Poverty and Economic Justice — Prelims Strategy

Prelims Strategy

Ask three questions about any poverty statistic: what is measured, which population and period are covered, and what threshold or weighting method is used? A monetary line and a multidimensional cutoff are not interchangeable. An administrative eligibility list may serve a programme purpose without being a complete poverty estimate.

Date the factual anchors. NITI's 2023 report compares NFHS-4, 2015–16, with NFHS-5, 2019–21. The 2024 paper's estimates for 2013–14 and 2022–23 should not be described as direct NFHS surveys of those years. The World Bank's June 2025 USD 3.00 line uses 2021 PPP, so converting it with an ordinary exchange rate answers a different question.

For constitutional statements, distinguish Directive Principles from Fundamental Rights while recognising their role in governance. A measure's improvement supports a bounded conclusion about that measure. It does not independently prove equal access to services, absence of discrimination or elimination of vulnerability to future shocks. Look for those unjustified extensions in options.