Create a custom practice set
Pick category, difficulty, number of questions, and time limit. Start instantly with your own quiz.
Generate QuizGK Question
Article 39(f) directs the State to ensure that children are given opportunities and facilities to develop in a healthy manner and in conditions of freedom and dignity, and that childhood and youth are protected against exploitation and against moral and material abandonment. Which scheme BEST operationalizes this directive?
- National Pension System (NPS)
- Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)
- Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY)
- Atal Pension Yojana (APY)
Answer: Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)
Article 39(f) child development and protection: (a) Text: State shall direct policy towards securing that children are given opportunities, facilities to develop in healthy manner, conditions of freedom, dignity, and childhood, youth protected against exploitation, moral, material abandonment, (b) ICDS operationalization: (i) Holistic development: ICDS provides nutrition, health check-ups, immunization, pre-school education for children 0-6, addressing physical, cognitive, social development, (ii) Vulnerable groups: Focus on pregnant women, lactating mothers, adolescent girls addresses intergenerational cycle of malnutrition, disadvantage, (iii) Community-based: Anganwadi centers deliver services at grassroots; enable local participation, accountability, (c) Contrast with other options: (i) NPS, APY: Old age pension schemes; not focused on child development, protection, (ii) PMAY: Housing scheme; addresses shelter need but not comprehensive child development, (d) Applications: (i) Early childhood education: Anganwadi pre-school activities prepare children for formal schooling, reduce dropout rates, (ii) Health outcomes: ICDS contributes to reducing infant, maternal mortality, malnutrition through integrated services, (iii) Women's empowerment: ICDS services enable women's participation in workforce, decision-making by reducing care burden, (e) Challenges: (i) Quality: Ensuring trained Anganwadi workers, appropriate curriculum, safe infrastructure requires investment, capacity building, (ii) Coverage: Reaching remote, marginalized communities with ICDS services requires targeted outreach, flexible delivery, (iii) Convergence: Coordination with health, education, protection departments essential for holistic child development, (f) Illustrates child-centric policy: Article 39(f) operationalized through ICDS; balance between nutrition, health, education, protection essential for realizing constitutional vision of healthy, dignified development for all children.