Question 1

Why was the ban on the importation of solar panels criticized?

Accepted Answer

The ban on the importation of solar panels was criticized because it would cut Indian companies off from technological innovations in solar power, limiting their ability to improve and innovate their own solar technology. Option A is incorrect because domestic companies decreasing their prices would actually make solar more accessible and affordable for consumers. Option B and D are both incorrect because there is no evidence to suggest that either a trade monopoly or destruction of the solar ecosystem would result from the ban.

Question 2

Indira Gandhi's socialist policies resulted in ________.

Accepted Answer

Indira Gandhi's socialist policies included nationalization of banks and major industries, increased state control over the economy, and tax reforms that heavily favored the poor. However, these policies also resulted in a highly centralized and inefficient bureaucracy, a decline in private sector investment, and economic stagnation. The eradication of poverty was not achieved, and there were reports of persecution of stall retailers who opposed the government's policies.

Question 3

Which of the following spurred the development of a vigorous pharmaceutical industry in India?

Accepted Answer

Indian patent law, which historically did not recognize product patents on pharmaceuticals until 2005, allowed Indian companies to legally produce generic versions of patented drugs, fostering the growth of a robust generic pharmaceutical industry.

Question 4

Which of the following categories did the World Bank Doing Business 2011 report rank India near the bottom for?

Accepted Answer

The World Bank Doing Business 2011 report ranked India near the bottom (181 out of 183 countries) for dealing with construction permits.

Question 5

The sex ratio imbalance in India is no longer a problem.

Accepted Answer

The sex ratio imbalance in India still exists and remains a problem. According to the 2011 Census of India, the national sex ratio is 943 females per 1,000 males, which indicates a preference for male children and a practice of female foeticide and infanticide. While there have been some improvements in certain regions and states, the overall issue is far from being resolved.

Question 6

Indian companies were the leaders in the ________ movement.

Accepted Answer

Indian companies were leaders in the outsourcing movement, which involved companies in the US and other Western countries hiring Indian companies to perform services such as customer support, data entry, and software development.

Question 7

The ________ generated demand for products similar to those in developed countries, providing opportunities for foreign companies to step in.

Accepted Answer

The middle class generated demand for products similar to those in developed countries, providing opportunities for foreign companies to step in. The other options do not necessarily generate demand for foreign companies to enter the market.

Question 8

Foreign retailers were banned from ________.

Accepted Answer

Foreign retailers were banned from using FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) for direct sales to individuals.

Question 9

The process of ________ has resulted in sustained high levels of growth in the economy and helped make India an important world player.

Accepted Answer

Liberalization, which refers to the opening up of the Indian economy to foreign investment and competition, has resulted in sustained high levels of growth in the economy and helped make India an important world player. Central planning, nationalization, and privatization have all played important roles in India's economic history, but it is the liberalization policies of the 1990s that have led to significant economic development in recent years.

Question 10

Portable ultrasound machines have made the illegal process of sex selection possible.

Accepted Answer

Portable ultrasound machines have made it easier for parents to illegally select the sex of their child by allowing them to easily determine the sex of the fetus during pregnancy. This has contributed to a skewed gender ratio in certain countries where there is a cultural preference for boys over girls.

Question 11

The food market in India is complex and requires careful study because of ________ across the country.

Accepted Answer

Religious traditions greatly influence the food market in India, with various regions having their own unique cuisine influenced by Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Christian traditions. This can make the market complex and diverse. While social inequality, political tension and economic disparity can also have an impact, they are not the primary factor in shaping the food market in India.

Question 12

________ produced a large and growing middle class in India.

Accepted Answer

Rapid economic growth in India has resulted in the creation of a large and growing middle class. As India's economy has expanded, many people have been lifted out of poverty and into the middle class, as they are able to access better jobs and higher levels of disposable income. This growth has been driven by a range of factors, including increased foreign investment, the growth of new industries, and the development of new technologies.

Question 13

In India, it is legal for a medical professional to reveal the sex of fetuses to their parents.

Accepted Answer

In India, it is illegal for a medical professional to reveal the sex of fetuses to their parents under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act of 1994, as sex-selective abortion is a major issue in the country.

Question 14

One advantage of the pharmaceutical companies was that doctors tended to prescribe drugs using brand names, and pharmacists were prohibited from substituting another generic equivalent drug. This led to ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of One advantage of the pharmaceutical companies was...

Question 15

Although the national government has greater powers, the ________ are important components of the government with some independent authority and responsibilities for implementing policies.

Accepted Answer

The term "states" refers to the individual parts of a federal government system that have their own separate powers and responsibilities, and are therefore an important part of the government structure.

Question 16

The economy of India is not intertwined with those of the developed countries, which has allowed it to avoid the financial crises and recessions stemming from the United States and Europe.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The economy of India is not intertwined...

Question 17

As a result of its ________, India's pharmaceuticals industry had some 5,000 pharmaceutical companies producing 20 percent of the world's generic drugs.

Accepted Answer

India's pharmaceuticals industry is able to thrive due to their patent law which allows them to produce generic versions of drugs that are no longer under patent protection, at a much lower cost than other countries.

Question 18

Multi-brand retailers were ________.

Accepted Answer

Multi-brand retailers were barred from owning and operating their own stores. This means that they could not establish their own retail outlets, but had to sell their merchandise through intermediaries or franchisees.

Question 19

Indian patent law allowed Indian pharmaceutical companies to produce drugs patented in Europe and the United States, provided they used a different ________.

Accepted Answer

Indian patent law allowed Indian pharmaceutical companies to produce drugs patented in Europe and the United States, provided they used a different production process. This process is known as "reverse engineering" and involves creating a new method to produce a drug that is already patented. By doing this, Indian pharmaceutical companies were able to produce generic versions of the drugs, which are much cheaper than the original patented versions.

Question 20

The explanation for the uneven sex ratio in India is the preference for girls that resulted in sex selection through the abortion of male fetuses.

Accepted Answer

The uneven sex ratio in India is primarily due to a societal preference for boys, which has resulted in sex selection through the abortion of female fetuses, not male.

Quiz 18: The Political Economy of India