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Question

Directions: In this section, the following sentence has a blank space and is followed by four words. Select the word you consider most appropriate to fill in the blank space and indicate your response on the Answer Sheet accordingly.

India has been able to successfully ____________ its population through family planning programmes.

This question was previously asked in
NDA I 2023 GAT Previous Year Paper (16-Apr-2023)
The correct answer is

stabilise

Understanding the Question: Filling the Blank

The question asks us to choose the most appropriate word to fill the blank space in the sentence: "India has been able to successfully ____________ its population through family planning programmes." We need a word that describes the effect of family planning programmes on India's population.

Analyzing the Options

Let's look at the meanings of the given options and how they fit into the sentence's context:

  • sterilise: This means to make something unable to reproduce. While family planning involves methods like sterilisation, the sentence refers to the overall impact on the entire population, not making everyone infertile. This word is too specific and extreme for the general success of population management.
  • stabilise: This means to make or become stable or steady; to prevent something from changing or fluctuating significantly. Family planning programmes aim to control population growth, bringing the birth rate closer to the death rate to achieve a more stable or manageable population size and growth rate. This fits the overall goal of population control efforts.
  • stratify: This means to arrange or classify something into layers or strata. This word is used to describe social classes or geological layers and has no relevance to managing population numbers or growth.
  • establish: This means to set up or create something. This word doesn't make sense in the context of managing an existing population. You establish programmes, but you don't establish a population that already exists through family planning.

Evaluating the Best Fit

Considering the options, "stabilise" is the most suitable word. Family planning programmes are implemented to manage population growth. The aim is not necessarily to reduce the population drastically (though some methods might contribute), but to control its rate of increase, ideally leading towards a more stable population size over time. The word "successfully stabilise" indicates that these programmes have helped in bringing about a more controlled and steady state in population growth.

The Role of Family Planning Programmes

Family planning programmes in India include initiatives promoting contraception, education, and access to healthcare services to help individuals and couples make informed decisions about family size and timing of births. These efforts are crucial in managing the country's large population and its growth rate. The success of these programmes is measured by indicators like reduced fertility rates and slower population growth, which contribute to stabilising the population.

Conclusion

Based on the analysis of the meanings of the options and the context of the sentence, the word that best completes the sentence is "stabilise".

The completed sentence reads: "India has been able to successfully stabilise its population through family planning programmes."

Option Analysis for Population Management
Word Meaning in Context Fit in Sentence
sterilise Make infertile Too specific/extreme for overall population goal.
stabilise Make steady or controlled Fits the goal of controlling population growth rate.
stratify Arrange in layers/classes Irrelevant to population numbers.
establish Set up/create Doesn't fit applying to an existing population.

Revision Table: Key Terms

Population Control and Family Planning Terms
Term Explanation
Population Stabilisation The state where population size remains relatively constant, often achieved when birth rate equals death rate.
Family Planning Programmes Initiatives providing education and services to help individuals and couples plan their family size and timing of births.
Fertility Rate The average number of children born per woman over her lifetime. Reducing this is key to population stabilisation.

Additional Information: Population Dynamics

Understanding population dynamics is important when discussing population control and family planning. A population is considered stable when its growth rate is zero, meaning the number of births plus immigration equals the number of deaths plus emigration. Family planning programmes aim to reduce the birth rate, which is a major factor in achieving this balance, especially in countries with high population growth.

India's family planning efforts have contributed significantly to reducing its Total Fertility Rate (TFR) over the years. While the population is still growing due to demographic momentum (a large number of young people entering reproductive age), the rate of growth has slowed down considerably, moving towards eventual stabilisation.

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The correct answer is

stabilise

✅ Correct Answer: stabilise

🧠 Understanding the Sentence:

"India has been able to successfully ____________ its population through family planning programmes."

We need a word that appropriately describes what family planning programmes aim to do regarding the population.

🔍 Meaning of Each Option:

WordMeaningFits the Context?
steriliseTo make infertile (medically)❌ Too specific and inappropriate in general demographic terms
stabiliseTo make steady, prevent rapid growth or decline✅ Yes – correct and appropriate
stratifyTo form or arrange in layers or social strata❌ Unrelated to population control
establishTo set up or create something❌ Doesn't fit contextually here

✅ Final Sentence:

"India has been able to successfully stabilise its population through family planning programmes."

This correctly implies that family planning has helped control the growth rate of India’s population.

Was this answer helpful?
The correct answer is

stabilise

The most appropriate word to fill in the blank is:

✅ stabilise

Explanation:

  • Stabilise means to maintain a steady or balanced state.
  • Context: India's family planning programs aim to control population growth and achieve equilibrium.
  • Example: "India has been able to successfully stabilise its population through family planning programmes."

Why Not Other Options?

  • Sterilise: Incorrect (refers to medical sterilization, not population control at a macro level).
  • Stratify: Incorrect (means to arrange in layers, irrelevant here).
  • Establish: Incorrect (implies creating something new, not controlling growth).

Key Point:

"Stabilise" aligns with the goal of population control (balancing birth rates and resources).

Answer: stabilise ✅

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