UPSC Prelims 2010 Q98: Indian Economy – Economic Planning & Five - Year Plans
In the context of India’s Five Year Plans, a shift in the pattern of industrialization, with lower
emphasis on heavy industries and more on infrastructure begins in
- (a) Fourth Plan
- (b) Sixth Plan
- (c) Eighth Plan
- (d) Tenth Plan
Answer: (b) Sixth Plan
Explanation
When India's industrialization pattern shifted toward infrastructure
India's Five-Year Plans evolved in their industrial emphasis over time, with a notable shift at a specific plan.
| Option | Verdict | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| (a) Fourth Plan | Incorrect | The Fourth Plan era still largely continued the heavy-industry-focused approach of earlier plans |
| (b) Sixth Plan | Correct | The Sixth Plan (1980-85) marked the beginning of a shift away from heavy industry toward greater emphasis on infrastructure development |
| (c) Eighth Plan | Incorrect | By the Eighth Plan, economic liberalization (post-1991) was already well underway, representing a later, more advanced phase than this initial shift |
| (d) Tenth Plan | Incorrect | This is a much later plan period, well past the initial infrastructure-emphasis shift |
India's industrial planning shift:
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Shift begins | Sixth Plan (1980-85) |
| Earlier focus | Heavy industries (Second Plan onward, Mahalanobis model) |
| Later developments | Liberalization accelerated this shift from the Eighth Plan onward |
Answer: (b) Sixth Plan.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. The Fourth Plan still largely continued the earlier heavy-industry emphasis.
- (b) CORRECT. The Sixth Plan (1980-85) marked the beginning of this shift toward infrastructure, away from heavy industry.
- (c) Incorrect. The Eighth Plan reflects a later, more advanced liberalization-era phase, not this initial shift.
- (d) Incorrect. The Tenth Plan is much later than when this shift actually began.
Key point
India's shift away from heavy-industry emphasis toward infrastructure development in the Five-Year Plans began with the SIXTH PLAN (1980-85).
Remember
India's Five-Year Plans: shift toward infrastructure (less heavy-industry emphasis) begins with the Sixth Plan.
Common mistakes
- Confusing this initial 1980s shift with the later, more dramatic changes of the post-1991 liberalization era (around the Eighth Plan).
- Assuming the shift began much earlier (Fourth Plan) or much later (Tenth Plan) than its actual starting point.
- Not connecting the Sixth Plan period specifically to this industrial-emphasis change.
Exam tip
Shift from heavy industry to infrastructure emphasis: begins with the Sixth Plan (1980-85), well before the 1991 liberalization.
Sources
- Planning Commission — Sixth Five-Year Plan document (1980-85)
- Government of India — Industrial Policy Resolution, 1956