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Siksha Srijan Academy of Technology and Management

Siksha Srijan Academy of Technology and Management

Contact : 7449393135 / 6291355543
BHM 4th Semester
Society and Culture

SOCIO ECONOMIC PROBLEMS IN INDIA

Swami Vivekananda rightly said “If you are not facing any problem, I am sure that you are heading in a wrong
way.”
Yes, problems and issues are usual. A person or a country will definitely face issues or problems in the path of
progress. If we study the history of development of different countries, the reality comes to light. The success lies in
tackling the issues. How we solve the issues matter the most. For a fruitful solution, the issues must be solved at the
source. If we want to stop a smoke, we must have to stop the fire which is causing it. We can‟t stop smoke by simply
covering it.

India is not only a country where the majority of its population is young, but it is also still a developing nation. Due
to many reasons, our nation is riddled with different socio-economic problems. Some of these problems are new,
while a few are continuing since the British era.

Undoubtedly, terrorism and corruption are the most dangerous and prevalent issues in the recent time. The other
socio-economic problems in India are poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, and communalism and so on. If one could
connect and see it, there is an inter-connection between all the problems; as it is a web of issues.

These problems can be broadly classified as:

VOILENCE
POPULATION ECONOMIC EDUCATION • NAXALISM
• UNEMPLOYMENT • CORRUPTION • ILLITERACY • COMMUNALISM
• POLLUTION • POVERTY • BRAIN DRAIN • TERRORISM
• BEGGERY • SANITATION • CHILD LABOUR • CRIME AGAINST
WOMEN

1. POVERTY

The major socio-economic problem being faced by India is „Poverty‟. It is the root cause of many socio-economic
problems including population explosion, unemployment, and child labor and rising graph of crimes. Even after six
decades of independence, the country is still fighting against this social evil of poverty. It is estimated that nearly one
third of Indian population of 1.27 Billion, i.e., nearly 426 millions of people are living below poverty line. The latest
UNICEF data shows that one in three malnourished children worldwide is found in India, whilst 42% of the nation's
children under five years of age are underweight. It also shows that a total of 58% of children under five surveyed
were stunted.
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Siksha Srijan Academy of Technology and Management

2. UNEMPLOYMENT
Unemployment is another major problem of the Indian economy. We know India is a developing economy and
therefore the nature of unemployment here differs from the one that prevails in a developed economy.
In India there disguised unemployment in the rural sector and unemployment among the educated classes in the
urban areas. The main cause of unemployment among the educated lot is the slow rate growth of the economy in
relation to increase in the number of educated persons.

Unemployment rate in India is showing an increasing trend since 2011 when it was 3.5%. The same rose to 3.6% in
2012 and climbed to 3.7% last year. This year, jobless rate is expected to rise to 3.8%, according to the report 'Global
Employment Trends 2014'. However, total employment in India expanded from 2009/10 to 2011/12 by a much
healthier 13.9 million, though many of these jobs are in the informal economy.

3. OVERPOPULATION
Our country having only 2.4 per cent of globe‟s area holds 16 per cent of globe‟s human beings. Its current annual
increase at 16 million is the highest in the world. Soon we may achieve the dubious distinction of becoming the most
populous country in the world.

The current population of the India is estimated to be about 1.27 billion people, which is an increase of about 2.3%
from the last record of the population. Based on the total land area and the total population of the country, Based on
the total land area of the country and the estimated population for 2014, the population density in 2014 is about
383.7 people per square kilometer or 993.8 people per square mile(World Population Statistics.Com), thereby it is
adding to the woes of poverty and unemployment.

We need to address the problem of overpopulation in the broader sense and in a socially controlled way. This can be
done by creating awareness among people and providing them the required means.

4. ILLITERACY
The other major problem faced by India is illiteracy. That literacy is the basic requirement of economic development
has been recognized throughout the world and hence literacy has reached around 99% in countries of Japan, South
Korea, USA, UK, Germany, France etc.

But in India the literacy is still hovering round 74% on an average reaching above 90% in Tripura & Kerala and
below 75% in Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, etc. All efforts and success in literacy have become obliterated
by huge rise in population.

5. CORRUPTION
The next important social problem being faced by India is „Corruption‟ Corruption is widespread in India. It ranks
94th (Transparency International) among 177 countries in the world. In India corruption takes the form of bribes,
evasion of taxes, misappropriation of funds, embezzlement etc.

A study found that more than 50% had firsthand experience of paying bribe or peddling influence to get a job done
in a public office.
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Siksha Srijan Academy of Technology and Management

According to a World Bank estimate, 0.5% of India‟s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is lost due to corruption every
year. Furthermore, it makes the business environment less conducive for investors and organization

6. VIOLENCE
The other major problem in form of violence is terrorism, communalism and naxalism, the offshoot of social
inequality. Many youths in India, due to poverty and illiteracy, have taken the path of either Terrorism or Naxalism.
Naxalism though, having its root in Marxism, its main cause lies in unequal distribution of wealth. Inclusive
development seems to be a solution to this menace.

The Communal issue has deep roots in the Indian past. The colonial rule was based on communal divisions. The
British found the divide and rule policy as the most comfortable way to establish their hold in Indian
subcontinent. Even after independence, communal violence continues with the recent case been the
Muzzafarnagar Riots in UP.
While elimination of communal feelings requires multi-pronged strategy involving educational, social and
political measures, prevention of communal conflagration requires alertness and immediate response from the law
and order administration. Timely information can ensure preparedness of the administration for unpleasant
situations.

7. SANITATION
Poor sanitation is something that not only affects the health of the people of the country, but also affects the
economic and social development of the nation. Illnesses caused by germs and worms in feces, wastes and pollutants
are constant source of discomfort for millions of people .India is still lagging far behind many countries in the field
of sanitation. Most cities and towns in India are characterized by over-crowding, congestion, inadequate water
supply and inadequate facilities of disposal of human excreta, wastewater and solid wastes. Fifty five percent of
India‟s population (nearly 600 million people) has no access to toilets.

In India, it is the lack of political will that stands in the way of cleaner roads and cities. We should learn from nations
like Singapore and Japan how to keep our country spanking clean. Sanitation in personal and public life is the joint
responsibility of individual, community and state.

8. BEGGERY

Yet another problem which our country faces today is the problem of begging. Begging in India has developed into
an art and a full-fledged profession. The practice of begging is the result of the poverty of the country and the
deepseated religious sentiments and superstitions of our country men. Unemployment, illiteracy, ignorance and
everincreasing population are other causes of begging.

It cannot be denied that the distribution of wealth is not fair and the gap between the rich and the poor is very wide.
Religion seems to teach the rich and well-to-do that charity is the surest passport to heaven. Beggars, in themselves
are problems and they create other social problems by kidnapping women and children. Many people with sound
health and in their prime also become beggars.

9. VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

The problem of violence and atrocities against women in India in various forms is one important problem relating to
women which cannot be ignored.
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Siksha Srijan Academy of Technology and Management

Such forms include feticide, infanticide, medicine neglect, deprivation of educational opportunities, child
marriages, sexual abuse of the girl child, forced marriages, rapes, prostitution, sexual harassment, pregnancies at
small intervals, wife-battering, bride-burning, cursing the widows, witch-hunting, neglect of the old women, etc. one
can see these forms of violence in his or her own surroundings. The December 16 case or the Nirbhaya incidence is
still fresh in our minds.

10. CHILD LABOR

Children engaged in economic activity, on part or full-time basis is a common phenomenon that we see everywhere.
This practice deprives children of their childhood, and is harmful to their physical and mental development. Poverty,
lack of good schools and growth of informal economy are considered as the important causes of child labor in India.
Most of these children do not have a childhood and they have no education at all.

Innocent children are employed by industries and individuals who put them to work under dangerous circumstances.
They are made to work for long hours in dangerous factory units and sometimes made to carry load even heavier
than their own body weight. Then there are individual households that hire children as domestic help and beat and
physically torture them when they make a mistake. The children are at times made to starve and are given worn out
clothes to wear. Such is the story of millions of children in India that is painful and yet true.

Poor parents give birth to children thinking them as money-making machines. They carry infants to earn more on the
streets from begging. Then as they grow they make them beggars, and eventually sell them to employers. This
malady is rampant across the length and breadth of India. .

CONCLUSION

The above problems being faced by modern India cannot be solved just by Government Policies/Schemes or a Non
Government Organization or a Social Activist working for a specific cause, but these can be definitely addressed by
people‟s wholehearted participation and willingness to commit ourselves to social values, equality, education and
honesty.

Aptly said by Robin Sharma “A PROBLEM BECOMES A PROBLEM ONLY WHEN WE SEE IT AS A
PROBLEM”

Together we can..!!