Do you think that during 1950-2010 employment generated in the country is commensurate with the growth of GDP in India? How?
No, the employment generated during 1950-2010 was not commensurate with the growth of GDP in India. During this period, GDP grew positively and was consistently higher than the employment growth. While the economy expanded, employment grew at a rate of not more than 2 per cent.
There was always fluctuation in the growth of GDP, but the more concerning aspect was the trend from the late 1990s. During these years, employment growth started declining and reached the level that India had in the early stages of planning.
This period witnessed a widening gap between the growth of GDP and employment. Scholars refer to this phenomenon as jobless growth — where the economy has been able to produce more goods and services without generating adequate employment opportunities.
In the last few decades, there has been rapid growth in gross domestic product, but without a simultaneous increase in employment opportunities. This situation forced the government to take up initiatives in generating employment opportunities, particularly in rural areas.
Thus, the growth pattern clearly shows that employment generation lagged significantly behind GDP growth during 1950-2010.
Explanation
The textbook context clearly establishes that during 1950-2010, India experienced 'jobless growth' - GDP grew positively and exceeded employment growth, while employment grew at only about 2%. The late 1990s saw employment growth declining to early planning levels, with a widening gap between GDP and employment growth. This indicates employment was not commensurate with GDP growth.