HPAS/Allied Mains 2022 Answer Writing Challenge Day 211: Model Answer

Question: What is PQLI? Explain its indicators and Computation. (8 marks/120 words)

Answer:

The Physical Quality of Life Index (PQLI) was developed for Overseas Development Council in the mid-1970s by Morris David Morris. The Physical Quality of Life Index (PQLI) is a measure to calculate the quality of life. It was created due to dissatisfaction with the use of GNP as an indicator of development.

Indicators

1. Life Expectant Rate (L.E.I): Life expectancy means average number of year a person is expected to live. As per census of 2011, it is 66.8 years in India.
2. Infant Mortality Rate (I.M.I): It refers to the number of infants dying within one year of their birth out of every 1000 births. As per census report of 2011, it is 47 per 1000. Higher infant mortality is harmful for economic development.
3. Basic Literacy Rate (B.L.I): Any person above the age of 7 year who can read and write in any one language with an ability to understand it is considered as literate. As per census 2011, it is 74.04% in India.

Computation.

P.Q.L.I is constructed by averaging these three indicators giving equal weight to each of them.

The formula to obtain P.Q.L.I:

 P.Q.L.I = (L.E.I.+ I.M.I.+ B.L.I.)/ 3

Example: Suppose, the L.E.I. for India is rated as 75, the I.M.I is rated as 40 and B.L.I. is rated as 65, then the P.Q.L.I will be 60. [(75+40+65)/3]

For each of the above indicator, the performance of individual country is rated on a scale of 1 to 100 where 1 represents the worst performance and 100 represent the best performance.