omission pertains to the organisational advance or a vaguely specified human capital. The residual of unexplained growth was at first ascribed to technology by Solow, but later, the residual was defined to include improvements in the quality of capital can the investment in human beings. Human capital is formed with improvement in skills education. Improved health and education is merit as well as a public good and is associated with a large number of externalities which are often indirect, indivisible and non-quantifiable.

1. Which of the following gives the definition of public goods?

1. Excludable and non rivalrous in nature
2. Non-excludable and non-rivalrous in nature
3. Non-excludable and rivalrous in nature
4. Excludable and rivalrous in nature

2. Consider the situation of 2 countries – A and B. Country A has invested more towards the technological progress whereas Country B has invested more towards expanding its military network and arms. To Solow, which country would go faster?

1. Country A
2. Country B
3. Both grows and the same pace
4. Can’t comment

3. Standard economic theories failed to explain the post war rapid growth due to?

1. Measuring growth in terms of physical inputs only
2. Ignoring other important factors such as improved skills and education
3. Both (a) and (b)
4. None of the above

4. An externality is the good or bad impact which enters the utility or production function of another individual or firm with no choice of their own. The given statement is?

1. True
2. False
3. Partially True
4. Partially False

5. In the context of the above paragraph, the ‘residual’ factor include.

1. Improvement in the quality of human capital
2. Investment in human beings
3. Improvement in technology
4. All of the above

Argue in favour of the need for different forms of government intervention in education and health sectors.

Explain how investment in education stimulates economic growth.

Differentiate between physical capital and human capital.

Explain the main sources of human capital formation.

"As physical capital is essential for economic development so is human capital." Explain.

Throw light on the two recent reports published on the Indian economy.

Write a short note on Human Development Index (HDI).