What are the major problems faced by the fishing community in India? Statements: 1. Rampant underemployment. 2. High per capita earnings but low savings. 3. There is high mobility of labour from fishing to the IT sector. 4. High rate of illiteracy. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Correct Option The correct option is 1 and 4 only. Explanation The fishing community in India largely falls under the unorganized sector. This sector is characterized by seasonal employment, reliance on traditional skills, low capital formation, and socio-economic vulnerability. The problems faced by this community are structural, stemming from the nature of the occupation and lack of formal education. Statement-wise Analysis - Statement 1 is Correct: The fishing sector suffers from rampant underemployment and disguised unemployment. Fishing is a seasonal activity affected by weather conditions, monsoon bans, and fluctuating catch availability. During lean seasons, fishermen often lack alternative employment, leading to significant underutilization of the workforce. - Statement 2 is Incorrect: The fishing community generally faces low per capita earnings rather than high earnings. Due to the uncertainty of the catch, exploitation by middlemen, and high operational costs (fuel, nets), net income is low. Consequently, savings are minimal, and the community is frequently plagued by high levels of indebtedness. - Statement 3 is Incorrect: There is extremely low occupational mobility for fishermen. The skills required for traditional fishing are not easily transferable to the modern service sectors like Information Technology (IT), which require high levels of formal education and technical training. Mobility, if it occurs, is usually towards other low-skilled unorganized sectors (e.g., construction labor). - Statement 4 is Correct: High rates of illiteracy are a major challenge. Coastal fishing villages are often geographically isolated, and children frequently drop out of school early to assist in family-based fishing activities. This lack of formal education further restricts occupational mobility and perpetuates the cycle of poverty. Key Takeaway The Indian fishing community is characterized by seasonal underemployment, low occupational mobility due to specialized but non-transferable skills, low income leading to indebtedness, and educational backwardness.

NCERT Class 11 Economics — Chapter 6: Rural Development

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What are the major problems faced by the fishing community in India?

Statements:

Rampant underemployment.
High per capita earnings but low savings.
There is high mobility of labour from fishing to the IT sector.
High rate of illiteracy.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Official previous-year question

Verified 1 Aug 2026.

Options

A2, 3 and 4 only
B1 and 4 only
C1, 2 and 3 only
D1, 2, 3 and 4

Did you get this right?

Solution

Correct Option

The correct option is 1 and 4 only.

Explanation

The fishing community in India largely falls under the unorganized sector. This sector is characterized by seasonal employment, reliance on traditional skills, low capital formation, and socio-economic vulnerability. The problems faced by this community are structural, stemming from the nature of the occupation and lack of formal education.

Statement-wise Analysis

Statement 1 is Correct: The fishing sector suffers from rampant underemployment and disguised unemployment. Fishing is a seasonal activity affected by weather conditions, monsoon bans, and fluctuating catch availability. During lean seasons, fishermen often lack alternative employment, leading to significant underutilization of the workforce.
Statement 2 is Incorrect: The fishing community generally faces low per capita earnings rather than high earnings. Due to the uncertainty of the catch, exploitation by middlemen, and high operational costs (fuel, nets), net income is low. Consequently, savings are minimal, and the community is frequently plagued by high levels of indebtedness.
Statement 3 is Incorrect: There is extremely low occupational mobility for fishermen. The skills required for traditional fishing are not easily transferable to the modern service sectors like Information Technology (IT), which require high levels of formal education and technical training. Mobility, if it occurs, is usually towards other low-skilled unorganized sectors (e.g., construction labor).
Statement 4 is Correct: High rates of illiteracy are a major challenge. Coastal fishing villages are often geographically isolated, and children frequently drop out of school early to assist in family-based fishing activities. This lack of formal education further restricts occupational mobility and perpetuates the cycle of poverty.

Key Takeaway

The Indian fishing community is characterized by seasonal underemployment, low occupational mobility due to specialized but non-transferable skills, low income leading to indebtedness, and educational backwardness.

Your note

More from Chapter 6: Rural Development

With reference to organic farming, consider the following statements: 1. Organic agriculture generates income through exports. 2. It relies heavily on synthetic pesticides for pest control. 3. It degrades soil health more rapidly than conventional farming. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

easy

Rural development focuses on which of the following areas? 1. Literacy, specifically female literacy. 2. Land reforms. 3. Infrastructure development like electricity and irrigation. 4. Special measures for poverty alleviation. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

easy

What benefits does livestock production provide to the farming family? Statements: 1. Increased stability in income. 2. Food security. 3. Transport and fuel. 4. Disruption of other food-producing activities. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

easy

Which of the following statements accurately reflects the trend in the agriculture sector's contribution to GDP and population dependence?

medium

Which of the following are cited as benefits of organic farming? Statements: 1. It substitutes costlier agricultural inputs with locally produced cheaper organic inputs. 2. It generates income through exports. 3. It provides healthy food with more nutritional value. 4. It generally requires more labour input than conventional farming.

medium

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Correct Option

The correct option is 1 and 4 only.

Explanation

Statement-wise Analysis

Statement 1 is Correct: The fishing sector suffers from rampant underemployment and disguised unemployment. Fishing is a seasonal activity affected by weather conditions, monsoon bans, and fluctuating catch availability. During lean seasons, fishermen often lack alternative employment, leading to significant underutilization of the workforce.
Statement 2 is Incorrect: The fishing community generally faces low per capita earnings rather than high earnings. Due to the uncertainty of the catch, exploitation by middlemen, and high operational costs (fuel, nets), net income is low. Consequently, savings are minimal, and the community is frequently plagued by high levels of indebtedness.
Statement 3 is Incorrect: There is extremely low occupational mobility for fishermen. The skills required for traditional fishing are not easily transferable to the modern service sectors like Information Technology (IT), which require high levels of formal education and technical training. Mobility, if it occurs, is usually towards other low-skilled unorganized sectors (e.g., construction labor).
Statement 4 is Correct: High rates of illiteracy are a major challenge. Coastal fishing villages are often geographically isolated, and children frequently drop out of school early to assist in family-based fishing activities. This lack of formal education further restricts occupational mobility and perpetuates the cycle of poverty.