GS Paper 2 10 marks · 150w 9 min Easy

In order to enhance the prospects of social development, sound and adequate health care policies are needed particularly in the fields of geriatric and maternal health care. Discuss.

Subtopic: Social Justice · health policy for vulnerable sections

Model answer outline

How to structure your answer

Introduction (health as the base of social development; ageing and MMR data) → geriatric care: existing schemes and gaps → maternal care: schemes and outcomes → persisting challenges (anaemia, inter-state gaps, workforce) → way forward (life-cycle approach) → Conclusion

Full model answer

Written within the word limit

169 words · target 150 words · 9 min

Introduction

Social development rests on human capability, and health policy is its foundation. India's demography makes geriatric and maternal care pivotal: the 60-plus population is projected to nearly double to 20.8 per cent by 2050 (India Ageing Report 2023), while maternal mortality, though down to 97 per lakh live births (SRS 2018–20), is still above the SDG target of 70.

Geriatric health care

The National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly, Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana and Ayushman Bharat's extension of free cover to all citizens above 70 (2024) improve access.
Gaps persist in long-term, palliative and dementia care, a geriatric-trained workforce, and old-age income security that determines health-seeking.

Maternal health care

JSY, JSSK, PMMVY, PMSMA, LaQshya and SUMAN raised institutional deliveries to about 89 per cent (NFHS-5) and improved quality of care.
Yet 57 per cent of women aged 15–49 are anaemic (NFHS-5), and inter-state MMR gaps are stark — Kerala at 19 against Assam at 195.

Conclusion

A life-cycle approach — strengthened primary care under Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, midwifery cadres, nutrition convergence with Poshan Abhiyaan, and community-based elder care — will convert health spending into genuine social development.

Key points

What an examiner expects to see

Frame health care as the foundation of social development (capability approach), then anchor both demands in data: elderly share to reach 20.8% by 2050 (India Ageing Report 2023).
MMR fell to 97 per lakh live births (SRS 2018–20) but remains above the SDG 3.1 target of 70, with wide inter-state gaps (Kerala 19 vs Assam 195).
Geriatric architecture: NPHCE, Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana, Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act 2007, and Ayushman Bharat cover for all above 70 (2024).
Maternal continuum of care: JSY, JSSK, PMMVY, PMSMA, LaQshya, SUMAN lifted institutional deliveries to ~89% (NFHS-5).
Persisting gaps: 57% of women anaemic (NFHS-5), scarce palliative/dementia care, few trained geriatricians, weak old-age income security.
Way forward: primary-care integration, midwifery cadre, nutrition convergence, community-based elder care — a life-cycle approach to health policy.

Examples to use

Concrete cases, schemes and judgments

India Ageing Report 2023 (UNFPA) — 60+ population to reach 20.8% by 2050
SRS 2018–20 — MMR 97; Kerala 19 vs Assam 195
Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY extension to all citizens above 70 (2024)
NFHS-5 — 89% institutional deliveries; 57% of women aged 15–49 anaemic
LaQshya and SUMAN — labour-room quality and assured maternity care initiatives

Keywords / terms

Terminology to weave into the answer

geriatric carematernal mortality ratioNPHCEPMMVYinstitutional deliverylife-cycle approach