Comprehension : Comprehension

Q 182 / 466

UPSC CSE Prelims 2020

India is at once among the fastest growing global economies and home to the largest number of malnourished children in the world. There are regions where malnutrition is not the exception but the norm. And across the country, malnutrition is the cause of death for roughly half the 1.3 million children who die before their fifth birthday each year. Even those children who survive suffer permanently from the damage that has already been done to their bodies and minds from not getting enough of the right foods and nutrients. Around 44 million children under 5 are stunted. That makes it harder for them to learn in school and subsequently earn a living as adults. Their lifetime earnings potential is almost a quarter less than that of their healthy peers.

With reference to the above passage, which of the following is, are the most rational and practical implication/implications?

  1. India's Public Distribution System should be monitored by the Union Government.
  2. Girls should be encouraged to delay marriage and first pregnancy.
  3. Mothers should be encouraged to breast feed their children immediately after- birth.
  4. The supply of safe drinking water and proper sanitation facilities to all should be ensured.
  5. Authorities should ensure the vaccination as prescribed.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

EXPLANATION

Correct Option (B)

The passage highlights the severe impact of malnutrition on child mortality, stunting, and long-term developmental and economic outcomes. The most rational and practical implications derived from this context would be interventions directly addressing child health, maternal well-being, and disease prevention, which are critical determinants of nutritional status.

  • Option 2: Girls should be encouraged to delay marriage and first pregnancy. This measure improves maternal health, reduces the risks associated with early pregnancies, and allows for better care and nutritional outcomes for both mother and child, directly impacting the cycle of malnutrition.
  • Option 3: Mothers should be encouraged to breastfeed their children immediately after birth. Early and exclusive breastfeeding provides essential nutrients and antibodies, crucial for infant immunity and healthy development, significantly reducing the incidence and severity of malnutrition.
  • Option 4: The supply of safe drinking water and proper sanitation facilities to all should be ensured. Access to safe water and sanitation prevents waterborne diseases and infections, which are major contributors to nutrient loss and exacerbated malnutrition in children.
  • Option 5: Authorities should ensure vaccination as prescribed. Vaccination protects children from preventable diseases that can weaken their immune systems, lead to nutrient depletion, and worsen their nutritional status, thereby reducing child mortality and morbidity linked to malnutrition.

Incorrect Options:

  • Option 1: India's Public Distribution System should be monitored by the Union Government. While the Public Distribution System (PDS) is vital for food security, the passage does not specifically discuss its role in addressing child malnutrition or suggest that Union Government oversight is the primary or most rational implication derived from the provided text. The passage's focus is on direct health and nutritional interventions for children and mothers.