Explanation
- A
1 and 2
(a) 1 and 2. Knowledge and skills (2) are human capital; accumulating more physical capital (1) is not. Pairing them is not the key.
- B
2 only
(b) 2 only. Statement 2 is necessary but incomplete: human capital is also intangible wealth (4). Isolating 2 misses 4, so this is not the key.
- C
2 and 4
(c) 2 and 4. (c) Official key: Human capital formation raises knowledge, skills and capacities and thereby accumulates intangible wealth. Tangible capital and ‘more capital’ in the physical sense are not the concept. 2 and 4 is the stored key.
- D
1, 3 and 4
(d) 1, 3 and 4. Statements 1 and 3 describe physical/tangible capital, which is not human capital. This is not the key.
Summary. Official key is (c) 2 and 4. Human capital is embodied skill and knowledge—intangible productive wealth. Plant, machinery and financial capital are different stocks. Honour the stored letter (c).
Same topic · past papers
UPSC has asked this before
These previous-year questions sit on the same topic. Open one to practise the earlier ask.