India's demographic profile on the eve of independence reflected the socio-economic backwardness imposed by colonial rule. Which of the following options best describes the health care and nutrition status on the eve of independence?​

Correct option is A

The correct answer is (A) Low life expectancy with high birth and death rates

Explanation:

• On the eve of India's independence (1947), the country faced significant health care and nutrition challenges, which were largely a result of colonial exploitation and neglect.

• Life expectancy was low, averaging around 32 years due to widespread malnutrition, poor sanitation, epidemics, and limited access to quality healthcare.

• Both birth rates and death rates were high, as the country faced a high infant mortality rate, recurring epidemics like cholera, malaria, and smallpox, and poor living conditions in urban and rural areas.

Information Booster:

• Colonial policies contributed to the worsening of the health and nutrition conditions by focusing resources on exploitation rather than public health.

• Malnutrition was widespread, particularly among the poor and rural populations, leading to underdevelopment in the human capital of the country.

• Infant mortality was extremely high, and access to medical care was limited to the urban elite, while the rural population was largely neglected.

• Government spending on public health during British rule was minimal, with most health services concentrated in areas beneficial to colonial needs rather than the general population's welfare.

Additional Information:

• Option B (High life expectancy with high birth rates and low death rates): This is incorrect as life expectancy was low, not high, and both birth and death rates were high.

• Option C (High life expectancy with low birth and death rates): This does not reflect the situation of India at the time of independence.

• Option D (Moderate life expectancy with declining birth and death rates): While life expectancy was low, birth and death rates were high rather than declining at the time of independence.