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Industries are classified into ___________ categories in the Industrial Policy Resolution. 

This question was previously asked in
SSC CGL 2023 (Tier-II) Paper 1 Previous Year Paper (26-Oct-2023) (Shift-1)
The correct answer is

three

Understanding the Industrial Policy Resolution Categories

The question asks about the classification of industries within the framework of the Industrial Policy Resolution. The Industrial Policy Resolution is a significant document that shaped India's industrial development strategy, particularly in the post-independence era.

One of the most notable Industrial Policy Resolutions was enacted in 1956. This resolution provided a clear roadmap for the respective roles of the state and private sectors in industrial growth. A key aspect of this policy was the classification of industries into distinct categories based on ownership and responsibility for development.

Classification of Industries in the Industrial Policy Resolution

According to the Industrial Policy Resolution of 1956, industries were classified into three main categories or schedules. These categories defined the extent of state involvement in different industrial sectors.

Category (Schedule) Description Examples (as per IPR 1956)
Schedule A Industries where the state was given exclusive responsibility for development. No new units were to be established in the private sector in these industries, though existing private sector units were allowed to continue. Arms and ammunition, atomic energy, heavy castings and forgings of iron and steel, heavy plant and machinery, heavy electrical plant, coal, mineral oils, iron and steel, mining of iron ore, manganese ore, chrome ore, gypsum, sulphur, gold and diamond, mining of any other important metallic mineral, air transport, railway transport, shipbuilding, telegraph and wireless apparatus (excluding radio receiving sets), generation and distribution of electricity.
Schedule B Industries which were to be progressively state-owned. While the state would increasingly establish new undertakings, private enterprise was expected to supplement the state's efforts in these sectors. Other minerals not included in Schedule A, aluminium and other non-ferrous metals not included in Schedule A, basic and intermediate products required by chemical industries, fertilisers, synthetic rubber, carbonisation of coal, chemical pulp, road transport, sea transport.
Schedule C This category included all the remaining industries not listed in Schedule A or Schedule B. These industries were ordinarily expected to be developed through the initiative and enterprise of the private sector. The state could still start industries in this category if necessary, but the primary responsibility lay with private players. All industries not listed in Schedule A or Schedule B.

Therefore, based on the Industrial Policy Resolution of 1956, industries were classified into three distinct categories: Schedule A, Schedule B, and Schedule C.

Summary of Industrial Categories

To summarise, the Industrial Policy Resolution (specifically the 1956 resolution, which is the most prominent one associated with this classification) divided industries into the following groups:

  • Industries exclusively for the state (Schedule A).
  • Industries progressively state-owned, with private sector participation (Schedule B).
  • Industries primarily for the private sector (Schedule C).

This clear division aimed to define the state's dominance in strategic and heavy industries while allowing the private sector to flourish in other areas, aligning with the goal of a mixed economy.

Thus, industries were classified into three categories in the Industrial Policy Resolution.

Revision Table: Industrial Policy Resolution Key Points

Aspect Detail
Key Policy Industrial Policy Resolution
Prominent Year 1956
Classification Basis Role of State vs. Private Sector
Number of Categories Three
Category Names Schedule A, Schedule B, Schedule C

Additional Information on Industrial Policy Resolution

The Industrial Policy Resolution of 1956 was a landmark policy that provided the basis for the Second Five-Year Plan (1956-1961), which focused heavily on the development of heavy industries. It reflected the prevailing economic thinking that emphasised the state's role in capital-intensive and strategic sectors necessary for building a strong industrial base.

Key features and impacts:

  • It established a mixed economy framework for India's industrial sector.
  • It reserved certain industries exclusively for the public sector (state).
  • It outlined areas for joint development by both state and private sectors.
  • It aimed to reduce regional disparities through balanced industrial development.
  • It promoted the development of cottage and small-scale industries.

Over time, subsequent Industrial Policy Resolutions were introduced to adapt to changing economic conditions, leading to liberalisation and a reduced role for the state in many sectors, notably with the New Industrial Policy of 1991.

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Important Questions from Industrial Sector

  1. With reference to casual workers employed in India, consider the following statements :

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    Which of the statements given above are correct?

  3. Recently, India's first 'National Investment and Manufacturing Zone' was proposed to be set up in

  4. Which one among the following industries is the maximum consumer of water in India?

  5. With reference to the usefulness of the byproducts of sugar industry, which of the following statements is/are correct? 

    1. Bagasse can be used as biomass fuel for the generation of energy. 

    2. Molasses can be used as one of the feedstocks for the production of synthetic chemical fertilizers. 

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