Which of the following are considered to be the four pillars of human development?
Equity, inclusion, productivity and empowerment
Equity, productivity and sustainability
Productivity, gender, inclusion and equity
Labour, productivity, inclusion and equity
Answer is Right!
Answer is Wrong!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-1 – 2020
While the four universally recognized pillars of human development as defined by UNDP are typically Equity, Sustainability, Productivity, and Empowerment, options provided in examinations can sometimes use slightly different terminology or emphasis. Option A lists Equity, Productivity, and Empowerment, which are three of the core pillars. It replaces Sustainability with Inclusion. In many contemporary discussions of human development and social policy, inclusion is considered a critical aspect, closely linked to achieving equity and enabling empowerment for all segments of society. Given the options, option A presents a set of four concepts that are all considered fundamental to human development, even if ‘Inclusion’ is sometimes discussed as a dimension rather than a stand-alone pillar in foundational texts compared to Sustainability. The other options either miss more fundamental pillars (like Empowerment in B) or include terms not typically classified as core “pillars” (like ‘gender’ or ‘labour’ in C and D).